RTHK: UK govt, opposition to hold further crisis talks The British government and the main opposition were to hold further crisis talks on Thursday after MPs voted in favour of a Brexit delay that would avoid Britain crashing out of the EU on April 12. The talks were held after Prime Minister Theresa May changed tack and held a first round of talks aimed at ending the current Brexit deadlock to avoid a chaotic 'no-deal' Brexit next week. A Downing Street spokesman said the meeting, which lasted an hour and 40 minutes, had been constructive, with both sides showing flexibility and a commitment to bring the current Brexit uncertainty to a close, but Corbyn was less upbeat. There hasnt been as much change as I expected, Corbyn, 69, said. The meeting was useful but inconclusive. Negotiating teams for both sides will meet again on Thursday for a full day of urgent discussions. The talks have sparked a backlash by hardline Brexit supporters in May's ruling Conservative party. May's divorce deal with the other 27 EU nations has been rejected three times by parliament and patience is wearing thin in Brussels as the deadline to end Britain's 46-year membership nears with no agreement in sight. The premier said Tuesday she would seek another "short" Brexit extension at an EU leaders' summit in Brussels on April 10. In a rushed parliamentary bid to avoid Britain leaving the EU without a divorce deal next Friday, MPs voted by the narrowest of margins late Wednesday in favour of draft legislation that would force the government to seek to delay Brexit beyond April 12. The vote passed by just one -- 313 votes in favour and 312 against -- in the lower House of Commons and the bill will now pass to the upper House of Lords for final approval on Thursday, much to the government's annoyance. "We are disappointed that MPs have chosen to back this bill," a government spokesman said. "The prime minister has already set out a clear process through which we can leave the European Union with a deal and we have already committed to seeking a further extension. "If passed, this bill would place a severe constraint on the government's ability to negotiate an extension and reflect this new date in UK statute books before April 12." Corbyn told May that Labour wanted a customs union with the EU, access to its single market and raised "the option of a public vote to prevent crashing out or leaving on a bad deal". If the talks between the government and Labour fail to reach a compromise that both can support, May hopes the two sides can come up with mutually acceptable options that would be put up for binding parliamentary votes. The British premier's sudden change of tack was received with caution by EU leaders who wish to see the split resolved before the European Parliament elections begin on May 23. Finance minister Philip Hammond said it was an "expectation" that Brussels would offer a longer extension at the April 10 summit than the short one Britain is targeting, but London would want to curtail it as quickly as possible after passing a Brexit deal. "It would be in everybody's interest that we moved into the implementation period at that point," he told ITV television. German Chancellor Angela Merkel was to visit Dublin on Thursday to meet Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar for talks on Brexit. She has vowed to "fight until the last hour" to avoid a no-deal outcome -- something that would hit the UK's only land neighbour Ireland hardest. (AFP, Reuters) This story has been published on: 2019-04-04. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Analysis identifies patients most at risk for weight regain after bariatric surgery PITTSBURGH, April 4, 2019 - In the years following bariatric surgery, a person's overall eating behaviors and the amount of time spent watching television, playing video games and using a computer for recreation are a better indication of long-term weight loss success than specific weight control practices like counting calories. Those findings by the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, published today in the Annals of Surgery, also indicate that, despite the thorough psychological evaluation often required in preparation for bariatric surgery, mental health and eating habits prior to surgery were not useful in predicting which patients would struggle most with keeping the weight off after surgery. It is the largest long-term study to examine patient behaviors and characteristics associated with post-bariatric surgery weight regain. "Bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment for severe obesity. It results in sustained weight reduction and remission of diabetes and other health problems in the majority of patients," said lead author Wendy King, Ph.D., associate professor in Pitt Public Health's Department of Epidemiology. "However, as with all types of weight loss interventions, patients usually regain at least some of the weight they initially lose." King's previous work, which quantified the tremendous variation among patients in the timing and amount of weight regained following maximum weight loss from bariatric surgery, highlighted the need for this study to identify behaviors related to weight regain and patients at risk for regaining the most weight. "This study is important for prevention and early intervention efforts," she said. King and her colleagues followed 1,278 adults who underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery and had their weight measured an average of 8.3 times over a period that averaged 6.6 years. The participants were enrolled in the National Institutes of Health-funded Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery-2 (LABS-2), a prospective, observational study of patients undergoing weight-loss surgery at one of 10 hospitals across the United States. Reducing sedentary behavior; avoiding fast food; addressing problematic eating behaviors--including eating continuously, eating when full, loss of control and binge eating; and promoting self-weighing at least weekly were all behavioral targets the research team identified that patients should strive for and doctors should promote as part of post-surgical patient care. In addition to evaluating behaviors, the scientists also identified patient characteristics related to higher weight regain. Younger patients and those with venous edema with ulcerations, which is a disease of the veins accompanied by sores on the skin; difficulty with daily physical function, such as bathing, dressing and walking; or depressive symptoms post-surgery gained more weight, suggesting they may warrant enhanced monitoring. "This may sound like common sense," said King. "But several behaviors and characteristics that clinicians hypothesized to matter were not related to weight regain. For example, while frequency of fast food consumption was associated with greater weight regain, frequency of meals or eating at restaurants were not." This study also demonstrated the difficulty of predicting outcomes of bariatric surgery based on pre-surgery status. For example, while depressive symptoms during the post-surgery period were related to weight regain, pre-surgery depressive symptoms were not. Likewise, pre-surgery eating behaviors were not useful for determining the risk of weight regain. Anita Courcoulas, M.D., senior author of the study and chief of minimally invasive bariatric surgery at UPMC, said the research builds on the team's previous analyses indicating the importance of longer-term, close follow-up of patients to help maximize weight and health results following bariatric surgery. "As clinicians, we know that weight maintenance is the most important, yet challenging, aspect of long-term post-bariatric surgery care," she said. "Because we found that most individual patient characteristics at the time of surgery do not clearly identify those most at risk for poor weight loss maintenance after surgery, it is especially important that clinicians and programs engage with patients early and often after surgery about behaviors that can aid in limiting weight regain." ### Additional authors on this study are Steven H. Belle, Ph.D., and Amanda S. Hinerman, M.P.H., both of Pitt; James E. Mitchell, M.D., of the Neuropsychiatric Research Institute in Fargo, N.D.; and Kristine J. Steffen, Pharm.D., Ph.D., of North Dakota State University. This clinical study was a cooperative agreement funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Grant numbers are: Data Coordinating Center - U01 DK066557; Columbia-Presbyterian - U01-DK66667 (in collaboration with Cornell University Medical Center CTSC, grant UL1-RR024996); University of Washington - U01-DK66568 (in collaboration with CTRC, grant M01RR-00037); Neuropsychiatric Research Institute - U01-DK66471; East Carolina University - U01-DK66526; UPMC - U01-DK66585 (in collaboration with CTRC, grant UL1-RR024153); and Oregon Health & Science University - U01-DK66555. To read this release online or share it, visit http://www. upmc. com/ media/ news/ 040419-king-courcoulas-regain [when embargo lifts]. About the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health The University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, founded in 1948 and now one of the top-ranked schools of public health in the United States, conducts research on public health and medical care that improves the lives of millions of people around the world. Pitt Public Health is a leader in devising new methods to prevent and treat cardiovascular diseases, HIV/AIDS, cancer and other important public health problems. For more information about Pitt Public Health, visit the school's Web site at http://www. publichealth. pitt. edu . About UPMC A $19 billion world-renowned health care provider and insurer, Pittsburgh-based UPMC is inventing new models of patient-centered, cost-effective, accountable care. UPMC provides more than $900 million a year in benefits to its communities, including more care to the region's most vulnerable citizens than any other health care institution. The largest nongovernmental employer in Pennsylvania, UPMC integrates 87,000 employees, 40 hospitals, 700 doctors' offices and outpatient sites, and a 3.5 million-member Insurance Services Division, the largest medical insurer in western Pennsylvania. As UPMC works in close collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences, U.S. News & World Report consistently ranks UPMC Presbyterian Shadyside on its annual Honor Roll of America's Best Hospitals. UPMC Enterprises functions as the innovation and commercialization arm of UPMC, and UPMC International provides hands-on health care and management services with partners around the world. For more information, go to UPMC.com. http://www. upmc. com/ media Contact: Allison Hydzik Office: 412-647-9975 Mobile: 412-559-2431 E-mail: HydzikAM@upmc.edu Contact: Madison Brunner Office: 412-578-9193 Mobile: 412-432-8390 E-mail: BrunnerM@upmc.edu This story has been published on: 2019-04-04. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Some cemeteries in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality are operating a new businessto sweep tombs for those who cannot visit the cemetery, China Economic Net reported on March 30. Qian Hua and her colleague visit a cemetery in southwest Chinas Chongqing Municipality. (Photo/Chongqing Evening News) 22-year-old Qian Hua, who works for the new business, said people who are too old to travel and those living overseas or far away can now choose this method to express their condolences. Due to these reasons, Qian doesn't think that this new way of commemorating deceased relatives should be called unfilial. Qian Huas colleague prepares to record the tomb-sweeping process. (Photo/Chongqing Evening News) After receiving an order from a client, the cemetery asks its staff to sweep the tomb while recording the process to ensure its authenticity. The service is charged at between 100 yuan ($14.91) and 500 yuan. A senior couple has placed an order to have Qian express condolences to their son during the upcoming Tomb-Sweeping Day, because they are now too old and frail to make the journey themselves. Qian Huas colleague records the process as she cleans a tombstone. (Photo/Chongqing Evening News) We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Two years ago, Liz Smith, director of nursing at Franciscan Children's hospital in Brighton, Massachusetts, was headed toward the elevator at work when she saw her: a tiny girl with bright blue eyes and a single soft brown curl swept across her forehead. "Who's this beautiful angel?" Smith asked the nurse who was wheeling the infant down the hall. "Her name is Gisele," the nurse told her. The infant, a ward of the state, had been at the hospital for five months, but Smith had never seen her before. Smith learned that Gisele, then 8 months old, had been born premature at another hospital in July 2016, weighing just under 2 pounds. She had neonatal abstinence syndrome - a result of her birth mother using heroin, cocaine and methadone during pregnancy. The state of Massachusetts took custody of Gisele when she was 3 months old and transferred her to Franciscan Children's because her lungs needed specialized care, and she had a feeding tube. The baby did not have a single visitor in her five months at the hospital. Social service workers were trying to place her in foster care. "Gisele," Smith told herself all the way home that evening. "Gisele." It was at that moment, said Smith, that she knew: "I'm going to foster this baby. I'm going to be her mother." Life often interferes with well-planned intentions, and for Smith, who grew up in Andover, Massachusetts, it was no different. When she lost her mother at age 19 to liver cancer, Smith decided the best way to honor her was to live a good life and follow her selfless example. "My mom was a pediatric nurse who always put others first," recalled Smith, a middle child with two brothers and two sisters. "So I grew up wanting to be a nurse, too." She also wanted to nurture in a more personal way. For decades, Smith, now 45, always thought she would marry and raise a family as her mother had. After her parents divorced when she was 9, her mom put a lot of effort into keeping the house full of laughter and joy, Smith recalled. When several of her siblings married and started to have children of their own, Smith said she naturally thought that she would one day do the same. But it didn't happen. "I never imagined becoming a mom would be a challenge," she said. "It's a desire you can try to push away and fill with other distractions, but it never goes away." As Smith threw herself into being "the world's greatest aunt" for her 13 nieces and nephews, her siblings picked up on her pain. "I always pictured Liz as a mom, since she's a nurturer by nature," said one of her sisters, Elly Smith, 40, a homeland security analyst with three boys. Liz Smith, who had hoped to conceive through in vitro fertilization, found out her health insurance wouldn't cover the treatment, and she couldn't afford it on her own. Her sister suggested adoption or fostering, but Smith didn't want to consider it. Then she saw Gisele. "Since the moment I met her, there was something behind her striking blue eyes capturing my attention," she said. "I felt that I needed to love this child and keep her safe." After putting in a request to foster Gisele, Smith went to the baby's hospital room every day after work to sit next to her crib and talk in a soft voice. "She was behind developmentally, and I wanted to get her out of the hospital and get her thriving," Smith recalled. Three weeks later, in April 2017, when Gisele was 9 months old, she received permission to take Gisele home with the stipulation that every effort would be made by the state to reunite the infant with her birth parents. Her friends at work threw her a baby shower and helped to set up a crib in her bedroom. "Leaving the parking lot of the hospital with Gisele and a car full of baby stuff, I was in shock that it was happening," said Smith. She took two weeks off to settle into her new role. "I was excited but nervous, realizing that I was committing everything I had to this child who might not be in my life forever," she said. Although Gisele's birth parents were initially granted supervised weekly visits, ultimately the state determined that they were incapable of caring for the infant, and their parental rights were terminated. No other family members were found who were able to take the baby. Smith was thrilled that she could apply to adopt Gisele, but she understood the sorrow of the situation for the birth mother and father. "The day I got the call that their parental rights were terminated was very sad," she said. "My gain was another's loss. It's a feeling difficult to describe when you are experiencing this life-changing moment that someone else is as well, in the opposite way. The bottom line is: It's devastating for another family." With plenty of nurturing from Smith, her brother, Phil Smith, who lived with her at the time, and other trusted caregivers, the infant was soon meeting milestone after milestone. By Halloween of 2017, when Gisele was 15 months old, she was walking, and she knew several words. "Her first word was 'badoon,' for balloon," said Liz Smith. "Today, we still call it that." Then last year on Oct. 18, in a courtroom in Brockton, Massachusetts, that was filled with family members, co-workers and friends, Liz Smith's dream became official: A judge signed off on Gisele's adoption and presented Liz Smith with legal documents certifying that she was now the girl's mother. "This is the mother-daughter relationship my sister has waited a long time for," said Phil Smith, 44. "It's plain to see that they have brought a completeness to each other." Although Gisele, who is now 2, still needs to use a supplemental feeding tube, said Liz Smith, her daughter now weighs 23 pounds and has an appreciation for cheese, avocados and pizza. She is also energetic, loving and often bursts spontaneously into song. "Her new favorite song is 'You Are My Sunshine,' " Smith said. "And every time she sings it, I think to myself, 'You have no idea.' " In 2011, 6-year-old Timmothy Pitzens mother picked him up at school in Illinois, took him to the zoo and a water park, and then killed herself at a hotel, leaving a note in which she said her son was fine but that no one would ever find him. On Wednesday, a 14-year-old boy came forward to tell authorities he is Timmothy. The boy claimed he escaped from two kidnappers in the Cincinnati area and then fled across a bridge into Kentucky. Authorities from Timmothys hometown of Aurora, Illinois, are now checking out the teenagers story. Weve probably had thousands of tips of him popping up in different areas, Aurora police Sgt. Bill Rowley said. We have no idea what were driving down there for. It could be Pitzen. It could be a hoax. Timmothy Pitzens grandmother, Alana Anderson, told WISN-TV Wednesday that authorities have told the family very little. We just know a 14-year-old boy was found and went to the police, Anderson said. We dont want to get our hopes up and our familys hopes up until we know something. We just dont want to get our hopes up. Weve had false reports and false hopes before. Police in the Cincinnati suburb of Sharonville wrote in a short incident report that the boy said Wednesday morning that he had just escaped from two kidnappers he described as white men with body builder-type physiques. They were in a Ford SUV with Wisconsin license plates and had been staying at a Red Roof Inn. Sharonville police said on the departments Facebook page that the information about the boys reported escape was received by police in Campbell County, Kentucky. The City of Sharonville Police Department, like every other police agency in the greater Cincinnati area, was requested to check their Red Roof Inn hotels regarding this incident, the post read. To the best of our knowledge, we have no information indicating that the missing juvenile was ever in the City of Sharonville. The FBI said in a statement Wednesday afternoon that its offices in Cincinnati and in Louisville, Kentucky, were working on a missing child investigation with Aurora police and police departments in Cincinnati and Newport, Kentucky, and the Hamilton County Sheriffs Office in Ohio. The FBI offered no other details. The body of 43-year-old Amy Fry-Pitzen was found on May 15, 2011. Her wrists were slit. Police believe she killed herself at a hotel in Rockford, Illinois, after taking Timmothy to the zoo and a Wisconsin water park. A note she left said Timmothy was fine but that no would ever find him. Police investigating her death said she took steps that suggest she might have dropped her son off with a friend. At the time, police searched for Timmothy in Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa. There's a lot of reasons people think 13 is an unlucky number. This year may add another. At least 13 storm systems should reach tropical strength and get a name in 2019, with five becoming hurricanes and two spawning winds of 111 miles per hour or more, Colorado State University said in its annual Atlantic forecast. While the overall storm number is one above the 30-year average, it's down from 15 last year. But that isn't a reason for coastal residents to drop their guard. "As we always say, it only takes one storm to make it an active season.'' Phil Klotzbach, lead author of the study, said by telephone. "People have to prepare the same as always.'' An El Nino weather pattern will linger into the fall, and that's helping to keep the hurricane season close to average, but there is no way of telling if one or more storms will become strong enough to cause destruction for the U.S., Mexico and the Caribbean. The U.S. was hit by three major hurricanes in 2017, with the entire season causing about $215 billion in damage. Last year, hurricanes Florence and Michael ripped through the Carolinas and Florida with the total damage for the year reaching $51 billion, according to Munich Re. The six month season begins June 1, when the warming Atlantic water becomes a nursery for the destructive storms often born from weather systems drifting off Africa. Atlantic hurricanes are closely watched because they can shake energy and agriculture markets, threaten coastal real estate, impact politics and leave long-lasting suffering for people and businesses in their wake. This week, Congressional Republicans and Democrats haggled over disaster funding for Puerto Rico, still reeling from 2017's Hurricane Maria. Politics aside, the perils faced by hurricanes are massive. In the U.S., more than 6.9 million homes, valued at $1.6 trillion, are at risk from storms, according to CoreLogic. Across the South, many are still trying to recover from multiple strikes over the last several years. In Dillon County, South Carolina, residents were struggling to recover from flooding brought by Hurricane Matthew in 2016 when Florence brought a second deluge last year. "It is an ongoing process,'' said Kenneth Smith, Dillon County's long-term recovery chairman. "It has been going on since Matthew. They got hit twice.'' Nature's cycles could rob the six-month 2019 season of some of its power, Klotzbach of Colorado State said. El Nino in the equatorial Pacific causes wind shear to develop across the Atlantic. Tropical storms and hurricanes can be ripped apart by wind shear with the tops of the storms being cut clear off. Klotzbach also said that forecasts made in April are among the hardest for both storms and El Nino. From 2015 to 2018, Colorado State's forecast underestimated the overall storms by 1 to 4 systems. At the same time, El Nino could fade. "There is a lot of uncertainty about El Nino at this time of year,'' Klotzbach said. "But I don't see any smoking guns that is going to change that.'' Big Brothers Big Sisters of West Central Illinois will end its services in Jacksonville this month after the organization said it was unable to raise the necessary funding to continue. The mentoring program will end April 15 and the Jacksonville site will close its office at 220 E. Morgan St. by June. EDWARDSVILLE Edwardsville High School Future Farmers of America (FFA) students recently placed first and within the top five in the statewide FFA Supervised Agricultural Experience contest hosted at the University of Illinois. Monique Garrett, senior and Edwardsville FFA chapter vice president, placed first in Equine Science. She is the first student from Edwardsville High School to win a state proficiency area since the FFA chapter was restarted in 2005. She kept records within the Equine Science area at four different places she worked. So she dedicated her time and after school hours putting in work at her job, Jaci Jenkins, agriculture teacher and FFA chapter advisor, said. Over the past four years, Garrett has put in 2,052 hours keeping records with the four people she works for in the equine industry. In her project, she does daily general care and maintenance, training on barrel racing and western pleasure and assisting in the breeding process. Her records concern her job at Indian Hills Farm where Jackie and Joe King employ her. Zach Paul, high school junior and Edwardsville FFA chapter secretary, participated in the Dairy Production Entrepreneurship division and finished in the top five. He has put in 2,567 hours over the past three years for his dairy project, which entails keeping records of his show cattle and his milk production cows. Paul works with Gueldener Farms in Moro in the care of his cows. To get to the state level, the pair had to first win at the section and district levels. There are approximately 320 FFA chapters in Illinois, divided into 25 sections and five districts. [The students] take their physical records with them to the contest and then they have to go through an interview process where judges look over the records they kept and they ask them questions about their projects, about skills theyve learned and how they planned to do their projects, Jenkins said. At the contest, competitors are judged on many different aspects of their agriculture experience. Its based on the amount of hours theyve put in, the amount of money theyve made, their knowledge of the industry that theyre in or the knowledge of the area theyre in and their actual record keeping abilities that they have in their books, Jenkins said. Reach reporter Breanna Booker at bre.booker@edwpub.net The events surrounding this year's White House correspondents' dinner on April 27 - the annual blitz of parties that at its most bloated had stretched to a week-long binge of pregame cocktail parties and hangover-nursing brunches - will be a lot less glitzy and a lot more D.C. No, dear reader, you are not experiencing deja vu. We said this same thing last year. And the year before. The dinner, which ostensibly has always been a celebration of the First Amendment and the hard-working folks who cover the White House but somehow always ended up being something else, has been on a course-correcting path for some time now. No longer is the weekend a celebrity Super Bowl on the Potomac with a smattering of actual journalists gawking from the sidelines. These days, it really is all about the freedom of the press and the people who exercise it. Starting the Friday before and ending Sunday, with the rubber chicken dinner and awards ceremony at the Washington Hilton in between, Correspondents' Weekend 2019 will see even fewer also-ran soirees than in years past as President Donald Trump's presence in Washington keeps the Hollywood types at home washing their hair and the reporter types with their notebooks ready. There's no official word from the White House on whether Trump will skip the dinner for the third year in a row - and the clock is ticking on the president's RSVP deadline because of security concerns. But there's still time for the tweeter in chief to announce a pit stop at the Hilton on a hot Saturday night. Oh, and the other major nail in the coffin of glamorous dinners past? There's no comedian this year. After Michelle Wolf's controversial 2018 set that roasted everyone in the swamp from CNN to Sarah Sanders, the Correspondents' Association announced that it would be breaking a years-long tradition of having a comedian "entertain" the stuffy crowd and would instead invite historian Ron Chernow to deliver the night's keynote address. Another contributing factor to the low-wattage weekend is the Creative Coalition's absence. The advocacy organization, which reliably brings A-listers lobbying for the arts to town, is postponing its scheduled events and day on Capitol Hill for May because Congress won't be in session. "It just doesn't make advocacy sense," said Robin Bronk, the group's CEO. "We love and support everything that the correspondents' dinner stands for." Gone for good, it seems, are the Oscars-esque rarefied air of the Bloomberg/Vanity Fair, People/Time and Google affairs. The Correspondents' Jam hosted by Rolling Stones touring keyboardist Chuck Leavell, which featured bands fronted by journalists and a few celebrity ringers, is a no-go this year because of the Stones' previously scheduled tour, which has been postponed. That's not to say, though, that there's no party circuit to gird for - plenty of the weekend's traditional fetes are still on. On Friday, the tent will again go up in the Embassy Row backyard of Atlantic publisher David Bradley, who hosts a dinner for Official Washington that's simultaneously a highbrow gathering and a good gossip sesh for those lucky enough to score invites. And the United Talent Agency, which reps Hollywood types and D.C.'s top TV talent, will be back at Fiola Mare in Georgetown (although it won't have a comedian client performing at the 2019 dinner, as in previous years). In the past, the UTA party was the most packed with actual famous people and not just famous-for-Washington folks. If you can snag an invite this year, expect to see former politicians turned talking heads and the entire cast of CNN, MSNBC and maybe even Fox News. And for some counterprogramming, comedian Samantha Bee's "Not the White House Correspondents' Dinner is back," even though the comedian had vowed never to host another NWHCD again. It seems Bee, the host of TBS's "Full Frontal," couldn't stay away for long, especially since the 2019 dinner axed the comic relief. "The White House Correspondents' Association has left me no choice - it is now up to comedy journalists to take care of real journalists," Bee said in a statement announcing her second anti-dinner, which will be held at DAR Constitution Hall on April and air on TBS at the same time of the actual dinner on Saturday. Ditching their usual party in collaboration with Extra and the Canadian Embassy, this year, the Hill newspaper is going big with a Friday soiree at the National Portrait Gallery featuring famous DJ Questlove, who has been a fixture during previous WHCD weekends. According to their announcement, the party, dubbed "A Toast to Freedom of the Press," is a celebration "of politics without prejudice." On Saturday, the traditional pre-dinner cocktail parties hosted by media organizations will turn the hallways of the Washington Hilton into a crush of dinner attendees looking to pregame before the big event (because you never know when the waiters pouring the wine in the ballroom will just disappear). Perhaps in a nod to the toned-down party circuit, local glossy Capitol File is switching things up in 2019 and again hosting its big event immediately after the dinner as opposed to the night before. This is a big-girl time slot usually reserved for Vanity Fair and Google. But with those mega festivities gone the way of the condor, Cap File has stepped in with an after-party hosted by Michael Kelly of "House of Cards" at the Dupont Circle Hotel just down the street from the Hilton. MSNBC's after-party will again be one of the hottest tickets of the weekend. No word on details for this year's incarnation, but previous years have seen host Rachel Maddow playing guest bartender and media types inhaling wee-hours snacks to fuel their dance-floor workouts. And what's the point of sitting through dinner if you can't meet up with friends to post-mortem it the next morning? Brunch options include CNN's day-after hangout for weary journos, a tradition that will continue this year with a new, yet-to-be unveiled theme and location, we're told. Even though the switch is just under five months from now, Glen Carbon officials have been meeting with Maryville and Illinois-American Water (IAW) about options for village residents and businesses. During a special meeting of the public service committee Wednesday, Jamie Bowden, village administrator, described choices in the wake of disconnecting from the City of Edwardsvilles water supply. Village board members Steve Slemer, Micah Summers and Mary Beth Williams also attended. The village has explored either partnering with Maryville to get water or linking to Illinois-Americans supply. In January, Glen Carbon trustees voted to withdraw from its service agreement with Edwardsville to save money. Edwardsville is preparing to update its water plant and under the current contract, Glen Carbon would have been required to pay for a portion of the upgrade and the village would have passed that increase on to customers in the form of a rate hike. Glen Carbon used 26 percent of Edwardsvilles total production, or about 427 million gallons during 2017-2018 fiscal year. They were amiable to us moving on, Bowden said of Edwardsville officials. While the city waived the 24-month early termination period but wants the village to pay for its share of the past debt. The contract includes a provision for either party to terminate the agreement provided a 24-month written notice is provided, said Edwardsvilles Public Works Director Eric Williams. Glen Carbon requested, and the City of Edwardsville agreed, to terminate the agreement prior to the 24 months, provided Glen Carbon would contribute their prorated share of the existing bond and debt certificate principal and interest payments that will become due within the 24-month period. Glen Carbons share is $329,000 as shown in Section Two of the Intergovernmental Agreement to Terminate. The committee unanimously approved an intergovernmental agreement to end buying bulk water from the city on or before Sept. 1. The agreement dates to June 18, 1996. Bowden said he and village officials had concerns about rate control, annexation and developers with any new agreement. Bowden said IAW officials recommended putting those concerns in a request for proposal (RFP). He reminded the committee members that the village is not obligated to accept any RFPs it receives. He said he and his team met with Maryville officials two weeks ago. The gist of the meeting was to assure that our emergency water supply agreement that has been in place for several years would remain in effect between our two communities and the process to supply water to one another in an emergency situation, said Maryville Mayor Craig Short. Glen Carbon met with Illinois-American Water officials next. We are excited about the opportunity to provide water, in bulk, to the Village of Glen Carbon, said Terry Mackin, Illinois-Americans director of communications. We will be working closely with village officials to ensure a smooth, transparent transition to village residents and businesses. Water would be primarily sourced from the Mississippi River at IAWs plant in East St. Louis with its Granite City plant acting as a secondary source, said Charlie Juneau, president of Juneau and Associates, which frequently contracts with the village on various infrastructure projects. Under the agreement, the village itself would be our customer, Mackin said. We would provide water to the villages water system. The village will continue to own, operate and maintain its own water distribution system to serve the community and will handle all customer service-related issues for their residents and businesses. Illinois American Water has more than 140 years of experience providing water service in the Metro East, Mackin continued. We provide water to 132 communities in Illinois, either directly or sale-for-resale. We look forward to providing water wholesale in Glen Carbon. We believe the village will continue to grow and prosper and we look forward to a partnership with the village. A third option would be for the village to build its own water supply. Wednesday, the committee approved a professional service agreement with Juneau for a connection to IAWs Booster Station No. 1 at Route 162. This will tap an existing main and extend it across Route 162, west of the villages existing water treatment plant, which is located on Route 162 one quarter-mile west of Route 157. A 500,000-gallon clear well, along with a one million-gallon storage tank with related pumping and electrical components, are used to deliver water to village homes and businesses. Water is pumped from the clear well and temporarily stored at the village half million-gallon elevated storage tower at the corner of Glen Carbon Road and Route 159. The public works department is responsible for the operations and maintenance of 90 miles of water mains and related equipment. Reach Charles Bolinger at (618) 656-4700, ext. 31 EDWARDSVILLE Significant rain in March led to above normal soil moisture in Illinois and major flooding events on many local streams and rivers, according to Brian Kerschner, spokesperson for the Illinois State Climatologist Office at the University of Illinois Illinois State Water Survey. The preliminary statewide average precipitation for March was 4.16 inches, which is 1.20 inches above the long-term average. Major and historic flooding on the lower Ohio River Basin in southern Illinois continued into the first week of March, as a result of substantial February rain events. By the middle of the month, a strong and historic low-pressure system brought heavy rain, storms, and strong wind to Illinois and the rest of the Midwest. The heavy rains and combined regional snow melt resulted in additional widespread flooding concerns across the region. This included a major flooding event for northern and northwest Illinois, with the Rock, Fox, and Mississippi Rivers experiencing significant crests. The heaviest March precipitation fell across the central and southern portions of the state where 4 to 6 inches were common. Five stations in these regions reported over 6 inches of precipitation for the month. Totals were lower in northern Illinois with generally 1.5 to 3 inches. The lowest totals for the month occurred along the Illinois/Wisconsin border. The highest March precipitation total of 6.41 inches was reported at a station near Jerseyville in Jersey County. Soil moisture profiles across Illinois remain in the 90th percentile or higher heading into April. This leaves soil conditions favorable for spring runoff, an ever-growing concern for the agricultural community. Low temperatures began the first full week of March with a brutal Arctic outbreak in which temperature departures of 15 to 25 degrees below normal were common across Illinois. During this time, three stations recorded minimum temperatures of -10 degrees or colder. The lowest reading in the state, -12 degrees, occurred at the Little Red School House station in Cook County on March 5. In contrast, the warmest reading in the state was 76 degrees, reported at a station near Dixon Springs in Pope County on March 13. Preliminary results show that March 2019 finished with a statewide average temperature of 36.6 degrees, which is 4.7 degrees below the long-term average. March temperature departures finished below average statewide, with the coldest departures occurring across large areas of central Illinois and in the northwest corner of the state. Snowfall in March occurred statewide, although it rarely lasted long. Storm tracks show that the maximum snowfall was near the corridor from Rushville to Springfield, and a second was centered near Kankakee. In both cases, 3 to 5 inches of accumulation were measured. The National Weather Service (NWS) spring flood outlook places the entire state in its flood risk zone. Eastern and central Illinois are subject to a minor flood risk, while western, extreme northern, and southern portions of the state are in a moderate flood risk zone. Locations immediately along the banks of the Mississippi River are in a major flood risk zone. Looking ahead at the rest of April 2019, the Climate Prediction Center (CPC) is favoring probabilities of above-average temperatures statewide. This is a welcome change compared to April 2018, which ranked as the second coldest April in state history. An active weather pattern looks to persist, as the April outlook favors slight probabilities of above-average precipitation for the western half of the state. The right to reject political candidates has been gaining popularity among disenchanted Indian voters in recent elections, a trend that is starting to worry supporters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In the national vote beginning April 11, voters will get to pick "none of the above," or Nota - a button at the bottom on electronic voting machines after the list of candidates. While no current polls gauge the strength of Nota, past elections indicate it could be appealing for disgruntled home buyers, distressed farmers and villagers, and jobless youth. "The Nota is catching up,'' said Anil Verma, national coordinator of the Association for Democratic Reforms, a Delhi-based organization working on electoral and political reform. "Over the years in elections - in general and state assemblies -- the Nota share is increasing. Seeing the trend, perhaps this time there will be more Nota votes as there is disenchantment towards politicians and political parties.'' Better employment opportunities is the top priority for India voters, while they remain dissatisfied with the performance of federal and state governments on issues like healthcare, safe drinking water, roads and public transportation, according to the association's survey of about 270,000 people released on March 25. Fears that various voter groups are planning to use Nota to show their frustration with the political system has worried Modi's backers. Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the ideological parent of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, has launched a campaign against Nota. "Nota in the present form pushes people not to believe in democracy," said RSS spokesman Rajiv Tuli by phone from New Delhi on Friday. "We are doing door-to-door campaigns asking people for 100 percent voting and no Nota." Introduced to India's electoral system in 2013, Nota has no electoral value and cannot alter the outcome of the poll - rather, it allows voters who are not satisfied with any candidate to exercise their right to show their anger and frustration. In the 2014 elections, Nota got more than six million votes or 1.08 percent of total share. In closely-fought elections in December there were at least 23 assembly constituencies in Madhya Pradesh and 16 in Rajasthan where Nota votes were more than the margin of victory, Sanjay Kumar, director of the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, said in an article. That's why political parties believe Nota can affect the outcome of some polls. One major voting bloc - India's farmers - have been urged by their representatives to select Nota. "We have called for farmers to vote for Nota and we are also campaigning for it,'' said Lingaraj, the convener of the Paschim Odisha Krushak Sangathan Samanwaya Samiti, an umbrella body of farmers' organizations. The BJP and the eastern state of Odisha's ruling Biju Janata Dal have not fulfilled farmer's demands for loan waivers and better support prices for crops, while the main opposition Congress party can't be trusted either, said Lingaraj, who uses only one name. "All parties have betrayed the farmers." India will vote in seven phases between April 11 and May 19, with results released on May 23 determining whether Modi will retain power. The National Institutes of Health is requiring all visitors - including patients - to disclose their citizenship as a condition of entry, a policy that has unnerved staff scientists and led to recent disputes with at least two Iranian scientists invited to make presentations, only to be blocked from campus. In one incident, a Georgetown University graduate student arriving for a job interview was held up at security, then allowed to proceed to one of the campus buildings. But as he prepared to make a presentation, NIH police arrived, removed him from a lab and escorted him off campus, according to a complaint Monday to a group that represents staff scientists. In another, a brain researcher said he was told to leave, then delayed at security for nearly an hour filling out online forms. After interventions by NIH police and other officials, he was told an exception had been made that would allow him to deliver his presentation to the two dozen waiting researchers. Both men had green cards and U.S. driver's licenses and had previously visited NIH without incident. The two seem to have come under particular scrutiny as citizens of Iran, one of four countries classified as state sponsors of terrorism by the State Department. "I am very surprised and disappointed that there are all these restrictions," said the brain researcher, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid jeopardizing his relationships at NIH. He said he worked at NIH from 2009 to 2014 on an H-1B visa and had been invited to speak on his specialty last week. As recently as two months ago, he said, he had no problem entering the campus. NIH officials say the policy is not new - although they acknowledge posting a sign recently that says all visitors must disclose their citizenship in the NIH security building, known as the Gateway Center. People who work at the Bethesda, Maryland, campus said they had never heard of such questioning until the past few weeks. An April 2 email obtained by The Washington Post describes a senior-level meeting Tuesday, at which the chief executive of the NIH Clinical Center, James Gilman, recounted how a long-standing policy "was never followed, and apparently in the past few days, security started following it, including signs at the visitor entrances that say they will ask for it [citizenship]," according to a person who attended the meeting. A spokesman for NIH said Gilman denies having said that. The tightened security at the biomedical research center comes as the agency is under mounting pressure to more strictly scrutinize potential security risks. In recent months, NIH and the FBI have warned U.S. scientists to beware of Chinese spies intent on stealing biomedical research from NIH-funded laboratories at universities. Under pressure from lawmakers, led by Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, NIH said in January it had referred 12 allegations of foreign influence over U.S. research to the HHS inspector general. Grassley and NIH security have received several classified briefings in recent months, at which he and security experts demanded the agency be more aggressive about vetting foreign researchers before giving them access to facilities and research money, the senator's aides said. NIH - a research institution built on collaboration - is apparently following protocols used by federal security agencies that deal with highly sensitive or classified information and require top-secret security clearances for their employees. Visitors to those facilities must disclose their citizenship, and foreign nationals are provided with a badge different from those worn by U.S. citizens, security officials said. The change rankles some scientists, both inside and outside the agency, who fear the new rules will have a chilling effect on a campus where visitors and permanent scientific staff from around the world are an everyday part of the landscape. The policy has also sparked concerns about ethnicandracial profiling. "These individuals have already been vetted," said Ryan Costello, policy director at the National Iranian American Council. "They're green-card holders, they have been participating in U.S. life for years, contributing to scientific knowledge. It's really ridiculous to be suspected solely on their national origin." One NIH researcher, Marius Clore, forwarded a complaint Monday to an elected committee that represents scientific staff, according to a summary of his remarks obtained by The Post. In the summary, Clore is quoted as saying that the incident involving the Georgetown graduate student is "something that [NIH leadership] needs to address right away. If this sort of thing gets out, nobody is going to want to come and work at NIH." In the email complaint to the governing council of NIH's Assembly of Scientists, he said the unnamed Georgetown student - an Iranian citizen and a permanent U.S. resident - had entered the campus twice in recent weeks without problems, according to a summary of events prepared after the meeting. On March 19, NIH police and security guards initially allowed the student to proceed to his job interview after inquiring about his nationality and reviewing his green card. But as he was preparing to give his presentation, they showed up at the lab and escorted him out, in front of others, Clore said Clore did not return phone calls or emails seeking more information about the incident. The Washington Post could not independently confirm the events. The Assembly of Scientists' 24-member governing council has asked to discuss the matter with Michael Gottesman, NIH's deputy director, at a meeting Friday, a person familiar with the events said. An NIH spokeswoman said she was aware of the incidents. "In both instances, the necessary paperwork was not completed," spokeswoman Renate Myles said Wednesday. The policy of requiring all visitors to reveal their citizenship "may not be applied uniformly, but should be," she said. The sign at NIH's Gateway Center cites Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 - a 2004 policy set out by the Department of Homeland Security seeking a uniform standard for identifying federal employees and contractors in the post-9/11 era, to minimize security risks. It was updated in 2011 to require agencies to develop policies on the credentials needed to enter their buildings, networks and computer systems. Myles said people from Iran, Syria, North Korea and Sudan - the four nations considered state sponsors of terrorism - have been required for years to obtain advance permission to visit any facility that is part of the Department of Health and Human Services, including NIH. The application must be approved by the HHS Office of National Security and can take at least 10 days, she said. People who work at NIH said they had never encountered such requests. "If I forget my ID, I have to go to the Gateway Center [security building] like anybody else," an American scientist aware of the complaint about the Georgetown graduate student said Tuesday. "They give me a temporary day pass. They've never asked me my nationality. So I don't know how they decide who gets asked." The brain researcher said he has entered NIH as a visitor countless times, using just his driver's license. That changed on March 26. "My understanding is there has been a change; somebody has changed some policy," he said. - - - The Washington Post's Carol Morello contributed to this report. WASHINGTON - Facing widespread opposition, President Donald Trump backed down Thursday from his threat to close the southern border, instead giving Mexico a "one-year warning" while leaving his administration with no clear path to deal with a record surge of migrant families. Trump had issued an ultimatum on Twitter late last week that he would move to seal the border to trade and travel if Mexican authorities do not halt illegal immigration. The president's pronouncement, coming amid reports that the U.S. Border Patrol was at the "breaking point," surprised White House aides and sparked fear among Republican allies and business leaders over the potentially devastating economic impact of closing the 2,000-mile border with the nation's third-largest trading partner. In the days after his tweet, Trump and his senior advisers issued conflicting signals about his intentions, with some aides privately expressing befuddlement over his strategy. The president offered no public details, and aides worked behind the scenes to craft a plan that would satisfy Trump but minimize the economic harm. Those efforts were rendered moot on Thursday when Trump, in an exchange with reporters at the White House, suddenly shifted gears, saying that if Mexico does not stem the flow of drugs and migrants into the United States within the next year, he will impose tariffs on cars and then, possibly, close the border. "We're going to give them a one-year warning, and if the drugs don't stop or largely stop, we're going to put tariffs on Mexico and products, particularly cars," Trump said. "And if that doesn't stop the drugs, we close the border." Later in the afternoon, ahead of a trade meeting with Chinese officials, Trump praised Mexico for "doing a very good job in the last three or four days since we talked about closing the border," even though Mexican authorities have said they have not altered their enforcement policies. The president's decision offered relief to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which along with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., had lobbied Trump not to act. "We welcome the President's decision not to close the Mexican border," Neil Bradley, the Chamber's executive vice president, said in a statement. He called on Congress and the White House to ensure that U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which has shifted personnel to help process the migrant families, has sufficient resources "to reduce the excessive wait times affecting legitimate trade and travel across the border." Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen this week ordered the CBP to deploy "emergency surge operations" to the border, including shifting 750 agents from field operations to help the Border Patrol, a move that could produce delays at legal ports of entry. Trump's apparent turnaround came a day before he is scheduled to visit Calexico, California, a city near Mexico where a 2-mile section of border fence was replaced last year. The president has sought to demonstrate progress on the wall as the number of unauthorized border crossings last month approached 100,000, the highest level in more than a decade, according to the DHS. Critics have said the spike proves that Trump's policies have failed to address the complex factors that sparked the influx of migrant families, mostly from Central American nations, and to adequately respond to the mounting humanitarian crisis. Trump this week announced that his administration would cut off some foreign aid money to Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, a move that analysts said could make the migration problem worse by hurting their economies. Though Trump said his threat to close the border aimed to put economic pressure on Mexico, experts said it would do little to stem the flow of migrants, many of whom cross between legal ports of entry and seek to surrender to authorities in hope of getting asylum protections. Trump's threats also exacerbated tensions with Mexico at a time when officials from that country have been trying to work with the administration to convince Congress to ratify the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade deal that the president announced last year. That deal includes provisions that would spare the U.S. neighbors from new auto tariffs. Asked Thursday about Trump's demands, Martha Barcena, the Mexican ambassador to Washington, said that "migration not only from Mexico but around the world cannot be fully stopped. What we need to have is orderly, regular and safe migration." She stopped short of directly criticizing Trump. "We want to continue to say to everybody that Mexico is willing to have a good relationship, that we need to work with the United States," Barcena said. Mayor Armando Cabanda Alvidrez of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico - a city across the border from El Paso, Texas - said Trump's decision "gives us a bit of certainty. There was a lot of concern in the business sector and among local people about this threat to close the border. At the very least, it's a coherent message for the business and commercial sector. . . . It's a real relief." Yet even after Trump backed off his threat, he was still facing a pressing challenge over how to respond to the escalating number of families at the border. CBP officials have said the agency is so overwhelmed that it has begun immediately releasing migrants into the country to await their immigration court hearings, a process that can take more than a year due to major backlogs. Trump declared a "national emergency" at the border in an effort to secure $8 billion for the wall, but Democrats are continuing to explore ways to stop him. The Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group, a panel consisting of top House leaders, voted in a private meeting earlier Thursday to authorize litigation opposing Trump's moves. Democrats and some Republicans argue that he is unconstitutionally circumventing Congress' power to direct federal appropriations. The vote of the five-member panel - consisting of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., Majority Whip James Clyburn, D-S.C., Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and Minority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La. - was 3-2 along party lines, according to Hoyer. Pelosi said in a statement Thursday that Trump was "stealing from appropriated funds." A Democratic aide said that while the vote authorized future litigation, no lawsuit was imminent. Two Texas Democrats representing border districts, Veronica Escobar and Henry Cuellar, also on Thursday introduced a resolution condemning Trump's border shutdown threats. In an interview on "Fox & Friends" Thursday morning, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said Trump was making the trip to Calexico on Friday so that Americans will "get a chance to see some of the things that are going on, on the ground and hear from the people dealing with this crisis day in and day out." - - - The Washington Post's Gabriela Martinez in Mexico City and Mike DeBonis, John Wagner and Nick Miroff in Washington contributed to this report. SPRINGFIELD Representatives of the Illinois Community College Board told a Senate appropriations committee Thursday they were looking forward to a period of stability in higher education after weathering several years of state government dysfunction. Im excited to come before you and not be talking about drastic budget cuts, ICCB Executive Director Brian Durham told the committee, noting that community colleges have continued a rich history of student success despite the challenges and uncertainty of a prolonged budget impasse, and declining state support. The ICCBs total request is level with Gov. J.B. Pritzkers budget proposal, which includes approximately $388.5 million from all funds. The total general revenue fund expenditures of $334 million represent an approximate 5 percent increase from a year ago for the community college system, which serves more than 675,000 students at 48 institutions. Durham touted the governors proposal for adding $13.9 million into the system for community college operating grants and adult education programs. The governors investment in community colleges recognizes that we are the largest provider of public workforce training in the state, Durham said. The increase will be a first step in counteracting ill effects of the multiyear budget impasse which occurred under former Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, Durham said. He noted the state provides about 16 percent of community college funding, per the latest available numbers, with property taxes and tuition making up approximately 42 percent each. State Sen. Pat McGuire, a Crest Hill Democrat, said those contributions should each actually amount to one-third of funding, per the original parameters of community college funding. He asked what effect the disparities had on education. Weve seen tuition go up for one thing, Durham said, adding colleges generally do all in their power to avoid tuition hikes. Since 2004, ICCB representatives said community college enrollment in the state has decreased by about 21 percent, and the City Colleges of Chicago have seen enrollment decreases of about 25 percent. Durham said enrollment of recent high school graduates grew slightly during that time, while adult enrollment has decreased. Durham said despite enrollment decreases, college completion numbers for those obtaining an associate degree have grown, and Illinois leads the nation in this category. Those numbers are important, Durham said, because nine of 10 students who graduate from a community college with an associate degree remain in the state for employment, meaning the states investment goes even further. Part of the added funding for community colleges will go to development and expansion of apprenticeship programs, Durham said. Community colleges actively partner with local communities and employers in development of new programs targeted to meet local workforce demands, he said. State Sen. Dale Righter, a Mattoon Republican, questioned a $13.2 million expenditure in the appropriation for equalization grants for City Colleges of Chicago that has been in place for several years to offset property tax caps. After some discussion, it was noted that theres $71.2 million in Pritzkers budget for equalization grants for community colleges across the rest of the state. Lawmakers and ICCB representatives agreed to continue to discuss the formula used to administer these grants as well as the specialized funding for Chicago equalization. The committee hearing was subject matter, so no vote was taken on the bill, Senate Bill 2188. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Platinum Credit is aleading Regional Micro Finance Company providing emergency loans to employedindividuals in Eastern Africa. We have a wide spread branch network in Uganda,Kenya and Tanzania. Platinum Credit (U) Ltd has introduced a new productavailable to formally employed persons working in the Private Sector. PlatinumCredit (U) Ltd is a subsidiary of Platcorp Holdings Ltd. 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. Vote View Results More than three in five motorists want a further government crackdown on car parking firms, a survey has found. In total, 46 per cent of all motorists have received a parking ticket, with 24 per cent having been hit by a private firm and 22 per cent by a council issued charge, the Go Compare data claims. Those parking in London and the South East are the most likely to have received a ticket in the past, the data from the comparison website shows. Fair? 24% of those surveyed by GoCompare had received a parking charge from a private company, 2% higher than those who said they had been fined by a council Furthermore, 43 per cent believe private parking firms use too much intimidation to force drivers into paying unfair charges. The survey found 15 per cent had received threatening letters from solicitors when refusing to pay a penalty charge and seven per cent had received phone calls from debt collectors. The findings appear to highlight public backing for both This is Money's campaign against private parking sharks, and potentially for the Government's new Parking (Code of Practice) Act which became law on 15 March. The new act creates a single code of practice, which will be drafted later this year, and independent appeals service. The appeals service is designed to make it easier for drivers to challenge unfair parking charges, while the act is intended to take regulation out of the hands of the industry itself. The Conservative MP behind the act, Sir Greg Knight, said the code would mandate the DVLA not to sell drivers' details to companies who didn't abide by it. This is Money has called for motorists to be able to stop the DVLA allowing private firms to buy their details. In just three regions of Great Britain had fewer than 24% of motorists received a private parking charge A recent Freedom of Information request found the DVLA made 16.3million from handing out drivers' details to third parties last year, while separate data from the RAC Foundation predicted 6.8million drivers would have their keeper records sold to car parking firms in the 12 months to April 2019. The DVLA insists it doesn't make any profit from the process and that the 2.50 fee is to cover the cost of providing the information. Half of those surveyed had received their private charge from shopping centre, supermarket and retail park car parks. In October This is Money reported on the Basildon shopping centre car park whose operating firm handed out so many charges to shoppers that a fightback Facebook group with 5,000 members was set up in response. That firm appears to have since lost its licence to operate the car park. We have also called for the DVLA to investigate when large numbers of applications are made for a specific location frequently to see if the charge is fair as part of the campaign something which could happen under the new act. A further 12 per cent of drivers received parking charges when parking at either hospitals or clinics. According to the GoCompare survey, 2% more motorists had received a private parking charge than a council issued one. London drivers received more than anyone else In December we covered how the residents of Henley-upon-Thames won the battle against a private parking firm accused of frequently slapping unfair charges on visitors to its new hospital. The survey of 2,000 found that 56 per cent wanted hospitals to be banned from using private car parking firms. The South East had the highest percentage of drivers who had received a private parking charge - 29 per cent. The East had the joint-lowest with 17 per cent of drivers receiving one. However, of the 11 regions in Britain (excluding Northern Ireland), there were just three where the percentage of drivers who had received a private parking charge was lower than 24 per cent. In six regions a quarter or more of drivers had received one. The survey found the most common reason why someone received a parking charge was overstaying the free parking time limit 35 per cent received one for this while 24 per cent received a charge for staying longer than the time paid for. Lee Griffin, founder and president of Go Compare Car Insurance said: 'Many motorists and consumer groups would like to see private car parking management companies properly regulated to ensure that the charges they issue are just and reasonable. 'It will be interesting to see if a new Code of Practice and appeals body will be enough to stop millions of motorists receiving what they believe are unfair 'parking tickets. 'No one can argue with getting a ticket for not paying for parking when it's obvious you should be or for paying for one hour and staying for two. 'However, it's clear that many motorists believe the way some car parks are operated is not with a view to managing them efficiently but to generate substantial revenue through opportunist 'penalty' charges.' Profits plunged at the AA last year as the breakdown service ploughed more money into road patrols and a digital turnaround plan. It is banking on drivers willing to pay higher fees than its rivals for a more extensive service that will include plug-in technology to diagnose problems, predict breakdowns and tell patrols where the customer's car is if it runs into trouble. The Smart Breakdown service has already been launched to new members and will be extended to existing customers next year. The overhaul is the brainchild of the AA's tech-savvy chief executive Simon Breakwell, who co-founded Microsoft spin-off Expedia. Higher spending on its smart systems shake-up, and more patrols and staff, cost it 26m last year, and were part of the reason why profits dived 62 per cent to 53m. Revenues rose from 960m to 979m, but the number of drivers with AA accounts fell by 80,000 to 3.21m. The average time it took to arrive at a call-out fell from 50 minutes to 43 minutes. The AA is also expanding its insurance arm, with the number of motor policies sold rising 16 per cent to 731,000. It expects the splurge on technology to keep customer numbers stable this year with a rise in 2020. Breakwell said: 'We have spent the past year stabilising the operations this year is about launching new services.' It managed to renew several of its largest contracts last year, with companies including Lloyds Banking Group, Volkswagen and Jaguar Land Rover. Separately, it also announced it had signed a three-year contract with insurer Admiral offering roadside assistance to its 4.3m UK motor insurance customers. The AA's share price yesterday rose 0.8 per cent, or 0.7p, to 91p but that will be of little comfort to investors who have been hammered since AA floated at 250p a share in 2014. Shares peaked at 432p in early 2015. The total dividend for shareholders was 2p in 2018, down from 5p the year before. Shares in the over 50s insurance and travel specialist Saga have plummeted to record levels as it blames Brexit chaos for a fall in holiday bookings. The groups shares plunged over 30 per cent after it announced that its final annual dividend is being reduced over 55 per cent from 9p to 4p a share. Sagas results show that the travel arm has performed well, but warned that Brexit had put a dampener on customers willingness to commit to holidays abroad in 2019. In a bid to keep hold of its existing customers the company has now also launched a three-year fixed price offers scheme, after it had previously been reported to Citizens Advice for ripping their customers off. In the red: Shares in Saga have plunged over 30 per cent after the over 50s holiday and insurance group cut its dividend amid dwindling profits The new deal will not be available through price comparison website - and has been launched as Saga attempts to 'refocus its heritage on a direct to consumer brand'. The company had previously been reported to the Competition & Markets Authority regarding the loyalty penalty imposed on bill payers who decided to stick with their suppliers, after being enticed with introductory offers. Despite profits of its travel arm being up 2.4 per cent to 21.1 million, overall profits for the current financial year are expected to be low, coming in between 104 to 120million against previous industry forecasts of 179million. The company has been seen as having a strong loyal customer base with the over 50s, who had preferred to stick with a familiar brand. However with bookings for cruises and other trips down and the rise of internet comparison sites, the company can no longer rely on the loyal fan base it once had. Sagas biggest problem has been its insurance arm, which has taken a hit as people continue to shop around for the best deals. The group admitted that its insurance arm margins are struggling and has vowed to launch a 'fundamental' strategy overhaul across its entire business. Having fallen over 40 per cent earlier, Saga's share price is currently down 32.84 per cent or 35.07p to 71.73p. Lance Batchelor, group chief executive highlighted that the company has faced increasing challenges from the commoditisation of markets especially in insurance. 'This has had an impact on both customer numbers and profitability. 'The fundamental changes we are making are essential to address the long-term challenges facing our business.' In insurance, Saga said it is 'moving the conversation from price to value', while it also launched a new three-year fixed price offering. As well as slashing dividends, Saga took a 310million write-down on the value of its insurance business. The group reassured customers and said that actions to reduces its dividend and impair insurance was essential to address its challenges, and will allow the group to return to sustainable growth. However, Nicholas Hyett, an equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said Saga's turnaround plan for the insurance arm may be 'too little too late.' He added: 'In a market where insurance has become highly commoditised, Saga will need to work hard if it's to create a reason for older drivers to knock directly on its door.' Saga has reduced its net debt from 432million to 391.3million in the last year. Mixed fortunes: Saga's results show a better performance from its travel arm Commenting on Sagas problems Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell said that the key issue was that customers no longer needed to be loyal to Saga unless they are receiving special treatment. After all, it has never been easier to search the internet to find the best price on an insurance policy or to find a specialist holiday such as travelling with like-minded individuals. 'And that's why Saga has decided to reshape its business and focus on products with added benefits and which are different from the mass market. That makes a lot of sense but it will require investment in the business which means future profits will be hit for some time. He added that Saga had clearly been struggling for some time and that its admission of failure was overdue. However it takes a brave person to recognise that the plan isn't working and to put up their hand and admit they've failed. 'Many companies in trouble often keep digging a hole and come up with endless excuses. But to Saga's credit, admitting and hopefully correcting its mistakes could make the management look stronger. The test is whether shareholders take the same view and let the current leadership team stay in place to complete the turnaround.' American Consumer News, LLC dba MarketBeat 2010-2021. All rights reserved. 326 E 8th St #105, Sioux Falls, SD 57103 | U.S. Based Support Team at [email protected] | (844) 978-6257 MarketBeat does not provide personalized financial advice and does not issue recommendations or offers to buy stock or sell any security. Our Accessibility Statement | Terms of Service | Do Not Sell My Information 2021 Market data provided is at least 10-minutes delayed and hosted by Barchart Solutions. Information is provided 'as-is' and solely for informational purposes, not for trading purposes or advice, and is delayed. To see all exchange delays and terms of use please see disclaimer. Fundamental company data provided by Zacks Investment Research. 41 minutes ago NATO chief applies for job as Norway's central bank governor COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Tuesday that he has applied to be the next governor of Norway's central bank in an appointment that would last for six years if he gets the job. The current governor of Norges Bank, Oeystein Olsen, is retiring in early 2022 after holding the position since Jan. Read Article Rolls-Royce Holdings plc operates as an industrial technology company in the United Kingdom and internationally. The company operates in four segments: Civil Aerospace, Power Systems, Defence, and ITP Aero. The Civil Aerospace segment develops, manufactures, and sells aero engines for large commercial aircraft, regional jet, and business aviation markets, as well as provides aftermarket services. The Power Systems segment provides high-speed and medium-speed reciprocating engines, and propulsion and power generation systems for the marine, defense, power generation, and industrial markets. The Defence segment offers aero engines for military transport and patrol aircraft applications; and naval engines and submarine nuclear power plants, as well as aftermarket services. The ITP Aero segment engages in the design, research and development, manufacture and casting, assembly, and testing of aeronautical engines and gas turbines. It also provides maintenance, repair, and overhaul services for regional airlines, as well as business aviation, industrial, and defense applications. Rolls-Royce Holdings plc was founded in 1884 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom. Read More There is not enough analysis data for American Business Bank. 4.3 Community Rank Outperform Votes American Business Bank has received 114 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) 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Previous Next The following companies are subsidiares of Kellogg: 545 LLC, AQFTM Inc., Afical - Industria e Comercio de Alimentos Ltda, Afical Holding LLC, Alimentos Gollek S.A., Alimentos Kellogg S.A., Alimentos Kellogg de Panama SRL, Argkel Inc., Austin Quality Foods Inc., BDH Inc., Bear Naked Inc., Bisco Misr, CC Real Estate Holdings LLC, Canada Holding LLC, Cary Land Corporation, Eighteen94 Capital LLC, Favorite Food Products Limited, Gardenburger LLC, Gollek Argentina S.R.L., Gollek B.V., Gollek Inc., Gollek Interamericas S. de R.L. de C.V., Gollek Servicios S.C., Gollek UK Limited, Illinois Baking Corporation, Instituto De Nutricion y Salud Kellogg A.C., Insurgent Brands LLC, K (China) Limited, K Europe Holding Company Limited, K India Private Limited, K-One Inc., K-Two Inc., KBAR SRL, KECL LLC, KELF Limited, KJAL Limited, KPAR Limited, KT International Finance SRL, KTRY Limited, Kashi Company, Kashi Company Pty Ltd, Kashi Sales L.L.C., Keebler Company, Keebler Foods Company, Keebler Holding Corp., Keebler USA Inc., Kelarg Inc., Kelcone Limited, Kelcorn Limited, Kellman S. de R.L. de C.V., Kellogg (Aust.) Pty. Ltd., Kellogg (Deutschland) GmbH, Kellogg (Japan) G.K., Kellogg (Osterreich) Gesellschaft GmbH, Kellogg (Schweiz) GmbH, Kellogg (Thailand) Limited, Kellogg Activation Services Company, Kellogg Argentina S.R.L., Kellogg Asia Inc., Kellogg Asia Marketing Inc., Kellogg Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Kellogg Asia Products Sdn.. Bhd., Kellogg Asia Sdn. Bhd., Kellogg Australia Holdings Pty. Ltd., Kellogg Belgium Services Company BVBA, Kellogg Brasil Inc., Kellogg Brasil Ltda., Kellogg Business Services Company, Kellogg Canada Inc., Kellogg Caribbean Inc., Kellogg Caribbean Services Company Inc., Kellogg Chile Inc., Kellogg Company East Africa Limited, Kellogg Company Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Kellogg Company Subsidiaries, Kellogg Company of Great Britain Limited, Kellogg Company of Ireland Limited, Kellogg Company of South Africa (Pty.) Ltd., Kellogg Costa Rica S. de R.L., Kellogg Ecuador C. LTDA., Kellogg El Salvador Ltda. de C.V., Kellogg Espana S.L., Kellogg Europe Company Limited, Kellogg Europe Finance Limited, Kellogg Europe Services Limited, Kellogg Europe Trading Limited, Kellogg Europe Treasury Services Limited, Kellogg European Logistics Services Company Limited, Kellogg European Support Services SRL, Kellogg Fearn Inc., Kellogg Funding Company LLC, Kellogg Group LLC, Kellogg Group Limited, Kellogg Group S.a.r.l., Kellogg Hellas Single Member Limited Liability Company, Kellogg Holding Company Limited, Kellogg Holding LLC, Kellogg Hong Kong Holding Company Limited, Kellogg Hong Kong Private Limited, Kellogg India Private Limited, Kellogg International Holding Company, Kellogg Irish Holding Limited, Kellogg Italia S.p.A., Kellogg Kayco, Kellogg Latin America Holding Company (One) Limited, Kellogg Latin America Holding Company (Two) Limited, Kellogg Latvia Inc., Kellogg Lux I S.ar.l., Kellogg Lux III S. ar L., Kellogg Lux V S.a.r.l., Kellogg Lux VI S.ar.l., Kellogg Management Services (Europe) Limited, Kellogg Manchester Limited, Kellogg Manufacturing Espana S.L., Kellogg Marketing and Sales Company (UK) Limited, Kellogg Med Gida Ticaret Limited SirketiI, Kellogg Netherlands Holding B.V., Kellogg North America Company, Kellogg Northern Europe GmbH, Kellogg Pakistan (Private) Limted, Kellogg Rus LLC, Kellogg Sales Company, Kellogg Services GmbH, Kellogg Servicios S.C., Kellogg Snacks Financing Limited, Kellogg Snacks Holding Company Europe Limited, Kellogg Superannuation Pty. Ltd., Kellogg Supply Services (Europe) Limited, Kellogg Talbot LLC, Kellogg Transition MA&P L.L.C., Kellogg Treasury Services Company, Kellogg U.K. Holding Company Limited, Kellogg UK Minor Limited, Kellogg USA LLC, Kellogg de Centro America S.A., Kellogg de Colombia S.A., Kellogg de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Kellogg de Peru S.R.L., Kellogg's Produits Alimentaires S.A.S., Kelmill Limited, Kelpac Limited, Klux A Sarl, Klux B Sarl, Mass Food, Mass Food International SAE, Mass Food SAE, Mass Trade for Trade and Distribution SAE, McCamly Plaza Hotel Inc., Multipro Consumer Products Limited*, Multipro Private Limited*, Multipro Singapore Pte. Ltd*, Nhong Shim Kellogg Co. Ltd.*, Nikko Industries*, Nordisk Kellogg's ApS, PRUX S.a r.l., Padua Ltda, Parati Group, Parati Industria e Comercio de Alimentos Ltda, Portable Foods Manufacturing Company Limited, Prime Bond Cyprus Holding Company Limited, Prime Bond Holdings Limited, Pringles, Pringles (Shanghai) Food Co. Ltd., Pringles Australia Pty Ltd, Pringles Hong Kong Limited, Pringles International Operations Sarl, Pringles Japan G.K., Pringles LLC, Pringles Manufacturing Company, Pringles Overseas Holdings Sarl, Pringles S.a r.l., Pronumex S de R.L. de C.V., RX Bar UK Limited, RXBRANDS Canada ULC, Ritmo Investimentos, Rondo Food Manufacturing S.A.E., RxBar, Saragusa Frozen Foods Limited, Servicios Argkel S.C., Shaffer Clarke & Co. Inc., Specialty Cereals Pty Limited, Specialty Foods L.L.C., Stretch Fibres*, Stretch Island Fruit Sales L.L.C., Sunshine Biscuits L.L.C., The Eggo Company, The Healthy Snack People Pty Limited, Trafford Park Insurance Limited, Uma Investments sp. z o.o., Vita+ Naturprodukte GmbH*, Wimble Manufacturing Belgium BVBA, Wimble Services Belgium BVBA, and Worthington Foods Inc.. 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. WASHINGTON President Donald Trumps chief economic adviser, Lawrence Kudlow, on Wednesday threw cold water on the presidents suggestion he would be open to revising the $10,000 cap on state and local tax deductions. I dont expect to see the tax reform opened up, Kudlow said at the Christian Science Monitor breakfast meeting with reporters. I doubt it. I doubt it very much. Kudlow was referring to the tax law passed by Republicans in Congress in December 2017. Among other things, it placed a $10,000 limit on state-and-local tax deductions (called SALT) virtually guaranteeing a significant federal tax hike for New York homeowners in the middle and upper income brackets. Antipathy to the tax cap resonated across the political spectrum in New York, with even Republicans Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, and then-Rep. John Faso, R-Kinderhook, voting against it because it would prevent constituents from writing off state income taxes and local property taxes. Gov. Andrew Cuomo pledged to fight it, traveling to Washington in February for a White House meeting with Trump, just after the president said he would consider revising the $10,000 cap. Kudlow, a business economics commentator on CNBC before Trump tapped him last year to direct the National Economic Council, said on Wednesday that hed sat in on the meeting between Cuomo and Trump. He also said he met Cuomo in New York City to discuss SALT and other topics. Andrew Cuomo is an old friend of mine, said Kudlow, sporting a blue suit, red tie and Trumpian two-tone shirt _ white collar and the rest blue with French cuffs. His father (the late Gov. Mario Cuomo) was an old friend of mine. I do want to help New York. But I just dont think its going to be re-opened. Kudlow did not accept the premise of Cuomo and others that the SALT deduction is a middle-class homeowner issue. He pegged the new cap as a problem mostly for wealthier homeowners, many of whom earned enough to be forced into paying the alternative minimum tax and thus not qualifying for the itemized deductions that include SALT. The AMT was designed to ensure that wealthier taxpayers couldnt deduct their way to paying very little in taxes. We basically did away with AMT, he said of the 2017 GOP tax law. Therefore, he added, upper-bracket taxpayers are getting a $10,000 deduction they never had before. That may not solve the problem to everyones satisfaction, I understand that, he said. But thats there. And a lot of people overlook that. Pressed by reporters at the breakfast over the impact of the cap on middle-class homeowners who never made enough to come anywhere close to the AMT, Kudlow shrugged. They get the $10,000 cap now, Kudlow said. We doubled the standard deduction. We increased the child credit. Theyre not really paying very much in income tax. But Cuomo and state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli have placed their chips on the conviction that the capping of SALT deductions is very much a middle class problem. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. A study prepared by Cuomo and DiNapoli said that a total of 52 of New York's 62 counties had average SALT deductions above $10,000, and the average New York taxpayer had SALT deductions that are more than twice the $10,000 cap, they said. New York has the largest percentage of taxpayers getting a tax hike of any state, they added. In the Albany-based 20th Congressional District, 33 percent of filers claimed SALT, according to the association. In the North Country 21st Congressional District, 23 percent claim it. And in the Hudson Valley 19th Congressional District, its 31 percent. A survey by the non-partisan Tax Foundation found New York leads the nation in terms of the value of the SALT deductions as a percentage of adjusted gross income: 9.4 percent. But Kudlow appeared un-swayed. Tax cuts in the 2017 bill, including a reduction of the corporate rate from 35 percent to 21 percent, requires the government to find tax revenues where they can, Kudlow suggested. The bean counting is not good, Kudlow said. Its a $700 billion plug. Thats a lot of money, he said, adding with a laugh: We dont really have any money. Colonie A seven-day trip to Cuba sponsored by the Capital Region Chamber of Commerce was abruptly canceled this week, just a day and a half before the group was to depart. While the travel service organizing the trip, Pawtucket, R.I.-based Collette Travel Service, has assured the group of 14 travelers they will receive full refunds plus vouchers for future travel, it's not clear what happened to derail this trip. Collette, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in business last year, has been organizing trips to Cuba for the past seven years. Over that period, "we have never experienced any issues with transmitting funds to Cuba to pay for our authorized travel services," said Collette spokeswoman Amelia Sugerman. Collette used Miami-based Stonegate Bank, which The Wall Street Journal in 2015 reported was the first American bank to establish an account with a Cuban bank to allow American and Cuban businesses to process transactions with one another directly. It's not clear whether that relationship has continued. Collette said Stonegate, now a part of Centennial Bank, has been using an intermediary bank in Panama to move payments to the Cuban tour services company Havantur. But Sugerman said Monday that Collette learned Havantur hadn't received payment for the Capital Region Chamber tour, and that it wouldn't provide services until the money arrived. She added that Collette wasn't able to establish new banking relationships in time to save the trip, so it ended up canceling the tour. A spokeswoman for Stonegate's parent, Centennial Bank, couldn't immediately be reached for comment. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. U.S. travel restrictions to Cuba eased after President Barack Obama decided to open relations between the two countries in December 2014, but the Trump administration added a number of new restrictions that ended up reducing travel to Cuba. Many of the existing restrictions prohibition on using credit cards, inability to use ATMs make travel for Americans more difficult. Jean Gagnon of Plaza Travel, who worked with Collette and the Chamber to organize the trip, called Collette "a wonderful tour company, very, very reputable." One traveler, who'd already scheduled her vacation time, did the next best thing. She flew to Florida for the week. An Albany firefighter is under investigation for a Facebook comment cheering on city police officers accused of beating three men during an incident last month. Derek Rose, 51, wrote Wednesday, Thump those thugs. They didnt use enough force, in response to an Albany Police union post in which the union expressed its support for the officers involved in a March 16 incident. Rose hung up on a Times Union reporter on Thursday and did not respond to a text message seeking comment. The comment disappeared from the unions Facebook page on Thursday afternoon. Fire Chief Joseph Gregory said the comments were not representative of the department but said he could not comment further because it was a personnel matter. At this point, were going to do an investigation, he said. Mayor Kathy Sheehan called the comments crass in a statement. We hold all city employees to a high standard as public servants, and all Albany Police Department and Fire Department members are sworn to uphold the Constitution of the United States and the State of New York. A crass, ignorant statement like this is unbecoming of anyone who takes that oath, she said. The police union posted its statement after Sheehan and Police Chief Eric Hawkins said Tuesday that officer Luke Deer was charged with felony assault and two other officers were suspended in connection with an investigation in to an altercation on First Street. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Police were called around 4 a.m. to 523 First St. for a noise complaint. Police originally charged three men, Armando Sanchez, Mario Gorostiza and Anthony Childs with a variety of offenses, including inciting a riot, resisting arrest and obstruction of governmental administration. However cell phone footage from a bystander prompted the department to investigate the arrests and body camera footage from the officers present at the scene. Officer Deer was charged with assault and official misconduct and officer Matthew Seeber and another officer, who officials have not yet identified, were suspended without pay. City officials say more charges may be filed as the investigation continues. On Wednesday, the Albany County District Attorneys office asked a city court judge to dismiss all charges against the three men arrested on First Street after reviewing body camera footage that showed officers kicking in Childs door and repeatedly striking the three men as they arrested them. All the charges were dismissed. Lawyers will file a wrongful death lawsuit Thursday on behalf of the family of a Berkshire County native who was among the 157 people killed in the Ethiopian Airlines crash on March 10. Samya Stumo grew up in Sheffield, Mass., located just over the New York border. The 24-year-old worked as a health care analyst in six countries for the global not-for-profit ThinkWell. "Samya was a fearless, radiant spirit who inspired others to live brightly and fully," her mother, Nadia Milleron, said in a Wednesday news release. "She cared most about treating all people and patients as human beings, particularly in the context of their culture, family, and individuality." Stumo graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2015. A UMass spokesman says Stumo was known "for engaging others by earning their respect, friendship and trust." Her grandmother, Laura Nader, an anthropology professor at the University of California Berkeley, told The Boston Globe that Stumo, the grand-niece of consumer advocate Ralph Nader, was heading to Uganda for her first project for ThinkWell. Lawyers on Thursday will file a nine-count complaint in federal district court in Chicago against Boeing, manufacturer of the plane, based in Chicago; Rosemount Aerospace, Inc. of Delaware that manufactured the allegedly defective part; and Ethiopian Airlines. It is the first lawsuit filed on behalf of an American citizen involving the deadly crash, the Stumo family's attorneys said Wednesday. A separate claim will also be filed against the Federal Aviation Administration. Investigators are examining two crashes that killed all 346 people aboard the two Boeing Max 8 jets, which were operated by Lion Air, an Indonesia carrier, and Ethiopian Airlines. They are looking into the role of a flight-control system known by its acronym, MCAS, which under some circumstances can automatically lower the plane's nose to prevent an aerodynamic stall. The Max has been grounded worldwide pending a software fix that Boeing is rolling out, which must still receive approval from the FAA and other regulators. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Read more: Pilots in doomed plane re-engaged suspect anti-stall system Her mother, father Michael Stumo and brother Adnaan Stumo will hold a press conference Thursday with their attorneys in Chicago. The family is being represented by Clifford Law Offices of Chicago and Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy of San Francisco. The federal complaint alleges negligence as well as breach of warranty, strict liability, failure to warn and civil conspiracy, stating, "Blinded by its greed, Boeing haphazardly rushed the 737 MAX8 to market, with the knowledge and tacit approval of the United States Federal Aviation Administration." The Associated Press contributed to this report. An investor looks at share prices at a brokerage in Fuyang, Anhui province, on Friday. [Photo by Wang Biao / For China Daily] Moves show that China has expedited work to revise the fundamental rules governing the nation's capital market China is likely to adopt the revised Securities Law by the end of the year, in a move to lay the legal foundations for capital market reforms prioritizing the registration system, experts said. The revised law is expected to feature intensified investor protection and a crackdown on breaches by listed companies, and should be formulated to nurture a stronger capital market, they said. Revising the Securities Law has been listed in this year's legislative plans, according to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislative body. During the annual meeting of the NPC in March, five motions to revise the Securities Law were submitted to the NPC for deliberation. Li Chao, vice-chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission, the top securities regulator, said piloting the registration system requires the revision of the Securities Law and the Criminal Law. He made the remarks at the Boao Forum for Asia on Friday. The moves show that China has expedited work to revise the fundamental law governing the capital market, which is of "great urgency and necessity", said Wang Tingting, an associate professor of finance at the Central University of Finance and Economics in Beijing. On the one hand, registration system reform requires the Securities Law to provide legal grounds for this reform and to strengthen information disclosure rules, Wang said. China has pushed forward efforts to launch the science and technology innovation board which will pilot the registration system, and the market expects the new stock trading platform to be launched around the middle of this year. "Compared with the approval system currently adopted by the A-share market, the registration system will rely more on the market to judge the value of listed firms. This means related provisions must be revised to ensure investors are well-informed," Wang said. On the other, the current version is too outdated to regulate the market effectively, said Wang. "After taking effect in 1999, the Securities Law has not seen systematic re-examinations, despite the revision in 2005 and several minor amendments." Liu Junhai, director of the Business Law Center at Renmin University of China, expects the revised law to be adopted by the end of the year, after no more than two rounds of deliberation by the top legislature. The revised draft was reviewed twice in 2014 and 2017. "The key role of the revised law will be building an investor-friendly legal system, as the relatively weak investment function of China's capital market has dampened its efficiency and attraction." That entails strengthened investor protection and more stringent punishment of listed firms' legal breaches, Liu said. During a high-profile meeting in February, President Xi Jinping said efforts should be made to address the current situation where the costs of legal and regulatory breaches in the financial sector, especially in capital markets, are too low. Zhu Jiandi, an NPC deputy and chief partner of BDO China Shu Lun Pan CPAs, a major domestic accounting firm, submitted a motion to raise the fine for noncompliance with information disclosure rules during this year's annual meeting of the NPC. According to Zhu, the current Securities Law sets the maximum fine faced by a listed company engaging in a financial fraud at 600,000 yuan ($89,300)far less than the potential illegal benefitsand thus cannot well deter violations and protect investors' rights. Hong Rong, founder of Shanghai-based investor education platform Hongda Education, said the top priority of the updated law should be nurturing a stronger capital market to better serve the real economy. "For this purpose, current provisions that have constrained development of the market should be removed," Hong said. Specifically, Hong said the current law imposes much stricter regulations on the securities industry than in mature capital markets. This has made it hard for core market intermediaries to innovate and become more capable. The revised law is likely to and should grant securities firms the right to manage clients' settlement funds, giving them greater freedom to manage clients' wealth and more flexibility in establishment, Hong said. "Meanwhile, the revised law should leave room for the future development of the capital market," Hong said. Such arrangements include allowing foreign companies to go public on the domestic capital market, Hong said. "These situations have not taken place yet, but the law should be oriented toward this in the future." The family of Samya Stumo, a Massachusetts woman killed in the March 10 crash of a Boeing 737 MAX 8 plane operated by Ethiopian Airlines, alleged Thursday that Boeing, among others, was negligent in bringing the plane to market and allowing it to fly and thus led to the death of their loved one. Stumo, grew up in Sheffield, Mass., located just over the New York border in Berkshire County. The 24-year-old was the great-niece of consumer activist Ralph Nader. She was traveling to Uganda to begin her career with ThinkWell, a global public health organization. The crash of the Ethiopian Airlines flight, which killed 157 people, was the second involving this model of plane in recent memory. A Lion Air flight crashed in October, killing 189 people. Stumos parents, Michael Stumo and Nadia Milleron; her brother, Adnaan Stumo; and Nader described Samya Stumo as a special person Thursday intelligent, compassionate, gifted at creating plans and fostering connection between people. More for you Family of Berkshires woman killed in Ethiopia plane crash to sue There is a huge hole in our family and among her friends, Milleron, Naders niece, said during a Thursday press conference in Chicago, which was streamed live. We are one of (the) families with such huge holes because this aircraft didnt function. Samya and her fellow passengers shouldnt have died. Those in charge of creating and selling this plane did not treat Samya as they would their own daughters. Nader called for the 737 MAX 8 to be grounded until its safety can be assured, as well as a consumer boycott of the plane. If multiple ongoing investigations and inquiries do not lead to appropriate steps, he and the other family members said, more people could die. If we dont get this right if we dont end the cozy relationship between the patsy FAA (Federal Aviation Administration), the captured agency... with the Boeing company, 5,000 of these fatally flawed planes will be in the air all over the world with millions of passengers, Nader said. An aircraft manufacturer, no matter what its past safety record, is not allowed two or more free disasters... We hope that the tremendous loss of Samya Stumo and all the people in those two flight disasters will lead to a dramatic change in airline safety. This should not happen to anyone again, said Michael Stumo. Thats why we are here. The lawsuit, brought against Boeing, Rosemount Aerospace Inc. and Ethiopian Airlines, says that preliminary reports indicate that pilots in both crashes sought to manually raise the nose of their aircraft while a software system, based on faulty sensor data, forced it downwards, leading to the crash. Boeing installed the software system, known as the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, or MCAS, as part of a hurried effort to produce a more fuel-efficient version of the plane and compete with competitors, the lawsuit alleges. According to the suit, Boeing was also negligent in failing to inform pilots about the system or training them in its use; including the angle of attack sensor that failed without a redundant backup; and failing to appropriately respond to the crash of the Lion Air flight. Numerous decisions by (Boeings) leadership substantially contributed to the subject crash and demonstrate (Boeing) conscious disregard for the lives of others, attorneys on behalf of the Stumo family said in the complaint. Rosemount Aerospace Inc. failed to take appropriate care in manufacturing the sensor that provided the data, the suit alleges. Ethiopian Airlines failed to live up to its responsibility to provide a safety opportunity to Stumo and her fellow passengers, the suit also alleges. The family has also filed a tort claim against the FAA, alleging it did not provide appropriate oversight of Boeings efforts to craft the 737 MAX 8, attorneys Frank Pitre and Kevin Durkin said Thursday. The Stumo family is seeking damages, legal costs, and any other relief judged just and proper by a jury in the lawsuit. Pitre said he would like to see an independent review of the safety of the 737 MAX 8 before it is allowed to fly again. Peter Pedraza, a spokesman with Boeing, declined to comment on the lawsuit directly Thursday, but expressed sympathy on behalf of the company to the Stumo family and others affected by the crash. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Boeing extends our heartfelt condolences and sympathies to the families and loved ones of those onboard Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302. As the investigation continues, Boeing is cooperating fully with the investigating authorities, said Pedraza. In a statement responding to a preliminary report by Ethiopian authorities Thursday, Boeing said that a software update would be released to prevent the erroneous activation of the MCAS system, as appears to have occurred during the Ethiopian Airlines and Lion Air flights. Pitre said he did not trust the software update, given Boeings record in this matter. An FAA spokesman said the agency does not comment on pending litigation. FAA spokesman Gregory Martin previously told Bloomberg that the certification process for the 737 MAX followed standard practice, lasting for approximately five years. Representatives of Ethiopian Airlines and United Technologies Company, of which Rosemount Aerospace is a subsidiary, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Stumo family was asked to characterize what it was like to discuss the events that led to the death of Samya, their loved one, during Thursdays press conference. Michael Sturmo declined to do so; Nadia Milleron offered this as a reaction, in part, with tears in her voice. This is not an accident. This is something that could have been prevented and should have been prevented, Milleron said. As somebody whos lost the dearest person in my life, I want her death to not be in vain. I dont want anybody else to die. william.lambert@hearstmediact.com For months, Rong Yuan sensed that something was wrong at the engineering firm where she worked. Often, her meals had a strange taste and an odd smell. Water that she had left unattended took on a strange flavor and odor, too. She repeatedly suffered from "immediate and significant health problems" after eating or drinking, according to court records. On more than one occasion, the symptoms became so severe that she had to go to the hospital. Police in Berkeley, California, now believe that she was being slowly and methodically poisoned by a colleague, whose motives remain unclear. As Berkeleyside first reported, David Xu, 34, was arrested on Thursday and has been charged with attempting to kill Yuan, his co-worker at the small Bay Area company. Authorities allege that over the course of 18 months, he repeatedly slipped toxic metals into her food and water, causing her to become seriously ill. The engineer's surreptitious attempts to poison his colleague, and her subsequent illnesses, began sometime around Oct. 9, 2017, court records say. The strange smells and odd ailments started to seem even more suspicious the following winter when, on two separate occasions, Yuan's family members got sick after drinking from a water bottle that she had brought home from work. Yuan finally discovered what was going on after she got the idea to review footage from a surveillance camera in her office, officials said in a probable-cause statement. On two occasions in February and March, they say, Xu could be seen adding a substance to her water bottle. Samples taken from her water bottle on both those days contained "a toxic amount of cadmium," police wrote. Police also took blood samples from Yuan and the two relatives who had fallen ill in November and December after drinking from her bottle. All three tested positive for elevated levels of cadmium, according to court papers. Cadmium, a naturally occurring metal that police said could lead to "organ system toxicity, cancer and/or death," has historically been used to create vivid pigments and paints with rich yellow, orange and red hues. Today, it is primarily used for manufacturing batteries. It was among the chemicals reportedly found in the basement laboratory of a German man who was sentenced to life in prison in March for poisoning his co-workers' sandwiches because he was curious to see how the chemicals would affect their health. Eating or drinking water with high cadmium levels irritates the stomach, leading to vomiting and diarrhea and sometimes death, according to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Over a long period of time, the agency warns, consuming smaller amounts of cadmium can result in kidney damage and cause bones to become brittle and break more easily. Xu and Yuan worked together at Berkeley Engineering and Research, Inc., which names 11 employees on its website and has yet to comment on the allegations. According to Berkeleyside, Xu was listed as the principal engineer before his arrest, when his resume was scrubbed from the company's site. He had worked there since 2009 and reportedly ran the company's materials and metallurgy laboratory while also offering his services as an expert witness for trials. In 2013, after bolts that were supposed to be holding together a new span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge unexpectedly snapped, alarming commuters, reporters sought out Xu for his perspective as an experienced metallurgist. "This is most likely a perfect storm situation,'' he was quoted as telling the Associated Press. ''A lot of these factors alone might not have caused this issue, but together most likely could have pushed it over the edge.'' Yuan, who could not be reached for comment late Tuesday, is described on the company's website as an engineer with a doctoral in materials science. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Xu faces charges of attempted premeditated murder resulting in great bodily injury, which is considered a serious felony and carries a minimum life sentence in California. He has also been charged with two additional counts of felony poisoning stemming from the November and December incidents and is being held without bail. "As you all know, he's presumed innocent," his attorney, Julia Jayne, told reporters at his arraignment on Tuesday. "These are allegations, only allegations. Charges have been filed." Describing her client as someone who belongs to "a loving family and community" and presents no threat, Jayne also said that Xu had no prior criminal record, according to CBS San Francisco. She noted that he owns a home and is married with two children. The Berkeley Police Department and Alameda County District Attorney's office declined to comment on the case. Court records indicate that a plea hearing is set for Thursday. - - - The Washington Post's Allyson Chiu contributed to this report. ALBANY A new 6 percent surcharge on all passenger car rentals in New York is expected to generate $26 million annually for upstate transit, according to estimates from the state Budget Division. A portion of the funds will benefit the Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA), which in past years has requested money from the state's general fund to close its budget gaps. "It's a step in the right direction so that the bookkeeping can be simpler," said Carm Basile, chief executive officer for CDTA. "It allows us to move forward with more expansion. We are introducing electric vehicles into the fleet. It's all good news." Previously, a 5 percent fee was only applied to car rentals in New York City, with the proceeds going to city transportation needs. Gov. Andrew Cuomo proposed expanding rental fee upstate in his executive budget proposal to help economically disadvantaged, disabled and elderly New Yorkers who rely on upstate public transportation. Basile says the demand for buses has grown upstate as more New Yorkers under 35 are moving to urban centers, and prefer to have a variety of transportation options. To boost ridership, CDTA has also partnered with local educational institutions to give students universal access to buses with their school ID card. Democratic state legislators from the Capital Region said the new funding stream delivers a critical boost to local transportation infrastructure. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Assemblyman John McDonald of Cohoes called the measure "long overdue." "It's the first time we've had a dedicated funding source, aside from the gas tax," said Assemblywoman Patricia Fahy of Albany. "But the gas tax has gone down as we've gotten more efficient." Republicans have been critical of all new taxes and fees in the state budget, which passed last weekend. Senate Republicans, in a press release, called the rental car surcharge "a new tax on driving that will devastate Upstate New York's tourism industry." Lori Van Buren SAND LAKE A mailbox received an unexpected and unusual delivery a World War II German artillery shell, Rensselaer County Sheriff Patrick Russo said Thursday. The nearly 80-year-old inert artillery shell was discovered Tuesday at an unspecified address, Russo said. APIs Allow Aramex-WhatsApp Business Solution to Shine By Maurice Nagle , Web Editor A lot of business today is connecting the dots. From connecting customers to sales and support, or bringing together endpoints to ensure optimal performance, theres a whole lot of connections made to make the modern age possible and APIs are earning the spotlight as the glue in this digital diorama. Vonage announced Aramex has successfully completed a digital transformation initiative to evolve last mile delivery processes with Nexmo, the Vonage API Platform. The Nexmo Messages APIs allow for direct integration with the WhatsApp Business solution accelerating message delivery in addition to making the process more accurate and efficient. "By leveraging Nexmo APIs to integrate with the WhatsApp Business solution, we are able to efficiently communicate with our customers and receive precise delivery instructions," said Mohammed Sleeq, Chief Digital Officer at Aramex. "This communications transformation has helped us enhance our last mile delivery process, and allowed us to become more effective on the ground. It also helped in reducing the number of contact center interactions and improving the quality of service we provide to our customers." The Vonage solution allows the global leader in logistics and transportation industry to enhance the overall customer experience. For a firm that provides both domestic and international express delivery, logistics and supply chain management, freight-forwarding, e-commerce and more, it is critical to possess effective and accurate communications. The Aramex-WhatsApp Business solution, Aramex customers gain access to features like find the nearest Aramex location as well as track and trace, with more to come in the not too distant future. "Forward-thinking enterprises, such as Aramex, want to differentiate themselves by how they engage customers and are moving beyond the traditional business communications to do so," said Omar Javaid, Chief Product Officer and EVP & GM of Nexmo, the Vonage API Platform. "By tapping into Vonage's unique combination of offerings, Aramex created deeper customer engagement through more meaningful interactions. We are honored Aramex selected Vonage for its transformative efforts." How do you engage with end customers? Please enable JavaScript to view the Edited by Maurice Nagle [April 04, 2019] 18 Science Teachers Named District Winners in Shell Science Lab Challenge Eighteen middle and secondary school science teachers have been named district winners in the Shell Science Lab Challenge. Sponsored by Shell Oil Company and administered by the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), the competition encouraged teachers (grades 6-12) in the U.S. and Canada, who have found innovative ways to deliver quality lab experiences with limited school and laboratory resources, to share their approaches for a chance to win a school science lab makeover support package valued at $20,000. From the 18 district winners named, five national finalists will be chosen, and from the national finalists a grand prize winner will be selected. "We are extremely proud of this year's district winners. Their innovative approaches, creative ideas, and unwavering commitment to give their very best to their students-and to the community, as they engage and motivate the STEM leaders of tomorrow-is commendable and inspiring," said Dr. Frazier Wilson, Director, Shell Workforce Development & Diversity Outreach. "We are so pleased to have the opportunity to partner with teachers to help in furthering quality science education in the classroom." "These district winners and trailblazing teachers are taking action to create innovative ways to provide high-quality lab experiences for their students," said Dr. David Evans, Executive Director, NSTA. "Their unique ideas and creative approaches to teaching science produce new awareness and ways for us all to bring about positive change in education." To enter the Shell Science Lab Challenge, science teachers of grades 6-12 in the U.S. and Canada ere asked to describe their school's current laboratory resources, explain why the school's laboratory facilities might be classified as "limited" resources, and describe their approach to science education instruction utilizing their school's current lab facilities. A panel of science educators then reviewed and selected the top entries. As a district winner, each teacher and their school will receive a $3,000 science lab prize package that includes: $1,000 Shell grant to purchase lab equipment and other science education resources; $1,000 in donated science lab equipment donated by Carolina Biological Supply Company; $300 gift certificate to the NSTA Science Store; One year NSTA membership for two teachers; NSTA Learning Center subscription for two teachers; and Paid (News - Alert) registration for two teachers to attend a 2019 NSTA Area Conference on Science Education. To view the list of 2019 Shell Science Lab Challenge District Winners and for more information about the Challenge, visit the competition website. About NSTA The Arlington, VA-based National Science Teachers Association is the largest professional organization in the world promoting excellence in science teaching and learning, preschool through college. NSTA's membership includes approximately 50,000 science teachers, science supervisors, administrators, scientists, business representatives, and others involved in science education. About Shell Oil Company Shell's commitment to community and social responsibility has been in place for more than 50 years. During this time, we have contributed more than a billion dollars to support community, health and welfare, environmental, arts and cultural activities, various educational initiatives, including minority education, and diversity and inclusiveness programs in Houston and the U.S. FOR INQUIRIES CONTACT: Shell Oil Company Media Line 832-33-SHELL View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190404005069/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] Breach Inlet Capital Sends Letter to Board of Aimia Inc. Intro: Breach Inlet Capital, an investment firm focused on underfollowed and misunderstood small cap equities, delivered a letter to the Board of Directors of Aimia Inc. (TSE: AIM) today. The letter outlines Breach Inlet Capital's concerns with Aimia's Board, existing operating business, and recently-announced capital allocation strategy. The letter also provides recommended actions to maximize value for Aimia shareholders. The full text of the letter follows: April 4, 2019 Members of the Board of Directors Aimia Inc. 525 Viger Avenue West, Suite 1000 Montreal, QC H2Z 0B2 Dear Members of the Board: Breach Inlet Capital, LP ("Breach Inlet") owns ~1.2mm shares of Aimia Inc. (the "Company" or "AIM"). Based on its 2018 Proxy, our stake is more than eight times greater than the cumulative shares (including DSUs) held by AIM's Board of Directors (the "Board") excluding Philip Mittleman. We also have a history of constructively engaging boards to create shareholder value. As a recent example, we delivered a private letter to the Board on March 14th recommending AIM immediately enact a Substantial Issuer Bid ("SIB"). Two weeks later, the Board announced a SIB as a component of AIM's new "Consolidator Strategy"1. We remain steadfast in our belief that AIM trades for a substantial discount to the Company's Net Asset Value ("NAV"), which we estimate is at least C$7 per share2 or ~80% higher than AIM's current price. Despite numerous corporate developments in the past nine months, the gap between AIM's trading price and estimated NAV is not shrinking. For example, we found it unprecedented that AIM announced plans to repurchase ~25% of its common shares, yet its share price is only up ~3%. We are increasingly convinced that AIM's share price does not reflect NAV because shareholders are concerned about the following: 1. The Board is still dominated by Directors who oversaw value-destruction. We are encouraged by the retirements of Bob Brown and Roman Doroniuk. However, four of AIM's seven remaining Directors have been on the Board since 2017. We believe these directors (Bill McEwan, Chris Kreidler, Emma Griffin, and Thomas Gardner, collectively "Legacy Directors") were complicit in a strategy that destroyed enormous shareholder value. More specifically, AIM received: (1) negative net cash proceeds with the sale of a cash flow-generating business in Nectar (News - Alert) and (2) less than 2x EBITDA for the sale of Aeroplan3. Perhaps this value-destruction should not be surprising, as the Legacy Directors do not appear aligned with shareholders. As evidence, the Legacy Directors own ZERO common shares and only ~130K DSUs worth, in the aggregate, a measly ~C$500k according to AIM's 2018 Proxy. In other words, the Legacy Directors have invested NONE of their personal capital in the Company. Until the Board's composition shifts further away from the Legacy Directors, investors will likely struggle to gain conviction in the Company. 2. 2019 Board changes do not include any new Director nominees. We believe the Board is not capitalizing on an opportunity to add Directors. Since the Consolidator Strategy hinges upon intelligent capital deployment, it is imperative that proven capital allocators represent shareholders. We believe investors would have cheered the addition of shareholder-friendly Directors, but the lack of nominees likely created further doubts. 3. Losses from existing operating assets are rapidly increasing. With Aeroplan divested, the Company's primary operating asset is Insights & Loyalty Solutions ("ILS") and its financial results are alarming. For FY18, ILS revenue fell ~15% Y/Y while its EBITDA declined another ~60% Y/Y to NEGATIVE C$35mm4. Even worse, ILS revenue dropped 30% Y/Y in 4Q185. We believe investors are rightfully concerned about the dismal results of current operations and the Board's intent to acquire more assets in the same loyalty industry6. 4. The Board does not seem to be considering the monetization of minority investments. AIM's two largest minority investments are Club Premier ("PLM") and Cardlytics ("CDLX"). We believe that since AIM is unlikely to gain full control over either, AIM is also unlikely to ever receive full credit for their values. Furthermore, CDLX is not generating positive EBITDA or cash flow, so it does not meet AIM's Consolidator Strategy criteria of owning "EBITDA-accretive and cash flow-generative businesses"7. Therefore, we think the Board should aggressively pursue the monetization of AIM's minority investments. Yet, the Board seems to be taking the opposite approach and further entrenching AIM, especially in PLM. As evidence, AIM recently announced (1) increased representation on PLM's Board, (2) a one-time special dividend from PLM, and (3) an increase in the ongoing dividend from PLM. On the Q418 earnings call, AIM's CEO (Jeremy Rabe) also proclaimed, "Over the long term, we remain committed to maximizing the value of this investment." We find this perplexing given the majority-owner, Aeromexico, stated on its Q218 earnings call, "It is our view that the best long-term solution for all stakeholders is for Aeromexico to acquire the equity stake currently held by Aimia." In short, investors appear to be penalizing AIM because the Board has not provided a plan to exit its minority investments. 5. M&A strategy is inherently limited due its focus on two related industries. AIM's Consolidator Strategy focuses capital deployment on sub-sectors within the larger loyalty and travel industries ("Loyalty & Travel"). We believe this narrow focus inherently limits AIM's potential return on invested capital ("ROIC"). As discussed, AIM already operates a Loyalty & Travel company that is very unprofitable. Further, we believe pursuing acquisitions in the Loyalty & Travel industry is unattractive due to (1) constant disruption, (2) difficulty scaling, and (3) synergies potentially required to drive accretion. CEO Rabe alluded to these challenges on the Q418 earnings call8. Simply put, we do not believe the recently-announced Consolidator Strategy is one that will maximize shareholder value. Given AIM's muted share price reaction since the Consolidator Strategy announcement on March 28th, we believe investors agree with our view and have effectively rejected this plan. As such, we think the Company and Board is at a critical juncture. If the Board implements our recommendations below, then we believe AIM's share price could appreciate above its current NAV. If not, we fear the Company could continue down its destructive path of substantial loses and unwise capital deployment. 1. Replace (4) Legacy Directors with proven capital allocators. AIM's strategy to tailor its capital allocation efforts to the experience of its existing Board and Management is a short-sighted approach. We are optimistic that CEO Rabe can add value to AIM shareholders via his Loyalty & Travel background. But, attractive acquisitions in other industries will be "left on the table" if the Company's capital deployment effort is limited to Loyalty & Travel. Shareholders will benefit from the addition of new Directors with demonstrable track records of allocating capital across various industries - not a prolonged tenure of the Legacy Directors. According to its 2019 Canada Policy Guidelines, Glass Lewis "believes that boards should be responsive to shareholder concerns and issues that may adversely affect shareholder value. In particular, we believe that a board response is warrantedwhen 20% or more of shareholders: (i) withhold votes from (or vote against) a director nominee"9. As the Board is aware, more than 30% of votes were "withheld" for the Legacy Directors at the 2018 Annual General Meeting ("AGM")10. If Mittleman Brothers, LLC had not been obligated to vote "for" the Legacy Directors11, we believe the Legacy Directors would have likely had even more votes "withheld". Therefore, we believe the Legacy Directors should immediately follow Brown and Doroniuk into retirement. The remaining Directors should then recruit new nominees to be put up for election by shareholders at the 2019 AGM. We suspect the remaining Directors will have success attracting talented capital allocators given AIM's C$700mm+ of cash and C$700mm+ NOLs. 2. Close the ILS segment to eliminate forecasted losses. AIM's goals for the ILS segment are more concerning than ILS's results. As we understand it, AIM hopes for adjusted EBITDA to be breakeven during FY2012. However, the adjusted EBITDA calculation includes C$24 mm of distributions from PLM13. As such, basic math indicates that Management's goal for the existing operating assets (primarily ILS) is to improve EBITDA to NEGATIVE C$24 mm in FY20. We find AIM's logic of sustaining losses from ILS to be a complete disregard for maximizing shareholder value. Given the steep revenue declines in ILS, we view it as highly unlikely that AIM can even meet its "profitability" target for ILS. As such, we recommend the Board immediately shutter ILS despite the shut-down costs. 3. Cut corporate expenses to reduce destructive cash burn. We estimate corporate expenses to be ~C$30 mm annually consisting of: (1) ~two dozen employees, (2) technology, and (3) real estate14. If ILS is closed and AIM pivots to an investment firm, we believe the aforementioned expenses could be dramatically reduced. AIM's NAV declines each day that its excessive corporate costs deplete its cash balance. Therefore, we recommend an immediate and aggressive reduction to corporate expenses to preserve value for shareholders. 4. Initiate a formal process to monetize minority investments. AIM is a more attractive investment without the complexity of owning CDLX shares. Meanwhile, the value of PLM is not fully reflected in today's share price, likely due to the Board's approach. To prove our point, we believe the remaining float of two Brazilian companies - Smiles Fidelidade SA ("Smiles") and Multiplus SA ("Multiplus") - will likely be acquired by their parent airlines. Shares of Multiplus were tendered at ~7x EBITDA and shares of Smiles currently trade for ~7x EBITDA15. We believe AIM's PLM stake is worth a far higher multiple due to (1) AIM's larger representation on PLM's Board, (2) PLM's advantageous banking relationship, (3) more favorable competitive dynamics for PLM, and (4) larger opportunity for PLM given Mexico's flights per capita is lower than Brazil. In addition, PLM's member enrollment and EBITDA keep growing. As PLM's EBITDA rises unabated, AIM's stake continues to become more expensive to a potential suitor. Given Aeromexico's desire to own PLM outright, we recommend the Board re-engage Aeromexico with the intention of divesting AIM's PLM stake for a healthy multiple. We also strongly encourage the Board to monetize AIM's other minority investments. 5. Do not pursue any acquisitions until after the 2019 AGM. As described above, the lack of appreciation in AIM's share price (despite announcing a massive SIB) would indicate investors and shareholders have little confidence in the Board's Consolidator Strategy or the Board itself. In addition, we again remind the Board of Glass Lewis' 2019 Canada Policy Guidelines which state: "a board response is warranted any time 20% or more of shareholdersvote against a management-sponsored proposal". The majority of the Board had more than 20% of its votes "withheld" at the 2018 AGM, yet this same Board subsequently approved the Consolidator Strategy. Those facts would imply that more than 20% of shareholders do not agree with the Consolidator Strategy. Therefore, we demand that the Board not pursue any acquisitions until after shareholders have formally voted at the 2019 AGM. 6. Following the 2019 AGM, pursue M&A across all industries and not just within Loyalty & Travel. After the 2019 AGM, we recommend that the Board adjust its narrowly-focused acquisition strategy to consider all industries. By doing so, the Board can review a broader spectrum of investment opportunities that should lead to acquisitions that provide the most attractive ROIC. Berkshire Hathaway ("BRK") is the most obvious example of a publicly-traded holding company that has created enormous shareholder value by investing across many industries. Over the past three decades, BRK has generated an annualized shareholder return of ~15%. For the reasons outlined above, we do not think the Loyalty & Travel industry alone can consistently provide the best acquisition opportunities or shareholder returns. 7. Use SIB to aggressively buyback shares given NAV disconnect. Given our belief that AIM trades at a material discount to its NAV, we recommend the Board quickly utilize the full C$150mm SIB to repurchase shares. We also urge the Board to return capital to shareholders by up-sizing the SIB amount if the material disconnect between AIM's share price and its NAV persists. We strongly believe the Board's best and most urgent use of cash should be towards accretive and less-risky SIB transactions. In summary, we believe that AIM's fair value could rise above today's NAV if the Board enacts our recommendations. We are happy to discuss our thoughts with the Board and look forward to hearing from you. Best Regards, Chris Colvin, CFA Founder and Portfolio Manager Breach Inlet Capital, LP 1 "Consolidator Strategy" is the strategy outlined by AIM on 3/28/19 (LINK) 2 Our NAV = (cash & investments + 10x 2018 adjusted EBITDA for PLM + current market value for CDLX + announced sale proceeds for Fractal + ~C$100mm for Think Big - preferred securities - unpaid dividends - C$50mm shut-down costs) / 152mm shares 3 Aeroplan's 2018 adjusted EBITDA of C$304mm; Source (News - Alert): 2018 management discussion and analysis (LINK) 4 Source: 2018 financial statements (LINK) 5 Source: 4Q18 results press release (LINK) 6 Source: 4Q18 results press release (LINK) 7 Source: 4Q18 earnings call (LINK) 8 Quotes made by CEO Rabe during the 4Q18 earnings call: " the technological innovation and disruption in both travel and marketing over the last few years has left a wealth of local businesses that need to expand, startups that have stalled and smaller businesses, whose founders are ready for monetization." has left a wealth of local businesses that need to expand, startups that have stalled and smaller businesses, whose founders are ready for monetization." " suppliers of airlines and hotels usually have complicated business development processes and long sales cycles. And reaching scale can be difficult due to lack of contacts at the right level within the travel industry. We believe there will be opportunities for Aimia to help companies with commercial innovation in this space to get traction across the very geographically dispersed travel industry." due to lack of contacts at the right level within the travel industry. We believe there will be opportunities for Aimia to help companies with commercial innovation in this space to get traction across the very geographically dispersed travel industry." "The investment process for each company considered will be based on inbound approaches and systematic origination through sector analysis and mapping to identify well positioned adjusted EBITDA-accretive targets; rigorous identification of risks and the potential mitigations; and conservative identification of where value can be created through cost and revenue synergies ." 9 Source: Glass Lewis 2019 Canada Policy Guidelines (LINK) 10 Source: AIM press release (LINK) 11 The Mittleman Agreement required Mittleman Brothers, LLC to vote for incumbent directors. Source: 2018 Proxy (LINK). 12 Source: 4Q18 earnings call (LINK) and Breach Inlet call with CEO Rabe on 3/29/19 13 Breach Inlet call with CEO Rabe on 3/29/19 14 Breach Inlet estimate based on Breach Inlet call with CEO Rabe on 3/29/19. 15 Source: Sentieo, Smiles (LINK), and Multiplus (LINK) View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190404005768/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] Carvana Presence in California Grows Rapidly with Three Additional Markets Carvana (NYSE: CVNA), a leading e-commerce platform for buying and selling used cars, launched in three additional California markets today, offering as-soon-as-next-day vehicle delivery to Salinas, Santa Cruz and Visalia area residents. In as little as 10 minutes, customers can shop more than 15,000 vehicles on Carvana.com, finance, purchase, trade in, and now schedule as-soon-as-next-day delivery. Area customers can also sell their current vehicle to Carvana, even if they aren't purchasing one, receive a real offer in minutes, then schedule as-soon-as-next-day pickup of that vehicle. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190404005013/en/ Carvana continues rapid expansion in California, offering as-soon-as-next-day vehicle delivery to Salinas, Santa Cruz and Visalia area residents. (Photo: Business Wire) Carvana offers consumers a car buying experience focused on transparency and ease. Customers shop for and purchase their next vehicle entirely online, saving valuable time and money by skipping the dealership. Additionally, all Carvana vehicles also come with a 7-day return policy, giving customers the time to ensure their vehicle fits their life. Whether it's getting all your beach gear in the trunk, or seeing if the car seats fit, it's an upgrade to the traditional test-drive. All 15,000+ vehicles in Carvana's national inventory are photographed in 360 degrees, so customers get a high-definition virtual tour of every vehicle. Additionally, every Carvana vehicle is Carvana Certified, meaning it has undergone a rigorous 150-point inspection, has no frame damage and has never been in a reported accident. Features, imperfections and updated information about open safety recalls are listed on the car's vehicle description page. "We've had a huge week in California, launching a total of six markets in the state as of today," said Ernie Garcia, founder and CEO of Carvana. "We're eager to grow here in the Golden State and look forward to bringing the new way to buy a car to Salinas, Santa Cruz and Visalia area residents." With today's additional launches in California, Carvana now offers as-soon-as-next-day vehicle delivery in 13 markets in the state and 115 markets across the U.S. About Carvana (NYSE: CVNA) Founded in 2012 and based in Phoenix, Carvana's (NYSE: CVNA) mission is to change the way people buy cars. By removing the traditional dealership infrastructure and replacing it with technology and exceptional customer service, Carvana offers consumers an intuitive and convenient online car buying and financing platform. Carvana.com enables consumers to quickly and easily shop more than 15,000 vehicles, finance, trade-in or sell their current vehicle to Carvana, sign contracts, and schedule as-soon-as-next-day delivery or pickup at one of Carvana's patented, automated Car Vending Machines. For further information on Carvana, please visit www.carvana.com, or connect with us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190404005013/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] Congresswoman Dingell Honored as Innovator in Biotechnology Congresswoman Debbie Dingell was recognized today by the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) for her leadership as an Innovator in Biotechnology. Congresswoman Dingell received the award in conjunction with today's BIO Legislative Day Fly-In. BIO's Innovator in Biotechnology award recognizes Members of Congress who have been collaborative partners, advocates, and champions of the biotechnology and life sciences industries. "The life sciences industry in Michigan provides jobs for over 40,000 people. Congresswoman Dingell has been an invaluable advocate for the biotechnology community - both in Michigan's 12th District and the nation at large," said Stephen Rapundalo, PhD and President & CEO of the Michigan Bioscience Industry Association - MichBio. "On behalf of the Michigan life science industry, we thank her for outstanding leadership and dedication to supporting the innovative capacity and job-creating potential of American life science companies." "Congresswoman Dingell has been a stalwart advocate for sound public policies that advance the jobs creating potential of America's biotechnology industry as we address the most ressing medical, agricultural, industrial and environmental challenges facing our nation and the world," said BIO President and CEO Jim Greenwood. "Her commitment to support the needs of America's innovative life science companies allows them to focus on what matters - delivering life-saving and life-enhancing products." More than 200 biotechnology industry representatives from over 40 states, representing hundreds of thousands of American workers, will participate in hundreds of meetings with Members of the House and Senate during the BIO Legislative Day Fly-In. Participants will discuss issues critical to the biotechnology industry, including drug development, discovery and delivery reforms, targeting abuses of the U.S. patent system while protecting innovation, providing adequate reimbursement for vital therapies under Medicare, FDA funding, trade, tax policy, Farm Bill Implementation, protecting the Renewable Fuel Standard and capital formation issues relevant to biotechnology companies. For more information on MichBio visit www.michbio.org. For more information on BIO visit www.bio.org. Michigan Biosciences Industry Association (MichBio) is the recognized voice as well as the foremost source of information, advocacy and resources in Michigan for the biosciences industry. Photos of the award presentation are available upon request. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190404005496/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] French Restaurant Group Courtepaille Chooses Infor's Predictive Recruitment Solution RUEIL-MALMAISON, France, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Infor , a global leader in business cloud software specialized by industry, today announced that Courtepaille Group has chosen predictive recruitment solution Infor Talent Science to reduce significantly the turnover rate of its waiters and restaurant managers, a volatile and difficult population to retain. With a yearly turnover rate of nearly 60%, the company is facing a critical recruitment problem, notably related to the difficulty of finding motivated candidates to join the catering sector (for nonprofessionals) and to the significant number of vacant posts each year: 1,000 new candidates to be recruited for approximately 1,500 existing posts. Erwan Jalinier, HR director, Courtepaille Group, says: "While our industry is facing a chronic labor shortage, market expectations are constantly evolving towards a global customer experience, which is becoming more and more demanding. In this context, the difficulty of finding new candidates has become a sensitive point. For these reasons, we decided to open our recruitment campaigns to inexperienced profiles, including those outside the catering sector, because we are convinced that the versatility of our organization, as well as our family business culture, are attractive and fundamental characteristics, which can allow us to train and develop new talents." To be able to accelerate and improve the process of candidate selection, Courtepaille opted for Infor Talent Science, a solution recognized worldwide for its relevance and proven results in the hospitality (and catering) industry. A reference target profile /b>At first, the solution will be deployed as an entry key, based on a questionnaire that will be submitted by each candidate, to identify whether he/she has the behavioral characteristics and motivation required to succeed as a waiter or a manager in the restaurant. For this network of 290 restaurants, Infor's tool will enable their managers to rely on tangible data to make better decisions, in terms of both recruitment and internal career evolution. The goal is to improve the relevance of candidate interviews, streamline the diversity of the recruited profiles, and propose more effective training and integration courses. After an implementation phase during the second quarter of this year, the solution should be deployed in the summer of 2019. Erwan Jalinier concludes: "Courtepaille is a historic brand, dear to the hearts of the French people. It is constantly evolving in order to best meet its customers' expectations. Individuals are at the heart of this transformation. Therefore, with Infor Talent Science and its predictive abilities, we will be able to prioritize the personality and diversity of our new collaborators' profiles without limiting ourselves to candidates with a specific hospitality background. We hope to significantly reduce the turnover rate of our restaurants' waiters and managers, and help the most talented of them develop their careers in our many establishments." *Infor Talent Science is a predictive talent recruitment SaaS solution that helps identify the best candidates for each position. The software is based on a broad spectrum of performance and behavioral data. About Courtepaille Founded in 1961, Courtepaille is the pioneer chain of restaurants in France. Today, Courtepaille represents a network of 290 restaurants in France that employs more than 4,000 people. Since 2015, the company has been recognized each year as one of the best quality service brands and as the best employers in the field of restaurants. About Infor Infor is a global leader in business cloud software specialized by industry. With 17,300 employees and over 68,000 customers in more than 170 countries, Infor software is designed for progress. To learn more, please visit www.infor.com. Infor customers include: 19 of the top 20 aerospace companies 9 of the top 10 high tech companies 18 of the 25 largest U.S. healthcare delivery networks 18 of the 20 largest U.S. cities 19 of the top 20 automotive suppliers 17 of the top 20 industrial distributors 15 of the top 20 global retailers 4 of the top 5 brewers 17 of the top 20 global banks 9 of the 10 largest global hotel brands 8 of the top 10 global luxury brands For more information on Infor: Richard Moore [email protected] +447976111243 View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/french-restaurant-group-courtepaille-chooses-infors-predictive-recruitment-solution-300823976.html SOURCE Infor [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] Having a cup of pre-Qingming tea: Friendship and common aspiration BEIJING, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report by China.org.cn on pre-Qingming tea: Qingming (Pure Brightness), the 5th solar term, falls on April 5 this year. Tea leaves picked before Qingming are called ming qian cha, or pre-Qingming tea. After a long winter's rest, the new shoots at this time are fine and tender with pleasant aroma. They produce the highest-quality green tea of the year. Tea is often referred to as the national drink of China. Tea as well as chayi, or tea ceremony, embodies a pursuit of refinement, simplicity, serenity and respect, which happen to be what the Chinese people extol when they interact with each other. Such embodiment of tea, in international affairs, can be represented by one Chinese character "he," which signifies peace, harmony and cooperation. Chinese tea has been an important commodity for export since ancient times. It went international together with silk and porcelains via the ancient Silk Road. The world-renowned British black tea and Japanese matcha were both associated with Chinese tea. Thus, tea also acts as an envoy for international communications. In recent years, "tea chats" between Chinese and foreign leaders have become a unique way of diplomacy. On November 8, 2017, Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan welcomed their American counterparts, Donald Trump and his wife Melania Trump, with afternoon tea at Baoyun Lou, or the Hall of Embodied Treasures, in the Forbidden City. In April 2018, President Xi and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi appreciated tea together in Wuhan; and then in May, President Xi and North Korea Leader Kim Jong-un met in Dalian, also with tea by their side. Amid the pleasing scent of tea, the leaders discussed development issues and friendship between their nations. In his keynote speech at the College of Europe in Belgium in 2014, Chinese President Xi Jinping said, "The Chinese people are fond of tea and Belgians love beer. To me, the moderate tea drinker and passionate beer lover represent two ways of understanding life and knowing the world, and I find them equally rewarding. When good friends get together, they may want to drink to their heart's content to show their friendship. They may also choose to sit down quietly and drink tea while chatting about their lives." Last week, he visited three European countries including Italy and France. Italians love coffee, and France is known for its great wine; but when we value the idea of "harmony without uniformity," and appreciate and treasure others' culture and value, the world will be more harmonious. The spring is now in full bloom. You'll enjoy the life's simple pleasures when having a cup of drink together with your friends, no matter it's tea, coffee, or beer. China Mosaic http://www.china.org.cn/video/node_7230027.htm Having a cup of pre-Qingming tea: Friendship and common aspiration http://www.china.org.cn/video/2019-04/04/content_74646011.htm About China.org.cn Founded in 2000, China Internet Information Center (China.org.cn/China.com.cn) is a key state news website under the auspices of the State Council Information Office, and is managed by China International Publishing Group. We provide round-the-clock news service in ten languages. With users from more than 200 countries and regions, we have become China's leading multi-lingual news outlet introducing the country to the outside world. We are one of the country's authoritative outlets for government press releases and are authorized to cover various major events. "Live Webcast" is our online webcasting service to present State Council Information Office press conferences in both Chinese and English languages. We are reputed for timely and accurate delivery of news and information, and wide interactions with audiences. In addition, we are authorized to publish and live broadcast major events and press conferences of ministries, local government agencies and institutions as well as enterprises. In the era of mobile internet, we endeavor to create an array of products for mobile devices headed by the multilingual WAP platform and the mobile APP. We also use Chinese and international social media to publish information for different user groups. In the future, CIIC will continue to offer authoritative information about China, tell China's stories, voice China's opinions, and introduce a vivid, panoramic and multicultural China to the world through multi-language, multi-media and multi-platforms. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/having-a-cup-of-pre-qingming-tea-friendship-and-common-aspiration-300824516.html SOURCE China.org.cn [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] Investors Underappreciate Climate-Related Risks in Their Portfolios - BlackRock Report Investors are underpricing the impact of climate-related risks, including more frequent and intense extreme weather events, and need to rethink their assessment of asset vulnerabilities, according to a new report by the BlackRock Investment Institute. While the physical manifestations of climate change are clear, including rising sea levels, and more intense hurricanes, wildfires and droughts, how investors incorporate these risks into their analysis is not. The report, "Getting physical: Scenario analysis for assessing climate risks " [www.blackrock.com/physicalclimaterisk] uses new tools and data to articulate the potential impact on different U.S. asset classes, marking an important next step as investors increasingly recognize the importance of integrating climate-related risk factors in the investment process. "The combination of advances in data sciences, including geolocation data and climate modeling, have allowed us to more precisely assess the investment implications of climate-related risks" said Brian Deese, Global Head of Sustainable Investing, BlackRock. "Asset-level analysis is key for investors. We find that the risk posed by more frequent and severe weather events such as hurricanes and wildfires are not fully reflected in the price of many assets, including U.S. utility equities. A rising share of municipal bond issuance is set to come from regions facing climate-related economic losses. And many high-risk commercial properties are outside official flood zones." Many investors recognize that climate-related risks are growing. However, until recently, most investors did not have access to data showing the potential impact at the asset level of both direct physical risks and indirect economic impacts as well. Working with Rhodium Group, BlackRock leveraged 160 terabytes of data to assess these climate-related risks facing specific asset classes, both today, and under a range of future climate scenarios reaching out to 2100. Specific findings of BlackRock's research include: Municipal Bonds Within a decade, more than 15% of the current S&P National Municipal Bond Index (by market value) would comprise metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) suffering likely average annualized climate-related economic losses of up to 0.5% to 1% of GDP. Looking out to 2080, an estimated 58% of U.S. metro areas will likely see GDP losses of up to 1% or more, with less than 1% set to enjoy gains of similar magnitude. The New York City region faces annual losses equivalent to roughly 1% of GDP by late century. Florida will be affected the most, with Naples, Panama City and Key West seeing likely annual GDP losses of up to 15% or more, mostly driven by coastal storms. Miami's current annual GDP losses are already more than 1% and projected to grow to an annualized 4.5% of GDP by the end of the century. Commercial Real Estate and CMBS The median risk of a building that backs a CMBS bond being hit by a Category 4 or 5 hurricane today has risen by 137% since 1980. BlackRock is projecting a 275% increase in the risk of category 5 hurricanes between now and 2050. More than 80% of properties tied to CMBS loans affected by recent hurricanes in Houston and Miami are outside official flood zones. New York City is facing rising sea levels of up to three feet by the end of century exposing more than $70 billion of property to potential losses. Utilities Investors in utility stocks are quick to sell out of these names following an extreme weather event, with stocks down 1.5% on average over the ensuing 40 days. However, these stocks recover quickly while the true economic losses are still being calculated, suggesting that investors are focused on headline risk rather than assessing utilities' vulnerability to climate-related weather events. BlackRock has generated a climate-risk exposure score for every U.S. utility based on a plant-by-plant assessment of physical risk, and finds that the most climate-resilient utilities tend to trade at a slight premium to their peers. This gap may become more pronounced over time as weather events turn more extreme and frequent. A firm-wide commitment BlackRock has long believed that sustainability-related issues - including climate-related risks - have real long-term financial impacts, with increasing relevance in the investment process. "Many of our clients are long-term investors and, as a fiduciary, we're working to help them integrate ESG factors across an entire portfolio to enhance long-term risk adjusted returns with built in resilience," said Deese. In addition to incorporating sustainability considerations across our investment platform, BlackRock currently mnages a broad suite of dedicated sustainable investment solutions, ranging from broad ESG strategies to thematic and impact strategies that allow clients to align their capital with the low-carbon transition and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. BlackRock also manages one of the largest renewable power funds globally. With deep expertise in alpha-seeking and index strategies, across public equity and debt, private infrastructure, commodities and real estate, BlackRock continues to build scalable products and customized solutions across asset classes that support no-carbon, low-carbon, and energy transition solutions. About BlackRock BlackRock helps investors build better financial futures. As a fiduciary to our clients, we provide the investment and technology solutions they need when planning for their most important goals. As of December 31, 2018, the firm managed approximately $5.98 trillion in assets on behalf of investors worldwide. For additional information on BlackRock, please visit www.blackrock.com | Twitter (News - Alert): @blackrock | Blog: www.blackrockblog.com | LinkedIn (News - Alert): www.linkedin.com/company/blackrock. Disclaimers For selected journalists only. This communication is for information purposes only and does not constitute a financial promotion, marketing communication or an offer or invitation to anyone to invest in any BlackRock funds and has not been prepared in connection with any such offer. Accordingly, this material does not constitute an offer or solicitation by anyone in any jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation is not lawful or in which the person making such offer or solicitation is not qualified to do so or to anyone to whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation. It is your responsibility to be aware of the applicable laws and regulations of your country of residence. This information is confidential and was prepared solely for the named recipient. It may not be used or published without the prior consent of BlackRock. Issued by BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Limited, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered office: 12 Throgmorton Avenue, London, EC2N 2DL. 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The registration of BlackRock Mexico in the Investment Advisors Registry (Registro de Asesores en Inversiones) does not imply certification on the compliance by the investment advisors with the applicable laws and regulations or the accuracy or correctness of the information contained herein. Please note that the CNBV exclusively oversees the provision of securities portfolio management services when making investment decisions in the name and on behalf of third parties, as well as services consisting in providing individualized investment advice on Securities, and the analysis and issuance of individualized investment recommendations, thus it is not entitled to supervise or regulate any other services provided by investment advisers. Investment involves risks. Past performance is not a guide to future performance and should not be the sole factor of consideration when selecting a product. All financial investments involve an element of risk. Therefore, the value of your investment and the income from it will vary and your initial investment amount cannot be guaranteed. Capital at risk. The value of investments and the income from them can fall as well as rise and is not guaranteed. You may not get back the amount originally invested. Changes in the rates of exchange between currencies may cause the value of investments to diminish or increase. Fluctuation may be particularly marked in the case of a higher volatility fund and the value of an investment may fall suddenly and substantially. Levels and basis of taxation may change from time to time. The views expressed do not constitute investment or any other advice and are subject to change. They do not necessarily reflect the views of any company in the BlackRock or any part thereof and no assurances are made as to their accuracy. 2019 BlackRock, Inc. All Rights reserved. All other trademarks are those of their respective owners. BLACKROCK, BLACKROCK SOLUTIONS, iSHARES, BUILD ON (News - Alert) BLACKROCK, SO WHAT DO I DO WITH MY MONEY and the stylized i logo are registered and unregistered trademarks of BlackRock, Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States and elsewhere. All other trademarks are those of their respective owners. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190404005155/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] IoT Insurance Observatory and American Family Insurance presents the "Smart Home Insurance" paper The first plenary meeting of the North American IoT (Internet of Things) Insurance Observatory is taking place today in Madison, Wisconsin under the lead of Matteo Carbone, world renowned Insurtech expert. One of the highlights of this plenary session of the Observatory is the presentation of the "Smart Home Insurance" paper created by the IoT Insurance Observatory together with American Family Insurance. The paper provides a concrete and pragmatic view of the smart home opportunity for insurers. It's a deep-dive into key aspects of the smart home trend, the implications for the US home insrance market, and into customer preferences. The paper concludes with a list of "must-have" elements for an insurer in order to deliver the promise of a smart home value proposition. "American Family's innovation path is insightful and the lessons learned show that just a shiny IoT gadget is not enough: you have to create effective processes, mobilize adequate skills, and activate partnerships. I see IoT as an extraordinary opportunity for the US insurance sector if the potential of this technology is fully exploited. I hope this paper will inspire more market participants to be ambitious about their smart home insurance projects in order to create a virtuous value-sharing loop with policyholders, including increased interaction frequency with them. This a great way of creating new knowledge and generating positive externalities for society. This will be the way for insurers to stay relevant in their customers' lives" said Matteo Carbone, Founder and Director of the IoT Insurance Observatory. This first plenary session of the North American IoT Insurance Observatory held at the American Family Spark building, gathers in one room executives from leading players in Insurance IoT innovation: AF Group, Allstate, American Family, AmTrust, Cambridge Mobile Telematics, Comcast (News - Alert), Data Reply, Encompass, EVO, Farm Bureau Financial Services, Hartford Steam Boiler, HCS Capital, Homesite, Novarica, Munich Re, Scor, State Farm. Swiss Re, The General, and The Hartford. To download the paper click here. The IoT Insurance Observatory is a global insurance think-tank developed by Matteo Carbone and Digital Tech. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190404005632/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] New Affiliate Technology Alliance Partnerships Highlight Strength and Innovation of Blue Prism's Ecosystem Hitachi ID, RPA Supervisor, SYSTRAN and Winshuttle Build Out Intelligent Automation Capabilities Supporting World's Most Advanced Digital Workforce LONDON and AUSTIN, Texas, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Prism (AIM: PRSM), today announced the addition of Hitachi ID, RPA Supervisor, SYSTRAN and Winshuttle to its Technology Alliance Program as affiliates, strengthening an already broad array of technology and independent software vendors (ISVs), that provide new and breakthrough intelligent automation capabilities. These partners enable customers to leverage Blue Prism's Robotic Process Automation (RPA) platform to build out best-in-class solutions that incorporate cutting edge artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, OCR and data extraction capabilities. "We've built a true technology platform," says Linda Dotts, SVP Global Partner Strategy and Programs for Blue Prism. "One which enables and drives innovation for both our partners and customers alike. We're providing access and a foundation for intelligent automation that impacts multiple industries, companies of all sizes and runs across every geography. The possibilities to drive new efficiencies and help organizations digitally transform is staggering. We truly are the sum of our parts at Blue Prism." Companies participating in Blue Prism's Technology Alliance Program at an affiliate level can easily customize their solutions, accelerate product development and minimize time to market for their products, using the market's most advanced RPA software. It also gives partners an opportunity to help expand market awareness on the benefits of RPA by delivering their own complementary products to Blue Prism's ecosystem by sharing them on the Blue Prism Digital Exchange. Highlights from this new round of affiliate Technology Alliance Partners includes: Hitachi ID Systems: Robotic Process Automation requires credentials to systems and applications to function. These credentials are often sensitive so should be secured. Hitachi ID Privileged Access Mnager (HiPAM) handles that, by periodically randomizing and vaulting passwords and providing a secure API for password retrieval. Integrating HiPAM with Blue Prism's digital workforce means enterprises can automate processes using securely managed credentials, while offering scalability, redundancy and process authorization. "We recognize the accelerated pace of business process automationit is increasingly important to provide easier access to high risk systems and environments, while also improving the security and scalability of the overall solution," says Idan Shoham, CTO of Hitachi ID Systems. RPA Supervisor: RPA Supervisor enables customers to leverage Blue Prism's connected-RPA platform to drastically optimize RPA resources with advanced algorithms and event handling capabilities. Planning of RPA operations is achieved simply by adding the business requirements (SLA's) for each process, then leaving the RPA Supervisor do all the scheduling and execution. This is achieved by monitoring all potential work and continuously prioritizing the order work is processed to optimize business satisfaction and resource utilization. The SLA's can specify time intervals, items in queues, changes to files or folders, incoming emails or other tasks being completed. The RPA Supervisor will also monitor the Blue Prism infrastructure and notify business or IT immediately of any issues it cannot handle itself. "The RPA Supervisor is the culmination of 5 years of Blue Prism operational experience. Working closely with Blue Prism and our clients we are confident Blue Prism clients now have access to the world's most sophisticated RPA orchestration and monitoring tool. Some of our clients are reporting fivefold improvements in response times and have reduced their human operational costs by more than 50 percent," says Erik Lien, CEO of RPA Supervisor. SYSTRAN: SYSTRAN's integration gives enterprises easy access to secured neural machine translation (in more than 50 languages) to meet and exceed their expectations for business expansion, enhanced global collaboration and cost-effectiveness in multilingual content production. Digital workers have the ability to translate any content with both quality and performance while organizations use the power of RPA to easily automate the process from end-to-end. It provides a user-friendly translation solution in a secure environment, making it easy to comply with data security regulations allowing organizations to concentrate their efforts on data analysis. "The combination of our neural machine translation technology and Blue Prism RPA allows enterprises to instantly unlock the value of multilingual content within their digital worker's workflow," says Jean Senellart, CEO of SYSTRAN. "Thanks to its state-of-the-art Neural Technology, SYSTRAN delivers a translation adapted to each enterprise context and specific domain. Empowered with omnilingual capabilities, Blue Prism digital workers can rapidly and efficiently complete enterprise-driven actions worldwide." Winshuttle: Winshuttle's integration extends Blue Prism's automation to now include a no-code, rules-based alternative to easily update and query SAP ERP data. More than 2,200 global SAP customers use Winshuttle to reduce repetitive manual SAP data entry, quickly map Excel spreadsheets to SAP's complex table structures and T-codes, and move data (like journal entries) in mass and with high performance into SAP. "Our partnership with Blue Prism builds on the unique ability to seamlessly integrate with SAP to allow customers to fully automate end-to-end processes," says Kristian Kalsing, VP of Products and Solutions for Winshuttle. "This partnership supports a portfolio approach to RPA, taking best of breed solutions to solve a company's particular set of challenges and use cases. We're excited to partner with Blue Prism to help more customers get value from RPA deployments, faster and easier." If you want to find out more about joining the Blue Prism Technology Alliances Program, please visit: https://www.blueprism.com/partners-and-services/become-a-partner. About Blue Prism In this digital era where start-ups are constantly disrupting markets, only the most agile and innovative enterprises survive and thrive. At Blue Prism, we pioneered Robotic Process Automation (RPA), emerging as the trusted and secure intelligent automation choice for the Fortune 500 and public-sector market. Now we bring you connected-RPA supported by the Digital Exchange (DX) app storemarrying internal entrepreneurship with the power of crowdsourced innovation. Blue Prism's connected-RPA can automate and perform mission critical processes, allowing your people the freedom to focus on more creative, meaningful work. More than 1,300 global customers leverage Blue Prism's digital workforce, empowering their people to automate billions of transactions while returning hundreds of millions of hours of work back to the business. Visit www.blueprism.com to learn more about Blue Prism (AIM: PRSM). Follow Blue Prism on Twitter @blue_prism and on LinkedIn . Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/663826/Blue_Prism_Logo.jpg [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] SADA Systems Opens Toronto Office to Expand Google Cloud Services in Canada LOS ANGELES, April 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SADA Systems (SADA), a leading global business consultancy and technology services firm, announces the opening of an office in Toronto, Ontario. The new office, located in WeWorks Richmond Street West workspace in the heart of Torontos tech hub, will be staffed by top engineering and sales personnel from SADA, which already has a strong presence in the country. SADA has migrated hundreds of thousands of users and workloads to Google Cloud technologies and solutions since 2007. SADAs Google Cloud business in Canada represents a significant portion of the firms revenues, which exceeded $127 million in 2018. SADA has over 200 customers in Canada currently, including the City of Toronto, PC Financial Bank, RE/MAX INTEGRA, Boston Pizza and Roots Canada. Having a Canadian presence will allow SADA to work even more closely with key customers and the Google Cloud organization in the country. SADA is planning to hire top local engineering talent to fulfill the needs of its customers in the region. "Companies with SADAs track record are in demand around the world, so this expansion to Toronto recognizes that the talent, business environment and quality of life found throughout Canada all help drive investment and attract employers, said Zaib Shaikh, Consul General of Canada in Los Angeles. "Cogratulations and welcome to this high-growth California company for choosing Canada as the best place to expand its business and for joining the globally celebrated tech ecosystem in Toronto. SADA worked closely with Toronto Global, a team of experienced business advisors assisting global businesses to expand into the Toronto Region. I am very pleased that SADA has chosen to locate its new office in Toronto to take advantage of our talent pipeline and superior market access, said Toronto Mayor John Tory. Toronto is a magnet for companies around the world and I know that our highly-skilled, diverse workforce will continue to attract tech investment in record numbers growing our economy and creating new opportunities in the Toronto Region. SADA has earned multiple awards and recognitions from Google Cloud in recent years, including the Google Cloud North America Sales Partner of the Year award, the Google Cloud Americas Partner award for GCP Customer Success, and the Google Cloud Americas Partner award for Maps Customer Success. SADA has also achieved the Infrastructure, Location-Based Services and Enterprise Collaboration Partner Specializations in the Google Cloud Partner Specialization Program. "SADA has a proven track record in helping companies successfully leverage Google Cloud infrastructure and applications," says Andrea Wickel, head of corporate sales for Google Cloud Canada. "Its sales and engineering staff have extensive knowledge of our tools and technologies, and we look forward to working more closely with them as they expand their presence in Canada." We have had great success in Canada over the past several years, says Tony Safoian, President and CEO of SADA Systems. Opening an office in Canada allows us to be even closer to our customers in the country, who are aggressively expanding their use of Google Cloud technologies and solutions. Whats more, the Google Cloud Canada team has expressed a desire for us to be closer to them geographically leveraging our sales and engineering expertise to duplicate the success weve enjoyed together in the U.S. About SADA Systems SADA Systems, Inc. is a privately-held global leader in cloud technology consulting services that transform businesses through innovative cloud-based solutions. As a Google Cloud Premier Partner, SADA has gained global accolades as an exceptional service provider with proven expertise in enterprise consulting, cloud platform migration, custom application development, managed services, user adoption and change management. Recognized on the Inc. 5000 America's Fastest Growing Private Companies for eleven years, CRNs MSP Elite 150, the 2018 Best Places to Work in Los Angeles, and 2018 Inc. Magazines Best Workplaces. SADA prides itself on continuous innovation, strong partnerships and corporate culture, and exceptional customer service. Media contact: Kevin Wolf TGPR (650) 483-1552 [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] ScaleFactor Announces Strategic Expansion to Denver ScaleFactor, the smart finance and accounting platform that enables businesses to operate in real-time, today announced the launch of its second national office in Denver, Colorado. The expansion comes on the heels of the Austin-based startup's $30 million Series B investment round in February 2019. Marking the beginning of its multi-city growth plans, the company is tapping into one of the top tech talent pools in the nation. The strategic Denver location confirms ScaleFactor's commitment to empowering small business owners by consolidating complex back-office operations into one platform to create an intuitive "busness OS." "It was in Denver where I worked as a CFO and where I first identified the problems that motivated me to launch ScaleFactor," said Kurt Rathmann, CEO and founder of ScaleFactor. "Denver has evolved into a tech mecca, and we are excited to return to the roots of the company and be a part of the city's booming market." ScaleFactor's Denver office is located on the 24th floor of the 1801 California building situated in the heart of the Central Business District. Other tenants in the building include Sendgrid, Ibotta, and Greenhouse.io. ScaleFactor is currently building out its team in Denver, hiring for product and engineering positions, with future plans to expand its sales team before the end of 2019. "I'm extremely excited to be part of ScaleFactor's expansion to Denver," said Robert MacNaughton, Product Manager at ScaleFactor. "I have been a member of the ScaleFactor family for over three years and love the culture we've built in Austin. Now we're bringing that amazing culture to Denver and adding our own MileHigh flavor." Along with Austin and Denver, ScaleFactor will soon open several other office locations nationwide. The company has seen a record 700% year-over-year sales growth based on same quarter sales, fueled by small businesses' vast needs for consolidating and automating complex back-office operations into one platform for more effective accounting solutions. About ScaleFactor ScaleFactor is on a mission to help small businesses scale faster. By automating complex accounting tasks and translating financial information into usable business insights, ScaleFactor is enabling business owners, managers and entrepreneurs to focus on what they love - running and growing their business. Find out more about how ScaleFactor is solving the problems that businesses face every day at scalefactor.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190404005214/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] ZutaCore To Integrate Intel Data Center Manager For Robust Software-Defined-Cooling Platform HANNOVER, Germany, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- ZutaCore, a waterless, liquid cooing company unlocking the power of cooling in data centers, today announced the strategic integration of Intel Data Center Manager (DCM) into ZutaCore's software-defined-cooling (SDC) platform. Together, the companies are increasing SDC functionality by providing the opportunity to gain visibility into computing power assets to virtualize and optimize available resources. This addresses an increasing demand from data center operators for innovative opportunities to leverage software for resource optimization. Intel has developed DCM to offer enterprises and service provides real-time power and thermal monitoring for servers, racks, and groups of servers in data centers. In addition, ISVs and system integrators can integrate DCM for health monitoring and utilization, increased rack density, high-value power management features, and more. ZutaCore's data center cooling platform enhanced with DCM's suite of tools will help data center operators to virtualize cooling resources and provide them with the capability to optimize applications across their assets. Ultimately, it can enable predictive cooling schemes for maximum utilization of resources at the highest power efficiencies. "By equipping ZutaCore's HyperCool with the underlying Intel DCM functionality, we have taken software-defined-cooling to a new level," said Udi Paret, President, ZutaCore. "Now, data cener operators will benefit not only from ZutaCore's complete hardware system, enhanced by SDC, for cooling assets virtualization, predictive operations and optimization, but they can trust that it is built on a leading industry platform from Intel." "Intel DCM's integration into ZutaCore's software-defined- cooling platform compliments our company's efforts to help data center operators monitor and manage the power consumption of their facilities," said Jeffrey Klaus, General Manager, Intel Data Center Management Solutions. "Ultimately, this will enable them to efficiently provision cooling resources and consume less power." For more information about Intel Data Center Manager integration in ZutaCore's HyperCool2 software-defined-cooling platform please contact us at [email protected]. About ZutaCore ZutaCore is a waterless, two-phase change, liquid cooling technology company, unlocking the power of cooling and revolutionizing data centers. The HyperCool2 technology platform alleviates cooling boundaries at the chip, server, rack, POD and data center levels. The HyperCool2 solution is a complete hardware system, enhanced by a software-defined-cooling platform, yields unparalleled heat dissipation at the chip level, triples computing densities on a fraction of the footprint and halves costs. Designed by a veteran team in Israel and enabled by 14 patent-pending innovations, HyperCool2 is a near plug-and-play system that delivers consistent results, in any climate. ZutaCore's R&D center is in Israel with HQ office in California. For more information, please visit http://www.zuta-core.com/. Media Contacts Nandita Geerdink, Resolution Communications for ZutaCore 415.269.4493 [email protected] View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/zutacore-to-integrate-intel-data-center-manager-for-robust-software-defined-cooling-platform-300824427.html SOURCE ZutaCore [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 03, 2019] Samsung's Multi-Mode Exynos Chipsets Help Bring the 5G Era to Mobile Consumers Samsung (News - Alert) Electronics Co., Ltd., a world leader in advanced semiconductor technology, today announced that its 5G communication solutions are in mass production for the latest premium mobile devices. The 5G multi-mode chipsets include the previously-introduced Exynos Modem 5100 as well as a new single-chip radio frequency transceiver, the Exynos RF 5500, and supply modulator solution, the Exynos SM 5800, all supporting 5G New Radio (5G-NR) sub-6-gigahertz (GHz) spectrum and legacy radio access technologies that provide mobile device manufacturers with optimum network communication solutions for the 5G era. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190403005800/en/ Samsung's new 5G Exynos chipsets (Photo: Business Wire) "Samsung has been an innovator in mobile communication technologies with a strong portfolio of market-proven solutions, and we are well-prepared to extend our leadership into 5G," said Inyup Kang, president of System LSI Business at Samsung Electronics. "Our multi-mode solutions, the Exynos Modem 5100, Exynos RF 5500 and Exynos SM 5800, will together enable powerful yet energy-efficient 5G performance along with the network versatility that allows users to stay connected wherever they are." Exynos Modem 5100 is Samsung's first 5G modem solution that had completed preparations for commercialization n August, 2018, with a successful over-the-air (OTA) 5G-NR data call test. The modem supports virtually all networks from 5G's sub-6GHz and mmWave spectrums to 2G GSM/CDMA, 3G WCDMA, TD-SCDMA, HSPA and 4G LTE (News - Alert) networks in a single chip. For reliable and power-efficient performance, the modem is paired with RF and supply modulator solutions, Exynos RF 5500 and Exynos SM 5800 respectively. Samsung's Exynos RF 5500 supports legacy networks and 5G-NR sub-6GHz networks in a single chip, offering added flexibility in smartphone designs, especially for today's premium mobile devices. RF transceivers are key components that allow smartphones to transmit and receive data over the cellular network. When transmitting voice or data from a smartphone to a carrier, the RF up-converts the modem's baseband signal to high GHz-range cellular frequencies so that data can be sent swiftly over the connected network. Vice versa, when receiving, the signal is down-converted by the RF to baseband frequencies for it to be processed by the modem. The Exynos RF 5500 has 14 receiver paths for download, and supports 4x4 MIMO (Multiple-Input, Multiple-Output) and higher-order 256 QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation) scheme to maximize the data transfer rate over the 5G network. The Exynos SM 5800 is a low-power supply modulator solution for 2G to 5G-NR sub-6GHz that supports up to 100MHz envelope-tracking (ET) bandwidths. As the possibilities for richer content with higher data rates open up with the arrival of 5G, maintaining a highly efficient RF has become more critical in ensuring a longer battery life in a mobile device. The Exynos SM 5800 demonstrates up to a 30-percent power reduction by dynamically adjusting the supply voltage according to the modem's RF input signal. With an advanced power optimizing ET solution for RF, data can be transmitted more efficiently and reliably over the incredibly fast 5G network. Both the Exynos RF 5500 and SM 5800's technological breakthroughs have been recognized by the International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC) committee and were presented at ISSCC 2019 held at San Francisco last February. As the industry moves forward to unfold and discover the full benefits of 5G, Samsung plans to continue pushing for innovation in mobile communication technologies, including RF transceiver and phased array solutions for mmWave along with 5G-embedded mobile processors, that will further drive the proliferation of new applications in mobile devices and emerging industries. About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Samsung inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies. The company is redefining the worlds of TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tablets, digital appliances, network systems, and memory, system LSI, foundry and LED solutions. For the latest news, please visit the Samsung Newsroom at http://news.samsung.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190403005800/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 03, 2019] Ally Bridge, LifeTech Scientific and Quantum Surgical Announce Three-Way China Joint Venture to Develop Innovative Surgical Robot for the Treatment of Liver Cancer HONG KONG, SHENZHEN, China, and Montpellier, France, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Ally Bridge Group ("ABG"), a leading cross-border life science investment group, announced today that it has entered into an agreement with LifeTech Scientific Corporation (SEHK: 1302) ("LifeTech"), a leading medical device company in China, and Quantum Surgical, an innovative surgical robotics company in France, to establish a three-way China joint venture ("JV"). The JV will focus on the R&D and commercialization of Quantum Surgical's integrated surgical robot platform in China for interventional oncology with the first target indication being liver cancer. China represents more than 50% of the world's incidence of liver cancer. The formation of this JV follows ABG's Series A investment in Quantum Surgical (May 2018), in which LifeTech also participated in the investment through its existing partnership with ABG. ABG initiated and led the design and formation of the JV, where LifeTech is the majority shareholder and responsible for the setup and operation of the China JV, including contributing market know-how to expedite product approval and commercialization in China. "ABG is excited to form this new China JV with LifeTech and Quantum Surgical, both of which are our portfolio companies. This JV showcases a new model for Sino-foreign collaboration in medical technologies. The ABG team has been working closely with Quantum Surgical, led by Bertin Nahum, following our successful investment in -- and exit from its predecessor company Medtech SA. Quantum Surgical is a natural extension of the 2018 ABG-led US$300 million investment in GRAIL, a healthcare company whose mission is to detect cancer early, when it can be cured. Early cancer detection must be accompanied by more effective early treatment, which Quantum is developing," said Frank Yu, ABG's Founder, CEO and CIO. "LifeTech has been a very close partner since the ABG team invested in the company's IPO in 2011. LifeTech has a proven track record in obtaining "green channel" fast-track approval and commercializing in China for some of the world's most innovative medical technologies. This includes collaborations with global medtech companies in localizing best-in-class products, as proven by its China partnership with Medtrnic, a critical strategy for foreign technologies entering the China market. This JV highlights ABG's unique strategic and operational value-add for our portfolio companies in China, the U.S. and Europe, and how we invest in and bring cutting-edge technologies to solve large, poorly met medical needs in China," Frank Yu added. "This is a win-win partnership, where LifeTech Scientific is introduced and advised by our strategic partner ABG to join forces with Quantum Surgical, a leading innovative surgical robot developer with a proven track record," said Yue-Hui Xie, Chairman and CEO of LifeTech Scientific. "This marks another ground-breaking achievement for LifeTech, investing in and partnering with world-leading healthcare technology following our strategic cooperation with ABG, including our participation in the 2018 financing for GRAIL. Both investments underpin LifeTech's new strategic focus in cancer prevention and treatment," Yue-Hui Xie added, "Following our successful partnership with U.S.-based global medtech giant Medtronic, our China JV with Quantum Surgical of France represents a new milestone for strategic and operational partnership with European companies in China." "Quantum will set new standards for minimally invasive cancer treatment procedures with the first target indication being liver cancer. We believe that LifeTech's regulatory expertise and established commercialization infrastructure in China, coupled with ABG's truly global industry network and strong capital markets and deal-making capabilities, will enable Quantum Surgical to accelerate its market entry into China and benefit millions of cancer patients there," said Bertin Nahum, Founder and CEO of Quantum Surgical. About Ally Bridge Group Ally Bridge Group ("ABG"), founded and led by Frank Yu (previously at Goldman Sachs and Och-Ziff Capital), is a global life science-focused investment firm. ABG and its affiliates manage over US$2 billion in life science assets in China, the U.S., and Europe, from medtech to biopharmaceuticals. ABG focuses on investing in some of the world's most innovative medicines and leading high-impact transactions. In 2015, ABG initiated, led and completed the landmark US$3.3 billion NYSE take-private of Wuxi Pharmatech. In 2016, Medtech SA, a leading French surgical robotics company, was acquired by Zimmer-Biomet several months after ABG's investment. In 2018, ABG led the US$300 million Series C financing for GRAIL, a global pioneer in early cancer detection. ABG has expertise in cementing strategic partnerships between emerging healthcare companies and industry leaders, and across different geographies, particularly between China, the U.S., and Europe. For more information, please visit www.ally-bridge.com About LifeTech Scientific Corporation LifeTech Scientific Corporation ("LifeTech") is a leading innovative medical devices company in China, focusing on the manufacturing and sale of minimally invasive interventional medical devices. The company is the second largest supplier of occluders for congenital heart diseases globally (and the largest among BRIC countries). In October 2012, LifeTech became Medtronic's strategic partner in China to localize Medtronic's implantable cardiac pacing system in China. Leveraging its local know-how, LifeTech helped Medtronic localize its pacing technology under the HeartTone brand in China and obtained the CFDA approval in less than 9 months through a well-planned regulatory strategy including green channel and clinical waiver. LifeTech has extensive global sales network including 160 dealers in about 90 countries, especially in Southeast Asia, Russia, CIS and MEA. About Quantum Surgical Founded in 2017, Quantum Surgical is a next-generation surgical robotics start-up founded by Bertin Nahum, a serial entrepreneur and founder of Medtech SA. The Company is building next-generation smart tools for minimally invasive therapies, beginning with interventional oncology. The robotic platform will enable physicians to better assess, plan, and treat a broad spectrum of medical conditions. The Company is developing end-to-end solutions for interventional oncology. For more information, please visit http://quantum-surgical.eu/ SOURCE Ally Bridge Group [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 03, 2019] thyssenkrupp will establish Additive Manufacturing TechCenter Hub in Singapore - New Additive Manufacturing TechCenter Hub in Singapore to serve as extension of facility in Mulheim an der Ruhr, Germany, focusing on additive manufacturing solutions in metal and plastic technologies - Investment strengthens thyssenkrupp's commitment to bring transformative innovations to customers in Asia Pacific SINGAPORE, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- thyssenkrupp will establish an Additive Manufacturing TechCenter Hub in Singapore this year. The announcement -- made at Hannover Messe 2019, the world's leading trade fair for industrial technology -- illustrates the company's initiative to bring its engineering and innovation capabilities to customers in Asia Pacific. The future Singapore Additive Manufacturing TechCenter Hub, supported by the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), will serve as the regional hub for the company's Mulheim TechCenter and aims to unlock the potential of additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, for customers in Singapore and across Asia Pacific. thyssenkrupp first launched a dedicated TechCenter for additive manufacturing in Mulheim an der Ruhr, Germany in 2017, with capabilities to deliver the full spectrum of the additive manufacturing value chain. "thyssenkrupp has always been at the forefront when it comes to innovation in engineering," said Dr. Donatus Kaufmann, member of the executive board of thyssenkrupp AG and responsible for Technology and Innovation. "We have made great strides with our Additive Manufacturing TechCenter in Germany. Establishing a hub in Singapore now reflects our commitment to bring our transformative innovations closer to the Asia Pacific region to meet our customers' needs." Dr. Kaufmann also added that the Singapore Hub not only strengthens thyssenkrupp's presence and operations in Singapore and Asia Pacific, but also "gives us the opportunity to benefit from Singapore's innovation ecosystem and to serve new customers in the Asia Pacific region." Additive manufacturing in Asia Pacific is expected to grow to more than $5.5 billion by 2025[1] and Singapore is certainly fertile ground for the innovation to grow. The Research, Innovation and Enterprise 2020 or RIE2020 Plan of Singapore, which is the country's roadmap for research and development, includes additive manufacturing as one of the key enablers that will support the country's push for leadership in advanced manufacturing and engineering. "thyssenkrupp's Additive Manufacturing TechCenter Hub is an exciting addition to Singapore's growing ecosystem of additive manufacturing technology providers. We are delighted that thyssenkrupp has chosen to anchor the Center in Singapore. thyssenkrupp will be well-positioned to leverage our diverse manufacturing base and strengths in Industry 4.0 to serve the needs of customers in Asia Pacific," said Mr Lim Kok Kiang, assistant managing director, Singapore Economic Development Board. "The investment is further testament to Singapore's growing reputation as a hub for additive manufacturing research and deployment in the region and beyond." thyssenkrupp's TechCenter Hub in Singapore, together with the existing TechCenter in Germany, will focus on innovations around additive manufacturing solutions in metal and plastic technologies for customers in automotive, capital goods, chemical, mining and other heavy industries. It will provide a complete range of additive manufacturing services from part identification diagnostics, project delivery to training and capability building. The TechCenter Hub will also host additive manufacturing engineers who will work together with their colleagues in Germany to develop various products and solutions leveraging on this innovation. The announcement comes on the heels of another company milestone, with the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Singapore's Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) and thyssenkrupp Marine Systems in February 2019. The MoU entails the partnership of DSTA and thyssenkrupp in working on new technologies such as additive manufacturing for naval applications. [1] "Global Additive Manufacturing Market, Forecast to 2025", Frost & Sullivan, May 2016 About thyssenkrupp: thyssenkrupp is a technology group with traditional strengths in materials. Over 160,000 employees in 78 countries work with passion and technological know-how to develop high-quality products and intelligent industrial processes and services for sustainable progress. Their skills and commitment are the basis of our success. In fiscal year 2017/2018 thyssenkrupp generated sales of EUR42.7 billion. Together with our customers we develop competitive solutions for future challenges in their respective industries. With our engineering expertise we enable our customers to gain an edge in the global market and manufacture innovative products in a cost- and resource-friendly way. Our technologies and innovations are the key to meeting diverse customer and market requirements around the world, growing on the markets of the future, and generating strong and stable earnings, cash flows and value growth. Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20190404/2423360-1 SOURCE thyssenkrupp [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 03, 2019] Amarin TV Upgrades LiveU Fleet for Thai Election Thai TV station expands its newsgathering capabilities with LiveU's hardware-based HEVC product suite HACKENSACK, N.J., April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading Thai broadcaster Amarin TV reinforced its live coverage capabilities ahead of last month's general election with LiveU's top-grade LU600 and compact LU300 HEVC live video transmission solutions. Multiple units were deployed around the country to follow the campaign trail and cover all aspects of election day itself. The deal was overseen by LiveU's local partner in Thailand, Smart Broadcast Solution. Amarin TV has been using LiveU for two years, covering major news stories, such as last year's Thai boys cave rescue in the Chiang Rai Province and ferry disaster off Phuket. Enhancing its fleet with LiveU's hardware-based HEVC technology takes the broadcaster's live coverage to the next level, ensuring the highest video performance while using available bandwidth in the most efficient way. Cheewapat Nathalang, CTO, Amarin TV, said, " LiveU has transformed the way we cover news, enabling us to be far more flexible and mobile. During the boys' rescue effort in the North, for example, we could get to places around the cave which would have been impossible with a satellite truck. Upgrading to LiveU's HEVC technology was an obvious choice, as we ramp up our newsgathering capabilities, backed up by the excellent local support and service provided by Smart Broadcast." Yaal Eshel, VP Sales, LiveU, said, "Thailand is a key market in Asia for us and we're delighted that a leading TV station Amarin TV selected LiveU's HEVC units for its election coverage and ongoing newsgathering expansion. With proven success worldwide, we're confident that our HEVC solutions offer the best cellular transmission options in the market." LiveU has been supporting international election coverage since it was founded, providing a cost-efective flexible solution that allows broadcasters to capture political events from multiple fixed locations and on-the-move. Over the years, LiveU has provided 24/7 live coverage of local and national elections in numerous countries, including: Austria, Croatia, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Kenya, Russia, Singapore, Spain, The Netherlands, UK and the USA. About Amarin TV Amarin Television Company Limited, a subsidiary of Amarin Printing and Publishing Public Company Limited, has operated a digital TV station. Founded to produce quality content and to function as a good mass-media outlet, Amarin Television Company Limited has developed its content on a continued basis. At present, its efforts have already started to pay off. Its TV station's popularity has been growing. In 2018, its Amarin TV HD ranked among the 10 most popular TV channels among TV viewers aged 25 years old up nationwide. The station, moreover, enjoyed the biggest popularity growth when compared with previous year ratings. About LiveU LiveU is driving the live video revolution, providing live video streaming for TV, mobile, online and social media. Let your audience become part of your story with high-quality and flawless live video, transmitted from anywhere in the world, through the use of our patented bonding and video transport technology. LiveU creates a consistent bandwidth and a reliable connection so you can acquire, manage and distribute high quality remote live broadcasts over IP. Our broad portfolio of products sets the industry standard for live video production. From backpacks to smartphones, and satellite/cellular hybrid to external antenna solutions, LiveU offers a complete range of devices for live video coverage anytime, anywhere. In addition, LiveU offers extensive cloud-based management and video distribution solutions. With over 3,000 customers in 130+ countries, LiveU's technology is the solution of choice for global broadcasters, online media, news agencies and social media. For more information, visit www.liveu.tv, or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn or Instagram. Contact: Joss Armitage +44-7979-908-547 [email protected] Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/845196/Amarin_TV_Live_U.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/267684/liveu_logo.jpg SOURCE LiveU [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] Software Defined Infrastructure (SDI) Market 2019: Company Profiles, Global Trends, Industry Segments, Landscape and Demand by Forecast to 2023 Market Highlights: Software Defined Infrastructure (SDI) is a method of controlling IT infrastructure with the help of software. In general, SDI is a combination of networking, storage, and computing, which are pre-defined by hardware and software solutions. Deploying SDI in an organization has numerous advantages, such as reduction of capital expenditures, automation of manual resource provisioning, increase in flexibility, agility, and others. Software defined infrastructure helps in minimising capital expenditures in two ways. The first method is by providing defined protocols and standards for limiting dependency on software and hardware, and the second method is by deploying virtualization and cloud technologies in existing IT environment as a substitute for providing new equipment for increasing scalability. Software Defined Infrastructure Market helps IT organizations to run smoothly by automating the processes within the organization. The removal of manual tasks and provision of rule-based server are driving IT organizations to deploy SDI. SDI helps in improving security management, increasing staff productivity and minimising manual errors. The demand for better alignment of IT infrastructure in an organization, increase in deployment of data centers, rise in prominence of cloud computing, and reduction in capital expenditures are primarily driving the market growth. The deployment of hybrid cloud services and artificial intelligence, coupled with existing infrastructure can be an added advantage. Cisco Systems, an American Multinational Company, is currently working on Application-Centric Infrastructure (ACI). The Cisco ACI is considered as the industry leading software defined networking module which helps in enabling application agility and datacentre automation. Many key players are innovating in this field and are helping organizations to drive towards software defined infrastructure. Lack of sufficient knowledge and expertise in the field of software defined infrastructure is hampering the market growth. Request a Free Sample Report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/5702 Major Key Players: VMware Inc. (U.S.) Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co. (U.S.) Cisco Systems, Inc. (U.S.) Oracle Corporation (U.S.) Dell Inc. (U.S.) Microsoft Corporation (U.S.) Hitachi, Ltd.(Japan) IBM Corporation (U.S.) Fujitsu, Ltd.(Japan) NEC Corporation (Japan) Citrix Systems, Inc. (U.S.) Some of the key innovators in this area are Arista Networks (U.S.), Nexenta Systems, Inc. (U.S.), Radware Corporation (Israel), Pica8, Inc.(U.S.), Juniper Networks (U.S.), Intel Corporation (U.S.), Wipro Limited (India), PLUMgrid Inc (U.S.), Plexxi (U.S.), Nokia (Finland), Red Hat, Inc. (U.S.), Brocade Communications Systems, Inc. (U.S.), Amazon Web Services (U.S.), Savvis (U.S.), and others. The prominent players constantly keep innovating and investing in research and development in order to present a cost-effective portfolio. There have been recent mergers and acquisitions among the key players, where the business entities expect to strengthen their reach to their customer. Regional Analysis: On the basis of geography, the market is studied for North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World. Among these regions, the market is majorly dominated by North America at present due to higher concentration of cloud-based companies in countries like the United States and Canada. Europe has acquired second spot in the market and is expected to show a decent growth rate. However, the Asia Pacific region is expected to show the highest CAGR during the forecast period. There are various new entrants in India and China that are deploying software defined infrastructure in their organizations. Moreover, the telecommunications industry in Asia Pacific is booming, which is influencing the growth of market in Asia Pacific. Browse Full PR Details @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/press-release/software-defined-infrastructure-market Segmentation: The global software defined infrastructure market is segmented into solution, services, vertical, and region. On the basis of solution, the segment is further classified into SDN (software defined networking), SDS (software defined storage), SDC (software defined computing), and others. On the basis of services, the segment is further classified into managed services, consulting services, integration, and deployment services. The software defined infrastructure is used in many verticals, such as BFSI, retail, telecom, manufacturing, healthcare, transportation, government, defense and others. Browse Full Report Details @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/software-defined-infrastructure-market-5702 Intended Audience: Network Service Providers Cloud Services Providers Data Center Vendors Colocation Providers Internet Services Providers (ISPs) Enterprises End-Users System Integrators Government Agencies About Market Research Future: At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our clients to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services. Contact Market Research Future Office No. 528, Amanora Chambers Magarpatta Road, Hadapsar, Pune - 411028 Maharashtra, India +1 646 845 9312 Email: [email protected] As a community-building service, TMCnet allows user submitted content which is not always proofed by TMCnet editors. If you feel this entry is of inferior quality or wish to report it for some reason, please forward the URL to "webedit [AT] tmcnet [DOT] com" with your comments. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] Digital Horizon Invests in Israeli Startup, Market Beyond, the Supplier of Market Intelligence to eBay and Walmart TEL AVIV, Israel, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Digital Horizon international venture fund has participated in the seed investment round of high-tech startup Market Beyond. This round totalled $4 million USD with UK's Hetz Ventures and Yahal Zilka, one of Israel's leading venture capitalists, also participating in this round. Digital Horizon invested $1 million USD. Market Beyond is a B2B tech company, headquartered in Tel Aviv. Its team has developed an e-commerce tool, which allows online retailers to increase sales and expand their market share. Market Beyond uses artificial intelligence to process data on billions of online transactions in order to pinpoint weaknesses in product assortment, pricing models, and other conversion factors and suggest how deficiencies can be corrected. Industry giants including eBay, Walmart and other Fortune 500 companies are among Market Beyond's clients. Market Beyond plans to use the funds raised during this investment round t finance further growth. "Market Beyond is a project that fully aligns with our investment ethos, meeting our key criteria. We share a similar international business strategy as the Market Beyond team and value its commitment to international expansion," said Alan Vaksman, founder of Digital Horizon. "We invest in high-growth technology companies with an existing client-base and the potential to become undisputed leaders in their sectors. Israel is an important region for our investments, as is Europe," he added. About the companies Digital Horizon is an international investment company, integrating a technology incubator with a venture fund. The incubator, working on venture-build models, is responsible for groundbreaking projects in finance, retail, marketing and media. Digital Horizon invests in early-stage startups with products and services that hold great promise for the so-called industry 4.0 (software, marketplaces), retail and financial sectors. Find out more at www.digitalhorizon.vc Market Beyond is an Israeli analytics company, founded in 2016 by Yuval Yifrach, Eran Dror and Shachar Baryamin. Market Beyond uses AI technologies to turn market analytics into digestable information for online retailers. The company's goal is to enable retailers and brands to take steps towards increasing their share of the e-commerce market. Market Beyond provides Fortune 500 companies such as eBay and P & G with up-to-date information on products that allows retailers to be informed and sell more of what people want, thereby maintaining their competitiveness. Find out more at https://themarketbeyond.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] NetDragon Signs Digital Education MOU with Russia's Global Rus Trade at BRICS Business Council Midterm Meeting JOHANNESBURG, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- NetDragon Websoft Holdings Limited (HKSE: 0777) (NetDragon), a global leader in building internet communities, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on digital education with the leading Russian B2B-platform for cross-border e-commerce, Global Rus Trade, at the BRICS Business Council Midterm Meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa. Held from April 3 - 4, the conference gathers representatives from Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS) and its related institutions to strengthen business, trade, and investment ties within the five-nation association. The MOU seeks to leverage the respective technological and resource strengths of both countries' enterprises and jointly promote such collaborative practices to the other BRICS countries. A core member of the BRICS Business Council's Digital Economy Working Group, which brings together relevant business organizations from all member countries in an in-depth exploration of their industry, NetDragon was also invited to participate and share its independently-developed White Paper on Education Technology in BRICS 2019. The white paper analyzes the current education policy, systems, and performance in each country. "In the future, NetDragon will team up with other member companies to jointly conduct education research and offer planningrecommendations for BRICS countries," said Mo Junqi, vice president of NetDragon who attended the meeting in Johannesburg. "In addition to working closely with the BRICS countries, NetDragon has confirmed two major partnerships with Russia in the field of smart education in the last two years, bringing our products to more than 20,000 classrooms across the country," said Dr. Xiong Li, CEO of NetDragon. "Not only is NetDragon seizing the win-win opportunities opened up by rapid globalization, but we are also answering the call of the One Belt, One Road initiative and spearheading strategic cooperation with countries within this historic network, such as Serbia, Myanmar, and Egypt. Last but certainly not least, NetDragon is launching several educational products, platforms, and applications in the United States, Malaysia, and other countries, establishing a robust offering of hardware, software, and content that covers the spectrum of age groups and businesses to meet the diverse educational needs of global users." NetDragon first participated in the BRICS Business Council in 2017 and became a member of the Digital Economy Working Group in July 2018. As it has supported cooperation among BRICS countries and countries within the One Belt, One Road initiative, NetDragon has seen its overseas business flourish and extend further outward to cover more corners of the globe. Not only will this cooperation with Global Rus Trade enhance its efforts to provide digital education services in Russia, but it will also serve as an important step for NetDragon as it continues to cultivate its international objectives and capabilities among the BRICS countries and beyond. About NetDragon Established in 1999, NetDragon Websoft Holdings Limited (HKSE: 0777) (NetDragon) is a global leader in building internet communities. A vertically integrated, cutting-edge R&D powerhouse with a highly successful track record, NetDragon's achievements include the development of flagship MMORPGs such as Eudemons Online, Heroes Evolved (formerly known as Calibur of Spirit), and Conquer Online. It also established China's number one online gaming portal, 17173.com, as well as its most influential smartphone app store platform, 91 Wireless, which was sold to Baidu in 2013 in the then-largest Internet M&A transaction in China. As the country's pioneer in overseas expansion, NetDragon has also directly operated a number of game titles in over 10 languages since 2003. For more information, please visit www.netdragon.com. SOURCE NetDragon [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] Blue Prism and Bizagi Join Forces to Deliver Intelligent Automation Solutions Partnership Allows Customers to Accelerate Digital Transformations By Adopting End to End Process Automation Capabilities LONDON, and AUSTIN, Texas, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- With the goal of helping customers streamline operational efficiencies while empowering employees to drive digital transformation, Blue Prism (AIM: PRSM), a global leader in Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and Bizagi, a leading provider of intelligent business process automation solutions, today announced a strategic partnership. Bizagi will now participate in Blue Prism's Digital Exchange (DX), providing an easy way for customers to begin their automation journey, as well as natively integrate with Blue Prism's connected-RPA platform. The result offers customers an easy, "drag and drop" connection to Bizagi's no-code Digital Process Automation solutionall while building a process within Blue Prism. One of many joint successes of this partnership is Citizens Banka top performing bank in the USA distinguished y their customer-centric culture. Digital workers now touch over 50 percent of commercial loan portfolios with RPA being integrated into 40 different systems across the business. "We're using Bizagi to orchestrate all that data coming in, we're using Blue Prism and Bizagi to remove the noise that occupies most people's days. And leaving people with valuable work. And we're doing it all in parallel and that's really the critical piece," says Matt Lavoie, Head of RPA & iBPMS for Citizens Bank. Together, Bizagi and Blue Prism have created a simpler and better way to automate. Bizagi forges collaboration between business and IT, allowing process applications to be co-created using one intuitive platform that everyone can understand. With full transparency through each step of the business process, enterprises can easily identify new, meaningful opportunities for RPA faster and more effectively. As a result, enterprises realize the full potential of RPA, with end to end process automation that delivers transformative results. Bizagi?CEO?Gustavo Gomez?says, "Blue Prism gives us the power to automate business processes on a global scale and with unprecedented speed. Together we are breaking down isolated management silos and IT systems, enabling our users to dynamically orchestrate their employees, applications, devices and information all from one secure unified platform." This partnership also highlights how both companies are bringing intelligent automation capabilities to Microsoft Azure. The ability to run Blue Prism's Digital Workforce natively on Azure makes it easy for customers to run RPA either on premises or in the cloud. Bizagi will provide the expertise to run seamlessly in either environment. In the end, customers gain access to an end to end automation solution that works across multiple industriesfinancial services, manufacturing, even high-tech. Typical use cases include financial transactions, employee onboarding and contract management to name a few. The result is greater efficiency, increased productivity, reduced errors and more transparency into organizational operations. About Blue Prism In this digital era where start-ups are constantly disrupting markets, only the most agile and innovative enterprises survive and thrive. At Blue Prism, we pioneered Robotic Process Automation (RPA), emerging as the trusted and secure intelligent automation choice for the Fortune 500 and public-sector market. Now we bring you connected-RPA supported by the Digital Exchange (DX) app storemarrying internal entrepreneurship with the power of crowdsourced innovation. Blue Prism's connected-RPA can automate and perform mission critical processes, allowing your people the freedom to focus on more creative, meaningful work. More than 1,300 global customers leverage Blue Prism's digital workforce, empowering their people to automate billions of transactions while returning hundreds of millions of hours of work back to the business. Visit www.blueprism.com to learn more about Blue Prism (AIM: PRSM). Follow Blue Prism on Twitter @blue_prism and on LinkedIn . About Bizagi Bizagi helps organizations to transform into digital businesses. Its process automation platform connects people, applications, devices and information to deliver the engaging experience that today's customers demand. Fuelled by a community of almost 1 million users, Bizagi powers enterprises worldwide including adidas, BAE Systems and Old Mutual. For more information visit www.bizagi.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/663826/Blue_Prism_Logo.jpg [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] Sungrow Boosts Its Commitments to Emerging APAC Solar Markets HEFEI, China, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Sungrow, the global leading inverter solution supplier for renewables, is accelerating its commitments to the emerging solar market in the APAC region, particularly in South Korea and Vietnam. In early April, the Company's featured products are on display at Green Energy Expo and the Solar Show Vietnam. South Korea outlines fresh incentives to prioritize renewable projects with a low carbon footprint, higher efficiency and stricter industry codes. Offering a comprehensive product portfolio, Sungrow is establishing itself as the best platform in the sector to address a wide range of demands. Products including commercial string inverter SG110CX, outdoor central inverter SG1250UD, integrated energy storage systems and one-stop solutions for floating PV plants are unveiled at Green Energy Expo held in South Korea, setting ongoing efforts to further meet the diversified requirements locally. Vietnam is another solar hub in Asia witnessing a rapid growth due to abundant sunlight, a booming population and strong economic growth. The Company's products showcased, apart from 1500V product series led by SG3400HV, the 6.8 MW turnkey solution with the MV transformer, RMU, SCADA and PPC, were a new 1000V string inverter SG110CX focusing on commercial and industrial installation, as well as the floating PV systems. With its inverter shipments to this region surpassing 1 GW, Sungrow garnered wide attention, especially after the Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam visited the PV farms, which utilize Sungrow inverters and have a total capacity of 100 MW, in Dak Lak province. The emerging APAC solar market has been experiencing dramatic growth over the past few years and Sungrow is embracing proliferating opportunities in the region, especially considering the proximity of the Company's manufacturing hubs. "As one of the major dedicated players in the local solar industry, we are bringing forth a state-of-the-art product lineup together with service tailored for local customers," said Luke Lu, President of Sungrow APAC Region. "We'll strengthen cooperation with global partners in scaling up the applications of renewables and accelerating the steps to fulfill our mission of 'clean power for all'," he added. About Sungrow Sungrow Power Supply Co., Ltd ("Sungrow") is a global leading inverter solution supplier for renewables with over 79 GW installed worldwide as of December 2018. Founded in 1997 by University Professor Cao Renxian, Sungrow is a leader in the research and development of solar inverters, with the largest dedicated R&D team in the industry and a broad product portfolio offering PV inverter solutions and energy storage systems for utility-scale, commercial, and residential applications, as well as internationally recognized floating PV plant solutions. With a strong 22-year track record in the PV space, Sungrow products power installations in over 60 countries, maintaining a worldwide market share of over 15%. Learn more about Sungrow by visiting www.sungrowpower.com. Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20190404/2424756-1 SOURCE Sungrow Power Supply Co., Ltd [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] First Insight Continues Global Expansion with New Offices in Europe and Asia First Insight, Inc., a global technology company transforming how leading retailers make product investment, pricing and marketing decisions, today announced its continuing international expansion with the opening of new offices in London and Chennai, India, and the addition of a number of international retailers to its client roster, including Superdry and Bata India. As part of the news, First Insight also announced the expansion of global solution capabilities including the addition of 12 new currencies and 10 new languages to its Customer-Centric Merchandising platform. As the first and only such platform in full compliance with the new GDPR standards, First Insight is also SOC-2 compliant, further ensuring adherence to global standards for data security. "As global retailers and brands increasingly seek to understand customer preferences in new regions, we are excited to announce the expansion of First Insight in Europe and Asia," said Greg Petro, CEO and founder of First Insight. "Consumers are increasingly shopping beyond the boundaries of their home countries. Retailer and brands must be ready to meet their expectations. By enabling retailers to listen to the voice of the consumer - from nearly anywhere in the world - they can create, price and sell products which are personalized to those markets.." "Bata India engaged with First Insight to bring the Voice of the Customer into our new product decision making. We are seeing value from basing our decisions on data and analytics rathr than only relying on our instinct and historical trends," said Sandeep Kataria, CEO at Bata India. "First Insight helps us make better, more data-driven product selection, pricing, and regional segmentation decisions, and we are seeing the benefits in margins and store count enhancements. We intend to expand our use of First Insight into additional geographies." "Partnering with First Insight has been an important step in planning our new kidswear range," stated Tim Quinlan, head of Customer and Market Insights at Superdry. "Early results have provided clear and insightful recommendations for action across products and markets." Additionally, First Insight announced that CEO Greg Petro will lead a panel entitled What is the future of brands? (Hint: it's all about innovation) which will be held during the World Retail Congress in Amsterdam, May 14-16. The panel will bring together prominent international retail industry leaders including Elaine Wheeler, Head of Digital Product Development, Marks and Spencer; Francesca Danzi, Chief Client Officer, Tory Burch; and Phillippe Chainieux, CEO, Made.com. The panel will take place on Tuesday, May 14 from 1:50 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., in Lab C. The panel will focus on customer-centricity and the building of customer relationships in an era of abundant marketplaces and channel-agnostic consumers. The international group of retail industry experts will discuss how to build a powerful brand today and examine the future of differentiation in branding. "Consumers are embracing the explosion of available marketplaces and seem happy to use whatever channel is most convenient for them," Mr. Petro continued. "While Amazon is taking share from retailers in low-engagement categories, it is more vital than ever for retailers to build and control relationships with their customers. I look forward to further examining the future of brands on an international scale with this diverse and deeply experienced panel." About First Insight, Inc. First Insight is the world's leading customer-centric merchandising platform that empowers retailers and brands to incorporate the Voice of the Customer into the design, pricing, planning, and marketing of new products. Through the use of online consumer engagement, the First Insight solution gathers real-time consumer data and applies predictive analytic models to create actionable insights, which drive measurable value. Retailers, manufacturers and brands use the First Insight solution to design, select, price, plan and market the most profitable new products for reduced markdown rates and improved sales, margins and inventory turnover. Customers include some of world's leading vertically integrated brands, sporting goods companies, department stores, mass merchant retailers and wholesalers. For further information, please visit www.firstinsight.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190404005138/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] International Health Insurance Markets, 2019 - International Health Insurance for Expats, Third Country Nationals, Domestic Nationals and Global Nomads - ResearchAndMarkets.com The "International Health Insurance 2019 - International Health Insurance for Expats, Third Country Nationals, Domestic Nationals and Global Nomads: Volume One - Overview" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. There are more opportunities than ever for insurers and brokers to sell health insurance globally to locals and internationals. The global demand for health insurance is rising fast There are opportunities for health insurers and brokers The numbers of expatriates are rising and will increase IPMI and PMI are no longer separate Locals, students and NGO workers need cover Many more countries are making health insurance compulsory Healthcare and health insurance are becoming intertwined Top up cover and micro health have massive potential Technology will change how insurers, brokers and customers interact International private medical insurance is flourishing. There are more globally mobile individuals than ever before - and employers are building businesses in more diverse countries. IPMI was traditionally considered an exclusive health insurance plan for expatriates. Now, the definition of an expatriate is obsolete because more people, including local nationals and expats, regularly travel internationally, due to their lifestyle, income and careers. These people need international medical insurance irrespective of their national status or residency. Local nationals, expats, and global nomads are driving demand for IPMI products well beyond any residency classification. The globally mobile population has grown dramatically along with the increased global business. There are 66 million expatriates, and by 2020 this will be 87.5 million. 260 million people now live away from their country of birth and within a decade the total number of expatriate workers and international students will be 100 million. IPMI as health insurance without borders is the future of health insurance for all people irrespective of their country of nationality, residence or current domicile. The domestic health insurance market is changing and expanding in many markets around the world. Technology, innovation in health treatment and digitisation of processes are also powerful shapers of the future of health insurance. Compulsory insurance, voluntary top-up covers, differences between what you can sell to locals and expatriates, rules on overseas investors, compulsory local partnerships, economic sanctions, and even local politics are all things that insurers and brokers must understand- as are newer factors of controls on insurance and healthcare prices, and recent compulsory health insurance rules for travellers or students. There have been several new entrants to the global healthcare insurance and ancillary services market, long dominated by a small handful of existing insurance companies. Regional insurers and brokers are active in the sector. The focus on wellness and the proactive approach of keeping customers healthy is a key change. The focus is health insurance, not just illness insurance and, proactively engaging with customers to help them lead long and healthy lives. Technology is changing the market, with access to information and care through mobile applications and innovations such as virtual health, telemedicine and virtual GP services. Data will also drive more accurate underwriting and wellness olutions at an individual customer level. The days of the fully personalised cover are not far off. IPMI must comply with local laws and regulations and local needs that differ considerably from country to country. Key Topics Covered: 1. Introduction Overview Growth of need for IPM Health insurance definitions Expatriate definitions Voluntary health insurance Why IPMI and PMI are no longer separate Social and technological disruption Duty of care Why insurers are moving into PMI/IPMI The changing insurance ecosystem Customer centricity Blockchain Emerging markets Belt and Road initiative Middle East and North Africa Asia IPMI must cover more than insurance The future 2. International health insurance numbers Global premium figures Onshoring and offshoring Premium retention in countries Premiums and local taxes Local partnerships Muddying the waters It is not health insurance 3. Health insurance Compulsory health insurance Health insurance market potential Global medical price trends Health insurance pricing trends Global health insurance price and trends Health insurance and universal healthcare Global benefits Digital transformation 4. Healthcare Health at a Glance Europe 2018 Global healthcare 5. International health insurance market Buying the market overseas Distribution Healthcare or health insurance History Market potential Hospitals offering health insurance Numbers of insurers Insurance companies Latin American healthcare potential Lloyd's of London Lloyds' brokers Managing general agents Third party administrators Insurance brokers Financial advisors Insurance agents Banks Health insurance trade bodies Health insurance comparison sites Micro-insurance Mobile devices Self- insurance Smartphones Social media Videos 6. International health insurance products Cover International insurance versus domestic insurance IPMI in 2019 7. Expatriate numbers Expatriate figures Global number of expatriates Global population Expatriates, migrants and refugees Global mobility Expatriate population as % of the worldwide population Expatriate or international migrant Refugees and expatriates International students Migrant workers Cross border workers Diasporas Migration and health 8. Customers Target (News - Alert) markets for insurers What is an expatriate? Expatriate characteristics Expatriate salaries and benefits Buyers Dependants Emerging markets middle class Generation Y More than one product High net worth How people choose international health insurance Indian companies Maritime Mining Music industry NGOs Need Oil and gas Overseas employees need support Questions potential customers ask Retirees Self-employed Short assignments Short-term cover Singles Students Target ages Teachers Wealthy expatriates Who can be covered? Why companies buy it Why individuals buy it Why needs are changing Why not just buy cover locally Women 9. The product Addiction treatment Admitted policies Apps Big data Budget covers Cancer Chatbots Choice of cover or set packages Claims Compliance with local law Co-payments Critical illness Currency Danger zones Diabetes treatment Diaspora insurance Duty of care Emergency assistance Emergency evacuation European Air Medical Institute Fertility treatment Fraud Funeral plans Global cover Helplines Income protection Insurers rethink of health insurance International medical accreditation Medical evacuation and repatriation Medical tourism and insurance Medical travel insurance Mental health Micro health insurance Obesity treatment Organ transplants Passive war Political risks Pricing Price regulation Pricing on group schemes Private repatriation Risk management Second medical opinion Security and travel advice Takaful Takaful health Telehealth Term life Top up covers Travel insurance Underwriting Virtual doctors War risks Wearables Companies Mentioned Lloyd's of London For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/n3mkq9/international?w=4 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190404005303/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] Bank of America Commits $300 Billion by 2030 to Low-Carbon, Sustainable Business Bank of America announces it will mobilize an additional $300 billion in capital by 2030 through its Environmental Business Initiative. This third commitment increases the company's investment in low-carbon business activities as part of its focus on deploying capital for responsible, sustainable growth. Through lending, investing, capital raising, advisory services and developing financing solutions, this new commitment will drive innovation and help to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon, sustainable economy. The $300 billion goal brings Bank of America's total commitment to more than $445 billion since 2007, when the company issued its first Environmental Business Initiative. Bank of America has deployed more than $126 billion over the past 12 years in support of environmental business efforts across the globe. "The need to mobilize and deploy capital to address climate change has never been more urgent," said Bank of America Vice Chairman Anne Finucane. "As one of the world's largest financial institutions, Bank of America has a responsibility and an important role to play in helping to mitigate and build resilience to climate change by using our expertise and resources, as well as our ability to convene partners across sectors, to accelerate the transition from a high-carbon to a low-carbon society." This commitment, like the previous two, will not impact corporate expenses. Leadership in environmental business In 2013, Bank of America issued its second Environmental Business Initiative commitment with a goal to deploy $125 billion by 2025. The company will achieve this commitment by the end of 2019, six years ahead of schedule. Highlights of how the company supports clients through environmental business include: Since 2013, Bank of America has issued $4.35 billion in corporate green bonds. In May 2018, the company issued its fourth and largest green bond for $2.25 billion - becoming the first U.S. financial institution to issue four corporate green bonds. Bank of America Merrill Lynch has led green bond underwriting since 2007, according to the Environmental Finance Green Bond Database and Bloomberg (News - Alert) New Energy Finance league tables. Since 2007, Bank of America Merrill Lynch has underwritten $38 billion in green bonds on behalf of 100 clients, supporting more than 220 deals ad providing critical funding to environmental projects. The company has been the No. 1 tax equity investor in the U.S. from 2015 through 2018 according to the Bloomberg New Energy Finance league tables. Since 2007, the Bank of America Merrill Lynch Renewable Energy Finance team has been responsible for approximately $10.5 billion of renewable energy tax equity financing supporting wind and solar facilities. By helping clean energy business tap global markets, Bank of America is funding important sustainable projects while creating jobs and spurring economic progress. EY took an independent look at a 25 percent subset of its second environmental commitment ($30 billion deployed in the U.S. between 2013 and 2017) and found this financing supported an annual average of 76,000 domestic jobs, realized a cumulative $70 billion in economic output, and contributed a cumulative $36 billion to GDP. Capital deployment for sustainable development Bank of America's Environmental Business Initiative is part of the company's focus on facilitating the deployment of capital to further sustainable development. Recognizing there is a significant gap between the capital that must be applied to global challenges and the amount that is being deployed today, Bank of America is a leader in engaging the private sector by mobilizing players across the entire financial system to increase the flow of capital. This enterprisewide initiative is designed to unlock the necessary financing and investment to address the broad themes outlined in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) including affordable housing, clean water and sanitation, sustainable energy, education and health care. In 2018 alone, Bank of America deployed more than $50 billion that impacted a key subset of the SDGs. Bank of America At Bank of America, we're guided by a common purpose to help make financial lives better, through the power of every connection. We're delivering on this through responsible growth with a focus on our environmental, social and governance (ESG) leadership. ESG is embedded across our eight lines of business and reflects how we help fuel the global economy, build trust and credibility, and represent a company that people want to work for, invest in and do business with. It's demonstrated in the inclusive and supportive workplace we create for our employees, the responsible products and services we offer our clients, and the impact we make around the world in helping local economies thrive. An important part of this work is forming strong partnerships with nonprofits and advocacy groups, such as community, consumer and environmental organizations, to bring together our collective networks and expertise to achieve greater impact. Learn more at about.bankofamerica.com, and connect with us on Twitter (News - Alert) (@BofA_News). 2018 ESG Highlights For more Bank of America news, including dividend announcements and other important information, visit the Bank of America newsroom. Click here to register for news email alerts. www.bankofamerica.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190404005197/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] Ryan Named One of Top 20 Best Companies to Work for in Texas For the ninth consecutive year, Ryan, a leading global tax services and software provider, has been named to the 100 Best Companies to Work for in Texas by Texas Monthly magazine. Earning the 15th best company to work for in the state of Texas, this marks the ninth year in a row Ryan has earned a top-20 honor in the publication's survey. Annually, the Best Companies to Work for in Texas recognizes top employers with the most dynamic work cultures across the state. Managed by Texas Monthly, the Texas Association of Business (TAB), Texas Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), and the Best Companies Group, this program was created to identify the best places of employment across Texas that attract top talent and benefit the stat's economy every year. "This recognition reflects our Firm's continuous commitment to our employees, which positively benefits the value and quality of service we provide to our clients," said Global President and Chief Operating Officer Ginny B. Kissling. "I am proud of their relentless pursuit of excellence and contributions to create one of the best work cultures in Texas, while receiving industry-leading client satisfaction ratings from our clients." Companies throughout Texas were evaluated in terms of workplace policies, philosophies, practices, and demographics. Surveys were distributed to measure how employees feel about working for their nominated company. Those in-depth statements and reviews comprised approximately 75 percent of the total evaluation. About Ryan Ryan, an award-winning global tax services and software provider, is the largest Firm in the world dedicated exclusively to business taxes. With global headquarters in Dallas, Texas, the Firm provides an integrated suite of federal, state, local, and international tax services on a multijurisdictional basis, including tax recovery, consulting, advocacy, compliance, and technology services. Ryan is a seven-time recipient of the International Service Excellence Award from the Customer Service Institute of America (CSIA) for its commitment to world-class client service. Empowered by the dynamic myRyan work environment, which is widely recognized as the most innovative in the tax services industry, Ryan's multidisciplinary team of more than 2,500 professionals and associates serves over 14,000 clients in more than 50 countries, including many of the world's most prominent Global 5000 companies. More information about Ryan can be found at ryan.com. "Ryan" and "Firm" refer to the global organizational network and may refer to one or more of the member firms of Ryan International, each of which is a separate legal entity. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190404005201/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] Namely Appoints Andre McGregor as Chief Security Officer NEW YORK, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Namely, the leading HR platform for mid-sized companies, today announced the appointment of Andre McGregor as chief security officer. A cyber security veteran with tenures in both the public and private sector, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Tanium Inc., Andre brings diverse network, information security and risk management experience to Namely as the company extends its award-winning human resources solution. "At Namely, our teams work around the clock to ensure our services seamlessly process billions of dollars of payroll and manage employee benefits for businesses worldwide," said Paul Rogers, Namely's chief technology officer. "With that trust comes great responsibility, and Andre brings outstanding security leadership experience to the company as we expand our services while continuing to deliver the confidentiality, availability and integrity our clients have come to expect from Namely." McGregor previously managed national FB cyber security investigations and incident response in New York City, and served as the FBI cyber liaison to the United Nations. During his time as head of IT security at Tanium, a San Francisco-based cyber security software company, McGregor also served as technical consultant for the USA Network television series Mr. Robot. He most recently served as co-founder and chief security officer at ShiftState Security. "Namely has developed one of the most resilient security infrastructures of any company in the HR software arena," said McGregor. "It's an exciting time to join the company as we look to extend upon this solid foundation and further scale the platform in preparation for even more impressive growth." About Namely Namely is the first HR platform that employees actually love to use. Namely's award-winning, powerful, easy-to-use technology allows companies to handle all of their HR, payroll, time management, and benefits in one place. Coupled with best-in-class account support, every Namely client gets the software and service they need to deliver great HR and a strong, engaged company culture. Namely is used by over 1,000 clients with over 200,000 employees globally. Headquartered in New York City, the company is backed by investors including Altimeter Capital, GGV Capital, Matrix Partners, Scale Venture Partners, Sequoia Capital, Tenaya Capital, and True Ventures. For more information, visit www.Namely.com . View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/namely-appoints-andre-mcgregor-as-chief-security-officer-300824422.html SOURCE Namely [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Payspan Announces Alex Menoni as Vice President of Security and Compliance Payspan, a leading provider of automated payment and reimbursement solutions for health plans and providers, announced today that it has named Alex Menoni as the company's new Vice President of Security and Compliance. Menoni brings 25 years of experience leading global teams in the creation, execution and continuous improvement of security and technology for financial and healthcare firms. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190404005046/en/ Alex Menoni (Photo: Business Wire) Menoni has held security leadership positions at leading healthcare and fintech companies including Kaier Permanente, McKesson, FleetCor and Harland Clarke, where he developed expertise in the areas of data protection, critical infrastructure and compliance with HIPAA, PCI (News - Alert), GLBA and SOX requirements. A proven, dynamic and team-oriented senior cybersecurity professional, Menoni offers a broad background creating innovative security solutions within a governance, risk and compliance (GRC) framework, including identity and access management, vendor management, architecture and infrastructure, engineering, virtualization, cloud security, endpoint protection, data protection, application security, business continuity and disaster recovery. Menoni has more than 40 technical and security certifications, including Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) and Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) Certificate of Cloud Security Knowledge (CCSK). "I look forward to helping Payspan continually enhance and strengthen its already highly secure electronic payment solutions," Menoni says. "I am excited to join a company that is absolutely committed to business relationships built on trust and putting security and compliance first." About Payspan Payspan is the nation's leading provider of healthcare electronic payment and reimbursement automation services, leveraging the largest healthcare payment network to drive value-based care reimbursement, improve the patient experience and reduce costs for health plans and providers. Payspan connects more than 600 health plans, 1.3 million provider payees and 100+ million consumers to facilitate alternative payment and reimbursement solutions and the exchange of meaningful healthcare information. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190404005046/en/ [April 04, 2019] Immersion Consulting Announces Partnership with Agari ANNAPOLIS, Md., April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Immersion Consulting, LLC (Immersion) is pleased to announce its partnership with Agari, the next-generation Secure Email Cloud that restores trust to the inbox. Immersion will act as a preferred federal value-added reseller and a distributor for Agari's email authentication and phishing prevention products via the Agari Partner Power program. Eighty-four percent of federal domains that use Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance (DMARC), rely on Agari's email authentication products. The Agari Secure Email Cloud is the first and only fully automated advanced email security solution powered by AI. Agari verifies email identities and relationships based on machine learning insights gathered from billions of emails per day. As a result of this technology, Agari's email security solutions identify and stop attacks that bypass legacy secure email gateways. "Agari's products stop phishing attacks by automating DMARC email authentication, protecting government domains from being used in email scams, stopping inbound advanced email attacks with AI/ML, and automating incident response and remediation. Immersion is excited to partner with Agari and add their email security solutions to our service offerings," says Dan Smalley, CEO of Immersion. About Agari Agari is transforming the legacy Secure Email Gateway with its next-generation Secure Email Cloud powered by predictive AI. Leveraging data science and real-time intelligence from trillions of emails, the Agari Identity Graph detects, defends, and deters costly advanced email ttacks including business email compromise, spear phishing and account takeover. Winner of the 2018 Best Email Security Solution by SC Magazine, Agari restores trust to the inbox for government agencies, businesses, and consumers worldwide. About Immersion Consulting: Immersion Consulting LLC, a Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Business (SDVOSB) with headquarters in Annapolis, Maryland, provides business management and technology consulting to government, nonprofits and commercial clients. Founded in 2004, Immersion Consulting specializes in program management, financial management, technology services, logistics and training. Immersion Consulting's mission is to provide its clients with actionable business solutions that yield sustainable results. For more information on Agari as well as company capabilities and services, visit www.immersioninc.com . Connect with Immersion Consulting on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. 2200 Somerville Road, Suite #100 | Annapolis, Maryland, 21401 | T 443.458.5729 View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/immersion-consulting-announces-partnership-with-agari-300824216.html SOURCE Immersion Consulting [April 04, 2019] Datto Unveils Keynote Speakers for DattoCon19 in San Diego Datto, Inc., the leading global provider of IT solutions delivered through managed service providers (MSPs), today announced the three keynote speakers for DattoCon19, the largest open-ecosystem event for MSPs in the IT industry. Kevin Mitnick, Simone Giertz, and Nancy Rademaker will join Datto executives and MSP business leaders to share industry insights, best practices and real-world experiences with more than 2,600 DattoCon attendees. The keynote speakers will offer DattoCon19 attendees three unique viewpoints that are helping shape digital transformation across the globe. Kevin Mitnick , who was the most elusive computer break-in artist in history and formerly on the FBI's Most Wanted list, will perform live hacking demonstrations to focus on the need for security awareness. , who was the most elusive computer break-in artist in history and formerly on the FBI's Most Wanted list, will perform live hacking demonstrations to focus on the need for security awareness. Swedish inventor imone Giertz , world-renowned for her singularly dysfunctional robots, will discuss the very practical importance of making "useless things." , world-renowned for her singularly dysfunctional robots, will discuss the very practical importance of making "useless things." Nancy Rademaker, an engaging international tech speaker, will draw from two decades of experience to share first-hand experiences on how technology is shaping the future and affects behavior. This year's event is being hosted in San Diego, June 17-19, 2019. Highlights of DattoCon19 will include: Datto keynotes from CEO Tim Weller, Founder Austin McChord, and other executives as well as talks by industry partners. The full list of speakers can be found here Product and technical training tracks Strategic business-building sessions including sales, marketing, and industry insights Unique networking opportunities and peer forums A sponsor showcase highlighting vendors and solutions The Autotask PSA Accelerator and Optimizer Boot Camps--a sell out every year Datto RMM Accelerator Boot Camp, Ransomware Recovery Boot Camp and Networking Technologies Boot Camp Opportunity to meet with Datto CEO Tim Weller To register for DattoCon19 and to view the entire agenda, visit www.dattocon.com. About Datto As the world's leading provider of IT solutions delivered by Managed Service Providers (MSPs), Datto believes there is no limit to what small and medium businesses can achieve with the right technology. Datto offers business continuity and disaster recovery, networking, business management, and file backup and sync solutions, and has created a one-of-a-kind ecosystem of partners that provide Datto solutions to half a million businesses across more than 130 countries. Since its founding in 2007, Datto has earned hundreds of awards for its rapid growth, product excellence, superior technical support, and for fostering an outstanding workplace. With global headquarters in Norwalk, Connecticut, Datto has international offices in the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Canada, Australia, China, and Singapore. Learn more at datto.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190404005045/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] Progressive Care Inc. Officially Moves to Newly Purchased Building MIAMI, April 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Progressive Care Inc. ( OTCQB: RXMD ) (Progressive Care or the Company), a personalized healthcare services and technology company, announced today that it will be moving into their new facility located at 400 Ansin in Hallandale Beach, FL on Friday April 5, 2019. In October 2018, Progressive Care executed the Agreement to purchase an 11,000 square foot property (the Property) in Hallandale Beach, Florida for $1,800,000 USD. The light distribution building has many of the necessary features including parking, zoning, structural integrity, and modern equipment necessary to accommodate the Companys needs. The Company plans to procure architectural plans and apply for the necessary permits to begin restructuring the floor plan to be more conducive to an industrialized pharmacy workflow. This move will eliminate one of our current auxiliary lease payments, saving us $1,500, said S. Parikh Mars, Chief Executive Officer of Progressive Care Inc Once the corporate office move is complete, the company will begin architectural design and pulling permits to begin construction on the ground floor pharmacy space. The new space will ultimately house PharmCos Miami operations and accommodate long term growth and development. This move is a testament to the Companys growth this year, said S. Parikh Mars. We are about to embark on a new chapter of our development. As owners of our own space, we cement our standing in the South Florida community while also planning and preparing for our future. The new facility will become the flagship facility which will provide for retail, long term care, mail order pharmacy operations as well as the corporate headquarters. This is coming at a time when the current 5,000 sq. ft. North Miam Beach facility has reached capacity and the Company has had to lease ancillary office space to accommodate administrative and accounting staff. Take a tour of the new space with CEO, Shital Mars For more information about Progressive Care, please visit the Companys website . Connect and stay in touch with us on social media: Progressive Care Inc. https://www.facebook.com/ProgressiveCareUS/ https://twitter.com/ProgressCareUS PharmCo, LLC https://www.facebook.com/pharmcorx/ https://twitter.com/PharmCoRx About Progressive Care Inc. Progressive Care Inc. (OTCQB: RXMD), through its PharmCo, LLC, is a South Florida health services organization and provider of prescription pharmaceuticals, compounded medications, provider of tele-pharmacy services, the sale of anti-retroviral medications, medication therapy management (MTM), the supply of prescription medications to long term care facilities, and health practice risk management. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Statements Statements contained herein that are not based upon current or historical fact are forward-looking in nature and constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements reflect the Companys expectations about its future operating results, performance and opportunities that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. These statements include but are not limited to statements regarding the intended terms of the offering, closing of the offering and use of any proceeds from the offering. When used herein, the words anticipate, believe, estimate, upcoming, plan, target, intend and expect and similar expressions, as they relate to Progressive Care Inc., its subsidiaries, or its management, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to the Company and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause the Companys actual results, performance, prospects, and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. Investor Relations Contact: Armen Karapetyan, Progressive Care Senior Advisor Business Development [email protected] www.progressivecareus.com www.pharmcopharmacy.com Public Relations Contact: Kathleen Gonzales, CMW Media [email protected] www.cmwmedia.com Web and Application Development Contact: Marcello Jaspan, Mass Ventures Corp [email protected] www.massventurescorp.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] Hikvision hosted the second AI Cloud Summit in Hangzhou HANGZHOU, China, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Hikvision, the world's leading supplier of innovative security products and solutions, successfully hosted the second 'Shaping Intelligence' AI Cloud Summit at Hangzhou Whitehorse Lake International Exhibition Centre from 29-30 March. Under the theme of 'Data Enrichment with AI', the summit served as a platform for AI Cloud ecosystem partners to exchange knowledge on leading-edge AI and big data technologies and applications. It comprised a main forum and four sub-forums on the topics of Finance, Commerce, Public Services and Smart Governance for Cities. Over 3,000 participants took part, including Hikvision customers, industry leaders, academic experts and partners. Vision of the future: Fusion of Intelligent IoT and Information Networks One of the most important topics discussed at the conference was how Hikvision's AI Cloud platform can support the integration of IoT and information network data in order to drive the future development of new, intelligent applications. Ideas discussed included the development of a computing architecture that unites cloud and edge computing, plus a data architecture that can enable the integration of intelligent IoT and information network data. "We believe that, as a fusion platform, the AI Cloud will be able to support our customers in their quest to unleash the full potential of AI and IoT," said Yangzhong Hu, CEO of Hikvision, during his keynote speech at the main forum. "Ubiquitous intelligence will be the new normal of the AI era; intelligent applications and their data generation will be the engine." Providing fully open platforms for mutual development The Hikvision AI Cloud was deveoped to solve real-world challenges across different vertical markets, and to create continuous value to end users. The cutting-edge architecture is designed to enable collaboration between partners across edge computing, industry applications, service platforms and standard systems, and much more. As one example of this, Hikvision demonstrated how the launch of its AI algorithm training system has enabled partners to train algorithms easily for specific customer application needs and deployment. Using a digitised event exhibition area of 6,000 square metres, Hikvision and its ecosystem partners also demonstrated versatile AI solutions, including Smart Retail, Smart Campus, Smart Financial Service, Smart Construction, Smart Agriculture and much more. In addition, Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) was showcased including Intelligent Buses, Intelligent Road Networks, Intelligent Airports and Intelligent Railway Systems, all designed to boost passenger safety and enhance the travel experience. AI applications to empower industrial users At the four sub-forums held on the second day, end users from different markets exchanged thoughts and shared use cases of collaborating with Hikvision and AI deployment. At the Commercial forum, partners from retail, energy, property management and logistics explored how AI can increase business insight and transform how businesses operate. At the Smart Governance for Cities forum, traffic authorities from different parts of China shared successful AI applications, including how E-Police solutions help identify traffic violations and reduce the number of human injuries and fatalities. By merging video information with other systems and algorithms, traffic big data can be visualised on city maps to further guide traffic and improve urban commuting. At the Finance forum, banks including China Construction Bank and the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China overviewed their digitised transformation with AI in banking security and management, showcasing how AI-powered big data was a key enabler in this process. The Public Services forum focused on how AI technology can support the improvement of public services management. Among other sessions, Hikvision partners introduced AI applications for distance learning, smart classrooms, campus safety and enhanced learning environments. For more information about the Hikvision 2019 AI Cloud Summit, please visit https://aicloudsummit.hikvision.com/hikvision/index.html. For a video about the Hikvision 2019 AI Cloud Summit, please visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ln67i2YqEMQ. About Hikvision Hikvision is a world leading provider of security products and solutions. Featuring an extensive and highly skilled R&D workforce, Hikvision manufactures a full suite of comprehensive products and solutions for a broad range of vertical markets. In addition to the security industry, Hikvision extends its reach to smart home tech, industrial automation, and automotive electronics industries to achieve its long-term vision. Hikvision products also provide powerful business intelligence for end users, which can enable more efficient operations and greater commercial success. Committed to the utmost quality and safety of its products, Hikvision encourages partners to take advantage of the many cybersecurity resources Hikvision offers, including the Hikvision Cybersecurity Centre. For more information, please visit us at www.hikvision.com. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/846865/Hikvision.jpg [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] Applied Insight Strengthens Leadership Team and Moves HQ to Tysons Applied Insight, a market leader in solving complex technology challenges for federal government customers, backed by The Acacia Group, announced today it has taken key steps to support its continuing growth, with a strengthened leadership team, including Mehdi Cherqaoui as CFO, and a headquarters move from Ashburn to Tysons. "Following our recent acquisitions, these are important steps in our process of intelligent integration," said John Hynes, CEO of Applied Insight. "We're in the business of delivering exceptional support to our customers, leveraging the expertise we have across the company to drive new solutions to complex problems. With this new leadership team, we benefit from the diverse ideas and experience of people who've worked in our sector for a long time, including those who've recently joined through acquisition, along with some new additions. Together, they provide the mission understanding, technical expertise and operational excellence required to deliver for our customers, inspire our people, drive growth through innovation and develop the talent we need for the future." Led by Hynes, the new executive team is structured to drive focused customer support, collaboration on next-generation innovations and integrated corporate support. New members of the AI executive team include leaders from across the company who are being promoted into new roles, as well as leaders from businesses recently acquired. Business Unit Leaders James Rainey, senior vice president, intelligence. Rainey joined AI through the acquisition of ATG (News - Alert), where he was co-founder and president. In this new role, he leads all aspects of AI's support to the U.S. intelligence community. He is an experienced entrepreneur and specialist in software engineering and information technologies. Before joining AI, he was part of the startup of CyberCore Technologies and played a major role in growing it to become a leading IT managed services company. Rainey joined AI through the acquisition of ATG (News - Alert), where he was co-founder and president. In this new role, he leads all aspects of AI's support to the U.S. intelligence community. He is an experienced entrepreneur and specialist in software engineering and information technologies. Before joining AI, he was part of the startup of CyberCore Technologies and played a major role in growing it to become a leading IT managed services company. Nathan Rickman, senior vice president, federal civilian. Rickman has been with AI for more than 12 years, and in this new role he leads on all aspects of AI's support to federal civilian agencies. Previously he was AI's vice president of civilian and IC programs. With close to 20 years' experience in enterprise architecture and program management on complex government projects, he has a strong track record of leading complex IT programs to successful outcomes. Rickman has been with AI for more than 12 years, and in this new role he leads on all aspects of AI's support to federal civilian agencies. Previously he was AI's vice president of civilian and IC programs. With close to 20 years' experience in enterprise architecture and program management on complex government projects, he has a strong track record of leading complex IT programs to successful outcomes. Bill Kodzis, senior vice president, defense. Kodzis joined AI through the acquisition of Stratus, where he was instrumental in building a strong defense business. In this new rol, he leads AI's support to customers across the Department of Defense. With more than 18 years of experience developing impactful solutions for the federal government, Kodzis has led programs supporting the U.S. Cyber Command, the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Army, as well as customers within the intelligence community. Corporate Support Leaders Mehdi Cherqaoui, chief financial officer. Cherqaoui joined AI this month and brings extensive financial management and M&A experience to the role. He is responsible for all aspects of financial operations across the business and supports the CEO in driving AI's growth strategy. Cherqaoui formerly was CFO and COO of Phacil and earlier held senior finance and M&A roles with PAE, URS, PwC and KPMG. During his career, he has been involved in more than 60 M&A transactions and several financing deals. Cherqaoui joined AI this month and brings extensive financial management and M&A experience to the role. He is responsible for all aspects of financial operations across the business and supports the CEO in driving AI's growth strategy. Cherqaoui formerly was CFO and COO of Phacil and earlier held senior finance and M&A roles with PAE, URS, PwC and KPMG. During his career, he has been involved in more than 60 M&A transactions and several financing deals. Kim Parker, vice president, contracts, ethics and compliance. Parker joined AI in 2018, and leads its contracting team to ensure adherence to federal acquisition regulations and the highest standards of integrity. She has worked in federal contracting and compliance for more than 20 years, previously serving with Leidos as acting director of contracts and subcontracts for its Defense and Intelligence Group and as its associate director of policy and functional development. Parker joined AI in 2018, and leads its contracting team to ensure adherence to federal acquisition regulations and the highest standards of integrity. She has worked in federal contracting and compliance for more than 20 years, previously serving with Leidos as acting director of contracts and subcontracts for its Defense and Intelligence Group and as its associate director of policy and functional development. Randy Carr, vice president, human resources. Carr joined AI earlier this year and leads the experienced team of HR human resources practitioners across business units. His many years of HR experience in the government contracting sector included serving as senior HR director at LMI for seven years and directing talent management strategies for SAIC (News - Alert). Carr joined AI earlier this year and leads the experienced team of HR human resources practitioners across business units. His many years of HR experience in the government contracting sector included serving as senior HR director at LMI for seven years and directing talent management strategies for SAIC (News - Alert). Mike Grasso, senior vice president of business development. Joining AI last year, Grasso leads its business development team coordinating strategy, capture, proposal and solutions development, and leveraging extensive technical and program expertise from across the organization. Before joining AI, he was senior vice president for business development and strategy at Engility and has held senior BD roles with Lockheed Martin (News - Alert) and GE Aerospace. Innovation Leaders Dede Dascalu, chief technology officer. Dascalu joined AI through the acquisition of Stratus, where he was CEO. In this new role of CTO, he leads AI's work on technology innovation. As an engineer with expertise in cloud infrastructure, cloud security and the design of network systems, he has worked as the technical lead on a number of Department of Defense research and intelligence community programs in his 20-year career. Dascalu joined AI through the acquisition of Stratus, where he was CEO. In this new role of CTO, he leads AI's work on technology innovation. As an engineer with expertise in cloud infrastructure, cloud security and the design of network systems, he has worked as the technical lead on a number of Department of Defense research and intelligence community programs in his 20-year career. David Boyd, chief product officer. Boyd joined AI through the acquisition of Stratus, where he was COO. In this new role as CPO, Boyd will lead AI's IT product strategy, development and implementation. He is an expert in software development, network modeling, simulation and architecture, and has worked as a senior technical specialist on a number of defense and intelligence programs. Boyd joined AI through the acquisition of Stratus, where he was COO. In this new role as CPO, Boyd will lead AI's IT product strategy, development and implementation. He is an expert in software development, network modeling, simulation and architecture, and has worked as a senior technical specialist on a number of defense and intelligence programs. Giuseppe "Junior" Crisafulli, chief information officer. Crisafulli has been a principal systems architect with AI for over 10 years. In the role of CIO, a newly created position, he will drive AI's IT strategy and continue to work with a number of government customers in a lead technical role. With more than 25 years of government consulting experience, he is an accomplished leader of engineering teams on complex IT programs across the federal government. Crisafulli has been a principal systems architect with AI for over 10 years. In the role of CIO, a newly created position, he will drive AI's IT strategy and continue to work with a number of government customers in a lead technical role. With more than 25 years of government consulting experience, he is an accomplished leader of engineering teams on complex IT programs across the federal government. Purvesh Patel, senior solutions architect. Patel is new to the AI family, joining in January 2019. He leads the company's experienced team of solutions architects. He joined from Cloudera, where he was a senior systems engineer supporting customers in the intelligence community, and has worked with SGI, Lockheed Martin, SAIC, Symantec (News - Alert) and BAE Systems. Throughout his career, Patel has served as a trusted advisor to customers and partners on machine learning, advanced analytics and cloud technologies. AI's new Tysons headquarters is located at 1850 Towers Crescent Plaza, which will serve as a collaborative hub for the business as it ramps up its research and development strategy around new innovations in big data, cybersecurity and cloud infrastructures for federal customers. "Our move to Tysons is about convenience and collaboration," added Hynes. "It's a more central location for the leadership team to come together when we need to. We spend a lot of time with customers, and Tysons works well as a hub for us. The new space also has great facilities for bringing our people together for training and collaboration on new projects, particularly in technology development and business development. It's part of fostering the creative culture that will be key to our long-term success." About Applied Insight Applied Insight is an agile company solving complex technology challenges for federal government customers. Our next-generation analytics, cyber, cloud and mission IT capabilities are applied to building, securing and sustaining the systems they need, handling their complex data and computing requirements, and giving insights that aid decision making. With a shared culture of collaboration, innovation and passion for the mission, we collaborate seamlessly in developing integrated solutions, combining scale and investment with the creativity and innovation that smaller companies do so well. We stay close to the mission, moving quickly to develop, adapt and apply the latest commercial technologies that enable our customers' most demanding mission objectives. To learn more about AI, visit www.applied-insight.com or follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190404005099/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] Bento for Business and Visa to Help Optimize Cash Flow for Small and Midsize Businesses Bento for Business, a leading provider of B2B payment solutions, today announced a new payment solution with Visa to transform how small and mid-size businesses (SMBs) manage and optimize their most critical asset, cash. Bento for Business's financial operating platform brings more complete financial controls to SMBs for their expenses, payments and purchasing, cashless workflows, working capital, banking, and more. Visa Business debit cards will now be integrated into the platform to instantly give millions of Visa SMBs access to Bento for Business's modular financial solutions for their distinct working capital challenges, such as budgeting, expense and spend management, and bookkeeping. As a market leader in payments in the U.S. SMB segment, Visa provides a full suite of payment services designed to help SMBs pay and get paid, including Visa Business cards, business reporting and payment controls. "The SMB segment is a priority for Visa and we continue to be an advocate for the 30 million SMBs in the United States," said David Simon, Global Head of Small and Medium Enterprises, Visa. "The Bento solution will evolve how Visa Business cardholders and merchants manage expenses and gain insights into their cash flow and financial management activities." Farhan Ahmad, Chief Executive Officer, Bento for Business, said, "We are confident that working with Visa will strengthen and accelerate our mission to bring a complete financial operating platform to the underserved SMB market and help these businesses to unlock the fullest potential of their working capital." "2018 was a year of unparalleled growth and exceptional innovation for Bento fo Business. We rolled out new offerings tailored to the needs of SMB leaders including multi-level administration, virtual card management, and open APIs for seamless integration and development with our partners," Ahmad added. "In 2019 and beyond, we will continue to expand our financial controls and cashless workflows for SMBs with a vision to deliver an all-in-one working capital management solution." Visa customers using the Bento for Business platform will immediately benefit from complete control over expenses prior to purchase, real-time insights over their cash flow, secure physical and virtual cards, 24/7 support, and access to savings on travel, fuel and other services based on their purchases. To learn more about the Bento solution with Visa, please visit https://www.bentoforbusiness.com/visa. About Bento for Business Bento is reinventing B2B payments for a digital world. Our mission is to provide businesses with a powerful financial operating platform so they can further their vision, empower their employees and create value for their customers. Bento's financial operating platform allows businesses to issue payment credentials to people and systems without introducing risk. Bento virtual and corporate cards and industry-leading management tools give companies unprecedented control and visibility over company expenses, eliminating fraud and administrative overhead. Virtual Cards, open APIs, and White Label partnerships extend these control and management benefits to automate payments well beyond employee expenses. Based in Chicago and San Francisco, Bento is an award-winning SMB fintech solution led by veteran financial service executives and backed by leading financial technology investors. For additional information, visit Bento for Business, Twitter and LinkedIn. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190404005353/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] Charles Schwab Ranks Highest Among DIY Investors in the J.D. Power 2019 U.S. Self-Directed Investor Satisfaction Study Charles Schwab has received the highest ranking among DIY investors in overall satisfaction nationwide in the J.D. Power 2019 U.S. Self-Directed Investor Satisfaction Study. With an index score of 805 on a 1,000-point scale, Schwab scored 37 points above the overall satisfaction industry average, and received the highest scores in the areas of interaction, account information, commissions and fees, product offerings, and information resources. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190404005173/en/ Charles Schwab Exterior and Logo (Image provided by Schwab) Charles Schwab executive vice president and head of Schwab Investor Services Terri Kallsen said, "In announcing this ranking, J.D. Power emphasizes that Schwab's commitment to expanding access to investing, providing our clients with more choices, and lowering costs to help them achieve better outcomes is earning and building their trust and loyalty. We're gratified that clients are responding well to our enhanced product offerings and value proposition, and are equally focused on serving them where, when and how they choose." Earlier this year Schwab doubled its lineup on the Schwab ETF OneSource (News - Alert) platform to more than 500 ETFs with $0 online commissions, no enrollment requirements and no early redemption fees or activity assessment fees. Last year, the firm eliminated minimums for individual U.S. brokerage and retirement accounts, and lowered the operating expense ratios on five Schwab market cap index mutual funds, removed investment minimums, and consolidated share classes across a variety of Schwab mutual funds. In recent years, Schwab has also expanded its suite of products and services aimed at full-service investors, particularly in the area of wealth management. Assets enrolled in Schwab's advisory solutions stood at $272.4 billion at the end of 2018, a year during which the firm attracted a record 1.6 million new brokerage accounts, up 9% from the previous year; total brokerage accounts stood at 11.6 million. The company now serves more than $3.5 trillion in client assets through multiple channels 24/7, including 350 branches. The official J.D. Power press release can be viewed here. About Charles Schwab At Charles Schwab, we believe in the power of investing to help individuals create a better tomorrow. We have a history of challenging the status quo in our industry, innovating in ways that benefit investors and the advisors and employers who serve them, and championing our clients' goals with passion and integrity. More information is available at www.aboutschwab.com. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn. Disclosures Charles Schwab received the highest numerical score in the DIY segment of the J.D. Power 2019 Self-Directed Investor Satisfaction Study of investors' satisfaction who use self-directed investment firms. Visit jdpower.com/awards. Through its operating subsidiaries, The Charles Schwab Corporation (NYSE: SCHW) provides a full range of securities brokerage, banking, money management and financial advisory services to individual investors and independent investment advisors. Its broker-dealer subsidiary, Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. (member SIPC, www.sipc.org), and affiliates offer a complete range of investment services and products including an extensive selection of mutual funds; financial planning and investment advice; retirement plan and equity compensation plan services; compliance and trade monitoring solutions; referrals to independent fee-based investment advisors; and custodial, operational and trading support for independent, fee-based investment advisors through Schwab Advisor Services. Its banking subsidiary, Charles Schwab Bank (member FDIC and an Equal Housing Lender), provides banking and lending services and products. More information is available at www.schwab.com and www.aboutschwab.com. Charles Schwab Investment Management, Inc. (CSIM) is the investment advisor for Schwab Funds which are distributed by Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. (Schwab), Member SIPC. CSIM and Schwab are separate but affiliated companies and subsidiaries of The Charles Schwab Corporation. Investment Products: Not FDIC Insured No Bank Guarantee May Lose Value. Some links provided in this press release take you to websites not owned by Charles Schwab or its affiliates. Charles Schwab is not responsible for the content on those websites and does not provide, edit, or endorse any of the content. Those non-affiliated companies are wholly responsible for the content and features found on their sites. 2019 Charles Schwab & Co., Inc., All rights reserved. Member SIPC. (0419-9KGW) View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190404005173/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] Industry Veteran Ron Caines Joins StayLinked as Vice President of Channel Sales IRVINE, Calif., April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- StayLinked Corporation, the leader of innovative terminal emulation solutions for the supply chain, announced today that industry veteran Ron Caines has agreed to join StayLinked as its Vice President of Channel Sales. Ron's most recent role was as Vice President of Global Sales at AetherPal, a company specializing in remote support and interactive training for mobile devices. Prior to joining AetherPal, Ron was the Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing at B2M Solutions, a UK company focused on the development of mobile device analytics. Previously, Ron was the President of Worldwide Sales and Services for Psion Corporation, a company acquired by Motorola Solutions. (Motorola was acquired by Zebra in 2014). Ron originally joined Psion as the Vice President of Marketing and was subsequently promoted to the role of President of the Americas prior to his appointment to his global role in 2009. An Experienced Voice in the Supply Chain Industry Ron's hiring comes in response to proven demand for StayLinked products around the world, as companies are increasingly migrating from legacy terminal emulation to the reliability and security of the StayLinked architecture. "Ron Caines is an incredibly well-respected voice in this industry," said Dan Hogan, President of StayLinked. "His invaluable experience collaborating with partners and customers to help identify business needs will be vital in increasing StayLinked's growth around the globe." Ron's responsibilities as Vice President of Channel Sales will include managing and expanding StayLinked's presence on a global scale with particular focus on distributor and reseller relationships. His role will center on strengthening these strategic partnerships as StayLinked continues to bring advanced terminalemulation solutions and business intelligence products to market. StayLinked: The Innovation Leaders "StayLinked is an innovative technology company with an amazing internal culture," Caines says. "I'm excited to have the opportunity to help in StayLinked's continued growth and I look forward to expanding its international reach as we continue our collaboration with a growing list of partners." As StayLinked's roster of innovative products and features continues to expand, Caines is keenly aware of the impact StayLinked is making on the market. "StayLinked is raising the bar for warehouse efficiency and worker productivity," he says. "And by giving customers valuable insights into their systems with the development of StayLinked iQ, StayLinked is further streamlining and optimizing warehouse operations." "Having Ron lead global channel sales will elevate the confidence of our partners and customers as we move into new markets with an ever-expanding suite of supply chain solutions," says Padraig Regan, General Manager for StayLinked EMEA and Director of StayLinked Labs, the research and development division. "We continue to lead innovation in the terminal emulation space and the industry takes notice," says Justin Griffith, StayLinked's Chief Technology Officer. "With the addition of Ron, we have fortified our commitment to help customers quickly bring their entrenched systems into the new world of cutting-edge technology such as hardware automation, location awareness, and IoT sensor integration. His remarkable industry presence is vital to our mission to facilitate mission-critical transactions in many of the backend systems that businesses require to operate." About StayLinked With the introduction of host-based, thin client emulation in 2002, StayLinked Terminal Emulation changed the landscape of wireless host-based application delivery and stability. The company has continued to drive innovation with true software-only emulation session persistence; centralized session configuration, control, and management of wireless emulation sessions (Telnet/SSH); terminal emulation application modernization (SmartTE), and the only Business Intelligence product designed for terminal emulation environments (StayLinked iQ). StayLinked software is available for all popular mobile devices from those running traditional operating systems such as DOS, CE, and Windows Mobile to the latest versions of iOS and Android. For more information, visit www.staylinked.com , email [email protected] or call +1-714-918-7700. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/industry-veteran-ron-caines-joins-staylinked-as-vice-president-of-channel-sales-300824248.html SOURCE StayLinked Corporation [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] Prison Inmates to Develop NLP for B2B Sales NEW YORK, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- AI is becoming mainstream all over now it is in Finnish prisons. Nordic software company Vainu has started a collaboration with the Finnish Criminal Sanctions Agency to develop its Natural Language Processing (NLP) capabilities. The project will provide Vainu's customers with better company information for their sales, and offers incarcerated people opportunities to learn important skills for their professional life after prison. Vainu is a sales intelligence platform powered by online data. The software collects roughly half a million texts from the web every single day, with all kinds of information on companies: texts include news items, press releases on corporate websites, posts on social media and other digital resources. With each item, Vainu uses NLP to understand which companies the information is with regards to, and what has actually happened. In order to work as well as efficiently as possible, Vainu's machine learning model needs high-quality training data to teach the software. In the collaboration with the Criminal Sanctions Agency, inmates will train the machine learning models to find the right information fr Vainu. Volunteers out of the incarcerated people will answer questions about the texts, such as "Did this news article talk about a business merger?" The same question will be repeated multiple times in order to create a first-rate teaching data to train Vainu's software further. While the world's most common languages training data is acquired using various crowdsourcing platforms like Amazon's Mechanical Turk, NLP for minority languages such as Finnish are always harder to develop. The collaboration with the Criminal Sanctions Agency is one way for the software company to have enough resources to ensure the high standards they have for their data in less-spoken languages. "It feels great to be develop Finnish-language AI, especially in such an unusual environment. Our methods are tried and tested, but bringing our skill sets from English over to Finnish at this scale is unprecedented," said Vainu's Chief Technology Officer Tuomas Rasila. The collaboration has started with two prisons in Finland, and the plan is to deepen the relationship shortly. "We're looking to launch this collaboration model in other countries as well, whenever the language-need arises," Rasila added. Further information: CTO Tuomas Rasila, +358 40 539 6225 www.vainu.io Media Contact: Bob Spoerl [email protected] 773-453-2444 View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/prison-inmates-to-develop-nlp-for-b2b-sales-300824591.html SOURCE Vainu [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] Aluf Holdings Letter to Shareholders HOLLYWOOD, Fla., April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Aluf Holdings, Inc. (OTC PINK: AHIX) Dear Shareholders, Aluf Holdings has named a new Board of Directors to guide the company into its next generation of development. Our newly formed Board features an impressive panel of highly-accomplished visionaries leaders in their own industries who bring with them extensive experience in technology development and growth to guide our acquisitions, reshape our companies' infrastructures, and propel them into the future. The new Board maintains our core concentration of biometrics with a focus on government, healthcare and education. In addition, it has articulated blockchain technologies and identified another initial market focus on aviation. This plays well into the preclosing progress we've made toward finalizing our major acquisition in the biometric space which should be announced in the 2nd Quarter. We believe that biometrics is disruptive, transformative, and revolutionary. When you combine the power and portability of these ultra-identification technologies with zero knowledge storage, encryption, privacy, security and trust available through blockchain, you have a solution that is game-changing. We're going to be leading the charge of innovation while utilizing these new technologies. We see a seamless world, one in which a "machine" handles the intricacies, allowing humans to enjoy life in far more efficient ways. Biometrics payments systems using facial recognition will facilitate commerce in oline, POS and peer-to-peer payments. Biometrics security will enable only appropriately-authorized access to government buildings, airports and by law enforcement. Biometrics door locks will access hotels, homes and offices and never be lost. And everything can be locked into one single blockchain utilizing smart contracts and a custom app to deliver the proper biometrics data and solutions to the requesting source. This is the future, and the new Board has redoubled our original goal. We are intent on becoming an industry leader through continuing acquisitions, increasing market share, building our brand, and expansion of our footprint into carefully researched markets with low-cost, high-return sales, marketing alliance opportunities, and rapid brand awareness. All of this will be done with the sole intention of strengthening our bottom line and maximizing shareholder value. The Board members listed below represent the top of the food chain in aviation, private equity, communications, artificial intelligence, biometrics and blockchain technologies. We are now in a strong position, backed by deep experience, to leverage our expertise for optimum shareholder value. Chairman of the Board is Donald Bennett, Vice Chairman is Ben Zandi, President and CEO of Fraport USA, and Teresa McWilliams, Interim CEO and Chief Financial Officer. Additional Board Directors are Philip Elias, President, CEO of Elias-Savion Advertising and VELOCITY World Media; Dany Bouchedid, Founder and CEO of COLOTRAQ; Lisa Marks-Canty, CEO, ChainNinja; Andrew Moore, CEO of CogxVision; Sanjay Chopra, co-Founder and CEO of Cognistx; Blaine Frederick, Co-Founder and Principal of BDIS; Benjamin Richter, Founder and CEO of Bradford Airport Logistics and Bradford Swissport Logistics; and Gary Morse, Founder, President and Chief Cybersecurity Consultant for Razorpoint Security Technologies, Inc. Donald C. Bennett Chairman of the Board Aluf Holdings, Inc. Company contact: Teresa McWilliams, CFO 866-793-1110 SOURCE: Aluf Holdings, Inc. Safe Harbor Statement: This release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E and/or 27E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are based upon assumptions that in the future may prove not to have been accurate and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties, including statements as to the future performance of the company and the risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in reports filed by the company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Statements contained in this release that are not historical facts may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain. Although the company believes that the expectations reflected in its forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations or any of its forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. Factors that could cause results to differ include, but are not limited to, the company's ability to raise necessary financing, retention of key personnel, timely delivery of inventory from the company's suppliers, timely product development, product acceptance, and the impact of competitive services and products, in addition to general economic risks and uncertainties. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aluf-holdings-letter-to-shareholders-300824687.html SOURCE Aluf Holdings, Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] Edge AI Hardware Market Shipment to Reach 1559.3 Million Units by 2024 - Exclusive Report by MarketsandMarkets CHICAGO, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the new market research report "Edge AI Hardware Market by Device (Smartphones, Cameras, Robots, Automobile, Smart Speakers, Wearables, and Smart Mirror), Processor (CPU, GPU, ASIC and Others), Power Consumption, Process, End User Industry, and Region - Global Forecast to 2024", published by MarketsandMarkets, the Edge AI Hardware Market is expected to register a shipment of 610 million units in 2019 and is likely to reach 1559.3 million units by 2024, at a CAGR of 20.64% during the forecast period. Major drivers for the market's growth are growing demand for low latency and real-time processing on edge devices and emergence of AI coprocessors for edge computing. Further, underlying opportunities for the edge AI hardware market include growing demand for edge computing in IoT and dedicated AI processors for on-device image analytics. Major restraints for the market are limited on-device training and limited number of AI experts. Power consumption and size constraint pose major challenges to the edge AI hardware market. Ask for PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=158498281 In Term of Device Type, the Market for Cameras is Expected to Grow at the Highest CAGR During the Forecast Period in the Edge AI Hardware Market Cameras have been an integral part of various smart devices with Wi-Fi support, smart functions, superior speed, and enhanced performance for years. However, cameras as standalone smart devices with vision processing units (VPU) that help deliver power-efficient solutions for vision and artificial intelligence are now entering the market. Such devices are designed to run deep neural networks at high speed and low power without compromising on accuracy, which enables devices to see, understand, and respond to their environment in real time. The VPU market is constantly witnessing advancements. For instance, the previous-generation Myriad 2 VPU developed by Movidius offered deep neural network support at relatively low power. The new Myriad X VPU (introduced by Intel (US) in August 2017), however, can achieve roughly 10X better performance; with multiple neural networks running simultaneously, to offer extended autonomous capabilities across wide range of applications such as drones, robotics, VR, and smart cameras. Due to developments like these, the market is witnessing an influx of cameras powered by AI chips that allow these devices to judge moment's best suited to capture stills or videos. Smartphones is Expected to Hold the Largest Market for Edge AI Hardware Dedicated AI chip or AI processors were one of the major developments in the smartphone technology last year. Increasing demand for real-time speech and voice reognition and analysis, as well as technical advancements in smartphone image recognition is driving the market for AI processors in smartphones. A majority of AI processors have an additional inbuilt Neural Processing Unit (NPU) that can handle significant amounts of parallel processing, uses low power, and is capable of cognitive tasks. Till date, most AI-related processing like prediction, detection, pattern matching, and classification tasks on mobile apps and assistants take place primarily in the cloud. However, with AI processors built in a phone, these AI tasks could be carried out right on the device, even without any connectivity; this would not only improve performance of the device, but also reduce strain on the battery. The AI features in smartphones at present are mainly focused on imaging and photography, power efficiency and security Browse in-depth TOC on "Edge AI Hardware Market" 94 Tables 53 Figures 213 Pages In APAC, China is the Largest Contributor for Edge AI Hardware Market in Terms of Market Share Currently, China is undertaking many projects, especially in the infrastructure sector, such as rail, airport, stadiums, and highway systems that are expected to require high-definition surveillance systems, which can capture clear images even in darkness. China is home to video surveillance players such as Dahua (China) and Hikvision (China) that dominate the video surveillance hardware market. Both Hikvision and Dahua have already launched deep learning surveillance cameras in the market. China has already started deploying cloud AI based surveillance cameras to monitor its citizens. This development will lead to adoption of edge AI in surveillance cameras. China is among the highest spenders on the manufacturing sector in APAC. The manufacturing sector in China is growing rapidly, resulting in the introduction of new robotics and big data technologies. In addition, China, being a global manufacturing hub, holds immense potential for the automotive industry. These factors are expected to fuel the growth of the edge AI hardware market in China as AI is increasingly being used in the country's automotive and transportation sectors. Request Sample Pages of the Report: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=158498281 Intel Corporation (US), NVIDIA Corporation (US), Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (South Korea), Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (China), Google Inc. (US), MediaTek Inc. (Taiwan), Xilinx Inc. (US), Imagination Technologies Limited (UK), and Microsoft Corporation (US) are a few major players in the edge AI hardware market. Please Explore Relevant Reports: Mobile Artificial Intelligence (AI) Market by Application (Smartphones, Cameras, Drones, Automotive, AR/VR, Robotics, Smart Boards, and PCS), Technology Node (10nm, 20 to 28nm, 7nm and Others), and Geography - Global Forecast to 2023 Artificial Intelligence Chipsets Market by Technology (Machine Learning, Natural Language Processing, Context-Aware Computing, Computer Vision), Hardware (Processor, Memory, Network), End-User Industry, and Geography - Global Forecast to 2025 About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve. MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledge Store" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. Contact: Mr. Shelly Singh MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: [email protected] Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/edge-ai-hardware-market.asp Visit Our Web Site: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] Exterro to Host Regional User Groups Across the US Portland, OR, April 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Exterro Inc., the preferred provider of software specifically designed for in-house legal and IT teams at Global 2000 and AmLaw 200 organizations, today announced a series of Regional User Group meetings across the US in the spring of 2019. The Exterro Regional User Groups will bring together Exterro users and executives for a day of training, collaboration, sharing of best practices, and networking. The meetings will be held at Exterro client offices in Chicago, Houston, New York, and San Francisco starting in late April. The Exterro team is excited to hit the road this spring, bringing together users throughout the US for a day of learning and sharing, including on some of the new products we have launched this year: Exterro Smart ECA and Office 365 Explorer , said Nishad Shevde, Managing Director Client Operations at Exterro. Exterro Regional User Groups will be held in the following cities: Chicago, IL May 14, 2019 Houston, TX May 2, 2019 New York, NY May 16, 2019 San Francisco, CA April 30, 2019 More information, including registration, can be found here . About Exterro Exterro, Inc. is the preferred provider of e-discovery software specifically designed for in-house legal and IT teams at Global 2000 and Am Law 200 organizations. Built on a simple concept of process optimization, Exterro helps organizations improve and simplify e-discovery activities. With Exterros Orchestrated E-Discovery Suite, traditionally fractured and fragmented e-discovery efforts are mended by orchestrating and automating tasks in a coordinated workflow across the entire e-discovery process, reducing time, cost and risk associated with e-discovery. For more information, visit exterro.com . #### Kristin Kolasinski Marketing Communications & Events Manager Exterro, Inc. [email protected] (503) 501-5141 [April 04, 2019] Endor Launches Predictions Protocol to Democratize Access to AI and Data Science After years of developing its predictive analytics platform powered by MIT's (News - Alert) Social Physics technology, Endor is proud to launch the Endor Protocol which enables businesses and individuals to analyze large data sets and generate automated, accurate business predictions using AI. Founded by MIT researchers Prof. Alex 'Sandy' Pentland, and Dr. Yaniv Altshuler, the Endor Protocol enables users to access AI-powered business predictions and data science capabilities, formerly available only to large companies who hold the resources needed to invest in building large data science teams to process big data and build predictive models. The instantaneous predictions help find patterns in customer behavior, which can be leveraged for a myriad of use cases in a variety of industries ranging from retail to fintech. CEO and Co-founder Dr. Yaniv Altshuler said: "We are extremely excited to officially launch the first version of the Endor Protocol. Our vision from the company's inception was to enable anyone, regardless of size and budget, to benefit from advanced AI and predictve analytics at an affordable price." He adds that, "Bringing our vision to life is a huge milestone and I'm proud of our team reaching this goal even earlier than expected. We now invite data owners to apply for potential data partnerships and join us in the AI revolution." Endor's proprietary Social Physics technology also has the unique capability to compute on encrypted data streams, allowing businesses to create predictions without compromising user privacy. "Recent data security and safety breaches have become huge barriers for companies to use their own data efficiently," said Dr. Stuart Haber, cryptographer, and Blockchain co-inventor, and a part of Endor's scientific advisory board. "The surprising power of Endor's proprietary Social Physics based prediction engine is the high quality of its predictions, even when the underlying data elements are encrypted. Now you can generate accurate business predictions while keeping your data safe." The data available during the first phase of the Protocol's launch will include raw ERC-20 and Ethereum blockchain data, to be unlocked exclusively through the EDR utility token. In the future, select data partners will be added to the ecosystem, following a complete review by Endor to ensure the highest quality of data. Charles Hoskinson, Cardano CEO and Endor advisor, added: "Endor's platform makes AI-powered business predictions scalable and accessible to the masses," said Hoskinson. "This is an important step towards democratizing access to AI and Data Science, as such advanced technologies were previously available only to large companies with deep pockets." About Endor: Endor is the first automated predictions engine that empowers businesses with fast and accurate intelligence to make informed business decisions. Leveraging blockchain infrastructure and Endor's proprietary Social Physics technology, the company analyzes Big Data using artificial intelligence in order to find patterns in customer behavior with unmatched accuracy and speed. Endor's predictive analytics platform has the unique capability to process encrypted data, thereby guaranteeing the security of sensitive data and GDPR compliance. Since being founded by MIT researchers in 2014, leading banks, large retailers and Fortune 500 companies like Coca-Cola and Mastercard have utilized Endor to predict consumer behavior, make data-driven decisions. For more information on Endor, visit https://www.endor.com/. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190404005410/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] Great American Life Ranked Number One Provider of Fixed-Indexed Annuities through Financial Institutions for Third Straight Year Great American Life once again landed the number one spot for fixed-indexed annuity (FIA) sales through financial institutions, capturing nearly 15% of the channel's $12 billion in sales in 2018. The company has maintained the top position in four out of the last five years. Additionally, when it comes to FIA sales across all channels, Great American Life has maintained a top five position over the last five years. According to Tim Minard, Executive Vice President and Chief Distribution Officer, the company owes much of its success to its distribution partners and a continued focus on keeping things simple. "We are incredibly thankful for the longstanding relationships we've built within the financial institutions channel and the dedicated advisors who strive to serve their clients' needs," said Minard. "Great American is a natural fit for this channel where transparency and ease of business are key. The advisors need to know they're offering products from a company they can trust - with no red tape or hidden surprises. This need for simplicity is at the core of everything we do." Minard continued, "From products and services to technology and processes, we're continuallyfinding new ways to make things easier, so advisors can keep their focus on what matters most - serving their clients." Great American's annuity products are available in approximately 40 major banks and other financial institutions across the country. These products are designed to help customers protect their principal without giving up growth opportunity, and they offer unique benefits not typically available with other principal protected products, such as tax-deferred growth and the option to receive lifetime income. About Great American Insurance Group The annuity operations of Great American Insurance Group (GAIG) offer retirement solutions through the sale of traditional fixed, fixed-indexed and variable-indexed annuities in the retail, broker-dealer, financial institutions, registered investment advisor and education markets. Annuity subsidiaries include Great American Life Insurance Company and Annuity Investors Life Insurance Company. GAIG's roots go back to 1872 with the founding of its flagship company, Great American Insurance Company. The members of GAIG are subsidiaries of American Financial Group, Inc. (AFG). AFG's common stock is listed and traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AFG. AFG is a Fortune 500 Company with assets over $60 billion. Learn more at GAIG.com. Source (News - Alert): LIMRA Secure Retirement Institute 4Q 2018 U.S. Individual Annuities Sales Survey View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190404005448/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] Green Roads Donates, Delivers First Certified Hemp Plants into Florida in 70 Years to Launch UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Pilot Program In addition to its inaugural $1.3 million private sponsorship, Green Roads has donated and coordinated delivery of the first certified hemp plants into the state of Florida in 70 years to launch the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) hemp pilot research program. South Florida-based Green Roads, the largest privately owned hemp-derived CBD company in the country [Brightfield Group] is also providing "hemp grow" experts to work alongside UF scientists at four of its dedicated research and education facilities. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190404005440/en/ From left: Welcoming the first hemp plants into the state of Florida in 70 years are Vice President of Marketing for the Florida Hemp Trade and Retail Association Jeff Greene; Green Roads leadership: Co-founder Jimmy Tundidor, Director of New Markets Elana Perdeck and Co-founder and President of Sales Danny Perdeck with UF/IFAS research team Sean Campbell, Dr. Brian Pearson, Dr. Zach Brym, Dr. Roger Kjelgren. The historic moment launches the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) hemp pilot research program. With a $1.3 million investment, Green Roads is the UF/IFAS pilot program's inaugural sponsor. (Photo: Business Wire) "These initial 50 plants -- the first to prep, propagate and plant in the state -- will set a new, exciting frontier that positions Florida for great economic advantage for generations to come," shared Arby Barroso, co-founder of South Florida-based Green Roads who has been a leading champion of pilot program advocacy, hemp education and legislative policy-making insights to support the UF/IFAS collaboration. "Our company's investment in financial and expert resources to support the University of Florida is all about protecting both farmers and consumers and doing this research is paramount in accomplishing that mutual goal." /p> "Through our collaboration with Green Roads and the state of Florida, we look forward to generating the science to make hemp a dynamic industry in Florida," notes Dr. Roger Kjelgren, director of UF/IFAS MREC. "Now that Green Roads has provided IFAS with the initial pilot plants, the real work starts as we propagate plants in preparation for late spring field plantings. We must research how much light, water and nutrients are needed to efficiently produce hemp for wise resource use and optimum yield." The pilot program, launched in spring 2018, is designed to explore if industrial hemp can be a successful and sustainable crop for Florida farmers. UF/IFAS scientists will study the hemp varieties suitable for planting in Florida, develop industrial hemp management practices and cropping systems economically viable for Florida and assess hemp invasion risk in Florida's natural and greenhouse environments. "This is truly a monumental moment for farmers," added Barroso. "This research will allow farming family legacies to continue and thrive with its youngest generations and birth new opportunities for others. Additionally, it will increase agricultural jobs across the state and launch and/or grow industries that support the farmers and those utilizing their crops for product development, manufacturing, packaging, marketing, and sales." Florida legislators mandated that UF commit to an industry-driven and funded research program. Field research is sponsored by Green Roads and the MREC hemp work is partially funded by donations through the UF Foundation. Research at MREC aims to understand the physiology and propagation of the hemp plant, particularly those with a high level of Cannabidiol, or CBD oil. "Florida leads in the manufacturing of hemp plant-based CBD products, yet there are no crops grown in the state," notes Jeff Greene, vice president of marketing for the Florida Hemp Trade and Retail Association. "Following the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, can you imagine the economic boom as these initial 50 plants and dozens of seed and tissue varieties change the trajectory of exponential growth on so many levels?" Barroso reports that the reason Green Roads invests in research by such prestigious institutions as UF is to be sure Green Roads and other interested companies have access to ample supplies of highest quality hemp-based extracts and by-products for production of consumer products and other applications that include such industries as clothing, textiles, bioplastics, building/construction materials, food and beverage, forage, paints, inks, papers and beyond. "Since our mission is to improve the lives of others, we take quality, safety and transparency very, very seriously," shared Green Roads Co-founder and CEO Laura Baldwin Fuentes who is the licensed compound pharmacist who leads the company's product development. "That's why at Green Roads we third-party lab test through three different production stages for each batch of the 50 products we produce. While working in an unregulated industry, we chose from day one to set and follow stringent self-regulation policies with full consumer transparency of what is in the actual product they are buying. While this process adds great expense to our production, it is earning and maintaining consumer trust that is of greatest significance to us." Visit www.greenroadsworld.com to learn more about Green Roads and its 50 pharmacist-formulated CBD products that offer health and wellness specialists and patients a safe, effective alternative to toxic prescriptions and over-the-counter drugs. Green Roads products range from oils, edibles, capsules, terpenes, teas, coffees to creams and even a line for pets. Green Roads products are formulated in a state-of-the-art ISO clean room and manufactured in cGMP compliant facilities to ensure purity and potency. To validate that each new product batch is "clean" -- without pesticides, solvents, metals or unnatural substances -- all products are tested by a third-party lab that has ISO 17025 accreditation; test results for each product batch is accessible via the QR code on each product package. EDITOR'S NOTE: Interviews available upon request. Contact Bonnie S. Kaye, Kaye Communications at [email protected] or 561-392-5166, ext. 1. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190404005440/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] AM Best Affirms Credit Ratings of Blue Whale Re Ltd. AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of "a+" of Blue Whale Re Ltd. (Blue Whale) (Burlington, VT). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable. The ratings reflect Blue Whale's balance sheet strength, which AM Best categorizes as very strong, as well as its strong operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management (ERM). The ratings also reflect Blue Whale's strategic position as the captive insurer for Pfizer Inc. (Pfizer) [NYSE: PFE], a leading global pharmaceutical company. As Blue Whale insures or reinsures Pfizer's global property exposures, it plays an important role in Pfizer's overall ERM and assumes a critical role in protecting the Pfizer enterprise's assets. Blue Whale's capitalization is very strong, albeit reliant on its parent. It operates at conservative underwriting leverage levels; however, it provides coverages with extremely large limits, and its gross exposures per loss occurrence are elevated. Although Blue Whale benefits from reinsurance protection, its net retentions remain very substantial. Reinsurance is provided by a large panel of reinsurers, and Blue Whale relies on significant capacity to support its obligations. Therefore, it depends heavily on reinsurance. Nevertheless, AM Best recognizes the quality of the reinsurers, and the substantial financial resources and support available to the captive as part of the Pfizer group. Due to the nature of the relationship between Blue Whale and Pfizer, changes in Pfizer's credit risk can have certain impact on Blue Whale's ratings, as it is dependent on Pfizer's ability to support its credit risk profile, competitiveness and risk management. The captive continues to be an integral component of Pfizer's risk management platform. AM Best's view of third-party credit ratings and Pfizer's market-based credit risk measures indicate stability, resulting in Blue Whale's outlooks being stable. The company's esults rebounded in 2018, as the captive recovered from the impact of Hurricane Maria, which occurred in late 2017. Resolution of all Hurricane Maria-related claims is expected by mid-2019, after which time reserves are expected to return to historical levels. Positive rating actions could occur if the company's operating performance improves to outperform similarly rated peers with supportive risk-adjusted capitalization. Negative rating action could occur if underwriting performance weakens and negatively impacts risk-adjusted capitalization over time, or if there is a material shift in risk profile that could potentially undermine the stability and profitability of the company. In addition, negative rating action could occur if the parent's credit profile materially deteriorates. AM Best remains the leading rating agency of alternative risk transfer entities, with more than 200 such vehicles rated in the United States and throughout the world. For current Best's Credit Ratings and independent data on the captive and alternative risk transfer insurance market, please visit www.ambest.com/captive. This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on AM Best's website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see AM Best's Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Understanding Best's Credit Ratings. For information on the proper media use of Best's Credit Ratings and AM Best press releases, please view Guide for Media - Proper Use of Best's Credit Ratings and AM Best Rating Action Press Releases. AM Best is a global rating agency and information provider with a unique focus on the insurance industry. Visit www.ambest.com for more information. Copyright 2019 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190404005470/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] Navy Mutual Aid Association Selects Ebix TPP E-Application to Support its Life Insurance and Annuity Application Processes JOHNS CREEK, Ga., April 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ebix, Inc., a leading international supplier of On-Demand software and E-commerce services to the insurance, financial, healthcare and e-learning industries today announced that Navy Mutual Aid Association, a premier nonprofit, mutual aid association and veteran service organization has selected Ebix TPP (The Policy Processor) E-Application to support its Life Insurance and Annuity Application Processes. TPP E-App will streamline Navy Mutual's application processing through automated ordering of medical evidence and support of simplified/jet issue at the point-of-sale. Navy Mutual Aid Association (Navy Mutual) is a nonprofit, federally tax-exempt, mutual-benefit veteran service organization that was established in 1879 by sea service officers, for the purpose of providing life insurance and annuities for members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, United States Coast Guard, U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and their families. With a 98.4%-member retention rate, increasing membership, more than $85 million in total direct premiums, greater than $28 billion of total insurance in force, and over $3.12 billion in total assets; Navy Mutual is known for its solid financial strength. For fifteen consecutive years ending in 2018, Navy Mutual has earned a Fitch Insurer Financial Strength (IFS) rating of A+, with a Stable Rating Outlook. Bruce Engelhardt, Navy Mutual's Chief Executive Officer, said "We selected Ebix after an involved selection process. We believe that TPP E-App will enhance the efficiency of our application process, allowing us to better serve our members. We look forward to working with Ebix." Ash Sawhney, Ebix, Inc. President - Insurance Solutions (North America), said, "We are delighted to support a quality organization such as Navy Mutual who is so vested in the well-being of their membership." Ebix's The Policy Processor (TPP) E-App is a leading electronic application solution that Allows carriers to quickly deploy formal/informal aplications for all lines of businesses (i.e. Life, Annuities and Health products). Offers a broad range of features that include support of most major browsers leveraging a responsive design, a customized process flow/user experience, company branding/themes and can provide quoting/sales illustration capabilities if required. Provides an integrated sales experience to support prefill with a carrier's CRM or admin system data to reduce data entry and can be extended to support a comprehensive needs analysis (i.e. tobacco use, product, coverage and risk class recommendations and more). Supports medical and non-medical (e.g. lifestyle) questionnaire collected via an agent, fulfillment or consumer. Offers connectivity with a wide range of evidence providers, e-Signature vendors, underwriting rules engine to support point-of-sale decision making and other proprietary or third party services (e.g. licensing and appointment, policy admin, ID/Address Verification). Provides an on-demand system with plug-ins to support A/B testing (bucket tests or split-run testing), while allowing carriers to collect real-time metrics and data to help drive product and user experience design, operational reporting and advanced analytics. Supports disconnect and mirroring capabilities that allow call center operations to offer real-time assistance. Helps carriers achieve return on investment through a short implementation project life cycle. Can support a private exchange (multi-carrier) to better manage informal to formal processes and suitability/compliance oversight in a multi-distributor multi-carrier setting. About Ebix, Inc. With 50+ offices across 6 continents, Ebix, Inc., endeavors to provide On-Demand software and E-commerce services to the insurance, financial, healthcare and e-learning industries. In the Insurance sector, Ebixs main focus is to develop and deploy a wide variety of insurance and reinsurance exchanges on an on-demand basis, while also, providing Software-as-a-Service ("SaaS") enterprise solutions in the area of CRM, front-end & back-end systems, outsourced administration and risk compliance services, around the world. With a "Phygital strategy that combines 320,000 physical distribution outlets in many Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, to an Omni-channel online digital platform, the Companys EbixCash Financial exchange portfolio encompasses leadership in areas of domestic & international money remittance, foreign exchange (Forex), travel, pre-paid & gift cards, utility payments, lending, wealth management etc. in India and other markets. EbixCashs Forex operations have emerged as a leader in Indias airport Foreign Exchange business with operations in 32 international airports including Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kolkata, conducting over $4.8 billion in gross transaction value per year. EbixCashs inward remittance business in India conducts approx. $6.5 billion gross annual remittance business, confirming its undisputed leadership position in India. EbixCash, through its travel portfolio of Via and Mercury, is also one of Southeast Asias leading travel exchanges with over 2,200+ employees, 212,450+ agent network, 25 branches and over 9,800 corporate clients; processing an estimated $2.5 billion in gross merchandise value per year. Through its various SaaS-based software platforms, Ebix employs thousands of domain-specific technology professionals to provide products, support and consultancy to thousands of customers on six continents. For more information, visit the Companys website at www.ebix.com CONTACT: Darren Joseph or Gautam Sharma at Ebix IR [email protected] or +1 678 281 2027 David Collins or Chris Eddy at Catalyst Global [email protected] or +1 212 924 9800 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] Fairview Microwave Debuts New Series of Hi-REL Relay Switches Rated up to 5M Lifecycles and Covering Frequencies from DC to 26.5 GHz IRVINE, Calif., April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Fairview Microwave Inc., an Infinite Electronics brand and a leading provider of on-demand RF and microwave components, has released a new line of electromechanical relay switches that improve system capabilities and simplify design with a solderless, reliable connection able to withstand the elements, shock and vibration. Typical applications include Hi-REL electronics, commercial aviation, military communications, broadcast systems, medical equipment, SATCOM, test and instrumentation. Fairview's new line of electromechanical relay switches consists of 44 different +12V and +28V designs offered in SPDT, SP3T, SP4T and SP6T configurations that support either latching, failsafe or normally open actuators with usable features such as indicators, terminations or TTL logic. They operate in frequency ranges from DC to 26.5 GHz and feature a D-SUB multi-pin connector interface for secure and reliable DC voltage and command control functions. These switches are designed to be compact and rugged, supporting N-type or SMA connectors. Typical performance includes 90 dB isolation levels and 0.15 dB insertion loss. Power handling capability is rated up to 600 watts. They are highly reliable with an operational temperature of -20C to +70C and a rating of up to 5M lifecyles when used in a make before break (cold switching) condition. All models in this line are RoHS and REACH compliant and guaranteed to meet MIL-STD-202 test conditions for vibration and shock. "This new series of electromechanical relay switches with D-SUB connectors allows designers to choose from 44 different models of single and multi-throw switch configurations that cover up to 26.5 GHz and are rated up to 5M lifecycles for highly reliable operation. These models offer a secure and reliable interface for DC voltage and command control functions and are available now for same-day shipment," said Tim Galla, Product Manager. Fairview Microwave's new electromechanical relay switches are in stock and ready for immediate shipment with no minimum order quantity. For detailed information on these products, please visit https://www.fairviewmicrowave.com/rf-products/electromechanical-relay-switches-with-dsub-control-connectors.html?utm_source=Fairview-Microwave&utm_medium=Press-Release&utm_campaign=Electromechanical-Relay-Switches-With-D-Sub-Connectors-2019 For inquiries, Fairview Microwave can be contacted at +1-972-649-6678. Press Contact: Peter McNeil Fairview Microwave 17792 Fitch Irvine, CA 92614 (978) 682-6936 About Fairview Microwave: A leading supplier of on-demand RF and microwave products since 1992, Fairview Microwave offers immediate delivery of RF components including attenuators, adapters, coaxial cable assemblies, connectors, terminations and much more. All products are shipped same-day from the company's ISO 9001:2008 certified production facilities in Lewisville, Texas. Fairview Microwave is an Infinite Electronics brand. About Infinite Electronics: Infinite Electronics is a leading global supplier of electronic components serving the urgent needs of engineers through a family of highly recognized and trusted brands. Our portfolio brands are specialists within their respective product set, offering broad inventories of engineering-grade product, paired with expert technical support and same-day shipping. Over 100,000 customers across a diverse set of markets rely upon Infinite Electronics to stock and reliably ship urgently needed products every day. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fairview-microwave-debuts-new-series-of-hi-rel-relay-switches-rated-up-to-5m-lifecycles-and-covering-frequencies-from-dc-to-26-5-ghz-300821466.html SOURCE Fairview Microwave Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] Swisslog Healthcare Showcases Industry Standard-Setting Pneumatic Tube System and Autonomous Service Robot at AONE19 BROOMFIELD, Colo., April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Swisslog Healthcare, a leader in transport automation products and solutions, will showcase the TransLogic pneumatic tube system (PTS) with Nexus station and Relay autonomous service robot at AONE19, the annual meeting of the American Organization of Nurse Executives, in San Diego April 10-13. The Nexus station is Swisslog Healthcare's most advanced PTS station. The multi-dispatch station improves 360 degree workflow by allowing queued batch sending of carriers and multi-carrier receipt. In terms of daily workflow, Nexus' functionality allows one station, like those used in nursing and patient areas, to send and receive carriers while also holding one or more carriers secure pending retrieval by a specified recipient. Active noise reduction means quieter carrier handling, and an array of security features including RFID tracking, WhoTube user identification and tracking, and a secure access door facilitate the completion of tasks with quality assurance. Delivery Manager software tracks and traces materials distributed via PTS, an autonomous service robot, or manual movement. Dashoards offer complete visibility into each dispatch, including item, status, location, and delivery method. The transparency offered by Delivery Manager is especially beneficial in the medication distribution process, ensuring chain of custody. Relay, an autonomous service robot offered by Swisslog Healthcare in conjunction with Savioke, can serve as the primary means of automated material transport in a small hospital (150 beds or less). In a larger facility, Relay can close the gap between pneumatic tube systems in instances where hospital renovations or new additions might make a single end-to-end tube system infeasible. The compact robot with intuitive user interface is also suited to securely deliver items commonly prohibited in tube systems, such as chemotherapy medication. Swisslog Healthcare announced the full market launch of Relay in October 2018. "Nursing staff are the front line of patient care. Hospitalized people often have feelings of vulnerability in addition to an illness or injury. By virtue of their technical skill and compassionate nature, nurses soothe both the physical and emotional needs patients have," said Ray Castro, Director of Solutions, Transport Automation for Swisslog Healthcare. "The Nexus station and Relay robot automate material transport for critical and commonly routed materials including blood, specimens, and medications. With the knowledge these materials are part of a smooth and secure workflow, nurses can confidently reallocate their valuable time to delivering patient care, leading to stronger outcomes and positive hospital experiences." AONE attendees can experience a hands-on demonstration of the Nexus station, Relay robot, and Delivery Manager software in Swisslog Healthcare booth #1425 at the AONE19 annual meeting in San Diego April 10-13, 2019. To learn more about Swisslog Healthcare's transport automation products and services, visit https://www.swisslog.com/en-us/healthcare/products/material-transport. About Swisslog Healthcare Swisslog Healthcare is a leading supplier of solutions and services for material transport, medication management and supply chain management. Swisslog Healthcare has installed facility-wide transport and pharmacy automation systems in more than 3,000 hospitals worldwide. The company offers integrated solutions from a single source from consulting to design, implementation to lifetime customer service. For more information, visit www.swisslog.com/healthcare. Swisslog Healthcare is a member of the KUKA Group, a leading global supplier of intelligent automation solutions. For more information, visit www.kuka.com. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/swisslog-healthcare-showcases-industry-standard-setting-pneumatic-tube-system-and-autonomous-service-robot-at-aone19-300824507.html SOURCE Swisslog Healthcare [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] Port Logistics Group Expands to First Midwest Facility with New Customer Win LOS ANGELES, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Port Logistics Group, one of the nation's leading providers of omnichannel logistics services, today announced its first expansion into the Midwest. The company will take control of multi-client operations at a 305,000 square-foot facility in Columbus, Ohio following a new customer win in the home goods category. In addition to attracting wholesalers and retailers requiring Midwest-based logistics services to distribution centers (DCs) and stores, the Columbus facility will serve a growing roster of Port Logistics Group ecommerce retailers as they expand their direct-to-consumer (D2C) businesses. "The Midwest is a critical part of our strategy as we continue to build our ecommerce profile. The new Columbus facility gives us the ability to reach the majority of U.S. consumers with fast, cost effective ground service," said Jeff Wolpov, CEO of Port Logistics Group. "We are bringing our 3PL expertise to a highly seasond management team and warehouse associates skilled in omnichannel fulfillment to this new customer, along with our warehouse management and ecommerce technologies." Customers of Port Logistics Group at the Ohio facility will benefit from the logistics provider's full range of value-added services, such as kitting, specialized packaging, and returns processing programs, in addition to its strategic partnerships with parcel carriers for discounted freight rates. The location supports reduced fulfillment costs for customers while decreasing transit times to provide an improved customer experience. "Online retailers today need to efficiently reach their U.S. customers via ground service and the Ohio region provides a single ship point or serves as a complementary ship point for our clients to better serve their customer base," said Brian Weinstein, vice president of business development at Port Logistics Group. Columbus marks Port Logistics Group's first entry into the Midwest market, and its 16th U.S. facility. In addition to multi-facility campuses near the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, the logistics provider operates three facilities near the ports of New York and New Jersey; and single fulfillment centers in Savannah, Ga; Seattle, Wash.; and most recently, Jacksonville, Fla. About Port Logistics Group Port Logistics Group is the nation's leading provider of omnichannel logistics services, including value-added warehousing and distribution, transloading and crossdocking, ecommerce fulfillment and national transportation. With 6.3 million square feet of warehouse space strategically located in and around major North American ports, Port Logistics Group provides the critical link between international transportation and the last-mile supply chain. For more information, visit: www.portlogisticsgroup.com. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/port-logistics-group-expands-to-first-midwest-facility-with-new-customer-win-300824818.html SOURCE Port Logistics Group [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] Americans' Retirement Expectations are Unrealistic; Living the American Dream Competes with Retirement Saving Goals, Finds Natixis Survey Americans are dramatically underestimating their financial needs in retirement, but they don't seem to realize it, according to a new report released today by Natixis Investment Managers. More than two-thirds (67%) of American workers with access to a workplace retirement savings plan say they expect to have enough money saved for retirement to live as they want, or at least comfortably, as long as they are careful with spending. Yet the findings show their basic assumptions - about when they can retire, how much they need to save and how long their assets will last - are flawed. Today's multi-generational workforce is struggling with different competing financial pressures, and they say the everyday cost of living is the biggest barrier holding them back from saving more for retirement. More than six in ten workers (64%) surveyed are looking to their employers for more education, including when and why to start saving and how to invest. Only one in four millennials say they are currently focused on retirement planning while they work toward other goals such as buying a home, having children and paying for education expenses. Meanwhile, nearly half of Baby Boomers (47%) regret not starting to save for retirement sooner, and 35% wish they had contributed more to their plan. Natixis surveyed 1,000 American workers with access to a company-sponsored defined contribution plan across three generations active in the workforce and it found that no single generation is getting everything right when it comes to retirement. According to the research: The average 64-year-old Baby Boomer has accumulated just 30% of the $1 million savings they say they'll need to fund a comfortable life in retirement. They have already extended their projected retirement age to 69, but would still need to save more than $142,000 a year to reach their stated goal. The average 45-year-old Gen Xer, who has saved an average of $166,328, will need to save at least $42,000 annually to retire by their stated goal of age 64 with just under $1 million. Millennials have started saving earlier in life for their retirement, but they also expect to retire earlier - by age 61, on average, thus extending the time over which their assets will need to be annuitized by 10%. They also have set a lower total savings goal of $822,789 to fund their retirement years, which to reach, would mean boosting their annual savings by 19%. "The ability to live comfortably in retirement is a basic premise of the American Dream along with access to decent housing, healthcare and education. Right now, it's just a pipe dream for many hard-working Americans who need help saving, beginning with a reality check of the assumptions behind retirement planning," said Ed Farrington, Executive Vice President of Retirement Strategies at Natixis Investment Managers. "Financial security in retirement relies heavily on personal savings and setting long-term achievable goals; however, many Americans are increasingly suffering competition from other financial pressures. In order to lead more American workers to a secure retirement, it will require a combination of solutions to improve access to savings plans, education, advice and incentives along with a coordinated effort among individuals, employers, policymakers and asset managers." Need for comprehensive financial planning The Natixis research confirms that people who contribute to an employer-sponsored retirement savings plan, such as a 401(k), save more for their retirement than those who choose not to participate. Nearly eight in ten (79%) surveyed work for employers who also match at least a portion of their contribution, and cite this incentive as the top reason for participating in the plan. Among those who don't participate, the top reason for opting out is because their employer doesn't offer a match or the match isn't big enough, followed closely by having too much debt to repay. The cost of daily living is the main obstacle holding back American workers from saving more for their retirement. Only a third (34%) contribute up to the maximum amount allowed in their plan. On average, savers contribute 6.8% of their annual income to their workplace retirement savings plan, including Baby Boomers who contribute at the highest rate (8.5%), Gen X (7.4%) and Millennials (5.7%). In addition to daily living expenses, many workers also say they are constrained by general credit card debt (43%), housing costs (43%) and healthcare expenses (32%). Millennials have the added burden of outstanding student loans (28%) and childcare costs (20%), which they say keeps them from saving more for retirement. Competing financial pressures and life goals not only keep annual contribution levels low, they may be why more than one in four (27%) American workers has borrowed against a workplace savings plan. Another 27% have taken a withdrawal subject to penalties, and 22% have cashed out with a lump sum distribution upon changing jobs rather than keeping the assets in a qualified plan. Rethinking benefits in the workplace "People have different financial pressures and goals in each stage of life. As part of the planning process, they need help incorporating saving for retirement into a larger plan that includes other aspects of their financial lives," said Dave Goodsell, Executive Director of the Natixis Center for Investor Insight. "At the same time, employers need to rethink benefit options for a 21st Century workplace by understanding the dynamics of a multi-generational workforce. It will be crucial for companies looking to attract top talent to tailor wealth and health benefits to meet distinct generational needs." According to the survey, in evaluating a job offer from a new employer, workers consider a range of factors. Other than salary, the top three deciding factors are healthcare benefits, flexible working arrangements and retirement benefits, which ties with corporate culture in importance. Tailored benefits include innovative investment options, such as alternative and income-producing assets as well as assets that align with participants' values and priorities. Six in ten (60%) plan participants would like to see more socially responsible investment options in their workplace retirement plan. Yet just 13% of plan participants say their workplace retirement plan offers Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) options. Leading with education and advice While access to a retirement savings plan is the crucial first step in helping more Americans save for retirement, Natixis found that advice, education and tools to simplify saving and investing are critical factors for maximizing plan participation. Sixty-four percent of participants in a workplace savings plan are looking to their employers for more education and guidance such as when, how and why to invest. The survey found: Just 14% of plan participants know the maximum allowable contribution they can make to a 401(k) in 2019; Nearly two-thirds (64%) of participants age 50 or over are not taking advantage of their ability to make additional catch-up contributions above the maximum allowable contribution limit; Nearly four in ten (39%) participants continue to invest in the funds automatically selected for them when they first enrolled in the company plan, indicating the importance of an employer's Qualified Default Investment Alternative (QDIA) selection. One in five (21%) do not know what type of assets or funds their retirement money is invested in. When asked in January and February 2019 how they felt about market volatility, 41% of participants overall - and 45% of Millennials - said they wish they better understood how volatility affects their investments. On top of that, three in ten (31%) said volatility made them realize that there were more risks to passive investing than they previously thought. Saving for retirement through a workplace savings plan is the first exposure to investing for many American workers; however, fewer than half (48%) receive professional financial advice about investing and managing their retirement assets. Those who are advised contribute a higher percent of their annual salary to their workplace savings plan (7.2%) versus those who aren't advised (6.5%), on average. Plan participants say there are many solutions employers could provide to simplify participation and investment selection and incent them to save more. More than half of respondents (57%) would increase the amount they contribute to the plan if their employer also increased the company match. Outside of financial incentives offered by employers, tax incentives also are crucial, as 43% of participants say they would increase the amount they save with greater tax incentives. Retirement reality check While 66% of American workers are still planning to supplement their personal savings with income from Social Security, 42% also don't believe Social Security benefits will even be available to them when they retire, suggesting overarching confusion around what sources of income retirees will actually have in retirement. The concern is so great that a large majority of Americans are willing to support government intervention. More than half of workers (53%) believe it's the government's responsibility to provide universal access to a retirement savings plan, with three-quarters (75%) stating they think employers should be required to provide workplace retirement savings plans. Moreover, 54% would support a government mandate requiring individuals to save for retirement. To download a copy of the full report, titled "Retirement reality check," visit www.im.natixis.com/us/research/defined-contribution-plan-participant-survey-2019. Methodology Natixis Investment Managers surveyed 1000 American workers who are eligible to participate in a company-sponsored defined contribution plan, such as a 401(k). Of the total, 700 workers are enrolled in such a program, while 300 do not participate. The age groups are broken up as follows: 503 Millennials (23-38 years old), 249 Gen X (39-54 years old) and 248 Baby Boomers (55-73 years old.) Data was gathered in January and February 2019 by the research firm CoreData. About the Natixis Center for Investor Insight As part of the Natixis Investment Institute, the Center for Investor Insight is dedicated to the analysis and reporting of issues and trends important to investors, financial professionals, money managers, employers, governments and policymakers globally. The Center and its team of independent and affiliated researchers track major developments across the markets, economy, and investing spectrum to understand the attitudes and perceptions influencing the decisions of individual investors, financial professionals, and institutional decision makers. The Center's annual research program began in 2010, and now offers insights into the perceptions and motivations of over 70,000 investors from 31 countries around the globe. Risks All investing involves risk, including the risk of loss. About Natixis Investment Managers Natixis Investment Managers serves financial professionals with more insightful ways to construct portfolios. Powered by the expertise of more than 20 specialized investment managers globally, we apply Active Thinking to deliver proactive solutions that help clients pursue better outcomes in all markets. Natixis ranks among the world's largest asset management firms1 ($917.1 billion/802.1 billion AUM2). Headquartered in Paris and Boston, Natixis Investment Managers is a subsidiary of Natixis. Listed on the Paris Stock Exchange, Natixis is a subsidiary of BPCE, the second-largest banking group in France. Natixis Investment Managers' affiliated investment management firms and distribution and service groups include Active Index Advisors;3 AEW; Alliance Entreprendre; AlphaSimplex Group; Darius Capital Partners; DNCA Investments;4 Dorval Asset Management;5 Flexstone Partners;6 Gateway (News - Alert) Investment Advisers; H2O Asset Management;5 Harris Associates; Investors Mutual Limited; Loomis, Sayles & Company; Managed Portfolio Advisors;3 McDonnell Investment Management;7 Mirova;8 MV Credit; Naxicap Partners; Ossiam; Ostrum Asset Management; Seeyond;9 Seventure Partners; Vaughan Nelson Investment Management; and Vega Investment Managers. Not all offerings available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit the company's website at im.natixis.com | LinkedIn (News - Alert): linkedin.com/company/natixis-investment-managers. Natixis Investment Managers includes all of the investment management and distribution entities affiliated with Natixis Distribution, L.P. and Natixis Investment Managers S.A. Natixis Distribution, L.P. is a limited purpose broker-dealer and the distributor of various registered investment companies for which advisory services are provided by affiliates of Natixis Investment Managers. 1 Cerulli Quantitative Update: Global Markets 2018 ranked Natixis Investment Managers as the 16th largest asset manager in the world based on assets under management as of December 31, 2017. 2 Net asset value as of December 31, 2018. Assets under management ("AUM"), as reported, may include notional assets, assets serviced, gross assets and other types of non-regulatory AUM. AUM does not include Vega Investment Managers, which was transferred to Natixis Wealth Management in December 2018. 3 A division of Natixis Advisors, L.P. 4 A brand of DNCA Finance. 5 A subsidiary of Ostrum Asset Management. 6 Flexstone Partners assets as of 9/30/18. Flexstone was established in 2018 by bringing together four specialized private investments firms: Caspian Private Equity, Euro-Private Equity France, Euro-Private Equity Swiss and Eagle Asia Partners. 7 Natixis Investment Managers transferred ownership of McDonnell Investment Management, LLC to Loomis, Sayles & Company, L.P. on 1/1/19. 8 Mirova is operated in the U.S. through Mirova US LLC (Mirova US). 9 Seeyond operates in the U.S. through a participating affiliate arrangement with Natixis Advisors L.P. 2484677.1.1 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190404005537/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] 3-Day Course: Construction Claims Master Class (Accra, Ghana - May 29-31, 2019) - ResearchAndMarkets.com The "Construction Claims Master Class" conference has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. In all construction contracts, there will be claims. Understanding how to properly prepare, defend and manage claims is essential for a successful project outcome and will maximize the number of claims that can be settled without escalating into costly and time-consuming disputes. This 3-day course consists of eight modules and is designed to provide detailed practical assistance in the presentation, analysis, management, and resolution of claims under construction contracts. It is an essential guide to the common techniques and principles used for claims. The course will commence with an overview of the widely used FIDIC suite of contracts, and then discuss risks in construction projects and how they are allocated under construction contracts. Module 1 will also include an introduction to Private Public Partnerships. Modules 2 to 8 focus on claims and will cover topics such as identifying claims, cause and effect, entitlement, the Parties' contractual responsibilities and obligations, the Engineer's obligations, notices, supporting records, extensions of time, delay and disruption, prolongation costs, concurrency, delay analysis methods, variations, quantifying the claim and contractual procedures. Both Contractor and Employer claims will be covered. The course also deals with how to properly respond to submitted claims, common defenses to claims and discusses ways of avoiding or minimizing claims at the planning and implementation stages. The implications of relevant construction case law are also discussed. The uniqueness of this course is that whilst focusing on the essential principles and practice required for pursuing or defending construction claims, it also combines this with understanding how different wording in contracts affects the way time and money claims are dealt with. Fundamental to this uniqueness is the 3-day duration which allows for an extensive and wide-ranging programme and ensures that each topic has in-depth coverage. A further key attribute is the workshop format and limited class size so as to optimize the overall learning experience of participants. Excellent feedback has been received for this course, and its popularity continues to grow. Recent courses have been successfully held in Abu Dhabi, South Africa, Tanzania, Ghana, and Trinidad. What you will gain upon completion of this Master Class: Enhance contract administration skills in preparing, analyzing, defending and managing claims to ensure successful project delivery; Identify various types of claim and recognize claim situations; Learn ways of avoiding or minimizing claims at pre and post-contract stages; Understand the contractual rights and obligations of the Parties and the Engineer; Develop a clear understanding of cause, effect, and entitlement; Practical and detailed knowledge of commonly used techniques for delay analysis, disruption, concurrent delays, and prolongation costs; Determine critical and non-critical delay, and recognise the importance of programmes; Effectively present and quantify time-related claims and additional payment claims; Detailed understanding of what is needed for a successful claim or response; Fully understand the contractual procedures for claims under FIDIC; A sound understanding of the relationship between various contract clauses, and how different wording in various contracts affect entitlement to time and money; Knowledge of relevant legal case law; Confidence in administering contractual claims whether representing Employers, Contractors or Consulting Engineers; Learn the basic concepts of Public-Private Partnerships and how they are being developed in Ghana Course Format This course will be held in a highly interactive workshop format with group discussions, case studies and real-world practical examples. Limited class size is strictly enforced to enhance the individual learning experience and maximize interaction with trainer and participants. Certificate of Attendance Upon the successful completion of this course, you will receive a Certificate of Attendance bearing the signatures from both Mr. Grout and the Course Organizer. This Certificate will testify your endeavor and serve towards your professional advancement. Course Materials Delegates will receive the following materials: Copy of PowerPoint slides to be used during the course Work Exercises (Answers will be provided at the end of the course) Comprehensive supplementary notes as a post-course reference Who Should Attend? This course is designed for professionals working in the construction industry from Government ministries and agencies, private sector employers, funding agencies, contractors, subcontractors, consulting engineers and law firms. Job titles may include but not limited to: Project Managers Engineers Architects Quantity Surveyors Contract Administrators Contract Managers Legal Advisors/Lawyers Commercial Managers Construction Managers Claims Consultants Adjudicators Arbitrators Agenda Pre-course Questionnaires A pre-course questionnaire will be sent to you prior to the workshop to complete, and for the trainer to analyze in advance and address during the course. This ensures any specific learning needs of participants can be covered. Programme Schedule (Day 1 to 3) 08:30 Registration & Tea 09:00 Morning Session Begins 10:40-11:00 Refreshments & Networking 12:30 Lunch 13:45 Afternoon Session Begins 15:10-15:30 Refreshments & Networking 17:00 End of Day/Course For more information about this conference visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/hkjrda View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190404005557/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] Bidding Opens April 8th for Huge Two-Day Equipment, Truck & Trailer Auction on AuctionTime.com LINCOLN, Neb., April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- AuctionTime.com is currently gearing up for a large online-only auction featuring over 2,000 pieces of construction equipment, agriculture equipment, commercial trucks, trailers, and other assets from qualified auctioneers, dealerships, and other sellers across the U.S. and around the world. Proxy bidding for the auction will open Monday, April 8th, at 5 p.m., and the sale will end on Thursday, April 11th. AuctionTime.com is an online-only auction platform powered by Sandhills Publishing (the Nebraska-based tech company behind such brands as Machinery Trader, TractorHouse, Truck Paper, CraneTrader, and others). Online auctions are held every week, attracting bidders from across the country and around the world. Bidder registration is free and easy, and new auction listings are added constantly. Buyers can track assets of interest and place bids online anytime, anywhere using a computer or smartphone. Farmers, contractors, fleet owners, dealerships, auctioneers, or anyone with equipment, trucks, or trailers can sell on AuctionTime.com. Find a local auctioneer online at AuctionTime.com or by calling (800) 334-7443. Auction Highlights 2018 Deere 317G Opening Bid: $100 (USD) Seller: Nichols Equipment View Auction Listing 2017 Cat 326FL Opening Bid: $1,000 (USD) Seller: Snider Equipment, LLC View Auction Listing 2015 Cat D3K2 LGP Opening Bid: $250 (USD) Seller: Pederson & Pederson Auctions View Auction Listing 2015 Yamaha Viking VI EPS Ranch Opening Bid: $100 (USD) Seller: B&S Equipment Auctions View Auction Listing 2013 Case IH 1265 Opening Bid: $250 (USD) Seller: Moore Auctions LLC View Auction Listing 2015 John Deere 9370R Opening Bid: $100 (USD) Seller: Peterson & Associates Auctions View Auction Listing 2019 Peterbilt 579 Opening Bid: $100 (USD) Seller: Hauk Farm Equipment View Auction Listing 2015 International Lonestar Opening Bid: $1,000 (USD) Seller: Snider Equipment, LLC View Auction Listing 2013 Peterbilt 384 Opening Bid: $1,000 (USD) Seller: Auctionblock View Auction Listing About AuctionTime.com Powered by Machinery Trader, CraneTrader, ForestryTrader, Truck Paper, TractorHouse, and MarketBook, AuctionTime.com is a product of Sandhills Publishingan information processing company headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska. AuctionTime equipment listings appear both online and in print across Sandhills' trade publications and corresponding websites to reach buyers around the world in the trucking, agriculture, construction, and heavy equipment industries. Contact Us 120 West Harvest Drive Lincoln, NE 68521 [email protected] (800) 334-7443 (402) 479-2119 View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bidding-opens-april-8th-for-huge-two-day-equipment-truck--trailer-auction-on-auctiontimecom-300824851.html SOURCE AuctionTime.com Nimble, Microsoft Gold Partner + Simply Mail Solutions Bring Simple, Smart CRM for Office 365 to UK Customers Nimble - the Simple, Smart CRM for Office 365 and G Suite - today announced a partnership with Simply Mail Solutions, (SMS) Ltd., a Microsoft (News - Alert) Gold Distribution Partner and world-class managed cloud service provider. The partnership addresses small to mid-sized enterprises' (SMEs) or small to mid-sized businesses' (SMBs) need for an easy-to-implement, easy-to-use contact relationship manager. Newly available to Simply Mail Solutions' 4,500 small- and mid-sized customers, Nimble (News - Alert) provides an intelligent, intuitive way for teams of 2-25 people to cultivate their sales, marketing, and business networks without the high cost or complexities of an enterprise CRM solution. The partnership is enabled by Microsoft's partner-to-partner cloud marketplace in Partner Center. In pilot since 2017, the program makes it easy for partners to sell, provision, and bill Microsoft customers for third-party solutions that address specific business needs. Nimble Contact Management Features for Office 365 Workgroups Backed by SMS's latest cloud technology, 24/7 UK Support, and highly-qualified engineers, Nimble enables Microsoft Office 365 users to cultivate relationships in authentic and meaningful ways, without ever leaving their inbox. Nimble ties all your contacts together . It combines social contacts with individual email users' contacts, emails, and calendars from Outlook (desktop and mobile) and Office 365 in an easy-to-use contact relationship manager. . It combines social contacts with individual email users' contacts, emails, and calendars from Outlook (desktop and mobile) and Office 365 in an easy-to-use contact relationship manager. It fills the gap between Office 365, Dynamics, and more . For customers with more complex environments, Nimble syncs contacts from Microsoft Dynamics, social media, and more than 160 SaaS (News - Alert)-based solutions. . For customers with more complex environments, Nimble syncs contacts from Microsoft Dynamics, social media, and more than 160 SaaS (News - Alert)-based solutions. Nimble empowers teams to connect more effectively by enriching contacts automatically with social context and business insights. by enriching contacts automatically with social context and business insights. It automates administrative tasks : Nimble tracks email and Twitter (News - Alert) engagement history as people work, freeing them from tedious data entry in the CRM. : Nimble tracks email and Twitter (News - Alert) engagement history as people work, freeing them from tedious data entry in the CRM. Nimble is easily accessible anywhere you need it: Nimble delivers team profiles in the inbox, calendars, and contacts as well as across the web, on social platforms, and in cloud-based business applications. "Virtually all our customers need a contact relationship management platform like Nimble that centralizes and shares customer knowledge across the organization so teams can treat every contact like a VIP," said SMS CEO Colin Smith. "Depending on the customer's environment, Nimble can either work as a stand-alone CRM for Office 365, Outlook and Outlook mobile, or as an intelligen add-in to popular SaaS sales, marketing, accounting, and customer service applications." "We are delighted to combine the power of Nimble with SMS's unbeatable combination of premier cloud technology, 24/7 UK support, and highly qualified engineers," said Kevin Turner, Nimble's Head of Strategic Partner Development. "Our partnership empowers customers to gather contact relationship data under one roof, automate data enrichment and data entry, and effectively communicate with customers and prospects within a scalable, secure, and constantly connected environment." Resources: ABOUT NIMBLE - Nimble is the simple, smart CRM platform that Office 365 and G Suite users trust to find prospects, nurture relationships, and close more deals - all without leaving their inbox. Thousands of people use Nimble to successfully nurture their personal and business relationships across email, social networks, and more than 160 SaaS business applications. Nimble has been named "Market Leading CRM for Customer Satisfaction and Ease of Use" by many experts, including CRM Market Leader by G2 (News - Alert) Crowd in Spring 2019 for the seventh consecutive year, CRM Watchlist Winner for three consecutive years, #1 Sales Intelligence Tool for Customer Satisfaction by G2 Crowd for the eighth consecutive time and Small Business Sales and Marketing CRM Users Choice Awards winner by Fit Small Business. Nimble combines the strengths of traditional CRM, classic contact management, social media, sales intelligence and marketing automation into one powerful relationship management platform that delivers valuable relationship insights everywhere you work. Try Nimble's 14-day free trial today, or learn more at Nimble.com. Located in Santa Monica, Nimble is in the heart of the Southern California Silicon Beach tech community and was recently voted The Most Loved Santa Monica Tech Startup. For more information, visit http://www.nimble.com. ABOUT SIMPLY MAIL SOLUTIONS - SMS is a Microsoft Gold Partner delivering cloud services since 2006. Over 4,500 business with more than 27,000 mailboxes rely on SMS to maintain constant connectivity to their email and other Microsoft Business Cloud offerings in a secure, scalable environment. For more information, visit https://simplymailsolutions.com/about. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190404005055/en/ [April 04, 2019] H Code Enters Exclusive Partnership With Leading Argentine Television Company Artear H Code, the undisputed leader in digital advertising for the U.S. Hispanic market, announced today an exclusive partnership with Artear (artear.com.ar), one of the leading media and television companies in Argentina with over 400 million page views per month. "Our partnership with Artear showcases H Code's determination to connect leading media properties across Latin America with brands and advertisers in the United States to better reach all U.S. Hispanics," said Parker Morse, CEO of H Code. "We are thrilled to be partnering with Artear, a well-known leader in Argentine television, and hope to help them maximize their digital platforms, which not only offers quality inventory in a brand safe environment for our advertisers, but also high-quality content for its users." The new agreement between the two leading companies gives H Code sole access to Artear's digital advertising inventory in the United States, meaning that no other network will have access to this inventry. H Code will exclusively represent 100 percent of all ads across Artear's Ciudad Magazine, eltrece, ElDoce.tv, and Todo Noticias (known as TN), one of the most visited news sites in Argentina. "H Code is proud to be able to partner with the best media properties in Latin America. Our team works hard to build strong relationships with our publisher partners and reach Hispanics of all countries of origin or descent. With our latest exclusive partnership with Artear, we are able to extend our ad inventory from Argentina and ensure that U.S. Hispanics, especially Argentinians living in the U.S., are better represented," stated Pablo Rivera, VP of Publisher Development for H Code. H Code's exclusive partnership with Artear is the first in 2019 for the company, following agreements in 2018 with various influential LATAM media properties operating in Peru, Mexico, Argentina, El Salvador, Mexico, and more. About H Code Founded in 2015, H Code is the leading digital advertising platform reaching U.S. Hispanic consumers at scale. The company was formed to better connect brands and advertisers with U.S. Hispanics online. It reaches this niche audience by bringing together targetable data, the right inventory, and impactful creative. Through H Code's platform, brands can more effectively reach Hispanics than with any other organization in the Hispanic market. Key clients include Disney Theatrical, Toyota, Walmart, Delta Air Lines, Chase, Kaiser Permanente, Clorox, Verizon, USPS (News - Alert), and more. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190404005019/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] Verizon Digital Media Services Names SnapStream Official Transition Partner for Volicon Observer Verizon (News - Alert) Digital Media Services today named SnapStream the official transition partner for the Volicon Observer broadcast monitoring and compliance product. In January, Verizon Digital Media Services announced the end-of-sale of the appliance-based solutions in an effort to focus continued development on future solutions that better align with industry trends and market needs during the ongoing migration to IP and streaming video workflows. This agreement provides a support path for Volicon's customers. As a part of this agreement, Volicon customers with active support contracts may now use SnapStream to provide extended Volicon support into 2020. Volicon customers with lapsed support contracts also are eligible for extended Volicon support from SnapStream. Following extended support, Volicon customers will have the option of transitioning to SnapStream's broadcast monitoring and compliance product. SnapStream will be demonstrating its broadcast monitoring and compliance features at NAB 2019 April 8-11 in South Upper Hall booth #SU9802. "Volicon and SnapStream have always had strong mutual respect," said SnapStream CEO Rakesh Agrawal. "We have similar products with overlapping features and even have many common customers. SnapStream is known, among other things, for the great support we provide, and we look forward to providing the same high-quality support to Volicon customers. We hope to eventually earn the business of current Volicon customers by converting them int SnapStream customers." "Verizon Digital Media Services is committed to providing high-quality products and services for our customers. The partnership with SnapStream will provide Volicon Observer customers with a dedicated support team at the highest level of commitment to ensure continued success in their business operations," said Peter Gallagher, COO of Verizon Digital Media Services. Volicon customers also can visit www.snapstream.com/volicon for complete details on the process of purchasing extended Volicon support into 2020. About Verizon Digital Media Services Verizon Digital Media Services offers an industry-leading, integrated digital media platform to prepare, deliver, display and monetize online content. The company's platform is built on a global network that has over 130 points of presence on six continents, ensuring high-quality viewing of digital content on any device, anytime, anywhere. The platform powers websites, apps and OTT video services for many of the world's largest publishers, media companies and enterprises. Learn more about how Verizon Digital Media Services is delivering the future of media at www.verizondigitalmedia.com. About SnapStream SnapStream (http://www.snapstream.com) is a Houston-based software company whose product is used by hundreds of organizations worldwide, including CBS, MLB (News - Alert) Networks, the Daily Show, Last Week Tonight, Samantha Bee, and the U.S. Senate. SnapStream's product is a simple but powerful solution for recording and searching television, clipping television, sharing TV clips to Twitter and Facebook (News - Alert) and monitoring TV for compliance and verification. SnapStream will be exhibiting at NAB 2019 in South Upper #SU9802. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190404005563/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] Wangsu Deploys NETINT's Codensity T400 Video Transcoders to Scale H.265 Video Streaming Services Across Its Global CDN NETINT Technologies, a pioneer of computational storage and video processing SoC solutions for cloud and edge computing, today announced that Wangsu, a leading Content Delivery Network (CDN) and datacenter operator in China, has begun deployment of Codensity T400 Video Transcoders to improve efficiencies and scalability in the processing and distribution of H.265 HEVC live video streaming services. Today, the majority of video streaming content is encoded and distributed using ubiquitous H.264 AVC video coding. The newer high efficiency H.265 HEVC video coding can deliver similar encoding quality using only half the bandwidth. Wangsu's strategy is to realize these bandwidth savings across its CDN, by receiving H.264 video content from Broadcast TV, social media, or Enterprise customers, transcoding the H.264 video to H.265 format in its data centers, and then distributing the compressed video across its CDN to consumers using H.265 compatible devices, from 4K UHD TVs to smartphones. The challenge is that H.265 encoding requires 4-10x the processing power compared to H.264 encoding, resulting in Wangsu facing an uneconomical buildout for the tens of thousands compute servers required to host software encoding processes across its datacenters. The Codensity T400 Video Transcoder solution helps Wangsu economically scale its H.265 video streaming services. The Codensity T400 value proposition combines the quality and efficiency of ASIC-based encoding inside an advanced computational storage architecture, with the scalability benefits of standard NVMe interface and compact U.2 plug-in modules. "Video content continues to be largest category of IP traffic volume distributed across our global CDN," said Dr. SUN, Principal Scientist of Wangsu Science & Technology. "H.265 video encoding offers significant bandwidth savings, however realizing these benefits requires extensive compute server resources to run H.265 software encoding processes inside our datacenters. The Codensity T400 solution from NETINT Technologies offers an efficient solution for video content encoding from Wangsu's media and live streaming customers, enabling Wangsu to deliver high quality H.265 live video streaming with lower costs, power, and space requirements. With its unique computational storage architecture that delivers large throughput and high encoding quality, and with low power consumption and a small U.2 form factor, the Codensity T400 is a scalable encoding solution for Wangsu's edge video processing requirements." "Wangsu is a leading CDN operator with a high level of technical requirements and operational experience," said Tao Zhong, CTO and CEO of NETINT Technologies. "Wangsu's deployment of our Codensity T400 Video Transcoders is a strong validation of our innovative technology, early execution of our strategy, and results from our R&D efforts. NETINT is fully committed to helping Wangsu with its deployment of our Codensity T400 solution to realize the benefits of Encoding at Scale." See NETINT at NAB 2019 To learn more about encoding at scale with Codensity T400 Video Transcoders, please visit NETINT Technologies at NAB 2019 in Las Vegas from April 8 to 11 at LVCC South Upper Hall Booth SU 13911. About Wangsu Science and Technology Founded in January 2000, Wangsu Science and Technology Co., Ltd (Stock code: 300017) is dedicated in research of key technologies regarding big data and cloud computing infrastructures. The company has built an extensive and efficient global Content Delivery Network (CDN), edge computing network and data center (IDC (News - Alert)), to meet users' data computing and interaction needs anytime, anywhere. Powered by its strong data delivery and processing capabilities, Wangsu provides a wealth of products and services including CDN, customized IDC, cloud security, cloud computing and edge computing. Wangsu's intelligent platform handles trillions of service requests on a daily basis, serving billions of Internet users around the world. Our vision: Intelligent Network Connects Tomorrow. About NETINT Technologies NETINT Technologies is a pioneer of computational storage and video processing SoC solutions for cloud and edge computing. Its Codensity portfolio enables enterprise, cloud data centers and content providers to deploy high performance applications that they can scale without limit, while minimizing their data storage and video processing costs. NETINT, founded by an experienced team of storage SoC veterans, is a Canadian venture-funded startup with R&D facilities in Vancouver, Toronto and Shanghai, China. For more information, visit www.netint.ca. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190404005021/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] Rasmussen College Expands Professional Nursing Associate's Degree Program to Aurora/Naperville and Mokena/Tinley Park, Illinois, Campuses Rasmussen College, a regionally accredited private college, today announced the expansion of its Professional Nursing Associate's degree (ADN) program to its Aurora/Naperville and Mokena/Tinley Park campuses.1 The Rasmussen College ADN program, which can be completed in as few as 18 months, prepares students to sit for the NCLEX-RN national certification exam to earn the licensure needed to become a registered nurse (RN).2 This program is also offered with the ADN Mobility Bridge Entrance Option, which is designed for students who are already licensed practical nurses (LPNs) committed to the nursing profession and eager to launch their careers as quickly as possible. The ADN Mobility Bridge Entrance Option allows students to advance their education in as few as 12-18 months.2 Enrollment is now available at both campuses with classes beginning in July. "We are thrilled to offer our residential Professional Nursing program to the Aurora/Naperville and Mokena/Tinley Park campuses - markets that continue to see the need for highly qualified nurses to fill workforce shortages," said Dr. Kelly McCullough, regional dean of nursing at Rasmussen College. "As the leading educator of Professional Nursing Associate's degree students in the country in 2016 and 2017, our ADN program is designed to give students the abilities to confidently provide safe, effective and quality care for diverse clientele and confidently sit for the NCLEX-RN exam. We are proud not only to offer our Professional Nursing programat all of our Illinois campuses, which positively impacts the healthcare needs of the Chicagoland community, but also to provide a strong curriculum that trains our students for success in increasingly complex and demanding healthcare environments." The ADN program, which is taught by experienced nurse educators, is available with Flex Choice, allowing students to combine traditional online coursework and self-directed assessments allowing students to receive credit for what they already know. Aging Workforce Leads to High Demand for RNs The time is right for Rasmussen College to expand its Professional Nursing program into the Aurora/Naperville and Mokena/Tinley Park markets as there is an extraordinary need for nursing professionals specifically in Illinois. According to the recent Illinois Nursing Workforce Center Registered Professional Nurse Survey, Illinois is experiencing an aging RN workforce with one-third of current nurses planning to retire within the next five years, leaving a large workforce gap. Likewise, nationwide, the American Nurses Association estimates the country will need to produce more than 1 million new registered nurses by 2022 to fulfill healthcare needs. "With an increased emphasis nationwide on preventive care, the growing rates of chronic conditions, and demand for healthcare services from the baby-boomer generation, everyone is feeling the need for hiring highly competent nurses," said Dr. Joan Rich, vice president of nursing at Rasmussen College. "Our ADN program is taught by experienced faculty who bring practical, day-to-day applications into all of their Nursing courses. With immersive clinical opportunities in a variety of settings, Rasmussen College students are fully prepared for the scenarios they'll encounter in the workforce." New Nursing Simulation Labs The Aurora/Naperville and Mokena/Tinley Park campuses are each equipped with a new nursing simulation lab to provide an enhanced and safe learning experience for ADN students and prepare them to enter today's complex healthcare environment. The technology-rich simulation labs will serve as both classrooms and simulation spaces for students and faculty. At each of the campuses, School of Nursing faculty and students will have access to the following: Simulation equipment including new adult, child and infant mannequins that provide student nurses the opportunity to experience and practice patient care scenarios in the safety of a laboratory setting. Ample classroom space for briefing and debriefing to support deeper learning with the simulation experience. Individual attention from faculty and staff who care about students and the future of healthcare. Students interested in learning more are encouraged to attend a nursing information session at the campus nearest them. Contact the campus for details or visit: rasmussen.edu/nursing-session-form/. 1 Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. hlcommission.org | 800-621-7440 2 Completion time is dependent on transfer credits accepted and courses completed each term. ABOUT RASMUSSEN COLLEGE: Rasmussen College is a regionally accredited private college that is dedicated to changing lives and the communities it serves through high-demand and flexible educational programs. Since 1900, the College has been committed to academic innovation and providing the highest standard of education while empowering students to pursue a college degree. Rasmussen College offers Certificate and Diploma programs through Associate's, Bachelor's and Master's degree programs online and across its 23 Midwest and Florida campuses. A pioneer in online education, the College is helping lead advancements in innovations such as competency-based education and comprehensive student support services that help working adults advance their careers. The College is also committed to providing a positive impact on society through public service and a variety of community-based initiatives. For more information about Rasmussen College, please visit rasmussen.edu. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190404005614/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP Announces the Filing of a Securities Class Action on Behalf of Mobile TeleSystems Public Joint Stock Company Investors Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP ("GPM"), a national investors rights law firm, announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of investors that acquired Mobile TeleSystems (News - Alert) Public Joint Stock Company ("Mobile TeleSystems" or the "Company") (NYSE: MBT) securities between March 19, 2014 and March 7, 2019, inclusive (the "Class Period"). Mobile TeleSystems investors have until May 20, 2019 to file a lead plaintiff motion. If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate. If you wish to learn more about this action, or if you have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Lesley Portnoy, Esquire, at 310-201-9150, Toll-Free at 888-773-9224, or by email to [email protected], or visit our website at www.glancylaw.com. On November 20, 2018, Mobile TeleSystems disclosed that it had reserved approximately $840 million to cover potential liability concerning investigations by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC (News - Alert)") and Department of Justice ("DOJ") into the Company's former operations in Uzbekistan. Then, on March 7, 2019, the DOJ announced that Mobile TeleSystems and its subsidiary had entered into an agreement with the DOJ and SEC to pay a combined $850 million in penalties to resolve charges arising from its role in a scheme to pay $420 million in bribes in Uzbekistan. On this news, shares of Mobile TeleSystems fell $0.24, or 3.08%, to close at $7.54 per share on March 7, 2019, thereby injuring investors. The complaint filed in this class action alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Company's business, operational and compliance policies. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Mobile TeleSystems and its subsidiary were involved in a scheme to pay $420 million in bribes in Uzbekistan; (2) consequently, Mobile TeleSystems knew or should have known it would be forced to pay substantial fines to the U.S. government after disclosing in 2014 that the U.S. Department of Justice and Securities and Exchange Commission were investigating its Uzbekistan operations; (3) Mobile TeleSystems' level of cooperation with the U.S. government and remediation was lacking; and (4) due to the aforementioned misconduct, Mobile TeleSystems would be forced to pay approximately $850 million in criminal penalties to the U.S. government. Follow us for updates on Twitter (News - Alert): twitter.com/GPM_LLP. If you purchased shares of Mobile TeleSystems during the Class Period you may move the Court no later than May 20, 2019 to ask the Court to appoint you as lead plaintiff. To be a member of the Class you need not take any action at this time; you may retain counsel of your choice or take no action and remain an absent member of the Class. If you wish to learn more about this action, or if you have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Lesley Portnoy, Esquire, of GPM, 1925 Century Park East, Suite 2100, Los Angeles California 90067 at 310-201-9150, Toll-Free at 888-773-9224, by email to [email protected], or visit our website at www.glancylaw.com. If you inquire by email please include your mailing address, telephone number and number of shares purchased. 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/20190404005617/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] Suirui Announces Strategic Investment and Partnership Agreement with China Mobile SUIRUI America is excited to announce that Suirui has signed a Strategic Investment and Partnership Agreement with China Mobile (News - Alert) Investment Holdings. The official signing ceremony was held in Beijing on Feb 20th, 2019. Upon approval by Suirui's shareholders, the two parties intend to further advance their existing alliances in cloud video conferencing products & services offerings, and solutions development; jointly promote cohesive collaboration and communication ecosystem. "We have been closely monitoring video conferencing and collaboration technologies for our investment portfolio, looking for front-runners," said Ning He, Chairman and GM of China Mobile Investment Holdings. "Over the years, we witnessed Suirui steadily mature into an innovative leader in this field. We hope our investment and this partnership will stimulate the advancement of market shares for us serving both enterprise and consumer sectors with premium products and services." "After we signed the strategic investment and partnership agreement with Foxconn last year, this is yet another major milestone for Suirui," sad Forrest Cheng Shu, Chairman and CEO of Suirui "We have been successfully operating China Mobile's Vilin video collaboration platform for years. The timing for this round of funding is perfect. We hope the synergy will soon bring world-class cloud products and services to China Mobile's enormous customer base." About China Mobile China Mobile Limited (the "Company", and together with its subsidiaries, the "Group") was incorporated in Hong Kong on 3 September 1997. The Company was listed on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") and The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited ("HKEX" or the "Stock Exchange") on 22 October 1997 and 23 October 1997, respectively. The Company was admitted as a constituent stock of the Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong on 27 January 1998. As the leading telecommunications services provider in Mainland China, the Group provides full communications services in all 31 provinces, autonomous regions and directly-administered municipalities throughout Mainland China and in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and boasts a world-class telecommunications operator with the world's largest network and customer base, a leading position in profitability and market value ranking. Its businesses primarily consist of mobile voice and data business, wireline broadband and other information and communications services. As of 31 December 2017, the Group had a total of 464,656 employees, 887 million mobile customers and 113 million wireline broadband customers with its annual revenue exceeding RMB740 billion. About Suirui Suirui is a leading AI & Cloud Communication Carrier in China and a technology partner with Zoom. Founded in 2006, Suirui is listed on NEEQ under stock code 835990.OC. For more information, please visit www.suirui.us. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190404005624/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] AMERIGAS INVESTOR ALERT by the Former Attorney General of Louisiana: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC Investigates Adequacy of Price and Process in Proposed Sale of AmeriGas Partners, L.P. - APU Former Attorney General of Louisiana Charles C. Foti, Jr., Esq. and the law firm of Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") are investigating the proposed sale of AmeriGas Partners, L.P. (NYSE: APU) ("AmeriGas") to UGI Corporation (NYSE: UGI) ("UGI"). Under the terms of the proposed transaction, shareholders of AmeriGas will receive only $7.63 in cash and 0.50 shares of UGI for each share of AmeriGas that they own. KSF is seeking to determine whether this consideration and the process that led to it are adequate, or whether the consideration undervalues the Company. If you believe that this transaction undervalues the Company and/or if you would like to discuss your legal rights regarding the proposed sale, ou may, without obligation or cost to you, e-mail or call KSF Managing Partner Lewis S. Kahn ([email protected]) toll free at any time at 855-768-1857, or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-apu/ to learn more. To learn more about KSF, whose partners include the Former Louisiana Attorney General, visit www.ksfcounsel.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190404005638/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Church & Dwight to Report First Quarter 2019 Results Church & Dwight Co., Inc. (NYSE:CHD) will host a conference call to discuss first quarter 2019 earnings results on May 2, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern time. To participate, dial 877-322-9846 within the U.S. and Canada, or 631-291-4539 internationally, using access code 3499666. A replay will be available at 855-859-2056 using the same access code.You also can participate via webcast by visiting the Investor Relations section of the Company's website. Church & Dwight Co., Inc. manufactures and markets a wide range of personal care, household and specialty products under the ARM (News - Alert) & HAMMER brand name and other well-known trademarks. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190404005660/en/ [April 04, 2019] ELLIE MAE INVESTOR ALERT by the Former Attorney General of Louisiana: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC Investigates Adequacy of Price and Process in Proposed Sale of Ellie Mae, Inc. - ELLI Former Attorney General of Louisiana Charles C. Foti, Jr., Esq. and the law firm of Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") are investigating the proposed sale of Ellie Mae, Inc. (NYSE: ELLI) ("Ellie") to Thoma Bravo, LLC. Under the terms of the proposed transaction, shareholders of Ellie will receive only $99.00 in cash for each share of Ellie that they own. KSF is seeking to determine whether this consideration and the process that led to it are adequate, or whether the consideration undervalues the Company. If you believe that this transaction undervalues the Company and/or if you would like to discuss your legal rights regarding the proposed sale, you may, without obligation or cos to you, e-mail or call KSF Managing Partner Lewis S. Kahn ([email protected]) toll free at any time at 855-768-1857, or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-elli/ to learn more. To learn more about KSF, whose partners include the Former Louisiana Attorney General, visit www.ksfcounsel.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190404005675/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] About 10 Minutes is All it Takes: Bank of the West's FinTech Solution Delivers Small Business Express Lending - Fast, Easy Access to Capital SAN FRANCISCO, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Bank of the West announced today the launch of Small Business Express Lending an online platform designed for small businesses seeking business capital. Through a 10 minute application online at www.bankofthewest.com/expresslending, upon approval, small businesses can receive up to $100,000 in as little as two business days. Small Business Express Lending is also available in branches, providing full digital capabilities and bankers with expertise to help when needed. "Small businesses are the bedrock of the U.S. economy," said Michelle Di Gangi, Executive Vice President and Head of Small and Medium Enterprise at Bank of the West. "I come from a family of small business owners and learned early on the critical need for this type of financing coupled with access to business banking experts when you need them. We want to be the financial advocate that helps small businesses grow and thrive in the communities we serve." Small Business Express Lending was built in collaboration with fintech firm, Fundation, to deliver fast, simple applications for small business owners. "Customer expectations when consuming financial services products have and will continue to change," said Sam Graziano, CEO of Fundation Group LLC. "We're excited to collaborate with Bank of the West, a leader in innovation, to offer a market leading borrowing experience for small business owners." The Small Business Express Lending Platform: Uses a simple, online application that can be completed at home or in a Bank of the West branch with the help of a small business banking expert. Provides rapid approval and funding in as little as two business days for up to $100,000 . . Includes Business Lines of Credit, Business Credit Cars, and Non-Real Estate Term Loan products. Saves time through its convenient start-to-finish digital application with closing via electronic signature. About Bank of the West We are driven by our fundamental belief in redefining banking for a better future. At a time when people demand more from companies, we are taking action to ensure our activities help protect the planet, improve people's lives, and strengthen communities. That's why we are focusing on areas where we can have a real impact: supporting energy transition, helping enable women entrepreneurs and financing innovative start-ups. As the bank for a changing world, Bank of the West is committed to sustainable finance along with our parent company BNP Paribas. Through Digital Channels and offices across the U.S., Bank of the West provides financial tools and resources to more than 2 million individuals, families and businesses. About Fundation Fundation Group LLC is a credit solutions provider focused on the small business market nationally. Fundation is a leader in providing technology and application processing services to support more than 25 super regional, regional and community banks. Fundation's solutions enable its financial services clients to develop a digital lending capability, provide a great customer experience, drive cost efficiency into their small business lending program, and maximize the number of customers they can serve. Fundation's services range from simple referral partnerships to customized, integrated private labeled lending programs. The Company also partners with a wide array of organizations that serve the small business market in various capacities to deliver credit products to the business community nationwide. For more information, please visit www.fundation.com. Deposit and loan products offered by Bank of the West, Member FDIC and Equal Housing Lender. 2019 Bank of the West. Doing business in South Dakota as Bank of the West California. Connect with us Facebook Twitter YouTube LinkedIn Instagram Blog View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/about-10-minutes-is-all-it-takes-bank-of-the-wests-fintech-solution-delivers-small-business-express-lending--fast-easy-access-to-capital-300824956.html SOURCE Bank of the West [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] Global Blockchain in Telecom Market to 2024: Market is Expected to Grow at a CAGR of 77.9%, to Reach $1.37 Billion DUBLIN, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Blockchain in Telecom Market Forecast up to 2024" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global blockchain in telecom market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 77.9% during the forecast period to reach revenue of $1.37 billion by 2024. For increasing the overall revenue, profitability, and addressing the rising customer needs, traditional telecom companies are focusing on adopting blockchain technology to unlock new opportunities. Rising security concerns, demand for fraud management, and 5G implementation are few of the factors driving the growth of the blockchain in telecom market. The increasing number of blockchain consortia, such as Hyperledger, Carrier Blockchain Study Group (CBSG), and many more, is also among the primary factors leading toward the growth of blockchain applications in telecom. For instance, the number of blockchain consortia increased from around 27 in 2017 to more than 60 in 2018. Competitive Analysis The report covers and analyzes the blockchain in telecom market. Major vendors across different verticals are planning for high investments in this market, and as a result, the market is expected to grow at an impressive rate in the coming years. The key players are adopting various organic as well as inorganic growth strategies such as mergers & acquisitions, collaborations & partnerships, joint ventures, and few other strategies to be in the strong position in the market. The report contains an in-depth analysis of the vendors profile, which includes financial health, business units, key business priorities, SWOT, strategies, and views. The prominent vendors covered in the report include IBM, SAP, Microsoft, AWS, Huawei, BubbleTone, Clear, Guardtime, TBCASoft, and Filament among many others. The vendors have been identified based on the portfolio, geographical presence, marketing & distribution channels, revenue generation, and significant investments in R&D. IBM, SAP, and Microsoft are the key players in the blockchain in telecom market. In 2018, Telefnica, a Spanish telecom company, partnered with IBM for using its blockchain technology for managing the international call traffic. IBM is working with Indian telecom firms and Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) for offering blockchain solutions and addressing problems of oordination between multiple parties in mobile number portability (MNP) and to Do Not Call (DNC) registries. In 2019, Tech Mahindra partnered with Microsoft in India for creating blockchain-based solutions for combating spam calls. In June 2018, Deutsche Telekom, a German telecommunication company announced that it was working with SAP on blockchain technology for preventing hackers from accessing data on stolen phones. The report also includes the complete insights of the industry and aims to provide an opportunity for the emerging and established players to understand the market trends, current scenario, initiatives taken by the government, and the latest technologies related to the market. In addition, it helps the venture capitalists in understanding the companies better and to take informed decisions Regional Analysis North America held the largest market share in 2017 and is expected to dominate the blockchain in telecom market during the forecast period. The high presence of key players offering blockchain in telecom solutions such as IBM, AWS, and Microsoft is the main factor leading to the growth in the North America region. The increasing number of partnerships in this region is also among the factors driving the growth of the market. Recently in January 2019, Synchronoss Technologies, a US-based provider of cloud, messaging, digital, and IoT products, and TBCASoft, Inc., a US-based innovator of cross-carrier blockchain platform technology announced their partnership for redefining telecom operators with blockchain. Key Topics Covered: 1 Executive Summary 1.1 Processes, Services and Ecosystems to witness largest impact 1.2 Consortium-led solutions to ensure global reach and faster time-to-market 1.3 Secure Connectivity expected to dominate from growth of IoT, 5G and M2M 2 Industry Outlook 2.1 Industry Overview 2.2 Industry Trends 3 Market Snapshot 3.1 Total Addressable Market 3.2 Segment Addressable Market 3.2.1 PEST Analysis 3.2.2 Porter's Five Force Analysis 3.3 Related Markets 4 Market Characteristics 4.1 Ecosystem 4.2 Market Trends and Impact 4.3 Value Chain Analysis 4.4 Market Segmentation 4.5 Market Dynamics 4.5.1 Drivers 4.5.1.1 Increased security as well as transparency 4.5.1.2 New revenue opportunities and optimized costs 4.5.2 Restraints 4.5.2.1 Lack of understanding and skillset for building advanced solutions 4.5.2.2 Scalability may hinder the implementation of blockchain 4.5.3 Opportunities 4.5.3.1 Increasing investment in the blockchain 4.5.3.2 Increasing use of blockchain technology in IOT and 5G implementation 4.5.4 DRO - Impact Analysis 5 Blockchain in Telecom Market, By Providers 5.1 Overview 5.2 Application Providers 5.3 Middleware Providers 5.4 Infrastructure Providers 6 Blockchain in Telecom Market, By Applications 6.1 Overview 6.2 Smart Contracts 6.3 Streamlining OSS and BSS Processes 6.4 Identity and Fraud Management 6.5 Payments 6.6 Secure Connectivity 6.7 Others 7 Blockchain in Telecom Market, By Organization Size 7.1 Overview 7.2 Large Enterprises 7.3 SME's 8 Blockchain in Telecom Market, By Region 9 Competitive Landscape 9.1 Competitor Analysis 9.2 Product/Offerings Portfolio Analysis 9.3 Market Developments 9.3.1 Partnerships and Collaborations 9.3.2 Product Launches & Exhibitions 10 Vendor Profiles 10.1 IBM Corporation 10.2 SAP 10.3 Microsoft 10.4 Amazon (AWS) 10.5 Huawei 11 Companies to Watch for 11.1 BubbleTone 11.2 Clear 11.3 Guardtime 11.4 TBCASoft 11.5 Filament For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/xjwlqt/global_blockchain?w=5 Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. Media Contact: Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-blockchain-in-telecom-market-to-2024-market-is-expected-to-grow-at-a-cagr-of-77-9-to-reach-1-37-billion-300824877.html SOURCE Research and Markets [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] CINDE Announces: IBM's Security Operations Center expands in Costa Rica and puts the country as a worldwide center of expertise SAN JOSE, Costa Rica, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM, at an official event featuring the participation of the Government of Costa Rica and the Costa Rican Investment Promotion Agency (CINDE), announced the expansion of its Global Security Services Center, located at Heredia in the America Free Zone, from which it monitors security events for hundreds of clients in more than 130 countries. The expansion triples its operating capacity and will entail an investment of US$21 million over the course of 2019, underscoring the success it has had to date, as well as the international demand generated by the service it provides from Costa Rica for cybersecurity professionals. With this expansion, President of Costa Rica, Carlos Alvarado, stated that "we thank IBM's trust in Costa Rica's human talent." "We celebrate this good news and we reiterate our commitment to keep working to optimize conditions so that multinationals, as significant as IBM, will keep on growing and helping to reactivate our country's economy," he added. Matias Haidbauer, leader of Cybersecurity at IBM Costa Rica, commented: "With this investment, we will continue to consolidate the commitment to this country and our collaborators throughout the past 15 years. Our strategy is keyed to market trends, with considerable increases in worldwide cyber-attacks and to the quality of the service we provide from Costa Rica to our clients." Dyala Jimenez, Minister of Foreign Trade, noted that: "2018was a record year for attracting new Foreign Direct Investment to Costa Rica, with 48 projects from a variety of companies. Of these, 28 were reinvestments by companies already established here. Today, we're celebrating IBM Costa Rica's reinvestment, which has chosen our country for the expansion of its Global Security Services Center. This great news challenges us to keep on improving as a country, in terms of human talent and connectivity, and as a Government, we are working on this. I congratulate IBM for their performance and thank them for their work that helps grow Costa Rica." In Costa Rica, IBM began its cybersecurity operations in 2014 and today, this center is the company's largest of its kind in Latin America, placing Costa Rica on the international map as a center of expertise in this field. The expansion will make it possible to keep on satisfying its clients all over the world for cutting-edge cybersecurity services. Jorge Sequeira, Managing Director at CINDE, observed: "We are immensely pleased with IBM's announcement, it demonstrates the potential we have as a country to become a global hub for operations of this kind, driven by its human talent." The expansion is also adding new services such as incident response and forensic analysis, administered managed detection and response and X-Force Threat Management to hundreds of clients all over the world on a 24x7 footing. The investment also includes the physical expansion of current facilities, as well as world-class training for local talent. The worldwide increase in cyberattacks on companies and their platforms, in recent years, has boosted the demand for professionals to protect them, and the professional association ISC, which keeps track of global figures on the talent gap, has established that the global shortfall of such professionals comes to 2.93 million people. The high level of skills found in Costa Rica and the talent positions Costa Rica as one of the countries with a big supply of cybersecurity personnel. Bilingual professionals and geographic location offer competitive advantages. About IBM: For more information about IBM, please visit https://www.ibm.com/cr-es/ View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cinde-announces-ibms-security-operations-center-expands-in-costa-rica-and-puts-the-country-as-a-worldwide-center-of-expertise-300825009.html SOURCE Costa Rican Investment Promotion Agency [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] Port of Seattle Awards $10,000 Eco-Tourism and Astronomy Contract to Goldendale Chamber of Commerce GOLDENDALE, Wash., April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Port of Seattle's innovative tourism marketing support program is providing direct benefits to the City of Goldendale and Goldendale Observatory State Park. A recently awarded $10,000 contract to the Goldendale Chamber of Commerce by the Port will be used to support astronomy and science tourism awareness of the area's unique facilities. "Dark sky awareness is something the City of Goldendale strongly supports, as demonstrated by our recently updated lighting ordinance," stated Goldendale Mayor Mike Canon. "Dark skies, the Goldendale Observatory, and the Port of Seattle's eco-tourism interests come together very well." Goldendale Observatory State Park Heritage Site, Maryhill Museum's Stonehenge replica, and the Hanford Reservation's LIGO and B Reactor installations create a unique tourism experience accessible to science-interested tourists coming to Washington through SeaTac International Airport, as well as their counterparts living inthe region. "The recent solar eclipse gave us a good education on the magnitude of the astronomy tourism market segment. With the Port's support, the Goldendale Chamber is going to spend 2019 exploring how to market our area to that segment," was how Goldendale Chamber Executive Director Dana Peck described the effort. "We couldn't have begun this effort without the Port of Seattle's support. It's a great example of the Port of Seattle's commitment to urban and rural partnership." The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission has a $5.4 million renovation under way at the Goldendale Observatory, the nation's only publicly accessible observatory in a park. The telescope has been upgraded, and the current project includes a 140-seat auditorium, systems to support the building and a major parking expansion, anticipated for completion in the Fall. Planned coordination with Maryhill Museum, the Nobel Prize winning LIGO research center, and Hanford's B Reactor will create an unmatched astronomy, science, and eco-tourism opportunity. The mission of the Goldendale Chamber of Commerce is to enhance the quality of life in the Goldendale area by promoting and supporting business, tourism, and economic development. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/port-of-seattle-awards-10-000-eco-tourism-and-astronomy-contract-to-goldendale-chamber-of-commerce-300825013.html SOURCE Goldendale Chamber of Commerce [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] Rudolph Technologies Schedules 2019 First Quarter Financial Results Conference Call for May 6, 2019 Rudolph Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:RTEC) will release its 2019 first quarter financial results, after the market closes on Monday, May 6, 2019. In conjunction with this release, Rudolph will host a conference call, which will be broadcast live over the internet. Michael P. Plisinski, chief executive officer, and Steven R. Roth, chief financial officer, will host the call. The call will take place: May 6, 2019 at 4:30 p.m. (ET) To participate in the call, please dial (800) 263-0877 (Domestic) or +1 (720) 543-0197 (International), reference confirmation code 3189484 at least five (5) minutes prior to the scheduled start time. A live webcast will also be available on the Company's website at www.udolphtech.com. To listen to the live webcast, please go to the website at least fifteen (15) minutes early to register, download and install any necessary audio software. There will be a replay of the conference call available from 7:30 p.m. ET on May 6 until 7:30 p.m. ET on May 13, 2019. To access the replay, please dial (888) 203-1112 (Domestic) or (719) 457-0820 (International) at any time during that period and use audio replay passcode 3189484. A replay will also be available on the Company's website at www.rudolphtech.com. About Rudolph Technologies Rudolph Technologies, Inc. is a leader in the design, development, manufacture and support of defect inspection, lithography, process control metrology, and process control software used by semiconductor and advanced packaging device manufacturers worldwide. Rudolph delivers comprehensive solutions throughout the fab with its families of proprietary products that provide critical yield-enhancing information, enabling microelectronic device manufacturers to drive down costs and time to market of their devices. Headquartered in Wilmington, Massachusetts, Rudolph supports its customers with a worldwide sales and service organization. Additional information can be found on the Company's website at www.rudolphtech.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190404005786/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Molina Healthcare Announces New Partnership with eviCore to Improve Specialty Utilization Management Performance Molina Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE: MOH) today announced that it has partnered with eviCore healthcare, an industry leader in evidence-based medical benefit management services, to support Molina's utilization management of certain specialties, including advanced imaging, cardiac imaging, ultrasound, sleep, radiation therapy, laboratory, and medical oncology services. "The agreement with eviCore benefits our members and providers by promoting faster authorizations and expediting access to care, which drives better diagnoses and treatment," said Jim Woys, Executive Vice President of Health Plan Services for Molina Healthcare "This strategic partnership will support Molina's continued execution of its margin sustainability plan and improve the member and provider experience." About Molina Healthcare Molina Healthcare, Inc., a FORTUNE 500 company, provides managed healthcare services under the Medicaid and Medicare programs and through the insurance marketplaces. Through its locally operated health plans, Molina Healthcare served approximately 3.8 million members as of December 31, 2018. For more information about Molina Healthcare, please visit molinahealthcare.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190404005784/en/ [April 04, 2019] Russian Foundation for Anticorruption Investigations Will Look into Allegations of Fraud and Corruption Involved in Transaero Airlines Bankruptcy. The Russian Foundation for Anticorruption Investigations has launched an investigation focused on uncovering corrupt or fraudulent schemes possibly involved in the bankruptcy of OJSC Transaero Airlines. Transaero, the first private company approved for commercial flights back in 1990, has grown to become the second-largest airline of Russia and by 2013 had operated 98 aircraft with the annual number of passengers exceeding 12 million people. It ceased operations in 2015 due to financial insolvency and was declared bankrupt in 2017. The bankruptcy procedures, marred by numerous litigations and criminal cases against the company's management in Russia and abroad, have been extended in March 2019 for another 6 months. The latest and the biggest lawsuit was filed on March 25 by Russia's VTB bank in St. Petersburg Arbitration Tribunal against the main owners - Olga Pleshakova (shareholder and CEO of the company from 2001 to 2015), her spouse Alexander Pleshakov (shareholder and Chairman of the Board of Directors) and his mother Tatiana Anodina (shareholder and member of the Board of Directors), claiming their subsidiary liability in respect to the bankruptcy of Transaero. The total amount of the suit exceeds $3.85 billion. The plaintiff claims that the Pleshakovs, who controlled 53% of the shares, have been syphoning funds from their own company and its partners long before the bankruptcy was declared in 2016, while in reality the company was effectively insolvent as early as in 2012 with the net asset value negative. According to the claim the owners were involved in an "illegal asset withdrawal" - the self-payment of multi-million dollar dividends and bonuses, issuance of non-performing loans to the Transaero-affiliated companies (e.g., Cyprus offshore Jeimbo Cyprus Limited, which is 100% owned by the family), registration of transactions of purchases and sales of aircraft, engines and components through controlled offshore companies, as well as other questionable transactions. The bank contends that Olga Pleshakova has not handed over a number of accounting documents and reports to the bankruptcy supervisor, thus complicating the procedures and the company's asset inventory. VTB also claims that the management of Transaero intentionally corrupted the airline's financial reports to mislead its creditors, utilizing the services of local auditor LLC "RSM RUS", which allowed them to get unsecured financing until the end of 2015. According to The Russian Foundation for Anticorruption Investigations, having accumulated enormous debts to passengers, personnel, airports, leasing, service companies, banks and the government, Pleshakovs appointed Alexander Burdin to the CEO position. He continued withdrawal of assets from the company and "cleaning" of financial and business documentation until September 2017 under the supervision of the beneficiaries and with the assistance of the top managers close to the owners. As a result, criminal investigation has been opened in Russia against him in 2018, and Burdin has fled Russia following the Pleshakovs, who now reportedly reside in Baky, Azerbaijan. Currently Burdin is on the international wanted list, while living in the UK. Liabilities and debt to creditors exceed $ 3.7 billion, including debt of more than $1.5 billion to foreign investors. Companies from the United States, Great Britain, Germany, China, Ireland, Spain, Belgium, Netherlands, France, Denmark and Singapore, including major airport operators, aircraft leasing and maintenance companies were affected. At the moment the prospects of the obligations to creditors being repaid are considered minimal, since the former owners are believed to influence the course of affairs in Transaero. Evgeny Gurchenko, the lawyer representing Transaero's owners, argues that his clients object to the bank's claims and deny any wrongdoing. The purpose of the independent investigation by the Foundation is to uncover whether corruption and the fraudulent schemes were indeed the factors that played a role in the company's demise and the losses incurred by the investors and partners. The Foundation is ready to cooperate with foreign companies that have suffered in the fall of Transaero and share relevant information with Russian and foreign law enforcement agencies and the media. "Bankruptcies happen, in this highly publicized case we want to get to the bottom of things that led to such an end and either rule out the criminal intent or otherwise, says the Foundation spokesman Vassily Abramov. "We are looking forward for help and information from the affected companies." Additional resources: http://www.rusaviainsider.com/vtb-bank-files-us3-85-billion-lawsuit-against-transaero-owners/ http://www.rapsinews.com/judicial_news/20190228/295499138.html View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190404005811/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] RainFocus Moves to the Silicon Slopes LEHI, Utah, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- RainFocus , the leading event marketing software platform, announced their move to Innovation Pointe in Lehi, Utah. With a larger, ultra-efficient workspace, along with the recent JMI Equity partnership, RainFocus is equipped to hire the best possible team members and continue its rapid growth. Over the past year, the company has nearly tripled in size and more than doubled its client base. "Our new office is another strategic advantage helping us accelerate our market-disrupting event management platform," said JR Sherman, RainFocus CEO. "Our core values, tenacity to innovate and our culture of client success all remain the same. We now have an office that supports focus and collaboration across our teams and with our clients." RainFocus is the first company to have moved into Innovation Pointe, which is located at the center of the "Silicon Slopes," the heart of the Utah technology scene. The surrounding companies include a growing array of technology companies, including Oracle, which leverages RainFocus to drive significant visibility and ROI for their flagship events. "People create all value. We ar proud of our employees and the culture they create at RainFocus," said Robert Buckley, RainFocus SVP of HR. "Our new space allows for employee collaboration, client events and community activities. People make all the difference, and our new building facilitates the creativity we need to keep delivering for our clients." With more working space, RainFocus is continuing to expand its badge printing and onsite services. The larger conference rooms will be used for customer training events and strategy sessions. RainFocus attributes its rapid growth to the value it unlocks in face-to-face marketing and to its many accomplished and client-focused employees. About RainFocus RainFocus is an event marketing platform that simplifies event management, personalizes experiences and consolidates data for significantly better events. Unlike legacy systems, RainFocus solves for an entire events portfolio from one dashboard and seamlessly integrates with sales and marketing to drive engagement. The company was founded in 2014 and is headquartered in Lehi, Utah. Learn more at RainFocus.com. Media Contact RainFocus Brian Gates [email protected] Related Images rainfocus-logo.png RainFocus Logo innovation-pointe.jpg Innovation Pointe View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rainfocus-moves-to-the-silicon-slopes-300825042.html SOURCE RainFocus [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] Arista Networks to Announce Q1 2019 Financial Results on Thursday, May 2nd Arista Networks, Inc. (NYSE:ANET) will release its financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2019 after U.S. markets close on Thursday, May 2nd. The results will be included in a press release with accompanying financial information that will be posted on the Investor Relations section of the Arista website at https://investors.arista.com. Arista's executive management team will host a conference call on May 2nd, beginning at 1:30 p.m. PT (4:30 p.m. ET) to discuss financial results and business highlights. Interested parties may access the call by dialing (833) 287-7905 in the United States or (647) 689-4469 from international locations. The Conference ID is 1076829. Please dial-in ten minutes prior to the scheduled conference call time. In addition, a live webcast of the conference call will be accessible from the Investor Relations section of the Arista website at https://investors.arista.com. Shortly after the conclusion of the conference call, a replay of the audio webcast will be available on Arista's Investor Relations website. Upcoming Investor Event Participation Arista also announces it will participate in the following events in May and June with the financial community: J.P. Morgan Global Technology (News - Alert), Media and Communications Conference Ita Brennan, CFO Boston, MA Wednesday, May 15th, 2019 Time: 8:40am EDT / 5:40am PDT Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2019 Global Technology Conference Anshul Sadana, COO San Francisco, CA (News - Alert) Tuesday, June 4th, 2019 Time: 1:15pm EDT / 10:1am PDT William Blair 39th Annual Growth Stock Conference Ita Brennan, CFO Chicago, IL Wednesday, June 5th, 2019 Time: 12:20pm EDT / 11:20am CDT (News - Alert) Stifel 2019 Cross Sector Insight Conference John McCool, Chief Platform Officer Boston, MA Monday, June 10th 2019 Time: TBD on Arista Networks website at https://investors.arista.com A live audio webcast of these events will be accessible from the "Investors" section of Arista's website at https://investors.arista.com. About Arista Networks Arista Networks pioneered software-driven, cognitive cloud networking for large-scale datacenter and campus environments. Arista's award-winning platforms redefine and deliver availability, agility, automation, analytics, and security. Arista has shipped more than twenty million cloud networking ports worldwide with CloudVision and EOS, an advanced network operating system. Committed to open standards across private, public and hybrid cloud solutions, Arista products are supported worldwide directly and through partners. ARISTA, EOS, and CloudVision are among the registered and unregistered trademarks of Arista Networks, Inc. in jurisdictions around the world. Other company names or product names may be trademarks of their respective owners. Additional information and resources can be found at https://www.arista.com. This press release contains forward-looking statements including, but not limited to, statements regarding the benefits and best practices utilized in the design and implementation of Arista's EOS and CloudVision software and the enablement of cost savings, security capabilities, more performance and efficiency. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements including: our limited operating history and experience with developing and releasing new products; product, support or service quality problems; rapidly evolving changes in technology, customer requirements and industry standards as well as other risks stated in our filings with the SEC (News - Alert) available on Arista's website at www.arista.com and the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Arista disclaims any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190404005720/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] CentralSquare Introduces the World's First End-to-End, Cloud-Based Software for Mid-Tier Government: Early Adopters Benefit from Greater Security, Immediate Updates and Lower Costs CentralSquare, a leader in public sector software, announced today that Tehama County, California, has begun their migration to Public Administration Finance Professional, CentralSquare's cloud-hosted finance suite, to manage the county's accounting, payroll and treasury functions. CentralSquare Finance Pro provides numerous benefits, including more secure and resilient environments as a result of greater emphasis on disaster recovery and backup, ongoing and automated updates for leveraging the latest functionality and lower total cost of ownership, making it the most compelling software suite for local governments nationwide. "We no longer have to maintain servers onsite, so there's an extra level of security and reliability," said Krista Peterson, Assistant Auditor for Tehama County. "That's especially important right now with several neighboring counties experiencing massive fires recently, so having our data storage securely maintained by CentralSquare offsite is a big plus for us." She adds, "It has been difficult to find the budget for upgrades and additional IT services for our onsite system. Now, anytime there's an update, we'll have the latest and greatest without the need to contract out for IT assistance to help with basic needs like W-2 or 1099 updates." According to CentralSquare Public Administration Senior Vice President and General Manager Tom Amburgey, "More than half of our customers say they will be moving to the cloud within three years, and nearly three quarters of government workloads are expected to be in the cloud by 2021. Our leadership in the cloud further strengthens our position to lead that transformation." In today's digitally connected world, emerging technologies have the potential to transform public service operations. Yet government agencies are challenged by increased demands on limited resources and cumbersome IT systems, even as they recognize the need to rethink teir use and adoption of technology. CentralSquare Public Administration Suite Pro answers this challenge by delivering a unified, end-to-end enterprise suite for finance, asset management, community development, human capital management, municipal services, utilities and citizen engagement. Among its many innovative advancements, Public Administration Suite Pro helps improve government operations and citizen satisfaction by offering: Workspaces that enable easy access to finance, utility billing, community development and analytics software from a single, intuitive user interface. Single sign-on and user-management launch point that simplifies the login process and eliminates the hassle of remembering multiple passwords. Workflow engine that streamlines paper forms into digital workflows and automates land-use planning, permitting and inspection processes for community development. Citizen engagement portal which empowers citizens with the convenience of applying online for building permits, business licenses, code compliance and utilities, without the extra effort of having to call or visit the municipality. By taking advantage of the benefits of the cloud, public sector agencies maximize limited resources, increase IT flexibility and improve service. Shared infrastructure and economies of scale leverage scarce budget dollars by enabling agencies to scale their usage to match requirements, pay for only the IT resources they use and centralize IT services and data elements on a secure network. Additionally, Public Administration Pro's embedded analytics and automation unify business processes spanning multiple applications and datasets through a single user interface. As a result, governments realign organizational thinking by shifting their focus away from managing data to providing services, which creates a significant and measurable impact for citizens. Peterson adds, "This cloud-based product opens a multitude of opportunities for us, and we're excited to see the immediate benefits of smarter reporting, smoother workflows and better experience overall." About CentralSquare Formed by the merger of Superion, TriTech along with Zuercher, and the public sector and healthcare business of Aptean, CentralSquare Technologies is an industry leader in public safety and public administration software, serving over 7,500 organizations from the largest metropolitan city to counties and towns of every size across North America. Its technology platform provides solutions for public safety, including 911, computer-aided dispatch, records management, mobile, citations, evidence management, and corrections. For public administration agencies, CentralSquare provides software for finance, human capital management, payroll, utility billing, citizen engagement, asset management, regulatory compliance, and community development. For hospitals and clinicians, it provides patient information, compliance, and analytics software. CentralSquare's broad, unified and agile software suite serves 3 in 4 citizens across North America. More information is available at www.CentralSquare.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190404005816/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] SolarWinds to Announce First Quarter 2019 Financial Results on Wednesday, April 24 and Present at Investor Conferences During the Second Quarter AUSTIN, Texas, April 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SolarWinds (NYSE: SWI), a leading provider of powerful and affordable IT infrastructure management software for hybrid environments, today announced that it will report its financial results for the first quarter of 2019 on Wednesday, April 24, 2019. The company also plans to present at four investor conferences during the second quarter. FIRST QUARTER EARNINGS CALL SolarWinds will host a conference call to discuss its financial results for the first quarter of 2019 and its business at 4:00 p.m. CT (5:00 p.m. ET/2:00 p.m. PT) on Wednesday, April 24, 2019. A live webcast of the call will be available on the SolarWinds Investor Relations website at http://investors.solarwinds.com. A live dial-in will be available domestically at (877) 823-8676 and internationally at +1 (647) 689-4178. To access the live call, please dial in 5-10 minutes before the scheduled start time. A replay of the webcast will be available on a temporary basis shortly after the event on the SolarWinds Investor Relations website. The company will issue its earnings release, highlighting its first quarter of 2019 results at approximately 3:15 p.m. CT (4:15 p.m. ET/1:15 p.m. PT) on Wednesday, April 24, 2019. UPCOMING INVESTOR CONFERENCES During the second quarter of 2019, SolarWinds executives plan to present at the following investor conference. Jefferies Software Conference InterActions! on May 5 th in Beverly Hills, California in Beverly Hills, California J.P. Morgan Global Technology, Media and Communications Conference on May 15 th in Boston, Massachusetts in Boston, Massachusetts Baird 2019 Global Consumer, Technology and Services Conference on June 5 th in New York, New York in New York, New York Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2019 Global Technology Conference on June 5th in San Francisco, California An audio webcast will be available at the time of each presentation and for a limited time thereafter at http://investors.solarwinds.com . #SWIfinancials About SolarWinds SolarWinds (NYSE:SWI) a leading provider of powerful and affordable IT infrastructure management software. Our products give organizations worldwide, regardless of type, size or IT infrastructure complexity, the power to monitor and manage the performance of their IT environments, whether on-premise, in the cloud, or in hybrid models. We continuously engage with all types of technology professionalsIT operations professionals, DevOps professionals, and managed service providers (MSPs)to understand the challenges they face maintaining high-performing and highly available IT infrastructures. The insights we gain from engaging with them, in places like our THWACK online community, allow us to build products that solve well-understood IT management challenges in ways that technology professionals want them solved. This focus on the user and commitment to excellence in end-to-end hybrid IT performance management has established SolarWinds as a worldwide leader in network and systems management software and MSP solutions. Learn more today at www.solarwinds.com . 2019 SolarWinds Worldwide, LLC. All rights reserved. CONTACTS: Investors: Media: Dave Hafner Tiffany Nels Phone: 385.374.7059 Phone: 512.682.9535 [email protected] [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] NYU WIRELESS founder predicts proposed FCC rule will grow amateur radio hobby and inspire future engineers BROOKLYN, N.Y., April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- In comments filed with the Federal Communications Commission and members of Congress today, the researcher credited with proving to the wireless communications world that millimeter wave communications should become the backbone for 5G cellular cast his support for a proposed FCC ham radio rule, predicting it would open exciting opportunities for growth in amateur radio and encourage youngsters to listen and thereby learn about electronics and communications. Professor Theodore (Ted) Rappaport, the founder of the noted research center NYU WIRELESS at the NYU Tandon School of Engineering and the world's most highly cited author in the wireless communications field, wrote: "The FCC has recently recognized a major problem that has existed for decades in ham radio, and in the past few days took steps to institute vital new rules that will grow the hobby by reiterating the fundamental requirement that all radio communications are open, so that the public may listen in." Rappaport was referring to rulemaking proposal RM-11831 by Ron Kolarik, a radio amateur from Nebraska who singled out two key problems that have plagued the hobby for two decades, through the emergence of data communications and the Internet. In the rulemaking petition, RM-11831, Kolarik noted that many stations are improperly using effectively encrypted transmissions, essentially turning the public airwaves of ham radio into a private point-to-point email system, in violation of many FCC rules. Rappaport had earlier complained to the FCC and Congress about the danger of such obscured messages for national security. "Even in emergency communications, the FCC has ruled clearly that ham radio traffic must always be open to public interception, so that anyone, including the public and other hams, can tune in to listen and learn, and even to help in time of emergency," Rappaport wrote. "Ham radio is what led me and thousands of others into a career of electronics and communications, and it all started by listening to shortwave, which then led me to ham radio and my N9NB call sign as a teenager. This new rulemaking will ensure that young computer enthusiasts will be able to use open source software and readily available decoding methods to listen in by tinkering and engaging with an exciting hobby that encourages international goodwill and develops the soft skills and electronics know-how needed to succeed in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM)." In his recently filed comments to the FCC, which were also sent to many congressional leaders, Rappaport acknowledged the efforts of the American Radio Relay League (ARRL): "I also applaud the ARRL's recent acknowledgement of the problems of obscured data and digital aggressionthat exist in the hobby today." "I am proud to be a Life Member of the ARRL, but the ARRL represents only 20% of the 750,000 hams in the United States and is coming out of a dark period. ARRL's past lack of attention to gross FCC rule violations and numerous spurious petitions led to a stagnation in ham radio. The current ARRL board realizes that changes for the hobby are needed, and RM-11831 acknowledges past problems and sets the hobby on an exciting new path for growth, bringing ham radio back to its fundamental purpose of openness and building a reservoir of technical experts for our country." Rappaport said some parts of the high frequency (HF) amateur radio service have effectively encrypted data. He explained the technical history: "In 1995, FCC approved ham radio to use open source data, PACTOR 1, through 95-2106, which met the FCC's objective of preventing the use of codes or ciphers intended to obscure the meaning of the communications. "Over the years, some data and private email advocates began to chip away at the FCC Part 97 rules with tiny modifications and very nuanced language that allowed for 'creative interpretation' leading to frequent interference with other hams and obscured data that only one sender and one receiver can understand over the public airways. This was accomplished by compression and automated request transmissions (ARQ) that require instantaneous channel knowledge that only the sender and receiver can experience. This provides effective encryption over the air, and even other owners of radios equipped to receive ARQ cannot intercept the signals for their plain meaning." Rappaport's critics include the Amateur Radio Safety Foundation, Inc. (ARSFI), which runs a global email system, Winlink, over the amateur radio short wave spectrum as well as in other frequency bands used by mariners and governments. Winlink uses a network of largely unattended, automated repeater stations that store and forward messages around the world using the ionosphere. Hams have complained for decades to the FCC that such messages cannot be eavesdropped over the air by the public, other ham operators, or even the FCC. "The FCC has always been very clear that all ham radio messages must be out in the open, for over-the-air copy by anyone in real time," Rappaport said, citing numerous FCC rules that suggest the amateur radio spectrum is a gift, like a national park, made available for all to share. "Having openly decodable communication is the only way to engage the public, self-police the amateur spectrum (as required by FCC), and grow a healthy, open, and inclusive hobby that attracts youth. The FCC has recognized this with RM-11831. With this proposal, there will be no loss of emergency communications capabilities and no loss of legitimate data. The ruling simply reaffirms that all store-and-forward transmissions need to be confined to the FCC-allocated sub-bands already made available for this type of data so that they avoid interfering with others, and that all transmissions will be openly decodable by other hams, the public, and the FCC. I sincerely hope that by being able to listen in, youngsters will become fascinated with the magic of radio, just like I and thousands of others did before we finished high school." The FCC is accepting comments on RM-11831 until April 29, 2019. About NYU WIRELESS NYU WIRELESS is a multi-disciplinary academic research center that offers an unprecedented and unique set of skills. Centered at the NYU Tandon School of Engineering, and involving more than 100 faculty and students throughout the entire NYU community, NYU WIRELESS offers its faculty, students and affiliated sponsors from industry a world-class research environment that is creating the fundamental theories and techniques for next-generation mass-deployable wireless devices across a wide range of applications and markets. This center combines NYU Tandon, NYU School of Medicine and NYU Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, and offers a depth of expertise with unparalleled capabilities for the creation of new wireless circuits and systems as well as new health care solutions for the wireless industry. For more information, visit www.nyuwireless.com. About the New York University Tandon School of Engineering The NYU Tandon School of Engineering dates to 1854, the founding date for both the New York University School of Civil Engineering and Architecture and the Brooklyn Collegiate and Polytechnic Institute (widely known as Brooklyn Poly). A January 2014 merger created a comprehensive school of education and research in engineering and applied sciences, rooted in a tradition of invention and entrepreneurship and dedicated to furthering technology in service to society. In addition to its main location in Brooklyn, NYU Tandon collaborates with other schools within NYU, one of the country's foremost private research universities, and is closely connected to engineering programs at NYU Abu Dhabi and NYU Shanghai. It operates Future Labs focused on start-up businesses in downtown Manhattan and Brooklyn and an award-winning online graduate program. For more information, visit http://engineering.nyu.edu. Facebook: www.facebook.com/nyutandon Twitter: @NYUTandon View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nyu-wireless-founder-predicts-proposed-fcc-rule-will-grow-amateur-radio-hobby-and-inspire-future-engineers-300825114.html SOURCE NYU Tandon School of Engineering [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] New Mountain Finance Corporation Schedules Its First Quarter 2019 Earnings Release and Dividend Announcement New Mountain Finance Corporation (NYSE: NMFC) ("NMFC" or "the Company") today announced that it will release its financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2019 on Monday, May 6, 2019 after the close of the U.S. financial markets. Additionally, at that time, the Company will announce its second quarter 2019 dividend. The Company will host an earnings conference call and audio webcast at 10:00 am (Eastern Time) on Tuesday, May 7, 2019. During the conference call, the Company's officers will review the first quarter performance, discuss recent events and conduct a question-and-answer period. To Participate in the Telephone Conference Call: Dial in at least fifteen minutes prior to the start time. Domestic: +1 (877) 443-9109 International: +1 (412) 317-1082 Conference Call Playback Domestic: +1 (877) 344-7529 International: +1 (412) 317-0088 Passcode: 10130291 The playback can be accessed one hour after the end of the conference call through May 7, 2020 at 9:00 am (Eastern Time). Webcast The conference call will also be available in the Investor Relations section of the Company's website at http://ir.newmountainfinance.com. To listen to the live all, please go to the Company's website at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the call to register and download any necessary audio software. Following the call, you may access a replay of the event via audio webcast on its website. ABOUT NEW MOUNTAIN FINANCE CORPORATION New Mountain Finance Corporation is a closed-end, non-diversified and externally managed investment company that has elected to be regulated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. The Company's investment objective is to generate current income and capital appreciation through the sourcing and origination of debt securities at all levels of the capital structure, including first and second lien debt, notes, bonds and mezzanine securities. The Company's first lien debt may include traditional first lien senior secured loans or unitranche loans. Unitranche loans combine characteristics of traditional first lien senior secured loans as well as second lien and subordinated loans. Unitranche loans will expose the Company to the risks associated with second lien and subordinated loans to the extent it invests in the "last out" tranche. In some cases, the investments may also include small equity interests. The Company's investment activities are managed by its Investment Adviser, New Mountain Finance Advisers BDC, L.L.C., which is an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended. More information about New Mountain Finance Corporation can be found on the Company's website at http://www.newmountainfinance.com. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS Statements included herein may contain "forward-looking statements", which relate to our future operations, future performance or our financial condition. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, condition or results and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual results and outcomes may differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including those described from time to time in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission or factors that are beyond our control. New Mountain Finance Corporation undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements made herein, unless required to do so by law. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the time of this press release. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190404005825/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] MIC Enters into Agreements to Sell Operating Renewables Businesses Macquarie Infrastructure Corporation (NYSE: MIC) announced that it has reached agreements for the sale of each of its portfolios of operating wind and solar power generation businesses. Aggregate gross proceeds to MIC from the sales are expected to be $215 million. Under the agreements, MIC, acting through its subsidiaries, will sell its 203MW (gross) portfolio of wind generation assets to DIF Infrastructure V, a fund managed by DIF, a global infrastructure fund management company, and its 142 MW portfolio of solar power generation assets to Goldman Sachs Renewable Power LLC. Closing of the transactions is subject to receipt of usual and customary consents for a transaction of this type. The sales of the individual businesses comprising the wind and solar portfolios are expected to close progressively over the balance of 2019. "With the signing of these agreements we have reached another important milestone in our efforts to streamline our portfolio and realize investments in certain smaller and non-core business," said Christopher Frost, chie executive officer of MIC. "At the same time we have delivered an attractive risk-adjusted return to our shareholders and expect to use the proceeds from these sales to fund a portion of our investment in the growth of our remaining businesses." MIC announced its intention to exit its renewable power generation businesses in November of last year. In anticipation of these sales, the Company's guidance for the generation of EBITDA of between $610 and $635 million in 2019 did not include any contribution from these businesses. MIC's financial advisor was Greentech Capital Advisors and its legal advisor was Winston & Strawn LLP. About MIC MIC owns and operates a diversified group of businesses providing basic services to customers in the United States. Its businesses consist of a bulk liquid terminals business, International-Matex Tank Terminals, an airport services business, Atlantic Aviation, and entities comprising an energy services, production and distribution segment, MIC Hawaii. For additional information, please visit the MIC website at www.macquarie.com/mic. MIC is not an authorized deposit-taking institution for the purposes of the Banking Act 1959 (Commonwealth of Australia). The obligations of MIC do not represent deposits or other liabilities of Macquarie Bank Limited ABN 46 008 583 542 (MBL). MBL does not guarantee or otherwise provide assurance in respect of the obligations of MIC. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190404005835/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] Quest Solution, Inc. Announces $5 Million Private Placement SALT LAKE CITY, April 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Quest Solution, Inc. (OTCQB: QUES) ("Quest" or the "Company"), a provider of Supply Chain and Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based Machine Vision solutions, announced it has entered into a securities purchase agreement with institutional and accredited investors, which will result in gross proceeds to Quest of approximately $5 million, before deducting placement agent fees and estimated offering expenses. ThinkEquity, a division of Fordham Financial Management, Inc. is acting as sole placement agent for the offering. The net proceeds of the offering are expected to be used for the development of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning solutions for school security, smart city and supply chain as well as for increasing sales and marketing efforts and for general working capital. Shai Lustgarten, CEO of Quest Solution stated: We believe this transaction represents a milestone in our Companys progress to becoming a leading provider of Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning based solutions. We currently have a solid portfolio of patented and successful solutions that leverage our pattern recognition technology for use in vital security applications as well as for commercial applications like parking automation and warehouse management. We are excited about the opportunities the Company is seeing in the multi-billion dollar markets we participate in, particularly for our school security solution that can address the needs of the more than 100,000 K-12 schools in the U.S. and opportunities around our ability to enable faster, ticketless smart parking. Mr. Lustgarten continued, With Quests IP and patents, we believe we are advantageously positioned to continue developing and bringing to market exceptional AI solutions. We plan to pursue a listing on a national exchange which we believe will introduce Quest to a broader audience and create future opportunities. The securities issuable upon closing of the offering consist of unregistered shares of common stock at a purchase price of $0.30 per share. For each share purchased, investors will receive a warrant to purchase a share of common stock at an exercise price equal to $0.35 per share, which warrants are exercisable for a period of five and one-half years from the issuance date. This private placement is expected to close on April 5, 2019, subject to customary closing conditions. The securities to be offered and sold by Quest in the private placement are not being registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) and Regulation D promulgated thereunder, or state securities laws and may not be offered or sol in the United States absent registration with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") or an applicable exemption from such registration requirements. Quest has agreed to file a registration statement with the SEC covering the resale of the shares of common stock, including shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of the warrants, to be issued in the private placement. Any resale of Quest securities under such resale registration statement will be made only by means of a prospectus. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction. About Quest Solution, Inc. Quest Solution is a Specialty Systems Integrator focused on Field and Supply Chain Mobility as well as a provider of Artificial Intelligence (AI) monitoring and surveillance solutions. Additionally the Company is a manufacturer and distributor of consumables (labels, tags, and ribbons), RFID and IoT solutions, and barcoding printers. Founded in 1994, Quest is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah with sales offices located across the United States as well as Israel. Rated in the Top 1% of global solution providers, Quest specializes in the design, deployment and management of enterprise mobility solutions including Automatic Identification and Data Capture (AIDC), Mobile Cloud Analytics, RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), and proprietary Mobility software. Our mobility products and services offering is designed to identify, track, trace, share and connect data to enterprise systems such as CRM or ERP solutions. Our customers are leading Fortune 500 companies from several sectors including manufacturing, retail, distribution, food / beverage, transportation and logistics, health care and chemicals / gas / oil. Information about Forward-Looking Statements Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements in this press release relating to our competitive position in this growing market and our ability to optimize our opportunities for growth and other statements that are not descriptions of historical facts may be forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. This release contains forward-looking statements that include information relating to future events including expectations regarding billing of products, our ability to add new customer relationships and strengthen our existing partnerships. The words may, would, will, expect, estimate, can, believe, potential and similar expressions and variations thereof are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at, or by, which that performance or those results will be achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on information available at the time they are made and/or managements good faith belief as of that time with respect to future events, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in or suggested by the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause these differences include, but are not limited to: fluctuations in demand for Quest Solution, Inc.s products, the introduction of new products, the Companys ability to maintain customer and strategic business relationships, the impact of competitive products and pricing, growth in targeted markets, the adequacy of the Companys liquidity and financial strength to support its growth and other information that may be detailed from time-to-time in Quest Solution Inc.s filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Examples of such forward looking statements in this release include, among others, statements regarding the intended use of proceeds from the offering and statements regarding Quests position in this growing market and our ability to optimize our opportunities for growth, including any sales of the Companys products in schools and parking lots Further, there cannot be any assurance that the Companys securities will be listed on any national exchange or market. For a more detailed description of the risk factors and uncertainties affecting Quest Solution, Inc. please refer to the Companys recent Securities and Exchange Commission filings, which are available at http://www.sec.gov. Quest Solution, Inc. undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless otherwise required by law. Investor Contact: John Nesbett/Jen Belodeau IMS Investor Relations 203.972.9200 [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] INVESTOR ALERT: Law Offices of Howard G. Smith Announces Investigation on Behalf of Nokia Corporation Investors Law Offices of Howard G. Smith announces an investigation on behalf of Nokia (News - Alert) Corporation investors ("Nokia" or the "Company") (NYSE: NOK) concerning the Company and its officers' possible violations of federal securities laws. On March 21, 2019, the Company disclosed that it had been, "made aware of certain practices relating to compliance issues at the former Alcatel Lucent business [acquired by Nokia November 2016] that have raised concerns.'' Nokia then advised investors that it had initiated an internal investigation and tht it was cooperating with regulatory authorities to resolve the matter. On this news, shares of Nokia fell $0.38 per share, or over 6%, to close at $5.88 on March 22, 2019, thereby injuring investors. If you purchased Nokia securities, 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/20190404005853/en/ [April 04, 2019] National University System Launches Workforce Education Solutions to Expand Educational Pathways for Employees in High-Demand Fields The nonprofit National University System (NUS), a network of undergraduate and graduate universities that provide quality, affordable higher education for more than 45,000 working adults, announced today that it is launching Workforce Education Solutions to expand its efforts nationally to create educational pathways for employees in high-demand fields. Workforce Education Solutions aligns degree programs with employer-defined professional competencies so that students can pursue a more direct and affordable pathway to degree completion. Through this approach, students acquire skills that allow them to advance their careers and fill future job demands while ensuing employers can benefit from a highly-skilled workforce. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190404005855/en/ Chris Graham is President of Workforce Education Solutions at National University System (Photo: Business Wire) Workforce Education Solutions addresses a troubling skills gap nationwide in connecting higher education programs to the specific needs of employers and industry sectors. Due to this workforce skills gap, employers are finding it more challenging to attract and retain qualified candidates. As a result, according to industry forecasts an estimated 6.5 million jobs are likely to remain unfilled. Workforce Education Solutions leverages and represents a strong commitment to further advance the National University System's strong track record of serving diverse student populations, including adult learners, and creating workforce collaborations with organizations and public agencies representing healthcare, banking, public safety, and K-12 and community college education. "Workforce Education Solutions is addressing a critical need in addressing the nationwide need for highly-skilled workers through collaborations with organizations, companies and the public sector to develop educational and market-driven opportunities for our students," said Chris Graham, President of Workforce Education Solutions at the National University System. "We look forward to expanding access to our online platforms and personalized learning approaches that are designed to support student success from the classroom to the workforce." "The National University System is pleased be expanding our efforts nationally to support student success and employer needs through Workforce Education Solutions," said Dr. Michael R. Cunningham, National University System Chancellor. "At the National University Sytem, we believe that addressing the workforce skills gap is essential to ensuring our nation's future, and we are dedicated to creating academic, career-focused pathways that provide access to a quality, affordable degree." Addressing Workforce Needs, Starting in Five Fields Workforce Education Solutions leverages the strength of the National University System affiliated institutions, building on partnerships already in place and initiated by National University, City University of Seattle, John F. Kennedy University and Northcentral University. Workforce Education Solutions is focusing initially on five market-driven verticals with the intention to expand to additional categories in the near future. The initial areas of focus are: BANKING AND CORPORATE : Workforce Education Solutions will work with banking industry groups, starting with the Washington Banker's Association, to expand on a concept developed by NUS affiliate City University of Seattle to offer a credit alignment program for banking employees based on standards outlined by the American Bankers Association's (ABA). Students with sufficient ABA credits may waive up to 25 percent of their MBA and undergraduate programs, significantly reducing time and cost. National University is aligning banking principle competencies into its MBA and Finance programs. Meanwhile, City University of Seattle has offered credit alignments with Boeing's (News - Alert) training programs to create a pathway for thousands of employees to obtain their B.A. in Management and advance their careers. : Workforce Education Solutions will work with banking industry groups, starting with the Washington Banker's Association, to expand on a concept developed by NUS affiliate City University of Seattle to offer a credit alignment program for banking employees based on standards outlined by the American Bankers Association's (ABA). Students with sufficient ABA credits may waive up to 25 percent of their MBA and undergraduate programs, significantly reducing time and cost. National University is aligning banking principle competencies into its MBA and Finance programs. Meanwhile, City University of Seattle has offered credit alignments with Boeing's (News - Alert) training programs to create a pathway for thousands of employees to obtain their B.A. in Management and advance their careers. PUBLIC SAFETY: National University has launched a program that incorporates prior academy education for public safety and law enforcement groups, resulting in a reduction of time and cost to obtain a degree. Workforce Education Solutions has created academic credit articulations with training credit approved by the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST), making it possible in some cases to reduce program time and cost by 40 percent and earn a bachelor's degree in less than a year. The concept is being expanded nationally. National University has launched a program that incorporates prior academy education for public safety and law enforcement groups, resulting in a reduction of time and cost to obtain a degree. Workforce Education Solutions has created academic credit articulations with training credit approved by the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST), making it possible in some cases to reduce program time and cost by 40 percent and earn a bachelor's degree in less than a year. The concept is being expanded nationally. HEALTH CARE: Workforce Education Solutions, through National University's School of Health and Human Services, has aligned courses with Planetree International's standards for patient-centered care. This partnership positions National University as a leader in collaborating with other health care facilities, including Sharp (News - Alert) hospitals and medical care centers, that have also achieved Planetree recognition and a commitment to achieving the highest quality patient outcomes while serving diverse communities through a person-centered model of care. Workforce Education Solutions, through National University's School of Health and Human Services, has aligned courses with Planetree International's standards for patient-centered care. This partnership positions National University as a leader in collaborating with other health care facilities, including Sharp (News - Alert) hospitals and medical care centers, that have also achieved Planetree recognition and a commitment to achieving the highest quality patient outcomes while serving diverse communities through a person-centered model of care. K-12 EDUCATION: Workforce Education Solutions is piloting teacher pathways to increase greater diversity in the nation's teacher workforce through partnerships with high schools and community colleges and access to affordable degree options from National University's Sanford College of Education, which is among the Top Ten largest schools in the country. In addition, academic pathways are being developed at National University that include a focus on special education administrators, and para-professionals. The Applied Behavioral Analysis program, for example, prepares educators for the national Board Certified Behavior Analysis exam. Workforce Education Solutions is piloting teacher pathways to increase greater diversity in the nation's teacher workforce through partnerships with high schools and community colleges and access to affordable degree options from National University's Sanford College of Education, which is among the Top Ten largest schools in the country. In addition, academic pathways are being developed at National University that include a focus on special education administrators, and para-professionals. The Applied Behavioral Analysis program, for example, prepares educators for the national Board Certified Behavior Analysis exam. COMMUNITY COLLEGES: Workforce Education Solutions and Northcentral University will help faculty, staff and part-time workers earn Ph.D.'s and professional degrees, to provide additional education for administrators for career advancement. National University, which has partnership with 114 community colleges in California, is also strengthening its educational pathways for transfer students in career-specific fields. National University System's expertise supporting workforce education is based on its roots serving adult learners. National University was founded nearly 50 years ago by Dr. David Chigos, who identified a need to better serve and support the up-skilling of employees while working as director of learning for General Dynamics (News - Alert). While there, he saw the challenges faced by employees serving in the military who were regularly deployed and unable to complete their education at traditional institutions. He was inspired to create National University, which is dedicated to providing affordable, quality education for working professionals. Today, Workforce Education Solutions is working with numerous companies, including Wells Fargo (News - Alert), Easter Seals, Scripps Health, and Sharp Health Care, through National University System partnerships. About National University System. Established in 2001 to meet the emerging challenges and demands of education in the 21st Century, the National University System is a network of accredited nonprofit education institutions serving higher education and K-12 students that includes National University, Northcentral University, John F. Kennedy University, City University of Seattle, and the Division of Pre-College Programs. Learn more at National University System. About Workforce Education Solutions. The workforce development arm of National University System, seeks to help the nation meet its need for highly skilled workers by developing educational pathways for working adults in key industries to advance their careers and earning power. WES partners with corporations, industries, and government agencies to align training with degree-bearing credits and keeps cost low for employees by recognizing prior learning and eliminating duplication between new courses and previous in-house training. Workforce training solutions are customized to meet industry needs by embedding desired industry practices/standards and competencies into coursework. Visit nusystem.org/partnership. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190404005855/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Another day, another Facebook public-relations disaster. (Image credit: Frederic Legrand - COMEO/Shutterstock.com) Two caches of Facebook user data, one of them with 540 million records, were recently found unprotected on Amazon cloud servers, the data-breach-monitoring firm UpGuard said in a blog posting Wednesday (April 3). Facebook didn't put the data there. It was collected by two third-party companies, who violated Facebook's own policies by storing it publicly. But the fact that there was so much of it, and that it seems to have been fairly easy to find, makes us wonder how much more Facebook user data there is floating in the cloud beyond Facebook's reach. "As Facebook faces scrutiny over its data stewardship practices, they have made efforts to reduce third-party access," the UpGuard post says. "But as these exposures show, the data genie cannot be put back in the bottle. Data about Facebook users has been spread far beyond the bounds of what Facebook can control today." MORE: How to Stop Facebook From Sharing Your Data To be clear, the 540 million records found in the larger of the two data sets does not translate to 540 million Facebook users. That stash of data was collected by a Mexican digital-media firm called Cultura Colectiva, which has a nice-looking, photo-heavy website in both Spanish and English devoted to everything and anything Latin American, as well as lots of pop culture. It's kind of a hybrid of Mashable, Tumblr and BuzzFeed. Cultura Colectiva, which has been around since 2013, urges readers to share its stories on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp and Pinterest. Its commenting system uses Facebook's API. Anyone who wants to comment has to log into Facebook and stay logged in. It looks like the 540 million records may in fact be an aggregate of all the "comments, likes, reactions, account names, Facebook IDs and more," as UpGuard described it, pertaining to every comment ever made on any Cultura Colectiva story. That's still 146 gigabytes of material, UpGuard said. It would be a rich trove of Facebook user data to mine for anyone interested. But it doesn't include Facebook passwords, and it doesn't offer any path directly into Facebook accounts. Sorry, the pool is closed The other data set was collected by a failed social-media startup called At the Pool that aimed at "pooling" people who shared common interests and happened to be geographically close to each other. At one point, At the Pool required Facebook authentication, similar to Tinder. The At the Pool Amazon bucket found by UpGuard contained data on 22,000 Facebook users, including their Facebook user ID, likes, friends, photos, groups and interests. Plaintext passwords were included, but they weren't Facebook passwords. "The passwords are presumably for the 'At the Pool' app rather than for the user's Facebook account, but would put users at risk who have reused the same password across accounts," the UpGuard blog post notes. After two years of operation, At the Pool went belly-up in 2014. The data may have sat there unprotected on Amazon's cloud for five years. On the plus side, the data was removed from the Amazon server while UpGuard's researchers were poking around in it, and before they had a chance to notify anyone. "It is unknown if this is a coincidence, if there was a hosting period lapse, or if a responsible party became aware of the exposure at that time," UpGuard wrote. "Regardless, the application is no longer active and all signs point to its parent company having shut down." Radio silence Such was not the case with the Cultura Colectiva data. UpGuard said they told Cultura Colectiva about the uprotected stash on Jan. 10 and Jan. 14, and told Amazon server admins on Feb. 1 and Feb. 21. "It was not until the morning of April 3rd, 2019, after Facebook was contacted by Bloomberg for comment, that the database backup ... was finally secured," the post said. They've lost control again These two stories have vaguely happy endings. There's no evidence that anyone other than the UpGuard researchers was aware of either data set, although naturally we can't know for sure. On the downside, what these tales indicate is that lots and lots of companies, most of which you've never heard of, have hooks into Facebook user content. There is almost certainly tons more Facebook data stored on Amazon web servers, only with protection. These two data sets are merely what the UpGuard researchers were able to find. So far, the amount of misused Facebook data we have learned about Cambridge Analytica and these two databases is probably just the tip of the iceberg. "The data exposed in each of these sets would not exist without Facebook, yet these data sets are no longer under Facebook's control," the UpGuard post says in conclusion. "The Facebook platform facilitated the collection of data about individuals and its transfer to third parties," it adds. "The responsibility for securing [Facebook user data] lies with millions of app developers who have built on its platform." Samsung is getting ready to launch its long-awaited Galaxy S10 5G, according to a new report. But should you be one of the first to get your hands on this phablet, or should you wait? (Image credit: Tom's Guide) Evan Blass, who has been one of the more prolific and reliable leakers in recent memory, has tweeted that Samsung is planning to launch its Galaxy S10 5G on May 16. He said in the tweet that the handset will be exclusive to Verizon's network. Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S10 5G in February alongside 4G LTE models. The Galaxy S10 5G comes with a very large 6.7-inch screen and features a triple-lens rear camera system with a depth sensor to cap things off. It also has a 4,500mAh battery pack, which should translate to solid battery life. MORE: Verizon Just Launched Mobile 5G: Everything You Need to Know For comparison, the Galaxy S10 Plus has a 6.4-inch display and a 4,100 mAh battery, which lasted an excellent 12 hours and 35 minutes on our web surfing battery test. However, it remains to be seen how much juice the 5G connection will use. Blass' tweet comes just a day after Verizon announced that it had turned on its 5G network in Chicago and Minneapolis. And at least so far, it's getting strong, but not necessarily unblemished reviews. Tom's Guide conducted a speed test in Chicago on Wednesday (Apr. 3) to see just how fast the network performed. The test was conducted on the Moto Z3, the handset that's compatible with Verizon's 5G network. In the first round of tests (using the Ookla.net Speedtest app), we saw that the Verizon 5G network delivered download speeds of 641Mbps. On the upload side, speeds hovered at around 24Mbps. While that's fast and notably faster than 4G it's far from the 1Gbps Internet some 5G boosters had promised. There's also the problem of availability. As nice as 5G might be, Verizon and other carriers need to roll it out across the U.S. For example, Verizon will reach just 30 cities by the end of this year, while AT&T has plans to cover at least 21 cities. T-Mobile is aiming to get 30 cities launched by the end of this year and says it will offer nationwide 5G by 2020. Sprint will have four cities in May with more to come. In other words, if you're living in an area that won't get 5G anytime soon, there's no rush to get the Galaxy S10 5G. For its part, Samsung hasn't commented on its plans for the Galaxy S10 5G and has stopped short of providing a launch date. The company's Galaxy S10e, Galaxy S10, and Galaxy S10+ are all available now. We'll be sure to let you know when the 5G version's launch date is made official. Apple has been known to sit out on the first wave of technologies, but waiting until 2021 at the earliest to come out with a 5G phone would be a crazy long delay. Like disastrously long. But that may be what's happening. As reported by 9to5 Mac, UBS analyst Timothy Arcuri has released a report that says "there is an increasing likelihood that Apple will not be able to launch a 5G iPhone next year." (Image credit: Tom's Guide) That would mean no 5G iPhone not just in 2019, which was already expected, but not in 2020 either. This would put Apple at a huge disadvantage in the smartphone wars. Why would Apple wait so long to adopt 5G? After all, Verizon just launched its first two mobile 5G cities today, and 30 more cities will be online by the end of the year on Verizon's network alone. The other wireless carriers have 5G launch plans of their own for this year. And the Galaxy S10 5G is launching before the summer. MORE: 5G Phones: Every Known Phone and Release Date The issue is that Apple doesn't have access to Qualcomm's 5G modems due to its ongoing patent dispute with the company. And Arcuri says that Intel, Apple's main supplier, may not have its modems ready in time by the end of next year. That leaves Apple looking at alternatives, such as MediaTek and Samsung. Apparently, the MediaTek modem may not meet Apple's strict standards, and the analyst believes that "Apple does not practically want to partner with Samsung for this component." As 9to5 Mac rightly points out, Apple already partners with Samsung on other components, such as OLED panels. It's possible that Samsung simply doesn't want to supply the part, as Apple missing the boat on 5G may be worth more to Samsung than the windfall of revenue that its modem would provide. Avi Greengart, the founder and lead analyst at Techsponential, shared this comment on Twitter: "Agree that Apple can't afford to miss 5G next year in China. In the U.S.? It really depends on how ubiquitous the network rollouts actually are. That's still an open question." Of course, it's still early days in the 5G revolution, but we're already seeing a dramatic speed difference in 5G vs 4G. In Chicago, we saw download rates in excess of 600 Mbps, and Verizon is promising an average of 450 Mbps. In our 4G LTE testing in the same city, Verizon averaged 86 Mbps. So we're talking about five times faster speeds for 5G. Now, 2020 is a long way away. And, who knows Apple could bury the hatchet with Qualcomm between now and then. But right now, a 5G iPhone is anything but certain for next year. And that should scare Apple. Oppos second shot at an Android flagship for the U.K. has produced a phone with a stunning display, innovative design, and excellent camera performance; the Galaxy S21 Ultra has serious competition. Oppos second shot at an Android flagship for the U.K. has produced a phone with a stunning display, innovative design, and excellent camera performance; the Galaxy S21 Ultra has serious competition. Oppo Find X3 Pro specs Price: 1,099 Screen size: 6.7-inch OLED (3216 x 1440, 5 to 120Hz) CPU: Snapdragon 888 RAM: 12GB Storage: 256GB Rear cameras: 50MP main (f/1.8); 50MP ultra wide (f/2.2); 13MP telephoto (f/2.4); 3MP microlens (f/3.0) Front camera: 32MP (f/3.0) Battery size: 4,500 mAh Size: 6.4 x 2.9 x 0.33 inches (163.6 x 74.0 x 8.26mm) Weight: 6.81 ounces (193g) In There will be Blood, protagonist Daniel Plainview declared I drink your milkshake! in reference to effectively stealing the oil from another persons land. Well, thats what I feel the Oppo Find X3 Pro is aiming to do to Samsung flagship phones. With the Oppo Find X2 Pro , Chinese smartphone maker Oppo made a stellar debut into the U.K.s flagship Android arena. And now the Find X3 Pro looks set to build upon those foundations and take on the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra , among other best Android phones. With access to the Snapdragon 888, improved cameras, and a striking design, the Oppo Find X3 Pro is a proper high-end phone that makes few compromises to take on the best Apple and Samsung have to offer. So come we me for this Oppo Find X3 Pro review, as I tell you the tale of why you should consider this phone if you're looking for a premium device. Editor's note: We crowned our picks in the Tom's Guide Awards 2021 for phones. The Find X3 Pro won a highly recommended award. When it goes on sale in the U.K. on April 14, the Oppo Find X3 Pro will set you back 1,099. Thats far from cheap and puts the X3 Pro in the same price range as the iPhone 12 Pro Max ($1,099 in the U.S and 1,099 in the UK). But Apple will only give you 128GB of storage space for the money, while Oppo offers the Find X3 Pro with 256GB. There's no 512GB option for the Find X3 Pro, and that seems like a stage step down from the Find X2 Pro. While that phone also cost the same amount at launch, it had double the storage. However, the X3 Pro undercuts the Galaxy S21 Ultra, which starts at a hefty 1,149 for the 128GB model in the UK. (It's $1,199 for U.S. shoppers.) I won't call the X3 Pro a bargain, but its definitely competitively priced for this kind of flagship phone, given it has a suite of specs to trade blows with some of the best phones around. As Oppo shares a manufacturing line with OnePlus, theres an argument that the biggest rival the Find X3 Pro could face will come from its sibling brand. The OnePlus 9 is set to make its debut on March 23. And given the OnePlus 8 Pro undercut the Find X2 Pro, at a starting price of 799, yet provided an impressive specs sheet, the rumored OnePlus 9 Pro could do the same; time will tell on this. Unfortunately, for people on the wrong side of the Atlantic ocean, the Find X3 Pro isn't coming to the U.S, at least not at launch. Oppo could change its mind if the X3 Pro garners attention on Britain's shores. Oppo Find X3 Pro review: Design I adore the vegan leather back on the Find X2 Pro, as its textured finish made the large phone and its curved display feel less likely to slip out of my hands and dash itself upon the floor. Sadly, the Find X3 Pro has no such coating. Rather Oppo has gone for a unibody design, with a shiny Gloss Black and Gloss Blue color options. (Image credit: Tom's Guide) This means the phone feels slippier to use and sucks up fingerprints like an overly eager CSI intern. But this is compensated for with dimensions of 163.6 x 74.0 x 8.26mm and a weight of 193g, making X3 Pro is slimmer and lighter than its predecessor. The sides of the X3 Pro's display are less curved as well, meaning the phone is overall easier to hold despite its 6.7-inch display. (Image credit: Tom's Guide) The choice for this glass unibody becomes apparent when you flip the phone over. Rather than sit alone in its own housing, the camera module is covered by the unibody chassis. This has the effect of seamlessly integrating the camera array into the phones back and minimizing the amount of edges and groves that could trap dust and debris. (Image credit: Tom's Guide) In promotional photos, the design looks intriguing but a little clumsy. But Im happy to report that in the flesh or Gorilla Glass 6 the Find X3 Pros camera module is very attractive. It won't lie flat, as the camera module (which looks rather similar to the iPhone 12 Pros rear array) is still very much a bump. But it's a rather neat bit of industrial design thats up there with the contrasting Contour Cut camera module on the Samsung Galaxy S21. (Image credit: Tom's Guide) The shiny finish is super reflective and difficult to capture neatly on camera, but I think the Find X3 Pro looks rather impressive. And its nice to see Oppo continue to push phone design rather than rest on its laurels after the Find X2 Pro. (Image credit: Tom's Guide) While the contrasting green stripe on the power button is a neat touch, the X3 Pro doesn't have as many grooves as the X2 Pro, nor does it have the shaper oblong-shaped SIM card slot, which felt like extravagant design for no reason. I slightly miss the almost over-the-top design of the X2 Pro, but theres no doubt the X3 Pro unibody approach is more refined. (Image credit: Tom's Guide) Aside from that, it's business as usual, with a USB-C port for charging and accessories, Dolby Atmos-calibrated stereo speakers that deliver some rather impressive audio for phone speakers, and IP68 water and dust resistance. One advantage of this unibody approach is that the glass construction of the Find X3 Pro can support wireless charging, something that was disappointingly absent in the X2 Pro. Oppo Find X3 Pro review: Display Evolution is the name of the game here, as the Oppo Find X3 Pros display is rather similar to X2 Pros screen. Sporting a 6.7-inch, 10-bit color panel with a QHD+ resolution and 120Hz refresh rate, the Oppo Find X3 Pro doesn't seem to offer anything new, at least at first glance. The new phone's a little sharper with a 525 pixel-per-inch density over the X2 Pros 513 ppi, and peak brightness hits 1,300 nits against 1,200. However, dig a little deeper and things get interesting. (Image credit: Tom's Guide) The biggest change is the dynamic refresh rate thanks to an LTPO panel, meaning the display can drop from 120Hz to 5Hz when a high refresh rate isnt needed and thus save on battery. That beats the LTPO panel in the Galaxy S21 Ultra, which can only drop down to 10Hz. The second upgrade is support for true 10-bit color depth, meaning the X3 Pros display can showcase a billion colors. While the Find X2 Pro comes advertised with a 10-bit panel, its not actually a native 10-bit display. Rather it uses an 8-bit panel that mimics a 10-bit output. But with a Full-path Color Management System,'' the Find X3 Pro can snap 10-bit photos and then display them natively. You cant do this on the Find X2 Pro. (Image credit: Tom's Guide) In practice, the X3 Pros display is very similar to the X2 Pros, which is no bad thing as colors are rich, contrast is great, and theres HDR10+ support. Viewing a 10-bit photo on the X3 Pro against a normal photo captured on the phones rear camera system, there was very little difference between them. The 10-bit photo had maybe a tiny bit more color to my eyes, but the difference was barely there. In its default Vivid mode, the X3 Pros display covers 172.6% of the sRGB and 122.3% of the DCI-P3 color gamuts. And it kicked out a Delta-E of 0.33. Those are impressive figures, and the Find X3 Pro trounces the likes of both the Galaxy S21 Ultra (81.4%) and iPhone 12 Pro Max (84.8%) in terms of color coverage. Apples handset wins on color accuracy though, with a Delta-E of 0.07. (Numbers closer to zero are more accurate.) In real-world use, though, the X3 Pros display is a joy to use. Its fantastic for videos especially when put into the phone's DCI-P3 Cinematic mode as well as games and pretty much everything else. Id argue the X3 Pro has one of the best displays on any smartphone, certainly up there with the finest from Samsung. Just don't expect it to be a huge step up from the X2 Pro. Oppo Find X3 Pro review: Cameras Sitting in the unibody-integrated rear module is the Oppo Find X3 Pros quartet of cameras, comprising a 50MP main lens with a Sony IMX766 sensor, a 50MP ultra-wide camera with the same Sony sensor, a 13MP periscope telephoto camera, and a 3MP microlens. (Image credit: Tom's Guide) Starting with the main lens, it comes with optical image stabilization and a f/1.8 aperture, slightly narrower than the Find X2s f/1.7 aperture, but that camera only has a 48MP lens. As such, the Find X3 Pro tends to capture slightly crisper photos, not that the X2 Pros main shots were lacking in detail. The X3 Pro also tends to deliver slightly cooler yet more color-saturated photos, while the X2 Pro is warmer but errs more toward a less vivid palette. Thankfully, the X3 Pro doesnt oversaturate in the way the Galaxy S21 can, though it cant quite deliver the true-to-life colors of the iPhone 12 or Pixel 5. Take the image below as an example shot by both the Oppo Find X3 Pro and a Google Pixel 5. While both phones handle this relatively busy scene well, the Pixel 5 offers colors that are closer to what I was seeing, as well as greater dynamic range that helps pick out details in the shadows. However, in some shots, the Find X3 Pro comes out on top. Take the photo of some gorse below. The iPhone 12 shot serves up a better yellow hue on the flowers, but blows out the sky in the background. The X3 Pro might not get the colors spot on, but delivers a better photo overall. And the Find X3 Pro could trade blows with some of the best camera phones all day long. The Oppo phone produces a brighter and more vibrant image, but the Pixel 5 offers a greater dynamic range and a more textured photo in my opinion. When the sun goes down its time for the Find X3 Pros night mode. It serves up a cleaner and more color-accurate night mode shot than the X2 Pro, though some might prefer the latters warmer color tones. But in comparison to the Pixel 5s Night Sight mode, the X3 Pro lags behind; Id put it on par with the Galaxy S21. Thats far from bad but not quite up there with Google and Apples low-light image processing, which continues to set the standard when the lights go down. While we are on the subject of image processing, portrait mode on the rear camera is one area where some smartphones can stumble. Thankfully the Find X3 Pro doesnt. On still objects, the Oppo Find X3 Pro does an excellent job artfully blurring backgrounds while keeping the subject and foreground nice and clear, a little more so than its predecessor. And it delivers a more pleasing portrait pic than the Pixel 5, which can be a bit overzealous with its tight background blurring. The portrait shot of my friend Tris below is rather impressive, with the X3 Pro not running into problems with over-smoothing his skin or shifting the color tone. However, it struggled at picking out the left-hand edge of his glasses against the water. The Pixel 5 ran into this problem too. But the iPhone 12 didnt and continues to set a very high standard for portrait shots. Switch off X3 Pros portrait mode, and standard rear camera shots of people remain at flagship quality. Oppo has paid particular attention to ultra-wide angle shots with the Find X3 Pro that's why it put the 50MP Sony IMX766 sensor into whats a 110-degree secondary camera. Oppo said this came down to peoples appetite for wider shots and to ensure color consistency across the cameras. Turns out this was a good move. Theres no significant color shift between the wide angle and ultra wide cameras, unlike the perceivable change in tone when swapping between Find X2 Pros cameras. Furthermore, the X3 Pro delivers crisper ultra-wide shots compared to the X2 Pro, though youll need to zoom in to really spot the difference. While I like the wide-angle shots the Pixel 5 captures, the X3 Pro fits more into the frame and also picks out more details. Compared against the Galaxy S21, which sports a 120-degree field of view, the X3 Pro just barely offers a sharper image in the photos below look carefully at the building in the background and bricks in the wall. One area where Oppo has seemingly downgraded from the X2 Pro is with the Find X3 Pro's telephoto camera. Both Oppo flagships have 13MP cameras. But the X2 Pro offers a 5x optical zoom and a max 60x digital zoom, whereas the newer phone comes with a 5x hybrid zoom and a maximum of 20x digital zoom. But theres some nuance here. The X3 Pros lens offers a 2x optical zoom, whereas the X2 Pro is digital until it hits 5x. As a result, photos at 2x zoom are clearer on the X3 Pro, whereas the X2 Pro has the edge at 5x. If you look closely at the photo of the reeds snapped at 5x zoom, you can see the Find X2 Pros shot is the clearest, thanks to the extra optical range. But the X3 Pros image is brighter, and thats thanks to it having a wider f/2.4 aperture compared to the f/3.0 of its predecessors telephoto camera. As such, the X3 Pros zoomed shots let in more light and deliver better colors. Push into 10x hybrid zoom and the story is the same. The X2 Pro delivers clearer images once you really look carefully, but the X3 Pro offers more brightness and color, as well as being easier to get a zoom shot as the sensor seems to detect less wobble from my hands. Much beyond this is a bit pointless, with 20x being a bit of a mess and the 60x zoom of the Find X2 Pro also being more of a marketing snippet than a useable camera feature. If you want extreme zooms, then you need to look towards the Galaxy S21 series. Flip the Oppo Find X3 Pro over and youve got the same 32MP punch-hole selfie camera in the left-hand corner of the display that its predecessor featured. Fortunately, the Find X3 Pro appears to have slightly boosted how its software compiles selfie photos. Portrait mode on the X3 Pro renders better skin tones than the X2 Pro. But compared to the iPhone 12, I feel the Apples phone has the edge. In the shot of my styled-by-lockdown visage, the iPhone 12 captures a wider range of color tones helped by the light illuminating my desperate need for a shave. While Im impressed with the Find X3 Pros restraint on image processing, I feel the iPhone 12s handling of color and light delivers a shot that has more dynamic depth. The final part of the camera setup comes in the form of the Find X3 Pro's 3MP fixed-focus microscope lens. This has been designed to go beyond macro cameras and really capture the microscopic details in a photo. When placed against fabric you can capture a shot of the weaved threads. And it can be used to see what goes on in the grooves of a tree stump. (Image credit: Tom's Guide) Its more interesting to use than a macro lens or the weird monochrome camera on the likes of the OnePlus 8T. But its tricky to get a good shot with the X3 Pro's microscope lens. You need a very steady hand to get a photo thats roughly in focus. Ideally you need to let in some light so you have to hold one or two millimeters above what youre trying to shoot, which is comically hard unless you have an uncanny ability to be still; I do not. At best the microscope lens is a fun thing to use. At worst it's another gimmick that Oppo could have dropped to shave down the X3 Pros price appeal. I dont begrudge its inclusion in the camera setup, but Id rather have a secondary telephoto lens like the Galaxy S21 Ultra has. Despite this weird fourth lens, the Find X3 Pro puts in a truly impressive smartphone photography performance. It can stand up against some of the best phone cameras around. And while I feel the iPhone 12 range and Pixel 5 might have it beaten in some shots, there's no doubt Oppo has a high-end camera array in the X3 Pro. Oppo Find X3 Pro review: Video Video is comprehensive on the Oppo Find X3 Pro working across the main, ultra-wide and telephoto cameras, with up to 5x hybrid zoom supported. You'll find 4K at 60 fps on offer as well as a rather effective super steady mode thats capped at 1080p and 60 fps. That's all fairly standard stuff, but there are some neat extras. The first is a bokeh video effect thats basically a portrait mode for video. It works rather well, though it's something weve seen on the Galaxy S21. A Cinematic video mode gives you 4K video with HDR and more manual control. Its a neat feature thats nice to have and should take advantage of the X3 Pros 10-bit capture. But youll need to get familiar with it to take advantage of the features. (Image credit: Future) Another neat touch on the X3 Pro is the AI Highlight Video option that can smartly detect the type of scene youre shooting and configure the capture accordingly, such as switching on the night mode or applying HDR. All these features are interesting, but in standard point-and-shoot video, the X3 Pro can't quite hit the high points of the iPhone 12. Apples phone delivers a smoother and easier-to-use video experience, while the X3 Pro can struggle with progressive focus when panning a camera and transitioning from one scene to another. Meanwhile, the wide range of video options in the Galaxy S21 range, including shooting 8K video and 120 fps capture, leaves the Find X3 behind. Still, Oppo's phone puts in a very capable video performance, though it just doesn't impress me as much as it does on the still photography side. Oppo Find X3 Pro review: Performance Unsurprisingly, the Oppo FInd X3 Pro comes with the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset. And equally unsurprising is the super-fast performance the chipset delivers. The chip is matched with 12GB of RAM meaning itll chew through pretty much anything you can throw at it. The X3 Pro handled games like Call of Duty Mobile at max settings and a smooth frame rate to help tap into the 120Hz refresh rate. There was nothing I found that brought the phone to its knees. Granted, an Galaxy S21 Ultra can be specced with 16GB of RAM, but I feel thats overkill. (Image credit: Future) In terms of benchmarks, the Find X3 Pro delivered a single-core score of 934 and a multi-core score of 3,337 in Geekbench 5. Thats a strong result, though not really a big step up from the Find X2 Pro. The result lags behind the Galaxy S21 Ultra with its Snapdragon 888. And the mighty A14 Bionic in the iPhone 12 Pro Max continues to dominate with 1,600 and 4,100 in the single and multi-core Geekbench 5 tests respectively. In our graphics test, the Find X3 Pro hit a frame rate of 34 frames per second in 3DMarks Wild Life benchmark. Thats on par with the S21 Ultra but behind the iPhone 12 Pro Max and its 41 FPS result. When it came to the Adobe Premier Rush 4K video transcoding test, the X3 Pro managed to convert a short 4K video clip to 1080p in 1 minute and 9 seconds in its best result. Other tests dropped the average time down to 1 minute and 55 seconds. As a result, the Oppo Find X3 Pro is beaten by the Galaxy S21 Ultra and iPhone 12 Pro Max, with the latter phone chewing through the test in 28 seconds. (Image credit: Future) But in reality, benchmarks dont really matter a great deal when it comes to actually using a phone. And the Find X3 Pro simply flew through everything. Thanks to what appears to have been a lot of optimization and a reasonably light smattering of software on top of Android 11, the Find X3 Pro feels very fast to use. Combine the 120Hz refresh rate with the app animation speed set to Fast and youve got a handset thats snappier than the Galaxy S21 and as responsive as the best OnePlus phones, which have long been Android speed demons. The only real fly in the ointment, is the Find X3 Pro doesn't really feel much faster than its predecessor. Using the two side-by-side and the experience of flitting through apps and menus feels equally responsive. Oppo Find X3 Pro review: Battery life and charging With a 4,500 mAh battery the Oppo Find X3 Pro has an extra 240 mAh over its predecessor. In our battery rundown test, which involves continuous web surfing at 150 nits of screen brightness over 5G, the X3 Pro managed 9 hours and 59 minutes before giving up the electrical ghost. That's nearly an hour less than the iPhone 12 Pro Maxs 10 hours and 53 minutes, but Cupertinos handset is limited to 60Hz refresh rate. A more apt comparison would be to the Galaxy S21 Ultra with its 120Hz LTPO panel; Samsungs handset lasted 10 hours and 7 minutes in its adaptive mode, but it has a 5,000 mAH battery. (Turn off adaptive mode, and the S21 Ultra lasts 11 hours and 25 minutes.) (Image credit: Future) Where the Find X3 Pro plays an ace card is with its charging speed. Making use of Oppos 65W SuperVOOC 2.0 and a dual-cell battery design, the X3 Pro will fill up from empty to 40% capacity in just 10 minutes. It's basically one of the fastest charging phones around. And Oppo's flagship now has 30W AirVOOC charging, something the X2 Pro lacked. That means the Find X3 Pro will charge to full in 80 minutes on a compatible wireless charger. It will also work with less powerful wireless chargers. Completing the charging package and pushing the X3 Pro into firm flagship territory is support for 10W reverse charging. And unlike the flagship Apple and Samsung phones, Oppo puts a charger into the Find X3 Pros box. Oppo Find X3 Pro review: Software ColorOS has become one of my favorite user interfaces added onto Android. It's relatively unfussy in the vein of OnePlus OxygenOS. But it also allows for a lot of customization and extra features to be toggled, without getting in the way of things, like Samsungs OneUI can do at times. ColorOS 11.2 retains the best bits of Android 11 and lightly adds to it, while streamlining the UI over its predecessor. For example, Oppo has ditched the Opera browser the X2 Pro came with out of the box, and a swipe left on the home screen now serves up the Google app rather than the Oppo Smart Assistant. Thats a neat touch, as the Google app offers a much richer vein of information, whereas I found the Smart Assistant to be lacking. (Image credit: Future) Oppo has added features in the form of more customization options, notably the ability to tune the dark mode and the Always On display to your taste. There's also a redesigned Oppo Relax app, if being told how to chill out by your phone is your cup of tea. And at some point, ringtones made in conjunction with Hanz Zimmer will be rolled out to the Find X3 Pro, though they weren't available to listen to at the time of writing. ColorOS 11.2 builds upon the security features of Android 11 by offering more privacy controls, such as being able to create a separate system to keep your apps and data apart from the original system and locked behind a password of fingerprint. Speaking of which, the in-display fingerprint sensor is very responsive, but it sits a little lower than it did on the Find X2 Pro; I preferred the latter's scanner position, but I soon got used to the X3 Pros sensor. (Image credit: Tom's Guide) There are also visual enhancements for video content provided by the Q1 Ultra Vision Engine. It can either sharpen the resolution of videos or enhance standard dynamic range videos into HDR. While its far from essential, it's a nice-to-have feature and is better than the Find X2 Pros take, which tends to boost video motion to 60 fps, lending a slight soap opera look to movies and TV series design for a lower frame rate. And finally, theres the Game Space app that allows you to customize your gaming experience on the Find X3 Pro. It's similar to the X2 Pros app, only with a few extra options for tweaking performance profiles. In short, there's a lot of customization and relatively powerful features sitting behind ColorOS rather neat interface. Oppo Find X3 Pro review: Verdict As it stands there are only two real flagship phone contenders, Samsung and Apple, now that HTC is out of the smartphone game and LG hasn't made a compelling high-end Android phone in a while. iPhone fans are not likely to be swayed by the Find X3 Pro. But Oppo's latest flagship could be a serious rival to the Galaxy S21 Ultra, which has been pretty much sitting at the top of the Android flagship hill without any real competition, until now. GIven that it undercuts the Galaxy S21 Ultra yet still delivers a premium "big phone" experience with impressive cameras and performance, the Find X3 Pro is what Id consider to be a true Android flagship contender. However if you have a Find X2 Pro, then you can skip the X3 Pro. While this new model is a better phone than its predecessor, theres not quite enough to warrant an upgrade. Furthermore, it could be worth seeing what the rumored OnePlus 9 Pro has to offer when its revealed on March 23. But if you want a serious Android flagship right now, then you really need to consider the Oppo Find X3 Pro. And if youre reading this from Samsung HQ, take the X3 Pro as a warning shot that Oppo is gunning for the Android smartphone crown. CHICAGO The launch of 5G networks means faster data speeds for phones capable of connecting to the next generation wireless network. And now that commercial 5G has arrived at least in parts of Chicago and Minneapolis if you happen to be a Verizon customer it's natural to wonder just how fast those speeds are actually going to be. Pretty fast, as it turns out. But only when you get a signal something that proved to be a challenge when we spent a day testing Verizons newly launched 5G network in Chicago. 5G phones are few and far between at this point, so in our tests, we used a Moto Z3, a smartphone that's been out since last summer, augmented with a newly available 5G Moto Mod. Attach that accessory to the back of Motos phone it snaps right with ease and your phone is now capable of connecting to Verizons 5G network. How the Moto Mod works Naturally we were eager to see this kind of performance for ourselves, so we bought a Moto Z3 and a 5G Moto Mod. (The accessory sells for $349, but we managed to get it for $199.) Having freshly burned that hole in our wallet, we were ready to hit the streets though our out-of-the-box Z3 first needed to be upgraded to Android 9 Pie to work with the Moto Mod. Like other Moto Mods, the 5G accessory snaps on easily to the back of the Moto Z3. It adds some weight to the phone: Without the 5G Moto Mod, the Z3 is a barely-there 5.73 ounces. The 5G Moto Mod adds another 4.5 ounces to the phone, and since it measures 6.3 x 2.9 x 0.28 in its own right, it increases the bulk of your otherwise svelte Z3 quite considerably. Attach the 5G Mod to the Z3, and a message flashes across the screen that the accessory is starting up. (Youll also get a notification as to how charge the 5G Moto Mods 2,000 mAh battery is.) And the 4G LTE notification in the upper right corner of the screen will convert to a very visible 5G UWB logo if you happen to be in an area where 5G is turned on, which proved a little more challenging than we had hoped in our Chicago adventure. What kind of speeds 5G delivers Some good news before we dwell on some of the shortcomings with this fledgling network 5G is fast. More: Use the best fast VPN to match your mega 5G speeds Once we got our Z3 updated, we were able to score some of the same speeds Verizon demonstrated at its 5G launch event this week. In the lobby of the Verizon store, we saw download speeds between 575 Mbps and 579 Mbps with the help of the 5G Moto Mod. Once we removed that accessory, speeds dropped to 35 Mbps to 49 Mbps. Outside the comforts of the Verizon Store, the speeds of 5G werent as jaw-dropping though still pretty fast. Our top speed came at the corner of Wells and Ontario streets in the heart of Chicagos River North district, where we recorded download speeds of 604 Mbps. More typically, though, speeds ranged between 177 Mbps and 468 Mbps. Those 5G speeds were improvements over the LTE speeds we saw around Chicago but the gap wasnt as big as you might think. Even at Wells and Ontario, where 5G download speeds were hitting 329 Mbps when not hitting the lofty heights of 600 Mbps-plus, our Z3 performed well on Verizons network with the 5G Moto Mod removed. There, the phone regularly saw LTE download speeds of 250 Mbps. It was a similar story outside the Art Institute of Chicago on Michigan Avenue. With the 5G Moto Mod attached, download speeds fluctuated between 367 and 468 Mbps; with the mod removed, our LTE speeds ranged between 163 and 204 Mbps. The gap was most narrow outside the Merchandise Mart, which not coincidentally houses Motorolas Chicago office. LTE speeds were a fairly consistent 220 to 231 Mbps. We got faster speeds with 5G Moto Mod attached to the Z3, but not by much speeds peaked at 367 Mbps. And sometimes, our tests recorded slower 5G speeds than what we got over LTE, something we attribute to the phone switching back and forth between the two networks (more on that below). Downloading apps and videos Speed tests are one thing, but what will 5G mean in terms of real-world usage? For example, Verizon tells us youll be able to instantly download Spotify tracks and Netflix shows over the advanced network. And you would figure that hefty downloads would be no sweat at all for 5G. On the Netflix front, at least, 5G proved to be worth its weight. Outside the Merchandise Mart, we were able to download a 152MB episode of Nailed It from Netflix in 43 seconds over 5G. A slightly larger 158MB took an excruciating 13 minutes, 30 seconds over LTE, and we dont think the extra 6MB was to blame. 5G excelled at this task. App downloads provided more puzzling results. We tried downloading PUBG Mobile, a 1.81GB file that Google Play begs you to download over Wi-Fi so as not to consume too much of your cellular data. We could download the app over 5G, but it took some time 5 minutes, 35 seconds inside the Verizon store, 5:31 outside the Merchandise Mart and 6:03 at Ontario and Wells. Shockingly, 4G download times for PUBG were all faster in those locations 2:54 at Ontario and Wells and 3:01 outside the Merchandise Mart. A test by Crown Fountain in Millennium Park proved illustrative. We had such a hard time maintaining our 5G connection there, that the PUBG download fizzled, stalling out at 10 percent downloaded after 2 minutes. Once we removed the Moto Mod and tried again, the app downloaded over LTE in a relatively zippy 2:56. 5G Coverage: Hard to come by (for now) That illustrates one of the biggest problems with 5G at the moment: Even though the network is live in Chicago, its got a very limited reach. (The same is also true in Minneapolis, where Verizon also flipped the switch on its new network.) In the Windy City, for example, 5G connectivity is concentrated around the West Loop and the South Loop, according to Verizon. Besides Verizon's own store on the Magnificent Mile, you'll also see 5G coverage in Gold Coast, Old Town and North River, Verizon says. Walking around Chicago, we saw how fleeting 5G connectivity can be. Its roughly a third of a mile from the Verizon Store on the Magnificent Mile to the CTA station at State and Chicago. Once we left the store, we never saw the 5G UWB logo flash up on our phone. Some of the test sites where we had the most stable 5G connections proved how fleeting 5G connectivity can be at this point in its development. Standing on the steps of the Merchandise Mart, we enjoyed a fairly stable connection. But when we walked 13 paces to a sign with the Motorola logo, the logo on our phone fluctuated between LTE and 5G. By the time we crossed the street to the front of the Kenzie Chophouse, the 5G signal was gone. It was a similar story at Ontario and Wells. Right outside of Als Beef, 5G connectivity was fleeting. It was stronger across the street though, with the signal becoming more consistent in the middle of the crosswalk. (We do not advise standing in the middle of Ontario Street to test 5G networks.) Verizon is using mmWave technology for its 5G network which depends heavily on line of sight. Coverage figures to improve over time, as Verizon builds out its 5G network in this city and elsewhere the carrier plans to launch 5G in 30 cities by the end of 2019. But if youre expecting ubiquitous 5G coverage at this point, youre going to be disappointed, something Verizon itself would readily acknowledge. 5G battery life 5G connectivity isnt persistent enough at this point to where we could run our Toms Guide battery test, which involves continuous surfing over cellular networks until a fully charged phone runs out of juice. (Theres a lot were prepared to do in the name of science, but standing on a Chicago street corner for hours on end while a phones battery drains is not one of them.) We can share some anecdotal observations after a day of testing, though. The 5G Moto Mod has its own 2,000 mAh battery, which it seems to draw on when in us, as that battery was draining much faster than the 3,000 mAh power pack on the Moto Z3. At one point during our tour of Chicago, we noted that the Moto Z3 battery was at 69% while the 5G Moto Mod battery was at 59%. After two more test stops that included running Ooklas Speedtest.net app and trying to download PUBG Mobile, the Moto Z3s battery had dipped to 59%, while the 5G Moto Mod was at 46%. Other phones are likely to perform differently, especially with 5G modems built in instead of featured in a separate attachment with its own battery. The upcoming Galaxy S10 5G, for example, will sport a 4,500 mAh power pack, suggesting that phone makers want to make sure surfing 5Gs faster networks wont drain your phones battery just as quickly. What you can do with 5G (that you couldn't do with 4G) 4G users have grown accustomed to all sorts of limitations, including throttling, video streaming capped at 720p. Verizon told us that you should be able to stream up to 4K. We watched a bit of Avengers: Infinity War over Netflix on a Chicago street corner not an ideal viewing experience! and though the picture looked a little sharper over 5G, its not something that was truly noticeably on the Z3s 6-inch screen. (Its worth noting our LTE unlimited plan with Verizon caps video streams at 480p.) Verizon also claims that the 5G is truly unlimited, so there should be no data caps. (On unlimited LTE plans, if you go over a certain amount of data, carriers reserve the right to slow your speeds.)We certainly havent noticed any throttling during our tests, and weve really put the spurs to Verizons network. Will the speeds hold up? The 5G speeds weve seen around Chicago when weve seen 5G speeds could be slightly inflated. After all, there weren't a lot of other phones connected to the network to slow things down. But then again, 5G is being designed to handle more traffic from more devices so it's possible we won't see the kind of bottlenecks that can happen on congested LTE networks. (LTE speeds are also expected to improve as more devices connect to 5G and free up bandwidth for the remain 4G phones.) "The beauty of this 5G network is that what we've got is incredible bandwidth in the millimeter wave," said Ronan Dunne, president of Verizon's consumer division during last weeks 5G launch event. "That allows us to deliver all of the potential of 5G: Massive capacity, including burst capacity. Throughput speeds [are] incredible. The ability to support ten times the number of devices in a location. Massive improvement in battery life because of the efficiency. Huge increase in reliability. And essentially, when you put all those pieces together, what you create is a premium 5G experience that's going to deliver the sort of connectivity that people will build new capabilities on." What you'll pay for 5G Verizon has announced what you'll pay for those faster speeds. An unlimited 5G data plan costs $10 a month, but that's on top of whatever other unlimited data plan you have with the carrier. (Unlimited plans start at $75 a month with Verizon, so you're looking at $85 a month at a minimum.) Overall Impressions Theres a lot of promise for 5G and at this point, a lot of frustrations. Wed guess that Verizon would be the first to concede that theres a lot of work ahead, not just in cities still waiting for 5G, but here in Chicago where the network is just getting started. For that reason, its still too early to reach any sweeping conclusions on how big a game-changer 5G networks will be. Were seeing hints of faster speeds and snappier downloads, but the network isnt far reaching enough at this point to have much of an impact on the few people who have 5G-capable devices. (And thats just one device as of this writing.) The switch may be flipped on 5G ins some areas. But weve got a ways to go before this next-generation network is truly ready for prime time. Image Credits: Tom's Guide (Image credit: Shutterstock) In an effort to stay ahead of Chinas advances in the technology sector, the Semiconductor Industry Association, led by Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra, has asked the U.S. government for an increase in chip research funding to $5 billion over the next five years, from a current $1.5 billion. As a result of the ZTE and Huawei bans (in certain sectors) in the U.S., the Chinese government has accelerated the development of its own semiconductor industry. Semiconductor Industry Association members also include Intel, Nvidia, AMD, Qualcomm, GlobalFoundries and more. Currently, the U.S. government is offering semiconductor companies $1.5 billion towards research and development over a five-year period. The association has asked for an increase to $5 billion over the next five years, as well as a doubling of funds for related material science research. The organization has also asked the U.S. government for an easier immigration process so that employees from China or India could receive a permanent residency status more easily after working for the semiconductor companies. In addition, the Semiconductor Industry Association is lobbying the U.S. government for changes to trade agreements between the U.S. and China, so that the U.S. companies get a more fair treatment when intellectual property (IP) disputes arise. U.S. companies have complained in the past that they are not fairly treated by Chinese judges in IP-related cases. Why Are Government Funds Necessary? Some could argue that participating companies, including Intel, Nvidia and even Micron, are multi-billion dollar companies that should pay for their own research. However, even large companies such as Intel and Nvidia sometimes avoid investing in very basic research that can take up to decades to prove fruitful if at all. Not many companies can make such bets about new unproven technology, especially if they are a public company and have to answer to shareholders. This is where the U.S. government can come in and pay for the initial basic research until the developed technology is proven, and then each company can invest its own money to improve on it and stay ahead of competitors. Of course, the money given for research should still be well accounted for, and, in many cases, there's reason for smaller and newer companies with potential to get preferential treatment over the large incumbent leaders. Smaller new-format Sears store set to open in Overland Park After its journey through bankruptcy, Sears is getting ready to open its first batch of smaller stores - located in Overland Park, Kansas; Lafayette, Louisiana; and Anchorage, Alaska - that won't carry clothing but will focus on appliances, mattresses and home services. Lower expectations among all of your senior citiens and Mexican friends who shop here out of habit or custom. Read more: KANSAS CITY, Mo. - More than 700 people reported sexual assaults to hospitals in the Kansas City area last year. On Wednesday, local law enforcement took a stand to make sure every one of those reports are taken seriously. Sen. Josh Hawley Sucks at Reading This Internet Law He Keeps Attacking The economic juggernaut we call the internet has thrived principally thanks to a single U.S. law passed more than two decades ago-Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. It states quite simply that website operators shall not be treated as the publishers of information posted by their users. The world of online journalism has found a new nemesis . . . The so-called "Golden Boy" from Missouri who doesn't have many local friends among Republicansnow seems to betraying online trolls who supported him in much the same way he stabbed a former Navy Seal in the back to get the job. Take a look: Police arrest suspect in Lee's Summit standoff A portion of Chipman Road in Lee's Summit was blocked early Thursday morning as police attempted to get a suspect out of a home. Suburban drama update as the outskirts of town aren't as safe as they used to be. Check the aftermath as "a man who allegedly attempted to set fires in his Lees Summit duplex early Thursday barricaded himself inside his home, leading to a two-hour standoff, police said. During the standoff, Chimpan Road was closed between Northeast Independence and Northeast Florence avenues. The standoff ended shortly before 7 a.m."Take a look: City Hall Communications Dude Helps LGBT Kangaroos Raise Big Bucks Pride breakfast raises $200,000 for LGBTQIA programs, scholarships Hundreds of allies gathered to celebrate LGBTQIA students and staff at the Annual Pride Breakfast, raising over $200,000 to support LGBTQIA programs and scholarships. One of the programs included the Pride Empowerment Assistance Fund, which provides emergency assistance to students experiencing financial difficulty due to loss of family support. Training Little Scumbag Developers Master LEGO builder legofies KC favorites Joe's Kansas City, The Roasterie, Boulevard Brewing Company Some of the Kansas City's local favorites have been legofied.On April 18, Legoland Discovery Center in Crown Center will unveil a mini-Kansas City that features Kansas City landmarks like Boulevard Brewing Company, Joe's Kansas City, The Roasterie and a portion of the city's West Bottoms district. Celebrate KC Biz Class Time to see green: 3 startups spring into Digital Sandbox KC The path from concept to commercialization has three reinvigorated travelers this spring, Jeff Shackelford said Thursday, announcing the latest early-stage entrepreneurs to join Digital Sandbox KC. The program's newly joined startups include a tech-driven legal solution and two companies using artificial intelligence to innovate their industries, said Shackelford, executive director of Digital Sandbox KC. Land Of Oz Delayed Ozzy Osbourne postpones entire 2019 tour, Kansas City show rescheduled for 2020 Ozzy Osbourne has rescheduled his entire 2019 tour, including his June 28 stop in Kansas City at the Sprint Center.Osbourne is recovering from an injury he suffered while dealing with his recent bout of pneumonia, the Sprint Center announced. Kansas City Celebrates The Arrival Of One More Very Loud Classy White Lady Celine Dion plans concert tour stop in Kansas City The power of Celine Dion will stop in Kansas City later this year. Home Team Gambles Big Bucks Making the case for Adalberto Mondesi to be Kansas City's first $80 million man KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -- In the new-look MLB, $80 million is enough to buy a team a serviceable starter, if they're lucky. For the Royals it's been enough to buy four All-star appearances, three Gold Glove Awards and a Cy Young Award (with $45 million to spare). Awaiting Kansas City Hipster Weekend Cake & Wine, All The Sushi & Other Weekend Possibilities Don't overthink Friday. McLain's Market Lawrence (1420 Crescent Road, Lawrence, Kansas) has Cake & Wine from 6 to 8 p.m. The bakery's cake decorators lead the class ($65), which includes two glasses of wine, snacks and a two-layer, 6-inch white cake to adorn as you see fit. For the #TBT, a few notes on JLo life . . .Closer to home, here are the news links we're checking:And this is thefor right now . . . ACI Asia-Pacific/World Annual General Assembly, Conference and Exhibition wraps up As the Airport Council International (ACI) Asia-Pacific/World Annual General Assembly, Conference and Exhibition drew to a successful conclusion today, Aeropuertos Argentina 2000 announced that it will be the host for the 2020 ACI Latin America-Caribbean/World Annual General Assembly, Conference & Exhibition. The success of ACIs annual conference illustrates that we in the aviation industry are committed to forging partnerships across the world and working together towards a sustainable future, ACI World Director General Angela Gittens said as she addressed delegates at the conferences closing reception. We have gained many insights from the forums, sessions and networking events, and we are confident in moving forward as a united industry. For this, I thank our speakers, delegates, the ACI World and ACI Asia-Pacific teams, and our host, Hong Kong International Airport. We are also excited to start working with our next host, Aeropuertos Argentina 2000, looking ahead to our next annual General Assembly, Congress and Exhibition in Latin America and Caribbean. At the handover ceremony, it was officially announced that Aeropuertos Argentina 2000 would be the host of next years annual conference which is expected to attract more than 800 airport and industry leaders from around the world in November 2020 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The event will continue to include exhibitions and conferences for aviation professionals to network, exchange insights and receive updates on the latest industry trends. President Aeropuertos Argentina 2000, CEO Corporacion America Airports, and ACI World Chair Martin Eurnekian said delegates at next years event will make key decisions, discuss important issues and assess future prospects. On behalf of Aeropuertos Argentina 2000, I am excited to be the next host of the ACI World/Latin America and Caribbean Annual General Assembly, Conferences and Exhibition, he said. Aeropuertos Argentina 2000 operates 35 airports in Argentina and is part of Corporacion America Airports (CAAP) which operates 52 airports in seven countries across Latin America and Europe. With 81.3 million passengers using our airports in 2018, we have broad expertise on the regions diverse needs and challenges. We offer many insights into global issues, from regulation to air fares to environmental stewardship. Buenos Aires, Argentina is the perfect location for our gathering. Growth in the countrys air traffic, in particular, has shown no signs of slowing down in recent years. Argentinas airports are the fastest-growing airports in South America for passenger traffic, having achieved 13.9% year-over-year growth in 2017. Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Travel industry news and trends. Subscribe 2021 Travel Industry Wire Mo Yan attends a reading forum in Shenzhen.[Photo provided to China Daily] Mo Yan's rural upbringing has informed much of his literary oeuvre. In a recent interview with Gong Ziming, he discusses his journey and pursuit of inspiration. As the winner of the 2012 Nobel Prize in literature, Mo Yan has been hailed as a writer "who, with hallucinatory realism, merges folk tales, history and the contemporary". From his early novel, Red Sorghum, and the avant-garde works, Life and Death Are Wearing Me Out and Frog, to his latest traditional Chinese opera composition, Jin Yi, and a collection of poems, Qi Xing Yao Wo (Seven Stars Shine on Me), the works of Mo Yan depict a world that's both familiar and strange to us. In his literary creations, we see a world where animals, great and small, as well as people, display various personalities and drive a narrative. His work is deeply rooted in the earth and is full of vigor and tenacity, and he talks about how his hometown, Dongbei township in Gaomi county in East China's Shandong province - which he describes as being "as large as a stamp" - has nourished his spiritual world. Question: You have said that your hometown is the soul of your novels, and that the land and rivers, crops and trees, birds and animals, myths and legends, demons and ghosts, benefactors and enemies in your hometown are all source materials of your works. When and how did you start to include these elements in your writing? Answer:I personally believe that Yasunari Kawabata's novels had a great impact on contemporary Chinese writers. I've read The Dancing Girl of Izu and Snow Country, and one of my short novels titled White Dog and Swing Frame was inspired by a line in that book. The line depicts a strong black Akita squatting on a rock licking hot water from a pool. I envisioned a vivid picture: a snow-covered street, a steaming pool beside the street and a big black dog with its tongue sticking out. This is not only a picture but also a melody, a tone, a perspective of description and the start of a novel. I was very excited - it felt like the touch of a girl that I long admired. I suddenly realized what my novel was and what and how I should write it. Before that, I was troubled, unable to find suitable stories or my own voice. This line in Yasunari's novel was like a lighthouse in the darkness, illuminating my path. I put the book down and began writing lines, such as "Dongbei township in Gaomi is home to a kind of meek white dog, but a purebred one is very hard to find after generations of breeding". It was the first time for "Dongbei township in Gaomi" to appear in my work. The novel White Dog and Swing Frame was later translated into multiple languages. Ever since, I've held the banner of "Dongbei township in Gaomi" like a grassroots hero, beginning the construction of my literary world. Before that, or before I read about the Akita, I was not able to find inspiration. I followed the guidance in textbooks, and experienced life in the countryside and factories. However, even after I came back, I could still not think of what to write about. Akita made me realize that a dog could be the subject, and so could the hot water. Ever since, I have never worried about finding sources for my novels. Whenever I was writing a book, the next was like a cackling hen right behind me. In the past, it was me writing the novels. However, it later became the novels writing me, and I became a slave to them. Acacia Africa is running its Amazing Animal Encounters Sale to celebrate the upcoming release of the Lion King on July 19, 2019 (TRAVPR.COM) UK - April 3rd, 2019 - Acacia Africa is running its Amazing Animal Encounters Sale to celebrate the upcoming release of the Lion King on July 19, 2019 (which marks the 25th anniversary of the release of the original film). Arno Delport, comments, When the Lion King was first released back in 1994, it brought the Serengeti and the Olduvai Gorge to life on the big screen, movie goers inspired by the global Disney hit flocking to the locations on which the animation was based. This time around, Tanzania can probably expect much the same, if not a greater stampede of "set-jetters," the remake a live-action version, with Beyonce lending her voice to Nala. From stalking the Serengetis big cats by 4x4 in Tanzania to more intimate walks with rhinos in Zimbabwes Matobo National Park, theres an experience on offer for all types of safari goers. And, covering the operators camping and accommodated overland tours and small group trips, the promo is open to Africa fans from eight years, many of the select departures running through the main school holiday period. All bookings should be made by 30 April. SAVE 20% (263pp) The 11-Day Highlights of Tanzania camping overland tour features game drives in the Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Crater, the itinerary beginning with a relaxing beach stay on the island of Zanzibar. From only 1,052pp (two sharing) + Adventure Pass from 652pp including transport, camping accommodation, most meals, services of a tour leader/driver. Departing 22 April, 06 May, 03 and 17 June and 01 and 15 July. Full tour price before discount 1,315pp. Starts Dar es Salaam- ends Nairobi. 18-39 years. SAVE 10% (90pp) The 7-Day Okavango Wilderness Trail small group safari combines exceptional wildlife viewing with community conservation - the itinerary including a game drive at the Khama Rhino Sanctuary, an eco-project that benefits the local people. The Chobe National Park, Makgadikgadi Pans and the Okavango Delta (Africas last remaining wetland wilderness and the worlds largest inland delta) are also visited en route to Pretoria. From only 805pp (two sharing) + Safari Pass from 670pp including transport, accommodation (five-nights twin share rooms with en-suite facilities, one-night twin share pre-erected tent with en-suite facilities), most meals, services of a tour leader/driver. Departing 18 May, 15 and 22 June and 13 and 27 July. Full tour price before discount 895pp. Starts Victoria Falls - ends Pretoria. From eight years. SAVE 10% (94pp) Combine safaris in some of Southern Africas best national parks with a three day stay at the Victoria Falls on the 9-Day Kruger & Victoria Falls accommodated small group safari. Big Five game viewing in the Kruger, rhino walking safaris (Worlds View leaving you with epic 360-degree views of the park) in Zimbabwes Matopos Hills, and a sunset cruise on the Zambezi are included in the tour. From only 841pp (two sharing) + Safari Pass from 693pp including transport, accommodation (twin share rooms with en suite facilities), most meals, services of a tour leader/driver. Departing 11 and 25 May, 08 and 15 June and 20 and 27 July. Full tour price before discount 935pp. Starts Pretoria - ends Victoria Falls. From eight years. SAVE 20% (275pp) While there are more traditional game drives on offer in the Kruger and Mountain Zebra national parks on the 20-Day Kruger to Cape Town, expect to get more intimately acquainted with the wildlife on walking safaris and river cruises - the Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary, the Tsitsikamma National Park and St. Lucia, also visited en route to Cape Town. From only 1,100pp (no single supplement) + Adventure Pass from 204pp including transport, camping accommodation, most meals and services of a tour leader/driver. Excludes return flight. Departing 13 April, 25 May, 22 June and 06 and 20 July. Full tour price before discount 1,375pp. Starts Pretoria - ends Cape Town. 18-39 years. SAVE 20% (171pp) Alternatively, book a seat on the 9-Day Troop to the Gorillas. The camping overland tour includes visits to the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (now home to 19 gorilla families), the Queen Elizabeth National Park (Kyambura Gorges atmospheric underground rainforest home to our distant cousins the chimpanzees) and Jinja - East Africas very own adventure capital also playing host to some excellent bird watching. From only 684pp (no single supplement) + Gorilla & Chimp Trekking permit from 560pp including transport, camping accommodation, most meals and services of a tour leader/driver. Excludes return flight. Departing 30 April, 28 May and 25 June. Full tour price before discount 855pp. Starts Kampala - ends Kampala. 18-39 years. -ends- Acacia Africa (020 7706 4700) SATSA membership No. 1931, Atta membership no. 20151, ATOL No. 6499 and ABTA No. W4093 PROTECTED. ### Treehugger and our third-party partners use cookies and process personal data like unique identifiers based on your consent to store and/or access information on a device, display personalized ads and for content measurement, audience insight, and product development. To change or withdraw your consent choices for Treehugger.com, including your right to object where legitimate interest is used, click below. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page. These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data. List of Partners (vendors) Calls came into emergency centers and even the Griffith Observatory from LA residents who described seeing a giant silvery cloud. In the pre-dawn hours of January 17, 1994, an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.7 struck Los Angeles' densely populated San Fernando Valley. With its epicenter located about 20 miles west-northwest of downtown Los Angeles, the Northridge earthquake was the third major earthquake to occur in California in 23 years. It was the states most destructive earthquake since the San Francisco earthquake of 1906 and the costliest earthquake to ever strike the U.S. The earthquake occurred just after 4:30 AM local time and people did what people do after an earthquake, and especially after an earthquake that knocks out all the power, as this one did they poured outside into the streets. Many of them looked up and were apparently freaked out by what they saw ... what The New York Times described as a giant silvery cloud over the shaken city. The Times reported that numerous calls came into emergency centers, and even the Griffith Observatory, about this eerie happening in the sky. Do you know what that cloud was? The Milky Way. Yes, that's right the galaxy that contains our Solar System. The diaphanous band of stars some 30 degrees wide that has been inspiring wonder ever since humans have been looking up to the heavens had never been seen by legions of Angelinos, thanks to the city's formidable light pollution. But once the lights were dimmed by the outage, there the shimmering Milky Way appeared. View of Milky Way over Cathedral Rock, Arizona. Coconino National Forest/Flickr/CC BY 2.0 I often think about what early humans must have thought about nature's more dramatic tricks; things like lightning must have seemed completely supernatural. For modern people not knowing what the Milky Way looks like, it may very well have felt the same, having it appear out of nowhere. It's startling to think that we have lost not only sight of our own galaxy, but the nighttime sky as well so much so that the sudden appearance of a swath of stars would incite 911 calls. But it's really no surprise. More than 80 percent of the world and more than 99 percent of the U.S. and European populations live under light-polluted skies. And according to the world atlas of artificial sky luminance, the Milky Way is hidden from more than one-third of humankind, including 60 percent of Europeans and nearly 80 percent of North Americans. I have written about the sad tragedy of light pollution many times before you can read much more on the topic in the related stories below but I found this anecdote so profound that I had to share it. Let it serve as a reminder to use your evening lights sparingly, urge local businesses to practice night-sky lighting, and talk to legislators about the importance of tackling light pollution. And when all else fails, if you live in a recklessly light-polluted city, do whatever it takes to get out of town and catch a glimpse of one of the most beautiful sights in the world, the galaxy we call home. TRENTON Members of the City Council and the administration continued slinging arrows at each other a day after Princetels $4 million revitalization proposal died on the legislative bodys dais. They dont want the city to succeed, Mayor Reed Gusciora declared in a them-versus-us Facebook post Tuesday night following the councils 5-to-2 vote not to consider Princetels proposal at Thursdays meeting. The mayor said the high-tech manufacturers push to purchase and rehab a long-vacant stretch of the Roebling complex into an industrial plant and greenspace is dead. Guscioras post highlighted the only-increasing divide between his administration and the legislative body, fueled by some of the mayors recent decisions, including one to increase directors salaries to $131K without giving the council a heads up. Later in the day, council vice president Marge Caldwell-Wilson sent out a statement announcing the legislative body would hold a news conference Thursday afternoon the second time it has done so Guscioras short tenure to clarify the misinformation being put out to the public by the mayors office regarding Princetel. Earlier in the day, West Ward councilwoman Robin Vaughn threw gasoline on the dumpster fire when she accused the administration of trying to saddle blame on the council for not pushing through the allegedly corrupt deal. She suggested people could have gone to prison if council bent to the administrations will rather than demanding the company sign off on pay-to-play documentation and require the administration to do another appraisal to ensure the city was properly compensated for the property. You ask: what could be at stake? Vaughn responded to another commenter. Prison! There is required documentation requested (1) appraisal (minimum 2 prefer 3) one remains outstanding and (2) Developer sign-off regarding compliance with pay-to-play laws. That prompted a stern rebuke from the mayors chief of staff, Yoshi Manale. Please clarify by what you mean by prison? Has there been criminal activity regarding the disposition of this sale? If you have evidence of such, please let us know, and we will provide that information to the proper authorities, he said. Vice president Caldwell-Wilson chimed in on the thread. Lets talk pay-to-play for starters, she wrote. Gusciora said in an interview Tuesday night, after the deal faltered, that he didnt have any personal connections to Princetel CEO Barry Zhang or any company representatives. He denied that anyone from the company donated to his campaign, which appeared supported by a quick search of the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commissions contributions database that turned up no donations to Gusciora from Zhang or Princetel. Despite that, suspicions continued to hang over the deal with some residents wondering why council didnt get behind the proposal and others questioning why the company appeared so desperate to push the deal through that it upped the offer from $85,000 to $182,000 to entice the council to OK the land grab this week. I am curious why Barry and Co. refused to sign the pay to play declaration and get a current appraisal as apparently required, said Michael Ranallo, a city resident and critic of the current administration. No one is mentioning this and it was repeated by each Council member that voted against. Also Princetel upped their offer over $100,000 when pushed on the pay to play thing? Something sounded strange. South Ward councilman George Muschal said late Tuesday night that something about the Princetel deal smelled like a 10-day-old fish. He wasnt alone in his assessment. The investigation will find that it aint the Council that is corrupt, Vaughn wrote on the mayors post, spurring the spirited exchange with Manale. By whom are you calling corrupt? the chief of staff wrote. Is there someone within one of our departments or City Hall? Manale said in an interview Wednesday he felt it was important to rebut the West Ward councilwomans assertions despite her penchant for making statements loosely grounded in fact and others that turned out to be completely untrue. I dont believe it was just her that was trying to spin this narrative, Manale said in a text message. She is a public official and therefore has a strong voice in the public space, especially on such a central place as the mayors FB page. The mayor and council pushed back against each other in dueling statements released later in the day, underpinning the distrust between the two sides. Im greatly disappointed that the City Council turned down this opportunity to bring redevelopment to the Roebling Block II site that has been vacant for 40 years, he said. While other towns seem to roll out the carpet for bringing business and jobs to the region, this was a missed opportunity. Not only did Council pull the proposal from their agenda on three prior Council sessions, they gave a last minute demand for an additional appraisal and a disclosure document that was not required by this developer. Unfortunately, after four months of delays, Princetel decided to move on. We will try harder to bring development and jobs to the City. Trenton needs to send a message that we are open for business and should not miss such opportunities for growth in the future. I still remain optimistic that we can get the job done. The council said it would hold a news conference Thursday to dispel certain assumption about the failed Princetel deal. The legislative body took the same approach when it felt Gusciora was abusing his authority to try to force a confirmation vote on ex-police director Carol Russell. Mayor Gusciora has blatantly ignored the fact that the City Council is the redevelopment authority for the City of Trenton, Caldwell-Wilson said. When he first presented this property to be sold to Princetel, he was advised by council that any sale of any land or property in a redevelopment area has to come before the City Council and redevelopment authority prior to being included on the Councils docket. The council was advised by their legal counsel the actions of the administration were improper and were further advised of how the they should proceed. The City Council serves as the checks and balances of the administration. We do not work for the mayor but have tried to many times to work with him. All business of council will be done in a fair, open and legal manner. Kim Ku-chul, the deputy head editor of Munhwa Ilbo, gives a lecture on the "Present and future of K-movies and the story of food scenes in movies," Tuesday, at the residence of the Moroccan Ambassador to Korea, Dr. Chafik Rachadi. Courtesy of CICI By Dong Sun-hwa Food is often used as an important tool in a movie to convey a particular message or create a certain atmosphere. While most viewers have a vague grasp of the purpose of this important prop, they can't put their finger on the exact mechanism of effect as the director intends. This situation has prompted a new genre checking out the foods appearing in movies and explaining them. Kim Ku-chul, one of the first experts in this field, said, "The power of 'movie food' is mighty," during a lecture at the residence of the Moroccan Ambassador to Korea, Tuesday. "It can facilitate people's understanding of the characters and the storyline." Kim, also deputy editor of vernacular paper Munhwa Ilbo, talked about how he got involved in the field after being dissatisfied with just watching a movie to gain an understanding of what role food plays or how it is conveyed to the audience. Cucmber gimbap made by Kim Ku-chul. Courtesy of Kim Ku-chul "I once made cucumber gimbap to delve into why the protagonist is obsessed with it in the 2016 movie 'The World of Us,'" he said. Gimbap is a Korean seaweed roll that usually comes with strips of cooked vegetables or meat. In the movie dealing with three elementary school students, perhaps comparable to the life of adults in psychological complexities, one protagonist shows her predilection for her divorced mom's cucumber gimbap. It is not even marinated but sliced fresh into pieces. They are put in the roll with water dripping from it. "The protagonist of the movie craved for cucumber gimbap to the point that she nags the mother of her friend to make gimbap in the same style. Only after making that gimbap and eating it, I concluded it is not gimbap she is eager for; she is looking for it to feel her mom's warmth." He added: "It must have been unsavory because her mother was not a talented cook. But for her, taste did not matter. Cucumber gimbap itself was so meaningful that she preferred it to beef gimbap, which is usually more sought-after." Kim said he was inspired to focus on foods after the preview event for the 2006 film "Radio Star." When the event wrapped up, he saw reporters rushing to a Chinese restaurant. "The cast ate 'Jajangmyeon,' Chinese black bean sauce noodles made in the Korean style in the movie," Kim said. "So all the reporters who watched the scene dashed to try the dish afterward. Thanks to this, I realized the significance of food in movies and how it could affect people's behaviors." The Moroccan Ambassador to Korea, Chafik Rachadi, thanked Kim for sharing his movie expertise. The event was hosted by the Korea CQ Forum of the Corea Image Communication Institute (CICI), a global culture promotion advocacy. Moroccan Ambassador to Korea Chafik Rachadi delivers his welcoming remarks on Tuesday at his residence. Courtesy of CICI Cho Jong-hyung, right, head of the foreign exchange business division at KEB Hana Bank, poses with Kim Gyeong-jo, head of the Support Centers for Foreign Workers at the bank's office in Seoul, Thursday. The bank will offer financial education for foreign workers via its nationwide network of centers. Courtesy of KEB Hana Bank Police yesterday confirmed that they were investigating the discovery of a boat with seven b Industrial Bank of Korea (IBK) Chairman Kim Do-jin, fifth from left, applauds with Korea Federation of SMEs' Chairman Kim Ki-mun, seventh from left, and other guests at a job fair for venture companies at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in Seoul, Thursday. A total of 100 venture firms took part in the fair. / Courtesy of Industrial Bank of Korea RENSSELAER COUNTY, N.Y. New York State Police made four DWI arrests in Rensselaer County. On March 30, police arrested 24-year-old Justin M. Rogow, 24, and charged him with aggravated DWI. Around 5:50 p.m., State Police said they saw a dirtbike operating illegally on Trolly Road in the Town of Nassau. A traffic stop was conducted and according to a trooper, Rogow displayed several indicators of alcohol involvement. Standardized Field Sobriety Tests were administered and Rogow was arrested for DWI. Rogow later provided a breath sample resulting in a .18% blood alcohol concentration. Rogow was processed and released to a sober third party to appear in court at a later date. On March 30, police arrested Joseph A. Policicchio, 31, and charged him with DWI. Around 9:20 p.m., a traffic stop was made on Columbia Turnpike in the Town of Schodack for several traffic violations. The trooper noted Policicchio exhibited several indicators of alcohol involvement. Standardized Field Sobriety Tests were administered and Policicchio was arrested for DWI. Policicchio provided a breath sample resulting in a .14% blood alcohol concentration. He was processed and arraigned in the Town of Schodack Court where he was released to appear in court at a later date. On March 31, Christopher S. Connors, 25, and charged him with DWI. Around 12:48 a.m., a traffic stop was made on SR-20 in the Town of Schodack for several traffic violations. State Police said Connors showed several indicators of alcohol involvement. Standardized Field Sobriety Tests were administered and Connors was placed under arrest for DWI. Connors provided a breath sample resulting in a .12% blood alcohol concentration. He was processed and released to a sober third party to appear in court at a later date. On March 31, a trooper arrested Christoph H. Herrmannsdoerfer, 33, for Felony DWI. Around 6:50 p.m., a traffic stop was made on SR-43 in the Town of Stephentown for traffic violations. The Trooper said Herrmannsdoerfer displayed several indicators of alcohol involvement. Standardized Field Sobriety Tests were administered and Herrmannsdoerfer was placed under arrest for DWI. He later provided a breath sample resulting in a .10% blood alcohol concentration. Additionally, he had a suspended license due to a previous DWI conviction within the preceding 10 years. Herrmannsdoerfer was charged with Felony DWI, Felony Aggravated Unlicensed Operation, Operation of a Motor Vehicle without an Interlock Device and traffic violations. He was arraigned in the Town of Stephentown Court and remanded to Rensselaer County Jail in lieu of bail. - The children are said to have been born with two teeth - They were also gifted with a matrimonial home where they will live as a couple - During the bizarre wedding ceremony, the two sat next to two large snakes - The elders argued the snakes were meant to protect the children Just when we thought reducing the age of consent to 16 years in Kenya was sickening, residents of Nakapyata Village, Uganda on Monday, April 1, presided over the most sickening incidents ever. Under Ugandan laws, it is illegal for persons under the age of 18 to get married but the villagers, however, presided over the marriage of two children aged nine and six. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: Today in History: Martin Luther King Jr was assassinated It is alleged the two started dating when the boy was three years and the girl was three months which would later galvanise the bond between both families. Photo Daily Monitor Source: UGC READ ALSO: Kirinyaga University students riot after colleague is stabbed to death According to a report by Daily Monitor, the boy, a Class Four pupil at Buyende Light Primary School and the girl were both reportedly born with two teeth each. The two were given a matrimonial hut to live in as a couple during the function which was graced with dances and two three-feet long snakes which elders said were meant to protect the couple. It was alleged the two started 'dating' when the boy was three years and the girl was three months which would later galvanise the bond between both families. READ ALSO: High Court suspends ban on non-woven shopping bags My son was born with two teeth and his wife was also born with two teeth. His birth came with overwhelming blessings and his name should unite both Baganda and Basoga [tribes], said the boys father Delifazi Mulame . According to the boys teacher, Barbra Namulesa, he is a disciplined, social, soft-spoken boy who speaks like an elder. I think this is the Kintu our forefathers talked about (in ancestral history). This one advises me despite being his teacher, she said. READ ALSO: City lawyer Assa Nyakundi's son laid to rest at Nairobi's Lang'ata cemetery the boy, a class Four pupil at Buyende Light Primary School and the girl were both reportedly born with two teeth. Photo: Daily Monitor Source: UGC The girls mother noted her daughter who started speaking immediately after birth has been a revelation since she was born. She started speaking immediately after birth! When I went into labour, I asked what baby it was and I was told it was a girl. However, the midwife stunned me when she said my baby had been born with two teeth and nearly dropped her, the mother of seven said. My immediate fear was how to breastfeed a baby with teeth. I was, however, comforted by my sister-in-law who was with me at hospital," she added. READ ALSO: Man reinstates father's land 23 years after taking law degree to protect the property Kintus father, Mr Delifazi Mulame. Photo: Daily Monitor Source: UGC One of her enduring moments was when her daughter, then aged only one day, changed position by herself, causing visitors to flee the hospital ward. Two days later, she started crying uncontrollably and an old woman appeared in my dreams dressed in old tatters. It was at this moment that I told my husband that I had enough of this girl, she recounted. The Busoga North Regional police spokesperson, Michael Kasadha, dismissed the marriage ceremony noting any acts of marriage must be between people who are 18 years and above. 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. Should Deputy President William Ruto be impeached? - On Tuko TV Source: Tuko.co.ke This photo provided by Samsung Electronics shows the firm's semiconductor manufacturing center in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. Korea Times file The South Korean economy showed a slowdown in production and demand amid declining exports, a state-run think-tank said Tuesday. South Korea's exports slipped 5.8 percent in January from a year earlier due mainly to weaker performances by chips and petrochemical goods. In January, South Korea shipped $7.42 billion worth of semiconductors, down 23.3 percent from a year earlier, while outbound shipments of petrochemical goods fell 5.3 percent on-year. The Korea Development Institute said a slowing global economy weighed on South Korea's exports in January. (Photo/Chinanews.com) Fitness enthusiasts and environmental volunteers from the Department of Management Engineering at Nanjing Agricultural University, in the capital of east Chinas Jiangsu Province, went plogging in an ecological park near Yangtze River to encourage people to contribute to environmental protection, Chinanews.com reported on April 3. Ploggers picked up garbage including cigarette butts, plastic water bottles, wastepaper, and snack wrappers while running slowly in the park, catching the attention of passersby. (Photo/Chinanews.com) The word plogging is a combination of the Swedish phrase plocka upp (picking up litter) and the English word jogging. It started in Sweden around 2016 and has quickly spread around the world due to its idea of combining physical activities with public good. (Photo/Chinanews.com) By Kim Bo-eun Mirae Asset Financial Group founder Park Hyeon-joo has decided to donate his last year's dividend of 1.6 billion won ($1.41 million), the group said Wednesday. It is the ninth straight year of dividend donation as his part of his social contribution. His decision came after Mirae Asset Global Investment, the group's asset management unit, decided at its shareholder meeting Friday to pay the dividend to Park, the financial group's global investment and strategy officer. Park has been donating all his dividends since 2010 and this year's amount brings the total to 23.2 billion won. The chairman said in a letter to employees in 2008 that he would donate the dividends he receives to young people, starting in 2010. The funds are used for students supported by the Mirae Asset Park Hyeon-joo Foundation and other social welfare projects. After launching Mirae Asset's asset management unit in 1997, Park established an education foundation the following year. In 2000, he set up the Mirae Asset Park Hyeon-joo Foundation, using 7.5 billion won of personal funds. The foundation has been providing scholarships to students since 2007. Under its student exchange program, it has sent 5,117 students to 50 countries so far. It has given 3,391 students domestic scholarships. A total of 270,000 students have taken part in various programs that the foundation has been running. "The world is changing fast but we cannot lose a warm heart," Park said in a New Year message last year. "Beneath Mirae Asset's contributions to society is a spirit of love for society and its people." By Kim Bo-eun ABL Life's board Chairman Xie Zheqiang will serve as the insurer's new CEO, according to the company, Thursday. The firm nominated Xie as its new CEO, Wednesday, and this was approved at a general shareholder's meeting held the following day. Xie, 52, will continue to serve as the chairman of the insurance company's board of directors. "Xie was appointed due to the former CEO's departure," an ABL spokesperson said. Former CEO Sun Lei left for "new career opportunities," although the company declined to specify what these were. Xie served as an executive overseeing the North Asia region at U.S. insurer TransRe. He was in strategic planning and business development at six global insurers including the People's Insurance Company of China, AXA XL and Lloyd's for the past 30 years. Xie completed an Executive MBA at China's Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business. ABL is owned by Chinese Anbang Insurance Group, along with insurer Tongyang Life. The Chinese government has been managing the insurance group since February 2018, to reduce financial risks, following the arrest of group Chairman Wu Xiaohui for alleged fundraising fraud and embezzlement. This has put constraints on ABL's business. The China Insurance Regulatory Commission will control the group until Feb. 22 next year. In Parliament today, there was an exchange of words between an Opposition MP and the Health The presence of NATO ships in the Black Sea and the conduct of joint exercises signify stability and security in the region, said Deputy Chairperson of the Odesa Regional State Administration Svitlana Shatalova. As the press service of the Administration reports, Svitlana Shatalova made a corresponding statement at a meeting with the commanders of the Royal Canadian Navy frigate HMCS Toronto and the Spanish Navy frigate Santa Maria, the ambassadors of the two countries, and the head of the NATO Representation to Ukraine. For Ukraine, a strategic partnership with NATO is an integral part of the integration. The very presence of ships in the Black Sea and conduct of joint exercises signify stability and security in Odesa region she stressed during the meeting. The Deputy Chairperson of the Odesa Regional State Administration noted that "NATO SNMG2 frigates will take part in the PASSEX type mini-exercises together with the ships of the naval forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which is an important component of cooperation with the North Atlantic Alliance. Joint exercises bring us closer to the high standards of NATO, Shatalova said. She also stressed that the return of Ukrainian prisoners of war to their homeland is of fundamental importance. In turn, Head of the NATO Representation to Ukraine Alexander Vinnikov confirmed that the Alliance would continue to put pressure on Russia demanding the immediate release of the captured sailors. The presence of these ships is a powerful signal of our solidarity with Ukraine. NATO, as is known, strengthens its presence in the Black Sea in response to Russia's aggressive actions within the framework of the overall strengthening of deterrent and defence forces. This can be seen on the sea, over the sea, and on land. In the end, the practical assistance of NATO to Ukraine is very diverse, and a part of it is provided in Odesa region, Vinnikov said. ol The delegation of the Bavarian Landtag headed by its Vice President Marcus Rinderschpacher plans to visit Ukraine after the autumn parliamentary elections. This has been reported by the press service of the Consulate General of Ukraine in Munich following a meeting of Consul General of Ukraine Yuriy Yarmilko with the Vice President of the Bavarian Landtag. Mr. Rinderschpacher expressed his readiness to head the delegation and visit Ukraine after the autumn elections to the Verkhovna Rada. An agreement was also reached on holding an event in the Landtag dedicated to Ukraine, the report says. According to the Consulate General, during the meeting, the parties discussed the prospects for Ukrainian-Bavarian cooperation, in particular, inter-parliamentary cooperation, as well as the presidential elections in Ukraine. "It was mutually confirmed that regardless of the results of the elections, the European way of Ukraine will remain unchanged, as well as the support of Bavaria and Germany for Ukraine," the press service noted. The parliamentary elections in Ukraine will be held on October 27, 2019. iy Eight trucks of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) delivered 160 tonnes of food to the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions as humanitarian aid via the Novotroitske checkpoint, the press service of the Ukrainian State Border Guard Service has reported. "Eight trucks from the International Committee of the Red Cross drove to the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine through the Novotroitske checkpoint. Humanitarian aid (food products) weighing 160 tonnes was sent to residents of Donetsk and Luhansk regions," the report reads. op Welcome to the University of Louisiana Monroe. We invite you to explore our unique and beautiful campus embraced by water. CAMPUS TOURS SCHEDULE A TOUR ULM is a unique university that you must experience first-hand. We welcome prospective students all year long, and we encourage you to come experience why students are choosing to call ULM their home. Your campus visit will consist of a tour of campus, a chance to meet our faculty and explore academic majors, and an opportunity to view our residence halls. You will also receive information concerning admission requirements, scholarships, and financial aid. After visiting ULM, you will be certain that our campus is a place to build a foundation for learning and lasting memories that will shape the rest of your life. Tours are offered Monday through Thursday in the morning and afternoon. Typical appointment times are as follows: Monday Thursday: 9 am, 10 am, 11 am, 1 pm, 2 pm | Friday: 9 am Get started with your campus visit by completing the online tour request or by calling our campus tour phone line at 318-342-3806. GROUP VISITS Group visits are designed only for counselors, teachers, advisors, etc. who would like to bring a group of students from a school, college, or community organization on a field trip to visit the ULM. They are offered by appointment only during weekdays. ACCESSIBILITY Please note that a portion of the Campus Tour consists of a guided walking tour. For special needs or accommodations, please include specific needs in the comment section when booking your tour online. VETERANS ULM works closely with the DVA to offer various entitlement programs to students who have served in the military on active duty, are members of the selected Reserves/National Guard, or are dependents of a veteran who died while in the military or who has a service-related disability. The ULM Application Fee is waived for all U.S. veterans Undergraduate Transfer Students We're glad you're interested in transferring to ULM. Each year, ULM welcomes almost 1,000 students who began their college career elsewhere. For Louisiana students completing a two-year degree program at a community colllege or other school, please see the Louisiana Transfer Degree Guarantee site for specific information. What to do... 1. Check the Undergraduate Transfer Admission Requirements, shown at right. 2. Create an Admissions Account, select and submit the Undergraduate Application, and pay the $20 application fee with a credit or debit card. 3. Request official transcripts from all previous college work (except ULM) to be mailed to: University of Louisiana Monroe Office of Admissions 700 University Avenue Monroe, LA 71209 If you are sending a transcript by escript, send it to docman@ulm.edu. Students under current suspension and those who cannot furnish official transcripts are not eligible to enroll at ULM. 4. Submit completed Proof of Immunization form. 5. Once admitted, regularly check your new "warhawks.ulm.edu" student email account for financial aid and other information. Log in at my.ULM.edu. After you're admitted, see: Next Steps [pdf] Housing information will be mailed after acceptance to the University. Any Questions? Contact us! transfer@ulm.edu (318) 342-3028 ACT/SAT SCORES ACT/SAT scores are required for admission and scholarship consideration and must be delivered electronically to ULM directly from ACT or SAT. Paper copies will not be processed unless received directly from ACT or SAT if no electronic copy is available. To register for a test or to request your scores be sent to ULM, see the information below. www.actstudent.org - ULM code: 1598 sat.collegeboard.org/scores - ULM code: 6482 The Courtyard Marriott Seoul Namdaemun opened in May 2016 as the third Courtyard property in Korea. / Courtesy of Courtyard Marriott Seoul Namdaemun By Kang Seung-woo The Korean hotel industry is notoriously competitive, a market crowded and saturated with a large number of traditional hotel powerhouses both domestic and international. General Manager Christopher Johns Despite the circumstances, the Courtyard Marriott Seoul Namdaemun, a three-year-old property, is getting noticed in the market thanks to its unique selling points that General Manager Christopher Johns believes can persuade customers to stay there over other neighboring yet high-profile hotels. The hotel opened in May 2016 as the third Courtyard property here and it offers 409 guest rooms and suites. There are three main selling points, the Australian said in an interview with The Korea Times. "The first one I would say is its prime location. That is really a gateway for Seoul. With Seoul Station and easier access to Myeong-dong, you have top tourist attractions nearby as well as major corporate industries. So it is really in the center of what everybody can possibly need for travel." Korea's National Treasure No. 1 Sungnyemun, or Namdaemun, as well as Deoksu Palace and Gyeongbok Palace are adjacent to the property and it is also located within 10 minutes walking distance of Seoul City Hall. Around the Courtyard Namdaemun, there are several other renowned hotel brands such as the Millennium Hilton Seoul, the Plaza Hotel, the Westin Chosun Seoul and the Four Seasons Hotel Seoul. Johns said his hotel has a few more advantages over those hotels in terms of attracting customers namely its design, features and associates. "From a 22-story atrium as well as our executive lounge, guests can see Namdaemun Market and Mount Nam as well as Myeong-dong area, and the well-appointed rooms are quite functional and really contemporary for today's travelers," he said. "Our associates have a real hospitality mindset. With 75 percent of our associates being millennials, they have a fresh understanding of hospitality and a new approach which will be a different design of older hotels." Johns assumed his first general manager job in January 2018. Prior to the appointment, he spent three years as a hotel manager at the JW Marriott Hotel in Bangkok. As soon as he took the position, he focused the most on the hotel's sales unit. "My main focus was working with the sales department to understand the team, the way they are deployed into the marketplace, what the marketplace is and how it operates now, and the sales strategy that we had in place," Johns said. And his efforts seemed to have paid off. "The revenue per available room (RevPar) index is the way of measuring the success of a hotel in the market place, and last year, we had a double-digit percentage growth, so strategy definitely worked and we were No. 1 in the concept," he said. Seoul is regarded as one of the toughest hotel industries in the world, with some even saying it has already reached a saturation point, and the general manager is also bracing for market challenges. The property offers 409 guest rooms and suites. / Courtesy of Courtyard Marriott Seoul Namdaemun Thursday April 4th is International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action. Separate reports launched by IFAD and the Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative show the scale and impact of rural poverty is alarmingly and endemically high. While a 2018 UN Global Report on Food Security suggest that the number of malnourished people is now more than 820 millionaround one person out of every nine. As we have become aware these figures have a human face and are too often found in post-crisis or fragile states; places such as Yemen, Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, South Sudan, and Somalia. UNICEF estimates that 535 million children, nearly one in four, live in countries affected by conflict or disaster, often without medical care, quality education, proper nutrition or protection. Often adding to this topography of suffering in these and more than 50 other countries, are an innumerable number of landmines and explosive remnants of war that have made toxic the very soil needed for rural re-development. Meeting SDG 1 Clearly in places where hunger, conflict, and landmines coexist, meeting the Agenda for Sustainable Developments first goal of ending poverty in all its forms (SDG 1) and ensuring to leave no one behind by 2030 will be difficult. Recently we witnessed the severe impact of Cyclone Idai as it slammed into central Mozambique. Fortunately, thanks to the leadership of its government, and in partnership with UNDP and international donors, thousands of landmines were removed and the country was declared mine-free in 2015. As the difficult and slow recovery process now begins, I think back to when I led the UNDP mine action programme in Mozambique, never imagining the impact of our efforts on the future of the areaone that had just started to recover from its long civil war and was once again becoming a main artery to the sea for landlocked Malawi and Zimbabwe. The rural people of Tajikistan, eastern Ukraine, and Bosnia and Herzegovina also suffer the effects of landmines and high rural poverty rates in comparison to their compatriots in areas that dont have them; in effect they are experiencing different development pathways, despite living in the same countries. More than 20 years after Diana, Princess of Wales visited Bosnia and Herzegovina and brought global attention to the scourge of landmines and their impact on civilians, more than half a million people, 15 percent of the population, still suffer from their threats. The government says that most of those affected are rural, and that the urban populations have relatively safe lives in comparison with those who live in the country. The government also warned that economic vulnerability was a factor in influencing people to enter suspected hazardous areas, resulting in more than 1,700 casualties. Risking lives As conflict grinds on in eastern Ukraine, rural poverty is seen as a contributing factor in local farmers to risking life and injurytheyve been cut off from their land for more than five years. Given the poverty-induced displacement along the conflict zone people are entering areas suspected to contain landmines or other explosive remnants of war, such as cluster munitions, anti-vehicle mines, unexploded ordnances, and Improvised Explosive Devices to collect firewood or tend their properties to augment their tenuous existence. This led to 240 civilian deaths in 2017. Tajikistan is a mountainous country with a rural population heavily dependent on agriculture which produces its main exports of cotton and wheat. According to the government, around 70 percent of the population depends on agriculture and animal husbandry as a source of employment or income. The challenge is that only seven percent of the mountainous country is arable. The government estimates that half a million Tajiks, 10 percent of total population, are at risk of physical harm. The developmental harm is more difficult to ascertain, but clearly opportunities in the agriculture, hydro-electric, coal and gold mining and livestock industries are being lost. If we are to eradicate poverty and inequality by 2030, we will not only need new thinking and new tools, we will also need to chart our way through the resident legacies of the past. In many places afflicted by conflict, the tools required to navigate this journey will be mine detectors, prodders, shrub cutters and long trowels. Excellencies, USG Lacroix, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, Colleagues, UNDP takes pleasure in participating in the Inter-Agency Coordination Group on Mine Action and in this effective partnership. Let me start by thanking the United Nations Mine Action Services (UNMAS) for convening this event on the occasion of International Mine Awareness Day. As UNDP Administrator mentioned in his video statement, raising awareness on the issue of Mine Action is of utmost importance. UNDP has supported mine action initiatives - Development and Mine Action -- since 1993, when we launched our first programme in Cambodia. Since then, UNDP has supported mine action programmes in over 40 countries. In close cooperation with civil society, donors and our UN partners, we have focused on capacity building of Member States and governments, and linking mine action centrally to our core mandate which is development . This commitment is seen in the 2016 launch of a UNDP Development and Mine Action Support Framework which focuses on three main areas which are in line with the SDGs and 2030 Agenda: 1. Translating mine action into sustainable development dividends, particularly into jobs, livelihoods, food security, and water and sanitation. For instance, in Lebanon, more than 68 square kilometres have been cleared in 2018, impacting positively on livelihoods in 298 villages. Around 97 percent of cleared land has been put to immediate socio-economic use. In Cambodia and Lao PDR, with substantive support from UNDP, Mine Action was declared as SDG 18 nationally . This innovative approach is now being promoted to other countries. 2. Strengthening national institutions that accelerate development benefits for the countries and people affected by landmines and other explosive remnants of war (ERW). For instance, Azerbaijan set up a fully functioning mine action agency with UNDP support, which integrated sustainable development considerations and now shares experiences with other countries, including Afghanistan, Georgia and Turkey. 3. Supporting international normative frameworks on mine action. UNDP has been at the forefront of advocating for and supporting the universalisation and implementation of a number of normative frameworks such as the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (APMBC), the Convention of Cluster Munitions (CCM) and so forth. This has contributed to landmine-free countries such as Albania, Guinea Bissau, Jordan, Mozambique and Uganda which declared themselves free of known mine fields, meeting demining obligations under the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Treaty. As was mentioned by the UNDP Administrator, we had a long partnership with Mozambique in supporting the Unexploded Ordnances and landmine clearance in the areas which are now submerged by water due to the devastating Cyclone Idai. We can be a little relieved that these areas are mine-free, and thus free of what would have been an unthinkable challenge to delivering the necessary assistance to the affected communities. Without landmines on the ground, we can focus without any delay on peoples livelihoods and community recovery. In 2017, UNDP and the Geneva Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) conducted a study on Leaving No One Behind: Mine Action and the Sustainable Development Goals, which show the direct links between mine action and a range of SDGs. For example, releasing land not only has direct impacts on reducing violence and fear (Goal 16), it is also seen as an indirect accelerator for several other SDGs, including SDG 1 (Poverty), SDG 2 (Hunger), SDG 3 (Healthy lives), and SDG 8 (Inclusive growth). We are now using the study to design mine action policy and programmes within the context of SDG implementation. Thus, our work on Development and Mine Action is fully aligned with the priorities of the new UNs Strategy on Mine Action 2019-2023, as elaborately highlighted by USG Jean-Pierre Lacroix. At UNDP we particularly focus on the areas of socio-economic impact of landmines/ERW, developing national institutional capacities, victim assistance, and linking mine action to achievement of the SDGs. By using UNDPs Integrator role, we will aim at using Mine Action as a vehicle for advancing the Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus and responding to the call of the 2030 Agenda to Leave No One Behind. In practical terms, the Leave No One Behind approach allows UNDP to support local communities in (re)building after conflict and put them back onto the road to development. The integrated approach will also allow us to face the newly-emerging challenges, such as forced displacement resulting in record number of refugees and internally displaced people. The return of refugees or internally displaced is often fraught with the danger in the very landscapes they cherish most. In the case of Syria, for example, the level of explosive hazardous contamination posed by landmines and unexploded ordnances is staggering. In Ukraine, there has been an uptick in incidents as those people displaced informally return to farm in the 50-km wide zone-of-conflict separating the two-warring sides. We see Mine Action as an enabler for creating safe spaces in the affected communities, launching emergency job programmes, local area development initiatives, reconstruction of damaged infrastructure, implementation of repatriation plans, rebuilding trust and the social contract. Ladies and Gentlemen, Looking ahead, there is still much more to do to reduce the risks and build better development futures for mine-affected communities: First, we need to raise awareness at the international and national level on the role that mine action can play in achieving the SDGs, including by capturing country-level evidence that brings a broader voice to the work and impact of mine action. Our work on SDGs and mine action can help in this endeavour. Second, we need financing and new partnerships to accelerate the efforts made so far. With the global annual investment needs for SDG implementation estimated at USD 5-7 trillion, Mine action will need to be positioned within the 2030 Agenda in order to benefit from the SDG-earmarked funding. Third, the new UN Strategy on Mine Action (2019-2023) is linked closely to development and the SDG implementation. UNDP is ready to support the UN Inter-Agency Coordination Group on how best to link mine action to the SDGs, in line with the findings of our recent UNDP-GICHD Study which I mentioned earlier. The Fourth of April reminds us of our obligation and commitments to strengthen partnerships for better results in mine action. In this way, we are assured of achieving our dream of a world free of landmines. Thank you. Giles Duley, on assignment for UNHCR, photographs refugees and migrants in Greece in 2016. UNHCR/Achilleas Zavallis LONDON Humanitarian photographer Giles Duley won a prestigious Amnesty International Media Award for his powerful series depicting the plight and resilience of Congolese female refugees in Angola at the annual ceremony in London on Wednesday evening (April 3). His powerful photo essay, We Are Here Because We Are Strong, was commissioned by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and published in Humanity magazine. Duley is a longtime collaborator with UNHCR and his previous projects for the agency include documenting the arrival of Syrian refugees in Greece in 2015. He has since established his own foundation, Legacy of War, which aims to empower communities and individuals to rebuild their lives after conflict. "I really appreciate working with the UNHCR, who commissioned me for this project. They have always given me the luxury of creative freedom. Their trust in my work over the years has enabled me to grow as a photographer and storyteller," Duley said on receiving the news of his award while on an anti-landmine assignment in Vietnam. We danced, we ate and we made portraits." Duleys black-and-white portraits are stark, capturing the pain of the womens ordeal, as well as the inner reserves that they somehow found. They serve as a reminder of the appalling sexual abuse of women in conflicts around the world. In a UNHCR settlement in Lovua, where the photos were taken, 75 per cent of the Congolese refugees are women and children. The subjects of his project were forced to flee the Kasai region of Democratic Republic of the Congo after violence erupted in March 2017, triggering massive displacement; over 34,000 refugees also fled to Lunda Norte Province, in north-east Angola, where they found support from UNHCR and partners. Many of the refugees were women and children, who recounted harrowing stories of abuse in flight. Refugees were arriving in terrible condition, some with machete injuries, many hungry, exhausted and traumatized, said Philippa Candler, UNHCR's Representative in Angola. The photographer was struck by the generosity of spirit that the women displayed. We danced, we ate and we made portraits. It was truly the most memorable photo shoot of my life, he said. Resilience is a word used too easily, but with Aunty Rose and Mimi, and later, all the women I met in the camp, I found its true meaning. The Amnesty awards celebrate excellence in human rights journalism and applaud the courage and determination of journalists and editors who put their lives on the line to tell important human rights stories. The ceremony was held late Wednesday at the BAFTA centre in central London. Giles Duley seen in an informal camp set up by refugees and migrants, near the Idomeni transit station in Greece. UNHCR/Achilleas Zavallis Duley's agent, Edson Williams, accepted the award on his behalf. Williams thanked UNHCR for giving Duley, who subsequently raised $100,000 to support the women, the opportunity to highlight the issue. Giles would give this award to the women, Williams said. Among the other winners were Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, Reuters reporters jailed in Myanmar on charges of breaking the Official Secrets Act. They worked on a ground-breaking investigation into the killing of 10 Rohingya Muslim men and boys by security forces and Buddhist civilians in Rakhine State during a crackdown from August 2017. Joint UNHCR/IOM Press Release LISBON Thirteen refugees from Syria and Iraq, including six children, arrived safely in Lisbon on Wednesday (03/04) after leaving Istanbul, Turkey as part of a Portuguese refugee resettlement programme for 2018-2019, supported by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency and IOM, the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The new arrivals are the first to be resettled to Portugal from Turkey, under the program, where they have previously been hosted after fleeing conflict in their home countries. They include three families from Damascus and Aleppo in Syria and an individual from Iraq. The families will join extended family members that are already living in Portugal. UNHCR has been supporting Portugal strengthen its resettlement scheme, deploying a resettlement expert to Lisbon and working with Portuguese authorities to identify and refer at-risk refugees in Egypt and Turkey as part of the program, said UNHCRs Regional Spokesperson for Southern Europe, Carlotta Sami. Through IOMs offices in Portugal and Turkey, we have been supporting the Government of Portugal towards its overall commitment to receive 1,010 refugees by October this year, said IOM Portugals resettlement focal point Sonia Pereira. Forty more refugees are expected to arrive from Turkey under the programme this month. One hundred and twenty seven refugees have now been resettled in Portugal from Egypt, as part of its most ambitious resettlement program, since December 2018. Resettlement is available only to a fraction of the worlds refugees. Typically, less than one per cent of refugees worldwide are ever resettled. With developing regions hosting 85 per cent of the worlds refugees, or 16.9 million people, ensuring a more timely, equitable and predictable sharing of responsibilities by increasing access for refugees to move to third countries is a key objective of the Global Compact on Refugees. For this weeks new arrivals to Lisbon, IOM staff welcomed the refugees at the airport together with the Immigration and Borders Service (SEF). IOM assisted the new arrivals with luggage collection and accompanied them through immigration and arrival procedures that were conducted by the SEF and the High Commissioner for Migration (ACM). After leaving the airport, they were accompanied by their hosting institutions to their new accommodations. Municipal authorities and NGOs throughout Portugal are supporting refugees arriving through this programme, who will be offered initial support with housing and basic needs while they learn the Portuguese language and pursue employment. The refugees will have access to healthcare and education, as well as professional and vocational training. For more information on this topic, please contact: UNHCR: Federico Fossi, [email protected] +39 349 084 3461 +39 349 084 3461 Shabia Mantoo, [email protected] +41 79 337 7650 IOM: Russia asks Ukraine to resume air traffic The Russian aviation agency claims this would be "in the interests of the peoples". If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter The attacker who planted the bomb was reportedly heavily injured as the device set off prematurely. A saboteur overnight Thursday attempted to plant an explosive device under the car owned by an operative of Ukraine's security services. The blast rocked a supermarket parking lot at about 02:00 as the explosive device apparently set off prematurely, heavily injuring the perpetrator in the act, according to Censor.net chief editor Yuriy Butusov. The car owner is reported to have been taking an active part in the Joint Forces Operation in Donbas, Butusov wrote on Facebook. Read alsoChief prosecutor Lutsenko: Circle of suspects in Sheremet assassination narrows The police escorted the attacker, who is reportedly in a grave condition following the blast, to the local hospital. The car owner wasn't hurt in the attack. Read alsoSBU colonel killed in car blast in Donbas, three more injured (Photo) According to preliminary data, the perpetrator is a citizen of one of the countries of Central Asia. "Investigation is underway. Obviously, the attacker had been monitoring the car, most likely acting as part of a group. This is not the first case of a car bombing committed by saboteurs. But for the first time, the person who planted the bomb was detained," the journalist added. The NBU's governor has good chances to keep the post if Zelensky becomes president. Former Finance Minister Oleksandr Danyliuk may become foreign minister if Volodymyr Zelensky is elected president in a runoff. "At a meeting with the European Business Association, Zelensky tested the public to check how the appointment of Danyliuk as foreign minister was perceived," MP Serhiy Leshchenko, who is part of Zelensky's team, said, according to the Novoe Vremya online publication. "But the decision has not yet been finalized," he said. Danyliuk, ex-Minister of Economics Aivaras Abromavicius and former member of the National Agency for Prevention of Corruption (NAPC) Ruslan Riaboshapka became part of a group of advisers to Zelensky amid the presidential race. Answering a question whether Zelensky could name a possible candidate for prime minister, Leshchenko said: "This is impossible because the prime minister is appointed by parliament." Read alsoZelensky invites Poroshenko to debate: "You've got 24 hours" (Video) "Yet, Zelensky promised not to change the NBU's governor, as the latter has a seven-year contract," he added. Earlier, Danyliuk said that should Zelensky win the presidential race, his team would immediately begin reforming those industries and systems where change was a mere simulation. Separately, the Council will discuss the situation in Venezuela and Afghanistan, as well as "pressing issues on the international agenda." The Council of the European Union will discuss at the Foreign Affairs Council's level the future of the Eastern Partnership initiative with Ukraine and five other countries Georgia, Moldova, Azerbaijan, Belarus, and Armenia. This is stated in the agenda of the meeting of the Council of the European Union in Brussels, which will be held next week on Monday. Read alsoEU approves controversial copyright law despite massive opposition "The Council will exchange views on the Eastern Partnership (EaP) ahead of the EaP ministerial meeting to be held in Brussels on May 13. Ministers will discuss the future of the EaP and review the implementation of the EaP's 20 deliverables for 2020," the message says. Separately, the Council will discuss the situation in Venezuela and Afghanistan, as well as "pressing issues on the international agenda." UNIAN memo. The Eastern Partnership is a political initiative launched at the Prague Summit in May 2009, which aims to bring together six eastern neighbors Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine with the EU. The EU's cooperation with Eastern partners is focused on stimulating political, social and economic reforms. This means strengthening democracy and achieving stable and balanced growth in the interests of citizens. The runoff is set to be held April 21 where the frontrunner will meet incumbent President Petro Poroshenko. The Central Election Commission processed 100% of the protocols of the precinct election commissions in the first round of presidential elections in Ukraine. Data posted on the CEC website say showman Volodymyr Zelensky is confidently leading with 30.24% of the votes. At the same time, 15.95% of voters cast their ballots in favor of incumbent head of state Petro Poroshenko. Leader of the Batkivshchyna party, Yulia Tymoshenko, came third with 13.40%, thus stopping short of the second round of the election. Read alsoPoroshenko agrees to hold debates with Zelensky at Kyiv's Olympiyskiy Stadium (Video) Co-chairman of the Opposition Platform For Life Party Yuriy Boyko had 11.67% of the vote, some 6.91% of voters supported leader of the Civil Position Party Anatoliy Hrytsenko, 6.04% voted for ex-chief of the SBU Security Service of Ukraine Ihor Smeshko. Leader of the Radical Party Oleh Liashko scored 5.48%, candidate from the Opposition Bloc Party of Peace and Development Oleksandr Vilkul got 4.15%, and candidate from the Svoboda Party Ruslan Koshulynsky had 1.62%. The runoff of the election is set to be held April 21 where frontrunner Volodymyr Zelensky will meet incumbent President Petro Poroshenko. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visits Samjiyon, known to be the birthplace of his late father, the North's state media reported Thursday. Yonhap Visiting Samjiyon is Kim's ritual before making an important decision North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited a northern county known to be the birthplace of his late father, state media reported Thursday, amid speculation that he could soon announce his next steps after the breakdown of his February summit with U.S. President Donald Trump. Kim inspected Samjiyon County of Ryanggang Province bordering China, according to the Korean Central News Agency. North Korea claims that Samjiyon, near Mount Paekdu, the sacred highest peak on the Korean Peninsula, is the birthplace of Kim Jong-il. Kim has visited Samjiyon ahead of major announcements or decisions. A visit in November 2013 came about a month before the execution of his once-powerful uncle Jang Song-thaek. Kim traveled there late in 2014, months before he expressed his intent to hold an inter-Korean summit in his New Year's speech. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visits Samjiyon, known to be the birthplace of his late father, the North's state media reported Thursday. Yonhap Samjiyon Among other things, calls were voiced for assessing moral damage to local residents. "Economic losses", which Crimea had allegedly suffered during the period of being part of Ukraine, are tentatively estimated at more than 1.5 trillion rubles (about US$23 billion), claims the so-called deputy of the Russian State Duma from the annexed Crimea, a member of the financial market committee Andrei Kozenko. According to the most conservative estimates, the amount of damage in the designated areas already significantly exceeds 1.5 trillion [rubles], he said at the first meeting of the relevant State Duma working group, TASS reports. According to Kozenko, the amount of lost revenues of the Crimean budget over the 23 years in Ukraine could be about 690 billion rubles. Read alsoChairman of Russia's State Duma says Ukraine must pay for 25 years of Crimea's "annexation" The State Duma "deputy" also suggested calculating the annual rent paid to Kyiv for the Black Sea fleet stay in Sevastopol, and the income that was not received for the alleged idle status of land plots on the southern coast of the peninsula, "buildings, former resorts, architectural monuments, nature reserves, which were largely appropriated and not used for their intended purpose", alleged environmental damage from construction, and destruction of protected areas, alleged illegal quarry developments, and many other articles. In addition, the deputy offered to separately analyze the "economic losses" of the peninsula from Kyiv's actions after March 2014. "The Crimean businesses alone lost 480 million rubles, which was spent on the purchase and refueling of diesel generators during the energy blockade. According to some estimates, the total damage from the energy blockade was about 4 billion rubles," he said. Kozenko also urged to assess the "moral damage" allegedly inflicted on Crimeans by the actions of the Ukrainian authorities. Read alsoKremlin not to discuss Crimea status regardless of election results in Ukraine Because during the years of the Ukrainian occupation, this has undoubtedly been a violation of the rights of Crimea to use their native language, the imposition of a culture alien to us, said the deputy. As UNIAN reported earlier, on March 15, Chairman of Russia's State Duma Viacheslav Volodin said Ukraine's "annexation" of Crimea lasted for 25 years and that Kyiv should pay "compensation" to Russia. UNIAN memo. Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimea in March 2014 after its troops had occupied the peninsula. An illegal referendum was held for Crimeans to decide on accession to Russia. De-facto Crimean authorities reported that allegedly 96.77% of the Crimean population had voted for acceding to Russia. On March 18, 2014, the so-called agreement on the accession of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol to Russia was signed in the Kremlin. The West did not recognize the annexation in response to which sanctions against Russia were introduced. Ukraine's parliament voted to designate February 20, 2014, as the official date when the temporary occupation of Crimea began. Neither of the accused pleaded guilty to charges. Volodymyr Dudka and Oleksiy Bessarabov, the two Ukrainian nationals falsely accused by the Kremlin-controlled so-called "Sevastopol City Court" of sabotage, were sentenced to 14 years in prison, according to the Crimean Human Rights Group. The court also ruled that the convicts pay fines: Dudka in the amount of RUB 350,000 rubles, and Bessarabov in the amount of RUB 300,000. The corresponding sentence was handed down by "judge" Danil Zemlyukov, a citizen of the Russian Federation, a former judge of the Altai regional court. Human rights activists also said that the "case of Ukrainian saboteurs" is a politically motivated criminal persecution. Read alsoRussian report on combat boats starting patrolling area near Crimean Bridge sign of escalation "In this case, unacceptable evidence was used, and the Ukrainians detained in Crimea in the case of 'Ukrainian saboteurs' were deprived of their liberty for political reasons with violation of fundamental rights and freedoms.," the human rights group said, adding that the men are "political prisoners." Neither of the accused pleaded guilty to charges. As UNIAN reported earlier, the trial of two Ukrainian nationals, Volodymyr Dudka and Oleksiy Bessarabov, who were charged with plotting sabotage in Russia-annexed Crimea, started August 2, 2018. Hearings were held behind closed doors. The two men, along with a third Ukrainian national, Dmytro Shtyblykov, were arrested in Crimea in November 2016. At the time of the arrests, Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) accused the three of being members of a Ukrainian "saboteur group from the main intelligence directorate of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry." Ukraine's Defense Ministry rejected the FSB's allegations, calling them "another fabrication of the Russian secret services aimed at justifying its own repressive measures against local residents and discrediting Ukraine in the international arena." Read alsoEU responds to new detentions of Crimean Tatars in Russian-occupied peninsula Shtyblykov was tried separately. In November, the Sevastopol City Court found him guilty of attempted sabotage and illegally possessing weapons and sentenced him to five years in prison. Rights activists say Russia has jailed several Ukrainians on politically motivated charges since Russian military forces occupied Crimea in early 2014 and, less than a month later, annexed the territory from Ukraine after a referendum widely condemned as illegitimate. The pro-Russian candidates' performance doesnt mean though that Ukraine will shift its allegiances eastward again any time soon, the article suggests. A better-than-expected showing for Russia-leaning candidates in the first round of Ukraines presidential election could mean forces loyal to the Kremlin make inroads at the countrys parliamentary vote later this year, according to a Bloomberg reporter Daryna Krasnolutska. While two pro-Western candidates will go head to head in a runoff in three weeks, Russia-friendly Yuriy Boyko and Oleksandr Vilkul garnered a combined 15 percent, Bloomberg recalls. Their performance doesnt mean Ukraine will shift its allegiances eastward again any time soon. But it could add further intrigue to legislative elections scheduled for the fall. Read alsoEnvoy says presidential candidate's visit to Moscow "speculation" They offered people a return to the past, and it attracted older people, said Viktor Zamiatin, a political analyst at the Razumkov Center in Kyiv. If things stay as they are, parties loyal to Russia will have more seats in the next parliament than they have now. As UNIAN reported earlier, the election's first round frontrunner showman Volodymyr Zelensky and incumbent President Petro Poroshenko will face off in the second round of the election set to be held April 21. Poroshenko accepted Zelensky's offer to hold a public debate at the Olimpiyskiy Stadium in Kyiv. The venue has never been used for political purposes before, while debates were traditionally held in a classical set at a TV studio. Both candidates have agreed to hold the debates, the broadcaster chief said. Zurab Alasania, Chairman of the Board of the National Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine (UA:PBC), says the company is starting negotiations with presidential candidates, that is, incumbent President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko and frontrunner of the presidential race Volodymyr Zelensky, regarding the organization of their debates. "Can the National Public Broadcasting Company arrange the debates? That's not even a question. Of course, we can," he wrote on Facebook on April 4. According to Alasania, both candidates have agreed to hold the debates. "Now, that is up to the Central Election Commission (CEC) to organize them, and, under the law, finance the event from the state budget." "Therefore, we are starting negotiations with all parties," he added. Read alsoInterior Ministry says ready to "ensure security" at Kyiv stadium during presidential debate As UNIAN reported earlier, the Central Election Commission processed 100% of the protocols of the precinct election commissions in the first round of presidential elections in Ukraine. Data posted on the CEC website say showman Volodymyr Zelensky is confidently leading with 30.24% of the votes. At the same time, 15.95% of voters cast their ballots in favor of incumbent head of state Petro Poroshenko. Zelensky said on Wednesday, April 3, he was ready to hold debates with Poroshenko pending the second round of the presidential elections but named a number of conditions. In particular, the event should take place at the Olympiyskiy Stadium, in front of the people of Ukraine. Moreover, all channels should be able to broadcast it live. Zelensky gave Poroshenko 24 hours for decision-making. In turn, Poroshenko agreed to hold debates with Zelensky at the Olympiyskiy Stadium. On December 15, 2018, Ukrainian churches united into a single Orthodox Church of Ukraine. The Holy Synod of the former Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) at its Wednesday meeting called on Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I to call off the tomos of autocephaly of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU). "It should be noted that the actions of the Patriarchate of Constantinople in Ukraine caused great harm to Ukrainian Orthodoxy, and also posed a threat to pan-Orthodox unity. We believe that the Patriarchate of Constantinople and the Patriarch Bartholomew personally must admit their mistake and work on correcting it," the former UOC-MP said in a statement on its website. Read alsoOCU to accept Onufriy "like brother" if head of pro-Russian church decides to switch: Filaret The UOC MP believes that "the way to correct the mistake could be to call off the tomos, calling for schismatics to repent of their sin of schism, and convene the Pan-Orthodox Assembly to make the unified decision on the Ukrainian church issue." As was reported, Ukrainian churches on December 15, 2018, united into a single Orthodox Church of Ukraine, headed by Metropolitan Epifaniy (Epiphanius) of Kyiv and All Ukraine. However, most of UOC-MP representatives refused to recognize it. But some of the their parishes are joining the newly created OCU. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I on January 5, 2019, signed the tomos in his residence in Istanbul, which proclaimed the autocephaly of the newly formed Orthodox Church of Ukraine. Next day, he has handed it over to Metropolitan Epifaniy. Coming under fire, Joint Forces delivered an adequate response, eliminating two militants and wounding another three. Over the past day, April 3, Russian occupation forces in Donbas six times violated the ceasefire regime, including four times using weapons banned by the Minsk agreements, the Joint Forces Operation Staff reports. Coming under fire, Joint Forces delivered an adequate response, eliminating two militants and wounding another three. Read alsoUNHCR says Ukraine landmine risk needs urgent action Also, an infantry fighting vehicle of the Russian occupation forces was destroyed. As UNIAN reported earlier, Donbas invaders continue their attacks on the Ukrainian troops employing grenade launchers. The situation in the area of the Joint Forces Operation remains under control of Ukrainian troops. Russia's hybrid military forces mounted six attacks on Ukrainian army positions in Donbas on April 4. Read alsoBulls-eye hit: Joint Forces destroy enemy ammo supply vehicle (Video) "No Ukrainian soldiers were killed or wounded from 00:00 to 18:00 Kyiv time. Information on the enemy's losses is being clarified," 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, grenade launchers of various types, heavy machine guns, and small arms at the Ukrainian positions near the town of Avdiyivka, and the villages of Lebedynske, Pisky, Talakivka, and Pavlopil. The situation in the area of the Joint Forces Operation remains under control of Ukrainian troops. While the Alliance has no intention of deploying land-based nuclear missiles in Europe, it will always take the necessary steps to provide "credible and effective deterrence," according to the NATO chief. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in his first ever address at the U.S. Congress on Wednesday, April 3, said the alliance faces threats from a "more assertive Russia." He added that NATO was not seeking to isolate Moscow at the same time, according to RFE/RL. In his speech, Stoltenberg critisized Russia called on Moscow to return to compliance with key Cold War-era arms-control treaties. "We do not want to isolate Russia, we strive for effective relations with Russia," he said. Read alsoNATO to hold multi-national Sea Shield 2019 drills in Black Sea The treaty in question -- the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty -- is on the verge of collapse, after Washington earlier this year declared it was suspending compliance. The move followed years of U.S. accusations that Moscow had violated the treaty by testing, and later deploying, a missile that was prohibited under its restrictions. Moscow has denied the missile in question violates the treaty. "NATO has no intention of deploying land-based nuclear missiles in Europe. But NATO will always take the necessary steps to provide credible and effective deterrence," Stoltenberg said. "We do not want a new arms race. We do not want a new Cold War. But we must not be naive. An agreement that is only respected by one side will not keep us safe," he said. Read alsoAir surveillance, more ships: NATO preparing package of measures against Russia in Black Sea Stoltenberg's visit comes as foreign ministers from the alliance's 29 member countries are gathering in Washington to mark its 70th anniversary and discuss security threats. The gathering also comes amid persistent tensions with President Donald Trump about the how the alliance is funded. Trump has regularly complained that members are not sharing the alliance's financial burden fairly, something he raised again in a White House meeting with Stoltenberg a day earlier. "NATO is a strong alliance. But to remain a strong alliance, NATO must be a fair alliance," Stoltenberg said in his address, addressing the issue. "In an ideal world, we would not need to spend any money on defense. But we do not live in an ideal world." Read alsoKremlin concerned about NATO's Black Sea package statement "Allies must spend more on defense. This has been the clear message from President Trump. And this message is having a real impact," he said. After Russia illegally annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014, allies agreed to boost defense spending and "move toward" spending 2 percent of their GDP on defense by 2024. The United States spends 3.4 percent of its GDP on defense. Trump has also openly questioned the most important aspect of the alliance: that an attack on one member is considered an attack on all members. In his speech, Stoltenberg hailed what he said was the U.S. commitment to the alliance, saying it was indicative of the warm relations that Washington has historically had with European partners. Ministers also reiterated their call on Russia to release the Ukrainian sailors and ships seized near the Sea of Azov. NATO Foreign Ministers agreed a package of measures to improve NATO's situational awareness in the Black Sea region and strengthen support for partners Georgia and Ukraine. Read alsoNATO's Stoltenberg criticizes Russia in U.S. Congress address At a meeting in Washington D.C. on Thursday, Ministers also reiterated their call on Russia to release the Ukrainian sailors and ships seized near the Sea of Azov, according to the NATO's official website. Earlier, Ministers addressed Russia's continuing violation of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. They called on Russia again to return to full and verifiable compliance with the Treaty, and discussed the way forward. "We will be measured and coordinated in our response, and we have no intention of deploying ground-launched nuclear missiles in Europe," said Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, adding: "at the same time, NATO will continue to maintain credible and effective deterrence and defence." 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe By Jung Da-minNorth Korea should allow international inspectors to verify dismantlement of the Punggye-ri nuclear facilities, taking the initiative in facilitating the stalled denuclearization talks with the U.S., Moon Chung-in, a security adviser to President Moon Jae-in, said Thursday.Moon was speaking at the "Moon Jae-in Government and Korea Peace Initiative" forum, organized by the Yonsei Institute for North Korean Studies and the Korea Institute for National Unification (KINU) in Seoul.He said North Korea should act to break the mistrust that has emerged after the breakup of the second North Korea-U.S. summit in Hanoi in February."It (the Punggye-ri nuclear site) needs inspection," Moon said. "That would be one positive first move. That kind of activity will give a very positive signal to Washington. I would argue that Trump could reciprocate North Korea's first move."Moon said the U.S. and North Korea should pursue efforts to continue negotiations, restraining themselves so they can hold another summit and working-level talks.Speaking of President Moon's role in bridging the gap between North Korea and the U.S., the adviser said it will be a "herculean task" for the South Korean President because the North sees the South as being on the same side as the U.S.He said he hopes President Moon will come to an agreement with U.S. President Donald Trump on sanctions relief that can reactivate inter-Korean relations, at the South Korea-U.S. summit in Washington on April 11."I think President Moon's primary concern will be some kind of relaxation of sanctions from the U.S.," the adviser said. "There could be some exemptions for inter-Korean exchanges perhaps, including Mount Geumgang and the Gaeseong complex."The forum was held at the Kim Dae-jung library in Mapo-gu, Seoul, and attended by international experts on Korean Peninsula security. By Lee Min-hyung North Korean leader Kim Jong-un North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is likely to visit Russia in the near future following an invitation from President Vladimir Putin. "Our invitation has been handed over," Russia's TASS news agency quoted Kremlin presidential aide Yuri Ushako as saying, Wednesday. "The dates will be agreed on. We are awaiting our North Korean counterparts' response." As usual, the North has yet to report anything about Kim's possible Russia trip, but speculation is rampant in South Korea that the visit is imminent, as his de facto chief of staff, Kim Chang-son, visited Moscow and Vladivostok last month. As Kim Chang-son is known as the key North Korean figure handling the young dictator's overseas travel, his recent Russia trip is seen as increasing the likelihood of the visit. Russian Minister of the Interior Vladimir Kolokoltsev began a three-day trip to Pyongyang, Monday. On Tuesday, the minister met with Kim Yong-nam, the president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, according to the regime's propaganda mouthpiece the Korea Central News Agency (KCNA). The KNCA also reported both countries exchanged views on current political affairs and discussed ways to develop friendly relations. But first and foremost, the Pyongyang visit by the ranking official is seen as part of efforts to arrange an upcoming trip to Russia for Kim. Hwang Ha-na, the granddaughter of Namyang Dairy Products founder Hong Du-yeong, is taken to Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday, after being apprehended for alleged drug use. She has been 'involved' in multiple drug use cases but always avoided criminal charges, raising suspicions over cozy relations between her family and senior police officers. Police reportedly received tips recently about other incidences of drug use. / Yonhap Police investigate Kangbuk Samsung Hospital in Seoul, Dec. 31, after a psychiatrist was stabbed to death by one of his patients. / Yonhap By Kang Seung-woo The government has ordered all medical institutions over a certain size and psychiatric hospitals to install emergency alarms and exits, and hire private security, to create a safe healthcare environment amid an increasing number of attacks by patients on medical workers, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said Thursday. In addition, the ministry is set to push for heavier punishment of those who assault medical staff even if they are intoxicated. The ministry said the measures are aimed at slashing the ratio of hospitals experiencing violence by half to 6 percent in 2022. The measures come after a renowned psychiatrist at Kangbuk Samsung Hospital in Seoul was stabbed to death by one of his patients on Dec. 31, 2018. After the tragedy, there were growing calls for the government to devise measures assuring a safe environment for medical staff in which they can perform their duties without the fear of possible attacks. "The ministry plans to revise the enforcement regulations of the relevant laws by the end of the year, so hospitals over a certain size and psychiatric hospitals are required to install emergency alarms and exits and have security personnel," Kang Do-tae, who heads the ministry's healthcare policy division, said in a press briefing at the Sejong Government Complex. He added cooperation between medical institutions and police will be strengthened, under which the latter will train hospital-hired security personnel in initial response actions; and the two will establish a hotline for emergencies. "The ministry will financially support hospitals when they invest in security facilities and personnel," Kang said, adding the ministry will also distribute guidelines on how to prevent violence in advance and respond to it. Currently, if a person attacks medical staff, they can be sentenced to up to five years in prison or fined up to 50 million won ($44,000) under the Medical Law. To alert more people to violence against medical workers, the government will consider revising the law to impose more severe punishment if the violence leads to serious injury to medical staff or other patients. In addition, it will create the legal basis to punish those who use violence while under the influence of alcohol, because many such offenders have avoided punishment by claiming they were not in a sufficiently capable mental state to make reasonable decisions. Assaults on medical workers and rescue staff are emerging as one of the most serious issues in the Korean medical sector. Last July, a patient attacked a doctor with a hammer and destroyed equipment at a Gangneung hospital because he received a lower-than-expected disability grade that would grant him a disability allowance. In the same month, a drunk patient attacked a doctor in Iksan, North Jeolla Province, while a man in his 30s was arrested for attacking a doctor because he "waited too long" in the emergency room of a hospital in Incheon last December. The death of a female firefighter on duty due to an assault by a drunk man last year also highlighted the seriousness of the problem. There was some error handling your request. Please refresh your browser and try again in a while. (@FahadShabbir) The future of Syrian President Bashar Assad is not being discussed at talks on Syria, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 04th April, 2019) The future of Syrian President Bashar Assad is not being discussed at talks on Syria Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday. "No, this is absolutely not a topic for negotiations," Zakharova said in an interview with Echo Moskvy radio. "The theme of 'Assad must go' is not even the last, but before last chapter, which, thank God, everyone has passed. He is the incumbent president of a sovereign state. The people of Syria must decide who will lead the country," she stressed. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will meet his counterparts from Belarus, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan during the Commonwealth of Independent States' (CIS) Foreign Ministers Council session that will be held in Moscow on April 5, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Thursday MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 04th April, 2019) Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will meet his counterparts from Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan during the Commonwealth of Independent States' (CIS) Foreign Ministers Council session that will be held in Moscow on April 5, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Thursday. "Before the meeting begins, Sergey Lavrov is scheduled to meet with the minister of foreign affairs of the Republic of Belarus [Vladimir Makei]. The top diplomats will exchange views on implementing the program for coordinated actions in the field of foreign policy by the member states of the treaty establishing the Union State. Regional and international matters of mutual interest will also be discussed," Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said during her briefing. She also stated that on the day of the council's session Lavrov would hold brief meetings with the foreign ministers of Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan, Rashid Meredow and Elmar Mammadyarov. The CIS Foreign Ministers Council meeting will mainly be about exchanging opinions on current international and regional issues. The meeting's agenda will include ten issues concerning the development of cooperation within the CIS. Moldova may call early elections this fall since it is highly unlikely that the nation's political parties will be come together to form a coalition in parliament and thereby form a government, Moldovan President Igor Dodon said on Tuesday CHISINAU (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 04th April, 2019) Moldova may call early elections this fall since it is highly unlikely that the nation's political parties will be come together to form a coalition in parliament and thereby form a government , Moldovan President Igor Dodon said on Tuesday. "At this stage, in my opinion, four scenarios remain in force. The first scenario is an informal or formal coalition, between PSRM [Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova] and the ACUM bloc. The second scenario is PSRM and PDM [Democratic Party of Moldova]. The third scenario is PDM with traitors [deputies that changed their side]. The fourth scenario is early parliamentary elections ... This is the most realistic of all. The election could take place in the fall," Dodon said in an interview with local newspaper Tribuna. He stressed that the first two scenarios were too hard to implement due to political disagreements between the parties. However, scenario three, which Dodon described as a "political salad," is more realistic but still will cause great legitimate risks as it may trigger problems in relations with foreign partners, especially with the European Union and Russia. Additionally, it may lead to a lack of financing that will turn into crisis by fall, the president stated. Dodon also said he was certain Moldova needed to revise the whole government system in general and find a new course for development. Otherwise, the country will once again end up in a crisis, he warned. Four parties have won parliamentary seats in Moldova's general election, which took place on February 24. According to the commission results, the Party of Socialists, which supports Dodon, and close cooperation with Russia and the Eurasian Economic Union, gained 35 seats. The pro-European ACUM bloc got 26 seats, the Democratic Party got 30, and the SOR Party got 7. There were also three independent candidates who joined the parliament as well. None of the parties managed to secure an absolute majority in the 101-seat Moldovan parliament. That means a new coalition must be formed in order to create a new government. According to Federal law, if parties fail to form a government within three months or pass at least one bill, the president has the right to dissolve the parliament and call early elections. (@ChaudhryMAli88) WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 05th April, 2019) The United States and Hungary signed a new security cooperation deal to strengthen ties amid the US commitment to Central Europe, the State Department said in a press release on Thursday. "Today, Deputy Secretary of State John J. Sullivan and Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto signed a US-Hungary Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA). The DCA builds on many aspects of the strong U.S.-Hungary defense relationship and will facilitate greater partnerships to address shared threats and global challenges," the release said. "The new DCA illustrates the enduring strength of the US-Hungary relationship, Hungary's commitment to strengthen ties with the United States, and the US commitment to bolster bilateral ties in Central Europe." Ottawa, ON, Canada (UroToday.com) Dr. Hartwig Hennekes opened the Symposium with a business perspective on future directions for targeted alpha therapy (TAT). Bayer currently has Xofigo, a drug using Radium-223(Cl2) approved in 54 countries for the treatment of patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer, symptomatic bone metastases and no known visceral metastatic disease.Bayer is looking to expand to treat other types of cancer that would require a more conventional path of labelling an isotope to a chelating agent which would be linked to an antibody expressed by the tumor of interest. Radium-223 is difficult to chelate. Thorium (Th227) looks like an attractive alternative since it could be supplied by the same production facility that supplied the Radium-223. The thorium labelled chelate (targeted thorium conjugate, TTC) is now in pre-clinical studies when linked to the HER2 antibody appropriate for a number of tumors including breast cancer. Phase I trials are ongoing with TTC-PMSA for prostate cancer, TTC-MSLN (mesothelioma, pancreatic, and ovarian cancer), and TTC-CD22 (non-Hodgkin lymphoma).Dr. Morris described the possible use of TTC-PMSA in the treatment of both primary and metastatic prostate cancer. Previous radiotherapy with the beta-emitter Lu177-PMSA617 showed a number of adverse side effects including thrombocytopenia and xerostomia (dry mouth resulting from reduced or absent saliva flow). Some early studies with treatment of prostate cancer with Ac225-PMSA617 showed promising responses by PSA declines and reduction of tumor burden by PSMA imaging but xerostomia is still an issue.Dr. Morris reported that Phase I clinical trials with TTC-PMSA are beginning now with an anticipated 108 patients. Goals of the study are establishing a safe starting dose and then studying dose escalation. Dr. Morris noted that TAT therapy is typically only begun in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) after androgen deprivation therapy and some combination of abiraterone, enzalutamide, or docetaxel (chemotherapy). Modern trends in prostate treatment indicate moving these later treatments earlier in the treatment cycle. He noted the importance of PSMA imaging which can show metastasis even when a bone scan appears clean. Dr. Morris also pointed out that these new trends could have the desired effect of increasing overall survival (OS) while that control of side effects becomes more important for patient quality of life. It is one thing to ask a patient to endure dry mouth at end of life and quite another to expect the patient to endure xerostomia for ten years.Dr. Hassan spoke to the possible uses of TTC-MSLN in the treatment of mesothelioma, pancreatic, and ovarian cancers. It binds Mesothelin, which has been targeted in clinical trials with antibodies or antibody drug conjugates such as amatuximab or anetumabravtansine, respectively. Biodistribution studies show good tumor uptake. Preclinical colon cancer studies show tumor reduction when treated with conjugated TTC. The tumor reduction occurs even in patient-derived models resistant to chemotherapy. Tumor shrinkage can be enhanced with ATR or PARP repair inhibitors. Dr. Hassan also spoke to the advantages of imaging with Zr89-HOPO-MSLN. A Phase I clinical trial with TTC-MSLN is ongoing with 228 planned mesothelioma and ovarian cancer patients. It will start with an initial dose of 1.5 MBq and then escalate in steps of 1-1.5 MBq. TATs continue to be developed focused on improved patient outcomes.Presented by:Hartwig Hennekes, Ph.D., Global Program Head, Bayer AG Pharmaceuticals, Berlin, GermanyMichael J. Morris, MD, Medical Oncologist, Clinical Director, Genitourinary Medical Oncology Service & Prostate Cancer Section Head, Division of Solid Tumor Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CenterRaffit Hassan, MD, Senior Investigator, Thoracic and GI Malignancies Branch, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD Gender Equality and Family Minister Jin Sun-mee holds a child abuse prevention meeting at the Healthy Family Support Center in Seoul, Wednesday. / Courtesy of Ministry of Gender Equality and Family By Kim Hyun-bin The recent case of child abuse by a babysitter has shown the lax screening process in the government-run babysitting service from hiring, to education and evaluation. The program, launched in 2012 by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, is aimed at providing babysitting services for children aged between three months and 12 years old to aid working parents or others in need of babysitting help. The government covers part of the service fees for low-income families. According to the website, anyone in good health can apply for a nanny job as long as they are not underage, suffering from a psychiatric disorder, a convicted sex offender or drug user. They are selected through a resume review and interview. In the first part of the process, the authorities evaluate the applicants' prior childcare and volunteer experience, character, academic background, health and relevant certificates. Those who pass the review go through a 15-minute interview. With only those two stages, it is almost impossible for the authorities to screen child abusers. Once hired, the babysitters go through 80 hours of childcare education before starting their job, but only two hours are allocated to child abuse prevention and children's rights. When a babysitter is found to have abused or assaulted a child, his or her license is suspended for six months, and the suspension could be extended for another six months. The license can be revoked only when a person receives three suspensions or is punished for a criminal act. According to data the ministry submitted to Rep. Song Hee-kgyoung of the Liberty Korea Party, 41 babysitters had their license suspended between 2013 and 2017, and 11 of them returned to their jobs. The biggest problem is it is difficult to detect abuse because most of the victims are toddlers who are unable to communicate effectively yet. For this reason many parents prefer to install CCTVs at home, but many babysitters are against the installation citing human rights violations. "The services are offered in a private space. That's why it is difficult to detect the abuse and there could be similar cases," Gender Equality and Family Minister Jin Sun-mee said in an emergency meeting with relevant officials, Wednesday. "We will come up with measures to strengthen the qualifications and education of babysitters." In the meantime, officers at Geumcheon Police Station in Seoul said Thursday that they plan to ask the prosecution to seek an arrest warrant for the problematic babysitter soon. They summoned the 58-year-old sitter, surnamed Kim, the previous day. Earlier this week, the parents of a 14-month-old baby reported Kim to police and started a petition on Cheong Wa Dae's website stating their baby was continuously abused for three months. In the CCTV footage they uploaded, Kim was seen slapping the baby for not eating food and forcibly pulling and pinching the baby's cheek. Through CCTV recordings between Feb. 27 and March 13, the police confirmed Kim abused the baby on 34 occasions, meaning more than twice a day. Kim generally admitted to the allegations, but told police that she did not realize her actions constituted child abuse. South Korea's industry ministry said Friday it has expressed concern over China's anti-dumping investigation into hot-rolled stainless steel plates, claiming locally made products do not negatively impact Chinese industry. The move came as Beijing carries out an anti-dumping probe on imported hot-rolled stainless steel plates from South Korea, Japan, the European Union and Indonesia. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy claimed South Korean products are not in competition with Chinese rivals in terms of material or price and that most of the imported volume is consumed by South Korean firms operating in China. Thus, the ministry claimed that anti-dumping regulations will not help the Chinese industry and could potentially have an impact on regional economies in which South Korean firms operate. Top South Korean steelmaker POSCO echoed this view, urging the Chinese government to end the anti-dumping probe as the company is not causing any damage to Asia's top economy. The ministry said it will utilize all necessary measures until the Chinese government delivers its final verdict, which is slated for July. (Yonhap) Before his general audience on Wednesday in the Vatican, Pope Francis greeted representatives of a home for the elderly with Alzheimers from Bonheiden, Belgium. Among them was the Rainbow Choir that is attached to the home. A group of elderly people with Alzheimers disease, on a pilgrimage to Rome, was welcomed by Pope Francis Wednesday morning in the Vaticans Paul VI audience hall before he held his weekly general audience in St. Peters Square. The group from a home in Bonheiden, Belgium, were accompanied by the Rainbow Choir that was born there. The Pope was moved to see the elderly and the choir sing together for him. A rainbow of imperfection pleasing to God Alzheimers that affects the elderly is marked by dementia. With its singing, the Rainbow Chorus of Bonheiden helps the elderly in the home to come together daily to pray and attend Mass. Singing with the choir members, the elderly find a link that connects their past and present, a memory that their disease often erases. Hence, their singing is a cure. The Pope was moved to hear them sing together. Speaking to them off the cuff, the Pope said that their singing together was a consolation, a support , that helps to move forward and to bear the burden of the disease that certainly makes itself felt. He said their singing is made more precious by their vulnerability. I think that sharing our frailties and accepting them reciprocally, is the most beautiful "song", a harmony most pleasing to God, a "rainbow" not of perfection but of imperfections! the Pope said. Tenderness makes us human Addressing the choirmaster as the baton of tenderness the Pope explained how with gestures every conductor on the podium holds the voices or instruments together. In this case, the Pope said, it is a very special gesture, "a gesture of tenderness that makes us all more human": The Pope pointed out that with all their tenderness, they have fulfilled the fourth commandment of honouring the elderly who are our memory. Perhaps some of them have lost their memory, but they are the symbol of the memory of a people, they are the roots of their homeland, of our humanity. They are the roots, and young people must come to them to have the sap from their roots to carry forward the civilization, the Pope said. El Dorado Cantina, an authentic Mexican restaurant and bar close to the Las Vegas Strip, celebrates Cinco de Mayo with a specialty menu, margarita flight, a mariachi band, and much more (Pictured: Pambazos). Specialty Food Menu $10 Pambazos Mexican wet sandwich dipped in a red guajillo pepper sauce and filled with potatoes and chorizo. Sopes Corn masa topped with a choice of steak or pulled chicken, Romaine lettuce, pico de gallo, refried beans and queso fresco. Flautas Crispy flour tortillas stuffed with a choice of beef or chicken, served with sour cream, fresh guacamole and pico de gallo. Casamigos Margarita Flight $25 Served with the finest Casamigos tequila, this margarita flight represents the colors of the Mexican flag (Bandera de Mexico): Green (Hope) Cucumber-Jalapeno White (Union) Coconut-Pineapple Red (Blood of Heroes) Strawberry Michelada $8 Traditional style featuring Modelo beer In 2018, AkzoNobel Vietnam used 70,000 liters of paint and thousands of volunteer working hours to repaint works Pamela Phua, general director of AkzoNobel Vietnam, said, Its our honour to be recognised at Golden Dragon Awards 2019. Besides recognising our effort in sustainable business and development, it also reflects the increasing involvement of government authorities and developers on this significant topic. The award reaffirms the path we are pursuing and inspires us to provide better, more environmentally friendly products and make life better. As sustainability is an integral part of companys strategy, AkzoNobel is heading towards a goal of achieving 20 per cent of revenues accounted by downstream eco-premium products. At AkzoNobels factories all over the world, policy of saving energy, clean water and reusing waste is strictly followed. Besides, the company also involve its suppliers in the process, eventually resulting in offering customers sustainable products. In recent years, AkzoNobel have consecutively introduced new environmentally friendly products with low VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) and ability to neutralise odour, helping ensure a healthy living space. To support urban communities to combat pollution, AkzoNobel embarked on a programme to deliver next generation depolluting paint based on the photocatalysis of titanium dioxide. By absorbing sunlight, specifically ultraviolet radiation, photoactive titanium dioxide particles can be activated in the presence of oxygen and moisture to produce free radicals. These highly active radicals are capable of degrading pollutants like nitrogen oxide and sulphur oxide, thereby contributing to the abatement of noxious emissions from motor vehicles and other human activities. For cities experiencing seasons with high temperatures, cooling buildings is a significant source of energy consumption. AkzoNobel has successfully developed a first generation of paints that offers vivid colors together with the ability to keep the surface cooler. This technology, KeepCool, is based on special pigments that have been selected based on their ability to reflect better in the near infrared region of the solar spectrum, which contributes to 40 per cent of the solar energy. The result is that the surface can be 5 degrees Celsius lower than without this technology, leading to potentially reducing energy use by 10 to 15 per cent for the building. In addition to innovations in products, AkzoNobel pioneers in promoting sustainable thinking in the community through various events and innitiatives. The company has held and sponsored for a series of events focusing on latest sustainable development trend such as smart city, heritage preservation in Vietnam and abroad. Another effort has been made to accompanying local community development through projects repainting architectural structures, schools and villages. In 2018, AkzoNobel has sponsored about 70,000 liters of paint and thousands of volunteer working hours to repaint Dai Lanh lighthouse, corridors and houses in Ly Son island, urban alleys, old apartment building in Ho Chi Minh City and schools around the country. "AkzoNobel Vietnam is one of the foreign pioneers in sustainable development. The efforts of the company over the years have brought remarkable results in the business environment. While creating sustainable products for customers, AkzoNobel also gives positive and meaningful contributions to the community in Vietnam, said representative of the Golden Dragon Awards - Nguyen The Hao, VET's deputy editor-in-chief. Korean Air is one of a batch of airlines to temporarily ground Boeing 737 MAX jets Korean Air signed a contract to buy 50 of the model in 2015. It had planned to receive deliver and introduce B737 MAX in May 2019, but after the incidents, the airline is substituting the model with other aircraft while monitoring the situation closely. We will be substituting B737 MAX within our current fleet. We do not expect a shortfall in aircraft as we have enough substitutions in our current fleet, a representative of Korean Air told VIR. The airline made the announcement following the tragic crash of Ethiopian Airlines flight 302 flying from Addis Ababa to Nairobi, which killed all 157 passengers and the crew in early March. Last October, a Lion Air Boeing 737 Max went down over the Java Sea, killing all 189 people on board. Last week the worlds second-largest cargo carrier Qatar Airways also announced that it had delayed the delivery of its first B737 MAX. We will not be able take the aircraft until we know the results of the investigation, said chief executive Akbar al-Baker. Malaysia Airlines has also announced that it has converted a portion of order slots to the MAX 10 variant. So far, air carriers including SilkAir, Cayman Airways, Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Hainan Airlines, Aeromexico, and many others have joined Korean Air and Qatar Airways to ground their MAX 8 models. The suspensions are a strong blow to Boeing, the worlds biggest commercial aircraft manufacturer, especially as more countries, including the UK and Vietnam, join China, Singapore, and Australia in suspending the aircraft. Globally, more than 300 Boeing 737-MAX planes are in operation and more than 5,000 have been ordered since 2017. I believe the likeliest scenario is that these planes will be grounded for about three months, Richard Aboulafia, vice president and analyst at Teal Group, an US aerospace and defence consulting company, told VIR. Industry insiders said that the crown is there for the taking for Airbus. Airbus once outstripped Boeing in aircraft deliveries for several years. Airbus is now confident that 2019 will be a big year for them, as their backlog of orders is said to be larger than Boeings, at 7,500 aircraft compared to the 5,900 of its US rival. In Vietnam, where the aviation market is producing double-digit annual growth, there is a tremendous demand for aircraft. Airbus and Boeing have big customers like national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet, and newcomer Bamboo Airways, that have all signed big orders. For example, in February 2019, Vietjet ordered 100 new Boeing 737 MAX planes worth $12.7 billion, while Bamboo Airways finalised a deal, also with Boeing, to purchase 10 787-9 Dreamliners worth nearly $3 billion. In the latest developments, Bamboo Airways is said to have finalised a deal to buy an additional 26 Airbus A321 Neo with the total value of $6.3 billion to serve its domestic and international expansion strategy. In 2018, the newcomer airline signed an agreement to buy 24 Airbus A321 Neo. Britain's opposition Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn and Prime Minister Theresa May were to meet to try to end the 'logjam' over Brexit. (Photo: AFP/Isabel Infantes) With options running out, May switched course and invited Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn for talks on Wednesday (Apr 3) in a bid to forge a compromise that avoids a chaotic "no-deal" departure from the European Union in eight days' time. Negotiating teams for both sides were to meet again on Thursday for a full day of urgent discussions. May's divorce deal with the other 27 EU nations has been rejected three times by parliament and patience is wearing thin in Brussels as the deadline to end Britain's 46-year membership nears with no agreement in sight. The premier said on Tuesday she would seek another "short" Brexit extension at an EU leaders' summit in Brussels on Apr 10. 313 VS 312 ON BILL In a rushed parliamentary bid to avoid Britain leaving the EU without a divorce deal next Friday, MPs voted by the narrowest of margins late Wednesday in favour of draft legislation that would force the government to seek to delay Brexit beyond Apr 12. The vote passed by just one - 313 votes in favour and 312 against - in the lower House of Commons and the bill will now pass to the upper House of Lords for final approval on Thursday, much to the government's annoyance. "We are disappointed that MPs have chosen to back this bill," a government spokesman said. "The prime minister has already set out a clear process through which we can leave the European Union with a deal and we have already committed to seeking a further extension. "If passed, this bill would place a severe constraint on the government's ability to negotiate an extension and reflect this new date in UK statute books before April 12." FIRST TALKS 'CONSTRUCTIVE' May said Wednesday's talks with Corbyn were "constructive", suggesting she might be prepared to bend her previous principles and listen to proposals for much closer post-Brexit trade relations with the bloc than many Conservatives are prepared to accept. Both sides showed "flexibility and a commitment to bring the current Brexit uncertainty to a close", said a spokesman for May's Downing Street office. "We have agreed a programme of work to ensure we deliver for the British people, protecting jobs and security," he added. Corbyn said: "There hasn't been as much change as I expected but we will have further discussions ... to explore technical issues" on Thursday. He told May that Labour wanted a customs union with the EU, access to its single market and raised "the option of a public vote to prevent crashing out or leaving on a bad deal." If the talks between the government and Labour fail to reach a compromise that both can support, May hopes the two sides can come up with mutually acceptable options that would be put up for binding parliamentary votes. MERKEL HEADS TO DUBLIN The British premier's sudden change of tack was received with caution by EU leaders who wish to see the split resolved before the European Parliament elections begin on May 23. Finance minister Philip Hammond said it was an "expectation" that Brussels would offer a longer extension at the Apr 10 summit than the short one Britain is targeting, but London would want to curtail it as quickly as possible after passing a Brexit deal. "It would be in everybody's interest that we moved into the implementation period at that point," he told ITV television. German Chancellor Angela Merkel was to visit Dublin on Thursday to meet Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar for talks on Brexit. She has vowed to "fight until the last hour" to avoid a no-deal outcome - something that would hit the UK's only land neighbour Ireland hardest. The full collection of the lipsticks released by the Palace Museum, December 9, 2018. /Photo courtesy of the Palace Museum Cultural and Creative Store Crossover marketing is making big changes to China's consumer market, becoming a vital link in the marketing strategies of many enterprises. Multiple brands have launched crossover products in China, and many of them have since achieved greater success. For instance, Starbucks launched a limited edition cat paw glass in February, which set off a violent craze among Chinese Starbucks fans. The cup was just one product in the Starbucks spring lineup, and the response was beyond the brand's expectation, with one person even camping outside a store overnight to get their mitts on one. As a coffee shop, Starbucks routinely sells reusable cups, and this crossover model is spreading to more enterprises and brands. In recent years, Chinas Palace Museum has also made efforts to create and sell crossover products ranging from stationery to cosmetics. I have been a history enthusiast since childhood, and I love products related to Chinese history, said a man surnamed Di who studies in the UK. The advertisement of cosmetics produced by the Palace Museum is attractive to me, and each product has a story, Di noted. Zhang Ying, a professor with Guanghua School of Management at Peking University, introduced that crossover marketing is indeed a way of branding, or can be used as an extension of branding. The sensation of the cat paw cups reflected the influence of both Starbucks and cats, and things would have been different had the cat paw been replaced with a bear claw, Zhang explained. Nekonomics, or the cat economy, is a term that originated in Japan several years ago. It suggests that irrespective of the state of the economy, people will always have a keen interest in cute cats and cat-related products. Zhang noted that whether the brands and crossover products co-relate is vital for the success of crossover marketing. Additionally, a brand's charm is also important. According to Zhang, the craze for crossover marketing reflected the change in consumer spending habits in China. Economic development has improved peoples livelihood, which has further changed their consumption psychology. People are now more willing to buy novel items, Zhang said. By Park Si-soo A handcrafted "comfort women" statue symbolizing Korean women forced into sexual slavery for Japanese troops during World War II was unveiled at the front gate of Kookmin University in Seoul, Thursday. Thousands of students funded the project, hoping the statue would stand on the campus to boost public awareness of the wartime crime. But school authorities have blocked it, calling the statue a "political campaign." With students and the school at odds over the issue, the association is planning a street rally to fight the decision. The students' association initiated the statue-making project in April last year, in a show of displeasure over Japan's refusal to apologize for its wartime brothels. Cement plants need more government support to prevent energy drain, Photo: Le Toan Located in the northern port city of Haiphong, Chinfon Cement Corporation has been applying a heat recovery power system. This system has provided 25 per cent of energy to the factory and helped reduce environmental pollution, deputy director Hoang Anh Hai told VIR. He said that the company is planning to use other kinds of alternative materials available in the city such as the soles of shoes, scrap fabrics, and low grade coal. We have even thought of importing old car tyres, but we need a feasible mechanism so that we have enough raw materials for production over a long period, Hai said. Currently, there is no collecting system that ensures input material source. We cant invest a lot of money in the new system of using alternative fuel, while the materials are enough for production for one year or a short period of time. In Hais opinion, without the support of the government, the alternative plans of Vietnams cement makers like Chinfon Haiphong will remain in the laboratory. Meanwhile, as one of the countrys leading cement makers, state-run Vietnam Cement Industry Corporation (VICEM) uses alternative fuel rather than burning energy as well as using waste from other industries, in an attempt to save energy. In recent years, the entire VICEM system has invested in the installation of a waste heat recovery system. In addition to the economic benefits, it serves to create great efficiency in terms of technique and the environment. The generator, which utilises exhaust heat, does not use oil and so does not discharge gas into the environment. This is a clean and green system, with little impact on the health of operating workers. The transmitter system takes advantage of rotary kiln exhaust heat, so the generating capacity is entirely dependent on the excess heat obtained from the furnace. According to Nguyen Truong Sinh, sales executive director of cement consultancy Antech Co., Ltd., the leading company in using alternative energy nationwide is INSEE Vietnams Hon Chong Cement Plant. Hon Chong has replaced 40 per cent of its energy use with an alternative fuel. In addition, there are two factories in the southern region including Ha Tien Cement that have implemented the programme by using cashew cover. This is a good idea that helps make use of available materials in the locality and also saves energy, Sinh told VIR. In the near future, the Ha Tien factory will implement a programme using rubber waste extracted from industry waste. However, he also pointed out that obstacles to the factorys plans exist among local authorities. The government and the local authorities need to encourage enterprises to use such materials. Actually, sometimes, the policy of the government is strong, but it fails to be implemented in localities. This is the crux of the issue, Sinh said. According to Sinh, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Ministry of Construction should co-operate to find a long-term solution, We shouldnt call for the use of alternative fuels and then let enterprises manage by themselves, he affirmed. At present, Vietnam has 29 cement production lines with the capacity from 250,000 to 600,000 tonnes each, per year, with the total capacity of about 11.49 million tonnes. These lines were installed over 15 years ago, and thus most of the equipment is now obsolete and consumes large amounts of fuel. According to industry experts, besides using alternative fuels, cement makers should also apply modern technologies in their production to save energy. In addition, plant annual health screening is also one of the most effective solutions to ensure optimisation of the plants operation and energy efficiency. Vietnam has great potential for a high return in solar power development, Photo: Shutterstock In February 2019, JA Solar Co., Ltd., a Chinese manufacturer of high-performance photovoltaic (PV) products, announced that it supplied all 48.3 megawatts (MW) passivated emitter rear contact modules for the BP Solar 1 PV power plant in Vietnam. This represents the countrys first project that uses such modules. Additionally, it is an important step in driving the application of high-efficiency solar modules in the markets of Vietnam and Southeast Asia, and is of great importance for the development of renewable energy in the region. Located in the central province of Ninh Thuan, the solar farm is developed and constructed by Bac Phuong JSC, an emerging renewable energy company in Vietnam. With an installed capacity of 48.3MW, the plant is expected to generate 80 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity and reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by nearly 80,000 tonnes per year. JA Solar completed the supply of modules and construction of the project well ahead of schedule. In January 2019, the plant was successfully connected to the countrys national power grid and put into operation. JA Solar will continue to focus on technological innovation and product quality improvement to meet the diverse needs of our global customers, and promote the development of renewable energy around the globe, said Jin Baofang, chairman and CEO of JA Solar. To facilitate the goal, JA Solar is constructing a $280 million solar cell manufacturing plant in the northern province of Bac Giang. Also in January 2019, Chinas Trina Solar announced that it will supply passivated emitter and rear cell modules to a new 258MW project located in Ninh Thuan. The project, with the investment capital of around $220 million from Vietnams Trung Nam Group, is set to become the countrys largest solar power project when it is completed next year. Trina Solar, who owns a one gigawatt (GW) solar cell manufacturing facility in Vietnam, revealed, With the huge demand for PV products, the facility is the first combined wind and solar power generation plant in Vietnam and is expected to play a key role in the countrys transformation to renewable energy. It seems that Vietnam is becoming a promising market for Chinese solar manufacturers. Bac Giang is home to eight projects belonging to Chinese and Taiwanese investors, which will form the largest solar energy equipment manufacturing chain in the country, with the total capacity of 5,200MW annually. According to the 2018-2023 Global Residential Solar Energy Market Report by Absolute Reports, one of the top report resellers in the business world, solar-based energy generation has a high potential for deployment and a high return on investment in Vietnam owing to favourable government support. The Vietnamese government has encouraged research and development activities in collaboration with corporate companies and industries. For instance, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has partnered with Spanish agencies to strengthen the solar capabilities of the country through the use of geographical information systems. These initiatives are expected to encourage the growth of solar energy potential in Vietnam. This prospect prompted First Solar, one of the largest solar equipment manufacturers in the US, to resume operations in Vietnam last year. Mike Koralewski, senior vice president for global module manufacturing at First Solar, said, We have seen an increase in the demand for the product globally, so we have reactivated our investment in Vietnam. We came back because of favourable business conditions, the skilled workforce, the valuable supply chains, the stable political system, competitive costs, and the growing needs of the hi-tech industry in the region. First Solar is expected to increase its total production capacity from roughly 2GW in 2017 to about 7.6GW by 2020. Besides producing modules, First Solar is actively exploring module supply agreements to support local projects, and looks forward to supporting the growth of the solar industry in Vietnam. Kia Optima vehicles manufactured in 2011-2014 are listed in the US investigation The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has just opened an investigation into about three million cars, including Kia Optima and Sorento vehicles manufactured in 2011-2014, Kia Soul vehicles manufactured in 2010-2015, and Hyundai Sonata and Santa Fe vehicles manufactured in 2011-2014. The investigation was opened due to the recommendation of the Centre for Auto Safety (CAS). Accordingly, the CAS has conducted a research on fire hazard at cars manufactured since 2007 and received reports of about 3,000 fires and 100 injuries related to the cars. In addition to CAS recommendations, the NHTSA also collected information from other car makers, customer claims, and other sources. Since 2015, more than 2.3 million Hyundai and Kia vehicles have been recalled for potential fire hazard. The amount includes 570,000 Sonata and Santa Fe vehicles, and nearly 620,000 vehicles of Optima, Sorento, and Sportage. All vehicle models are running with the Theta II 2.4 petrol engine. The representative of Hyundai said that the firm will fully co-operate with the NHTSA during the investigation. It is not the first time Korean car manufacturers are investigated by US authorities. In late 2018 the US authorities began a criminal investigation against both Kia and Hyundai to clarify whether their recalls were related to fire hazard. In Vietnam, the Theta II 2.4 engines are equipped on Hyundai Santa Fe 2019 and Kia Optima vehicles. The Vietnamese real estate market as a whole is attracting attention from across Asia as well as the US and EU, thanks in part to the current favourable business conditions Foreign direct investment (FDI) commitments in the first quarter of 2019 totalled $10.8 billion, the best first-quarterly performance to date, and soaring 86.2 per cent on-year, according to a report by the Foreign Investment Agency (FIA) under the Ministry of Planning and Investment. Foreign investors have poured money across 18 fields and sectors, in which manufacturing and processing continued to attract substantial attention, with investment capital of $8.4 billion, accounting for 77.7 per cent of total FDI approvals. Especially, real estate was the second-most heavily invested area, with $778.2 million, or 7.2 per cent of the total registered capital. In the property sector, some big firms have made a splash. For example, VinaCapital Opportunity Fund Limited transferred 34.18 per cent of interest in Green Park Estate, a 15.7 hectare mixed-use development project in Tan Phu district of Ho Chi Minh City. Another VinaCapital fund, Vinaland, holds 63.47 per cent interest in the project, but has plans to divest in the near future. According to economist Nguyen Tri Hieu, real estate is a special business containing many other segments alongside housing, such as offices and apartments for lease, trading centres, and industrial and logistics development, among others. Many real estate developers have proved themselves strong enough to be listed on the stock exchange where they can shake hands with other foreign partners to co-develop projects and mobilise funds for their investment capital flow, Hieu said. Global attraction The Vietnamese real estate market is currently attracting different international investors. Those from Japan, South Korea, China, Hong Kong, and Singapore are dominating, while some funds from the United States and Europe have been also eyeing the market. All of the commercial segments are interested, which is different from the past when overseas financiers mostly eyed housing projects. Now they are expanding their interest to offices for lease, trading centres, high-end hotels, and industrial developments, he added. Chu Thanh Hieu, general director of MIK Homes, said that location is the first things which developers have to think of. For example, foreign developers have been flooding into the west of Hanoi market where the land fund is big enough for large-scale projects. In the coming time, I believe that developers will set up mega urban development areas there, he said. Price and demand attracting investors According to Savills Vietnam, apartment prices in cities such as Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi are generally still lower than regional peers such as Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok, despite much stronger growth rates in Ho Chi Minh City when compared with these markets. Neil MacGregor, managing director of Savills Vietnam, said that the average price across the broader market is expected to continue increasing, albeit at a somewhat slower pace, with price rises linked to higher development standards and continued strong residential demand driven by urbanisation, the rapid growth of the middle class, as well as new infrastructure. New home prices in Ho Chi Minh Citys central business districts now average around $5,500 to $6,500 per square metre, a fraction of the eye-watering levels seen in Hong Kong where prices are at all-time highs. MacGregor said, With many countries also introducing cooling measures, resulting in higher taxation, the relatively low taxation in Vietnam appears increasingly attractive to buyers both at home and abroad. It is not surprising therefore that demand for investment properties in Vietnam has increased significantly since 2015, when the new housing law opened the market to international investors. With the distinct shortage of prime property in Vietnams key cities, many buyers can see the potential for significant capital gains over the longer term. Whilst in the meantime, rental yields in excess of 5 per cent represent an attractive investment versus falling returns elsewhere in the region, he added. At the luxury end of the market there is tremendous upside and opportunity for long term investment, with buyers set to benefit from potential capital appreciation as Vietnam continues its remarkable growth story. Although there is still a long way to go for the Vietnamese property market to reach the dizzying heights of Hong Kong and Singapore, Vietnam is well on the way to becoming Asias next economic tiger, with strong growth, a rapidly growing middle class and, for the time being at least, relatively affordable pricing, MacGregor said. Experts expect the local property sector will continue recording growth in almost all segments, with industrial real estate the hottest in 2019, driven by the relocation of factories from China and the positive impacts of trade agreements. The remainder of 2019 Nguyen Van Dinh, deputy chairman of Vietnam Real Estate Brokerage, expected that FDI in real estate market in the rest of the year will be certainly higher than that of 2018, based on the bright signs of the market, such as the lower price of property of Vietnam compared to other markets, high profitability, and high absorption percentage in projects. Economist Bui Quang Tin also expected that FDI into real estate will increase in the foreseeable future, with diversifying interest from housing to industrial developments, trading centres, and offices and apartment for lease. We have seen a wave of Japanese investors pouring into Vietnam in affordable housing. Among those, Hankyu Realty and Nishi Nippon Railroad have co-ordinated with domestic Nam Long Group in a range of housing projects and they are very successful thus far, Tin said. Discussing the issue with VIR, Steven Chu Chee Kwang, CEO of Nam Long, said that Japanese investors are always exceedingly careful in considering any investment. The reason why those Japanese investors choose to co-operate with Nam Long in developing a range of different projects was due to the realisation that the Vietnamese real estate market is now thirsty in mid-end and affordable housing, in which Japan can be very strong developers, Chu said. Highlighting the role of FDI in the real estate sector, Le Hoang Chau, chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Real Estate Association, said that in recent years, real estate FDI has usually been of high interest to international investors. This fact is very important especially when the Vietnamese government is limiting credit for real estate developers. Thus FDI is a supportive investment capital source for domestic developers, Chau said. Together with funding in infrastructure development to improve links between regions, FDI flow can create ideal conditions for developing real estate projects. In 2019, segments of housing, trading centres, offices for lease, and especially industrial development and logistics services will increase, Chau added. Kazakhstan's Kassym-Jomart Tokayev (right) paid his first foreign visit to Russia after the shock resignation of strongman Nursultan Nazarbayev. (AFP/Alexander Zemlianichenko) Kazakhstan's new president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev paid his first foreign visit to Russia, describing the trip as a sign of "continuity" in the two countries' close cooperation. "I will continue the strategic course to strengthen comprehensive dialogue between our countries," Tokayev told Putin. Kazakhstan's veteran leader Nazarbayev, who had ruled the energy-rich Central Asian nation since before it gained independence with the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, announced his sudden resignation last month. Nazarbayev, 78, has been known for careful diplomacy that privileges key partners Russia and China while maintaining cordial ties with the West. "We propose moving to new forms of cooperation," Putin told reporters after the talks. "I mean first and foremost building a nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan using Russian technologies," he added. Kazakhstan, the world's biggest uranium producer, has been discussing the construction of its first nuclear power plant with foreign powers including Russia. Last year, Russia started building a nuclear power plant in Uzbekistan, the Central Asian country's first. Putin said the two countries' military cooperation was growing, adding that Russia trained Kazakh military experts. The 65-year-old Tokayev said the two leaders discussed assembling civil helicopters and establishing maintenance centres to repair military equipment. Nazarbayev has the constitutional status of "Leader of the Nation" as well as a lifetime position as chief of the security council and will retain a decisive role in decision-making. Tokayev was previously the leader of the senate, where he was succeeded by Nazarbayev's daughter, Dariga Nazarbayeva, triggering talk of an eventual dynastic succession. Visitors at a booth showing a solar power system at Solar Show Vietnam 2019, which opened on Wednesday in HCM City.- VNS Photo Bo Xuan Hiep The trade shows have also attracted power producers, project developers, renewable energy vendors, and business owners and land developers. Sharon Roessen, managing director of Terrapinn, a global events company, and the organiser of the trade shows, said: The future of energy in Vietnam is bright, and Vietnam looks very serious about growing the energy sector. The Solar Show Vietnam this year aims to help drive the countrys renewable energy agenda forward, Roessen said. Prominent speakers and guests include senior representatives from the government and local utility Electricity of Vietnam (EVN). Nguyen Tam Tien, CEO of Trung Nam Group, said with some 100GW of additional capacity forecast by 2030, and a ten-fold increase in renewable energy generation, Vietnam is interested in the future of its energy sector. Solar power is poised to be a key part of it. The exhibition and conference will drive interest in the growing renewable energy industry in Vietnam. It also seeks to raise awareness about the variety of renewable energy solutions available for all sectors power plants and utilities, factories and manufacturing plants, large-scale buildings, and investment and development. More than 3,000 industry attendees are expected to visit the show. Major topics at the conference include diversifying Vietnams energy future and innovative renewable energy financing trends, among others. In addition to the main conference, exhibitors will showcase the latest in energy technologies, ranging from home solar rooftop systems, energy storage solutions, inverters and lighting solutions to hybrid and intelligent systems and more. As many as 120 exhibitors from Vietnam, Asia Pacific and beyond are taking part. In June, solar power investors will be granted land use fees and duty and tax exemptions, and will be able to mobilise both domestic and foreign capital. With almost 66 per cent the population living in rural areas, Vietnam is also scaling up its efforts to bring electricity to the entire population, whether on or off-grid, increasing electrification rates, and preparing the country for growth. Thai tycoon Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, leader of the Future Forward Party, arrives at the fffice of the attorney general in Bangkok AFP/Lillian SUWANRUMPHA Billionaire Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit heads up the youth-oriented Future Forward Party, which came out of nowhere to amass more than 6 million votes in the Mar 24 vote, the first since a 2014 coup. Future Forward has joined an anti-military government coalition with six other parties claiming the right to form a government in the aftermath of a disputed vote whose full results will not be ratified until May 9. But the fierce critic of the military government said on Facebook he has now been summoned to appear at a Bangkok police station Saturday to hear incitement charges against him which carry a maximum sentence of seven years. He called it "an old political game" that he expected to intensify after the party's strong election showing. "The dark influence will not leave Future Forward Party alone," he wrote on his page, where he posted the summons. Police investigator Charoensit Jongitthi said there were two charges in total and they related back to Thanathorn's actions in 2015, though he would not elaborate. "That is what I can say for now," he told AFP. Thanathorn is already facing another case under Thailand's Computer Crimes Act for allegedly spreading false information when he criticised the military government in a Facebook live discussion last year. Future Forward is a key member of the coalition led by Pheu Thai, the party linked to self-exiled premier Thaksin Shinawatra. The so-called "democratic front" says it has more than a majority of seats in the lower house, but the Phalang Pracharat Party, backed by the military government, won the popular vote. But inconsistent counting, inaccurate figures and more than 2 million invalidated ballots have sowed doubt over the poll. The party aligned with the military government has put forward 2014 coup leader Prayut Chan-O-Cha as its candidate for prime minister. The former army chief is heavily favoured to secure the post thanks to a charter that creates an upper house of appointed senators who vote for prime minister. The members of the 250 upper house are selected by the military. South Korean M&A part of wider plan, illustration photo Conglomerate SK Group has unveiled plans to acquire a $1 billion stake in Vietnamese real estate-retail-tech giant Vingroup, with the transaction set to be carried out as early as next month. Vingroup recently sought a shareholder vote on a plan to raise at least VND25 trillion ($1.09 billion) through a private placement to five foreign investors. Last September, SK Group also scooped up a 9.5 per cent stake in Vietnamese consumer giant Masan Group Corporation for about $470 million. SK Group is one of the largest conglomerates in South Korea, with a successful track record of building leading domestic and global businesses both organically and through acquisitions. The group is keen on growing its footprint in the Southeast Asian region and sees Vietnam, the regions fastest-growing economy, as a strategic base. Woncheol Park, representative director of SK Southeast Asia Investment said, Vietnam is an important foundation for our Southeast Asian strategy. We believe the partnership model is crucial to succeed in this region. Another South Korean giant, Hanwha Asset Management, paid $400 million for 84 million preferential shares in Vingroup last August. The sale came after Hanwhas unsuccessful attempt to join the public debut of Vinhomes, the property arm of Vingroup, back in May. Jiun Park, deputy director of the Global M&A Centre at the Korea Trade - Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), said that South Korean investors are becoming more active in Vietnams merger and acquisition (M&A) market, with deals worth $200 million being clinched in the first half of 2018. They have also extended their reach to regional markets like Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia. There are immense opportunities for partnerships between the two sides, especially as South Korean companies are seeking opportunities to expand in the region. Meanwhile, Kim Hyeong Soo, managing director of the Korea Venture Capital Association, told VIR that Vietnams M&A market is becoming increasingly more mature in light of the governments efforts and the blooming market. Thus, Vietnam has caught the eyes of South Korean investors over the past few years, which has resulted in a significant rise in the number and value of M&A deals by South Korean buyers. According to the KOTRA, capital flow from South Korea to Vietnam has changed a great deal over recent years. South Korean companies have mainly invested in the field of manufacturing. However, as Vietnams economy has been developing, these companies have created interest and are enlarging their investments in various fields such as distribution, healthcare, education, services, and smart city construction. Many investments have been implemented not only by large companies but also small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Park from the KOTRA said that many South Korean SMEs have enquired about the process of conducting M&As in Vietnam and called this a third wave of investment. A characteristic of this third wave is the strategic alliances between South Korean and Vietnamese companies. The South Korean partner can provide modern technology, while the Vietnamese side can help with brand presence, market share, and product distribution. Another wave of South Korean investment is likely to be seen in the fields of banking, finance, and fintech. Lotte Card spent nearly $75 million securing 100 per cent of Techcombank Finance a year ago, and became the first South Korean credit card company to enter the local finance market. Shinhan Card, in early 2018, also acquired Prudential Finance for over $150 million. Meanwhile, Mirae Asset Life scooped up a 50 per cent stake in Prevoir Vietnam Life Insurance in 2017 for $52.6 million. Jacob Won, founding partner at Locus Capital from South Korea, told VIR that most large-scale South Korean companies continued showing strong interest in Vietnam. The reasons for such strong interest include the countrys overall economic growth potential and geographic proximity to South Korea. Vietnamese consumers are also partial to this nation and its products. However, Won pointed out that it has been difficult to find a suitable acquisition target as most of the available companies are quite small for South Korean companies to consider. In addition, these companies generally look for opportunities to acquire a controlling stake from day one, while Vietnamese owners are reluctant to give up management control and only look for growth capital. Minister Peter Altmaier (left) and Minister Nguyen Chi Dung (right) last week inked a joint training co-operation statement for the 2019-2021 phase At last weeks meeting between Vietnamese Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung and German Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Peter Altmaier, the latter stated that Vietnam is now a central economic partner of Germany in Asia. We consider Vietnam an equal partner, and wish to open up a new chapter in our countries co-operation, Altmaier said. Many German businesses are showing great interest in the Vietnamese market, in various sectors like environment, renewable energy, industrial development, training, and high-technology. According to Cedrik Neike, member of Siemens AG Managing Board, who is among representatives from 20 German businesses attending the meeting, Vietnam is an especially important market to this group, as the fast-industrialising nation currently has a great demand for energy and smart infrastructure solutions to develop its industrial sectors. We recommend Vietnam to focus in these areas as soon as possible in order to further boost the economy, Neike told Minister Dung. He said digital and smart infrastructure ranging from digital factories, highly efficient power plants, smart grid, smart building or seamless mobility systems are key levers to strengthen the basic infrastructure in Vietnam, and at the same time help to drive efficiency and increase productivity. For example, our most comprehensive product lifecycle management portfolio helps VinFast to fulfill its vision of building the first made in Vietnam car in record time, he said, adding that Siemens also will expand its training co-operation with Vietnamese partners and academia. Siemens was suggested by Minister Dung to forge a strategic partnership with Vietnam, with its comprehensive multi-sectoral co-operation with the country. Siemens has been well operating in Vietnam for a long time, and now we wish that the group can raise its co-operation with the country, not based on single projects now, but on a different status like a strategic partnership covering many sectors, the minister stressed. Vietnam is now focusing on high-tech development, and we want to attract German investment into this. Another representative from a company specialised in renewable energy development revealed that the company wants to develop a number of projects in Vietnams rural areas and introduce technology to ensure labour safety as well as provide training for Vietnamese people. Meanwhile, a representative from Germanys HDI Global SE said that the corporation wants to purchase more stakes in Vietnamese insurer PetroVietnam Insurance Corporation (PVI). Currently, the German company is PVIs biggest stakeholder, holding a 36.22 per cent stake. His proposal received the thumbs-up from Minister Dung who said that the MPI will fully support the purchasing of PVI stakes.. A recent survey of over 5,100 German companies, conducted by the global network of German chambers of Industry and Trade, showed that 95 per cent will continue investing in Vietnam, 67 per cent will hire more employees, and 61 per cent expected better business performance in the country. Some 67 per cent expected medium-term economic trend prospects to improve, while the same rate also assessed the current business climate to be good. Last week, Minister Dung and Minister Altmaier signed a joint statement on a 2019-2021 training co-operation programme. This programme followed a similar one signed in 2008, with 565 Vietnamese managers trained in Germany so far. Vietnamese-German trade turnover hit 13.8 billion ($15.6 billion) in 2018, comprising 9.7 billion ($10.97 billion) worth of Vietnamese exports to Germany, and 4.1 billion ($4.64 billion) worth of German exports to Vietnam. Babysitter from the goverment's childcare center forces baby to eat food in this surveilance camera footage uploaded by the parents online. / Yonhap By Kim Jae-heun The government will conduct a wide-ranging investigation into state babysitting services, following a recent child abuse case involving one of the sitters in Seoul, the Minister of Gender Equality and Family said, Wednesday. Minister Jin Sun-mee made an official apology over the allegation before a meeting with officials concerned at the Health Family Support Center in Geumcheon-gu, Seoul. "I understand how serious the recent child abuse case is. I want to express my apologies and consolation to not only the mother who must have been shocked by the incident, but also to the whole family," she said. "I am sure many parents might have found themselves in the victim's mother's shoes, especially those who have a babysitter taking care of their own babies. We will conduct a survey on every household using our service to check if there are any unknown similar cases and to take action," Jin added. The government service is aimed at providing babysitters at an affordable price, and the government covers part of the service fees for low-income families. The ministry will send messages to all households using the babysitting service and open a pop-up window to receive reports of suspected child abuse on its official childcare service website at idolbom.go.kr, starting next Monday. When parents report a suspicion of child abuse, the ministry will send officials to their homes for an in-depth survey and deal with the case in cooperation with child protection organizations. The ministry also promised to take preventive measures on possible crimes in the future. Babysitters hired by the government will receive preventive education on child abuse starting this month, and the ministry will strengthen the qualifications of the sitters. It will also open a mobile application within this year to collect parents' evaluations on the government's babysitting service. "To make sure such a crime does not happen again and for parents to trust the government's babysitting service, we will form a taskforce including experts in the field to come up with detailed preventive measures within this month," a ministry official said. Officers at the Geumcheon Police Station are also investigating the child abuse case following the parents' report. The babysitter surnamed Kim, in her late 50s, allegedly slapped a 14-month-old baby for not eating food and pulled his hair. The parents hired Kim, who had six years of experience as a babysitter, through the ministry's babysitting service in December. "A babysitter from the government's service abused our 14-month-old baby for the last three months. She slapped his face and jammed food in his mouth. She also assaulted our baby by pulling his hair and kicking him while cursing at him," the parents said in an online petition a Cheong Wa Dae's website. They also uploaded footage of about six minutes from a surveillance camera they installed in the house which showed the babysitter's abuse. The police are investigating Kim based on the footage and plan to summon her for questioning soon. The petition, calling for stern punishment for Kim and improvement in the babysitting service, received over 200,000 people's signatures, the number required to receive an answer from the presidential office. Brandee McHale, president of Citi Foundation, giving her opening remarks at the summit The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Citi Foundation, with collaboration and support from the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Vietnam Volunteer Centre, opened the second Asia-Pacific Youth Co:Lab Summit in Hanoi today. The flagship event brought together over 500 delegates, including hundreds of youth, partners, and government officials from 20 countries, to exchange ideas, knowledge, and experiences, to influence policy initiatives on youth entrepreneurship and social innovation. According to the Asia-Pacific Human Development Report 2016, more than half of the young people in the world today live in the Asia-Pacific and 1.7 billion are under 25. The report further states that close to 71 million young people, aged 15 to 24, are unemployed worldwide, 33 million of whom are in the Asia-Pacific alone. Nearly 220 million young people are neither at school nor at work, presenting a daunting crisis which needs an urgent response. Co-created in 2017 by the UNDP and Citi Foundation, Youth Co:Lab aims to empower and invest in youth so that they can accelerate the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through leadership, social innovation, and entrepreneurship. Over the last two years, Youth Co:Lab projects have been implemented in 20 countries and territories across the region, with national dialogues, regional summits, and social innovation challenges reaching over 48,000 participants. The initiative has benefitted over 2,500 young social entrepreneurs and helped launch or improve nearly 500 social enterprises. Over the last two years, Youth Co:Lab projects have been implemented in 20 countries and territories across the region, with national dialogues, regional summits, and social innovation challenges reaching over 48,000 participants. Youth Co:Lab has also established partnerships with more than 100 key ecosystem players to strengthen the Youth Empowerment Alliance to support young entrepreneurs, particularly young women and marginalised youth, by connecting them with businesses, incubators, accelerators, and financing mechanisms to develop their ideas into viable business models for sustainable social impact. Key speakers at the opening of the summit at Hanois National Economics University this morning were Valerie Cliff, UNDP deputy regional director for Asia and the Pacific; Brandee McHale, president of Citi Foundation and head of Corporate Citizenship at Citi; Caitlin Wiesen, resident representative, UNDP Vietnam; Tran Van Tung, Vice Minister, Ministry of Science and Technology, Vietnam; and Pham Hong Chuong, vice rector, National Economics University of Vietnam. As I see the first generation of Youth Co:Lab social entrepreneurs flourish and carry their own initiatives forward, I am reminded of the reason why this work is so important: young people really do hold the key to social change, said Valerie Cliff, UNDP deputy regional director for Asia and the Pacific. This is how we can align the grit and determination of young change-makers to meet the ambition of the SDGs. Our mandate at Youth Co:Lab is to play the role of an integrator and strengthen the ecosystem connecting young people with governments and businesses to scale impact. Youth Co:Labs approach of listening to the perspectives and ideas of young people, and empowering them to drive business solutions that address our worlds most pressing issues is how real change happens, added Brandee McHale, president of Citi Foundation. Only by joining forces with multiple actors from the public and private sector, social partners, civil society, and beyond can we work towards fulfilling the Sustainable Development Goals, she noted. In the current context of global integration and development, startups and innovation play an important role in economic development, addressing global difficulties and challenges, as well as achieving sustainable development in each country and all over the world, Vice Minister of Science and Technology Tran Van Tung said in his opening remarks. The Youth Co:Lab Summit 2019, jointly organised by the UNDP and Citi Foundation, in collaboration with the Ministry of Science and Technology, is a significant event for the innovative startup community and social impact enterprises, in particular. The summit will enable an exchange of ideas and help to further develop startups through incubation, innovation, expanding connections, and international co-operation. The two-day summit brings together several keynote speakers, prominent social entrepreneurs, youth change makers, principal government officials, and leading ecosystem players. The summit will conclude with the Youth Co:Lab Regional Social Innovation Challenge, where 34 teams, pre-selected during the national social innovation challenges held across 16 countries respectively, will pitch and showcase their social enterprises and ideas to a panel of esteemed judges. Luong Thi Le Thuy, managing director, Cisco Vietnam The Index, developed by global research firm IDC based on an independent survey of 1,340 respondents, looked at digital maturity of SMBs across four business dimensions: technology adoption and application, digital transformation strategy and organisation, processes and governance, and the capability to source, manage and retain the right talent to enable their digital transformation. Taking into account the four dimensions, SMBs in ASEAN, with the exception of Singapore, were classified into the Digital Indifferent stage of digital maturity. The stage is defined as being one where companies digital efforts are often reactive to market changes, rather than driven by a proactive tactical approach. As SMBs in Vietnam become more digital, it is not surprising that Cloud is the top technology they are investing in (18 per cent). This aligns with the trend of cloud adoption across the region as the technology allows SMBs to scale rapidly as and when required and without significant upfront capital investment in IT infrastructure. As SMBs in Vietnam digitalise, they are also adopting Cybersecurity technologies, with 12.7 per cent of respondents listing it as one of the top three technologies they are investing in, highlighting that they are placing security front and centre of their digital transformation journey. Having the right IT infrastructure in place is critical to meet the evolving needs of SMBs in Vietnam and ensure long term success. The SMBs recognise the importance and 10.7 per cent of respondents say they are investing in IT software and hardware upgrades. SMBs in Vietnam are digitalising rapidly and harnessing the power of technology to expand revenue streams and reach a wider pool of customers beyond geographical borders. With the support of the government and corporations, SMBs will truly propel Vietnams economy to the next stage of growth, said Luong Thi Le Thuy, managing director, Vietnam, Cisco. Cisco plays a role in building a strong digital foundation in Vietnam on multiple fronts. The Cisco Networking Academy, for example, has trained nearly 36,000 students in Vietnam and supported the development of digital skills in the countrys workforce. We look forward to strengthening our partnerships with the government and with SMBs to accelerate digitalisation in Vietnam, Thuy noted. The Index highlights that more than 60 per cent of SMBs in Asia-Pacific have started to embrace digitalisation, driven by improved internet access and growing smartphone ownership. The SMBs in Vietnam, however, are also facing hurdles to digital transformation. Respondents said they are being held back by the lack of digital skills and talent (17 per cent), lack of a robust IT platform to enable digital transformation (16.7 per cent) and the lack of a digital mind-set or cultural challenges in the organisation (15.7 per cent). The survey also revealed that government initiatives have a clear impact on SMB digitalisation in Vietnam. A majority of respondents (64 per cent) say they are aware of government initiatives that support SMBs and have already benefitted from them. Another 30 per cent are aware but have not taken part in these programmes. Bidhan Roy, regional director and general manager of SMB Markets and Distribution, Cisco ASEAN According to Bidhan Roy- regional director and general manager of SMB Markets and Distribution, ASEAN, Cisco, one of the greatest advantages of technology is that it helps small businesses scale quickly without requiring huge upfront investment in IT infrastructure. As SMBs become more digital, and their applications and data are stored in the cloud, keeping them secure will become increasingly important. Having the right cybersecurity protocol and IT infrastructure in place will not only empower SMBs to compete effectively with larger competitors, it will also enable SMBs to become part of the supply chains of large global companies, said Roy. The Index suggests a raft of recommendations that can accelerate the digital transformation journey of SMBs in Vietnam, such as investing strategically leveraging a well-defined digital transformation strategy and roadmap, or finding a trusted partner with experience working with and within the SMB ecosystem. The Index highlights that more than 60 per cent of SMBs in Asia-Pacific have started to embrace digitalisation, driven by improved internet access and growing smartphone ownership. These SMBs are redefining customer experience and expectations, disrupting sectors and in some cases creating entire new ones, while capturing investment and funding opportunities. The Index, developed by IDC, is based on a survey of 1,340 SMBs across the 14 major economies in Asia Pacific: Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Taiwan and Vietnam. SMBs from multiple industries including financial services, manufacturing, construction and resources, public sector, services, Infrastructure, retail and wholesale, were surveyed. Dao Ngoc Thanh, chairman of Vinaconex, speaking at the press conference. Source: vnexpress.vn The extraordinary shareholders meeting to elect new members to the board of management and the board of supervisors of Vietnam Construction and Import-Export JSC (Vinaconex, code: VCG) took place on January 11, 2019 after changing the companys shareholder structure. Since an auction two months ago, there are three big shareholders owning more than 5 per cent of VCG stakes, including An Quy Hung (57.71 per cent), Star Invest (7.57 per cent), and newly-established Cuong Vu Real Estate Co., Ltd., which has just bought 21.3 per cent of VCG stakes from Viettel. At the meeting, Vinaconex shareholders elected Dao Ngoc Thanh, general director of Viet Hung Urban Development and Investment JSC (Vihajico), the developer of the Ecopark urban area, representing An Quy Hung, as chairman of Vinaconex. Afterwards, Star Invest and Cuong Vu Real Estate Co., Ltd. sent a petition to the Dong Da Peoples Court including documents and evidence related to the election, askingit to stop the implementation of the resolution of the general shareholders meeting on January 11, 2019. The Dong Da Peoples Court on March 27 sent Decision No.01/2019/QD-BPKCTT and asked Vinaconex to pause executing the resolution. Accordingly, the seven new members to the Board of Management and five new members to the Board of Supervisors had to be suspended immediately. On the following day Vinaconex issued Document No.0609/2019/CV-PC to report to the State Securities Commission (SSC), Hanoi Stock Exchange (HSX), and disclose information to shareholders. A day later (March 29) Vinaconex also issued a complaint against the decision of the Dong Da People's Court. Vinaconex claims that the immediate application of temporary emergency measures on March 27 negatively impacted production and the companys business activities. This, according to the complaint, caused direct damage to the legal interests and benefits of Vinaconex and caused serious economic losses, reducing the value of shares by about VND1.236 trillion ($53.74 million) on March 28 for all shareholders. Next, Vinaconex claimed the two individuals and two organisations had insufficient legal standing to issue the request to cancel the resolution of the general shareholders meeting. Specifically, at the deadline of registration to finalise the list of shareholders present at the meeting (December 26), Cuong Vu Real Estate was not a shareholder of Vinaconex. Moreover, as of March 25, 2019, both Cuong Vu and Star Invest did not hold VCG shares for a continuous period of six months (Cuong Vu and Star Invest become shareholders on December 27, 2018 and December 24, 2018). Regarding Than The Ha and Nguyen Quang Trung, who sent the complaint to the court based on the authorisation of former shareholder Viettel, Vinaconex argued that Viettel only authorised them to attend, vote, and exercise the rights and obligations of shareholders at the meeting, but did not authorise them to submit complaints. On April 1, Vinaconex organised a press conference to provide information to shareholders about the decision of the Dong Da People's Court. Dao Ngoc Thanh, chairman of Vinaconex, affirmed that the general shareholders' meeting two months ago was legal as it complied with the company charter's tenets on calling an extraordinary shareholders' meeting. "Vinaconex needs to organise an extraordinary general shareholders meeting to transfer the management and administration of the enterprise from state shareholders to the new shareholders winning the auction," said Thanh. The meeting was convened at the request of the old BoD, with the participation of two old shareholders, including Viettel and State Capital Investment Corporation (SCIC), according to Vnexpress.vn. Splendora is an investment project to build a high-class urban area combining centres and commercial offices in the west of Hanoi, along Thang Long Boulevard. With a total area of 245 hectares, the project is divided into five phases and has been implemented since 2008. According to the initial plan, the project has 6,440 apartments and 1,311 villas, as well as adjacent houses with a total initial capital of more than $2 billion. After completing the first phase in 2013, due to a disagreement between the two partners and a disadvantageous market, the project had stalled for nearly five years and had just restarted a small area at the end of 2017. However, in response to Vinaconex, the court expressed its belief that suspending the execution of the resolution until the final decision of the court was in accordance with the law and was necessary to protect the rights of the applicants and shareholders of Vinaconex, as well as to avoid negative consequences that could cause damage to Vinaconex and shareholders. Based on this, the court once again determined that the immediate application of temporary emergency measures on March 27 and the suspension of the execution of the resolution on the election of seven members to the BoD and five members to the BoS had a legal basis. Since then, in a document on April 2 to answer Vinaconex, the People's Court of Dong Da district has dismissed the complaint of this enterprise. One of the issues drawing the attention of shareholders and participants was the reason that caused the disagreement among shareholders, even though 99.9 per cent of the BoD approved the election of the new leader. According to Vinaconexs representative, shareholders sent a petition to the court related to Phu Long Real Estate Company, which owns 50 per cent of the capital in An Khanh JVC and is also the investor of the Splendora project (Bac An Khanh, Hanoi). Vinaconex currently holds 50 per cent of the capital in this project. Views also differ on project development. Specifically, Splendora proposed digging lakes around the villas, while Vinaconex wants to carry out the old plan. Defense Minister Tea Banh has dismissed concerns that a Chinese development project in Koh Kong province could be used for military purposes, and reiterated Cambodias commitment to keeping its territory from being used to host a foreign military base. Banh, who visited the United States last week, said the development project by Chinese-owned Union Development Group (UDG) in Koh Kong was to serve as an eco-tourism and recreation site only. Cambodia doesnt have anything to hide on the Union Development Group, Banh told VOA Khmer in an exclusive interview in New York on Friday. Its a Chinese private company that has received a land concession for tourism development. Theyve planned to invest billions of dollars for the development if the project goes well, which includes an airport and seaport. The UDG acquired 45,000 hectares of land, including 20 percent of Cambodias coastline, in Botum Sakor and Kiri Sakor districts of Koh Kong province to develop a project that includes hospitals, condominiums, resorts, hotels, factories, an international airport, and a deep sea port. The company has said it will invest $3.8 billion, according to media reports. Media reports have suggested that the international airport has a 3,400-meter-long airfield, which has raised concerns that it may be used for future military operations. It is scheduled to begin partial operations by the end of 2020. Banh dismissed any speculation about the possible dual use of the airfield and port, saying he has visited the site several times and it was open to anyone who wanted to see it. The construction of a large airport was in-line with what the government had agreed to as part of the investment plan, he said. I cant say much because such a big airfield can land many types of airplanes. This is normal for an airfield. To say that the Chinese [military] ships and planes will dock there, it is up to the restrictions of a sovereign country. Analysts said the deep-water port would be large enough to dock warships and destroyers. The Cambodian government has nurtured closer relations with Beijing in the last decade, and the US has expressed concerns that China would pressure Cambodia into allowing its territory to be used as a launchpad to project Chinese military power in Southeast Asia. US Vice President Mike Pence officially raised the concerns in a letter to Prime Minister Hun Sen in November 2018. US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Joseph Felter also expressed his concerns about a Chinese military presence in Cambodia during his visit in January, citing regional security and possible damage to Cambodias sovereignty. So we are concerned that this may be the path that China may be leading Cambodia down, Felter said. So they may say hey this is just going to be a joint base or this is just going to be a rotational presence or this is just going to be a facility for ships and commercial aircraft. We are concerned, based on the precedent across the region, that Cambodia might fall into the same trap other countries have. Some US Congressmen are also concerned. We are concerned about that as we know theyre building a Chinese naval base in Cambodia, and they are trying to take advantage of the situation to the benefit of China and to the disadvantage of the people of Cambodia, said Steve Chabot, (R-OH). So Im hoping that doesnt continue. China has built a large military base in Djibouti on the east coast of Africa as part of a wider strategy of base-building under its so-called String of Pearls strategy in South and Southeast Asia, which includes the Gwadar port in Pakistan, Hambantota port in Sri Lanka and bases in the Pacific Islands. Chinese companies have developed port facilities and airfields, which have minimal economic impacts. Then, according to experts, they also use the facilities to project military power. I can assure you that the Cambodian constitution forbids a foreign base in our country and we also dont send our troops overseas unless its at the UNs request, said Banh. Therefore, this is really clear. Clearer than this is that we dont allow any foreign military unit or troops to be stationed in Cambodia. Our constitution strictly forbids that. Analysts say Cambodia has no enemies in the region, thus it does not require the presence of foreign troops on its territory, as it brings more problems for maintaining stability in the region. But China's ambitions may be another story. If we look at geopolitics, there are no conditions that require Cambodia to have the presence of foreign troops, said Chheang Vannarith, president of the Asia Vision Institute. But if we look at it from the Chinese perspective, China might have some ambition in the region economically, militarily, and security-wise. However, if Cambodia does not allow it or has no need, China cannot force Cambodia to allow foreign troops. In early 2017, Cambodia announced the suspension of a joint military drill with the US, citing its busy schedule, but continues to conduct joint exercises with China. Banh admitted that logistics is also another issue, saying that Cambodia lacks a budget and material resources making it impossible to conduct as many military exercises with any country as it wishes. Sometimes, Cambodia doesnt have the ability and resources, or we have only human resources and will, but lack gasoline, ammunition, and other necessary means, he said. Another issue is that sometimes were busy with more important tasks and need to move it to another date. Honestly speaking, the Peoples Republic of China paid for everything, he added. Gasoline, ammunition and other things were brought in and we simply participated and coordinated on locations needed. Therefore, our troops were able to participate During the exercise, the PRC even paid for food for hundreds of the organizers. With that, we could immediately do it. Australias Parliament passed legislation Thursday that could imprison social media executives if their platforms stream real violence such as the New Zealand mosque shootings. Critics warn that some of the most restrictive laws about online communication in the democratic world could have unforeseen consequences, including media censorship and reduced investment in Australia. The conservative government introduced the bills in response to the March 15 attacks in Christchurch in which an Australian white supremacist apparently used a helmet-mounted camera to broadcast live on Facebook as he shot worshippers in two mosques. Passed in two days Australias government rushed the legislation through the last two days that Parliament sits before elections are expected in May, dispensing with the usual procedure of a committee scrutinizing its content first. Together we must act to ensure that perpetrators and their accomplices cannot leverage online platforms for the purpose of spreading their violent and extreme propaganda. These platforms should not be weaponized for evil, Attorney General Christian Porter told Parliament while introducing the bill. The oppositions spokesman on the attorney general portfolio, Mark Dreyfus, committed his center-left Labor Party to support the bill despite misgivings. If the Labor wins the election, the law would be reviewed by a parliamentary committee. What's in the bill The law has made it a crime for social media platforms not to remove abhorrent violent material quickly. The crime would be punishable by three years in prison and a fine of 10.5 million Australian dollars ($7.5 million), or 10 percent of the platforms annual turnover, whichever is larger. Abhorrent violent material is defined as acts of terrorism, murder, attempted murder, torture, rape and kidnapping. The material must be recorded by the perpetrator or an accomplice for the law to apply. Platforms anywhere in the world would face fines of up to AU$840,000 ($597,500) if they fail to notify Australian Federal Police if they are aware their service was streaming abhorrent violent conduct occurring in Australia. Dreyfus described the bill as clumsy and flawed, and the timetable to pass it as ridiculous. Labor first saw the legislation late Monday. Unintended consequences The bill could potentially undermine Australias security cooperation with the United States by requiring U.S. internet providers to share content data with Australian Federal Police in breach of U.S. law, Dreyfus said. The Digital Industry Group Inc., an association representing the digital industry in Australia including Facebook, Google and Twitter, said taking down abhorrent content was a highly complex problem that required consultation with a range of experts, which the government had not done. This law, which was conceived and passed in five days without any meaningful consultation, does nothing to address hate speech, which was the fundamental motivation for the tragic Christchurch terrorist attacks, the groups managing director Sunita Bose said in a statement. Arthur Moses, president of the Australian Law Council, the nations top lawyers group, said the law could lead to media censorship and prevent whistleblowers from using social media to shine a light on atrocities because of social media companies fear of prosecution. The penalties would be bad for certainty and bad for business, which could scare off online business investment in Australia, Moses said. Australian Industry Group chief executive Innes Willox, a leading business advocate, said more time was required to ensure the law did not unnecessarily impinge on existing fundamental media rights and freedoms. Fergus Hanson, head of the International Cyber Policy Center at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, saw problems in the legislations definitions, including how long a company had to expeditiously remove offense material. Mosque shootings livestreamed Facebook livestreamed the Christchurch massacre for 17 minutes without interruption before reacting. Facebook said it removed 1.5 million videos of the shootings during the first 24 hours afterward. Executives of Facebook, Google, Twitter, internet service providers and Australian phone companies met Prime Minister Scott Morrison and three ministers last week to discuss social media regulation. Communications Minister Mitch Fifield said Facebook did not present any immediate solutions to the issues arising out of the horror that occurred in Christchurch. Facebook did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday. CEO Mark Zuckerberg used an op-ed in The Washington Post last week to invite a more active role by governments and regulators to deal the harmful online content. Morrison wants to take the Australian law to a Group of 20 countries forum as a model for holding social media companies to account. New Zealands Justice Minister Andrew Little said his government had also made a commitment to review the role of social media and the obligations of the companies that provide the platforms. He said he had asked officials to look at the effectiveness of current hate speech laws and whether there were gaps that need to be filled. Australia's parliament has approved a new law that will hold social media companies criminally liable if they fail to quickly remove violent content from their websites. According to the law, which passed overwhelmingly Thursday, social media companies would be fined 10 percent of their global annual turnover if material deemed "abhorrent violent material" is not taken down quickly, and its executives could face as much as three years in prison. Abhorrent violent material is defined as acts of murder, terrorism, torture or rape. The legislation was drafted in response to the March 15 shooting deaths of 50 worshippers at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, which the suspected gunman, Australian white supremacist Brenton Harris Tarrant, livestreamed over Facebook. The footage was widely shared over the popular U.S.-based platform before it was taken down. Facebook said it removed as many as 1.5 million videos of the attacks in the first 24 hours afterward. The new law was drafted and passed in the final days of the parliamentary session, prompting criticism by some lawmakers and digital advocates that it was rushed without proper hearings. Sunita Bose, the director of the Digital Industry Group, which represents Facebook, Google and Twitter, issued a statement saying the issue "is a highly complex problem that requires discussion" with technology and legal experts. Arthur Moses, the head of the Australian Law Council, the nation's top lawyers' group, said the law could lead to some "unintended consequences," including media censorship and muzzling people from calling attention to various wrongdoing. Chinese diplomats have been informed of the arrest of a Chinese woman at President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago club over the weekend and are providing her with consular services, the Foreign Ministry said Thursday. Spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters the Chinese Consulate General in Houston had been notified of the March 30 arrest, had gotten in touch with the person involved and was providing her with consular assistance. Geng gave no details. Yujing Zhang is being held on charges of illegal entering and lying to U.S. agents. Court documents allege 32-year-old Zhang told a Secret Service agent Saturday she was a Mar-a-Lago member there to use the pool. Agents were later summoned and they say Zhang began arguing during an interview. Agent Samuel Ivanovich wrote in court documents that Zhang told him that she was there for a Chinese American event and had come early to familiarize herself with the club and take photos, contradicting what she had said at the checkpoint. He said Zhang said she had traveled from Shanghai to attend the nonexistent Mar-a-Lago event on the invitation of an acquaintance named "Charles," whom she only knew through a Chinese social media app. Ivanovich said Zhang carried four cellphones, a laptop computer, an external hard drive and a thumb drive containing computer malware. She did not have a swimsuit. There is no indication Zhang was ever near the president or that she personally knew Cindy Yang, a Chinese native, Republican donor and former Florida massage parlor owner who made news recently after it was learned she was promising Chinese business leaders that her consulting firm could get them access to Mar-a-Lago, where they could mingle with the president. A man named Charles Lee ran the United Nations Chinese Friendship Association and was photographed at least twice with Yang, who also goes by the name Yang Li. Yang previously owned a spa where New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft was charged with soliciting prostitution. Archived images of the United Nations Chinese Friendship Association's website, which has since been taken down, show that the organization advertised itself as a non-profit registered with the U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs. A page of "registration documents" purports to show certificates from the States of Delaware and New York, as well as a screenshot of a listing on the U.N.'s official website. But a search Thursday for the association on the U.N.'s database did not turn up any results. The United Nations Chinese Friendship Association's website also shows Lee in photos with several government officials of various countries, including Trump, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, as well as officials from China, Canada, Turkey and South Korea. It is not clear whether any of the photos have been digitally altered. While no espionage charges have been filed against Zhang, her arrest has reignited concerns especially among Democrats that Trump's use of the club constitutes a security risk as long as members and guests are allowed to come in and out while he is there. Zhang's arrest attracted comments from Chinese internet users on the popular Weibo microblogging service, many of whom portrayed her as having been tricked by those seeking to exploit her desire for attention and connections. The Communist Party newspaper Global Times, known for its strident nationalism, ran a lengthy report on the Zhang and Yang cases, accusing the U.S. media of hyping them as examples of Chinese "Trojan horses" entering Mar-a-Lago out of an excess of "Cold War thinking." Police on Thursday detained a 31-year-old woman related to the founding family of a major South Korean dairy producer on suspected drug use. Hwang Ha-na was taken into custody this afternoon from a hospital where she was staying for treatment in Seongnam, south of Seoul, the Gyeonggi Southern Provincial Police Agency said. A handcuffed Hwang, covering herself in an orange hoodie, black sunglasses and a mask, arrived at the police agency at around 3 p.m. Hwang is a granddaughter of Hong Du-yeong, the late honorary chairman of Namyang Dairy Products Co. who founded the company. She's also known for her active Instagram postings and her past relationship with K-pop boyband JYJ's Park Yu-chun. Police are investigating her over suspicions that she avoided being charged for drug use in a 2017 police probe because her family pulled strings to exclude her from the investigation. She was accused of selling 0.5 gram of methamphetamine to a person and also using the illegal substance herself in September 2015. The Jongno Police Station referred her case to the prosecution recommending a non-indictment, citing a lack of evidence. Prosecutors later dropped all charges against Hwang. (Yonhap) Joyce Huang contributed to this report. BEIJING - An online campaign protesting the long hours Chinese high-tech employees work has gone viral on the Internet in China. At the same time, it is putting an uncomfortable light on the labor practices of Chinas biggest high-tech firms. The campaign known as 996.icu may have been small when it started on Microsofts code sharing website Github.com, but now, it is the second highest bookmarked project on the open source collaborative site. It has also spread quickly on Weibo, Chinas version of Twitter, where it is a hotly discussed topic. One posting alone had more than half a million views. Chinese programmers came up with the ironic name 996.icu to draw attention to a work schedule reality and problem. The name is a pithy way of saying if you work the 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. six-day-a-week work schedule, youll end up in the intensive care unit of a hospital. And while the campaign takes aim at some of Chinas biggest tech firms and includes a blacklist that details labor practices, organizers have been careful in their approach to addressing the problem. This is not a political movement, the campaign said, in a bullet point outline of its principles and purposes. We firmly uphold the labor law and require employers to respect the legitimate rights and interests of their employees. Beyond guidelines Chinas labor law states that employers can request employees to work overtime for an hour or even three hours a day, but no more than 36 hours of overtime in total over a months period. Clearly, 72 hours a week, goes far beyond that guideline. Labor activists and lawyers, note however, that companies have many ways of getting around the law. According to 996.icu, the 72-hour work week schedule has long been practiced in secret, but recently more companies have been openly discussing the arrangement. The campaign notes that in March, e-commerce company J.D. Com said it had begun adopting 996 or 995 work schedules for some departments. Other companies made similar pledges at the beginning of the year. Commenting on its 996 work schedule, J.D. Com said that it was not a mandatory policy, but that all of its employees should be fully committed (to their work). Tougher times Tech companies have always pushed their employees very hard and that has been a problem for many years, said Geoffrey Crothall, of the Hong Kong-based China Labour Bulletin. Whats interesting about the anti-996 pushback is that wages in the tech sector were always much higher than anywhere else, he said. But now people are being laid off, people are not getting the same kind of bonuses, they are not getting the same pay increases that they are used to and so people are saying I am not getting paid as much, why should I work as hard, Crothall said. How big the movement's impact will be remains to be seen. Crothall said it is still too early to say whether the campaign will be a game changer or short-term phenomenon. Game changer? The key goal of the anti-996 campaign is to get employers to buy into the movement by attaching an Anti-996 license to software to show their support for labor standards. A push that reportedly is already gaining some traction. Going forward, getting the campaign to move from online to offline will be a big challenge. It is also unclear how long the debate online will be allowed to continue in Chinas tightly controlled cyberspace. Already, internet users have reported that some Chinese-made browsers are blocking access to the 996.icu page on Github. A post on Zhihu.com, a Chinese question and answer website that asked what the electronics chain Sunings view was on the debate was shut down. Earlier posts remain, but a message at the top of the discussion page reads: this question has been closed for infringing on company rights. Chinese state media seemed to voice support for the concerns of young high-tech workers and long work hours. An editorial in the state-run China Youth Daily newspaper portrayed young tech workers as being besieged by the 996-work week. The piece argued that it was time for labor regulators to get more actively involved. It also noted that the 996-work week was not just a problem facing high-tech employees, but something workers in other sectors face as well. This week, tourists and residents alike are being treated to Mother Nature's best in Washington, D.C.: blue skies, warm spring temperatures and the city's beloved cherry blossom trees putting on their best show. The delicate pink blossoms are at their peak and expected to last for an extended period. But the popularity of the annual blooms is one of the reasons the iconic trees are in peril. Officials say the decades of wear and tear and rising sea levels are causing chronic flooding problems at the Tidal Basin, the 107-acre man-made reservoir on the Potomac River that is home to thousands of cherry blossom trees. "The Tidal Basin is at a pivotal moment," Jeff Reinbold, acting superintendent for the National Mall and Memorial Parks division of the National Park Service, told the Associated Press. "The area was never designed for the kind of use it sees today." The National Park Service, the Trust for the National Mall and the National Trust for Historic Preservation are partnering to try to save the Tidal Basin. Their efforts will include rebuilding the sea wall, addressing routine flooding in the area, as well as improving the walkways that are too narrow to accommodate the modern crowds. Officials say the area gets flooded twice a day at high tide and the silt concentration in the water is shortening the life span of the cherry trees that ring the basin. Early estimates are the rehabilitation project will require as much as $500 million, with organizers seeking a combination of government money and private donations, AP reports. The Trust for the National Mall has also partnered with the Cherry Blossom Festival to raise money to preserve and maintain the trees. On its website, the trust says it aims to raise $1,000 for each of the 3,800 cherry trees on the National Mall. Eastern Libyan forces have reportedly taken control of the town of Gharyan, less than 100 kilometers from the capital, Tripoli, in the western part of the country. As General Khalifa Haftar's western forces advance, U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres and his special envoy, Ghassan Salameh, met in Tripoli with the internationally-recognized government's head, Fayez al-Sarraj. Arab media showed pictures of forces loyal to General Khalifa Haftar stationed outside government buildings in the western mountain town of Gharyan, approximately 70 kilometers from the capital, Tripoli. VOA could not independently confirm the exact position of Haftar's forces but Libyan military spokesman Colonel Ahmed Almismari claims that units loyal to General Haftar seized Gharyan without a fight. He says that (Haftar's Libyan National Army forces) have units loyal to it in western parts of the country and that one of those units moved in on forces loyal to internationally-recognized Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj in nearby mountains to capture Gharyan. The French news agency quoted the head of military operations for General Haftar's forces in western Libya, General Abdessalam al-Hassi, as confirming that his forces now control the town. AFP, however, indicated that other sources in the region are denying the claim and that Haftar's forces were instead in the town of Jendouba, outside of Gharyan. Arab news channels broadcast video Wednesday of convoys of military vehicles they reported were now stationed in the west of the country, not far from Tripoli. Haftar's office indicated that his forces were "preparing an offensive to cleanse the west of the country of terrorists and mercenaries." U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who met with Prime Minister Sarraj in Tripoli Thursday, insisted that "there is no military solution to the conflict in Libya," and called for "calm" as he prepared to meet various Libyan leaders. Libyan analyst Abdel Sitar Sita told Saudi-owned al-Arabiya TV which supports Haftar that "other forces in the west of the country, including Tarhouna, were joining Haftar, but that the eastern, western and southern military fronts are largely separate and don't coordinate their operations." Hilal Khashan, who teaches political science at the American University of Beirut, tells VOA that regardless of the current military situation on the ground, it is becoming a foregone conclusion that General Haftar will eventually gain control of Libya. "I would assume that the trend will continue in Libya towards the defeat of the Islamic-oriented government in Tripoli," he said. "It is only a question of time. Political Islam is being routed throughout the region, and Libya does not present itself as an exception." Khashan noted that U.N. envoy Ghassan Salameh and Secretary-General Guterres are trying to negotiate a solution to the Libyan conflict, but he insisted that "no matter what agreement is reached for Tripoli, it will have to reflect the existing balance of power and I think the balance of power is tilting in favor of (Gen.) Hafter." The U.N. was planning to hold a Libyan national dialogue conference later this month in the southern oasis town of Ghadames. The fate of that conference remains unclear. Initial vote counts indicate that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's AKP party lost control of multiple major cities in Turkey in local elections Sunday. Erdogan is disputing the results in Ankara and Istanbul, but many analysts say the vote is clearly a setback for the powerful ruler. VOA's Turkish Service spoke with political analysts about what the results mean, in this report narrated by Bezhan Hamdard. Friends and family are fearing for the life of a 28-year-old Ethiopian woman who has spent more than three months in a Chinese prison on drug charges. In December, Nazrawit Abera, a civil engineer, flew from Addis Ababa to Beijing to pursue a job opportunity and learn about home building materials, according to her older sister, Abby Abera. But when she landed at Beijing Capital Airport, officials detained Nazrawit and inspected her luggage. They found five shampoo bottles filled with cocaine. Chinese police arrested Nazrawit on drug trafficking charges, which carry severe penalties in China. Abby told VOA the bottles did not belong to Nazrawit, and that her sister agreed to bring them as a favor to a friend from elementary school who had planned to accompany Nazrawit. When the friends father died shortly before the trip, she allegedly asked Nazrawit to bring the bottles on her behalf. She told Nazrawit they contained expensive Brazilian shampoo, according to Abby. Abby said what followed has been a nightmare for the family. They have been unable to speak to Nazrawit and have received scant details from representatives of the Ethiopian consulate, who met with Abby several times. We dont have any information that says she will be released. What we know and what we have heard is whatever happens will be based on Chinese laws, Abby told VOA by phone in Amharic. So our guess is that, based on Chinese laws, there is a possibility that she could be facing the death penalty. She is getting ready to appear in court. All of the family is counting every single second and is stressed. Under Chinese law, drug smuggling can result in punishments ranging from 15 years in prison to the death penalty. In a March 26 statement in state-owned media, the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry said it was closely monitoring the situation and cautioned the public against jumping to conclusions, saying Nazrawit had not yet been sentenced. Sophie Richardson, the China director at Human Rights Watch, said cases like Nazrawits can result in dire outcomes. China is one of only a handful of countries, including Iran, Saudi Arabia and Singapore, that executes people for drug crimes. I can tell you that the Chinese government has a particularly low tolerance for anything involving drug trafficking, particularly when it involves foreigners, and tends to treat those kinds of cases fairly mercilessly, Richardson said. Richardson recalled an incident in 2009 when a British citizen, Akmal Shaikh, was persuaded by someone in Pakistan to smuggle drugs into China. Despite claims he had a mental illness, Chinese authorities denied him a psychiatric evaluation, convicted him and executed him by lethal injection. The government does not really live up to international standards on fair trial rights and the death penalty, Richardson said. There are still, I think it is 55 different charges under Chinese laws that can carry the death penalty, and many of those are not violent crimes. Marie Holzman, president of the Paris-based advocacy group Solidarite Chine, said cases involving foreigners can often be politicized and used to extract concessions from foreign governments. The law in China really depends more on what the [Communist] Party thinks than what the judges think, Holzman said. Holzman added that there's little transparency when the government implements the death penalty. Estimates on how many people are executed annually range widely, from 1,000 to 10,000, she said. We know they execute a lot. But we dont know the quantities. And thats a state secret that is very, very well kept, she added. Congress voted Thursday to end U.S. participation in the war in Yemen, giving President Donald Trump a bipartisan rebuke of his foreign policy. The House passed the resolution 247 to 175, with 16 Republicans joining majority Democrats. The Senate passed the resolution last month. The vote marks the first time in history that Congress invoked the 1973 War Powers Act, which says a president cannot involve U.S. forces in a foreign conflict without the consent of Congress. The White House has said Trump is likely to veto the resolution, saying it could hurt U.S. relations with Saudi Arabia, a major ally and arch foe of Iran. Democrat Eliot Engel, chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said "the president will have to face the reality that Congress is no longer going to ignore its constitutional obligations when it comes to foreign policy." A Saudi-led coalition has been backing Yemen by launching airstrikes against Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. Republican opponents say the War Powers Act does not apply to U.S. involvement because the U.S. is only supplying the Saudis with intelligence and other such support. But Democrats and Republican supporters of the bill point out that the Saudis may have been using U.S.-made missiles against the Houthis. Some of the missiles have hit civilian neighborhoods, killing thousands and destroying hospitals. One missile struck a busload of children returning from a picnic last August, killing 40. Engel has said Yemen's humanitarian crisis, made worse by the fighting, "demands moral leadership." More than four years of fighting in Yemen has made an already dire humanitarian disaster in one of the world's poorest countries even worse. U.N. officials say nearly 80% of Yemenis are in desperate need of food and medicine, and say the country is on the edge of famine. Many U.S. lawmakers are not only sickened by the carnage in Yemen, they are also upset over what has been Trump's tepid response to last year's killing of U.S.-based Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The Washington Post columnist was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. His remains have not been found. Khashoggi was an outspoken critic of the Saudi royal family. Some U.S. officials suspect Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered his murder. The head of the International Committee of the Red Cross is urging countries with citizens in a Syrian camp for foreign fighters' families not to abandon them and to work toward a viable solution. Peter Maurer spoke with VOA U.N. Correspondent Margaret Besheer this week about the need to end the limbo for thousands of women and children. In the U.S. economic battle with China, the Chinese government is often portrayed as a kingmaker, making large investments in research and paving the way for Chinese companies to thrive. China, it turns out, is a good foil for U.S. industries as they ask the U.S. government to do more to help them compete globally. Two new reports out this week, one from the U.S. wireless industry and the other from the U.S. semiconductor industry, show how U.S. companies are looking more to Washington to help them compete with their Chinese counterparts. CTIA, which represents the U.S. wireless industry, found in its report that the U.S. is now tied with China when it comes to its 5G readiness. 5G is the high-speed wireless network that is being built around the world. Last year, the U.S. was in third place, trailing China and South Korea, respectively, according to CTIA. US tied with China in 5G race What has propelled U.S. firms? Increased industry investment in 5G networks plus government action to reform infrastructure policies and make more spectrum available to wireless operators, according to CTIA. The stakes are said to be high in the global race to 5G. The first nation to the broadest 5G network will attract more investment and create more jobs than countries that lag behind, CTIA research has found. The U.S. was first to 4G deployment, which led to more than $100 billion added to the nations gross domestic product, according to CTIA. But it isnt clear that first is always best. The United Kingdom was seen to be behind other countries in its 4G deployment, and the U.K. operators launched when they needed it, and they were able to capitalize, said Caroline Gabriel, a principal analyst at Analysys Mason, a telecom research firm. I really question if it matters, she said. There was a lot of tub-thumping. CTIA recommends that an upcoming Trump administration National Spectrum Strategy include a five-year schedule of auctions that puts more high-, mid- and low-band spectrum in the hands of Americas wireless industry. In November, the FCC launched its high-band spectrum auction for 5G. More federal investment urged For its part, the Semiconductor Industry Association, in its report, called for the U.S. government to increase its investment in semiconductor research and release the cap on green cards for qualified candidates. The U.S. semiconductor industry is the world leader in semiconductors, commanding nearly half of the $469 billion global market in 2018, the trade association said. But China has increased its investment in semiconductor research as it tries to lessen its reliance on importing semiconductors. Overseas governments, such as Chinas, are seeking to challenge U.S. leadership by making significant investments to achieve breakthroughs in semiconductor technology, artificial intelligence and quantum computing, the SIA report said. SIA calls for tripling federal investment in semiconductor research over the next five years to $5 billion annually and doubling federal funding for semiconductor research to $40 billion annually. Remove green card caps It also calls on the U.S. to remove caps on green cards for qualified graduates in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) to meet short-term demand for talent. It also calls for the U.S. to boost its federal funding to $1.5 billion annually for STEM education, a 50 percent increase. John Neuffer, SIA president and CEO, said in a statement that U.S. semiconductor leadership is thanks to the strength of its research, workforce and its ability to sell its products around the world. Congress and the administration should enact policies that reinforce these pillars and keep America at the head of the class in semiconductor technology, he said. In the last few months, the Trump administration has been expressing confidence that the Maduro regime in Venezuela is collapsing. But with the increasing Russian military presence in the South American nation, experts say the crisis could drag on and turn into a proxy conflict between Washington and Moscow, potentially forcing President Trump to go beyond diplomatic and economic sanctions. White House Correspondent Patsy Widakuswara has this report. President Moon Jae-in's job approval rating dropped slightly this week, a poll showed Thursday, following a controversy over some of his picks for new ministers that led to two of his nominees stepping down. In a survey by Realmeter, Moon's job approval rating came to 47.5 percent, down 0.2 percentage point from a separate, weeklong survey also conducted by the pollster. The latest survey was conducted Monday through Wednesday, involving 1,510 adults throughout the nation. The reading still marks a 1.2 percentage-point increase from the comparable survey conducted last week. The slight drop from the last survey follows Moon's withdrawal of his nomination for his earlier pick for the new science minister, Cho Dong-ho, who was found to have taken part in what is widely believed to be a fake international science conference. Choi Jeong-ho, Moon's original pick for the new transportation minister, has also stepped down after coming under fire for alleged real estate speculation. Despite the drop in Moon's job approval rating, the approval rating of the ruling Democratic Party gained 0.6 percentage point to 37.8 percent from the latest weeklong survey, whose outcome is usually released the following Monday. The approval rating of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party gained 0.3 percentage point to 30.4 percent, with that of the progressive Justice Party advancing 0.2 percentage point to 8.2 percent. The ratings of the minor opposition Bareunmirae Party and the Party for Democracy and Peace slipped 0.1 percentage point each to 5.8 percent and 2.4 percent, respectively. (Yonhap) Counterterrorism forces have captured 16 operatives of the Islamic State (IS) terror group, including online recruiters, authorities in Afghanistan said Thursday. The operation comes as Taliban insurgents have staged a major assault on a troubled northwestern district, killing at least a dozen Afghan security forces. The Afghan spy agency, National Directorate of Security (NDS), said a group of six men picked up in capital city Kabul confessed to using hundreds of fake accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Telegram to recruit fighters and promote IS ideology in the country. The rest of the 10 detainees, described as "Daesh facilitators" using an Arabic acronym for Islamic State were captured during anti-terror operations in eastern Nangarhar province, according to NDS. The terrorist group calls its Afghan affiliate IS Khorasan Province (ISKP). IS emerged in Afghanistan in early 2015 from bases in southern districts of Nangarhar, which borders Pakistan. The terrorist outfit, however, has since faced regular ground and air offensives against its bases from U.S.-backed Afghan security forces, losing thousands of fighters. "The Taliban insurgents also have attacked IS militants to prevent them from establishing a foothold in the country." The United Nations reported Thursday that ongoing fierce clashes between Taliban and IS fighters in parts of Nangarhar and neighboring Kunar province have displaced more than 3,000 Afghan families. It said the displaced people have mostly relocated to nearby safe villages in Taliban-controlled areas. Taliban in Badghis Meanwhile, intense battles have been raging between government security forces and Taliban insurgents in the Bala Murghab district of western Badghis province, causing heavy casualties on both sides. The Taliban stormed military and police bases overnight near the district center and killed at least 12 Afghan force members as they took several others hostage. The Afghan Defense Ministry said in a statement its ground forces were engaged in a counteroffensive, and its A-29 attack aircraft also were dropping bombs on Taliban positions in Bala Murghab, inflicting heavy casualties on the insurgents. A Taliban spokesman claimed its fighters remained in control of several outposts. This is the second Taliban attack against Bala Murghab in less than a month. The insurgents have besieged the remote Afghan district for days, killing and injuring dozens of government forces. The Taliban has intensified battlefield attacks in many provinces of Afghanistan, which is typical for them in the spring. The United States also has stepped up efforts to seek a negotiated settlement to the conflict with the Taliban, and it has encouraged the rebel group to engage in an intra-Afghan peace dialogue. A judge has delayed sentencing for an ex-CIA officer accused of spying for China. A jury convicted Kevin Mallory of Leesburg, Virginia, last year for providing top secret information to Chinese handlers in exchange for $25,000. He was arrested in 2017 after he was discovered with more than $16,000 in undeclared cash on a return flight from Shanghai. He was scheduled for sentencing Thursday afternoon in Alexandria. After holding a closed hearing, the judge rescheduled sentencing for April 26. Prosecutors and defense attorneys differ markedly on the severity of Mallory's misconduct. Defense attorneys argue the information Mallory provided was practically worthless and his actions stemmed from financial desperation. They seek a term no longer than 10 years. Prosecutors want a life sentence, saying Mallory intentionally put human assets at risk. It will be 10 months before U.S. voters begin the process of choosing a Democratic Party presidential nominee through the caucuses and primary elections that get underway in February of next year. But already 15 or more Democrats are busy campaigning to be the one to take on President Donald Trump next year. The 2020 Democratic field is a diverse mix of women, men, minorities and contenders with varying levels of political experience. In Washington this week, several Democratic presidential contenders auditioned for support before union and liberal activist groups at the We the People forum. The Trump administration is a walking, talking, living, breathing threat to national security, and we just have to call it out, said Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren to cheers from the audience. Warren is one of several women candidates in the field who do not hesitate to criticize President Donald Trump, a group that includes Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar. He somehow thinks that organized hate is more powerful than unorganized love. Well, maybe hes right. But how do we respond to that? We organize, right! We organize and we win, vowed Klobuchar. Diverse field Several minority candidates have also stepped up to the 2020 stage, including California Senator Kamala Harris, former cabinet secretary Julian Castro and New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, who often focuses on national unity as a theme. This election will be more than just taking one person out of office. This will be the beginning of the next era of America where dreams are not just words or songs but a reality for all! Unity is also a theme for former Texas congressman Beto ORourke, who officially announced his candidacy in his hometown of El Paso. Let those differences not define us or divide us. Let us agree going forward that before we are anything else, we are Americans first! he said. ORourke told Mondays We the People forum that he would support eliminating the electoral college system for choosing a president, and would favor a direct popular vote instead to decide the outcome. Poll surges ORourke has risen into double-digit support in some recent polls. Other newcomers who have seen poll surges are South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg and California Senator Kamala Harris. The latest Quinnipiac University poll had former Vice President Joe Biden leading the Democratic race at 29 percent support, followed by Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders at 19 percent, ORourke at 12 percent and Harris at 8 percent. In a recent Emerson poll of Iowa voters, Buttigieg had surged into third place with 11 percent support, trailing only Biden and Sanders and slightly ahead of Harris and Warren. Biden is expected to join the race soon but is under fire after complaints from several women about unwanted close physical contact. On Wednesday, the former vice president posted a video on Twitter noting that the boundaries of protecting personal space have been reset. Biden added that he will be more mindful about respecting personal space in the future. Biden is considered by many Democrats to be the front-runner but his lack of success in two previous campaigns has some party activists wary. Scrutiny already Given the intensive early candidate travel to key early voting states such as Iowa and New Hampshire, Democratic activists are already scrutinizing the contenders. Democratic voters are basically interviewing candidates on two topics, said American University expert Bill Sweeney. First and most importantly is their policy vision for the United States in the years ahead. And then secondly, are they the person to beat Trump in the 2020 election? Some of the newcomers to the national stage tend to focus on one or two key issues. In the case of Washington State Governor Jay Inslee, that issue is climate change. It is a unique moment because we are the first generation to feel the sting of climate change, and we are the last generation that can do something about it, Inslee told the Monday forum in Washington. Despite all the newcomers in the 2020 mix, the one familiar face from the 2016 campaign is Bernie Sanders. Sanders is once again offering bold promises on expanding the role of government in health care, free college education and economic fairness. And what I pledge to you, if elected president, is to be a president that will be traveling all over this country as part of a grass roots political movement, Sanders told the We the People forum. Sanders got some encouraging news this week. His fundraising totals for the first quarter of this year topped $18 million, leading the Democratic field. On Wednesday, ORourke reported that he has raised $9.4 million in donations during his initial period of campaigning, another sign he could be a contender with staying power. Other top fundraisers included Harris who reported a $12 million haul and Buttigieg raised $7 million, an impressive total for someone virtually off the radar just weeks ago. Lots of choices With the final total of contenders likely to be somewhere between 15 and 20, Democratic activists will have plenty of different personalities and governing philosophies to choose from, said George Washington University analyst Matt Dallek. Do primary voters want someone who is not going to be a centrist like Bill Clinton? Who is not going to be as cautious as former President Obama? Who is really going to tackle income equality as the central issue? he said. For his part, President Trump says he is eager to take on whomever the Democrats nominate next year. We could lose the country, we really could. Because these people are stone cold crazy, Trump told a Republican fundraiser in Washington on Tuesday. The first big test in the Democratic race will come in the first candidate debates to be in Miami, June 26 and 27. U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Ohio on Thursday became the latest Democrat to jump into the race for the party's presidential nomination, joining a crowded field vying to challenge Republican Donald Trump in 2020. The pool of Democratic candidates for the White House is among the largest and most diverse ever. It includes female U.S. senators, a current and a former governor, African-Americans, a Hispanic and a young gay mayor, and is likely to grow before the U.S. primary season gets underway next year. The Democratic nominating convention opens on July 13, 2020, in Milwaukee, Wis. Here are the party's main contenders vying to be on the ballot. Tim Ryan Ryan, 45, was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio in November 2002 at age 29. He has won re-election seven times and currently serves on the Appropriations Committee. Ryan launched his campaign for president on a platform of investing in public education and providing affordable health care. A moderate Democrat, Ryan mounted an unsuccessful challenge in 2016 for the Democratic leadership of the House against Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California. Beto O'Rourke During a frenetic if failed campaign for the U.S. Senate last year in Texas, O'Rourke, 46, used his youth, energy and camera-friendly looks to become a media darling while setting fundraising records and drawing support from a range of celebrities. Despite a reputation forged in his three terms in Congress as a pragmatic centrist, O'Rourke launched his campaign in Iowa on a decidedly left-leaning platform, calling for health and immigration reform, a higher minimum wage and an all-out battle to curb climate change. His resolutely positive message, with calls for "kindness and decency" along with criticisms of an "unfair, unjust and racist capitalist economy" have drawn large and often youthful crowds wherever he appears. Kirsten Gillibrand The New York senator, 52, had made a name campaigning against sexual abuse, especially in the military, even before the #MeToo movement gained national prominence. A fierce Trump critic, Gillibrand is making gender and women's issues a hallmark of her campaign. She has called for a more egalitarian society and wants to improve the nation's health and education systems. Bernie Sanders The self-described democratic socialist, 77, was an outsider when the 2016 Democratic primaries began. But he gave favorite Hillary Clinton a run for her money with his calls for a "political revolution" and battled her down to the wire. Sanders won passionate support among young liberals with his calls for universal health care, a $15 minimum wage and free public university education. Amy Klobuchar The 58-year-old granddaughter of an iron miner, Klobuchar is a former prosecutor with an unpretentious demeanor. She has quietly gained attention in Washington as a centrist. Klobuchar is known for putting partisanship aside to pass legislation, something that has earned her a devoted following in Minnesota. Klobuchar has promised more stringent gun laws and set a target of universal health care. Elizabeth Warren At 69, the U.S. Senate's consumer protection champion from Massachusetts is on the party's left flank. She built her reputation by holding Wall Street accountable for its missteps. Warren is considered to have one of the best campaign organizations of any Democrat. Her campaign has been dogged, however, by her past claims of Native American heritage, and Trump mockingly refers to her as "Pocahontas." Cory Booker The New Jersey senator, 49, announced his candidacy Feb. 1, evoking the civil rights movement as he promised to work to unite a divided America. Often compared to former President Barack Obama, Booker began his career as a community activist and rose to prominence as mayor of Newark, N.J. A talented orator, Booker was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2013, the first African-American senator from the Eastern state. Kamala Harris The barrier-breaking senator from California who aspires to be the nation's first black female president announced her candidacy on a day honoring slain civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. The daughter of an Indian immigrant medical researcher mother and a Jamaican economist father, Harris, 54, began her career as a district attorney in San Francisco before serving as California's attorney general. Pete Buttigieg The South Bend, Ind., mayor, 37, joined the race with a resolutely forward-looking and optimistic message to counter Trump's darker vision. A Rhodes Scholar, Buttigieg would be the first openly gay presidential nominee of either major party. A U.S. Navy Reserve officer, he put his mayoral duties aside to serve in Afghanistan in 2014. Other candidates Also in the race are former San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro, 44; U.S. Rep. John Delaney of Maryland, 55; U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, 37, of Hawaii; former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, 67; Jay Inslee, 68, the governor of Washington state; Wayne Messam, 44, the mayor of Miramar, Fla.; self-help author Marianne Williamson, 66; and technology executive Andrew Yang, 44. Waiting in the wings Among the big Democratic guns who have yet to commit is former Vice President Joe Biden, who leads most surveys of Democratic voters. Biden, who combines experience and widespread popularity, would be expected to poll well in some of the blue-collar Midwestern states that propelled Trump to the presidency in 2016. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warns the security situation in Mali will continue to spiral downward unless the international community invests more heavily in addressing the humanitarian crisis that is increasing poverty and hunger among the population. U.N. officials expect 3.8 million people in Mali will be short of food during the so-called lean season from June to August. This is the period between two harvests when food stocks are depleted. They say more than one-half million people will be in a crisis or emergency situation. The head of the OCHA office in Mali, Ute Kollies, said poverty, hunger, the impact of climate change and disputes over land and resources are some of the problems that trigger inter-ethnic violence and that are behind rising insecurity in the country. Unfortunately, she said the international response to growing violence in the country is to spend more money to beef up security, rather than addressing the huge humanitarian assistance needs. It is not that the international community does not invest in Mali. They look at Mali as a problem of terrorism, illegal migration and so their answer is invest in military deployments, reinforce security, said Kollies. Kollies estimates roughly $3 billion a year is spent for U.N. Peacekeeping Forces, the G-5 countries that fight terrorism in the Sahel, and other Malian Armed Forces. By contrast, the United Nations has appealed for $296 million for its humanitarian operations in Mali this year and has received just nine percent of that amount. She said stronger political mediation efforts are crucial for ending the seemingly endless spiral of fighting. She told VOA multiple mediation efforts currently are underway by the government, the United Nations, and various non-governmental agencies. We need a strong leadership in that because we need to have a harmonized approach, and we need to address the different conflicts in the different areas with similar kind of methodology and similar kind of messaging, and we have to act on those messages, as well, said Kollies. The OCHA official says it is not good enough to just talk about ways to end the conflicts. She said the underlying causes must be addressed. She said the likelihood of stopping the current spiral of deterioration will be enhanced if serious efforts are made in this direction. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg used a speech to a joint session of the U.S. Congress Wednesday to warn of a growing threat from Russia. Stoltenberg's unusual speech marked the 70th anniversary of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. NATO has been criticized by President Trump. As VOA's congressional correspondent Katherine Gypson reports, Stoltenberg acknowledged the role President Trump has played in reshaping the U.S. role in the alliance. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was in Moscow Thursday for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, just five days before parliamentary elections at home. The vote is largely seen as a referendum on Netanyahu, who has campaigned on his foreign policy prowess and relations with world leaders. The trip to Moscow, made at Netanyahus request, came a week after he traveled to Washington and met with President Donald Trump at the White House. Netanyahu also hosted Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro in Jerusalem earlier this week. Before departing from Israel, Netanyahu said he and Putin would discuss events in Syria, including the special coordination between our militaries. The Kremlin had said earlier this week the two would compare notes during a brief meeting, the third for the two leaders in recent months. Israel and Russia have a military hotline to coordinate air force operations over neighboring Syria. Netanyahu is seeking a fifth term in the elections next Tuesday. Missing soldiers remains returned On Wednesday, Israel announced the recovery of the remains of a soldier who went missing in a 1982 battle with Syrian forces in southern Lebanon. Putin acknowledged that Russia had worked to retrieve Zachary Baumels remains from Syria. Our military together with Syrian partners established the place of his burial, Putin was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency. We are very pleased that at home they can give him the necessary military honors. Cases of missing soldiers have a powerful emotional and political resonance in Israel, where military service is compulsory for most Jewish men. Netanyahu lauded the repatriation of Baumels remains as an expression of mutual responsibility and feeling of unity that epitomizes Israel. U.S. lawmakers of both parties say hurdles remain for approving a new trade pact between the United States, Canada and Mexico, rejecting President Donald Trumps call for prompt votes on a replacement for the North American Free Trade Agreement, NAFTA. Last year, the administration made good on one of Trumps main campaign promises - negotiating a replacement for NAFTA, which went into effect in 1994, with a new trade accord, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA. Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California made headlines Tuesday demanding changes to the pact to strengthen enforcement provisions and announcing the chamber will not vote on the accord until Mexico approves and implements tougher labor standards. No enforcement, no treaty, Pelosi said at a Politico event, adding, Its a big issue, how workers are treated in Mexico. Senate Democrats echoed the speaker. Theres still work to do [on the USMCA] Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen told VOA. I agree with Speaker Pelosi that Mexico needs to fully enact the labor rights reform measures. There are also a number of issues on the environmental front, and we need to make sure we have an effective enforcement mechanism. Were waiting to see whether or not the proposal will have a lot more fortified enforcement provisions, thats my top concern, Democratic Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania said. Thats always been a major concern of trade agreements generally. Thats why I have always been an aggressive skeptic, and I remain so. Democrats are not alone in expressing reservations. Forty-six House Republicans wrote a letter to the White House opposing language in the USMCA proposed by Canada to protect the rights of LGBT sexual minorities. A trade agreement is no place for the adoption of social policy, conservative Freedom Caucus members said in the letter. Devil in the details Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio said he, like all lawmakers, needs time to assess the USMCAs impact on economic sectors in his state. Trade deals are generally difficult to get votes on because, the bigger they are, the likelier there are individual industries affected by some detail of the deal - Florida included, with our vegetable growers [who complete with Mexico], Rubio said. To go into effect, the USMCA would have to be approved by legislatures in the United States, Mexico and Canada. Some on Capitol Hill railed against any delay. It would be a killer, a big mistake the Senates number two Republican, John Thune of agriculture-rich South Dakota, told VOA. Thats a very carefully negotiated agreement we got signed, sealed and delivered. Now its just a function of signing off on it. And we just need to get it done. Thune added, Any attempt to go back and rewrite it is a non-starter. Thunes impatience matches that of the White House, which is pressing Congress to act on the USMCA as soon as next month to get the vote out of the way before the 2020 U.S. election cycle fully heats up, at which point trade votes could be even more dicey. Administration officials have sought to reassure wavering lawmakers that their concerns can be addressed in side agreements with Canada and Mexico, rather than reopening negotiations on the pact itself. Pelosi rejected such assurances. Were saying that enforcement has to be in the treaty, the House speaker said. [I]f you dont have enforcement, you aint got nothing. Enforcement is key American business and labor groups are weighing in, as well. This agreement right now, for it to be voted on, would be premature, Richard Trumka, president of Americas largest labor federation, the AFL-CIO, told Bloomberg TV. The Mexican government has to change their [labor] laws, then they have to start effectively enforcing them, and then they have to demonstrate that they have the resources necessary to enforce those laws, because if you cant enforce a trade agreement, its useless. The U.S. Farm Bureau, by contrast, urged swift implementation of the USMCA. Farmers know a good deal when we see one, Farm Bureau president Zippy Duvall wrote in a statement. Without USMCA, our most critical markets hang in the balance. Both Canada and Mexico have already signed another deal that does not include the United States. The USMCA would replace NAFTA, a pact implemented under the Clinton administration in the 1990s. NAFTA has been credited with vastly expanding trade in North America, but also blamed for accelerating the pace of manufacturing job losses in the United States. Trump repeatedly blasted NAFTA as a disastrous trade deal for America during his successful 2016 campaign -- a view Pelosi and other Democrats have echoed. I, myself, voted for NAFTA the first time, the speaker said at the Politico forum. I do think I was burned by it. I dont think it lived up [to its promises]. SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA Survivors and family members of laborers forced to work during World War II have sued additional Japanese companies seeking compensation. The legal action marks the first new litigation brought against Japanese entities since a South Korean court first ordered Japans Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corp. to compensate victims for their wartime forced labor in October 2018. The eight new suits were brought about against four companies: Nippon Steel, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., Nachi-Fujikoshi Corp., and Nippon Coke & Engineering (formerly known as Mitsui Mining Co.). The 31 plaintiffs include four direct survivors of the 1910-1945 period when Japan controlled the Korean Peninsula and 27 family members from six other deceased workers. Each is seeking compensation of up to almost $88,000. Two wartime victims involved with the suit appeared with the Lawyers for a Democratic Society and the Center for Historical Truth and Justice during a press conference when the cases were filed. I feel something gushing out of me when I think now (about the past). Its one difficult matter, why did we have to be taken by them and live like dogs and pigs? said 102-year-old survivor Kim Han-soo. Seeking court-ordered reparations In November 2018, South Koreas top court ruled that Japans Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. must compensate South Koreans just more than $71,000 in two separate cases for their forced labor during World War II. It was a ruling that prompted Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to characterize as unthinkable in light of international law. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. has not paid the compensation, because the Japanese governments position is that all historical compensation was settled in 1965, when Seoul and Tokyo re-established formal diplomatic ties; however, Seoul courts have determined that the settlement of claims related to forced labor was not included in the bilateral agreement. As a result, a Daejeon District Court last month ordered the seizure of assets held by Japanese firms. Victims are attempting to remedy the situation through mediation, but the matter remains unresolved. No solution appears to be in sight for 64 migrants rescued off the coast of Libya by a German humanitarian group's vessel. Weather is a concern, and the German group, Sea Eye, is struggling to find a safe port where the migrants can disembark. Sea Eye said it responded to the migrants' distress call Wednesday after Libyan authorities failed to do so and rescued 64 people from an overcrowded dinghy. Everyone on board is safe, Sea Eye said, but conditions for the migrants are far from optimal, as many are sleeping on deck and a storm is expected. It is unclear how soon they will be able to disembark. Sea Eye spokeswoman Carlotta Weibl said a request for a safe port was made to four countries. "Tunisia and Libya did not respond at all, and Italy and Malta said they are not responsible and we are not allowed to enter their territorial waters," Weibl said. German links Italy's interior minister, Matteo Salvini, said the vessel, Alan Kurdi, is flying a German flag, is run by a German nongovernmental organization and has a German captain, and that therefore it should head to Germany. The migrants on board, which include 10 women, five children and a newborn baby, were brought to safety off the coast of Zuwarah, west of the Libyan capital of Tripoli. Sea Eye was in the area searching for another dinghy with about 50 people on board, which issued a distress call and then disappeared Monday. Weibl said a request has also been made to be allowed to enter a port just for shelter. "The ship is currently close to [the island of] Lampedusa and it will also stay close to Lampedusa, because it is the closest safe port and we have no permission to enter anywhere else. So it makes no sense to sail around wildly," she said. "We will stay there until there's a solution found and we can enter somewhere." Delays in disembarking migrants rescued at sea are becoming more common in the Mediterranean since Italy adopted a closed-ports policy, refusing to allow humanitarian vessels to enter its territorial waters and ports. By Kim Yoo-chul An Army major suspected of having a mental illness was arrested Wednesday after a failed attempt to enter Cheong Wa Dae without permission, police said Thursday. In a statement, Jongno Police Station said an investigation the officer, identified only by his surname Kim, is under investigation. Kim drove his BMW sedan into a barricade around 10:30 p.m. before being stopped by security guards. He was immediately taken into custody, and was later transferred to the military police. An investigator at the police station said Kim asked for a face-to-face meeting with President Moon Jae-in. A DUI test showed he was not drunk, but his colleagues said he has been suffering from a mental breakdown. It was unknown whether he was carrying a weapon. "There was a problem in communicating with him," the investigator said. Kim is scheduled to be discharged from the military in June this year. Cheong Wa Dae said it has no comment to offer about the incident. The Cuban government says a newsprint shortage is forcing at least six state-run newspapers to cut back on pages and circulation days in a potent sign of the cash shortage confronting the island. The newspaper Granma said in Thursday editions that the Cuban Communist Party organ and several other papers are cutting back from 16 to eight pages on Wednesdays and Fridays. The changes take effect Friday. The newspaper of the Communist Youth League, Juventud Rebelde, will stop publishing on Saturdays. Granma attributed the change to "difficulties in the availability of newsprint in the country,'' without providing details. Cuba has imported newsprint from China in recent years and the government has been suffering cash-flow problems, forcing cutbacks in a wide range of imported products. The last major cutback in newsprint was during the "special period'' of shortages and hardships that followed the fall of the Soviet Union. Cuba today appears far from a new "special period,'' but the island has been suffering increasingly frequent and long-lasting shortages of basic products including flour, cooking oil, chicken and eggs, all blamed on a shortage of hard currency. No growth The government does not release much basic economic information, but gross domestic product growth has been flat since 2016, due in large part to the economic free fall of Venezuela, Cuba's closest ally and source of highly subsidized petroleum for nearly two decades. Observers say the slow-moving diversification of Cuba's economy, with a growing tourist sector, billions in remittances from abroad and direct flights to countries around the world, offers some degree of protection from severe economic collapse. Nonetheless, in many parts of Cuba, state-run stores stock goods like chicken or flour only a few days a week at most, and when those products appear, long lines form almost instantly outside the store, disappearing only when the product has been cleared off the shelves. While some foreign companies are building hotels across the island and industrial facilities in a free-trade zone west of Havana, market-oriented reforms and plans to draw more foreign investment appear largely stalled and unable to make up for inefficiency, corruption, the collapse of Venezuelan aid and the effects of the 60-year-old U.S. trade embargo. The United States is considering expanding sales of Lockheed Martin Corp made F-35 fighter jets to five new nations including Romania, Greece and Poland as European allies bulk up their defenses in the face of a strengthening Russia, a Pentagon official told Congress on Thursday. In written testimony submitted to the U.S. House of Representatives and seen by Reuters, Vice Admiral Mathias Winter the head of the Pentagon's F-35 office said that "future potential Foreign Military Sales customers include Singapore, Greece, Romania, Spain and Poland." News of the new customers coincides with U.S. tension with F-35 development partner Turkey over Ankara's plans to buy a Russian missile defense system. Foreign military sales like those of the F-35 are considered government-to-government deals where the Pentagon acts as an intermediary between the defense contractor and a foreign government. Other countries considering F-35 Other U.S. allies have been eyeing a purchase of the stealthy jet including Finland, Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates. Winter's full written testimony, which will be made public as soon as Friday, said the United States would respond to all official requests for information about the jet. Last year, Belgium was the first new customer for the F-35 in years, choosing it over the Eurofighter Typhoon to replace its aging F-16s in a 4 billion euro ($4.55 billion) deal. Under President Donald Trump the United States has rolled out a "Buy American" plan that relaxed restrictions on sales and encouraged U.S. officials to take a bigger role in increasing business overseas for the U.S. weapons industry. Three models of F-35 available Lockheed, the jet's prime contractor, is developing and building three models of the new warplanes for the U.S. military and 10 other countries that have signed up to buy the jets: Britain, Australia, Italy, Turkey, Norway, the Netherlands, Israel, Japan, South Korea and Belgium. U.S. arms sales to foreign governments rose 13 percent to $192.3 billion in the year ending Sept. 30, the State Department said in November. Lockheed delivered 91 F-35 fighter jets to the United States and its allies in calendar 2018. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told NATO foreign ministers Thursday the 29 nation alliance must alter its approach to developing threats throughout the world. "We must adapt our alliance to confront emerging threats ... whether that's Russian aggression, uncontrolled migration, cyber attacks, threats to energy security, Chinese strategic competition ... and many other issues," Pompeo said. Pompeo delivered opening remarks to the foreign ministers as they met in Washington for a second day to commemorate the 70th anniversary of NATO. The two-day gathering has been marred by differences over security and other issues. A disagreement with Turkey has intensified over its plans to buy a Russian air-defense system, and the U.S. has repeated demands for allies to increase their defense spending. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg warned the U.S. Congress Wednesday of the threat of a "more assertive Russia," saying the West's key military alliance is not looking to start a new Cold War with Moscow but needs to deter its military aggression. In an unprecedented address to a joint session of Congress on the 70th anniversary of NATO's creation at the end of World War II, Stoltenbergalso said NATO "has no intention of deploying land-based nuclear missiles in Europe." He accused Russia of violating the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, which the U.S. says it is leaving because of Russian violations a claim Russian has denied. "We do not want to isolate Russia. We strive for a better relationship with Russia," Stoltenberg said. "But even with a better relationship, we still need to manage a difficult one." He said "NATO will always take the necessary steps to provide credible and effective deterrence." Stoltenberg also called on NATO allies to spend more on defense, to meet the Western alliance's goal of each country spending at least 2 percent of the size of its national economy on defense by 2024, a standard only eight NATO countries currently meet. He credited U.S. President Donald Trump, who once called NATO "obsolete," with pushing NATO countries to increase their defense spending and said, "It has had a real impact." A two-time Norwegian prime minister, Stoltenberg acknowledged differences among the NATO countries on trade, energy, climate change and other issues, but said, "This is democracy. It's not a sign of weakness. It is a sign of strength." House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell invited the NATO leader to speak to members of the Democratic-controlled House and the Republican-controlled Senate to show bipartisan support from lawmakers in spite of Trump's ongoing criticism of NATO. As foreign ministers of NATO gather in Washington, foreign policy analysts -- and Stoltenberg in his address to Congress are emphasizing it is one of the most successful military alliances in history and still relevant. "NATO is adapting and allies are spending more on defense," Mark Simakovsky of the Atlantic Council told VOA. "And I think this [Trump] administration is understanding more and more how critical NATO is to some of the challenges that it faces, including China. So, in many ways, NATO is far from obsolete." Trump's criticism that NATO members aren't spending the required 2 percent target, as well as political upheaval in Europe including the impending British exit from the European Union and calls by some to kick Turkey out of NATO, can leave the impression, however, that the defense alliance is fracturing. "I don't think that's the case. The alliance is strong," Estonian Defense Minister Juri Luik told VOA, pointing to increased political dialogues and military exercises among NATO's members, as well as more U.S. military equipment and troops being brought to Europe. Trump took credit Tuesday for pushing other NATO countries to spend more on defense, but criticized Germany, Europe's biggest economic power, for not doing more. Berlin now plans to spend 1.5 percent by 2024, missing the 2 percent NATO target. This article originated in VOAs Persian Service. Britains Sky News says U.S.-based cybersecurity experts have found that a group linked to Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has carried out two cyberattacks on British institutions in recent years. A Wednesday report by the British news agency said the California-based cyber experts, whom it did not identify, determined that a suspected IRGC-linked group was behind a previously undisclosed attack on British public and private entities on Dec. 23, 2018, and a previously reported attack on the British parliaments email network on June 23, 2017. Sky News said it passed the California cyber experts findings to British security services, who declined to publicly confirm Irans involvement in the two incidents. But the London-based news agency, whose report was cited by several other British news outlets, said four unnamed security sources believed the allegations of Iranian involvement to be accurate. Sky News quoted Britains National Cyber Security Center as saying it was aware of a cyber incident affecting some U.K. organizations in late 2018 and that it was working with victims and advising on mitigation measures. No comment from Iran There was no immediate response to the report from officials in Iran, which previously has denied using its cyber capabilities for offensive purposes. The Sky News report said the December 2018 cyberattack targeted the British Post Office, local government networks and private companies, including banks. It said personal details belonging to thousands of employees were stolen, including the email address and mobile phone number of Post Office Chief Executive Paula Vennells. The Post Office had no immediate response to the report. In a previously undisclosed development related to the June 2017 cyberattack, Sky News said it has seen 10,204 data records stolen from the British parliaments global address lists in that incident. It said the records contain addresses, company positions and phone numbers, including mobile numbers of at least 10 members of the upper and lower houses of the British parliament. British news reports published in October 2017 about the June 2017 incident did not contain any details of what if any data had been compromised in the parliamentary email network. Iran is being careful Sky News cited Lewis Henderson, vice president of threat intelligence at British cybersecurity company Glasswall Solutions, as saying the suspected stolen records could be used to influence elections. You can start to impersonate people within (a) government as well and be utterly convincing, Henderson told the news agency. Andy Barratt, a U.K.-based executive of U.S.-headquartered cybersecurity consultancy Coalfire, told another news site, SCMagazineUK.com, that he believed the reported incidents represent an Iranian effort to steal sensitive data from British public sector organizations. Its interesting that Iran is seeking to extract data, rather than bring down core infrastructure like other nation-state attacks have done. North Koreas WannaCry hack, for example, brought parts of the (British) National Health Service to a standstill, Barratt said. Its possible that Iran is being careful, given the Wests penchant for military activity in the Middle East. But its also possible that this was an intelligence gathering exercise to collect the data needed for more targeted espionage in the future. Some investigators in the nearly two-year probe of U.S. President Donald Trumps 2016 presidential campaign say the findings in a report submitted by special counsel Robert Mueller are more damaging for the president than what has been suggested by Attorney General William Barr, The New York Times and The Washington Post reported late Wednesday. Barr issued a four-page summary March 24 of the Mueller report and its investigation into allegations the Trump campaign colluded with Russia to influence the election in Trumps favor. Barr said Muellers team found no evidence that Trump or anyone associated with his campaign conspired or coordinated with Russia. The attorney general also said Mueller did not conclude that the president illegally interfered with the investigation, but added that he was also not exonerated. Barr said he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein decided there was not enough evidence to charge Trump with obstruction of justice. But the Times and the Post say Muellers investigators have told associates that Barr failed to adequately portray the findings of their inquiry. The Post says the members of Muellers team believe the evidence they gathered on obstruction was alarming and significant. The Times says in its report that the investigators are concerned that because Barrs summary was the first narrative of the teams findings, the publics views will be fixed before the final report is released. Trump, long a critic of the Mueller investigation, continued to assail it on Thursday. Attorney General Barr has said he plans to publicly release the report by mid-April after he and his staff take out any sensitive information, such as grand jury testimony. But the Democratic-controlled House Judiciary Committee voted Wednesday along party lines to authorize Chairman Jerrold Nadler to issue subpoenas to obtain the full copy of Mueller's final report and its supporting evidence. Trump voiced his frustration with Democrats on Twitter. Numerous lawmakers, both Republicans and Democrats, have called for release of the Mueller report, including on Thursday top Republican Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa. While Trump has left it to Barr to decide whether to release the complete report, the president is expected to assert what is known as executive privilege over some portions of records other congressional committees are seeking as part of their investigation of the administration. That has set the stage for a showdown between Democrats in Congress and the White House, raising the specter that the issue may ultimately end up before the U.S. Supreme Court. The committee also authorized Nadler to subpoena documents and testimony from five of Trump's former aides, including former political adviser Stephen Bannon and former White House counsel Donald McGahn. Despite Barr's determination that he was not fully exonerated by Mueller's report, President Trump has boasted that he has been fully cleared of any wrongdoing in the probe. Russia has made reaffirming its presence in the Arctic a top goal, revamping the military Arctic outpost of Severny Klever along the Arctic shipping route Missile launchers ply icy roads and air defense systems point menacingly into the sky at this Arctic military outpost, a key vantage point for Russia to project its power over the resource-rich polar region. The base, dubbed Severny Klever (Northern Clover) for its trefoil shape, is painted in the white, blue and red colors of the Russian national flag. It has been designed so soldiers can reach all of its sprawling facilities without venturing outdoors a useful precaution in an area where temperatures often plunge to minus 50 Celsius (minus 58 Fahrenheit) during the winter, and even in the short Arctic summer are often freezing at night. It's strategically located on Kotelny Island, between the Laptev Sea and the East Siberian Sea on the Arctic shipping route, and permanently houses up to 250 military personnel responsible for maintaining air and sea surveillance facilities and coastal defenses like anti-ship missiles. The Russian base has enough supplies to remain fully autonomous for more than a year. "Our task is to monitor the airspace and the northern sea route,'' said base commander Lt. Col. Vladimir Pasechnik. "We have all we need for our service and comfortable living.'' Russia is not alone in trying to assert jurisdiction over parts of the Arctic, as shrinking polar ice opens fresh opportunities for resource exploration and new shipping lanes. The United States, Canada, Denmark and Norway are jostling for position, as well, and China also has shown an increasing interest in the polar region. But while U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has seen the Arctic through the lens of security and economic competition with Russia and China, it has yet to demonstrate that the region is a significant priority in its overall foreign policy. The post of special U.S. representative for the Arctic has remained vacant since Trump assumed office. Russia, however, has made reaffirming its presence in the Arctic a top goal, not the least because the region is believed to hold up to one-quarter of the Earth's undiscovered oil and gas. Russian President Vladimir Putin has cited estimates that put the value of Arctic mineral riches at $30 trillion. The move has alarmed Russia's neighbors, analysts say. "In Russia, the Northern sea route has been described as a bonanza with lots of potential of economic development,'' said Flemming Splidsboel Hansen of the Danish Institute for International Studies. "And that's why there is a need for military capacity in the area. It is likely meant as defensive, but it is being interpreted by the West as offensive.'' Kristian Soeby Kristensen, a researcher at Copenhagen University in Denmark, said the problem of Russian hegemony in the Arctic was most obvious to Norway. "Norway is a small country, whose next-door neighbor is mighty Russia, which has placed the bulk of its military capacity right next to them,'' Soeby Kristensen said. "Norway is extraordinarily worried.'' In 2015, Russia submitted to the United Nations a revised bid for vast territories in the Arctic. It claimed 1.2 million square kilometers (over 463,000 square miles) of Arctic sea shelf, extending more than 350 nautical miles (about 650 kilometers) from the shore. As part of a multipronged effort to stake Russia's claims on the Arctic region, the Kremlin has poured massive resources into modernizing Soviet-era installations there. The military outpost on Kotelny Island fell into neglect after the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, but a massive effort to build a new base began in 2014 and took several years. A group of reporters brought to the island by the Russian Defense Ministry on Wednesday were shown Bastion anti-ship missile launchers positioned for a drill near the shore and Pantsyr-S1 air defense systems firing shots at a practice target. The Russian military has kept Western media from visiting its Arctic facilities, so the trip offered a unique opportunity to watch the Russian expansion up close. A big radar dome looms on a hill overlooking the coast, underlining the base's main mission of monitoring the strategic area. In contrast with drab, Soviet-era facilities, the pristine new base features spacious living quarters, a gym and a sauna. Putin's words about the importance of the Arctic for Russia dot the base's walls and a symbolic border post sits in a hallway. Soldiers at the base say they are proud of their mission despite the challenging Arctic environment. "Proving to myself that I can do it raises my self-esteem,'' said one of the soldiers, Sergei Belogov. "Weather is our enemy here, so we need to protect ourselves from it to serve the Motherland.'' Extreme cold and fierce winds often make it hard to venture outside, and even winterized vehicles may have trouble operating when temperatures plunge to extreme lows and even special lubricants freeze. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reported to Putin in December that the military has rebuilt or expanded numerous facilities across the polar region, revamping runways and deploying air defense assets. He said renovation works were conducted on a long string of Arctic territories. The expanded infrastructure has allowed the Russian military to restore full radar coverage of the nation's 22,600-kilometer (14,000-mile) Arctic frontier and deploy fighter jets to protect its airspace. The military also has undertaken a cleanup effort across the region, working to remove tens of thousands of tons of waste from the Arctic territories, most of it rusty fuel tanks left behind by the Soviet military. The Russian soldiers share the island with polar bears, arctic foxes and wolves. Officers said that, soon after the base opened, curious bears regularly prowled near its walls, sometimes even peering into its windows. On some occasions, soldiers had to use a truck to spook away a particularly curious bear wandering nearby. Soldiers interviewed at the base said they marveled at the area's wildlife and its majestic Arctic landscapes. "The nature here is extremely beautiful,'' said Navy Lt. Umar Erkenov, who came from southern Russia. "Meeting a polar bear is an experience that fills you with emotions. We have established friendly ties with them from the start. We don't touch them, they don't touch us.'' He said he's missing his wife and daughter, whom he can only see during his leave period once a year, but is proud of his mission. "Few people do their job under such conditions,'' he said. "I feel proud that I'm here with my unit, doing my duty and protecting the Motherland.'' Syria's foreign minister said Thursday that the Trump administration lies all the time about withdrawing its troops from the country, and that its decision to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights increases America's isolation, even among its closest allies. Walid al-Moallem pledged to recover every inch of Syria's territory, including the Golan, saying all options were on the table. Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war and annexed it in 1981, a move that was never international recognized. U.S. President Donald Trump recognized the annexation last month in a move that has been condemned by the Arab League and U.N. Security Council countries. Trump's attempts to give Israel sovereignty over the Golan have only one effect ... which is to increase America's isolation even from its closest allies, al-Moallem said. He spoke at a joint press conference in Damascus with Venezuela's Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza, who lauded what he described as Syria's victory over terrorism in the country's eight-year war and said both countries were victims of a U.S. conspiracy. Venezuela's government has traditionally had warm relations with Syrian President Bashar Assad's government. Arreaza met with Assad later Thursday, after which he said both Syria and Venezuela face the same enemy and resist with the same popular will. The two Syrian and Venezuelan peoples fight against U.S. conspiracies and imperialism and the two will emerge victorious, Arreaza said. He said that there is a consensus in Latin America on rejecting the militarization of the crisis in Venezuela, adding that his country has a military cooperation agreement with Russia which supplies it with defensive, not offensive, weapons. He said the government still hopes to resolve Venezuela's crisis through dialogue. The country has been rocked by protests and social unrest fueled by a severe economic crisis. Al-Moallem, at the press conference, also vowed to liberate the northwestern province of Idlib, the last major rebel stronghold in the country. Our patience has its limits. We must liberate this land, he said, accusing Turkey of repeatedly violating a cease-fire agreement there. He accused the Trump administration of going back and forth and lying about its intention to withdraw the 2,500 troops the U.S. maintains in northern Syria. It is clear for everyone that this administration lies, he said. Thailand is waving goodbye to its longest period of military rule in nearly 50 years with a sweaty hand. The elections March 24, the first since the 2014 military coup, that ousted a populist prime minister have ushered in anything but an end to power struggles. As political parties jockey to form a ruling coalition, the absence of a commanding winner is thwarting hope for a strong democratic government, analysts say. The military-backed Palang Pracharath Party, which aims to keep Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha in office, gained an estimated 117 seats in the 500-member House of Representatives. Palang Pracharath trailed rival Pheu Thai Party, which won approximately 137 seats. But Pheu Thai has been unable to assemble a decisive majority coalition because several smaller parties have said they will not formally commit to join with either of the leading parties until the official election results are released May 9. Allegations of vote rigging and irregularities in vote counting led the Asian Network for Free Elections to call the Thai vote deeply flawed. Although the vote counting has been completed, confirmation is pending. Whether you are a policymaker or a business person, the big picture here is muddy waters, said Ernest Bower, a senior adviser for the Southeast Asia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, during a seminar in Washington, D.C., last week. Its very hard to see where Thailand is going and to be very optimistic. Juntas continued power Rules written by the military acting as the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) are further complicating the political outcome. The all-powerful NCPO, wanting to ensure the juntas continued power after the elections, created legal hurdles to mute challenges from anti-military groups. For example, the unelected 250-member Senate, whose members are all appointed by the junta, is allowed to weigh in on the nomination for prime minister put forward by elected lawmakers in the lower chamber. A committee headed by the current defense minister will pick members of the senate so senators would be hard-pressed to support a nomination from Pheu Thai, a party closely aligned with exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, a telecommunications billionaire. He was ousted in another military coup in 2006; it was the government of his sister, former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, that Prayut overthrew in 2014. Analysts say the political maneuvering in the coming weeks wont provide Thailand with the strong government it needs to stay competitive in Southeast Asia, where it is the second-largest economy after Indonesia. Whoever emerges as the next prime minister will teeter on narrow margins over the opposition and suffer from a highly fragmented coalition, experts say. Any coalition will be a lame duck from day one, said Prachak Kongkirati, a political science professor at Thailands Thammasat University. The primary concern of this kind of government is its own survival. It will try to please every group and all factions, thus it will not be able to do a lot. Prayut may be able to recapture his post as prime minister, but his uncontested power is likely to ebb. Military rule His five-year tenure marks Thailands longest period of military rule since Field Marshals Sarit Thanarat and Thanom Kittikachorn took turns dominating the countrys executive branch. Their ascendance began with a coup in 1957, led by Sarit, and came crashing down in a bloody crackdown on the 1973 mass uprising under Thanoms watch. During Prayuts administration, he exercised the constitutions Article 44 to churn out more than 200 executive orders, according to iLaw, a Bangkok-based legal watchdog agency. But this prolific record of acting arbitrarily wont sit well in the parliamentary system where a prime minister will be open to scrutiny, analysts say. Article 44, in effect since 2014, gives the junta the power to take actions with legislative, executive and judiciary implications in maintaining national and economic stability and protecting the monarchy. When used under Article 44, the prime ministers actions are deemed final. In the parliament, you have to be able to work with other parties and factions within your party and compromise, said Professor Allen Hicken, a Southeast Asia specialist and political scientist at the University of Michigan. That is not what army chiefs and coup leaders normally have to do. Hicken predicts any government cabinet under the new administration will be short-lived, a repeat of the unsettled period from 1980 to 1996, when Thailands highly fragmented politics meant cabinets lasted 18 months on average. Should the Pheu Thai Party manage to establish a government, its coalition would have to find common ground for at least seven parties and their varying agendas. A similar effort by Palang Pracharath would require an equal amount of effort to build a majority bloc, given that 16 parties won seats in the elections. The most likely outcome is a majority government headed by Prayut, Hicken said, citing the senates expected support as a major reason. But its one thats not likely to control a majority of the parliament. If it does it will be a bare majority. This is not a recipe for policy productivity and policy stability. With the expectation of ineffectiveness hanging over the next administration, the government may be vulnerable to an intervention by the military that wants to set up a new administration, as seen in many of Thailands previous coups. But Prachak from Thammasat University thinks the time isnt ripe for another coup at the moment. Upcoming coronation He said the coronation of King Maha Vajiralongkorn May 4-6 is seen as an event that calls for calm and solidarity. Palang Pracharath still has some advantages in forming a coalition government. So there is no reason to stage a coup, Prachak said. When he came to power, Prayut justified toppling Yingluck Shinawatras government by saying the coup helped end a political and economic paralysis caused by deadly street protests. His intervention broke the political deadlock and paved the way for major infrastructure projects, which will likely attract nearly $10 billion worth of investment this year, more than tripling that of 2018, said Somprawin Manprasert, chief economist of Bangkok-based Bank of Ayudhya Pcl. Somprawin is hopeful that the Prayut administrations long-term economic development strategy will continue, as required by law, no matter who becomes the next premier. This is different from the past. It institutionalizes policy implementation and development that are often halted by political instability, he said. Income inequality an issue But Prayut has been criticized because of the rise in inequality. Falling global prices for commodities such as rubber are hurting many farmers. Media reports of a December 2018 Credit Suisse study showing the richest 1 percent of the Thai population controlled 66.9 percent of the nations total wealth, up from 58 percent two years earlier, told people what the growing inequality they had been sensing was real. In its campaign, the Pheu Thai Party dented support for Prayut and Palang Pracharath, telling voters he bore responsibility for exclusive wealth, expansive poverty in the country. Once the official results are announced, these economic pains could eventually spread into the streets and undermine the legitimacy of any second term for Prayut. Economists said an unstable government may tempt its leader to apply cosmetic fixes like farm subsidy and cash giveaways to problems that will take lengthy and painstaking reforms to overcome. Somprawin said that while it is possible for small players to become a powerful growth engine for the Thai economy such a change requires lower barriers to entry, greater access to fair lending and a level playing field. Chief among the reform agendas would be a creation of equal opportunities, he said. Does Thailand have that yet? I am not sure. President Donald Trump on Thursday retreated from his threat to immediately close the U.S. southern border with Mexico to thwart illegal migration, instead telling Mexico it has a year to curb the flow of illicit drugs and surge of migrants to the United States or he would impose tariffs on cars it was exporting to the U.S. Trump backed off days of Twitter comments saying he was about to close the border after White House economic advisers and Republican lawmakers warned him that closing the border would significantly affect the U.S. economy, the world's largest. White House officials had tried to figure out a way that Trump could halt undocumented immigrants from entering the U.S. while not obstructing the flow of nearly $1.7 billion of goods and services crossing the border each day, along with nearly a half-million legal workers, students, shoppers and tourists. Trump told reporters at the White House that Mexico "could stop" migrant caravans from the Central American countries of Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador "right at their southern border" to halt their passage through Mexico to the United States. After often attacking Mexico as doing "nothing" to stem the surge of migrants heading to the U.S., Trump in recent days praised the southern U.S. neighbor for getting tougher in stopping them before they could get to the U.S. to file for asylum protection. As for Mexico's future action against migrants, Trump said, "If they don't do it, we'll tariff the cars." He said Mexico has a "one-year warning to stop incoming drugs; otherwise we'll close the border." Trump's walk-back on immediately closing the border was his second retreat on a major policy issue in the last week. A week ago, he said Republican lawmakers would adopt a new plan to repeal and replace the national health care policies that were the signature domestic legislative achievement of his Democratic predecessor, former President Barack Obama. But when Trump's legislative supporters in Congress said they had no intention of considering a new health care overhaul before the 2020 presidential election 19 months from now, the president changed his mind and said there would not be a health care vote until 2021, by which time he hopes to have won a second term in the White House. Some of Trump's most ardent supporters defended his call for closing the U.S.-Mexican border this week, but lawmakers who normally back his policies were not among them. "Closing down the border would have a potentially catastrophic economic impact on our country," Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said. "I would hope that we would not be doing that sort of thing." Economists outside the government also predicted economic havoc, with Mark Zandi, the chief economist at Moody's Analytics, saying "a full shutdown of the U.S.-Mexican border of more than several weeks would be the fodder for recessions in both Mexico and the U.S." Ugandan security forces are searching for an American tourist, her driver and the four gunmen who abducted them inside a national park on Tuesday. The gunmen have demanded half a million dollars to release the captives. Ugandan police say a group of three tourists and their Ugandan driver were out in Queen Elizabeth National Park at about 2:00 p.m. Tuesday when the unidentified men held them up at gunpoint. They say the gunmen kidnapped an American, identified as 35-year-old Kimberly Sue Endecott, and the driver, Jean Paul. The other two tourists, an elderly couple, were freed and later informed park officials of the abduction. The abduction happened in the Ishasha section of the park, which sits near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo. The kidnappers, using the victim's phone, have demanded $500,000," Polly Namaye, the police deputy spokesperson told reporters. "We strongly believe that this ransom is the reason behind the kidnap." Now, the phone is switched off, meaning authorities have to wait for kidnappers to get back in touch. Security agencies including the president's Elite Special Forces, the tourism police and the regular police are searching the national park, an area that covers 2,000 square kilometers, in hopes of rescuing Endecott and Paul. They are hoping the gunmen do not cross into Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, which is just 18 kilometers from the kidnap scene and stretches into Congo. In 1999, armed Hutu fighters from Congo entered Bwindi Park and killed eight tourists and four Ugandans. Namaye says police suspect Endecott, Paul and the kidnappers are still somewhere in Queen Elizabeth Park. We strongly believe that the perpetrators and the victims could still be trapped within our search area and we are hopeful that our efforts will lead to their successful and safe recovery. said Namaye. Uganda earns about $1.3 billion per year from tourism. Bashir Hangi, the spokesperson for the Uganda Wildlife Authority, acknowledged the kidnapping could hurt the tourism industry but said tourists need to be cautious when traveling in national parks. Maybe we need to appreciate the fact that these people did not have a ranger guide, the time they went for a game drive. And why do we have guns in the park? Its to protect our visitors, not only against wildlife but also against such illegal armed entrants in the parks," said Hangi. Meanwhile, in an advisory, the U.S. embassy in Kampala has asked Americans to exercise caution when traveling in Queen Elizabeth National Park due to ongoing security activity. Rep. Hong Young-pyo of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, center, prepares for a party meeting at the National Assembly, Thursday. / Yonhap By Park Ji-won Political strife between liberal and conservative parties is expected to deepen following Wednesday's by-elections for two National Assembly seats, considered a barometer of voter sentiment for the general elections in April next year. The liberal Justice Party's Yeo Young-guk won in Seongsan-gu in Changwon in South Gyeongsang Province, while the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP)'s Jung Jeom-sik won in the Tongyeong-Goseong district. However, the fact Yeo won by a narrow margin in Seongsan-gu, which was a liberal stronghold, is considered a de facto defeat for the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), which did not field a candidate to support Yeo as a unified liberal candidate. Rep. Park Jie-won, of the minor Party for Democracy and Peace, criticized the DPK, saying: "The DPK was too optimistic about the election result and arrogant. "There is no winner from the DPK in the election. I warned the DPK for months that the party will face political turmoil involving the issues on North Korea, the economy, labor, irregularities and jurisdiction." Ukrainian leader Petro Poroshenko agreed on Thursday to go head-to-head with comedian Volodymyr Zelenskiy in a debate at the country's biggest stadium, as flamboyant media spectacle and social media drive the race for the presidency. Zelenskiy, a 41-year-old actor best known in the country for playing the president in a television show, is favorite to become Ukraine's next leader after he dominated a first-round vote on March 31, despite many initially dismissing his candidacy as a joke. Observers say Ukraine's two-round election is one of the country's most unpredictable votes since it gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. The stakes are high: the country of 45 million people - which wants to one day join the European Union - is mired in a smoldering war with Moscow-backed separatists in the industrial east. The conflict that broke out after Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 has cost some 13,000 lives. It was Poroshenko who initially suggested a debate. Unusual conditions Ukraine's leader is eager to spar with his political novice rival, giving him a chance to show off his debating skills and outflank the comedian before a run-off vote on April 21. But he had to agree to a number of unusual conditions set down by Zelenskiy, including a requirement for both of them to undergo medical tests to prove they do not abuse alcohol or drugs. Zelenskiy also wanted the debate to be held at Kyiv's Olympic Stadium, which seats over 70,000 people. "[If you want] a stadium, let it be a stadium," Poroshenko said in a video address. Zelenskiy is ahead with more than 30 percent of the first-round vote, nearly twice that of Poroshenko, on almost 16 percent. The frontrunner has shunned traditional rallies, instead performing satirical shows and blurring the line between reality and fantasy. He capitalized on frustration over corruption and economic trouble to leapfrog his establishment opponents. 'More comfortable in a circus'? The 53-year-old Poroshenko - who was elected president after a Kyiv uprising ousted a Kremlin-backed leader in 2014 - warned that an election debate was no laughing matter and an election would determine the country's fate for decades to come. "A debate is not staged for a stadium spectacle," Poroshenko said in an apparent jab at Zelenskiy's lack of political experience. Zelenskiy accepted a debate after a viral campaign on social media urged him to publicly share his political opinions and proposals. But he added the conditions, which included the demand that Poroshenko should stop calling him a "clown" and a "puppet," a reference to the frontrunner's alleged political ties to oligarch Igor Kolomoisky. On Friday, both men are set to undergo medical tests. "If Zelenskiy is more comfortable in a stadium or a circus, then out of respect for his constituents we recognize him as a candidate, the winner of the first round," said Oleg Medvedev, spokesman for Poroshenko's campaign. On Thursday evening, Zelenskiy also suggested that former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko moderate the upcoming debate to guarantee "equal opportunities." Poroshenko's long-term rival was one of 39 candidates who contested the first round. She came third, taking more than 13 percent of the vote. Political observer Pavlo Kazarin said both men wanted to expose each other's weaknesses. "The president's team wants to force Volodymyr Zelenskiy to start talking," he wrote. "Zelenskiy's staff wants to impose their own agenda on Poroshenko." High drama The increasingly sensational nature of the presidential campaign has divided Ukrainian society and set social media alight. "Netflix is crying, HBO already realized that Game of Thrones should have had a different subject," Oksana Pavlenko, founder of an online magazine for women, wrote on Facebook, referring to the award-winning fantasy series. But many said the debate - if it takes place - was a serious affair. "It looks like the debates at the Olympic Stadium will become a political duel whose result will show whether the incumbent will be able to reverse the course of the campaign," tweeted Ukrainian lawmaker Mustafa Nayyem. By law, televised election debates are to be held on the last Friday before the second-round runoff, which would be April 19. The last election debate between presidential candidates in Ukraine took place in 2004. Arab states are facing a water supply emergency, with per capita resources expected to fall by 50 percent by 2050, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said Thursday. The Middle East and North Africa have suffered more than any other region from water scarcity and desertification, problems being complicated by climate change, FAO director-general Jose Graziano da Silva told a meeting of Arab states in Cairo. In response, they needed to modernize irrigation techniques and coordinate water management strategies as a matter of urgency. The per capita share of fresh water availability in the region is just 10 percent of the world average, according to the FAO. Agriculture consumes more than 85 percent of available resources. "This is really an emergency problem now," Graziano da Silva told Reuters in an interview on the sidelines of the conference. The meeting, attended by around 20 states, was the first of its kind at which ministers of both water and agriculture were present, an effort to improve coordination between different branches of government that have often failed to work together. "It's unbelievable that this region does not have good governance on water management and land management," Graziano da Silva told Reuters. "[In Egypt], they have 32 ministers. Most probably of those 32 ministers, 30 ministers deal with water water is a problem for them. And they don't have ways to coordinate very efficiently." Egypt says it has already started working to improve ministerial coordination, for example by reducing rice cultivation to conserve water. Graziano da Silva said he visited agricultural areas in Egypt's Nile Delta where farmers were still employing inundation techniques used for centuries to irrigate their land. "This is a waste of water. We need to move urgently to drip irrigation and other techniques that save water," he added. Water scarcity was also displacing rural populations and increasing the region's dependence on cheap, highly processed food imports that were contributing to rising rates of obesity, he told the conference. The U.N. atomic watchdog policing Iran's nuclear deal has inspected what Israel's prime minister called a "secret atomic warehouse" in Tehran, three diplomats familiar with the agency's work said. In a speech at the United Nations in September, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who vehemently opposes the deal called on the International Atomic Energy Agency to visit the site immediately, saying it had housed 15 kg (33 lb) of unspecified radioactive material that had since been removed. Netanyahu argued the warehouse showed Tehran still sought to obtain nuclear weapons, despite its 2015 pact with world powers to curb its nuclear program in return for a loosening of sanctions. At the time, the IAEA bristled at being told what to do, saying it does not take information presented to it at face value and sends inspectors "only when needed." "They've visited the site," one of the three diplomats said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the issue publicly and details of inspections are confidential. One of the diplomats said the IAEA had been to the site more than once last month. The others said the agency had been there, without specifying when. The IAEA declined to comment. "We have nothing to hide and any access given to the IAEA so far has been in the framework of laws and regulations and nothing beyond that," an Iranian official said. The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran declined to comment. Iran has said the site is a carpet-cleaning facility. Israel's Foreign Ministry declined to comment. Determining what nuclear materials if any were present at the site will depend on an analysis of environmental samples taken there, and the results will not be in until June, two of the diplomats said. Such environmental samples can detect telltale particles including highly enriched uranium even long after material has been removed. The IAEA has the power under the landmark 2015 deal to carry out so-called complementary access inspections in Iran, which are often conducted at short notice, wherever necessary. The IAEA carried out 35 complementary access inspections in Iran in 2017, the latest year for which data is available, according to an annual report to member states that is itself confidential and which Reuters obtained. Diplomats familiar with the IAEA's work say such inspections are often carried out to clear up questions Iran has not fully answered or discrepancies in its declarations. 'Nothing to hide' The IAEA has repeatedly said Iran is holding up its end of the deal, which lifted international sanctions against Tehran in exchange for restrictions on its atomic activities that increased the time it would need to make a nuclear bomb. Iran says its nuclear program is entirely peaceful. Quarterly IAEA reports say its inspectors have had access to all the places in Iran they have needed to visit, which IAEA chief Yukiya Amano repeated in a speech Tuesday. At the same time, some diplomats who follow Iran closely say it has dragged its feet in dealing with the agency and some inspections have gone down to the wire. "Full cooperation with the IAEA must be the norm, and Iran should not need a quarterly reminder of its importance," the United States, which has pulled out of the deal and now opposes it, said in a statement at last month's IAEA Board of Governors meeting, referring to another regular comment in IAEA reports. Pending the results of the sample analysis, several diplomats said the fact inspectors were granted access to the site showed the deal is holding for now, despite Washington reimposing punishing sanctions that have targeted Iran's economy. "The Iranians have realized that complying with the deal is in their interests," one diplomat said. Two key American officials U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen are skipping meetings in France this week as the Group of Seven countries gather to try to find solutions to world security challenges. The move raises questions about the G-7's effectiveness at solving some of the international issues it has deemed crucial, including fighting terrorism and human trafficking. A lunch focusing on migration issues and human trafficking kicked off the G-7 interior ministers' meetings Thursday in Paris. France, which took over the G-7's presidency in January, is hosting the two-day meeting, which overlaps with a summit of G-7 foreign ministers Friday and Saturday in the French Atlantic resort of Dinard. U.S. President Donald Trump has made no secret of his disdain for the G-7, especially since Russia was pushed out of the gathering of major world economies after its annexation of Crimea in 2014. In addition to the U.S., the G-7 includes France, Canada, Japan, Germany, Italy and the U.K. Pompeo is in Washington this week, far from French shores, hosting NATO's foreign ministers to mark the alliance's 70th anniversary. Nielsen is staying behind to deal with domestic border issues. Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland, meanwhile, announced she is attending both the NATO meeting in Washington and the G-7 summit in Dinard. Still, alliances are fraying everywhere, even at NATO as Pompeo shines a spotlight on America's involvement in the military alliance. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg acknowledged internal NATO disagreements this week on trade, climate change and the Iran nuclear deal, but insisted the 29 allies are united in their commitment to defend each other. Setting the stage U.S. Homeland Security official Claire Grady is standing in for Nielsen at the interior ministers' meetings and Deputy Secretary of State John J. Sullivan will stand in for Pompeo. Sullivan will discuss "a broad range of issues, including the deteriorating situation in Venezuela, destabilizing Iranian behavior in the Middle East, the responsible conduct of states in cyberspace, and the final denuclearization of North Korea," the State Department said. It said these conversations will "set the stage" for the August 25-27 G-7 summit that France will host in the southwestern city of Biarritz. Last June, Trump roiled the G-7 meeting in Canada by first agreeing to a group statement on trade only to withdraw from it while complaining that he had been blindsided by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's criticism of Trump's tariff threats. In an extraordinary set of tweets, Trump threw the G-7 summit into disarray. France's Foreign Ministry listed the main issues under discussion this week as cybersecurity, the trafficking of drugs, arms and migrants in Africa's troubled Sahel region, and fighting gender inequality. That includes ways to prevent rape and violence against women, especially in Africa. Thursday's discussions focused on how to deal with citizens who have joined Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq, as well as their wives and children. Many IS fighters have been captured and imprisoned in those countries. The problem has grown more urgent since Trump announced his intention to reduce the U.S. military presence in Syria. The U.S. has called for countries to take back their citizens and put them on trial, if necessary, but Western countries have largely refused to do so. France says French fighters must be tried wherever they committed their crimes. Migration The G-7 interior ministers also discussed ways to fight terrorism and extremism on the internet possibly by imposing more regulations on internet giants in the presence of representatives of Facebook, Twitter, Google and Microsoft. "The most important advance is that we are working even more closely together in fighting international terrorism," said German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer. "The second is that we need to have a robust set of rules on migration flows, for they will continue to concern us for years to come." Matteo Salvini, Italy's hard-line interior minister, said Italy and France were seeking an agreement on protecting Europe's external borders. He also said Europe needs to review trade agreements with African countries that do not cooperate in controlling migrant flows or repatriating migrants from those countries. "If the Italy-France, Rome-Paris axis moves together, it will be a positive and absolute novelty," he said. But Salvini, leader of Italy's anti-migrant League party, still showed that he had sharp differences with centrist French President Emmanuel Macron's migration policies. He said the two countries should be able to work more closely together on migration issues after the EU Parliament elections in May, where Salvini backs Macron's far-right rival, Marine Le Pen. The United States on Thursday requested that the UN Security Council hold a meeting next week to discuss the worsening humanitarian crisis in Venezuela, diplomats said. The meeting, expected to be held on Wednesday, comes amid growing alarm over the impact of the economic and political crises in Venezuela on families and children. An internal UN report seen by AFP last week said seven million people about 24 percent of Venezuela's population are in need of humanitarian aid, lacking access to food and medical care. Some 3.7 million people suffer from undernourishment three times the rate from the 2010-2012 period, according to the UN report. At least 22 percent of children under five suffer from chronic malnutrition. President Nicolas Maduro has blamed US sanctions for Venezuela's economic problems but opposition leader Juan Guaido, who has declared himself interim leader, says government corruption and mismanagement are at fault. Guaido is recognized by the United States and about 50 other governments. In a note circulated to the council, the US mission to the United Nations asked for an open meeting to allow the council to be briefed by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres or his representative on the crisis. "Given the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the country, we believe a briefing is necessary and timely," said the note seen by AFP. The United States in February asked the council to adopt a resolution demanding new presidential elections and unimpeded deliveries of humanitarian aid, but that measure was vetoed by Russia and China. Russia has accused Washington of seeking regime change in Venezuela while China has stressed that there should be no international meddling in the South American country's affairs. Maduro has charged that the United States is using humanitarian aid as a political tool to overthrow him. The United States this week extradited a man implicated in plots to kill two high-profile Bollywood filmmakers. Authorities in Mumbai sought Ubaidullah Abdulrashid Radiowala, known as Obed Radiowala, in the 2014 attempted shooting of producer Karim Morani, as well as in a plot to kill director Mahesh Bhatt. The 42-year-old Indian citizen was detained in Iselin, N.J., on Sept. 20, 2017, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He was also wanted on criminal conspiracy and extortion charges, among a litany of other alleged offenses, according to India's Central Bureau of Investigation. ICE declined a VOA request for more information on the circumstances of Radiowala's arrest. The agency said in a statement that he had entered the country illegally, but did not provide a date. "This individual's long list of criminal charges in his home country, including attempted murder, show that he was a danger to the community here in the U.S.," said John Tsoukaris, an ICE field office director in Newark, N.J. Radiowala and his alleged co-conspirators targeted filmmakers because "they wanted to make a bigger impact on the film industry," said retired Assistant Commissioner of Police Sunil Deshmukh, according to the Mumbai Mirror. Radiowala fought his extradition, but the Board of Immigration Appeals rejected his challenge. He was removed from the United States on April 1, 2019. Indian media reported Radiowala was handed over to Mumbai police after arriving in New Delhi. An attorney listed for Radiowala's immigration appeal did not return a VOA request for comment. A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers on Wednesday faulted the Trump administration for failing so far to impose sanctions over China's alleged human rights abuses against its Muslim minority and called for punitive measures against a senior Communist Party official and Chinese companies. A letter to President Donald Trump's top advisers signed by more than 40 lawmakers said China's actions in its western region of Xinjiang "may constitute crimes against humanity" and urged tighter U.S. export controls to ensure that U.S. companies are not assisting the Chinese government's crackdown there, either directly or indirectly. It also asked the United States to strengthen financial disclosure requirements to alert American investors about the presence in U.S. capital markets of Chinese companies that are "complicit in human rights abuses." The letter specifically cited Hikvision and Dahua Technology, which produce audio-visual equipment that can be used for surveillance. China faces growing condemnation from Western capitals and rights groups for setting up facilities that U.N. experts describe as mass detention centers holding more than 1 million ethnic Uighurs and other Muslims. Beijing has said its measures in Xinjiang, which are also reported to include widespread surveillance of the population, are aimed at stemming the threat of Islamist militancy. The facilities or camps that have opened are vocational training centers, the government has said. The letter, which was sent to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, urged them to swiftly slap sanctions on Xinjiang's Communist Party chief Chen Quanguo, a member of the Chinese leadership's powerful politburo, and other Chinese officials "complicit in gross violations of human rights." The Trump administration has been weighing sanctions against Chinese officials, including Chen, since late last year, and though it has ramped up criticism it has held off on imposing the measures. China has warned that it would retaliate "in proportion" against any U.S. sanctions. "We are disappointed with the administration's failure so far to impose any sanctions related to the ongoing systemic and egregious human rights abuses in Xinjiang," the lawmakers said. "While the strong rhetoric condemning the Chinese government's actions (in Xinjiang) from Vice President Pence and others is certainly welcomed, words alone are not enough." The group of signatories was led by U.S. Senator Marco Rubio and U.S. Representative Chris Smith on the Republican side and Senator Bob Menendez and Representative James McGovern on the Democratic side. They called on the Trump administration to apply sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Act. The federal law allows the U.S. government to target human rights violators around the world with freezes on any U.S. assets, U.S. travel bans and prohibitions on Americans doing business with them. Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay is warning the United States of the danger of a rupture in relations, as myriad differences between the two NATO allies escalate tensions. "The United States must choose. Does it want to remain Turkey's ally or risk our friendship by joining forces with terrorists to undermine its NATO ally's defense against its enemies?" Oktay tweeted Thursday. The tweet follows a warning to Ankara from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo not to militarily intervene against the YPG, a Syrian Kurdish militia, in northern Syria. The militia is a crucial U.S. ally in the war against the Islamic State terror group, but Ankara designates the YPG a terrorist organization linked to an insurgency inside Turkey. Secretary Pompeo expressed support for ongoing negotiations regarding northeast Syria while warning of the potentially devastating consequences of unilateral Turkish military action in the region, the State Department said in a statement after Pompeo met with visiting Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu Wednesday. Cavusoglu highlighted what he called the lack of "clear strategy" in Washington over Syria. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, reeling from the loss of several key cities in local elections this past Sunday, has declared security a priority, a comment interpreted by some as code for a possible military incursion into Syria against the YPG. Turkish forces remain massed on the Syrian border. The threat of a showdown over Syria comes amid a growing disagreement between Washington and Ankara over Turkeys procurement of Russias S-400 missile system. U.S. officials say the missiles will compromise NATO weapons systems. "Turkey must choose. Does it want to remain a critical partner in the most successful military alliance in history, or does it want to risk the security of that partnership by making such reckless decisions that undermine our alliance?" U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said in comments at a Wednesday NATO event in Washington. "The purchase from Russia is a done deal," Cavusoglu said at an earlier NATO panel. "We are not choosing between Russia and any other allies. We don't see our relations with Russia as an alternative to our relations with others. Moreover, nobody, neither the West nor Russia, should or can ask us to choose," he added. Washington is offering Turkey a Patriot missile system. Ankara has indicated a willingness to buy the system but not as an alternative to the Russian S-400s. The dispute is part of broader concerns among Turkeys Western allies over Erdogans deepening relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Next week, Erdogan is set to visit Moscow where Putin is expected to seek to bolster Turkeys resolve to buy Russia's S-400s. Russia is set to deliver the missiles in the second half of this year. Washington is warning the delivery of its latest F-35 warplanes to Turkey is at risk with the delivery of the S-400s. There's great opportunities for the United States and Turkey to work closer together," Pompeo told reporters Thursday during a news conference at the end of a meeting of NATO foreign ministers. "I had a good long conversation with the Turkish foreign minister yesterday and I'm very confident we'll find a path forward." Analysts say further measures against Turkey are now looming and that the currency, the lira, could ultimately be the most significant casualty of any U.S.-Turkish showdown. Analysts say the lira is vulnerable, following last years collapse triggered by U.S. President Donald Trump hitting Ankara with sanctions over the detention in Turkey of American pastor Andrew Brunson, who has since been released. This climb-up has all the makings of last years 'Father Brunson crisis. We doubt history repeats only for those who refuse to learn from it, said Atilla Yesilada of Global Source Partners. Growing financial concerns about the Turkish economy saw Turkeys Central Bank forced to use unprecedented measures to support the currency earlier this month to quell heavy lira falls. The currency declines were triggered by local Turks converting savings to foreign currency, along with international investors exiting the market amid economic concerns. Despite the high economic stakes, however, analysts warn it will be difficult for either side to back down. It's part of a much wider rift in terms of U.S.-Turkish relations, said Sinan Ulgen of the Istanbul-based Edam research institution. This would have never have happened if there had not been a vast erosion of trust between the two NATO allies, triggered by a number and ongoing disputes, Ulgen said. In a sign of Washingtons patience running out with Ankara, a new crisis could be looming. During Wednesdays talks with his Turkish counterpart, Pompeo called for "the swift resolution of cases involving unjustly detained U.S. citizens, including Serkan Golge, as well as our local staff from the U.S. Mission in Turkey," said a State Department readout of the meeting. Golge, along with three local diplomatic employees, are jailed on accusations of links to terrorist organizations including conspirators blamed by Ankara for a failed 2016 coup. Until now, Washington has sought to use behind-the-scenes diplomacy to resolve the dispute. Observers suggest Pompeo's public statement indicates the adoption of a more confrontational strategy. Some analysts say Ankaras steadfastness against growing Washington pressure stems from a belief that Trump does share concerns over Turkey. "Ankara is still not convinced that Washington is serious in its threats," Yesilada said. More specifically, it suspects, as transpired several times in the past, the threats and warnings dont reflect Trumps viewpoint, he said. The URL has been copied to your clipboard The code has been copied to your clipboard. Delegates from around the world are expected in Rwanda this week, to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the genocide that left close to a million people dead. VOA's Africa TV program highlights the international conference that opened Thursday, themed: Preserving Memory, Championing Humanity. The head of a House Ways and Means Committee is formally asking the Internal Revenue Service to turn over the last six years of President Donald Trump's tax returns. Congressman Richard Neal chairs the committee, which oversees tax policy, as Democrats seek to examine Trump's complex business empire. Trump is the only U.S. president or candidate in more than 40 years to refuse to make his tax returns public. "It is critical to ensure that accountability of our government and elected officials," Neal said Wednesday. "To maintain trust in our democracy, the American people must be assured that their government is operating properly, as laws intend." Trump has said he cannot release his returns from 2013 through 2018 because he says he is under audit. "I've been under audit for many years because the numbers are big and I guess when you have a name, you're audited," he said Wednesday. But Neal is not asking Trump for the returns. He is asking the IRS, and there are no laws preventing the IRS from releasing the returns if they are being audited. Neal said he is certain the Ways and Means committee is within its "legitimate legislative, legal and oversight rights" to examine Trump's personal and business taxes. "The IRS has a policy of auditing the returns of all sitting presidents and vice presidents. Yet, little is known about the effectiveness pf this program," Neal said, adding that Americans have the right to know if the policy is being followed and whether the audits are conducted fully and appropriately. Neal denies that politics have anything to do with his request. But Republicans say it is part of a continued witch hunt against Trump and sets a dangerous precedent. Neal's request is likely to be challenged in court. By Jung Da-min Ninety seven descendants of independence fighters opposing Japan's colonial rule will visit South Korea next week to participate in an event commemorating the centennial of the establishment of Korea's provisional government in China. According to the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, the 97 people, all living abroad, are from 10 countries 46 from the United States, 23 from China, nine from Kazakhstan, five from Australia, four from Mexico, and two each from Russia, Austria, Japan, Cuba and the Netherlands. The invitees include Ralph Ahn, the youngest son of independence activist Ahn Chang-ho who served as acting prime minister and home affairs minister in the Korean provisional government, and Robert Ahn, son of Ralph Ahn. Nineteen descendants of key figures from the Korean provisional government, including Deputy Prime Minister Kim Kyu-sik, Prime Ministers Roh Baek-lin and Yi Dong-hwi, Vice Foreign Affairs Minister Hyun Soon and other cabinet members were also invited. Also among invitees were Tony Ahn, a great grandson of independence hero Ahn Jung-geun, who assassinated Ito Hirobumi, former prime minister of Japan in China in 1909. During their visit to South Korea from April 8 to 14, the descendants of independence patriots will pay tribute at the Seoul National Cemetery, attend the centennial ceremony for the provisional government and visit Seodaemun Independence Park, Kim Koo Museum and Library in Seoul and the Demilitarized Zone in the border area. The invitation for the 97 came as the part of the government's plan to invite about 200 descendants of overseas independence patriots this year. Sixty six descendants of patriots from eight countries visited South Korea in March. Ive recently returned to this very readable history of the collapse of the Soviet Union. Published soon after 2000, it now seems ahead of its time in pointing out how the seeds of oligarchy were sown through the unmanageable end of communism and the arrival of capitalism without democracy. Photo: Dia Dipasupil/WireImage/Getty Images Every character in Jordan Peeles Us is a scene stealer: Lupita Nyongo battles for screen time with herself in two Oscar-worthy performances. Winston Duke breaks the movies thick tension with his corny jokes (and even thiccer thighs). Evan Alex haunts as a feral masked boy whos literally just waiting to light everything on fire. But the award for creepiest evil twin impersonation goes to Shahadi Wright Joseph, whose sunken eyes and Mona Lisa smile, but make it horrifying face seize audiences the moment her tethered character enters the frame. Slipping into the role of Zoras doppelganger, the red-jumpsuit-clad Umbrae, was mentally strenuous for Joseph, who decompressed at the end of each shooting day with heavy doses of The Office (strictly the American version). As a speedy little sociopath, Joseph stabs a man to death in the street without a hint of hesitation. Throughout all her prey stalking, she seems impervious to the pain inflicted upon her in return, including an impaling. Vulture sat down to talk with the 13-year-old actress about getting to her dark place, working with Oscar winners, and who brought the dad jokes to set. If you werent in Us, would you be allowed to go see it? Yeah, because I saw Get Out when it first opened, and I was mind blown from that. I was definitely more aware of my surroundings after I left the theater, and I think that Jordan Peele really brought the black community together just from making this iconic movie. So, I would definitely see Us like a hundred times. Us has a lot of very big ideas in it. Did you guys unpack those heavier thematic elements as you went along with Jordan? We used to have a lot of meetings with Jordan, sometimes before or after we would shoot a scene. He would really just talk about what the scene meant to him. That helped a lot. It really made our performances a lot better, and he did show me where all of the little Easter eggs were. Like, I have a green sweatshirt that says tho on it, and it means rabbit in Vietnamese. I have a rabbit in my room, and I have a rabbit on one of my T-shirts. Theres a rabbit in Jasons room. Plus, you know, Jason wants to become a magician, so the rabbit in the hat. How was it having an Oscar winner play your mom and an Oscar winner directing you? I was so grateful for Jordan, who really opened my eyes to see some of these messages, and everybody was so welcoming and just so sweet. I definitely want to work with them again. How was it working with Lupita Nyongo and Winston Duke as a scene partners? We were usually talking about what we can do to make the scene a little bit better. Then we would confer with Jordan and he would be like, Okay, lets try that. And theyre really great method actors so they just go into their characters all day. I tried that and it helped a lot as well. That seems really intense, especially when youre playing through so many comedic elements throughout the movie. Was there a particularly hard scene to shoot with the really dark tones? The invasion seen with the whole family, that was the toughest part, to really bring out that fear. Because Ive never had to actually go that deep into my fear state. Ive never experienced anything close to that traumatizing. So, that that was the hardest part. Everybody was really trying to get a solid day in red [jumpsuits, playing the tethered family] or a solid day as the Wilsons, because it was really tough to switch from Zora into Umbrae. Just the costume change and the makeup and hair took a little while, but also getting into the mind space. You have to do that really quickly because of the child labor laws. We cant work past a certain hour. Speaking of being a young actor, your phone acting was great. [Note: Zora spends a significant portion of her time on screen looking at another screen her phone.] Was that in the script, or did that come from you? [Jordan Peele] never specifically told me, you know, You can just be on your phone all the time. I wanted to make her a relatable teenager, and people are always on social media these days. Do you relate? A little bit! Sometimes I fall into the social-media trap. And you got some great mean teen digs in at Winston with his dad jokes. I taught him those! [Note: According to Evan Alex, he taught Winston his dad jokes.] Oh, so is someone in your family totally into corny dad humor? Oh, its me! We really got to improvise a lot. Jordan gave us a lot of freedom with the lines, and I think that Winston really did that a lot, you know, cause hes basically like a sitcom dad. And how did you snap into character as Umbrae, knowing that you wouldnt be able to use your voice? We need to use a lot of body language since the [tethered] people in the underpass dont talk. I think that whats going on in Umbraes head is really that shes so interested in Zora, because she really wants to be her so much that she has to kill her, you know? I think shes always been very jealous of her and shes had so much hatred for her for so many years. Yet she has admiration for her, you know? She has the sun. She has the sky. So Umbrae really wants to show her how much she takes for granted every day, but she cant, because she doesnt have a voice to speak through. Thats why we have Red [Lupita Nyongos doppelganger character]. And, you know, the underpass is such a terrible place where people do not have choice of anything that they do in life, who to love or who to play with or just what to be. So, I just kept thinking about the comparison between Zoras and Umbraes life and why it isnt fair at all. Which character was more fun to play? I loved playing both of them, but I think that Umbrae was a little bit more exciting. I was definitely looking forward to that whole Zora and Umbrae chase scene. I think that that was my favorite, because it really shows the skill level that Umbrae has compared to Zora, how long shes been training, and it really shows you how much she wants this. Did you guys talk on set about who is the us and who is the them? It depends on the circumstances, which perspective youre actually looking from. The doppelgangers see the Wilsons as the them, and the Wilsons see the doppelgangers as them, and as Jordan said at SXSW, humans are really scared of the other for some reason, but sometimes the monster is really us. One of my favorite parts of the movie was how subjective the role of the villain was. But Im glad that, you know, Jordan added the names [of the tethered family members] so that we wouldnt look at them as villains. In a regular movie you would see them that way. You know, they show up at your house. They kill you! I think he was really trying not portray them that way. Just by the look of them the audience will think that theyre villains, but by the end of the movie theyll have a totally different outlook on them. Presidential chief of staff Noh Young-min, right, shakes hands with the country's main opposition Liberty Korea Party chief Na Kyung-won at the start of the National Assembly's session to inspect Cheong Wa Dae operations, Thursday afternoon. Yonhap By Kim Yoo-chul Presidential chief of staff Noh Young-min apologized over the ongoing controversy surrounding President Moon Jae-in's recent nominations for new Cabinet members. "I came here to offer a sincere apology about issues relating to the President's recent nominations for new Cabinet members," Noh said at the start of the National Assembly's session to audit the presidential office, Thursday. "Cheong Wa Dae will apply stricter personal verification processes in the very early stages of searching for new Cabinet members and other top-level government officials," Noh told reporters. The apology came a few days after President Moon withdrew his earlier choices of two Cabinet nominees out of seven over alleged ethical lapses. The main opposition party also called for the President to withdraw the nominations of Kim Yeon-chul as unification minister and Park Young-sun as SMEs and startups minister citing their ideological biases and lack of qualifications. But the presidential chief of staff didn't answer repeated requests from the opposition for the dismissal of Senior Presidential Secretary for Civil Affairs Cho Kuk and Senior Presidential Secretary for Personnel Affairs Cho Hyun-ok. The opposition parties also asked senior presidential secretary Cho Kuk to step down from his position criticizing his lax personal verification for new Cabinet members and failure to establish discipline within the presidential office. "Recent opinion polls showed about 60 percent supported sacking Cho Kuk and the senior presidential secretary for personnel affairs, Cho Hyun-ok, as the President's nominations for new ministers were found to have breached moral principles among others," the country's minor opposition Bareunmirae Party chief Kim Kwan-young said. The opposition parties refused to accept confirmation hearing reports for three Cabinet minister nominees. Chief presidential press secretary Yoon Do-han said President Moon asked the Assembly, again, to adopt confirmation reports of the SMEs minister nominee Park and unification minister nominee Kim. Regardless of the Assembly's adoption of hearing reports, Moon is widely expected to appoint Kim as the unification minister and Park as the SMEs and startups minister as confirmation reports have no legal binding. President Moon has replaced eight ministerial-level posts without the Assembly's reports in the past. The presidential chief of staff Noh called for bipartisan cooperation for a "successful outcome" of next week's planned summit between the leaders of the United States and South Korea. "Cheong Wa Dae wants all parties to stand together to bring great results from the planned U.S.-South Korea summit in Washington D.C., next week," Noh said. By Choe Chong-dae Seo Young-hae (1902-56) had been forgotten. He is more familiar to scholars who study French literature and history of diplomacy than to his fellow countrymen. His outstanding devotion to Korea's independence movement came to light through a recent book titled "Seo Young-hae, Independence Activist in Paris" written by Jung Sang-chun, an official of the Presidential Committee on Balanced National Development. Seo was an independence activist, novelist, journalist and diplomat who devoted himself to seeking restoration of Korean sovereignty against the Japanese colonial rule through remarkable diplomacy in Europe. Driven by patriotism, Seo participated in the March 1 Independence Movement in 1919 at the age of 17. In fear of being arrested by Japanese police, Seo exiled himself to China and joined the establishment of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea in Shanghai as its youngest member. He went to Paris in 1920 to pursue future studies. Graduating from Ecole Superieure de Journalisme de Paris, an institution of higher education, he established "Agence Korea" (News Agency) in 1929 and was appointed Representative of the Liaison Office of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea in Shanghai in 1936, later promoted to ambassador level in Paris. During his 27-year stay in Paris, Seo made outstanding efforts for the restoration of Korea's sovereignty and dedicated time to reporting and writing extensively on the brutal Japanese colonial rule to European media. Remarkably, Seo's life was exposed to the world through his novel, "The Life of a Korean," (Autour d'une Vie Coreeenne) published in French in 1929, followed by other novels that created a sensation. His first novel describes the oppression Koreans faced under Japanese imperialism as well as Korean history, culture and customs that helped raise awareness of Koreans' plight and aspects to Europe. Two years after Korea's liberation, he finally returned to Korea in 1947. He was dispatched to Pyongyang with Kim Koo to join the South and North Korea conference in 1948. He was one of two symbolic figures who played a core role in seeking Korean independence abroad; one was Seo Young-hae in France, the other was Syngman Rhee in the U.S. Although Seo held a close friendship with Rhee who became Korea's first president in 1948, he opposed Rhee's politics that wanted to create a separate state in the South, while supporting Kim Koo who wanted to establish one unified government for all of Korea. Consequently, his life in Korea was unstable. He worked at the affiliated school of the Korean Provisional Government for education of personality to Korean residents in Shanghai until 1956 without contacting his family in South Korea. After that, his footsteps are not known. Seo's remarkable diplomacy for Korea's independence in Europe had a profound impact on my mind and reminds me of the quote "the pen is mightier than the sword." The author Jung Sang-chun compared him to Philippe Aries (1914-84), the French pioneering historian. He called himself a "Sunday historian," proud of writing outside the university in his spare time. Jung devoted himself to studying on holidays to avoid official influence. Jung went to Paris to study under state scholarship in 1994-96 and in 2000 while working at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade as a diplomat. While in Paris, he immersed himself in researching Seo who dreamed of Korean independence. Coincidentally, Jung's father Jung Il-yeong, a former journalist, served as an English teacher at Gyeongju High School in the early 1960s where he was in a close relationship with my family. Presently, Jung's studies focus on research of Korea's independence movement history with my brother Choe Chong-kan, a ceramic artist. Seo's extraordinary devotion to Korea's independence movement as a pioneering diplomat in Paris would most likely have remained in the shadows if it were not for the outstanding research of Seo's life by author Jung. Choe Chong-dae (choecd@naver.com) is a guest columnist of The Korea Times. He is president of Dae-kwang International Co., and director of the Korean-Swedish Association. Firearms would be removed from domestic violence situations for 5 days Already considered a best practice but not done statewide Measure has already passed the House OLYMPIA (April 2, 2019) A bill to require the removal of firearms from domestic violence calls if there is probable cause that a crime was committed passed out of the Senate Law and Justice Committee onTuesday. The bill was previously passed by the House of Representatives on March 5 with 60 voting in favor and 38 opposed, all those voting in opposition were Republicans. Prime Sponsor Rep. Laurie Jenkins D-Tacoma, testified in support of the bill on Monday, saying the main goal is to reduce the heightened risk to everyone involved by the presence of a firearm in a domestic violence call. A person is five times more likely to be murdered in a domestic violence situation if a firearm is present, said Jenkins. In addition to the increased homicide risks, there is really strong evidence that batterers use firearms as kind of tools as terror and intimidation with regard to their children and their partners, said Jenkins. Jenkins also cited a Washington State Institute of Public Policy finding that domestic violence is the greatest predictor of criminal acts and the single biggest predictor of violent crime of any kind. House Bill 1225 would modify existing regulations regarding the confiscation of a firearm in relation to a crime. Under current law, law enforcement agencies have notification protocols that allows family or household members to request notification when guns are returned. For the firearm to be returned under current law, it must be 24 hours from the time the firearm was obtained by law enforcement. HB 1225 would change that timeline in domestic violence calls to five business days. Law enforcement would also check that the individual is in compliance with state law and procedures regarding gun ownership eligibility, like background checks. Law enforcement would also be required to give victims of domestic violence legal rights and information on the ability to see an order to require the abuser to surrender firearms and concealed pistol licenses, along with prohibiting the abuser from possessing and accessing firearms. Pam Crone, of Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, cited the data the group collects and analyzes on firearms in these situations in her testimony in support of the bill. Domestic violence homicide perpetrators use guns more than all other weapons combined, said Crone. Between 1997 and 2014, 54 percent of the 678 of the domestic violence homicides in Washington were committed with firearms. Crone called the measures in HB 1225, important life saving protections, to not only victims but other individuals who could be at or involved in a domestic violence situation. Officers would also be required to separate the parties involved in the incident and ask whether there are firearms or ammunition in the home owned or possessed by either party, along with if coercive or threatening use of firearms has occurred in the past. The use or threat of firearms in the domestic violence incident would become part of the information considered concerning the defendants release or issuance of a no-contact order. David Martin from the King County Prosecuting Attorneys Office testified in support of the bill. Domestic violence offenders who have access to firearms are at the highest risk to their victims, their children, police, the public, and themselves with rampant suicide, said Martin. The most important thing we can do to prevent fatalities is to temporarily remove the firearm from a DV scene when there is a constitutional and legal basis to do so. Martin used the supplemental form used at the over 10,000 domestic violence incidents in the county each year. The form has a group of firearm questions that are what Martin calls a best practice, that he says should be required state-wide. Logan Rysemus, experienced sexual assault while in college, and now advocates for other domestic violence and assault survivors. The most dangerous times for victims of domestic violence are when they are trying to leave a relationship and immediately following an arrest and the presence of a firearm can turn a volatile situation deadly in a fraction of a second, said Rysemus. Sen. Mike Padden, R- Spokane Valley voted against moving the bill out of committee. Padden noted his concern that the victim would not be able to defend themselves without a firearm. Jenkins refuted the idea that keeping a firearm in the home or a domestic violence situation increases safety. There is no evidence, there is none, that maintaining firearm availability in a domestic violence situation increases any safety for anyone. There is only evidence that it decreases safety, said Jenkins. HB 1225 now moves to the Senate Rules Committee for consideration. HB 1225: https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1225&Year=2019&Initiative=false. By John J. Metzler UNITED NATIONS Responding to the Berlin Blockade, the communist coup in Czechoslovakia, and the looming threat from the Soviet Union, the U.S. and Western European states formed the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). On April 4, 1949, the foreign ministers of 12 countries including the U.S., Britain, Belgium, Canada, France, Italy and the Netherlands signed the Atlantic Treaty in Washington, D.C. NATO or the Atlantic Alliance would come to symbolize a clear American commitment to Western Europe's defense as well as a willingness by the European countries to defend themselves against a rising danger from Stalin's Russia. The Europeans, still recovering from the trauma, dislocation, and economic shortages of World War II, wanted peace, but needed a defensive shield to protect their freedom and economic rebuilding. Significantly, West Germany joined the alliance in 1955 thus adding to Europe's strategic weight in the shifting balance of power. The NATO treaty was rooted in collective defense, (Article 5) namely an attack against one is an attack against all. Over the ensuing decades NATO would come to symbolize both military deterrence, and as importantly, an enduring political commitment to transatlantic cooperation. I first visited NATO headquarters in Brussels in the late 1970s when the indefatigable Dutch diplomat Joseph Luns served as secretary general. During that period, the lines were clear and the Soviet threat to Western European democracy was imminent. The Soviet military advantage in sheer numbers of troops, tanks, artillery, etc., was daunting. Moreover the Carter administration's strategic myopia added to the malaise through indecision and missteps. Back even in those days, the debate about who is paying for NATO was part of the endless political palaver. Retrieving the dusty files from that era reveals unexpected surprises. In 1979, combined American forces in Europe totaled about 300,000. According to the Military Balance 1979-80, defense spending to GDP by the U.S. stood at 5 percent while America's NATO allies were woefully short except for Britain at 4.7 percent. But Canada spent 1.8 percent, Italy 2.4 percent, France 3.3 percent, and Germany 3.4 percent. The Soviets by comparison were spending between 11 and 14 percent of their GDP on defense. A 1980 article in the magazine U.S. News & World Report, "Can Alliance Unity Survive?" warned that "Rarely, if ever, have the strains been worse," in America's standing in the 31 years of the Atlantic Alliance. Fortunately, the Reagan era was on the horizon and many imbalances would be redressed by bold foreign and security policies. But the collapse of the Soviet Union and its Warsaw Pact allies changed the political calculus. Critics would say there was no need for the alliance which had presumably become obsolete with the disappearance of its principal adversary. NATO's biggest challenge became "reinventing itself" in the wake of these extraordinary changes. By 1999, NATO redefined its mission and expanded its membership eastwards to include the old Soviet client states: Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary. By 2004 it welcomed the three Baltic states thus bringing NATO's military to the doorstep of Russia itself. Currently NATO membership stands at 21 countries in Europe and North America. Since the end of the Cold War, NATO continues to participate in multinational missions in Afghanistan, Kosovo, and against terrorism in the post-September 11 environment. NATO's mantra increasingly reflects the concept of projecting stability. That stability is challenged by Russian revanchism. The Trump administration renewed the old rhetorical fusillades between Washington and its European partners. At the annual NATO summit, feathers flew as President Donald Trump openly chastised many Europeans for not "paying their fair share" and getting the proverbial "free ride" from the U.S. For example, current U.S. defense outlays stand at 3.3 percent of GDP. In Canada it's 1.2 percent, Italy 1.1 percent, Germany 1.2 percent, and France 1.8 percent. Though the Trump administration has convinced individual NATO members to increase defense spending, only the United Kingdom, Poland and the Baltic states are reaching the agreed 2 percent annual outlay. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg advised, "The U.S. is not decreasing its presence in Europe, but the U.S. is actually increasing its presence We are actually strengthening the transatlantic bond when it comes to security and defense." The Atlantic Alliance, nurtured through NATO, has been part of the theology of American foreign policy in the postwar era; an immutable defense dogma, a political democratic pole star, and a credo supporting strong transatlantic ties. Through its strength, symbolism and shared values, NATO remains the cornerstone of transatlantic friendship and security. Happy birthday! John J. Metzler (jjmcolumn@earthlink.net) is a United Nations correspondent covering diplomatic and defense issues. He is the author of "Divided Dynamism: the Diplomacy of Separated Nations: Germany, Korea, China." St Jerome in the Wilderness by Leonardo da Vinci on display in St Peter's Square. 22 March-22 June. The Vatican displays St Jerome in the Wilderness, an unfinished painting by Leonardo da Vinci, on the 500th anniversary of the death of the Renaissance genius. Dating from around 1480, the painting is on display until 22 June at a free exhibition at the Braccio di Carlo Magno in St Peter's Square. The painting depicts St Jerome (S. Girolamo in Italian) kneeling in a rocky landscape in the Syrian desert, where he lived the life of a hermit in the fourth century. Although little is known about the work and its commission, the Vatican Museums director Barbara Jatta says "there has never been any doubt about the signature and critics are all in agreement". When the exhibition ends, the priceless masterpiece will travel to New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art and then the Louvre in Paris - as part of both museums' da Vinci celebrations - before returning to the Vatican. Rome's Scuderie del Quirinale is hosting an exhibition dedicated to da Vinci's technical and scientific advances within the cultural context of his era, until 28 July. The painting of St Jerome can be seen Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri, Sat from 10.00-18.00 (last entry 17.30). Wed 13.30-18.00 (last entry 17.30). Sun closed. (Photo/Chinanews.com) A grand spring fete was held in Nishan Town, Qufu of Jining City, east Chinas Shandong Province, on April 4 to commemorate the respected ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius, Chinanews.com reported on Thursday. More than 400 people from China and overseas, including descendants of Confucius, took part in the ceremony, which was presided by vice-president of the World Federation of Confucius Descendants Kong Lingyu. (Photo/Chinanews.com) Kong Chuizhang, a 79th generation lineal descendant of Confucius, offered incense on behalf of all participants at the Confucius Temple located in Nishan Town, where Confucius was born in 551 B.C. Then everyone offered flowers and bowed three times before the statue of Confucius. Participants also took part in a poetry recital after the fete, reciting poems in Chinese classics including The Book of Songs in a beautiful traditional way. (Photo/Chinanews.com) The ceremony commemorating Confucius was initiated two years after the death of Confucius, when the then king of Lu Kingdom ordered people to build a temple for Confucius at his old residence in Qufu to commemorate and offer sacrifices to him. (Photo/Chinanews.com) Ruling party should heed negative public sentiment The by-elections Wednesday left nothing for the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) to cheer about as it failed to win a parliamentary seat. The by-elections, viewed as a test of public sentiment toward the Moon Jae-in administration, were held to pick two lawmakers and three local councilors. The main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) and the minor Justice Party gained one National Assembly seat each. The main focus of the elections were the two Assembly seats in South Gyeongsang Province. The National Election Commission announced Thursday that the LKP's Jeong Jeom-sig won in Tongyeong-Goseong, while Yeo Young-guk of the Justice Party won in Changwon. The ruling party also failed to secure any of the local councilor seats. All in all, the election results show a noticeable turnaround from the resounding support of the South Gyeongsang region for the ruling party and the Moon administration. The change in public sentiment is particularly hurtful for the DPK considering that just a year ago, it had seen a sweeping success in the region in the local elections. The people in the South Gyeonsang region have started to turn their backs on the President. President Moon should take the by-election results as a wakeup call and address the factors that are undermining public trust in his administration. The biggest reason for the growing public disapproval is due to his administration's failure to deal with the job crisis and revitalize the economy. Second, many have been disappointed by the lack of discipline and professionalism at Cheong Wa Dae. The presidential office has refused to address the problems raised by the media and the people about its dysfunctional appointment process. The Moon administration has also done little to prepare the country for long-term challenges such as the population crisis or current environmental issues. Many Koreans are also getting tired of Moon's focus on North Korea, particularly after the collapse of the second summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in February. Since then, North Korea has hinted that it will seek a "new path." The country has even started to rebuild some of its nuclear facilities and has carried out steps that show that it does not fully honor the agreements reached during the summits between Moon and Kim last year. Under such circumstances, President Moon's diplomacy with North Korea seem like it's on a path toward an embarrassing failure. There is only a year left until the general elections next year. Moon has only a limited amount of time to make a difference. Cheong Wa Dae and the DPK should think seriously about what the by-elections results mean and figure out what they should do for victory in the 2020 general elections. Gains were reported in the number of women, black and Latino workers among new hires, and attrition rates for women and most underrepresented groups declined, the Alphabet Inc. unit said in its annual diversity report. Still, black workers continued to have the highest attrition rates, according to the report, which cited race data for U.S. employees. The cheap-chic retailer will move the wage to $13 an hour in June, providing tens of thousands of workers a raise, the company said, without specifying exactly how many staffers would benefit. This follows $1-an-hour increases in recent years and brings Target closer to the goal it set in 2017 of reaching $15 an hour by the end of next year. After the BOB strollers maker, Britax Child Safety, refused the agencys request for a voluntary recall saying it believed its stroller was safe and did not contain a defect the company and regulators battled for months. They reached a settlement in late 2018, which was lauded by Republican commissioners as the best possible outcome and criticized by consumer advocates as failing to protect consumers. Buerkle for months had hid the investigation from the agencys Democratic commissioners and then pushed the case toward settlement, according to the Post article. It remains unclear whether the United States will cancel some or all of the tariffs the president imposed last year on more than $250 billion worth of Chinese imports. The president has spoken of keeping at least some tariffs in place as leverage to encourage the Chinese government to comply with an eventual agreement. Neals letter says the request for Trumps returns is part of a broader effort to understand how the IRS applies federal tax law to the U.S. president, which raises the question of why Congress would need to see Trumps taxes in the years before he is elected, Everson said. But, Everson added, the law seems clear that Treasury is obligated to turn over the returns. POSCO TJ Park Foundation Chairwoman Kim Sun-uk, right, poses with the awardees of the 2019 POSCO TJ Park Prize during an awards ceremony at the POSCO Center in Seoul, Wednesday. The prize, named after the late POSCO founder Park Tae-joon, honors individuals who have made noticeable achievements in science, education, social services, and technology. From left are Rep. Chung Sye-kyun of the Democratic Party of Korea, Prof. Cheon Jung-hee at Seoul National University and his wife, Yeomyung School Principal Lee Hung-hoon, Cambodia's Angkor Hospital for Children CEO Claudia Turner, Hyundai Motor Senior Vice President Lim Tae-won and his wife, and Kim. Courtesy of POSCO Right now this monument is not being managed. This area is not being managed by the BLM or the Forest Service or anybody else, except for Google, said Josh Ewing, the executive director of Friends of Cedar Mesa, a local nonprofit advocacy group that is a plaintiff in one of the lawsuits. Google is the main manager of this monument, because its sending people all over the place. And so if you dont have a proactive plan of how to intercept people, where to send them, then youre just leaving it to the Internet to manage the area. Dont fancy you know where this is going; Choi will outsmart you at every step. Halfway through the novel, she suddenly recasts the entire story several years in the future and from a different point of view. Its a vertiginous maneuver that remains unsettling as Chois new narrator shifts erratically between first and third person, trying to unpack whats sealed in the amber of a childhood crush. Who gave consent and who can give consent become questions complicated by a conspiracy of shame and shamelessness, the competing desires of young frenemies and unscrupulous adults. The result is a dramatic exploration of the distorting forces of memory, envy and art. Sex and adolescence are confusing enough, but especially so for a group of needy teens taught that a moment of intimacy had no meaning unless it was part of a show. Even Daily Show host Trevor Noah joined in, reciting Buttigiegs gold-plated background: Hes a veteran, a Harvard graduate and a Rhodes Scholar whos openly gay and also so young that if he served two terms as president, when he came out he would still only be 46. Plus, hes a concert pianist and speaks seven languages, including Norwegian, which he learned just so that he could read Norwegian books. A KT employee wears a VR device for an audio-visual experience during a press conference on 5G services at the company's headquarters in Seoul, Tuesday. / AP-Yonhap By Baek Byung-yeul Korea's mobile carriers SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus officially turned on their fifth-generation (5G) networks, Wednesday, creating high hopes that the super-fast network speed will bring huge changes to people's daily lives as well as the industrial sector. In the business-to-consumer sector, the telecom firms said the 5G services will enable them to offer enhanced online experiences to their subscribers such as group video calls, virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) content and holograms. They also expect the next-generation network services, which will be up to 20 times faster than 4G, will create new industries such as self-driving vehicles and smart cities and factories. The telecom firms are putting their priorities on expanding their 5G subscriber volumes. They have been offering a wide range of pricing plans, ranging from affordable $44 monthly plans to $75 plans that offer unlimited data. With more affordable pricing plans, they said they are prepared with enjoyable content running on 5G networks. "The 5G services can accelerate the development of core sectors in the Fourth Industrial Revolution such as self-driving vehicles, smart cities and an increase in the number of the number of internet of things (IoT) devices," Kang Byeong-gwon, professor of Soonchunhyang University's Information Technology Engineering department, said. "The biggest difference between 5G and 4G is latency time. As 5G provides ultra-low latency, the next-generation network services form the infrastructures to help those new businesses grow." The airline industry believes that more regulations would help. IATA, which represents the worldwide airline industry, has lobbied for stronger international treaties to deter unruly behavior. The organization says gaps in the international conventions governing such offenses allow many unruly passengers to escape punishment. It wants, at a minimum, for authorities to clarify what constitutes unruly behavior and to reinforce the right of airlines to seek recovery of the significant costs of dealing with unruly passengers. But the very fact that the display which contains those awful lawn darts that maimed children of the 60s and 70s plus the model of the explosive Ford Pinto that was used in court to prove the deadly placement of the gas tanks exists tells us something about the idea that the reckless disregard for customer safety for businesses was mostly a thing of the past. Regardless of the year and time, the intent, or the context, these materials are hurtful and disturbing, and they do not embody the values of our community, Lawrence said Tuesday in a message to the university. In an effort to limit the damage and pain those depictions might cause in our community, I have decided that for the time being, we will not exhibit the entire collection of The Spinster digitally. While earning his doctorate at Harvard, Jack was regularly told that all impoverished students in college are pretty much the same. That was not what he saw at Amherst. When he began to research the matter, he found that where they went to high school was at least as important as how much money their parents had. We have been unequivocal in our public statements concerning the consequences of recent immigration policies that have a clear, direct and demonstrable impact on members of our university community, she continued. We remain steadfast in our commitment to supporting our international and DACA students, offering broad access and support to our students, faculty, and staff without regard to immigration status and providing exceptional care to immigrant and refugee populations in our hospitals and clinics in the United States and around the world. It wiped out the compromise from two years ago, Sen. Michael J. Hough (R-Frederick) said after the vote. The 2017 law raised the statute of limitations for civil sexual abuse cases, increasing the age victims can file from 25 to 38. It also included language some legal experts say makes it unconstitutional for state lawmakers to extend the statute of limitations again. Theres much more detailed information in it now, said McCarthy, adding that future reports would be modeled off this template. I think if the public then begins to say, who did you talk to, what did you do, and you wanted to know more of the details of the specifics of what was done, this spells it out. As he was negotiating with Yang, Mallory also approached ex-colleagues from his clandestine career and told them he was in touch with Chinese spies. He met with FBI agents and showed them the phone. But he claimed not to have taken any money or handed over any documents, and he appeared surprised when the messages he exchanged with Yang were visible. Geraci said the fast-moving blaze tore through neighboring townhomes, destroying five of them and damaging several others. In the aftermath of the fire, firefighters recovered two bodies that are being sent to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore to be examined and identified. According to Badgujars attorney, the officer said that as he drove near White who was on foot he saw White quickly put a hand in his pocket, walk away from the officers car and turn his body as if to hide what he was doing. The officer said he followed White, got out of his patrol car and called on White to stop because the officer intended to frisk him to see whether he had a weapon, the lawyer said. The Audi A8 By Nam Hyun-woo Audi, Volkswagen, Bentley and nearly half of imported car brands in Korea are refusing to introduce the Korean version of the U.S. lemon laws, according to industry officials Wednesday. According to a recent survey done by the Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice (CCEJ), 14 firms out of 24 import brands have yet to comply with the revised automobile management law. The recommendation is a volunteer scheme which carmakers can choose to accept or not. When a brand accepts it, it has to replace or refund recently purchased vehicles that repeatedly exhibit problems. In the CCEJ survey, conducted on March 13, nine brands including BMW, Mini, Jaguar, Land Rover, Infinity, Nissan, Toyota, Lexus and Volvo said they have decided to accept the scheme. Mercedes-Benz, which was categorized as refusing the rule, said it has recently decided to introduce the rule after consultation with the transport ministry. "It took time for us to have the ministry to look over our plan to introduce the Korean lemon law," a Mercedes-Benz Korea official said. "We will plan to implement the enhanced rule as soon as preparations are done." On the other hand, 14 brands are refusing to or are yet to decide whether to introduce the Korean version of the lemon law. They are Audi, Volkswagen, Bentley, Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, Lincoln, Maserati, Cadillac, Honda, Peugeot, Citroen and Porsche. Audi Volkswagen Korea, which handles the two brands and Bentley here, said nothing has been determined whether its brands will accept the recommendation, without elaborating further. The CCEJ said Honda, Ford and Lincoln said they are planning to introduce it in the near future. Five domestic carmakers said they have introduced or decided to accept the recommendation. Among them, GM Korea was categorized as a refusing firm in the CCEJ survey, but the firm later said it will introduce the rule as soon as possible. A police report says ShotSpotter, a device that detects gunshots, recorded 16 rounds fired in the incident. Officers called to the scene said in the report that the victim was struck once in the upper back as he walked in the 4600 block of 6th Street SE, steps from Galveston Street. Civil aviation authorities around the world were among the first to ground the planes, and analysts said they will play a bigger role than before in decisions about returning them to the skies. Some say the FAAs decision as the last of the major aviation safety authorities to ground the jets along with its close ties to Boeing may have cost it some credibility among its counterparts around the world. More than 30 relatives of those who died in the Lion Air crash have also sued Boeing and more lawsuits are expected, several aviation attorneys said. In the most recent claims tied to Lion Air, the families allege that Boeing failed to warn pilots and airlines about the MCAS problem on the Max aircraft. They also point to flaws in the certification process of the jetliner. It boosts truck registration fees and diesel tax rates as well as imposes a 2.1 percent regional motor fuels tax along the I-81 corridor. That will bring in $151 million a year for I-81, which can be leveraged with bonds to bankroll $2 billion in improvements. Other interstates across the state will also benefit, including $40 million a year for I-95 and $28 million for I-64. In addition, $20 million will go to Northern Virginia roads via the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority. The deal has received renewed media and legal scrutiny in recent months. In February, Judge Kenneth A. Marra of the Federal District Court in West Palm Beach ruled that the failure by Acostas office to notify victims in advance of the deal prevented the victims from being able to exercise their legal right to object before the deal took effect. Marra has set a deadline of May 10 for attorneys for two victims, who filed the lawsuit that led to the ruling, and attorneys for Epstein to propose an alternative deal. A customer tries a variety of teas at a Starbucks Coffee shop in Hanam. / Courtesy of Starbucks Coffee Korea By Kwak Yeon-soo Starbucks and other coffee franchises here are rushing to introduce a wider range of tea-based options to increase sales as coffee consumption appears to have reached saturation point, industry analysts said Thursday. According to Korea Customs Service data, volumes of imported coffee fell to 143,000 tons in 2018, down 1.8 percent from the previous year. Coffee imports had been rising steadily in recent years, with inbound shipments reaching 145,600 tons in 2017, up from 41,000 tons in 2016 and 128,000 tons in 2015, the data showed. The vast majority of Korea's coffee is imported. I am very surprised and disappointed that there are all these restrictions, said the brain researcher, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid jeopardizing his relationships at NIH. He said he worked at NIH from 2009 to 2014 on an H-1B visa and had been invited to speak on his specialty last week. As recently as two months ago, he said, he had no problem entering the campus. The conservative government introduced the legislation in response to the March 15 attacks in the city of Christchurch in which the gunman used a helmet-mounted camera to broadcast live on Facebook as he shot worshipers in two mosques. Its too early to tell how much further change will go. The constitution calls for new elections within 90 days, but if the political system is not reformed, the protests appear likely to continue. For now, those with interests in the Middle East ought to take some lessons starting with the Trump administration. President Trump has bet on the regions latest generation of dictators, including Saudi Arabias Mohammed bin Salman and Egypts Abdel Fatah al-Sissi, even as they have pursued the most brutal repression in their nations modern histories. Yet Egypt and Saudi Arabia are not looking stable: The regimes have failed to offer workable economic solutions, especially for the swelling youth population. Many have noted the historical irony in opioid imports from China fueling an addiction crisis in the West: Its a role reversal from the Victorian Age, when China faced an opium scourge fueled by British drug traders. While of academic interest, this history was of no contemporary policy relevance and certainly no kind of reason for the current rulers in Beijing to have turned a blind eye to the problem for as long as they did. Let it be remembered that the Xi government pledged to help during the waning days of the Obama administration, which announced on Sept. 3, 2016, that there would be enhanced measures in conjunction with the Chinese government to combat the supply of fentanyl and its analogues to the United States. Nothing happened. Both sides have chipped away at this right to filibuster in recent years. Democrats restricted it for circuit-court judges in 2013 (a move that, I wrote at the time, they would come to deeply regret), and McConnells Republicans restricted it for Supreme Court justices in 2017. But McConnell has now significantly escalated, reducing the right to delay consideration of judicial or low-level executive nominees to two hours from the current 30. Its clearly just a matter of time a few years, perhaps until this leads to the complete abolition of the filibuster for everything, including legislation. This will further destabilize a federal government that has suffered many such blows during the past two years. Whether termed solitary confinement, disciplinary segregation or something else, it is almost always the same thing and produces the same disturbing and, too often, grave consequences. Individuals are confined alone in roughly 7-by-11-foot concrete cells for up to 23 hours a day with little human contact and no access to natural light. For as few as 60 minutes a day, they are allowed out of their cells to pace about another concrete area no larger than a dog run. In some cases, its outdoors; in others, not. This punishment is meted out for reasons ranging from disobeying an officers order to violent assaults on staff, and it can last anywhere from 24 hours to years. Most facilities make no accommodation for detainees suffering from severe mental illness. HAVING BUMBLED his way through a racial scandal mainly of his own creation, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) promised in February to elevate racial equity to the top of his agenda. Two months later, he has undertaken some deeds and made some gestures to fulfill that goal, all of them subverted by an unanswered question: If, as Mr. Northam says, he was neither the individual dressed as a Ku Klux Klansman nor the one in blackface in the photograph on his medical-school yearbook page, then how did that image get there, and whom does it depict? What individual departments do know is what is happening right in front of them. Chicago, for instance, used to see one or two police suicides annually, First Deputy Superintendent Anthony Riccio says. In the second half of last year, there were six, and already in 2019, there have been three. Riccio choked up as he told of a female officer who showed up for roll call, then went out to her patrol car to take her life. That is not the right way to go. Facebook already has rules. Theyre called terms of service. The platform should own them, rather than ask someone else to. That will require rethinking whats acceptable in response to tragedies such as the New Zealand shootings, and it will require working with academics, advocates and anyone else who has an interest in grooming the worlds information landscape. It will require transparency reports and appeals processes, like those Facebook is already refining. And, of course, it will require taking public positions on touchy topics and accepting the criticism that comes along. For platforms such as Facebook, thats part of the job. It is clear that the humanitarian crisis at our southern border has its source in the violence and poverty of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. The only lasting way to address the crisis is through a Marshall Plan for the Northern Triangle. The United States, during the 12-year civil war in El Salvador, supported the Salvadoran military that was implicated in the deaths of St. Oscar Romero, six Jesuit priests and four church-affiliated American women. The 26th Amendment, approved in 1971, which let 18-year-olds vote, was the last to get through in a conventional way. The fluky 27th Amendment, ratified in 1992, had been sent to the states in 1789. It bars a sitting Congress from raising its own pay and was approved only after Gregory Watson, a sophomore at the University of Texas, discovered in the 1980s that it was still out there. Many Christians employed the Bible to defend slavery, but in the late 18th century some Enlightenment science also purported to prove black racial inequality. The Constitution did not recognize the full personhood of African Americans. One of the early acts of the new republic was to restrict citizenship to white males. In 1854, the California Supreme Court invoked a California state law that said, no black or mulatto person, or Indian, shall be allowed to give evidence in favor of, or against a white man. In 1857, the U.S. Supreme Court determined that blacks have no rights which the white man was bound to respect. There are others, however, whom the center hasnt yet been able to help. Arnold Coleman, another of the centers clients, faces a $3,000 debt from compounded impound fees assessed when his car was confiscated by the police after a traffic stop. According to the Baltimore City Department of Transportation, towing charges are $130 to $140, plus an initial storage charge of $50, an administrative fee of $40 and impound charges of $15 a day. Coleman decided to abandon his car at the impound lot because he couldnt afford to get it out, but the city went after him anyway. He carries with him a crumpled invoice from the city, which he pulls from his pocket. For him, the challenges are much bigger than not being able to drive. How do I save $3,000 and pay my rent and help my mother out? he said. I guess I have to pick up an extra job and work harder and see if I can work it out. I did the math on this yesterday. If I pay $50 a month, Ill be paying this thing for at least three years; if I do $100 a month, itll be at least two years. Im reluctant to comment on another persons faith, but I would say it is hard to look at this presidents actions and believe that theyre the actions of somebody who believes in God, Buttigieg said. I just dont understand how you can be as worshipful of your own self as he is and be prepared to humble yourself before God. Ive never seen him humble himself before anyone. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi questioned whether a health-care proposal embraced by several Democratic presidential candidates would be too expensive and fail to provide the same coverage as the Affordable Care Act. Instead, Pelosi (D-Calif.) suggested Thursday that she would rather build on the 2010 law and is yet to be convinced the Medicare-for-all proposal pushed by many liberals would achieve its purported goals. Im agnostic. Show me how you think you can get there, Pelosi said in an interview with The Washington Post. We all share the value of health care for all Americans quality, affordable health care for all Americans. What is the path to that? I think its the Affordable Care Act, and if that leads to Medicare-for-all, that may be the path. She also suggested that Medicare-for-all had become more of a buzzword among political activists in the run-up to the 2020 campaign, a loosely defined concept that few people understood in concrete terms. When most people say theyre for Medicare-for-all, I think they mean health care for all. Lets see what that means. A lot of people love having their employer-based insurance and the Affordable Care Act gave them better benefits, said Pelosi, who shepherded the ACA through Congress in 2009 and 2010 in her first speakership. Her comments come as President Trump abandoned plans to press for a vote on a bill to replace the increasingly more popular ACA, often called Obamacare, ahead of next years election, as Republicans have had little appetite to take on an issue that benefited Democrats politically. View Graphic Where 2020 candidates stand on Medicare-for-all and other health-care issues [Trump abandons plan for pre-election vote on health care after talking to McConnell] Pelosis remarks served as the strongest words of caution from a senior Democrat about a policy proposal that is serving as an ideological fault line on the campaign trail and among her own caucus. Republicans also have sought to use Medicare-for-all as a cudgel against the Democrats. Medicare-for-all, once seen as a far-off hope of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) in his 2016 presidential campaign, is now the focus of legislation co-sponsored by more than 100 House Democrats. Rising stars such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) have linked arms with veteran liberals in the caucus to promote the legislation. Sanders is again touting Medicare-for-all in his second presidential bid, this time followed by other top contenders such as Sens. Kamala D. Harris (D-Calif.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) who have expressed support for the plan. But Republicans, and more-cautious Democrats, have warned that the proposal would end the health-care plans of 180 million Americans whose insurance coverage comes from their private employers, most of whom like their current plans. Just days after announcing her bid, Harris had to backtrack from a comment that she was ready to move on from private insurance and eliminate all of that. Pelosi said Thursday that there would need to be a long runway to move toward Medicare-for-all and that the ACA is a key mechanism to starting a national insurance plan. I dont think you can say, Lets get rid of the Affordable Care Act so we can have Medicare-for-all, because you cant get to Medicare-for-all unless you have some of the resources of the Affordable Care Act, she said. So well have hearings, again, lets see what it is. Right now its a $30 trillion price tag. What do people get for that in terms of care, and what do they pay for that along the way? Pelosi this year promised the leaders of the Congressional Progressive Caucus hearings on single-payer health care in the Rules and Budget committees, but liberal lawmakers want more and have lobbied her for hearings in the powerful Ways and Means Committee and even a floor vote leading to frustration in some corners. I, myself, am more concerned about getting a vote for Medicare-for-all, Ocasio-Cortez told reporters last week. Liberal leaders have also confronted Pelosi about her top health-care staffer, Wendell Primus. In meetings with health industry officials, Primus has opposed the idea of Medicare-for-all, according to reports at the Intercept and Politico. Pelosi defended her veteran staffer in the interview. Wendell is not a member of Congress; Wendell is probably the most progressive staff person on Capitol Hill, she said, noting that Primus left the Clinton administration because they passed the so-called welfare reform bill, which I voted against. One liberal House leader, Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), viewed Pelosis comments as more of a challenge than a dismissal. He said Pelosi is just being pragmatic and is absolutely right that Medicare needs to be improved to include things like dental and vision insurance and long-term care. Khanna also agreed that liberals need to make the case to voters that Medicare-for-all is good for the country, predicting that they will in this Congress and that Pelosi will eventually give them a floor vote on the idea. I believe we will meet the high bar that Nancy Pelosi has set, he said. We can make the case. Pelosi has powerful allies in her bid to focus the party on the ACA, not Medicare-for-all. Last month, she orchestrated a meeting between the massive class of freshman Democrats and former president Barack Obama, who cautioned members about the price tag associated with some of the bold policy ideas popular in their ranks. Obama didnt specifically name Medicare-for-all, but people in the room said his warnings were clearly aimed at the proposal. He argued that such policy ideas could require tax increases, and he urged members to think carefully about those costs and be transparent about them with voters. [Obama cautions freshman House Democrats about the price tag of liberal policies] At a low political moment in early 2010, as some Obama advisers recommended pulling back from the ACA, Pelosi served as the leading advocate to go full speed ahead and pass the law. It is her greatest legislative accomplishment in either tenure as speaker, but the ACA was unpopular nine years ago and contributed to the 2010 midterm debacle in which she lost the majority. Last year, after Republicans failed to repeal the law and it grew more popular, Pelosi rallied Democrats around the ACA and its protections for essential benefits, leading to a net gain of 40 seats and the majority. On Thursday, Pelosi said Medicare as it exists does not provide enough coverage and would need to undergo a costly overhaul before it could replace many of the private insurance plans. Medicare is not as good a health benefit as the Affordable Care Act, she said. So, if you are to do Medicare-for-all you have to improve the package and when you improve the package, you have to have more money. Biden allies defend his refusal to apologize for actions he said were not meant to be offensive, and they point toward women who have rushed to his defense. But if he decides to enter the presidential race, Bidens limited response will test whether Democratic voters are willing to accept a candidate who not only has held positions or done things that have fallen out of favor but has yet to fully answer for them. To make it even more complicated, Bidens actions have touched most directly two giant Democratic constituencies, blacks and women. Young is not the first politician to use physical aggression or threats against a reporter in recent years. In 2017, Rep. Greg Gianforte (R-Mont.), then a congressional candidate, body slammed a reporter from the Guardian and broke his glasses. Former congressman Michael G. Grimm (R-N.Y.) threatened in 2014 to throw a reporter off the balcony they were standing on and told him he would break him in half, like a boy. I think this country is divided. I think were not focused on the issues that people are really concerned about how theyre going to have retirement security, how theyre going to have enough to make their house payment, Ryan said in an interview with Fox News Channel in late February. Yet even as Trump backed off his threat, he was still facing a pressing challenge over how to respond to the escalating number of families at the border. CBP officials have said the agency is so overwhelmed that it has begun immediately releasing migrants into the country to await their immigration court hearings, a process that can take more than a year because of major backlogs. This refusal of the White House to cooperate with this investigation, combined with the arrest earlier this week and other allegations of easy access to the President and his family at Mar-a-Lago, mean that at least one key question remains open: is the White House appropriately reviewing and making the correct recommendations regarding which individuals are granted access to the President, at Mar-a-Lago and elsewhere? Warren, a 2020 presidential contender, and Lynch, who chairs a House panel on national security, said in the letter. This statement, that seems very anodyne and something that is kind of, nobody could be against, actually wound up being used to devalue what the Black Lives Matter movement was telling us, which is what we needed to hear, Buttigieg said, adding that he stopped using the phrase after he learned it was being used to push back on that activism. One thing I brag about is how close residents are to one another, Thomas said. We look out for one another, have community events regularly, and nearly each time I walk out my front door, I see and greet a neighbor by their first name. I grew up in Iowa and lived in a suburban community there after college. I know more of my neighbors in D.C. than I did in Iowa. We at Boeing are sorry for the lives lost in the recent 737 MAX accidents, chief executive Dennis A. Muilenburg said. These tragedies continue to weigh heavily on our hearts and minds, and we extend our sympathies to the loved ones of the passengers and crew on board Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302. All of us feel the immense gravity of these events across our company and recognize the devastation of the families and friends of the loved ones who perished. An expedited select-committee process has prompted complaints by groups and individuals who oppose the changes and argue that the accelerated procedure has curtailed a full debate on the issue. They were given just one day to make oral submissions to the committee. Gohara said the law allows prosecutors to confiscate evidence relating to the new charges. But he said that taking away documents at a time when the preparations for Ghosns defense would have been at their most intense was neither fair nor a sensible application of the law, and made it seem that prosecutors were trying to obstruct the defense. His controversial plan to remove the Islamic religious trust that administers the al-Aqsa Mosque compound the raised esplanade that Israelis call the Temple Mount and that also houses the Dome of the Rock is the only way to bring peace to Jerusalem, he said. The site is revered by Jews, Muslims and Christians. Feiglin even has said that given the chance he would build a third Jewish Temple on the site where two Jewish temples once stood. He was promptly held in contempt by the Senate and taken into custody by the Sergeant at Arms, although rumor has it that he was held at the Willard Hotel. The Supreme Court, in an opinion by Justice Louis Brandeis, ultimately upheld Congresss inherent power to do just what it had done. The resolution passed in the Senate last month with the support of seven Republicans. Thursdays action in the House marked the first time both chambers have voted to invoke the same war-powers resolution to end U.S. military engagement in a foreign conflict and is the latest instance of Congresss challenging Trumps decisions as commander in chief, though it united Republicans and Democrats far less than similar reproaches concerning the administrations postures toward Syria, Afghanistan and NATO. Given the extraordinary public interest in the matter, the Attorney General decided to release the reports bottom-line findings and his conclusions immediately without attempting to summarize the report with the understanding that the report itself would be released after the redaction process, she said. As the Attorney General stated in his March 29th letter to [Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.)], he does not believe the report should be released in serial or piecemeal fashion. The Department continues to work with the Special Counsel on appropriate redactions to the report so that it can be released to the Congress and the public. In his opening remarks and comments to reporters at the end of the meeting, Pompeo returned to the theme of defense spending, saying that all members need to boost their budgets. He rejected what he called tired arguments from leaders who say that their voters will not support it. Humanitarian aid to Venezuela has been slow, compared with the need, because of the intransigence of President Nicolas Maduro who has blamed deprivations on U.S. sanctions and refused to allow anything beyond a trickle of assistance to enter the country and the reluctance of some donors to allow assistance to be distributed by the Maduro government. Egypt's aviation ministry has refused to comment on a French report claiming that the 2016 crash of an EgyptAir Paris-Cairo flight that killed 66 people on board was a result of a lack of maintenance. A report by two experts commissioned by the French justice ministry and reported by Reuters on Tuesday claimed there were recurring defects during the aircraft's five flights before the crash and that pilots did not record the faults. The report said that Egypt's flagship carrier EgyptAir had not properly assessed the technical condition of the plane and that it should not have taken off from Cairo. On Wednesday, Egypt's aviation ministry said it would not comment on the findings as the matter is still being investigated by prosecutors. "The aviation ministry affirms it is keen not to provide any technical information related to the accident as the investigation has been referred to the public prosecution, the ministry said in a statement, adding that only prosecutors can give information about the matter. The French report claimed that defects found during the flights included errors with the engines powering the plane's pressurisation system and the triggering of the smoke detector in the toilet and of electrical circuit breakers. "The improper application of the procedures and instructions doesn't allow EgyptAir to properly assess the technical condition of the aircraft at the time of departure from Charles-de-Gaulle," the report said. "The expertise shows that this aircraft should have been checked during the previous four flights and should not have left Cairo after the recurring defects, but it was not reported by successive crews," the experts report added. Egyptian investigators had not published their final report on the crash. In July 2018, Egypts public prosecution denied reports that a cockpit fire may have caused the crash as claimed by the French BEA air accident and reiterated that forensic information had shown traces of explosive materials on the victims bodies. It said at the time that it was still conducting investigations in cooperation with the French side. BEA had earlier said it was ready to resume work with Egyptian authorities if they were to resume work on the probe. Twelve of those killed in the crash in May 2016 were French nationals. Search Keywords: Short link: When The Bishops School student Lianna Treitler, 17, was nine years old, attending a David Archuleta concert could have been the highlight of her young life. But, while attending the show with her father, Marc, she said she only noticed one thing: Daddy drank the whole time. While she was trying to enjoy the concert, she told La Jolla Light: I kept seeing him go to the beer line. When we got home, my mom asked me how the concert was and all I said was daddy drank the whole time. When my mom told my dad that, he said he knew he needed help. Soon after, Liannas father went to rehab for his alcoholism issues, and is now sober. As part of his recovery, the father-daughter-duo wrote a book delving into both sides of having alcoholism in the family. My Dad is an Alcoholic: What about me? co-authored by Lianna Treitler Courtesy My Dad is an Alcoholic: What about me? and Alcohol, Drugs and You: A young persons guide to avoiding addiction were published in 2016 and 2018 respectively. It started as a family project, Lianna said. My dad encouraged me to write about the experience as a way to heal, and as a lesson to my brother and me about the dangers of drinking and substance abuse. In sharing our stories, we realized there was a much greater need. At first, the family shared their writings with relatives and close friends. When I showed it to my friends, they often said they had a family member who was an alcoholic, too. We realized how many people related to what we were saying. Co-written by Lianna and her dad, the books explain what addiction is, and how common are the distressed feelings one can experience from living in that environment as a child. Because she was a child at the peak of her fathers addiction, Lianna said she feels lucky to not remember much of his behavior. But I do remember there was a heated environment in the house; my brother and I would go off and play and we would hear screaming and yelling. I remember times when my dad would get angry and not be himself; it was really tense a lot, she said. As a child, I didnt understand things on a deeper level, but I knew something was wrong. I didnt know what alcoholism was, but my dad became a different person. Now I know that was because he was drinking, and I didnt like the change. As such, she wanted to direct the books to young people. This book is written for you not for your parents, not for your teachers, not for any adult. For you. Because your mom or dad is an alcoholic, opens My Dad is an Alcoholic. It also delves into what Lianna calls the alcoholic gene. Within the introduction of My Dad is an Alcoholic, the family writes: Addiction is carried in a familys genes just as eye color, height or heart disease is. If someone is a drug addict or an alcoholic, the chances are that one of the persons parents was also an addict. (However, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism said it isnt quite so simple, reporting that research shows that genes are responsible for about half of the risk for alcohol use disorder [AUD]. Therefore, genes alone do not determine whether someone will develop AUD. Environmental factors, as well as gene and environment interactions account for the remainder of the risk.) In addition to the book about her fathers disease, Lianna contributed to an additional book that talks to young people about avoiding drugs and alcohol altogether. I want other kids and teens to know they are not alone, she said. So in the books I write, You dont have to activate that gene, you can live your life normally. Any kid who is worried about it, doesnt have to follow in their addict parents footsteps. I write about peer pressure, and how it can be scary to say no (to alcohol). In my experience, theres a lot of power in saying no and staying true to yourself. I also tell people that alcoholism runs in my family and they respect that. I may or may not have (the alcoholic gene), but it can be better to stay away and not try alcohol in the first place. It might run in my family, but it is stopping with me. For as long as she has lived in San Diego, friends of Lijun Lily Zhou have asked her to run for public office. I always said no, because I knew nothing about politics, just business, she told La Jolla Light. But in March, at the Asian Pacific American Coalition gala, someone asked her again. I said no, no, no, Zhou insisted, but the person next to me encouraged me, and I realized there were no women running for the District 1 City Council seat. I see opportunities everywhere and I think God gives everyone individual talent that just needs someone to discover and develop, so (eventually) I decided to say yes. The registered Independent, entrepreneur and UTC resident has filed to run for the seat in the 2020 election. Over the last few decades, Zhou has started her own businesses (beginning with a restaurant when she was 23), and ever since, she starts and sells them. In 2009, she started ZMedia to inspire young minds to become entrepreneurs and leaders. Locally, she founded the Start-Biz Club at the La Jolla Library in January 2017, through which entrenpreneurs with inventions or business concepts can pitch them to an audience, field questions and receive tips on how to grow their ideas. The group still meets monthly, and is doing great, Zhou said, and now she brings in senior citizens to provide their feedback. They have so much wisdom, and they mentor the entrepreneurs. It gives both parties a sense of value and purpose. Zhou also sits on the planning committee for the San Diego Kyoto Prize Symposium, which brings the prize laureates to San Diego each March for community events and lectures. She said the key to her candidacy will be bringing innovative solutions to day-to-day problems, and without providing too many specifics, said she would like to focus on reducing homelessness, promoting business, supporting the environment, repairing infrastructure, encouraging community spirit and mitigating the presence of electric scooters. Addressing electric scooter proliferation, she said: Thats where my entrepreneurial background can come in. I would create a set of rules, to which companies must apply. I would also support fines and regulations for parking scooters in areas where they are not supposed to be. I had a student, who was riding a scooter hit, by another scooter-rider because the other rider was texting. I would make it so that if both hands are not on the handles, the machine will not move. Zhou said she passionately feels that many District 1 issues could be solved with the community coming together in activism. I want to inspire people to get up, get involved, and see what they can do for their community, she said. For example, if something needs to be fixed right away, like potholes, we need to find a way to get them fixed. If the City says we dont have the budget or the resources, Id work with my constituents to figure out what we could do together (to fix the potholes), and I would plan, every day, to work with the people. I know theres a solution to everything, its just a matter of how fast we are executing it. So many of our problems could be solved quickly if we think creatively. If someone is not happy with something in their community, I want to help fix that, because thats what life is all about: happiness, prosperity and hope. She added that shes inspired by her three grown children. I want to teach them how to be of value to society, Zhou said. So by me running this campaign, regardless of the outcome, Im showing them the value of growing and learning. Im also documenting this process because something in this is going to help someone else learn or inspire them to do something with their lives. In her candidacy thus far which she said would not be marred with fliers and signage Zhou said she is doing the footwork and laying the groundwork. Im getting to know the people of this District and familiarizing myself with the issues within the District, she said. I just want people to walk this journey with me. A campaign website is in development, but Zhou can be reached through her Facebook page Lily City Council Woman 2020. Election season has begun. In less than one year, residents of District 1 will have the opportunity to vote in the San Diego City Council primary election (March 3, 2020). District 1 includes La Jolla, Carmel Valley, Del Mar Mesa, Pacific Highlands Ranch, Torrey Hills, Torrey Pines and University City. All of the candidates who have filed so far have been interviewed by the La Jolla Light and their profiles can be read online at lajollalight.com Boeing chief executive Dennis Muilenburg apologised Thursday for the tragedies in which crashes of Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft in Indonesia and Ethiopia killed 346 people, in a letter made public on the company's website. Boeing chief Dennis Muilenburg. Credit:Bloomberg In his most extensive comments on the subject to date, Muilenburg acknowledged distinct similarities between the two events, including the implication certain Boeing equipment issues. Muilenburg recognised the role in both crashes of a Boeing-approved flight system, called Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System. In certain dangerous situations, MCAS can cause pilots to lose control of an aircraft in response to erroneous data from the plane's external sensors. His comments followed the release of the preliminary report about the March 10 Ethiopian Airlines crash that killed everyone on the flight. Ethiopia's transport minister said the crew had "performed all the procedures, repeatedly, provided by the manufacturer but was not able to control the aircraft." A Qantas flight attendant was sacked after she drank a quarter of a bottle of vodka during a flight from Sydney to Johannesburg. The Fair Work Commission dismissed her claim that she was unfairly sacked in October last year after she admitted to drinking a quarter of a one-litre bottle of vodka mixed with soda water on the flight in July last year. A Qantas flight attendant was sacked after drinking a quarter of a one-litre bottle of vodka during a flight from Sydney to Johannesburg last year. The commission heard that she was employed in a safety critical role and was removed from her duties before landing after she consumed alcohol belonging to her employer. The commission heard she drank the vodka quickly to avoid detection while on her own in the front galley. She tested positive for an alcohol breath test after she arrived in Johannesburg. The attendant also admitted she had misled the investigation into whether or not she had consumed her employers alcohol by insisting she had bought it from a duty-free store before boarding the flight. She was worried that she would lose her job if she was honest about drinking her employers alcohol on board. Deputy President Geoffrey Bull did not accept the argument that her conduct was not a valid reason for dismissal. She argued her sacking was disproportionate to her misconduct and that it had failed to take adequate consideration of her 31 years of good service. Of all the matters put forward on her behalf alleging unfairness, Mr Bull said he considered the length of her good service "as the most compelling". However, the attendant had occupied "a safety sensitive position and for good reason was prohibited from consuming alcohol during a flight". He said there was nothing to suggest the dismissal was unfair and that her dishonesty about the source of the vodka was another valid reason for the sacking. Qantas policies prohibit the consumption of alcohol while on duty and consider the unauthorised removal of property as serious misconduct. Fresh claims of bullying have been made against Macquarie Media's 2GB radio host Ray Hadley, who remains adamant his behaviour has changed. On Wednesday, an ABC 7.30 report interviewed three former 2GB staff members and one political adviser who all claimed they had experienced intimidation and bullying by the Sydney shock jock. "As a human being, I think he's a bully. I think he thrives on intimidation yelling and screaming," said ABC Grandstand presenter Andrew Moore, who has known Hadley for 35 years and worked as a former rugby league commentator at 2GB. When Moore complained to 2GB management about treatment he'd received, he said that the matter ended up in Hadley's hands and was used as material for his show. He advised people living nearby to take shelter indoors. "Let me be clear, all smoke is toxic. We have issued a number of community warnings," Mr Stephens said. Residents in Broadmeadows, Pascoe Vale and Coburg have been advised to take shelter indoors immediately and seven nearby schools have closed. All roads around the factory have been closed. Fire authorities say residents should close vents, turn off heating and cooling systems and bring pets indoors. One witness, a welder who was working in the factory next door on Friday morning when the blaze started, reported seeing a fireball about 40-storeys high after he and fellow workers made a quick escape. "About 6.50am we heard someone yelling, 'get out'. Then we saw the roof [next door] on fire. There were a large stack of barrels, probably eight barrels stacked next to the fence," said Alexander Powell, 28. "Then I saw a fireball about 40 storeys high ... I saw a barrel flying in the air, it took off like a rocket," he said. "I could feel the radiant heat bearing down on me." Welder Alexander Powell, who was working next door to the toxic waste factory on Friday morning, saw a fireball about 40 storeys high. Credit:Paul Jeffers Firefighters are using more than 30 trucks and water bombers to fight the blaze. Mr Powell said he was concerned the fire could be heading towards another factory nearby that contains a large gas tank. "I had a firefighter telling me it's out of control; it's moving towards another factory which has a 20,000 litre tank of LPG." About 30 people are believed to have evacuated the factory before firefighters arrived and one man was taken by ambulance to the Royal Eye and Ear Hospital with an eye injury. The factory at the centre of fire is listed to Bradbury Industrial Services, which had its licence suspended by the Environment Protection Authority about two weeks ago. Bradbury's website says the company are experts in the disposal of industrial waste and hazardous waste. Aerial shots of smoke plumes from the Campbellfield fire. Credit:Nine News Details are starting to emerge about the state of the Campbellfield chemical waste disposal facility when it was inspected by a taskforce comprising the EPA and emergency services in early March. Sources say the surprise inspection on March 13 found leaking containers and spilled chemicals on the factory floor. The breaches have been described as "extremely alarming" given that employees were onsite and working near the contamination. The EPA issued a "show cause" notice to Bradbury about its permit breaches and then suspended its licence when Bradbury failed to meet its demands. The community has a right to expect that the management of hazardous and industrial waste is done to a high standard that meets regulations. This was not the case with Bradbury and is why EPA has taken this important decision," EPA chief executive Dr Cathy Wilkinson said in a statement at the time. The EPA found the company was storing more waste than permitted, and that storage containers were not adequately handled and were outside an adequately contained area. Another aerial shot of the blaze. Credit:Nine News Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews on Friday said he was prepared to tighten chemical storage laws. If there is improvement that can come from the experience of this fire of course we stand ready, in partnership with our emergency services, to make whatever changes we need to make, he said. But this is not a suspicious fire. Environment Minister Lily DAmbrosio said the EPA had been handed stronger powers to prevent toxic disasters, which would kick in next year. Ms DAmbrosio said emergency services agencies had acted quickly to contain the fire to the site and bring it under control. Theres been a really good collaborative approach right across agencies and theyll continue to work together. The fire comes as authorities investigate a massive illicit toxic dumping operation across Melbourne's northern suburbs, where up to 19 million litres of waste has been stockpiled. Firefighters at the factory in Thornycroft Road, Campbellfield. Credit:Paul Jeffers Eight warehouses were discovered in Epping and Campbellfield on December 28, before WorkSafe and Environment Protection Authority investigators uncovered another three in Campbellfield in early March, and another warehouse in Campbellfield about two weeks ago. Authorities have been on high alert since last August when a West Footscray factory, stockpiled with toxic waste, went up in flames and burned for three days. At least 15 fire trucks from the MFB are attending the Campbellfield fire, as well as 10 CFA trucks. Factory worker Pip earlier told 3AW he was watching the fire from a nearby street. "I'm at my factory and ... in the next street there is a massive factory fire, I'm standing here watching it and there are still explosions happening. Flames 30 metres in the air, fireys coming from everywhere," he said. "The intensity of the fire is enormous, smoke going everywhere. "I don't know what's in that factory but there are a lot of explosions," he said. The MFB says people travelling in or around the area can expect to see flames and black smoke, and traffic may also be affected. Motorists travelling through the area have been advised to keep their windows closed, or avoid the area if possible. The MFB's Mr Stephens said the fire had grown very quickly by the time firefighters arrived. "The incident escalated to an eighth alarm, that's over 40 appliances and 100 firefighters. Thirty workers at the premise were evacuated and MFB firefighters conducted an aggressive and assertive attack to surround the incident, to prevent the spread to the surrounding properties. He said they were still establishing the cause and origin of the fire. "My understanding is that evacuation was taken place at the time of the first arriving MFB appliances on scene." Mr Stephens would not say what material was inside the factory. "The inventory of the factory at this point I cannot comment on definitively but what we do know that there were numerous hazardous materials contained in the factory including flammable liquids." Mr Stephens said firefighters had not entered the building as it is made of tilt slabs, which can collapse suddently. "We are not going to risk the life of firefighters... by putting them into the building where there is a possibility of structural collapse," he said. "This incident is likely to last for a number of days while we get in, make the building safe and then fully extinguish the fire," he said. Plumes of smoke from a factory fire in Campbellfield on the approach to Melbourne early on Friday. Credit:Paul Jeffers EPA staff are at the blaze and assisting with air monitoring in the area. The education department says these schools are closed because of the fire: Dallas North Primary School Broadmeadows Primary School Hume Central Secondary College Dimboola Road Campus Home Central Secondary College English Language Campus Meadow Heights Primary School Holy Child Catholic Primary School Dallas St Thomas More Primary School Corpus Christi School, Glenroy Corpus Christi principal Stephen Lucardie said smoke was hovering around the school, with "almost an orange fog", earlier in the morning. "We made a call for the best interests of the children and staff," Mr Lucardie told The Age. Holy Child Primary School principal Alan Smith said thick plumes of smoke were hovering over the Dallas school, and students had been told to start their school holidays a day early. He has beaten me up, punched me in the stomach, kicked me and spat at me. I have to restrain him but I struggle. It breaks my heart. Matt slapped his brother so hard the toddler was left with a red handprint on his back. Within the first eight weeks of this term, the Year 3 student has been at school just 10 days and was suspended after attacking the deputy principal and two education assistants. Just this year Matt has been taken to Rockingham Hospital twice, Fiona Stanley Hospital once and the Perth Childrens Hospital three times. Most recently the young boy ended up in the psychiatric ward at PCH after trying to kill himself outside Rockingham Hospital. On March 19, after seeing a private paediatrician at Rockingham, staff tried taking Matts blood to have it tested, but he refused and ended up spitting at the nurses and threw his shoes at them. He then ran outside in front of cars trying to kill himself and I couldnt catch up to him, Rachel said. He was saying he wanted to die. It was scary. An off-duty paramedic saw Matt bolt in front of cars and grabbed the boy from harm's way before getting him in to his mothers car. Matt (8) with mum Rachel. Credit:Lauren Pilat Matt jumped out of the car and made another run for it, at which point Rachel rang police in fear her son would be hit by oncoming traffic. Rachel said it took six police officers to catch and restrain the boy, pinning him to the ground before taking him back to Rockingham Hospital. The police said their hands were tied because he was eight, but had he been 10 he would have been arrested for assault for the way he was attacking and spitting at them, she said. He was put in a paddy wagon and taken up to Rockingham Hospital where we were put in a room with security guards to make sure he didnt get out. They ended up having to sedate him and gave him two needles to knock him out. Matt was later transferred to PCH and admitted to the psych ward where he spent a week after Rachel expressed concerns her son had bipolar. Theres a strong family link of bipolar on his dads side and he definitely has traits of the disorder, which was confirmed when we went to the Complex Attention and Hyperactivity Disorder Service at Murdoch University last year, but he hasnt been diagnosed with it, she said. "There's also family history of substance abuse and depression, I believe his mental health concerns are greater than what he's been diagnosed for. It was hard and sad having to leave my child at the psych ward every day, Ive never left him with anyone else other than my mum." If he doesnt get the help he needs, something tragic will happen and I do not want to bury my little boy. Matt's mother Rachel Matt left PCH on March 26, with his discharge summary stating throughout his admission he consistently demonstrated poor frustration tolerance, with rapid escalation of anger including threatening behaviours when his perceived needs were not met. On admission, Matt was taking prescribed antidepressants which were stopped once in PCH. He hasnt been on any medication since leaving PCH, but at one point in Matts life Rachel said he was taking five different prescribed tablets a day to calm his behaviour. Nothing seemed to work. During his violent outbursts, Matt has vandalised his family home, including punching holes in the walls. I dont want the labels just to be an excuse for his behaviour, there is something more going on with him that needs to be addressed," his mother said. Counselling at Anglicare in Rockingham has seemed to be one of the only things weve tried that has helped, but those appointments are once a fortnight. Medication is my absolute last option, and for me to say he needs to go back on medication now is a big thing, we just have to get the right diagnosis and dosage of medicine to make sure things improve. Rachel is desperate to get the help her son needs to ensure her nightmare of losing a son wont end up a reality. Im absolutely desperate to get the correct help he urgently requires if he doesnt get the help he needs, something tragic will happen and I do not want to bury my little boy. According to the 2015 Report on the Second Australian Child and Adolescent Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing, about one in seven (13.9 per cent) four to 17-year-olds had mental disorders. ADHD was the most common disorder reported, followed by anxiety, major depressive disorder and conduct disorder. Murdoch Psychology Child Clinic director Dr Renita Almeida said based on that same report, about one in 13 (7.5 per cent) 12-17-year-olds had seriously considered suicide in the previous 12 months, and one in 20 had made a plan. Loading The report excluded children under 12 who had considered suicide. A Perth university has warned the person on campus responsible for setting up an "offensive" Wi-Fi network could face disciplinary action. According to the University of Western Australias student guild, there have been multiple instances of a network cropping up on their Crawley campus nicknamed 'Mosque Shooter 2'. Students and teachers who were affected by the network have been encouraged to speak to the UWA counselling service. Credit:Bohdan Warchomij Wi-Fi hotspots can be used to connect to the internet on mobile devices, tablets and laptops through one device, and enable a user to nickname their network. The nickname is visible to anyone within a certain radius who also attempts to connect to the internet. Australia has had five different prime ministers over the past decade. Who really knows whats going to happen in the next year, let alone 10? Its true, last year we did announce tax cuts totalling $144 billion over a decade. Ha! On a closer look, only a very small fraction of that actually hit hip pockets over the budgets four-year horizon. Loading The same is true of the $158 billion in tax cuts I announce tonight. Most of it happens on the "never never" from the mid-2020s. If you really believe a promise of tax relief in 2024, Ive got a budget Id like to sell you! So, yeah, look, Ive just had a change of heart. Maybe well just bank those $302 billion in tax cuts instead and start paying down the $374 billion in net debt weve racked up. As I wrote in my alternative version of this speech, the $18 billion in annual interest we pay on that debt could have built 500 schools or a world-class hospital in each state and territory. So, instead of just announcing tax cuts with no offsetting spending cuts and labelling it "reform", its high time we got cracking on some real tax reform. Loading You know, the type that actually shifts the burden of taxation towards the likes of land and consumption, which are less likely to be distorted. So tonight, Ive decided to increase the GST to 15 per cent, alongside a package of income tax cuts and benefit increases that compensate low and middle-income earners for the higher costs. Also, Im just going to pinch Labors sensible policies to end tax loopholes for property investment and franking credits. Even I dont believe my scare campaigns. Using this revenue, I will at the urging of the Business Council of Australia increase the punitively low level of the Newstart jobless allowance. Deloitte Access Economics estimates increasing the benefit by $75 a week will cost the budget $3.3 billion a year in direct terms. But that will be offset by about $2 billion in extra revenue from increased spending. Thats the trick, you see. Target your handouts at truly disadvantaged people and theyre more likely to spend it and boost the economy! Treasurer Josh Frydenberg during his first post-budget address to the National Press Club on Wednesday. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen And instead of dishing out billions of dollars of taxpayer money on new roads in marginal seats to "bust congestion" the disruption of which will only add to congestion in the short term Ive decided to follow the advice of economists and introduce a system of proper price signals to better direct traffic. CBDs in Sydney and Melbourne will be subjected to congestion charges, just like in London or as just announced in New York. Travellers will be incentivised to ditch their cars and use public transport. Any revenue raised will be used to fund better public transport. We will also, as Ken Henry suggested, introduce road user pricing, whereby large vehicles which do most damage to public roads pay higher charges. Speaker, at the end of the day, it all comes back to productivity. We need to learn how to produce more from a given set of inputs, such as capital and labour. The best way to do this is to increase the skills and know-how of the Australian people. And the research shows the benefits are biggest when money is spent early on. So tonight, in a truly historic social and economic reform, I announce the establishment of publicly provided free childcare for all Australian children, starting whenever their parents feel ready to return to work. Instead of open-ended subsidies to private providers, who may lift their prices to offset savings for families, well simply extend the public schooling system into the early years. Australian working parents can rest easy knowing that by sending their little ones to childcare, they are simply doing what is best for their families, their little ones and society. Studies show every dollar invested in early learning generates $4 down the road in enhanced skills and incomes of both parents and children. Mike OHare might not be household name, but for the 3,000 people the La Jolla lifeguard rescued over his 25-year career, its a name they will never forget. Current and former San Diego lifeguards spanning decades of watching La Jollas coastline gathered above The Cove Saturday, March 30 to honor OHare, who passed away in January, at a celebration of life. Donning various styles of honorary garb some in leis and Hawaiian shirts, others still wet from a dip in the ocean or in lifeguard hats or uniforms paid their last respects. OHares daughter and granchildren were among the crowd, but did not speak. OHare is credited with at least 3,000 rescues from 1964 to 1989 (during the first five years he was stationed in Coronado), while he was a full-time lifeguard and supervising sergeant watching La Jolla Cove. During the eulogy, former lifeguard Frank Powell discussed the complex nature of the rocks and caves of La Jolla, and how OHare ignored it all in the name of rescuing people, and would often come out from rescues with cuts and bruises. He knew every rock, every cave, every place to step and jump, Powell said. Former lifeguard Frank Powell leads Mike OHares celebration of life. (Ashley Mackin-Solomon) According to Powell, during the El Nino weather of the 1970s and early 80s, OHare made many heroic rescues from the huge surf that pounded La Jollas coastline. Some left him hospitalized, but his fearless and selfless demeanor kept pulling him back to the beaches. In addition to conducting ocean rescues, OHare was instrumental in forming the San Diego Lifeguards River Rescue Team. During heavy rains, many inland areas of San Diego become flooded. To this day, flash floods and swollen river beds strand, injure, and even kill people. As the River Rescue Teams first team captain and instructor, OHare saved many lives and taught so many of us how to rescue, said former lifeguard Greg Buchanan, during the eulogy. OHare was also known for his leadership in developing new urban swift-water rescue techniques and equipment. He created modern rescue methods specifically tailored to La Jollas rugged coastal cliffs, and he redesigned existing tactical gear for dangerous swift-water and beach-cliff rescues. OHare was one of Californias first emergency medical technicians (EMTs), and spent many years as an EMT instructor, training hundreds of seasonal lifeguards in first aid and emergency procedures. After OHares retirement in 1989, he continued to work part-time as an instructor for the San Diego Regional Lifeguard Academy at Miramar College. He was elected Lifeguard of the Year in 1972, and he received the highly coveted Charles Hardy Memorial Lifesaving Award. Because 98 percent of the personal stories about OHare could not be told in a public setting, Powell said there would be an open mic at a private reception to conclude the celebration. The Great Barrier Reef shark control program has been suspended after a tribunal ruled sharks found alive on drumlines must be released, ending a 60-year program designed to protect swimmers. The Humane Society International, supported by the NSW Environmental Defenders Office, applied to the tribunal to have a permit, issued by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority which allows Fisheries to conduct the shark control program, refused or varied. Supplied image shows a shark hooked off the coast of Magnetic Island in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Credit:AAP Image/Humane Society International The tribunal handed down a decision on Tuesday which imposes new permit conditions, effectively immediately. The tribunal ordered any sharks found alive on a drumline must be released unless euthanasia was warranted on animal welfare grounds, contractors must attend to caught sharks within 24 hours, and all tiger, bull and white sharks to be tagged before release. Choice paralysis is a term most people werent familiar with until they sat in front of a streaming service with thousands of movies and TV shows. How do you choose the right one to watch? The truth is, the service may be doing a lot of work behind the scenes to help you make up your mind. Netflix uses its huge store of data not only to pick which shows it thinks you'll like, but to decide how to promote those shows. Credit:Bloomberg The beauty of having a virtual library is you have control and choice, but with a lot of choice, you can be overwhelmed, says Todd Yellin, vice president of product at Netflix. "The average consumer is going to look at 40 to 50 titles to make their choice, so we have to put the right 40 to 50 titles in front of them without falling into the filter bubble. We have to make sure theres diversity and serendipity in those, and we have to use the signals of what theyve told us before, and what we know globally about those kinds of watchers and what they watch." The Netflix algorithm that suggests content you might be interested in is legendary, built using tonnes of user data collected to better show each person what they want to watch. But the algorithm goes deeper than just knowing that you might like Black Lightning. It also determines how shows are presented to you for maximum appeal. Berlin: Germany's most notorious far-right politician, Bjorn Hocke, a man who has called the Holocaust memorial in Berlin "a monument of shame", was furious when he woke up one morning to find a section of the memorial built to scale outside his bedroom window. It was November 2017. Hocke sued the artist who had secretly rented the neighbouring property and prepared the stunt over many months. He tried to have him evicted. He even launched criminal proceedings against him. But to no avail. The rental lease is open-ended. A replica of the Berlin Holocaust Memorial built by a political art group next door to the home of Bjorn Hocke, a far-right politician. Credit:The New York Times And the replica of the Holocaust memorial remains. But where civil and criminal proceedings have failed, a state prosecutor has stepped in, it emerged on Wednesday. The prosecutor's office in Hocke's eastern home state, Thuringia, is investigating the artist, Philipp Ruch, on suspicion of "forming a criminal association", a legal provision known as Paragraph 129, which gives the state far-reaching surveillance rights and is normally applied to criminal groups and suspected extremists. Athens: Greek police have charged a 31-year-old, Turkish-born Bulgarian man with the murder last year of Greek-Australian gangster John Macris in Athens. Macris, a Sydney businessman with links to organised crime, was shot dead in his car outside his home in the Athens seaside suburb of Glyfada on October 31. Sydney gangster John Macris (inset, pictured with his wife), was shot dead in Athens last year. Credit:Greek City Times A police source said the alleged killer left Greece after the Macris hit, but returned some time later and hid in a safe house near Athens. Police are investigating whether there is any connection between his return and the car bomb attack in early March that left Australian former bikie kingpin Amad 'Jay' Malkoun with serious burn injuries. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Al-Hawl camp, Syria: The teenage daughter of Khaled Sharrouf, Australias most infamous terrorist, has pleaded with Australia to bring her and her young siblings home, saying she is worried about her pregnant sisters health in the vast, mud-caked camp in Syria where they are living. Speaking to The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age from al-Hawl camp, 16-year-old Hoda Sharrouf also says she forgives her father and mother, Tara Nettleton, for dragging her to Syria along with her four siblings when she was just 11 years old. It is the first time any of the Sharrouf children have spoken publicly about their five years living in the so-called "caliphate" of Islamic State. She was one of three young Australian women interviewed this week, all having fled the village of Baghouz, ISs last redoubt in Syria. Shayma Assaad, from the NSW central coast, is the wife of IS member Mohammed Noor Masri. She and Kirsty Rosse-Emile from Melbourne are both pregnant, and both pleading with the Morrison government to bring them home. All are Australian citizens. Two of them were taken by their parents to a war zone when they should have been in high school, and a third went as a teenager with her much older husband. They are now paying the price for these decisions by their families. A woman washes clothes in front of her tent at the fence line of the Foreign section of al-Hawl camp in Syria. Credit:Kate Geraghty Advertisement The camp where these women and their children are now living houses 73,000 people, including 50,000 children. It is filthy, and dangerous. Unrest in recent days prompted guards to fire warning shots, and the muddy ground is littered with human excrement. Sixty children have died here and in neighbouring camps since December. Thirty-one people died in the last week alone. The Australian women say they do not have enough to eat. British IS bride Shamima Begum lost her newborn son in another Syrian camp last month. It sparked a serious debate in her country about what to do with the wives and children of IS. The stories of these young women of IS, and their children, will likely prompt a similar debate in Australia. Hoda Sharrouf: I forgive them The Sharrouf family shot to global infamy in 2014 when Hodas father, former Sydney man Khaled Sharrouf, posted a picture of his son, Abdullah, holding up a severed head in ISs capital, al-Raqqa. Advertisement Khaled Sharrouf was killed in an airstrike in August 2017, along with his other two sons, Abdullah and Zarqawi. His wife, convert Tara Nettleton, died of illness in 2015, leaving Hoda, 16, her older sister Zaynab, 17, and younger brother Hamzeh, 8, as residents of the Islamic State. Now Hoda says all she craves is normality. "I want to see my brother grow up as a normal kid," she says from inside her tent on the edge of the al-Hawl camp. "I want to see my nieces with a happy life with good treatment. I want to see my sister give birth safely. Khaled Sharrouf and his sons on social media in 2014. "What about the children? What about the people that didnt want to come here? What about the people that are stuck here and never wanted to be here in the first place? They dont deserve this kind of treatment. "Were Australians too. Australia needs to do something about it. They need to step up." Ms Sharrouf herself was injured in the siege on al-Raqqa, suffering nerve damage to her ankle. Advertisement "My foot doesnt work any more I want to get treatment for that so that I have hope of my leg working again." Hoda says the food people had managed to scrounge during the battle at Baghouz, Islamic States final stronghold, had made them sick. "People told us that we have infections in our stomachs now and we need proper treatment for it and theres no proper treatment here. So for pregnant women its even worse," she says. "None of the women are [getting obstetric care] here." The childrens grandmother, Karen Nettleton, has visited the al-Hawl camp and is trying to persuade Kurdish authorities in north-eastern Syria to help return the children to Australia. But Abdulkarim Omar, the head of foreign affairs for the Kurdish administration, has told the Herald and Age that, without the co-operation of the Australian government, including a direct handover to Australian officials something the Morrison government is reluctant to do the women and children will not be allowed to leave. The Self Administration of North-East Syrias Co-Chairman of Foreign Affairs, Dr Abdulkarim Omar. Credit:Kate Geraghty "When the Australian government contacts us, we will give those kids to them and any other women and kids that they request," Dr Omar said. Advertisement Ms Sharrouf says her older sister Zaynab is seven months pregnant and in a bad way. "[Zaynab] is very sick," Ms Sharrouf says. "A lot of the pregnant women here are sick because theres no treatment here. "Shes become very skinny skinnier than Ive ever seen her. Sometimes she can barely get off her bed. Im scared for her as well because shes falling into depression. She needs her family next to her." Zaynab, Hoda, Abdullah (deceased), Humzeh and Zarqawi (deceased) as children. Zaynabs father married her off to his best friend, fellow jihadist Mohammed Elomar, when she was just 13. She already has two children: Ayesha, 3, and Fatima, 2. She reportedly has a second husband. Hoda Sharrouf admits that "I feel upset about it sometimes" when she thinks of her parents dragging her to war-torn Syria when she was 11 years old. "But that was my parents choice and I forgive them for it," she says. Advertisement Dear Sir, I hope The Bahamas Utilities Services and Allied Workers Union (BUSAWU) has sufficient funds in its account to reimburse all the Water and Sewerage Corporation employees who will be docked pay because they have joined the illegal strike of the Company. Im sorry, Mr. Woods, but a deliberate withdrawal of labour during the work day is a strike, so dont be cute with this asinine reference to withdrawing enthusiasm, and WSC will be totally within its rights to withdraw pay from all those who were involved. It might also be a good idea, Mr. Woods, if you were to educate yourself on how a trade union is supposed to operate. It does not call meetings during the working day, unless you and the members are prepared to lose pay for the time they are not doing their paid employment. Instead union meetings are held on the employees time, something Ms. Belinda Wilson, of the Teachers Union, knows full well, calling their meetings during the teachers breaks. An even better idea, Mr. Woods, is to not call industrial action in support of a WSC employee who deliberately contravened written corporate regulations saying no personal property should remain on WSC premises when those offices are closed. As an aside all that employee had to do was politely request permission to leave his vehicle on the premises until he was able to move it the following Monday; if he had been denied then, and only then, Mr. Woods might have had an argument. Another matter for thought was Woods ludicrous call for Chairman Gibson and GM Donaldson to not interfere in human resources at the company. Im very sorry but Messrs. Gibson and Donaldson are very senior management and have every right to discuss human resource matters, much more so than Woods and his Union. Finally I understand Mr. Woods maintains his Union offices within the WSC compound(??!!) Is this so he can conduct Union business while he is supposed to be gainfully employed by the WSC and receive payments from both organisations; I wonder, perhaps just a minor conflict of interest? Thank you, Harry Strachan The views expressed are those of the author, and not necessarily those of Weblog Bahamas (which has no corporate view). Kimball FFA members gather to have their services sold for the Annual FFA Labor Auction last week Thursday, March 28. From left are Zach Wagner, Hannah Marks, Greg Wilke and Lacey Klinkhammer. The hard work for the FFA Alumni pays off when they "watch kids be successful after they graduate and leave the program." This is the reason why Sandy Lukassen, Amber Wilke and other alumni spent their Thursday afternoon and evening preparing the food, lining up the silent auction articles, and finally, cleaning up after the FFA Alumni feed. While preparing coleslaw and beans for the annual feed, both Sandy Lukassen and Amber Wilke professed a strong commitment to the Kimball FFA program. Their commitment stems from "belief in the FFA goals," Lukassen commented. "We went through the program, my children went through the program," she said. "What a difference it makes. It opens so many doors in high school, college and in their chosen career. Students learn how to dress, how to act, how to meet people," she added. The FFA Alumni and Supporters expect to raise between $4,000 to $5,000 from the pork feed and the silent article auction. Items for the silent auction were donated. Items this year included a fire pit, tools, feed, homemade pies, gift certificates and a variety of other items. Amber Wilke heaped praise on the Kimball businesses and supporters. She said, "They have always supported the FFA Alumni, wholeheartedly, and we thank them for that." The money raised by the alumni is earmarked for the Washington Leadership Conference and senior scholarships. The FFA Alumni also sponsors a Progress Show in June with competitors from the tri-state region. Following the feed, 26 FFA students were auctioned off for eight hours of labor per student. The Labor Auction raises money for the operation of the Kimball FFA Chapter. In a heartwarming moment, two students, Ethan Greenwood and Bailie Brower, made metal projects that were auctioned off with proceeds dedicated to the FFA Foundation. Those two items were auctioned off for $1000 for the Nebraska FFA Foundation Storm Relief Fund. This fund was established to provide resources to Nebraska FFA members and chapters in the communities affected by the devastating floods and blizzards. Norma Lucille (Carpenter) Stolz, 85, of Rockford, IL, passed away Tuesday, March 26, 2019. Norma was born April 2, 1933, in Omaha, Nebraska, daughter of Willard and Edna Pearl (Whitcomb) Carpenter. She was the oldest of 6 children and was raised in various locations in Western Nebraska as her father was a ranch hand at this time. In 1940, her father bought a farm in Agate, Nebraska, and the family settled down. Norma was to be found most days helping her father with farm work. She rode horses, drove teams, drove tractor, and learned to drive in a 1929 Ford Model A. She was known for being a typical, ornery farm kid, up to mischief, but always working hard. She attended high school for 2 years at the St. Agnes Academy in Alliance and completed high school at Sioux County High School in Harrison, Nebraska. She went on to college at Scottsbluff Junior College to get her teaching certificate. In 1952, she met and married Ted Huggans, with whom she had 5 girls. Ted and Norma divorced in 1967. Norma then settled in Kimball, Nebraska, with her 5 girls. She married Donald Stolz in 1970 and along with 6 of their 7 kids, at the time, moved to Woodstock, Illinois, in 1972, where she had 2 more children for a total of 8 girls and 1 boy. Norma lived in Woodstock, Illinois until 1995. While in Woodstock, she learned to play guitar with her daughters Theresa and Mary, from her dearest friend, Eunice Mast. She was known for her hand-stitched quilts, crochet, upholstery, and baking. She worked at Dean Street Elementary in Woodstock in the library for 10 years before she "retired". In 1995, she returned to Kimball, Nebraska, to take care of her mother, who passed in 2007. She made many dear friends and loved small town life. In 2014, after suffering from health issues, she returned to Illinois to live with her daughter Mary and family. She was loved and remembered by many. She is survived by her brothers, Cyril Carpenter and W. Frank (Suzanne) Carpenter; half sister Twila Davis; children, Nora Spikes, Susan (Tony) Smiley, Edna Delaney, Luana Louvier, Sydney (Stan) Mintz, Theresa (Ed) Deleon, Mary (Augustus) George, Christine Stolz, and Tony (Jennifer) Stolz; 24 grandchildren; 16 great grandchildren; 1 great-great grandchild and numerous nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents; husband, Donald J. Stolz; sisters, Nadine, Nedra, and Nancy; granddaughter, Yolanda Faggan and sister-in-law, Jean Carpenter. Visitation will be from 6:00 8:00 p.m. on Monday, April 1, 2019 at Fitzgerald Funeral Home & Crematory, Mulford Chapel, 1860 S. Mulford Rd. Rockford, IL 61108. A Funeral Mass will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 2, 2019 at St. Mary Oratory, 517 Elm. St. Rockford, IL 61102. Visitation will also be from 1:30 p.m. until time of service at the church. Burial will conclude at St. Joseph Cemetery in Harvard, IL at a future date. Memorial contributions may be made in Norma's name to St. Jude's Children's Hospital. Arrangements entrusted to Fitzgerald Funeral Home & Crematory, Mulford Chapel. Online condolences and memories may be shared at http://www.fitzgeraldfh.com STAMFORD When city police arrested Charles Pia Sr. last week for allegedly spending Stamford Girls Softball money on personal expenses, they may have just been exposing the tip of an iceberg of embezzled funds. According to his seven-page arrest affidavit, police initiated their investigation into Pia Sr.s use of the nonprofit in the summer of 2017 after fielding several anonymous complaints over the years about Pia Sr., the league president, managing the program improperly. After discovering at that time that the 35-year-old league, which fields teams of girls from age 4 to 18, had its nonprofit status revoked by the Internal Revenue Service three years before, the investigator on the case, Heather Bozentko, asked the state Department of Consumer Protection to look into the organizations bank accounts. In doing so, an accounts examiner in the fraud unit of the department sent subpoenas to First County Bank for any account information associated with Pia Sr. and the Stamford chapter of Babe Ruth Girls Softball. That examiner looked at the softball leagues accounts from 2012 to August 2017, according to court records. After analyzing the accounts, the examiner identified $54,278 worth of questionable charges over the five-year time frame, the affidavit said. Police said the money for the league was raised from raffles, concession stand sales and other charitable means. That is a lot of money, said Sgt. Steve Perrotta, who runs the Stamford Police Departments Financial Crimes Unit. We are currently continuing the investigation and we would like to find out if those charges were legitimate and if there was any legitimate relationship between those charges and girls softball. Pia Sr.s attorney Stephan Seeger said because police dont say why the payments are suspicious, they remain unsubstantiated allegations. Suffice to say, we are completing our own review of the financial records cited in order to more fully understand the allegations and specific examples cited by police, he said. Seeger added that the bylaws of the league contemplate spending money on restaurant, airfare and hotel charges which were all listed as questionable. Whatever the opinion may be, it is clear that these and other types of expenses are otherwise permissible, and where made in the ordinary course of business they would not be shocking or questionable, he said. Jumping to conclusions based upon unsubstantiated suspicions does nobody any good; that is precisely why every American citizen is presumed innocent until proven guilty and that s not my opinion, its the law, and this case should be aired out in court, where we deal in the currency of evidence and not merely suspicion. The arrest of Pia Sr., 62, last week came after police got a warrant charging him with fifth-degree larceny for allegedly stealing just under $1,700 of the funds in question. Perrotta said the investigation is continuing to determine whether Pia illegally spent any of the rest of the $52,580 questionably withdrawn from the accounts. We are still looking into this. The investigation is ongoing, the Stamford sergeant said. What Pia Sr. got arrested for was two expenses he paid for that police and the state examiner traced back to the softball leagues bank accounts. According to the affidavit, they found a $894 Eversource natural gas bill and a Splash Car Wash bill of $796 charged to the softball account. When police checked the specifics of the gas bill, Eversource told them it was to pay for gas delivered to 18 Windell Place, where Pia Sr. lives, the affidavit said. When they looked into the Splash Car Wash bill, they found out that Pia Sr. had paid monthly for the companys unlimited car wash plan for his 2006 Lincoln Mark LT black pickup truck. Perrotta and Bozentko went to Pia Sr.s home and found the truck, which had a bar code sticker on its dashboard used by Splash to verify it was part of the unlimited wash plan. Pia Sr. had paid for the washes from August 2016 to August 2017, racking up the $796 car wash bill, the affidavit said. Perrotta said they went forward with Pia Sr.s arrest on allegedly misappropriating those funds because they were the easiest to prove. They were the tightest cases we could come up with. It has been very difficult because Pia has not cooperated with us. Those were the expenses that were the most difficult to refute on his end, Perrotta said. If we can find others and charge him, we certainly will. Those expenses were the ones that lent themselves to the least amount of doubt of his guilt. Although just after his arrest last week Pia Sr. told The Stamford Advocate that he turned over his accounting books to police, Perrotta scoffed at the notion. We did not get any books, the Stamford sergeant said. Pia Sr., who was released after posting a $10,000 court-appearance bond, is scheduled to be arraigned April 12 at the Stamford courthouse. No plea has been made on the charges. Police are asking anyone with information on the case to contact them at 203-977-4407. jnickerson@stamfordadvocate.com DERBY A truck driver busted by local police in what turned out to be one of the biggest fentanyl finds in recent history was sentenced to 30 months in prison Wednesday in Hartford federal court, followed by 3 years of supervised release, according to a news release. Erick Crespo-Escalante, a Mexican national living in Arizona, claimed he was delivering the drug to Waterbury to pay off a debt on his truck. He had faced up to 11 years and three months in prison. Crespo-Escalante, a lawful permanent resident of the U.S., also faces deportation from after completing his term. He has been in custody since his Dec. 21, 2016, arrest on Route 34. Heroin and fentanyl trafficking has become a priority for federal law enforcement efforts, Assistant U.S. Attorney S. David Vatti wrote the judge in his sentencing memorandum. The prosecutor pointed out that nearly 75 percent of the more than 1,000 overdose deaths in Connecticut last year involved drugs laced with fentanyl. Heroin cut with fentanyl has increasingly become a problem in Connecticuts cities and surrounding communities, Vatti said. Connecticut is in the midst of an opiate crisis and heroin-fentanyl-related abuse, addiction and overdose deaths are front and center in this burgeoning epidemic. As the Court well knows, drug trafficking has a broad array of victims, from the individuals who become addicted, to families that are destroyed, to the erosion of educational and economic opportunities and the decay of whole neighborhoods, Vatti said. It was just before Christmas in 2016 when police stopped the 18-wheeler tractor trailer truck for failing to drive in the proper lane on the highways two lane approach to Derby and Route 8. Derby police said Crespo-Escalante told them he had just made a delivery in Orange and was looking for a place to buy diesel fuel. He appeared nervous and confused when asked what was in a cardboard box on the passenger seat, police said. Police claimed Crespo-Escalante offer them the box but instead they called in Shelton Police to bring a drug sniffing K-9 who alerted on the box. Inside police found 25 brick-like packages inside vacuum-sealed bags each containing a kilogram of what later tested positive for fentanyl. Police estimated the drugs worth to be at least $1.5 million. They also determined the Orange delivery did not involve narcotics. According to a release from the U.S. Department of Justice, the investigation had revealed that Crespo-Escalante was transporting the shipment of fentanyl on behalf of his associate, Omar Villarreal, from California to a location in Waterbury. As the investigation continued it was discovered that Villarreal, 27, of La Punte, Calif., previously spent two months in Waterbury setting up a stash house for narcotics and this delivery. Villarreal also conversed with Crespo-Escalante by phone, federal investigators claim. Villarreal pleaded guilty Aug. 30, 2018, to aiding and abetting possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and traveling interstate to promote unlawful activity. Villarreal faces anywhere between nine years and 11 years and three months in federal prison when he is sentenced May 8. He has been detained without bail since his May 15, 2017, arrest. BRIDGEPORT The city official fired over a scrap metal scandal now under FBI scrutiny didnt directly recuse himself from discussions about a $3 million city garage built by a company in which he had a financial interest, city records show. The record appears to contradict Mayor Joe Ganims claim that Joe Tiago recused himself from involvement with the multimillion dollar garage construction project, and nearly $700,000 in associated paving work, while he was deputy public facilities director. The recusal would have been a way of avoiding a conflict of interest the potential for Tiago to use his city position for his own personal business and profit. Vaz Quality Works of Bridgeport submitted the low bid to build the garage in 2016 and was selected as the contractor. Tiago in 2014 sold Seaview Avenue property to Luis Vaz, the owner of Vaz Quality Works, and held a $670,000 mortgage for Vaz, which meant he had a financial stake in the companys success which could be a conflict. The public facilities departments sale of scrap metal has drawn an FBI subpoena and a Grand Jury probe. Mark Anastasi, a former city attorney who now works part-time for the city, insisted Tiago recused himself and received internal city correspondence related to the garage only because of routine procedure by city departments. The garage project was one over which Tiago had general responsibility and jurisdiction, Anstasti said. Tiago did not participate in a decision-making process that determined Vaz would be awarded the bid and perform the project. Federal authorities also subpoenaed documents for city work done by Vaz Quality Works, G. Pic and Sons Construction and Seaview Equipment Rental and Sales, which is also owned by the Vaz family. After learning Tiago held a mortgage for Luis Vaz, Ganim said last month that he was told that Tiago recused himself from the garage project. There is a protocol in business and in government, where there might be a conflict, to recuse yourself, Ganim said. City records show Tiago at least on paper was involved with the garage between 2016 and 2018. The records were obtained by Hearst Connecticut Media through a freedom of information request. None of the documents released by the city include a letter in which Tiago informed his superiors he was recusing himself from the project or that he had a financial interest in Vaz Quality Works. Tiago in February was fired as deputy director of the Department of Public Facilities after an internal review of scrap metal sales and the discovery of missing money from a so-called Sunshine Fund set up to pay for employee morale boosting activities. Tiago did not return calls for comment on whether he recused himself from the garage project. His criminal lawyer, John Gulash, also did not return calls seeking comment. Paper trail A review of city purchasing and other records related to the garage show Tiago was involved or informed about numerous aspects of the garage project. For example, a September 2016 letter from the purchasing department to Tiago provided him the list of the five bids received for the garage. Tiago was also copied meaning he received a copy of the document on an October 2016 letter to Ganim by Public Facilities Director John Ricci advising the mayor that Vaz Quality Works was low bidder and had been selected to build the garage. Tiago was copied on a December 2016 letter from Ricci to Ganim alerting the mayor that documents for the project were ready for his signature. Several 2017 letters relating to various aspects of the project also show Tiago received copies of the documents. In a September 12, 2018 letter, Vaz Quality Works sent their price quotes to pave the garage parking lot to Tiago, records show. The next day Ricci sent a letter to the purchasing department requesting permission to give the paving work to Vaz Quality Works, noting the requested qualified purchase a city term for not seeking competitive bids would provide a lower cost because the company was already working on site. Anastasi cited an October 2016 project review meeting in which Tiago was listed on an attendance sheet as having excused himself from the meeting as evidence of his recusal from the project. The document does not say Tiago recused himself from the garage project and does not provide an explanation as to why he was not at the meeting. The garage was the biggest construction project undertaken by the public facilities department in years. Sticking with recusal Anastasi said Tiago received copies of documents related to the garage because of his overall role as deputy director in accordance with procedure, adding as deputy director Tiago initiated the original bid process for the garage. Anastasi said the information forwarded to Tiago was appropriate. Anastasi said in addition to an ongoing internal look at the public facilities department, the city has hired Guidepost Solutions to audit city policies and procedures and provide an assessment of potential improvements in procurement operations and practices. bcummings@ctpost.com Arab water and agriculture ministers are meeting in Cairo on Thursday to discuss food and water security in the Arab world, state news agency MENA reported. The gathering at the headquarters of the Arab League General Secretariat is expected to discuss policies of the water and agriculture sectors in the region. The ministers are planned to agree to create a high-level committee to boost cooperation between Arab countries in the fields of water and agriculture, and to hold regular ministerial meetings in the near future. Egyptian Irrigation Minister Mohamed Abdel Aati and Agriculture Minister Ezzedin Abu Steit are heading Egypt's delegation at the meeting. Search Keywords: Short link: GREENWICH Radhika Jones, the editor-in-chief of Vanity Fair and a 90 alumna of Greenwich Academy, will deliver the graduation address at the schools 192nd commencement on May 23. The graduating girls, who don white dresses and hold yellow roses for the ceremony according to a century of tradition, have heard from a variety of celebrated personalities in recent years, including: Emmy Award-winning actress Julie Bowen, who portrays Claire Dunphy on Modern Family, Paula Kerger, president and CEO of PBS; and Trinity College President Joanne Berger-Sweeney. Jones is the fifth editor of Vanity Fair since the magazines modern revival in 1983. She previously held senior editorial roles at The New York Times, Time and The Paris Review. She also was the managing editor at Grand Street, an editor at Artforum and the arts editor of The Moscow Times, where she began her career. During her days at GA, Jones excelled as a student and was deeply involved in Daedalus, GAs award-winning art and literary magazine, school officials said. She majored in English at Harvard University, and pursued a doctorate in English and comparative literature from Columbia University, where she has also taught writing and literature. Radhika Jones is a fantastic role model for the Class of 2019 and all students at Greenwich Academy, Head of School Molly King said in a statement released wednesday. She took advantage of every opportunity while she was a student here and that has been a defining feature of her subsequent experiences. Jones is a smart leader and community-builder who has received rave reviews as the editor-in-chief of Vanity Fair, King continued. She certainly has a fan in me and we are all so excited that she is going to be GAs commencement speaker this year. WESTPORT The destruction of an osprey nest on Post Road over the weekend caused a public uproar that compelled the nests restoration. I drove by and saw a male (osprey) sitting on the nest at 8:30 a.m. Saturday morning because I was going downtown. When I went back around 10 a.m. the nest was gone, said Jo Ann Davidson, a Westport resident. SIGN UP for breaking news alerts and daily emailed news updates from the Westport News Davidson, a steward for The Connecticut Audubon Societys Osprey Nation citizen science program that monitors osprey nests in town, was obviously sensitive to the ospreys welfare. But countless residents and employees of nearby stores joined her in speaking out about the eradication of the nest, especially on local blog 06880. The uproar began around noon on Saturday after a contractor for Regency Centers, a real estate investment trust company that owns several properties in town, removed the nest to prepare for upcoming construction work to redo the outside of Fresh Market and upgrade the adjacent parking lot. Two ospreys called the small platform on top of the pole between Fresh Market and Terrain home and, after it was removed, the birds were observed flying around with nowhere to nest. Terrain employees confronted the contractors who allegedly said they were with the Audubon Society, Dan Woog reported on 06880. The contractors also didnt have a permit from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, which is needed to legally remove an osprey nest per the Federal Migratory Bird Act. Online outrcy coupled with complaints to DEEP and local police forced Regency to replace the platform, albeit without the osprey nest. We were informed that if the nest was not present before the breeding season then the ospreys would be able to make a new nest somewhere else, Regency Vice President Jack deVilliers wrote in a statement Sunday, adding Regency removed the platform to limit the impact of upcoming construction on the ospreys nesting environment. However, although our intentions were to mitigate any disturbance to our avian neighbors, we may have missed the mark with seeing the whole picture, deVilliers said, announcing the restoration of the nests platform. Soon after the platform was replaced, the ospreys began work on a new nest and the birds supporters rejoiced. Were thrilled the right thing was done. What were even more thrilled about is the public interest in all of this. The public really stood up for the ospreys, said Patrick Comins, executive director of the Connecticut Audubon Society. From about the 1940s through the 1970s, ospreys were endangered due to the prevalence of DDT, a chemical that hindered ospreys reproductive abilities and limited the species population, Comins said. After DDT was banned in the U.S. in 1972, the ospreys made an comeback and there are now more ospreys in the environment than ever, he added. It speaks to the resilience of the environment when we do the right thing, Comins said. Town Conservation Department Director Alicia Mozian summarized the rare environmental victory. The citizens prompted the outcry which led to the action that reversed the situation, she said. Im so thankful to the citizens of the town who saw something bad happening, an injustice in a way, and they took action and it worked. svaughan@hearstmediact.com; 203-842-2638; @SophieCVaughan1 Resorts gear up for 2022 with half-million in private investment The tourist crowds may have dropped off for the winter, but that has proved a good opportunity for the Lincoln County resort community to expand... Christmas parade and festival this Saturday The Annual Lincolnton Christmas Parade is this Saturday at 1:30 p.m, along with a host of festival activities as part of Holidays in Olde Lincoln... Upcoming commission action This weeks meeting of the Lincoln County Board of Commissioners will tackle two big issues in addition to the usual county business. The Commission meets... Research Entomologist (Livestock Pests), Seibersdorf, Austria Organization: IAEA - International Atomic Energy Agency Country: Austria Field location: Seibersdorf, Austria Office: IAEA - International Atomic Energy Agency in Seibersdorf Grade: P-4 Closing date: Wednesday, 8 May 2019 Organizational Setting The Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications implements the IAEAs Major Programme 2, "Nuclear Techniques for Development and Environmental Protection". This Major Programme comprises individual programmes on food and agriculture, human health, water resources, environment and radiation technologies. These programmes are supported by laboratories in Seibersdorf, Monaco and Vienna. The Major Programmes objective is to enhance the capacity of Member States to meet basic human needs and to assess and manage the marine and terrestrial environments through the use of nuclear and isotopic techniques in sustainable development programmes. The Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture assists Member States of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the IAEA in using nuclear techniques and related technologies to improve food security, alleviate poverty and promote sustainable agriculture. The Joint Division consists of five Sections, each with an associated laboratory (located in Seibersdorf, 45 km south-east of Vienna), in the areas of: animal production and health; plant breeding and genetics; insect pest control; soil and water management and crop nutrition; and food and environmental protection. The Insect Pest Control Section and Laboratory assist Member States with the development, dissemination and transfer of sterile insect and related environmentally friendly technologies for the area-wide integrated suppression, containment or eradication of major insect pests affecting crops, livestock and human health. Main Purpose As a team leader reporting to the Laboratory Head, and with leadership from the IPC Section Head and the Director of the Joint FAO/IAEA Programme , the Research Entomologist ensures that the activities of the research group on Livestock Pests of the Insect Pest Control Laboratory contribute to the results of the IPC subprogramme relating to the development of the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) and other genetic control technologies for sustainable protection of agricultural production systems. Role The Research Entomologist is: (1) a team leader of the Livestock Pests team, ensuring the efficient and effective management of assigned staff, physical and financial resources in line with quality management standards and a results-based approach; (2) a technical leader, leading a multidisciplinary team in the IPCL focused on ensuring the efficient and effective development and implementation of the Laboratorys R&D activities, training and laboratory service as it relates to the Joint FAO/IAEA programme, and; (3) a technical officer, providing technical support to technical cooperation (TC) projects, and to coordinated research projects (CRPs) in the area of development of the SIT package for livestock insect pests. Lifestyle / Alcohol Apr 04, 2019 | By Jonathan Ho Located at 56 / 58 Tras Street, The Monarchy is Singapores latest British cocktail bar (with a secret ultra lounge). Created by the brains behind the epic Formula 1 after-parties The Podium Lounge, the Monarchy Cocktail Bar & Ultra Lounge set within three ground floor units of Chinatowns heritage shophouses is a 3,600 square feet mecca for Anglophiles. Exuding casual luxury yet punctuated with accents of a royal nature, The Monarchy feels like a quasi-secret gentlemens club thanks to its darkened windows and imposing 10 Downing Street front door, a replica of the British Prime Ministers home-office entrance. The Monarchy Singapore A Cocktail Bar for the Ultimate Anglophile Beginning as a series of thematic Monarchy nights on the rooftop of OUE Bayfront, The Monarchy Cocktail Bar is the permanent home for the wildly popular party with one kick-ass secret a hidden wall beside the magnificent 8 metre cocktail bar rotates to reveal the Ultra Lounge a dark boudoir lined with the ultimate symbol of English lux leather Chesterfield sofas, each specially reinforced for activities of a rhythmic nature (dancing guys, get your minds out of the gutter). Its an intimate area where guests to The Monarchy looking for a different vibe can party with live celebrity acts, hot dancers and live DJs. Co-Founders Robbie Hoyes-Cock and Steve Yallop (a name familiar in high society circles) led LUXUO on a personal tour of the venue with cool aesthetic touches and finishings exuding quintessentially English motifs the Monarchy and Brit rockers (the other kind of Royalty). Passing through the doors reminiscent of 10 Downing Street, The Monarchy experience begins right in the passageway thanks to the series of specially commissioned paintings which celebrate British monarchs past and present, not just House Windsor but also Houses Normandy, and infamous Tudors. Theres even a painting of Lady Di (Diana, Princess of Wales) but she looks more like Bill Nighy (which also raises another question why isnt the Brit treasure that is Bill Nighy present?) Past the corridor, the resplendent 8 metre black granite cocktail bar spanning the two halls is what makes this English cocktail bar undeniably one of Singapores finest Anglophile experiences. On the day of LUXUOs visit, it was manned by Hazel, absolutely the coolest bartender-babe weve ever met. Waxing lyrical on her joy of the service industry and her perspectives on nightlife, we imbibed on a twist of my favourite Whisky Sour The Monarchys very own Paint It Black a citrusy cocktail named for the Rolling Stones hit single. Bar grub like the Ebi Tempura set LUXUO ordered is competently provided by neighbouring restaurants like Don & Tori, as The Monarchy co-founder Steve Yallop explains, The authorities wouldnt permit us to run our own kitchen because we were looking to operate as a bar rather than restaurant-bar and those have different operating hours. Large varieties of hard liquor, including their own house blended whiskeys are shelved in front of a wall of large antique mirrors perfectly framing the myriad of impressive spirits. Comfortably seated on luxurious leather bar stools, LUXUO could observe the subtle shifts and professional flair of cocktail-making. The right-most hall of The Monarchy recalls private British clubs, private booths with a view of the bar and all the comings and goings of its patrons and more importantly (at least to this author), a tribute to the most English of accoutrements the bespoke suit. A wall display dominates view of the area thanks to Kevin Seahs tailoring dummy, topped with his vision of a Savile Row bespoke jacket. If it feels a little Kingsman, its because the tailored suit spells British gentleman unlike any other aesthetic symbol on the planet. That said, how good would it have been had Kevin Seahs display been on the opposite side of the hall where a pull of a coat hanger would reveal The Monarchys Ultra Lounge. The Monarchys Ultra Lounge Residing just behind a secret wall next to the bar, the ultra lounge recalls the ultimate Monarchy experience the thematic party nights. In essence, The Monarchy is a drinking hole with two distinct and exciting experiences in one bar. During the weekends, that is to say, beginning Friday evenings after 10pm (or the eve of a public holiday), the Ultra Lounge is what gives the Monarchy cocktail bar its keen edge. As the evening matures, a steady pulse of up tempo music can be heard from the lounges custom sound system. The wall panel besides the bar rotates to reveal the ultra-sexy, ultra-intimate secret room with specially reinforced leather Chesterfield sofas and coffee table tops for dancing. As the evening progresses, international house music DJs will simulcast the lounges tempo to the area outside Ultra. Seated in the boudoir bar, a similar set of acrylic paintings continue the theme, but instead of monarchs, you get the coolest Brit celebrities and pop cultural icons. Though we have not witnessed first hand, we hear that Ultra Lounge truly comes alive when the bars own dancers start to perform in front of you. Jut how debauched can it get? I guess one would have to make a personal visit to truly experience it. Overall Vibe of The Monarchy Fully suited, the staff of the Monarchy vibe Peaky Blinders or specifically the sartorial essence (rather than the criminal enterprise) of the acclaimed Netflix series on the lives of 1920s British gangsters. Kevin Seah, Singapores pre-eminent tailor skipped a trip to Pitti Uomo specially to work on The Monarchys project. Referencing the 1920s, that golden age of mens style, each of the founders, including the bartenders and wait staff where measured up and dressed in Kevin Seah. Classical Britannia extends beyond the suits and even unto the menus each stylised like old school Bank of England cheque books printed on old school linen paper (just like the real thing). The drinks menu of The Monarchy Cocktail Bar is similarly bespoked. General Manager Rob Scott, former Group Beverage Director of Burnt Ends, and Rogue Trader, curated a special and unique list of timeless cocktails with a twist most old favourites (like my whisky sour) will have a Monarchy interpretation nothing is what it seems even if tastes alike. Using novel ingredients, Great Britains most popular tipples are expressed with Scotts own Monarchy flavour, re-igniting the imagination of cocktail cynics and veteran bar hoppers; LUXUO is confident that 2019 Bar Awards will include The Monarchy in one way or another thanks to the legacy they have begun on the burgeoning Singaporean bar scene. Some of The Monarchys special cocktails include (the two which LUXUO personally tried): Paint It Black a twist on ye olde whisky sour using only herbs and botanicals rather than the usual citrus Stairway to Heaven a citrusy, refreshing and revitalising (especially in these sweltering climes) vodka-based cocktail which feels more like a shandy albeit a super strong one. Art and Style of The Monarchy Cocktail Bar & Ultra Lounge In an exclusive partnership with with legendary American artist Alex Wakefield, the artist who became a global phenomenon thanks to his Formula 1 and motorsport themed artworks. Wakefields works adorn the walls of The Monarchy Cocktail Bar & Ultra Lounge, each bearing his signature quirk and artistic leitmotif. Wakefields uncanny ability to change perspective and use the flexibility of his art is what makes the art of The Monarchy so engaging and appealing. His art is collected around the world and hes especially proud of his recent 3 month exhibition at The Museu do Caramulo in Portugal where his works were showcased alongside world-renowned artists including Salvador Dali and Picasso. More importantly, now available for sale at The Monarchy with prices starting from $12,000 (Dame Helen Mirren and George Michael has been sold). Additionally, specially-tailored Kevin Seah blazers with The Monarchy monogram will soon be available for sale. Each jacket comes with special privileges including exclusive invites to tastings and other VIP events. The Eaton County Sheriff's Office has charged three people with murdering a man from Charlotte. The Eaton County Sheriff's Office held a press conference Thursday afternoon to inform the public about the investigation and solving of the 17-year-old cold case. 35-year-old, Robert Caraballo of Charlotte's burned remains were found on May 8, 2002 in Ottawa County. The three suspects, Christopher McMillan,40, Beverly McCallum, 58, and Dineane Ducharme, 38, both from Pasadena, Texas, have been charged with homicide, conspiracy and disinterment and mutilation of a body. Investigators believe Caraballo was killed in Charlotte and his body was moved to Ottawa County where he was found in a metal "footlocker," which had been set on fire. The death has been ruled a homicide due to blunt force trauma. At the time, the victim was not able to be identified and after all investigative leads were exhausted, the case went cold. In spring of 2015, tips began to surface regarding the case. Caraballo's family members reached out to detectives after seeing a documentary online about the case called 'Jack in the Box' created by a Hope College professor. "That then began the identification process of the victim. It was a series of different forensic type analysis that took place based upon information that came in that lead to Roberto being identified," a detective at the press conference said. The investigation took the detectives across the nation, eventually to the scene of the murder in the basement of a residence on Horatio Street in the City of Charlotte. Analysis of the crime scene helped detectives confirm that Carabello was murdered at that location. "Now that we have three suspects that face charges in this murder, I think it's a big relief for Ottawa County as well as Eaton County since it occurred here," said Sheriff Tom Reich of the Eaton County Sheriff's Office. McMillan of Grand Rapids is being held in Eaton County jail and is awaiting trail. Ducharme is in custody in Texas. McCallum is believed to be outside the United States, possibly in Pakistan, and authorities are looking to locate and extradite her. WATCH THE PRESS CONFERENCE BELOW CHICAGO - Jussie Smollett has refused to pay more than $130,000 to reimburse Chicago investigative costs and the city said Thursday it will sue the "Empire" actor for money spent investigating what officials say was a phoney racist, anti-gay attack that Smollett staged. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 4/4/2019 (985 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. CHICAGO - Jussie Smollett has refused to pay more than $130,000 to reimburse Chicago investigative costs and the city said Thursday it will sue the "Empire" actor for money spent investigating what officials say was a phoney racist, anti-gay attack that Smollett staged. Mayor Rahm Emanuel's law chief sent Smollett a March 28 letter demanding he pay $130,106 plus 15 cents for overtime worked by detectives and officers in looking into his claims. It set Thursday as the deadline to pay. FILE - In this March 26, 2019, file photo, actor Jussie Smollett smiles and waves to supporters before leaving Cook County Court after his charges were dropped in Chicago. A deadline is looming for Smollett to pay over $130,000 to Chicago to cover part of the costs of an investigation into his report of a racist, anti-gay attack or risk getting slapped with a civil lawsuit. Thursday, April 4, is seven days since Mayor Rahm Emanuel's law department sent the "Empire" a March 28 letter demanding he writes them a money order or cashier's check for $130,106, plus 15 cents. It said he had seven days. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty, File) The City Law Department said in a Thursday evening statement that it was already drafting a lawsuit in response and would file it "in the near future." Smollett, who is black and gay, maintains he told the truth in reporting that two masked men assaulted him in downtown Chicago on Jan. 29, shouting slurs and wrapping a rope around his neck. He said his attackers also yelled, "This is MAGA country," a reference to President Donald Trump's campaign slogan, "Make America Great Again." The lawsuit could lead to a civil trial, where jurors would have to answer the question of whether Smollett orchestrated the attack. There will be no criminal trial on that question after Cook County prosecutors last week dropped all 16 felony counts against Smollett, saying they believed they could prove the charges but that it wasn't worth the time and expense. The surprise decision angered Emanuel, who called it a "whitewash" and said the city's reputation "was dragged through the mud" by Smollett. "As part of this legal action, the Law Department will pursue the full measure of damages allowed under the ordinance," the statement from Chicago said. It didn't specify what those damages could be. The municipal code stipulates that the city can triple the amount originally demanded if someone fails to pay an initial amount. That means the city could demand more than $390,000 from Smollett. If a civil case is decided in the city's favour and Smollett still refuses to pay, his bank accounts could be frozen and his wages garnished. A spokeswoman for Smollett's legal team declined comment on the latest development. When the city raised the issue last week of Smollett reimbursing Chicago, the actor's lawyers said it was city officials "who owe" Smollett "an apology for dragging an innocent man's character through the mud." They added: "Jussie has paid enough." Smollett admitted no wrongdoing, but he did agree to do some community service before charges were dropped. He also agreed to forfeit $10,000 he paid in bond money after he was charged, which some legal experts say city lawyers could try to use against him in the civil case as an implied admission of guilt. Taking the matter to trial, carries risks for Smollett, including by extending negative publicity and potentially making it harder for him to get his entertainment career back on track. Much of the evidence that would have been presented at a criminal trial would be brought out at any civil trial. Smollett could also be required to sit for depositions, forcing him for the first time to explain evidence that prosecutors said demonstrated he was lying. To the city's advantage, the threshold for proving he staged the incident will be lower than in criminal court. The city won't have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Smollett staged the attack in civil court, only that it's more likely true than not true that he did. Among the risks for the city is that the civil litigation could end up costing far more in legal bills than it could ever hope to get from Smollett. In any lawsuit, there's always the possibility that a judge throws it out before it ever gets to trial. Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot, who will be sworn in as Chicago's mayor on May 20, could reverse any legal action Emanuel's law office takes against Smollett in coming weeks. Lightfoot will be Chicago's first black female mayor. Lightfoot, a former federal prosecutor, said during a pre-election debate that "the public has to have answers as to why these charges were dismissed." But she hasn't detailed any action she might take as mayor regarding Smollett. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. The Smollett case and the city's effort to make him pay are both highly unusual, according to several legal experts. One with some similarities is the case of a University of Iowa physician, Gary Hunninghake, who reported that he was attacked and stabbed while jogging in Chicago in 2010. After contradictions in his account, he eventually conceded he'd stabbed himself. A year later, he was ordered to pay more than $15,000 to reimburse the city for costs of the investigation. __ Follow Michael Tarm on Twitter at http://twitter.com/mtarm ___ Check out the AP's complete coverage of the Jussie Smollett case. Premier John Horgan says the B.C. government will consider "some relief" for those who can't afford record high gas prices. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 4/4/2019 (984 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A man fills up his truck with gas in Toronto, on Monday April 1, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov Premier John Horgan says the B.C. government will consider "some relief" for those who can't afford record high gas prices. Horgan said his government will monitor prices at the pumps over the summer after they reached a record of almost $1.64 a litre Thursday in Metro Vancouver. But he also suggested provincial taxes aren't the only factor affecting prices. "We'll see how it goes through the summer and if there's an opportunity to have the province step in and help, we'll do that. But at this point, I'm hopeful there will be some correlation between the commodity price and retail price. Those are issues that are market driven and out of my control," he said. Horgan said he can't explain a 12 cent a litre increase and perhaps the industry should invest more in refineries and the federal government should invest more in supply. Dan McTeague, an analyst at GasBuddy.com, said there are several factors at play, including a shortage of gas across the B.C. and northwestern United States caused by two refineries in Washington state running at reduced rates. He said the inability of the Trans Mountain pipeline's capacity to meet domestic needs is also a factor. Retailers also "helped themselves" to an additional two cent retail margin increase to 14 cents on Wednesday, McTeague said. On Monday, British Columbia's long-standing carbon tax increased to $40 a ton, which is double the federal carbon tax introduced in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and New Brunswick provinces that did not previously have any carbon tax in place. That adds another 1.2 cents per litre at the pump, McTeague said. "When you look at the totality of gas taxes now in B.C., no small amount can be easily or cavalierly dismissed. You're paying over 52 cents a litre in taxes to the federal, provincial, carbon and TransLink taxes," he said. "That puts you at variance with most other provinces by as much as 18 to 20 cents a litre more." The lowest price in Canada posted on GasBuddy.com Thursday was 99.4 cents a litre at a station in Moraviantown, a First Nation's territory in Ontario. B.C.'s Opposition Liberals pointed blame at the NDP government for claiming to care about affordability while also increasing the gas tax. "As of today, the government has the dubious distinction of presiding over the highest gas prices and highest taxes of anywhere in North America," Jas Johal said during question period Thursday, noting a transit tax hike is also on the way. Environment Minister George Heyman responded saying the government is putting revenue from the carbon tax toward a range of affordability measures, adding that the former Liberal government increased gas taxes by 15 cents compared with the NDP's two-cent increase. While high gas prices may hurt pocketbooks, one researcher said they can change consumer behaviour. Nic Rivers, Canada Research Chair in Climate and Energy Policy at the University of Ottawa, said B.C.'s carbon tax has already prompted many people to ditch their cars for bikes and transit alternatives. The province implemented North America's first broad-based carbon tax in 2008. Rivers' research suggests that when the carbon tax reached $30 a ton in 2012, it reduced emission by between five and 15 per cent. The tax effectiveness is measured through statistical comparisons of gas consumption before and after the carbon tax, as well as between provinces, and two other studies have reached similar conclusions. Ready, Pet, Go! Leesa Dahl looks at everything to do with our furry, fuzzy, feathered, fishy (and more!) pet friends. Arrives in your inbox each Monday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. "They suggest consumers have indeed reduced their consumption of gasoline and natural gas as prices go up," he said. "Which isn't surprising." Gas consumption has decreased steadily in line with price increases and there isn't a single price point that is most effective, he said, because each consumer makes decisions based on their individual financial realities. One study found the types of cars people buy in B.C. are more fuel efficient because of the tax, he said. But adjusting your habits isn't possible for everyone and is harder in rural areas where biking and transit options may be less viable or non-existent. He also noted that the money collected through the new federal carbon tax will be returned to taxpayers through a rebate. "Most households will get more back than they will actually spend on additional gas taxes," he said. SALEM, Ore. - A judge has defended former President Barack Obama's expansion of a national monument in Oregon, ruling against a logging company's lawsuit that said the expansion deprived it of timber. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 3/4/2019 (985 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. FILE - In this July 6, 2000, file photo, Pilot Rock rises into the clouds in the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument near Lincoln, Ore. A judge has defended former President Barack Obama's expansion of the national monument in Oregon, ruling against a logging company's lawsuit that said the expansion deprived it of timber. U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Clarke referred his recommendation Tuesday, April 2, 2019, to a U.S. district judge. (AP Photo/Jeff Barnard, File) SALEM, Ore. - A judge has defended former President Barack Obama's expansion of a national monument in Oregon, ruling against a logging company's lawsuit that said the expansion deprived it of timber. Environmental groups hailed Tuesday's ruling. The case ironically put the Trump administration in the position of defending Obama's expansion of Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, even after Trump's former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke recommended shrinking it. In the lawsuit against President Donald Trump, lawyers for environmental groups sided with U.S. Justice Department lawyers in fighting the logging company. Two similar lawsuits are being heard in federal court in Washington. For the Trump administration, the unlikely alliance is all about preserving presidential power. For the environmentalists, it is about protecting the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, which at the stroke of Obama's pen in his final days in office in 2017 nearly doubled in size to more than 150 square miles (390 square kilometres). Kristen Boyles, attorney with Earthjustice, a San Francisco-based legal group that is one of the defendant-intervenors in the three lawsuits, applauded the decision by U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Clarke. "Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument is one of America's natural wonders, not a collection of standing logs for a timber company," Boyles said. Clarke's ruling is not final. He referred his report and recommendation to a U.S. district judge, and said any objections are due within 14 days. John Murphy, owner of Murphy Co. and Murphy Timber Investments LLC, the Oregon timber concern that brought the lawsuit in federal court in Medford, said it would file an objection. "I am very disappointed in Judge Clarke's decision," Murphy said in a telephone interview. "We operate five mills, and we need the wood." Murphy noted that other mills have been shutting down because of lumber scarcity and competition from the Southeast, where much of the timber is grown on private land. In contrast, roughly half of the land in Oregon belongs to the federal government. In 2000, President Bill Clinton created Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, a unique habitat where three mountain ranges converge, forming a biological corridor for mule deer, grey wolves and spotted owls. It is home to more than 200 bird species, the imperiled Oregon spotted frog, deer, elk and many kinds of fish. Obama's expansion extended it into Northern California, and onto 62 square miles (161 square kilometres) of land that Congress designated in 1937 for timber harvesting to allow local communities to prosper. "The land is designated for permanent timber production," Murphy said. Clarke said Obama did not exceed his authority under the Antiquities Act of 1906 to expand the monument. The act authorizes a president to set aside federal land as protected national monuments. Timber harvesting is banned in the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, except for environmental reasons. Opponents of the expansion said that because it intrudes on land already reserved for timber production, the president unilaterally disregarded an act of Congress. But Clarke wrote in his decision that while the main purpose of the 1937 law is for timber production, no court has found that it sets aside federal public land exclusively for timber production or that it invalidates other federal environmental laws. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Meanwhile, Trump has yet to decide Cascade-Siskiyou's fate. Zinke in August 2017 recommended reductions or other changes at Cascade-Siskiyou and nine other national monuments, but Trump has acted on only two. He cut the size of Bears Ears National Monument and Grand Staircase-Escalante, both in Utah. If Trump winds up also shrinking Cascade-Siskiyou, the environmental groups that have lined up with him against the three lawsuits will likely wind up as his adversaries. "We don't think the president has the power to shrink monuments," Boyles said. ___ Follow Andrew Selsky on Twitter at https://twitter.com/andrewselsky One of the best known Asian-themed restaurant chains in the world may soon set up shop in Winnipeg near Polo Park, pending approval from the city. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 3/4/2019 (985 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. One of the best known Asian-themed restaurant chains in the world may soon set up shop in Winnipeg near Polo Park, pending approval from the city. The Assiniboia community committee will vote on plans for a proposed P.F. Changs Chinese-inspired restaurant at Monday's meeting. The chain has more than 300 locations around the globe. The urban planning division has recommended the plans be approved, according to a report filed on the city's website. If given the green light, the building would go up at the southeast corner of a commercial lot at 865 St. James St., at St. Matthews Avenue, which is the site of the former Winnipeg Stadium. Renderings of the proposed restaurant are seen in an administrative report being considered by a city committee next week. (City of Winnipeg) P.F. Changs, which is headquartered in Arizona, was founded in 1993. Since then, its brand has spread to include more than 200 restaurants in the U.S., as well as more than 90 others in 25 international markets. In 2012, the company announced it would bring its brand to Canada with two locations, one in Toronto and the other in Montreal. While the Toronto P.F. Changs appears to have shut down, the Montreal location remains in operation, along with a second restaurant in nearby Laval. At the time, Michael Aronovici, president and CEO of Interaction (which was involved in the Canadian expansion), said in a news release that the brand felt confident it would find a footing north of the border. "Many Canadians have expressed to us, both in person and over social media, how much they love P.F. Changs, and wished it was closer to home," he said. The location of the proposed restaurant is at the site of the former Target store in the Polo Park area off Empress Street. (City of Winnipeg) "Given this existing fan base, a commitment to fresh, Chinese-fusion flavour combinations in a distinctive dining setting, we have no doubt that this bistro experience will resonate with Canadas sophisticated dining population." P.F. Chang's corporate office did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday. Plans submitted to the city show the restaurant would be a one-storey, 6,200-square-foot building, with the brands distinctive horse statue stationed at the entrance. The chain's website says P.F. Chang's was the first "multi-unit restaurant concept in the U.S. to honour and celebrate the 2,000-year-old tradition of wok cooking." Its menu offers cuisine inspired from five regions of China: Mongolia, Sichuan, Beijing, Shanghai and Hunan. No details on the expected opening date have been made public. ryan.thorpe@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @rk_thorpe The building site for the proposed P.F. Chang's restaurant, south of 24-7 Intouch Winnipeg and Winners/Homesense. (Jason Halstead / Winnipeg Free Press) Try our Dish The latest on food and drink in Winnipeg and beyond from arts writers Ben Sigurdson and Eva Wasney. Dish arrives in your inbox every other Friday. See sample. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. SEVERNY KLEVER MILITARY BASE, Russia - Missile launchers ply icy roads and air defence systems point menacingly into the sky at this Arctic military outpost, a key vantage point for Russia to project its power over the resource-rich polar region. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 4/4/2019 (984 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. In this photo taken on Wednesday, April 3, 2019, Russian troops conduct training with a Bastion missile launcher on Kotelny Island, part of the New Siberian Islands archipelago located between the Laptev Sea and the East Siberian Sea, Russia. Russia has made reaffirming its presence in the Arctic the top goal amid an intensifying international rivalry over the region that is believed to hold up to one-quarter of the planet's undiscovered oil and gas. (AP Photo/Vladimir Isachenkov) SEVERNY KLEVER MILITARY BASE, Russia - Missile launchers ply icy roads and air defence systems point menacingly into the sky at this Arctic military outpost, a key vantage point for Russia to project its power over the resource-rich polar region. The base, dubbed Severny Klever (Northern Clover) for its trefoil shape, is painted in the white, blue and red colours of the Russian national flag. It has been designed so soldiers can reach all of its sprawling facilities without venturing outdoors a useful precaution in an area where temperatures often plunge to minus 50 Celsius (minus 58 Fahrenheit) during the winter, and even in the short Arctic summer are often freezing at night. It's strategically located on Kotelny Island, between the Laptev Sea and the East Siberian Sea on the Arctic shipping route, and permanently houses up to 250 military personnel responsible for maintaining air and sea surveillance facilities and coastal defences like anti-ship missiles. The Russian base has enough supplies to remain fully autonomous for more than a year. "Our task is to monitor the airspace and the northern sea route," said base commander Lt. Col. Vladimir Pasechnik. "We have all we need for our service and comfortable living." Russia is not alone in trying to assert jurisdiction over parts of the Arctic, as shrinking polar ice opens fresh opportunities for resource exploration and new shipping lanes. The United States, Canada, Denmark and Norway are jostling for position, as well, and China also has shown an increasing interest in the polar region. But while U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has seen the Arctic through the lens of security and economic competition with Russia and China, it has yet to demonstrate that the region is a significant priority in its overall foreign policy. The post of special U.S. representative for the Arctic has remained vacant since Trump assumed office. In this photo taken on Wednesday, April 3, 2019, Russian troops with a Bastion missile launcher, right, conduct training on Kotelny Island, part of the New Siberian Islands archipelago located between the Laptev Sea and the East Siberian Sea, Russia. Missile launchers ply icy roads and air defense systems point menacingly into the sky at this Arctic military outpost _ a key vantage point for Russia to project power to the resource-rich polar region. Russia, has made reaffirming its presence in the Arctic the top goal. The region is believed to hold up to one-quarter of the planet's undiscovered oil and gas. (AP Photo/Vladimir Isachenkov) Russia, however, has made reaffirming its presence in the Arctic a top goal, not the least because the region is believed to hold up to one-quarter of the Earth's undiscovered oil and gas. Russian President Vladimir Putin has cited estimates that put the value of Arctic mineral riches at $30 trillion. The move has alarmed Russia's neighbours, analysts say. "In Russia, the Northern sea route has been described as a bonanza with lots of potential of economic development," said Flemming Splidsboel Hansen of the Danish Institute for International Studies. "And that's why there is a need for military capacity in the area. It is likely meant as defensive, but it is being interpreted by the West as offensive." Kristian Soeby Kristensen, a researcher at Copenhagen University in Denmark, said the problem of Russian hegemony in the Arctic was most obvious to Norway. "Norway is a small country, whose next-door neighbour is mighty Russia, which has placed the bulk of its military capacity right next to them," Soeby Kristensen said. "Norway is extraordinarily worried." In 2015, Russia submitted to the United Nations a revised bid for vast territories in the Arctic. It claimed 1.2 million square kilometres (over 463,000 square miles) of Arctic sea shelf, extending more than 350 nautical miles (about 650 kilometres) from the shore. As part of a multi-pronged effort to stake Russia's claims on the Arctic region, the Kremlin has poured massive resources into modernizing Soviet-era installations there. The military outpost on Kotelny Island fell into neglect after the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, but a massive effort to build a new base began in 2014 and took several years. In this photo taken on Wednesday, April 3, 2019, a Russian military's Pansyr-S1 air defense system, left, and two Bastion missile launchers, right, leave a garage during a military drill on the Kotelny Island, part of the New Siberian Islands archipelago located between the Laptev Sea and the East Siberian Sea, Russia. Russia has made reaffirming its military presence in the Arctic the top priority amid an intensifying international rivalry over the region that is believed to hold up to one-quarter of the planet's undiscovered oil and gas. (AP Photo/Vladimir Isachenkov) A group of reporters brought to the island by the Russian Defence Ministry on Wednesday were shown Bastion anti-ship missile launchers positioned for a drill near the shore and Pantsyr-S1 air defence systems firing shots at a practice target. The Russian military has kept Western media from visiting its Arctic facilities, so the trip offered a unique opportunity to watch the Russian expansion up close. A big radar dome looms on a hill overlooking the coast, underlining the base's main mission of monitoring the strategic area. In contrast with drab, Soviet-era facilities, the pristine new base features spacious living quarters, a gym and a sauna. Putin's words about the importance of the Arctic for Russia dot the base's walls and a symbolic border post sits in a hallway. Soldiers at the base say they are proud of their mission despite the challenging Arctic environment. "Proving to myself that I can do it raises my self-esteem," said one of the soldiers, Sergei Belogov. "Weather is our enemy here, so we need to protect ourselves from it to serve the Motherland." Extreme cold and fierce winds often make it hard to venture outside, and even winterized vehicles may have trouble operating when temperatures plunge to extreme lows and even special lubricants freeze. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu reported to Putin in December that the military has rebuilt or expanded numerous facilities across the polar region, revamping runways and deploying air defence assets. He said renovation works were conducted on a long string of Arctic territories. The expanded infrastructure has allowed the Russian military to restore full radar coverage of the nation's 22,600-kilometre (14,000-mile) Arctic frontier and deploy fighter jets to protect its airspace. The military also has undertaken a cleanup effort across the region, working to remove tens of thousands of tons of waste from the Arctic territories, most of it rusty fuel tanks left behind by the Soviet military. The Russian soldiers share the island with polar bears, arctic foxes and wolves. Officers said that, soon after the base opened, curious bears regularly prowled near its walls, sometimes even peering into its windows. On some occasions, soldiers had to use a truck to spook away a particularly curious bear wandering nearby. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Soldiers interviewed at the base said they marveled at the area's wildlife and its majestic Arctic landscapes. "The nature here is extremely beautiful," said Navy Lt. Umar Erkenov, who came from southern Russia. "Meeting a polar bear is an experience that fills you with emotions. We have established friendly ties with them from the start. We don't touch them, they don't touch us." He said he's missing his wife and daughter, whom he can only see during his leave period once a year, but is proud of his mission. "Few people do their job under such conditions," he said. "I feel proud that I'm here with my unit, doing my duty and protecting the Motherland." ___ Matthew Lee in Washington, D.C. and Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen, Denmark contributed to this report. LONDON - The British government and senior opposition figures tried Thursday to overcome intractable differences and forge a new plan for departing the European Union, as the bloc warned of dire consequences if the U.K. leaves the EU without an agreement next week. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 4/4/2019 (984 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar greets German Chancellor Angela Merkel at Farmleigh House in Dublin, Ireland, Thursday, April 4, 2019. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison) LONDON - The British government and senior opposition figures tried Thursday to overcome intractable differences and forge a new plan for departing the European Union, as the bloc warned of dire consequences if the U.K. leaves the EU without an agreement next week. Prime Minister Theresa May was trying to avert a chaotic "no-deal" Brexit and also tamp down divisions within her Conservative Party inflamed by her shift toward compromise. May faced fury from anti-EU Conservatives after she agreed to talks with Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, who favours a softer form of Brexit than the plan advocated by the government. Two junior ministers have resigned, and more could follow. Senior government and Labour officials held four and a half hours of talks Thursday, after an initial two-hour session between May and Corbyn the day before. Both sides gave little away about what progress was made, but said the talks would continue Friday. Treasury chief Philip Hammond said both parties needed to be flexible to break the Brexit impasse. "When you enter into a negotiation like this to find a compromise way forward, both parties have to give something up," he told broadcaster ITV. "There is going to be pain on both sides." The political paralysis over Brexit has left Britain facing a possible chaotic departure from the EU in just over a week. After U.K. lawmakers three times rejected May's agreement with the bloc that was struck late last year, the EU gave Britain until April 12 to approve a withdrawal plan, change course and seek a further delay to Brexit, or crash out of the EU with no deal to cushion the shock. Economists and business leaders warn that a no-deal Brexit would lead to huge disruptions in trade and travel, with tariffs and customs checks causing gridlock at British ports and possible shortages of goods. Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar and German Chancellor Angela Merkel smile at the waiting media outside Farmleigh House in Dublin, Ireland, Thursday, April 4, 2019. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison) "Let there be no doubt whatsoever: A no-deal scenario would be extremely costly and disruptive," said European Commission Vice-President Jyrki Katainen, who warned "a no-deal scenario is highly likely." Worries about a no-deal Brexit are especially acute in Ireland, the only EU member state to share a land border with the U.K. Any customs checks or other obstacles along the currently invisible frontier would hammer the Irish economy, and could undermine Northern Ireland's peace process. Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar visited the border area Thursday with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, meeting residents and businesses who would face disruption from the return of a hard border. They also met victims of Northern Ireland's decades of violence. Speaking later in Dublin, Varadkar said the EU was determined to prevent the return of a hard border in the event of a disorderly Brexit. But he acknowledged that because of all the uncertainty, "it's not possible, quite frankly, to have a clear plan." Merkel added: "I'll simply say we have to succeed. Where there's a will, there's a way." It was unclear whether the cross-party talks in London would produce a breakthrough. They are risky for both the Conservatives and Labour, with each party split down the middle over Brexit. Labour is formally committed to enacting the voters' decision to leave the EU, but many of its lawmakers want a new referendum that could keep Britain in the bloc. They will be angry if the party actively helps bring about the U.K.'s departure. Others in the party especially those from areas that voted strongly to leave the EU are adamant Brexit must not be halted. Pro-Brexit Conservatives, meanwhile, are angry at the prospect of a softer Brexit that keeps Britain bound closely to EU trade rules and standards. Meanwhile, British lawmakers desperate to avoid a chaotic exit have seized control of the parliamentary agenda to pass a hastily drafted bill that compels May to ask for an extension to the Brexit deadline if a no-deal departure is looming. The bill was approved by the House of Commons late Wednesday by a single vote and moved Thursday to Parliament's upper chamber, the House of Lords, where anti-EU politicians tried to use delaying tactics to slow its progress. Despite the opposition, most members of the Lords are pro-EU. It's likely they will approve the bill and it will become law by early next week. May will then have to go to a special EU Brexit summit in Brussels on April 10 to seek a delay. The EU is not compelled to agree. Leaders of the bloc, exasperated by the chaos in London, say they will only grant a delay if Britain comes up with a workable plan. French President Emmanuel Macron, one of the leaders most resistant to a further Brexit extension, has warned that the bloc can't be held "hostage" to Britain's crisis. With British passions running high both inside and outside Parliament, police warned politicians to tone down their rhetoric. Martin Hewitt, chairman of the National Police Chiefs' Council, said the mood was "incredibly febrile." He said individuals with a public platform had a responsibility to speak in a way "that is temperate and is not in any way going to inflame people's views." The crisis has produced a week of high and sometimes surreal drama in Parliament. On Monday, climate change protesters stripped almost naked in the public gallery as lawmakers debated Brexit. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. On Wednesday, a vote in the House of Commons ended in a tie, for the first time in a quarter of a century. And on Thursday, debate in the Commons was suspended after water from a leak began pouring through the ceiling into the chamber below. Lawmakers were later sent home for the day as maintenance staff assessed the damage. ___ Associated Press writers Gregory Katz in London, Frank Jordans in Berlin and Lorne Cook in Brussels contributed. ___ Follow AP's full coverage of Brexit at: https://www.apnews.com/Brexit OTTAWA - Roadblocks to ratifying the new North American trade pact are being raised on both sides of the American political divide, as unresolved trade issues overshadowed Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland's trip to a NATO summit in Washington. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 4/4/2019 (985 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland, right, looks over her paperwork as she take her seat next to Bulgarian Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva, left, at the Meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Foreign Ministers' Session 1 at the U.S. State Department in Washington, Thursday, April 4, 2019. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) OTTAWA - Roadblocks to ratifying the new North American trade pact are being raised on both sides of the American political divide, as unresolved trade issues overshadowed Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland's trip to a NATO summit in Washington. Whether it was the Trump administration's "improper" imposition of metals tariffs as leverage in the contentious renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement or the "Pandora's Box" Democrats would open by seeking to change the agreement, Freeland made clear the final hurdles for the continent's new trade pact remain formidable. Freeland took that message to Washington on Thursday, where the continued existence of U.S. steel and aluminum duties dominated discussion ahead of the NATO summit she was attending, casting further uncertainty over the fate of the new trade deal signed by Canada, the U.S. and Mexico last fall but not yet ratified in their legislatures. Freeland said the tariffs were improperly applied in the first place last spring by the Americans as leverage in the protracted NAFTA talks. And they're no longer required because the continent's three countries now have a deal. They make ratifying the new North American trade pact unpalatable for many Canadians, she said. President Donald Trump unleashed a provision of U.S. trade law, known as Section 232, that allows the president to impose tariffs on national-security grounds. At the time, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said the Trump administration was suspending a 232 exemption for Canada and Mexico, imposing a 25-per-cent duty on steel and 10 per cent on aluminum, because the NAFTA talks were talking too long. "As to Canada, Mexico, you will recall that the reason for the deferral had been pending the outcome of the NAFTA talks," Ross said. "Those talks are taking longer than we had hoped." Freeland argued that's now a moot point because all three countries have finished negotiating. "Now, 232 was never meant to be a tool to be used as any kind of leverage. That would be a very improper use of it," Freeland said Thursday, adding the Americans "were quite explicit that that was the intention" when the tariffs were imposed. "How can that be relevant today when it comes to Canada? The deal is done. No more leverage is needed," Freeland said. "So both on the national-security grounds and when it comes to the notion that there could be some sort of negotiating purpose served by 232, we really think this is groundless." Freeland and the Trudeau government have branded the tariffs illegal and absurd. The minister made the remarks at the U.S. State Department, where she was attending a meeting of ministers in the NATO transatlantic military alliance. "Standing here in the U.S. State Department, a few minutes before the NATO meeting celebrating the 70th anniversary of this great alliance, I think underscores the absurdity of those 232 steel and aluminium tariffs," Freeland said. "For Canadians, that absurdity is cast in even starker relief by the fact that we now have a trade agreement." Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Freeland pressed U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to lift the tariffs during their meeting Wednesday night in Washington. "During the meeting, the minister made it clear that the application of Section 232 on imports of Canadian steel and aluminum is unjustified and urged the United States to drop these tariffs," her office said in a statement. Pompeo's office decided the tariff talk wasn't worth noting. A State Department readout of their conversation detailed a long list of pressing international-security concerns, from NATO burden sharing to the Canadians imprisoned in China, the Venezuelan crisis, and tensions with Iran and North Korea. But there was no mention of tariffs. On the Democratic side, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said earlier this week her party won't approve the new agreement unless Mexico passes a law protecting workers' rights. She told the U.S. news outlet Politico "no enforcement, no treaty" if there is no mechanism that binds Mexico to elevate its labour standards. Freeland said Canada agrees firmly with the Democrats on the need for that, but she flatly rejected the broad hints dropped by Pelosi and many in her party that the agreement might have to be re-opened to address their concerns. "We've done our deal," Freeland said. "Compromises were made on all sides, and we believe that people need to be very careful around opening up what could really be a Pandora's Box." A city given up for dead half a century ago has been named the second-best business performer in the country. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 3/4/2019 (985 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A city given up for dead half a century ago has been named the second-best business performer in the country. The City of Winkler ranked second best in a business index comprised of a dozen categories including business growth, businesses per capita, self-employment, business optimism, and municipal property and education taxes. While Winkler came second, Brandon ranked 23rd and Winnipeg 57th in the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) survey of 125 communities. Whitehorse, Yukon, was the only urban centre to top Winkler. Winkler Mayor Martin Harder recalled a provincial study of rural Manitoba in the late 1960s that declared Winkler a dying agrarian town that might someday disappear altogether. That served as a wake-up call for the community and it transformed itself into a manufacturing hub. Former mayor Henry F. Wiebe determined that Winklerites had to grow their own businesses and famously oversaw the sod-turning of 17 businesses in one day. Winklers population has since surged from 2,500 in the 1960s to nearly 13,000 in the 2016 Canada census, with an average age of just 34. The CFIB survey results were very gratifying to Harder and members of the Winkler business community. "Its been a long time coming and its through a lot of effort," Harder said. "I look back on when doom and gloom were pronounced on Winkler. We took the attitude that this isnt the way it will be." Winkler has benefited from immigration. One of the categories that jumps off the page is the 25 per cent of Winkler residents ages 15 to 34 who are self-employed in trades like bricklaying, carpentry, plumbing and even cleaning businesses. Harder said hed bet up to half of that total are immigrants or the grown-up children of immigrants. "Whats exciting to me is how many of those people are going to be employing 10, 20, 25, 50, 100 people five or 10 years from now. Our trajectory looks really good moving into the future," he said. Winkler also scored very highly in new building permits. The city had a record $46 million in residential, industrial and commercial building permits in 2018. Thats not even including $40 million for the new K-8 Pine Ridge School and the Meridian Exhibition Centre, for a total of $86 million. Winklers businesses per capita numbers were also solid, at 3.6 per 100 residents. As well, 22 per cent of businesses plan to hire more employees in the next three to four months. (In Brandon, 16.7 per cent of businesses expect to hire, and in Winnipeg, 14.8 per cent.) "The optimism is very high," said Harder, a former Cargill grain executive and grain company owner who is in his 13th year as mayor. However, the median earnings for Winkler business owners and the self-employed $45,000 were definitely on the low side. Its often said anecdotally that many business owners in southern Manitoba take slimmer margins to stay in their home communities. "Its really an eye-opener," said Jonathan Alward, CFIB Manitoba branch director. "They take on huge risk and extra stress, yet most business owners dont earn near as much as people expect them to." By comparison, business owners in Brandon had median earnings of $54,000, and in Winnipeg the median was $59,000. The survey also takes into consideration "property tax gaps" what businesses pay on a piece of property versus a residence of the same property value. Winnipeg didnt fare as well as Winkler and Brandon because of its business tax, Alward said. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Darren Heide, president of the Winkler District Chamber of Commerce, said people know business is strong in the community but outside affirmation is always nice. Theres still a small-town feel where businesses help each other out, he said. Some of the major companies include Triple E Recreational Vehicles (leisure travel vans), Load King Industries (grain-hauling trailers and flatbeds), Icon Technologies (motorhome parts), Meridian Manufacturing (grain storage equipment), Elias Woodworking (kitchen cabinets) and newcomer Valley Fiber (fibre-optics communications). The CFIB list is not perfect. Only three centres in Manitoba were rated among the 125 across Canada, including seven in Saskatchewan and 21 in British Columbia. Some glaring omissions include Dauphin, Portage la Prairie and Steinbach. The reason: they didnt make Statistics Canadas definition for mid-sized cities and census metropolitan areas. About half the data for CFIBs list comes from Statistics Canada, plus CFIB member surveys and property tax data. bill.redekop@freepress.mb.ca A small First Nation in northwestern Ontario will be in a Toronto courtroom Monday to fight a casino giants plans to build a casino in Kenora. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 4/4/2019 (984 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A small First Nation in northwestern Ontario will be in a Toronto courtroom Monday to fight a casino giants plans to build a casino in Kenora. Wauzhushk Onigum Nation, formerly known as Rat Portage, is challenging a decision by the Ontario government to grant an operating licence to the Burnaby, B.C.-based gaming giant Gateway Casinos. The First Nation held a news conference in Kenora Thursday to announce it is seeking to quash the gaming contract between Ontario and Gateway. The David-and-Goliath legal case represents years of efforts by the First Nation to win back the right to run a casino in Kenora, which is the service centre to Lake of the Woods cottage country. The First Nation ran the first charitable casino with table gaming in Ontario under the brand Golden Eagle from 1993 to 2003, when the province decided against renewing the licence. Since then, Golden Eagle has run a bingo in Kenora. "(We) spent many years trying to get the licence back and to have its facility expand into a full casino with slot (machines). It was forced to jump through hoop after hoop and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars meeting the ever-changing demands and political whims of Ontario and OLG, which kept arbitrarily and unilaterally moving the goal posts," the First Nation said in a statement. Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp., a provincial Crown corporation, and the province pulled the plug on negotiations with the First Nation eight years ago. "This was and is a case of bullying, of perpetuating rather than undoing colonialism," Wauzhushk Onigum Chief Chris Skead said Thursday in the communitys statement. "We tried everything over many years to work with these parties. The decision to pursue legal action was a difficult one, but it became our only option to achieve justice at the table. The table was set by Ontario and OLG who then handed over a lot of control to Gateway," the chief said. In 2017, Ontario announced the province had granted the rights to operate casinos throughout northern Ontario to the B.C. gaming giant. At the time, Ontario was privatizing 23 casinos and it divided them into geographic regions. Gateway had operated casinos in Western Canada for years and landing the contract in Ontario allowed it to expand. The deal involves Gateway taking over casinos in Thunder Bay, Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury, where the gaming giant announced a $60-million expansion. The same deal calls for new casinos to be built in North Bay and Kenora. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. In 2018, Gateway filed for an initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange. It set a placeholder amount of US$100 million to indicate the size of the IPO it intends to offer to raise cash for its shareholders. It filed profits of C$156 million in the first nine months of 2018, according to information the company submitted with the IPO the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Gateways biggest shareholder is Catalyst Funds, which holds investments in financial and technology sectors. The First Nation filed its court documents last September and updated them the same month that Gateway filed its IPO, signalling its intent to raise money on the New York Stock Exchange. The application for a judicial review will be heard by three justices of the Ontario Superior Divisional Court from April 8 to 11. The First Nation is represented by Olthuis Kleer Townsend, a high-profile Toronto firm that specializes in Indigenous law. alexandra.paul@freepress.mb.ca A convicted bomber who caused an explosion that severely injured a Winnipeg lawyer is asking to be released from prison pending his appeal. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 4/4/2019 (984 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A convicted bomber who caused an explosion that severely injured a Winnipeg lawyer is asking to be released from prison pending his appeal. Guido Amsel's request was delayed Thursday so a Court of Appeal judge can review the reasons for his sentencing and conviction before hearing Amsel's argument on why he should be released. The 52-year-old former autobody mechanic is serving a life sentence for trying to kill his ex-wife and local lawyers with mailed explosives. Guido Amsel is serving a life sentence for trying to kill his ex-wife and local lawyers with mailed explosives. (Winnipeg Police Service) Speaking in court Thursday, Amsel said he wants to work on his appeal at home, under reasonable conditions. "Im looking for release, to get released on bail," he said. His hearing has been adjourned until later this month. Amsel was sentenced in November 2018 on several charges, including four counts of attempted murder, and filed his appeal less than two weeks later. He is asking Manitoba's top court to overturn his convictions. He claims he is the victim of a justice system conspiracy. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. After a lengthy trial in Winnipeg's provincial court, Amsel was found guilty of mailing three explosive packages to his ex-wife, Iris Amsel, her lawyer, Maria Mitousis, and the lawyer Guido Amsel had employed while he and his ex-wife were engaged in a civil court dispute related to their former business partnership at a local autobody shop. After they dissolved the partnership, Amsel still owed his wife $40,000, and she took him to court. An explosion at a River Avenue law office on July 3, 2015, caused Mitousis to lose her right hand. Winnipeg police tracked down two other homemade bombs soon afterward, and the devices exploded while they were being handled by police bomb robots. Amsel was also convicted in a December 2013 explosion outside his ex-wife's home that resulted in no injuries and went unsolved until after his arrest for sending the explosives through Canada Post almost two years later. When she sentenced him last fall, provincial court Judge Tracey Lord noted the domestic-violence roots of the case and said Amsel targeted lawyers simply for doing their jobs. "The proper discharge of their professional responsibilities within the justice system was taken and distorted by Mr. Amsel to fit neatly into the conspiracy he already believed about his ex-wife," she said at the time. The provincial government will launch a stand-alone lawsuit within 30 days to challenge Ottawa's imposition of a federal carbon tax on Manitobans. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 3/4/2019 (985 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The provincial government will launch a stand-alone lawsuit within 30 days to challenge Ottawa's imposition of a federal carbon tax on Manitobans. Premier Brian Pallister announced the legal challenge Wednesday, two days after the federal government imposed its carbon backstop on four provinces: Manitoba, Ontario, Saskatchewan and New Brunswick. Pallister said the province had been waiting to see the so-called backstop in writing before launching its own suit. The backstop program puts a price on carbon pollution for areas that don't have emission reduction targets in line with federal benchmarks. The premier believes Manitoba likely has a better case than other provinces already challenging the carbon tax in court (Saskatchewan and Ontario) because of its in-depth, 67-page climate and green plan. "I think we have a very compelling case to make and I think we have a stronger case to make probably than many of our other provincial partners do," the premier told reporters. "We have developed a plan. Other provinces have not. We have a case to make. Now we have been forced, by the federal governments unwillingness to cooperate with us, to go to court and challenge our right to do for Manitoba... whats best for Manitoba." JOHN WOODS / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister's provincial government announced it will launch a lawsuit to challenge Ottawa's federal carbon tax on Manitobans. Pallister took issue with Ottawa seemingly treating provinces differently based on their respective green plans (or lack thereof) and appearing to crack down on provinces with Conservative governments. He referenced Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland as some other jurisdictions that got credit for green initiatives Manitoba didn't. "That in and of itself creates the reality not just the perception, the reality that Manitobas not getting respected for our green record," the premier said. Pallister previously said he pushed Trudeau during his Winnipeg visit last September to consider the provinces existing green policies and hydroelectricity glut in shaping federal claim policy. He claimed the prime minister was not open to any wiggle room for Manitoba. Pallister wouldn't clarify whether he would reconsider imposing a flat $25-per-tonne carbon tax provincially an idea he scrapped last October if he were to win a court case against Ottawa's escalating levy, mentioning he didn't want "to prejudice the legitimacy of our court case by getting into hypotheticals." Constitutional law expert Bryan Schwartz gave the Pallister government an expert opinion in October 2017 that said Ottawa does have the authority to implement a federal backstop. (Schwartz was paid about $40,000 for his legal advice.) He also said the province could make a credible argument that it was being discriminated against if Ottawa adopted its backstop while Manitoba was trying to install carbon reduction plans with the same federal emission targets. Both Manitoba opposition leaders decried Pallister's proposed lawsuit. BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Pallister, right, and Sustainable Development Minister Rochelle Squires, announced their Made-in-Manitoba Climate and Green Plan back in October 2017. "Its a frivolous lawsuit. A court challenge is going to do nothing to help us fight climate change in Manitoba," NDP leader Wab Kinew said. "The Manitoba government got a legal opinion from a local constitutional expert, who said the federal government does have the authority to levy this tax. So again, that issue has been settled. This is politicking." Liberal leader Dougald Lamont called the lawsuit a "huge waste of money." "If he really has a problem about whats happening with the federal government, he could always go back to the negotiating table," he said. In Ottawa, federal Environment Minister Catherine McKenna chided Pallister for using taxpayer money on a court case that she said was likely to fail, given the legal opinion. "Manitoba had an opportunity to have a plan and, unfortunately, they flipped-flopped so many times, we needed to act," she told the Free Press. McKenna noted a major climate report her department put out this week predicts the province will see more droughts, floods and wildfires. TREVOR HAGAN / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Pallister, right, met with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in September, 2018, when Pallister said he pushed Trudeau to consider the provinces existing green policies and hydroelectricity in shaping federal policy. She rejected the idea that lumping together conservative premiers would suggest the Liberals are targeting their provinces out of partisan considerations. "We're actually using a conservative tool, putting a price on pollution [and] returning the money directly back to people," she said. Conservative MP Candice Bergen said Pallister "has been very reasonable" in trying to craft a plan with Ottawa, saying the Liberals should have offered more flexibility. "The premier rightfully stood up for Manitoba and said no to Trudeau," the MP for Portage-Lisgar said. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. "The prime ministers making it very clear that provinces that don't align with him politically, and have conservative premiers are basically being told [to] get ready, because Trudeau's going to trample all over you." Bergen did not offer any specifics as to when the Tories will release their own federal climate plan, besides offering that "the plan will be released in plenty of time for Canadians to look at." McKenna pointed out the plan was promised almost a year ago. Liberal MP Terry Duguid, who represents Winnipeg South, said hes hopeful the federal government will be able to help the Pallister government get hydro to new markets. "We do need to work together on behalf of Manitobans," he said. "Lord knows we are trying." jessica.botelho@freepress.mb.ca dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca Opposition leader and NDP MLA Wab Kinew isn't buying the Progressive Conservative government's rationale linked to the possibility of an early provincial election, and he told a room of more than 100 local business and community leaders what he thinks is really going on. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 4/4/2019 (984 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opposition leader and NDP MLA Wab Kinew isn't buying the Progressive Conservative government's rationale linked to the possibility of an early provincial election, and he told a room of more than 100 local business and community leaders what he thinks is really going on. Premier Brian Pallister has hinted in the past week that he may call a provincial election earlier than the fall of 2020, suggesting Manitobans would rather celebrate the province's 150th birthday next year than go to the polls. "I don't buy that reason," Kinew said Thursday. "You want my honest answer (which) is I think there's a strong likelihood that the economy moves into recession next year and that the closure of the emergency rooms are going to be a disaster and Pallister wants to go to the polls before those two begin." He was referring to the province's plan to consolidate health-care services by closing three of Winnipeg's six emergency rooms in hospitals, transforming two of them into urgent-care centres. Kinew was speaking at a Manitoba Chambers of Commerce breakfast as the second guest in the 2019 Leaders Series of speakers. The organization heard from Dougald Lamont, Manitoba's Liberal leader and MLA for St. Boniface on March 21. The series will conclude April 18 with Pallister, the MLA for Fort Whyte. Kinew said the NDP is ready, whenever the election is called. "Running to be the premier of this province would be a tremendous honour. If Pallister is going to give me the opportunity to do that this year, then I'm all for that, 100 per cent," he said. Other key issues for Kinew include building relationships with people and other levels of government and the province's economy. Opposition leader Wab Kinew believes an early election might be held in case there is a recession next year and before the full impacts of the emergency room closures are felt. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press files) He said the NDP health-care policy is to put more focus on prevention of health issues in the population, which will translate into fewer people needing services, improving access to those who need them. "They (the PC government) are focused on improving management outcomes, but what I think the health-care system needs is to be focused on moving health outcomes," Kinew said. "We shouldn't be focused on moving the management metrics. We should be focused on reducing the prevalence of Type 2 diabetes. We should be focused on infant premature mortality and improving rates of heart disease and survival rates of people with cancer." Kinew wasn't afraid to indulge in some humour at his own expense. Following his speech, he joined chamber president and CEO Chuck Davidson for a casual question-and-answer session. Davidson asked Kinew for his thoughts on entering politics for the right reasons, and his leadership path. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. "I started life on the reserve and I did not have a straight path toward the political life. Say what you will about me, and the premier will say what he will about me in the upcoming election, but I will say this: if my life were a movie, you would watch it. Right?" he said, drawing laughs. His personal history includes being a rapper, a journalist, an academic and an author of a book in which he chronicled some negative life choices and his pathways to personal growth. "Who would play you in the movie?" Davidson asked. "To be honest, it would be Adam Beach. And not because I look as good as Adam, but do they cast anybody else there (in Hollywood) in an Indigenous role?" Kinew said with a chuckle. "I feel like my ethics, my moral compass, my desire for public service have been forged over my life experience. I know why I did this and I know why I want to help people and I know the job of the leader sometimes is to lead and not just tell people what they want to hear. It's also bringing people along to what you think is needed in our society today. I still have that connection to why I got into this thing. I think that it's really important for me to stay humble and remind myself of those reasons." ashley.prest@freepress.mb.ca OTTAWA The federal Liberals are seeing their support slip in Winnipeg, while the NDP is finding momentum, a new poll has found. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 3/4/2019 (985 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA The federal Liberals are seeing their support slip in Winnipeg, while the NDP is finding momentum, a new poll has found. "I think this is a function of Winnipeggers especially not being quite sure where to park their support now," said Mary Agnes Welch, a principal at Probe Research. The firm polled 1,000 Manitobans last month and found that the Liberals have dropped to 31 per cent support, three per cent down from December, and a steady decrease from the partys 45 per cent support in the 2015 election. Across Winnipeg, one-fifth of respondents would vote for the NDP if a federal vote had happened last month, up four points from December. In the city's core, the Liberals had a single percentage point lead over the NDP. The Tories are holding a lead in Manitoba at 42 per cent, compared with 35 per cent in the 2015 vote. Welch says it appears that Winnipeg, like most of Canada, has lost enthusiasm for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. "If there are Liberal voters in Winnipeg who are upset and disillusioned and there are many of those I think their natural resting spot is probably more likely with the NDP than it is with the Tories right now." The Liberals maintain their highest support in the southern half of the city, at 47 per cent. Otherwise, the southern area west of the Red River has more divided support, while on the east side, the Tories have 37 per cent support. There have been concerns raised about this division in our party, which we've now moved on from, Winnipeg South MP Terry Duguid admitted. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press files) "There have been concerns raised about this division in our party, which we've now moved on from," Winnipeg South MP Terry Duguid admitted. "Polls are a snapshot in time; things are very volatile out there. And our job is to get back to governing for Canadians, implementing our priorities and talking about our budget." The northeast puts the Tories in the lead at 36 per cent, compared with the Liberals at 33 per cent and the NDP at 20 per cent. Winnipeg North MP Kevin Lamoureux said his Liberal partys numbers on poverty and jobs are more likely to resonate with voters. "I think those are the measures people will be looking at," he said. "As long as we don't take it for granted and work hard and stay focused on Canadians, I suspect we'll be OK on October 21." As long as we don't take it for granted and work hard and stay focused on Canadians, I suspect we'll be OK on October 21." Winnipeg North MP Kevin Lamoureux Yet Welch says the city is a far cry from the lead-up to the 2015 federal election, when she recalled seeing a "10-block-long line up outside the St. James Civic Centre to see Justin Trudeau." "Pretty clearly now, that feeling has evaporated. Many of those folks who were in line are now wondering where to fall in this upcoming vote." The nomination of Leah Gazan as federal NDP Winnipeg Centre candidate has helped the NDP with "wind to their sails," said Elmwood-Transcona MP Daniel Blaikie. (John Woods / Winnipeg Free Press) Elmwood-Transcona MP Daniel Blaikie, who holds the NDPs sole Winnipeg seat, argued his partys policies on pharmacare, housing and climate change are attracting voters. He noted the large turnout for last Sundays downtown nomination race, which saw grassroots activist Leah Gazan best former provincial Cabinet minister Andrew Swan. "There's definitely wind in our sails in Winnipeg Centre, and it's great to see that that's true of Winnipeg in general," he said. Yet Welch predicted "a pretty tough fight in the next election" for Blaikie, with the citys northeast splitting its support for both the Liberals and Tories at 34 per cent. NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh last visited Winnipeg in August 2017, two months before he took over the federal party, and Welch says he seems largely unknown among locals. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. "Its more disillusionment with the Liberals, rather than necessarily falling in love with the NDP," she said. Its more disillusionment with the Liberals, rather than necessarily falling in love with the NDP." Mary Agnes Welch Welch added that she was surprised to see the Tories and Liberals almost tied in their support among women across the province, a demographic Trudeau has previously relied on. Conservative MP Candice Bergen said the SNC-Lavalin scandal is probably playing a role. "Ive been in this long enough that you don't make decisions based on polls. But I can tell you people are very upset with what the prime ministers doing," she said. dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca OTTAWA Winnipegs seven Liberal MPs unanimously support the prime ministers decision to eject two of their star colleagues amid a Game of Thrones showdown. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 3/4/2019 (985 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA Winnipegs seven Liberal MPs unanimously support the prime ministers decision to eject two of their star colleagues amid a "Game of Thrones" showdown. "Our Manitoba caucus is 100 per cent behind the prime minister," Winnipeg South Centre MP Terry Duguid said Wednesday. He was speaking a day after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced hed kicked from caucus former ministers Jody Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott. "Believe me, it was not a happy day for any of us... Its always difficult when there's division in the family," Duguid said. Kildonan-St.Paul MP MaryAnn Mihychuk said her colleagues ought to have handled their frustrations the same way she did when Trudeau booted her from cabinet in January 2017. "I have personal experience. Of course, you're going to be frustrated, and you might have grievances, but there's a way to deal with it and move forward," she told the Free Press, saying the decision "was basically unanimous." The SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. affair is having an impact on voters, Mihychuk said, recounting the issue emerging last week as she knocked constituents doors. TREVOR HAGAN / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and MP MaryAnn Mihychuk, speak to residents at Carriage House North seniors residence in Winnipeg in 2018. "We've got Game of Thrones happening right here in the Liberal party; people are curious. But they want to know about Pharmacare, and wheres our affordable housing?" Dan Vandal, MP for St. Boniface-St. Vital, was named parliamentary secretary for Indigenous services last September, meaning he helped consult for Philpott and craft policies. "The bottom line is they had no trust left," Vandal said. "A night like this, nobody wins. It was a tough decision. I was sad to see them go." Winnipeg South Centre MP Jim Carr agreed it was a "sad" night. "You work very closely with colleagues for years. It's difficult but sometimes inevitable that when there is a breakdown of trust, that this is the result," Carr said. The MPs would not parse a difference between the two former ministers. While Wilson-Raybould repeatedly evaded reporters questions as to whether she had confidence in Trudeau, Philpott had told reporters she supported the prime minister and left cabinet due to a single dispute over his handling of the SNC-Lavalin affair. Vandal and Mihychuk both said Philpott seemed to be stirring the pot, even despite claiming remorse over causing her colleagues damage. RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Winnipeg South Centre MP Jim Carr: 'You work very closely with colleagues for years. It's difficult but sometimes inevitable that when there is a breakdown of trust, that this is the result' "It was quite clear that there was a concerted effort to try to keep this thing going," Vandal said. He noted Philpott offered an interview to Macleans magazine the day of the 2019 budget, when governments generally halt all interviews pertaining to other issues. "It appeared like there was a concerted effort to do damage to the party," Vandal said of the former minister he used to represent. He said the media attention and Conservative filibusters over the SNC-Lavalin issue had "overshadowed" legislation impact Indigenous people, such as child-welfare reform. Mihychuk said Philpott and Wilson-Raybould hurt not just the party but individual MPs. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. "When you're a team you just don't do this," she said. "We gave a long time for reflection, for a new direction, for reconciliation. And it was not in their agenda." Robert-Falcon Ouellette and Doug Eyolfson were in Winnipeg on Tuesday evening, as part of committee hearings on methamphetamine abuse. First Nations leaders have expressed dismay over the Liberals purging both MPs, with the head of the Alberta chiefs asking "to know what path we are on." Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett insisted her government's approach to Indigenous issues has not changed. "This is a decision about one individual, and reconciliation, self-determination, self-government, treaty governments thats way bigger than this," she told the Free Press. dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca OTTAWA A Winnipegger chosen as a promising young leader said she had an eye-opening experience following MPs on Parliament Hill, and staging a walkout as the SNC-Lavalin affair continues to rock Ottawa. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 3/4/2019 (985 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA A Winnipegger chosen as a promising young leader said she had an eye-opening experience following MPs on Parliament Hill, and staging a walkout as the SNC-Lavalin affair continues to rock Ottawa. "Emotions were high today, to say the least," Sage Creek resident Kayla Lariviere, 20, said Wednesday. She was selected as one of 338 Daughters of the Vote, a non-partisan program that brings one woman from every riding in Canada to meet MPs in Ottawa, and ask the prime minister questions. Lariviere, who is pursuing a double major in criminology and native studies at the University of Manitoba, represented Liberal MP Dan Vandals riding, Saint Boniface-Saint Vital. She had a chat with her MP about the responsibility of representing constituents before taking his seat in the Commons. The experience gave her thoughts of one day becoming a politician but it also showed her what that reality might look like. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stood on the Commons floor and took questions from the women about Indigenous relations, climate change and drug policy. She found his responses far less substantive than those given by candidates during U of M student elections. "To have him kind of go around the answer... for me to see that first time was actually like: wow, this is politics. And this is who is running our country right now," she said. Trudeau had been speaking just hours after deciding to remove former ministers Jody Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott from the Liberal caucus. "Diversity only works if there is trust," Trudeau told the women. "In a team, when trust is broken, we have to find a way to move forward." It was an unconvincing statement for Lariviere, who feels the party should have worked harder to address the concerns of both former cabinet ministers, especially now that fewer women are in the government benches. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. "I think they like to tokenize people, and maybe Jody was that token," said Lariviere, who is involved with numerous reconciliation initiatives. She aims to pursue a career relating to Indigenous people and the legal system. About 40 women stood with their backs turned to Trudeau during his Commons speech. Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer got a rougher ride, as Lariviere was one of roughly 50 women to leave the chamber as he started his speech. Lariviere, who has Metis and Filipino roots, said she felt Scheer has voiced tepid support for oppressed minorities. dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 3/4/2019 (985 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opinion Meanwhile, in a parallel universe "Welcome everyone to todays Liberal caucus meeting," said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to his colleagues and assembled media. "As you all know, these past few months have been a very trying time, a divisive time, so I am here today to make an announcement." The Liberal caucus waited with bated breath. Most had arrived expecting a vote on whether to remove former Minister of Justice and Attorney General Jody Wilson-Raybould and former Minister of Indigenous Services Jane Philpott from the Liberal Party. Instead it appeared the prime minister had other plans. "Before I begin, however, I would like to bring in two people I met with this afternoon." To the right of the prime minister suddenly appeared Wilson-Raybould and Philpott. Nervous whispers sprung up in the crowd. The media reporters on the far side of the room suddenly scribbled notes and leaned in to listen, anticipating the lead-in story for tonight. "Id like to take this opportunity to acknowledge these two important contributors to our caucus and thank them for their dedication and commitment to Canadians. After a series of miscommunications, misunderstandings, and, frankly, some drastically differing points of view, I want to take responsibility as leader for what has become a difficult situation. I acknowledge that, as leader, it is my duty to ensure that all opinions in this cabinet and caucus are heard and decisions are made with our collective in mind. As a government, we were elected by Canadians to find solutions and make Canada a better place to live. This is easy when we all agree, but more important to remember when we think differently on important matters." Wilson-Raybould and Philpott shift in their shoes, waiting for the prime minister to make his point. "I want to therefore apologize to former Minister Wilson-Raybould and former Minister Philpott for the lengths they needed to express their concerns regarding the prosecution of SNC Lavalin. In front of you and in front of all Canadians I want you to know I have heard your concerns and recognize that the independence of the office of the attorney generals office is a sacred responsibility. I apologize for leaving any impression that my office wished to influence any decision surrounding this matter in any way. This was not my intention. My intention was and still is to ensure that a full picture of what SNC Lavalin brings to Canada, including jobs and investment, be a part of the conversation. This is my role as prime minister. None of this was, or is, illegal looking at the big picture is what a responsible and ethical government looks like. You both did your jobs by seeking that an independent, fair, and just decision be made regarding this matter and I thank you for your dedication to Canadians. As a result, I publicly commit to the decision by prosecutors whatever it may be on this matter." Applause erupts in the Liberal caucus. Trudeau shuffles his papers and turns his attention directly to Wilson-Raybould and Philpott. "I now ask you both to demonstrate the kind of commitment you have already demonstrated by continuing to be a part of the Liberal party going forward. I ask you both to continue to express your opinions and I will listen and learn from them as I promise to do with all of our caucus. I admit to not being a perfect prime minister but I want to be a better one every day. I will do this by listening to voices I believe are central to our party, including yours. Our greatest attribute in the Liberal party is our ability to disagree but demonstrate to all Canadians how we can overcome these disagreements and commit to a common vision. That is the hard work of democracy, diversity, and reconciliation." Trudeau pauses. "Part of a better country is to treat women as equals. Part of a better country is to commit to a fair and just relationship with Indigenous peoples. Part of a better country is to stand up for the marginalized and the unemployed. Part of a better country is to not forget the mistakes of the past but to commit to one another more, not less, when we inherit the divisive legacies we are presented with. A better country is found when we work for a just and inclusive society where everyone is heard and everyone is a part of the decision-making process. This is the kind of society Canadians want to live in and this the kind of country Canadians elected us to build. I therefore continue to commit to ensuring that women, Indigenous peoples, and Canadians from all walks of life are a part of our government and to do the work of having the hard conversations and finding solutions together." Trudeau then leaves the podium, offering a handshake each to Wilson-Raybould and Philpott, saying things quietly to each of them. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. As they shake hands, a standing ovation slowly begins in the front row of the Liberal caucus. Trudeau returns to the podium. "Furthermore, I also want to speak about leadership for a moment. Leadership is difficult. Its hard to find agreement when you feel passionate about things. Its hard to see another point of view when you feel youre right. Its hard to compromise when the stakes are so high. Its hardest most of all, however, to admit you dont know it all. This is why leadership must be about working together in a humble, honest, and fair way. This is what I am trying to do today listen, learn, and lead with respect. I learned this from all of you, especially from leadership exemplified by Jody Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott and from all of you here in the Liberal caucus. I learned this from the Canadians who gave us this incredible gift of leadership in this government." Trudeau turns and looks directly into the camera. "I promise to every Canadian, now and here, that going forward we will not forget this gift. Merci mon ami, thank you my friends." niigaan.sinclair@freepress.mb.ca The action was predictable. The outcome will surely be something other than what was desired or intended. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 3/4/2019 (985 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The action was predictable. The outcome will surely be something other than what was desired or intended. The move Tuesday by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to expel two former cabinet ministers Jody Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott from the federal Liberal caucus came as a surprise to virtually no one who follows Canadian politics. Mr. Trudeau has spent nearly two months flailing as public perception of his leadership and his government took a series of body blows in the wake of allegations he, and members of his staff, pressured Ms. Wilson-Raybould in her role as attorney general to intervene in a prosecution involving bribery and corruption charges against the Quebec-based engineering firm SNC-Lavalin. At issue was an effort by the company to seek a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) that would have allowed SNC-Lavalin to admit wrongdoing and pay a fine rather than risk a conviction at trial that could bar it from pursuing government of Canada contracts for 10 years. The company had argued that such a measure could push it into bankruptcy, and subsequent reporting has confirmed SNC-Lavalin warned the federal government it might relocate its business outside Canada if a DPA could not be reached. Former Liberal MP Jody Wilson-Raybould leaves Parliament Hill on Tuesday. (Adrian Wyld / The Canadian Press) The prospect of SNC-Lavalin leaving Quebec, and thereby eliminating thousands of jobs in that province and across Canada, was clearly seen as an unacceptable political risk by Mr. Trudeau and his staff, who Ms. Wilson-Raybould said exerted months of inappropriate pressure on her to push the director of public prosecutions to pursue a DPA. Ms. Wilson-Raybould refused; she was subsequently shuffled out of the roles of justice minister and attorney general and shortly thereafter resigned from cabinet. Ms. Philpott, who was appointed Treasury Board president in the January cabinet shuffle, also resigned from cabinet, citing a loss of confidence in the PMs handling of the SNC-Lavalin situation. Want more great journalism? Get our best news and features delivered in your inbox every weekday evening. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. All of which set the stage for Tuesdays ousters, which Mr. Trudeau said were necessary because "The trust that had previously existed between these two individuals and our team has been broken." The PM rightly added that "civil wars" within parties erode the publics trust, and that the Liberals political opponents win when the party is divided. What the leader of the current federal government which faces a re-election challenge this fall did not do, however, is take any responsibility for the fracturing of trust between the erstwhile cabinet ministers and the government, and the eruption of the so-called civil war within its ranks. Mr. Trudeau sought to emphasize the "unconscionable" breach committed when Ms. Wilson-Raybould surreptitiously recorded a telephone conversation with Privy Council clerk Michael Wernick, without any apparent consideration by the PM of why she felt compelled to do so. The expulsion of Jane Philpott is more difficult to justify for the prime minister. (Sean Kilpatrick / The Canadian Press) As for the expulsion of Ms. Philpott, whose only offence seems to have been disagreeing with the PMOs attempt to influence a judicial proceeding, thats much more difficult to justify. If youre not fully with the PM, it appears, youre against the PM; and if youre against the PM, youre out. The intent of Tuesdays highly unusual expulsions seems to have been to set this matter to rest, to close the door on the troubles caused by Ms. Wilson-Raybould and Ms. Philpott, and to move on to other issues so the Liberals can strip the tarnish from their brand in time for a fall election. The opposition Conservatives and NDP and an increasingly skeptical Canadian public likely have something very different in mind. Thrissur : Nearly a month after a girl was set on fire by a jilted lover in Thiruvalla, another girl was set ablaze by a youth, after the girl refused his marriage proposal. The victim has been identified as Neethu, hailing from Chiyaram. The girl succumbed to her injuries later. As per the initial reports, the boy arrived at the girl's house for having a conversation with her. After engaging in a quarrel with the girl, the boy set the girl on fire. Nearby residents handed over the boy to the police. Premium Brands Holdings Corporation, through its subsidiaries, manufactures and distributes food products primarily in Canada and the United States. It operates in two segments, Specialty Foods and Premium Food Distribution. The company provides meat products and snacks, deli products, beef jerky and halal, sandwiches, pastries, specialty and gourmet products, salads and kettle products, entrees, panini, wraps, subs, hamburgers, burgers, muffins, breads, pastas, and baking and sushi products, as well as processed meat products. It is also involved in the distribution of food products, including meat, seafood, and halal food products, as well as operation of retail/convenience store and concessionary, and provision of food and seafood processing services. The company operates under the brand names of Harvest Meats, Hempler's, Grimm's Fine Foods, Piller's, Freybe, Isernio's, Expresco, SJ Fine Foods, McSweeney's, Made Rite, Fletcher's, Deli Chef, Belmont Meats, Conte Foods, SK Food Group, Oven Pride, Hygaard, Quality Fast Foods, HQ Fine Foods, Creekside Custom Foods, Stuyver's Bread, Bread Garden Express, Audrey's Patisserie, Duso's, Gourmet Chef, Island City Baking, Skilcor, Leadbetter's, Mclean Meats, Buddy's Kitchen, Raybern's, Partner's Crackers, Shaw Bakers, Oberto, Concord Meats, Country Prime Meats, The Meat Factory, and Golden Valley Farms. It serves chains and large format retailers, independent and specialty retailers, foodservice operators, foodservice distributors, and other food manufacturers and food brokers. The company was founded in 1917 and is headquartered in Richmond, Canada. Read More There is not enough analysis data for Television Francaise 1 Societe anonyme. 4.4 Community Rank Outperform Votes Television Francaise 1 Societe anonyme has received 119 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes Television Francaise 1 Societe anonyme has received 59 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment Television Francaise 1 Societe anonyme has received 66.85% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Television Francaise 1 Societe anonyme and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe TVFCF will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe TVFCF will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days. Previous Next Manulife Financial Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides financial products and services in Asia, Canada, the United States, and internationally. The company operates through Wealth and Asset Management Businesses; Insurance and Annuity Products; And Corporate and Other segments. The Wealth and Asset Management Businesses segment provides mutual funds and exchange-traded funds, group retirement and savings products, and institutional asset management services through agents and brokers affiliated with the company, securities brokerage firms, and financial advisors pension plan consultants and banks. The Insurance and Annuity Products segment offers deposit and credit products; individual life, and individual and group long-term care insurance; and guaranteed and partially guaranteed annuity products through insurance agents, brokers, banks, financial planners, and direct marketing. The Corporate and Other segment is involved in property and casualty insurance and reinsurance businesses; and run-off reinsurance operations, including variable annuities, and accident and health. It also manages timberland and agricultural portfolios; and engages in insurance agency, portfolio and mutual fund management, mutual fund dealer, life and financial reinsurance, and fund management businesses. Additionally, the company holds and manages oil and gas properties; holds oil and gas royalties, and foreign bonds and equities; and provides investment management, counseling, advisory, and dealer services. Manulife Financial Corporation was incorporated in 1887 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Read More Ad Investing Trends How This Rare Metal Is Going To Solve A $173 TRILLION World Problem And Could Benefit Investors According to Bloomberg NEF, changing the world to "All Green Energy" could cost about $173 trillion. And without this rare metal, going green would be IMPOSSIBLE. That's why there's a literal "gold rush" to find it. (HINT: It's not electric vehicles, nuclear power, or wind energy). The following companies are subsidiares of Bayer Aktiengesellschaft: AB Seeds Ltd, AB Seeds Sales (2006) Ltd, AO Bayer, Adverio Pharma GmbH, AgrEvo Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, AgraQuest Inc., Alcafleu Management GmbH & Co. KG, Algeta, Artificial Muscle Inc, Asklepios BioPharmaceutical, Athenix Corp., Atlantic Breeders S. A. R. L., BUS C.V., Bayer (Proprietary) Limited, Bayer (Schweiz) AG, Bayer 04 Immobilien GmbH, Bayer 04 Leverkusen Fuball GmbH, Bayer A / S, Bayer AB, Bayer AS, Bayer Agriculture BVBA, Bayer Agriculture Limited, Bayer Algerie S. P. A., Bayer Altersversorgung GmbH, Bayer Animal Health GmbH, Bayer Austria Gesellschaft m.b.H., Bayer B.V., Bayer Beteiligungsverwaltung Goslar GmbH, Bayer Beteiligungsverwaltungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. OHG, Bayer Bitterfeld GmbH, Bayer Bulgaria EOOD, Bayer Business Services GmbH, Bayer Canadian Holdings Inc., Bayer Capital Corporation B.V., Bayer Chemicals GmbH, Bayer Consumer Care AG, Bayer Consumer Care Holdings LLC, Bayer Corporation, Bayer CropScience, Bayer CropScience (Portugal)-Produtos para a Agricultura Lda, Bayer CropScience Beteiligungsgesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Bayer CropScience Biologics GmbH, Bayer CropScience Deutschland GmbH, Bayer CropScience Holding Inc., Bayer CropScience Holding SA, Bayer CropScience Holdings Inc., Bayer CropScience Inc., Bayer CropScience LLC, Bayer CropScience LP, Bayer CropScience Limited, Bayer CropScience NV, Bayer CropScience S. L., Bayer CropScience S. r. l., Bayer CropScience Schweiz AG, Bayer CropScience Vermogensverwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, Bayer East Coast LLC, Bayer Essure Inc., Bayer HealthCare Animal Health Inc., Bayer HealthCare Holdings LLC, Bayer HealthCare LLC, Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc., Bayer HealthCare US Funding II LLC, Bayer HealthCare US Funding LLC, Bayer Inc., Bayer International Trade Services Corporation, Bayer Medical Care Inc., Bayer New AU M1059 USD LLC, Bayer New AU M3650 LLC, Bayer New BE M3155 LLC, Bayer New CA M5015 LLC, Bayer New CH M3868 LLC, Bayer New CZ M3204 LLC, Bayer New DE M3385 LLC, Bayer New Gewas I M3640 LLC, Bayer New Gewas II M3640 LLC, Bayer New HU M3440 LLC, Bayer New MA M3130 LLC, Bayer New MX M3640 LLC, Bayer New MY M1455 LLC, Bayer New NL M3644 LLC, Bayer New Oogst M3648 LLC, Bayer New PL M3655 LLC, Bayer New RO M3695 LLC, Bayer New RU M3708 LLC, Bayer New TH M1763 LLC, Bayer New TK M3970 LLC, Bayer New UA M3702 LLC, Bayer New UK M3939 LLC, Bayer New Veggie M3617 M5157 LLC, Bayer New Veggie Mig M3617 M5157 LLC, Bayer New ZA M3743 LLC, Bayer Overseas Trade Services Corporation, Bayer Puerto Rico Inc., Bayer U.S. LLC, Bayer US Finance II LLC, Bayer US Finance LLC, Bayer US Holding LP, Bayer West Coast Corporation, Bayer World Investments B.V., Bayer d. o. o., Bayer spol. sr. o., Bayer-Handelsgesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Beeologics Admin LLC, Beeologics Holdings Limited, Beeologics LLC, Beeologics USA Inc, Berlimed S. A., Berlipharm B.V., Berlis AG, Biogenetic Technologies B.V., BlueRock Therapeutics, Care/of, Channel Bio LLC, Chemion Logistik GmbH, Collateral Therapeutics Inc., Conceptus SAS La Garenne, Cooper Land Company of New Jersey Inc., Coppertone LLC, Corn States LLC, Dihon Pharmaceutical, Dr. Scholls LLC, Dritte Bayer Real Estate VV GmbH & Co. KG, Erste Bayer Real Estate VV GmbH & Co. KG, Erste K-W-A Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, EuroServices Bayer S. L., Funfte Bayer Real Estate VV GmbH & Co., GP Grenzach Produktions GmbH, Grass Roots Biotechnology LLC, Hornbeck Seed Company Inc., Icon Genetics, Intendis GmbH, Intraserv GmbH & Co., Jenapharm GmbH & Co. KG, KVP Pharma+Veterinar Produkte GmbH, KWA Investment II LLC Research, KWA Investment III LLC, KWA Investment IV LLC, KaNDy Therapeutics, MENADIER Heilmittel GmbH, MNL Luxembourg S. a. r. l., MONSANTO Hungaria Kft., MONSANTO Saaten GmbH, Merck-Consumer Care (MCC), MiraLAX LLC, Monsanto ACUA MHC LLC, Monsanto AG Netherlands I C.V., Monsanto AG Netherlands II C.V., Monsanto AGN Holding LLC, Monsanto Ag B.V., Monsanto Agrar Deutschland GmbH, Monsanto Agricultura Espana S. L., Monsanto Agricultura Italia S.p.A., Monsanto Agriculture Nigeria Limited, Monsanto Burkina Faso SARL, Monsanto CR s. r. o., Monsanto Canada ULC, Monsanto Caribe LLC, Monsanto Company, Monsanto Crop B.V., Monsanto Crop Sciences Denmark A/S, Monsanto Crop Sciences Norway A/S, Monsanto Crop Sciences Sweden A.B., Monsanto Finance SA, Monsanto Gesellschaft m. b. H., Monsanto Gida Ve Tarim Ticaret Ltd, Monsanto Grain B.V., Monsanto Great Lakes Production Co LLC, Monsanto Hawaii Production Co LLC, Monsanto Hellas Agriculturals Ltd, Monsanto Holding I C.V., Monsanto Holding II C.V., Monsanto Holding III C.V., Monsanto Holding Ukraine Ltd, Monsanto Holland B.V., Monsanto II Lda, Monsanto Illinois Production Co LLC, Monsanto Inter-America Company, Monsanto International Sarl, Monsanto Invest B.V., Monsanto Iowa Production Co LLC, Monsanto Ireland Limited, Monsanto Jordan LLC, Monsanto Kenya Ltd, Monsanto Kool BV, Monsanto LA Holdings II Co LLC, Monsanto Latin America Holdings Co LLC, Monsanto MGCV MHC LLC, Monsanto MSCV Holding LLC, Monsanto MYCV MHC LLC, Monsanto Malawi Ltd, Monsanto Missouri Production Co LLC, Monsanto NL BV, Monsanto Northern Production Co LLC, Monsanto Oogst B.V., Monsanto Operations B.V., Monsanto Polska Sp. z o. o., Monsanto Production Supply LLC, Monsanto Romania SRL, Monsanto Rus LLC, Monsanto S.A.S., Monsanto Seed Supply LLC, Monsanto Seeds LLC, Monsanto Serbia D. O. O., Monsanto Slovakia S. R. O., Monsanto South Africa (PTY) Ltd, Monsanto Southern Production Co LLC, Monsanto Tanzania Limited, Monsanto Technology International LLC, Monsanto Technology LLC, Monsanto Treasury Services SARL, Monsanto UK Limited Cambridge U. K., Monsanto Vegetable Holding LLC, Monsanto Vegetable IP Holding C.V., Monsanto Vegetable IP Management BV, Monsanto Vegetable Seed Holding LLC, Monsanto Western Production Co LLC, Monsanto Zaad B.V., Monsanto Zambia Ltd, Monsanto d. o. o., Pallas Versicherung, Pandias Re AG, Pianosa B.V., Relay Limited, SC Bayer SRL, SCEA De Ruiter Zonen Selection, Sechste Bayer Real Estate VV GmbH & Co., Seminis Vegetable Seeds U. K. Ltd, Siebte Bayer VV GmbH, Steigerwald Arzneimittelwerk GmbH, TECTRION GmbH, TOO Bayer KAZ, The Climate Corporation International SA, TravelBoard GmbH, UAB Bayer, Vierte Bayer Real Estate VV GmbH & Co., WeatherMe OU, Zeptosens, Zoner.ag, Zweite Bayer Real Estate VV GmbH & Co., and Zweite K-W-A Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH. The following companies are subsidiares of Sonic Automotive: AM GA LLC, AM Realty GA LLC, AnTrev LLC, Arngar Inc., Autobahn Inc., Avalon Ford Inc., Car Cash of North Carolina Inc., Cornerstone Acceptance Corporation, ECHOPARK: AM GA LLC, ECHOPARK: AM Realty GA LLC, ECHOPARK: EP Realty NC LLC, ECHOPARK: EP Realty SC LLC, ECHOPARK: EchoPark AZ LLC, ECHOPARK: EchoPark CA LLC, ECHOPARK: EchoPark Driver Education LLC, ECHOPARK: EchoPark FL LLC, ECHOPARK: EchoPark NC LLC, ECHOPARK: EchoPark Realty TX LLC, ECHOPARK: EchoPark SC LLC, ECHOPARK: EchoPark TX LLC, ECHOPARK: Echopark Automotive Inc., ECHOPARK: SAI DS LLC, ECHOPARK: SAI DS Realty TX LLC, ECHOPARK: SAI Vehicle Subscription Inc., ECHOPARK: TT Denver LLC, ECHOPARK: TTRE CO 1 LLC, FAA Beverly Hills Inc., FAA Capitol N Inc., FAA Concord H Inc., FAA Concord T Inc., FAA Dublin N Inc., FAA Dublin VWD Inc., FAA Holding Corp., FAA Las Vegas H Inc., FAA Poway H Inc., FAA Poway T Inc., FAA San Bruno Inc., FAA Santa Monica V Inc., FAA Serramonte H Inc., FAA Serramonte Inc., FAA Serramonte L Inc., FAA Stevens Creek Inc., FAA Torrance CPJ Inc., FirstAmerica Automotive Inc., Fort Mill Ford Inc., Franciscan Motors Inc., Frontier Oldsmobile-Cadillac Inc., Kramer Motors Incorporated, L Dealership Group Inc., Marcus David Corporation, Massey Cadillac Inc. (TN-MI), Mountain States Motors Co. Inc., North Point Imports LLC, Ontario L LLC, Philpott Motors Ltd., SAI AL HC1 Inc., SAI AL HC2 Inc., SAI Ann Arbor Imports LLC, SAI Atlanta B LLC, SAI Broken Arrow C LLC, SAI Calabasas A LLC, SAI Chamblee V LLC, SAI Charlotte M LLC, SAI Chattanooga N LLC, SAI Clearwater T LLC, SAI Cleveland N LLC, SAI Columbus Motors LLC, SAI Columbus T LLC, SAI Columbus VWK LLC, SAI Conroe N LLC, SAI Denver B Inc., SAI Denver C Inc., SAI Denver M Inc., SAI FL HC1 Inc., SAI FL HC2 Inc., SAI FL HC3 Inc., SAI FL HC4 Inc., SAI FL HC7 Inc., SAI Fairfax B LLC, SAI Fort Myers B LLC, SAI Fort Myers H LLC, SAI Fort Myers M LLC, SAI Fort Myers VW LLC, SAI GA HC1 LLC, SAI Irondale Imports LLC, SAI Irondale L LLC, SAI Long Beach B Inc., SAI MD HC1 Inc., SAI McKinney M LLC, SAI Monrovia B Inc., SAI Montgomery B LLC, SAI Montgomery BCH LLC, SAI Montgomery CH LLC, SAI Nashville CSH LLC, SAI Nashville H LLC, SAI Nashville M LLC, SAI Nashville Motors LLC, SAI OK HC1 Inc., SAI Oklahoma City C LLC, SAI Oklahoma City H LLC, SAI Oklahoma City T LLC, SAI Orlando CS LLC, SAI Peachtree LLC, SAI Pensacola A LLC, SAI Philpott T LLC, SAI Riverside C LLC, SAI Roaring Fork LR Inc., SAI Rockville Imports LLC, SAI Rockville L LLC, SAI S. Atlanta JLR LLC, SAI SIC Inc., SAI Santa Clara K Inc., SAI Stone Mountain T LLC, SAI TN HC1 LLC, SAI TN HC2 LLC, SAI TN HC3 LLC, SAI Tulsa N LLC, SAI Tulsa T LLC, SAI Tysons Corner H LLC, SAI Tysons Corner I LLC, SAI VA HC1 Inc., SAI VS GA LLC, SAI VS TX LLC, SAI Vehicle Subscription Inc., SAI West Houston B LLC, SRE Alabama 2 LLC, SRE Alabama 5 LLC, SRE Alabama 6 LLC, SRE California 10 LBB LLC, SRE California 11 PH LLC, SRE California 1 LLC, SRE California 2 LLC, SRE California 3 LLC, SRE California 4 LLC, SRE California 5 LLC, SRE California 6 LLC, SRE California 7 SCB LLC, SRE California 8 SCH LLC, SRE California 9 BHB LLC, SRE Colorado 1 LLC, SRE Colorado 2 LLC, SRE Colorado 3 LLC, SRE Colorado 4 RF LLC, SRE Colorado 5 CC LLC, SRE Florida 1 LLC, SRE Florida 2 LLC, SRE Georgia 4 LLC, SRE Georgia 5 LLC, SRE Georgia 6 LLC, SRE Holding LLC, SRE Maryland 1 LLC, SRE Nevada 2 LLC, SRE North Carolina 2 LLC, SRE North Carolina 3 LLC, SRE Ohio 1 LLC, SRE Ohio 2 LLC, SRE Oklahoma 1 LLC, SRE Oklahoma 2 LLC, SRE Oklahoma 5 LLC, SRE South Carolina 2 LLC, SRE South Carolina 3 LLC, SRE South Carolina 4 LLC, SRE Tennessee 6 LLC, SRE Tennessee 7 LLC, SRE Tennessee 1 LLC, SRE Tennessee 2 LLC, SRE Tennessee 3 LLC, SRE Tennessee 4 LLC, SRE Tennessee 5 LLC, SRE Texas 10 LLC, SRE Texas 11 LLC, SRE Texas 12 LLC, SRE Texas 13 LLC, SRE Texas 14 LLC, SRE Texas 15 LLC, SRE Texas 16 LLC, SRE Texas 9 LLC, SRE Texas 1 LP, SRE Texas 2 LP, SRE Texas 3 LP, SRE Texas 4 LP, SRE Texas 5 LP, SRE Texas 6 LP, SRE Texas 7 LP, SRE Texas 8 LP, SRE Virginia - 1 LLC, SRE Virginia 2 LLC, SRM Assurance Ltd., Santa Clara Imported Cars Inc., Sonic 2185 Chapman Rd. Chattanooga LLC, Sonic Advantage PA LP, Sonic Automotive - 1720 Mason Ave. DB LLC, Sonic Automotive 2424 Laurens Rd. Greenville Inc., Sonic Automotive 2752 Laurens Rd. Greenville Inc., Sonic Automotive Aviation LLC, Sonic Automotive F&I LLC, Sonic Automotive Support LLC, Sonic Automotive West LLC, Sonic Automotive of Chattanooga LLC, Sonic Automotive of Nashville LLC, Sonic Automotive of Nevada Inc., Sonic Automotive of Texas LP, Sonic Automotive 1495 Automall Drive Columbus Inc., Sonic Automotive 1720 Mason Ave. DB Inc., Sonic Automotive 2490 South Lee Highway LLC, Sonic Automotive 3401 N. Main TX LP, Sonic Automotive 4701 I-10 East TX LP, Sonic Automotive 6008 N. Dale Mabry FL Inc., Sonic Automotive 9103 E. Independence NC LLC, Sonic Calabasas M Inc., Sonic Development LLC, Sonic Divisional Operations LLC, Sonic FFC 1 Inc., Sonic FFC 2 Inc., Sonic FFC 3 Inc., Sonic Fremont Inc., Sonic Houston JLR LP, Sonic Houston LR LP, Sonic Momentum B LP, Sonic Momentum JVP LP, Sonic Momentum VWA LP, Sonic Resources Inc., Sonic Santa Monica M Inc., Sonic Santa Monica S Inc., Sonic Walnut Creek M Inc., Sonic Wilshire Cadillac Inc., Sonic eStore Inc., Sonic of Texas Inc., Sonic Buena Park H Inc., Sonic Cadillac D LP, Sonic Calabasas A Inc., Sonic Calabasas V Inc., Sonic Camp Ford LP, Sonic Capitol Cadillac Inc., Sonic Capitol Imports Inc., Sonic Carrollton V LP, Sonic Carson F Inc., Sonic Carson LM Inc., Sonic Clear Lake N LP, Sonic Clear Lake Volkswagen LP, Sonic Denver T Inc., Sonic Downey Cadillac Inc., Sonic Fort Mill Chrysler Jeep Inc., Sonic Fort Mill Dodge Inc., Sonic Fort Worth T LP, Sonic Frank Parra Autoplex LP, Sonic Harbor City H Inc., Sonic Houston V LP, Sonic Integrity Dodge LV LLC, Sonic Jersey Village Volkswagen LP, Sonic LS Chevrolet LP, Sonic LS LLC, Sonic Lake Norman Chrysler Jeep LLC, Sonic Las Vegas C West LLC, Sonic Lloyd Nissan Inc., Sonic Lloyd Pontiac Cadillac Inc., Sonic Lone Tree Cadillac Inc., Sonic Lute Riley LP, Sonic Massey Cadillac LP, Sonic Massey Chevrolet Inc., Sonic Mesquite Hyundai LP, Sonic Newsome Chevrolet World Inc., Sonic Newsome of Florence Inc., Sonic North Charleston Dodge Inc., Sonic North Charleston Inc., Sonic Plymouth Cadillac Inc., Sonic Richardson F LP, Sonic Sanford Cadillac Inc., Sonic Shottenkirk Inc., Sonic Stevens Creek B Inc., Sonic Volvo LV LLC, Sonic West Covina T Inc., Sonic Williams Cadillac Inc., Stevens Creek Cadillac Inc., The Sonic Automotive Family Emergency Fund (SAFE), Town and Country Ford Incorporated, and Windward Inc.. There is not enough analysis data for CBL & Associates Properties. 3.6 Community Rank Outperform Votes CBL & Associates Properties has received 323 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes CBL & Associates Properties has received 272 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment CBL & Associates Properties has received 54.29% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about CBL & Associates Properties and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe CBL will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe CBL will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days. Previous Next Bonmarche Holdings plc, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a multi-channel retailer of womenswear and accessories in the United Kingdom. It sells its products through a network of 325 stores located in the United Kingdom, as well as through Website, mail order catalogues, Ideal World TV shopping channel, and telephone. The company was founded in 1982 and is headquartered in Wakefield, the United Kingdom. Read More The ministry described the seizure as "one of the biggest blows to drugs smugglers" Egyptian security and naval forces have seized a large shipment of drugs worth more than LE 2 billion (approximately $115 million) aboard a ship off the Red Sea coast, the interior ministry said in a statement Thursday. A "dangerous" gang of seven foreigners and two Egyptians were planning to smuggle two tons of heroin and 99 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine into the country aboard a European-flagged ship. Naval forces intercepted the ship, arresting its crew of seven foreigners, the ministry said, without specifying their nationalities. Authorities are still hunting the two Egyptians. The ministry described the seizure as "one of the biggest blows to drugs smugglers." Search Keywords: Short link: Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, a diversified financial institution, provides various financial products and services to personal, business, public sector, and institutional clients in Canada, the United States, and internationally. The company operates through four strategic business units: Canadian Personal and Business Banking; Canadian Commercial Banking and Wealth Management; U.S. Commercial Banking and Wealth Management; and Capital Markets. The company offers chequing, savings, and business accounts; mortgages; loans, lines of credit, student lines of credit, and business and agriculture loans; investment and insurance services; and credit cards, as well as overdraft protection services. It also provides day-to-day banking, borrowing and credit, investing and wealth, specialty, and international services; correspondent banking and online foreign exchange services; and cash management services. The company serves its customers through its banking centers, as well as direct, mobile, and remote channels. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce was founded in 1867 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Read More 15 Wall Street research analysts have issued "buy," "hold," and "sell" ratings for Deutsche Wohnen in the last twelve months. There are currently 8 hold ratings and 7 buy ratings for the stock. The consensus among Wall Street research analysts is that investors should "hold" Deutsche Wohnen stock. A hold rating indicates that analysts believe investors should maintain any existing positions they have in DWNI, but not buy additional shares or sell existing shares. View analyst ratings for Deutsche Wohnen or view top-rated stocks. Ellie Mae, Inc. provides cloud-based platform for the mortgage finance industry in the United States. It provides Encompass, an enterprise solution that engages in running the business of originating mortgages, including marketing and lead management; loan origination and processing; underwriting; preparation of mortgage applications, disclosure agreements, and closing documents; loan funding and closing; compliance with regulatory and investor requirements; and enterprise management. The company's Encompass Digital Lending Platform helps lenders and investors across their workflow from the prospective customers to the point of loan delivery. In addition, the company provides education and training services; professional and technical support services; and loan product, policy, and guideline data and analytics services. Ellie Mae, Inc. was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Pleasanton, California. Read More TC Energy Corporation operates as an energy infrastructure company in North America. It operates through Canadian Natural Gas Pipelines, U.S. Natural Gas Pipelines, Mexico Natural Gas Pipelines, Liquids Pipelines, and Power and Storage segments. The company builds and operates 93,400 km network of natural gas pipelines, which transports natural gas from supply basins to local distribution companies, power generation plants, industrial facilities, interconnecting pipelines, LNG export terminals, and other businesses. It also has regulated natural gas storage facilities with a total working gas capacity of 535 billion cubic feet. In addition, it has approximately 4,900 km liquids pipeline system that connects Alberta crude oil supplies to refining markets in Illinois, Oklahoma, Texas, and the U.S. Gulf Coast. Further, the company owns or has interests in seven power generation facilities with a combined capacity of approximately 4,200 megawatts that are powered by natural gas and nuclear fuel sources located in Alberta, Ontario, QuAbec, and New Brunswick; and owns and operates approximately 118 billion cubic feet of non-regulated natural gas storage capacity in Alberta. The company was formerly known as TransCanada Corporation and changed its name to TC Energy Corporation in May 2019. TC Energy Corporation was incorporated in 1951 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. Read More Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. engages in global investment banking, securities, and investment management, which provides financial services. It operates through the following business segments: Investment Banking, Global Markets, Asset Management, and Consumer & Wealth Management. The Investment Banking segment serves public and private sector clients around the world and provides financial advisory services, help companies raise capital to strengthen and grow their businesses and provide financing to corporate clients. The Global Markets segment serves its clients who buy and sell financial products, funding and manage risk. The Asset Management segment provides investment services to help clients preserve and grow their financial assets. The Consumer & Wealth Management segment helps clients to achieve their individual financial goals by providing a wealth advisory and banking services. The company was founded by Marcus Goldman in 1869 and is headquartered in New York, NY. Read More Guyana Goldfields Inc. provides exploration and production of gold. It engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, production, and operation of gold mineral properties. The company also owns and operates gold drilling rights. The company was formerly known as Chiboug Copper Company Limited and changed its name to Guyana Goldfields Inc. in January 1995. Guyana Goldfields Inc. was incorporated in 1994 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. As of August 25, 2020, Guyana Goldfields Inc. operates as a subsidiary of Zijin Mining Group Company Limited. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of AON: 6824625 Canada Ltd., 7193599 Canada Inc., A.B. Insurances Limited, ADIS A/S, AIB Services Limited, AIS Affinity Insurance Agency Inc., AIS Insurance Agency Inc., AMXH LLC, ARM International Corp., ARM International Insurance Agency Corp., ARMRISK CORP., AS Holdings Inc., ASPN Insurance Agency LLC, Access Plans USA Inc., Acumen Credit Insurance Brokers Limited, Adm Administradora de Beneficios Ltda., Administradora Aon C.A., Admiseg SA, Admix, Admix - Administracao Consultoria Participacoes e Corretora de Seguros de Vida Ltda., Aeropeople Limited, Affinity Group Insurance Services Limited, Affinity Insurance Services Inc., Affinity Risk Partners (Brokers) Pty Ltd, Agenion N.V./SA, Agility Credit Insurance Brokers Limited, Alexander & Alexander Holding B.V., Alexander Clay, Alexander Insurance Managers (Netherlands Antilles) N.V., Alexander Reinsurance Intermediaries Inc., Allen Insurance Associates Inc., Alliance HealthCard Inc., Alliance HealthCard of Florida Inc., American Insurance Services Corp., American Special Risk Insurance Company, Aon (Bermuda) Ltd., Aon (CR) Insurance Agencies Company Limited, Aon (DIFC) Gulf Limited, Aon (Fiji) Ltd., Aon (Isle of Man) Limited, Aon (Thailand) Limited, Aon 180412 Limited (in liquidation), Aon ANZ Holdings Limited, Aon APAC Holdings B.V., Aon Acore Sarl, Aon Adjudication Services Limited, Aon Affinity Administradora de Beneficios Ltda., Aon Affinity Argentina S.A., Aon Affinity Chile Ltda., Aon Affinity Colombia Ltda. Agencia de Seguros, Aon Affinity Mexico Agente de Seguros y de Fianzas S.A. de C.V., Aon Affinity Mexico S.A. de C.V., Aon Affinity Servicos e Participacoes Ltda., Aon Affinity do Brasil Servicos e Corretora de Seguros Ltda., Aon Agencies Hong Kong Limited, Aon Americas Holdings BV, Aon Angola Corretores de Seguros Limitada, Aon Antillen N.V., Aon Aruba N.V., Aon Assurance Agencies Hong Kong Limited, Aon Australia Group Pty Ltd, Aon Australian Holdco 1 Pty Ltd, Aon Australian Holdco 2 Pty Ltd, Aon Australian Holdco 3 Pty Ltd, Aon Austria GmbH, Aon Bahrain W.L.L., Aon Belgium B.V.B.A., Aon Benefit Solutions Inc., Aon Benfield (Chile) Corredores de Reaseguros Ltda., Aon Benfield Argentina S.A., Aon Benfield Australia Limited, Aon Benfield Brasil Corretora de Resseguros Ltda., Aon Benfield Canada ULC, Aon Benfield China Limited, Aon Benfield Colombia Limitada Corredores de Reaseguros, Aon Benfield Fac Inc., Aon Benfield Global Inc., Aon Benfield Group Limited, Aon Benfield Inc., Aon Benfield Israel Limited, Aon Benfield Italia S.p.A., Aon Benfield Japan Ltd, Aon Benfield Latin America SA, Aon Benfield Limited, Aon Benfield Malaysia Limited, Aon Benfield Mexico Intermediario de Reaseguro SA de CV, Aon Benfield Middle East Limited, Aon Benfield New Zealand Limited, Aon Benfield Panama S.A., Aon Benfield Peru Corredores de Reaseguros SA, Aon Benfield Puerto Rico Inc., Aon Bermuda Holding Company Limited, Aon Bermuda QI Holdings Ltd., Aon Beteiligungsmanagement Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Aon Bolivia S.A. Corredores de Seguros, Aon Botswana (Pty) Ltd., Aon Brazil Holdings LLC, Aon Broking Services SA, Aon Broking Technology Limited, Aon CANZ Holdings B.V., Aon CANZ Holdings N.S. ULC, Aon Canada Holdings N.S. ULC, Aon Canada Inc., Aon Canada Intermediaries GP, Aon Captive Services Antilles N.V., Aon Captive Services Aruba N.V., Aon Cash Management B.V., Aon Central and Eastern Europe a.s., Aon Centre for Innovation and Analytics Ltd, Aon Charitable Foundation Pty Ltd, Aon Chile Holdings LLC, Aon Commercial Insurance Agencies Hong Kong Limited, Aon Commercial Services Ireland Limited, Aon Commercial Services and Operations Ireland Limited, Aon Consolidation Group Pty Ltd, Aon Consulting & Insurance Services, Aon Consulting (Chile) Limitada, Aon Consulting (Thailand) Limited, Aon Consulting Bolivia S.R.L., Aon Consulting Ecuador S.A., Aon Consulting Financial Services Limited, Aon Consulting Inc., Aon Consulting Kazakhstan LLP, Aon Consulting Limited, Aon Consulting Private Limited, Aon Consulting Romania SRL, Aon Corporate Services (Isle of Man) Limited, Aon Corporate Services Limited, Aon Corporation, Aon Corporation Australia Limited, Aon Corporation EMEA B.V., Aon Credit International Insurance Broker GmbH, Aon Cyprus Insurance Broker Company Limited, Aon DC Trustee Limited, Aon Danismanlik Hizmetleri AS, Aon Delta Bermuda Ltd., Aon Delta UK Limited, Aon Denmark A/S, Aon Deutschland Beteiligungs GmbH, Aon Direct Group Inc., Aon Edge Insurance Agency Inc., Aon Energy Caribbean Limited, Aon Enterprise Insurance Agencies Hong Kong Limited, Aon Finance Bermuda 1 Ltd., Aon Finance Bermuda 2 Ltd., Aon Finance Canada 1 Corp., Aon Finance Canada 2 Corp., Aon Finance International N.S. ULC, Aon Finance Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Aon Finance N.S. 1 ULC, Aon Finance N.S. 5 ULC, Aon Finance N.S. 8 ULC, Aon Finance US 1 LLC, Aon Finance US 2 LLC, Aon Financial & Insurance Solutions Inc., Aon Finland Oy, Aon France, Aon Global Holdings 1 Limited, Aon Global Holdings 2 Limited, Aon Global Holdings 3 Limited [In strike-off], Aon Global Holdings Limited, Aon Global Operations plc, Aon Global Risk Consulting B.V., Aon Global Risk Consulting Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Aon Global Risk Research Limited, Aon Grana Peru Corredores de Seguros SA, Aon Greece S.A., Aon Groep Nederland B.V., Aon Group (Bermuda) Ltd., Aon Group (Thailand) Limited, Aon Group Holdings International 1 B.V., Aon Group Holdings International 2 B.V., Aon Group Inc., Aon Group International N.V., Aon Group Pty Ltd, Aon Group Venezuela Corretaje de Reaseguros C.A., Aon Hewitt (Bermuda) Ltd., Aon Hewitt (Ireland) Limited, Aon Hewitt (PNG) Ltd., Aon Hewitt (Thailand) Ltd., Aon Hewitt Consulting (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Aon Hewitt Consulting Korea Inc., Aon Hewitt Financial Advice Limited, Aon Hewitt GmbH, Aon Hewitt Health Market Insurance Solutions Inc., Aon Hewitt Hong Kong Limited, Aon Hewitt Inc., Aon Hewitt Investment Consulting Inc., Aon Hewitt Investment Management Inc., Aon Hewitt Japan Ltd., Aon Hewitt Limited, Aon Hewitt Ltd., Aon Hewitt Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Aon Hewitt Management Company Limited, Aon Hewitt Middle East Limited, Aon Hewitt Risk & Consulting S.r.l., Aon Hewitt Risk & Financial Management B.V., Aon Hewitt Trust Solutions GmbH, Aon Hewitt US Holdings Limited, Aon Holding Deutschland GmbH, Aon Holdings (Isle of Man) Limited, Aon Holdings Antillen N.V., Aon Holdings Australia Pty Limited, Aon Holdings Austria GmbH, Aon Holdings B.V., Aon Holdings Botswana (Pty) Ltd, Aon Holdings Corretores de Seguros Ltda., Aon Holdings France SNC, Aon Holdings Hong Kong Limited, Aon Holdings International B.V., Aon Holdings Israel Ltd., Aon Holdings Japan Ltd, Aon Holdings Limited, Aon Holdings Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Aon Holdings Mid Europe B.V., Aon Holdings New Zealand, Aon Hong Kong Limited, Aon Hungary Insurance Brokers Risk and Human Consulting LLC, Aon Insurance Agencies (HK) Limited, Aon Insurance Agencies (Macau) Limited, Aon Insurance Brokers (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Aon Insurance Brokers (Pvt) Ltd., Aon Insurance Management Agencies (HK) Limited, Aon Insurance Managers (Antilles) N.V., Aon Insurance Managers (Barbados) Ltd., Aon Insurance Managers (Bermuda) Ltd, Aon Insurance Managers (Cayman) Ltd., Aon Insurance Managers (Dublin) Ltd., Aon Insurance Managers (Guernsey) Ltd., Aon Insurance Managers (Holdings) Ltd., Aon Insurance Managers (Isle of Man) Ltd., Aon Insurance Managers (Liechtenstein) AG, Aon Insurance Managers (Luxembourg) S.A., Aon Insurance Managers (Malta) PCC Limited, Aon Insurance Managers (Puerto Rico) Inc., Aon Insurance Managers (Shannon) Limited, Aon Insurance Managers (USA) Inc., Aon Insurance Managers (USVI) Inc., Aon Insurance Managers Gibraltar Ltd., Aon Insurance Micronesia (Guam) Inc, Aon Insurance Underwriting Agencies Hong Kong Limited, Aon Insurance and Reinsurance Brokers Philippines Inc., Aon International Cooperatief U.A., Aon International Energy Inc., Aon International Holdings Inc., Aon Investment Holdings Ireland Limited, Aon Israel Insurance Brokerage Ltd., Aon Italia S.r.l., Aon Japan Ltd, Aon Jauch & Hubener Gesellschaft m.b.H., Aon Korea Inc., Aon Latam Holdings N.V., Aon Lead QI B.V., Aon Life Agency of Texas Inc., Aon Life Agente de Seguros S.A. de C.V., Aon Life Insurance Company, Aon MacDonagh Boland Group Ltd, Aon Majan LLC, Aon Management Consulting Taiwan Ltd., Aon Mauritius Holdings, Aon Meeus Assurantien B.V., Aon Mexico Business Support SA de CV, Aon Mexico Holdings LLC, Aon Mexico Holdings S. de R.L. de C.V., Aon Middle East Co LLC, Aon Nederland C.V., Aon Netherlands Operations B.V., Aon Neudorf Finance S.a.r.l., Aon New Zealand, Aon New Zealand Group ULC, Aon Norway AS, Aon Overseas Holdings Limited, Aon PHI Acquisition Corporation of California, Aon PMI International Limited, Aon Parizeau Inc., Aon Pension Trustees Limited, Aon Pensions Insurance Brokers GmbH, Aon Polska Services Sp. z o.o., Aon Polska Sp. z o.o., Aon Portugal - Consultores Unipessoal Lda., Aon Portugal - Corretores de Seguros S.A., Aon Premium Finance LLC, Aon Private Risk Management Insurance Agency Inc., Aon Private Risk Management of California Insurance Agency Inc., Aon Product Design & Development Australia Pty Limited, Aon Product Design and Development New Zealand Limited, Aon Product Risk Services Hong Kong Limited, Aon Property Risk Consulting Inc., Aon Qatar LLC, Aon Re (Thailand) Limited, Aon Re Bertoldi - Corretagem de Resseguros S.A., Aon Re Bolivia S.A. Corredores de Reaseguros, Aon Re Canada Holdings SARL, Aon Real Estate B.V., Aon Realty Services Inc., Aon Reed Stenhouse Inc., Aon Retirement Plan Advisors LLC, Aon Retirement Solutions Limited, Aon Risiko & Unternehmensberatungs GmbH, Aon Risk & Asset Management Pty Ltd, Aon Risk Consultants Inc., Aon Risk Insurance Services West Inc., Aon Risk Management (Pty) Ltd, Aon Risk Services (Chile) Corredores de Seguros Limitada, Aon Risk Services (Holdings) of Latin America Inc., Aon Risk Services (Holdings) of the Americas Inc., Aon Risk Services (NI) Limited, Aon Risk Services (PNG) Ltd., Aon Risk Services (Thailand) Limited, Aon Risk Services Argentina S.A., Aon Risk Services Australia Limited, Aon Risk Services Canada Inc., Aon Risk Services Central Inc., Aon Risk Services Colombia SA Corredores de Seguros, Aon Risk Services Companies Inc., Aon Risk Services EMEA B.V., Aon Risk Services Ecuador S.A. Agencia Asesora Productora de Seguros, Aon Risk Services Holdings (Chile ) Ltda., Aon Risk Services Inc. of Florida, Aon Risk Services Inc. of Hawaii, Aon Risk Services Inc. of Maryland, Aon Risk Services Inc. of Washington D.C., Aon Risk Services Northeast Inc., Aon Risk Services South Inc., Aon Risk Services Southwest Inc., Aon Risk Services Venezuela Corretaje de Seguros C.A., Aon Risk Solutions (Cayman) Ltd., Aon Risk Solutions Agente de Seguros y de Fianzas SA de CV, Aon Risk Solutions of Puerto Rico Inc., Aon Riskminder A/S, Aon Romania Broker de Asigurare - Reasigurare SRL, Aon Rus Insurance Brokers LLC, Aon Rus LLC, Aon S.p.A. Insurance & Reinsurance Brokers, Aon Saver Limited, Aon Securities (Hong Kong) Limited, Aon Securities Investment Management Inc., Aon Securities LLC, Aon Securities Limited, Aon Service Corporation, Aon Services (Guernsey) Ltd, Aon Services (Malta) Ltd, Aon Services Group Inc., Aon Services Hong Kong Limited, Aon Services Pty Ltd., Aon Sigorta ve Reasurans Brokerligi ve A.S., Aon Soluciones S.A., Aon Soluciones S.A.C., Aon Southern Europe UK Limited, Aon Sp. z o.o., Aon Special Risk Resources Inc., Aon Superannuation (PNG) Limited, Aon Superannuation Pty Limited, Aon TC Holdings Inc., Aon Taiwan Ltd., Aon Treasury Ireland Limited, Aon Trust Company LLC, Aon Trust Corporation Limited, Aon Trust Services B.V., Aon UK Group Limited, Aon UK Holdings Intermediaries Limited, Aon UK Limited, Aon UK Trustees Limited, Aon US & International Holdings Limited, Aon US Holdings 2 Inc., Aon US Holdings Inc., Aon Ukraine LLC, Aon Underwriting Agencies (HK) Limited, Aon Underwriting Managers (Bermuda) Ltd., Aon Underwriting Managers Inc., Aon Versicherungsberatungs GmbH, Aon Versicherungsmakler Deutschland GmbH, Aon Vietnam Limited, Aon Ward Financial Corporation, Aon-COFCO Insurance Brokers Co. Ltd., Aon/Albert G. Ruben Insurance Services Inc., Asevasa Argentina S.A., Asevasa Caricam S.A., Asevasa Chile Peritaciones e Ingenieria de Riesgos S.A., Asevasa Mexico S.A. de C.V., Asevasa Panama S.A., Asian Reinsurance Underwriters Limited, Asscom Insurance Brokers S.r.l., Association of Rural and Small Town Americans, Associacao Instituto Aon, Assurance Licensing Services Inc., B E P International Corp., B.V. Assurantiekantoor Langeveldt-Schroder, BMS Insurance Agency L.L.C., Bacon & Woodrow Partnerships (Ireland) Limited, Bacon & Woodrow Partnerships Limited, Bain Hogg Group Limited (in liquidation), Baltolink UADBB, Bankassure Insurance Services Limited, Bayfair Insurance Centre Limited, Beaubien Finance Ireland Limited, Beaubien Finance Limited, Beaubien UK Finance Limited, Becketts (Trustees) Limited, Becketts Limited, Beech Hill Pension Trustees Ltd, Bekouw Mendes C.V., Benefit Marketing Solutions L.L.C., Benfield Advisory Inc., Benfield Corredores de Reaseguro Ltda., Benfield Finance (London) LLC, Benfield Group, Benfield Investment Holdings Limited, Benfield Juniperus Holdings Limited, Benfield do Brasil Participacoes Ltda. (dormant), Benton Finance Ireland Limited, Benton Finance Limited, Blanch Americas Inc., Bowes & Company Inc. of New York, CEREP III Secondary Manager LLC, CFSSG Real Estate Partners I LLC, CFSSG Real Estate Partners II LLC, CIF-H GP LLC, Cammack Health LLC, Cananwill Corporation, Cananwill Inc., Cardea Health Solutions Limited, Casablanca Intermediation Company Sarl, Celinvest Amsterdam B.V., Chapka Assurances SAS, Citadel Insurance Managers Inc., CoCubes, CoSec 2000 Limited, Coalition for Benefits Equality and Choice, Cocubes Technologies Private Limited, Coles Hewitt Partnership, Contingency Insurance Brokers Limited, Contractsure Limited, CoverWallet, Coverall S.r.l. Insurance and Reinsurance Underwriting Agency, Credit Insurance Brokers (Reynolds) Limited, Crion N.V., Custom Benefit Programs Inc., Cut-e, Cut-e (UK) Limited, Cut-e Assessment (Hong Kong) Limited, Cut-e Assessment Solutions Europe Limited, Cut-e Australia Pty Limited, Cut-e Consult DMCC, Cut-e Danmark A/S, Cut-e Finland Oy, Cut-e GmbH, Cut-e Ireland Limited, Cut-e Nordic AS, Cut-e Norge AS, Cytelligence, Delany Bacon & Woodrow Partnership, Dempsey Partners, Denney O'Hara (Life & Pensions) Limited, Doveland Services Limited, E. W. Blanch Holdings Limited, E. W. Blanch Investments Limited, E.W. Blanch Capital Risk Solutions Inc., E.W. Blanch International Inc., EW Blanch Limited, Elysium Digital IP Products LLC, Elysium Digital L.L.C., Ennis Knupp Secondary Market Services LLC, Essar Insurance Services Limited, Exploitatiemaatschappij Beukenlaan 68-72 B.V., Farmaseg - Solucoes Assistencia e Servicos Empresariais Ltda., Farmsure Limited [In strike-off], Finaccord Limited, Financial & Professional Risk Solutions Inc., Futurity Group Inc., GTCR/AAM Blocker Corp., Ge.f.it. S.r.l., Gefass S.r.l., Glenrand M I B (Mocambique) Corretores de Seguros Limitada, Global Safe Insurance Brokers S.r.l., Globe Events Management, Gotham Digital Science LLC, Gotham Digital Science Ltd., Grant Liddell Financial Advisor Services Pty Ltd, Grant Park Capital LLC, Groupe-Conseil Aon Inc., Grupo Innovac Sociedad de Correduria de Seguros SA, HIA Insurance Services Pty Ltd., Hall Rhodes Holdings Limited, Hall Rhodes Limited, Hamburger Gesellschaft zur Forderung des Versicherungswesens mbH, Harbourview West Lake Co-Invest (GP) LP, Health Index Advisors LLC, Healthy Paws Pet Insurance, Henderson Corporate Insurance Brokers Limited, Henderson Insurance Brokers Limited, Henderson Insurance Partnership Limited [In strike-off], Henderson Risk Management Limited, Hewitt Amalco 3 ULC, Hewitt Amalco 4 ULC, Hewitt Amalco 5 ULC, Hewitt Associates (a partnership), Hewitt Associates Administradora e Corretora de Seguros Ltda., Hewitt Associates Corp., Hewitt Associates Outsourcing Limited, Hewitt Associates Pty Ltd, Hewitt Associates S.C., Hewitt Associates SAS, Hewitt Associates Servicos de Recursos Humanos Ltda., Hewitt Beneficios Agente de Seguros y de Fianzas S.A. de C.V., Hewitt Holdings Canada Company, Hewitt Insurance Brokerage LLC, Hewitt Insurance Inc., Hewitt International Holdings LLC, Hewitt Management Ltd., Hewitt Risk Management Services Limited, Hewitt Western Management Amalco Inc., Hogg Group Limited, Hogg Robinson North America Inc., Huntington T. Block Insurance Agency Inc., I. Beck Insurance Agency (1994) Ltd., IAO Actuarial Consulting Services Canada Inc., INPOINT INC., IRM/GRC Holding Inc., Impact Forecasting L.L.C., Inspiring Benefits, Inspiring Benefits Portugal Unipessoal Lda, Insuractive Limited [In strike-off], Insurance Broker Aon Kazakhstan LLP, International Risk Management (Americas) Inc., International Risk Management Group Ltd, International Space Brokers Europe Limited, International Space Brokers France, International Space Brokers Inc., International Space Brokers Limited, Inversiones Benfield Chile Ltda., J H Minet Puerto Rico Inc., J. Allan Brown Consultants Inc., JDPT Manager LLC, Jenner Fenton Slade Limited, John Reynolds & Company (Credit Insurance) Limited, John Reynolds & Company (Insurances) Limited, John Reynolds & Company (Life & Pensions) Limited, Johnson Rooney Welch Inc., K & K Insurance Brokers Inc. Canada, K & K Insurance Group Inc., K & K Insurance Group of Florida Inc., K2 Technologies Inc., KVT GP LLC, Kloud S.a.r.l., Krumlin Hall Limited, Lake Erie Real Estate General Partner Limited, Lake Tahoe GP LLC, Lake Tahoe II GP LLC, Lake Tahoe III GP LLC, Lake Tahoe IV GP LLC, Lenzi Paolo Broker di Assicurazioni S.r.l., Lincolnshire Insurance Company PCC Limited, Linx Underwriting Solutions Inc., Lombard Trustee Company Limited, M.A. Shakeel Management Ltd. Amalco, MacDonagh Boland Crotty MacRedmond Ltd, Marinaro Dundas S.A., Marinaro Dundas SA, Mark Kelly Insurance and Financial Services PTY LTD, McLagan (Aon) Limited, McLagan Partners Asia Inc., McLagan Partners Inc., Membership Leasing Trust, Minet Consultancy Services Ltd, Minet Group, Minet Holdings Inc., Minet Inc., Minet Re North America Inc., Modern Survey Inc., Muirfield Underwriters Ltd., NBS Nominees Limited, National Insurance Office Ltd., Nauman Insurance Brokers Limited, Nexus Insurance Brokers Limited, One Underwriting Agency GmbH, One Underwriting B.V., One Underwriting Health B.V., One Underwriting Pty Ltd, Optica Agency A/S, Optimum Risk Solutions Limited, Ovatio Courtage SAS, P.G. Bradley & Co Limited, PGOF Manager 1 LLC, PRORUCK Ruckversicherungs Aktiengesellschaft, PT Aon Benfield Indonesia, PT Aon Hewitt Indonesia, PT Aon Indonesia, PWZ AG, Paragon Strategic Solutions Inc., PathWise Solutions LLC, Penn Square Manager 1 LLC, Penn Square Manager II LLC, Portus Consulting, Portus Consulting (Leamington) Limited, Portus Consulting Limited, Portus Online LLP, Praesidium S.p.A. - Soluzioni Assicurative per il Management, Premier Auto Finance Inc., Private Client Trustees Ltd., Private Equity Partnership Structures I LLC, Probabilitas N.V./SA, Protective Marketing Enterprises Inc., Randolph Finance Unlimited Company, Rasini Vigano Limited, Redwoods Dental Underwriters Inc., Richard Kiddle (Insurance Brokers) Limited, Risk Laboratories LLC, Riskikonsultatsioonide OU, Ronnie Elementary Insurance Agency Ltd, SA Special Situations General Partner LLC, SG IFFOXX Assekuranzmaklergesellschaft mbH, SLE Worldwide Limited, SN Re S.A., Salud Riesgos y Recursos Humanos Consultores Ltda. (former Aon Corporte Advisors Ltda.), SchneiderGolling IFFOXX Assekuranzmakler AG, SchneiderGolling Industrie Assekuranzmaklergesellschaft mbH, Scritch Inc., Shanghai Kayi Information Technology Co. Ltd, Sheppard Netherlands B.V., Specialty Benefits Inc., Sports Insure Limited [In strike-off], Strategic Manager-III LLC, Stroz Friedberg (Asia) Limited, Stroz Friedberg Inc., Stroz Friedberg LLC, Stroz Friedberg Limited, Stroz Friedberg Risk Management Limited, Superannuation Management Nominees Limited, Suresport Limited [In strike-off], Swire Blanch MSTC II SA, Swire Blanch MSTC SA, TTG BRPTP GP LLC, TTG Cayuga Bavaria Intermediate 2 S.a.r.l, TTG Core Plus Investments LLC, TTG German Investments I LLC, TTG Investments II LLC, TTG Irish Investments I LLC, TTG Manager LLC, Tecsefin S.A. en liquidacion, The Aon Ireland Mastertrustee Limited, The Aon MasterTrustee Limited, The John Reynolds Company Limited, The Key West Saxon Group LLC, The Townsend Group Inc, The Townsend Group LLC, Townsend Alpha Manager I LLC, Townsend Alpha Manager II LLC, Townsend Alpha Manager III LLC, Townsend Group Asia Limited, Townsend Group Europe Ltd., Townsend HWL GP Ltd., Townsend Holdings LLC, Townsend Lake Constance GP Limited, Townsend REF GP LLC, Townsend Re Global GP Limited, Townsend SO Manager I LLC, UAB One Underwriting, UADBB Aon Baltic, UK Credit Insurance Specialists Limited, UNIT Versicherungsmakler GmbH, US Underwriting Solutions S.r.l., USLP Underwriting Solutions LP, Underwriters Marine Services Inc., Unidelta AG, Unirobe Meeus Groep, UnitedPensions Deutschland AG, Univers Workplace Solutions, VERO Management AG, Ventiv Technology, WT Government Services LLC, WT Technologies LLC, Wannet Speciale Verzekeringen B.V., Wannet Sports Insurance GmbH, Ward Financial Group Inc., West Lake General Partner LLC, West Lake II GP LLC, Wexford Underwriting Managers Inc., White Rock Insurance (Americas) Ltd., White Rock Insurance (Europe) PCC Limited, White Rock Insurance (Gibraltar) PCC Ltd., White Rock Insurance (Guernsey) ICC Limited, White Rock Insurance (Netherlands) PCC Limited, White Rock Insurance (SAC) Ltd., White Rock Insurance Company PCC Ltd., White Rock Insurance PCC (Isle of Man) Limited, White Rock Services (Bermuda) Ltd., White Rock USA Ltd., Willis Towers Watson, Worldwide Integrated Services Company, Wrapid Specialty Inc., Zalba-Caldu Correduria de Seguros SA, and cut-e USA Inc.. Gildan Activewear Inc. manufactures and sells various apparel products in the United States, Canada, and internationally. It provides various activewear products, including T-shirts, fleece tops and bottoms, and sport shirts under the Gildan, Gildan Performance, Gildan Hammer, Comfort Colors, American Apparel, Anvil by Gildan, Alstyle, Prim + Preux, and GoldToe brands. The company also offers hosiery products comprising athletic; dress; and casual, liner, therapeutic, and workwear socks, as well as sheer panty hoses, tights, and leggings under the brands of Gildan, Under Armour, GoldToe, PowerSox, GT a GoldToe Brand, Silver Toe, Signature Gold by Goldtoe, Peds, MediPeds, Kushyfoot, Therapy Plus, All Pro, Secret, Silks, Secret Silky, and American Apparel. In addition, it provides men's and boys' underwear products, and ladies panties under the Gildan and Gildan Platinum brand names; and ladies' shapewear, intimates, and accessories under the Secret and Secret Silky brands. The company sells its products to wholesale distributors, screen printers, or embellishers, as well as to retailers and consumer brand companies. The company was formerly known as Textiles Gildan Inc. and changed its name to Gildan Activewear Inc. in March 1995. Gildan Activewear Inc. was founded in 1946 and is headquartered in Montreal, Canada. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Stryker: ActiViews, Aimago SA, Alcott Indemnity Company, Arrinex Inc, Arrinex Inc., Ascent Healthcare Solutions, Berchtold, Berchtold + Fritz GmbH, Berchtold Consulting GmbH, Berchtold Corporation, Berchtold GmbH & Co. KG, Berchtold Holding Switzerland GmbH, CHG Hospital Beds, Cactus LLC, Cardan Robotics, Changzhou Orthomed Medical Instrument Company Limited, Concentric Medical, Concentric Medical Inc., Entellus Medical, Entellus Medical Europe Ltd, Entellus Medical Inc., GYS Tech LLC, Gaymar Industries, Gongping (Shanghai) Medical Devices Trading Co. Ltd., Groupe Bertec, HeartSine Technologies LLC, HeartSine Technologies Limited, Howmedica International S. de R.L., Howmedica Osteonics Corp., Hygia Health Services, Hygia Healthcare Services Inc., HyperBranch, HyperBranch Technology Inc., ITAPCo Limited, Image Guided Technologies, Imorphics Limited, Infinity MSD Corp., Infinity MSE Corp., Infinity MSF Corp., Infomedix Communications, Instratek, InstruMedics L.L.C, Invuity Inc., Ivy Sports Medicine, Ivy Sports Medicine LLC, Jiangsu Chuangyi Medical Instrument Company Limited, Jolife AB, K2M Germany GmbH, K2M Group, K2M Group Holdings Inc., K2M Holdings Inc., K2M Iberia Medcomtech S.L.U., K2M Inc., K2M Solutions Australia Pty Ltd, K2M Spine Solutions (Schweiz) GmbH, K2M UK Limited, Loon Intermediateco LLC, MAKO Surgical, MAKO Surgical Corp, Memometal Technologies, Mobius Imaging, Mobius Imaging LLC, Muka Metal, Muka Metal Ticaret ve Sanayi Anaonim Sirketi, NV Stryker SA, Nettrick Limited, Novadaq Corp, Novadaq Hong Kong Ltd, Novadaq Technologies, Novadaq Technologies ULC, OOO "Stryker", Orneo Ozel Saglk Hizmetleri Medikal Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, OrthoSpace, OrthoSpace Ltd., OrthoSpace US Inc., Orthomed (Hong Kong) Medical Instrument Company Limited, Orthovita, Orthovita Inc., OtisMed, P.C. Sweden Holding AB, Patient Safety Technologies, Patton Surgical, Pficonprod Pty. Ltd., Physio-Control, Physio-Control (Shanghai) Sales Co. Ltd., Physio-Control Brazil Vendas Ltda., Physio-Control Czech Sales s.r.o., Physio-Control Holdings Cooperatief U.A., Physio-Control Holdings Inc, Physio-Control Hungary Sales Kft, Physio-Control Inc., Physio-Control India Sales Pvt. Ltd, Physio-Control Investments LLC, Physio-Control Lebanon Sales Offshore s.a.l., Physio-Control Manufacturing Inc., Physio-Control Operations Netherlands B.V., Physio-Control Sales Limited Liability Company, Physio-Control Singapore Pte. Ltd., Physio-Control South Africa Sales Pty. Ltd., Physio-Control UK Sales Ltd., Pivot Medical, PlasmaSol, Porex Technologies, SSI Divestiture Inc., SYK Costa Rica Services Sociedad De Responsabilidad Limitada, SafeAir AG, SafeWire, Sage Products, Sage Products Coperatief U.A., Sage Products Holdings II LLC, Sage Products Holdings III LLC, Sage Products LLC, Scopis GmbH, Sightline Technologies, Small Bone Innovations, SpineCore, Spirox Inc., Stanmore Implants Worldwide, Stanmore Implants Worldwide Limited, Stanmore Inc., Stryker (Barbados) Foreign Sales Corporation, Stryker (Beijing) Healthcare Products Co. Ltd., Stryker (Shanghai) Healthcare Products Co. Ltd., Stryker (Suzhou) Medical Technology Co Ltd, Stryker (Thailand) Limited, Stryker AB, Stryker Acquisitions BV, Stryker Asia Holdings CV, Stryker Australia LLC, Stryker Australia Pty. Ltd., Stryker Austria GmbH, Stryker B.V., Stryker Berchtold BV, Stryker Beteiligungs GmbH, Stryker Canada GP ULC, Stryker Canada Holding Company, Stryker Canada Manufacturing ULC, Stryker Canada ULC, Stryker Canadian Management ULC, Stryker Canadian Sales Holding Company ULC, Stryker Capital BV, Stryker China Limited, Stryker Colombia SAS, Stryker Communications Inc., Stryker Corporation (Chile) y Compania Limitada, Stryker Corporation (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Stryker Customs Brokers LLC, Stryker Czech Republic s.r.o., Stryker Delaware Inc., Stryker EMEA Supply Chain Services BV, Stryker Employment Company LLC, Stryker European Coordination Center BV, Stryker European Holdings Cooperatief U.A, Stryker European Holdings I LLC, Stryker European Holdings II LLC, Stryker European Holdings LLC, Stryker European Holdings V LLC, Stryker European Operations B.V., Stryker European Operations Holdings I BV, Stryker European Operations Holdings II BV, Stryker European Operations Holdings III BV, Stryker European Operations Holdings LLC, Stryker European Operations Limited, Stryker European Technologies C.V., Stryker Far East Inc., Stryker Foreign Acquisitions Inc., Stryker France Holding SNC, Stryker France MM Holdings SAS, Stryker France SAS, Stryker Funding B.V., Stryker GI Services CV, Stryker Global Technology Center Private Limited, Stryker GmbH, Stryker GmbH & Co. KG, Stryker Grundstucks GmbH & Co KG, Stryker Grundstucks Verwaltungs GmbH, Stryker Holdings BV, Stryker IFSC Designated Activity Company, Stryker Iberia SL Unipersonal, Stryker India Private Limited, Stryker International Acquisitions BV, Stryker International Holdings BV, Stryker Investment Holdings B.V., Stryker Ireland Holding Unlimited Company, Stryker Ireland Limited, Stryker Italia S.r.l. S.U., Stryker Japan Holdings BV, Stryker Japan K.K., Stryker Korea Ltd., Stryker Lebanon (Offshore) S.A.L., Stryker Leibinger GmbH & Co. KG, Stryker Luxembourg Holdings S.a.r.l., Stryker Luxembourg Sarl, Stryker Manufacturing S. de R.L. de C.V., Stryker Mauritius Holding Ltd., Stryker Medical London LP, Stryker Medtech K.K., Stryker Medtech Limited, Stryker Mexico Holdings B.V., Stryker Mexico SA de CV, Stryker NV Operations Limited, Stryker Nederland BV, Stryker New Zealand Limited, Stryker Osteonics AG, Stryker Pacific Limited, Stryker Performance Solutions LLC, Stryker Polska Sp.z.o.o., Stryker Portugal - Produtos Medicos Unipessoal Lda., Stryker Professional Latin America S. de R.L. de C.V., Stryker Puerto Rico Limited, Stryker Romania SRL, Stryker Sage Inc., Stryker Sales Corporation, Stryker Servicios Administrativos S.de R.L. de C.V., Stryker Singapore Private Limited, Stryker South Africa (Proprietary) Limited, Stryker Spine SAS, Stryker Spine Sarl, Stryker Sustainability Solutions Inc., Stryker Tibbi Cihazlan Sanayi ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Stryker Trauma GmbH, Stryker Turkish Holdings BV, Stryker UK Ltd, Stryker Verwaltungs GmbH, Stryker Vietnam Company Limited, Stryker do Brasil Ltda, Surpass Medical, Synergetics, TG SP Holdings Corp, TSO3 Corp, TSO3 Inc, Trauson, Trauson (China) Medical Instrument Company Limited, Trauson (Hong Kong) Company Limited, Trauson Holdings (BVI) Company Limited, Trauson Holdings (Hong Kong) Company Limited, Trauson Holdings Company Limited, VEXIM SA, Vexim, Waterloo Bedding Co., Wright Medical Group, ZipLine Medical Consulting (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ZipLine Medical Hong Kong Limited, ZipLine Medical Inc., and eTrauma.com. iShares MSCI India ETF's stock was trading at $28.76 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, INDA stock has increased by 55.7% and is now trading at $44.78. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. The following companies are subsidiares of Jabil: AOC Technologies Co. Ltd., AOC Technologies Inc., Badger Technologies LLC, Celetronix, Celetronix India Private Limited, Celetronix USA Inc., Clothing Plus Hong Kong Ltd., Clothing Plus MBU Oy, Clothing Plus Zhejiang Ltd., Clothing+, Eco.logic Brands Inc., Ecologic Brands, F-I Holding Company, GET Manufacturing, Green Point Electronic Technology Co. Ltd., Green Point Precision Electronic Co. Ltd., Green Point Precision Sdn. Bhd., Green Point Technology Co. Ltd., Green Prosperity Co. Ltd., Greenam Electricity (Proprietary) Limited, JCI Funding Ireland Designated Activity Company, JCI Labuan Limited, JN Global Holdings C.V., Jabil AMS LLC, Jabil Advanced Mechanical Solutions Inc., Jabil Advanced Mechanical Solutions de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Jabil C.M. S.r.l., Jabil Canada Corporation, Jabil Chihuahua Holding S. de R.L. de C.V., Jabil Circuit Austria GmbH, Jabil Circuit Belgium N.V., Jabil Circuit Cayman L.P., Jabil Circuit China Limited, Jabil Circuit Co. Ltd., Jabil Circuit Financial II Inc., Jabil Circuit Holdings Limited, Jabil Circuit Hong Kong Limited, Jabil Circuit Hungary Contract Manufacturing Services Ltd., Jabil Circuit Inc., Jabil Circuit India Private Limited, Jabil Circuit Investment Co. Ltd, Jabil Circuit Italia S.r.l., Jabil Circuit Limited, Jabil Circuit Ltd., Jabil Circuit Luxembourg II S.a r.l., Jabil Circuit Luxembourg S.a r.l., Jabil Circuit Netherlands B.V., Jabil Circuit Pte. Ltd., Jabil Circuit SAS, Jabil Circuit Sdn Bhd, Jabil Circuit Technology LLC, Jabil Circuit Ukraine Limited, Jabil Circuit de Chihuahua S. de R.L. de C.V., Jabil Circuit de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Jabil Circuit of Michigan Inc., Jabil Consulting Limited Liability Company, Jabil DR S.R.L., Jabil Defense and Aerospace Services LLC, Jabil Denmark Aps, Jabil Dutch Mexico B.V., Jabil EMS Switzerland GmbH, Jabil Electronics Co. Ltd., Jabil Energy Ltd., Jabil Green Point Precision Electronics Co. Ltd., Jabil Green Point Technology Co. Ltd., Jabil Guadalajara Holding S. de R.L. de C.V., Jabil Healthcare DR S.R.L., Jabil Holding S. de R.L. de C.V., Jabil Holdings Ltd., Jabil Hungary LP Services Limited Liability Company, Jabil India Manufacturing Private Limited, Jabil Industrial do Brasil Ltda., Jabil International Holding S. de R.L. de C.V., Jabil International Treasury Pte. Ltd, Jabil Investment Pte. Ltd., Jabil Israel Ltd., Jabil Japan Inc., Jabil Korea International Limited, Jabil Limited Liability Company, Jabil Mexico Holding S. de R.L. de C.V., Jabil Mexico Investment S. de R.L. de C.V., Jabil Monterrey S. de R.L. de C.V., Jabil Nypro Holding LLC, Jabil Nypro I LLC, Jabil Nypro II LLC, Jabil Nypro International B.V., Jabil Optics Germany GmbH, Jabil Poland Sp. z.o.o., Jabil Precision Industry Co. Ltd., Jabil Science and Telecommunication Trading Co. Ltd., Jabil Sdn Bhd, Jabil Services Korea Limited, Jabil Silver Creek Inc., Jabil South Africa (Pty) LTD, Jabil Switzerland Manufacturing GmbH, Jabil Technology Co. Ltd, Jabil Technology and Trading Co. Ltd., Jabil Torres S. de R.L. de C.V., Jabil Tuttlingen Manufacturing GmbH, Jabil Umkirch Manufacturing GmbH, Jabil Vietnam Company Limited, Jabil do Brasil Industria Eletroeletronica Ltda., Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices, Kasalis, Kasalis Inc., Kuatro Technologies, Kuatro Ukraine LLC, Manna Renewable Energy Investments Two (Pty) Ltd, NP Medical Inc., NPA de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Nypro, Nypro Alabama LLC, Nypro Atlanta LLC, Nypro China Holdings Limited, Nypro DR LLC, Nypro Deutschland GmbH, Nypro France SAS, Nypro Guadalajara S.A. de C.V., Nypro Healthcare Baja Inc., Nypro Healthcare GmbH, Nypro Healthcare LLC, Nypro Inc., Nypro Iowa Inc., Nypro Limited, Nypro Monterrey Management S. de R.L. de C.V., Nypro Plastics & Metal Products Co. Ltd., Nypro Plastics & Molding Products Co. Ltd., Nypro Puerto Rico Inc., Nypro Research and Developments Limited, Nypro Spain Holding S.L.U., Nypro de Amazonia, Nypro de la Frontera S. de R.L. de C.V., NyproMold Chicago Inc., NyproMold Inc., NyproMold Investment Corp., PT Jabil Circuit Indonesia, Plasticast Hungary Kft., Plasticos Castella S.A.U., Radius Chicago LLC, Radius Hong Kong Limited, Radius Product Development Inc., Roosevelt Insurance Company Ltd., S.M.R. Metal Ltd., Shay Motion Ltd., Shemer Group, Shemer Motion (2009) Ltd., Taiwan Green Point Enterprises, Taiwan Green Point Enterprises Co. Ltd., Telmar Network Technology, TrueTech, Westing Green Plastic Co. Ltd, Wolfe Engineering, Wolfe Engineering Co. Ltd., and Yen Investments 140 (Proprietary) Limited. Nuveen Georgia Quality Municipal Income Fund is a closed ended fixed income mutual fund launched by Nuveen Investments, Inc. The fund is co-managed by Nuveen Fund Advisors, LLC and Nuveen Asset Management, LLC. It invests in the fixed income markets of the Georgia. The fund invests into undervalued municipal securities and other related investments the income from which is exempt from regular federal and Georgia income taxes. It seeks to invest in investment grade securities with an average maturity of around 17 years. The fund employs fundamental analysis with a focus on bottom-up stock picking approach to create its portfolio. It benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against Standard & Poor's (S&P) Georgia Municipal Bond Index and Standard & Poor's (S&P) National Municipal Bond Index. The fund was formerly known as Nuveen Georgia Dividend Advantage Municipal Fund 2. Nuveen Georgia Quality Municipal Income Fund was formed on October 26, 2001 and is domiciled in the United States. Read More Tarsus Group plc, an integrated media company, engages in exhibitions, conferences, publishing, education, and Internet activities. It operates through three segments: EMEA, Americas, and Asia. The company owns and manages a portfolio of trade exhibitions; and reinforces its trade shows through online interaction and education; and provides publications and thought leadership conferences. It conducts events for medical, meeting, labels and printing, packaging, fashion, industrial and manufacturing, media, automotive, finance and technology, food and hospitality, infrastructure, education, musical instruments, travel and leisure, housewares and interior design, aerospace, and construction industries. The company's primary brands include the Dubai Airshow, Labelexpo, Automotive Aftermarket Industry and Tuning Trade Fair, Zuchex, ASANSOR, Tarsus Medical, OFFPRICE, Global Educational Supplies and Solutions, China (Shenzhen) International Brand Underwear Fair, CES Asia, Connect, Music China, Hometex, Expo Manufactura, Indonesia Infrastructure Week, and WOFEX. Tarsus Group plc was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. Read More SunTrust Banks, Inc. operates as the holding company for SunTrust Bank that provides various financial services for consumers, businesses, corporations, institutions, and not-for-profit entities in the United States. It operates in two segments, Consumer and Wholesale. The Consumer segment provides deposits and payments; home equity and personal credit lines; auto, student, and other lending products; credit cards; discount/online and full-service brokerage products; professional investment advisory products and services; and trust services, as well as family office solutions. This segment also offers residential mortgage products in the secondary market. The Wholesale segment provides capital markets solutions, including advisory, capital raising, and financial risk management; asset-based financing solutions, such as securitizations, asset-based lending, equipment financing, and structured real estate arrangements; cash management services and auto dealer financing solutions; investment banking solutions; and credit and deposit, fee-based product offering, multi-family agency lending, advisory, commercial mortgage brokerage, and tailored financing and equity investment solutions. This segment also offers treasury and payment solutions, such as operating various electronic and paper payment types, which comprise card, wire transfer, automated clearing house, check, and cash; and provides services clients to manage their accounts online. The company offers its products and services through a network of traditional and in-store branches, automated teller machines, Internet, mobile, and telephone banking channels. As of December 31, 2018, it operated 1,218 full-service banking offices located in Florida, Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Maryland, South Carolina, and the District of Columbia. SunTrust Banks, Inc. was founded in 1891 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Read More Medtronic Plc is a medical technology company, which engages in the development, manufacture, distribution, and sale of device-based medical therapies and services. It operates through the following segments: Cardiac and Vascular Group; Minimally Invasive Technologies Group; Restorative Therapies Group; and Diabetes Group. The Cardiac and Vascular Group segment consists of products for the diagnosis, treatment, and management of cardiac rhythm disorders and cardiovascular disease. The Minimally Invasive Technologies Group segment focuses on respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, renal system, lungs, pelvic region, kidneys, and obesity diseases. The Restorative Therapies Group segment comprises of neurostimulation therapies and drug delivery systems for the treatment of chronic pain, as well as areas of the spine and brain, along with pelvic health and conditions of the ear, nose, and throat. The Diabetes Group segment offers insulin pumps, coninuous glucose monitoring systems, and insulin pump consumables. The company was founded in 1949 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. Read More FRANKFORT, N.Y. - Parents, teachers, students, and community members attended a forum at Frankfort-Schuyler High School Wednesday night to discuss the risks of vaping and e-cigarette usage among teens. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, e-cigarettes are now the most commonly used tobacco product among youth. "Vaping and Juuling have become really prevalent among our youth," Jennifer Walrath, prevention services coordinator for Catholic Charities said. "It's the new trend." Many school officials have seen this trend. "Parents need to know what to look for," Michael Stalteri, Frankfort-Schuyler High School principal said. "Parents need to collaborate with the school and understand what we're seeing here at school is really coming also from the home as well." The presenters set up a mock bedroom set up with hidden objects to show parents what signs to look for if they suspect their teen is using a substance. There was also a Juul on hand to show parents who may not know what the device looks like. "Its not always fun to snoop in a bedroom but sometimes you have to be a little invasive I guess," Walrath said. The most popular type of e-cigarettes is now the sleek and discrete Juul. Many companies market the Juul as a safer alternative to smoking, but the device is getting young kids addicted to nicotine. The chemicals in these devices can be more dangerous than cigarettes, and because of the Juul's sleek design, it has become easier to hide for teens, and harder to find by parents and school officials. "It's very hard to catch, the smell dissipates very quickly," Stalteri said. "These things are concealed conspicuously on students." Stalteri says students have been caught smoking their e-cigarettes in the school bathroom. "What we've seen is a rise in the students wanting to go to the bathroom," Stalteri said. "I never saw it with our male population before where theyre meeting each other in the bathroom and hanging out in the same stall so obviously somethings going on. A concerned parent says parents need a wake up call. "They [parents] just need to be really informed of what their kids are doing and into," Said a parent who didn't want to give her identity. "A lot of parents don't think their kid is doing this but it's shocking because it's right under your nose." The damage to the brain, heart, and lungs are reasons to worry, but another fear is that vaping can lead to something even worse. "The biggest fear is when the slippery slope starts to happen and other things are put into these Juul pods or the cigarettes," Stalteri said. "I'm terrified that heroin, fentanyl eventually will get into those pods and students will start to drop in the hallway. we have to crack down." Another thing Stalteri says to remember is it isn't a select group of youth picking up the habit. "Many people seem to think its only maybe starting in middle school and high school, but no elementary school as well, Stalteri said. "We actually caught an elementary kid not too long ago engaging in something like that. The Frankfort-Schuyler school district has resources for parents and students if they are looking for help with this vaping epidemic. The Herkimer County Prevention Council, Mohawk Valley Prevention and Recovery Collaborative, and Catholic Charities are a few of those resources. FRANKFORT, N.Y. A rabid raccoon has been found in the town of Frankfort, according to the Herkimer County Public Health Department. Health officials say a raccoon was fighting with a dog in the backyard of a residence, and the homeowner killed the animal. The raccoon was then sent to Wadsworth Laboratory and confirmed to be infected with the rabies virus. Health officials are reminding Herkimer County residents that rabies is endemic in Herkimer County and surrounding counties, and all bites or possible exposures must be reported to the local health department. The public can protect themselves or their family pets from rabies by practicing the following: 1. Vaccinate your pets against rabies 2. Make sure animal enclosures are secure so small animals cannot get in. 3. Spay or neuter all animals to reduce the number of strays. 4. Do not feed strays or handle unknown animals, wild or domestic. Herkimer County Public Healths next rabies clinic will be held at the Ohio Community Recreational Center, 140 Nellis Road, town of Ohio. For more information about prevention and rabies clinics being held, head to the Herkimer County website. UTICA, N.Y. -- The Oneida County District Attorneys Office announced the charge against now-former Utica firefighter Richard Forte has been reinstated by an appellate court. Forte is accused of performing a sexual act on a female firefighter's uniform pants, that she was not wearing at the time. Oneida County Court Judge Robert Bauer reversed Utica City Court Judge Giruzzi's ruling in a decision handed down last Friday to dismiss the making a punishable false statement charge. Bauer ruled that Giruzzi had applied the incorrect legal standard in reviewing the charge and ordered it reinstated for trial. "We will continue to do everything we can to seek justice for the victim in this case. Sexual harassment in the workplace especially when it is criminal in nature is simply unacceptable, said District Attorney Scott McNamara in a statement. Forte had been arraigned on three charges in March 2018: making a punishable false statement, criminal mischief, and criminal tampering. Forte's next appearance in Utica City Court is scheduled for April 19. UTICA, N.Y. -- There is a new face on the Utica Common Council Freddie Hamilton is now the representative of the Fifth Ward. She was sworn in Wednesday night under bittersweet circumstances. Hamilton is taking over for longtime friend and Councilman Bill Phillips, who died last month after battling cancer. The Fifth Ward seat is up for election in November, but she will not be running. Democratic candidate Delvin Moody is seeking the seat the Republican Party didn't endorse a candidate but Friday is the last day to file petitions with the Board of Elections. Hamilton's full speech: "Good Evening All: first I want to thank my family, friends and constituents for coming out to support me this evening, I really appreciate it. I also thank the council members for how wonderful youve been in graciously helping me to get through this process. I was asked to give a brief bio of myself, so here goes. I moved from Brooklyn New York to upstate NY in 2012. And my husband and I moved to Utica in 2014 to live with my daughters Pamela and Joan. We are residents of Cornhill. I am the mother of six children and the grandmother of six. I lost my youngest son to gun violence in 1993 and since that time I have been an advocate and an activist for the elimination of gun violence in all of its forms. In Brooklyn I ran a community based social service agency until my retirement in 2006. I am a life long democrat and for 12 years I served as a State Committee Woman for the 57th Assembly District. As a matter of fact, for many years I worked closely with Tish James during her early years in Bedford Stuyvesant as the chief of staff for then Assemblyman Albert Vann. Her first public office was a New York City Councilwoman for the 38th council district in Brooklyn which was a part of my district. She went on to become the NYC Public Advocate and is now the first woman and first African American Attorney General in the State of New York. When I moved to Utica it was natural for me to seek to get involved with the democratic party, and I reached out to the Oneida County Democrats to become a county committee member. I was told that I needed approval from the Council member for Ward 5, Bill Phillips. Bill gave me his approval and I was appointed to the county committee. Our friendship grew when during his last campaign I called him and offered to help him get his petitions filled out. He was shocked. Thats hard work and very few people are willing to do it. Bu that was the work that I did in Brooklyn so I felt compelled to participate. After that from time to time we enjoyed meeting at MacDonalds to talk politics and our concerns about issues in Cornhill. I am excited, and grateful for this opportunity to learn more about the common council. This appointment is a blessing, at my age I would never run for public office, but I look forward to the next seven or eight months. I know that God is in this, and I know that somehow Bill is in it too." INDIANAPOLIS (AP) A state Senate panel has amended a school safety bill after teachers were shot with plastic pellets during active-shooter training at an elementary school in northern Indiana. The amendment would bar the firing of projectiles at teachers, school employees or students during any drill or training. The Indiana State Teachers Association requested the amendment following the training exercise in January at Meadowlawn Elementary School in Monticello. Instructors fired on the teachers, saying it demonstrated what would happen if they weren't proactive in responding to an active shooter. Educators were left with welts, bruises and abrasions. Lawmakers say the exercise went too far. The Senate education committee amended the bill Wednesday and it now proceeds to the Senate appropriations committee. Update: The person shot has been identified as 39-year-old Matthew Olsen. According to Indiana State Police, he is stable in an Indianapolis hospital. LADOGA, Ind. (WLFI) - A person is in serous condition after an officer-involved shooting in Montgomery County, according to Indiana State Police. Generic Ambulance Generic Ambulance Around 10 p.m. Wednesday, officers went to a home on East County Road 1200 South near Lagoda. Police said the Montgomery County SWAT team was attempting to serve a warrant for a person inside the home when police said they were shot at. SWAT officers then shot back at the suspect and injured the person. Police said once the scene was cleared, officers gave the person first aid. The person was taken to an Indianapolis hospital. No officers were hurt. ISP was asked to investigate the shooting. Once the report is complete, it will be turned over to the Montgomery County Prosecutor's Office. Why Are The Markets Ignoring The US Treasury Yield Curve Inversion? Our research continues to support a Bullish price bias over the next 30+ days, very likely reaching to new all-time highs again, before June/July 2019. For many months, other researchers have continued to predict doom and gloom with warnings of Treasury yield inversions, global collapse events, and other crisis events. Yes, we believe continued price rotation will drive future price swings and they could be volatile moves yet we believe any crisis event will actually become an incredible opportunity for long traders to BUY into the markets at extreme lows. Recently, our researchers focused on OIL and the Transportation Index as key elements suggesting this upside move is far from over. Oil has moved from below $55 ppb to well above $60 ppb. We believe this move will continue higher to target the $64 ppb level were resistance is likely to be found. We do believe that some price rotation in Oil is likely to happen in the Summer months when travel increases and Summer blend gas hits the markets. Winter has been uniquely difficult this year and the rise in Oil prices, where OPEC and foreign market events have attempted to push prices above $50 ppb, is warranted given global economic activities. While Oil continues to climb, the Transportation Index is also rallying above recent resistance near $10,500 and pushing higher targeting the $11,250 level. This is important because the Transportation Index typically leads the US economy by about 3~6 months and is a key indicator of investors future expectations for the US and global economy. Any push above $11,000 in the Transportation Index would likely mean we are going to attempt to reach all-time highs near $11,634. A move like this would likely push the US Stock Market Indexes well above recent all-time highs as well. Much of our recent analysis has been an attempt to relate the opportunity that exists over the next 30~60 days in the US Stock Market. For well over 12 months, weve been suggesting a capital shift is taking place where the US stock market, and the US Dollar, are uniquely positioned to become safe-haven investments for foreign investors. We believe this process is still taking place and we believe the US market could continue to push up to new all-time highs before another rotational move sets up. Our most recent research suggests a peak may form near June/July 2019 that should concern traders. Until then, we believe the upside price bias will continue and we still believe new all-time highs are about to be reached. As of today, we have technical confirmation that a renewed upside price move is taking place and we continue to watch the precious metals for any signs of a base/momentum bottom. Follow our research and learn how we can help you find and execute better trades. 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. 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, then please take a minute to see how we can help you. Once this June/July peak begins, you wont want to miss the next big move Join www.TheTechnicalTraders.com 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. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Hungary has a wide wealth of natural resources. The World Bank estimated that in 2019, the Hungarian gross domestic product would be the 58th highest in the world at $164 billion while its per capita gross domestic product would be the 54th highest in the world at $16,905. Here is a list of some of Hungary's most valued natural resources: Arable Land One of Hungary's most vital natural resources is its arable land, which covered roughly 59% of the country's land in 2015. Data indicates that since 2008, when arable land covered roughly 65% of Hungary's land, the size of arable land in Hungry has been decreased significantly. The vast size of arable land in Hungary is an indication of the importance of the agriculture sector to the country's economy. However, due to the Hungarian government's policy of economic diversification, agriculture's role has been declining over the years. Grapes Historical evidence indicates that Hungarian farmers have been growing grapes for a long time, beginning at least in the 5th century when the Romans introduced grapes to the Pannonia region. Since the Roman era, several kinds of grapes were introduced from other nations primarily France and Italy. Hungary's grapes are chiefly used to make wine which is one of the country's most important products. Some of the most common types of grapes in Hungary include Harslevelu, Cserszegi fuszeres, and Irsai Oliver all of which are native to the country. Livestock Hungarian farmers keep animals such as cattle and sheep that are some of the country's most critical natural resources. During the 1990s, the Hungarian government introduced new policies to improve the country's livestock sector. The reforms were part of the government's effort to transform the country's economy into a free market economy. The government's plans were relatively successful as it led to significant improvements in the sector. Forests According to the World Bank, in 2015, roughly 23% of Hungary's territory was covered in forests. Since 2009, Hungary's forest cover has been increasing at a gradual rate mainly due to the government's policies emphasizing the importance of forest conservation. During the period when Hungary was under communist rule, the country's forest resources were mismanaged leading to a rapid decline in the country's forest cover. Research indicates that nearly all the forests in Hungary were classified as temperate forests. In 2005, the Hungarian government had designated roughly 65% of the country's forest for the production of wood products. Beautiful Scenery Hungary's beautiful scenery is another of its most important natural resources. Hungary has beautiful sites spread all across the country with the country's central region having the highest concentration of tourist attraction sites. The capital, Budapest, is one of the chief attractions in the country's central region. In the country's western edge, the most popular tourist destination is Lake Balaton, the largest freshwater lake in the central region of Europe. In 1994, the Hungarian government estimated that more than 2 million tourists visited the lake. The scenery attracts tourists from all over the world, and the tourism sector is one of the country's most vital industries. Fish Hungary also has significant quantities of fish which are vital to the country's economy. Because Hungary is a landlocked nation, fishing in the country is restricted to inland waterways such as rivers and lakes. Fishers in Hungary have to obtain permits from the Hungarian government before they fish in any of the country's natural waterways. Hungarian fishers have also invested in aquaculture to increase the quantity of fish in the country. One of the most commonly kept species of fish in Hungarian fish farms is the common carp. During the 1990s, the most significant challenge facing Hungary's fishing sector was insufficient funds to improve the sector. Natural Gas Hungary has been blessed with significant quantities of natural gas that are essential to its economic growth. In 2017, the Hungarian government estimated that the country had more than 70 billion cubic feet of natural gas. The Hungarian government estimated that during the early 21st century, the country's natural gas production only accounted for 25% of the nation's demand. The government planned to increase the production of natural gas to satisfy the local demand. New York is a state located in the northeastern region of the United States. The first inhabitants of the state moved to the area in 10,000 BC. Some of the native communities that lived there were the Algonquian and the Iroquoian. New York shares its borders with five states: Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Vermont, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. New York also has a maritime boundary with the state of Rhode Island. Pennsylvania The boundary that separates New York and Pennsylvania is situated in the southern section of New York. Historically, the border between the two states is divided into three distinct sections. One of the sections follows the 42nd parallel north, and it was surveyed in 1785 and 1786. Because of the inaccuracies of the surveying methods available at the time, the section does not exactly follow the 42nd parallel. New Jersey The states of New Jersey and New York are separated by a border found in New Yorks northern region. For more than 60 years during the 1700s, New York and New Jersey were involved in a boundary dispute that was referred to as N.J. Line War. During this period, factions from New York and New Jersey fought over control of territory along the border. Historians estimated that the groups were fighting over roughly 328 square miles of land. The final war between the factions took place in 1765 and resulted in the capture of the leaders of New York. Vermont New York shares a portion of its eastern border with Vermont. During the colonial period, both New York and New Hampshire claimed the territory that later became Vermont. King George II placed the territory under New York's control. Following the kings declaration that the area was under New Yorks control, disgruntled residents declared themselves independent and formed the Vermont Republic. Connecticut New York and Connecticut are separated by a border situated in the eastern edge of New York. During the colonial period, Connecticut and New York differed on the exact position of their shared boundary. The issue was presented to the colonial government that required New York and Connecticut to jointly survey the border. However, by 1717, neither state had tried to survey the boundary. In 1717, the government of Connecticut began efforts to survey the border and the government of New York later supported the survey. Massachusetts The boundary that separates Massachusetts and New York is located on New York's eastern edge. During the colonial era, Massachusetts and New York were involved in a border dispute that was caused by a grant issued to Massachusetts. In 1785, the Continental Congress appointed a team led by Thomas Hutchins to resolve the dispute. The team resolved the dispute by convincing Massachusetts to give up the disputed territory to New York. Rhode Island A maritime boundary located in the Atlantic Ocean separates the states of New York and Rhode Island. The feature that separates New York and Rhode Island is known as the Long Island Sound and was the subject of a Supreme Court case in the 1980s. This case was caused by a jurisdictional dispute among the governments of the US, Rhode Island, and New York. To resolve the issue, the Supreme Court appointed the Special Master. A report by the Special Master classified Long Island Sound as a juridical bay meaning that it was under the jurisdiction of the state governments and not the national government. The spectre of a national strike of teachers has been looming over Poland for some time now. But despite the lukewarm attempts by the right-wing PiS government to alleviate the situation with half-hearted concessions, the strike date has been set for 8 April. This day will definitely go down as an important event in the history of the National Teachers Union (ZNP, formed in the course of the 1905 revolution), and perhaps of the Polish working class as a whole. This isnt just a strike accepted by union leaders to let off pressure from the rank and file. This has the potential to become the most important movement of a whole section of the working class since the re-establishment of capitalism in 1989. Strike committees have been organised in all cities. More than 7,000 of them have sprung up in every corner of the country, as they spread even to the smallest towns and villages. New strike committees are being registered every day, completely ignoring nervous warnings from some local labour leaders about legality and associated dangers. The rank-and-file of two rival trade union confederations, OPZZ and Solidarnosc, are breaking the mould of division in an unprecedented way, expressing their natural desire for unity. Especially the cowardly leadership of Solidarnosc, which has been coat-tailing the PiS and has already sold the teachers down the river in a treacherous sell-out, is being shaken up by the strike, as motion after motion is being passed by rank-and-file teachers affiliated to Solidarnosc, displaying their lack of confidence in the leadership. Councils involving teachers, parents and students are popping up across the whole country. The farmers, organised in their own union, have already been emboldened into action, and several other sections of the working class have proclaimed solidarity with the strike and will without a doubt observe it carefully, as they draw conclusions for their own struggles. It is a well-known law that the working class learns a hundredfold faster during strikes than in normal times. This strike will transform the situation in Poland more than any other event in recent memory. It will embolden all other workers to follow suit and begin a new chapter as they move to take their destiny into their own hands. Background For me, the atmosphere is a little similar to the time after 1968 in Europe. I can feel, maybe not a revolutionary mood, but something like widespread impatience. When impatience becomes not an individual but a social experience of feeling, this is the introduction for revolutions. I think some circumstances are also similar to 1968. Donald Tusk, Polish Prime Minister 2007-2014, current President of the European Council On the surface, this strike might seem completely unexpected. After all, the 2015 parliamentary elections saw the right-wing, fanatically Catholic Law and Justice party (PiS) win the largest majority of any party since the reinstatement of capitalism in 1989. But this paints an entirely incomplete picture of the real situation. The real reason behind the victory of the PiS, which promised a generous series of social reforms, was the deep mistrust and anger against the status quo, especially in extremely destitute and depressed smaller towns and villages, atomised by the privatisation and closure of state industry and collective farms (PGRs). This is where the PiS draws the bulk of its support from. This mood of discontent was brewed by the 30-year long experience of what capitalism really means for the masses. Despite the economic growth experienced by Poland for a whole historical period, it is here where words inscribed by Marx in Capital are more relevant than ever: It establishes an accumulation of misery, corresponding with accumulation of capital. Accumulation of wealth at one pole is, therefore, at the same time accumulation of misery, agony of toil slavery, ignorance, brutality, mental degradation at the opposite pole. Importantly, this was strongly exacerbated by todays, liberal so-called opposition, which is as responsible as the PiS for making Poland the most-unequal country in Europe by income share of the top 10 percent of earners, according to the World Inequality Database report published earlier this month. The election of the PiS was a very general and confused expression of this anger, which in any case only brought to the fore all contradictions that were already accumulating in Poland over the course of decades. This isnt obvious only to those upper-class liberals who led quiet, peaceful and prosperous lives in houses gated away from the real world of working-class Poland. These statistics, are for them, abstract and baffling. This is why, despite their current hooah of support for the strike, they will prove to be organically incapable of playing any positive role within it. They have nothing in common with the teachers on poverty wages, who are struggling to make ends meet. The reality for millions of people, that both the PiS and PO are so detached from, was emotionally described by an old worker, who gave a speech a while ago in support of striking glassworkers in Zawiercie to the north of Krakow, and which went viral on social media. In the rare breakthrough of a workers voice into the mainstream, we heard the following words: These people working here dont have a penny in their pocket. Can you imagine a working man unable to bring any money home? To tell his child I cant afford to buy you this or that? How can something like this happen in this country? The journalists come here, then they go away, but these workers are down here every day, sometimes I see people running in because their train was late So I ask you, whats this for? Im sorry for the steel workers here, the mortality rates are tremendous. These people are malnourished, these people cant afford to see the doctor, they dont want to watch your television programmes! Do you know why? Because they get home, and they sit in the corner, despairing [about] when theyre going to get any money at all for their hard work. Yes, this year I turned 80. But Ill tell you that I regret growing old and witnessing what is going on in this country. I remember this glassworks since I was little, I grew up here Nothing is the same anymore. This area, Szklarskie Domy, doesnt exist anymore. Almost all the glassworkers, wonderful people, used to live here, they used to be happy, but they had money see Do you know when? Under motherf*cking Communism! Does it have to be the way it is now?... And do you know what else? It really makes you think! That the man responsible for this is not even here! You all come here, but this bastard doesnt! Why doesnt he come to the gate and listen to us?! This movement of teachers proves that the Polish working class is preparing to move onto the stage of history / Image: archive The reader may have heard of the Tale of Two Cities. For decades, the only voice heard in Poland was that of rich bankers, monopolists, clergymen, politicians and other wealthy speculators. The majority of the working class was entirely excluded from politics. This strike is giving real hope and voice to the majority, because it is spearheaded and powered by people like the one quoted above. The movement understanding that this anger stems from the accumulation of poverty, misery and desperation since capitalism was reinstated and endorsed by one government after another, is key to its victory. It is an unfortunate fact that the top leadership of ZNP holds illusions in various pro-democracy campaigns led by these same liberals who attacked education so ferociously, but in this strike, and perhaps at the pressure of the rank-and-file, the leadership of ZNP is openly and correctly denying the liberals a leading role. Indeed, the balance sheet of the eight-year rule by the Liberal Civic Platform (PO) seems to be a book closed by seven seals for these respectable ladies and gentlemen. In fact, the situation is so fragile that the father of PO and current EU bureaucrat-in-chief, Donald Tusk, is preparing a return to Polish politics. But no matter how inflated his ego and saviour complex, his return will not solve anything for the working people of Poland. It cannot be forgotten that he himself helped prepare the emergence of PiS, as he brewed up this bitter discontent with privatisation, job losses and liberalisation of labour laws, required by the capitalists. While the bureaucratic regime of Wladyslaw Gomulka in 1966, thanks to the planned economy, was able to build 1,000 schools to commemorate the millennial anniversary of the baptism of Poland by Mieszko I (which is seen as the countrys birth year), Tusk and co. when in government affirmed that there was no other way but to close down schools en-masse. This record has not been forgotten by the teachers, and judging by the scale of this strike, it is likely that the Liberals are going to become completely sidelined and isolated, although the existing labour leaders will try their best to prevent this. On the eve The strike wont officially begin until Monday, 8 April. However, its preparation is heavily underway, encouraged by a very sympathetic mood from students, parents and other workers. Indeed, it takes place just weeks after the Youth Climate Strike, which in itself was an enormous display of the willingness to fight by the students, as tens of thousands came out on the streets of all major cities. Where the teachers gave support for the students in their walkouts, their students are now displaying solidarity and active support towards the strike, despite it taking place during the exam period: Modziezowy Strajk Klimatyczny pod Ministerstwem Energii. NIE ZABIERAJCIE NAM PRZYSZOSCI!!! #StrajkDlaKlimatu pic.twitter.com/GbzE2qrb5C Piaskiem w oczy (@piaskiemwoczy) March 15, 2019 Youth Climate Strike in Warsaw: Dont take away our future! For several months leading up to talks, the government was only promising more of the same, which is implementing part of the pay rise, months down the line, and the rest of it at an even later date. Over the past few days, the government delegation headed by Minister of Education, Anna Zalewska held intense discussions with the labour leaders. This has caused the ZNP to back down from some of its demands, but there is still no compromise, as the main demands remain unsatisfied. One of the flagship demands is the urge for an immediate pay rise of 1000 zlotys per month, which would raise the living standards of many teachers, whose pay averages at the bare minimum of 1800-2400 zlotys. The government attempts to calm the situation through daily meetings with the labour leaders, yet it continues to offer nothing substantial. For this reason, the ZNP is expected to go ahead with the strike on Monday. For this purpose, strike committees have been formed all over the country, engulfing a huge number of teachers who hitherto had not been involved in any union or political activity. Many of them have never seen a shop steward in their lives. The map below portrays the spread of those strike committees that have been officially declared, and which currently number 7,821 schools and nurseries (79.5 percent of the total). The first, least-populated map represents the number of committees as of Sunday 17 March. The last, most-populated map was drawn up on Saturday 30 March. Strike committees across Poland / Image: fair use The divide between ZNP and Solidarnosc The initiative to call the strike, taken by the ZNP, has had a tremendous impact on the competitor teachers branch of Solidarnosc. It must be said that todays Solidarnosc is not comparable to that at the time of the revolutionary mass movement of 1980/81, when it had 10 million members around the country. Its treacherous and reactionary leadership reduced Solidarnosc to a rump and a mockery of its former self. The leaders are openly sympathetic with the PiS government, regularly betray the workers and openly shake hands with the bosses. To give a hint of their reactionary character, around this time last year, behind the backs of its rank-and-file, the leadership secretly allowed the far-right National Radical Camp (ONR) to hold a rally in the historical building of BHP, where the Gdansk Inter-District Strike Committee of 1980/81 a soviet in all but name used to meet. Surprisingly, this same leadership was drawn into the strike, mainly due to the pressure from the rank-and-file of the teachers branch. However, it quickly went on to conciliate and seek agreement with the government, and it sold out its members on 1-2 April. Although this was expected, this marked an important breakthrough for the government, which can now point fingers at the ZNP and ask Solidarnosc is satisfied, why arent you? However, this move by the leadership has achieved nothing but to infuriate the Solidarnosc rank-and-file, as open dissent is taking place within its membership. Motions of no confidence in the leadership have been passed in Gogow and Wrocaw, calling the leaders saboteurs for their shameful actions. In many other cities, the Solidarnosc teachers simply ignore the leadership and continue to work with the ZNP teachers. In this situation, the ZNP and the entire labour movement should fully expose the class-collaborationist nature of the Solidarnosc leaders and make an appeal to the Solidarnosc membership that their actions will be wholly supported by the entire movement. This could lead to the vomiting out of the reactionary Solidarnosc leaders into the dustbin of history where they belong, and the beginning of the end of the historical divide between the two main trade union confederations: the OPZZ, which the ZNP is affiliated to, and Solidarnosc. This would strengthen, not just the teachers strike, but the future of the entire labour movement in Poland. Class against class One of the main reasons for the strength of the teachers movement and the powerlessness of the government is that this strike is not confined to one or two demands. Its energy and scale meant that it acquired a logic of its own. Through this, it became a point of reference for all the frustrations of the teachers, which are inflicting serious damage on the government. Despite the lies of the PiS politicians and their lackeys in the media, the momentum for the strike only continues to increase. The state-owned TVP (Polish Television), for instance, broadcast a clip where a teacher of a primary school in Szczecin said that she is satisfied with the concessions. This clip was one of many examples of scandalous manipulation by the TVP. The same teacher complained in a Facebook post that the video was shot last year, in relation to a previous agreement, but that this time around she and her colleagues are all going on strike. Citizens Councils / Image: fair use Many Polish workers identify with the teachers grievances and demands, as more and more of their voices come to the surface. This has been coupled with an immense show of solidarity from the parents and the students who are standing hand in hand with the teachers. To express this, a network of Citizens Councils (Narada Obywatelska) have been popping up all over the country. This has been launched by a group of teachers called JaNauczyciel (I, the teacher), which claims to represent 32 thousand members. This has been officially supported by the ZNP, the Solidarnosc teachers, parents support groups, various academic groups and foundations, and also the Union of Polish Cities, representing 300 local city and town councils. The website includes practical advice on how to organise and lists its aims, which include direct communication between students, teachers and parents, getting broader layers involved with the teachers movement, and going beyond simple wage dispute, to underline the broader (systemic) and deeper character. Although the first meetings of these committees are yet to take place, the Citizens Councils have been or are in the process of being formed in most of the main cities, such as Warsaw, Gdansk, odz, Biaystok, Wrocaw, Krakow and Lublin. It is not clear whether these Citizens Committees will play a leading role in the strike, because of their heterogeneous composition and, at the time of writing, a lack of mass involvement compared to the strikes committees. However, depending on how the strike unfolds, this development can potentially gain a logic of its own, in the same way as the strike committees did. If these gain the same kind of momentum we saw on the map of strike committees, it will begin to become a movement that goes beyond the teachers dispute. Already, on the 3 April, Warsaw witnessed a protest of thousands of farmers wearing yellow vests and blocking one of the main roads. Their grievances are connected to the reforms that farmers see as damaging to their industry. But without a doubt, the mood of militancy and anger that the teachers feel affects all sections of the working class. On top of the recent actions by the farmers, messages of solidarity have been passed inside university unions and individually from other workers. This is what the Citizens Councils may begin to express as the movement snowballs. The banner reads: Polish farming is collapsing, we have the government to thank for this / Image: fair use This shows that the struggle of the teachers for better working conditions can potentially become a catalyst for the struggle of the entire working class in Poland. In this scenario, the question of which class holds power in society will become a daily discussion in shop floors, bus stops, pubs and on the streets. Over the past years, we have often heard the disparaging brigade of the liberal-left lament an imminent rise of fascism in Poland. While, as Marxists, we do not underestimate the danger posed by the extreme right wing, we have pointed out in the past that the situation among the masses was different, and the contradictions would explode in terms of heightened class struggle. This movement of teachers proves that the Polish working class, with its incredibly rich revolutionary traditions from 1905, 1917, 1970 and 1980, is preparing to move once more onto the stage of history. Sharp turns and sudden changes are implicit in the situation, and many illusions will be shattered overnight as the workers, through their experience, become conscious of their power as a class. JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) A small southeast Alaska community reached 70 degrees last week, which weather data suggests is the earliest point that temperature has been reached in the state. National Weather Service meteorologist Brian Bezenek says Klawock hit the mark March 19. He says the earliest that records indicate a community in Alaska hit 60 was Jan. 14, 2018, when the temperature at Annette Island, also in southeast Alaska, reached 66. The U.S. Drought Monitor, which weekly tracks drought conditions, shows much of southeast Alaska with abnormally dry conditions to some level of drought... In the name of defending Quebecs way of life and national identity, the provinces right-wing-populist Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ) government has introduced a bill Respecting the Laicity (secularism) of the State that targets religious minoritiesfirst and foremost Muslim women and marks a further step in the Canadian ruling elites embrace of anti-immigrant chauvinism . In Canada, as internationally, the ruling class is mounting an increasingly virulent agitation against migrants and refugees, with the aim of scapegoating them for the economic and social catastrophe caused by capitalism. This has led to a series of draconian measures such as the Trump administrations Gestapo-style raids and deportations of immigrants, or the ban on wearing the Islamic headscarf (hijab) in French public schools. The promotion of chauvinism in official politics has encouraged far-right elements to launch violent attacks on foreigners and minorities, as German neo-Nazi gangs did in the streets of Chemnitz last August, and to carry out mass killings at mosques such as Alexandre Bissonnette did in Quebec City in January 2017 and last months horrific atrocity in Christchurch, New Zealand. The CAQs Bill 21 is the product of a xenophobic campaign that the ruling elite in Quebec has mounted for more than a decade. Launched on the claim that excessive accommodations have been made to Quebecs cultural minorities, this campaign has been marked from its outset by toxic denunciations of Muslims and the promotion of one discriminatory measure after another. The CAQs proposed legislation would prohibit the wearing of religious symbols by state employees in so-called positions of authorityincluding tens of thousands of public school teachers, as well as the principals and vice-principals of primary and secondary public schools. Police officers, prison guards, wildlife officers, Crown prosecutors and government lawyers would also be subject to the ban. So would the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, as well as the heads of many public bodies. The CAQ bill is only superficially different from the justly reviled Charter of Quebec Values that the then Parti Quebecois (PQ) government introduced in 2013 and made the centerpiece of its unsuccessful 2014 election campaign. Under the PQs Charter, all public and para-public government workers were to be prohibited from wearing ostentatious religious symbols, with an exception made for discreet crucifixes. While the crucifix hanging above the National Assembly will probably be removed and crucifixes are included in the CAQs ban on the wearing of religious symbols, Bill 21 provides a broad exception for other Roman Catholic symbols, which are ubiquitous across Quebec, in the name of preserving Quebecs cultural heritage. The government will also continue to subsidize private religious schools, and such schools and all other private schools are exempt from the ban on teachers and principals wearing religious symbols. In one of several cynical attempts to portray the bill as moderate, even tolerant, the Minister of Immigration, Diversity and Inclusiveness, Simon Jolin-Barrette, quipped that there will be no strip searches to verify whether a person is wearing a religious symbol. This only highlights that those who will be deprived of jobs in the public sector, the principal source of jobs in Quebec, under the CAQs religious-symbols ban are Muslim teachers who out of religious conviction wear the hijab, Jews who wear the kippah, and Sikhs who in conformity with their faith wear the turban and kirpan. As for the grandfather clause that the CAQ added in the hope of mollifying popular opposition to its discriminatory bill, it only applies to those already working in one of the professions subject to the ban, and should they change their employer or job they will lose their acquired rights. To prevent a court challenge of Bill 21s constitutionality, the CAQ government has invoked the notwithstanding clause that empowers it to pass legislation that violates fundamental rights guaranteed under the Canadian and Quebec Charters of Rights and Freedoms. Doug Fords populist Conservative government in Ontario also recently threatened to use the notwithstanding clause to pass legislation related to its right-wing anti-worker program. This only underlines that Bill 21 is part of a much broader turn on the part of the ruling class to reaction and authoritarian forms of rule. The CAQs bill reintroduces the central measure of the previous Quebec Liberal governments Bill 62a ban on Muslim women who wear the niqab or burqa (full veil) from receiving or providing public services, including health care, public education, and public transit. The inclusion of the notwithstanding clause in the CAQs Bill 21 will render null and void several lawsuits currently before the courts that challenge the constitutional validity of denying services and employment to Muslim women who wear the full veil. Bill 21 was tabled just one month after the CAQ introduced Bill 9, the cornerstone of its immigration reform. Bill 9 will slash the number of immigrants to Quebec by over 20 percent per year and adds cultural criteria to the immigration selection process, opening the door to a racist and chauvinist immigration policy. As has been the case on every occasion the political establishment has chosen to ratchet up the debate over excessive accommodation and the need to defend Quebec values, the CAQs phoney secularism bill will embolden the most reactionary elements and lead to an increase in hate crimes against religious and ethno-cultural minorities across Quebec and Canada. Seven organizations, including Amnesty International and the League of Human Rights, have called for the withdrawal of the bill, which they describe as racist. The Quebec office of the National Council of Canadian Muslims pointed out that the bill would make Muslims and other minority communities in Quebec second-class citizens. The editorial boards of Quebecs major newspapers, on other hand, have generally welcomed the CAQs discriminatory bill. La Presse, which speaks for the dominant federalist wing of Quebec big business, deplores that the CAQ has moved away from the Bouchard-Taylor Commission consensus [a ban on the wearing of religious symbols by state employees in position of coercive authority], by extending it to teachers and by using the notwithstanding clause. But it goes on to say that it was about time Quebec moved on this issue and that individual rights are not absoluteanother indication that no section of the ruling class, including its supposedly liberal wing, is committed to upholding democratic rights. Le Devoir, a daily close to Quebec independantiste circles, also argues that it would have been better to limit the ban to state agents who exercise coercive power. Nevertheless, it describes the proposed law as a major step forward. It concedes Bill 21 does restrict individual rights, but defends this as it is to achieve an objective of social peacethus promoting the reactionary canard that immigrants and religious minorities threaten Quebec values. In lauding Bill 21, the Journal de Montreal characteristically blurts out the most vulgar Quebec chauvinism. In the days running up to last Thursdays tabling of Bill 21 and in the week since, it has devoted myriad pages to promoting legislation that attacks the rights of Muslim women, one of the most vulnerable sections of society, as a necessary affirmation of the collective rights of the Quebec people. Quebec is virtually under siege, exclaimed columnist Denise Bombardier in response to criticism of the CAQs chauvinist bill in the rest of country. This law on secularism serves as a pretext for the rest of Canada to go to war again against this turbulent Francophone majority which claimed its distinctness in the Canadian multiculturalist Eden. Of the three opposition parties in the Quebec National Assembly, only the PQ has welcomed the CAQ bill, although it has criticized the government for not extending its ban on religious symbols to workers in Quebecs state-supported daycares. For the past 12 years, the supposedly left-wing Quebec Solidaire (QS) has described the phony debate on reasonable accommodation and secularism, including the Parti Quebecois Charter of Values, as legitimate. However, it remained without an official position on the CAQs bill until its National Council repudiated QS traditional support for the Bouchard-Taylor compromise last Saturday. This volte-face is nothing short of an admission that Quebec Solidaire has been complicit in the longstanding campaign of Quebecs political and media establishment to spread the poison of anti-immigrant chauvinism. Except for the pro-Quebec independence Bloc Quebecois, all the major parties in Canadas federal parliamentthe Liberals, Conservatives, and NDPhave denounced the CAQ bill in a transparent and demagogic attempt to promote Canadian nationalism. It is unthinkable that a free society would legitimize discrimination against anyone on the basis of religion, declared the Prime Minister and Liberal leader Justin Trudeau. Such hypocritical posturing serves to cover up the real character of Canadian imperialism, including its close collaboration with the Trump administration in its anti-immigrant witch-hunt and its own discriminatory immigration and refugee policies. The stigmatization of Muslims by all sections of Canadas ruling classfederalist and Quebec nationalist alikesince the launching of the phony war on terror in 2001 has served as a means of justifying Canadas involvement in Washingtons predatory wars in the Middle East and around the world. Chicago mayoral candidate Lori Lightfoot won an easy victory in the April 2 runoff vote, with 73.7 percent of the vote, compared to only 26.3 percent for Toni Preckwinkle, president of the Cook County Board. Lightfoot swept all 50 of the citys wards, from the wealthiest to the poorest, and polled some of her biggest totals in precincts heavily populated by police. A corporate lawyer and former federal prosecutor, Lightfoot came to prominence when she was brought in by Mayor Rahm Emanuel to whitewash rampant violence and murder by the Chicago Police Department. Her victory was the outcome, not of any widespread popular support, but of a decision by nearly every faction of the Chicago political establishment that Lightfoot would be a more capable and ruthless foe of the working class than Preckwinkle, a longtime figure in the Democratic Party machine. In the primary contest in February, Lightfoot led only narrowly, receiving 93,580 votes, or 17.43 percent of the total, compared to Preckwinkles 86,181 votes, or 16.05 percent. Former US Commerce Secretary Bill Daley, brother of the former mayor Richard M. Daley, who had the bulk of the corporate support, finished third with 78,955 votes, or 14.7 percent, and narrowly failed to make the runoff. In the runoff, Lightfoots vote rose to 364,965, up 290 percent. Preckwinkles vote rose to 130,327, up only 51 percent. Among the dozen candidates who divided up the balance of the vote in the primary, not a single one endorsed Preckwinkle in the runoff, but many endorsed Lightfoot, including Willie Wilson, the black Democrat who won the most votes on the citys south side, Paul Vallas, a right-wing former school superintendent and supporter of charter schools, and Gerry Chico, a longtime ally of Congressman Chuy Garcia, who lost the mayoral race to Emanuel in 2015. Garcia also supported Lightfoot. The result of shifting alignments after the primary, with an unexpected runoff between two black women, each with deep ties to the corporate and political elite, was that Lightfoot gained the endorsement of virtually the entire bourgeois political spectrum, from the Our Revolution group of Bernie Sanders to the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce. Both major daily newspapers, the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times, supported her editorially. Besides the Chicago Teachers Union, several other unions supported Preckwinkle, along with two South Side congressmen, Bobby Rush and Danny Davis, and three women with close ties to the Obama White House: Valerie Jarrett, Desiree Rogers and Tina Tchen. Obama himself made no endorsement, merely tweeting congratulations to Lightfoot after her landslide victory was confirmed. The most important feature of the runoff vote was the mass disaffection shown to both candidates, who represented different factions of the Democratic Party machine that has long dominated Chicago city government. While the official count of all ballots is still underway, it is expected to set a record low for an actually contested race (not counting the nominal opposition faced by Mayor Richard M. Daley during his 20 years in office). A little more than half a million are reported to have voted. By comparison, when Harold Washington was elected mayor in 1983, the voter turnout was more than 1.3 million. Some precincts actually reported no one voting out of hundreds registered, although that may reflect machine errors rather than a total absence of voters. Lightfoot made use of her identity as a black woman who is openly gay to cast herself as a progressive. But she is a corporate lawyer who has worked as a federal prosecutor. She is also a seasoned political apologist for the Chicago Police Department (CPD) and its related agencies. In 2015, after the political crisis erupted in the wake of the murder and official coverup of Southwest Side teenager Laquan McDonald, shot 16 times by Chicago police officer Jason van Dyke, it was Lightfoot whom Emanuel appointed to pull his fat from the fire. She oversaw the police accountability task force that produced a report indicating what everyone knows: the Chicago police are indeed lethally violent and racist. One recommendation produced by Lightfoots task force was that the discredited Independent Police Review Authority (IPRA) be replaced by another body, the Civilian Office of Police Accountability. In choosing Lightfoot, Emanuel had her reprise an earlier role. She once headed the Chicago Police Departments Office of Professional Standards (OPS), a body that was replaced by the IPRA following OPSs failure to act against the police implicated in the torture ring led by Chicago Police Department Commander Jon Burge. Significantly, the most conservative wards on the far northwest and far southwest sides, home to many police officers, voted for Lightfoot in the highest numbers. The affluent North Side saw 30-50 percent voter turnout. Turnout in working class and poorer neighborhoods like Little Village, Hegewisch, and large swathes of the South and West sides appeared very low. Full figures are still coming in. Rep. Bobby L. Rush, the former Black Panther-turned Democratic Party machine politician, denounced Lightfoot for her role in the police cover-ups. If any young black male or female is killed by a police officer under a Lightfoot administration, then the blood would be on those voters hands who elected her, he said. Despite such rhetoric, however, even in the South Side of Chicago, which has seen the worst cases of police violence, Preckwinkle could not win a single ward. Preckwinkle is currently head of both the Cook County Board and the Cook County Democratic Party. She was closely tied to the corruption scandal surrounding alderman Edward Burke and had to return $116,000 in campaign contributions raised for her by Burke and his cronies. Lightfoot and Preckwinkle will work together after the new mayor takes office May 20. On Wednesday, both candidates sought to publicly unify their aims as the incoming city leader and current county board president and boss of the regional Democratic Party. At a prayer vigil Wednesday hosted by Rainbow/PUSH and overseen by Rev. Jesse Jackson, Lightfoot and Preckwinkle held hands. Lightfoot said, Im looking forward to the future. Im looking ahead to hard work in the coming weeks and to collaborating with President Preckwinkle and other elected officials to bring the change that Chicagoans voted for and that we so desperately need. Lightfoot also met with outgoing Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson. The Tribune reported that the discussion with Johnson focused on the plans to respond to the anticipated surge in street violence over the summer. Fifteen aldermanic runoff elections also took place Tuesday and 14 are expected to result in newcomers to the city council. Four of those were endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), three of whom have beaten their opponents outright. Jeanette Taylor, Byron Sigcho Lopez, Dan La Spata and Andre Vasquez will take seats on the city council. The race between Rossana Rodriguez Sanchez and incumbent Deb Mell was too close to call and votes are still being counted. In the 20th ward, Jeanette Taylor, from the Kenwood-Oakland Community Organization, was a prominent figure in the 2015 hunger strike protest against the closure of Dyett High School. Taylor campaigned on demanding a community benefits agreement for the new Obama Presidential Center to be built in Jackson Park. The project organizers have opposed making any commitment to the neighborhood. Daniel La Spata, who beat incumbent Proco Joe Moreno for the 1st ward seat in the February 26 primary, joined DSA this year as he sought its endorsement for this race. Vasquez ousted 36-year city council veteran Patrick OConnor, Emanuels floor leader, from his seat in the 40th ward on the far north side in the runoff. Byron Sigcho Lopez, of the Pilsen Alliance, ran for alderman in the 25th ward on the southwest side, having joined DSA in recent months. The 25th ward incumbent candidate, Danny Solis, was snared in the recent federal corruption investigation. Several of the other newcomers to the city council were endorsed by United Working Families and/or the Chicago Teachers Union and together could operate as a significant bloc on the city council. The author also recommends: Chicago mayoral run-off: The cost-cutter or the cop? [29 March 2019] Following the tragic death of 18-year-old apprentice Christopher Cassiniti on Monday, evidence has emerged of widespread safety violations throughout the construction industry. Christopher Cassiniti (source: Facebook) Cassiniti died after 15 metres of scaffolding collapsed on a building site in the Sydney suburb of Macquarie Park and was pronounced dead at the scene. It took around three hours for his body to be freed by colleagues and emergency workers from rubble and twisted piping. A 39-year-old worker, who was also crushed by the debris, suffered critical injuries. He is in a stable condition in hospital. With between 300 and 350 workers on the site, there could have been many more injuries and fatalities. The accident occurred at a $220 million residential apartment development commissioned by Greenland Australia, which is being built primarily by construction company Ganellen. Fatal accidents in the sector are the inevitable outcome of the gutting of safety measures by governments, property developers, the major builders and the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMMEU). The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported yesterday that in 2018, SafeWork New South Wales, a pro-business government safety body, issued more than 100 breach notices to building companies across the state over safety violations related to scaffolding. In the course of 12 months, SafeWork inspectors handed out 1,258 breach notices, with the majority of them reportedly over fall risks. The large number of notices was the result of a crackdown launched in the wake of widespread outrage over a number of serious accidents stemming from unsafe conditions. That hundreds of construction companies were found to have violated safety standards demonstrates that they have been allowed to operate with impunity for years. In late 2017, SafeWork introduced on-the-spot fines for breaches. They were capped, however, at just $3,600. While it issued over a thousand breach notices last year, on-the-spot fines totalled just $265,000, an average of $265 for each violation. This represents a minute fraction of the billions of dollars in revenue flowing to the construction industry each year. The figures demonstrate why the construction sector has been ranked in the three most dangerous industries by workplace fatalities for a number of years. This year five construction workers have died on the job. Thirty-five construction workers were killed on the job in 2016 and there were 30 deaths in 2017. On Tuesday, the ABCs Hack website featured comments from anonymous young construction workers. One responded to Cassinitis death by stating: The amount of times that I've had to do things that are against safety ... makes you think could it have been me? Could I have fallen off a scaffold, or down a razor shaft? It really kicks you in the feels. The worker added: Every morning, the last thing I think about is not coming home and you put it to the back of your head but this is a reality and its messed up. Others said that they had been pressured to work after complaining of safety violations. One young worker told Hack, Its all about money at the end of the day, the CEOs have to show theyre implementing safety but their main goal is to make money and get jobs over the line at any expense. If you complain about it, there's a chance you'll lose your job or get mocked for it. Cassanitis family has responded by issuing a statement which declared that they did not want his death to be just another statistic. It stated: We ask that the government step in and take immediate action and implement stringent measures regarding safety on construction sites. Senior Labor and Liberal-National Coalition politicians have responded to the tragedy with crocodile tears. The NSW Labor oppositions planning spokesperson, Tania Mihailuk, declared this week that she had written to the state Coalition governments incoming planning minister, Rob Stokes, asking what he would do to reassure the community that construction sites are safe. This is a cynical attempt at damage control. Successive Labor and Coalition governments, at the state and federal level, have collaborated closely with construction companies to ensure rapid job completions so as to maximize profits. NSW Labor governments, in office from 1995 until 2011, were notorious for their close ties to property developers. Labor governments stripped back building regulations, allowing companies to bypass basic safety measures previously required in the industry. Most glaring of all is the responsibility of the CFMMEU. A number of workers at the Macquarie Park site were members of the union, and its officials were at the scene shortly after the accident occurred. Dave Noonan, CFMMEU assistant national secretary, told the media on Monday: If scaffolding is erected, maintained and loaded properly, then this should not happen. In a revealing comment, he added: The role of the union and of government safety regulators is to make sure sites are compliant. Noonan complained, however, the pro-business government regulators were under-resourced. In order to divert attention from its own complicity, the CFMMEU has called for the introduction of industrial manslaughter laws, for the criminal prosecution of companies responsible for workplace deaths. The union has also promoted illusions in the investigation to be conducted into Cassinitis death by SafeWork NSW. The truth is that the CFMMEU, like every other union, functions as an industrial police for the corporations. At sites it covers, the union often has paid health and safety officers who are able to stop work on a job if safety issues are unresolved. The widespread safety breaches in 2018, however, make clear that they have done little or nothing to ensure compliance. Following a number of construction fatalities, it has emerged that union officials were warned by workers of unsafe conditions. Invariably, the union did nothing to halt work and only publicly reported the dangers after a tragedy had occurred. The plot by a neo-Nazi, Jack Renshaw, to murder Labour Party MP Rosie Cooper was finally revealed following the end of a seven-week trial at Londons Old Bailey. Renshaw was on trial, accused of being a member of a fascist organisation, National Action, which was banned by the Conservative government in November 2016 and proscribed as a terrorist group. Last July, the leader of National Action, Christopher Lythgoe, was jailed for eight years after being found guilty of membership of the group. Another fascist, Matthew Hankinson, was jailed for six years for membership. They had been arrested by police who were investigating the plot to kill Cooper after a tip-off. That court heard evidence that Lythgoe was aware that Renshaw, then aged 22, intended to kill Cooper, the MP for West Lancashire. At the beginning of that trial, Renshaw pleaded guilty to preparing to kill Cooper and admitted that he purchased a replica 19-inch Roman Gladius sword for that purpose. He had spent just under a month planning to kill Cooper, explaining, I wanted to send a message to the state that if you beat a dog long enough it bitesshe [Cooper] just happened to be my local MP. He planned to turn up at one of her social events and then hack at her jugular vein with the knife. He also admitted planning to kill a police officer, Victoria Henderson, who was investigating him for sexual offences, including grooming children for sex. The plot to kill Cooper was initiated just one year after the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox by the fascist Thomas Mair, who stabbed and shot her to death outside a library in her west Yorkshire constituency of Batley and Spen. The killing took place on June 16, 2016, just one week before the referendum on the UKs European Union (EU) membership. National Action, which was established in 2013, was banned after it hailed the murder of Cox. At their trial, Lythgoe, Renshaw and four other defendants denied membership of National Action between December 2016 and September 2017. The court heard that just days before the ban, Lythgoe sent out an e-mail to National Action members as to how they would respond: Its going to be a piece of p**s. We discard the name and symbolism of National Action The important thing is that what weve built up stays together Secondly, at the regional level we should all split up into autonomous regional groups. Though behind the scenes itll still be run much the same. Well keep away from the proactive stuff for now... just focus on effective activism. The plot to murder Cooper came to light after a former National Action member, Robbie Mullen, contacted Matthew Collins, a member of the Hope not Hate anti-racist organisation in July 2017. Mullen became disillusioned with the fascist outfit and began to inform on its activities that April. Collins said he received a message from Mullen while on holiday in Portugal, asking him to call me ASAP. When they spoke the following morning, Mullen told Collins that Renshaw had discussed killing Cooper during a meeting in a pub in Warrington. Lythgoe was found not guilty of encouragement to murder Cooper, but the jury heard a tape recording of him telling Mullen that he would prefer it if a Conservative MP, Amber Rudd, was killed instead. The jury failed to reach a verdict on whether Renshaw was a member of National Action after it was banned, leading to a retrial, which began last month. At his latest trial, another jury were also not able to reach unanimous or majority verdicts on whether Renshaw was a member of National Action. He will be sentenced on May 17, in relation to his admission that he planned to kill Cooper. Still in his early 20s, Renshaw has been heavily involved in fascist organisations since his youth. Aged 15, he joined the English Defence League (EDL), founded by Tommy Robinson before joining the British National Party (BNP). He met its then leader, Nick Griffin, and became a leading figure in BNP Youth. In October 2014, he stood as a candidate for the BNP in a Blackpool council ward by-election. As a BNP member he worked for a period at the European Parliament in Brussels. He was forced to leave a university course at Manchester Metropolitan University in 2015 after an investigation into his incitement of racial hatred. By 2015, Renshaw was a member of National Action. At a Yorkshire Forum for Nationalists event of the group, he called for Jews to be eradicated. Described as a National Action spokesman he stated, Hitler was right in many senses but you know where he was wrong? He showed mercy to people who did not deserve mercy... As nationalists we need to learn from the mistakes of the National Socialists and we need to realise that, no, you do not show the Jew mercy. Last July, Renshaw was charged by the Crown Prosecution Service for incitement to racial hatred related to statements made at a demonstration in 2016 in Blackpool of another fascist group, the North West Infidels (where he described Jews as parasites) and at a Yorkshire Forum for Nationalists event the previous month. In January 2018, Renshaw was convicted and sentenced to three years in prison for the offences. Between this conviction and sentencing he was jailed, in June, after being found guilty of four counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, after grooming two boys online, aged 13 and 15. The cases of Renshaw and Mair and the horrific massacre of 50 Muslim worshipperscarried out at two mosques in New Zealand by Australian fascist Brenton Tarrant last monthconfirm the warnings made by the Socialist Equality Party that a significant layer of the far right are now engaged in the planning and carrying out of terrorist activity, including the killing of elected politicians. Under conditions of a systemic crisis of the capitalist system and mounting social and political tensions in every country, fascist and other right-wing forces are targeting those they consider to be the left and Marxists. On March 3, while Renshaw was appearing in court, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was violently attacked by a pro-Brexit thug who had previously stated on a Facebook page that he would like to kill opponents of Brexit. The author recommends: Corbyn assailant jailed, but significance of his attack still minimised [27 March 2019] The assault on Jeremy Corbyn is a warning that must be heeded [6 March 2019] Footage of soldiers in the elite Parachute Regiment firing rounds into a poster of Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn is a grave warning of the climate of political violence being fomented by Britains ruling elite. The video was posted on Snapchat, before being leaked yesterday onto Twitter. Four paratroopers are seen repeatedly firing at the Corbyn poster with handguns. The words happy with that are captioned on the video, before the camera pans to the poster of Corbyn, zooming in to show his head peppered with bullet holes. Some of the soldiers can be heard laughing. Soldiers in Kabul use Jeremy Corbyn image as target practice The video was reportedly shot in recent days and its authenticity has been confirmed by the Army. Around 80 members of the 3rd Battalion Parachute Regiment (3 PARA) have been stationed in Kabul in Afghanistan since 2018 as part of the Resolute Support Mission. The footage was apparently shot in the loft of what Sky News reported is the New Kabul Compound. Immediate efforts were made to downplay the seriousness of the event. Ex-Colour Sergeant Trevor Coult told the Daily Mail, It should never have gone online. But it was tomfoolery, nothing serious. There should not be an investigation. Coult had shared the video with the comment, Not looking good for a Labour leader and a laughing emoji. Conservative MP and former soldier Johnny Mercer joined the defence effort, tweeting, every organisation has good people who make serious misjudgements. The Ministry of Defence said an investigation would be undertaken, but Brigadier Nick Perry, commander of 16 Air Assault Brigade, also downplayed the incident as a serious error of judgment." All attempts to portray this event as bad behaviour by a few individuals must be rejected. The Parachute Regiment is one of the most elite infantry regiments in the world. It strains credulity that no senior officers were aware of what was happening. The use of Corbyns image for target practice takes place against a background in which the Labour leader has been repeatedly subjected to death threats by far-right forces. Only last month, as the politically toxic atmosphere over Brexit intensified, he was violently assaulted by a right-wing thug at Finsbury Park Mosque, who had threatened online that he would like to kill opponents of Brexit. Moreover, this latest attack on Corbyn comes from a unit specialising in counterinsurgency operations. In recent decades 3 PARA was stationed in Northern Ireland where it brutalised the Catholic population and fought in the Falklands/Malvinas War. Decades of unrestrained militarism have forged a professional military caste, increasingly hostile to any form of civilian control or restraint. In response to the army video, former soldiers and their supporters have taken to social media issuing online threats to assassinate Corbyn. One, identifying as Army Veteran Royal Signals, tweeted, I am an Ex soldier. I would shoot Corbyn for real for free. Such threats are made all the more significant as they come just one day after the fascist Jack Renshaw was found guilty of planning to kill Labour MP Rosie Cooper. More fundamentally, the target practice against Corbyn by 3 PARA soldiers in Kabul gives expression to views widely held by the leadership of the Armed Forces. For the last three years, senior military figures have repeatedly warned that a Corbyn government would be unacceptable because of Corbyns previous opposition to war, NATO and the use of nuclear weapons. Within one week of his election as Labour leader in September 2015, the Sunday Times cited an anonymous senior serving general that in the event of Corbyn becoming prime minister direct action would be taken. There would be mass resignations at all levels and you would face the very real prospect of an event that would effectively be a mutiny The general staff would not allow a prime minister to jeopardise the security of this country and I think people would use whatever means possible, fair or foul, to prevent that. Months later, in breach of the constitutional principle of the political neutrality of the Armed Forces, Chief of the Defence Staff Sir Nicholas Houghton told the BBCs Andrew Marr that Corbyns statement that he would never authorise the use of nuclear weapons would worry me if that thought was translated into power. The Tory government, the Labour Partys Blairite faction and a frothing right-wing media have united to attack Corbyn as a threat to national security, a friend of terrorists, a stooge of Russias Putin government and an anti-Semite. In 2016, a Daily Mail article by Blairite Dan Hodges was published under the headline, Labour must kill vampire Jezza, accompanied by a photo of Corbyn in a coffin. The article was published just 10 days after the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox by a fascist. Jezzas jihadi comrades, Corbyn the collaborator, Corbyn and the commie spy and Blood on his hands are among the countless headlines to have dominated the British press for the past three years. After the videos existence was widely reported yesterday, Tory MP David Jones asked Prime Minister Theresa May in parliament, is it still the position of the prime minister that the leader of the opposition [Jeremy Corbyn] is not fit to govern the UK. May replied, When we suffered a chemical weapons attack on the streets of Salisbury [Corbyn] said he preferred to believe Vladimir Putin than our own security agencies. That is not the place of somebody who should be prime minister. This was the cue for pro-Brexit Tories to denounce May for entering talks with Corbyn over Brexit. Caroline Johnson said May risked ushering in a Marxist, anti-Semite led government. Former international development minister Priti Patel tweeted, A man who sides with terrorists and socialist dictators, would surrender our nuclear deterrent, has let anti-Semitism run rife in his Party and would bankrupt Britain has now been given the keys to Brexit. This follows apocalyptic newspaper headlines that a failure by the Tories to resolve the Brexit crisis risks allowing a Corbyn-led government, in the words of the Sun, to force their Marxist agenda down our throats. Responding to the military video yesterday, Corbyn said, I hope the Ministry of Defence will conduct an inquiry into it and find out what was going on and who did that. Referring to Labour MP Rosie Cooper having narrowly evaded an assassination plot, Corbyn added, "Yes people have disagreements and yes people have divisions. But he implored, Conduct those divisions and disagreements in a respectful way. Don't descend into something ugly and violent. Corbyns response is politically criminal. Rather than alert the working class to the threat it faces from the armed forces, he expresses confidence in its investigatory process and urges pacifism and appeasement towards the class enemy. His decision to engage in private talks with May on Brexit is of a piece with this perspective. He opposes any move against his own partys right wing and refuses to call for a mobilisation of the working class to bring down the Tory government. While he preaches defence of the national interest through negotiated collaboration, the government has laid down plans to mobilise thousands of troops onto the streets of Britain. Referring to Operation Yellowhammer being enacted in the event of a no-deal Brexit, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said ministers were not specifically planning for martial law, but did not rule it out as an option. In such a situation the target practice using pictures of Corbyn would be revealed as preparation for gunning down demonstrators and striking workers. The presidential candidates of the Democratic Party are determined to avoid any engagement with significant political issues, either in contrast to the Trump administration or among themselves. That is the conclusion that any serious observer of Mondays We the People forum in Washington would be compelled to draw. The forum, a regular early-stage stop in the campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination, brought together eight declared candidates, including five senatorsCory Booker, Kirsten Gillibrand, Amy Klobuchar, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warrenand Governor Jay Inslee of Washington, former Representative Beto ORourke of Texas and former Obama cabinet official Julian Castro. The forum itself is an assemblage of Democratic Party activists, some drawn from the trade unionsthe Service Employees International Union and the Communications Workers of America co-sponsored the eventfrom liberal groups like Move-on.org, the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, and Planned Parenthood, and representatives of the Sierra Club and the League of Conservation Voters, espousing environmental concerns. There was a smattering of younger people from campus groups, particularly those engaged in the defense of so-called Dreamers, i.e., young undocumented immigrants brought to the US as children. Only one of the top-tier candidates for the nomination, Senator Kamala Harris, failed to make an appearance at the Washington DC event, a calculated snub that appears intended to demonstrate to the Democratic Party establishment that she should be their choice if former Vice President Joe Biden decides not to enter the race. Based on the fundraising figures reported through March 31, that top tier includes Sanders, ORourke, Warren and Harris, with Biden waiting in the wings. Booker, Gillibrand, Klobuchar and former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg are the second tier, in terms of fundraising and polling, with at least half a dozen others bringing up the rear. The forum was not an actual debate, which the Democratic National Committee will not permit until June. Each of the eight candidates made brief speeches, followed by largely gushing questions from the floor, frequently mini-speeches in themselves promoting the organizations to which the questioners were affiliated. The questions had a certain significance, more by what they avoided than anything else. Either by decree of the conference organizers, or by the preference of the party activists themselves, the questions avoided any substantive political issues and were largely concerned with what changes should be made in the US electoral system to give the Democrats a better chance of winning. There was lengthy discussion of abolishing the Electoral College, strengthening protection of voting rights, and other technical measures to expand the electorate. A list of questions not asked would be long and substantive. There was nothing at all on foreign policy, under conditions where the Trump administration is threatening to invade Venezuela and is blockading Iran economically and waging warfare using drone missiles and special forces across a vast swathe of northern Africa and the Middle East, from Niger to Afghanistan. There was nothing on Israel or the Trump administrations decision to recognize the Israeli annexation of the Golan Heights; nothing on trade, either with China or any other country; nothing about US-Russian relations or the Mueller report, which has blown up the long-running Democratic Party fiction that Russian intervention in the 2016 election caused the election of Donald Trump. Remarkably, there was not a single question about the US-Mexico border or the conflict with the White House over building Trumps wall, which led to a 35-day shutdown of the federal government. There was no discussion of Trumps declaration of a national emergency, his threat to close the US-Mexico border, or his policy of separating parents and children and otherwise abusing and persecuting immigrants and refugees. Nor did any of the candidates volunteer their opinions on any of these subjects. These were eight candidates for the post of commander in chief of the most powerful imperialist state, but none of them gave the slightest indication of what they would do with that power. This only underscores that the Democratic Party is the mouthpiece of the military-intelligence apparatus, as it demonstrated during the anti-Russia campaign. A Democratic successor to Trump will do whatever the spymasters and generals demand. Instead of any discussion of issues, relating either to the policies of the Trump administration or to disagreements among themselves, the candidates engaged in vacuous platitudes, praise of the audience for their courage and commitment, and suggestions of various methods for increasing Democratic turnout in the 2020 electionsanything but offering policies that actually address the needs of working people. The hollowness of the entire proceeding was extraordinary. Elizabeth Warren, a Harvard law professor before she became a senator, called for a constitutional amendment to guarantee the individual right to vote and have that vote counted. Actually, the Fifteenth Amendment to the constitution, passed after the Civil War, does that already. It is simply not enforced by either Democratic or Republican administrations. Warren declared that her central issue was corruption, the domination of US political institutions by the wealthy. But her solution was not to break up concentrated wealth, let alone expropriate the super-rich. It was to pass legislation prohibiting various forms of campaign contributions by the wealthy. She passed in silence over twin realities: that the Democratic Party itself is heavily financed by the super-rich, and that as long as the financial aristocracy controls the bulk of societys wealth, it will necessarily dominate the government as well. Her one reference to foreign policyperhaps the only one in the seven-hour eventwas to attack the Trump administration for its mishandling of security clearances for two dozen White House staffers, including Trumps daughter and son-in-law. The Trump administration is a walking, talking, living, breathing threat to our national security and we have to call it out, Warren said, echoing the right-wing language of the failed anti-Russia campaign. The candidate who has raised the most money and stands highest in the pollsat least among those who have officially begun their campaignsis Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont. The former challenger to Hillary Clinton in 2016 appeared before the We the People forum as the frontrunner for their support, winning by far the most applause and attention. Sanders made brief remarks boasting that issues he had raised as a supposed radical outsider in 2016 had now become mainstream, ignoring the fact that none had been implemented. These included health care as a basic right, a $15-an-hour minimum wage and free tuition for college education. As usual in his speeches, he laid out significant statistics on the decline of living standards and social rights for working people, while presenting the Democratic Partya party controlled by the multimillionaires and dedicated to defending capitalismas the political vehicle for fighting the domination of the super-rich. He made only one reference to trade, where the Democrats are either in agreement with the trade war policies of the Trump administration or attack it from the right, demanding an even harder line on China. Sanders and the other candidates went out of their way to emphasize their support for the right of workers to join unionsby which they mean the right of the union apparatus to collect money from captive workers and give it to Democratic Party politicians. But neither Sanders nor any of the others made the slightest reference to the actual struggles of workers in America, which have increasingly taken the form of incipient rebellions against the unions, with statewide wildcat strikes by public school teachers in West Virginia, Arizona and Oklahoma last year. Sanders hailed his own intervention at Amazon, which ended with the self-proclaimed democratic socialist hailing Jeff Bezos, the worlds richest man, for establishing a $15-an-hour wage, which actually resulted in a wage cut for many workers since the company eliminated bonuses and other special payments. Egyptian and US officials held talks on means to combat money laundering and financing terrorism in the United States on Thursday. Chairman of Egypt's Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Combating Unit Ahmed Saeed Hussein the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) director Kenneth A. Blanco discussed ways to boost cooperation between the two countries in combating money laundering, illegal immigration and terrorism financing. The meeting was attended by Egypt's Prosecutor-General Nabil Sadek and head of the Central Auditing Organisation Hesham Badawi. The talks came as part of a visit by a high-profile Egyptian delegation to Washington, which also included Investment Minister Sahar Nasr. During the visit, the Egyptian officials also met with leaders from the US Department of Justice and the World Bank. Search Keywords: Short link: As the walkout by University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) graduate and teaching assistants entered its third week Tuesday, UIC tenured and non-tenured faculty announced they would be voting between April 8 and April 10 to authorize strike action. The vote was called by the UIC United Faculty Local 6456 (UICUF), an affiliate of the Illinois Federation of Teachers and its parent organization, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). Over 1,100 full-time faculty have been working without a contract since August 2018. The UICUF and UIC administrators first began negotiations in June 2018 and last met on March 28, which was over seen by a federal mediator for the first time. The nearly 1,600 striking graduate students belong to the Graduate Employees Organization Local 6297 (GEO), which is also an affiliate of the AFT. The union has been in negotiations with UIC since March 2018 but only called the strike on March 19, 2019, six months after the previous contract expired. UIC faculty are demanding increased wages, secured agreements over health and retirement benefits, an agreement from UIC to hire new tenure-track faculty, along with improved agreements over dismissals, disciplinary issues and academic freedom violations. According to UICUFs president, Janet Smith, a professor at UICs College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs, multiple UIC faculty over the years have left tenured teaching positions for non-tenured positions elsewhere because of low pay. Others, having worked for a decade at UIC, have still not received tenure. According to Indeed.com, a UIC instructor makes an average of $47,656 per year, an assistant professor averages $71,532 per year, and an associate professor makes a typical yearly wage of $86,271. While many faculty members face difficult challenges because of the high cost of living in the Chicago area, the wages paid to grad students leave many in near destitution. The current minimum salary for graduate workers, who work closely with instructors, working 20 hours per week for the nine-month school year, is just $18,065. Under the auspices of UICs chancellor Michael Dimitrios Amiridis, who receives an annual salary of $475,000 and has received yearly bonuses over $100,000, UICs bargaining teams have demanded concessions from both unions, asking them to lower their demands for wage increases. The negotiations are taking place when UIC is implementing a $1 billion campaign to renovate its campus in Chicago. Both the GEO and UICUF have offered concessions. The GEO, whose members consist of some of the most exploited workers in education, has provided UIC multiple offers with step downs to their wage demands. The GEO originally asked for a 10 percent increase on the current minimum wage for graduate workers each year for the next three years, reaching $24,000 by 2021. For their part, the UICUF has already signed minor tentative agreements with UIC over non-monetary issues like providing office space for faculty. However, there has been no agreement over wages. UICUF though has stepped down on their demands for wages, agreeing to a decrease of UICs merit pay, which faculty qualify for after 30 days, to 1 percent of their salary from its current 2. There is wide support for a common struggle. When a striking UIC mathematics graduate student was asked by a WSWS reporter what he thought about uniting both faculty and graduate students in a common strike, he responded Im down! He spoke of the conditions facing him and his fellow graduate workers which moved him to strike, At least in math, were like five to ten thousand less than other Research 1 universities. And its not only that were making less money, but its in Chicago where the cost of living is sky high. We also get destroyed by fees. Half or more of our paycheck from the first weeks of the semester goes to fees. We pay about 11 percent of our paycheck. Its lean, Ive been eating eggs. Ive gotten really good at eating eggs. Its rough. I have a family and its been really hard to get by. I basically cant. He added, What winds up happening is, if I can get extras hours Ill take them, but then that means that I have an increased course load and my studies suffer. A combined strike by UIC faculty and graduate workers would cause a deep crisis for the UIC administration and the state and local Democrats who stand behind them. UIC workers are not only fighting the chancellor, but Governor J.B. Pritzker and the Democrats who are carrying out a nationwide assault on public and higher education, just as viciously as Trump, DeVos and the Republicans. The billionaire governor, who was recently proclaimed by GEOs co-presidents as a champion of workers rights in a letter to him, oversees the University of Illinois Board of Trustees and has appointed several members of the management board, made up largely by corporate figures and investment bankers. The AFT is terrified of losing control. They fear faculty, graduate students and students uniting together in the forms of mass walkouts and strikes against the UIC administration, which would ultimately pit them against the Illinois state government, which oversees UICs operations, and is controlled by the Democratic Party of Illinois. For their part, UICUF leaders have made it clear on their website that a strike authorization vote is the first step toward being able to strike, but it does not guarantee a strike will happen. The bargaining team, after being authorized, decides whether or not to call a strike based on what is happening at the table. The AFT is putting as much pressure as possible to prevent the faculty from joining the strike and to keep the grad students isolated until they can be starved into submission. UICUF President Janet Smith was a delegate to the AFTs national convention held in Pittsburgh in July of 2018 and no doubt she, along with other UICUF, is in close contact with the AFT. This past year has shown that the AFT and the rival National Education Association (NEA) are the biggest obstacles to mobilizing educators and broader sections of workers against the bipartisan assault on public education. In strikes involving nearly half a million educators, starting in West Virginia in early 2018 and most recently in the sellout of the Los Angeles, Denver and Oakland strikes, the unions have isolated each section of educators and signed deals that betrayed teachers demands and fully accepted the austerity demands of the Democratic Party. However, the opposition of educators in the US and around the world is continuing. Last week, after nearly three years of failed negotiations, and two years of working without a new contract, 1,200 faculty members at the Community College of Philadelphia authorized strike action. That is why UIC grad students and faculty must take the conduct of the struggle out of the hands of the unions by organizing rank-and-file strike committees, which will fight for the demands that educators and their families need, not what the big business politicians and union officials claim is affordable. These committees must fight for a strike throughout all University of Illinois campuses, mobilizing the support of students by fighting for free tuition and the elimination of student loan debt, and mobilizing the entire working class to oppose both corporate-controlled parties and their program of endless austerity and social inequality. An explosion at a chemical plant in the Houston, Texas suburb of Crosby killed one worker and critically injured two others on Tuesday. Workers fled from the KMCO plant in a panicked scrum after a tank of isobutylene ignited at about 10:45 a.m.; about 30,000 students in nearby schools were forced to lock down, and residents were ordered to shelter in place. The fire was fully extinguished after 4:00 p.m. James Bubba Mangum, 27, was apparently trying to stop the explosion when he was killed. According to his family Mangum had just been promoted two weeks prior to the incident and had worked at KMCO for several years. Bubba was definitely one of the good guys. If I called him at 10 oclock at night and needed help with something, he would be there. He was just the biggest-hearted, most generous 27-year-old kid you could ever meet, friend and neighbor Kelvin Burks told Bluebonnet News. He would go out of his way for his family and friends. This morning, by habit, I looked out the window to see if he was home. Its hard to believe well never see him again, Burks noted. Workers were given little warning before Tuesdays explosion, and some have described the communications from operators as panicked. Justin Trahan, who had been working within 100 feet of the tank that exploded, recounted to KHOU reporters that an operator initially instructed him and his colleagues to leave the building because of a chemical release. Trahan stated that he heard some panic on the radio as he and his workers moved towards the doors. We didnt think anything of itwe didnt think it was anything severe, he told reporters. There were no alarms before the tank caught fire. When Trahan and his coworkers realized that the tank had ignited, everyone made a mad dash to the exits. Upon discovering that the gates out of the plant were locked, Trahan and others were forced to jump a fence. Randy Villalobos, another worker, gave a similar account to ABC KTRK: Just run, thats it. It was scary. Very scary. Everybody around me was running. Villalobos and about 20 others were forced to crawl underneath the locked gate. Three workers, including Mangum who died at the plant, were unable to escape in time. The other two sustained severe burns and were taken by helicopter to local hospitals. Crosby residents have reported hearing the explosion and feeling their houses shake. At least one person was knocked down by the force of the blast. Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez issued shelter-in-place orders to homes and schools within a one-mile radius of the plant, and firefighters from Houston, Crosby, and other municipalities worked for hours to contain the blaze. The deadly explosion at KMCO is the second fire at a Houston-area chemical plant within little more than two weeks. On March 17, a fire at the Intercontinental Terminals Company (ITC) chemical storage facility in Deer Park sent dark, carcinogenic clouds over Harris County. Thousands of people were forced to shelter in place for days as firefighters struggled to contain the fire. Winds spread the noxious chemicals throughout East Texas over the next week, requiring air quality alerts. Toxic levels of benzene, a cancer-causing chemical, have been found in the Houston Ship Channel and the San Jacinto River. Residents have been told not to swim in the river or eat fish caught from either body of water. Like ITC, KMCO is part of the sprawling petrochemical industry in the Houston area. KMCO supplies brake fluid and antifreeze for use at nearby oil refineries. In a city with a long history of chemical plant explosions and refinery fires, KMCO stands out for its sheer defiance of even the laxest regulation. According to records kept by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the company has been out of compliance with federal air and water standards for 36 out of the last 48 months. It amassed 54 violations with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) between 2010 and 2011; almost all were serious violations. OSHA fined KMCO more than $200,000 in 2010 and 2011. Violations included substandard chemical processing, improper handling of highly hazardous chemicals, and inadequate emergency plans. All of these issues likely played a role in Tuesdays explosion and the ensuing chaos. Harris County is currently suing KMCO for air pollution, water pollution, and nuisance violations, with a court case scheduled for trial in June. In the aftermath of the explosion, Assistant Harris County Attorney Roc Owens told the press that the county could amend the case to seek a long-term closure of the facility. Calling the plant a thorn in our side, Owens said that the plant should not reopen until the EPA and the Texas Commission for Environmental Quality (TCEQ) have deemed it safe. As one local news source stated, the company knows its way to court. Its parent company pleaded guilty to knowing and negligent violations of federal environmental laws. According to federal prosecutors, the company failed to monitor for chemical leaks in the facility and did not prevent fugitive VOC (volatile organic compounds) emissions. KMCOs parent company was ordered to pay a $3.5 million fine for these violations. Long before this years explosions, the Houston areas petrochemical industry has been a well-known danger to workers and residents. Last year an eruption caused by over-pressurized pipes at a Kuraray Eval plastic fabrication plant in Pasadena, Texas injured 22 workers. An Arkema chemical plant in Crosby, Texas erupted in 2017 after flooding from Hurricane Harvey knocked out the facilitys refrigeration system. The flood waters also carried 23,000 pounds of toxic chemicals into neighboring homes. A 2005 explosion at a BP refinery in Texas City, Texas killed fifteen workers and injured 180. A Department of State Health Services study in 2015 revealed that residents of eastern Harris County and eastern Houston have a higher incidence of certain cancers compared to the general population. The study area, which includes Crosby and Deer Park, sees more cases of childhood lymphoma and melanoma than the national average. A higher rate of brain and cervical cancer for all ages was also established. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg delivered the first-ever address by a leader of the US-led imperialist alliance to a joint session of the US Congress on Wednesday, promoting a military buildup against Russia under conditions in which ever greater fissures are threatening to tear NATO itself apart. Stoltenberg, whose pedestrian speech was interrupted by 18 standing ovations from the assembled US senators and representatives, claimed that he was not pushing a new Cold War, but nonetheless made it clear that the central axis of the NATO alliance remained preparation for a military confrontation with Moscow. For the first time, we have combat-ready troops deployed in the east of our alliance, he said. We have increased the readiness of our forces, tripled the size of the NATO Response Force, modernized our command structure, bolstered our cyber defenses, and we have stepped up support for our close partners, Georgia and Ukraine, sovereign nations with the sovereign right to choose their own path. This boasting over the deployment of armed battalions on Russias very borders came as a summit of NATO foreign ministers being held in Washington approved plans for the dispatch of NATO warships to the Kerch Strait. This passageway between the Black and Azov Seas was the scene last November of a provocation by Ukraine that ended in an armed confrontation in which Russia seized three Ukrainian ships and some two dozen sailors. We are going to make sure that we have the capability to deter a very aggressive Russia, US Ambassador to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison told reporters on Tuesday on the sidelines of the NATO foreign ministers meeting. She said that the upcoming NATO intervention was designed to assure that there is a safe passage for Ukrainian vessels through the Kerch Strait. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov condemned the planned action, declaring: Its negative. We do not understand what they mean. The situation surrounding the Kerch Strait and shipping is well known and in line with international legislation, with international laws. Russias position is quite consistent, and it is well known too. Stoltenberg also solidarized himself with Washington over the Trump administrations ripping up of the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, noting that NATO allies have supported the US position on that strongly. Washingtons action, justified on the basis of unsubstantiated claims that Russia has violated the accord, opens the way to a dangerous new nuclear arms race. US officials have acknowledged that a principal motivation for Washingtons action is that China, which is not bound by the treaty, is deploying missiles to counter Washingtons military encirclement carried out under the banner of the pivot to Asia. One Russian television commentator described Stoltenbergs speech as a familiar bundle of threats and phobias based upon the concern that Russia had placed its borders too close to NATO. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi held a photo-op with Stoltenberg in which she gushed that the NATO chiefs appearance on Capitol Hill was a jubilant occasion and thanked him for his leadership in making the world a more peaceful place. Democratic lawmakers were the most enthusiastic in cheering the NATO secretary general, clearly seeing their praise for him as a rebuke to Republican President Donald Trump, who in his 2016 election campaign described the NATO alliance as obsolete, and who has repeatedly charged that European members are taking advantage of the US by relying on its military might while achieving unfair trade advantages. At the same time, with the report by Special Counsel Robert Mueller failing to confirm incessant Democratic claims of Trumps collusion with the Kremlin in alleged interference in the 2016 elections, the Democrats embrace of Stoltenberg is part of the continuing drive by the party to oppose the Trump administration from the right with demands for an even more aggressive militarist policy against Russia. While Stoltenberg tried to portray the increasingly acrimonious divisions within NATO as a sign of strength and democracy, US Vice President Mike Pence, speaking at a NATO anniversary event in Washington, delivered what amounted to ultimatums to both Turkey and Germany to submit to Washingtons diktats, or else. Turkey must choose, Pence said. Does it want to remain a critical partner in the most successful military alliance in history, or does it want to risk the security of that partnership by making such reckless decisions that undermine our alliance? The US vice president was referring to Ankaras decision to buy S-400 missile defense systems from Russia, against which Washington has retaliated by stopping delivery of F-35 fighter jets that are being provided to other NATO countries. Turkeys vice president, Fuat Oktay, delivered a stinging response to Pences ultimatum, tweeting: The United States must choose. Does it want to remain Turkeys ally or risk our friendship by joining forces with terrorists to undermine its NATO allys defense against its enemies. Oktays reference was to the Pentagons continued arming and support for the Syrian Kurdish separatist YPG militia, which Ankara views as a branch of the Turkish Kurdish PKK movement, against which it has fought a bloody counterinsurgency campaign for decades. Earlier, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, speaking at another event in Washington, made it clear that Ankara was not about to bow to Washingtons demands. Its a done deal, he said in relation to the S-400s. Turkey doesnt have to choose between Russia and any others, and we dont see our relationship with Russia as an alternative to others. Pence also turned his fire against Berlin, condemning the German government for refusing to make the necessary investment of 2 percent of its GDP to our common defense. While the German government is rearming on a scale unseen since the downfall of Hitlers Third Reichincreasing military spending by 40 percent since 2014Pence cast Berlin as shirking its responsibilities. More pointedly, he denounced the German government for moving ahead with the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project, bringing Russian natural gas to Germany through the Baltic Sea. Pence insisted that Germany ran the risk of becoming a captive of Russia. Washington has pressed for Germany to accept liquefied natural gas, delivered by US companies, as an alternative to Russian gas. In his meeting with Stoltenberg on Tuesday, Trump pressed on the same issues, while apparently attempting to soften the tone of the nakedly imperialist interests being pursued by Washington by declaring his great respect for Germany. My father is German, was German, Trump said. Born in a very wonderful place in Germany, so I have a great feeling for Germany. This was the third time that Trump has publicly claimed that his father, Fred Trump, was born in Germany, when it is public record that he was actually born in New York City in 1905. Germany, which began a two-year period as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council on 1 January, took over as chair of the body on Monday. Germanys presidency of the council follows immediately after the presidency of France, a permanent UNSC member, and is being closely coordinated with Paris. With their jumelage or twin presidency, Berlin and Paris want not only to deepen European cooperation in the Security council, but also strengthen peace around the world, according to a statement on the German Foreign Ministrys website. Foreign Minister Heiko Mas (Social Democrats, SPD) declared shortly prior to his departure for New York on Monday that Germany is aware of the responsibility we are assuming with the chairmanship. The German government will during our chairmanship strengthen long-term conflict prevention, focusing particularly on the role of humanitarian assistance, among other things. Hospitals, doctors, and support staff are increasingly becoming targets, with access to foodstuffs and medical care abused as a method of waging war against civilian populations. This trend towards the complete disappearance of restrictions on military conflict must be stopped in order to prevent the threat of a slide into a new form of barbarism. Workers and young people should understand such declarations as a warning. Under the cover of humanitarian phrases, the European powers, with Germany in the lead, are rearming in preparation for new conflicts between the major powers that will eclipse the two world wars of the 20th century. The initiatives taken by Germanys grand coalition give an indication of the ruling elites comprehensive programme of rearmament and war planning. In a guest commentary in the Welt am Sonntag entitled These are the crucial steps towards a European army, Defence Minister Ursula Von der Leyen (Christian Democrats, CDU) lauded Germanys rearmament drive over the past five years. Since 2014, Germanys defence budget has risen six times in a row. According to NATO criteria by a total of 40 percent to the 45 billion planned for 2020. Last year alone, the army received 13 transport helicopters, 10 Eurofighter jets, and more than 100 tanks, including 72 Puma tanks. This is merely the beginning, because of course, only 70 percent combat readiness is not good enough, continued Von der Leyen. As a result, the army expects in this parliamentary session another 200 tanks, 14 Sea Lion marine helicopters, the first new F-125 model frigates, and plenty of equipment for our soldiers, including the long demanded all-weather combat boots. On average, the army will therefore receive a new tank every week, a new plane or helicopter every month, and a new ship every year. To invest reliably in military capabilities and take decisive steps in the direction of a European army, the defence budget must be increased. The federal government has promised to increase the defence budget to 1.5 percent of gross domestic product by 2024, wrote Von der Leyen. It will be necessary to exert considerable effort to move credibly towards the NATO target of spending 2 percent of GDP on defence. The goal of adding additional billions to the military budget annually to increase it to 75 billion is fully supported by Finance Minister Olaf Scholz (SPD). He is delighted that he can contribute as a Social Democratic Finance Minister to ensuring that the army gets the support it needs, said Scholz at the presentation of the draft budget for 2020 in March. The federal government recognises its international obligations and will therefore stabilise the change of course on defence spending, added Scholz. Mas reaffirmed these plans in a recent interview. The government will move step by step towards (the NATO 2 percent target) [...] because the planes have to fly and the ships must sail. He has been in Afghanistan, Mali, and Iraq over recent weeks and has met German soldiers who are doing incredible things in a tremendous way. These men and women deserve that we enable them to perform their sometimes dangerous service with the best possible equipment. Five years after the German government announced at the 2014 Munich Security Conference that Germany must assume more responsibility in the world, the ruling elite is declaring ever more openly what this means. Germany is in Europes fragile ecosystem what they in America refer to as the 800 pound gorilla: the animal that causes the trees to tremble just by turning over in its sleep, states a contribution in the latest edition of the magazine International Politics, which is published by the German Society for Foreign Affairs (DGAP) think tank. According to one of its conclusions, dialogue demands the ability to enforce measures. This presupposes the ability to deploy military power; even our friends consider our prudish attitude towards hard power to be hypocritical. Another piece with the provocative title Against pseudo-intellectual chatter calls for the abandonment of the vacuous concept of responsibility, which implies a diffuse pleasantness in the midst of global political turbulence. In fact, the issue is competing interests and having the means to impose them. This includes the discussion about nuclear weapons. When one reads such statements, it becomes clear why the political establishment and media are collaborating with the far-right Alternative for Germany, and praise right-wing extremist and militarist academics like Jorg Baberowski (Hitler was not vicious) and Herfried Munkler (Threats are the perfect weapon). As the book Why are They Back? authored by SGP deputy leader Christoph Vandreier demonstrates, the Humboldt professors calls for brutal wars and trivialisation of German imperialist crimes in the 20th century are directly bound up with the foreign policy shift. A glance at those occupying leadership positions at the DGAP makes clear why the Left Party and its pseudo-left supporters have not lifted a finger in protest against the return of German militarism. They are themselves part of this process, being fully integrated into its institutions. Along with the SPDs foreign policy spokesman Nils Annen, the CDUs Elmar Brok, and the Greens Frithjof Schmidt, the Left Party is represented on the DGAP presidium by its former secretary for federal affairs Matthias Bohn. The Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei (Socialist Equality Party, SGP) is the only party that is arming the mounting social and political opposition in the working class and among young people with a socialist programme. Our statement on the European elections declares, The SGP is standing in the European elections in May 2019 to oppose the rise of the far-right, the growth of militarism, and glaring social inequality. Together with our sister parties in the International Committee of the Fourth International, we fight across Europe against the EU and for the unification of the continent on a socialist basis. This is the only way to prevent a relapse into fascist barbarism and war. In the wake of the fascist attack in New Zealand, the Australian government is bulldozing unprecedented laws through parliament this week that will threaten all social media platforms with severe criminal penalties if they host what government authorities consider abhorrent violent material. By falsely blaming the Internet for the mass shooting of Muslims in Christchurch, reality is being turned on its head. It was not the livestreaming of the attack that was responsible for the atrocity, but the toxic political and social atmosphere created through the vilification of refugees, immigrants and Muslims by the whole political and media establishment over decades. Over the past two years, as exposed by the World Socialist Web Site, the giant social media conglomerates have increasingly collaborated with governments to restrict access to left-wing and progressive websites, employing sophisticated algorithms and armies of content moderators. Now Internet censorship is being taken to a whole new level. Under the Australian bill, not just the social media platforms, but any Internet service provider or hosting service will face massive fines or imprisonment if they fail to self-censor by blocking or deleting any material that police could prosecute. This will include not just livestreams, but videos, photos, sound recordings and any other postings. As it has on other fronts, including in the persecution and detention of refugees, the Australian government is providing a model for a sweeping attack on basic democratic rights. Attorney-General Christian Porter boasted that the bill is a world first, which Prime Minister Scott Morrison would propose as a globally consistent response at the G-20 summit in Japan this June. The passage of the bill is being followed with intense interest in ruling circles in the US and worldwide. A New York Times article this week said it could be a watershed moment for the era of global social media, adding: No established democracies have ever come as close to applying such sweeping restrictions on online communication. While nominally directed against the far-right, the bill will be used to step up the offensive against oppositional, left-wing and socialist postings. Predictably, after the Christchurch atrocity, both Prime Minister Morrison and Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton denounced left extremism. The deliberately-vague provisions of the bill are wide enough to ban exposures of violence by the police, military and intelligence services, such as police killings, the torture of prisoners at the US prison cells in Iraqs Abu Ghraib or the abuse of Aboriginal teenagers in Darwins Don Dale juvenile jail. Under the Criminal Code Amendment (Sharing of Abhorrent Violent Material) Bill, it will be an offence for social media platforms not to expeditiously remove abhorrent violent material. They will face up to three years imprisonment or fines of as much as 10 percent of the platforms annual turnover. Social media providers anywhere in the world must also notify the Australian Federal Police within a reasonable timenot definedif they become aware their service is broadcasting prohibited material from Australia, or face fines of up to $168,000 for an individual or $840,000 for a corporation. Abhorrent violent material is defined as depicting terrorist acts, murders, attempted murders, torture, rape or kidnap, that reasonable persons would regard as being, in all the circumstances, offensive. Because of the broad definition of terrorism introduced in the war on terror, these parameters are far-reaching and could be used to target allegedly violent political protests. An online site could be punished for even being reckless as to whether material is abhorrent, intensifying the pressure on all providers to block or take down any postings that could land them in jail or with heavy fines. In addition, the governments e-Safety Commissioner, an online surveillance agency established in 2015, will have the extraordinary power to issue notices to social media providers, forcing them to immediately remove any material it deems abhorrent, backed by the threat of prosecution. Narrow legal defences exist for conducting research, and for news reporting, but only if the news report is in the public interest and made by a person working in a professional capacity as a journalist. This may protect the corporate media to some extent, but not social media whistleblowers and publishers. Despite criticising the Liberal-National Coalition government for rushing the bill through parliament in two days, just before an election, the opposition Labor Party is working hand-in-glove with the Coalition. The legislation passed the Senate late last night in just two minutes, without debate, even though most senators had not even seen the bill. It is due to go through the House of Representatives today on a similar basis. While Greens leader Senator Richard Di Natale voiced frustration at the blocking of debate, the Greens called no Senate division on the bill, allowing it to pass on the voices without any recorded vote. The bill was one of 19 pushed through the Senate in just 45 minutes, making a mockery of parliamentary democracy. Labors only criticism was that the bill did not go far enough. It complained that the rushed bill would not jail social media executives, because companies post material, not individuals. In reality, the bill opens up many people and organisations, as well as corporate executives, to serious criminal penalties. The corporate platforms, including Twitter and Snapchat, are already cooperating extensively with governments. Lobby group DIGI, representing Facebook, Google, Twitter and Amazon, criticised the rushed process, and appealed for more consultation. The government and Labor proceeded with the bill, nevertheless, determined to set a new global benchmark for Internet censorship. This is a sharp warning that as social inequality intensifies, popular discontent grows and working class struggles erupt, the capitalist governments and billionaire oligarchs who control the media and communications technologies are intent on suppressing dissent and blocking the vast democratic potential of the Internet. The WSWS has taken the lead in exposing these moves and in January last year issued a call for the formation of an International Coalition of Socialist, Anti-War and Progressive Websites to fight back against this attack on freedom of speech and basic democratic rights. See here for the latest coverage of this campaign. The author also recommends: Australian government exploits fascist atrocity in New Zealand to push online censorship [27 March 2019] At a panel discussion on the General Motors plant closings hosted by the Labor Notes publication and the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) last weekend, the speakers rejected any actual fight to stop the closures and defend jobs. Instead they pushed the Green New Deal backed by a section of the Democratic Party, along with capitalist co-ownership schemes and support for the United Auto Workers (UAW) and Canadian Unifor union. The panel provided no perspective for workers to fight GMs plans to close five factories and cut some 15,000 jobs in North America. The Oshawa, Ontario assembly plant is slated to close later this year and the Lordstown, Ohio assembly plant has already been shuttered. GM announced a temporary delay in the closing of the Detroit-Hamtramck plant, which is now scheduled to continue at least some production through January 2020. The UAW, embroiled in a widening corruption scandal involving bribes by management to rig contract negotiations, has said it will raise the issue of plant closings in the upcoming 2019 contract discussions. This means continuing the decades-long policy of giving up concessions supposedly to save jobs, a policy, which in reality has never saved a single job. The Canadian auto union, Unifor, responded to the announced closing of the Oshawa plant, which sparked militant sit down protests by workers, by launching a publicity campaign against GM, calling for a boycott of cars assembled in Mexico. The reactionary and divisive campaign, backed by the UAW, targeting Mexican workers came at the same time as maquiladora workers in Matamoros, Mexico launched a series of militant strikes in defiance of the unions. The GM plant closings will devastate the lives of workers, who face the loss of their livelihoods or forced transfer to distant plants and is part of a wave of job cuts in the auto industry worldwide. By contrast, panelists adopted a complacent and self-congratulatory tone, touting the election of DSA members Rashida Tlaib and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to Congress as Democrats and calling for the election of more class struggle fighters to Congress. The panel discussion came at the end of a day-long Labor Notes Troublemakers School for lower level union officials. The purpose of this training, as are all the activities of the ex-radicals around Labor Notes, is to provide a left cover for the moribund and reactionary trade unions. Since its founding in 1976, the publication and its conferences have been a conduit for dissident groups, such as Teamsters for a Democratic Union (TDU), the New Directions caucus in the UAW and others, to gain positions in the labor bureaucracy. Last year, the TDU insisted 250,000 UPS workers could not take strike action without the approval of the Teamsters bureaucracy, which had just overridden a majority vote to reject a sellout contract. In the recent wave of teacher strikes, Labor Notes hailed the betrayals by the unions as victories. In one of the few articles it has published on the UAW corruption scandal, Labor Notes featured an interview with a former local level UAW official who defended the absurd claim that payoffs by management to union officials in the millions of dollars had no influence on contract negotiations. In the recent period Labor Notes has essentially merged its activities with those of the DSA, based on their common opportunist politics and support for the Democrats. Tlaib, a freshman congressman from Michigans 13th District, was the guest of honor at the panel discussion. She is a congressional sponsor of the Green New Deal, a political diversion aimed at giving a left cover to the Democratic Party. Jane Slaughter a former editor of Labor Notes, who is now a member of the DSA, chaired the meeting and introduced the panelists. Natasha Fernandez-Silber, class action lawyer and chair of the Detroit chapter of the DSA, spoke first. She explained that the DSA had decided on a scheme to relate the Green New Deal to the closure of the Detroit-Hamtramck plant essentially to provide a cover for the refusal of the UAW to oppose the plant closings. Given that the UAW wasnt doing any public rallies or anything, Fernandez-Silber said, We didnt want to say, keep plants open because that is not good enough. We wanted to say if you are going to close the plant, we want it back. In other words, the DSA rejected from the start any fight to actually defend the jobs of GM workers by keeping the plants open. In the case of the Detroit-Hamtramck plant, the call for a Green New Deal is based on an appeal to Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, a shill for billionaires like Dan Gilbert and the Ilitch family, to seize the facility using eminent domain and convert it to green manufacturing. In the highly unlikely event that such a thing happened, it would be based on the creation of yet another enterprise zone offering up tax breaks and a cheap labor workforce to attract corporate investment. In a further flight of fancy, Fernandez-Silber outlined a plan for a Great Lakes Authority along the model of the Tennessee Valley Authority established by the Roosevelt administration in the 1930s. The entire Green New Deal is a fraud on many levels. While its grand rhetoric calls for zero greenhouse gas emissions and to create millions of good, high-wage jobs and ensure prosperity and economic security for all people, it proposes to do this within the framework of the existing capitalist order. Further, nowhere does it call for a global plan of action to address climate change, the only serious basis on which the looming environmental catastrophe can be addressed. Further, the Green New Deal as advanced in Congress is nonbinding, meaning that even if it were adopted it would have no real policy impact. Well aware that they could expose the pretensions of the Democrats, the Republicans forced a vote on the Green New Deal last week so it could be defeated. Senate Democrats all voted present, essentially abstaining, in a desperate maneuver to cover the divisions within the party between the open shills for big business and the phony progressives. In reality, most Democrats are bitterly hostile to the bill, as to any measures that might impinge, in even the slightest degree, on the profits of big business. The next panelist, Rebecca Keetch, a member of Unifor Local 222 education committee at the Oshawa plant, praised the reactionary and expensive ad campaign by Unifor demanding a boycott of vehicles built in Mexico, declaring, Unifor should be given respect for the campaign they have put on. And the result of this great effort? Keetch later conceded, If the rumors are true, the end is maybe 600 jobs, the low end could be 50 jobs, she said, referring to the Oshawa plant, which once employed 24,000 workers. The third speaker was Sean Crawford, a DSA supporter and former UAW committeeman who recently transferred from the Detroit-Hamtramck plant to the GM truck plant in Flint, Michigan. He focused his remarks on praise for the Green New Deal. While in an aside he lamented the concessions given up over the years, he never mentioned the role of the UAW in imposing these cuts nor the ongoing corruption scandal in the union. Incredibly, Crawford said nothing about the impact of the GM plant closures on workers and the community. Congresswoman Tlaib, the concluding speaker, like other panelists, used left-sounding rhetorical flourishes to dress up her essentially nationalist, pro-capitalist program. The perspective she advances, like that of the DSA as a whole, is based on the radically false notion that the Democratic Party, one of the oldest capitalist parties in the world, can be captured by workers and transformed into a vehicle for progressive social change. Tlaib advanced no proposals to fight the GM plant closings. Instead she rambled on about the Green New Deal, directly counterposing it to the fight for jobs. There is a romanticization of jobs, she declared, jobs cant fix cancer, jobs didnt get us anything. She followed that slap in the face to laid-off GM workers with a call for people to stand with her claiming there are many of us in Congress, there are more that are with us. She added later, I promise you we are going to get so many things that are critically important. According to Tlaib and the DSA, the Democrats, through the moral suasion of Bernie Sanders, Ocasio-Cortez & Co., will persuade and cajole the ruling class to hand over incremental reforms. Far from allowing any inroads of their personal fortunes, however, the ruling class in the US and around the world have spent the last four decades destroying previous reforms and building up the state machinery to suppress popular opposition. The role of the DSA is to bolster the deeply discredited unions and the Democratic Party at a time when millions of workers and young people are moving sharply to the left. The struggle to secure the social and democratic rights of the working class, including the defense of jobs and living standards, requires a political struggle against both corporate-controlled parties and the capitalist system they defend. This means the fight for a socialist program, including the transformation of the giant corporations like GM and the Wall Street banks into public enterprises, collectively owned and democratically run by the working class. The development of a powerful counter-offensive will not come through the corrupt nationalist and pro-capitalist unions but through the formation of new organizations of working class struggle, including rank-and-file factory committees, to unite autoworkers and all sections of workers across the US and to link up these struggles with workers internationally. The panel discussion underscored the political bankruptcy of the DSA and pseudo-left groups like Labor Notes. Those interested in organizing a genuine fight against plant closings and in defense of jobs should contact the World Socialist Web Site. Members discussed a joint proposal from the United States and Australia to hold negotiations on member-specific caps on fisheries subsidies expressed in monetary terms and to require, for the larger players, commitments to reduce fisheries subsidies over time. Members also discussed the Philippines' draft text on subsidy caps, Australia's revised text on prohibiting subsidies for fishing that negatively affect overfished stocks, and India's draft text proposing to include fuel subsidies not specifically earmarked for certain industries in the scope of prohibitions. Like in previous meeting clusters, the discussions during the consultation sessions open to all members were structured around four areas - illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing; fishing of overfished stocks; overfishing and overcapacity of fleets; and cross-cutting issues such as dispute settlement, notification requirements, and special and differential treatment for developing country members and least-developed countries. Members heard that more proposals were forthcoming. The chair of the Negotiating Group, Ambassador Roberto Zapata Barradas (Mexico), called on members to seek compromises at this stage of the negotiations. Noting that the US-Australia and Philippine proposals rely on submissions of information from members about their respective subsidy programmes as the basis for proposed caps, the chair also reminded members of their recommitment at the 11th Ministerial Conference in Buenos Aires in 2017 to fulfill transparency obligations, which includes notifying subsidy programmes by 30 June this year. The next cluster of meetings will be held on 6-10 May. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. WORLAND The Washakie County commissioners interviewed four candidates for the Washakie County Emergency Management/Homeland Security director and have extended an offer to one candidate. According to Commission Chairman Fred Frandson, the county received nine applications and they conducted interviews with four candidates on Monday. He said on Tuesday during the regular monthly commissioner meeting that they are waiting to hear if their offer has been accepted. If the offer is accepted and the county hires the new director, the name will be sent to the Wyoming Office of Homeland Security and a background check will be conducted. If approved by HLS, the persons name will be sent to Governor Mark Gordon for final approval. Until the offer is accepted and the county hire is official, Frandson declined to announce the name. OTHER BUSINESS During department reports at the Tuesday commissioner meeting, ambulance director Luke Sypherd told the commissioners that he will be replacing the suspension on the 2008 ambulance, noting the labor is being donated to put in the new suspension. He said the cost is within the ambulances repair line item budget. He said one employee is training to be a certified ambulance coder to make sure that we do not having anything slipping through the cracks regarding billings. Sypherd said they are also working with the county attorneys office regarding bill collections. When asked, Sypherd said he didnt have specific numbers with him but there is an incredible amount who do not pay. He added, We are not going to bankrupt people; thats not what we are here for, but people just ignore notices. They just dont pay even if they have the money. Sypherd also presented the commissioners with an immunization policy for all ambulance crew members. He said the policy is for the health of crew members and the community. The policy follows Centers for Disease Control guidelines for health care workers and includes: Hepatitis B, a three-dose series; MMR (measles, mumps, rubella), a two-dose series; varicella for the chicken pox unless the member has already had chicken pox; annual influenza immunization; tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) every 10 years. Snyder said there is no cost for the employees with the countys health insurance covering immunizations under preventive care. He did note that some older crew members who cannot find their records will have to get the immunizations. He also asked for a closed/executive session for personnel. No action was taken when the commissioners returned to open session. The commissioners also met in closed session with Washakie County Sheriff Steve Rakness for personnel. Kevin Salzman came to the commissioners for a letter stating there is no zoning prohibiting him from obtaining a federal firearms license outside the city limits. Andrew Getzfried came to the commissioners inquiring about purchasing a parcel of land owned by the county adjacent to him to provide him access to his land. The commissioners said they will consult with Washakie County Attorney John Worrall on the proper procedure for selling a piece of county land. The commissioners said they had no problem with selling the parcel, as long as they have proper procedure in place. Keith Bower of Road and Bridge said they are starting to grade roads now that temperatures are warming up. He said they are also working on the septic dump road and have been working on the Lane 2/Road 9 culvert. Building/Maintenance Supervisor Tom Schmeltzer said he is looking for a used stove for the meeting room at the fairgrounds, a used dryer at the fairgrounds, as well as needing a new compressor. He noted both meeting buildings at the fairgrounds are rented out every weekend for the next two months. Seeks transparency, student voice in next search WORLAND With the University of Wyoming Board of Trustees waiting to begin a search for their next president for the university, many students and faculty still have questions and want more transparency. One of those students, UW student body president and 2016 Worland High School graduate Alex Mulhall, spoke the UW Board of Trustees during public testimony March 28. She said she told the board that, I felt it was my responsibility to relay to the board that there was a widespread, pretty negative reaction to their decision regarding President Laurie Nichols among students. The UW Board opted not to extend Nichols contract, which will end after three years in June. Mulhall said, There is a mix of upset, surprised, lack of understanding. I relayed that to them. I was surprised. Unfortunately, I dont think I could name a single person who saw this coming, other than members on the board. I also urged them moving forward to consider, and strongly advised them to be transparent with the search for the new president. I encouraged them to have an open search and have students voices included in that search, Mulhall said. Representing the student body, Mulhall also had a message for Nichols that she conveyed during the board of trustees meeting. I thanked President Nichols for her time here at the university. Shes been an amazing facilitator of shared governance between students, faculty, staff, upper administration and the board. Shes been a great example for that and helped us to have a voice consistently through her time here. I just ended on the note of thanking President Nichols. She added that Nichols is held in very high regard typically by most students here. While most of her message to the board was looking ahead to the search for UWs next president, Mulhall said in an interview last week that she hopes the board will reconsider and come forward with even a small explanation about not renewing Nichols contract. We dont know the nature of the issue, and it being a personnel issue there may be reason for them not to discuss it. I just think, providing some type of explanation, an explanation of moving forward were going to continue to ensure progress at the University of Wyoming. I think those would both be beneficial to come from the board and would help to start re-establishing some trust. The University of Wyoming Board of Trustees announced Friday that they would appoint an acting president to serve as the universitys leader at the conclusion of President Laurie Nichols contract, in accordance with university regulations. The acting president will work with the universitys leadership team and the rest of the UW community to continue moving the institution forward while the board plans and then conducts an open and transparent search for a presidential successor, board Chairman Dave True said at the conclusion of last weeks Board of Trustees meeting. While we dont have a precise timetable at this point, the board is committed to a presidential search that involves stakeholders across UWs constituencies, including Wyoming citizens, True said. In the meantime, we intend to appoint an acting president in coming months to assume the leadership responsibilities when President Nichols tenure ends June 30, 2019. Nichols will move to a faculty position at the university at that time. The president, her leadership team and others have put the university on a very positive trajectory, and the board intends to do everything it can to continue the momentum that has been built during the past three years, True said. We appreciate President Nichols dedicated service, and we truly believe her hard work and that of many others has created a tremendous opportunity for her successor. The board believes strongly that UWs best days are ahead. The University of Wyoming Board of Trustees has a trust issue and a transparency issue. How they proceed with the new presidential search will determine if they can fix these two issues. The board opted last week to not offer current President Laurie Nichols a contract extension, rather they are allowing the contract to expire in June. Nichols has agreed to take a position on the faculty. Nichols visited Worland a few times in her three-year tenure at the helm of the states only land-grant university. Her visits seemed well received. She appears to have been well-liked by staff and students, with Worland High School graduate and UW student body president Alex Mulhall talking to the Northern Wyoming News about what a shock it was to students to learn she would not continue in her position. The first problem with this arose when the board released its announcement about Nichols contract. There was no mention that the board declined to offer the contract extension. The three-paragraph release has a headline regarding the president moving to a faculty position. The lead notes her contract expires June 30. There are nice quotes from Nichols and Board President Dave True. Not until you read articles from the Laramie Boomerang do we as alumni, state taxpayers, students, faculty and state residents and other UW stakeholders find out that that the board did not renew her contract. The Boomerangs lead by Daniel Bendtsen states the full facts Laurie Nichols presidency at the University of Wyoming will come to an end June 30 after her contract was not renewed by the Board of Trustees. Why couldnt the trustees be more forthcoming in their release. Their short release made it sound like the parting was mutual. If you read further in the Boomerang article, Bendtsen quotes Nichols, who addressed the Faculty Senate stating, I was very surprised by this decision. It wasnt anticipated and I just learned of it very recently myself. It is indeed the boards decision to make, and I think, as an institution, we honor that and move on. So, we know by her comments that the decision was not mutual. Again, the trustees needed to be forthcoming and state that her contract was not being renewed but that they had offered her a position on the faculty, which she accepted. Nichols is right, it is time to move on. But, how do we as UW stakeholders move on when we now have trust issues with the board of trustees. Can we trust that the releases they put out are going to tell us the whole story? We understand with personnel issues there are limitations to what can be disclosed. I believe they can and should be more forthcoming. I hate to belabor the point, but Im going to, they needed to be upfront with their decision as a board. One thing I have learned as the editor of the Northern Wyoming News, once you make a decision you need to own that decision and you need to be able to justify that decision. The board, by not publicly acknowledging from the start that they did not renew her contract, are not owning their decision. Why not? Were they intentionally trying to mislead UW stakeholders, alumni, staff and students? We dont know, but there is an appearance that they were trying to hide something and for a public institution and public board that is something they should avoid. The trustees need to remember that they are in charge of the states only land-grant institution, funded by state taxpayers, with assistance from donations of alumni, as well as others. We need to hold them accountable for their decisions. We need them to justify their decisions. Moving forward the trustees need to involve the public, and, of course, UW faculty, staff and students, as they have on a few searches. With the Nichols search they involved those groups in determining exactly what they would be looking for in a president. I encourage them to do so again, but in addition, I encourage them to involve those groups in the selection process. UW and many local school districts have held public meetings to introduce groups to their top candidates for president or superintendent. Theyve allowed the groups to ask questions and provide the boards with feedback. The UW board has a trust and transparency issue and making the search for UWs next president as transparent as possible, and involving the stakeholders as much as possible would be a good step in repairing the damage caused by how they handled ending Nichols contract. Last years 13.5-percent growth rate of passenger traffic was halved in the first quarter of this year at Ferenc Liszt International Airport. For the summer schedule that has just commenced, airlines have announced 15 new flights, and they also plan to increase frequencies of eight existing flights. With the onset of summer time, the summer schedule period in aviation also commenced, introducing quite a number of new flights at Budapest Airport. One of the notable new services is the direct flight between Shanghai and Budapest to be operated by Shanghai Airlines with Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners three times a week, from June 7. Wizz Air launches a daily flight to London Gatwick (while also keeping the flights to Luton); FlyDubai will introduce its daily Dubai flight; Polish LOT Airlines will fly to Bucharest and Brussels 12 times a week, and Ryanair is launching seven new flights, mostly to Italian and Spanish holiday resorts. The table below lists the new flights in the summer schedule: Budapest Airport 2019 Summer Schedule Destination: Airline: Frequency: London Gatwick Wizz Air daily Cork Ryanair 2 weekly Oslo Wizz Air 4 weekly Nantes Transavia 2 weekly Cagliari Ryanair 2 weekly Seville Ryanair 2 weekly Bari Ryanair 2 weekly Rimini Ryanair 2 weekly Thessaloniki Ryanair 2 weekly Shanghai Shanghai Airlines 3 weekly Palma de Mallorca Ryanair weekly Castellon Wizz Air 2 weekly Dubai FlyDubai daily Brussels LOT 12 weekly Bucharest LOT 12 weekly Compared with last year, the Toronto flight of Air Canada Rouge and the Philadelphia flight of American Airlines are returning earlier, and LOTs year-round New York and Chicago flights are to be operated with their former frequencies again (weekly 4 and weekly 2, respectively). Additionally, eight airlines will increase the frequencies of their existing flights. Based on the plans for the summer schedule, double-digit growth appears to be slowing down at Budapest Airport. Over the first three months of 2019, the 13.5-percent growth rate of 2018 was halved passenger traffic increased by 6.5%. The growth of aviation in Hungary still exceeds the average growth rate in the EU (4.7%), but the uncertainties around Brexit must have contributed to dwindling British passenger numbers in Budapest, similarly to problems in the Turkish economy which may be another factor behind the slowdown. According to the calculations of Budapest Airport, on the basis of the plans of airlines, 12 400 000 seats will be offered in the summer schedule until October. It can be projected from the average load factor of flights that a growth rate of around 7 % seems realistic. Budapest and Hungary continue to be an attractive tourist destination for foreigners, but the double-digit traffic growth of the last four years - which was way above the European average - seems to have lost its momentum. Photo & more: bud.hu Google cars began cruising the streets of Budapest, Szekesfehervar, Gyor, Pecs, Szeged, Miskolc and Debrecen on Wednesday to refresh the Street View service, Google Magyarorszag marketing director Botond Borsos told journalists in Budapest on Wednesday. The cars will complete their tasks in these cities by the end of May. Street View has been available in Hungary since 2013 and was last updated last year. Silicon Valley-based FinTech startups now offer banking services on mobile phones without the need for meeting clients face-to-face. Such apps are coming to Hungary too. A few years ago, industry insiders seemed wary about the technological capabilities of the banking sector not just in Hungary, but globally too at an international banking summit hosted in Budapest. Professionals had an eye on PayPals online dashboard, comparing its user-friendliness and swift nature to sluggish online banking solutions from traditional banks. Today, the threat is even graver; tech startups with the potential to grow into tech unicorns, such as U.K. financial technology company Revolut, are ready to offer a mobile application-based banking experience, without the need of operating brick and mortar branches. A user can open a bank account in ten minutes, including the application for an embossed bank card, that arrives by post in less than a business week. Through the app, users have full control over their accounts, at the flick of a finger. Banks, internationally and in Hungary, need to keep up with the latest technological advancements. To enhance our agility and our customers satisfaction, MKB started its digitalization strategy four years ago. Since then, we have replaced our core system, set up our innovation lab (MKB FinTechLab) and introduced new digital solutions for our customers (e.g. online bank account opening, paperless contracting for new accounts). MKB is quick to add that it sees the current technological progress as an array of possibilities, rather than threats. The initial days of clumsy online banking solutions that were heavily internet browser dependent, often bringing more pain than merit, appear to be over. Banks in Hungary now offer mobile banking applications, and user numbers are growing gradually. Native App UniCredit Bank Hungary launched its native mobile app in 2015 following a successful Family and Friends internal testing period on iOS and Android platforms. By the end of 2018, our bank has reached 120,000 contracted clients just in the private individual segment. The popularity of our mobile application is clearly shown by two figures: more than a half of our contracted clients are active on a monthly basis, while on third of our active client base is active on mobile. But this tendency of people turning to technology does not mean physical branches have becomes obsolete. Our experience at CIB Bank is that branches are increasingly becoming locations for advisory services, while more and more financial transactions are diverted into digital channels, although customers still like to visit branches on business that they could otherwise handle online, as they prefer professional support and help from our colleagues, the Hungarian subsidiary of Intesa Sanpaolo explains. Employees working in branches therefore also have an important role in educating our customers: in many cases, they help customers try out some unique features available in our mobile app, such as applying for a personal loan with disbursement available as quickly as in seven minutes, CIB adds. Beyond going online, Budapest Bank says it puts a particular emphasis on the user experience. The bank launched its online app in 2017 and says it garnered such good ratings that it made the solution the second best banking app for both iOS and Android systems. Last year we introduced two new services: we launched a contactless mobile payment service (available through our mobile banking app), and we were the first bank in the country to introduce the payment of yellow and white postal checks by scanning the QR code. New functions have already been introduced to the app this year, and more are expected in the following months, Budapest Bank adds. Digital Transformation Keeping up with the pace of innovation, OTP Bank has launched a comprehensive Digital Transformation Program for a seamless transition to digitalized services, as well as the simplification of processes. Over the past four years, OTP Bank has completed dozens of digital projects, including a revamp of its mobile banking offering and the introduction of online sales of cash loans, which now account for approximately 20% of new loan production. Today, more than one million Hungarian clients bank online and more than 400,000 use mobile banking, the largest Hungarian-owned lender says. While Hungarians do appear to be tech-savvy, the market is far from black and white, and sometimes it is difficult to see trends. Hungarians are sometimes early adopters when we talk about technology. For instance, contactless bank cards swiftly became popular among users, but we also have to note that the amount of physical cash is at a record level of more than HUF 6 trillion, mostly held by households, according to the National Bank of Hungary. This is why it is difficult to predict the adoption rate of FinTech solutions [in Hungary], MKB Bank explains. User-friendly digital solutions make the life of clients more comfortable. All the banks agree on the fact that the needs of clients must be the primary focus of banks, whether the interface is digital or brick-and-mortar. Based on the complexity of the challenge and the personality of the customer, not each of these needs is to be solved in the digital space. Although people dont like waiting in long lines to be served, there are some services, especially complex advisory services where the customers expect personal assistance, MKB Bank points out. OTP clearly agrees: It is also important to stress, that the group has no plans to abandon its physical branch network, in Hungary or elsewhere. The reason for this is that personal contact with clients is still of crucial importance and the professionally well-prepared advisory work of our employees is in great demand amongst our clients, it says. The Budapest regional prosecutors office has questioned Andras Fekete-Gyor, the head of the opposition Momentum Movement, in connection with charges brought against him of assaulting police at a demonstration in front of Parliament last December. Fekete-Gyor is suspected of throwing a smoke bomb towards the line of policemen protecting the Parliament building at the Dec. 13 demonstration, obstructing their vision and making breathing difficult. The prosecutors office acted on complaints filed by the National Office of Investigation and private citizens, the prosecutor generals office said in a statement. Fekete-Gyor has filed a complaint against the charges and refused to cooperate. Assault on public officials is a crime punishable by one to five years in prison, the statement said. MTI Photo: Bruzak Noemi Advertising spend in Hungary reached HUF 259.69 billion last year, with online remaining the most dominant segment and outdoor registering the largest increase, the Hungarian Advertising Association (MRSz) has announced. Increasing from a year ago but slowing down compared to 2015 and 2016, advertisement spending grew 7.77% last year, MRSz announced at the Evolution conference, an event for the advertising industry on February 28. [...] The higher share of growth came from market advertising spending as the rate of massive and strong state investment in previous years stagnated in 2018, explained Janos Gulyas, head of MRSz. Each media type managed to keep hold of the position it achieved in the previous two years; in fact, they all increased revenues compared to last year. TV ad spending grew less than 1%, most of which came from the market as state ad spending decreased by 2% for the first time in the past two years. Spending in the print press had grown a lot in 2017, with the association suspecting that such pace was not sustainable, Peter Hivatal, a member of the management of MRSz said. Still, it managed to increase ad spending by 3.5%. Unlike the case with television, market spending in print decreased, Gulyas said. Digital medias share of the advertisement cake has been in 14-16% range for years: last year it reached 14%. Here, global players have been the main drivers of the growth in the sector, whose overall share has grown to 55%. The outdoor segment saw the biggest increase (up 16.28% from 2017), though much of this growth was due to price hikes players were forced to make as a result of higher taxes. With 15% increase, movie segment came next in terms of growth, followed by digital media (up 13.98%). Radio ad spending was also remarkable, with 9.5% growth from last year. Largest Player Online ads remained the largest market player, and increased its share in the cake to 33.57% from 31.71% a year ago: spending totaled HUF 90.3 bln in 2017. Except for email, every subsegment grew. Much of the spend has shifted to mobile ad. TV ad spending was over HUF 60 bln (a 1% increase from 2017) the figures are based on the voluntary data provision of 69 television channels that basically cover all the ad spending, Krisztian Kovacs, head of the Hungarian Association of Electronic Broadcasters (MEME) explained. The share of spot ads is 94%, while non-spot ads accounted for the remainder. The increase in non-spot spending, was higher (at 9%) than that for spot ads (0.5%), although they start from very different levels. At 11% (HUF 7 bln), state ad spending remains significant, while advertising revenue from the market reached HUF 53 bln. Changes in state ad spending is important as it does not always follow market movements: in 2018, total spending grew while state ad spending decreased. That the advertising cake is getting bigger is a good thing, but as a share per GDP, ad spending has been decreasing in the past few years, Gulyas said. By way of comparison, ad spending as a percentage of GDP in Hungary is around 0.6%, while in the United States is around 1.2%. Our study shows that every forint spent on advertising result in six forint in GDP growth, so it is worth investing in advertising, Gulyas added. Adverts in the printed press grew by 3.5%, reaching almost HUF 40 bln last year. It is still well below the pre-crisis 2008-levels, and only in the past two years has it bounced back, says Tibor Kovacs, head of the Hungarian Publishers Association. Taking the Lead Daily newspapers continue to take the lead, and this subsector, along with gastronomy and home decor magazines, have all managed to grow for the past three years. Dailies, however, depend to a great deal on state ads (one daily alone received HUF 544 million in ad spending). The printed press traditionally has two sources of income, with the bulk of earnings coming from subscriptions and newsstand purchases, which still come to more than HUF 100 mln of the revenues publications generate (including revenues related to digital sites content). We have been creating transparency reports for years: it turns out that the top two hundred spenders spend 93% of their advertising budgets on transparent, audited publications, Kovacs said. Within the Visegrad Four countries (the other three being Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia), Hungary ranks third in ad spending as a ratio of GDP. That needs to be improve through innovative solutions, Kovacs said. However, looking at the position of press, with 15% of overall ad spend, Hungary has a strong position among V4-members, he added. As said above, the outdoor segment saw the biggest increase last year, in large part the result of price hikes: the construction levy for large billboards forced market players to raise prices, says Szilard Szelei, head of Out of Hungary Home. For the smaller, so-called city lights billboards, it is rather changing market practices that account for the increase, he added. Consumption has accelerated, therefore campaign goals are achieved within two weeks, as opposed to the previous one-month period, Szelei noted. Photo: Hungarian Advertising Association As a number of firms try to incorporate phone-based payments into their operations, Hungarys VCC Live Pay is offering immediate over-the-phone payment solutions for debt collection agencies all over the continent, says a press release on the companys website. According to the company, a major problem of debt collection agencies is not being able to collect their clients debts on time, resulting in a cycle of collectors calling customers about debts, and customers promising to pay without actually doing so. VCC Live Pay allows customers to settle their debts via an agent with a phone call. After an agent from an agency contacts a customer via phone and encourages them to pay their outstanding debt during the phone call, the client enters their card details via their mobile phone touchpad. Operators have no access to the data. The agent initiates the transaction and helps the customer during the process. "As an operator at one of our clients commented: with VCC Live Pay, were now collecting money, not empty promises," says Peter Malhai, the firms head of business development. "Debt collection companies always struggle with the uncertainty of how many promises will actually turn into real payments. With VCC Live Pay, however, companies can now monitor in real time, hour to hour, how much money they actually collect during their phone calls." VCC Live Pay meets the requirements set by the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), one of the strictest security codes in the world, issued by the five largest credit and debit card issuers on the market (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover and JCB), making the payment process completely secure. "Allowing your customers to pay in a cloud environment during a phone conversation with agent assistance is still a very unique feature in the market," notes Malhai, claiming that his was the first company in Europe to develop such technology. "In recent years, we helped many of our clients accelerate their debt collection processes with the help of VCC Live Pay," says founder and CEO Szabolcs Toth, citing the example of European cable TV provider UPC, which he says managed to increase its debt collection rates from 18% to 43% within a year. "Today, VCC Live Pay is the preferred payment option for UPCs customers to settle their debts, with the company initiating 4,000 transactions per ten operators in a month," says Toth. For many jobseekers one of the most intimidating parts of the interview process is negotiating your salary, but by preparing properly and getting your timing right you can step into these negotiations confident of success. Most people know how to negotiate their next salary rise when they are in a job and can prove the value they are adding to an organization, but they are not so sure about negotiating during the recruitment process. Theres A Time And A Place Never verbally agree to an offer and then ask to negotiate the salary once you have received the written contract. In our experience, the main reason that people run into trouble at offer stage is usually because they are unhappy with one or more aspects of the offer usually the salary but are uncertain how to proceed. Most people have a salary target in mind when they start looking for their next job, but you shouldnt raise it when you first meet a hiring manager. The issue of salary is usually raised towards the end of your second interview if you are the preferred candidate this is your ideal time to negotiate. If salary isnt brought up, a job offer will be made verbally before a formal written offer is made. This verbal offer stage is the next best time to negotiate since you are now firmly positioned as the employers top choice. Thank the hiring manager for their offer, affirm your enthusiasm for the role and organisation, and explain that youd like to discuss the compensation package on offer. Never verbally agree to an offer and then ask to negotiate the salary, or any other aspect of the role, once you have received the written contract. says Tammy Nagy Stellini, Managing Director of Hays Hungary. Follow These Five Steps When negotiating your salary during the recruitment process try and stick to this five step approach: 1. Research: Familiarize yourself with current salaries before your interview you can use the Hays Salary Guides a tool to ensure your expectations are realistic. Knowledge is power when it comes to difficult negotiations! 2. Express interest: Tell your recruiter or the hiring manager that you are very interested in the position, but that you would like to discuss the salary. Declaring your interest before you start talking figures makes it clear to the interviewer that youre not just chasing a high salary. 3. Be honest: Discuss openly and professionally how much you think you are worth. Be prepared to justify your estimate with examples of your expertise and previous successes, as well as the market rate for your position that you researched earlier. 4. Use your recruiter: Speak to your recruiter and listen to their advice we are experts in recruiting and can advise you on current market trends. Your recruiter can also negotiate on your behalf without the risk of jeopardising your offer. 5. Have patience: Dont make your salary pitch too early, instead wait until you know you are the preferred candidate. You also should not expect an immediate response. The hiring manager will need to gain approval from their manager for any revision to an offer. A Final Thought Negotiating your salary pre-hire can be an awkward situation for some people. Keen not to endanger their risk of employment, these people leave it to the last possible moment before they start talking salary. This is not advised. Coming to an honest and reasonable assessment of what youre worth and articulating it thoroughly and patiently, with the help of your recruiter where appropriate, is your best chance of securing not just your dream job, but a satisfactory salary too. Click here to visit Hays Hungary online Get more from your meetings twice more. Book an eligible meeting at The Ritz-Carlton, Budapest until June 30, 2019, for meetings held by December 31, 2020, and earn double points. Book an eligible group or event and earn double points on all entitled charges rooms, food and beverages, meeting space and audiovisual equipment. Learn more about the offer at marriottgroupoffer.co.uk website. Source: The Ritz-Carlton, Budapest As the wreckage of Jennifer and Sarah Harts SUV was pulled up from the bottom of a 100-foot cliff off the Pacific Coast Highway in Northern California, Jennifers body slipped out of the crushed vehicle and fell 100 feet. This was according to Mendocino County Sheriff Deputy Robert Julian, who testified during Wednesdays coroners inquest presented by the Sheriffs Office. The impact of the fall would disfigure Jennifers face to the point that authorities were unable to identify her, Julian stated, noting that Sarah Hart was also unrecognizable. Death was obvious for all of them, Julian said during the live-streamed testimony, about Jennifer, Sarah and three of their six children, Markis, Jeremiah and Abigail, who were found in the car with them. They were cold rigor mortis. The remains of two of the other Hart children were found later, and the remains of one child, Devonte Hart, have still not been found, though he has now been declared legally dead, Mendocino Sheriff-Coroner Tom Allman told PEOPLE. Mendocino Sheriff/Facebook RELATED: Sheriff Says California Cliff Crash That Killed Family Was No Accident: Im Calling It a Crime When authorities discovered the crash, Sarahs body was found pinned between her seat and the cars roof. She was later identified by her Minnesota drivers license, found near the wreckage. Sarah Hart had toxic levels of Benadryl in her system at the time of the crash, and Jennifer Hart was the only family member wearing a seat belt, as was revealed at the inquest. This new insight into the crash and the subsequent recovery of the Hart familys bodies was part of the evidence presented during the coroners inquest on Wednesday. The inquest is being presented more than a year after the crash, which killed Jennifer, Sarah, and their six children. Authorities hope the inquest will bring a close to the high-profile case, which sparked national headlines when authorities announced the fatal car crash was a crime not an accident. The familys picture-perfect online image also drew debate, as disturbing details leaked out about the realities the children had experienced at home. Story continues Over the course of two days Wednesday and Thursday authorities are presenting evidence from the Hart investigation to a jury, which will decide on the manner of death for each family member. The inquest is being live-streamed on the Mendocino County Sheriffs Office Facebook page. The purpose [of the inquest] is to get the evidence out as quick as possible, Sheriff-Coroner Tom Allman told PEOPLE, noting that until the 1960s, inquests were standard policy. There is a heaping amount of evidence and honestly it belongs to the public. He continues: Theres just so many unknowns on this, but now we think we know a lot of the unknowns. 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. Boyfriend of College Student Killed After Getting in Wrong Car Says He Was Tracking Her Ride The boyfriend of Samantha Josephson, the college student killed after she mistakenly entered a car she believed was her Uber ride, choked back tears at a vigil as he revealed he had been tracking her journey on his phone and knew right away something was terribly wrong. Greg Corbishley grew emotional Tuesday as he spoke about his girlfriends fatal ride, which occurred early last Friday after she was separated from friends during a night out in Columbia, South Carolina. I was on the phone tracking her through all this, just to make sure she got home safely, and immediately knew that there was something that was wrong, he said, according to WGHP. Unfortunately, I was two and a half hours away. Id do anything to go back. Samantha Josephson | Go Fund Me Josephson, a 21-year-old University of South Carolina senior, was found dead Friday in a wooded area in rural Clarendon County after being reported missing by her friends. Police say she was killed after mistakenly entering a black Chevy Impala driven by Nathaniel Rowland, 24, as she believed it to be an Uber shed ordered on her phone just after 2 a.m. RELATED: Safety Tips for Uber and Lyft Riders Following Killing of University of South Carolina Student An autopsy conducted by the Clarendon County Coroner revealed Josephson died of multiple sharp force injuries, according to a release Monday by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. [She] was the love of my life, Corbishley said at the vigil, which took place in Josephsons hometown of Robbinsville, New Jersey. I see why she loved all you guys so much. I saw myself 10 years from now coming back to this place with her. Nathaniel Rowland | Columbia Police Dept. The students father, Seymour Josephson, also spoke at the vigil, calling her alleged killer a monster. What he did, I dont want anybody else to go through it as a parent, he said, according to ABC News. I requested to meet the officer that captured and arrested the person I wanted to thank him. Story continues Rowland was arrested early Saturday and charged with murder and kidnapping. He has yet to plead to the charges, and is being held without bail. Its unclear if he has retained a lawyer. He was apprehended around 3 a.m. Saturday after an officer spotted his vehicle and conducted a traffic stop, Chief William Holbrook of the Columbia Police Department said at a press conference Saturday. RELATED VIDEO: Video Shows College Student Entering Car She Apparently Thought Was Uber Before Her Murder Investigators found a large amount of dark-colored liquid later determined to be Josephsons blood in the cars trunk and passenger compartment, Holbrook said. Her cell phone was also found in the car, as was a container of liquid bleach, germicidal wipes and window cleaner, according to the police chief. Holbrook also noted that the cars child safety locks were activated, preventing any type of escape from the backseat. RELATED: S.C. Student Killed After Getting into Car She Thought Was Uber Died From Sharp Force Injuries Josephsons death has inspired action from state lawmakers, who this week filed the Samantha L. Josephson Ridesharing Safety Act, which would require all ride share vehicles to display an illuminated sign featuring their companys name. Nothing is ever going to stop psychos from doing psycho things, but if we can take one step to make it harder for psychos to be psychos, we should do it, Rep. Micah Caskey, who is co-sponsoring the bill, told The Post and Courier. Josephson was weeks away from graduating with a degree in political science, and planned to attend the Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law in Philadelphia, according to The State. Almost 20 years after he wrote the song for a Harry Potter movie, Bruce Springsteen has finally found a home for his unreleased ballad Ill Stand by You Always. The song has been added to the end credits of Blinded by the Light, an upcoming, Springsteen-heavy New Line/Warner Bros. film from Bend It Like Beckham director Gurinder Chadha.The song did not appear in Blinded by the Light when the film screened at Sundance in January, where its $15 million deal with New Line was the festivals biggest. But it was added before this weeks screenings in Los Angeles and at CinemaCon in Las Vegas, and will now follow the song Born to Run during the end credits.Blinded by the Light is based on the memoir Greetings From Bury Park by Sarfraz Manzoor, who was born in Pakistan but came to Great Britain as a child. Manzoor wrote about his teenage years in a small British town where his desire to become a writer was inflamed by a passion for Springsteens songs.Also Read: 'Blinded by the Light' Film Review: Joyous Indie Musical Soars to Songs of Bruce SpringsteenSpringsteen read and liked Manzoors book and gave his approval to the film version, which makes liberal use of 15 of his songs.Ill Stand by You Always, a tender song of devotion, was reportedly written between 1998 and 2000. It is sung from the point of view of a man whose child comes to him crying in the night, with lines that include I wish I could tell a story/Chase away all the ghosts youve got inside of you Come take my hand til morning comes/Just close your eyes/Ill stand by you always.Springsteens version of the song was recorded in 2001 and offered to Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone director Chris Columbus during post-production on the first Potter movie.But according to reports at the time, Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling had a stipulation in her contract that no commercial songs could be used in the films, so the song was turned down. The recording was filed with the U.S. Copyright Office in June 2001 and included on a promotional recording given only to Columbia Records executives later in the year.Also Read: Bruce Springsteen-Inspired Sundance Film 'Blinded by the Light' Given Release Date by Warner Bros.It was pretty good, said Springsteen when asked about the song by BBC Radio 2 in 2016. It was a song I wrote for my eldest son, it was a big ballad that was very uncharacteristic of something Id sing myself At some point, Id like to get it into a childrens movie of some sort because it was a pretty lovely song.The song was later given to Latin artist Marc Anthony, who also recorded for Columbia but while Anthony publicly announced that it would be included on his 2002 album Mended, it was not on that final album.The demo recording filed with the Library of Congress has been widely circulated among Springsteen collectors over the years, but its release in Blinded by the Light will be its first official release.Also Read: 'Blinded by the Light' Writer on 'Gobsmacking' Success of the Film About His Springsteen-Loving YouthThe other Springsteen songs in Blinded by the Light have all been previously released, including the title track, Thunder Road, Dancing in the Dark, The River and The Promised Land though in addition to the familiar studio recording of that last song, a couple of scenes feature a live, acoustic version that has not been previously released.At a reception after the Los Angeles screening of Blinded by the Light on Wednesday, Manzoor told TheWrap that Chadha found that version of The Promised Land and received permission from Springsteens management to use it.Read original story Bruce Springsteens Unused Harry Potter Song Finally Finds a Home in New Movie At TheWrap Almost 20 years after he wrote the song for a Harry Potter movie, Bruce Springsteen has finally found a home for his unreleased ballad Ill Stand by You Always. The song has been added to the end credits of Blinded by the Light, an upcoming, Springsteen-heavy New Line/Warner Bros. film from Bend It Like Beckham director Gurinder Chadha. The song did not appear in Blinded by the Light when the film screened at Sundance in January, where its $15 million deal with New Line was the festivals biggest. But it was added before this weeks screenings in Los Angeles and at CinemaCon in Las Vegas, and will now follow the song Born to Run during the end credits. Blinded by the Light is based on the memoir Greetings From Bury Park by Sarfraz Manzoor, who was born in Pakistan but came to Great Britain as a child. Manzoor wrote about his teenage years in a small British town where his desire to become a writer was inflamed by a passion for Springsteens songs. Also Read: 'Blinded by the Light' Film Review: Joyous Indie Musical Soars to Songs of Bruce Springsteen Springsteen read and liked Manzoors book and gave his approval to the film version, which makes liberal use of 15 of his songs. Ill Stand by You Always, a tender song of devotion, was reportedly written between 1998 and 2000. It is sung from the point of view of a man whose child comes to him crying in the night, with lines that include I wish I could tell a story/Chase away all the ghosts youve got inside of you Come take my hand til morning comes/Just close your eyes/Ill stand by you always. Springsteens version of the song was recorded in 2001 and offered to Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone director Chris Columbus during post-production on the first Potter movie. But according to reports at the time, Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling had a stipulation in her contract that no commercial songs could be used in the films, so the song was turned down. The recording was filed with the U.S. Copyright Office in June 2001 and included on a promotional recording given only to Columbia Records executives later in the year. Story continues Also Read: Bruce Springsteen-Inspired Sundance Film 'Blinded by the Light' Given Release Date by Warner Bros. It was pretty good, said Springsteen when asked about the song by BBC Radio 2 in 2016. It was a song I wrote for my eldest son, it was a big ballad that was very uncharacteristic of something Id sing myself At some point, Id like to get it into a childrens movie of some sort because it was a pretty lovely song. The song was later given to Latin artist Marc Anthony, who also recorded for Columbia but while Anthony publicly announced that it would be included on his 2002 album Mended, it was not on that final album. The demo recording filed with the Library of Congress has been widely circulated among Springsteen collectors over the years, but its release in Blinded by the Light will be its first official release. Also Read: 'Blinded by the Light' Writer on 'Gobsmacking' Success of the Film About His Springsteen-Loving Youth The other Springsteen songs in Blinded by the Light have all been previously released, including the title track, Thunder Road, Dancing in the Dark, The River and The Promised Land though in addition to the familiar studio recording of that last song, a couple of scenes feature a live, acoustic version that has not been previously released. At a reception after the Los Angeles screening of Blinded by the Light on Wednesday, Manzoor told TheWrap that Chadha found that version of The Promised Land and received permission from Springsteens management to use it. Read original story Bruce Springsteens Unused Harry Potter Song Finally Finds a Home in New Movie At TheWrap Tiffany Mead was behind the wheel of her purple PT Cruiser when her estranged husband, Kris Ertmann, pulled out a knife, reached over and slit her throat. Her 2-year-old son, Noah, was sitting in the backseat. Mead had met up with Ertmann to discuss child support for their two young sons, Noah and Wyatt. Though Mead tells PEOPLE that Ertmann had been controlling and abusive in the past, she didnt realize he was capable of an act this desperately violent. I had never seen that look in his eye, she remembers. I dont think theres even words to describe it just emptiness. Tiffany Mead | Celeste Sloman Ertmanns determination to kill Mead is featured in an upcoming episode of Oxygens new true-crime series Murder for Hire, premiering April 7. I knew that what he just did to me could kill me, but the only thing I could think was I had to get my baby to safety, she tells PEOPLE. Dying wasnt an option. Mead held one hand over her neck to help staunch the bleeding as Ertmann just sat there, watching her bleed, she recalls. Ertmann was sentenced to five years to life in prison, where he remains today. (Ertmann also tried to take a hit out on his ex-wife while he was behind bars.) After her attempted murder, Mead was left alone to raise her sons and pick up the pieces. Fortunately, her will to live was strong and today she aims to use what happened to her to help raise awareness of the dangers of domestic violence. Kris Ertmann | Davis County Sheriff's Office Still, the dramatic scar left behind on Meads neck bothers her, and she does her best not to look at it at all. I know that I should see it as a battle scar, but it brings up so many memories that I try to avoid looking at it as much as possible, she admits. For more on Tiffany Meads harrowing tale of survival, subscribe now to PEOPLE or pick up this weeks issue, on newsstands Friday. If you suspect domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages. Oxygens Murder for Hire premieres Sunday, April 7 at 7 ET/6 CT. For over 40 years, the works of Stephen King have haunted readers of all ages and demographics. However, very few of his novels have been as resonating as Pet Sematary, his devastating dismantling of the nuclear family that was nearly too terrifying for him. That terror returns this week with Dennis Widmyer and Kevin Kolschs stylish re-imagining of Kings 1983 novel. Starring Jason Clarke, Amy Seimetz, and John Lithgow, the highly anticipated adaptation unearths the macabre story for a new generation of fans. At this point, the lore behind Kings novel and its ensuing adaptations has amassed a burial ground of trivia. Ahead, youll find five fun facts that you can take to the theater with you this weekend, and maybe even impress a King scholar or two. So, grab a shovel and dig in. __________________________________________________________ 05. Jud Crandall Was a Real Person Sort Of Pet Sematary, Paramount Pictures Pet Sematary, Paramount Pictures King based the novel on his experiences living in the small town of Orrington during his writers residency at the University of Maine. However, the parallels extend beyond the busy highways and DIY burials grounds that surrounded his temporary home, and to the characters themselves particularly, Louis Creeds neighbor Jud Crandall. There was a guy right across the road, King told EW, The kids were away somewhere, and he was the one who came over, and said, You got a problem here with your daughters cat. And we went over, and we looked at Smucky, who was on the side of the road. And he hadnt been splattered or anything, he looked okay. He just was dead. Fortunately for him, a then-young Owen King didnt pay him a deadly visit. __________________________________________________________ 04. Stephen Kings Dead Cat Lives! Cat, Pet Sematary, Church, Stephen King Church in Pet Sematary (Paramount Pictures) While Smucky never came back to life at least, not to our knowledge the King family cat has lived on in pop culture. The feline makes an appearance in Kings novel on a headstone, and the same respect is given in both Mary Lamberts 1989 adaptation and the new reimagining from Widmyer and Kolsch. Not too shabby for a long dead tabby, eh? Story continues __________________________________________________________ 03. Dee Dee Ramone Knocked Out the Song in Hours The Ramones are one of Stephen Kings favorite bands, and their lyrics appear in a number of his works, but it was actually Lambert who locked em down for the soundtrack to her 1989 film. She had personally reached out to Dee Dee Ramone, who loved the idea. I think that it was a Friday that we got the call that they wanted the Ramones to write Pet Sematary, producer Daniel Rey told Tidal. Dee Dee called me and was like, Im going to go buy the book. He got the book and about five hours later he called me. He left the lyrics on my phone machine, he continued. He was already done. I dont know if he speed-read the book or skimmed it. I dont know what he did, but somehow he got the story down and he got really good imagery from the whole vibe. However, despite being fast on the lyrics, the band spent nearly two weeks recording the song. I think we spent about twice as much on this song as we spent on the Ramones entire first album, recalled Animal Boy producer Jean Beauvoir. __________________________________________________________ 02. Mary Lambert Wanted a Sequel With Ellie Creed Blaze Berdahl, Pet Sematary, Ellie Creed, Stephen King Blaze Berdahl in Pet Sematary (Paramount Pictures) Although Lambert ended up returning to the burial grounds with 1992s Pet Sematary 2, the Edward Furlong-starring vehicle was hardly her vision. In her mind, she wanted to followup with the lone survivor of the Creed family. Honestly, I really wanted to make the story about Ellie, Lambert told The Losers Club in March 2018. She grew up in Chicago, she becomes a young woman. and she has this memory of what happened to her when she was six years old. It could be really great. But thats not what they wanted to do, she contended, This isnt the first time in my career, especially, you know, in the 80s and the 90s, when I was told a woman cant carry a movie, and a girl really cant carry a movie. We dont want a movie about a young girl, its gotta be a big movie, and its gotta have a man in the lead, so thats my little rant about Ellie. However, she further elaborated on the idea in a recent Bloody Disgusting interview. Shes in Chicago at the end of the original movie, she explained. Im pretty sure her grandparents wouldnt have sent her back to live alone in that house after all that had happened, so I would just take the point of view that Ellie grew up in Chicago but what happened to her parents was not discussed very much. I would have jumped ahead to have her be a young woman. I would have her go back to Maine with her cat. Instead, we got this __________________________________________________________ 01. Stephen King Never Wanted to Release It! Stpehen King, Pet Sematary, Mary Lambert, Horror Stephen King in Pet Sematary (Paramount Pictures) By now, youve probably heard about how Pet Sematary even scares its author. Thats not just clever marketing, though! Both his wife Tabitha and his colleague/best-selling author Peter Straub thought it was too grim to publish, which is why he kept it stowed away. However, like the very pets he wrote about, the book was exhumed with a very similar purpose as the undead: to kill. At the time, Kings ensuing contract with Doubleday was a future tax liability on his family, so in an effort to get out, he offered em something evil. Needless to say, it worked. Doubleday published the book, King freed himself of any financial woes, and the world met Church. Thats what happened, King told EW. Thats the reason I published the book. Otherwise, it would still be in a drawer somewhere. Photo credit: Chip Somodevilla - Getty Images From Esquire I would like to recommend the hours between 3 p.m. and 11 p.m. Eastern time on April 3 as the News Cycle of the Year. In those eight hours, we learned that the institutions of the government have decided to open a second front. To wit: 1) House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal of the Commonwealth (God save it!) decided he needs to see the last six years of the president*'s tax returns. From The New York Times: Representative Richard E. Neal, Democrat of Massachusetts, hand-delivered a two-page letter laying out the request to Charles P. Rettig, the Internal Revenue Service commissioner, ending months of speculation about when he would do so and almost certainly prompting a legal challenge from the Trump administration. Responding to questions from reporters in the Oval Office, Mr. Trump suggested that he would fight the request because, he said, he was being audited. I guess when you have a name, you are audited, but until such time as Im not under audit I would not be inclined to do that, he said. If the president* meddles in this process, or attempts to make the IRS act unlawfully, that's an impeachable offense. 2) The House Judiciary Committee voted to subpoena the full report produced by Special Counsel Robert Mueller. From NPR: The committee also authorized subpoenas for figures in the Trump orbit, including former White House counsel Don McGahn; McGahn's former chief of staff Ann Donaldson; former adviser Steve Bannon; former spokesperson Hope Hicks; and former chief of staff Reince Priebus. "We are dealing now, not with the president's private affairs, but with a sustained attack on the integrity of the republic by the president and his closest advisers," said Democratic Chairman Jerrold Nadler of New York. "This committee requires the full report and the underlying materials because it is our job, not the attorney general's, to determine whether or not President Trump has abused his office." Story continues If the president* defies these subpoenas, that's an impeachable offense. 3) The security clearance shenanigans continue to pile up. From the Washington Post: Kushner was identified only as Senior White House Official 1 in committee documents released this week describing the testimony of Tricia Newbold, a whistleblower in the White Houses personnel security office who said she and another career employee determined that Kushner had too many significant disqualifying factors to receive a clearance. Their decision was overruled by Carl Kline, the career official who then headed the office, according to Newbolds interview with committee staff. If the president* intervened on Kushner's behalf for reasons of his own, or Kushner's, pecuniary benefit, that's an impeachable offense. Photo credit: Chip Somodevilla - Getty Images 4) Mueller's staff is clearly fed up with Attorney General William Barr and his four-page press release designed to okey-doke the public about the alleged "exoneration" of the president. First, from the NYT: Mr. Barr has said he will move quickly to release the nearly 400-page report but needs time to scrub out confidential information. The special counsels investigators had already written multiple summaries of the report, and some team members believe that Mr. Barr should have included more of their material in the four-page letter he wrote on March 24 laying out their main conclusions, according to government officials familiar with the investigation. Mr. Barr only briefly cited the special counsels work in his letter. And, from the Post: But members of Muellers team have complained to close associates that the evidence they gathered on obstruction was alarming and significant. It was much more acute than Barr suggested, said one person, who, like others, spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the subjects sensitivity. Some members of the office were particularly disappointed that Barr did not release summary information the special counsel team had prepared, according to two people familiar with their reactions... Some members of Muellers team appear caught off guard by how thoroughly the president has used Barrs letter to claim total victory, as the limited information about their work has been weaponized in the countrys highly polarized political environment, according to people familiar with their responses. Don't know why anybody would get "caught off-guard" by this president*'s mendacity any more, but OK. And if the president* is working with Barr in any fashion to finagle this report, that's an impeachable offense. And the hits kept on coming Thursday. From the Post: The vote was 247 to 175, with one member simply voting present, and fell largely along party lines, reflecting how Democrats and Republicans remain divided over how to address Saudi Arabias efforts to challenge Yemens Houthi rebels, who are backed by Iran. It illustrates, too, how lawmakers are split over addressing Trumps embrace of Saudi leaders after the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a crime for which members of both parties believe Saudi crown price Mohammed bin Salman bears responsibility. The resolution passed in the Senate last month with the support of seven Republicans. Thursdays vote in the House marks the first time both chambers of Congress have voted to invoke the war-powers resolution to end U.S. military engagement in a foreign conflict. It's almost as though the system is daring the president* to abuse his powers so egregiously that Congress will have no choice but to begin the process of ending his presidency*. Political self-respect seems to be making a comeback. Respond to this post on the Esquire Politics Facebook page here. ('You Might Also Like',) A former substitute teacher in Louisiana is avoiding jail time and registering as a sex offender by agreeing to plead guilty to misdemeanor sex crimes with three underage boys and sending lewd messages to a 12-year-old, PEOPLE confirms. Heidi Domangue Verrett, 34, was initially charged in 2016 with three felony counts of carnal knowledge of a juvenile and one count of indecent behavior with a juvenile under 13, a clerk in the Terrebonne Parish Courthouse tells PEOPLE. In a plea agreement with prosecutors, Verrett pleaded guilty on March 22 to lesser charges: two misdemeanor counts of carnal knowledge of a juvenile and one count of attempting contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile, the clerk says. She pleaded guilty to having sex with three boys, aged 15 and 16, over the course of two months at her home. This occurred while she was working as a teachers aide and substitute teacher in Terrebonne Parish, the Houma Courier reports. After Verrett pleaded guilty, District Judge Johnny Walker suspended her six-month jail sentence and gave her two years of unsupervised probation, local station WDSU reports. He also ordered her to pay $900 in fines. As part of her plea deal, Verrett does not have to register as a sex offender, WDSU reports. She is prohibited from teaching for just two years, which upset some in the community, the Houma Courier and WDSU report. I think the system failed the children, one woman told WDSU. Its horrible. Before agreeing to the deal, prosecutors said they made sure she wont be allowed to teach anywhere ever again, WDSU reports. 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. Assistant District Attorney Dennis Elfert told WDSU that the Terrebonne Parish School Board told him they would never hire Verrett again. Story continues She would probably not be hired in other school districts since background check would reveal her conviction for sex crimes against children, WDSU reports. Verrett is happy she isnt going to jail, her attorney, Teresa King, told the Houma Courier: I think the deal was worked out in everyones best interest. Calls to the prosecutor and to King were not immediately returned. This is the first installment of Breaking Black, a new weekly column focused on emerging black talent. Photographer-turned-filmmaker RaMell Ross debut feature, Hale County This Morning, This Evening, was not your typical Oscar nominee. But this impressionistic meditation on black southern life, which was nominated for Best Documentary earlier this year following a strong reception on the festival circuit, heralded the filmmaker as a distinct new voice. Ross, however, is indifferent to the sudden burst of acclaim surrounding his talent, and continues to find new ways of experimenting with the cinematic form. Months after awards season has receded, hes enmeshed in curatorial and creative work that shows no sign of compromise. Related stories From One Joker to the Next: Mark Hamill Gives Joaquin Phoenix His Blessing Amazon Responds to Woody Allen's Lawsuit, Says He 'Sabotaged' Them The Best Movie New to Every Major Streaming Platform in April 2019 Many documentary filmmakers cite the masters of the medium as inspiration, but Ross biggest influence points to his unique impulses: Its Alan Ginsbergs seminal book-length beat poem Howl. Ive kind of had that as my mark for the scale and grandness of what I want to accomplish with my work, Ross said in an interview. I believe that because cinema is still young, theres much possibility, and everyone should intuitively know that the power of cinema hasnt been fully exploited, and perhaps the logic of industry, traditional narratives, and of the business structure, are barriers to getting to its new iteration. These lofty ideals are motivated by a desire to represent blackness onscreen in radical terms. Ross said he takes into account the theory of an oppositional gaze, and the way it can supplant conventional mass media characterizations of blackness. Hes defiant in his impulse to create a space where he can wander creatively without any compromise. And hes in as advantageous a position as hes ever been to do just that, with an Academy Award nomination (and several other prestigious accolades) to his credit. Story continues With the lengthy whirlwind tour of awards season campaigning now officially behind him, Ross regarded the experience in practical terms. It was surprisingly fun during the build up of getting to an Oscar nomination because you imagine that everything is in service of having the best possible marketing, he said. Additionally, it was a chance for him to enlighten audiences about his intentions. I discovered that people are incredibly undereducated about black aesthetics, theory and culture, he said, so I took the task of sharing ideas and giving people entryways into understanding how black folks, specifically in the States, have been visualized. A self-described military brat, Ross was born in Frankfurt, Germany, but grew up mostly in the U.S., with stays in Indiana, Chicago, Maryland and Virginia. During his youth, he frequently returned to Frankfurt to visit his German grandmother. I think its kind of interesting for those of us who grow up abroad but are still American, who just have a different perspective on American culture and the world in general, he said. Having a biracial mother who had these really eclectic interests that were partly capable because she was so fair-skinned, and having my grandma surround us with idiosyncratic pieces of European culture, kind of told me to not put limitations on my own interests. Ross childhood artistic leanings were nurtured by his parents from the very beginning. Both grew up in abject poverty and wanted their children to have the kind of freedom of career exploration and personal fulfillment that evaded them early in life. After the military, a government job for his father transitioned the family into the middle class, which allowed the children to dream. I would say something like, Mom I want to be a flutist that plays underwater,' Ross said, and shed reply with, son, you can be the greatest flutist ever that plays underwater. And that kind of openness, to know that its okay to creatively explore, still guides my ethos to this very day. He would go onto earn an MFA in photography from the Rhode Island School of Design, and his photographs have been exhibited internationally, most recently at a solo exhibition in New York last summer. His relationship to the movies was a more recent development. That journey started when Ross moved from Washington D.C. to Hale County, Alabama in 2009, attracted to a slower pace of life in a city of less than 3,000 people, and a job-training high school equivalency program that helped black youth whose lives presented consistent emotional and mental exhaustion. It was there that he met Daniel and Quincy, the two young men who wound up as the focus of his documentary. The work he was hired to do would extend beyond the typical 40-hour work week, but he always made sure to create space to think about and make art. That included experimenting with what he described as really shitty music videos, a few short films, and, more prominently, a photographic series that would go on to be titled South County, AL (a Hale County). The series, which examined blackness in the American South, evolves into the documentary project. I wanted to bring art world ideas into a documentary space, Ross said. Every medium has its limitations, but if you would like to as I say carry someones consciousness, you cant use the still image. The sequential 24 frames per second are far more transportive. Edited down from 1,300 hours of footage accumulated over five years, Hale County runs a lean 76 minutes, but manages to work in some big ideas into that running time; each scene capturing black Americans going about life, finding grandeur in the most ordinary. Despite its eventual awards season acclaim, Hale County had a rough start: After an international film festival tour, where it picked up several awards, Hale County failed to draw much interest from U.S. distributors. There were people from several major companies that bought all these other films, who would tell me that they liked Hale, but they didnt know what to do with it, Ross said. The thing about my film is that its not so easily log-lined and its impossible to know what it is until you see it, but I still obviously want as many people to see it as possible. New York-based The Cinema Guild eventually acquired the film, giving it a limited theatrical run last fall. It opened to universal critical acclaim, and the documentary community mobilized around Ross achievement, which culminated in its Oscar nomination. But Ross said that outcome has had a negligible effect on him. It doesnt really mean anything personally to me, and I dont think about it unless someone mentions it, he said. Since then, Ive had several inquiries from people about collaborating on film projects, but nothing has really come out of any conversations. He added that the limited income potential of documentaries, his interests as a filmmaker, and his experimental style were all deterrents from the prospects of landing some major gig. Ross maintains his job as a faculty member at Brown Universitys Visual Arts Department and recently completed his first short film, Easter Snap. An examination of five Alabama men who resurrect the homestead ritual of hog processing in the Deep South, the film premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. Currently, he serves as curator for the Thematic Program for the 22nd annual Full Frame Documentary Film Festival which runs April 4 7 in Durham, North Carolina. This is the first time Ive ever curated something, and its really exciting, and Im having a lot of fun, Ross said. Titled Some Other Lives of Time, the program is a meditation on the documentary form, and the experience of watching. It highlights seven documentaries, including Godfrey Reggios Koyaanisqatsi (1982), an apocalyptic vision of the collision of technology and the environment. Its the first film in Reggios Qatsi trilogy, which was a tremendous influence on Hale County, Ross said. Next, Ross said he had plans for a monumental solo show at the Ogden Museum of Southern Art in New Orleans, which launches in 2020. He expected the show to include a mix of installations, photography, sculpture and other media. But he wasnt done with filmmaking, and said he had begun considering the prospects of directing his first narrative feature. I definitely intend to work in that realm, he said, but added that he had no specifics to offer. Nevertheless, hes giddy about further experimentation with the cinematic medium, motivated by his desire to explore new ways to capture the vastness of the black experience. Creating work that makes observations about race, specifically blackness, is whats important to me; that is my starting point, he said. So I think my calling is to make space for this truth to be less invisible, and for it to participate in the poetry of our world. RaMell Ross Some Other Lives of Time thematic program at the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival, April 4-7. Sign up for Indiewire's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Two Walt Disney Studios employees have filed a lawsuit claiming that Disney discriminates against female workers by paying them less than men. The complaint, filed on behalf of two employees at Walt Disney Studios, LaRonda Rasmussen and Karen Moore, asks for back pay, lost benefits and other compensation. The 21-page lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, (read it here) also names Walt Disney Pictures and Hollywood Records as defendants. Related stories Disney Celebrates Fox Acquisition At CinemaCon; No 'Star Wars: Episode IX Footage', No Marvel 2020 News; 'Avatar 2' A No Show The first paragraph of the suit pretty much sums up its claims: When it comes to paying women fairly, The Walt Disney Company, nearing its 100th, year, is woefully behind the times. Put simply, Disney refuses to pay its women employees equal to men doing the same work. In many instances, Disney is paying women workers tens of thousands of dollars less than their male counterparts. Attorneys Lori Andrus and Jennie Lee Anderson of Andrus Anderson LLP in San Francisco are representing the plaintiffs in the case. The firm specializes in unequal pay cases for female employees, having battled Intel and Farmers Insurance in prior instances. The suit also demands that Disney create internal programs that will remedy the effects of Disneys past and present unlawful employment policies. That includes adjusting salaries and benefits for other women and creating a task force that compiles reports on progress. The attorneys also requested that the case be certified as a class action. Women are fed up with being treated as cheap labor, Andrus said. We hope that this lawsuit will shed some light on the pay discrimination that Disney is subjecting its hard-working female employees to. Disney called the suit meritless and said it would vigorously defend against it. They added today that the lawsuits uninformed generalized allegations about Disneys policies and practices are baseless. Disney maintains robust pay equity practices and policies. Even before Californias Fair Pay Act, Disney created a specialized team of compensation professionals and lawyers to analyze and address the companys pay equity practices. Story continues Plaintiff Rasmussen worked at Disney for 11 years, most recently as a product development manager at Walt Disney Studios, according to legal papers. Moore worked at Disney for more than 20 years, serving as a senior copyright administrator at the studios music label. Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The creator of FXX series Youre the Worst is trying to get his actors in place. Allan, take a step back toward the polar bear, Stephen Falk shouts over a din of dancing bodies. No, toward the polar bear! For the series finale, everyone from the principal cast of Chris Geere, Aya Cash, Kether Donohue, and Desmin Borges, to a slew of recurring favorites like Janet Varney, Todd Robert Anderson, Brandon Mychal Smith, and the bear-adjacent Allan McLeod is gathered to shoot a wedding reception as they swirl around the ballroom of a giant Silver Lake mansion decorated with ornate fixtures and lots and lots of taxidermy. Related stories 'You're the Worst' Review: A Profound Finale Proclaims the Happy Ending Is Already Here 'You're the Worst' Review: Season 5 Is Just a Show, Standing in Front of Its Viewers, Demanding to Be Acknowledged 'You're the Worst': Why Sunday Funday Had to End, According to Aya Cash, Kether Donohue and Stephen Falk Its mid-September 2018, and its here, at the 22,000-square foot historical landmark of the Paramour Estate, that Youre the Worst will end its five-season run. The locations intriguing history aside, its ties to the series run deep: Its in the heart of the East L.A. neighborhood in which Falks series is set, and its also where Falk himself got married. Now hes tossing on a suit jacket and directing his own daughter among the cast and crew of a show thats meant everything to its creator. But what has it meant to everyone else? In the age of too much TV a term coined by FX chief John Landgraf how does a show without a truckload of Emmys or a Game of Thrones-sized audience measure its impact on the culture? Whats the legacy of Youre the Worst? Its a difficult question to ask, even after the series wrapped and its creators have gone on their merry way. We wont really know until five, 10, or 20 years from now, when whoever TVs tastemakers are keep endorsing the rebellious romance between Jimmy (Geere) and Gretchen (Cash), or the fans continue watching old seasons of Falks FX rom-com on whatever platform exists then. FX, after all, is a division of Fox, which is now owned by Disney and Youre the Worst didnt even air its last four seasons on FX, but the upstart sister network FXX. Now, it may all be tied into Disney+, but where these shows exist and how people will access them for years to come remains a fluctuating mystery. Story continues Youre the Worst wasnt the longest-running comedy, or the shortest; it didnt get the best ratings, or the worst; it earned rave reviews and more skeptical assessments. But the genre-bending, oft-experimental series consistently held the respect of everyone watching. Jordan Vogt-Roberts, who directed the pilot and returned for three entries in the final season, said he doesnt know how or if TV from this era will be remembered. We live in this explosion of incredible TV, and thats great because we can all digest it and watch it in real-time, he said. But in 10 or 15 years, I dont know if anyone is going to go back and watch five seasons of not only this show, but any show. Thats such a huge investment. One way to measure a legacy is what comes next. Look at how Vogt-Roberts career has changed from the time he shot the first episode back in 2014: The director who broke out with the Sundance hit The Kings of Summer in 2013 jumped from shorts and web series to the FXX comedy and then hit blockbuster status with Kong: Skull Island. Now, hes attached to the Metal Gear Solid adaptation and an untitled monster movie with Michael B. Jordan. Hes part of the shows legacy, as is the cast: Before Youre the Worst put them in the spotlight, Cash made $200 a week performing in Lucy Thurbers Killers and Other Family in a 97-seat New York theater. She used that money to pay for weekly flights to Los Angeles, where she was recurring on the one-and-done CBS sitcom We Are Men. I was doing my play all week, and then I was flying in and flying out the same day to [play] Kal Penns wife, Cash said. Id say one to four lines, and then go. And while I was in town, one of those days I auditioned for Youre the Worst. I remember being very much like, OK, maybe Ill make a little money [acting] in my life, but I dont think Ill ever get to make money on something that Im so artistically satisfied in. Maybe I want to put my energies elsewhere and then I got to do this for five years. Geere had the longest resume coming into Youre the Worst with four seasons of the British drama Waterloo Road and recurring roles in many other U.K. series but this role introduced the actor to American audiences and Hollywood opportunities. Ive really changed a lot as a person, and that changes you as an actor as well, he said. Its crazy, the different people that we were at the time and how different we looked. Kether Donohue, who plays Gretchens best friend Lindsay in Youre the Worst, had what might be called an eclectic resume: She did the voice for Kiki Benjamin in the Tokyo manga series, Mew Mew Power, along with a dozen or so other anime roles, snagged a bit part in Pitch Perfect and was Pregnant Intern in a sketch on Late Night with Conan OBrien. She only auditioned for Youre the Worst after impressing Vogt-Roberts during a car commercial he directed. Claire Danes was in the commercial, and I played her bitchy publicist, Donohue said. And Ill never forget, she was like, Oh, were shooting here because this is where my day job is. And Im like, Oh, your day job is Homeland. My day job is very different than yours.' Lindsays friend and former friend with benefits Edgar is played by Desmin Borges, who succinctly conveys his own transformation over five seasons. I went from being a child to being an adult, he said. Since this show started, I shot the pilot and my wife and I had been dating for three weeks so I found my wife, we got engaged, we got married, we bought a house and had a baby in five years. Ive been fortunate enough that not only was [this show] the most incredible artistic and creative experience Ive ever had on camera, but it also afforded me [the opportunity] to grow exponentially as a person and put me in the best position to be a husband and a dad. Legacies are often carried on by children, and there are a lot of kids on the set. Though there are still two days left in the shoot, families arent just visiting to say goodbye. Theyre part of the show. Darrell Britt-Gipson, who plays the rapper and Gretchens client Shitstain, is trying to keep his own wee one on the dance floor. Im done, he says. You want to dance again? Britt-Gipson asks, but his son shouts No! and scampers off, only to return when A Tribe Called Quests Scenario starts blasting. Falk is bouncing between the on-set monitors, his roving cameraman capturing the cast getting down including a particularly aggressive Brandon Mychal Smith jokingly grinding against Cash, who has a hard time keeping a straight face and effortlessly grooving with his daughter, mouthing the words to the song the whole time. Nearby, Falks wife, makeup head Kristina Frisch, holds their newborn daughter, Flo. Ultimately, Falk said it was the networks decision to end Youre the Worst, but he doesnt hold an ill will about the choice. Kids would have been the focus had it gone one more season. We always knew and I said from the beginning we were going to hit the major signposts in a relationship, he said. [Marriage] is one, and kids would be the next one. But its time to look forward, and Cash, for one, said she doesnt have movie-star ambitions. I mean, its nice to come off the show and to be getting offers to do things, she said. That was not my life before, in terms of my career. And in terms of my real life, yeah, I have a financial stability that takes away so much of the anxiety that used to be there: How am I going to pay my bills? How am I going to get groceries? That is such a gift. [But] I think at a certain point in your career, you just have to pretend youre worth something even if you dont feel it inside or other people dont validate you. Certain seasons landed on plenty of critics best of lists, and the series landed two TCA Award nominations in 2015, but Youre the Worst never earned an Emmy or Golden Globe nod and live tune-ins never topped its premiere audience of 765,000. Still, the series had a clear cultural impact. Though the writers take zero credit for creating Sunday Funday, they noticed the phrase took off after they did an episode about the practice of drinking, brunching, and filling your Sunday with fun things to do. Youre the Worst also was one of the first shows to start an honest discussion about mental health on television. Gretchens struggles with clinical depression took center stage in Season 2, while Edgar addressed his PTSD (and the U.S. Armys flagging support for veterans) in Season 3. People are still very much in contact with me via social media about how thats afforded them an opportunity to talk about it, or to laugh about it, or to talk to their loved ones who are dealing with it about it, Borges said. Theres this tangible thing these people gravitate toward, which happened to be our stupid little show. As for the casts thoughts on legacy, Cash thinks Youre the Worst was part of a wave of comedies that redefined what audiences expected, in terms of tone and content. Donohue is happy that the series helped shift romantic expectations for anyone feeling like they dont fit in with Hollywoods version of love. Geere agrees, noting how he cant even read romantic-comedy scripts anymore, praising Falks empathetic writing for changing how people connect with characters. Falk speculates about things like legacy and impact. He looks at his show not only in the granular details of characters and plot, but also in the macro sense; how it fits in with TV trends, and what it can do to separate itself. Hell indulge morbid existential musings and take a stance on pertinent industry debates. But watching from his directors chair as Falk dances with his three-year-old daughter Bernadette in a scene hes directing, that he wrote, and alongside his cast, family, friends, and crew, its hard not to imagine the legacy isnt merely this: The simple joy of creating something good. Be it a little girl dancing with her father on the very spot her parents were married, or bringing bold poignancy and earnest experimentation to a TV genre in need of a shot in the arm, Youre the Worst did so much for so many people, even when considering its all relative. Youre the Worst is available to stream on FX Now. Seasons 1 4 are also streaming on Hulu. Sign up for Indiewire's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Trump tweets edited video of Joe Biden stroking his own shoulders originally appeared on abcnews.go.com President Donald Trump on Thursday tweeted what appeared to be an animated figure lurking behind the real former Vice President Joe Biden, rubbing his shoulders suggestively and sniffing his hair a jab at the extensive criticism the Democrat has faced after several women accused him of making them uncomfortable with what they considered inappropriate touching. "Welcome back, Joe!" the tweet read, which featured a video that appears to have been previously sent by another Twitter user's account. In his own two-minute video tweet earlier in the week, Biden acknowledged the controversy saying: "Social norms are changing. I understand that, and I've heard what these women are saying. Politics to me has always been about making connections, but I will be more mindful about respecting personal space in the future. That's my responsibility and I will meet it." Social norms are changing. I understand that, and I've heard what these women are saying. Politics to me has always been about making connections, but I will be more mindful about respecting personal space in the future. That's my responsibility and I will meet it. pic.twitter.com/Ya2mf5ODts Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) April 3, 2019 (MORE: Pelosi has blunt advice for Biden after 2nd woman says he made her feel 'uncomfortable') His comments netted a range of responses on social media and swift backlash. In his stepped-up damage control effort, Biden said that he has used physical touch hugs, handshakes, and hands-on shoulders as a way of showing he cares and is listening, regardless of age or gender. Story continues "Folks, in the coming month I expect to be talking about a whole lot of issues, and I'll always be direct with you. But today I want to talk about gestures of support and encouragement that I've made to women and some men that have made them uncomfortable," Biden said. "And I'll always try to be, in my career, I've always tried to make a human connection. That's my responsibility, I think. I shake hands, I hug people. I grab men and women by the shoulders and say "you can do this." And whether they're women, men, young, old, it's the way I've always been. It's the way I've tried to show I care about them and I'm listening," the 75-year-old Biden said. "It's just who I am. And I've never thought of politics as cold and antiseptic. I've always thought it about connecting with people," he continued. "I'll always believe governing quite frankly -- life for that matter -- is about connecting, about connecting with people. That won't change. But I will be more mindful and respectful of people's personal space, and that's a good thing. That's a good thing. I worked my whole life to empower women. I've worked my whole life to prevent abuse -- I've written -- and so the idea that I can't adjust to the fact that personal space is important, more important than it's ever been, is just not thinkable. I will. I will." (MORE: President Trump tees up 2020 fight with swipes at Biden during NRCC dinner ) The response comes after four women have come forward to say they felt uncomfortable after interaction they had with the former vice president. Lucy Flores, a former Nevada lawmaker, was the first woman to come forward last Friday to say Biden crossed a line when he put his hands on her shoulders, and kissed the back of her head while campaigning for her in 2014. Flores told ABC News that the interaction was "awkward and disturbing." Amy Lappos told the Hartford Currant Monday said Biden rubbed noses with her at a 2009 fundraiser when she was a congressional aide to Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn. Lappos shared her story with ABC News affiliate, WTNH, and said the action left her feeling uneasy. "It wasn't sexual I don't think, but it was incredibly uncomfortable, and it was not how he greeted the congressmen," Lappos said Monday. Two more women told the New York Times on Tuesday that they also felt uncomfortable after interactions they had with the former vice president. Caitlyn Caruso, who was 19 at the time and is a sexual assault survivor, told the Times that during an event on sexual assault at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, Biden rested his hand on her thigh, and hugged her "just a little bit too long," leaving her uncomfortable. "It doesn't even really cross your mind that such a person would dare perpetuate harm like that," Caruso told the Times. "These are supposed to be people you can trust." D.J. Hill, 59, told the paper she met Biden at a 2012 fundraiser, and recalled Biden putting his hand on her shoulder before dropping it down her back while taking a photo, leaving her "very uncomfortable." After Biden posted the video, three other women told the Washington Post they were uncomfortable during past interactions with the former Vice President. And while Biden says he understands that things are changing and that he will change his behavior, one thing left out of this video is a direct apology to the women who have come forward to share their discomfort -- something House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Tuesday that Biden needed to do. "To say I'm sorry that you were offended -- is not an apology. I'm sorry I invaded your space, but not I'm sorry you were offended," Pelosi said Tuesday during an interview with Politico. "What's that? That's not accepting the fact that people think differently about communication whether it's a handshake or a hug." Flores also tweeted a statement responding to Biden's video, calling out Biden for not issuing an apology. "I'm glad Vice President Joe Biden acknowledges that he made women feel uncomfortable with his unsolicited gestures of encouragement. Given the work he has done on behalf of women, Vice President Biden should be aware of how important it is to take personal responsibility for inappropriate behavior, and yet he hasn't apologized to the women he made uncomfortable," Flores said. "Times are changing, yes but not because once appropriate behavior is now inappropriate, but because women feel empowered to call it what it has always been--a violation of our bodily autonomy by powerful men," Flores continued. Just minutes after the Biden video was posted to Twitter, it was announced that he had added an event this Friday to his schedule -- a speech to the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Construction and Maintenance Conference in Washington. He previously wasn't scheduled to make a public appearance until April 11. Biden's video response seems to indicate how seriously the former vice president is considering a 2020 presidential run. Earlier this week, when asked how Flores' account might have impacted Biden's 2020 thinking, a source close to the former vice president told ABC News "it doesn't." House Democrats ask IRS for Trump's tax returns originally appeared on abcnews.go.com House Democrats have sent their long-anticipated request for six years of President Donald Trump's tax returns to the Internal Revenue Service, the opening salvo in what could prove an explosive battle between Democrats and the Trump administration over the presidents personal finances that is expected to wind up in the courts. In a letter to IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal, D-Mass., requested six years of Trumps personal and business tax information from 2013-2018, including individual tax returns and returns from eight businesses linked to Trump. He also asked whether any of them are or have been under audit - and for all the information to be delivered to Capitol Hill within a week. "This request is about policy, not politics; my preparations were made on my own track and timeline, entirely independent of other activities in Congress and the Administration," Neal said in a statement. PHOTO: President Donald Trump speaks at an event focused on infrastructure at the Edgar Hoover Dike on Lake Okeechobee in Florida, March 29, 2019. (Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images) Neal said that the decision to request the returns was in the interest of ensuring "the accountability of our government and elected officials. To maintain trust in our democracy, the American people must be assured that their government is operating properly, as laws intend. Democrats have said they would use Trumps tax returns to inform their investigations into allegations of corruption and wrongdoing in the administration and the presidents family business. (MORE: In pursuit of Trump's tax returns, Democrats face legal, political hurdles) The IRS declined to comment. Speaking to reporters at the White House Wednesday, Trump signaled opposition to Democrats' request. Until such time until Im not under audit I would not be inclined to do that," he said. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told lawmakers last month that the Treasury will follow the law and review any request. Trump, who has long considered any examination of his personal finances a red line for investigators, is expected to aggressively challenge Democrats request in court. Story continues Trump broke with modern precedent as a White House candidate in 2016 when he refused to release his returns, and has continued to do so while in office. Most presidents since Richard Nixon have voluntarily released their tax returns over the past 40 years, which is not required by law. (MORE: Treasury Secretary Mnuchin on turning over Trump's tax returns: 'We will follow the law') Trump has said he continues to be under audit from the Internal Revenue Service, which the agency will not confirm or deny. Trumps attorney Jay Sekulow, who worked at the IRS shortly after law school, argued that Democrats would have to demonstrate a legitimate legislative purpose for obtaining the presidents returns, and predicted the request probably gets litigated in an interview with ABC News podcast The Investigation. (MORE: Trump lawyer talks potential presidential pardons, tax returns and NY probes) Democrats requested Trumps personal tax returns under a 1924 provision of the tax code requiring the Treasury secretary to furnish any individuals tax return information to the chairs of three congressional committees upon written request. Republicans have accused Democrats of weaponizing the tax code to target Trump, and said the move would set a dangerous precedent. House Democrats have unsuccessfully tried to pass a measure requiring presidential and vice presidential candidates to release ten years of personal tax returns as part of a larger government reform package, which has stalled in the Senate. Rep. Richard Neal Letter to... by on Scribd FBI says that the person claiming to be missing teen Timmothy Pitzen is not him originally appeared on abcnews.go.com The FBI announced today that DNA testing confirms that the person found in Kentucky on Wednesday who claimed to be a missing child is not him. The man reportedly told authorities that he was Timmothy Pitzen, who was last seen when he was 6 years old and his mother took him out of school early in 2011, days before dying by suicide. FBI Louisville, FBI Cincinnati, Aurora Police Department, Newport Police Department, Cincinnati Police Department and Hamilton County Sheriff's Office have been working together on confirming the individual's identity and they announced Thursday that the DNA results indicate that the teen is not Timmothy Pitzen. PHOTO: A photo given to ABC News shows a man who was found wandering a Kentucky neighborhood on April 3, 2019, who told authorities that he was Timmothy Pitzen. Newport Police identified him as Brian Michael Rini, who is a 23-year-old from Ohio. (Obtained by ABC News) "To be clear, law enforcement has not and will not forget Timmothy, and we hope to one day reunite him with his family. Unfortunately, that day will not be today," said FBI Louisville Supervisory Special Agent Timothy Beam in a statement. According to the chief of police of Newport, Kentucky, the individual has been identified as Brian Michael Rini, who is a 23-year-old from Ohio. On Wednesday, what was then-thought to be a teenager allegedly told police that he was Timmothy Pitzen, who had been been reported missing in 2011, when he was last seen being checked out of his Aurora, Illinois, school by his mother, Amy Fry-Pitzen. Timmothy was 6 years old at the time, and the search for him and his mother spanned the region before she was found dead by suicide in a motel room in Rockford, Illinois. On Thursday, in the wake of the DNA test results, Pitzen's maternal grandmother, Alana Anderson, spoke about the devastation that their family is feeling. "It's been awful. We've been on tenterhooks," Anderson said to reporters, adding that the family has been "alternatively hopeful and frightened." (MORE: Teen claims to be Timmothy Pitzen, the Illinois 6-year-old who went missing in 2011: Police report) Story continues "It's devastating," Timmothy's aunt, Kara Jacobs, said. "It's like reliving the day all over again. Timmothy's father is devastated once again." When asked about the person who claimed to be Timmothy, Anderson said that she thinks the man "obviously had a horrible time and felt the need to say he was someone else, and [I] hope that they can find his family." They are not giving up hope that their real relative is found. "My prayer has always been that when he is old enough, he would find us if we couldn't find him," Anderson said. PHOTO: Joliet Police search Castle Rock State Park wetlands for evidence in Timmothy Pitzen's disappearance, May 19, 2011. (Chicago Tribune/TNS via Getty Images) The case has been of national interest for years as relatives held out hope he was still alive. And they had reason to believe he may still be alive: his mother left notes saying Timmothy was safe but would never be found. Days after his disappearance, Timmothy's father, Jim Pitzen, told ABC News he was convinced his son was still alive. "He's out there somewhere, and I know he's OK. I just want him to come home to his family," Pitzen said. Jim Pitzen later spoke to Crime Watch Daily in 2017, where he talked about the last time he said he saw his son. "I said 'I love you buddy,' and he said 'I love you too, Dad, and I'll see you later,' and I'm like 'OK,' and I watched him run off to class," Pitzen told the channel about the last morning he dropped his son off at school. The elder Pitzen said he returned to the school that afternoon, only to find the boy's mother had picked him up about an hour after he was dropped off, allegedly citing a family emergency. Pitzen said he called relatives -- including his in-laws -- before deciding to wait. "I was like, 'OK, she's upset at me for some reason so she'll need to cool down.' So the next morning comes around and they're still not home so I call the police department and report Amy and Timmothy missing," he told Crime Watch Daily. Timmothy Pitzen, pictured left, was last seen at a water park in Dells, Wis., May 12, 2011. Right is an age-progressed image of Pitzen. (Aurora Police Department via Center for Missing and Exploited Children) Jim Pitzen said Amy Pitzen called his brother, which seemed odd to him. His brother told him he could hear Timmothy "in the background playing or hanging out," Pitzen said. Pitzen told Crime Watch Daily his brother also noted that Amy Pitzen said, "'Timmothy is fine. Timmothy belongs to me. Timmothy and I will be fine. Timmothy is safe.'" Pitzen said he heard from police three days later that Amy Pitzen was found dead in a motel room without Timmothy, but with a suicide note. (MORE: Texas boy missing since 2017 found with father in Florida, authorities say) John Bischoff, an executive director at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, told ABC News that while every case is unique, there are a number of cases where children are found years after disappearing. The center has been involved in 50,000 to 60,000 cases in the past five years, and over 3,000 of those saw children recovered after being missing for six months or longer, he said. "In that same time-frame, we've had over 150 cases where the children were recovered after being missing for more than a decade," Bischoff said. (MORE: Jayme Closs' family releases statement a month after she escaped alleged abductor) Bischoff said that while a possible discovery is a windfall for the family, it can also be "an emotional roller coaster" for other parents whose children are missing. "I say it's a double-edged sword because yes they're excited ... but there's always some form of self-reflection where they say, 'Where's my child?' So it's a difficult road for all searching parents out there," he said. But a discovery can have positive ripple effects. "Any public engagement in any of these cases will drive additional tips and leads on cases across the board," he said. "Someone out there knows something, so it's just a matter of getting the right person to view the right image at the right time." ABC News' Katie Conway contributed to this report. Ethiopian Airlines pilots re-engaged safety system amid chaotic scene in Boeing 737 Max cockpit: Preliminary report originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Investigators in Ethiopia have released the preliminary report on the Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 crash last month that killed all 157 people on board. Prior to its release, government officials said the pilots followed all of Boeing's emergency procedures, but the report indicates the power to a problematic system that controls the plane's pitch was restored and the aircraft ultimately entered a nose dive killing everybody on board upon impact. The 33-page report indicates the pilots disengaged power to the horizontal stabilizer system approximately 2 minutes and 35 seconds into the flight. However, according to ABC News consultant and former National Transportation Safety Board Director of the Office of Aviation Safety Tom Haueter, the data recorded from the preliminary report indicates that the pilots, at some point, turned the system back on which allowed a misfiring automatic safety system to take effect. The Boeing 737 Max operations manual explains that once a pilot disengages from the stabilizer trim that they should take manual control of the aircraft and does not say to attempt to turn it back on. (MORE: Family of Ralph Nader's niece killed Ethiopian Airlines crash files the first lawsuit) Ethiopian Transport Minister Dagmawit Moges said earlier Thursday that preliminary findings from an investigation into the deadly crash show the aircraft had a valid certificate of airworthiness, the pilots were licensed and qualified to conduct the flight, and the plane's takeoff appeared to be "very normal." As the jet began nose diving, the pilots "repeatedly" performed all emergency procedures provided by Boeing, the manufacturer, but they "were not able to control the aircraft," Moges told reporters at a press conference in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa. Story continues Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 went down in clear weather in the morning on March 10, six minutes after taking off from Addis Ababa Bole International Airport. The American-made jet, carrying 149 passengers and 8 crew members, was headed to Nairobi, Kenya. Based on the initial report, Ethiopian safety investigators recommend Boeing reviews the aircraft flight control system of its new 737 Max 8 model and that aviation authorities verify the flight controllability has been adequately addressed by the manufacturer before resuming operations of this jet, according to the transport minister. The findings dispute reports of foreign object damage, referred to as FOD by Ethiopian investigators. "We did not find any information regarding the FOD (foreign object damage) on the aircraft," Amdye Andualem, chairman of Ethiopia's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau told reporters at Thursday's press conference. "The data provided by the FDR (flight data recorder) doesn't indicate that there is an FOD." Ethiopian Airlines Aviation Group CEO Tewolde GebreMariam acknowledged the preliminary report in a statement, saying the finds "clearly" show that the pilots followed instructions recommended by Boeing and approved by the United States Federal Aviation Administration. "All of us at Ethiopian Airlines are still going through deep mourning for the loss of our loved ones and we would like to express our deep sympathy and condolences for the families, relatives and friends of the victims,"GebreMariam said in the statement Thursday morning. "Meanwhile, we are very proud of our pilots' compliances to follow the emergency procedures and high level of professional performances in such extremely difficult situations." MORE: Anti-stall system was activated before Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Max crash: Sources Two aviation sources familiar with the probe told ABC News that the Ethiopian Airlines flight suffered a damaged angle-of-attack sensor upon takeoff from a bird or foreign object, triggering erroneous data and the activation an anti-stall system -- called MCAS -- sending the pitch of the plane downward and ultimately crashing into the ground. According to the sources, the pilots did not try to electronically pull the nose of the plane up before following Boeing's emergency procedures of disengaging power to the horizontal stabilizer on the rear of the aircraft. One source told ABC News they manually attempted to bring the nose of the plane back up by using the trim wheel. Soon after, the pilots restored power to the horizontal stabilizer. With power restored, the MCAS was re-engaged, the sources said, and the pilots were unable to regain control before the crash. However, preliminary findings from the Ethiopian probe dispute that there was any foreign object damage, or FOD, to the jet. "We did not find any information regarding the FOD (foreign object damage) on the aircraft," Amdye Andualem, chairman of the Ethiopian Accident Investigation Bureau told reporters at Thursday's press conference. "The data provided by the FDR (flight data recorder) doesn't indicate that there is an FOD." MORE: New details emerge about the Boeing 737 Max plane involved in Ethiopian, Lion Air crashes PHOTO: A boy look as forensic investigators comb the ground for DNA evidence near a pile of twisted airplane debris at the crash site of an Ethiopian airways operated Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, March 16, 2019, near Bishoftu in Ethiopia. (Tony Karumba/AFP/Getty Images) French and American investigators are assisting in the Ethiopian probe and at the center of it is an automated anti-stall safety system on the Boeing 737 Max 8 and its possible link to issues in the Ethiopian Airlines flight as well as a Lion Air plane crash in 2018. In both crashes, the Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft struggled to maintain a steady flight path. The planes repeatedly lost and gained altitude before entering a dive to the earth's surface. In the two incidents, a new anti-stall safety system on the Max that controls trim -- MCAS -- was activated, sources have told ABC News. Commercial airline pilots are trained to disengage the system in the event of runaway trim, when the airplane is making unexpected pitch movements. It's unknown what would have kept the pilots of the Lion Air flight from disengaging the system and trimming the aircraft. Lion Air has defended the training of its pilots. MORE: Boeing reveals proposed updates to 737 Max amid scrutiny of automated safety system In the days following the crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, airlines and aviation authorities around the world grounded the Boeing 737 Max 8. The United States was the last to do so on March 13, after the FAA concluded the refined satellite data that became available to the agency that day warranted a temporary grounding of the jet. Last week, the acting FAA administrator Daniel Elwell went to Capitol Hill to defend the government's response to the two crashes. Elwell told senators on Wednesday that while the FAA may have been among the last aviation regulators in the world to ground the Boeing 737 Max 8, the United States and Canada were the first to make a decision based on robust data from the aircraft. Boeing says it is working a software update for the automated safety system and it is expected to be approved by the FAA and offered to airline in a few weeks. The Chicago-based aircraft manufacturer has supplied more than 370 Boeing 737 Max 8 jets to 47 airlines since the model debuted in May 2017, and 72 of them are currently flying in the United States. "We urge caution against speculating and drawing conclusions on the findings prior to the release of the flight data and the preliminary report," Boeing said in a statement Wednesday. ABC News' Morgan Winsor contributed to this report. Sicily's 7 most beautiful towns and a hotel for each originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com Sicily has been the nerve center of the Mediterranean for millennia. The largest island in Italy, it once attracted ancient Greeks, Phoenicians, Arabs and Normans (to name a few of its past rulers). Today, it pulls in millions of annual tourists who come to tour world-class ruins, indulge in exceptionally fresh seafood and local wine, and see the smoke rise from the largest volcano in Europe. Exploring the sun-soaked small towns of Sicily is as essential as visiting its major attractions and tasting its distinct cuisine. From charming seaports to dazzling hilltop villages, here are some of the most beautiful towns in Sicily. Taormina PHOTO: View From Excelsior Palace Hotel in Taormina (Oyster.com) Perched on a hill overlooking the sparkling Ionian Sea, Taormina has been luring travelers with its incredible beauty for a long time. In the early 20th century, Taorminas eye appeal even convinced D.H. Lawrence, Truman Capote and Tennessee Williams to live in town for a period, and to this day, it retains a healthy dose of VIP-worthy glamour. The hilltop town is home to a Greco-Roman amphitheater from the third century B.C. and medieval palaces, including the Gothic Palazzo Duchi di Santo Stefano and the fortress-like Palazzo Corvaja. Corso Umberto, the lively main thoroughfare, is filled with restaurants, shops, and markets. Taormina is a 15-minute drive from the nature reserve of Isola Bella and a 20- to 25-minute drive from the beach resort of Giardini Naxos. Like many of Sicily's hill towns, Taormina can be challenging to traverse, especially for travelers with bad knees and low stamina. Taormina Hotel Pick: Hotel Villa Ducale (MORE: Meet the 26-year-old who scours the globe for incredible travel experiences) (MORE: Take a potcake to the beach or adopt a pup at this animal rescue in paradise) Cefalu PHOTO: Beach at Hotel Kalura in Cefalu. (Oyster.com) Cefalu is the Mediterranean beach town par excellence. Located on Sicilys northern coast, this medieval port town has prettiness to spare. Below an imposing hulk of rugged mountain, a tangle of tawny stone buildings and cobbled streets runs right up to a waterfront promenade, white sandy beach, and the brilliant teal waters of the Bay of Cefalu, where fishing boats bob up and down. Fuel up on calzone and panelle (Sicilian chickpea fritters) before climbing to the top of the spectacular La Rocca for unforgettable views of the city, sea and surrounding countryside. Later, reward yourself with grilled seafood, fresh homemade pasta and a glass of wine at one of the towns many excellent trattorias. Story continues Cefalu Hotel Pick: Calanica Residence Hotel Ragusa PHOTO: View from Antica Badia Relais Hotel in Ragusa. (Oyster.com) The first thing to know about Ragusa is that it has two distinct sides: Ragusa Superiore (upper town) and Ragusa Ibla (historic center). If atmosphere is what youre after, skip the upper town altogether and stick to the lower section, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Unlike its modern other half, Ragusa Ibla is an 18th-century jewel, with palazzos, alleys, Baroque churches (dont miss the Duomo di San Giorgio, shaped like a three-tier wedding cake) and peach-hued buildings clinging to the hillside. Your calves and knee joints will inevitably need a break from navigating the hilly streets; when the moment strikes, treat yourself to arancini and cannoli (yes, multiple) at Cantunera Ibla. Ragusa Hotel Pick: Artemisia Resort Syracuse PHOTO: Street at Algila Ortigia Charme Hotel in Syracuse. (Oyster.com) Syracuse is a small seaside town with a mighty backstory. A major player in the ancient world (rivaling Athens in size circa the fifth century B.C.), Syracuse was a critical crossroads of Magna Graecia" (or "Greater Greece) before becoming the capital of the Byzantine Empire. Today, the city is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a very worthy addition to any Sicily itinerary. Accessed by bridges, the little island of Ortygia (Syracuses old town) is landmark central -- with the UNESCO-listed Duomo and Piazza del Duomo (be sure to duck inside the church of Santa Lucia alla Badia to see a Caravaggio oil painting from 1608), as well as the Fountain of Arethusa, a freshwater spring that has made appearances in Greek myths and literature by Alexander Pope and William Wordsworth. Ortygia is also home to a daily market bustling with locals buying cheese, meat, swordfish, lemons, peaches, tomatoes, and spices. Stop by the famous sandwich counter Caseificio Borderi for a monster panini piled high with super-fresh ingredients. Syracuse Hotel Pick: Hotel Borgo Pantano Noto PHOTO: Entrance of Masseria degli Ulivi in Noto. (Oyster.com) About 30 minutes southwest of Syracuse is the small, stunning city of Noto, another UNESCO World Heritage site. Surrounded by rugged foothills (Noto is a popular home base for hikers) and sparkling beaches, the hillside town wins over visitors with its gorgeously intact, golden limestone Baroque architecture and easy, breezy seaside vibe. The centro storico (historic center) is filled with palazzos, cathedrals, churches, chapels, restaurants and cafes. The beautifully restored Palazzo di Lorenzo Castelluccio and the 18th-century iron-balcony-clad Palazzo Nicolaci are not to be missed. Indulge in a big scoop of gelato, a ricotta-and-candied-fruit-filled slice of cassata, and a creamy almond granita from Caffe Sicilia, but know that its likely that no other gelato on your vacation will compare. Noto Hotel Pick: Hotel Porta Reale Trapani PHOTO: View from Badia Nuova Residence in Trapani. (Oyster.com) History buffs will love breaking down the many layers -- Carthaginian, Roman, Vandal, Byzantine, Arab -- of this ancient city on Sicilys west coast. The lovely port, set on a peninsula below Mount Erice (a favorite hiking destination), Trapani offers a fascinating mix of crystal-clear beaches and narrow city streets packed with Sicilian Baroque and medieval architecture. Seafood restaurants and lively wine bars are plentiful (try the fried calamari and fish couscous at 'A NASSA Seafood), and the Trapani Salt Pans Natural Reserve (and Salt Museum set in a 300-year-old salt mill) makes an excellent excursion. Ferries to the Egadi Islands and Pantelleria depart from Trapani frequently during the high season. Trapani Hotel Pick: Residence La Gancia Modica PHOTO: Courtyard of Villa Quartarella in Modica. (Oyster.com) Sicily rivals Tuscany when it comes to dramatic hilltop towns. Built atop a rocky hill, the UNESCO-listed town of Modica is famous for its chocolate-making history and densely clustered Sicilian Baroque buildings. (Like Ragusa, Modica is split into two parts: upper and lower. Modica's upper section is the older of the two.) The vertical nature of Modica is best illustrated by the Cathedral of San Giorgio and its 300 front steps -- especially beautiful when lit up at night. Other landmarks to discover via the towns steep staircases and twisting streets include the Castle of the Counts, the cave church Chiesa di San Nicolo Inferiore, and the pretty little Chiesa di San Pietro. After climbing up to the highest point for breathtaking views of the countryside, reward yourself with a cup of smooth hot chocolate and a pistachio cannolo from Antica Dolceria Bonajuto, Modicas oldest chocolate shop. Modica Hotel Pick: Hotel Palazzo Failla FERGUSON, Mo. (AP) Michael Brown's mother was defeated Tuesday in her bid for a seat on the City Council in Ferguson, Missouri, where her son died in a police shooting that helped give rise to the national Black Lives Matter movement. Lesley McSpadden finished third in a three-way race in Ferguson's 3rd Ward. Unofficial St. Louis County election results show the winner was Fran Griffin. The race also featured Keith Kallstrom, who was the incumbent. "I congratulate Fran on her victory. I feel proud of the positive race we ran, and I loved talking to the Ferguson community," McSpadden said late Tuesday night in an emailed statement. "Tomorrow, the work continues and I intend to be a part of it no matter my position. I'm not going anywhere." Brown, a black 18-year-old, was fatally shot by white Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson on Aug. 9, 2014, touching off months of protests and violence. Wilson claimed he was forced to shoot when the unarmed Brown came at him menacingly after attacking the officer during a street confrontation. A St. Louis County grand jury's November 2014 decision not to indict Wilson sparked renewed unrest in the St. Louis suburb, where two-thirds of the 21,000 residents are black. "I wanted to go back and do something right in a place that did something so very wrong to my son, and I think that's what my son would want as well," McSpadden, 39, said in an interview with The Associated Press prior to the election. She had pledged to make police accountability one of her top priorities. McSpadden, who spelled her first name "Lezley" for an autobiography but said she otherwise goes by Lesley, was new at being a candidate but has been at the edge of politics since her son's death. She's been front and center in the national Black Lives Matter movement. She endorsed Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in early 2016, at a time when Clinton was fending off a primary challenge from Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. Story continues She was among seven "Mothers of the Movement" who appeared on stage at the Democratic National Convention in 2016. Those mothers lost children in police shootings, in police custody or from gun violence. Also in 2016, McSpadden testified in favor of a Missouri Senate bill aimed at increasing use of police body cameras. In the aftermath of Brown's death, Ferguson's criminal justice system drew heavy criticism for its treatment of poor and minority residents. Police were accused of singling out blacks for unnecessary traffic stops and harassing them on the street. The municipal court was accused of heaping on fines for minor offenses. While the U.S. Department of Justice also found no grounds to prosecute Wilson, the agency's blistering report of the police and municipal court practices led to a consent agreement requiring reforms that are still being implemented. McSpadden's campaign drew skepticism from some in Ferguson. LaTasha Brown, president of the Southeast Ferguson Neighborhood Association, said she was concerned that McSpadden mostly campaigned from afar rather than getting in touch with the community. "The 3rd Ward needs somebody who's going to mingle with the people," Brown said. "You can't make change from a distance. If you don't know what your constituents are going through, if you're not there to hear what they're saying, how can you lead these people and make decisions for these people?" Griffin did not immediately return a phone call for comment Tuesday night. Both she and Kallstrom have long been active in Ferguson. Griffin has served on several boards and commissions, including serving on the city's Parks and Recreation Board. Kallstrom was a councilman for 10 years, took seven years off, then won three-year terms in 2013 and 2016. McSpadden said she moved to Ferguson a year ago from a neighboring community specifically to run for the council. "I wanted to come back to a place that caused me so much pain and did me so wrong, and to do something right," McSpadden told the AP. Ashley Pizzuti | pizzuticuties.com April 4, 2019 Liz Smith always knew she wanted to be a mom, but she didn't know the child she was destined to parent was a patient inside the hospital where she worked. It was two years ago that Smith, director of nursing at Franciscan Children's hospital in Brighton, Massachusetts, first saw baby Gisele. The tiny 8-month-old was being treated for neonatal abstinence syndrome, a group of conditions that occur as a result of a mother using narcotics during pregnancy. Smith, then 43, bonded with Gisele instantly, and when she discovered no one had come to see the tot for five whole months, she started visiting her daily. Gisele, who was born prematurely at another hospital in July 2016, required a feeding tube and was transferred to Franciscan Children's for specialized care. The little girl was a ward of the state, and social service workers were trying to place her in foster care, the Washington Post reported. Smith hadn't really considered fostering or adoption, but the moment she laid eyes on Gisele, that all changed. "I'm going to foster this baby," she recalled saying on the drive home from the hospital. "I'm going to be her mother. Ashley Pizzuti | pizzuticuties.com Smith put in a request to foster Gisele, and three weeks later, she received permission to bring her home. But the goal was to reunite the baby with her birth parents. That meant Gisele's parents had weekly visits that were supervised by the Department of Children and Family Services. After a few months, these visits became less frequent, and the state terminated their parental rights. "When I got the call that the parents' rights were terminated, I imagined that it would be a day of relief," Smith said in an article shared on the Franciscan Children's website. "And it was a day I was really sad. I was really happy. But I was really sad for them. I was gaining her but they were losing her. And to try to battle addiction and being a mom, that's impossible." Story continues So Smith moved forward with the adoption process, and on October 18 of last year, her family gathered at the courthouse to finalize Gisele's adoption. The judge praised Smith, telling her, "When a judge walks in the room, everyone stands out of respect. But today I stand in respect for you, Liz because you deserve the respect from this room. A birthing day is a miracle. But adopting a child from miles away is destiny. That's what brought you two together." Ashley Pizzuti | pizzuticuties.com Gisele is now 2 years old and thriving. She still gets most of her nutrition from a feeding tube, but she has developed a taste for pizza and avocados. "If you told me a year ago she would be asking for pizza I would not have believed you," Smith said. "She's doing remarkable, it's just a slow progression, but in the right direction." And Smith couldn't be happier to see her daughter growing and doing so well. "The experience of being a mom is like nothing I could've imagined," she told Today. "Every day there's something different about Gisele, and it's just an experience that you can't even describe." Photo credit: . From Town & Country Update: 5/6/2019: This morning, Buckingham Palace confirmed that the Duchess of Sussex is in labor. Over the past few decades, it's become expected for royal babies to be photographed in their mothers' arms just hours after birth. But Meghan and Harry are breaking from that tradition, and will not have a photocall directly outside the hospital, or wherever Meghan chooses to give deliver. According to a statement in April from the royal family, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, "have taken a personal decision to keep plans around the arrival of their new baby quiet. The Duke and Duchess look forward to sharing the exciting news with everyone once they have had an opportunity to celebrate privately as a new family." Original: 4/4/2019: Shortly after Prince Louis was born last spring, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge exited the iconic doors of the Lindo Wing at St. Mary's Hospital Paddington to introduce their newborn son to the world's media for the first time. They posed for a few minutes, as a sea of photographers, reporters, and news crews captured history in the making. But as the royals smiled and waved for the cameras, William pointed out one photographer in particular, Arthur Edwards, the royal photographer for The Sun, saying "There's Arthur, there he is." Edwards has been photographing the royal family for more than four decades, and Prince William grew up seeing him on a regular basis. His familiarity with the royal family is well known: "Other photographers always want to stand next to me because they always think that might happen," Edwards sheepishly tells T&C over the phone. Edwards, in fact, was there for Prince William's first Lindo Wing portrait-the one he took with his parents. "Ive been covering him all his life, from when he started nursery school all through, right to when he got married," Edwards says. "I photographed William when he came out of hospital in his mothers arms." Story continues He has photographed eight royal births, and watched as the tradition of posing for photos outside the hospital took root. While Princess Diana wasn't the first royal to give birth in a hospital-and she wasn't even the first royal to be photographed leaving a hospital with a newborn-she was the first royal to deliver an heir in the hospital, and that changed everything in the 1980s. Photo credit: Tim Graham - Getty Images "There was fascination, and so of course hoards of photographers and the media were all outside waiting for her to leave with William," explains royal commentator Victoria Arbiter. "It really offered an opportunity to capture a moment in history. There is the future heir Prince Charles with his wife walking out with the future, future heir." From there, it became a modern tradition for new royal mothers to give the world a glimpse of their babies right outside the hospital doors. "It's interesting when you think about thousand years of royal history, this is only two generations that have done this," Arbiter muses. "In this media-dominated world, its definitely something weve come to expect." But over the past 36 years, the magnitude with which these moments are captured and broadcast around the world has changed enormously. "With [Prince William's birth], there were two TV crews, the BBC and ITV, about 20 photographers, and about five or six reporters. When Harry came out of the hospital two years later, there were about another five more photographers," Edwards recalls. "When William carried out his eldest son George, there was 300 yards of media." Photo credit: JUSTIN TALLIS - Getty Images Those reporters represented outlets from around the world. "There was a massive, massive media crowd. All the television networks were there, with an easy way to distribute news," Edwards says. "Every American network there; every Australian network there; there were New Zealand networks there; there were Mexican networks; there were Greek networks there. Everybody was there." As the crowd of reporters grew, so did the number of photographs they were taking. "As soon as those press pens were introduced, there were a lot of photographers there, but of course, theyre shooting film, so you only have thirty-six exposures," explains Bob Ahern, the director of archive for Getty Images. "When youre talking about today, youre talking about thousands of pictures." And as technology advances, it's changing the type of images photographers try to capture. Edwards's ideal picture is still "both the Duke and the Duchess holding the baby, looking straight at me," but there's also a desire for close-ups of the newborn, along with style-focused shots of the Duchess's outfit, and images of the royals as they get into the car. Photo credit: Max Mumby/Indigo - Getty Images "You have to get that great shot thats going to be on the front cover of the worlds papers the next day, but I think in and around that, theres just as much interest in scrolling through galleries of how the day unfolded," Ahern says. "We want to know every detail, right? We want to know who makes the car seat that William uses. We want to know how Kate styled her hair. We want to know what the baby was wrapped in, all those little details. Its an exponential interest. Its kind of incredible, really." And of course, now that everyone has a camera in their pocket at all times, royal fans are known to camp out outside the hospital, hoping to capture their own photos of the special day. "I think the desire to participate is at its kind of peak. I think its a wonderful thing, but I don't think it changes what a professional photographer does," Ahern says. Photo credit: Peter Macdiarmid - Getty Images As the Duchess of Sussex's due date draws near, it's unclear which hospital she will give birth in (or indeed, if she will opt for a home birth). Whether Meghan, Harry, and their new baby will pose for a portrait on their way out the door is an unknown factor as well. Victoria Arbiter thinks they will, if only to quell the rabid interest in unsanctioned pictures. "If I were a betting person, I would think Meghan and Harry would stop for a photograph because by standing and giving the press what they need in that photograph and in that moment, it reduces the value of any kind of paparazzi pictures," she says. "That first photograph has the potential to be incredibly valuable. Which is when you see royals take control of the narrative. And they say, 'Well give you this picture but in exchange youve got to leave us alone and respect our privacy.'" But she says there's still a chance they might want to protect their newborn from scrutiny. Photo credit: Neil Mockford - Getty Images "Bless this babys little heart because its a huge historical burden to carry, but the child happens to be the first mixed race heritage baby in the royal family. That is very exciting, thats reflecting society as it is today. But as I say, that is also a tremendous historical burden for that little baby to have on his or her shoulders," she says. "Harry and Meghan are going to be keen to protect that baby." Edwards is hoping for a photograph as well, but Harry and Meghan are known to break tradition. "Ive asked the question and Ive got no answers, so I dont know," he says, when asked if he thinks Harry and Meghan will pose for a few snaps with their newborn outside the hospital. "I photographed Harry coming out of that hospital in his mothers arms, and I hope to photograph Harrys baby when coming out in Harrys arms," Edwards says. "But Harry might do it differently. He may have his own plans. Well know soon enough." ('You Might Also Like',) (Adds quotes, details; paragraph 3 onwards) BEIJING, March 26 (Reuters) - A Chinese court on Tuesday jailed the former chief internet regulator, Lu Wei, for 14 years, having found the once influential official guilty of taking bribes worth almost $5 million. Lu, one of numerous senior officials caught up in President Xi Jinping's sweeping anti-graft campaign, had already been expelled from the ruling Communist Party, which tightly controls the courts. At the height of his influence, Lu, a colorful and often brash official by Chinese standards, was seen as emblematic of pervasive internet controls, although his downfall has not brought a reversal of those policies. The court, in the eastern city of Ningbo, said in a statement that Lu had accepted the verdict and would not appeal. Lu, 59, pleaded guilty in October after prosecutors had accused him of abusing his power in various government posts over 15 years, including as the head of the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC). Between 2002 and 2017, he received illicit assets from government units or individuals worth more than 32 million yuan ($4.77 million), the court said in the statement. He had "shown repentance" and "actively returned" most of the money and property, it added. Reuters could not reach Lu in jail to seek comment, and it is unclear who acts as his lawyer. Lu worked his way up though China's official Xinhua news agency before becoming head of propaganda in Beijing and then moving to internet work in 2013. He became a deputy propaganda minister after being replaced at the internet regulator. Under Lu, the regulator did not carry out Xi's instructions in a timely or resolute fashion, China's anti-corruption watchdog has said. The government blocks websites it deems a challenge to party rule or a threat to stability, from foreign social media platforms and news outlets to sites such as Google's main search engine and Gmail service. Story continues Organizers of China's first World Internet Conference in 2014, set up under Lu to promote Beijing's vision of internet governance, irked foreign tech firms by seeking their agreement on a last-minute declaration on "internet sovereignty." Tech industry representatives declined to sign, and rights groups condemned it as a bid to undermine internet freedom. When Lu visited Facebook Inc's U.S. campus in 2014, he was greeted in Mandarin by Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of the social networking site that has long been blocked in China, a Chinese government website has said. Lu had vociferously defended China's internet curbs. In 2015, he told reporters: "Indeed, we do not welcome those that make money off China, occupy China's market, even as they slander China's people. These kinds of websites I definitely will not allow in my house." ($1=6.7132 Chinese yuan renminbi) (Reporting by Michael Martina and Ben Blanchard; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) Bobby Berks clientele list just got a whole lot more political. Queer Eyes resident decor expert lit up Twitter late Monday night when he sent a playful message to Washington, D.C., darling Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, offering up his decorating services. Hey @AOC! Im in DC all week girl! Put me to work! he wrote. Have time will work for democracy! Several hours later, Ocasio-Cortez responded in the affirmative, inviting Berk over to her D.C. office. Swing by our office! she tweeted. Weve barely had time to hang anything up, three of my staffers are expecting babies, and weve got a bach pad/warehouse type situation out here. SOS! The congresswoman added that the only redeeming factor of the office thus far is a rainbow of positive post-its on our wall. (In February, Ocasio-Cortez shared a photo of the Post-Its covering the walls just outside of her office, with the caption RIP our post-it wall. We were told it had to be taken down So we moved it inside instead.) Berk has plans to make big changes to the space. "I see her office as looking like Olivia Popes place: something chic and modern but also highly functional. I know she works long hours, so Id want it to be a place that she loves coming to and feels comfortable in, he tells Architectural Digest. I love that so many people leave her Post-It notes, so Id like to create a dedicated space for all of her well-wishers to share their thoughts and messages. To me, AOC is our white-hat wearer. Id really want to design a space she not only adores but feels productive in and that can support all of the great work she is doing for our country. Story continues According to Roll Call, when new lawmakers move into an office in Washington, D.C., the Chief Administrative Officer and the Architect of the Capitol provide them with the bare essentials. They are, however, entitled to small changes to spruce up or personalize their office, including a new paint jobthough the color offerings leave much to be desired: beige, eggshell, light blue, light gray, or light yellow. Last month, Ocasio-Cortez shared a snapshot from within her office back in Queens, New York, showing off the newly installed whiteboard that dominates the majority of the light pinkhued wall. Little ones in the family visited me at work today & broke in the new whiteboard wall, she captioned the photo. Two large images of the people of her district are tacked up alongside the board. Hopefully, Berk's sharp eye will help bring some similarly colorful, functional, and chic aesthetics to Ocasio-Cortez's D.C. office. Algiers (AFP) - Algerians are planning mass protests Friday in a key test of whether they can keep up the pressure for sweeping reforms following ailing president Abdelaziz Bouteflika's resignation. Opponents of the old regime have taken to social media calling for a massive turnout, targeting a triumvirate they dub the "3B" -- Abdelakder Bensalah, Tayeb Belaiz and Prime Minister Noureddine Bedoui. The Bouteflika regime stalwarts have been entrusted to oversee the political transition after the veteran leader finally stepped down at the age of 82. Bouteflika quit late Tuesday after weeks of demonstrations against his bid for a fifth term in office. He had lost the backing of key loyalists including armed forces chief Ahmed Gaid Salah. Bensalah, speaker of the upper house of parliament for 16 years, is to take the reins as interim president for three months until elections are organised. Belaiz, a minister for 16 years, was named by Bouteflika as head of the Constitutional Council which regulates elections. Bedoui, until his appointment as prime minister, had served as interior minister -- or, as the French-language El Watan newspaper put it on Thursday, "chief engineer of electoral fraud". Critics say all three have always been faithful Bouteflika servants, who should follow his lead and resign. Lawyer Mustapha Bouchachi, one of the leading voices of the protest movement, urged Algerians to continue protesting "until they have all gone". "Our victory is partial," he said in a video posted online. "Algerians will not accept that symbols of the regime... lead the interim period and organise the next elections." "These symbols of the regime cannot be part of the solution and we have been demanding since February 22 that the whole system, its symbols and its clients, leave," he added. "The president's resignation does not mean that we have actually won." - 'Delicate phase' - Story continues Protesters are calling for transitional institutions to be set up to implement reforms and guarantee free elections. Hamza Meddeb, an independent analyst in Tunisia, said Algeria was entering "a very delicate phase, because the street and the institutions are at risk of diverging". He said the only winner of this tussle would be Bouteflika and his entourage. But Geneva-based political scientist Hasni Abidi said "the Algerian street has become has become a new player" in the country's politics. Little was known, however, about the army's intentions, he said. Algerian newspapers have also focused on the role of the military in the transition period. The French daily Le Soir d'Algerie asked how the armed forces would react in the event of continuing protests. It asked: "will the military institution put all its weight into imposing strict compliance with the constitution... or push for another consensual political outcome?" "How to use the transition," read a headline in El Watan, next to a drawing of General Gaid Salah, with a whistle in his mouth, leading protesters down a path dubbed "constitutional order". Despite abandoning Bouteflika, the army chief is still seen among protesters as one of the key members of the "system" after the president appointed him to the post in 2004. Liberte, another newspaper, said many Algerians saw Gaid Salah as having backed Bouteflika almost to the end, "even endorsing the option of a fifth term, and only broke away after the street scuttled him." "After the Bouteflika clan, it will be the turn of the armed forces chief to face the street," it said. Photo credit: Alberto Gennari From Popular Mechanics Speaking to the Earth's incredible biodiversity, scientists have discovered that Cetaceans, the infraorder of aquatic mammals that includes a variety of dolphins and whales, originated from a small, four-legged, hoofed ancestor that could walk on land as well as swim. Found amidst 42.6-million-year-old marine sediments along the coast of Peru, the ancient creature, named Peregocetus pacificus, rewrites the history of what is known about ancient cetaceans. While it was previously known that whales descended from land-based animals like the Ambulocetidae, these animals all existed in the Atlantic, often near the area now known as Pakistan. "This is the first indisputable record of a quadrupedal whale skeleton for the whole Pacific Ocean, probably the oldest for the Americas, and the most complete outside India and Pakistan," says Olivier Lambert of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, speaking in a press statement. Photo credit: G. Bianucci The origins of the discovery of the four-legged whale date back to 2011, when study co-author Mario Urbina of Museo de Historia Natural-UNMSM, Peru, was part of an international team that discovered P. pacificus, whose name translates from Latin to mean "the traveling whale that reached the Pacific." "When digging around the outcropping bones, we quickly realized that this was the skeleton of a quadrupedal whale, with both forelimbs and hind limbs," Lambert says. A study regarding the discovery of the creature was published in the journal Current Biology. The sediment layers where the skeleton was positioned, known as microfossils, were crucial to determining the quadrupedal whale's age, around 42.6 million years ago. That would place it during the Eocene era, a time with unusually warm waters. Scientists say that the Eocene was "the last time that the Earth experienced a truly greenhouse climate," with heated waters that could offer an advantage to a warm-blooded swimming animal. Story continues Tail included, the P. pacificus was likely around 13 feet (4 meters) long. Details in the skeleton, like the tail, suggest a great maneuverability on both land and sea. Certain parts of the tail call to mind the tails of otters and beavers, meaning that it's likely the tails played a large role in swimming. Scientists believe that the creatures originated off the western coast of the African continent, and traveled along westward surface currents to reach South America. They were also helped by the fact that the two land masses were only half the distance apart that they are currently. "We will keep searching in localities with layers as ancient, and even more ancient, than the ones of Playa Media Luna, so older amphibious cetaceans may be discovered in the future," Lambert says. Scientists believe that the ancient land whales could have gotten as far as North America, meaning that the hunt is on once again. Source: Cell Press ('You Might Also Like',) President Donald Trump has been threatening to close off the border between Mexico and the United States in response to migrants and asylum seekers. While the implications for the nations immigration policy would be dramatic as well as the impact on five million American manufacturing jobs, one issue has really captured national attention: Americas steady supply of avocados could be at risk. Holy lack-of-guacamole, Stephen Colbert said on Monday nights episode of The Late Show. What are we supposed to put on our toast now? Jelly? You go to Concord Grape hell, old man. Colbert wasnt done with the subject, though. On Tuesday nights episode, The Late Show unveiled a trailer for a new movie that paints a bleak picture of an avocado-less America. In Mad Guac: The Avocado Warrior, renegade gangs of health conscious millennials roam the landscape looking for green gold. Its a dismal glimpse of the all too possible, very near future. While late night jokes about an avocado shortage, Americans eat more fresh avocados (7.5 pounds) per capita each year than they do peaches, pears, plums, prunes and nectarines combined, The Washington Post reports, adding that avocados make up 6 percent of the amount of fresh fruit the average American eats in a given year. When word of Trumps threat spread, the price of Mexican Hass avocados jumped 34 percent on Tuesday. Barcelona (AFP) - Catalonia's separatist president, who has lacked a majority in the regional parliament since October, was under pressure Thursday from opposition parties to call snap polls in the Spanish region. The 135-seat Catalan regional parliament approved a non-binding motion criticising Quim Torra's "ineffectiveness" and demanding that he "immediately face a no-confidence motion or call elections" by a slim margin of 62 votes in favour and 61 against. The motion was backed by parties that oppose independence for the wealthy northeastern region while radical separatist parties abstained from voting. Torra ruled out both options. "We continue to govern with all our republic ambition intact," he wrote on Twitter. His coalition government, made up of Catalonia's two main separatist parties, JxC (Together for Catalonia) and ERC (Republican Left of Catalonia), has been strained by difference over strategy, loss of support and an inability to pass a budget for 2019. The separatist block lost its absolute majority in the Catalan parliament in October 2018 after several lawmakers who were charged over Catalonia's failed attempt to break away from Spain in 2017 were suspended. Torra has managed to pass only two laws and five decrees in the Catalan regional parliament since he took office in May 2018. "We have a government that does not govern... They don't have a majority and have declined to present a budget," said the spokeswoman for the opposition Socialists in the Catalan parliament, Eva Granados. While Catalan far-left separatist party CUP abstained from voting on the motion, it too demanded fresh elections and blasted Torra for not taking steps towards achieving Catalan independence. Torra was picked for the post by his predecessor Carles Puigdemont, who fled Spain shortly after the Catalan parliament declared independence to no effect following in October 2017 a banned independence referendum. Story continues He had vowed to resume the path to independence but has made little progress with the movement deeply divided between those who back a unilateral declaration of independence and others who call for dialogue with Spain's central government. Torra has instead focused on symbolic fights such as his recent refusal to remove pro-independence symbols from Catalan regional government buildings ahead of a general election in Spain on April 28 as ordered by the countrys electoral board. Public prosecutors last week filed a criminal lawsuit against Torra for disobedience over the affair. If he is convicted he could be dismissed and barred from holding public office. Paris (AFP) - Cats are able to distinguish their own names from other similar-sounding words, even when said by strangers, according to new research released Thursday. While dogs' ability to respond to verbal commands from humans has been known for centuries, much less is understood about how cats react to spoken cues. Researchers in Japan decided to test how well cats are able to distinguish the meanings of words that sound similar to each other. They studied 78 cats from households and a cat cafe and found most were able to recognise their own names from other words that had the same length and stress -- even when an unfamiliar person was speaking. "Many cat owners know that cats understand their own names," said Atsuko Saito, from Sophia University's Department of Psychology, told AFP. "However, there is no scientific evidence about that ability. And people who have no experience keeping cats do not know about the cats' high cognitive ability. "They seem to associate their name to some rewards or punishments. This is a natural and general learning ability in animals," added Saito, lead author of the study published in the Nature journal Scientific Reports. In the test scenarios, Saito and her colleagues read each cat a series of like-sounding words followed by the cat's name. They then measured the cats' responsiveness to each, including ear, head or tail movement as well as movement towards the person speaking. Both household and cafe cats showed a similar ability in differentiating their names from general words. However the cafe cats were less able to distinguish their own names from those of other cats. This might be because they frequently heard their own name alongside others, and had learned to associate all those names with reward or punishment. "There are so many studies about dog ability to communicate with humans," said Saito, who has a male cat, Okara. "We think it is important to show cats' ability. This will help to make both cat and human welfare better." WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives will sue to block President Donald Trump's transfer of money to pay for a border wall along the border with Mexico, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Thursday. The Republican president in February declared a national emergency at the border to secure the money that Congress refused to give him for the wall. "The President's action clearly violates the Appropriations Clause by stealing from appropriated funds, an action that was not authorized by constitutional or statutory authority," Pelosi, the top Democrat in Congress, said in a statement. She said a congressional legal advisory group voted to authorize the lawsuit. In a stinging rebuke, the Democratic-controlled House passed legislation to terminate the emergency Trump declared at the U.S.-Mexico border but Trump issued the first veto of his presidency in March to block that measure. "The House will once again defend our Democracy and our Constitution, this time in the courts," Pelosi said in a statement. "No one is above the law or the Constitution, not even the President." U.S. Attorney General William Barr said the presidents emergency declaration was legal. (Reporting by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and James Dalgleish) By Tim Kelly and Naomi Tajitsu TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese prosecutors arrested Carlos Ghosn again on Thursday on suspicion the former Nissan boss had tried to enrich himself at the automaker's expense, in another dramatic twist that his lawyers said was an attempt to muzzle him. The arrest, which legal experts not connected to the case described as highly rare for someone already released on bail, marks the fourth time that prosecutors have arrested the once-feted executive, a scandal that has rocked the global auto industry and shined a harsh light on Japan's judicial system. Tokyo prosecutors said Ghosn had caused Nissan Motor Co $5 million in losses over a 2-1/2-year period to July 2018, in breach of his legal duties to the company and with the goal of personal gain. The Kyodo news agency reported that the losses involved the shifting of funds through a dealer in Oman to the account of a company Ghosn effectively owned. The agency did not cite any sources. Ghosn, who holds French, Lebanese and Brazilian citizenship, called on the French government for help. "I am innocent," Ghosn said in an interview aired on Thursday with French TV stations TF1 and LCI. "I call on the French government to defend me, and to defend my rights as a citizen." It was not clear where the interview was recorded. France's finance minister said Ghosn must have the presumption of innocence and was getting consular protection. His lead lawyer, Junichiro Hironaka, said prosecutors wanted to silence Ghosn who on Wednesday tweeted plans to hold his first press conference on April 11. "The intent of the prosecutors is to pressure Ghosn, and to stop him from speaking freely," Hironaka said, adding that access to what they saw as additional evidence was also a likely motive behind the latest arrest. The additional charge would likely prolong Ghosn's trial, which is expected to begin later this year, Hironaka said, adding that loss of access to Ghosn's trial-related documents could put his client at a disadvantage in fighting his case. Prosecutors confiscated Ghosn's mobile phone, documents, notebooks and diaries, he said, along with Ghosn's wife's passport and mobile phone. Hironaka said he would release a video statement Ghosn had planned to deliver at the April 11 news conference, without saying when. An official for the Tokyo prosecutors' office told reporters on Thursday that authorities feared Ghosn would destroy evidence. The official declined to comment when asked about the confiscation of Ghosn's wife's possessions. FINANCIAL MISCONDUCT CHARGES More than a dozen officials from the prosecutor's office had visited Ghosn's residence early on Thursday and asked him to submit to questioning, broadcaster NHK said. By late morning, Japanese media said he had been taken back to the detention center where he spent 108 days after being first arrested in November. Nissan said it could not comment on judicial decisions. Ghosn faces charges of financial misconduct and aggravated breach of trust over allegedly failing to report around $82 million in salary and temporarily transferring personal financial losses onto Nissan's books during the financial crisis. Released on $9 million bail on March 6, the executive says he is the victim of a boardroom coup. Under Japanese law, prosecutors will be able to hold him for up to 22 days without charge. The fresh arrest opens up the possibility that he will be interrogated again without his lawyer present, as is the norm in Japan. Such procedures have focused much attention in the West on Japan's judicial system, which critics sometimes refer to as "hostage justice", because defendants who deny their charges are often not granted bail. "It's uncommon for someone to be re-arrested a month after being granted bail. In most cases, re-arrest would occur immediately following bail," said Nobuo Gohara, a lawyer who heads Gohara Compliance and Law Office, which is not involved in the Ghosn case. "Multiple arrests suggest that the prosecutor may be concerned about their chances of winning a guilty verdict." INTERNAL INVESTIGATION Nissan late last year expanded its internal investigation into possible financial misconduct related to its business in the Middle East, India and elsewhere. Sources told Reuters this week that French automaker and Nissan partner Renault SA had alerted French prosecutors after uncovering suspect payments to a Renault-Nissan business partner in Oman while Ghosn was chief executive. Evidence sent to French prosecutors showed that much of the cash was subsequently channeled to a Lebanese company controlled by Ghosn associates, the sources said. Ghosn's French lawyer has denied the allegations. Nissan had previously established its own regional subsidiary made questionable payments of more than $30 million to the Oman distributor, Suhail Bahwan Automobiles (SBA). Ghosn's spokesman has said payments of $32 million made over nine years were rewards for the Oman firm being a top Nissan dealer. Such dealer incentives were not directed by Ghosn and the funds were not used to pay any personal debt, the spokesman said. Reuters has not been able to reach SBA for comment on the matter. (Additional reporting by Malcolm Foster, Ami Miyazaki, Maki Shiraki, Linda Sieg and Billy Mallard in Tokyo and Paris bureau; Writing by David Dolan and Chang-Ran Kim; Editing by Stephen Coates and Muralikumar Anantharaman) By Jason Neely ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - Ethiopian Airlines' doomed 737 MAX jet hit excessive speed and was forced downwards by a wrongly-triggered automation system as pilots wrestled to regain control, a preliminary report into the crash that has shaken the aviation world showed on Thursday. Three times the captain, Yared Getachew, cried "pull up", before the Boeing Co plane plunged into a field six minutes after takeoff from Addis Ababa, killing all 157 passengers and crew, said the report by Ethiopian investigators. The March 10 disaster, and parallels with another 737 MAX crash in Indonesia last October in which 189 people died, has led to the worldwide grounding of Boeing's flagship model. It has also brought uncomfortable scrutiny over new software, pilot training and regulatory rigor. The report leaves unanswered questions, aviation experts said, over whether crew followed guidance not to restore power to a troublesome anti-stall system following sensor damage, possibly caused by a bird strike. The plane was also left at unusually high thrust throughout the flight, data suggested. While the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority's Accident Prevention and Investigation Bureau had a remit to investigate rather than blame, it implicitly pointed the finger at Boeing by defending the pilots, recommending the U.S. company fix its control systems, and saying regulators must be certain before allowing the MAX back in the air. "The crew performed all the procedures repeatedly provided by the manufacturer but was not able to control the aircraft," Transport Minister Dagmawit Moges told a news conference. "Since repetitive uncommanded aircraft nose down conditions are noticed ... it is recommended that the aircraft control system shall be reviewed by the manufacturer." Boeing, the world's biggest planemaker and one of the United States' most important exporters with a $500 billion order book for the MAX, says a new software fix for its MCAS anti-stall system will enable pilots to always override if necessary. Responding to the preliminary report, Boeing Chief Executive Officer Dennis Muilenburg said: "As pilots have told us, erroneous activation of the MCAS function can add to what is already a high workload environment." "It's our responsibility to eliminate this risk. We own it and we know how to do it," Muilenburg said in a statement. FRAGMENTS IN A CRATER According to the preliminary report, an alarm indicating excess speed was heard on the cockpit voice reporter as the jet reached 500 knots (575 miles per hour) - well above operational limits. The plane had faulty "angle of attack" sensor readings, its nose was pushed down automatically, and the crew lost control despite following recommended instructions, it said. "Most of the wreckage was found buried in the ground," the report said, indicating the strength of the impact on an arid field in an agricultural zone. No bodies were recovered, only charred fragments among the debris in a crater. A final report by Ethiopian authorities aided by air-safety experts from the United States and Europe is due to be published within a year. Boeing has seen billions wiped off its market value since the crash, but its shares rose 2.9 percent on Thursday. Morgan Stanley said the report of flight control problems, which Boeing was already trying to fix, meant a "worst case scenario" of a new cause was probably off the table. The software update "along with the associated training and additional educational materials that pilots want in the wake of these accidents, will eliminate the possibility of unintended MCAS activation and prevent an MCAS-related accident from ever happening again," Muilenburg's statement said. Families of the victims, regulators and travellers around the world have been waiting to find out to what extent Boeing technology or the pilots' actions played a role. The preliminary report into the crash of a Lion Air 737 MAX in Indonesia suggested pilots also lost control after grappling with the MCAS software, a new automated anti-stall feature that repeatedly lowered the nose based on faulty sensor data. "Whatever the issues were, they better be 110 percent sure about their resolution, otherwise the 157 lives lost would have been for nothing if something like this happens again," said one woman, who lost her father in the Ethiopian crash, asking not to be identified. "This is a lesson to not take shortcuts in order to try and save bucks." 'PROFITS OVER SAFETY'? The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration regulator, under fire for its certification of the MAX, cautioned the inquiry was not over. "As we learn more about the accident and findings become available, we will take appropriate action," it said. Boeing may press to know more about how crew members responded to problems triggered by the faulty data. The New York Times quoted the Ethiopian government's Dagmawit as saying pilots turned MCAS off and on, which is not the step recommended in procedures telling crew to leave it off once disabled. With bereaved families angry and confused, relatives of an American woman killed in the Ethiopian crash, Samya Stumo, filed the first lawsuit on behalf of a U.S. victim in Chicago. The complaint named Boeing and Rosemount Aerospace Inc, the manufacturer of the angle of attack sensor, as defendants. Stumo is the niece of consumer activist Ralph Nader, who called for a boycott of the 737 MAX on Thursday. Pilots around the world were watching closely. "If the preliminary report from the Ethiopian authorities is accurate, the pilots quickly identified the malfunction and applied the manufacturer's checklist," said Captain Jason Goldberg, spokesman for Allied Pilots Association, which represents American Airlines pilots. "Following this checklist did not appear to allow the pilots to regain control of the aircraft." But a former U.S. National Transportation Safety Board investigator questioned the aircraft's speed, which according to data in the report was left on a higher than usual setting. Aviation experts say the sensor fault should have required the crew to take manual control of the power since it would disrupt accurate speed readings in the cockpit. "The report does not address information about unreliable airspeed procedures which should be considered," said Greg Feith, a former NTSB air safety investigator. GRAPHIC: Ethiopian Airlines crash interactive, click https://tmsnrt.rs/2ChBW5M GRAPHIC: Boeing 737 MAX customers interactive, click https://tmsnrt.rs/2UJzRXj (Reporting by Jason Neely in Addis Ababa, Eric Johnson in Seattle, Katharine Houreld and Maggie Fick in Nairobi, Tim Hepher in Paris, Jamie Freed in Singapore, Tracy Rucinski in Chicago, David Shepardson in Washington; Writing by Andrew Cawthorne and Grant McCool; Editing by Alexandra Hudson and Sonya Hepinstall) The Independent Scientists say they finally have an explanation for a mystifying, bright blue light that came from deep in space. Three years ago, astronomers were stunned to see a bright blue flash that came out of the spiral arm of a distant galaxy, some 200 million light-years away. It looked like a supernova, but it was even brighter and faster than those already extreme events. Scientists found that it consisted not only of the bright flash of light, but also pulsing and powerful X-rays, with hundreds of millions of such pulses being traced back to the same object. Brussels (AFP) - As Brexit day looms, the question of how to handle Britain's border with Ireland has dominated the debate over the withdrawal agreement. But now a new EU law has shone a light on the future of another tricky frontier, that between Spain and the British territory of Gibraltar. On Thursday, the European parliament approved a text permitting Britons visa-free visits to the EU even in the event of a "no deal" Brexit. This wasn't controversial, but an eight-word phrase nestling in a footnote to the text has provoked anger in the British port city at the mouth of the Mediterranean. "Gibraltar is a colony of the British Crown," it reads, before noting the "controversy" between Madrid and London over Gibraltar's sovereignty. Gibraltar is indeed listed by the United Nations as "non self-governing territory", one of 17 around the world "that remain to be decolonised." But Britain -- and Gibraltar's government -- rejects the term "colony". Officials dubbed it part of the "United Kingdom family" during the Brexit debate. British MEP Julia Reid accused Spanish colleagues of "hijacking" the law with "no mandate from parliament to question the sovereignty of Gibraltar." The first minister of Gibraltar, Fabian Picardo, furiously denounced the "extreme pressure exerted by Spain and the bullying tactics of Spanish MEPs." "This is a disgraceful state of affairs," he declared. But the British fury only underscored the success of the Spanish manoeuvre and the underlined how Brexit has already eroded London's standing in Brussels. - Making things clear - Luis Marco Aguiriano, Spain's minister for European Affairs, hailed the "very political and symbolic nature" of the footnote to the visa law. "This is the first time that an EU text has included the very clear name of 'colony' for the Gibraltarian territory," he told Radio Onda Cero. Story continues "Brexit is a negative process but, indeed, as far as the Gibraltar issue is concerned, it is making it possible to make things clear, once and for all." Spain says when it joined the European Union in 1986 London imposed membership that consigned its claim on Gibraltar to the "drawer of history". Now, with Britain leaving the club and Spain staying in, Madrid has seized the chance to press its case. "This is an important change in the EU's position on the Gibraltar issue," said Camino Mortera, a senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform. "Once the UK leaves the EU, the 27 obviously have to side with the club members, and not with the outgoing side," she told AFP. Gibraltar, known as "The Rock", a strategic 6.5-square-kilometre (2.5-square-mile) peninsula, was captured by an Anglo-Dutch fleet in 1704 and ceded to Britain in 1713. Spain has a long-standing claim on the territory, but local voters have twice, in 1967 and 2002, overwhelmingly voted to remain British. In June 2016, however, they also voted by a massive 96 percent for Britain to remain in the EU, only to see the British electorate as a whole reject this. Now, with Brexit Day officially set for next week, London is finding in its relations with both Spain and Ireland that the Union sides with its continuing members. Spanish MEP Esteban Gonzalez Pons, defending the legal text, put this case very bluntly. "The British have decided to leave. It makes no sense that, in addition to leaving, they want to decide what our position should be," he said. Analysts do not expect Madrid to mount an immediate drive to reclaim Gibraltar or to push for joint sovereignty, but its hand has been strengthened. And when post-Brexit Britain comes back to Brussels to negotiate a new political and economic relationship, Spain will wield a veto over any treaty. "The only thing it wants to make clear is that it is Spain that has to say things about Gibraltar," said Salvador Llaudes, of the Elcano Royal Institute. In March, for example, Spain signed a tax treaty with Britain that addressed some of its concerns over tax evasion and money-laundering in Gibraltar. And now it seems that when it continues to press its issues, it will have the weight of Europe at its back. Gary Haugen speaks at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C., in February. (Photo: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters) MIAMI The generational divide among white evangelicals over issues of race and social justice has given the group a more conservative reputation than is merited, but that will change in the coming decade, according to the head of an influential Christian aid group. Speaking with a group of journalists here this week, Gary Haugen, founder and CEO of the International Justice Mission (IJM), which mostly works outside the United States, also addressed questions about what insights he might have about injustice in America. Haugen avoided commenting directly on issues of racial injustice, or on the question of why white evangelical Christians have been stalwart supporters of President Trump, who rose to power by demonizing immigrants. But Haugen stood by his assertion years ago, before the rise of Trump, that there is a sea change among evangelicals as it relates to issues of injustice. However, he qualified that much of this change is not yet being seen among older white evangelicals. In particular, Haugen pinpointed the world of conservative philanthropy, which intersects closely with nonprofit and aid work. The tension, he intimated, is between a money sector in evangelicalism dominated by wealthy individuals who skew older and much more conservative in their politics, and an activist sector that is younger and far more progressive in its worldview. Among aid and reform groups like his, if you arent actually talking about justice, youre probably not credible, Haugen said at the Faith Angle Forum, a conference sponsored by the Ethics and Public Policy Center. [But] those folks do not hold the money and the power in that church community right now, he said. But in 15 years they will. I think you will see a different phenomenon. Haugen, 56, worked early in his career for Bishop Desmond Tutus National Initiative for Reconciliation in South Africa, then directed the United Nations investigation into the Rwandan genocide, and also investigated police abuse cases for the Justice Department in the 1990s during Bill Clintons presidency. He started IJM in 1997, and the group has grown now to have an endowment of around $50 million. Story continues Speaking at the same event, columnist Michael Gerson, a former speechwriter for President George W. Bush, said Haugen was the kind of Christian who makes the term evangelical worth fighting for. Haugen followed up by saying he may not be willing to fight for the word evangelical himself. The term, he said, has come to represent a set of political beliefs rather than theological commitments. But speaking to journalists, Haugen argued that conservative Christians focus on the kind of international aid work his group does is not at odds with an emphasis on injustice in the United States. Its possible, he said, to care about fighting sex trafficking in Third-World countries without it distracting from the problem of mass incarceration or police brutality here in the U.S. Nonetheless, some younger Christians and people of color in the faith community are suspicious that the focus on international aid among white conservatives is a way to avoid more difficult issues of racial injustice at home. At a conference in Dallas last weekend focused on racial harmony, a leader from IJM was welcomed with thunderous applause, according to an account published Tuesday by DeeDee Roe, an African-American freelance writer from Dallas who attended. She spoke passionately about the work of IJM confronting perpetrators of police brutality in Kenya. The audience made tearful commitments to partner in her work, tears I knew did not extend to Black victims of police brutality in this nation, Roe wrote. Roe went on to describe her observations of a hostile reaction from some white attendees to a different speaker, Ekemini Uwan, a prominent author and speaker. Uwan criticized the idea of whiteness as rooted in plunder, theft, enslavement of Africans, and the genocide of Native Americans. Whiteness is a power structure. The thing for white women to do here is divest from whiteness, Uwan said, according to Roes account. She described seeing some white attendees walking out as Uwan spoke. Sparrow Conference, which organized the event, did not respond to Yahoo News request for comment. Haugen acknowledged that white evangelicals interest in international aid may not always translate into a commitment to fighting poverty and injustice in their own neighborhoods. How it actually works out in your community, the overwhelming problem is going to be what your fears are, he said. These lids always tend to get put back on because people get scared of things. _____ Read more from Yahoo News: Japanese prosecutors Thursday re-arrested Carlos Ghosn on fresh allegations of financial misconduct, as the former auto tycoon slammed an "outrageous and arbitrary" detention and vowed he would "not be broken." In the early hours, officials raided a central Tokyo apartment the 65-year-old Ghosn has called home since winning bail last month after more than 100 days in detention. It was the latest twist in a rollercoaster drama that has gripped Japan and the rest of the world since his shock arrest at a Tokyo airport on November 19. Prosecutors said Ghosn had been detained over transfers of Nissan funds totalling $15 million between late 2015 and the middle of 2018. They suspect Ghosn used $5 million of that for personal expenditure. "The suspect... was responsible for overseeing the whole of Nissan's operations and performing his duty loyally so as not to cause losses to Nissan, but he betrayed that duty in order to benefit himself," they said in a statement. Ghosn released a statement through his representatives attacking what he called the "outrageous and arbitrary" detention. "Why arrest me except to try to break me? I will not be broken," said the former high-flying executive. He has denied any wrongdoing and took to Twitter for the first time Wednesday to announce plans to "tell the truth" at an April 11 news conference that now looks unlikely. Prosecutors can hold Ghosn for up to 22 days while they investigate the new claims and may re-arrest him again or seek to hold him in pre-trial detention. Deputy chief prosecutor Shin Kukimoto justified the arrest by saying they judged there was a "risk of destruction of evidence". But Ghosn's lawyer Junichiro Hironaka, known as the "Razor" for his mental sharpness, told reporters the fresh arrest was "against the spirit of the law" and "should not be tolerated in a civilised nation." Story continues He added his client had expected prosecutors would re-arrest him and had therefore prepared a video, without specifying the contents or exactly when it would be released. Visibly angry, he vowed to fight likely attempts by the prosecutor to extend the detention, claiming the arrest was "not necessary" and designed merely to pile pressure on Ghosn. He added prosecutors had confiscated not only diaries and documents belonging to Ghosn, but also the passport and phone of his wife Carole. She was questioned "without her attorney present, even though she is not targeted in this investigation," the family's French lawyer, Jessica Finelle, told French network BFMTV. - 'I have names' - Ghosn already faces three separate charges. The first two relate to the alleged deferring of around $80 million in income and concealing this in official documents to shareholders. The third, more complex, charge is that he attempted to transfer personal losses to Nissan and paid a Saudi contact who provided collateral from the company funds. In an interview with French broadcasters TF1 and LCI, Ghosn reiterated he was "combative and innocent" but acknowledged "it's hard." Ghosn, who holds French, Brazilian and Lebanese nationalities, appealed to the French government to "defend" him and his "rights as a citizen." Asked if he would provide evidence that could clear his name, Ghosn said: "Everything needs to be put on the table. Of course, I have names." But he admitted his lawyers have "doubts about how this trial is going to play out." Thursday's arrest came after French car firm Renault, which Ghosn also once headed, handed French prosecutors documents showing the auto tycoon had authorised suspicious transfers worth millions of euros. A Nissan spokesman said the firm's own internal probe had uncovered "substantial evidence of blatantly unethical conduct" and that their focus was on "addressing weaknesses in governance that enabled this misconduct." - 'Tell the truth' - Ghosn had maintained his silence since paying around $9 million to win bail on March 6 when he walked out of his detention centre dressed in a workman's uniform in a bizarre attempt to evade the world's media. When reports emerged early Wednesday that prosecutors were considering further charges against him, Ghosn suddenly popped up on Twitter to announce he would "tell the truth" about his case. His tweet, which his representatives confirmed was authentic, sparked questions about his bail conditions, which were thought to include a ban on internet use. However, Hironaka insisted his client was acting within his rights, and Kukimoto said the arrest had nothing to do with the tweet. Ghosn was largely credited with saving Nissan from the brink of bankruptcy by tying its fortunes to Mitsubishi Motors and Renault. He has frequently denounced his downfall as a "plot" by Nissan insiders worried he planned to push them into a full partnership with the French firm. "I pushed hard to make this alliance successful, but never by doing anything illegal," he told French TV. By Yeganeh Torbati WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. government granted waivers to just 6 percent of visa applicants subject to its travel ban on a handful of countries during the first 11 months of the ban, new data reviewed by Reuters shows. Trump administration officials have pointed to the waiver process embedded in the travel ban as proof it was not motivated by animus toward Muslims, as critics have charged, but rather serves to protect the United States. In June 2018, after legal challenges defeated earlier iterations of the ban, the Supreme Court upheld a revised version and wrote in its majority opinion that the waiver program supported the government's claims that the ban served "a legitimate national security interest." But new data shows that only 6 percent of people subject to the travel ban were ultimately granted waivers during the first 11 months of the ban's full implementation. Between Dec. 8, 2017 and Oct. 31, 2018, State Department officers ruled on nearly 38,000 applications for non-immigrant and immigrant visas filed by people subject to the travel ban who otherwise qualified for the visas and needed waivers to get them. They determined that just 6 percent - or 2,216 applicants - met the criteria for a waiver. Of those, 670 had not yet received their visas but were expected to do so. The data was provided in a Feb. 22 letter from Assistant Secretary of State Mary Taylor to Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen. The letter was received by Van Hollen's office on Wednesday, and his office provided it to Reuters. "This data paints a clear and deeply disturbing picture of the Trump travel ban," Van Hollen said in a statement to Reuters. "The administration repeatedly swore to the Supreme Court and the American people that this was not a de-facto Muslim ban and that there was a clear waiver process to ensure fairness. That couldn't be further from reality." The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The travel ban blocks citizens of Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Syria and Yemen, as well as some Venezuelan officials and their relatives, from obtaining a broad range of U.S. immigrant and non-immigrant visas. Chad was previously covered by the ban but was removed in April 2018. The latest data show a slight increase in the waiver issuance rate. Data from December 2017 through April 2018 showed that waivers were issued in 2 percent of visa applications filed by people subject to the travel ban. TREMENDOUS HARDSHIPS The ban's restrictions vary from country to country - Somalis, for instance, can receive short-term visas and Iranians are allowed to get student visas, while North Koreans are blocked from all visas. In addition to the almost 38,000 applications considered for a travel ban waiver, around 8,100 by people from countries subject to the travel ban were refused in the 11-month period for reasons unrelated to the ban, and nearly 2,600 applicants were found eligible for visas based on exceptions to the ban and thus did not need a waiver. Critics say the waiver process is shrouded in secrecy, with vague standards and little information given to applicants about how they can qualify or apply for one. Two federal lawsuits are contesting the fairness of the process. The official criteria for a waiver is a three-part test assessing whether denying entry to an applicant would cause "undue hardship," if entry of the person would not pose a threat to the United States, and if entry would be in the national interest. There is no application for a waiver - the State Department says it "automatically" considers applicants for them. "They (the State Department) are actually actively telling applicants, 'We don't want your materials in support of a waiver,'" said Mahsa Khanbabai, an immigration attorney in Massachusetts who has clients subject to the ban. "Even in the cases where they do take them, the extraordinary amount of time that it takes to make a decision causes tremendous hardships for people." (Reporting by Yeganeh Torbati; Editing by Kieran Murray and Daniel Wallis) Former Nissan(7201.T-JP) Chairman Carlos Ghosn was re-arrested on Thursday. Japanese prosecutors are building a new case against him over payments made to a dealer in Oman, according to reports. Ghosn called the arrest "outrageous and arbitrary" and said it was "part of another attempt by some individuals at Nissan to silence me." The ousted Nissan chief was first arrested in November last year, and has been accused of misusing company funds and understating his income at the Japanese automaker, where he served as chairman. Ghosn, who denies those allegations, was released on bail after spending more than 100 days in a Japanese prison. He has been stripped of his roles at the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance, which he had formerly chaired. If found guilty, Ghosn could face up to 15 years in prison. In a statement on Thursday, Ghosn reiterated: "I am innocent of the groundless charges and accusations against me." "My biggest hope and wish today is for a fair trial," he said. The Wall Street Journal reported last week that executives at Nissan had taken steps to imprison Ghosn in the hopes his arrest would stall or kill any attempts to merge the Japanese automaker with its French counterpart Renault(RNO-FR). There have also been various theories in the automotive world that Nissan executives might have had a role in his arrest. On Wednesday, a day before his latest arrest, Ghosn tweeted that he was "getting ready to tell the truth about what's happening." He also announced that he would be holding a press conference next Thursday, Apr. 11. Prosecutors arrested him for a fourth time on Thursday on suspicion of aggravated breach of trust, Japanese broadcaster NHK reported. Nissan said Thursday it would not comment on judicial decisions or processes. Shares of the Japanese automaker were up nearly 0.7 percent in Thursday afternoon trade. Story continues Here is Ghosn's full statement on his re-arrest: My arrest this morning is outrageous and arbitrary. It is part of another attempt by some individuals at Nissan to silence me by misleading the prosecutors. Why arrest me except to try to break me? I will not be broken. I am innocent of the groundless charges and accusations against me. After being wrongly imprisoned for 108 days, my biggest hope and wish today is for a fair trial. I was scheduled to present my story in a press conference next week; by arresting me again, the prosecutors have denied me that opportunity, for now, but I am determined that the truth will come out. I am confident that if tried fairly, I will be vindicated. CNBC's Robert Ferris and Reuters contributed to this report. U.S. Attorney General William Barr. Photo by Diego M. Radzinschi / NLJ The U.S. House Judiciary Committee has voted to authorize a subpoena to obtain Special Counsel Robert Mueller IIIs full report and its underlying evidence. Panel chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-New York, said in opening remarks Wednesday that he asked U.S. Attorney General William Barr to work with the committee to get access to material covered under grand jury secrecy rules. He has so far refused, Nadler said. He said he would give Barr time to change his mind, but would issue subpoenas for the materials if they could not reach a deal. "We will as appropriate go to court. We think we need a subpoena first, Nadler said. The 24-17 vote came over the objections of the panels Republicans, who complained that Barr has already promised to release the reports contents, but that he was not permitted to disclose grand jury information. But their concerns were overridden by the panels Democrats, who said the public was entitled to see the grand jury material, pointing to examples set by the conclusions of special prosecutor Leon Jaworskis Watergate investigation and Ken Starrs inquiry into President Bill Clinton. In demanding documents, Nadler said Wednesday it was Congress job, not the attorney general's, to determine whether or not President Trump has abused his office. Barr told lawmakers in a March letter that he would release a redacted version of Muellers nearly 400-page report. He said the Justice Department, with Muellers assistance, was well along in the process of reviewing and redacting any grand jury information in the document, along with any information that could interfere with ongoing investigations. Barr closed the letter by saying he believed it would be appropriate for him to testify on the report shortly after its public release. He proposed a May 1 appearance before the Republican-led Senate Judiciary Committee followed the next day by a hearing with the House Judiciary Committee. The House panel also voted Wednesday to subpoena the documents and testimony of former Trump White House officials and lawyers, including former White House Counsel Don McGahn and his former chief of staff, Ann Donaldson. Both left the administration last year. The subpoenas also seek records related to former White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, chief strategist Steve Bannon, and communications director Hope Hicks. Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan partner William Burck represents McGahn, Priebus, and Bannon; Trout Cacheris & Janis chairman Robert Trout represents Hicks. Police from Illinois are on their way to Ohio to meet with a boy who identified himself to police as Timmothy Pitzen, who went missing in 2011 when he was six years old. A Sharonville police report states the boy told officers he was Timmothy Pitzen, and that he was being held by two men. Police have not confirmed his identity. Timmothy described the two kidnappers as two male, whites, body-builder type build, reads the report. One had black curly hair, Mt. Dew shirt and jeans, and has a spider web tattoo on his neck. The other was short in stature and had a snake tattoo on his arms. He told police he escaped the two men and ran across a bridge into nearby Kentucky. The boy also told police the types of car the men were driving, and told them it has Wisconsin license plates. RELATED: You Will Never Find Him: A Mothers Chilling Vow After Kidnapping Son and Killing Herself Timmothy was last seen at a water park in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, with his mother. He would be 14 today. National Center for Missing or Exploited Children (2) The Federal Bureau of Investigation has confirmed they are working with authorities from Aurora, Illinois, on a missing child case. According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Timmothy is the only missing child from Aurora. FBILouisville and @FBICincinnati are actively coordinating with the Newport PD, @CincyPD, Hamilton County Sheriffs Office, and @AuroraPoliceIL on a missing child investigation. There will be no further statement made on this matter until we have additional information. FBI Louisville (@FBILouisville) April 3, 2019 In a statement to PEOPLE, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children said, We are aware of todays reports and understand that law enforcement is investigating. Timmothy Pitzen remains an active NCMEC case and his missing poster is on our website. If we get more information, we will let you know. Story continues 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. Timmothys mother, Amy, 42, picked up her son from his elementary school on May 11, 2011. Three days later, she was found dead in a motel room in Rockford, Illinois, with self-inflicted slashes on her neck and wrists. RELATED: A Fathers Desperate Search for His Son: Maybe Ill See Him Tomorrow Nearby was what police characterized as a suicide note. In it, Amy wrote that Timmothy was safe with others who would love and care for him. She added, You will never find him. Aurora Police Public Information Officer Bill Rowley confirms to FOX19 two police detectives are en route to assist with the investigation. The boys father, Jim Pitzen, has vowed not to rest until Timmothy who he described to PEOPLE in 2015 as a little mini-me was found safe. Alana Anderson and Kara Jacobs Amy Pitzens mother and sister declined PEOPLEs request for comment at this time. GREENSBORO, N.C. How do you spot an ICE agent in your neighborhood? They dress in plain clothes, never wear uniforms, community organizer Laura Garduno Garcia told the two dozen attendees, mostly women and a few men and children, who sat attentively in a semicircle of folding chairs in the multipurpose room of a Quaker meetinghouse in Greensboro, N.C., on a recent Saturday. We know they drive American cars, and we know most raids take place before 9 a.m., said Andrew Willis Garces, director of organizing and communications for Siembra NC, a North Carolina-based project of the American Friends Service Committee established in the aftermath of the 2016 presidential election. For nearly two hours, Willis Garces and Garduno Garcia took turns leading the conversation in Spanish, explaining to the group of primarily undocumented Greensboro residents their basic legal rights; the tactics U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been using to round up undocumented immigrants within their community; and how to avoid getting caught. While most in attendance were already members of Siembra (which means sowing, as in seeds), about eight stood up at the start of the meeting to identify themselves as first-timers. ICEs increasingly aggressive actions over the last two years have been met with this form of nonviolent resistance from grassroots groups like Siembra, which has established itself among the communities of North Carolinas Alamance, Randolph, Forsythe and Guilford counties. In addition to efforts to organize and educate undocumented residents on the ways they can protect themselves and their neighbors against ICE, Siembra also is urging sheriffs in these counties to follow the example of their newly elected counterparts in the nearby counties of Mecklenburg, Wake and Durham who have ended long-standing agreements to cooperate with ICE by, among other things, holding undocumented immigrants in local jails on the agencys behalf. Story continues Andrew Willis Garces, director of organizing and communications for Siembra NC, speaks to members of the grassroots group at a meeting in Greensboro, N.C. (Photo: Caitlin Dickson/Yahoo News) Though popular in the communities, these moves prompted a backlash from federal immigration officials, who say they were forced to step up enforcement, including a four-day operation in February that resulted in the detention of 200 undocumented immigrants from across North Carolina. At a press conference, Sean Gallagher, director of ICEs Atlanta field office, said the February raids were necessitated by some sheriffs dangerous policies and warned that those counties should expect increased ICE presence as the new normal. Gallaghers comments reflect a national trend toward large-scale enforcement operations by ICE over the last two years, especially in localities with so-called sanctuary policies that prohibit or discourage local law enforcement agencies from certain forms of cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. Although Gallagher, whose office covers Georgia and the Carolinas, singled out counties where sheriffs were declining to cooperate with ICE, the agency has been conducting large-scale enforcement operations across the state. The February raids had a chilling effect on North Carolinas immigrant communities, bringing normal life to a virtual halt for days. As families scrambled to locate relatives who, they discovered, had been moved to an ICE detention facility in Georgia many parents kept their children home from school. Then, in the days and weeks that followed, amid a dizzying swirl of rumors and factual reports of additional arrests in other parts of the state, many continued to stay indoors, seldom leaving home except for school or work. Activities like shopping and eating out were now viewed as dangerous. Social gatherings suddenly seemed risky, causing some to cancel even major events, such as baby showers or quinceaneras, the traditional Latin American celebration of a girls 15th birthday. Businesses suffered. Immigrants and their supporters protest recent arrests conducted by ICE in the Charlotte, N.C., area. (Photo: Jeff Siner/Charlotte Observer) It paralyzes us, said one woman at the Siembra meeting, as the conversation turned to the spread of rumors on Facebook about supposed ICE activity. Many in the group nodded in agreement as she and others described hours of self-imposed house arrest because of an unsubstantiated Facebook post claiming ICE agents had been spotted in the parking lot of a Walmart or near a housing complex. ICE, I think, has two forms of controlling us, another woman told the group. One is through detentions, which we are always thinking about, but the other is [by scaring] the people. Hence Siembras mission to provide reliable information about ICE tactics, helping immigrants reclaim some control over their own lives, sending volunteers door to door in their own neighborhoods, handing out information about ICE, immigrants legal rights and how to report suspected ICE activity to a 24-hour hotline. An unfamiliar car with tinted windows, parked at the entry to a trailer park whose residents are largely undocumented, might prompt a tip. Trained volunteer verifiers are then dispatched to ascertain if ICE is conducting an operation. If ICE activity is confirmed, Siembra spreads the word on one of its 10 or so WhatsApp groups, organized by zip code, with hundreds of people in each, warning them to be cautious about going outdoors. Siembra verifiers stream real-time interactions with ICE agents on Facebook Live, using the platform to remind viewers of their rights. We want people to feel empowered and powerful, not anxious and afraid. and that they can train other people on that same thing and think, We are not just resilient but we are powerful, said Willis Garces. During the first week of February, Willis Garces said, we got 680 phone calls in a 5-day period. In a typical week, he estimated that the hotline receives between two and 12 calls per day, the majority of which appear to be false alarms. For anyone residing in the country illegally, the fear of deportation is a constant that predates President Trump and will continue after hes left office. The president with the largest number of deportations during his administration was Barack Obama. But while his administration targeted specific categories of undocumented immigrants, prioritizing criminals and repeat border crossers, particularly during its last two years, the current administrations approach to interior immigration enforcement seems less defined by specific policies than by aggressive, wide-ranging and seemingly indiscriminate roundups. President Trump addressing an immigration event at the White House last year. (Photo: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images) Perhaps one of the best indications of the agencys approach to interior enforcement under Trump came from then Acting ICE Director Thomas Homan during a June 2017 appearance before the House appropriations subcommittee, in which he spelled out the implications of then Secretary of the Department of Homeland Services John Kellys earlier memo officially dismantling the enforcement priority categories established under President Obama. Homan said the agency would still prioritize deportation for national security threats, convicted criminals, people caught reentering the country illegally after previous deportation and those with final orders of removal. But, he said, If youre in this country illegally and you committed a crime by being in this country, you should be uncomfortable, you should look over your shoulder. You need to be worried. No population is off the table. Across the country, ICE arrests of immigrants without criminal convictions have skyrocketed under President Trump, more than tripling during the first 14 months of his presidency, according to ICE data initially reported by NBC News in August. Among the ways the Trump administration has sought to carry out this general mission, including multiple ill-fated attempts by former Attorney General Jeff Sessions to withhold federal funding from sanctuary jurisdictions, is by expanding its partnerships with local law enforcement agencies through a program known as 287(g). Garry McFadden made clear that this mission did not align with his during his campaign last fall for sheriff of Mecklenburg County, which includes North Carolinas most populous city, Charlotte. Among the changes he promised was to end of the departments participation in 287(g), under which sheriffs deputies were required to run information on all inmates booked at the county jail through a federal database. If they appeared to be in the country illegally, the sheriffs office would notify ICE and continue to detain them for federal agents to take into custody. In his first official act as sheriff, McFadden followed through on this campaign promise with a public celebration at Hispanic-owned Manolas Bakery in Charlotte, marking the end of the 287(g) era in Mecklenburg County. McFadden acknowledges he made a statement, but the media-savvy sheriff, easily recognizable in his tailored, three-piece suit and designer shoes, insists his position on ICE isnt about politics. Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden prompted backlash from federal immigration officials by terminating a longstanding partnership between his office and ICE. (Photo: Caitlin Dickson/Yahoo News) Instead, McFadden told Yahoo News, the decision to terminate the program was based on his own 37 years of law enforcement experience, including 22 spent as a homicide detective with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. Making his job even more difficult, the widespread suspicion of law enforcement in some minority communities that made victims and witnesses reluctant to come forward was compounded by the fear of becoming entangled with ICE. It was eroding trust, McFadden said of the program. It creates an environment for violent criminals to operate freely in [immigrant] communities because they know victims are afraid to call police or testify in court. You are helping to breed violence, because you are allowing these things to go unreported and people know that, he said. Under his new policy, ICE is still notified when his office arrests someone who may be in the country illegally. Information about arrestees citizenship status or country of origin is automatically submitted to a federal database that ICE has always had access to, regardless of a countys participation in 287(g). But unless it receives a criminal arrest warrant for a specific person in custody, McFaddens office is no longer obligated to report that person directly to ICE, or to continue holding him or her on ICEs request for investigation of a possible immigration violation. Now, sheriffs deputies will no longer carry out ICE duties, such as questioning inmates about their immigration status to determine if they are in the country illegally, nor will an ICE agent be stationed inside the Mecklenburg County jail. This is a voluntary agreement, its not the law, McFadden said of 287(g), adding that he viewed the February raids as retaliatory. They ask us to play with them and when you dont play with them, they become a bully. In response to McFaddens public breakup with ICE, Gallagher, the Atlanta field office director, called the new sheriffs action an open invitation to aliens who commit criminal offenses that Mecklenburg County is now a safe haven for persons seeking to evade federal authorities. In a statement to Yahoo News, Bryan Cox, spokesman for ICEs southern region, referred to that same comment, as well as other warnings he and Gallagher both issued against McFaddens pledge to end 287(g) in his election campaign. Claims of retaliation by ICE, Cox said, are completely baseless, as this agency was on record multiple times last year making clear in advance that should these policies be implemented, ICE would have no choice but to reallocate its enforcement resources if no longer allowed access to the county jail, and that such a policy would likely result in more persons being encountered by ICE, not less. A sign against 287(g), a controversial program which enlists local law enforcement officers to carry out certain federal immigration enforcement tasks on behalf of ICE. (Photo: Caitlin Dickson/Yahoo News) For McFadden, ending 287(g) was simply a necessary step toward rebuilding trust between his office and the immigrant community. I have to still protect these people, documented or undocumented, said McFadden. If an undocumented person is raped, robbed or killed, I cant say We dont investigate that because theyre undocumented. So, I have to build a relationship. McFadden repeated this same message following a recent Sunday mass at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, eliciting resounding applause from some 500 people who filled every seat in the chapel, stood against the walls and spilled out into the front entrance of the church, lining up to shake hands, take selfies and above all express their gratitude to the new sheriff. People [are] really, really excited about his stance regarding ICE, said Father Hugo Medellin, associate pastor at the church, whose large congregation is made up mostly of Hispanic immigrants. As soon as we mentioned he was coming, the place was going to be completely overcrowded and it was going to be chaotic. We dont know how to thank him, said Marlene Serafin Silva, who volunteers in the kitchen at Our Lady of Guadalupe. We feel more secure with him. Silva was born in the capital of Mexico and has lived in the United States for 50 years, half that time in Charlotte. She was one of the first people to approach McFadden following his recent unannounced appearance at the church and she stuck close to his side as the sheriff made his way from the chapel to the kitchen, where he was greeted by more fans. Sheriff McFadden embraces Charlotte resident Marlene Serafin Silva after speaking at Sunday mass. (Photo: Caitlin Dickson/ Yahoo News) The people are scared, you know. Thats why were feeling good now, said Arevinar Cruz after he and his son, 9-year-old Alex, had their turn posing for a photo with McFadden. Cruz, a native of El Salvador, has lived in the U.S. for almost 19 years under the Temporary Protected Status program, which permits foreign nationals of certain countries impacted by armed conflict or natural disasters to live and work in the United States for designated periods. He belongs to a local alliance of TPS holders seeking legal permanent residency. Though he said he has always trusted the police, Cruz was excited about the prospect of scheduling an appointment with the sheriff to discuss his organizations efforts something he never ever imagined doing with any of McFaddens predecessors. The recent ICE operations in North Carolina are not unique, but reflective a number of larger national trends seen in similar sweeps targeting immigrant communities over the past two years particularly in sanctuary cities like Chicago, Los Angeles and New York. Unlike traditional worksite raids, these community-based operations have been carried out through traffic stops and other seemingly random encounters with plainsclothes agents in unmarked cars. Theyve also been marked by notably high numbers of what ICE refers to as collateral or at large arrests of undocumented immigrants not actually targeted by ICE but, as Gallagher put it during his press conference on the North Carolina raids, were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Collateral arrests of people encountered during targeted ICE operations are not new. However, the sheer volume over the last two years, comprising more than half the total number of people caught in some of these larger community sweeps, have raised concerns among immigration advocates about who, exactly, ICE is targeting with these operations, and the legality of their methods. Most people ensnared by such collateral arrests do not have criminal records. Mark Fleming, associate director of litigation for the National Immigrant Justice Center, described operations in which ICE is literally going into Hispanic neighborhoods in Chicago where they believed there would be undocumented immigrants and pulling people over with no basis, to identify whether they were unlawfully in the U.S. A demonstrator is arrested after Samuel Oliver-Bruno, 47, an undocumented Mexican national, was arrested after arriving at an appointment with immigration officials, in Morrisville, N.C., last year. (Photo: Travis Long/The News & Observer via AP) Last May, the NIJC filed a class-action lawsuit, accusing ICE of using warrantless traffic stops and racial profiling, among other tactics, to conduct more than 100 collateral arrests over the course of six days in Chicago 68 percent of the total 156 people caught up in that particular operation. In the complaint, initially filed on behalf of two longtime Chicago residents arrested in that sweep, NIJC noted that language in ICEs press release announcing results of the Chicago operation echoed those released following similar actions in Los Angeles, New York, Northern California and Philadelphia. Like Gallaghers comments following the North Carolina raids (in which a third of the 200 arrests were deemed collateral), ICEs press releases also seemed to blame those cities policies for forcing ICE to take its enforcement to the streets. ICE maintains that sanctuary laws or other policies that limit ICEs ability to utilize local law enforcement resources are a threat to public safety. In reality, Fleming argues, such policies simply make it harder for ICE to apprehend a broad array of people. The reality is they know they will have to use their resources only to go after people who have very serious crimes, they dont want to do that, said Fleming. That piece is what ICE sees as undermining their mission, which is to deport as many people who are here unlawfully as they possibly can. Asked how racial profiling and other sorts of unlawful tactics can be avoided when conducting such large numbers of collateral or at-large arrests, an ICE spokesperson told Yahoo News that pursuant to longstanding policy officers regularly assigned to conduct at-large law enforcement field operations complete Fourth Amendment training, at a minimum, every six months. In addition, all [enforcement and removal operations] law enforcement officers assigned to participate in a nationwide law enforcement operation involving at-large targets complete Fourth Amendment training prior to participating in that operation. The spokesperson also noted that recent statistics released by ICE show that collateral arrests have decreased during the first quarter of 2019 compared to the same time last year. However, ICE does not attribute that drop to changes in its interior enforcement strategy but, according to Nathalie Asher, ICEs acting executive associate director for enforcement and removal operation, it is the result of shifting resources to respond to increased demand for detention of people arriving at the southwest border. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) officers arrest more than 100 employees on federal immigration violations at a trailer manufacturing business in Sumner, Texas, last year. (Photo: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement/Handout via Reuters) Sheriffs like McFadden show no signs of giving in to pressure to cooperate with the agency. In fact, days after the big February raids, another newly elected sheriff, Bobby Kimbrough of Forsyth County, announced that he would terminate his offices prior agreement to detain people suspected of being in the country illegally on ICEs behalf at the county jail. We will not be an extension of ICE, doing roundups [and] immigrant investigations, Kimbrough said at a news conference. Now, Siembra is determined to get the new sheriff of Guilford County, which includes Greensboro, to follow suit. _____ Read more from Yahoo News: Yahoo News photo Illustration; photos: AP, Getty Images The last time Id been in Robies Country Store, a local landmark in Hooksett, N.H., Id been shadowing Jon Huntsman. That was in the early summer of 2011, and Huntsman, the former Utah governor who had just returned from his posting as President Obamas ambassador to China, was making his first, much ballyhooed appearance as a presidential hopeful, positioning himself as a moderate alternative to Mitt Romney. Huntsman was shaky, his pitch to voters confusing. I compared him to the Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer from Saturday Night Live. It turned out to be the apex of his campaign. So it was hard not to draw some comparisons as I returned to Robies late last month, this time with John Hickenlooper on his first swing through the state. To be clear, Hickenlooper isnt Huntsman, and it would be unfair to make too much of the parallels. The former Colorado governor is a more accomplished politician, and he hasnt been living in exile for the last two years. No frenzied horde of national journalists awaited his arrival; it was pretty much just me. But like Huntsman, Hickenlooper holds himself out as a self-effacing, consensus-seeking governor at a moment when the only consensus that interests a lot of Democrats is the one a jury might reach in the eventual trial of Donald Trump. And for Hickenlooper too, these opening weeks of the campaign have been, if not exactly a train wreck, then maybe a minor collision with reality, starting with his first interview on Morning Joe, when Hickenlooper the founder of a hugely successful chain of brewpubs and restaurants refused to let himself be called a capitalist. Hickenlooper, sounding remarkably Huntsman-esque, later explained that he didnt want to get bogged down in political labels, even though capitalist would seem to be less of a label than an actual definition of what he used to be. Its very rare that the first time Im asked a question Im going to get it right, Hickenlooper admitted to me at Robies, with characteristic candor. I wish Id answered it more elegantly, for sure. Story continues None of which is to say that Hickenlooper doesnt have plenty of time to find his footing, or that he doesnt have a chance to win the nomination in 2020. He does. What he seems to be missing right now and what a lot of Democratic hopefuls seem to be grasping for in this opening stage of the campaign is a halfway convincing theory of how to get there. ***** Hickenlooper walks into a room with assets few of his better-known or better-funded rivals can match. He has more executive experience than any of them, along with a pretty compelling personal story and a record any candidate would envy. In 20 years of following presidential candidates around I know, lost time, I try not to dwell on it Ive never before heard a candidate talk about how he got laid off and stayed out of work for two years, and how all they did at the unemployment office was offer him useless advice on writing cover letters. (Hickenlooper was a government geologist during a recession in the 1980s.) Its like hearing a Springsteen song run for president. Then, as Hickenlooper tells it, he was helping his brother repair a roof one day when he noticed a new brewpub in the distance and thought: Hey, theres a pretty good idea! Even his mother, he says, wouldnt invest. From there, he walks his audiences sizable ones, if not overflowing, during this first campaign trip through a series of episodes all meant to illustrate a single theme. As the owner, eventually, of 15 restaurants, he persuaded all his competitors to get behind a joint marketing campaign, helping to create Denvers thriving LoDo district. Then, after jumping into politics and getting himself elected mayor, he went out to the surrounding suburbs, where resentment of the city was deeply entrenched, and got 34 mayors most of them Republicans to support a regional tax that paid for a new light-rail system. Then, after becoming the first Denver mayor to win the governorship in more than a century, Hickenlooper got energy companies to unite behind a plan to reduce methane emissions. (Once near the bottom of the pack in job creation, Colorado now has one of the countrys hottest economies, by the way.) The idea here is clear, even if Hickenlooper sometimes rushes through his sentences or interrupts himself before he can finish them. This is a guy who bridges what are supposed to be unbridgeable divides. If Hickenlooper were the governor of Connecticut, the Red Sox and Yankees would agree to share the state equally, and everybody would win. He knows how all this talk of compromise sounds in the Trump era, when a lot of younger Americans cant even remember a time when the two parties in Washington collaborated on anything other than short-term bills to keep the government from shuttering. Hes pitching it anyway. Isnt that kind of what the country needs? Hickenlooper asked me. No one thought it was possible in the city, and we got the mayors together. No one thought it was possible in Lower Downtown, and we got the restaurants together. No one thought it was possible at the statehouse, and we got the environmentalists and the oil and gas people together. At every level, there is an existing disbelief that is your hardest obstacle. To push past that obstacle, however, you probably need a strategy to push back against the prevailing cynicism. Voters in New Hampshire seemed to like Hickenlooper enough, but they didnt walk away with a concrete sense of what sets him apart from other Democrats, other than having been a good governor. Hickenloopers campaign signs in New Hampshire carried the slogan Stand Tall, which probably made sense to someone, or maybe they were left over from another campaign and could be had cheap. Is he saying he has a height advantage? Do the other candidates slouch? I thought about this for longer than Id like to admit, and really your guess is as good as mine. The real question here for Hickenlooper, and for other Democratic candidates, is whether theyre willing to choose a side on the ideological continuum of the moment, which has nothing to do with the left-vs.-center debate that used to cleave the party. Four years ago, I wrote several times about the real philosophical dispute in the Republican Party between governing Republicans who still believed in the value of expertise and anti-governing Republicans whose goal was to blow up the system. (Guess who won.) Democrats now cant be so easily divvied up. Rather, theyre all looking for a comfortable place to stand on a spectrum between emulating Trumps view of governance, on one hand, and sweeping it aside on the other. On one end of that spectrum is a candidate like Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren, who fully embrace the idea that governing from the White House now is about going it alone as a party and stoking the fury of your base, rolling out radical solutions and indicting the system as rigged and unworkable. At the other end would be a candidate like Hickenlooper who thinks the system as it exists is still plenty strong enough to function, and that Democrats can still win over a lot of the voters who made their peace with Trump, if only their nominee can show some flexibility and leadership. When I asked Hickenlooper, for instance, where he stands on some of the Democratic proposals weve been hearing to change the rules of the system, like adding Supreme Court justices and eliminating the Electoral College, he hesitated. I do worry that if we got rid of the Electoral College completely, it would undermine and somehow separate large parts of rural America from everyone else, he said. Im not against getting there, but I think this is a time when we should be doing everything we can to connect rural America to everyone else. ***** Theres an assumption out there that Democratic primary voters are clearly closer to the Sanders-Warren camp and wont choose a less confrontational candidate. Im not so sure. That assumption is undermined, in some part, by the reaction of the growing crowds attracted by Pete Buttigieg, who repeatedly tells anyone who will listen that the election really isnt about Trump, and who only sounds angry when hes railing against Mike Pences interpretation of Catholic doctrine. (And even then, its more of a Midwestern anger, lacking much bite.) But while Hickenlooper is philosophically on the other end of this spectrum from a Sanders or a Warren, hes thus far trying to avoid getting drawn into a fight. In fact, his lack of differentiation from the other candidates on this score seems calculated. Thats because his advisers are hinging their strategy on the time-honored idea of electability. Democratic voters routinely tell pollsters that the thing they want most in a candidate is someone who can beat Trump. So the thinking in Hickenloopers camp is that you hang around through all this early drama, and you avoid taking issue with anybody elses crazy ideas, and you just keep talking about your record and your progressive but workable ideas for the country. And eventually, as the primaries draw nearer, voters will get serious about choosing a candidate who can win, and youll be in a great place because here you are as a solid, electable, purple-state governor who has avoided saying anything that will anger the tear-it-down crowd, and youll become their perfect default choice. Which might be a really good strategy in a traditional field of, say, four real candidates. But its hard to see how that bears fruit in a field of 15. You might be able to make yourself palatable to enough Sanders voters by keeping your mouth shut and avoiding a nasty argument over single-payer health care, but even if those voters decide that Sanders cant win, theyll still have a bunch of acceptable candidates who more closely reflect their views than you do. Being everybodys third choice doesnt win you the nomination. Just ask Marco Rubio. Heres the stone-cold truth: While governors dominated presidential politics for the 30-plus years before Barack Obama arrived, the only governors who won were those who started out with a critique of their own partys Washington establishment and the direction in which it was drifting. Ronald Reagan spent decades building a case against the accommodationist policies of the Republican elite. Bill Clinton beseeched his liberal party to focus on middle-class values and economics. George W. Bush campaigned against conservatism that had lost its compassion. And if a guy like Hickenlooper whos never really run a competitive primary, unless you count his first campaign for mayor is going to follow in their tracks, hell probably have to throw down, too. Hell have to make voters choose between the Trump model of speaking to a third of the country and telling it what it wants to hear, or the harder, more pragmatic approach of searching for consensus amid the ruins of Washington. There are signs, in fact, that Hickenlooper is starting to lean this way. In this op-ed in the Washington Post last week, he pretty soundly rejected the happy liberal version of a Green New Deal, offering more attainable proposals instead. It was his first foray into a fight with the populist base, and thats the only way Hickenlooper will be a serious factor. Standing tall is a nice enough idea, as long as youre not standing around waiting for the campaign to come to you. _____ Read more from Yahoo News: Cozzano (France) (AFP) - French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday wound up almost four months of town hall meetings aimed at reviving a presidency battered by weeks of street unrest with a prickly visit to France's Mediterranean island of Corsica. Macron opened his "great national debate" in January, taking part in a series of long question-and-answer sessions with local officials and voters. The stamina-busting programme began after the centrist president, who swept to power with a promise of implementing major change in France, was buffeted by sometimes violent street protests against social inequality by opponents known as the yellow vests. The protests started over fuel taxes but snowballed into a national revolt against Macron's governing style and pro-business policies. The debate on the Mediterranean island was a symbolic but tough 15th and final destination for the debates, with his trip already shadowed by a boycott from nationalists who want greater autonomy for Corsica. Corsica has also in the last weeks seen an upsurge in small-scale bomb attacks which have which fanned fears of a return to darker days which saw thousands of bombings from the 1970s to the early 2000s. That violence reached its peak with the shooting dead of the French prefect of Corsica, Claude Erignac, in February 1998. - 'Carried away' - Backed by a large security detail, Macron travelled by road the 60 kilometres (40 miles) from the main city of Ajaccio to the mountain village of Cozzano where the debate was held, stopping off to visit a local sausage maker on the way. But frustrated that their demands for greater autonomy for Corsica appear not to have been heard, Gilles Simeoni, the nationalist head of Corsican regional government, and regional assembly speaker Jean-Guy Talamoni decided to boycott the Cozzano meeting. And only 200 mayors out of the 360 invited were present. - 'Deserve better' - Nationalists in Corsica have long insisted on three major demands -- autonomy, obligatory Corsican language lessons at schools, and the return of nationalist prisoners held on mainland France. Story continues But Macron wants to shift the debate to the daily issues on the island as well as smaller changes, such as making Corsican a possible subject in the French curriculum and inscribing the specificity of Corsica in the French constitution. In a stern message to Corsican nationalists, the president said: "Corsicans deserve better than trench warfare" and rebuked the nationalists for not expressing "regret" over Erignac's murder. Macron's nationwide debates have had mixed reviews, with the president seeking to shed his aloof image by listening studiously, taking copious notes and responding intently to questions. At a meeting in Paris in March, he surpassed even his own stamina records by talking for eight hours and 10 minutes, finishing at 2:30 am. But it remains to be seen what concrete measures might emerge from the exercise, with the presidency promising the first steps in the middle of the month. By Jose Gallego Espina and Julio-Cesar Chavez SAN DIEGO/EL PASO, Texas (Reuters) - Trucks inched through traffic and some stores reported fewer customers in U.S.-Mexico border towns on Wednesday as staffing shortages tied to a surge in asylum seekers slowed checkpoints and threats of the border closing scared away shoppers. U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated his threat to close the border, or parts of it, saying Congress could avert such a shutdown by changing laws to fix what he called immigration "loopholes." Business leaders on both sides of the border have lashed out against the threat, saying a shutdown would hurt supply chains and $1.7 billion in daily trade at some of the world's busiest land crossings. "Words have meaning, especially when they come from the White House. The mere threat of a border closure does create uncertainty, and uncertainty is the enemy of jobs, economic development and commerce," said Jon Barela, who runs Borderplex Alliance, a U.S.-Mexico trade and economic development group. Already, Washington's decision to move some 750 border agents from commercial to immigration duties has triggered long delays for legitimate cross-border traffic. Petra Gomez, 63, who owns the discount store Buy 4 Less near the Otay Mesa crossing in California, opposite Tijuana, said Trump's threats were taking a toll. "Many people are not crossing for fear that if they close the border, they will be trapped," she said, referring to the tens of thousands of people who cross every day from the Tijuana area into California. "If they close the border, I will have to close because I will not have clients." In El Paso, Texas, small business owners also spoke of a sharp drop in sales. "We've seen our customers go down by about 30 percent. I also have some co-workers who live in Juarez and say they have to get into the pedestrian lane an hour and a half before their shift starts just to cross the border," said David Canales, supervisor at UTEA Duty Free, at the base of El Paso's downtown international bridge, which connects the Texas city with Mexico's Ciudad Juarez. However, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Wednesday there were no "serious problems" at the border, and that the government was in constant communication with U.S. authorities to keep it open. "It's not in anyone's interest to close the border," he told reporters at his regular morning news conference. "THE NEW GREEN GOLD" U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has estimated that some 100,000 migrants were apprehended or encountered at the border in March, the highest level in a decade. Most are Central American families seeking asylum. Trump has made stemming the flow of migrants across the southern border a centerpiece of his administration, likening the situation to a crisis and using that argument to justify his demand to build a wall along the frontier. "This is one of, if not the biggest crisis this country has faced in a decade, truly, the security aspects of this, the humanitarian aspects of this have got to be addressed," the U.S. Department of Homeland Security secretary, Kirstjen Nielsen, told Fox News in an interview on Tuesday. But critics of Trump's immigration policy, like Ruben Garcia, executive director of El Paso migrant shelter Annunciation House, said he saw "a lot of truth" to criticism that CBP recently held migrants in a detention enclosure under a city bridge to create a sense of chaos for media. The CBP said it would suspend cargo operations every Saturday at one of its El Paso crossing points until it had enough staff to operate fully. On Wednesday, some, but not all, lanes were open to commercial traffic at El Paso and Laredo, Texas, and Otay Mesa in California. The longest wait stretched up to seven hours at a section of the El Paso crossing where only one of six lanes was open at a major bridge, according to the CBP. In Ciudad Juarez, lines of trucks were longer than usual, according to a Reuters witness. Mexico is the United States' third-largest trading partner and its largest supplier for agricultural products, including vegetables and avocados. (See graphic on trade and migration at the U.S.-Mexico border https://graphics.reuters.com/USA-IMMIGRATION-TRUMP/0100919N1TG/index.html.) "Avocados in particular have the potential to become the new green gold in terms of prices" if a shutdown caused shortages, Moody's said in a report on Wednesday. Americans would run out of avocados in three weeks if imports from Mexico were stopped, Steve Barnard, president and chief executive of Mission Produce, the largest distributor and grower of avocados in the world, said this week. The Business Roundtable, a powerful private sector lobby, said in a letter to White House officials on Wednesday that shutting the border would severely damage U.S. businesses, particularly those that depend on employees who commute daily to work from Mexico. Luis Ventura, 23, crosses from Tijuana every day to work at a customs agency in San Diego. More than just concern over his job, he fears a shutdown would take him away from his son. "If you close the border, either I stay in Tijuana without work or I stay here without family," he said. (Reporting Jose Gallego Espina in San Diego and Julio-Cesar Chavez in El Paso, Texas; Additional reporting by Jose Luis Gonzalez in Ciudad Juarez, Texas, Andrew Hay in Taos, New Mexico, and Alexandra Alper in Washington; Writing by Daina Beth Solomon and Anthony Esposito; Editing by Frank Jack Daniel, Rosalba O'Brien and Leslie Adler) DIAVATA, Greece (Reuters) - Dozens of refugees and migrants stuck in Greece gathered in a field near the country's northern border on Thursday, seeking to travel onward to northern Europe. Small groups of people including children arrived at the field next to the migrant camp of Diavata near the border with North Macedonia, carrying their belongings on their backs. Others pitched tents on the grass. Brief scuffles broke out with police as more people arrived. The move was apparently spurred by reports on social media of plans for an organised movement to cross Greece's northwest land border with Albania in early April, and then travel north. "Tomorrow, today, all the people coming here, we will go to the border. Any border. We need to open the borders," said Dario, an Iraqi Kurd. Life in Greece was "not good, difficult," he said. The United Nations' refugee agency (UNHCR) issued a warning against what it described as false information and rumours. "Please be aware that these informal movements, whether by land or by sea, are risky and dangerous," it said. "Attempts to cross borders irregularly are often unsuccessful, and can bear serious consequences including arrest, detention, family separation and even death." Tens of thousands of refugees and migrants, mainly from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, became stranded in Greece when Balkan countries shut their borders in 2016. That route was the main passage way to northern Europe. In 2016, a makeshift camp sprung up in another field near the village of Idomeni and mushroomed into a small community of at least 10,000 people camped in overcrowded, unsanitary conditions. Greek authorities eventually cleared it out. (Reporting by Alexandros Avramidis; Writing by Karolina Tagaris; Editing by Hugh Lawson) Washington (AFP) - President Donald Trump said Tuesday he has strengthened NATO by insisting on a "rocket" like increase in military spending by allies that he says used to take advantage of US largesse. "Tremendous progress has been made and NATO's much stronger," Trump told reporters at a White House meeting with NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg ahead of the alliance's 70th anniversary celebrations in Washington. "It's a rocket ship up," he said of the spending increase, which he said before his presidency had been on a downward "rollercoaster." "People are paying and I'm very happy," he said. Trump has long complained about NATO, accusing Western allies of being freeloaders that do not pull their weight on military spending, taking for granted that they can rely on the US defensive shield. The Trump administration has been especially incensed with Germany, Europe's largest economy, which is not on track to meet a 2014 pledge by NATO members to spend two percent of GDP on defense. Stoltenberg, a former Norwegian prime minister, has stood behind Trump on the spending goals and credited his blunt approach with pushing members. Between 2016 and the end of next year, the 28 NATO members other than the United States will have boosted military spending "another $100 billion more by 2020 or a little bit into 2020," Trump confirmed Tuesday. "NATO is a strong alliance, but to remain a strong alliance we have to be fair. And therefore allies have to invest more in defense. You're having a strong message on that and your message has been having an impact," Stoltenberg said in reply. - Anniversary speech - The White House visit comes on the eve of a speech by Stoltenberg to a joint session of Congress, an honor demonstrating legislators' strong support for NATO, despite Trump's skepticism. To celebrate the 70th anniversary of the alliance, which was founded in Washington on April 4, 1949, foreign ministers from the 29 members are due for two days of talks. A full leaders-level summit will only take place in December in London. Story continues Since the end of World War II, NATO has cemented Europe and the United States in a partnership fusing military strength with shared democratic values, principally in a nuclear standoff with the Soviet Union. Today, NATO once again sees a more assertive Russia as a threat, though Trump is rather emphasizing the need to improve ties with Moscow. "I hope we have a good relationship with Russia," Trump said. "I think we'll get along." On Thursday, ministers will return to Trump's favorite topic, a State Department official said: the "importance of fair burden-sharing." - Further steps on Ukraine - If spending questions are dividing NATO, most alliance members share concerns about Russia which backs separatists in a low-intensity war in Ukraine from which it seized the Crimean peninsula in 2014. "We will be looking at ways to do more in the whole Black Sea region. We will be doing more surveillance, there will be more ships in the Black Sea from NATO countries, and there are sanctions that have already been imposed" over actions against Ukraine, Hutchison said. Stoltenberg said the foreign ministers would likely agree to step up support to Ukraine as well as Georgia, including through training maritime forces and coast guards and further port visits and exercises. He said NATO will also discuss further steps after the collapse of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty, with the United States and its allies saying that a Russian missile system has negated the key Cold War pact. WASHINGTON (AP) NATO foreign ministers approved a series of measures Thursday aimed at countering Russia in the Black Sea region, an agreement that comes amid public rifts between the United States and several of the other 28 members on security and trade issues. In a meeting in Washington to mark the 70th anniversary of NATO, the ministers agreed to provide Georgia and Ukraine with increased maritime cooperation, patrols and port visits. Both countries have faced Russian aggression and have aspirations to join the alliance. The NATO ministers also renewed demands for Russia to end its annexation of Crimea, release Ukrainian sailors and ships it seized in a confrontation last year in the Sea of Azov and respect the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. The U.S. announced it will withdraw from the 1987 treaty in August unless Russia returns to compliance. But a deepening dispute between the U.S. and Turkey over the Turks' planned purchase of a Russian air defense system, U.S. demands for allies, particularly Germany, to boost defense spending, and a row with Canada over tariffs hung over the commemoration ceremony at the State Department. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo appealed for the allies to stand together to confront "great power" challenges from Russia, China and Iran. He hailed NATO's deterrence of the Soviet Union during the Cold War and said the alliance was well positioned to move forward as it confronts new and evolving challenges. "We have rightly sought peace through strength here at NATO," Pompeo said. "We must continue to do so, especially in this new era of great power competition from Russia, from China, and the Islamic Republic of Iran." Addressing those challenges and others such as terrorism, cybercrime, uncontrolled migration, threats to energy security and new technologies will require enhanced resources, he said. He also renewed a warning that the U.S. might have to curtail intelligence cooperation with countries that rely on Chinese communications technology. Story continues Pompeo said every NATO member had an obligation to explain to its citizens the need to increase their defense budgets and rejected what he called "tired excuses" about public opposition to such spending. "We're very hopeful that they will get it right, that they will understand that it is important for our collective defense," he told reporters later, referring specifically to Germany. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, in an address to Congress on Wednesday and again on Thursday, acknowledged serious divisions within the alliance and called for bigger defense budgets. President Donald Trump has questioned the value of the alliance and criticized some members for not spending enough on defense. Pompeo did not address the spat with Turkey in his remarks, but in a Wednesday meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu he had made clear Washington's displeasure with Ankara for insisting it would go ahead with plans to buy Russia's advanced S-400 system instead of the American Patriot system. In a sign of rising tensions between the two capitals, Turkey's foreign ministry disputed the State Department's account of the meeting, which said Pompeo had warned of "potentially devastating consequences" of unilateral Turkish military action in northern Syria as well as consequences for buying the S-400. The ministry said the account failed to accurately reflect the content of the discussion and added that "our alliance naturally requires that such statements are prepared with greater care." Asked about the Turkish complaint, Pompeo said he had re-read the account and it was "spot on." ''I stand by every word of it," he said, adding that his meeting with Cavusoglu had been "good" and "long" and that the Turks were well aware of the U.S. position. The Trump administration is threatening to stop delivery to Turkey of the newest U.S. fighter jet, the F-35, if the S-400 purchase is completed. Vice President Mike Pence had delivered the same warning, noting that the U.S. and other NATO members had grave concerns about the S-400 as it is not interoperable with alliance systems. "Turkey must choose," Pence said Wednesday. "Does it want to remain a critical partner in the most successful military alliance in the history of the world or does it want to risk the security of that partnership by making reckless decisions that undermine our alliance?" Cavusoglu and other Turkish officials say they are proceeding with the deal because the need is urgent and the Patriots could not be delivered for another decade. They have also said the S-400 is not intended to work with NATO systems and will be a purely stand-alone defensive mechanism. Stoltenberg acknowledged that the matter was a point of severe contention between the U.S. and Turkey and expressed hope that a resolution was possible. "We fully realize that this is now a challenge," he said. Meanwhile, Canada's Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland took the opportunity of the NATO meeting to register Ottawa's displeasure with being labeled a potential national security threat by the U.S. in relation to steel production. She called the designation, which has led to the imposition of tariffs on Canadian steel, "absurd" and pointed to her presence at the NATO meeting as proof that Canada is not a threat to the U.S. "We really think this is groundless," she told reporters. Hong Kong: 7 more measles cases reported Seven more people have contracted measles, including two who work at the airport. The two airport workers include a 23-year-old man and 24-year-old woman. The woman travelled to Taipei during the incubation period. Of the five remaining patients, three are men aged between 22 and 31. They travelled to places including Shenzhen, Macau, Vietnam and Japan during the incubation or communicable periods. The last two cases involve an 11-month-old baby boy and a two-year-old girl. The boy resided in Shenzhen during the incubation period, while the girl travelled there during the communicable period. All the patients are in stable condition. As of 5pm today, 7,878 shots have been given out at the airports vaccination stations. Click here for details. This story has been published on: 2019-04-04. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. More needs to be done to encourage Egypts transit trade, sector executives said this week Egypt needs to raise the competitiveness of its ports if it wants to attract greater volumes of transit trade, Suez Canal Container Terminals (SCCT) management told journalists this week. What costs around $70,000 at the East Port Said Port costs 60 per cent less, or around $30,000, at the Greek port of Piraeus, Hany Al-Nady, public and government relations and security director of the SCCT told journalists at a roundtable in Cairo on Sunday. However, these figures are still an improvement on fees that had risen to unprecedented heights in 2015 on the back of Decree 488 hiking Egyptian port fees. The SCCT is an Egyptian company that operates the East Port Said Port, formerly known as Shark Al-Tafriaa. It is 55 per cent owned by a Dutch company, APM Terminals, and 20 per cent owned by the Chinese company Cosco. Some 5.3 per cent of its shares are owned by the Suez Canal Authority (SCA), five per cent by the National Bank of Egypt, and the remaining 9.7 per cent by private investors. The hikes in 2015 had chased away some 16 shipping lines from the port by 2017, Al-Nady said. The terminal is still receiving fewer vessels than in 2013 when around 2,300 vessels used the port. That figure had dropped by over 40 per cent by 2018. While the drop was partly on the back of slowing global trade and lower oil prices, the slump in numbers was propelled largely by the higher fees. Since the flight of the shipping lines, the SCA has offered various discounts in an attempt to attract them back. It has given discounts to crude oil carriers and shipping lines travelling between the east coast of the United States and ports in South and Southeast Asia via the Suez Canal. Ninety-five per cent of East Port Said Ports businesses is in transit trade, Al-Nady said, adding that it was currently operating at 50 per cent of capacity. The transit trade represented a main source of value added, he said. Business was suffering in Egypt, Lars Christensen, CEO of the SCCT, said. In 2018, profits had been $5 million, a 50 per cent drop on the year before, he said, adding that in 2019 the company could be losing an average of $1 million a month. Despite some improvements, the fees still need revisiting because the competition remained cheaper, Al-Nady said. Egypts fees were still 15 to 20 per cent higher than the competition, he added, saying that they needed to be cut in order to attract larger volumes of transit trade. The aim should be that ships do not just pass through the Suez Canal but also dock in its ports and engage in transit trade, Al-Nady said, explaining that this consisted of large ships offloading their cargo and this then being picked up by smaller ones and distributed to ports in the south and east of the Mediterranean. Each step of this process was a source of revenue, he said, adding that it would be more costly if each large vessel had to stop at every port, sometimes impossible in any case because of a lack of infrastructure. Christensen said the SCCT was in discussion with the government about the situation. Egypts fantastic location, workforce and infrastructure needed to be put to more efficient use, he added. Three decrees on transit trade had been issued since 2015 and yet Egypt remained uncompetitive, Christensen said. It now had the chance to come up with a new framework as it prepares to inaugurate new tunnels connecting the Sinai Peninsula with the rest of Egypt. This framework should be sustainable for at least five years in order to encourage the shipping lines to come back to Egypt, he concluded. *A version of this article appears in print in the 4 April, 2019 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Shipping doldrums Search Keywords: Short link: Netflix Beauty and tragedy are intertwined in Our Planet, never more so than during its second episode Frozen Worlds, in which thousands of walruses take up residence on Russias northeastern coastal beaches due to the fact that their natural habitat, the frozen sea ice, has contracted. Crowded to the point of instigating hostile stampedes, some walruses take to the surrounding cliffs for refugean unwise decision, given that the flippered marine mammals are not fit for such rocky landscapes. Before long, one slips and falls to its death, followed by another, and another, until theyre cascading down by the hundreds. Its a horrifying calamity born from climate change, and it epitomizes Our Planets marriage of celebration and lamentation. Debuting on Netflix April 5, the eight-episode documentary series is produced by the award-winning team responsible for the BBCs Planet Earth (and its various offshoots). Like that acclaimed predecessor, it offers visions of the natural world, narrated by the legendary David Attenborough, that are sure to take your breath awaydont be surprised if, after fifteen minutes, youre already dreaming of purchasing a new 4K TV. Yet while Our Planet looks and sounds familiar, theres something different about its sterling portraits: a deeply-ingrained sorrow for a world struggling to cope with the ramifications of modernity. Sadness and fear can be heard throughout in Attenboroughs voice. And theyre conveyed by the series myriad snapshots of unique habitats, beginning with an initial episode that functions as a table-setting primer for subsequent episodes (which often directly revisit, and expand upon, its material). For the first time in history, the stability of nature can no longer be taken for granted, Attenborough intones. Nonetheless, the planet can recover. Never has it been more important to understand how the natural world works, and how to help it. That ethos guides Our Planet from frigid tundra to bountiful forests to arid deserts to glistening oceans, adhering to a template that maximizes wonder, and then exploits it for both mournful critique and hopeful advocacy. Story continues Watch an Exclusive Clip from Our Planet here: Produced over four years, in 50 countries across every continent, by over 600 artists (including numerous cinematographers; 19 are credited on the first episode alone!), Our Planet brilliantly balances macro and micro perspectives. Whether seguing from imposing bison to tiny caterpillars, or from aerial shots of throngs of bluefin tuna to in-your-face close-ups of the creatures corralling anchovies, the show is at once expansive and intimate. One minute, its detailing the enormous flow of water between mountain ranges and river beds, and the next its situating itself inside an anthilla versatility so astounding, itll frequently have viewers thinking, How did they do that? (The answers lie in a supplemental hour-long making-of feature). In terms of depth, insight and pure visual majesty, no other nature documentary can hold a candle to it. The notion of symbiosisof the interdependence of man, animals and ecosystemsis fundamental to Our Planet. Not an episode goes by that Attenborough isnt explaining how one species behavior (or existence) is dependent on anothers, as well as how the environment works to sustain them all, and vice versa. Its in that crucial respect that the series underlines humanitys deleterious effect on Mother Earth. Awe-inspiring vignettes routinely double as cautionary tales about man-made climate changes radical restructuring of age-old natural orders. From the snowy wastelands of Antarctica, where diminishing stretches of ice are impacting polar bears ability to hunt, to the arid plains of Africa, where draughts now force hippos to cover themselves in mud rather than water, to the Congos shrinking rainforests, where gorilla populations have been halved by poachers, the destructive impact of our own actions is always front-and-center. Attenborough and company are upfront about their activist agendathey want viewers to know that the very marvels theyve tuned in to watch are in peril of disappearing altogether thanks to contemporary civilization. Farming, hunting and damming are just some of the developmental challenges now facing the animal kingdom. While some of Attenboroughs commentary would benefit from a bit more contextwhen he talks about deforestation, for instance, it would be nice to know the historical starting point to which hes referringthe series makes its points via persuasive non-fiction examples of creatures altering their ancient ways, fighting for scraps of diminishing resources, and risking life and limb to ensure their continued existence. Far from a harangue, it also exudes giddy amazement at the ingenuity of animals, and nature: their clever strategies for finding food, their synergistic lifecycles, and their resilience in the face of newfound threats. In that regard, Our Planet is jaw-dropping at virtually every turn. It provides sterling slow motion-enhanced glimpses of rare creatures (Siberian tigers, deep-sea oarfish), as well as eye-opening and hilarious mating customs, be it tropical birds engaging in outlandish dances (shimmying and swaying along branches like clownish club patrons), or fresh water fish collecting large stashes of shells to attract female partners. Migration and hunting are also inherent facets of the shows action; theres great suspense derived from tracking shots alongside cheetahs and jaguars (pronounced jag-y-wars by the august Attenborough) pursuing their prey. Sometimes, it just revels in their playfulness and lounging-around cool, as in a scene of floating otters scratching themselves in the midday sun. Sea nettles/compass jellyfish can form great dense swarms. Monterey Bay, California, USA Netflix And, of course, there are the babies, portrayed in all their cute, cuddly, aww-inducing glory. Revealing the many obvious and surprising ties that bind our world togethersuch as how oceanic clouds protect us from rising temperatures by reflecting the suns rays back into space, or the way forests respawn thanks to birds consuming and spreading fruit seeds across vast distancesOur Planet astonishes, educates and inspires. It never misses an opportunity to impart hope for the future of Earth, which is as resilient as it is complex. Still, it contends that any such optimism for renewal is dependent on man taking greater responsibility for the widespread ramifications its progress has on the sea, the sky, the soil and the millions of organisms, big and small, that inhabit this shared home of ours. As gorgeous as it is somber, its a plea for change, lest its footage become a time capsule of an era lost forever. Read more at The Daily Beast. Managua (AFP) - A Wednesday deadline passed without progress in months-long talks aimed at resolving Nicaragua's deadly political crisis, with the opposition accusing the government of lacking political will. Talks however did not break down, and both sides could decide to prolong the negotiations. Negotiations began on February 27 between President Daniel Ortega's government and the opposition but have snagged on disagreements over key issues like the release of political prisoners. Ortega said late Wednesday that the talks have been "complex," but "agreements have been reached" despite the "extremist" position of some of his opponents. Opposition negotiators disagreed. "The political will is non-existent on the part of the government," said Juan Sebastian Chamorro, a representative of the opposition Civic Alliance, before talks resumed. One of the main stumbling blocks is the fate of people who participated in violent anti-government protests, many of whom are under arrest. A year of political upheaval has left hundreds dead in the Central American country. The government and opposition delegations reached an agreement on Friday on restoring protest and press freedom rights, and on disarming pro-government paramilitaries. However, police dispersed a demonstration in Managua the following day that called for the release of political prisoners, injuring four people and detaining 10, the opposition said. The government also rejected an opposition proposal to invite prominent human rights organizations to act as guarantors of any agreement. The crisis began last April when protests, initially against a now-scrapped pension reform, transformed into calls for Ortega's ouster. Protesters accused him and his wife of establishing a dictatorship characterized by nepotism and brutal repression of the opposition and independent media. Unrest left more than 300 people dead, 2,000 wounded, and sent 52,000 into exile, human rights groups say. Story continues The Friday agreement was the first since stop-start talks began on February 27. Under the deal, the government is also to respect freedom of expression. However, the two sides remain divided on the opposition demand to release prisoners held during a crackdown on the protests. The government has released some prisoners but the opposition says hundreds remain behind bars. Ortega agreed last month to release all opposition prisoners within a 90-day period, but Chamorro said Wednesday: "We continue to see imprisonment" of opponents. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) last month put Nicaragua on its human rights black list along with Venezuela and Cuba. Washington (AFP) - Facebook is working to prevent livestreams of terror attacks such as the one in New Zealand but it does not plan to introduce a delay on live feeds, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said. Zuckerberg, in an interview with ABC's "Good Morning America" broadcast on Thursday, also said he had confidence in measures put in place by Facebook to prevent interference in next year's US presidential election. Zuckerberg said a delay on livestreaming "might" have limited views of the Christchurch attacks, which were streamed on Facebook Live by the self-avowed white supremacist who carried them out. The attacks left 50 people dead and sparked criticism of Facebook in some quarters for providing the online tool which allowed the assailant to livestream the carnage in two New Zealand mosques. Zuckerberg said putting a delay on live streams would "fundamentally break what livestreaming is for people. "Most people are livestreaming, you know, a birthday party or hanging out with friends when they can't be together," he said. "One of the things that's magical about livestreaming is that it's bi-directional, right?" Zuckerberg said. "So you're not just broadcasting," he said. "You're communicating. And people are commenting back. So if you had a delay that would break that." Facebook has previously pledged to tighten livestreaming rules including barring its use by people who have engaged in hate speech or violated the network's community standards. The social network is also investing in software to quickly identify edited versions of violent video or images to prevent them from being shared or re-posted. Zuckerberg expressed confidence in measures Facebook has put in place to prevent interference in US elections such as that which occurred in 2016. "I'm confident in where we are now," he said. "We've learned a lot since 2016, where obviously we were behind where we needed to be on defenses for nation states trying to interfere." Story continues "After 2016, when we saw what Russia tried to do in interfering in the election, we've implemented a lot of different measures," he said. "There have been a number of major elections since 2016 where the results have been relatively clean on this front," he said. Zuckerberg said measures put in place include verifying advertisers running political ads and creating an archive of all the political ads on the platform. The Facebook CEO said bad actors would still try to interfere in elections despite the company's best efforts. "What I can guarantee is that they're definitely going to try," he said. "Our job is to make the defenses stronger and stronger and to build the right partnerships with other folks in the industry and in the intelligence community and help keep this safe." By Jim Christie SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A U.S. judge said on Tuesday that PG&E Corp cannot resume dividends and must use the money to reduce wildfire risk in California, stopping short of more costly measures he proposed earlier this year. The new criminal probation terms for PG&E are modest compared with ones the judge had in mind in January and that PG&E said could have cost upwards of $150 billion. The terms will, however, keep PG&E under the supervision of Judge William Alsup of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California and hold the company, which also is in Chapter 11 bankruptcy, to its target for clearing areas around its power lines of some 375,000 trees this year. PG&E's probation stems from its felony conviction after a deadly 2010 natural gas pipeline blast in San Bruno, California, near San Francisco, that killed eight people and injured 58 others. PG&E filed for bankruptcy protection on Jan. 29 in anticipation of liabilities from wildfires, including a catastrophic 2018 blaze, the Camp Fire. It killed 86 people in the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California history. At a January hearing, Alsup, who is overseeing PG&E's probation, said he felt compelled to propose additional probation terms in the aftermath of Camp Fire. San Francisco-based PG&E expects its equipment will be found to have caused the blaze. The probation process is separate from San Francisco-based PG&E's bankruptcy. As the company faces $30 billion in wildfire liabilities and bankruptcy proceedings, the energy company is expected to name as its new chief executive Bill Johnson, a source said on Tuesday. Johnson has been the CEO of the Tennessee Valley Authority since 2013 and is retiring on Friday. Additional probation terms imposed by Alsup on Tuesday will require PG&E to meet goals in a wildfire mitigation plan it unveiled in February. The goals include removing 375,000 dead, dying or hazardous trees from areas at high risk of wildfires in 2019, compared with 160,000 last year. Story continues The judge said PG&E will not be able to pay shareholders until it complies with his new probation terms. Shares fell 2% on Tuesday to close at $17.66 on the New York Stock Exchange and are down 63% since November 2018 due to concerns about the company's bankruptcy and wildfire liabilities. The shares traded as low as $5.07 in January. PG&E in December 2017 suspended its quarterly cash dividend, citing uncertainty about liabilities from wildfires in October of that year that struck Northern California. PG&E paid $798 million in dividends in 2017 and $925 million in 2016, a period in which the company did a poor job of clearing areas around its power lines of hazardous trees, according to Alsup. Money meant for shareholders should have been spent on efforts to reduce wildfire risks in recent years, Alsup said at Tuesday's hearing. "PG&E has started way more than its share of these fires," Alsup said. "I want to see the people of California safe," the judge added. Lawyers for PG&E did not contest the new terms, which the company considers more feasible than terms Alsup proposed in January. To comply with the terms Alsup proposed in January, PG&E said it would have to remove 100 million trees. The company added that shutting power lines during high winds as Alsup proposed would not be feasible because the lines traverse rural areas to service cities and suburbs. Idling lines could also affect the power grid in other states, PG&E said. Alsup on Tuesday said he was still considering his proposal to require PG&E to shut down power lines during windy weather to prevent tree branches from making contact and sparking fires. (Reporting by Jim Christie; editing by Nick Zieminski and Lisa Shumaker) Per the latest report by the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association, which represents the U.S. wireless communications industry, both the United States and China are currently on equal footing for 5G readiness. This represents a marked improvement from the last year when the United States was trailing way behind China and South Korea. This was made possible through continued investments from the industry and a prod from the top policymakers to update networks faster. With a holistic top-down approach, the United States was able to expedite the process to set up the required infrastructure and back it up with testing and launching of early networks in key locations. Whats the Fuss About 5G? 5G is billed as the technology of the future with faster download speed and seamless transfer of data. Leveraging state-of-the-art communication network architectures, 5G is touted to be the primary catalyst for next-generation IoT services. These include connected cars coupled with augmented reality and virtual reality platform, smart cities and connected devices that revolutionize key industry verticals. Moreover, 5G is likely to augment the scalability, security and universal mobility of the telecommunications industry, which is expected to propel the wide proliferation of IoT. The telecom firms are facilitating its customers to move away from an economy-of-scale network operating model to demand-driven operations and seamlessly migrate to 5G by offering easy programmability and flexible automation. Rollouts of next-generation 5G networks are anticipated to improve market conditions significantly in 2019 and beyond. Meredith Attwell Baker, CEO and president of the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association observed, "5G is the platform for tomorrow's economy. It's going to transform everything from education to AI to medicine, and the industry is so competitive because of that." According to data from research firm IHS Markit, 5G is expected to result in $12.3 trillion of global economic output by 2035. Hence, it is obvious that both the United States and China would like to gain a greater pie in this market to have a political, economical and technological advantage. How Will 5G Change Our Daily Lives? 5G is likely to form the basis of numerous intelligent technologies that will redefine our daily lives. A few of these developments are: Smart Homes: Smart Homes help remote monitoring and management of Internet-connected appliances and systems, such as lighting and heating. This provides homeowners security, comfort, convenience and energy efficiency by allowing them to control smart devices through a smartphone app or other networked device on a real-time basis. As the entire process require large bandwidth hitherto unavailable in existing 4G networks, 5G has emerged as the perfect option to achieve the desired results with its super fast data transfer speed. Story continues Self-Driving Cars: The growing autonomous vehicle fleet is a testament to the fact that driverless vehicles are getting closer to being a common feature on public roads. This requires seamless data connectivity and AI to control vehicle speed according to road traffic and sensitive areas to prevent any road casualties. Smart Cities: Improving the quality of life for residents of the city, reducing environmental impact and increasing operational efficiency are three prime factors that have led to the evolution of Smart Cities. The essence of a Smart City is connectivity, where embedded telecom infrastructure works as a mesh in which data flows seamlessly and enables tasks with the least human intervention in the smartest possible way. Smart Farming: The farming industry is using remote sensors and drones as key tools to test and collate data for the latest farming technologies. Drones with 5G capabilities have been used to boost potato production in the Netherlands through precision agriculture tests. 5G sensors, artificial intelligence and cloud computing methods are also being adopted in Japan to monitor water temperature and salt concentration in oyster farms. (Read More: 5G Likely to Spearhead Innovations in Global Farming Industry) How are Telecom Firms Pitching in? As the 5G race appears to head for a photo finish, leading telecom firms across the country are working tirelessly to contribute in their own possible ways to make sure that the United States does not cede its leadership position. Verizon Communications Inc. VZ aims to launch the 5G Ultra Wideband network in Chicago and Minneapolis on Apr 11, while gearing up to increase the tally of 5G Ultra Wideband mobility cities to 30 in 2019. Sprint Corporation S is planning to launch commercial 5G services spanning more than 1,000 square miles across nine U.S. cities in May. In addition to 5G deployments in select markets, Sprint is field-testing standards-based 5G services in Los Angeles with Nokia Corporation NOK and in Atlanta with Ericsson ERIC. AT&T Inc. T has introduced mobile 5G networks in parts of 12 cities and is further planning to bring mobile 5G in certain areas of seven more cities in the first half of 2019. In order to have a seamless transition among Wi-Fi, LTE and 5G services, AT&T intends to deploy a standards-based nationwide mobile 5G network in early 2020. Road Ahead As the battle for 5G supremacy intensifies, various countries are increasingly devising newer avenues to outsmart rivals. These include out-of-the-box ideas for innovative product concepts to redefining strategies within a framework in accordance with the changing demands of customers. It remains to be seen which country achieves the coveted technological dominance in this race. Is Your Investment Advisor Fumbling Your Financial Future? See how you can more effectively safeguard your retirement with a new Special Report, 4 Warning Signs Your Investment Advisor Might Be Sabotaging Your Financial Future. Click to 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 Ericsson (ERIC) : Free Stock Analysis Report Nokia Corporation (NOK) : Free Stock Analysis Report Sprint Corporation (S) : Free Stock Analysis Report Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) : Free Stock Analysis Report AT&T Inc. (T) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Khartoum (AFP) - Sudanese security forces fired tear gas at anti-government protesters in Khartoum on Thursday, witnesses said, even after President Omar al-Bashir acknowledged that demonstrators had "legitimate" economic concerns. Protests have rocked Sudan since December, with demonstrators accusing Bashir's government of mismanaging the economy and causing soaring food prices as well as regular shortages of fuel and foreign currency. Demonstrators chanting "Freedom! Peace! Justice!" have continued to rally despite a state of emergency announced in February, although in recent weeks they have been largely confined to Khartoum and its twin city of Omdurman. On Thursday protesters demonstrated in areas of Khartoum and Omdurman, including in the capital's districts of Burri and Jabra where they were confronted by riot police with tear gas, witnesses said. Protesters chanted anti-government slogans and urged residents to join them, a witness told AFP, without revealing his name for security reasons. Late on Thursday police said they had dispersed "illegal gatherings" in several areas of Khartoum state. Some policemen and citizens have also been wounded, police spokesman General Hashim Abdelrahim told the official news agency. "Some who threatened public safety and created disturbances have been detained," he said, adding that some had been jailed by special emergency courts. Protests first broke out on December 19 in response to a government decision to cut vital bread subsidies, but since Bashir imposed a nationwide state of emergency in February to quell the demonstrations, their scale and intensity has shrunk. Bashir told parliament earlier this week that the economic concerns raised by demonstrators were "legitimate". "The economic crisis has impacted a wide section of our people," Bashir said on Monday. While the protests were initially focused on bread prices, demonstrators soon began to demand that Bashir resign after three decades in office. Story continues Bashir swept to power in an Islamist-backed coup in 1989. Analysts say has the protest movement has been the biggest challenge ever to his iron-fisted rule. Officials say 31 people have died in protest-related violence, while Human Rights Watch has put the death toll at 51, including children and medics. Protest organisers have called for widespread protests on Saturday. Geneva (AFP) - Mali is in dire need of humanitarian aid, with more than three million people requiring food and basic assistance even as billions of dollars go to security missions, a UN official bemoaned Thursday. Since January, the United Nations has received less than a 10th of the $296 million it had sought from member countries for Mali for 2019, said Ute Kollies, head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) for Mali. At the same time, her calculations showed that "roughly $3 billion a year" -- 10 times the requested humanitarian budget -- was spent on security missions such as the MINUSMA peacekeeping force and the G5 French-backed operation to fight jihadism in the Sahel region, she told reporters in Geneva. The international community, said Kollies, "looks at Mali as a problem of terrorism, illegal migration, and so their answer is (to) invest in military deployments, reinforce security. "So money is there, but they have not yet seen investment in humanitarian response and humanitarian action as a stabilising factor." The OCHA head asked for a better balance in spending, citing the adage that "a hungry man is an angry man". Feeding people is the first step towards "a situation where mediation is possible and where people can sit around a table and address the root causes of the problem," Kollies said. Mali has been struggling to return to stability since Islamist extremists took control of the country's north in early 2012, prompting a military intervention by France. Extremism and lawlessness continues, and has spread to Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Chad and Niger. Tends of thousands of people have been internally displaced. Kollies said the number of Malians needing food aid is expected to grow to 3.8 million over the "lean season" just before the harvest. About 1.4 million people need health assistance. "Our humanitarian response plan for this year defined 3.2 million people to be in need of assistance," Kollies said. "We have seen a three- to fourfold increase of internally displaced people over the year." Kampala (AFP) - Ugandan security forces scoured dense bush on Thursday in the hunt for a US tourist and her safari guide who were kidnapped by gunmen in a national park. "The operation to rescue the tourist is still ongoing," Uganda's tourism minister, Godfrey Kiwanda, told AFP on Thursday morning. Four kidnappers stopped a group of tourists at gunpoint around dusk on Tuesday as they drove through the Queen Elizabeth National Park on safari to see wild animals. Police identified the American as a 35-year-old woman, and said the kidnappers had later used her mobile telephone to demand a ransom of $500,000 (445,000 euros) for the release of the pair. The driver is a 48-year old safari guide with years of experience. The gunmen dragged the pair from their safari vehicle, but left behind two other tourists, whom police described as an "elderly couple". They managed to raise the alarm from the lodge where they were staying. Army spokesman Brigadier Richard Karemire said security forces were doing all they could to track down the gunmen. "Let the security forces do their work," he said Thursday. The US Embassy in Kampala said it was aware of the kidnapping, and warned its citizens to "exercise caution when travelling to this area due to ongoing security activity." Soldiers have fanned out along the porous border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, with security forces insisting they believe the pair remain in the country. The Ugandan police's tourist protection force has also deployed a special response unit working alongside soldiers and wildlife rangers. Queen Elizabeth National Park, one of the East African nation's most popular wildlife reserves, runs along the frontier with conflict-wracked regions of DR Congo, bordering its famous Virunga national park, the oldest in Africa. Numerous militia groups and armed gangs roam eastern DR Congo. Virunga suspended all tourism activities last year after a ranger was killed and two British tourists kidnapped. Story continues The Britons and their driver were freed two days after the attack. The park reopened in February. The Ugandan park straddles the equator, covering 1,978 square kilometres (764 square miles) in the country's south west. Tourism is a key industry for Uganda, as a major earner of foreign currency. Hundreds of thousands of tourists visit each year. SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) Government officials, aid workers and activists in Central America are mystified by U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to cut off nearly $500 million in aid to Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador in response to what he calls an immigration crisis. Over time, they say, it will only worsen the problem. At risk of falling on the chopping block are development programs that work to tackle the root causes driving migration: poverty, inequality, violence and corruption. These include outreach to at-risk youth to combat forced gang recruitment as well as programs to address gender-based violence and support education, workforce development and the uphill fight to root out endemic graft. "It's illogical and it's irresponsible. ... You're talking about long-term challenges that are going to require long-term, sustainable solutions," said Adriana Beltran, a Central America specialist at the Washington Office on Latin America. "So rather than helping to stabilize the situation and try to address these long-term challenges, the cut in assistance will only make the situation worse." "Gutting important programs," she added, "will eventually lead to more migration, more insecurity, more corruption, more impunity in these countries." It's still not clear exactly what, when or how much could be cut. Trump said last week that "we were paying them tremendous amounts of money and we're not paying them anymore because they haven't done a thing for us," and mentioned a figure of $500 million. State Department spokesman Robert Palladino said Tuesday that the amount affected by any aid cut would be $450 million from fiscal year 2018 as well as an as yet undetermined amount from 2017. "The president has made clear that the decision is aimed at securing the United States borders and protecting American citizens," Palladino said. "These programs have not effectively prevented illegal immigration from coming to the United States, and they've not achieved the desired results." Story continues The aid is meant to promote democracy-building, good governance, trade, agriculture, education, health, public safety and law enforcement. Experts say all of those areas play a direct role in whether people feel they can get by or even survive in their home countries. Reaction from the three governments has been muted so far, perhaps for fear of angering Trump. Both Honduras and El Salvador pointedly said they had not been formally notified of any specific cuts in U.S. aid. Honduran Defense Minister Fredy Diaz said cooperation with the United States on security is "unchanged," while the Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the relationship has been "solid, close and positive." Salvadoran Vice President Oscar Ortiz said Tuesday that an aid cut would not solve the migration problem but have the opposite effect. "The best way to tackle the issue of migration ... is not with this type of decision," he said. "The best way to tackle the issue is to keep working together." Guatemala, the source of much of the recent migration from the region, was particularly circumspect, with presidential spokesman Alfredo Brito saying simply that the official response was not to comment for the time being. But those carrying out the boots-on-the-ground work are concerned. Rick Jones, who works in El Salvador as the youth and migration policy adviser for Catholic Relief Services, counsels young people to keep them out of gangs and help them get jobs. He also runs behavioral therapy for inmates to deter them from returning to crime all things that have "a positive impact to help guys think about and change their behavior," he said. It's seen as unglamorous but badly needed work, especially in a place like El Salvador, which has a homicide rate that is among the world's highest at more than 50 per 100,000 people last year. But all $38 million that Catholic Relief Services gets from U.S. government agencies to run programs in the three countries including ones on education and jobs could disappear if the cutoff goes through. If that happens, "it will be sending the message, 'Help is not on the way ... and you're going to be left on your own,'" Jones said. "And basically people left on their own are going to be more desperate and more people are going to leave." Likewise, Vicki Gass, Oxfam America senior policy adviser for Central America and Mexico, said that axing funding for programs that have been running for years, would, in many cases, "waste U.S. taxpayer dollars that have already been invested" and "foster the same instability that is making people flee in the first place." Some government programs aimed at persuading Central Americans not to emigrate have been put in place, in part in response to Trump's earlier criticism about the migrant caravans that brought thousands trekking toward the U.S. border, and the threatened aid cutoff does not take that into account, officials say. "This goes against what we have seen in reports that show there have really been some decreases in migration, and that they are the result of the efforts being made on this issue," said lawmaker Yanci Urbina of the left-leaning FMLN party in El Salvador, the least populated of the three countries and a distant third in terms of how many migrants are heading for the U.S. Salvadoran Treasury Minister Nelson Fuentes said U.S. aid in his country includes $20 million in technical and fiscal funding over five years, and the government has not gotten word of any cuts. Another $200 million to spur growth and employment is managed in tandem with the World Bank, and it remains to be seen whether this will be reduced. Finally there are direct donations from Washington to the Salvadoran government and private organizations. Fuentes said aid for security and migration could be affected, but that actively funded contracts should not be. In Guatemala, the most significant aid comes in security assistance to fight drug trafficking and that has already come under scrutiny recently over questionable use of armored vehicles donated by Washington. Other funds through USAID go to help programs on things like agriculture and education in poor rural communities, plus training for prosecutors, who have waged a high-profile fight against corruption in recent years, or for judges. Honduran political analyst Omar Garcia called U.S. aid to his country "vital" and said the threatened cuts show that Washington is "an unreliable ally for Honduras." Like Guatemala, Honduras has backed the Trump administration on key issues such as recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital and on the political crisis in Venezuela. It remains to be seen whether such support could waver. "A sense of nationalism is surging in this country ... and that could be a good thing," Garcia said. Beltran noted that most of the assistance now in jeopardy does not go directly to the three countries' governments but to agencies, NGOs, church groups and others. She predicted that an attempt to cut aid could face pushback in Congress if funds are reprogrammed without lawmakers' consent. Particularly in the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives, members and committees could try to place holds on money in the next funding bill, she said. "It is going to ensue into a battle," Beltran said, "because it is Congress that at the end of the day has the power of the purse." ___ Associated Press writers Sonia Perez D. in Guatemala City, Freddy Cuevas in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Matthew Lee in Washington and Mark Stevenson and Peter Orsi in Mexico City contributed to this report. ___ This story has been corrected to fix misattributed quotes which came from Honduran political analyst Omar Garcia. EL PASO, Texas (AP) The surge of migrant families arriving at the southern border has led the Trump administration to dramatically expand a practice President Donald Trump has long mocked as "catch and release." With immigrant processing and holding centers overwhelmed, the administration is busing people hundreds of miles inland and releasing them at Greyhound stations and churches in cities like Albuquerque, San Antonio and Phoenix because towns close to the border already have more than they can handle. Relief organizations in some cities are struggling to feed and house the migrants and warning that a public health crisis is taking shape. "We're asking volunteer doctors and nurses and community members to step up and do what the government should be doing. If this was a hurricane, FEMA would be on the ground helping," said Jim Gannon, CEO and executive director of Catholic Charities in Albuquerque, New Mexico. For many years, families arriving at the border were typically released from U.S. custody immediately and allowed to settle in this country with family or friends while their cases wound their way through the courts, a process that often takes years. Trump has railed against the practice, tweeting in November that it was over: "Catch and Release is an obsolete term. It is now Catch and Detain. Illegal Immigrants trying to come into the U.S.A., often proudly flying the flag of their nation as they ask for U.S. Asylum, will be detained or turned away." But in recent months, the number of families crossing into the U.S. has climbed to record highs, pushing the system to the breaking point. As a result, the government is releasing families faster, in greater numbers and at points farther removed from the border. Since Dec. 21, Immigration and Customs Enforcement has set free more than 125,000 people who came into the U.S. as families. Customs and Border Protection is also overloaded, and instead of holding families for up to 72 hours before turning them over to ICE, it has started releasing them directly into the U.S. Story continues "The numbers are overwhelming right now," said Gregory Archambault, ICE director of enforcement and removal operations in San Diego. "Everybody is stressed. The agency is stressed, the (local governments) are stressed, the law enforcement agencies. Everybody is stressed because there are these mass numbers of people." ICE has been releasing asylum-seeking families so quickly that they don't even have time to make travel arrangements. Families are given court dates, a head of household is often fitted with an ankle monitor, and they are dropped off at a charity-run shelter or bus station. San Antonio received part of that surge in recent days, forcing the city to open a help center with food for migrants. In El Paso, where shelters and churches are at capacity and seats on buses headed out of the city are getting harder to find, authorities briefly resorted to holding migrants in a pen lined with concertina wire under the shade of a bridge that connects the American city to Juarez, Mexico. They closed the makeshift holding area over the weekend and moved the migrants to a place with more shelter. "We spent four days under the bridge, sleeping on the rocks," said Eliseo Santiago, 37, who is from Guatemala. "They treated us like animals," said Herling Jerlyn, a teenager from Guatemala. In Albuquerque, nearly 280 miles from the border, faith-based organizations have helped roughly 1,000 migrants since mid-February. The groups were small at first, but they have been growing and the arrivals have become more frequent. San Diego County recently opened a shuttered downtown courthouse slated for demolition to house up to 150 asylum seekers. A coalition of religious and civic groups that manages the shelter said it has helped more than 11,000 members of asylum-seeking families since authorities began large-scale releases in late October. About 22,000 immigrants have been released in Arizona in the past three months. In the Phoenix area, the nonprofit organizations and churches taking them in have a capacity of only 700 a week, said Connie Phillips, president and CEO of Lutheran Social Services in the Southwest. That means immigration authorities have to drop off families by the busload at places not designed to take them in, like the Greyhound station in Phoenix. The bus company is no longer allowing anyone without a ticket to wait inside, so immigrant families, including little children, stand outside until a volunteer can get them in touch with a relative to buy them a ticket. That sometimes takes hours. "The federal government is saying, 'This is not our responsibility,'" Phillips said. "And the cities and states have not stepped up to provide any kind of emergency funding." She added: "This is going to be a public health disaster. These are small children, these are families, these are babies, and we cannot have people just out in the heat." Authorities said family arrivals along the U.S.-Mexico border reached an all-time high in February of 45,827 arrests or denials of entry. "We didn't have family groups for years and years, like we have now," ICE's Archambault said. "Our facilities are not made for this. We have diapers and baby formula and all this stuff, like a nursery." In another sign of how U.S. authorities are being tested as rarely before, figures released Tuesday show a significant drop in prosecutions for illegal entry, even as arrests have climbed sharply. The numbers are at odds with Trump's vow to prosecute everyone who enters the country illegally. In February, Customs and Border Protection referred 8,998 illegal-entry cases to prosecutors along the border, a drop of 12% from January and 23% from October, according to Syracuse University's Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse. Border Patrol arrests of single adults are moving in the opposite direction: 23,451 in February, up 26% from January and 7% from October. ___ Galvan reported from Phoenix. Associated Press writers Elliot Spagat in San Diego; Nomaan Merchant in Houston; Colleen Long in Washington; and Susan Montoya Bryan in Albuquerque, New Mexico, contributed to this story. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission details how Wynn Resorts handled accusations of rape and sexual misconduct against founder and former CEO Steve Wynn. The commission is holding a hearing this week to determine if Wynn Resorts will be able to keep its Massachusetts gaming license, which it won in 2013. The company has been working to open the Encore Boston Harbor Resort in Everett, Massachusetts. If the hearing results a lose of its gaming license, it will seriously hurt the $2.6 billion project on the Mystic River. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission released a report Tuesday detailing how Wynn Resorts WYNN handled accusations of rape and sexual misconduct against founder and former CEO Steve Wynn, and said the company hid the allegations from regulators. The report said that "over the course of years, a limited group of executives and employees in positions of authority at the Company, including in the legal division, were aware of certain allegations of sexual misconduct against Mr. Wynn involving employees, but they disregarded Company policies when it came to handling those allegations." It added: "The investigation also shows that in some instances particular Company executives, with the assistance of outside counsel, were part of affirmative efforts to conceal allegations against Mr. Wynn that came to their attention." In response, Wynn Resorts said the company has cooperated fully with the Massachusetts commission's investigation and review in the past year, "providing thousands of pages of documentation, and allowing full access to company executives and answering every question." The report did confirm remedial measures the company has taken in the wake of the allegations. Among them: that Steve Wynn had completely separated from the company within weeks of the allegations coming to light and that the board of directors established a special committee that conducted an in-depth review of the allegations. Story continues It also said "the company has implemented enhanced training and human resources policies, operations and structural changes, and new internal controls, including controls related to Company use of outside attorneys." The 199-page report says that the changes don't erase the company's corporate failures. The commission is holding a hearing this week to determine if Wynn Resorts will be able to keep its Massachusetts gaming license, which it won in 2013. The Nevada Gaming Commission also recently reviewed Wynn Resorts, assessing a record $20 million fine but allowing it to keep its casino license. The company has been working to open Encore Boston Harbor Resort in Everett, Massachusetts. If this week's hearing results a lose of its gaming license, it will seriously hurt the $2.6 billion project on the Mystic River. The resort is expected to open in June. Wynn Resorts' name was removed from the project to distance it from the allegations. The allegations surfaced after a January 2018 article in The Wall Street Journal, which said several women claimed Wynn had harassed or assaulted them. Wynn has denied the allegations. He stepped down as chairman in early 2018 and was replaced as CEO by Matt Maddox. Wynn sold his entire stake in the company by March 2018. Wynn Resort's stock price was up 2.5 percent Tuesday. CNBC's Contessa Brewer contributed to this report. More From CNBC Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Don Day Korean BBQ Buffet is one of very few Korean restaurants in Antipolo City, Philippines. They offer eat-all-you-can Korean food, unlimited korean barbecue such as samgyeopsal (pork) and chadolbagi (beef), ala-carte Korean dishes, and shabu-shabu or hot pot. It is a decent enough restaurant if you in this side of the metro and craving for Korean food. The only thing that I don't like about this restaurant is the way they sometimes change their "rules" pertaining to the unlimited meat without prior notice, and the fact that diners could only have two hours time frame limit to enjoy their meal. We dined there one time and availed of their unlimited korean samgyeopsal and chadolbagi. When my friend asked for the refill of his samgyeopsal, the waiter informed us that they only serve maximum of 5 samgyeopsal plate per person. We are under the impression that it is unlimited like what they were claiming on their ads, so the fact that there is a limit of 5 plate per person is just plain stupid. When we asked that waiter what is the point of the "unlimited" serving they were advertising, the waiter just told us that it has always been their rule. A very shady rule, if I do say so myself. If there's a limit, it shouldn't be called unlimited, right? So, for a while there, I stopped coming to this restaurant. Then when my sister visited, she surprised us with an advanced reservation for dinner at Don Day. I know how she loves Korean food, so I did not encouraged her to change the venue but I informed her about the so-called-rule that this restaurant has on their misleading "unlimited" samgyeopsal and chadolbagi. She immediately called the restaurant and clarified if there will be a limit on the meat that they will be serving per person. Then she was told that they no longer have that 5-plate-maximum-limit-per-person-despite-it-being-unlimited-rule but they now have dining time limit of two-hours. Two hours. So, if you're the type who eats slow or if you're the type who wants to spend a leisurely meal on a buffet, this restaurant may not be for you. We were planning to visit my favorite coffee shop after dinner so we figured that two hours should be enough be enough. Our group availed of the unlimited samgyeopsal and the buffet. We also availed of the shabu-shabu hot pot. I appreciate that they did not play their shady card this time, because we were given heads up from the get-go that their shabu-shabu is not unlimited and there should be a minimum of two orders per group. Meaning, if you are a group of four and would want to avail of the shabu-shabu, two of you must avail it and the other two may opt for another offering. The buffet spread has a decent number of choices. We were told that during weekdays, the choices are pretty much similar every day except for weekend when there's a special dish or two that show up on the spread. Most of the time, it's Jokbal (Korean Braised Pig Trotter). It was Friday when we visited, so we don't have that special dish on the spread. The banchan section boasts of braised baby potatoes (algamja-jorim), Korean soybean sprout (kongnamool), spinach side dish (sigeumchi-namul), stri-fried Korean fish cake, different kinds of jeon, breaded tofu in sweet and sour sauce, fried potato balls, and kimbap. Most of the appetizers taste good, especially the spinach side dish, the potato balls, and the egg roll (gyeran-mari). I also remember having pork lumpia which isn't really a Korean dish but a crowd's favorite nonetheless, hence not included in the picture because it sells too fast. The usual Korean barbecue accompaniment comes aplenty. I appreciate that the lettuce leaves are always fresh. They are not that quick to refill the main dishes but the leaves and kimchi varieties are always replenished pronto. Now one of the things that I like about Don Day is their kimchi is always, always delicious. Be it the usual napa cabbage kimchi or the radish kimchi, I am always guaranteed that I get to enjoy it to the last bit. It is nice that they sell their kimchi in their mini grocery which is also located within the restaurant. I just wish that they start selling their radish kimchi as well. The main dishes also offer decent enough selections. Their spicy pork bulgogi has nice texture and flavor to it. I love that the pork slices were tender and the spiciness of the dish was distinctly Korean. This was present on both times that I visited Don Day, and while I appreciate its deliciousness, I wish to try the galbi jim that was often the replacement in lieu of the pork dish. Their Korean fried chicken was also good. It leans more on s sweeter side of the spectrum which makes it a favorite among the kids and adults alike. It was crisp and slightly tender at the same time if you're able to choose the right part because as you may have known, chicken breast part tends to be a bit drier. There's also the stir-fried spicy squid (ojingeo bokkeum) which I find a bit tough in terms of texture but has a really nice spicy seafood flavor. If the squids were a bit tender to the bite, this dish could have been perfect. There's also spicy mussel dish which I don't really care much about but majority of my dining companions enjoyed so much. So, it might be worth the try just in case you are one of those who loves mussels. Now, the photo in this blog post didn't do justice in anyway but let me tell you that Don Day's Korean glass noodles or japchae was a pure delight to the bite. It was not very generous on the ingredients the way a japchae should, but the flavor was always spot on. I swear, I could go back to Don Day to just enjoy their japchae and I will still be a happy camper. It's really one of the buffet options that should not be missed when dining at Don Day. Tteokbokki recipe here on the blog and a video recipe on my YouTube channel , but I still find bliss whenever I am eating a really good tteokbokki in restaurants. I am happy that Don Day's version was good. The Korean spicy rice cake (Tteokbokki) was also good. I often cook this at home. I have aand a, but I still find bliss whenever I am eating a really good tteokbokki in restaurants. I am happy that Don Day's version was good. Now to be honest, ever since the time when I felt that Don Day deceived us with their "unlimited" samgyeopsal 5-plate-maximum rule, I really lose my interest with this restaurant. Two of my friends also told me that they experience the same thing before so they never came back. And although they have changed the rules now, I don't think I will ever order their unlimited meat again because the incident really left a bad taste in my mouth. During our recent visit, my sister opted for the unlimited samgyeopsal and stopped on her second platter of pork because while the pork was not that bad, it was not that spectacular either. It's a good thing that the dishes on the buffet spread were up to her liking otherwise I would really feel bad for her. What I did availed of during our recent visit was their shabu-shabu hot pot. Since it was not unlimited, diners are allowed to share it with their companion unlike the unlimited samgyeopsal and chadolbagi. What was shown in these photos was the two-person serving size which was the minimum order they can accommodate. If you are not a hefty eater and limited variety isn't really a problem for you, then this can be a good option if you want a hearty warm hot pot meal. A two-person order size includes a serving of thinly sliced meat. I am not sure if it is always beef but my cousin who go here often told me that they were once served thinly sliced pork with their shabu-shabu and then thinly sliced beef the next time they came. I guess it depends on the availability? There's also a platter filled with mussels, sliced imitation crabsticks, two pieces of prawns, three pieces of dim sum, four pieces of tofu, and slices of fish cakes, and a handful of flat noodles. There's also a platted of different vegetables and two sets of soup condiments which you can use to flavor the shabu-shabu broth. Again, it is not unlimited hence, what you see here is probably what you will get. The secret here is to build a really nice flavorful broth so that you can enjoy the shabu-shabu to the fullest. Otherwise, reserve some space in your tummy for other delicious dishes that you may enjoy from the buffet spread. The price point at Don Day, I must say is reasonable enough. The rate for the buffet only is Php275 per person. Unlimited samgyeopsal (pork) with buffet is Php335 per head. Unlimited chadolbagi with buffet is Php445 per head. Unlimited samgyeopsal and chadolbagi with buffet is Php399 per head. (Yep, it is cheaper than the beef + buffet option for some reason), and the shabu-shabu with buffet is priced at Php399 per head. There's strictly no sharing on their unlimited meat. The shabu-shabu however can be shared within the group, but again, there should be a minimum of two orders. I must say that despite my not-so-nice experience at Don Day before, I am glad that I somehow enjoyed the previous visit I had with my sister and the family. I like most of the options on the buffet spread especially the japchae and the tteokbokki. I also appreciate that their kimchi is always delicious. I also like their shabu-shabu hot pot. Some say that the serving is too few for two person considering the variety was very limited and the price is bit steep. But I think, it was good enough serving since you will get to enjoy all the other dishes on the buffet anyway. Also, since they are now clear on their buffet rules and I never felt like they deceived us the way they did before, I can say that yeah, Don Day Korean Buffet deserves a second chance. here . If you love food videos, from simple recipes to food trips, consider subscribing to my channel. Thank you! Lastly, I also created a simple video of our recent visit at Don Day Korean BBQ Buffet and posted it on my YouTube channel which you may view. If you love food videos, from simple recipes to food trips, consider subscribing to my channel. Thank you! Don Day Korean BBQ Buffet 2F Achacoso Building Circumferential Rd. Brgy. San Jose, Antipolo City, Rizal Philippines Contact No.: 0917-5917377 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu headed to Moscow Thursday morning, and said he means to discuss with Putin issues related to Iranian involvement in Syria. Events in Syria are accumulating, said the prime minister, and added that the two are also to discuss other issues important for the state of Israel. Eastern Libyan military forces have moved to western Libya and are clashing with rival forces south of the capital Tripoli, a spokesman for the eastern force said on Wednesday, in an escalation between rival camps in the troubled oil producer. The advance took diplomats and analysts by surprise, exploiting their focus on neighbouring Algeria where President Abdelaziz Bouteflika resigned on Tuesday after protests, to the relieve of Western countries valuing stability there. Libya -- in trouble since the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 -- is divided between the internationally recognised government in Tripoli and a parallel administration allied to Khalifa Haftar. His forces control the east and recently expanded to southern Libya. The remains of Zachary Baumel, repatriated Wednesday 37 years he went missing during the First Lebanon War, were just one of 20 sets of remains that arrived in Israel as part of Operation Bittersweet Song. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Despite hopes that some of the remains belong to Zvi Feldman and Yehuda Katz, two other soldiers who went missing during the June 1982 Battle of Sultan Yacoub, the forensic institute in Abu Kabir was only able to identify Baumels remains so far. One of the 20 sets of remains does not appear to belong to any of the Israeli MIAs. Zachary Baumel (: ") The operation was made possible by Israels close cooperation with Russia, a close ally of Damascus, and took two years to complete. Former defense minister Avigdor Lieberman, who enjoys close ties with Moscow, was the one who pushed for the operation, a major intelligence - operated feat, to take place. The operation came to a halt in mid September, when Israels relationship with Russia went sour over the accidental downing of a Russian military aircraft in Syria, that Moscow attributed to Israel and Israel, attributed to Syrian forces. It recuperated when the two countries relationship slowly went back to its track. After the diplomatic ordeal, Russias defense ministry spokesman said in a press conference that Israel has asked for his countys help in an operation to seek the remains of missing soldiers. Israel declined to address the remarks. According to reports in Lebanons Al Mayadeen news channel, Baumels remains were identified in the Yarmuq refugee camp near Damascus, following the withdrawal of Islamist terror group ISIS from the area. The Battle of Sultan Yacoub took place on the sixth day of the First Lebanon War, known in Israel is Operation Peace for Galilee. Israel suffered 20 confirmed losses in the battle, as well as dozens of wounded. Six soldiers were unaccounted for, including Feldman, Baumel, and Katz. The fates of the other three soldiers were later discovered: One was killed in the battle and buried in Syria, with his body being returned to Israel after the war; another was captured by the Syrians and freed two years later; and the third was captured by a terrorist organization and freed via a prisoner exchange deal that took place three years later. Despite ups and downs in the past 37 years, Israels security forces didnt give up. On Wednesday they were able to bring closure to the Baumel family, which will now finally be able to bury their son Zachary, who disappeared during the First Lebanon War in 1982. But two other families the families of Zacharys comrades, Zvi Feldman and Yehuda Katz are still awaiting their closure. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Operation Bittersweet Song kicked off two years ago, but its origins lie in Russia entry into the Syrian arena, back in 2013. It was the families of the three MIAs Baumel, Katz and Feldman who approached then-IDF chief of staff Gadi Eizenkot and asked that Israel seize the opportunity and push for new information on their loved ones, in light of strong ties with Russia. Zachary Baumel (Photo reproduction: Amit Shaabi) Israel indeed started pushing, and in June 2016, it was able to get Russia to repatriate the IDF tank the three men were in when they were killed on June 11, 1982, from the Russian museum that showcased it. It was one of two tanks that Syria seized in the battle, which later made their way to Moscows Kubinka Tank Museum. When Avigdor Lieberman took office as defense minister, he used his close ties with Moscow officials to initiate Operation Bittersweet Song, led by Colonel A. of Military Intelligence. For two years, Israels intelligence units collected information and tried to pinpoint the location of the remains. The operation came to a halt in mid-September, when Israels relationship with Russia went sour over the accidental downing of a Russian military aircraft in Syria, which Moscow attributed to Israel and Israel attributed to the Syrian forces who fired anti-aircraft missiles. The operation was revivged when the two countries relationship slowly went back on track. After the diplomatic ordeal, Russias Defense Ministry spokesman said in a press conference that Israel has asked for his countrys help in an operation to seek the remains of missing IDF soldiers lost in Syria. He revealed that Russian soldiers were working in territories formerly under ISIS control in Syria, in order to try to locate the remains. Israel declined to address the remarks. Zachary Baumel and his father (Photo reproduction: Amit Shaabi) During the past three months, intelligence efforts kicked up a notch, and culminated in late March when the troops who were tasked with bringing the remains back were given a green light to proceed. After 37 years, Baumels partial remains, his army overalls and the tzitzit (Jewish garment) he was wearing, arrived in Israel. The Abu Kabir Forensic Institute in Tel Aviv said it was technological abilities that allowed the positive identification of Baumels remains, and uncover forensic finds that shed light on the deceaseds cause of death, despite the scientific challenges that arise from the long period of time that has passed. The institute received 20 sets of human remains. So far, only Baumel has been positively identified, while another set of remains appears to belong to a John Doe, who wasnt one of the Israeli MIAs. Ill never forget the moment we saw the remains, said Colonel A. We could immediately determine that the overalls belonged to the IDFs Armored Corps. We looked at the writing on the back in Hebrew, which was amazingly preserved. Abu Kabir forensic scientists who identified Baumel's remains We also identified the IDF imprint on the shoes. It was an emotional moment, we couldnt help but cry, said Colonel A. We knew that after 37 years, we finally had the remains. From Colonel A.s words it is clear that whoever had the remains took good care of them, allowing their preservation. Its not clear whether the clothing pieces were buried with the remains of the body or kept separately. "There was no deal and no negotiations to return Baumel. He was returned in a military operation," said IDF Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Ronen Manlis. "We are not saying where his body was found. The operation proves that we never abandoned the Sultan Yacoub case. The families know that we will continue to make every effort to bring their sons home." Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a televised statement in which he called the mission to retrieve Baumel's remains the essence of the Israeli spirit. "This is one of the most moving moments of all my years as prime minister of Israel," he said. Asna Haberman, Zachary's sister, meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after the remains were identified Russian President Vladimir Putin, who received Netanyahu in Moscow on Thursday, announced that the Russian Defense Ministry will show effects of MIAs collected at the site where Baumel's remains were found, and promised that Russia is actively searching for additional MIAs. Putin also said that Russian forces based in Syria were those who found Baumel's remains. "Our people along with the Syrians found the missing soldier and will work to find others still missing," Putin said. Putin added that at a ceremony to be held at the Russian Ministry of Defense, other artifacts belonging to MIAs found at the Yarmouk refugee camp, near Damascus, will be presented. "Russia considers it its duty to search for MIAs and that is what we will do." Shelling by Syrian government forces of rebel-held areas in the northwest of the country has killed 17 civilians in the past 24 hours, a war monitoring group said on Thursday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights group said the shelling was in different locations and that more than half the dead were under the age of 18. Violence has escalated in northwestern Syria this year along the frontline between pro-government forces and the largest remaining territory held by Syrian rebel groups. The area is subject to a ceasefire agreement struck in September between Russia and Turkey to avert a major government offensive to retake the northwest. Moscow is the government's strongest ally and Turkey backs some rebel groups. The northwest, including Idlib province and parts of Hama and Aleppo provinces, is home to about 3 million people, half of whom have already been internally displaced, the United Nations says. With five days to go until Israel's elections, Facebook has temporarily blocked the account of Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) Party member Itamar Ben-Gvir, claiming he had repeatedly violated the social networks terms and conditions. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter One of the reasons for Ben-Gvir's ban apparently was a photo showing portraits of Otzma Yehudit leaders with a slogan reading, "100 dead terrorists, but not a single hair will fall from the heads of IDF soldiers. However, several other posts by Ben-Gvir were also reported, and an unnamed source said that the far-right politician was warned by Facebook before he was actually blocked. Itamar Ben-Gvir (Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg) Ben-Gvir slammed Facebook for the move, and filed a petition to the Central Elections Committee over the ban. Elections are less than a week away, and the dictatorship of Facebook kicks up a notch and tries to silence a Knesset nominee, said Ben- Gvir. This is obviously because Im an ideological rightist, since Facebook is a social media network with an extreme-leftist agenda, said Ben-Gvir. We wont let this situation continue, said Ben-Gvir. Facebook will not silence rightists while they do nothing about terrorists (on their network). Ive filed an urgent petition to the Central Election Committee Facebook will be notified before I sue them for millions, he said. The Otzma Yehudit Party is the latest incarnation of the Jewish National Front, a party that was established ahead of the 2006 elections, but its roots are in the Kach movement, which Rabbi Meir Kahane established in the 1970s. Kach was a radical and racist right-wing movement with fascist characteristics; it called to expel Arab citizens from Israeli territory and promoted racist legislation against all non-Jews. It also believed in making Israel a Halachic state (ruled by Jewish law) and in annexing all parts of Greater Israel, which includes Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Turkey, Lebanon and Syria. Russian President Vladimir Putin told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday that Russian special forces troops in Syria had found the remains of a U.S.-born Israeli soldier Zachary Baumel, missing since 1982, allowing him to be finally buried. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Speaking at talks with Netanyahu in Moscow, Putin was cited by Russian news agencies as saying that it had been a tough task to locate his remains. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Photo: AP) "Our soldiers together with Syrian partners established his resting place. We are very happy that they will be able to give him the necessary military honors at home," Putin was quoted as saying. Netanyahu thanked Putin for his country's efforts that culminated in the finding of Baumel's remains: Two years ago I turned to you with a personal request that you help us in finding the remains of our soldiers, including Zachary Baumel, out of the great shared values of comrades-in-arms and fellowship of soldiers, said Netanyahu. You responded immediately. You said that you would act personally. You called on your people who did exceptional work, the prime minister said. Baumel immigrated to Israel with his parents from New York in 1970. His disappearance during the First Lebanon War, along with two other soldiers who fought in the Battle of Sultan Yacoub, has long troubled Israel. Netanyahu made a televised statement Wednesday in which he called the mission to retrieve Baumel's remains the essence of the Israeli spirit. "This is one of the most moving moments of all my years as prime minister of Israel," he said. Syria's foreign minister said Thursday that U.S. President Donald Trump's administration "lies" all the time about withdrawing its troops from the country. Walid al-Moallem also said Trump's decision to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights only serves to increase America's isolation in the world "even among its closest allies." Al-Moallem spoke Thursday at a joint press conference in Damascus with Venezuela's Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza, who lauded what he described as Syria's victory over "terrorism" in the country's eight-year war. Venezuela's government has warm relations with Syrian President Bashar Assad's government. Arreaza said both countries were victims of a U.S. conspiracy. Al-Moallem vowed to liberate all Syrian territory including the northwestern province of Idlib, the last major rebel-held stronghold in the country. He says "our patience has its limits." The Russian army chief of staff demanded Thursday to be given more warning time before any Israeli attacks on military targets in Syria. The demand comes a day after Israel announced the return of the remains of an IDF soldier missing since the First Lebanon War in 1982, whose body had been located by Russian troops in Syria. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The remains of Brooklyn-born Baumel, were repatriated on Wednesday, some 37 years he went missing after the Battle of Sultan Yacoub, and were just one of 20 sets of remains that arrived in Israel as part of Operation Bittersweet Song. The operation was made possible by Israels close cooperation with Russia, a close ally of Damascus, and took two years to complete. Ceremony in Russian Defense Ministry where Baumels body was officially returned (Photo: GPO) Valery Gerasimov, chief of Russia's military general staff, apparently made the demand to senior Israel Defense Forces officers, whom he met during a meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. The two sides have yet to each an agreement on the issue. The deployment of the Russian S-300 air defense system in Syria was also discussed during the meeting, with the Moscow officials insisting on eventually transferring the complete control of the batteries to the regime officials. Ceremony in Russian Defense Ministry where Baumels body was officially returned (Photo: GPO) A diplomatic source said that Putin himself initiated the meeting between the senior military officials, as well as a ceremony in the countrys Defense Ministry where Baumels body was officially returned in a casket wrapped in Israeli flag, surrounded by high-ranking Russian military officials. Although the country's Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu was absent from the meeting, the fact that Gerasimov personally participated in the ceremony, indicates the relations between the military officials of the two states had been restored, which is believed to be the main objective of the meeting. Ceremony in Russian Defense Ministry where Baumels body was officially returned (Photo: GPO) The source added that the discovery of Baumel's body will not undermine the efforts to recover the remains of other missing Israeli soldiers who fell in battle, and denied suggestions that the discovery was made public to coincide with the upcoming Israeli elections on April 9. The source also said that Putin implied that the special relationship with Netanyahu is what prevented a military confrontation between the two countries after the incident in September when Syria accidentally downed a Russian plane during an Israeli aerial assault in the war-battered country, which sparked an international crisis. Fallen Israeli soldier Zachary Baumel was laid to rest at the military cemetery on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem Thursday, a day after his remains were returned to his family and 337 years after he went missing in Lebanon during the 1982 war. The funeral was attended by many high-profile Israeli officials, including President Reuven Rivlin and Prime Minister Netanyahu, as well as members of the soldier's family. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Baumel's family received his remains on Wednesday, after forensic scientists in Tel Aviv confirmed by DNA test that the body belonged to the Brooklyn-born soldier. Funeral of Zachary Baumel in Jerusalem (Photo: EPA) Asna Haberman, Zachary's sister, the return of the remains is the result of 37 years worth of prayers. All the prayers have brought us here. I thought what I would do when you return, but now I cant even hug you, she said. But the soil is hugging you tightly because there is nothing but love between the son who gave everything for this land and the land itself. We are saying goodbye to you today. I am letting this land have you Rest in peace, my dear brother, the sister said. Zachary's sister at the funeral (Photo: Jorge Novominsky) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who also spoke at the ceremony, remembered Zacharys father, Yona, who passed away 10 years ago. "On this day we remember the late Yona and his love for Zachary His pain, his longing, his faith, his tireless devotion to bring Zachary home, said the prime minister. How unfortunate that youre not here with us to see the return of your beloved son." "We have waited for this moment for 37 years, and I have seen people - born years after Zachary disappeared - shed tears, added Netanyahu. The return of our sons touches the depths of our identities as Jews and Israelis. Prime Minister Netanyahu attends the funeral (Photo: AFP) "Zachary, 37 years ago - just a few days before the battle in which you fell - you wrote to your parents: 'Dont worry, everything is fine, but it seems that I wont come home anytime soon,'" eulogized Rivlin. 37 years have passed since that letter, youve come home, to this countrys land, to Jerusalem." Today, we can say with full confidence that we are doing everything - both incomprehensible and unbelievable - in order to fulfill our promise to return the sons who did not return from battle ... and we will continue to make every effort to also bring home Zvi Feldman and Yehuda Katz - Zachary's two friends - who fell with him in the Battle of Sultan Yacoub he added. President Reuven Rivlin attends the funeral (Photo: Jorge Novominsky) IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi said the return of the remains will finally give the family peace and ease their suffering. The pain will remain forever but if its any consolation, Zachary was returned and buried in his country. "I salute you Zachary Baumel, a courageous fighter, a man of faith and values who was forced by his devotion to fight until the end," he added. Aviv Kochavi greets Baumel family at the funeral (Photo: Jorge Novominsky) Baumel's remains were repatriated to Israel several days ago after Russian troops located them in the Palestinian refugee camp Yarmouk in Syria. According to IDF spokesman Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, the body was returned to Israel on an El Al plane and identified after years of "significant intelligence operations." Funeral of Zachary Baumel (Photo: Moshe Mizrahi) Baumel went missing during the June 1982 battle against Syrian troops at the Lebanese village of Sultan Yacoub, close to the Lebanese-Syrian border. He was believed to have been captured by enemy forces. The operation to return Baumel's remains, led by Colonel A. of the intelligence branch, was planned in recent months and reached its height a week ago, when the troops who were tasked with bringing his body back were given a green light to proceed. Funeral of Zachary Baumel (Photo: AFP) "There was no deal and no negotiations to return Baumel. He was returned in a military operation," said IDF Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Ronen Manelis. "We are not saying where his body was found. The operation proves that we never abandoned the Sultan Yacoub case. The families know that we will continue to make every effort to bring their sons home." The man I am missing today is Yonah Baumel, father of Zachary, the IDF soldier whose remains were returned to his family after 37 years. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter I long to see him, and would be willing to pay a high price for that experience. Yonah Baumel and his son, Zachary I will never forget him. A bowed Jewish man, skullcap on his head and hat in his hands. He fidgeted with the hat endlessly, as if afraid that the defense minister would throw him down the stairs. He had a small bag containing every press clipping imaginable on his son, and perhaps also a small sandwich prepared by his wife, Miriam, for her husband as he hovered in the doorways of the great and the good. Yonah Baumel died about 10 years ago, having spent the last years of his life stubbornly searching for every snippet of information about his eldest son, lost in the First Lebanon War. Every article and every word in every outlet would galvanize him. When a two-line article appeared in a Jordanian newspaper, Yonah Baumel would immediately appear at the office of the defense minister and the prime minister. Zachary Baumel's mother, Miriam, sets out for his funeral in Jerusalem, April 4, 2019 (Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg) He did not know much about what was happening behind the scenes, and only occasionally did he learn about it from the newspapers or the radio. It was clear to him that his son had not been abandoned in any way, and yet Yonah still went to stand in the doorways of ministers. His American accent went before him, like a calling card, as he travelled all over the country. Yonah was everywhere, at any time, any hour. He was there when the other two families, Feldman and Katz, entrusted him with the task of canvassing Israel's leaders. Zachary Baumel (Photo: Reproduction) Also missing from the picture is the late Lt. Col. Shlomit Carmi, former head of the IDF missing persons unit. Karmi demanded that the three be declared fallen soldiers whose burial place was unknown. She was fervently determined to solve the mystery of the missing men, and stopped Yonah from wandering aimlessly through the corridors of power. The final act of Zachary Baumel's life - to return to Israel for burial was faciliated by members of the Israeli intelligence community, 37 years after he was lost in battle. The IDF always promised he would come home. The UN atomic watchdog policing Irans nuclear deal has inspected what Israels prime minister called a secret atomic warehouse in Tehran, three diplomats familiar with the agencys work said. The UN atomic watchdog policing Irans nuclear deal has inspected what Israels prime minister called a secret atomic warehouse in Tehran, three diplomats familiar with the agencys work said. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter In a speech at the United Nations in September Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who vehemently opposes the deal, called on the International Atomic Energy Agency to visit the site immediately, saying it had housed 15 kg (33 lb) of unspecified radioactive material that had since been removed. Netanyahu argued the warehouse showed Tehran still sought to obtain nuclear weapons, despite its 2015 pact with world powers to curb its nuclear program in return for a loosening of sanctions. Prime Minister Netanyahu during his UNGA speech in September (Photo: EPA) At the time the IAEA bristled at being told what to do, saying it does not take information presented to it at face value and sends inspectors only when needed. Theyve visited the site, one of the three diplomats said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the issue publicly and details of inspections are confidential. One of the diplomats said the IAEA had been to the site more than once last month. The others said the agency had been there, without specifying when. The IAEA declined to comment. We have nothing to hide and any access given to the IAEA so far has been in the framework of laws and regulations and nothing beyond that, an Iranian official said. The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran declined to comment. Iran has said the site is a carpet-cleaning facility. Israel's Foreign Ministry declined to comment. Netanyahu talks about Iranian nuclear program (Photo: Reuters) Determining what nuclear materials if any were present at the site will depend on an analysis of environmental samples taken there, and the results will not be in until June, two of the diplomats said. Such environmental samples can detect telltale particles including highly enriched uranium even long after material has been removed. The IAEA has the power under the landmark 2015 deal to carry out so-called complementary access inspections in Iran, which are often conducted at short notice, wherever it needs to. The IAEA carried out 35 complementary access inspections in Iran in 2017, the latest year for which data is available, according to an annual report to member states that is itself confidential and which Reuters obtained. Diplomats familiar with the IAEAs work say such inspections are often carried out to clear up questions Iran has not fully answered or discrepancies in its declarations. NOTHING TO HIDE The IAEA has repeatedly said Iran is holding up its end of the deal, which lifted international sanctions against Tehran in exchange for restrictions on its atomic activities that increased the time it would need to make a nuclear bomb if it chose to. Iran says its nuclear program is entirely peaceful. Quarterly IAEA reports say its inspectors have had access to all the places in Iran they have needed to visit, which IAEA chief Yukiya Amano repeated in a speech on Tuesday. Netanyahu talks about Iranian nuclear program (Photo: AP) At the same time, some diplomats who follow Iran closely say it has dragged its feet in dealing with the agency and some inspections have gone down to the wire. Full cooperation with the IAEA must be the norm, and Iran should not need a quarterly reminder of its importance, the United States, which has pulled out of the deal and now opposes it, said in a statement at last months IAEA Board of Governors meeting, referring to another regular comment in IAEA reports. Pending the results of the sample analysis, several diplomats said the fact inspectors were granted access to the site showed the deal is holding for now, despite Washington re-imposing punishing sanctions that have targeted Irans economy. The Iranians have realized that complying with the deal is in their interests, one diplomat said. Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit and State Prosecutor Shai Nitzan are expected to order a police investigation into a suspected criminal activity involving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the sale of the shares - hed previously bought - to his cousin Nathan Milikowsky, a senior legal source said Thursday. Far-right Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) Party member Itamar Ben-Gvir demanded Thursday NIS 250,000 in compensation from Facebook, after the social network blocked his page a day ago. Facebook has not yet responded. When Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to undermine his strongest election challenger, he pins a label on him that many Israelis see as an insult: Leftist Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Israel was founded by the left, which dominated politics in the early years of the state. In 1992 it took 61 of the 120 seats in the Knesset, or parliament. Nearly 30 years on, the left is forecast to take only around 25 seats in an election on Tuesday. A man walks with his dog between election campaign billboards The left has been reeling after a series of setbacks - the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in 1995, the failure of his 1993 and 1995 Oslo accords to deliver peace with the Palestinians, many rounds of failed negotiations and years of bloodshed that have made both sides bitter and mistrustful. Now, only 12 percent of Jewish Israelis identify themselves as left-wing, according to the Israel Democracy Institute. It was around double that a decade-and-a-half ago. Fifty-six percent now describe themselves as right-wing, up from 40 percent over the same period, and the amount who say they are centrists is little changed at 26.5 percent. With Netanyahu in power for the past decade and months away from becoming Israels longest-serving leader if he is re-elected, the right is on the ascendant. The only candidate with a chance of beating Netanyahu is not a leftist. Benny Gantz, a former general and political novice, belongs to a new party that is running on a centrist platform. Seeking to win over right-leaning voters, Gantz, 59, has highlighted his military credentials and is a pragmatist. Gantz was head of the Israeli military during the 2014 Gaza war between Israel and the militant Islamist group Hamas in which 2,100 Palestinians were killed, against an Israeli death toll of 67 soldiers and six civilians. Gantz embraces that legacy, running a television ad which highlighted the number of Palestinian militants killed on his watch. Careful not to alienate centrist voters, Gantz also chooses his words carefully on the issue that more than any other divides Israels left and right a two-state solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Gantz nods to the left by saying Israel should pursue peace and end its dominion over the Palestinians but stops short of endorsing Palestinian statehood. Most polls show Gantzs centrist Blue and White party leading Netanyahus right-wing Likud in a straight race. According to the latest Channel 12 news poll, Blue and White have a four mandate lead on the ruling Likud, with Gantz's party getting 30 Knesset seats and Likud getting 26. But they also show a Netanyahu-led alliance of all the right-wing parties is more likely to secure a majority. TRAITORS Netanyahu has cast Gantz as a weak leftist who will endanger Israels security by giving territorial concessions to the Palestinians, which is anathema to the right. This is Netanyahus standard play-book, say his opponents. Benny Gantz and Benjamin Netanyahu (Photo: AFP) The word left is a tool to delegitimize everyone or anyone whos against Netanyahu, said Labour lawmaker Merav Michaeli. Left has become like a curse, so its not surprising that so many people are trying to avoid it. If there is really deep damage our prime minister has done to society, its making the left-wingers traitors, said Labour supporter Liat Arbel. We are as (much a) part of Israel as right-wingers. In the build-up to the election, Netanyahu struck an alliance with anti-Arab and far-right politicians, some of whom seek to annex the West Bank. Foremost among Netanyahus critics for veering further right is the last left-winger to beat him in an election, Ehud Barak. Like Gantz, Barak is a former military man. Now retired from politics, Barak, 77, says the far-right has become the driving force in Israeli politics, like the tail wagging the dog. The left, he says, has lost steam. The left used to have a vision for Israel - a modern, Zionist, enlightened society on the cutting edge of the advanced world, said Barak, who was prime minister from July 1999 until March 2001. The right-wing has its own vision which is, in a way, dark, ultra-nationalist, somewhat racist and messianic. But its a burning vision - so it motivates them. Historian Gadi Taub, of Hebrew Universitys School of Public Policy, describes himself as a former leftist. He says the left has become elitist, over-critical of their own society, and out of touch with mainstream Israelis, who are deeply skeptical about prospects for peace with Palestinians. The Israeli public is pragmatic. It drew its conclusions from the failure of the lefts vision and it changed direction, said Taub. NO PEACE For many Israelis, Barak played a big role in the lefts decline. In 2000, he and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat failed to agree a peace accord. Ehud Barak (Photo: Motti Kimchi) From that day onwards the Israeli public believed that there was no partner, that they dont want peace, said Angela Godfrey-Goldstein, a veteran Israeli peace activist. Israelis hunkered down. The outbreak of a Palestinian intifada, or uprising, a few months later drove the sides even further apart. Palestinians carried out shootings and suicide bombings, and Israel carried out air strikes and army raids. Opinion was further hardened when Israel pulled its soldiers and settlers out of Gaza in 2005, only for Hamas to seize control of the territory two years later, further dimming prospects for peace. If he is to secure victory, Gantz may have to convince voters he is in the model of former commanders turned politicians, such as Rabin and Ariel Sharon, who was prime minister from March 2001 until April 2006. Gantz was asked about the comparison with Rabin at an election event in Tel Aviv on Tuesday. To be compared to Yitzhak Rabin would be nothing short of the best compliment I can think of, he replied. Rabin was center, a bit left, a bit right, however you want to define him. By BRYAN HELLIOS [email protected] Ironwood The city of Ironwood received a Michigan Rural Community Demolition Grant for $50,000 to address the issue of blight in the city. Scott Erickson, city manager for Ironwood, said the money will be used to clean up the collapsed building on Ayer Street. Were moving forward with getting things prepared to go out for bids to get contractors involved to do the demolition work, he said. There is a lot of paperwork required by the state which needs to be done before that can happen, he added. The owner of the building will have the property deeded to the city so grant funds can be used to help cover the clean-up cost, he said. Erickson said the city has no immediate plans for the property, but the building is adjacent to other property that the city owns. It expands that property for future development potential, he said. Over the last 10 years the city has also removed more than 150 residential homes which were deemed to be blighted. Erickson said homes in need of extensive repair get into the cycle of tax forfeiture where people buy them at a low cost and then dont put any money into them. Once the new owners realize how much money it will cost to repair the house, he said some of the owners abandon them, dont pay the tax and the cycle continues. Weve taken out a lot of the really bad ones over the last few years, it doesnt mean there arent a few more out there, he said. Erickson said the city has an additional $220,000 through the State of Michigan from the Hardest Hit Blight grant and he hopes to remove 10 to 12 more homes. Every time we can take one house out of the neighborhood its going to take that rotten apple out of the barrel, he said. The rest of the barrel stays good and people invest back into their properties. By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] Bessemer An Ironwood Township man who used the postal service to receive drugs was sentenced to eight years in prison in Gogebic County Circuit Court Tuesday. Scott David Salmi, 45, was sentenced to between eight and 30 years for delivery of methamphetamine and between three and 10 years for possession of meth. The two sentences will be served concurrently, as stipulated in Salmis plea agreement in the case. Were not just talking about small amounts of methamphetamine, were talking about 34-35 grams per mail delivery to you that was then disseminated and used by you in this community. That offense is very serious, said Judge Michael Pope. Pope recognized various positive aspects of Salmis history and acknowledged addiction issues were present, but called the Salmis offenses very egregious due its impact on the community. (Meth) is one of the most egregious drugs this court has come across, he said, referencing its severe addiction qualities. Salmis charges stem from a pair of cases. He was arrested in March 2018 after authorities found a suspicious package containing drugs addressed to the Bessemer restaurant Salmi worked at. Officers seized approximately two ounces of crystal meth. He was charged a second time in August after being released on bond. In that case, Salmi was arrested following a short foot pursuit once officers receiving information regarding his location after his bond was revoked. At the time of his arrest, he was found to have controlled substances on him, a Gogebic Iron Area Narcotics Team spokesman said. Prosecutor Nick Jacobs called Salmi a one-man drug store Tuesday, and said the case was illuminating on how easy it was for mail-order drugs to infiltrate a community. Salmi apologized for his actions and for what he put his family through. He said he didnt know why he relapsed after years of sobriety and promised to make the most of his opportunities while serving his sentence and in the future. Im going to come out a better person than I am going in, Salmi told the court. Salmi received credit for 258 days served in jail prior to sentencing on the delivery sentence and 243 days credit on the possession sentence. Charges of delivery of meth, tampering with evidence, possession of a controlled substance near a school or library, and resisting and obstructing an officer were dismissed at sentencing as part of the plea agreement. The case was primarily investigated by the Gogebic Iron Area Narcotics Team. News Washington, DC - Secretary Michael R. Pompeo met with Republic of Korea (R.O.K.) Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha March 29 in Washington. They discussed coordinated efforts to achieve the final, fully verified denuclearization of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (D.P.R.K.) and updated each other on respective U.S. and R.O.K. engagements with the D.P.R.K. Secretary Pompeo and Foreign Minister Kang praised the enduring strength of the U.S.-R.O.K. Alliance. Both sides expressed their commitment to cooperation across the U.S. Indo-Pacific Strategy and the R.O.K. New Southern Policy, as well as U.S.-R.O.K.-Japan trilateral cooperation. News Suffolk, Virginia - Removing distractions and preparing the Navy to face combat at sea was the main focus of the 2019 Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON) Leadership Mess Symposium March 27-29 at Naval Information Forces (NAVIFOR) Hall of Heroes. Representing the highest levels of enlisted leadership in the United States Navy, more than 100 senior command master chiefs from around the fleet, along with several previous MCPONs, converged at the symposium to discuss improving enlisted leadership development, strengthening the chief petty officers mess, and improving the enlisted Sailor experience. The symposium featured a series of briefs, panels, and speakers, including the Secretary of the Navy and the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), and each session also featured candid and critical discussions. Among the items discussed were transparent leadership, providing opportunity for Sailors, recognizing advocacy as the active component of mentorship, keeping Sailors focused on technical competency, and warfighting readiness. The MCPON Russell Smith emphasized that we do not know when or where the threat will strike -- urging attendees to pass on this message to other leaders and Sailors on the deck plates. We have to pivot our Navy to face a warfight at sea, Smith said. There is an implication that one day you may be called upon to risk your life for the unit you are a part of. It's serious business!" To underscore his message, Smith invited former USS Cole commanding officer, Commander Kirk S. Lippold, USN (Ret.), as the guest speaker. Lippold gave a chilling minute-by-minute account of his experience commanding the USS Cole in the immediate aftermath of the terrorist attack in 2000 while the ship was refueling in Yemen. Smith said it was his responsibility to keep the focus on and give attendees a sense of urgency towards preparing the Navy for the high end fight, affirming technical expertise as being paramount in the Navy's ability to fight and regenerate. As the senior enlisted leader and the principal advocate and advisor on behalf of the enlisted force to the CNO and the Chief of Naval Personnel, the MCPON mission is to help strengthen readiness, training, and opportunities for Sailors. News Washington, DC - Secretary Michael R. Pompeo met with Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Borrell at the Department of State. The Secretary thanked the Foreign Minister for Spains efforts to support a return to democracy in Venezuela. The Secretary and the Foreign Minister discussed a number of regional and bilateral issues, including Russias aggression in the Black Sea. They also discussed joint efforts in NATO and the importance of meeting defense spending targets outlined in the Wales Pledge. Latest News Chicago, Illinois - Producer sentiment weakened slightly in late winter, according to the March Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer reading. The barometer, which is based on a survey of 400 U.S. agricultural producers, declined 3 points to a reading of 133, down from 136 in February. This months drop is largely due to producers weaker outlook regarding future economic conditions in agriculture and, in some cases, stress regarding their farms future financial performance, said James Mintert, the barometers principal investigator and director of Purdue Universitys Center for Commercial Agriculture. The Index of Future Expectations dropped 6 points, down from a reading of 145 to 139, while the Index of Current Conditions remained relatively unchanged at 120. Financial stress continues to be a concern in the production agriculture sector. When asked about their financial performance expectations for 2019 compared to the previous year, 59 percent of producers expect their farms performance to be about the same, and 21 percent actually expect better, financial performance; however, 20 percent of producers said they expect their farms performance to be worse than in 2018. Responding to a separate question, just over half (52 percent) of respondents indicated they are less optimistic about their farms financial future compared to a year earlier. To learn more about financial conditions on U.S. farms, Purdue researchers asked producers about their operating debt, both in the January and March 2019 surveys. Results suggest that 5 to as much as 7 percent of U.S. farms are suffering from some financial stress, using the need to carryover unpaid operating debt as a financial stress indicator. In March, of the 22 percent of farms that expect to have a larger operating loan in 2019, just over one in five said it was the result of carrying over a previous years unpaid operating debt. In contrast to the concerns expressed about financial performance in the March survey, producers seem more optimistic about the future of agriculture exports. Only 8 percent of producers in the March survey said they expect agriculture exports to decrease in the next 5 years. Meanwhile, 68 percent expect exports to increase, which was the most optimistic perspective on agricultural exports provided by farmers since the Purdue researchers began posing questions on exports in May 2017. With respect to the trade dispute with China, 77 percent of producers were confident that it will be resolved in a way that benefits U.S. agriculture; however, less than half expect the trade situation with China to be resolved before July 1. Read the full March Ag Economy Barometer report at http://purdue.edu/agbarometer. The report includes insights into producers attitudes toward farmland values and making large farm investments. The site also offers additional resources, such as past reports, charts and survey methodology, and a form to sign up for monthly barometer email updates and webinars. Each month Dr. Mintert also provides an in-depth analysis of the barometer. That video can be viewed at http://purdue.ag/barometervideo. The Ag Economy Barometer, Index of Current Conditions and Index of Future Expectations are available on the Bloomberg Terminal under the following ticker symbols: AGECBARO, AGECCURC and AGECFTEX. Yuma News Yuma, Arizona - The City of Yumas quarterly Household Hazardous Waste collection day returns 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 6, in the east parking lot of the Yuma Civic Center (1440 W. Desert Hills Drive). Leftover household products that are flammable, corrosive, toxic or reactive under certain circumstances are considered household hazardous waste (HHW). The City's HHW Day provides a free opportunity for residents to safely dispose of these products, such as paint, batteries, pesticides and cleaners, by simply dropping them off. This type of waste requires special care to be properly disposed of. To participate, collect your unwanted household hazardous waste items and take them to the Civic Center parking lot, where traffic control devices will show vehicles to the drop-off site. Then, describe the types of waste to be collected. From there, staff will provide instructions for which station(s) to stop to drop off waste. The following items will be accepted at the HHW collection event: Motor oil Paint Antifreeze Household cleaners Solvents Pesticides Batteries Fertilizers Tires (limit of five; must be off the wheel) No business/commercial waste, ammunition, pressurized gas, radioactive waste, explosives, prescription drugs or needles will be accepted. E-waste items for drop-off include: Home computer components TV sets VCRs/DVD players Cell phones Home phones Residents may bring the following household items to the drop-off site to be recycled: Aluminum cans Paper E-Waste Cardboard material Paper documents Plastics Next HHW collection date: July 13 (6 to 10 a.m.) Oct. 12 (8 a.m. to noon) Questions? Please call the City's Public Works Department at (928) 373-4504. Today Wind increasing. A mix of clouds and sun. High 73F. SSE winds at 10 to 15 mph, increasing to 20 to 30 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph. Tonight Rain showers early, then clear overnight. Low 47F. Winds WNW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 40%. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph. Tomorrow Sunny. High 63F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Our directory features more than 18 million business listings from across the entire US. However, if we're missing your business, add your business by clicking on Add Your Business. New Delhi: Classic action superstar Sunny Deol is back with yet another adrenaline pumping outing 'Blank'. The actor will be seen playing a top cop in the Intelligence Bureau. The film marks the debut of Karan Kapadiaveteran actress Dimple Kapadia's nephew. Karan plays a suicide bomber in the actioner which has some thrilling moments. The makers have released the trailer and we must say that it promises to be high on action and thrill. The dialogues are heavy-duty and of course, more so because Sunny paaji delivers them. Watch the trailer here: Newcomer Karan makes his first impression lasting, at least the trailer says so. The storyline is hard-hitting and shows how a sleeper terrorist loses his memory after an accident. Deol in one of the scenes can be heard saying, Terrorism Ka Koi Chehra Nahi Hota (terrorism does not have a face). And as an officer sets out to find out the man who has been sent on a deadly mission. 'Blank' is hitting the screens on May 3, 2019. Ishita Dutta Sethi plays the female lead opposite Karan Kapadia in the movie. New Delhi: Hollywood actor Will Smith visited India last year and his pictures with several B-Town celebs went viral. The actor's digital series, 'Bucket List' shows various adventures that he embarks upon and the latest and final episode of season 1 is all about Will's visit to India. From riding an auto to dancing in Karan Johar's 'Student of the Year 2' on the recreated version of 'Radha' song, Will has captured his journey in a 21-minute episode. Check out the episode here, as posted on Facebook: The song 'Radha' from Student of the Year has been recreated by K Jo and Will is seen shaking a leg with the lead actors of the film. Student of the Year 2 stars Tiger Shroff, Tara Sutaria and Ananya Panday in lead roles. The film marks Ananya and Tara's Bollywood debut and is one of the most-anticipated releases of 2019. The video of the song 'Radha' from Will's 'Bucket List' can be called as the very first glimpse of 'Student of the year 2' as prior to this, only posters of the film have been unveiled. The film will hit the silver screens on May 10. Excited to meet Will and Karan Johar's 'students'? So are we! New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday said it will hear on April 8 a plea seeking to block the release of a biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi that is scheduled to release on April 5. A bench of Justice S.A. Bobde, Justice S. Abdul Nazeer and Justice Indira Banerjee agreed to hear the plea by Aman Panwar, one of the Congress spokesman, contending that the release of Modi biopic ahead of the election would disturb the level playing field. Mentioning the matter for an urgent hearing, senior counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi told the court that the release of the film produced by three members of the ruling party in the midst of the election would disturb level playing field which is so essential for the purity of election and democracy. Initially, the court was reluctant to entertain the plea saying that the petitioner should instead approach the High Court for the relief. Singhvi told the bench that similar pleas have already been turned down by the Delhi and Bombay High Courts and it would be futile going back to them with the similar prayer to block the release of the biopic "PM Narendra Modi". New Delhi: Superstar Salman Khan has a chock-a-block work calendar. Soon after wrapping up Ali Abbas Zafar's 'Bharat' with Katrina Kaif, Bhaijaan got started with 'Dabangg 3'. The movie happens to be the third instalment of the hit 'Dabangg' franchise. Sallu Bhai will be seen reprising his role of Chulbul Pandey and Sonakshi Sinha plays Rajjoher character from the original and second part. Salman took to social media and shared a fresh still from the sets. He wrote: Having a Chulbul time on the sets of #dabangg3... @prabhudheva @arbaazkhanofficial @nikhildwivedi25 Looks like he is shooting a sequence inside temple premises. Although his face is not visible, yet excitement to see him in his funniest avatar as Chulbul Pandey is high amongst the fans. The actor, who is shooting in Maheshwar, Madhya Pradesh even thanked his fans through a video recently as the crowd gathered in huge numbers just to catch a glimpse of their favourite star up and close. 'Dabangg 3' is helmed by Prabhudheva and hit music composer duo Sajid-Wajid will create soundtracks. The film is expected to hit the screens in December 2019. The release date has not been officially announced as yet. New Delhi: The auspicious occasion of Chaitra Navratri will begin from April 6 with April 14 being the Rama Navami. The nine-day long festival is highly awaited by Goddess Durga followers across the globe. There are different types of Navratri which fall each year, namelyVasanta or Chaitra Navratri, Ashadha Navratri, Sharad Navratri, Pausha Navratri and Magha Navratri respectively. However, out of these, only 2 are celebrated widely. Vasanta or Chaitra Navratri falls during the months of March-April while Sharad Navratri is celebrated during September-October respectively. These two types of Navratri festival is widely celebrated across the globe. ALSO READ: Chaitra Navratri 2019: Complete day wise puja schedule The Sharad Navratri is hailed as the most important one and referred to as the Maha Navratri also. It is the same time when Bengalis celebrate Durga Pujo and welcome the Goddess to their abodes. Did you know there is a legend behind celebrating Chaitra Navratri? Well, we thought of sharing the story with you. The Popular and most common legend behind Chaitra Navratri: The legend has it that when King Dooshibago was killed by a lion, it was decided that prince Sudarsana would be crowned next. However, King Yudhajit of Ujjain, the father of Queen Lilavati, and King Virasena of Kalinga, the father of Queen Manorama, did not approve of this, as they too had their eyes set on the crown of Kosala for their respective grandsons, which resulted in a fight between them. After which King Virasena got killed in the battle. Following which his daughter Manorama fled to the forest with Prince Sudarsana and a eunuch, taking refuge under Rishi Bharadwaj. On the other hand, King Yudhajit, crowned his grandson, Satrujit at Ayodhya, the capital of Kosala. After which he set his eyes to get hold of Manorama and her son. However, the Rishi told him that he can't let go of them, as they took refuge under him, making Yudhajit furious. Yudhajit became so angry that he wanted to attack the Rishi but was stopped by his minister. Meanwhile, Prince Sudarsana's luck favoured him. Once, a hermit's son called the eunuch by his Sanskrit name Kleeba. Prince caught the first syllable Kli and began to pronounce it as Kleem. This syllable became a powerful and sacred Mantra. It is the Bija Akshara (root syllable) of the Divine Mother Goddess. After reciting the mantra, Sudarsana attained the blessings of Goddess Shakti. The story goes on that the Goddess appeared before him and granted him divine weapons and an inexhaustible quiver. On the other side, the emissaries of the king of Benares passed through the Ashram of the Rishi one day and when they saw Sudarsana and recommended him to Princess Sashikala, the daughter of the king of Benares. The Swayamvara ceremony at which the princess was to choose her spouse was arranged. Sashikala at once chose Sudarsana and they got married. However, King Yudhajit, who was also present there picked up a fight with the king of Benaras. Then, Goddess helped Sudarsana and his father-in-law. During the fight, Yudhajit tried to mock the Goddess, after which she took upon him and crumbled his army to ashes. Thus Sudarsana, with his wife and his father-in-law, took refuge under the Goddess and thanked her. The Goddess Shakti was utterly pleased with them and ordered them to worship her with havan and other means during the Vasanta or Chaitra Navaratri. Then she disappeared. Sudarsana and his wife Sashikala returned to the ashram of Rishi Bharadwaja, after which he was rightly crowned as the king of Kosala. Sudarsana, his wife Sashikala and the king of Benares did as the Goddess had directed them to. They worshipped her during the Vasanta Navaratri. Interestingly, King Sudarsana's descendants were Lord Rama and Lakshmana, who continued to worship the Goddess. They even prayed to Maa Shakti during the Sharad Navaratri and were blessed by the Goddess, who helped them in the recovery of Sita. Wikipedia mentions that as per the Krittibas Ramayana, Lord Rama invoked the goddess Durga in his epic battle against Ravana. Although Goddess Durga was traditionally worshipped in the late spring, Lord Rama had to invoke her in the form of astam (eighth) Mahavidya (Maa Bagla) in the autumn and thus is known as akaal bodhan (invoking out of scheduled time). This autumnal ritual was different from the conventional Durga Puja, which is usually celebrated in the springtime. So, this Puja is also known as 'akal-bodhan' or out-of-season ('akal') worship ('bodhan'). This Rama's date for the Navaratri puja has now gained ascendancy and culminates with Dusherra in North India on the following day. Here's wishing our readers a happy Navratri! New Delhi: Two alleged sharpshooters of the Neeraj Bawana gang have been arrested here by the special cell of the Delhi Police, officials said Thursday. The accused, Monu Singh (23) and Naseeb Singh (25), both residents of Haryana, were close associates of Neeraj Bawana, they said. With their arrest, police claimed to have worked out two murder cases. The duo were arrested on March 28 from near Jal Vihar bus terminal in Lajpat Nagar after a brief scuffle, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Pramod Singh Kushwah said. A loaded pistol of .32 calibers, with five live cartridges in its magazine, and a loaded countrymade pistol were seized from their possession, Kushwah said. A supplementary chargesheet was filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday against Christian Michel, the alleged middleman in the Rs 3,600 crore AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal case. The chargesheet against the British national was filed before Special Judge Arvind Kumar who has listed the matter for Saturday. The ED has made a big revelation in the supplementary chargesheet, saying that during interrogation Michel has said that the notings mentioned as FAM and AP in his hand-written diary means Ahmed Patel and Family respectively. Michel has also accepted that former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was under pressure from some powerful leaders. The 52-page chargesheet also mentions meetings with 'the Italian lady's son' who 'will be the next Prime Minister' of India. The ED has also referred to 'son's power growing in the party and mother unaware of full facts' in its dispatch. The ED has also named Michel's partner David Syms as an accused. Some new individuals and firms are also named as accused in the supplementary chargesheet. It may be recalled that Michel was extradited from Dubai to India in December last year and was arrested after his arrival in New Delhi. The ED has alleged in its chargesheet that bribes were paid to middlemen, including some politicians, when India decided to buy 12 AgustaWestland helicopters from Italian firm Finmeccanica. Besides Michel, the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) are probing two other middlemen in this case. The two other middlemen are Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa. In 2016, a chargesheet was filed by the ED against Michel and in that chargesheet the ED had accused Michel of received EUR 30 million from the Italian firm as kickbacks in order to execute the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal in their favour. The chopper deal was finalised in February 2010 but was scrapped by then UPA government in 2014 over bribe allegations. At least four Border Security Force (BSF) jawans were killed and two others injured on Thursday after an encounter with Maoists in Kanker district in Chhattisgarh. A joint team of BSF's 114th battalion and the district force of police were out on an 'area domination' operation around noon in a dense forest near Mahla village when they were attacked, Deputy Inspector General of Police (anti-Naxal operations) Sundarraj P told news agency PTI. The deceased were identified as BSF's Assistant Sub- Inspector Bipul Borah, who hailed from Assam, constables Silam Ramkrishna from Andhra Pradesh, Ishrar Khan from Jharkhand, and Tumeshwar from Dongargaon in Chhattisgarh. BSF's Assistant Commandant Gopu Kumar and Inspector Gopal Rang sustained injuries in the exchange of fire. Reinforcement was rushed to the spot and a search operation was also launched in the area. According to a BSF official, the patrolling team, comprising 42 personnel of the BSF, had launched the operation from Mahla camp of the 'A' company of the BSF 114th Battalion, around 250 km from Raipur. When the security men were advancing through a forest near Mahla, a large group of Naxals opened fire. After a brief gun-battle, the Maoists fled the spot. The bodies and the injured personnel were brought to the Mahla camp and airlifted to Raipur. Governor Anandiben Patel and Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel expressed grief over the death of the BSF personnel. Baghel directed officials to provide all necessary medical facilities to the injured and prayed for their speedy recovery, an official statement said. The incident comes just weeks ahead of the Lok Sabha election in the state. Maoists have given a call for a boycott of the election. State police and paramilitary forces have intensified anti-Maoist operations ahead of the poll. Polling in 11 constituencies in the state will be held in three phases on April 11, April 18 and April 23. The counting of votes will take place on May 23. Earlier on March 31, three Maoists including a woman were arrested in Dantewada district while they were allegedly planning to plant bombs to target security personnel during the poll. Explosives, including a `tiffin bomb' and three grenade-headed arrows were recovered from them, Dantewada Superintendent of Police Abhishek Pallava had said. Acting on specific information, a joint team of District Reserve Guard (DRG) and District Force of the police arrested Bhima Potam (23), Aaytu Atra (25) and Lachhi Atra (33), a woman, from Raja Bangla area Saturday evening, he had said. All three were members of the 'jan militia' of the Maoists in Bhairmgarh area of neighbouring Bijapur district for the past several years, he had said. Two bags containing a tiffin bomb (explosives packed in a tiffin box), a locally-made hand grenade, three 'arrow bombs' (arrows with grenades attached to the tip), three gelatin rods and an electronic detonator were recovered from them, he had said. The trio revealed that their job was to keep a watch on the movement of security forces and plant explosives to target them during the coming Lok Sabha election. An Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) of Delhi Police allegedly committed suicide on Thursday by jumping in front of a metro train. Police said that the 45-year-old ASI named Ajay Kumar was posted with the communications unit of the Delhi Police. Kumar was a resident of Kangra district in Himachal Pradesh and he was on medical leave from February 2 to March 4. Police said that the ASI then extended his leave for one more month. He was supposed to join duty on Thursday. Kumar allegedly committed suicide by jumping before the metro train at Jahangirpuri station. Deputy Commissioner of Police (metro) Mohammed Ali said that Kumar was immediately taken to a nearby hospital where doctors declared him brought dead. Police have not recovered any suicide note from Kumar, Ali said. He added that after preliminary enquiry it has been found that the ASI was suffering from depression and was undergoing treatment for the same at a government hospital in Kangra. Further probe is underway in this case. In a major victory to the security forces, the nephew of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) chief Masood Azhar was killed in Pinglish village in Tral town of Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir. According to the Jammu and Kashmir Police, three terrorists were killed on March 11 including Azhar's nephew Mohammad Umar alias Khalid along with with the mastermind of Pulwama terror attack Mudasir Ahmed Khan. Umar, the son of Ibrahim Azhar, has been identified as a Pakistani national. According to the police records, the terrorists were affiliated with proscribed terror outfit JeM and were wanted for their complicity in a series of terror crimes including the attack on security establishments and civilian atrocities. Many terror crime cases were registered against them. They were involved in the Lethpora attack on CRPF camp. Arms and ammunition including assault rifles were also recovered from the site of the encounter on March 11. According to reports, JeM on Wednesday conducted a memorial service for him. "Yes, he has been killed. His code name was Khalid. He was killed on March 11 at Pinglish in Tral, south Kashmir. He was killed with Mudasir Ahmad Khan, a local militant," said sources to Zee News. Lashing out at the government over its decision to close Jammu-Srinagar highway for civilian during the movement of security convoys, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Ministers Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah on Thursday said that the decision has been taken by the Centre without thinking about the people of Kashmir. On Wednesday, it was announced by the state government that civilian traffic will be curbed on the Jammu-Srinagar highway on Sundays and Wednesdays from 4 a.m. to 5 p.m. to ensure safe movement of the security convoys. According to the government, the curb on civilian movement will remain in force till May 31. The decision has been taken in the aftermath of the February 14 terror attack on Jammu-Srinagar highway. The cowardly terror attack had resulted in the martyrdom of 40 CRPF personnel. "GoI`s current approach towards Kashmir has been consistent only when it comes to repression. Suffocate Kashmiris, throw them in jails, deprive them of basic rights and make them suffer. They only want Kashmir. Don`t give two hoots about what happens to its people (sic)," Mehbooba Mufti tweeted. Omar too attacked the government and said, "Has anyone in the administration applied their minds before planning to issue this highway closure order? Jammu and Kashmir is not Chhattisgarh or Andhra Pradesh where there are alternate routes. Here if you close the national highway you shut down all access to the valley. This is a lifeline. I`ve made this suggestion before and in light of today`s highway closure order I feel the need to repeat it -- why can`t the forces travel between Banihal and Baramulla by special trains? Quicker, safer and more comfortable for the security forces." Separatist leader Mirwaiz Umer Farooq also opposed the decision and called it "dictatorial". Congress Rajya Sabha leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, who belongs to Jammu and Kashmir, said the government should come up with a more people-friendly strategy and not stop the movement of all civilian traffic for two days in a week, IANS reported. Former IAS officer-turned-politician, Shah Faesal tweeted: "Policies imported from Israel will turn Kashmir into Palestine. The decision to close national highway to civilian traffic on every Wednesday and Sunday is extremely shocking. @RajnathSingh_in how will the employees attend office? How will patients travel? School children?" The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) also expressed its displeasure over the government's diktat and warned that the decision would lead to disastrous consequences. (with IANS inputs) New Delhi: The government Wednesday declined to comment on US space agency NASA's assessment that India's anti-satellite weapon test last week led to creation of 400 pieces of space debris that could pose a threat to the International Space Station (ISS). When contacted, the spokesperson of Ministry of Defence declined to comment. On March 27, India achieved a historic feat by shooting down its own low-orbit satellite with a ground-to-space missile, making the country a space power. Only three other countries -- the US, Russia and China -- have ASAT capabilities. The NASA on Tuesday termed as a "terrible thing" India's shooting down of one of its satellites that has created about 400 pieces of orbital debris, endangering the ISS. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said about 60 pieces have been tracked so far and out of which 24 are going above the apogee of the ISS. "That is a terrible, terrible thing to create an event that sends debris and an apogee that goes above the international space station. That kind of activity is not compatible with the future of human spaceflight that we need to see have happen," he had said. A Pakistani drone was shot down by Border Security Force (BSF) troops after it was sighted in Khem Karan sector of Tarn Taran district in Punjab. A high alert was sounded in the border villages and nearby areas. The drone was spotted at the BOP of Ratoke village in the district late on Wednesday night. After this, the BSF fired at it and the drone was shot down using an anti-aircraft gun. However, it has not been confirmed yet if the drone has fallen within the Indian side of the border or the Pakistani side. According to the sarpanch of the village, Lakhbir Singh, he saw the drone after which the firing took place. The administration had suspended internet services and a blackout too ensued in the village. The services were resumed on Thursday morning. However, there are no reports yet if the drone has been shot down by the soldiers. Earlier, late on Sunday night, the Indian Air Force (IAF) scrambled Sukhoi-30 and Mirage 2000 fighter jets to chase away four Pakistani F-16s flying close to Punjab border. The Pakistani warplanes were accompanied with a surveillance drone, possibly trying to detect the deployment of Indian troops in border areas. On Wednesday, a high-level aerial activity was witnessed in Jammu and Kashmir. Eyewitnesses reported seeing several IAF jets flying over Mendhar in Poonch district along the Line of Control (LoC) and Rajouri district. Earlier, news agency ANI had reported that the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Army will be destroying several unexploded bombs fired by the Pakistan Air Force in Mendhar. These bombs were fired by Pakistan on February 27 in retaliation following the IAF airstrikes a day before. However, the bombs remained unexploded after being released from the Mirage-III combat planes. Tensions between India and Pakistan had flared after a suicide bomber of Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) killed 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on February 14. India launched a preemptive nonmilitary operation, carried out by IAF's Mirage 2000 jets, in Pakistan's Balakot on February 26 to decimate the biggest terror camp of JeM. Pakistan Air Force, retaliatory strikes downed IAF's MiG-21 in aerial combat and captured pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who was handed over to India on March 1. Jammu: A Pune-based NGO has donated an ambulance to the BSF for deployment at outposts in Samba, Hiranagar and Ramgarh sectors, which have been the worst affected by Pakistani shelling, officials said Thursday. Borderless World Foundation (BWF), in association with HDFC Securities, handed over the ambulance to the Border Security Force (BSF) on Wednesday evening, the officials said. This critical care ambulance is to be placed at outposts in Samba, Hiranagar and Ramgarh sectors, which have been most affected by Pakistani shelling, they said. "The ambulance is equipped with latest equipment and medical gadgetry and would be of great help in saving valuable lives," said Adhik Kadam, Founder Director of BWF, who handed over the ambulance's key to N S Jamwal, IG (BSF, Jammu) during a function here. BWF had also provided a critical care ambulance to BSF last year, the officials said. The NGO has so far provided 11 fully-equipped trauma care and critical care ambulances to various institutions in Jammu and Kashmir. Calcutta High Court on Thursday ordered West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's nephew Abhishek Banerjees wife to appear before Kolkata customs office on April 8. Calcutta HC orders WB CM's nephew Abhishek Banerjees wife to appear before Kolkata customs office on 8 April, also said customs can't take any coercive step.She was held at Kol airport on Mar 15-16 allegedly for carrying gold without declaration&let off after police intervention ANI (@ANI) April 4, 2019 The court also ordered the customs to not take any coercive step against Abhishek Banerjee's wife Rujira Naroola. It may be recalled that Naroola was held by customs officials at Kolkata airport on Mar 15-16 for allegedly carrying gold without declaration. She was however, allowed to go after police intervention. Abhishek Banerjee is currently a MP from Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency, West Bengal. He won 2014 Lok Sabha poll on All India Trinamool Congress ticket. He is also the National President of All India Trinamool Youth Congress, the youth wing of the Trinamool Congress. On April 2, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had issued a show cause notice to Rujira Naroola for discrepancies in her PAN application. The show cause notice issued by the MHA showed that Rujira had applied for PAN holding OCI card without mentioning that she is a Thai national. The MHA has asked her to reply within 15 days otherwise her OCI card might get cancelled. Here's the notice issued by MHA. Ms Rujira Naroola, a Thai national, had been issued PIO card No P234979 by Indian Embassy in Bangkok on January 8, 2010, mentioning Mr Niphon Naroola as father in the card." "Ms Rujira Naroola applied for conversion of her PIO card into OCI (overseas citizenship of India) card in the office of FRRO, Kolkata and issued the OCI card No. A2B79448 on 8 November, 2017. One of the supporting documents submitted by Ms Rujira Naroola to get her PIO card converted into OCI card was the certificate of her marriage with Abhishek Banerjee which was issued on February 13, 2013 wherein she mentioned Mr Gursharan Singh Ahuja, R/o of Rajouri Garden, New Delhi, as her father in this certificate of marriage." Whereas, the central government has been further informed that on November 14, 2019, Ms Rujira Naroola applied for PAN card by filing Form 49A without intimating her real status as a Thai national holding OCI card and mentioning Mr Gursharan Singh Ahuja as her father. She was actually required to fill Form 49AA to get a PAN by declaring herself as a foreigner holding an OCI card. On the basis of information given in her application Form 49A, she has obtained the PAN card bearing No. AJNPN2286R under the name Ms Rujira Naroola in the capacity of an Indian citizen." The Central Government has examined the matter and noticed the discrepancies mentioned above and is prima facie of the opinion that registration of Ms Rujira Naroola as an OCI card holder is liable for cancellation in the interest of general public Sub Clauses (a) & (e) of Section 7D of the Citizenship Act, 1955, according to the notice. NEW DELHI: Defending the electoral bonds scheme, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday said if donors will be forced to disclose their names, then cash and black money will make a comeback in the system of political funding. It is interesting to note that the Election Commission on Tuesday filed an affidavit before the Supreme Court, which is already hearing the matter, expressing concern over the electoral bonds. The EC had said in its affidavit that the electoral bonds have made political funding opaque and would have "serious repercussions on transparency of political funding". The electoral bond scheme was introduced by the BJP-led government at the Centre in 2018 as an alternative to cash donations. The government had then said that the aim was to make transparency in political funding as under the new scheme the name of the donor is known only to banks. "If you ask people to disclose that (identity of a donor) also, then I am afraid the cash system will be back," he said, asking people who are opposing the scheme to suggest some other alternatives which can help in checking the use of black money during elections. "There is a particular psychic of individuals, particularly in NGO sector, that they don't suggest a solution but they have a problem with every solution. The EC ... Has also succeeded in many, many areas and became an extremely successful role model Election Commission. But money it has not been able to control," said the Union Finance Minister. The State Bank of India has recently revealed that it had sold electoral bonds worth Rs 1,716 crore in January and March, while bonds worth Rs 1,056 crore were sold in six months in 2018, PTI reported. The pleas challenging the validity of the Centre's decision to issue electoral bonds will be heard on April 5 by a Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi. Jaitley also attacked the non-NDA parties for planning to form a federal front ahead of the general elections, saying this is a dangerous idea for the country. "I think we need to improve our pace of growth, to eradicate poverty, need further enrichment... I think we need decisiveness, need coherence and a five-year government and not a six-month government," he said. "My own assessment is not in this election, but by the next general election 2024, India's middle class and neo middle class will be the largest vote component. And therefore if that's the trend, the quality of public discourse in policies will have to be completely different. Governments, politicians, ministers, leaders, manifestos will be tasted and judged by much harsher standards," he added. In a significant step for the Congress, party president Rahul Gandhi will file his nomination from Kerala's Wayanad Lok Sabha seat, his second constituency, on Thursday. Rahul is contesting from Wayanad in addition to his traditional stronghold of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh. He arrived in Kozhikode on Wednesday night to a tumultuous welcome by hundreds of party workers who were seen outside the airport. The Congress chief was received by senior Congress leaders including Ramesh Chennithala, Mukul Wasnik, KC Venugopal, Oommen Chandy, Mullappally Ramachandran, IUML leaders PK Kunhalikutty and ET Muhammed Basheer and others. Party in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra too reached Kerala. The Congress chief will file the papers around 11.30 am. Priyanka will also accompany him to Wayanad. He will take a helicopter ride to Wayanad, about 90 km from Kozhikode, and it will land at the SKMJ High School ground around 10 am. Rahul will embark on a massive roadshow in Kalpetta at around 9.30 am before filing the nomination papers, according to Chennithala. The security has been tightened in Kozhikode and Wayanad districts in view of the high-profile visits. Congress President @RahulGandhi is received by a huge crowd of well wishers as he arrives in Calicut to file his nomination for the Lok Sabha elections from the Wayanad constituency. @INCKerala pic.twitter.com/aKcjl9lMOp Congress (@INCIndia) April 3, 2019 Reacting to the tumultuous response of the workers, Congress veteran Aryadan Mohammed told the media that in his long political career, he has contested 12 times but never seen such a response as what was witnessed at the Congress chief's visit. "He is going to win with a record margin, you just wait and see," Mohammed told news agency ANI. Senior Congress leader and Kerala party general secretary in charge, Mukul Wasnik had claimed the announcement of Gandhi's candidature in Wayanad has enthused the people of the constituency and made a major difference in other states, including Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Rahul had expressed his desire to take the road route, but this was opposed by the Special Protection Group (SPG). On Wednesday, Rahul reached Karipur Airport around 9.30 pm. After an overnight stay at a guest house, Rahul and Priyanka will leave for Wayanad in the morning. Rahul earlier on Wednesday addressed a series of election rallies in Assam and Nagaland. The Congress had announced on Sunday that Rahul would contest from Wayanad constituency, besides Amethi. He has claimed that the people in southern India "feel hostility" from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He had asserted that he decided to contest from Wayanad to send out the message that he stands with the people there. Thursday is the last date for filing of nominations from Wayanad, with polling for all of Kerala's 20 Lok Sabha constituencies to be held on April 23. The seat has more voters from the Muslim and Christian communities in comparison to the Hindu majority outside and is also considered to be a safe seat for Rahul who is facing a stiff fight from BJP leader Smriti Irani in Amethi. T Siddique's name was initially finalised for the constituency, but later Rahul was nominated. New Delhi: In view of the deployment of Central Reserve Paramilitary Forces (CRPF) in North Bengal in the first and second phase of Lok Sabha elections, the Election Commission of India on withdrew all companies of CRPF from the Maoist-infested districts of the state. This order comes in the wake of the West Bengal government writing to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) thrice, asking them not to withdraw force stating that the withdrawal of the CRPF jawans from the LWE (Left Wing Extremism) affected districts may lead to regrouping of Maoists. This decision also comes in the wake of the Central Police Observer Vivek Dube holding meetings with the state officials and officials from the central armed paramilitary force like CRPF and BSF over the deployment of central forces. "The state's stand is still the same. Withdrawal of forces from Jangal mahal Maoist infested districts will help Maoists operating in the bordering areas to enter the state. We have written to the MHA thrice stating the concerns relating to the withdrawal of forces," said a senior police official. While the state has not seen any Maoist activity in the last five years, but several groups are active on the Jharkhand-Bengal border, according to Intel reports. The state had a total 35 companies of CRPF. Of the total 35 companies, 29 were deployed in the Jangal Mahal area. In the first phase, 18 and later the remaining companies were withdrawn and deployed in parts of North Bengal going for polls on April 11 and 18. On the other hand, the state seems unhappy with the commissions decision. The West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee even said on Monday, They want to withdraw the CRPF from Jangal mahal. We have managed to restore peace there. But withdrawal will mean further disturbance. We have repeatedly requested them to not withdraw it. Now, if there is a Maoist attack, they will be responsible for it." For the first and second phase of polls, a total 49 companies of central forces 20 BSF companies and 29 CRPF companies are being deployed in North Bengal. Hyderabad: Development work and a strong connect with people will help him retain the Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat for the fourth time, believes AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, even as the BJP and the Congress claim he will lose for his divisive politics and "goondaism". The constituency, which is traditionally an All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) stronghold and won by Owaisi since 2004, has six assembly segments, and five of these were won by the party in the 2018 Telangana polls. The BJP has again fielded J Bhagwant Rao, who had lost to Owaisi by over two lakh votes in the 2014 polls, from the seat, while Congress's Feroz Khan, who unsuccessfully contested the 2018 assembly elections, is trying his luck from the constituency. The Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) has fielded Puste Srikanth.But, Chief Minister and TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao has kept it no secret that the party is backing Owaisi, whose support it is counting on in the remaining 16 Lok Sabha seats in the state. In total, there are 15 candidates in the fray from the Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat. Meeting people at their homes, padyatras and organising interactions and meetings, especially with young voters and students, are the backbone of Owaisi's campaign in the parliamentary constituency. The party is seeking votes on 'hamare kaam ki buniyaad par' (on the basis of their work) and is confident of a win from the seat, said Asaduddin, who is being accompanied by his brother and AIMIM MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi on his campaign trail. "Paidal dauras (campaigning on foot) has been the AIMIM's way through which we communicate our performance as representatives, and learn from our constituents on what more can be done," he said ?With my MPLAD expenditure, my focus has always been on investing in our children's future, their health, education and well-being,? Asaduddin said, adding, "I am contesting this election on my record, and a lot more needs to be done and Inshallah I'll work towards it". Both the Owaisi brothers are targeting the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi over a number of issues, including the February 14 Pulwama terror attack and the 'Main bhi Chowkidar' (I, too, am watchman) campaign. The AIMIM, whose election symbol is 'kite', has maintained a firm grip on the minority voters-dominated constituency by winning the seat since 1984.The party's former chief and Asaduddin's father Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi got elected six times consecutively from Hyderabad. BJP candidate Bhagwant Rao, who secured over three lakh votes in 2014 general elections, alleged that the AIMIM is not a secular party and accused it of being a "destructive" force. People will support the BJP as they want to see Modi as prime minister again, he asserted. ?Last time there was booth capturing in minority-dominated areas,? Bhagwant Rao said, adding that poll and police officials should be alert, and take necessary measures to ensure free and fair elections. "The Majlis (AIMIM) does not even have a manifesto. Their manifesto is only instigating people in the name of religion. The BJP will carry out comprehensive development of the Old City, if it wins. The Hyderabadi voters are keen to support the strong leadership of PM Modi", he said. The Hyderbad Lok Sabha constituency lacks civic amenities and dispensaries, and hospitals in the parliamentary seat do not have proper facilities, Bhagwant Rao said. "AIMIM leaders divide people and instigate minorities and take their votes. They have acquired huge wealth," he alleged. But, Asaduddin, who is supporting Chandrasekhar Rao's idea of promoting a non-BJP and non-Congress front, said the public wants the TRS to win in the 16 Lok Sabha seats in the state and the AIMIM to be victorious on the Hyderabad seat. Congress's Feroz Khan said the competition for the seat is between his party and the AIMIM as the BJP has fielded a "dummy" candidate. He claimed that the people want to bring about change and said the Congress is the alternative. "For 40 years the AIMIM spread only darkness and ?god willing', the Congress will bring the sun to drive away this darkness," he said, alleging that the AIMIM wins elections by indulging in "goondaism, rowdyism and through bogus votes". "Our effort is to stop it and to take up an agenda of development among the people," said Khan, who is hopeful that people will bless him with a win on the Hyderabad seat. Only the Congress can ensure BJP's and Modi defeat, he said. However, a section of voters said Asaduddin's victory is certain and it will be an one-sided election again in Hyderabad. Pakistan-based terror outfits are planning to carry major strikes across Jammu and Kashmir during the upcoming Lok Sabha Election 2019, warned intelligence agencies . As per reports, Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has created three teams, similar to Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad, in the Kashmir Valley. These teams plan to target polling booths and candidates contesting in the polls. Intelligence agencies further suspect that the ISI is trying to send Afghanistan-based terrorists from across the border to train these outfit members in handling explosives. Jammu and Kashmir will go to polls in five phases from April 11 to May 6. The counting of votes will take place on May 23. Assembly elections are likely to be held after the Lok Sabha polls. In a recent high-level meeting between the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Election Commission on the security situation in the state, the decision to send an additional 800 para-military forces was taken. Speaking to Zee News, a senior officer with the central security forces says that it is a big task to organise adequate security to all the contesting candidates and the polling booths so that citizens can vote without any fear or threat. If the state Assembly polls are held in June, security needs to be arranged for over 11000 polling booths and 900 candidates of various political parties or independants. Following the Pulwama attack and Indian Air Force's strikes on terror camps, Pakistan is on the backfoot and is likely to disrupt the polls, added intelligence inputs. During the Panchayat polls last year, terror groups had threatened candidates who participated in the elections, asking to boycott the elections. In the coming days, we have the dual responsibility of conducting Assembly polls successful and provide safety to Amarnath yatris. Under such circumstances, we will extra forces. We will need security forces during pre-poll, poll and post-polls. We also need to provide security cover to polling agents and teams and EVM machines, which is a big task, said the senior officer. According to sources in the Home Ministry, conducting Assembly polls simulatenously with Lok Sabha polls is nearly impossible. Lok Sabha election 2014 has about 77 contesting candidates, while during the Assembly elections, the number of candidates swelled to 837. In such a situation, additional security forces will be required. Minutes after veteran BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani posted a blog titled Nation First, Party Next, Self Last, Prime Minister Narendra Modi responded to the veteran BJP leader's blog saying that Advani ji has summed up the true essence of BJP in a perfect manner, most notably the guiding Mantra of Nation First, Party Next, Self Last. PM Modi added that he is proud to be a BJP Karyakarta (worker) and proud that the party has been strengthened by stalwarts like LK Advani. Advani Ji perfectly sums up the true essence of BJP, most notably the guiding Mantra of Nation First, Party Next, Self Last. Proud to be a BJP Karyakarta and proud that greats like LK Advani Ji have strengthened it," tweeted PM Modi. Advani Ji perfectly sums up the true essence of BJP, most notably the guiding Mantra of Nation First, Party Next, Self Last. Proud to be a BJP Karyakarta and proud that greats like LK Advani Ji have strengthened it. https://t.co/xScWuuDuMq Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 4, 2019 It is to be noted that Advani was once the mentor of Modi and he has played an important role in shaping up the illustrious career of PM Modi. In his blog, Advani, 91, wrote that right from its inception, the BJP has never considered anyone who disagrees with the party politically as our 'enemies', but only as adversaries. "Right from its inception, BJP has never regarded those who disagree with us politically as our enemies, but only as our adversaries," Advani said in his blog. He also mentioned that in the BJP's concept of Indian nationalism, the party has never regarded those who disagree with us politically as anti-national and was in favour of giving freedom of choice to every citizen at personal as well as political level. "In our conception of Indian nationalism, we have never regarded those who disagree with us politically as anti-national. The party has been committed to freedom of choice of every citizen at personal as well as political level," Advani wrote. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee lauded Advanis blog and said that as the founding father of the BJP the views expressed by Advaniji about extending democratic courtesies is very important. It is to be noted that Mamata's party Trinamool Congress was once a part of BJP-led NDA. The West Bengal chief minister welcomed Advani's statement and conveyed her humble regards to the former Deputy Prime Minister. As the senior-most politician, former Dy PM and founding father of BJP, the views Advaniji has expressed about extending democratic courtesies, is significant. Of course, all Opposition leaders who raise their voices are not anti-national. We welcome his statement & convey our humble regards, Banerjee wrote on her Twitter handle. Here's the full text of Advani's blog NATION FIRST, PARTY NEXT, SELF LAST On April 6th, the BJP will celebrate its Foundation Day. This is an important occasion for all of us in the BJP to look back, look ahead and look within. As one of the Founders of the BJP, I deem it to be my duty to share my reflections with the people of India, and more specifically with the millions of workers of my Party, both of whom have indebted me with their affection and respect. Before I share my thoughts, I take this opportunity to convey my most sincere gratitude to the people of Gandhinagar, who have elected me to the Lok Sabha six times since 1991. Their love and support has always overwhelmed me. Serving the Motherland has been my passion and my mission ever since I joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) at the age of 14. My political life has been inseparably associated with my Party for nearly seven decades first with the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, and later with the Bharatiya Janata Party and I have been a founding member of both. It has been my rare privilege to work closely with stalwarts like Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee and many other great, inspiring andself-less leaders. The guiding principle of my life has been Nation First, Party Next, Self Last.And in all situations, I have tried to adhere to this principle and will continue to do so. The essence of Indian democracy is respect for diversity and freedom of expression. Right from its inception, the BJP has never regarded those who disagree with us politically as our enemies, but only as our adversaries. Similarly, in our conception of Indian nationalism, we have never regarded those who disagree with us politically as anti-national. The party has been committed to freedom of choice of every citizen at personal as well as political level. Defense of democracy and democratic traditions, both within the Party and in the larger national setting,has been the proud hallmark of the BJP. Therefore BJP has always been in the forefront of demanding protection of independence, integrity, fairness and robustness of all our democratic institutions, including the media. Electoral reforms, with special focus on transparency in political and electoral funding, which is so essential for a corruption-free polity, has been another priority for our Party. In short, the triad of Satya (truth), Rashtra Nishtha (dedication to the Nation) and Loktantra (democracy, both within and outside the Party) guided the struggle-filled evolution of my Party.The sum total of all these values constitutes Sanskritik Rashtravad (Cultural Nationalism) and Su-Raj (good governance), to which my Party has always remained wedded. The heroic struggle against the Emergengy rule was precisely to uphold the above values. It is my sincere desire that all of us should collectively strive to strengthen the democratic edifice of India. True, elections are a festival of democracy. But they are also an occasion for honest introspection by all the stakeholders in Indian democracy political parties, mass media, authorities conducting the election process and, above all, the electorate. My best wishes to everyone. Kalpetta: Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who is fighting the Lok Sabha elections from his traditional bastion Amethi in Uttar Pradesh on Thursday filed nomination from Wayanad--a Congress stronghold in South India. Gandhi, accompanied by his sister Priyanka Gandhi and senior Congress leaders KC Venugopal and Mukul Wasnik, submitted the papers before district collector AR Ajayakumar at Wayanad district headquarters here. After filing his nomination, Rahul said that he was fighting the polls from down south to send a message that India was one. "I have come to Kerala to send a message that India is one. South, north, east, west, centre... All are one... There is an assault taking place across the country by the RSS and BJP. I just want to send a message and I will stand from south India and north India. My aim was to give a message," he said. "There is a feeling in south India that the way the Narendra Modi government is functioning, their (south) culture, language, history all are being attacked. So I wanted to give a message that I will fight from north and south," Rahul said. On Wednesday, Union minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani had alleged that Rahul's decision to contest from Wayanad was an insult to the people of Amethi. In the meantime, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi assured the people of Wayanad that her brother will not let them down and asked them to take care of him. "My brother, my truest friend, and by far the most courageous man I know. Take care of him Wayanad, he wont let you down," she tweeted after the roadshow. My brother, my truest friend, and by far the most courageous man I know. Take care of him Wayanad, he wont let you down. pic.twitter.com/80CxHlP24T Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) April 4, 2019 Attacking Modi on the issue of corruption, Rahul quipped that the country had imposed their faith on Modi when he called himself a 'chowkidar' but he betrayed the trust of the people by giving Anil Ambani Rs 30,000 crore of Air Force money. "He stole money and given it to Anil Ambani who has no experience. Anil Ambani is in Rs 45,000 crore debt," Gandhi alleged, once again attacking the NDA government over the Rafale deal. Lucknow: BJP leader Smriti Irani on Thursday attacked Congress president Rahul Gandhi, saying his decision to contest from the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat in Kerala was an "insult" to the people of Amethi. The 48-year-old Congress chief is contesting from Kerala in addition to his traditional stronghold Amethi, where he is pitted against the Union Textile Minister. This will be the second attempt by Irani to wrest Amethi from the Congress. In 2014, she lost the seat by a margin of over one lakh votes to Gandhi. Irani said a person, who has been here in Amethi for the past 15 years, has decided to leave his supporters and chosen to file nominations from another constituency. "He is filing his papers from another Lok Sabha seat. This is an insult to Amethi and a betrayal with its people," she told reporters here, hours before Gandhi filed his nomination papers in Wayanad. Gandhi's decision to fight from Wayanad is because the Congress workers know he does not have support in Amethi, Irani alleged. "People of Amethi had to bear with the missing MP for 15 years. A person, who rode on the shoulder of Amethi and enjoyed power for the past 15 years, has decided to leave his supporters and chosen to file nominations from another constituency because Congress workers know he does not have support," she said. Irani also tweeted, "While Rahul is taking the support of 'desh virodhi' (anti-India) forces, BSP candidate from Gauriganj assembly constituency Vijay Kishore Tiwari is joining the BJP with a strong determination to empower the country." The Union minister, who is on a two-day visit to Amethi, landed at the Chowdhury Charan Singh airport here this morning and visited the RSS office in Rajendra Nagar before proceeding to the Lok Sabha constituency. During her visit, Irani will address a Kisan Rally in Parshedpur under the Amethi parliamentary constituency New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to hear a plea which sought rescheduling of the Lok Sabha polling date of April 18 in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. A Christian body moved the apex court seeking urgent listing of its plea in which it said the scheduled date of polling for Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry falls within the holy period of Good Friday and Easter. The petitioner's counsel told the court that the date of polling in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry be postponed and it be rescheduled. "You can't cast your vote on a holy day," a bench headed by Justice S A Bobde asked the petitioner's counsel. "We don't want to advise you how to pray and how to cast vote, said the bench said while refusing to entertain the petition. LUCKNOW: Poonam Sinha, wife of actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha, will be contesting against Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh from the Lucknow parliamentary constituency. According to reliable sources, Poonam Sinha will contest on the Samajwadi Party (SP) ticket with the Bahujan Samaj Party`s (BSP) support. The Congress, sources said, has decided not to field a candidate from Lucknow and support the candidature of Sinha from the Uttar Pradesh capital. This would pave the way for a one-to-one face off between Rajnath Singh and Poonam Sinha. Sources said that modalities in this regard were being worked out and it was this that have led to the postponement of Shatrughan Sinha`s joining the Congress in Delhi on March 28. "Jitin Prasada was keen to contest from Lucknow and he had to be persuaded to opt for his constituency Dhaurhara. Decks have now been cleared and Lucknow will be one of the seven seats that the Congress has said that it would leave for the SP-BSP alliance," said a Congress functionary. Shatrughan Sinha will now join the Congress in Delhi on April 6 and will be the party candidate from Patna Sahib Lok Sabha seat in Bihar. The decision to field Poonam Sinha as the joint opposition candidate against Rajnath Singh is an attempt by the opposition parties to keep the Union Home Minister confined to his constituency. The Samajwadi Party, sources said, has already completed its homework. "There are four lakh Kayastha voters and 1.3 lakh Sindhi voters in Lucknow, apart from 3.5 lakh Muslims. (Poonam Sinha is a Sindhi while her husband Shatrughan Sinha is a Kayastha). This will give a major push to her candidature," said a SP leader. BJP General Secretary Vijay Pathak, however, dismissed the issue and said, "Lucknow has always been a BJP bastion and continues to be one. Rajnath Singh has ensured a lot of development of the state capital and has a rapport with the people. An imported candidate will not cut much ice with the voters." Rajnath Singh had won the Lucknow seat in 2014 garnering 55.7 per cent of the total 10,06,483 votes polled. He had won in all the five assembly segments of the constituency. Rita Bahuguna Joshi, then a Congress MLA and former Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee chairperson, had remained runner-up in these elections by securing 2,88,357 of the total votes. Sriperumbudur Lok Sabha Constituency is one of the 39 parliamentary constituencies of the southern state of Tamil Nadu. It came into existence in the year 1967. This constituency has six legislative segments. The electors in the Sriperumbudur Lok Sabha Constituency (constituency number 5) will cast their votes on April 18 in the second phase of 2019 Lok Sabha election. The results of the 2019 Lok Sabha election will be declared on May 23. Sriperumbudur Lok Sabha Constituency of Tamil Nadu: Full list of candidates, polling dates Ramachandran, KN Thiru (AIADMK) is the present Lok Sabha MP of Sriperumbudur Parliamentary Constituency. Ramachandran bagged 545,820 votes and defeated Jagathrakshakan S Thiru of the DMK who got 443174 votes in the 2014 Lok Sabha election. In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, there were a total number of 1,946,503 electors here out of which 1,286,647 actually cast their votes and the voter turnout here was recorded at 66.10 %. Lok Sabha Election 2019: All You Need To Know It is also one of the largest parliamentary constituencies of the state and represents the Kanchipuram District. Sriperumbudur Town is at a distance of 40 km from Chennai and is the birthplace of one of the most prominent Vaishnava saint. This is also where the former Prime Minister of our country, Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated. The average literacy rate is 71% which includes 78% male literacy and 64% female literacy. The languages commonly used in the area include Tamil and English. Economically, Sriperumbudur is dependent upon agriculture, automobile manufacturing and several other small scale industries. Thoothukkudi Lok Sabha Constituency is one the 39 parliamentary constituencies of Tamil Nadu. Thoothukudi Lok Sabha Constituency was formed after the 2008 Presidential Notification of delimitation of constituencies. It comprises of six legislative assembly segments of which one is for the SC category. The electors in the Thoothukkudi Lok Sabha Constituency will cast their votes on April 18 in the second phase of 2019 Lok Sabha election. The results of the 2019 Lok Sabha election will be declared on May 23. Jeyasingh Thiyagaraj Natterjee (AIADMK) is the present Lok Sabha MP of Thoothukkudi Parliamentary Constituency. Thoothukkudi Lok Sabha Constituency of Tamil Nadu: Full list of candidates, polling dates In the last assembly elections which were held in 2014, Jeyasingh Thiyagaraj Natterjee of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) had won from the Thoothukudi seat by defeating Jegan P of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK). Jeyasingh had won this seat by 366,052 votes. In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, there were a total number of 1,310,597 electors here out of which 916,778 cast their votes and the voter turnout here was recorded at 69.95 %. For the Lok Sabha Election 2019, the BJP has fielded its state president Tamilisai Soundararajan from the Thoothukudi parliamentary constituency. While the DMK has fielded Kanimozhi from the Thoothukudi seat, the MNM has given its ticket to TPS Pon Kumaran, while BSP has fielded V Siva from this seat. The city of Thoothukudi is the headquarters of the Thoothukudi District which has a total area of 4,745 sq km. It is located along the Bay of Bengal at the extreme southeastern region of the state at a distance of 590 km from Chennai. As per 2011 census, the population is 1,750,176 making it the 277th most populous district of India out of a total of 640 districts. The area has a population density of 369 people per sq km and the sex ratio here is 1024 females per 1000 males. Children comprise about 13% of the total population and Hindus have a 79% majority here. Tamil and English are the widely spoken languages here. All parliamentary constituencies in Tamil Nadu (39 seats) will go for polling in the second phase on April 18. Out of the 39 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu, the BJP is set to contest on five seats and the AIADMK is contesting on 27 seats. It must be noted that this is the first time the BJP has sealed a pre-poll alliance with AIADMK - one of the two major Dravidian parties in Tamil Nadu - and the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK). Tiruvannamalai is one of the 39 parliamentary constituencies of Tamil Nadu. Tiruvannamalai Lok Sabha Constituency was formed after the 2008 delimitation of parliamentary constituencies. The Lok Sabha constituency is numbered 11 in the state and is not reserved for any category which means it falls into the General Category. It comprises of six legislative assembly segments The electors in the Tiruvannamalai Lok Sabha Constituency will cast their votes on April 18 in the second phase of 2019 Lok Sabha election. The combined results of the seven-phased 2019 Lok Sabha election will be declared on May 23. Lok Sabha Election 2019: All You Need To Know Vanaroja R of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) is the sitting Member of Parliament of the Tiruvannamalai Lok Sabha constituency. In the 2014 Lok Sabha election, Vanaroja R of the (AIADMK) had won the Tiruvannamalai seat by defeating DMK candidate Annadurai CN. Vanaroja had won the 2014 Lok Sabha election by 500,751 votes. Tiruvannamalai Lok Sabha Constituency of Tamil Nadu: Full list of candidates, polling dates In the 2019 Lok Sabha election, the two arch-rivals - the ruling AIADMK and the opposition DMK - will face off in at least eight seats in Tamil Nadu. This time, the ruling AIADMK has fielded former TN agriculture minister SS Krishnamoorthy from the Tiruvannamalai seat. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister hailed the AIADMK-led alliance and said it would garner a massive victory in the State. CN Annadurai of the DMK and Independent candidate Manithan are the official candidates as they have filed their affidavits from this constituency. The BSP has given ticket to B Babu from this parliamentary seat. All parliamentary constituencies in Tamil Nadu (39 seats) will go for polling in the second phase on April 18. Out of the 39 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu, the BJP is set to contest on five seats and the AIADMK is contesting on 27 seats. It must be noted that this is the first time the BJP has sealed a pre-poll alliance with AIADMK - one of the two major Dravidian parties in Tamil Nadu - and the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK). SILIGURI: A body of a 42-year-old man was found hanging at the booth office of Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) in West Bengal's Siliguri on Thursday morning, causing alarm in the area. The incident took place in the Municipal Corporation Ward Number 36. The deceased has been identified as Nitya Mandal who worked as a labourer. #Visuals West Bengal: Body of a 42-year-old man was found hanging at BJP booth office in Siliguri early morning today; Police investigation is underway. pic.twitter.com/p7D3B5KTeU ANI (@ANI) April 4, 2019 Locals out on morning walk spotted the body hanging from the booth office and immediately alerted the cops. The body has now been sent for postmortem. An investigation is underway. "He had no fight or enmity with anyone, had been unwell. Don't know if its a murder or suicide," the deceased's wife Rina told ANI. The incident comes a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a mammoth rally in north Bengal`s Siliguri. Calling state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee a speed breaker, Modi accused her of hindering a number of central welfare schemes in the state, like Ayushman Bharat, PM-KISAN, and Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016. Hitting back, Trinamool chief Banerjee called Modi an 'expiry babu'. "I will not call him Prime Minister; he is `expiry babu` as his government has passed the expiry date," she said at an election rally in Cooch Behar district. On Wednesday morning, two buses carrying BJP supporters was allegedly attacked by Trinamool Congress workers in Bankura. The supporters were on their way to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally in Kolkata's Brigade Parade Ground, when the buses were ransacked. Angry BJP supporters protested at Bankura police station. West Bengal, with a total of 42 Lok Sabha seats, sends the third largest number after Uttar Pradesh's 80 and Maharashtra 48. The BJP, which clinched 17 per cent votes and two seats in 2014 national elections, has emerged as the second biggest party in the state. Chennai: The electoral battle in Tamil Nadu is crucial for the ruling AIADMK and the principal opposition DMK for reasons that go beyond a wish to wield influence with the next government at the Centre. Polling for 39 Lok Sabha seats and by-elections for 18 Assembly seats will be held simultaneously in the state on April 18. Looking to improve their strength in the state Assembly, neither the AIADMK nor the DMK have ceded any of the seats where bypolls will be held to their allies, which include the BJP and the Congress respectively. TTV Dhinakaran-led fledgling Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) is also in the fray and may split the anti-DMK and AIADMK votes. In the 234-member strong Assembly, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) has 114 members (including the Speaker), the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) 88, its allies Congress and Indian Union Muslim League 8 and 1 respectively and Dhinakaran is an Independent member. Twenty-two seats are vacant and bypolls will be held for 18 of these. For the AIADMK, bagging maximum seats in the two elections is important to ensure a smooth sail till the end of its tenure in 2021, halt a resurgent DMK led by its new chief M K Stalin and exert influence at the Centre. Besides, the bypolls will give the AIADMK an opportunity to take on Dhinakaran, who handed a surprise defeat to the ruling party in the December 2017 R K Nagar by-election. "The by-election results will determine if the AIADMK can hang on to power," political commentator 'Tharasu' Shyam told PTI. "The AIADMK has to win at least 10 out of 18 seats for a thin majority, leave alone effective governance," he said. Shyma pointed out that factors like three AIADMK MLAs -- A Prabhu (Kallakurichi), V T Kalaiselvan (Vridhachalam), and E Rathinasabapathy (Aranthangi) -- supporting Dhinakaran, MLA M Thamimun Ansari extending support to the DMK combine and the anti-government stand of another legislator -- S Karunas could spell trouble for the ruling party. "It is a big question mark if the AIADMK under Chief Minister K Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam could get late J Jayalalithaa's (supporters') votes," he said. Political analyst Sumanth Raman said to establish that they are "the real AIADMK, the ruling party has to do far better than Dhinakaran." Palaniswami and Panneerselvam are also invoking the legacy of AIADMK matriarch and former chief minister J Jayalalithaa. They are straining every nerve to showcase "Amma's government" and its numerous welfare initiatives like providing laptops to students and gold assistance scheme for brides while keeping the political pot boiling against the DMK and Stalin. The AIADMK is also trying its best to take counter Dhinakaran. After getting the "two leaves" symbol from the Election Commission last year, it is trying to assert its position as the true successor of Jayalalithaa. For the DMK, which has been out of power in Tamil Nadu since 2011, these elections are a chance to reverse fortunes. Stalin, son of DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi, who passed away last year, is heading the party. Raman said, "An electoral win is extremely important for the DMK since they have a new leader in Stalin and there is pressure on him to deliver victories for the party." DMK candidate Maruthu Ganesh had lost his deposit in the R K Nagar bypoll. The DMK has joined hands with several other parties and naturally there is pressure on the party leadership to emerge victorious, Raman said. Shyam warned that in the event of the DMK not doing well, part of its support base maybe eroded. A recent statement by DMK leader Kanimozhi explains the importance of the upcoming polls for the party. "The polls should be regarded as a battle and we need to fight? it is a battle of life and death," she said. No wonder the DMK went into poll mode long before the elections were announced, with her brother Stalin completing a public outreach programme 'Ooratchi Sabai' and addressing a slew of rallies. Notably, the gram sabhas under all the 18 Assembly segments that will go to polls have been covered by Stalin. AMMK leader Dhinakaran too, like Stalin, began touring the state months before the polls were announced. New Delhi: The Election Commission (EC) Thursday said it was "looking into" the recent seizure of Rs 1.80 crore cash in Arunanchal Pradesh. Deputy Election Commissioner Chandra Bhushan Kumar said the matter is being looked into and the exact details of the case are yet to be ascertained. The chief electoral officer (CEO) of the state has submitted a detailed report to the EC after the cash was recovered from two vehicles parked at a guest house in Arunachal's East Siang district on Wednesday, Kumar said. While Rs 1 crore was seized from a government vehicle and was claimed by Christopher Perme, son of Mebo BJP candidate Dangi Perme, Rs 80 lakh was found inside a private vehicle of former MLA Ralomg Borang, the Arunachal Pradesh CEO had said. Asked about the development in the model code of conduct (MCC) violation involving Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh, Kumar said the Commission had "no update" on the matter since a letter was sent to the Rashtrapati Bhawan. On Tuesday, the EC had written to President Ram Nath Kovind pointing to the violation of MCC by the Rajasthan Governor by making political comments. The poll panel had concluded that Singh's remarks supporting the return of Narendra Modi as prime minister were violative of the model code. The EC had examined that the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister's remarks as holding a constitutional post makes him "apolitical" in the light of model code of conduct. Addressing BJP workers at his Aligarh residence on March 23, Singh had reportedly said, "All of us are BJP workers and we want the party to win. We want Modiji to become the prime minister. It is necessary that Modiji becomes the prime minister again". Hundreds attended on Thursday the funeral of the prominent Egyptian Islamic thinker, writer, politician and constitutional expert Ahmed Kamal Abul-Magd, who died late on Wednesday at 89. Abul-Magd was born in 1930 in Assiut Governorate, Upper Egypt. He graduated from the faculty of law at Cairo University in 1952 and obtained a PhD in law from the same university in 1960. He also obtained a Master's degree in Comparative Law, University of Michigan, in 1959. Abul-Magd played a major role in leading and founding the Socialist Youth Organisation, Egypt's main political movement during the 1960s and early 70s. He was also a member of the Egyptian Islamic Research Council, the National Council for Women, the Arab Organisation for Human Rights and the deputy head of the National Council for Human Rights in Egypt. Abul-Magd served as the Egyptian minister of youth from 1971 to 1973 and as minister of information from 1973 to 1975. In 1976, he received the first class Order of the Republic in Egypt. He contributed to establishing the constitutions of many other Arab countries including Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. Abul-Magd authored many publications and books, most notably on constitutional monitoring of laws in the United States and Egypt, judicial oversight of administration, the constitutional system of the United Arab Emirates and conducted many studies on Arab society. Search Keywords: Short link: New Delhi: Markets regulator Sebi Wednesday extended the timeline for the implementation of phase 1 of Unified Payments Interface (UPI) as an alternative payment mechanism for retail investors buying shares in a public issue. To ensure smooth transition to UPI in ASBA (Application Supported by Block Amount) and in the back drop of the representation received from various stakeholders, Sebi said, "it has been decided to extend the timeline for implementation of Phase I... By 3 months i.E. Till June 30, 2019" However, the timeline for implementing phase 2 and phase 3 shall remain unchanged from the date of completion of phase 1, Sebi said in a circular. In November 2018, the regulator had said it would launch UPI as an alternative payment option for retail investors buying shares in a public issue in a phased manner from January 1, 2019, which will cut listing time for an IPO to three days from existing six days. It had further said the new mechanism would increase the efficiency of the existing system and curtail the need for manual intervention. Currently, retail investors either invest in an initial public offering (IPO) through bank ASBA or through broker ASBA, where the broker does the bidding and hands over the application form to the investors' bank. With the UPI mechanism, the existing process of physical movement of forms from intermediaries to banks for blocking of funds will be discontinued. UPI is an instant payment system developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). It allows instant transfer of money between any two persons' bank accounts using a payment address which uniquely identifies a person's bank account. New Delhi: The B-Town A-lister Deepika Padukone is currently working on her ambitious project 'Chhapaak', a film by Meghna Gulzar. It is based on the acid attack survivor Laxmi Agarwal's journey. Deepika has turned a producer with this venture and will be backing the project as well. A few days back, the 'Padmaavat' actress released the first look of the movie and it created a storm on social media. Appreciation and accolades poured in from all walks of lifebe it fans or film fraternity peopleall hailed her first lasting impression as Malti. Recently, the actress was in the capital city and was shooting for a sequence when fans noticed her and went crazy. Several videos and pictures of the actress waving at the unmanageable crowd have been shared on Instagram and Twitter. Check out a few: Deepika can be seen in her Malti avatar, as she plays the character of the acid attack survivor in the movie. Her make-up and entire look has been well received by the public, showering her with immense love. Besides Deepika, Vikrant Massey plays an important role in the movie. 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'. New Delhi: Veteran actor Rishi Kapoor and wife Neetu Kapoor are in New York currently where the former has been battling an undisclosed illness. On Thursday, Neetu took to Instagram and shared a pic along with her husband and son Ranbir Kapoor in which the three are all smiles. The post is full of love, positivity, and family bonding and will put up a smile on your face the moment you see it. The caption of the post reads, That amazing feeling in your lows when there is Positivity Happiness Love and that Wink !!!! Check it out here: Adorable, right? We pray for Kapoor Senior's fast recovery and hope that he returns soon! Meanwhile, Ranbir was recently awarded with the 'Best Actor' trophy at the Zee Cine Awards for his performance in 'Sanju'. Upon receiving the award, Ranbir gave an emotional speech on stage, talking about his father. An excerpt of his speech was, I would like to dedicate this award to very special people in my life, starting with my father. He is going through a little bit of a rough patch in his life and I have often heard that whenever you come into some kind of crossroads in your life, you can really tell who you are as a person. Whenever I speak to him, he only talks about movies. He only talks about 'how is this film?', 'how is this film doing?', 'how is this performance?', what are you doing in your scene? And, more so, he speaks to me about his insecurities that when he gets back, will he get to work in the movies? Whether people will offer him films? Will, he be able to act in movies?" and that kind of inspiration and passion and madness brings all of this to perspective. Mumbai: Actor Tiger Shroff, who is seen as a youth icon, has said he tries to follow his actor-father Jackie Shroff`s footsteps when it comes to fashion. Tiger said this on Wednesday while interacting with the media here at the 20th anniversary celebration of clothing brand `Lifestyle`. Which Bollywood celebrity does he follow when it comes to fashion? "I try to follow my father (Jackie Shroff) when it comes to fashion. I can`t exactly copy what he wears but I just try to follow his carefree and `bindass` attitude because he can put on anything and be sort of comfortable in that," he said. Giving summer tips to his audience, Tiger said: "I feel people should wear easy and comfortable clothes and they should keep them hydrated all the time." Tiger has established himself as one of bankable actors of the younger generation. Asked what keeps him going, he said: "There are quite a few things which keep me going. I always try to stay positive and happy throughout my day because you tend to attract energies according to your state of mind. "If I am happy, and feeling positive, then good things will happen around me," he said. Tiger next will be seen on screen along Tara Sutaria and Ananya Panday in "Student of The Year 2" which is releasing on May 10, 2019. LONDON: The lower house of the British parliament on Wednesday approved legislation which would force Prime Minister Theresa May to seek a Brexit delay to prevent a potentially disorderly departure on April 12 without a deal. The legislation, put forward by opposition Labour lawmaker Yvette Cooper, was rushed through all of its stages in the House of Commons in less than six hours. It was approved at the final stage by 313 votes to 312. It now has to pass the upper chamber, the House of Lords. May said on Tuesday she would seek another short extension to Brexit beyond April 12, in order to try and work with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to get her thrice-rejected Brexit deal approved by parliament. Cooper said the legislation was still needed to set out a clear process for how decisions are taken over the length of any extension. The bill requires May to get parliament`s approval for the detail of any delay and allows lawmakers to propose a different length of the extension. "Perhaps crucially it would demonstrate to the EU parliamentary support for what the prime minister is asking for," she told parliament during the debate on the legislation. Any further delay to Britain`s exit would need unanimous approval from EU leaders. To avoid an abrupt no-deal Brexit on April 12, May must present a summit of EU leaders next Wednesday with a plausible strategy to win approval in parliament for the Withdrawal Agreement that she negotiated with Brussels. May has said that if she cannot agree a unified approach with Corbyn, then the government would come up with a number of options on the future relationship with the EU and put them to parliament in a series of votes. The legislation was pushed through as part of a process which has seen lawmakers seize control of parliamentary time in order to influence the way forward on Brexit. It is very unusual for legislation which is not proposed by or supported by the government to be passed by parliament. The government said there were many flaws with the legislation, including the lack of time available for all the steps it sets out, and had concerns about the precedent it set. Pro-Brexit Conservative lawmaker Bill Cash described it as "a constitutional revolution". "This is a grave moment in our constitutional history. I think the Bill is reprehensible ... I think it is a disgrace that it was brought in," he told parliament ahead of the votes. It was unclear when the legislation would be debated in the House of Lords, where legislation usually passes more slowly and opponents could seek to filibuster it, but it could be as soon as Thursday. Conservative lawmaker Oliver Letwin, who was also involved in putting forward the legislation, said earlier on Wednesday there was "overwhelming support in the House of Lords" for it and he anticipated it would pass through the Lords rapidly. "The House of Lords has in fact already passed a motion which provides for the expeditious consideration of exactly this form of bill," he said. The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), a political and military transatlantic alliance between 29 North American and European countries, celebrates its 70 years anniversary on Thursday. The organisation implements the North Atlantic Treaty that was signed on April 4, 1949, and its purpose is to guarantee the freedom and security of its members. The anniversary comes amid rising concern over Russia. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, in an address to the US Congress, said the alliance wanted better relations with Russia -- but needed to prepare a strong defence. The celebrations have been accompanied with concerns over the threat posed by "a more assertive Russia," including a massive military buildup, threats to sovereign states, the use of nerve agents and cyberattacks, said the head of the NATO. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that "time is running out," and also called on Russia to return to compliance with the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty. Most alliance members share concerns about Russia which backs separatists in a smouldering conflict in eastern Ukraine that has so far claimed some 13,000 lives. In November, Russia fired on and seized three Ukrainian navy vessels, capturing two dozen sailors near the Kerch Strait, as they tried to pass from the Black Sea to the Azov Sea. It was the first open military clash between Kiev and Moscow since 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea and a pro-Russian insurgency erupted in eastern Ukraine. Observers say that an increased NATO presence in the region is one of Russia's worst nightmares. Putin has openly said that Moscow's decision to take over Crimea was partly motivated by NATO's expansion into Eastern Europe. Peskov did not say Wednesday whether Russia would in fact allow NATO ships to pass through the Azov Sea. Twelve Allies founded #NATO in 1949. Today we are 29. Join us in celebrating the 70th Anniversary of our Alliance.#WeAreNATO pic.twitter.com/Kta46HfIRK NATO (@NATO) April 1, 2019 The West has accused Moscow of illegally blocking access to the Sea of Azov, used by both Russia and Ukraine. But while he urged Russia to respect international law and the law of the sea, Stoltenberg made no mention of assuring freedom of navigation. During its formation, the organisation had 12 members that have increased to 29 till date. They are--Albania (2009), Belgium, (1949), Bulgaria (2004), Canada (1949), Croatia (2009), Czech Republic (1999), Denmark (1949), Estonia (2004), France (1949), Germany (1955), Greece (1952), Hungary (1999), Iceland (1949), Italy (1949), Latvia (2004), Lithuania (2004), Luxembourg (1949), Montenegro (2017), Netherlands (1949), Norway (1949), Poland (1999), Portugal (1949), Romania (2004), Slovakia (2004), Slovenia (2004), Spain (1982), Turkey (1952), the UK (1949), and the US (1949). According to the organisation, it promotes democratic values and enables members to consult and cooperate on defence and security-related issues to solve problems, build trust and, in the long run, and prevent conflict. It is also committed to the peaceful resolution of disputes. If diplomatic efforts fail, it has the military power to undertake crisis-management operations. These are carried out under the collective defence clause of NATO's founding treaty - Article 5 of the Washington Treaty or under a United Nations mandate, alone or in cooperation with other countries and international organisations. There have been significant steps taken by NATO since its inception. In 1991, the NATO developed partnerships with former adversaries after the break-up of the Soviet Union. Four years after that, in 1995, NATO engaged in its first major crisis-management operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In 2001, after the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington DC, the US, NATO invoked Article 5 for the first time ever and adopted a broader approach to security. In 2003, NATO took command of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. In 2010, NATO adopted the strategic concept of "Active Engagement, Modern Defence". As the organisation is completing 70 years of its formation, NATO has been celebrating since the beginning of this week in Washington, the US and on Thursday it will hold a meeting of the foreign ministers. All the events will take place at the State Department (Harry S Truman Building). NATO Foreign Ministers had gathered in Washington DCs Mellon Auditorium on Wednesday to celebrate the anniversary. The ceremony, hosted by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, took place in the same room where the foreign ministers of the 12 founding allies met to sign the North Atlantic Treaty in 1949. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg hailed the Treaty, saying: its reach is vast, and it has stood the test of time because we have united around our core commitment to protect and defend one another. The schedule for Thursday is as follows: 8.10 am-- Secretary Generals doorstep 8.30 am--Start of the meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Ministers of Foreign Affairs Session 10.20 am--Secretary Generals press conference 02:45 pm--Secretary Generals press conference *Time as per US time zone Ankara: Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has said his country will not step back from the deal to buy the S-400 missile defence system from Russia, state-run Anadolu Agency reported. "The S-400 deal is a done deal and we will not step back from this," Cavusoglu said on Wednesday at a think-tank forum in Washington, where NATO foreign ministers gathered for the 70th anniversary of the founding of the security bloc, Xinhua reported. The Pentagon said on Monday that it had halted delivery of F-35 related parts to Turkey because of the latter`s purchase of the S-400 defence system from Russia. "We don`t see our relations with Russia as an alternative to our relations with others. And nobody, neither the West nor Russia, can ask us to choose between," Cavusoglu said. Responding to the remarks that the S-400 cannot integrate into the NATO system, the Turkish minister said the US could establish a technical working group to ensure that the S-400 will not be a threat to F-35s or the other NATO systems. In December 2017, Turkey finalised a deal with Russia over the purchase of the S-400 surface-to-air missile system. Russia will deliver the first batch of the defence batteries in late 2019. Meanwhile, Turkey plans to purchase 100 F-35 fighter jets from the US, and its pilots are training on the weapons platform at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona of the US. MANILA: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte told China on Thursday to "lay off" an island occupied by Manila in the disputed South China Sea and said he would deploy his soldiers there if Beijing touches it. Duterte`s remarks, which he said was not a warning but rather a word of advice to a friend, follow a statement made by the foreign affairs ministry calling the presence of more than 200 Chinese fishing boats near Thitu island illegal. "I will not plead or beg, but I am just telling you that lay off the Pagasa because I have soldiers there. If you touch it, that`s a different story. I will tell the soldiers `prepare for suicide mission`," Duterte said in a speech, using the local name for Thitu. Duterte has repeatedly said he would not go to war with China because it would be suicide. The Philippines military has described the boats as a "suspected maritime militia". "Such actions, when not repudiated by the Chinese government, are deemed to have been adopted by it," the Department of Foreign Affairs said in a rare rebuke of Beijing. Duterte, who has pursued warmer ties with China since taking office in 2016 in exchange for billions of dollars of pledged loans and investment, said he would not allow China to occupy Thitu island because it "belongs to us". The presence of the trawlers near Thitu island raises questions about their intent and role "in support of coercive objectives", the ministry said, days after the Philippines lodged a diplomatic protest with China. In Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang did not refer directly to Manila`s protest, but he said bilateral talks on the South China Sea held in the Philippines on Wednesday were "frank, friendly and constructive". Both sides reiterated that South China Sea issues should be resolved peacefully by parties directly involved, he said. The Philippines has monitored the Chinese boats from January to March this year, according to military data. "These are suspected maritime militia," Captain Jason Ramon, spokesman for the military`s Western Command said this week. "There are times when they are just there without conducting fishing. At times, they are just stationary." The Philippines, Brunei, China, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam have competing claims of sovereignty in the South China Sea, a conduit for goods in excess of $3.4 trillion every year. In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague invalidated China`s claim to sovereignty over most of the South China Sea. "We call on concerned parties to desist from any action and activity that contravenes the ASEAN-China Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, as these generate tension, mistrust and uncertainty, and threatens regional peace and stability," the Philippines ministry said. Last month, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo assured the Philippines it would come to its defence if it came under attack in the South China Sea. WASHINGTON: Trade talks between the United States and China made "good headway" last week in Beijing and the two sides aim to bridge differences during talks that could extend beyond three days this week, White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said. Kudlow, speaking to reporters at an event organised by the Christian Science Monitor, said China had recognised problems for the first time during the talks that the United States has raised for years. Negotiations are continuing in Washington on Wednesday after meetings last week in Beijing, spearheaded by US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. Chinese commitments to increase purchases of American agricultural, energy and manufactured products are expected to be part of a final deal, and a person familiar with the talks said that China would get about six years to meet those commitments, or until 2025. The deadline was reported earlier by Bloomberg, but Trump administration officials have previously said that a six-year timeline for purchases exceeding $1 trillion has been under discussion. A final number for the amount of purchases has not been settled, the person said. Kudlow said Chinese Vice Premier Liu He and his team would remain in Washington for three days and possibly longer. "We`re covering issues that have never really been covered before, including enforcement," Kudlow said, listing US accusations that Beijing engages in intellectual property theft, forced transfer of technology from US companies doing business in China, cyber hacking, tariffs and non-tariff barriers for commodity trading. "All making good progress, all making good headway, but we`re not there yet," he said about those areas. "We hope this week to get closer." Kudlow said it was significant that China had "acknowledged these problems for the first time. They were in denial." Those structural issues along with the way a potential deal would be enforced have been consistent sticking points during months of talks. The United States and China have levied tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars` worth of two-way trade since July 2018. US President Donald Trump has said he wants a "great deal" with China and has hinted that tariffs could remain in place for some time. Kudlow said on Wednesday that US charges against Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei Technologies Co Ltd had generally not come up during trade talks. Separately, Kudlow also said no decisions have been made on tariffs on auto imports coming from top US allies. We attempted to send a notification to your email address but we were unable to verify that you provided a valid email address. Please click here to update your email address if you wish to receive notifications. Otherwise, you may click here to disable notifications and hide this message. Parliament is expected to decide on changes to the constitution next week. Ahead of the final vote leftist and liberal political parties have hardened their opposition to the proposed amendments In hearing sessions on 27 and 28 March representatives of five leftist and liberal political parties launched a scathing attack on proposed changes to the constitution. The Egyptian Social Democratic Party, the Karama (Dignity) Party, the Conservatives Party, the Tagammu Party and the Reform and Development Party all denounced the amendments while the Islamist Nour Party said it had reservations over some of the changes. Sadat Mohamed Anwar Al-Sadat, head of the Reform and Development Party, said the amendments serve the interests of one person. He described the debate surrounding the amendments as pre-packaged. Al-Sadat, who was expelled from parliament in 2017, said the process surrounding the amendments lacked transparency. I came to this dialogue only out of a sense of national obligation. Unfortunately the debate has never risen above the superficial, said Al-Sadat. The media has been effectively prevented from reporting the dialogue. The only figures allowed to appear on television are those who support the amendments. There has not been a single opposition voice in the national media. Al-Sadat said the bulk of the amendments were a cosmetic add-on intended to make the changes to Article 140, which will increase presidential terms, more palatable. Zahran Mohamed Farid Zahran, head of the Egyptian Social Democratic Party, argued that any changes to the constitution should be proposed and drafted by a constituent assembly to ensure they represent the wishes of society. The current amendments are an attack on the principle of the rotation of power. They are there to allow one figure to stay in power. They also place the president of the republic as head of the Higher Council for Judges, undermining any separation of powers. Zahran described the debate around the amendments as shallow and flawed and said the referendum will be held in an undemocratic climate, amid intense pro-regime media pressure. Mohamed Sami, head of the Karama Party, criticised attempts to create a second house without any significant legislative or supervisory powers as a waste of money that will harm political and parliamentary life. Abu Eita Kamal Abu Eita, a former minister of labour, said the amendments harm Egypt and President Al-Sisi. Abdel-Nasser Kandil, the Tagammu Partys secretary for parliamentary affairs, said that while the party had no objection in principle to the constitution being changed it opposed Article 140 being amended to allow President Al-Sisi to stand for two additional six-year terms once his current term ends in 2022. Kandil suggested a compromise, allowing President Al-Sisis current term to be increased from four to six years, ending 2024, and allowing him to stand for a third term of six years, ending in 2030. We will support the creation of a second house only if it has meaningful legislative and supervisory powers, and approve reinstating the position of vice president on condition any nominee commands parliamentary support, said Kandil. Al-Sayed Mustafa Kamel Al-Sayed, a professor of political science at Cairo University, said that while he had been keen to attend the national dialogue on 28 March not one media outlet had reported his comments. National newspapers simply published Speaker Abdel-Aals response to my comments without mentioning a single word of what I said. Al-Sayed does not believe there is any pressing need to change the constitution, a document that was approved by the overwhelming majority of citizens just five years ago. The goal of the amendments is to allow the current president to stay in power and give him the power to name the heads of judicial authorities and appoint a third of members to a second parliamentary chamber, said Al-Sayed. The amendments fly in the face of the principle of rotation of power, and of the separation of powers. Nour Party representative Talaat Marzouk said the Salafist political grouping objected to allocating a 25 per cent quota of parliamentary seats to women, recreating the Shura Council, and the description of Egypt as a civilian state. *A version of this article appears in print in the 4 April, 2019 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Opposing views Search Keywords: Short link: A criminal court in Egypt's Port Said sentenced on Thursday the former head of the country's Customs Authority to 10 years in prison on charges of corruption and bribery. The court acquitted seven other defendants in the case. The case dates back to July 2018 when Egypt's Prosecutor-General Nabil Sadek ordered the detention of Gamal Abdel-Azim, the head of the Customs Authority at time, pending investigations into charges of receiving bribes and dereliction of duty. Abdel-Azim faced accusations of receiving bribes in exchange for facilitating the entry of goods into the country without the payment of the required customs duties. According to the prosecution, Abdel-Azim had directed his subordinates to issue fake reports to reduce fines on goods that had been seized in several smuggling cases. The countrys anti-corruption authorities have been waging a campaign targeting high-level graft in recent years. Authorities arrested the governor of the Nile Delta province of Menoufiya in January, and the deputy governor of Alexandria in August 2018, both on corruption allegations. Search Keywords: Short link: [April 04, 2019] ZWorld 2019: Successful CAx Gathering and Sharing by ZWSOFT GUANGZHOU, China, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- From March 28th to 29th, ZWorld 2019, an open platform for the sharing of engineering software was held by ZWSOFT in Guangzhou, China, which was a great success attracting over 400 attendees from 30 countries, including business and technical partners, customers, developers, experts and media friends. With the theme "move to all-in-one CAx" this year, ZWSOFT showed its latest progress in the CAx field and launched its first CAE product. There were also product values shared by its eco-partners and voices from its customers. ZWSOFT's Latest Progress in CAx ZWCAD, the reliable and .dwg compatible 2D CAD solution, is going to join all-in-one CAx with a more powerful platform. Its 2020 Beta version was rolled out with important enhancements, such as the IFC/STL/DAE format support, new PDF Underly Manager, ATIL library and faster performance. ZW3D, the reliable all-in-one 3D CAD/CAM, is going to focus on faster and more responsive modeling, large assembly capabilities, and stronger application functions to serve more industries. The powerful features in its 2019 version, like User Define Feature, Shape Attribute and improved Assembly, received much attention. CADbro, the full-featured 3D CAD viewer showed its strengths such as 3D Viewing, 3D Annotation, Advanced Analysis and Cloud Service. CAD Pockets V4 has realized the integration of CAD Pockets, the mobile CAD viewer/editor, and CAD Chat, the web solution for teamwork. It satisfies the needs of both individual use and team collaboration, mobile and web devices. ZWSOFT's First CAE Product was Launched ZWSim-EM, ZWSOFT's first simulation product for electromagnetism debuted. It will benefit many fields like mobile phones, microwave components & circuits and metamaterial with a shallow learning curve, high speed and accuracy. All-win Ecosystem, All-win Future With a history of 10 years (former called GPC), ZWorld is an important platform to share various product values based on the ZWSOFT ecosystem. In the future of moving to all-in-one CAx, we would like to provide more product values to our customers, and win together with our partners. About ZWSOFT ZWSOFT CO., LTD. (Guangzhou) is a reliable and innovative provider with its flagship products ZWCAD and ZW3D. It is devoted to providing a complete and seamless user experience with its all-in-one CAx solutions. With over 20 years experience in the industry, its products and services have been proven by over 900,000 clients across 90 countries. For more information contact: Katy Lin +86-134-3028-6238 View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/zworld-2019-successful-cax-gathering-and-sharing-by-zwsoft-300824725.html SOURCE ZWSOFT CO., LTD. (Guangzhou) [ Back To www.mobilitytechzone.com\LTE's Homepage ] [April 04, 2019] Albertsons Performance Media, Powered by Quotient, Delivers Strong Results in First Year One year after its launch, Albertsons Performance Media (APM (News - Alert)) powered by Quotient is delivering to CPGs as high as two times more return on their ad spend compared to industry benchmarks set by Nielsen. "Albertsons Performance Media has quickly grown into a powerful way for brands to connect with their loyal shoppers on major campaigns that drive significant sales," said Karen Sales, VP of National and Shopper Marketing at Albertsons. "APM has executed 300 campaigns on behalf of 150 CPG companies. We've been able to target the right shoppers at the right time and in the right digital places. It has exceeded our expectations." PepsiCo is among the companies that have seen strong results. Last summer, Pepsi launched The Pepsi Generations Summer Music Campaign, which highlighted the brand's rich music history on limited edition retro cans. APM connected locally-relevant Pepsi music assets with Albertsons Companies shoppers across its 13 divisions and 20 banners. The result was sales that outperformed the rest of the grocery channel during the five-week promotion. "Our Pepsi summer campaign was a huge success in reaching the right shoppers, driving sales, and exceeding all of our engagement benchmarks," said Stacey Nachtaler, Shopper Marketing Director, PepsiCo. "Albertsons Performance Media has been a seamless digital solution for Pepsi running smart, efficient campaigns that garner results. We're already working with Albertsons and Quotient on additional campaigns." Quotient, which is Albertsons Companies exclusive digital media platform partner, targets millions of shoppers through social media, the grocer's digital properties, and major third-party publishers. Through recent key acquisitions, Quotient has strengthened its offering with new capabilities in social media and eCommerce. Social Performance Marketing Quotient's June 2018 acquisition of Ahalogy, a leading influencer marketing firm specializing in delivering premium content across socal media for CPG brands, has broadened and enhanced APM's capabilities. With the proven expertise of Ahalogy, APM has done the following in just a few short months: Delivered 21 influencer campaigns with 13 brands and four national campaigns, producing over 200 million targeted, verified impressions. Activated targeted social campaigns across Facebook (News - Alert), Instagram, Snapchat and Pinterest. Reached 270 million impressions, 3 million engagements and 700,000 clicks. General Mills turned to Ahalogy and APM when its Oui By Yoplait brand introduced a new product into their line of indulgent French-style yogurts-Oui Petites packaged in petite glass pots. "With the help of Ahalogy's premium hand-selected influencer network, highly-relevant and impressive content, and a strategic targeted paid media plan, the campaign helped boost engagement and inspire new usage occasions," said Ed Madden, Sales Director, General Mills about its Oui by Yoplait brand's campaign with Albertsons. "Our campaign exceeded our brand's impression goal and we had an impressive click-through rate to the Albertsons banner coupon page from our influencer content." Enhancing eCommerce Albertsons Cos. is continually improving the customer experience in both the four-walls and no-walls environment. Quotient is helping Albertsons Cos. implement sponsored search and product ad placements so brands can make sure their products show up high on the digital shelf when people are searching Albertsons Cos. banner store sites. Quotient added this capability with its recent acquisition of U.K.-based Elevaate. "The past year has been a tremendous success for Quotient and Albertsons Cos. as we continued innovating CPG marketing by connecting shoppers to the most relevant media and offers," said Chad Summe, Quotient's Chief Operating Officer. "2019 looks to be an exciting year for CPGs wanting to grow their brands through Albertsons Performance Media." About Quotient Technology Quotient Technology Inc. (NYSE: QUOT) is the leading CPG and retail marketing technology provider that delivers personalized digital promotions and ads to millions of shoppers daily. Quotient uses its proprietary Promotions, Media, Audience (News - Alert) and Analytics Cloud Platforms and services to seamlessly target audiences, optimize performance, and deliver measurable, incremental sales for CPG and retail marketers. Quotient's powerful suite of capabilities includes personalized digital coupons, retailer-aligned dynamic ad messaging, influencer-led social media, data analytics and audience management. Quotient's audience data solution is powered by 100 million verified buyer audience, derived from its Retailer iQ partnerships. By combining technology, data and distribution, Quotient serves hundreds of CPGs, such as Clorox, Procter & Gamble, General Mills and Kellogg's, and retailers like Albertsons Companies, CVS, Dollar General, Kroger and Walgreens. Founded in 1998, Quotient is based in Mountain View, Calif. with offices across the U.S., and internationally in Bangalore, Paris and London. Learn more at Quotient.com, and follow us on Twitter (News - Alert) @Quotient. Quotient, the Quotient logo, Retail Performance Media, Ahalogy and Elevaate, are trademarks or registered trademarks of Quotient Technology Inc. and its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries. Other marks are the property of their respective owners. About Albertsons Companies Albertsons Companies is one of the largest food and drug retailers in the United States, with both a strong local presence and national scale. We operate stores across 34 states and the District of Columbia under 20 well-known banners including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw's, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Pavilions, Star Market, Haggen and Carrs, as well as meal kit company Plated based in New York City. Albertsons Companies is committed to helping people across the country live better lives by making a meaningful difference, neighborhood by neighborhood. In 2018 alone, along with the Albertsons Companies Foundation, the company gave nearly $262 million in food and financial support. These efforts helped millions of people in the areas of hunger relief, education, cancer research and treatment, programs for people with disabilities and veterans outreach. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190404005065/en/ [ Back To www.mobilitytechzone.com/wimax's Homepage ] Sisi Wants to keep eye on geniuses in Higher Education Egypt's President Abdel Fattah El Sisi has made a tour of the exhibition of the Global Forum for Higher Education and Scientific Research , which kicked off earlier Thursday at the New Administrative Capital, where he stressed the importance of discovering geniuses and gifted and brilliant people in all areas of activity and taking good care of them and nurturing their skills. El-Sisi emphasized the importance of carrying on with plans to upgrade the national higher education and scientific research systems to change life to the better for the Egyptian people and serve the nations comprehensive modernization process and help it attain its sustainable development goals. He also called for introducing an institutional mechanism at universities to support stellar students and build a generation of brilliant inventors and researchers who are capable of serving national progress and fulfilling the peoples dreams of a brighter future. The opening session of the forum, which bears the theme "Higher Education and Scientific Research between the Present and Future", was attended by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and the country's top education officials. Around 2,000 world figures, including senior scientists and experts concerned with university education, scientific research and innovation will be present in the event, which runs from 4 to 6 April. The forum is aimed at providing an international platform for exchanging views on the future of higher education, scientific research and innovation. The exhibition is held with the participation of universities and research institutions in Egypt and from across the world, to provide an opportunity for students in the pre-university stage to learn about the available higher education opportunities. Many Arab countries and foreign ones, including France, Greece, Finland, Portugal, Poland, Italy, the USA, Canada, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, China, India, Kazakhstan and Australia are taking part in the event which aims to address a number of important topics, including prioritizing investment in higher education and scientific research, and directing scientific research to serve the goals of sustainable development and economy. Search Keywords: Short link: The chronicle of a life split between urban Manhattan and rural Montana. The forum aims to further AU efforts to instill and develop best practices and methodologies of good governance on the African continent The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), a specialised agency of the African Union (AU) that focuses on good governance in Africa, will launch its Annual Methodology Forum on Thursday in Sharm El-Sheikh. The event (4-5 April) will be attended by a number of diplomats, government representatives and APRM representatives from across Africa. Academic, corporate, political and economic experts on governance will also attend the forum. The APRM is one out of three key activities that currently taking place in the Red Sea city. From 1-3 April, a series of closed technical meetings took place to discuss the framework, guidelines and provisions of the APRM statutory meetings. On 6 April, the Egyptian government and the APRM will jointly commemorate the 16th anniversary of the establishment of the organisation at the 1st Forum on Governance and Development in Africa, which will also be attended by government officials and representatives and non-state participants. In July 2002, the process towards founding the APRM started with the Declaration on the Implementation of the New Partnership for Africas Development adopted by the inaugural session of the assembly of the African Union in Durban, South Africa. The declaration "establishes the APRM as a country-self assessment and peer review mechanism, conceived and led by Africans to undertake governance assessments. Those assessments involve areas of democracy and political governance, economic governance, corporate governance and sustainable socio-economic development. The APRM defines itself as an organisation of the African Union that aims to encourage the adoption of policies, standards and best practices that lead to good governance. In July 2014, the APRM was integrated into the AU at the 23rd Ordinary Session of the Assembly that was held in Malabo in Equatorial Guinea. The APRM Forum, in January 2016, decided to revitalise the APRM during a special summit in Addis Ababa, announcing six priority areas, including revisiting the philosophy of the APRM,' revising the review methodology, and ensuring compliance with APRM principles. To meet its objectives, the APRM decided in March to focus on methodology during an expert group meeting that was also held in Addis Ababa. The APRM Forum in Sharm El-Sheikh seeks to examine the ideation of governance and related parameters and the integrity and effectiveness of APRM processes and tools for delivery of the APRM mandate. The forum will also discuss a number of topics that are directly related to governance on the continent, such as migration, internal displacement, gender issues, international credit rating agencies in Africa, and access to global capital and sovereign credit. Last years APRM forum, held in Kigali in Rwanda, offered a number of recommendations. Among them was to broaden participation, ensure gender balance," standardise National Programs of Action (NPoA)," enhance data integrity," undertake regular evaluation of member states in transformative leadership, and retain voluntary accession. Search Keywords: Short link: "It's not the roadway, it's not the way it's lined, it's not the layout of it, it's not the engineering of it, it's not the traffic volume on it, it's not the trucks, it's not the speed limit. It's the people who are on the road, and we could all take a hint and do a little bit better at... Welcome to Morningstar.co.uk! You have been redirected here from Hemscott.com as we are merging our websites to provide you with a one-stop shop for all your investment research needs.To search for a security, type the name or ticker in the search box at the top of the page and select from the dropdown results.Registered Hemscott users can log in to Morningstar using the same login details. Similarly, if you are a Hemscott Premium user, you now have a Morningstar Premium account which you can access using the same login details. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was in Moscow on Thursday for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, just five days before parliamentary elections at home. The vote is largely seen as a referendum on Netanyahu, who has campaigned on his foreign policy prowess and relations with world leaders. The trip to Moscow, made at Netanyahu's request, came a week after he traveled to Washington and met with President Donald Trump at the White House. Netanyahu also hosted Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro in Jerusalem earlier this week. Before departing from Israel, Netanyahu said he and Putin would ``discuss events in Syria,'' including the ``special coordination between our militaries.'' The Kremlin had said earlier this week the two would ``compare notes'' during a brief meeting, the two leaders' third in recent months. Israel and Russia have a military hotline to coordinate air force operations over neighboring Syria. Netanyahu is seeking a fifth term in the elections next Tuesday. On Wednesday, Israel announced the recovery of the remains of a soldier who went missing in a 1982 battle with Syrian forces in southern Lebanon. Putin acknowledged that Russia had worked to retrieve Zachary Baumel's remains from Syria. ``Our military together with Syrian partners established the place of his burial,'' Putin was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency. ``We are very pleased that at home they can give him the necessary military honors.'' Cases of missing soldiers have a powerful emotional and political resonance in Israel, where military service is compulsory for most Jewish men. Netanyahu lauded the repatriation of Baumel's remains as an ``expression of mutual responsibility and feeling of unity'' that epitomizes Israel. Search Keywords: Short link: MERIDEN City teachers received some unexpected visitors in their classrooms on Thursday. A team of representatives from the Fund for Teachers and the Dalio Foundation visited the schools to inform teachers they had been awarded education travel grants. Platt High School teacher Jill Pomposi will be visiting Spain. With tears in her eyes, she thanked the team and said she was surprised, but excited. I really wanted to be chosen, obviously, but I didnt want to be so set on it and then not get it, she said. Grants were awarded to 154 teachers across the state. Ten were selected from Meriden, including those at Nathan Hale Elementary School, Washington Middle School and Platt High School. The Fund for Teachers has awarded travel grants to more than 600 teachers in the past four years, said Managing Director Dale Bernardoni. A total of 54 have been from Meriden. They can go and have an authentic experience related to that and bring back that new knowledge to their teaching practices, Bernardoni said. Some teachers are taking solo trips while others are going in groups or pairs. Teachers will visit Spain, Japan, Australia, England, France, Germany, and the Turks and Caicos Islands. Pomposi will be attending an international conference in Spain that focuses on language and society. She chose the project because she has students that speak different languages and wanted them to feel welcome and safe. Its about feeling like belonging in the community, Pomposi said. Our community is changing and especially in our district, we have so many different types of students. Nathan Hale teachers Lynne Patry and Carol Cotter will visit the Turks and Caicos Islands to explore the similarities and differences in the ecosystems with that of Long Island Sound. Patry said the information gathered on the trip will be used in STEM activities in the classroom. We want to actively engage kids in preserving and protecting our environment, Patry said. Thats our goal. jroman@record-journal.com 203-317-2420 Twitter: @JenieceRoman MERIDEN Standing before more than 500 parishioners of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in January 1944, the Rev. Walter J. Lyddy announced plans to open a new parochial school next to the church. Lyddys announcement, made during a banquet dinner celebrating the parishs 50th anniversary, was met with enthusiastic applause from parishioners, who saw the new school as another long step in the perfection of their parish, according to newspaper archives. At the time, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church was the last Roman Catholic parish in the city to open its own parochial school. Lyddy, described as a zealous and ambitious leader, saw opening the school as one of his most cherished aspirations, archive stories said. Our Lady of Mount Carmel School opened its doors later that year in the former Nathan Hale School building on Lewis Avenue, next to the church on Goodwill Avenue. The citys Board of Education, which built the school in 1892, sold it to the church as part of its plan to construct a new high school. Mount Carmel the last remaining Catholic school in the city celebrates its 75th anniversary this year. Its an incredible milestone for Our Lady of Mount Carmel, said Claudia Schmidt, a pre-K teacher at the school. The school is holding several events for students and families this year to commemorate the milestone, along with a jubilee Mass scheduled for Saturday. In 2017, the Our Lady of Mount Carmel parish merged with St. Joseph, St. Laurent, St. Mary, and Holy Angels Church to become Our Lady Queen of Angels parish as part of a regional consolidation plan by the Hartford Archdiocese. I feel an obligation and a passion to celebrate the milestone that we have right now given the limited number of Catholic schools left in Connecticut, Principal Christa Chodkowski said. To reach 75 years is a godsend. The school opened as a K through 6 school with registration of about 250 students before expanding to a K through 9 school three years later. Most of the students in its early years lived in the neighborhood and walked to school. The school was run by nuns, Filippini Sisters, who were overseen by a mother superior, who acted as a principal. I loved the school, I really did, said Marie Cessario, who was part one of the schools first graduating class in 1953 and now works as a librarian at the school. I walked to school with girlfriends and we had, seriously, nothing to worry about. It really was a safe neighborhood, said Cessario, who lived on Chamberlain Highway. After Cessarios father, an Italian immigrant, married her mother, they moved from New Haven to Meriden and sent Cessario to Mount Carmel School in 1945 for first grade. Because Mount Carmel Church was founded by a group of about 70 Italian-American families, the school was predominantly made up of Italian-American children in its early years. Originally, it was an Italian school, but now we have everything you can think of under the sun all nationalities, all races, all religions, said Nancy Maier, who began as a teacher at Mount Carmel in 1990 and is now the schools longest-tenured teacher. Very strict,very old-school The church was founded by Italian immigrants who wanted to establish a parish and church to fit their specific needs, according to Record-Journal archives. In the mid-19th century, Meriden became a refuge for hundreds of Italian-speaking people, who settled primarily in the northwestern section of the city, adjacent to the downtown area. As the number of Italian families increased, sentiment grew for the establishment of a church to fit their specific needs. Up until that point, people of Italian birth and descent had worshipped in St. Rose and St. Laurent churches. In 1892, the Rev. Angelo Chiriglione, a Scalabrinian missionary, began to make occasional visits to Meriden, followed by the Rev. Felice Morelli of New York. Morelli began to organize the Italian population into a parish family of about 70 families. The original Mount Carmel church opened in 1894, but was later torn down in the 1930s and replaced with the churchs yellow-brick building at 109 Goodwill Ave. By the 1930s, the church needed a larger space because it had grown tenfold, to about 700 families, as more Italian immigrants arrived following the end of World War I. Lyddy made good on his promise to open a school just months after his announcement in 1944, despite the extensive repairs and remodeling needed at the former Nathan Hale School building. During a ceremony celebrating the schools opening on Sept. 11, 1944, the most Rev. Maurice F. McAuliffe, bishop of the Hartford Roman Catholic diocese, visited to bless the school. The school has changed in many ways over the years, but its mission and roots of educating students has remained, Maier said. She recalls the school, run by nuns at the time, having a much stricter dress code. It was a lot different. (Teachers) all had to wear skirts very strict, very old-school but it was a great school. After I taught here a year I sent my kids ... I was sold after a couple of months, said Maier. Surviving in new era The school is no longer run by nuns. Maier said traditional teachers often have children of their own and better understand childrens needs. Chodkowski is only the third layperson to serve as principal. Its really changed a lot, but the roots are the still the same, and kids dont really change, Maier said. Its like a family, its a continuation of the home, really, Maier said. When they leave here, they have a really solid education. The school today has an enrollment of 210 students in grades pre-K through 8. Enrollment has grown in past years, at least in part due to students transferring following the closings of St. Stanislaus School in 2015 and St. Joseph School in 2017. Cessario credits the schools principals and priests over the years for keeping it in operation. If it wasnt for them, the school wouldnt have survived, Cessario said. Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated Mount Carmel was the last Roman Catholic parish in Meriden to open a parochial school when it opened Mount Carmel School in 1944. The parish was the last to open a school at the time. mzabierek@record-journal.com 203-317-2279 Twitter: @MatthewZabierek NORTH HAVEN Maria Philips, director of marketing and sales for WQUN radio, was one of many vendors trumpeting games of chance and prizes at booths Thursday during the Quinnipiac Chamber of Commerce Annual Business Showcase. You buy in with a business card, get a chip and receive a wonderful tchotchke, Philips said. We have pop open cans of hand sanitizer and spring green mugs. About 50 vendors set up shop in large room at Best Western in North Haven to entice new customers with dice games, roulette wheels, and poker chips for free giveaways. This years event had a casino theme as a way to get people to interact, laugh, compete, and the ultimate goal swap business cards. Kevin ORourke, of Fish Window Cleaning in Wallingford, set up a booth with some giveaways and a bowl of Swedish Fish to attract more residential and commercial customers. Almost anyone here can be one of my customers, ORourke said. You want some Swedish Fish? Vendors represented a wide variety of businesses and services. Members of First Connecticut Federal Credit Union collected business cards. Visitors to SSC Background Screening and investigations rolled two big dice for prizes. There were representatives from local health care facilities, Workforce Alliance, local non-profits and government agencies and universities. Were here to meet some great local businesses and have a chance to network, said Mary Beth Marteno. There were scavenger hunts, roulette, a horse race game, speed networking, and food from local restaurants. Grand prizes included a trip to Foxwoods Resort Casino, a large television and more. We always try to do some kind of fun theme to make it interactive, said Dee Pryor, executive director of the Quinnipiac Chamber of Commerce. mgodin@record-journal.com 203-317-2255 Twitter: @Cconnbiz Fentanyl is killing black people in Connecticut at the same rate as whites for the first time since state officials began tracking the epidemic around 2012, a CT Mirror analysis has found. There is no clear consensus among experts in Connecticut as to what is driving up the death rate among African Americans. But some researchers and medical professionals point to the proliferation of fentanyl in inner cities and the states declining prison population as possible reasons for the increase. Initially, fentanyl-related overdoses impacted whites at higher rates than blacks and Hispanics, but the most recent data from the states Office of the Chief Medical Examiner shows the gap between blacks and whites has vanished. In 2018, the fentanyl-related death rate for both blacks and whites was around 23 per 100,000 residents in Connecticut, according to the Mirrors analysis of records published by the state medical examiner. The rate among Hispanics in Connecticut was lower, around 18 per 100,000 but still high compared with an overall rate for all groups of 6 per 100,000, according to a new report by the CDC. The CDC report found, among other trends, that fentanyl-related death rates nationwide have risen fastest among black and Hispanic populations from 2011 through 2017. The opioid crisis, once associated with predominantly white small towns and suburbs, has been moving to cities and claiming the lives of African Americans at unprecedented rates. A 2018 Washington Post investigation found that, unlike the white overdose victims who have been the focus of the national debate, the epidemics new casualties are seldom young and were not first hooked by doctors prescribing pain pills. Rather, they are veteran, urban drug users caught off guard by the sudden lethality of drugs like heroin that they once used with relative safety. Illicit synthetics like fentanyl have surpassed heroin as the leading killer, said Dr. J. Craig Allen, an addiction expert and medical director of the Rushford Center in Connecticut. Because of their inexpensiveness, their easy access and their potency, they have been adulterating other drugs and sometimes masquerading as other drugs. That has made it difficult for many users to know what theyre buying. You cant tell whats in it. People arent going out there and buying fentanyl. Theyre buying whatever their local dealer happens to have available, some of which may be heroin, some of which may be fentanyl, some of which may be mixed, . The trafficking of these drugs is more common in urban areas where there are concentrations of African Americans and other minorities relative to the whiter parts of the state, he added, so its not surprising that both in Connecticut and nationally, after a relatively long period of stable overdose deaths among African Americans, the rates are going up. In addition, the states rapidly declining prison population disproportionately made up of minorities has caused many to re-enter society with untreated opioid use disorder, experts said. The number of people behind bars dwindled to 13,228 in January, down from a peak of 19,413 in July 2008. We have found here in Connecticut and elsewhere in the world this is a problem that the first three weeks or so after people are released from prison, their chances of dying are extremely high if they reinitiate opioid use, Heimer said. They come out they go back to using opioids and use far more than is needed considering their state of lower tolerance. And because they are ashamed of relapsing, they tend to use those drugs alone, so theres no one there to call 911 or administer naloxone and save them. The state correction department has cited some of its programs, like methadone initiatives for people in different stages of recovery, as progress, but officials in the academic and medical fields have pushed for more to be done. The legislature is considering several bills that would require counseling or medication-assisted treatment for inmates with opioid use disorder. In written testimony to lawmakers, Asadullah Awan, a doctor at Yale New Haven Hospital, said of the more than 1,000 residents who died of opioid overdoses in 2017, more than half of them were formerly incarcerated people. Ex-offenders are eight to 11 times more likely to overdose during the first few weeks post-release, Awan wrote, yet most state prisoners have no access to medication-assisted treatment and there is little help in connecting those people with resources upon their departure. This story originally appeared on the website of The Connecticut Mirror, www.ctmirror.org. Senate Minority Leader Len Fasano, R-North Haven, ignited an angry exchange with the governors office Tuesday by saying Gov. Ned Lamonts hands-off and silent approach to legislating led to Democratic legislators watering down a public-private partnership bill to placate unions. The administration fired back 90 minutes later by noting Fasano also had a contentious relationship with former Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, comparing the Senate GOP leader to a tiresome and predictable heckler from the bleachers. The comments come within a few days of other Fasano-Lamont clashes over tolls and raises for two state employee bargaining units. The legislatures Government Administration and Elections Committee neutered a Lamont proposal Monday to allow more public-private partnerships, Fasano wrote in a statement Tuesday. He said their revisions offered clear evidence that Governor Lamonts hands-off and silent approach has allowed state employee unions to continue leading the charge and directing policy in our state. The head of the Connecticut AFL-CIO, Salvatore Luciano, strongly criticized Lamont in March 25 testimony before the GAE committee, arguing an administration proposal would roll back vital anti-corruption safeguards built into the states contract award system in 2007. Lamont wants to privatize more state services in an effort to streamline spending and improve efficiency. He would remove limits on the number of major public-private partnerships that can be authorized the current limit is five and the 50-year cap on the duration of such partnerships. He would also expand the types of services partnerships could provide. Committee members rewrote the bill, adopting a measure that instead only raised the limit on public-private partnerships from five to seven. Fasano said the governors proposal would have given life to public private partnerships and was the cornerstone of his economic development strategy but now has been torpedoed and neutered with worthless substitute language. Lamont spokesman Rob Blanchard countered quickly Tuesday. It seems that Senator Fasano hasnt been able to find a governor he gets along with, Blanchard wrote in a statement, adding that the Senate leader has been around here long enough to know this is not final language and the governor remains committed to ensuring that public-private partnerships remain a key component of his larger economic vision. Blanchard repeated the governors oft-extended invitation to all legislators and constituencies to help craft better proposals, but added that Senator Fasanos legislation via press release from the bleachers is becoming tiresome and predictable. Lamont and Fasano butted heads last Thursday when Fasano held a press conference to promote the GOP alternative to financing transportation improvements, Prioritize Progress. Republicans want to redirect other bonding currently used for school construction, capital programs at state universities and economic development for transportation. While administration officials suggested a compromise might be reached, Fasano said it would be difficult as long as the toll monster is any part of the plan. And one day before that, the Democrat-controlled legislature voted to approve an arbitration award that grants 5.5 percent raises, both this year and next, to two new bargaining units representing roughly 200 assistant attorneys general. The assistant AGs had not received raises in 10 of the previous 11 years. But with analysts warning state finances unless adjusted could run billions of dollars in deficit over the next two years, Republicans argued the raises simply are unaffordable. The administration said that while it respectfully disagreed with the arbitrators conclusions, there is no guarantee another round of arbitration would produce a better result for the state and that the decision ultimately rested with the legislature. But Fasano said Lamont, who enjoyed strong labor support on the campaign trail last fall, was too quiet about the raises. He should have sent a message, and he didnt. Fasano added Tuesday, I hope when it comes to labor contracts and policies that add to Connecticuts fixed costs the governor will find his voice. Yemen is mired in a raging sea of questions. Aside from its foreign relations and peace developments, Yemens domestic front is full of agonising intrigue. Is it the Muslim Brotherhoods Islah Party, the Salafis, Houthi militias or cholera that is kinder to Yemenis? Why did Islah set its eyes on Taizs Old City? Why has Vice President Ali Mohsen Al-Ahmar been accused of treachery in Taiz? Is Yemens cholera an epidemic or a weapon of annihilation? The Yemeni government delegates in the Redeployment Coordination Committee (RCC) agreed Tuesday on the final touches to the plan proposed by RCC head Lieutenant-General Michael Lollesgaard, concerning the implementation of the first phase of the Stockholm Agreement regarding redeployment in Al-Salif and Ras Issa ports. Colonel Waddah Al-Dbish, the military spokesman of government forces in Hodeida, said that although the joint forces extended their hand in peace, they are prepared to wage a military battle should the UN plan be again obstructed. Tuesdays meeting should place the final touches on implementing the first phase of the plan stipulating the militias withdrawal from the ports of Salif and Ras Issa, Al-Dbish wrote on Facebook. He explained that the pull out would be conducted over a week. RCC Yemeni delegates demanded Lollesgaard pressure Houthi militias to implement the deal, anticipating Houthi deception and fearing they might reject the UN plan at the last minute. Information Ministry Undersecretary Najib Ghallab told Asharq Al-Awsat that the prolongation of war in Yemen became a short-term tactic to deplete the Arab coalition. It is clear that UN bureaucracy thrives on crises One cannot understand the legitimisation of an extremist movement that operates as an Iranian pawn against the Yemeni state and Arab national security, he said. Houthis have committed to none of the articles of UN Resolution 2216 and the international body was offering the Houthis a chance to impede the political solution in the country, Ghallab stated. Meanwhile, Russia has been asserting its historic, strong ties with Yemen. President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi met with Russia Deputy Foreign Minister and Special Presidential Representative for the Middle East and Africa Mikhail Bogdanov on Sunday on the sidelines of the 30th Arab Summit in Tunisia. Hadi hailed Russias support for Yemens legitimate government and transition based on the three terms of reference for peace: the Gulf Cooperation Council Initiative; the outcomes of the National Dialogue; and UN resolutions, prime among which was Resolution 2216. Bogdanov affirmed Russias interest in Yemens security and stability and the prevalence of peace among Yemenis, and Russias contentedness with mediation efforts and the cooperation taking place between the two countries. Iraqi cleric Muqtada Al-Sadr, meanwhile, addressed Arab leaders on Yemen at the closing session of Tunisias Arab Summit on Sunday. He tweeted: We have to act responsibly in the face of the Trump-Netanyahu union. I call on everyone to end sectarianism, and to recall the spirit of Islam, Arabism and humanity and give up on hostile policies. And UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash, according to Yemen News, urged the UN Human Rights Council to provide support to the Yemeni government to be able to establish institutions aimed at protecting human rights in the country. In Taiz, southwest of Yemen, inhabitants are suffering from the scarcity of water, abject poverty, deteriorating health and the spread of cholera. The epidemic of the latter has hit the residents of Taiz, Sanaa, Ibb and Dhamar. Sanaa farmers are using sewage water to irrigate vegetables and fruits, contributing to the further spread of cholera in the capital. Since the beginning of the year till 17 March, nearly 109,000 cases of severe acute watery diarrhoea and suspected cholera were reported. Nearly one third of the reported cases are children under the age of five. This comes two years since Yemen witnessed the worlds largest outbreak when more than one million cases were reported, a UNICEF-WHO report said. The report concluded: It is time for the four-year long war to come to an end. If not, Yemen will continue to be trapped in a web of diseases, malice and sink deeper in endless humanitarian disasters. With the most vulnerable paying the highest price. Yet the people of Taiz continue to endure what appears to be a sectarian war between Islah Party forces, Salafis and Houthi militias, with each group fighting for their own interests. In this war, Yemenis are confused who is with whom against whom. As coalition attacks on Houthis stopped for relative calm to prevail, infighting ensued. Then Governor Nabil Shamsan arrived in the city and unleashed a security campaign to chase the outlaws of Abul-Abbas militias charged with assassinating army leaders. Islahs military wing joined in to settle scores and engaged in bloody clashes across the city that left more than 50 civilians dead. Residential buildings were damaged, a hospital blazed and the Old City terrorised. The violence forced Shamsan to cease the security campaign. Yemens Saba News Agency reported that Shamsan stressed the significance of integrating security efforts, teamwork and standing firm for the sake of imposing the rule of law in Taiz, during a meeting with security and military commanders in Al-Turbah town on Sunday. The meeting was attended by the security director of Al-Shamayatain district, Abdel-Karim Al-Samaai and Special Forces commander Jamil Aqlan. Informed sources revealed to Yemen News Monday that after leaving Al-Turbah, Shamsan refused to return to Taiz until the requests he presented to President Hadi were met. The governors demands included the discharge of a number of military and security leaders for causes related to the security campaign on the Old City. Shamsan revealed he was headed to Aden to meet with the prime minister. But Al-Mashhad Al-Araby Website ran a report Monday titled, The forbidden deal: Mohsen Al-Ahmar supports the campaign to grant control to the Houthis. The article said: Instead of assuming his role as Hadis Vice President Mohsen Al-Ahmar chose to continue his treachery towards Taiz, after rejecting its governors plan to end military and security chaos in the city in order to implement his forbidden deal with the Houthi coup forces that besieged the city once and seek to regain control over it. Al-Ahmar wants the crisis to escalate and linger in Taiz for his own benefit. Al-Mashhad Al-Arabys report added: Sources in the legitimate government revealed that Ali Mohsen Al-Ahmar rejected a plan proposed by Taiz Governor Nabil Shamsan to President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi calling for the end of military and security chaos in the city. But Al-Ahmar ordered Brotherhood militias to hand over control of a number of sites in the district of Demt in Dhale city to Houthi militias. The report continued: Al-Ahmars treachery included handing over the most important strategic heights in the area to the Houthis, such as the mountains of Matrah, Nassa and Al-Dhari overlooking the governorates of Ibb and Dhale, as well as Oud and Morice mounts. Questions abound in Yemen, and many remain unanswered. The distressed nation clings to the hope that war will be over and disease will recede. Over everything else, certainty breaks down. *A version of this article appears in print in the 4 April, 2019 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Yemen in time of war and cholera Search Keywords: Short link: Berlin Reporter Education funding a growing concern by Steve Bissonnette BERLIN In the 1990's, a series of lawsuits resulted in the Claremont decisions, in Claremont School District v. Governor, 138 N.H. 183, 635 A.2d 1375 (1993) (Claremont I), the New Hampshire Supreme Court interpreted Part II, Article 83 of the New Hampshire Constitution to "impose a duty on the State to provide a constitutionally adequate education for every educable child in the public schools in New Hampshire and to guarantee adequate funding." There are currently several school funding bills under consideration by New Hampshire's Legislature. HB676, which was deemed 'inexpedient to legislate' would have eliminated the statewide education property tax and transferred the cost of providing an adequate education to the state's general funding obligations. Other bills seek to increase funding per student, change the funding formula, and provide additional funding. A lawsuit filed by the ConVal School district, which claims that the state has failed in its obligation to provide an adequate education, seeks to force the state to increase education funding. Our correspondent did not uncover any effort to define an adequate education in the 21st century. But for New Hampshire's property rich towns and cities, providing children with an adequate education isn't an issue. Berlin, on the other hand, relies on an already high property tax rate, and declining state funding, to pay for education. Can a school system which is struggling to meet the basic needs of its students prepare its students to compete against students who are provided with every advantage money can buy? Studies show that children in wealthier districts have an edge, that advantage comes in the form of more support staff, smaller class sizes, better textbooks, more class offerings, and technology. Berlin students and educators have lobbied for an increase in funding, and a cessation of cuts in stabilization funding. A group called Save Our Schools (S.O.S.) has been formed to lobby for changes in the current system and can be found on Facebook. This fight is important, not only to the students but to the city's future. BERLIN In the 1990's, a series of lawsuits resulted in the Claremont decisions, in Claremont School District v. Governor, 138 N.H. 183, 635 A.2d 1375 (1993) (Claremont I), the New Hampshire Supreme Court interpreted Part II, Article 83 of the New Hampshire Constitution to "impose a duty on the State to provide a constitutionally adequate education for every educable child in the public schools in New Hampshire and to guarantee adequate funding."There are currently several school funding bills under consideration by New Hampshire's Legislature. HB676, which was deemed 'inexpedient to legislate' would have eliminated the statewide education property tax and transferred the cost of providing an adequate education to the state's general funding obligations. Other bills seek to increase funding per student, change the funding formula, and provide additional funding.A lawsuit filed by the ConVal School district, which claims that the state has failed in its obligation to provide an adequate education, seeks to force the state to increase education funding.Our correspondent did not uncover any effort to define an adequate education in the 21st century. But for New Hampshire's property rich towns and cities, providing children with an adequate education isn't an issue. Berlin, on the other hand, relies on an already high property tax rate, and declining state funding, to pay for education. Can a school system which is struggling to meet the basic needs of its students prepare its students to compete against students who are provided with every advantage money can buy?Studies show that children in wealthier districts have an edge, that advantage comes in the form of more support staff, smaller class sizes, better textbooks, more class offerings, and technology.Berlin students and educators have lobbied for an increase in funding, and a cessation of cuts in stabilization funding. A group called Save Our Schools (S.O.S.) has been formed to lobby for changes in the current system and can be found on Facebook. This fight is important, not only to the students but to the city's future. Berlin Reporter City Manager attends last work session Low Lily and Matt Flinner to perform at Medallion Opera House Thanks for visiting SalmonPress.com Carroll County Independent County Delegation signs off on budget by Mellisa Seamans OSSIPEE At 9:02 p.m. on Friday, March 29, there was a sigh of relief as the Carroll County Delegation voted to approve the $33.2 million budget for 2019. News spread quickly across the County complex and social media, with nursing home employees celebrating the vote, which includes pay raises for the facility's unionized workforce. The 15-member delegation was on track to set a record for early budget approval. The subcommittees had spent two months fine-tuning their respective budgets. But when the group met March 4, it was clear there was more work to do. They met three more times in March. When it came to the March 28 meeting, they were ready to hear how the county commissioners would respond to their demand that just over $800,000 needed to be cut. County Administrator Ken Robichaud did not present cuts but rather what he called a "hybrid proposal," restoring the $300,000 for the registry of deeds record restoration and archival work, using more money from the county's surplus (often called rainy day fund) and boosting the anticipated revenue projections. The delegation agreed in an 11-2 vote with Rep. Ed Comeau (R-Brookfield) and Rep. Glenn Cordelli (R-Tuftonboro) opposed. Rep. Lino Avellani (R-Wakefield) and Rep. Bill Nelson (R-Brookfield) were absent for the vote. Cordelli was concerned about using too much surplus money to offset any tax increases because the 2018 audit is not complete. A few years ago, the county had drained the surplus and had to go to vote a supplemental $2 million budget just to meet payroll. "We saw what happened years ago when we were using unaudited numbers, and we ended up with a deficit one year," said Cordelli. "By masking spending increases by using surplus and over-budgeting, I think is a mistake." There was a move by the Democratic-majority delegation to cut all funding for historic records preservation but, hoping instead that they can simply change the law that requires counties to preserve the records. Rep. Jerry Knirk (D-Freedom) pointed out that the law was written in 1975, before all of the digital record retention technology of today was created. "We are not a historical society, and we're not an art museum, so recording the actual document as a work of art or a work of history isn't as important as recording the information," said Knirk. "Recording on microfilm and digitally might be satisfactory." The delegation is expected to meet next late-April to early-May to hear a presentation of the performance audit findings and review the first quarter 2019 expense and revenue reports. OSSIPEE At 9:02 p.m. on Friday, March 29, there was a sigh of relief as the Carroll County Delegation voted to approve the $33.2 million budget for 2019.News spread quickly across the County complex and social media, with nursing home employees celebrating the vote, which includes pay raises for the facility's unionized workforce.The 15-member delegation was on track to set a record for early budget approval. The subcommittees had spent two months fine-tuning their respective budgets. But when the group met March 4, it was clear there was more work to do. They met three more times in March. When it came to the March 28 meeting, they were ready to hear how the county commissioners would respond to their demand that just over $800,000 needed to be cut.County Administrator Ken Robichaud did not present cuts but rather what he called a "hybrid proposal," restoring the $300,000 for the registry of deeds record restoration and archival work, using more money from the county's surplus (often called rainy day fund) and boosting the anticipated revenue projections.The delegation agreed in an 11-2 vote with Rep. Ed Comeau (R-Brookfield) and Rep. Glenn Cordelli (R-Tuftonboro) opposed. Rep. Lino Avellani (R-Wakefield) and Rep. Bill Nelson (R-Brookfield) were absent for the vote. Cordelli was concerned about using too much surplus money to offset any tax increases because the 2018 audit is not complete. A few years ago, the county had drained the surplus and had to go to vote a supplemental $2 million budget just to meet payroll."We saw what happened years ago when we were using unaudited numbers, and we ended up with a deficit one year," said Cordelli. "By masking spending increases by using surplus and over-budgeting, I think is a mistake."There was a move by the Democratic-majority delegation to cut all funding for historic records preservation but, hoping instead that they can simply change the law that requires counties to preserve the records. Rep. Jerry Knirk (D-Freedom) pointed out that the law was written in 1975, before all of the digital record retention technology of today was created."We are not a historical society, and we're not an art museum, so recording the actual document as a work of art or a work of history isn't as important as recording the information," said Knirk. "Recording on microfilm and digitally might be satisfactory."The delegation is expected to meet next late-April to early-May to hear a presentation of the performance audit findings and review the first quarter 2019 expense and revenue reports. Coos County Democrat Presidential candidate visits Lancaster by Tara Giles Sports reporter - Coos County Democrat and Berlin Reporter Sports reporter - Coos County Democrat and Berlin Reporter write the author Democratic Presidential candidate Alan Howe visited Lancaster last week. (Photo by Tara Giles) (click for larger version) LANCASTER It's campaign season, and more and more presidential hopefuls are traveling to northern New Hampshire to gather support. Democratic candidate Alan Howe of Pennsylvania stopped by the Granite Grind in Lancaster on March 27 where he met with a small crowd of about ten people to discuss the upcoming race. Howe introduced himself as a retired United States Air Force Senior Master Sergeant, who served for 24 years. Since his retirement in 2005 he has dedicated much of his time to education and volunteer work. Howe is married and says he enjoys fly fishing, hunting and rides a motorcycle. He spoke with residents regarding his concerns about the threats our nation is facing. "Right now ,we face four especially grave threats, a treasonous president, climate change, rising personal and institutional racism and dangerously high levels of income inequality. I am determined to confront and defeat each of these threats," he said. In regards to Donald Trump, Howe pointed out that the Constitution defines treason as adhering to and providing aid and comfort to enemies of the United States. "Each time Donald Trump puts Russian interests ahead of our interests, he is committing treason. The founding fathers made treason the first grounds for impeachment. They expected future congresses to defend our nation by impeaching and removing a threat posed by a treasonous executive. Congress must now act to defend us," said Howe. The candidate feels that racism is back on the rise, "Hate crimes, including murder are on the rise. The shootings of unarmed black men by police have become a recurring national tragedy." According to Howe, race and religion are key factors in the Trump Administration's immigration policy in violation of US law and American values. "We must treat domestic hate groups under US law the same way we treat terrorist groups. We must supervise investigations of police shootings, and remove racial and religions conditions on immigration," explained Howe. As for income inequality, Howe seeks to defeat the "standard Republican fare of huge tax cuts for the wealthy and pain and suffering for the rest of us before they destroy our economic future," as he stated. Howe is looking to fix Social Security taxes to end the high rates for workers and low rates for the wealthy. Howe feels that strong communities combined create a strong nation. "We are a thriving nation of immigrants. Immigration has made us the strongest nation on Earth. Our immigration policies should reflect that," Howe said, adding "We need sensible immigration reform that continues to grow our economy and strengthen our nation. Reducing immigration threatens to reduce our economic growth as vital jobs go unfilled. Welcoming immigrants is pro-growth." Health care was a topic of conversation that seemed to take up a good portion of time. To that, Howe said, "The goal of any health care policy should be to cover everyone for the least cost while avoiding harm to the national economy. We must have a public-private system that resembles our education system and provides care for everyone." Howe went on to say, "Health care is a fundamental right. We can add a public option to our national exchanges, fully resource the Veterans Administration and then determine if it can add first-responders, then lower the age thresh hold for Medicare, then increase the income threshold for Medicaid until everyone is covered." Howe's goal is to raise enough funding to be allowed on the debate stage. Of the meeting, Lancaster Democratic Committee member Charlie Cotton said, "I believe we are made stronger as Democrats when more folks participate. I'm also pleased that Howe has been to Coos County twice." Owners of the Granite Grind along with members of Lancaster's Democratic Committee have not expressed support for any candidate in the race and simply would like to welcome all candidates to the North Country. LANCASTER It's campaign season, and more and more presidential hopefuls are traveling to northern New Hampshire to gather support. Democratic candidate Alan Howe of Pennsylvania stopped by the Granite Grind in Lancaster on March 27 where he met with a small crowd of about ten people to discuss the upcoming race.Howe introduced himself as a retired United States Air Force Senior Master Sergeant, who served for 24 years. Since his retirement in 2005 he has dedicated much of his time to education and volunteer work. Howe is married and says he enjoys fly fishing, hunting and rides a motorcycle.He spoke with residents regarding his concerns about the threats our nation is facing."Right now ,we face four especially grave threats, a treasonous president, climate change, rising personal and institutional racism and dangerously high levels of income inequality. I am determined to confront and defeat each of these threats," he said.In regards to Donald Trump, Howe pointed out that the Constitution defines treason as adhering to and providing aid and comfort to enemies of the United States."Each time Donald Trump puts Russian interests ahead of our interests, he is committing treason. The founding fathers made treason the first grounds for impeachment. They expected future congresses to defend our nation by impeaching and removing a threat posed by a treasonous executive. Congress must now act to defend us," said Howe.The candidate feels that racism is back on the rise, "Hate crimes, including murder are on the rise. The shootings of unarmed black men by police have become a recurring national tragedy." According to Howe, race and religion are key factors in the Trump Administration's immigration policy in violation of US law and American values."We must treat domestic hate groups under US law the same way we treat terrorist groups. We must supervise investigations of police shootings, and remove racial and religions conditions on immigration," explained Howe.As for income inequality, Howe seeks to defeat the "standard Republican fare of huge tax cuts for the wealthy and pain and suffering for the rest of us before they destroy our economic future," as he stated. Howe is looking to fix Social Security taxes to end the high rates for workers and low rates for the wealthy. Howe feels that strong communities combined create a strong nation."We are a thriving nation of immigrants. Immigration has made us the strongest nation on Earth. Our immigration policies should reflect that," Howe said, adding "We need sensible immigration reform that continues to grow our economy and strengthen our nation. Reducing immigration threatens to reduce our economic growth as vital jobs go unfilled. Welcoming immigrants is pro-growth."Health care was a topic of conversation that seemed to take up a good portion of time.To that, Howe said, "The goal of any health care policy should be to cover everyone for the least cost while avoiding harm to the national economy. We must have a public-private system that resembles our education system and provides care for everyone."Howe went on to say, "Health care is a fundamental right. We can add a public option to our national exchanges, fully resource the Veterans Administration and then determine if it can add first-responders, then lower the age thresh hold for Medicare, then increase the income threshold for Medicaid until everyone is covered."Howe's goal is to raise enough funding to be allowed on the debate stage.Of the meeting, Lancaster Democratic Committee member Charlie Cotton said, "I believe we are made stronger as Democrats when more folks participate. I'm also pleased that Howe has been to Coos County twice."Owners of the Granite Grind along with members of Lancaster's Democratic Committee have not expressed support for any candidate in the race and simply would like to welcome all candidates to the North Country. Gilford Steamer "Frozen" coming to the Gilford stage by Erin Plummer The cast of the coming Gilford Middle School production of "Frozen, Jr." rehearses for the show. (Photo by Erin Plummer) (click for larger version) Gilford Middle School students are getting ready to bring their production of Disney's "Frozen" to the stage next weekend. GMS will be the first school theater in the state to present "Frozen, Jr.," a stage version of the play aimed at younger audiences. Dane DeHart plays Christophe, a man raised by trolls who hauls ice with his reindeer and close friend Sven. DeHart said Christophe isn't used to being around other people. "He's kind of a grumpy, moody person," DeHart said, saying he's also a laid back guy. Brenna O'Connor plays Olaf, a peppy snowman brought to life by Elsa's power. "He's really happy all the time," O'Connor said. He is also obsessed with summer, which is something O'Connor said she has in common with him. Vincent Marcella plays the duplicitous prince Hans, who is first in line for his kingdom's throne. "He just wants attention and is willing to do anything for attention," Marcella said. All of them were really familiar with "Frozen" and excited to be bringing it to the stage. They all had their stories of their connections the movie. DeHart said he remembers watching it over and over again when it first came out. O'Connor said her younger sister especially adored it when it first came out. "When the movie first came out she watched it about a million times," O'Connor said. DeHart said when they found out the play was going to be "Frozen" they couldn't wait to do it. "My favorite character was Christophe," DeHart said. O'Connor said she saw "Frozen" on Broadway when she was in New York last summer. As tis will be the New Hampshire premiere of "Frozen, Jr.," Marcella said this does bring quite a bit of pressure on them. While they have had their ups and downs, he said it has been coming together really well and he has high expectations of the show. DeHart said while sometimes things get do stressful, "Overall I think it's going to come along." O'Connor said everyone has been getting along and working together relatively well. O'Connor said their choreographer Heidi Noyes-Bourgeois is "amazing." "She's really helped bring the show to life," O'Connor said. "Frozen, Jr." will be performed at the Gilford High School Auditorium April 11-13 at 7 p.m. with a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday, April 13. Gilford Middle School students are getting ready to bring their production of Disney's "Frozen" to the stage next weekend.GMS will be the first school theater in the state to present "Frozen, Jr.," a stage version of the play aimed at younger audiences.Dane DeHart plays Christophe, a man raised by trolls who hauls ice with his reindeer and close friend Sven. DeHart said Christophe isn't used to being around other people."He's kind of a grumpy, moody person," DeHart said, saying he's also a laid back guy.Brenna O'Connor plays Olaf, a peppy snowman brought to life by Elsa's power."He's really happy all the time," O'Connor said.He is also obsessed with summer, which is something O'Connor said she has in common with him.Vincent Marcella plays the duplicitous prince Hans, who is first in line for his kingdom's throne."He just wants attention and is willing to do anything for attention," Marcella said.All of them were really familiar with "Frozen" and excited to be bringing it to the stage. They all had their stories of their connections the movie.DeHart said he remembers watching it over and over again when it first came out.O'Connor said her younger sister especially adored it when it first came out."When the movie first came out she watched it about a million times," O'Connor said.DeHart said when they found out the play was going to be "Frozen" they couldn't wait to do it."My favorite character was Christophe," DeHart said.O'Connor said she saw "Frozen" on Broadway when she was in New York last summer.As tis will be the New Hampshire premiere of "Frozen, Jr.," Marcella said this does bring quite a bit of pressure on them. While they have had their ups and downs, he said it has been coming together really well and he has high expectations of the show.DeHart said while sometimes things get do stressful, "Overall I think it's going to come along."O'Connor said everyone has been getting along and working together relatively well.O'Connor said their choreographer Heidi Noyes-Bourgeois is "amazing.""She's really helped bring the show to life," O'Connor said."Frozen, Jr." will be performed at the Gilford High School Auditorium April 11-13 at 7 p.m. with a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday, April 13. Gilford Steamer Additional terrain, lodging in proposed plan for Gunstock SantaLand brings out families for holiday fun Thanks for visiting SalmonPress.com Littleton Courier Forum addresses school funding by Angel Larcom Lawyers John Tobin (L) and Doug Hall (R), leaders of the New Hampshire School Funding Fairness Organization gave a presentation at Littleton High School on March 28 about unfair property tax burdens and how they affect public education in New Hampshire. (Photo by Angel Larcom) (click for larger version) LITTLETON "Our goal is to make school funding and the hardship of property taxes central issues in public discourse," said John Tobin, one of two attorneys that recently visited Littleton High School. On March 28, Tobin was joined by Doug Hall to present "Save Our Schools," an education funding awareness campaign currently traveling through the state. The attorneys spent more than two hours in the Littleton High School cafeteria breaking down the details of what is currently happening, how the system is inherently unconstitutional and how the state's definition of "adequate education" leaves much to be desired. This event was well-attended by educators and administrators, community members, select board members and House representatives from multiple school districts in the North Country. Tobin and Hall were two of the lawyers who worked on what is often called "the Claremont case," a series of New Hampshire Supreme Court cases that established the state's responsibility to fund an adequate education for New Hampshire students. In this landmark case from the mid-1990s, the Claremont School District sued the Governor of New Hampshire and challenged the constitutionality of the state's allocation of school funds. Although Claremont eventually won the lawsuit, New Hampshire averages have not changed. Rural communities with low property values continue to suffer heavy tax burdens, schools continue to be underfunded, and the entire system creates a perpetual cycle of economic despair. Currently, the New Hampshire Constitution sets two core requirements for K-12 public education; the state must pay for the cost of a constitutionally adequate education for every K-12 public school student, and the taxes that the state uses to pay for this education must have a uniform rate across the state. "The problem can be fixed if your legislators hear from you," said Tobin. "If ten people reach out, they pay attention. This system is ripe for change," he continued. New Hampshire's education funding is ranked the lowest, below all other states in the entire country. Because New Hampshire property values determine school funding costs, communities such as Berlin, Lancaster, Lisbon, Littleton and Bethlehem fall far below the state average of $1,043,647 per pupil. During the 2017-2018 school year, Lisbon had a rate of $325,535 per student, far below New Hampshire's equalized valuation. "People in Lisbon are heroic in the amount of taxes they have to pay for education, and they really have no choice," said Tobin. According to recent statistics, the average New Hampshire tax rate is $12.70 per $1,000. Berlin taxpayers pay $18.82, Littleton pays $15.78 and Bethlehem's burden is $17.27 per $1000. In contrast, the affluent town of Portsmouth has not only impressive property values but the low tax burden of only $9.77 per $1,000 for public education. Taxpayers in property-poor towns make much more significant financial sacrifices for their students, but they struggle to raise enough money to meet their schools' basic needs. For example, if Portsmouth and Lisbon were to raise the same amount per pupil for their schools, Lisbon's tax rate would need to be nearly six times higher than that of Portsmouth. Portsmouth currently raises $17,470 per student, while Lisbon is only capable of raising $8,533 per pupil. Based on equalized school tax rates, Lisbon pays $19.05 per student while Portsmouth only pays $6.59. The gap breaks down to $116,000 per child for a thirteen-year education program. According to Tobin and Hall, state legislators have not been inclined to make the necessary changes, and the courts have likewise been disinclined to hold the legislators in contempt of court, stating that the courts are both funded by and deferential to legislators. "School funding is a political issue," stated Tobin. "These issues were simmering, and no politicians were talking about them," he continued. "They didn't do the right thing in New Hampshire because there was no grassroots movement to make it change," said Tobin. Taking everyone by surprise, the ConVal School District recently filed a lawsuit against the state, asserting that the State has failed to live up to its responsibilities under both the New Hampshire Constitution and the Claremont decisions. According to a recent press release issued by Tobin and Hall on March 18, "We had no involvement in, or advance warning of, ConVal School District's filing of this lawsuit. It took us by complete surprise as it did almost everyone. "For nearly one year we have been working in good faith with large groups of legislators, school districts and community leaders from across the state to produce a legislative approach this year that will immediately address the worst inequities in the current system, and in the long term result in fair and full funding of our public schools. There are multiple bills in both the House and Senate that we support and which begin to achieve that. We are concerned that the lawsuit may complicate remedies that could bring some relief to the most distressed school districts as early as July of this year." There are currently several House and Senate bills under review that can help make the necessary changes to stabilize education funding across New Hampshire communities. The long-term goal, House Bill 551 (HB551), seeks to establish a funded Commission to recommend new laws and funding system and passed in the House 207-148. Hall and Tobin strongly encourage property owners to reach out to their representatives. LITTLETON "Our goal is to make school funding and the hardship of property taxes central issues in public discourse," said John Tobin, one of two attorneys that recently visited Littleton High School.On March 28, Tobin was joined by Doug Hall to present "Save Our Schools," an education funding awareness campaign currently traveling through the state.The attorneys spent more than two hours in the Littleton High School cafeteria breaking down the details of what is currently happening, how the system is inherently unconstitutional and how the state's definition of "adequate education" leaves much to be desired. This event was well-attended by educators and administrators, community members, select board members and House representatives from multiple school districts in the North Country.Tobin and Hall were two of the lawyers who worked on what is often called "the Claremont case," a series of New Hampshire Supreme Court cases that established the state's responsibility to fund an adequate education for New Hampshire students. In this landmark case from the mid-1990s, the Claremont School District sued the Governor of New Hampshire and challenged the constitutionality of the state's allocation of school funds.Although Claremont eventually won the lawsuit, New Hampshire averages have not changed. Rural communities with low property values continue to suffer heavy tax burdens, schools continue to be underfunded, and the entire system creates a perpetual cycle of economic despair.Currently, the New Hampshire Constitution sets two core requirements for K-12 public education; the state must pay for the cost of a constitutionally adequate education for every K-12 public school student, and the taxes that the state uses to pay for this education must have a uniform rate across the state."The problem can be fixed if your legislators hear from you," said Tobin."If ten people reach out, they pay attention. This system is ripe for change," he continued.New Hampshire's education funding is ranked the lowest, below all other states in the entire country. Because New Hampshire property values determine school funding costs, communities such as Berlin, Lancaster, Lisbon, Littleton and Bethlehem fall far below the state average of $1,043,647 per pupil.During the 2017-2018 school year, Lisbon had a rate of $325,535 per student, far below New Hampshire's equalized valuation. "People in Lisbon are heroic in the amount of taxes they have to pay for education, and they really have no choice," said Tobin.According to recent statistics, the average New Hampshire tax rate is $12.70 per $1,000. Berlin taxpayers pay $18.82, Littleton pays $15.78 and Bethlehem's burden is $17.27 per $1000. In contrast, the affluent town of Portsmouth has not only impressive property values but the low tax burden of only $9.77 per $1,000 for public education.Taxpayers in property-poor towns make much more significant financial sacrifices for their students, but they struggle to raise enough money to meet their schools' basic needs. For example, if Portsmouth and Lisbon were to raise the same amount per pupil for their schools, Lisbon's tax rate would need to be nearly six times higher than that of Portsmouth.Portsmouth currently raises $17,470 per student, while Lisbon is only capable of raising $8,533 per pupil. Based on equalized school tax rates, Lisbon pays $19.05 per student while Portsmouth only pays $6.59. The gap breaks down to $116,000 per child for a thirteen-year education program.According to Tobin and Hall, state legislators have not been inclined to make the necessary changes, and the courts have likewise been disinclined to hold the legislators in contempt of court, stating that the courts are both funded by and deferential to legislators."School funding is a political issue," stated Tobin."These issues were simmering, and no politicians were talking about them," he continued."They didn't do the right thing in New Hampshire because there was no grassroots movement to make it change," said Tobin.Taking everyone by surprise, the ConVal School District recently filed a lawsuit against the state, asserting that the State has failed to live up to its responsibilities under both the New Hampshire Constitution and the Claremont decisions.According to a recent press release issued by Tobin and Hall on March 18, "We had no involvement in, or advance warning of, ConVal School District's filing of this lawsuit. It took us by complete surprise as it did almost everyone."For nearly one year we have been working in good faith with large groups of legislators, school districts and community leaders from across the state to produce a legislative approach this year that will immediately address the worst inequities in the current system, and in the long term result in fair and full funding of our public schools. There are multiple bills in both the House and Senate that we support and which begin to achieve that. We are concerned that the lawsuit may complicate remedies that could bring some relief to the most distressed school districts as early as July of this year."There are currently several House and Senate bills under review that can help make the necessary changes to stabilize education funding across New Hampshire communities. The long-term goal, House Bill 551 (HB551), seeks to establish a funded Commission to recommend new laws and funding system and passed in the House 207-148.Hall and Tobin strongly encourage property owners to reach out to their representatives. Littleton Courier Ammonoosuc Habitat for Humanity seeks director Grafton County Nursing Home relaxes visitation restrictions Thanks for visiting SalmonPress.com British political parties need to work together to find a solution to Brexit, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and his Danish counterpart Lars Lokke Rasmussen said after meeting in Athens on Thursday. Tsipras said the two leaders were surprised at the weakness of the British political system to reach a common position on the issue and that until the last minute European Union countries should exert efforts to avert a no-deal Brexit. Search Keywords: Short link: By Express News Service CHENNAI: French automobile giant Citroen officially announced its entry into Indian market and introduced its first product at an event on Wednesday. The Citroen C5 Aircross SUV will be the companys first vehicle that will be launched in India by end of 2020. A spokesperson from the company said that a total of 50,000 cars would be manufactured from its Hosur plant with around 70 per cent of the cars parts assembled locally at this plant. This model, which will come into the Indian market, will be slightly different from its European counterpart in terms of dimensional changes and a manual gearbox in addition to an automatic one. From July 1, 2019 we begin our dealer-partner live tour in India to start partnership with potential dealers. Our network focus will be on developing physical and digital formats also, said Roland Bouchara, senior vice-president, marketing section, Citroen. PSA Peugeot group, which is a part owner of Citroen, has invested Rs 600 crore in the company and will be manufacturing vehicles and power trains at the companys facility in Tamil Nadu. The CEO of PSA group, Linda Jackson, said at the event that Citroen would focus on localisation and launch a new model every year in India starting from 2021. The Indian automotive market is dynamic with high potential. Launching Citroen in India is one of our plans for 2019-2021, said Jackson. Arshad Khan By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Ten days after the State Bank of India-led consortium took over majority stake in Jet Airways, the Mumbai-based airline continues to battle for survival. A major concern was raised on Wednesday about Jets ability to fly on international routes, when civil aviation secretary PS Kharola said Jet Airways is left with less than 15 operational aircraft. However, later in the day, Kharola clarified that Jet Airways is operating 28 planes, including 15 aircraft on domestic routes. The earlier statement had caused concern as current norms say that an airline has to have a fleet of 20 operational aircraft and 120 daily domestic flights to be able to fly abroad. However, aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) too clarified on Wednesday that Jet continues to fly 28 aircraft as on date. The 15 aircraft reported (grounded) are already accounted for, DGCA said. ALSO READ: Jet Airways shares drop up to 4 per cent after grounding of 15 more planes Jet also reaffirmed, As informed to DGCA, the airline is operating a curtailed schedule with sufficient number of aircraft, and is compliant with applicable guidelines. The airline, however, did not state the exact number of planes that are operational. The carrier, which had a fleet of around 120 planes, informed on Tuesday that it has grounded 15 planes over non-payment of lease rentals. The grounding and the news of possible stoppage of international operations hit Jet stock prices, which plunged by 5.21 per cent at end of Wednesdays trading. ALSO READ: DGCA approves crisis-hit Jet Airways' summer schedule only till April 25 Meanwhile, the airline has also deferred the March salary payment to its employees, citing complexities involved in finalisation of a debt-recast plan. The company has over 16,000 employees on its payroll. Lenders of Jet Airways will meet on Thursday to decide the future course of action. GOYALs LETTER New Delhi: Jet Airways founder and former chairman Naresh Goyal, in an emotional letter on Wednesday, said he has agreed to all terms and conditions of lenders to ensure timely release of funds for the airline. Goyal said he has taken some hard, personal decisions to cooperate with the lenders. I have given all facilitation for implementation of the Resolution Plan and signed on the dotted line as required to ensure release of the much-needed funds committed by the lenders, in order to secure a sustainable future for Jet Airways, Goyal said. By PTI NEW DELHI: The Prime Minister Office is learnt to have agreed in principle to bail out loss-making public sector telecom firms MTNL and BSNL by addressing their three key pain points. In a meeting held a couple of days back with representatives of telecom and finance ministries and Niti Ayog, the PMO asked the Department of Telecom to send expeditiously a roadmap for allocation of 4G spectrum to both the firms, voluntary retirement scheme and grant of immediate financial aid, according to an official source. The troubled PSUs have been seeking these three measures to stay afloat amid cut-throat competition in the telecom sector. "The government has taken a decision that both MTNL and BSNL have to be revived and sustained in a healthy manner. Senior officer from PMO held a meeting with DoT, finance ministry and Niti Aayog in which it has been decided that DoT will submit a detailed roadmap at the earliest to concerned authorities for the revival of MTNL and BSNL," the source told PTI. Both the companies have also sought spectrum for 4G services through equity infusion from the government. 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. The total spectrum will cost the firm Rs 14,000 crore. The PSUs have been also ailing because of high revenue-to-debt ratio due to a high number of government employees that were transferred by the Department of Telecom to them at the time of their formation. BSNL has 1.76 lakh employees across India and MTNL has 22,000 employees. MTNL has sought a refund of interest that it paid for broadband wireless access spectrum which it was given by the government and asked to pay the price that was determined in auctions held in 2010. Both state-run telecom firms have asked for permissions to monetise their land assets as well as the voluntary retirement scheme for employees on the Gujarat model. Under the Gujarat model, an amount equivalent to 35 days of salary for each completed year of service, and 25 days of salary for each year of service left till retirement is offered. The VRS scheme for BSNL and MTNL will have a revenue impact of Rs 6,365 crore and Rs 2,120 crore respectively. The revenue-to-wage ratio in case of MTNL has swelled to 90 per cent while in the case of BSNL it is around 60-70 per cent. The DoT has recommended that VRS of both PSUs should be funded through a 10-year bond issue and the bonds should be paid back by lease revenue that they will get from land asset monetisation. "In the meeting it was decided to help MTNL and BSNL in raising capital and operational expenditure. There is a proposal of asset monetisation and there is also option of loans though sovereign guarantee. DoT has been asked to work on the best suited action that needs to be taken," the source said. By Express News Service MUMBAI: Shriram City Union Finance, the Chennai-based non-banking finance company (NBFC), is looking to raise up to Rs 750 crore through an issue of secured non-convertible debentures. The base issue size is kept low at Rs 100 crore, with an option to retain oversubscription up to Rs 650 crore. The issue has been rated AA by CARE Ratings and CRISIL. Coupon rate offered for tenures ranging from 24-60 months is in the range of 9.55-9.75 per cent. Magma Fincorp, another NBFC, said its plan to raise around Rs 500 crore from the issue of secured non-convertible debentures. It has kept the base issue at Rs 200 crore with an option to retain oversubscription up to Rs 300 crore. The coupon rate ranges from 10.25 per cent on a three-year option to 10.75 per cent for 10-year paper. The Tranche-I Issue is rated as BWR AA/Stable by Brickworks Ratings. Magma Finance, which specialises in vehicle finance and SME loans predominantly in the North, said it has seen close to 100 basis points increase in incremental cost of funds since September last, which is currently about 9.5-9.7 per cent. Being the maiden issue, the company has kept the pricing high. Both the issuers denied that the public issue is due to liquidity concerns in the market, and said it is for the sake of diversification of liabilities. NBFCs depend on banks for majority of their funding needs: Magma said its bank funding is around 70 per cent and for Shriram it is around 55 per cent. On SME and other loans of smaller ticket size, they said, demand continues to be good. L&T Finance and Muthoot Home Finance are also in the market to raise up to `1,000 crore and `300 crore respectively. While the issues at attractive yields make it an interesting proposition for retail investors, they need to weigh on the risks. Merchant bankers say generally in April the demand from issuers is less and inflows high. But, this April could be different with both equity and debt issues making a beeline in the first week itself. Diversifying liability Shriram City Union Finance looks to raise I750 crore through issue of secured non-convertible debentures, while Magma Fincorp plans to raise I500 crore Both the issuers said the fund raising is for the sake of diversification of liabilities Ari Altstedter By Bloomberg Walmart Inc. is making friends in India with the kind of competitors that it spent decades putting out of business in the U.S. -- mom and pop stores. These unlikely allies are part of the latest attempt by the Bentonville, Arkansas-based behemoth to crack the countrys giant consumer market, taking on e-commerce arch-rival Amazon.com Inc. and Asias richest man, Mukesh Ambani. Years of lobbying by global retailers failed to persuade the Indian government to open its market to foreign competition, because of fears that it may put out of business many of the 12 million neighborhood stores that account for almost 90 percent of the countrys retail sales. Walmarts attempt to build an e-commerce business to reach consumers was also hampered by new regulations. So the U.S. company is now rolling out a plan to more than double its wholesale chain in India over the next four years -- supplying the local storeholders instead of competing with them. The move intensifies the three-way brawl with Amazon and Ambani. Each has a different strategy, but they all need to woo the owners of the ubiquitous neighborhood shops. Customers browse products. Photographer: Dhiraj Singh/Bloomberg "Our single biggest agenda is: How can they become more loyal to us?" Krish Iyer, chief executive officer of Walmarts India unit said in an interview in the companys newest outlet in the southern city of Karimnagar. "The expansion phase will continue because the opportunity in India is huge." Karimnagar is classic territory for Walmart, which built its empire with warehouse-sized retail outlets on the edges of second-tier American cities. The city, known for its massive quarries of red and brown granite slabs, is the fastest-growing urban center in the landlocked state of Telangana. Barred from opening retail stores, Walmart started the wholesale business in India in 2009, but continued to try to find a way to sell direct to the public. Its most recent attempt -- the $16 billion purchase of homegrown e-commerce leader Flipkart last year -- was dealt a blow when the government came out with new rules designed to protect the 12 million small shopkeepers from online competition too. Walmarts Best Price Modern Wholesale store in Hyderabad, India. Photographer: Dhiraj Singh/Bloomberg How Amazon and Walmart Were Ambushed by Indias Election Politics Walmarts biggest competition comes from Ambani, who isnt subject to the restrictions on foreign companies and already controls Indias largest brick and mortar retail chain, as well as a network of wholesale stores that is twice the size of Walmarts. Now, Asias richest man plans to use his 290 million-subscriber mobile phone network to create an e-commerce giant. Indias small shopkeepers are key to that too. Little more than a month after the governments new e-commerce policy was released, on a stage he shared with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Ambani announced his first move online would be a marketplace exclusively for the owners of the small stores, called kiranas. Meanwhile, Amazon is working to recruit shopkeepers in small towns and villages, arming them with smartphones to place orders for local residents and relying on them to deliver goods in communities that often have no street names or house numbers. Amazon and Reliance Retail did not reply to requests for comment. "More and more aggressively they are trying to on-board kiranas," said Rajat Wahi, a partner at Deloittes consumer services practice in New Delhi. "All the volumes go through that channel, albeit in very small lots. So the objective of these players is: how do I get more active selling to these mom-and-pop-stores." Walmarts Iyer wouldnt say how much the company is investing to win these shopkeepers over, but he said 26 more of its Best Price wholesale stores were planned by 2023, with each location costing between $8 million and $10 million. And another 8 to 10 new sites were being identified each year for after that. Walmarts strategy allows shopkeepers to see and touch products before purchasing -- unlike Amazon -- and doesnt compete with its customers by selling direct to consumers -- which Ambani does. "Our members when they come here, they will not find their customers shopping in the store," Iyer said, without naming any competitor. "I will sell only to small resellers." He said no integration with Flipkart is planned -- the e-commerce firm has its own board and CEO, while Walmart India is a wholly owned subsidiary of the U.S. parent. An employee takes stock of products. Photographer: Dhiraj Singh/Bloomberg Instead, the Best Price wholesale business is using the internet to try to build loyalty among its clients. Its running a pilot program to help buyers sell goods online to their own customers. Best Price also has its own website and app that allow clients to order online. For those who are uncomfortable placing orders on the web, Walmart sends out employees called business development associates with tablet computers to help shopkeepers and even provide free consultations to modernize their kirana stores. That can include changing the store design. Most kiranas look like old-fashioned general stores where the shopkeeper gets what you need from behind the counter, but many customers prefer the self-service model of Western supermarkets. "For two weeks they helped a lot, the initial set up," said Rajnikanth, 42, an investment adviser who, like many south Indians, goes by one name. He decided to start a shop in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad after noticing his neighborhood lacked such self-service stores. "Almost morning to evening every day they worked here." A customer pushes a shopping cart. Photographer: Dhiraj Singh/Bloomberg His Sai Best Buy Super Mart has aisles of Lays potato chips next to packaged versions of traditional Indian snacks like moong dal, and Head & Shoulders shampoo beside the almond and coconut hair oils beloved by Indian women. Almost all of the stock comes from Walmarts store about 10 minutes away. Standing outside the store, Rajnikanth said Walmart gave him advice on how to compete with organized retail chains like Ambanis Reliance Retail, with tips such as offering free local delivery, even if its for only one item. "This fraternity is wanting to innovate, wanting to digitize, wanting to find new ways of making the business more profitable," Walmarts Iyer said. "Theyre open to new ideas." (This story originally appeared on bloomberg.com) By PTI NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has put on hold its single judge order of August last year directing the Centre to inform in advance all blacklisted Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card holders and foreigners that they would be denied entry into the country. The single judge had issued the direction after taking note of a number of cases being filed in the high court on account of foreigners or OCI card holders not being permitted entry into India when they arrive here and stating that the "disturbing feature" in each was that none of them had any prior intimation that they were blacklisted, despite having a valid visa. The order was challenged by the Centre before a bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice A J Bhambhani which said the directions given by the single judge on August 21 shall not be given effect to till May 1, the next date of hearing. In the August 21, 2018 order, the court had directed the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to ensure that necessary directions are issued to all the officers, who are authorised to issue blacklisting orders, to inform the foreigners/OCI card holders concerned that they have been blacklisted and their entry into the country would be denied. The directions came while hearing a petition by a woman, whose husband - an OCI card holder - was not allowed to enter the country despite having a valid visa. According to the petitioner, her husband is a person of Indian origin and had acquired the citizenship of the United Kingdom in 2006 after spending 17 years studying and working there. She had said that her husband, Dr Naresh Satyanarayan Kumar, was invited to give a keynote lecture at a medical conference in Amritsar between August 9 to August 11 and accordingly, both of them had travelled to India on August 8. On arrival here, Kumar was denied entry and a noting was made on the passport that 'entry refused', her plea said. By PTI NEW DELHI: The Delhi government made it clear Thursday that "unjustified fee hike" by some private schools was not related to the implementation of the seventh Pay Commission recommendations for the teachers. Talking to reporters here, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said attempts are being made to create a "false impression" by vested interests that the AAP government is against the implementation of the Commission's recommendation, which is "completely baseless". On Wednesday, the Delhi High Court stayed the interim hike in fees by private unaided schools in the city till April 8. The Delhi government had in 2017 allowed recognised unaided private schools on Delhi Development Authority (DDA) land to increase their fees by 15 per cent as an "interim" measure to comply with the seventh central pay commission (CPC) recommendations. ALSO READ | Chennai parents allege CBSE school failed LKG kid, demand return of fees A circular to this effect was issued by the Directorate of Education on October 17 that year. "Unjustified fee hike by some private schools has nothing to do with the implementation of the seventh Pay Commission's recommendations for the teachers working in private schools," Sisodia, who is also Delhi's Education minister, said. He said during audit of accounts, most of top schools were found to be having surplus amount ranging from Rs 7 crore to 40 crore even after the implementation of Commission's recommendations. "There are 325 private schools situated in the government land allotted by the DDA. Out of these, 260 schools had applied for fees hike, but 32 schools withdrew their applications. During an audit of accounts, it was found that nearly 150 schools had sufficient surplus to implement seventh Pay Commission and were therefore denied permission to hike the fees. Rest of the applications are under the process," he said. Sisodia said the Delhi government recognises the important role of the private schools in education in the city. The government is against "extortion" from the parents by the private schools in the name of fees, he said. He also pointed out the irony in hiring "extremely expensive lawyers" using the fees collected from the students to fight against the legitimate interests of the students. Meera Suresh By Express News Service KOCHI: As Kochi economic zone inches towards Aluva, which is poised to become a satellite town, the focus shifts to its infrastructure and development. This is where the town takes the backseat. Unscientific infrastructure, never-ending traffic snarls and underdeveloped railway facilities are issues which demand immediate attention, say residents. According to N Sukumaran, vice-president, Ernakulam District Residents' Association Apex Council (EDRAAC), Aluva is burdened by traffic woes and the unscientific and irresponsible construction of roads and bridges aggravated the issue. An overbridge was built by National Highway Authority of India in 2015, which ends at Aluva Market. "It is so useless that people here call it 'the mandan palam'. Unless it is extended to Paravur Kavala or Thottakkattukara, it will remain useless," he says. Sukumaran said unless the next MP takes up the issue with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the bridge, which was built spending crores, will continue to remain pointless. Another issue that demands Central intervention is the long-pending demand of a western entrance for the Aluva Railway Station. "Since the Metro Rail is at the western side of the town, an entrance for the station at that end would be a boon. People coming to the civil station from places like Paravoor would benefit from it. This has also added to the traffic bottleneck at Aluva town," said Sukumar. Completion of the Seaport-Airport road is also the need of the hour, he added.The new MP needs to ensure Central support for the geographical expansion of the town, which, at present, is barely seven-kilometres wide. Health sector Despite hundreds depending on the Government District Hospital, it cuts a sorry figure. According to the residents here, despite many new facilities like mammogram and dialysis unit coming up at the hospital, it is yet to achieve its full potential. "We need the district hospital to be at par with the standards of the Ernakulam General Hospital. For this, funds are necessary. An MP can do a lot in this regard," said a resident of Aluva. Innocent, LDF candidate The one-way traffic system enforced in the interiors of the town has created the traffic bottleneck at Aluva. We had approached NATPAC to conduct a study to alleviate the situation and it will be funded by the GCDA. Also, we will do everything possible for the speedy completion of Seaport-Airport Road. As for the Railway entrance issue, there is a goods shed at the proposed site, which employs many local people. Shifting the shed would affect their jobs and hence a consensus is needed. If elected, more funds will be allowed for the development of Aluva District hospital too. Benny Behanan, UDF candidate We are aware of the issues plaguing Aluva and talks will be held with NHAI regarding the Aluva overbridge. The Aluva Railway Station is an important halting point for people who want to head to the eastern part of Kerala. We will do everything possible to give extra attention to the public. Allotting more stops for express trains at Aluva are on the cards. FOLLOW OUR ELECTION COVERAGE HERE AN Radhakrishnan, BJP candidate Developing a pilgrim corridor in and around Thrissur is my priority. This will benefit infrastructure, including roads and bridges. The work on the proposed Angamaly-Sabari Railway line will be expedited. The area near Nedumbassery airport will be developed into an education hub. Merin Mariya By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Putting an end to uncertainties, the NH bypass work, the promising road development project of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) is being completed in July, informed NHAI officials. When the first phase of the project began on September 1, 2015, it was delayed due to a number of reasons including the problem triggered from the cutting of trees and high compensation demands from residents. Even though the NHAI claims that 95 per cent of the works in phase I is completed, Chakai flyover, which is its core project still remains unfinished. The flyover aims at reducing the heavy rush near Chakai-Eenchakal junction by providing traffic-free road connectivity to the International airport. The flyover work disrupted water supply in certain areas thereby inviting the wrath of the public. Unlike the snail pace progress of phase I, the second phase of the project is moving at a fast pace and has completed more than 40 per cent of the work. The key project in the second phase is the construction of a bridge across the Neyyar river and the work is progressing. FOLLOW OUR ELECTION COVERAGE HERE Kummanam Rajasekharan (BJP) From the BJP's point of view, road development is considered to be one of the major aspects to the holistic development of the city. According to them, the Kazhakoottam area was considered to be a desolated place and the party gave life to it by approaching NHAI officials foreseeing its possibilities in the development of the city. "BJP leaders including Kummanam Rajasekharan took an effort to meet Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways of India regarding the need to improve the Mukkola-Vizhinjam road and submitted a memorandum. The fund was released after his visit to Kerala and the tender works were begun. We even visited the spot and analysed the possibilities prior to our meeting with Nitin Gadkari. A memorandum was submitted on the development of Kazhakoottam-Karode road, the need for a flyover, the same was submitted on the very day. Surprisingly the proposal was accepted and he handed over the memorandum to the NHAI and instructed them to do a road survey. An estimate of Rs 194 crore was released on the later days and got sanctioned," said S Suresh, BJP district president. They also claimed the funding was 100 per cent provided by BJP and have also put forward new road development projects including the Vizhinjam-railroad and the T'Puram-Thenkasi road which passes through Nedumangadu. C Divakaran (LDF) A scientific study and evaluation should be done prior to road construction, said LDF candidate C Divakaran. When road construction comes under several schemes, it is important to do a proper investigation regarding its feasibility. "Roads come under the schemes of National Highway, State Highway, Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana scheme and also flood-damaged road repairing. When asked for maintenance or replacing damage, authorities give excuses. When you seek help from the Central Government they recommend getting help from the state overnment. It is a regular pattern followed and people's representatives like me are confused- where to start, whom to ask and how to make a change in the system followed," he said. According to him, no authority is ready to accept direct responsibility which results in execution delay. "I have been directly involved in the NH Bypass road work and I spoke to the authorities seeking for the original reason behind the delay. I found the officials themselves blame each other hence the work remains unfinished. Time-bound execution is the only solution to this issue and is crucial for the development of the city," Divakaran added. He believes the widespread criticism faced by the NH Bypass work was caused by the unscientific approach towards road development. Shashi Tharoor (UDF) While focusing on improving infrastructure projects including the NH Bypass and Vizhinjam seaport, UDF candidate Shashi Tharoor said he has been regularly engaged with the project team and the local residents to iron out obstacles amidst the regular operations of the project. "In 2011, an urgent meeting was arranged with C P Joshi, former Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways regarding the need for urgent action on NH47 bypass from Thiruvananthapuram to Kanyakumari. We went to the villages, talked to people regarding the progress, collected information and conducted surveys. In 2013 another meeting with Highway officials and District Collector towards implementation of the widening and construction of NH-47 bypass T'Puram-Karode was conducted. After numerous obstructions, land acquisition approved in 2014. Following my intervention and a discussion with Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, the Centre approved EPC mode for NH bypass widening in October and NHAI began issuing engineering & construction (EPC) tender for the NH-47 bypass for Rs 750 crore," he said. He also mentioned he proposed the 'Green Highway' idea and asked for replanting trees along the NH bypass. By Express News Service VIJAYAWADA: YSR Congress chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy appealed to people to be aware of the conspiracies of TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu and vote for trust and faith in the elections. If you vote for TDP, you will be cheated again. Naidu will close down schools, increase the fees, encroach lands and houses. Farmers will not get loans and students will be deprived of fee reimbursement. Not even a single welfare scheme will be implemented, said the YSRC chief, addressing election meetings in Krishna, Guntur and Prakasam districts on Wednesday. While making serious allegations against Naidu, Jagan highlighted the welfare schemes and development programmes to be taken up by the YSRC if it is voted to power. Reiterating the YSRCs commitment to empowerment of youth in the State, he said all the 2.3 lakh vacant posts would be filled to solve the unemployment problem. FOLLOW OUR ELECTION COVERAGE HERE The job calendar would be released on January 1 of every year. A legislation would be enacted in the first session of the Assembly itself to ensure provision of 75 per cent of jobs to local people in industries. Skill development training would be given to local youth to make them industry-ready, he said. The summary of TDP governance during the last five years included lies, corruption, cheating and lawlessness. The TDP government was floating rumours to divert the attention of people from its failure to fulfil its election promises and its inefficiency on all fronts, he said.When Naidu became the richest Chief Minister in the country, farmers of AP remained the poorest. According to a NABARD report, farmers of the State have more loans, the YSRC chief said. Addressing an election meeting in Ongole, Jagan announced that YSRC candidate Balineni Srinivasa Reddy would be inducted into the Cabinet if the party was voted to power. The land mafia of Gurazala MLA hit the headlines and his atrocities knew no bounds. Though he was involved in illegal mining and running mafia, no action was taken against him by the TDP government. Janmabhoomi Committees have been functioning like organised mafia, the YSRC chief said. From its clubhouses in Melbourne and Sydney, the Lads Society promotes drug-free living and exercise, as well as white resistance and Islamophobia, according to online statements and interviews with two of its leaders. One of Australias most high profile extremist groups, its members last year infiltrated the youth arm of the National Party, part of the ruling coalition government, before being exposed and ejected due to their far right views. Now, the group has come to prominence again and to the attention of security agencies after a gunman shot 50 people dead at two New Zealand mosques. In the hours after the shootings, the Lads Societys private Facebook page lit up as its members discussed the attack and the man arrested and charged with murder, 28-year-old Australian Brenton Tarrant, according to five screenshots of the Facebook messages which were provided by a person with access to the group and reviewed by Reuters. He had been on the scene for a while, said Tom Sewell, founder of the Lads Society, according to the previously undisclosed messages on the Lads Societys Facebook page. He made heaps on Bitcoin and paid for his own holidays, I spoke to him back in 2017 when he was donating money to everyone, added Sewell. In a later public statement, Sewell said he and Lads Society leaders were interviewed about the Christchurch attacks by the Australia Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), the countrys domestic spy agency. ASIO said it does not comment on specific individuals, intelligence or operational matters but was alert to the threat from people with extreme right-wing ideologies. The Australian Federal Police also declined to comment when asked about any ties Tarrant had to the Lads Society. Sewell declined to comment on Tarrant or whether he knew him, and his messages provided no further details. Tarrant, who is now in custody and has said he plans to represent himself, was not available for comment. The Lads Societys page was shut down after Facebook targeted white nationalists in the wake of the Christchurch massacre. Reuters was unable to verify the claims on the since-deleted Facebook page. However, Sewells messages to the private group on the Lads Society Facebook page, which carried the same profile photo as a photo posted on Sewells Instagram account, add to evidence Tarrant was engaged with Australias far right. On the 8Chan message board minutes before the attack, Tarrant posted links to a livestream video of the attack and said: You are all top blokes and the best bunch of cobbers a man could ask for. Cobber is Australian slang for friend, and a term popular among Australian white nationalists. As Australia confronts the uncomfortable truth that Tarrant was one of its own, the country has been gripped by acrimonious debate about both its past race policies and whether recent political discourse about immigration and Islam had any role to play in his radicalization. In the space of a few minutes outside a Sydney mosque the day after the Christchurch shootings, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison encapsulated the countrys contradictory identity. We are a tolerant, multicultural society, the most successful immigration country on the planet, he said, before pivoting to a darker undercurrent. These white supremacist, white separatist views, are not new. I mean, these sentiments have sadly existed in Australia for hundreds of years. Off The Radar Tarrant grew up in the small Australian city of Grafton, where he worked as a gym instructor and developed a passion for gaming and computers, according to local media reports citing the gym owner and his grandmother. In a manifesto distributed online just before the attack, Tarrant said he formed his racist beliefs on the internet and downplayed his links to Australia, saying he was radicalized abroad. He acted alone, the manifesto said, although he said he had donated to far-right groups from an inheritance and a cryptocurrency windfall. Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz last week confirmed his countrys far-right Identitarian Movement had received 1,500 euros ($1,690) from Tarrant. Most of his past nine years was spent traveling across Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Tarrant was on nobodys radar, anywhere, said Morrison, spending only 45 days in the past three years in Australia. According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, citing archives of the deleted Facebook account of the United Patriots Front (UPF), another Australian far-right group, Tarrant described one of that groups leaders, Blair Cottrell, as Emperor. Reuters was unable to independently verify that detail. Cottrell - a muscle-bound, blond-haired carpenter - founded the UPF alongside Sewell. Sewell later started Lads Society in 2017, with Cottrells promotional support. Cottrell, described by sources as the movements main figurehead in Australia, still heads UPF and appears in Lads Society photos and videos but holds no formal position in that group. Cottrell told Reuters that, as best he could tell, Tarrant had donated only once to groups he was associated with - A$50 to the UPF. I dont believe I influenced Tarrant much at all. Maybe three years ago, he was in support of our specific opposition to that mosque development in Bendigo. In 2017, Cottrell and two other UPF members were found guilty of inciting contempt of Muslims after they filmed a mock beheading outside council offices to protest a mosque development in the small Victorian city. Going Mainstream White extremists gained momentum in 2014 after an Islamist gunman took a group of hostages in a Sydney cafe, analysts and members of the movement say. The following year, thousands of people attended rallies arranged by anti-Islam group Reclaim Australia, and some far-right politicians spoke at the events. Suspicions about the presence of Lads Society members in the youth wing of the National Party first emerged after officials of the rural-based party noted an influx of new members from cities. After ties to the Lads Society were revealed in local media, the National Party expelled 19 people, saying in a statement in November it would not rest until every last one of these extremists have been identified and removed. In Australias latest census, about 90 percent nominated their ancestry as Australian or European, while 2.5 percent were recorded as Muslims. Just under a quarter of Australians have a negative attitude to Muslims, according to a 2018 report from the Scanlon Foundation, a group that tracks social cohesion. Far-Right Senator In the wake of the Christchurch attacks, Australias Islamophobes flooded social media with memes and messages in support of Fraser Anning, the Australian senator who blamed the bloodshed on an immigration program which allowed Muslim fanatics to migrate to New Zealand. In an interview with Reuters, Anning said he was completely opposed to the attacks in Christchurch. However, he echoed the replacement theory embraced by Tarrant and the global white supremacist movement. Muslims, he said, are going to outbreed us very quickly. Anning has picked up 28,600 Facebook followers in the past four weeks, data provided by his office shows, and now has more than 122,000 followers. Sewell and Cottrell in statements and interviews with Reuters and other media, also said they were appalled by the attacks on the mosques. Politically motivated violence is not in the interest of our organization or our community, Sewell said in his since-deleted Facebook statement on March 20. In his interview with Reuters, Sewell said further that Tarrants violence had caused governments to become extremely reactionary, passing legislation without thinking it through. New Zealand moved swiftly to ban the kinds of semi-automatic weapons used in the attacks. We have a new level of totalitarian thought crime legislation across New Zealand and shortly here in Australia too, Sewell added. Search Keywords: Short link: By Express News Service LUCKNOW: While addressing a public rally at Badaut in Baghpat seeking votes for son Jayant Chaudhury, Rashtriya Lok Dal chief Chaudhury Ajit Singh minces no words in attacking PM Narendra Modi. Taking a jibe, Chhote Chaudhury as Ajit Singh is affectionately known among his people, claims that had the PM gone to Sri Lanka, he would have grabbed the credit for killing demon king Ravana, to an applauding crowd recently. Elation in RLD is palpable and confidence, attained by piggybacking SP-BSP alliance, is exuberating but the stakes for the father-son duo are much high in ensuing battle of their survival. RLD used to be a force to reckon with in western UP once. But the winds of temple movement swayed its traditional Jat votes towards the BJP. The gradual transition of Jats towards the saffron movement was such that it pushed the kisan party, to the margins of UP politics. The political decisions by Ajit Singh over the years and his image of being a perennial turncoat also played a distinctive role in the decline of his party in his own stronghold, says a senior political scientist AK Mishra. The decline has been such that the party which had won five of seven seats it had contested in alliance with the BJP in 2009, failed to even open its account despite fighting on eight seats as part of UPA in 2014. However, it was not alone RLD which was decimated under sweeping Modi wave, even Congress and BSP also met the same fate. SP could win just five seats of first family. In the given scenario, joining SP-BSP alliance was the only ray of hope for the diminished RLD. The issue of survival and protecting its pocket boroughs was so crucial for the RLD that it had to climb down to just three constituencies Muzaffarnagar, Baghpat and Mathura while negotiating seats in the Gathbandhan, says senior political observer JP Shukla. The biggest challenge before the RLD is not only to win the seat of its quota but also transfer its vote bank Jats and Muslims-- to SP and BSP candidates across west UP. RLD chief Ajit Singh and his son Jayant Chaudharys decision to contest from Muzaffarnagar and Bagpat constituencies was the only strategic option left for the duo. In 2014, both the leaders had lost their strongholds -- Baghpat and Mathura -- to BJP. Ajit Singh has shifted to Muzaffarnagar from Baghpat expecting consolidation of Jat-Muslim votes which were divided after 2013 communal flare-up. The Jat-Muslim disharmony had benefitted the BJP Muzaffarnagar in 2014 and Sanjeev Balyan emerged victorious, says JP Shukla. But what gave Ajit Singh the confidence to change his constituency which he has represented in Lok Sabah six times since 1989 except 1998 and 2014? The results of Kairana bypoll in 2018 strengthened his confidence and pushed him to give another try to RLD revival, says Mishra. Similarly, Jayant Chaudhury who was drubbed by BJPs Hema Malini in Mathura in 2014 has shifted to save his fathers legacy in Baghpat. While Mathura, which has a bigger chunk of jat voters than Baghpat, is left to Kunwar Narendra Singh against Hema Malini again. Singh was once an MLA from Laksar assembly constituency in 1985. Even his elder brother Manvendra Singh is supporting the BJP. The stakes for RLD are high but if caste arithmetic works in this election, the grand SP-BSP-RLD alliance will have the potential to present a formidable challenge to the BJP in UP 2022. By IANS NEW DELHI: Despite being in power for five years, most of the voters spread across the cross-section of society feel that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is best suited to tackle issues concerning the country. The latest findings of CVOTER-IANS poll tracker 2019 show that the people continue to trust the ruling BJP and feel that the party can best manage the problems. The maximum faith on the BJP was posed by the unemployed as 42.1 per cent of the jobless said that the party can best manage or handle any particular issue. IANS-CVoter 2019 Poll Tracker: Unemployment major issue, jobless feel BJP can best deal with it The party got the least approval -- 22.4 per cent -- from housewives. Though only 15.8 per cent of housewives preferred the Congress, the narrow between the BJP and Congress among housewives is the thinnest. Among land-owning farmers, 33.9 per cent said they favoured the BJP while 18.5 were ready to trust the Congress. Thirty seven per cent of the respondents who were government servant said that the BJP was the best choice while only 15.2 per cent beaucrats would go for Congress. IANS-CVOTER 2019 Poll Tracker: Voters optimistic about India and their lives The gap between the BJP and the Congress is consistent among various sections barring housewives. Around 36 per cent each of the respondents who are in private jobs or self-employed favour the BJP. Around 13 per cent of private sector employees prefer Congress and 17.6 per cent of self-employed persons are for Congress. Around 23 per cent of the respondents involved in fishery said they don't trust both the BJP and the Congress as 16.5 per cent of private sector employees also rejected both the parties. By Express News Service NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: The Election Commission reacted sharply to a statement by three-time MP and Dalit leader Prakash Ambedkar at a rally in Yavatmal, Maharashtra, on Thursday in which he said that he would jail the EC for two days if voted to power. An EC spokesman said in New Delhi that the commission had ordered for filing of an FIR against Ambedkar. The Bharip Bahujan Mahasangh (BBM) chief threatened the EC with jail for not letting political parties speak about the Pulwama attack. We lost 40 soldiers in Pulwama but are still sitting quietly. We have been asked not to speak on Pulwama. How can the EC gag us? Our Constitution has given us the right to speak. I am not the BJP. If voted to power, we will jail the Election Commission for two days, he said. FOLLOW OUR ELECTION COVERAGE HERE Ambedkar, the grandson of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, is contesting the elections from Solapur and Akola in Maharashtra as a candidate of Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi. Additional chief electoral officer Dilip Shinde said in Mumbai, We have sought a report from the local poll officers where Ambedkar made the alleged remark. We have also asked the officers to submit the report by today itself. Ambedkar said he had made a general statement, but regretted that only his comment was singled out. By ANI BAGHPAT: Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Chaudhary Ajit Singh on Wednesday took a jibe on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that had he gone to Sri Lanka he would have said that he has killed the demon Ravana, as nobody but him has done any work. Addressing a gathering here, he said, "This man is so smart and cunning that if he had gone to Sri Lanka he would have told us that he is the one who has killed Ravana because you see nobody has done anything apart from him." ALSO READ: PM Narendra Modi left his wife without saying talaq even once, says RLD chief Ajit Singh Furthermore, he claimed that the government spends Rs 70,000 crore on Modi's clothes. He added, "This man wear caps, which are not the ones you wear. He gets caps from I don't know where and then has the audacity to say 'I am a beggar,' if he is a beggar then I pray to God that I be made a beggar too. They will eat, wear, travel for free and when it comes to taking some responsibility he will say I am a beggar." Accusing the Prime Minister of failing to do his duty he said, "If we need a chowkidar we will get it from Nepal. We need a Prime Minister." He also alleged that Modi has not fulfilled his promises whether it be Bullet train, Swacch Bharat, Skill India, Make in India and others. By Express News Service No power on this earth can stop PM Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) from getting a second term, says Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and prominent Dalit leader Ram Vilas Paswan. Paswan, an eight-time MP since 1977, who founded the LJP, now an NDA ally in Bihar, would, however, not be contesting from Hajipur because of ill health. He said the NDA stood for nationalism and development the keywords for this election. The Maha-gathbandhan, which is born out of sheer desperation, cannot hope to win anytime soon. Excerpts from the interview with Rajesh Kumar Thakur. The leaders of Mahagathbandhan claim the arithmetic and the mood is on their side in Bihar and elsewhere. Your take? The so-called Mahgathbandhan (grand-alliance), be it in Bihar or elsewhere in the country is in total disarray and doomed to disintegrate soon. Behaal and bimar hai mahagathbandhan. Iskey andar ke matbhed, khud ke liye ghatak hoga. (The alliance is desperate and sick. Their disagreements would be suicidal). The NDAs is a natural and amicable alliance. It has ruined the political fate of the Opposition leaders. The NDA has nationalism and development as the key issues and it is inclusive of all. We are a disciplined, accommodating and committed alliance. FOLLOW OUR ELECTIONS COVERAGE HERE The Opposition has accused the NDA of having bluffed people on promises made in 2014. How does the NDA see this charge? They have no issue but one to mislead the nation by indulging in mud slinging. They dont understand what the nation wants. The NDAs performance chart is high and people are aware of it. There is nothing to match the performance of Nitish Kumar in Bihar and Narendra Modi at the Centre. They are wasting their time. There is a saying, if you spit at the sky, you are bound to smear yourself. Whats your prediction of the number of seats NDA will have, come May 23? We will have a comfortable majority and bag between 350 and 365 seats. In Bihar, the NDA will get at least 35-37 seats. The GA, divided by differences, will eat into its base votes. Your party LJP enjoys considerable support of minorities. Will they vote for you with the BJP leading the NDA? There is not even an iota of animosity among them for the NDA. The NDA is a well-wisher of the minorities. NDA wants to amel-iorate their lives and bring change. Those from the Opposition side are trying to create a fear psychosis, which will not find traction. The minorities will vote as they also want a stable... and peaceful country.RLSPs Upendra Kushwaha and HAMs Jitan Ram Manjhi have exited from the NDA. Will their absence hurt? Look, they were in the NDA on their own terms and have left of their own will. The NDA is far too formidable an alliance to be shaken. Congress president Rahul Gandhi has coined a slogan- Chowkidar chor hai to mock PM Narendra Modis campaign. How do you see it? He is in effect mocking the poor who often take up such jobs. They come from SC/ST or poor families. In Bihar and UP alone, 95% chowkidars are from my caste Paswans and Pasis. Are they thieves to face such derogatory language? PM Narendra Modi created history when he defined himself as a chowkidar and washed the feet of sanitation workers at Kumbh. Has anyone from the Opposition ever shown genuine respect to the downtrodden? Such hurtful words, as used by Congressmen, should be banned by EC. You are often charged with promoting dynastic politics because of the number of seats given to family members. Is it right? The LJP is a party which does not discriminate on caste lines or promotes a dynasty. It allots tickets on the basis of winnability and acceptability. Chirag, my son, is a mature and brilliant young politician in the country. His constituency has been appreciated for development by the Niti Ayog. He is more popular than me in his constituency. Should he not be given a ticket? The same is the criteria in other cases. Will he (Chirag) get a berth in the cabinet if the NDA comes to power? He deserves it. He is impartial and intelligent with excellent leadership qualities. How do you see the overall mood in the country before the elections? The country wants Narendra Modi. He will remain the PM till India is the most powerful country in the world. Harpreet Bajwa By Express News Service CHANDIGARH: A grand alliance against the Congress and the SAD-BJP on all Punjab seats seems to be impossible now as Punjab Democratic Alliance (PDA), Shiromani Akali Dal (Taksali) and the Aam Admi Party have hit what looks like a dead-end. The tie-up is not getting stitched even for the panthic Khadoor Sahib seat in support of PDA candidate Bibi Paramjit Kaur Khalsa as all the other parties are stuck on their respective stands. After the Shiromani Akali Dal (Taksali) on Thursday made it clear that the party will not withdraw its candidate General J J Singh from this seat as it had declared his candidature much before the name of Paramjit Kaur Khalsa was announced by the PDA. "We will neither JJ Singh from Khadoor Sahib seat nor the other candidates from Anandpur Sahib and Sangrur seats. We will only fight on these three seats in the state. Though we respect Bibi Paramjit Kaur Khalsa, we feel she should not fight the Lok Sabha elections. She should adopt the way of Rajya Sabha to go to the parliament, said Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, President of SAD (Taksali). FOLLOW OUR ELECTIONS COVERAGE HERE Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab President and Member of Parliament from Sangrur Bhagwant Mann also said that Bibi Paramjit Kaur Khalsa should not fight these parliamentary elections as she is a 'respectable lady' since her husband sacrificed himself for human rights. She should become a Rajya Sabha member raise the concerns of the people at large. Giving the last push for the possibility of an alliance and an understanding is arrived at when it comes to the crucial Khadoor Sahib seat, former AAP leader and MLA H S Phoolka said, "I am trying to bring all these parties together in support of Bibi Paramjit Kaur Khalsa for the Khadoor Sahib seat. I will soon be talking to the leaders of SAD (Taksali) in this regard. If these parties agree on her then a broader alliance can be worked out on the other seats. I am hopeful something positive will come out. President of Punjab Ekta Party (PEP) Sukhpal Singh Khaira said that he has been appealing to other parties to withdraw their candidates and support Bibi Paramjit Kaur in the larger public interest so that they can give a joint fight to the Congress and the SAD-BJP candidates on this seat. PEP whose candidate is Paramjit Kaur Khalsa is a part of the PDA. Ejaz Kaiser By Express News Service RAIPUR: Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, four personnel of Border Security Forces (BSF) were killed in a Maoist ambush and an exchange of fire at Mahla forested terrain in strife-torn Kanker district, about 200 km south of Raipur, on Thursday. Two other security personnel suffered injuries in the encounter. Both were air-lifted to Raipur for immediate medical attention. The encounter took place when the Maoists ambushed the troopers of the 114 Battalion of BSF who were on an area domination operation. Four BSF men including one assistant sub-inspector and three constables were killed in the attack. The rebels fled in the nearby jungle following which the forces indulged in a strong retaliation, Kanker district superintendent of police K L Dhruv told Express. The attack which took place within 10 km from the BSF base camp has raised several questions on the security preparedness for the upcoming general elections in areas having the presence of left-wing extremists, who have already declared Lok Sabha poll boycott. The election in Kanker Lok Sabha constituency is scheduled in the second phase on April 18. The officials in the state police headquarters (PHQ) ruled out any intelligence failure. Reinforcements have been rushed to the region and intensified search operation has been launched, the police said. The deceased jawans have been identified as ASI Bipul Boro (Assam), and three constables - Silam Ramkrishna (Andhra Pradesh), Tumeshwar (Chhattisgarh) and Israr Khan (Jharkhand). Officials (administrative and security) have been asked to keep a close watch and enhance surveillance over activities of Maoists through the local intelligence network and secure necessary actions, the Bastar inspector general of police Vivekanand Sinha told TNIE. The naxals are known to pick soft targets to register their presence and the movement of candidates with their supporters need to be secured by the forces, the IG added. The forces in recent years have succeeded in launching huge pressure on the Maoists in the interior areas to curb their presence, movement and violence across the strife-torn areas. Kanker is one of the seven worst Maoist-affected districts in the conflict zone of Bastar region in south Chhattisgarh, where the BSF was deployed in 2009. Last week, on 26 March the security forces killed four armed cadres of outlawed Maoists in another insurgency-hit district of Sukma, about 450 km south of Raipur. The conflict-ridden Bastar constituency will go to polls in the first phase on April 11. Harpreet Bajwa By Express News Service CHANDIGARH: A Pakistani drone was spotted in the Khem Karan sector of Punjab on the India-Pakistan border late on Wednesday late night causing panic in the area. The drone, which was spotted near the Border Out Post (BoP) of Ratoke in Tarn Taran district of the state, was reportedly shot at by security agencies in retaliation. However, there was no confirmation about the same. Reacting swiftly, the district administration shut down internet services and electricity in the area for the whole night with services resuming this morning. Talking with this correspondent, Kulwant Singh a resident of Ratoke village said, "I was sleeping with my family at around 9 PM yesterday when we heard three loud shots as if it were firing by the security forces and as we came running out in panic. Our neighbour told that some flying object had come near the village and it was fired at before it retreated. The power supply and internet services were shut down within minutes and were resumed in the morning today. "The villagers belonging to the border area are again in panic due to last nights developments. A few are contemplating to shift to nearby towns or cities leaving their belongings and livestock in the villages. Again, they will not be able to stay away from their villages for long. We are always living in constant fear at the border, says Surjit Singh Bhaura, vice president of Punjab Border Kisan Welfare Society. Earlier on Sunday night too, four Pakistani F-16s fighters which were flying close to the international border in the Punjab sector along with drones were chased away by Sukhoi-30 and Mirage 2000 jets of Indian Air Force. It is suspected at that time also they were doing the surveillance of the area. Rajesh Kumar Thakur By Express News Service BARAUNI-BEGUSARAI (BIHAR): The Zero Mile on National Highway 31 forks and twists towards the famous Railway Yard at Garhara, to the west from Barauni, and onwards to Mithila and Bihars north-east. West, exactly 18 km away, stands Begusarai, the oil refinery and fertiliser town. Traffic on this busy highway can be agonisingly congested. After all, Begusarai has the highest per capita petrol pumps in India (over 180 within 15 square km), and railway scrap and the petrol-diesel-kerosene business combined had made it the hub of the Bihar mafia, which specialised in high-profile murders, politically aided, in the 1980s and 1990s. FOLLOW OUR ELECTIONS COVERAGE HERE Begusarai has long been associated with Left politics and trade unions that flourished from the late George Fernandess railway union days. So much so that it is still known as the Leningrad of Bihar. Its here that a nationalist versus grassroots political fight has broken out, with a reluctant Union minister Giriraj Singh recently shifted from his Nawada constituency being nominated by the BJP to take on Kanhaiya Kumar, the former Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union president. Begusarai has been traditionally dominated by the land- and cash-rich Bhumihar caste at once enlightened and militant and sitting in influential positions in all parties, even the Left. Kanhaiya, a CPI nominee, is taking on Girirajs strident nationalistic appeal building on the twin reference points of Narendra Modi taking on Pakistan and the development works of NDA and Nitish Kumar. Son of the soil Kanhaiya, born to a poor marginal farmer, is cash-strapped. A crowdfunding campaign, bolstered by his JNUite mates, has put some money in his bag, but its his manner of speech that is grabbing all attention. Kumars campaign is up on social media and has spawned clones all over and at Zero mile, which houses restaurants, thrifty dhabas and motor repair shops; even truck drivers and cleaners take time to watch his speech unspool on cheap mobiles. Birendra Singh, 37, dealing in motor parts on the outskirts of Barauni, believes Yeh ladka alag hai. (This boy is different). Many nod in affirmation as they sip insipid tea. Others mention his local roots and his caste, Bhumihar. Yet others add that a Bhumihar should not have fought a Bhumihar (Giriraj). For all candidates a third one being RJDs affable Tanvir Hussain, with a PhD from JNU and a teacher by profession who fought the Assembly polls in 2015 but lost the RJDs Muslim-Yadav vote bank is a plus. His candidature, ousting Kanhaiya from the alliance, is based on the calculation that between two of one caste candidates, he might very well be the winner.Its easier said than done, said Mohammad Irfan, a tyre repairer, who feels that while the Muslim community gave 15 years to Lalu Prasad, there could be some virtue in voting a Kanhaiya, for he speaks our language. The political language of the young candidate is a mix of Barahaiyaonce a notorious name for a place with the highest per capital arms in India, and Angika (a language of ancient Anga or present-day Bhagalpur), where the Mahabharata figure Karna is believed to have been born. Giriraj and Tanvir are no pushovers, the CPI knows. And hence, the Red party, which has lost clout over the last two decades in Bihar, is stretched to reach out to elders and move door to door for Kanhaiya. Girirajs camp has been reworking Kanhaiyas background, telling constituents about his controversial statements as a student leader and a case in a court in Delhi. The post-Pulwama national surge is the big point the BJP wants registered for a successful rerun of 2014. Nirmal Kumar, an MBA from Symbiosis in Pune, said, The big challenge for Kanhaiya is to save the split in the anti-BJP vote bank. Sudha Devi, a housewife in Teghra, was emphatic: Jyada bolney waley ka bolti band hoga (People will put big talkers on mute this time). Sana Shakil By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh is likely to get into trouble for his remarks that Narendra Modi should return as the Prime Minister in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections as President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday asked Centre to take further action in the matter. This comes days after the Election Commission (EC) raised the issue with the President saying, Singhs act was against the Model Code of Conduct. Sources at Presidents Secretariat confirmed the development and told this newspaper, ECs letter on this issue has been sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs for further action. President Kovind acted after returning from an international visit this morning. This could be a big test of neutrality for the President just ahead of the General election. The Congress has also sought time from the President requesting him to remove Singh as Governor. The party said that he has tarnished the established traditions and accepted norms of the office of Governor. FOLLOW OUR ELECTION COVERAGE HERE Last month, Kalyan Singh was caught on camera calling for the re-election of Modi for the sake of the country. The code, which has been in place since March 10-- the day the national election was announced, does not apply to constitutional authorities like the governor, Comptroller and Auditor General of India etc but there is an unwritten code that people holding constitutional posts should not campaign or support any political party or candidate. A similar situation arose in the 1990s when then Himachal Pradesh Governor Gulsher Ahmed was found guilty of going against the Code by the EC because he campaigned for his son Sayeed Ahmad. Following ECs verdict, Ahmed resigned. Constitutional expert Subhash Kashyap said there is nothing in law or in the Constitution which deals with such a situation like this but MHA may now consult the Law Ministry or the Attorney General to see what needs to be done. Although the President will take a final decision in the matter, MHA is the principal advisory ministry to the President. Model Code of Conduct is basically for political parties and candidates. It does not apply to governors but there is an unwritten code which applies to governors, election commissioners etc that they are supposed to exercise considerable self-restraint and not comment on any political party, candidate or controversial political party oriented issues. Sources said that if the President finds Singh guilty, Singh may resign, issue an apology or deny that he ever made the controversial statement. On March 24, Kalyan Singh had called for PM Modis re-election for the sake of the country. Eighty-seven-year-old Singh was on camera saying this at his hometown Aligarh that PM Modis re-election is a necessity for the country and the society and every party member should work for it. We are workers of BJP. Going by that, we definitely want the BJP to win. Everyone wants that once more, Modiji should become PM, he had said. The BJP veteran and former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh has been a Governor since 2014. Blocking epigenetic Swiss army knife may be a new strategy for treating colorectal cancer GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (April 4, 2019) -- A new study out today in Cancer Cell shows that blocking specific regions of a protein called UHRF1 switches on hundreds of cancer-fighting genes, impairing colorectal cancer cells' ability to grow and spread throughout the body. "Colorectal cancers are a growing public health problem, particularly in young people who haven't yet reached the recommended age for regular screening," said Scott Rothbart, Ph.D., an associate professor at Van Andel Research Institute (VARI) and co-corresponding author of the study. "UHRF1 has emerged in recent years as a key regulator of biological processes that drive colorectal cancer progression. This protein is akin to a molecular Swiss army knife, with many different parts that each have a different job. Revealing the parts that drive cancer progression could give us promising new ways to treat this disease." Colorectal cancers are the third leading cause of cancer-related death among both men and women in the U.S. While overall rates have been falling since the mid-1980s, the decrease is largely driven by routine screening in older adults. In people ages 20 to 39, rates are actually increasing -- 1 to 2 percent a year between 1974 through 2013 for colon cancers and 3 percent per year between 1974 through 2013 for rectal cancers, according to a 2018 American Cancer Society report. UHRF1 helps establish and maintain patterns of molecular tags on DNA, an epigenetic process known as methylation. These methylation patterns act like a switch that tells the body's cellular machinery when specific genes should be turned on or off. In cancer cells, these patterns change, impeding the normal checks-and-balances on cell growth and allowing malignant cells to flourish and spread. UHRF1 is a tantalizing new target that complements an emerging class of drugs called DNA methyltransferase inhibitors (DNMTis), which have shown exceptional promise for correcting methylation errors and treating cancer. However, many of the compounds developed to date have not been able to penetrate a sufficient number of tumor cells simultaneously to fully repair methylation and reactivate anti-cancer genes. "Epigenetic therapies are a promising avenue for cancer treatment, but we need new drugs that better reverse abnormal DNA methylation in patients' tumors with fewer side effects," said Stephen Baylin, M.D., co-corresponding author of the study, Director's Scholar at VARI and Virginia and D.K. Ludwig Professor for Cancer Research at Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University. "The strong anti-cancer effects that result when we block the regions of UHRF1 responsible for maintaining methylation are a critical step toward developing new, improved inhibitors for cancer treatment." Identification of these regions on UHRF1 also may help better identify colorectal cancer subtypes, improving physician's ability to take a personalized approach to treatment. Using data provided by The Cancer Genome Atlas, a National Institutes of Health-led effort to molecularly map cancer, the team found a strong correlation between high levels of UHRF1 and more aggressive, tough-to-treat malignancies. They now hope to translate their findings into actionable prognostic markers and, eventually, improved therapies that are more tolerable to patients and more effective at fighting cancer. In addition to Rothbart and Baylin, Limin Xia, Ph.D., of Tongji Hospital also is co-corresponding author. ### Other authors include Xiangqian Kong, Ph.D., Wenbing Xie, Ph.D., Stephen M. Brown, Yi Cai, Ph.D., Srinivasan Yegnasubramanian, M.D., Ph.D., Yong Tao, Ph.D., Ray-Whay Chiu Yen, M.S., Michael J. Topper, Cynthia A. Zahnow, Ph.D., and Hariharan Easwaran, M.Sc., Ph.D., of Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins; Jie Chen, Kaichun Wu, M.D., Ph.D., Daiming Fan, M.D., Ph.D., and Yongzhan Nie, M.D., Ph.D., of State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University; and Rochelle Tiedemann, Ph.D., of Van Andel Research Institute. Kong, Chen and Xie are co-first authors. Chen also is affiliated with Tongji Hospital. Research reported in this publication was supported by National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences award no. R01ES011858 (Baylin), National Institute of General Medical Sciences award no. R35GM124736 (Rothbart), National Natural Science Foundation of China award no. 81522031 (Xia) and no. 81772623 (Xia), National Key Research and Development Program of China award no. 2018YFC1312103 (Xia), and the American Cancer Society-Michigan Cancer Research Fund Postdoctoral Fellowship no. PF-16-245-01-DMC (Tiedemann). Research reported in this publication was also supported by The Hodson Trust (Baylin) and The Commonwealth Foundation (Baylin). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the granting organizations. ABOUT VAN ANDEL INSTITUTE Van Andel Institute (VAI) is an independent nonprofit biomedical research and science education organization committed to improving the health and enhancing the lives of current and future generations. Established by Jay and Betty Van Andel in 1996 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, VAI has grown into a premier research and educational institution that supports the work of more than 400 scientists, educators and staff. Van Andel Research Institute (VARI), VAI's research division, is dedicated to determining the epigenetic, genetic, molecular and cellular origins of cancer, Parkinson's and other diseases and translating those findings into effective therapies. The Institute's scientists work in onsite laboratories and participate in collaborative partnerships that span the globe. Learn more about Van Andel Institute at vai.org. This story has been published on: 2019-04-04. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. When comparing the Brexit and the Sphinx, the Sphinx looks like an open book, writes Manal Lotfy in London Is there a way out of the national humiliation of the Brexit, the UKs attempt to leave the European Union? The British parliament again failed to agree on alternatives to Prime Minister Theresa Mays deal to do so this week, which has already been defeated three times during this parliament. The consequences could be grave, as Britain now has fewer than 10 days left before crashing out from the EU without a deal. One recent document about the consequence of a no-deal scenario was a leaked letter from UK Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill to cabinet ministers. In a 14-page letter leaked to the UK newspaper the Daily Mail, Sedwill warned that no-deal could even lead to the break-up of the UK, saying that the stability of the union would be dislocated. He warned that Northern Ireland would face more severe consequences, particularly as the lack of devolved government would require direct rule from London. The running of Northern Ireland under no deal is a sensitive issue. The current powers granted to the Northern Irish secretary would not be adequate for the pace, breadth or controversy of the decisions needed to be taken through a no-deal exit. Therefore, we would have to introduce direct rule, he said. He also warned that a no-deal Brexit would affect the UK security services. Our national security would be disrupted. The UK would forfeit access to criminal justice levers. None of our mitigation measures would give the UK the same security capabilities as our current ones.A no-deal exit would enormously increase pressure on our law and security authorities and on our judicial system. The grave outcomes of a no-deal Brexit scenario could also include a 10 per cent spike in food prices and the collapse of businesses that trade with the EU. Sedwill warned that the government would come under pressure to bail out companies and that there could be a depreciation in the value of the pound more harmful than in 2008. When the UK House of Commons voted down all the alternatives to Mays deal, it was too much to take for many, with questions being raised about where to go with just days left before the Brexit deadline and how consensus could replace the paralysis of the government and parliament. These are questions in the minds of millions of British citizens and also of many European politicians. The four alternatives that were voted down this week had increased support, raising the question of why giving parliament a say on Brexit options was not introduced two years ago. The alternative motion on a customs union with the EU put forward by Tory MP Kenneth Clarke lost by 273 votes in favour to 276 against. A cross-party motion for a common market 2.0 fell by 21 votes (261 to 282), and a call for any final deal to be put to a popular referendum lost by 280 to 292. Many reasons have been given to explain the impasse in parliament and its failure to agree on a path. But the most obvious are the power of party politics as the majority of MPs voted according to their party preferences. Another reason is the inability of any Brexit option to unite the nation. If you are a remainer, your best option is staying in the EU, whereas if you are a Brexiteer your best option is leaving without a deal, explaining why it has been so difficult to find middle ground. With the UK parliament still grappling with Brexit, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker called for EU member states to remain united. You saw that the British parliament was unable to make a decision yesterday that would move towards a solution agreed by all, he said after a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte in Rome on Tuesday. The UK government is in session this morning... We await the outcome of this meeting, he added. Discussions have been taking place between EU leaders on whether to embrace a no-deal Brexit to protect the EU from the nightmare. Michel Barnier, the EUs chief negotiator, said on Tuesday that if the Commons did not vote for Mays withdrawal agreement within the next few days, only leaving without an agreement or requesting a longer extension of the Article 50 period would remain as options. A long extension to the UKs current 12 April exit date carried significant risks for the EU and a strong justification would be needed before the EU could agree to it, he said. His fears crystallised at a meeting with Nigel Farage, the former UK Independence Party (UKIP) leader. Barnier said he had asked Farage how he saw the UKs future relationship with the EU. Farage said that after Brexit the EU would no longer exist. So these people want to destroy the European Union from the inside, and others from the outside, Barnier said. Barnier also told the European Parliaments committee on foreign affairs that the crisis in the UK went beyond Brexit. I dont think I need to go on at great length about the nature of what is going on in the UK and the impasse or political crisis they might be experiencing. More deeply, it is not just about the question of Brexit and the agreement thats on the table and the backstop for Ireland. Somewhere along the line, it is a crisis that equally could have sprung up in another country. In my country [France] as well, there are questions about what our relationship is to the world, what is our place in the EU, what is our economic model. These are all things coming out as a result of the British debate. A five-hour cabinet meeting chaired by May to discuss what could be done to avert a looming no-deal Brexit seems unlikely to solve anything. Former Brexit secretary David Davis said up to 20 Tory MPs could vote against May in a confidence motion, and he warned in an interview with the BBC that if May sought a long extension to Article 50 that could tear apart the Tories. His warning came after Tory MPs Steve Baker and Crispin Blunt suggested that they would be willing to vote against the government in a confidence motion if May backed the UKs staying in the customs union or asked for a long delay. With the country divided and the crisis deepening, Britains options all look bad with no good outcome. A general election would not obviously help to solve the dilemma, and a long delay could harm the economy even more. A cliff-edge Brexit would be a bad scenario for the UK and EU, and a second referendum could lead to civil unrest with emotions running high and alarming signs that far-right groups in the UK are feeding on the mayhem. Juncker in his press conference referred to comments made last week comparing the British parliament to the Sphinx. If we compare the Sphinx and Great Britain, the Sphinx would look like an open book, he said. *A version of this article appears in print in the 4 April, 2019 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: The Brexit and the Sphinx Search Keywords: Short link: By PTI JAIPUR: Rajasthan Congress president and Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot Thursday demanded that the Narendra Modi government release a "white paper" on what it has achieved through programmes launched in the last five years. He said the government had given "a dozen slogans" like Standup India, Digital India and Make in India, but its time to release figures of what it has achieved through all such schemes. "The government should bring a white paper to tell people what was the result of such slogans," he said. Terming the Congress's election manifesto revolutionary, Pilot said the party has released a "grounded, wide and visionary manifesto" while keeping in mind the present situation. FOLLOW OUR ELECTION COVERAGE HERE He accused the BJP of talking only on issues like religion, caste, India-Pakistan to divert people's attention from "actual problems" like unemployment. He said, "The BJP leaders were hiding behind the Army to cover up the government's failure". "The BJP has given a new definition of nationalism. Those who are anti-BJP are anti-national. Every single citizen loves the country and is united in the interest of the nation," he said. By Express News Service NEW DELHI: The apex court on Thursday agreed to hear on April 8 a Congress leaders plea seeking deferment of release of PM Narendra Modis biopic till the Lok Sabha polls are over, saying the film was designed to manipulate and influence voters. A bench of Justices S A Bobde, S Abdul Nazeer and Indira Banerjee said it will hear the plea on Monday. The biopic, titled PM Narendra Modi, which was slated to be released on April 5, has been postponed till further notice. Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for petitioner advocate Aman Panwar, said two high courts had refused to interfere with the films release and sought urgent listing of the matter. Singhvi submitted that the films release may affect free and fair election as mandated in the Constitution and therefore they have filed a writ petition in the SC. The plea sought direction from the court declaring that advertisement and promotion of the movie during the operation of the Model Code of Conduct violates electoral laws. Meanwhile, the EC said it will take a final call on the films release on Friday. We have sought comments from the producer of the movie and also from BJPs general secretary...that also has been received, Deputy Election Commissioner Sandeep Saxena told reporters. By PTI NEW DELHI: Christian Michel, the alleged middleman arrested in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal case, is understood to have identified the initials "AP" as Ahmed Patel in a chargesheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) before a court here on Thursday. The agency, in its supplementary chargesheet filed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), said "a part of kickback was paid to defence officials, bureaucrats, mediapersons and important political persons of the ruling party" when the deal was being struck. The chargesheet said according to the "budget sheet, 30 million euros were paid to Air Force officers, bureaucrats and politicians" to swing the deal in the favour of AgustaWestland for purchasing the choppers to ferry VVIPs across the country. "Christian Michel James has further disclosed various abbreviations used in the budget sheet, which contains the details of the payments made to Air Force officials, bureaucrats and political persons. READ HERE | AgustaWestland: Court asks Tihar authorities to produce CCTV footage on Michel's torture allegation "The recipients of the kickback include several categories of persons namely Air Force officials, bureaucrats including defence ministry officials and top political leaders of the then ruling party. As per Christian Michel James, 'AP' means Ahmed Patel and 'Fam' means Family," the ED said. At another place in the chargesheet, Michel said, "I cannot say what Haschke was thinking. As a guess, I would think he was talking about Ahmed Patel." Regarding "Fam", he said it "could mean family". While the identity of the said Ahmed Patel is not clear, it is understood that it refers to the senior Congress leader. The veteran leader has not been named in the PMLA FIR of the case. In the same chargesheet, Rajiv Saxena, another accused arrested in the case, has been quoted by the ED as saying that "AP" was a "reference" to Ahmed Patel. Patel in the past has denied any wrongdoing in the case. ALSO READ: Trying to identify 'RG' whose name appears in AgustaWestland probe, ED tells court The ED said the kickback paid by the Anglo-Italian firm in the case was "at least about 12 per cent of the contract amount" and around 70 million euros were paid through the two middlemen involved in the case -- Michel and Guido Haschke. It added that this was an "undisputed fact" that the two middlemen had received kickbacks worth 70 million euros. The agency said this fact could be corroborated with the receipt of kickbacks in the bank accounts of companies "controlled and beneficially owned" by Michel and Haschke. It said the company "enlisted" the two as agents for the VVIP choppers deal in India as it wanted to promote its product and ensure that it became a a frontrunner to bag the deal. The central probe agency, in its 3,000-page supplementary chargesheet with 52 main pages, also named David Syms, Michel's alleged business partner, and two firms owned by them -- Global Trade and Commerce Ltd and Global Services FZE -- as accused. In its first chargesheet filed against Michel in June 2016, the ED had alleged that he and others had received 30 million euros (about Rs 225 crore) from AgustaWestland. Special Judge Arvind Kumar said he would decide on whether to take cognisance of the ED's supplementary chargesheet and summon the accused on April 6. READ HERE | AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case: Kamal Nath's nephew Ratul Puri under ED scanner K Shiva Kumar By Express News Service MANDYA: The ongoing high-voltage electoral battle in Mandya between Nikhil Kumaraswamy, son of Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, and Sumalatha Ambareesh, an Independent candidate backed by BJP, has brought cheer for farmers. Water from the Cauvery river is flowing freely in the irrigation canals not seen in the last five summers and farmers are now confident of a good second crop of paddy and sugarcane. Majority of farmers cultivate sugarcane and paddy in Mandya, Srirangapatna and parts of Pandavapura taluk. Not to antagonise them, the irrigation department has released 3,800 cusecs of water from KRS dam. Sources said the officials have been directed by the government to ensure that farmers do not complain about water availability. This is the election season bonanza! In the previous years, the government had declared crop holidays and announced that the water stored in KRS dam was for drinking water supply to Bengaluru, Mysuru and other towns. However, this summer, there are no protests or laying siege to irrigation department offices. Thanks to copious rains during the last monsoon season, there was adequate storage of water in Cauvery basin reservoirs which has now been released into Visvesvaraya canal to keep the huge farming community in good humour. Only in January, the Irrigation Consultative Committee had appealed to farmers in Mandya not to grow paddy and to switch over to semi-dry crops like ragi, maize and pulses instead of water-intensive crops. THE irrigation department had assured to give water under the on-and-off system for semi-dry crops every fortnight and even distributed pamphlets while agriculture officers were told to advise farmers not to violate the crop pattern. A department official, pleading anonymity, said they have released water into the irrigation canals under on-and-off system for standing crops. Asked how many more days they would give water to crops, he said it will be stopped from April 8 and a decision will be taken by the higher-ups based on the availability of water. He also clarified that there is enough water to meet the drinking water needs of Bengaluru and Mysuru. The release of Cauvery water has come as a shot in the arm for JD(S) workers in Mandya Lok Sabha constituency as farmers are getting water for two crops. Made Gowda, a farmer from of Shivahalli, said they are happy that they are able to raise two crops. After irrigating their fields at least two more times, they will be able to harvest paddy by May, he added. Naganna, another farmer, said he is happy to see lush greens paddy fields that had turned barren during previous years. Politics and politicking is always there during polls, but livelihood is more important, he said while thanking the authorities for giving them water to save crops.K V Shankar, a farmer from Shettahalli alleged that water is being released only because elections are around the corner. He said that they should have given it much earlier to help the farming community . However, Kumar, a JD(S) leader, refuted that the discharge of water has anything to do with politics. He said that it was the decision of the Irrigation Consultative Committee and also based on availability of water. We are happy that the farmers are happy and are not running around for water or loan waiver during the campaign, he added. Not only in Mandya district, irrigation department officials have also released 700 cusecs of water from Kabini reservoir for paddy crops in Nanjangud, Varuna and T Narasipur falling under Chamarajnagar Lok Sabha constituency.Officials said water is being released since a week and assured that it will continue. BR Udaykumar By Express News Service In an upfront interview with BR Udaykumar of The New Indian Express, former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, hoping to play a major role in the stitching together of a national coalition against the BJP, talks about Karnataka, Modi, God and his will to remain in politics. Excerpts. You had said in the past that you will not contest but you made a comeback this year. Is it because you hope to become the Prime Minister one more time? I have already told the Congress that I support Rahul Gandhi as the Prime Minister and that I will remain in the maha gathbandhan only as a senior leader. In my career of 60 years, I have served three terms as irrigation minister, 17 months as Chief Minister and 10 months as Prime Minister. I dont fight elections keeping a position in mind. God has given me the strength to face political crises and I have been targeted in the past by many senior leaders with false allegations. I will stay in politics till my last breath. What made you decide to run for elections once again from Tumkur at the age of 85? Nobody can decide the fate of a politician apart from the people. It is on the insistence of leaders like Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Sharad Pawar, Farooq Abdullah and Chandrababu Naidu, that I have decided to contest again. They forced me to contest as they want a senior political leader in parliament. They told me that the job of a senior leader is inside the Lok Sabha and not outside. Three and half years ago, I had decided that my grandson Prajwal would fight these elections, so I moved to Tumakuru. You and your two grandsons are looking to get elected from different constituencies. Do you think people will accept three members of the same family and send them to Parliament? Except the opposition, no one else has questioned it so far. It is not a vital issue at all. A father, mother, wife, husband and children, fighting elections has become common. Today, people expect good governance and a representative who is pro-farmer and wants to help the poor. People gave me a huge welcome when I visited Chikkanayakanahalli, Turuvekere and Tiptur taluks recently. In all three constituencies of Tumkur, Hassan and Mandya, you face opposition, not from the BJP, but from within your coalition, by a section of senior Congress leaders and workers on the ground. How do you plan to tackle this? All I know is that I am yet to face the anger of the common man in Tumakuru or any other district. Some people blame me and my son HD Revanna not providing water to parched areas in Tumakuru from the Hemavathi reservoir in Hassan. But this is not a new issue to comment on. A section of opposition leaders have continuously raised this issue for their political advantage. You (media) should not give importance to this. Being a politician, I have to face both bouquets and brickbats. There are minute differences between the Congress and JD(S) workers as the political scenario in the state is changing. What do you have to say on how people seem to accept the drastic decisions of the Modi government as being in the interest of the nation? Prime Minister Modi must shed his ego and stop claiming everything is his achievement. He continues to criticise veteran leaders, including former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and his family, and lays all burning issues, like Jammu-Kashmir and other major scandals at their door. This has to stop. The head of a government must act in the interest of the nation, with peoples support and shouldnt criticise or compromise in defence and safety matters. FOLLOW OUR ELECTION COVERAGE HERE Your view on the coalition government run by your son with the Congress in Karnataka? There is no difference between Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy and Coalition Coordination Committee Siddaramaiah. They are working together and the government is running smoothly. Nobody will be able to destabilise it. The coalition is also making efforts to decrease the strength of the BJP by winning more seats in Karnataka and I am confident of coalition candidates winning the maximum number of seats. Curbing the BJP in southern states is the aim of the coalition. People describe you as a 24x7 politician and a firm believer in God and astrology... I live my life by a set of ideals. I do not forget to worship God, I never abuse a person using foul language, even if they themselves choose to lambast me without reason. Bechu S By Online Desk Soon after filing his nomination papers from Wayanad, Rahul Gandhi said he will not utter a word against the CPM during his campaign. But the statement is not likely to take the sting out of the Congress-led UDF's anti-Left campaign. With or without Rahul, the Congress in Kerala will go all guns blazing at the Left front given the state's bipolar political scenario. Ever since campaigning kicked off in the state, the red camp's negligible presence outside Kerala and failure to reclaim lost ground in West Bengal and Tripura have been used by the Congress to paint them as irrelevant on the national stage. Be it booth-level conventions with no more than 50 people or virally replicated WhatsApp propaganda stories meant for thousands to read, attempts have been going on to ostracise the Left during the Lok Sabha polls. IN PICS | LDF announces candidates to all 20 seats in Kerala Now with the Congress president's candidature from Wayanad, the communists will have to face more attacks from the UDF over their shrinking influence and lack of electoral success in the country. Luckily for them, the leadership is all set to face the challenge. The question posed by the Congress is straightforward - if the LDF is to join hands with the Congress at the Centre to dethrone the BJP, then why waste a vote on them when the people can directly back UDF candidates? Also, what impact can the CPM possibly make in parliament with no more than 15 MPs? Elsa Jacob, a journalist from Kerala, says their numbers don't really matter. "The BJP has carried out pro-Hindutva and anti-democratic actions in the past five years. Only the CPM adopted a political line which dissects and exposes such actions. Their MPs in both Houses played a major role in confronting these policies. Meanwhile, the Congress MPs from Kerala have never been so vocal. If the talk is on opposing the BJP, then the Left has had a vocal presence in Delhi. They have earned my faith through action," she said. ALSO READ | Left will try to defeat Rahul Gandhi in Wayanad, says Pinarayi Vijayan It's federalism vs BJP LDF convenor and senior CPM leader A Vijayaraghavan says the Congress is showing itself to be a great opportunist and terrible visionary by trotting out this line and trying to be dismissive of the Left. He stresses that the Congress is no more the BJP's archrival and in reality it is several regional parties in their respective states who are the true players. "Be it UP, Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha, AP, Tamil Nadu or Telangana, those leading the anti-BJP front in all these places are regional powers who want to sustain Indian federalism. The Congress is either a small player or nobody in all the big states. How can they talk about the Left's irrelevance when they can do nothing without the support of these parties," he asks. Candidates matter Many voters draw attention to another often forgotten consideration. For them, more than political affiliations, it is the candidate who matters. And here the Left holds a big advantage, they say. ALSO READ | 'Nationalist' vs 'grassroots' at Begusarai as Giriraj faces off with Kanhaiya All of these people want their region to develop. The MP fund utilisation and promises put forth are not taken lightly by these Keralites and they don't easily forget what was offered to them by their representatives last time. "Instead of pointing a finger at the Left's existence, why doesn't the Congress talk about the achievements of their sitting MPs? If they want constructive criticism they can start with evaluating the Pinarayi government. Left or right, people judge if they did a corruption-free and pro-development job in the constituencies. And if the LDF's dwindling numbers are a concern, then so is the inflow of Congress leaders to the BJP," said Sudeep, a voter from Alappuzha. Why this strategy? So is the Congress strategy of dismissing the Left as irrelevant really working among the people? The eagerness the Left camp shows in countering the allegation shows they have not taken the charge lightly. Political analyst and senior journalist Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, for one, feels Kerala voters will not jump to conclusions since they are not just literate but politically aware too. ALSO READ | CPI fields nine candidates in Uttar Pradesh, CPM to support SP alliance "This rivalry has been there for so long and has spread even to the smaller players who are vital for both the fronts. The only thing that is different this time is that both these parties are against the Modi government in Delhi and want to defeat it. At the same time, despite all their efforts to make their presence felt in Kerala, the BJP is still a marginal force and thus the ultimate winner will be the one among the two coalitions which can win over the people," he said. CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran says the plan is not going to work. He said the Congress even tried using religion as a plank in the polls to the local bodies that were conducted immediately after the Sabarimala issue but failed to make any headway. "During the assembly polls, the then CM Oommen Chandy himself had said the contest is between the Congress and the BJP and we are not even in the picture. What happened when the ballot boxes were opened? They both (Congress and BJP) keep saying this each time an election approaches but get rejected by the people time and time again. We will win the maximum seats possible and the people will back us. All that matters is the fall of the NDA and we don't care about anything else," he told Express. FOLLOW OUR ELECTION COVERAGE HERE By Express News Service PALAKKAD: Suresh Kumar, a native of Nurani, is planning to approach the Ernakulam District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum against Air India for returning his two white pet Persian cats to Saudi Arabia from Nedumbassery airport though he had completely observed all formalities. Suresh said that he had been working in Saudi Arabia for the past 25 years and planned to return permanently. He had with him two pet cats for the past 7 years and wanted to bring them to India, He consulted Air India Ltd at their office in Saudi Arabia. They agreed to transport the pets from Riyadh to the airport in Kochi. It took 15 days to comply with the formalities for transporting the pets (both of which had microchips) and Air India granted tickets for the pets to fly along with him to Cochin Airport on March 31. He said when he reached Kochi Airport, exit permission was denied to the pets and Air India returned them to Riyadh without his consent. Suresh pointed out the compliance of the veterinarian requirements alone cost 1,456 Saudi Riyals. He had also discussed with officials at the airport for alternatives so that they could be received in Chennai which was also not permitted. Tickets were also purchased in the name of the cats which he had named Ponna and Sundari. Suresh said the airport authorities, in spite of appealing to them, failed to listen to the pleas to release the two cats. The Air India officials in Riyadh had said there were doctors in the airport and the cats will be released after scanning and check up. He said the airport authorities in Nedumbassery, on the other hand, told him it was a cumbersome process to clear the release of the cats. The airport officials also told him they would be held liable if the cats die here and therefore they were sending them back to Saudi. The cats are now in a shop in Riyadh engaged in selling birds and the expense involved has to be footed, according to him T Muruganandham By Express News Service CHENNAI: In an evocation of memories of the 2-G scam value, a candidate has said he owns assets worth whopping Rs 1.76 lakh crore. J Mohanraj of Jebamani Janata Party, one of the candidates in the Perambur Assembly by-poll scheduled for April 18, has taken all including election officials by surprise, declaring that the value of his assets is Rs 1.76 lakh crore and he has taken a loan of Rs 4 lakh crore from the World Bank a stark reminder of the total debt burden of the TN government. I did this as a mark of protest against corrupt persons declaring paltry sums as the value of their assets, using loopholes in law. If the assets declared by big political leaders are true, then mine should also be true. I will say all my assets are in Swiss bank, Mohanraj told TNIE. He also recalled: I did this in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections when I declared Rs 1,977 crore assets. In the 2016 Assembly elections, I contested from Kolathur and declared Rs 1.76 lakh crore assets and declared immovable properties at Kodanadu Estate worth R 1,500 crore. I am doing this to create awareness among the public. FOLLOW OUR ELECTION COVERAGE HERE Mohanraj is the son of the late freedom-fighter, Nellai R Jebamani, who was a close associate of the late Congress leader, Kamaraj. He was in the State police service for 21 years. In the late 80s, he was with the CBI on deputation and later worked with the team which investigated the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. So what is the punishment for filing false affidavits? An Assistant Returning Officer in the city told TNIE: A SC directive says that the idea behind declaring assets, criminal background etc. of the candidates is to make these facts known to the voters. The RO, who is receiving the affidavits, need not check the validity of information. If the voters find fradulent claims, they can choose not to vote for him. Nirupama Viswanathan By Express News Service CHENNAI: Cuddalore is set to witness a two-pronged battle between PMKs R Govindasamy and DMKs TRVS Sriramesh, at the end of which, its electorate hopes, is the answer to its environmental and infrastructure problems.While Sriramesh, a cashew exporter, is new to the fray, Govindasamy, a doctor, had contested in Virudhachalam opposite DMDK chief Vijayakant in the 2006 Assembly elections, losing by a margin of 13,777 votes. Earlier in 2001, he had thwarted opposition from the DMK to secure the Virudhachalam seat. The AMMK has fielded Kasi Thangavel in the constituency, their second choice after the nomination of KR Karthik was rejected due to alleged discrepancies in witness details.The relative familiarity enjoyed by Govindasamy has left Sriramesh no choice but to work against the clock to gain lost ground. However, he hopes to ride the anti-incumbency wave that is seen in many regions of the district. The constituency comprises six Assembly segments- Cuddalore, Thittakudi (Reserved), Virudhachalam, Neyveli, Panruti and Kurinjipadi. Several maize farmers of Thittakudi who practise monocropping are looking to shift to multicropping but are unsure whom to turn to; they are miffed with the agriculture department for not raising awareness. Water scarcity, while it plagues the entire district, is especially prevalent here. Residents blame lack of desilting. The people of Virudhachalam have been seeking bifurcation of the district because of the distance between the segment and the district headquarters. Residents here are forced to travel around 60km to even attend a grievance meeting at the collectorate. Residents of Neyveli and Kurinjipadi credit the Neyveli Lignite Corporation for atmospheric pollution in the region. Jackfruit and cashew farmers of Panruti, on the other hand, seek encouragement of more small and medium scale industries that can procure their yield and package them for the market. In disaster-prone Cuddalore, where 49,448 of the total 20,68,523 voters are first-time voters, Dalits make up around 30% of the population.Impact of Centres policiesIn its electoral history, from 1951, Cuddalore has largely leaned towards the Congress. For the 16 general elections that the district has faced until then, it has swung between the DMK and Congress- DMK had won four seats while the Congress had swept seven. In 2014, the DMK and Congress were not part of the same alliance, resulting in division of votes and an AIADMK victory. In 2004, Congress ally DMK won by a margin of over 1.3 lakh votes and DMKs K Venkatapathy took office as MP. He was also given a berth in the Union Council of Ministers. It was during Venkatapathys time as MP, in 2007, that the Congress-led UPA identified Cuddalore for the Backward Regions Grant Fund (BRGF) programme. Cuddalore was among the 254 backward districts identified from across the country for the programme that aimed to redress regional imbalances in development on the basis of the SC/ST population among other criteria. The scheme continued under UPA- 2 and with the Congresss own S Alagiri as the MP in Cuddalore. A total of around Rs 80 crore was released under the scheme for rural and urban local bodies of Cuddalore. According to the guidelines for allocation of funds under BRGF, within the overall allocation for the rural local bodies, 20 per cent of the allocation was earmarked for the district panchayat. Out of the remaining 80 per cent, an amount of R 10 lakh was allocated to each of the Panchayat Unions. Out of the balance amount, 50 per cent was allocated based on the total population of each Panchayat Union and the remaining 50 per cent would be allocated based on SC/ST population of each Panchayat Union. According to data from the district administration accessed by Express, in 2007-2008 alone, over 200 works were taken up at the district panchayat and block panchayat levels.However, in 2014, the scheme was dropped as the NDA government took charge at the Centre. In early 2018, it was repackaged into the Aspirational Districts Programme targeted at 115 districts in the country. To nobodys surprise, Cuddalore was dropped from the list that included only Ramanathapuram and Virudhunagar from Tamil Nadu. While the selection is said to be made based on 49 indicators including health, education and agriculture resources, it remains a fact that neither the BJP nor its allies had any luck in the district in its 68 year electoral history. Environmental threats Untreated discharge and air pollution by a few industries at SIPCOT has mainly affected Pachchyankuppam panchayat, Kudikadu, Sedapalayam and Semmankuppam, each housing around 5 hamlets.Locals in these regions have been calling for regulation of the red category industries in the area. However, while many promises have been made and broken, the situation for the locals has shown no signs of improvement.We have noticed the quality of our catch coming down substantially. We are fisherfolk ourselves but having been used to the kind of fish we used to catch a few years ago, we are not cooking fish in our houses too often, said Sathiya P from Rasapet. In other settlements in the SIPCOT area, people are left to live with putrid smells that have become a part of their lives. This, in turn, has reduced their appetite and causes nausea, residents claim. In areas like Sonaganchavadi, residents claim that the village has been flooding more often because of the industrial buildings. A study by the Central Groundwater Board, in 2018, had revealed that groundwater in five districts including Cuddalore were contaminated. FOLLOW OUR ELECTION COVERAGE HERE R Govindasamy, PMK Govindasamy said that his main focus for the district is to transform the Cuddalore port into a major port and also keep a check of pollution in the SIPCOT area. As a doctor, I have encountered many cases of asthma and other respiratory disorders among people living in the SIPCOT area. This needs to be looked into, he said. Flood retaining walls along water bodies as part of disaster management is another area where we will focus TRVS Sriramesh, DMK Sriramesh said that he would reopen the industries closed due to various reasons. Pollution is everywhere but industries are important to create job opportunities. Industries will be opened only after consultation with officials from the pollution control board. He aims to create 2.5 lakh employment opportunities in the constituency after assessing vacancies in various sectors. He will also look into port expansion (With inputs from Nirupa Sampath) By Express News Service MADURAI: Observing that majority of the teens are playing pranks, gaffing around with duet videos sharing with split screen to the strangers. The children who use the said application are vulnerable and may expose them to sexual predators, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court directed the Central and State governments to ban Tik Tok mobile application. Admitting a petition filed by a Madurai-based advocate, S Muthukumar, a division bench, comprising Justices N Kirubakaran and SS Sundar, directed the Ministry of Information Technology of the Centre and State governments to prohibit the download of Tik Tok mobile app. Further, the judges restrained the media from telecasting Tik Tok videos. They also sought response from the Central government whether a statute, similar to the United States Childrens Online Privacy Protection Act, can be enacted in India to prevent children from becoming cyber/online victims on or before April 16. During the hearing, the judges observed that the Tik Tok, which is mostly used by teenagers and young people, has been proved to be addictive. Through the above application, children are exposed to strangers and their photographs and other private details land in the hands of perpetrators, they stated. With Britain still feverishly discussing its Brexit plans, the other 27 European Union states are preparing their joint stance for a top-level summit with British Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday. Nearly three years since the shock referendum vote to leave the EU, Britains political chaos has forced May to ask the bloc for a second Brexit delay. Britain was originally due to leave on March 29 but the current date is April 12. Any further postponement would need to be approved unanimously by the 27 nations staying on together after Brexit. And they feel increasingly fatigued. Playing the bad cop, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said on Monday the blocs patience was wearing thin. On Tuesday, European Council President Donald Tusk took a softer tack, telling the EU: Let us be patient. A balance between the EUs growing exasperation and patience with Brexit will shape the strategic position the 27 adopt at the April 10 summit. Here are the pros and cons of the main options from the blocs point of view. No-Deal Unless something else is agreed, Britain will crash out from the bloc as soon as April 12. The EU talks of growing risk of no-deal Brexit almost daily, partly because it is current legal reality but also to scare the factious UK parliament into accepting the divorce deal May sealed with the bloc but which British lawmakers have rejected three times. France has led EU states in adopting a tough line toward Britain and calling for accepting no-deal to end the Brexit uncertainty as soon as possible. But the EU appetite for the most-damaging break is low and exposed countries like Ireland and Belgium are not fully prepared to manage ensuing disruptions. German Chancellor Angela Merkels strong opposition to no-deal Brexit and the blocs wariness of being assigned blame for any abrupt split means this is not the most likely scenario for next week. Second, Short Brexit Delay Between preparing for the worst-case scenario and plotting a long delay, the EU has been somewhat caught by surprise by Mays request for a second, unspecified but short lag. The bloc is waiting to see what comes out of Mays talks with the opposition Labour Party to break the parliamentary impasse over Brexit. It says London must relay its plan for the summit on Monday or Tuesday morning at the latest to ensure enough time for coordination among the other 27 capitals before the Wednesday evening talks between leaders. Several EU diplomats said they thought May 22 was as late as a short delay could possibly go, with that date clearly shaping up as the limit of the blocs tolerance. They fear anything beyond that would risk compromising the functioning of the EU. Juncker said on Wednesday that London would not get another short delay to Brexit unless the UK parliament approves the stalled EU divorce agreement by April 12. Kicking It Into The Long Grass For Britain to be allowed to stay much longer, the EU 27 have set a firm condition that it must take part in elections to the European Parliament on May 23-26. They have given London until April 12 to state its intentions. EU diplomats discussed in recent days possible postponements of Brexit until the end of 2019, for a year until next spring or even going as far as the end of 2020. Their Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has been vocal about the high economic and political costs of keeping Britain in much longer, as the bloc elects its new parliament and replaces the executive European Commission. It will also be setting its next joint budget for 2021-27. The bloc is considering adding a sincere cooperation condition to that option, a gentlemans agreement to minimize any risk that Britain could stall the EUs agenda and vital processes, or undermine its operations or the legitimacy of its key institutions. EU diplomats said that could include Britain removing itself from discussions on the next budget or selecting the new European Commission. Search Keywords: Short link: Aihik Sur By Express News Service HYDERABAD: When it comes to taking on his political rivals, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi pulls no punches. The Hyderabad MP, in fact, spares none, though he reserves his most scathing and sarcastic remarks for the two national parties, BJP and Congress, as well as the veteran leader from the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh. In a freewheeling interview with Express, Owaisi alleges that the BJP had financed Congress to fight against the TRS in the last December Assembly elections while jokingly urging the Congress to call AIMIM the A-team of BJP and not B-Team. While calling AP CM N Chandrababu Naidu a chameleon, Owaisi speaks about the possibility of K Chandrasekhar Rao-led Federal Front, with the help of others like his good friend Jagan, forming the government at the Centre. Excerpts from the interview: What do you think of the current political scenario? What needs to change? I feel that we have an undeclared Emergency in India right now. And see the way the government is reacting now. How the Prime Minister, while inaugurating a new TV channel told its proprietor that you have hired people who are against me! What does that tell you? That tells you that the PM does not believe in independent media. Modi wants the media to become a yes man. You have been propagating a non-Congress and non-BJP government at the Centre. Where do you see KCRs Federal Front in that context? It will definitely play a very important role. No one can deny that. Because I am very sure that KCR will win 16 seats in Telangana along with my Hyderabad seat. And then my friend Jagan (Mohan Reddy) would definitely win 20-21 Parliament seats. These two States will play a very important role in government formation. The whole demand of TRS-KCR-Jagan is that federalism in its true sense should be implemented. Why should we require so many subjects to be in concurrent list, when they should be in State list? These are things which will definitely play a very important role post May 23. Where does AIMIM fit in that? We definitely oppose and have been opposing BJP. Our earnest desire and hope is that a non-Congress, non-BJP government will be formed after the polls. But you have been accused of being B-team/C-team of BJP... I would request these people (Congress) to not demean me by saying that I am B-team. At least make me A-team of BJP. Dont limit me by saying that I am B-team, I want to be A-team at least. If they want, I can also give them some money which I have taken from whatever they are saying for being an A-team. I can share my spoils with them, but please call me A-team. In fact, during the Assembly elections, it was BJP who had financed Congress to fight against TRS. I wont say much, but you will come to know more in the coming days. FOLLOW OUR ELECTION COVERAGE HERE During the Assembly polls you had said that you would campaign in Uttar Pradesh... Let us see what happens. So, will you be campaigning in Amethi for instance? There is a lot of time left for the last phase. Let us see what happens. Can you explain your antipathy for the AP CM N Chandrababu Naidu? Chandrababu Naidu, first of all, does not have any political principles. Though politicians dont have much this man has none. I have been an MLA for 10 years, and for nine years I was an MLA when he was the CM. I have seen him from close quarters and he can change overnight. Even a chameleon would be feel shy after observing him! He became the CM by deceiving his father-in-law. Then in 1996, he was the United Front convenor, then he became part of NDA. He had demanded the removal of Modi, but still he supported Modi in 2014. This is how he works. So you can never trust Chandrababu Naidu. I wont be surprised if during May 20, 21, he again joins BJP. By Express News Service ALLADURG/NARSAPUR: We are agents of the people. They are our bosses and their aspirations are our agenda, TRS chief and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao declared on Wednesday, emphasising that the TRS had no secret political pact with either the BJP or the Congress. Refuting the allegations of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi, he said there was no need for the TRS to join forces with any party. FOLLOW OUR ELECTIONS COVERAGE HERE Addressing an election meeting in Alladurg, Zaheerabad Lok Sabha constituency, he said: Whenever Rahul Gandhi comes to Telangana, he says, TRS is working in league with Modi. Then, Modi comes and says TRS is sailing with Rahul. We have no need to sail with anyone. TRS is with the people. Who have we joined hands with? The people. Yes, we are agents of the people. The aspirations of the people of Telangana are our agenda. There is no need for either the TRS or its leaders to resort to clandestine politics with anyone, Rao declared. The Congress and the BJP ruled the country for around 66 years, he said, adding, Now both Modi and Rahul are accusing each other. They failed to develop the country. They have no perception on better utilisation of resources and funds. In contrast, both Rahul and Modi come here and blame us for the under-development. Stating that non-Congress and non-BJP parties would form the next Central government, Rao said a good government must be in place for the country to improve. The country did not witness development as expected. We saw both Congress and BJP governments. Change is needed in the country. Elect all 16 TRS candidates. I will prevail upon the next government and ensure I implement the agenda of people and farmers. I will fight for you, Chandrasekhar Rao said. Addressing another meeting at Narsapur, covering the Medak Lok Sabha segment, the chief minister said Telangana was the only State in India that provided free power to farmers round the clock. PM Modi is shouting from the rooftops on many issues. But there is no 24x7 free power for farmers in his own State, Gujarat, Rao pointed out. The BJP promised to bring back money stashed abroad and deposit `15 lakh in the accounts of each citizen. One year after the 2014 polls, BJP president Amit Shah said it was just an election promise, Rao recalled. In the last elections, the BJPs slogan was chai wala, this time, they changed it to chowkidar. It is nothing but a drama. Slogans without any concrete action, Rao alleged.For every election, they coin a new slogan and try to benefit. How long this dialogue raj?, Rao wondered. By Express News Service HYDERABAD: As many as five Telangana irrigation engineers received a rare honour, as the ICID accepted their technical papers to be presented at an international summit to be held in at Bali in Indonesia in September. The TS engineers will present four technical papers. The engineers submitted the gist of the papers to ICID, which accepted the papers and sent the final papers before May 15. Vijay K Labhsetwar of Third World Irrigation Forum (WIF3) informed this through a letter to the TS engineers. The papers selected for the ICID are: Mission Kakatiya - Restoration of Minor Irrigation Sources: A flagship programme undertaken by the Telangana government. Authors: K Shyamsunder, CE minor irrigation and Sridhar Rao Deshpande, OSD (Irrigation) to CM Nagarjuna Sagar Project - Modernisation for improving water management through on-off system. Author: S Suneel, Chief Engineer, Nagarjuna Sagar Project. Improving water use efficiency and productivity in Nizam Sagar project through modernisation. Author: R Madhusudhan Rao, Commissioner, Godavari Basin and tail to head- a technique in improving water user efficiency and productivity in Sriram Sagar Project (SRSP). Author: B Shanker, Chief Engineer, SRSP. The authors will present the papers personally at the summit in Bali in September, according to Sridhar Rao Deshpande. Chief Secretary SK Joshi congratulated the engineers. By Associated Press NEW DELHI: Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on Thursday reiterated that he is not seeking independence for Tibet, but would prefer a "reunion" with China under mutually acceptable terms. "I prefer Tibet remain within the zone of China. Some kind of reunion," he said. He added that Chinese and Tibetans could live side-by-side, with China helping Tibetans economically and gaining from their knowledge. The 83-year-old Dalai Lama has been living in exile in India since a failed 1959 uprising in Tibet. China claims Tibet has been part of its territory for more than seven centuries. Many Tibetans insist they were essentially independent for most of that time and have protested what they regard as China's heavy-handed rule imposed after the People's Liberation Army's battled its way into the Himalayan region in 1950. The Dalai Lama said he developed direct contact with the Chinese leadership in 1979, but little progress has been made since because China still thinks he is seeking independence for the region. He also praised New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Arden for her compassionate handling of a recent attack on two mosques by a gunman that left 50 Muslim worshippers dead in Christchurch. The Tibetan spiritual leader said others could learn from her. ALSO READ | New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern orders top-level inquiry into Christ Church mosque massacres "I really admire the New Zealand prime minister. She is wonderful,'" he told reporters in the Indian capital, where he addressed a conference of educators and students. He said the killing of worshippers in New Zealand was an example of what hatred can do to people. "She really tried to tackle this problem through nonviolence, through compassion and through mutual respect. I really admire her. I think that's one living example," he added. Champaign, IL (61820) Today A mix of clouds and sun early, then becoming cloudy later in the day. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 54F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Showers in the evening, then cloudy overnight. Low 48F. Winds S at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Related IVF kids may have higher risk of high blood pressure Certain rare childhood cancers may be more common in children conceived via in vitro fertilization (IVF), a U.S. study suggests, but parents neednt lose sleep over this finding, according to the researchers. For the few cancers that seemed associated with IVF the absolute risk was still extremely rare, said lead study author Logan Spector of the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. The increased risk of cancer may be due at least in part to advanced maternal age and other health factors that lead women to try IVF in the first place, Spector and colleagues note in JAMA Pediatrics. While the results suggest it may make sense to be vigilant in monitoring IVF children for cancer, they dont mean couples shouldnt try to conceive this way, Spector said by email. There was no indication that any specific IVF procedure or treatment was associated with these cancers, so there is not really anything patients or their providers should be doing differently, Spector added. Overall these results should be reassuring to parents who have used IVF. Spectors team examined data on 275,686 children conceived with IVF and 2.27 million kids conceived naturally from 2004 to 2013. They tracked children for an average of about four and a half years, during which time 321 cancers were detected among children conceived by IVF and 2,042 cancers were detected among other kids. That translates to a rate of 0.1 percent among IVF kids and 0.09 percent among naturally-conceived kids. Put another way, if researchers tracked one million children for a year, they would expect to see one of these rare cancers develop in about 252 children conceived by IVF and about 193 kids conceived naturally. Specifically, kids conceived using IVF were 28 percent more likely than other children to be diagnosed with embryonal tumors, which develop from embryonic cells that remain in the body after birth. The increased risk of embryonal tumors was driven mostly by a higher rate of liver tumors. Kids conceived by IVF were more than twice as likely to have liver tumors than other children in the study. Advertisement Children conceived by IVF were also 41 percent more likely to develop embryonal tumors of the central nervous system, which occur when embryonic cells remain in the brain after birth. So-called germ cell tumors, or malignancies in the reproductive tissue like the testicles or ovaries, were more than twice as common with IVF. Overall, children conceived by IVF were 17 percent more likely to develop cancer. Its possible that cancer can be caused by chromosomal abnormalities, said Dr. Norbert Gleicher, medical director of the Center for Human Reproduction in New York City. As eggs age, chromosomal instability increases, Gleicher, who wasnt involved in the study, said by email. This has been known for decades and is the cause for more chromosomally abnormal pregnancies and miscarriages with advancing age, but this chromosomal instability also leads to more mutations in various genes, many of which may be cancer causing. Couples considering IVF shouldnt let the slight risk of childhood cancer influence their decisions, Gleicher advised. Advertisement Having a doctors visit is dangerous because one can be overrun by a car on the way, yet, we go to doctors all the time because the risk is very low and the potential gain by far exceeds the risk, Gleicher said. The same principle applies here: there are risks in IVF but they are very low (as far as we can see so far) and, therefore, worth taking. Search Keywords: Short link: The Government is promoting the 5G mobile network's development by opening up its premises to mobile service operators under a pilot scheme, Acting Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Bernard Chan said. Mr Chan told legislators today the pilot scheme, launched in March, has identified more than 1,000 government premises where mobile service operators can install 5G base stations. The Government will consider whether to provide more premises based on the response to the pilot scheme and its progress, Mr Chan said. He added the 5G network is an important telecommunications infrastructure in Hong Kong with immense potential for business services and smart city applications. The Government and the Communications Authority are promoting 5G developments in Hong Kong on various fronts, including the supply of spectrum, support for technical trial and implementation of facilitation measures. Financial Secretary Paul Chan (back row, centre) meets young people at the Central & Western District Promenade. Financial Secretary Paul Chan visited startups and community facilities in Central & Western District today. Mr Chan first toured a co-working space and spoke with young entrepreneurs operating social enterprises to learn about their experiences in achieving social objectives through cross-sector collaboration. Mr Chan then walked along the Central & Western District Promenade. He said the Government is committed to making Hong Kong a more ideal place to live by adopting a forward-looking approach in pursuing harbourfront enhancement and vigorously seeking to open up continuous and accessible harbourfront promenades. He also chatted with members of a district youth network at the promenade and welcomed suggestions from young people on how to improve district facilities. He said the Government aims to develop a diversified economy to create more opportunities for young people. Before wrapping up his visit, Mr Chan met District Councillors to exchange views on livelihood and development issues. Chimanimanis main riverine attractions Bridal Veil Falls and Tessas Pool miraculously survived Cyclone Idai. But both have, however, seen the destruction of surrounding vegetation and soil around, hence presenting a rocky outlay. Chimanimani Tourist Association (CTA) secretary Jane High describes the changes at Bridal Veil Falls as spectacular but retaining its outstanding beauty. We hope National Parks will not tidy up too much and try to beautify the falls areas because frankly I think they are more beautiful now with the rugged landscape carved out by Idai, High said. She said they were already moving on to market the region and how its attractions now look like after the violent storm. Mike Mataure, Chimanimani Hotel proprietor, feels the changes to the falls are more of natures rearrangement than destruction. Bridal is now inaccessible by vehicles for now and High feels the five-kilometre walking distance from Chimanimani town should not deter tourists because most international travellers had long preferred walking and combining that with a tour of traditional villages. She believes Chimanimani is in the main a walking and hiking resort and the falls are to that extent still very accessible. Tessas Pool which is on the base of Chimanimani Mountains at Outward Bound Training Camp may be a lot more difficult to access for now with the bridges washed away but clung onto its beauty as well. Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe (HAZ) vice president Clive Chinwada feels government and its development partners need to quickly work on the tourism industrys enablers like the destroyed road infrastructure for it to quickly bounce back. He said the beauty of the area in spite of the ravages of the cyclone will be told in part by the international aid and rescue workers that have been going in and out of the region. Rescue workers going into Chimanimani will help put out the story of the beauty of Chimanimani but how quickly tourism will be back on its feet depends on how soon the enablers are in place. Infrastructure for the accessibility to the sites which is currently damaged will need government and development partners, Chinwada said. He said he hoped that current efforts to make it accessible for rescue and relief efforts will be carried through to its economic enablers like roads to tourist attractions in support of a sector that was first on the ground with rescue efforts. Daily News THE Constitutional Court (Concourt) has outlawed judicial corporal punishment, saying it amounts to inhuman and degrading punishment. Chief Justice Luke Malaba, sitting with eight other judges of the apex court, ruled that such inhuman treatment had no place in a democratic society. The court struck down Section 353 of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act, which provides for the caning of juvenile offenders, saying it was in conflict with Section 53 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe. The latest decision was made in a case in which a 15-year-old boy, who was convicted of raping a 14-year-old girl, was contesting the legality of the sentence of six strokes of the cane. High Court judge, Justice Joseph Mafusire in 2014, found the sentence to be unconstitutional but in terms of the law, the case was referred to the Constitutional Court for confirmation. Advocate Thabani Mpofu filed heads of argument as a friend of the court in the matter, while Messrs Tendai Biti and David Hofisi represented the Justice for Children Trust and the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), respectively. Mr Justin Uladi represented the State, while Mrs Olivia Zvedi acted for the Attorney-General. The nine-member bench heard the matter in 2015 during the tenure of the now late former Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku and reserved judgment. Chief Justice Malaba had to write the judgment which was availed yesterday. The issue of caning had sparked legal challenges in Zimbabwe, with others even contesting caning at school and in the home. However, the Concourt had to make a ruling in relation to the sentencing of juveniles to strokes of the cane, which was before it. The court holds that judicial corporal punishment is, by nature, intent and effect, an inhuman and degrading punishment within the meaning of Section 53 of the Constitution. The court also holds in respect of the main question that Section 353 of the Act is inconsistent with Section 53 of the Constitution. The order of the High Court concerning constitutional invalidity of Section 353 of the Act is hereby confirmed, ruled Chief Justice Malaba. Chief Justice Malaba said the judgment also applied to those who have been convicted of offences, but awaiting caning. With effect from 3 April 2019, no male juvenile convicted of any offence, shall be sentenced to receive moderate corporal punishment. The prohibition shall apply to juveniles already sentenced but awaiting execution, he said. The chief Justice said any punishment which involves the infliction of physical mental violence on a person which caused pain and suffering was inhuman. Many countries, the court said, had since done away with corporal punishment. Caning invades the integrity of the human body. It is an inhuman punishment which blocks the way to understanding the pathology of crime. It has been abolished in many countries of the world as being incompatible with the contemporary concepts of humanity, decency and fundamental fairness, the court ruled. He said there were several other alternatives lawful sentences that can be imposed to rehabilitate the juvenile offenders. President Mnangagwa has appointed 15 new ambassadors drawn from different sectors to replace those who have died, been recalled or retired. The list of the ambassadors-designate includes five service chiefs, who were recently retired from the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF), to take up diplomatic posts. The retired generals include Lieutenant-Generals Anselem Sanyatwe, Douglas Nyikayaramba, Martin Chedondo, Major-General Thando Madzvamuse and Air Marshal Shebba Shumbayawonda. Also on the list is journalist and former MDC MP for Mabvuku-Tafara James Maridadi and University of Zimbabwe lecturer Professor Charity Manyeruke. Other ambassadors-designate are officials in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade while some are former permanent secretaries. These are Mrs Alice Mashingaidze, Mrs Abigail Shonhiwa, Ms Sophia Nyamudeza, Dr Emmanuel Gumbo, Messrs Chrispen Mavodza, Gumisai Gideon Gapare, Vusumuzi Ntonga and Dr Godfrey Chipare. The group is undergoing a one-month training course in diplomatic etiquette which began on April 1 and is being done by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. Foreign Affairs and International Trade Secretary Ambassador James Manzou said the announcement of the postings of the ambassadors-designate was the prerogative of President Mnangagwa. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade was instructed by His Excellency to run a diplomatic course from April 1 to May 9, he said. It is a training for those that are going to be posted abroad and that also includes quite a number of officials from the Ministry who are also being trained for positing at various levels. The signal from Tunis is that Trump will not succeed, by force and bluster, to overturn decades of baselines in negotiations for Middle East peace Last Sunday, 31 March, Tunisia hosted the 30th regular Arab Summit amidst an escalation by the Trump White House against diplomatic gains the Arabs and Palestinians have achieved in the last 52 years in dealing with the consequences of the Israeli occupation of Arab territories in the June War of 1967. These gains have been enshrined in UN resolutions that have garnered international support and have provided the legal foundations for what has become known as the peace process in the Middle East. UN Security Council Resolution 242, unanimously adopted on 22 November 1967 has been the major pillar for all peace efforts and endeavours in the Middle East. In fact, the Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty of March 1979, the Jordan-Israel Peace Treaty of 1994, the Oslo Accords of September 1993 and the two-state solution to peacefully resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, all of these internationally-binding documents have been based on Resolution 242. The Arab Peace Initiative of 2002, initially proposed by Saudi Arabia and later adopted by the Beirut Arab Summit that same year, is based on the land for peace formula of Resolution 242. More importantly, nine American administrations (four Democrats and five Republicans) since 1967 before the Trump administration have guided American diplomacy in the context of UN resolutions concerning the Arab-Israeli conflict. Needless to say, peace-making between the Arabs, the Palestinians and the Israelis has not been smooth sailing, but still, American diplomacy from 1967 till the election victory of President Donald Trump in 2016 succeeded in working out peace deals that served the long-term peace cause in the Middle East. Arab countries and the Palestine Liberation Organisation and later on the Palestinian Authority, established by the Oslo Accords, considered the US role in the pursuit of peace in the region to be crucial and some of them believed that the United States is an honest broker between the Arabs, the Palestinians and the Israelis. Some Arab leaders had gone as far as claiming, erroneously, that 99 per cent of what they had liked to describe as the deal cards were in the hands of the United States. But this was an over exaggeration and a major strategic miscalculation. The decisions by the Trump administration recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, on 6 December 2017, and recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Syrian Golan Heights, on 25 March 2019, should debunk this belief. These two decisions, that run against UN resolutions pertaining to the Arab-Israeli conflict and legitimise the annexation of foreign territories by the use of force, mark a very serious development in American diplomacy in the Middle East and accordingly pose a grave challenge to the Arab world. From June 1967 onwards, the Arabs negotiated with the Israelis through American mediation on the assumption that the United States would respect the spirit, if not the letter, of applicable resolutions in brokering peace deals and arrangements between Arab countries, the Palestinians and the Israelis. Going over the various resolutions adopted by Arab summits on peace in the Middle East, we see a certain benign and positive attitude towards American initiatives in this respect. Arab capitals and cities have seen American presidents, American secretaries of state, American peace envoys and American negotiators come and go, and in some instances shuttling among Middle Eastern capitals to broker a peace deal or to prepare the ground for peace negotiations with the explicit understanding that the endgame is a just, total and comprehensive peace in the Middle East. I am afraid it wont be any longer. The question becomes all the more complicated for the Arab heads of state who have been waiting, and the Palestinians notwithstanding, for the last two years for the much-heralded Deal of the Century of the Trump White House to settle the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. All the while, the US administration sidestepped the two-state solution. No one knows for sure when the Trump administration will unveil this imaginary deal. It has kept postponing the date of officially submitting the deal to concerned parties, and lately some American and Israeli sources suggested that it would do so after the Israeli elections on 9 April 2019. What is interesting in this respect, and provocative in the meantime, is the reply given by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to a question by a Congressman in a House of Representatives last week on the FY 2019/2020 budget for the State Department and foreign aid. Pompeo was asked when the administration would announce its peace deal. The reply was, in less than 20 years. Of course, we should not take this answer by the top American diplomat seriously. However, it goes to show that maybe there wont be any serious American moves towards a just peace. When and if it is announced, we should not be surprised if the US deal would be a capitulation to Israeli demands and conditions. The Tunisia Arab Summit should be a turning point in how Arab countries deal with Trumpian Middle East strategy. The Arabs should not sign onto, whatever the pressure and veiled threats by Washington, the American Middle East Strategic Alliance that Pompeo talked about in Cairo, of all places, during his visit to the Egyptian capital in January. The era of the Americans holding 99 per cent of the cards is history. The year 2019 is not 1979. The final declaration of the Arab Summit in Tunisia incarnated an Arab consensus rejecting any peace deal that is not based on United Nations resolutions pertaining to the Arab-Israeli conflict and to the Palestinian question. *The writer is former assistant foreign minister. *A version of this article appears in print in the 4 April, 2019 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Confronting Trump diplomacy Search Keywords: Short link: NATIONAL power utility Zesa Holdings (Zesa) says it does not expect any load shedding for as long as it can maintain power production at its power plants across the country. The power utility filed an application for a 30 percent tariff increase in mid-March, but is yet to get a reply from Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera). In its application, Zesa, which has not increased tariffs in the last seven years, argued that an increased electricity tariff is the only way the power utility will be able to repair its transmission and distribution network while also allowing the firm to purchase inputs such as coal and diesel. The prices for the latter have since increased. Failure to do so, it said, will result in insufficient maintenance which could lead to blackouts in localities and lines collapsing. Zesas acting chief executive officer Engineer Patrick Chivaura, however, said there are no imminent threats of load shedding in the southern African country at the moment. At the moment we are not load shedding. If we are able to maintain Hwange Power Plant ... it may not be immediately necessary to load shed, he said. Chivaura said the power utility is making all the necessary preparations to ensure that all its power generation plants are firing ahead of winter. He said power supply will also be cushioned by imports from Eskom. It receives 50MW from Eskom as well as from Hidroelectrica de Cahora Bassa in Mozambique. Despite struggling to maintain its ageing power fleet, Zesa has managed to bring new power plants on board in recent years. Last year, it added 300 megawatts to the national grid from the Kariba South Power Station. The expansion increased Kariba South hydro power plants installed capacity to 1050MW. The southern African country also expects to add a further 600MW to the national grid from the Hwange thermal power station where work has already commenced. Zimbabwe has also partnered with Zambia for development of Batoka Gorge power plant, which will generate 2 400MW to be shared equally between the two nations and work is expected to start by end of this year. Daily News A prisoner escaped from Victoria Falls prison where he was serving 15 months, Matabeleland North public relations officer for the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS), Assistant Principal Correctional Officer (APCO) Gareth Nkomo has confirmed. Noel Mwembe (33) of Victoria Falls escaped on Monday afternoon and a manhunt has since been launched. He was serving a 15-month jail term after being convicted of disposing pesticide or toxic substance into the environment, said APCO Nkomo. Mwembe was set to complete his term on January 21 next year. APCO Nkomo said investigations to establish how Mwembe escaped are in progress. A source however said Mwembe escaped when he and other inmates were doing some menial work near CHOGM Park about 400 metres from the prison holding cells at the magistrates court. A source however said Mwembe escaped when he and other inmates were doing some menial work near CHOGM Park about 400 metres from the prison holding cells at the magistrates court. Mwembe allegedly told prison guards that he wanted to relieve himself and entered a nearby bush before disappearing. Prison officers searched for him after noticing that he had not returned but could not find him. A report was then made to the police. In 2017 a self-proclaimed prophet who doubles as a tsikamutanda, Jabulani Nyoni escaped from Victoria Falls prison. He was re-arrested a few days later and claimed that he bribed a prison officer who assisted him to escape. Nyoni was then transferred to Khami Maximum Prison. Last year, another self-proclaimed inyanga Masimpe Muleya escaped from Hwange Prison in the company of Maxwell Musariri, a constable who had been arrested for breaking into colleagues houses. The two used a piece of steel from a combat boot to drill a hole on a wooden section of the prison cell wall before making good their escape. Both were re-arrested and transferred to Khami Maximum Prison. Meanwhile, a Gwanda Prison inmate has been jailed three months for escaping while he was working at a ranch in Colleen Bawn with 14 other inmates under the supervision of five prison officers. Polite Siziba (23) of Vokola area in Filabusi fled from prison officers and went to his homestead where he was arrested the following day. He was convicted on his own plea of guilty to escaping from lawful custody by Gwanda magistrate, Mrs Nomagugu Sibanda. Siziba was sentenced to an effective three months in jail. Prosecuting, Miss Faith Mutukwa said Siziba fled on March 25 and was arrested the following day at around 1PM. On 25 March at around 7AM Siziba who is serving a 30 month jail term for unlawful entry at Gwanda Prison was clearing bushes along power lines at South Hill Ranch in Colleen Bawn together with 14 other inmates under the supervision of five prison officers. Siziba escaped into the bushes and went away unnoticed. The prison officers later instructed the inmates to get into the vehicle at around 2PM so that they could return to Gwanda Prison and thats when they realised that Siziba was missing. They searched around the area but failed to locate him, she said. SEVEN Chinese nationals facing charges of illegal possession of more than 20kg of rhino horn pieces with an estimated value of about $1 million have approached the High Court seeking bail pending trial. Zeng Dengui (35), Peicon Jang (35), Liu Cheng (23), Yu Xian (25), Yong Zhu (25), Chen Zhiangfu (30) and Qui Jinchang (29) have filed an application for bail pending trial at the Bulawayo High Court, citing the State as a respondent. The Chinese nationals, who have been in custody since their arrest in December last year in Victoria Falls, are being charged with money laundering and possession of ivory. The seven had their application for discharge dismissed by Hwange regional magistrate Mr Collet Ncube last month. They have since filed an application for review under case number HC640/19 challenging the dismissal and the matter is still pending before the High Court in Bulawayo. In their bail statement, the seven accused persons, who are being represented by lawyers from Mvhiringi and Associates, said their continued detention was a violation of their right to liberty in terms of the administration of justice. They argued that there was no scope of interference with investigations or evidence since all State witnesses have already testified. The accused persons also dismissed the States fears that there was a likelihood of absconding given the seriousness of the alleged offence, arguing that the State case was weak hence the probability of their conviction was next to none. The applicants believe that the respondent has failed to prove a prima facie case against them at the close of its case. The court a quo dismissed the application for discharge and the applicants then filed an application for review in this honourable court seeking review of that decision. The applicants believe that their application for review filed under case number HC640/19 has merit, argued the applicants lawyers. The lawyers contended that the lower court unreasonably disposed of the applicants application for discharge without addressing whether or not the State had laid evidence on the essential elements of possession. The lawyers said their clients demonstrated that the interest of justice would not be prejudiced if they are released on bail pending determination of the matter. The seven men offered to pay a security deposit of US$1 000 each with the clerk of court at Hwange magistrates court and surrender their passports as part of their bail conditions. They also indicated that they were willing to report every day at Victoria Falls Police Station and continue residing at their given addresses until the matter is finalised. Allegations against the seven are that on December 23, they were found in possession of several pieces of rhino horns weighing 20,98kg and valued at $938 700 at house number 858 Aerodrome suburb in Victoria Falls where they were renting. The house belongs to a taxidermist who operates a wildlife trophy shop. Police received a tip-off and raided the house after obtaining a search warrant from court. (Newser) A boy found by Kentucky police Wednesday says he's Timmothy Pitzen, 14and if he is, that's long-awaited news. Newport residents called police about a suspicious boy walking the streets in a hoodie with a bruised face, who later said he had just escaped two kidnappers at a Red Roof Inn, possibly in Illinois. Now the FBI says it's working with area police forces to scour hotels for two white muscle-bound menone with a snake tattoo and the other a spider web tattoowho may be driving a white Ford SUV with Wisconsin plates, WCPO reports. Police in Aurora, Illinois, are also conducting overnight DNA tests to see if he's the same Timmothy Pitzen who vanished eight years ago under tragic circumstances. story continues below That boy's mother, Amy Fry-Pitzen, pulled him out of an Aurora school on May 11, 2011, and was later found dead in a Rockford hotel with a suicide note, the Cincinnati Enquirer recalls. "You'll never find him," she wrote, adding that she left Timmothy with people who "would care for him and love him." Timmothy was indeed gone along with his car seat and Spider-man backpack. Police have since received thousands of tips, including a possible 2014 sighting in northern Illinois right after an age-progressed image of Timmothy was released, per NBC Chicago. Now Timmothy's maternal grandmother says she's cautiously hopeful: "Praying it's him and he's okay," she tells ABC News. The teen found Wednesday seems to have disabilities, per WAGM-TV. (Read more missing child stories.) (Newser) Former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn is back in the Tokyo Detention Center after what legal experts say was a highly unusual re-arrest of somebody out on bail. Ghosnwho was released on $8.9 million bail almost a month ago after 108 days in custodywas detained Thursday on suspicion of misappropriating $5 million in Nissan funds for personal use, the BBC reports. The 65-year-old was first arrested on financial misconduct charges in November. Prosecutors say Ghosn is suspected of diverting funds sent from a Nissan subsidiary to a car dealership in Oman between 2015 and 2018, reports the AP. story continues below Ghosn left his Tokyo residence in a van early Thursday after being visited by more than a dozen officials from the prosecutor's office, according to reports in local media. In a statement, Ghosn slammed his latest arrest as "outrageous and arbitrary," Reuters reports. "It is part of another attempt by some individuals at Nissan to silence me by misleading the prosecutors," he said. "Why arrest me except to try to break me? I will not be broken. I am innocent of the groundless charges and accusations against me." The day before the re-arrest, Ghosn promised to reveal the truth about the allegations in a press conference April 11. "I am determined that the truth will come out," Ghosn said in the statement Thursday. "I am confident that if tried fairly, I will be vindicated." (Read more Carlos Ghosn stories.) (Newser) It's not clear whether they were random vandals or persons with a grudge against the 38th president, but a couple in Michigan could be in very serious trouble for defacing the gravesite of former President Gerald Ford and wife Betty Ford. Police in Michigan say the young man and woman arrived at the Grand Rapids grave on skateboards last week and proceeded to carry out "extreme vandalism," NBC News reports. Police say the man tried to rip out letters from panels reading "Lives Committed to God, Country, and Love," while the woman could be seen kicking her skateboard into the panels, reports the AP. The grave is at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum. story continues below "We look upon this site as an important site," says Joel Westphal, deputy director of the presidential library. "This is a presidential gravesite, and we're not happy." Police say the couple could face larceny charges over the March 27 incident, MLive.com reports. The letter "e" from "Committed" is missing and will cost around $400 to replace, authorities say. Ford, who became vice president after Spiro Agnew resigned in 1973 and became president when Richard Nixon stepped down the following year, died in 2006 at the age of 93. His wife, who founded the Betty Ford Center for addiction treatment, died in 2011. (Read more Gerald Ford stories.) (Newser) A House committee chairman on Wednesday formally asked the IRS to provide six years of President Trump's personal tax returns and the returns for some of his businesses as Democrats try to shed light on his complex financial dealings and potential conflicts of interest. The request by Massachusetts Rep. Richard Neal, who heads the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, is the first such demand for a sitting president's tax information in 45 years. The move is likely to set off a huge legal battle between Democrats controlling the House and the Trump administration. Neal made the request in a letter to IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig, asking for Trump's personal and business returns for 2013 through 2018, the AP reports. story continues below Neal asked for the documents in seven days, setting an April 10 deadline. Trump told reporters Wednesday he "would not be inclined" to provide his tax returns to the committee. The Trump businesses in the new requestpart of Trump's global empire of some 500 entitiesinclude the trust he set up to handle all his holdings during his presidency. An IRS spokesman said the agency had no immediate comment on Neal's request. Trump broke with decades of tradition for presidential candidates by refusing to release his income tax filings during his 2016 campaign. He has said he won't release them because he is being audited, even though IRS officials have said taxpayers under audit are free to release their returns. Trump said Wednesday that he is still under audit. (Read more Trump tax return stories.) (Newser) What was supposed to be a relaxing day fishing on his 39th birthday turned to tragedy for a California man, who died after a rogue wave pulled him into the water. The Humboldt County Sheriff's Office tells KRCR that Andrew Machi was casting lines on March 22 at Luffenholtz Beach in Trinidad, Calif., his wife and three kids nearby, when he was suddenly knocked off the rocks he was standing on and into the water by a "sneaker" wavea type of wave said to "appear without warning, often surging high up on the beach with deadly force." Per a GoFundMe set up by the sister of Machi's wife, Brandie, "Brandie jumped in and tried to save him," but he was too far away from her, "and the water was throwing her back into the rocks." story continues below The San Francisco Chronicle reports a Coast Guard helicopter was dispatched to the scene, and a rescuer was able to locate Machi, who was taken to a local hospital. "Coroner said he believes he hit his head on rocks and was knocked out," Brandie's sister writes on GoFundMe. Fox News notes a similar incident involving a sneaker wave seriously injured a woman in Oregon a day after what happened to Machi. "NEVER turn your back on the ocean!" a local rescue agency warns in a Facebook post about the Oregon incident. A celebration of Machi's life will be held on April 13. "To say he is devoted to his family is an understatement," Machi's obituary reads. "Drew is, was, and always will be the center of his family." (Read more freak accident stories.) (Newser) Relatives of one of America's most famous consumer advocates have a personal connection to last month's Ethiopian Airlines crashand they plan to sue. Samya Rose Stumo, the 24-year-old daughter of a Ralph Nader niece, was killed in the crash of the Boeing 737 Max. Her relatives plan to file a wrongful-death lawsuit in federal court Thursday against Boeing, the airline, and parts maker Rosemount Aerospace, the New York Times reports. Stumo, the daughter of attorneys Michael Stumo and Nadia Milleron, died while on a trip for her job with health systems development organization ThinkWell, reports the Connecticut Post. "She was ambitious and passionate about revolutionizing global health," attorneys say. story continues below Nader, 85, has long criticized the Federal Aviation Administration for failing to regulate airlines and aircraft makers aggressively enough. Last month, he told the Wall Street Journal that Boeing could be exposed to both criminal and civil liability in the Ethiopian Airlines crash, which killed 157 passengers and crew and led to the grounding of Boeing 737 Max aircraft worldwide. "They lulled us into complacency," Nader said of Boeing. He accused the company of ignoring pilots' concerns and failing to act swiftly enough, but said the case "could finally lead to some fundamental reforms in aviation safety." "Above all, we have put out a call for whistleblowers," he added. (An upcoming report on the crash is expected to be bad news for Boeing.) (Newser) Police say the man accused of the Christchurch mosque attacks will face 50 murder charges and 39 attempted murder charges at his second court appearance on Friday. Australian citizen Brenton Harrison Tarrant was charged with one representative count of murder after his arrest the day of the March 15 massacre, the AP reports. Fifty people were killed in the two mosques and dozens of others were shot and wounded. Tarrant, 28, won't be required to enter a plea on Friday. The judge says the brief hearing will mainly be about Tarrant's legal representation. He has said he wants to represent himself. Tarrant is due to make his appearance via video link, although media photographs and reporting on the proceedings will be limited by New Zealand law. story continues below New Zealand tightly restricts what can be reported about upcoming court cases to avoid tainting the views of potential jurors. Tarrant's first appearance was on the day after the attacks in the Christchurch District Court. His case has now been moved to the High Court in Wellington due to the seriousness of the charges. Tarrant has reportedly been moved to a high-security prison in Auckland, which is why he'll appear via video link. New Zealand's Department of Corrections said in an email they wouldn't answer questions such as where Tarrant was being held due to operational security reasons. "At this time, he has no access to television, radio, or newspapers and no approved visitors," the department said. (Read more New Zealand mosque shootings stories.) The world must pay more attention to the growing economic, political and social problems in Nigeria before the country erupts into further violence With a population of over 190 million representing more than half of the entire population of West Africa stands Nigeria as both the continents biggest economy and the country having the largest population. Nigeria is the largest oil-producer on the continent, giving it an important economic edge over its neighbours. However, this has not stopped Nigeria from falling into corruption, with some 91 million people living in extreme poverty, according to recent statistics, thus overtaking India. On 23 February this year, Nigerian President Mohamed Buhari was re-elected for a second term after facing strong competition from contender former vice president Atiku Abubakar. Buhari, who defeated Abubakar by a margin of three million votes, has an uphill battle in front of him in fighting the Boko Haram terrorist group along with the growing economic and social problems that exacerbated during his first term in office. The war against Boko Haram, an Islamic State (IS)-affiliated terrorist group, has left over 60,000 killed and over three million displaced since IS declared war on the Nigerian government in 2009. The latest massacres by terrorists against Christians in Nigeria claimed the lives of 120 people and the destruction of 140 homes in the Kajuru region. These took place between February and March 2019, and they were just the latest in a series of massacres conducted by Boko Haram and Fulani terrorist militias. This conflict has also spilled over into neighbouring countries such as Chad and Mali, with Dogon tribes killing 115 of Muslim-majority Fulani villagers in retaliation against Fulani attacks in Mali, for example. In neighbouring Chad, Boko Haram killed 23 Chadian soldiers on 23 March. Boko Haram has been wreaking havoc in Nigeria for over a decade, leaving thousands of dead and even kidnapping women and children. The Nigerian government is believed to have gone to great lengths to fight the growing cancer of Boko Haram, though with few signs of success. The group remains very active in the north of the country and has been successful in targeting civilians and army forces alike. President Buhari originally came to power in Nigerias 2015 elections as a saviour for a nation that had been suffering from corruption, poverty and the war on terrorism ignited by the presence of Boko Haram. However, despite limited economic growth over the past four years, little has been achieved in the areas Buhari promised to tackle. The high hopes that surrounded his first election were not reflected in his performance, which did not live up to the expectations of his supporters who believed that his military background could be the key to solving the countrys security and economic issues. The most alarming problems in Nigeria nowadays are the economy and the deteriorating social stability of this vast country. The youth unemployment rate in Nigeria skyrocketed from 10 per cent in 2014 to a whopping 38 per cent in July 2018, the highest in the countrys history. Massive violence has been recorded on multiple occasions in elections and afterwards, with opposition PDP Party senatorial aide Nnamdi Nsorom shot by two men on a motorbike on 8 March, for example, in a sign that the violence has not stopped even after the elections. The opposition also accuses Buhari of autocratic moves, after the arrest of his rival Abubakars son-in-law Alhaji Abdullahi on allegations of corruption just a week after Buharis election victory. The opposition believes that the arrest was politically motivated because Abubakar had released a list of 28 corrupt associates of Buhari. There have been reports of army involvement in the February 2019 elections to the extent of attacking some voters. Nigerian Army Chief of Staff Tukur Buratai said that the army had taken proactive measures to protect the nation slumping into a post-election crisis such as the one that took place in 1967 and led to a three-year civil war. The governor of Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson, accused the military of operating a terror force during the 2019 elections, saying that it had played a negative role during the presidential and National Assembly elections. The Nigerian parliament has issued a decree calling for the investigation of allegations of the illegal involvement of the Nigerian army in the latest elections, derailing the democratic process. The army has been reportedly involved in the killings of civilians, including women and children, dating back to 2011 and 2012, with over 1,111 people reported killed in the district of Borno. This has been reported by multiple international human rights organisations, including Amnesty International, but the Nigerian army has categorically denied all such accusations. Destroying Boko Haram was one of Buharis chief election promises in 2015, but four years later the country remains nearly at a standstill as the terrorist group has expanded eastwards in neighbouring countries such as Cameroon and Mali after receiving recruits from the Sub-Saharan and Sahel countries. As Africas most populous country and the one having its largest economy, the situation in Nigeria has ripple effects on neighbouring countries both militarily and economically. The international medias lack of coverage of the events taking place in the huge country is baffling and displays a lack of responsibility, since over recent years the Western media in particular has shown little attention to escalating situations until they explode into disaster. This may be what is brewing now in Nigeria, where the political disturbances that could lead to armed conflicts will not be limited to that country alone but will surely expand across the continent and eventually to the Western countries. These have usually paid little attention to events in Nigeria as long as Nigerian oil is flowing. The Nigerian situation can be described in terms of what economists call too big to fail, and accordingly the more it drags the country down, the more volatile the situation in the entire West African region will become. It is thus crucial that the world pays more attention to the growing economic, political and social problems in this African country before it erupts into more massive violence that could create a continental and eventually a global problem the size of those in Syria and Iraq. Nigeria also has nearly four times the population of the latter countries combined, and it has one of the youngest populations in the world. These things alone should help to focus minds on the extent of the problems that could arise should Nigerias problems be left unsolved. * The writer is a political analyst and author of Egypts Arab Spring and the Winding Road to Democracy. *A version of this article appears in print in the 4 April, 2019 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: The Nigerian quagmire Search Keywords: Short link: (Newser) For more than half a century, modern mathematicians have been trying to crack two stubborn numbers problemsand a UK professor just solved one of them. As Live Science explains, the problem itself seems fairly straight-forward: Which three cubed numbers add up to 33? The University of Bristol's Andrew Booker devised a new algorithm to hunt for an answer to the puzzlea Diophantine equation in math-speakand "did a jump for joy" when a university supercomputer spit out the answer after three weeks, he says in this Numberphile video. The three numbers: 8,866,128,975,287,528; -8,778,405,442,862,239; and -2,736,111,468,807,040. Cube them, add them up, and you get 33. story continues below Not all such equations are anywhere near as tough. As Quanta points out, you can get to 29 by cubing 3, 1, and 1, and adding them. And for some numbers, it's mathematically impossible to get a Diophantine solution. But for all numbers under 100 that should have solutions, mathematicians had found them, except for 33 and 42. Booker's solutionhe's getting credit for a clever algorithm, not just the brute force of computingleaves only 42 as the holdout. If that number rings a bell, a post from the University of Bristol might explain why: As fans of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy know, 42 just happens to be the answer to the meaning of life. (Read more mathematics stories.) (Newser) On Valentine's Day in 2016, a 12-year-old boy on a snowboard ran into a 10-year-old boy on the bunny slope at New Jersey's Mountain Creek ski resort. The 10-year-old's father didn't take it welland on Wednesday, he was convicted on a host of charges in what's been called a "ski rage" attack. The jury found Dr. Samuel Caruthers, 47, guilty of third-degree endangering the welfare of a child, simple assault, a disorderly persons offense, and fourth-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, the New Jersey Herald reports. After the 12-year-old ran into his son, Caruthers, who works as an anesthesiologist, punched him and stabbed him with a ski pole. The boy suffered a rib contusion and a busted lip. Sentencing, at which Caruthers faces up to seven years behind bars, is set for May 24. story continues below The boy, now 15, says the collision was an accident. Caruthers said during the trial that he didn't realize the victim was a child, noting he was 5 feet, 7 inches tall, wearing thick ski clothes, and sporting goggles and a mustache. Caruthers' attorney is filing a motion to overturn the verdict, pointing out what he sees as problems with the jury's findings: Caruthers was found not guilty on charges of third-degree aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and third-degree possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose, and the lawyer says it's therefore inconsistent that he was found guilty on a separate weapons charge. He has issues with most of the other charges as well. "I believe when this is finally resolved, the only charge remaining will be simple assault," he tells NJ.com. If his motion is denied, the attorney says he will file an appeal. (Also embroiled in ski slope drama: Gwyneth.) (Newser) Sen. Michael Bennet has been expected to join the ever-growing 2020 presidential field, but the Colorado Democrat got some bad news that's delaying a final answer on that. He has prostate cancer. He'll be getting surgery to remove his prostate gland, the same surgery John Kerry survived in 2003, coming back on the campaign trail cancer-free to win the Democratic nomination for president in 2004. His doctors tell him the risk is low, and in a statement on Twitter, he says that thanks to early detection, his prognosis is good. So, he tells the Colorado Independent, he still plans to run for presidentas long as he's cancer-free. The surgery is scheduled soon after Congress begins its spring recess April 11. story continues below "The idea was to announce [a presidential run] sometime in April," Bennet says. "That was the plan. We hired some staff. We interviewed people for positions in New Hampshire and Iowa. And then I went for the physical. In my last physical, my PSA was high. They did a biopsy, and it was clear. But this time, it was not clear." After much thought, the 54-year-old found that he still wanted to run if he could. As for his reasons for running, he says no one else in the Democratic field is talking about dysfunction in Congress: "I am shocked every day" by how little Congress gets done, he says. He's also passionate about health care reform: "The idea that the richest county in the world hasnt figured out how to have universal health care is beyond embarrassing. Its devastating." (Read more Election 2020 stories.) (Newser) Nearly three decades after the body of a newborn girl was found wrapped in newspaper and left in a field, police in South Carolina have charged a 53-year-old woman they say is the infant's mother. Brook Graham is charged with homicide by child abuse, the Greenville News reports. A man picking wildflowers to give his wife on Valentine's Day found the infant's body in 1990, placed inside a cardboard box for a vacuum, and left in a field. An autopsy found the baby was breathing on her own, outside the womb, before she died. The Greenville police chief on Thursday called it "terrible murder of a defenseless infant," per WYFF. Investigators at the time gave the infant the name Julie Valentine, and that name came to represent child abuse prevention in Greenville. A center that helps survivors is named for her, and a plaque and statue in city parks honor her. story continues below As with recent other cold cases, DNA testing led police to an arrest. Investigators have said the placenta, plus sheets, towels, and other items that appeared to have been used during a home delivery, were found in the box with the body. DNA and genealogy tracing led them to the child's father, per the News, who took them to Graham. The father has not been charged. The two came to the attention of police at the time of the killing, when detectives traced the order history for vacuum cleaners at Sears. But genealogy gave police the link they needed. On Thursday, the executive director of the Julie Valentine Center said the nonprofit keeps the infant's legacy alive, though reflecting on the killing still brings pain. "We all ask, 'Why?' as if an answer would make us feel any better," she said. (DNA company's pitch raises privacy concerns.) (Newser) The House on Thursday voted to end American involvement in the Yemen war, rebuffing the Trump administration's support for the military campaign led by Saudi Arabia, the AP reports. The Senate did the same in March, and the bill now heads to President Trump, who is expected to veto it. The White House says the bill raises "serious constitutional concerns," and Congress lacks the votes to override him. By a 247-175 vote, Congress for the first time invoked the decades-old War Powers Resolution to try and stop a foreign conflict. "The president will have to face the reality that Congress is no longer going to ignore its constitutional obligations when it comes to foreign policy," said Democratic Rep. Eliot Engel of New York, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. He said the humanitarian crisis in Yemen triggered by the war "demands moral leadership." story continues below The war is in its fifth year. Thousands of people have been killed and millions are on the brink of starvation. The United Nations has called the situation in Yemen the world's worst humanitarian crisis. The top Republican on the committee, Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas, acknowledged the dire situation in Yemen for civilians, but he spoke out in opposition to the bill, saying it was an abuse of the War Powers Resolution. "This radical interpretation has implications far beyond Saudi Arabia," McCaul said. He warned that the measure could "disrupt US security cooperation agreements with more than 100 counties." Opposition to the Saudi-led war in Yemen gathered support last year in the aftermath of the death of US-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the hands of agents of the kingdom. (Trump has used his veto power only once so far.) (Newser) The US-Mexico border won't be closed after all. A few days ago, President Trump threatened to shut the border as early as this week unless Mexico stopped all illegal immigration immediately. On Thursday, the president replaced the threat with a warning: If Mexico doesn't stop illegal drugs and immigrants from crossing the border within a year, the US will start imposing taxes on cars and other products, reports the Hill. And if that doesn't work, "we close the border," he said. "We're going to give them a one-year warning." story continues below The shift comes after members of both parties in Congress, along with business groups, made clear to the White House that closing the border could have disastrous financial consequences, reports the Washington Post. Mexico is the United States' third largest trading partner. Trump apparently got the message, but he insisted his threat is real. You know I will do it, he said to reporters in the Cabinet Room. I dont play games. (Read more President Trump stories.) (Newser) Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan jumped into the 2020 presidential race on Thursday, portraying himself as a candidate who can bridge Democrats' progressive and working class wings to win the White House, the AP reports. Ryan, 45, announced his primary bid on ABC's The View. He plans a kickoff rally on Saturday in downtown Youngstown, where a big turnout by organized labor is expected. Ryan is the 17th Democrat to officially enter the race, per ABC. The congressman resisted being labeled a political centrist by the talk show's hosts, who pointed out that he's a recreational hunter with past backing from the National Rifle Association. In 2015, he reversed his past opposition to abortion in favor of abortion rights. story continues below "I'm a progressive who knows how to talk to working class people, and I know how to get elected in working class districts, because, at the end of the day, the progressive agenda is what's best for working families," Ryan said. During an unsuccessful bid to replace Nancy Pelosi as House Democratic leader in 2016, Ryan criticized the party for supporting leadership that represents the US coasts at the expense of the middle of the country. Ryan represents the district formerly held by the late Democratic Rep. Jim Traficant, for whom he worked. The blue collar area swung strongly for Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton in 2016. Bringing those voters back into the fold will be critical in 2020, said Mahoning County Democratic Chairman David Betras. Per Larry Sabato, the previous record for number of Democratic presidential candidates was 13 in 1976; the record for Republican presidential candidates is the 17 who ran in 2016. (Read more Election 2020 stories.) Let us know what you're seeing and hearing around the community. Submit here Tanana Valley Clinic CEO Mike Powers speaks on the negative impacts of Gov. Mike Dunleavy's proposed budget cuts during the Greater Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce luncheon Tuesday afternoon, April 2, 2019, at the Westmark Hotel. The Daily News-Miner encourages residents to make themselves heard through the Opinion pages. Readers' letters and columns also appear online at newsminer.com. Contact the editor with questions at letters@newsminer.com or call 459-7574. Community Perspective Send Community Perspective submissions by mail (P.O. Box 70710, Fairbanks AK 99707) or via email (letters@newsminer.com). Submissions must be 500 to 750 words. Columns are welcome on a wide range of issues and should be well-written and well-researched with attribution of sources. Include a full name, email address, daytime telephone number and headshot photograph suitable for publication (email jpg or tiff files at 150 dpi.) You may also schedule a photo to be taken at the News-Miner office. The News-Miner reserves the right to edit submissions or to reject those of poor quality or taste without consulting the writer. Letters to the editor Send letters to the editor by mail (P.O. Box 70710, Fairbanks AK 99707), by fax (907-452-7917) or via email (letters@newsminer.com). Writers are limited to one letter every two weeks (14 days.) All letters must contain no more than 350 words and include a full name (no abbreviation), daytime and evening phone numbers and physical address. (If no phone, then provide a mailing address or email address.) The Daily News-Miner reserves the right to edit or reject letters without consulting the writer. Executives at Toyota Motor say they will grant royalty-free access to their patents for hybrid vehicles. They're aiming to expand the HV market amid a global tightening of fuel economy rules. Toyota says it will provide other makers with the rights to more than 23,000 patents for hybrid-related parts and systems. These include electric motors and power control units. Toyota also plans to provide rival makers with technical support. The company hopes the move will encourage more automakers to produce hybrids. This should help lower production costs for entirely electric vehicles -- which share key components with hybrids. Toyota Executive Vice President Shigeki Terashi said, "Our mass production technology can also be adapted to electric and fuel cell vehicles. The manufacturing foundations we've built will help spread such vehicles in the future." Terashi said Toyota wants to help speed up reductions in carbon dioxide emissions. aForgotten Centera instead of aLost and Founda is just one of the mistranslations discovered on websites that may puzzle foreign tourists in Japan, the government said Wednesday, urging the operators to fix such problems as soon as possible. With the country readying itself for an influx of more foreign visitors ahead of next yearas Olympics, the Japan Tourism Agency conducted a survey between February and March, looking through a total of 85 websites by train and bus operators as well as transportation signs in towns. Peculiar English words were found on websites that rely on direct machine translation, with problematic examples including the use of adwarfa for achildrena and arelease placea for aticket machines.a The agency also found that translations of some sentences were confusing or incomprehensible, with examples including awhat happens to the children fare from what age?a The machine-aided system also did unnecessary translation of the names of train stations on some websites, making it difficult for non-Japanese speakers to comprehend, the agency said. There are millions around the world who are superstitious in some way, shape or form, with many believing in the power of luck charms and amulets too. Youall often find that people carry lucky charms with them, in order to help them stay lucky throughout the day, and this sort of behaviour can be traced back centuries. Some countries are steeped in history of superstition and the like, none more so than Japan. This is one of the reasons why it is such an intriguing place to visit. It can be argued that by nature humans are superstitious and they have been for centuries. Superstition was initially conceived to ward of the threat of evil in its earliest form, with it then used to fend off bad luck. People took part in superstitious activities, carrying lucky charms and amulets way back in the 1500s, with anthropologists finding evidence in cave inscriptions where a desire was shown by humans to ward off both bad luck and evil. Taking a closer look at Japanese superstition, amulets and lucky charms, itas clear to see that Japan as a country has deep rooted history when it comes to seeking out good fortune and therefore fending off bad luck. One of the first things to note is that the colour red is very important in Japan and it has been since ancient times. Men in power were believed to be protected from evil and disaster thanks to the colour red, while itas also now believed red can ward off evil from anything. One of the most recognisable symbols of good fortune in Japan is that of koi fish. Koi fish have been associated with good luck for centuries and they also symbolise courage in Buddhism. There are a number of legends that surround koi fish, and this is one of the reasons why symbolically theyare held in the highest regard in Japan and beyond still to this day. Weave even seen koi have an impact in other areas too, including gambling, where thereas even a Koi Fortune slots game that is very popular with gamers. It shows just how powerful koi is when it comes to good fortune and food luck. Coins, which were the most popular form of currency before paper and digital currency were introduced, are also seen as lucky charms in Japan. The 5-yen coin, which is often now sold as a good luck charm around the world, is said to bring the owner more money. Theyare also believed to enable to the user to strike up and build better relationships with other people too. Finally, keys and the number seven are also of huge importance in Japan too, for both good luck and fortune. When three keys are worn together, theyare recognised as a powerful good luck charm which can lead to health, wealth and love. The number seven dates back to ancient Japanese times when people could call upon the power of the Seven Gods of Fortune. It is believed that the number seven still harnesses this power and therefore its presence is still strong within Japan and Japanese communities. The Roman Catholic archbishop of the U.S. island territory of Guam, Anthony Apuron, has been definitively convicted of sexual abuse of m... The Roman Catholic archbishop of the U.S. island territory of Guam, Anthony Apuron, has been definitively convicted of sexual abuse of minors and removed from office, the Vatican said on Thursday. Apuron, who was accused of abusing three young men decades ago, was first convicted by a Vatican tribunal a year ago and had appealed. He has, however, denied wrongdoing. The tribunal of the Vaticans Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith upheld the first verdict. Apuron, 73 and a native of Guam, was removed from office and prohibited from living on the island, even temporarily, the Vatican said. The allegations against Apuron first emerged in 2016 when one of the victims, a former altar boy, came forward when he was in his 50s and other victims followed. The Vatican said the decision was definitive and no longer could be challenged on appeal. Apuron had served as the islands archbishop since 1986. The Churchs credibility has been crushed in much of the world by abuse scandals in countries including Ireland, Chile, Australia, France, the U.S. and Poland, paying billions of dollars in damages to victims and forcing parishes to close. The scandals have reached the upper echelons of the Vatican itself with the conviction of Cardinal George Pell, jailed this month for six years for abusing boys in his native Australia. He had served as the Vatican treasurer and a member of the Popes innermost council of Cardinals until his conviction in 2018. Other senior Church officials have been accused of knowingly covering up abuse, including the archbishop of Lyon, who was convicted this year in France for failing to report abuse. Archbishop Michael Byrnes, a former assistant bishop of Detroit, succeeds Apuron as archbishop of the islands single archdiocese, Agana. The archdiocese, which has been hit by a number of lawsuits by victims of abuse, has filed for reorganisation bankruptcy in the islands U.S. district court. Popular radio presenter and controversial founder of Free Nation movement, Ifedayo Olarinde popularly called Daddy Freeze, has taken a... Popular radio presenter and controversial founder of Free Nation movement, Ifedayo Olarinde popularly called Daddy Freeze, has taken a swipe at the General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry, Pastor Williams Kumuyi, for saying it was an abomination unto God for women to put on mens wears. Kumuyi, who had preached on the topic: The Inner and Outward Beauty of Kingdom Citizens, said the Bible specifically warned that men should not put on womens wear neither should women put on mens wears. In his reaction, Daddy Freeze said Kumuyi was totally wrong on this and went on to explain his views on the matter on his social media handles. According to him, Kumuyi is somebody he respected and would not disrespect him, but stated that the preacher was wrong for saying women should not put on trousers. He scored Kumuyi zero in the matter and went on to cite Deuteronomy 22:5 where the Deeper Life pastor took his text and capped it up with verses 23, 25 and 28. He said, When you go to shops, there is always female and male shorts, there are male and female trousers, Kumuyis theory is flawed. You cannot pick the text you like, that suits you. If you are doing Deuteronomy, you must do all. Wearing trouser, or marrying a rapist is done away with. Not wearing male or female clothes is Jewish tradition, they have been abolished in the New Testament, there is no need for women to have separate clothing, no need for all these junks. The Federal Executive Council (FEC) Wednesday approved N5.5 billion for the creation of 60,000 jobs. The contract, under the N-... The Federal Executive Council (FEC) Wednesday approved N5.5 billion for the creation of 60,000 jobs. The contract, under the N-Power Knowledge Multipack project, is to train 12,000 youths between 18 and 25 years old. The 12,000 youths will, in turn, be empowered to train additional youths, bringing the total beneficiaries to 60,000. The Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo Udoma, briefed State House correspondents at the end of FEC meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. According to him, the contract, which was awarded under the Social Investment Programmes, will make provision of N259,000 each for training the youths and N207, 000 each for their tools. He said: One of the projects approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) today is knowledge, youth and empowerment programme. Now, this programme targets 12,000 young Nigerians of between the ages of 18to 25 years. It is meant to give them training and devices. The training intends to transform the 12,000 beneficiaries from unemployed, under-employed trainees to employed citizens and entrepreneurs. It will deliver to 12,000 beneficiaries informed trainings which will enable beneficiaries build and imbibe technical proficiency such as assembling, repairs, maintenance as well as technology skills and digital literacy across a wide range of electronic brands, products and technology which can be grouped into three areas mobile devices, computing devices and commonly used electronic devices irrespective of their socio-economic backgrounds. Its a programme that is open to all unemployed youths across the six geopolitical zones. Each of the 12,000 targeted beneficiaries will be empowered to train 5,000 youths via a training platform which means they will need to translate the jobs to 60,000 additional jobs because each of the 12,000 is empowered to train five other youths via a training platform and engage them on his or her platform. The project is awarded to Messrs Softcam. Its of nine months duration. Softcam will be working with officials of Social Investment Programme. It will cost N259,000 per youth for the training and N207,000 for work tools. Thereafter, once they are trained, they will set up their businesses. Each of the 12,000 beneficiaries will set up his/her business. The cost is N5.595 billion. The idea is to ensure that our youths are trained and capable of handling all these electronic equipment, Udoma said. The Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed said $6.8 million loan was approved for the rebuilding of the Northeast. Hajia Ahmed said: As at December 2018, the National Assembly had approved the Issuance of Promissory Notes to two (2) creditor categories from the Programme: Refund to 21 state governments for projects executed on behalf of the Federal Government (Refunds to 4 States Bauchi, Delta, Kogi and Taraba, were not approved) (N488,743,526,204.77). ii. Payment to Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) for Fuel Supply Accrued Interest and Foreign Exchange Differentials (N348,003,054,975.00). Note: Subsequent to the submission of this Memo to Council, NASS approved the following additional items: Refund to two (2) State Governments (Delta and Taraba States) N90,236,461,031.36; Payment for six (6) Contractors N206,065,107,252.69; and, Payment of Exporters Claims under the Export Expansion Grant (EEG) Scheme N195,089,234,808.63. Purpose of the Council Memo To seek Councils approval for the following: i. Appointment of Transaction Parties for the Programme To incur a total estimated cost of N689.96 million (including Fees and Expenses to the Transaction Parties) in implementing the Programme and that the funds be sourced from proceeds of FGN Securities Issuance. Appointment of Transaction Parties and the Procurement Process Three categories of Transaction Parties are to be appointed for the implementation of the Programme. They are: i) An International Accounting Firm operating in Nigeria (for verification of the liabilities); ii) Financial Advisers (for the structuring of the Promissory Note); and, iii) Legal Advisers (for legal advisory services and litigations that may arise). Minister of State for Power, Works and Housing Mustapha Shehuri said the Council approved N6.17 billion for the augmentation of the contract for the construction of Ikot-Ekpene border-Aba-Owerri road, Section 1, Phase 1. He said that the contract was awarded in 2012 but the augmentation had to come following observations by the contractor. He said: FEC has given approval for the augmentation of contract for construction of Ikot-Ekpene border-Aba-Owerri road, Section 1, Phase 1 and the length is 11.26km. The contract was awarded in 2012 to Arab Contractors at the cost of N3.78b; it came up for augmentation because the contractor actually observed some failures in the contract around some sections of the road. Actually, it is one lane but with the augmentation now, it will be dualised; the contract period in 12 months; the cost after augmentation is now N6.17 billion, he said. The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Aisha Abubakar, said that FEC approved the revised estimated total cost for the completion of the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development Headquarters in Abuja. She said that the building was initially conceived to be the National Childrens Library and Resource Centre approved in 2006. The 20 new completed projects including erosion and flood control works, he said, are located in Bauchi, Yobe, Ekiti, Kano, Nasarawa, Benue, Katsina, FCT, Jigawa and Kebbi states. Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has approved a 100 per cent upward review of the monthly allowance for corps members posted to ... Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has approved a 100 per cent upward review of the monthly allowance for corps members posted to the state with effect from April. Dickson announced this yesterday when the Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Major General Suleiman Kazaure, visited him in Yenagoa, the state capital. He urged the NYSC boss to complement the efforts of the state government in fishing out those who manhandled corps members during the 2019 elections. Special Adviser to the Governor on Media Relations, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, in a statement quoted Dickson as describing corps members as critical national assets that need the support and protection of every right thinking individual to enable them carry out their assignments effectively. The governor commiserated with the NYSC family over the killing of two corps members at Swali, a suburb of Yenagoa, two weeks ago, noting that the state government has already begun the process of bringing those found culpable to book. He promised to complete the ongoing NYSC permanent orientation camp at Kaiama, Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area of the state before leaving office next year. To enhance the safety and security of corps members, he said government has already provided special communication line to them for prompt response in the case of any emergency. An FCT High Court in Maitama has fixed today for ruling on a no-case submission filed by Maryam Sanda, charged with the alleged killing ... An FCT High Court in Maitama has fixed today for ruling on a no-case submission filed by Maryam Sanda, charged with the alleged killing of her husband, Bilyaminu Bello. A no-case submission literally means an application by the defendant submitting that the prosecution had not led enough evidence to warrant for conviction or for the defendant (s) to defend herself. If the application succeeds, the defendant (s) will be discharged and acquitted. However, if it fails, the defendant (s) will be ordered to open her defence. Maryam is being tried before the court presided over by Justice Yusuf Halilu for allegedly killing Bello, a nephew of former PDP Chairman, Alhaji Bello Halliru Muhammad. She was docked alongside her brother, Aliyu Sanda; her mother, Maimuna Aliyu and her housemaid, Sadiya Aminu, who were charged with assisting her to conceal the evidence by cleaning the blood of the deceased from the scene of the crime. They pleaded not guilty. Police had subsequently called six witnesses to corroborate the charge. At the last hearing yesterday, Maryam had through her counsel, Olusegun Jolaawo, told the court that the prosecution had not made a prima facie case against her to warrant her to defend herself. She then urged the court to uphold the no case submission and discharge her of the murder charge. Also, counsel for the three other defendant, Hussein Musa, in his submission urged the court to discharge and acquit the defendants because the prosecution did not adduce enough evidence to warrant them to enter defence. However, the prosecution counsel, Fidelis Ogbobe, while urging the court to dismiss the no-case submission, submitted that the prosecution had made out enough evidence to warrant the defendants to enter defence in the case. The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), Professor Umar Garba Danbatta has disclosed that kidnappers ... The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), Professor Umar Garba Danbatta has disclosed that kidnappers use unregistered SIM cards to commit crimes. He however assured that the commission is tracking the criminals using such unregistered SIM cards. Speaking at the banks special day at the ongoing 40th Kaduna International Trade Fair, Danbatta said the commission has set up a task force to effectively tackle the situation. Represented by the Head, Internal Policy Review Unit, NCC, Mr Okechukwu Aninweke, the Danbatta however, advised consumers not to open unfamiliar emails in view of the rising cases of cybercrime and e-fraud using telecommunications platforms. He enlightened consumers that banks will not request personal information over the internet. You know one thing with this criminals is that they are always one step ahead of you and even if every SIM card is properly registered, there will still be a crime. Kwara state Governor-elect, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, on Thursday said he would run a government that serves the best interest of the peo... Kwara state Governor-elect, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, on Thursday said he would run a government that serves the best interest of the people. AbdulRazaq disclosed this during the inauguration of the 80-member transition committee in Ilorin, Kwara state. The huge margin of our victory at the polls suggests that our people are fed up with the status quo and want a new approach to governance. We therefore have a historic duty to serve their best. To do that, we must understand the current governance structure in the state; we must know how the current system works to be able to know where to begin, what current policy would be retained, and what policy must go. We also need to know what is in the books in terms of financial receipts, obligations, contracts and other things. This is why we have taken our time to nominate some of the best hands around in terms of competence, credibility and maturity as members of this committee, with proper accommodation of the various political tendencies in our political party. In essence, the most crucial work of this committee is to ensure we hit the ground running on May 29th, he said. While hailing their credibility and commitment to serve the state, AbdulRazaq urged the committee to discharge their duties in a way that would help the new government serve the people. The chairman of the Transition committee, Aminu Adisa Logun, said their job is to bridge the gap between the outgoing and incoming government. The Transition Committee is not a scouting committee to suggest or recruit personnel for the governor. Ours is to highlight what needs to be done in line with the change mantra of the government. Our duty is mostly technical such as gathering and interpreting data for the new government in its bid to serve the people of the state, Togun said. He thanked the Governor-elect for nominating them for the crucial assignment. The chairman of the APC in the state, Bashiru Bolarinwa, said the incoming government is already a departure from the past as conscious efforts are being made to carry everyone along. The Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in Ogun, Clement Oladele, on Thursday, advised motorists plying Lagos -Ibad... The Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in Ogun, Clement Oladele, on Thursday, advised motorists plying Lagos -Ibadan Expressway to exercise patience and drive cautiously, especially within construction areas. Oladele disclosed this in a statement signed by the FRSC Public Education Officer in the state, Florence Okpe, and made available to newsmen in Abeokuta. The sector commander warned motorists to avoid driving against traffic, as violators were liable to be prosecuted. He noted that the FRSC was working in concert with the construction company, Julius Berger Nigeria PLC, on introducing additional measures to cushion the hardship motorists were facing as a result of the construction efforts. Oladele said that the FRSC had been encouraging the construction company to speed up rehabilitation work and also open up areas that had been fairly completed for public use. Motorists are enjoined to cooperate with the FRSC and sister traffic agencies in ensuring a free flow of traffic while driving along the road corridor and other corridors in the country. The expressway has witnessed sporadic gridlocks this week due to incessant infractions occasioned by frequent breakdown of majorly articulated vehicles, which is compounded by the ongoing rehabilitation of the corridor. This has narrowed the lanes available on the expressway, especially between Magboro /Ibafo axis to the Mowe sections of the road. Commuter activities along the corridor have also affected motorisation, coupled with traffic indiscpline by some reckless drivers that take advantage of gridlocks to attempt driving against traffic. The FRSC wishes to inform the motoring public that the past few days have been characterised with infractions that distorted the free flow of traffic, he said. Oladele said that the command would continue to ensure free flow of traffic on the expressway. Shehu Sani, vice-chairman of the senate committee on foreign affairs, has accused the federal government of treating the embassies abr... Shehu Sani, vice-chairman of the senate committee on foreign affairs, has accused the federal government of treating the embassies abroad with lack of seriousness. Sani said this when the ministry of foreign affairs appeared before the committee to defend its budget. He said many of the nations embassies abroad were in a sorry state, lamenting over how the poor condition of the toilet in Nigerian mission in Moscow, Russia. No responsible nation that has clear cut development- driven and visionary foreign policy will deliberately under-fund her foreign missions, the senator said. For the past four years this committee has been over-sighting this ministry in terms of budgetary appropriations and other assistance, no significance progress can be said to have been made . Most of our missions are in sorry state by not being able to pay their electricity or water bills and even the nations diplomats too are in a state of hunger and indebtedness based on information gathered or practical experience witnessed. The so-called diplomats cannot pay their children school fees, and the worst of it is the toilet of the Nigerian embassy in Moscow, Russia, is stinking due to non-functionality of its flusher, embarrassingly making anybody that uses it to flush it with bucket of water fetched from adjoining embassy. It is saddening that from all indications and based on budgetary proposals tabled before this committee, government is not making any serious attempt in tackling the global ridicule that smaller countries like Cuba, and Jamaica, are not facing. The National Judicial Commission (NJC) has taken a decision on the allegations of misconduct brought against Walter Onnoghen, suspen... The National Judicial Commission (NJC) has taken a decision on the allegations of misconduct brought against Walter Onnoghen, suspended chief justice of Nigeria (CJN), and Tanko Muhammad, the acting CJN. The body reached the decision after an emergency meeting to examine the report of the five-man committee set up to investigate the petitions against the duo. In a statement on Wednesday, Soji Oye, the councils director of information, said a recommendation had been sent to President Muhammadu Buhari. NJC said it would be inappropriate to publicise it before conveying it to Mr. President. The National Judicial Council reconvened today at an Emergency Meeting to consider the Report of the Five-Man Committee constituted to investigate the allegations of misconduct made against Hon. Mr. Justice W. S. N. Onnoghen, GCON and Hon. Mr. Justice I. T. Muhammad CFR, the statement read. Council decided that the allegations relating to assets declaration that were levelled against Hon. Mr. Justice W. S. N. Onnoghen, GCON were subjudice and therefore abstained from considering them. Some warders of the Nigerian Prisons Service, attached to the Ibara Prison in Abeokuta, Ogun State, are currently being interrogated for... Some warders of the Nigerian Prisons Service, attached to the Ibara Prison in Abeokuta, Ogun State, are currently being interrogated for allegedly plotting with some convicted inmates to perpetrate different crimes, including defrauding members of the public and escaping from the correctional facility. Our correspondent gathered that some condemned robbery inmates had, in connivance with the warders, allegedly contributed about N15m for the planned jailbreak. It was learnt that the plot was on when the police uncovered it. The two senior prison officers had been arrested in connection with the incident. The officers, were said to be undergoing interrogation. Our correspondent further learnt that about N600,000 and some documents had been recovered from the suspects by the police. A source said the suspects were taken away by officers of the Zonal Intervention Squad, Obada Oko, Abeokuta. He said, The whole thing started after the police got a series of complaints of fraud from some members of the public. The calls were traced to the prison. In the course of investigation, some prohibited items were discovered in the cells, including phones. The police went further in their investigation and discovered that there was actually a syndicate in the prison and some warders were involved. This was what led to the discovery of the planned jailbreak by the condemned inmates. Another source identified some of the inmates allegedly involved in the plot as Olatunji Adeleke and Oladele Ilesanmi. The source said, The police discovered that the officers connived with the inmates to plan the jailbreak by securing phones and laptops for them. They also discovered that about N15m was earmarked for the jailbreak and they started planning it in October 2018. As I speak to you, about N600,000 has been recovered from the suspects, including some vital documents. From interrogation, it appeared that some women were also involved in the scheme. Our correspondent was told that the process of defrauding people from the prison yard was called money in the air. Three of their female victims are Eniola Afolayan, who lives in Igbogbo, Ikorodu; one Omolola and one Adunni, who also live in Lagos, a police source added. However, a warder said the officers were arrested by the ZIS after the wife of a convicted inmate complained of extortion. He noted that the officers were then handed over to the police for interrogation. Further investigation by our correspondent revealed that the inmates and warders at the prison usually go out together to collect money from banks under a sharing formula. A few inmates were alleged to have used the opportunity to escape without a trace. In October 2016, an inmate in the prison, identified as Teslim Babalola, was reported to have escaped after being taken to a bank by two warders. A source said no one in the prison was punished for the incident, which was covered up with the connivance of the principal officers at the Nigerian Prisons Service headquarters in Abuja. The spokesperson for the NPS, Ogun State, Victor Oyeleke, denied the report of extortion and the planned jailbreak. He said, I have gone round and asked questions. Based on my findings, there is nothing like that happening in the yard. Like I told you, you were the one who informed me about it. From my findings, nobody is helping any inmate to escape. And it cannot happen in our prisons. All our officers are well trained and nobody can aid anyone to escape. The two officers you mentioned their names are senior officers and they know the repercussion of such a thing. So, there is no way they will do it. After insisting that no officer of the prison was arrested by the police, the spokesperson called back to say the two officers honoured a police invitation for intelligence sharing. Oyeleke, who confirmed the 2016 escape, said the suspect was later re-arrested and was being held in another prison facility. The Public Relations Officer, Nigerian Prisons Service, Francis Enobore, said he had yet to be briefed about the incident. He asked our correspondent to rely on Oyelekes response. The Police Public Relations Officer, Zone 2, CSP Dolapo Badmos, said she had a report that two prison officers were being interrogated. The Senate has said that the letter by President Muhammadu Buhari in which he claimed that the National Assemblys approval for refund... The Senate has said that the letter by President Muhammadu Buhari in which he claimed that the National Assemblys approval for refunds to Delta and Taraba State Governments was different from what the Federal Executive Council approved, must have resulted from misinformation by his aides. The Senate in a statement on Wednesday by Yusuph Olaniyonu Special Adviser (Media and Publicity) to Senate President, Bukola Saraki, stated that the Senate approved the exact figures for Taraba and Delta States that was submitted to it by the Executive through the Ministry of Finance as stated on page 402 of a document titled Federal Ministry of Finance Submission of Federal Government of Nigeria Outstanding Liabilities to National Assembly, May, 2018. The President had claimed in his letter to the National Assembly dated March 5, 2019 that While the Federal Executive Council approved a total sum of N78, 601, 631, 430.16 as reimbursement to Delta and Taraba State Governments, the National Assembly approved N90, 236,461, 031.36, which is higher than the amount approved by the Federal Executive Council. The Senate would like to clarify that the breakdown which the Executive through the Ministry of Finance submitted to the National Assembly showed that the outstanding liability due to Taraba State is N22, 254,062,330.08 while that of Delta is N67, 982, 398, 701. 28 while the total for the two states is N90, 236, 461, 031. 36. Therefore, the National Assembly approved the figures submitted to it by the Ministry of Finance as approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for projects executed on behalf of the Federal Government. At no time did the executive forwarded the figure of N78, 601, 631, 430, 16 to us and we do not know where the President got that figure from. The Supreme Court on Thursday adjourned hearing in the four appeals on Rivers State All Progressive Congress(APC) primary election, for ... The Supreme Court on Thursday adjourned hearing in the four appeals on Rivers State All Progressive Congress(APC) primary election, for the nomination of candidates for 2019 general election, till April 8 and 11. The apex court adjourned hearing in the matter for various reasons, but mainly for the absence of the Independent National Electoral Commissions (INEC) counsel. The appeals are; those of Senator Magnus Abe against INEC and others, Mr Tonye Cole against Senator Magnus Abe. The rest are; the APC against the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) and the last one, by the APC seeking for consolidation on all the pending appeals. Abe in his appeal is praying the apex court to make a pronouncement on the authenticity of the direct and indirect primary elections by the APC, on Rivers nomination of candidates. The appellant specifically wants the court to determine which of the two appeals is known to law and to be recognised by the INEC. However, when the matter came up, Abes counsel, Mr Henry Bello, informed the court of his motion seeking to amend his appeal. But the matter was stalled, due to the absence of the INECs counsel who was the first respondent. Although Bello sought for an order to stand down the matter, to enable the arrival of the INECs counsel, the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Mohammed Bello declined. The acting CJN who presided over the matter ruled that the Apex court does not stand down matters for anybody or group. This, therefore, prompted the CJN to adjourn the hearing until April 8, for the parties to present their cases. In the two other appeals by Mr Tonye Cole, a factional governorship candidate and then APC, Justice Mohammed adjourned hearing until April 11, to enable parties file and exchange their processes. The acting CJN who led a seven-man panel of the apex court also abridged time for the parties to file and exchange papers, since pre-election matters are time bound. In the fourth appeal by the APC seeking consolidation of all existing appeals, relating to the primary election, the court adjourned hearing indefinitely for the party to regularise their processes. ERC Advanced Grant for Thomas Rudel Chlamydia is the main cause of venereal diseases in Germany. These sexually transmitted bacteria can cause inflammations in the urogenital tract. If they are detected at an early stage, the pathogens can be combated well with antibiotics. If the infection is not treated, it can cause infertility in women. In pregnant women the pathogen may be transferred to the child. More than 131 million people worldwide are infected with Chlamydia. The biggest problem here is that the infection usually progresses without noticeable symptoms. It therefore very often goes unnoticed - this facilitates the further spread of the pathogen and may lead to severe or chronic disease courses such as cervical and ovarian cancer. How can the pathogen escape the human immune system and thus suppress the symptoms of the infection? The Wurzburg-based Chlamydia expert Professor Thomas Rudel and his team have discovered this. Rudel has held the Chair of Microbiology at the Biocenter of Julius-Maximilians-Universitat Wurzburg (JMU) in Bavaria, Germany, since 2008. Pathogens hide in immune cells Chlamydia specifically switch off a special group of immune cells in the human body, the so-called polymorphic nuclear leukocytes (PMN). This makes these immune cells virtually "blind" to Chlamydia. In addition, they also become insensitive to other stimuli. This in turn increases the probability that other infectious pathogens have an easier game to play. "The Chlamydia secrete an enzyme that paralyses the immune cells," says Professor Rudel. "In addition, they penetrate the immune cells and multiply there. How they reprogramme these normally short-lived cells into host cells for their long-term purposes is still completely unclear," Rudel states. Focus on new therapeutic approaches Rudel now wants to get to the basis of the mechanism of this reprogramming with millions in funding: The European Research Council (ERC) has awarded him one of the prestigious Advanced Grants. The award comes with prize money of 2.5 million euros. Ideally, the project will lead to new therapeutic approaches for freeing the immune system from its "Chlamydia blindness". The ERC project "Neutrophil - Chlamydia Interactions at the Crossroad of Adaptation and Defence" is scheduled to run for five years. The prize money will be used, among other things, to finance five positions for postdocs, doctoral students and technical staff. ERC Advanced Grants Advanced Grants are awarded by the European Research Council to scientists who have established themselves at the top of the research community with outstanding achievements. With the prize money, they can drive innovative projects forward. A total of 2,052 Advanced Grant projects were submitted to the ERC in the current application round. Eleven percent of these were approved, as announced by the Research Council at the end of March 2019. This time, most of the grants (47) went to Great Britain, followed by Germany with 32 in second place and France with 31 in third place. Career of Thomas Rudel Thomas Rudel, born 1962 in Winnenden, Germany, has held the Chair of Microbiology at JMU since 2008. He studied biology at the University of Tubingen and did his doctoral thesis at the Max Planck Institute of Biology in Tubingen in 1994. After a postdoctoral stay at the Scripps Research Institute in San Diego, USA, Rudel joined the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology in Berlin in 1997 as group leader. He habilitated at Freie Universitat Berlin in 2001 and became professor two years later. Until he moved to Wurzburg, he researched and taught in Berlin at the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology and the Freie Universitat. ### This story has been published on: 2019-04-04. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Source: sputniknews.com Last week, Venezuelan authorities confirmed receiving 65 tonnes of medicines from China, with Caracas noting the "important and strategic level" of the partnership with Beijing. Beijing has refuted claims that China sent military personnel in order to help Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. "I don't know where do you get this information. I can definitely say it is fiction," the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Geng Shuang, said at a briefing. According to the diplomat, Beijing's stance on the Venezuelan crisis is clear, with China insisting that the issue should be solved in strict accordance with international law. "The Chinese government is against interference in the internal affairs of Venezuela and believes that the authorities and the opposition of this country should work out a draft political settlement through dialogue," Gen Shuang added. The statement follows media reports about the alleged arrival of a small group of the Chinese military to Venezuela. According to media speculations, the military personnel might have arrived in Venezuela in order to help distribute Chinese humanitarian aid. On Friday, Venezuelan Vice President Tareck El Aissami that Caracas had received 65 tonnes of medicines from China. The vice president also noted the "important and strategic level" of the partnership between Caracas and Beijing. Over the past several weeks, Washington and some of its allies have been voicing concern over the arrival of Russian military specialists to Venezuela, with US authorities threatening to impose sanctions on Moscow should Russian servicemen stay in the Latin American country. Moscow, in turn, stated that Russian military specialists had arrived in the country in the framework of bilateral defence contracts, emphasising that their presence in the country is fully in line with international law. While Washington and most of European and Latin American states immediately backed Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, who named himself "interim president" in January, Moscow and Beijing haven't recognised the self-proclaimed leader and voiced their support for the legitimate government under Maduro. The Second Meeting of the China-Philippines Bilateral Consultation Mechanism on the South China Sea (BCM) was held in Manila, the Philippines,on February 13, 2018. MANILA, April 4 (ChinaMil) -- China and the Philippines convened the Fourth Meeting of the Bilateral Consultation Mechanism (BCM) on the South China Sea in Manila, the Philippines on April 3, 2019, respectively led by Vice Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou on the Chinese side, and Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Meynardo LB. Montealegre of the Office of Asian and Pacific Affairs on the Philippines side. The two delegations were composed of the equivalent officials from respective foreign ministries and relevant agencies of both sides. In the Joint Statement of the Peoples Republic of China and the Republic of the Philippines issued on November 21, 2018, both sides agreed to exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities in the South China Sea that would complicate or escalate disputes and affect peace and stability. Both sides believed that BCM has played an important role in promoting the stable development of bilateral relations by exploring measures to increase mutual trust, properly handling differences, preventing and controlling maritime incidents, and continuously enhancing dialogue and cooperation Both sides exchanged frank, friendly and constructive views on current issues of mutual concern, such as the South China Sea situation and maritime activities, agreed to hold on cooperative attitude to solve problems, and emphasized to continue cooperation and to negotiate on confidence-building measures. In addition, both sides reiterated that the relevant differences between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea is only part of the bilateral ties and should not affect the mutually beneficial cooperation in other fields. They reaffirmed the importance of maintaining and promoting regional peace and stability, freedom of navigation in and over-flight above the South China Sea. Both sides reiterated their commitment to address their territorial and jurisdictional disputes by peaceful means, without resorting to or threatening with force, through friendly consultations and negotiations by sovereign states directly concerned, in accordance with universally recognized principles of international law, including the Charter of the United Nations (also known as the UN Charter) and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) adopted and signed in 1982. Both sides have carried out fruitful exchanges on strengthening maritime cooperation through setting up technical working group meetings under the frame work of BCM. Relevant fields include the development of the political security situation in the South China Sea, maritime search and rescue, maritime safety, maritime scientific research, maritime environmental protection, and fishery. Without prejudice to each others position on sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction, the two sides discussed cooperation in oil and gas development as well. Both sides reiterated their commitments to full and effective implementation of the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and agreed to maintain the positive momentum of the negotiations towards the early conclusion of a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, based on consensus. The fifth meeting of the BCM will be held in China in the second half of 2019. File Photo By Yu Wei and Wang Dawei KUALA LUMPUR, April 4(ChinaMil) On April 3rd, on the eve of the Chinese traditional Tomb-Sweeping Day, a joint ceremony was held in front of the Memorial Monument to Nanyang (Southeast Asia) Chinese Drivers and Mechanics in Negeri Selangor, Malaysia. Attendees from China and Malaysia mourned those heroic martyrs and made calls for world peace and prosperity. When addressing the ceremony, Nga Kor Ming, Deputy Speaker of Dewan Rakyat of the Parliament of Malaysia, said that his grandfather was one of the Chinese drivers and mechanics from Nanyang who had volunteered to serve in China during the Chinese Peoples War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression. They and other overseas Chinese came back to China, the motherland, to resist Japanese invaders at the cost of their lives. Their patriotic spirit is admirable, Nga Kor Ming added. Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia Bai Tian said that on the 80th anniversary of the epic event of the Nanyang Volunteer Drivers and Mechanics, we held this ceremony not only to honor those martyrs and admire their ineffaceable feats in history, but also to show the world our sincere aspirations for peace. Ambassador Bai also noted that China is a firm advocate and strong defender of world peace. The Chinese people will unwaveringly safeguard the lofty undertaking of human peace and development and are willing to work together with people from countries around the world including Malaysia to contribute to building a world of lasting peace and common prosperity. More than 100 people, including representatives of Chinese enterprises and students in Malaysia, attended the ceremony. In July 1937, after the onset of the Chinese Peoples War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, Chinas most major coastal ports were occupied by Japanese troops, resulting in an interruption of the sea transportation of military aid supplies from abroad. The Burma Road, newly opened in January 1939, became the only international route for Chinas rear areas to connect with the outside world. Back then, China extremely lacked drivers and mechanics. Starting in February 1939, under the call of Tan Kah Kee, a renowned patriotic leader of overseas Chinese and president of the Tan Kah Kee Foundation, countless young overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia volunteered to work as truck drivers and mechanics. They formed the Nanyang Service Group of Returned Overseas Chinese Drivers and Mechanics and returned to China in groups during the war, until May 1942 when the transportation along the Burma Road was also cut off. UNITED NATIONS, April 3 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy said Wednesday that China supports the UN secretary-general's proposed drawdown and exit roadmap for peacekeeping in Haiti. China's Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Wu Haitao made the remark at a Security Council meeting on Haiti, including on the UN peacekeeping mission in the Caribbean country known as MINUJUSTH. As MINUJUSTH is likely to conclude in October, Wu said the mission should continue to transfer the responsibility to the Haitian government in a steadily and orderly manner and complete the drawdown and exit on schedule. "With regard to the transition to a special political mission post-MINUJUSTH, members of the Security Council, the secretariat, and the Haitian government should fully discuss the relevant issues," he said. The Haitian government should continue to strengthen its coordination and collaboration with the United Nations to ensure a smooth transition, he urged. In addition, he said China hopes that the Haitian government can assume its responsibility of maintaining the country's stability and development, enhance its self-development capacity, and strengthen the rule of law. He also expressed hope that the Haitian government can conduct a constructive nationwide dialogue and properly resolve differences through consultations. At the same meeting, UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix said the completion of MINUJUSTH is within reach. He told the Security Council that the UN supports the Haitian leaders' wish to end the mandate of MINUJUSTH in October and to have Haitian authorities completely take over the security of the country. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has recommended continuing to assist Haiti through a small strategic advisory office. Lacroix said the recommendation is based on the assessments of the most urgent needs and represents the ideal format to address these needs. If this recommendation is adopted, he said, the UN mission would work, in the next six months, to assist the priorities put forward by the leaders and people of Haiti while preparing for a smooth transition to a post-peacekeeping UN presence. The brigade of the PLA 82nd Group Army sets up lookout posts at intervals on March 31.Once spotting flames, they will call the fire-fighting team to extinguish the fire. Photo by Yang Lei By Li Yongping and Wang Ruitao CHANGZHI, Apr. 4 (ChinaMil) -- A forest fire broke out in Qinyuan county, northern Chinas Shanxi Province on March 29. The firefighting operation is still under way. In order to effectively compress the space of the fire, a firebreak, about eight kilometers long and nearly one kilometer wide, was opened in Ruzhuang Village of Chishiqiao Township in the northern section of the fire field on Tuesday afternoon. No casualties were reported in the fire. The Chinese PLA Central Theater Command sent more troops to Qinyuan county in order to help local fire departments to bring the fire under control. The PLA officers and soldiers participating in the rescue have been fighting in the front line over the past few days. The following pictures showed how PLA officers and soldiers battled the fire. Soldiers of the PLA 82nd Group Army use firefighting equipment such as iron brooms, dry powder fire extinguisher bombs and iron shovel to control small-scale fires in the mission area from the evening of March 31 to the early morning of April 1. Photo by Guo Erqiang http://vv.chinamil.com.cn/asset/category3/2019/04/04/asset_355690.mp4 Chinese peacekeepers at the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) each received a UN medal Wednesday for their contribution in the UN mission in southern Lebanon. A medal ceremony was held at the Chinese troops' camp in Hanniyah village, southern Lebanon. Among those present at were the Head of Mission and Force Commander of the UNIFIL Stefano Del Col, Chinese ambassador to Lebanon Wang Kejian, and representatives of the Lebanese armed forces and fellow peacekeepers. In awarding the medal, Major General Del Col said, "The medal you will receive today is a sign of appreciation for your important contribution to the UNIFIL Mission, a precious memory that will stay with you as a reminder of your work in Lebanon." Del Col praised the Chinese peacekeepers for their hard work, bravery and determination. "I want to thank all of you for the job you carry out with professionalism, commitment and dedication, promoting a culture of peace and proactiveness that well contributes to the implementation of our mandate within the framework of Security Council Resolution 1701," he said. With a total of 410 officers and soldiers assigned in a multi-functional engineer detachment, a construction engineer detachment and a medical detachment, the 17th Chinese peacekeeping unit has been in Lebanon serving the UN Mission since May 2018. In the past 11 months, Chinese peacekeepers have swept over 6,690 square meters of minefields and cleared over 1,400 mines, completed 68 high standard engineering projects, provided physiotherapy and rehabilitation and clinical services to over 8,600 peacekeepers and humanitarian medical assistance to over 3,500 local villagers. The UN Security Council established the UNIFIL on March 19, 1978, to monitor the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon. Its mandate was expanded following the 2006 Lebanon War. Since 2006, China has maintained a peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon as a part of UNIFIL, tasked with missions such as mine-sweeping, project construction, medical rescue and humanitarian assistance. http://vv.chinamil.com.cn/asset/category3/2019/04/04/asset_355687.mp4 China has held a memorial service for the returned remains of Chinese soldiers killed in the Korean War. Soldiers escorted coffins containing the Chinese People's Volunteers soldiers' remains at a war martyrs' cemetery in the northeastern city of Shenyang. More than 300 people gathered to pay their respects, including government and military officials, Korean War veterans and members of the public. This is the sixth time the fallen have been returned by South Korea. jamesteohart/iStock(SEOUL) -- South Koreas major mobile operators abruptly launched the superfast fifth generation wireless technology services ahead of schedule Wednesday evening -- and claimed the world's first 5G service by releasing it an hour before Verizon. A tit-for-tat race between three South Korean telecommunications carriers and Verizon started when the South Korean government set the launch date for Friday, exactly a week before Verizon had planned to roll out its 5G services. But by Wednesday afternoon local time, South Koreas ministry of science and ICT was tipped from a source in the United States that Verizon would be attempting a surprise launch late in the evening, according to local reports. Alarmed by Verizons sudden change of plans, South Korean mobile carriers called for an emergency meeting with the ministry Wednesday evening, reports said. The three mobile carriers -- SK Telecom, Korea Telecom, and LG U+ -- promptly decided to launch their services immediately. The 5G phone service -- for a handful of celebrities including Yuna Kim, the Olympic medalist in figure skating, Baekhyun from k-pop boy band EXO -- was launched Wednesday at 11 p.m. local time (10 a.m. EST). Just 59 minutes later, on Wednesday at 10:59 a.m. EST, Verizon tweeted the start of its 5G network in Minneapolis and Chicago. "5G is here," the company tweeted. "For 19 years Verizon has been making history. Today is no different. Chicago and Minneapolis are first in the world to 5G mobility." "Title of being worlds first 5G may bring a promotional effect for one company [like] Verizon, but for South Korea its a publicity for the entire country, Kim Yeon-Hak, an internet technology expert who is teaching at Sogang University, told ABC News. Electronic companies like Samsung, the factories, production lines, contents that goes inside 5G phones they believe everything that is constituting the IT ecosystem will meet a new era under 5G network. The new 5G technology enables dramatically faster download speeds with almost no delay in watching videos or loading pictures. It has data transmission speeds 20 times faster than the current 4G long-term evolution (LTE) wireless technology. For businesses sectors, the superfast wireless technology will offer improved support for artificial intelligence, media content, robotic factory lines, remote medical services and telepresence conference calls that enables hologram communications seen in movies like Captain America and Kingsman: The Secret Service. Mobile carriers are competitively developing and introducing photorealistic live streaming services and virtual reality experiences to prove that 5G network is a change that is worth the cost of purchasing a new phone and plan. South Koreas new service will work on Samsung Electronics new 5G-enabled smartphone Galaxy S10. LG Electronics plans to introduce its own 5G smartphone later this month. Verizons Ultra Wideband network customers must use Motorolas Z3 and a 5G Moto Mod, an accessory that allows Z3 to connect to the 5G Ultra Wideband network. While the competition over the publicity on 5G network is intense, mobile technology experts warn that the launch of 5G service is only a beginning. The faster speed wont be that much of a dramatic change for average consumers. But 5G could really make a difference in self-driving automobiles and remote services in terms of high reliability and precision, Kim told ABC News. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Soldiers escort coffins containing the remains of Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) soldiers killed in the 1950-53 Korean War during a burial ceremony in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, April 4, 2019. Remains of 10 Chinese soldiers killed in the 1950-53 Korean War were reburied Thursday in China after they were returned from the Republic of Korea (ROK). (Xinhua/Yang Qing) SHENYANG, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Remains of 10 Chinese soldiers killed in the 1950-53 Korean War were reburied Thursday in China after they were returned from the Republic of Korea (ROK). With the air filled with the national anthem, China held a burial ceremony in a martyrs' park in Shenyang, capital of northeastern Liaoning Province, attended by over 200 people including government and military officials, Korean War veterans, their families and members of the public. The remains of the 10 fallen soldiers were returned to China on Wednesday. "We held the burial ceremony to welcome back the martyrs. Their heroic spirit will forever be a valuable treasure of the Chinese nation," Qian Feng, vice minister of veterans affairs, said in his memorial speech. The Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) fought along with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's army in the Korean War against the ROK army and U.S.-led UN forces between 1950 and 1953. A total of 197,653 CPV soldiers have been confirmed killed in the war so far, most of whom were buried on the Korean Peninsula. "They finally came back. I returned after the war ended, but many of my comrades lost their lives on the battlefield. I miss them very much," said Li Weibo, 88-year-old Korean War veteran who attended the burial ceremony. According to an agreement between China and the ROK, the two sides arrange an annual hand-over of remains of Chinese soldiers found in the ROK, which usually occurs before the traditional Tomb-Sweeping Day in early April. The remains of 589 Chinese soldiers were returned to China from the ROK between 2014 and 2018. New York artist Ian Isiah dazzled last year with the release of his mixtape Shugga Sextape Vol. 1 a record so sensuous and potent that it left us all nine months pregnant before the last song even played. Full of angelic vocals that effortlessly glide across a range of cutting-edge club beats, Sextape encompassed everything that we had come to know and love about the underground icon in a fully realized package (preferably pressed up against you in the sweaty heat of the night). For those that have yet to experience the singular sensation that is Ian Isiah live in the flesh, now is your chance. Isiah took to Instagram today to announce the first leg of the Shugga Service Baby tour. Looking to spread the love from New York to LA, Barcelona, and Mexico City, Isiah advises that anyone planning to attend "Come Open Hearted And Ready To Receive Because Im Singing Straight Inna Ya Soul." If you are even slightly on the fence about whether or not you should go, the first five dates have already sold out and the rest are going fast. Check out the flyer and list of dates, above, and if you don't see your hometown on there make sure to drop Isiah a line in the comments for the tour's next run. Stream Ian Isiah's Shugga Sextape Vol. 1, below. News and commentary on organized crime, street crime, white collar crime, cyber crime, sex crime, crime fiction, crime prevention, espionage and terrorism. "Iran is under water": IFRC announces support as flood crisis worsens 04/04/19 Source: International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies Beirut/Geneva, 3 April 2019 - As the flooding emergency in Iran worsens, the world's largest humanitarian network has released just under 500,000 Swiss francs to bolster local Red Crescent relief efforts. Iranian Red Crescent delivering aid to Ahvaz in Khuzestan province (photo by Islamic Republic News Agency) The funds released from IFRC's Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) will be used to provide 3,000 families that have lost homes and livelihoods with unconditional cash grants. Sayed Hashem, IFRC's Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, said: "Iran is under water. This is an unprecedented crisis that has now touched at least 23 of Iran's 31 provinces. While the precise impact is still to be seen, it is already very clear that the floods have caused extensive damage and suffering in villages, cities and rural areas." A flooded area in Golestan province in northern Iran (see more photos by Mehr News Agency) The Iranian Red Crescent is at the forefront of humanitarian response efforts. According to figures provided by the Red Crescent, more than 11,000 of their relief workers have reached more than 192,000 people across the country with life-saving care and support. "The Red Crescent response is massive, and it is growing every day. Red Crescent volunteers and staff have evacuated hundreds of people to safety, and have distributed food and items such as tents, blankets and health kits to tens of thousands of people," said IFRC's Hashem. "But the scale of this crisis means that more help is needed. So, in addition to the funds we are providing, we are also working with our Red Crescent colleagues in Iran to see how we can expand our support." Bamdezh, Ahvaz in southwestern province of Khuzestan, Iran (see more photos by Mehr) The floods started in mid-March in Golestan Province in north-east Iran and have now spread to at least 23 of the country's 31 provinces. They are the result of unprecedented rain fall. For example, Golestan received 70 per cent of its annual rainfall in just one day in mid-March. Further heavy rain is expected over the coming days which will likely worsen the situation even further. Shooshtar villages in southwestern province of Khuzestan, Iran (see more photos by Mehr) On a cloudy Saturday afternoon, I found myself in an area of Los Angeles known as the Pinata District. Which as it sounds, had hundreds if not thousands of pinatas for sale, but the pinatas were just a small part of what the market had to offer. An authentic experience of street food from multiple Latin America countries made that 45 minute trip from my home worthwhile. Walking down Olympic Boulevard in south central LA, with music blasting from vendors, the streets were crowded with tons of people looking for bargains on party supplies, spices, candy, and of course pinatas. Everywhere you looked colorful pinatas ranging in all colors and sizes were always in sight giving the Pinata District its rightful name. My family and I always come down here (Pinata District) when we need party supplies, Sarah Carrera said. We have a big family and we have a lot of parties and everything is really cheap and affordable. After spending a considerable amount of time walking through warehouses looking at all the unique party supplies and candy that I have never heard of, my appetite started to become a factor. There were many vendors making Latin American street food that made my choice of what I wanted to eat for lunch a difficult decision. I asked a few of the locals what they recommend and two items stuck out which were the pupusas, a Salvadoran dish which is a thick and doughy corn tortilla stuffed with cheese and refried beans and topped with a cabbage relish, and the classic mexican quesadilla, which had fresh cheese and beef on a homemade corn tortilla. I couldnt go wrong with the quesadilla at only $5. I was not disappointed by my choice, as the beef quesadilla tasted as fresh as any quesadilla that I have had before.The cheese was fresh and a nice complement to the beef and overall tasted great. All the food here is really good, local vendor Alexa Lucia said. Everything is different here, its not the same that youll find at a regular mexican restaurant. Even though the Pinata District was crowded, and at times loud with the blaring music, and vendors shouting at customers to buy their products, the Pinata District was completely different than any other street market I had ever been to. Though I left the event without buying anything, the unique experience and the incredible food options were definitely worth the trip if you are in the Downtown Los Angeles area and are looking for something to do on weekends. FOOD AND Agriculture Minister, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, has indicated that the Akufo-Addo administration is going to invest about half a billion dollars into revamping the countrys farm mechanization centers. According to him, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) over the last eight years of its tenure destroyed all 167 farm mechanization centers bequeathed to it by the erstwhile President John Agyekum Kufuors administration. He made this known on Wednesday in Accra, in an interview with the media on the sidelines of a courtesy call paid on him by former United Kingdom (UK) Prime Minister, Tony Blair. Mr. Blairs visit to the Agricultuer Minister was to among other things, discuss investment opportunities in Ghanas Agric sector. The Minister indicated that Government has entered into an agreement with Brazil and was taking delivery of the three tranches of machineries for the agricultural sector. The three, he said isworth about $99 million and that in the next 10 days, the Indian Eximbank would be signing a $150 million agric mechanization scheme for Ghana. He also noted that there was an additional support expected from Czech Republic, all of which he said would amount to about half a billion dollars. The level of investment in mechanization, he said, was unprecedented and that it has never happened in the history of Ghana. According to him, governments aim was to improve food yields in the country, noting emphatically that after inheriting a 60,000 tonnes of soya beans from the NDC, the Akufo-Addos administration has succeeded in increasing the tonnage to 100,000 and that there were plans to further boost production to about 200,000. He indicated that Government was planning to roll out another agric programme dubbed rearing for food and jobs. The initiative, he said, is to revive the livestock industry in the country and provide more protein for the nation as well as create additional avenue for export. He stated that government was looking at ways to diversify the economy and move away from its over reliance on cocoa as the major cash crop. He indicated that this month, President Akufo-Addo would launch a program dubbed planting for export and rural development which will see the production of six exportable cash crops including coffee, cashew, coconut, mango. He indicated that Government would also invest in the establishment of vegetable hubs or green villages. Again, the Minister explained that in 2019, Government would support about one million farmers nationwide with subsidized seedlings. Source: Daily Guide Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Ghanas Membership Of The International Organisation Of Francophonie (OIF): A Reaction To Controversies Surrounding The Linguistic Issue At the launch of the 2019 La Francophonie Festival organized by the Francophone Embassies in Ghana and Alliance Francaise in Accra, the Hon. Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration reiterated the need for improved teaching and learning of French in our basic/tertiary institutions through technical support and capacity building, among others, and called for the adoption of French as a second foreign language. This is cardinal in Ghanas transition to full membership of the International Organization of Francophonie (OIF) otherwise known as La Francophonie. This has surprisingly created an erroneous impression in some quarters that the French language is being imposed on Ghanaians as a second language to the detriment of Ghanaian languages and culture. Indeed, one such person, a Ghanaian artist by name Okyeame Kwame claims making French as a second language is disrespectful to our pride and culture. There is therefore the need to shed light on what the La Francophonie agenda is all about and to dispel the notion that as a people, our pride and culture are under attack. Ghanas relations with La Francophonie begun in September 2006 when a delegation attended the 11th Francophonie Summit in Bucharest, Romania which resulted in Ghana becoming an Associate Member of La Francophonie without first having to be an Observer which is the normal practice within La Francophonie. This special privilege was accorded the Ghanaian request in recognition of the countrys geographical location and geopolitical role in facilitating political stability within the West African sub region. Ghana thus became one of a handful of Anglophone countries which enjoy an enviable membership of both the Commonwealth and La Francophonie. In joining the organization, Ghana became a member of a community of over 500 million people and therefore benefits from the solidarity of the members of the community in both political and socio-economic domains. This number of speakers of the French language will rise to over 700 million by 2050, 80% of whom will be on the African continent. This brings to the fore the importance of Ghanas relations with the francophone world and by extension, the language and culture(s) binding the countries concerned. La Francophonie has a total membership of 88 French-speaking countries worldwide with four main missions: Promotion of the French language, cultural and linguistic diversity Promotion of peace, democracy, rule of law and protection of human rights Support to basic/tertiary education Promoting co-operation among member countries for sustainable development La Francophonie implements various programmes covering civil society, youth, gender balance, environmental protection, sustainable development, digital innovation, economic policies, peace, democracy and human rights. Ghana stands to benefit immensely from these programmes as a member. Undoubtedly Ghana shares borders to the north, east and west with French speaking countries. As Ghanaians therefore, we recognize the strategic importance of our immediate neighbours to whom we are bound by profound ties of blood, geography and history, and, indeed, of all French speaking countries, to the development of our country. Furthermore, it is important to note that out of the 15 members of ECOWAS, the majority (8) are French speaking. Our lives, therefore, as Ghanaians, are intimately linked with the francophone world. There is no gainsaying the fact that the ability of a vast majority of Ghanaians to speak French should serve as a big boost to addressing some of our mutual concerns regarding intra-regional trade as well as promoting peace and stability which are a sine qua non for development. It is also pertinent to note that, the international mobility and high-level management positions has eluded Ghanaians in many instances at the United Nations, ECOWAS, the African Union and even within the private sector, due to their inability to speak French or a second international language. One could also argue, and quite rightly so, that many Ghanaians have suffered unjustly due to their inability to communicate with our francophone neighbours in French thereby missing out on numerous opportunities that exist in intra-regional and cross-border trade. One other dimension of Ghanas use of the French language is the cultural ties and shared values that abound. This implies that Ghanaians should by and large identify with the cultural values and norms of the francophone world which are the bedrock of co-operation and collaboration in todays globalized world. As far as Ghanas educational system is concerned, there is the need to stress the point that for a long time French was taught as a compulsory subject in our lower classes of the second cycle institutions and this, for a good reason. In recent times, in recognition of its importance, most private schools in Ghana have introduced French language to their pupils at the basic school level. The importance of the French language has not been lost on our policy makers. Upon attaining independence, Ghanas first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, saw the need to establish the Ghana Institute of Languages (GIL) in 1961 which was initially directly under the office of the President. The objective was to enhance linguistic competence in modern languages, and it targeted the foreign service personnel and civil servants. Needless to say, the French language (apart from the English language) was the most important of these languages. It is clear from the above that this linguistic drive is even more relevant to our present-day circumstances. However, in order to actualize the vision of full membership of La Francophonie, we must ensure that as many Ghanaians as possible go beyond the usual bonjour-ca va? greetings. This is indeed feasible because of all the foundation work done in the teaching of French even though we recognize that a huge amount of work still needs to be done to take Ghana to the next level of bilingualism (English, French and indigenous languages). In revisiting the needless controversy which the Hon. Foreign Minister alluded to earlier, one needs to set the records straight in order for the public to disregard and treat these effusions as fruits of ignorance. The wider populace is discerning enough to realize that there are people who would do anything and everything to draw attention to themselves. Happily, some noble voices have been raised against those ill-informed persons who unjustly criticize the drive towards making French the second foreign language. In reacting to the criticism that French was detrimental to our national pride and culture, one social media contributor put it succinctly, Did Kofi Annan go to the UN to speak Fanti?. The obvious answer is that at the UN Kofi Annan spoke in English and French. Globalization is here to stay, and Ghana can ill afford to be left out. Source: Dr. Steven A. Syme (PhD), Focal Person for Ghana (International Organisation of La Francophonie) Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video So the NDC put together a lecture on the economy and their main speaker couldn't even make a single sound and intellectual argument to counter what the government economic management team put out? Can the NDC elevate the discourse? How can you possibly elect Adongo, a mere accountant to respond to an economic stimulus analysis as presented by the inimitable internationally recognised economist, Dr Mahmoud Bawumia speaks? Is the NDC saying Isaac Adongo, Ato Forson, Fifi Kwetey and the likes are anywhere close to Alan Kyerematen, Prof Gyan Baffoe and Dr Akoto Osei and Osafo Maafo? While Ghanaians are clamouring for serious brains to counter the renowned Economist, Dr Bawumia with facts and figures, the NDC in its usual fashion has paraded babies with shape teeth, and without any substance to make a fool out of themselves. The whole NDC response to Dr. Bawumia is so laughable. It is one of the many sad episodes in Ghanaian politics. In twenty-first century democratic Ghanaian politics, some of our politicians have the habit of intellectualizing idiocy. They speak ill of commonsense where their nascent ideas are laid bare in the face, and their intellectuality questioned. In an unrelated anecdote, I am beginning to understand why some educated Ghanaians would think that the Ghanaian economy could become Africas Singapore if the government allows them to flood our ports with rickety automobiles. These anansesem adisua is the source of our nations underdevelopment. Where was Adongos conscience when he made his bizarre remark on the exchange rate? Am I am truly hearing this comment coming from Isaac Adongo, the pauper-politician, who thought that he possessed the magic wand to wish away the nations problems. If Adongo is the NDC's best brain, then I really understand their handling of the economy. I also understand how the NDC brought Ghana to it's knees, and it has to take the good works of the current regime to restore some dignity back to governance. One would have thought that a fine brain like Dr Kwesi Botchwey or even the failed former Finance Minister, Seth Terkper will lead the economic argument of the NDC, but here we are with the NDC in their usual worst reducing public discourse into a child's play with "Adongonomics" (churning out of caricature of figures without verifiable sources and substance). Where was Isaac Adongo when the economic management team under the erstwhile Mahama touted that the meat is down to the bone? The entire sound bites generated at the NDC's economic lecture in response to the government economic management team can best be described as an anticlimax. The NDC needs to take Ghanaians serious and put forward scholars worthy of their name in response to serious governance issues. As for the likes of Adongo and Ato Forson, the least said about them, the better. Source: Ernest Owusu Bempah Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Chicago Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot's resounding victory was a clear call for change at City Hall and a historic repudiation of the old-style, insider politics that have long defined the nation's third-largest city. Lightfoot, a former federal prosecutor who'd never been elected to public office, defeated Cook County Board President and longtime City Council member Toni Preckwinkle on Tuesday with backing from voters across the city. Late results showed Lightfoot, 56, winning every one of the city's 50 wards. Lightfoot also made history, becoming the first black woman and the first openly gay person to be elected Chicago mayor. Chicago will become the largest U.S. city to have a black woman serve as mayor when Lightfoot is sworn in May 20. She will join seven other black women currently serving as mayors in major U.S. cities, including Atlanta and New Orleans, and will be the second woman to lead Chicago. "Out there tonight a lot of little girls and boys are watching. They're watching us, and they're seeing the beginning of something, well, a little bit different," Lightfoot told a jubilant crowd at a downtown hotel. "They're seeing a city reborn." She pledged to make Chicago "a place where your zip code doesnt determine your destiny," to address the city's violence and to "break this city's endless cycle of corruption" that allows politicians to profit from their office. Lightfoot emerged as the surprising leader in the first round of voting in February when 14 candidates were on the ballot to succeed Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who decided against running for a third term. She seized on outrage over a white police officer's fatal shooting of black teenager Laquan McDonald to launch her reformer campaign. She got in the race even before Emanuel announced he wouldn't seek re-election amid criticism for initially resisting calls to release video of the shooting. The Brong Ahafo Regional First Vice Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwame Baffoe alias Abronye DC says the police is playing tricks as to why they granted bail to one of the suspects of undercover journalist with Tiger Eye PI, Ahmed Hussein-Suale. Two persons have been arrested in connection with the murder of undercover journalist, Ahmed Hussein-Suale. The two were arrested in separate swoops and according to Abronye, one is still being held and interrogated by BNI officials while he alleges that the Kotobabi Police have granted the other bail. No one should dare me, I have facts, he said in an interview with NEAT FMs morning show Ghana Montie. Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/ Twitter: @Washman5/ Instagram: Ambrose_wash Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, Alhaji Inusah Fuseini says government's decision to ban the importation of excavators in effort to combat illegal mining is the wrong and a lazy approach. If they [government] want to fight galamsey, they should use the stakeholder approach. The ban on excavators is a misguided approach used by government. Excavators are not only used for galamsey, constructors also use excavators, he said in an interview with NEAT FMs morning show Ghana Montie. Cabinet has placed a temporary ban on the importation of excavators in efforts to combat illegal mining. The ban takes effect from May 1, 2019, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Transport and signed by the sector minister, Mr Kwaku Ofori Asiamah in Accra. According to the statement, the ban will remain in effect until further notice. It said Cabinet at its sitting on March 27, 2019, placed the temporary ban. This has become necessary following governments decision to combat the illegal mining phenomenon, popularly referred to as galamsey, the statement explained and, accordingly, urged the public to take note of the directive. But, Inusah Fuseini argued that The ban will automatically shoot up the price of local excavators in the country. Since they know they can no longer import excavators, the price will go up and that will affect legal businesses that use excavators to work. This will also affect the economy. Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/ Twitter: @Washman5/ Instagram: Washman007 Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Director-General for NADMO, Hon. Eric Nana Agyemang-Prempeh on 31st March, 2019 led Ghanas delegation to the 7th Session of the Conference of Parties of the African Risk Capacity Agency in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The African Risk Capacity (ARC) which is a specialized Agency of the African Union established with the aim of helping African governments improve their capacities to better plan, prepare and respond to extreme weather events and natural disaster. In a presentation by the Director-General of NADMO, Ghana is working at deploying measures to build resilience and response to drought in the five (5) Northern Regions and the Bono East Region of the country. This would be done through strategic initiatives that would be rolled out in different faces through innovative financing and insurance measures in the coming year. Hon. Eric Nana Agyemang-Prempeh also called on the ARC to have a relook at calculations on the premium payments by member countries. The conference was attended by member. Counties who also shared their respective successes and challenges in curtailing climate related disaster in their countries. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Head of Communication for the Ghana Gas Company Limited, Ernest Owusu Bempah has said major tie-in is currently ongoing by Ghana Gas Engineers and once completed, Gas can be exported to the Volta River Authority(VRA) at Aboadze. He said it will then be linked to WAPCO pinelines by 7th April, 2019 ahead on target to meet the final deadline. "We can assure the nation that power will be restored after the full completion of the reverse flow," he said in an interview with Peacefmonline.com. The schedule twelve-day shutdown has seen significant progress over the few days. The under listed are the current status of the works or work-in-progress. The vent lines of the existing facilities have been decommissioned and tied to the new vent lines. The inlet tie-in works completed and leakage test conducted to about 87barg. Leakage test was successful. The Emergency Shutdown Valve (ESDV23011) termination works ongoing. The inlet and outlet of the Bypass Facility (ie. Schlumberger equipmernt) are both isolated and decommissioned pending the uninstallation of the pipelines. Sandpapering of the new pipelines, cleaning and painting of the new pipelines are ongoing, and they are expected to be completed tomorrow (Friday, 5th April, 2019). Levelling of the chippings under the main pipe rack commenced. Back filling and repositioning of the valve supports for the inlet valves to the Separators are ongoing, and they are expected to be completed tomorrow (Friday, 5th April, 2019). Loop check of ESDV23011 and ESDV23012 completed. Inerting of the VRA 1.5Km pipeline is ongoing. Completion of Gross Leakage test It is expected that gas into the station for commissioning purpose only will start tomorrow (Friday, 5th April, 2019) and completed on Saturday, 6th April, 2019. Once completed, gas can be exported to VRA at Aboadze on Sunday, 7th April, 2019 ahead of target. Government says it will need 12 days to end the current power outages being experienced across the country. Ghanaians have in the last week been experiencing unannounced disruptions in electricity supply to their homes and offices, heightening fears of a return to power crisis, popularly referred to as dumsor. But the Head of Communication for the Ghana Gas Company Limited, Ernest Owusu Bempah says Ghana Gas is working harder to complete it before the 12days. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) has called for the demolition of the Tema Newtown Police Station because its structural defects made it a vicious death trap for personnel and cell inmates. The Police Station located near the Kplejoo tsoshishi, had not seen any major rehabilitation since it was built in the 1960s, leading to visible numerous structural cracks in the walls, beams, and floor. Mr Ebenezer Cudjoe, Tema Metropolitan Director of NADMO, revealed this to the Ghana News Agency in an interview on Wednesday. Mr Cudjoe noted that his outfit assessed the structure and found it dangerous therefore calling for its destruction to save lives. He added that Mr Felix Mensah Anang-La, Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive was working on the provision of a container structure for the personnel to move their operations in to make way for the demolition of the police station. In a related development, the NADMO team had evacuated traders from a one storey-building, which had developed serious major structural defects, located at the Manhean market. He said his outfit received complaints from the traders on the state of the building which contained 24 shops made up of 16 on the ground floor and eight on the top floor. Mr Cudjoe stated that the building which was constructed about five years ago for the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) had its suspending floor falling off, tiles peeling off, structural cracks, among others. He noted that after a visual assessment by his team, they decided to evacuate the traders from the building and cordoned it off while awaiting a detailed structural integrity assessment before a decision would be made for its demolition or otherwise. He added that we dug the floor and noticed that the concrete was full of sand, there was not enough cement in the concrete. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Federal Government has lamented the execution of a Nigerian woman on Monday in Saudi Arabia for drug-related offences. The government also condemned the action of four Nigerian citizens who were caught on video carrying out an armed robbery in Dubai, United Arab Emirate (UAE). The Ministry of Interior of Saudi Arabia had announced that a female Nigerian drug trafficker and three other men: two from Pakistan and a Yemeni were executed on Monday for drug trafficking offences. Mondays executions bring to 53, the number of people put to death this year in the country. Speaking with State House Correspondents on Tuesday, the aide to President Muhammadu Buhari on Diaspora matters, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, said the executed woman is the eighth to be executed for drugs related offences in the last three years in the oil-rich Kingdom. She also said 20 others are also in jail with death sentences hanging on their necks. Mrs Dabiri-Erewa said 12 Nigerians are also in various Saudi Arabia jails serving different jail terms. The aide said some of those convicted might be innocent. She said the government found out that some airlines work with drug syndicates by putting banned substances in the luggage of some innocent Nigerians, especially pilgrims. So we have had cases where truly they didnt commit the offence. We have appealed to the Saudi Authorities to make the trials fair, open and ensure that justice is done. Even if you are going to die, you will know that you die for an offence you committed. So we appeal to Nigerians going to Saudi Arabia, we know it is tough, obey the laws of the land. Even kolanut is treated as a drug. So we will continue to appeal to the Saudi Authorities to treat some of the cases with some form of leniency. As I said, we have 20 of them in Saudi, this is the eighth to be executed, and we are hopeful that maybe we will be able to save the others. Meanwhile, Mrs Dabiri-Erewa described as disgraceful the arrest of five Nigerians, for allegedly robbing a bureau de change in Sharjah, the United Arab Emirates of about Dh2.3 million. The men were caught on camera breaking into the bureau de change and smashing the glass barrier between the customers and the staff before they stole the money and fled. Mrs Dabiri-Erewa, said the men were a disgrace and an embarrassment to Nigeria and their families. She listed their names of the armed robbers as Chimuanya Emmanuel Ozo, Benjamin Nwachukwu Ajah, Kingsley Ikenna Nwonka, Toochukwu Leonard Arise and Chile Micah Ndumodu. These five boys are a disgrace to this country and an embarrassment. So if UAE decides to be hard on Nigerians, then we will complain that they are hard on us. But we will continue to say that one bad apple should not spoil the whole bunch. Nigerians are hardworking, intelligent so these few should not spoil the whole bunch because this has made news all over the UAE now. We are going to continue to name those who disgrace the country anywhere in the world, and we will continue to appeal to Nigerians to be good ambassadors wherever they find themselves, she said. Source: premiumtimesng.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Following the massive failure recorded in the 2017/2018 New Professional Law Course Examinations and the subsequent petition to Parliament by the Professional Law Students on 5th March 2019 seeking review of the results of the examination, Parliament has made a number of recommendations for the consideration of the General Legal Council (GLC). This follows the adoption by Parliament of the report of the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs on the petition received by the House from the Professional Law Students seeking review of the results of the 2017/2018 New Professional Law Course Examinations which (the report) was presented to the House by Hon. Ben Abdullah Banda, Chairman of the Committee. Among the recommendations, Parliament called for a reduction in the current remarking fee charged by the General Legal Council (GLC) from Ghc 3000.00 to Ghc 500.00. It also urged the GLC to re-open the period for remarking of examination papers to enable students who could not apply for remarking of their papers to do so. In addition, Parliament called for all marking schemes and examiners reports to be made available to students and lectures of the Ghana School of Law . Finally, Parliament called on the Independent Examinations Council to consider holding Supplementary Examinations for all referred candidates in the 2018 Professional Law Course Examinations in a timely manner to ensure that successful candidates are enrolled this year to pursue their legal course. Contributing to the debate for the adoption of the Committee's report, the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu noted that the nation will always need the service of lawyers as the country continuous with it's democratic governance hence the need to address issues affecting law students in the country. The Chairman of the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs and MP for Offinso South, Ben Abdullah Banda spoke to Peace FM News on the concerns of the Professional Law Students. Source: Emmanuel Akorli/ Peace Fm/ Parliamentary Correspondent Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Minority Spokesperson on Finance, Cassiel Ato Forson is asking Ghanaians to be measured in jubilating over the announcement that import duties have been slashed at the ports. He is in effect casting doubt on the latest government policy announced by Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia on Wednesday, describing it as populist. At a Town Hall meeting organized by governments Economic Management Team, the Vice President revealed that the benchmark valuation for general goods has been slashed by 50 percent whilst that of vehicles by 30 percent effective Thursday, April 4. The move, according to Dr Bawumia, is to ensure an increase in the volume of imports through the countrys ports instead of through neighbouring countries. He said available data shows that traffic at the Lome Harbour, for instance, has increased by some 300 per cent between 2013 and 2018 while that of Ghana has seen just a little over 4 per cent increase within the same period. But Ato Forson who speaks for the Minority on Finance in an interview with journalists referred Ghanaians to the wild jubilation that welcomed the 2017 budget when government abolished duties on spare parts. He noted that the excitement of the spare parts dealers was shortlived because the policy did not ease the cost of clearing goods at the ports. Abossey Okai will happen again, he predicted, I will challenge any individual to go to the port and clear your goods. He added, So tomorrow go and clear your car. I expect a 30% reduction. If you fail to get a 30% reduction, then, again he has lied. According to Ato Forson, Dr. Bawumia was outstaged by the Finance Minister in his recent statement to Parliament leaving the Vice President nothing to tell Ghanaians but to rehash already known information. He has very little to say, he was more or less like reading a state of the nation address, that HE the president had come to deliver. I find it mediocre, in fact its mediocracy at its height, I didnt see anything substantialyou could see lies, lies. Source: 3news.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Over 3,000 delegates are set to attend the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG) National Delegates Congress slated for May 25, at Ho in the Volta Region, to elect its Flagbearer for Elections 2020. The LPG Delegates Congress would also elect its national executive to steer affairs in accordance with the Partys Constitution, Mr Jerry A. Owusu, LPG National Organiser, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Accra on Wednesday. Mr Owusu said preparation towards the LPG Congress was progressing, stressing that delegates would include members of the National Executive Council, Founding Members, Council of Elders, and Constituency Executives. Other delegates expected to participate are; two other representatives from each Constituency, at least one of whom must be a woman, a representative from each of the Universities and other Tertiary institutions, and two representatives from each Overseas branch approved by the Central Committee. He said the LPG National Delegates Congress shall be presided over by a member of the Council of Elders appointed for the purpose by the National Executive Council. Mr Owusu noted that the Congress would also elect the National Chairman, three National Vice-Chairmen, the General Secretary, the National Treasurer, Presidential Candidate, the National Organiser, the National Women Organiser and the National Youth Organiser. He said the Congress would also consider and approve the LPGs ideological stand, Election 2020 Manifesto, and matters of general policy submitted to it by the National Executive Council. The Congress would also receive and consider reports on activities and audited accounts of the Party presented to it by the National Executive Council and issue directives for actions on them, and confirm, amend, repudiate or revoke any decision made by any subordinate organ of the Party. He said the LPG Congress also has the power to amend its Constitution in the manner provided, decide on any proposals or matters, and transact any other business, which shall be duly submitted to the Congress by any organ of the Party. The LPG National Organiser explained that, they had already elected the constituency and regional executives in 2018, indicating that 2,785 officers, made up of constituency and regional executives were already in office. He said LPG was fervently preparing towards Elections 2020, therefore it had tasked its rank and file especially the Constituency, Regional and National Executives to work towards building the grass-roots foundation of the Party in order to position it for the Partys rigorous campaign. Mr Owusu explained that LPG was committed to the view that the dignity of each individual man and woman was the cardinal principle of democratic society and the primary purpose of all political organization and activity in such a society. The LPG is dedicated to the principles of individual freedom, responsibility and human dignity in the framework of a just society, and political freedom in the framework of meaningful participation by all persons, he said. He said the Party was also committed to the pursuit of equality of opportunity for all persons, to the enhancement of Ghanas unique and diverse cultural community. He said the Liberal Party of Ghana subscribes to the fundamental rights and freedoms of persons under the rule of law and commits itself to the protection of these essential values and their constant adaptation to the changing needs of modern Ghanaian society. Mr Owusu explained that the LPG also recognises that human dignity in a democratic system required that all citizens have access to full information concerning the policies and leadership. He said we also seek to offer opportunity to Ghanaians in open and public assessment of such means, and such modifications of policies and leadership as they deem desirable to promote the political, economic, social, cultural and general well-being of Ghanaians. LPG strives to provide a flexible and democratic structure whereby all Ghanaians can obtain such information, participate in such assessment and militate for such reform through open communications, free dialogue and participatory action both electoral and non-electoral, Mr Owusu stated. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Mr. Tony Blair, has paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Food and Agriculture with a pledge to partner the Ministry in the implementation of the Government's flagship policy Planting for Food and Jobs programme. The Former UK Leader, who is also the Founder of the Tony Blair Foundation and The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, says he was impressed by the reports of "the tremendous success the government has achieved within the past two years in the agricultural sector." Mr. Blair noted that there are huge investment potentials in Ghana's agricultural sector, stressing that it is remarkable the kind of success achieved by the government under the leadership of President Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo since assuming power in 2017. The former UK Prime Minister made these remarks when he paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, in his office yesterday. The two held closed discussions which centered largely on investment opportunities and how the two organizations founded by the former UK Leader could contribute to the success story of the country's agricultural sector. In a joint media briefing after the meeting, Mr. Blair said he was impressed with the general level of development under the current regime, adding that his organisations were ready to partner Ghana in her economic transformational agenda. The former British Prime Minister also accepted invitation from the Minister of Food and Agriculture to participate in this year's African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) to be hosted by Ghana. Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto on his part expressed the optimism that the visit by Mr. Blair will spur investment opportunities for the country considering Mr. Blair's global leadership and experience in governance and human development. He said Ghana was leading a crusade in agricultural revolution and economic transformation through the flagship Planting for Food and Jobs initiative. Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/ Twitter: @Washman5/ Instagram: Washman007 Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Defense Ministry has for the first time apologized for a bloody decades-long anti- Communist crackdown on Jeju Island that began just after World War II. The ministry issued a statement recognizing the sacrifices of the island's people on Wednesday, which marked the 71 anniversary of the event. Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale North, Alhaji Alhassan Suhuyini, has rejected some aspects of vice president Dr. Mahamudu Bawumias assessment of the economy, which he said, were inconsistent with the situation. He has particularly objected to the Vice Presidents justification that even though the Ghana is struggling to keep up with the management of foreign trading currencies, all economic indicators are in the right direction. At the Economic Management Team maiden town hall meeting Wednesday, the Vice president took a swipe at the National Democratic Congress (NDC) describing as warped logic, their assertion that the depreciation cedi is an indication of weak economic fundamentals. This was on the back of Bawumias 2014 infamous comment that the depreciation of the cedi at the time was due to what he termed weak economic fundamentals of the John Mahama government. He said at the time that if the fundamentals are weak, the [currency] exchange rate will expose you. Speaking at the town hall meeting Wednesday, Dr Bawumia insisted he still stands by his assertion then, one cannot use the same argument to conclude that the current depreciation of the cedi is the results of weak economic fundamentals. If the fundamentals are weak the exchange rate will expose you, but it is a warped logic to jump from that to a conclusion that if there is depreciation in your currency then the fundamentals must be weak it is very warped logic, Dr. Bawumia justified. But speaking on TV3s New Day Thursday, the Tamale North MP said Dr Bawumia failed to offer a rational explanation on the same matter he heavily criticised the NDC for in 2014. Now confronted with a similar situation, then he introduces a very weird logic of inability to walk and not having a leg And you see, he is a Dr and the argument must be intelligent, he said. According to Mr. Suhuyini, the Vice President has not been consistent with his commentary and analysis of the economy, indicating that Dr Bawumia has gained notoriety for inconsistencies. He however advised it is important for all leaders to be sincere on matters that affect the ordinary Ghanaian. As a country, even if we cannot be honest, we should try and be more consistent in the analysis of the economy, he noted. Source: 3news.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Audio Attachment: Listen to Isaac Adongo during the lecture Member of Parliament for Bolgatanga Central, Isaac Adongo says issues raised by Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia during a maiden Town Hall Meeting, was a rehash of what President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said when he presented the 2019 State of the Nation Address in Parliament. Dr Bawumia on Wednesday led the Economic Management Team to give Ghanaians update on activities of the ruling government. He spoke on the depreciation of the cedi and a 30 and 50 percent reduction in import duties which has created excitement among importers. Speaking to this at a lecture organised by the opposition National Democratic Congress, Isaac Adongo said "the people of Ghana were served with what we already knew . . . they are still delivering lectures in government when they are supposed to manage the economy . . . we had a second State of the Nation address yesterday after the President had gone to parliament to give his State of the Nation address . . . this is the second deceit (reduction in import duties) that will hang the NPP government in 2020." According to him, the management of an economy is a serious business which cannot be reduced to 'comic reliefs' and inciting the public against expectations that cannot be met. He asked the Vice President, whom he christened as 'Walewale Adams Smith' not to "once again plunge this country into international disgrace". The Theme for the lecture was "the state of the Ghanaian economy, the myth, and the truth". Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Senator Peter Harder, Government Representative in the Senate, leaves the Senate Chamber in Ottawa on June 19, 2018. A logjam of bills in the Senate has boiled over into an open dispute, triggered by a government move to impose deadlines on 11 bills to ensure they pass before Parliament rises in June. Sen. Peter Harder, government's representative in the Senate, has tabled notice of a motion that would set specific timelines for debates and votes on 11 pieces of legislation. The motion has not yet been officially moved. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang A 31-year-old grandson of SK Group founder Chey Jong-gun was arrested on drug charges on Wednesday. The Incheon District Court issued the arrest warrant because he presents a flight risk. Chey junior, who is accused of buying liquid cannabis on 15 occasions last year, admitted the charges under questioning by police instead of contesting them, apparently to avoid media exposure. A grandson of Hyundai Group founder Chung Ju-yung is also under police investigation on similar charges. Koran law enforcement takes a much dimmer view of cannabis use than those of many advanced countries, which are moving toward legalization and have long stopped punishing possession for personal use. A crash wednesday night left at least four vehicle and two buildings damaged in Dearborn. According to witnesses, a car crashed into St. Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church, 19300 Ford Road, and then a short while later three more vehicles crashed into the Armenian Senior Citizens Tower, 19230 Ford Road. The driver of one of the cars managed to remove his vehicle from the wreckage at the high rise, but while doing so, spun his tires a lot and caused smoke to fill the building. Police and Fire Department officials evacuated some residents, and helped others to shelter in areas of the building that werent smoke-filled. There was no fire in the building, and none of the residents were injured. Injuries to the driver werent immediately known. HFCs Black Male & QUEENS Focus Group will host its inaugural Black Male Retention and Success Conference Saturday, April 6, from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. in the Andrew A. Mazzara Administrative Services & Conference Center (ASCC) (Building L). Dr. Akil Houston will be the keynote speaker. Houston is associate professor of Cultural and Media Studies in the department of African American Studies at Ohio University in Athens, OH. Additionally, Houston is a filmmaker, DJ, social critic, and one of the nations most authentic hip-hop scholars. Along with a number of college success and retention-related sessions, there will be numerous college admissions representatives onsite to provide information to potential transfer students. Lunch will be served. North Korea will concentrate more on state-sponsored crimes after a summit with the U.S. in February collapsed and sanctions remain in place, Washington warned Tuesday. "As North Korea feels the impact of sanctions, it will become more reliant on state-sponsored criminal activity, including through cyber operations... to help fund its [weapons of mass destruction] programs," a State Department official told Voice of America on Tuesday. "North Korean cyber-attacks and other malicious cyber activities pose a risk to critical infrastructure in countries around the world and to the global economy," he added. The North is also illegally exporting coal and importing oil through illegal ship-to-ship transfers, as well as keeping up a lively drug trade. If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here Shane MacGowan to play exclusive set at Feis Liverpool by Khyle Deen . Published Thu 04 Apr 2019 22:38 Feis Liverpool, the UKs biggest celebration of Irish music returns to Liverpool this Summer and early bird tickets are now sold out. The event attracted thousands of revellers in its first year, and returns to Liverpools World Heritage Waterfront on Saturday 6th July with some of the biggest names in Irish music topping the bill. The line-up includes an exclusive collaboration by headliners Shane MacGowan and Moving Hearts joined on stage by special guests Phil Coulter, Mundy, Eddie Furey and Christy Dignam. Other acts on the bill include Paul Brady, The Chieftains, The Undertones, Mary Black, Flogging Molly, The Academic, The Dublin Legends (The Dubliners), Aslan, Hudson Taylor, Nathan Carter, The Fureys, The High Kings, Mary Coughlan, Hermitage Green, David Keenan, Touts, The Frank & Walters, The Eskies, Biblecode Sundays, Joshua Burnside, The Burma, The Kilkennys and The Cronins plus more to be announced. Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for culture, tourism and events, Councillor Wendy Simon, said: We are delighted to welcome Feis Liverpool back to the city. Last years event was an incredible day of live music which highlighted the longstanding close relationship between Liverpool and Ireland. It is a great time for the city musically with a number of exciting announcements to be made over the coming months which will further cement our worldwide reputation as a UNESCO City of Music. Vince Power, founder of Feis Liverpool said: We cant wait to bring Feis Liverpool back for the second year and are overwhelmed and beyond excited that its become the biggest celebration of Irish music in the UK. Last year attracted the best crowd spanning all ages and nationalities, were so proud its become such an international and inclusive event. The biggest celebration of Irish music in the UK - 30+ acts across 4 stages SATURDAY 6TH JULY 2019 - PIER HEAD, LIVERPOOL General tickets are now on sale: 70 for general admission 100 VIP 125 VIP with allocated seating Free entry for under 12s. Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult. www.feisliverpool.com Korea on Wednesday launched the world's first super-fast 5G mobile phone service, with connections starting at 11 p.m. The country's three mobile providers originally planned to start their services on Friday for Samsung's Galaxy S10, but the schedule was brought forward by two days so Korea would not lose the title to U.S. provider Verizon. The Ministry of Science and ICT summoned representatives from SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus for an urgent meeting on Wednesday. "We got a tipoff that Verizon will start its 5G service on Thursday," a government official said. "We held a meeting with the three providers and Samsung to readjust the timing in order to become the world's first country to offer commercial 5G services." Verizon was supposed to start the service in Chicago and Minneapolis next week for Motorola phones but decided to turn on the service a week ahead of schedule. What would Dr. Harry Wegeforth, founder of the San Diego Zoo, think of the organization if he was here today? His inspiration that began with the roar of a lion more than 100 years ago has evolved into a global conservation effort through strong collaborations with partners around the world. San Diegans have always been proud of the World Famous San Diego Zoo, however, the reality is that San Diego Zoo Global has become the worlds zoo and it all began here. Todays zoos are about more than keeping animals they are leaders in education, conservation science, empathy building and much more. Mark Stuart, president of the Foundation for San Diego Zoo Global, will share insights into the truly life- changing programs that the zoo has championed over recent years. Locally, Walkabout Australia hopes to become the only zoo outside of Australia to be home to a platypus. The Wild Heroes program honors veterans and has hired 76 veterans to date and hopes to hire more. And 33,000 plants were placed in the Africa Rocks exhibit just last year. Globally, conservation initiatives such as Saving African Primates (focused in Cameroon and Madagascar), Bears of the World, Kenya Conservation (community engagement) and Genetic Rescue (lets save the Northern White Rhino) are a top priority of SDZG. Finally, through its Institute for Conservation Research, a global expansion of the Frozen Zoo, to include a network of zoos and universities, will create a permanent safety net for all wildlife species and serve as an invaluable resource for conservation, assisted reproduction, evolutionary biology, and wildlife medicine. Please join Village Viewpoints as Stuart discusses how the world-famous institution begins its second century. Since there is only a single pre-production sample of the AREX Delta in the U.S. currently, every time AREX brings it to a media event it's the star of the show. We were itching to shoot the new Slovenian striker fired gun, but there was a shipping mixup that kept it off the firing line for the first day of the Big 3 East Media Event. There was a silver lining though, we were able to spend some quality time with the AREX Alpha shooting at some XSteel Targets. While the Alpha has been on the market for a while, the chance to shoot a plate rack with one hasn't presented itself at media events until now. Normally we're limited to 5 or 10 round mags at most media events but Big 3 East is a different animal. We put several hundred rounds downrange to get a good feel for the pistol and the soft shooting Alpha quickly became one of our favorite guns to shoot at the event. The Alpha not only had a pretty fantastic trigger and spot-on ergonomics but the hefty 39-ounce weight and lightened slide kept the pistol insanely flat during recoil. Once we got used to the light single action trigger it was almost as if the pistol guided itself from one steel plate to the next. While the Alpha is currently listed on the USPSA Production Class list, we did some quick math to confirm our suspicion that the Alpha would come in at just under the 45oz weight limit when fitted with a Leupold DeltaPoint Pro. We were told that AREX is working on a dovetail mount for the Shield Sights RMS that replaces the rear sight, but the survey of Carry Optics competitors at the 2018 USPSA Optics Nationals tells us that a milled in DeltaPoint Pro would likely be more popular with competitors with 33% of competitors choosing the Leupold optic. Another point in that survey that I hope AREX takes note of is that only 7% of competitors accepted a dovetail mount for their optic, the other 93% either went with an optics ready slide or a slide milled for optics. While we like red dots on handguns, one mounted with a dovetail is a less than optimal solution at best in most cases. AREX Alpha Specs: Caliber: 9mm Luger Magazine capacity: 17 Height: 6.1-inches Length: 8.9-inches Barrel length: 5-inches Weight: 39 Ounces Trigger: DA/SA with manual safety MSRP: $1,099 On day two of the event, the Delta showed up at the range and quickly became the most shot pistol by attendees. Interestingly the pistol felt like a production model with some small exceptions like many of the internal parts being one off milled pieces. While we have shot the Delta previously, we were able to spend some quality time with the midsized striker fired gun. The AREX Delta brings a ton of features to the table like forward slide serrations, a trigger shoe that sits halfway between flat and curved, and an ambi magazine release. Normally shooters are forced to seek out aftermarket solutions, but we are told that the Delta will ship to dealers roughly as it was shown to us. One of the standout features of the AREX Delta is the takedown process. The only similarity to other polymer pistols is that you pull the slide to the rear slightly while pulling down on what could be described as the slide lock. Once you have the slide lock held in the down position you only need to move the slide forward slightly and it comes off the frame without the need to pull the trigger. Arex displayed the Delta with a flush fit 15-round magazine and a 17-round magazine which we suspect will be what the Delta will ship with once production versions hit U.S. dealers. AREX also had several size backstraps at the range with the gun suggesting the production model will have four options to tailor the grip size to their hand. AREX Delta Specs: Caliber: 9mm Luger Magazine capacity: 15 & 17 Height: 5-inches Width: 1.18-inch Length: 7-inches Barrel length: 4-inches Weight: 22.2 Ounces Planned MSRP: $479 Find more information about the AREX Alpha & Delta pistols on either the FIME Group website or on the AREX website. MSRP for the Alpha is $1,099 at the time of publication and the Delta has a planned MSRP of $479. This Page Is Under Construction - Coming Soon! Why am I seeing this 'Under Construction' page? Hwang Ha-na, the granddaughter of the founder of Namyang Dairy Products and ex-girlfriend of Park Yu-chun of boy band JYJ, is suspected of bribing police to get out of a drugs charge. Hwang was investigated for taking crystal meth in 2015 but police sent the case to the prosecutors' office without a proper investigation and recommended dropping the charges citing insufficient evidence. The incident was recently unearthed by a weekly, which said Hwang was never summoned while she was under investigation. An internal investigator with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said Wednesday, "Out of seven people booked on charges of drug use, only two were summoned for questioning. The cases against the rest including Hwang were sent to prosecutors with a recommendation to drop the charges." A police source said this was highly irregular. "Sometimes cases are sent to prosecutors without police investigation if a suspect refuses to show up for questioning or a request for an arrest warrant is declined, but never with a recommendation to drop the charges," the source said. Those of you who read what I write know what I have written about the political conundrum in Malaysia these last many months. You know I have written not... 3 months ago Only bits and pieces of information are available about the man, who appears to have ties to the FBI and CIA. Hong was identified by Spanish authorities as the ringleader of the groups daredevil raid on the North Korean Embassy in Madrid, walking in ahead of his posse under the pretext of a meeting with an embassy official. Like North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, Hong is believed to be 35 years old. According to sources in human rights groups in Washington, he joined the fight for human rights in North Korea when he was studying history at Yale University in 2004. At the time, a North Korean defector named Kim Hyun-sik was teaching Russian literature, and it was after taking his classes that Hong became aware of North Korea's human rights abuses. In 2005, Hong set up an activist group called Liberty in North Korea (LiNK) and opened branches in Seoul, Paris and other countries. The first signs of trouble came in 2006, when Hong was arrested by Chinese police while helping North Korean defectors escape. He was jailed for about a week but then released and banned from China for 10 years. Several defectors said Hong formed close ties with them during those days. The six others who were named in the embassy raid are in their mid- to late 20s. Hong left LiNK when he became convinced that bolder action was required in 2009. Around 2011, he signed a consulting contract with the U.S. government and went into Libya after the ouster of former leader Muammar Gaddafi to support the creation of an interim government there. His consulting work often involved the CIA. There he became convinced that North Korea would need a government-in-exile if the fight against the regime was to succeed. In an op-ed for the San Diego Union-Tribune in January 2016, he wrote, "We must avoid a repeat of Libya post-Gaddafi, where outsiders backed competing factions, benefiting the Islamic State and harming a populace long deserving of peace and liberty." "We should not presume that South Korea would automatically inherit sovereignty over the North," he added, "While no one in North Korea voted for the Kim family, no Northerner voted for Seoul's [president] either." Hong's ties to intelligence agencies became apparent in Free Joseon's role in rescuing Kim Jong-nam's son, Han-sol, after his father's assassination in February 2017. CIA agents reportedly spirited Han-sol to the U.S. as he was transferring from an airport in Taipei to a third country. Hong also handed over material from the Madrid embassy to the FBI, though a statement on the group's website later accused the agency of "betrayal." Sarasota, FL -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/04/2019 -- Global Advanced Packaging Technologies Market: Overview Advanced packaging technologies use an integrated circuit (IC), which is encapsulated in a supporting case that prevents physical damage and corrosion of the metallic parts. This case is called as package that support electrical contacts connected to the device to a circuit board. Advanced packaging manufacturers produce various types of ICs according to the requirements in the packaging. The type of package used depends upon different parameters such as size, power dissipation, field-operating conditions, and its cost. FREE | Request Sample is Available @ https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/sample/advanced-packaging-technologies-market Global Advanced Packaging Technologies Market: Growth Factors The global demand for advanced packaging technologies is largely fulfilled by the manufacturers present in major countries of Europe and North American regions. It has been noticed that the consumers in these regions have shown great interest in the adoption of products with advanced packaging technologies. Furthermore, in recent years, the packaging industry has witnessed a tremendous increase in demand for different products due to change in consumer habits and the introduction of new & innovative products embedded with advanced packaging technologies. Companies are investing heavily in research and development activities to develop products with distinguishable characteristics. Consumer inclination towards convenience products such as packaged food, has resulted in the development of products with advanced packaging technologies that offer longer shelf life through gas absorption and scavenging systems. Across the globe, active packaging is gaining traction for food packaging applications due to its properties that enhance shelf life and the ability to reflect properties of contained food on the packaging. Embedding advanced packaging technologies such as freshness and temperature indicators on food packaging products by a large number of brand owners all over the world, is helping them acquire more customers and gain a competitive advantage in the packaged food industry. Leading packaging companies are collaborating with technology providers to develop advanced packaging technologies for their products. Global food and beverages companies are showing immense interest in adopting packaging solutions with advanced packaging technologies. These aforementioned factors are likely to drive the growth of advanced packaging technologies market over the next few years. Global Advanced Packaging Technologies Market: Segmentation The global advanced packaging technologies market can be divided into technology type and end use. Based on the technology type, the market is sectored into Active Packaging and Smart and Intelligent Packaging. On the basis of end use, the advanced packaging technologies market can be classified into Food, Beverages, Pharmaceuticals, Industrial & Chemicals, Cosmetics & Personal Care, Agriculture, and Others. Download Free PDF Report Brochure @ https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/requestbrochure/advanced-packaging-technologies-market Global Advanced Packaging Technologies Market: Regional Analysis Based on regions, the global advanced packaging technologies market can be divided into five main regions: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa. North American region will account for the largest market share in terms of production of packaging products, with advanced packaging technologies in both categories of active and smart & intelligent packaging respectively. The U.S. is expected to account for the largest market share in the North American advanced packaging technologies market. European region is projected to occupy the second spot in the global advanced packaging technologies market in terms of both revenue generation and consumption. Germany and Italy are the main production hubs for products embedded with advanced packaging technologies in Europe and will drive the regional market growth in the years ahead. Large presence of advance packaging technologies manufacturers in countries such as Japan along with massive use of products with advance packaging technologies in the country will enhance the scope of the market in Asia Pacific region. Major technology providers such as EVRYTHNG Limited, Selinko SA, Digimarc Corporation, Prime Vision AG, and Waterio Ltd. are collaborating with packaging companies in the region to develop products with advanced packaging technologies and leverage opportunities generated from the high demand for such packaging solutions in the region. Global Advanced Packaging Technologies Market: Competitive Players Some of the major players operating in advanced packaging technologies market include PakSense, Inc, Landec Corporation, Sealed Air Corporation, Bemis Company, Inc, Crown Holdings, Inc., Amcor Limited, 3M Company, Timestrip UK Ltd., Cryolog S.A., Vitsab International AB, Varcode, Ltd., LCR Hallcrest LLC.:, Thin Film Electronics ASA, CCL Industries Inc., Temptime Corporation, Multisorb Technologies, Inc., Coveris Holdings S.A., and others. To view TOC of this report is available upon request @ https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/toc/advanced-packaging-technologies-market Global Advanced Packaging Technologies Market: Regional Segment Analysis North America The U.S. Europe The UK France Germany The Asia Pacific China Japan India Latin America Brazil The Middle East and Africa Inquire more about this report @ https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/inquiry/advanced-packaging-technologies-market What Reports Provides Full in-depth analysis of the parent market Important changes in market dynamics Segmentation details of the market Former, on-going, and projected market analysis in terms of volume and value Assessment of niche industry developments Market share analysis Key strategies of major players Emerging segments and regional markets Testimonials to companies in order to fortify their foothold in the market. About Zion Market Research Zion Market Research is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics released by reputed private publishers and public organizations. Zion Market Research is the comprehensive collection of market intelligence products and services available on air. We have market research reports from number of leading industry and update our collection daily to provide our clients with the instant online access to our database. With access to this database, our clients will be able to benefit from expert insights on global industries, products, and market trends. Northbrook, IL -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/04/2019 -- The report "Aroma Ingredients Market for Personal Care Industry by Type (Synthetic Ingredients, Natural Ingredients), Application (Fine Fragrances, Toiletries, and Cosmetics), and Region (APAC, Europe, North America) - Global Forecast to 2023", The aroma ingredients market is projected to grow from USD 2.27 billion in 2018 to USD 2.83 billion by 2023, at a CAGR of 4.5% between 2018 and 2023. The increasing demand for personal care products, coupled with the change in lifestyles and consumer preferences is expected to drive the growth of the aroma ingredients market during the forecast period. Browse 64 market data Tables and 41 Figures spread through 110 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Aroma Ingredients Market - Global Forecast to 2023" Download PDF Brochure @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=113835443 Based on type, the synthetic ingredients segment of the aroma ingredients market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR, in terms of value from 2018 to 2023 Based on type, the aroma ingredients market has been segmented into synthetic ingredients and natural ingredients. The synthetic ingredients segment of the market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR in terms of value during the forecast period. Synthetic ingredients are compounds artificially made through chemical reactions. They have characteristic odors as per their molecular structures. These are synthesized using various artificial chemicals primarily derived from coal tar and petroleum. Synthetic ingredients are less costly as well as consistent in quality and price, unlike natural ingredients. Hence the synthetic ingredients are the fastest-growing type of aroma ingredients. Based on application, the fine fragrances segment is projected to lead the aroma ingredients market during the forecast period in terms of value The fine fragrances segment is projected to lead the aroma ingredients market in terms of, value between 2018 and 2023. Fine fragrance is a term used for products diluted with alcohol and contain a high concentration of aroma ingredients. Fine fragrances include major applications, such as perfumes, colognes, body mists, and deodorants. Aroma ingredients are the key compounds in fine fragrance formulations. The increasing demand for perfumes, colognes, deodorants, and body mists across the globe is expected to drive the demand for aroma ingredients in the fine fragrances application. The European region is expected to be the largest market for aroma ingredients during the forecast period The aroma ingredients market has been studied for 5 regions, namely, APAC, North America, Europe, the Middle East & Africa, and South America. The European region is projected to be the largest market for aroma ingredients during the forecast period due to the strong foothold of manufacturers of personal care products in the region. Aroma ingredients are the key compounds used in the formulation of various personal care products. The European region is also home for the leading manufacturers of aroma ingredients. The major countries driving the growth of the aroma ingredients market in the European region are France, Germany, Italy, and UK. Get 10% FREE Customization on this report @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestCustomizationNew.asp?id=113835443 Some of the key players in the aroma ingredients market include Symrise (Germany), Takasago International Corporation (Japan), Sensient Technologies Corporation (US), MANE (France), Robertet SA (France), T. Hasegawa Co., Ltd. (Japan), Frutarom (Israel), Givaudan (Switzerland), Firmenich SA (Switzerland), and International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (US). About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve. MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledgestore" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. Contact: Mr. Shelly Singh MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA : 1-888-600-6441 sales@marketsandmarkets.com Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/04/2019 -- HTF MI released a new market study on Global Artificial Intelligence in Security Market with 100+ market data Tables, Pie Chat, Graphs & Figures spread through Pages and easy to understand detailed analysis. At present, the market is developing its presence. The Research report presents a complete assessment of the Market and contains a future trend, current growth factors, attentive opinions, facts, and industry validated market data. The research study provides estimates for Global Artificial Intelligence in Security Forecast till 2025*. Some are the key players taken under coverage for this study are Nvidia, Intel, Xilinx, Samsung Electronics, Micron, IBM, Cylance, Threatmetrix, Securonix, Amazon, Sift Science, Acalvio, Skycure, Darktrace, Sparkcognition & Antivirus Companies. Click to get Global Artificial Intelligence in Security Market Research Sample PDF Copy Here @: https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/1729339-global-artificial-intelligence-in-security-market-3 Important Features that are under offering & key highlights of the report : 1) What all companies are currently profiled in the report? Following are list of players that are currently profiled in the the report "Nvidia, Intel, Xilinx, Samsung Electronics, Micron, IBM, Cylance, Threatmetrix, Securonix, Amazon, Sift Science, Acalvio, Skycure, Darktrace, Sparkcognition & Antivirus Companies" ** List of companies mentioned may vary in the final report subject to Name Change / Merger etc. 2) Can we add or profiled new company as per our need? Yes, we can add or profile new company as per client need in the report. Final confirmation to be provided by research team depending upon the difficulty of survey. ** Data availability will be confirmed by research in case of privately held company. Upto 3 players can be added at no added cost. 3) What all regional segmentation covered? Can specific country of interest be added? Currently, research report gives special attention and focus on following regions: United States, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, India & Central & South America ** One country of specific interest can be included at no added cost. For inclusion of more regional segment quote may vary. 4) Can inclusion of additional Segmentation / Market breakdown is possible? Yes, inclusion of additional segmentation / Market breakdown is possible subject to data availability and difficulty of survey. However a detailed requirement needs to be shared with our research before giving final confirmation to client. ** Depending upon the requirement the deliverable time and quote will vary. Enquire for customization in Report @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/1729339-global-artificial-intelligence-in-security-market-3 To comprehend Global Artificial Intelligence in Security market dynamics in the world mainly, the worldwide Artificial Intelligence in Security market is analyzed across major global regions. HTF MI also provides customized specific regional and country-level reports for the following areas. - North America: United States, Canada, and Mexico. - South & Central America: Argentina, Chile, and Brazil. - Middle East & Africa: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Turkey, Egypt and South Africa. - Europe: UK, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, and Russia. - Asia-Pacific: India, China, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Singapore, and Australia. 2-Page profiles for 10+ leading manufacturers and 10+ leading retailers is included, along with 3 years financial history to illustrate the recent performance of the market. Revised and updated discussion for 2018 of key macro and micro market influences impacting the sector are provided with a thought-provoking qualitative comment on future opportunities and threats. This report combines the best of both statistically relevant quantitative data from the industry, coupled with relevant and insightful qualitative comment and analysis. Global Artificial Intelligence in Security Product Types In-Depth: , Endpoint Security & Network Security Global Artificial Intelligence in Security Major Applications/End users: Enterprise, BFSI, Government & Defense, Retail, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Automotive & Transportation, Infrastructure & Others Geographical Analysis: United States, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, India & Central & South America In order to get a deeper view of Market Size, competitive landscape is provided i.e. Revenue (Million USD) by Players (2013-2018), Revenue Market Share (%) by Players (2013-2018) and further a qualitative analysis is made towards market concentration rate, product/service differences, new entrants and the technological trends in future. Competitive Analysis: The key players are highly focusing innovation in production technologies to improve efficiency and shelf life. The best long-term growth opportunities for this sector can be captured by ensuring ongoing process improvements and financial flexibility to invest in the optimal strategies. Company profile section of players such as Nvidia, Intel, Xilinx, Samsung Electronics, Micron, IBM, Cylance, Threatmetrix, Securonix, Amazon, Sift Science, Acalvio, Skycure, Darktrace, Sparkcognition & Antivirus Companies includes its basic information like legal name, website, headquarters, its market position, historical background and top 5 closest competitors by Market capitalization / revenue along with contact information. Each player/ manufacturer revenue figures, growth rate and gross profit margin is provided in easy to understand tabular format for past 5 years and a separate section on recent development like mergers, acquisition or any new product/service launch etc. Buy Full Copy Global Artificial Intelligence in Security Report 2018 @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=1729339 Major Highlights of TOC: Chapter One: Global Artificial Intelligence in Security Market Industry Overview 1.1 Artificial Intelligence in Security Industry 1.1.1 Overview 1.1.2 Products of Major Companies 1.2 Artificial Intelligence in Security Market Segment 1.2.1 Industry Chain 1.2.2 Consumer Distribution 1.3 Price & Cost Overview Chapter Two: Global Artificial Intelligence in Security Market Demand 2.1 Segment Overview 2.1.1 APPLICATION 1 2.1.2 APPLICATION 2 2.1.3 Other 2.2 Global Artificial Intelligence in Security Market Size by Demand 2.3 Global Artificial Intelligence in Security Market Forecast by Demand Chapter Three: Global Artificial Intelligence in Security Market by Type 3.1 By Type 3.1.1 TYPE 1 3.1.2 TYPE 2 3.2 Artificial Intelligence in Security Market Size by Type 3.3 Artificial Intelligence in Security Market Forecast by Type Chapter Four: Major Region of Artificial Intelligence in Security Market 4.1 Global Artificial Intelligence in Security Sales 4.2 Global Artificial Intelligence in Security Revenue & market share Chapter Five: Major Companies List Chapter Six: Conclusion Browse for Full Report at @: https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/1729339-global-artificial-intelligence-in-security-market-3 Actual Numbers & In-Depth Analysis, Business opportunities, Market Size Estimation Available in Full Report. Thanks for reading this article, you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia. Valley Cottage, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/04/2019 -- According to the latest research by the FMI, the global urology imaging systems market is expected to account for over US$ 486.4 Mn, in terms of value, by 2028 end. The report on the Urology Imaging Systems market further projects substantial growth potential with CAGR of 3.8% over 2018-2028. While hospitals will continue to register the highest revenue share in terms of urology imaging systems adoption, the report highlights limited investment opportunities for manufacturers of urology imaging systems, within clinics. Increasing EU Reserve Funding Encouraging Adoption of Urology Imaging Systems Increasing instances of urological disease and simultaneously increasing awareness about critical health issues is anticipated to boost demand for urology imaging systems and services across globe. Accessibility of EU reserves for part states in the CEE, paralleled by administrative projects in Russia, will be an imperative source of financing for new imaging equipment purchases and will contribute fundamentally to the advancement of the urology imaging systems market in the Eastern Europe. Ask for Sample PDF Brochure of Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-8911 In Russia, the 2020 Healthcare Development Program and National Project 'Health' center not just around conveying propelled advances to the nation and furnishing healthcare facilities with costly, top of the line urology imaging systems, yet additionally on obtaining mid-range and low-end urology imaging systems that are very required in local health facilities. The compliance to the EU reserve funding has given access to countries like the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Bulgaria and Romania. Such compliances are anticipated to eliminate barriers for the new entrant in urology imaging systems market. The growing demand for urology imaging systems is centered at increasing inclination towards technologically-advanced imaging tools used in the diagnosis of prostate cancer and uterine fibroid to reduce the risk of uterine cancer. Further increasing demand for urology imaging systems for accurate diagnosis and second opinion is anticipated to create demand for ultrasound- as well as fluoroscopy-based urology imaging systems, thereby driving the growth of the Urology Imaging Systems market. However, ultrasound systems are likely to continue representing a larger market value share over fluoroscopic variants, according to FMI's analysis. Favorable Reimbursement Scenario, Supported by Increasing Number of Diagnostic Establishments Driving Market Growth In the recent years, the number of independent diagnostics and imaging centers in various developed and developing regions has seen a significant spike, overcoming a series of volume and reimbursement pressures in an effort to sustain profitability and achieve better margins. This according to the report is expected to drive the growth of the Urology Imaging Systems market. Many insurance companies have adopted effective marketing strategies to shift the patient volume to low-cost independent diagnostic centers and reduce the price point associated with urology imaging systems. Independent diagnostic imaging centers offer better service and often of superior quality, generally at the expense of local hospitals and weak operators. The development of low cost portable urology imaging systems is providing leverage to current imagining centers and subsequently driving the growth of Urology Imaging Systems market. Request to Browse Report Customization @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/customization-available/rep-gb-8911 The report tracks strategic developments of some of the prominent players competing in the global urology imaging systems market, including GE Healthcare, Toshiba Medical, Philips Healthcare, Hitachi-Aloka Medical, Siemens Healthineers, Samsung Medison, Mindray, Fujifilm Sonosite, Esaote, and Analogic. The report also provides key aspects and trends in the Urology Imaging Systems market, including reimbursement scenario, average selling price, and country-wise revenue analysis. Valley Cottage, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/04/2019 -- Beriatrics is the branch of medicine that deals with the causes, prevention and treatment of obesity. Obesity has become one the major health scares in the recent times. One of the main problems that obese people face is an increased effort required for walking and mobility and maintaining their general lifestyle independence. Due to this, a large number of people are opting to use the bariatric walking aids. Bariatric equipment and supplies are meant for obese individuals. The major characteristics of bariatric walking aids are that they are designed to be stronger, sturdy and larger in size. Bariatric walking aids have increased weight capacities, heavy duty supports and are wider in width so that obese individuals can fit in. The equipment is defined as bariatric if it has a 300-900 pound limit, even though there is no width or weight limit specified for bariatric equipment. Looking from another perspective, due to a rise in obese patients, the popularity of bariatric surgery is increasing day by day. Hence, bariatric walking aids market is exhibiting sustained growth and this trend is going to continue in the coming decade. The type of bariatric equipment that is in demand include wheelchairs- both manual and electric, mobility scooters, road scooters, canes, folding canes, offset canes, quad canes, axillary and elbow crutches, forearm crutches, knee walkers and rollators. Request Sample Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-2153 Bariatric Walking Aids Market: Drivers As the geriatric population of the world is increasing, there is a rise in the incidences of osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis. Also, proactive government interventions in the healthcare sector, rise in income, technological advancement and a growing obese population across the globe are the main drivers of the bariatric walking aids market. Bariatric walking aids are mainly used by obese individuals and use of such type of equipment is increasing in this segment of the population. On the other hand, there has been a significant increase in the healthcare budgets of United States, China and India and this is also a major driving factor of the bariatric walking aids market. Also, the rapid technological advancements coupled with an intensive research and development effort in the field of mobility aids and transportation equipment has also invigorated the bariatric walking aids market. The rise of per capita income in the emerging economies of India and China has also increased the demand of bariatric walking aids. All these factors are going to boost the bariatric walking aids market in the coming decade. Bariatric Walking Aids Market: Restraints One of the main restraint affecting the global bariatric walking aids market is the high product pricing due to which people are not able to afford such costly equipment, especially in the developing countries. In addition, a low acceptance level due to social stigma is also hampering the growth of the personal mobility devices market. Bariatric Walking Aids Market: Key Regions Currently, North America is the largest and most lucrative market for personal mobility devices. The rising geriatric and obese population in this region is fuelling the growth in the bariatric walking aids market. Europe is the second largest market for personal mobility devices. However, due to the economic crisis in the European Union and shrinking healthcare budgets may hamper the growth of bariatric walking aids market in Europe. In Asia, countries like India, China and South Korea are expected to become lucrative bariatric walking aids markets. The reason of this is the rising economic prosperity in these countries coupled with an increase in the healthcare budgets along with an increase in the obese population. Request to View TOC @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-2153 Bariatric Walking Aids Market: Key Market Players Major players in the bariatric walking aids market are Invacare Corporation, Pride Mobility Products Corporation, Stryker Corporation, Amigo Mobility International Inc., Patterson Medical Holdings Inc., Argo Medical, Drive Medical and Hill-Rom Holdings Inc. Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/04/2019 -- The global basmati rice market is a choc-o-bloc with companies both large and small that features a fragmented vendor landscape, as per a report by Transparency Market Research (TMR). Leading players such as McCormick & Co., Hain Celestial, Rice 'n Spice, REI Agro, LT Foods, East End Foods, and Amira Nature Foods serve local as well as global consumers, which is reflected in the growth of basmati rice market. Penetration into regional markets as rice is the staple food of more than half of the world's population is likely to provide ample growth opportunities for leading players in the market. These players are penetrating regional markets through strategic partnerships, which is likely to make the market somewhat consolidated albeit more competitive, states the report. The worldwide basmati rice market stood at a valuation of US$10.51 bn in 2017. Proliferating at a robust CAGR of 11.0% between 2017 and 2022, the market is anticipated to be worth US$17.74 bn by the end of 2022. By type, the demand for raw basmati surpasses than that for parboiled and steam, mainly because of superior taste and aromatic property of the former. Among the various sales channel, traditional grocery stores remain the key sales channel, with convenience stores following closely. Among the key regional markets for basmati rice, Asia Pacific excluding Japan acquires the leading position in the overall market thanks to high production of rice in the region. Request Sample For More Information @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=31745 Increasing Spending on Superior Grains across Consumer Groups Benefits Market "Among the various types of rice, basmati rice enjoys a premium position thanks to its superior taste and aromatic quality," says a TMR analyst. Almost 90% of production and consumption of basmati rice is centered in Asia, mainly because of its origin from the Indian subcontinent. The growth of the basmati rice market in Asia is powered by high production and export of this type of rice from India and Pakistan. As per records of the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority, India accounted for 59% exports to the overseas basmati rice in 2014, with the remainder exported from Pakistan. The emergence of local varieties of basmati rice is also aiding the growth of basmati rice market. Several countries are increasingly producing domestic variety of basmati rice at relatively low prices. This is to prevent complete dependence on import which is subject to climatic and trade uncertainties as well as to promote consumption of local varieties. Read Report Overview @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/basmati-rice-market.html Across several parts of the world, rising disposable income has benefitted the basmati rice market. Consumers are increasingly spending liberally on premium quality grains, lentils, and spices for a fulfilling eating experience. Basmati rice is increasingly becoming the choice across consumer groups mainly because of its superior taste and aroma that is highly pleasing to the senses. Rising Awareness of Health Ill-effects of Prolonged Consumption of Polished Rice Crimps Growth On the flip side, high price of basmati rice over other rice variants is a key challenge to the market's growth. Basmati rice remains a premium grain not affordable by the average consumer. In addition, increasing awareness about health ill-effects of consuming polished rice on an everyday basis is leading consumers to switch to unpolished rice varieties. This is challenging the growth of basmati rice market to some extent. New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/04/2019 -- Biotechnological enzymes are manufactured by the use of industrial microbiology and used in a variety of applications from food processing to chemical manufacture. They are mostly used for increasing the rate of chemical reactions and to improve the productivity of the process by reducing the input of energy and materials. Biotechnological Enzymes Market: Drivers and Restraints The rising advances and base of the biotech industry is the prime driver of the biotechnological enzymes market. According to the India Brand Equity Foundation, the Indian biotech sector secured a year on year growth of 57.1% in 2016 and was valued at approximately US$ 11 billion. The Indian biotech sector is projected to expand to US$ 11.6 billion by 2017. The Indian biotech industry accounts for a mere 2 percent share of the global biotech industry comprising about 800 companies. Thus a growing and sustainable market are easily comprehensible. The triggers of growth for the biotech industry such as strong demand, growing R&D intensively and attractive government support and initiatives are other drivers of the growth of the biotechnological enzymes market. Strong government support and incentives are other drivers of the growth of the market. For example, the Government of India and China have made the biotech sector a strategic one owing to its positive externalities on other sectors and rich foreign exchange earning potential. For example, in India, the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) along with other government-funded institutions such as the National Biotechnology Board (NBTB) are collaborating to project India as a global hub for biotech research. The Indian Union Budget 2017-18, allocated US$ 333.31 million aimed at implementing the national biotech strategy with a target to increase the turnover of the biotech sector to $100 billion by 2025 from approximately $7 billion in 2016. However, the constraints such as high cost of biotech products, scarcity of trained manpower and the high capital intensity of the sector are hampering the biotechnological enzymes market. A sample of this report is available upon request @ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/27010 Biotechnological Enzymes Market: Segmentation To gain a comprehensive and a better understanding of the future market equity, the biotechnological enzymes report is segmented based on drug class, and application. Based on drug class, the global biotechnological enzymes market is segmented into: Enzyme class Hydrolases Lyases Isomerases Ligases Others Based on applications, the global biotechnological enzymes market is segmented into: Industrial Catalysts Therapeutic Agents Analytic Reagents Manipulative Tools Based on end users, the global biotechnological enzymes market is segmented into: Industries Diagnostic and Forensic Laboratories Academia and Research Biotechnological Enzymes Market: Overview Based on regions, the global biotechnological enzymes market is classified into North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific, Japan, Middle East & Africa, and Asia Pacific biotechnological enzymes market excluding Japan. North America led by the U.S. is expected to account for the largest share of the global biotechnological enzymes market owing to excellent healthcare infrastructure, large demand, developed economy, and faster adoption of new technology. The Europe biotechnological enzymes markets are expected to be led by Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and the UK. Germany has a large biotech industry, which is a prime driver of the European biotechnological enzymes market. Latin America and the Middle East and Africa biotechnological enzymes market is constrained due to the low healthcare expenditure and poor economic conditions. The Middle East and Africa Biotechnological Enzymes market are projected to be dominated by the Gulf economies of UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait owing to their large wealth relative to the African nations. To view TOC of this report is available upon request @ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/27010 The Asia Pacific biotechnological enzymes market is expected to expand at a furious pace owing to growing research and development expenditure and the support of the governments to the technology sector. The growing economy of China and India is expected to drive the growth of biotechnological enzymes market. Some of the major players in the global Biotechnological Enzymes market are Novozymes, North Carolina Biotechnology Center, Lumis Biotech, Zytex, AB Enzymes, EPYGEN LABS LLC., Fermenta Biotech Limited, CPC Biotech, nfinita Biotech Private Limited, MetGen, SYNKROMAX BIOTECH PVT LTD., Biocatalysts Ltd. (BRAIN AG), Henkel AG & Co. KGaA and others. Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/04/2019 -- Breast cancer is defined as out of control growth of cells in the breast which have the ability to form a tumor or lump. These lumps or tumors in the breast are easily detectable through an X-ray. Breast cancer can form in the duct, nipple, glands, or other tissues. The most common types of breast cancer are invasive lobular carcinoma, invasive ductal carcinoma, ductal carcinoma in situ, triple negative breast cancer, metastatic breast cancer, and less common being lymphomas or sarcomas and inflammatory breast cancer. Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers among woman globally and a major cause of mortality. Therefore, early detection is needed for these diseases. Breast cancer is more prevalent in the industrialized countries due to modernized lifestyle; however, the rate of incidence is expected to rise in developing countries. Report Overview @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/breast-cancer-screening-tests-market.html According to the WHO, in 2012, round 1.7 million new cases of breast cancer were diagnosed globally. According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer accounts for 1 in 8 cancers diagnosed in women in the U.S. Symptoms of breast cancer may or may not appear in women. Hence, regular screening is necessary to prevent the malignancy. Breast cancer screening is a regular examination to detect breast cancer. Early detection could ensure timely treatment of patients, thereby reducing the mortality rate. Breast cancer screening generally involves mammography, MRI scan, or ultrasound. Mammography is considered to be the best screening test for the detection of breast cancer. A rise in the standard of living and educational opportunities for women had resulted in late first pregnancy with limited lactation period indirectly leading to fluctuating hormone levels and high risk of breast cancer. Probability of breast cancer increases with age. Hence, rise in geriatric population is a major factor for increase in incidence of breast cancer. Request Brochure @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=36128 Rise in incidence of breast cancer, growing awareness about breast cancer screening tests, government initiatives for breast cancer screening programs, technical advancements in breast imaging technologies, implementation of national level programs by the government for early diagnosis are the major factors driving the market. Based on diagnostic test type, the global breast cancer screening tests market can be segmented into blood marker tests, imaging test, genetic test, and immunohistochemistry test. Imaging test is the most commonly used test for the screening of breast cancer. The segment can be further divided into mammography, MRI screening test, molecular breast imaging test, PET scan, and ultrasound. Mammography is the most common test used for the detection of breast cancer. Genetic test can be sub-segmented into fluorescence in situ hybridization and HER gene test. In most developed countries, mammography is included in the breast screening program making it the most popular breast cancer screening test. In terms of end-user, the global breast screening tests market can be segmented into hospitals, diagnostic centers, cancer institutes, and research laboratories. National breast cancer screening awareness programs and awareness about genetic transfer of breast cancer boost the growth of the diagnostic centers segment. Request for TOC @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=36128 In terms of region, the global breast cancer screening market can be segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. Countries such as United States, Germany, United Kingdom, Japan and China capture the maximum share for the population with higher probability of breast cancer. In 2016, these countries accounted for over 60% share of the global North America is anticipated to hold major market share, as 70% of women in the U.S. undergo mammography. Germany is likely to dominate the market in Europe, due to advanced health care infrastructure and government supported screening programs. Availability of screening services in private health care and diagnostic centers is expected to drive the market in developing countries such as India. Key players in the global breast cancer screening tests market are A&G Pharmaceutical, Inc., Biocrates Life Sciences AG, Metabolomic Technologies, Inc., Myriad Genetics, Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics, Inc., OncoCyte Corporation, POC Medical Systems, Inc., Hologic, Inc., Provista Diagnostics, Inc., and BioTime, Inc. About Transparency Market Research Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRas 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 a" 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, TMRas syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement. Contact 90 State Street, Suite 700 Albany, NY 12207 Tel: +1-518-618-1030 USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453 Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.com Website: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/03/2019 -- Global Database Security Software Market Size, Status and Forecast 2018-2025 is latest research study released by HTF MI evaluating the market, highlighting opportunities, risk side analysis, and leveraged with strategic and tactical decision-making support. The study provides information on market trends and development, drivers, capacities, technologies, and on the changing capital structure of the Global Database Security Software Market. Some of the key players profiled in the study are Oracle, IBM, Trustwave, Thales E-Security, Mcafee, Fortinet, IRI, Micro Focus, Imperva, Hexatier, Gemalto & Protegrity. This report focuses on the global Database Security Software status, future forecast, growth opportunity, key market and key players. The study objectives are to present the Database Security Software development in United States, Europe and China. Database Security Software Market Overview: If you are involved in the Database Security Software industry or intend to be, then this study will provide you comprehensive outlook. It's vital you keep your market knowledge up to date segmented by BFSI, Retail and eCommerce, Government and Defense, Healthcare and Life Sciences, Manufacturing, Telecommunications and IT & Others, , On-premises & Cloud and major players. If you have a different set of players/manufacturers according to geography or needs regional or country segmented reports we can provide customization according to your requirement. Enquire for customization in Report @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/1420585-global-database-security-software-market-2 Database Security Software Market: Demand Analysis & Opportunity Outlook 2023 Research study is to define market sizes of various segments & countries in previous years and to forecast the values to the next 5-8 years. The report is designed to comprise each qualitative and quantitative elements of the industry facts including: market share, market size (value and volume 2012-17, and forecast to 2023) with admire to each of the areas and countries concerned inside the examination. Furthermore, the report additionally caters the detailed statistics about the vital elements which includes drivers & restraining factors which will define the future growth of the market. Furthermore, the years considered for the study are as follows: Historical year 2013-2017 Base year 2018 Forecast period** 2018 to 2023 [** unless otherwise stated] **Moreover, it will also include the opportunities available in micro markets for stakeholders to invest, detailed analysis of competitive landscape and product services of key players. The designated segments and sub-section of the market are explained below: The Study is segmented by following Product Type: , On-premises & Cloud Major applications/end-users industry are as follows: BFSI, Retail and eCommerce, Government and Defense, Healthcare and Life Sciences, Manufacturing, Telecommunications and IT & Others Some of the key Manufacturers Involved in the Market are Oracle, IBM, Trustwave, Thales E-Security, Mcafee, Fortinet, IRI, Micro Focus, Imperva, Hexatier, Gemalto & Protegrity You can get free access to samples from the report here: https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/1420585-global-database-security-software-market-2 For each region, market size and end users are analyzed as well as segment markets by types, applications and companies. If opting for the Global version of Database Security Software Market analysis is provided for major regions as follows: - North America (USA, Canada and Mexico) - Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy) - Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia) - South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.) - Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa) Buy this research report @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=1420585 Key Answers Captured in Study are Which geography would have better demand for product/services? What are the strategies adopted by big players in the regional market? Which country would see the steep rise in CAGR & year-on-year (Y-O-Y) growth? What is the current & expected market size in next five years? What is the market feasibility for long term investment? What opportunity the country would offer for existing and new players in the Database Security Software market? What is risk involved for suppliers in the geography? What factors would drive the demand for the product/service in near future? What is the impact analysis of various factors in the Global Database Security Software market growth? What are the recent trends in the regional market and how successful they are? Read Detailed Index of full Research Study at @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/1420585-global-database-security-software-market-2 There are 15 Chapters to display the Global Database Security Software market. Chapter 1, About Executive Summary to describe Definition, Specifications and Classification of Global Database Security Software market, Applications [BFSI, Retail and eCommerce, Government and Defense, Healthcare and Life Sciences, Manufacturing, Telecommunications and IT & Others], Market Segment by Regions United States, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, India & Central & South America; Chapter 2, objective of the study. Chapter 3, to display Research methodology and techniques. Chapter 4 and 5, to show the Overall Market Analysis, segmentation analysis, characteristics; Chapter 6 and 7, to show the Market size, share and forecast; Five forces analysis (bargaining Power of buyers/suppliers), Threats to new entrants and market condition; Chapter 8 and 9, to show analysis by regional segmentation[United States, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, India & Central & South America ], comparison, leading countries and opportunities; Regional Marketing Type Analysis, Supply Chain Analysis Chapter 10, focus on identifying the key industry influencer's, overview of decision framework accumulated through Industry experts and strategic decision makers; Chapter 11 and 12, Market Trend Analysis, Drivers, Challenges by consumer behaviour, Marketing Channels and demand & supply. Chapter 13 and 14, describe about the vendor landscape (classification and Market Positioning) Chapter 15, deals with Global Database Security Software Market sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data source. Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia or Oceania [Australia and New Zealand]. New age dawns as heritage sites embrace change From:ChinaDaily | 2019-04-04 07:48 Increased digitalization spurs commercial push at venues The Palace Museum in Beijing, also known as the Forbidden City, is one of the most historically and culturally significant sites in China. Once home to emperors, it now hosts throngs of visitors each day and its merchandise is sought by many across the country and overseas. The venue also is drawing more attention in an innovative way. Among the products it offers, it has developed a range of cosmetics with packaging inspired by the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. Sales of the museum's merchandise reached 1.5 billion yuan ($223.6 million) in 2017, according to Shan Jixiang, curator and director of the museum, who spoke at the Chinese Entrepreneurs Forum in Yabuli, Heilongjiang province, in February. The success of the cosmetics line highlights a fundamental transformation at the cultural attraction, a change that is also visible at some of the world's most significant heritage sites. From its days as the epicenter of imperial China through to its transformation as a center for cultural preservation and tourist attraction, the allure of the Palace Museum has remained strong. Globally, governments have sought to protect such sites while also benefiting from them by generating revenue and using them to strengthen their tourism industries. At the Palace Museum, lipsticks are among an array of merchandise, including phone covers and paper fans. The latter have been popular for some time. This commercial push heralds a new age for heritage sites, and has largely been prompted by increased digitalization. Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/03/2019 -- Electric two-wheelers, as indicates itself, is electricity-powered two-wheelers. A battery pack and a motor are installed to store and transform the electricity. A user control is usually attached to the handle bar to brake and adjust the speed. Electric Motorcycles & Scooters can be classified as a combination of electric scooter, electric motorcycle, and so on. The power-assisted electric scooter with pedals is also called electric bicycle in China, and China is the largest producer of the Electric Motorcycles & Scooters products, about 90% of the global total production is from China in the past years. In the past several years, the global Electric Motorcycles & Scooters market is relatively stable with CAGR of 4.6% from 2013 to 2018. In 2017, the global actual consumption amount of Electric Motorcycles & Scooters was around 17368.3 K Units. To Download Sample Report with TOC: https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=2104669 The global average price of Electric Motorcycles & Scooters is in fluctuation in 2013-2018, from about 260 $/Unit in 2013 to 277 $/Unit in 2017 The price will be in increase trend while demand is going to be saturated and the price of the raw material (e.g. Steel) will increase. The sales volume of Electric Motorcycles & Scooters will reach to around 23052.3 K Unit in 2024 from 18045.0 K Units in 2018 all around the world, with the CAGR of 4%. China is the largest sales market of Electric Motorcycles & Scooters in the world in the past few years and it will keep the same position in the next years. China sales volume took up about 80% the global market in 2017, but it has changed a lot in 2018 due to the saturated demand (means that the demand is relatively rated, but the production increased too fast and began to be oversupply). China sales share dropped to 79% in 2018. At the same time, the export to Europe and USA increased dramatically. Apparently, many Chinese producers of Electric Motorcycles & Scooters are trying their best to look for new growing-market, while Chinese market is in fierce competition and some small players have quitted this business especially in recent years. Currently, AIMA, Yadea, Sunra, BYVIN, TAILG, Lvyuan, Incalcu, Lvjia, Lima and Supaq are the top ten players in the global Electric Motorcycles & Scooters market. The Hero Electric (from India), Accell Group (From EU) Terra Motor (from Japan), ZEV (From USA), Giant EV (brand from Taiwan, but produced in China), and Yamaha (brand from Japan, but produced in China) are other key brands outside China. The global Electric Motorcycle market is valued at 5330 million US$ in 2018 is expected to reach 7690 million US$ by the end of 2025, growing at a CAGR of 4.7% during 2019-2025. This report focuses on Electric Motorcycle volume and value at global level, regional level and company level. From a global perspective, this report represents overall Electric Motorcycle market size by analyzing historical data and future prospect. Regionally, this report focuses on several key regions: North America, Europe, China and Japan. At company level, this report focuses on the production capacity, ex-factory price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer covered in this report. Make an Enquiry of this report @ https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=2104669 The following manufacturers are covered: - Yadea - AIMA - Lvyuan - Sunra - TAILG - Lima - BYVIN - Zongshen Electric Motorcycle - Wuyang Honda - HONG ER DA - Lvjia - Slane - Opai Electric - Supaq - Xiaodao Ebike - Sykee - Aucma EV - Terra Motor - Govecs - ZEV - Zero Motorcycles Segment by Regions - North America - Europe - China - Japan Segment by Type - Electric Motorcycle - Electric Scooter About ResearchMoz ResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price. Contact Us: ResearchMoz Mr. Nachiket Ghumare, Tel: +1-518-621-2074 Toll Free: 866-997-4948 (US-CANADA) Email: sales@researchmoz.us Follow us on LinkedIn @ bit.ly/1TBmnVG Follow us on Blogger @ https://marketnewstoday24.blogspot.com/ Pune, Maharashtra -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/04/2019 -- The global Feed Phytogenics market was valued at USD 548.1million in 2016 and is projected to reach USD 1007.7million by 2025, growing at a CAGR of 7.1% from 2017 to 2025. Phytogenics are additives derived from herbs and spices that increase the palatability of animal feed. With animal feed industry witnessing a revolution in terms of new products being introduced the demand for such chemicals is increasing rapidly. Europe is expected to be the highest consumer owing to ban on in feed antibiotics. Key players in details: Cargill, Phytosynthese, EI Du Pont De Nemours, A&A Pharmachem Inc, Kemin Industries, Pancosma SA, Biomin Holding GmbH, PhytobioticsFutterzusatztoffe GmbH, Dostofarm GmbH, DelaconBiotechnik GmbH and Others. Register for free sample copy of this report here: https://www.verifiedmarketreports.com/download-sample/?rid=31864&mode=BRG10 Market is segmented on the basis of Type, Application and Region: By Livestock: Swine, Poultry, Ruminants, Equine, Aquatic Animals, Others By Type: Spices and Herbs, Essential Oils, Oleoresins, Others By Function: Performance enhancers, Palatability enhancers, Others Feed Phytogenics market report comprises key factor which can be useful for any new player in the industry. It is possible due to comparative analysis and overview that is provided in the report. By focusing on all the details in the report, it is more than enough for any newcomers entering the industry so that they can get a better knowledge and study the market before making any strategic decision. Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with Sales, Sales, revenue, Market Share (%) and Growth Rate (%) of product in these regions, from 2019 to 2025 (forecast), covering United States, North America (Canada and Mexico), Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy), Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia), South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.), Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa), RoW (Rest of World). To know more about this report: https://www.verifiedmarketreports.com/product/global-feed-phytogenics-market-size-and-forecast-to-2025/?mode=BRG10 Table of Contents: 1 Introduction of Global Feed Phytogenics Market 2 Executive Summary 3 Research Methodology 4 Global Market outlook 5 Global Feed Phytogenics Market Overview 6 Global Feed Phytogenics Market by Type 7 Global Feed Phytogenics Market by Application 8 Global Market by Geography 9 Global Market Competitive Landscape 10 Company Profiles 11 Appendix Avail Discount for this report at: https://www.verifiedmarketreports.com/ask-for-discount/?rid=31864&mode=BRG10 About Us: Verified Market Reports is part of the Verified Market Research which offers premium reports from over hundreds of top publishers worldwide. It has the most widespread collection of market research reports, analysis & forecast data for businesses and governments. We update and improve our repository routinely to deliver instant online access to the world's most comprehensive and current database of expert insights. Contact Us: sales@verifiedmarketreports.com | +1 (704) 266-3234 Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/04/2019 -- Fertility services are services provided to support the treatment to cure infertility. Fertility services involve techniques such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), artificial insemination, and surrogacy, which help in resolving infertility issues among couples, single mothers, and the LGBT community. Infertility can occur in men or women of child-bearing age. Male infertility is identified majorly as a result of low sperm count or decreased motility of sperms, which may be due to hormonal imbalance. Hence, fertility in men and women requires proper functioning of hypothalamus and pituitary gland. Increase in the rate of infertility has occurred majorly due to factors such as increase in the consumption of alcohol and drugs, increased stress level, frequent smoking, obesity, and environmental factors. As per a study by the American Society for Reproductive medicines, in approximately 40% of infertile couples, the male partner is responsible for infertility and among them, approximately 85%90% are treated with drugs or surgery. View Report: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/fertility-services-market.html The global fertility services market can be segmented based on cause of infertility, type of treatment, and service provider. Based on cause of infertility, the Fertility services market can be segmented into male infertility and female infertility. In terms of type of treatment/technology involved, the global fertility services market can be divided into assisted reproductive technology (ART), in vitro fertilization (IVF), artificial insemination (AI) by donor type, artificial insemination by medical practitioner, and others. The in vitro fertilization segment has been sub-segmented into intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and pre-implantation genetic diagnostics (PGD). The artificial insemination segment has been sub-segmented into intrauterine insemination, intracervical insemination, and others. High success rate and technological advancements in the new devices for IVF treatment are likely to propel the segment during the forecast period. Rise in the rate of infertility, low cost of artificial insemination and surrogacy in developing countries, rising incidence of reproductive tourism and cross-border reproductive care are estimated to drive artificial insemination and surrogacy segments during the forecast period. The others segment is anticipated to sustain Fertility services market share by the end of the forecast period, due to high cost and low awareness about GIFT and ZIFT technologies and dominance of IVF and surrogacy segments in the global Fertility services market. Based on service provider, the Fertility services market has been classified into fertility clinics, hospitals, and others. Request a Brochure of the Report @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=42119 The fertility clinics segment is projected to hold the highest Fertility services market share between 2017 and 2025, due to constant rise in the number of fertility clinics, high success rate of fertility treatment in clinics due to adoption of advanced technology, tie-ups of clinics with consultants, and rising fertility tourism. On the other hand, the hospitals segment is expected to expand during the forecast period, due to advanced procedures and equipment, availability of expert doctors, and ongoing research in hospitals for improving the success rate of the ART treatment. Geographically, the global fertility services market has been divided into five regions: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. EMEA led the global fertility services market with countries such as the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, and Spain being major contributors to the revenue. Primary factors augmenting the Fertility services market in the region are increased demand for infertility treatments and increase in sedentary lifestyle. Request TOC @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=42119 Key players operating in the global fertility services market are CooperSurgical, Care Fertility, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd., Ferring Pharmaceuticals, Carolinas Fertility Institute, Merck, INVO Bioscience, Monash IVF, OvaScience Inc., Fertility Focus Ltd., and Vitrolife. About Transparency Market Research Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMR's experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge. Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMR's syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement. Contact Us Transparency Market Research 90 State Street, Suite 700 Albany, NY 12207 Tel: +1-518-618-1030 USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453 Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.com Website: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Sellbyville, DE -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/04/2019 -- Japan fuel cell market is expected to witness a surge in demand in the coming years. Increasing government expenditure toward development of hydrogen infrastructure coupled with extensive research and development projects will fuel the business growth. Rising energy security concern coupled with favourable measures to promote the adoption of renewable energy technologies will further complement the industry outlook. UK fuel cell market is set to witness growth owing to growing investment toward development of hydrogen infrastructure along with favourable government regulations to reduce carbon emissions. Growing demand for development and deployment of the renewable energy technologies will further complement the business landscape. The Government of UK announced to inaugurate 1,150 hydrogen refuelling station by 2030. Request for a sample of this research report @ https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/621 Increasing demand for space heating across residential and commercial sector along with growing investment toward development of hydrogen refuelling station will stimulate the fuel cell industry. Growing installation of portable charging sources on account of increasing recreation activities will positively impact the business outlook. In 2017, government of UK funded over USD 30 million to promote the development of hydrogen infrastructure and vehicle. Company profiled in this report based on Business overview, Financial data, Product landscape, Strategic outlook & SWOT analysis: - Hydrogenics Corporation - Ballard Power Systems, Inc. - Nedstack Fuel Cell Technology - Bloom Energy - Panasonic - Plug Power - SFC Energy AG - Toshiba - Doosan Fuel Cell America - Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. - Arcola Energy - Ceres Power Holding - Nuvera Fuel Cells - Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies - HES Energy Systems - AFC Energy PLC - Fuel Cell Energy - Fuji Electric Make an Inquiry for purchasing this report @ https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/621 Japan fuel cell market is predicted to exceed 70 MW by 2024. Increasing government expenditure toward development of hydrogen infrastructure coupled with extensive research and development projects will fuel the business growth. Rising energy security concern coupled with favourable measures to promote the adoption of renewable energy technologies will further complement the industry outlook. Fuel cell market from transport segment is set to witness growth owing to its ongoing deployment in commercial vehicles, UAVs and e- bikes. Increasing cell demand from two & three wheelers, trams, small boats, FCEV's, light vehicles, ferries, goods handling vehicles and forklift trucks will further complement the business growth. In 2016, the FCV sales growth increase from 400 units in 2015 to 5000 units. SOFC fuel cell market share is predicted to witness growth owing to growing demand for fuel cell across large and small stationary power generation systems. Ability to possess over 60% efficiency and operate at high temperate ranges from 8000C to 1,0000C over other alternates make its adoption preferable over other alternates. Cost effectiveness, low emissions, stability, fuel flexibility and high efficiency are some of key parameters which will impede the fuel cell market. Fuel Cell Market is set to exceed USD 6 billion by 2024.Government measures to promote the development of sustainable technologies coupled with escalating demand for FCEV's will drive the industry growth. Growing spending by government organizations and private institutions including Credit Suisse, DOE and DAG Ventures toward innovation and technological advancement will further complement the industry landscape. In 2015, Credit Suisse invested USD 130 million for development of SOFC technology in the U.S. Browse Full Report: https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/fuel-cell-market Major participants across fuel cell market includes Hydrogenics Corporation, Horizon, FuelCell Energy, Toshiba, UTC Power, Panasonic, Ceres Power, Plug Power, AFC Energy, Doosan, SFC, Arcola, Bloom Energy and Ballard. The industry has witnessed several M&A to expand its regional presence. San Francisco, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/04/2019 -- Global Gene Editing Market: Snapshot Gene editing or genome editing is the targeted insertion or modification of cells in living organism or cells and the method has come to occupy a crucial part of biomedical researches, constantly transforming various disciplines of life sciences. Over the past few years, continuous advancements in gene-editing technologies have led to the advent of several versatile methods, which have enabled investigators to introduce a number of sequence-specific changes into the genomes of a variety of cell types. This has facilitated the discovery of promising human gene therapies proving useful for treating various diseases. The use of targeted nucleases or engineered nucleases in laboratories has provided researchers potential tools to economically and rapidly manipulate almost any genomic sequence for a broad range of cell types. Get Brochure of the Report @ https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=638 In recent years, gene editing techniques have been witnessed a paradigmatic shift with the advent of methods such as clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9), zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs), and transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs). Using these technologies, investigators have been successful in generating a wide spectrum of outcomes, which are likely to prove useful in diverse areas as synthetic biology, disease modeling, neurosciences, and drug discovery. For instance, targeted nuclease have enabled the insertion of targeted DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). This has led to the activation of DNA repair pathways in various cells. In vivo applications of various gene editing tools, however, suffer from noticeable constraints. For instance, nuclease delivery or expression can be enabled only in diseased cells, thereby limiting potential of the market to an extent. Nevertheless, constant engineering advances are being made which will expectedly lay robust groundwork for expanding the current array of genome-modifying tools which may drive gene editing market. Global Gene Editing Market: Overview Gene editing involves the insertion, deletion, or replacement of DNA at specific sites in the genome of a cell or an organism. It is usually achieved in a laboratory environment using molecular scissors. Regulations for the security of life, well-being of plants and animals, human health, and environmental compliance will influence market players for increased focus on import, export, and commercialization of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The report is an all-important tool to comprehend the various factors and growth trends that will influence the growth of the gene editing market between 2017 and 2025. The market study is a collective of facts and factoids that are associated with the global gene editing market in a chronological order. The analysis of past data and current market trends enable research analysts to present a satisfactory conclusion regarding the market's future. Thus, the analysis presented in the report can be used to devise successful business strategies for the future. Using standard analytical tools such as Porter's Five Forces and SWOT analysis, the report presents the indices of strength, weakness, opportunities, and threats of the global gene editing market until the end of the forecast period in 2025. Global Gene Editing Market: Drivers and Restraints The increasing expenditures on research and development, growth of the biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, and rising demand for synthetic genes are the major factors driving the global gene editing market. The increasing prevalence of infectious diseases, cancer, and other genetic disorders is steering the growth of the gene editing industry. Moreover, the increasing demand for personalized medicine and advancement of medical science is propelling the industry's demand. However, strict government regulations to receive approval for mutation undertakings and lack of public awareness will challenge the growth of the gene editing market. Government regulations for assessing the medical benefits as well as the potential hazards of gene editing procedure will benefit the growth of this market. Global Gene Editing Market: Market Segmentation The global gene editing market can be analyzed on the basis of technology, end user, application, and region. In terms of technology, the market can be segmented into CRISPR, ZFN, TALEN and others. On the basis of application, the global gene editing market can be divided into cell line engineering, plant genetic engineering, animal genetic engineering, and others. By end user, the market can be segmented into biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, contract research organizations, and academic and government institutes. Global Gene Editing Market: Regional Outlook The global gene editing market can be divided into the regional segments of North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World. The U.S. gene editing market is expected to display robust growth due to growth trend manifested by biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies and adoption of advanced technologies such as CRISPR for treating chronic hereditary diseases. In Europe, the U.K. is expected to contribute significantly to the growth of the gene editing market in this region. This is mainly due to the rising geriatric population and increasing incidence of chronic diseases. The Asia Pacific gene editing market is expected to display fast growth rate in the coming years. The rising geriatric population, modernization of healthcare practices, technological advancements, and government initiatives for controlling diseases are fuelling the growth of the Asia Pacific gene editing market. Request TOC for Detailed Facts & Numbers @ https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=638 South Africa is expected to contribute significantly to the revenue of its regional market. The rising prevalence of sickle cell anemia, HIV, hemophilia and several forms of cancer will drive the industry's growth. Major Companies Mentioned in Report The report mentions and profiles some of the top companies in the global gene editing market, namely Agilent Technologies, AstraZeneca, Cellectis, Editas Medicine, Dharmacon, Qiagen, Sigma-Aldrich, Allele Biotech, Bio Rad, CRISPR Therapeutics, GE Healthcare, Lonza, Recombinetics, and Thermo Fisher Scientific. About TMR Research TMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in today's supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients' conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends. Los Angeles, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/04/2019 -- The chapters of segmentation allow the readers to understand the aspects of the market such as its products, available technologies, and applications of the same. These chapters are written in a manner to describe their development over the years and the course they are likely to take in the coming years. The research report also provides insightful information about the emerging trends that are likely to define progress of these segments in the coming years. Request a Sample of this report at: https://www.qyresearch.com/sample-form/form/971701/global-manual-nail-guns-competition-situation-research-report- Global Manual Nail Guns Market: Regional Segmentation For a deeper understanding, the research report includes geographical segmentation of the global Manual Nail Guns market. It provides an evaluation of the volatility of the political scenarios and amends likely to be made to the regulatory structures. This assessment gives an accurate analysis of the regional-wise growth of the global Manual Nail Guns market. The Middle East and Africa (GCC Countries and Egypt) North America (the United States, Mexico, and Canada) South America (Brazil etc.) Europe (Turkey, Germany, Russia UK, Italy, France, etc.) Asia-Pacific (Vietnam, China, Malaysia, Japan, Philippines, Korea, Thailand, India, Indonesia, and Australia) Global Manual Nail Guns Market: Research Methodology The research methodologies used by the analysts play an integral role in the way the publication has been collated. Analysts have used primary and secondary research methodologies to create a comprehensive analysis. For an accurate and precise analysis of the global Manual Nail Guns market, analysts have bottom-up and top-down approaches. Global Manual Nail Guns Market: Competitive Rivalry The research report includes an analysis of the competitive landscape present in the global Manual Nail Guns market. It includes an assessment of the existing and upcoming trends that players can invest in. Furthermore, it also includes an evaluation of the financial outlooks of the players and explains the nature of the competition. Key Players Mentioned in the Global Manual Nail Guns Market Research Report: ITW Stanley Black & Decker Bosch TTI MAX Makita Senco Apex Mfg PneuTools Unicatch Hangzhou GreatStar Industrial Ask our Expert if You Have a Query at: enquiry@qyresearch.com Strategic Points Covered in TOC: Chapter 1: Introduction, market driving force product scope, market risk, market overview, and market opportunities of the global Manual Nail Guns market Chapter 2: Evaluating the leading manufacturers of the global Manual Nail Guns market which consists of its revenue, sales, and price of the products Chapter 3: Displaying the competitive nature among key manufacturers, with market share, revenue, and sales Chapter 4: Presenting global Manual Nail Guns market by regions, market share and with revenue and sales for the projected period Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9: To evaluate the market by segments, by countries and by manufacturers with revenue share and sales by key countries in these various regions Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/04/2019 -- The data center rack server is an electrical framework which is particularly designed for house servers, data center computing equipment networking devices and cables among other end uses. The data center rack server provides an orchestration and room for equipment within the data center facility. The data center rack server is an integration of mounting slots which are called bays. The bay stacks hardware units with secured bolted enclosures. The data center rack server is a more economical compared to more expensive tower server. The data center rack server is designed is a way so that it can accommodate multiple servers by stacking the servers one above the other. The data center rack server is designed to integrate multiple servers and also provide reduction in the required floor space. The data center rack server also provides simplification in the wiring between multiple network components. Some of the factors driving the data center rack server include growing need for superior density servers, increase in need for data center which are scalable, reduction in Opex and Capex and easy up gradation to latest technology. Some of the factors which are expected to restrain the market over the next few years include emergence of new technologies and improved requirement to support infrastructure. Growth in cloud related technology and data center is a key opportunity for the data center rack server market growth over the new future. Further exponential growth in the data center traffic is another key opportunity for the market growth. A key challenged faced by the data center rack server manufacturer is the requirement of air conditioning systems, heating and ventilation for the smooth functioning of the server. Get Sample Copy of this report @ https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/7350 The data center rack server market by data center type has been segmented into enterprise data centers, midsized data centers and large data centers. The data center rack server market by end use industry has been segmented into IT and telecommunication, banking, insurance and financial sector, healthcare, defense and surveillance, government sector, research and development, manufacturing sector, power sector and others. The IT and telecommunication sector led the data center rack server market in terms of revenue and is also expected to growth at the fastest rate over the next few years. There is huge requirement of servers to store and manage a mammoth amount of data for the IT and telecommunication sector and this is expected to drive the data center rack server market over the next few years. Geographically the data center rack server market has been broadly segmented into North America, Latin America, Middle East and Africa, Asia Pacific and Europe. North America is expected to be the largest contributor for the data center rack server market in term of revenue. Asia Pacific is expected to growth at the fastest rate over the next few years owing to massive demand from the IT and telecommunication sector. The data center rack server market in North America is expected to continue dominating the market over the next few years due to advancement in technology and presence of large number of data center which finds application across a wide range of industries would further the drive the market in this region. The key players operating in the data center rack server market include Oracle Corporation (The U.S), HPE (The U.S.), Dell Inc., (The U.S.), Fujitsu Ltd., (Japan), Lenovo Group Ltd. (The U.S.), Cisco Systems, Inc., (The U.S.), NEC Corporation (China), Huawei Technology Co., (China), Iron Systems, Inc (The U.S.) and Quanta Computer, Inc. (Taiwan) among others. The key players operating in the data center rack server market involve in product innovation through research and development to gain competitive advance over its competitors. Request For TOC Report @ https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/toc/7350 MRR.BIZ has been compiled in-depth market research data in the report after exhaustive primary and secondary research. Our team of able, experienced in-house analysts has collated the information through personal interviews and study of industry databases, journals, and reputable paid sources. The report provides the following information: -Tailwinds and headwinds molding the market's trajectory -Market segments based on products, technology, and applications -Prospects of each segment -Overall current and possible future size of the market -Growth pace of the market -Competitive landscape and key players' strategies The main aim of the report is to: -Enable key stakeholder's in the market bet right on it -Understand the opportunities and pitfalls awaiting them -Assess the overall growth scope in the near term -Strategize effectively with respect to production and distribution MRR.BIZ is a leading provider of strategic market research. Our vast repository consists research reports, data books, company profiles, and regional market data sheets. We regularly update the da-ta and analysis of a wide-ranging products and services around the world. As readers, you will have access to the latest information on almost 300 industries and their sub-segments. Both large Fortune 500 companies and SMEs have found those useful. This is because we customize our offerings keeping in mind the specific requirements of our clients. View Complete Report at @ https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/it-and-telecommunication/7350/data-center-rack-server-market-research-reports About MarketResearchReports.biz MarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries. Contact Mr. Nachiket State Tower 90 Sate Street, Suite 700 Albany, NY 12207 Tel: +1-518-621-2074 Website: http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/ E: sales@ marketresearchreports.biz New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/04/2019 -- The latest report on the High Speed Steel Band Saw Blade market closely surveys, examines and offers vital statistics on the High Speed Steel Band Saw Blade market for the forecast period 2019 - 2026. This market intelligence assessment report weighs up on the potential region that reserves greater opportunities for this industry. Importantly, subject matter experts have taken into account every critical aspect right from the market size, share, and growth to the dramatic shift in the consumer behaviour and their growing spending capacity. The industry assessment study depicts a perfectly clear picture of both the past and the future trends to offer the stakeholders, business owners, and marketing executives an opportunity to zero in on an effective marketing strategy and boost sales. Request for sample report in PDF format available @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/sample-enquiry-form/33133 Major Players in High Speed Steel Band Saw Blade market are: AMADA, WIKUS, LENOX, Starrett, BAHCO, Benxi Tool, M. K. Morse, EBERLE, DOALL, Bichamp, Simonds International, Robert Rontgen, SMG, TCJY, Bipico, Dalian Bi-Metal, Dsspc-sanda Major Regions that plays a vital role in High Speed Steel Band Saw Blade market are: - North America - Europe - China - Japan - Middle East & Africa - India - South America - Others Ask for discount @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/discount-enquiry-form/33133 Understanding the market size Researcher's visibility engagement approach when evaluating data such as key driving forces, threats, challenges, opportunities empowers product owners to meet their strategic goals through accelerated returns. The intelligent market survey that blends in both new and old study techniques brings to light more information pertaining to various product types, applications, end-use and important industry definition. The research on the High Speed Steel Band Saw Blade market further validates other prime factors including investment feasibility, production capability, product pricing, production volume, demand and supply, import and export status to help business evangelists make the multi-dimensional marketing strategy more robust. Comprehensive data on the current and future business environment is showcased through self-explanatory infographics, charts, and tables and can be integrated with any business presentation. Market by Type - 27mm - 27-41mm - 41mm Market by Application - Ferrous metallurgy industry - Machining - Automobile industry - Aviation Knowing the trends influencing the industry performance Stakeholders, marketing executives and business owners planning to refer a market research report can use this study to design their offerings and understand how competitors attract their potential customers and manage their supply and distribution channels. When tracking the trends researchers have made a conscious effort to analyze and interpret the consumer behaviour. Besides, the research helps product owners to understand the changes in culture, target market as well as brands so they can draw the attention of the potential customers more effectively. Our trend analysts look for the crucial connection between consumer trends, behaviour and values, to provide context for the sectors, demographics and global themes that matter to you. Buy Complete Report on High Speed Steel Band Saw Blade (customization available) @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/checkout-form/33133 The study objectives of this report are: - To analyze and study the global High Speed Steel Band Saw Blade capacity, production, value, consumption, status (2013-2019) and forecast (2019-2026); - Focuses on the key High Speed Steel Band Saw Blade manufacturers, to study the capacity, production, value, market share and development plans in future. - Focuses on the global key manufacturers, to define, describe and analyze the market competition landscape, SWOT analysis. - To define, describe and forecast the market by type, application and region. - To analyze the global and key regions market potential and advantage, opportunity and challenge, restraints and risks. - To identify significant trends and factors driving or inhibiting the market growth. - To analyze the opportunities in the market for stakeholders by identifying the high growth segments. - To strategically analyze each submarket with respect to individual growth trend and their contribution to the market - To analyze competitive developments such as expansions, agreements, new product launches, and acquisitions in the market - To strategically profile the key players and comprehensively analyze their growth strategies. Key elements from table of content: Chapter 1 High Speed Steel Band Saw Blade Market Overview 1.1 High Speed Steel Band Saw Blade Definition 1.2 Global High Speed Steel Band Saw Blade Market Size Status and Outlook (2019-2026) 1.3 Global High Speed Steel Band Saw Blade Market Size Comparison by Region (2013-2026) 1.4 Global High Speed Steel Band Saw Blade Market Size Comparison by Type (2019-2026) 1.5 Global High Speed Steel Band Saw Blade Market Size Comparison by Application (2019-2026) 1.6 Global High Speed Steel Band Saw Blade Market Size Comparison by Sales Channel (2019-2026) 1.7 High Speed Steel Band Saw Blade Market Dynamics 1.7.1 Market Drivers/Opportunities 1.7.2 Market Challenges/Risks 1.7.3 Market News (Mergers/Acquisitions/ Expansion) Chapter 2 High Speed Steel Band Saw Blade Market Segment Analysis by Player 2.1 Global High Speed Steel Band Saw Blade Sales and Market Share by Player (2019-2026) 2.2 Global High Speed Steel Band Saw Blade Revenue and Market Share by Player (2019-2026) 2.3 Global High Speed Steel Band Saw Blade Average Price by Player (2019-2026) 2.4 Players Competition Situation & Trends 2.5 Conclusion of Segment by Player Continued Browse the report description @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/industry-overview/high-speed-steel-band-saw-blade-market About MarketExpertz Planning to invest in market intelligence products or offerings on the web? Then marketexpertz has just the thing for you - reports from over 500 prominent publishers and updates on our collection daily to empower companies and individuals catch-up with the vital insights on industries operating across different geography, trends, share, size and growth rate. There's more to what we offer to our customers. With marketexpertz you have the choice to tap into the specialized services without any additional charges. Contact Us: John Watson Head of Business Development Market Expertz | Web: www.marketexpertz.com Direct Line: +1-800-819-3052 E-mail: sales@marketexpertz.com News: www.marketexpertz.com/market-news Sellbyville, DE -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/03/2019 -- North America led by the Mexico, Canada, and the U.S. calcium bentonite market may witness gains of about 5% by 2024. This product offers healing, detoxifying and curative properties which increases its suitability for cosmetics and natural healthcare products. It enhances the immune system and reduces the possibility of infections by eliminating toxins which may enter the body via unhealthy food, paints and pesticides, thereby creating growth opportunities for bentonite industry size. Bentonite Market size may exceed USD 1.95 billion by 2024; according to a new research report by Global Market Insights, Inc. Rising product demand for iron pelletizing operations in the steel industry may accelerate growth of bentonite industry. The upgradation of iron ore to improve iron content results in the generation of iron ore filter which requires pelletizing if it is to be used in steel manufacturing operations. The product acts as a binder by imparting high strength to roasted & dry pellets thereby ensuring their safe transportation, which may stimulate product demand. Request for a sample copy of this research report @ https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/1492 Increasing pet ownership in Germany, UK and France on account of reducing community involvement and the breakdown of conventional social support systems has led to growing demand for pet litter products thereby stimulating bentonite market growth. Moreover, the product eliminates undesirable odors by allowing regular removal of urine & feces along with providing cost-efficiency as compared to its conventional clay litter counterparts owing to its longer shelf life which may further boost bentonite industry growth. Rise in offshore drilling activities in the U.S. to satisfy rising oil & petrochemical demand and deal with exhausting onshore petroleum reserves may promote growth of bentonite market size. The product increases hydrostatic pressure in the borehole thus preventing the ingress of gas & fluid and increasing stability. It also cools and lubricates the drill bit, protecting it from corrosion and keeping the cuttings in suspension thereby preventing the formation of sludge at the borehole bottom which is further predicted to stimulate market growth. Sodium bentonite market from civil engineering applications was valued at over USD 65 million in 2017. This product possesses excellent bonding strength, plasticity, lubricity, low permeability and compressibility. It has diverse application potential in foundation & excavation works which include protective barriers, digging bored piles, diaphragm walls, and the construction of cutoff walls, grouting mortars. The product ensures foundational stability by preventing wall collapse, offers sealant properties, prevents debris deposition at the base of excavations, and allows easy displacement by concrete which is poised to stimulate the growth of bentonite industry size. Make an inquiry for buying this report @ https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/1492 Europe sodium bentonite market demand from foundry sands applications led by UK, Germany, France and Spain may surpass USD 50 million in the forecasted period. This product possess high swell capacities & viscosity thereby making it ideal for green sand formulations used in iron & steel casting industry. The product serves as the glue which holds various particles of foundry sand together and provides high strength in less preparation time which may promote growth of bentonite industrty size. Bentonite market share is competitive and moderately fragmented among various manufacturers such as Minerals Technologies, CETCO, Delmon Group, Halliburton, Ashapura Minechem, MIDPOINT Chemicals, CB Minerals and CIMBAR Performance Minerals. Prominent manufacturers are indulging in strategic acquisitions to achieve market expansion and in the construction of new production facilities to meet rising product demand. 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. Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/04/2019 -- The global Hypodermic Needles Market is likely to exhibit robust growth. The increasing prevalence of chronic ailments and a rising geriatric population are the key factors boosting the market. The growth witnessed by this market is mainly driven by the role played by hypodermic needles in research activities. These needles also reduce the chances of contamination of fluid used during the injection of a sterile substrate. Hypodermic needles are hollow and are attached to hypodermic syringes to extract and inject fluids from the body. These needles have a long cylindrical shape with a puncturing point at the tip that pierces the patient's skin. These needles can be reusable as well as disposable. Reusable needles are mainly used by diabetes patients to administer their insulin shots. However, it is very important to sterilize the reusable needles before using them in order to avoid infections of any kind. The rising prevalence of diabetes has therefore emerged as a crucial factor fuelling demand from the global hypodermic needles market. The report provides a holistic overview of the global hypodermic needles market. It studies the various growth drivers and restraints influencing the market. In order to study its competitive landscape, the report also profiles some of the most prominent enterprises operating therein. The market has been segmented on the basis of various parameters for the purpose of the study. The report includes an overview of the present market dynamics, prevailing trends, historical development, and future outlook of the market across major regional segments. Governments around the world have been implementing various regulations aimed at curtailing the incidence of needle-stick injuries. These legislations mandate the safe usage of needles to avert the risk of infections. The implementation of such stringent regulations has been crucial in stimulating demand from the global hypodermic needles market. The growth exhibited by the market is also supported by the introduction of the latest technologies in hypodermic needle-based delivery of drugs. Request to View Brochure of Report - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=12695 On the flip side, the risk of infections associated with administering drugs using hypodermic needles, the increasing incidence of needle-stick injuries, and the presence of alternatives may restrain the growth of the global hypodermic needles market. Nevertheless, the market is expected to gain from the launch of novel products and the growing trend of publicprivate partnerships between manufacturing companies and government organizations. Regionally, North America dominates the global hypodermic needles market. The increasing geriatric population in the region and the rising prevalence of chronic diseases have been fuelling demand for hypodermic needles in North America. The regional hypodermic needle market is also gaining from the implementation of favorable regulations by governments. Apart from this and driven by increasing demand from India, China, and Japan, Asia Pacific is expected to exhibit attractive opportunities for the market. Request to View ToC of the report - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=12695 Some of the leading companies operating in the market are Terumo Corp., Albert David Ltd., Dickinson and Company, Becton, and Connecticut Hypodermics Inc. A SWOT analysis is conducted to study strengths and weaknesses of these companies. The analysis also helps in examining the opportunities and threats that these companies could face in the coming years. Home Just In Nepal recognised as new investment destination across the world: NRN leader Kathmandu, April 4 Kumar Pant, Vice-President of the Nonresident Nepalis Association, a global body of nonresident Nepalis, has claimed that Nepal has been recognised as a new investment destination across the world. A few days after the government concluded its ambitious investment summit, Pant says the governments recent efforts to improve the investment environment have been successful. In a video interview with Onlinekhabar, Pant says, There is a stable and strong government. The investors are impressed that peace and stability have been established in Nepal. We have talked with investors from many countries and found that there was a message that Nepal would be a new investment destination. Recalling that Ram Sharan Mahat, a former finance minister representing the main opposition Nepali Congress party, said all parties were together on the issues o national development, Pant said the nonresident Nepalis would also support the movement. He informed that the NRNA was committed to implementing an agreement it signed with the government during the summit. New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/04/2019 -- The latest market evaluation report on the Industrial Vacuum Trucks market explores how the Industrial Vacuum Trucks market will continue to expand for the forecast period 2018 - 2026. The study further serves as a unique research for stakeholders, product owners, and field marketing executives looking for actionable data and unique resource on market size, share, and growth. The market intelligence report gives business evangelists an authority to review the major trends, opportunities, and challenges expected to shape the future of the industry during the estimated period. Importantly, the study not only helps spot the major vendors but also their winning strategies. The real-time data accumulated through qualitative and quantitative research technique further help business owners determine where they stand in comparison to their region, country, and product category. Request free sample to get a list of companies@ https://www.marketexpertz.com/sample-enquiry-form/33131 Major Players in Industrial Vacuum Trucks market are: Federal Signal, Sewer Equipment, GapVax, Vac-Con, Keith Huber, Super Products, Vacall Industries, Ledwell, Hi-Vac, Cappellotto, K&E, KOKS, Rivard, Disab, Heli, Aerosun, Chengli, Dongzheng, Foton, XZL, Longma Market segment by Region/Country including: - North America (United States, Canada and Mexico) - Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia and Spain etc.) - Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia and Southeast Asia etc.) - South America Brazil, Argentina, Colombia and Chile etc.) - Middle East & Africa (South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia etc.) Ask for discount on the report @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/discount-enquiry-form/33131 Industrial Vacuum Trucks Market share The report discovers market's total sale that is generated by a particular firms over a time period. Industry experts calculate share by taking into account the product sales over a period and then dividing it by the overall sales of the Industrial Vacuum Trucks industry over a defined period. Subject matter experts further use this metric to offer a general idea of the share and size of a firm and its immediate rivals. By providing an in-depth knowledge of the position a company as well as an entrepreneur holds in the Industrial Vacuum Trucks market Market by Type - Liquid Suctioning Only - Liquid and Dry Suctioning - High Velocity Market by Application - Industrial - Excavation - Municipal Knowing the trends influencing the industry performance Stakeholders, marketing executives and business owners planning to refer a market research report can use this study to design their offerings and understand how competitors attract their potential customers and manage their supply and distribution channels. When tracking the trends researchers have made a conscious effort to analyze and interpret the consumer behaviour. Besides, the research helps product owners to understand the changes in culture, target market as well as brands so they can draw the attention of the potential customers more effectively. Our trend analysts look for the crucial connection between consumer trends, behaviour and values, to provide context for the sectors, demographics and global themes that matter to you. Purchase full Industrial Vacuum Trucks report through this link and get 15% free customization on the report@ https://www.marketexpertz.com/checkout-form/33131 The study dives deep into the profiles of top market players and their key financials. This comprehensive report is not only for business analysts and any existing and new entrant can use it when designing their business strategies. The research is one of its kind global analyses of aspects such as import and export status, supply chain management, profit and gross margin worldwide for the forecast period 2018 - 2026. Extensive coverage of statistics associated with recent events including acquisition and mergers and strengths and weaknesses of a company forms an important part of the study on the Industrial Vacuum Trucks market. The research provides answers to the following key questions: - What will be the market size and growth rate of the Industrial Vacuum Trucks market for the forecast period 2018 -2026 across different regions? - What are the key driving forces expected to shape the future of the industry worldwide? - What strategies are the prominent vendors adapting to stay ahead of their competitors? - Which major trends are impacting the development of the Industrial Vacuum Trucks market worldwide? - Which factors can hinder, challenge or even restrict the expansion of the Industrial Vacuum Trucks market worldwide? - What are the opportunities or future prospect for the business owners operating in the market for the forecast period, 2018 - 2026? Browse the report description @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/industry-overview/industrial-vacuum-trucks-market Key Points From TOC Chapter 8 Upstream and Downstream Analysis of Industrial Vacuum Trucks 8.1 Industrial Chain of Industrial Vacuum Trucks 8.2 Upstream of Industrial Vacuum Trucks 8.2.1 Raw Materials 8.2.2 Labor Cost 8.2.3 Manufacturing Expenses 8.2.4 Manufacturing Cost Structure 8.2.5 Manufacturing Process 8.3 Downstream of Industrial Vacuum Trucks 8.3.1 Leading Distributors/Dealers of Industrial Vacuum Trucks 8.3.2 Leading Consumers of Industrial Vacuum Trucks Chapter 9 Development Trend of Industrial Vacuum Trucks (2018-2026) 9.1 Global Industrial Vacuum Trucks Market Size (Sales and Revenue) Forecast (2018-2026) 9.2 Global Industrial Vacuum Trucks Market Size and CAGR Forecast by Region (2018-2026) 9.3 Global Industrial Vacuum Trucks Market Size and CAGR Forecast by Type (2018-2026) 9.4 Global Industrial Vacuum Trucks Market Size and CAGR Forecast by Application (2018-2026) 9.5 Global Industrial Vacuum Trucks Market Size Forecast by Sales Channel (2018-2026) Continue About MarketExpertz Planning to invest in market intelligence products or offerings on the web? Then marketexpertz has just the thing for you - reports from over 500 prominent publishers and updates on our collection daily to empower companies and individuals catch-up with the vital insights on industries operating across different geography, trends, share, size and growth rate. There's more to what we offer to our customers. With marketexpertz you have the choice to tap into the specialized services without any additional charges. Contact Us: John Watson Head of Business Development Market Expertz | Web: www.marketexpertz.com Direct Line: +1-800-819-3052 E-mail: sales@marketexpertz.com News: www.marketexpertz.com/market-news New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/04/2019 -- The latest report Joystick Industrial Wireless Remote Control discusses everything a business owner needs to know about the Joystick Industrial Wireless Remote Control market for the forecast period, 2018 to 2026. The document offers an insight into what the target customer's needs and wants. Industry experts have extracted data from various sources on size, share, growth rate, production volume, production capacity, import and export status, distribution channels and more and have analysed it thoroughly. By properly assessing the competitors and their offerings the study aims at empowering business owners to step ahead. Request free sample report in PDF format available @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/sample-enquiry-form/33129 Major Players in Joystick Industrial Wireless Remote Control market are: HBC, Hetronic Group, Laird(Cattron Group), OMNEX(Eaton), Ikusi, Tele Radio, NBB, Scanreco, Autec, Green Electric, Akerstroms, Yuding, Shize, Remote Control Technology, 3-ELITE PTE, ITOWA, JAY Electronique, Wicontek, Lodar, Shanghai Techwell Auto-control Technology, Yijiu Major Regions that plays a vital role in Joystick Industrial Wireless Remote Control market are: - North America - Europe - China - Japan - Middle East & Africa - India - South America - Others Ask for discount @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/discount-enquiry-form/33129 Understanding the market size Researcher's visibility engagement approach when evaluating data such as key driving forces, threats, challenges, opportunities empowers product owners to meet their strategic goals through accelerated returns. The intelligent market survey that blends in both new and old study techniques brings to light more information pertaining to various product types, applications, end-use and important industry definition. The research on the Joystick Industrial Wireless Remote Control market further validates other prime factors including investment feasibility, production capability, product pricing, production volume, demand and supply, import and export status to help business evangelists make the multi-dimensional marketing strategy more robust. Comprehensive data on the current and future business environment is showcased through self-explanatory infographics, charts, and tables and can be integrated with any business presentation. Market by Type - Handheld - Stationary Market by Application - Industry & Logistics - Construction Crane - Mobile Hydraulics - Forestry - Mining Knowing the trends influencing the industry performance Stakeholders, marketing executives and business owners planning to refer a market research report can use this study to design their offerings and understand how competitors attract their potential customers and manage their supply and distribution channels. When tracking the trends researchers have made a conscious effort to analyze and interpret the consumer behaviour. Besides, the research helps product owners to understand the changes in culture, target market as well as brands so they can draw the attention of the potential customers more effectively. Our trend analysts look for the crucial connection between consumer trends, behaviour and values, to provide context for the sectors, demographics and global themes that matter to you. Buy Complete Report on Joystick Industrial Wireless Remote Control (customization available) @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/checkout-form/33129 The study objectives of this report are: - To analyze and study the global Joystick Industrial Wireless Remote Control capacity, production, value, consumption, status (2018-2018) and forecast (2018-2026); - Focuses on the key Joystick Industrial Wireless Remote Control manufacturers, to study the capacity, production, value, market share and development plans in future. - Focuses on the global key manufacturers, to define, describe and analyze the market competition landscape, SWOT analysis. - To define, describe and forecast the market by type, application and region. - To analyze the global and key regions market potential and advantage, opportunity and challenge, restraints and risks. - To identify significant trends and factors driving or inhibiting the market growth. - To analyze the opportunities in the market for stakeholders by identifying the high growth segments. - To strategically analyze each submarket with respect to individual growth trend and their contribution to the market - To analyze competitive developments such as expansions, agreements, new product launches, and acquisitions in the market - To strategically profile the key players and comprehensively analyze their growth strategies. Key elements from table of content: Chapter 6 Joystick Industrial Wireless Remote Control Market Segment Analysis by Region 6.1 Global Joystick Industrial Wireless Remote Control Market Size and CAGR by Region (2018-2026) 6.2 Global Joystick Industrial Wireless Remote Control Sales and Market Share by Region (2018-2026) 6.3 Global Joystick Industrial Wireless Remote Control Revenue and Market Share by Region (2018-2026) 6.4 North America 6.4.1 North America Market by Country 6.4.2 North America Joystick Industrial Wireless Remote Control Market Share by Type 6.4.3 North America Joystick Industrial Wireless Remote Control Market Share by Application 6.4.4 United States 6.4.5 Canada 6.4.6 Mexico 6.5 Europe Continued. Browse the report description @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/industry-overview/joystick-industrial-wireless-remote-control-market About MarketExpertz Planning to invest in market intelligence products or offerings on the web? Then marketexpertz has just the thing for you - reports from over 500 prominent publishers and updates on our collection daily to empower companies and individuals catch-up with the vital insights on industries operating across different geography, trends, share, size and growth rate. There's more to what we offer to our customers. With marketexpertz you have the choice to tap into the specialized services without any additional charges. Contact Us: John Watson Head of Business Development Market Expertz | Web: www.marketexpertz.com Direct Line: +1-800-819-3052 E-mail: sales@marketexpertz.com News: www.marketexpertz.com/market-news Sellbyville, DE -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/04/2019 -- As per a recent market speculation put forward by Global Market Insights, Inc. "Global marine sealants market will exceed a revenue of USD 330 million by the end of 2024." Marine sealants market, one of the rapidly expanding business spaces of recent times, has witnessed a financial acclamation over the past few years pertaining to extensive research activities in the shipbuilding sector. Technological interventions along with key players' significant R&D initiatives are primarily responsible for the renewed dynamism in the marine sealants industry space. The aforesaid factor can be demonstrated by the introduction of i-cure technology in the shipbuilding sector that enables producing next generation sealants. Synonymous with "intelligent cure" this patent protected advanced cross-linking technology is invented by Sika, a globally acclaimed player in the marine sealants market. Reportedly, this new generation I-Cure based sealants amalgamates both the properties of conventional polyurethane sealants and advanced adhesive technology which ultimately leads to improvements in durability, ecology, workability, and adhesion. Request for a sample copy of this report @ https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/375 In addition to this, stringent regulatory compliances brought forth by the European Union with regards to chemical safety have restricted commercialization of several products containing methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI). Reportedly, the i-Cure based sealants and adhesives are not unaffected by these legislative challenges and are labelling free. In fact, the overall marine sealants industry share from shipbuilding applications held a revenue of USD 140 million in 2016 and with the growth in shipbuilding of tankers, carriers, and LNG, the application scope is likely to expand in the coming years. Rise in global cargo trade with regards to coal, crude oil, and other resources along with rapid globalization have impelled marine sealants market proliferation. Accounting for 55% of the global industry share in 2016, cargo ships dominated the business landscape and is expected to witness a y-o-y growth of 6% over 2017-2024. In fact, global offshore vessel market is forecast to surpass a valuation of USD 20.13 billion by the end of 2024. These vital statistics depict the upswing in marine transport trends which is undeniably leaving a parallel impact on marine sealants market commercialization. Economic recovery of the major geographies along with increasing GDP are some of the other critical indirect factors that have enhanced the business outlook. For instance, the escalating food demand curve has led to an increase in the grain trade across the globe. In this regard, U.S. witnesses an upper hand, given the increasing number of grain exports in the country. Estimates claim U.S. to represent almost 40% of the overall grain exports by 2030, a statistic that is in other way translating the growth prospect of regional marine sealants market as well. Overall North America marine sealants industry is slated to grow at a CAGR of 3.8% over 2017-2024. Browse Complete Report Summary @ https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/marine-sealants-market With a regional market valuation of USD 95 billion in 2016, Europe proves to be another potential belt in the global industry. Robust growth in yacht building sector along with increasing cargo trade are the major two factors driving Europe marine sealants market. Stringent emission control regulations enforced by the international regulatory bodies like REACH, EU have shifted the product focus toward sustainability notion. However, some of the European countries are subject to economic uncertainties which might downturn the regional marine sealants market outlook. Taking into account the recent investments by the APAC countries in ship maintenance, it goes without saying that Asia Pacific will turn out to be one of the most outpacing regions partaking in the global marine sealants industry, with a target value of USD 100 million by 2024. Marine sealants industry can be catalogued under the category of a fiercely competitive landscape with the extensive presence of SMBs and large enterprises at a global level. Some of the prominent names in the business space include Bostik, 3M, Sika AG, Dow Corning, Henkel AG, and SABA. Make an inquiry before buying this report @ https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/375 Product innovations with a sound environmental profile and mergers & acquisitions are few of the profound strategic moves by these industry players, to combat the entry of new companies and sustain in the competitive scenario. Over the forthcoming years, assert analysts, marine sealants industry, driven by a plethora of sustainability trends and development in shipbuilding sector across major topographies, is expected to carve a steady growth, with a projected volume capacity of 65 kilotons in the next seven years. 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. Oklahoma City, OK -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/04/2019 -- McRay Roofing and Exterior is an Oklahoma-based roofing company that focuses on meeting the demands of the market as far as quality roofing services are concerned. It comprises of a team of roofing experts whose sole motive is to deliver invaluable roofing services at affordable prices using modern approaches in all their assignments. This has put the company in a covetable position in regards to roofing services, making them a worthy company to partner with. Speaking about their relationship with DaVinci Roofscapes, the owner of McRay Roofing and Exterior, Jeff McRay said, "Our relationship with DaVinci Roofscapes has played a pivotal role in regards to the excellence we've exhibited over the years. Their materials' long-lasting beauty and incomparable durability has enabled us to provide reliable solutions, and this has put us on the map. Together, we've combined our efforts, and the results have been mind-blowing both on the client's end on our end. We continue to make more partnerships by the day, and this always ends up in our clients getting satisfactory services." McRay Roofing and Exterior's ability to offer unmatched commercial roofing services has seen many Oklahomans term them as the best commercial roofing contractors near me." The roofing contractor offers the top-notch commercial roofing services ranging from roofing repairs to total roof replacement and much more. They consciously understand one's roofing problems and go ahead to find the most suitable solutions for them, making them a worthy contender for all commercial roofing needs. Responding to a question on their custom copper designs, Jeff McRay added, "We are undoubtedly the best contractor when it comes to metal roofing in Tulsa. This has been made possible by the fact that we employ only hand-crafted designs when making our copper designs. We are fully aware of the difference made by hand-crafted designs as compared to other designs. That's why our talented craftsmen carefully craft custom designs making sure they deliver a piece that will give you that special touch your house requires." McRay Roofing and Exteriors takes pleasure in offering high-end residential roofing services for their broad range of clientele. They help one bridge the hectic task of finding a suitable roofing style to suit their preferred style by providing them with designs that go a long way in ensuring one's structure stands out. To them, every roofing project is a chance to display their professionalism, and they never shy away. Their technicians are familiar with the various roofing elements and work towards a common goal of making sure that the client is all smiles when they leave the premises. More details on the company's roofing services can be found on their website. About McRay Roofing and Exteriors McRay Roofing and Exteriors is a leading service provider in the field of roofing services in Oklahoma and its environs. The company specializes in all kinds of roofing endeavors and guarantee advanced solutions that will see one achieve a modern structure. Contact Details Company : McRay Roofing and Exteriors Address: 13412 Railway Dr. Oklahoma City, OK 73114 Telephone: (405)-692-4000 Email: admin@mcrayroofing.com Website: mcrayroofing.com Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/04/2019 -- Global MEMS Microphone Market Insights, Forecast to 2025 is latest research study released by HTF MI evaluating the market, highlighting opportunities, risk side analysis, and leveraged with strategic and tactical decision-making support. The study provides information on market trends and development, drivers, capacities, technologies, and on the changing capital structure of the Global MEMS Microphone Market. Some of the key players profiled in the study are Knowles, Goertek, AAC, ST Microelectronics, BSE, NeoMEMS, Hosiden, Sanico Electronics, Bosch (Akustica), MEMSensing, Invensense, Cirrus Logic, Gettop, TDK & 3S. MEMS microphones target all audio applications where small size, high sound quality, reliability and affordability are key requirements. This industry is centralized. Top 3 companies in the market occupies about 72.05% of the Revenue market shares in 2015. The major manufacturers of sport bottle are Knowles, Goertek, AAC, ST Microelectronics, BSE, NeoMEMS, Hosiden and others. In the past few years, as the main raw material price was not stable, with the addition of a sharp increase in production capacity, expected that the MEMS microphone raw material price will be relatively stable in the short term. However, the improvement of energy, transportation costs, and employee wages, will play a significant role in promoting the cost of MEMS microphone. In China, MEMS microphone manufactures mainly include Goertek, NeoMEMS, MEMSensing, Gettop, and others. China is the world?s large producer and comsumers of MEMS microphone; as the same time, the consumption of MEMS microphone in China grown gradually. In the result, MEMS microphone in China was export-oriented until now. The MEMS Microphone market was valued at xx Million US$ in 2018 and is projected to reach xx Million US$ by 2025, at a CAGR of xx% during the forecast period. In this study, 2018 has been considered as the base year and 2019 to 2025 as the forecast period to estimate the market size for MEMS Microphone. This report presents the worldwide MEMS Microphone market size (value, production and consumption), splits the breakdown (data status 2014-2019 and forecast to 2025), by manufacturers, region, type and application. This study also analyzes the market status, market share, growth rate, future trends, market drivers, opportunities and challenges, risks and entry barriers, sales channels, distributors and Porter's Five Forces Analysis. MEMS Microphone Market Overview: If you are involved in the MEMS Microphone industry or intend to be, then this study will provide you comprehensive outlook. It's vital you keep your market knowledge up to date segmented by Consumer electronics, Automotive, Medical, Industrial & Others, , Analog & Digital and major players. If you have a different set of players/manufacturers according to geography or needs regional or country segmented reports we can provide customization according to your requirement. Enquire for customization in Report @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/1356927-global-mems-microphone-market-16 MEMS Microphone Market: Demand Analysis & Opportunity Outlook 2023 Research study is to define market sizes of various segments & countries in previous years and to forecast the values to the next 5-8 years. The report is designed to comprise each qualitative and quantitative elements of the industry facts including: market share, market size (value and volume 2012-17, and forecast to 2023) with admire to each of the areas and countries concerned inside the examination. Furthermore, the report additionally caters the detailed statistics about the vital elements which includes drivers & restraining factors which will define the future growth of the market. Furthermore, the years considered for the study are as follows: Historical year 2013-2017 Base year 2018 Forecast period** 2018 to 2023 [** unless otherwise stated] **Moreover, it will also include the opportunities available in micro markets for stakeholders to invest, detailed analysis of competitive landscape and product services of key players. The designated segments and sub-section of the market are explained below: The Study is segmented by following Product Type: , Analog & Digital Major applications/end-users industry are as follows: Consumer electronics, Automotive, Medical, Industrial & Others Some of the key Manufacturers Involved in the Market are Knowles, Goertek, AAC, ST Microelectronics, BSE, NeoMEMS, Hosiden, Sanico Electronics, Bosch (Akustica), MEMSensing, Invensense, Cirrus Logic, Gettop, TDK & 3S You can get free access to samples from the report here: https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/1356927-global-mems-microphone-market-16 For each region, market size and end users are analyzed as well as segment markets by types, applications and companies. If opting for the Global version of MEMS Microphone Market analysis is provided for major regions as follows: - North America (USA, Canada and Mexico) - Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy) - Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia) - South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.) - Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa) Buy this research report @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=1356927 Key Answers Captured in Study are Which geography would have better demand for product/services? What are the strategies adopted by big players in the regional market? Which country would see the steep rise in CAGR & year-on-year (Y-O-Y) growth? What is the current & expected market size in next five years? What is the market feasibility for long term investment? What opportunity the country would offer for existing and new players in the MEMS Microphone market? What is risk involved for suppliers in the geography? What factors would drive the demand for the product/service in near future? What is the impact analysis of various factors in the Global MEMS Microphone market growth? What are the recent trends in the regional market and how successful they are? Read Detailed Index of full Research Study at @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/1356927-global-mems-microphone-market-16 There are 15 Chapters to display the Global MEMS Microphone market. Chapter 1, About Executive Summary to describe Definition, Specifications and Classification of Global MEMS Microphone market, Applications [Consumer electronics, Automotive, Medical, Industrial & Others], Market Segment by Regions United States, Europe, China, Japan, South Korea & Other Regions; Chapter 2, objective of the study. Chapter 3, to display Research methodology and techniques. Chapter 4 and 5, to show the Overall Market Analysis, segmentation analysis, characteristics; Chapter 6 and 7, to show the Market size, share and forecast; Five forces analysis (bargaining Power of buyers/suppliers), Threats to new entrants and market condition; Chapter 8 and 9, to show analysis by regional segmentation[United States, Europe, China, Japan, South Korea & Other Regions ], comparison, leading countries and opportunities; Regional Marketing Type Analysis, Supply Chain Analysis Chapter 10, focus on identifying the key industry influencer's, overview of decision framework accumulated through Industry experts and strategic decision makers; Chapter 11 and 12, Market Trend Analysis, Drivers, Challenges by consumer behaviour, Marketing Channels and demand & supply. Chapter 13 and 14, describe about the vendor landscape (classification and Market Positioning) Chapter 15, deals with Global MEMS Microphone Market sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data source. Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia or Oceania [Australia and New Zealand]. Sellbyville, DE -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/03/2019 -- Metallic Stearate Market should surpass USD 7 Billion by 2024; according to a new research report. Rising demand from diverse end use industries are anticipated to drive metallic stearate market growth. Zinc, calcium, aluminum, and magnesium are most commonly used stearates. They are of high commercial importance owing to their lubricating, gelling, stabilizing and water repellence properties. They are produced using vegetable oils which is an organic raw material. Metallic stearate market from polymer application is estimated to surpass USD 1.5 billion in 2024 owing to increasing demand from Asia-Pacific region, as it is a hub for polymers & rubbers processing industry. These products are used in fiberglass reinforced polyesters, polyolefin, polystyrene phenolic resins & compounds, and PVC. Growing polymer industry is expected to lead to an increase in metallic stearates demand. Request for a sample copy of this research report @ https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/2866 Metallic stearates are derived from industrial grade of stearic acid, and is prepared through two methods, reaction of metal oxides with molten fatty acids and double decomposition method. Volatile raw material prices including vegetable oils and petrochemicals along with rising incidences of toxicity and hazards associated with production might hinder industry growth. Recent development of using bio-based products with increasing focus on R&D concerning product innovation should generate lucrative opportunities for product. Metallic stearate market from cosmetic industry application should surpass USD 1 billion owing to its inherent characteristics of colour stability, binding ability, versatility, and thickening. The hydrophobic nature of the product helps powder form from absorbing water and thus from forming agglomerates. These products are used in lip colors, eyeliners, shampoos, sun protective lotions, ointments. Dosage used are relatively low ranging from 0.05 to 1%. These properties enhance shelf life of products which in turn should boost market growth. Metallic stearate market from rubber industry would have significant gains up to 4.5 % in the projected timeframe. They are utilized as mold release agents, acid scavengers, and lubricants which enhances the surface of rubber product. Dry metallic stearates have usage as release agents for rubber, as they avoid it from sticking to mold which should propel industry size. China zinc stearate market will witness gains at over 7.5% during projected period which can be attributed to extensive regional presence of polymer, paints & coatings and rubber manufacturing companies. Rising per capita income along with government support for bio-based manufacturing should further strengthen regional industry growth. Make an inquiry for buying this report @ https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/2866 Germany aluminum stearate industry should generate revenues up to USD 65 million by 2024. This growth in can be ascribed to presence of strict ecological protection policies accompanied by growing consumer awareness. Existence of major producers in region and their striding drive for product revolution would strengthen regional industry growth. Global metallic stearate market share is moderately fragmented and highly competitive with key manufacturers including PMC Biogenix, Baerlocher GmbH, Sinwon Chemical, Dover Corporation, Allan and Valtris Chemicals. Companies focus in expanding their marketing network by evolving strategic alliances through mergers & acquisition, partnership and joint ventures. Rising investment in R&D by manufacturers for product innovation also strengthens market penetrability. 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. Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/04/2019 -- Microplate readers are also known as plate readers or microplate photometers. This instrument is used to detect biological, physical, and chemical events of samples in microtiter plates. Microplate technologies are flexible, configurable, reliable, and ubiquitous in structure. The system handles the routine upgradeable design which creates new assay possibilities. Its unique technology and software features ensure better functional ability, and also increase the productivity of the lab in near future. There are many types of microplates, which depends on density of wells structure, color, material of plastic and various coatings. However, new developments in medical devices allow to detect the diseases or infection at the cellular and molecular level, paving the way for early diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Read Report Overview: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/microplate-readers-market.html High prevalence of diseases such as influenza, rising patient awareness, growing research and development initiatives, advent of high-throughput screening (HTS) for drug discovery, and genomic technology are important driving factors for the growth of the microplate readers market. According to the World Health Organization, India and Bangladesh have been detected with high proportion of influenza A (H1N1). In southern China, 1,074 specimens were tested positive for influenza in April 2012. In 2012, there were 119 influenza-associated SARI cases reported between January 13 and April 18, out of which 58% of cases was known to be fatal. In 2015, the WHO stated that the number of new cancer cases is expected to rise by about 70% over the next two decades. Growth in technologies such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing, which rely on sensitive biologic fluorescent imaging reagents, is projected to fuel the growth of the overall microplate readers market. However, factors such as high cost of reagents, label-free technologies, and sensitivity towards storage conditions are expected to hamper the growth of the global microplate readers market. The global microplate readers market has been segmented on the basis of product, technology, application, end-user, and region. In terms of product, the market is classified into single mode reader, absorbance reader, fluorescence reader, and multimode reader. In terms of technology, the market is classified into nanotechnology, biologic targeting, microfluidics, supramolecular chemistry, protein engineering, and others. In terms of application, the market is classified into oncology, biotechnology, neurology, and others. Biotechnology is a fast growing segment owing to increasing funds in research and technology globally. In terms of end-user, the market is classified into diagnostic laboratories, pathology labs, life sciences and research lab, and others. Request Brochure of Report: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=28559 In terms of region, the market is distributed over North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. Geographically, North America dominates the global microplate readers market due to increase in funding for the development of research and health care infrastructure. Growing incidence of epidemic diseases and early phase diagnosis and treatment of diseases are driving the medical biotechnology segment, which in turn is expected to boost the growth of the market for microplate readers in North America. Europe is the second largest market for microplate readers as there are favorable government policies regarding the development of health care infrastructure and molecular device companies. Asia Pacific is expected to expand at a high growth rate during the forecast period due to rising population, changing lifestyle, growing awareness among patients, and increasing per capita expenditure. In addition, the economic growth in India and China is supporting the health care infrastructure as well as expansion of pharmaceutical companies and biotech labs. Major players operating in the global microplate readers market include PerkinElmer, Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific, MDS Analytical Technologies, Tecan, BioTek Instruments, Inc., Corning, and Greiner Bio-One among others. Request For TOC : https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=28559 About Transparency Market Research Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a U.S.-based provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMR's global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others. Each TMR research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendations. Contact us: Transparency Market Research 90 State Street, Suite 700, Albany NY - 12207 United States Tel: +1-518-618-1030 USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453 Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.com Website: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/04/2019 -- This research study analyzes the market for North America printing inks in terms of revenue (US$ Mn) and volume (Kilo Tons). The North America printing inks market has been segmented on the basis of product, application, end-use, and country. The report features a detailed segmentation with market growth forecasts from 2016 to 2024. 2015 has been considered the base year and 2016 the estimated year, while all forecasts have been given for the period from 2016 to 2024. Market data for all the segments has been provided at the submarkets and country-specific levels from 2016 to 2024. Read Report Overview @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/north-america-printing-inks-market.html North America Printing Inks Market: Scope The report provides a broad competitive analysis of companies engaged in the production and distribution of printing inks in North America. The report also includes key market dynamics such as drivers, restraints, and opportunities affecting the North America printing inks market. These are analyzed in detail and illustrated in the report with supporting graphs and tables. The report also provides a comprehensive analysis of the market with the help of the Porter's Five Forces Analysis model, which helps in understanding the factors that affect the structure and profitability of the North America printing inks market. These are the bargaining power of buyers, bargaining power of suppliers, threat of new entrants, threat of substitutes, and degree of competition. North America Printing Inks Market: Drivers and Trends The report provides detailed insights into the North America printing inks business. Currently, numerous factors drive the North America printing inks market. The most prominent drivers include growth of renewable energy, volatility in crude oil prices, bio-based raw materials, oil & gas industry outlook, North America printing ink production facilities, growth rate of end-user industries, and others. Market attractiveness analysis was carried out for the North America printing inks market on the basis of product, application, end-use, and country. Market attractiveness was estimated on the basis of common parameters that directly impact the market. Flexographic and gravure printing inks are primarily used with solvents as base materials. Flexographic and gravure printing methods are widely employed in flexible packaging, especially in food and beverages industries. Solvent-based inks consist of inorganic solvents and toxic metals such as cadmium, hexavalent chromium, lead, and mercury. These lead to various health hazards if they come in direct contact with edibles. The number of safety regulations in North America has been increased in order to avoid adverse health consequences resulting from intake of toxic substances. This is likely to hamper the printing inks market in the next few years. In North America, demand for VOC-free printing inks is gaining momentum. Increased environmental regulations regarding usage of VOC inks are driving the market for UV-cured printing inks. Packaging is considered one of the highly important marketing aspects that influence the consumer's purchasing decision. In North America, the packaging industry is one of the major consumers of printing inks. Expansion of the food & beverages industry along with increased demand for flexible packaging from the health care sector is expected to boost the demand for printing inks in the next few years. Request Report Brochure @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=16943 North America Printing Inks Market: Segmentation The North America printing inks market has been segmented into four categories: product, application, end-use and country. In terms of product, the North America printing inks market has been classified into solvent-based, water-based, oil-based, and UV-cured. In terms of application, the North America printing inks market has been classified into flexographic printing, gravure printing, offset printing, digital printing, screen printing, and specialty printing. In terms of end-use, the North America printing inks market has been classified into publication & commercial printing, packaging, textiles, metal cans, and others (decorative printing etc.). In terms of country, the North America printing inks market has been segmented into the U.S. and Canada. Pune, Maharashtra -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/04/2019 -- The oil & gas pumps market is likely to witness sluggish growth, with global demand surpassing 9 million units by the end of 2018, according to a latest report by Fact.MR. Rising demand for oil and gas is resulting in the growing demand for equipment such as oil & gas pumps. End-users in oil and gas industries are demanding efficient oil & gas pumps to ensure smooth operation and to meet stringent emission standards. End-users of oil & gas pumps are using centrifugal pumps on a large scale owing to its low product and maintenance cost, and better load and pressure handling capabilities. The demand for centrifugal pumps is healthy in the upstream oil & gas industry as the part of multiphase pumping application. Request Sample Report @ https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=2435 As per the report, the demand for submersible pumps is also likely to grow in the near future. Electric submersible pumps are being used on a large scale as water and oil separators. The centrifugal pumps are also expected to witness increasing demand for crude oil transportation. Manufacturers in oil & gas pumps market are focusing on pump modification to save significant amount of energy and improve performance. Onshore Oil & Gas Pumps to Find Large Application in Projects across Countries The Fact.MR study opines that the onshore oil & gas pumps are likely to witness a rapid growth in the coming years. Demand for onshore oil & gas pumps is expected to exceed 4.8 million units in 2018. With rise in energy demand from various sectors and growth in the transportation industry, many countries, especially in Asia Pacific, are moving towards development of new oil & gas projects. India, China, and Indonesia are expected to significantly contribute to the growth of oil and gas industry in the region. With the signs of recovery in oil prices, many state-owned oil companies in the Asia Pacific region are spending on onshore oil and gas production to ensure energy security. Browse Full Report @ https://www.factmr.com/report/2435/oil-gas-pumps-market Upgradation of existing onshore oil and gas facilities and development of new facilities is also accelerating in Southeast Asia. Moreover, in recent years, regulation in the UK has removed legal hurdles in the development of onshore petroleum resources. Moreover, in terms of gas transportation by the onshore gas producers in the UK, the government has removed requirement to hold a gas transporter license, and a class exemption has been introduced to cover all types of onshore gas production. MEA to Continue its Dominance in Oil & Gas Pumps Market, Followed by APAC Fact.MR study estimates that the Middle East and Africa will be the most lucrative market for oil & gas pumps market, with demand surpassing 3 million units towards 2018 end. UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia have emerged as the major natural gas producing countries. Major oil and gas companies in Middle East are focusing on increasing oil and gas production to meet the growing demand. Middle East and North Africa are expected to emerge as the global suppliers of oil and gas. Moreover, gas is likely to surpass oil as the largest energy source in the near future. You can Buy This Report from Here @ https://www.factmr.com/checkout/2435/S The leading oil and gas companies in the region are also focusing on using advanced technologies and equipment to ensure faster and cost-effective oil and gas production. In the APAC region, China, India, Malaysia, and Indonesia are expected to witness significant growth in the oil and natural gas projects. The oil & gas pumps market is expected to witness sluggish growth, with the demand expected to reach 3.2% CAGR in terms of volume during 2018-2028, according to the Fact.MR report. About Fact.MR Fact.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; that's why we publish multi-industry global, regional, and country-specific research reports. Contact Us Rohit Bhisey Fact.MR 11140 Rockville Pike Suite 400 Rockville, MD 20852 United States Email: sales@factmr.com Web: https://www.factmr.com/ Read Industry News at - https://theswisstimes.com Credit: Josh ShultzAndy Black's upcoming solo tour will still go on as scheduled, despite the fact that he had to undergo an emergency appendectomy last Friday. "Thanks for all of your kind words regarding my physical recovery after an unexpected emergency surgery," the Black Veil Brides frontman tweeted. "I wanted to share that I am feeling significantly better every day and I have been told by my doctors that I should have no issue starting the tour at the end of the week!" The tour will kick off this Sunday, April 7 in Sacramento, California, and will conclude May 17 in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Black will release his new album The Ghost of Ohio on April 12. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Pune, Maharashtra -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/04/2019 -- The global demand for oil refining pumps is expected to surpass 3 million tons by 2018 end, according to a latest Fact.MR report on oil refining pumps market. Rising oil and gas production, and increase in petroleum-based power generation are driving oil refining pumps demand. The oil supply has sharply increased from Russia, Middle East, and the US, compensating for fall in oil production in Iran and Venezuela. The demand for centrifugal pumps is constantly rising in upstream oil and gas industry in multiphase or tri-phase pumping application. With the increasing demand for oil, especially in developing regions, transporting a large amount of liquid has become necessary to ensure operational efficiency. This is driving the demand for centrifugal pumps to transport a significant amount of liquid in a short period. Request Sample Report @ https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=2434 APAC to Continue Strong Position in Oil Refining Pumps Market The Fact.MR study projects that APAC continues to register significant growth in the oil refining pumps market and is likely to account for over 40% of total demand by 2018 end. The positive outlook in the region can be attributed to the growing demand for diesel and gasoline in emerging nations like India and China. The upgradation of existing oil refineries and robust investment in the construction of new oil refineries is fueling the growth in the oil refining pumps market in the region. Rising oil demand and faced with strict emission regulations, India is also moving towards development of new and modern refineries. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA's) latest World Outlook Projection, India's refining capacity is likely to grow by two-thirds in the next 25 years. This is expected to make India world's third largest refining center by 2040, following the US and China. Browse Full Report @ https://www.factmr.com/report/2434/oil-refining-pumps-market Major oil companies in Southeast Asia are also investing in increasing their refining capacity. Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand are likely to see growth in new refining capacity in the coming years. The development of new and advanced oil refineries in APAC is expected to create growth opportunities for oil refining pumps manufacturers. Energy Transition Emerging as Serious Challenge for Oil Companies and Oil Exporting Countries Global oil companies and oil exporting countries are likely to face a challenge with the rise in energy transition. The biggest challenge for oil companies make changes in their business model and integrating low-carbon assets in their portfolios. With the growing trend of renewable energy sources, oil exporting countries with good reserves-to-production ration are facing the risk of loss in export revenues and monetizing their large reserve base. Penetration of renewables has increased in Europe to meet the energy demand, resulting in reduced oil demand. Moreover, regulation by national governments and European Union is likely to further reduce refined oil demand in the region. Oil refineries in Europe are unable to find buyers, resulting in constant drop in profit margins. Inability to find buyers and drop in profit margins is forcing oil refinery operators to shut down the plants. You can Buy This Report from Here @ https://www.factmr.com/checkout/2434/S More refinery plants shutdown expected in the coming years in Europe is likely to impact the oil refining pumps market in the region. Moreover, key oil companies across various regions are also planning to invest more in low-carbon energy sources with aim to reduce carbon footprints. The Fact.MR report tracks the oil refining pumps market for the period 2018-2028. According to the report, the oil refining pumps market is expected to reach 2.9% CAGR during 2018-2028. About Fact.MR Fact.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; that's why we publish multi-industry global, regional, and country-specific research reports. Contact Us Rohit Bhisey Fact.MR 11140 Rockville Pike Suite 400 Rockville, MD 20852 United States Email: sales@factmr.com Web: https://www.factmr.com/ Read Industry News at - https://theswisstimes.com Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/04/2019 -- Plane tempered glass, also known as plane toughened glass, is a category of glass that possesses better strength than the normal glass. It is manufactured by thermal and chemical processes. The tempering puts the outer surfaces into compression and the interior into tension. This property of the plane tempered glass helps it crumble into small granular chunks instead of splintering into jagged shards, when broken. The granular chunks are less likely to cause injury. Plane tempered glass also offers properties such as safety and strength. As a result, toughened glass is used in a variety of applications, including passenger vehicle windows, shower doors, architectural glass doors and tables, refrigerator trays, and mobile screen protectors. It is also employed as a component of bulletproof glass. It is also used in diving masks. Furthermore, toughened glass is employed in various types of plates and cookware. Read Report Overview @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/plane-tempered-glass-market.html Plane tempered glass is used when strength, thermal resistance, and safety are important considerations. In case of passenger vehicles, plane tempered glass is primarily required because they are subjected to constant heating and cooling as well as dramatic temperature changes throughout the year. Furthermore, they must withstand small impacts such as from road debris such as stones as well as automobile accidents. Large, sharp glass shards present additional and grave danger to passengers; therefore, plane tampered glass is used as its pieces are blunt and mostly harmless when broken. Most touchscreen mobile devices use plane toughened glass. In the building & construction industry, plane tempered glass is used in buildings in skylights, near doorways and stairways, large windows, windows which extend close to floor level, sliding doors, elevators, fire department access panels, and near swimming pools. Plane tempered glass is also used in homes. Some common household furniture and appliances that use plane tempered glass are frameless shower doors, glass tabletops, replacement glass, glass shelves, cabinet glass, and glass for fireplaces. The plane tempered glass market can be segmented based on end-user industry and region. Rise in demand for this type of glass in construction and automotive industries is driving the plane tempered glass market. Furthermore, increase in consumer demand for plane tempered glass in furniture and interior applications is boosting market growth. However, increase in usage of laminated glass in the manufacturing industry owing to its properties such as lightness of weight and anti-breakage is hampering the plane tempered glass market. Request to view Sample Report: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=35414 In terms of region, the market can be segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. Asia Pacific is expected to witness the highest growth rate in the global tempered glass market, owing to the high demand for the glass in emerging economies such as India, China, and South Korea. Additionally, increase in construction expenditure in countries such as Singapore, India, and Australia is expected to boost the demand for plane tempered glass. Growth in the construction industry in the Middle East and expansion of the building & construction industry in countries such as India, Brazil, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Argentina offer lucrative growth opportunities to manufacturers of plane tempered glass. Asia Pacific is followed by Europe and North America. The plane tempered glass market in Europe has been expanding due to the high growth in the automotive industry. Key manufacturers of plane tempered glass are Asahi Glass, NSG Group, Press Glass, Tyneside Safety Glass, and Fuyao Group. Valley Cottage, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/04/2019 -- Polypropylene random copolymers are produced by modifying the fundamental structure of polypropylene by incorporating another monomer molecule. Ethylene being the most common monomer used. The ethylene molecules, in the polymer chain, are introduced randomly between the propylene molecules. The incorporation of ethylene causes change in the physical properties of polypropylene. Random copolymer polypropylene usually contains about 1 to 7 weight percent of ethylene molecules and around 93 to 99 weight percent of propylene molecules. As compared to polypropylene homopolymers, random copolymers shows better optical properties like increased clarity and decreased haze, increased flexibility, improved impact resistance, and a lowered melting point resulting in a reduced heat-sealing temperature. However, exhibiting more or less the same chemical resistance, organoleptic properties like low taste and odor contribution, and water vapor barrier properties as polypropylene homopolymers. Random copolymers are generally produced in the same process configuration as the homo polymers. Request For Report Sample @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-876 Random copolymer polypropylenes finds use in blow molding, injection molding, and extrusion molding applications that require improved clarity and . They are used in medical packaging, food packaging, and consumer products. Global Polypropylene Random Copolymers Market: Segmentation Global polypropylene random copolymers market is segmented on the basis of applications, end-use, and regions. The global polypropylene random copolymer market is segmented on the basis of application into blown film, blow molding, injection molding, and extrusion molding. On the basis of end-use, global polypropylene market is segmented into medical packaging, food packaging, and consumer products, etc. Region wise, the global polypropylene random copolymer market is divided into North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific (APEJ), Japan, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, and Middle East and Africa (MEA). Global Polypropylene Random Copolymers Market: Region-wise Outlook The global market share of Western European polypropylene random copolymers market is estimated to witness a drop from around 13.9% to about 11.4% in the forecast period. The fall is primarily due to a moderate increase in demand only in the largest national markets such as Germany, France, and Italy. Eastern Europe is expected to grow sharply, especially in the Russian packaging sector. The USA is reporting a recent increase in demand for polypropylene random copolymers. India and China continue to witness a huge increase of demand, owing to which Asia-Pacific is anticipated to account more than half of the total global demand by 2025. Global Polypropylene Random Copolymers Market: Drivers The introduction of newer application areas, development of bio-based polypropylene and substitution of various other materials continuously offers high potential for growth for the global polypropylene random copolymers market.Unconventional low feedstock prices are driving new capacity investment and thus rendering growth to the global polypropylene random copolymer market. Request For Report Table of Content (TOC): https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-876 Global Polypropylene Random Copolymers Market: Key Players Some of the major players identified in the global polypropylene random copolymer market are LyondellBasell Industries, Braskem, China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec), Total S.A., Entec Polymers, ExxonMobil, Sasol, Chevron Corporation, Royal Dutch Shell, ConocoPhillips, Borealis, Formosa Plastics Group, Reliance Industries, and SABIC etc. New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/03/2019 -- The report on the Portable Air Cleaner market gives an in-depth statistical analysis to examine the fastest growing sectors in the market while speculating the demand and supply, consumption power, spending capacity and distribution channel globally. The report identifies the overall growth in the import and export and derives the future trends that the industry might witness. The study also applies primary and secondary research methods to assess the annual and financial performance of the top vendors and insights from market leaders. The researcher also discusses the recent trends and developments including joint ventures, collaborations, investments, product launches and acquisitions and mergers constitute a substantial part of the research on the Portable Air Cleaner market for the forecast period from 2018 to 2026. The report will empower companies to understand the opportunities, adapt to their consumer demands, needs, and concentrate on their best end-users. Request free sample to get a list of companies@ https://www.marketexpertz.com/sample-enquiry-form/33121 Major Players in Portable Air Cleaner market are: 3M Company, Atlas Copco, Freudenberg Filtration Technologies, Cummins Filtration, Freudenberg Group, Blueair AB, GVS Group, Filtration Systems Products Inc., A.L.Filter, Aerospace America Inc, Ahlstrom Corp, AIRTECH Japan Ltd., Bruce Air Filter Company, Camfil Group, Clarcor Air Filtration Products, Inc., Clarcor Industrial Air, Cummins, Inc., Airex Filter Corporation, Donaldson Co., Inc., Lydall Inc. Market by Type - Battery - Solar Energy Market by Application - Automobile - Desk - Household - Outdoor Understanding the market size The size of the Portable Air Cleaner market is viewed in terms of the Share of Market, Total Available Market as well as Served Available Market. Not only does the study present the combined revenue for a particular market but also the market size for a specific geographic region. Analysis of percentage or the size of the Total Available Market based on the type of product, technology, regional constraints and others form an important part of the Portable Air Cleaner report. Knowing the trends influencing the industry performance Stakeholders, marketing executives and business owners planning to refer a market research report can use this study to design their offerings and understand how competitors attract their potential customers and manage their supply and distribution channels. When tracking the trends researchers have made a conscious effort to analyze and interpret the consumer behaviour. Besides, the research helps product owners to understand the changes in culture, target market as well as brands so they can draw the attention of the potential customers more effectively. Our trend analysts look for the crucial connection between consumer trends, behaviour and values, to provide context for the sectors, demographics and global themes that matter to you. Major Regions play vital role in Portable Air Cleaner market are: - North America - Europe - China - Japan - Middle East & Africa - India - South America - Others We can also provide the customized separate regional or country-level reports, for the following regions: North America, United States, Canada, Mexico, Asia-Pacific, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, Rest of Asia-Pacific, Europe, Germany, France, UK, Italy, Spain, Russia, Rest of Europe, Central & South America, Brazil, Argentina, Rest of South America, Middle East & Africa, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Rest of Middle East & Africa Purchase full Portable Air Cleaner report and Pay now through this link and avail 15% free customization on the report@ https://www.marketexpertz.com/checkout-form/33121 A thorough diligence and probe into market segmentation, customer preference, production capability and gross margin are discussed with the aim to ensure business owners are positioned to successes. The study considers, in particular, the impact of technology innovation, recent collaborations and product launches for the forecast period of 2018 - 2026. Assessment of various factors on a target's ability to meet the forecast results forms the basis of evaluation of this market intelligence report on Portable Air Cleaner market. There are many questions the research attempts to answer: - Who is currently purchasing your product or service worldwide? - Who are your immediate competitors? - What will be the price of the products and services across different continents? - What are the trends affecting the performance of the Portable Air Cleaner market? - What features do the customers look for when they purchase Portable Air Cleaner? - What problems will vendors operating in the Portable Air Cleaner market encounter? - What needs are the prominent manufacturers trying to meet by the forecast period 2026? - What opportunities can prominent leaders see on the horizon? - How will the competitive landscape look like between the forecast periods 2018 to 2026? Table of Contents Part 1 Market Overview 1.1 Market Definition 1.2 Market Development 1.3 By Type 1.4 By Application 1.5 By Region Part 2 Global Market Status and Future Forecast 2.1 Global Market by Region 2.2 Global Market by Company 2.3 Global Market by Type 2.4 Global Market by Application 2.5 Global Market by Forecast Continued Browse the report description @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/industry-overview/portable-air-cleaner-market About MarketExpertz Planning to invest in market intelligence products or offerings on the web? Then marketexpertz has just the thing for you - reports from over 500 prominent publishers and updates on our collection daily to empower companies and individuals catch-up with the vital insights on industries operating across different geography, trends, share, size and growth rate. There's more to what we offer to our customers. With marketexpertz you have the choice to tap into the specialized services without any additional charges. Contact Us: John Watson Head of Business Development Market Expertz | Web: www.marketexpertz.com Direct Line: +1-800-819-3052 E-mail: sales@marketexpertz.com News: www.marketexpertz.com/market-news Selbyville, DE -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/04/2019 -- Portable Ultrasound Equipment refers to the device use the ultrasound technology, which is a kind of medical ultrasound devices with portable superiority comparing with general big ultrasound devices in the hospital. Portable Ultrasound Equipment are often moved from one procedure area to another. This system enables clinicians to provide patient care in a wide range of clinical environments. At present, Portable Ultrasound Equipment industry is generally at a more advanced level in the foreign technology. Meanwhile, foreign companies have more mature technology, strong R & D capability, technical level is in a leading position. But foreign companies? manufacturing cost is relatively high, compared with china?s companies. The manufacturing cost is competitive disadvantage, as the Chinese Portable Ultrasound Equipment production enterprise technology continues to improve, their share in the international market is increasing, competitiveness in the international market gradually increasing. Request a sample Report of Portable Ultrasound Equipment Market at: https://www.marketstudyreport.com/request-a-sample/1440879?utm_source=releasewire.com&utm_medium=SP Chinese Portable Ultrasound Equipment industry has developed into a national industry with certain research and production capacity, industry product mix has gradually improved. Currently, China has become the international Portable Ultrasound Equipment large consumption country, but the production technology is relatively laggard, can only produce some low-end and middle end products. However, China companies are continuing to develop new technology, Portable Ultrasound Equipment is a chance to run after their abroad competitors, although very hard. With the development of the technology, lots of companies enter into this industry. Ultrasound devices can be as bigger as people?s palm, very convenient for the usual customers. Portable Ultrasound Equipment not only can be used for the general hospital, also can be used in battleground and other places for its portable superiority. We may use it in the home, certainly some companies is trying to put it into applications, we only need a probe and a smart phone or tablet PC in the home. But it is very difficult to recognize the scanning spectra for the non-professionals. So Portable Ultrasound Equipment industry has a hopeful future, but it needs a long time to cultivate the consumption custom for the general customers. What pointers are covered in the Portable Ultrasound Equipment market research study? The Portable Ultrasound Equipment market report | Elucidated with regards to the regional landscape of the industry: The geographical reach of the Portable Ultrasound Equipment market has been meticulously segmented into United States, China, Europe, Japan, Southeast Asia & India, according to the report. The research enumerates the consumption market share of every region in minute detail, in conjunction with the production market share and revenue. Also, the report is inclusive of the growth rate that each region is projected to register over the estimated period. The Portable Ultrasound Equipment market report | Elucidated with regards to the competitive landscape of the industry: The competitive expanse of this business has been flawlessly categorized into companies such as GE, Philips, Siemens, Fujifilm, Toshiba, Samsung, Hitachi, Mindray Medical, Boston Scientific, BenQ Medical, Chison, Ecare, Esaote, Telemed, Zoncare and MedGyn, as per the Portable Ultrasound Equipment market research report. Exclusive details pertaining to the contribution that every firm has made to the industry have been outlined in the study. Not to mention, a brief gist of the company description has been provided as well. Substantial information subject to the production patterns of each firm and the area that is catered to, has been elucidated. The valuation that each company holds, in tandem with the description as well as substantial specifications of the manufactured products have been enumerated in the study as well. Ask for Discount on Portable Ultrasound Equipment Market Report at: https://www.marketstudyreport.com/check-for-discount/1440879?utm_source=releasewire.com&utm_medium=SP The Portable Ultrasound Equipment market report | Elucidated with regards to some other pointers that would prove vital for stakeholders: The Portable Ultrasound Equipment market research report includes the product expanse of the Portable Ultrasound Equipment market, segmented extensively into Cart-/Trolley-Based Ultrasound Equipment and Handheld Ultrasound Equipment. The market share which each product type holds in the Portable Ultrasound Equipment market along with the growth rate that the product is anticipated to register over the forecast time duration have been provided. The revenue of each product in question, by the end of the anticipated period in consort with the price patterns of the product have been elucidated in the report. The study categorizes, in meticulous aspects, the application scope of the Portable Ultrasound Equipment market into Hospital, Clinic and Home Care. The report encompasses the market share that every application will be accountable for in the Portable Ultrasound Equipment market, in addition to the growth rate which each application segment will plausibly record over the projected timeline. The valuation that the applications will hold by the end of the expected duration has also been outlined in the study. The Portable Ultrasound Equipment market research study conscientiously mentions a separate section that enumerates details with regards to major parameters like the price fads of key raw material and industrial chain analysis, not to mention, details about the suppliers of the raw material. That said, it is pivotal to mention that the Portable Ultrasound Equipment market report also expounds an analysis of the industry distribution chain, further advancing on aspects such as important distributors and the customer pool. Table of Contents: 2 Executive Summary 2.1 Global Portable Ultrasound Equipment Market Size 2.1.1 Global Portable Ultrasound Equipment Revenue 2014-2025 2.1.2 Global Portable Ultrasound Equipment Sales 2014-2025 2.2 Portable Ultrasound Equipment Growth Rate by Regions 2.2.1 Global Portable Ultrasound Equipment Sales by Regions 2.2.2 Global Portable Ultrasound Equipment Revenue by Regions 3 Breakdown Data by Manufacturers 3.1 Portable Ultrasound Equipment Sales by Manufacturers 3.1.1 Portable Ultrasound Equipment Sales by Manufacturers 3.1.2 Portable Ultrasound Equipment Sales Market Share by Manufacturers 3.1.3 Global Portable Ultrasound Equipment Market Concentration Ratio (CR5 and HHI) 3.2 Portable Ultrasound Equipment Revenue by Manufacturers 3.2.1 Portable Ultrasound Equipment Revenue by Manufacturers (2014-2019) 3.2.2 Portable Ultrasound Equipment Revenue Share by Manufacturers (2014-2019) 3.3 Portable Ultrasound Equipment Price by Manufacturers 3.4 Portable Ultrasound Equipment Manufacturing Base Distribution, Product Types 3.4.1 Portable Ultrasound Equipment Manufacturers Manufacturing Base Distribution, Headquarters 3.4.2 Manufacturers Portable Ultrasound Equipment Product Type 3.4.3 Date of International Manufacturers Enter into Portable Ultrasound Equipment Market 3.5 Manufacturers Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion Plans For More Details On this Report: https://www.marketstudyreport.com/reports/global-portable-ultrasound-equipment-market-insights-forecast-to-2025?utm_source=releasewire.com&utm_medium=SP Related Reports Global Long-Term Care Devices Market Insights, Forecast to 2025 The global Long-Term Care Devices market is valued at million US$ in 2018 and will reach million US$ by the end of 2025, growing at a CAGR of during 2019-2025. The objectives of this study are to define, segment, and project the size of the Long-Term Care Devices market based on company, product type, end user and key regions. This report studies the global market size of Long-Term Care Devices in key regions like North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Central & South America and Middle East & Africa, focuses on the consumption of Long-Term Care Devices in these regions. Read More: https://www.marketstudyreport.com/reports/global-long-term-care-devices-market-insights-forecast-to-2025?utm_source=releasewire.com&utm_medium=SP Contact Us: Corporate Sales, Market Study Report LLC Phone: 1-302-273-0910 Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150 Email: sales@marketstudyreport.com Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/04/2019 -- Sleep tech devices & diagnostic tools are used to assist users or patients in understanding individual sleep patterns. The devices or tools measure the performance of the sleep during the day or treat sleep problems such as sleep disorders. There is an alarming rise in the incidence of insomnia, sleep apnea, and other sleep disorder cases, especially in Asia Pacific; and the prevalence of sleep apnea diseases is higher in Western countries, including the U.S., the U.K., Germany, France, and Russia. Sleep tech devices & diagnostic tools include monitoring devices, wearables, trackers, and other aids which help patients who are suffering from different types of sleep disorders. There has been a marked increase in the number of patients admitted to hospitals and sleep laboratories as inpatients and outpatients, suffering from sleep disorders. Further, there has been a shift toward the usage of home sleep test devices as sleep study tools have increased due to device portable structure, which easily measure the biological parameters responsible for sleep disorders. Obtain Report Details @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sleep-tech-devices-diagnostic-tools-market.html Major factors driving the growth of the global sleep tech devices & diagnostic tools market are continuous rise of wearable devices, increasing mergers and acquisitions among medical device companies, and new changes to regulatory requirements. In 2015 and early 2016, more than 150 major medical device companies were involved in acquisitions and mergers. Other factors that are anticipated to drive the global market growth include growing number of domestic and global players entering the market with new products, which has substantially resulted in decreased prices of wearable devices, along with increasing hospital consolidation. However, factors such as new and tough regulatory requirements for medical devices and strict consolidation approval process criteria are projected to restrain the market growth during the forecast period. The global sleep tech devices & diagnostic tools market is segmented on the basis of product type, end-user, and region. In terms of product type, the market is segmented into sleep monitoring devices, sleep wearables, sleep trackers, sleep gadgets, and digital application tools. In terms of end-user, the global market has been categorized into home care settings, hospitals, and sleep laboratories. The home care settings segment accounted for a significant share of the market in 2016 due to increasing number of diagnostic procedures for obstructive sleep apnea and introduction of cost-effective and portable devices for sleep apnea. Rise in geriatric population is projected to increase the incidence of sleep disorders, especially in emerging economies such as China, Brazil, and India. This is likely to propel the growth of the market in these countries. Request Report Brochure @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=32036 Geographically, the global market for sleep tech devices & diagnostic tools is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. North America is projected to dominate the global market during the forecast period. According to an article published in 2017 from the American Sleep Apnea Association, it is estimated that 22 million people in the U.S. suffer from sleep apnea, and 80% of the cases of moderate and severe obstructive sleep apnea are undiagnosed. Furthermore, growing prevalence of obesity and rising geriatric population, especially in developed and other developing countries such as Australia, China, and India respectively, have led to increasing prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea. Stanford Medicine states that more than 100 different types of sleep disorder range from difficulty sleeping at night to excessive daytime sleepiness. As per the Anxiety and Depression Association of America and the National Institutes of Health, more than 40 million people in the U.S. suffer from chronic, long-term sleep disorders. The incidence of anxiety disorder, chronic insomnia, and other sleep disorders is rising in Asia Pacific due to increase in physical, mental, and emotional functioning of the brain, which is also known as stress or anxiety. This, in turn, is anticipated to fuel the demand for wearable sleep tech devices or diagnostic tools. Hence, these factors are projected to drive the market growth in Asia Pacific during the forecast period. Request for TOC @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=32036 Key players operating in the global sleep tech devices & diagnostic tools market include Compumedics Limited, Nihon Kohden Corporation, Masimo Corporation, Autonomic Technologies (ATI), Baxter Healthcare Corporation, Bionano Genomics, Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Infraredx, Inc., and Neovasc Inc. Sellbyville, DE -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/04/2019 -- Global Market Insights, Inc. has recently added a report on Smart Bullets Market which provides a succinct analysis of the market size, revenue forecast, and the regional landscape of this industry. The report also highlights the major challenges and current growth strategies adopted by the prominent companies that are a part of the dynamic competitive spectrum of this business sphere. Based on the end user, airborne is the fastest growing segment in the overall smart bullets market amongst other classifications including land and naval defense. This steady growth of the segment is credited to the emergence of latest weaponry technologies including Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAVs). The technology is becoming an innovative and low-cost alternative to conventional airborne attack platforms, fueling the expansion of global smart bullets market. Request for an in-depth table of contents for this report @ https://www.gminsights.com/request-toc/upcoming/2152 Smart Bullets Market size is anticipated to witness a surge in demand due to growing security concerns resulted by the rise in terrorist organizations and events. In the recent years, arms race has been observed among several countries including India, Pakistan and China that is further projected to boost industry demand. Company profiled in this report based on Business overview, Financial data, Product landscape, Strategic outlook & SWOT analysis: - Raytheon - Lockheed Martin - Dassault Aviation - BAE Systems - Taser International - General Dynamics - Northrop Grumman - Textron Defense Systems - Thales Group - Harris Corporation - Boeing Corporation Make an inquiry for buying this report @ https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/2152 Increasing demand for powerful striking power and efficient defense system along with enhanced efficiency of weapon navigation technologies will foster product penetration. Moreover, stringent government protocols aimed at reducing global arms transfer and to maintaining peace are key driving factors for the global smart bullets market growth. Key restraint associated with smart bullets market is the soaring prices of advanced weapons. However, technological advancement along with growing product demand is projected to reduce the cost of smart weaponries during the forecast timeframe. Global smart bullets market is a highly consolidated market as majority of the top players held together over 60% of the market share in 2016. Several players are gradually focusing on product innovation and technological upgradation in the current offerings to enhance their business foothold. High competition within the industry is expected to strengthen further over the forecast timeframe. North America leads the global smart bullets market due to increasing focus of the U.S. administration towards the integration of technologically improved weapons into its defense list. Moreover, the U.S. government is even a crucial customer in North America as well on a global level. Asia Pacific is expected to witness fastest industry growth by 2024 owing to increase in investments by various countries for advanced weaponry. Additionally, continuous conflicts in countries including China, India, Ukraine, Lebanon, Afghanistan and Pakistan is another major factor positively impacting the demand as well as the growth of the global smart bullets market. Browse Full Report: https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/smart-bullets-market Some of the dominating smart bullets market players include Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, Dassault Aviation, BAE Systems, Taser International and General Dynamics. Other prominent players are Northrop Grumman, Textron Defense Systems, Thales Group, Harris Corporation and Boeing Corporation. Valley Cottage, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/04/2019 -- Sprayers are devices that used to apply pesticides, insecticides on plants to control pastes and diseases. Sprayers are also use to apply herbicides to control weeds and micronutrients to promote growth of plants. The sprayers breaks the chemical solution into fine droplets and distribute the insecticides uniformly over the plant. A good sprayer should produce steady stream of liquid in desired droplet size so that plants to be treat get covered uniformly. The sprayer should convey adequate pressure so that sprayer should reach all foliage over the plant. The sprayer are operated manually as well as by power. Request Sample Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-1366 Crop Sprayers Market: Drivers & Restraints Food drives the world. In addition to clean water, acquire sufficient food is major concern for majority of peoples in the world which makes the agriculture one of the biggest and important industry in the world. Agricultural productivity is not only the prime factor for countries economy but also for the health and security of its population. So importance of agricultural in countries economy is major driving factor for crop sprayer market. Population explosion, increasing incomes, declined natural sources and changing climate conditions affected food prices to rise and agricultural productivity once again become a major concern. Strategies to increase food productivity imparts the use of technology in agriculture. Such strategies will helps to drive crop sprayers market. Green revolution have changed the concept of traditional farming. Extensive efforts to modify farming methods assisted to increase the food production in Asia Pacific and Latin America. There are some regions in Middle East and Africa where many effort were taken to apply the green revolution approaches but failed. So there is need to help the farmers to use farming equipment in farming. Farmers in undeveloped countries does not have disposable income to use modern techniques in farming. So there is need of government initiatives to assist the farmers. Crop Sprayers Market: Market Segmentation Crop sprayers market can be segmented on the basis of Capacity of Sprayers Ultra Low Volume Sprayers (less than 5liters/hectare) Low Volume Sprayers(5 to 400 liters/hectare) Manually Operated Knapsack Sprayers Rocker Sprayers Pedal Operated Sprayers Stirrup Sprayers Power Driven Sprayers Knapsack Power Sprayers High Volume Sprayers(More than 400 liters/ hectare) Self-Propelled Sprayers Mounted Sprayers Trailed Sprayers Crop Sprayers Market: Regional-Outlook The global Crop Sprayers market has been divided into seven key geographical regions which includes, North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan, and Middle East & Africa. Asia Pacific will be dominating market for Crop Sprayers. Countries like India, China, and Indonesia are major agricultural promoting countries in Asia Pacific. There will be demand for Low volume sprayers in India as there is farming in small plots. Farming land in India is bisected. China and Indonesia will demand High volume sprayers. Asia Pacific is followed by North America. North America is major producer of wheat, corn and soybean. Latin America is also the lucrative market for crop sprayers market. Green revolution have lead the Latin America as prime agriculture region. Brazil and Mexico will be important countries for Crop sprayers market. Western Europe also contributes for Crop sprayers market. Germany and Netherlands. Netherlands is one of the prominent producer of vegetables and flowers. Eastern Europe also important market for Crop Sprayers. Middle East and Africa is lags behind in Agriculture. But countries like Israel, South Africa, and Nigeria have proved the development in Agriculture. So there is opportunity to expand the crop sprayers market in this region. Request to View TOC @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-1366 Crop Sprayers Market: Key players Some of the identified players in the global Crop Sprayers market are, Chafer Machinery Group Househam John Rhodes AS limited Boston Crop Sprayers Cleveland crop sprayers limited Avison Sprayers S & K sprayers Foggers India Pvt ltd. ASPEE India Crystal Crop Protection Pvt Ltd Taizhou Sunny Agricultural Machinery Co., Ltd., Zhejiang Ousen Machinery Co., Ltd. Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/03/2019 -- HTF MI released a new market study on Global Traffic Marking Paint Market with 100+ market data Tables, Pie Chat, Graphs & Figures spread through Pages and easy to understand in depth analysis. "Global Traffic Marking Paint Market by Type (, Thermoplastic Marking Paint, Waterbased Marking Paint, Solvent Based Marking Paint, Two-Component Road Marking Paint & Others), by End-Users/Application (Roads & Streets, Parking Lot, Airport & Other), Industry Size, Organizations, and Region - Forecast and outlook to 2025". At present, the market is developing its presence. The Research report presents a complete assessment of the Market and contains a future trend, current growth factors, focused opinions, details, and industry certified market data. The research study provides estimates for Global Traffic Marking Paint Forecast till 2025*. Some of the key players profiled are 3M, Sherwin-Williams, Swarco AG, Nippon Paint, Ennis Flint, Hempel, Geveko Markings, PPG Industries, Asian Paints PPG, SealMaster, Reda National Co., LANINO, TATU, Zhejiang Brother, Zhejiang Yuanguang, Luteng Tuliao & Rainbow Brand etc. Get Access to sample pages @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/1373618-global-traffic-marking-paint-market-9 The Global Traffic Marking Paint market report more focuses on top industry leaders and explores all essentials facets competitive landscape. It explains potent business strategies and approaches, consumption propensity, regulatory policies, recent moves taken by competitors, as well as potential investment opportunities and market threats also. The report emphasis crucial financial details of major manufacturers including year-wise sale, revenue growth, CAGR, production cost analysis, and value chain structure. In 2017, the Global Traffic Marking Paint market size was USD XX and is forecast to reach Million YY USD in 2025, growing at a CAGR of xx%. The objectives of this study is to define, market segment having opportunity, and to project the size of the Traffic Marking Paint market based on company, product type, application and key regions. Besides, the report also covers segment data, including: type segment, industry segment etc. cover different segment market size. Also cover different industries clients' information, which is very important for the Major Players. If you need more information, please contact HTF MI at sales@htfmarketreport.com. **The market is valued based on weighted average selling price (WASP) and includes any applicable taxes on manufacturers. All currency conversions used in the creation of this report have been calculated using constant annual average 2018 currency rates. Competition Analysis Global Traffic Marking Paint Market - Vendor Landscape: The analysts authoring the publication explain the nature and future changes in the competitive scenario of the worldwide companies that are profiled in the publication guide, some of key players that includes in the study are 3M, Sherwin-Williams, Swarco AG, Nippon Paint, Ennis Flint, Hempel, Geveko Markings, PPG Industries, Asian Paints PPG, SealMaster, Reda National Co., LANINO, TATU, Zhejiang Brother, Zhejiang Yuanguang, Luteng Tuliao & Rainbow Brand The Study is segmented by following Product Type , Thermoplastic Marking Paint, Waterbased Marking Paint, Solvent Based Marking Paint, Two-Component Road Marking Paint & Others Major applications/end-users industry are as follows Roads & Streets, Parking Lot, Airport & Other Enquire for customization in Report @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/1373618-global-traffic-marking-paint-market-9 Region Segmentation: United States, Europe, China, Japan & Other Regions ** Customized Report with detailed 2-level country level break-up can also be provided. North America (United States, Canada) South America (Brazil, Argentina, Rest of South America) Asia (China, Japan, India, Korea, RoA) Europe (Germany, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain, Russia, Rest of Europe) Others (Middle East, Africa) In this study, the years considered to estimate the market size of Global Traffic Marking Paint are as follows: - History Year: 2013-2017 - Base Year: 2017 - Estimated Year: 2018 - Forecast Year 2018 to 2025 Buy full research report @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=1373618 Key Stakeholders/Global Reports: - Traffic Marking Paint Manufacturers - Traffic Marking Paint Distributors/Traders/Wholesalers - Traffic Marking Paint Sub-component Manufacturers - Industry Association - Downstream Vendors Following would be the Chapters to display the Global Traffic Marking Paint market. Chapter 1, to describe Definition, Specifications and Classification of Traffic Marking Paint, Applications of Traffic Marking Paint, Market Segment by Regions; Chapter 2, to analyze the Manufacturing Cost Structure, Raw Material and Suppliers, Manufacturing Process, Industry Chain Structure; Chapter 3, to display the Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Traffic Marking Paint, Capacity and Commercial Production Date, Manufacturing Plants Distribution, R&D Status and Technology Source, Raw Materials Sources Analysis; Chapter 4, to show the Overall Market Analysis, Capacity Analysis (Company Segment), Sales Analysis (Company Segment), Sales Price Analysis (Company Segment); Chapter 5 and 6, to show the Regional Market Analysis that includes North America, United States, Canada, Mexico, Asia-Pacific, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, Rest of Asia-Pacific, Europe, Germany, France, UK, Italy, Spain, Russia, Rest of Europe, Central & South America, Brazil, Argentina, Rest of South America, Middle East & Africa, Saudi Arabia, Turkey & Rest of Middle East & Africa, Traffic Marking Paint Segment Market Analysis (by Type); Chapter 7 and 8, to analyze the Traffic Marking Paint Segment Market Analysis (by Application) Major Manufacturers Analysis of Traffic Marking Paint; Chapter 9, Market Trend Analysis, Regional Market Trend, Market Trend by Product Type [, Thermoplastic Marking Paint, Waterbased Marking Paint, Solvent Based Marking Paint, Two-Component Road Marking Paint & Others], Market Trend by Application [Roads & Streets, Parking Lot, Airport & Other]; Chapter 10, Regional Marketing Type Analysis, International Trade Type Analysis, Supply Chain Analysis; Chapter 11, to analyze the Consumers Analysis of Global Traffic Marking Paint; Chapter 12,13, 14 and 15, to describe Traffic Marking Paint sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data source. Read Detailed Index of full Research Study at @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/1373618-global-traffic-marking-paint-market-9 Thanks for reading this article, you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia. Also, If you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want. San Francisco, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/04/2019 -- Global Xanthan Gum Market: Overview Xanthan gum, refers to a polysaccharide made by fermenting corn sugar with a bacteria, xanthomonas campestris - the same bacteria that leads to the creation of black spots on vegetables such as cauliflower and broccoli. The strain of xanthomonas campestris used for obtaining xanthan gum is non-toxic and non-pathogenic for humans and animals. It is therefore preferred over several other emulsifiers in food products. Xanthan gum is actually one of the world's 30 most used popular products used in the food industry. Get Brochure of the Report @ https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=2222 Global Xanthan Gum Market: Drivers and Restraints Demand across the food and beverages industry is expected to continue to remain one of the key forces driving the global market for xanthan gum in the next few years. Of late, the increased global demand for packaged, ready-to-eat, and convenience foods has significantly increased the uptake of xanthan gum in the food and beverages industry. The food and beverages industry presently accounts for over half the global consumption of xanthan gum and the industry is expected to drive the market owing to high demand across food products such as salad dressings and sauces and dairy products such as ice creams. The inherent superiority of the product over other common hydrocolloids is also a key driver of the global xanthan gum market. However, the market is presently struggling to cope up with the reinforced policies regarding anti-dumping across a number of developed economies and restrictions on the import of xanthan gum from China and Austria. The rising mistrust regarding the quality of xanthan gum by suppliers in China, which is presently the leading producer of the product on the global front, is also expected to hamper the overall growth prospects of the market to a certain extent. Global Xanthan Gum Market: Market Potential Looking at the significant rise in demand for xanthan gum from across the globe, key producers of the product are focusing on the expansion of their existing production sites, strengthening their distribution channels, and exploring new regional territories to add to their customer bases. In February 2013, CP Kelco, one of the world's dominant producers of xanthan gum, announced the expansion of its production facility in San Diego by around 40% so as to meet the heightened demand owing to a clampdown by the U.S. government on imports by Chinese and Austrian companies owing to quality issues. The company announced its plans to build a new manufacturing plant in North America for the production of and specialty xanthan gum and gellan gum. Get TOC for Detailed Facts and Numbers @ https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=2222 Global Xanthan Gum Market: Regional Overview The global market for xanthan gum has been predominantly led by Asia Pacific. The region accounts for a significant share of the global market for xanthan gum and is expected to show growth at a promising pace over the next few years as well. The massive demand for xanthan gum from China is expected to help the Asia Pacific market for xanthan gum remain dominant from a geographical perspective. The thriving market for food and beverages in China and other emerging economies in the region such as India is leading to the high demand for xanthan gum in the region. North America is another promising market for xanthan gum and is expected to become a matured market in the next few years owing to the increased use of the product for a number of industrial applications. The demand for xanthan gum is expected to witness rise at a slower pace in regions such as Middle East and Africa and Latin America. Global Xanthan Gum Market: Competitive Dynamics The global market for xanthan gum features a largely consolidated competitive landscape, with the leading few companies accounting for a massive share in the global market. Some of the leading vendors operating in the global xanthan gum market are Archer Daniels Midland Company, MeiHua Holdings Group Co., Ltd, Fufeng Group Company Limited, Hebei Xinhe Biochemical Co., The Aurora Chemical, CP Kelco, The Zoranoc Oilfield Chemical, DuPont-Danisco, Deosen, Jungbunzlauer Suisse AG, Ltd., Cargill, Inc., FMC BioPolymer, and Solvay S.A. Read Comprehensive Overview of Report @ https://www.tmrresearch.com/xanthan-gum-market About TMR Research TMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in today's supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients' conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends. In two new species of giant stick insects from the dry forests of Madagascar, males turn blue or multicolored at sexual maturity. The two newly-discovered species belong to the genus Achrioptera, a group of extremely large and exceptionally colorful stick insects endemic to Madagascar and the Comoros Archipelago. Most stick insects resemble sticks and, typically, their coloration is highly cryptic, said Dr. Sven Bradler from the University of Gottingen in Germany and co-authors. Only very few species show conspicuous coloration when undisturbed, though some use their conspicuously colored wings to startle potential predators. The genus Achrioptera is an exception, since the males of most large species permanently present their extremely colorful bodies to the environment and potential predators. Dr. Bradler and colleagues demonstrated that the well-known species with blue males from Montagne des Francais and Foret dOrangea in the far north of Madagascar, previously attributed to Achrioptera fallax, represents a completely new species, named Achrioptera manga. They also discovered a second new giant species in these forests, Achrioptera maroloko, which is among the largest insects females reaching up to 9.5 inches (24 cm) total length on Earth. Genetic tests confirm that the quirky individuals are in fact two new species, Dr. Bradler said. The reclassification places members of this group as close evolutionary relatives to other Malagasy stick insects, rather than cousins from overseas as previously thought, he added. This is a potentially major finding, as it challenges the prevailing view that sticks insects colonized Madagascar multiple times. The discovery also prompted the researchers to wonder: what reproductive advantage do these males gain from their bright colors, that is worth exposing themselves to predators? They bred the new giant stick insect species in captivity to observe their behavior. Males of one species started mating attempts only when they achieved their bright blue color, said Dr. Frank Glaw, from the Bavarian State Collection of Zoology in Germany. This might suggest that the males use their bright coloring to attract a mate. However, it is hard to believe the males could find a mate before being eaten unless their bright coloring acts as a deterrent to predators. Males searching for a mate have to move about more, so pretending to be a stick becomes tricky. Better perhaps to plump for the opposite: a brightly colored warning. Bright colors suggestive of toxicity keep safe vivid members of other typically camouflaged species, like lividly colored Malagasy frogs. In support of this, all stick insects have neck glands that repellant substances, and these are typically well-developed in brightly colored species. Alternatively, like the frogs some giant stick insects may have developed the ability to accumulate toxins from their food. The discovery is reported in the journal Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. _____ Frank Glaw et al. When Giant Stick Insects Play with Colors: Molecular Phylogeny of the Achriopterini and Description of Two New Splendid Species (Phasmatodea: Achrioptera) from Madagascar. Front. Ecol. Evol, published online April 2, 2019; doi: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00105 In the ship's main restaurants, guests can sample a taste before dinner. Dishes on the Lazio regional menu served on all Costa ships arriving in Civitavecchia will be pepped up with the flavour of Pecorino Romano including mozzarella in carrozza (fried cheese sandwiches) on a pecorino romano fondue, amatriciana-style rigatoni with shavings of pecorino romano and redfish filet in a potato and pecorino romano crust. The history, production and use of the cheese is being documented through corporate videos, brochures and recipe books supplied by the Pecorino Romano D.O.P. Consortium. Costa Cruises is working with the Italian Ministry of Agriculture, Food, Forestry and Tourism and the Italian Alliance of Agri-Food Cooperatives to present the initiative. Every year, ships in the Costa fleet use around 10,000kg of Pecorino Romano produced by five different Sardinian cooperatives belonging to the Italian Alliance of Agri-Food Cooperatives. Despite its name suggesting that the cheese is originally from Lazio, not everyone knows that 97% of this cheese is actually produced in Sardinia. Supporting local Italian produce We are again extremely proud to be supporting a great Italian product like Pecorino Romano, says Neil Palomba, President of Costa Cruises. We buy our food and wine from around 200 local producers across Italy. To support the sheep and goat farming supply chain, we needed to take concrete steps. Promoting Pecorino Romano on the Costa Cruises flagship Costa Diadema is very significant as it brings tourism and agriculture together, says the Italian Minister for Agriculture, Food, Forestry and Tourism, Sen. Gian Marco Centinaio. Promoting excellent Italian products and taking them around the world is the best way of introducing our country. Pecorino Romano needs new markets in order to emerge from the crisis and become as widely known as possible. Initiatives like this can only be positive for the sector and for the Italian agri-food business as a whole. Cooperatives produce over 60% of all Pecorino Romano - says Giorgio Mercuri, President of the Italian Alliance of Agri-Food Cooperatives - and we are very glad that Costa Cruises has decided to involve our member companies as suppliers because it means they will always be at the forefront of promoting the product on its cruise ships, Centinaio continued. Gourmet mozzarella bar This follows as part of Costa's ongoing effort to present the best in Italian cuisine. Previously Costa Cruises produced authentic mozzarella di bufala on board, to be served in its new Mozzarella Gourmet Bar on ships across its fleet. This article is part of State of Health, a series examining health disparities, how they affect Michigan's children and seniors, and the innovative solutions being developed to address them. It is made possible with funding from the Michigan Health Endowment Fund. Within 30 minutes of being approved for their Michigan foster home license in 2009, the Isham family received details of their first placement: a four-month-old girl with a cleft palate and a genetic diagnosis of chromosome 16p11.2 microdeletion syndrome. Since then, Heather Isham has navigated many unique challenges as she's become both mom and full-time caregiver to her now adopted daughter, Gracie*. Heather and Gracie Isham. "Gracie isn't on the autism spectrum, but the research shows that everyone with her deletion struggles with autism-related symptoms," Isham explains. "She has very specific sensory needs and often doesn't like to be touched. That makes it difficult for us to help her brush her teeth, take her pills, and even put in her hearing aid. We try to talk her through every activity, but it usually ends with her angry and yelling, or crying." Everywhere they go, the Ishams keep a close watch on Gracie, as she has seizures, struggles with severe food allergies, and battles chronic fatigue. Isham says people's judgments and assumptions about her daughter's condition can be emotionally exhausting as well. Support is crucial for a family like the Ishams, but it can be hard to find. Support groups for parents with medically fragile children are few and far between, with most resources being available online. When Isham needs a break, she turns to her husband for support or her pediatrician, although she says it's "rare" to find such a helpful medical professional. The importance of a support network when caring for a loved one can't be understated. Whether caring for a child, an elderly person, or a person with a disability, becoming an unpaid caregiver requires significant commitment and dedication. That's why a number of Michigan organizations are working to better understand what caregivers need and make it more accessible to them. Caregivers need support from medical staff Two of those organizations are the Michigan Health Council (MHC) and the Area Agencies on Aging (AAA), who have collaborated on a series of focus groups to determine what Michigan caregivers and patients need most. Kristin Sewell, a research and data analyst for MHC, says one of the biggest problems caregivers identified was difficulty communicating with doctors. "They told us that physicians often refuse to engage with them outside of a patient's presence, which usually leaves the patient upset, or feeling betrayed and diminished," she says. Kristin Sewell. Another issue caregivers raised was that physicians completely discounted their expertise and intimate knowledge of the patient. "They reported feeling alone and unsupported, which is very frustrating for them," Sewell explains. "Physicians' offices are woefully unwilling and unprepared to make referrals to community resources." All too often caregivers were told to search online for what they needed, instead of given suggestions for where they could get help locally. To address that issue, MHC created a list of resources for clinicians to share with caregivers on its Center for Caring website, funded by the Michigan Health Endowment Fund. MHC also shared its findings at local physicians' association conferences, hoping to bridge the gap between caregivers and their patients' doctors in future. But breaking down communication barriers between medical staff and caregivers isn't the only challenge organizations face in getting caregivers the help they need. Sometimes making them aware that help is available is a challenge itself. "Meeting people's needs when they need them" According to the University of Michigan's National Poll on Healthy Aging (NPHA), only 27 percent of caregivers surveyed said they'd made use of caregiving resources in the past year. Forty-one percent of those who hadn't used any resources indicated an interest in using them, and 78 percent agreed that they find caregiving to be stressful. That's a lot of people who could use some help and, for varying reasons, aren't connecting with it. Charlotte resident Lou Sobleskey has spent the last eight years caring for her mother, who has dementia. Sobleskey's main caregiving resource is her brother. She says one of them is always at her parents' house, because her 80-year-old father "simply can't manage on his own." "When (Sobleskey's brother) needs a break he calls me, and when I need a break I call him," she says. "The Tri-County Office on Aging sends someone out every six months or so to check on Mom, but other than that it's just us." Lou Sobleskey. Sobleskey and her brother prepare meals, attend doctor's appointments with their mother, attend to all of her personal care, and ensure that she gets her medications on time. Sobleskey says she's heard about support groups for caregivers, but doesn't know if any meet in her area. "It might be helpful," she admits. "But to be honest, I just don't really have the time to spend talking to strangers about caring for my mom. It may sound harsh, but when I'm not with my mom, I would rather be doing my own thing, like spending time with friends. I don't really want to go to meetings." It's not an uncommon issue, according to NPHA associate director Dr. Erica Solway. "The challenge is meeting people's needs when they need them, and making the resources available in ways that they can access, as needed," she says. "... People don't always want to spend time talking about it, or reading about it. Sometimes they just want a break." Caregivers need care too Caregiver support groups are available across Michigan for those caregivers who do desire such an environment. CareWell Services, the AAA serving Barry and Calhoun counties, has had caregiver support groups in place for over 12 years. CareWell Services Southwest CEO Karla Fales says CareWell's informal support groups and classes have helped many caregivers over the years. The catch, she says, is getting caregivers to realize how important self-care is. Karla Fales. "Support groups just aren't as utilized by caregivers as they could be," she says. "The challenge is that caregiving is generally a 24/7 focus, and many caregivers find it difficult to break away from their obligations to give attention to their own self-care." CareWell Services and its partner agencies also provide an in-home caregiver support program, health and wellness workshops, in-home counseling for caregivers, respite care, and adult day services. Fales says several caregivers have told her the meetings and classes they attended saved their lives. "I wish we could get this message to more caregivers, so they would prioritize self-care," she says. "People need to know that they're supported in their caregiving." Providing support in desperation Solway notes that NPHA data about caregivers may be incomplete because only those who had the time to participate provided answers. "We may not have enough data from people whose caregiving responsibilities are significant, simply because they didn't have the time to answer our questions," she says. And those are often the people who need the most help. Desperation plays a role in caregivers reaching out for help, Solway notes. Erica Solway. "We need to recognize that many people only seek help when things have gotten really bad," she says. "At that point, they don't have time to dig through a mountain of information online, or read several books. They're desperate, and they need help now." So what supports could be made available to help caregivers who feel trapped, or are overwhelmed? Solways says more respite care would be helpful, as would expanding a variety of current programs that are already working well for people. "Most caregivers in Michigan are very busy," she says. "They have jobs and families in addition to their role as caregiver. So they have a lot on their plates and very limited time available. The more we can offer in the form of different types of supports, the more helpful we can be. And caregivers need all the help they can get." * Name changed at request of the Isham family. Sarah Hillman is the news editor at Capital Gains and has been writing stories about issues that impact people's lives for years. She is also the writer and illustrator of a children's book about leadership qualities. Lou Sobleskey and Heather and Gracie Isham photos by Roxanne Frith. All other photos courtesy of the subject. Students learned about advanced robotics during MI Smart Factory Tours. Photo by Automation Alley. It was such a good idea that they wondered why they hadnt thought of it before.Of course, with all that Automation Alley does to promote Michigan as a hub for advanced manufacturing and technology--or Industry 4.0, as they refer to it--the organizations new factory tours for college students could be seen as just another drop in the bucket of all that they do.But MI Smart Factory Tours could turn out to be a pretty significant component of Automation Alleys mission: Cementing Michigans position as a global leader in advanced manufacturing and technologies.As you think about whats happening not just in manufacturing but in all industries, with technologies like 3D printing, artificial intelligence, robotics, the internet of things--Michigan is one of the few places in the world where all of these technologies come together and work with each other, says Tom Kelly, Automation Alley executive director and CEO.We are the perfect state to be doing this.Automation Alley launched a pilot run of its MI Smart Factory Tours in October 2018. Students from Ohio University Russ College of Engineering and Technology visited Fori Automation in Shelby Township, Parker Hannifin and Hirotec in Auburn Hills, and FANUC in Rochester Hills.The intent is to demonstrate both the opportunities available in advanced manufacturing, and especially in Michigan, but also the appeal. A job in advanced manufacturing doesnt a mean a job on the assembly line. Many of the same technologies that draw young workers to places like Silicon Valley exist right here in southeast Michigan.If you want to be involved in high tech, you dont just have to be a software programmer. You can also get involved in advanced manufacturing, Kelly says. Software is getting more and more involved in the physical world, like with autonomous vehicles.The tours will expose students to additional career opportunities while helping them establish relationships with potential future employers. And for the employers themselves, it provides an inside track in reaching and recruiting young talent before they leave for far away technology hubs.Or, as Kelly puts it, Most students dont see manufacturing as a sexy place to be--when it really is.The pilot run of MI Smart Factory Tours resulted in both ecstatic students and businesses, he says. Two initial tours are scheduled for this year with the possibility of adding two more. Interest is already high, says Kelly, and Automation Alley plans to add more and more tours, year after year.This spring, electro-mechanical students from MIAT College of Technology will tour four companies. And in the fall, a cohort of lean management grad students from Oakland University will tour four more. Automation Alley wasnt yet ready to divulge which businesses would be hosting the tours.Kelly believes that programs like this work to change the perception of Michigan as a global leader in technology, both at home and abroad, and that Michigan is not a flyover state but a destination. Just look at Rivian , an electric vehicle startup that recently chose Plymouth, Michigan as its global headquarters due to the regions advanced manufacturing infrastructure.Whats more, Rivian recently announced a $700 million investment from Amazon.Its news like this, and tours like Automation Alleys, that will help draw the next generation of talent to Michigan.As manufacturing goes, there is massive disruption coming from all sides, Kelly says. We have to be the state that understands how technology will change manufacturing. We have to be at the forefront.Visit Driven and learn how the Detroit region is leading the world in next-generation mobility. Turning a blind eye to the needs of others is not an option for members of Trinity Lutheran Church.Located in Battle Creek's Post-Franklin Neighborhood, the church is home to members of the Womans Co-op and their families, in addition to its parishioners. Pastor Kjersten Priddy says the presence of these women and their children is an ever-present reminder of ongoing needs in the community.It keeps us grounded and keeps us connected to the needs of the neighborhood, Priddy says. It reminds us that the problems we face are not the same problems everyone is facing. Their presence here makes us realize all of the things we dont know.Those things include the lack of what many take for granted, such as food, clothing, transportation, housing, and childcare.Among the most common needs addressed by the Womans Co-op are assistance with utility payments; advocacy in the court system; and better parenting techniques, says Valerie Whitney, Program Coordinator for Education and Training with the Co-op.At any given time, she says, she and Teresa Momenee, the Co-ops Executive Director, are working with 160 open cases and assisting about 360 families in need of emergency services that include securing funds to pay their gas, electricity or heating bills. Oftentimes, this means helping those in need navigate a complicated route.Besides addressing these emergency needs, the Co-op also provides employment assistance and outreach, and housing referrals.Tracy Graham sought out employment services after being involved in an automobile accident that left her with a lot of pain in her neck and back. As a result of having to take time off to deal with her injuries, she lost the job shed had for 14 years with a local dairy. She went to Michigan Rehabilitation Services and they referred her to the Co-op where she has been working in Front Line Services, a program that offers her training to increase her skill set for future employment.Graham says she is receiving wage loss money through her insurance company, but she never knows when those payments will arrive.The injuries kept me at home and I started to think about the things I couldnt do anymore, Graham says. This program through the Co-op got me out of the house and feeling better.Priddy says the Frontline Service and janitorial jobs that employ women at the church are paid through Michigan Rehabilitation Services This gives them the opportunity to beef up their skills and prepare them for re-entry into the workforce, Whitney says. Most of our women are low- to no-income and we try to place them in employment, but some come with barriers, colorful pasts, and employment histories. Quite a few have been in abusive situations and sometimes they might be the abuser.As a domestic assault survivor, Whitney says she was shocked to find that women could be the abusers. Now you have felonies in your background for domestic violence and that gets you out of opportunities for certification programs that you could otherwise get through rather quickly, she says.But, it is those most basic needs that Whitney and Momenee spend a lot of time on. They say that over the last five or six years, those struggling to meet basic needs have increased substantially, while at the same time, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has lost a lot of its funding, especially those funds earmarked to assist with utility bill payments. In the past, money from the state to cover these bill payments went to different providers such as the Salvation Army and they distributed it to people who were referred to them.This year the state decided to give all of that money to DHHS and people had to go through a whirlwind of paperwork and jump through three different cycles to get help, Whitney says. Then, if they didnt meet DHHSs criteria they wouldnt get their bill paid.This not OK given the 45 percent increase in need that Whitney and Momenee have seen this year, compared to last year.Whitney says she and Momenee frequently work through the systems they are familiar with to help members secure funds through other sources like the Community Action Agency of Southcentral Michigan.With an annual budget of about $189,000, the Co-op doesnt have a lot of extra cash in its coffers, but the organization did establish a Member Needs Fund, which covers the cost of needs not covered by any other funding sources. An example of this is would be an I.D.This fund makes small monetary amounts available to pay for something like an I.D., Whitney says. No place in town will fund that.Priddy, who is also Vice President of the Co-ops board, says that the organization provides wraparound services that are critical to the women seeking assistance.Val and Teresa know everybody in this town, Priddy says. Theyre able to really figure out what the barriers are for people. If DHHS cant connect you, on a much smaller scale Val and Teresa are able to figure out where the gaps are and do something about it.Among the biggest barriers for individuals who look to the Co-op for help is a lack of basic computer skills and knowledge. The Co-op recently had a wireless network installed to help its members and neighborhood residents who have challenges getting to a library to use the computers there. Priddy says the church is now one of the few hotspots in the neighborhood.Everything is being done on computers. A lot of folks dont have computers or the knowledge and skills to use them, Whitney says. They need someone who can more or less help with those issues.We want to be the neighborhood hub so that when applications come out for the CARE program (from Consumer's Energy) in October or there needs to be a reverification for food stamps, they can do it here.While access to the Internet is a barrier faced by some of those who work with the Co-op, Whitney says the more critical issues holding back this population include lack of transportation, childcare, and funds to pay rent.The solution for some is to help one another. It is not uncommon for members to help each using an unofficial barter system. So, if someone needs a place to stay, a member may offer them a couch and if a member needs someone to look after their kids, another member may offer watch them.This current support system has its roots in the founding of the organization. It started with a group of women, including Momenee, who were all living in Triangle Trailer Park and experiencing tough times.Whitney says Momenee was close to sending her children back to live with their respective fathers in Ohio after discovering that all she had to feed them one night was pork chops. Melissa Young, who was a neighbor and her best friend, who wasnt much better off than Momenee, brought over potatoes and green beans and a board game.She knew she had a family, Whitney says of Momenee.What began as a small group of women grew to nearly 40, each one helping others in whatever ways they could whether it was providing a meal or a ride to work or babysitting services.Realizing that they needed a bigger space to meet in, they were offered space at Chapel Hill United Methodist Church by Jean Krohn, who would become the Co-ops first board president after it became a full-fledged nonprofit and moved in 2005 into Trinity Lutheran Church Priddy says the members of the Co-op have not strayed from that original generosity of spirit that formed the foundation for the organization. She says they have taught her a lot about the language of poverty and the model of scarcity.When I first got here five years ago, a woman explained to me that anyone on their own doesnt have enough, but together we have things we can share. Thats changing the scarcity model from one whereas an individual you dont have enough to as a community, you have more than enough, Priddy says.She saw this firsthand after she became engaged and Co-op members made it their mission to stock a kitchen for her with everything a new bride could need. She says Whitney had to stop them.I have a cake plate now. Thats the mentality, Priddy says. They know the struggle and they know what theyre going through. Those of us who spend any amount of time with them are starting to learn that.That learning includes lessons from Ruby Payne, author of, who talks about the different rules and values followed by each socioeconomic class. As an example, Priddy cites each classes relationship with food. Its quantity with low-income individuals; with the middle class, its about quality; and with the upper class, its how the food looks on their plate, she says.Whitney says the women she works with are always in the mode of, 'Its OK now and Ive made it this far', but theyre always waiting for the bottom to drop out.Graham says she still feels like shes in poverty, even though she has raised two daughters who are doing well. Part of it, she says, is that when you have money, you want to spend it because you feel like you have worked hard and struggled enough and you deserve it.Youre trying to get the things you want, but by the same token youre still not budgeting your finances properly, Graham says.Whitney says a good majority of the women she helps lack sufficient budgeting skills.We have a budgeting class through Blue Ox Credit Union where we try to get them to understand that if they save even $2 a week that adds up over time and could pay for that tire they blow. Its hard to get that mentality going, Whitney says.Despite this constant tug of war between feeling like theres enough and feeling like theres never enough, Priddy and Whitney say the women who belong to the Co-op are among the generous souls they have ever come across. They have provided items for a baby shower for a new mom with few resources, donated what they could for the victim of a fire, and stocked three fridges with food for a mother who had lost a child.These are some of the most resilient, hardworking women that I know, Whitney says. These are women in poverty that dont have a lot to give, that are willing to give."During a recent Sunday sermon, Priddy said it was impossible to know where Trinity ends and the Womans Co-op begins. Its messy, chaotic and complicated in all of its beautiful complexity.For more on the Woman's Co-op, please click here Press Release April 4, 2019 Angara: Ensure uninterrupted release of cash benefits to 4Ps recipients Reelectionist Senator Sonny Angara said there should be no delay in the release of the cash benefits under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), the government's flagship anti-poverty alleviation initiative to ease the plight of some 4.4 million active household beneficiaries. Angara said the 12-year-old human development program - designed to keep children in school and keep them healthy - had been proven to be an effective tool for poverty alleviation. First implemented in 2007, 4Ps invests in the health and education of poor households, particularly children aged 0-18 years old. "We should find creative and efficient ways on how the cash grants for 4Ps beneficiaries can be distributed in a timely manner," said Angara, who is scheduled to visit the province of Palawan on Thursday to attend the campaign rally of PDP-Laban, the political party of President Rodrigo Duterte. Palawan is home to 76,813 active household beneficiaries of the program spread in 22 municipalities and the provincial capital, based on data from the Department of Social Welfare and Development as of February 28, 2019, and majority are in Puerto Princesa at 7,546. Also in the list of municipalities with the highest number of recipients are Bataraza, 7,007 households; Taytay, 6929; and Rizal, 5,228. "Ang tulong ay dapat laging on time. Huwag na po nating paghintayin ang mga kababayan nating mahihirap na nakikinabang sa 4Ps. Sana ay gawan ng paraan upang hindi maantala ang ayuda sa kanila," said the senator from Aurora, who is running under the platform "Alagang Angara." Patterned after the CCT scheme implemented in other developing countries, 4Ps provides cash grants to beneficiaries if they comply with the conditions set under the program. "Sa higit isang dekada na ito'y inimplementa, milyun-milyong pamilya ang natulungan na makaahon sa buhay. Milyun-milyong anak ang nakapagpa-check up at nabakunahan, nakapag-aral din at nakapagtapos," Angara said. He added: "Milyun-milyong ina ang nabigyan ng pre-natal services, nanganak sa health facility sa tulong ng isang health professional, at nakatanggap ng post-partum at post-natal care para sa kanilang anak. Milyun-milyon din ang nabigyan ng PhilHealth coverage. Sa madaling salita, milyun-milyong Pilipino ang nabigyan ng magandang simula dahil sa 4Ps." Angara is one of the authors of a bill seeking to institutionalize 4Ps, which is now one step closer to becoming a law after the Senate and the House of Representatives approved the measure. The senator said it was important to make 4Ps permanent through legislation to ensure its continuity and unhampered implementation by any administration. "Kaya mahalagang maisabatas ito. Kung hindi, maaari itong buwagin at ihinto, imbes na paigtingin at lalong palawigin ng mga susunod na administrasyon," Angara said. "Kung mangyaring ihinto natin ito, ang nasimulang pag-ahon ay mabibigo at mauuwi sa hungkag na katapusan. Hindi ito uubra kung ang pangarap natin ay ang pag-ahon at pag-unlad bilang bansa," he added. When he filed his bill in 2016, Angara backed up the measure with studies showing that 4Ps reduced the total poverty among CCT beneficiaries by 6.5 percent to 58 percent from 64.5 percent, according to a joint study by the World Bank and Australian Aid. It also decreased food poverty rate from 35.2 percent to 28.5 percent after the program implementation, or by 6.7 percentage points. This implied that 1.3 million Filipinos had been plucked out of poverty through 4Ps. Each household beneficiary received a cash assistance of P200 monthly or a total of P2,400 per year in 2018. This year and in 2020, cash assistance under the unconditional cash transfer (UCT) program will be increased to P300 per month or a total of P3,600. Lawmaker, religious groups: Sen. Bam has virtues of a good public servant Re-electionist Sen. Bam Aquino has all the virtues and characteristics of a good lawmaker and a public servant, according to a fellow senator and group of religious organizations. In an interview, Sen. Grace Poe described Sen. Bam as a lawmaker with a conscience and a heart for the welfare of the Filipino people. "May konsensiya si Sen. Bam," said Sen. Poe, adding that "bilang isang senador, siya talaga ay may prinsipyo." "Ang importante ay ginagawa kung ano ang makakabuti para sa ating mga kababayan," added Sen. Poe as she expressing support behind the re-election bid of Sen. Bam. The People's Choice Movement, for its part, has selected Sen. Bam as one of the 10 senatorial candidates it will support and campaign for in the May elections. Composed of Catholic, Evangelical and Protestant groups, the PCM selected the 10 candidates based on their character and honor, competence and abilities, faithfulness to public service and faithfulness to God, the Constitution and the laws. After the voting participated in by 130 representatives from various religious organizations, Sen. Bam emerged on top with 120 votes, a statement of their belief in his character and his capacity to serve the people. "Bilang Kristiyano, nagbibigay inspirasyon at pag-asa ang pagkapili nila sa amin lalo na dumaan ito sa matinding pagsusuri at pagninilay," Sen. Bam said. Press Release April 4, 2019 De Lima lauds removal of pro-Duterte fake FB accounts Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has commended social networking site Facebook for removing more than 200 pages and accounts organized by Mr. Duterte's social media manager for spreading misleading content and fake news stories. De Lima made the commendation even as she renewed her call against the barrage of disinformation ahead of the May 13 elections by remaining vigilant against candidates and their supporters who spread lies to propel their political agendas. "This is a victory for truth. I commend Facebook for taking concrete actions against a well-funded and well-orchestrated network of fake accounts and pages intended to deceive ordinary people," she said. "Duterte's paid troll army will soon create new pages and accounts again to peddle lies. As defenders of truth, let us not forget to join the fight for truth by checking on the veracity of online posts and stories before believing them," she added. Last March 29, Facebook head of cybersecurity policy Nathaniel Gleicher announced that Facebook took down more than 200 pages, including 67 Facebook pages, 68 Facebook accounts, 40 Facebook groups and 25 Instagram accounts. These questionable pages and accounts were linked to a network organized by Nic Gabunada, Mr. Duterte's social media manager in his 2016 campaign, for engaging in "inauthentic behaviour" online. These online pages which were mostly-pro Duterte also made use of Facebook ads, spending a total of about USD59,000, paid for in Philippine peso, Saudi riyal and US dollar. The first ad appeared in January 2014 and most recent ran in March 2019. "While the tide of fake news is already alarming, I find more disturbing the use of huge amount of money to popularize these pages and fake news. The big question is: Is the government using the taxpayers' money to finance these irregular and self-serving activities that cater to selfish interests?" the former justice secretary asked. De Lima, the first prominent political prisoner under the Duterte regime, has been targeted by fake news by pro-administration pages and groups. Worse, even her family members - including her sister - were not spared from being targeted by fake news. It may be recalled that a fake news propagated in one of the Facebook pages organized by Gabunada reported that De Lima's sister was arrested in Beijing for drug trafficking but the Senator confirmed that her sister happened to be at a Paranaque hospital, watching over their sick mother, when the fake news came out in 2016. "The administration's paid trolls and hackers will go the extra mile to manipulate reality, that's why it's very important to discern everything we read online. We should not let their lies to continue poisoning our minds," De Lima pointed out. Facebook's removal of 200 fake pages by Gabunada follows similar action last January when it took down Twinmark Enterprises for violating Facebook's misrepresentation and spam policies. Press Release April 4, 2019 "Are we still in control?" Hontiveros calls for probe on Chinese Vessels In PH waters "Are we still in full control?" This was the question asked by Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros on Thursday on the presence of Chinese vessels in Philippine territories, including reports of a 99-meter long, 17-meter wide Chinese dredging vessel that docked along the shores of Lobo, Batangas which plans to dredge 2 million cubic meters of Lobo River sand to be used for the Hong Kong International Airport Three Runway System Project. "Anong klaseng pamamahala ito? Baku-bako ang ating mga kalsada, at sira-sira ang mga tulay, tapos ang bansang Tsina, ilegal na hinahakot ang ating buhangin para sa pagpapagawa ng runway ng Hongkong airport?" Hontiveros said. "Like a vampire" "Sa dredging na yan, parang bampira ang Tsina, and the government doesn't want to drive a stake through its heart," Hontiveros added. Hontiveros called on the government to arrest the crew of the Chinese dredging vessel in Batangas if proven that they don't have proper permits and clearances from the authorities. "I call on our authorities to investigate this matter and ascertain for sure if the crew of the Chinese dredging vessel has all the necessary documents, permits and clearances from our government. They must be immediately arrested and prosecuted to the full extent of the law if proven that they are in the area without any legal authority," Hontiveros said. "IUU fishing" Meanwhile, the Philippine military reported that 600 Chinese fishing vessels were monitored to be circling Pag-asa Island in the West Philippine Sea since January this year. Hontiveros said that these fall under the category of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU) which breaks fisheries laws or occurs outside the reach of fisheries laws and regulation. "Is the Duterte administration still in full control of our waters and territories, or have they surrendered them already to China? The illegal, unreported and unregulated presence of numerous Chinese vessels in our territories is extremely bothering. China is not only a state sponsor to illegal fishing, it is also openly disregarding our sovereignty and marine jurisdiction. It is a deep and dangerous incursion into our territories," Hontiveros said. Hontiveros said that she will file a resolution urging the Senate to investigate the presence of illegal Chinese vessels in the country. She said the public deserves to know what steps the government has taken to seek the assistance of the international community in responding to China's IUU fishing. She said that she also wants to assess the overall foreign and security policy direction of the government in dealing with the continuing Chinese incursions into Philippine waters. PharmaZen has brought forward development of a new blackcurrant processing facility after full-year sales jumped 72 percent and delivered a record $1.28 million profit for 2018. Plant expansion in the first half of 2018 saw sales for the six months ended December almost match the $7.3 million reported for the entire 2017 year, the Christchurch-based health supplements maker says. Demand for both new and existing products has been exceptionally pleasing and well exceeded expectations, chief executive Craig McIntosh said. Ahead of this anticipated growth we strengthened our management team which means we are well placed to cope with continuing high levels of demand. That level of growth has enabled the company to separate its four processing systems at its Port Hills Road site into semi-autonomous facilities, improving efficiency, minimising downtime and making compliance easier. The new blackcurrant plant, capable of processing 1,000 tonnes of fruit a year and originally scheduled for 2020, has also been brought forward. The original intention was that we would run botanical and marine products through the same facility until demand supported a separation of facilities, the company says in its annual report. This situation has come rather earlier than anticipated and we have purchased a specialist production line that will be dedicated to blackcurrants and other botanical products. The net profit reported today contrasts a $285,704 loss in calendar 2017. Sales rose to $12.6 million from $7.3 million and gross profit almost doubled to $5.01 million. Costs rose to $3.3 million from $2.8 million the year before, driven by higher marketing, administration and depreciation charges. No dividend was declared. PharmaZen shares, listed on the USX Exchange, last traded at 11 cents and have almost doubled in the past year. That values the business at $24.1 million. PharmaZen makes both plant and animal-based products and has invested heavily in the past five years to get its plants to world-scale. It completed almost $7.6 million of capital projects in 2018, including the addition of 1,000 square-metres of processing space. The firm also increased its freeze-drying capacity by 75 percent with the installation of the biggest batch dryer in New Zealand and Australia. While the company sees itself as an ingredient supplier, it is also starting a range of specialised retail-packaged consumer products to take advantage of the growing demand for traceability and provenance. For fast developing markets, such as China, it is of great focus. We, therefore, foresee a significant opportunity for a 100 percent New Zealand-made and New Zealand-sourced product range in these markets, McIntosh said. The company plans to launch the AiOra range in June. The 5th Quarter range, promoted as grass-fed "glandular nutritional therapies," will be launched in the third quarter. PharmaZen says it is extremely pleased with early sales presentations for the products, which will only be offered in some Asia-Pacific markets. Because the company is an ingredient supplier to others in its existing markets, they will not be available in markets where we have significant existing presence such as North America. The company sees this as a longterm project and has very realistic expectations as to the rate of growth and is well aware of the required investment for success. (BusinessDesk) Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: 14th December 2021 Morning Report The New Zealand Refining Company Limited (NZX: NZR) Share Purchase Plan Issue Price Air New Zealand Limited (NZX: AIR) Announces Revised Crown Support Package New Zealand Oil & Gas Limited (NZX: NZO) Mahato PSC Update 13th December 2021 Morning Report Tower Limited (NZX: TWR) Capital Return - Interim Court Orders Received 10th December 2021 Morning Report Ebos Group Limited (NZX: EBO) EBOS Announces Successful Placement Pacific Edge Limited (NZX: PEB) PEB Announces Agreement with Northern Health in Australia AFT Pharmaceuticals Limited (NZX: AFT) AFT welcomes Australian Federal Court appeal success The American citizen , a woman, and a Ugandan driver were kidnapped at gunpoint at Queen Elizabeth National Park while on a game drive on Tuesday evening, CNN reported on Wednesday. Kampala: Four armed men kidnapped an American tourist in Uganda and have demanded $ 500000 as ransom, the country's police force has confirmed. "The kidnappers, using the victim's phone have demanded $500,000," the police said, adding: "We strongly believe this ransom is the reason behind the kidnap." An "elite squad" was dispatched from the Tourism Police to the park to actively pursue the gunmen and have closed all exit areas on the border between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. "We strongly believe the perpetrators and victims could still be trapped within our search area," the police statement added. Uganda recorded a spate of kidnapping incidents last year, which prompted street protests amid claims the government was not doing enough to address the security issues. Rights groups who led the protests to the country's parliament in Kampala city, said more than 20 people, mostly women, and children, were abducted for ransom last year and called on the police to make these cases a priority. Sify.com Movies Reviews Bollywood No Fathers in Kashmir No Fathers in Kashmir review: Sensitive but lacks soul The film dumbs down the director's vision in a very staged or theatrical manner Source: SIFY By: Troy Ribeiro/IANS Critic's Rating: 2.5/5 Tuesday 04 June 2019 Movie Title No Fathers in Kashmir review: Sensitive but lacks soul Director Ashvin Kumar Star Cast Zara Webb, Shivam Raina, Ashvin Kumar, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Maya Sarao, Soni Razdan, Anshuman Jha, Natasha Mago Coming from an Oscar-nominated director like Ashvin Kumar, No Fathers In Kashmir, is disappointing. And the fault lies particularly in the filmmaker's scattershot approach to a politically sensitive subject like Kashmir. Narrated from the curious eyes of a foreign-returned (NRI) teenager, the premise itself seems weak, manipulated and unbelievable, especially after we have been told that the film is based on true stories from two countries (India and Pakistan) which indulge in a secret war. After years of her father Basheer gone missing, UK-based, 16-year-old Noor returns to her native Kashmir with her mother and a family friend who would soon be her step-father, in tow, to complete some unfinished work, so that they could forge ahead in life. Shazam! review: A live-action film which will appeal to younger audience and adults alike | Super Deluxe review: Benefits enormously from winning performances by its lead actors | Lucifer review: An intriguing political crime thriller with smashing dialogues In Kashmir, Noor bonds with Majid, her father's best friend's son, who is nearly her age and soon learns that her father is dead after being picked up by the army for interrogation. So, for closure's sake, she coaxes him to help her find her father's grave, which is in a sensitive area and far away from their village. Despite being forewarned by Majid, "It's not a good idea," they proceed to the designated place. The trek to the place is gruelling and with the sun setting, the duo soon lose their way and are forced to spend the night in the open valley. The next morning they are caught by an army patrol and interrogated. While Noor is set free as she is a British citizen, Majid is imprisoned and tortured. Driven with guilt for not being able to free Majid, Noor goes to Arshid Lone, a local politician with no scruples, who was also one of her father's best friends, for help and together with other villagers manages to secure Majid's limited freedom. In the process, Noor also learns many home truths that make her want to go back to England. Theoretically, the narrative has all the components for an emotionally driven film, but the expositions seem dramatized and forced (which are many). Except for a few instances, the tension and emotional build-up are all far from being palpable. Also, the flow is often broken by the unwarranted music that fills up to cover some faulty transitions. Nevertheless, there are certain moments that touch your heart. Coming early in the narrative is the innocence on Majid's face when while in the car, the foreign-returned Noor shows him her middle finger, as in to buzz off. He responds spontaneously and innocently by showing two of his. A sign of peace. This makes you smile. Every actor is aptly cast. They are all pitch perfect in their mannerisms and body language - Zara Webb as Noor, Shivam Raina as Majid, Ashvin Kumar as Arshid Lone, Kulbhushan Kharbanda and Soni Razdan as Noor's grandparents Abdul Rashid and Halima, Maya Sarao as Noor's mother Parvena, Anshuman Jha as the Army Major and Natasha Mago as Majid's mother Zainab. Their performances are what keep you hooked. Visually, the film is made up of a mixed platter of shots, some with fixed fames and others with shaky, hand-held camera shots. They are inconsistent, but the shot that stands out is the zoom-out shot when Majid and Noor are standing on the edge of the mountain side, when they are on their way to her father's grave. This panoramic view is breath taking. Overall, the film dumbs down the director's vision in a very staged or theatrical manner. Page Content Preparations are underway for the 4thDutch Caribbean Anti-Money Laundering (AML) & Gaming Regulation Forum 2019 that will take place from June 4thto June 7that the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, Casino & Spa. Minister of Tourism & Economic Affairs Stuart Johnson says the forum is being organized in partnership with Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Traffic and Telecommunications (Ministry TEATT), and we are proud to be a partner in this Forum and that we are the venue for this very important event. Minister Johnson is calling on businesses in the aforementioned area of AML & Gaming Regulation and support sectors to sign-up to attend the Forum. The Forum is preparing the Dutch Caribbean (Sint Maarten, Aruba, Curacao) and Suriname for the next round of Mutual Evaluations such as promoting best practices in Anti-Money Laundering Regulations and Compliance, by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF). A number of issues will be discussed including digital currencies, financial technologies (Fintech) and de-risking. The Forum according to its objectives aims to enhance cooperation and foster greater transparency and promote best practice in both regulation and compliance for all the key stakeholders involved in the gaming and banking industries. Money laundering and terrorism financing are considered pressing global issues that have had the attention of the international community of nations for a number of years but has intensified due to the threats posed by organized crime and terrorists organizations. The aforementioned cannot be resolved by working alone, but by working together, hence Sint Maartens membership in the CFATF and Governments efforts to put the necessary mechanisms in place locally in order to comply with international requirements and standards. Business and financial services conducted within the jurisdiction of Sint Maarten are dependent on an integral financial system linked to correspondent banking relationships. We have to ensure that as a country we are compliant in order to protect economic and financial stability, jobs and economic growth. We are looking forward to the Forum in June as an opportunity to promoting financial integrity and inclusive growth for the benefit of the Dutch Caribbean and Suriname, Minister of Tourism & Economic Affairs Stuart Johnson said on Wednesday. The four-day Forum is geared towards Governments, Regulators (Financial Intelligence Units, Tax & Revenue Authorities), Compliance Professionals, Banks, Law Firms, Auditors, Accountants, Land-based Casinos, Online Casino Gaming Operators, Lottery Operators, Suppliers of Products & Services to the Gaming Industry. Businesses interested in registering can go to: www.govrisk.org/dcgrf2019use promo code: TEATT The CFATF is an organization of states and territories of the Caribbean Basin which have agreed to implement common counter-measures against money laundering and terrorism financing. The Forum is supported by another of stakeholders and will be presented by the International Governance and Risk Institute (GovRisk) which provides consultancy and training programs to public and private sector institutions from more than 30 countries. PHOTO: Minister Stuart Johnson. More often than not, those who travel alone do so as part of their professional duties. by Ruwantissa Abeyratne Writing from Hong Kong We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us ~ Anon People love to travel. But not all relish the idea of going it all alone, away from the comfort zone they have built around family and friends. Statistically speaking, Andrew Graft, in his article Travel and Tourism- The Ultimate Collection says that in the United States alone, $1,036 billion was spent on traveling in 2017 (US Travel Association); 2.7% of the nations gross domestic product (GDP) attributed to travel and tourism (US Travel Association); Business travel accounted for $317.2 billion in spending in 2017 (US Travel Association); Leisure travel accounted for $718.4 billion in spending in 2017 (US Travel Association); Americans spend $101.1 Billion on summer vacations. The Dalai Lama is reported to have said once a year go someplace youve never been before. He is certain to be happy to hear that, according to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO): a total of 4.3 billion passengers were carried by air transport on scheduled services in 2018. This indicates a 6.1 per cent increase over 2017. The number of departures rose to approximately 38 million globally, and world passenger traffic, expressed in terms of total scheduled revenue passenger-kilometres (RPKs), grew solidly at 6.7 per cent and reached approximately 8.2 trillion RPKs performed. This growth is a slowdown from the 7.9 per cent achieved in 2017 Over half of the worlds 1.4 billion tourists who travelled across international borders last year were transported by air. What the Dalai Lama did not say is that one should travel alone. Nor did he say that one should travel with family and friends. Even ICAO does not go so far as to identify how many of the 4.3 billion passengers travelled alone or how many travelled alone on work. Amy Gallo writing in the Harvard Business Review says [Ask] anyone who travels for work: Its not as glamorous as it looks. Yes, sometimes you get to explore new places, meet interesting people, and rack up frequent flyer miles for future vacations. But youre also yanked out of your regular, comfortable routine, spend too much time standing in airport security lines, and youre miles away from people who know you well. The excitement can wear off easilyand many business travelers are left feeling lonely. More often than not, those who travel alone do so as part of their professional duties. Gallo correctly identifies as one factor that induces stress while being alone in a hotel room as the sense of loss of the companionship and love of home and family. The psychological factor has been termed the darker side of hypermobility. The Economist, in an article titled The sad, sick life of the business traveller says: Frequent flyers experience travel disorientation from changing places and time zones so often. They also suffer mounting stress, given that time spent travelling will rarely be offset through a reduced workload, and that there may be anxieties associated with work continuing to accumulate (e.g inbox overload) whilst away. Due to the absence from family and friends, hypermobility is frequently an isolating and lonely experience. The author is of the view that there need not be a darker side of hypermobility if the issue of travel loneliness shifts from psychology to philosophy. Starting from Oscar Wilde, who said that nothing which occurs is of the slightest consequence, to Immanuel Kant who based his Categorical Imperative on teleology (founded upon the Greek work telos meaning purpose), if the traveller focuses on the purpose of travel, the inner sense of being isolated in a strange world of strangers could well disappear. The most important and valuable human feeling is the sense of achievement. Travel, for whatever purpose it is undertaken, should be calculated to give the traveller a sense of achievement. Although ideally a person who undertakes travel should be accompanied by a colleague or two, that would help keep the focus of travel on mainly work, and where the work schedule would take precedence and obviate any room for pondering over the downside of being away from the comfort zone, immersion in work and the attendant achievement that would accommodate the work could be a beneficial influence on the psyche, whether one is alone or among colleagues. Then there is another dimension. Stephan Spencer in his article in The Harvard Business Review titled How to Make Any Business Trip Less Boring says that too many of us treat business travel as a curse. It need not be. Spencer goes on to say: The next time you travel for work, I want you to try something: Treat every moment as an adventure. Interact with the locals, avoid getting online, and take at least a day to do nothing but explore. While that might sound like a good way to lose your job, its possible to do it all while actually increasing your productivity. On a personal note, the author experienced the exhilaration of telos in his current business trip to Hong Kong where, inter alia, his work related to assisting in a book launch during an international conference. The book was inspired by the President and CEO of the company and contributed to by the professionals who work therein where the President/CEO himself was the lead author. From the inception of the book project, the sense of direction, purpose and leadership experienced by the team of authors of the book chapters through the leadership of the President and CEO saw an excellent product being launched at the conference. It was a proud moment for all of us. The stress of long-distance travel was forgotten, replaced by a glow of pride within and a profound sense of achievement. My colleagues and I treated the whole trip as an incredible journey, where, as Miguel Cervantes said: it is not the destination but the journey that counts. Every moment was an adventure. The author is a Senior Associate at Aviation Strategies International. Social media bosses face jail under 'world first' Australian laws Sydney, April 4 (AFP) Apr 04, 2019 Social media executives risk jail for failing to take down violent extremist content quickly, under controversial laws passed in Australia Thursday -- a "world first" in the wake of the Christchurch mosques massacre. Lawmakers voted overwhelmingly in favour of the laws, which hold firms like Facebook and YouTube -- and their executives -- responsible for removing "abhorrent material" quickly. The companies face fines approaching billions of dollars -- or 10 percent of global annual turnover -- for failing to enact the "expeditious removal" of footage of terrorism, murder and other serious crimes, while executives could face up to three years in jail. Technology companies, policy experts and lawyers pilloried the legislation -- which was jammed through parliament in two days and faces an uncertain future beyond elections expected in May. Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who is facing a difficult reelection battle, said: "Big social media companies have a responsibility to take every possible action to ensure their technology products are not exploited by murderous terrorists." Attorney-General Christian Porter said the legislation was "most likely a world first." The opposition Labor party expressed serious misgivings but voted in favour of the legislation -- in a step that echoed the bipartisan passage of a similarly controversial law forcing technology firms to weaken encryption. With those two reforms, Australia has put itself at the forefront of global efforts to regulate social media giants more closely. But both measures have been roundly condemned by industry and experts as "knee-jerk" and ill-conceived. It will be up to a jury to decide whether the platforms acted with good speed to take down offending content, raising questions about how the law will be implemented. "No one wants abhorrent content on their websites, and DIGI members work to take this down as quickly as possible," said Sunita Bose, managing director of the Digital Industry Group, which represents Google, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon and others. "But with the vast volumes of content uploaded to the internet every second, this is a highly complex problem that requires discussion with the technology industry, legal experts, the media and civil society to get the solution right -- that didn't happen this week." She also warned that the law would encourage companies to "proactively surveil" users and slammed parliament's "pass it now, change it later" approach. "This is not how legislation should be made in a democracy like Australia." Technology companies now face the task of developing failsafe moderation tools capable of quickly detecting offensive material in hundreds of billions of media uploads to their platforms. In the immediate aftermath of the Christchurch shootings, Facebook alone said it had taken down 1.5 million videos of the attack. Current tools like Microsoft's Content Moderator API "cannot automatically classify an image, let alone a video," according to Monash University's Robert Merkel. "Nor can it automatically identify videos similar to another video." The legislation could be a particular problem for smaller platforms used by the far-right, like 4Chan and 8Chan. The CEO of Australian technology firm Atlassian, Scott Farquhar, warned of a broader economic impact: "The legislation is flawed and will unnecessarily cost jobs and damage our tech industry," he said on Twitter. News organisations also worry they could face legal action. The Law Council of Australia warned the legislation could have "serious unintended consequences," like muzzling whistleblowers and "could also lead to censorship of the media, which would be unacceptable." The Institute of Public Affairs described the legislation as a "blatant attack on the freedom of the media." "Throwing media executives in jail will increase costs to taxpayers without improving community safety or addressing concerns about violent content being shared on social media platforms," said researcher Andrew Bushnell. "Companies and executives may respond to the threat of criminal penalties by erring on the side of censorship." The laws are expected to be followed by steps toward treating social media giants more like publishers, which would make them legally responsible for any content on their platforms. arb/dm/tom GOOGLE South Korea launches first national 5G networks -- two days early Seoul, April 4 (AFP) Apr 04, 2019 South Korea launched the world's first nationwide 5G mobile networks two days early, its top mobile carriers said Thursday, giving a handful of users access in a late-night scramble to provide the super-fast wireless technology. Three top telecom providers -- SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus -- began their 5G services at 11 pm local time Wednesday, despite previously announcing the launch date would be April 5. Hyper-wired South Korea has long had a reputation for technical prowess, and Seoul had made the 5G rollout a priority as it seeks to stimulate stuttering economic growth. Along with the United States, China and Japan, South Korea had been racing to claim the title as the first to provide the ultra-fast network nationwide. But speculation that US mobile carrier Verizon might start its 5G services early forced South Korean providers to hastily organise a late-night launch, Yonhap news agency reported. Verizon began rolling out its 5G services in Chicago and Minneapolis on Wednesday in the US, a week ahead of schedule. But according to Yonhap, the South Korean launches came two hours earlier. "SK Telecom today announced that it has activated 5G services for six celebrities representing Korea as of 11 pm April 3, 2019," the country's biggest mobile operator said in a news release. The celebrities -- including two members of K-pop band EXO and Olympic ice-skating heroine Kim Yu-na -- were "the world's first 5G smartphone subscribers", it said. Both KT and LG Uplus said they also went live at the same time, with a total of three specially-selected users: KT offered it to the wife of a technician setting up its network on the disputed island of Dokdo, while LG Uplus provided it to a television personality and her racing-driver husband. For general customers, the services will be available from Friday -- the original launch date -- when Samsung Electronics rolls out the Galaxy S10 5G, the world's first available smartphone with the technology built in. Verizon's network will work with Lenovo's Moto Z3 smartphone. Rival US carrier AT&T began making its "standards-based" 5G network available to users in a dozen cities late last year. Qatari firm Ooredoo said it offers 5G services in and around Doha -- but does not have devices available to use them -- while Japan is also expected to roll out a limited deployment in 2019 before full services start in time for next year's Tokyo Olympics. - Bitter standoff - Experts say 5G will bring smartphones near-instantaneous connectivity -- 20 times faster than 4G -- allowing users to download entire movies in less than a second. The technology is crucial for the future development of devices such as self-driving vehicles and is expected to bring about $565 billion in global economic benefits by 2034, according to the London-based Global System for Mobile Communications, an industry alliance. The implications of the new network have pitted Washington against Beijing -- whose firms dominate 5G technology -- in an increasingly bitter standoff. The US has pressed its allies and major economies to avoid 5G solutions from Chinese-owned telecom giant Huawei, citing security risks that technological backdoors could give Beijing access to 5G-connected utilities and other components. Chinese entities, including 1,529 5G patents registered by Huawei, own a total of 3,400 patents -- more than a third of the total, according to data analysis firm IPlytics. South Korea comes next, with its companies holding 2,051 patents, while US firms have 1,368 together. Neither KT nor SK Telecom use Huawei technology in their 5G networks, but it is a supplier to LG UPlus, the companies told AFP. The Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE) is challenging CFIs young and old to sharpen their own hand flying skills to pass that knowledge along to students. In an announcement at Sun n Fun 2019 the national association of instructors said its launching the SAFE CFI-PRO workshop to reduce the number of inflight loss of control (LOC-I) accidents, the major cause of GA accidents and fatalities. Every CFI really needs to be on top of his or her game, said SAFE board member David St. George. He said in a podcast interview Its time the full spectrum of instructors, from newly certificated to veterans, took their stick and rudder skills for a spin to aid the national effort to reduce the number of loss-of-control accidents. The organization has designed a curriculum and a set of flight maneuvers for CFIs to practice and then use with students that will ultimately get them and their students out of their comfort zones. The first workshop will be held at AOPA headquarters in Frederick, Maryland, and all CFIs are welcome to sign up. A new website, safecfipro.org, explains the program and will feature a registration function in coming weeks. NATO anniversary party turns ugly as US rips Germany, Turkey Washington, April 4 (AFP) Apr 04, 2019 Tensions soared Wednesday between the United States and two of its NATO partners, Germany and Turkey, marring a 70th birthday celebration for the alliance aimed at showing a united front against a resurgent Russia. Hours before foreign ministers from the 29-member Western alliance opened talks in Washington with a leisurely reception, Vice President Mike Pence delivered a stinging rebuke both to Germany over its level of defense spending and to Turkey for buying a major arms system from Russia. "Germany must do more. And we cannot ensure the defense of the West if our allies grow dependent on Russia," Pence told a think-tank forum on the NATO anniversary. "It is simply unacceptable for Europe's largest economy to continue to ignore the threat of Russian aggression and neglect its own self-defense and our common defense," Pence said. President Donald Trump has repeatedly voiced annoyance that few allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization are meeting a goal set by the alliance in 2014 to devote two percent of GDP to defense. Germany last month announced that defense spending would slip to 1.25 percent in 2023. Hungry for energy, Germany has also forged ahead with Nord Stream 2, a pipeline that will double the amount of gas it can import from Russia. "If Germany persists in building the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, as President Trump said, it could turn Germany's economy into literally a captive of Russia," Pence told the event, held incongruously in a hip new music venue. Pence, however, promised that the United States "is now and will always be Europe's greatest ally" -- a tonal shift from Trump, who has loudly wondered whether it is worth defending smaller NATO members such as Montenegro. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said afterward that burden-sharing was about more than expenditure and that NATO was foremost "an alliance of values." Noting that Germany's history made military spending controversial, Maas pointed out that Berlin is the second largest troop contributor to Afghanistan and is constructing a new NATO command center in the city of Ulm. "We in Europe know that we cannot take our security for granted. We have to shoulder responsibility in order to continue safeguarding it, in our own interest," he said. - 'Turkey must choose' - Western powers have also increasingly clashed with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Islamist-rooted government, which has cracked down on dissent at home and threatened to strike US-backed Kurdish fighters in Syria. On Monday, the United States said it was suspending Turkey's participation in the F-35 fighter-jet program due to Ankara's plans to buy Russia's S-400 missile defense system, raising fears that Moscow could gain data to hone its hardware and shoot down Western aircraft. "Turkey must choose -- does it want to remain a critical partner of the most successful military alliance in the history of the world, or does it want to risk the security of that partnership by making reckless decisions that undermine our alliance?" Pence said. But Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu ruled out a change of heart, saying: "The S-400 deal is a done deal and we will not step back from this." Cavusoglu said Turkey still backed NATO on core concerns and would never recognize Moscow's 2014 takeover of Crimea from Ukraine. "We have been working with Russia," he said. "But it doesn't mean that we are undermining the alliance and we agree with Russia on everything. There is no shift on our foreign policy." He later met with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who warned him of "potentially devastating consequences" if Turkey goes ahead with threats to strike Kurdish fighters in Syria. - No 'new Cold War' - The 70th anniversary comes amid rising concern over Russia, which has supported separatists in Ukraine and Georgia, sought to sway the 2016 US election and was suspected in a poisoning attack in England. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, in an address to the US Congress, said the alliance wanted better relations with Russia -- but needed to prepare a strong defense. "We do not want a new arms race. We do not want a new Cold War. But we must not be naive," Stoltenberg said. Stoltenberg appeared to soothe Trump during a White House meeting on Tuesday, crediting the US leader's tough rhetoric with pushing the Europeans and Canada to bolster their defense budgets by $100 billion between 2016 and 2020. Lawmakers repeatedly rose to standing ovations as Stoltenberg hailed the value of the alliance. "NATO has been good for Europe, but NATO has also been good for the United States," he said. "The strength of a nation is not only measured by its economy or the number of its soldiers, but also by the number of its friends. And through NATO, the United States has more friends and allies than any other power." NATO seeks new ways to counter Russia 'aggression' Washington, April 4 (AFP) Apr 04, 2019 The 29 NATO nations looked Thursday for new ways to counter what they described as rising aggression by Russia as the alliance celebrated its 70th birthday. Despite rifts between the United States with allies Germany and Turkey, foreign ministers from the Western alliance were looking to show a united front on NATO's core concern -- Russia. After years of focusing on more faraway challenges such as Afghanistan, NATO allies in recent years have increasingly voiced worry about the trajectory of Russia under President Vladimir Putin. Russia in 2014 seized the Crimean peninsula and has backed separatists in both Georgia and Ukraine, besides seeking to influence Western elections and being suspected in a poisoning attack in England. "We will agree on new measures of support for our close partners Georgia and Ukraine," NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters ahead of Thursday's session. He said that NATO would also address "the aggressive actions of Russia" in the Black Sea. Russia -- which has resented NATO's eastward expansion -- in November fired on and seized three Ukrainian navy vessels, capturing two dozen sailors, near the Kerch Strait off Crimea. Kay Bailey Hutchison, the US ambassador to NATO, earlier said that the alliance was preparing a package to "assure that there is safe passage for Ukrainian vessels through the Kerch Strait." She said that NATO allies would send more ships to the area to ensure that "countries in and around the Black Sea are safe from Russian meddling." Russia has criticized the plan, with deputy foreign minister Alexander Grushko saying that it would only lead to "increased military risks" in the region. - Russia and 'emerging threats' - US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, opening a session with the ministers, said NATO needed to confront "Russian aggression." But he also called for NATO to address "emerging threats" including the rise of China as well as Iran. The United States has enjoyed less support over those two issues, with all of its NATO allies backing an international accord on ending Iran's nuclear program from which President Donald Trump withdrew. Pompeo has also been seeking with limited success to persuade US allies not to choose Chinese telecom giant Huawei for their fifth-generation networks, warning that the company poses risks to security and personal privacy. The Trump administration has been livid at Germany, Europe's largest economy, for its budgetary plans that do not come close to the NATO goal of spending two percent on defense spending. "Now is not the time to repeat tired excuses that our citizens don't support increased defense or security spending. Each nation has the duty to make the case to our people," Pompeo said. NATO allies have also seen rising friction with Turkey, which has been clamping down on dissent and has defiantly insisted on buying a major missile defense system from Russia, even after the United States suspended its participation in the F-35 fighter-jet program. But the NATO meeting is also witnessing the end to one long-running standoff with the participation of the foreign minister of North Macedonia. The former Yugoslav republic had been in limbo for years, with Greece objecting to the name of Macedonia, which is historically tied to Hellenic rather than Slavic civilization. Greece's left-wing prime minister, Alexis Tsipras, brokered a deal to welcome the country after it changed its name to North Macedonia and it is expected to enter NATO as its 30th member later this year. Greek Foreign Minister Georgios Katrougalos, speaking at a forum in Washington on Wednesday, said the deal can be a "blueprint" for resolving conflicts as leaders need not see "history as a prison." German army rebuked for 'disrespectful' Ford, VW ad Berlin, April 4 (AFP) Apr 04, 2019 Germany's armed forces drew a severe rebuke Thursday from workers at Ford and Volkswagen over a recruitment advertising campaign that some said lacked respect. In its bid to attract employees who are facing job cuts at the German plant of US auto giant Ford, the army took out an ad in a local tabloid bearing the slogan "Job's gone? Do what really pays". But the wordplay involving the use of the German word "Fort" for a job being "gone", presented in Ford's logo, proved a step too far. Ford's worker's council slammed the campaign as "disrespectful". "The armed forces are trying to push its own interests with no consideration for the difficult situation faced by our company and the sensitive atmosphere among the employees," it said in a post on Facebook. The workers' council said Ford had sought in the last few days to stop the campaign. But the defence ministry had been unwilling to engage, it said. Defending the campaign, a spokesman for the ministry said its aim was to "present employment alternatives to people who are affected by job cuts". A similar campaign also hit German car giant Volkswagen, with the army dispatching a vehicle bearing the slogan "Dare to take on a job for the people" to drive around VW's Wolfsburg headquarters. In German, the slogan "Einen Job fuers Volk wagen", is a wordplay of the company's name. Ford said in March it would slash more than 5,000 jobs in Germany as part of a major restructuring to boost profitability at the US car giant's European operations. Meanwhile at Volkswagen, 5,000 to 7,000 jobs are due to go in the next five years. bur-hmn/fz/jh FORD MOTOR Facebook . , 2024 ., 600 , Le Figaro. 1 , . . 600 ... NATO seeks new ways to counter Russia 'aggression' Washington, April 4 (AFP) Apr 04, 2019 The 29 NATO nations looked Thursday for new ways to counter what they described as rising aggression by Russia as the alliance celebrated its 70th birthday. Despite rifts between the United States with allies Germany and Turkey, foreign ministers from the Western alliance were looking to show a united front on NATO's core concern -- Russia. After years of focusing on more faraway challenges such as Afghanistan, NATO allies in recent years have increasingly voiced worry about the trajectory of Russia under President Vladimir Putin. Russia in 2014 seized the Crimean peninsula and has backed separatists in both Georgia and Ukraine, besides seeking to influence Western elections and being suspected in a poisoning attack in England. "We will agree on new measures of support for our close partners Georgia and Ukraine," NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters ahead of Thursday's session. He said that NATO would also address "the aggressive actions of Russia" in the Black Sea. Russia -- which has resented NATO's eastward expansion -- in November fired on and seized three Ukrainian navy vessels, capturing two dozen sailors, near the Kerch Strait off Crimea. Kay Bailey Hutchison, the US ambassador to NATO, earlier said that the alliance was preparing a package to "assure that there is safe passage for Ukrainian vessels through the Kerch Strait." She said that NATO allies would send more ships to the area to ensure that "countries in and around the Black Sea are safe from Russian meddling." - 'The Eastern threat'- Russia criticized the Black Sea plan and, in a statement for the NATO anniversary, voiced regret that the alliance "has no intention to renounce its political and military confrontation with Russia." "It is time to stop bringing back the 'Eastern threat.' In the interest of peace, the world needs a de-escalation of military and political tensions," the foreign ministry said. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, opening a session with the ministers, said NATO needed to confront "Russian aggression" but also "emerging threats" including the rise of China as well as Iran. The United States has enjoyed less support over those two issues, with all of its NATO allies backing an international accord on ending Iran's nuclear program from which President Donald Trump withdrew. Pompeo has also been seeking with limited success to persuade US allies not to choose Chinese telecom giant Huawei for their fifth-generation networks, warning that the company poses risks to security and personal privacy. The Trump administration has been livid at Germany, Europe's largest economy, for its budgetary plans that do not come close to the NATO goal of spending two percent on defense spending. "Now is not the time to repeat tired excuses that our citizens don't support increased defense or security spending. Each nation has the duty to make the case to our people," Pompeo said. NATO allies have also seen rising friction with Turkey, which has been clamping down on dissent and has defiantly insisted on buying a major missile defense system from Russia, even after the United States suspended its participation in the F-35 fighter-jet program. But the NATO meeting is also witnessing the end to one long-running standoff with the participation of the foreign minister of North Macedonia. The former Yugoslav republic had been in limbo for years, with Greece objecting to the name of Macedonia, which is historically tied to Hellenic rather than Slavic civilization. Greece's left-wing prime minister, Alexis Tsipras, brokered a deal to welcome the country after it changed its name to North Macedonia and it is expected to enter NATO as its 30th member later this year. Greek Foreign Minister Georgios Katrougalos, speaking at a forum in Washington on Wednesday, said the deal can be a "blueprint" for resolving conflicts as leaders need not see "history as a prison." Taliban kill about 10 Afghan security forces: official Kabul, April 4 (AFP) Apr 04, 2019 Taliban fighters have killed about 10 security forces in ongoing clashes in Afghanistan's western province of Badghis, an official told AFP on Thursday. In the latest assault on Afghan forces, who have faced devastating losses in recent years, Taliban fighters smashed through government defence lines near the city of Bala Murghab, capturing several checkpoints. Jamshid Shahabi, the Badghis provincial governor's spokesman, said "around 10" police and soldiers were killed in heavy fighting that started before dawn and continued throughout the day. The Taliban "are shelling the main bazaar of the district with mortars -- government forces are fighting back," Shahabi said. In a statement, the defence ministry said Afghan forces had made a "tactical retreat" from a number of checkpoints in the district to "avoid civilian casualties". Abdul Aziz Beg, the head of the Badghis provincial council, described the situation as "critical". "If reinforcements are not urgently deployed, a catastrophe could happen in Bala Murghab district," Beg said. The Taliban said they had conducted a coordinated attack on a series of government checkpoints, killing 12 security forces. The clash comes as Zalmay Khalilzad, the US envoy tasked with forging a peace deal with the Taliban, is concluding a week-long visit to Afghanistan, where he has spoken to national leaders and stakeholders across the country. In January, President Ashraf Ghani said 45,000 security forces had been killed since he took office in September 2014. US military colleges must change to prevent sex assault: McSally Annapolis, United States, April 4 (AFP) Apr 04, 2019 An American senator who revealed she was raped while in the Air Force on Thursday called on US military schools to change their practices to prevent sexual assault. While stressing that sexual assault occurs throughout society, former fighter pilot Martha McSally said "we expect the military to be better." McSally, the first woman to fly in combat for the US Air Force, made her remarks during a lecture at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, near Washington. The Republican senator from Arizona spent 26 years in the US Air Force, where she was the first woman to fly in combat. Last month she told a Senate subcommittee hearing on sexual assault in the military that she had been "preyed upon and then raped by a superior officer." At Thursday's conference, McSally said that in US military schools, second-year officer cadets are very quickly given responsibility over first-year students, especially on weekends. "We put 19-year-olds in charge of the 18-year-olds and then we, the adults, leave for the weekend. I never understood that," she said. "They are teenagers!" she exclaimed, before calling on the directors of the Air Force and Naval Academies as well as the army's West Point officer school to review the practice. "Take a look at it," she said. "Maybe you have got to do something different." Thursday's conference on the prevention of sexual assault was the first to bring together the three military academies, as well as delegates from many American universities. In her Senate testimony, McSally did not reveal who raped her or when it happened, and said she decided only years later to talk about it. McSally said she considered leaving the Air Force "over my despair" but eventually served until 2010. She commanded a fighter squadron and retired with the rank of colonel. A Pentagon report in January said the number of reported sexual assaults at America's military academies rose by almost 50 percent over the past two years, despite extensive efforts to combat the problem. NATO plans for Russian 'aggression' on 70th anniversary Washington, April 4 (AFP) Apr 04, 2019 NATO said Thursday it was taking new action to counter Russia's "aggression," finding a united message amid other differences within the Western alliance on its 70th anniversary. Closing two days of talks in Washington, foreign ministers from the 29-nation alliance said in a joint statement that they face "an unpredictable and challenging security situation" that includes "a more aggressive Russia." NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance approved new surveillance measures and naval exercises in the Black Sea to back Ukraine and Georgia, aspiring members of NATO that are facing Russian-backed separatist forces. Stoltenberg urged Russia to return three Ukrainian navy vessels and its sailors which it seized in November near Crimea -- the peninsula that Moscow annexed in 2014, in a move not recognized internationally. "We are stepping up our efforts in the Black Sea region," Stoltenberg told reporters. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that NATO members agreed to study strategies to face non-traditional warfare from Russia, which is accused of meddling in a series of Western elections. "Vladimir Putin harbors dark dreams of imperialism. This is evident from his invasions of Georgia and Ukraine, his meddling in Syria and now in Venezuela. He wants to split our alliance and weaken our democratic resolve," Pompeo said. - 'The Eastern threat' - Russian President Vladimir Putin counters that NATO has posed a threat by its eastward expansion into the former Soviet bloc and accuses the United States of plotting a coup with its bid to oust Venezuela's leftist leader Nicolas Maduro. Russia criticized the Black Sea plan and, in a statement for the NATO anniversary, voiced regret that the alliance "has no intention to renounce its political and military confrontation with Russia." "It is time to stop bringing back the 'Eastern threat.' In the interest of peace, the world needs a de-escalation of military and political tensions," the foreign ministry said. Stoltenberg, asked by a reporter if NATO was provoking Russia by considering membership for Ukraine and Georgia, said that "big powers" cannot dictate terms to others. "As soon as you accept that that's a provocation against Russia, then you accept that Russia has the right to decide what neighbors can do," he said. The renewed worries about Russia come after a decade in which NATO's focus has shifted well beyond Europe, with the alliance engaged for nearly 18 years in Afghanistan. Pompeo briefed the allies on US efforts to broker a solution with Taliban militants to end the war triggered by the September 11, 2001 attacks. - Internal divisions - He said that NATO needed to confront "Russian aggression" but also "emerging threats" including the rise of China as well as Iran. The United States has enjoyed less support over those two issues, with all of its NATO allies backing an international accord on ending Iran's nuclear program from which President Donald Trump withdrew. Pompeo has also been seeking with limited success to persuade US allies not to choose Chinese telecom giant Huawei for their fifth-generation networks, warning that the company poses risks to security and personal privacy. The Trump administration has been livid at Germany, Europe's largest economy, for its budgetary plans that do not come close to the NATO goal of spending two percent on defense spending. "Now is not the time to repeat tired excuses that our citizens don't support increased defense or security spending. Each nation has the duty to make the case to our people," Pompeo said. NATO allies have also seen rising friction with Turkey, which has been clamping down on dissent and has defiantly insisted on buying a major missile defense system from Russia, even after the United States suspended its participation in the F-35 fighter-jet program. But the NATO meeting witnessed the end to one long-running standoff with the participation of the foreign minister of North Macedonia. The former Yugoslav republic had been in limbo for years, with Greece objecting to the name of Macedonia, which is historically tied to Hellenic rather than Slavic civilization. Greece's left-wing prime minister, Alexis Tsipras, brokered a deal to welcome the country after it changed its name to North Macedonia and it is expected to enter NATO as its 30th member later this year. Greek Foreign Minister Georgios Katrougalos said the deal can offer a "blueprint" for resolving conflicts as leaders need not see "history as a prison." 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Try SLOW-PCfighter to speed up boot time on a slow PC, or try a free scan of FULL-DISKfighter to recover space on a full disk. The latest offering is DRIVERfighter to update your driver updater. Get complete PC optimization and extend the life of your PC with these must-have software tools. Beaten but Not Defeated Islamic State Plans Next Move After Loss of 'Caliphate' In the desert between Iraq and Syria, mostly Kurdish forces have seized the last remaining pocket of the Islamic State's once sprawling dominion. But while the terrorists may have capitulated for now, many have gone underground to plan the next deadly phase. Reykjavik (Iceland), April 04, 2019 (SPS) - The President of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Secretary General of the Frente POLISARIO, Brahim Gali, meets with the Icelandic Prime Minister, Katrin Jakobsdottir, as part of the official visit to Iceland. Katrin Jakobsdottir welcomed the Saharawi leader and pointed out the interest of his government towards the advances in Western Sahara and the support for the efforts for a solution based on compliance with international legality and United Nations resolutions. The meeting addressed the latest developments at the national level and the efforts of the United Nations to end the process of decolonization of Western Sahara, in addition to the work of the envoy of the Secretary General of the UN, Horst Kohler, to ensure the Saharawi people exercise their right to self-determination and independence. The President of the Republic slammed the intransigence of the Kingdom of Morocco and the breach of its commitments for the holding of the referendum on self-determination, as agreed by the parties under the supervision of the Security Council. Brahim Gali denounced the situation of human rights in the occupied areas and the constant aggressions against the Sahrawi civilian, reiterating the request for the immediate release of all Saharawi political prisoners. The meeting served to reiterate the denunciation of the Frente POLISARIO to the inclusion of the occupied areas of Western Sahara in the illegal trade agreements between the European Union and the Kingdom of Morocco. Brahim Gali called for the immediate annulment of these agreements, which commit the European peoples in illegal activities, which are contrary to international legality, international humanitarian law and the judgments of the European Court of Justice. Brahim Gali expressed, on behalf of the Saharawi government and people, his gratitude for this meeting and reiterated the will of the Saharawi State to continue strengthening the bonds of friendship and cooperation with the Republic of Iceland. The President of the Republic is accompanied by the member of the National Secretariat and Ambassador Counselor, Mohamed Yeslem Baysat, and Abdati Brayka, Councils in Presidency.SPS 125/090/TRA Our hearts ache for the mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, partners and friends who never had the chance to say goodbye to their loved ones. Loved ones killed by a hateful individual who ascribed to a hateful ideology. Statement made by Justin P. J. Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada in Parliament on 18 March on the terrorist attack in New Zealand Before we begin, our hearts go out to the people of Utrecht and the Netherlands, who are reeling in the aftermath of a tram shooting. Its in the early stages, but we do know that there are fatalities, and a number of injuries. Police are looking at it as a possible terrorist incident. We stand with our Dutch friends as they grapple with the consequences of this violence, and we will be reaching out to our counterparts to offer our unwavering support. Prime Minister Rutte addressed this House mere months ago, and he spoke of the close ties between our countries. Canada will be there for the Netherlands in the difficult days ahead. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express Canadas deepest condolences to all those grieving in New Zealand. Just a few days ago, our friend and ally suffered the worst terrorist attack in their history. An attack motivated by Islamophobia. Fifty men, women, and children murdered at prayer. Dozens injured. Gunned down by a monster. A terrorist. A coward. I spoke with Prime Minister Ardern to express Canadas deepest sympathy and support, and praised her compassionate leadership in the wake of this tragedy. Our hearts ache for the mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, partners and friends who never had the chance to say goodbye to their loved ones. Loved ones killed by a hateful individual who ascribed to a hateful ideology. Mr. Speaker, Canada is home to over a million Muslims who live and thrive in a free and open, secular democracy. It is our responsibility to maintain this freedom, so that those who choose to practice faith can do so without fear of violence. To our Muslim friends here in Canada, in New Zealand, and around the world, know that we mourn with you. We feel your pain, and we love you. We will stand by you in the difficult days and weeks to come. The Quran tells us: the true servants of the Most Merciful are those who behave gently and with humility on earth, and whenever the foolish quarrel with them, they reply with words of peace. Now, if that idea sounds familiar, perhaps youve also heard it in the Gospel of Matthew, which speaks not of revenge and retaliation, but of turning the other cheek. Indeed, if we choose to look for them, the lessons found within our faiths will bind us together, and are more powerful than those things that seek to divide us. Just two years ago, I stood at a vigil for six innocent men in Ste. Foy, Quebec. Brothers, fathers, and sons who, like the victims of Christchurch, were gunned down during prayer. I mourned with the families, who couldnt believe that such hatred could touch their community. Mr. Speaker, the tragedies in Ste. Foy and in Christchurch are ones weve seen too many times before. Innocent people are killed. Headlines blare out as nations grapple with chaos and violence. Mass shootings. Faith-based slaughter. Terrorist attacks. It is shameful, and sadly, the leaders of the world bear some responsibility. Responsibility we can no longer ignore by simply pointing fingers. Because, in this day and age, those that seethe the loudest are given a larger platform than ever before. Toxic rhetoric has broken into the mainstream. Its anti-Semitic. Islamophobic. Anti-black. Anti-Indigenous. Misogynistic. Homophobic. The list goes on and on. This rhetoric is dangerous, hateful, and vile. It lives and festers online, spilling out into the real world with deadly consequences. We see it here in Canada, in online harassment, anonymous letters, defaced places of worship, acts of violence, and even murder. When we fail to denounce hatred with total conviction, we empower those people and legitimize their violence. Mr. Speaker, over the years, weve seen an increase in the number of terrorist attacks targeting Muslims all around the world. So, families flee to democracies like Canada, and the United States, and our allies, praying that their new homes will give them safety. Hoping that their kids will know a place where they are not targeted because of faith. But sadly, Mr. Speaker, these same families who fled violence in their homelands are now too often met by a new kind of violence when they reach new shores. Anti-immigrant hatred. Right-wing extremism. White nationalism. Neo-Nazi terrorism. These groups are alive in Canada a nation that, under the leadership of Laurier, and Diefenbaker, and my father, has long championed the protection of minorities, and promoted our diversity as our greatest strength. And yet, while the majority of our citizens welcome these newcomers with open arms, small, toxic segments peddle the belief that greater diversity is a weakness. The irony is that these fringe groups say they despise Daesh, Al-Qaida, Boko Haram, and others. But they spew hatred, and incite violence, and murder the innocent just the same. They are no better than those they claim to hate. Mr. Speaker, the problem is not only that politicians routinely fail to denounce this hatred its that, in too many cases, they actively court those who spread it. To politicians and leaders around the world: the dog whistle politics, the ease with which certain people choose to adopt extremist ideology it has to stop. Its not that people are dying. Its that people are being killed. Mothers and fathers, ripped from their families. Carefree, innocent children gunned down in the blink of an eye, without an ounce of reticence. Mosques. Temples. Synagogues. Churches. Concerts. Malls. Schools. People murdered while vulnerable and defenseless here in Canada, south of the border, around the world. And the response is always the same. Were aghast as the headlines blare, and moms and dads hug their kids a little tighter, and thank God its not happening to them. Politicians stand around, and we offer our condolences, and we say nice things in the aftermath. We say that well do better. We say that never again will such hatred be allowed to fester unchallenged. And then, when the flames die down, and the smoke clears, we look the other way. We revert back to politicking, figuring out how we can tap into that powerful rage to harness a few more votes. We scapegoat the other to play to our base. With a wink and a nudge, we legitimize this evil. Mr. Speaker, I stand here today to cast a light on this hatred, and on our unwillingness to call it out. As leaders, as privileged few with power and an audience, we have a responsibility to do something. This responsibility is not negotiable. Its not to be waived when its politically convenient. Courting these views is always the wrong choice to make. We have to chase out this hatred from our parties, fight it online, denounce it at town halls, push back when it reaches our front door. Choosing to stay silent, while hatred stews, is complicity in its most cowardly form. Mr. Speaker, year after year, decade after decade, we mourn the loss of X number of people, in X country, and we vow to do better. But then we repeat the cycle, as leaders decide that hatred is an emotion worth exploiting, and they ride to power on the back of insatiable anger. As a society, as a global community, as human beings, have we learned nothing? To be honest, Im tired of this. Im tired of passing on our thoughts and prayers. But, as tired as I am, I cant even begin to imagine how it must feel for those who are affected by this kind of violence every single day. People around the world are exhausted by the carnage. They reach out to console friends and neighbours when these tragedies rock their communities, incensed by their leaders inability to take a principled stand. People come out to vigils, and plead for action, and we fall short. Our communities set an example that our leaders consistently fail to follow. After tragedies like these, politicians often say that its not a time to talk politics, but that instead we should grieve and support the affected communities. I think thats a farce. This is exactly the time to talk politics. Because the best way to support people is to acknowledge that theres a problem, and take concrete steps to fix it. Mr. Speaker, we as a global society have a choice to make. Will we call out our leaders, who turn a blind eye to those who incite violence? Will we call out our co-workers, who tell racist or misogynistic jokes, unchallenged? Will we call out the online trolls those cowards who spew hatred, launching their vitriol behind a shield of anonymity? Ultimately, Mr. Speaker, will we do the right thing? Or will we bury our heads in the sand now, only to bury them in our hands later? The tragedy in New Zealand is, sadly, another example of just how far weve gone astray. But we cannot let the lessons of those 50 deaths go unlearned. The path were going down is dangerous and unsustainable. People are tired of fighting this alone, without the backing of their leaders. But we can take a stand, here and now, in Canada and around the world, to say that enough is enough. That the days of spewing hatred and inciting violence without consequence are over. We owe it to the people of Christchurch. We owe it to the people of Ste. Foy, and Pittsburgh, and Manchester. Mr. Speaker, we owe it to our kids, and we owe it to ourselves. Im calling on like-minded countries of the world to stand with Canada in this fight. Muslim, Christian, Jewish, black, white, all of us we must fight this hatred as a team. A team that refuses to accept this as the new normal. A team tired of sending thoughts and prayers. Here in Canada, weve already taken important steps to fight discrimination and hatred. Weve stepped up our investigations into extreme hate groups, including white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups. Weve made meaningful reforms around gun control. We increased funding for security at places of worship. And were investing in programs that foster inclusion, build bridges, and celebrate our diversity. And still, we know that there is much more work to do. But make no mistake, we will do what needs to be done. And we will bring this message to the international stage. To our partners around the world, the fight against racism and intolerance will be a major fight. But we cant put it off any longer. I know that we can make real change here. We can turn the page, and get off this dangerous path were on. We need only look to our communities for inspiration. Mr. Speaker, there are more good people than bad in this world. The light outweighs the dark, the good greatly outnumbers the evil. We see it when our citizens come together at vigils in the wake of tragedy. We see it when strangers link arms to protect places of worship. We see it in offers to walk with those who feel unsafe. We saw in in Ste. Foy, and were seeing it now in New Zealand. This is an important fight. Im calling on politicians of all stripes to follow the example set by the good people we serve, and do the right thing. We must counter this hatred. And together, we will. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The old adage a picture is worth a thousand words aptly describes the overarching theme of the drama Time Stands Still by the gifted writer Donald Margulies. It is a powerful exploration of high-risk photojournalism and written coverage of real-time combat. The play, which is showing through April 14 at the New Jewish Theater, is brought to the stage by a first-rate cast of four players who are directed with sensitivity and skill by Doug Finlayson. The action takes place in 2009 in a loft in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, N.Y. Sarah Goodwin (Wendy Renee Greenwood), a daring photojournalist, is returning from covering the Iraq War after having been severely wounded by a roadside bomb. Her reporter boyfriend, James Dodds (Ben Nordstrom), is waiting for her at their Brooklyn home. Like Sarah, he is traumatized by the war, and his PTSD is compounded by guilt over having left Iraq before she did. Greenwood and Nordstrom are spot on in their complex, emotional and intellectual portrayals. ADVERTISEMENT Sarah was obsessed with getting just the right shot of a war scene, even choosing to take the photo when she might have been able to intervene to save the war victims she was shooting. That decision forces her to confront the morality of her work, which she has considered noble. Is she really trying to push back against the senselessness of war, or is she using its carnage to perhaps earn a Pulitzer Prize in spot photography? James, meanwhile, is suffering from writers block. He finds himself unable to write about the war, choosing instead to concentrate on producing geeky articles about 1950s horror movies, even though he and Sarah know that it is less about creativity than a way to occupy his long days. Connect with your community every morning. Adding to the mix are Richard Ehrlich (Jerry Vogel), a photo editor and his too-young wife, Mandy Bloom (Eileen Engel). Richard is pressuring the traumatized couple to publish Sarahs stunning photos with text by James. Both have conflicted feelings about turning the sufferings of war victims into a coffee table book on glossy paper. Time Stands Still, in dealing with journalists as casualties of the very wars they are covering, brings the two couples into focus by exploring their hidden agendas. Sarah and James snarl at each other even while he struggles to help her get around on crutches and deal with the wounds on her face. Richard, who complains of a bad first marriage, pushes back against the smug sarcasm of Sarah and James who ridicule his relationship with Mandy. Vogel and Engel bring their characters to life convincingly. The four players circle each other like overheated tigers in a small cage. Their conflicts and arguments invite comparison to the characters in Edward Albees Whos Afraid of Virginia Woolf, with Mandy equivalent to the seemingly clueless younger guest, Honey, who turns out to have hidden qualities of altruism that overpower the cynicism of Sarah and James. Time indeed stands still in photographic images. Beneath their polished or grainy surfaces are the faces and bodies of real human beings who are more than just good shots for cameras. NJTs Time Stands Still is excellent theater and makes for an engrossing dramatic experience. Shares is the leading weekly publication for retail investors. It is packed with investment ideas, news and educational material to help build and run portfolios and get more from your money. Shares puts on free Investor Events throughout the year across the country. They provide an opportunity for investors to learn more about companies on the stock market and hear from a range of investment experts including fund managers and Shares journalists. STRATFORD Boat Club were well represented at this years Vesta International Eights Head of The River race in London on Sunday. The race, which is the premier veterans rowing event of the year, is held over the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race course. More than 245 crews set off from Mortlake for the 6.8km timed race down to Putney at ten second intervals which made for some exciting racing over the whole length of the course. Stratford BC provided the majority share of a composite crew with fellow Midland clubs from Warwick BC and Bridgnorth Rowing Club. The crew, stroked by Paul Wallis from Bridgnorth, comprised Tom Doherty (Stratford), Richard Nelson (Stratford), Rob Graham (Bridgnorth), Tim Grimsdale (Bridgnorth), Gary Clay (Stratford), Jon Martin (Warwick) and Simon Beard (Stratford) at bow, with Sarah Graham (Bridgnorth) at cox. The crew raced in the Masters E category (55-60 years) and were up against formidable competition, with no less than 34 competitors in their age group. On the back of a much-improved showing at the North of England Head at Chester the week before, the crew got off to a fast start, taking the rating up to 34 strokes per minute under Chiswick Bridge as they crossed the start, with Bewdley and an international Danish crew starting close behind. A solid rating push off the start saw the crew open up a significant gap on the two immediate crews behind as they approached Barnes Bridge. Tricky winds saw the Tideway live up to its reputation as a tough place to row, with some large waves leaving most of the crew and the cox soaked. However, not to be deterred, the crew settled in to a good rhythm, maintaining 32 strokes per minute for the whole of the remainder of the 6.8km course. This paid dividends as they proceeded to catch a Broxbourne eight by Chiswick Eyot which led to some lively advice on the merits of considerate steering being exchanged between the crews. With over half the race completed and the crew going well, a big push saw the crew clear Hammersmith Bridge and its legendary rough water and they proceeded to catch a number of crews as the final few kilometers approached. This led to some exciting racing as the Stratford composite crew closed past Fulham FCs Craven Cottage ground, with no less than four crews all line abreast across the river. Holding their own and with some excellent coxing from Sarah Graham, the crew push ed between Putney Town, Ardingley, Grosvenor and Bradford-on-Avon clubs to inch over the finish line in front, providing good excitement for the crowds of spectators. Hard racing over the whole course in blustery conditions saw the crew record a time of 22 minutes and seven seconds, finishing 13th out of 35 crews in their Masters E event and 107 seconds behind Moseley, the fastest crew of the day. The crew were 63rd overall out of 245 crews that finished the event. Stratfords masters vice-captain, Tom Doherty, said: This was a crew put together in mid-January that has been limited to one training session a week. The crew has shown consistent improvement over the weeks from a poor race at Nottingham to record a very good result with our best row to date in tricky conditions on the Thames. THE Ovo Energy Womens Tours fourth visit to Warwickshire in as many years will be celebrated with Burton Dassett Country Park hosting the first hill-top finish in race history on Thursday, 13th June. Stage four of Britains most prestigious womens race goes around Shakespeares country and will take on a feel similar to that of the Belgian one-day spring classics as the worlds best riders tackle three laps of a challenging 12.6km circuit to culminate a spectator-friendly day of racing that begins in Warwick. Whereas the Womens Tours three previous visits to the county raced into Stratford-upon-Avon (2016) and Royal Leamington Spa (2017 and 2018) have ended in sprint finishes, this years 158.9km test promises to play a crucial part in deciding who will win the Ovo Energy green jersey. Upon leaving Warwick, the races star-studded field will pass through the University of Warwick, Kenilworth, Meriden, Bedworth and Wellesbourne as it gears up for what promises to be an unpredictable finale. Riders will climb Edge Hill, an Ovo Energy Womens Tour regular, albeit from its south-westerly approach for the first time before beginning three laps of a clockwise finishing circuit around Burton Dassett and Farnborough. Featuring a gradient of 15 per cent in places, and averaging 4.9 per cent, the 1.7km climb through Burton Dassett Country Park has split the peloton into several groups during its previous inclusions in the race. The climb was also a Skoda King of the Mountains ascent in last years Ovo Energy Tour of Britain. In total, stage four of this years Ovo Energy Womens Tour includes 1,513m of climbing. The 2019 Ovo Energy Womens Tour will take place over six days for the first time in event history. Suffolk will host the Grand Depart of the sixth edition on Monday, 10th June before Oxfordshire welcomes the race for the first time two days later with a stage that culminates at the historic Blenheim Palace. The race continues to form part of the prestigious UCI Womens World Tour series, which began with the Strade Bianche one-day event in Italy on Saturday, 9th March. MCCAIG/iStock(TAMPA, Fla.) -- A Florida sheriff's deputy won't face charges in the high-speed crash that killed a 15-year-old boy earlier this year, prosecutors said. Hillsborough County Sheriff's Deputy Philip Montesi was driving 21 mph over the speed limit in January when he slammed into young Josiah Pinner, killing him on the scene, but county's state attorney said "speed alone" isn't enough to justify criminal charges. The Hillsborough County State's Attorney's Office announced the decision on Tuesday, ending a months-long review of the sheriff's office's previous findings. "My offices determination that Deputy Montesi did not commit any crime in connection with this matter does not minimize the tragedy of Josiah Pinners death," Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren said in a statement. "Although the evidence establishes that Deputy Montesi was driving above the speed limit at the time of the accident, Florida law holds that speed alone is insufficient to establish vehicular homicide." Montesi, 29, said he was speeding to catch up with other deputies when he swerved his vehicle on Jan. 11 to avoid hitting Josiah's friend, who was walking his bike across the road, but he ended up hitting Josiah, who was walking behind him. The office's decision concluded a months-long review that could have ended with Montesi facing charges of vehicular homicide or other charges for leaving the scene of a fatal accident. Warren said the officer drove through the Tampa intersection where the accident occurred, but he "promptly turned his car around" when he realized what happened. Hillsborough Sheriff Chad Chronister placed the officer on a five-day suspension, without pay, for Sheriff's Office Standard Operating Procedure for speeding even though he wasn't involved in an emergency operation. However, the boy's family said the penalty wasn't harsh enough and called for Montesi to be fired and charged. "Thats what makes me angry, he took my son and only got a five-day suspension," Jesse Pinner, Josiah's dad told ABC affiliate WFTS on Tuesday. "That just shows you how that badge protects them." His grandmother, Tammy Pinner, echoed that sentiment. "They are defending one of their own," Tammy Pinner said. "We would be charged with speeding, careless driving, everything that he hasnt been charged with we would be charged with." The sheriff's office did not respond to ABC News' request for comment, but it told local media outlets that it agreed with the decision not to file charges. My heart pours out to this family, but if this was any other citizen that wouldve been in the deputys shoes that night, in that car, the findings wouldve been the same, Chronister told WTVT on Wednesday. Theres no criminal wrongdoing, so I understand they want the deputy in prison. Thats just not the case. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. "I'd originally gone on Zoloft [sertraline, a common antidepressant] in an effort to get off marijuana," recalls Ray, 43, a New York City public-relations professional diagnosed with HIV in 2004. But once Ray finally kicked pot, he decided to taper off the Zoloft over the course of six weeks -- and that's where things got unpleasant. "At random moments throughout the day, it was like a bug zapper was going off in my brain," he recalls. "I'd be dizzy and disoriented. I told my doctor, and he said all that was normal, so I just put up with all of it because I wanted to get off Zoloft. But it wasn't fun." Ray's story is not unusual. People living with HIV have higher rates of depression than in the general population, yes, but they're far from the only ones who struggle with changing or coming off antidepressants. For decades, anecdotally, and especially since the advent of Prozac-like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) drugs (including Zoloft, Paxil, Effexor, Celexa and Lexapro), both patients and doctors have talked about trying to come off those meds over the traditionally recommended taper period of a few weeks -- but experiencing a host of unpleasant, sometimes unbearable and debilitating, side effects including headache, nausea, stomach and bowel problems, insomnia, inability to concentrate, increased crying or anxiety, and a general, flu-like wooziness and malaise. (However, it's important to note that not all people have a hard time coming off antidepressants, which can play an important role in overall mental health.) "It's called discontinuation syndrome," says Lee LaMee, M.S.N., PMHNP, manager of psychiatric services at Chicago's mainly LGBTQ-serving Howard Brown Health center, who says that he sees it often in patients coming off antidepressants. "Paxil and Effexor seem to be the worst culprits." And let's not forget those infamous, and highly weird, "brain zaps" that Ray experienced, technically called L'Hermitte's sign and more commonly associated with multiple sclerosis. In fact, I distinctly remember failing to renew my Effexor prescription some 20 years ago and walking down the street experiencing dizziness at the slightest turn of my eyes or head, not to mention what felt like a brain full of sizzling Pop Rocks. But now, finally, anecdotes that have often been dismissed by the psychiatric establishment seem to be turning into hard data, not to mention serious mainstream news coverage, including a recent New York Times story and a major story this month in The New Yorker. Headlined, "Many People Taking Antidepressants Discover They Cannot Quit," the Times story reported that nearly 25 million adults have been on antidepressants for two years or more -- a 60% increase from 2010 to 2018. "The drugs have helped millions of people ease depression and anxiety, and are widely regarded as milestones in psychiatric treatment," read the story. "Many, perhaps most, people stop the medications without significant trouble. But the rise in longtime use is also the result of an unanticipated and growing problem: Many who try to quit say they cannot because of withdrawal symptoms they were never warned about." "Yet," continued the story, "the medical profession has no good answer for people struggling to stop taking the drugs -- no scientifically backed guidelines, no means to determine who's at highest risk, no way to tailor appropriate strategies to individuals." Hard Data and Official Silence Research now backs the claims: One study of 180 longtime antidepressant users found that 133 of them experienced withdrawal symptoms, with almost half of the participants saying they actually felt addicted to the drugs. Another survey of 250 long-term users of (mostly) antidepressants attempting to discontinue their medications found that half rated their withdrawal as severe -- and that half simply could not meet their goal of quitting. In that study, "people went from cold turkey to [withdrawing over the course of] a year, so you had the whole range," says one of its investigators, David Cohen, Ph.D., M.S.W., a professor of social welfare at University of California, Los Angeles who has more than 25 years' experience helping his patients come off psychiatric meds. "But those who rated it the most severe were coming off the fastest." What causes discontinuation syndrome? "Coming off anything that alters how your brain functions -- even coffee or tea -- will provoke some kind of reaction," says Cohen. "The brain is no longer getting that feedback from the drug, and it reacts to the removal. It's a bit like a seesaw. You have this rhythm going, but if the person at one end abruptly gets off, the person at the other end is going to come crashing down." Many feel that the pharmaceutical industry and even the American Psychiatric Association, fearful of cutting into the booming antidepressants market, have been slow to broadcast complications with withdrawal despite the fact that many patients have complained about it for decades now. (Prozac, the first SSRI, was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1987.) "Most mental health professionals have been denying this could occur," says Cohen, co-author of Your Drug May Be Your Problem, a book on the topic. "The Times story was the big breakthrough. There's been a conspiracy of silence." (The pharma watchdog group Citizens Commission on Human Rights has authored an entire paper alleging this.) How to Come Off Antidepressants So you and your mental health provider decide that it's time for you to come off your antidepressant(s) -- say, perhaps, because you think they are giving you unwanted side effects like inability to have an orgasm, or because you went on them for a short period to deal with something and now feel you don't need them. You have to prepare carefully, says Laura Delano, who created The Withdrawal Project, a step-by-step website to help people do just that -- and to find both digital support and IRL peer support in their area. She created the site, which she says has drawn more than 100,000 visitors in only a year, after undergoing her own months-long withdrawal, which she calls "the most agonizing experience of my life," marked by chronic headaches, vomiting, and nausea as well as paranoia, lack of concentration, body aches, and a skin rash. Here are the steps she and others say to take: Prepare. "You need to communicate with your prescriber, and you need to get your support systems in place," urges Delano. "Is now the right time to do this? Ask yourself how many vacation, sick, or personal days you have, if you'll need to stay out of work for a while or here and there. Do you have short-term disability?" Cohen agrees: "You might need the time and space for disruption in your life," he says, which can be challenging depending on your level of wealth, commitments, privilege, etc. Work out a tapering plan. According to Delano, the optimal taper rate is a 5% to 10% reduction in your dose per month -- yes, per month, not week -- based on the previous month's dose. Meaning that in January, you might reduce the dose from 100 to 90 milligrams (mg), then in February another 10% to 81 mg, in March another 10% to 73 mg, and so on, in ever smaller reductions. "You'll get and stay off faster that way overall," instead of going back to your baseline dose to stave off severe side effects, she says. Her website also contains information about weighing out beads from capsule pills on a digital scale, how to taper down tablet-form pills, making liquid mixtures, and more. Labels on current antidepressant bottles, she says, give precious little guidance as to how to do all this. Cohen also suggests the website Surviving Antidepressants for more peer support. Stay flexible. "Do not just throw your meds in the toilet," says Cohen. "Go slow, and stay in your comfort zone. Feel it out as you go," and make adjustments accordingly with your provider. "You want to have a provider that respects you and takes you seriously," says LaMee, and if you don't, "in an ideal world, you want to find a new one." And Delano stresses lining up your support network, that handful of friends you can call if withdrawal side effects are driving you crazy in the middle of the night (which also happens to be a great time to go on her or similar websites, where someone somewhere is usually always up, too.) Listen to your body. "Let it call the shots and, as much as you can, nap when you're tired and exercise when you have an excess of energy," says Delano, adding that many people on her website have said they "fed their brain" lots of healthy fats like avocado and fish oil when they were withdrawing. "As much as you can, you need to be able to take time off and watch TV for two days if you have to," says Cohen. He, along with Delano, says that there needs to be more advocacy pressure on pharma, the FDA, and the psychiatric establishment to create better warnings and guidelines around antidepressant withdrawal. "That's definitely something we envision doing in the future," says Delano, adding that a similar movement is afoot in the United Kingdom, via the Council for Evidence-Based Psychiatry. With all this in mind, though, LaMee says that it's important to remember that antidepressants can be hugely helpful, sometimes even lifesaving, particularly for people with depression severe enough to be causing chronic insomnia, loss of appetite, slowing of motor skills or extreme, chronic anxiety. "Particularly if someone in your biological family is on an antidepressant that's working for them," he says, "we then know there's at least a 50% chance it'll work on you." He acknowledges that many people are wary of going on psychiatric meds, in part because of the stigma around them. "I just try to give people as much information as possible and tell them that, ultimately, it's their choice." As for Ray, he says he's been fine without antidepressants in recent years. "I'd go on them again if I were so depressed I thought I was going to kill myself, but I haven't had depression like that in a long time." Anything short of that, he says, "it was such a struggle to get off them that I'd really rather not go on them again." Stay on the top of all the latest markets movements! Subscribe to The Bull free weekly newsletter to receive our best tips, offers and promotion... SUBSCRIBE label SUMMONS STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF RICHLAND IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS Case No.: 2021-CP-40-04853 Crystal Goodwin and Tyrone Goodwin, Plaintiff, vs. Jatorri Jefferson, Defendant. TO: THE DEFENDANT ... All persons having claims against the following estates are required to deliver or mail their claims to the indicated Personal Representatives, appointed to administer these estates, and to file their... Unfortunately, The Content Is Not Here You have arrived at this page because the page or post you were looking for no longer exists. Please check our main navigation pages for other content: Home Page Actors Britney Day, Sadie Taylor and Bayley Owen rehearse for Postponing the Heat Death of the Universe. They said it gave them a chance to try new things, from performing in a downstage area to playing a realistic role. The show will be at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Tickets are $4. Montreal, CA (H4T1V6) Today Sunshine to start, then a few afternoon clouds. Morning high of 4C with temps falling to near 30. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. Low around -7C. Winds light and variable. The Boston International Film Festival will be held April 11-16 at Bunker Hill Community College, Cambridge College, Kendall Square Cinema and Regal Cinemas Fenway Stadium 13 & Rpx. Tickets for individual sessions are $12, passes for all the screenings are $75, and all-access VIP passes are $250. For more information, visit www.bostoniff.com. remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. MBABANE The poor protection of minority investors through bureaucratic processes of setting shop is what costs Eswatini a fortune in terms of attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). Eswatini currently ranks at 140 out of the 190 countries ranked by the World Bank in the Ease of Doing Business 2019, in terms of protecting minority investors with an interest pumping their money into the country. Director of the Investor Roadmap Unit (IRM) Albert Chibi, has mentioned that government has found it viable to ensure that investors get efficient service delivery in order to view Eswatini as an ideal investment destination. Host To facilitate business registration, Chibi said they intend to host registry of companies, revenue offices, utilities, tax, and labour, together with insurance compliance services at one building. We also plan to design a single form that will be completed on desk one and electronically distributed to all other service providers without the applicant going through all the steps, Chibi explained. The director said they also plan to expand the one-stop shop to all regions. Chibi mentioned that through the World Bank, the country was seeking assistance from New Zealand and also exploring possibilities to benchmark with Rwanda or Mauritius and Lesotho. Establishment In terms of the establishment of commercial court bench and bench rules to reduce cases from 956 to below the African average of 655 days, he said quality of judicial processes would be introduced to random electronically assign new cases to judges and limit adjournments. He said plans were well underway to establish a specialised commercial bench. Specimen of Commercial Bench rules from United Kingdom, India, Tanzania, Rwanda and Dubai have been obtained and forwarded to the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Chibi disclosed. Meetings He also stated that meetings with the Chief Justice had been convened to sensitise him about the importance of establishing a commercial bench. It should, however, be mentioned that it is not all doom and gloom in Eswatinis attraction of FDI, as four companies were reportedly on the run to be granted a 20 year tax holiday. Two of the four were American, Australian, and Dubai. All of whom had local partners who were credible people within our private sector. Minister of Commerce Industry and Trade Manqoba Khumalo recently said these companies had asked for Special Economic Zones (SEZ) application forms to be considered for an SEZ licence. He said one of them had submitted their application and the other two were preparing their applications. The minister disclosed that many companies had enquired about it, and they had provided all information and support in collaboration with the Royal Science and Technology Park (RSTP). Fantastic Khumalo said the Eswatini Investments and Promotion Authority (EIPA) and RSTP management were doing a fantastic job of educating potential local and foreign investors about the RSTP, but they needed to do more. The minister also mentioned that a number of Taiwanese companies had also expressed interest and they were still considering their options. Asked what the names of the companies were, Khumalo said they could not disclose the names for confidentiality purposes but stated that he intends to convene a full press conference on the status of investments in the country at the end of the month. EZULWINI In the quest to mutate the Eswatini economy to be export driven, government has made a strong undertaking not to interfere with business operations. Prime Minister, Mandvulo Dlamini, welcomed the French delegation into the country and said government was looking for ways to pave way for more private-sector driven economic growth. He said they believe the private sector remains the catalyst for development and provides the best model to leverage economic growth. It is for this reason that we strive to ensure that the government does not interfere with businesses as a government that interfered with businesses was paid by inefficiency. Eswatini is open for business and we will do our utmost to make sure that the economic climate is as conducive as possible, said Dlamini. He recognised French companies resident in the country, which include; Total, Air Liquide which trades as Swazi Gases, Alliance Francaise (The French Alliance) and Medicines San Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders). The Eswatini-France Business Seminar hosted a French delegation that was comprised of businessmen based in South Africa and the French Chamber of Commerce at the Royal Villas in Ezulwini on Wednesday. Eswatini Investment Promotion Authority (EIPA) Acting Chief Executive Officer, Hanalora Strydom, welcomed the delegation and said she was grateful to have the delegation as they moved towards achieving the mandate that the government impressed on EIPA, which could be summarised as attracting and facilitating investment and promote trade in the Kingdom, both from foreign and domestic fronts. She said, As part of our strategy to achieve the mandate, they tried to leverage relations with overseas chambers of commerce that were resident in neighbouring South Africa, hence the seminar being timely. Provide Strydom said EIPA believed that as an institution, they were well able to provide the necessary assistance to French companies that were interested in investing in the country. She said as an investment promotion authority, they applauded the support that the government had demonstrated in creating the necessary impulse that allowed for the creation of an investment friendly environment. The Chairman of the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dr. Yves Guenon, was introduced by Thuli Phiri, who was the leader of the delegation. Phiri said what investors looked for when they were considering where to invest, one of the key things they were looking to achieve was to build relationships, and come to realise that they have shared values and visions. She said, Investors looked for shared values and visions were one of the things they hopefully shared with Eswatini, in terms of where the country wanted to expand and by so doing, expand the economy of Eswatini. Though the economic climate was very stringent, companies were looking to diversify their investment, as well as scale. The seminar was attended by the Prime Minister, Ambrose Mandvulo Dlamini, the Minister of Finance, Neal Rijkenberg and the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade, Manqoba Khumalo. THE unspeakable tragedy that took place in Christchurch, New Zealand, has raised urgent new questions about the balance between freedom of expression and public safety. A lone, radicalized gunman not only went on a shooting spree which killed 50 people and injured scores more, but also this rampage was live-streamed for an agonizing 17 minutes on the worlds largest social media platform without interruption. Now, both private companies and state regulators are grappling with how best to respond to the public outrage. It is clear that we must do a better job of identifying and containing harmful content and toxic inflammatory rhetoric, both in social media and traditional news. In Africa, we unfortunately have a long history of experience in this area. The most well known case undoubtedly is that of Radio Television Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM) in Rwanda, whose founding editors were determined by a tribunal to have committed war crimes in 1993-1994 related to their incitement of genocide of up to one million Tutsis and other victims. Unfortunately, at the time, there was no competent or willing regulatory body to halt RTLMs daily broadcasts calling on militias to sharpen their machetes and inciting a deepening spiral of violence. In Zambia, we have thankfully not suffered any recent comparable tragedies, however, like many nations, the challenge of balancing freedom of expression while also protecting the publics peace and security is paramount. This question has been debated in response to the decision by the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) to issue a 30-day suspension of the broadcasting license of Prime TV, a private news broadcaster. The suspension attracted some misinformed international attention. The US Embassy called for the suspension to be reversed, while Amnesty International described the intervention as a ploy to muzzle independent voices. The Committee to Protect Journalists issued a statement commenting that the IBA should not suspend news organisations simply because they report critically and disagree. But was that really the case? Was Prime TV suspended only for its expressed opinions, or was it suspended for airing inflammatory content that failed to meet basic journalistic standards? It seems that none of these organisations had the opportunity to review the segments that were broadcast by Prime TV which had resulted in their suspension. If they had understood the context of what this broadcaster was doing at the time, it would be very clearly understood that intervention by regulators was in the interest of public safety, and not a suppression of free speech. Officially, the suspension decision by the IBA - which acts independently of the administration and ruling party - cited numerous violations Prime TV had committed under Section 29 (1) (k) of the IBA Amendment Act (2010). According to the regulators statement on the issue; The Board found that the station has exhibited unprofessional elements in its broadcasting through unbalanced coverage, opinionated news, material likely to incite violence and use of derogatory language. In retrospect, this temporary penalty seems exceedingly light given the nature of what was broadcast concerning by-elections in Shesheke district on February 12, 2019. At this time, Prime TV had stitched together and selectively edited numerous clips of violent exchanges between cadres of ruling and opposition parties, allegedly using some imagery that was collected earlier and far away from the district. The accompanying editorialised newscast portrayed one side as a blameless victim, and the other as a remorseless aggressor deserving of revenge strikes. The clashes were amplified, dramatised, and manipulated by Prime TVs editors to foment public unrest and tribal hatred, with a clear dog whistle to invite further political violence. This suspension did not occur over an issue of freedom of expression. Even Prime TVs Gerald Shawa appeared to acknowledge that the station erred in its Sesheke coverage - his appeal to the authorities requested that the suspension be downgraded to a warning. There is no reason for any sovereign government to wait for the next Christchurch or Rwanda. We must strive to achieve a balance between open and responsible press freedom while at the same time doing everything necessary to protect the peace and security of the people from the scourge of hate and violence. PIGGS PEAK The man who claimed that he was being haunted by the spirit of a person he allegedly killed, revealed that the deceased wanted to expose him and others for theft. Mandla Doctor Dlamini handed himself over to the police after claiming he was being haunted by the deceaseds spirit for nearly three weeks. About three weeks ago, police discovered the decomposing body of Sifiso Lekwati Dlamini and information surrounding his death had remained a mystery until Monday. All the police knew was that the man had a set of car keys as well as a remote control device and there was no identification on the deceased. The police have now established ,through Mandla, that Sifiso was originally from Nkoyoyo in Mbabane. Confession Mandla also told police officers exactly what happened during the murder during his confession yesterday at the magistrates court. It has now emerged that Sifiso allegedly threatened to expose Mandla with others that they were stealing blankets from their workplace. The name of the workplace will not be mentioned for now. It is alleged that on the day of the murder, Sifiso was lured into believing that he was going with three others to transport dagga. To ensure their story was believable to Sifiso, refuse bags, as well as bags popularly known as bokhonzekhaya were used to give the impression that indeed dagga was being transported. A vehicle was allegedly used to drive from Mbabane to a place where Sifiso was allegedly murdered. It is alleged that the driver of the vehicle dropped them near Piggs Peak, at a place known as Plantation, under the impression that they were transporting dagga. The driver is said to have turned back and left the three people, including Sifiso. While they remained, Mandla with another, are alleged to have then murdered Sifiso. As Sifiso is said to have been a well-built person, Mandla is alleged to have been assisted by another person after the former had been drugged with brake fluid. Sifiso is alleged to have been stabbed in the back as well as neck until he died. The driver of the vehicle is said to have returned and collected the two people. At some point, the men realised that they had left the deceaseds phone and they allegedly turned back to fetch it in an attempt to ensure that Sifisos body was not identified. Only Mandla was arrested after he handed himself over to the police and he appeared before Magistrate Simangele Mbatha yesterday where he was advised that he had the right to seek legal assistance. However, he was not granted bail but was advised that he could apply for bail at the High Court. Earlier, Mandla allegedly told the police that since he murdered Sifiso, he had not got any rest as he was being haunted by the spirit of the dead man. MBABANE A sum of E42 000 belonging to a Ugandan man, suspected to have been obtained through the sale of abortion pills, has been confiscated by the police. It was a double blow for Kalema Aggrey as the money was discovered in his possession after his motor vehicle was involved in an accident. The substantial amount of money that was found in Aggreys possession raised suspicions to the law enforcers such that they took him to his residence, where during a search, the pills were discovered. The alleged abortion pills were also seized by the police officers. The Ugandan national was eventually arrested and charged with contravening the Immigration Act in that he was in the country unlawfully. For being in the country unlawfully, he was fined E500 but the money and the pills were not released as the police were adamant that they were part of criminal activities. Through his attorney, Simo Simelane, Aggrey has since filed an urgent application at the High Court where he is seeking an order for the release of the confiscated money and sachets of the pills. The national commissioner of police is the respondent in the matter Giving a background of the matter, Aggrey stated that on January 10, 2019 near Beauty Court, Ngwane Park in Manzini, in the morning, he visited his girlfriend who resided there. He informed the court that he was en route from collecting his payment in respect of a motor vehicle he had sold to a friend. He claimed that the motor vehicle was sold for the sum of E41 000. I parked my motor vehicle which I was driving on the day adjacent to the road and walked across to check my girlfriend. Before I alighted, I safely tucked away the sum of E41 0000 contained in a bag under the drivers seat, which was in the sum of E41 000 and E1 000 I had on me, submitted the applicant (Aggrey). He submitted that on his return to the motor vehicle to his residence, a truck bumped into his car in the rear end. He said resisting the negotiating advances and overtures of the truck driver, he called the police to attend to the accident. According to Aggrey, during this time a sizeable crew made up of local residents, had gathered around the accident scene. He asserted that sensing the susceptibility of his money to theft, he retrieved the bag from the car and kept it with him while waiting for the arrival of the police. Fate As fate would have it, the police arrived, made up of traffic police officers and to my surprise in the company of police officers from Lukhozi. The members of Lukhozi enquired on the whereabouts of the money, which I politely pointed out to them inside the bag I was carrying which they took, said the applicant. Aggrey narrated that after a brief interview in relation to the accident, he was advised by the police officers that they would have to search his room. He said he immediately obliged and went with them to his place of abode. Significant to mention is that my cellphone was seized from me subsequent to which the police dialled my contacts apparently to ferret out any sort of evidence that would link the receivers of the calls with the money and me, said the applicant. The Ugandan national said on arrival at his house, the police ransacked the place and picked upon some sachets of Cytotec pills, whose number he could not recall as he had already consumed some. He said he had kept the pills on the chest of drawers next to his bed. The United States on Thursday requested that the UN Security Council hold a meeting next week to discuss the worsening humanitarian crisis in Venezuela, diplomats said. The meeting, expected to be held on Wednesday, comes amid growing alarm over the impact of the economic and political crises in Venezuela on families and children. An internal UN report seen by AFP last week said seven million people about 24 percent of Venezuela\s population are in need of humanitarian aid, lacking access to food and medical care. Some 3.7 million people suffer from undernourishment three times the rate from the 2010-2012 period, according to the UN report. At least 22 percent of children under five suffer from chronic malnutrition. President Nicolas Maduro has blamed US sanctions for Venezuela\s economic problems but opposition leader Juan Guaido, who has declared himself interim leader, says government corruption and mismanagement are at fault. Guaido is recognized by the United States and about 50 other governments. In a note circulated to the council, the US mission to the United Nations asked for an open meeting to allow the council to be briefed by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres or his representative on the crisis. "Given the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the country, we believe a briefing is necessary and timely," said the note seen by AFP. Humanitarian emergency Maduro has charged that the United States is using humanitarian aid as a political tool to overthrow him. Human Rights Watch and a group of US public health experts released a report Thursday detailing severe medicine and food shortages in Venezuela combined with the spread of disease resulting in a "complex humanitarian emergency." They called for a full-scale response from the United Nations to address the crisis. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the world body was scaling up aid to Venezuela but stressed that relief agencies require the consent of the government to expand their operations. The Red Cross last week said it would begin distributing aid to Venezuela. At least seven people were killed and dozens injured in February when the United States sought to bring in aid to Venezuela in an operation denounced by Maduro as a foreign conspiracy to destabilize his government. The United States in February asked the council to adopt a resolution demanding new presidential elections and unimpeded deliveries of humanitarian aid, but that measure was vetoed by Russia and China. Russia has accused Washington of seeking regime change in Venezuela while China has stressed that there should be no international meddling in the South American country\s affairs. SOURCE: AFP Croatia\s former prime minister Ivo Sanader was jailed Thursday after the Supreme Court increased his sentence to six years for taking more than two million euros ($2.2 million) in kickbacks while in power, state media reported. Sanader, who led Croatia\s government from 2003-2009, was handed a four-and-a-half year jail sentence in 2017 for pocketing the cash from a real estate deal. On Thursday police escorted the former premier to Remetinac prison after his jail term was increased to six years, Hina news agency reported. "This is politically motivated persecution that has lasted for nine years and I will still fight by all means to prove my innocence," Sanader told reporters before being taken away. According to the conviction, Sanader pushed his cabinet to buy a Zagreb building for the rural development ministry at twice its market value. The government agreed to pay some 10 million euros for the property but 2.3 million euros were given directly to Sanader. The 65-year-old has faced several other graft cases in which he is suspected of embezzling millions of euros. In October he was sentenced to two and half years in jail for war profiteering, and acquitted of abuse of power charges in another trial. Sanader, who helped guide Croatia to NATO membership, is the country\s highest official to be charged with corruption since it declared independence from the former Yugoslavia in 1991. Tackling graft was key for Croatia\s successful bid to join the EU in 2013. SOURCE: AFP Titusville native Sara Aiellos band Company Townes will release their second album, Van Zandt, on April 20. The live-recorded tracks featured on the album will make their debut at a show held in Warren. You have reached a premium content area of TOL. To read this entire article please login if you are already a TOL subscriber. Not a subscriber? Subscribe today for access to: Full access to the website, including premium articles videos, country reports and searchable archives (containing over 25,000 articles). Abu Dhabi Fund for Development ADFD) has approved $80 million in funding to support a project to fortify the water sector in the province of Santa Fe in Argentina, a media report said. ADFDs concessionary loan will facilitate the expansion of an existing water treatment plant in Desvio Arijon over two phases. Upon completion, the project will provide clean drinking water to more than 300,000 beneficiaries in 19 residential areas, reported Emirates news agency Wam. Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi, director general of ADFD and Gonzalo Saglione, Minister of Economy from the Province of Santa Fe, signed the loan agreement outlining the terms of collaboration at the Funds headquarters in Abu Dhabi. Speaking on the occasion Al Suwaidi said: "ADFD is proud to ink a partnership with the Government of Argentina to enable the country to achieve its outlined strategic priorities. Over the years, business, trade and friendly bilateral ties between the UAE and Argentina have continued to strengthen and grow." He added: "Water is a primary resource to enhance the quality of life of any nation. In addition to creating job opportunities across several disciplines including construction, project management and operations, this project is also expected to bring significant socio-economic benefits to the residents of the Santa Fe province." The funding will cover the supply and installation of the necessary equipment for the operation, control and maintenance, civil, as well as electromechanical works. Furthermore, it will include the construction of four pumping stations and reservoirs in different locations. For his part, Gonzalo Saglione praised the UAEs role in assisting countries around the world with achieving their strategic growth objectives. He added that with the financial support from ADFD, water security in the province of Santa Fe in Argentina is set to become a reality and bring with it a plethora of economic benefits. ADFD enjoys a successful track-record of developmental projects in Argentina. In 2016, the Fund signed a Dh55 million ($15 million) concessionary loan agreement with Argentina to finance the construction of the Nahave Hydropower project. Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industrys representative office in Kenya recently organised a study mission to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, which explored business potential within the countrys healthcare, manufacturing, agriculture, energy, tourism and hospitality sectors. The study mission, led by Omar Khan, director of international offices, Dubai Chamber, coincided with the 7th East African Health and Scientific Conference where chamber officials examined new investment opportunities emerging across the region, said a statement from the organisation. Dubai Chamber officials visited the UAE Embassy in Dar es Salaam, where they were received by Khalifa Abdulrahman Almarzooqi, Ambassador of the UAE to Tanzania; and Mohammed Ibrahim Albahri, from UAE Embassy in Tanzania. The study mission also included visits to Tanzania Trade Development Authority, Tanzania Investment Centre, Export Processing Zones Authority and the Tanzania Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, it stated. TradeArabia News Service The strategies and challenges faced by the regional energy sector in light of the current economic situation, demand fluctuation, and oil price volatility in the global oil and gas market will be discussed at an event to be held in Abu Dhabi, UAE, later this month. The inaugural International Offshore Development Congress (IODC 2019) will take place on April 28 and 29, at the Jumeirah Etihad Towers. According to recent stats from International Energy Agency (IEA), oil prices have almost doubled in the past two years from $38.84 per barrel in January 2016 to $72.35 per barrel in May 2018, and oil demand grew by 1.3 per cent in the last year. Meanwhile, it also expects that marine gas and oil demand will more than double next year. Considerable production cuts from OPEC members including Saudi Arabia, which is expected to cut around 30 per cent of its daily output as per official statement to Bloomberg and OPECs agreement with Russia has renewed confidence in the market. The recent reports that Canada will cut production in Alberta by 325,000 barrels per day also helped the price recovery. Consistent higher oil prices and greater cost-efficiency in offshore projects are expected to increase demand for offshore drilling rigs through 2020. During the downturn, offshore companies reacted by focusing primarily on production and cutting costs. Most of the businesses have understood that they need capital discipline, and focus on productivity improvements, as well as apply new technology. Whereas, in longer term, companies are expected to enter into new types of energy operations, diversify existing assets, investments in lower-carbon processes and shift toward natural gas. Khamis Juma Buamim, chairman of Arab Association of Petroleum professionals (AAPP) and the DCMMI Emirates will open IODC 2019, he is also chairing the congress. Buamim said: We believe IODC 2019 will be a unique event which will provide opportunities to focus on current challenges, review recent developments and identify future opportunities to advance and collaborate as an industry. It will comprehensively examine regional and international offshore developments from a specialised perspective, at the same time emphasise on committing to world energy and safeguard the environment, he added. The congress will discuss operational pressures, investment challenges, environmental stewardship, and the role of renewables in the energy mix. It will also bring together key industry stakeholders including NOCs, IOCs as well as all other stakeholders relevant to the Oil and Gas offshore development. Organised by Arab Association of Petroleum Professionals (AAPP) and Maarefah Energy, the event is supported by DCMMI Emirates, World Ocean Council, Ropme, Persga, Memac and Oil & Gas Safety Council. Industry leaders such as Baker Hughes, National Marine Dredging Company, Schlumberger, Mubarak Marine, Weatherford, Wartsila, Bureau Veritas and Emirates Maritime Arbitration Centre are sponsoring the event. TradeArabia News Service Saudi Arabia-based Sabic, a global diversified manufacturing company, is showcasing its range of advanced materials to meet the modern-day needs of airlines at the ongoing Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, Germany. The range will focus on Sabics innovative, high-performance thermoplastic offerings as key constituents for novel composite materials, including resin, sheet, film, filament and foam. These thermoplastic solutions enable the production of high strength aircraft regulatory compliant, lightweight parts to aid not only fuel efficiency and component longevity, but to allow greater design freedom. The highly versatile materials are also fully compliant with all stringent international flame, smoke and toxicity regulations. Sabic has long played a leading role in creating ground-breaking new materials for a wide range of industries, said Paul DiSciullo, Global Segment leader, Mass Transportation, Sabic. As air travel continues along its ever more competitive journey, many customers are seeking design and manufacturing solutions which enable them to not only reduce costs in manufacturing and fuel consumption, but to offer passengers inflight experiences which evoke a more golden age of travel through more comfort, more luxury, more options for personalization. Airlines are seeking competitive advantages to be gained from the enhanced inflight experience - particularly in the form of increased cabin comfort - both in premium and economy classes. Additionally, airlines are looking to capitalize on product differentiation through strong branding and distinctive interior design. From an operational perspective, the light weighting of aircraft components continues to be an important enabler in allowing airlines to minimize costs and reduce maintenance and refurbishment cycles, while maintaining the highest levels of safety excellence, design flexibility and improved passenger experience. Advanced thermoplastic composites are now an important solution for such applications. Sabic is at the vanguard of development of innovative material technologies and manufacturing processes to support the aircraft interiors industry, said Peter Mintjens, business development manager, Sabic. We have engaged the most forward-thinking and exceptional talent to develop our most advanced and versatile offerings which we will be highlighting at this years Aircraft Interiors Expo. In addition to their contribution to aircraft safety and performance, Sabics innovative materials - including their ULTEM thermoplastic resin and foam - are imbued with properties that typically enhance component longevity. The companys ULTEM resin and foam have low moisture absorption, preventing mold and fungus growth; chemical resistance to mitigate damage and marking to interior parts; and retention of mechanical characteristics at both elevated and cold temperatures. Sabics high performance LEXAN LIGHT sheet, the lightest thermoplastic sheet option currently available, typically delivers up to 40 percent in weight savings when replacing traditional polyvinyl chloride and acrylic blend-based sheet products (PVC/PMMA). It may be an excellent candidate for use in a wide range of applications from seating parts, cockpit dashboard enclosures and partitions to luggage compartments and service trolleys and self-service refreshment stations. It also typically offers excellent aesthetic flexibility, available in a variety of long-life textures from high gloss to suede-like surfaces - and can be supplied in over 250 colours, enabling superb branding options to airline operators. TradeArabia News Service Action Hotels four-star Ibis Styles Manama Diplomatic Area in Bahrain has taken the kingdoms national honours at the prestigious Meed Project awards run in association with Mashreq Bank. The hotel, which opened in 2017, scooped the Commercial Property Project of the Year; the Small Project of The Year and the Tourism & Leisure Project of the Year, against fierce competition in the 2019 awards scheme which saw a record number of entries from across the GCC. Richard Thompson, editorial director, Meed, said the awards recognise Action Hotels strong commitment to completing projects and in meeting very stringent quality standards. He confirmed that the hotel now moves forward to the regional finals of the Meed Projects Awards to be judged by an expert panel of 30 highly respected industry experts with the winners to be announced on April 24. Sheikh Mubarak A. M. Al Sabah, founder and chairman of Dubai-based Action Hotels, said hopes are high for the ibis Styles Manama Diplomatic Area securing success in the GCC finals. Earning national recognition for one of our newest hotel projects is a significant achievement yet we believe this property, which was designed to strengthen Bahrains economy and its midscale branded hotel offering, has a significant chance of success in the regional finals." Our hopes for continued awards lie in the fact that the ibis Styles Manama Diplomatic Area represents a unique offering in Bahrains under-serviced economy segment, providing visitors with a modern, quality lifestyle hotel experience at an affordable price. This is an approach which is central to Action Hotels overall ethos and one which is in demand in other areas within the GCC. The ibis Styles Manama Diplomatic Area has 95 rooms, including 24 suites, the 24th floor Omniya international restaurant which offers superb views of Manamas skyline, a gym and meeting room. Room bookings are inclusive of a buffet breakfast and free wi-fi. The design dialogue was informed by the desire to deliver an affordable alternative for both leisure and business guests in a centrally located property close to Bahrain International Airport and with easy access to the Bahrain World Trade Centre, explained Sheikh Mubarak. Sheikh Mubarak said the Bahrain national honours are testament to the quality delivery of Action Hotels design team and project managers who, he said worked tirelessly to deliver this project". He added: These accolades also set new benchmarks for mid-scale hotels which we look forward to delivering this year with imminent opening of new properties, including the Novotel Bur Dubai. Action Hotels specialises in economy and midscale hotels and partners brands, such as Accor, to operate and manage them. Bahrain is a key market for Action Hotels where it currently has two properties the ibis Styles Manama Diplomatic Area and the ibis Seef, said Sheikh Mubarak. The ibis Styles Manama Diplomatic Area accommodates visitors wishing to stay close to the Bahraini capitals embassies, ministries, banks and other corporate institutions. - TradeArabia News Service Vertex Aerospace has expanded its global presence by establishing a regional office in Abu Dhabi, where it will offer complete solutions for aftermarket aerospace services for government and commercial clients. The company received its licence to practice business in the UAE on March 5 under its Vertex Global Aerospace business line. Vertex Global Aerospace (VGA) was formed on January 1, 2019. The leadership of the newly established VGA business line held a soft opening February 16, 2019, at its Abu Dhabi location and attended the city's International Defence Exhibition and Conference in the same week. Steve Suttles, senior director of VGA's Middle East and Africa business operations, said the company is pleased to open its first regional office in the UAE. "Abu Dhabi is modern, business friendly, and perfectly positioned within the region for easy access to over 75 countries," said Suttles. "We believe the security, stability, and economy in the UAE are strong and we are happy to support strategies and policies that promote the region." Suttles said he is excited about the Company's recently formed partnerships in the UAE as well as future international opportunities. "We currently have contracts in Kuwait and plan to expand our presence in the Middle East and African regions," Suttles said. "This makes the UAE strategically the optimal location to establish our first global footprint with trusted partners." New York-based private equity firm American Industrial Partners purchased Vertex Aerospace in June 2018 to operate as a standalone company. The company now has the capability to provide full-spectrum aerospace support worldwide and has grown its annual revenue to over $1.2 billion. Vertex began its business as a product support division of Beechcraft in 1975. Over the past 43 years, the company has been owned by divisions of Raytheon, L-3 Technologies, and private equity companies. Vertex Aerospace is a global defence company that provides all aftermarket aerospace services for government and private sector customers. The Mississippi-based company has over 4,200 employees at its 65 US and 35 international locations and proudly employs a 50 percent veteran workforce. Lufthansa will reinstate its direct connection to Sao Paulo in its Munich flight schedule from December 2. Planned are three weekly connections with the Airbus A350-900 to Brazil's largest city. Flight LH504 departs Munich every Monday, Thursday and Saturday at 10:30 p.m., arriving in Sao Paulo at 07:55 a.m. the following day. The return flight leaves the Brazilian metropolis at 07:00 p.m. local time and arrives in Munich at 09:35 a.m. "The route offering is further proof of the positive development of Munich as a premium hub. For the first time, Lufthansa is operating the Airbus A350-900 to South America, the most modern and environmentally friendly long-haul aircraft in the world, said Wilken Bormann, CEO Lufthansa Hub Munich. Sao Paulo is Brazil's most important economic, financial and cultural centre and the largest industrial urban area in Latin America. The greater metropolitan region of Grande Sao Paulo has a population of 21 million. This makes Sao Paulo one of the world's largest cities. Due to high demand, Lufthansa will be offering its second daily flight from Frankfurt to Chicago O'Hare International Airport in winter 2019/20 for the first time. Together with the joint venture partner United Airlines, a total of four daily flights will be offered. The Airbus A340 operated under flight number 432 is scheduled to take off from Frankfurt at 4:45 p.m. and arrive in "The Windy City", on Lake Michigan, almost 10 hours later at 7:25 p.m. local time, local time. From Chicago United Airlines offers connections to 155 destinations in North America. The return flight is set for 22:55 in the evening, landing in Frankfurt at 13:35 the following day. TradeArabia News Service Sydney, Apr 4 (UNI) The number of new corals on Australia's Great Barrier Reef has plunged by 89 per cent since unprecedented bleaching events in 2016 and 2017, scientists say. The Great Barrier Reef, off the coast of Queensland in northeastern Australia, is the largest living thing on Earth, and even visible from outer space. The 2,300km-long ecosystem comprises thousands of reefs and hundreds of islands made of over 600 types of hard and soft coral. It's home to countless species of colourful fish, molluscs and starfish, plus turtles, dolphins and sharks. The events, which damaged two-thirds of the world's largest reef system, are now being blamed for triggering a collapse in coral re-growth last year. New Delhi, Apr 4 (UNI) India on Thursday said it is 'engaged' with the United States on the issue of waiver for buyers of Iranian oil and maintained that as of now it will adopt the policy of wait and watch. "We are engaging with the United States. The waiver lapses on May 4. Let us see what happens," MEA spokesman Raveesh Kumar told reporters here. Indias purchase of Iranian crude oil has reportedly figured in parleys between Indian and the US during the Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale's three-day visit to the US in March. Geneva, Apr 4 (UNI) One in four health care facilities around the world lacks basic water services, impacting over 2 billion people, according to a new report by WHO and UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (JMP). The WHO/UNICEF JMP report, WASH in Health Care Facilities, is the first comprehensive global assessment of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in health care facilities. It also finds that one in five health care facilities has no sanitation service, impacting 1.5 billion people. The report further reveals that many health centres lack basic facilities for hand hygiene and safe segregation and disposal of health care waste. These services are crucial to preventing infections, reducing the spread of antimicrobial resistance and providing quality care, particularly for safe childbirth. Water, sanitation and hygiene services in health facilities are the most basic requirements of infection prevention and control, and of quality care. They are fundamental to respecting the dignity and human rights of every person who seeks health care and of health workers themselves, said Antonio Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General. I call on people everywhere to support action for WASH in all health care facilities. This is essential to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. The WHO/UNICEF JMP report found that just half 55 per cent of health care facilities in Least Developed Countries (LDCs) had basic water services. It is estimated that 1 in 5 births globally takes place in LDCs, and that, each year, 17 million women in these countries give birth in health centres with inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene. When a baby is born in a health facility without adequate water, sanitation and hygiene, the risk of infection and death for both the mother and the baby is high, said UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore. Every birth should be supported by a safe pair of hands, washed with soap and water, using sterile equipment, in a clean environment. In an accompanying report, Water, sanitation, and hygiene in health care facilities: Practical steps to achieve universal access for quality care, WHO and UNICEF researchers note that more than 1 million deaths each year are associated with unclean births. Infections account for 26 per cent of neonatal deaths and 11% of maternal mortality. Imagine giving birth or taking your sick child to a health centre with no safe water, toilets or handwashing facilities, said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. Thats the reality for millions of people every day. No one should have to do that, and no health worker should have to provide care in those circumstances. Ensuring that all health care facilities have basic water, sanitation and hygiene services is essential for achieving a healthier, safer, fairer world. At the 2019 World Health Assembly to be held in May, governments will debate a resolution on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Health Care Facilities which was unanimously approved by the WHO Executive Board earlier this year. The WHO and UNICEF Practical Steps report provides details on eight actions governments can take to improve the WASH services in health care facilities including establishing national plans and targets, improving infrastructure and maintenance and engaging communities. These actions and resulting in improvements in WASH services can yield dramatic returns on investment in the form of improved maternal and newborn health, preventing antimicrobial resistance, stopping disease outbreaks and improving quality of care. According to UNICEF, 7,000 newborn babies died every day in 2017, mostly from preventable and treatable conditions including infections ike sepsis. As part of its Every Child Alive Campaign, UNICEF is calling for governments and authorities to make sure every mother and baby have access to affordable, quality care. Last year, Fore and Dr Tedros called on countries to strengthen their primary health care systems as an essential step toward achieving universal health coverage. UNI XC-BM GK 0659 (King County Sheriff's Office) Police released images of a suspect who allegedly raped a woman in Seattle in December 2018. (SEATTLE) -- Police arrested a Washington state man who they believe raped a woman while pretending to be her ride-share driver. Authorities say a man turned himself in on Wednesday, a day after police shared surveillance footage of his face and identified him as a person of interest in a December sexual assault. Police in King County, Washington, which encompasses Seattle, said the 34-year-old unidentified suspect turned himself in after a family member recognized him in surveillance footage from outside of the victim's home. "Thanks to the extensive media coverage, a family member recognized the person of interest and, a short time later, the 34-year-old male turned himself in," the King County Sheriff's Office said in statement Wednesday. "Upon further investigation, the suspect was arrested today at his attorneys office and booked into the King County Jail for investigation of rape." Police said the suspect led the woman to believe that he was her driver, but detectives have not "been unable to associate the man with any ride-share company." Investigators had been seeking the suspect since December, when a woman alleged that a ride-share driver had raped her after picking her up from a bar, according to police. "She went outside to catch her rideshare home that a friend had ordered for her. A man in a black vehicle, possibly a Dodge Charger, led her to believe he was her ride-share driver," the office said in a statement. "While driving her home, the victim states the man pulled the vehicle over and raped her." The sheriff's office did not provide any details about the suspect's identity in the statement. It was unclear if he had been charged as of late Wednesday night. The arrest comes as lawmakers debate the potential safety risks of ride-hailing apps like Uber and Lyft. South Carolina legislators recently introduced the "Samantha L. Josephson Ridesharing Safety Act," a bill named after a 21-year-old University of South Carolina student who was killed last weekend after getting into a vehicle she mistook for her Uber. The bill would require ride-sharing vehicles to have an illuminated, company-provided sign with the company's "trademark or logo that is patently visible so as to be seen in darkness," the legislature said. Josephson was alone when she mistakenly jumped into a stranger's car early Friday morning. She died from multiple sharp force injuries, officials said, and her body was recovered in a wooded area. Police arrested Nathaniel Rowland on charges of murder and kidnapping in connection with Josephson's death, according to police. He is next due in court on April 22. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. [CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY] STATEMENT BY SIMONETTA DI PIPPO DIRECTOR UNITED NATIONS OFFICE FOR OUTER SPACE AFFAIRS (UNOOSA) 58th Session of the Legal Subcommittee of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space 3 April 2019 Vienna, Austria Mr. Chair, distinguished delegates, On behalf of the Office for Outer Space Affairs, I thank you for the opportunity to address this session on the work of the Office. I would like to assure you Mr. Chair of our commitment to assist you in running the meetings. At the outset, allow me to welcome Cyprus, Ethiopia, Finland, Mauritius and Paraguay as new States members of the Committee, and the European Union, International Organization of Standardization, CANEUS-International and For All Moonkind, as the newest observer organizations to the Committee. This year we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the US Apollo 11 mission and the first moon landing placing humans on the surface of the moon. This iconic milestone marked a historic new phase in space exploration and has inspired humanity beyond space activities. Space exploration and innovation has excelled over the years and we see present and coming planetary missions to the Moon, Mars and other planets in our solar system. As international cooperation in space affairs continues to advance, we are also seeing increased interest in other bodies of the solar system, including moons of planets and asteroids. Mr. Chair, distinguished delegates, Space exploration and innovation is also becoming increasingly important at the regional level. Last week, for example, the Office held a workshop in Amman on "global partnership in space exploration and innovation" jointly co-organized with Jordan and hosted by the Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology Education for Western Asia, affiliated to the United Nations. At the workshop an important initiative was presented in which 11 countries agreed at the United Arab Emirates Global Space Congress the week before to the formation of an Arab Space Group with the objective to advance the development of the region's space sector. Mr. Chair, distinguished delegates, In connection to space exploration and innovation, this year we commemorate the 40th anniversary of the adoption of the Moon Agreement in 1979. This is the fifth of the United Nations treaties on outer space and the Secretary-General of the United Nations serves as depository to this treaty and to the fourth of the space treaties, namely the Registration Convention. The specific depository function of the Secretary-General is maintained by the Treaty Section of the Office of Legal Affairs at New York. As delegations are aware, the Office for Outer Space Affairs discharges the responsibilities of the Secretary-General under the treaties and principles on outer space. This is separate from the depository function and deals with the substantive responsibilities assigned to the Secretary-General. In this context and since last year's session of the Legal Subcommittee, the Office received and disseminated information provided by Paraguay and Mexico under Article V of the Rescue Agreement on the recovery of space objects within its territory. Additionally, the Office received and disseminated a notification by China under the NPS Principles concerning the launch of the Chang'e 4 lunar mission. With regard to the United Nations Register of Objects Launched into Outer Space, the Office is pleased to note that, in 2018, 229 functional space objects and 101 non-functional space objects were registered with the Secretary-General by Argentina, Algeria, Australia, Brazil, Chile, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Lao PDR, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Pakistan, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Spain, United Kingdom, USA, Uruguay & Eumetsat. Notifications of 32 space object re-entries and 18 notifications of the change in status, i.e. decommissioning, changes in orbital parameters including GSO position, etc. were provided by States. Additionally, New Zealand provided a notification on the establishment of its national space object registry in accordance with Article II of the Convention. The Office would like to invite States Parties who have not provided such a notification to do so. The Office would also like to note that to date, in 2019, it has already received registration submissions for 165 functional and 31 non-functional space objects from Belarus, Belgium, Colombia, Denmark, Finland, France, Indonesia, Kenya, Poland, Norway, Russian Federation, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, USA and ESA. Given the planned schedule for space launches in 2019, the Office expects to receive a substantial number of registrations over the course of the year. In addition, the Office continues to serve as the United Nations focal point on re-entry of nuclear-powered space objects for the Joint Radiation Emergency Management Plan of the International Organizations. The summary above on the status of formal actions under the treaties and principles demonstrates the importance of further enhancing the application and implementation of obligations under the United Nations instruments on outer space. The Office would like to thank States and intergovernmental organizations for their assistance in the fulfilment of those responsibilities under the treaties and principles on outer space. Mr. Chair, distinguished delegates, In relation to the application and implementation of the rights and obligations under the legal regime of outer space, delegations are aware of the long-standing capacity-building programme of the Office devoted to space law and policy where 10 workshops were successfully held between 2002 and 2016 in cooperation with the Netherlands, Republic of Korea, Brazil, Nigeria, Ukraine, Islamic Republic of Iran, Thailand, Argentina, China, and at the UN premises in Vienna. Building upon this series of workshops, the Office last year moved on with a new phase in its capacity-building efforts, by a new series of dedicated United Nations Conferences on Space Law and Policy, for which the first one was successfully co-organized with the Russian Federation and held in Moscow on 11-13 September 2018. The report of this conference is available in document A/AC.105/1195 and contains a comprehensive summary of the discussions held. The Office is currently preparing for the next conference planned to be held in Istanbul, Turkey, on 23-26 September this year in cooperation with Turkey and APSCO and to be hosted by Tubitak. Capacity-building in space law and policy must connect to efforts in the scientific and technical field, and therefore the Office is determined to continue and further develop the integrated and cross-sectorial approach that is successfully being applied to the series of High-level Forums, annual symposiums held in Graz, Austria, and under the Office's Basic Space Technology Initiative (BSTI), respectively. Such cross-sectorial dialogue covering science, technology, law and policy is essential in the complex space agenda of today and in the future. In this context, I would also like to point out the importance of capacity-building and training in space law and policy targeting specifically policy- and decision-makers. Today, stakeholders around the world are accessing the space environment with substantial investments in space activities. With an increasing evolution of new actors, there is a pressing need to enhance efforts to raise awareness of, and adherence to, the existing normative framework governing space activities. The Office works with stakeholders across the legal, policy and capacity-building fields of international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space. In this context, the Office is setting in motion a new project on "space law for new space actors: fostering responsible national space activities" to deliver space law and policy capacity-building and advisory services, targeted and tailored predominantly for regulatory authorities from countries who are either entering the space sector for the first time or who are embarking upon new phases of their space activities. This innovative project will assess the needs of requesting States on technical legal assistance taking into account judicial, administrative and technical requirements; raise global awareness of the fundamental principles of international space law; and support the adherence and implementation of the normative framework governing outer space activities. The Office calls out to partners for joining in this endeavour and for contributing financially to the realization of this project of advocacy being initiated by the Office. A presentation on this project will be made by the Office in the afternoon meeting of Monday 8 April during this session of the Legal Subcommittee. Mr. Chair, distinguished delegates, I wish to inform delegations of the recent official evaluation of the Office for Outer Space Affairs conducted and completed on 8 March 2019 by the Inspection and Evaluation Division of the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS). The full report of this procedural evaluation covers a broad spectrum of Office activities and will be made publicly available on the website of OIOS on April 8 next week. A number of stakeholders and partners, including representatives of States members of the Committee, were interviewed for the evaluation and this indeed brought valuable insight to the work and performance of the Office. Allow me to touch upon a few of the key findings, noting that OIOS stated in the executive summary to the evaluation report, inter alia, that "UNOOSA is a small office with a unique mandate covering the full range of peaceful uses of outer space" and that "overall, UNOOSA remained relevant and essential: first, to service an evolving international legal framework encompassing rapidly-developing scenarios in outer space affairs; second, to address the needs of Member States in developing their legal and technical capacity to harness the benefits of space for humankind; and third, to help close the gap between space-faring and non-space-faring countries amidst rapid political, technical and commercial changes". The consistent appreciation expressed by stakeholders was reflected in the evaluation results with OIOS noting, the 'overwhelmingly positive feedback about the Office's accomplishments despite a small budget, with no other entity within or outside the UN possessing a comparable mandate covering the full breath of political, legal and scientific affairs related to the peaceful uses of outer space.' Among the set of recommendations spanning over a broader area of programmatic activities of the Office, in a legal context, one specific recommendation pertains to the role of the Office in discharging the responsibilities of the Secretary-General under the legal regime of outer space. It is recommended that, in anticipation of growth in the number of objects launched into outer space in the near future, the Office should review and modernize its registration process and capacity to maintain a high registration rate. This expected large increase in space object launches in the years to come and the relationship to the obligations of registration, is an area of concern to the Office. The registration of space objects is primarily a responsibility of governments, and the Office stands ready to assist in upholding a robust registration system. However, the Office cannot do this alone and in isolation. The central United Nations Register on Objects Launched into Outer Space is a common treaty-bound mechanism for responsible national space activities, and we must work together to ensure that awareness of, and adherence to, this mechanism is as high as possible. I would like to thank the ones among you who took the time to answer the questions of OIOS and presented such a positive opinion on the performance of the Office. While some recommendations can, and will, be implemented and that the Office has already taken actions in the proper direction, others cannot be implemented due to a lack of human resources in the Office which has been reported in the formal response to OIOS, available as annex I and II of the evaluation report. Mr. Chair, distinguished delegates, In conclusion, let me underscore the commitment of my Office in supporting all States in continuously developing and maintaining responsible space activities through our role in discharging the responsibilities of the Secretary-General under the treaties and principles on outer space, and through capacity-building and advocacy activities as explained above. Thank you for your attention. **** Annex Cooperation Agreements The following agreements have been negotiated and signed between the Office for Outer Space Affairs and various parties in 2018: Memorandum of Understanding on Joint Collaboration between the United Nations, represented by the Office for Outer Space Affairs (OOSA), and the Italian Space Agency (ASI) (in Force as of 26 February 2018); Memorandum of Understanding between the United Nations and Committee on Space Research (19 March 2018); Memorandum of Understanding between the United Nations Represented by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs and Caneus International on the Rules- And Principles-Based Cooperation in Promoting Partnerships Between OOSA and Industry and the Private Sector (17 April 2018); Memorandum of Understanding between the United Nations and Spacetrust (4 June 2018); Memorandum of Understanding between the United Nations and Airbus Defence and Space GmbH (18 June 2018); Memorandum of Understanding between the United Nations and the German Aerospace Centre (18 June 2018); Amendment No. 1 to the Framework Agreement between the United Nations, represented by the Office for Outer Space Affairs, and the China Manned Space Agency concerning Cooperation on the Utilization of China's Space Station (19 June 2018); Declaration of intent to cooperate on the Belt and Road Space Information Corridor between the United Nations, Represented by the Office for Outer Space Affairs, and the China National Space Administration (19 June 2018); Memorandum of Understanding Between the United Nations and Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (21 June 2019); Letter of Agreement from the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for Funding Secretariat Support Services to the International Committee on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (ICG) (4 September 2018); Letter of Grant to the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs from the Government of New Zealand to support the Space Solutions for the Pacific Project (22 October 2018); Memorandum of Understanding between the United Nations and Universita Bocconi (8 November 2018); Memorandum of Understanding Between the United Nations and the World Space Week Association (22 November 2018); Memorandum of Understanding between the United Nations and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education of the Portuguese Republic and the Ad-Air Centre for Cooperation in the Field of Space Technology, Applications and Data Utilisation (27 November 2018). Exchange of Letters In 2018, for conducting its activities outside of the established headquarters of the United Nations, the Office concluded host country agreements through the exchange of letters with the Governments of Argentina, Austria, Brazil, China, Germany, Pakistan and Russian Federation. The following requirements are essential for the conclusion of Host Country Agreements: 1) The need for timely conclusion of an agreement/exchange of letters prior to the holding of workshops, training courses, seminars and symposia, organized by the Office on behalf of the United Nations and held away from established Headquarters. Agreements should be concluded at least 3-6 months before the anticipated date of the meeting to allow formal letters of invitation and other obligations to be carried out. Once firm deadlines for the conclusion of all legal arrangements have been established, non-compliance could result in the postponement or cancellation of the event; and 2) The observance of the fundamental purpose of Host Country Agreements, namely the need to ensure that (a) the necessary privileges and immunities are granted by the host Government to all persons participating in or providing services for the event; (b) all invitees to a United Nations event are granted unimpeded access to and from the meeting venue, and that no limitations of a domestic nature are placed on the granting of visas where the latter are necessary; (c) the host Government will indemnify and hold the United Nations harmless for any injury or loss occurring within the premises or the transportation provided by the host Government, or by the support personnel provided for the event by the Government; and (d) an effective provision on the peaceful settlement of disputes is provided. Awareness-raising and Outreach in 2018 United Nations/International Days and Anniversaries Dates International Day of Women and Girls in Science 11 February 2018 International Women's Day 8 March 2018 International Day of Human Space flight 12 April 2018 International Asteroid Day 30 June 2018 World Space Week 4-10 October 2018 International Day for Disaster Reduction 13 October 2018 Exhibitions Location, Dates UNISPACE+50 (together with over 40 other exhibitors) Vienna, 18-23 June 2018 My Planet, My Future: Space for the Sustainable Development Goals (together with CANEUS) United Nations, New York 10 July-5 September 2018 Space2030: Space as a Driver for Peace (together with SpaceTrust) United Nations, New York 24 September 2018 UNOOSA: Bringing the benefits of space to humankind (at International Astronautical Congress) Bremen, Germany 1-5 October 2018 Publications Symbol/Date European Global Navigation Satellite System and Copernicus: Supporting the Sustainable Development Goals. Building Blocks towards the 2030 Agenda" ST/SPACE/71 29 January 2018 UNOOSA 2017 Annual Report ST/SPACE/72 15 June 2018 Near-Earth Objects and Planetary Defence ST/SPACE/73 29 June 2018 The Interoperable Global Navigation Satellite Systems Space Service Volume ST/SPACE/75 30 October 2018 Other activities Location, Dates Champion for Space (UNISPACE+50 countdown campaign, keynote address and other engagements; video message to students of International School of Bratislava) Vienna, 19 June 2018; October 2018 Awareness-raising and Outreach planned for 2019 United Nations/International Days and Anniversaries Dates International Day of Women and Girls in Science 11 February 2019 International Women's Day 8 March 2019 World Water Day 22 March 2019 International Day of Human Space flight 12 April 2019 40 th Anniversary of the Vienna International Centre May & September 2019 World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought 17 June 2019 International Asteroid Day 30 June 2019 International Youth Day 12 July 2019 20 th Anniversary of UNISPACE III 19 July 2019 50 th Anniversary of the Moon Landing 20 July 2019 World Space week 4-10 October 2019 International Day for Disaster Reduction 13 October 2019 Exhibitions Location, Dates UNOOSA: Bringing the benefits of space to humankind (at International Astronautical Congress) Washington, United States of America 21-25 October 2019 Publications Date UNOOSA 2018 Annual Report June 2019 RESOURCES OF THE OFFICE Human Resources overview Funding Source 2010-2011 2012-2013 2014-2015 2016-2017 2018 2019 (as at February) Regular Budget 24 (19P/5GS) 24 (19P/5GS) 23 (18P/5GS) 23 (18P/5GS) 23 (18P/5GS) 23 (18P/5GS) Extra-Budgetary (Cash) 2 (2GS) 2 (2GS) 3 (1P/2GS) 4 (2P/2GS) 6 (3P/3GS) 2 (Temp) 6 (3P/3GS) 2 (Temp) Extra Budgetary (In-kind) 9 (6NRL/3JPO) 9 (5NRL/4JPO) 7 (5NRL/2JPO) 8 (6NRL/2JPO) 9 (6NRL/3JPO) 9 (6NRL/3JPO) Total Staff* 35 35 33 35 40 40 Financial resources overview Regular Budget Thousands of United States dollars 2010-2011 2012-2013 2014-2015 2016-2017 2018-2019* 8 592.0 8 305.5 7 774.3 7 561.8 7 795.7 * Revised appropriation as approved by General Assembly in A/RES/73/280A-C on 22 December 2018 on basis of first performance report on programme budget for the biennium 2018-2019 (A/73/493; A/73/625). Extra-budgetary Thousands of United States dollars 2018 Donors Cash contributions (excl. prior period adjustments) 1 241.5 Airbus, Asia Pacific Space Cooperation Organisation (APSCO); Austrospace; Beihang University, China; Brazilian Space Agency (AEB); CANEUS; Centre for Remote Sensing of Land Surfaces of the University of Bonn, Germany (ZFL-UniBonn); Centre for Space, Science and Technology Education for Asia and the Pacific (CSSTEAP), India; China Manned Space Agency (CMSA); China National Space Administration (CNSA); China Satellite Navigation Office; City of Graz; City of Vienna; Comision Nacional de Actividades Espaciales (CONAE), Argentina Delta State University; DigitalGlobe; European Commission European Space Agency; Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Brazil; German Aerospace Centre (DLR); Government of Austria (Office of the President, Ministry of Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Transportation, Innovation and Technology and Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG); Government of China (Ministry of Emergency Management); Government of Germany (Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs of Germany (BMWi) and Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)); Government of Israel; Government of New Zealand; Government of the United States of America (Department of States Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs and Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration); Graz University of Technology; the Holy See; Instituto Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (IFRN), Brazil; Inter-Islamic Network on Space Science and Technology (ISNET); International Astronautical Federation (IAF); International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP); International Water Management Institute; Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA); Joanneum Research Forschungsgessellschaft mbH; Kyushu Institute of Technology, Japan; National Disaster Reduction Centre of China (NDRCC); National Institute for Space Research (INPE), Brazil; National Point of Contact for Space Law, Austria; National Space Agency of Pakistan (SUPARCO); Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz International Prize for Water (PSIPW); Sierra Nevada Corporation; South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Disaster Management Centre (Interim unit), India; Spacetrust; State of Styria, Austria; State Space Corporation (ROSCOSMOS); University of Bonn, Germany Women in Aerospace; World Vision International and ZARM Fallturm-Betriebsgessellschaft mbH. In-kind Contributions (excluding value of staff placement with Office on non-reimbursable loan basis (NRL) or under the junior professional programme (JPO)) 976,5 ____________________ UW, Professional Engineers Bring Program into Wyoming Classrooms Engineers Week, a partnership between the University of Wyoming, and the Wyoming Board of Professional Engineers and Professional Land Surveyors, recently had a record number of engineers bring hands-on projects into several Wyoming third-grade classrooms. This years program saw an increase of more than 300 participants compared to last year, with 130 engineers and 3,636 students representing 198 third-grade classrooms across Wyoming. The program, held in late February, benefited from the support of Union Wireless. This years Engineers Week program would not be possible without generous support from Union Wireless, says Teddi Freedman, K-14 project coordinator for the College of Engineering and Applied Science at UW. This program continues to have a positive impact on our youth, teachers and working professionals. We are grateful for the opportunity to collaborate and to inspire the next generation of engineers. Engineers Week brings professional- and college-level engineers into third-grade classrooms around the state to lead a one-hour hands-on activity. The activities strive to inspire the next generation of engineers through direct discovery and aim to build a stronger sense of community among school children, teachers and professionals working in the field of engineering. Our engineers were awesome, and the kids really had fun, says one third-grade teacher. We had to stop them after an hour and 20 minutes, and they wanted to keep going. It is definitely a big hit and, as one kid said, Learning sure was fun today! Wyoming elementary schools participating in Engineers Week activities were in: Afton, Arapahoe, Baggs, Bar Nunn, Basin, Big Piney, Buffalo, Burns, Carpenter, Casper, Centennial, Cheyenne, Cody, Cowley, Douglas, Dubois, Ethete, Gillette, Green River, Guernsey, Jackson, Kaycee, LaBarge, Lander, Laramie, Lusk, Meeteetse, Pine Bluffs, Pinedale, Powell, Ranchester, Rawlins, Riverton, Rock River, Rock Springs, Saratoga, Sheridan, Shoshoni, Sundance, Ten Sleep, Thayne and Thermopolis. Union Wireless, founded in 1914 in Mountain View, has supported numerous UW events this year, including Engineers Week. As a Wyoming company, weve made a commitment to support educational programs across the state wherever possible, says Brian Woody, Union Wireless chief customer relations officer. Working together with the University of Wyoming, were able to support academic programs to foster the workforce in the field of engineering. Since 2007, Union Wireless has provided significant support in a variety of areas, including the College of Engineering and Applied Science, the UW Art Museum and the College of Business. In an effort to align its philanthropic support of UW with the impact Union Wireless hopes to have on the state, the theme Supporting Todays and Fostering Tomorrows Workforce was created, Woody says. The theme is central in supporting academic scholarships and internships in UWs College of Business, and College of Engineering and Applied Science; Impact Day; Engineers Week; the Engineering Summer Program; and the Summer High School Institute; and the state Future Business Leaders of America conference. A number of our engineers and other employees are UW graduates, Woody says. We look forward to continuing that tradition. Wyoming Business Tips for April 8-14 A weekly look at issues facing Wyoming business owners and entrepreneurs from the Wyoming Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network, a collection of business assistance programs at the University of Wyoming. By Michael Lambert, MRC manager, Wyoming SBDC Network If your business has exempt employees (employees who do not have to be paid overtime), then you should pay attention to new proposed rules issued last month by the Department of Labor (DOL). The proposed rules will raise the minimum salary level used to determine whether an employee is exempt from receiving overtime pay for working more than 40 hours in one workweek. Currently, the salary threshold is $455 per week, or $23,660 per year. The proposed new DOL rules will raise the threshold to $679 per week, or $35,308 per year. Other changes to the rule allow employers to include certain nondiscretionary bonuses and incentive payments (including commissions) to satisfy up to 10 percent of the new $679 per week salary threshold. Additionally, the salary threshold to qualify for the highly compensated employees category (who are subject to a less rigorous duties test) will increase from $100,000 to $147,414. Whats the bottom line? The DOL estimates that around 1.1 million people will start receiving overtime pay who currently are exempt. What should your business do? Immediately begin auditing your exempt employees who currently make more than the old $23,660 per year and less than the new limit. Anyone who earns more than $35,308 also needs to meet the duties test of working in specifically defined executive, administrative, professional and outside sales roles to qualify as exempt. These duties tests are not changing, but you really should audit all exempt employees to ensure that you are properly classifying them. If you have any highly compensated employees who earn between $100,000 to the new $147,414 who would not pass the duties test, they may need to be reclassified as well. Comments will be taken for 60 days by the DOL, with implementation of the new rules expected in January 2020. Will this have an impact on your business? If youd like to discuss this with one of our regional directors, contact the Wyoming SBDC Network on our website, www.wyomingsbdc.org. The Wyoming SBDC Network offers business expertise to help Wyoming residents think about, launch, grow, reinvent or exit their business. The Wyoming SBDC Network is hosted by UW with state funds from the Wyoming Business Council and funded, in part, through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. To ask a question, call 1-800-348-5194, email wsbdc@uwyo.edu, or write 1000 E. University Ave., Dept. 3922, Laramie, WY, 82071-3922. When Jill Albin, director of the Richmond Area Chamber of Commerce, turned in her retirement letter to the chamber board of directors, it didnt mean the nonprofit incorporated 40 year ago should close down. My retirement is not supposed to mean they close, and my plan did not precipitate the idea to close, Albin said. I gave them my letter in November and I offered to train someone new if they wanted me to do that. Yet in the months since Albin announced her retirement, the board of directors has repeatedly met to discuss what direction to go in and recently decided to cease operating in the city. The vote was not to close, but to disband, the chamber because of a lack of interest (from members) and opposition from the municipality, said board member Arianna Welsh, owner of Mother Earth Natural Health in New Haven. With the total lack of interest from the membership it was hard to carry on. Chamber board President Yvonne Markel, owner of Laser-Mark-It in Richmond, said she couldnt agree more and feels bad about the decision. Despite having 130 members in the chamber, a handful of people might show up for a monthly meeting, and fewer turn up to help out at events, Markel said. We are all sad that this is happening, she added. Its very disappointing. The chamber will host a meeting at 7:30 a.m. April 18 at the Richmond Community Center. All interested members are invited to attend and share their ideas about the fate of the organization. Chamber decision a surprise As word got out in the community that the chamber might close, it was unpleasant news to some, and a surprise and disappointment to Richmond Mayor Tim Rix. The chamber is a very important part of the community, Rix said. Ive already heard that people are interested in picking this up and I certainly dont want to see the door slammed shut there. While the chamber and the city have always been completely separate entities, Rix said he takes offense at any implication that officials didnt support the group. He said over the years they have done everything from providing manpower from the department of public works for chamber events that needed tear downs to giving monetary help with TIFA funds, and in general, being a go-to when asked while supporting events the chamber launched in the city. This town has bent over backwards for years to support the chamber, Rix said. And I dont know what other city has down more to support a chamber. I was a teenager putting up Christmas lights on behalf of the chamber with my dad. Thats how far this organization goes back in this community. The manner in which the chamber may be dissolved is also questioned by Rix, who wondered why the board didnt let the membership and community know about the decision so that someone else could step forward to run things. Albin, Welsh and Markel all point to the memberships lack of interest and support over the past year as to why it didnt seem like a formal announcement was necessary. Albin said a letter about the plan and checks refunding dues to members was to be mailed as the chamber closed. Markel said the chamber was often criticized by members who wanted know exactly what the chamber was doing for their businesses. I would ask them, What are you doing?' Markel said. They are supposed to be part of this, not just paying your dues and expecting someone to send a busload of 50 people to your business. We just could not get enough people involved, but instead of coming to us and saying, Why arent you doing this or that? they just didnt show up, Albin added. Well, the mind reader part of my job didnt kick in yet I guess, and we all feel really bad about this. Sponsorship support remained strong for chamber events, but running them with a handful of volunteers just became too much. Markel also said the use of social media may have played a part in the direction the chamber took because it seems people, including business owners, are becoming content to get information online rather that at events and meetings. Its like people dont want that personal contact anymore, Markel said. Albin ready to retire Hired at the Richmond chamber as an office assistant in 2010 before being named to lead the organization in 2012, Albin reports to a board comprising area business owners. The chamber provided its membership with a weekly newsletter via email and distributed 9,000 map books, marking the location of businesses in the chamber. In addition, the chamber sponsored many events in the city over the years, including an annual trick-or-treat night, a winter festival with ice sculptures, an elected officials breakfast forum and a popular scarecrow contest downtown in the fall. Albin also introduced new events, including the Alpaca Races and Drag Queen Bingo. Most recently, she was starting to promote events at Richmond Community Schools, hosting an afternoon at the movies for local families during the winter festival. I think we provided a lot for our little businesses that they wouldnt be able to do on their own, Albin said. She said it is also important to note that while Richmond has 228 businesses, 53 belong to the chamber of commerce, which means only a quarter of the chambers overall membership is in the city. Members are businesses and organizations from the city of Richmond and Richmond, Lenox, Columbus and Casco townships, as well as other businesses that have an interest in the area. The final Richmond Area Chamber of Commerce meeting is scheduled for 7:30 a.m. April 18 at the Richmond Community Center, located at 36164 Festival Drive in Richmond. Barb Pert Templeton is a freelance reporter. She can be contacted at barbperttempleton.reporter@yahoo.com. Pine River Sportsmans Club to host Youth Day Pine River Sportsman Club is inviting children ages 8 to 16 to learn firearm safety and enjoy supervised archery, BB guns, pellet guns, 22 cal. rifles, shotguns and black powder guns from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 11. Youth Day participants are asked to not bring any firearms or bows, as everything will be supplied by organizers at no charge, a flyer for the event states. Everyone will have a short safety class before shooting. Parents must be present to sign permission slips. Pine River Sportsmans Club is located at 2589 Carriage Lane in St. Clair. For more information, call Jim Kuecken at 810-765-5619. SCWL offers Returning Womens Scholarships The St. Clair Womens League is offering scholarships to women in the greater St. Clair community who are returning to college to further their education or to become retrained for a new career. Two Returning Womens Scholarships are available. Upon review and selection of qualified applicants, two women 21 and older who live within the East China School District will be awarded $1,250 each to pursue educational goals. Each applicant must demonstrate financial need, local community involvement and good standing in the community and must be working toward a defined career goal. For more information or to obtain an application, contact Returning Womens Scholarship Committee Chairwoman Pat OConnor at 810-334-1265 or pcoconnor1@gmail.com. Completed applications must be received by the committee by May 30. The SCWL, a community service group, raises funds to benefit people and projects throughout the community. SC4 to host health sciences information sessions St. Clair County Community College will host free information sessions on its main campus for three of its health sciences programs in April. Attending an information session is the first step for anyone interested in earning a health sciences degree from SC4, college officials said in a news release. The information session for the health information technology associate degree program will run from noon to 1 p.m. April 18 in Room 206 of the Acheson Technology Center. Evening appointments are also available by emailing program Director Karen Wilson at klwilson@sc4.edu. The program prepares students for a variety of careers in the health care field. Students learn the process of acquiring, analyzing and protecting digital and traditional medical information, which is vital to providing quality patient care, supporting medical education and research and more. Graduates of the program are eligible to take the nationally recognized Registered Health Information Technician Exam. A medical assisting information session will take place from noon to 1 p.m. April 18 in Room 119 of the Acheson Technology Center. The medical assisting program is a 12-month certificate program that prepares students to perform various clinical and administrative duties in a variety of health care settings. Graduates gain the knowledge and skills necessary for further health sciences education and are eligible to take the national credentialing exam. Radiologic technology associate degree program information sessions will take place from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. April 18 and 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. April 24 in Room 206 of the Welcome Center. The program prepares students to become radiologic technologists by combining imaging technology with patient care skills to create quality radiography images. It has a five-year, 100 percent first-time passage rate on the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists Exam, a national registry exam that grants certification in radiologic technology. SC4 is located at 323 Erie St. in Port Huron. For more information, visit sc4.edu. Emily Pauling, MediaNews Group Training for Multi-Agency Child Protection Team Minister Costa opened a training seminar organised by Gibraltars Multi-Agency Sub Training Committee in Child Protection. The seminar, which took place at the Gibraltar University, was attended by professionals across various agencies, including the Care Agency, the Gibraltar Health Authority (GHA), the Royal Gibraltar Police, Youth Services and the Department of Education. This seminar was the second time that Tier 3 child protection training has been delivered, with the inaugural Tier 3 training having taken place in November 2017. The training provided professionals, whose work involves direct contact with children, with methods on how to better enhance management structures with regards to safeguarding work. The training is also designed to provide better understanding of Gibraltars legal framework, professionals roles and responsibilities and referral pathways relevant to safeguarding children. The seminar was delivered by Dr Gayle Hann and Christina Keating, two renowned individuals in the fields of child protection. Dr Hann is a Consultant Paediatrician at North Middlesex University Hospital, named doctor for child protection and lead for paediatric emergency medicine. She was named as one of the top 3 child protection trainers in the UK by the NSPCC earlier this year. Ms Keating is a Designated Nurse for Safeguarding Children. She has worked in safeguarding for almost 10 years. Her current role includes providing advice and support to health care staff, including GPs on individual and complex cases. Ms Fiona Mccoubrey, Clinical Nurse Manager at the GHA and member of the Multi-Agency Sub Training Committee, said: Once again, these training days have proved to be a success, with all agencies coming together to enhance awareness of child protection procedures in Gibraltar. I would like to sincerely thank Dr Gayle Hann and Christina Keating providing the training, as well as Dr Annie Dai, Minister Costa and all key stakeholders within the Sub Training Committee for their unwavering support. The Minister added: I was very happy to have opened this very important training seminar. Our Child Protection Teams work diligently to ensure Gibraltar has the adequate structures and protocols in place to safeguard children and young persons. It is, therefore, imperative that this Government continues to provide our professionals with the right training and support to guarantee the continuous development in the vital area of child protection. Fort Polk, LA (71446) Today Cloudy early with partial sunshine expected late. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 77F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy during the evening followed by cloudy skies overnight. Areas of patchy fog. Low 64F. Winds light and variable. By WestKyStar & Murray-Calloway County Hospital Staff Apr. 04, 2019 | 03:12 PM | MURRAY AARP Safe Driving Class Wednesday, May 1st 8 am - noon MCCH Center for Health & Wellness Kentucky insurances must offer a discount to those who complete this class. Pre-registration is required. Call 270-762-1348 to reserve your spot. Free Screening: Trigg County Senior Center Osteoporosis Screenings Thursday, April 4 9 - 11 am No appointment required. Free Screening: Calloway County Courthouse Tuesday, April 9th 2 - 4 pm Osteoporosis Screening No appointment required. Free Screening: Mayfield Graves YMCA Thursday, April 18th ]9 - 11 am Blood Pressure and Pulmonary Function Screening No appointment required. Free Screening: Weaks Center Tuesday, April 23rd 10 - 11:30 am Osteoporosis Screening No appointment required. Free Screening: Center for Health & Wellness Wednesday, April 24th 8 - 11 am and 1:30 - 4 pm Blood Pressure, Body Mass Index, Osteoporosis Screening, Pulmonary Function Screening, Wait Circumference, Pulse, Pulse Ox. Appointment required. Call 270-762-1348 to schedule. Free Screening: Marshall County Senior Center Thursday, April 25th 9 - 11 am Blood Pressure & Non Fasting Glucose No appointment required. Free Screening: Calloway County Library Tuesday, April 30th 9 - 11 am Osteoporosis Scan o No appointment required. Blood Drive The Center for Health & Wellness and the MCCH Blood Donor Center are hosting a blood drive. Our donor center is currently in need of ALL Blood Types Wednesday, April 10th 8:30 am - 4 pm MCCH Center for Health & Wellness No appointment required. Benton Alzheimers Care Giver Support Group Wednesday, April 3rd 10 am Marshall County Public Library For more information, call 270-762-1224 Murray Alzheimers Care Giver Support Group Thursday, April 4th 10 am Marshall County Public Library For more information, call 270-762-1224 Bariatric Support Group Thursday, April 4th 10 - 11 am Bariatric Office For more info, call Bariatric Solutions 270-762-1547 ALS Support Group Thursday, April 11th 6 - 7 pm MCCH Board Room For more info, call Mitzi Cathey at 270-293-1748 Bariatric Support Group Tuesday, April 9th 5 - 6 pm Center for Health & Wellness For more information, call Bariatric Solutions 270-762-1547 Parkinson's Support Group Tuesday, April 9th Noon Weaks' Senior Citizen Center For more info, call 270-753-0929 Breastfeeding Support Group Thursday, April 18th 4 - 5:30 pm Center for Health & Wellness For more info, call Alycia Janow 270-226-4776 National Alliance on Mental Illness Thursday, April 18th 6:30 pm MCCH Education Building (Corner of 8th and Elm) For more info, call 270-748-6133 Breast Cancer Support Group Tuesday, April 23rd 5:30 pm Mugsys Restaurant For more info, call Evelyn 270-489-2462 Dialysis Support Group Thursday, April 25th 4:30 - 5:30 pm Weak's Senior Citizen Center For more info, call Tasha Mitchell 270-759-3080 Stroke and Head Injury Support Group Monday, April 22nd 5:30 - 7 pm Center for Health & Wellness For more info, call Cheryl 270-293-9442 For more information on programs or free screenings available from Murray-Calloway County Hospital, and the Center for Health and Wellness, call 270-762-1348. For more information on programs or free screenings available from Murray-Calloway County Hospital, and the Center for Health and Wellness, call 270-762-1348. Staff at Murray-Calloway County Hospital and the Center for Health & Wellness will be offering educational health promotion events during the month of April to community members, Wellness Center members and MCCH employees. Advertisement By Bill Hughes Apr. 03, 2019 | PADUCAH By Bill Hughes Apr. 03, 2019 | 06:16 PM | PADUCAH McCracken County's Property Valuation Administrator has had his staff busy since he was appointed to the office in October, and their work will likely create more tax revenue for county leaders to appropriate. Bill Dunn said an audit of the office's 2017 activity was done a few weeks ago, and it concluded that while a sample of commercial property meets the fair cash value guidelines established for the office, both residential and farm properties were indicated to be well below the established standard. That standard is a ratio comparing the PVA's recorded value of a property to its actual value - from a recent sale, for example. If the office says a property is worth $95,000 but it recently sold for $100,000, the ratio would be 95 percent. The audit selected random properties in each of the three categories and studied them, and said commercial properties met the 95 percent goal, but farm properties were at 64 percent, and residential properties were at 81 percent. Dunn said he believes the 30 percent deficiency for farm properties is because they have structures on the land that his office doesn't know about. Farm properties have 10 acres or more and get an exemption from some permitting or inspection requirements that would alert his office to possible increased value. Dunn said that's a loophole that can be exploited. He said, "We've found several houses since I've been here - probably four or five that I can think of - that weren't even on the tax roll. They were built 20-30 years ago and they've been getting a tax bill for vacant land." Dunn said one house they found about two or three weeks ago is valued at $500,000 but the owner has received a tax bill from the Sheriff's Department for vacant land valued at $10,000 for the last ten years. He's spoken to a couple of county commissioners about the farm property loophole but he isn't sure what they can do. In the meantime, Dunn said his office is continuing work to catch up with the standard, but it will require an inspection of qualified aerial photos of each property or a personal visit by one his three field representatives. He said if they move fast they can each visit ten properties in a day, but with 34,000 properties in the county, it's a large task. Based on what they've done so far, Dunn sent a gross assessment report to the state on Monday, and it had an estimated increase of $800,000 in tax revenue compared to this time last year. That's money that will contribute to the annual budget and can be appropriated by the Fiscal Court. To keep this in perspective, the Fiscal Year 2018-2019 McCracken County budget is $31,824,726.00. For now, Dunn said they're concentrating on finishing up assessments of the farm properties and have about 250 left to inspect in the next two to three weeks. He thinks when they're done, they could add another 18-20 million dollars to the assessed property value in that category. That should increase tax revenue, and could prompt county officials to lower the tax rate, Dunn said. Anyone who would like to discuss their property valuation can contact the PVA office at 270-444-4712 or visit them in the Court House Annex building at 621 Washington Street. Dunn was appointed as interim PVA in October after Nancy Bock retired while facing theft and fraud charges. He won the November general election as the Republican candidate. Photo from tornado-damaged home in Kentucky lands almost 130 miles away By West Kentucky Star Staff Apr. 04, 2019 | 06:51 AM | MAYFIELD Free tree seedlings are available again today in Graves County. The Graves County Conservation District is giving away bags of tree seedlings while supplies last, or until 2:45pm in the front parking lot of the USDA-Department of Agriculture building on Commonwealth Drive in Mayfield. The building is located off the Hwy. 121 Bypass, next to River Valley Ag Credit and Derksen Building. Officials say each bag will include a Roughleaf Dogwood, Pecan and Southern Red Oak. Landowners will then have the option to pick either a Bald Cypress or a Black Walnut. Each landowner is allowed only one tree bag per person, and if they are picking up for someone else, they will have to sign their name to the sign-in sheet. Officials say they gave away about half of the tree seedlings on Thursday, so they will continue Friday until 2:45 pm or the seedlings are gone. Email To : Multiple e-mail addresses must be separated with a comma character(maximum 200 characters) Email To is required. Your Full Name: (optional) Your Email Address: Your Email Address is required. Embed from Getty Images Raheem Sterling is making sure that kids from his old school wont miss out on the chance to watch him and Man City take on Brighton in the upcoming FA Cup semi-final at Wembley. Having himself grown up on an estate right next to the national stadium as a youngster, Sterling has shelled out for hundreds of match tickets that will be given to the pupils at the Ark Elvin Academy formerly Copland Community School, the school the City winger attended as a boy. According to the Mail, Sterling has paid for 550 tickets, plus transport, for kids to enjoy a day out including a personal meet-and-greet session with him at Citys training ground on Thursday. They will then travel back down to London and make the short hop from their school to Wembley in time for the big match on Saturday afternoon. Speaking to the Mail, an insider said: Raheem wanted to do something for the kids from his old school and approached the club to see what could be done. They are going to come up and meet him and then they are going to watch him in action. It pretty much sums up the kind of guy he is. He hasnt made a fuss over it and he doesnt really want attention. Its just a decent thing to do. Race ambassador, anti-tabloid warrior, defender of justice, goal-scoring behemoth. Man, Sterling really is the goodest egg in the Premier League carton. Easy to forget that hes still only 24-years-old sometimes. When the Mail are running positive exclusives about him, you know something major must have flipped at some point. A kingfisher blue crown with phoenix design is one of nearly 135 objects at the exhibition "China's Forbidden City, 16441912" at the Smithsonian's Arthur M. Sackler Gallery in Washington on Saturday. The exhibition, which runs through June 23, explores empresses' lives during the Qing Dynasty. [Zhao Huanxin / China Daily] Looking into a mirror, a young woman with slender hands at court in the Forbidden City fits a hairpin into her stylish hair, followed by jewelry in the shape of a butterfly and a silver flower. Nearby, a servant takes a book from a ceiling-high shelf. It's just a glimpse into the daily routine of an empress from China's last dynasty, the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). The life-sized depiction, painted in the second half of the 18th century, is on exhibit at the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery in Washington. The painting, which embraces the dual virtues of the ideal empress beauty and erudition is one of nearly 135 objects made for, by and about the Qing emperors' ladies on view on the Mall through late June. Most of the objects come from the Forbidden City, now known as the Palace Museum, in Beijing. Some of the artworks have never before been exhibited in the US. "I've worked for nearly four years on the exhibition 'Expresses of China's Forbidden City, 1644 to 1912,'" said Jan Stuart, curator of Chinese art at the Freer|Sackler. "We are thrilled to be able to shine a spotlight on the previously understudied realm of the Qing empresses and help people understand their complex and dynamic roles at court." Organized jointly by the Freer|Sackler, the Palace Museum and the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts, the show is part of an array of activities celebrating the 40th anniversary of the establishment of China-US diplomatic relations. Through imperial portraits, narrative paintings, furnishings, jewelry, costumes and religious art, the exhibition reveals and fills in little-known details about the world of these mysterious women. It shatters the stereotypes by showing the empresses' influence in multiple spheres, including religion, art and politics, according to a museum press release. One of the exhibits features a small jade massage roller, used by imperial ladies to enhance their complexions. Dressing well and adding enhancements like jewelry were considered expressions of conjugal devotion and the wife's duty to please the emperor and attract his attention in the hopes of bearing a son, Stuart said. The show focuses on five of the two dozen or so Qing empresses: Xiaozhuang (16131688), Chongqing (16931777), Xiaoxian (17121748), Ci'an (18371881) and Cixi (18351908). A centerpiece of the exhibit is an 80th birthday portrait of Empress Dowager Chongqing, mother of Emperor Qianlong, who showed his mother deep filial devotion, presenting her with an enormous number of treasures for birthday presents and trying to visit with her every single day, often to take her counsel. The fact that empresses were able to compose poetry and read in their leisure, and that an emperor would at times go to his mother or his wife to discuss weighty matters of state "helps us understand that these women were educated, they were thinkers," Stuart said. It was important for the Qing dynasty rulers to maintain their own Manchu ethnic heritage, but at the same time demonstrate to the population that they understood, assimilated and followed the most crucial Chinese values, including respect for one's parents and elders, she said. "So, with these objects, it is our hope that people will take away an understanding of what the general obligations, expectations and successful accomplishments were of the Qing empresses, and take away a love for Chinese art," Stuart said. (Source: China Daily) The 3rd World Intelligence Congress will be held May 16 to 19 in Tianjin, and will attract participants from over 30 countries and regions, according to a promotion meeting in Beijing on Wednesday. The theme of this year's congress will be, "Intelligence New Era: Evolution, Strategy and Opportunity." There will be a main forum, where experts and scholars will deliver keynote speeches. More than 20 side forums will be held, covering topics such as scientific innovation, global cooperation, the future of the intelligent industry, and the application of scientific innovation. In the meantime, an intelligent technological exhibition will be held during the event. The exhibition area will cover 58,000 square meters, and will be divided into six zones, including scientific research and innovation, intelligent manufacturing, big data, to smart city, smart life and intelligent application. Up to 38 of the world's top 500 companies, such as Microsoft, Huawei and Google, with 59 domestic top 500 companies, will attend. "Last year, the exhibition attracted 168,000 visits and 26,000 purchase dealers. This year, we expect the numbers to go up," said Ren Liwei, from the Organizing Committee. Liang Yiming, deputy head of the Binhai New Area in Tianjin, said that, "the WIC, as a high-end platform for scientific innovation exchanges, had been successfully held for two years. It was established to communicate advanced concepts, promote scientific results and boost communication and cooperation. Entrepreneurs are welcome to Tianjin, to see how Tianjin is optimizing its business environment, and developing the intelligence industry." In recent years, Tianjin has been actively promoting the development of the intelligent industry by attracting talents and investments. The Tianjin municipal government and the China Association for Science and Technology have signed a strategic cooperation agreement to jointly establish the CAST-Tianjin Innovation and Entrepreneurship Platform. It also signed a cooperation frame agreement with nine enterprises, such as Huawei and Baidu Inc, with a total investment of 140 billion yuan ($20.9 billion). (Source: China Daily) A donation ceremony is held at Institute of Microbiology, CAS on April 2, 2019. [Photo from WeChat account of Institute of Microbiology, CAS] A scientist couple from the Chinese Academy of Science (CAS) donated their life savings of 1.5 million yuan ($223,000) to the education foundation of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences on Tuesday to set up a scholarship. Zheng Ruyong, 88, a well-known mycologist and academician of CAS, and her husband Huang He, 90, a scientist at CAS, set up the Zheng Ruyong and Huang He Scholarship to encourage young people to devote themselves to scientific research. At the donation ceremony held at the Institute of Microbiology, CAS, Zheng said: "The country and CAS have cultivated me, so I want to contribute more to the country." Zheng has been working at CAS since she graduated from college in 1953. She discovered endophytic mucor in higher plants for the first time in the world. Her research on powdery mildew has reached the world advanced level. The husband and wife have devoted nearly all their life to scientific research. Zheng has spent more time with a microscope than she has with her husband. They dont have children. She suffered from bone rarefaction and lumbar disease as a result of working long hours. In 2004, she had two steel rods and nine steel nails inserted in her spine. The doctor told her she could only sit for one hour a day and had to stand or lie down the rest of the time. Zheng elevated her desk and research table and began working standing up. During 2012 and 2018, Zheng donated 300,000 yuan to Beijing Haiying Spinal Health Foundation to fund poor children suffering from spinal diseases. File photo shows Zheng Ruyong and Huang He when they were young. [Photo from WeChat account of Institute of Microbiology, CAS] (Source: China Daily) Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-02 22:46:00|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close The photo shows intelligent devices at a booth in Qode, a two-day tech conference, in Brisbane at the State of Queensland, Australia, April 2, 2019. The Australian city of Brisbane played host to some of the region's biggest names in new technology on Tuesday, by launching a two-day event to spark innovation and digital development across the State of Queensland. (Xinhua/Bai Xuefei) BRISBANE, Australia, April 2 (Xinhua) -- The Australian city of Brisbane played host to some of the region's biggest names in new technology on Tuesday, by launching a two-day event to spark innovation and digital development across the State of Queensland. Featuring 153 local and international companies, Queensland Minister for Innovation and Tourism Kate Jones told Xinhua, "Through Qode, we're trying to build the largest innovation and technology event anywhere in Australia and ultimately the Southern Hemisphere." While the state is mostly known for its agriculture sector, mining industry and stunning tourist attractions like the Great Barrier Reef, it has also spent the past few years positioning itself as Australia's most exciting start-up destination by investing heavily in new technology and developing policy to support innovation. In an attempt to "future-proof" the next generation of jobseekers, Jones and the Queensland government made it mandatory for computer coding and robotics to be taught in schools in 2015. "We know that countries like China for example are investing heavily in new technologies because they understand that not only does it grow the economy but it also ensures that everybody in the community is benefiting," Jones explained. "So our focus as a State Government is very much on artificial intelligence, robotics and coding to make sure that we're creating jobs for the future." "We want to make sure that everyone in our community is benefiting from the new industrial revolution." In order to create a positive environment where new ideas can flourish, Chief Qode Officer Jackie Taranto told Xinhua that industry, entrepreneurs and designers must come together. "When you have collaboration and a thriving innovation ecosystem, you start to have (interest from) capital venture funds and you get the government on board and you get everybody focusing on it because you made it a spotlight," she said. With plans to make Qode the region's largest annual technology forum, Taranto added that attracting industry leaders from Shenzhen, an innovative-driven city in southern China, will be a priority. "China is definitely important to us. So we will definitely be working with China in the future," she said. China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ma Zhaoxu (Front) addresses a UN Security Council meeting on non-proliferation at the UN headquarters in New York, on April 2, 2019. (Xinhua/Li Muzi) UNITED NATIONS, April 2 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy to the United Nations (UN) said Tuesday the international community should jointly steer the 2020 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) toward pragmatic results. Chinese Permanent Representative to the UN Ma Zhaoxu made the remarks at a Security Council meeting on supporting the NPT ahead of the conference. Ma called for abandoning the Cold War mentality, upholding the multilateral arms control regime, as well as strengthening dialogue and consultation and safeguarding the treaty regime. "All parties should actively encourage and promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy cooperation and make it a hallmark of the current round of treaty review process," he stressed. Also, at the meeting, UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu encouraged creative thinking for "a successful outcome" of the 2020 review conference. "In 2020, state parties need to consider what possible outcome can both ensure success and drive forward implementation of the treaty," Nakamitsu said. The UN disarmament chief also warned that the prospect of the use of nuclear weapons is higher than it has been in generations. The disarmament success of the post-Cold War era has come to a halt and there is "dangerous rhetoric about the utility of nuclear weapons and an increased reliance on these weapons in security doctrines," she said. Since 1995, NPT review conferences have produced decisions, action plans, practical steps and measures to improve the effectiveness of the review process itself. The NPT, signed in 1968 and effective since 1970, is the only treaty that contains legally-binding commitments to pursuing nuclear disarmament. A total of 191 states have joined the treaty. In a press statement Tuesday, Security Council members reaffirmed their commitment to advancing "the goals of the NPT as the cornerstone of the nuclear non-proliferation regime and the foundation for the pursuit of nuclear disarmament and the peaceful uses of nuclear energy." They expressed their readiness to work together and join efforts to achieve a successful outcome at the 2020 conference. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 00:07:06|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close Bishop Celestin Hakizimana, 56 years old, visits a genocide memorial at a church in Nyamagabe district, southern Rwanda, on April 3, 2019. As Rwanda marks the 25th anniversary of 1994's Rwandan genocide this year, Rwandan people who helped the innocent during the 100-day tragedy are optimistic about future development of the central African country due to the unity it enjoys. (Xinhua/Lyu Tianran) by Lyu Tianran and James Gashumba KIGALI, April 3 (Xinhua) -- As Rwanda marks the 25th anniversary of 1994's Rwandan genocide this year, Rwandan people who helped the innocent during the 100-day tragedy are optimistic about future development of the central African country due to the unity it enjoys. The annual commemoration of the genocide against Tutsi will be held from April 7 to July 4, which is in line with the period of the genocide. Ahead of the annual commemoration named "Kwibuka", meaning "to remember" in English, some Rwandans have come forward and shared their salvaging deeds during the genocide with Xinhua, while voicing their optimism in the nation's future development. PRIEST PROTECTING 2,000 PEOPLE IN CHURCH "Rwanda's future looks bright on the various fronts. The reason for this positive outlook is that the country has good leadership working to keep up the momentum (of development)," 56-year-old bishop Celestin Hakizimana told Xinhua. After the genocide, trauma was written on people's faces, but gradually they restored hope and one can sense what the future holds, said the bishop, who was awarded Protectors of Friendship Pact, locally known as Abarinzi b'Igihango, by the country for his outstanding acts of courage and humanity showed during the genocide. Hakizimana resided at Saint Paul Church in Rwandan capital Kigali as a catholic priest during the genocide, where many Tutsi people sought refuge from the massacre. He together with other priests and church guards thwarted militias' attempts to kill Tutsi people in the church and protected about 2,000 people in the church from the beginning of the genocide until mid-June 1994, when they were rescued by the Rwanda Patriotic Army (RPA), the armed wing of the current ruling Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF). Now unity and reconciliation has reached appreciable levels, he said, adding that the key reason is the government's stance in uniting all Rwandans through the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission and all citizens are treated equally as Rwandans. The church has also played a major role in reconciling and uniting people, according to him. JOURNALIST INFORMING TARGETED INNOCENTS ON RADIO "Rwanda's future development undoubtedly will keep on improving to be much better than now," said Gerald Mbanda, who served in the Rwanda Patriotic Army during the genocide and also worked as a journalist for RPF's radio Muhabura. He cited effective and transformational leadership, hardworking people, home-grown solutions as reasons for the prospective. During the genocide, Rwandan media were used to incite people to commit genocide, while Muhabura played a role to save people from being killed, said Mbanda. After the genocidal government and militias started killing innocent people, Muhabura could somehow get information of the lists of people who were being targeted and informed them to find safe places to move to. Some people heard radio messages and left their homes for safe places to hide. After 1994's genocide, efforts were made to build the unity of Rwandans, and avoid any forms of discrimination based on different issues, he said. "What Rwanda is proud of today is good leadership that stopped the genocide and put in place means to heal and reconcile the Rwandan community," he said. POLICEMAN DIGGING HOLE TO SHELTER TUTSI "Rwandans are to remain united owing to the government's reconciliation efforts...Rwanda will remain on the right path," said Martin Mutsindashyaka, who saved 18 people during the 1994's genocide and holds the title of Protectors of Friendship Pact. Ethnicity was a decisive factor in the genocide, but now Rwandan people "live without ethnic divisions, sharing and working together", said Martin. Immediately after the genocide began, the then 30-year-old Hutu policeman, who disassociated himself from Hutu extremists after listening to his heart, sheltered his neighbors in Kigali and then "whoever" came to seek refuge. As the number of people protected at his home increased, he dug a hole near his compound, and those protected by him stayed in his home and the hole in rotation. Martin's acts of protecting Tutsi attracted extremists' attention, but fortunately he escaped death after his father bribed them. The Rwandan government put concerted efforts in fostering unity and reconciliation after the genocide, said Martin. "Development projects are planned in a way that nobody should remain behind. In education for example, there is equal access for all children, and welfare programs target all Rwandans," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 00:27:18|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close SKOPJE, April 3 (Xinhua) -- North Macedonia's Interior Ministry confirmed on Wednesday that all the four people on board the small plane died when it crashed on Tuesday near Solunska Glava in the central part of the country. The plane was flying from Ohrid, a city in the southwest of North Macedonia, to Sofia, Bulgaria. All four were Bulgarians. According to the Ministry, police found the wreckage of the Cessna P210N aircraft on Tuesday evening five kilometres northwest of Solunska Glava peak. The plane disappeared from radars at 4:16 p.m. local time on Tuesday. The pilot had reported severe turbulence before the aircraft went missing. Investigation into the fatal crash is underway. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 02:03:34|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close PRAGUE, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Czech police have extradited the two terrorist suspects detained last week to Austria, local media reported on Wednesday. Amar Rahim Mahmoud Mahmoud, 30, and Riyam Shukri Sali Badri, 27, who face charges of participating in a terrorist group and funding of terrorism, were transferred to Austria on Tuesday. The two suspects agreed with the extradition. They were arrested last Wednesday at the Prague airport on the request of Austrian warrants. According to the warrant, the two Iraqis cooperated with another Iraqi, charged with two unsuccessful attacks on trains in Germany. The Iraqi was detained in Austria last week. Mahmoud's defense lawyer said that his client had denied all accusations in the arrest warrant. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 02:38:50|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close GENEVA, April 3 (Xinhua) -- The Swiss government said Wednesday it had postponed a decision on ratifying the United Nations treaty banning nuclear weapons until 2020, rejecting calls from Parliament to sign the accord as it would like more time to reflect on it. The Federal Council said in a statement that it is seeking more time to reflect on Switzerland's accession to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) and take stock of the latest international developments and the security situation. "The Federal Council is committed to disarmament, particularly in the area of nuclear weapons," said the statement. "By the end of 2020, it will carry out a new analysis of the situation. This reflection time will be used to take stock of the latest developments in international politics and security. In 2017, Switzerland approved the Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty, but decided not to sign it last year, reported Swissinfo, the website of the national broadcaster. "Important events such as the recent withdrawal of the United States and the Russian Federation from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty must indeed be considered," said the statement. The Federal Council has argued that the reasons not to ratify the treaty outweigh the potential opportunities. "The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons was negotiated by the UN in 2017. The nuclear-weapon States and most of their allies have, unfortunately, been absent from this process, which Switzerland regrets, as it weakens the Treaty," the statement noted. Switzerland was one of 122 States to adopt the UN treaty in July 2017. Some 70 countries have signed the agreement, and 22 have ratified it, which is below the 50 needed for the accord to enter into force. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 03:29:28|Editor: ZX Video Player Close SEVILLE, Spain, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Secretary General of the United Nations World Tourism Organization, Zurab Pololikashvili, told Xinhua on Wednesday that he believes that Spain has taken a lead in the field of rural tourism. He spoke to Xinhua at the World Travel and Tourism Council Summit, which is being held in the Spanish city of Seville during April 2-4. Year 2018 saw 82.8 million foreign tourists visit Spain. Although the vast majority of those visited Spain's beaches, increasing numbers are visiting Spain, for the culture and gastronomy offered by rural tourism. "It is an example that Spain should show to others," said Pololikashvili, whose organization is looking to strengthen the rural sector. "That is one of the new objectives of our organization and we are happy that Spain is taking the lead. With their example, we are going to show other countries how to develop in this field," he added. Rural tourism grew by 15 percent in Spain during 2018, although only 784,715 foreign visitors came to the country specifically for a rural getaway. Nevertheless, the infrastructure for rural tourism is increasing all the time in Spain, with around over 17,000 establishments offering accommodation. The problem is that this accommodation has an average occupancy level of just below 19 percent. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez used his speech at the WTTC Summit to invite visitors to discover the delights of rural Spain. "I am talking of special tradition, of authentic gastronomy and all that there is beyond sun and beach tourism," he commented, adding that rural tourism is a potent tool against the threat of rural depopulation. "I want to highlight the need to promote tourism in this fascinating area of Spain which wants to become open to the world. We have a tremendous potential for growth in rural tourism and I am certain, it will be a great opportunity or the challenges of our country, such as re-population," said the Prime Minister. Speaking to Xinhua, Spain's Secretary of State for Tourism Isabel Oliver said the public and private sector would have to work together for this to happen, although she added that one of the government's aims was to promote rural tourism in Spain to Chinese visitors. "They value our culture, the way we are and our nature. They are also interesting for us as they tend not to visit at the same time as others come to visit the beach," said Oliver. According to the Spanish government, 649,000 Chinese tourists visited Spain in 2018 and Oliver believes rural Spain is the perfect attraction for more in the future. "They will find excellent gastronomy, wonderful countryside and nature and I tell them they should come and visit this wonderful country," she concluded. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 04:04:52|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close Chinese peacekeepers march during a medal ceremony held at the Chinese troop's camp in Hanniyah village in southern Lebanon, on April 3, 2019. Chinese peacekeepers at the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) received UN medal Wednesday for their contribution to keeping peace in southern Lebanon. (Xinhua) BEIRUT, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Chinese peacekeepers at the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) received UN medal Wednesday for their contribution to keeping peace in southern Lebanon. A medal ceremony was held at the Chinese troop's camp in Hanniyah village in southern Lebanon, with the attendance of head of Mission and Force Commander of the UNIFIL Stefano Del Col, Chinese Ambassador to Lebanon Wang Kejian, representatives of the Lebanese armed forces and fellow peacekeepers. Awarding the medal, Major General Del Col said that "the medal you will receive today is a sign of appreciation for your important contribution to the UNIFIL Mission, a precious memory that will stay with you as a reminder of your work in Lebanon." Del Col praised the Chinese peacekeepers for their hard work, bravery and determination, saying "I want to thank all of you for the job you carry out with professionality, commitment and dedication, promoting a culture of peace and proactiveness that well contributes to the implementation of our mandate within the framework of Security Council Resolution 1701." A total of 410 peacekeepers of the 17th Chinese peacekeeping force, which includes a multi-functional engineer detachment, a construction engineer detachment and a medical detachment, have been serving the UN Mission since May 2018. During the past 11 months, the Chinese peacekeepers have swept over 6,690 square meters of minefield and cleared over 1400 AP mines, completed 68 high standard engineering projects, provided physiotherapy and rehabilitation and clinical services to over 8,600 peacekeepers and humanitarian medical assistance to over 3,500 local villagers. The UN Security Council established the UNIFIL on March 19, 1978 to monitor the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon. Its mandate was expanded following the 2006 Lebanon War. Since 2006, China has maintained a peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon as a part of the UNIFIL, tasked with missions such as mine-sweeping, project construction, medical rescue and humanitarian assistance. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 04:20:01|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close Jean-Pierre Lacroix (C, Front), the UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, briefs a UN Security Council meeting on the situation in Haiti at the UN headquarters in New York, on April 3, 2019. The UN peacekeeping chief said Wednesday that the end of the UN peacekeeping mission in Haiti is "within reach." (Xinhua/Li Muzi) UNITED NATIONS, April 3 (Xinhua) -- The UN peacekeeping chief said Wednesday that the end of the UN peacekeeping mission in Haiti is "within reach." Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the UN under-secretary-general for peacekeeping operations, told the Security Council that the United Nations supports the Haitian leaders' wish to end the mandate of the UN mission known as MINUJUSTH in October. The United Nations also supports the leaders' wish that Haitian authorities completely take over the security of the country, he said. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has recommended continuing to assist Haiti through a small strategic advisory office. Lacroix said the recommendation is based on the assessments of the most urgent needs and represents the ideal format to address these needs. If this recommendation is adopted, he said, the UN mission would work, in the next six months, to assist the priorities put forward by the leaders and people of Haiti while preparing for a smooth transition to a post-peacekeeping UN presence. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 05:00:20|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BEIRUT, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Prime Minister Saad Hariri called upon Europeans on Wednesday to increase their investments in Lebanon, the National News Agency reported. "Lebanon is in great need for help. Europeans are invited to invest in water, electricity, technology, infrastructure, education and health which would support the operations of Lebanese institutions," Hariri was quoted as saying during his meeting with ambassadors of the European Union in the region. Hariri said that the European Union has offered a lot to support Lebanon after a flow of Syrian refugees into the country following the civil war in Syria. "If it wasn't for the EU's help, Lebanon wouldn't have been able to take all the burden that was imposed by the influx of Syrian refugees," Hariri said, adding Lebanon still needs a lot more support. Hariri also emphasized the return of refugees to their homeland, hoping that the return would not add to their suffering. More than one million Syrian refugees are registered with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Lebanon, while the Lebanese government estimated the true number of Syrians in the country at 1.5 million. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 07:01:26|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close LISBON, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Foreign investment in housing in the Urban Rehabilitation Area (ARU) in Lisbon skyrocketed to 676 million euros in 2018, accounting for 28 percent of the total of 2.39 billion euros invested, according to a Portuguese real estate company, quoted by Portuguese Lusa News Agency on Wednesday. "In 2018, foreigners acquired 1,592 residential properties in the ARU of Lisbon, for a total investment of 675.6 million euros," according to the data released by Confidencial Imobiliario, which relate to the acquisition of residential properties by private individuals and reflect "an increase of 80 percent in volume (375 million euros in 2017) and 67 percent in number of real estate (955 real estate in 2017). " The dynamic of the residential market resulted in an increase in the share of foreign investment, from 21 percent in 2017, compared to a volume of 1.79 billion euros, to "28 percent of the total 2.39 billion euros invested in housing in the ARU of Lisbon in 2018 ". According to Confidencial Imobiliario, foreign buyers invested "an average of 424,500 euros per operation" during 2018, which corresponds to an increase of 8 percent compared to the 393,500 euros invested in 2017, as well as to "about 38 percent more than domestic buyers invested in the same period (306,700 euros)." Portugal's housing prices continue to rise strongly, fuelled by surging demand as well as improved economic conditions. Property prices in Portugal rose by 6.09 percent year-on-year in 2018, a website of GlobalPropertyguide reported in February this year. (1 euro = 1.12 U.S. dollars) Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 07:01:28|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close MOSCOW, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin and visiting Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Wednesday agreed to further develop the strategic partnership of the two countries and enhance their comprehensive cooperation in various fields. The two leaders discussed at their first meeting a wide range of key issues on the bilateral agenda, according to a joint statement of the presidents published on the Kremlin's website. "Acknowledging the importance of a substantive and open political dialogue for the dynamic development of relations between the two states, the presidents advocate the further expansion of trust and constructive contacts at the highest levels," the statement said. Tokayev, succeeding his predecessor Nursultan Nazarbayev, was sworn in as Kazakhstan's president last month. He made his first official foreign visit to Russia, Kazakhstan's close ally. During the talks, Putin and Tokayev spoke in favor of expanding multidimensional economic and humanitarian relations and strengthening interaction between business communities, educational and scientific circles as well as legislative and executive authorities, according to the statement. They also reaffirmed the importance of implementing the key provisions and principles of the treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), it said. Meanwhile, the presidents said that their countries will continue to closely cooperate in strengthening regional and international peace and stability, such as facilitating the Syrian peace process and countering international terrorism. Following the talks of the presidents, a number of bilateral documents were signed in the fields of gas supply as well as industrial, scientific and technical cooperation, according to the Kremlin. "The heads of state stressed that the fruitful negotiations and bilateral documents signed during the visit will contribute to the ongoing development of the traditionally friendly, equal relations between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Kazakhstan," the statement said. Kazakhstan and Russia are founders of the Eurasian Economic Union, and also members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Collective Security Treaty Organization. Russia uses the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan to launch its spacecraft. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 07:31:37|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close CHICAGO, April 3 (Xinhua) -- A curled-up cat, a tail-wagging dog, a chirping parakeet or a serene goldfish, may help older adults cope with mental and physical health issues, a national poll posted on the website of the University of Michigan (UM) on Wednesday showed. The National Poll on Healthy Aging results are based on responses from a nationally representative sample of 2,051 adults aged 50 to 80 who answered a wide range of questions online. In all, 55 percent of adults have a pet, and more than half of those have multiple pets. More than three-quarters of pet owners say their animals reduce their stress, and nearly as many say pets give them a sense of purpose. But 18 percent also said having a pet or pets puts a strain on their budget. Two-thirds of all pet owners, and 78 percent of dog owners, said their pet helps them be physically active, according to the new findings from the national poll, conducted by the University of Michigan Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation. For those who reported that their health was fair or poor, pet ownership appeared to offer even more benefits. More than 70 percent of these older adults said their pet helps them cope with physical or emotional symptoms, and 46 percent said their pets help take their mind off of pain. "We have long known that pets are a common and naturally occurring source of support," said Cathleen Connell, a professor at the UM School of Public Health who has studied the role of companion animals in older adults' lives. "Although the benefits of pets are significant, social connections and activities with friends and family are also key to quality of life across the lifespan. Helping older adults find low-cost ways to support pet ownership while not sacrificing other important relationships and priorities is an investment in overall mental and physical health." While pets come with benefits, they can also bring concerns, and some people may even put their animals' needs ahead of their own health, the poll finds. "More activity, through dog walking or other aspects of pet care, is almost always a good thing for older adults. But the risk of falls is real for many, and 6 percent of those in our poll said they had fallen or injured themselves due to a pet," said poll director Preeti Malani. "At the same time, given the importance of pets to many people, the loss of a pet can deal a very real psychological blow that providers, family and friends should be attuned to." Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 07:51:41|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, April 3 (Xinhua) -- UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed on Wednesday called for tapping the power of sport in meeting the Sustainable Development Goals. "Sport has the power to align our passion, energy and enthusiasm around a collective cause," Mohammed told an event to mark the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, which falls on Saturday. "It is in our collective interest to harness the tremendous power of sport to help build a better and more sustainable future for all." Sport can help promote tolerance and respect, contribute to the empowerment of women and young people, and advance health, education and social inclusion, she said. "The United Nations recognizes the power of sport to bring people together and achieve our common goals." She said the United Nations is working with the International Olympic Committee and the Tokyo Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games as well as FIFA to raise global awareness of the Sustainable Development Goals. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 08:16:47|Editor: Liu Video Player Close BEIJING, April 4 (Xinhua) -- The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) turns 70 on Thursday. As one of the longest-lived military alliances in modern history, perhaps it's a good time for NATO to pause and ponder on its path. When it was first established back in 1949, NATO performed as a collective defense alliance to counter the Soviet Union and its satellite countries then. Following the end of the Cold War, it continues to function as a transatlantic security bloc. Over the decades NATO has experienced various challenges, from the internal disputes over the Suez Crisis in 1956 to France's 1966 exit from its military command, from the Europe missile crisis in the 1980s to the Bosnia crisis in the 1990s. Now, almost three decades after the fall of the Berlin Wall, NATO still finds itself trapped. In fact, as former U.S. representatives to NATO Douglas Lute and Nicholas Burns put it in a recent Harvard report, the alliance is facing perhaps "the most daunting and complex set of challenges in its history." This time, that most significant test comes from a skeptical Washington. Claiming the United States being ripped off, the current U.S. government has been hyping up the talk of burden-sharing in a bid to pressure its European allies to spend more on defense. The transactional approach alerted Europe, leading to German Chancellor Angela Merkel's widely quoted remarks, "the times when we could unconditionally rely on others are past." Diverging interests within the bloc is another major hurdle. NATO has expanded from a 12-member grouping in the first place to 29, anticipating North Macedonia as the 30th one soon. Widening geopolitical landscape makes it extremely hard to seek common goals. As eastern European members view deterrence against Russia their top priority, others find it not imperative to invest considerable national resources in things that yield little in return. The third challenge comes from a troubling fact that some major European capitals are scrambling to face down their respective domestic problems. London is struggling to find a viable path out of the European Union while Paris is combating rising populism in the form of noisy yellow vests movement. So far, there have been few signs that NATO can tackle these problems properly. An alarming tendency is that NATO now seems to have shifted its focus back to its original to confront Russia. Its realignment to the east has intensified since 2014 Crimea incident amid rising rhetoric about the return of the great power politics. But many see NATO's moves as arguably self-fulfilling, as its presence among Moscow's immediate neighbors would be regarded as provocative and therefore invites dangerous counter-actions. A Brookings report examined 63 major military alliances over the last 500 years, finding that 47 has disintegrated. Celebrating its longevity, NATO also needs to reassess its purpose and clarify its path forward. If NATO seeks to help build peace and stability, regionally or worldwide at large, it should not make itself a source of problems or provoke others in the name of safeguarding security. Transforming itself from a legacy of the Cold War to a modern multilateral pro-development body might be a good idea. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 08:41:59|Editor: Liu Video Player Close CANBERRA, April 4 (Xinhua) -- The Opposition Australian Labor Party (ALP) has promised bigger tax cuts for 2.9 million working class Australians if it wins May's general election. Ahead of delivering his budget reply speech on Thursday night, ALP leader Bill Shorten promised that his plan for the economy would deliver bigger surpluses, more tax relief for low-income workers and greater investment in schools and hospitals than that promised by the government. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg on Tuesday night delivered the Federal Budget for 2019-20, forecasting a surplus of 7.1 billion Australian dollars (5.05 billion U.S. dollars) by the end of June 2020, rising to 17.8 billion AUD (12.67 billion USD) by the end of financial year 2021-22. The strong outlook gave Frydenberg and Prime Minister Scott Morrison the leeway to announce tax cuts worth 158 billion AUD (112.4 billion USD) for Australians earning up to 200,000 AUD (142,300 USD) per year. Labor's plan would limit the tax cuts to those earning up to 125,000 AUD (88,900 USD), a move Shorten said would allow the party to deliver more significant cuts for working class Australians who needed it most. The 2.9 million Australians earning less than 40,000 AUD (28,400 USD), 57 percent of who are women, will benefit the most from Shorten's proposal. Morrison said the Opposition Leader's speech on Thursday night would consist entirely of "lies and taxes." "What Australians I think will be more familiar with as we head towards the next election is that all you'll hear ultimately from the Labor Party is lies and taxes," he told reporters. "That's what Bill Shorten is about: telling lies about what the government has done, and funding anything he talks about with higher taxes." Tanya Plibersek, the ALP's deputy leader, dismissed the notion that the party is waging "class war" by limiting tax relief to the working class. "Why is it class war to expect people on low incomes to be treated fairly? Honestly, every time, we want to stand up for people on low incomes, or middle incomes, that's suddenly class war," she told Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). "I don't get that criticism at all. I mean people on low incomes are really struggling." Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 08:47:01|Editor: Liu Video Player Close CANBERRA, April 4 (Xinhua) -- The Australian government's plan to reduce congestion in major cities has been put into doubt by higher-than-expected migration figures. According to data published by Fairfax Media on Thursday, the government is expecting 270,000 migrants to arrive in Australia in 2019 - up from 259,000 in 2018 and 40,000 more than projected in the Federal Budget for 2018/19. It comes after the government released its long-awaited population plan to manage urban congestion in March. It included reducing the cap on Australia's annual permanent migration cap from 190,000 to 160,000. However, soaring numbers of temporary migrants - particularly international students - has offset the falling number of permanent migrants. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said that while migration was a positive that stimulated economic activity, the high levels was putting strain on infrastructure, public transport, and education and health services. "We have grown much faster than was originally forecast, and I think it's fair to say that governments of all persuasions have failed to properly plan for that population change," he told Fairfax Media. Chris Bowen, the Opposition Australian Labor Party's treasury spokesperson, said that the budget revealed a "collision of scare campaigns." "The government has said a lot about migration and they've said that they would, in effect, have a cap on migration, and then you've got the net overseas migration figure going up in the budget," he said. "Their policies have coincided and collided in a way which is not very consistent." Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 09:12:07|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close TOKYO, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo prosecutors on Thursday arrested former Nissan Motor Co. Chairman Carlos Ghosn, less than a month after he was released on bail after serving more than 100 days in custody. The ex-auto tycoon was served a fourth arrest warrant by prosecutors over new allegations of aggravated breach of trust. Before 6 a.m. this morning local time, prosecutors entered the residence of Ghosn and took the 65-year old to their offices by car for questioning. Sources close to the matter said Ghosn's arrest was related to allegations he used part of Nissan's funds which were transferred to a Nissan dealership in Oman, operated for seven years until last year by an acquaintance of his. The fresh allegations suggest that Ghosn may have made more than 34 million U.S. dollars in payments from a CEO reserve fund that the ex-auto tycoon had discretion over, under the pretense of sales incentives from Nissan. Sources said that the money was then transferred from a private bank account opened in Lebanon by the Omani dealer, funneled through an investment firm run by the Omani and sent to a company account belonging to a family member of Ghosn. The funds are suspected by prosecutors thereafter of being used, at least in part, to purchase a 1.6-billion-yen (14.35-million-U.S. dollar) luxury yacht for use by Ghosn's family and others, the sources said. Prosecutors said the once-revered auto exec had caused Nissan a loss of around 563 million yen (5 million U.S. dollars). In a written statement released after being served a fourth arrest warrant Ghosn said his arrest was "outrageous" and "arbitrary." Ghosn's defense team maintained that the money transferred to Oman was made at the request of his subordinates and was a permissible payment made to the dealer for his many years of service. His team also said that the purchase of the multi-million dollar yacht has noting to do with Nissan. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 09:22:16|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close HAVANA, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Cuba has launched clinical trials of a drug it hopes will be effective in preventing people from becoming infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), local media reported on Wednesday. State daily Granma said the trials are being carried out on 28 patients who take one pill each day to test its capacity to reduce the chances of infection by some 90 percent in people exposed to the virus. The trials are being done in Cardenas, a city in western Matanzas province with an accelerated population growth. There are currently 234 cases of HIV infection in the town, where about 30 new cases are reported annually. The pill is delivered free of charge to the patients, considered "people at high risk of getting the disease," public health official Niura Perez told the daily. As of October 2017, Cuba reported 23,283 cases of HIV infection nationwide, with 86 percent of the patients receiving free medical treatment. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 09:22:19|Editor: ZX Video Player Close BEIJING, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Here is a list of things you can do in China today to enjoy the country's rich cultural life in terms of shows, concerts, exhibitions and events. -- Listen to "Jonathan Nott" performed by the visiting Orchestre de la Suisse Romande at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing at 7:30 p.m. Founded in 1918, the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande has built an international reputation thanks to its historic recordings and its interpretation of the 20th century French and Russian repertories. The conductor, Jonathan Nott, is well known for the power, vigor and clarity of his interpretations of Mahler's works. -- Listen to Zhang Haotian's piano recital at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing at 7:30 p.m. The 22-year-old Chinese-Canadian pianist is up and rising. He will perform classic pieces by Beethoven, Debussy, Chopin among others in the 2-hour recital. -- Watch Broadway musical "School of Rock" at the Beijing Tianqiao Performing Arts Center in Beijing at 7:30 p.m. Based on the hit movie of the same title, this musical follows Dewey Finn, a failed, wannabe rock star who decides to earn an extra bit of cash by posing as a supply teacher at a prestigious prep school. There he turns a class of straight A students into a rock band. -- Catch the last glimpse of the "Celebrating the Spring Festival in the Forbidden City" exhibition at the Palace Museum. The exhibition, part of celebrations for the Spring Festival -- the most important traditional Chinese holiday, will end on April 7 after a four-month show. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 09:32:28|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's upcoming visit to Europe will intensify cooperation between China and European countries and provide new impetus to the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership, a Foreign Ministry official said Wednesday. Li's visit, scheduled for April 8 to 12, will take him to Brussels for the 21st China-EU leaders' meeting, and Croatia for an official visit and the eighth leaders' meeting of China and Central and Eastern European countries (CEEC), Vice Foreign Minister Wang Chao said at a press briefing. This is the first overseas trip to be made by Li this year as well as another significant high-level exchange between China and Europe after Chinese President Xi Jinping's successful state visits to Italy, Monaco and France in March, demonstrating the importance that China attaches to its relations with Europe, Wang noted. A SIGNIFICANT MEETING FOR CHINA AND EUROPE "The China-EU leaders' meeting, a high-level platform for strategic communication between the two sides, has played a leading role in deepening China-EU relations and promoting dialogue and cooperation," Wang said. He stressed that this year's meeting, the fifth co-chaired by Premier Li, European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, will be the last China-EU leaders' meeting during the tenure of the current EU institutions, thus bearing transitional significance. China and the EU are enjoying sound development of ties, close high-level connections, deepening cooperation and robust people-to-people exchanges, he added. "We share broad common interests in deepening win-win practical cooperation, common positions on upholding multilateralism and free trade, and common goals in improving global governance and maintaining world peace and stability." Leaders of the two sides will exchange views on bilateral ties and major international and regional issues of common concerns, and witness the signing of cooperation documents on energy, competition policies and other areas, Wang said. Photo taken on April 16, 2018 shows cargo containers of China Railway Express at Duisburg Intermodal Terminal (DIT) in Duisburg, Germany. (Xinhua/Luo Huanhuan) "We believe that this meeting will inject new impetus to the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership, take our dialogue and cooperation across the board to a new level, and strengthen the stability, reciprocity and strategic significance of our relations," Wang said. A BOOST FOR 16+1 COOPERATION Wang Chao said China-CEEC cooperation (16+1 cooperation) was a beneficial mechanism of regional cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries, and has provided a platform for China and CEE countries to deepen traditional friendship and enhance mutually beneficial cooperation. Initiated in 2012, the 16+1 cooperation has gained broad support and active participation from 16 CEE countries, and has built up an all-round and multi-tiered cooperation framework, said Wang, adding that the 16+1 cooperation has played a positive role in promoting trade and expanding pragmatic cooperation across-the-board between China and other countries. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Some CEE countries also established diplomatic relations with China 70 years ago. Wang said this year's meeting, to be held in Croatian city Dubrovnik, was of important significance to the promotion of the steady, long term development of 16+1 cooperation as well as China-Europe relations. Noting the theme of this year's meeting of building new bridges of openness, innovation and partnership, Wang said leaders attending the meeting would review new progress of 16+1 cooperation, have insightful discussions on key future work directions, and announce a series of new measures on pragmatic cooperation. China hopes that the 16+1 cooperation will become a bridge of openness, innovation and partnership through enhancing exchanges and cooperation of mutual benefit and win-win results, he said. According to the vice minister, outcome documents charting 16+1 cooperation will be released after the meeting and related parties will ink cooperation agreements on infrastructure construction, trade, finance, education, quality inspection, personnel exchanges, and mutual recognition of driving licenses. China believes this year's meeting will inject new impetus to relations between China and the CEE countries and the development of the China-Europe comprehensive strategic partnership, he said. CHINESE PREMIER'S FIRST VISIT TO CROATIA "Li's visit will be the first ever by a Chinese premier to Croatia since the establishment of diplomatic ties. Therefore, it is significant in consolidating traditional friendship and advancing our comprehensive cooperative partnership as well as China-EU relations," Wang Chao said. Hailing Croatia as an important member of CEE countries and a key stop on the ancient Silk Road, Wang said relations between China and Croatia had been growing rapidly with the development of the Belt and Road Initiative and 16+1 cooperation. Chinese engineer Zhang Fei (L) and Croatian engineer Ivica Granic, both employees of China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC), read construction plan at Peljesac Peninsula, Croatia, on March 21, 2019. (Xinhua/Gao Lei) In addition to close top-level exchanges, fruitful cooperation in trade, investment and infrastructure construction, and ever-deepening friendship between the two peoples, China-Croatia relations face a broad space for future development, he added. During Li's visit, the two sides will issue a joint statement summarizing any important consensus reached by their leaders and mapping out future cooperation. The prime ministers of the two countries will witness the signing of government cooperation documents and commercial contracts covering multiple sectors. China hopes the visit will help synergize both countries' development strategies, enhance mutual understanding and political trust, deepen cooperation and bring bilateral ties to a higher level, Wang said. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 09:42:36|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close KAMPALA, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Uganda's Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) declined in March for the second consecutive month due to rising cost of production and a decline in agricultural productivity due to dry weather conditions. The PMI, which was conducted by Stanbic Bank, Uganda's largest bank, and released on Wednesday, showed that the Index fell to 51.7 in March from 54.4 in February. Readings above 50.0 signal an improvement in business conditions on the previous month, while readings below 50.0 show deterioration. "The decline in the PMI, similar to last month, is mainly due to weaker agricultural productivity owing to the dry weather conditions. That said, delayed payments from both the public and private sectors continue to hold back domestic demand. In any case, activity should start to pick up as the long rains potentially come through in April," said Jibran Qureishi, Stanbic Bank's regional economist for East Africa. Although the PMI fell, Stanbic surveyors said the reading still points to improvement in business activity, which continued to rise at the end of the first quarter of the year in response to greater customer demand. The survey, sponsored by Stanbic Bank and produced by the global information provider IHS Markit, has been conducted since June 2016 and covers the sectors of agriculture, industry, construction, wholesale and retail, and service. Despite the decline in the PMI, the survey showed strong growth in construction, industry, service, wholesale and retail sectors. Only agriculture saw a drop in activity during the month. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 09:57:53|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close CARACAS, April 3 (Xinhua) -- The Venezuelan government on Wednesday said it plans to restructure the National Electricity Corporation (Corpoelec) in the wake of successive nationwide blackouts that paralyzed schools and businesses. Vice President Delcy Rodriguez said President Nicolas Maduro ordered the "intervention, restructuring and modernization" of the utility. Earlier this week, Maduro named a new electricity minister and head of Corpoelec, Igor Gavidia, to lead efforts to restore and stabilize the national power grid following what officials say have been repeated attempts by the U.S.-backed far-right to sabotage the system and undermine the government. Officials are first focusing on restoring vital electricity service, and will then work on "building a new system shielded from these multiple forms of attack," said Rodriguez. Venezuela suffered its worst blackout on March 7 when a power outage plunged most of the country in darkness for about five days, forcing officials to close schools and offices. The power outage also led to shortages of water and gas. Since then, a series of widespread blackouts have disrupted production and daily life in the South American country. Venezuela's opposition claims the power failures are the result of mismanagement and corruption, while the government has claimed that the outages have been deliberately caused by pro-opposition agents. Stephen F. Somerstein/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- Over a half-century ago, Martin Luther King Jr. traveled to Memphis to support and bring attention to a strike by more than 1,300 city sanitation workers, but the journey to Tennessee would cost him his life. Fifty-one years have passed since one of the nation's most harrowing episodes unfolded, when at 6:05 p.m. an assassin named James Earl Ray took aim with a Remington .30-06 rifle and squeezed off a single shot that changed the trajectory of the civil rights movement. Why was King in Memphis? On Feb. 1, 1968, Memphis garbage collectors Robert Walker and Echol Cole were crushed to death when a garbage truck malfunctioned. The incident cast a light on the poor working conditions and low wages of sanitation workers, who were prompted by the deaths of the two men to call for a strike. Sanitation workers, all of them black, walked off their jobs on Feb. 12 and set up picket lines, toting signs reading, "I Am a Man." King, a Baptist minister from Atlanta and the country's most famous civil rights activist, had heard about the work stoppage and decided to go to Memphis to bring national attention to the strike. He had already come to national prominence by leading the bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1955, after an African-American woman named Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up a front bus seat to a white man. In the decade following the boycott, King became a civil rights rock star organizing non-violent protests for racial and economic equality. In 1963, he organized a massive march on Washington to demand change, and gave a blistering speech on the National Mall, calling out the federal government for its "apathy and hypocrisy, its betrayal of the cause of justice." "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character," King told the crowd. By the time he went to Memphis, King had been awarded the 1965 Nobel Peace Prize. Why did King stay at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis? King and his entourage checked into the Lorraine Motel on April 3, 1968. The Lorraine was one of the few motels in Memphis that was known as friendly to African Americans. Within hours after checking into Room 306 at the Lorraine, King, battling a bad cold, spoke to an overflow crowd at the Mason Temple Church. Many in the audience were striking sanitation workers. King gave his famous "Mountain Top" speech, in which he spoke of his own mortality, telling the crowd, "I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land." Where was King going when he was killed? The next day, April 4, King and his inner circle had been invited to have dinner at the home of the Rev. Samuel Billy Kyles, a Memphis minister. About 6 p.m., King, dressed in his trademark dark suit and tie, emerged from Room 306. Andrew Young, his close friend and partner in the civil rights movement, yelled up to him to grab his coat because the weather had turned chilly. Before he could answer Young, a shot rang out. A bullet hit King in the right cheek, shattering his jaw, several vertebrae and severing his spinal cord. He was rushed to St. Joseph's Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 7:05 p.m. What happened in the aftermath of King's death? Word of King's assassination triggered riots in more than 100 cities across the country, including Chicago and Washington, D.C. More than 35 people were killed in the violence. President Lyndon Johnson, who signed the Civil Rights Act in 1964 after being prompted to act by the movement King spearheaded, designated April 7, 1968, as a national day of mourning. The following day, King's widow, Coretta Scott King, went to Memphis and led the striking sanitation workers in a peaceful march. On April 8, a funeral for King was held at the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. Among those in attendance was former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy and Vice President Hubert Humphrey. Tens of thousands of mourners lined the streets of Atlanta to watch King's casket being carried by two mules to Morehouse College, King's alma mater, for a public memorial service. A week later, the Memphis sanitation strike ended when the city council agreed to boost the workers' wages and improve working conditions. When was King's assassin caught? Ray, a 40-year-old convicted robber and prison escapee, was identified as King's killer after his fingerprint was found on the rifle used in the assassination and discarded near the murder scene. Police believe Ray shot King from a boarding house across from the Lorraine Motel, after stalking the civil rights leader for more than two weeks. He was arrested in London on June 8, 1968, and extradited back to the United States to face prosecution. In March 1969, Ray pleaded guilty in a Memphis courtroom to King's murder to avoid the death penalty. He was sentenced to 99 years in prison. He died from kidney disease on April 23, 1998, at the age of 70. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 10:18:04|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, April 3 (Xinhua) -- United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed on Wednesday called for more floating cities that "will be on the frontlines of climate-related risks - from rising sea levels to storms." In her remarks to the high-level roundtable on sustainable floating cities, Mohammed said that the approaches to development and environmental sustainability in cities need a serious retooling to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow. "We live in a time when we cannot continue building cities the way New York or Nairobi were built," she said. Cities must be built with solutions for low emission development, she said. "We must build cities knowing that they will be on the frontlines of climate-related risks - from rising sea levels to storms," she said, adding that floating cities can be part of "our new arsenal of tools." Mohammed said that Singapore is an example as its land "is so scarce that the city has, through land reclamation, expanded its size by almost a quarter since its independence in 1965." Cities such as Seattle, Jakarta, and Mexico City have made way for houseboats and floating markets for some time, she said. As climate and water ecosystems are changing, the way cities relate to water needs to change too, said Mohammed. "So today we are looking at a different type of floating city - a different type of scale." According to the UN deputy chief, floating cities are a means of ensuring climate resilience, as buildings can rise along with the sea. And when entire floating communities are designed from scratch, they can be designed as climate neutral from the onset. In order to explore the potential of floating cities, the UN deputy chief called for priorities of new partnerships. Governments can create an environment and incentives for innovation to thrive, She said. Local authorities can facilitate the construction of pilot projects. They can work with architects, engineers, and stakeholders to identify where floating buildings and communities are a useful element of urban and climate planning, she added. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 10:18:06|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close CANBERRA, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Chronic pain is costing the Australian economy 73.2 billion Australian dollars (52.1 billion U.S. dollars) every year, a report has revealed. According to the report by consultancy firm Deloitte, which was released on Thursday, more than 3.2 million Australians are living with chronic pain. It found that the total financial cost of that pain was 48.3 billion AUD (34.3 billion USD) in lost productivity, 12.7 billion AUD (9.03 billion USD) in financial costs such as home modifications and 12.2 billion AUD (8.6 billion USD) in costs to the health system. Of those suffering from chronic pain, 70 percent were of working age and 56 percent said pain restricted their daily activities. The report, commissioned by advocacy group Painaustralia, warned that General Practitioners (GPs) were over-prescribing opioids to treat chronic pain, which in turn was leading to addiction and overdoses. "These are numbers which we simply can't ignore," Painaustralia chief executive Carol Bennett told The Guardian Australia. "In a country like Australia we must do better for the millions of people in pain. Anything less is unacceptable." There were estimated 823 deaths in Australia as a result of opioid overdoses in 2017-18, making them more deadly than popular illicit drugs such as heroin or cocaine. Painaustralia called for the government to establish a 45 million AUD (32.03 million USD) national training course to teach GPs how to better treat chronic pain, a measure Deloitte found would reduce overdose-related costs by 200 million AUD (142.3 million USD). In response to the report, Health Minister Greg Hunt will announce 6.8 million AUD (4.84 million USD) in funding for pain treatment and education about opioids and chronic pain. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 10:23:15|Editor: ZX Video Player Close NEW YORK, April 3 (Xinhua) -- China and the United States should persist in pushing forward and expanding cooperation, which has benefited both sides during the past four decades, a senior Chinese diplomat said here on Wednesday. Huang Ping, Chinese consul general in New York, made the remarks at the annual spring luncheon of the America China Public Affairs Institute (ACPAI) before some 200 guests from the political, business and cultural sectors of both sides. "For both countries, the past 40 years have been successful and extraordinary, and have delivered enormous benefits to our peoples," said Huang, citing the stunning growth in bilateral trade, investment and people-to-people exchanges since the establishment of the China-U.S. diplomatic ties in 1979. Such achievements have showed that "China and the United States stand to gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation," which still holds true today as bilateral ties have come to a critical stage, said Huang. Noting that competition between the two countries is inevitable, Huang warned that "exaggerating the competition out of all proportion would squeeze our space of cooperation." The vast potential for further China-U.S. cooperation and growth in the future is "unimaginable," and any attempt to decouple the two countries will be "futile and harmful," he stressed. Founded in 2012, the ACPAI is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to forging cooperative and inclusive relationships between the United States and China. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 10:28:17|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close CAPE TOWN, April 4 (Xinhua) -- The South African business sector pledged on Tuesday to help the government stabilize power supply as the country is to face more power blackouts. In a joint statement with the presidency, Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) assured President Cyril Ramaphosa of the business community's support for current efforts to secure the sustainability of state-run Eskom as a power utility. This followed a new spate of rolling power outages that have gripped the country since February. Cash-strapped Eskom, which provides about 95 percent of the electricity consumed in the country, has been blamed for poor management and corruption, which are believed to be the main factors that have led to the power crisis. The utility company is staggering under a heavy debt amounting to 420 billion rand (about 30 billion U.S. dollars). BUSA, South Africa's largest business federation, affirmed its commitment to leveraging its membership in order to place expertise, skills and technological interventions at the disposal of the government and Eskom, to reinforce actions that are currently being implemented to stabilize Eskom and to secure the supply of electricity. BUSA's engagement will serve to complement the work being done by the management and board of Eskom in partnership with the special cabinet committee on Eskom, according to the statement. Ramaphosa welcomed the initiative presented by BUSA, saying the new channel for greater transparency and the sharing of information would facilitate and encourage improved coordination among stakeholders that would assist in the day-to-day improvement of the current situation. South Africa has suffered from power insufficiency since 2008. Power cuts have cost the economy billions of dollars and are becoming commonplace since February when Eskom implemented the most extensive load shedding in recent years. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 10:58:34|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close YANGON, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar held a two-day workshop in the capital Nay Pyi Taw to draft a national strategy for people with disabilities, the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement said on Thursday. At the two-day which ended on Wednesday, Deputy Minister of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement U Soe Aung stressed the need to clearly map sector-wise tasks in the national strategy by taking the Enabling Master Plan of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Myanmar Sustainable Development Plan into consideration. He called for linking the draft strategy with the Sustainable Goals-2030, the national-level strategy for social welfare, and rules and bylaws of the related ministries. He also emphasized the need for the strategy to guarantee people with disabilities easy access to six priority sectors including health, education, jobs and social welfare and assistance when they face disaster and other emergency situation. The draft strategy is targeted to be completed by December. Meanwhile, the government pledged to promote the rights for the disabled in the country, stressing the importance to create job opportunities to enable them to live with dignity and independence. Vice President U Henry Van Thio, who is also chairman of the National Committee on Rights of Persons with Disabilities (NCRPD), promised provision of human rights for people with disabilities such as participating in politics and people's affairs, access to healthcare, businesses, culture, information, living independently in the society, equality and development in all sectors. The government has also launched rehabilitation of schools, special education programs and other social integration schemes involving intensive care, harm-free environment, public awareness campaign in the interest of the disabled. There were 2.3 million people with disabilities in Myanmar, around 4.6 percent of the population. Myanmar became a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on Dec. 7, 2011, and enacted the Disability Rights Law in June 2015, followed by the formation of the NCRPD in September 2017. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 11:03:37|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close WASHINGTON, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Most of the changes in bilateral trade balances over the past two decades can be explained by the combined effect of macroeconomic factors, while tariff variations played a much smaller role, according to a new research by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The research was released Wednesday as an analytical chapter of the April 2019 World Economic Outlook. The IMF team's work was based on a study of 63 countries over 20 years (1995-2015) and across 34 sectors. The evolution of bilateral balances over the past two decades has been, "to a significant extent," driven by macroeconomic forces, which include fiscal policy, demographics and domestic demand, the research team said. Exchange rate policies and subsidies to tradable sectors are also among the factors. Despite relatively smaller impact on the evolution of bilateral trade balances, tariffs matter in different ways, the team said. The research showed that when tariff increases are targeted to specific partners, some countries might benefit from "trade diversion" as the demand from the country imposing the tariff is switched to countries that face no tariffs. Hence, changes in the bilateral trade balance with specific partners, triggered by bilateral tariffs, tend to be "offset" by changes in bilateral trade balances with other trade partners, leaving the aggregate trade balance "broadly unchanged." A sharp increase in tariffs, however, would create a "ripple effect" in an integrated global trade system and undermine the world economy, the team argued. "We find that increases in tariffs would particularly hurt output, jobs, and productivity, not only for those economies directly imposing and facing them, but also for other countries up and down the value chains," researchers said. The IMF team advised policymakers to avoid distortive macroeconomic policies such as procyclical fiscal policy or heavily subsidizing exporting sectors that create excessive and possibly unsustainable imbalances. The second major policy conclusion is that multilateral reductions in tariffs and other nontariff barriers will benefit trade and, over the longer term, improve macroeconomic outcomes. The team suggested policymakers continue to promote free and fair trade by undoing recently enacted tariffs and enhancing efforts to reduce existing barriers to trade. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 11:18:47|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close Gary Black, agriculture commissioner of the southeast U.S. state of Georgia, speaks during an interview with Xinhua at his office in Atlanta March 28, 2019. The U.S. and China are capable of getting "a mutually acceptable deal" to solve the trade dispute that is eroding the enormous cooperation opportunities between the world's two largest economies, Gary Black said. "I'm confident we will get a mutually acceptable deal. I'm hopeful some of our differences are going to be cured quickly," he added. (Xinhua/Wang Ying) by Xinhua writers Yang Shilong, Zhou Xiaozheng, Yang Chenglin ATLANTA, the United States, April 3 (Xinhua) -- The United States and China are capable of getting "a mutually acceptable deal" to solve the trade dispute that is eroding the enormous cooperation opportunities between the world's two largest economies, a U.S. state agriculture official has said. "I'm confident we will get a mutually acceptable deal. I'm hopeful some of our differences are going to be cured quickly," said Gary Black, agriculture commissioner of the southeastern U.S. state of Georgia in a recent interview with Xinhua at his office in the state capital of Atlanta. Calling the U.S.-China tariff battle "unfortunate," Black said trade ties with China are essential for the state's largest industry -- agriculture. "Georgia, in the Greek language, means 'a farmer.' So it is in our very being, it's in our name. Agriculture is roughly a 75-billion-dollar industry, the No. 1 segment of our economy," said Black, who heads the Georgia Department of Agriculture responsible for regulating and promoting the state's agriculture industry. "One in seven Georgians have a job that is somehow related to food and fiber, production or processing or marketing," he said. "The value of exports to Georgia economy, to our way of life, is in the billions of dollars." China was the third largest export market of Georgia in 2018 receiving 2.9 billion U.S. dollars of exports, according to the Georgia Department of Economic Development. Georgia farmers, pecan growers in particular, have already felt the pinch from the trade tension with China, Black said. According to the commissioner, the United States and China had successfully negotiated a reduction of the tariffs on pecan. But due to U.S. tariffs and China's retaliation measures, the tariffs crept up to even higher levels than the original ones. "It is no doubt unfortunate," he said. HUGE POTENTIAL FOR COOPERATION Black, who has been to China on two trade missions, said he believes a fast-growing Chinese middle-income market represents "enormous opportunities" for Georgia and the United States as a whole. "There's a great record of cooperation. I would say there's a great potential for the expansion of cooperation," he said. What is most important for enhancing the bilateral cooperation is that the United States and China build upon mutual trust and friendship at all levels. "We need to be diligent with each other and trustworthy with each other," he said. "I had every reason to believe, just as I do today, that it's good when people can meet people. And that builds a bond that allows you to do a lot of good things." "I think we should do more of that with our government, so that we have an understanding, that those who are making decisions have an understanding of each other," he said. "If we simply stay on the opposite sides of a table, my hope is that table in future years will not be so wide and probably we can make it easier to reach across the table," he said. "I believe the sun's going to shine. We may not see it tomorrow. But I believe there's a sunrise for us." (Xinhua reporters Zhou Sa'ang, Wang Ying contributed to the story) Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 11:23:51|Editor: ZX Video Player Close MINSK, April 4 (Xinhua) -- A delegation led by Shen Yueyue, vice chairwoman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) of China, wrapped up a three-day visit to Belarus on Wednesday. During the visit at the invitation of the House of Representatives (the lower house) of the National Assembly of Belarus from Monday to Wednesday, Shen held talks with Chairman Vladimir Andreichenko of the House of Representatives, and met respectively with Belarusian Prime Minister Sergei Rumas and Marianna Shchetkina, deputy chairwoman of the Council of the Republic (the upper house) of the National Assembly. Shen also attended celebratory events marking the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China hosted by the Belarusian Society of Friendship and Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries. Under the strategic guidance of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, the China-Belarus comprehensive strategic partnership has seen rapid development with fruitful results in practical cooperation in various fields, Shen said. China is willing to join efforts with Belarus to comprehensively implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state, and take the opportunity of jointly building the Belt and Road to deepen communication and cooperation in such fields as economy, trade, people-to-people exchanges, culture and local-level cooperation, She said. Shen also encouraged the two countries' legislative bodies to make new contributions to promoting continuous development of China-Belarus ties. The National Assembly and government of Belarus spoke highly of the level of Belarus-China relations, and are looking forward to working with China to advance Belt and Road cooperation projects. They are also willing to enhance coordination with China in all fields including between parliaments, and expand the results of mutually beneficial cooperation. The delegation also toured China-Belarus industrial park Great Stone. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 11:28:55|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close TOKYO, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo prosecutors arrested former Nissan Motor Co. Chairman Carlos Ghosn on Thursday, less than a month after he was released on bail after serving more than 100 days in custody. The ex-auto tycoon was served a fourth arrest warrant by prosecutors over new allegations of aggravated breach of trust. Before 6 a.m. Thursday morning local time, prosecutors entered the residence of Ghosn and took the 65-year old to their offices by car for questioning. He has since been taken back to the Tokyo Detention House from where he was released on bail on March 6. Sources close to the matter said Ghosn's arrest was related to allegations he used part of Nissan's funds which were transferred to a Nissan dealership in Oman, operated for seven years until last year by an acquaintance of his. The fresh allegations suggest that Ghosn may have made more than 34 million U.S. dollars in payments from a CEO reserve fund that the once-revered tycoon had discretion over, under the pretense of sales incentives from Nissan. Sources said that the money was then transferred from a private bank account opened in Lebanon by the Omani dealer, funneled through an investment firm run by the Omani and sent to a company account belonging to a family member of Ghosn. The funds are suspected by prosecutors thereafter of being used, at least in part, to purchase a 1.6-billion-yen (14.35-million-U.S. dollar) luxury yacht for use by Ghosn's family and others, the sources said. Prosecutors said that Ghosn, who since first being indicted has maintained his innocence, had caused Nissan a loss of around 563 million yen (5 million U.S. dollars). In a written statement released after being served a fourth arrest warrant, Ghosn described his arrest as being "outrageous" and "arbitrary." "My arrest this morning is outrageous and arbitrary. It is part of another attempt by some individuals at Nissan to silence me by misleading the prosecutors. Why arrest me except to try to break me? I will not be broken. I am innocent of the groundless charges and accusations against me," Ghosn's statement read. "After being wrongly imprisoned for 108 days, my biggest hope and wish today is for a fair trial. I was scheduled to present my story in a press conference next week; by arresting me again, the prosecutors have denied me that opportunity, for now, but I am determined that the truth will come out. I am confident that if tried fairly, I will be vindicated," Ghosn wrote. In terms of the ousted Nissan chief's hopes for a fair trial, Ghosn's lawyer, Junichiro Hironaka, known for winning acquittals in high-profile cases, has voiced his skepticism. He said given the fact that Nissan executives have reached a plea-bargaining deal with prosecutors, the automaker, also facing charges of financial improprieties connected to making false financial disclosures, now finds itself in a position of being less like a defendant and more like prosecutor. Hironaka intimated that his client may not receive a fair trial if Nissan's position is that of prosecutor in the same court and in front of the same judge as its former chief. Ghosn's legal team has called for the trails to be conducted separately, with Hironaka blasting the judicial system as being a "hostage justice system" as his client has been judged not to be a flight risk and has adhered to strict bail conditions, including being under camera surveillance and only having limited access to the use of phones and computers. "If prosecutors thought they could gather enough evidence for another prosecution, they should have just slapped additional charges. I don't understand why they detained him," Hironaka said Thursday. "If anything, they chose to torment him through hostage justice and are trying to gain an upper hand," he said, adding that his client's latest detention was "excessive." Meanwhile, Ghosn's defense team has maintained that in terms of Thursday's arrest, the money transferred to Oman was made at the request of his subordinates and was a permissible payment made to the dealer for his many years of service. His team also said that the purchase of the multi-million dollar yacht has noting to do with Nissan and described their client's rearrest this morning as being "extremely inappropriate." Ghosn, who was first arrested on Nov. 19, 2018, on charges of under-reporting his remuneration for years in Nissan's securities reports presented to Japanese regulators, is also facing a separate charge of aggravated breach of trust, for allegedly transferring private investment losses to Nissan. Ghosn, who holds Brazilian, French and Lebanese citizenship, was released on bail on March 6 after spending 108 days in the Tokyo Detention House. He has denied the charges and was, prior to his arrest, gearing up to give his first, highly anticipated press conference. "I'm getting ready to tell the truth about what's happening. Press conference on Thursday, April 11," Ghosn, widely regarded as being the brain and brawn behind Nissan's rapid turnaround from near-bankruptcy since 1999, tweeted on Wednesday. While Ghosn was removed from his post at Nissan following his arrest, he still holds his seat on the automaker's board as a director. Nissan, the automaker has said, is imminently planning to oust Ghosn as a board member at an extraordinary shareholders' meeting slated to be held on April 8. After his arrest, Ghosn was also dismissed as the chairman of Mitsubishi Motors Corp. He was also replaced as chairman of Renault SA in the three-way alliance he created after he tendered his resignation while in detention in Tokyo. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 11:38:58|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close BEIJING, April 4 (Xinhua) -- The State Council, China's cabinet, announced the appointment and removal of several officials Thursday. Xu Hongcai was appointed Vice Minister of Finance, replacing Liu Wei. Liu Wei was named vice chairman of the National Council for Social Security Fund, replacing Lou Jiwei. Hao Shuchen was appointed director of the office of a central inter-ministerial joint meeting of economic responsibility audit. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 11:49:01|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close VIENTIANE, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Trade negotiating officials from 10 member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries met in the Lao capital Vientiane this week to discuss facilitation for trade and investment within the ASEAN bloc. The 14th ASEAN Trade Facilitation Joint Consultative Committee conference took place from Tuesday to Wednesday to follow up the results of previous negotiations that aimed to provide easier transport, import and export and cross-border trade of goods within ASEAN. The conference said that all members must work together to resolve obstacles to trade and investment by businesses in the region such as transparency and speed, and reduce the number of steps, amount of time, expenses and not-tariff measures in each member country, according to local daily Vientiane Times on Thursday. The meeting was chaired by the Director General of the Trade Negotiations Department of the Commerce Ministry of Thailand, Auramon Supthaweethum. The meeting heard reports about negotiation progress by four negotiation committees namely the ASEAN trade negotiation committee, electronic trade negotiation committee, logistics unit negotiation committee, and the customs negotiation committee. In addition, participants discussed their work plans for 2019, and implementation of non-tariff measure guidelines including technical assistance among ASEAN country members. Trade facilitation involves sectors related to standards, e-commerce, transport facilitation, customs, and trade in goods. Negotiations on these issues have progressed well and each country has initiated improvements in its one-gate service for national customs declaration. The older ASEAN country members have implemented information exchange through electronic systems while newer members are improving their systems and plan to put them in practice as soon as possible. ASEAN members are paying attention to non-tax measures to improve them for transparency, time saving and expense reduction for business operations within ASEAN. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 11:54:03|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close Local people help firefighters spray water to douse flame after a fire broke out at a kitchen market in Dhaka, Bangladesh, April 4, 2019. An early morning fire gutted dozens of shops in a kitchen market in Bangladesh capital Dhaka on Thursday, Kazi Nazmuzzaman, deputy assistant director of Fire Service and Civil Defense, told Xinhua. (Xinhua/Stringer) DHAKA, April 4 (Xinhua) -- An early morning fire gutted dozens of shops in a kitchen market in Bangladesh capital Dhaka on Thursday, Kazi Nazmuzzaman, deputy assistant director of Fire Service and Civil Defence, told Xinhua. He said a total of 16 fire units battled hard for over two hours to bring the fire under control at about 5:35 a.m. local time. The fire originated at about 3:15 a.m. local time in the one-story Khilgaon Kitchen Market, housing some 1,300 shops in its three separate blocks which are attached to each other, said the official. According to the official, the blaze gutted 25 shops where groceries and other kitchen goods are sold. Mahfuz Reven, a duty officer of Fire Service and Civil Defence headquarters, said that a fireman sustained injuries while he was trying to douse the fire. Firefighters have not determined the cause of the blaze. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 12:39:15|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close CHRISTCHURCH, April 4 (Xinhua) -- The gunman accused of Christchurch terrorist attack is to face 50 murder charges and 39 attempted murder charges, New Zealand police said on Thursday. Brenton Tarrant will appear in Christchurch High Court on Friday. The Police said other charges are still under consideration. The 28-year-old Australian gunman is now in custody at New Zealand's only maximum security prison in Paremoremo, Auckland. He will appear in the court through audio-visual link from prison. Fifty people were killed at Al Noor Mosque and the Linwood Islamic Center in Christchurch central on March 15. Tarrant was caught by local police less than 30 minutes after the emergency call, with five firearms including an automatic weapon seized. He appeared briefly in the District Court on March 16. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 12:44:17|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close Mike Strain, commissioner of the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, speaks during an interveiw with Xinhua at his office in Baton Rouge of the U.S. state of Louisiana March 1, 2019. The Chinese market is absolutely critical to the U.S., as it is not only huge but also full of potential, Mike Strain said, adding that agricultural exports play a vital role in the U.S. and Louisiana economies. (Xinhua/Wang Ying) BATON ROUGE, the United States, April 3 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese market is absolutely critical to the United States, as it is not only huge but also full of potential, a U.S. state agricultural official has said. "China is a huge country with more than a billion people, and you're importing a great deal of your food," Mike Strain, commissioner of the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, told Xinhua in a recent interview on how he evaluates the role of the Chinese market. Agricultural exports play a vital role in the U.S. and Louisiana economies, Strain said. In the state of Louisiana, exports amount to 8.3 billion U.S. dollars, said Strain. "That's one of every three acres." Soybean production is worth about 800 million dollars, corn and other grains about 400 million dollars, and poultry more than a billion dollars in Louisiana, he said. While valuing all the trading partners, Strain emphasized that the impact of the U.S. agricultural trade with China is extremely significant. "If you look at soybeans ... 60 percent of the production of the United States goes to China. So for our production, it is critical. It's absolutely critical," he said. China's continued purchase of soybeans over these years means "a great deal" to U.S. farmers, Strain said, adding that U.S. soybean growers can profit about 1.65 dollars more on each bushel of beans. According to the Louisiana Economic Development (LED) website, China is Louisiana's top export market and ranks seventh in imports. The southeastern U.S. state imports 1.3 billion U.S. dollars of Chinese goods a year while exporting 7.9 billion dollars of goods to China, including mainly chemicals, fuels and agricultural products. "Chinese commerce is already a transformative force in Louisiana's economy, with extensive trade and cross-border investment linking the two more strongly than ever before," the LED said. Strain assumed the current post in 2008, and has been dedicated to promoting agriculture, expanding production and facilitating trade for more than a decade. In the eyes of the commissioner, trade disruption could lead to a series of damage, while sustainable long-term trade is beneficial to all stakeholders. The world's two largest economies are interlinked and highly complementary, Strain said. A growing Chinese economy boosts consumption and multiplies demand for higher-quality food and grain, which will further translate into abundant business opportunities for the U.S. agriculture, he said. Strain said he is excited about the latest progress in U.S.-China trade talks. "Everyone is now negotiating in earnest, and these ongoing negotiations were getting closer," he said. As the planting season approaches, the commissioner said he hopes that the two sides can strike a deal soon. "We expect about 1.2 to 1.3 million acres of beans here. And we're expecting 88 million acres of beans in the United States. And so we're looking for a home (for the produce)," said Strain. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 13:24:26|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close KUNMING, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Seven people died and two others were injured in an explosion in an expressway tunnel under construction in southwest China's Yunnan Province Monday evening, local authorities said Thursday. The blast happened at around 8 p.m. on Monday in the tunnel near Weixin County, which is a section of the expressway linking Yibin City in Sichuan Province and Bijie City in neighboring Guizhou Province. High concentration of gas inside the tunnel is suspected of having caused the blast. Initially two people were found dead with five others unaccounted for. Rescuers searched for over 40 hours and found the bodies of the missing people on Wednesday. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 14:14:43|Editor: ZX Video Player Close BEIJING, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Twenty-one Chinese investors made it into the Forbes Magazine's list of top 100 venture capitalists globally this year, up from 17 last year, China Daily reported Thursday. Four Chinese investors rank among the top 10 this year, with Shen Nanpeng, founding and managing partner of Sequoia Capital China, remaining at the top of the ranking for the second consecutive year, according to the latest annual Midas List of Forbes Magazine. Investors on the list are ranked by their portfolio companies that have gone public or been acquired for at least 200 million U.S. dollars over the past five years, or that have raised additional funding at a valuation of 400 million dollars or more. "The increasing presence of Chinese investors in the Midas List is a solid reflection of the scale and vigor of the Chinese economy," the report quoted Zhou Xuan, director of and a professor with the private investment funds institute of the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, as saying. After years of reform and opening up, the number of high-quality enterprises with good investment prospects is rising, giving China an increasingly large influence on the global venture capital market, Zhou said. As the country further opens up the venture capital industry and competition intensifies, domestic players will become more capable, Zhou noted. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 14:14:46|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close KIEV, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian actor Volodymyr Zelensky and incumbent President Petro Poroshenko advanced to the runoff of Ukraine's presidential election, according to the data provided by the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) of Ukraine on Thursday. With nearly all of the ballots counted, Zelensky garnered 30.24 percent of the vote, while Poroshenko gained 15.95 percent in the first round of the elections held on Sunday, the CEC website showed. Yulia Tymoshenko, leader of the opposition Fatherland party, is ranked third with the support of 13.40 percent voters. She is followed by Yuriy Boyko, representative of an oppositional platform "For Life," and Anatoly Hrytsenko, leader of "Civil Position" party, with 11.67 percent and 6.91 percent of the vote, respectively. A total of 62.8 percent of 29.8 million Ukrainian eligible voters cast their ballots in the first round of the election. The second round will take place on April 21. Final results are set to be released by May 4, and the new president is expected to take office no later than June 3. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 14:19:54|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close SEOUL, April 4 (Xinhua) -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in's approval rating hovered around 47 percent for the third consecutive week, a weekly poll showed Thursday. According to the Realmeter survey, support for Moon inched down 0.2 percentage points to 47.5 percent this week, staying around 47 percent for three weeks in a row. Negative assessment on Moon's management of state affairs edged up 0.5 percentage points to 46.7 percent. Moon's order to thoroughly investigate into the alleged cover-up cases involving police and prosecutors positively influence the president's support score, but controversies over minister nominees had a negative impact. Support for Moon's ruling Democratic Party rose 0.6 percentage points over the week to 37.8 percent this week. It was followed by the main conservative opposition Liberty Korea Party with 30.4 percent this week. The minor progressive Justice Party won 8.2 percent of support, while the minor conservative Bareun Future Party gained 5.8 percent in support score. The center-left Party for Democracy and Peace garnered 2.4 percent of support. The results were based on a survey of 1,510 voters conducted from Monday to Wednesday. It had plus and minus 2.5 percentage points in margin of error with a 95 percent confidence level. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 14:30:01|Editor: ZX Video Player Close by Naim-Ul-Karim DHAKA, April 4 (Xinhua) -- The remarkable progresses China has made so far in various fields, especially in poverty eradication, sustainable balanced development and technological advances, provided valuable lessons for the world, Bangladeshi Telecommunications and ICT (Information and Communications Technology) Minister Mustafa Jabbar said here Wednesday. "If I look around, I find that in any situation we are in dire need for technological relations with China," the minister told Xinhua on the sidelines of Huawei's global flagship CSR (corporate social responsibility) program "Seeds for the future" in Dhaka. China has gone far in in the R&D field and has achieved huge technological capability, Jabbar said. In the past, only products from Germany, Singapore and Japan were considered of high quality. But in recent years, Chinese products are considered to be of good quality as well, he added. "When we talk about reaching SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals), we talk about mitigating disparity factors, zero-disparity. Even today the capitalist world admits that greatness is not all about earning enough wealth and property. A balanced distribution system is something very important." "China achieved development without pursuing the traditional economic systems what we call open market economic system and capitalism," he said. Socialism is one of the four fundamental principles for the constitution of Bangladesh. The minister praised Huawei's Seeds for the Future program, saying such initiatives will bolster Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's dream for a digital Bangladesh. Under its "Seeds for the future" program, the Chinese telecommunication giant has selected 10 youngsters from five renowned Bangladeshi universities. These top talents will be taken to China for an exclusive, career-oriented ICT training and cultural expedition for two weeks. Starting in 2008, the program has been implemented in over 100 countries, regions and international organizations worldwide, benefiting over 30,000 students from 350 universities. Among them, thousands of students have taken a study trip to Huawei's headquarter Shenzhen, southern China's Guangdong Province. Zhang Zhengjun, chief executive officer of Huawei Technologies (Bangladesh) Ltd, congratulated the 10 newly selected students, saying they were going to China by the end of April. "We are delighted to bring the fifth edition of the 'Seeds for the Future' for the emerging ICT talents of this country." Selected youngsters will develop their ICT skills, gain practical international work experience, and receive an introduction to Chinese language and culture that will prepare them for an increasingly interconnected global job market, he added. Speaking as the special guest at the gala event, Li Guangjun, economic and commercial counselor of the Chinese embassy in Dhaka, said ICT plays an important role in the convergence of digital and fiscal works. It is no longer just a tool to prove efficiency but an enabler and a catalyst for the transformation of all industries, Li said. "I strongly believe through this talent development initiative Huawei can support the ICT talent development." Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 14:40:07|Editor: ZX Video Player Close BEIJING, April 4 (Xinhua) -- China has launched a 50-day campaign nationwide to promote firm implementation of the government's policies in reducing taxes and fees. The campaign was an extended edition of the country's annual month-long program to elaborate its taxation policies in April, during which the State Taxation Administration (STA) and its local branches organize activities including seminars, online interviews and roadside shows. During a seminar with enterprises, Wang Jun, head of STA, said with policies to reduce taxes and social insurance contributions of enterprises coming into effect, enterprises will be benefited. Wang urged relevant authorities to map out roadmaps and timetables to implement the tax and fee-reduction policies. The country vowed to reduce the tax burdens and social insurance contributions of enterprises by nearly 2 trillion yuan (about 298 billion U.S. dollars) this year, according to a government work report released last month. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 14:55:14|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close SUVA, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Fijian Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama apologized on Thursday to three New Zealand journalists, who were taken in for questioning on Wednesday and kept overnight by police officers on the island nation. In an urgent parliamentary statement on Thursday, Bainimarama made it clear that the news media has been an ally in accountability, helping to expose an illegal environmental destruction in Malolo. Bainimarama said he was informed that the three journalists from New Zealand had been detained by the police for questioning and the Fijian government immediately demanded their release as soon as he came to know about the incident. He said these journalists were in Fiji to report on the recent charges Fiji had brought against Freesoul Real Estate Development, a resort developer. Bainimarama together with Fiji's Minister for Environment Mahendra Reddy and Police Commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho met with the three journalists and apologized for the treatment they received. Bainimarama stressed that the Fijian people can be assured, the government will not tolerate any attempts to violate the historic environmental protections enshrined in Fiji's Constitution. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 15:00:18|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close ALGIERS, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Algeria's Constitutional Council on Wednesday confirmed the resignation of Abdelaziz Bouteflika from the presidency, one day after official news agency APS said he decided to leave the post following massive protests against his long-term leadership. According to APS, the 12-member Council later in the day will notify the parliament of the vacancy of presidency in accordance to Article 102 of the Constitution. Under Algeria's constitution, Abdelkader Bensalah, speaker of the Council of the Nation and upper house of the parliament, is due to take over as the interim leader for a transition period of up to 90 days, during which presidential elections must be organized. In a public farewell letter also released by APS shortly after the council's confirmation, the 82-year-old Bouteflika said that he was proud of having led the nation for 20 years. "I am leaving the politics without sadness or fear for the country's future," the letter said. Amid weeks-long nationwide demonstrations demanding his resignation, Bouteflika announced a new caretaker government headed by Prime Minister Noureddine Bedoui, state TV said Sunday night. The cabinet list showed that 21 of the country's 27 ministers have been changed. Sabri Boukadoum, a former envoy to the United Nations, replaced Ramtane Lamamra as foreign minister. Central bank Governor Mohamed Loukal was named as finance minister. Algeria's army chief Lieutenant General Ahmed Gaid Salah, who called for Bouteflika to be declared unfit for office on March 26, kept his post as vice defense minister. Bouteflika had been in power since 1999. He has rarely been seen in public since he suffered a stroke in 2013. His term had been due to end on April 28. Anti-Bouteflika protesters staged protests across the North African country in late February after Bouteflika said he would seek a fifth consecutive term in the April elections. In a response to protests, the former president on March 11 said he would not seek candidacy for the election and the vote would be postponed for an indefinite period. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement on Wednesday that he "takes note" of the Bouteflika's resignation and "salutes the mature and calm nature in which the Algerian people have been expressing their desire for change." The UN chief "looks forward to a peaceful and democratic transition process that reflects the wishes of the Algerian people," his spokesman said, adding that Guterres "reiterates the United Nations' continued commitment to supporting Algeria in its process of democratic transition." Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 15:25:33|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close JERUSALEM, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu left on Thursday for Moscow, where he will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin. Ahead of his departure, he said in a statement that he will discuss with the Russian leader events in Syria and the ongoing and special coordination between the two countries' militaries in the war-torn country. Israel and Russia coordinate their armies' moves in Syria to avoid clashes. Russian forces fight alongside President Bashar al-Assad's army, and Israel's air force has carried out hundreds of air strikes, saying the attacks aim at Iranian and Hezbollah targets. Putin and Netanyahu last met in Moscow on Feb. 27. They have talked several times over the phone in the last few months, including on Monday. The meeting comes five days before Israel's general elections, in which Netanyahu is seeking for a fifth term. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 15:45:55|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close ULAN BATOR, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia is going to raise its monthly minimum wage to 420,000 Mongolian tugriks (about 167 U.S. dollars) as of Jan. 1, 2020, local media reported Thursday, citing the country's Ministry of Labor and Social Protection. Mongolia's Tripartite Council, which brings together representatives of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, employers, and trade unions, agreed to increase the minimum wage by 100,000 Mongolian tugriks (about 40 dollars) from the beginning of the next year, the ministry said in a statement. Starting this year, the country raised the minimum monthly wage to 320,000 Mongolian tugriks (127 dollars), up from the previous 240,000 Mongolian tugriks (95 dollars). Currently, roughly 1.1 million people are employed in the country, of whom about 8 percent receive minimum-wage salaries, according to data released by the National Statistical Office. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 16:01:12|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close Thai students of Lu Ban High-Speed Railway Institute attend a training session at the institute's simulation driving training base at Banphai Industrial and Community Education College in Ban Phai district, Khon Kaen province, Thailan, April 3, 2019. A pair of Chinese and Thai vocational colleges on Wednesday jointly announced the establishment of Lu Ban High-Speed Railway Institute in northeastern Thailand to train high-speed railway technicians. The institute is set up at Banphai Industrial and Community Education College in Ban Phai district, Khon Kaen province, with the support from Wuhan Railway Vocational College of Technology (WRC). (Xinhua/Yang Zhou) BAN PHAI, Thailand, April 4 (Xinhua) -- A pair of Chinese and Thai vocational colleges on Wednesday jointly announced the establishment of Lu Ban High-Speed Railway Institute in northeastern Thailand to train high-speed railway technicians. The institute is set up at Banphai Industrial and Community Education College in Ban Phai district, Khon Kaen province, with the support from Wuhan Railway Vocational College of Technology (WRC). With the donation of WRC's partner Zhengzhou J&T Hi-Tech Co., Ltd., a simulation driving training base has been set up at Banphai Industrial and Community Education College for Thai students to practice. "The Lu Ban High-Speed Railway Institute would help to develop Thai high-speed railway technicians, make educational plans such as 1 plus 1 or 1 plus 2 which means Thai students would study in Thailand for a year and go to China for another year or two years of study," Cheng Shixing, president of WRC, told Xinhua. Cheng said the Lu Ban High-Speed Railway Institute would also include training of teachers and railway employees. WRC started Sino-Thailand cooperative education program of railway talents in August 2015. Up to now, WRC has cultivated 103 Thai students from 33 vocational and technical colleges in 20 Thai provinces, Cheng said. "They are the first batch of high-speed railway technicians China developed for Thailand and may also contribute to the construction of China-Thailand cooperative program of high speed railway," he said. On the other hand, Junyar Pabu, director of Banphai Industrial and Community Education College, confirmed the effective cooperation with WRC. "China has the most advanced high-speed railway technology while Thailand had no technology and no talents, as a result, we, assigned by the Office of the Vocational Education Commission of Thai ministry of education, reached out to the Chinese colleges and we got very positive responses from them," said Junyar. Junyar believed the establishment of Lu Ban High-Speed Railway Institute would help to develop more talents for Thai railway industry. A Chinese dean and a Thai dean of Lu Ban High-Speed Railway Institute have been appointed and they both expressed their willingness to promote China-Thailand educational cooperation on high-speed rail during the inauguration ceremony on Wednesday. During the ceremony, Song Ruoyun, first secretary of Education Affairs of the Chinese Embassy to Thailand, said she expected the Lu Ban High-Speed Railway Institute to be a good example and provide the China-Thailand cooperative program of high speed railway with talents and technicians. She also praised the Confucius Institute at Khon Kaen University and other Confucius Institutes for helping vocational colleges from both countries to cooperate under the Belt and Road Initiative and Thailand 4.0 strategy. Liao Junyun, Consul General of the Chinese Consulate General in Khon Kaen, Panthong Srakhupan, Vice Governor of Khon Kaen Province as well as other Chinese and Thai government officials, representatives from companies, teachers and students attended the inauguration ceremony. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 16:11:17|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close Tom McCall, chairman of the Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee at the Georgia State House of Representatives, speaks during an interview with Xinhua in the Georgian state capital of Atlanta, the United States, March 28, 2019. (Xinhua/Wang Ying) ATLANTA, the United States, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Ending trade tensions will better serve the interests of both the United States and China, a U.S. state legislator has said. "We hope everything levels out and you keep buying stuff from us and we keep buying it from you," said Tom McCall, chairman of the Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee at the Georgia State House of Representatives, in a recent interview. The trade volume between Georgia state and China "has done nothing but increase" over the past 40 years, McCall said. "It kind of backed off in the last six, eight months because of the (trade) tensions, but I hope that's going away soon. We need you and you need us," he said, adding "you make a whole lot of products that we used for a living." "In Georgia, you can go through the alphabet from A to Z and we produce something that starts with one of those letters from apples to zucchini," said McCall, who has served in the state House since 1994. "I hope the trade within the two countries, and especially this state with China, just keeps growing and growing. But we've got to get all the stuff in Washington D.C. worked out." China was Georgia's third largest export market in 2018, receiving 2.9 billion U.S. dollars of exports, according to the Georgia Department of Economic Development. Agriculture is the No.1 segment of the state's economy. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 16:26:27|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close CANBERRA, April 4 (Xinhua) -- A unique exhibition, the first in Australia, will explore the grand historical sweep of Chinese art and calligraphy traditions at the National Museum of Australia (NMA) starting on Friday. The exhibition, namely The Historical Expression of Chinese Art: Calligraphy and Painting from the National Museum of China (NMC), consists of more than 100 objects from China. It features an animated digital experience that brings historical figures to life in intricate moving detail. "This exhibition goes to works of art. It goes to the heart of Chinese culture. What can you have when you try to speak to the long history of the Chinese people?" said Mathew Trinca, director of NMA. "(Calligraphy and ink painting) are not only able to tell us about the nature of Chinese art, but the broad society as well." Shan Wei, deputy director of NMC, said that calligraphy and ink painting have a long history in Chinese culture. "Through this exhibition, we hope to share with the Australian audience the artistic interpretation of Chinese painting and calligraphy on history and life, the aesthetic concept contained in it, the spiritual pursuit embodied in it, and the philosophy of life of Taoism and nature." A highlight of the exhibition is a rare 20-meter-long replica of the first scroll of Emperor Qianlong's Southern Inspection Tour. The original painting, completed in the mid 18th century, consisted of 12 scrolls with the total length exceeding 150 meters. Emperor Qianlong was one of the most influential emperors in Chinese history. "To help Australian audiences understand the scroll and Chinese culture, we also brought our digital animation, which, with vivid details of architecture and figures, will show our audiences the grand royal parade of Chinese emperor as well as the scenes of prosperous Chinese society," Shan said. The exhibition also brought together works from three Chinese contemporary artists Wang Naizhuang, Xie Yun and Xiao Lang. Liu Gang, director of the Institute of Painting and Calligraphy of NMC, told Xinhua that calligrapher Xie Yun's works explored the traditional style of Chinese calligraphy over 2,000 years ago, while Wang Naizhuang, known for the combination of Western and Chinese painting techniques, pushes the boundaries of traditional ink painting. Heavily influenced by art works of the Ming (from mid-14th century to mid-17th century) and Qing (from mid-17th century to early 20th century) dynasties, celebrated bird-and-flower painter Xiao Lang incorporates traditional forms of calligraphy into paintings with a strong focus on nature. The third part of the exhibition is a scroll from NMA's own collection exploring the strong Chinese-Australian connection, Harvest of Endurance Scroll. The scroll is an artistic representation of two centuries of Chinese contact with and migration to Australia. A total of eight meters of the 50-meter scroll will be on display. "It shows the history of Chinese people in Australia," said Michael Pickering, senior curator of NMA. "This painting basically marks the period of time in the 1970s and 1980s when they were at the transition from Chinese engagement through individual immigration to a time when political recognition raised the profile." NMA signed a memorandum of understanding with NMC in 2011. Last July, a 150-piece "Old Masters" art exhibition with Australian indigenous artists opened in NMC. Shan Wei, who had not started his work in NMC then, went to the exhibition twice as a visitor. According to Yang Zhi, minister-counselor for culture at the Chinese Embassy in Australia, told Xinhua that the preparation for the exchange exhibitions took almost three years. "These exhibitions brought the cultural exchanges of China and Australia to a new height," he said. "In recent years many Australian culture institutes visited China, and vice versa. Such exchanges shortened the distance between our two peoples, and enhanced mutual understanding." The exhibition will run until July 28. Russia's President Vladimir Putin (R) speaks with Kazakhstan's new president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev during a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow on April 3, 2019. (AFP PHOTO) MOSCOW, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin and visiting Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Wednesday agreed to further develop the strategic partnership of the two countries and enhance their comprehensive cooperation in various fields. The two leaders discussed at their first meeting a wide range of key issues on the bilateral agenda, according to a joint statement of the presidents published on the Kremlin's website. "Acknowledging the importance of a substantive and open political dialogue for the dynamic development of relations between the two states, the presidents advocate the further expansion of trust and constructive contacts at the highest levels," the statement said. Tokayev, succeeding his predecessor Nursultan Nazarbayev, was sworn in as Kazakhstan's president last month. He made his first official foreign visit to Russia, Kazakhstan's close ally. During the talks, Putin and Tokayev spoke in favor of expanding multidimensional economic and humanitarian relations and strengthening interaction between business communities, educational and scientific circles as well as legislative and executive authorities, according to the statement. They also reaffirmed the importance of implementing the key provisions and principles of the treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), it said. Meanwhile, the presidents said that their countries will continue to closely cooperate in strengthening regional and international peace and stability, such as facilitating the Syrian peace process and countering international terrorism. Following the talks of the presidents, a number of bilateral documents were signed in the fields of gas supply as well as industrial, scientific and technical cooperation, according to the Kremlin. "The heads of state stressed that the fruitful negotiations and bilateral documents signed during the visit will contribute to the ongoing development of the traditionally friendly, equal relations between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Kazakhstan," the statement said. Kazakhstan and Russia are founders of the Eurasian Economic Union, and also members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Collective Security Treaty Organization. Russia uses the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan to launch its spacecraft. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 16:36:36|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close SEOUL, April 4 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's military said Thursday that the UN Command was "very positive" about the opening of trails in the South Korean side of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), which has divided the Korean Peninsula since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War. Col. Roh Jae-cheon, deputy spokesman of Seoul's defense ministry, told a press briefing that the UN command was very positive about the South Korean government's plan to open the DMZ Peace Trails. Roh said an official approval of the plan had yet to be conducted by the UN Command, which handles DMZ issues as the Korean War ended with an armistice agreement, not a peace treaty. The plan was announced Wednesday to open a part of the South Korean side of the DMZ to ordinary people later this month on a trial basis. The DMZ Peace Trails would be created in three border towns in South Korea: Goseong, Cheorwon and Paju on the inter-Korean border's eastern, central and western sections each, where the withdrawal of a part of guard posts and the excavation of the remains of soldiers killed in the Korean War were conducted to ease military tensions. The 7.9 km-long Goseong peace trail was scheduled to be opened first on April 27, but it did not include the DMZ section. The Cheorwon and Paju trails would include the trails inside the South Korean side of the DMZ. The deputy spokesman noted that there would be no safety issue for civilian visitors as the opening was based on military trust between South Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) after the military agreement signed in September last year. The military agreement was signed by defense chiefs of the two Koreas during the third summit between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un last September in Pyongyang. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 16:41:44|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close Soldiers escort coffins containing the remains of Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) soldiers killed in the 1950-53 Korean War during a burial ceremony in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, April 4, 2019. Remains of 10 Chinese soldiers killed in the 1950-53 Korean War were reburied Thursday in China after they were returned from the Republic of Korea (ROK). (Xinhua/Yang Qing) SHENYANG, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Remains of 10 Chinese soldiers killed in the 1950-53 Korean War were reburied Thursday in China after they were returned from the Republic of Korea (ROK). With the air filled with the national anthem, China held a burial ceremony in a martyrs' park in Shenyang, capital of northeastern Liaoning Province, attended by over 200 people including government and military officials, Korean War veterans, their families and members of the public. The remains of the 10 fallen soldiers were returned to China on Wednesday. "We held the burial ceremony to welcome back the martyrs. Their heroic spirit will forever be a valuable treasure of the Chinese nation," Qian Feng, vice minister of veterans affairs, said in his memorial speech. The Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) fought along with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's army in the Korean War against the ROK army and U.S.-led UN forces between 1950 and 1953. A total of 197,653 CPV soldiers have been confirmed killed in the war so far, most of whom were buried on the Korean Peninsula. "They finally came back. I returned after the war ended, but many of my comrades lost their lives on the battlefield. I miss them very much," said Li Weibo, 88-year-old Korean War veteran who attended the burial ceremony. According to an agreement between China and the ROK, the two sides arrange an annual hand-over of remains of Chinese soldiers found in the ROK, which usually occurs before the traditional Tomb-Sweeping Day in early April. The remains of 589 Chinese soldiers were returned to China from the ROK between 2014 and 2018. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 16:41:47|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng (R), also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with ExxonMobil Chairman and CEO Darren Woods in Beijing, capital of China, April 4, 2019. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei) BEIJING, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng met with ExxonMobil Chairman and CEO Darren Woods on Thursday, reiterating China's active will in attracting foreign investment in China. Han, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said opening up to the outside world is China's basic policy. Noting ExxonMobil is welcome to expand investment cooperation in China, Han said ExxonMobil is also welcome to build large-scale wholly-owned petrochemical projects in China. "I hope ExxonMobil will continue to use its advanced technology, cooperate with China in accordance with market rules and commercial principles, and actively participate in the development of China's petrochemical industry, so as to better achieve mutual benefit and win-win results," said Han. Woods said that China's development and measures in reform and opening up have provided broad prospects for global enterprises to invest in China. ExxonMobil will continue to strengthen cooperation with China and accelerate the construction of its projects in China. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 16:46:53|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close URUMQI, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Batusen, 41, has worked as a road patrol worker for years in Maytas, a place in the throes of extreme storms and blizzards. Maytas, located in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, is widely known for its harsh weather conditions. For at least 180 days of the year, strong winds howl incessantly and can do so at a maximum speed of 144 kilometers per hour, posing a great threat to locals. Braving the snow and wind, Batusen, along with 25 other road patrol workers, has saved more than 56,500 people over the last 15 years, which equates to almost 10 people a day. "We call this section of road the 'camel's neck,'" said Heyrat Bamolla, 54, who has been battling the storms for four decades. "A camel's neck is thin and curvy, and so is the road." Surrounded by towering, inhospitable mountains, the narrow road in Maytas is the main gateway connecting locals to the outside world. When heavy wind and snow hit the valley, visibility becomes almost impossible. Heyrat Bamolla was supposed to retire three years ago, but he chose to stay to save more lives. From early November to late March of every year, the team of 26 road workers will patrol along 103 km of neighboring highways. Over the past few years, they have shoveled more than 144 million cubic meters of snow and recovered more than 12,000 stranded cars, turning the once deadly road into a passage of life. Batusen and his colleagues are easy to recognize. They have worn the same bright red uniforms for years, accessorized with red faces, chapped hands and dark circles under their eyes due to lack of sleep. "Daylight or twilight doesn't make any difference to us, for as long as the storm looms near, we have to stand ready," Batusen said. Wind and snow are frequent visitors to the region. When heavy snow falls in winter, the road becomes completely covered in less than a day. The snow can even be waist-deep, sometimes measuring 120 cm. Winds can be so strong that passersby must crawl on all fours so they do not get blown away. Roads are usually closed as a result, leaving people stranded and car after car lined up side by side. "It was not rare to hear of people or animals freezing to death in the past," Batusen said. During one rescue mission, Batusen and his team had to fight freezing winds while holding people they had just recovered in their arms. They walked for seven hours over 32 km to save their lives. "The wind blew so wildly. I felt as if I was about to choke. I had to hold my breath for a while and then take a deep breath. Some people get car sickness, but we," he continued jokingly, "get snow sickness." But they refuse to let fear get to them. "Can you imagine what it's like to stuff 50 people in here?" Batusen asked rhetorically while referring to the Type 86 infantry fighting vehicle dispatched to his team, which they call "Noah's Ark." The big ark once rescued 150 people during a heavy blizzard. Driving Noah's Ark in life or death situations is something Batusen is most proud of. Besides Noah's Ark, the local government provides other types of equipment to Batusen's team. Now they have magnetic sensors and use GPS when shoveling snow, enabling them to save even more lives when disaster strikes. Along with this advanced equipment, younger generations are joining in on the rescue efforts. The wind howls and the snow falls as usual, however, the locals can make peace with it, thanks to Batusen and his resilient colleagues, deemed as Noah's Ark in the heart of those rescued by them. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 16:52:01|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close Members of the Philippine National Police's Special Weapons and Tactics (PNP-SWAT) participate in an anti-terrorism drill in Manila, the Philippines, April 4, 2019. Philippine security forces have tightened security after Wednesday's blast in southern Philippine Isulan town in Sultan Kudarat province that wounded 18 people at least, a military general said on Thursday. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali) MANILA, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Philippine security forces have tightened security after Wednesday's blast in southern Philippine Isulan town in Sultan Kudarat province that wounded 18 people at least, a military general said on Thursday. "We intensified our intelligence operations to apprehend the perpetrators and to thwart further hostilities," Cirilito Sobejana, commander of the Army's 6th Infantry Division, said. Sobejana said the military, in coordination with local government officials and other stakeholders, are working "to bring back normalcy" in Isulan town. The military has not identified the group behind the blast and the motive for the attack in a restaurant in Isulan town. Arnel Dela Vega, commander of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Western Mindanao Command, said the move to tighten security is to thwart more possible attacks in the Mindanao region. "Thus, austere security measures are implemented by our forces to thwart terror ploys against non-military targets in the area. While we keep guard, we acknowledge the cooperation and vigilance of civilians in the area," Dela Vega said. Dela Vega said efforts are underway to identify and subsequently arrest the suspects "in order to serve justice." Authorities earlier said the explosion could have been the handiwork of a group which is trying to extort cash from the restaurant owner. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 16:52:03|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close SEOUL, April 4 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s verified dismantlement of its nuclear test site could lead to partial sanctions relief by the United States, an adviser for South Korean President Moon Jae-in said Wednesday. Moon Chung-in, a special presidential adviser for unification, security and foreign affairs, said during a conference in Seoul that if the DPRK allows outside inspectors to verify its dismantlement of the Punggye-ri nuclear test site, U.S. President Donald Trump may accept it as a positive signal and respond to it by partially lifting sanctions against Pyongyang. In May last year, the DPRK invited international journalists to show them the demolition of its sole nuclear testing ground, but the country had yet to invite outside inspectors for its verification. His suggestion was a possible first step that the DPRK can take to resume the stalled denuclearization negotiations with the United States after the second summit between top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un and Trump ended with no agreement in late February in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi. Moon noted that if the DPRK takes such action for the denuclearization, the United States can allow the resumption of the two inter-Korean cooperation projects -- the jointly-run industrial park in the DPRK's border town of Kaesong and the South Koreans' tour to the DPRK's scenic resort of Mount Kumgang that have been halted since 2016 and 2008 each. His comment came ahead of President Moon's trip to Washington next week for a summit meeting with Trump. The presidential adviser said both the DPRK and the United States need to take a discreet position to hold their third summit that could be followed by working-level dialogues between the two countries. He emphasized the importance of narrowing differences between Pyongyang and Washington, recommending the comprehensive agreement and its gradual implementations. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 17:37:31|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close QALA-E-NAW, Afghanistan, April 4 (Xinhua) -- More than two dozen Afghan security forces were killed and injured after Taliban militants overran Bala Murghab district in the country's western province of Badghis in the latest militants attempt to capture a district, a local official said Thursday. "Hundreds of militants armed with guns and rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) stormed Bala Murghab district center from different locations at midnight Wednesday night," district governor Waris Shirzad told Xinhua. He said the district bazaar and several government offices were captured by the militants as security forces retreated to avoid civilian casualties. An unofficial source said 40 Afghan soldiers were killed, 10 wounded and five others went missing during the fighting while several militants were also killed and wounded during the clashes. "The clashes are still ongoing as of mid-day Thursday and more than 500 security forces are besieged by the militants in an army camp and district police station," he said. He warned if reinforcement did not arrive in the restive district, more casualties would be inflicted on security forces. The Afghan Ministry of Defense confirmed that army personnel were retreated in the strategic district, adding Afghan air force was conducting airstrikes against the militants on the outskirts of Bala Murghab early Thursday. Bordering Turkmenistan, the Bala Murghab district which connects northern and western provinces has been the scene of heavy clashes between security forces and militants since early March. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 17:42:35|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close KUALA LUMPUR, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia's exports decreased 5.3 percent year-on-year to 66.6 billion ringgit (16.3 billion U.S. dollars) in February, the lowest level since August 2016, official data showed Thursday. Malaysia's international trade and industry minister said in a statement that Malaysia's trade for the month declined by 7.2 percent year-on-year to 122.15 billion ringgit (29.92 billion U.S. dollars) due to lower trades with major trading partners. Imports posted a faster rate of contraction compared to exports, declining by 9.4 percent to 55.54 billion ringgit (13.60 billion U.S. dollars), resulting in a larger trade surplus of 11.06 billion ringgit (2.71 billion U.S. dollars). For February, exports of manufactured goods which constituted 83.8 percent of total exports contracted by 4.3 percent, dragged by lower shipments of petroleum products, manufacture of metal as well as optical and scientific equipment. Meanwhile, exports of mining goods fell 5.5 percent year-on-year to 5.8 billion ringgit (1.42 billion U.S. dollars), owing to lower exports of crude petroleum. Exports of agriculture goods also contracted by 13.7 percent to 4.48 billion ringgit (1.10 billion U.S. dollars), due mainly to the decline in exports of palm oil and palm oil-based agriculture products. For the first two months, total trade dropped by 2.2 percent to 281.43 billion ringgit (68.93 billion U.S. dollars) compared to the same period in 2018. Exports dropped 0.8 percent year-on-year to 152 billion ringgit (29.92 billion U.S. dollars), while imports slipped by 3.8 percent to 129.43 billion ringgit (31.70 billion U.S. dollars). MIDF Research said in a note Wednesday that the lackluster exports in February was mainly due to a short calendar month on top of long Chinese New Year holidays. "Amid higher base effects and continuous signs of easing key global indicators, we foresee exports growth to moderate further at 3.6 percent this year," said the research house. The moderating pace was consistent with global commodity prices, the expectation of a slight slowdown in overall business performance on top of the uncertainty over global trade, it added. Malaysia's central bank indicated last week that the country's gross exports growth this year is likely to halve to 3.4 percent from 6.8 percent in 2018, in line with the more moderate expansion in the global economy and trade activity. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 17:47:40|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close LUSAKA, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Various groups in Zambia opposed plans by the country's power utility to increase electricity tariffs on Wednesday. Last month, state-run power utility, Zesco Limited, applied to the country's energy regulator, the Energy Regulation Board (ERB), for an upward adjustment in electricity tariffs which is yet to be given. But the Consumer Unity and Trust Society (CUTS), a local lobby group, said it was concerned with the proposed plans to hike electricity tariffs. While acknowledging that the country needs to graduate towards cost-reflective tariffs, Chenai Mukumba, CUTS communications officer, said consumer interests should be at the center of all decisions. Instead of punishing consumers, the power utility should restructure itself in order to achieve efficiency, she said, adding that the hike will have a negative bearing on the provisions of goods and services in the country. According to her, the proposed tariff hike will result in an increase in the cost of production and eventually the cost of basic commodities, leading to a high cost of living. The Zambia Consumer Association (ZACA) called on the energy regulator not to grant the power firm a permission to raise tariffs. The consumer body said an increase in electricity tariffs will result in a rise in production costs, which will be passed on to consumers. Isaac Mwaipopo, executive director of the Center for Trade and Policy Development, a local think-tank, said he was worried that the power utility wanted to increase electricity tariffs barely two years after an upward adjustment was effected. He called on the ERB to exercise caution regarding another upward adjustment. Mwaipopo called for an evaluation of the real underlying challenges in the country's electricity sub-sector. It is becoming clear that successive increase in electricity tariffs has not managed to address the actual bottlenecks, he added. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 17:47:42|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close MOGADISHU, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Somali police on Thursday warned of impending terrorist attack in the restive capital, Mogadishu. Zakia Hussein Ahmed, deputy police commander and spokesperson of the Somali Police Forces, called on the public to remain vigilant and report to the security forces a suspicious vehicle, a Toyota Prado which is on the loose in the capital. Ahmed, who also circulated photos of the vehicle, said they believe the vehicle could be used by al-Shabab militants to carry out terror attacks in Mogadishu and its environs. Al-Shabab militant group, which is fighting the Western-backed government, has been driven out of major strongholds in Somalia in recent years in a joint offensive by AMISOM and local forces. However, it still stages guerrilla-style assaults and bomb attacks to drive out AU mission's troops from Somalia and impose its harsh version of Islamic law across the Horn of Africa nation. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 17:57:50|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close MANILA, April 4 (Xinhua) -- At least four terrorists were killed and 13 people were wounded in Wednesday's fighting between the government security forces and a local terrorist group in southern Philippines, a military general said on Thursday. Major General Cirilito Sobejana, commander of the Philippine Army's 6th Infantry Division based in Mindanao, said the clashes occurred early on Wednesday morning and Wednesday afternoon in a village in Maguindanao province of southern Philippines. He said artillery rounds were delivered by the Philippine Army toward the position of about 60 alleged members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) men on Wednesday morning and an airstrike followed. Three BIFF members died in the initial fighting, the military official added. Sobejana said, on Wednesday afternoon about 100 BIFF members came in as reinforcement, leading to another firefight that led to the death of another BIFF member and wounding of 11 other terrorists. Two soldiers were also injured in the fighting. Sobejana said government troops also recovered improvised explosive materials from the BIFF hideouts. Simultaneous law enforcement operations conducted by government security forces in Mindanao since the first half of March have displaced more than 50,000 villagers, mostly farmers and fisherfolk, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in the Philippines. The BIFF, an Islamic separatist organization based in southern Philippines, was founded in 2010 and accused of orchestrating multiple terrorist attacks. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 18:02:54|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close NAIROBI, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's airport authorities said Thursday no one was injured after a minor fire broke out at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi on Wednesday night. Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) said the fire, which started at about 11:44 p.m. at check-in counters 7 and 8 disrupted operations for hours as engines fought to contain it. "All passengers and staff in Terminal 1C were safely evacuated and the situation contained by the Airport's Fire Response Team. No injuries were reported during the incident," KAA said in a statement issued in Nairobi. It said Terminal 1C has since been temporarily closed and flight operations moved to Termina lB. "KAA would like to assure all passengers, other airport users and the general public that we are working to ensure the terminal is reopened for use as soon as possible and will keep the public informed of any further developments," it said. The cause of the fire has not been established. JKIA is a crucial transit point for various airlines coming in and going out of Africa. The airport, dubbed East Africa's doorway, hosts tens of airlines ferrying passengers to and from Europe, Middle East, Africa and America. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 18:02:56|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close CHONGQING, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Two years ago, Liu Xiaomin quit her job in Russia and returned to her hometown in Chongqing to sell Russian commodities in the mountainous municipality in southwest China. "People were a little confused about my choice because they thought it would be difficult to do such cross-border business considering the slow logistics," Liu says. Chongqing is a city located in China's western inland and is neighbor to China's vast western areas, which account for about 70 percent of the country's land and produce about one-fifth of China's GDP. The city is also connected to the eastern seaboard thanks to the Yangtze, China's longest river, making it a transfer hub for commodities from the western areas to be sold across the world and for goods from around the globe to reach China's far west. But the long shipping distance on the Yangtze waterway was always a headache for business people like Liu. More than 2,000 km of distance from Chongqing to the eastern areas meant two or even three months of transportation. Commodities from southeast Asia, such as fruits, simply became rotten before they reached the western areas. All was set to change. Easier logistics is making transportation much better these days thanks to the rising number of China-Europe freight trains. The first such train was launched between Chongqing and Germany's Duisburg. Such trains helped slash traveling time by two-thirds compared with water transport and are much cheaper than transporting by air. According to official figures, by March 25 this year, a total of 3,322 trains commuted between Chongqing and Europe. The number has been rising in recent years. "Now we send out seven China-Europe trains each day," said Zhang Xin, head of a major train station in Chongqing's Tuanjiecun Village. Chongqing's first China-Europe freight train started from the station in 2011. That is perhaps why people like Liu Xiaomin are coming back to do cross-border business, by riding on the success of the easier logistics. Liu is currently selling Russian honey, chocolate and waffles in a bonded market in Chongqing. The market plays home to many stores selling a variety of international products, all transported via the trains from around the world. According to Liu, business there is "quite good." It was hardly possible to do business this way in the past, Liu says. "But the easier logistics allows me to tap the huge market potential in the western inland." Currently, the logistics network has connected Chongqing with 155 ports in 71 countries and regions, allowing businesses like Liu's to reach more customers. "I am much busier than I used to be," Liu says. "But I am quite happy and excited about the future." Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 18:02:57|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopian Minister of Transport Dagmawit Moges on Thursday said that preliminary investigation results on crashed plane showed pilot followed Boeing required emergency steps, but could not control the flight. "The crew performed all the procedures by the manufacturer, but couldn't control the aircraft," Moges told reporters here on Thursday. The minister also noted that the aircraft had valid flight certificate before it took off, and the pilots had the license and technical ability to fly a Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft. She also revealed that "the take off role of the plane appeared very normal." The Nairobi-bound Ethiopian airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 crashed near Bishoftu town, about 45 km from the capital, Addis Ababa, just minutes after takeoff from Bole International Airport, killing all 157 people aboard. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 18:23:15|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close Huang Kunming, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and also head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, meets with Myanmar Minister of Information Pe Myint in Beijing, capital of China, April 4, 2019. (Xinhua/Ding Lin) BEIJING, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Huang Kunming, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, met with Myanmar Minister of Information Pe Myint in Beijing Thursday. Huang, also head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, said that China and Myanmar were friendly neighbors linked by mountains and rivers and shared the profound Paukphaw (fraternal) friendship between the two peoples. He said two sides should implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state, and constantly promote comprehensive strategic cooperation. The two departments should play a role in strengthening exchanges on governance experience, deepening pragmatic cooperation in cultural areas, and make contributions to consolidate the political and public opinion foundation of China-Myanmar relations, Huang said. Pe Myint said the Information Ministry of Myanmar was willing to strengthen exchanges with the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, so as to deepen the bilateral cooperation in culture and movies. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 18:28:17|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir (R) meets with visiting Chadian President Idriss Deby in Khartoum, Sudan, April 4, 2019. (Xinhua/ Mohamed Khidir) KHARTOUM, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Chadian President Idriss Deby on Thursday arrived in Sudan's capital Khartoum for a one-day official visit. Deby was received at the airport by his Sudanese counterpart Omar al-Bashir, a number of Sudanese officials and representatives of diplomatic corps accredited to Sudan. The two presidents are expected to hold talks at the presidential palace to discuss bilateral ties and the regional issues of mutual concern, official SUNA news agency reported. The two sides are also scheduled to hold joint talks to enhance cooperation between the two countries in various fields. The two presidents are set to speak to the press after the talks about the outcome of the visit. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 18:28:21|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close NAIROBI, April 4 (Xinhua) -- The shrinking revenue from export of commodities including minerals led to a minor drop in economic growth rates across East Africa in 2018, according to the African Development Bank (AfDB). Growth, however, is expected to gain pace in 2019 at 5.9 percent rising to 6.1 percent in 2020, said a report issued by the bank on Wednesday. The bank's report, measuring economic performance in 13 countries in eastern Africa, shows the real Gross Domestic Product grew by an estimated 5.7 percent in 2018, slightly less than the 5.9 percent in 2017, due to the growing current account deficits caused by low earnings from exports. The bank projects economic growth to remain strong in 2019 at 5.9 percent, supported mainly by domestic consumption of goods and the growth in the services sector. According to Marcellin Ndong-Ntah, AfDB Lead Economist at the regional office in East Africa, the region's fiscal deficit, due to the low earnings from exports caused by the trade imbalance, stood at 30 percent of the national economy, which is considered under control at the moment. However, the bank expressed concern at the growing level of foreign debt accumulation by countries which previously benefited from international debt relief, saying the effect of foreign debts accumulation by the private sector and the public sector would be felt in the near future. The report shows Ethiopia with the highest margin of economic growth at 8.2 percent, followed by Rwanda at 7.8 percent and Kenya at 6 percent economic growth rate. Djibouti is projected to grow at 5.9 percent while economic growth in South Sudan is expected to remain at negative 3.8 percent. Seychelles, whose economy depends on tourism and fisheries, is also expected to record a decline of 0.3 percentage points. In Eritrea, investment in the mining sector and the government's agriculture development programs is expected to contribute to economic growth in 2019, according to the report. Uganda, whose economy has been growing rapidly, is expected to record 5.3 percent growth in 2019. Sudan is also expected to record a decline in economic growth rates by 0.5 percent. The growth in Sudan has been driven by the mining sector, whose contribution to the GDP is estimated at 7 percent. According to the AfDB, real economic growth is supply-side driven by the growth in the services sector, followed by industry and the construction sector, whose contribution to the economy remains huge. In Ethiopia, the construction industry grew by 18.7 percent while the services sector grew by 10.3 percent, according to the report. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 18:43:26|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close NAIROBI, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Kenya plans to organize a business forum in China in April in order to woo investors into the east African nation, officials said on Thursday. Moses Ikiara, chief executive officer of the Kenya Investment Authority (KenInvest), told Xinhua in Nairobi that the Sino-Kenya business forum will be held on the sidelines of the second Belt and Road Initiative Forum. "The day-long event will bring together Kenya's government and private sector to meet potential investors from China," Ikiara said. Ikiara said that Kenya will use the conference to showcase the numerous investment opportunities in Kenya. He added that Kenya has a lot of bankable projects in the manufacturing, energy, health and agricultural sectors. According to KenInvest, the Chinese are now among the top five investors into the country and are concentrated in the construction and manufacturing sectors. "We are especially keen to have the Chinese boost our manufacturing sector through use of modern technology," Ikiara added. He said that Kenya has signed numerous bilateral and multilateral preferential trade agreements to open up markets for Kenyan goods. "Unfortunately we have not been able to fully exploit these markets as local manufacturers don't have the capacity to produce for international market," Ikiara said. He noted that the Chinese could help Kenya become a competitive producer and exports of world class products. Ikiara noted that currently the bilateral trade is in favor of China and thus more investments are needed to ensure Kenya can produce goods that are required in the Chinese market. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 18:43:29|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close WUHAN, April 4 (Xinhua) -- A high-tech zone in central China's Hubei Province is pledging 100 million yuan (14.9 million U.S. dollars) to top global talent in an effort to boost its influence, according to a plan released Thursday. The Wuhan East Lake High-tech Development Zone, also referred to as Optics Valley, released the plan to lure professionals in optical technology, bio-medicine, green industry, high-end equipment manufacturing, modern service sectors, integrated circuit and digital economy. The Zone will offer three categories of workers laid out in the plan as high-level entrepreneurs, industry leaders and top global talent with subsidies ranging from 300,000 yuan to 100 million yuan. It will also help facilitate border entry and exit for the employees, the plan said. The Wuhan East Lake High-tech Development Zone was set up in 1988 and approved by China's State Council as one of the first national-level high-tech zones in 1991. Total revenues of companies in the valley reached 1 trillion yuan in 2015. By 2020, the zone plans to rake in a total income of 3 trillion yuan and build it into a world-class high-tech park, according to its official website. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 18:53:39|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close PYONGYANG, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un has paid a visit to Samjiyon County in the northern part of the country, offering his guidance on construction in the area, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said on Thursday. Kim visited an area with several construction projects underway in the township of Samjiyon County and praised the workers for the progress made despite the cold weather, the KCNA said. He underlined the need to set monthly targets for each project in order to advance construction as planned. Kim visited the Samjiyon Blueberry Drink Factory and Samjiyon County Junior Middle School, both under construction, the report said, without giving the exact date of his visit. Kim also offered field guidance to the Samjiyon Potato Farina Production Factory during the tour. "The party has paid much effort to building the factory, so it is important to properly run it" to the benefit of those in the county and across the nation, Kim was quoted as saying. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 19:03:47|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close NAIROBI, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan on Wednesday announced plans to launch the use of biolarvicides in managing malaria cases in the country. Sicily Kariuki, cabinet secretary for health, said that the malaria vector control project will be launched before the end of April. "The implementation of this project will start in eight malaria prone counties in western Kenya once necessary administrative procedures are completed," Kariuki told journalists in Nairobi. She said that Kenya is resorting to biolarvicides, a method whereby liquid larvicide products are applied directly to water using backpack sprayers and truck or aircraft-mounted sprayers due to the increased cases of malaria in the region. In applying the method, health experts may also use tablet, pellet, granular, and briquette formulations of larvicides to breeding areas. Kariuki said that with an additional use of larvicide, an insecticide that is specifically targeted against the larval life stage of an insect, Kenya intend to reduce the number of cases and deaths of populations. She noted that officials will target larvae in the breeding habitat before they can mature into adult mosquitoes and disperse. "This method is aimed at treating breeding habitats to help reduce the adult mosquito population in the regions prone to malaria epidemic," she added. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 19:13:52|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close TRIPOLI, April 4 (Xinhua) -- United Nations Security-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday expressed concerns over the recent military escalation in Libya. "There is no military solution. Only intra-Libyan dialogue can solve Libyan problems. I call for calm and restraint as I prepare to meet the Libyan leaders in the country," Guterres said. The UN Security-General arrived in the Libyan capital Tripoli on Wednesday. The eastern-based Libyan army's spokesman announced Wednesday plans to move to western Libya, particularly the capital Tripoli, and take over the region. A few hours afterwards, the Tripoli-based UN-backed government declared a state of public alert against the army's plans. The army, led by Khalifa Haftar, is allied with the eastern-based government, as the country is politically divided between western and eastern governments. Libya has been struggling to make a democratic transition amid insecurity and chaos, ever since the fall of former leader Gaddafi's regime in 2011. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 19:18:54|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close LONDON, April 4 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the opposition Labour Party, will continue to talk on Brexit to avoid a no-deal departure of Britain from the European Union (EU) as options to find a negotiated agreement on Brexit are running out. The two sides decided to meet again on Thursday following no breakthrough from their two-hour meeting on Wednesday in efforts to break the current Brexit deadlock. During their talks on Wednesday, Corbyn reportedly told May that Labour want a customs union with the EU and access to its single market. Meanwhile, Labour MPs urged Corbyn to not accept any Brexit deal without submitting it to a second referendum. May said she wanted to secure a common Brexit approach with Corbyn ahead of the an EU summit next week, in which she has said she would request a delay to Britain's scheduled exit from the EU on April 12. During this extension, May would seek to pass the necessary legislation before May 23, so Britain doesn't need to take part in European parliamentary elections. May and Corbyn are set to meet again. However, there has been speculation on both sides as to whether Thursday's negotiations will be a success, according to local media. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 19:29:03|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close KIGALI, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Rwandan President Paul Kagame has pardoned 367 persons convicted for the offences of abortion, complicity in abortion and infanticide, according to minutes of Wednesday's cabinet meeting. The president's prerogative was approved by the cabinet on Wednesday evening in a meeting chaired by the president at the office of the president in Kigali, capital city of Rwanda. Until last year, the abortion of Rwanda stipulated that any person who performs an abortion on another person commits an offence and is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than three years and not more than five years. Last August, the national official gazette published the revised law which provides for specific circumstances under which abortion is legally permissible, for instance in cases of rape, forced marriage, incest, or instances where the pregnancy poses health risks to the mother or unborn child. The law also requires abortion to be carried out by a recognized medical doctor, according to the ministry of health. Conditions for a medical doctor to perform an abortion are to be determined by an order of the minister in charge of health, according to the new law. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 19:34:10|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close TOKYO, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Japan lodged a protest with Russia on Thursday over military drills scheduled to be held in waters near one of four islands off the northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido that are controlled by Russia but claimed by Japan. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a press briefing on the matter that the drills are "unacceptable as it would lead to a stronger Russian military presence" on the disputed islands. Suga, Japan's top government spokesperson, confirmed that Tokyo had lodged a protest with Moscow over the drills, but added that government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will "continue to strive to resolve the territorial issue and sign a peace treaty." Japan was informed of the drills on Tuesday, the Foreign Ministry said, with notification given from Moscow that it would conduct military drills from Thursday to April 12 in waters east of southern Kunashiri Island. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan has yet to confirm whether the drills, reportedly to involve live firing, have begun. The island closest to where the drills are scheduled to take place is the southernmost of four islets central to a territorial dispute between Japan and Russia. The islands are known as the Northern Territories in Japan and the Southern Kurils in Russia. The decades-old territorial spat has prevented the two countries from signing a post-World War II peace treaty and hindered diplomatic and trade relations between the two countries. Both parties have, however, provisionally agreed to discuss furthering joint economic activities on the islands. Such activities span defense, search and rescue operations, medical areas, industry promotion and energy development, in line with a previously proposed plan, which also covers aquaculture and tourism. The multi-faceted cooperation plan, based around five pillars proposed by Abe in 2016, was, purportedly, to become an important foundation for future ties. Russia last held drills in March this year, however, on two of the disputed islands, involving tanks and around 500 military troops. "We closely monitor the Russian military's movements in the Northern Territories on a regular basis," Suga also said Thursday. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 19:39:13|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close LONDON, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Negotiating teams from British Prime Minister Theresa May's Conservative government and the main opposition Labour Party met Thursday in their mission to find a deal to pave the way for Britain's withdrawal from the European Union. The talks followed an opening face-to-face meeting Wednesday between May and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn which were described as "constructive" but which so far have not made a breakthrough. Cabinet Office Minister David Lidington headed the government side in Thursday's talks, while Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer headed the Labour Party negotiators. Eurosceptic MPs continued to vent their rage and anger at May's decision to hold joint talks with Corbyn who has already set his sights on moving into 10 Downing Street as prime minister if a snap general election is called. The Daily Telegraph reported the Conservative Party headquarters has been flooded with angry messages fearing May's strategy will harm the Conservative's prospects in town and city local elections on May 2. Grassroots party members as well as a number of politicians have called for May to be replaced with some warning her actions will "destroy the Conservative Party". The Telegraph headlined one leading article: "An unmitigated disaster: The Tory Party at war after Theresa May's Brexit betrayal". Meanwhile at Westminster the fallout continued Thursday following a dramatic round of voting in the House of Commons that lasted until almost midnight Wednesday. A parliamentary bill, put forward by Labour MP Yvette Cooper, aimed at preventing Britain from crashing out of the EU without a deal passed by 313 to 312, a margin of just one vote. The bill was set to be debated later Thursday in the House of Lords as part of the legislative process to make it law. It will also need royal assent from Queen Elizabeth II. Cooper and a cross-party group succeeded in forcing through an emergency bill in less than six hours to instruct May to seek an extension to Article 50, the EU countdown timetable, and avoid a no-deal Brexit. May's government opposed the Cooper bill. The BBC published a chart Thursday from the Institute for Government showing more ministers have resigned from May's government than any prime minister since 1979. Excluding cabinet reshuffles, May's tally of resignations has passed 30, overtaking then Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair who had around 29 resignations. Third place went to Britain's only other female prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, who faced 25 ministerial resignations. The Sun newspaper in London said Thursday it has been told that 15 Brexiteer ministers are "on the edge" of also walking out. Britain has until April 12 to propose a withdrawal plan to Brussels, which will have to be approved by all 27 EU members. If it fails, Britain will leave without a deal on April 12. EU leaders have been summoned to an emergency meeting on April 10 to discuss the Brexit crisis. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 19:39:18|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close ADEN, Yemen, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Yemeni pro-government forces announced on Thursday the abortion of an attack by a Houthi-guided drone in the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah. A statement revealed by the pro-government Giants Brigades said that "a Houthi drone was shot down before reaching its target on the air space Fazah area west of Tuhyata district in the province of Hodeidah." The pro-government forces managed to intercept the Houthi-guided drone loaded with high explosive materials without causing any casualties, the statement added. The Iran-allied Houthi rebels control the city while the Saudi-backed government troops have advanced to the southeastern outskirts. Hodeidah is the key lifeline entry point for the country's most food imports and humanitarian aid. The four-year grinding war has pushed over 20 million people to the verge of starvation. Yemeni warring parties reached a peace deal on Hodeidah in December last year as a first step toward brokering a comprehensive political solution. Sporadic breaches are daily recorded in Hodeidah as the two belligerent sides failed to withdraw their forces in accordance with an agreement reached in the Swedish capital Stockholm. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 19:39:20|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close PHNOM PENH, April 4 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese-built Lower Sesan II Hydroelectric power station has high responsibility for social and environmental protection, a Cambodian environment official has said. Located in Stung Treng province's Sesan district in northeast Cambodia, the 400-megawatt dam began operations in December last year after almost five years of construction. The 781-million-U.S.-dollar project was a joint venture among China's Huaneng Hydrolancang International Energy, Cambodia's Royal Group and Vietnamese EVN International Joint Stock Company. Eng Phirong, director of Stung Treng Provincial Department of Environment, said the Lower Sesan II Hydropower Company has paid particular attention to environmental protection, complying with all requirements in the Environmental Impact Assessment paper. "My colleagues and I have visited the hydropower station regularly to inspect the management of solid and liquid wastes and we found that the company has managed them very well," he told Xinhua in a recent interview. For the liquid waste, the firm has a reservoir to store it for treatment before releasing it into the river, Phirong said. "We have also taken water samples at the hydropower station for a test at the Ministry of Environment's laboratory, and found that there is nothing changed, the quality of water is good," he said. "In sum, I can say that the company has paid high attention to environmental protection because the quality of water and air there is pretty good." Apart from keeping environmental protection in mind, the company is also helping preserve fish species at the hydropower station by building a fish pass. "The fish ladder is very important for fish to migrate across the hydropower station and it will help protect fish species from extinction," Phirong said. The director said he learned from fishermen that fish population there had remarkably increased since the fish way was created. "Currently, the hydropower station and its surrounding waters are a huge fish habitat in Stung Treng province," he said. Phirong said he was impressed by the company's "high responsibility to protect environment" and he praised the company for cooperating well with local authorities at all levels. "We appreciate their good cooperation with us in the past and we stand ready to continue our good cooperation in the future for the sustainability of our environment for the long run," he said, adding that "we want the company to support us in promoting the awareness of environmental protection in the local community." Phirong also suggested that, if possible, the company should set up a plant nursery in order to distribute tree seedlings to locals. The Lower Sesan II Hydroelectric power station is the kingdom's biggest dam so far. Commenting on the green electricity generated by the hydropower station, the director said the dam is vital to ensure energy security in Cambodia and to bring reliable and clean electricity to the local community. "Now, local residents have lived decently, they own farmland, they have cheap-priced electricity, and they have good roads, schools, health centers, and pagodas," he said. "Overall, their living conditions are far better than before." Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 19:39:23|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close A performance is staged to celebrate the opening of the "The Historical Expression of Chinese Art: Calligraphy and Painting from the National Museum of China" exhibition at the National Museum of Australia in Canberra. The exhibition consisted of more than 100 objects from China. It featured an animated digital experience bringing historical figures to life in intricate moving details. (Xinhua/Zhang Xinxin) CANBERRA, April 4 (Xinhua) -- A unique exhibition, the first in Australia, will explore the grand historical sweep of Chinese art and calligraphy traditions at the National Museum of Australia (NMA) starting on Friday. The exhibition, namely The Historical Expression of Chinese Art: Calligraphy and Painting from the National Museum of China (NMC), consists of more than 100 objects from China. It features an animated digital experience that brings historical figures to life in intricate moving details. "This exhibition goes to works of art. It goes to the heart of Chinese culture. What can you have when you try to speak to the long history of the Chinese people?" said Mathew Trinca, director of NMA. "(Calligraphy and ink painting) are not only able to tell us about the nature of Chinese art, but the broad society as well." Shan Wei, deputy director of NMC, said that calligraphy and ink painting have a long history in Chinese culture. "Through this exhibition, we hope to share with the Australian audience the artistic interpretation of Chinese painting and calligraphy on history and life, the aesthetic concept contained in it, the spiritual pursuit embodied in it, and the philosophy of life of Taoism and nature." A highlight of the exhibition is a rare 20-meter-long replica of the first scroll of Emperor Qianlong's Southern Inspection Tour. The original painting, completed in the mid 18th century, consisted of 12 scrolls with the total length exceeding 150 meters. Emperor Qianlong was one of the most influential emperors in Chinese history. "To help Australian audiences understand the scroll and Chinese culture, we also brought our digital animation, which, with vivid details of architecture and figures, will show our audiences the grand royal parade of Chinese emperor as well as the scenes of prosperous Chinese society," Shan said. The exhibition also brought together works from three Chinese contemporary artists Wang Naizhuang, Xie Yun and Xiao Lang. Liu Gang, director of the Institute of Painting and Calligraphy of NMC, told Xinhua that calligrapher Xie Yun's works explored the traditional style of Chinese calligraphy over 2,000 years ago, while Wang Naizhuang, known for the combination of Western and Chinese painting techniques, pushes the boundaries of traditional ink painting. Heavily influenced by art works of the Ming (from mid-14th century to mid-17th century) and Qing (from mid-17th century to early 20th century) dynasties, celebrated bird-and-flower painter Xiao Lang incorporates traditional forms of calligraphy into paintings with a strong focus on nature. The third part of the exhibition is a scroll from NMA's own collection exploring the strong Chinese-Australian connection, Harvest of Endurance Scroll. The scroll is an artistic representation of two centuries of Chinese contact with and migration to Australia. A total of eight meters of the 50-meter scroll will be on display. "It shows the history of Chinese people in Australia," said Michael Pickering, senior curator of NMA. "This painting basically marks the period of time in the 1970s and 1980s when they were at the transition from Chinese engagement through individual immigration to a time when political recognition raised the profile." NMA signed a memorandum of understanding with NMC in 2011. Last July, a 150-piece "Old Masters" art exhibition with Australian indigenous artists opened in NMC. Shan Wei, who had not started his work in NMC then, went to the exhibition twice as a visitor. Chinese Ambassador to Australia Cheng Jingye said at the opening ceremony on Thursday evening that cultural exchange is an important part of bilateral relations between China and Australia. "Art knows no boundary and exchanges can bridge gaps," he said. "The more our cultural exchanges are conducted, the deeper our two peoples understand each other. It is my sincere wish that cultural institutes in our two countries could join hands and make even greater contribution to the development of Sino-Australia relations," he said. According to Yang Zhi, minister-counselor for culture at the Chinese Embassy in Australia, told Xinhua that the preparation for the exchange exhibitions took almost three years. "These exhibitions brought the cultural exchanges of China and Australia to a new height," he said. "In recent years many Australian culture institutes visited China, and vice versa. Such exchanges shortened the distance between our two peoples, and enhanced mutual understanding." The exhibition will run until July 28. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 19:44:25|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close Ethiopian Minister of Transport Dagmawit Moges addresses a press conference on the preliminary investigation results on the Ethiopian Airlines ET 302 plane crash in Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia, April 4, 2019. Preliminary investigation results on doomed Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 plane discovered that the pilots followed Boeing required procedures, but could not control the flight, the Ethiopian government said on Thursday. The Nairobi-bound Ethiopian airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 crashed near Bishoftu town, about 45 km from the capital, Addis Ababa, just minutes after takeoff from Bole International Airport, killing all 157 people aboard. (Xinhua/Michael Tewelde) ADDIS ABABA, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Preliminary investigation results on doomed Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 plane discovered that the pilots followed Boeing required procedures, but could not control the flight, the Ethiopian government said on Thursday. The Nairobi-bound Ethiopian airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 crashed near Bishoftu town, about 45 km from the capital, Addis Ababa, just minutes after takeoff from Bole International Airport, killing all 157 people aboard. "Based on the initial findings of the investigation the crew repeatedly performed all the procedures provided by the manufacturer, but was not able to control the aircraft," Ethiopian Minister of Transport Dagmawit Moges told reporters here on Thursday. The minister also noted that preliminary investigation results also revealed the doomed aircraft "possessed a valid certificate of airworthiness, and the crew obtained the license and qualification to conduct the flight." She also revealed that "the take-off role appeared very normal." According to Moges, two safety recommendations have been forwarded based on the initial information gathered during the course of the preliminary investigation. "Since repetitive un-commanded aircraft nose-down conditions are noticed in this preliminary investigation, it is recommended that the aircraft control system related to the flight controllability shall be reviewed by the manufacturer," the Ethiopian transport minister said. Moges also stressed that "aviation authorities shall verify that the review of the aircraft flight control system related to flight controllability has been adequately addressed by the manufacturer before they release the aircraft to operations." The preliminary investigation report was made on the basis of the data from the recorders of the doomed Boeing 737 Max 8. Both the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR), which were extracted from the crashed plane, were sent to Paris, France for investigation together with an Ethiopian delegation led by Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB). A wave of countries, including notably the United States, have grounded Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft amid mounting safety concerns following the second crash of the same model in less than five months. In October last year, a Lion Air flight of the same model crashed in Indonesia, killing all 189 people on board. The French air accident authority BEA, which is investigating the crashed plane's black boxes, also recently revealed that it had found "clear similarities" between the doomed jet and the Lion Air flight. The 157 people aboard ET 302 included nationals from more than 30 countries, including 32 from Kenya, 18 from Canada, eight each from China, Italy and the United States, seven each from Britain and France, six from Egypt, among others. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 19:49:31|Editor: Lu Hui Video Player Close Workers work at the factory of Omron (Dalian) Co., Ltd. in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, March 21, 2019. (Xinhua/Yang Qing) by Xinhua writer Ma Yunfei SHENYANG, April 4 (Xinhua) -- While several excavators dug five meters deep underground, gravel trucks came one after another, unloading materials to backfill the foundation pit. A giant compactor rammed the earth so hard with an 18-tonne rounded iron plate that one could even feel the land trembling beneath his feet. In the alternating warmth and coldness of early April, construction work resumed after a winter break on the 2.9 square kilometers of land for a new plant of the BMW Brilliance Automotive (BBA), German carmaker BMW's joint venture in Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province. By the early 2020s, the new plant in Tiexi district of Shenyang City will create 5,000 new jobs. The auto titan rejoices in the huge success since it started investing in the Chinese market 16 years ago. With two assembly plants, one powertrain plant and an R&D center in Shenyang, BMW's accumulated investment in China has amounted to 52 billion yuan (7.7 billion U.S. dollars) since 2009. So far, China has become BMW's largest single market globally, with vehicle output accounting for a quarter of the group's total. "China has decided to open up further, and this will be a big motivation for more foreign companies to invest in China," Johann Wieland, CEO of BBA, said last week at the 2019 BBA Supplier Day in Shenyang. As China forges ahead with quality opening up to further improve the business climate and better protect overseas investors with the recently-adopted unified foreign investment law, a new wave of foreign capital increase and expansion kicks off in the country's northeast industrial base. A BOOSTER OF CONFIDENCE Effective on Jan. 1, 2020, the foreign investment law is considered a landmark legislation by global investors, with their confidence boosted. With unified provisions for the entry, promotion, protection, and management of foreign investment, the law aims to improve the transparency of foreign investment policies and ensure that foreign-invested enterprises participate in market competition on an equal basis. A decade after thyssenkrupp opened an elevator plant in Zhongshan of southern China's Guangdong Province in 1996, the German industrial conglomerate brought its components technology business to China and built a wholly-owned plant in the port city of Dalian in Liaoning with camshafts as the staple product. It is now one of the world's largest production sites of camshafts. The company invested 10 million euros (11.2 million U.S. dollars) in a 2,000-square-meter tech center in 2017, the only one outside of its base camp in Germany. According to Gao Yan, CEO of thyssenkrupp Greater China, the choice of building a plant in Dalian was a result of regional industrial advantages. "Northeastern China is the base of China's auto industry," Gao said. "As a customer-oriented company, we have customers in Shenyang and Changchun, and we came to Dalian just about the time when FAW-Volkswagen set up an engine plant here." China is thyssenkrupp's largest market in Asia, and the company is pumping more than one billion yuan each year into the country in recent years, with a total of 15 billion yuan so far. Speaking of the foreign investment law, Gao appreciated the level playing field it provides for foreign businesses and saw it as a fundamental law, the importance of which is self-evident. "The aspiration for fair competition and equal market opportunities never fades, and the system of pre-establishment national treatment plus a negative list stipulated in the foreign investment law is an important step in this direction," he said. A MODEL FOR BETTER SERVICE Japanese industrialist Shinkichi Saito said he has clearly felt the "China speed," real and true. Having decided to open another plant in Dalian Jinpu New Area besides the one in Langfang of Hebei Province which has been in operation for 25 years, Saito, president of the 106-year-old Tenryu Saw Mfg. Co., Ltd. was pleased to see his new plant almost fully equipped for formal production in less than a year. "I thought it would take at least one year and a half or even longer. Administrative approvals here were really fast, and I made the right choice in coming to Jinpu," Saito said. As one of the first batch of 14 coastal open cities of China, Dalian, close to Japan, has a large talent pool well versed in Japanese language, high quality of labor force and a pleasant living environment. That is what Saito saw after a preliminary investigation. The Jinpu New Area, which used to be cornfield 35 years ago, has turned out to be the economic powerhouse of Dalian, with the actual use of foreign capital accounting for over 60 percent of the city's total and more than half of Liaoning in 2018. It is planning to build an industrial park of Sino-Japanese cooperation, said Liu Jinhong, an official with the Dalian Jinpu New Area Management Committee, adding that the committee organizes business tours to Japan once a month to advertise Jinpu and its projects. "You cannot wait around for good projects by sitting at home," she said. "Relatives and friends become closer if they visit each other more." To further tighten up the government-enterprise relationship, a WeChat group has been set up for timely information release and real-time communication, said Song Fang, an official with the committee's bureau of commerce. Once the heartland of China's heavy industries and a main base for state-owned enterprises, the more open northeast region is becoming hot for foreign investment as global investors shift their focus to industrial chain layouts in the region. With BMW Brilliance and its supporting enterprises, a world-class automotive industry cluster is taking shape and injecting fresh energy into the old industrial region, said Guo Zhongxiao, deputy head with the management committee of China-Germany Equipment Manufacturing Industrial Park in Shenyang. The committee is structuring a system to better serve the foreign-funded companies, with an intellectual property rights arbitration organ to be established by the end of 2019. "Foreign investors dislike uncertainties," Guo said. "China's determination to further open up and the foreign investment law have reaffirmed their confidence." (Xinhua correspondents Huang Yan and Cheng Lu from Beijing, Niu Jiwei, Chen Mengyang, Shi Qingwei, Cai Yongjun and Yu Yetong from Liaoning contribute to the report.) Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 20:13:04|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close Trucks are seen at a warehouse of Ziegler Group in Brussels, Belgium, April 3, 2019. Founded in 1908, Ziegler is a transport and logistics company based in Brussels, Belgium. According to a corporate intermodal manager of Ziegler, since the launch of a cargo train route linking China's Zhengzhou and Belgium's Liege in October 2018, the company witnessed an increasing number of goods imported from China to Belgium via the railway. As railway costs lower than air freight at a speed faster than waterway transport, the cargo train route serves as a favourable alternative for many importers in Belgium. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong) Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 20:09:58|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close TOUNGOO, Myanmar, April 4 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese embassy in Myanmar organized a tour to Toungoo in Myanmar's Bago region Thursday to pay respect to fallen members of the Chinese Expeditionary Forces (CEF) in commemoration of their sacrifice in helping Myanmar fight against Japanese aggression during the World War II. A renovated memorial monument and a related museum were inaugurated in Toungoo on the day. The site was once a battlefield of war of resistance against the Japanese invasion. The Toungoo Defense War was marked as the first victory against the Japanese scored by the CEF soon after they entered Myanmar. Chinese diplomats go and lay wreathes at the monument during the traditional Qingming Festival, or Tomb-Sweeping Festival every year. Chinese Ambassador to Myanmar Hong Liang told the memorial ceremony that the CEF had paid a great cost in defending Myanmar's independence as well as Chinese sovereignty in resistance against Japanese invasion, making great contribution to the victory of the war of resistance against Japan and the world's anti-Fascist war. He attributed the enjoyment of peaceful living in the present era to the sacrifice of the people in the past. Attending the memorial ceremony were also Chinese company employees investing in Myanmar and Chinese students studying in Myanmar, as well as CEF's younger generation and representatives of Myanmar-Chinese associations. In 1942, China sent 100,000 expeditionary soldiers to Myanmar and India to fight against Japanese forces with the Allies. During the war, nearly half of the Chinese soldiers were killed or injured. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 20:10:01|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close MANILA, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Staff from the Chinese embassy in Manila swept tombs on Thursday for Philippine Chinese who died in the Philippines in their fight against Japanese invaders during the Second World War. Tan Qingsheng, deputy chief of mission and minister counselor at the Chinese embassy, led the embassy staff members visiting the Manila Chinese Cemetery and laying flowers at the foot of the Philippine Chinese anti-Japanese War Heroes Monument. The commemorations fell on the eve of the traditional Chinese Tomb Sweeping Day, during which Chinese people remember their late loved ones. During the ceremonies, Tan said that in the Second World War there was a group of Philippine Chinese who devoted themselves to the anti-Japanese fighting in this southeast Asian country, adding these brave Chinese people fought side by side with the local Filipinos, making a significate contribution to the victory of the war. "These overseas Chinese martyrs are not only the pride of China, but also the historical witness of the friendship between China and the Philippines," said Tan. After Japan invaded the Philippines on Dec. 8, 1941, the Chinese people who lived in the Philippines organized guerrilla warfare, called "Wha Chi," fighting alongside their Philippine comrades, against Japanese aggressors. More than 200 Philippine Chinese died during the war. The guerrilla army was made up of mainly Chinese, whose previous generations came from China's southern Fujian and Guangdong provinces. It started with 52 members and expanded to more than 700. Tan said this year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC). "Therefore, we should cherish the memory of those martyrs who died bravely for the establishment of PRC. Without them, there would be no today's PRC, still less the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation." Lv Shuiya, an 89-year-old Philippine Chinese veteran, witnessed Japanese aggressors' atrocity in the Philippines during the Second World War. He joined the anti-Japanese guerrilla "Wha Chi" in the Philippines at the age of 12. Lv said the experience of fighting against the Japanese aggressors seven decades ago is an unforgettable memory and he came to the commemorative ceremonies on Chinese Tomb Sweeping Day to honor the memory of his comrades-in-arms every year since 2007. "Both Chinese and Philippine people shouldn't forget these overseas Chinese martyrs," Lv said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 20:15:05|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close BEIJING, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang Thursday called for deepening reforms of the country's vocational education to accelerate nurturing of highly demanded professionals. Developing modern vocational education is required by the demand to improve human resources quality and stabilize and expand employment, as well as a major move to promote high-quality development and build a great modern country, Li said in a written instruction to a conference held on deepening reforms of vocational education. The vocational education mechanism should be reformed and improved to meet market demands and support the upgrading of the manufacturing and service sectors, Li said. Enterprises and social forces are encouraged to invest in developing vocation education, and support will be given to develop high-level vocational schools and representative majors, Li added. Vocational education and general education are equally important despite their differences, said Vice Premier Sun Chunlan, who attended the meeting. Sun called for more efforts to improve the social status and pay of skilled personnel, nurture teachers who excel at both theoretical knowledge and practical skills and develop leading enterprises that work with vocational schools and higher educational institutions. China plans to expand student enrollment in vocational schools by 1 million this year. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 20:15:07|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close BEIJING, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Chinese anti-corruption authorities and police have captured a fugitive who fled abroad over 10 years ago, the top anti-graft authority said Thursday. Xi Fei, 56, fled abroad after the procuratorial agency of Haidian District, Beijing, decided to investigate his suspected embezzlement in 2003, according to a report by the Communist Party of China Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission. He was recently found to have secretly returned to Beijing and the Haidian supervisory commission, working with police authorities, apprehended him. A source with the office in charge of fugitive repatriation and asset recovery under China's central anti-corruption coordination group said that China would strengthen work to hunt down fugitives overseas and maintain a tough stance, according to the report. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 20:15:09|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close YAOUNDE, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Cameroon recorded a decline in number of HIV/AIDS infections in the last seven years, according to Minister of Public Health Malachie Manaouda. Prevalence rate fell from 4.3 percent in 2011 to 3.4 percent in 2018 due to increase in financing and the "massive scale-up" of sensitization, prevention and treatment measures, Manaouda said on Wednesday. The figures were made public during an evaluation meeting of the National Aids Control Committee held in the capital, Yaounde. According to the committee, in terms of absolute numbers, over 500,000 people are living with HIV/AIDS in Cameroon and new infections are common among youths between 15 and 24 years, young girls are hit hardest. Sixteen thousand newborn babies from infected mothers were taken care of in 2018, statistics from the committee indicated. As part of measures to reduce new infections by the year 2022, Cameroon has announced it will conduct monthly campaign on behavioral change, increase intensive care and test over 2 million people, especially women. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 20:30:21|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close Representatives of China Construction Seventh Engineering Division Corporation Limited, a subsidiary of China State Construction Engineering Corporation Limited, pose for a group photo with members of the Bangladeshi government's Roads and Highways Department, after they sign an agreement in Dhaka, Bangladesh, April 4, 2019. China Construction Seventh Engineering Division Corporation Limited signed the official contract for improvement of Elenga-Hatikamrul-Rangpur Road to a 4-Lane highway in Dhaka, Bangladesh. (Xinhua/Liu Chuntao) DHAKA, April 4 (Xinhua) -- A state-owned Chinese company on Thursday signed an agreement for improvement of Elenga-Hatikamrul-Rangpur Road to a 4-Lane highway in Dhaka, Bangladesh. China Construction Seventh Engineering Division Corporation Limited, a subsidiary of China State Construction Engineering Corporation Limited, signed the official contract with the Bangladeshi government's Roads and Highways Department here. The highway improvement comes under the South Asia Sub-regional Economic Cooperation Road Connectivity Project-II which is funded by the Asian Development Bank. The Bangladeshi government has taken up the 190.40 km highway upgradation project in view of its importance in connectivity in Bangladesh. According to project document, the Chinese company will be engaged in implementing several other parts of the project in different phases. Ebne Alam Hasan, chief engineer of Bangladesh's Roads and Highways Department and Xu Jichao, authorized representative of South Asia Branch of China Construction Seventh Engineering Division Corporation Limited, inked the deal on behalf of their respective sides. File photo shows Chinese passengers wait for joining the special event held at the Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia, Jan. 20, 2017. The Ethiopian Airlines held a special event for Chinese nationals returning home for the Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival. (Xinhua/Michael Tewelde) ADDIS ABABA, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopia recorded 190 million U.S. dollars in revenue from 50,626 Chinese tourists that visited the country in 2018, an Ethiopian official said. China is the third largest source of tourists visiting Ethiopia, only after the United States and Britain. The number of Chinese tourists visiting Ethiopia in 2018 represented a surge of 11.7 percent from that of the previous year, at 45,307. Ethiopian Ministry of Culture and Tourism (MoCT) Public and International Relations Director Gezahegn Abate told Xinhua on Wednesday that better food and accommodation facilities will likely attract more Chinese visitors. "MoCT is encouraging Chinese investment in Ethiopia's hospitality sector, with a view to dramatically increasing the number of Chinese tourists," Abate said. "Ethiopia is also implementing incentives for entrepreneurs involved in the tourism and hospitality industry, including duty-free arrangements for construction materials," he said. The national flag carrier, Ethiopian Airlines, now flies to five destinations in China: Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Chengdu and Guangzhou. MoCT hopes that flights between Ethiopia and more Chinese destinations will help sustain the steady increase of Chinese tourists to the east African country. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 21:05:46|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close LUSAKA, April 4 (Xinhua) -- An African trading bloc on Thursday urged member states of three regional economic blocs to sign and ratify the free trade area agreement as the deadline nears. Three regional blocs namely the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), East Africa Community and the Southern African Development Community signed the tripartite agreement in June, 2015 in Egypt, comprising 26 countries. In a statement released after a meeting of the COMESA Intergovernmental Committee in Lusaka, the Zambian capital, the regional bloc urged member states to sign and ratify the agreement which lapses this month. The statement said so far only four countries in the three regional blocs ratified the agreement. The deadline of April 2019 was set in June last year during a ministerial meeting in South Africa, the statement added. Christopher Yaluma, Zambia's Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry said it was time for the remaining countries to sign the tripartite given that it was supposed to be the building block to the Africa Free Trade Area Agreement. "I can not overemphasize the absolute importance of all of us ratifying the tripartite agreement so that it enters into force immediately. After years of negotiation, the tripartite free trade area is ready for implementation," he said. The Zambian minister said 93 percent of the work of rules of origin has been completed, providing the basis for trade to begin while legal texts have been concluded and adopted. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 21:10:48|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close LILONGWE, April 4 (Xinhua) -- China on Wednesday donated more than 6,000 tonnes of rice and at least 300,000 U.S. dollars as humanitarian aid to Malawi victims of flood disaster. Speaking during the symbolic presentation of the items in the capital, Lilongwe, Chinese Ambassador to Malawi Liu Hongyang said Chinese people share the same grief with Malawi. About 2,000 tonnes of rice had been transported to the disaster-hit country. The donation came in the wake of the disaster which killed 60 people and displaced thousands of others. Malawi's Minister of Homeland Security and Disaster Management Affairs, Nicholas Dausi, hailed the Chinese government for the thoughts of kindness during the grieving moment. He said the aid would go a long way to support displaced households and those who were injured during the disaster in March. "When one gets hit by such a disaster and gets displaced, the immediate need is food for survival," said Dausi, adding that the rice from China will cater to that need. He added that the aid would help in buying some temporary shelter while some of it would be channeled toward reconstruction of the destroyed infrastructure. Malawi is one of the three African countries, along with Zimbabwe and Mozambique, that have been highly affected by floods due to Cyclone Idai. Statistics from the country's Department of Disaster Management Affairs indicate that about 869,000 people have been affected while some 87,000 people have been completely displaced and are in need of help. In addition, the Chinese ambassador announced that Chinese medical team in Malawi will visit some of the disaster-hit areas in the country's southern region to attend to the injured victims. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 21:15:51|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close BEIRUT, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese Energy Minister Nada Boustani announced on Thursday that the council of ministers approved the launch of the country's second licensing round for offshore oil and gas exploration, local media reported. "The deadline to submit offers is January 2020," Boustani was quoted as saying by Elnashra, an online independent newspaper. In February 2018, Lebanon signed its first offshore oil and gas exploration and production contracts for two energy blocks with a consortium of France's Total, Italy's Eni and Russia's Novatek. Walid Nasr, chairman of the Lebanese petroleum administration, announced less than a week ago that oil and gas discovery in Lebanon's maritime territories is expected to take place after one year. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 21:20:53|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close JUBA, April 4 (Xinhua) -- The UN Central Emergency Response Fund said Thursday it has allocated 11 million U.S. dollars to help about 268,000 South Sudanese who had been displaced by conflict within the country to return to their homes. Mark Lowcock, emergency relief coordinator said the people who fled their homes will need support to recover their lost livelihoods and rebuild their lives. "People who fled their homes with nothing are returning to nothing. They need urgent support. The CERF funding will ensure they have food, farming tools and seeds, shelter items and other basic necessities ahead of the rainy season starting in May, when access to most areas will be cut off," Lowcock said in a statement issued in Juba. According to UN, about 1.9 million people have fled their homes due to violence and conflict and now live in settlements and communities throughout the country. Many of these people, the UN says, have been displaced more than once since conflict broke out in late 2013. Another 2.3 million South Sudanese have fled to neighboring countries. Alain Noudehou, humanitarian coordinator in South Sudan said the CERF funding, which is part of a larger humanitarian plan, is a strong start to help people find solutions after years of displacement. Noudeho said more funding is urgently needed to provide humanitarian support and essential services." "Keeping people safe is central to our response and we will continue to put a particular emphasis on protecting women and girls from violence," he added. The UN said non-food items, including buckets and mosquito nets will also be provided in 10 priority areas. The UN also said healthcare, education, and clean water and sanitation facilities will also be strengthened in the areas of return. Protection services will be provided as a central component of the plan. "Since the beginning of the year, we are observing an increasing number of population movements across South Sudan, including many people returning to their home areas. It is vital that they do this in a voluntary, informed and dignified way," Noudehou said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 21:25:56|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem (L) speaks at a joint press conference with the visiting Jorge Arreaza, the Venezuelan Foreign Minister, in Damascus, Syria, April 4, 2019. Syria's Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem said Thursday that the Syrian government's patience about the situation in the northwestern province of Idlib, the last major rebel stronghold in Syria, "has limits." (Xinhua/Ammar Safarjalani) DAMASCUS, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Syria's Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem said Thursday that the Syrian government's patience about the situation in the northwestern province of Idlib, the last major rebel stronghold in Syria, "has limits." Al-Moallem made the remarks at his joint press conference with the visiting Jorge Arreaza, the Venezuelan Foreign Minister, who arrived in the capital Damascus earlier in the day and met with Syria's President Bashar al-Assad. During the press conference, al-Moallem answered a question about the situation in Idlib, saying that the Russian allies of the Syrian government said that Turkey wants the implementation of the Sochi agreement about Idlib. In September of last year, Russia and Turkey agreed to enforce a demilitarized zone in Idlib, where "radical" rebels were required to withdraw. However, the radical rebels expanded and controlled the entire Idlib region and the agreement didn't materialize. "Regarding the situation in Idlib, we hear from the Russian friends that the situation is hard but Turkey is determined to implement the Sochi agreement. Frankly, we are waiting for the implementation of the Sochi agreement but our patience has limits. We must liberate this land," al-Moallem said. Meanwhile, the Syrian official said the Kurdish-led groups in northeastern Syria must come back to their senses after they have been counting on the U.S. while requiring an autonomous control in northeastern Syria. "Regarding the armed groups in northern Syria, we say that in the northeast region, on the eastern region of the Euphrates River, there are Arab tribes and a group of Kurdish citizens and we are hoping that they could return to their senses and to learn from the history lesson to not trust anything but the Syrian homeland," he remarked. For his part, the Venezuelan foreign minister said that the countries which support the implementation of the international law and respect the UN charter must work to make a change in the U.S. policy. "We hope the work of the countries that support the implementation of the international law and respect the UN charters to be able to make a change in the policy of the United States ... I think it would be difficult ... but we are still counting on diplomacy and dialogue," Arreaza said. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg (Front) addresses a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress in Washington D.C., the United States, on April 3, 2019. (Xinhua/Ting Shen) WASHINGTON, April 3 (Xinhua) -- NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday that the military alliance does not want a "new arms race" with Russia while urging Moscow to keep compliance with a landmark arms control treaty. "We do not want a new arms race, we do not want a new Cold War," said Stoltenberg while addressing a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress, one of the highlights during his stay in Washington to celebrate the alliance's 70th anniversary. The NATO chief talked much about Russia in his speech, urging the country to keep its compliance with the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, a missile pact signed by Washington and Moscow over three decades ago to curb arms race. "I continue to call on Russia to return to compliance with the INF Treaty," said Stoltenberg, insisting on Russia's violation of the agreement. "NATO has no intention of deploying land-based missiles in Europe," he added. Meanwhile, Stoltenberg made it clear that NATO will "take the necessary steps to provide credible and effective deterrence" against Russia. During his speech, Stoltenberg also called for unity in the bloc while recognizing serious divergence. "Questions are being asked on both sides of the Atlantic about the strength of our partnership. And, yes, there are differences," he said. U.S. President Donald Trump has long been blaming the NATO countries that they have not met the 2-percent benchmark on military spending. NATO is holding two-day foreign ministers' talks to commemorate its establishment for seven decades. Russia is set to be a major issue for the discussion. The INF Treaty, signed in 1987 between the Soviet Union and the United States, marked the first-ever pact reached by Washington and Moscow on nuclear disarmament and a major step forward in restricting the arms race. However, the two sides have been accusing each other of violating the arms control agreement amid increasing tensions in recent years. Moscow announced in early March about its suspension of complying with the pact, following a similar decision by Washington in February. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 21:31:04|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close KAMPALA, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni on Thursday held a meeting with his visiting South Sudanese counterpart Salva Kiir to discuss the ongoing peace process in the latter's country. A State House statement said Kiir noted that the peace agreement was on course except disagreements over some state and district boundaries. Museveni advised the visiting delegation that they should not be consumed by fights over boundaries; instead they should channel their efforts towards improving their people's welfare and income. He advised the leaders to stick to colonial boundaries for avoidance of conflict. Museveni and President Omar al-Bashir of Sudan are reported to be the guarantors of the peace agreement signed last year by Kiir, who signed on behalf of the government of South Sudan and Riek Machar, who represented the rebelling groups. South Sudan has been suffering from a civil war since December 2013, following a conflict between Kiir and his former vice president Machar. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 22:06:26|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close NEW DELHI, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui released an article in Indian media entitled Dragon-Elephant Tango Creating the Asian Century Thursday on the occasion of the 69th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and India. Although China-India relations have experienced ups and downs, friendly cooperation has always been the general trend and the mainstream, Luo stressed in the article carried by The Indian Express. In his view, China-India relations can be divided into four phases since the establishment of diplomatic ties on April 1, 1950. The first phase was the "honeymoon period" immediately after the establishment of diplomatic relations. In the second phase, after the conflict in 1962, China-India relations fell into a "frozen period." The third phase, from the 1990s to the 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), was the "recovery period" of China-India relations. The fourth phase, from the CPC's 18th National Congress in 2012 until the present, is the "acceleration period" of China-India relations. With great vision, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held their first historic informal meeting in Wuhan in April 2018, Luo said. China-India relations have upgraded and entered the fast track of development, becoming a highlight of China's neighborhood diplomacy, said the Chinese envoy. "This represents a successful practice of Xi Jinping's Thought on Diplomacy." The current sound momentum of development has not come by easily and should be cherished, he said. The two countries will celebrate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2020. The ambassador expressed his belief that as two ancient civilizations, China and India have the ability and wisdom to find path for major emerging and neighboring countries to get along with each other, join hands to realize "Dragon-Elephant Tango", create the Asian century and achieve greater glory in the next 70 years. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 22:11:32|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close CAIRO, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian Tourism Minister Rania al-Mashat said that the Chinese market is "promising" for Egypt's tourism, official news agency MENA reported on Thursday. "Chinese market is one of the most promising markets for Egypt's tourism," the minister said on the sidelines of the 19th World Travel and Tourism Council Global Summit, which was hosted by the Spanish city of Seville. She highlighted the growing number of the Chinese tourists to Egypt, the report added. Al-Mashat met with officials from the Chinese online travel agency Ctrip during which the two sides discussed means of enhancing mutual cooperation as well as activating and increasing the number of Chinese tourists to Egypt, MENA reported. "The Chinese market has special nature and unique social communication tools like Weibo and WeChat that could advertise the Egyptian tourism," the minister added. The number of Chinese tourists increased from 160,000 in 2016 to more than 300,000 in 2017, making China the fourth largest tourist exporter to Egypt, according to official reports from Egypt and China. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 22:16:40|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close TALLINN, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Henn Polluaas of the Conservative People's Party of Estonia was elected President of the 14th Estonian parliament Riigikogu on Thursday. The election of the Estonian parliament board was held at the opening sitting to choose the president and two vice presidents of the parliament. The 59-year-old Polluaas won 55 of 100 votes cast out of the total 101 parliament members with one absent from the inaugural sitting, while opponent Sven Mikser of the Estonian Scocial Democratic Party got 45 votes. Helir-Valdor Seeder of the Isamaa Party and Siim Kallas of the Reform Party were elected first and second vice-president with 55 and 44 votes respectively, with one blank and thus invalid ballot. The Board is elected from the members of the Riigikogu for a term of one year. The president of the Riigikogu is the second most important official in the country after the president of Estonia, and can temporarily fulfill the duties of the president of the Republic, if necessary. Delivering the opening speech at the Riigikogu, Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid stressed the importance of thinking how to make the 30 years of economic development in Estonia serve the interests of the people in a way that everyone would feel as they have benefitted from it. In the parliamentary election held on March 3, five political parties were elected to the 14th Estonian parliament for a term of four years, with Reform's 34 seats, followed by Center's 26 and Conservative People's Party's 19, Isamaa Party's 12 and Social Democratic Party's 10 seats. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 22:21:48|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close LUSAKA, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Zambia on Thursday launched a policy aimed at encouraging its citizens living abroad to participate in the country's development agenda. The government realizes that all its citizens, including those living outside the country, need to be cared for and treasured as key human capital to spur the country's development, Vice-President Inonge Wina said at the launching event. The citizens living in the diaspora, she said, can help promote Zambia as an investment destination of choice, she said. An online portal aimed at facilitating easy flow of information between the government and citizens living abroad will be established by the end of the year, Wina said. Foreign minister Joseph Malanji said the diaspora has become a force of change, adding that this potential needs to be harnessed for the country's benefit. The policy is a culmination of consultations the government has been holding with various stakeholders, including citizens living abroad. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 22:31:54|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close LONDON, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Once they were magnets for tens of millions of sun and fun seekers. But a report Thursday by Britain's House of Lords said many of the country's seaside towns and coastal communities are in desperate need of improvements to transport, housing and broadband. Many seaside towns feel left behind by national strategies aimed at increasing economic growth and productivity, the report said. Better access to further and higher education for young people in seaside towns is also needed too, concluded a report by the House of Lords Select Committee on Regenerating Seaside Towns. It highlighted as the most significant in the country, housing and deprivation in Blackpool, once Britain's most popular seaside resort. The report said it should be the first to be tackled using a government-backed town deal. Famed for Blackpool Tower, donkey rides on the beach and "kiss me quick" hats, Blackpool on the northern coast of England attracted 17 million visitors a year in its heyday. Committee Chairman Lord Bassam of Brighton said: "For too long, seaside towns have been neglected. They suffer from issues rooted in the decline of their core industries, most notably domestic tourism, but also in fishing, shipbuilding and port activity, and from their location at the 'end of the line'. The potential impact of Brexit on these towns, particularly the hospitality sector, also remains an open question." Bassam said a single solution to the economic and social challenges facing seaside towns doesn't exist. "What is needed is a package of strategic initiatives and interventions where national and local government work together to address issues such as transport, housing, post-school education and high-speed broadband," he added. He said resort towns such as Brighton and Bournemouth have shown that "the seaside" can successfully reinvent itself. The committee, he added, is confident that if its recommendations are pursued, seaside towns can once again become prosperous and desirable places to live in and visit. The challenges of peripherality in coastal areas can be overcome by improving digital connectivity, such as high-speed broadband being delivered. Poor-quality housing is a significant problem for many seaside towns, with the committee recommending a package of measures for housing to help tackle perverse financial incentives to offer poor accommodation, and to support more regeneration of existing housing. Inadequate transport connectivity is holding back many coastal communities, said the committee, suggesting the government should prioritise improvements to the coastal transport network. The report also called for government action to ensure local industrial strategies present a key opportunity for renewed focus on addressing the skills gaps, low-wage economies and aspiration challenges faced by many coastal communities. The committee said it wants local strategies to have a specific requirement to consider the needs of deprived seaside towns and communities. It added that the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which is set to replace EU funding after Brexit, is an important opportunity to help support coastal business development, and to tackle deprivation in coastal communities. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 22:37:01|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close Rwandan people wait to receive free health care from Chinese doctors in Kigali, capital city of Rwanda, on April 4, 2019. About 300 patients had been treated during the free health care service provided by the 19th China Medical Team in Rwanda in the past three days, and over 100 patients came on Thursday for the treatment. (Xinhua/Lv Tianran) By Xinhua writer Lyu Tianran KIGALI, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Chinese doctor Zhao Shangjun was leading a puncture operation on the knee of a boy on Thursday in a small consulting room of Gahanga Health Center in southern Kigali. The boy, whose knee was swollen due to the water inside, had been suffering pain caused by the water for about a month after doing sports. After four syringes of water were drew out of his body, the atmosphere in the room finally became relaxed. While the orthopedics doctor was telling the boy's mother matters needing attention after the operation, other Chinese doctors called the next Rwandan patient to the room for a checkup. About 300 patients had been treated during the free health care service provided by the 19th China Medical Team in Rwanda in the past three days, and over 100 patients came on Thursday for the treatment. "We want to provide support to the Rwandan people, especially to those poorer people who are not able to afford medicines and higher quality health care," said Yang Wenhui, chief of the medical team. "People's health is highly important to a country. Only when people's health and basic life are guaranteed can the society be stable," said Yang. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the 1994 genocide against Tutsi. The annual commemoration of the genocide will be held from April 7 to July 4, which is in line with the period of the genocide. All 12 medical workers including those working in southeastern Rwanda's Kibungo hospital joined the activity in the capital city. 27-year-old Xavier Hagenimana had headache for around two months. He decided to come to see the Chinese doctors after hearing that they can heal serious diseases. "They treated me well and I don't have headache now," the security guard said. "Chinese doctors help people heal diseases that other doctors failed to resolve. Their treatment is so wonderful and so good," said Hagenimana with smiles. "They are good people. I wish they can continue going around the country, healing our diseases," he said. Primary school student Chantal Bamporineza had a severe facial pain before receiving acupuncture treatment from the Chinese doctor. The pain was much relieved, she said. "I feel ok now," said Bamporineza, who had suffered from the pain in the past two years and had never seen doctors before due to financial strain. "Many thanks for Chinese doctors who treated me without charging me," the girl said. Some patients in the area can not afford the transportation to the district hospital, a higher-level medical institution in Rwanda's health system, according to Emmanuel Habarurema, head of Gahanga Health Center. "This activity is very important in our catchment area, as people live far from hospitals and many poor patients have no capacity to receive medication or consultation from the district hospital," said Habarurema. Habarurema added that the health center serves the Gahanga sector with the population of about 44,000 and other people living in neighboring sectors. The health center currently has 29 workers in total, including paramedical staff, according to him. There is a shortage of staff, he said. The medical team also plans to provide medical equipment to the health center. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 22:37:04|Editor: ZX Video Player Close JINAN, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Zhang Jingxian has sent out some 1,000 letters in the past six years, but most were returned. The intended recipients were 86 soldiers who died in 1947 during the War of Liberation. The youngest was only 17 years old, and the oldest 40. Since 2014, Zhang, a veteran and Party chief of the Zhanghezhuang Community in east China's Shandong Province, has started helping tell the families of the dead soldiers exactly where their beloved ones are buried -- in a martyr cemetery in the community, which was used to be a field hospital in the war. The letters have piled up on Zhang's desk and now he is sending typed letters instead of hand-written ones. So far, he has helped the families of 15 martyrs, with the address of another martyr just found Tuesday. "I feel honored and responsible for doing this because we can't live our peaceful and happy life without the sacrifice of each and every hero," Zhang said. When he visited the martyrs' tombs on Tomb Sweeping Day in 2008, Zhang made up his mind to do whatever he could to find out who these brave soldiers were. As a veteran, he knows well the hardship of soldiers and their families, which gives him every reason to help the families find their tombs. After five years research and visiting veterans who used to fight in the region, Zhang finally figured out 86 out of 136 soldiers' regiments in the cemetery and got a muster roll, including their names, ages and addresses. "Helping martyrs find home is like racing time," he said, adding that as time passes, less and less will be known about these soldiers. Under one of the simple square-shaped tombs lies a young man, Gong Jianhou, whose family would have never known where he was buried without Zhang's help. At the start, letters kept being returned for reasons such as wrong recipient or non-existent addresses. Zhang didn't give up and started to add a note on every envelope. It was the second time that postman Wang Dejian saw the letter to Gong in 2016. This time he saw the note on the envelope, reading "This is a letter to martyr Gong Jianhou, who died at the age of 29 in December 1947 in the city of Heze. Please help him find his way home." Wang realized it must be important and decided to take on responsibility from the sender who he had never met. He visited village after village and asked for information about Gong while delivering letters and parcels. Wang eventually found out some characters in the name and address might be wrong though they had the same pronunciation with the right one, and he decided to try his luck in a village two km away from the original address. When Gong Deying, nephew of Gong Jianhou, received the letter from the postman in 2016, he couldn't believe it. "The family never expected to hear from my uncle again," Gong Deying said. "My grandma can now rest in peace." Gong Jianhou's mother, who died in the 1970s, had never stopped searching for her son when she was alive. "With their tombs over 320 km apart, they can reunite in heaven now," Gong Deying said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 22:42:08|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ATLANTA, the United States, April 4 (Xinhua) -- U.S. farmers "need something quick" to be done about a trade deal with China, and they can not afford to lose such a large market, a U.S. agriculture industry leader recently said. "We really need to work that out because that's such a huge market for us," Will Bentley, president of the Georgia Agribusiness Council (GAC), told Xinhua here. But "it's planting time in Georgia. So we need something quick." "You (referring to China) have a growing economy and you have more and more consumers that are able to pay for high quality products, and we produce high quality products across all of the agriculture. So it's a big deal for us," said Bentley. Georgia exports to China have grown by 41 percent since 2008, exceeding 2.8 billion U.S. dollars in 2017, and among the top exports were civilian aircraft, chemical wood pulp, Kraft paper and paperboard, medical instruments, and wood, according to the Georgia Department of Economic Development. "We know how important that relationship is to us in the state of Georgia specifically," he said. "Overall about 20 percent of agricultural income comes from exports. With China being a huge partner, that number is even higher." Local farmers' income in the past years has been decreasing, and "the only way out of that is through increased trade," he said. "We really want to see our trade grow with China." The U.S. trade friction with China has already hurt farmers in Georgia and throughout the country, Bentley said. Taking pecan growers as an example, he said, "China has been one of their biggest customers and over 50 percent of what they were doing was specifically going into China." However, "the market has decreased because of some of the tariffs," the GAC leader added. "So it's vitally important for us to figure this thing (trade deal) out." Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 22:52:15|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close MOSCOW, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko denied Thursday NATO's accusations that Moscow has deployed nuclear-capable missiles in Europe in violation of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF). "There is no evidence that Russia allegedly violated the INF Treaty and we were not presented with such despite our persistent appeals to the United States to provide facts," TASS news agency quoted Grushko as saying. On Wednesday, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said in an address to the U.S. Congress that Russia has violated the INF treaty by deploying mobile, hard-to-detect nuclear-capable missiles in Europe. Grushko noted that Russia has taken "unprecedented transparency measures" to prove it has not violated the treaty, while NATO ignored Moscow's legitimate concerns regarding many years of violations of the treaty by the United States. He said that the United States is deploying in Romania and Poland installations capable of launching nuclear-capable missiles, using intermediate-range missiles for testing missile defenses, creating a whole class of drones with strike weapons, as well as starting to produce an entire class of weapons capable of carrying out the functions of nuclear weapons, he added. These are real factors that increase the risk of any conflict escalating into a nuclear phase, said Grushko. Russia reserves the right to give a military-technical response, however, wishing to maintain peace in Europe, it will not deploy intermediate-range missiles in Europe and elsewhere until U.S. missiles appear there, according to the diplomat. Russia, in line with its military strategy, may take the decision to use its nuclear weapons outside the nuclear context only in one case when "the very existence of the state is threatened," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 22:52:17|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close HANOI, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Some 1,500 delegates from 106 countries and regions and the United Nations (UN) will attend the UN Day of Vesak, or the birth of Buddha, slated from May 12 to May 14 at Tam Chuc pagoda in Vietnams northern Ha Nam province. The event is also expected to bring together 1,500 Vietnamese delegates, including party and state leaders, representatives of ministries, agencies and localities, and monks, nuns and Buddhist followers, Vietnam News Agency on Thursday quoted its organizers as saying. The Vesak 2019 program will include opening and closing ceremonies and five international workshops as well as a domestic one. The international workshops will bring up issues like responsible leadership for sustainable peace, Buddhist approaches to family issues, healthcare, education, morality, responsible consumption and the Fourth Industrial Revolution and Buddhism. Themed Buddhist Approach to Global Leadership and Shared Responsibilities for Sustainable Societies, the event will feature Buddhist rituals, a floral lantern release, an exhibition and art programs. This will be the third time for the UN's commemoration of Vesak to be held in Vietnam. Previously, it took place here in 2008 and the northern province of Ninh Binh in 2014. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 23:02:28|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, April 4 (Xinhua) -- The leader of a team investigating the March 10 Ethiopian Airlines crash on Thursday rejected recent reports that a foreign object might have caused the tragedy that killed all 157 people aboard. "Data retrieved from the flight does not indicate a foreign object damage (FBD)," said Amdye Ayalew, head of the investigation team. Ayalew's remarks came amid reports that suggested an attack by a foreign object on the plane's sensor as a major cause of the crash. The Nairobi-bound Boeing 737 Max 8 crashed near Bishoftu town, about 45 km from the capital, Addis Ababa, just minutes after taking off from Bole International Airport. Ayalew said the investigation could last as long as a year. "We will analyze whether other problems were existing on this aircraft," he said. Also on Thursday, the Ethiopian government said the pilots had followed Boeing required procedures, but could not control the flight. "Based on the initial findings of the investigation, the crew repeatedly performed all the procedures provided by the manufacturer, but was not able to control the aircraft," Ethiopian Minister of Transport Dagmawit Moges told reporters. The minister said preliminary investigation results also revealed the aircraft "possessed a valid certificate of airworthiness, and that the crew obtained the license and qualification to conduct the flight." According to Moges, two safety recommendations have been forwarded based on the initial information gathered during the course of the preliminary investigation. "Since repetitive un-commanded aircraft nose-down conditions are noticed in this preliminary investigation, it is recommended that the aircraft control system related to the flight controllability shall be reviewed by the manufacturer," she said. "Aviation authorities shall verify that the review of the aircraft flight control system related to flight controllability has been adequately addressed by the manufacturer before they release the aircraft to operations," Moges said. The preliminary investigation report was made on the basis of data extracted from the data and voice recorders of the aircraft. Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft have since been grounded around the world amid mounting safety concerns following the Ethiopian Airlines crash. Less than five months ago, in October last year, a Lion Air flight of the same model crashed in Indonesia, killing all 189 people on board. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 23:02:32|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BAGHDAD, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Arabia on Thursday opened a consulate in Iraq's capital Baghdad for the first time in about 30 years in a sign of improving relations between Baghdad and Riyadh. Saudi Minister of Commerce and Investment Majid Al Qasabi said during the opening ceremony "now our brothers in Iraq can acquire visas directly from Baghdad without the trouble of travelling to get them from outside Iraq." A statement by spokesman of the Iraqi Foreign Minister, Ahmed al-Sahaf, said that "the building of the consulate of Saudi Arabia was opened in Baghdad with the attendance of Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohammed al-Hakim." "The relations between Iraq and Saudi Arabia are strategic, as Iraq is moving in balance and strength to build its interests," al-Sahaf said. On Wednesday, Qasabi, who headed a Saudi delegation of 115 members, including several ministers and dozens of businessmen, arrived in Baghdad on a two-day visit to hold the second session of the Iraqi-Saudi Coordination Council. The Iraqi Minister of Oil Thamir al-Ghadhban confirmed a joint press conference with Qasabi that "the Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi will soon sign memorandums of understanding, which were prepared during the second session of the Iraqi-Saudi Coordination Council, in his upcoming visit to Riyadh." He said that Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz has granted 1 billion U.S. dollars for the implementation of Saudi projects in Iraq. Qasabi said that the two sides "agreed on forming a joint business council to exchange investment opportunities between the two countries, which will be signed during Abdul Mahdi's visit to Riyadh." Another agreement was reached to establish a joint trade zone which its details will be discussed later, Qasabi said, adding that the discussion between the two sides yielded providing 186 investment opportunities for Saudi businessmen in Iraq. On Wednesday, Qasabi and Ghadhan told reporters that three more Saudi consulates will be opened later in Iraq. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 23:07:37|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close TIRANA, April 4 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. government donated 37 Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles ( MRAPs) to the Albanian Armed Forces in a ceremony held here on Thursday, a help to boost Albania's military capabilities. Albanian Defense Minister Olta Xhacka, charge d'affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Tirana Leyla Moses-Ones and Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces Brigadier General Bardhyl Kollcaku attended the delivery ceremony. In her speech, Xhacka thanked the U.S. government for its continued support to Albania and expressed gratitude for the donation of 37 armored vehicles, which will increase the capabilities and performance of the country's Armed Forces. On her part, Moses-Ones underlined that the new armored capability will enhance Albanian's internal defense, strengthen NATO's southern flank, and provide critical combat power to NATO that can be deployed in support of global operations. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 23:07:39|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier (L) and his Bulgarian counterpart Rumen Radev hold a joint press conference in Sofia, capital of Bulgaria, April 4, 2019. The two presidents on Thursday expressed worries over Brexit. It was pity that the British people have decided to leave the European Union (EU), and it was impossible to anticipate how this process would continue in the coming days and weeks, Steinmeier said at the joint press conference after bilateral talks. (Xinhua/Zhan Xiaoyi) SOFIA, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Bulgarian President Rumen Radev and his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier here on Thursday expressed worries over Brexit. It was pity that the British people have decided to leave the European Union (EU), and it was impossible to anticipate how this process would continue in the coming days and weeks, Steinmeier said at a joint press conference after bilateral talks. Unregulated Brexit would be the worst option, Steinmeier said, adding that it would be detrimental for Britain, and everyone should be aware that its negative consequences would affect the whole continent. "That is why I still hope that the UK will find an acceptable position," Steinmeier said. Regardless of the decisions in Britain and reactions in Brussels, it was important not to block forthcoming European ideas and plans, such as European Parliament election and the European budget and financial plan, Steinmeier said. Radev said, "It is very important to have a common European position on Brexit and not to allow Brexit to block, as it has been happening for a long time, Europe's ability to make timely, important and unified decisions." The emerging crisis with Brexit had to be resolved; otherwise, it would be harder for Europe to make and defend such decisions, Radev said. "I also think that we are currently focusing on Brexit's mechanisms. However, it is very important for Europe to answer the question of why there are states that want to leave the EU, and focus our efforts there," Radev said. The two leaders also discussed bilateral cooperation. They were very pleased to find that Germany is Bulgaria's largest economic and trade partner, and last year the trade turnover exceeded 8 billion euros (8.99 billion U.S. dollars), Radev said. This was a significant amount for his country, it has been growing steadily over the years, and "we believe this trend will continue," Radev said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 23:17:46|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close CAPE TOWN, April 4 (Xinhua) -- With child abuse continuing to plague the country, the South African government on Thursday vowed to eradicate child abuse and urged the public to join the fight. Communities should be vigilant and expose abusers as deafening silence could only serve to encourage these brutal acts against children, government spokesperson Phumla Williams said. It is crucial that parents and society be cognizant of the roles that they need to play in protecting children and in exposing any suspected child abuse activities or child exploitation, she said. This came after a South African court on Wednesday meted out life imprisonment to a man convicted of abusing and murdering his former girlfriend's son in 2016. The Gauteng High Court also handed out a 20-year sentence to the child's mother. The two convicts were found guilty of murdering the child who suffered a broken elbow, broken femur, injured ribs and second degree burns to 60 percent of his body. The barbaric act sent shockwaves throughout the nation at that time. The government welcomed the harsh sentences imposed on the convicts, Williams said. "As a nation, we have a right to be outraged by these kinds of barbaric acts of abuse against innocent children and government applauds the criminal justice system for ensuring that perpetrators of these heinous crimes receive harsh sentences," Williams said. The government takes the issue of child abuse and neglect very seriously, she said. In South Africa, which is among the countries that have the highest crime rate in the world, 800 to 900 children are murdered every year, according to police. The United Nations has ranked South Africa as among the world's 10 most violent nations. To eradicate child abuse, South Africa has put in place child protection mechanisms such as legislation and international instruments that the country has ratified as a commitment to the protection of children's rights. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 23:27:56|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close Estonian Prime Minister Juri Ratas (C) speaks at the meeting of the 14th Estonian parliament Riigikogu in Tallinn, Estonia, on April 4, 2019. Estonia's outgoing coalition government stepped down as per procedure after the country's 14th Riigikogu (parliament) convened on Thursday. (Xinhua/Estonian Parliament/Erik Peinar) TALLINN, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Estonia's outgoing coalition government stepped down as per procedure after the country's 14th Riigikogu (parliament) convened on Thursday. However, under Estonian law the government continues its term until a new coalition is agreed and appointed. Prime Minister Juri Ratas, leader of the Estonian Centre Party, has announced the resignation of the outgoing coalition in parliament. The current government was formed in Nov. 2016, by the Centre Party, the Pro Patria and Res Publica Union (known as Isamaa since June 2018) and the Social Democratic Party after then Prime Minister Taavi Roivas of the Reform Party lost a confidence vote in parliament. The Centre Party is currently in coalition talks with the Conservative People's Party of Estonia and the Isamaa Party after over three weeks of discussion, and the new coalition government is expected to be unveiled on Saturday, according to Ratas. In the parliamentary elections held on March 3, five political parties won seats in the 14th Riigikogu for a four-year term. The Reform Party has 34 seats, the Centre Party 26, the Conservative People's Party 19, the Isamaa Party 12 and the Social Democratic Party 10. However, the Reform Party has refused to form a coalition with the Conservative People's Party, while the Centre Party rejected Reform Party leader Kaja Kallas's offer to enter into a coalition with her party -- which means that Reform could not set up a coalition, which would need a minimum 51 seats out of the total 101 in parliament. Mike Strain, commissioner of the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, speaks during an interveiw with Xinhua at his office in Baton Rouge of the U.S. state of Louisiana March 1, 2019. (Xinhua/Wang Ying) BATON ROUGE, the United States, April 3 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese market is absolutely critical to the United States, as it is not only huge but also full of potential, a U.S. state agricultural official has said. "China is a huge country with more than a billion people, and you're importing a great deal of your food," Mike Strain, commissioner of the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, told Xinhua in a recent interview on how he evaluates the role of the Chinese market. Agricultural exports play a vital role in the U.S. and Louisiana economies, Strain said. In the state of Louisiana, exports amount to 8.3 billion U.S. dollars, said Strain. "That's one of every three acres." Soybean production is worth about 800 million dollars, corn and other grains about 400 million dollars, and poultry more than a billion dollars in Louisiana, he said. While valuing all the trading partners, Strain emphasized that the impact of the U.S. agricultural trade with China is extremely significant. "If you look at soybeans ... 60 percent of the production of the United States goes to China. So for our production, it is critical. It's absolutely critical," he said. China's continued purchase of soybeans over these years means "a great deal" to U.S. farmers, Strain said, adding that U.S. soybean growers can profit about 1.65 dollars more on each bushel of beans. According to the Louisiana Economic Development (LED) website, China is Louisiana's top export market and ranks seventh in imports. The southeastern U.S. state imports 1.3 billion U.S. dollars of Chinese goods a year while exporting 7.9 billion dollars of goods to China, including mainly chemicals, fuels and agricultural products. Cargo ships sail on the waters of Mississippi river in Louisiana, the United States, Feb. 27, 2019. (Xinhua/Wang Ying) "Chinese commerce is already a transformative force in Louisiana's economy, with extensive trade and cross-border investment linking the two more strongly than ever before," the LED said. Strain assumed the current post in 2008, and has been dedicated to promoting agriculture, expanding production and facilitating trade for more than a decade. In the eyes of the commissioner, trade disruption could lead to a series of damage, while sustainable long-term trade is beneficial to all stakeholders. The world's two largest economies are interlinked and highly complementary, Strain said. Cargo ships are anchored on the waters of Mississippi river in Louisiana, the United States, March 2, 2019. (Xinhua/Wang Ying) A growing Chinese economy boosts consumption and multiplies demand for higher-quality food and grain, which will further translate into abundant business opportunities for the U.S. agriculture, he said. Strain said he is excited about the latest progress in U.S.-China trade talks. "Everyone is now negotiating in earnest, and these ongoing negotiations were getting closer," he said. As the planting season approaches, the commissioner said he hopes that the two sides can strike a deal soon. "We expect about 1.2 to 1.3 million acres of beans here. And we're expecting 88 million acres of beans in the United States. And so we're looking for a home (for the produce)," said Strain. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 23:38:00|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close NAIROBI, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan experts on Thursday urged the government to diversify the country's export base to help curb rising trade deficits which they said grew 1.2 percent in 2019. The experts, from the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) and the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM), said the government could enhance its ability to widen sources of revenue by increasing investment in a broad range of sectors. "We remain constrained by the current export structure that relies on a few export products and markets," said KAM research and fiscal policy manager Simon Githuku. "It is time we diversified if we are to address the ballooning trade deficits." Githuku told a forum in Nairobi that having a new export structure will mitigate adverse effects of trade fluctuations. According to latest World Bank statistics, the gap between imports and exports climbed to 1.15 trillion shillings (10.15 billion U.S. dollars) in 2018, up from the previous year's 10.13 billion dollars. "We... require a clear regulatory framework and workable incentive packages to condense the trade deficits," Githuku said. The trade deficit is denying the country an opportunity to create more jobs with local firms losing out to foreign manufacturers in the long run, he said. Joram Gicheru, an IEA associate, called on the government to give subsidies to local producers of agricultural products to reduce the cost of production and improve volumes and quality of the products. "One of the ways out from this mess is by striving to double volumes of our three top exports -- tea, coffee and horticulture -- and to do that it means we need to improve our productivity," he said. The answers to the deficits also depend on how the government positions its manufacturing sector with a sharp focus on alternative products such as textile, chemicals, machines, agro-processing, blue economy and leather, Gicheru said. He called on policymakers to take advantage of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) initiative, which offers African countries a great long-term opportunity to address technical barriers to trade. The agreement will increase intra-Africa trade as well as enabling Kenya and other African countries to attract investment, he said, noting that the AfCFTA provides new export opportunities for African products. Once in place, the AfCFTA will cover a market of 1.2 billion people and a combined gross domestic product (GDP) of some 3 trillion dollars. "We must position ourselves strategically to reap from the regional pact, which aims to establish a single market that will spur industrialization, infrastructural development, economic diversification and trade," Gicheru said. Fred Simiyu, who is in charge of international trade at the Ministry of Trade, said the government will implement initiatives to add value to the free trade agreement. Richard Kariuki, regional head of Governance Beta Healthcare International, urged the government to offer favorable policies that make it easier for pharmaceutical and health industries to operate smoothly. "The government needs to give subsidies and come up with favorable tax policies on medical equipment, capital expenditure and raw materials as well as honoring obligations for health sector such as tax refunds, improved management as well as partnership with private entities to foster a coherent framework for UHC," he said, referring to universal health care. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 23:43:05|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ANKARA, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Turkey's exports in the first quarter has reached a record high of 44.5 billion U.S. dollars, the trade minister announced Thursday. The exports in the first three months of 2019 surged 3.34 percent year-on-year, calculated by the general trade system, Ruhsar Pekcan said at a news conference in the capital Ankara. During the same period, Turkey's imports amounted to 50.5 billon dollars with an annual decline of 21.46 percent, Pekcan added. Turkey's deficit posted a significant decline in March, she noted. The exports-to-imports coverage ratio, an indicator of external financing need, rose to 88.2 percent in the first quarter from 67.1 percent last year, according to the Turkish minister. After a serious currency depreciation in 2018, the Turkish government sharply lowered its growth forecast for 2019 to 2.3 percent in a medium-term economic program unveiled last September. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 23:43:06|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BERLIN, April 4 (Xinhua) -- In February, Germany's industrial manufacturing sector registered the sharpest decline in the number of new orders in over two years, according to preliminary figures published on Thursday by the German Federal Statistical Office (Destatis). According to Destatis, price, seasonally and calendar adjusted new orders recorded by Germany's industrial firms declined by 4.2 percent in February. This was the biggest monthly decline since January 2017, when the German industrial sector's orders also dropped by 4.2 percent. International orders fell strongly by 6 percent, while domestic orders declined only slightly by 1.6 percent. A particularly sharp 7.9 percent drop was recorded for orders from non-European countries. Orders from European Union member states fell by 2.9 percent. "Industrial economy is slowing down more and more," said Ilja Nothnagel, economic expert at the Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry (DIHK). "Foreign trade crises, trouble areas and trade disputes are increasingly impacting the global investment climate," said Nothnagel, adding that projects around the world that were put on hold would hit core areas of Germany's industry particularly hard. German manufacturers of capital goods suffered the most in February as orders in this segment declined by 6 percent. For intermediate and consumer goods, Destatis recorded a decline of 0.9 percent and 3.5 percent, respectively. The German Ministry of Economic Affairs stated that the industrial economy was "expected to remain subdued, especially due to a lack of foreign demand" in the coming months. Speaking to Xinhua on Thursday, Thiess Petersen, senior advisor at the German Bertelsmann Foundation, said that "the most important reason for the declining growth expectations is the uncertainties in foreign trade." In particular, the "protectionist course" of U.S. President Donald Trump and the still unclear conditions of Great Britain's withdrawal from the European Union would unsettle companies and investors. "Uncertainty is poison for investments," concluded Petersen. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 23:48:17|Editor: ZX Video Player Close Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (L) meets with Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni (C) and Queen Mother Norodom Monineath Sihanouk in Beijing, capital of China, April 4, 2019. (Xinhua/Ding Lin) BEIJING, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday met with Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni and Queen Mother Norodom Monineath Sihanouk, and Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand respectively in Beijing. Wang conveyed President Xi Jinping and his wife's cordial greetings and best wishes to King Sihamoni and Queen Mother Monineath. While applauding the irreplaceable role of the King in promoting the development of the China-Cambodia friendly relationship, Wang said China, Cambodia and other Asian countries should learn from each other with mutual tolerance so as to jointly safeguard the excellent traditions of Asia and create a better future for the continent. King Sihamoni and Queen Mother Monineath asked Wang to convey their sincere greetings and high respect to President Xi and his wife, and expressed a willingness to join hands with China and carry forward the traditional friendship to promote continuous development of bilateral relations. When meeting Princess Sirindhorn, Wang said she was an "envoy of friendship" as it was the 48th visit by the princess to China. The Thai royal family has made major contributions to promoting China-Thailand friendly relations and deepening the mutual beneficial cooperation, Wang said. China stands ready to work with Thailand to carry forward the traditional friendship between the two countries and continuously deepen cooperation in various fields, he said. Princess Sirindhorn expressed gratitude to China's support and assistance in Thailand's education, scientific research as well as poverty alleviation in remote areas. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 23:48:20|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close DAR ES SALAAM, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian authorities on Thursday warned individuals and political parties against involvement in electoral fraud in civic polls later this year and general elections in 2020. The warning was made by Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation Palamagamba Kabudi at the official opening of a meeting in the commercial capital, Dar es Salaam, on how to control electoral fraud in the forthcoming civic polls. Kabudi urged the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) to deal accordingly with individuals or political parties implicated in electoral fraud. A statement issued by the ministry's information and communication unit quoted Kabudi as saying that the fifth administration under President John Magufuli will never tolerate electoral fraud. "We are all aware that this year we will have civic elections at local government level and we would like to see that these elections are held based on integrity and the observation of electoral laws in order to build up democracy," the minister said. Electoral fraud does not only end up with election manipulation or vote-rigging but it ends up electing incompetent leaders, Kabudi warned. He praised the PCCB for organizing the meeting aimed at educating people on the negative impacts of electoral fraud. Diwani Athumani, the PCCB director general, said electoral fraud endangers national security because most of leaders elected through fraud are incompetent and cannot protect the country's interests. The meeting was attended by electoral stakeholders, including religious leaders and representatives from political parties, civil society organizations and defense and security organs. Russian servicemen stand next to a new S-400 "Triumph" surface-to-air missile system after its deployment at a military base outside the town of Gvardeysk near Kaliningrad, Russia March 11, 2019. (Reuters photo) ANKARA, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Initial delivery of Russian made S-400 air defense system parts will start in June, as planned before, Turkish officials said on Thursday. "The first parts of the S-400 air defense system will arrive in June and the shipment will be completed in July," a Turkish official from the Ministry of Defense said on condition of anonymity. Elaborating on U.S. warnings that Turkey's procurement of S-400 missile defense system could affect the deal for F-35 fighter jets, the official said training for Turkish pilots in the U.S. and coordination between Ankara and Washington over the delivery of F-35 fighter jets process continues. "The training of our pilots continues in the U.S.. There is no such thing as stopping the training. Turkey is one of the partners of the F-35 program and fulfills its obligations in this regard," said the official. U.S. Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday warned Turkey against purchasing the S-400 air defense system from Russia, despite Ankara's firm stance on the deal. "Does it want to remain a critical partner in the most successful military alliance in the history of the world? Or does it want to risk the security of that partnership by making reckless decisions that undermine our alliance?" he said. Pence's tough remarks came after Turkey insisted on Wednesday that the Russian deal was done, indicating serious friction between the two NATO allies. "The S-400 deal is a done deal and we will not step back from this," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Wednesday during his visit to the U.S. for a NATO meeting. In December 2017, Turkey finalized a deal with Russia over the purchase of the S-400 surface-to-air missile system. Meanwhile, Turkey plans to purchase 100 F-35 fighter jets from the United States, and its pilots are training on the weapons platform at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona of the United States. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 23:58:41|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close JUBA, April 4 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations anti-mine agency said Thursday the current truce in South Sudan has offered a favorable atmosphere for removing explosives buried underneath the ground. Richard Boulter, program manager with the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS), said landmines that were concealed in the earth remain the single most dangerous hazard that continues to kill and maim people in one of the most-mined countries in the world. The South Sudanese government and the opposition signed a new peace deal in September last year. "The cooperation we are receiving from our local partners, coupled with the support from donors and UN peacekeepers, has made the process of dissipating the landmines in South Sudan a surmountable and achievable undertaking," Boulter told celebrations in Juba marking the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action. Boulter thanked the 900 South Sudanese who operate under the National Mine Action Authority for providing education and awareness about the explosives across the battle-weary country in a bid to save lives. "Clearing the landmines will leave South Sudan a safe place with the potential for a prosperous future," he said. Taban Deng Gai, South Sudan's first vice-president, called on partners to continue support the local landmine-defusing organization to destroy the remaining explosives that hinder socio-economic development among South Sudanese, adding that it is the preserve of the government to neutralize use of landmines in conflict. According to UNMAS, decades of conflict in South Sudan have littered vat swathes of land with explosives and nearly 39.2 million square meters are thought to be contaminated by such hazards. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-04 23:58:44|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close MOGADISHU, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Somali security forces have arrested a senior al-Shabab commander during a sting operation carried out on Wednesday night in southern region, the government said on Thursday. The ministry of information which did not provide the identity of the senior al-Shabab fighter being held said four civilians were injured during the security raid at Ugunji village in Lower Shabelle. "The four were in a car and failed to stop after repeated warnings. In fact, they actually sped up towards the force," said the ministry in the statement. The ministry said the security forces provided medical aid to the injured four civilians and later released them. "We are asking all to always respect and obey safety orders of all security forces. They are risking their lives for your well being. Do not force them to make risk to force decisions," it said. The Somali security forces backed by allied forces have stepped up their air and ground operations against the militants in the Horn of Africa nation despite the militants' continued resistance. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-05 00:14:00|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, April 4 (Xinhua) -- More than 100 Chinese enterprises are expected to exhibit their products and solutions in the upcoming China Trade Week in Ethiopia, organizers disclosed on Thursday. The event is slated from May 2 to 4 in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa. "China Trade Week in Ethiopia is an excellent opportunity for the local business community to develop direct trading links with high-end Chinese producers and solution providers," said Wang Hailing, Chairman and Managing Director of MIE Group. The Dubai-based company organizes the China Trade Week series in countries across Africa and the Middle East. The China Trade Week in Ethiopia, which is supported by the Ethiopian Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as the Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Association, was first held in July 2017. The second edition, in May last year, had brought together more than 50 Chinese companies in Addis Ababa as thousands of Ethiopian business community members forged trading partnership with their Chinese counterparts. This year's edition in Ethiopia is expected to bring together Chinese companies across various sectors, including light industries and textiles, construction materials and machinery, food and beverages,according to the organizers. The China Trade Week series, as a business-to-business trade show, features Chinese producers and manufacturing firms that are keen on connecting with local and regional sourcing, buying and purchasing professionals across the Middle East and Africa. China is already Ethiopia's biggest trading partner, with Ethiopia exporting some 144.5 million U.S. dollars of goods to China in the first six months of the Ethiopian 2017/18 Fiscal Year, according to figures from the Ethiopian Ministry of Trade. Divine New Energy, a Chinese company that supplies solar products and solar system solutions for households and commercial customers around the world, was among the participants during the previous edition of the China Trade Week in Ethiopia. Zhong Ta, Deputy General Manager of Divine New Energy, told Xinhua in a recent interview that the company's solar products are suitable for the estimated 80 percent of Ethiopians living in rural areas with little access to regular electricity. "We focus on providing solar light system, solar home system and solar pumping system ranging from 3 U.S. dollars to about 8,000 U.S. dollars," he said. Zhong also noted that business-to-business meetings, such as the China Trade Week, are important platforms for foreign companies to forge partnership with local firms, and access the wider Ethiopian consumers. He also said that his company, during the second China Trade Week last year in Addis Ababa, had encountered with "several potential agents that have developed good sales and distribution channels in the country." Nebiyu Lemma, Managing Director of Prana Events Company, an Ethiopian business promotion firm co-organizing the event, told Xinhua on Thursday that the trade week mainly aspires to further strengthen trade and overall ties among the two countries. "Our intention is to create a trading platform where Chinese companies can interact with local business stakeholders across various target areas," Lemma said. Hong Kong: FS to visit US Financial Secretary Paul Chan will depart for the United States on April 7 for a four-day visit to strengthen ties between Hong Kong and the US in innovation and technology (I&T). He will begin his visit programme in Seattle on April 8 and head to San Francisco the following day. Mr Chan will visit I&T companies focusing on different areas and meet the companies management and US officials to exchange views on promoting economic development through developing I&T. He will attend a gala reception and dinner to mark the launch of direct flights between Hong Kong and Seattle, and speak on the latest I&T developments in Hong Kong at a business seminar. Mr Chan will also meet members of the Hong Kong community in San Francisco. Secretary for Financial Services & the Treasury James Lau will act as Financial Secretary during his absence. This story has been published on: 2019-04-04. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Jemal Countess/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- The Ethiopian Airlines crew commanding the Boeing 737 Max 8, which crashed last month and killed all 157 people on board, followed all recommended procedures but couldn't regain control of the doomed flight, Ethiopian investigators told reporters Thursday morning. Ethiopian Transport Minister Dagmawit Moges said preliminary findings from an investigation into the deadly crash show the aircraft had a valid certificate of airworthiness, the pilots were licensed and qualified to conduct the flight, and the plane's takeoff appeared to be "very normal." As the jet began nose diving, the pilots "repeatedly" performed all emergency procedures provided by Boeing, the manufacturer, but they "were not able to control the aircraft," Moges told reporters at a press conference in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa. Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 went down in clear weather in the morning on March 10, six minutes after taking off from Addis Ababa Bole International Airport. The American-made jet, carrying 149 passengers and 8 crew members, was headed to Nairobi, Kenya. Based on the initial report, Ethiopian safety investigators recommend Boeing reviews the aircraft flight control system of its new 737 Max 8 model and that avian authorities verify the flight controllability has been adequately addressed by the manufacturer before resuming operations of this jet, according to the transport minister. The findings dispute reports of foreign object damage, referred to as FOD by Ethiopian investigators. "We did not find any information regarding the FOD (foreign object damage) on the aircraft," Amdye Andualem, chairman of the Ethiopian Accident Investigation Bureau told reporters at Thursday's press conference. "The data provided by the FDR (flight data recorder) doesn't indicate that there is an FOD." Ethiopian Airlines Aviation Group CEO Tewolde GebreMariam acknowledged the preliminary report in a statement, saying the finds "clearly" show that the pilots followed instructions recommended by Boeing and approved by the United States Federal Aviation Administration. "All of us at Ethiopian Airlines are still going through deep mourning for the loss of our loved ones and we would like to express our deep sympathy and condolences for the families, relatives and friends of the victims,"GebreMariam said in the statement Thursday morning. "Meanwhile, we are very proud of our pilots' compliances to follow the emergency procedures and high level of professional performances in such extremely difficult situations." Two aviation sources familiar with the probe told ABC News that the Ethiopian Airlines flight suffered a damaged angle-of-attack sensor upon takeoff from a bird or foreign object, triggering erroneous data and the activation an anti-stall system -- called MCAS -- sending the pitch of the plane downward and ultimately crashing into the ground. According to the sources, the pilots did not try to electronically pull the nose of the plane up before following Boeing's emergency procedures of disengaging power to the horizontal stabilizer on the rear of the aircraft. One source told ABC News they manually attempted to bring the nose of the plane back up by using the trim wheel. Soon after, the pilots restored power to the horizontal stabilizer. With power restored, the MCAS was re-engaged, the sources said, and the pilots were unable to regain control before the crash. However, preliminary findings from the Ethiopian probe dispute that there was any foreign object damage, or FOD, to the jet. "We did not find any information regarding the FOD (foreign object damage) on the aircraft," Amdye Andualem, chairman of the Ethiopian Accident Investigation Bureau told reporters at Thursday's press conference. "The data provided by the FDR (flight data recorder) doesn't indicate that there is an FOD." French and American investigators are assisting in the Ethiopian probe and at the center of it is an automated anti-stall safety system on the Boeing 737 Max 8 and its possible link to issues in the Ethiopian Airlines flight as well as a Lion Air plane crash in 2018. In both crashes, the Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft struggled to maintain a steady flight path. The planes repeatedly lost and gained altitude before entering a dive to the earth's surface. In the two incidents, a new anti-stall safety system on the Max that controls trim -- MCAS -- was activated, sources have told ABC News. Commercial airline pilots are trained to disengage the system in the event of runaway trim, when the airplane is making unexpected pitch movements. It's unknown what would have kept the pilots of the Lion Air flight from disengaging the system and trimming the aircraft. Lion Air has defended the training of its pilots. In the days following the crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, airlines and aviation authorities around the world grounded the Boeing 737 Max 8. The United States was the last to do so on March 13, after the FAA concluded the refined satellite data that became available to the agency that day warranted a temporary grounding of the jet. Last week, the acting FAA administrator Daniel Elwell went to Capitol Hill to defend the government's response to the two crashes. Elwell told senators on Wednesday that while the FAA may have been among the last aviation regulators in the world to ground the Boeing 737 Max 8, the United States and Canada were the first to make a decision based on robust data from the aircraft. Boeing says it is working a software update for the automated safety system and it is expected to be approved by the FAA and offered to airline in a few weeks. The Chicago-based aircraft manufacturer has supplied more than 370 Boeing 737 Max 8 jets to 47 airlines since the model debuted in May 2017, and 72 of them are currently flying in the United States. "We urge caution against speculating and drawing conclusions on the findings prior to the release of the flight data and the preliminary report," Boeing said in a statement Wednesday. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-05 00:39:22|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close WARSAW, April 4 (Xinhua) -- The European Parliament adopted at the first reading on Thursday the Mobility Package, which is expected to hurt Polish hauling companies. One of the main changes introduced by the package is that drivers on international routes have to be paid the minimum wage of the country they drive in from the first day of the trip, as opposed to the pay in their home country, which was possible so far. The package also limits the number of days in a row a driver can spend transporting between countries other than the one his firm is based in. The new regulations impose better working conditions for drivers, including the obligation that their weekly rest should take place in a hotel rather than the lorry. The Mobility Package is expected to hurt eastern European transport companies by significantly increasing their operating costs. Since the EU expanded eastward, eastern European firms have made huge inroads on the European transport market, at the expense of their western counterparts. Polish operators would be especially hard hit as they hold the biggest share of the European international transport market. The Polish government has been opposing the adoption of the package. "The European Parliament has adopted the Mobility Package breaking its own rules and under political pressure. We will certainly complain about the voting procedure itself to the European Court of Justice," Kosma Zlotowski, a member of the European Parliament representing the Poland's governing Law and Justice Party, was quoted as saying after Thursday's vote by the daily Rzeczpospolita. The Mobility Package will now be negotiated between the European Parliament, the European Commission and the Council of the European Union. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-05 00:49:29|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close Participants discuss on a panel session during an international conference on genocide in Kigali, capital of Rwanda, on April 4, 2019. Over 500 participants including scholars and policy makers across the world on Thursday gathered at an international conference on genocide in Rwandan capital Kigali, where Rwanda's achievements in unity and reconciliation after the 1994 genocide were applauded. (Xinhua/Cyril Ndegeya) By Frank Kanyesigye and Lyu Tianran KIGALI, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Over 500 participants including scholars and policy makers across the world on Thursday gathered at an international conference on genocide in Rwandan capital Kigali, where Rwanda's achievements in unity and reconciliation after the 1994 genocide were applauded. Meanwhile, on the sidelines of the conference, heads of Rwandan national commissions for anti-genocide and reconciliation revealed remaining challenges to Xinhua. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the 1994 genocide against Tutsi. The annual commemoration of the genocide will be held from April 7 to July 4, which is in line with the period of the genocide. APPLAUDABLE ACHIEVEMENTS "We regret what happened 25 years ago in Rwanda, but are proud of what has been achieved today," said former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo at the opening ceremony of the two-day conference. Rwanda has managed to overcome traumatic experiences of the 1994 genocide, and has become a country easily accessible to foreigners with a conducive business environment for investors, said Obasanjo. About 97 percent of Rwandans have reconciled and it is a good achievement considering the magnitude of the 1994 genocide, said Edouard Bamporiki, Chairman of National Itorero Commission, at a panel session. The current generation in Rwanda has grown in a system where people are treated equally, and has got the right to education, said the head of the Rwandan civic education institution on culture. It is true that people still have wounds and trauma but the future is promising, he said. Rwanda's approach of using Gacaca courts and the traditional justice system as a home-grown solution has been helpful in the unity and reconciliation process of Rwandan people, said professor Boatamo Mosupyoe from the California State University in U.S. at the panel session. Justice is key in the unity and reconciliation process of Rwandan people, said Mosupyoe. REMAINING CHALLENGES Heads of Rwanda's national anti-genocide and reconciliation commissions told Xinhua genocide denial, genocide ideology, reintegration of genocide convicts are among the challenges of the process. New cases of genocide denial and genocide ideology are mainly shared on social media channels and other publications, said Jean-Damascene Bizimana, Executive Secretary of the National Commission for the Fight against Genocide. There are people who continue denying genocide on popular social media platforms including blogs, which is a big challenge that needs concerted efforts to address, said Bizimana. He also said acts of spreading genocidal denial information are mostly seen during the commemoration period. The commission suspects that there are people staying in Rwanda who disguise themselves as living abroad, using nicknames to spread genocide ideology to escape being tracked, he added. The current challenges to unity and reconciliation in Rwanda include reintegration of genocide convicts who completed their sentences but still fear to fully integrate into the society, said Fidele Ndayisaba, Executive Secretary of National Unity and Reconciliation Commission. Unresolved cases of compensation to genocide survivors, trauma among genocide survivors and missing bodies of the victims of the 1994 genocide are also the challenges, said Ndayisaba. To deal with genocide denial, the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission has partnered with the association of genocide survivors to strengthen unity and reconciliation among genocide perpetrators and survivors, explaining the impact of genocide ideology on reconciliation as well as reporting cases of genocide denial and ideology to judicial systems, he said. The commission is also encouraging the culture of solidarity and patriotism among Rwandan people so that the future generation gets the right upbringing. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-05 00:54:33|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close XICHANG, April 4 (Xinhua) -- A memorial service was held in Xichang, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Thursday morning for 30 people who died while fighting a forest fire. Party and state leaders, including President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, Premier Li Keqiang and Vice Premier Han Zheng, sent wreaths to pay their respect. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-05 01:09:45|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close KITWE, Zambia, April 4 (Xinhua) -- An opposition political party in Zambia on Thursday urged member countries of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to take advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) by coming up with related projects. Peter Sinkamba, president for the opposition Green Party, said that the BRI is a well-intended initiative meant to bring about connectivity among countries to improve trade. "China's move to embark on connecting the world is a good gesture that will improve intra trade among countries across the world, so SADC should move in quickly to have a project with BRI," he said. Infrastructure in most African countries is in poor state which requires projects under the BRI model, he added. Sinkamba told Xinhua in an interview that those "demonizing" China lack information on BRI and on how to deal with the Chinese. African countries should take advantage of the initiative and open up their countries through well-built infrastructures such as roads and railways, he said. He expressed optimism that BRI will foster intra- Africa trade because of the anticipated massive infrastructure projects. File Photo: A man works on a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 Max aircraft at the Southern California Logistics Airport, also known as Victorville Airport, in Victorville, California, the United States, on March 27, 2019. (Xinhua/Zhao Hanrong) WASHINGTON, April 4 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said Thursday it had invited China to take part in an international effort to review the safety of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. "The agency is establishing a Joint Authorities Technical Review (JATR) to ensure the safety of the Boeing 737 MAX," FAA said in a statement. An FAA spokesperson confirmed to Xinhua that China had been invited. The JATR, comprised of a team of experts from the FAA, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and international aviation authorities, "will conduct a comprehensive review of the certification of the automated flight control system on the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft," the FAA statement said. "The JATR team will evaluate aspects of the 737 MAX automated flight control system, including its design and pilots' interaction with the system, to determine its compliance with all applicable regulations and to identify future enhancements that might be needed," the statement said. Boeing has been under intense scrutiny of the public and federal regulators amid mounting concern about the safety of its 737 MAX aircraft, which was involved in a crash of Indonesian Lion Air Flight 610 (JT610) last October and a crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 (ET302) in mid-March this year. The two crashes killed a total of 346 people. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-05 02:05:05|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close WASHINGTON, April 4 (Xinhua) -- U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution on Thursday asking for an end of U.S. support for the Saudi Arabia-led coalition's war in Yemen, a move that is likely to invite a veto from the White House. The vote was 247 to 175, largely falling along party lines. It approves the resolution seeking to direct President Donald Trump to remove the U.S. troops from Yemen within 30 days and to terminate U.S. support for the coalition in the war. The resolution was greenlighted in the Senate last month. It marked the first time that since the War Powers Act was passed in 1973 both chambers of Congress passed a resolution using that law. The White House has formally threatened to veto the resolution, arguing it was "flawed." It could be the second veto of Trump's residency after he was forced to issue the first one on a resolution that would have blocked his national emergency declaration to build a border wall. The split between the Trump administration and Congress on Saudi Arabia has become more obvious in the wake of the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Khashoggi was murdered inside the Saudi consulate in Turkey's Istanbul in October 2018, and a number of top Saudi officials involved in the case were arrested. 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| 2019-04-05 04:01:01|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close by Ahmed Shafiq ALEXANDRIA, Egypt, April 4 (Xinhua) -- The 15th Alexandria International Book Fair, the second largest exhibition in Egypt, witnessed a high visitor turnout, surprising officials of Bibliotheca Alexandria, the organizing body of the two-week event. Media advisor to the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Hossam Abdelkader, said the book fair, which has been held annually since 15 years, has received a big number of visitors since it kicked off on March 25. The fair is organized by Bibliotheca Alexandrina in cooperation with the General Egyptian Book Organization and the Egyptian Publishers Association. "I was surprised by the high turnout. The exhibition is well-attended every year, but this year more visitors have come," Abdelkader said. He said this shows that people, mainly young people and women, are interested in culture and reading. The book fair hosted 50 Egyptian and Arab publishers, including special pavilions for Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Syria, and Palestine. It also hosted several pavilions from governmental entities such as the Ministry of Antiquities, the Arab Academy for Science and Technology, the National Council for Mental Health, the National Center for Translation, the Consulate of Palestine and the Azbekeya Book Market. Abdelkader highlighted that several cultural activities have already taken place during the events of the fair, adding that the total number of activities may go beyond 166. "We will have literature, poetry, scriptwriting, radio drama and workshops for children in poetry and fiction," he told Xinhua. The official said these cultural activities will address several topics such as children, women, youth, technology and arts. Moreover, he said, the book fair hosted young stars of social media, and dedicated a number of interviews and seminars on the role of women. "The fair also features 14 workshops for children, with the aim of teaching them storytelling, drawing and sketching," he noted. Abdelkader said the fair is a cultural festival for intellectuals around the globe, adding that many award-winning creative figures from Alexandria will be present at this year's cultural exhibition. Al-Husseini al-Sayyid, a 27-year-old physiotherapist, bought four books on skills and human development, along with a novel. "I still intend to buy more...I have a good budget to buy more books," he told Xinhua. The young man said he plans to buy a big number of books in several fields to take advantage of the low prices. "The fair is a great opportunity for the people of Alexandria, because most of them do not go to the Cairo International Book Fair," he said. "It helps us to break the Cairo monopoly and meet the demands of readers outside the capital." For his part, marketing director of al-Noor for Educational Production, Mahdi Abdel-Fattah, whose company has two pavilions at the Alexandria International Fair, said the turnout is good and purchasing power is reasonable. "The exhibition is a good chance for the inhabitants of Alexandria and neighboring cities to buy books, it is a major cultural event, and Alexandria is a city with high importance just like Cairo," Abdel-Fattah told Xinhua. He pointed out that his company offers discounts on its products ranging from 20 to 30 percent in order to encourage people to read. Meanwhile, Hamdi Hassan, owner of a local bookshop, said the fair is an opportunity to present his books, and a festival where readers, publishers and book sellers can meet. Hassan said he has been participating in the Alexandria International Book Fair for 10 years, selling books in various fields such religious, history, literature, politics and children's books. "I sell well and the demand on children's books is very high," he added. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-05 04:06:04|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close TRIPOLI, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Libya's eastern-based army commander Khalifa Haftar on Thursday launched a military operation to take over the capital Tripoli, where the UN-backed government is based. "To our army based around Tripoli from all axes, we continue today our struggle," Haftar said in a statement issued by the army's information office. "We respond to the call of our people in our capital after they ran out of patience," he added. Notably, the army commander called for "use of force against only those who fight the army." A day earlier, the army spokesman announced plans of the army to take over western Libya including Tripoli, hours before the UN-backed government in Tripoli declared a state of public alert against the army's plans. UN Security-General Antonio Guterres, who arrived in Tripoli on Wednesday, expressed concern over the recent military escalation in Libya. "There is no military solution. Only intra-Libyan dialogue can solve Libyan problems. I call for calm and restraint as I prepare to meet the Libyan leaders in the country," Guterres said. Haftar's army is allied with Libya's eastern-based government, as the North African country is politically divided between two governments in the east and west. Libya has been struggling to make a democratic transition amid insecurity and chaos since the fall of former leader Muammar Gaddafi's regime in 2011. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-05 04:06:05|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close WASHINGTON, April 4 (Xinhua) -- No. 9 seed Belinda Bencic of Switzerland continued her impressive progress at the Volvo Car Open by defeating American Taylor Townsend 6-2, 7-5 to reach last eight of the women's singles event held in Charleston, the United States on Thursday. Bencic just needed one hour and 20 minutes to seal the victory. "It's so tricky to play Taylor, so I'm happy to win somehow. The key was to put pressure on her. She's got spin that can make you uncomfortable. If you give her time, she's going to spin you off court and make you run. I just tried to play with smart tactics," said Bencic, who came into the match having lost only six games all week. The Swiss also beat Townsend in the 2013 Wimbledon girls' final. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-05 04:11:13|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close by Maria Vasileiou THE HAGUE, April 4 (Xinhua) -- With just eight days to go before the next decisive April 12 deadline, the Dutch are bracing for a no-deal Brexit and stepping up contingency planning to mitigate the impact of Britain leaving the European Union (EU) without a divorce deal. Concerns range from long delays at container terminals in Rotterdam, Europe's largest port, and the economic impact of a drop in exports to shortages of medicines and uncertainties over citizens' rights. "We are preparing for the worst in the event of a no-deal Brexit to respond to the situation emerging from Britain abruptly becoming a third country," said Erik Jeene, spokesperson at the Ministry of Finance, which has played a key role in the country's Brexit preparation. The Netherlands is among the EU countries expected to be severely hit by Britain's withdrawal from the bloc. But Jeene told Xinhua that "there are no guarantees we won't have disruptions. There is still uncertainty." He added that the Dutch authorities are not the only party involved in efforts to ensure a smooth transition in the event of a disorderly Brexit. "It is a joint effort, all parties, including companies, must be prepared." SUSPENSE LEAVES ROTTERDAM SCRAMBLING For the operations at the port of Rotterdam, a no-deal Brexit would mean the need to immediately re-establish customs controls on goods coming in from the UK. "Operators coming from Britain to Rotterdam could no longer go through the current process of customs clearance in the case of a hard Brexit," explained Jeene. Around 40 million tons of goods are shipped between the Netherlands and Britain every year via the port of Rotterdam, which is also the main hub for cargo passing from other EU member states to Britain. To deal with the situation, the Finance Ministry has set aside 100 million euros (112.2 million U.S. dollars) to finance the preparations, including the appointment of 900 new customs officers. More than half of them have already been hired, but only 300 have received the necessary training and are ready to fill in the additional positions needed when Britain crashes out of the EU. "We don't know exactly how it will be during the first days in case of a no-deal Brexit, but we have prepared for the worst. We have done whatever it takes to prepare," Port of Rotterdam Authority (PRA) spokesperson Leon Willems told Xinhua. Rotterdam has been putting in place measures as part of a coordinated action, including emergency overflow parking spaces for up to 700 trucks if their customs documents have not been properly prepared to go through customs clearance. In addition, Portbase, the Dutch digitalized port communications system, has developed a chain-wide solution for the customs obligations that will be in effect in the Dutch ports following Brexit. But uncertainties still prevail. "The predominant challenge is the adaptation to Portbase," said Willems. Ferry operators have demanded that their clients pre-notify their cargo so that customs can give clearance digitally, otherwise truck drivers "will be sent away" and will have to find a place in the contingency parking lot. To avoid such situations, PRA and other Dutch port authorities have recently started to actively distribute leaflets and flyers to lorry drivers with information in 10 languages. "Unless they adapt, their cargo will not arrive on time," warned Willems. The PRA anticipates that it will take a few weeks after Brexit for transport companies to get used to the new system. BUILDING STOCKPILES Amid growing fears that a disorderly Brexit could cause shortages, companies have rented additional warehouses at the port to stockpile goods, ranging from chemical and medical products to food. The Dutch Ministry of Health also announced in February that it would secure a stockpile of 50 "critical" medicines supplied by Britain to avoid possible shortages caused in the event of a no-deal Brexit. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Safety Authority (NVWA) has embarked on hiring around 140 veterinarians to handle an increase in food inspections. Currently, animals and food can circulate freely thanks to a system of shared controls among the 28 EU members. The British Parliament voted earlier this week in favor of a further extension to avoid a no-deal Brexit next Friday, and the issue will be discussed by the 27 EU leaders at a summit on April 10. According to the European Commission, which has been busy announcing measures to prepare for a no-deal Brexit, "as things currently stand, the UK will leave the EU without a deal at midnight on 12 April." A member of the Dutch task force on Brexit - a special team of experts at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs set up following the Brexit referendum - told Xinhua that the Dutch would welcome decisions that would lead to avoiding Britain crashing out of the EU. A further extension to the April 12 deadline might also be helpful, he added. A study conducted by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) shows that Britain accounts for 8 percent of total Dutch exports and 7 percent of total imports into the Netherlands, and the Brexit-related increase in tariff and non-tariff costs of exporting into Britain would result in an almost 17 percent decline in overall Dutch exports to Britain. The Netherlands Court of Audit has estimated Brexit's potential macroeconomic effects on the Netherlands at 2.3 billion euros (2.58 billion U.S. dollars) through 2023, while the country might have to also pay higher contributions to the EU budget to compensate for Britain no longer paying. INFORMATION CAMPAIGN In February, the Dutch government launched an information campaign for businesses, which included a "muppet" character representing Brexit that becomes a serious obstacle to companies. The Dutch also launched a special online program, called the Brexit Impact Scan, to help businesses identify possible consequences that Brexit could have on their operations. "Here they can fill in what kind of company they are, if they export to the UK, if they already export to another non-EU country, if they have, for example, a daughter company in the UK," explained Jeene. The Dutch Finance Ministry has also put aside around 4 million euros, offering special cash vouchers to companies covering up to 50 percent of the actual costs with a maximum of 2,500 euros to alleviate some of the burden of a no-deal Brexit. "The Brexit Voucher is for advice regarding alternative markets or to identify issues regarding logistics or the free movement of persons, goods and services," explained Jeene. A study commissioned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shows that as of mid-March, companies are mainly worried about new regulations relating to customs formalities, checks and inspections, and import duties. Some 28 percent of the business people surveyed expected a fairly large or very large effect on their company, while 77 percent saw Brexit as likely to have a predominantly negative effect. A no-deal Brexit would also affect the protection of citizen's rights, but preparations are less advanced. So far it is unclear to what extent the full rights of British citizens living in the EU would be protected in the event of a disorderly divorce. The Dutch Parliament, which has also given its approval for emergency powers to the government to pass laws in the event of a no-deal Brexit, voted early this week in favor of a motion calling on the government to pressure Europe to ring-fence British nationals' rights in the event of a no-deal Brexit. In addition, the Dutch Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND) has set up a special website informing British nationals that the Dutch government will provide for a decent solution for their residence in the Netherlands in the event of a no-deal Brexit. But as the conditions for obtaining new resident status are not yet known, the IND says it will contact all British nationals to inform them about what they should do. A Palestinian medic carries a wounded boy during clashes with Israeli troops on the Gaza-Israel border, east of Gaza City, March 30, 2019. (Xinhua) UNITED NATIONS, April 4 (Xinhua) -- A senior UN official on Thursday asked the leaders of Israel and Palestine to reverse the trajectory of violence and work toward a two-state solution. "Leaders have a responsibility to their populations to reverse this negative trajectory and pave the way toward peace, stability, and reconciliation. The only way to achieve the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people and lasting peace and security for Israel is through the two-state solution," UN Assistant Secretary-General Oscar Fernandez-Taranco told a forum on the question of Palestine. It is well past time to resolve the conflict. And the solution is clear -- indeed, has been clear for a long time: the realization of the vision of two states, Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security with Jerusalem as the capital of both states, based on relevant UN resolutions, long-held principles, previous agreements, and international law, said Fernandez-Taranco, who spoke on behalf of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The parties to the conflict owe it to their citizens and to future generations of Israelis and Palestinians, and the international community owes it to them, to exert all possible efforts to break the cycle of violence, to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, and to practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbors, said Fernandez-Taranco. Unfortunately, the situation is not moving in the direction of sustainable peace, he said. "As we have witnessed over the last weeks, security incidents and provocations continue to dangerously escalate the already precarious situation in Gaza, in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and at times inside Israel." The indiscriminate launching from Gaza into Israel and the subsequent Israeli military strikes on Gaza threatened to derail the precarious calm. A new conflict would be devastating for the Palestinian people. It would have consequences for Israelis who live in the vicinity of the Gaza perimeter and would be likely to have regional repercussions, he warned. The UN secretary-general and his special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, Nickolay Mladenov, have called on all sides to exercise maximum restraint as the situation remains extremely tense, he noted. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza remains defined by prolonged suffering and deep despair. The strip remains under severe closures and restrictions on the freedom of movement of people and goods. The military buildup by Hamas and other militant groups continues, said Fernandez-Taranco. Gaza is an integral part of the Palestinian state, and Palestinian unity is needed for a politically stable, economically viable, sovereign, and independent state of Palestine, he said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-05 05:11:38|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi on Thursday called on the international community to reject de facto annexation of Palestinian territory by Israel. Unilateral measures by the occupying power threaten the two-state solution, and constitute a worrying trend to a one-state solution based on the survival of the fittest, Marsudi told a UN forum on the Palestine issue. "A gradual, inhuman and de facto annexation is unfolding before our eyes. The situation is becoming more critical, and concrete action by the international community is a must. We must reject in the strongest possible terms this de facto annexation." The issue of Palestine must be one of the priorities at the United Nations and other platforms, she said. Indonesia, during its Security Council presidency for the month of May, will organize an Arria-formula meeting -- a Security Council meeting with wider participation -- on the issue of illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, said the foreign minister. She said that the humanitarian situation in the occupied territory requires immediate and concrete action, and that the violation of international humanitarian and human rights law should not go unnoticed. Marsudi said the internationally agreed parameters on the Palestine issue must be respected. "We do not see any credible alternative to the two-state solution. It is the only way forward to achieve just, lasting and comprehensive peace between the parties." She particularly called on those countries intending to move their embassies to Jerusalem not to do so. "It is a strong way to demonstrate our solidarity with Palestine and to defend the two-state solution," she said. Marsudi also called for UN membership for the state of Palestine, which is now an observer. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-05 05:46:59|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close LONDON, April 4 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the opposition Labour Party, met again on Thursday as efforts are underway in search of a Brexit breakthrough. A Downing Street spokesperson said after the latest round of talks, which lasted about five hours, that they had been detailed and productive. "Both sets of negotiating teams met for four and a half hours of detailed and productive technical talks in the Cabinet Office, supported by the civil service," said the spokesperson, with no mention of whether any potential Brexit deal had yet been found. The brief statement added: "The government and the opposition hope to meet again tomorrow (Friday) for further work to find a way forward to deliver on the referendum, mindful of the need to make progress ahead of the forthcoming European Council." Keir Starmer, shadow Brexit secretary for the Labour Party, was also tight lipped about whether progress had been made, telling waiting reporters: "We have had further discussions and we will be having further discussions with the government." The two teams of negotiators are to continue their deliberations Friday, with no hint of a second meeting over a potential deal between May and Corbyn. The pair of political heavyweights had talks that lasted two hours on Wednesday in a last ditch effort to find a way out of a Brexit logjam. Although both sides describing the Wednesday meeting as "constructive", no breakthrough was reported from it despite their agreement to further discussions on Thursday. The European Union (EU) has imposed an April 12 deadline on Britain to present proposals to Brussels to win an extension to its departure date, or to leave with no deal next Friday. EU leaders are gathering on April 10 when a decision is likely to be made on Britain being allowed to delay its departure from the bloc. The original Brexit date, March 29, was pushed back in order to avoid a no-deal Brexit. In Westminster, politicians in Britain's unelected House of Lords started Thursday the task of debating a new bill to prevent May from leaving the EU without a deal. The House of Commons backed the proposed bill Wednesday night, put forward by Labour politician Yvette Cooper, by just one vote, 312 votes against 311. The House of Lords will continue its processes on Monday with the aim of the measure becoming law before Wednesday's emergency meeting of all EU leaders. But there have been complaints from politicians that an important law being "rammed through parliament" is likely to harm the constitution. The Daily Telegraph reported Thursday night that a number of senior Conservative ministers were holding an emergency meeting with May at 10 Downing Street in the wake of discussions with the opposition Labour party. May was forced to open talks with Corbyn to find a way forward after her own Brexit deal was rejected by the House of Commons three times since January. In Dublin, visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters: "We do hope that the intensive discussions that are ongoing in London will lead to a situation by next Wednesday, when we have a special council meeting, where Prime Minister Theresa May will have something to table to us on the basis of which we can continue to talk." "We want to stand together as 27. Until the very last hour - I can say this from the German side - we will do everything in order to prevent a no-deal Brexit - Britain crashing out of the European Union." Merkel was in the Irish capital to meet Ireland's Prime Minster Leo Varadkar. In the middle of frantic deliberations in the parliament, politicians in the House of Commons were forced to abandon their debates when torrents water gushed through the roof into the historic chamber with such force it drowned out the speeches. Minor de 14 ani, din Salaj, impuscat accidental, intr-o padure. A fost confundat cu un animal Un minor de 14 ani, din comuna Maeriste, a fost impuscat accidental, intr-o padure, de un barbat de 63 de ani, cu o arma de vanatoare pentru care nu detinea autorizatie. Conform Inspectoratului de Politie [citeste mai departe] Open source NATO, the world largest military-political bloc, which Ukraine wants to join, is 70 years old today. It was founded by12 countries to protect Europe from the influence of the Soviet Union. The first members of the North Atlantic alliance were Belgium, the UK, Denmark, Iceland, Italy, Canada, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the US, and France. According to the treaty concluded in 1949, the goal of NATO is to strengthen stability and improve well-being in the North Atlantic region. Thus, the members of the Alliance united to create a collective defense and preserve peace and security. The three most important tasks of NATO are collective defense, crisis management, and security through cooperation. Few unions have lived such a long life: external threats change, national interests diverge, membership conditions or expenses become too burdensome. A 2010 study by the Brookings Institution counted 63 large military alliances over the previous five centuries: 10 of them lasted longer than 40 years, and the average duration was 15 years. How does NATO manage to stay afloat for so long? There is no unequivocal answer to this question. The fact is that with all its apparent conservatism, NATO does not stand still. The world is changing, the Alliance is changing too. The future is engaged in the strategic center of ACT (Allied Command Transformation) in the United States, in which they rely on new technologies and their maximum introduction into the army. The NATO Center for Strategic Communications is located in Latvia because it is more expensive to underestimate the information war. How it all began The beginning of the design of NATO was the creation of the "Western European Union:" in March 1948, Belgium, the UK, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and France concluded the Brussels Pact, which formed the basis of the Union. In parallel with this, secret negotiations were conducted by the UK, Canada, and the United States; they intended to create an alliance, the basis of which would be civilized unity. After that, European countries joined in negotiations with Canada and the United States, and their completion marked the signing of twelve countries on April 4, 1949, by the North Atlantic Treaty. He created a collective security system and obliged its members to protect each other in the event of an attack. NATO expansion Throughout its entire seventy-year history, the Alliance expanded seven times: in 1952, Greece and Turkey joined the Alliance, Germany became its member in 1955, Spain in 1982, Hungary, Poland, and the Czech Republic in 1999, Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Estonia in 2004, Croatia and Albania in 2009, and Montenegro did it in 2017. In 1966, France left NATO, although it remained a member of the political structure. Moreover, in 1999, France took an active part in the military operation against Yugoslavia. France returned to all NATO structures only in 2009. Greece also withdrew from the Alliance, in 1974, but returned in 1981. The application for membership in NATO was filed by the Soviet Union in 1954, but it was rejected. Alliance Finance The contribution of each NATO member country at different times varied depending on the threats that have appeared in the world. During the Cold War, in the late 70s, the Allies had to increase their military spending by no less than 3% annually. At that time, only five of the 16 states managed the task - the USA, Canada, Luxembourg, Norway, and Spain. After the end of the Cold War and the end of the confrontation between NATO and the Soviet Union, the requirement for an annual increase in expenditures was abandoned, that is why in the 1990s members of the Alliance reduced defense budgets. However, as early as 1999, NATO returned to increasing its defense potential, primarily due to the spread of international terrorism. The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, in New York, strengthened the confidence of Alliance members in the need to strengthen their positions, and in 2006 NATO agreed to allocate 2% of GDP for defense. However, not all countries comply with this agreement. In 2018, only six countries out of 26 adhered to the established norm: Bulgaria 2.3%, the UK 2.4%, Greece 2.8%, USA 4.1%, Turkey 2.2%, and France 2,5%. Moreover, some countries periodically reduced defense spending, for example, Germany, Italy, Portugal. Allocations were also reduced by the United States, but they never fell below 2%. Therefore, in 2017, America accounted for 71.7% of NATOs total defense spending. Therefore, it is not surprising that it was US President Donald Trump who in 2018 demanded that the rest of the Alliance members increase defense spending, threatening to withdraw their country from NATO. The allies had nothing to do but to agree, although there was some discontent. In addition, since 2014, NATO members should also allocate 20% of their defense expenditures for the purchase of new weapons. The norm is also not fulfilled by all member countries of the Alliance. Ukraine-NATO Open source Ukraine has been cooperating with the Alliance since 1991 when the country joined the North Atlantic Partnership Council. In 1994, Ukraine joined the Partnership for Peace program, and in 2002, the Individual Partnership Plan with NATO followed. In 2005, cooperation with NATO moved to the format of the "Accelerated Dialogue," it was supposed to be the first step for Ukraine to join the Alliance. In 2008, a letter was sent to NATO asking for the country's accession to the "NATO Membership Action Plan," but at the April 2008 summit, Ukraine was refused because of the position of Germany and France. After President Viktor Yanukovych came to power in 2010, the question of Ukraines joining the Alliance was unmoving, and later even secured at the level of the law On the foundations of domestic and foreign policy (which was later canceled in 2014). Nevertheless, in 2013, Ukraine joined the NATO operation on countering piracy Ocean Shield. After the change of power in 2014, Ukraine resumed and deepened cooperation with NATO. But, despite repeated statements by NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, that the doors of the Alliance are open for Ukraine, he will not offer Ukraine participation in the enhanced opportunities program yet. At the same time, Ukraine-NATO cooperation is conducted in formats related to Donbas conflict and the need for reforms the country needs to reach out to the standards of the Alliance. But Ukraine is serious and decisive: on February 21, 2019, the document amending the Constitution, which enshrined the strategic course for obtaining full membership of Ukraine in the European Union and NATO, came into force. Read the original text at 112.ua. The largest part of those who voted for Tymoshenko is people aged 60-69 (24.3%) Yulia Tymoshenko Reuters The first round of presidential elections in Ukraine came to an end. Ukraines Central Electoral Commission would officially announce the final results soon, but the three leaders of the presidential race are already known: Volodymyr Zelensky, Petro Poroshenko, and Yulia Tymoshenko. According to the results of counting 100% of electronic protocols, Zelensky was supported by 30.24% (5,713,825 people), Poroshenko took 15.95% (3,014,538 people), and Tymoshenko won 13.4% (2,532,319 people). The Ukrainian exit poll was organized by 112 Ukraine and NewsOne TV channels. Austrian SORA Institute for Social Research and Consulting along with the Ukrainian Social Monitoring Center held the survey of the voters at the exit of the polling stations. The National exit poll and 1+1 exit poll were held, besides the Ukrainian exit poll. The survey results also allowed to create a so-called portrait of the voter for each candidate. So let us speak about Yulia Tymoshenko. Typical voter of Yulia Tymoshenko: - Tymoshenko was majorly supported by women (57.8%). Accordingly, mens support amounted to 42.3%. - The largest part of those who voted for Tymoshenko is people aged 60-69 (24.3%); a little more than 20% of voters aged 50-59 years voted for her. At the same time, young people (1829 years old) almost did not vote for the candidate 8.3% of the votes. - 57.2% of Tymoshenko's electorate has a general secondary education, and the ratio of people with higher education is 36.1%. In addition, 16.1% of unemployed, 44.9%, of working people, 37.8% of pensioners, and 1.2% of students supported Tymoshenko. The struggle for the presidency continues; Volodymyr Zelensky and Petro Poroshenko would fight in the second round. So we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the portraits of their voters. Relevant materials could be found below. Volodymyr Zelensky Petro Poroshenko 72.3% of Ukrainians aged from 18 to 49 years cast their votes for Zelensky Volodymyr Zelensky, the candidate for presidency 112 Agency The first round of presidential elections in Ukraine came to an end. Ukraines Central Electoral Commission would officially announce the final results soon, but the three leaders of the presidential race are already known: Volodymyr Zelensky, Petro Poroshenko, and Yulia Tymoshenko. According to the results of counting 100% of electronic protocols, Zelensky was supported by 30.24% (5,713,825 people), Poroshenko took 15.95% (3,014,538 people), and Tymoshenko won 13.4% (2,532,319 people). The Ukrainian exit poll was organized by 112 Ukraine and NewsOne TV channels. Austrian SORA Institute for Social Research and Consulting along with the Ukrainian Social Monitoring Center held the survey of the voters at the exit of the polling stations. The National exit poll and 1+1 exit poll were held, besides the Ukrainian exit poll. The survey results also allowed to create a so-called portrait of the voter for each candidate. So let us speak about Zelensky's voters. Typical voter of Volodymyr Zelensky: 44.6% of men and 55.4% of women supported him. 72.3% of people aged from 18 to 49 years cast their votes for Zelensky, 25.9% of voters from 18 to 29 years, 26.8%, of Ukrainians from 30 to 39 years, 19% of people from 40 to 49 years old. Not too many people of pre-retirement and retirement age are among those who voted for Zelensky. So, 14.9% of the respondents from 50 to 59 years old supported Zelensky, 3.8% of people, who are older than 70 years old, and 9% - from 60 to 69 years old. Turning to the issue of education, the overwhelming majority of Zelenskys electorate are people with secondary and higher education. 50.1% of his supporters have secondary education, 46.3% of those who voted have higher education. In addition, 63.1% of working people, 18.6% of unemployed, 12.8% of pensioners, and 5.5%.students cast their votes for Volodymyr Zelensky The second round of presidential elections will be held on April 21. Read the original text at 112.ua. Long gone are the days when candidates such as former President Viktor Yanukovych, who was openly sympathetic to Russia, could win a majority of votes Ukrainian presidential candidates Petro Poroshenko and Volodymyr Zelensky 112 Agency Whatever happens in the second round of Ukraines elections later this month, a pro-Russian candidate will not become Ukraines next president. Five years after Russia annexed Crimea and launched a war in the countrys Donbass region, the Kremlins influence in Ukraine is at the lowest level in at least a century. True, Russia continues to control 7 percent of Ukraines territory, which neither incumbent Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko nor his second-round opponent, the comedian Volodymyr Zelensky, has a strategy for retaking. Even though the countrys military has improved since 2014, Ukraine cant retake the territory by force given Russias massive military advantage. In the other 93 percent of Ukraine, however, things have not gone in the Kremlins favor. For Ukrainian politicians focused on consolidating their countrys independence and national identityand that includes Poroshenko and most of the countrys political classthe status quo is tolerable. They would prefer to get Crimea and the Donbass back, yet Russias ongoing occupation has its benefits too. In seizing those areas, Russia chopped off the two regions with the least-developed sense of Ukrainian identity. And with them gone, no pro-Russian candidate could win a Ukrainian election. Long gone are the days when candidates such as former President Viktor Yanukovych, who was openly sympathetic to Russia, could win a majority of votes. Things wont change anytime soon. The ongoing confrontation with Russiathe humiliation of having lost Crimea, the sporadic fighting along the line of control, the lives disrupted and destroyed by the division of the countryreminds Ukrainians daily why they want to build a nation wholly separate from Moscow. That, too, is a boon for Ukraines politicians, whose inability to tackle corruption or improve the economy have otherwise disappointed the hopes of the 2014 revolution that brought them to power. It is less clear what Russia is getting from the status quo. The Kremlin has proved willing to bear the costs of occupation, paying for soldiers salaries, tolerating the collapse in Russia-Ukraine trade, and putting up with Western sanctions that will persist until Moscow agrees to return the Donbass to Ukrainian control. Why? There are several potential explanations. One is that Russia wants to send a message to other post-Soviet states about the costs of anti-Russian revolutions. The Kremlins continued occupation of the Donbass sends a clear message: Russia is willing to punish neighbors that presume they can topple their governments or cut deals with the West. Yet Russias neighbors do not seem to have gotten the message. Just last year, Armenia tossed out its pro-Russian government, installing a younger crowd that wants better ties with Europe. Fearing blowback, the new Armenian government has insisted that its revolution is not anti-Russia. But the country is tacking closer to the West all the same. Another possible explanation is that, even if Moscow couldnt prevent other revolutions, it could at least prevent Ukraine from integrating with the West. Specifically, the frozen conflict will prevent Ukraine from being able to join NATO. But even if Russia withdrew from the Donbass tomorrow, NATO membership still seems far off for Ukraine. European countries such as Germany and France have long been skeptical, suggesting that the benefits of inviting Ukraine into the alliance would not outweigh the costs. If U.S. President Donald Trump thought that aggressive Montenegros membership in NATO might provoke World War III, as he told the TV personality Tucker Carlson last year, he seems unlikely to welcome Ukraine into the alliance. European Union membership for Ukraine is no more likely in the short term. But here, too, the Donbass is not the most important factor. More significant is the EUs own expansion fatigue. Ukraine, with 44 million people, would be the most populous country to join the EU since Spain joined the then-European Communities in 1986. Integrating countries such as Romania and Bulgaria caused plenty of difficulty. Ukraine is significantly bigger, and it would be significantly harder to integrate. Existing member states arent eager to take on that challenge now. Read the full article here. Russias war with Ukraine has entered its sixth year, and despite the asymmetrical nature of the conflict, it has reached a stalemate A Ukrainian army servicemember rides with a Javelin anti-tank missile during a military parade marking Ukraine's Independence Day in Kyiv, Ukraine August 24, 2018 Gleb Garanich/Reuters Russias war with Ukraine has entered its sixth year, and despite the asymmetrical nature of the conflict, it has reached a stalemate. Russian President Vladimir Putin has clearly breached all international laws, but nobody wants to do the heavy lifting required to dislodge Putin from the occupied territories. To Ukrainians, now entering the second round of their presidential election, the war is second only to corruption as the most important issue facing their nation. Each candidate must now detail his blueprint to resolve the lingering and costly conflict. President Petro Poroshenko has vowed to fight until the territories are returned and join NATO, and frontrunner Volodymyr Zelenskiy wants the territories returned, has pledged to hold a referendum on joining NATO, and says hes willing to talk with Putin. Several US military experts were asked about the best way forward and were divided as to priorities: More military aid, more diplomacy, more sanctions, a clean-up of Ukrainian corruption, or all in varying degrees. I dont think it is complicated, said Phillip Karber, a defense advisor to NATO governments and president of the Potomac Foundation. Karber has been in Ukraine thirty times, including spending one winter at the front. Nothing is going to change until Putin decides hes not going to do it anymore. Karber said that the West must find ways to increase the costs on Putin in the Donbas. Karber suggested that vehicles, missiles, and equipment, now in storage in the United States, should be shipped to Ukraine, at no cost to the US taxpayer. He suggested that 400 Bradleys or tanks; 24 Cobras (attack helicopters); six Hawkeyes (airborne command and control system); and 70 Harpoon missiles (anti-ship weapons on fighter bombers) would help equalize the situation for Ukraine. All of a sudden the situation would be very different, he said. This increase wouldnt be an escalation but reciprocity. US Special Representative to Ukraine Kurt Volker emphasized a mixture of diplomacy, military defense, and sanctions. I don't want Ukraine to launch a new military offensive because it will lose, he said in an interview. But Ukraine should strengthen its defensive capability to provide a strong deterrent to Russian aggression. Holding the ground, raising the costs to Russia. He said diplomacy remains important and that the Ukrainian government should remain committed to the Minsk Agreements, and support the proposal for a UN mandated peacekeeping mission. The active fighting should stop in the Donbas. Crimea is on a different trajectory and that involves sanctions, he added. Unfortunately, the reality is that Putin holds all the cards at the moment. Ukraine is years away from being qualified to join NATO, and the United States and Britain failed to enforce the Budapest Memorandum which promised protection for Ukraine in 1994 after it surrendered its nuclear weapons. After the 2014 invasion, the Obama regime refused to supply lethal defensive weapons, due to worries about Russias reaction. One year ago, the Trump administration made a small step by delivering lethal defensive weapons, or thirty Javelin anti-tank missile systems. But little changed on the ground. Fighting continued and in November Russia seized Ukrainian ships and sailors to blockade and control shipping in two Ukrainian ports. Some speculate this is in preparation to seize more territory. Michael Carpenter, senior director of the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement and a former deputy assistant secretary of defense at the Department of Defense, believes the conflict suits Russias purpose. Their ideal solution is a Kyiv government subservient to the Kremlin, he said. Ukraine needs more military help and the current sanctions on Russia are not tough enough, Carpenter said. Full blocking sanctions to even one major Russian bank, or prohibition on all financial transactions by major Russian banks, would have a huge impact on financial markets and give us greater leverage, said Carpenter. Instead, we sanctioned Russias 26th largest bank, a crony bank in Russia, but so small it was easy [for cronies] to reconfigure portfolios. By contrast, he added, sanctions against Iran worked. They brought the country to the negotiating table and shrank its economy 9 percent a year for three years, shrank oil exports from 2.5 million to 1.1 million barrels a day, and froze $120 billion in Iranian reserves abroad. Ben Hodges, a retired general and former commander of the United States Army in Europe, agreed that Putin remains undaunted. He added that Ukraines systemic corruption does not help its cause. I think Ukraines effort is undermined by the level of corruption and perception of corruption there. And the Russians exploit this. The recent scandal, involving the defense bureaucracy, wrecks morale and harms the competence of the people in Ukraine. And in the West, there is a danger of Ukraine fatigue as corruption continues. Hodges said the Kharkiv tank factory illustrates whats not working. There workers repair battle-damaged tanks for the Ukrainian army but also produce new top shelf tanks for export. Yet the [Ukrainian] government has been asking the West to provide basic equipment. Something is wrong with the system. There is zero transparency of its defense budget. This needs to be addressed. Going forward, Ukraines next president must not only make it clear to allies that Russia represents an existential threat against Ukraine, but also against the rest of Europe. The case for more military, diplomatic, sanctions, and aid must be made forcefully and often. As a recent article by Dennis Soltys of KIMEP University in Kazakhstan put it: The Ukrainian civilian population and under-equipped army conveniently guard Europes eastern wall. But such an effort cannot be sustained indefinitely by a poor country with a population less than one-third that of Russias. Thus, Western military and economic aid is necessary. Volker agrees. Much higher on Europes list of priorities should be to make Ukraine strong. Europe is not doing enough. Ukraine protects Europe and now Europe, and its allies, must protect Ukrainians in return. Without that reciprocity, winter will come. Read the original text at Atlantic Council. The directive should be adopted by the Council of the European Union and will come into force in 20 days after publication in the official journal of the EU The European Parliament has adopted the renewed gas directive (EU law), which spreads the rules of the gas market of the EU on the pipelines laid from the non-EU countries, including Nord Stream 2, which links Russia and Germany. Interfax news agency reports this. It is the end of the monopoly era at the European gas market, the monopoly, which threats by increased prices or turns off the faucet, MEP Jerzy Buzek said. The division of the companies-suppliers of the gas and companies which transport it; the access of other operators to the pipe, transparent regulation of the tariffs from Gazprom, 50% of its capacity should be reserved for the alternative suppliers are among the main conditions. The exclusions are possible but only after approval of the European Commission. The supplies of the gas were very often used as the political weapon. We cannot disarm unclean designs of others but we can arm with legal clarity. According to the agency, Russia was the main supplier of the gas to the EU (47%), Norway was the second (34%), then Algeria and Libya came (8,6% together). The main route of the Russian gas supply was along Ukraine (almost the half of the volume), the gas pipeline from Yamal to Belarus (about 20%) and Nord Stream 1 (30%). 89% of the gas is imported to the EU through the pipelines and another part is supplied at the vessels as liquefied gas. As we reported, the Committee of Permanent Representatives in the European Union (COPERER) has approved the draft amendments to the gas legislation of the EU. Earlier, Polish President Andrzej Duda urged the German government to give up on Nord Stream 2 construction. He insisted that the new pipeline would breach the current energy balance, posing danger to the energy safety of some countries in Central and Eastern Europe. Russian president Putin claimed that the Russian Federation was ready to save the gas transit through Ukraine after the launch of the Nord Stream 2. 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 1,200-km gas pipeline will be laid through the Baltic Sea, and will connect Russia and Germany bypassing Ukraine, Poland, and Baltic countries. The capacity of the gas pipeline will be twice increased compared to that of the first Nord Stream. The construction is estimated to be completed by the end of 2019. Ukraine is adamantly opposed to the construction by calling it politically motivated and suggesting the EU to create a consortium with the involvement of European companies to manage the existing more efficient transportation route through Ukraine. A number of EU countries have expressed their disagreement with the Nord Stream 2 project in particular Poland and Lithuania. Federal Air Transport Agency of Russia wants to renew traffic on the regular and charter basis Open source Federal Air Transport Agency of Russia offers to hold negotiations on the renewal of the air traffic with Ukraine on the regular and charter basis between countries as Interfax reported. In the response to the ban of the direct charter air traffic between out countries by Ukrainian authorities, we offer to hold the negotiations and renew the air traffic on the regular and charter basis between Russia and Ukraine in the full volume, the message said. We are sure that such decision meets the interests of our people and air travelers, the agency said. On April 3, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine banned irregular direct flights with the Russian Federation. Earlier Ukraines Infrastructure Minister reported that Ukrzaliznytsia will reduce the number of trains to Moscow and other Russian cities twice. Also, Omelyan claimed he signed a "historical document" concerning the restriction of the traffic with Russia. Transport Ministry of Russia has worked out the parcel of the responsive measure in the case Ukraine cancels the railway and bus traffic with Russia. The fabrication of the political cases against the citizens of Ukraine remains one of the key repression practices of the Russian occupants on the Crimean peninsula Foreign Ministry of Ukraine urges the world society to enhance the pressure put on Russia, as Ukrainians Volodymyr Dudka and Oleksy Besarabov were sentenced to 14 years in jail in annexed Crimea. The press office of the ministry reported. The ministry condemned the unlawful decision of the occupation court. The fabrication of the political cases against the citizens of Ukraine remains one of the key repression practices of the Russian occupants on the Crimean peninsula; their aim is the intimidation of the local citizens and suppression of any form of the disagreement with the illegal occupation of the Ukrainian territory, the ministry said. The department urged the world society to strengthen the political, economic, and sanctions pressure on the state-aggressor to restraint grave offenses of the human rights by Russia and release of Volodymyr Dudka and Oleksy Besarabov and other illegally sentenced citizens of Ukraine. It is noted that Ukraine continues to assume all possible political and diplomatic levers to release the citizens of Ukraine illegally detained and convicted due to the political motives at the territory of the Russian Federation and temporarily occupied Crimea and Sevastopol. On April 4, occupied Sevastopol City Court sentenced the Ukrainians Volodymyr Dudka and Olexiy Bessarabov, whom Russian authorities accuse of preparation subversions, to 14 years of imprisonment. Earlier, state prosecution in annexed Crimea asked the court to arrest Dudka and Bessarabov for 15 and 14 years and 10 months respectively. Dudka was arrested in November 2016 in Crimea along with Dmytro Shtyblikov and Oleksiy Besarabov. Russian Special Security Service FSB detained another so-called "Ukrainian saboteurs," who allegedly were planning sabotage on strategic sites of the occupied Crimea in Sevastopol, on November 9. The detainees were allegedly members of the terrorist group of Ukraines Defense Ministry Intelligence Service. The young man also shows interest in the political situation in Ukraine, Ukraine's Acting General Consul in Rostov-on-Don says Pavlo Gryb, the Ukrainian political prisoner Hromadske Ukrainian political prisoner Pavlo Gryb has been eating regularly; he also takes his medications and shows quite lively interest for the political situation in Ukraine. Hromadske reported that with the reference to Taras Malyshevsky, Ukraine's Acting General Consul in Rostov-on-Don. 'Gryb eats, takes medicine and shows interest in the political situation in Ukraine', reads the message. Malyshevsky added that the inmate expects a meeting with the lawyer, so as to strengthen his position before Russia's top judicial authority. The Consul also confirmed that Geyb ceased the hunger strike, which lasted for four days. The young man was captured by the Russian special service in Belarus in August 2017. The Russian prosecutors charged him with preparing a terrorist attack in Sochi. The Ukrainian suffers from several serious diseases, inlcuding heart and lives issues, as well as the Alzheimer's disease. It is unacceptable for Germany, as the state with the largest economy in Europe, to ignore the threat of the Russian aggression and neglect its own self-defense and common defense of the allies in NATO U.S. Vice President Mike Pence blamed Germany for the insufficient level of the expenses for the defense and Nord Stream 2 construction with Russia before the negotiations of 29 representatives of NATO states-members in Washington as AFP reported. "Germany must do more. And we cannot ensure the defense of the West if our allies grow dependent on Russia," Pence said. He emphasized that it is unacceptable for Germany, as the state with the largest economy in Europe, to ignore the threat of the Russian aggression and neglect its own self-defense and common defense of the allies in NATO. Last month, Germany announced that it would reduce the expenses for defense by 1,25% in 2023. Besides, Germany challenged the U.S. and few Eastern European states by the implementation of the Nord Stream 2 project along with Russia. Pence emphasized that if Germany continues the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, it can make Germanys economy to be Russias hostage. However, Pence promised that the U.S. will always be the largest ally of Europe. As we reported, U.S. President Donald Trump wrote the letters to the leaders of several NATO allies Germany, Belgium, Norway, and Canada expressing his dissatisfy due to the failure to deliver their engagements to the alliance in the sphere of security. Besides, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg stated that NATO member countries intend to increase the expenses on defense. By the end of the next year, this figure will grow by $100 billion. Russia is carrying out a multi-level campaign of disinformation and tries to interfere in the democratic processes, as Stoltenberg noted Open source NATO will continue the policy of containment of Russia due to the fact that it enhances its military presence from the Arctic to the Mediterranean, from the Black Sea to the Baltic Sea, and due to Russias behavior towards NATO allies and partners, as NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg delivering a speech at a joint meeting of both of the houses of the U.S. Congress, Ukrinform reported. NATO will continue its policy of containment, defense, and dialogue, NATO Secretary-General stated. This is because Russia is enhancing its military presence from the Arctic to the Mediterranean, from the Black Sea to the Baltic Sea, because it used to combat nerve agent in Britain, supports Assads regime in Syria, carries out cyber attacks at NATO allies and partners. Besides, Russia is carrying out a multi-level campaign of disinformation and tries to interfere in the democratic processes, as Stoltenberg noted. As a reaction, NATO enhanced a collective defense and deployed troops on the territories of its eastern allies. Besides, the bloc activated the support of its close partners Georgia and Ukraine. Stoltenberg noted that the sovereign states have a sovereign right to choose their way. Russias aggressive behavior remains one of the biggest challenges for the North-Atlantic Alliance and pressure on Russia will be increased, as Stoltenberg said. Earlier, NATO Secretary-General confirmed that the Alliance would allocate $260 million for construction of a warehouse for the American troops in Poland. All the decisions of the court in regard to these prisoners were made at the time of Crimeas annexation and on the behalf of Russia Administrative border with Crimea RIA news Ukraine demands Russia to release 113 Ukrainians, who were illegally imprisoned and those who are kept in annexed Crimea, as Ukraines Justice Ministry reported. Prisoners who were convicted by the illegal occupational authorities appealed to the Ministry in compliance with the Russian legislation. All of them have committed crimes on the territory of Ukraine and now they serve their sentences in Crimea, some of them were transferred to Russia. Ukraine sent a note to Russia with a demand to pass the prisoners to the controlled territories. In compliance with the article No. 9 of this law (On provision of rights and freedoms of the citizens and legal regime on the temporary occupied territories of Ukraine, ed.) any bodies on the temporary occupied territory and its activity is considered illegal if these bodies are established in a way not provided by the law. Any act (decision) issued by the establishment and/or officials, created, selected or appointed in a way not provided by the law is invalid and does not have any legal consequences, the message reads. All the decisions of the court in regard to these prisoners were made at the time of Crimeas annexation and on the behalf of Russia. It should be noted that the occupied court sentenced Dudka and Bessarabov to 14 years of imprisonment in a hard labor colony Occupied Sevastopol City Court sentenced the Ukrainians Volodymyr Dudka and Olexiy Bessarabov, whom Russian authorities accuse of preparation subversions, to 14 years of imprisonment, as TASS news agency reported. The Judicial Chamber ruled to find Olexiy Bessarabov and Volodymyr Dudka guilty and sentence them to 14 years of imprisonment in a hard labor colony, the decision of the judges reads. Earlier, state prosecution in annexed Crimea asked the court to arrest Dudka and Bessarabov for 15 and 14 years and 10 months respectively. Dudka was arrested in November 2016 in Crimea along with Dmytro Shtyblikov and Oleksiy Besarabov. Russian Special Security Service FSB detained another so-called "Ukrainian saboteurs," who allegedly were planning sabotage on strategic sites of the occupied Crimea in Sevastopol, on November 9. The detainees were allegedly members of the terrorist group of Ukraines Defense Ministry Intelligence Service. Open source The U.S. Senate intends to present a new draft law on deterrence Russias interference in the elections to the Congress. The document provides sanctions in banking, energy and defence sectors and ban on operations with Russian state debt, as Reuters reported. The measure will be introduced by Senators Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat, and Marco Rubio, a Republican. They offered a similar measure last year, when it also had bipartisan support but was never brought up for a vote by the Senate's Republican leaders, who have close ties to President Donald Trump, the news agency reads. Those measures provided sanctions in the form of a ban on the opening of correspondent accounts in the U.S. by Russian financial institutions Sberbank, VTB Bank, Gazprombank, Vnesheconombank, and Rosselkhozbank. The sanctions would include blocking - freezing without seizing - any assets in the United States of those targeted for sanction, including senior Russian political figures and business leaders, the message reads. According to details of the legislation seen by Reuters, it would require the U.S. Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to determine, within 30 days of any federal election, whether Russia or any other foreign government, or anyone acting as an agent of that government, had engaged in election interference, it was added. John Raymond, the Head of the U.S. Air Force Space Command, said that if they fail to meet the deadlines, and the U.S. does not create a rocket engine to replace RD-180, Pentagon will not consider any fall-backs John Raymond, the Head of the U.S. Air Force Space Command Air Force Times Pentagon intends to stop purchasing Russian RD-180 rocket engines till 2022 which were used for the launching of military satellites, as John Raymond, the Head of the U.S. Air Force Space Command, said at the hearing in the committee for the Armed Forces of Congress House of Representatives, TASS news agency reported. We are on our way to stop using rocket engine RD-180 in time, Raymond stated. He noted that according to the law, the purchase of additional engines has to be ceased till 2022. He also stressed that if they fail to meet the deadlines, and the U.S. does not create a rocket engine to replace RD-180, Pentagon will not consider any fall-backs. The U.S. intends to create its own rocket engine to replace the Russian RD-180. In 1997, the U.S. and Russia concluded an agreement on the supply of 101 RD-180 engine, the sum of the contract made around a billion USD. In 2014, due to the escalation of the situation with Russia the U.S. Congress banned the use of RD-180, but in 2015 the ban was lifted, and later the American parliamentarians approved an amendment to the draft defense budget which provides purchase of 18 such engines till 2022. The car owner was not hurt in the attack, while the culprit suffered heavy injuries and deceased at a hospital Car explosion in Kyiv, April 2019 Kyiv police A car exploded in Kyiv's Holosiivsky district on early April 4. The blast occurred due to the explosive device's activation; the bomb itself was planted under the car. The Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine reported that as quoted by Ukrainska Pravda news agency. According to the law enforcement agency, the explosion appeared to be the murder attempt, and the target was an officer of Ukraine's intelligence. He is a veteran of the Joint Forces Operation. 'As he was setting the explosive charge, it went off, and the man suffered multiple injuries of varios degrees of severity; he died of these wounds at a hospital without regaining conscience', the Office reported. The investigation is conducted by the Main Department of the National Police in Kyiv. The Chief Military Prosecutor's Office supervises the procedure. As it was reported, debates at Olimpiyskiy stadium was one of the main conditions of Zelensky Ukrainian presidential candidates Petro Poroshenko and Volodymyr Zelensky 112 Agency The President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko, who got 15,95% of the votes and entered the second round of the elections according to the preliminary counts of the Central Election Commission, is ready to the debates at the stadium, as he wrote on Facebook. Let it be a stadium. I am waiting for you, Volodymyr Oleksandrovych, Poroshenko appealed to Volodymyr Zelensky, who got 30,24% of the votes. Earlier, Poroshenko stated he would like to arrange debates with his political rival. Conducting debates at Olimpiyskiy stadium was one of the main conditions of Zelensky. Let us recall that during the presidential campaign in 2014, Poroshenko himself refused from participating in the debates with another presidential aspirant Yuliya Tymoshenko, his key competitor. Poroshenko explained his unwillingness by the fact that Ukraine "is in a state of war. All people emphasize that the country needs unity. If we start quarreling now, our rivals would benefit from it." Related video: Artem Shevchenko, the Head of Internal Ministry press office 112 Agency National Police, State Emergency Service, and National Guard are ready to provide security at Olimpiyskiy stadium during the debates of the presidential candidates Petro Poroshenko and Volodymyr Zelensky, as the Head of Internal Ministry press office Artem Shevchenko reported on Facebook. the units of Ukraines Internal Ministry National Police, State Emergency Service and National Guard of Ukraine are ready to provide security and public order at Olimpiyskiy stadium during the presidential debates. May the best man win, Shevchenko said. He noted that it is not the first time the Internal Ministry will provide security the establishment has carried out UEFA Champions League in May last year successfully. As it was reported, presidential candidates Petro Poroshenko and Volodymyr Zelensky who got most of the votes at the first round of the presidential elections claimed readiness to the debates with each other. Zelensky wants to conduct debates at Olimpiysky stadium, Poroshenko agreed. Let us recall that during the presidential campaign in 2014, Poroshenko himself refused from participating in the debates with another presidential aspirant Yuliya Tymoshenko, his key competitor. Poroshenko explained his unwillingness by the fact that Ukraine "is in a state of war. All people emphasize that the country needs unity. If we start quarreling now, our rivals would benefit from it." Related video: Kyiv City Council has received an official letter from the Senators wife Cindy McCain Open source One of central Kyiv streets Ivana Kudry Street has been renamed into John McCain Street, after the late American Senator. Kyiv City Council decided this on March 4, as its press office reported. The members of the local state body supported renaming of this street. We have renamed this street as Ivan Kudrya was a Soviet intelligence officer and the head of reconnaissance and sabotage groups in Kyiv during the Second World War. His main task was to fight against the Ukrainian nationalists, the Kyiv Council informed. Volodymyr Prokopiv, the Secretary of Kyiv Council, noted that John McCain has actively supported Ukraines interests and its aspirations to live in a modern, democratic state. Besides, he has been to Donbas multiple times. I would like to note that NGOs and residents have appealed to us. An electronic petition to the city authorities with a proposition to perpetuate the name of John McCain was registered. Therefore, its quite logical that Kyiv Council named one of the streets after him, Prokopiv. He also noted that the family of the American politician supported this initiative. Kyiv City Council has received an official letter from the Senators wife Cindy McCain. 71 members of the Council supported this decision. Senator John McCain died on August 25 after a long struggle against cancer. He was famous as a war hero, a critic of authoritarian regimes and a powerful friend of Ukraine. According to Zurab Alasania, the Chairman of the Board of the company, the Central Election Commission has to agree on this Zurab Alasania, the Chairman of the Board of the company 112 Agency National Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine begins negotiations on the debates of Volodymyr Zelensky and Petro Poroshenko, winners of the first round of Ukraine's election, as Zurab Alasania, the Chairman of the Board of the company, reported on Facebook. Alasania noted that the company was ready to carry out the debates. We have the consent of both of the candidates, there is only Central Election Commission left which has to agree on it by law pay from the state budget. We begin negotiations with all the parties, he noted. The coordinator of OPORA social network Olga Ayvazovska wrote on her Facebook page that the law gives the candidates a right to carry out awareness-raising measures, including the debates for the means of the electoral fund. Everyone has a right to be on air, debate, argue and prove his own position, but if it is about a stadium, the expenses for it should be the responsibility of those candidates. The law obliges a successor of the National Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine to hold the debates on April 19 for the means of the taxpayers, but other TV channels can broadcast it for free, Ayvazovska wrote. Besides she noted that the broadcaster will decide on the format of the debates, and not the candidates. An independent media establishes the rules, but not the headquarters of the candidates and their technologies. I would also recommend the hosts to refrain from any political statements. As it was reported earlier, Poroshenko invited Zelensky to the debates on the elections day. On April 3, Zelensky replied to the invitation and put forward his conditions. He wanted to hold debates at Olimpiyskiy stadium. Poroshenkos team said, the President does not perform at stadiums. Later, Poroshenko agreed to participate in the debates at Olimpiyskiy stadium. Let us recall that during the presidential campaign in 2014, Poroshenko himself refused from participating in the debates with another presidential aspirant Yuliya Tymoshenko, his key competitor. Poroshenko explained his unwillingness by the fact that Ukraine "is in a state of war. All people emphasize that the country needs unity. If we start quarreling now, our rivals would benefit from it." The candidate's HQ offers both Poroshenko and Zelensky to pass the tests at Eurolab, which belongs to Zelensky's avid supporter Ukrainian presidential candidates Petro Poroshenko and Volodymyr Zelensky 112 Agency The team of President Petro Poroshenko stated that candidate Volodymyr Zelensky tries to escape the independent probe for alcohol and drug use. This is mentioned on the website of Poroshenko's team HQ. The statement on this issue says that the owner of Eurolab facility, where Zelensky's HQ offered to pass the tests is a politically motivated man who endorses the comedian as the president. 'Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelensky enjoys his unconditional right to share probe tests with his supporters. However, one should take into account that the owner of the Eurolab laboratory, Andriy Palchevsky is a politically-inclined celebrity who openly expresses his proclivity for Volodymyr Zelensky,' says the message. 'The meaning of this medical expertise is about its objectivity, non-biasedness and trust of the society. This is the same sort of test that candidate Zelensky evades for the reasons we don't understand', reads the message. The head of the state decided to do his tests in the state facility - a stadium, political consultant of Zelensky Dmytro Razumkov said that their headquarters considers the medical center at the stadium biased. Earlier on April 4, the comedian and presidential candidate Zelensky offered Yulia Tymoshenko to become the moderator in his debates with the incumbent president Petro Poroshenko. Tymoshenko responded she would consider this option; but even before she chose any of the options, Ukraine's National Public TV Company announced that TV hosts Pavlo Kazarin and Myroslava Barchuk would be the moderators. After the first round of the presidential election in Ukraine, President Petro Poroshenko offered his opponent Volodymyr Zelensky to hold the debates before the second leg. Zelensky released a video, in which he accepted Poroshenko's offer, also requiring something in return. His main demand was to hold the debates at the NSC Olimpiysky stadium in Kyiv. Poroshenko refused, his team stated that presidents do not perform at the stadiums, but in a while, he changed his mind. Let us recall that during the presidential campaign in 2014, Poroshenko himself refused from participating in the debates with another presidential aspirant Yuliya Tymoshenko, his key competitor. Poroshenko explained his unwillingness by the fact that Ukraine "is in a state of war. All people emphasize that the country needs unity. If we start quarreling now, our rivals would benefit from it." Later on April 4, Zelensky offered to pass the test for drugs and alcohol use. Poroshenko agreed, offering Zelensky to pass the test at the NSC Olimpiysky medical centre. Zelensky said no to that and offered Poroshenko to pass the test at a different lab. Photo by Chelsea Darter There is little more prone to mythmaking than your own perception of where you grew up. Revisited, distance is skewed. Places and people appear smaller than they once were. You are also not what you once were. Very few things are. In the American Midwest, things have changed. Chelsea Darter grew up there and is now looking through her lens at little pieces of what is recognizable, and much that has turned into something less. Is it a broken landscape undergoing economic decay and political contraction, or a wounded king barely doing his once noble job? Somewhere between the two lies A Prairie Fisher King, opening this Saturday at Trapdoor Gallery. Weekly Alibi spoke with Chelsea Darter about her show, where she grew up and how making a myth helps her understand the complex changes that have taken place in the American Midwest. The following is an edited version of that conversation. Weekly Alibi: Tell me about the show. Chelsea Darter: The work is titled A Prairie Fisher King. It consists of photographs and text. The work as a whole exists in a book form, but the show itself will have the book and photographs on the wall. Its an intimate look at my relationship with my family and where I grew up. I come from a small town in central Iowa that has been experiencing significant industrial decline and rural flight for the past decade or more. In many ways this project is an attempt to grapple with my not only often fraught relationship with where I am from, but my simultaneous connection or attachment with it. It is also taking a look at my own role in rural flight and the changing narrative of the place my family has lived since the early 1800s. What was it like growing up there? It is hard to describe. It was great because I was a big outdoors kid. I was able to run around and do whatever I wanted. When I was growing up there, I was very aware of the decline of the town, the economic and political changes happening. I feel like that kind of puts a cloud over things. Is your work trying to find that place that was or are you looking at what it has become? A little bit of both. Im approaching the work in a more naive manner, which is why it is also framed as a myth. Maybe I can go back, I can fix it and defeat this unknown figure that is looming over the landscape. But as youre going through the work, it forms a narrative. Once you get there you can maybe find little pieces of what existed before, but it has been turned into something else. It will continue to turn into something else. That can be a good thing or a bad thing. It is an unknown thing. You talked about rural flight. That is definitely real. You are obviously not there. What is your responsibility to this place? That is something I think about a lot. Obviously, my responsibility would be to go back. Right? Maybe. Right. Maybe. Right now it is a little out of my control. It is something I think about a lot. What is my responsibility to this place? What is my responsibility to my family members? Do I have a responsibility? Is that a question you find your friends who are still there asking? Or maybe those who are not there? We talk about that a lot, actually. I have this friend that lives in a bigger city in Iowa. She wants to leave, but she also thinks it is important that she stay. She thinks she is being responsible to the community. Do you see the writing component of this project as a description of the images, like a caption, or do you see it as integral to the project? The photographs themselves can sometimes come across as too disparate. I think the writing really grounds the project. Its not necessarily a description of the images, its more so an immersive experience. The writing itself is semi- autobiographical prose. What is it about the myth? The project is named after the Fisher King of Arthurian legend. That motif is of a wounded ruler and an ailing kingdom. Im coopting a Midwest version of this figure. I really enjoyed that metaphor. For me it serves two purposes. It supports the notion of home as something to be idealized, but also something that can be painful. It also really simplifies and mythologizes a complex situation that appeals to childhood sensibilities. Rob M. Over the last few weeks, two of the largest retail drugstores in the nation, CVS and Walgreens, have both said they want to start carrying hemp-derived CBD products on their shelves. CVS made the first move by announcing they would be selling CBD products at 800 stores in eight states. In a statement to NBC News, the company said it would soon begin marketing topical CBD productslike creams, sprays and roll-ons, as an alternative source of reliefbut would not be offering any CBD-based supplements or food additives. They also said they plan to partner with a lab to test the products for efficacy. The company will initially sell the items in Alabama, California, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland and Tennessee. About a week later, Walgreens stepped up to face its competitor with an even bolder plan: to sell CBD products in 1,500 stores across nine states (show-offs). Like CVS, it will offer topical hemp-based CBD products. Walgreens will test these products in Oregon, Colorado, Kentucky, Tennessee, Vermont, South Carolina, Illinois, Indiana and right here in New Mexico. Hemp-based CBD sourced from a sanctioned state pilot program was made legal by association when President Donald Trump signed the 2018 Farm Bill, which legalized cannabis with less than 0.3 percent THC by volume and classified it as hemp. But the Food and Drug Administration says not all CBD products are legal. There is still a ban on selling any over-the-counter CBD food products, supplements or any consumable. This is because CBD is the active ingredient in Epidiolex, a pharmaceutical used to treat a rare form of epilepsy, and therefore illegal to use in food products. The FDA is reportedly convening a panel this month to discuss the future of CBD and to look at ways to regulate its sale in over-the-counter consumables. FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb is resigning this month, but CBD's future is probably going to be okay, considering the political and cultural support it's enjoying at the moment. Signals like the ones we're seeing from CVS and Walgreens are just the first publicly visible signs of future policy changes. That being said, I should probably mention that the CEO of Whole Foods told reporters earlier this month that if cannabis is legalized, his company might sell marijuana-infused productsa strange signal itself, coming as it does from a company whose parent, Amazon, seems to be making preparations for a hostile takeover of America's grocery store market (but that's a story you'll have to suss out on your own, dear reader). Cannabis Considered for Addiction Treatment Advocates have been trying to get opioid use disorder added to the list of qualifying conditions to take part in the New Mexico medical cannabis program for years and years. It finally happened. Last week the New Mexico Medical Cannabis Advisory Board met to consider adding the condition to the list. Unsurprisingly, they voted unanimously in favor. They also voted to recommend that substance use disorder also be added to the list of qualifying conditions, according to NM Political Report. The board made similar recommendations to the head of the state's Department of Health, Lynn Gallagher, twice during the previous administration's reign of terror, but she ignored it. This time around, with a governor who has openly called for the condition's inclusion and a more sympathetic administration, it's very likely we'll see the experts heeded. The board voted against adding being older than 65 years of age as a qualifying condition, since symptoms of aging are already covered in the current list. Strain Corner After a long day of chores and hiking last week, I stopped at CG (6614 Gulton Ct. NE) to check out their selection. The menu was as well-rounded and inexpensive as ever. I ordered a nugget of Dreamin' OG (THC: 21.74%$8/gram) and headed home to zone right out. Once I was back home on the couch and packing a bowl, my hips started to squeal in protest and my knees turned to jelly. (I'd forgotten to stretch before a two-hour hike up the mountain, because I'm dumb.) The bud was squishy and wet. It left a resinous coating on my fingers and was tough to break up. It smelled like raisins with woody tones, and the first hit was sweet and swampy. The flower was so fresh I had trouble getting the first hit going, and it took twice as long as usual to kill the whole thing. This indica-dominant strain flattened me out like a pancake. My aches and pains were a distant memory, but so was any semblance of focus. I stared at objects in the room while thinking about nothing in particular. I watched half an episode of The Simpsons and suddenly realized I had no clue what was going on. By the end of the show, I was drooling peacefully on the couch, the lighter still in my hand and my glasses still sitting on my face. My dog eventually nudged me awake to feed her. I hadn't dreamed at all. This strain is perfect for those suffering from stress, pain or sleeplessness. It's probably best for nighttime use. 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!) Thursday 4 In the Dark (KWBQ-19 8pm) Michael Showalter (of The State and Wet Hot American Summer) executive produces and directs this comedy-drama about a flawed and irreverent twentysomething blind woman (Perry Mattfeld) who navigates life in a drunken haze. One day she stumbles across the corpse of her one and only friend, a teenage drug dealer. But the body disappears before the police arrive, leaving our heroine to solve the murder herself. Friday 5 Quicksand (Netflix streaming anytime) From Sweden comes this crime series about a high school student who finds herself on trial for murder after a deadly tragedy at a Stockholm prep school. Yes, Its Really Us SingingThe Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Concert Special (KWBQ-19 8pm) Not content with an ordinary series finale (which precedes this), Rachel Bloom and her fellow cast members say goodbye with a concert special featuring favorite songs from the cult comedys four-season run. Warrior (Cinemax 11pm) In the wake of the American Civil War, a young martial arts prodigy, recently arrived from China, finds himself dragged into the brutal Chinatown Tong wars. Weirdly, this is based on a concept that Bruce Lee came up with back in the 70s. Allegedly, Warner Bros. ripped off the idea and made the martial arts Western Kung Fu with David Carradine. Now producer-director Justin Lin (The Fast and the Furious franchise) revives the idea with little-known British-Japanese actor Andrew Koji in the lead role. Saturday 6 Native Son (HBO 8pm) First-time filmmaker Rashid Johnson and Pulitzer-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks modernize Richard Wrights seminal 1940 novel about a young African American man who takes a job working as a chauffeur for a highly influential Chicago family. Ashton Sanders (of Moonlight) stars. Sunday 7 Expedition Unknown: Egypt Live (Discovery 7pm) Josh Gates and crew broadcast from the middle of the Egyptian desert where archaeologists will open a 3,000-year-old sealed sarcophagus live on TV. I would issue dire warnings about plagues and curses, but these live TV stunts are notoriously anticlimactic. Lazor Wulf (Cartoon Network 1am) Adult Swims trippy new animated series is about well, there is a wolf with a laser cannon on his back. Other than that, its hard to say. Its created by British African broadcaster Henry Bonsu (who was sacked by BBC London for being too intellectual) and produced by Daniel Weidenfeld (China, IL), Carl Jones (The Boondocks) and rapper Vince Staples. Monday 8 White Boy (Starz 7pm) Starz airs this documentary about teenage FBI informant Richard Wershe Jr, who ran a sophisticated underground cocaine operation in Detroitwhile working for the FBI. Wershe was the subject of the 2018 crime drama White Boy Rick. Tuesday 9 The Code (KRQE-13 8pm) Love the military legal drama JAG? Then youll love the military legal drama The Code. Its about Marine lawyers, as opposed to Navy lawyersmeaning shows about Army lawyers and Air Force lawyers cant be far behind. Fosse/Verdon (FX 11pm) Sam Rockwell (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) and Michelle Williams (Brokeback Mountain) star in this biographical series about the romantic and creative partnership between director- choreographer Bob Fosse and dancer-actress Gwen Verdon. Wednesday 10 Dark Side of the Ring (Viceland 7pm) Viceland examines infamous moments and untold secrets from the world of pro wrestling in this six-part documentary series. As the calendar clicks over to April, we find ourselves deep in the weeds of midseason replacement time. Longtime Idiot Box viewers should know that any show a broadcast network is just now getting around to premiering cant possibly have the confidence of executives and programmers. If it did, it would have premiered back in October with the rest of the new season. April is barely a month away from summer TV season, and thats just a death slot for limited series and endless true crime spin-offs of 20/20. So what is NBC doing airing the pilot for Abbys, a show with an impressive lineup of industry talent, this time of year? Suspicion is warranted. Abbys is the work of creator Josh Malmuth, who served as producer on such hit sitcoms as New Girl and Superstore. Michael Schur and David Miner are also on board as executive producers. You might have seen their names on The Office, Parks and Recreation, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and The Good Place. So far, so good. Set in a working-class San Diego neighborhood, the series centers on Abby (Natalie Morales of criminally underrated superhero series The Middleman). Abby is a bisexual Latina ex-Marine sergeantwhich is commendable in terms of representation, but frankly very little of that ever actually comes up. It seems that Abby has spent years running an unlicensed neighborhood bar in the back yard of the home she rents. The show quickly establishes the situation in its sitcom by introducing dorky, jazz-loving engineer Bill (Franklin Nelson from The Millers and New Girl). Bill is the exact opposite of Abby. Naturally, hes her new landlord, having inherited the property from his elderly aunt. He balks at Abbys illegal establishment, of course; but after 15 minutes of snarky patter, hes totally on board as her new partner. The excuse is that Bills recently divorced and lonely. The sense of community that Abbys bar fostersamong a stereotyped selection of drunk suburbanites hiding from their nearby familiesappeals to him. Or something to that effect. Abbys doesnt try very hard to build storylines. Its a straight-up, old school three-camera sitcom with the standard setup/punchline joke structure. The one gimmick it offers is that its recorded live in front of a studio audienceoutdoors! (Its shot on the same studio backlot as Wisteria Lane from Desperate Housewives.) Meh. The cast, including the likes of Neil Flynn (Scrubs, The Middle) and Jessica Chaffin (Zoey 101, Man with a Plan), are all old hands at this sort of back-and-forth, insult-heavy banter. They goose the punchlines with conviction. But the lines are just so generic. (Big dude: I dont like confrontation. Bar back: But youre the bouncer! Big dude: I know, its messed up!) Meh. The show is obviously hoping to mine comic friction from the partnership between gruff Abby and uptight Bill. But Sam and Diane this aint. Abbys tries to wed old school sitcom structure with edgy content. (Did we mention the main character is bisexual?). The cast is gung ho, but the humor is just too mild to qualify as edgy or particularly funny. With its laugh tracks and its live studio audience, Abbys feels like a leftover 90s sitcom. Or something from CBS. Dateline: Hawaii A judge has suggested that an accused car thief avoid drinking Pepsi during probation. According to The Maui News, Hawaiian Second Circuit Judge Rhonda Loo heard a case against Christopher Montilliano Jr., who was accused of stealing a car earlier this month. Montilliano pleaded no contest to unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle and driving without a license. In court, Judge Loo said the man had lied multiple times when he was arrestedtelling officers that his cousin had allowed him to drive the car and that he was heading to a grocery store to buy soda. Judge Loo reportedly asked Montilliano if his addiction to soda drove him to the act. Ive heard a lot of people addicted to meth. Ive heard a lot of people addicted to alcohol, the judge said. This is the first time Ive heard of a Coca-Cola addiction. Im sure the soda didnt make you steal the vehicle. When asked what kind of soda Montilliano drank, he told her Pepsi. Its the Pepsi deprivation syndrome, she remarked. Montilliano spent seven days in jail following his arrest. After failing to appear for his original sentencing date, he was made to serve three more months in jail before going before Judge Loo. A plea agreement between the defense and prosecution recommended probation instead of jail time, and Judge Loo ordered Montilliano to perform 100 hours of community service and pay a $100 fine. Dateline: Bangladesh A woman with two wombs has reportedly given birth twice since Februarythe instances were a month apart. CNN reports that Arifa Sultana gave birth to a boy in late February at a hospital in Dhaka. The young mother was reportedly admitted to another hospital less than four weeks later, complaining of abdominal pain. An ultrasound was performed and doctors found Sultana was pregnant with twins. A C-section was performed and the twinsa boy and a girlwere delivered without issue. Sultana has a rare condition known as uterus didelphys. When a normal uterus develops, it comes from two tubes, which fuse together. For those with uterus didelphys, the fusion fails to occur, and the dividing wall does not dissolve. This condition allowed Sultana to conceive and grow her first child separately from the twins, but the situation went unobserved because an ultrasound was never performed before the first delivery. Dateline: Kentucky A man alleges his employer tried to make him undergo an exorcism. According to WKYT in Kentucky, Leslie County resident Jason Fields filed a lawsuit last week against Hampton Inn and Sharon Lindon. Fieldswho formerly worked as a desk clerk at a Hampton Inn managed by Lindonclaims that when his boss found out he was getting a divorce, she blamed his marital troubles on demons. Lindon allegedly told Fields he would have to undergo an exorcism if he wished to continue working at the hotel and gave him a questionnaire concerning religious and intimate activities. Fields claims he was instructed to complete the form and return it to her before taking part in an exorcism. He refused. According to the lawsuit, Lindon retaliated by changing his shift and inviting people to come to the hotel and pray for him in front of other customers while he was on duty. Fields eventually quit his job, citing Lindon's harassment as the reason. Lindon is accused of religiously discriminating against Fields. Hampton Inn released a statement saying it opposes all forms of discrimination and plans to investigate the matter fully. Dateline: Massachusetts A grocery store has publicly denied that it is haunted by Victorian-era ghosts. People magazine reports that a Market Basket supermarket in Wilmington, Mass., made the statement after more than one Facebook user claimed they'd seen an apparition in the store. The first person to bring attention to the alleged haunting was employee Christina Bush, who claimed she saw the ghost of a woman wearing Victorian-era clothes while working in the bakery on March 13. Her post asked if anyone had seen a ghost in the supermarket. At least one other commenter said they had. Bush spoke to Today about her experience. I was writing on a cake for a customer. And when I turned around to bring the cake back to the counter, I saw the lady in the background she was staring right at me. I looked down for a second because it didnt register and when I looked back she was gone. In response to public pressure, Market Basket officials released the following statement: As far as we know, all of our stores are ghost-free. But if theres anything to it, shes probably attracted to our Victorian-era prices. Dateline: California A Los Angeles artist is helping President Donald Trump protect the US border by building a wall of cheese. According to the Los Angeles Times, Cosimo Cavallaro vowed to make America Grate again with a wall made of cotija cheese bricks. He began building his five-foot tall wall last week on a 14-acre piece of land he rented specifically for this purpose in southeastern San Diego Countyonly a few feet from a fence marking the line dividing Mexico and the US. Cavallaro told reporters he's wanted to build a cheese wall for decades, but never had a reason to do so before Trump became president. The artist is known for working in perishable mediums. He says he's using cheese in this project to highlight the absurdity of President Trump's proposed wall. Courtesy Dave Fehling, Houston Public Media On a late March weekend, State Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard headed out to the Permian Basin to visit oil wells on state trust lands. These are wells that churn out profits for corporations, build up the states general fund from taxes and royalties, and send money to schools and hospitals. Looking through a special camera that detects emissions of volatile organic compounds, Garcia Richard also saw that the wells are sending methane and other pollutants into the air. There are seemingly innocuous pieces of equipment, tanks, pipes, and then you look at it with the FLIR camera and you can see these clouds of emissions, the commissioner said. We went to some older operations, some newer operations, some [wells operated] by some smaller companies, some by larger companies. Not one facility they visited didnt have emissions pouring out from pipes or seeping out of valves. Many people living in, or traveling around, northwestern and southeastern New Mexico have spotted flares. During drilling operations, natural gas is sometimes released to clear out impurities or so gases dont build up to dangerous levels. Gas can also be ventedreleased but not burned off. On the federal level, the government has changed tactics from trying to cut methane emissions from oil and gas development to dropping or rescinding those rules. In some places, states are trying to take the lead on methaneto address climate change, protect public health and make sure companies capture and sell methane, or natural gas, instead of wasting it. In an executive order on climate change, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham recently directed two state agencies, the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) and the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD), to create a new regulation requiring operators to reduce their methane emissions. Companies can employ technologies and efficiency measures, as they have in other states like Colorado. But as Garcia Richard saw in the Permian, cutting methane emissions is an even bigger challenge than many realized. I think we have this incorrect notion that a capture requirement and a methane rule will address everything, Garcia Richard said. But its not enough to just control venting and flaring operations. That minimizes the reality, she said. We need to work with the industry to figure out other opportunities and solutions for infrastructure build-out, detection and monitoring systemsand we really need to be turning away from this notion of sweeping it under the rug, she said. The biggest thing I learned out there [in the Permian] is that you can roll up to a site that looks pristine and brand-new, and then you turn on the FLIR camera, and it tells a different story. Those fugitive emissions arent due to nefarious actions on the part of operators, Garcia Richard said, and its not like we need to shut down industry. But New Mexico does need to get real about our methods and solutions to ensure we dont have that leakage. Garcia Richard was out in the oil field with the nonprofit Earthworks, which has a Forward Looking InfraRed, or FLIR, camera to document oil and gas field pollution as part of its Community Empowerment Project. Sharon Wilson, senior organizer for Earthworks Oil & Gas Accountability, is a certified optical gas imaging thermographer. Shes trained and certified to use the FLIR camera, which is independently verified to detect emissions. Wilson said they found fugitive emissions from gaskets and connectors, and also open thief hatches, broken valves and separator tanks blasting out emissions. Since 2014, Wilson has traveled nationwide with the FLIR camera, investigating more than a thousand sites. The Permian Basin, which includes parts of Texas and New Mexico, she said, is the worst place Ive ever seen in my life when it comes to the emissions. Wilson and Nathalie Eddy, a field advocate with Earthworks, scouted sites before bringing Garcia Richard out to the wells on state trust lands. Our goal was to go look at a bunch of sites, and prioritize which ones are the worst, and find a site thats operating well, Eddy said. We never found that site. So, what we showed to the commissioner wasnt the worst of the worst to terrify her. It was just what we found. They ended up visiting 12 sites. But just in the Permian Basin, there are almost 5,800 current leases on state trust lands. That doesnt represent the actual number of wells, since a lessee can have multiple wells on a lease, and many leases include hundreds of acres of land. On top of that, there are also leases on federal, private and tribal lands in New Mexicoabout 60,000 oil and gas wells statewide. Eddy said its heartening that the New Mexico State Legislature just passed a bill to restore the Oil Conservation Divisions authority to fine companies that pollute the states waters and that New Mexico is working on regulations to cut methane emissions. All those things are steps, but the fact of the matter is, this is a losing race, she said. The boom, the growth of fracking in the Permian is always going to be faster than the regulators. In 2018, oil production in New Mexico hit record highs. According to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), oil production in the state tripled last year from 2009 levels, with production exceeding 772,000 barrels per day. And the trend is predicted to continue. The EIA projects American oil production will increase to 10 million barrels per day in the early 2030s, up from 2018 rates of 6.5 million barrels per daymore than 40 percent of which came out of the Permian in eastern New Mexico and west Texas. Meanwhile, scientists have noted that if humans dont drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the next decade, we will not stop warming that will be long-lasting and irreversible. Mapping Methane NMEDs Air Quality Bureau Chief, Liz Bisbey-Kuehn, explained that the department is responsible for implementing the federal Clean Air Act in most parts of New Mexico. Operators must monitor emissions and report their findings to the state. NMED can also perform unannounced inspections and conduct their own emission audits. The state has active enforcement cases under development right now and others in the settlement stages, she said. And they are planning more inspections in the coming months, which Bisbey-Kuehn said that may lead to additional enforcement actions. Statewide, the department regulates about 4,200 oil and gas facilities, even though there are tens of thousands of wells. Thats because only operations that release pollutants at a rate greater than 10 pounds per hour or 25 tons per year are required to have an air permit. Recently NMED released a map showing methane emissions from 4,000 oil and gas wells and tank batteries that it regulates for air quality. Next, they plan to add data from compressor stations, refineries and gas plants, as well as information from about 1,500 other manufacturing, construction, agricultural and chemical facilities. The map is just a beginning, Bisbey-Kuehn said, as the department tries to grasp the scale of emissions and also hire more staff for inspections. And when its warranted, the new administration is trying to ramp up enforcement, she said. To see NMEDs methane map online, visit gis. web. env. nm. gov/ oem/ ?map=methane Meanwhile, the Oil Conservation Division within EMNRD regulates venting and flaring from wells through the New Mexico Oil and Gas Act. Speaking earlier this year, EMNRD Secretary Sarah Cottrell Propst explained that development of the new methane rule will involve conversations with industry, environmental groups and stakeholders. Well be making sure the approach is grounded in the law, and our respective authorities [of EMNRD and NMED] and the goal is to have an effective and enforceable rule, she said. And when it comes to implementing the executive order, she said, We just want to leverage New Mexicos leadership and creativity in how we address this really important environmental challenge. Newscity MRI Status Removed From Schools Last week the New Mexico Public Education Department announced it was removing the More Rigorous Intervention (MRI) designation from four of the state's schools. Last year PED, under the leadership of former PED Secretary-designate Christopher Ruszkowski, labeled four elementary schoolsthree of which were in Albuquerqueas in need of more rigorous intervention. The designation is given to schools who received F grades for their performance from PED for at least five years in a row. The schools were given the option of closing down or championing choiceproviding parents with information on competing schools in the area and facilitating the transfer of students to those schools. PED released a statement last week confirming that the four schools in questionHawthorne, Whittier, Los Padillas and Dulce elementary schoolswere having their MRI status changed to Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI). The department is operating under a new administration, and according to the statement, the move signals a departure from the policy position of the previous administration by removing closure as an option and underscoring the responsibility of the district for improving outcomes at each identified school. New Mexico PED says MRI designations will once again be considered in 2021, following three years of intensive evidence-based support. Just as Governor Andrew Cuomo swooped in with a panel of experts with a new plan for the L train shutdown, Mayor Bill de Blasio has now announced he's assembled a crack team to evaluate the reconstruction of the crumbling triple-cantilevered stretch of Robert Moses's Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, which runs approximately 1.5 miles from Atlantic to Sands streets in Brooklyn Heights. Earlier today, the mayor's office announced the formation of a new "expert panel"made up of leaders in academia, industry groups, civic organizations, labor, and businessthat will look at a variety of options "for replacement of the aging highway, including the triple cantilever structure that supports the Brooklyn Heights Promenade." Last September, the Department of Transportation announced its plan to rehabilitate this section of the BQE, which included building a temporary highway in the current location of the Promenade, the backyard of some of the most expensive homes in the entire city. There was immediate backlash about the $3 billion plan, as well as concern that construction would kick up toxins into the air for at least six years. Since then, everyone with access to AutoCAD has submitted their own idea for the project, ranging from complete teardowns (which have worked in other cities) to a middle ground that would place parkland on top of a smaller roadway. The latest idea tossed into the ring, released today by the Bjarke Ingels Group, is called the Brooklyn-Queens Park, and "would turn the triple-stacked road into a multi-tiered green space." A new proposal for the Brooklyn-Queens Park, courtesy of Bjarke Ingels Group. New community groups have also formed over the past six months, including an especially vocal and active one called A Better Way; its spokesperson Hilary Jager sent out the following statement regarding the mayor's announcement: "We applaud the City and DOT for assembling a panel of experts to find a better way to restructure the BQE. Passionate community voices led us to this moment, and those same voices will demand a say in this process as it moves forward. We look forward to being part of a solution that reimagines the BQE to the benefit of all New Yorkers for decades to come." The panel, chaired by Carlo Scissura, president and CEO of The New York Building Congress (other names and titles of those involved are listed below), will begin meeting this month, and hope to reach a conclusion by this summer. "It will evaluate underlying project assumptions and review existing proposals, including those that have been generated by elected officials and community members, no-build or reduced capacity options, and other ideas as generated by the panel," according to the mayor's press statement, which also noted that the panel will "hear from and consult with a group of elected officials and community, civic, and business associations at key points throughout its review." Scissura said in a statement that the panel will be "working with our incredible DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg, the panelists and the residents of New York City to produce an outcome that is in the best interests of everyone. Close-up of the BQE retaining wall, note decay and dirt. (Jake Dobkin / Gothamist) Alana Morales, deputy press secretary for the DOT, told Gothamist that the department "is "undertaking a thorough review process, accompanied by substantial community and expert engagement, that will look at a range of options for this critical transportation corridor." This includes this week's report by the RPA/A Better Way, which focuses on such policy changes as congestion pricing and HOV lanes that could help reduce traffic to the area. The city's formal environmental process is now set to begin at the end of 2019. DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg also released a statement, saying, "Community members and stakeholders across the city have come together to propose new ideas and call for fresh thinking on the BQE, the biggest such project the City has ever undertaken. This new panel presents an important opportunity to create the best plan possiblewith community voices heard throughout the process." Prior to this, the DOT has been pretty silent on the issue since announcing its plan last September, and has not held any public meetings since then. A town hall meeting, organized by The Brooklyn Heights Association and A Better Way NYC, will be held tonight at 7 p.m. at Plymouth Church in Brooklyn Heights. A City Hall spokesperson says it's not known if anyone from the city's panel will be in attendance, but "we fully anticipate that everything that is said and presented at this evenings Town Hall will reach the panelists." UPDATE: The town hall meeting was packed, with community members and local politicians commending de Blasio for stepping in. BBP Eric Adams addressing the crowd at the BQE town hall. (Jen Carlson / Gothamist) Here are the initial members of the new BQE panel, which appears heavy on engineering and construction leaders, and light on urban planning experts (additional panelists may still be announced): Carlo Scissura, NY Building Congress (Chair) Rohit Aggarwala, Sidewalk Labs Vincent Alvarez, New York City Central Labor Council Kate Ascher, BuroHappold Engineering Elizabeth Goldstein, Municipal Arts Society Henry Gutman, Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corp./Brooklyn Bridge Park Kyle Kimball, Con Edison Mitchell Moss, NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service Kaan Ozbay, NYU Tandon School of Engineering Hani Nassif, Rutgers School of Engineering Benjamin Prosky, American Institute of Architects Denise Richardson, General Contractors Association Ross Sandler, New York Law School Jay Simson, American Council of Engineering Companies of New York Tom Wright, Regional Plan Association Kathryn Wylde, Partnership for NYC Street safety advocates lobbied the DOT for nearly a decade before the agency finally installed a parking-protected bike lane on Dyckman Street, in Inwood. The new design was in place for about 10 months before the city repaved the street, erasing the bikeway in the process. That was six months ago, and the DOT isn't saying when, or if, the bike lane will be back. Dyckman is a commercial thoroughfare that also connects Manhattan's east- and westside greenways. Completed in late 2017, the Dyckman Street bikeway brought some order to a chaotic street. Once forced to dodge double-parked cars and trucks, cyclists had dedicated paths adjacent to the north and south curbs between Broadway and Nagle Avenue, where motor vehicle traffic on Dyckman is heaviest. Gravel and epoxy sidewalk extensions, meanwhile, shortened pedestrian crossings and slowed driver turns. The bikeway was just a few months old when elected officials, at the behest of business owners who preferred the previous designtwo lanes for parking, two lanes for double-parking, and two lanes for swerving around double-parked vehiclescalled on the city to rip it out. NYC had never uninstalled a protected bike lane during the Vision Zero era. Even so, in response to complaints, the DOT was poised to replace the eastbound half of the Dyckman bikeway, on the south side of the street, with a "curbside buffered parking lane"i.e. double-parking zoneuntil Mayor Bill de Blasio intervened. "Its a very big government and sometimes things happen that do not reflect my will," de Blasio said last September. "It will be brought to my desk and Ill render a judgment, then well let you know. So, that decisions on hold until I review it." At the time de Blasio made those remarks, however, Dyckman between Broadway and Nagle was already a swath of fresh asphalt. Since then, the DOT has striped the street as it was before the protected bike lane was installed: four through-lanes for drivers, no bike lanes, no pedestrian safety upgrades. Multiple emails to the DOT asking what's next on Dyckman have gone unanswered. It's unbelievable how wide Dyckman street is. I can't believe we have to argue about how to make this safe for #bikenyc. (also I continue to believe leaving unmarked streets after paving is negligent) #VisionZero https://t.co/Sny8j8A2RB pic.twitter.com/bQIn480Uyg Jehiah (@jehiah) September 4, 2018 A bit of background: The idea for a protected bike lane on Dyckman Street originated with a group of Inwood residents who first presented their "Dyckman Greenway Connector" plan to Manhattan Community Board 12 in 2008. For the next nine years, DOT and the community board let the concept languish, as traffic crashes on Dyckman injured more than 300 people, according to city data. Dyckman, Broadway and 207th Street are Inwood's primary commercial corridors. Prior to the installation of the Dyckman protected lane, bike facilities on those three streets were limited to painted lanes on Dyckman's relatively tame east and west ends (west of Broadway and east of Nagle). NYPD traffic enforcement in Inwood is minimalofficers from the 34th Precinct issue one to two speeding tickets per day, on averageleaving cyclists to contend with illegally parked vehicles, speeding drivers and other hazards. Under de Blasio and his predecessor Michael Bloomberg, the DOT has actually taken away bike infrastructure in Inwood, including painted bike lanes on Seaman Avenue and W. 218th Street, a marked bike route that connects the Hudson River Greenway and the Bronx. The bikeway on Dyckman in February 2018, before it was removed (Brad Aaron / Gothamist) While projects intended to reduce traffic collisions are subject to being delayed or derailed by community boards, which often prioritize parking over concerns such as who lives and who dies, there is generally no public process before the DOT removes a street safety improvement. True to form, the DOT's decision to toss eastbound Dyckman cyclists back into traffic was presented as a fait accompli. That announcement came after Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer and Congressman Adriano Espaillat, who represents Inwood, mounted a months-long campaign to pressure the DOT to tear out the bikeway. In a February 2018 letter to DOT, Brewer and Espaillat made a host of unsubstantiated claimsthey said the protected bike lane made Dyckman more dangerous, for instance, but cited no data to prove itand called on the city to reroute cyclists to residential 204th Street, two blocks north. Though locals proposed a Dyckman bikeway years before de Blasio was elected, Espaillat and Brewer conflated it with the mayor's plan to rezone Inwooda lightning rod for anti-gentrification sentiment. Another highlight: Behold a sitting member of Congress attacking a traffic safety project from the driver's seat of his car. The Dyckman Street bike lanes are clogging a critical economic artery of our community & making it difficult for emergency response vehicles to maneuver through the area. This problem has to be resolved! @galeabrewer #NY13 pic.twitter.com/r4HmkmQwuq Adriano Espaillat (@RepEspaillat) June 2, 2018 Taking heat from business owners upset that drivers couldn't double-park in front of their shops like they used to, Ydanis Rodriguez, local council member and chair of the transportation committee, asked the DOT to water down the bikeway design. Under Rodriguez's plan, the DOT would install a bi-directional protected bike lane on the north side of Dyckman. Since there are more than twice as many intersections and curb cuts on Dyckman's north side, it's likely such a design would lead to more motorist-cyclist collisions. But the idea is that on the south side of the street, drivers could double-park with impunity, like before. Gothamist asked Rodriguez's office if the council member still supports redesigning the bikeway. We have gotten no response. Maggie Clarke, an environmental researcher and Inwood community organizer since the 1970s, was the driving force behind the 2008 greenway connector proposal. Clarke says elected officials attack on the completed project was based on anecdotes, not empirical evidence. I am disappointed that not one of the electeds questioned the story that the businesses gave themthat the bike lanes ruined their businessesand that nobody else (e.g., the press) did any investigation of this claim, Clarke told Gothamist via email. I provided with my testimony at the [May 2018 CB 12] hearing numerous studies that disprove any claim that bike lanes were bad for business, even in NYC. Nobody read what I submitted. So what happens now? Will the DOT reinstall the bike lane like it was? If so, what's the timetable? Will the city go with Rodriguez's proposed redesign? If so, will it be subjected to years of community board meetings, as the original bikeway was? Or is the plan to leave the street as is, a citizen-generated street safety project wiped away without as much as a single public meeting? Of course, the DOT could make it easier for drivers to park on Dyckman by raising meter rates when demand is highest. But given NYC's longstanding aversion to treating curb space like the valuable commodity it is, that's probably the safest outcome to rule out. A 670-foot, 58-story luxury condo project that is among the citys tallest waterfront towers is leaning three inches north because of a faulty foundation, according to recently filed court documents. The embarrassing snafu at 161 Maiden Lane deals another blow to a high-profile seaport project that has attracted deep-pocketed buyers for its floor-to-ceiling views, but has been beset by problems. The projects original contractor, Pizzarotti, has accused developer Fortis Property Group of skimping on the buildings foundation system, electing to go with a cheaper but less reliable method, according to a lawsuit filed last month in state Supreme Court. Instead of driving support piles down into bedrock, the suit charges, Fortis allegedly chose to use "soil improvement" methods to shore up the construction site; Pizzarotti began building on this foundation, only to notice the building begin to "exhibit a noticeable leaning condition." The complaint further contends that the building, which has already topped out, is still moving and that due to safety issues, the work on this project should not proceed any further until the building's condition is evaluated. As part of the lawsuit, Pizzarotti sought to break free of its contract obligations on the project, as well as recover money owed for unpaid work and cost overruns. Fortis has fought back, saying that the "alignment issue" was created by the contractor failing to properly pour the concrete slabs and account for the settling of the foundation. A spokesman for the company said the issue will be corrected with the planned installation of a "slightly redesigned" curtain wall. This lawsuit is patently false from start to finish and nothing more than simple defamation and a desperate attempt by a failing general contractor to divert attention from the fact it defaulted on yet another New York City project, added the Fortis spokesperson, in a statement. A lawyer for Pizzarotti did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Fortis spokesman declined to comment on when the "misalignment" was discovered but said that recent surveys reflect no further movement of the building. The company said it terminated the contract with Pizzarotti this month, and plans to continue with construction. (Ironically, a rendering of 161 Maiden Lane is still featured on the Pizzarotti website.) The project was originally projected to be completed in spring 2018. The company has not provided an updated completion date. In September, the Commercial Observer reported that 72 of the building's 98 units were under contract. The anticipated sell-out value of the building is more than $275 million. Among the early buyers were Million Dollar Listing star and Douglas Elliman broker Fredrik Eklund, who was reportedly in contract for a $4.6 million duplex. Units in the building range from $1.2 million for a one-bedroom to $7.5 million for a penthouse, according to Streeteasy. Construction safety has been an issue at the site. In 2017, a construction worker whose harness was not attached fell 29 stories to his death. The tragic accident resulted in a four-month construction delay. To date, there have been 17 violations at the site, six of which are still open, according to the Department of Buildings database. A DOB spokesperson told Gothamist there are currently no active stop work orders at the project. Back in 2016, when construction began, the developer was sued for trademark violation over its then name, 1 Seaport. The development is now known as Seaport Residences. SERGEI GAPON/AFP/Getty Images(BREST, Belarus) -- The city of Brest, on the Belarusian side of its border with Poland, has kept a terrible secret in its city's historic district for almost 80 years: a mass grave containing more than 1,000 bodies. The prime real estate inside the old city of Brest was once a Jewish ghetto, until the early 1940s, when its 28,000 residents -- roughly half the town -- died or were one of the lucky few who fled. It has long been known that roughly 16,000 Jews, many from Brest, were killed by Nazi soldiers in a forest northwest of the city during World War II, and that the Germans had killed many more in the ghetto. The 1,214 bodies were uncovered in February by construction workers preparing the ground for a new luxury apartment building. Piles of bones, estimated to be up to 2 meters deep in places, were found in a 40-meter long pit. The mass slaughter may not be unknown, but the magnitude of the killing and mass burial in the heart of the city is surprising. "There was even an article about this mass grave in the Breast local newspaper in 1999," Regina Simonenko, head of Holocaust Museum in Brest, tells ABC News. "The only surprise is a huge number of remains that was unearthed." Belarusian Maj. Pavel Galetsky has been visiting the site and combing through one of the darkest times of the Holocaust. "The site was horrific, I felt like weeping when I saw so many remains of women and children, a female skeleton cradling a baby," Galetsky was quoted in Belarus press. "Victims had bullets in the back of their skulls, small childrens skulls or those of the teenagers." The Jewish community in Brest, with international support, is now requesting the grave site be made into an official Holocaust memorial. The Simon Wiesenthal Center, in Los Angeles, sent an official letter to Belarus authorities to halt the building project. "We firmly believe that the mass murder sites of the Holocaust should not be tampered with, and should remain the final resting places of the victims and places of commemoration, memory, and mourning," wrote Efraim Zuroff, of the Simon Wiesenthal Center. The real estate developers and the city of Brest are offering a compromise. The building will not be built on the site, but instead next to it. The actual site will be turned into a park with a sign explaining what happened there. City officials have promised the murder site will not be turned into a parking lot or a playground. "The Holocaust Memorial will most likely be created there," said Alla Kondak, a city official who heads the culture department, told ABC News. Brest already has a memorial "just around the corner," where "a small marble stone is dedicated to the 34.000 Jews killed in and around Brest during WWII." And for the new apartment building to be built next door, she says, "There should be a place where people can live well, a nice corner of the city of Brest." Brest also has a Jewish section at the citys cemetery and the city intends to transfer the earth from the exhumation site in May, and rebury the remains of the ghetto victims there, at the city's expense, despite Jewish religious rules against disturbing the dead. Still, one resident born in Brest more that two decades after the war and living less than a mile from the site, told ABC News the terrible discovery provided a kind of closure. "It is quite possible," she said, "that my maternal grandmother and my aunt and two granduncles were buried there." Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. [Sad Update Below] A sneaky Trash Panda was caught sneaking around a subway station in Manhattan and captured by police this week. The incident happened around 2 a.m. Wednesday at the 14th Street/6th Avenue subway station. Police were able to trap the subway procyonid inside a garbage can, then transferred it to a cage before transporting it to their precinct to hand over to ACC. The poor little guy looks extra mangy, as you can see in the video above. Would Rocket Raccoon have been treated this way? People of course found the photo of him, tweeted out by NY1's Joel Siegel, to be pretty adorable: now she's late for work https://t.co/xh2LKTaYSw d o d a i (@dodaistewart) April 4, 2019 I was going to tweet "THE RACCOON IS INNOCENT" @darth style but c'mon it's a raccoon, who among us has not been wronged by a raccoon https://t.co/8JWSsC2bVR Michael Roston (@michaelroston) April 4, 2019 Ah New York. Visiting twice a year for 36 hours at a time for my job is probably the right amount of New York. Enough to be charmed by subway raccoons, the smell of piss, and big piles of garbage on the sidewalk, yet not too much to never want to come back. https://t.co/zjz61QFDkU Chris Robinson (@CRMusicWriter) April 4, 2019 just a reminder that it's perfectly legal to swipe raccoons through if you have an unlimited MTA card, i do it all the time https://t.co/cP3LEhbjTn jawn mulaney (@phippsdontlie) April 4, 2019 The #AvengersEndgame marketing is at a new level https://t.co/Xk7WXAk9FY Carla (@PinstripedDiva) April 4, 2019 Earlier this year, State Senator Roxanne Persaud told officials that raccoons have been encroaching upon the E. 105th Street L train station in Canarsie for months. And like pigeons, cats and the occasional emotional support hen, raccoons have been known to ride the train as well (even though they technically can't be kept as pets in NYC). In conclusion: ANOTHER FREAKIN RACOON [sic] IN THE SUBWAY!!!???!!! Update: A spokesperson for Animal Care Centers of NY told us that the raccoon has been euthanized after it was brought to them. "The raccoon was brought into our facility and was euthanized as required by law for all vector species animals brought into the shelter," said ACC spokesperson Kate Hansen. "Raccoons, bats and skunks are classified as a rabies vector species (RVS), which means it's an animal that can carry and transmit rabies. Technically, any mammal can do so, but raccoons are a higher risk. Thus, the animal is subject to certain laws by state." A 67-year-old Brooklyn pedestrian on her way to work was killed by the driver of a tractor trailer on Wednesday morning. The driver fled the scene, according to authorities, leaving the victim unconscious in the crosswalk at the intersection of Flatbush and Nostrand Avenues. She was pronounced dead just before 5 a.m. The woman has since been identified as Linda Douglas, an East New York resident. Her husband, John Douglas, told Gothamist on Thursday that his wife was commuting to her job as a nursing assistant in Harlem when she was struck by the driver. The couple moved to Brooklyn in the 1970s from Aruba, he said, and his wife was just a few weeks away from retiring. "Linda was the most beautiful, giving, loving person I've ever met in this world," Douglas said. "It's very devastating." According to police, the driver was located and questioned on Wednesday evening, but was subsequently released without charges because he claimed "he didn't know he struck the victim." Asked how such a conclusion was reached within hours of Douglas's death, an NYPD spokesperson said it was "good police work." The driver's identity and the circumstances of his questioning are being withheld at this time ("he's not a criminal," explained the spokesperson). According to Douglas, it was a "big relief" when detectives called him at midnight last night to say they'd found the driver. "But I don't know why they didn't arrest him," the husband added. "Anybody can say, 'Oh I didn't see them, talk to my lawyer'...we are human beings. You don't run over somebody and just keep going." Asked about the driver's defense, and whether his office supports charges for hit-and-run drivers who claim ignorance, a spokesperson for Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez told Gothamist "this incident is under investigation." The fatal hit-and-run marks at least the 49th pedestrian or cyclist death on the streets of New York City in 2019 a nearly 30 percent increase from this time last year. According to a study published last month, pedestrian deaths nationwide are the highest they've been in 30 years. Police believe a body found in a Staten Island storage unit early Thursday morning might belong to Jeanine Cammarata, who was reported missing on Tuesday. Her estranged husband, whom Jeanine reportedly served with divorce papers days before her disappearance, has been arrested on assault charges. Jeanine Cammarata's boyfriend told police that she dropped him off at his apartment before driving to the home of her estranged husband, Michael Cammarata, to see their children. That was the last time anyone saw her alive: Jeanine missed work at Staten Island's P.S. 29 and a local Dollar Tree, as well as a custody hearing on Monday. At the same time, friends received cryptic messages from Jeanine's Facebook account. When Jessica Pobega wrote Jeanine to tell her that people had become concerned and planned to go to the police, she received a brief text back saying, "I'm ok. Everything is fine," and claiming she had her kids with her. Still, the sender refused to pick up the phone, despite Pobega's repeated pleas. "She didn't see the children this weekend, so I don't know who that was and what they were covering for," Pobega told ABC 7 New York. "She's my oldest friend. ...Something happened. Something bad happened. And I don't know what it is, and I really hope I'm wrong." The boyfriend reported Jeanine missing on Tuesday, and Michael Cammarata was taken into custody on Wednesday, according to CBS 2 New York. Before asking for a lawyer, he allegedly told police that he and Jeanine met up and had sex, and that he hit her. Investigators reportedly have footage from security cameras that shows Michael leaving his apartment in the Rockaways on Saturday, with a bulky bag in hand, and then arriving at the same storage unit where a body was found Thursday. Police are not currently holding Michael on charges related to Jeanine's disappearance, but on assault charges pertaining to previous abuse. Jeanine's landlord, Jose Perez, suggested to the NY Post that Michael may have stalked his wife: "[She] once told me that he would follow her [while she was driving] with the lights off on his car," Perez recalled. Jeanine's divorce lawyer, Eric Gansberg, told the tabloid that his client seemed "eager" to wrap divorce proceedings and win custody of her two children with Michael. "She said she left the marital residence because of domestic violence," Gansberg explained, "although she didn't want to remove the children from their home." Update: The NY Post reports that investigators found the body"badly burnt" and stuffed inside a black plastic bagat Extra Space Storage in Arden Heights, Staten Island. While the business could not confirm the unit's owner, it's reportedly cooperating with police, who showed up the morning after speaking with Michael Cammarata's current girlfriend. According to the Post, the timing was "no coincidence." Democrats and other critics of the Trump administration have grown increasingly suspicious that Attorney General William Barr's four-page summary of the Special Counsel's 380+ page report on Russia's 2016 election interference was woefully inadequate at best, and egregiously misleading at worst. The NY Times, Washington Post and NBC News are all reporting that various members of Mueller's team believe Barr "failed to adequately portray the findings of their inquiry and that they were more troubling for President Trump than Mr. Barr indicated." Some team members say that Mueller's findings paint a picture of "a campaign whose members were manipulated by a sophisticated Russian intelligence operation." Barr said in a letter last Friday that he planned to release the report to Congress in mid-April, if not sooner, but also said that there would be redactions. The House Judiciary Committee voted yesterday to authorize a subpoena for the full, unredacted report, but lawmakers don't seem to be putting much pressure on Barr to actually follow through on thatRepublicans are generally digging in their heels about any release happening, or casting doubt on the validity of the original report. (Not Chuck Grassley though!) Activists with MoveOn and Rise and Resist are joining a nationwide protest tonight in Times Square, where there will be a rally hosted by March For Truth called, "Release The Mueller Report!" The rally will be followed by a march to Madison Square Park. In a press release, Rise and Resist said, "Activists in New York City will join a nationwide protest calling on Attorney General Barr and elected officials to take decisive steps to make the findings of the Mueller investigation public. The final report was released to Attorney General Barr on March 22nd. House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler and five other Committee Chairs gave the Attorney General a deadline of April 2nd to turn over the report to Congress, and the deadline was missed." The NYC rally will start at 5:30 p.m. in Times Square near the George M. Cohan statue at 46th Street between 7th Ave and Broadway, with a march downtown to follow. You can get more information on it and here, and RSVP here. Parents of unvaccinated children in Rockland County are now suing the local government to repeal an emergency order prohibiting their children from visiting indoor public spaces. Last week, County Executive Ed Day declared a state of emergency that banned unvaccinated minors from shopping malls, restaurants, and other gathering places unless they had medical reasons for forgoing the vaccine. He said it was an effort to stop the spread of measles, which has so far infected 161 county residents. In two cases filed Wednesday in State Supreme Court in the Rockland County hamlet of New City, attorneys for the unnamed parents alleged the county executive overstepped his powers in an arbitrary and capricious manner. The attorneys cited a New York state statute, Executive Law 24, which permits local governments to impose restrictions on movement or put curfews in place in the event of a disaster, rioting, catastrophe or similar public emergency. Attorney Michael Sussman, who represents a group of around 30 parents, argues that the current measles outbreak just a handful of active measles in the last week isnt sufficient grounds to call for a state of emergency. Theres been a bungling of the situation by Rockland County for now six months and Rockland County, he said in an interview. Instead of dealing with the actual public health issues involved, which are most directly dealt with through the quarantining of affected people and those close to them rather than doing that, theyve made a wholesale effort to punish people who have legitimate religious exemptions. So far, Rockland officials have said most of the confirmed cases have been found in Orthodox Jewish enclaves. Listen to Gwynne Hogan discuss the lawsuit on WNYC's Morning Edition: New York state requires all children to get vaccinated for measles and some other diseases before attending public or private kindergarten. But like most other states, it permits parents to request an exception for religious reasons, a law thats been on the books since 1966. However, in light of the current outbreaks in Rockland as well as in Brooklyn, State Senator Brad Hoylman has sponsored a bill to eliminate the religious exemption, as California did in 2015 in response to a large measles outbreak that was traced back to exposure at Disney Land. A separate lawsuit filed by attorney Patricia Finn on behalf of an unnamed parent argues the county executives motive was to, increase vaccination rates in Rockland County to a 100% threshold of vaccination compliance for all children, in court papers. County officials have repeatedly said they do not plan to enforce the prohibition, but imposed it in order to publicize the dangers of measles and prompt parents to vaccinate their children. The 30-day order is set to expire at the end of April. On Thursday, county health officials said they had confirmed 161 cases of measles since October just five in the past week though they have said they think many other cases have gone unreported. Experts on public health law have differing opinions about the legality and constitutionality of Rockland Countys ban. Do I think it's the right approach? No, I think it's the wrong approach, said Janlori Goldman, who teaches public health law and social justice professor at Columbia and NYU Law Schools. I think It's frightening. It's coercive and I think it's overstepping. But, she added, I also want to say its constitutional in my view. Goldman points to the 1905 Supreme Court decision in Jacobson v. Massachusetts, where the court case upheld the states mandatory vaccination rule during a smallpox outbreak. The government has been consistently alloted broad powers when its deemed to be in the interest of public health, she said. But Lawrence Gostin, a Georgetown University law professor and the director of the World Health Organization's Center on Global Health Law, had a different view. He said that when it comes to public health, the ends dont justify the means. You can't deprive a person of liberty unless they're in imminent serious danger. And an unvaccinated child is not a child who has measles or some other infection, he said. Public health agencies and I'm a very big supporter of them need to operate in ways that are both lawful and ethical and in my mind this order is neither lawful nor ethical. Extreme bans like Rockland Countys have been used in the past to try to quash the spread of disease. During polio epidemics during the first half of the 20th century, children were often banned from congregating at theatres, ball games or libraries, whether or not they were sick. But legal experts say those bans were never legally challenged. Public health officials argue there is a scientific basis for prohibiting unvaccinated children in public places. Measles is extremely contagious, and takes up to 12 days to exhibit symptoms. Non-immunized individuals are likely to catch it if they come in close proximity with an infected person, and it may result in pneumonia, encephalitis or even death. Since the outbreak began in October, Rockland health officials have identified numerous exposure sites that contagious individuals visited, and may have spread the virus to others, such as a Target, supermarkets, and a clothing store. They have argued that restricting movement of unvaccinated children was the next step. Rockland County attorney Thomas Humbach declined to comment before a judge hears arguments in the lawsuit, which was expected to happen later Thursday or Friday. Gwynne Hogan is an associate producer at WNYC. You can follow her on Twitter at @GwynneFitz. A devastating fire tore through a Brooklyn apartment building on Wednesday afternoon, and the hot spots continued to flare up on Thursday morning. The fire broke out on the top of floor of 702 44th Street in Sunset Park, and the blaze grew larger and more difficult to put out due to 20-30 mph winds that gusted up to 40 mph yesterday. At one point the blaze grew so dangerously out of control that the FDNY had to pull firefighters back. #FDNY members continue to operate on scene of a 5-alarm fire, 702 44 St. in #Brooklyn pic.twitter.com/YE4NMBBsNU FDNY (@FDNY) April 3, 2019 This fire has spread to the entire top floor in sunset park. The wind is v strong. pic.twitter.com/xZBlcR3eJR Henry Williams (@digitalhen) April 3, 2019 NOW: Heading to the scene of a 5 alarm fire in Sunset Park. @NY1noticias Joaquin Torres shot this video. Todays high winds may make things complictated for firefighters. Follow @NY1 for the latest. pic.twitter.com/Y4pWwRdIRi Lori Chung (@lorichung) April 3, 2019 A total of 23 people19 firefighters and four civilianssuffered non-life-threatening injuries. The building has 54 units, and at least 40 families were displaced. FDNY Chief of Department John Sudnik said the building's roof collapsed. "The building is severely damaged due to smoke fire and water. Its uninhabitable at this time," he added. #NYPD Aviation #17 with @FDNY Battalion chief onboard provides aerial reconnaissance as firefighters battle a 6 alarm fire in Sunset Park Brooklyn. pic.twitter.com/OHQoBrp7ka NYPD Special Ops (@NYPDSpecialops) April 3, 2019 A nine-year-old resident told CBS New York, "I was terrified. Ive seen videos of buildings getting burned down on the news and stuff like that, but nothing like this has ever happened to me." New Braunfels, TX (78130) Today Showers in the morning, then cloudy in the afternoon. High 78F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Cloudy. Areas of patchy fog. Low near 65F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Samir Hussein/Samir Hussein/WireImage via Getty Images(LONDON) -- Prince Charles and his sons, Princes William and Harry, enjoyed a guys' night out for the premiere of "Our Planet," a new eight-part documentary series on Netflix. The premiere at the Natural History Museum in London was a rare joint event for just Charles and his sons, with their wives Camilla, Meghan and Kate not attending. The three royals, dressed in tuxes, were greeted at the premiere by Sir David Attenborough, who voices the documentary. "Our Planet," which is a sponsor of ABC's "Good Morning America," examines how climate change impacts the world. The documentary premieres globally on Friday. Protecting the environment is a cause close to the hearts of Charles, William and Harry. All three royals have been involved in conservation efforts around the world Prince Charles has been president of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in the U.K. since 2011. His father, Prince Philip, in the 1960s was one of the earliest supporters of the conservation organization, which partnered with a film company to make "Our Planet." Two years ago Harry, then 32, spent nearly three weeks in Malawi helping to relocate 500 elephants in danger of being killed by poachers. Harry is also patron of Rhino Conservation Botswana, an organization that works to help build the populations of rhinos in the wild. William spearheaded the creation of United for Wildlife, which works to tackle illegal wildlife trade. He currently leads the organization, which is a project of The Royal Foundation, the charitable arm of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Committee to pick new leadership in two transitional justice bodies by mid-April Those willing to be chairpersons or members of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and Commission of the Investigation of Enforced Disappeared Persons will have to file applications within a week from the date of vacancy announcement. Government tells chief district officers to grant citizenship by descent to those whose parents are citizens by birth Amid uncertainty surrounding the passage of the Nepal Citizenship Amendment Bill, the Home Ministry has issued a notice to chief district officers across the country asking them to grant citizenship by descent to those individuals whose parents are citizens by birth. After disaster, Bara and Parsa villages face risks of disease outbreak In the aftermath of the windstorm disaster, survivors in villages of Bara and Parsa districts are at risk of diseases, according to doctors who visited the disaster zone. Authorities should learn from Sundays disaster that laid bare countrys poor preparedness: Experts The Sunday nights devastating windstorm that battered Bara and Parsa has once again laid bare countrys zero preparedness, as more extreme and unusual events become a new normal. Last March, Salvador del Solar replaced Cesar Villanueva as the Inca country's Prime Minister. He leads a reshuffled cabinet 08:00 | Dusseldorf (Germany), Apr. 4. Pisco Sour and Chilcano grabbed the attention of fairgoers, as well as of important buyers," it expressed. Five companies Porton, Cuatro Gallos, Intipalka, Tacama , and Legado represented the Inca country, thanks to the support of Hamburg-based Trade Office (Ocex) and Lima Chamber of Commerce (CCL). "The brand's launch in this market will further promote consumption of Pisco across Europe," OCEX Director Gycs Gordon said. "Especially in Germany, since it is among the five main target and consumption markets in the world," he added. In this sense, Peru's participation at ProWein is expected to generate US$350,000 in sales over the next 12 months. Likewise, the fair welcomed 61,500 visitors from 142 countries including European nations, Japan, China, Russia, U.S., South Africa, India, United Arab Emirates, and Australia, among others. The initiative is part of a Government's strategy to highlight on a global scale the attributes that make Pisco a different and unique distilled spirit. (END) MDV/DTK/RMB/MVB "Pisco, the Spirit of Peru" brand was exhibited at ProWein 2019 the world's leading trade fair for wines and spirits which took place in Germany on March 17-19, Peru's Foreign Trade and Tourism Ministry (Mincetur) has informed.Published: 4/4/2019 "This is the most complete skeleton of a quadrupedal ( non - pelagicete ) cetacean outside Indo-Pakistan," Lead Contact Olivier Lambert pointed out. According to Current Biology, cetaceans originated in South Asia more than 50 million years ago from a small quadrupedal artiodactyl ancestor. The scientific journal states that the finding supports early dispersal of cetaceans to the New World across the South Atlantic. "Amphibious whales gradually dispersed westward along North Africa and arrived in North America before 41.2 mya. However, fossil evidence on when, through which pathway, and under which locomotion abilities these early whales reached the New World is fragmentary and contentious," reads the report On the other hand, the discovery is the first record of an amphibious whale for the whole Pacific Ocean. "Peregocetus pacificus gen. et sp. nov. is a new protocetid cetacean discovered in middle Eocene (42.6 mya) marine deposits of coastal Peru, which constitutes the first indisputable quadrupedal whale record from the Pacific Ocean and the Southern Hemisphere," Current Biology explained. "Preserving the mandibles and most of the postcranial skeleton, this unique four-limbed whale bore caudal vertebrae with bifurcated and anteroposteriorly expanded transverse processes, like those of beavers and otters, suggesting a significant contribution of the tail during swimming," it added. Additionally, this quadrupedal whale combines terrestrial locomotion abilities and use of the tail for swimming. "This new record from the southeastern Pacific demonstrates that early quadrupedal whales crossed the South Atlantic and nearly attained a circum-equatorial distribution with a combination of terrestrial and aquatic locomotion abilities less than 10 million years after their origin and probably before a northward dispersal toward higher North American latitudes," the publication explains. (END) NDP/RMB/MVB Researchers have found the skeletal remains of a quadrupedal whale in middle Eocene (42.6 millions of years ago) marine deposits of coastal Peru, according to a report published in the journal Current Biology Published: 4/4/2019 Federalism has led many civil servants in Achham to work sans payment Amit Kumar Yadav, a resident of Janakpur in Dhanusha district, passed an examination conducted by the Public Service Commission to be appointed as a government employee. " " A new vest developed in Finland could protect dogs from wolf attacks. Imagine a jacket like the one pictured here but rather than being filled with down, it would contain packets of chili triggered by wolfbite. Sherry Galey/Getty Images Now-grown children may remember a certain nasty-tasting paint their mom used to put on their fingernails to prevent nail biting. Well, one village in eastern Finland is ready to adopt a similar strategy to keep local grey wolves from chewing on their pet dogs. So far in 2016, 32 dogs in the town of Nurmes, Finland, have been killed or injured in wolf attacks. But wolves are a protected species in Finland, with only about 250 individuals remaining in the entire country. And although their continued protection is highly controversial in some areas, the government is (sort of) trying to protect the wolves that do remain from poachers and disgruntled farmers. Naturally, the people of Nurmes and other Finnish towns on the Russian border where wolves sightings are most common and attacks most frequent fear for the safety of their pets and children. Which is why a man named Jussi Aro invented the "chili vest." Advertisement Aro is not from Nurmes, but he has spent the past decade working on what he told Finnish broadcaster YLE is "my own one-man war" to design a non-lethal means of preventing wolf-on-dog attacks. What he's come up with is a vest a dog can safely wear, but when punctured by, say, some wolf's sharp teeth, cartridges embedded in the vest spray out blasts of chili powder right into the attacker's face. Imagine the pepper- or mace-based defensive sprays many people carry, but built right into clothing and automatically triggered. Aro has had a prototype of the vest ready for a couple years, but it's only now that some Nurmes residents have agreed to participate in a trial of the spicy vest. That'll get started in the spring of 2017. Participants will keep their dogs chili-vested, and take notes on the efficacy of his invention if their dog is attacked while wearing it. Here's hoping none of them actually need to use them. Now That's Interesting Grey wolves were reintroduced into Yellowstone National Park in 1995, and though local farmers and ranchers made a fuss about them killing their livestock, the wolves have proved to be incredibly beneficial to the entire Yellowstone ecosystem. A group of diverse but like-minded individuals, the members of ARC have come together in their common desire to fight hatred, bigotry, intolerance and violence because of the harm these antisocial behaviors cause to our society. In that effort, we will not use or sanction the use of illegal actions (such as violence or intimidation) in pursuit of our desired aims and if we learn of anyone who does use these unethical methods we will report those individuals to the authorities. Instead, we will use the guarantees found in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms that ensure freedom of legal speech and expression. YEREVAN, APRIL 4, ARMENPRESS. The ministry of emergency situations informs that on April 4, as of 09:00, some roads are closed and difficult to pass in Armenia, reports Armenpress. Sotk-Karvachar highway is closed for trailer trucks and is difficult to pass for the remaining vehicles. Vardenyats Pass is difficult to pass for trailer trucks. Drivers are urged to use winter tires. The Georgian authorities inform that the Stepantsminda-Lars highway is open for all types of vehicles. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, APRIL 4, ARMENPRESS. Armenias delegation led by minister of foreign affairs Zohrab Mnatsakanyan on April 3 met with Ethiopias minister of innovation and technology Getahun Mekuria and the ministry representatives in Addis Ababa, the Armenian MFA told Armenpress. The Armenian and Ethiopian ministers exchanged views on the cooperation prospects between the two countries in the field of innovation and IT. We arrived in Ethiopia with a very clear agenda to expand and strengthen the ties between our two nations who know each other very well and have very firm historical ties. And we believe that we can build very firm relations between our two countries and peoples based on this deep-rooted friendship. You mentioned high technologies as a main and key impetus for economic development: we also fully share this vision in our countrys development agenda and believe that currently the smart development serves as a base for firm and sustainable development, the Armenian FM said. The officials also touched upon the experience used in Armenia in creative education and digital agenda and the achievements recorded in person of the TUMO Center for Creative Technologies, Armath Engineering Laboratories and the Armenian National Engineering Laboratories (ANEL), highlighted the necessity to launch joint programs for exchange of experience in these spheres. Zohrab Mnatsakanyan stated that the inclusion of the IT representatives in the Armenian delegation enables to exchange views over the cooperation prospects and opportunities with the Ethiopian companies in IT, creative education and e-governance. He also introduced the preparation works for the 23th World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT) which will take place in Armenia in October 2019, expressing hope that the Ethiopian side will participate in the event. Thereafter, the Armenian delegation members business development leader at the Enterprise Incubator Foundation Amalya Yeghoyan, representative of the Union of Advanced Technology Enterprises and founder of Istigate Vahagn Poghosyan and IUnetworks companys business development leader Levon Babayan, delivered reports during the meeting. On the sidelines of the meeting, the Enterprise Incubator Foundation signed a memorandum with the Computer Science department of the Addis Ababa University. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, APRIL 4, ARMENPRESS. Armenia is ready to share its experience in the field of information technologies with Ethiopia, Foreign minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan told reporters at a briefing in Ethiopia, the MFA told Armenpress. The minister attached great importance to discovering and unraveling all that wonderful potential that exists in expanding the cooperation between Armenia and Ethiopia. We are two nations, two people who have known each other for a very long time in history. We have deep historical roots. Now we have the opportunity as nation states, as countries to further expand and amplify that cooperation for the benefit of our nations, for the development of our nations, for bringing our people closer together. So we believe that, especially in the present age of development, it is a common acknowledgement of the fact that only smart development, the development, in which the talent of our people is fully amplified and unleashed, is the way in which we can provide sustainable development, development which really stays, which really makes people owners of their development, the FM said. The Armenian FM stated that innovation, information technologies and high technologies are exactly the tools that need to be transferred in the hands of the people so that they are looking after their lives and their wealth generation. We in Armenia have a very interesting example, a very interesting national experience of exactly developing that sector in our economy, the sector of high technologies, creative education. I'm very proud that over these years now we have come to a point that 7.4 percent of our GDP is developed in that sector; that the growth in that sector annually over the past eight years has been well over 25 percent. And that gives us the actual tangible result when we see the people, the young talent, that so confidently is taking their life in their hands and taking their development in their hands, Zohrab Mnatsakanyan said. The minister added that Armenia is ready to share its experience and informed that they have discussed together the various ways in which they can work together with the Ethiopian partners. We know the very strong potential of Ethiopia and we are very keen to put together all those potential so that we - the two nations - we can work together and mutually benefit and make this cooperation work for our people. So we believe we have very good potential for that. And thank you very much my good friend, my colleague for the warm welcome and this productive discussion. I had in my delegation also representatives of that sector who shared firsthand what is what. It is not for me to tell you to tell my colleagues in Ethiopia... but for the actual operators which they were doing. And I'm really grateful that they were doing a good job and we also have an important memorandum signed between the two entities to promote and provide that opportunity for innovation and creative education. We have the very good engineering city in Armenia which can be a very good partner to its Ethiopian counterpart and work together towards this collaboration. So I'm really hopeful that this visit will be a good start for a better stronger tangible cooperation between our nations. And I'm looking forward to also seeing my colleague in Armenia which will be a very good opportunity to continue this collaboration and for the governments to work together to help our business communities, the Armenian FM said. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, APRIL 4, ARMENPRESS. Turkeys Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlut Cavusoglu had a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Washington D.C., the State Department said in a news release. According to a readout of the meeting by Deputy Spokesperson of the State Department Robert Palladino, during the meeting Pompeo expressed support for ongoing negotiations regarding northeast Syria, while warning of the potentially devastating consequences of unilateral Turkish military action in the region. Secretary Pompeo called for the swift resolution of cases involving unjustly detained American citizens, including Serkan Golge, as well as local staff from the U.S. Mission in Turkey. Pompeo also discussed his concerns regarding Turkeys potential acquisition of the Russian S-400 sruface-to-air missile system. The potential economic opportunities between Turkey and the United States were also a focus of the discussion, according to the readout. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, APRIL 4, ARMENPRESS. Iran has never invested any hope on Europeans regarding the implementation of the JCPOA by them and attaches more importance to the development of relations with its traditional partners, including Russia and China, Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said, IRNA reported. Iran has never invested any hope on Europeans over the past few years it has had the biggest number of visits to neighboring countries which are its traditional partners like Russia, China, Turkey and Iraq, Zarif said. Europe has left the JCPOA in practice, Zarif said Europeans considered JCPOA as an achievement from the very beginning but they probably were not strong enough to stand by it and confront sanctions. Definitely, Europe did not have enough capability to stand against US sanctions, Zarif added. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, APRIL 4, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, currently on a official visit to Ethiopia, had a meeting on April 3 with Speaker of the House of Peoples' Representatives (lower house of parliament) Tagesse Chafo. Mnatsakanyan and Chafo emphasized the strong historic ties between Armenia and Ethiopia as a good foundation for further developing and deepening of bilateral relations, the foreign ministry said in a readout of the meeting. Mnatsakanyan said the Armenian side is committed to boosting the relations between the two friendly nations. The sides outlined the actions for enhancing the bilateral agenda, stressing the need for boosting contacts between parliaments of both countries, including through high-level mutual visits. The Armenian FM noted that representatives elected by the people are the best circle for strengthening friendship between peoples. The high-tech, scientific-educational and commercial sectors were pointed out as priority directions for cooperation. Mnatsakanyan presented the latest developments in the peaceful settlement of the NK conflict. In this context, the sides attached importance to the need to develop atmosphere conducive to peace for advancing the negotiations process. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, APRIL 4, ARMENPRESS. While on an official visit in Ethiopia foreign minister of Armenia Zohrab Mnatsakanyan on April 3 met with UN Deputy Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Giovanie Biha, the Armenian foreign ministry told Armenpress. During the meeting the foreign minister said Armenia attaches great importance to intensifying the relations with the African countries and expanding Armenias engagement in the region, and in this regard the visit to Ethiopia is a good opportunity to outline the future programs. The minister highlighted the use of various platforms provided by the UN in this process. The Armenian delegation members business development leader at the Enterprise Incubator Foundation Amalya Yeghoyan, representative of the Union of Advanced Technology Enterprises and founder of Istigate Vahagn Poghosyan and IUnetworks companys business development leader Levon Babayan, introduced Armenias experience in IT, creative education and e-governance, highlighting the need to initiate programs to make exchange of experience with the African states in these sectors. The Armenian FM introduced his partners on the preparation works of the 23rd World Congress on IT which is going to take place in Yerevan, Armenia in October 2019. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan Government expects economy to expand by 10.3 percent annually The government has set its sights on 10.3 percent annual growth during the 15th Plan which launches in the next fiscal year. YEREVAN, APRIL 4, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan today spoke about the delays of social benefit payments during the Cabinet meeting, demanding explanations from ministers. Mr. Prime Minister, the delay has several reasons, it concerns technical processes, but the development of payment lists have been completed in time, said Zaruhi Batoyan, the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs. It the problem solved at this moment? Did everyone receive [benefits], asked the PM. Batoyan said the payment process began on March 29, as required by law, and HayPost, the postal operator, must complete the process within 10 days. Batoyan said the process began in all districts, but there are technical problems. Finance Minister Atom Janjughazyan weighed in, saying the issue is related with the process of electronic signatures. He said governmental agencies have been notified months earlier to provide valid e-signatures, while only 3000 out of 10,000 governmental officials in-charge have provided them. So these ten thousand people are state servants, and why didnt they fulfill the task? Ladies and gentlemen, why arent your subordinates implementing your tasks?, the PM asked angrily. And when we say there are many idle people in the state administration system, they disagree, the PM said. Pashinyan ordered his Cabinet to provide him with a list of those officials who are responsible for the delays. When soon we will solve the optimization issue these people must be at the very top of the list who will be laid off as a result of optimization, the PM said. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, APRIL 4, ARMENPRESS. A court of appeals is currently hearing the complaint of former President Robert Kocharyan on a lower courts earlier decision to extend his pre-trial detention for another customary two-months period. Judge Ruzanna Barseghyan is presiding over the hearing. Kocharyans jail term was extended on February 15 by a First Instance Court. Second President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan, who ruled the country from 1998 to 2008, spent two weeks in jail in summer of 2018, but was eventually freed. But on December 7, a higher court overruled the release and ordered him to be remanded into custody pending trial again. At the time the court announced the verdict, Kocharyan turned himself in to authorities. Kocharyan is charged with overthrowing constitutional order during the 2008 post-election unrest, when clashes between security forces and protesters left 10 people dead, including two security officers, during his final days as president. He vehemently denies wrongdoing. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, APRIL 4, ARMENPRESS. Armenias Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan congratulated the Armenian Center for Humanitarian Demining and Expertise on the occasion of International Mine Awareness Day - 4 April. I wish you productive work and fulfillment of all ideas and initiatives aimed at developing the sector, Tonoyan told the agency. De-miners and medical personnel of the Armenian Center for Humanitarian Demining and Expertise are currently dispatched to Aleppo, Syria on a humanitarian mission. On 8 December 2005, the UN General Assembly declared that 4 April of each year shall be observed as the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action. It called for continued efforts by States, with the assistance of the United Nations and relevant organizations, to foster the establishment and development of national mine-action capacities Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, APRIL 4, ARMENPRESS. An extraordinary session of parliament will be convened on April 8, at 11:00 at the decision of the government. The agenda of the session will include bills on amending the law on protection of economic competition, the law on regulating public services, the law on public holidays and the tax code. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, APRIL 4, ARMENPRESS. The European Union fully supports the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs in the settlement process of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, Ambassador Piotr Switalski, Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia, told reporters today, reports Armenpress. The mediation mission over the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict is being carried out by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, and they completely guide this process. As for the European Union, we fully support the efforts of the Minsk Group Co-Chairs, he said. The OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship is the only mediation format dealing with the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. The Co-Chair countries are Russia, France and US. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, APRIL 4, ARMENPRESS. Australia will fine social media companies up to 10 percent of their annual global turnover and imprison executives for up to three years if violent content is not removed expeditiously under a new law passed by the countrys parliament on April 4, Reuters reports. The new law is in response to a lone gunman attack on two mosques in Christchurch on March 15, killing 50 people as they attended Friday prayers. The gunman broadcasted his attack live on Facebook and it was widely shared for over an hour before being removed. It is now an offence in Australia for companies, such as Facebook Inc and Alphabets Google, which owns YouTube, not to remove any videos or photographs that show murder, torture or rape without delay. Companies must also inform Australian police within a reasonable timeframe. YEREVAN, APRIL 4, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Ambassador to the Czech Republic Ashot Hovakimyan on April 3 met with President of the Chamber of Deputies (lower house) of the Czech Parliament Radek Vondracek, the Armenian foreign ministry told Armenpress. Speaker Radek Vondracek welcomed the Ambassador and expressed readiness to be actively engaged in the Armenian-Czech inter-parliamentary relations and his sympathy to Armenias new parliament and ongoing democratic processes in the country. The Armenian Ambassador thanked the Speaker of Chamber of Deputies for the adoption of the resolution by the Chamber in 2017 condemning the Armenian Genocide. He presented Armenias foreign policy priorities, in particular highlighting the developing partnership with the EU, and in this regard emphasized the necessity of ratification of the Armenia-EU Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) by the Chamber of Deputies as soon as possible. The Ambassador highly valued the high level of the Armenian-Czech inter-parliamentary ties, the dynamics of mutual visits of parliamentary delegations, expressing hope that Radek Vondracek will visit Armenia in the near future. The Ambassador also introduced Vondracek on the recent developments over the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement process. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, APRIL 4, ARMENPRESS. Moscow will provide necessary support to Baku and Yerevan to implement the results of the recent meeting of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Vienna, Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in an interview to ONA news agency, reports TASS. Supporting the sides in the Karabakh conflict settlement process is one of the key foreign policy priorities in Russias foreign policy concept. This fact attaches specific importance to the ongoing mediation activities, determines great attention to its results, the diplomat said. The negotiation process for the settlement of the Karabakh conflict continues. The sides show intention to continue the work aimed at reaching the peaceful settlement, Zakharova said. According to her, this intention was also recorded in the statement made over the results of the Vienna meeting of Aliyev and Pashinyan. We welcome the prevailing constructive approach in the negotiations. We will provide necessary support to the sides in order to implement the ideas over which a perception was reached in the capital of Austria, she said. However, as it has been repeatedly stated by the presidents of the co-chair countries, the responsibility to put an end to the conflict is on the sides involved in it. The most important is to demonstrate a political will, the Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman said. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, APRIL 4, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian on April 5 will depart for the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on a working visit, the Presidential Office told Armenpress. The World Economic Forum (WEF)s meeting on Middle East and North Africa will take place in the capital city of Amman from April 5 to 7 where the Armenian President is invited as a Speaker. The WEF meeting has been organized by the support and auspices of King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein of Jordan and Queen Rania Al-Abdullah. The meeting will be attended by more than 1000 leaders of government, business, civil society, faith and academia who will discuss the challenges facing the region. In particular, the meeting participants will focus on energy security, clean and renewable energy, cyber-security and other issues. The Armenian President will deliver remarks at the discussion titled New Energy for Middle East. Armen Sarkissian will also meet with WEF founder and executive chairman, famous economist Klaus Schwab. During his working visit in Jordan the Armenian President will also meet with the countrys top leadership, as well as business and local Armenian community representatives. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, APRIL 4, ARMENPRESS. The Armenia-Russia joint troops have commenced large-scale battalion tactical military exercises from April 1st at the Baghramyan training grounds in Armenia. Major General Tigran Parvanyan, Commander of the joint forces, is heading the drills. The purpose of the exercises is to harmonize the joint actions of different types of troops, test the combat readiness of the personnel during the joint implementation of training objectives, the Defense Ministry said. The exercises includes live fire drills. The uniqueness of these drills is that no scenario has been prepared in advance and soldiers will be given orders according to the situation. Defensive, offensive, as well as counter-offensive exercises will take place. The drills will be held until April 12. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan In Case You Missed It: Here are the top five stories of the day Here are today's top stories you may not want to miss. YEREVAN, APRIL 4, ARMENPRESS. The Court of Appeal has cancelled the examination of the complaint filed by Robert Kocharyans lawyers against the decision of the court of first instance to prolong Kocharyans pre-trial detention by another 2 months, ARMENPRESS reports Kocharyans lawyer Hayk Alumyan told the reporters. He added that tomorrow they will present their objections. On February 15 the court of 1st instance satisfied the motion of the Special Investigation Service to extend Kocharyan's detention for another two months. Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan YEREVAN, APRIL 4, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan received on April 4 the delegation led by Mrs. Shen Yueyue, Vice-Chairwoman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee of China. As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister of Armenia, greeting the guests, Pashinyan noted that the development of relations with friendly China is among the foreign policy priorities of Armenia and the visit of Vice-Chairwoman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee of China will give new impetus to the cooperation between the two countries. Highly assessing the current level of Armenian-Chinese relations, Nikol Pashinyan said that Armenia is interested in developing mutually beneficial cooperation in political, economic, humanitarian, technological and other directions. Thanking the PM for the reception, Shen Yueyue noted that Armenia is a friendly country for China and an important partner. According to her the relations between the two countries are on a high level and China is interested in their future development, including by activation of inter-parliamentary cooperation. Nikol Pashinyan also highlighted the role of inter-parliamentary relations, noting that when he was a member of the parliament he was a member of the parliamentary friendship group with China and participated in the works of strengthening the Armenian-Chinese relations, and now, as an MP, he is ready to continue the efforts in that direction. Shen Yueyue noted that China highly appreciates Nikol Pahinyans contribution to the development of bilateral relations and is ready to deepen the partnership. Nikol Pashinyan thanked for the balanced position of China over Nagorno Karabakh conflict, highlighting the support of the international community for a peaceful conflict settlement. Nikol Pashinyan said that Armenia remains committed to "One-China policy". The Vice-Chairwoman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee noted that China continues supporting the peaceful settlement process of Nagorno Karabakh conflict, highlighting the settlement of the conflict through political dialogue. The interlocutors discussed issues referring to cooperation agenda between Armenia and China and prospects for its development. Nikopl Pashinyan noted that Armenia is interested in the development of partnership in the spheres of road construction, energy, high technologies, and organic agriculture. Expressing satisfaction over the pace of the development of tourism between the two countries, the sides emphasized the importance of taking practical steps for establishing direct flights. Shen Yueyue said that the direction mentioned by the Armenian PM are also of interest for China and there is great potential for developing cooperation and she will convey the proposals of the Armenian side to the respective state bodies of China. The sides also referred to the cooperation in the sidelines of the Eurasian Economic Union. PM Pashinyan noted that Armenia, as a country presiding over the EAEU, will continue to support the future development of China-EAEU relations. The Vice-Chairwoman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee of China highly assessed the role of Armenia in the cooperation between China and the EAEU. The interlocutors also exchanged views on international and regional projects initiated by China, particularly One Belt One Road. Saluting the China-initiated projects and highlighting their economic importance, the Armenian Prime Minister noted that Armenia is ready to be involved in their implementation. Nikol Pashinyan expressed gratitude for the support of China to Armenia and assessed the opening of the Armenian-Chinese friendship school in Yerevan as a proof of the high level of relations between the two countries. The school has already become quite popular and has 400 students. Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan In Simbu, there are many stories of the killings of highlanders by the early kiaps and their policemen. Prospectors also killed many highlanders, although these encounters are usually not documented. And, in the Chimbu Valley, Catholic missionaries killed some tribesmen in self-defence. This story is included in a history of Simbu I am working on, which I hope will come out by the end of 2014. After university, and seeing these killings against the perspective of todays morals and principles, I became angry that modern day humans of Anglo-Celtic descent could be so barbaric. I grew up listening to stories of an Australian Administration patrol that killed my people at Warasua in s outh Simbu in 1947 (1). Surprisingly, these killings did not seem to trouble the cultured white men back then as they might today. These Australians seem did not hold indigenous peoples lives to be of great value. They presumably claimed racial superiority and were here to teach primitive highlanders better ways. A few dead natives were OK. They even killed for the stealing of a cheap knife. In many situations, outnumbered by many thousand natives and on foreign soil thousands of kilometers from authority and support, these Australians may have been left with few choices. They had to demonstrate their authority and the power of their weapons. To medieval highlanders, killing and being killed had been a way of life for centuries. Seeing a few tribesmen go down was nothing new. But these Australians, by the essence of their premeditated acts, were murderers, and worse than the tribesmen they were killing. Michael Leahys magnificent collection of photographs never showed images of the natives he killed. These white people were the only ones who could record the events they were responsible for and many were never reported to authorities. Or, if they were, they were understated and hid the truth. These Australians got away without being punished. On the first Taylor-Leahy patrol through the Wahgi area in April 1933, in one incident three men were shot dead. Taylor himself reported that he shot over their heads and the natives ran away. Leahy did not mention the incident at all. In their book First Contact, Bob Connolly and Robin Anderson quote surviving people of that area as confirming that the three people died. Taylor later conceded he did not usually report shootings. He believed the killings were unavoidable and the outside world would find it difficult to understand. He thought it best not to mention them. Taylor impressed this on his subordinates and many killings in Simbu were never reported. My interviews of the tribesmen from the area uncovered many killings as a result of encounters with kiap patrols. We modern Simbus never knew these had occurred. Just last month when I interviewed them, the people of Kimba clan were still grieving over the shooting of Ate Nolkal 80 years ago. The killings at Kumul by Assistant District Officer Kyle and his policemen were understated. The Chimbu valley punitive expeditions by Taylor, J Black, Danny Leahy, Allan Roberts and others after the killing of the two Catholic Divine Word missionaries were not fully investigated at the time. The unprovoked massacre at Dirima was fully (and privately) researched and captured in the book. Here I tell of the massacre at Warasua. And I write of all of these killing in the history I am working on. In 1933 the proud Simbu tribes would never allow other aggressive people through their territory unless they were invited. The European patrols were large parties of usually more than 50 people. The Taylor-Leahy patrol had more than 100 and other attendant tribesmen could inflated the number to well over 200. Attacks on these interlopers were within the rules. Warfare had been part of our culture for centuries. The lure of white mens cargo was an incentive but not the only reason. The Simbus never stood a chance against the superior weapons of these invaders. Hundreds of tribesmen, including women and children, were killed before they understood the power of the shiny and deadly sticks. I reproduce here the story of the killing of my people by Assistant District Officer Jack Costello and his policemen at Suanule (Sua Creek). My fathers (2) confirmed it was Holtoru and not Jim Taylor or another person. When I mentioned the name Costello, they agreed; owoo Holtoru! (yes, Costello!). My father, Raphael Kin Hobel, was a hausboi for some months for these people and knew the character Costello well. Costello sometimes sent my father to bring his cousin sister Mege to sleep with him. I know the story well but for good measure I confirmed all the information with my fathers Raphael Kin Hobel, Mikal Nime Nul and Bane Bayal, all of the Keri tribe. From the Golen tribe I also interviewed old Sime Kora of the Egeku clan and Nehamakumel of the Mlaku clan. This is the account told to me by my father, Mikal Nime Nul: Our Golen Keri people were still fighting. Holtoru and his policemen came from the direction of Gunange across the Pleme (Wahgi) and to Sua. They came and lined up in the middle there [pointing], some looked towards the Golen and some looked towards us. At that time we did not know the power of the white men gun yet. They pointed their sticks and suddenly, bang, bang, bang, everywhere! Golen and Keri men were falling everywhere, plenty, plenty, not a little! Some were even shot in the protection of their shields. Your grandfather (who was the lead warrior and chief of our tribe) fell into a ditch up there [pointing] with his shield attempting to run. I was a little over there. Luckily he stayed down with his shield on top. I thought he had been shot so I ran down into Suanule below (gully). I had told our family who had run away into the gully also of the killing of Nul Haralsunga [his father] and others. However later we were surprised he was still alive. Two women were also killed. It was a big thing. Some people we did not locate their bodies until many days later. Mikal Nime Nul continued: .Then they went up to Mul and Bokil and shot some people there. In our tribal fights there are not so many deaths. Sometimes we do not kill leaders or family friends or in-laws. This killing of the red men completely wiped out my people. We should have taken them to court at the time but we were still bush kanakas so we did nothing. Now it is too late. Far from the fighting site at Sua, the policemen chased the people in the valley for kilometers in both directions to kill them. Raphael Kin Hobel and Mikal Nime Nul gave the names of the tribesmen shot. Altogether 23 able fighting men of their tribe, two women and a child were shot. No Names Clan No Names Clan 1 Maima Bane Wikubolgaun 14 More On HoraYauminibe 2 Kobil Sawa Wikubolgaun 15 Maima Aba HoraYauminibe 3 Baku Gurabe Wikubolgaun 16 Kuris wife HoraYauminibe 4 Wai Wikubolgaun 17 Dua Omengaun 5 Demere Bospe WikuKuihane 18 Dua Din Omengaun 6 Kene Maima WikuKuihane 19 Yol Omengaun 7 KeneMaimas wife WikuKuihane 20 Kobil Kumaire Omengaun 8 Marme Bospe WikuKuihane 21 Tine Pariaiyal Kuibregaun 9 Marme Duyal WikuKuihane 22 Muaina Kuibregaun 10 Kuiwa Gi WikuKuihane 23 Ubaina Gran Kuibregaun 11 Kobil Are WikuKuihane 24 Yoba Dengaba Kuibregaun 12 Nime Bi HoraYauminibe 25 Miaba Kumel Wanigeku 13 Aule Bone HoraYauminibe 26 Kuris son HoraYauminibe On the same fateful day, 10 able fighting men, one women and a child from the Golen tribe were also killed. Old Sime Kora provided this account and the names of those who died: Holtoru and his policemen shot all our people. They were shot everywhere here. Some we did not see their body until two or three days later. The people from my Egeku clan were here. Kora Kummel was shot there near that rock. He was holding his four year old son in his arms when he was shot. After Kora fell, his child who had fallen with his father was crying so wildly the policemen picked up him up and swung him against a big boulder smashing his head killing him instantly. Bomai Ninkama, Bill Ninkamas (3) grandfather, was shot up there. When Bomai fell, Ginbol Ninkama, his son rushed in with his shield to save his father, but he was also shot. His whole arm was blown off. He lived for four days and also died. Teman was also shot near here. The Melaku clansmen shot were Sulkumel, Bogi and one other women. From the Neraku clan Kumai and Guimelenonga were shot. From the Kunareku clan, Molikumel and Maimakumel were shot. They the men were really pained inside that our men were shot dead finish by the Semelnen (policemen). But we did not believe white men could shoot women and break a childs head on rocks. In our fights children and women we do not harm. Also in our fights we sometimes do not kill some people. This kiap and policemen killed anyone and everyone. Today we know the white are not bad but that man Holtoru was the devil. After this shooting the policemen stayed in my village in Deri for many months to ensure peace and control was established after such horrifying acts. Hausboi Raphael Kin Hobel was used to collect water and firewood for Costello and his men. He remembers the names of all these policemen and where they came from: Name Place of origin Name Place of origin 1 Tokia Bundi 7 Gigmai Yongomugl 2 Kua Kup 8 Agiwera (Yegiora) Sepik 3 Buri Hagen 9 Komboi Goroka 4 Ole Mingende 10 Monibe Goroka 5 Gare Kamaneku 11 Kuri Hausunga Gomia 6 Kulame Enduga In this incident, 34 able tribesmen, two women and two children of the Keri and Golen tribes were massacred. This Australian, Costello, did not report the shootings. There was nobody else at the time who could have written of this terrible incident. But my fathers remember this shooting very well. How would they ever forget such a calamitous event? Today, as their son, I am writing so my children and other outsiders know of this terrible event. ____________ (1) Fr Alphonse Schaefer, the first missionary into the area, makes reference to this shooting in his book, The Cassowary on the Mountain. He visited the area in 1947 and heard of the shootings by a Mr Costello and his policemen. It is possible, however, that they occurred in 1946. (2) In true Simbu culture, it is polite to take all uncles and kin as fathers. Bane Bayal died a very old man in 1998. Raphael Kin Hobel died at a very respectable age of more than 100 years in 2012. Nime Nul is blind and alive today in Sua. He is more than 100 years old. Nehamakumel of the Mlaku clan also died a very old man in 2009. Sime Kora still lives in Sua with his grandchildren. (3) Bill Ninkama was Gumine member of parliament for two terms between 1982 and 1992. Prior to that, his father, Ninkama Bomai, was also a two-term member for Gumine from 1972 to 1977. Bomai Ninkama was Ninkama Bomais father. Photograph: Old people say this is the man Costello but I am not sure. They recognise the policemen. This picture was taken by the SDA Missionary Gilmore who was based at Boromil Gumine in the 1950s. It is hard for me to imagine Londari and his sister Besini getting a passport to visit their maternal relatives. But how will this be if the majority of the Bougainville people vote for independence? All of us uncles, cousins, bubus and wantoks on both sides celebrated the occasion. His dad, Peter Mision Yaki, is my Aimbarep tribesman from Kondo village in Kandep, Enga Province. This thought came to my mind when Londari Mision Yaki whose mother, Galye Tatsi is from the Autonomous Region of Bougainville (AROB), celebrated his 22nd birthday a few days ago. It is better for us to remain united, especially from a family point of view. It is my personal wish that, in their referendum, the people of Bougainville do not vote to break away from the rest of Papua New Guinea. WABAG A message about Bougainville posted by me on my timeline and responses from my dear relatives, Gayle Tatsi and Peter Mision. Blending of culture: Londari and Besini when small children, in the arms of their dad Peter Mision at Gordons Estate in Port Moresby An referendum on Bougainvilles political future will be held in the autonomous province on 17 October. The vote is the result of an agreement between the government of Papua New Guinea and the Autonomous Bougainville Government, and was originally scheduled for 15 June. Gayles response Hi powerful DK. As always you have raised very sensitive and sensible issues from a family point of view. I am pondering the same all the time. Im apprehensive about what it will be like, having children who are half mainland PNG, and I myself have spent 80% of my life time studying and working outside of AROB etc. But at the end of all this, I will return home, to AROB with my girl if she wishes to as she takes over from me in a matrilineal culture. Peter s response Thank you DK for raising yet again another important issue, quite sensitive but an important national issue which in.my opinion, the national government has mishandled by not preparing the people's mindset well for the referendum. The physical infrastructure development in AROB is also in shambles for the people to see the importance of remaining part of PNG. It is now a mind game. That aside, your perspective from the family standpoint is a reality that will dawn on us if the Bougainvilleans have their way to break away from rest of PNG. Today the world is becoming smaller and smaller. They now call it a global village. The whole of the African continent is moving on and looking at ways to become one voice. Europe has become one and Britain is struggling to undo its European connection. Even the Pacific leaders through the Forum Secretariat are considering a single currency for the Pacific and a Pacific identity. The Bougainvilleans may secede but will be part of the Pacific. However, they might have a sense of satisfaction, for the people of AROB have dark complexions and so consider themselves ethnically different from the rest of PNG. Despite that view, I believe they won't go far away from us. For now let them entertain the political event (referendum) that appears to be the ultimate focus and determine a destiny for the Bougainvilleans. It may be a way forward for PNG in terms of choosing an autonomous government, yet remain united as one nation. I wish the Bougainvilleans all the best in the referendum. For me whether they are AROB or an Independent State of AROB, they will remain an integral part of PNG because of that connection at the personal level through marriage and further inter-marriage and through Christianity as a powerful unifying force. He took me to ANU for my placement; to see admin and meet people. He gave me his old Vodaphone so I did not have to buy a new one. In March he picked me up at the airport when I arrived at 10 pm. I have always stayed with Bill and Sue in all my trips to ANU 1997, 2003, 2018, and 2019. For now, its this journey to the Australian National University on 1 March this year. My journey with angra (brother) Bill Standish is a story of more than 20 years, beginning in 1994. I will write a tribute to him when my head is cleared from the shock of his passing. Sarah Garap is a community development specialist and was one of the first women health inspectors in Papua New Guinea. She is an activist for women and human rights issues and is co-founder of two women's organisations in the Highlands - Kup Women for Peace and Meri I Kirap Sapotim Sarah Garap - "It seemed as though he actually came to say goodbye" He took me to the student accommodation and helped me with my bags. I was to move after three nights accommodation to another location. He remembered. After the International Womens Day meeting finished at nearly 5 pm, he pulled me aside and said, We have to go now. The office may close and you have to get to your new accommodation. Yes, sure enough. We met the person looking after accommodation arrangements. After I checked in, we went shopping. Sue came back from her trip to India trip on 8 March. After she settled in, I was invited for dinner; it was a Barbie dinner which Bill cooked. Bill checked on me frequently to make sure I was OK. He knows the story of my work with womens groups; my 2002 election story as a candidate; he knows my family; the story of my challenging life from grassroots to academia. He helped me write some of the stories. He saw me on Saturday morning, 30 March at 8:30 to give me a book. Now that I recall, it seemed as though he actually came to say goodbye. I did say, Hey bro, morning. And hugged him as I always did to him and Sue every time we met. I went to Sydney on Sunday 31 March at 6 am. Around that time he was rushed to hospital by Sue and Jane, Sues daughter. Around midday, he passed away. Upon return to Canberra, I called him at 2 pm from Belconnen public bus station. Jane answered the phone and gave me the bad news. What? No! No! I broke down and cried. I have since been crying to grieve my loss, a loss to Simbu, and PNG. The good I take away angra Bill: We spent time together. That was quality time. You touched so many peoples lives students, academics, ordinary people, friends, and family. Condolences, and tributes are coming in plentiful. Everyone is shocked. But only God gives life; and He takes back what he gave. Thanks for being a blessing to all of us who associated with you in one way or another. Your kind, and good deeds will be remembered until death. Patience; kindness; goodness; humility; consideration; love; care - Galatians 5: Fruits of the Holy Spirit are transmitted in your life. Everyone says so. So God will be fair on you. Farewell my brother, supporter and my Australian family - you and Sue. I know you will want me to maintain contact with Sue. I definitely will. Yal wagai one raw a ena parawa - wakai we! Laikim yu tru! Rest in Eternal Peace! People Arent Willing to Go Very Far to Date This Is How Far We'd Go for Love ... If youre not having any luck in the dating game, you might need to try new tactics say, for instance, expanding your radius beyond whats convenient. Although dating apps have made it possible to find a partner who can live a continent away, it seems that most people still choose to stick close to home. According to a study in Sociological Science, theres a clear limit as to how far people are willing to travel for love. While you might think youre not getting many matches because of poor photo choices, it could potentially be because youre not willing to step outside your comfort zone literally. RELATED: Everything You Need to Know About Long-Distance Relationships During their analysis of 15 million online dating messages from an unnamed dating site, researchers Mark Newman, Ph.D., and Elizabeth Bruch, Ph.D., found that we tend to self-organize ourselves into 19 regions when pursuing online relationships. Meaning, the New England region includes Maine, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island; the Pacific Northwest region includes Oregon, Washington, and areas of Idaho and Montana, and so on. It was a little surprising, at least to me, how perfectly the geographic regions follow accepted divisions of the country, Newman told Inverse. For instance, in many cases, they follow state boundaries. The voluntary subregions werent always by state or region as you might expect, and some are wider than others. If youre dating around in either Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, or Oklahoma (a fairly large area of the Midwest), youre more likely to communicate or date someone in this area as well not to mention, have far more options because of the geography covered. At this point, youre probably wondering why anyone would consider dating someone in Texas if, for example, they live in New York. Well, as it turns out, research points to it as being more than a total aversion to long distance dating that keeps people in their own state. According to the study, singles in some states often rarely opt to message people outside of their current location. Those in Northern California typically dont exchange messages with anyone outside of the state, nor do Texans, even if theyre close to a border state like Oklahoma. This, according to Newman, might indicate some sort of psychological barrier dating someone in a different state seems much farther than it actually is. RELATED: Secrets of Successful Long-Distance Relationships Theres no practical reason why they should do this, adds Newman. If you live near a state boundary, its quite possible that there are plenty of potential dating partners within easy travel distance in the next state over. But apparently there is little such interstate dating going on. This all seems to point at people severely limiting themselves when it comes to dating. The solution? Consider expanding your horizons outside of your state border. No harm, no foul. You Might Also Dig: (Photo: Getty) If youre looking for the next Atlassian, Canva or Airwallex, watch out: these companies could be the next biggest thing. According to analysis by IBISWorld, there were three companies whose revenue went whooshka in 2018 and you might not have heard of them. Atlas Arteria, Paladin Energy, Walter & Eliza Hall Institute, Webjet and Vestas Australian Wind Technology all saw revenue increases of 190 per cent or higher last year. Heres a breakdown of each company, how much their revenue skyrocketed in 2018, and why you want to be watching them closely: 3. Vestas Australia Wind Technology: 196.2 per cent Vestas creates revenue by building and servicing wind farms as well as supplying turbines and equipment, IBISWorld analyst James Thomson told Yahoo Finance, and investment in wind farms has grown nicely in the last five years. High wholesale electricity prices, favourable industry assistance programs and high profitability have attracted investment to the renewable energy sector in recent years, he said. But Vestas revenue is project-based and therefore volatile, Thomson noted. Luckily, Vestas has a strong pipeline lined up. 2. Webjet: 220.2 per cent Travel comparison website Webjet is well on its way to being a household name for many Aussies, and has proven to be a steady performer. The company has grown steadily over the past five years, increasing its total transaction value in line with rising demand for online travel booking services, Thomson said. Webjet has also benefited from its subsidiary, WebBeds an accommodation supplier to the travel industry and its acquisition of JacTravel, a hotel accommodation supplier, making Webjeet the worlds second-largest online hotel booking site. The outlook for Webjet looks positive, with growing demand globally for online travel booking services leaving the company well placed to continue the expansion of its business-to-business and business-to-consumer operations. Story continues 1. Walter & Eliza Hall Institute: 282.2 per cent The revenue growth of this medical research institute was driven by the partial sale of royalty rights to an anti-cancer treatment it co-developed. The treatment is a drug called venetoclax, that was approved in the US and EU in 2016 and by Australia in 2017. Make your money work with Yahoo Finances daily newsletter. Sign up here and stay on top of the latest money, news and tech news. Algerians are planning mass protests Friday in a key test of whether they can keep up the pressure for sweeping reforms following ailing president Abdelaziz Bouteflika's resignation. Opponents of the old regime have taken to social media calling for a massive turnout, targeting a triumvirate they dub the "3B" -- Abdelakder Bensalah, Tayeb Belaiz and Prime Minister Noureddine Bedoui. The Bouteflika regime stalwarts have been entrusted to oversee the political transition after the veteran leader finally stepped down at the age of 82. Bouteflika quit late Tuesday after weeks of demonstrations against his bid for a fifth term in office. He had lost the backing of key loyalists including armed forces chief Ahmed Gaid Salah. Bensalah, speaker of the upper house of parliament for 16 years, is to take the reins as interim president for three months until elections are organised. Belaiz, a minister for 16 years, was named by Bouteflika as head of the Constitutional Council which regulates elections. Bedoui, until his appointment as prime minister, had served as interior minister -- or, as the French-language El Watan newspaper put it on Thursday, "chief engineer of electoral fraud". Critics say all three have always been faithful Bouteflika servants, who should follow his lead and resign. Lawyer Mustapha Bouchachi, one of the leading voices of the protest movement, urged Algerians to continue protesting "until they have all gone". "Our victory is partial," he said in a video posted online. "Algerians will not accept that symbols of the regime... lead the interim period and organise the next elections." "These symbols of the regime cannot be part of the solution and we have been demanding since February 22 that the whole system, its symbols and its clients, leave," he added. "The president's resignation does not mean that we have actually won." - 'Delicate phase' - Protesters are calling for transitional institutions to be set up to implement reforms and guarantee free elections. Hamza Meddeb, an independent analyst in Tunisia, said Algeria was entering "a very delicate phase, because the street and the institutions are at risk of diverging". He said the only winner of this tussle would be Bouteflika and his entourage. But Geneva-based political scientist Hasni Abidi said "the Algerian street has become has become a new player" in the country's politics. Little was known, however, about the army's intentions, he said. Algerian newspapers have also focused on the role of the military in the transition period. The French daily Le Soir d'Algerie asked how the armed forces would react in the event of continuing protests. It asked: "will the military institution put all its weight into imposing strict compliance with the constitution... or push for another consensual political outcome?" "How to use the transition," read a headline in El Watan, next to a drawing of General Gaid Salah, with a whistle in his mouth, leading protesters down a path dubbed "constitutional order". Despite abandoning Bouteflika, the army chief is still seen among protesters as one of the key members of the "system" after the president appointed him to the post in 2004. Liberte, another newspaper, said many Algerians saw Gaid Salah as having backed Bouteflika almost to the end, "even endorsing the option of a fifth term, and only broke away after the street scuttled him." "After the Bouteflika clan, it will be the turn of the armed forces chief to face the street," it said. Algeria's protest leaders say that the departure of veteran president Abdelaziz Bouteflika is not the end of their struggle Heavy bombardment by the Syrian army of the jihadist-controlled Idlib region has killed 22 civilians, a monitor said Thursday, the latest violence to theaten a seven-month-old truce. The ceasefire was brokered by the main foreign backers of the warring parties in September to head off a government offensive that prompted UN warnings of humanitarian disaster for the region's three million residents. But since the region was overrun by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham alliance led by former Al-Qaeda fighters in January, the fragile truce has come under mounting assault. Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem accused Turkey, which signed the September deal on behalf of the rebels, of failing to honour its commitments and warned that his government's patience was running out. The UN humanitarian affairs office said the escalating violence threatened aid deliveries to some 2.7 million people in need. In the latest flare-up, army artillery and rocket fire on the Idlib towns of Kafrnabel and Maaret al-Noman killed 13 people on Thursday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. It came after shelling of adjacent jihadist-held areas of Hama and Aleppo provinces killed nine people late on Wednesday, the Britain-based watchdog said. The UN humanitarian office said that the ecalating violence had already killed 90 civilians in the Idlib region in March, nearly half of them children. More than 86,500 people fled their homes in February and March as a result of the escalation, it added. The UN expressed concern over "increased shelling along front lines, an intensification of air strikes and a growing number of attacks involving improvised explosive devices in urban areas." The Syrian foreign minister said his government was growing impatient to recapture Idlib, the last region outside its control apart from the Kurdish-held north and northeast where Washington retains a troop presence. Muallem said Turkey had failed to ensure the withdrawal of jihadist forces from a planned buffer zone along the front line as stipulated by the truce agreed in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi. "It is known that Turkey is responsible for a delay in implementing" the deal, he said at a joint press conference with his Venezuelan counterpart Jorge Arreaza. "Honestly, we are still waiting for the Sochi deal to be implemented but our patience has its limits and we must liberate this land. "We are losing patience," he warned. More than half of the population of the Idlib region have already fled government offensives on other rebel-held regions of Syria. Many live in tent cities where they are dependent on humanitarian aid and deeply vulnerable to a resurgence of all-out conflict. At least 370,000 people have died in Syria since the civil war erupted in 2011. Children watch a puppet show in the ruins of the town of Saraqib in Syria's jihadist-held Idlib region where renewed fighting threatens to flare Police arrest 14 for transferring public land to an individuals name in Bardiya Police arrested Bardiya Land Revenue Offices officiating officer Ram Kumar on Monday on the charge of transferring the title of a government land to a civilian by forging documents. Not so long ago, the sight of Umm Yasser clad in a black abaya leading hikers through the intricate trails of the majestic South Sinai mountains would have been unthinkable. But now, along with three other women from the Hamada tribe, she is a guide for "Sinai Trail". Since 2016, the community-backed organisation has been working to bring hiking as a sustainable form of adventure tourism to South Sinai. In Wadi Sahu, a village made up of humble shacks with corrugated iron and recycled scraps, Bedouins are banking on the return of tourism after the tumultuous years since Egypt's 2011 uprising. "The women in this village don't have jobs, this is the only work out here," said Umm Yasser. "I hope more and more tourists come," said the 47-year-old Bedouin sporting plimsolls to navigate around rocky shards. - 'Historic first' - Egyptian tourism took a massive hit after a Russian plane that took off from the Sinai was bombed in an October 2015 terror attack that killed all 224 people on board. North Sinai itself is a flashpoint of deadly violence between security forces and insurgents. But the violence has not dissuaded a steady stream of avid hikers from heading south to take on the challenge of the desert and mountainous landscape. Ben Hoffler, a founder of Sinai Trail, said the number of hikers has gone up from 100 in 2016 to 1,000 last year. At the launch, "we had three tribes joining the organisation along 220 kilometres (130 miles) of hiking trail," he said. "Today we have eight tribes and 550 kilometres," said the Londoner who has been living in Egypt for more than a decade. The Sinai Trail cooperative, while respecting Bedouin customs, has since March moved on to women-guided hikes for all-women groups. "It's a historic step," said Hoffler. For the first time, Bedouin women last month led a group of hikers through the territory of the Hamada tribe. Theirs is the only one of eight tribes in South Sinai to have agreed so far for women to work as guides. At the bend on a path, Umm Yasser stopped, grabbed a bunch of twigs and lit a fire to heat up some tea as she recounted tales of how she lived as a child in the mountains. "These are the best guides possible," said Tootsie Saada, 55, who works for a development agency in Cairo and took part in a trek. "They are so lively, funny and curious." - 'Men only half of Sinai' - Sinai Trail's four women guides had the blessing of their husbands to start their new jobs on condition they return home every night after work. "We have been doing the Sinai Trail for five years now. Up until this point, 100 percent of those working on this trail were men," said Hoffler. "Men in Sinai obviously know it very well but they are only half of the Sinai." Ibrahim Mosalam Ghanem, a 40-year-old male guide who has been leading groups for the past two years, explained that shaking up centuries of cultural tradition presented its own challenges. "As Bedouins, we have traditions and we respect them," Ghanem said, stressing that he would "never accept" his wife working with a mixed group. Hoffler told AFP it took five years to negotiate a deal for women guides, and he is looking for more women to sign up with tribal consent. "I support this work that the women are doing," said Eid Auda Ali, 53, the husband of one of the four women guides with Sinai Trail. He said it brought much-needed "extra income" to an area where livestock and mining are not enough to support families. Having seen the positive results, Ali who belongs to the Muzeina tribe in Sinai's far south wants others to follow in the footsteps of the Hamadas. Umm Yasser guides a group of hikers through the rugged terrain of South Sinai, where tourism has been hard hit by Egypt's political turmoil Women from eight Bedouin tribes are working as tour guides for the Sinai Trail The Sinai's rugged scenery has long been popular with hikers, but lack of security has decimated Egypt's tourism industry The Bedouins of Wadi Sahu live in humble shacks of corrugated iron and recycled scraps A Queensland man who has spent more than a year in an Egyptian prison said he is most looking forward to two things when he arrives back in Brisbane: Home cooking and family time. Hazem Hamouda, 55, was arrested in January 2018 as he arrived in Egypt for a family holiday. He was accused of having links to the banned Muslim Brotherhood and spreading falsities online but his family deny the allegations. Despite never being charged he spent the next 13 months in Cairos notorious prison before being released two months ago. Hazem Hamouda is finally returning home to Australia after more than a year in an Egyptian prison. Source: Facebook/ Bring Hazem Home But his freedom was short-lived. The Egyptian authorities again detained and interrogated Mr Hamouda after officials blocked his attempt to exit Egypt. On Wednesday, after weeks of legal wrangling and fronting a military court to get an exemption from Egyptian army conscription, Mr Hamouda was finally able to leave Cairo and begin his journey home to his family in Brisbane. On Thursday, his eldest daughter Lamisse Hamouda, 30, said her dads imprisonment was a harrowing and traumatic time for her family. Its cost us financially, emotionally, psychologically and physically, she told reporters. Dad has always been a family man hes a genuine softy and big-hearted father who loves us more than anything. Mr Hamouda was first arrested at Cairo airport as he waited to collect his bags after arriving to meet his children for a holiday. Mr Hamoudas daughter said her dad is on his way to Brisbane after a year in a Cairo prison. Source: AAP He was whisked away to prison where he struggled with health issues as his Egyptian and Australian lawyers fought for his release. Little information about the allegations was provided to Mr Hamoudas family, who speculate the accusations may be linked to Facebook posts he made during the Arab Spring in 2011. Asked about her dad, Ms Hamouda said her father was just a dude from Brisbane looking forward to getting home. Hes pretty exhausted but hes also excited to come and be with the family and start to put all this behind him, she said. Story continues My siblings and I cant wait to get one of dads famous bear hugs. Hes probably going to really dig into some of mums cooking, especially having been quite starved while behind bars. Do you have a story tip? Email: y7newsroom@yahoo7.com.au. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter and stay up to date with the latest news with Yahoos daily newsletter. Sign up here. Ethiopian officials on Thursday are expected to release preliminary conclusions in the probe of last month's crash of a Boeing 737 that killed 157 people, two sources told AFP on Wednesday. The report on the March 10 crash on the Ethiopian Airlines plane could be published late Thursday morning in Ethiopia, which would be in the middle of the night in the continental United States, said the sources close to the investigation, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Aviation regulators around the world grounded Boeing's 737 MAX last month following the Ethiopian Airways crash, which came less than five months after an October Lion Air crash that killed 189 people. Scrutiny has centered on an anti-stall system developed specifically for the planes that has given pilots problems. The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that pilots on the doomed Ethiopian plane initially followed emergency steps outlined by Boeing but still could not regain control. The pilots shut off the anti-stall system, called the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, but switched it back on because they could not regain control, The Journal reported, citing people briefed on the preliminary findings. Seeking to win back public confidence in the planes, Boeing released photographs of its chief executive, who joined a test flight of a 737 MAX with the company's updated anti-stall system. The Federal Aviation Administration said Monday that Boeing needed to undertake more work on the proposed fix before it could be submitted for review. Boeing distributed a cockpit photo of Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg wearing earphones and seated behind two pilots. A second shot showed the Boeing chief exiting the aircraft at Boeing Field in Washington state. "The flight crew performed different scenarios that exercised various aspects of the software changes to test failure conditions," the company said. "The software update worked as designed and the pilots landed safely at Boeing Field." Boeing said it planned to submit its proposal to the FAA in the coming weeks following "a thorough and disciplined approach to the development and testing" of the enhancements. Boeing Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg deplaning a Boeing 737 MAX after a test flight of the company's proposed fix to its anti-stall system Japanese prosecutors Thursday re-arrested Carlos Ghosn on fresh allegations of financial misconduct, as the former auto tycoon slammed an "outrageous and arbitrary" detention and vowed he would "not be broken." In the early hours, officials raided a central Tokyo apartment the 65-year-old Ghosn has called home since winning bail last month after more than 100 days in detention. It was the latest twist in a rollercoaster drama that has gripped Japan and the rest of the world since his shock arrest at a Tokyo airport on November 19. Prosecutors said Ghosn had been detained over transfers of Nissan funds totalling $15 million between late 2015 and the middle of 2018. They suspect Ghosn used $5 million of that for personal expenditure. "The suspect... was responsible for overseeing the whole of Nissan's operations and performing his duty loyally so as not to cause losses to Nissan, but he betrayed that duty in order to benefit himself," they said in a statement. Ghosn released a statement through his representatives attacking what he called the "outrageous and arbitrary" detention. "Why arrest me except to try to break me? I will not be broken," said the former high-flying executive. He has denied any wrongdoing and took to Twitter for the first time Wednesday to announce plans to "tell the truth" at an April 11 news conference that now looks unlikely. Prosecutors can hold Ghosn for up to 22 days while they investigate the new claims and may re-arrest him again or seek to hold him in pre-trial detention. Deputy chief prosecutor Shin Kukimoto justified the arrest by saying they judged there was a "risk of destruction of evidence". But Ghosn's lawyer Junichiro Hironaka, known as the "Razor" for his mental sharpness, told reporters the fresh arrest was "against the spirit of the law" and "should not be tolerated in a civilised nation." He added his client had expected prosecutors would re-arrest him and had therefore prepared a video, without specifying the contents or exactly when it would be released. Visibly angry, he vowed to fight likely attempts by the prosecutor to extend the detention, claiming the arrest was "not necessary" and designed merely to pile pressure on Ghosn. He added prosecutors had confiscated not only diaries and documents belonging to Ghosn, but also the passport and phone of his wife Carole. She was questioned "without her attorney present, even though she is not targeted in this investigation," the family's French lawyer, Jessica Finelle, told French network BFMTV. - 'I have names' - Ghosn already faces three separate charges. The first two relate to the alleged deferring of around $80 million in income and concealing this in official documents to shareholders. The third, more complex, charge is that he attempted to transfer personal losses to Nissan and paid a Saudi contact who provided collateral from the company funds. In an interview with French broadcasters TF1 and LCI, Ghosn reiterated he was "combative and innocent" but acknowledged "it's hard." Ghosn, who holds French, Brazilian and Lebanese nationalities, appealed to the French government to "defend" him and his "rights as a citizen." Asked if he would provide evidence that could clear his name, Ghosn said: "Everything needs to be put on the table. Of course, I have names." But he admitted his lawyers have "doubts about how this trial is going to play out." Thursday's arrest came after French car firm Renault, which Ghosn also once headed, handed French prosecutors documents showing the auto tycoon had authorised suspicious transfers worth millions of euros. A Nissan spokesman said the firm's own internal probe had uncovered "substantial evidence of blatantly unethical conduct" and that their focus was on "addressing weaknesses in governance that enabled this misconduct." - 'Tell the truth' - Ghosn had maintained his silence since paying around $9 million to win bail on March 6 when he walked out of his detention centre dressed in a workman's uniform in a bizarre attempt to evade the world's media. When reports emerged early Wednesday that prosecutors were considering further charges against him, Ghosn suddenly popped up on Twitter to announce he would "tell the truth" about his case. His tweet, which his representatives confirmed was authentic, sparked questions about his bail conditions, which were thought to include a ban on internet use. However, Hironaka insisted his client was acting within his rights, and Kukimoto said the arrest had nothing to do with the tweet. Ghosn was largely credited with saving Nissan from the brink of bankruptcy by tying its fortunes to Mitsubishi Motors and Renault. He has frequently denounced his downfall as a "plot" by Nissan insiders worried he planned to push them into a full partnership with the French firm. "I pushed hard to make this alliance successful, but never by doing anything illegal," he told French TV. Former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn could be spending more time in a Tokyo detention centre Factfile on the arrest and charges against former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn Carlos Ghosn is widely credited with creating the three-way Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance, which is one of the world's top-selling auto groups Junichiro Hironaka, lawyer for former Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn, is known as the "razor" for his mental sharpness A car beleived to be carrying former Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn arrives at the Tokyo Detention House on April 4, 2019 Families of a missing Malaysian Shiite Muslim activist and Christian pastor called Thursday for a new investigation into their disappearances after a bombshell inquiry concluded they were abducted by police. Activist Amri Che Mat, the founder of a social welfare NGO, vanished in northern Perlis state in November 2016, while Pastor Raymond Koh disappeared three months later outside Kuala Lumpur. While their cases are not linked, the families of the missing men have co-operated with the official Human Rights Commission of Malaysia, known as Suhakam, in a bid to get to the bottom of the matter. Eyewitnesses reportedly claimed to have seen both men being abducted after the vehicles they were driving were boxed in by other cars. Their cases have long captivated Malaysia, a multi-ethnic country with a Sunni Muslim majority, amid suspicions the state may have been involved in kidnapping them as they had clashed with powerful Islamic authorities. On Wednesday a long-running inquiry by Suhakam concluded both men were snatched by the police's intelligence unit, and called for a taskforce to be set up to probe the cases. "Hands of the state are involved in these forced abductions," inquiry head Mah Weng Kwai told AFP. The police have not responded to the inquiry's findings. Amri's wife, Norhayati Mohamad Arifin, said her husband was the victim of a "heinous crime". "I want a fresh investigation and a search launched to find my husband," she said. Koh's wife Susana Liew added: "There is no justification for such abduction. We want the culprits to be brought to justice." The commission has no real powers and can only make recommendations, which the government is not obliged to follow. Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad described the probe's findings as "merely hearsay", the official news agency Bernama reported, adding: "I think they must produce some evidence." The commission pointed to similarities between the cases. Both men were investigated by authorities -- Amri was suspected of spreading Shiite teachings while Koh was accused of seeking to convert Muslims -- while the same model of car was seen in the area before they disappeared. The Shiite branch of Islam is banned in Malaysia and followers of the sect complain of being repressed, while seeking to convert Muslims to other religions is forbidden. Critics point to growing Islamic conservatism in the country of 32 million people in recent years which they say has chipped away at a traditionally tolerant form of Islam. Muslim majority Malaysia has banned the Shia sect and also forbids preaching conversions by Christians Four activists in southwestern China have been handed prison sentences over liquor labels commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen massacre -- two months before the crackdown's 30th anniversary, said rights groups and relatives. China forbids public discussion of the military's brutal suppression of the demonstrations, often detaining those who attempt to raise it. The four men were arrested nearly three years ago for advertising and selling alcohol with labels that said "Always remember June 4th, 1989", using a play on words and numbers to represent the banned date. The label also showed an illustrated rendition of "Tank Man", a renowned photograph of a single individual facing down a column of armoured vehicles in 1989. Three of the men -- Fu Hailu, Zhang Juanyong, and Luo Fuyu -- were sentenced earlier this week at a Chengdu court to three years in prison, including time already served for "picking quarrels and provoking trouble", according to human rights groups and relatives. They were also handed suspended jail sentences of between four and five years. The fourth, Chen Bing, was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison Thursday and is expected to have eight months left to serve, according to Amnesty International, citing his lawyer. The Chengdu court did not respond to requests for comment. "I have no choice but to accept it, even though I know he is innocent," Gao Yan, Luo's wife, told AFP. "We probably won't appeal, because it's useless," she added. The first three have already served the bulk of their three-year prison sentences, and Fu has already returned home according to his wife. But Human Rights Watch China researcher Yaqiu Wang told AFP that the addition of a suspended jail sentence means continued surveillance. "The activists will continue to be heavily monitored and have their movement restricted," Wang said, adding that the verdicts could be a "warning" from Chinese authorities to deter others from recognising the anniversary. Doriane Lau, China researcher at Amnesty International, said Beijing has been "consistent" in punishing those who memorialise the Tiananmen Square crackdown. Academics, activists, and dissidents were detained in 2014 for attending a private seminar in Beijing that marked the 25th anniversary of the protests. One of the activists at the seminar, Hu Shigen, had previously spent 16 years in prison for trying to organise memorials for the Tiananmen massacre. Tiananmen Square was the site of the brutal 1989 crackdown on anti-government protestors, which Beijing now supresses all reference to The niece of French far-right leader Marine Le Pen, former MP Marion Marechal, will visit the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea this month, furthering her links with Russia, which annexed the territory in 2014. Marechal, who still commands a wide following despite stepping down from her public role in 2017, will attend the Yalta International Economic Forum on April 18-20, which was set up by Moscow after its annexation of Crimea from Ukraine. Both Marechal and Le Pen have argued for closer ties between France and Vladimir Putin's Russia and repeatedly condemned sanctions imposed by the European Union on Moscow over the annexation, which is not recognised by the international community. Last year, Marechal founded a privately owned political science college in the southeastern French city of Lyon, which promotes conservative teaching on subjects including "cultural identity". She visited St. Petersburg at the end of March, telling students during a speech there that "Franco-Russian friendship never left me while I was an MP," according to her Twitter account. Her aunt Le Pen has met Putin several times, including once during the French presidential campaign of 2017, and he has cultivated links with many far-right, anti-EU political movements around Europe. The European Commission criticised Putin after the election-period meeting with Le Pen for trying to use the far-right to divide Europe. Marechal, 29, currently holds no electoral office but is widely expected to return to frontline politics at some point. Marion Marechal has argued for closer ties with Valdimir Putin's Russia Deepak Thapa has been a fortnightly columnist with The Kathmandu Post since 2009, writing on a range of topical social and political issues. Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said Thursday that he had told Germany to deal with a ship run by a German charity carrying dozens of migrants picked up in the Mediterranean, while denouncing the work of NGOs in the region. "The ship is German property, with a German flag and a German crew... It's their problem, they must deal with it," Salvini said on the sidelines of a meeting of G7 interior ministers in Paris. He said he had personally written to the captain of the Alan Kurdi, operated by the Sea-Eye charity, warning him the ship would "not enter Italian territorial waters." The ship on Wednesday rescued 64 people, including women and children, from an inflatable raft after efforts to contact the Libyan coastguard failed. It is headed for the Italian island of Lampedusa. Salvini, a leader of the far-right League party, reiterated last month that he would close his country's ports to migrant rescue NGOs operating in the Mediterranean, in a bid to force Europe to take its share of asylum-seekers. He said Thursday that his stance had been backed by his fellow G7 interior ministers. "To my great satisfaction, I'm not the only one who has doubts about the NGOs in the Mediterranean," he said. "Ask my French, German and British colleagues." "Everyone at the table noted it: the NGOs are a problem and they help human traffickers," he said. But French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner indicated "disagreements, in particular on the docking of rescue boats in the closest port." He added, however, that he had "reaffirmed to the Italian minister France's solidarity with regards to welcoming refugees who might be on these boats." Europe has been wrestling with divisions over how to handle the problem since the migration crisis of 2015 when more than one million people arrived on its shores, many of them fleeing conflict in the Middle East. Italy's Interior Minister Matteo Salvini is attending a meeting of G7 interior ministers in Paris Forward Mario Mandzukic has extended his contract with Juventus until 2021, the Italian champions confirmed on Wednesday. "Mario Mandzukic's Bianconero career will continue until 2021. The official notice of his contract renewal was confirmed today and it is news that the Bianconeri fans will warmly welcome," Juve said in a statement. The 32-year-old arrived from Atletico Madrid in 2015 and has scored 43 goals in 159 appearances for the runaway Serie A leaders, in addition to delivering 19 assists. This season he has scored nine goals in all competitions, including the winner against Valencia that qualified Juventus for the Champions League last 16, but has not found the net since December 22. "It is a big honour to play for this amazing club," said the Croatian. "I'll reward that faith by giving my maximum effort every time I step on the pitch in our famous #bianconeri jersey. Forza Juve!" Since Mandzukic's move to Italy he has won three consecutive league and cup doubles, and is poised for his fourth 'Scudetto' as Juve close in on their eighth in a row. Massimiliano Allegri's side could win the league title with seven games to spare -- which would be the earliest any team has ever sealed Serie A -- this weekend if they beat AC Milan and nearest challengers Napoli lose at home to Genoa. They travel to Ajax in the Champions League quarter-finals next week as they target European glory for the first time since 1996. Juventus' Croatian forward Mario Mandzukic joined the Turin giants in 2015. The British government and the main opposition were to hold further crisis talks on Thursday after MPs voted in favour of a Brexit delay that would avoid Britain crashing out of the EU on April 12. With options running out, May switched course and invited Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn for talks on Wednesday in a bid to forge a compromise that avoids a chaotic "no-deal" departure from the European Union in eight days' time. Negotiating teams for both sides were to meet again on Thursday for a full day of urgent discussions. May's divorce deal with the other 27 EU nations has been rejected three times by parliament and patience is wearing thin in Brussels as the deadline to end Britain's 46-year membership nears with no agreement in sight. The premier said Tuesday she would seek another "short" Brexit extension at an EU leaders' summit in Brussels on April 10. - 313 v 312 on bill - In a rushed parliamentary bid to avoid Britain leaving the EU without a divorce deal next Friday, MPs voted by the narrowest of margins late Wednesday in favour of draft legislation that would force the government to seek to delay Brexit beyond April 12. The vote passed by just one -- 313 votes in favour and 312 against -- in the lower House of Commons and the bill will now pass to the upper House of Lords for final approval on Thursday, much to the government's annoyance. "We are disappointed that MPs have chosen to back this bill," a government spokesman said. "The prime minister has already set out a clear process through which we can leave the European Union with a deal and we have already committed to seeking a further extension. "If passed, this bill would place a severe constraint on the government's ability to negotiate an extension and reflect this new date in UK statute books before April 12." - First talks 'constructive' - May said Wednesday's talks with Corbyn were "constructive", suggesting she might be prepared to bend her previous principles and listen to proposals for much closer post-Brexit trade relations with the bloc than many Conservatives are prepared to accept. Both sides showed "flexibility and a commitment to bring the current Brexit uncertainty to a close", said a spokesman for May's Downing Street office. "We have agreed a programme of work to ensure we deliver for the British people, protecting jobs and security," he added. Corbyn said: "There hasn't been as much change as I expected but we will have further discussions... to explore technical issues" on Thursday. He told May that Labour wanted a customs union with the EU, access to its single market and raised "the option of a public vote to prevent crashing out or leaving on a bad deal". If the talks between the government and Labour fail to reach a compromise that both can support, May hopes the two sides can come up with mutually acceptable options that would be put up for binding parliamentary votes. - Merkel heads to Dublin - The British premier's sudden change of tack was received with caution by EU leaders who wish to see the split resolved before the European Parliament elections begin on May 23. Finance minister Philip Hammond said it was an "expectation" that Brussels would offer a longer extension at the April 10 summit than the short one Britain is targeting, but London would want to curtail it as quickly as possible after passing a Brexit deal. "It would be in everybody's interest that we moved into the implementation period at that point," he told ITV television. German Chancellor Angela Merkel was to visit Dublin on Thursday to meet Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar for talks on Brexit. She has vowed to "fight until the last hour" to avoid a no-deal outcome -- something that would hit the UK's only land neighbour Ireland hardest. Prime Minister Theresa May has torn up her negotiating strategy and sought Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn's support Britain's opposition Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn and Prime Minister Theresa May were to meet to try to end the 'logjam' over Brexit The prime minister's overture to the left-wing opposition has enraged the staunchly pro-Brexit wing of her Conservative party A slim young recruit wearing make-up, new fathers, nervous lovers holding hands -- diverse groups of Thais flocked to a famed Bangkok shrine this week offering prayers to avoid military conscription. Every male citizen aged 21 in Thailand must participate in the country's massive annual draft, which starts in April and sees an estimated 100,000 enlisted for up to two years. It is a sensitive subject in military-run Thailand, and politicians opposing the junta in last month's election suggested ending the mandatory practice. While some draftees volunteer, others enter a lottery system where young men pluck coloured cards out of a box and wait nervously as a soldier reveals either a red slip -- meaning they have been drafted -- or the coveted black. For young men dreading military service, the shrine of Ya Nak ("Grandmother Nak") in the capital's Wat Mahabut temple has become a popular pilgrimage. Represented by a golden statue of a woman with long black hair sitting cross-legged with a baby, Ya Nak is surrounded by gifts of flowers, toy cars, and traditional Thai clothing. Legend has it that while her husband was away in military service she died alone during childbirth, a story turned into a hit Thai movie. Like many Thais who grew up knowing the folklore, university student Pasakorn Raksri travelled five hours from Kanchanaburi province to pray to Ya Nak. The 21-year-old, who presents herself as a woman and has shoulder-length hair and wears make-up, does not want to be enlisted. "One of my concerns is my sexual appearance as it is not exactly what the army is looking for," Pasakorn told AFP. Thais who have transitioned are exempt from conscription but those who have not undergone surgery have been subjected to harassment when they are drafted into the military, rights groups say. Others pray to Ya Nak because they have financial commitments and are the sole breadwinner. "I am the only one who works in the family," said Thawatchai Saisawang, a father of one young girl. Factory worker Utain Kamrit was returning to the shrine with gratitude. The 22-year-old had prayed to Ya Nak and said there was a single black card remaining in a box of reds during his enlistment. "I was thinking about her, asking her to help me," he said, recalling the moments before he pulled the black card. These tension-filled sessions often leave young men bursting into tears of relief when they get an exemption, while some faint from the stress. "First thing that came into my mind was, I have to return here to fulfill my promise (to give thanks)," Utain told AFP. For those dreading military service, the shrine of Ya Nak in Bangkok has become a popular pilgrimage Father-of-one Thawatchi Saisawang is the family's sole breadwinner and is praying to be exempted from the draft Transgender youth Pasakorn Raksri travelled five hours from Kanchanaburi province to pray at the shrine Turkey on Thursday accused the US State Department of making false claims about rows during a meeting between the top US and Turkish diplomats, but Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he stood by the account. The NATO allies are at odds over issues including US support for a Syrian Kurdish militia viewed as terrorists by Ankara and Turkey's purchase of a Russian missile system over US objections. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo held talks on Wednesday during the Turkish official's visit to Washington as part of 70th anniversary celebrations of the NATO alliance. The US State Department said Pompeo had warned Ankara of "potentially devastating consequences" if Turkey launches an offensive in Syria and urged the "swift resolution" of legal cases involving US citizens and US mission employees under investigation in Turkey. Pompeo also pressed Cavusoglu about Turkey's plans to buy the S-400 missile defence system from Russia, which Washington has warned could put Ankara at risk of US sanctions, the State Department said in a statement. But Cavusoglu questioned on the issue by reporters in Washington insisted "I was there... such language was never used, on Syria particularly they never mentioned such things about unilateral actions from Turkey." He backed up earlier comments by his foreign ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said the US readout "not only fails to reflect the content of the meeting, but also contains matters that were not even raised during said meeting". It was not clear what "matters" Aksoy was referring to in his statement and foreign ministry officials were not immediately available for comment. Aksoy said similar problems had arisen after previous talks, and urged statements to be prepared with "greater care". Pompeo, asked by reporters about the Turkish comments, insisted that the State Department account was accurate. "I've re-read the readout of our meeting. Spot on. Stand by every word of it," Pompeo said. Pompeo said he believed that Turkey "understands the American position quite clearly" but said he was hopeful of resolving issues. "There's great opportunities for the United States and Turkey to work closely together," he said. "I had a good, long conversation with the Turkish foreign minister yesterday and I am very confident we'll find a path forward." Ties have been frayed recently by Ankara's purchase of Russian S-400 missiles, which US officials fear have technology that will allow Moscow to gather data from NATO aircraft. The US wants Turkey to instead opt to buy the US Patriot system. Washington responded earlier this week by suspending Turkey's participation in the F-35 fighter-jet programme, in which Turkey has invested over $1 billion. Turkey has disputed the US account of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu UN chief Antonio Guterres expressed deep concern Thursday over the risk of confrontation in Libya after forces loyal to a controversial strongman announced they were preparing to advance on Tripoli. "I am deeply concerned by the military movement taking place in Libya and the risk of confrontation," the visiting Guterres tweeted from the capital, which is controlled by a UN-backed unity government. "There is no military solution," he added. Dozens of militias have fought for control of the North African country since a NATO-backed uprising toppled longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011. But the self-proclaimed Libyan National Army of Khalifa Haftar has emerged as a key player, opposing the government in Tripoli and backing a parallel administration in the east. Haftar launched an offensive into oil-producing regions of southern Libya in January ostensibly aimed at wiping out "terrorists" and criminal groups. He has repeatedly expressed his intention to march on Tripoli. LNA spokesman Ahmed Mesmari said at a press conference on Wednesday that "preparations are on the point of being completed... to purge the west of terrorists and mercenaries". Unity government chief Fayez al-Sarraj called the move an "escalation" and urged Haftar's forces to "stop using the language of threats". He said he had ordered pro-government forces to prepare to "face all threats... whether from terrorist groups, criminals, outlaws and all who threaten the security of every Libyan city". The bellicose comments from Haftar's forces come as the United Nations prepares to convene a conference later this month to hammer out a roadmap for delayed parliamentary and presidential elections. "Only intra-Libyan dialogue can solve Libyan problems," Guterres said on Thursday. "I call for calm and restraint as I prepare to meet the Libyan leaders in the country." The rival leaders had agreed in Paris last year to hold elections before the end of the year, but that vote never materialised as Haftar's forces and the Tripoli government grappled for power. The UN has said Haftar and Sarraj agreed at a meeting in Abu Dhabi last month to make a new attempt to organise the elections. Haftar's forces already control much of Libya's east and south, including the southern city of Sebha The UN Security Council will meet behind closed doors on Friday to discuss the situation in Libya after the leader of eastern forces in the war-scarred north African country ordered his troops to advance on Tripoli. Britain requested the urgent meeting on Thursday, diplomats said, following the order from Khalifa Haftar, a key player opposed to the government in the capital. Haftar's forces announced Wednesday they were gearing up for an offensive in the west of the country to purge it of "terrorists and mercenaries," having seized key areas of the country's south since the start of the year. "The time has come," Haftar said in an audio message released Thursday by his self-proclaimed Libyan National Army, pledging to spare civilians and "state institutions." The meeting is scheduled for 3:00 pm (1900 GMT). The spike in tensions came as Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was making his first visit as UN chief to Libya ahead of a planned conference later this month aimed at charting a course toward elections. "I am deeply concerned by the military movement taking place in Libya and the risk of confrontation," Guterres tweeted. The United States and its allies issued a joint statement urging "all parties to immediately de-escalate tensions." "Our governments oppose any military action in Libya and will hold accountable any Libyan faction that precipitates further civil conflict," said the US, France, Britain, Italy and the United Arab Emirates. Elections in Libya are meant to turn the page on years of chaos following the 2011 overthrow of Moamer Kadhafi that has seen a bitter rivalry emerge between two governments scrambling for control in the oil-rich country. Libyan military leader Khalifa Haftar has ordered his forces to advance on Tripoli, seat of the internationally-recognised unity government The night of the big wind Incidents such as the recent rainstorm cast doubt on the authoritys preparedness to deal with disasters. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said Thursday he was "shocked" by the level of suffering of migrants at a detention centre in Tripoli which he visited during a visit to the Libyan capital. "I was very moved and shocked by the level of suffering and especially by the level of despair that I found," Guterres told reporters during the second day of trip to Tripoli during which he visited the Zara detention centre. "This is, of course, not only a responsibility for Libya, it?s a responsibility for the whole of the international community," the UN chief added. European Union cooperation with Libya has been credited with sharply reducing the number of migrants arriving from North Africa and the Middle East from a 2015 peak when Europe faced its worst migration crisis since World War II. Italy's tough line on the issue has seen many boats that pick up migrants making the perilous journey across the Mediterranean increasingly return them to chaos-wracked Libya. But there they face trafficking, kidnap, torture and rape, according to the United Nations and aid groups. Activists also decry rampant human rights abuses against migrants in Libya as they await passage to Europe and urge the EU not to outsource the problem to Tripoli. Guterres said that "in the present circumstances that we are living, it would be very difficult to argue that disembarkation in Libya is disembarkation in a safety situation". He appealed to the international community "to understand the need for international refugee law to be fully respected, and the need to address the migration problem in a way that is compatible with the defence of the interests of the state but also the human rights of the migrants". Migrants get their message across during the UN head's visit Thursday United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (centre) said he was shocked by what he saw at the migrant camp The United States on Thursday requested that the UN Security Council hold a meeting next week to discuss the worsening humanitarian crisis in Venezuela, diplomats said. The meeting, expected to be held on Wednesday, comes amid growing alarm over the impact of the economic and political crises in Venezuela on families and children. An internal UN report seen by AFP last week said seven million people -- about 24 percent of Venezuela's population -- are in need of humanitarian aid, lacking access to food and medical care. Some 3.7 million people suffer from undernourishment -- three times the rate from the 2010-2012 period, according to the UN report. At least 22 percent of children under five suffer from chronic malnutrition. President Nicolas Maduro has blamed US sanctions for Venezuela's economic problems but opposition leader Juan Guaido, who has declared himself interim leader, says government corruption and mismanagement are at fault. Guaido is recognized by the United States and about 50 other governments. In a note circulated to the council, the US mission to the United Nations asked for an open meeting to allow the council to be briefed by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres or his representative on the crisis. "Given the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the country, we believe a briefing is necessary and timely," said the note seen by AFP. - Humanitarian emergency - Maduro has charged that the United States is using humanitarian aid as a political tool to overthrow him. Human Rights Watch and a group of US public health experts released a report Thursday detailing severe medicine and food shortages in Venezuela combined with the spread of disease resulting in a "complex humanitarian emergency." They called for a full-scale response from the United Nations to address the crisis. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the world body was scaling up aid to Venezuela but stressed that relief agencies require the consent of the government to expand their operations. The Red Cross last week said it would begin distributing aid to Venezuela. At least seven people were killed and dozens injured in February when the United States sought to bring in aid to Venezuela in an operation denounced by Maduro as a foreign conspiracy to destabilize his government. The United States in February asked the council to adopt a resolution demanding new presidential elections and unimpeded deliveries of humanitarian aid, but that measure was vetoed by Russia and China. Russia has accused Washington of seeking regime change in Venezuela while China has stressed that there should be no international meddling in the South American country's affairs. Russia and China in February vetoed at the UN Security Council a US resolution demanding unimpeded deliveries of humanitarian aid to Venezuela and new presidential elections Roger Misso, a Red Creek native who was a naval flight officer on combat missions in the Middle East, is the first Democrat to enter the 24th Congressional District race against Republican U.S. Rep. John Katko. Misso, D-Syracuse, announced Thursday that he has filed to form a campaign committee. His entry comes at the beginning of the second fundraising quarter for federal candidates. "I am running because I believe in central New York," Misso said in a statement. "Our neighbors and our community deserve leaders who will put our needs ahead of the billionaires, big corporations and political insiders who fund their campaigns. I am running to bring a new generation of servant leadership to Congress." Misso was raised in Wayne County and is a Red Creek Central School District graduate. In his youth, he said he "grew up skipping stones" at Rudy's, a restaurant on the Lake Ontario shoreline in Oswego, and worked as a dishwasher at The Cottage Inn in his hometown. His military career began when he was admitted to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis. He graduated from the academy, then served in the Navy for more than 10 years. His stint with the Navy included combat operations as a naval flight officer. Misso said he was deployed to the Middle East twice for combat operations, including one of the first missions against the Islamic State, a terrorist group primarily in Iraq and Syria. Throughout his military career, Misso said he advocated for sexual assault survivors. He served as a defense assistant in the House of Representatives and was the chief speechwriter for Adm. Michelle Howard, the first woman to become a four-star Navy admiral. Misso added that he was part of an effort to push for expanded child care programs, improved family leave policies and access to mental health services. He recently moved back to central New York with his family. He lives in Syracuse. Misso said in a statement that bolstering the region's economy will be a top priority if he's elected to Congress. "I will fight to provide jobs and security for all, to make health care universal and affordable, and to be a voice for farmers, small businesses, union members, and all the hardworking people who feel that both parties have forgotten them," Misso said. Katko, R-Camillus, is in his third term representing the 24th district. The district includes the western portion of Oswego County and all of Cayuga, Onondaga and Wayne counties. In 2014, Katko was elected in a race decided by 20 points. He won re-election by 22 points in 2016. The 2018 campaign was Katko's toughest. He was challenged by Democratic candidate Dana Balter. Balter, D-Syracuse, was the best-funded Syracuse-area congressional challenger in history. While other Republicans across the country lost their races, Katko defeated Balter by five points. Balter hasn't ruled out a second campaign in 2020. She has told The Citizen that she is considering a run. The 24th district race is a priority for Democrats. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the House Democrats' campaign arm, has named Katko as a 2020 target. CORRECTION: A press release from Misso's campaign identified him as an aviator. He was a naval flight officer. A naval flight officer focuses on the technical aspects of an aircraft, such as navigation and weapon systems. Online producer Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @robertharding. Love 8 Funny 1 Wow 2 Sad 0 Angry 10 A U.S. Senate committee advanced President Donald Trump's picks to serve on a bi-national commission tasked with managing Lake Ontario water levels. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee reported the nominations of former New York state Assembly member Jane Corwin, Rob Sisson and Lance Yohe to fill the United States' three seats on the six-member International Joint Commission. The committee reviewed the nominations at a business meeting Wednesday. With the committee's approval, the nominations can be considered by the full Senate. The International Joint Commission manages shared waterways between the U.S. and Canada. These water bodies include Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. For now, the U.S. has two members on the commission: Lara Pollack, the section chair, and Rich Moy both of whom were appointed by former President Barack Obama. In 2018, Trump nominated Corwin, Sisson and Yohe to serve on the commission. But the Senate didn't consider the nominations before the end of the year. Trump renominated the trio in January. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, New York's senior senator, announced in March that he supports Trump's nominees. "I urge my colleagues in the Republican majority to put them up for committee review and then a floor vote as soon as possible," he said. If confirmed, Corwin will serve as the commission's U.S. section chair. She is a former state lawmaker from western New York who is familiar with Plan 2014, a water management strategy approved by the commission in 2016. When flooding occurred along Lake Ontario in 2017, some elected officials and residents blamed it on Plan 2014. They believe adjustments in water levels by the plan contributed to the flooding that impacted several communities, including the village of Fair Haven in Cayuga County. The main cause of the flooding, though, was record rainfall in the Great Lakes Basin. With above average water levels this year, there is concern that shoreline communities could experience a repeat of the 2017 flood. That's one of the reasons why several state lawmakers, including state Sen. Pam Helming, signed a letter to U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell urging him to allow a vote on the three IJC nominees. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has a backlog of nominees to consider. U.S. Sen. James Risch, the committee's chair, revealed last week that there were 61 nominees awaiting action. Trump's picks for the International Joint Commission were on that list. "I am pleased that our committee was able to come together today and vote out a sizable number of the president's nominees, as well as seven very important resolutions," Risch said in a statement Wednesday. The International Joint Commission nominees have been placed on the Senate calendar, but dates haven't been set for confirmation votes. It's possible the Senate could approve several nominations at once to reduce its backlog. Online producer Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @robertharding. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 In a letter signed by all of its members, the Cayuga County Legislature's Democratic Caucus says recent resolutions regarding bills from the state Legislature serve little purpose other than to divide the body, while Republicans contend such resolutions allow the county to be heard by the state. The two resolutions dealt with a bill in the state Legislature that could provide some undocumented immigrants with driver's licenses and the Reproductive Health Act, which expands the legality of some instances of abortion and had already been signed into law. The resolution opposing driver's licenses passed with support from Republicans and independent Legislator Patrick Mahunik. The resolution opposing the Reproductive Health Act was defeated, with Democrats and Mahunik voting against it. In the letter from the caucus, Democrats said the controversial topics have little to do with county operations, and only serve to foster partisan divides over state and federal-level issues the county has no control over. "It is difficult enough to reach consensus on our important local issues, without introducing topics for the sole purpose of gaining perceived partisan political advantage or emphasizing our differing opinions on the "hot potato" political topics at the State and National level," the letter reads. Minority Leader Keith Batman, D-Springport, said that current Legislature Chair Tucker Whitman, R-Sterling, has made bipartisanship and cooperation a priority, and the resolutions distract legislators from what should be their actual work, like setting policy and law or finding operational efficiency for the county. "The issues really is: let us focus on the things we have an impact on. Let us focus on the things we need to get done," Batman said in a phone interview. Whitman said he spoke with his colleagues about their concerns and is still committed to working cooperatively, but he felt the two resolutions were relevant to the county. Driver's licenses would directly affect County Clerk Sue Dwyer's office, he said, and while the Reproductive Health Act wouldn't have a direct impact, it was important to try and send a message to the state. "I feel like when we have the opportunity to try and send a message to our governor we should, because I feel like downstate dictates a lot of what he does. I still like to be heard," Whitman said. During the Legislature meeting last Tuesday, Legislator Andrew Dennison, R-Ira, said the Reproductive Health Act at least affected constituents enough for him to receive numerous emails and calls. Legislator Aileen McNabb-Coleman, D-Auburn, who made similar points to the letter during the meeting, said Wednesday there are an array of hot-button state and federal issues that legislators on both sides are passionate about, but said it would do little good to Cayuga County to discuss them on the Legislature floor. "We could go on and on and spend a lot of time on issues that are not under our purview at the county, and it would just further divide us," McNabb-Coleman said in a phone interview. Cayuga County Women's Republican Club President Roberta Massarini, who wrote the resolution regarding the Reproductive Health Act, though she said in a phone interview she did so in an individual capacity, said it was an issue she cares deeply about, and one that deserved to be heard on the floor. "I felt like I wanted to see where my local elected officials fell on the matter, and so I decided to start at the county level," Massarini said. When asked about that point, McNabb-Coleman said everyone on the Legislature has been backed by one political party or the other, so their stances on such issues should already be evident. "I'm sure people just get a sense of where we all stand because we're backed by a party for a reason," McNabb-Coleman said. Authorship of resolutions was another point of contention raised by Batman, who said that it was inappropriate for resolutions, like the one authored by Massarini, to come from outside the Legislature. In the case of the license resolution, Whitman said he's always leaned on department heads for their knowledge, and that it was appropriate to consult with Dwyer given she oversees the county DMV. Staff writer Ryan Franklin can be reached at (315) 282-2252 or ryan.franklin@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @RyanNYFranklin Love 0 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 5 A man was killed Thursday in a three-vehicle crash in Sennett. The Cayuga County Sheriff's Office said that David Fleet, 58, of Mattydale, was fatally injured when his vehicle was struck from behind on Route 34, just north of Auburn. Police said that at about 2:19 p.m., Darynn VanWie, 26, of Weedsport, was operating a 2009 GMC SUV northbound on Route 34 when she struck the rear of a 2016 Chevrolet sedan operated by Fleet. That collision caused Fleets vehicle to strike the rear of a 2017 Toyota sedan operated by Vicki Viccaro, 78, of Weedsport. The vehicles operated by Fleet and Viccaro were stopped in the northbound lane awaiting another northbound vehicles opportunity to turn left into a private business. Fleet was transported to Auburn Community Hospital where he died as a result of injuries sustained in the crash. Viccaro was treated at the scene for a minor injury, and Darynn VanWie was not injured, police said. The sheriff's office said that the investigation into the incident is ongoing and anyone with any information is encouraged to contact Detective Justin Leszczynski at (315) 258 3868. Anonymous tips may be left left at cayugsheriff.com. North Street Road (Route 34) was closed to traffic between Turnpike Road in Sennett and Tanner Road in Brutus until a little after 3:30 p.m. as police investigated the accident. Assisting the sheriffs office with this incident were the Cayuga County 911 Center, New York State Police, Throop Fire Department, Sennett Fire Department, and American Medical Response (AMR) Ambulance. Love 0 Funny 3 Wow 3 Sad 31 Angry 8 New York farms produce commodities, like corn, soybeans, produce or milk, and then must compete for markets against producers from all over the world. However, not all food produced elsewhere falls under the same level of high standards that we have in New York. Im concerned that adding production costs will put our farms at a further competitive disadvantage compared to products produced elsewhere. This would make it more difficult to keep farms in New York. Take the rising New York minimum wage for instance, currently $11.10 per hour. Nobody on our farm starts at minimum wage except a part-time high schooler. The minimum wage has drastically increased over the past few years. For us to be a competitive employer, offering good wages and benefits to our valued employees, we increase the wages for our entire workforce, adding significant costs to our business without increased income to help balance those increased expenses. The average farm wage in New York is over $14 an hour and often comes with benefits like free housing, utilities and transportation. However, neighboring Pennsylvania has a minimum wage of $7.25/hour and Ohio is $8.55/ hour, a 23- to 35-percent disadvantage in wages for New York. The proposed farm labor bill in the state Legislature would increase that gap even more. It would set an overtime rate not only at 40 hours a week, but at eight hours per day. Farming is weather dependent and some days we must work longer hours to make up for lost time. This will only drive some farms to become larger to try and compete for markets, if they can even absorb the increased costs. Just like what happened to mom and pop stores, we will lose more farms. New USDA statistics show 280 New York dairies closed in 2018, and we have lost more than 20 percent of our dairy farms in this latest downturn of the farm economy. If the state raises the cost of producing food, then New Yorkers, in theory, should have to pay more for their food, but that is unlikely to happen in the marketplace. Americans have the cheapest food in the world thanks to efficient farmers and their employees. Farmers commend state Sen. Pam Helming for standing up for her constituents and looking to find ways to help agriculture grow. Because when farms do better, it is better for our employees, our families, and our rural economy. Jon Patterson Aurelius Love 5 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2 Wild animals wreak havoc in Dhanusha Locals in the mid-eastern parts of Dhanusha district have been at the receiving end of wild animals destroying their crops every day. " " Modern car doors have the added complication of side-impact sensors, which are the ones that trigger the airbags if your car is hit hard in the side. Is it possible a slim jim could deploy your car's side-impact airbags? (Adam Gault/Digital Vision/Getty Images) Locked out of your car? Snap into it with a slim jim. Oh, yeah! A slim jim is a tool, usually made from a thin sheet of metal or plastic, that sneaks into a car's door structure through the window opening (by inserting it parallel and adjacent to the glass) and triggers the mechanism that unlocks a locked door. In some circles, this may be referred to as an "unlocking tool." Slim jims were originally designed in the era of non-powered locks (the old mechanical kind) and worked by hooking a wire inside the door structure that freed the lock. Now, in the age of power everything, it seems like a slim jim might not be quite as useful on a car with a more complicated design; however, slim jim manufacturers say that the tools will still work on cars with power locks. Advertisement Of course, the slim jim was also designed before automobile airbags, and long before car manufacturers (chasing after high safety ratings) began stuffing airbags in every available orifice. Modern car doors have the added complication of side-impact sensors, which are the ones that trigger the airbags if your car is hit hard in the side. The exact location of these sensors varies a little from model to model (as do the door lock components), and it's hard to imagine that most people, needing to get into their locked car in a hurry, take the time to actually track down and consult a diagram of their car door's inner workings to ensure accuracy when they're fishing around for the lock. It seems logical that jamming a piece of metal down into the door and blindly digging around might inadvertently make contact with the airbag components, which could, in turn, trigger an unexpected deployment. All that said, though, it's still unclear how this urban legend took off. Many sources claim that it was a firefighter in Ohio who was injured, or possibly even killed, after accidentally deploying an airbag with a slim jim, but there are very few details to be found. An undated bulletin from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) explains further. After these rumors and concerns reached the government agency (which is in charge of vehicle safety standards and testing in the United States), they tried to track down the Ohio firefighter story to verify that the incident actually occurred. They found nothing. The NHTSA then spoke to some car manufacturers and they were eager to assure the general public that, basically, there's no way a slim jim could make a side-impact airbag go off. So no need to worry. If you lock your keys in your car, the side airbag won't deploy when that kind firefighter lends you his slim jim. (It also won't deploy if a car thief is using a slim jim, for that matter. But tool companies are quick to mention that they only sell slim jims to qualified law enforcement personnel, locksmiths and mechanics.) Good news all around. SAN FRANCISCOThe Erotic Service Providers Legal Education and Research Project (ESPLERP), a sex worker activist group, today called out the media for their irresponsible, lazy reporting on the Robert Kraft case, and about sex work in general. The reporting on the Robert Kraft case has been incredibly sloppy and lazy, charged Maxine Doogan of ESPLERP. You might expect a reputable news operation like The New York Times to conduct some basic fact-checkinglike checking what the individuals caught up in the Florida massage parlor prostitution sting were actually charged with, which turns out to be misdemeanor prostitution and nothing to do with trafficking. But instead, they simply parroted law enforcements completely misleading and unsupported claims. Florida law enforcement are doubling down on their trafficking claims, said Claire Alwyne of ESPLERP. They used those claims to get a 'sneak and peek' surveillance warrant, to mount a six-month-long operation that probably cost tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars, to receive sexual services from victims, and conduct illegal traffic stops. But they have absolutely zero evidence of traffickingand it would be completely embarrassing to admit that now. News organizations love to drink the trafficking Kool-Aid, said Reada Wong of ESPLERP. For example, every January, anti-prostitution campaigners and law enforcement make a slew of announcements, faithfully reproduced by news organizations, about an outbreak of trafficking at the Super Bowl. It would be so easy to fact check this; for example on Snopes, which notes that the facts do not support the hypothesis. Its a myth. But they run it anyway. ESPLERP calls on news organizations to act responsibly, to fact-check before reproducing extravagant claims about sex work. Not doing so, and therefore promoting trafficking hysteria, is a major contributor to the "moral panic" that led so many legislators, including all the current Democratic presidential hopefuls, to vote for FOSTA. Sloppy reporting has consequences. Sex workers are dying because of FOSTA. And the news organizations that uncritically ran trafficking stories, the celebrities who stumped for it, and the politicians that campaigned for it, have blood on their hands. Police should not be wasting time (and taxpayers' money) arresting adults engaged in consensual sex. ESPLERP calls on legislators in all 50 states to decriminalize sex work immediately. The Erotic Service Providers Legal, Education and Research Project (ESPLERP) is a diverse community-based coalition advancing sexual privacy rights through litigation, education, and research. Contributions to support ESPLERP's work can be submitted at LitigateToEmancipate.com. Independent porn producers are forging a new relationship with fans by getting those same fans to help finance their projects, according to a new article published on Wednesday on the pop culture site The Verge, which explores how companies such as San Franciscos Pink and White Productions have helped build their audience and create new content through crowdfunding sites such as IndieGoGo. Earlier studies on the topic have shown that the approach makes sense, in particular for feminist porn producers such as Pink and Whites Shine Louise Houston (pictured above). According to statistics published by MediaShift, crowdfunding is one financing method that appears to favor women. On the popular crowdfunding site Kickstarter, women were found to be 13 percent more likely to reach their funding goals, according to the statistics, while on IndiGoGo, womens projects fare even better, coming in at 61 percent more likely to reach their goals. Houston utilized IndiGoGo to raise funds for her latest project, Chemistry Eases the Pain, hitting its goal by raising $24,876 from 307 backers in a campaign that wrapped up on February 28. According to writer Lux Alptraum in her Verge piece, crowdfunding, at the simplest level, is a more convenient and stigma-free way for consumers to pay for porn. Some fans are squeamish about typing in their credit card number on an explicitly adult site," she wrote. When they can pay through a mainstream venue like IndieGoGo or Patreon, the number of people who are willing to shell out increases substantially. Crowdfunding sites also come with more reasonable prices, and shun the sometimes shady billing practices that, at least in the earlier days, were too frequent among online porn sites. But perhaps the most important feature of crowdfunding, according to Alptraum, is the sense of community it fosters between creators and fans. Other customers noted that a crowdfunding platform felt more intimate and directas though they were paying their favorite performers and creators instead of some faceless corporation, she wrote on The Verge. And they saw their contributions as a way to fund work they care about, rather than just lining a wealthy pornographers pockets. Photo by Pink and White Productions Instagram 1. Yes. Patrol cars in the lot and armed officers inside would deter would-be criminals. 2. Yes. Police should announce their plans and be highly visible during store hours. 3. No. The citys police officers have other obligations. More private security is the answer. 4. No. Perhaps, but installing more surveillance cameras would be a better deterrent. 5. Unsure. More police might help, but it could also stretch KPDs resources too thin. Vote View Results Jail Management, Not Just Beaufort but any County Why do we need a jail? There are many reasons. Some of them are: to keep those who are accused of criminal acts from fleeing to avoid prosecution, to protect the criminal from the public administering its own version of justice, so convicted criminals can serve their punishment time, and to hold those who are accused and unable to make bail (bail is to guarantee appearance for trial), There are other reasons, these are the big four. Jails should be clean and the food should be acceptable. The law says emergency health care should be provided. I certainly do not argue with these requirements. Nothing says the jail has to be modern, or the food has to be even remotely fancy. Just the basics. All of this sounds quite simple until we get into the failures of us humans. These failures are the reality of drugs alcohol, and mental illness. Then there are failures in the court system. The court system includes all the judges, lawyers, district attorneys, parole officers and sheriffs . The Beaufort County Jail meets and in some cases exceeds all of the requirements for a jail. We are permitted to hold 87 prisoners and in the past we have had as many as 110 prisoners on a fairly frequent schedule. Regardless of what anyone may tell you our jail is in compliance with the standards of the Stat of North Carolina. Those who want a new jail are usually bleeding hearts and liberals who truly believe bigger and new will convert some criminals into normal law abiding society. We have others who believe top notch health care in the jail will convert criminals. Both groups are misguided. They want the law abiding citizen to give up his money for their social cause. Can we improve our jail. Yes, our jail can be improved tremendiously. However, not by providing more medical care or new cells. The single best thing is to reduce the jail population. From the standpoint of jail management, the Beaufort county Jail is terrible. The jail is the responsibility of both the Sheriff and the County Commissioners. The sheriff claims it is his kingdom, he just wants you to build hem a new one and keep sending lots of money. He says he does not have an opinion about a new jail, but his behavior speaks volumes otherwise. How do we reduce the number of prisoners in the jail? Reducing the population is not difficult. Reducing jail population does not come close to the cost of a new jail, but it does require good management. This is something the Board of Commissioners and the Sheriff do not have. There are several ways to reduce jail population. A speedy trial is one way. We continually have about 18 prisoners who have been there for from six months to two years. Why? Their trial dates have not been set for a variety of reasons. Some defense lawyers are judge shopping. They want an old friend or an easy judge to try a case. The District Attorney has a weak case and he is looking for a plea bargain. Some defense attorneys are not aggressive in getting cases called. A combination of the District attorney and the Sheriff are trying to sweat criminal information out of the defendant. Some defense lawyers are hoping witnesses will forget facts, or die or leave the state. There are those whose health is bad or have mental health problems. They may be un diagnosed, or not taking medicine on schedule. Some may be under the care of a mental health professional. There are those who cannot make bond because they have skipped out on bonds, are indigent, or have lost their job because they are in jail. What can be done about these classes of inmates? The answer is "A lot can be done". One size does not fit all. We would not use the same methods to deal with the District Attorney as for someone who could not make bond. Who is keeping score on those who have been in jail more than 6 months. As far as I know, no body but me. What if the County put on its web site a list of those have been guests of the County for more than six mounts along with what they are charged with and the name of their attorney. What does that cost in comparison to the 900 dollars each day we are to keep them in jail. What about getting those with bad health on ankle bracelets. What about assisting those who cannot make bond but have a place to stay to be on ankle bracelets. What about mental health screening. I fully realize the cooperation of both the judges and District attorney is needed to make this work. Beaufort County has never taken the first step to screen prisoners to reduce the population of the jail. Some counties have a person or persons who work daily to reduce jail populations. I am not talking about inventing the wheel. Many jurisdictions have already done what I am talking about. I do have strong opinions that the person who does this cannot report to certain departments. They should be employed by the county and accountable to the county. We have a Sheriff who simply does not care and has not lifted the first finger to reduce jail populations. We do not need a new jail. We need to manage the one we have. Former Texas congressman Beto ORourke, who famously lost a senate bid against Ted Cruz (R-TX) in the 2018 election, is currently one of the front-runners in the Democratic presidential primary race. He has polled as high as 12% and as low as 5% in recent polls. He raised $6.1 million in his first 24 hours after announcing his candidacy, and a total of $9.4 million in the first 18 days. I have to admit, I dont get ORourkes appeal. South Bend mayor Pete Buttigieg makes sense to me, but ORourke is a mystery. Its not that he simply doesnt appeal to me (he doesnt though), but that he clearly does appeal to a lot of other people, for reasons of which I am either ignorant or skeptical. 12% is great for a field of more than ten candidates. $6.1 million is even more than grassroots champion Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) raised in his campaigns first 24 hours. ORourke is sometimes called relatable. He was in a cross-dressing post-hardcore rock band in the early 90s. He eats at Whataburger and skateboards in the parking lot. These things might be relatable to some people, but they dont scream should-be-the-next-Commander-in-Chief to me. Different strokes for different folks, though, I guess. That said, there is reason to be skeptical of ORourkes early success. First of all, it seems worth underscoring that he lost to Ted Cruz. By the only measure that matters votes ORourkes Texas senate campaign was not a success. Senator Cruz is not very popular, according to his approval numbers. Yet he spent less than half as much money as ORourke in the 2018 campaign and still won. Notably, Cruz also lost his run for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016 to none other than President Donald Trump, who is also very unpopular. That said, big deal. Perhaps losing to someone who lost to the current president isnt good enough reason to be skeptical that ORourke could win in 2020. But theres more. The Associated Press has called ORourke a centrist, but even if we grant that, what kind of centrist is he? When one digs beneath ORourkes relatable rhetoric, which tends to be light on policy specifics and delivered from atop tables and bars while characteristically waving his arms and gesticulating fervently, the picture that emerges is someone who is economically conservative (for a Democrat) but socially progressive. Writing for The Daily Dot, Brenden Gallagher has offered as decent a breakdown of ORourkes policy preferences as Ive seen, which I excerpt here: The Beto ORourke platform does not support Medicare for All. On the issue of immigration he does propose some liberal reforms but is not in favor of transformational change. ORourke echoes the moderate Republican fascination with apprenticeship programs, and he uses the language of economic growth when talking about infrastructure improvements. However, he is in favor of the progressive policy of rural broadband expansion and wants to expand family leave. Instead of a bold stance like free public college, his student loan policies are filled with half measures like expanding Pell Grants and promoting trade schools and nanodegrees.' The progressive position ORourke is best known for is legalizing marijuana (which he views as a path to decreased gang violence). The Beto ORourke platform references banning the most deadly assault rifles on the campaign trail. Still, there is no evidence on his website that he supports an assault weapons ban. While there have been a number of Democratic politicians, including House Majority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who have shown a willingness to budge on reproductive justice, ORourke is uncompromising when it comes to womens right to choose. As a congressman, ORourke earned a 100 percent approval rating from the Planned Parenthood Action Fund. So ORourke might be more friendly toward free markets than other Democrats running for president (a low bar given that one of them, Sanders, is an actual socialist, but still). However, on social issues like marijuana and abortion, ORourke is squarely in the progressive camp. This is a problem for ORourke because there are very few voters who want that combination (economically conservative, socially progressive). This same point has been made about former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, who is considering running as an Independent. Look, for example, at this data from the 2016 election, from the Voters Study Group: Notice the bottom right quadrant? Thats the quadrant of people who identified as economically conservative and socially progressive. Thats ORourkes quadrant. Perhaps right now hes getting by on his charisma, but I find it unlikely that his popularity will keep pace as his policies come to light. Now, it is fair to note that both these axes are flawed. They reductively group a lot of disparate issues together. Some pro-life people wouldnt mind legalizing marijuana, for example. There is no clear connection between the two issues that would merit grouping them in the same Social/Identity category. And perhaps these axes overlook other important electoral issues, such as the environment. Nevertheless, it would also be unwise to dismiss the visible correlation between being a socially progressive economic conservative (or even centrist) and having no one to vote for you on election day. I could see someone who is centrist on both axes having a shot, but ORourkes potential path to victory is hard for me to picture. To the extent that being electable means being able to appeal to a wide swath of voters, ORourke does not seem to qualify. Now, maybe none of that would matter. If ORourke were to win the Democratic nomination, hed likely gain a slew of supporters who would vote for him out of sheer partisanship and wouldnt really care about his policies. Many socially and economically conservative voters reluctantly lined up behind Trump in 2016, after all, just because he was the Republican candidate. But the same data shows that Trumps populism, the top left quadrant, actually resonates with a large percentage of voters. (Trump was economically progressive in some ways and socially centrist in others in 2016.) ORourkes quadrant is nearly empty. Despite his conviction that hes born to be in it, he doesnt seem to have a natural constituency. Perhaps ORourke will prove me wrong, but for these reasons Im skeptical of his current polling and the media buzz surrounding him. I dont doubt the accuracy of the polls. I doubt that he will continue polling so well. The mismatch of markets and morality that makes up ORourkes known policy stances does not bode well for him. But who knows? Maybe in 2020 Whataburger will be enough. Image credit: Beto ORourke in Cleveland by Erik Drost On this episode of Acton Line, Trey Dimsdale, director of program outreach at Acton Institute, sits down with Andrew Graham, attorney at First Liberty Institute, a public interest law firm. Trey and Andrew talk about a current case threatening Bladensburg World War I Memorial in Maryland, known as the Peace Cross. The land on which the cross stands was first privately owned by American Legion and the memorial was erected with privately raised funds. Now the land belongs to the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission., and the U.S. Court of Appeals has declared the cross unconstitutional. First Liberty is now working on behalf of American Legion and a court ruling is expected in June. In the second segment, executive producer of Acton Line, John Couretas, speaks with author and political economist, James R. Otteson about his new book, Honorable Business, addressing objections commonly raised against business and commercial society as well as proposing a framework for business in a just society. Check out additional resources for this podcast: Read A legal test for the Bladensburg Peace Cross, by Trey Dimsdale Learn more about First Liberty 3 Ways the Bladensburg Memorial Case Could Shape Religious Liberty for the Next 30 Years Purchase Honorable Business: A Framework for Business in a Just and Humane Society, by James R. Otteson New to the Acton Line podcast? Subscribe here! We also recommend starting with these episodes: Rev. Robert A. Sirico on the reality of socialism; Interview with a Venezuelan dissident: Is entrepreneurship declining? All jobs are on the A team: P.J. ORourke on capitalism; Peter Jacksons They Shall Not Grow Old: Do you have feedback for the Acton Line podcast team? We want to hear from you! Leave a message at 888-705-4180 or email [email protected] Lastly, if you like what you heard on todays episode, please leave a review and rating on iTunes. Featured image credit: Maryland GovPics/Flickr.com. Used under Creative Commons license (CC BY 2.0). Cropped. Snowpiercer is the most political film of the year. And likely to be one of the most misunderstood. Snowpiercer is also very weird, which youd probably expect from a South Korean sci-fi post-apocalyptic action film based on a French graphic novel that stars Chris Evans (Captain America) and Tilda Swinton (The Chronicles of Narnia). The basic plot of the movie is that in 2014, an experiment to counteract global warming (which is based on a real plan) causes an ice age that kills nearly all life on Earth. The only survivors are the inhabitants of the Snowpiercer, a massive super-luxury train, powered by a perpetual-motion engine, that travels on a globe-spanning track. A class system is installed, with the elites inhabiting the front of the train and the poor inhabiting the tail. When I say this is a political film I mean it in the Platonic sense of an ideal polis based on the best form of government that leads to the common good. Snowpiercer is an extended political fable about the polis, albeit one that includes scenes of hatchet fights between people carrying torches and people wearing night-vision goggles. Last week, Snowpiercer was released in eight theaters in selected cities and on video-on-demand. Because of the rave critical reviews (its currently at 95% approval on Rotten Tomatoes), itll like be going into wider release. If you havent seen it yet, lower your expectations. While visually interesting and, at times, thought-provoking, it doesnt live up to the hype (director Bong Joon-hos 2006 monster flick The Host was similarly over-praised). You should also be forewarned that its rated R for graphic violence, language, and drug content. If you have seen it and still wondering what exactly it was about, read on. Spoiler Alert: If you havent seen the movie yet and dont like spoilers, stop reading now. Seriously. Massive spoilers below. Stop reading now. Dont say you werent warned. There are two ways to understand Snowpiercer, the right way and the wrong way. Heres your guide to both: The wrong way: As an Occupy Wall Street-style parable about economic inequality. The right way: As a parable of Darwinian economic and political determinism. Yes, Snowpiercer is about class warfare. And yes, it is about economic inequality. But its not the parable you may assume. For starters, there is a complete lack of both economic equality and social mobility because none exists in nature. Curtis, everyone has their preordained position, and everyone is in their place except you, says Wilford (Ed Harris). Curtis isnt in his position anymore because he still believes concepts such as justice and equality have meaning. What hes missing, as Wilford makes clear, is that equality doesnt matter. Its a Darwinian world and what is needed for survival, says Wilford, is balance: This train is a complete ecosystem which must respect the balance. Air, water, food, people. Everything must be regulated. For this, it was sometimes necessary to use more radical solutions. Wilford goes on to explain that the balance can only be achieved by two ways: Either by natural selection or political manipulation. Over the course of its 18 year history, the train has had three revolutions instigated by Wilford and his partner in the back of the train, Gilliam. The two political masterminds understood that they needed to maintain a balance between anxiety and fear, chaos and horror, for life goes on. Class warfare was the ingenious method of maintaining the population. The people in the front of the train can never grow too comfortable, for fear the back might rise up and take their place. And the down-and-out in the back are given just enough hope in a future regime-change that they dont fall into complete despair. By having a controlled revolution every five years or so, the political manipulators (Wilford and Gilliam) could let the Front and Back kill off just enough people to maintain the balance. In essence, Wilford and Gilliam accept the validity of Darwinian social determinism, but believe it can be controlled and maintained more humanely by implementing a political solution (i.e., planned revolutions that cull the population). The wrong way: Seeing Curtis as the primary hero. The right way: Seeing Curtis as the secondary villain. In the beginning of the film, we identify with Curtis and assume he is the hero since he is championing the ideals the audience believes in, such as equality, fairness, and justice. But by the middle of the film we start getting a different impression of Curtis. Once he allows his loyal friend Edgar to die so that he can capture Minister Mason (Tilda Swinton), we realize he has too much of the True Revolutionary about him to be heroic. By the end of the movie we start to see him for what he really is: a man who will do almost anythingeven eat human babiesin order to ensure his survival. Ironically, Curtis discovers that survival requires maintaining the status quo. To survive, Wilford tells him, he must become the new leader. Without you, Curtis, humanity ceases to exist. After briefly considering the option, Curtis decides that maybe Namgoong Minsoo is right. Maybe it is better for humanity to discard their current polis and take a chance on a return to nature. The wrong way: Thinking Namgoong Minsoo provides a solution. The right way: Realizing that Namgoong Minsoo is as deluded as Curtis and Wilford. Namgoong Minsoo is the third way. While Wilford represents the Status Quo and Curtis the Revolutionary Replacement, Minsoo is the Rousseauian anarchist. He doesnt want to keep the current system and has no illusions that Curtis can offer a better political alternative. Minsoo wants to blow up the system (literally) and return to a Rousseau-style state of nature. This seems reasonable enough until you realize that his solution is even more misguided and utopian than the alternatives. The wrong way: Believing it has a happy ending The right way: Seeing the ending as Christian (in a sense) After Minsoo destroys and derails the train, only two kids survive. The movie ends with Minsoos drug-addled teen daughter and a 5-year-old boy from the back of the train staring at a polar bear. In an interview about that ending, the films director Bong Joon-ho says: The idea of there being multiple generations of people on this train is a key one. Theres an expression in the film: train baby. Those are the two kids that survive, the ones that only knew life on the train. Someone like Curtis or Nam, they lived on Earth, then boarded the train. These kids have never known what it was like to step on the earth. So its almost like Neil Armstrong touching down on the Moon when they leave the train for the first time. They have no memory of what its like to be on the Earth. For them to procreate, its going to take a little time. So, for me, its a very hopeful ending. But of course there are so many deaths, and so many sacrifices its not so sweet. But those two kids will spread the human race. Um, no. No they dont. Im a firm believer in authorial (or directorial) intent, but an ending has to fit with all that has come before. And there is simply no way that those two train babies could survive and spread the human race in a snow-covered barren wasteland. Nobody could. Bear Grylls, the greatest survivor on the planet, could live an extra day. Maybe. Those kids, however, would be eaten by that polar bear within five minutes. So the end of the movie is really about how one political ideal tried to trump another, while a third destroyed both. And then everyone was eaten by polar bears. Surprisingly, this makes for a very Christian ending. Snowpiercer is certainly not a Christian movie, but it could be considered Christian in the sense that it tells a parable that ends with a Christian truth: there can be no redemption without the Redeemer. The wrong way: Taking this South Korean sci-fi post-apocalyptic thriller too seriously by seeing Big Themes that arent really there. The right way: Not taking this South Korean sci-fi post-apocalyptic thriller too seriously but seeing Big Themes that are (if you look closely) really there. Update: At National Review Online, Jonah Goldberg engages with my review and disagrees with me about Curtis: This strikes me as a bit unfair. We learn about his one-time desire to eat babies from a heart-wrenching story told by Curtis himself. He says the thing he hates about himself most is that he knows what people taste like. We learn that he was saved as in he regained his soul by seeing the self-sacrifice of Gilliam and others who literally chopped off their own limbs so that lives could be spared and the hungry might eat. Witnessing this act was quite clearly was transformative for Curtis. He was born again as a better man. Carter finds Christian themes in the film. This struck me as the most obvious. Fair point. Maybe I was being too harsh on Curtis. Goldberg also adds: As for Gilliam, the most revealing thing he says in the whole film is that Curtis should cut out Wilfreds tongue the moment he sees him. Dont give him a chance to talk to you. (Im quoting from memory). That advice implies I think that Gilliam is not quite the partner Wilfred thinks he is (and that Carter assumes he is). If Curtis followed Gilliams advice, Curtis would have never been clued into Wilfreds ideological scheme. When I watched the movie, I missed that line about cutting out Wilfreds tongue. If thats true and Wilfred was lying about their chummy relationship that would indeed change some of my reading of the film. What say you, reader? Is Curtis a hero or a villain? Yahoo! JAPAN Yahoo! JAPAN Petroleos Mexicanos, through its subsidiary p. M. i. Holdings has bought more than 50 million shares in the Spanish company. Economic Cycles Research Institute may not feel the same. The acquisition it has through ctuado shopping in the market and through operations with various entities. The Mexican company and Sacyr Vallehermoso, maximum shareholder in Repsol, have assured the Minister of industry that will keep the spanishness of the oil company. Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex), through its subsidiary P.M.I Holdings, has acquired 56.377.090 shares of Repsol YPF, 4.62% of the capital of the oil company Spanish, by about 1.15 billion euros at market price, as reported by the Commission national of the market of Valores (CNMV). In a statement, Pemex has pointed out that the purchase was completed in accordance with the provisions in the shareholders agreement with Sacyr Vallehermoso on August 29. The acquisition it has through ctuado shopping in the market and through operations with various entities, which include HSBC, Credit Agricole CIB, Natixis and group Financiero Inbursa, added the company. The Inbursa group is controlled by Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim, who also is a Director of the Caixabank, another shareholder of Repsol rrencia Spanish. The financial advisor for the transaction has been the French entity Credit Agricole. August 29, Sacyr and Pemex reached an agreement to organize the voting rights of their respective shareholdings of 20 per cent and 4.81% in Repsol, while the Mexican Group undertook to acquire 5% more before one month of the Spanish oil company and thus reach a joint 29.8%. According to the shareholders Pact reached by Sacyr and Pemex, the two companies pledged to not exceed this percentage and thus circumvent the legal obligation to submit a takeover bid by the oil, which should reach 30%. Under this Covenant, Sacyr and Pemex are convenient to separate the functions of the President of the Council of administration and the Chief Executive of the oil company, charges now levied on Antonio Brufau, whose management has been challenged publicly by Del Rivero. The agreement, with an initial duration of 10 years extendable automatically in terms of five, seeks to develop common vision on Repsol and contribute their knowledge and experience to participate, collaborate and influence better management (of the company). The director general of Pemex, Juan Jose Suarez Coppel, foreshadowed that State company will finance 70 percent of the operation with debt and 30% with own resources. Both the Chairman of Sacyr Vallehermoso, Luis de el Rivero, as general director of Pemex, Juan Jose Suarez, guaranteed this week to the Minister of industry, Miguel Sebastian, that they will maintain the spanishness of oil company Repsol. The Government of Argentina requested the holding of a meeting of YPF to report on the intention of Pemex advance in stake in Repsol, which controls Argentine oil company in which the State of the South American country maintains a golden share. Source of the news: A Mexican oil company acquires more than 4% of Repsol YPF for nearly 1,150 million euros In addition to the fact that limousine travel is very glamorous, it is also the most comfortable trip you can... Unsurprisingly it sounds like public charter schools are big anti-vaxx magnets. Tonic: At two public charter schools in the Sonoma wine country town of Sebastopol, more than half the kindergartners received medical exemptions from state-required vaccines last school year. The cities of Berkeley, Santa Cruz, Nevada City, Arcata, and Sausalito all had schools in which more than 30 percent of the kindergartners had been granted such medical exemptions. Nearly three years ago, with infectious disease rates ticking up, California enacted a fiercely contested law barring parents from citing personal or religious beliefs to avoid vaccinating their children. Children could be exempted only on medical grounds, if the shots were harmful to health. Yet today, many of the schools that had the highest rates of unvaccinated students before the new measure continue to hold that alarming distinction. That's because parents have found end runs around the new law requiring vaccinations. And they have done so, often, with the cooperation of doctorssome not even pediatricians. One prolific exemption provider is a psychiatrist who runs an anti-aging clinic. Doctors in California have broad authority to grant medical exemptions to vaccination, and to decide the grounds for doing so. Some are wielding that power liberally and sometimes for cash: signing dozenseven hundredsof exemptions for children in far-off communities. "It's sort of the Hail Mary of the vaccine refusers who are trying to circumvent SB 277," the California Senate bill signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown in 2015, says Brian Prystowsky, a Santa Rosa pediatrician. "It's really scary stuff. We have pockets in our community that are just waiting for measles to rip through their schools." The number of California children granted medical exemptions from vaccinations has tripled in the past two years. How should Facebook respond to the steady flow of news stories that reveal, again and again, how terrible it is? One way would be to stop being terrible. Instead, Facebook is keeping true to its "be terrible" motto by paying The Daily Telegraph to run a series of sponsored articles praising Facebook. From Business Insider: On March 13, the series ran a feature headlined "What action is Facebook taking to tackle terrorist content?", which discussed Facebook's work to "ensure terrorist content is identified and removed as swiftly as possible." Two days later, a gunman opened fire at mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, killing 50 people and livestreaming the entire attack on Facebook. "The same week of the Christchurch attack, @Facebook told us in a sponsored puff piece in the @Telegraph that they have terrorist content under control," the European branch of policy organization Counter Extremism Project tweeted at the time. "This week, the picture looks very different." The subjects of the sponsored stories in The Daily Telegraph, an influential, 150-year-old right-leaning daily newspaper, that ran throughout March included everything from artificial intelligence to female objectification and combatting scammers online as well as issues that the company has been criticized for. Australia leads "developed democracies" in the adoption of poorly thought-through, dangerous tech laws, thanks to its ban on working cryptography, rushed through in late 2018; now, with no debate or consultation, the Australian Parliament has passed a law that gives tech companies one hour to remove "violent materials" from their platforms with penalties for noncompliance of up to 10% of annual global turnover. The law was rushed through in the wake of the Christchurch mosque shootings, after which the platforms completely failed to enforce their own policies, allowing millions of reposts of the footage streamed by the killer. This is part of a culture of negligence and willful blindness by the platforms, whose unwillingness to confront these matters is the stuff of legend and set them up for this outcome. But if we think the platforms suck at moderation now, just wait until they can lose 10% of gross revenues for not having a sufficiently itchy trigger finger when it comes to censorship. We've already seen how platforms routinely block and censor the victims of crimes who are seeking justice. We've also seen that trolls are happy to expend the time and energy needed to master the policies of platforms and skate right up to them, while goading their opponents into crossing them so they can get them censored. The EU was hoping to pass nearly identical legislation but failed to do so in the last Parliament, largely because its focus shifted to mandatory copyright filters, but the passage of the Australian law is sure to influence the European debate after May's EU elections. But these issues are all connected: once platforms are algorithmically filtering all user speech in the name of copyright, it's easy to just allow someone to shovel unlimited amounts of unappealable "terrorist" and "violent" content into the blacklist's hopper. And while computers are incapable of distinguishing copyright infringement from fair use they're even worse at distinguishing reports of hate crimes from hate crimes themselves. At the same time, larding big platforms with public duties like these the sort of thing that costs tens or hundreds of millions to accomplish also ensures that we will never be able to cut them down to size and break up their monopolies. Once you deputize Big Tech with tasks that no small tech can perform, you also foreclose on any measure that might make Big Tech any smaller. This is a catastrophe for the global internet. Between Australia's crypto ban, the EU Copyright Directive and now the panicked passage of a napkin-doodle into national law, we are watching the high-speed Chinafication of the western internet in realtime. The chief executive of Atlassian, Scott Farquhar, said that no one wanted abhorrent violent material on the internet but "the legislation is flawed and will unnecessarily cost jobs and damage our tech industry". "The current legislation means that anyone working for a company that allows user generated content could potentially go to jail for [three] years," he said. "As written, that applies to news sites, social media sites, dating sites, job sites anywhere user content could be created." Farquhar complained that the legislation failed to define how "expeditiously" violent material must be removed, and did not define who in a social media company could be punished. Australia passes social media law penalising platforms for violent content [Paul Karp/The Guardian] The world's law enforcement agencies have a terrible blind spot when it comes to far-right, white supremacist terror groups, treating them as unimportant lone wolves despite their prolific and bloody acts of violence. The pro-Brexit side in the UK has more than its share of murderous right-wing thugs, who were critical to the passage of the initial Brexit vote, going so far as to stab an anti-Brexit MP to death for her political views. Now, with the future of Brexit in doubt, there's reason to worry that these terror cells will exact vengeance on the UK. Yesterday, a video surfaced of British soldiers using a picture of Jeremy Corbyn who could well be the next Prime Minister of Britain for target practice. On the same day, the trial of a neo-Nazi who had plotted the murder of an anti-Brexit MEP concluded. Other soldiers have been recorded cheering for Tommy Robinson, the founder of the English Defense League, a far-right hate group, who is now an advisor to the UKIP, the political party that led the pro-Brexit movement. Priti Patel, a Tory MP, has called Corbyn "a man who sides with terrorists and socialist dictators." The right-wing terrorist Darren Osborne who murdered a man when he drove his van onto the pavement in front of the Houses of Parliament has said that one of his goals was to murder Corbyn, saying "it would be one less terrorist [on] our streets." Labour MP Rosie Cooper gave a speech in the House of Commons about the neo-Nazis who were caught planning her assassination over her anti-Brexit stance "to send a message to the state, to send a message to this place" (the plot was not foiled by the police, but rather by the anti-fascist campaigning group Hope Not Hate, who infiltrated the terror cell and exposed its plans). Other MPs have been called "traitors" by Tommy Robinson, on the basis of their opposition to Brexit. The video of the soldiers pretending to assassinate Corbyn was, predictably, defended by a trans-Atlantic alliance of far-right trolls. James Delingpole, a Breitbart columnist, asked, "How is it wrong for the Army to train against terrorist-supporting, Jew-hating, Commie revolutionaries?" Jonathan Schanzer, a vice president of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a neoconservative think tank, wrote that it was "reassuring that British soldiers find him repugnant." (Accusations that Labour has been slow to discipline or expel party members for making anti-Semitic remarks have been distorted by Corbyn's political enemies into supposed proof that his criticism of Israeli rights abuses is motivated by anti-Semitism.) One of the the former soldiers who approvingly shared the clip on Twitter, an Iraq war veteran from Belfast named Trevor Coult, dismissed it as "a bit of tomfoolery." (A screenshot of a tweet Coult later deleted shows that the copy of the video he shared was uploaded to Twitter by a Petty Officer who is currently serving in the Royal Navy.) Last month, Coult suggested that British Army veterans were showing restraint by not killing Corbyn for his prior criticism of myth-making around the British role in the First World War. Specter of Far-Right Violence Haunts Crisis Talks Over Brexit [Robert Mackey/The Intercept] Bowalley Road Rules The blogosphere tends to be a very noisy, and all-too-often a very abusive, place. I intend Bowalley Road to be a much quieter, and certainly a more respectful, place. So, if you wish your comments to survive the moderation process, you will have to follow the Bowalley Road Rules. These are based on two very simple principles: Courtesy and Respect. Comments which are defamatory, vituperative, snide or hurtful will be removed, and the commentators responsible permanently banned. Anonymous comments will not be published. Real names are preferred. If this is not possible, however, commentators are asked to use a consistent pseudonym. Comments which are thoughtful, witty, creative and stimulating will be most welcome, becoming a permanent part of the Bowalley Road discourse. However, I do add this warning. If the blog seems in danger of being over-run by the usual far-Right suspects, I reserve the right to simply disable the Comments function, and will keep it that way until the perpetrators find somewhere more appropriate to vent their collective spleen. News / National by Mandla Ndlovu The ANC, sent its senior members to ECG today. In their speech, they mentioned that they stand with Major 1, and they have been noticing everything that has been going on and they will take IMMIDIATE action. Also, President Ramaphosa will meet Major 1 on April 13th. pic.twitter.com/Xj5cBh2YKe Gwamba (@GwambaOfficial) March 31, 2019 South Africa's President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa will be meeting Enlightened Christian Gathering leader Prophet Shepherd Bushiri on the 13th of AprilA high powered delegation that was led by African National Congress National Executive Council Member Dr Mathole Matshekga descended at the church headquarters recently to convey the message from the ANC and from President Ramaphosa.The delegation included Senior members from the Women League and traditional leaders."This is an African church. President Ramaphosa says that there cannot be new dawn without spiritual dawn, and Major 1 is here to do so for us. As Mandela led us in the political sphere, in the spiritual freedom we need Major 1," Dr Matshekga said.Prophet Bushiri is affectionately known as Major 1 to his followers.In response to the ANC visit, Bushiri is quoted as having said, "We have always been told that ANC hates ECG. I am sure such talks ends today. We thank you very much for coming to pray with us. As a church, we will always pray for South Africa and its people." News / National by Mandla Ndlovu MDC Deputy National Chairperson Tendai Biti has celebrated the decision by the Constitution Court to ban corporal punishment for minor offenders.Biti said the next move is to fight against death sentence.Said Biti, "The decision of the Constitutional Court outlawing corporal punishment for juvenile offenders is yet another milestone in protecting people s rights. The next big fight is to outlaw capital punishment. At Biti Law Chambers we are so humbled and privileged to be part of this revolution."Biti further added that he wishes for corporal punishment to be banned in schools and homes."The law is primarily an instrument of the ruling elite to protect a certain legal order.But over many years and many judgments, we have shown that the law is an instrument of change.That in brave and creative hands it can be a weapon against injustice and inequality"The judgment only deals with convicted juvenile offenders but I am certain that it is only a question of time before corporal punishment in schools and homes is outlawed as well."Exiled businessman Mutumwa Mawere congratulated for leading the process and fighting for human rights."Congratulations. Small victories go a long way towards the order sought and desired. Like Rev. Theodore Parker in 1853 said: "The Arc of the Moral Universe Is Long, But It Bends Toward Justice." The arc may not visible to the eye but it turns slowly and purposefully," Mawere said. News / National by Staff reporter A Harare woman has accused her husband of disturbing her peace.Patience Kamboyawo appeared at the Harare Civil Court yesterday applying for a protection order against her husband George Mavhura.Kamboyawo claims Mavhura was in the habit of harassing and chasing her away from their matrimonial home."Since I came back from work in South Africa, he has been insulting and harassing me in front of children and neighbours."He went to an extent of chasing me away from home uttering bad words about my parents," said KamboyawoMavhura admitted that he was insulting his wife."This wife is useless. She insisted going to work in South Africa in 2012 but I didn't give her permission to go and she came back this year after seven years."I chased her away insulting and harassing her because I don't want her in my life anymore."How can I stay with this type of a woman Your Worship? I have lost trust in her."She should leave me alone and what we can do is to sell all the property we bought together and share the money," said MavhuraKamboyawo insisted that she was not leaving."I can't leave the house because we built the house together and we bought the property together as well."I went to work because George was fired from his work and he was not paying fees for the children so I decided to leave."Magistrate Tafadzwa Miti, who presided over the matter, granted the protection order in Patience's favour.Magistrate Miti advised the duo to find an amicable way of solving their dispute even if it takes to sell the property and share the money. News / National by Staff reporter The opposition MDC has ruled out reserving presidium posts for women at its party's elective congress set for next month.MDC vice president Morgan Komichi told Business Times that the party had not yet reached a decision of reserving one of the three vice presidential slots for women, meaning they will be an open contest for the posts."There is no provision in our constitution that we should reserve any post for women in any senior position in the party, whether vice president, chairperson or secretary general. They are going to contest for the positions," Komichi said, adding: "It would be good if we can have that affirmative policy in the party, but the constitution is silent on it. Maybe we shall have to make constitutional changes to accommodate them."Among senior female MDC Alliance members who are eyeing the vice presidential posts are Lilian Timveos, Theresa Makone, Paurina Mpariwa, and Thabitha Khumalo.Women constitute the majority of the party support, and the highest position in the party held by a female currently is the chairperson's post, held by Thabitha Khumalo.Timveos confirmed she was interested in contesting for the vice president post."I am one of the senior women leaders in the party and I will be contesting for the vice president position."I am confident of winning the election," Timveos said. "I know I have the support of the women in the party whom I have been working with for a long time."I also believe in the leadership of President Nelson Chamisa."Khumalo said she would have wanted one of the VP posts to be reserved for women so that they contest among themselves."We are going for congress and I will be contesting as well, and if people nominate me for the vice president position, I will accept it."The women in the party will be happy if one of us can become a vice president," she said.The MDC Alliance has three vice presidents Elias Mudzuri, Welshman Ncube and Komichi. The trio has indicated their interest in retaining the posts. News / National by Mandla Ndlovu Did you know that after the legal aid from Job Sikhala, Supa Mandiwanzira was acquitted of zvese zvaaipommerwa? Did you know that with the legal aid from Chamisa and Mpofu, Zuva Company dismissed workers unfairly? Did you know that with the legal aid from Tendai Biti, Gideon Gono escaped his corruption charges? The billion dollar question is: Why is it that opposition leaders only want to unite with ZANUPF in dealings that benefit them at personal level but they do not want to unite with ZANUPF on things that benefit ordinary Zimbabweans? There is no excuse for jecha. There is no excuse for disunity. That's pure greed at its best. Some things are better left undefended. Let us focus on reuniting Zimbabwe for prosperity and posterity Norton Member of Parliament Temba Mliswa has invited under fire former MDC-T Spokesperson Linda Masarira to join him in the opposition ranks as an Independent politician without any attachment to a political party so that she can have the ability to manoeuvre between any party she wants.Masarira was fired by the Thokozani Khupe led MDC after she was spotted wearing a ZANU PF regalia during a private ceremony at her in-law's place."I have always told you to be an independent as I am. As an independent, I can wear whatever I like, T-shirt for Chamisa, Mnangagwa or Khupe. No one whips me into line, I do it myself." Mliswa said."Come to where I am my sister as an independent, there is fresh air. No one chases you from Parliament and all I do is represent people."In retaliation to her firing Masarira said opposition officials who are lawyers were associating with ZANU PF officials in court but no one was firing them.Read her full statement below: Airbnb Is Offering the Chance to Spend the Night in the Louvre You Can Airbnb the Louvre for One Night If Youre Lucky Remember that awesome Apest music video where Beyonce and Jay-Z are dancing, rapping, and singing around the Louvre? Well, that could be you at the end of the month, only without the musical talent (presumably). RELATED: The Craziest Airbnbs You Can Actually Stay at Airbnb is running a contest with the grand prize being a chance to spend a night in a spectacular bedroom placed inside the glass pyramid at the Louvre Museum in Paris. Its the first time in history that someone has been allowed to sleep inside the building designed by famed architect I.M. Pei, alongside works from world-renowned artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Eugene Delacroix, and Anthony van Dyck. Itll be just you, a special plus one, some very expensive art, and lets be honest maybe a night-shift security guard or two. Whats on Offer Besides the very sci-fi looking sleeping chambers, the experience includes a bespoke tour with your own art historian; Renaissance-inspired aperitifs, and French tunes under the watchful eye of the Mona Lisa (literally); dinner with Alexander of Antiochs iconic Venus de Milo statue; and an acoustic concert in Napoleon IIIs chambers. La di da. But Why? If Airbnb had announced the experience a few days earlier, it would be tempting to write this off as an April Fools prank, but rest assured this is very real. Deputy general administrator of the Louvre Anne-Laure Beatrix said in a statement supplied to ABC News that the contest would give the winner an opportunity to experience a unique night. This is the dream of many people, to be able to walk around alone during the night at the Louvre," she said. This will be a magical and unforgettable moment. With the support of Airbnb, we wish to have our collections discovered by people who do not go to the museum spontaneously. We have to make art accessible to everyone. Airbnb says the sleepover experience is specifically designed to celebrate the 30-year anniversary of the Louvres glass pyramid. But one can also suspect its designed to show off the websites bookable experiences. To that end, if you enter the contest and dont win, Airbnb is still hosting a number of experiences at the museum from May until the end of the year, with intimate gigs performed by up-and-coming French artists, and, starting in September, closed-door tours where an Airbnb insider host takes you through the museum and shares stories and insider knowledge. To enter,all you need to do is visit airbnb.com/louvre before April 12 at 11:59 p.m. CET (5:59 p.m. ET) and answer the following question: Why would you be the Mona Lisa's perfect guest? And before you ask: Yes, you need to be a member of Airbnb to participate. Bonne chance! You Might Also Dig: The Logo of Huawei is seen at its showroom in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China March 29, 2019. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu (Reuters) - The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has severed ties with Huawei Technologies and ZTE Corp as U.S. authorities investigate the Chinese firms for alleged sanctions violations, the school said on Wednesday. MIT is the latest top educational institution to unplug telecom equipment made by Huawei and other Chinese companies to avoid losing federal funding. "MIT is not accepting new engagements or renewing existing ones with Huawei and ZTE or their respective subsidiaries due to federal investigations regarding violations of sanction restrictions," Maria Zuber, its vice president for research, said http://bit.ly/2K528XI in a letter on its website. Collaborations with China, Russia and Saudi Arabia would face additional administrative review procedures, Zuber added. "The institute will revisit collaborations with these entities as circumstances dictate," she said. Britain's Oxford University stopped accepting funding from Huawei this year. "We're disappointed by MIT's decision, but we understand the pressure they're under at the moment," Huawei said on Thursday. The company denies the allegations of the U.S. government. "We trust the U.S. judicial system will ultimately reach the right conclusion," Huawei said. ZTE did not respond to a Reuters request for comment. Representatives for Zuber and Richard Lester, an associate provost at MIT who also signed the letter, referred questions about details such as how much research was likely to be affected to MIT spokespeople, who did not immediately respond. In a letter to MIT faculty at the start of the current school year, Lester wrote that in cases where U.S. and Chinese interests are in direct conflict, MIT would prioritize its home country. Meng Wanzhou, Huawei's chief financial officer and daughter of its founder Ren Zhengfei, was arrested in Canada in December at the request of the United States on charges of bank and wire fraud in violation of U.S. sanctions against Iran. Story continues She denies wrongdoing. U.S. sanctions forced ZTE to stop most business between April and July last year after Commerce Department officials said it broke a pact and was caught illegally shipping U.S.-origin goods to Iran and North Korea. The sanctions were lifted after ZTE paid $1.4 billion in penalties. In Beijing, the Foreign Ministry referred questions to the two companies, but said Chinese firms were required to abide by local laws. "At the same time, we ask that governments in countries where they are based provide a just, fair, and nondiscriminatory environment," its spokesman, Geng Shuang, told a news briefing on Thursday. Chinese telecoms equipment makers have also been facing mounting scrutiny, led by the United States, amid worries Beijing could use their equipment for spying. The companies, however, have said the concerns are unfounded. (Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru; Additional reporting by Michael Martina in Beijing and Ross Kerber in Boston; Editing by Clarence Fernandez, Sherry Jacob-Phillips and Sonya Hepinstall) Senior couple at the lake having a picnic Canadians are using their self-directed TFSAs to create retirement funds to supplement government and employment pension income. Lets take a look at three stocks that might be interesting picks today to provide your TFSA portfolio with diversification, dividends, and a shot at attractive long-term gains. Sun Life Financial (TSX:SLF)(NYSE:SLF) Investors who are seeking financial stocks but are nervous about buying the banks today due to housing exposure should consider Sun Life. The company owns insurance, wealth management, and asset management businesses in the United States, Canada, the U.K., and Asia. The relatively new real estate and property management division has grown through a series of acquisitions that occurred after Sun Life exited its U.S. annuities business and searched for a lower-risk alternative to grow revenue. In the final months of 2018, the company announced it would merge the North American group with GreenOak Real Estate to create a global business that can offer clients real estate investment solutions in North America, Europe, and Asia. Sun Lifes Q4 2018 results came in strong, with underlying net income increasing 12% to $718 million compared to the same period the previous year. The U.S. operations led the way with a 27% increase while Asia wasnt far behind, generating a 26% rise in net income for the quarter on a year-over-year basis. Asia arguably holds the most potential over the coming decades due to a growing middle class in key markets, including India, China, and the Philippines. Sun Lifes established businesses and partnerships in the region position it well to capitalize on the growth opportunities. Dividend increases are back on track after a pause in the wake of the financial crisis. The current payout provides a yield of 3.8%. Canadian National Railway (TSX:CNR)(NYSE:CNI) CN is one of those stocks investors can buy and simply forget for decades. The company is an integral part of the North American economy with nearly 20,000 route-miles of tracks running across Canada and through the heart of the United States. It is the only company in the industry that has rail lines connecting three coasts and moves $250 billion worth of goods annually. Story continues Management is investing heavily to ensure CN meets rising demand for its services and operates as efficiently as possible. The $3.9 billion capital program for 2019 will see CN expand its fleet of locomotives, add rail cars, upgrade the network, and invest in new technology to improve its scheduling. CN increased the dividend by 18% for 2019 and is buying back up to 22 million shares through the first part of 2020. Enbridge (TSX:ENB)(NYSE:ENB) Enbridge is a top player in the North American energy infrastructure sector with an essential network of oil, gas liquids, and natural gas pipeline transportation and distribution systems. The management team is on track with a strategy shift that is making Enbridge more focused on its regulated businesses. The company reached agreements last year to monetize about 80% of the $10 billion in non-core assets that were earmarked for sale. Enbridge is using the proceeds to shore up the balance sheet and fund ongoing development projects. Investors received a 10% dividend increase this year and a similar hike is expected in 2020. The existing payout provides a yield of 6%. The bottom line Sun Life, CN, and Enbridge are well-run companies and should be attractive buy-and-hold picks for a diversified TFSA retirement fund. More reading The Motley Fool owns shares of Canadian National Railway. Fool contributor Andrew Walker owns shares of Enbridge. Canadian National Railway and Enbridge are recommendations of Stock Advisor Canada. The Motley Fools purpose is to help the world invest, better. Click here now for your free subscription to Take Stock, The Motley Fool Canadas free investing newsletter. Packed with stock ideas and investing advice, it is essential reading for anyone looking to build and grow their wealth in the years ahead. Motley Fool Canada 2019 The busy spring travel season is right around the corner, and Canadians pay a lot for things like travel costs, insurance, and withdrawing cash during their trip. Ratehub looked at how Canadas five biggest banks compare when it comes to fees, charges, and exchange rates for foreign cash withdrawals. In its scenario, the study compared how much it would cost a Canadian to take out $100 USD and 100 euros from an ATM. If you bank with Scotiabank (BNS.TO), your cost will be the lowest. You can expect to save between $3 and $5 CAD on each cash withdrawal in the U.S. and Europe. Thats because Scotiabank is a member of the Global ATM alliance a network which allows members clients to withdraw cash from other bank ATMs without a fee. For example, in the U.S, Scotiabank customers have access to over 15,000 Bank of America ATMs. In Europe, they can use BNP Paribas or Deutsche Bank ATMs, depending on the country. In the U.K., they can use Barclays ATMS. The best Canadian banks for international travel (Ratehub) CIBC (CM.TO) comes in second place because its clients can use a CIBC Visa Debit card to get to an ATM in the Plus Network. Bank of Montreal (BMO.TO) is next because it has a similar arrangement with Mastercard. Royal Bank of Canada (RY.TO) has an agreement through the Visa Plus network, but its higher fees put it in fourth place. If you bank with TD Bank (TD.TO), you pay the most because of its above-average foreign exchange administration fee. TD charges 3.5 per cent during a foreign currency withdrawal, while other financial institutions charge 2.5 per cent. Sign up now Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android. TORONTO (Reuters) - The Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT) said on Wednesday that tariffs should stay on two types of steel originating from many countries other than the United States, and those on five other steel products should be lifted. The Canadian government had argued the special tariffs, called safeguards, were needed to protect local steel mills from a surge in imports from producers shut out of the U.S. market by President Donald Trump's metal tariffs. Producers want the safeguards to remain in place for all the products, but the CITT recommended they be kept only for stainless steel wire and heavy plate because of a threat of "serious injury" to the domestic industry. Safeguards are emergency measures allowed under international trade law to respond to a sudden rise in imports. In this case, the government took the unusual step of imposing a system of quotas and tariffs before the CITT completed an investigation into whether they were necessary. As a result, Canada has charged a 25 percent safeguard tariff since Oct. 25, 2018, on seven types of steel from most overseas producers, where import levels are above average. The products covered included heavy plate, concrete reinforcing bar, energy tubular products, hot-rolled sheet, and pre-painted steel, among others. On Wednesday, the tribunal recommended tariffs be imposed on heavy plate and stainless steel wire coming from most countries except for Korea, Panama, Peru, Colombia, Honduras or nations that benefit from a General Preferential Tariff. While there was a "significant" increase in imports of concrete reinforcing bar and energy tubular products, the tribunal said it was not big enough to cause serious harm to the local industry. Import tariffs benefit Canadian steel producers owned by Stelco Holdings Inc and ArcelorMittal. The tariffs kicked off a race to get metal into the country before quotas were filled, especially on Canada's coasts, where it is usually cheaper to buy steel overseas than to ship it from mills in central Canada. Wednesday's recommendation has no impact on Canada's separate retaliatory tariffs on U.S.-made steel. (Reporting by Allison Martell in Toronto, additional reporting by Steve Scherer in Ottawa; Editing by Chris Reese) By Moses Kyeyune. The ruling National Resistance Movement has called its members of parliament for an urgent caucus meeting, ahead of the House debate on Administration of Parliament Bill. The Bill by Kabale Municipality MP Andrew Baryayaganga and Busiro East MP Medard Sseggna seeks to have an elected Commission of Parliament. The Bill also seeks to have an elected Leader of Opposition, Opposition whip as well as recognising Independents with membership at the Commission. When a motion for permission on the private members bill was presented early this year it faced stiff resistance from the official opposition in the House, on grounds that the law was retrospect and blind to only one side of the House. Attempts to speak to the NRM Caucus chairperson Ruth Nankabirwa were still futile by press time. It has however become a practice for the ruling party to harness common ground on legislation before final debate and adoption. It's the plague of your worst sci-fi nightmares caused by a deadly pathogen that spreads not just through contact, but in the water, literally swimming after new victims to infect. It eats away at their skin, eventually causing heart failure and mass die-offs. It doesn't just jump from one species to another, but among hundreds. And it has spread into the zoological equivalent of a global pandemic, thanks to humans. Unfortunately, this is neither science fiction nor a dream. It's a very real disease called chytridiomycosis, caused by the fungi Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and B. salamandrivorans, that affects a wide range of amphibians, including frogs, toads, salamanders and newts. This disease has caused more harm to more species than any other disease in the history of science. - Wendy Palen, Simon Fraser University Scientists have just tallied the "unprecedented lethality" it has caused worldwide in the past 50 years: The complete extinction of 90 species, from the golden toad of Costa Rica to the Mount Glorious torrent frog of Australia to Baxter's toad in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Dramatic population declines in 411 other species, especially in Australia and Central and South America. The international team of researchers, led by Ben Scheele and Claire Foster at the Australian National University, published their results last week in the journal Science. "We have records of pathogens since the time of the dinosaurs, and without question, this is the deadliest disease that has ever struck wildlife in all time," Luis Felipe Toledo, a professor at the University of Campinas's Biology Institute in Brazil and co-author of the study, said in a statement. Charles H. Smith/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Scientists had already linked the disease with amphibian declines and extinctions around the world, but exact figures had been hard to get due to a lack of data. The researchers compiled decades' worth of studies and unpublished research from experts around the world to come up with what they consider to be a conservative estimate of the disease's toll. Story continues As Foster compiled the results from different researchers in different countries, she recalled in an email, "the overwhelming feeling was probably sadness." Many of the species reported to be driven to extinction by the disease were ones she hadn't heard of before, so she Googled them as she went. "So many amazing and beautiful species have been lost," she wrote, "and for many we know hardly anything about how they lived." Jamie Voyles et al./PLoS ONE 7(4): e35374/licensed under CC BY The study found that population declines caused by the disease peaked in the 1980s at least a decade before the 1998 discovery of the diseases. But only 12 per cent of affected species show signs of recovering. Four in 10 affected species are still declining. Pet trade blamed Evidence suggests that the disease originated in Asia, and was spread around the world by humans importing and exporting amphibians as pets. Foster said governments and other agencies need to start taking biosecurity and the illegal wildlife trade far more seriously to prevent the spread of diseases. Wendy Palen is a biology professor at Simon Fraser University who does research on freshwater ecosystems, including amphibian populations. She co-authored a commentary published with the new paper that described the fungus as having the "perfect recipe to drive its hosts to extinction." It's very transmissible through water, where it can reach many different kinds of amphibians. It has a wide variety of hosts, and can infect some species without causing symptoms, allowing them to spread it more widely. Jonathan E. Kolby/Honduras Amphibian Rescue & Conservation Center Palen said the study confirmed that the disease was to blame for many amphibian declines and extinctions worldwide, as many scientists in the field expected. "But it is also larger than anyone has quantified before." She added that its destructive effect on biodiversity has been much worse than that of other deadly wildlife diseases, such as white-nose syndrome in bats and avian malaria in birds. "This disease has caused more harm to more species than any other disease in the history of science," she said. While none of the worst-affected species are in Canada, Palen said, the disease does exist here and has caused problems for some of our amphibians. "It's really global in scale," she said in an interview. But she noted it can still get worse, as it hasn't yet reached some parts of the world that are particularly rich in amphibian diversity, such as Papua New Guinea Image courtesy of Jamie Voyles, Alex Hyatt and Frank Fillipi Her commentary adds that Image chytridiomycosis may also be "a harbinger of other disease outbreaks to come" as humans "inadvertently spread pathogens around the world." "That, I think, is a cautionary note," she said. "And it does immediately sort of demand that we think carefully about policies regarding the import of especially live amphibians." However, she noted that disease is not the only or even biggest threat to amphibians around the world.. "We know that climate change and habitat destruction and the draining of wetlands and changes to terrestrial ecosystems are causing an equal or larger number of amphibian declines," she added. The disease is "another nail in the coffin," she said. "And it compels us as a society and our communities to do something about it." Friends and supporters of a struggling Syrian family living in northeast Calgary are racing against the clock to raise money to help them. Sami and Rounza Alnaimy came to Calgary full of hope and excitement in 2015 after fleeing war in their home country and enduring months in a refugee camp. But soon after arriving in Calgary, things went downhill for the family. Sami discovered he needed open heart surgeries and now lives with serious health issues. Then his wife, Rounza, was diagnosed with the deadly neurological disease ALS. She has deteriorated quickly to the point where she may only have days left to live. In the background are the couple's six children. They face an uncertain future with no other family in Canada. Kids under 'most horrific pressures' The eldest daughters, aged 11 and 13, have alternated missing school to help look their father and a family friend look after their younger siblings ages two, four, eight and nine. The girls also pitch in to help with their mother, who is in hospital and needs 24-hour care. She can no longer speak, breathe, swallow or move. "They've watched their mom slowly deteriorate. That's one of the most horrific pressures they've been under," said Aseel Qazzaz, a Calgarian who has helped the family since their arrival in Alberta. "They've missed a lot of school, which is sad because one of the main reasons they came here is to have a better future for their children. "It's heartbreaking." GoFundMe One long-term solution for the children would be to bring family members, who are living as refugees in Lebanon, to Calgary. They could help raise the kids, who are permanent residents in Canada. Assistance from family would provide them stability and a more normal life, also helping them integrate and succeed in their new lives in Canada. Dan McGarvey/CBC Qazzaz started a GoFundMe page to raise around $36,100 to sponsor the children's grandparents, an aunt and an uncle to come and live with the family. As of Wednesday evening, the GoFundMe had raised close to $19,000. Story continues "It's essential for their well being, especially as adults. Worst-case scenario, if something were to happen to Sami, what would happen to the children? It's something I don't want to think about because they've suffered enough," the family friend said. "I remember seeing them so excited about going to school, and it was so heartwarming. "Then for this to go and happen, we're depriving them of a second chance." Submitted by Sami Alnaimy The Calgary Immigrant Support Society has been working with the Mennonite Central Committee and the federal government to try to secure sponsorships for additional family members. The committee donated an initial $10,000 to help the sponsorships become a reality. 'The difference of surviving' Saima Jamal, a co-founder of Calgary Immigrant Support Society, said the group had to work hard to have the committee understand this family's situation. Private sponsorship has become more difficult, she said, after the large acceptance of Syrian refugees in 2015. "I can't tell you how difficult it is to sponsor a refugee family these days," Jamal said. "[The committee members] were so gracious to make a spot for these four family members to come. "But time is of the essence. The mom is going to pass away any day now." Jamal said she's hoping an exception can be made to speed up the immigration process for the Alnaimys. "To have a support system will make all the difference of surviving of finally getting a break and some happiness for this family," she said. By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives approved a resolution on Thursday that would end all U.S. involvement with the Saudi Arabia-led coalition in the war in Yemen, rebuffing President Donald Trump's policy of continued support for the kingdom. As the resolution had already passed the Senate, the vote in the Democratic-led House sends the measure to the White House, which said last month Trump would issue a veto. It would be the second of his presidency. The vote in the House was 247-175, as 16 Republicans joined the majority Democrats in backing the rare use of the War Powers Act, which limits the president's ability to send troops into action. Thursday's vote marked the first time both chambers of Congress have supported a War Powers resolution. "The president will have to face the reality that Congress is no longer going to ignore its constitutional obligations when it comes to foreign policy," Representative Eliot Engel, the Democratic chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said before the vote. Still, neither the House tally nor the 54-46 bipartisan vote in the Senate, where Republicans have a slim majority, would be enough to override a veto. The four-year-long civil war in Yemen, which pits the Saudi-led coalition against Houthi rebels backed by Iran, has killed tens of thousands of people and spawned what the United Nations calls the world's most dire humanitarian crisis, with the country on the brink of famine. KILLING OF KHASHOGGI Backers of the War Powers resolution said the Saudi-led bombing campaign in Yemen had made the humanitarian crisis worse, harshly criticizing Riyadh for killing civilians. They also argued that U.S. involvement in Yemen violated the constitutional requirement that Congress, not the president, should determine when the country goes to war. Resolution opponents argued that support for the Saudi-led coalition was not an appropriate use of the War Powers Act, because the military provides support such as targeting assistance, not troops on the ground. They also argued that it could boost Iran, arch-rival of U.S. ally Israel. Defense Department spokeswoman Commander Rebecca Rebarich said in a statement after the vote that new restrictions on U.S. military support could "increase civilian casualties, jeopardize cooperation with our partners on counterterrorism, undercut UN-led peace negotiations at a critical point, and embolden Iran." Getting the measure passed took months, but support grew after the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a U.S. resident and Washington Post columnist, at a Saudi consulate in Turkey in October. Both Democrats and Republicans have said they believe Saudi Arabia's powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was responsible for Khashoggi's death. Riyadh has denied he ordered the killing. House Republicans derailed the resolution earlier this year by tying it to a measure condemning anti-Semitism. They tried to stop it again on Thursday by adding a provision opposing the Boycott, Divest, Sanction (BDS) movement tied to Israel's treatment of the Palestinians. That effort failed in the House and was condemned by the House Democratic majority leader, Representative Steny Hoyer, as a "cynical, political ploy." Overcoming Trump's veto would require two-thirds majorities in both the Senate and House. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle, additional reporting by Idrees Ali; Editing by Bernadette Baum) NEW DELHI (AP) India on Wednesday declined to comment on a statement by a U.S. space official that India's recent test of an anti-satellite weapon created debris that could threaten the International Space Station. India's Defense Ministry spokesman Col. Aman Anand said there was no official response to NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine's statement at a town hall event in Washington on Monday. Bridenstine said in shooting down one of its own satellites with a rocket last week, India had left debris high enough in orbit to pose a risk to the International Space Station. India's External Affairs Ministry in a statement after the March 27 test said that whatever debris generated would decay and fall back to Earth within weeks as the test was in the lower atmosphere. The International Space Station serves as a research laboratory and has hosted astronauts from various countries since it was launched into orbit in 1998. Bridenstine said NASA had identified 400 pieces of the debris and tracked 60 of them. "We know that 24 of these are going above the apogee of International Space Station. That's a terrible, terrible thing to create," he said. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the test last week and said the destruction of the satellite demonstrated India's capacity as a "space power" alongside the United States, Russia and China. Pallava Bagla, a science writer at the New Delhi Television Channel, said Wednesday that Indian officials have clearly indicated that the debris will decay in three weeks. "The amount of debris which the United States itself has created in space is gigantic as compared to a few pieces of debris from the Indian test. In orbit, we have 2,000 functional satellites. Eight hundred of them belong to the United States. India has only 48 functional satellites in the orbit," he said. In Washington, the vice commander of U.S. Air Force Space Command, Lt. Gen. David Thompson, told a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing last week that the Air Force detected about 270 objects in the debris field created when India destroyed the satellite and the number was likely to increase. He said the Air Force will inform satellite operators if any of those objects become a threat to satellites in orbit. GENEVA (Reuters) - Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was not informed about Syrian President Bashar al-Assads trip to Tehran last week and that was a reason why he submitted his resignation, the Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA) reported on Tuesday. The news agency cited foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi as the source of the information in its report. President Hassan Rouhani rejected Zarifs resignation last Wednesday, bolstering a moderate ally who has long been targeted by hardliners in factional struggles over the 2015 nuclear deal with the West. The ministry of foreign affairs did not have information at any level (about the trip) and this lack of information was maintained until the end of the trip, Qassemi said, according to ISNA. One of the reasons for the resignation of Dr. Zarif was this type of lack of coordination with the ministry of foreign affairs. And as it has been announced before, the resignation of the honorable minister was not a private and individual issue and the goal and intent of that was a positive effort to return the ministry of foreign affairs and the diplomatic system of the country to its main place. Qassem Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force, the branch of the elite Revolutionary Guards responsible for operations outside Irans borders, was present at a meeting last week between Assad and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the highest authority in the Islamic Republic. Soleimani said last week that Zarif was the main person in charge of foreign policy and he was supported by Khamenei. (Reporting By Babak Dehghanpisheh; Editing by Nick Macfie) It might be April, but winter is already making a comeback. A storm travelling from the U.S. Atlantic coast is expected to hit Wednesday, bringing a combination of rain and snow to New Brunswick. This week, Environment Canada has issued a rain and snowfall warning for the eastern half of the province. The north, central and southern parts of the province are under a special weather statement, which also forecasts both snow and rain. Storm to start in Saint John Jill Maepea, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, said the storm will start between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. in the Saint John and Bay of Fundy areas. The Saint John area could also see five to 10 centimetres of snow. Maepea said the storm will quickly push to Fredericton and Moncton hitting those areas between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. "The morning commute will not be too bad if you're leaving really early," Maepea said. "But the later it gets, the snow will be picking up and it will be coming down quite quickly Wednesday morning." The ride home would be worse than the morning commute. - Jill Maepea, meteorologist The storm is expected to hit the northeastern parts of the province between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. Those areas include the Miramichi area and the Acadian Peninsula, which could see 15 to 20 centimetres of snow. At the same time, snow is expected to change over to rain in the Saint John area and along the Bay of Fundy coast. Those areas can expect to see up to 25 millimetres of rain during the afternoon. Snow and rain in the afternoon By early afternoon, most of the province will either be getting snow, rain or both. Rain will slowly move from Saint John into the Moncton area around noon, causing a mix of snow and rain throughout the afternoon. Moncton and southeast New Brunswick can expect to see 25 mm of rain. At the same time, Fredericton will see between 10 and 15 cm of snow. "The snow is definitely going to be heavy and wet," Maepea said. Meanwhile, northwestern parts of the province can expect to see light snow ranging between two and five centimetres. Story continues CBC First, rain will stop in the Saint John and St. Stephen areas between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. The Fredericton area will also see snow taper to wet flurries around this time. "Then it will begin to end, from west to east," Maepea said. This means the Moncton and Miramichi areas will see precipitation stop in the early evening or later. "The ride home would be worse than the morning commute," she said. The system will then move to central Nova Scotia and east of Prince Edward Island. After the system leaves New Brunswick, strong winds are expected to pick up Wednesday night into Thursday. In the northeast, wind gusts are expected to travel at 80 kilometres an hour. The rest of the province could get winds gusting to between 60 and 70 km/h. Any chance of flooding? Jennifer Sweet/CBC Although localized flooding is possible, Maepea said Wednesday's storm won't hit the northwestern part of the province, so won't have much impact on the St. John River. "A lot of the weather that affects the flooding is because of what's going on up north," she said. "Definitely in the areas that are flood-prone, you can't rule it out for any localized flooding with this system." By Karen Lema MANILA (Reuters) - Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte told China on Thursday to "lay off" an island occupied by Manila in the disputed South China Sea and said he would deploy his soldiers there if Beijing touches it. Duterte's remarks, which he said was not a warning but rather a word of advice to a friend, follow a statement made by the foreign affairs ministry calling the presence of more than 200 Chinese fishing boats near Thitu island illegal. "I will not plead or beg, but I am just telling you that lay off the Pagasa because I have soldiers there. If you touch it, that's a different story. I will tell the soldiers 'prepare for suicide mission'," Duterte said in a speech, using the local name for Thitu. Duterte has repeatedly said he would not go to war with China because it would be suicide. The Philippines military has described the boats as a "suspected maritime militia". "Such actions, when not repudiated by the Chinese government, are deemed to have been adopted by it," the Department of Foreign Affairs said in a rare rebuke of Beijing. Duterte, who has pursued warmer ties with China since taking office in 2016 in exchange for billions of dollars of pledged loans and investment, said he would not allow China to occupy Thitu island because it "belongs to us". The presence of the trawlers near Thitu island raises questions about their intent and role "in support of coercive objectives", the ministry said, days after the Philippines lodged a diplomatic protest with China. In Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang did not refer directly to Manila's protest, but he said bilateral talks on the South China Sea held in the Philippines on Wednesday were "frank, friendly and constructive". Both sides reiterated that South China Sea issues should be resolved peacefully by parties directly involved, he said. The Philippines has monitored the Chinese boats from January to March this year, according to military data. "These are suspected maritime militia," Captain Jason Ramon, spokesman for the military's Western Command said this week. "There are times when they are just there without conducting fishing. At times, they are just stationary." The Philippines, Brunei, China, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam have competing claims of sovereignty in the South China Sea, a conduit for goods in excess of $3.4 trillion every year. In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague invalidated China's claim to sovereignty over most of the South China Sea. "We call on concerned parties to desist from any action and activity that contravenes the ASEAN-China Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, as these generate tension, mistrust and uncertainty, and threatens regional peace and stability," the Philippines ministry said. Last month, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo assured the Philippines it would come to its defense if it came under attack in the South China Sea. (Additional reporting by Michael Martina in Beijing; Editing by Clarence Fernandez, Darren Schuettler and Alison Williams) If you've ever tweeted about your pesky cough or violent stomach flu, you're not alone. So many people are sharing information about their medical issues in 280 characters or less that public health professionals are turning to Twitter as a new diagnostic tool. A team of computing scientists at the University of Alberta has created a new data-mining program that tracks Twitter in real-time in an attempt to better understand emerging health trends in Alberta and across the country. "It's funny what people post on Twitter," said Osmar Zaiane, a professor in the U of A's department of computing science, who helped develop the technology. "They can write things about what they see in the street, they can write about their religious views, their political views, whatever. "But they can also write other things. Sometimes it's garbage, but sometimes you can use the tweets as nuggets to actually inform yourself about the health of the population." We are diving in this murky Twitter world. - Osmar Zaiane The machine, called Grebe, gathers aggregated data from the social media site. The program trolls through millions of tweets, looking for any posts that could signal changes in public health. The ongoing monitoring program has analyzed more than 18 million tweets so far. "We called it Grebe," Zaiane said in an interview Wednesday with CBC Radio's Edmonton AM. "The Grebe, as you know, is a duck here in Alberta. It's a freshwater duck that dives in murky water and we are diving in this murky Twitter world." Deciphering the signals Zaiane said his team was tasked with creating Grebe by the Alberta Real Time Syndromic Surveillance Network (ARTSSN), a public-health surveillance project managed by Alberta Health Services. "They were interested in identifying some signals in Twitter," Zaiane said. "We worked with them and designed some machine-learning techniques to teach the computer to recognize, out of this mess, which messages are relevant to health." Story continues The project began in Edmonton, then expanded across the province. It has since been applied to all Canadian provinces, and researchers are now collaborating with the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States. Once the program is perfected, it will be made publicly available. All the aggregated data will be open source. The 'big picture' The program relies on machine learning to identify six different dimensions of health physical, emotional, occupational, social, spiritual, and intellectual as well as the emotions expressed in each tweet and the relevant location. Tweets where users describe their symptoms can be useful in early detection of outbreaks or disease clusters, Zaiane said. By using location data, the program can also help pinpoint geographical trends helping to identify if a certain community is struggling with a specific health issue. It's a very quick signal, if you get it right. - Osmar Zaiane Those reports can help enhance the records already being kept by hospitals and health providers, Zaiane said. "Somebody may say, 'I'm not going to work today because I have the runs.' That is relevant to health and is captured so we know where it was sent and when," he said. "That can be used by epidemiologists, they cross reference that information and then they can have a big picture of what is going on." It's not a perfect diagnostic tool, Zaiane said. Only a small segment of the population is represented on Twitter, but the site is a rich and previously unmined source of health data, he said. "A lot of it can be noise but a lot of it can confirm other signals they get from other channels," he said. "And Twitter is very fast it's a very quick signal, if you get it right." A Mi'kmaw woman from Nova Scotia criticized Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his government's handling of a controversial natural gas project at an event Wednesday on Parliament Hill. Alton Gas plans to store natural gas in underground caverns located north of Halifax at Fort Ellis. The company plans to pump water from the Shubenacadie River to an underground site 12 kilometres away, where it will be used to flush out salt deposits and create up to 15 caverns. The leftover brine solution would then be pumped back into the river over two or three years. "I'm here to condemn the behaviour of the Canadian government, who continues to oppress our people and to oppress our grandmothers who are on the [Shubenacadie] River, living according to our traditional ways of life as Mi'kmaw people," said Hannah Martin, who is originally from Tatamagouche, N.S. Protesters have gathered at the site for several years, arguing that the plan poses dangers to the traditional fisheries of the Mi'kmaq and risks harming the river used by Indigenous populations for thousands of years. Martin spoke to Trudeau at the Daughters of the Vote summit, an event featuring 338 young women, one from every riding in Canada. The event is organized by Equal Voice Canada, an organization which works to get more women elected to all levels of political office across Canada. Trudeau's reaction On Wednesday, Trudeau said it's important to hear from different voices. "The more we listen to a broad range of peoples and voices, the less likely it is we achieve unanimity on any given issue," he said. "We need to get to consensus, we need to try and understand all the concerns and issues brought forward, but we need to do that in a way that does actually allow us to move forward. What that forward looks like, in some cases, will be moving forward with a project. In other cases, we'll not be moving forward." The Alton Gas protest had included a makeshift structure that blocked the main access road to the company's pump house and control centre near the river. Story continues CBC However, a judge granted a temporary order last month forcing an Indigenous man and others camped on the property to move. The protesters must remain on a small patch of fenced land nearby and abide by other conditions. Last week, Trudeau was met by protesters of the Alton Gas project during his visit to Halifax, and he said Ottawa will consider their grievances. The prime minister said Ottawa would work with local communities, Mi'kmaw chiefs and the province "to move forward on regulations in a way that addresses your concerns." The federal government also said last month it will step in to regulate the company's plan in a way that would manage potential threats to fish, fish habitat and human health. MORE TOP STORIES Photo credit: Woman's Day From Woman's Day OFFICIAL RULES NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING 1. WINNER SELECTION: Winners (individually and collectively, the Winner) will be selected on or about 06/07/19 in a random drawing from among all eligible entries received. Each sweepstakes is a different drawing that must be entered separately. All the sweepstakes in these Official Rules are individually and collectively the Sweepstakes. In the event the Sponsor does not receive any eligible entries, the Sponsor has the right to cancel the Sweepstakes. 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SPONSOR: The Sponsor of these Sweepstakes is Hearst Magazine Media, Inc., 300 W. 57th Street, New York, NY 10019. ('You Might Also Like',) BY PHILIP WAFULA pwafula@ug.nationmedi.com The Uganda National Roads Authority (Unra) will, with effect from April 15 to July 10, divert Jinja-bound traffic to the old (Nalubaale) bridge to allow maintenance works on the new bridge. In a statement released yesterday, Unra said: For the duration of the works, traffic flow in the area will be diverted. Kampala-bound traffic shall continue to use the Source of the Nile Bridge. Jinja-bound traffic shall be diverted to the Nalubaale bridge. Local traffic (to and from) Nile Breweries Limited, Nytil, East African Packaging Solutions Limited shall continue to use their normal route while cyclists and Boda Boda to and from Jinja shall continue to use the Nalubaale Bridge and Faraday Road. This development comes as contractors Zenitaka and Hyundai dig up sections of the New Bridge to replace AC14 asphalt which wasnt bonding well with water proofing material with modified polymer asphalt. Last time we promised the public that we would change the asphalt in October but luckily it has come on time. Traffic from Kampala will be diverted to the Nalubaale Bridge which we have been working on, Eng Morris Odrua, the project engineer, said in a telephone interview on Wednesday. Eng Lawrence Pario, the Head of Bridges and Structures at Unra, said last time they only replaced the surface which was most affected, but this time, the contractor is removing the entire surface and putting something new. Asked to explain what look like cracks and bumps on the New Bridge, Eng Pario said: What you call cracks is stressed asphalt which is going to be removed over the next two months. Structurally, theres no problem but simply replacing the entire road surface, whose asphalt is rutting. Water proofing material and asphalt are flexible while concrete is rigid; so when you put a flexible material on a rigid material and theres no proper bonding, the flexible material moves, he explained. According to Eng Pario, the New Bridge has a health monitoring system which would have alerted them of any stress on the bridge. He, however, added that the good thing about such contracts is that whenever there is a defect, the contractor fixes it. It is the contractors responsibility to deliver what is acceptable to us, he said. The Shs390b bridge was commissioned last October and it is expected to last for 120 years. Related Stories MPs to probe cracks on Nile Bridge Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faced some tough questions in the House of Commons today not from opposition MPs but from young women participating in a special event promoting political leadership. Dozens of the 338 delegates, representing every riding in Canada, turned their backs on Trudeau as he delivered his opening remarks just hours after he expelled two women from his Liberal caucus. Trudeau raised the matter right off the top, insisting there will always be disagreements in politics. "There was never going to be an absolute one side or another. There are always going to be multiple voices we have to listen to," he said. Trudeau was grilled on a range of topics, from halting the spread of white nationalism to reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. The young women are in town for the annual Daughters of the Vote summit, an event organized by Equal Voice Canada which works to get more women elected to all levels of political office across Canada. A number of participants also walked out during a speech by Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer. This year's Daughters of the Vote day lands less than 24 hours after Trudeau expelled Jody Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott from the Liberal caucus, saying that trust with the two former cabinet ministers has been irreparably broken. This political drama has been unfolding since Feb. 7, when the Globe and Mail reported that Wilson-Raybould had faced inappropriate political pressure on the SNC-Lavalin criminal prosecution decision. Wilson-Raybould and Philpott both later resigned from cabinet to protest the government's handling of the SNC-Lavalin file. Trudeau said Tuesday he approached the issue with "patience and understanding" but eventually concluded the two MPs could not remain in the caucus. A number of participants in today's event already have tweeted their support for the two women. "We are here in Ottawa as young women participating in a conference and we wholeheartedly condemn you ejecting Jody Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott from caucus," tweeted Deanna Allain, representing the riding of Hamilton Mountain. Story continues "Respect the integrity of women and indigenous leaders in politics. Do better." Without mentioning Philpott or Wilson-Raybould by name, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh gave a nod to the scandal in his speech to the crowd. "If anyone ever suggests that you're being difficult by speaking truth to power, you're not being difficult, you're being courageous," he said to thunderous applause. "Being a team player doesn't mean following the team, it means being willing to lose it all, because of your principles and your values and having the courage to do that." Both Wilson-Raybould and Philpott were spotted in the House of Commons's gallery for the start of the Daughters of the Vote speeches, which included an address by former prime minister Kim Campbell. "It was an extraordinary experience to be in there and to hear these women speak," said Philpott. "I want to salute all of the leaders who are in the room today who spoke and the Daughters of the Vote organization for choosing just such an incredible array of bright women who are speaking on some of the most important topics of our country. I was deeply moved by their passion, their enthusiasm and the wisdom that was displayed." Updates throughout the day at http://calevbenyefuneh. blogspot.com. If you enjoy "Love of the Land", please be a subscriber. Just put your email address in the "Subscribe" box on the upper right-hand corner of the page.Twitter updates at LoveoftheLand as well as our Love of the Land page at Facebook which has additional pieces of interest besides that which is posted on the blog. Also check-out This Ongoing War by Frimet and Arnold Roth. An excellent blog, very important work. . ..The Hill..03 April '19..The attacks on civilians, breaking their arms, and beating them, constitute humiliation, disgrace, and injustice, Nasser Al-Laham, the editor-in-chief of the Palestinian AuthoritysNews Agency, said about Palestinian rule in the territories.Prison cells? Torture? Burn marks? he asked. What have we adopted from the Arab countries apart from their garbage?... Is this the kind of homeland we want a homeland in which I can no longer trust my neighbor? A homeland in which my fellow citizen comes and, in front of my wife, drags me by my feet or by my hair and tramples me underfoot?... Youre doing this under the pretext of fighting Israel? Youre lying!Al-Lahams outrage, which he voiced in a recent TV interview, puts the lie to the well-entrenched narrative that borders, settlements, and Jerusalem explain the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.Peek below the surface and you will find the cultural obstacles, and the distrust they engender, that really drive the conflict and that will require nothing short of a Palestinian cultural revolution to erase.Based on the events of recent days, here are four huge cultural obstacles that prevent progress toward peace: Last year in September, measles outbreak in Israel initiated after a big number of Hasidic Orthodox pilgrims visited Uman, Ukraine and brought the infection to Israel. Each year, thousands of Jews assemble in the central Ukrainian city, Uman for prayers on the occasion of Rosh Hashanah, which is celebrated as the Jewish New Year. They all gather near the burial site of Rabbi Nachman. The New York Times (NYT) reported Wednesday that measles outbreak in Ukraine began in 2017 and almost 70,000 people had caught the infection. In late September, following the Jewish New Year and the annual pilgrimage, there were cases of measles reported in Israel. According to the newspaper, citing Dr. Patrick O'Connor, who is the leader of the rapid disease control team at the WHO's Europe office, there were total number of 949 measles cases confirmed in October. The cause of this epidemic in Israel is believed to be associated with the pilgrims visit to Ukraine. The serious health outbreak in the US began in October with a child belonging to Bensonhurst section who had visited Israel. In the meantime, an outbreak began among Orthodox Jews in London in October. According to Dr. O'Conner, the outbreak in the country started in March 2018, in the north part of it, in a small Orthodox group of people in Safed. Actually, Orthodox Jews are ready to show acceptance to vaccines in Israel for the most part; however, large Orthodox Jews families are not taking interest in making sure all their children get vaccinated or not. The range of vaccination among the Orthodox in Israel is nearly 80 percent, and the virus spreads faster as Orthodox children tend to attend more life-cycle events such as circumcisions or marriages, being exposed to more chances of getting the infection. (Facebook/Paula White) Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump with pastor Paula White. Pastor Paula White says President Donald Trump's opposition to late-term abortion is not just about politics, but is his personal conviction. In an interview with The Guardian published Wednesday, White revealed that a day after Trump rebuked supporters of late term abortion and urged Congress to ban the practice in his State of the Union speech last month, he faced-off with Democrat Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware about a controversial law in New York state that now allows abortions up to birth. White said the president thrust his face over the Democrat's shoulder, so they were nearly cheek to cheek, and said in his ear: "So you can do that to a baby ... And that's not a human, is it? And you have no problem? "Isn't it called murder?" she said the president asked. Trump was "just right in his face, and I was like, 'Whoa,'" she explained. In his State of the Union speech on Feb. 5, the president decried New York state's Reproductive Health Act which, among other things, codifies abortion rights guaranteed under the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision and removes abortion from the state's criminal code. "There could be no greater contrast to the beautiful image of a mother holding her infant child than the chilling displays our nation saw in recent days. Lawmakers in New York cheered with delight upon the passage of legislation that would allow a baby to be ripped from the mother's womb moments before birth," Trump said. "These are living, feeling, beautiful babies who will never get the chance to share their love and dreams with the world. And then, we had the case of the governor of Virginia where he stated he would execute a baby after birth. To defend the dignity of every person, I am asking Congress to pass legislation to prohibit the late-term abortion of children who can feel pain in the mother's womb," the president continued. "Let us work together to build a culture that cherishes innocent life. And let us reaffirm a fundamental truth all children born and unborn are made in the holy image of God." White, who is the president's spiritual adviser, insists that he was not pandering to evangelicals and asserted that he did not target evangelicals during his campaign to get their vote. "What was ironic in the thing is it's not like Trump went out and targeted evangelicals," she told The Guardian. "It's not like he went out and [said]: 'Deliver evangelicals, I want their vote.' Not at all. "He genuinely cared about the [evangelical] community," she said. White also recalled a time in 2011 when Trump was considering a run for president and how he prayed for three hours with several pastors. "We had about 25, 30 pastors come up, and we prayed for six hours" in Trump Tower, she said, noting that the president prayed for about half that time. "He genuinely wanted to hear what does God have to say? ... To really make America great is real to him, that's not a slogan, [it's] genuinely so," she explained. White, who hopes that Roe v. Wade will be overturned by the Supreme Court, also told The Guardian that she is not a partisan preacher, so if Democrats like Hillary Clinton asked her to pray with her she would. "People go, 'If Hillary asked you to pray for her, would you?' Of course I would, but I don't have a relationship with her. This is an ongoing, 18-year relationship [with Trump]," White said. "I've been under Bush's courting, I've been under Clinton's courting, Obama's courting, Mitt Romney's courting," she added. "Bernie Sanders has never asked me, but I'm just saying if he did ask me to pray for him, I would." Courtesy of The Christian Post As a teenager Mal Garvan was a dedicated non-churchie. His life-changing encounter came at a Sydney City Mission Camp. He called it his awakening dramatic and profound. Enthused and energized by his new found faith Mal founded Teen Crusaders. That was fifty years ago. Teen Crusaders soon became Fusion Australia and then blossomed into Fusion International which operates now in Australia, Canada, U.K., Jamaica, Albania, Indonesia, China, Ghana, Greece, Germany to name a few. Now in his mid-seventies Mal and his wife Jenny live in Hobart. They have two sons and two daughters and proudly boast of their 11 delightful grandchildren. After completing his apprenticeship in precious metal jewellery manufacturing, Mal started his own small business. He began teaching scripture classes, reaching out to youth who had given up on school. He encouraged them to sit next to him in his workshop and there he taught some to work with copper. With his mates Mal started a holiday club in his mothers back yard. The attendance grew fast and became known as one of the first Sydney drop-in centres. As many found what Mal calls their spiritual rudder, professionals in the field of adolescent mental health were openly impressed. A psychiatric nurse gave Mal support with reading material, expertise and downright common sense. He introduced monthly day trips to a Fusion property in Ourimbah, north of Gosford. The enthusiasm exploded. To help manage the demand, young people were trained to counsel and care for others. In 1963-64 Mal completed a 2 years diploma course at Emmaus Bible School. Many of his young supporters were Christians without church backgrounds, he set up a Commando course (now the Foundations Course). As his own qualifications grew, he set up a training programme one day a week for a growing team of young workers and religious teachers, many were university students who enjoyed the practical side of the course. The concept expanded and a network of drop-in centres opened around Sydney. For more than a decade from the late 60s through the 70s teams from around Sydney Fusion teams converged on the Easter Bathurst motor-bike races. They hosted one of the wildest of all drop-in centres called The Den. It attracted vast numbers including many from the outlaw bikie groups like the Hells Angels, Mal recalls. It goes without saying it provided a quick learning curve for youth workers! Radio Mal Garvan had a record-breaking career as a radio broadcaster. From 1968 he hosted the award-winning Breakthrough Generation. At its peak Breakthrough Generation was on every major radio market in Australia and attracted up to 2 million listeners regularly for 40 years. In 1979 Mal helped with the establishment of the first Christian FM radio station in Sydney. He designed the phone counseling service called People who Care, and also developed the Captain Midnight Show which he described as the first of its type on FM radio, Australia. I had the joy of working with Mal and the team who designed and organized the Canberra Gathering in 1988. 50,000 Christians from across Australia converged on the new Parliament House to pray. This was described as the largest prayer meeting in Australian history and was the forerunner of the Parliamentary Prayer Breakfast held annually in the Parliament House Great Hall in Canberra. Mal Garvan was the National Coordinator for AD2000 which he recalled became the sister movement of the Aussie Awakening. That event brought all the mainline churches together to reach out to their communities and welcome non-church people. The churches resolved to celebrate Christmas with Advent pageants led by children of all backgrounds and educational systems. Analysts agree one out of five Australians were touched significantly by the Aussie Awakening. Out of that success came The Global March for Jesus. In 1994, 250,000 Australians of all denominational backgrounds participated, with 50,000 gathered in front of the Sydney Opera House. In 1995, Mal took a significant lead in the purchase and development of the Poatina village, enterprise. A beautiful hydro-town became a resort village with a special purpose of caring for young people at risk. In this setting Fusion offered training in youth and community work for those who want to help young people at risk. Award In 1999 Mal received an AM award for his lifes work, and particularly for the design of Fusion's training, particularly for the course called the Certificate Four in Youth and Community Work (Christian) that hed designed back in 1979. Mal has written 3 books, Us Aussies the fascinating history they didnt teach you at school. Breakthrough a collection of radio scripts from a period of 30 years. Divine Art of Networking a look at the positive and negative structures that we develop around ourselves, also published in German. He has two more books - Elihu's Key and Life it's Worth Thinking About (a collection of radio spots with the addition of a prayer and a Bible verse for each one - almost ready to go!) Jesus fed 5000 after a boy offered his lunch. Mal gave what he had and the Lord continues to bless thousands as a result. Finally, here are a few comments he was surprised to receive along with some 700 others for his wedding anniversary and 75th Birthday November 2016:- * Happy Birthday Mal. - I value your spirit input into my teenage years. Thank you for the blessing you have been to me and so many others. * Happy Birthday you have changed my life completely my friend. * Bless you and thank you for accepting God's call and touching thousands and thousands of people. * You sure have made an impact in hundreds of lives, Mal! A huge impact 51 years ago when I first met you on Teen Trip! * Your input into our lives back in the 60's has been real & impacting as well as lasting. I remember the teen trips as a 13 year old with great fondness. I still have all the notes that you taught me in that little church hall @ Mt Kuringai. God is good & greatly to be praised, serving Him is a privilege. Ron Ross is a Middle East consultant for United Christian Broadcasters (Vision FM). Previously he was radio news editor for Bridges for Peace in Jerusalem, Israel. His career started at WINTV (Email: ronandyvonne@mac.com) Ron Ross' previous articles may be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/ron-ross.html 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. I am sure Fiz hopes we have seen the last of Mimi/Beryl and Phill also appears to have outstayed his welcome. He tells Fiz the bathroom is ... Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp LinkedIn Email Telegram New York, April 4, 2019 The Committee to Protect Journalists today condemned the detention and expulsion of two Tunisian journalists from Algeria and called on Algerian authorities to allow the foreign press to freely cover demonstrations in the country. Reuters reporter Tarek Amara was arrested, detained, and expelled from the country in late March, according to a statement from Reuters. Intissar Chelly, a news correspondent at the Turkish state-owned broadcaster TRT, was detained at an airport upon arrival and then sent back to Tunisia on March 12, she told CPJ. Both journalists are Tunisian nationals, and had traveled from Tunisia to cover the ongoing anti-government protests in Algeria, according to Chelly and news reports. Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika resigned from office on April 2, but the anti-government protests have continued, according to news reports. Algerian authorities arrest and expulsion of foreign journalists will not quell the ongoing unrest in the country, and will certainly not improve their image in the rest of the world, said CPJ Middle East and North Africa Program Coordinator Sherif Mansour from Washington, D.C. Algerian authorities should cease harassing foreign media outlets, and view the protests as an opportunity to improve their press freedom record. Amara was arrested by authorities in Algiers on March 30, following a government officials complaint about a Reuters report on March 29 concerning the protests, according to Reuters and news reports. He was detained until he was put on a flight back to Tunisia on March 31, according to those reports. The unnamed official denied that one million people had participated in a protest, as Reuters had reported; according to a statement from the news agency, Reuters stands by its coverage. Chelly was detained by immigrations officers upon her arrival at Houari Boumediene Airport, in Algiers, on the morning of March 12 and was interrogated about her political views and her opinions of the Algerian government and the ongoing protests, the journalist told CPJ. Chelly told CPJ that immigrations officers confiscated her cellphone and passport, and did not allow her to contact her family or employer. She said the detention lasted five to six hours, after which she was put on a flight back to Tunisia. TRT did not immediately respond to CPJs emailed request for comment. The Algerian Ministry of Communications, Ministry of Interior, and Houari Boumediene Airport did not respond to CPJs emailed requests for comment. When protests began in Algeria in February, authorities barred mainstream television and radio stations from covering the unrest, prompting journalists to stage anti-censorship demonstrations, as CPJ reported at the time. The Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan launched the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP). The programme aims to tackle the challenge of increasing pollution in the cities and towns. Features of the Programme The important features of the programme are: It is a five-year action plan with a tentative target of 20-30% reduction in concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 by 2024, with 2017 as the base year. The plan covers 102 non-attainment cities, across 23 states and Union territories, which were identified by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) on the basis of their ambient air quality data between 2011 and 2015. Non-attainment cities Cities are considered as Non-attainment cities, if they were consistently showing poorer air quality than the National Ambient Air Quality Standards. Cities included under the list of Non-attainment cities Delhi, Varanasi, Bhopal, Kolkata, Noida, Muzaffarpur, and Mumbai. The centre plans to scale up the air quality monitoring network across India under the programme. Studies would be conducted across 102 non-attainment cities to ascertain pollution sources and the extent of their contribution. The Apex committee in the Ministry of Environment would periodically review the progress of these components on the basis of appropriate indicators, which will be evolved. Each city would be asked to develop its own action plan for implementation based on sources of pollution. A three-tier system, including real-time physical data collection, data archiving, and an action trigger system in all 102 cities, besides extensive plantation plans, research on clean-technologies, landscaping of major arterial roads, and stringent industrial standards are proposed under the plan. State-level plans of e-mobility in the two-wheeler sector, rapid augmentation of charging infrastructure, stringent implementation of BS-VI norms, boosting public transportation system, and adoption of third-party audits for polluting industries are proposed part of the plan. The plan document is not binding on the states since the document is not a legal document. The Environmentalists criticised the plan for not making it legally binding. The Environmentalists demand a more stringent action to ensure the safety and well being of millions of lives risk because of the continuously growing air pollution crisis. The US-based organisation Health Effects Institute (HEI) has released the State of Global Air 2019. The findings of the Study are: Overall long-term exposure to outdoor and indoor air pollution contributed to nearly five million deaths from stroke, diabetes, heart attack, lung cancer, and chronic lung disease in 2017. Out of these, three million deaths are directly attributed to PM 2.5, half of which were from India and China. South Asia viz. Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan is the most polluted region, with over 1.5 million air-pollution-related deaths. China and India together were responsible for over half of the total global attributable deaths from air pollution in 2017. The life of a South Asian child born today is shortened by two years and six months growing up in current high levels of air pollution, while the global life expectancy loss is 20 months. Worldwide, air pollution is responsible for more deaths than many better-known risk factors such as malnutrition, alcohol use and physical inactivity. More people globally die from air pollution-related diseases than from road traffic injuries or malaria every year. Nearly half of the worlds population, a total of 3.6 billion people were exposed to household air pollution in 2017. Rapid phasing out of fossil fuels could prevent three million premature deaths annually worldwide. Findings about India Exposure to outdoor and indoor air pollution contributed to over 1.2 million deaths in India in 2017. Air pollution is the third highest cause of death among all health risks, ranking just above smoking in India. In India, 60 per cent of the population still uses solid fuels. This underscores the importance of achieving success in government initiatives to address the problem. Household air pollution can be a major source of impact in outdoor air, with indoor pollution emitted to the outdoor air being the largest cause of health impacts from among all sources in India, contributing to one in four outdoor air pollution-related deaths. The report notes that India has initiated major steps to address pollution sources like the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, accelerated Bharat Stage VI clean vehicle standards and the new National Clean Air Programme. These and other future initiatives have the potential if fully implemented as part of a sustained commitment to air quality, to result in significant health benefits in coming years. Police in the US are investigating if a 14-year-old boy claiming to be Timmothy Ptizen is indeed the same child who went missing eight years ago.The teenager, who vanished from a hotel in Illinois aged six, says he escaped from kidnappers who had held him for seven years.He told police in Sharonville, Ohio, that he fled the Red Roof Inn near Cincinnati Airport and 'kept running until he ran across a bridge into' the state of Kentucky.Police have not yet confirmed the teen's identity. Officers from Aurora are travelling to Sharonville, which is about 18kms north-east of Cincinnati.Timmothy went missing in May 2011 after his mother, Amy Fry-Pitzen, took him out of his school in Aurora, Illinois, citing a family emergency and the pair went on a three-day road trip.His mother was found dead days later with slit wrists at a hotel in Rockford, Illinois, along with a note saying her son was with people who would take care of him.'You'll never find him,' the note read.Police in Ohio said the teen described his kidnappers as two white men of 'bodybuilder type build, one with a spiderweb tattoo on his neck and the other with a snake tattoo on his arms'.The men drove a Ford SUV with Wisconsin plates, police said.Policehave always thought Timmothy's 43-year-old mother killed herself after taking him to the zoo and a Wisconsin water park.At the time, police searched for Pitzen in Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa.'We've probably had thousands of tips of him popping up in different areas,' an Aurora Police spokesman said. 'We have no idea what we're driving down there for. It could be Pitzen. It could be a hoax.'The FBI said in a Wednesday afternoon statement that its offices in Louisville and Cincinnati were working on a missing child investigation with Aurora police and police departments in Cincinnati and Newport, Kentucky, and the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office in Ohio. The FBI offered no other details.Sharonville police said on the department's Facebook page that the information about the boy's reported escape was received by police in Campbell County, Kentucky.Timmothy Pitzen's grandmother, Alana Anderson, told WISN-TVthat authorities have told the family very little.'We just know a 14-year-old boy was found and went to the police,' she said.'We don't want to get our hopes up and our family's hopes up until we know something. We just don't want to get our hopes up. We've had false reports and false hopes before.' The developers of the massive 11GW wind and solar project proposed in the Pilbara in north west Australia have hinted the project could get even bigger as it eyes huge markets for green hydrogen in the Asia market.The so-called Asia Renewable Energy Hub is the largest project of its type being developed in the world, and proposes to use vast tracks of land over 7,000 square kilometers - to host an unprecedented amount of wind and solar to power local industry and international customers.'It is currently an 11 plus gigawatt project. We can go much bigger than that,' Andrew Dickson, the project developer from CWP Renewables, told the Smart Energy Conference on Wednesday.Dickson also says the project is no longer focused on a sub-sea cable to export 'green electrons' to Indonesia, and beyond, because of the huge fixed cost and complexity of the proposal.'We may still do that in time, but towards the back end of the project. The thinking has shifted to the potential of green hydrogen and derivative products.'The AREH has brought together CWP, the world's biggest wind turbine maker Vestas, Macquarie Group, and Intercontinental Energy. More partners are likely to join.The project is seen as something of a yardstick, and a flagship, for the idea that Australia can eventually replace its fossil fuel exports with 'green hydrogen', using the country's enormous wind and solar potential to export green fuels in various forms.Japan and Korea in particular have expressed strong ambitions for adopting clean hydrogen in coming years, to help decarbonise their economies and to maintain energy security.Dickson says the project will be about two thirds wind, and one third solar the wind output is strong at night but not so during the day, so the two technologies are complimentary.'It is pretty much a standard wind and solar project, it's just that it is at a very large scale.'The partners also expect to sign an indigenous land use agreement with the local indigenous landowners. It will be the first project of its kind to be built on exclusive native title.The project partners still intend to have 3GW of the capacity focused on domestic needs. Dickson says the demand is potentially there, but it would require significant grid upgrades, and talks are currently being held with the W.A. government about that possibility.The government sounds keen., with the head of the Pilbara Development Commission Brendan Hammond saying renewable energy would significantly lower the cost of energy to accelerate the rate development in mining and other industries, and create jobs.Dickson says the $22 billion project would create 3,000 construction jobs over a decade, and another 400 jobs to maintain and operate the facility.Giles ParkinsonGiles Parkinson is founder and editor of Renew Economy, and is also the founder of One Step Off The Gridand founder/editor of The Driven. Giles has been a journalist for 35 years and is a former business and deputy editor of the Australian Financial Review. A daughter of notorious Islamic State fighter Khaled Sharrouf, who was just 11 when she was taken to Syria along with her siblings, is asking the Australian government for help.Hoda, who is 16 now, is in the Kurdish-controlled Al-Hawl camp with her older sister Zaynab, 17, two nieces and brother Hamza, 8. Zaynab is pregnant.'I want to see my brother grow up as a normal kid,' she told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.'I want to see my nieces with a happy life with good treatment. I want to see my sister give birth safely.'What about the children? What about the people that didn't want to come here? What about the people that are stuck here and never wanted to be here in the first place? They don't deserve this kind of treatment.'We're Australians too. Australia needs to do something about it. They need to step up.'However, it's unlikely her plea will be heard. As recently as Monday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison rejected bringing them home.'I'm not going to put one Australian life at risk to try and extract people from these dangerous situations,' he said.'I think it's appalling that Australians have gone and fought against our values and our way of life and peace-loving countries of the world in joining the Daesh fight.'I think it's even more despicable that they put their children in the middle of it.'Sharrouf and two of his sons were killed in a US air strike on Syria in 2017.The children's mother is believed to have died of a medical condition in 2015, after following Sharrouf to Syria from Sydney.Zaynab was married off to Sharrouf's best friend and fellow jihadist Mohammed Elomar when she was just 13. She has two daughters, Ayesha, 3, and Fatima, 2. A councillor for Chatham-Kent, near London, Ontario, is the subject of a complaint and possibly an investigation due to a Facebook photo of a toy General Lee car on his mantel.Councillor Trevor Thompson, who represents South Kent, initially posted a picture in February of railway spikes from his time in the Yukon, souvenir ammunition shells from Chatham-Kent Flight Fest, and the General Lee visible in the background to the left.He received a complaint at the time that cited the Confederate flag on the roof of the famed Dukes of Hazzardvehicle as inappropriate, but he declined to take down the image.'I disagree. I still disagree,' Thompson told Postmedia News on Monday. 'I didn't take the photo down and I left it at that. I didn't really think too much more of it. Nobody else has ever said anything to me.'However, last week Don Shropshire, Chatham-Kent chief administrator, notified the councillor he'd received a complaint.The councillor then reposted the picture on Facebook, asking for feedback as to whether or not the General Lee was acceptable in this day and age. The majority of the people who commented didn't see anything wrong with it.However, Thompson said he learned the complainant, Craig McNeill, is contemplating going to the Chatham-Kent integrity commissioner, which he added is 'well within his right.'Thompson said he's a big supporter of the area's black history and he in no way supports the Confederacy.'Nobody likes being charged with that sort of thing,' he said. 'And I don't like it either. It's a very frustrating and difficult thing.'McNeill confirmed to Postmedia News he messaged Thompson to say some people could be offended by the image, calling it unbecoming of a politician.He said when no action was taken, he pursued the matter.'I don't want to spend any more time doing this. I just wanted Trevor to realize that, yes, some people could be offended by this,' McNeill said, stressing he bounced the matter off multiple people, local and out of town. 'What is the good of having that image on Facebook?'Thompson said it's nothing more than a toy and noted there was a General Lee at the recreation show in March in Chatham.'I grew up loving the show [the Dukes of Hazzard] as a lot of people did,' he said. 'I had the bed sheets and a slot car track, too, which I still have.'RELATEDDukes of Hazzard car draws crowds and charity donations at Winona Peach FestivalDetroit city council nixes Autorama car jump over Confederate flagHowever, McNeill said the Confederate imagery is being phased out in American culture and there are car shows where the General Lee is displayed without the flag on the roof.'America's getting rid of it. Let's not bring it to Canada,' he said. McNeill said he also watched the show when he was younger.'I look back on it now and say it was kind of a stupid show,' he said. 'But if people like that car, great, get rid of the Confederate flag. No issue whatsoever.' US Vice President Mike Pence has warned Turkey it could risk its membership in NATO if it goes ahead with plans to buy a Russian air defense system despite widespread US and international opposition.Pence's escalating rhetoric came after Turkey insisted the Russian deal was done, signaling an apparent impasse between the two NATO allies.Speaking at a NATO 70th anniversary event, Pence said Turkey risks expulsion from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program, which could cripple Turkish manufacturers who are making parts for the aircraft. And he raised the possibility of much broader recriminations.'Turkey must choose,' Pence said. 'Does it want to remain a critical partner in the most successful military alliance in the history of the world or does it want to risk the security of that partnership by making reckless decisions that undermine our alliance?'Other US officials have stopped short of threatening Turkey's underlying relationship with America or NATO, but there have been growing calls for swift action, including sanctions, against Ankara to stop the S-400 purchase.Turkey's foreign minister, however, appeared unmoved by the US threats, saying that buying the Russian S-400 system 'is a done deal. We will not step back from this.'The US has offered to sell Turkey the American-made Patriot missile defense system, but Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said it could not be delivered in time.'We couldn't get it for 10 years,' Cavusoglu said at the Atlantic Council on Wednesday morning. 'That's why we had to buy from Russia. And we tried to buy from other allies as well. It didn't work. So it is an urgent need of Turkey. I mean, we need air defense systems urgently in Turkey.'Cavusoglu also met Wednesday with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and leaders of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, whose Democratic chairman and ranking Republican member said they 'made clear our bipartisan opposition' to Turkey's plan to acquire the Russian missile system. Democratic House Representative Eliot Engel, and Republican House Representative Michael McCaul, said they cautioned Cavusoglu that deepening ties with Moscow 'will risk sanctions and Turkey's involvement in the F-35 program.'The US and other NATO allies have repeatedly complained about the purchase of the S-400 system, saying it is not compatible with other allied systems and would represent a threat to the F-35. Officials have said that Turkey's acquisition of both US and Russian systems could give Moscow access to sophisticated American technology and allow it to find ways to counter the F-35.Pence described the purchase as 'deeply troubling' and said it 'poses great danger to NATO, to the strength of the alliance.'As a result, US government leaders have repeatedly threatened to shut down Turkey's participation in the F-35 program if the Russian purchase goes through.On Monday, the Pentagon took its first retaliatory step and stopped delivery of F-35 fighter jet parts and manuals to Turkey.But so far, Turkish pilots continue to train on the aircraft at Luke Air Force Base, outside Phoenix, Arizona. And Pentagon leaders insist there is still hope for some type of negotiated settlement.'We haven't given up on trying to work our way through this,' said General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.'We've made what we think is a very good offer for the Patriot to provide for the air defense capabilities of Turkey.'He told reporters that the US has made it clear to Turkey that the F-35 and the S-400 are incompatible systems, 'but we're still working our way through that and hope we can come up with an arrangement.'Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan also expressed optimism, saying he is confident that the Patriot system proposal will work out.Cavusoglu, however, said he believes Turkey can convince the US that the S-400 will not be a risk or threat to NATO.'We made very clear that this system will not see any NATO system, including F-35s, as an enemy,' he said, adding that Turkey has proposed setting up a technical working group that would make sure the S-400 did not pose a threat. Political prisoner, activist, journalist, hymn-writer, emerging think tanker, aspiring novelist, hanger on of academia, parliamentary candidate for North West Durham, Shadow Leader of the Opposition, Speedboat, proudly banned from Twitter so officially more dangerous than the Taliban, eagerly awaiting the second (or possibly third) attempt to murder me. Maharashtra: Bombay Duck: Not A Duck, But Bombil Is Mumbai's Precious Seafood Delicacy by Akhil Gangan April 04,2019 | Source: Mumbai Live Growing up in a family of seafood lovers, I was accustomed to binging on the coastal preparation of fish, crustaceans, molluscs et al (apologies for going all Marine Biology on you). Every Maharashtrian in Mumbai is familiar with the concept of fish fry, fish curry and everything surrounding it. With seafood being way more healthy compared to red meat, consuming it on a regular basis never tickles the guilty bone. Mumbai being a coastal city, we are blessed with fresh seafood. But when we talk about Mumbai and its love affair with seafood, one particular name which pops up is Bombay Duck or commonly known as Bombil. I honestly dont remember the first time I tasted Bombil, but I definitely remember the last (because I had it yesterday). Labelled as lizardfish on Wikipedia, Bombil has a special place in the heart of Mumbai. Named Bombay Duck in English, people unfamiliar with this do consider it to be an actual duck. A very interesting name comes with an interesting story in the backdrop. This soft, fleshy fish has a mythological story associated with it. Apparently, when Lord Rama was building a bridge to Lanka, he sought the help of all the fish in the sea. All obliged, but for our beloved Bombil. In a fit of rage, Lord Rama flung it aside, and it plopped into the seas near Bombay. Now I dont know how true this story is, but Im glad it was flung close to Aamchi Mumbai. Why is Bombil called Bombay Duck The origin of the term Bombay duck is uncertain. One popular etymology relates to the railways when Mumbai used to be known as Bombay. When the rail links started on the Indian subcontinent, people from Eastern Bengal were made aware of the great availability of the locally prized fish on India's western coasts and began importing them by the railways. Since the smell of the dried fish was overpowering, its transportation was later consigned to the mail train; the Bombay Mail (or Bombay Daak) thus reeked of the fish smell and "You smell like the Bombay Daak" was a common term in use in the days of the British Raj. In Bombay, the local English speakers then called it so, but it was eventually corrupted into "Bombay duck". Nonetheless, the Oxford English Dictionary dates "Bombay duck" to at least 1850, two years before the first railroad in Bombay was constructed, making this explanation unlikely. According to local Bangladeshi stories, the term Bombay duck was first coined by Robert Clive, after he tasted a piece during his conquest of Bengal. He is said to have associated the pungent smell with that of the newspapers and mail which would come into the cantonments from Bombay (now Mumbai). The term was later popularised among the British people by its appearance in Indian restaurants in the UK. In his 1829 book of poems and 'Indian reminiscences', Sir Toby Rendrag (pseudonym) notes the "use of a fish nicknamed 'Bombay Duck and the phrase is used in texts as early as 1815. Labelled as the strange fish for its discontinuous distribution along the Indian coast, Mumbaikars have always been possessive about this prized fish. Famous Bombil/Bombay Duck preparations This fish is considered to be a delicacy among many communities. From dried bombil (sukat) to Bombil Curry, there are multiple preparations for this one. My personal favourite is the classic, Bombil Rava Masala fry. International love for Bombil/Bombay Duck/Bumla It is believed that once upon a time, 13 tonnes of Bombay duck were eaten in the United Kingdom each year. Following the discovery of a batch of imported seafood contaminated by Salmonella in 1996, the European Commission (EC) prohibited fish imports from India other than from approved freezing and canning factories. As Bombay duck is not produced in a factory, this had the unintended consequence of banning the import of Bombay duck. After a campaign to "Save Bombay Duck", the Indian High Commission approached the EC about the ban, and the EC adjusted its regulations so that the fish could still be dried in open air, but had to be packed in an 'EC approved' packing station. A Birmingham wholesale merchant located a packing source in Mumbai, and the product became available again. Bombay duck is available fresh in Canada in cities with large Indian population like Toronto and Montreal, and is generally known as Bumla. Although mainly popular with Indians from Bengal, southern Gujarat, coastal Maharashtra, Goa, and Karnataka, it is increasingly consumed by the other South Asian populations, Bangladeshis in particular. Bombay Duck has gained so much recognition over the years, that overfishing had led to the depletion of many of the seafood species, including prawns, pomfret, and of course Bombil; and one way to prevent this is to only buy it in the months of April, May, June, July, August, and September, in order to allow it to spawn. Bangladesh: Locals face graver food insecurity April 04,2019 | Source: The Daily Star Locals in Cox's Bazar are facing increased food insecurity as an impact of the influx of Rohingya refugees, according to a global report released yesterday. The 2019 Global Report on Food Crises (GRFC) was released by the Global Network against Food Crises, whose members include the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Food Programme, and the European Union. In Cox's Bazar the influx of refugees has aggravated the already-fragile situation of one of the poorest and most vulnerable districts in Bangladesh and the host populations face higher levels of food insecurity than the Rohingya refugees from Myanmar, the report said. Many have lost access to farm lands, fishing grounds and forest resources and have been deprived of their livelihoods. Many of them have been compelled to work as wage labourers, but the availability of cheaper refugee labour has made jobs scarce and pushed down daily wage rates. According to the report, the locals also face decreased access to basic services and an increase in staple food prices because of higher demand. Food security for host communities showed a marked deterioration, with the percentage of households with poor or borderline food consumption increasing sharply from 31 percent in 2017 to 80 percent in August to September 2018, the report said. Yes, there is a crisis. The crisis will be aggravated further in the coming days. Locals are using the agricultural lands for commercial purposes as it is more profitable. The amount of agricultural land is on the decline and it will have adverse impacts on the local community, Md Kamal Hossain, deputy commissioner of Cox's Bazar, told The Daily Star. Between August 2017 and March 2018, at least 100 hectares of agricultural land in Teknaf and Ukhiya have either been occupied by Rohingya settlements or rendered useless by sandy soil flowing down from the mountain slopes, the report said. Local farmers in Teknaf and Ukhiya have always faced a lack of fresh water for agricultural production. However, fecal contamination levels in the affected areas has intensified scarcity of clean water for cooking and normal daily hygiene, while the population increase has massively increased overall demand for fresh water. The report said almost 2,000 hectares of forest reserves have also been damaged due to settlements, which has deprived the local community of earning a living from the forest resources. Around 750,000 kg of timber, vegetation and roots are collected daily from the forest for cooking fuel, it said. Since the crisis escalated in August 2017, a ban has been placed on fishing in the Naf River for security and border control reasons. This prohibition has placed significant pressure on an estimated 30,000 to 3,000 fishermen and their families, the report said. Speaking to The Daily Star, Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) Md Abul Kalam said, Yes, local community is facing some problems but the crisis is not as big as the report is portraying. In the Rohingya Response programme, more than three lakh locals were included. The worst food crises in 2018, in order of severity, were in Yemen, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, the Syrian Arab Republic, the Sudan, South Sudan and north Nigeria. These eight countries accounted for two thirds of the total number of people facing acute food insecurity -- amounting to nearly 72 million people. According to the report, 14.7 million people facing food insecurity and in need of urgent action are from four countries in South and Southeast Asia (Myanmar, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan), which accounts for 13 percent of the GRFC 2019 total. The report warns that war, extreme weather and economic downfall in 2018 have left more than 113 million in dire need of help. The study covered acute food insecurity data for 53 countries and excluded 13 countries and territories including North Korea, Venezuela and Western Sahara due to a lack of recently validated data. Myanmar: Lancang-Mekong Cooperation: Blessing or curse? by Jason Thomas April 04,2019 | Source: The ASEAN Post The Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) marked its third anniversary last week with the announcement that Chinas trade with the five Mekong member countries Cambodia, Lao, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam has reached over US$260 billion for the period, highlighting the overarching role China plays in these five countries economies. A sub-regional cooperation mechanism connecting the six countries along the Mekong river, which is known as Lancang in China, the LMC was formed in March 2016 and has since seen China emerge as a willing investor and guarantor for everything ranging from agriculture to tourism as part of its wider Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). China is the largest trading partner for all the Mekong countries, and while a comprehensive list of LMC projects is not publicly available, the LMC has provided financial support for at least 132 projects in the Mekong region as of last year. Dams playing a pivotal role The LMC has touted connectivity and cross-border economic cooperation as its priorities, and construction of infrastructure projects such as the China-Laos Railway and the China-Thailand Railway are helping to facilitate cross-border integration and commerce. However, among all the seemingly unchecked development that has flourished as a result of the LMC, perhaps none have had such an impact on local communities and the environment than the dams that have sprouted up across the region. Countries such as Cambodia and Lao are investing more in hydroelectric power with the help of China who then buys back the electricity at a discounted rate. China has been building dams on the Lancang since the 1990s, with some estimates stating there are 60 dams and reservoirs now in use, 30 more under construction and 90 more under consideration. None of this is happening with consultation from its LMC counterparts, who also do not receive any significant information on the dams flow. The 4,350-kilometre (km) Lancang/Mekong river flows out of Chinas Yunnan province before running across Myanmar, Lao, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. In effect, Chinese dams can regulate the flow of the Mekong the lifeline for 284 million people who depend on it and its tributaries for fishing and farming as well as a water source and transportation route. Apart from the geopolitical concerns this raises, fears over sustainable growth and environmental problems such as depleting fish stocks, river flow and soil fertility are also pressing matters for these five countries. According to a study released by the Mekong River Commission last year, there are currently 11 proposed large hydropower dam sites on the Mekong Rivers lower mainstream and 120 tributary dams that pose a threat to the ecology and economy of the region. Unsurprisingly, none of these concerns were pointed out during last months week-long celebration of the anniversary which was held in all of the countries. Territorial sovereignty ceded China even owns strategic dams along the Mekong like the Lower Sesan 2, the seventh Chinese-built dam in Cambodia, a prime example. Chinese state-owned Hydrolancang International Energy is the majority shareholder (51 percent) in Cambodias largest dam, the US$800 million joint venture also involving Cambodias Royal Group (39 percent) and Vietnam-based EVN International (10 percent). Declared open last December, the plant will only be handed over to the Cambodian government after 40 years of operation. The territorial sovereignty ceded by the Lower Sesan 2 project brings to mind Sri Lankas Hambantota port, a shining example of how high-interest BRI loans can become debt-traps. Despite misgivings about the viability of building a port in the remote southern Sri Lanka region, the country went ahead with the plan thanks to Chinese funds. However, the project soon proved to be unprofitable and Sri Lanka was forced to cede control of the port and surrounding territories on a 99-year lease after failing to fulfil its debt obligations to China in December 2017. Perhaps realising this, Myanmar scaled back plans for a Chinese-backed port project in Kyauk Pyu from US$7.3 billion to US$1.3 billion with China looking at the passage as an alternative route for delivering oil and natural gas to the Yunnan province and bypassing the Straits of Malacca. Myanmar later said the project will be wholly financed by the private sector. China has plans to blast certain parts of the Mekong river to allow 500-ton trade boats to pass. However, this will also facilitate the entry of security guard boats to protect these trade boats which then runs the risk of militarising the Mekong, a river which empties into the South China Sea. While Chinese investment is a welcome source of capital for these Mekong countries, their leaders should take a long, hard look at the many risks that they subjecting their countries to by embarking on more LMC projects which are often contained within opaque, non-binding agreements. While China pulling out of the LMC may severely reduce the number of infrastructure projects in the region, the continued unsustainable development of Chinese-backed projects along the Mekong could spell the end for many of the diverse communities that depend on this great river for survival. Aceh, the only Indonesian province given special authority to enact sharia laws, has seen numerous instances of human rights violations in their enforcement of their ultra-conservative interpretation of said laws, such as public canings for those caught engaging in premarital and LGBT relations. Aceh seems to also have had an influence in the making of one of Southeast Asias most controversial human rights infringements in Brunei Darussalam, at least according to one of the provinces top ulemas. The tiny but wealthy kingdom nation yesterday put into effect a new national sharia-based penal code which could see those caught having LGBT relations stoned to death, despite international outcry. The Aceh Ulema Council (MPU) says Bruneis new penal code was partly the result of the kingdoms officials visiting the province to learn about how sharia laws could be implemented. Brunei [officials] often came to visit the MPU for discussions. Not just Brunei, but also Malaysia and Thailand. We had discussions and exchanged ideas with them, MPU Deputy Chairman Teungku Faisal Ali told reporters today, as quoted by Detik. We didnt discuss LGBT specifically, rather the general topic of how Islamic sharia can be implemented to protect the people and to obey the instructions of God. Detik noted the existence of a press release from the Aceh government in 2014 detailing such a visit from Brunei officials, in which they learned about the implementation of punishments for violating Acehs sharia laws. In Aceh, LGBT relations are punishable by 100 lashes in accordance to the provinces Qanun Jinayat (Islamic penal code bylaw). According to data released by Indonesias Supreme Court today, 373 people were tried in Acehs religious courts for morality crimes, which include homosexuality, gambling, sexual harassment, rape and drinking alcohol in 2018. Bruneis harsh anti-gay law took effect on April 3, 2019, allowing death by stoning for same-sex intimacy and for adultery. You can join international efforts seeking to apply so much pressure on Brunei that it reverses course. Are boycotts effective? A nationwide survey found that business leaders consider boycotts to be more effective than other consumer techniques such as class action suits, letter writing campaigns, and lobbying. Because well-organized boycotts directly threaten sales, company leaders take them seriously (Friedman, 1991) (See Resources.) According to Todd Putnam, former editor of the now-defunct National Boycott News, Boycotts used to take between five and ten years to get results, but now they take about two. Thats because theyre better organized and get more media attention: corporations recognize the damage potential much earlier. A country or states government may be involved in objectionable practices. Suggested Approach: Boycott an industry or company crucial to that government. This is known as an indirect boycott. As a result, organizers hope the company will pressure the government into yielding to the boycotters demands. The industry chosen for an indirect boycott should: have strong business and/or financial ties with the country or state government, understand activists goals and businesses potential in achieving them, and be able to exert substantial pressure on its government. Example: In opposition to French nuclear testing, the International Peace Bureau called for a boycott of French products. The French wine industry was hit especially hard by the boycott because of its international popularity. According to Bruce Hall, coordinator for the Comprehensive Test Ban Clearinghouse, the boycott combined with the protests had a real impact: the number of tests were reduced by 25 percent. Additionally, French President Chirac committed to signing on to a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. (Source: Erase 76 crimes | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com Opposed to Capital Punishment? Help us keep this blog up and running! DONATE! "One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed, but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, BRUNEI (AFP) - Transgender woman Zoella Zayce fled her native Brunei last year as the country shifted towards hardline Islam, and thinks more of the LGBT community will follow after the death penalty for gay sex was introduced. The absolute monarchy on tropical Borneo island, ruled by a sultan who has been on the throne five decades, implemented tough new Islamic laws on Wednesday (April 3), including death by stoning for sex between men, and adultery. The new syariah penal code has sparked a global outcry, with governments around the world condemning the measures, and celebrities - led by actor George Clooney - calling for Brunei-owned hotels to be boycotted. The country's tiny lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, who already had to be discreet about their sexual identities in the highly conservative Muslim country, have been left terrified. "What Brunei is adopting is a violation of basic human rights," a 33-year-old gay man in the country, who spoke anonymously, told AFP. "All the condemnation and boycott calls internationally speak volumes - Brunei should just abandon these laws and continue to stick to moderate Islam." Ms Zayce fled Brunei last year due to the increasingly conservative climate and is now seeking asylum in Canada. Plans to implement syariah law were announced in 2013 and the first phase, with less stringent punishments, came into effect the following year, before the entire penal code was implemented this week. FIND related content here Ms Zayce said that gay people in Brunei, who were leading "secretive lives" even before death by stoning came into force, were now even more scared. "Some worry a lot and would like to escape the country before they are found out not to be heterosexual," the 19-year-old said. Khairul, a gay man in Brunei who gave only one name, described the laws as "daunting", adding: "When I'm ready, I'll be on my way to a safer community." Before the syariah punishments came into effect, sex between men was already punishable by up to 10 years in jail. It is now a capital offence, while lesbian sex is punishable by up to 40 strokes of the cane and a decade in prison. NO GOVT ENGAGEMENT, NO NGOS Observers say it is hard to know the size of the LGBT community in the country of about 400,000 people. That is because there is nowhere members feel safe to gather openly - such as gay clubs or bars - and there is not thought to be any accurate data available on them. "The LGBT community tends to keep a low profile and LGBT (people) are generally much less open than in some of Brunei's neighbours, such as Thailand," Mr Matthew Woolfe, founder of rights group The Brunei Project, told AFP. "The government does not engage with the LGBT community and no NGOs are working with them." Mr Woolfe organised Brunei's first ever LGBT event - a 2016 gathering at a hotel in the sultanate to mark the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia - and was subsequently barred from visiting the country. However, syariah law appears to enjoy substantial support in Brunei and some are doubtful the harshest penalties - such as death by stoning, and severing of limbs for theft - will be imposed. Analysts say the new code may be largely symbolic as Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah seeks to burnish his Islamic credentials with conservatives, and note that although Brunei has long had the death penalty, the last known execution was in 1957. In addition, the burden of proof for stoning to death to be imposed is high. An accused person must either confess, or there must be four witnesses who can testify the offence was committed. Some members of the LGBT community believe the changes may in reality make little difference in a country where most gay people were already secretive about their sexualities. A 23-year-old transgender woman in Brunei, who declined to be named, said the new laws had caused concern but added: "I think just as long as we remain discreet, it will be fine." | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com Opposed to Capital Punishment? Help us keep this blog up and running! DONATE! "One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed, but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde I am a retired newspaperman. I live in Poca, WV, with my wife of 44 years, Lou Ann. I grew up in Cleveland. Three kids. Grandfather. Report all errors to DonSurber@GMail.com As always, Hakeem sides with the establishment Politico noted yesterday, they seem to be After AOC shook the political establishment to its foundations by defeating "the next Speaker of the House," unsavory Queens Machine boss Joe Crowley-- already a sleaze bag K Street lobbyist -- the top House Democratic leadership-- all close to being octogenarians working to preserve the status quo-- or, at best, the status quo ante-- had to find another "next Speaker." Asnoted yesterday, they seem to be settling for Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY). Another contender, they warn us is tone-def conservative Blue Dog, Cheri Bustos, a Rahm Emanuel protege from northwestern Illinois. Jeffries, first and foremost, a careerist, represents an all blue Brooklyn/Queens district that goes from Hamilton Beach and Howard Beach into Bed-Stuy, Canarsie, Flatlands, and then a narrow strip along the Belt Parkway into Manhattan Beach all the way to the tip of Coney Island. There are some right-wing Russian Jews in the district and Trump won 13.5% in 2016, but that's no threat to Jeffries. Only 22.1% of the district's voters are white and the PVI is an unassailable D+36. Jeffries was elected in 2012 with 90% of the vote, reelected in 2014 with 92% and for 93.2% in 2016. Last year he won with 94.2%. What about his voting record? It's good. (Bustos' is really bad-- Progressive Punch rates her an "F" and her lifetime crucial vote score-- 52.04%-- is even worse than Dan Lipinski's putrid 57.93%.) By the book, Jeffries is the 49th most progressive voter in the House (92.48%) with a nice solid "A-- about the same numbers as Maxine Waters and Jared Huffman... and slightly better than another progressive up-and-coming leader, David Cicilline and a couple points better than Joe Kennedy III. So why is it that so many CPC members have told me he's a "faker" and a "fraud?" Everyone I spoke with agrees the progressives "dodged a bullet" when AOC took out Crowley. "Jeffries would be much better than Crowley," was something I heard over and over again. But... he's a "calculating, self-promoter" and "always thinking about what's it going to do for him-- not that unusual in Congress," but not always attractive in a leader. Inside the caucus, all the calculations about him revolve around identity politics and there's an inevitability now about his rise. Members are beginning to ask him for favors, fostering client/patron relationships. One member told me he's kind of a "fun guy, genuinely liked, fun to be around... good sense of humor, liked by everyone in the Congressional Black Caucus." He's widely seen as the natural successor to the now doddering Jim Clyburn-- someone who Pelosi reckons can deliver New York and African-American votes in Congress, especially important with a sense that's developed in the caucus that Californians have too much power. All well and good, but why is there a feeling of inauthenticity and why do so many members of the CPC sense he's just a careerist in it for himself with no devotion to any ideology. One explained it by saying his socialization was as a "$600/hour Paul, Weiss corporate lawyer serving the master called 'money.' The fact that he took on Barbara Lee [in a leadership battle] indicates that he's more about personal power than ideology." A very observant congresswoman told me "he recognizes who his constituents are and what the ideology of New York City is... He used to want to be mayor but doesn't see that as his destiny any longer. He doesn't want a fight with his constituents, so he votes his constituency but not out of conviction-- he represents them by voting his district." Another just dismissed him as someone on the take from Wall Street. The point is, though, that he's not vulnerable to a Republican challenger and not vulnerable to a primary challenge the way Crowley, who had totally lost touch with his district, was. Which means that-- unless House members themselves just say no (unlikely)-- he's on a pathway that could lead to the speakership. And if it really does come down to Jeffries vs Bustos... people will be rushing to vote for Jeffries. Ironically, this week, he was busy doing something that a)- defended Bustos and b)- reinforced many of the reasons progressives don't trust him. As caucus chair, he puked out Pelosi's insipid and misleading party line everyone's supposed to repeat in front of the media: "[T]he reality is the DCCC has a singular mission, which is to protect and preserve the majority." OK, I'll accept that. But what does that have to do with primaries in deep blue districts? Let's rev up the old time machine and go back a couple decades where an ambitious 30year old Hakeem Jeffries challenged an entrenched Democratic incumbent, Roger Green, claiming he had become inattentive to the needs of the constituency and preoccupied with the pursuit of higher office and then slamming him on TV for being "a practicing Muslim and I grew up in the Cornerstone Baptist Church." Jeffries lost by 18 points. Two years later Jeffries tried again-- running an even more vicious primary against Green-- and losing 52-38%. Finally, in 2006 Green retired and Jeffries won his state Assembly seat. Now, remember that Brooklyn-Queens congressional district we mentioned above... the one with the D+36 PVI? Jeffries ambitions quickly outgrew the Assembly and in January of 2012 he announced that he would be primarying the Democrat who represented that safe blue seat, 30-year incumbent Edolphus Towns, a sleazy establishment character. Jeffries immediately and decisively outraised Towns (a huge chunk of it from Wall Street banksters and their lawyers) and Towns announced his retirement 2 weeks after the first quarter fundraising reports were made public. That's how Hakeem Jeffries came to be Pelosi's heir-apparent and why it was so awkward yesterday to see him defending Bustos' anti-primary bullshit. Yesterday, The Hill reported that "Marie Newman, a Democratic activist who came within 2,100 votes of knocking off Rep. Daniel Lipinski (Blue Dog-IL) in 2018, said the DCCCs stand was influencing her as she considers whether to take another run at the Chicago Democrat. 'We are weighing that right now. Its a consideration. If the [DCCC] is going to move in this direction, Im not going to lie, its concerning to me. So thats one of the final decision points,' Newman told The Hill. 'When youre going to those lengths to ensure that incumbents, no matter who they are, stay in office, that feels like overreach. The policy feels like overreach to me, because it doesnt feel like its entirely democratic, small d.'" You can contribute to progressives running primaries against corrupt conservative Democratic incumbents being protected by the DCCC by clicking on the ActBlue thermometer above. Mike DeBonis and Rachael Bade, from for the Washington Post reported that Bustos-- with Pelosi's encouragement-- has dug in her heels. She snarled at Mark Pocan, Pramila Jayapal and Ro Khanna, "Were not changing it." The defiance comes amid a direct challenge from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), who told her 3.8 million Twitter followers Saturday-- a day before a key end-of-quarter fundraising deadline-- to pause your donations to the DCCC in protest and instead donate directly to select Democratic incumbents. Three days later, the results of the informal boycott remain unclear. A DCCC official not authorized to publicly discuss the committees fundraising said the group had not seen measurable downticks in giving because of the tweets. Meanwhile, two lawmakers promoted by Ocasio-Cortez said they each saw a more than $30,000 boost from the online call-out-- a significant but not game-changing total. As always, AOC sides with the oppressed But the tensions among Democrats are certain to persist. Well, some are upset, some are not, said Pelosi, who was briefed on the policy and approved it before the rollout last month. According to interviews with nearly a dozen Democrats, the policy will probably stand as praise from House incumbents who want more protection has drowned out the criticism from a handful of liberal lawmakers and left-wing groups. Attempting to engage in intraparty campaigns is counterproductive-- period, said Rep. Jim Costa, a California moderate who called Ocasio-Cortezs boycott inappropriate. [I checked their reporting very carefully and regret too say there is absolutely no moderate in the state of California named Jim Costa. There is however a filthy very far right Blue Dog from California, who hires underage prostitutes and votes with the GOP and his name is also Jim Costa. They probably meant him.] I just raised about 330-something thousand dollars for the DCCC, so why are we going to reward companies that are going to be going after folks that have paid their dues? asked Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX), a moderate who represents a largely Latino border district. I totally support Cheri Bustos. Again, I carefully checked and found that there is no moderate congressman from Texas named Henry Cuellar. Bade and DeBonis need to do their homework better. I think they must have meant a far right Blue Dog also named Henry Cuellar, formerly known as "George Bush's favorite Democrat, who represents a district very much like the one they described-- TX-28, which has a 78.5% Latino population, gave Hillary a 20 point win over Trump, and has a PVI of D+9. He has a solid "F" ProgressiveVote score, has a default position on crucial issues that takes him across the aisle on roll call votes more than almost any Democrat in Congress and that his 56.9% Trump adhesion score makes him the most Trump-friendly Democrat in Congress. Aside from 3 Blue Dog freshmen who seem to be on a suicide mission bent on turning Democrats against them-- Van Drew, McAdams and Cunningham-- Cuellar has the worst voting record in Congress. Anyway, he supports Bustos because he's primary target #1 for every progressive group in the country and he's the one her wrong-headed policy was designed to protect. "Henry votes with us less than Brian Fitzpatrick and Justin Amash" [two Republicans] another House Democrat told me in confidence. "I understand why you guys want to replace him with a real Democrat... It's a shame Cheri is tearing up the party to try to protect someone like him." The backlash from the partys left was immediate. Justice Democrats, a group with close ties to Ocasio-Cortez that has targeted incumbents, told its social media followers that the DCCC prefers protecting conservative Democrats . . . over ushering in a new generation of bold progressive leaders. The need to protect the House majority, the critics argued, was not being threatened by challenging incumbents in deep-blue districts where Republicans had virtually no chance of victory. But the new policy was written largely respond to those very lawmakers, who have complained for years about how they are expected to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars in party dues but, because they are rarely in a competitive general election contest, are unlikely to see any DCCC investment in their races. Its a particularly sore subject for many minority lawmakers, who argue it is more difficult to raise those dues in their relatively poor districts. Rep. Don Beyer (New Dem-VA), a DCCC finance co-chairman, said the hard feelings were understandable. Its really hard to go say . . . Please pay your $150,000 dues or your $300,000 dues, and we may use it to hire vendors who are going to run against you in a primary, he said. Thats an impossible ask to make. That tension has been exacerbated by a push on the left to unseat a handful of veteran Democrats in safe districts. Two incumbent Democrats lost last year to more-liberal challengers-- Crowley and Rep. Michael E. Capuano (D-MA)-- and several others faced unusually potent challenges, including Reps. Yvette D. Clarke (NY.), William Lacy Clay (MO) and Daniel Lipinski (IL). Outside groups that backed those challengers, such as the Justice Democrats and Brand New Congress, and pledging to do the same in 2020. This is about us working as a team, he said, while also issuing a threat: To me, there are people on part of Justice Democrats, Brand New Congress, who are trying to devastate this party. . . And they want to come back again this year? Thats fine. Im gonna kick their [posterior] again, okay? The tensions over the new policy broke into the open last week after Bustos met privately with three members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus-- co-chairs Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) and Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI), as well as Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA), a liberal firebrand who beat veteran Democrat Mike Honda in 2016. According to multiple Democrats, the DCCCs traditional role of standing on the sidelines during primaries has been a sore subject since at least 2014-- when Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS) faced a challenger advised by a top Democratic pollster, Celinda Lake, who was simultaneously doing work for the DCCC. Clay, who beat challenger Cori Bush last year by 20 percentage points, praised Bustos for the new policy in an interview, calling it a matter of fairness. In the meeting, the liberals argued that Bustoss new policy risked alienating the partys energetic left and excluding potential Democratic stars, pointing to former congressman Beto ORourke (TX) as well as Reps. Eric Swalwell (CA), Ayanna Pressley (MA) and Seth Moulton (MA)-- all of whom beat veteran incumbents. Bustos listened and clarified misconceptions about the policy, but didnt budge, according to two people familiar with the conversation who spoke on the condition of anonymity to freely discuss the talks. Khanna left furious and immediately began publicizing his opposition to reporters, as liberal outside groups including Democracy for America and Our Revolution waded into the fight, sending letters to their supporters calling them to protest the policy. Jayapal and Pocan, meanwhile, are hewing to a less confrontational approach. The Congressional Progressive Caucus has yet to take an official position on the DCCC policy, and many of its roughly 90 members are wary of promoting any boycott. "We don't want to blow up the caucus around this," Jayapal said Monday. We want to come to a resolution. ...Privately, the liberal lawmakers opposing the policy are discussing some sort of compromise they could offer Bustos. Some liberals have also contacted Democratic presidential candidates to try to get them involved in the internal dispute, hoping outside pressure could move the conversation in their direction. ORourke would be nowhere, they argue, if the DCCC had hindered his challenge of incumbent Rep. Silvestre Reyes in a 2012 primary. I wouldn't wait around for Beto to take a stand on this-- unless someone from Team Beto runs focus group tests and they turn up to be wildly popular among likely voters. Tuesday Hogan Gidley, White House deputy press secretary, was on MSNBC to defend Trump for his twitter rage against Puerto Rican leaders when he referred to Puerto Rico as "that country"-- twice. Reporting for Politico yesterday, Rebecca Morin, wrote that the Trumpist regime "has been criticized for holding a double standard when it comes to distributing hurricane relief aid and favoring states such as Florida and Texas over Puerto Rico. All areas were hit by destructive hurricanes around the same time." Trump was also criticized for his visit to the island, after he appeared to downplay the destruction and death caused by two hurricanes that struck within several weeks of each other. Images of the president playfully throwing paper towels became the main image from the trip. Gidley on Tuesday sidestepped when asked whether Trump believed Puerto Ricans were equal to U.S. citizens living on the mainland, saying those accusations were "absolutely ridiculous." MSNBC host Hallie Jackson pressed Gidley on Trump's statement that Puerto Ricans are "taking from the USA." "Puerto Rico is part of the United States. People who live in Puerto Rico are U.S. citizens," Jackson said. "You're rolling your eyes and I don't know why you're rolling your eyes. There's a lot of confusion over why the president would say this and what he understands and how he views the people of Puerto Rico." "That's ridiculous. He has actually already traveled to Puerto Rico after this horrific hurricane. He was there," Gidley replied. "He gave them a lot of money. They have mismanaged and misused that money. It hurts their people, and that's what he is upset about," he added. It's odd that no one has mentioned that Trump's notorious racism has always applied equally to Puerto Ricans and African-Americans. From an early age, when he was still basically an errand boy for his Nazi/KKK father, Trump was illegally preventing Puerto Rican families from renting apartments in Trump properties for which the federal government sued the firm. Vanity Fair Bess Levin reported that was Post... [The repulsive racist in the White House] "became obsessed with stripping the island of aid-- despite its infrastructure remaining precarious post-Hurricane Maria-- driving one of the few competent people in the administration to give up and quit: Trump has had a bad attitude towards Puerto Rican people and towards the island itself. Last January,Bess Levin reported that was doing all he could to screw Puerto Rico . She wrote that once "got it into his head that Puerto Rico was using emergency money to pay off its debt, he told then-Chief of Staff John Kelly and then-Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney that he 'did not want a single dollar going to Puerto Rico,' and wanted to divert the islands relief funds to Texas and Florida. 'POTUS was not consolable about this,' a person familiar with the matter told the paper. This led to what was likely a deeply surreal moment for Patenaude, who reportedly had to explain to White House budget officials during a December meeting that the money for Puerto Rico had already been appropriated by Congress, and had to be used as intended. 'Pam Patenaude showed the most commitment to Puerto Rico of any of the public officials inside the Trump administration,' Carlos Mercader, the executive director of the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration in Washington, told the... [The repulsive racist in the White House] "became obsessed with stripping the island of aid-- despite its infrastructure remaining precarious post-Hurricane Maria-- driving one of the few competent people in the administration to give up and quit: A top Department of Housing and Urban Development official is leaving the agency Thursday following disagreements with other members of the Trump administration over housing policy and the White Houses attempt to block disaster-recovery money for Puerto Rico, according to five people with direct knowledge of the situation. Deputy Secretary Pam Patenaude, second-in-command at the agency helmed by Ben Carson and widely regarded as HUDs most capable political leader, is said to have grown frustrated by what a former HUD employee described as a Sisyphean undertaking. No one knows how Trump came up with the $91 billion figure-- $80 billion more than what Puerto Rico has gotten in hurricane aid. Trump's fury was unleashed when Democrats blocked the totally inadequate Republican disaster relief bill on Monday. The $13.45 billion bill would have provided assistance to victims of hurricanes in Florida, George and North Carolina, floods in the South and Midwest, and wildfires in California but allocated just $600 million allocated for Puerto Rico, far too little. After the vote, the psychopath ranted that "The Democrats today killed a Bill that would have provided great relief to Farmers and yet more money to Puerto Rico despite the fact that Puerto Rico has already been scheduled to receive more hurricane relief funding than any 'place' in history and the next morning, decided to play the victim, insisting that "the best thing that ever happened to Puerto Rico is President Donald J. Trump. So many wonderful people, but with such bad Island leadership and with so much money wasted. Cannot continue to hurt our Farmers and States with these massive payments, and so little appreciation!" You've probably noticed this before but it can't be said too much: the man is insane (and should be removed). "This is a weblog that is truly welcome in blogtopia a new blog doesn't seem to be frantically trying to score points for any party. That does NOT mean it's afraid to take a stand or be critical....You really can't predict exactly where The Debate Link will come down on all issues. It's not chanting anyone's mantra." -- The Moderate Voice "[A]n emerging genius in legal scholarship and commentary." -- Jim Chen "It's on my 1st cup of coffee rss feed." -- Hanno Kaiser "I heart this blog.... he referenced Wittgenstein, and it was entirely appropriate and non-pretentious." -- kath.A.rine "[F]unny, thoughtful, acclaimed ...." -- The Core Four Vietnamese in Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2019 Forbes' 30 Under 30 Asia list for 2019 includes Vietnamese entrepreneurs in investment, recruitment, marketing and e-commerce. Ly Khanh Hau, 28, is an investor at 500 Startups Vietnam who has helped the fund invest $3 million in 40 startups. Ly Khanh Hau has experience in working for startups in the U.S., Germany and Vietnam. Photo courtesy of Forbes She had previously worked in marketing and operations at an entrepreneurship center, microfinance institution and several start-ups in the U.S., Germany and Vietnam. This year Ly will head Saola Accelerator, a partnership between 500 Startups Vietnam and leading South Korean retailer GS Shop. Kevin Tung Nguyen, 29, is cofounder of JobHop, a recruitment company that aims to simplify the recruiting process for HR managers. Kevin Tung Nguyen established JobHop in 2016. Photo courtesy of Forbes He graduated in finance and entrepreneurship in the U.S. before returning to Vietnam in 2012. In 2016 he established JobHop. The company uses data and AI to sort through applicant profiles on Vietnamese sites to identify the best candidates. The company claims to have reached 500,000 job seekers and 2,000 companies. Le Tan Thanh Thinh, 28, is cofounder and CEO of BrandBeats, a music marketing agency that was one of three Vietnamese start-ups invited to the 2018 World Economic Forum. Le Tan Thanh Thinh is the cofounder of Vietnamese marketing agency BrandBeats. Photo courtesy of Forbes Before founding it, Thinh worked for Carlsberg Vietnam for almost five years as brand manager and new product development manager. BrandBeats connects brand specialists with music producers to create communication campaigns for clients such as Pepsi, Unilever, P&G, and Nestle. Ngo Hoang Gia Khanh, 29, was one of the people who transformed Tiki from an online bookstore into an e-commerce giant. Ngo Hoang Gia Khanh helps transform Tiki into an e-commerce giant. In 2017 Tiki raised over $44 million from Chinese online retailer JD.com and Vietnamese social media firm VNG Corp in a series C funding drive. Khanh used to work for Boston Consulting Group, Prudential Vietnam Assurance and financial services provider Deloitte Vietnam. The 2019 Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia lists 300 entrepreneurs and game-changers from 23 countries and territories in the Asia-Pacific region. They were chosen from over 2,000 entries. Airlines have reported a 10-15 percent increase in demand for tickets during the long holiday at the end of this month. A survey by VnExpress found that flights at reasonable hours from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to popular tourist destinations such as Da Nang, Nha Trang, Phu Quoc, and Con Dao are sold out. Tickets for early morning and late night flights are still available, but fares are rising quickly. Fares are 10-20 percent higher than last year as a result of higher taxes and fees. Loan of HCMC was unable to get tickets to travel to Con Dao island in the southern province of Ba Ria - Vung Tau, around 230 kilometers (143 miles) southeast of HCMC, despite trying a month in advance. "Usually, Con Dao tickets only need to be bought one week in advance. This time I decided to book one month ahead to get a reasonable price, but wasnt able to find any tickets after asking three agencies," she said. They promised to find alternative routes for her but they cost double, she said. "We have decided to take the train on April 30 though it is quite time consuming." According to airlines, demand has risen this year because of the longer holidays, and many tickets remained unsold last year. Since Reunification Day, April 30, falls on a Tuesday, the government has declared Monday too a holiday, and it is followed by Labor Day on May 1, making for a five-day break. The seat shortage is despite airlines increasing the number of flights. According to a joint statement from Vietnam Airlines and Jetstar Pacific, they will offer a combined one million seats on 4,700 flights between April 26 and May 5. This is 78,000 more than in the same period last year. A campaign, including short films showing two couples making love, aims to popularize the science on HIV transmission. A gay couple, one with long hair, featured in one of the K=K's short films that target HIV stigma and misconceptions. Photo courtesy of Maika Elan. In Vietnam, the common perception is that HIV positive people are dangerous because they can easily infect other people. There are many number of stories of parents not allowing their children to be in classrooms with HIV positive children or even HIV negative children with HIV positive parent or parents. In such a situation, safe sex with a HIV positive person would be unthinkable, even with condoms. Well, the science is that safe sex with a HIV positive person is possible, even without condoms. Since it is not common knowledge in Vietnam that people with HIV can enjoy a safe and fulfilling sex life without transmitting the disease to their partners, there are several campaigns attempting to remove stigmas and correct misconceptions. One of them is the Undetectable = Untransmittable, or U=U (K=K in Vietnamese) campaign. K=K, which targets the self-stigma people living with HIV in Vietnam have, is a brainchild of the U.S.s Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Partnership for Health Advancement in Vietnam (HAIVN) - a project of Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and the creative agency The Lab. Their collaboration resulted in a toolkit with actionable messages, including two short films, each lasting one minute and showing two serodifferent couples making out. At the end of the footage, one of them turns around to look at the camera and says: "Im positive. He will never be." Interestingly enough, the film with the gay couple got more than three times more views, likes and shares than the other, the creative agency said. The campaign was first started in the U.S. by the people living with HIV community in 2016 to overcome the self-guilt and shame associated with HIV and trumpet their ability to have normal sex without being afraid of transmitting the disease. A groundswell of research confirms that once the HIV viral load in the body reduces to an undetectable level for at least six months through antiretroviral therapy (ART), a person will not pass on HIV even if they don't use condom, according to Dr John Blandford, country director of CDC Vietnam and Dr Todd Pollack, Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and country director of HAIVN. "A lot of stigma comes from fear; fear that somehow people will get HIV if they stay near or with people living HIV, but the science is very clear about how HIV can be transmitted," Pollack of HAIVN told VnExpress International. A shift in message delivery In the 1990s, Vietnam started to focus on raising awareness of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Most Vietnamese would remember how scary HIV imagery in the early 2000s was: there was a poster of a dying person with a needle sticking out of their arm, another with human figures with hands on their head and on all fours with a needle above them and the slogan dont let HIV ruin your life. "The most effective way at that time was to instill fear in people by saying that if you inject drugs or sleep around and get AIDS, thatll be the end of your life and your family's," The Lab Saigon creative director Tuan Le and project managers Ly Tong and Phuong Anh said. HAIVN provided the agency with the latest research data, and they did their own research on how HIV-related campaigns have evolved in Vietnam since the 90s. They also talked to community workers and people with HIV to get a sense of the struggles they still face today. The Lab said: "'AIDS is the epitome of social evils campaigns worked well: the number of yearly new infections peaked in 2002 and has been steadily decreasing, falling to just 1/3 of that now. The side effect is that people with HIV are now seen by many as evil and dirty. Thats what we needed to change with this campaign." Although ART is available and covered by health insurance and external donors at public hospitals, it does not mean people with HIV would instantly reach out for it, Blandford of the CDC Vietnam, said. The Lab said when people discover they are positive, most enter a state of numbness and denial that lasts a few weeks, months or even years, preventing them from taking the first steps in treatment, and that is something health practitioners and community workers have to be sensitive about and patient with. Dr Hoang Dinh Canh, deputy director of the Vietnam Administration of HIV/AIDS Control, said that an estimated 50,000 people with HIV have not been diagnosed or treated. Ho Chi Minh City is home to the largest number of HIV patients in Vietnam: 48,000, accounting for nearly 25 percent of the countrys total number. The good news, Pollack said, is that the HIV stigma in Vietnam has dwindled over the years. People are more educated about the issue and the image of someone living with HIV has changed. "Now the imagery is a lot more about healthy looking people. But stigma and discrimination still exist, not just in Vietnam." The issues are even more pronounced for men who have sex with men (MSM) since the number of people with HIV in this group is growing. Gay men have it worse Pollack said the groups at the highest risk of HIV in Vietnam include injection drug users, sex workers and MSM. "In Vietnam, in addition to stigma against HIV infection, stigma and discrimination also exists towards drug users and MSM. That can compound the problem." The LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community is still not as widely accepted in Vietnam as in western countries. So LGBTQ individuals with HIV are burdened by an extra layer of stigma and discrimination, the Lab Saigon said. Those doing sex work among MSM get a third layer of stigma. Binh (name changed), 27, a gay Saigon man, said: "Back in university, I went to donate blood. However, a form I had to fill out stated that if I was gay/ had been sleeping with men, my blood would not be accepted. I assume this was due to the HIV stigma." Considering the stigma the community faces, the films had to make do with actors and not actually people with HIV. Everyone involved in the campaign reached out to people living with HIV and consulted them about the use of language in Vietnamese so that it does not come across as stigmatizing. The Lab said: "They were honest and supportive, but it is a very different matter to reveal your status in a public campaign like this. Even people lucky enough to have loved ones who know and support them need to keep it from their extended family, friends and coworkers. It just shows the widespread stigma there is." "We avoid saying HIV-infected people, we say people living with HIV," Blandford said, implying how a change in terminology could help reduce the stigma. Nguyen Anh Ngoc, research and partnership manager at Glink Vietnam Social Enterprise, said: "HIV doesn't kill a person but stigma does." As a gay person and someone who has worked in the field of HIV and sexual health counseling for those at risk for 14 years, Ngoc himself has faced stigma. Once a boyfriend, after discovering he worked in the HIV field, sent him a copy of his HIV test result by email with a hint that he also wanted to know about Ngocs status. Ngoc said: "When you are gay and positive, the stigma is double. Stigma and discrimination, including self-stigma are key barriers to the gay community's access to healthcare services." Pollack said since a lot of stigma comes from a fear of transmission, the U=U message focuses on normalizing sexual relationships and reducing fear of transmission between partners when one partner is living with HIV and on successful treatment. The ultimate goal is encourage more at-risk people to get tested and, if positive, to get on treatment as soon as possible, he said, referring to UNAIDSs 90-90-90 goal. "Vietnam embraces the UNAIDS 90-90-90 goal. It means 90 percent of all people living with HIV will know their HIV status, 90 percent of all people diagnosed with HIV will get sustained antiretroviral therapy and 90 percent of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy will have viral suppression." Achieving this would significantly reduce new HIV infections and eventually end the AIDS epidemic, he said. There are 209,000 HIV patients in Vietnam. The government has only managed to keep track of 175,000 of them and provided ARV drugs to 130,000. Dr Hoang Dinh Canh said only 80 percent of people with HIV in Vietnam know their status. Every year there are around 10,000 new cases. A Chinese translation of The Sorrow of War, Vietnamese author Bao Ninhs famous novel, was published few days ago. Noi Buon Chien Tranh (The Sorrow of War), a 1987 novel written in stream of consciousness style, tells the story of a veteran on a postwar mission to collect the bodies of his fallen comrades for reburial. It features a series of flashbacks to before, during and after the war. The novel was translated into Chinese by Xia Lu, who has studied Vietnamese literature and the link between Vietnamese and Chinese literature for many years. It is published by the Hunan Literature and Art Publishing House, which specializes in literature, art and music books and literary magazines. Noi Buon Chien Tranh (The Sorrow of War) tells the story of a veteran on a postwar mission to collect the bodies of his fallen comrades for reburial. Xia has said at several seminars that Bao Ninhs work stands apart from the traditional Vietnamese novel in style and content. In China, the book has been included in the curriculum of several prestigious universities, including Peking University. Since the release of the Chinese translation, the book has received great praise from readers on Douban, a Chinese social network that allows users to share content related to film, books and music. One reader (account Hubuhui) wrote: "This narrative book makes me feel like I am watching a documentary. This is the first time I have read a book by a Vietnamese author, and it has exceeded my expectations." The book, first published as Than Phan Tinh Yeu (The Destiny of Love), has won several international awards including the 1994 Independent Foreign Fiction Award, the 2016 Shim Hun Literary Award in South Korea, the 2011 Asia Literature Award from Nihon Keizai Shimbun in Japan, and the 2018 Asia Literature Award. It has been translated into various languages and published in around 20 economies, including Germany, South Korea and Denmark. Bao Ninh, 67, born in Hanoi, was a soldier for six years until the end of the Vietnam War. Lie Sang-bong will launch a special collection at the Vietnam International Spring Summer Fashion Week 2019 in HCMC on April 11. Trang Le, president of the Fashion Week, said she has high hopes that the reputation of Lie Sang-bong would elevate the event and open new opportunities for cooperation between Vietnamese and South Korean fashion businesses. His son, designer Lee Chung-chung, will accompany him on this trip. Lee Chung-chung has launched several collections in previous seasons of the Fashion Week. Trang Le (L), president of the Fashion Week, and Lie Sang-bong. Photo acquired by VnExpress At his debut in 2017 at the same event as a guest, the South Korean designer said he was impressed with Vietnamese fashion, especially the enthusiasm and passion of young, talented designers. He said Vietnam would become one of the biggest fashion markets in Asia in the future. Lie Sang-bong, born in 1955, is a designer with great influence in South Korea. His designs have been featured in famous publications like Vogue, Vanity Fair, The New York Times, Le Figaro, The Telegraph, Elle and Harpers Bazaar. He has also designed dresses for many celebrities including Yuna Kim, Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Rihanna, Kelly Rowland and Zhang Ziyi. The Vietnam International Spring - Summer Fashion Week 2019 will be held April 11-14 at the Nguyen Du Gymnasium, Ho Chi Minh City. Tourists walk along Nathan Road in Mongkok, one of the busiest and most popular commercial areas in Hong Kong. Photo by Shutterstock 13 Vietnamese nationals, nine men and four women, will spend 15-20 months each in prison for working illegally in Hong Kong. Hong Kong police arrested the Vietnamese citizens, aged 21-56, in Tsuen Wan District for illegally working in food factories, restaurants, residential apartments and cleaning companies. The arrests were made on March 27 as part of a campaign against illegal workers, Asia Times reported. They failed to show valid personal identification documents and were found using forged Hong Kong identity cards, the report said. Three employers suspected of hiring the illegal workers were also detained and the investigation is still ongoing, it added. Hong Kong is one of the top destinations for Vietnamese workers looking for jobs overseas, and reports of illegal Vietnamese workers being arrested have appeared frequently in recent years. Vietnam sent a record 140,000 workers abroad last year, an increase of 7 percent from a year ago. According to the International Organization for Migration, around 100,000 Vietnamese leave the country every year for more developed destinations. Vietnams biggest cities, Hanoi and HCMC, are among the worst performers in controlling public sector corruption, a survey says. The 2018 Provincial Governance and Public Administration Performance Index (PAPI 2018) report, which surveyed around 14,300 people across 63 provinces and cities in Vietnam, ranks Hanoi and HCMC in 55th and 59th place, respectively, in terms of controlling corruption in the public sector. The ranking is based on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the worst and 10 being the best. It is further broken down into four smaller categories: limits on public sector corruption, limits on corruption on service delivery, equity in employment and willingness to fight corruption, each ranked on a scale from 0.25 to 2.5. The southern province of Ben Tre ranked highest at controlling corruption in the public sector with 7.61 points, while the northern city of Hai Phong was the worst at 5.52 points. Hanoi scored 6.08 points and and HCMC 5.95. "The difference between the province with the highest and lowest point is quite large. It shows that each provinces effectiveness in controlling public sector corruption varies," said Dang Hoang Giang, Director of the Center for Community Support Development Studies. In this, regional patterns have been consistent over time, he added. The two areas where provinces need to do more to control corruption better are corruption involving public administrative services and state budgets, and corruption in state employment, the report said. Corruption was also listed among the top three public concerns in Vietnam, besides poverty and economic growth, with men about 7 percent more likely than women to name corruption as the countrys most pressing issue. Vietnam has engaged in a corruption crackdown in recent years, spearheaded by Party chief and national President Nguyen Phu Trong. The crackdown has seen several high-profile government officials and businessmen arrested and jailed for numerous crimes from graft cases to money laundering. "Officials have been more cautious after the corruption crackdown," said an executive of a small government enterprise, who declined to be named, Reuters reported. Saigon more expensive to live in than Hanoi, new data says Young people look down on a Saigon street from a drink shop. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran New data confirms Saigon and Hanoi are the two most expensive cities in Vietnam, the former dearer than the latter. According to the Spatial Cost of Living Index compiled by the General Statistics Office (GSO), Saigon was approximately 1.5 percent more expensive to live in than Hanoi in 2018. Following Saigon and Hanoi is the central city of Da Nang, which is about 2.2 percent cheaper to live in than the capital city. The Mekong Delta province of Hau Giang in the south is the cheapest place to live in Vietnam, with its cost of living 9.5 percent cheaper than that Hanoi, according to the GSO. A noticeable jump in position was observed in the central province of Thua Thien Hue, home to the former citadel Hue. It was ranked the 4th most expensive place to live in 2018, up from 13th rank in 2017. The average monthly expenses for a single person excluding rent in Saigon is around $435 and Hanoi $447, according to user-contributed database Numbeo. What lies ahead for Vietnam if it gets UN Security Council seat Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc speaks at the U.N. General Assembly debate in New York on September 27, 2018. Photo by Vietnam News Agency Vietnam is the only Asian candidate for the 2020-21 term on U.N. Security Council, and everything indicates it will do a competent job. Ian Martin, former executive director of Security Council Report, told VnExpress he hoped Vietnam would make a significant contribution to preventing conflicts, one of the major tasks of the council. Vietnams experience in dealing with problems within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, and post-conflict situations would be handy, he said. Vietnam actively campaigned to be elected to the council for the 2020-21 term. Asia-Pacific nations agreed last year to nominate Vietnam to the position. There will be a vote in June, and if elected, it will be the second time Vietnam will hold the seat after 2008-09. "I believe Vietnam will be elected as it is currently the only Asian candidate for a seat," Martin said. Vietnam will join the council at an important and challenging time amid differences in political views between the five permanent members, the U.S., the U.K., France, Russia, and China. If elected, Vietnam and the nine other non-permanent members will have to work together to find a common voice on international issues. Pham Quang Vinh, who used to work in Vietnam's Permanent Mission to the U.N. for two terms between 1987 and 1999, said the world has changed a lot since the last time Vietnam held the seat in 2008-09. Changes in policies by large, powerful countries have created fierce strategic competition, undermined multilateralism and even affected the commitment to the U.N., he said. Therefore, when a country sits in the council, it should work with other members to uphold the principle of the U.N. Charter, promote international law and the long-term values the U.N. stands for, he said. Another difficulty Vietnam would face is that some countries have changed their stance on long-standing issues in which there used to be consensus, including free trade, trade protectionism and climate change. Members of the Security Council have to safeguard common interests and at same time have to respond to demands to make changes by big countries. Vietnam will take the ASEAN chair by 2020, which would mean more duties and responsibilities. Vinh said Vietnam can work for the common goals of the two institutions, which are peace and sustainable development. When there is a problem in the region, Vietnam needs to guarantee coordination between the ASEAN and the U.N. so that the latter could step in and handle the situation, he said. "Playing two roles at the same time will enable Vietnam to push regional interests on the U.N. agenda." Martin agreed, saying the two positions would allow Vietnam to express not just its own viewpoint but ASEANs too, and help the U.N. have a broader perspective of the region. As for the tension in the disputed waters of the South China Sea, which Vietnam calls the East Sea, he said it has yet to be included in the U.N. agenda, but the Security Council has a forum for related parties to discuss. "Vietnam will have the chance to discuss it with China and other council members." The skyline is seen through polluted air, as classes in over 400 Bangkok schools have been cancelled, due to the worsening air quality in Bangkok, Thailand, January 30, 2019. Photo by Reuters/Athit Perawongmetha Thailand is providing delegates to an Asian finance minister and central bank summit with face masks this week as smoggy air pollution hits alarming levels. The air quality index (AQI) in Chiang Rai, where Thailand will host the Association of Southeast Asian Nations' (ASEAN) Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors' meeting this week, reached levels considered unhealthy at 240 to 250, government data shows. "Masks were prepared, but (we) have not seen anybody wearing them in the hotel", Nadhavudh Dhamasiri, a senior Finance Ministry official, told Reuters. Some 300 officials are expected for the meeting, with some already arriving. There are no plans to change the meeting venue or schedules, officials said. "We have not prepared special measures because the dust situation is improving and has not affected the meeting schedules," Nadhavudh added. Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha travelled north to see the pollution for himself and ordered agencies to alleviate the problem within seven days, starting with 1,900 spots across nine provinces, including Chiang Rai. The government has already given out nearly two million masks to residents in the area, he said. "The smog problem in nine northern provinces is due to agriculture burning in forests, which happens every year," Sate Sampattagul, Head of the Climate Change Data Centre at Chiang Mai University, told Reuters. The smog was worse this year because of a drought and more illegal burning, he added. The United States hopes to reach agreement with Vietnam on another aircraft carrier visit to the country this year. It also expects such port stops to become a regular feature of the increasingly close relationship between the former Vietnam War enemies, a senior U.S. defense official said on Wednesday. The USS Carl Vinson stopped in Vietnam in March last year in the first such visit since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, underscoring the growing strategic ties between the former foes at a time when China's regional influence is rising. "We had our first aircraft carrier visit to Vietnam since the end of the Vietnam War and we very much hope we can reach agreement with our colleagues in Vietnam for a second aircraft carrier visit this year," Randall Schriver, the assistant secretary of defense for the Indo-Pacific region, told a Washington think tank. "We are discussing it with Vietnam right now. Our hope it that this can be a regular feature of the relationship. It would be a sign of a mature and a strategic relationship. We will work those details out with our partners in Vietnam," Schriver told the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Schriver also said he hoped the United States would be able to make a second coast guard cutter available to Vietnam to help with maritime security work. Decades after the U.S. war in Vietnam, ties between the two countries are increasingly seen through shared concern over Chinas aggressive behavior in the South China Sea, through which more than $3 trillion in cargo passes every year. U.S. carriers frequently cross the South China Sea in a rising pattern of naval deployments, and are now routinely shadowed by Chinese naval vessels, naval officers in the region say. Vietnam has emerged as the most vocal opponent of Chinas territorial claims and has been buying U.S. military hardware, such as an armed Hamilton-class Coast Guard cutter. Centrica's distributed energy and power business, Centrica Business Solutions, has joined forces with the venturing arm of Japan's largest power company, TEPCO, to deliver industrial demand response capacity for the Japanese grid. From 1st April, TEPCO Ventures (TEPCO) will use Centrica Business Solutions' award-winning FlexPond Demand Side Response (DSR) platform to provide the Transmission System Operator with flexibility services for the Reserve market in the Kyushu region, which has a significant number of both industrial customers and renewable energy projects connected to the power grid. The deal will see Centrica deliver FlexPond under an innovative commercial software as a service' model that allows utilities to use Centrica's proprietary platform to build their own virtual power plants (VPPs) and deliver clean demand side response capacity from a variety of flexible generation and demand assets. The cloud-based platform is currently used by over 150 of Europe's largest energy users and has won awards for its capabilities in high-value reserve markets that require a response in under a second. VPPs allow physical assets such as renewable generators and energy storage facilities to be managed as a single unit, providing an alternative to centralised power generation. Pieter-Jan Mermans, global Optimisation Director for Centrica Business Solutions said: "We are delighted to be supporting TEPCO in their mission to drive forward demand response in Japan, harnessing the power of flexible industrial demand while securing a new revenue stream for their customer base. "At Centrica we believe that one of our key responsibilities is to help our customers reduce their carbon footprint. Building virtual power plants that mitigate the need to build new fossil-fuelled plants is a key part of that so giving other energy and utility companies access to our software is an important way for us to support global decarbonisation efforts." TEPCO Ventures is working to develop advanced services for customers that will combine TEPCO's network operation knowledge with the advanced technologies of Centrica Business Solutions, and ultimately plans to expand its offer beyond Kyushu to provide transmission system operators all over Japan with flexibility services from commercial and industrial customers. Shinji Akatsuka, President of TEPCO Ventures said: "It is a great honour for TEPCO Ventures to work with Centrica, which has a proven track record in Europe. We look forward to contributing to the realisation of a low carbon society." Japan's future Demand Response capability is expected to evolve from today's capacity-like reserves to frequency regulation and wider ancillary services by 2021. About TEPCO Ventures TEPCO Ventures is a wholly owned subsidiary of Tokyo Electric Power Holding Co., Ltd., and was established for the purpose of creating new business development. TEPCO Ventures will create various businesses as an extension of its core utilities business and focus on solving social issues in the energy field and related areas and foster new business opportunities. Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc. (TEPCO) is Japan's largest power company group. As a group, it generates, distributes, and sells electricity and other types of energy to mainly the Kanto Region, which includes Japan's two most populous cities, Tokyo and Yokohama. Today (4/3), the Colorado Senate passed Senate Bill 181, concurring with the amendments added by the Colorado House of Representatives. The bill now heads to Governor Polis for his signature. The Colorado Oil and Gas Association's Dan Haley and the Colorado Petroleum Council's Ben Marter released the following statement: "SB 181 is the most comprehensive oil and natural gas legislation Colorado has seen in decades. While a few critical amendments were added that begin to address some of industry's concerns and provide a degree of certainty to our member companies, our industry remains firmly opposed to this bill because it threatens one of the pillars of Colorado's economy. "While we clearly disagree on this bill, we appreciate that legislative leaders heard us and opened a dialogue in the final two weeks about the unintended, and intended, consequences of the legislation as introduced. We hope that dialogue will continue for the remainder of the legislative session and beyond that's how Colorado should work. Our state's energy future is too important to shut out voices from all impacted stakeholder communities. "State officials have committed to working with industry experts during the highly complex regulatory rulemakings following the bill's enactment. That will be critical to minimizing the bill's negative impacts on our state, and we hope that process can begin immediately." About COGA Founded in 1984, the Colorado Oil & Gas Association's (COGA) mission is to foster and promote the beneficial, efficient, responsible and environmentally sound development, production and use of Colorado oil and natural gas. COGA is a nationally recognized trade association that aggressively promotes the expansion of Rocky Mountain natural gas markets, supply, and transportation infrastructure through its growing and diverse membership. About CPC The Colorado Petroleum Council is a division of API, which represents all segments of America's oil and natural gas industry. Its more than 600 members produce, process, and distribute most of the nation's energy. The industry supports 10.3 million U.S. jobs and is backed by a growing grassroots movement of more than 47 million Americans. API was formed in 1919 as a standards-setting organization. In its first 100 years, API has developed more than 700 standards to enhance operational and environmental safety, efficiency and sustainability. HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), has inspected the construction work of the fourth phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, the largest single-site concentrated solar power (CSP) project in the world, based on the independent power producer (IPP) model with a capacity of 950MW costing up to AED 15.78 billion. The base concrete of the CSP tower has been completed and, once built, the 260-metre tower will be the tallest solar power tower in the world. The work is progressing according to the set timetable for this project that will contribute to Dubai's transformation into a global clean and renewable energy hub, and accelerate its shift towards solar power. Al Tayer was accompanied during his visit by Waleed Salman, Executive Vice President of Business Development and Excellence at DEWA; Jamal Shaheen Al Hammadi, Vice President of Clean Energy & Diversification at DEWA; and a number of DEWA officials. Al Tayer was briefed on the progress of construction work by Abdul Hamid Al Muhaidib, Executive Managing Director of Noor Energy 1, a venture formed through a partnership between DEWA, Saudi Arabia's ACWA Power and China's Silk Road Fund to build the fourth phase of the Park. Al Muhaidib confirmed the completion of the concrete base that contains about 1,300 tonnes of steel rebar and concrete, equivalent to 20% of Paris's Eiffel Tower. The concrete placed weighs over 19,000 tonnes, equivalent to the weight of 34 full A380s planes' take off weight with 555 passengers. Al Muhaidib explained that 33% of the engineering work has been completed for the project, which is proceeding according to plan. This project features several world records. It is the largest single-site solar IPP project in the world that combines CSP and photovoltaic technology. The phase will use three technologies to produce 950 megawatts (MW) of clean energy. It will use 700MW of CSP; 600MW from a parabolic basin complex and 100MW from a solar tower; and 250MW from photovoltaic solar panels. This phase will provide clean energy for 320,000 residences and will reduce 1.6 million tonnes of carbon emissions annually. The project, which will cover an area of 44 square kilometres, achieved several world records. These include the world's lowest CSP Levelised Cost of Electricity (LCoE) of USD7.3 cents per kilowatt-hour and the lowest (LCoE) for photovoltaic technology of 2.4 US cents per kilowatt-hour. The project will feature the tallest solar tower in the world at 260 metres. It will use 70,000 heliostats, and the largest thermal storage capacity of 15 hours; allowing for energy availability round the clock. The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is the largest single-site solar park in the world, based on the IPP model. It will generate 5,000MW by 2030 with investments of up to AED 50 billion. The 13MW photovoltaic first phase became operational in 2013. The 200MW photovoltaic second phase of the solar park was launched in March 2017. The 200MW first stage of the 800MW photovoltaic third phase became operational in May 2018. The third phase will be completed in 2020. This April, NIPSCO will start construction to upgrade 157 aging utility poles and three miles of electrical distribution lines in downtown Waterloo, near West Maple Street and South Wayne Street. This project is the second phase of the Waterloo electricity upgrade and is part of the company's ongoing long-term plan to modernize its energy infrastructure across northern Indiana. ARC American, an approved NIPSCO contractor, will be supporting the planned work. Modernization projects offer many benefits to customers, including safer and more reliable electricity service by identifying and eliminating recurring system failures as well as supporting future business expansion in Indiana. Some lane closures may occur. Signs and detour routes will be posted ahead of time. Flaggers will be on site directing traffic during construction hours. NIPSCO will also continue to work with Town of Waterloo officials to minimize impact to customers in this area. The project is expected to run through September, weather permitting. Crews will be working Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. - 5 p.m. (EST), and may need to work weekends or evenings to honor customer appointments and deadlines. Please exercise caution as you travel near any construction zone to ensure personal safety and the safety of construction crews working on this project. NIPSCO appreciates the patience of the community during this important system modernization project that will provide future benefits to customers in northwest Indiana. For more information on NIPSCO's modernization plan, please visit NIPSCO.com/future. About NIPSCO: Northern Indiana Public Service Company, LLC (NIPSCO), with headquarters in Merrillville, Ind., has proudly served the energy needs of northern Indiana for more than 100 years. As Indiana's largest natural gas distribution company and the second-largest electricity distribution company, NIPSCO serves approximately 810,000 natural gas and 460,000 electricity customers across 32 counties. NIPSCO is part of NiSource's (NYSE: NI) seven regulated utility companies. NiSource is one of the largest fully regulated utility companies in the United States, serving approximately 4 million natural gas and electricity customers through its local Columbia Gas and NIPSCO brands. More information about NIPSCO and NiSource is available at NIPSCO.com and NiSource.com. Contact Megan Henning NIPSCO-Project Communications Specialist 219-242-5473 NGIE is strengthening its presence on the renewable energy market in Sp ain with the launch of Phoenix, a new project developed in cooperation with Mirova and Forestalia. Phoenix aims to develop 10 wind farms in Aragon for a total capacity of 342MW. ENGIE will participate as equity investor and as energy manager selling the electricity produced to the wholesale market and hedging in forward market. Phoenix follows the launch of the Goya Project in 2018, a previous alliance between ENGIE and Mirova and Forestalia to develop 300 MW of green technology in the same region. The development of these wind parks will create over 800 jobs during the construction phase and approximately 50 additional permanent positions once the farms are operational. These wind farms, which stand out for their excellent wind source, will generate around 1,000 GWh / year of green energy. The Phoenix wind project was awarded following the Spanish Government's 3,000 MW renewables auction in May 2017. Paulo Almirante, ENGIE Executive Vice-President and Group Chief Operating Officer, said: "With Phoenix Project, ENGIE Spain is taking an important step to achieve a clear positioning in key projects and markets, such as the renewable energy sector thanks to innovative management models offering a global and sustainable solution tailored to each client. This initiative, together with GOYA, perfectly illustrates ENGIE's strategy to invest in sophisticated projects." GE Renewable Energy will supply the 91 turbines, with a full maintenance service agreement for 20 years. Moreover, Aldesa, Eiffage and Elecnor will be in charge of carrying out the civil works set to begin immediately. The project is supported by a bridge financing provided by JP Morgan, Santander Corporate & Investment Banking and Sabadell. As announced in December 2018, Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE) and Aalborg University (AAU) in Denmark are leading the i4Offshore research and development project focused on significantly reducing the cost of offshore wind power. Officially entitled "Integrated Implementation of Industrial Innovations for Offshore Wind Cost Reduction", the project is supported by a European Union (EU) grant of nearly 20 million euro. Presented today (4/2) by Jesper Moeller, Siemens Gamesa's project lead and Senior Specialist in Offshore Technologies at SGRE's Offshore Business Unit, the information focused on the testing and innovative technologies to be installed during the planned five-year project. "The project has the clear goal of uncovering new ways to reduce LCoE to across the industry. SGRE - together with the 15 total partners in the project - will demonstrate highly significant cost reductions covering the entire value chain from manufacturing to assembly to installation and O&M," Moeller states. Among the technology elements in focus, Moeller highlights the demonstration installation at a commercial site utilizing a hybrid material gravity jacket foundation optimized for low-cost manufacturing, and new low-cost cable-in-pipe array solution. Special focus is also being placed on optimized turbine and foundation installation, including installation solutions with a minimal environmental footprint. The i4Offshore project will utilize a standard SG 10.0-193 DD offshore wind turbine. Javier Ortega Smith in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Angel Medina G. (EFE) Spanish prosecutors in the Valencia region are investigating the secretary general of Vox, a far-right party, for public statements that might constitute a hate crime, said prosecution sources. The decision to investigate Javier Ortega Smith, Voxs number two official, comes after a group called Musulmanes Contra la Islamofobia (Muslims Against Islamophobia) filed a complaint in connection with a Vox rally held in Valencia in September of last year. We will be stronger against the common enemy who has a very clear name, and I will not refrain from speaking out this name, said Ortega Smith at that event, which was captured on video. Our common enemy, the enemy of Europe, the enemy of progress, the enemy of democracy, the enemy of family, the enemy of life, the enemy of the future is called the Islamist invasion. Although Ortega Smith used the world Islamist, not Muslim, the context of his remarks suggests that he was not talking specifically about Jihadist terrorists , but about all followers of Islam Although Ortega Smith used the world Islamist, not Muslim, the context of his remarks suggests that he was not talking specifically about Jihadist terrorists, but about all followers of Islam. Whats at stake is our very notion of civilization, said the Vox leader at the September rally. But we are not alone; as you know, growing numbers of Europeans are standing up because they are suffering in their own cities, streets and neighborhoods what it means to apply the Sharia, and they are not ready to have their cathedrals torn down to be forcibly replaced by mosques. They are not ready to see their women have to cover their faces with a black cloth and walk 10 steps behind, treated worse than a camel. They are not ready for the end of what we view as civilization out of respect for rights and freedoms. Sources at the Valencia prosecutors office said that after accepting the complaint, there is now a six-month period to investigate the facts and either shelve the case if there is no evidence that a crime was committed, or pursue proceedings against Ortega Smith. According to the Muslim associations complaint, his statements are flatly false and constitute an attack against social harmony by encouraging an atmosphere of fear and rejection of Muslim communities. There are two million Muslims in Spain, of which nearly half are Spanish citizens. On March 15, two mosques in New Zealand were the targets of terrorist attacks by a white supremacist who could have easily adopted as his own views much of [Ortegas] rhetoric, said Muslims Against Islamophobia. Prosecutors must now determine whether the Vox official incurred in a hate crime as described in Article 510.1 of the Criminal Code, which sets out prison sentences of one to four years and 12-month fines for those found guilty ofpublicly fomenting, promoting or inciting, directly or indirectly, hate, hostility, discrimination or violence against a group [...] for racist, antisemitic or other motives associated with ideology, religion or beliefs. English version by Susana Urra. We just want to get out of here. [] They cant condemn us for taking care of our household and our children in Islamic State. So say Yolanda Martinez, Luna Fernandez and Loubna Fares. The first two women are Spanish citizens, while the third is a Moroccan with residency in Spain, with three Spanish children and who is also the widow of an Iranian jihadist who had Spanish citizenship. All three traveled with their husbands to Syria in 2014 and have survived the collapse of the so-called Islamic State (ISIS) caliphate in its last stronghold in Baghouz, an oasis on the eastern border of Syria with Iraq. They are speaking to EL PAIS in a cabin inside the Syrian camp of Al Hol, where they are being held in dangerous and unsanitary conditions together with another 73,000 people, 92% of whom are women and children. The three Spaniards are taking care of 15 minors. The husband of one of them, who is also Spanish, is being held prisoner in a Kurdish jail. The other two are dead. A total of 19 Spaniards are known to have joined the caliphate, or been born under it, and have survived its collapse. The women claim that their husbands tricked them into coming to Syria The Madrid natives Yolanda Martinez (34) and Luna Fernandez (30) have four children each. Fernandez is currently pregnant with her fifth child and is taking care of another four children, who she says are from a Moroccan couple resident in Spain who died in the inferno that was Baghouz. Both express their desire to return to Spain. If Spain can get me out, I want to get out of here. But they cant separate me from my children! Fernandez exclaims. Martinez shares her concern Loubna Fares is Moroccan, having been born in Casablanca, and arrived at the camp with three children, two of whom were born in Madrid. In the prisons guarded by Kurdish militia and the allied forces from the international coalition, there is one Spanish prisoner. His name is Omar el Harshi, originally from Morocco and married to Martinez. The latter says that he surrendered a month ago. Her religious sisters, as Martinez refers to her two companions in the camp, were left widows after their jihadist husbands died during the conflict. All three claim that their husbands tricked them into coming to Syria, that they were promised a vacation or a new life in Turkey five years ago, then were forced to cross over illegally in the middle of the night into Syrian territory controlled by ISIS. The three women are devoted Muslims with 10 years of marriage behind them. The two Madrilenas are converts and every Friday they used to go to pray at the M-30 mosque in Madrid, a place that Loubna says she would also go to from time to time. Neither one of the three has studies beyond high school. The Al Hol camp for ISIS family members in northeast Syria. N. S. They say that their husbands were mere employees of Islamic State, and were never in combat, and do not equate terrorism with the Islamic State. They are wearing muddy hiking boots and dusty pants that stick out from beneath the black abayas they wear to cover their bodies. We wear these because we wanted to, they say defiantly about their niqabs, the full veils that cover their faces. At one point they were planning to leave the caliphate, but were told they would have to do so without their children. None of them tried it. They have spent little more than a month in captivity in this camp, which has been transformed into a female mini-caliphate where, mirroring what happened in the ranks of the male ISIS mujahedeen, the more radical jihadist women are trying to take control of the place. They reside in the furthest section of the camp. Among the tens of thousands of figures dressed in black, there is only one in colorful clothes and without a niqab. Im now part of the kufar [infidels] because I only wear a headscarf, sobs Geilan Su, originally from Trinidad, as she shows the bruises she was left with after being beaten and punished by the more recalcitrant jihadists. A number of armed female Kurdish militia, wearing colored headscarves, guard the foreign jihadists, who jeer at them or throw stones at them from the other side of the fence to shouts of Askari! (soldier in Arabic). When our sisters were on the other side, in their camps and jails, their husbands decapitated them and raped them. And now we have to put up with them as well, mutters one of the uniformed women. A total of 17,000 female combatants formed part of the allied militias that have fought ISIS in the northeast of Syria in the last five years. They told me that my husband had become a martyr, but I have never even seen photos of his body ISIS wife Lubna Miludi, 40 There are as many as 10,000 foreigners confined with their children in one of the fenced areas of this camp, where 65% of the residents are minors. The remainder are Syrians and Iraqis. As their husbands did in the caliphate, they move around in groups of nationalities, with the Tunisians being the most violent. If you go in there you risk being beaten or stabbed, warns one of the guards stationed at the entrance. Kurdish militias have sent new reinforcements to the camp to contain what seems like a pressure cooker that is about to blow. They have started to move the Europeans to Roj, whispers a Belgian jihadist, who prefers not to give her name. There is less violence there and here the North Africans and the Kazakhstanis wont leave us in peace. The jihadists surrendered or died in Baghouz, but these women have not given up, says one of the uniformed men, whose face is covered with a balaclava and whose index finger never leaves the trigger of his rifle. They only left Baghouz because their emir [Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi] asked them to, he explains. Just 10 days ago, Kurdish security forces had to repel a riot by radicals by firing on them, leaving one female jihadist dead and eight injured. As well as the violence, life at the camp is marked by extremely dire conditions, as the United Nations has warned. Whether from illness, battle wounds or simple malnutrition due to a lack of food, 126 minors have died here in the last three months. More than half of the 40,000 children in the camp were born, stateless, during the five years that the caliphate reigned. Gangs of youngsters aged between six and 12 manage to squeeze between the fences and are in charge of the food that gets smuggled in the camps. At least 350 of them have arrived unaccompanied, according to the UN. They drag wheelbarrows made out of UN tarpaulins with products that could have come from anywhere. Inside one of these carts, a militiaman finds an alcohol-free beer that he brandishes mockingly before the hundred or so women who huddle behind the wire fence. The young Spanish women say that there are no more Spaniards in the camp, and that no one from the Spanish government has been in touch with them. Administrators of the Al Hol camp dont even have a record that these Spaniards are here at all, the head of the camp has confirmed to EL PAIS. The Kurdish militias that are allied with the international coalition have requested that each country take charge of its own nationals. Its a debate that Spain has joined, and the government is currently weighing whether or not to repatriate these citizens. Of the estimated 1,200 European women and children here, only France has repatriated four minors, explains the head of Al Hol. In order to find the two Spaniards, it is necessary to head out to the last stretch of the camp, where the foreigners who are more radicalized than the Syrians and Iraqis are to be found. They receive visitors with stones, insults and shoves. We cant deal with them, but at the end of the day we all came to the Islamic State because we wanted to, admits Rashida, a 34-year-old French-Algerian woman who guides us to the Spanish women. Loubna Fares 1. The arrival in the caliphate Lubna Miludi at the Al Hol camp. N. S. I never would have come to Syria of my own free will Why do you want to speak to the Spanish women? Are you going to get us out of here? The question is posed by a fearful voice speaking in Arabic from among a sea of figures in black. I want to get out of here, repeats Loubna Fares, her eyes open wide and her breath coming short. This 40-year-old Moroccan was born in Bouznika, on the northern outskirts of Casablanca, and she is the mother of three of the Spanish minors being held in the camp. Visibly traumatized after surviving weeks of bombing and fighting in Baghouz the last stronghold of the caliphate in the east of Syria this woman chokes on her own words and switches between the past and present as she speaks. She claims to be Spanish and have the surname Miludi, the same as the third jihadist Spanish woman being held in the same camp. All of it is horrible, Syria and this camp its not a place for children ISIS wife Lubna Miludi, 40 She was the first of these three women to be confined in the Al Hol camp, in which wives and children of ISIS jihadists have ended up. Just like her religious sisters, as she refers to her companions, she says that she was tricked into coming to Syria by her husband, the jihadist Navid Sanati, an Iranian with Spanish citizenship. Two and a half years ago they told me that my husband had become a martyr, but I have never seen his body or even photos of it, she nervously explains. In 2014, she says her husband offered her a trip to Turkey. She was delighted, given that she loves that country. But once in Turkey, Fares tells the same story as her companions: all of a sudden, without prior warning, her husband informed her that she was in the lands of the caliphate. I never would have gone of my own accord because I knew that there was a war there from seeing it on TV. She used to live in Madrid and would go from time to time to Friday prayers at the M-30 mosque, and before getting married she says that she worked at a pharmacy. Unlike her companions at the camp, she says that although she was born to a Muslim family, she never wore the niqab until she arrived in the caliphate. In the camp, taking the garment off can cost you a beating from the more radical occupants. Many of the most radical women in the camp were part of the Jansa, the female unit of the ISIS morality police in charge of patrolling the streets, reprimanding the women who dont respect the rigurous dress codes and torturing anyone who infringed them. Before suggesting the trip to Turkey, her husband told her that he wanted to move to Mauritania to study the Koran. It is a country that has been battered by jihadist terrorism. My family and the police in Spain were very surprised that my husband joined ISIS because he had everything: money, family and work. He was an architect, she explains, switching between Spanish and Arabic as she speaks. Like the other jihadist women, she claims that her husband did not fight. Those that are going to fight disappear for two weeks to get training, and then you dont see them again because they die as martyrs, she adds. In the eyes of Fares, her husband was a mere official who occupied an administrative position in ISIS. She arrived in the caliphate via Raqa, the entry point for all of the foreign families who answered the call of the self-proclaimed caliph Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi to repopulate a territory of 100,000 square kilometers between Syria and Iraq. No sooner had they entered into Syria, the women and their children were separated from the jihadists. We arrived and they took away my husband without saying anything to me, and they stuck me and my children in a mafada, a foster home for families of ISIS jihadists. Following the procedures of the caliphate, the women were kept there for a month while the men were indoctrinated and awaited a destination, a job and a house in the caliphate. Miludi says that she has not heard of, nor has she ever seen, the Yazidi women who were kidnapped and enslaved by the jihadists, of whom more than 3,000 are still disappeared since the defeat of the caliphate. After a month without news of my husband, he returned and told me that we were moving to the outskirts of Aleppo, where ISIS was still active. The day that they told her about the death of her husband, Fares says that she contacted her mother-in-law in a bid to get out of there. I asked her to send me $20,000 to pay a trafficker to get us out of there, but she didnt. For the last few years she has been the widow of an ISIS martyr and has followed the remnants of the population of the caliphate to their last stronghold in Baghouz, in Syria. She has lived with the fear of suffering abuse by men, above all in Baghouz, but states that they didnt marry her to another mujaheddin as is customary with ISIS widows. All of it is horrible, Syria and this camp its not a place for children. Her only hope, she says, is that Allah will light up the way for her to leave the camp, just as he did to get us out of Baghouz alive. I want to go back, she repeats, without stating whether she means to Spain where the family of her husband lives, and where she still has residency or Morocco. Confused, she calls again on her mother-in-law to send her money so that she can get out of Syria via a smuggler, without perhaps realizing that the Al Hol camp is guarded by armed militia and Kurdish militia. My family didnt know anything, I swear to God. They dont even know that my husband has died. I need to get out of here! Yolanda Martinez. N. S. Yolanda Martinez 2. Daily life in the caliphate The Spanish justice system cant send me to prison for taking care of my home and my children My husband had promised me a trip to Turkey ISIS wife Yolanda Martinez, 34 Growing personally as a Muslim and taking care of my family were the duties of Yolanda Martinez, a converted Spaniard and de facto citizen of ISIS for the last five years. Speaking for this interview with EL PAIS inside a cabin in the Al Hol camp, the 34-year-old tells the story of a peaceful life under the caliphate. When my husband arrived home, thanks to God, the table was set and the children neat and tidy, she explains with a sweet, unhurried voice. A pair of rectangular glasses sit atop her niqab, covering blue eyes. Pale hands gesticulate from underneath her abaya with each of her answers. I arrived here knowing nothing, she explains. But I was very happy because my husband had promised me a trip to Turkey, and we bought the return tickets from Morocco. But her husband, the jihadist Omar el Harshi, a Moroccan-born citizen of Spain, had other plans for the family. Shortly after arriving in Istanbul, he took them to a city in the south of Turkey on the border with Syria. One night, they entered the lands of the caliphate by car. The three Spaniards are taking care of 15 minors Born in the upscale Salamanca neighborhood of Madrid, Martinez finished her high school studies in art. She wanted to be a painter like her mother. She first found work distributing flyers, and then as a clerk at the Spanish department store El Corte Ingles. At 22, she married the man who would become the father of her four children, who are now aged between four months and 10 years. I was always the ugly duckling of my family, and when my husband introduced me to Islam, I realized I carried the religion inside me. That was when she made the personal decision, she underscores, to start wearing a niqab. In Spain she attracted lots of looks on the street, so she says she felt happy when they moved to Morocco, a Muslim country where I went more unnoticed with the niqab. El Harshi worked as a plasterer, but with the economic crisis they went to live in her parents house for long periods of time. My father is very sexist and didnt approve of my conversion or anything else, so it was all very tense, she says, after emphasizing the respect for women in the heart of the jihadist kingdom. After a period in Morocco, from where they made a number of journeys to and from the Spanish exclave city of Ceuta, in North Africa El Harshis home city they traveled to Turkey in May 2014. Once in Syria, the family moved to Shadadi, a place on the banks of the Euphrates River and a well-known conservative heartland in northeastern Syria. They gave us a home and my husband a job at the ISIS courts, running errands. We finally had a stable economic situation, she explains. In nearly five years of life in the caliphate, she claims that she never saw a beheading or a public execution. I just took care of my house and my children, I never went out, and whats more I dont speak Arabic. However, I was able to live in accordance with the precepts of Islam. They had no television either, as they are banned in jihadist lands. She says that her husband never fought. How was he going to fight if every day he left early to work and came back home late? However, according to a 2014 judicial report from Spains High Court, the Audiencia Nacional, her husband is considered to be an operational leader of a network that recruited jihadists at the M-30 mosque in Madrid, carrying out an executive role in the organization, being the person in charge of deciding how and when the members of the group would travel. Every Friday, Martinez would go to pray at midday in that mosque, along with other Spanish converts. During the last fighting between Kurdish-Arabic militia allied with the coalition and the remnants of the ISIS mujahedeen in the Syrian town of Baghouz, El Harshi surrendered on March 1 along with his family. According to his wife, he was disenchanted by the members of ISIS who had betrayed the caliphate and the faithful like themselves, with their sins and bad behavior. But still she insists that the foundation of Islamic State is good. El Harshi was jailed and she was taken to the camp along with her children. I havent done anything bad. If in Spain the law truly judges people with clarity, why would they imprison a woman who has suffered so much, and who has been at home with her children? Luna Fernandez. N. S. Luna Fernandez 3. The collapse of the caliphate Baghouz was hell The road that Luna Fernandez traveled to arrive in the caliphate is one that is plagued with blows, as is evidenced from the eyes that peep out from her niqab, which appear to belong to a 50-year-old rather than a woman who says she is 32. Walking through the Al Hol camp in which she is being held, her pregnant belly can be seen protruding from underneath her abaya. Im five months pregnant well, I think its five or six, I still havent seen a doctor, she mumbles. She arrived in the caliphate with her jihadist husband and two young children, and left Baghouz a widow with eight children under her care, four of which are her own, and with a fifth on the way. This is a man-to-man war, women and children have nothing to do with it ISIS wife Luna Fernandez, 32 At the age of 16 she met her future husband, Mohamed el Amin, a Moroccan national resident in Spain. He showed me that Islam is the truth, and I converted, she explains. When she became an adult they got married, and after 14 years together she was widowed three months ago in Baghouz. He went to a house with some other men and they were hit by a bomb there. Two weeks later, a Moroccan couple resident in Spain, who she identified as Hana and Mohamed Selman, also died in the fighting, leaving behind four orphaned children. Hana was the second wife of a polygamous husband, with whom she had one of the four orphans who have ended up in the care of this widow. Fernandez has taken them into her care so that she can take them to their grandmother, who lives in Spain. As the Kurdish-Arabic militia allied with the coalition advanced, she and her children continued their journey assisted by another converted Spaniard, Yolanda Martinez, and her husband. According to the UN, a total of 350 unaccompanied minors have arrived at Al Hol. Baghouz was hell. I was very scared, she explains, nervously pinching at her skin. Protected by trenches that were dug out by the jihadists and covered with blankets, Fernandez and the eight children survived the air raids and the bullets that whistled over their heads. They barely had a tin of sardines per family for three days. She is highly critical of the coalition fighter jets. This is a man-to-man war, women and children have nothing to do with it. But she says nothing when questioned about the laws of the caliphate or why the mujaheddin took them with them as human shields. Im a Muslim and I am not going to disown my religion. As many countries make their laws, Allah has made a law and He knows, we dont know. She claims that her husband never fought in ISIS, he was just a treasurer in Beit el Mal, she says, alluding to the body in charge of ISISs finances. My husband was a good, trustworthy man, which is why they gave him that position. At the Al Hol camp there are 73,000 people, 92% of whom are women and children She admits that the caliphate has done bad things, such as those combatants who disguise themselves with a beard and a rifle and say that they are Muslims but just rob or punish innocents. Or those women who come from Kazakhstan or all the countries ending in -tan, who were very aggressive toward her during the times of the caliphate and who continue to be so in the camp where they are being held. I saw with my own eyes the other day a woman punch another in the nose when they were waiting in line to go to the market. Fernandez has never worked and, after marrying so young, never got further than her high school studies. She says that she has no other family in Spain apart from her husbands. My father is Moroccan but he abandoned me at the age of four and I grew up in a foster center in the Madrid region. Since then she has only seen him a couple of times. As for her mother, who is from Madrid, she says that she has not seen her since 2013, when she moved to Egypt for a year with her husband and two children. There she gave birth to a third daughter, Meriam, who died shortly after because we couldnt pay for her heart operation. In 2014, her husband suggested moving to a city in the south of Turkey where Muslims could live well and cheaply. The young woman tells the story of how she found herself running through the trees until suddenly they stopped and she was able catch her breath. Youre in Syria! my husband told me. At that time, Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi had still not proclaimed the caliphate, but when he did so, Fernandez and his family moved to a village next to the oil fields of Al Omar, on the eastern banks of the south of the Euphrates. The biggest fields in Syria, they became the key source of income for the terrorist group. Now she just wants to get out of the camp with her children, in peace and live as a good Muslim. Still in a visible state of shock, the young woman seems puzzled to hear the terms terrorist group or trials. I didnt come here voluntarily, I was brought here. She claims that her husband brought her there with good intentions, but once inside, leaving the caliphate meant being separated from her children. She was the first Spanish woman who managed to cross the last jihadist stronghold into the control of Kurdish militia. She did so five weeks ago in Baghouz, as a widow of a martyr and with the orphans of another one. She left the last camp of the jihadist resistance to go live in a tent and another camp, one where she is being held captive, together with the last survivors of the caliphate village. English version by Simon Hunter. Manuela Grande with her daughter Luna Fernandez in 2011. Manuela Grande (Madrid, 1974) said goodbye to her daughter Luna Fernandez in the winter of 2014. She was going, aged 25 [Fernandez claims she was two years older than that] and with two children aged four and six to Alexandria [Egypt], convinced to do so by her partner, a young Moroccan who grew up in Ceuta and is called Mohamed, and whom she met shortly after turning 18, in La Ciudad de los Muchachos care home, explains Manuela from the corner of the Madrid region that she fled to after losing her three sisters (far too young), and then her mother in 2016, as well as her partner of 28 years. I was left alone in the world, my life had no meaning and I preferred not to seek out my daughter in case they told me she was dead. Luna Fernandez Grande is one of the three Spanish female jihadists that have just been identified in Syria. The lives of Manuela and Luna had always been difficult. Shes my only daughter, I had her when I was just 15, in 1989, she was born in [Madrids] La Paz hospital, she explains. Social Services took her from me when she was just four, because neither I nor my mother could take care of her, they were difficult times, she says. Her biological father did not return into their lives until he found out he was a grandfather. Luna Fernandez with her grandmother Claudia shortly before she left Spain. Luna grew up in care homes in the Madrid region. They gave her to me at the weekends, during vacations She was a normal girl, with her friends, with the doubts any teenager goes through should I smoke a cigarette, should I get my nose pierced she was an atheist and bit by bit we became kind of sisters. [My partner] Juan was always a father to her, they had a good relationship and she adored my mother, her grandmother Claudia, she struggles to explain. I have spent the last two years taking three tranxilium [tranquilisers] a day, that has been the last part of my life and my memory fails me somewhat. While I liked the fact that Luna would tell me anything and had that trust in me, I always said to her, Luna, dont forget I am your mother. Luna changed a lot before she left to supposedly set up a clothing business in Alexandria with another couple who were friends of theirs. When Mohamed arrived in Lunas life, she turned into a different person. Reserved, fearful They went to live in a house that was given to them by the family of Moja [Mohamed] in the gypsy town of Rivas, and she started to go to the El Carmen mosque. First she would cover her head and then her whole body in black, she depended on him financially, she told me that he sold honey, she recalls. I was alone with her during the births of her two first children in Madrid I think shes had two more over there and she would say to me, Mom, dont look, as if she were ashamed, it was such a strange thing, Manuela explains. Moja was an incredibly quiet guy, he barely spoke, but he smoked, drank, didnt go to the mosque. My daughter told me he didnt talk to me because I was a woman. I didnt like him at all. We would argue about him, but it was no use. Some of Luna Fernandezs family photos. Thanks to one of her friends from La Ciudad de los Muchachos, the Spanish authorities have managed to find Luna in Syria. I grew up in a care home, begins the letter that her friend sent to the police, the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR, and the Syrian Embassy. That was where we met and we grew up together. Her name is Luna Fernandez Grande. Our shared circumstances and experiences in that home turned us into sisters, but several years ago her behavior changed drastically after she paired off with a man of Moroccan origin who is currently involved in Islamic terrorist groups and is probably jailed in Syria right now, according to information from his family. Having always been an atheist, she suddenly turned into an Islamic fanatic, applying all of the cliches of that religion to her lifestyle. She broke off contact with her closest contacts and the last thing that was known about her via the family of her partner was that she had had two children and that the four of them were in Syria, the letter continues. That was the last news that Manuela had about her daughter, when, a year after she left, in 2015, she got a visit from the police. They were asking about Mohamed and they told me that he was being investigated as a recruiter of fighters for the Islamic State, and they thought that she was dead. My daughter is a lovely girl, she just lost that big heart that she had, says Manuela. Love leaves us all blind, and Im sure that if she could, she would have returned, but she was no doubt scared about her children. Shes a very good mother and she will always, always, always be my queen. English version by Simon Hunter. Text in which the author defends ideas and reaches conclusions based on his / her interpretation of facts and data An anti-Brexit protestor outside the British parliament in London. DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS (AFP) Sometimes elections and referendums change the course of history. For example, in June 2016, Britain decided to leave the European Union in the famous Brexit referendum. Also in 2016, Donald Trump won the US election and found himself in the White House. And in December 1998, Venezuelans elected Hugo Chavez president. Today Brexit has plunged the English political system into a deep crisis, Trump has transformed American politics and perhaps the world, and Chavez is responsible for a national catastrophe that is now becoming a crisis for much of Latin America. These three cases are, of course, very different. But they also have similarities that reveal some important toxins that are undermining modern democracies. 1. Antipolitics. All three of these examples are manifestations of the troubling rejection of the established political system and the presumption that traditional politicians use politics for their personal benefit and not for the common good. Those who voted for Brexit, Trump, and Chavez felt that just evicting those who had governed in the past would improve their personal situation or, at least, serve as lesson to the powerful. Throw them all out! and Nothing could be worse than what we have now! are the common slogans that energize antipolitics everywhere. 2. Weak Political Parties. In these three examples, the unexpected election results were made possible in significant measure thanks to a weakening of the established political parties. The two traditional British parties the Labour Party and the Conservative Party were split internally, which prevented them from effectively confronting Brexits promoters. The same thing happened to the Republican Party in the US, whose fragmentation made it possible for an outsider such as Trump to become its presidential candidate. This was also the case in Venezuela, where the two historical parties had collapsed, leaving the door open for a dark horse like Hugo Chavez. Those who voted for Brexit, Trump, and Chavez felt that just evicting those who had governed in the past would improve their personal situation 3. The Normalization of Lying. Almost immediately after the Brexit vote, it became clear that its promoters had lied, exaggerating the benefits for the UK if it left the European Union and minimizing the costs and difficulties. In his first year as president, Donald Trump on average lied or made misleading statements around six times every day according to a running count kept by The Washington Post. In his second year in office his average rose to more than 16 a day and, so far in 2019, he has been lying 22 times a day. The US president has normalized the lie. Hugo Chavez did the same. A quick Google search will reveal a huge collection of videos of the Venezuelan president blatantly lying. 4. Digital Manipulation. Donald Trump's Twitter account is undoubtedly one of his most powerful political weapons. Chris Wylie, the repentant former research director of the company Cambridge Analytica, told the British parliament that the company and others used social networks to influence the outcome of the Brexit referendum. Alo Presidente, the weekly Venezuelan talk show starring Hugo Chavez, became a major instrument of government propaganda and political mobilization as well as a tool for manipulating public opinion. All politicians, everywhere and always, have used the media to obtain and retain power. But few have done it with the skill, brazenness and technological sophistication with which Trump, Chavez, and the Brexit advocates have done so. 5. Foreign Interference. US intelligence agencies and special prosecutor Robert S. Mueller concluded that the Russian government clandestinely influenced the 2016 US election. Before the Brexit referendum, more than 150,000 Twitter accounts in Russian sent tens of thousands of messages in English urging the British to leave the European Union. Cubas influence on Venezuela had been kept secret, but today it is a widely acknowledged fact. Invasions are now cheaper, clandestine, and are carried out with computers and the weapons of the digital age. The US president has normalized the lie. Hugo Chavez did the same 6. Nationalism. The promises of self-determination as well as revenge against the (real or imagined) mistreatment by other countries were key to the electoral successes of Chavez, Trump, and Brexit. In all three cases, denouncing globalization, international trade and countries that take advantage of us yielded political dividends. Chavez blamed the US, while Trump and Brexits promoters railed against immigrants. These six factors illustrate the type of toxins that are infecting the political body of many countries. In some of them, antibodies have arisen that resist the toxins. Yet it is too early to say how sick each patient will get or even if they will survive. All we know is that the clash between these toxins and their political antibodies is sure to shape our changing world. @moisesnaim Pedro Sanchez and Theresa May in Brussels. Fernando Calvo (EFE) Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has compared the United Kingdoms withdrawal from the European Union with the Catalan independence movement. The Spanish leader sees parallels between the rhetoric of the Brexit campaign and arguments heard in Catalonia during the campaign ahead of the unauthorized independence referendum of October 1, 2017. Vox is radicalizing the rhetoric of the PP and Ciudadanos Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez They say either Europe is stealing from us or Spain is stealing from us, and if only we had more economic resources... Ultimately, engaging in projects based on lies leads societies down a blind alley, and thats really difficult to manage, said Sanchez in a joint interview with the European media outlets The Guardian, La Repubblica, Le Monde and Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. The head of the Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE) said that the techniques of the Catalan independence movement are very similar to those of [former UKIP leader Nigel] Farage and other ultra-conservative leaders who have defended Brexit. He added that the Brexit referendum should not have been framed as a binary yes/no issue. He said that perhaps the right question would have been: Do you want to stay in a better Europe? Because its true there are many things that need to change in Europe. Its true there are many things that need to change in Europe Pedro Sanchez Sanchez listed some of the lessons to be learned from Brexit. For instance, how an internal debate within one political party can become a global problem. He also expressed surprise at the generation gap on display at anti-Brexit protests: Young people are in favor of remaining in Europe, and they are the future of the UK. As for Spain-UK relations, Sanchez described his relationship with British PM Theresa May as very close despite differences over Gibraltar. Both leaders have been working to preserve the rights of Britons living in Spain and Spaniards living in the UK following Brexit. Spanish politics The Spanish leader, who is facing a snap general election on April 28 as well as local and regional polls on May 26, also had thoughts on the state of Spanish politics, particularly on the rise of the far-right Vox and its effect on the right-of-center Popular Party (PP) and Ciudadanos (Citizens). Unlike other liberal parties in Europe that refuse to negotiate with the far right, Ciudadanos has reached a deal with the far right, he said, alluding to Voxs critical support for a center-right governing coalition in the southern region of Andalusia. Sanchez said he is concerned at the way that Vox is radicalizing the rhetoric of the PP and Ciudadanos. Joint Statement by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair Countries LIVE International Court of Justice will deliver its decision on the request for provisional measures in the case of ARMENIA v AZERBAIJAN Statement of the Foreign Ministry of Armenia OPEC Fund Partners Ameriabank to Address Problems and Help to Improve the Life of People in Armenia. T. Alnassar. Google Ad Generation A: Edition 14. Exclusive Chance to Begin Your Professional Career with Ameriabank Katna Armenian cheeses enter the market: the new project of Galaxy Group of Companies US$30m OPEC Fund loan to Ameriabank to promote sustainable energy and support small businesses in Armenia Black Friday at ucom: up to 70% discount for smart home devices, gadgets and smartphones 116 million AMD assistance to minors with disabilities in Shirak Province from Mikayel Vardanyan Discussion on the topic IT infrastructure as the basis of the digital economy with the participation of the heads of telecommunication companies in Armenia Statement nn the ongoing Aggression by Azerbaijan against the Republic of Armenia "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 Ookla has awarded Ucom with The fastest fixedline network in Armenia award UCOM keeps on supporting the 42 YEREVAN programming school Google Ad Recognizing the One-Year Anniversary of the Ceasefire Declaration Between Armenia and Azerbaijan They should not be positioned near civilian communities neither in Armenia nor in Artsakh Humanitarian and human rights protection needed following the 2020 outbreak of hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh Galaxy Group of Companies expands its activities in Belarus: a new TIME and Pandora store launched I think its a good moment to invest in Armenia. Head of Markets at Symbiotics Vincent Lehner Ameriabank has Raised USD 17.5M Tier 2 Capital UNIGHT TO UNITE. UCOM CELEBRATED ITS REBIRTH Ameriabank and HSBC Armenia to provide their customers access to each others ATMs without additional fees Ameriabank. 62.5% Growth in Taxes YOY Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans have provided 300 million AMD to overcome the infertility in Armenia UCOM has officially launched the sale of IPHONE 13 Six servicemen were wounded by the attack of the Azerbaijani armed forces in Artsakh, two of them in critical condition S&P Improved the Outlook on Ameriabank to Positive Anna Hakobyan delivers remarks at US Congress (video) The visit of spouse of Armenian Prime Minister Anna Hakobyan to the United States has kicked off, Voice of America reports. Mrs. Hakobyan has participated in an event dedicated to her at the US Congress and met with the Congressmen. She also delivered remarks introducing Armenias achievements and stating that the country is fully on the path to democracy and ensuring real economic growth, and each support on this path by Armenias friends is welcomed. Congresswoman Jackie Speier, who has Armenian origins, stated that the Congress will make all efforts so that the US will provide assistance to Armenia from economic and political terms. We want to be sure that democracy in Armenia not only will be maintained, but also will prosper, and the country will fully develop, she said. Congressman Adam Schiff also attended the meeting. We need to raise the partnership of our countries to a new level in order to help your wonderful government to succeed, he said. Anna Hakobyan introduced the Congressmen on the Women For Peace initiative within the frames of which Armenian women call on all women around the world to raise their voice for peace so that no soldiers will be killed in the border. Anna Hakobyans visit to the US has started by the visit to the Library of the Congress where she was presented on the exhibits of the Armenian literature. Thereafter, the PMs spouse had a meeting with the Armenian community representatives in the Armenian Embassy of US. During her visit Mrs. Hakobyan will try to raise funds for the My Step and City of Smile charity foundations. Ukrainian Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak on Wednesday took part in a reception on boards of the Royal Canadian Navy and Spanish Navy frigates Toronto and Santa Maria, part of the NATO ships, moored in Odesa. "The presence of the NATO Navy in Odesa shows the real assistance of the Alliance to our country in ensuring the safety of navigation in the Black Sea-Azov region and this is very important for us," Poltorak wrote on his Facebook page on Wednesday. He said that the frigates' visit in Odesa is one of the events of cooperation between Ukraine and the Allies. Its main purpose is to conduct joint training and exercises. "At a time when the situation in the Black and Azov Seas is extremely dangerous, this event is a signal of true support of Ukraine, a signal of support of the Ukrainian Navy in a process of reformation. This is a very important step in organizing the interaction with partners in order to meet the Alliance's criteria. We need to get maximum compatibility during the execution of combat missions. These issues will be in a focus of our attention," Poltorak said. The court proceedings in the Ukrainian Supreme Court on the lawsuit against the deprivation of Mikheil Saakashvili, Georgia's ex-president and former governor of the Odesa region, of Ukrainian citizenship, may gain pace after the Ukrainian presidential election on April 21, his lawyer Ruslan Chernolutsky said. Chernolutsky wrote on his Facebook page on Wednesday that he had filed a request with the Supreme Court's Cassation Administrative Court on March 21 seeking information on the results of a handwriting evaluation in the case involving Saakashvili being illegal deprived of Ukrainian citizenship, as well as information on what stage the case is at. The Supreme Court told the lawyer on March 27 that since the moment the case materials had been sent to the Kyiv forensic evaluation institute, the materials and experts' conclusions had not been returned to the court. "This only shows that the controlled bodies of authority and the judicial authorities have delayed the results of the evaluation of Saakashvili's signature (on his citizenship application, which officials forged) for nine months. We will also contest the border guards' ban in the Supreme Court, by the way, but the Supreme Court is also 'on hold.' There is hope that the case will be resumed and a decision will promptly be made in Saakashvili's favor on April 21, after the election of the new president," Chernolutsky said. According to earlier reports, Saakashvili, who is barred from entering Ukraine until February 13, 2021, said in his interview on March 12 that he was intending to return to Ukraine on April 1 and had already purchased a plane ticket. After exit poll results were announced in the Ukrainian presidential election on March 31, Saakashvili called on Ukraine's democratic forces to support presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelensky. He later said on television that his return to Ukraine was postponed until the end of the presidential election, following which he said he is confident President Petro Poroshenko's order to bar him from the country will lose force. Saakashvili was detained in the restaurant Suluguni in central Kyiv on February 12 2018, after which he was taken to the Boryspil airport and sent to Poland by plane. The Ukrainian authorities said this had been done under a readmission procedure because Saakashvili, as a stateless person, was staying on the territory of Ukraine illegally, which he had entered from Poland in September 2017 accompanied by clashes on the border between his supporters and border guards and law enforcement officers. On April, 10 in Kyiv the Ukrainian Land Forum will take place in Ukrainian House. Ukrainian Agrarian Council is an organizer of this event. During the Forum, representatives of the authorities, farmers, MPs and invited guests from other countries will raise topical issues of land reform in Ukraine. In particular, participants of the Forum will become familiar with the experience of Lithuania and other Baltic countries on establishment of agricultural land market. Kazis Starkiavichius, deputy chairman of the Committee on rural Affairs of the Lithuanian Sejm, will tell who now owns the land in their country and who has the right to purchase it and what mistakes their neighbors have made in this sphere. Members of the Agrarian Committee of the Verkhovna Rada Of Ukraine Oleksandr Bakumenko (Acting Chairman of the Committee), Ivan Miroshnichenko and Sergey Labazyuk, as well as Olha Trofimtseva, an Acting Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, will express their vision of possible options towards the implementation of land market in Ukraine. Andriy Dykun, a Chairman of the public union, will represent the Ukrainian Agrarian Council. The TOP-5 contestants for the Presidency of Ukraine: Volodymyr Zelenskyi, Petro Poroshenko, Yulia Tymoshenko, Yuri Boyko and Anatoliy Hrytsenko are invited to participate in the Forum. Politicians will present their vision on this topic: whether Ukraine needs the land market and in what format, when it should be introduced and who can be its participant. Other participants of the Forum: - Representatives of the parties that signed the memorandum on support of small and medium-sized farmers, UU Batkivshchyna, "Association "Samopomich ","Opposition Platform "Za zhyttia"; - Representatives of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank (WB), IFC, USAID, EBRD; - Representatives of the National Bank, NABU and commercial banks; - Experts from Estonia and Lithuania; - Representatives of other agrarian associations, which are included in the "Ukrainian Agrarian Forum"; - Heads and owners of small and medium agrarian business. Agrarians will express their position on topical issues of land reform by taking part in the interactive voting. According to its results, the UAC will form reform proposals to be forwarded to the Ministry of Agrarian Policy, members of the Agrarian Committee and all parliamentary parties, TOP 5 candidates for the Presidency of Ukraine. Event Date: April 10, 2019. Registration Starts in 9:30. Venue: Ukrainian House (Kiev, Khreshchatyk str., 2). MEDIA Accreditation: press@uacouncil.org. Interfax-Ukraine - general information partner of the event The U.S. envoy seeking a peace deal with the Taliban to end nearly 18 years of war in Afghanistan has returned to Kabul ahead of a new round of talks. Fereydoun Khuzon, deputy spokesman for the Afghan presidential administration, told RFE/RL on April 1 that he expects the visit of U.S. special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad to pave the way for the start of direct talks between the government and the Taliban. Khalilzad, the chief negotiator with the Taliban, has held several rounds of peace talks with the militant group in Qatar. But the Western-backed government in Kabul has complained it is being left out of the negotiations, with the Taliban refusing to negotiate with what they consider "a U.S. puppet." Khalilzad appears to have hit the ground trying to smooth those complaints and facilitate a peace process that brings all Afghan parties together in inclusive intra-Afghan negotiations. "We discussed the urgency of making progress on intra-Afghan dialogue," Khalilzad tweeted on April 1. The growing rift between Kabul and Washington over the talks with the Taliban erupted in public view on March 14, when Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's national-security adviser harshly criticized Khalilzad, a veteran, Afghan-born U.S. diplomat. During a visit to Washington, Hamdullah Mohib accused the U.S. envoy of "delegitimizing" the government by excluding it from the negotiations, acting like a "viceroy," and harboring personal ambitions in Afghanistan. Khalilzad's trip also comes amid heightened tensions between Kabul and Islamabad over recent statements made by Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan that suggested that Afghanistan should set up an interim government. Khan told Pakistani journalists on March 25 that such a move would help the talks between U.S. and Taliban negotiators, since the militant group refuses to speak to the current government. Afghanistan has recalled its Islamabad ambassador and summoned Pakistan's deputy ambassador to Kabul to discuss what a Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman called the "irresponsible" remarks by Khan. In a statement on March 27, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said that Khan's comments had been "reported out of context in the media, leading to unwarranted reaction from various quarters." Irans Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has criticized a letter three European powers have sent to UNs secretary general asking for a full report on Islamic Republics missile activities. Zarif has accused Britain, France and Germany of trying to appease U.S. President Donald trump. In their letter the three countries have accused Iran of developing missile technology inconsistent with UN resolution 2231, which wrapped up the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran and called for limiting Tehrans missile program. In a tweet on April 3, Zarif wrote that a year after the U.S. withdrawal from the nuclear agreement known as JCPOA, Europe cant muster the will to defy US #EconomicTERRORISM. This is the third day in a row that Zarif tweets about economic terrorism, referring to economic sanctions Washington reimposed on Iran during 2018. He goes on to complain about lack of action by Europe in setting up a single banking channel for humanitarian aid. The three countries according to Zarif are busy appeasing Trump by pressuring UN over our defensive capabilities. It is not clear what Zarif means by "a single channel for humanitarian aid". Europe has set up a trade mechanism to help Iran do business with EU countries, in effect avoiding U.S. sanctions. The mechanism has not started operations yet. U.S. sanctions do not ban purchase of food and medicine and verifiable humanitarian aid. Iran has dragged its feet by delaying the adoption of a legal framework to abide by international conventions against money laundering and financial support for terrorism. It appears that Europes activation of the trade mechanism and Irans adoption of the legal framework are interconnected. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 4 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: The date of meeting between Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers has already been agreed, Trend reports citing Azerbaijans Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov. He made the remarks April 4 during a press conference following the EU-Azerbaijan Cooperation Council. Very soon we will have our bilateral meeting. We have already agreed the date. It will be traditionally announced together in Yerevan and Baku, added the minister. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 4 By Leman Zeynalova - Trend: The Armenian side creates new difficulties in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said at a press conference following the meeting of the Azerbaijan-EU Cooperation Council in Brussels. Speaking about the statement of the war for new territories voiced by the Armenian defense minister, Mammadyarov said that this approach is misleading. "We just finished meeting Vienna and issued the statement 3+2 and within the next three hours Armenian defense minister issues a statement: 'I have the formula now: not peace for territories but war for new territories'. This has created a lot of confusion. On one side we have some positive sentiments, on the other side the minister of defense starts creating new difficulties. That is one of the issues we should work on. I think that sooner they will realize that the annexation policy, separatism is not going to fly in international relations, the better," Mammadyarov said. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn Baku, Azerbaijan, April 4 By Elchin Mehdiyev Trend: The main results of the April battles were the defeat of the Armenian army, the solidarity shown by the Azerbaijani people, the rising spirit of patriotism and the combat experience of the Azerbaijani army, Azerbaijani Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov said in an interview with AzTV channel, Trend reports on April 4. The minister said that during the April battles, only 20 percent of the Azerbaijani armed forces fought against the entire Armenian army. The Armenians are unable to cope with Azerbaijan economically, politically and in terms of building an army, he said. Therefore, they resort to other methods, namely, use traitors, spread lies and slander. "But it is also useless, Hasanov added. It is not the beginning of the 1990s now. During that period, taking advantage of the disorder in the country, the Armenians occupied our lands. Azerbaijan has changed since the 1990s. Presently, there are strong statehood, strong president, strong economy, army." The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 4 By Elchin Mehdiyev Trend: The April battles are an example of the heroism of the Azerbaijani army, head of the Azerbaijani delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Samad Seyidov said, Trend reports. Seyidov made the remarks at a meeting of the joint working group on human rights in the Azerbaijani parliament. He added that the operation to liberate the occupied Azerbaijani lands in April 2016, which demonstrated the courage and heroism of the Azerbaijani army, added glorious pages to the countrys history. Seyidov stressed that Azerbaijan, through the April battle, sent a message to the whole world. We once again sent a message to the whole world and to the forces which occupied our lands, he said. We declared that our lands would be liberated. The April battles proved that the occupants would be withdrawn from our lands. We are proud of this event, Seyidov added. But at the same time, we are grieving because during the operation, the Azerbaijani heroic sons became martyrs. They gave their lives for the territorial integrity of our country, by properly fulfilling Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyevs order." Baku, Azerbaijan, April 4 By Elchin Mehdiyev Trend: A number of issues were discussed at the recent meeting of the Joint Working Group on Human Rights in the Azerbaijani parliament, head of the Azerbaijani parliamentary committee on international and interparliamentary relations Samad Seyidov told Trend on April 4. "In particular, attention was focused on the presidents decree on the intensification of reforms in the judicial-legal system and the corresponding tasks, Seyidov said, adding that the importance of this decree was appreciated at the meeting. This decree will be of great assistance in connection with the issues being discussed in the working group." Moreover, the ongoing processes in the Council of Europe and other international organizations, the issues related to the human rights were discussed, he said. "As a result, a decision was made to hold regular meetings during which the necessary issues will be discussed. The recent meeting of the Joint Working Group on Human Rights was partially held behind closed doors. Assistant to the Azerbaijani President for Work with Law Enforcement Bodies and Military Issues Head of the Department of the Presidential Administration Fuad Alasgarov, Permanent Representative of Azerbaijan to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) Chingiz Asgarov, Head of the Pardon Issues Sector of the Department for Work with Law Enforcement Bodies of the Presidential Administration Kamala Ismayilova, Deputy Interior Minister Fazil Guliyev, Head of the Public Prosecution Office of the Prosecutor General's Office Ilgar Jafarov, Deputy Head of the Human Rights and Public Relations Department of the Justice Ministry Aynur Sabitova, Head of the Azerbaijani delegation to the PACE Samad Seyidov, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee for Legal Policy and State Building Ali Huseynli, human rights activists Novella Jafaroglu, Saadat Benanyarli, Evez Hasanov, Mirvari Gahramanli and Arzu Abdullayeva attended the meeting. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 4 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: Negotiations on a new partnership agreement between the EU and Azerbaijan may be completed by mid-May, Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn said, Trend reports. He made the remarks at a press conference following the meeting of the Azerbaijan-EU Cooperation Council in Brussels. If we start on time, we can really finish and conclude the negotiations and this would be agreed ahead of the 10th anniversary of the Eastern Partnership in mid-May, he said. I think it is important to have this agreement, he noted. The EU and Azerbaijan are close partners in many areas, he added. The EU remains the largest trade and investment partner of Azerbaijan, he said. In our partnership priories we look to strengthen our economic ties, including through sustainable diversification of Azerbaijans economy, support of its membership for the WTO and improving the business and investment environment in general. We have a strategic partnership in the field of energy, which can be illustrated by our cooperation on the Southern Gas Corridor, he noted. We are interested in providing support to Baku Port and its free trade zone, he added. We hope we will soon finalize negotiations on common aviation agreement. The European Council adopted a mandate for the European Commission and the high representative for foreign affairs and security policy to negotiate, on behalf of the EU and its member states, a comprehensive agreement with Azerbaijan in November 2016. The new agreement should replace the 1996 partnership and cooperation agreement and should better take account of the shared objectives and challenges the EU and Azerbaijan face today. The agreement will follow the principles endorsed in the 2015 review of the European Neighborhood Policy and offer a renewed basis for political dialogue and mutually beneficial cooperation between the EU and Azerbaijan. Currently, bilateral relations between the EU and Azerbaijan are regulated on the basis of an agreement on partnership and cooperation that was signed in 1996 and entered into force in 1999. The new agreement envisages the compliance of Azerbaijans legislation and procedures with the EUs most important international trade norms and standards, which should lead to the improvement of Azerbaijani goods access to the EU markets. Creation of a common aviation area is an initiative of the European Commission and aims to open and integrate aviation markets. This will lead to new opportunities for consumers and operators, and, most importantly, to high standards in terms of flight safety as well as air traffic management. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn Baku, Azerbaijan, April 4 Trend: President Ilham Aliyev has signed an Order providing funding for the construction of GanjaDashkasan (27km)GushchuChovdarChaykand highway in Dashkasan district. Under the presidential Order, the Azerbaijan Highway State Agency is allocated 8.5 million manats for the construction of the road connecting 6 residential areas with a total population of 3,000 people. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 4 By Elchin Mehdiyev - Trend: Azerbaijan gave Armenia one more chance for the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Azerbaijani MP Hikmet Babaoglu told Trend April 4. Babaoglu reminded about the meeting by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan held in Vienna March 29, some points of which attracted particular attention. First of all, an end was put to the political speculation of Armenia regarding the format of the talks, Babaoglu said. After an almost a years pause, the talks on the essence of the issue started. Both parties called the negotiations constructive, the foreign policy structures of the parties were instructed to continue the negotiations. This can actually be regarded as the restoration of negotiations in the traditional 3+2 format. Another important factor was that the statement by the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs reflected the creation of an atmosphere for advancing the peace process, the importance of taking concrete result-oriented steps to resolve the conflict, he added. Approval of the talks by the UN secretary general, who spoke immediately after the talks with a special appeal, can be regarded as support of the UN for peace negotiations. The Azerbaijani MP said that another innovation is that the parties exchanged views on supporting the negotiation process by humanitarian actions. This step is aimed at achieving trusting environment, which is often stated by the co-chairs, he noted. The issue of trust may become topical after a certain stage of negotiations, and the Azerbaijani the side isnt against this. Summarizing all this, the conclusion is as follows: Azerbaijan managed to bring the invader Armenia to the negotiating table, didnt back off from its position, strengthened its support received at the international level, and gave Armenia another chance for the peaceful settlement of the problem. We will see how Yerevan will use this chance by the steps Armenia will take. Azerbaijan has never ruled out that it may resort to other means for restoring its territorial integrity. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 4 Trend: The confidence in the Azerbaijani leadership, in the state has grown even more, Azerbaijani Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov said in an interview with AzTV channel, Trend reports on April 4. The personnel of the Azerbaijani armed forces feel the care and attention of the countrys supreme commander-in-chief to the army, he said. The combat training is a concept that has no limits. The combat training does not stop even in the high-level armies, he said. Just look at the types of weapons that the Azerbaijani army has! As a defense minister, I state that Azersilah company fully supplies the Azerbaijani army with weapons and ammunition. We can easily start to fighting at any moment because we have been fully equipped with weapons and ammunition. We have the most modern weapons, unmanned aerial vehicles. The armored vehicles are being modernized. Azersilah produces more than 1,000 weapons." Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 4 Trend: Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway contributes to the success of the mission Resolute Support mission, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said during a meeting of the foreign ministers of Alliance member countries, which was held in Washington on April 3-4. The meeting was dedicated to the 70th anniversary of NATO. In his statement to the press, the Secretary General stressed that Azerbaijan is a close partner of the Alliance and works closely with NATO to restore international peace and security. Stoltenberg also said that Azerbaijan, under the leadership of NATO introduces military and multimodal transit support within the framework of the Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan. The official opening ceremony of the BTK railway was held in Baku Oct. 30 last year. The BTK railway was constructed on the basis a Georgian-Azerbaijani-Turkish intergovernmental agreement. The railways peak capacity will be 17 million tons of cargo per year. At an initial stage, this figure will be one million passengers and 6.5 million tons of cargo. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 4 By Kheyraddin Nasirzade - Trend: Significant increase in the production of honey has been observed in Azerbaijan since the Agriculture Ministry granted subsidies to Azerbaijani beekeepers, Head of the Azerbaijan Beekeepers Association Badraddin Hasratov told Trend. He said that there has been an increase in the number of apiaries among amateur beekeepers. For this year, it is planned to increase production to 5,000 tons of honey, which is 66.7 percent more than last year. He noted that 3,000 tons of honey were produced last year. Hasratov added noted that negotiations are underway with various countries to study the foreign market. The association is more focused on Arab countries such as the UAE, in particular Dubai, and Kuwait, he said. In 2018, eight tons of honey were exported to Japan, he noted. In order to expand exports, negotiations are underway with several Japanese companies, he added. In order to increase production and product quality, the association conducts various seminars and trainings in all Azerbaijani districts involved in the field of beekeeping, he said. An international conference is expected to be held, and experts from leading countries engaged in this industry will be invited to this conference, he noted. The groups of the association created in Facebook helped to improve and strengthen business relations with both local and foreign specialists, he said. If in 2017-2018, about 300,000 families were employed in the beekeeping industry in Azerbaijan, this year their number has already exceeded 500,000, he noted. The head of the association added that the main goal is to reduce the dependence of the market on foreign competitors (Georgia, Ukraine, Russia, Turkey, Iran) by increasing local production. As a result, prices are expected to decline, and this will increase the competitiveness of Azerbaijani beekeepers in the domestic market and in importing countries, he said. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @1nasirzade Baku, Azerbaijan, April 4 By Sara Israfilbayova - Trend: A delegation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will visit Baku this summer, a source in the IMF told Trend. The delegation will be headed by Natalia Tamirisa. The delegation will discuss the latest economic developments with the Azerbaijani government, and an exchange of views on a number of issues will be held, the IMF said. The exact date of the visit will be announced in the coming weeks. Since the beginning of the year Tamirisa has been appointed the new head of the IMF delegation in Azerbaijan. She replaced on this position Mohammed El Qorchi, who led the delegation from November 10, 2015. The IMF office opened in Baku in 1992. Azerbaijan received IMF loans for the support of economic reforms from 1995 to 2005. During the period, the amount of financial support reached $577.3 million. Azerbaijan fully repaid the IMF loans. Since 2005, Azerbaijan sees no need for financial resources of the IMF, so since 2006, the cooperation with the fund is implemented within consultations and technical assistance on key areas of macroeconomic policy. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 4 By Matanat Nasibova - Trend: Gadabay Mineral Sulari LLC, mineral water producer in Azerbaijan, has decided on a market for exporting its products this year, a source in the company told Trend. The source noted that the company will export its products to the Russian market. "We plan to start supplies in the second half of the year, and we look forward to the demand and interest in our products in the neighboring market," the source added. "In the domestic market, our products under the Slavyanka and Gadabay brands are very popular and in demand due to high quality of water, and we will increase production volumes." The company uses equipment from Germany and Turkey. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 4 By Elnur Baghishov Trend: About 400 of the 1,200 automobile spare part production plants operating in Iran have been fully or partially suspended, Arash Mohebbinejad, secretary of the Iranian Specialized Manufactures of Auto Parts Association (ISMAPA), told IRNA, Trend reports. According to Mohebbinejad, car production declined by 72 percent during the 9th month of the last Iranian year (started March 21, 2018), compared to the same period of the preceding year. He also said that complete or partial cessation of production by the production enterprises lead to the reorganization of 130,000 workers and the reduction of 150,000 people. "Support for car production could lead to the development of this industry and its transformation into an exporting industry. In this regard, the 400-million populace of the region and the neighboring countries should be kept in the center of attention," he said. According to the specifications made on the prospects of development for the said industry in the Sixth Development Plan (2016-2021) approved by the Iranian government, if the annual production of 3 million cars and the export of 1 million tons of spare parts can be achieved, it may be possible to earn an amount equal to what can be earned from the annual production of 50 oil wells from this sector, Mohebbinejad concluded. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 4 By Fakhri Vakilov Trend: Uzbekistan, under the leadership of the Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade, held a meeting with the leadership of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), Trend reports with reference to the press service of the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade. The reason for the meeting was the intensification of investment cooperation with the bank for the development of the infrastructure sector of the Bukhara region. The development strategy of the Bukhara region provides for the implementation of a number of projects, the essence of which is a radical improvement of the housing and communal services and large-scale modernization of the road system. After its realization residents of the region will be almost completely provided with drinking water, sewage systems, and the territory of the region will be covered with a network of modern and comfortable highways. The projects are highly attractive for AIIB, taking into account the country's sustainable economy, its growing ratings, ongoing institutional and economic reforms aimed at improving the investment climate, improving the transparency and openness of the business environment and increasing citizens' well-being. Following the meeting, working groups were formed consisting of responsible heads of departments of the bank and representatives of the Uzbek side, who will continue to work out the financial and technical aspects of cooperation on these projects. --- Follow author on Twitter:@vakilovfaxri Baku, Azerbaijan, April 4 By Elnur Baghishov Trend: For the economic development of Irans northwestern Kordestan Province, product exports through the province's customs points should reach $2.5 billion this Iranian year (started March 21, 2019), said Hossein Firouzi, Deputy Governor of Kordestan Province, Trend reports referring to IRNA. According to Firouzi, goods worth $1 billion were exported to Iraq via Kordestan Provinces customs points and border markets last Iranian year (started March 21, 2018). Noting that the planned share of exports to Iraq for the province is $3 billion, the Deputy Governor said that all the effort needs to be made in order to reach this threshold. Firouzi added that the province is primarily aiming at developing export this year. "In addition to the Iraqi market, another priority is to further activate the border markets in order to establish exports to Syria," he said. Irans Kordestan Province has customs points operating in the counties of Sanandaj, Marivan and Baneh. Customs points such as Bashmaq in Marivan and Siranband in Baneh are international customs points and operate in the field of transit, import and export. Thus, products worth $12 million are transited through Bashmaq daily. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 4 By Matanat Nasibova Trend: Russia considers creation of joint ventures with Azerbaijan in the industrial sector as one of the priorities in cooperation, said Minister of Industry and Trade of Russia Denis Manturov, who is in Baku, Trend reports. He made the remarks at the event timed to the arrival of a Russian business delegation in Azerbaijan. Russia is interested in strengthening trade and economic ties with Azerbaijan and looks forward to strengthening partnership cooperation in the near future, the minister said. Manturov stressed that Russian companies are actively increasing their export potential and their competence in Azerbaijan. Minister of Industry and Trade of Russia Denis Manturov is in Baku on a one-day visit. Representatives of more than 60 Russian companies operating in various sectors of the economy, including in the fields of agriculture, ICT, automotive engineering, chemical industry and other sectors, are together with Manturov in Baku. According to Azerbaijans State Customs Committee, Azerbaijans trade with Russia amounted to $2.55 billion in 2018, including the export of Azerbaijani products worth $665.74 million to Russia. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 4 By Fakhri Vakilov Trend: The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan, Abdulaziz Kamilov, met with the Senior Minister of State of the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Mayor of the South-Eastern District of Singapore, Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman, Trend reports with reference to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan. The main attention during the talks was paid to the prospects for further strengthening Uzbek-Singapore relations, including interaction within the UN and other organizations. During the meeting, the parties noted with satisfaction the participation of leading Singaporean companies in the implementation of significant projects for Uzbekistans economy and confirmed their interest in further enhancing cooperation, including in the trade and economic, investment, tourism, cultural, humanitarian and other areas. In this context, a proposal was considered to resume the inter-ministrial political consultations after a 7-year break. It was noted that this mechanism of regular contacts allows foreign policy departments to monitor the implementation of previously reached agreements, focus on new areas of cooperation, and exchange views on current international and regional issues. There are 32 companies in Uzbekistan that operate with Singapore capital, including eight with 100 percent foreign capital. Representative offices of 10 Singapore companies are accredited. --- Follow author on Twitter:@vakilovfaxri Baku, Azerbaijan, April 4 By Matanat Nasibova - Trend: Starting from April 5, financial assistance will be provided to the entrepreneurs who have suffered as a result of the fire in the Diglas shopping center in Baku, the Minister of Economy of Azerbaijan Shahin Mustafayev said at a briefing, Trend reports. The minister noted that this is the first stage of financial assistance, in which entrepreneurs will be able to receive part of the funds. The rest will be paid after the final amount of damage is established. According to the decree of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, the rules on issuing compensation to entrepreneurs were prepared within three days, he added. "In order to receive the allocated funds, the affected persons must apply to the Agency for Development of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, which will pay them through Kapital Bank and TuranBank," Mustafayev said. Mustafayev stressed that a bank commission would not be withheld when receiving money. "This term is also fixed in the rules for issuing material assistance. Initially, by order of the head of state, three million manats were allocated for this purpose, while it was established that 10,000 manats will be issued to store owners, and 2,000 manats to stall owners," the minister said. The minister also noted that the affected entrepreneurs will be able to take advantage of concessional loans. In total, it is expected that concessional loans worth 14-15 million manats will be allocated. "Work in this direction will begin as soon as possible," he added. On March 26, a strong fire occurred in the Diglas shopping center in Baku. During the fire, four floors of the shopping center burnt down, each of which holding an area of 2,500 square meters, the attic 1,200 square meters and a three-storey basement with household goods, clothes and other products. In total, the fire covered an area of 16,500 square meters. On March 28, a meeting was held under the chairmanship of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in connection with the fire in the Diglas shopping center. During the meeting, the Azerbaijani president stressed that a commission will be set up to fully investigate the fire and prepare proposals, and at the same time, businessmen will be promptly provided with material assistance. During several days, meetings were held with more than 400 entrepreneurs, their problems were discussed individually and comprehensive information was collected on each case. Entrepreneurs received stores in other shopping centers, where they wont pay rent for five months. Also, these entrepreneurs will be able to take advantage of concessional loans from the Entrepreneurship Development Fund at a rate lower than the current one. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @MatanatNasibova Baku, Azerbaijan, April 4 By Matanat Nasibova Trend: Russia and Azerbaijan have a great potential for the development of bilateral cooperation in the industrial sector, Russian Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov told reporters at a briefing in Baku on April 4, Trend reports. "The delegation, including the representatives of the companies operating in different spheres, which we have created, potentially reviewed the Azerbaijani market, the minister said. Most of these companies would like to increase supply volumes and create joint ventures." Azerbaijan and Russia could arrange export to third countries by reducing logistics costs, taking into account Azerbaijans strategic location in the region, he said. Manturov stressed that a meeting is planned to be held with Azerbaijani partners within the Innoprom industrial forum in Yekaterinburg, Russia in early July. The dialogue with those companies with which it is planned to work out the projects that have been discussed at today's forum in Baku to sum up a certain result and help the companies find a solution to ensure the state support measures, including financial support, will be continued within the forum, he said. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @MatanatNasibova Baku, Azerbaijan, April 4 By Matanat Nasibova Trend: The Russian Export Center has a wide range of measures to support companies implementing joint projects on creating new enterprises in the manufacturing and industrial sector, as stated by Chief Director of the Russian Export Center Andrey Slepnev at the event organized in connection with the visit of a delegation of Russian companies in Baku, Trend reports. He noted that a large project for supporting international cooperation has been launched in Russia, which provides for issuing preferential loans to support certification, protecting trademarks, creating joint ventures with foreign partners (including Azerbaijan), and developing infrastructure. "As in, there are indeed real tools through which high-quality cooperation can be achieved, suggesting a positive result from bilateral cooperation. This implies providing support to Russian companies operating in Baku, as well as Azerbaijani companies operating in Russia," said Slepnev. He noted that the meeting of the business mission in Baku confirms the readiness of the Russian side for an open and mutually beneficial cooperation in more important areas of economy and industry. Baku hosted a meeting of Azerbaijani and Russian entrepreneurs. The event was attended by Azerbaijans Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev, Chairman of the Board of the Azerbaijan-Russia Business Council Samad Gurbanov, Acting President of the Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO) Yusif Abdullayev, and Chief Director of the Russian Export Center Andrey Slepnev. The Russian delegation consisted of representatives of more than 60 Russian companies operating in various sectors of the economy, including agriculture, ICT, automotive engineering, chemical industry and other sectors. According to Azerbaijans State Customs Committee, Azerbaijans trade with Russia amounted to $2.55 billion in 2018, including the export of Azerbaijani products worth $665.74 million to Russia. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 4 By Kheyraddin Nasirzade Trend: The Azerbaijani Ateshgah Insurance company has offered to switch to the index-based agricultural insurance model, deputy director of the Ganja branch of the insurance company Orkhan Gurbanov said, Trend reports referring to the company. Gurbanov made the remarks at the scientific-practical conference "Application of agricultural insurance in Azerbaijan: problems and opportunities" in Baku on April 4. He stressed that nontraditional index-based insurance becomes more popular in the world practice of agrarian insurance. Payments on the index-based insurance model are made on the damages caused to the sown areas only in case of exceeding a certain limiting parameter, Gurbanov added. "An indicator of this parameter may be the precipitation during a certain period or the temperature limit, he said. As opposed to the traditional agricultural insurance model, administrative costs for index insurance are relatively lower. Applying such a model would be more appropriate. We can use the knowledge of other developing countries that apply the programs of individual or about 20 different types of index-based insurance." Turkey applies the TARSIM agricultural insurance model, through which the state renders support to all farmers and farms in the form of a certain amount of insurance payments and farmers pay for additional coverage themselves. The bill on the promotion of agricultural insurance in Azerbaijan was prepared in the second half of 2018 and is being considered by the parliament. Presently, the state financing of agricultural insurance premiums is regulated upon the law On Aid and Development of Agriculture in Azerbaijan. Besides wheat, the list of agricultural crops insured through the state budget includes barley, corn, sunflower, potatoes, sugar beets, etc. A bill on the promotion of agricultural insurance has been developed in Azerbaijan. The International Finance Corporation assisted the countrys government to develop legislation. ---- Follow the author on Twitter: @1nasirzade Baku, Azerbaijan, April 4 By Matanat Nasibova - Trend: The fact that Azerbaijan significantly improved its position in the World Banks Doing Business-2019 ranking is a good indicator of the accelerated pace of development of the national economy, the President of the Export and Investment Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO) Yusif Abdullayev said, Trend reports. Abdullayev noted that Azerbaijan has made a qualitative leap, rising in the overall rating by 32 positions and taking 25th place among 190 countries of the world. "At the same time, Azerbaijan occupies a leading position among these countries in some aspects. For example, our country [Azerbaijan] is among the top ten countries in which it is easiest to start a business, which indicates that Azerbaijan has created a favorable investment climate, which was accompanied by a corresponding contractual base. To date, bilateral cooperation agreements have been signed with many countries, in particular, on investments and their attraction," Abdullayev said. The head of AZPROMO said there are no restrictions on currency exchange, as well as technology transfer from foreign investors. "Due to its strategic location, Azerbaijan, which is located at the junction of Europe and Asia, has a good opportunity for the development of railway lines. Again, this is also facilitated by the country's infrastructure and the availability of North-South, East-West transport links passing through our country [Azerbaijan] to China and to Poland, up to Finland. Another indicator of the successful development of the national economy is the creation of industrial parks with access to investment incentives," Abdullayev said. He further noted that agriculture, industry, engineering are those areas, the development of which, as part of the strategic road maps of Azerbaijan, get great attention and is provided the necessary support at the state level. He noted that AZPROMO's mission is to support the development of the non-oil sector in general, and in particular to export and attract foreign investment into the country. AZPROMO purposefully uses appropriate mechanisms to attract foreign investment in the country, he said. We are ready to advise our Russian partners in the framework of B2B meetings and actively cooperate in a bilateral format. Baku hosted a meeting of Azerbaijani and Russian entrepreneurs. The event was attended by Azerbaijans Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev, Chairman of the Board of the Azerbaijan-Russia Business Council Samad Gurbanov, Acting President of the Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO) Yusif Abdullayev, and Chief Director of the Russian Export Center Andrey Slepnev. The Russian delegation consisted of representatives of more than 60 Russian companies operating in various sectors of the economy, including agriculture, ICT, automotive engineering, chemical industry and other sectors. According to Azerbaijans State Customs Committee, Azerbaijans trade with Russia amounted to $2.55 billion in 2018, including the export of Azerbaijani products worth $665.74 million to Russia. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @MatanatNasibova Baku, Azerbaijan, April 4 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: OPEC+ meeting in Baku showed that challenge of balancing market is a continuous process, Trend reports citing OPEC Secretary General Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo. He made the remarks at the APPO CAPE VII Congress and Exhibition in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea. We also recognize our mission is never accomplished; the challenge of balancing the market and maintaining stability is a continuous process. This was in evidence at the most recent meeting of the JMMC in Baku, Azerbaijan, on March 18. The Declaration is not about short-termism. We are focused on continuity; we are steadfast and completely unwavering; we have long-term objectives and goals. This was exemplified in Baku through further statements of support by participating countries for a permanent intergovernmental platform, under the Charter of Cooperation between Oil Producing Countries, he said. The Committee recognized the current, critical uncertainties surrounding the global oil market throughout 2019, and stressed on the shared responsibility of all participating countries in the Declaration of Cooperation to sustain market stability and prevent the recurrence of any market imbalance, noted Barkindo. He went on to add that every country understands the importance of achieving full and timely conformity with their voluntary production adjustments under the decisions of the 175th Meeting of the OPEC Conference and the 5th OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting, on the 6 and 7 December 2018. Overall conformity levels to the new voluntary production adjustments, reached almost 90 percent for the month of February 2019, which is up from 83 percent in the month of January. We expect them to improve further in the coming months, said OPEC Secretary General. We also recognize the fact that underlying risks remain, such as ongoing trade negotiations, monetary policy developments, as well as increasingly complex geopolitical challenges and climate change-related concerns, he added. The 13th meeting of the OPEC/non-OPEC Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee (JMMC) was held in Baku March 18. A day before the JMMC meeting, Baku hosted the 27th meeting of the Joint Technical Commission. The meeting participants discussed the current state of the oil market, existing problems and other issues. The event then featured a presentation on the pace of oil market development, and the report of the Joint Technical Commission on production figures for February. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 4 By Rashid Shirinov Trend: Kazakhstan national company KazMunayGas, Russian oil company Lukoil and the Energy Ministry of Kazakhstan have signed a contract for the exploration and hydrocarbon extraction in the Zhenis block in the Kazakhstan sector of the Caspian Sea, Trend reports via Kazakh media. "In accordance with the signed contract, the main minimum obligations are drilling of one exploration well and carrying out 3D seismic exploration," KazMunayGas said. The project operator is Zhenis Operating LLP, a joint venture of KazMunayGas and Lukoil. Zhenis block is located in the southern part of the Kazakhstan sector of the Caspian Sea. In November 2018, KazMunayGas and Lukoil signed agreements on joint activities on and financing of the Zhenis project. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @ShirinovRashid Baku, Azerbaijan, April 4 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: A new stage has begun in the implementation of the Southern Gas Corridor project, which envisages transportation of Azerbaijani gas to Europe, said Azerbaijans deputy energy minister Elnur Soltanov. He made the remarks during the meeting of energy ministers of Eastern Partnership countries in Bucharest, Romania on April 2, Azerbaijans Energy Ministry told Trend. Soltanov noted that the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) project, which is the final leg of the Southern Gas Corridor, is more than 85 percent complete, and gas transportation within the second stage of development of the Azerbaijani Shah Deniz gas condensate field will begin in 2020. The deputy minister emphasized that with the launch of the Shah Deniz 2 project, the volume of natural gas exports to Turkey began to grow starting from the summer of 2018 and this process will continue. The growing volumes of gas that will be exported to Turkey and in the future to Europe provide an opportunity for a proportional increase in the volumes of gas received by Georgia through the South Caucasus gas pipeline as a commission, and thereby increase Azerbaijans contribution to Georgias energy security, Soltanov said. The deputy minister also noted the importance of continuing cooperation between the EU and the Eastern Partnership in diversifying sources and routes of energy supply. He further spoke about the cooperation between Azerbaijan, Turkey and Georgia in the field of electric power. He brought to the attention of the meeting participants that the cooperation in this field in the South Caucasus region doesnt go beyond the cooperation between Azerbaijan and Georgia due to the occupation of Azerbaijani lands. The European Commission highly appreciated the success of Azerbaijan in the implementation of the Southern Gas Corridor project and noted the importance of cooperation between the EU and Eastern Partnership countries for accelerating and diversifying steps in this direction, the ministry said. The Southern Gas Corridor is one of the priority projects for the EU and envisages the transportation of 10 billion cubic meters of Azerbaijani gas from the Caspian region through Georgia and Turkey to Europe. The launching ceremony of the first stage of the Southern Gas Corridor was held in Baku on May 29, 2018, while opening ceremony of TANAP was held on June 12, 2018 in the Turkish city of Eskisehir. The gas from the Azerbaijani Shah Deniz field has already gone through the first segment of the Southern Gas Corridor - from the Sangachal terminal to the expanded South Caucasus Pipeline. Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) and Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) were connected on the Turkish-Greek border. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn Over 1,000 small glaciers have disappeared in Tajikistan over the past thirty years, Deputy Director of the Hydrometeorology Agency of Tajikistan, Karimjon Abduhalimov, noted at the two-day Central Asia Climate Change Conference 2019 (CACCC-2019) that kicked off in the Uzbek capital, reports Trend citing to news.tj According to him, climate change poses serious threat to the process of providing favorable living conditions for population and protecting water resources in the region. Of 14,000 glaciers in Tajikistan which are of vital significance for the whole region, more than 1,000 small glaciers have disappeared over the past thirty years, Abduhalimov noted. Rising temperatures and melting glaciers increased the risk of drought, landslides and floods that poses real threat to food, water and energy security and population health, Tajik expert said. Abduhalimov proposed the conference participants to extend the countries national strategies for adaptation to climate change to the regional scale. The Central Asian Climate Change Conference is one of the largest events in the region to address issues of environmental protection. Nearly 400 representatives of government agencies, international and regional partners, multilateral development banks and civil society organizations, as well as academicians working on climate change, gathered at the two-day conference. Central Asia, with a population of over 70 million, has been confronting fallouts of climate change. Fragile ecosystems, natural disasters, unstable water and energy supply, disproportions in economic development are only a few factors of the region's vulnerability, experts said during the conference. Experts stressed the high vulnerability of Central Asia's water resources to climate change. If global temperature rises by 4 degrees Celsius, the demand for irrigation water will increase by about 30 percent. The region's glaciers have already decreased by one third of its volume in comparison with the beginning of the 20th century. Central Asia has already faced one of the worst human-made environmental disasters of the century -- the drying up of the Aral Sea, once the fourth-largest lake in the world. The CACCC-2019 is a continuation of the World Banks initiative for climate change knowledge and information exchange in Central Asia, and is organized under the frameworks of CAMP4ASB project. The previous CACCC was organized on January 24-25, 2018 in Almaty, Kazakhstan, and resulted in joint collaborative actions of many stakeholders. Tehran, Iran, April 4 Trend: Iran's Oil Minister Bijan Zangeneh has issued a statement calling on subsidiary oil companies to continue helping flood hit-people and stay alert. "Remaining on alert is necessary," he said, Trend reports via Tasnim news agency. "The flood-hit citizens require the help of staff and equipment of the oil industry and cooperation with the crisis management groups, to help and provide needed services," said Zangeneh's statement. Also in his statement, Zangeneh said that the work of National Iranian South Oil Company and the National Iranian Drilling Company in water pumping in some flood-hit regions and efforts of National Iranian Gas Company in preserving gas distribution to Golestan province, fuel distribution by National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company in other flood-hit regions deserve admiration and its necessary to continue these efforts intensively. "Since Khuzestan Province is the heart of Iran's oil industry, it is in serious danger of flood and any damages would hurt the industry," said the minister. "It is necessary that all companies, especially Petroleum Engineering and Development Company and National Iranian South Oil Company continue their duties and help people with all the facilities to control flood," he said. The official also insisted in his statement that all the staff of the oil industry express condolences and compassion to the flood-hit citizens. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 4 By Elnur Baghishov Trend: Two trucks with 20 tons of smuggled onions were seized in Minab county of Irans Hormozgan province, Acting Police Chief of Hormozgan province, Colonel Abbasali Bekhdanifard said, Trend reports referring to ISNA. The police officers seized two suspicious trucks at a checkpoint in Minab county as part of the operation against the smuggling of goods and currency, he added. Bekhdanifard added that as a result of the operation, 20 tons of smuggled onions were found. He said that the smuggled onions cost 800 million rials (about $19,000). As a result, two people were detained, the investigation is underway. Iran banned the export of potatoes and onions on April 4 to regulate the situation in the domestic market. The price of one kilogram of onions has recently increased up to 150,000 rials (about $3.33). The lower house of the British parliament on Wednesday approved legislation which would force Prime Minister Theresa May to seek a Brexit delay to prevent a potentially disorderly departure on April 12 without a deal, Trend reported citing Reuters. The legislation, put forward by opposition Labour lawmaker Yvette Cooper, was rushed through all of its stages in the House of Commons in less than six hours. It was approved at the final stage by 313 votes to 312. It now has to pass the upper chamber, the House of Lords. May said on Tuesday she would seek another short extension to Brexit beyond April 12, in order to try and work with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to get her thrice-rejected Brexit deal approved by parliament. Cooper said the legislation was still needed to set out a clear process for how decisions are taken over the length of any extension. The bill requires May to get parliaments approval for the detail of any delay and allows lawmakers to propose a different length of extension. Perhaps crucially it would demonstrate to the EU parliamentary support for what the prime minister is asking for, she told parliament during the debate on the legislation. Any further delay to Britains exit would need unanimous approval from EU leaders. To avoid an abrupt no-deal Brexit on April 12, May must present a summit of EU leaders next Wednesday with a plausible strategy to win approval in parliament for the Withdrawal Agreement that she negotiated with Brussels. May has said that if she cannot agree a unified approach with Corbyn, then the government would come up with a number of options on the future relationship with the EU and put them to parliament in a series of votes. The legislation was pushed through as part of a process which has seen lawmakers seize control of parliamentary time in order to influence the way forward on Brexit. It is very unusual for legislation which is not proposed by or supported by the government to be passed by parliament. The government said there were many flaws with the legislation, including the lack of time available for all the steps it sets out, and had concerns about the precedent it set. Pro-Brexit Conservative lawmaker Bill Cash described it as a constitutional revolution. This is a grave moment in our constitutional history. I think the Bill is reprehensible ... I think it is a disgrace that it was brought in, he told parliament ahead of the votes. It was unclear when the legislation would be debated in the House of Lords, where legislation usually passes more slowly and opponents could seek to filibuster it, but it could be as soon as Thursday. Conservative lawmaker Oliver Letwin, who was also involved in putting forward the legislation, said earlier on Wednesday there was overwhelming support in the House of Lords for it and he anticipated it would pass through the Lords rapidly. The House of Lords has in fact already passed a motion which provides for the expeditious consideration of exactly this form of bill, he said. Italian authorities refuse to accept migrants from a ship belonging to German non-governmental organization Sea-Eye, Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said, Trend reported citing Sputnik. "A ship under the German flag, a German NGO, a German shipowner, a captain from Hamburg. He conducted an operation in Libyan waters and asked for a safe port. Well, let him go to Hamburg," Salvini wrote on Facebook. The ship rescued 64 migrants, including women and children, off the coast of Libya after receiving a distress call. Another 50 people are considered missing, the organization said. After the announcement of the rescue of migrants, the NGO called on the authorities of Italy and Malta to open their ports for them. In late January, a ship of another German humanitarian organization, Sea-Watch, spent about two weeks at sea awaiting a decision by the Italian authorities. Then, almost 50 migrants from the ship were allowed to disembark in Italy after seven European countries, including Italy, agreed to receive them. Similar incidents occurred in August with Italian coast guard ship Diciotti, which boarded 177 migrants. Each of these cases became a matter of political debate and international investigation. For example, the Lifeline ship of the eponymous German NGO, carrying over 230 migrants, was able to dock in Malta. The Aquarius vessel with 600 migrants was accepted by Spain after several weeks of scandals. Ports of Italy remain closed to ships with migrants since last summer. Last weekend, the Italian Interior Ministry reported a 92-percent drop in the number of migrants arriving in Italy by sea. In January-March, just 571 migrants arrived in the country, down from almost 6,300 migrants in the same period last year. At least seven people were injured on Thursday evening after a car loaded with explosives parked outside a restaurant just opposite a police academy in Mogadishu exploded, witnesses and medical charity said, Trend reports citing Xinhua. Aamin Ambulance director Abdulkadir Abdirahman told Xinhua that the blast which occurred near the gate of General Kahiye police academy targeted police officers who were sitting inside the restaurant. "We know so far that seven people were injured in the blast and we are establishing if there were deaths," Abdirahman said. Witnesses said the explosion which happened amid tight security was huge as plumes of black smoke could be seen billowing from the scene. "We heard huge blast in the vicinity of General Kahiye police academy, and we also saw ambulances rushing to the scene," Guled Afrah, a witness, told Xinhua. The blast comes while Mogadishu is on high alert as many security forces were deployed to the streets of the capital to ward off possible attacks by the militants. Al-Shabab which is fighting the Western-backed government claimed responsibility for the latest attack, saying they targeted the police academy. The militant group last week staged a terror attack in the restive Mogadishu, killing 15 people and injured several others. The group still stages attacks against Somali and African Union peacekeeping forces, targeting their bases, hotels and other public places despite intensified operations from the allied forces. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 4 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: A passenger bus overturned in the Turkeys Denizli Province, leaving 2 dead and 22 injured, according to preliminary data, Trend reports referring to the Turkish media. It is possible that the death toll may increase. All the victims among them women and children are citizens of Turkey. They were taken to the nearest hospitals. The cause of the accident remain undisclosed. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 4 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: Leader of the Turkish Nationalist Movement Party Devlet Bahceli called on the Turkish authorities to hold municipal re-elections in major cities of the country, Trend reports with reference to the Turkish media. Bahceli noted that holding municipal re-elections doesnt contradict the laws of Turkey. Repeated elections contribute to the elimination of negative and controversial issues that arose after the March 31 elections, he added. The media dont exclude that the Turkish authorities may consider this proposal. This is while Bayram Senocak, head of the Istanbul branch of the Turkish ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), stated that the AKP has evidence of the election results in Istanbul being falsified in favor of candidate of the opposition Republican People's Party Ekrem Imamoglu. Sadi Guven, head of the YSK, said on April 2 that the results of the municipal elections in Istanbul remain unchanged. Imamoglu gained 4.159 million votes, while Yildirim got 4.131 million votes in Istanbul. The coalition of the ruling party and the Nationalist Movement Party gained 51.67 percent of votes in the municipal elections throughout the country. Following the elections, candidate of the Republican Peoples Party Mansur Yavas became mayor of Ankara. Thirteen political parties took part in the municipal elections held March 31. These included the Felicity Party (SP), the Independent Turkey Party (Bagmsz Turkiye Partisi), the Communist Party of Turkey (Turkiye Komunist Partisi), the Patriotic Party (Vatan Partisi), the Great Unity Party (Buyuk Birlik Partisi), Free Cause Party (Hur Dava Partisi), Republican Peoples Party (Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi), Justice and Development Party (Adalet ve Kalknma Partisi), Democratic Party (Demokrat Parti), Nationalist Movement Party (Milliyetci Hareket Partisi), Iyi Party (IYI Parti), Peoples Democratic Party (Halklarn Demokratik Partisi) and Democratic Left Party (Demokratik Sol Parti). Municipal elections are held every 5 years in Turkey. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Baku, Azerbaijan, April 4 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: The work on dismantling equipment at Istanbul Ataturk Airport has been completed by 25 percent, Trend reports with reference to Turkish media April 4. No problems in the process of dismantling airport equipment have been recorded so far. Istanbul Ataturk Airport will close on April 6, and the last flight from the airport will take off at 02:00 (GMT +3), on April 6. The final work on dismantling and removal of equipment will be carried out on April 5. The process of dismantling and removal of equipment from Ataturk airport to the new Istanbul airport was earlier postponed until March 2019. The opening ceremony of the new airport took place in Istanbul on October 29, 2018, which was attended by the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Mehmet Cahit Turhan. The third airport of Istanbul was built in the vicinity of Lake Terkos, located in the northern part of the city. The construction of the airport cost 10 billion Turkish liras (TL), the Directorate General of Civil Aviation of the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure of Turkey told Trend earlier. The following Turkish banks granted loans for the construction: Ziraat Bank - 1.54 billion euros (EUR), Halkbank and Vakfbank - 1 billion EUR each, Denizbank - 500 million EUR, Garanti and Finansbank - 300 million EUR. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Baku, Azerbaijan, April 4 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: Ankara is negotiating with Washington regarding the supply of Turkey on the F-35 program, Trend reports referring to the Turkish media, citing military sources. Trainings of Turkish pilots are also continuing under the F-35 program. Military sources also report that Turkey will receive the first Russian S-400 air defense system in July of this year. Earlier the Pentagon confirmed halting the delivery of equipment related to the stealthy F-35 fighter aircraft to Turkey due to Ankaras plans on acquiring Russias S-400 missile defense system. Pending an unequivocal Turkish decision to forgo delivery of the S-400, deliveries and activities associated with the stand-up of Turkey's F-35 operational capability have been suspended while our dialogue on this important matter continues with Turkey, Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Mike Andrews, a Defense Department spokesman, said in a statement. The Pentagon also said that they had taken steps to prevent the supply chain during the creation of the F-35 from stopping because of the withdrawal of Turkey from the program to create the newest aircraft. Initial reports of negotiations between Russia and Turkey on the supply of S-400 surfaced in November 2016. The signing of a contract was confirmed by the Russian side on September 12, 2017. Turkish National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said that the S-400 air defense systems will be deployed from October 2019. The supply of the S-400 air defense systems to Ankara cost $2.5 billion, head of the Rostec state corporation Sergey Chemezov said in December 2017. Turkey is the first country, a NATO member, which will receive the S-400 air defense systems from Russia. Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu The United States will continue providing training for Turkish pilots on F-35 fighters, Pentagon spokesperson Charles Summers told reporters on Thursday, Trend reports citing Sputnik. "Training will continue," Summers said during a press briefing. The statement comes several days after the Pentagon announced that the United States suspended its deliveries and activities with Turkey on F-35 operational capabilities over Ankara's decision to procure the S-400 defence systems from Russia. Responding to the US move, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on sidelines of the NATO summit in Washington DC that he would tell US Security Adviser John Bolton and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that its purchase of the air defence system that the purchase of Russian S-400 systems is "definitely a done deal." In December 2017, Russia and Turkey signed a loan deal for the supply of S-400 air defence systems to Ankara. In early March, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reaffirmed that the deal was completed and said a new deal on purchases of advanced Russian-made S-500 systems may be possibly concluded in the future. The S-400 is Russia's next-generation mobile surface-to-air missile system and can carry three different types of missiles capable of destroying aerial targets at a short-to-extremely-long range. The weapon is created to track and destroy various types of aerial targets varying from reconnaissance aircraft to ballistic missiles. President Trump threatened to put tariffs on cars coming into the US from Mexico, if Mexico does not do enough to prevent illegal immigration into the US and if it does not crack down on drugs crossing the border. He said that he would give Mexico a year to prevent immigrants from entering the US before following through on the auto taxes, Trend reports citing CBS News. And if immigrants continue to enter the US through the southern border, Mr. Trump said he would close the border, backing away a bit from an earlier threat to close the border soon. "If Mexico doesn't help, that's okay. We'll tariff their cars," he said. At another point, he said, "If the drugs don't stop, we'll tariff the cars. If that doesn't work, we'll close the border." He said he was not bluffing. "I will do it; I don't play games." He added, "the whole ballgame is cars." He did not elaborate on how much time he would allow to see if tariffs are effective before closing the border. Mr. Trump's threat comes as he is trying to shepherd the US-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement through Congress, the renegotiated trade deal which replaced NAFTA. Implementing tariffs on cars would violate this agreement. However, Mr. Trump said that he cares more about US security than about the trade agreement. Mr. Trump threatened to close the border between the US and Mexico last week, which could cost the American economy billions of dollars. On China, the president promised to talk more later about the deal, but he seemed optimistic about how the talks are progressing. "They very much want to make a deal," Mr. Trump said, adding, "It has to be a great deal. If it is not a great deal, we're not doing it." He said the talks are "very well along." The president is meeting with the Chinese vice premier later Thursday. Dupa inscrierea pe site-ul HotNews.ro, poti deschide sectiunea MyHotNews ca sa completezi sau sa schimbi profilul de utilizator. Atentie! Logarea pe site se face cu adresa de email, nu cu nickname-ul. Adresa ta de email va ramane confidentiala si nu va fi niciodata data unor terte persoane sau institutii. Inainte de a te inscrie pe site te rugam sa parcurgi termenii si conditiile atasate unui cont HotNews.ro. KYODO NEWS - Apr 4, 2019 - 14:25 | All, World, Japan Four Japanese whaling vessels left a port in northeastern Japan on Thursday to conduct what the government calls a scientific research program for the last time before the country leaves the International Whaling Commission at the end of June. The ships, which left Ayukawa port in Miyagi Prefecture, will join four other vessels from different areas of Japan on the mission to catch up to 80 minke whales in April and May off Miyagi and Aomori prefectures to gather data on the whale population and their approximate ages among other information. They will also look into the animals' stomach contents with a view to better management of marine resources. The data will be used as reference for commercial whaling which Japan plans to resume in its exclusive economic zone for the first time in 31 years in July after leaving the IWC. (File photo taken in April 2014 shows members of a Japanese "research whaling" team pouring sake as a cleansing ritual on a newly caught minke whale at a port in Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, northeastern Japan.) "Scientific data collected during past missions support today's whale hunts. We'll make efforts to sustainably conduct commercial whaling," Shigeki Takaya, head of the Fisheries Agency's whaling affairs office, said at a ceremony to mark the ships' departure, attended by some 100 crew members and whale meat cutters. The mission organized by the Association for Community-Based Whaling in Fukuoka involves vessels from the town of Taiji in Wakayama Prefecture, known for its whaling and dolphin-hunting culture, and the city of Minamiboso in Chiba Prefecture. After whale hunts planned off Miyagi and Aomori, the vessels will move to the sea off northern Japan's Hokkaido to engage in commercial whaling. Although Japan halted commercial whaling in 1988 in line with a moratorium adopted in 1982 by the IWC, the country has hunted whales for what it claims to be scientific research since 1987, a practice criticized internationally as a cover for commercial whaling. Tokyo notified the IWC of its pullout in December after its proposal to resume commercial whaling and change decision-making rules at the body was rejected at its annual meeting in September amid a long-standing rift between pro- and anti-whaling nations. Related coverage: Quitting whaling commission is risky gambit by Japan Japan to leave IWC, resume commercial whaling in July King Nagarjuna after a long break is back to shoot with Manmadhudu 2 which is shooting in Portugal. Nagarjuna Akkineni is currently busy working on the sequel of the film Manmadhudu. The film is directed by Rahul Ravindran and produced jointly by Nagarjuna Akkineni and Anandi Art Creations. Soon after this, Nagarjuna will begin working on another exciting project in the direction of Kalyan Krishna. also read: Ajith Kumar using a proxy Twitter account? Speculation is rife that if all goes well, actress Nayanthara might play the romantic lead role opposite Nagarjuna in his much-awaited upcoming film titled Bangarraju. Nayanthara has been in talks to romance Nag in this village based romantic drama. The actress loved her portion and gave her nod for the film recently. Tipped to be a village-based romantic drama. Kalyan Krishna is busy with the pre-production work of this film. The makers are going to start the regular shoot of the film soon and we have come to know that the director wanted to get Nayanathara on board to play the leading lady role in the film. The regular shoot is expected to begin in July and Nayanthara is already occupied with a handful of films. The makers are in plans to release Bangarraju during Sankranthi 2020. Annapurna Studios are the producers and Anup Rubens is the music composer. also read: Amitabh Bachchan touch feets of iconic legend of Tamil cinema, Sivaji Ganesan When Rabbi Chaim Steinmetz asked community members in Sarasota, Florida, questions about geriatric care, they were stumped. I asked around, seeing if people knew things like why the elderly have memory issues, the best way to deal with a senior who doesnt recognize his children, or the recommended practices for encouraging people to take their medications when theyre resistant. Though Sarasota is home to many elderly retirees, most people didnt have the answers. This prompted the rabbi to arrange the Dr. Schwartzbaum Geriatric Compassionate Care Symposium, taking place this Sunday. A half-day event, the program features four prominent speakers with the goal of helping the community make better decisions and spreading awareness about geriatric care and end-of-life. Steinmetz expects 250 people, 75 percent of whom arent members or friends of Chabad, including staff of local senior centers. Its an issue no one else was touching, and there is a real need for addressing them, says Steinmetz, director of Chabad of Sarasota with his wife Sara. When we announced the event, many other local organizations came on board to partner with us. Sponsoring organizations include the Jewish Housing Council, pharmaceutical companies, and Jewish Family and Childrens Services. Steinmetz dedicated the symposium, which he hopes to make annual, to a close friend of Chabad. Dr. Leonard Schwartzbaum was the founder of Family Practice Associates, one of the most successful family practice groups in Sarasota, and one of the top doctors in the United States. We didnt know it then, Steinmetz remembers, but he generously funded the rent of our first Chabad center, one unit, and then two, in a strip mall. For over ten years, Chabad received the funding each month through an anonymous check. He hardly ever stepped foot in the center, but he felt that Chabad was providing authentic Jewish tradition to the community and wanted to support it. The rabbi only discovered the identity of the anonymous benefactor after Chabad moved to its current building. Schwartzbaum passed away last August after fighting Lewy body dementia for ten years. Steinmetz visited him every week. Many people had stopped visiting because they didnt feel like he was really aware of their presence, but a persons soul is always aware and its important to continue engaging with them. Schwartzbaums widow, Judith, lent generous financial support to the event. She said the symposium is a fitting way to honor her husbands legacy. His passion was the care of his patientsmost of whom were over sixty-fiveand he would be pleased and honored that Chabad of Sarasota is presenting this special symposium. Dr. Leonard Schwartzbaum As per reports, Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has created three teams, similar to Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad, in the Kashmir Valley. These teams plan to target polling booths and candidates contesting in the polls. Intelligence agencies further suspect that the ISI is trying to send Afghanistan-based terrorists from across the border to train these outfit members in handling explosives. Pakistan-based terror outfits are planning to carry major strikes across Jammu and Kashmir during the upcoming Lok Sabha Election 2019, warned intelligence agencies . also read INC released a list of 12 candidates from Madhya Pradesh Here it is to be noted that Jammu and Kashmir will go to polls in five phases from April 11 to May 6. The counting of votes will take place on May 23. Assembly elections are likely to be held after the Lok Sabha polls. In a recent high-level meeting between the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Election Commission on the security situation in the state, the decision to send an additional 800 para-military forces was taken. Speaking to Source , a senior officer with the central security forces says that it is a big task to organise adequate security to all the contesting candidates and the polling booths so that citizens can vote without any fear or threat. If the state Assembly polls are held in June, security needs to be arranged for over 11000 polling booths and 900 candidates of various political parties or independants. also read TMC Supremo Mamta Banerjee launched a stinging attack against PM Modi Biopic movie Following the Pulwama attack and Indian Air Force's strikes on terror camps, Pakistan is on the backfoot and is likely to disrupt the polls, added intelligence inputs. During the Panchayat polls last year, terror groups had threatened candidates who participated in the elections, asking to boycott the elections. Baghpat: On Wednesday, Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Ajit Singh launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an election rally in Uttar Pradeshs Baghpat. Singh while taking a dig at the PM Modi said that the Prime Minister had never spoken lies, but he neither speaks the truth. In a personal attack at the Prime Minister, the RLD chief said that PM Modi is leading a campaign against the Triple Talaq, but he abandoned his own wife without saying Talaq once. also read If Muslims have First right than what happens to SC, Jatts and Gujjars: Controversial comment Targeting PM Modi, on his claims of achievements in the last five years, Singh said, This man is so smart and cunning that if he had gone to Sri Lanka, he would have told us that he is the one who killed Ravana because you see nobody has done anything apart from him. The RLD chief also said that people have started to raise slogans like 'hai, hai Modi, bye, bye Modi' because the Centre was formulating "anti-farmer" policies. Singhs party RLD is contesting the Lok Sabha elections in alliance with Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). As per the seat-sharing pact, As per the seat-sharing pact, Mayawati-led BSP will contest 38 seats, whereas Akhilesh Yadav-led SP will fight on 37. The remaining three seats are left for the third alliance partner RLD. UP is going for polls in seven phases. The voting will take place from April 11 to May 19, and the result will be declared on May 23. There are a total of 80 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state. also read Mamta Banerjee's scathing attack on PM Modis comment Speedbreaker Didi Two new Chabad centers opened in Japan, just in time for Passover this year, bringing the total in the country up to four. Rabbi Shalom Duber and Rachel Vaisfiche moved to Takayama from Israel, and Rabbi Dovid and Chaya Mushka Posner with their toddler, Mendel, moved to Kyoto from the U.S. Both centers, like many others in Asia, will be dedicated to serving Japans Jewish travelers, mostly young Israeli backpackers. The number of visitors to Japan has been increasing dramatically, says Chabads regional director, Rabbi Mendi Sudakevitch of Tokyo. Last year, the country attracted 30 million visitors and were excited to reach more of them. He and his wife, Chana, assisted the couples in finding spaces to host the upcoming Seders, which are each expected to attract around 150 participants. Kyoto Kyoto, once the capital city of Japan, is the number one tourist destination in the country and considered the heart of Japanese culture. The city is less than an hour away from the larger Jewish community in Kobe. Rabbi Posner, a California native, brings with him the skill of kosher slaughter, making it much easier to procure kosher meat in Japan. Theyre not new to this way of life: the rabbi and his wife, who is from Venezuela, are children of Chabad emissaries. Takayama The village of Takayama, in the Gifu Prefecture and Japan Alps, is smaller than Kyoto and very welcoming, with signs posted in many languages including Hebrew. Though Rabbi Vaisfiche doesnt know of any Jew living there permanently, he estimates 40,000 Jewish travelers visit the area, with more coming each year. The center is opening at the behest of the city council. Weve arranged for visiting rabbis to direct holiday programming in Takayama in the past, says Sudakevitch, but the community, including the towns city council and mayor, who isnt Jewish, recognized the need for a permanent center and turned to us requesting and encouraging the opening of one. By working with young travelers away from their homes and families and in a foreign country, Vaisfiche aims to provide for their material needs just as much as their Jewish needs. Helping a Jew out materially is really a spiritual task. Our home will be open to all, and we hope that by welcoming travelers for a hot meal and some company, we can also introduce them to Judaism. If the thing you really want to spring clean this year is your desk at your current job, you're in luck there are thousands of opportunities to start fresh with a new office at a new company. Glassdoor combed through its vast database of job listings and discovered that job seekers still hold the upper hand as companies continue to compete for talent. Only a few days into April, hundreds of employers have already posted new listings looking for positions as varied as software engineer, nurse, product manager and data scientist. In particular, these 20 companies, spread across the U.S., have dramatically upped their number of open positions this month, indicated they're on a hiring spree and hungry for new talent. So tweak that resume and toss your name in the ring. JP Morgan No. of open jobs: 4,792 Hiring in: San Francisco, Calif.; Charlotte, N.C.; Minneapolis, Minn.; Nashville, Tenn.; New York, N.Y. Open roles: Wealth management advisor, relationship banker, cloud architect, financial advisor, client advisor, private client banker, part-time teller, senior front-end developer, commercial bank risk specialist, executive director of digital identity and authentication strategy lead, and vice president of developer experience technical lead. What employees say: "JP Morgan is one of the best places to work. They have top-notch experts in every level of the organization." Kaiser Permanente No. of open jobs: 2,535 Hiring in: Seattle, Wash.; Oakland, Calif.; Rockville, Md.; Pasadena, Calif.; Portland, Ore.; West Covina, Calif.; Atlanta, Ga. Open roles: Surgical technician, administrative specialist, registered nurse, nurse manager, health care guide physical therapist, senior research interventionist, social worker, project manager, mental health worker, event manager, research associate and brand manager. What employees say: "Great pay and benefits. My boss was understanding and worked really well with our team." Story continues Home Depot No. of open jobs: 945 Hiring in: Austin, Texas; Monroe, Ohio; Ogden, Utah; Colma, CA; Atlanta, Ga.; Mount Laurel, N.J.; Vancouver, Wash; Saint Lewis, Mo.; Rockland, Mass.; Fargo, N.D. Open roles: cashier, designer, human resources manager, department supervisor, asset protection specialist, lot associate, inventory supervisor, product engineer, software engineer manager, lead product engineer, systems engineer manager, and staff software engineer. What Employees Say: "Pros are meeting new people, the diverse environment, and the day-to-day challenges." McKesson No. of open jobs: 629 Hiring in: Alpharetta, Ga.; Dallas, Texas; Richmond, Va.; San Francisco, Calif.; Scottsdale, Ariz. Open roles: Data scientist, quality assurance analyst, senior director of software sourcing, night operations manager, technology sales specialist, client account specialist, business process consultant, line haul tractor trailer driver, material handler, senior marketing manager and data engineer. What employees say: "Good company to gain skills with. Lots of promotional potential as they love to advance from within." Visa No. of open jobs: 591 Hiring in: Foster City, Calif.; Ashburn, Va.; Austin, Texas; Miami, Fla. Open roles: Associate product manager, product analyst, program manager, solutions architect, data scientist, senior QA engineer, staff video engineer, director of software engineer and chief software engineer. What employees say: "Visa encourages innovation, has the best IT techs and great benefits and compensation." KeyW No. of open jobs: 260 Hiring in: Hanover, Md.; Herndon, Va.; Washington, D.C.; Fort Belvoir, Va.; Columbia, Md. Open roles: Entry level intel analyst, program manager, software developer, help desk specialist, software engineer, customer tech support representative, engagement manager, information operations planner, SCRUM master, senior software engineer, systems engineer, space system test engineer and data analyst. What employees say: "Great culture, mission-critical work, outstanding leadership." Rakuten No. of open jobs: 210 Hiring in: San Mateo, Calif.; Boston, Mass.; New York, N.Y.; Chicago, Ill.; Salt Lake City, Utah. Open roles: Technical product manager, recruiting manager, staff accountant, partnership director, product manager, analyst, full stack engineer, head of facilities, mobile automation test engineer, enterprise account executive and senior internal auditor. What employees say: "Global company-great leadership-very diverse-intelligent people. The culture embraces the diversity." Barton Associates No. of open jobs: 183 Hiring in: Peabody, Mass.; Las Vegas, Nev.; Austin, Texas; Keene, N.H. Open roles: Account manager, salesforce developer, recruiter, talent acquisition specialist, corporate counsel, sales support administrator assignment manager, telehealth staffing specialist, technical operations administrator, business process analyst, UX/UI designer and front-end web developer. What employees say: "Positive atmosphere, emphasis on continual training, competent, supportive and encouraging management. Tons of growth potential as an individual and on the management end of things." Exact Sciences No. of open jobs: 138 Hiring in: Madison, Wis.; San Diego, Calif.; Frederick, Md. Open Roles: Professional medical representative, director of training and development, technical business analyst, training associate, senior QA validation analyst, change management specialist, project manager, recruiter, financial analyst, research scientist and senior director of total rewards. What employees say: "Exact Sciences provides a fantastic culture, great benefits, and, above all, an amazing mission that I feel so proud to be a part of." Synchrony No. of open jobs: 137 Hiring in: Stamford, CT; Menlo Park, CA; Altamonte Springs, Fla.; Alpharetta, Ga.; Chicago, Ill.; Phoenix, Ariz.; Charlotte, N.C.; Boise, Idaho. Open roles: Customer service representatives, vice president of retail client marketing leader, senior analyst, vice president of partner success, senior full stack engineer, senior UI/visual designer, principal front-end engineer, vice president of strategic partnerships, sales development leader and portfolio risk analyst. What employees say: "Lots of benefits, upper management tends to care. Many opportunities for growth." Zulily No. of open jobs: 116 Hiring in: Seattle, Wash.; Bethlehem, Pa.; Gahanna, Ohio; Sparks, Nev.; Lockbourne, Ohio Open roles: Production assistant, software engineer, digital image approver, site security supervisor, assistant buyer, software engineer, editorial photographer, studio supervisor, senior buyer, fulfillment center senior operations manager, technology product manager, and marketing specialist. What employees say: "Good culture and work-life balance, opportunities to take ownership and earn promotions." DHG No. of open jobs: 115 Hiring in: Charlotte, NC; Richmond, Va.; New York, N.Y.; Tampa, Fla.; Atlanta, Ga. Open roles: Account advisory lead consultant, account advisory consultant, tax manager, senior manager of financial accounts and auditing, risk advisory consultant, IT recruiter, audit senior associate, cybersecurity manager, insurance tax manager and senior consultant of IT risk advisory. What employees say: "DHG does a great job of creatively rewarding employees. There are endless programs and new offerings for employees to further their careers, enjoy better benefits and stay connected, despite being a large company." Rent the Runway No. of open jobs: 70 Hiring in: New York, N.Y.; Secaucus, N.J.; San Francisco, Calif.; Arlington, Texas; Washington, D.C. Open roles: Planner, data analyst, customer experience associate, manager of engagement marketing, product development assistant, store experience associate, operations associate, manager of FP&A, software engineer, operations team lead, merchandising assistant, payroll manager and fashion operations assistant. What employees say: "I was constantly challenged and had the ability to grow and evolve in a plethora of cross-functional positions. I always had the support of my team members and was given the right type of constructive criticism when needed." Audible No. of open jobs: 66 Hiring in: Newark, N.J.; Cambridge, Mass.; Seattle, Wash. Open roles: Senior development manager, data scientist, creative director, software development engineer, senior director of consumer public relations, manager of corporate communications, executive editor, senior full stack engineer, product manager, senior manager of member engagement and director of content analytics. What employees say: "I worked at Audible for over seven years, moving through technology as an individual developer up to middle management. In that time, there was considerable growth, but the great things stayed the same." Carbon Black No. of open jobs: 60 Hiring in: Boulder, Colo.; Waltham, Mass. Open roles: Senior site reliability engineer, senior software quality engineer, manager of software engineering, UX designer, software engineer, threat data engineer, senior director of product security, threat analyst, and SOC manager. What employees say: "Carbon Black is an excellent company with very smart, hard-working people. The products are something I am very proud to stand behind." Livongo Health No. of open jobs: 52 Hiring in: Mountain View, Calif.; Chicago, Ill.; Denver, Colo. Open roles: Director of revenue, member quality specialist, senior account executive, salesforce initiatives director, senior security compliance analyst, vice president of clinical research and analytics, vice president of sales-labor unions, growth marketing manager and sourcing specialist. What employees say: "Every day I get to work with a group of caring, talented, and wicked smart people on a mission to improve the lives of our members and millions of people with chronic conditions." Ritchie Bros. No. of open jobs: 43 Hiring in: Lincoln, Neb.; Pleasanton, Calif.; Longmont, Colo.; Odessa, Texas; Downers Grove, Ill.; Chambersburg, Pa.; New Orleans, La.; Miami, Fla. Open roles: Field inspector, payroll assistant, staff accountant, CDL heavy haulage driver, sales tax supervisor, financial planning analyst, equipment manager, yard manager, settlements associate, marketing unit business manager, inside sales representative, and customer service manager. What employees say: " Great people, outstanding benefits, family-like atmosphere, ability to make decisions locally without a bunch of corporate requests." Auth0 No. of open jobs: 32 Hiring in: Bellevue, Wash.; remote Open roles: Product marketing manager, sales operations specialist, backend engineer, senior accountant, technical community manager, staff accountant, developer experience engineer, senior financial analyst, senior engineer of internal services, principal engineer and director of business operations. What employees say: "Auth0 is an incredibly diverse organization filled with high achievers that get the job done. Perks include: getting to work remote whenever you please, great pay, freedom to be an individual, freedom to experiment in your work, company offsite in global locations such as Panama and Cancun, and friends in global regions." Brilliant Earth No. of open jobs: 17 Hiring in: Denver, Colo.; San Francisco, Calif. Open roles: Content and social media associate, director of sourcing, operations assistant, customer experience assistant, website merchandising coordinator, staff gemologist, business analyst, fraud investigation assistant and inventory assistant. What employees say: "This is probably the best group of people that I've ever worked with. I've learned a ton since I've been here and I've already experienced strong growth in compensation and responsibility. The mission is inspiring and the company really cares about the bigger issues." Index Exchange No. of open jobs: 10 Hiring in: New York N.Y.; San Francisco, Calif. Open roles: Technical account manager, product marketing director, senior product manager, human resources business partner, exchange analyst, agency development director, Account Manager, senior corporate recruiter, integration solutions consultant and strategic partner development director. What employees say: "Transparent company-wide goals are shared from the top to bottom with clear and insightful feedback on performance. [Has] driven employees that want to grow with the company and put in extra hours to provide quality service to our publishers." Like this story? Subscribe to CNBC Make It on YouTube! Don't miss: 75% of resumes are never read by a humanhere's how to make sure your resume beats the bots More From CNBC FreightWaves is providing a forum Market Voices for a number of market experts. Cathy Morrow Roberson is a market analyst with a research and economics background. Roberson began her career as a librarian; she was then an analyst at an e-commerce start-up; and was an analyst at UPS Supply Chain Solutions supporting market, competitive and mergers & acquisition research and analytic needs for 11 years. After a brief stint with specialized consulting firms, Roberson now manages the logistics-focused market research firm, Logistics Trends & Insights LLC, which is based in Atlanta, Georgia. The message was clear at the recent World Cargo Symposium air cargo needs an upgrade. Despite having benefited for the past year and one-half from restocking and front-loading ahead of U.S.-imposed tariffs on Chinese imports, the air cargo market is now faced with slowing volumes and revenue. Manufacturing slowdowns have negatively impacted air cargo demand. In the latest International Air Transport Association (IATA) data, January indicates a second consecutive month of global volume declines, which are anticipated to continue into February for a third month. Indeed, the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) recently published February data and it was not a surprise. February volumes declined 11.9 percent. However, it should be noted that the Chinese New Year was in February this year, which skews year-over-year comparisons. Instead, a look at the first two months combined presents a clearer picture albeit a dismal one of an 8.3 percent decline. Commenting on the February data, Andrew Herdman, AAPA Director General said, "The slowdown in the manufacturing sector with the ongoing softening in trade sentiment point to the likelihood of continued weakness in air cargo markets in the coming months. Nevertheless, ongoing growth in e-commerce shipments should provide some level of support to air cargo demand." E-commerce appears to be the solution to pull up a transportation mode that is known more for transporting high-valued goods such as pharmaceuticals and high-tech goods rather than goods typically ordered from such online retailers as Amazon, Tmall or Zalando. Story continues Ludwig Haussmann, partner at McKinsey & Company, told the audience at the World Cargo Symposium that "the cross-border click-to-door' e-commerce market currently stands at five billion shipments annually and is estimated to account for around 10 percent of total air cargo volumes. This is expected to grow to 20 percent by 2022." In terms of revenue, Haussmann said that e-commerce's share of air cargo revenues is just 5 percent, but is expected to increase to around 12 percent by 2022. Despite IATA focusing on e-commerce as a solution to jump-start the air cargo market, there are doubts among carriers. In an interview with The Loadstar, Qatar Airways chief officer for cargo Guillaume Halleux, said, "So, everybody gets very excited about e-commerce but I keep telling my organization let's be very cautious, we don't want to do e-commerce for the sake of being trendy, you do it if it makes business sense." Chief executive Richard Forson of Cargolux bluntly noted in the same article, "So am I going to be another UPS or FedEx? No, that's not my business at the end of the day." Although there are lingering doubts, air cargo operators are beginning to address e-commerce. For example, in late 2018, Lufthansa and China Post entered into a "Joint Freight Operation" agreement, under which China Post would leverage capacity on Lufthansa Cargo flights to improve e-commerce-driven air mail transportation between China and Europe. Also in 2018, Emirates SkyCargo announced an agreement with Cainiao Smart Logistics Network Ltd., the logistics arm of Alibaba, to work together to manage e-commerce shipments in the Middle East and neighboring regions via a planned Cainiao Dubai hub. More, of course, is needed to address efficiency improvements, speed, visibility, returns and additional value-add services. As such, carriers are investing in technology and building and/or joining online platforms. One such platform, Cargo.One, provides spot-market booking and tracking of air cargo by connecting directly with airline systems through API connections. Meanwhile, Oman Air Cargo now offers its customers electronic access to its capacity via Traxon cargoHUB from information technology firm CHAMP. Traxon cargoHub enables airlines and forwarders to exchange electronic messages regardless of the message type or protocol used. Oman Air Cargo joins Aeromexico, Cargolux, Flexport, Japan Airlines, Silk Way West Airlines, Turkish Cargo and others that utilize Traxon cargoHub. Gains are certainly being made to improve efficiencies in individual carriers' operations. But, the fact of the matter is, the primary integrators DHL, FedEx Corporation (NYSE: FDX) and UPS (NYSE: UPS) are well ahead of the overall air cargo market by leading the charge in terms of services, network configuration and available capacity for rising e-commerce demands. In addition, new players are entering the market. The largest to date, Amazon, whose Prime Air is ranked tenth globally for capacity additions in 2018. Will air cargo providers sit back and let the integrators and new entrants enjoy more and more e-commerce volumes and revenue? Hardly, but the market's slow response in an environment that is rapidly changing will prove detrimental to air cargo carriers' bottom line. The air cargo market needs an upgrade, one that reduces slow paper processes to one that is capable of responding quickly for faster delivery times and visibility. Image sourced from Pixabay Want more content like this? Click here to Subscribe Permalink See more from Benzinga 2019 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. FILE PHOTO: Airbus Chief Executive Tom Enders attends Airbus's annual press conference on Full-Year 2018 results in Blagnac, near Toulouse, France February 14, 2019. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau PARIS (Reuters) - A retirement pot of almost 40 million euros ($44.78 million) for outgoing Airbus Chief Executive Officer Tom Enders is excessive and may harm the company's image, France's finance minister said in remarks published on Tuesday. His overall retirement package and future potential share earnings are worth 36.8 million euros, according to company filings and corporate governance firm Proxinvest. "The figure announced regarding Tom Enders is obviously excessive and could harm the reputation of Airbus," Finance Minister Bruno le Maire told Les Echos newspaper. "I call on the directors of Airbus to draw the (necessary) conclusions." France and Germany own 11 percent each of Europe's largest aerospace group. The French government faces weekly protests about declining living standards, and pay is a sensitive topic. An Airbus spokesman referred to published financial data. According to the company's 2018 financial notes, Enders is entitled to a pension valued as of Dec. 31, 2018, at 26.3 million euros spread over 20 years. He will also benefit from a non-compete clause worth 3.2 million euros, which is valid for at least a year. According to Proxinvest, Enders will also be entitled to progressive stock and performance bonuses currently valued at 7.3 million euros. Enders renounced a further one-off departure bonus, a person close to the company said. Enders, 60, has overseen sharp rises in the Airbus share price since becoming CEO in 2012. But he has faced criticism in French media and inside parts of the aerospace group for overseeing sweeping compliance probes that led to dozens of senior departures without specific allegations. Airbus also faces outside investigations led by France and Britain over the use of middlemen. Enders is under investigation over a fighter deal in Austria and denies any wrongdoing. He initially sought to serve a third term from 2019, then agreed to step down as the board sought fresh faces at the top to ease potential settlement talks with French and UK prosecutors, people familiar with the matter said. Story continues A British judge has ruled that companies that show a new face have a better chance of winning prosecuting agreements. German-born Enders is however credited with unifying a company once bitterly divided along national lines, as well as simplifying its governance to weed out political influence and making the once state-influenced firm friendlier to investors. He steps down on April 10 following the annual shareholder meeting, where Frenchman Guillaume Faury will become CEO. (Reporting by John Irish and Tim Hepher; editing by Leigh Thomas and David Gregorio) (Bloomberg) -- After security researcher Chris Vickery discovered millions of records from Facebook Inc. users sitting unsecured on a public database, he tried for weeks to get Amazon.com Inc., owner of the servers where the data were stored, to take it down. Were looking into the situation and assessing any extra steps we can take, came the response from Amazon security staff to one of Vickerys follow-up messages on Feb. 21 -- three weeks after he initially brought the data exposure to Amazons attention. The trove in question included 540 million pieces of information, such as identification numbers, comments, reactions and account names, that had been culled from Facebook pages and stored on Amazon servers by Mexico City-based digital platform Cultura Colectiva. The records were accessible and downloadable for anyone who could find them online, and they didnt get taken down until April 3, after Facebook -- alerted by Bloomberg News -- contacted Amazon. The slow-footed response underscores a dilemma faced by businesses like Amazon Web Services, which along with cloud computing behemoths Microsoft Corp. and Alphabet Inc.s Google, generate billions of dollars in revenue by providing storage and other computing services via remote data centers. Were Amazon to shut down a customers services, it could open itself to lawsuits and risk broken trust with clients, said Sean Curran, who advises companies on security issues for consulting firm West Monroe Partners. It really is a gray area between [Amazons] responsibility and the customers, he said. Amazon views itself as responsible for the servers that populate data centers, and its customers should be in charge of the information that gets stored there, Vickery said. Companies like Amazon Web Services push a narrative of a shared responsibility model, where theyre responsible for the hardware, he said in an interview with Bloomberg TV. And then its up to the ones who are paying to store the data to correctly configure their storage instances to make sure anyone on the internet cant access it. Story continues Vickery said he also reached out to Cultura Colectiva to take down the data, but didnt receive a reply. Whatever role Amazon should play, the episode is only the latest embarrassment for Facebook, still smarting from revelations last year that the company lost track of data that it shared with third parties. Facebook for years allowed anyone making an app on its site to obtain information on the people using the app, and those users friends. Once the data left Facebooks hands, the developers were able to do whatever they wanted with it. Facebook, in a statement, said it worked with Amazon to take down the database. Its unclear whether Amazon pulled the plug itself, or persuaded Cultura Colectiva to take the files offline. AWS customers own and fully control their data, Amazon said in a statement. When we receive an abuse report concerning content that is not clearly illegal or otherwise prohibited, we notify the customer in question and ask that they take appropriate action, which is what happened here. Amazon has grown into the worlds biggest provider of on-demand data storage and computing power in part by pledging to big companies that their data will be as private in the cloud as it was sitting in a back-room server. They just dont want to start a precedent of them meddling with the data, Vickery said, back when he was having trouble getting Amazon to take it down. If they start shutting down access to data breaches, they start getting into liability a bit more. Theyre in a sticky situation. On its website, AWS says customers maintain ownership of the data they upload to the service. We do not access or use your content for any purpose without your consent, the company said. Microsoft and Google make similar guarantees about their cloud businesses. Even so, once Amazon becomes aware of information that shouldnt be publicly available, it should quickly take steps to make the data private, said Ashkan Soltani, a privacy researcher and former chief technology officer at the Federal Trade Commission. Vickery concurs. I would hope that when they were notified they would have taken more steps to close it off, he said. Amazons terms of service give the company wide latitude to remove content it deems illegal. In cases where content infringes on the rights of a third party, Amazon can disable a service with two days notice. After a series of inadvertent exposures of information stored on AWSs Simple Storage Service in recent years, the company made it more difficult for its customers to make data public facing in the first place, peppering the service with warning notices when something is exposed, and giving administrators easier options to shut down open databases. --With assistance from Gerrit De Vynck. To contact the reporters on this story: Matt Day in Seattle at mday63@bloomberg.net;Sarah Frier in San Francisco at sfrier1@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Tom Giles at tgiles5@bloomberg.net, Andrew Pollack For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. (Adds background, detail) TALLINN, April 3 (Reuters) - Estonia's State Prosecutor has received a criminal complaint against Swedbank brought by investor Bill Browder, and will decide whether to begin an investigation into the money laundering allegations within the next 10 days, a spokeswoman for the prosecutors' office said on Wednesday. Swedbank is embroiled in a money-laundering scandal involving Danske Bank, which revealed last year that its Estonian branch had been used to move 230 billion euros ($258 billion) of suspicious payments between 2007 and 2015. Browder founded Hermitage Capital and was once the biggest foreign money manager in Russia. He has been instrumental in driving authorities to bring cases against Danske Bank. "At the moment the prosecutor is analysing the data, and the decision on whether to start an investigation will be made within 10 days," said the spokeswoman, who declined to comment on the content of the filing. Earlier this week Sweden's Economic Crime Authority (EBM) dropped a complaint by Browder saying the limited transfers involving Swedish accounts had occurred before tighter anti-money laundering legislation was introduced in 2014 and as a statute of limitations had expired in the case. (Reporting by Tarmo Virki, editing by Johannes Hellstrom and Louise Heavens) Canadian National (NYSE: CNI) laid out plans to invest C$615 million this year in network infrastructure in eastern Canada amid wider efforts by stakeholders to revamp Canada's transportation infrastructure and support the nation's export markets. The railway is spending $320 million in Ontario on several expansion projects, including adding capacity near CNI's Brampton intermodal terminal by building a satellite intermodal facility, investing in infrastructure and equipment at the Brampton terminal and making improvements at CNI's Toronto auto compound. CNI will also spend $245 million in Quebec, $45 million in New Brunswick and $5 million in Nova Scotia to implement technologies such as autonomous track inspection, distributed air cars and automated inspection portals. The railway will also invest in completing maintenance projects throughout the eastern provinces, including replacing rail track, installing railroad ties and rebuilding road crossing surfaces. CNI's capital investment efforts a planned $3.9 billion this year and a combined $7.4 billion in 2018 and 2019 come as Canada itself and other stakeholders are seeking to position Canada as a leading global export player. Government agency Transport Canada is working to implement the transportation goals of Transportation 2030, a program the agency started in 2016 while it was conducting a multiyear review of federal transportation regulations. Meanwhile, Atlantic coast ports with access to CNI and Candian Pacific (NYSE: CP) are also seeking to expand capacity and their ability to serve export markets in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Their efforts come as the port of Toronto experienced record volumes last year. In Quebec province, the port of Montreal is working on a $50 million project to expand rail capacity. The port expects work to start this summer. At the port of Quebec City, La COOP Federee will invest $90 million on a grain export terminal. In the Maritime provinces, the port of Halifax in Nova Scotia is spending $35 million to expand its South End container terminal to allow for two ultra-class vessels, while Port Saint John in New Brunswick is developing a $205 million project to modernize its container infrastructure. Story continues Image sourced from Pixabay Want more content like this? Click here to Subscribe Permalink See more from Benzinga 2019 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. CALGARY, Alberta, April 03, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cash machines that accept envelope-free deposits are becoming a reality at BlueShore Financial , a premium full-service financial institution, through a partnership with Cardtronics (CATM), the worlds largest ATM owner/operator. The new service provides for a more seamless deposit experience, improving ease of use and enhancing peace-of-mind. Instead of sealing cheques and cash into a deposit envelope, ATM users simply place their deposit items directly into the machine. On-screen images verify the amount of the deposit, and the user can even receive an image of deposited cheques on the ATM receipt. BlueShore Financials Pender Street, Financial Spa branch in the heart of the financial district of Vancouver, BC, is the first location to showcase the enhanced capabilities thanks to the certification and support of the new ATM machines by Cardtronics. We are pleased to provide our ATM users access to the industry-leading technology driving these machines, said Fred Cook, Chief Information Officer, BlueShore Financial. Our clients and Exchange Card holders will have an enriched ATM experience, while we will be able to reduce costs associated with back-end processing management. And, with cash still making up a significant number of point-of-sale transactions according to the Bank of Canada we will be increasing our value to customers by giving them access to a simpler and streamlined means for depositing and withdrawing currency. With the launch of image-enabled ATMs at BlueShore Financial, Cardtronics is bringing its global product innovation to bear in the Canadian market, enhancing legacy processes with new ideas and technologies that will enhance consumer engagement while helping Canadian credit unions and banks rationalize costs while simultaneously improving service excellence. The ATM is a critical touchpoint for financial institutions as consumers seek more convenient ways to manage their money, said Cardtronics David McCrary, EVP North American Business Group, Product Solutions. Enabling modern self-service deposit capabilities both drives down costs and improves the consumer experience. Through its ATM management offering, Cardtronics enables financial institutions such as BlueShore Financial to go to market with a class-leading ATM offering without the overhead and capital requirements typically associated with such an engagement. Story continues About BlueShore Financial BlueShore Financial is a boutique financial institution providing a full range of personal and business banking, wealth management, insurance and commercial lending solutions. With a branch network located across the Lower Mainland and Sea-to-Sky Corridor, BlueShore Financial helps clients achieve financial wellness through personalized solutions and expert advice, delivered in a unique Financial Spa branch environment. BlueShore Financial manages over $5.7 billion in Assets Under Administration and is consistently ranked among the top 20 financial planning firms in Metro Vancouver. BlueShore Financial is an Imagine Canada Caring Company, contributing at least 1% of pre-tax profits annually to charities and not-for-profit organizations within the communities it serves. BlueShore Financial is the operating name of BlueShore Financial Credit Union. To learn more about the BlueShore Financial difference, watch this video . Follow us on Twitter @blueshorenews, on Instagram @blueshorefinancial or connect with us on Facebook. About Cardtronics Canada Cardtronics Canada is part of the largest owner / operator of cash machines worldwide. In addition to cash machine services, Cardtronics Canada operates a full-service ATM and point-of-sale transaction processing switch for Interac and other payment card network transactions in Canada. Cardtronics offers comprehensive payment processing services to credit unions and financial institutions across Canada, enabling them to outsource their ATM and point-of-sale payment card processing. About Cardtronics (CATM) Cardtronics is the trusted leader in financial self-service, enabling cash transactions at approximately 227,000 ATMs across 10 countries in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Africa. Leveraging our unmatched scale, expertise and innovation, top-tier merchants and businesses of all sizes use our ATM solutions to drive growth, in-store traffic, and retail transactions. Financial services providers rely on Cardtronics to deliver superior service at their own ATMs, on Cardtronics ATMs where they place their brand, and through Cardtronics' Allpoint Network, the worlds largest surcharge-free ATM network, with over 55,000 locations. As champions of cash, Cardtronics converts digital currency into physical cash, driving payments choice for businesses and consumers alike. Contact Information: Media Relations Susannah Moore Griffin Corporate Communications Manager 832-308-4392 sgriffin@cardtronics.com Investor Relations Brad Conrad EVP Treasurer 832-308-4975 ir@cardtronics.com Cardtronics is a registered trademark of Cardtronics plc and its subsidiaries All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. CNOOC Limited CEO announced that liquefied natural gas (LNG) will be contributing significantly to trade between the United States and China, once tensions between the two economies are settled. After negotiating for months, both nations have successfully managed to fix maximum hurdles on their way to sign the final trade accord. Once signed, Beijing is likely to import significant LNG volumes from Washington. This is because China has been investing considerably in its LNG import facilities, owing to mounting demand for clean energy. The trade agreement is likely to benefit CNOOC, as the company has invested the most in LNG terminals in China. The possible consummation of the final trade accord may also lead to a 20-year LNG supply deal between China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation SNP and Cheniere Energy Inc LNG, per media reports. Investors should take note that currently China is the second largest LNG importer globally. Moreover, LNG constituted 60% of total natural gas volumes imported by China in 2018, according to CNOOC. In fact, to significantly streamline energy mix, Beijing is reportedly taking bold steps to double its import of LNG volumes by 2025. Overall, the United States is well positioned to serve the massive LNG demand of China, thanks to the Shale Revolution. Owing to hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling technologies, the shale plays in the United States have been producing abundant natural gas, thereby positioning the nation among the largest natural gas exporters in the world. Zacks Rank & Stock to Consider Based in Central, Hong Kong, CNOOC currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Another prospective stock in the energy space is Antero Resources Corporation AR, sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Antero Resources is likely to see earnings growth of 20% over the next five years. Story continues 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. See their latest picks 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 China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (SNP) : Free Stock Analysis Report CNOOC Limited (CEO) : Free Stock Analysis Report Antero Resources Corporation (AR) : Free Stock Analysis Report Cheniere Energy, Inc. (LNG) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. FILE PHOTO - Ethiopian Federal policemen stand at the scene of the Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302 plane crash, near the town of Bishoftu, southeast of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia March 11, 2019. REUTERS/Tiksa Negeri/File Photo By Jason Neely ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - Ethiopian Airlines' doomed 737 MAX jet hit excessive speed and was forced downwards by a wrongly-triggered automation system as pilots wrestled to regain control, a preliminary report into the crash that has shaken the aviation world showed on Thursday. Three times the captain, Yared Getachew, cried "pull up", before the Boeing Co plane plunged into a field six minutes after takeoff from Addis Ababa, killing all 157 passengers and crew, said the report by Ethiopian investigators. The March 10 disaster, and parallels with another 737 MAX crash in Indonesia last October in which 189 people died, has led to the worldwide grounding of Boeing's flagship model. It has also brought uncomfortable scrutiny over new software, pilot training and regulatory rigor. The report leaves unanswered questions, aviation experts said, over whether crew followed guidance not to restore power to a troublesome anti-stall system following sensor damage, possibly caused by a bird strike. The plane was also left at unusually high thrust throughout the flight, data suggested. While the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority's Accident Prevention and Investigation Bureau had a remit to investigate rather than blame, it implicitly pointed the finger at Boeing by defending the pilots, recommending the U.S. company fix its control systems, and saying regulators must be certain before allowing the MAX back in the air. "The crew performed all the procedures repeatedly provided by the manufacturer but was not able to control the aircraft," Transport Minister Dagmawit Moges told a news conference. "Since repetitive uncommanded aircraft nose down conditions are noticed ... it is recommended that the aircraft control system shall be reviewed by the manufacturer." Boeing, the world's biggest planemaker and one of the United States' most important exporters with a $500 billion order book for the MAX, says a new software fix for its MCAS anti-stall system will enable pilots to always override if necessary. Responding to the preliminary report, Boeing Chief Executive Officer Dennis Muilenburg said: "As pilots have told us, erroneous activation of the MCAS function can add to what is already a high workload environment." Story continues "It's our responsibility to eliminate this risk. We own it and we know how to do it," Muilenburg said in a statement. FRAGMENTS IN A CRATER According to the preliminary report, an alarm indicating excess speed was heard on the cockpit voice reporter as the jet reached 500 knots (575 miles per hour) - well above operational limits. The plane had faulty "angle of attack" sensor readings, its nose was pushed down automatically, and the crew lost control despite following recommended instructions, it said. "Most of the wreckage was found buried in the ground," the report said, indicating the strength of the impact on an arid field in an agricultural zone. No bodies were recovered, only charred fragments among the debris in a crater. A final report by Ethiopian authorities aided by air-safety experts from the United States and Europe is due to be published within a year. Boeing has seen billions wiped off its market value since the crash, but its shares rose 2.9 percent on Thursday. Morgan Stanley said the report of flight control problems, which Boeing was already trying to fix, meant a "worst case scenario" of a new cause was probably off the table. The software update "along with the associated training and additional educational materials that pilots want in the wake of these accidents, will eliminate the possibility of unintended MCAS activation and prevent an MCAS-related accident from ever happening again," Muilenburg's statement said. Families of the victims, regulators and travellers around the world have been waiting to find out to what extent Boeing technology or the pilots' actions played a role. The preliminary report into the crash of a Lion Air 737 MAX in Indonesia suggested pilots also lost control after grappling with the MCAS software, a new automated anti-stall feature that repeatedly lowered the nose based on faulty sensor data. "Whatever the issues were, they better be 110 percent sure about their resolution, otherwise the 157 lives lost would have been for nothing if something like this happens again," said one woman, who lost her father in the Ethiopian crash, asking not to be identified. "This is a lesson to not take shortcuts in order to try and save bucks." 'PROFITS OVER SAFETY'? The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration regulator, under fire for its certification of the MAX, cautioned the inquiry was not over. "As we learn more about the accident and findings become available, we will take appropriate action," it said. Boeing may press to know more about how crew members responded to problems triggered by the faulty data. The New York Times quoted the Ethiopian government's Dagmawit as saying pilots turned MCAS off and on, which is not the step recommended in procedures telling crew to leave it off once disabled. With bereaved families angry and confused, relatives of an American woman killed in the Ethiopian crash, Samya Stumo, filed the first lawsuit on behalf of a U.S. victim in Chicago. The complaint named Boeing and Rosemount Aerospace Inc, the manufacturer of the angle of attack sensor, as defendants. Stumo is the niece of consumer activist Ralph Nader, who called for a boycott of the 737 MAX on Thursday. Pilots around the world were watching closely. "If the preliminary report from the Ethiopian authorities is accurate, the pilots quickly identified the malfunction and applied the manufacturer's checklist," said Captain Jason Goldberg, spokesman for Allied Pilots Association, which represents American Airlines pilots. "Following this checklist did not appear to allow the pilots to regain control of the aircraft." But a former U.S. National Transportation Safety Board investigator questioned the aircraft's speed, which according to data in the report was left on a higher than usual setting. Aviation experts say the sensor fault should have required the crew to take manual control of the power since it would disrupt accurate speed readings in the cockpit. "The report does not address information about unreliable airspeed procedures which should be considered," said Greg Feith, a former NTSB air safety investigator. GRAPHIC: Ethiopian Airlines crash interactive, click https://tmsnrt.rs/2ChBW5M GRAPHIC: Boeing 737 MAX customers interactive, click https://tmsnrt.rs/2UJzRXj (Reporting by Jason Neely in Addis Ababa, Eric Johnson in Seattle, Katharine Houreld and Maggie Fick in Nairobi, Tim Hepher in Paris, Jamie Freed in Singapore, Tracy Rucinski in Chicago, David Shepardson in Washington; Writing by Andrew Cawthorne and Grant McCool; Editing by Alexandra Hudson and Sonya Hepinstall) The German share price index DAX graph at the stock exchange in Frankfurt The German share price index DAX graph is pictured at the stock exchange in Frankfurt, Germany, April 3, 2019. REUTERS/Staff By Aaron Saldanha (Reuters) - Stocks in Europe climbed for a fourth straight session on Wednesday, propped up by positive sentiment about a potential U.S.-China trade deal, hopes of a smoother Brexit and strong economic data in China and the Eurozone. White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow on Tuesday said "more headway" is expected to be made in U.S.-China trade talks this week, while U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May met opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn on Wednesday, seeking a way out of a Brexit stalemate. The pan-European STOXX 600 index rose 1 percent to its highest level in nearly eight months, aided by gains on bourses across the continent. Positive sentiment was supplemented by data showing retail sales in the Euro zone were stronger than expected in February, while activity in China's services sector hit a 14-month high in March. "Clearly the market is in a more positive mood," said Elwin de Groot, head of macro strategy at Rabobank. "At least for the coming months, we are going to see a pickup in growth certainly in the Euro area." Germany's DAX rose for a fifth straight session. The trade-sensitive index added 1.7 percent on Wednesday in its best performance in more than half a month. London's FTSE 100 rose 0.4 percent, but did not match advances seen on most European bourses as a firmer pound (GBP=) capped gains. The profits of a significant number of the benchmark's firms are dented by a stronger pound due to the companies' reliance on overseas earnings. The positive sentiment crossed the Irish Sea, with Dublin-traded stocks rising 1.8 percent to their highest closing level in nearly half a year. Ireland is especially exposed to the fall-out from a hard Brexit. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she would fight until the very end for an orderly Brexit and use her upcoming visit to Ireland to consider the border situation and solutions that could prevent a hard Brexit. Shares of European chemical firms gained about 2.1 percent, while financials services stocks added 1.9 percent largely on gains made by London-traded stocks. Story continues Construction and materials stocks also basked in the glow of a potentially softer Brexit, tacking on 1.8 percent. CRH PLC led the sector's gains with a 3.5 percent rise. The Irish stock also benefited from Berenberg starting coverage with a "Buy" rating and a price target of 33 euros. European chipmakers Ams, Siltronic and Infineon Technologies each rose at least 4.1 percent, gaining along witht their U.S. peers, bolstered by optimism over U.S.-China trade talks. Healthcare stocks limited the broader benchmark's gains as they dropped 0.4 percent. Danish bioscience firm Chr Hansen Holding A/S fell 6.8 percent to lead losses on the sector index after its second quarter results failed to impress investors. Basic resources stocks ended at their highest closing level in more than eight and a half months, gaining for a seventh straight session. Stocks of auto firms and parts suppliers rose 1.4 percent, making for a fourth straight winning session. Among individual stocks, Germany's Prosiebensat 1 Media climbed 5.6 percent, with the chairman of Mediaset saying the Italian broadcaster was still studying a possible cross-border deal. Mediaset ended the day up 3.1 percent. Luxury goods maker Burberry Group slid 2 percent after JP Morgan analysts cut their full-year profit forecast, citing high exposure to Brexit-related sterling volatility. (Reporting by Aaron Saldanha, Additional reporting by Medha Singh and Agamoni Ghosh in Bengaluru; Editing by Alexandra Hudson) By Devika Krishna Kumar and Florence Tan NEW YORK/SINGAPORE (Reuters) - South Korea has begun testing super-light U.S. oil sold by Anadarko Petroleum Corp as a substitute for Iranian crude while it awaits word from Washington on whether it can keep buying oil from the Middle Eastern nation, sources said. South Korea is one of Iran's biggest Asian customers and was one of eight importers that received waivers to keep buying Iranian oil when the United States re-imposed sanctions in November. Washington is expected to reduce those waivers in May, disrupting South Korea's supply of Iranian condensate, an ultra-light crude oil that is used in its large refining and chemical industry. West Texas Light (WTL) is seen as a potential substitute for Iranian condensate because, when refined, WTL yields a large volume of the refined product naphtha, which can be used to produce petrochemicals. Most WTL is produced in the western part of the Permian Basin in Texas. Anadarko spokesman John Christiansen confirmed the company is exporting WTL grade with the first cargo having sailed in February. The current point of sale is at the Houston Ship Channel and from there the barrels are exported primarily to markets in Europe and Asia, Christiansen said, although he did not confirm whether South Korea was testing this grade. South Korea's top refiner SK Energy and the country's smallest refiner, Hyundai Oilbank, are studying the crude's assay and testing samples, the sources said. "The crude's API seems to be 48 degrees so in a way it's possible (to replace Iranian condensate) but again we need to check the oil's quality," one of the sources said. The source is referring to the so-called API gravity of the crude, which measures its density and indicates the type of fuels an oil yields when refined. A spokeswoman from SK Innovation, owner of SK Energy, and a spokesman from Hyundai Oilbank declined to comment. South Korea's interest in West Texas Light is occurring as record U.S. oil production and exports have allowed the Trump administration to use energy as a pressure point in foreign policy. Its largest-scale efforts have been sanctions against Iran's and Venezuela's oil industry. Story continues Seoul has been negotiating with the United States to extend its waiver, saying there are few alternatives to the Iranian condensate it buys, according to a former U.S. official. Yet to gain an extension South Korea will likely have to reduce its current imports by between 5 percent and 20 percent, three sources familiar with the matter said. South Korea, a close U.S. political ally, also does not want to jeopardize its relationship with Washington. "They're scared of Trump. They want to be able to say, 'Look at me, I am buying all your crude,'" said Sandy Fielden, director of oil and products research at Morningstar. In talks last week with government officials, South Korea asked for maximum flexibility by stressing the importance of Iranian condensate for the South Korean petrochemical industry, according to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs released last week. Washington is trying to cut Iran's oil exports to less than 1 million barrels per day (bpd), down from more than 2.5 million bpd last May. South Korea imported about 176,237 bpd of Iranian crude in the January to February period, according to data from the Korea National Oil Corp (KNOC), down 38.5 percent from the same period a year earlier. U.S. crude exports to South Korea averaged about 256,000 bpd in 2018, according to the U.S. Energy Department. But, imports in February surged to 443,000 bpd, the KNOC data showed. South Korea has been buying other types of U.S. light crude, but two buyers - SK Energy and Hyundai Oilbank - recently turned down cargoes of Eagle Ford condensate from Texas after the oil was found to contain impurities. WTL has largely been blended with other oil grades to be sold at the Cushing, Oklahoma, delivery point for U.S. crude futures. Price reporting agency Argus is preparing to launch an assessment for WTL, sources familiar with the matter said, which could make the market more transparent for foreign buyers. Nearly 15 percent of the Permian basin's production can now be classified as WTL, sources said. (Reporting by Devika Krishna Kumar in NEW YORK and Florence Tan in SINGAPORE; additional reporting by Jane Chung in SEOUL; editing by David Gaffen and Christian Schmollinger) (Reuters) - More than 300 Boeing 737 MAX jets have been grounded worldwide after two fatal crashes in five months in Ethiopia and Indonesia killed nearly 350 people. Investigators looking to uncover the causes must answer one of the biggest questions: Was the plane's software to blame? WHAT WE KNOW - Boeing has stopped delivery of all new MAX jets. Its stock has fallen about 9 percent since the Ethiopian Airlines crash on March 10. - Boeing maintains its new, fuel-efficient jets are safe, but supported the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) decision to ground them. - Outlining the findings of a preliminary report into the Ethiopian crash, investigators on April 4 urged Boeing to review its flight control technology and said the crew had carried out the correct procedures. Safety experts said the report may trigger a debate over crew actions and technology. - The pilots wrestled with controls to stay aloft but plunged to the ground after restoring current to a computer system that was ordering the nose down because of faulty sensor data, a preliminary report showed on April 4. - The preliminary report into October's Lion Air crash said on Nov. 28 that pilots reported a "flight control problem." It also focused on airline maintenance and training. - Sources told Reuters on March 18 that investigators had found similarities in the 'angle of attack' data from both the Ethiopian and Indonesian flights. - Sources said on March 21 that Boeing would mandate on MAX jets a previously optional cockpit warning light, which might have warned of problems that possibly played a role in both crashes. - Experts believe a new flight control system, MCAS, on the jets, designed to stop stalling by dipping the nose, may have been a factor in both accidents, with pilots unable to override it as their jets plunged after a faulty sensor indicated a stall. But no conclusive evidence yet links the two accidents. - The MCAS system on the Ethiopian flight re-engaged as many as four times after the crew initially turned it off, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters on April 3. Story continues - Boeing said on April 3 it had successfully tested an update of the MCAS system. - The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said on April 3 it was launching a new review of the 737 MAX. - Europe and Canada said on March 20 they would independently certify the safety of the jets, further complicating plans to get the aircraft back flying. - Indonesia's flag carrier Garuda said on March 22 it had sent a letter to Boeing asking to cancel an order for 49 MAX 8 aircraft, becoming the first airline to confirm plans to cancel an order after the crashes. WHAT'S NEXT? - Indonesia has advanced the planned release of its report on the Lion Air crash to between July and August, versus a previous schedule of between August and September. - U.S. lawmakers said on March 14 the 737 MAX could be grounded for weeks to upgrade software in every plane. Other countries may ground the planes even longer. - The U.S. Transportation Department's inspector general plans to audit the FAA's certification of the jet, an official with the office said on March 19. The office can recommend changes or improvements to how the FAA operates. - The U.S. Justice Department is also looking at the FAA's oversight of Boeing, a person familiar with the matter has said. The FAA has said it is "absolutely" confident in its vetting. - The chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives transportation committee and another key Democrat asked the Transportation Department's inspector general to examine key decisions the FAA made in certifying the MAX jet. - U.S. President Donald Trump will nominate former Delta Air Lines executive Steve Dickson to head the FAA, the White House said on March 19. - Ethiopian Airlines said on March 16 that DNA testing of passengers' remains may take up to six months. (Compiled by Reuters bureaux) We listen to local police and fire departments scanner traffic, but sometimes miss crimes, wrecks, fires or other incidents, especially if they happen overnight. If you know of something were not covering yet, please let Managing Editor Jeff Pownall know by emailing him at jpownall@lufkindailynews.com, or submit a news tip online by visiting lufkindailynews.com/tips. The first XRP and Litecoin exchange-traded products (ETPs) will be available to EU investors via Nordic Growth Market on Friday, April 5, according to an official statement. The listing of both cryptocurrencies marks the first time investors in the EU have access to these digital assets through a regulated exchange. Nordic Growth Market (NGM) is a Stockholm-based firm owned by Boerse Stuttgart, Germanys second-largest exchange. NGMs deputy CEO Tommy Fransson said: This is first and foremost a win for investors, especially those in Sweden who have demonstrated such strong support of prior crypto offerings. As an industry, it is important for us to listen, though with caution, to the requests of our investors and respond in kind. He added: We The first XRP and Litecoin exchange-traded products (ETPs) will be available to EU investors via Nordic Growth Market on Friday, April 5, according to an official statement. The listing of both cryptocurrencies marks the first time investors in the EU have access to these digital assets through a regulated exchange. Nordic Growth Market (NGM) is a Stockholm-based firm owned by Boerse Stuttgart, Germanys second-largest exchange. NGMs deputy CEO Tommy Fransson said: This is first and foremost a win for investors, especially those in Sweden who have demonstrated such strong support of prior crypto offerings. As an industry, it is important for us to listen, though with caution, to the requests of our investors and respond in kind. He added: We are very excited to be part of making history here with the first ever LTC and XRP tracking products, and look forward to continuing to collaborate closely with XBT Provider on behalf of investors interested in new offerings. The idea behind ETPs is that investors can gain exposure to assets, in this case XRP and Litecoin, without having to purchase or store them. The decision to list XRP and Litecoin by the Nordic Growth Market demonstrates a positive switch in opinion from institutions and legacy markets, with the former often labelling cryptocurrencies as a fraud. For more news, guides, and cryptocurrency analysis, click here. The post First Litecoin and XRP exchange-traded products (ETPs) go live to EU investors appeared first on Coin Rivet. Photo: Shutterstock Four former IBM employees over age 55 sued the company Wednesday in what plaintiffs lawyers say is a potentially major age-discrimination lawsuit, alleging that top executives took the calculated risk of openly breaking the law to cover up massive, targeted layoffs of older workers. The former workers, in a federal lawsuit focused on alleged company violations of the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, say they are just four of more than 20,000 IBM employees over age 40 who've been discharged during the past six years as the company secretly looked to correct seniority mix by replacing baby boomers with recent college graduates and other tech-savvy young workers. The lawsuit centers many of its allegations on IBMs alleged effort to conceal from older workers minimum information about the layoff demographicsinformation the plaintiffs say was required under the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act, or OWBPAwhile asking the laid-off workers to release their federal right to bring age-discrimination claims collectively as a group. Lawyers representing the plaintiffs at Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll and Johnson Webbert & Young have also filed a separate-but-related arbitration action, they noted on Wednesday. In that action, their clients seek to have a notice issued to all older laid-off IBM employees who were allegedly also coerced into signing invalid releases. Moreover, the arbitration filing asks for certification of group collective claims under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, as well as lost wages and injunctive relief, the lawyers say. IBMs effort to discriminate was the culmination of its internal reviews that stereotyped older workers as rigid and unreceptive to technology, and branded millennial employees as innovative, Cohen Milstein and Johnson Webbert said in a news release Wednesday that was issued shortly after their federal lawsuit was filed in court in White Plains. For example, the lawyers said, an internal report of IBM described older employees as gray hairs and old heads and concluded that younger workers are generally much more innovative and receptive to technology than baby boomers so changing the organizational technology and the processes it supports can be a wise move. IBM on Wednesday said in a statement that "the plaintiffs' legal theory will fail, as similar cases have, and we are confident IBM's agreements are valid and lawful." Added company spokesman Ed Barbini, "IBM does not discriminate, and makes its employment decisions based on skills, not age." The 19-page federal lawsuit launched by plaintiffs Steven Estle, Margaret Ahlders, Lance Salonia and Cheryl Witmer seeks declaratory and other relief, including voiding former employees waivers of their rights under theAge Discrimination in Employment Act, or ADEA. The lawsuit itself, the plaintiffs lawyers noted in the news release, comes after the publication of a ProPublica story headlined Cutting Old Heads at IBM that the lawyers say exposed the company's age-discrimination practices. Using footnotes in the complaint, the plaintiffs reference the article for certain allegations. The former employees suit claims that in 2014, IBM ended its longtime practice of giving laid-off workers age-specific, demographic information about the layoff selections as required by the OWBPA. According to the news release, instead IBM began implementing a company-wide plan, hatched by top executives, to hide evidence of large-scale discriminatory layoffscalled Resource Actionsthat eliminated older employees in favor of much younger ones. The four plaintiffs were terminated in resource actions in 2016, they claim. In the news release, their attorneys said past practice at IBM, dating back to 2001, was to give workers comparator information required by the OWBPA when the company sought rights-waivers as part of a group layoff. However, in 2014, IBM made an intentional decision to begin concealing this minimum information about the layoff demographics, the news release said, adding that IBM also coerced laid-off workers to sign arbitration agreements waiving their federally-protected rights to bring ADEA claims in court. Moreover, the suit alleges that IBM devised rules making older workers more likely to be selected for resource actions, including by exempting early professional hires. In addition, the company allegedly manipulated its performance review process by ordering the reduction of the annual performance ratings for older workers and by using a sham evaluation score for employees. IBMs strategyflouting the OWBPAs mandated disclosures of key evidence of possible age discriminationis a brazen attempt to cover up its flagrant and widespread discrimination against older workers, Jeffrey Neil Young, a partner at Johnson Webbert in Portland and Augusta, Maine, said in the news release. In a phone interview, Joseph Sellers of Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll said that he has not seen before an effort like IBMs to allegedly make an end-run around the OWBPA, and this lawsuit is challenging this unlawful tactic. He added that IBM is relying on unlawful and unjustified stereotypes to remove older workers who have decades of tech experience, and this suit is also challenging that. The plaintiffs lawyers filed the separate-but-related arbitration claims because IBMs severance agreement requires them to take their claims to arbitration, the lawyers said. Fake it until you make it, the old adage goes. The founder of Palo Alto-based Jumio, a mobile payments identification maker, has been called out by the Securities and Exchange Commission for taking it too far. On Tuesday, the SEC said former Jumio CEO Daniel Mattes has agreed to pay over $17 million to settle charges that he had defrauded investorsallegedly overstating the companys revenue by more than ten times in a bid to sell off his own existing shares in the company to individuals as well as funds starting in 2014. Company executives must provide investors with accurate information irrespective of whether their companies are publicly or privately traded. said Erin Schneider, associate regional director for the SECs San Francisco office. Mattes enriched himself at investors expense by making false claims about Jumios financial results. Jumio is not unknown in the venture capital world. Since it was founded in 2010, the startup has attracted $55.4 million in funding from investors including Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin, Andreessen Horowitz, and Citi Venturesthe majority of which was raised before the alleged fraud began. Between 2013 and 2014, even as the company faced falling revenues, Mattes allegedly dramatically cooked the books. According to the commission, Mattes stated in reports to investors that Jumios gross revenue reached $251 million when the real figure was $17.2 million in those two years. Jumio then stated that net loss for those two periods together was $9.7 million73% lower than the actual $36 million loss for that period, according to the SEC complaint. And even as he sold off a portion of his stake for a roughly $14 million profit 2014, the SEC says, Mattes sought to reassure investors, telling them that there was lots of great stuff coming up and (he himself) would be stupid to sell at this point. The SEC contends that he lied to the companys board of directors as well, telling the team that a vice president was seeking to offload the sharesnot himself. At the time, the board had previously refused to let Mattes sell any more of his own stake, keen on keeping Mattes fully invested in Jumios success as a company. Story continues That great stuff failed to materialize. Instead, Jumio hired a CFO in 2014, who promptly quit a few days later after flagging multiple errors in accounting, the SEC alleges. The company hired outside counsel to restate Jumios 2013 and 2014 financial statements, with Mattes resigning after an investigation in mid-2015 and making way for current outside CEO Stephen Stuut, the complaint reads. In 2016, Jumio filed for bankruptcy, making the shares Mattes had sold off worthless. Centana Growth Partners acquired what was left of the payments company shortly thereafter. Mattes has not admitted or denied any wrongdoing, nor has former Jumio CFO Chad Starkey, who also agreed to pay $421,000 to settle charges related to the stock sale. Andreessen Horowitz declined to comment, while Mattes did not respond to immediate requests for a response. Jumio severed all ties with former founder, Daniel Mattes, and former CFO Chad Starkey in 2015, and they have not been involved with the successor company, Jumio Corp., in any capacity, said Robert Prigge, Jumio president in a statement. Centana responded with a similar statement, distancing itself from Mattes and Starkey. Mattes and Starkey have not been involved with the successor company, Jumio Corp, in any capacity, and the announced charges and subsequent settlement did not involve Jumio Corp, in any way, a Centana representative said in a statement. Act Two, in another country As part of the settlement, Mattes is also no longer allowed to head a publicly listed company in the U.S.but in the meantime he has returned to his homeland, Austria, where in late 2015 he founded a startup 42.cx that seeks to commercialize A.I. He is also now a judge on the Austrian version of Shark Tank dubbed 2 Minuten 2 Millonen. Its name was inspired by the The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, where the number 42 is The Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything, calculated by an enormous supercomputer named Deep Thought over a period of 7.5 million years, according to Mattes LinkedIn page. The Jumio case is sign that the SEC is making inroads towards overseeing a world that has often exhibited a spirit of lawlessness (think the sharing economys ask for forgiveness, not permission approach). About three years ago, then-SEC Chair Mary Jo White noted that it is essential that the Commission fully engage with Silicon Valley, adding that she hoped the relationship would become a a permanent fixture. It wasnt all talk. On October 2017, the commission made its first move against a privately-held unicorn, human resources startup Zenefits, alleging that the company alongside co-founder Parker Conrad had made materially false statements to investors. Zenefits and Conrad paid nearly $1 million to settle the accusations. High-profile unicorn implosion Theranos also found itself in the SECs crosshairs, with the agency charging the blood testing startup once valued at about $9 billion with fraud. Former CEO Elizabeth Holmes later settled, with the commission stripping Holmes of her super-voting shares and leveling a $500,000 fine against her. She too has been barred from taking a leadership role in publicly traded U.S. companies. But following Theranos unravelling, Holmes was said to be seeking investors for a new startup. Its unclear today whether that plan is still in the works. In the meantime, many are hoping that the SEC is able to enforce its message: if you fake it, dont count on another chance to make it. Ince & Co's French partners have ruled out joining combined outfit Ince Gordon Dadds despite the threat of not receiving their partner capital back, according to two people close to the matter. Listed firm Gordon Dadds, which acquired Ince & Co. late last year in a prepack administration deal, announced today it had brought on a further five legacy Ince & Co offices. But the French partners have completely ruled out joining the newly-merged firm, saying there is no relationship at all between the French offices and merged entity Ince Gordon Dadds, the people said. One added the French partners have no appetite to join a business that invests in distressed assets, as they are profitable year on year. The people added that the French offices will continue with the Ince & Co name for a certain time, but that it will be dropped eventually because it has been damaged. The decision will bear a cost for approximately 10 French partners who work across operations in Paris, Monaco, Marseille and Le Havre. Ince Gordon Dadds offered to pay capital back to partners in France if they joined the firm, but they are not expected to receive anything by choosing to leave, the people said. In response, Gordon Dadds Group CEO Adrian Biles told Legal Week: The same offer has been made to all of the people in the business. Those who accepted it, accepted it. Most of them did. Biles said it was impossible to know whether the French offices will join the business. He added that there were issues on both sides, and that discussions were amicable. Legacy Ince offices in Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai, Greece and Germany were also left out of the pre-pack arrangement when listed firm Gordon Dadds picked up Ince at the end of last year for a pared-down price of 27.3m. But the listed group said in a London Stock Exchange statement today (April 4) that 12 international offices with 19 partners in those regions had joined following the completion of due diligence and consultation with regulators with the exception of France. Gordon Dadds Group, describing itself as the acquisitive London-based legal and professional services business, said the new arrangements were made effective at the beginning of this week (April 1). The statement included details of revenues of each international office for the year ended April 2018. This information had previously been unavailable, as Ince & Co last filed its LLP accounts in April 2017. Total revenue for the newly-acquired international operations was 23 million; 4 million from Germany, 3 million from Greece, 5 million from Dubai, 2 million from Singapore and 9 million from Hong Kong. When combined with the UK practice revenue of Ince Gordon Dadds of 31 million plus the 42 million additional revenue of listed parent company Gordon Dadds, the company says annual revenues now top 100 million. Gordon Dadds Group CEO Adrian Biles said in the same statement that he is delighted that the former Ince & Co international partnerships will continue to operate as one. KALISPELL, Mont., April 03, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Glacier Bancorp, Inc. (Glacier or the Company) (GBCI) today announced the signing of a definitive agreement to acquire Heritage Bancorp (Heritage), the bank holding company for Heritage Bank of Nevada, a community bank based in Reno, Nevada. The acquisition marks Glaciers 22nd announced acquisition since 2000 and its 11th announced transaction in the past six years. Heritage Bank of Nevada provides banking services to individuals and businesses throughout Northern Nevada with seven banking offices located in Carson City, Gardnerville, Reno and Sparks. As of December 31, 2018, Heritage Bank of Nevada had total assets of $829.7 million, gross loans of $595.6 million and total deposits of $720.5 million. The boards of Glacier and Heritage unanimously approved the transaction, which is subject to regulatory approval and other customary conditions of closing. The definitive agreement provides that upon closing of the transaction, Heritage shareholders are to receive 4.00 shares of Glacier stock and $12.00 in cash for each Heritage share. Based on the closing price of $41.19 for Glacier shares on April 3, 2019, the transaction would result in an aggregate value of $240.7 million (including the value of Heritage options). Upon closing of the transaction, which is anticipated to take place in the third quarter of 2019, Heritage Bank of Nevada will become Glaciers 16th bank division and will expand Glaciers franchise footprint into Nevada. "We are proud and excited to be adding Heritage to the Glacier family of banks, stated Randy Chesler, Glacier's President and Chief Executive Officer. This is a rare opportunity to expand our presence into Northern Nevada, a fast growing market with a diverse economy that is continually attracting substantial investment from large technology and growth companies. Renos convenient positioning near the San Francisco Bay Area has created a natural migration of residents seeking a lower cost, business friendly location. Chesler added, "Heritage is consistent with our history of adding high quality community banks to our proven banking model. Heritage has proven lending talent, dedicated employees, deep market knowledge and strong customer relationships. Story continues The transaction will be immediately accretive to Glacier's earnings per share, excluding one-time transaction-related expenses. Stan Wilmoth, President and CEO of Heritage, commented, We are pleased to announce a partnership with Glacier Bancorp. Glaciers community banking model aligns very well with our culture and approach to banking. Glacier will enhance and expand the banking experience for our customers. We are excited to join the Glacier team and look forward to the opportunities and benefits this combination will bring to our clients, employees, and shareholders. Glacier management will review additional information regarding the transaction on a conference call beginning at 9:00 a.m. Mountain Time on Thursday, April 4, 2019. The call may be accessed by dialing (877) 561-2748 and the conference ID is 3692692. A slide presentation to accompany managements commentary may be accessed from Glaciers April 4, 2019 8-K filing with the SEC or at http://www.snl.com/IRW/Docs/1023792 . Glacier was advised in the transaction by Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, a Stifel Company as financial advisor and Miller Nash Graham & Dunn LLP as legal counsel. Heritage was advised by D.A. Davidson & Co. as financial advisor and Luse Gorman, PC as legal counsel. About Glacier Bancorp, Inc. Glacier Bancorp, Inc. is the parent company for Glacier Bank, Kalispell and its bank divisions: First Security Bank of Missoula; Valley Bank of Helena; Western Security Bank, Billings; First Bank of Montana, Lewistown; and First Security Bank, Bozeman, all operating in Montana; as well as Mountain West Bank, Coeur dAlene, operating in Idaho, Utah and Washington; First Bank, Powell, operating in Wyoming and Utah; Citizens Community Bank, Pocatello, operating in Idaho; Bank of the San Juans, Durango, and Collegiate Peaks Bank, Buena Vista, both operating in Colorado; First State Bank, Wheatland, operating in Wyoming; North Cascades Bank, Chelan, operating in Washington; and The Foothills Bank, Yuma, operating in Arizona. Visit Glaciers website at http://www.glacierbancorp.com . Forward-Looking Statements This news release includes forward-looking statements which describe management's expectations regarding future events and developments such as the benefits of the business combination transaction involving Glacier and Heritage, continued success of Glaciers style of banking and the strength of the local economies in which Glacier operates. Future events are difficult to predict, and the expectations described above are necessarily subject to risk and uncertainty that may cause actual results to differ materially and adversely. In addition to discussions about risks and uncertainties set forth from time to time in Glaciers public filings, factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements include, among others, the following possibilities: (1) local, national and international economic conditions are less favorable than expected or have a more direct and pronounced effect on Glacier than expected and adversely affect Glaciers ability to continue its internal growth at historical rates and maintain the quality of its earning assets; (2) projected business increases following strategic expansion or opening or acquiring new banks and/or branches are lower than expected; (3) costs or difficulties related to the integration of acquisitions are greater than expected; or (4) legislation or regulatory requirements or changes adversely affect the businesses in which Glacier is engaged. Contact: Randall M. Chesler (406) 751-4722 Ronald J. Copher (406) 751-7706 The highly autonomous vehicles industry is still in its budding stage. In sync with the usual excitement surrounding the industry, uncertainties and safety standards pervade the industry. Per Randy Visintainer, the chief technology officer at Ford Motor Company F Autonomous Vehicles, autonomous vehicles need to operate safely and reliably in concert with infrastructure and other road users to earn the trust of the communities in which they are deployed. The high-tech nature of the auto industry and its rapidly evolving self-driving vehicles placed its regulators on tenterhooks regarding what should be the ideal safety norms for this space. In a bid to help regulators frame appropriate rules pertaining to the industry, three major global auto biggies, namely General Motors Company GM, Ford and Toyota Motor Company TM joined forces with the automotive engineering group SAE International to lay down autonomous vehicle safety guiding principles for the benefit of the industry. Formation of a Consortium While there is widespread euphoria associated with the roll-out of the autonomous vehicles, the sector has its shares of safety concerns too. In fact, last March, in a fatal accident, the ride-hailing giant Ubers driverless vehicle killed a pedestrian in Tempe, AZ. This brought this nascent industrys safety issue to the fore, serving a wake-up call. The regulators are also exercising caution against passing on any sweeping regulations. Last year, US lawmakers failed to reach a consensus on the standardization of safety rules for the industry. The efforts to implement legislations for the vehicles without human control were abandoned. Conclusion Nevertheless, with promises abound, the autonomous driving evolution of this game-changing industry continues unabated. At the crossroads, the collaboration among the three auto giants is of huge significance. Management of these companies stated that they were building a consortium to help draft the safety norms for autonomous vehicles that in turn, will facilitate devising the directives in the United States. Currently, General Motors carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Among the other two stocks, Ford has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) while Toyota carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). Toyota, General Motors and Ford have an expected long-term growth rate of 6%, 8.9% and 9.1%, respectively. 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. See their latest picks 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 Ford Motor Company (F) : Free Stock Analysis Report General Motors Company (GM) : Free Stock Analysis Report Toyota Motor Corporation (TM) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Investors looking for stocks in the Banks - Northeast sector might want to consider either Great Western Bancorp (GWB) or Washington Federal (WAFD). But which of these two stocks is more attractive to value investors? We'll need to take a closer look to find out. The best way to find great value stocks is to pair a strong Zacks Rank with an impressive grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system. The Zacks Rank favors stocks with strong earnings estimate revision trends, and our Style Scores highlight companies with specific traits. Currently, Great Western Bancorp has a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while Washington Federal has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold). Investors should feel comfortable knowing that GWB likely has seen a stronger improvement to its earnings outlook than WAFD has recently. However, value investors will care about much more than just this. Value investors are also interested in a number of tried-and-true valuation metrics that help show when a company is undervalued at its current share price levels. Our Value category grades stocks based on a number of key metrics, including the tried-and-true P/E ratio, the P/S ratio, earnings yield, and cash flow per share, as well as a variety of other fundamentals that value investors frequently use. GWB currently has a forward P/E ratio of 10.25, while WAFD has a forward P/E of 11.76. We also note that GWB has a PEG ratio of 1.35. This figure is similar to the commonly-used P/E ratio, with the PEG ratio also factoring in a company's expected earnings growth rate. WAFD currently has a PEG ratio of 1.68. Another notable valuation metric for GWB is its P/B ratio of 1.03. The P/B ratio is used to compare a stock's market value with its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. For comparison, WAFD has a P/B of 1.20. Based on these metrics and many more, GWB holds a Value grade of B, while WAFD has a Value grade of C. GWB stands above WAFD thanks to its solid earnings outlook, and based on these valuation figures, we also feel that GWB is the superior value option right now. 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 Great Western Bancorp, Inc. (GWB) : Free Stock Analysis Report Washington Federal, Inc. (WAFD) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. As new research on identity theft continues to roll in, it paints an unsettling picture of how good crooks are getting at their craft. Although the number of U.S. breaches fell in 2018, the number of records exposed containing sensitive, personally identifiable information (such as Social Security and financial-account numbers) spiked by 126% from the year before, according to a report from the Identity Theft Resource Center. "That tells us thieves aren't committing less crime--they're just getting better at it," says Eva Velasquez, president and CEO of the ITRC. One of the largest breaches disclosed last year was at Marriott International, which admitted in November that its Starwood guest reservation database had been hacked starting in 2014. That exposed up to 383 million guest records (though the number of guests affected is likely smaller because of multiple records). Many records contained data such as passport numbers, addresses, dates of birth and, in some cases, customers' payment-card information. Quora, an online question-and-answer platform, also discovered a breach of account information including names, e-mail addresses and passwords of up to 100 million users. Hackers may try to enter stolen usernames and passwords into other sites--say, those of banks or retailers--in hopes that some customers reuse their log-in details across several accounts. "The chances that some of those credentials will work on one or more other websites are exceptionally high," says Velasquez. Fortunately, none of those 2018 breaches involved Social Security numbers--a key piece of information a thief can use to run away with someone else's identity. But the 2017 Equifax data breach exposed the names, Social Security numbers, birth dates and other sensitive data of more than 145 million Americans. Those bits of info are permanent pieces of your identity, and they may sit idle for years before a criminal puts them to work. Story continues The overall number of fraud victims fell significantly last year from 2017, thanks largely to a decline in fraud against existing credit and debit cards, according to a Javelin Strategy & Research report. But in both 2017 and 2018, the number of victims who faced some liability for fraud more than doubled from 2016, and so did the victims' out-of-pocket costs. Incidents of fraud in which criminals open new financial accounts in a victim's name or take over existing non-card accounts, such as brokerage or retirement accounts, were well above historical levels in 2017 and 2018 and "are much more difficult, and frequently expensive, for victims to resolve," says Javelin. Sophisticated schemes. Imposter scams, in which crooks claim to be representatives of the IRS, Social Security Administration or other entities in attempts to glean personal information or money from their targets, topped the list of consumer complaints submitted to the Federal Trade Commission in 2018--the first time such scams have reached the number-one spot. Scammers are taking aim at both consumers and businesses with increasingly realistic "phishing" e-mails, persuading individuals to click on links or attachments that could infect their computers with malware or prompt them to send sensitive information. In early 2017, Pooja Raval found out that a staff member of the community health center where she worked as a physician had been tricked into e-mailing the employees' W-2 tax forms--which contain a treasure trove of personal info, including Social Security numbers, addresses and income information--to a crook. Thieves can use such valuable pieces of data to impersonate victims in several ways--and since the breach, Raval, of Cambridge, Mass., has encountered a few of them. A criminal attempted to file a tax return and collect a refund in her name; the IRS noticed that something was amiss and sent Raval a letter before issuing the refund. She was instructed to bring the letter and various identifying documents to an IRS center so that she could get an Identity Protection PIN to file with her tax return. (Before she could make it to the center, the IRS sent her the PIN.) Someone has repeatedly tried to use Raval's information to get health insurance. And a credit card was fraudulently opened in her name--despite freezes she placed on her credit reports, says Raval. Rather than being able to take steps to prevent identity theft, she says she has had to "wait and fix it retroactively." Raval says she lacked support from her employer in repairing the damage, and she left the company early last year. Stronger protections. If there's a bright spot among the bad news, it's that policymakers are paying attention. The Equifax data breach "has created a lot of interest in legislation both at the state and federal level to provide consumers with greater protection from identity theft," says Paul Stephens, director of policy and advocacy for the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse. Last September, a federal law that made credit freezes free for everyone went into effect. The same law also requires the Social Security Administration to offer financial institutions a more streamlined system to ensure that the Social Security number a customer provides matches up with the name and birth date associated with that SSN. The measure is designed to cut down on synthetic identity fraud, in which criminals piece together real SSNs--often of children--with fake names and other bits of personal info to create new identities. More federal data-privacy laws may be on the way, too. The Senate Banking Committee recently sought input on the collection, use and protection of sensitive personal information by financial regulators and companies. Private companies and the government have a big responsibility in taking better care of your personal data. But you can take steps to safeguard your identity, too. Tax ID theft More than your refund is at risk. The problem: Your tax return could be attractive to an identity thief even if you are not owed a refund. Filing for a refund using a stolen identity is still the most prevalent form of tax ID theft, although new security protocols have made it more difficult. In the past, a criminal needed only your name, date of birth and Social Security Number (SSN) to file a tax return in your name, because he or she could make up the other details, including W-2 information, to claim an outsize refund. Now a thief may need more information to beat the system. Although stolen identity refund fraud remains a threat, employment-related identity theft--in which a crook earns wages under your SSN--is on the rise, says Lisa Weintraub Schifferle, the Federal Trade Commission's identity theft program manager. Another type of tax fraud involves someone claiming your children as his or her dependents. You probably won't know that you are a victim of tax fraud until the Internal Revenue Service tells you, or your electronic filing is rejected because a return has already been submitted using your SSN. How to avoid it: Filing your return as early as you can--even if you owe money--is the only way to beat a thief to the punch. If you are filing electronically, stick with a secure internet connection. Don't use unfamiliar tax software or a new tax preparer without screening for complaints and checking for scams. Victims of tax fraud will be assigned an Identity Protection (IP) PIN. Residents of California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, Rhode Island and the District of Columbia may request a PIN on their own for federal filing. However, if you're approved, you must use the PIN for all future filings. The IRS will never call or e-mail you and threaten to arrest or deport you if you don't pay up. Normally, the IRS initiates contact by mail. But more recently, the agency started contracting with private debt collectors who may contact you on its behalf. "We used to be able to say that the IRS will never call you to collect a debt, but now you may be called if you owe back taxes," says Schifferle. However, you will be notified by letter first, and legitimate debt collectors will not argue if you want to call the IRS to verify their identity. What to do if you're a victim: The IRS is getting better at catching suspicious returns and verifying with the real people behind those SSNs, says Velasquez. And although the agency will help you sort out the fraud and return the refund you're entitled to, the process could take months. You will need to file all future taxes with an IP PIN, and you may experience other hiccups, such as an inability to use the tool that automatically transfers your tax return data into a FAFSA (the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form) for tax transcripts affected by fraud. If you receive a letter from the IRS noting suspicious activity, call the phone number provided in your letter to learn your next steps. Keep meticulous records of your conversations. Or, if your e-filing was rejected, report the incident to the IRS by filling out and sending in an IRS Identity Theft Affidavit, or Form 14039, by mail; if you report your identity theft at IdentityTheft.gov, you can submit the affidavit electronically. You will still need to file your taxes by the April 15 deadline (or request an extension), even if it means paper filing. The IRS estimates that it will take 120 days to get your refund if one is due, or more than 180 days for complex cases. But Velasquez says that callers to the Identity Theft Resource Center have reported resolutions anywhere from around a month to a year later. You will receive a new IP PIN each year to include on your tax return. Call your state department of revenue (find the link at taxadmin.org/state-tax-agencies) to put it on notice that your federal tax return was compromised, even if you're not sure whether someone is trying to defraud you at the state level, says Velasquez. "A thief can only use your data to file one fraudulent federal return," she says, "but can file across multiple states." They've got your (mobile) number The Social Security number has been the most important unique identifier for decades, but a new kind of ID has emerged in the last decade or so as an alternative: your mobile phone number. When a company wants to verify your identity when you log in to an account from a new device, for example, it'll often ask you to verify a code it texts to the mobile number they have on file. "But that's not a piece of information that's designed to be kept secret," says Jake Williams, security principal of Rendition Infosec and a former NSA hacker. "We give it out, put it in our e-mail signatures." Over the past few years, some hackers have taken advantage of this vulnerability by executing a "SIM swap" hack, typically by calling a telecom company, saying they've lost their phone and need their number--your number--to be swapped to a new SIM card they bought from the store. If they can convince a customer support agent they're you with a few bits of personal information, they'll have access to any account you've secured with your phone number by resetting your password. Most people aren't prominent enough to be subject to this kind of attack, Williams says. People in the public eye or in high-risk positions are more likely to be targeted. For protection, it's possible to port your phone number to a VOIP--an internet-based calling service--which is much more difficult to SIM swap. Medical ID theft Avoid health care hijackers. The problem: Medical identity theft--when a criminal uses your health information to receive medical care or prescription drugs or file insurance claims in your name--is rare, but it's hard to shake and likely on the rise. In the fall of 2017, Tyler P. of Austin, Texas, received a call from the billing department of a local hospital for an emergency-room visit the month before, saying that he owed $7,000 for back surgery. Tyler had been on a plane to Memphis the day the hospital said he had checked in for the procedure. After losing his wallet a few months earlier, Tyler had frozen his credit and was scrutinizing all his bills for any sign of fraud. But with just his driver's license and an insurance card, a thief had all he needed to ask for a back operation and a week-long stay in recovery. "It was nuts," Tyler says. Tyler made a flurry of phone calls, first to his insurance company, then to the police, then to the hospital to begin disputing the charges. But the real challenge was untangling the criminal's medical records from Tyler's. "There were a lot of people [at the hospital] who didn't know what to do with me," he says. Eventually, Tyler connected with an administrator in the billing department who agreed to work with him. Beyond the bill, having incorrect information in a medical record can have deadly consequences years after the crime; for example, you could be denied a certain treatment due to an allergy or condition on records left behind by an identity thief. How to avoid it: Your health providers are likely to ask for your Social Security number, but your health insurance information is usually enough to receive and manage care, especially if you've used the provider in the past. Thankfully, the Social Security Administration stopped printing Medicare cards with SSNs on them in 2018. Review statements you receive from your medical or insurance providers. If you recently received treatment but the explanation of benefits seems to differ even a little, don't write it off as a mistake. And if you receive mail from providers you haven't used, don't toss it; thieves may have used your identity to get care. What to do if you're a victim: File a police report, then contact your medical providers and ask to see a copy of your records. Some institutions may balk at handing them over if you say they've been compromised with someone else's medical data, but the right to request your records overrules an identity thief's right to privacy, says the Federal Trade Commission. Ask your provider for an "accounting of disclosures" to have a paper trail of every institution to which they've sent a copy of your medical records. As you contact providers, send time-stamped letters explaining your situation along with a copy of your police report. If you catch the fraud early, you may be able to contact the billing department of your provider and ask to cancel the debt. But if the debt is passed on to an outside collector, you'll need to use the protections offered by the Fair Credit Reporting Act and Fair Debt Collection Practices Act--such as the right to an investigation--to clear things up, according to Pam Dixon, founder of the World Privacy Forum. Credit and debit card fraud Safeguard your plastic and your account information. The problem: The U.S. transition to credit and debit cards equipped with microchips--and payment terminals that accept chip transactions--is reducing fraud on existing card accounts. If ID thieves try to intercept chip transactions, they can't get enough usable data to create counterfeit cards. Losses from fraud on existing card accounts fell from $8.1 billion in 2017 to $6.5 billion in 2018, according to a recent report from Javelin Strategy & Research. But payment terminals at gas pumps, in particular, are vulnerable to "skimming" of customer card data by crooks because gas stations don't yet face liability for counterfeit-card transactions at the pump. Starting in October 2020, gas stations that haven't upgraded to chip terminals at the pump may incur liability for such transactions. Fraudsters are also going online to steal payment credentials. Through a method called formjacking, they embed malicious code on retail websites to grab customers' payment information. Such fraud affected more than 4,800 websites per month last year, on average, according to a recent report from Symantec. Small and midsize retailers are often targets, although well-known companies such as British Airways and Ticketmaster have been hit, too. How to avoid it: Don't store your card information on retail sites or apps. "I never save my payment information. It takes 10 seconds to type it in," says Carl Carpenter, CEO of security firm Arrakis Consulting. Certain issuers--including Bank of America, Capital One and Citi--offer virtual numbers for most of their credit cards. Rather than enter your card's real number when shopping online, you use a different number that's linked to your card account. Gas-pump skimmers are hard to spot because they're typically installed inside the machine. Steer clear of pumps at the edges of the station. Crooks are more likely to place skimmers there, where they can insert the devices unnoticed. At the ATM, shield your hand as you enter your PIN in case a thief has put a camera on the machine to capture your PIN (along with a skimmer to record your card data). It's not a bad idea to get notifications from your financial institutions--whether by e-mail, text message or through a mobile app--each time a transaction goes through on your credit or debit card. Sometimes thieves make small purchases to test a card, which you may not notice if you receive alerts only for large transactions. "Some people say they don't want to be bothered. The truth is, you do want to be bothered," says Adam Levin, founder of identity-protection service CyberScout. Consider paring the number of payment accounts you use so that you have fewer to track, suggests Velasquez. If possible, use a credit card for most purchases. Legally, your liability for fraudulent purchases with a credit card is capped at $50--and you'll owe nothing if your card number (but not the card itself) is used fraudulently. Plus, the major card networks have zero-liability policies for fraudulent account use, and credit cards come with stronger liability protections than debit cards. And with debit and prepaid cards, you may owe late penalties and overdraft fees. What to do if you're a victim: Immediately call your bank or credit card issuer if you see unauthorized transactions. Or your bank may notice first that something is amiss. You'll receive a card with a new number. If a criminal used your financial account's online log-in information to steal funds, change your username and your password. Liability for funds taken with a stolen debit card varies depending on how quickly you report the issue; you're off the hook if your card number (but not the physical card) is stolen and you tell the bank within 60 days of it sending your statement. If you promptly notify your financial institution, you'll likely get the money back--but you may have to wait until the bank processes your claim. Protect your kids' data The federal law that mandates free credit freezes includes provisions for freezing the credit records of children younger than 16. If you're a guardian or conservator or have a power of attorney for someone--say, an elderly parent--you can freeze his or her files, too. If your child doesn't have a credit report, the agency must create one and freeze it upon a parent or guardian's request. You'll have to send the request by snail mail with copies of supporting documents, such as your child's birth certificate and your driver's license. (Freezing a child's Equifax file, however, has been difficult and confusing for some customers, so you may want to wait until the agency works out the kinks.) Children are attractive targets for ID thieves because it may be years before anyone notices that a child's identity has been snatched. Take care to keep track of a child's PINs because several years may pass before the child needs to lift the freeze, says Velasquez. She advises telling a trusted family member or friend where to find your children's PINs as backup. Unusual mail in a child's name--such as preapproved credit card offers or debt-collection notices--is an indication that his or her identity may have been stolen. Tell your children not to hand over their personal information online (or anywhere else) without your permission. The power of putting your credit on ice The case for placing a security freeze on your credit reports is stronger than ever, even if you haven't yet suffered identity theft. Thanks to a federal law that went into effect last year, both placing and lifting a freeze is free for everyone. And when you ask to remove a freeze online or by phone, the credit agencies--Equifax, Experian and TransUnion--must lift it within an hour of receiving your request. A freeze is designed to stop a criminal in his tracks if he attempts to open a credit line in your name. (It does not, however, block criminals from accessing accounts you already have.) A lender cannot view your credit report--a collection of data about your credit activity--in response to a new credit application when a freeze is in place. You must contact each credit agency separately to place and remove freezes. For good measure, you could also freeze your report with Innovis, a fourth credit agency, at innovis.com or by calling 800-540-2505. If you run into roadblocks while dealing with the credit agencies, you can enlist a pro to help. Representatives of the Identity Theft Resource Center's free services (call 888-400-5530) will walk you through the steps. Or, if you subscribe to an identity-theft monitoring service, its reps may assist you. If you're getting nowhere after repeated attempts to work with a credit agency, try submitting a complaint to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. It will forward your complaint to the agency and aim to get you a response within 15 days. Managing your freeze. When you place a freeze, each agency will give you a PIN, which you may later need to provide to unfreeze the reports. Equifax and TransUnion now allow customers to thaw their reports through password-protected online accounts (no PIN required), but you'll still need the PIN to lift a freeze over the phone. Keep your PINs and passwords in a safe place. Be aware that new creditors aren't the only entities that may want access to your credit report. Some banks, for example, ping a potential new customer's credit report for identity verification when he or she applies to open a checking or savings account. If you want to use a third-party service that offers free credit scores, access to your credit reports or monitoring of your reports for significant changes, you may have to lift the freeze when you enroll--or, in some cases, the service won't work at all. Ask a service which credit agency's report it accesses--you may have to lift the freeze at only one agency. To create a My Social Security account online, for example, you'll have to remove a freeze temporarily only on your Equifax report; you can re-freeze the report after you've enrolled (you won't have to lift the freeze if you go to a Social Security office to open the account). Whether or not retirement is near, it's smart to create an account now to prevent a thief from opening one in your name and using it to collect benefits. Stay vigilant. Even if you've frozen your credit reports, keep tabs on them. Every 12 months, you can get a free copy of your report from each agency at annualcreditreport.com. Make sure that you recognize each account listed. A credit-monitoring service, which regularly scans your credit report and sends you alerts of significant changes, may be useful even if your reports are frozen. For example, a change in address may indicate that someone has taken over one of your existing accounts and redirected your mail. You can get free monitoring of all three reports through CreditKarma.com (for Equifax and TransUnion monitoring) and FreeCreditScore.com (Experian). Some paid identity-theft monitoring services cover all three credit reports and offer other features, such as scanning of the dark web for your personal information and remediation services if you do become an identity-theft victim (see Early Alert Systems for Identity Theft). If a suspicious account shows up on your credit report, contact the lender's fraud department. If someone has stolen your identity, file a police report and fill out an Identity Theft Report at the Federal Trade Commission's IdentityTheft.gov website, then send those documents to the lender and the credit agencies. The agencies must remove fraudulent information from your reports if you send them the FTC form. Phishing Don't get hooked by fake messages. The problem: Phishing can come in the form of e-mails, texts, social media messages or phone calls that try to extract personal information from you or infect your device with malware. These devious messages may address you by name, appear to come from a person or company you recognize, and mimic the look and tone of communications from your bank, social media accounts or employer. If you fall for a phisher's e-mail or other message and click on a nefarious link, or open a malicious attachment, "your computer or phone gets owned by the bad guys," says Stu Sjouwerman, CEO of KnowBe4, a company that provides security-awareness training. Criminals can monitor your activity, steal your log-in credentials to sensitive websites, spy on you by turning on your camera or microphone remotely, hold your data for ransom, and more. How to avoid it: KnowBe4's top-clicked phishing subject lines in the last three months of 2018 included "Password Check Required Immediately," as well as the timely "Your Order with Amazon.com," and "Happy holidays! Have a drink on us." Kelvin Coleman, executive director of the National Cyber Security Alliance, says phishing campaigns often materialize in relation to big health scares, natural disasters, tax season and elections. Scan e-mails for visual cues that something is off, such as grammatical errors, misspelled words or distorted company logos, says Brian Lapidus, head of identity theft and breach notification at security firm Kroll. Examine the "from" e-mail address to see if the user name and domain are recognizable, or if they contain subtle typos, such as "@amazom.com." Hover over hyperlinks with your cursor to see if the link that pops up matches the web address in the message. Instead of clicking on links from e-mails sent by, say, your bank or brokerage, type the web address into a separate tab. A fishy link may lead to a realistic mockup of the institution's website, complete with the padlock symbol and "https"--widely seen as signs of authenticity--in the URL, says Stacy Shelley, vice president of marketing at PhishLabs, a cybersecurity firm. Rather than opening attachments you don't recognize, use the "preview" function if your e-mail has one to view them safely. Better yet, contact the sender in a separate e-mail or text to ask if he or she e-mailed you an attachment. Be extra careful when viewing e-mail on a mobile device, where you can't hover over a link or easily see a full URL after clicking on a link. Equip your devices with anti-malware software and regularly install security patches and updates. (For more tips, see lockdownyourlogin.org.) Set up two-factor authentication where possible, and back up files once a month to the cloud, an external hard drive or memory stick in case your device needs to be wiped clean or a criminal holds your data for ransom. What to do if you're a victim: Change the passwords to your financial accounts and other important websites as soon as possible, preferably from another computer in case a keylogger is recording these new passwords on your compromised device. Run a malware detection tool, such as Malwarebytes, to see if your computer was infected. If your device has been locked with ransomware, try searching the internet for unique words in your ransomware note to see if you can find a free decoder. Or find a pro to help. Best Buy's Geek Squad charges $100 for remote virus and spyware removal, or $150 for in-store or at-home help. Staples charges $100 for remote service, $160 for an in-store fix, and $300 for a technician to visit your home. McAfee Virus Removal Service ($90) and Norton Spyware & Virus Removal ($100) will help you remotely as well. How to secure your devices Ask any security expert how consumers most often shoot themselves in the foot, and the response will almost certainly be passwords. The most common password in the world is "123456," followed by "password." We are bad at passwords. The best solution is a password manager. LastPass offers a free version of its software that will generate, store and save randomized passwords across all your devices, all locked behind a single master password. Many browsers function like password managers, offering to save your log-in information. Some, including Google Chrome, will even generate a random password for you. But the password requirements for your Google account aren't very strict, with no uppercase letter, number or symbols needed. If your master password is easy to crack, all the accounts saved inside could be at risk. Another crucial practice for securing your devices is two-factor authentication, or 2FA. You've experienced 2FA if a service has sent you an e-mail or text to confirm your identity before signing in. If an account gives you the option to require 2FA whenever you log in, it's generally a good idea to use it. The extra step prevents a thief with your bank password from accessing funds remotely. Not all 2FA systems are equal, however. If an account only offers authentication via basic text messaging, you may be vulnerable to a "SIM swap". For now, this is still rare, and "having 2FA is better than not having it, no question," says Jake Williams, principal of Rendition InfoSec and former NSA hacker. The website turnon2fa.com offers step-by-step instructions for activating the feature across dozens of websites, from Facebook to Fidelity. Where to get help Tap these resources to protect yourself from ID theft, to get assistance if you do become a victim and to receive alerts about new scams. The nonprofit Identity Theft Resource Center helps victims resolve identity theft. Call the ITRC at 888-400-5530, or start a live chat online at idtheftcenter.org. The AARP Fraud Watch Network hotline (877-908-3360) offers victim assistance, and you don't have to be an AARP member to use it. The Federal Trade Commission's IdentityTheft.gov walks victims through the steps to recovery depending on the type of fraud they experienced and offers sample letters to send to credit agencies, lenders and other involved parties. FraudSupport.org also guides victims to resources. For detailed instructions on how to place a credit freeze, including web links and phone numbers for the credit agencies, see Freeze Your Credit in Three Steps. To stay up-to-date on the latest scams, you can sign up for alerts at fraud.org, consumer.ftc.gov/features/scam-alerts and aarp.org/money/scams-fraud. To see if any of your e-mail addresses or accounts have turned up in a data breach, go to HaveIBeenPwned.com. If you turn up a positive result, it's time to update your passwords. If a suspicious e-mail shows up in your inbox, use Google's Safe Browsing URL checker to see if a website has been reported as dangerous to visit. This can include malware-laden cesspools as well as legit sites that have been compromised. See more at transparencyreport.google.com. EDITOR'S PICKS Copyright 2019 The Kiplinger Washington Editors JPMorgan Chase (^JPM) CEO Jamie Dimon simultaneously defended free markets on Thursday while acknowledging that the aspirational American dream was fraying for many citizens as incomes stagnate and costs rise. Dimon a self-described Democrat at heart who has bemoaned the leftward drift of the party has denied speculation that he may run for public office. Still, a wide-ranging annual letter released to shareholders on Thursday tackled a number of politically charged themes that made him sound a lot like the latest CEO-candidate who has Oval Office aspirations. IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR JPMORGAN CHASE & CO. - Jamie Dimon, Chairman and CEO, JPMorgan Chase, discusses Future of Work at JPMorgan Chase event on Monday, March 18, 2019 in New York. (Adam Hunger/AP Images for JPMorgan Chase & Co. ) With a debate underway about the merits of a market-based versus a government-run economy, the chief executive of the largest U.S. bank launched a defense of capitalism, while blistering socialism as a path to stagnation, corruption and often worse that would be a disaster for America. A market-based economy has been the most successful economic system the world has ever seen, Dimon wrote. It has helped lift billions of people out of poverty, and it has helped enhance the wealth, health and education of people around the world. He added: I am not an advocate for unregulated, unvarnished, free-for-all capitalism. (Few people I know are.) But we shouldnt forget that true freedom and free enterprise (capitalism) are, at some point, inexorably linked. Making a distinction between social democracies like Sweden and Norway, which combine generous social benefits with market economies, Dimon said those systems are completely different from traditional socialism. The latter inevitably produces stagnation, corruption and often worse such as authoritarian government officials who often have an increasing ability to interfere with both the economy and individual lives which they frequently do to maintain power, Dimon added. This would be as much a disaster for our country as it has been in the other places its been tried. True engine of growth His remarks come at a time when self-described socialists like Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have risen in prominence. Sanders is currently topping the polls for the Democratic presidential nomination, while Ocasio-Cortez (known as AOC) has become the standard-bearer of the partys resurgent left. Recent polls also suggest younger voters are sympathetic to the idea of a government-run economy. Story continues In his letter, Dimon staunchly defended private businesses, while issuing a rallying cry to CEOs that he said the worlds largest economy needed. Show me a country without any large, successful companies, and I will show you an unsuccessful country with too few jobs and not enough opportunity as an outcome, the CEO wrote. And no country would be better off without its large, successful companies in addition to its midsized and small companies. Private enterprise is the true engine of growth in any country. Meanwhile, Dimon also addressed a litany of hot-button themes such as immigration, income stagnation, and lack of health care. Arguing that income inequality has gotten worse while costs have surged, Dimon said that simply put, the social needs of far too many of our citizens are not being met. Read more about Dimons letter: Jamie Dimon: Bad mortgage rules are holding back the economy Jamie Dimon defends stock buybacks, calls them an essential part of capital allocation Jamie Dimon: Cybersecurity threats may be the biggest threat to the U.S. financial system Khiron Life Sciences (TSXV: KHRN) (OTCQB: KHRNF) has signed deals with two consumer distribution companies, Fedco and Linio, to sell its Kuida cosmeceutical brand in Colombia. Fedco is one of the largest beauty retailers in Colombia, while Linio is the online store in Latin America with more than 600,000 visits monthly and a presence in six countries within the region. Under the agreements, Fedco and Linio will distribute Khirons Kuida cosmeceutical brand in Colombia. According to Khiron, these agreements will help the company to further expand distribution across other Latin America countries. In combination with the initial product launch through Farmatodo and Farmalisto, the Kuida brand is expected to be made available in up to 78 retail locations and through the countrys top online portal for beauty products. Kuida, the first consumer brand of Khirons wellness business unit, offers the benefits of CBD to a portfolio of skin and body care products for women. Kuida was launched in Colombia in September 2018 through retail, wholesale and online channels and with a distribution agreement with Farmatodo, one of Colombias largest pharmacy chains with 56 stores. Alvaro Torres, the CEO of Khiron, said that the companys agreements with Fedco and Linio further deliver on our market strategy for Kuida and provide the flexibility to tap into cross-selling opportunities as consumers increasingly adopt CBD based cosmeceuticals into their skincare regimen. He noted that Khiron will work with some of the largest retailers in Colombia as the Kuida brand increases its presence in the marketplace and is positioned for future growth. The post Khiron Finds Retail Partners in Colombia for CBD Skin Care Range appeared first on Market Exclusive. This map shows how much money a single person needs to earn to get by in every US state Depending on where you live in the United States, the amount you need to make to get by can vary by a lot. While a single person can manage on just over $23,000 a year in Indiana, for example, it takes at least $30,000 a year to make ends meet in California, and even more in New York. That's according to updated data from MIT's living wage calculator , which determines the minimum amount necessary to meet basic needs without dipping into poverty or relying on outside help. The model takes into account factors such as food, housing and health insurance, in addition to other regular costs, and don't include conveniences or luxuries such as restaurant meals, vacations or money left over for investments. Here's a closer look at what a living wage would be, before taxes, for a single person in every U.S. state. Alabama Total required income before taxes: $23,565 Estimated housing costs: $6,909 Estimated food costs: $2,994 Alaska Total required income before taxes: $26,821 Estimated housing costs: $10,483 Estimated food costs: $3,573 Arizona Total required income before taxes: $24,305 Estimated housing costs: $7,811 Estimated food costs: $3,573 Arkansas Total required income before taxes: $22,092 Estimated housing costs: $6,233 Estimated food costs: $2,994 California Total required income before taxes: $30,392 Estimated housing costs: $13,268 Estimated food costs: $3,573 Colorado Total required income before taxes: $27,444 Estimated housing costs: $10,022 Estimated food costs: $3,573 Connecticut Total required income before taxes: $27,318 Estimated housing costs: $10,495 Estimated food costs: $3,477 Delaware Total required income before taxes: $26,382 Estimated housing costs: $9,563 Estimated food costs: $2,994 Florida Total required income before taxes: $25,324 Estimated housing costs: $9,228 Estimated food costs: $2,994 Georgia Total required income before taxes: $25,921 Estimated housing costs: $8,937 Estimated food costs: $2,994 Hawaii Total required income before taxes: $32,723 Estimated housing costs: $14,888 Estimated food costs: $3,573 Idaho Story continues Total required income before taxes: $22,957 Estimated housing costs: $6,527 Estimated food costs: $3,573 Illinois Total required income before taxes: $26,566 Estimated housing costs: $9,151 Estimated food costs: $3,058 Indiana Total required income before taxes: $23,030 Estimated housing costs: $6,647 Estimated food costs: $3,058 Iowa Total required income before taxes: $22,659 Estimated housing costs: $6,261 Estimated food costs: $3,058 Kansas Total required income before taxes: $22,793 Estimated housing costs: $6,513 Estimated food costs: $3,058 Kentucky Total required income before taxes: $22,508 Estimated housing costs: $6,240 Estimated food costs: $2,994 Louisiana Total required income before taxes: $23,468 Estimated housing costs: $7,407 Estimated food costs: $2,994 Maine Total required income before taxes: $24,778 Estimated housing costs: $8,358 Estimated food costs: $3,477 Maryland Total required income before taxes: $31,365 Estimated housing costs: $13,548 Estimated food costs: $2,994 Massachusetts Total required income before taxes: $29,030 Estimated housing costs: $12,661 Estimated food costs: $3,477 Michigan Total required income before taxes: $23,490 Estimated housing costs: $6,950 Estimated food costs: $3,058 Minnesota Total required income before taxes: $24,681 Estimated housing costs: $7,617 Estimated food costs: $3,058 Mississippi Total required income before taxes: $22,973 Estimated housing costs: $6,617 Estimated food costs: $2,994 Missouri Total required income before taxes: $23,180 Estimated housing costs: $6,535 Estimated food costs: $3,058 Montana Total required income before taxes: $23,671 Estimated housing costs: $6,934 Estimated food costs: $3,573 Nebraska Total required income before taxes: $22,920 Estimated housing costs: $6,371 Estimated food costs: $3,058 Nevada Total required income before taxes: $23,423 Estimated housing costs: $7,588 Estimated food costs: $3,573 New Hampshire Total required income before taxes: $25,570 Estimated housing costs: $9,616 Estimated food costs: $3,477 New Jersey Total required income before taxes: $28,949 Estimated housing costs: $12,189 Estimated food costs: $3,477 New Mexico Total required income before taxes: $23,390 Estimated housing costs: $6,882 Estimated food costs: $3,573 New York Total required income before taxes: $31,388 Estimated housing costs: $13,851 Estimated food costs: $3,477 North Carolina Total required income before taxes: $24,519 Estimated housing costs: $7,869 Estimated food costs: $2,994 North Dakota Total required income before taxes: $23,138 Estimated housing costs: $7,250 Estimated food costs: $3,058 Ohio Total required income before taxes: $22,426 Estimated housing costs: $6,374 Estimated food costs: $3,058 Oklahoma Total required income before taxes: $22,770 Estimated housing costs: $6,673 Estimated food costs: $2,994 Oregon Total required income before taxes: $27,280 Estimated housing costs: $9,620 Estimated food costs: $3,573 Pennsylvania Total required income before taxes: $23,807 Estimated housing costs: $8,417 Estimated food costs: $3,477 Rhode Island Total required income before taxes: $25,685 Estimated housing costs: $9,064 Estimated food costs: $3,477 South Carolina Total required income before taxes: $24,019 Estimated housing costs: $7,481 Estimated food costs: $2,994 South Dakota Total required income before taxes: $21,593 Estimated housing costs: $6,063 Estimated food costs: $3,058 Tennessee Total required income before taxes: $22,369 Estimated housing costs: $6,983 Estimated food costs: $2,994 Texas Total required income before taxes: $23,873 Estimated housing costs: $8,336 Estimated food costs: $2,994 Utah Total required income before taxes: $24,083 Estimated housing costs: $7,354 Estimated food costs: $3,573 Vermont Total required income before taxes: $26,149 Estimated housing costs: $9,722 Estimated food costs: $3,477 Virginia Total required income before taxes: $29,473 Estimated housing costs: $12,082 Estimated food costs: $2,994 Washington Total required income before taxes: $27,659 Estimated housing costs: $11,563 Estimated food costs: $3,573 West Virginia Total required income before taxes: $22,539 Estimated housing costs: $6,569 Estimated food costs: $2,994 Wisconsin Total required income before taxes: $23,734 Estimated housing costs: $6,887 Estimated food costs: $3,058 Wyoming Total required income before taxes: $23,091 Estimated housing costs: $7,337 Estimated food costs: $3,573 Like this story? Subscribe to CNBC Make It on YouTube ! Don't miss: This map shows how much money you need to earn to get by in every US state More From CNBC Microsoft employees are protesting against the companys alleged failure to stem gender discrimination and sexual harassment, according to reports. Related: Gender pay gap figures show eight in 10 UK firms pay men more than women A group of Microsoft employees dressed in all white challenged the companys chief executive, Satya Nadella, and top human resources executive, Kathleen Hogan, over the companys treatment of women at a Q&A session on Thursday, according to Wired. The all-white outfits were a reference to the US congresswomen who wore white during Donald Trumps State of the Union address this February. The protest followed weeks of internal discussion about sexism on an email thread that began on 20 March, when a female employee who had been in the same position for six years asked other women for advice on advancement, according to Quartz. Dozens of female employees of the company responded by sharing their experiences of harassment and discrimination on the email thread. This thread has pulled the scab off a festering wound, one employee wrote, according to Quartz. The collective anger and frustration is palpable. A wide audience is now listening. And you know what? Im good with that. Another employee alleged that it was common for female employees to be called a bitch at work, and a third said she was twice asked to sit on someones lap during a meeting when executives and HR representatives were present. Related: Contact the Guardian securely Hogan joined the email thread, and Microsoft provided her email as comment. We are appalled and sad to hear about these experiences, Hogan wrote. It is very painful to hear these stories and to know that anyone is facing such behavior at Microsoft. We must do better. The executive wrote that the companys chief diversity officer would be holding sessions to hear feedback in April, and invited employees to report negative experiences directly to her. Novartis AGs NVS generic arm, Sandoz, resubmitted its Biologics License Application (BLA) for a proposed biosimilar of Neulasta to the FDA. The BLA was resubmitted to the FDA to address the issues mentioned in the complete response letter (CRL) received in June 2016. The resubmission includes new data from a pivotal pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) study. We note that Neulasta is a long-acting version of Neupogen and is used primarily to help reduce the chance of infection due to a low white blood cell count in patients with certain types of cancer (nonmyeloid), who receive anticancer medicines (chemotherapy) that can cause fever and reduce blood cell count. We note that Sandoz is one of the strongest players in the biosimilars market. Ziextenzo, the biosimilar of Neulasta, has already been launched in Europe in November 2018. The company has three approved biosimilars in the United States and markets eight biosimilars in the European Economic Area (EEA). Among these, Hyrimoz, a biosimilar of Humira, was launched in the EU in October 2018. It is also approved in the United States. However, Novartis cannot launch Hyrimoz in the United States until October 2023, per a settlement with AbbVie, Inc. ABBV. Zessly, a biosimilar of Remicade, was launched in the EU in November 2018. The FDA approved Erelzi, a biosimilar of Enbrel, in 2016 but the launch is pending litigation with Amgen, Inc. AMGN. Meanwhile, Sandoz received a CRL from the FDA in May 2018 for a biosimilar of Rituxan and has decided thereafter not to pursue it any further as of now. We remind investors that the Sandoz business has suffered significant declines in sales and profits in the United States due to increased competition in its product segments. The company has agreed to sell the Sandoz US dermatology business and generic US oral solids portfolio to Aurobindo Pharma USA Inc. Shares of the company have gained 12.9% in the past six months compared with the industry's 3.6% growth. Story continues The last year was a transformative one for Novartis, as it restructured its business to become a core drug-focused company, powered by data and digital technologies. Novartis acquired U.S.-based clinical-stage gene-therapy company, AveXis, Inc in 2018. The company also acquired Endocyte to expand expertise in radiopharmaceuticals. We expect more acquisitions in the coming months, as the company looks to further restructure its business. Approval of new drugs and label expansion of existing drugs bode well for Novartis, as it looks to streamline its business. The company sold its stake in consumer healthcare joint venture to GlaxoSmithKline GSK for $13 billion. Zacks Rank Novartis currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. 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. See their latest picks 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 Novartis AG (NVS) : Free Stock Analysis Report AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) : Free Stock Analysis Report GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK) : Free Stock Analysis Report Amgen Inc. (AMGN) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research The Zacks Oil and Gas - International E&P industry consists of companies based outside the United States and Canada focused on exploration and production (E&P) of oil and natural gas. These firms are engaged in finding hydrocarbon reservoirs, drilling oil and gas wells, and producing and selling these materials to be refined later into products such as gasoline. Lets take a look at the industrys three major themes: Bullish supply and demand fundamentals are pushing Brent oil prices toward $70 a barrel. The international crude benchmark recently rallied to the highest in almost five months, underpinned mainly by production cuts from the OPEC-led group of exporters, and drop in supply from Venezuela and Iran. The so-called OPEC+ deal (an alliance of OPEC, Russia and other non-member countries) is withholding output by around 1.2 million barrels per day until the end of June. U.S. sanctions against Venezuela and Iran also continue to tighten the commoditys fundamentals. Signs of stable demand (contrary to previous expectations of slowing consumption), optimism over U.S.-China trade talks and the looming expiry of waivers granted to eight Iranian crude importers are other positives in the oil story. These themes not only put a floor beneath prices for the time being, but also are likely to aid the continuation of commoditys recent gains, eventually to around $75 per barrel. Meanwhile, natural gas prices are struggling to break above the $3 per MMBtu mark with the onset of the injection season and continually growing production. The fundamentals of natural gas consumption continue to be favorable on growing demand by electrical utilities, booming exports to Mexico, large-scale liquefied gas export facilities and higher usage from industrial projects. 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. Currently trading around $2.65 per MMBtu, the fuels consumption is likely to decline in the near term with the end of the traditional withdrawal season in March. Story continues Over the past few years, energy producers worked tirelessly to cut costs to a bare minimum and look for innovative ways to churn out more oil and gas. And they managed to do just that by improving drilling techniques and extracting favorable terms from the beleaguered service producers. Moreover, driven by operational efficiencies, most E&P operators have been able to reduce unit costs and live within their cash flows. All of these factors, together with production growth and capital discipline have resulted in surging free cash flows. With cash generation expected to remain robust even at relatively low oil prices, there is strong potential for greater return of capital to shareholders through dividend growth and stock buybacks. Zacks Industry Rank Indicates Positive Outlook The Zacks Oil and Gas - International E&P is a 12-stock group within the broader Zacks Oil - Energy sector. The industry currently carries a Zacks Industry Rank #65, which places it in the top 25% of more than 250 Zacks industries. The groups Zacks Industry Rank, which is basically the average of the Zacks Rank of all the member stocks, indicates bullish near-term prospects. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperforms the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1. The industrys position in the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries is a result of positive earnings outlook for the constituent companies in aggregate. Looking at the aggregate earnings estimate revisions, it appears that analysts have reposed faith in this groups earnings growth potential. In the past year, the industrys earnings estimate for 2019 surged more than 100%. Before we present a few stocks that you may want to consider, lets take a look at the industrys recent stock-market performance and valuation picture. Industry Lags Sector and S&P 500 The Zacks Oil and Gas - International E&P industry has lagged the broader Zacks Oil - Energy Sector as well as the Zacks S&P 500 composite over the past year. The industry has declined 5.6% over this period compared to the S&P 500s gain of 8.8% and broader sectors decrease of 1.4%. One-Year Price Performance Industrys Current Valuation Since oil and gas companies are debt-laden, it makes sense to value them based on the EV/EBITDA (Enterprise Value/ Earnings before Interest Tax Depreciation and Amortization) ratio. This is because the valuation metric takes into account not just equity but also the level of debt. For capital-intensive companies, EV/EBITDA is a better valuation metric because it is not influenced by changing capital structures and ignores the effect of noncash expenses. On the basis of the trailing 12-month enterprise value-to EBITDA (EV/EBITDA) ratio, the industry is currently trading at 15.63X, higher than the S&P 500s 10.96X. It is also well above the sectors trailing-12-month EV/EBITDA of 5.30X. Over the past five years, the industry has traded as high as 71.98X, as low as 7.01X, with a median of 15.99X. Trailing 12-Month Enterprise Value-to EBITDA (EV/EBITDA) Ratio Bottom Line On Christmas Eve, Brent futures fell to a 16-month low of around $50 per barrel but have since recovered almost 40% of that value. The rebound has been primarily driven by the OPEC+ group restraining production. Importantly, the oil market appears well supported, especially through steady demand from Asian consumers like China and India. Bullish signals, including a possible extension of OPECs production cuts through the end of this year, are expected to back prices over the near-to-medium term. Natural gas futures, meanwhile, are likely to remain sedate on surging supplies amid expectations of tepid demand. We are presenting one stock with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and two with Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) that are well positioned to grow. There is also a stock with a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) that investors may currently retain in their portfolio. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here . Kunlun Energy Company Limited (KLYCY): Kunlun Energy, operating through its subsidiaries, is an oil explorer and producer, and a natural gas distributor in China. Over 30 days, the Hong Kong-headquartered company carrying a Zacks Rank #1 has seen the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2019 increase 6.3% to $1.19 per share. Price and Consensus: KLYCY EnQuest PLC (ENQUF): Based in London, EnQuest is an energy explorer with operations in the UK North Sea and Malaysia. Over 30 days, the Zacks Rank #2 company has seen the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2019 increase 40% to 14 cents per share. Price and Consensus: ENQUF Tullow Oil plc (TUWOY): This London-based company conducts oil and gas upstream operations in Africa. Tullow Oil, which carries a Zacks Rank #2, has an expected earnings growth of 200% for 2019. Price and Consensus: TUWOY Vermilion Energy Inc. (VET): Based in Calgary, Alberta, Vermilion Energy has producing properties in Europe, North America and Australia. The company, having a Zacks Rank #3, has an expected earnings growth of 35.1% for 2019. Price and Consensus: VET 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. See their latest picks 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 Vermilion Energy Inc. (VET) : Free Stock Analysis Report Tullow Oil PLC (TUWOY) : Free Stock Analysis Report KUNLUN EGY ADR (KLYCY) : Free Stock Analysis Report ENQUEST PLC LON (ENQUF) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research (Bloomberg) -- It started out as social impact investing for Reid Hoffman, but the LinkedIn billionaire ended up joining the dealmaking spree reshaping fintechs hottest sector. British-based Crown Agents Bank said Thursday that it would acquire part of Segovia, an African-focused payment-software venture where Hoffman was the lead investor. Hoffman and other backers of Segovia will become minority shareholders in Crown Agents Bank, which is controlled by Helios Investment Partners. Terms of the deal werent disclosed. Once an arm of the British Empire that handled funding to far-flung colonies, Crown Agents Bank now manages reserves and deposits for small countries central banks and specializes in trading less liquid, frontier-market currencies. Buying New York-based Segovias enterprise and payment-gateway product will beef up Crown Agents Banks business-to-business payment capabilities and foreign-exchange transfers. Segovia was founded in 2014 by Harvard-educated economists Michael Faye and Paul Niehaus to provide the multi-trillion-dollar humanitarian and development industry with modern technological tools to ensure the money spent on aid more effectively reaches the worlds poor. Financial Inclusion We provide foreign-exchange services; they are doing some great things on payments, including services to mobile-phone wallets in nations where few people have bank accounts, Albert Maasland, Crown Agents Banks chief executive officer, said by phone. They want to improve financial inclusion, said Maasland, a former foreign-exchange banker at firms including Chase Manhattan and Deutsche Bank AG. We want the same thing. Rather than me building that technology, why dont we come together? Other Segovia investors who will get a stake in Crown Agents Bank include biotech investor Mark Lampert, hedge funder Bill Ackmans Pershing Square Foundation and Flourish Ventures, part of EBay Inc. founder Pierre Omidyars family office. Story continues Hoffman, 51, is worth about $3.2 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. He was a co-founder of LinkedIn, the worlds most popular professional networking website, which was sold to Microsoft Corp. in 2016. Hoffman said in a statement that he invested in Segovia because of its potential to re-imagine emerging-market payments and financial inclusion, and combining with Crown Agents Banks network brings us closer to that vision. Segovias consumer remittance offering, Taptap Send, will be spun out into a separate entity. Maasland said his firm doesnt deal directly with consumers, but it does service the remittance providers that let a countrys emigres send money home. A boom in the payments sector has gathered pace as consumers make more international transactions and use their phones or tap their cards to make purchases, putting greater demands on back-end software. Adyen NV was one of the hottest initial public offerings of 2018, and last month, Fidelity National Information Services Inc. agreed to buy Worldpay Inc. for more than $35 billion, the sectors biggest-ever deal. Crown Agents Bank is far smaller than those firms, with about 1.1 billion pounds ($1.45 billion) in assets, but is focused on some of the worlds fastest-growing economies. It says its processed more than $15 billion in foreign-exchange transactions since 2016. After more than two centuries, the entitys ties to the British government were severed in 1997, and its financial-services arm was split off in the sale three years ago to Helios, an African-focused investor founded by Nigerian-born dealmakers. That left Crown Agents Ltd. as a not-for-profit international-development firm. (Adds Ackman, Omidyar involvement in seventh paragraph.) To contact the reporter on this story: Keith Campbell in London at k.campbell@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Ambereen Choudhury at achoudhury@bloomberg.net, Marion Dakers, Vernon Wessels For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. South Korea Is Getting a Head Start in 5G as U.S. and China Spar Over Huawei (Bloomberg) -- South Koreas launch this week of national fifth-generation wireless services is about more than just bragging rights. By beating the U.S. and China to the punch, it provides a major selling point for Samsung Electronics Co. against Apple Inc. in premium smartphones and Huawei Technologies Co. in the market for mobile network gear. It provides a chance for South Korean companies to show off their know-how and lay the groundwork to set standards and capture sales in a global 5G services market expected to grow to $123 billion by 2025. Being the first means a lot because it means were the first to lay the entire 5G infrastructure, having overcome lots of technological difficulties through collaboration between telecom, phone and gear companies, said Yang Maeng-seog, a vice president at SK Telecom Co., South Koreas biggest carrier. 5G provides a chance for South Korea to take a leap again. SK Telecom starts its 5G service and Samsung begins selling a 5G-capable phone on Friday, marking the worlds first full commercial roll-out. The kickoff coincides with a technology race between the U.S. and China over next-generation technology, a point underscored by the Trump administrations voicing of concerns about Huawei and its gear. While South Korea is the first with 5G across the country, Verizon Communications Inc. started services in Minneapolis and Chicago overnight. The U.S. carrier lacks actual 5G phones and can only offer the high-speed services to customers with a Motorola Z3 handset who pay $50 extra for a snap-on module. Officials from carriers such as Deutsche Telekom AG and Singapore Telecommunications Ltd. have visited South Korea to check out 5G tests, Yang said. The fact that the country is much smaller than the U.S. or China makes it a cost-effective test-bed for national networks, he said. Commercializing 5G also gives Asias fourth-largest economy the opportunity to build around the technology, which promises speeds dozens of times faster than earlier generations. That includes the development of autonomous driving and the Internet of Things. Story continues To contact the reporter on this story: Sam Kim in Seoul at skim609@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Edwin Chan at echan273@bloomberg.net, Robert Fenner For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. A Spanish startup founded in 2017 to promote the digital revolution in the global logistics sector, ChainGO Tech has joined the Blockchain in Transport Alliance (BiTA). ChainGo Tech's primary focus is on international trade and transport, such as the maritime shipping. Blockchain is an open, distributed digital ledger that can record and share transactions between two or more parties efficiently, securely and permanently. Blockchain enables transportation companies to more accurately track shipments, routes and transport vehicles (in all modes) while providing a highly secure platform that permits faster processing and payments. Blockchain applications are expanding globally. BiTA and its members are developing best practices and standards for blockchain in transportation/logistics. BiTA is also providing information and educational materials relating to blockchain technologies for the freight, transportation and logistics industries. According to the International Maritime Organization, maritime transport is essential to the world's economy; over 90 percent of the world's trade is carried by sea and it is, by far, the most cost-effective way to move goods and raw materials en masse around the world. However, the maritime industry has a number of key problems, including bureaucratic inefficiency and risk of fraud. Previous efforts to digitize global trade in the maritime sector (and within other transportation modes) have been met with trepidation due to the lack of clear and common objectives and trust between individual actors. Blockchain technology can help avoid these problems. "Our platform is based on blockchain technology that guarantees the realization of verified transactions, transparency and full confidence in the authenticity of documents," stated ChainGO Tech CEO Andres Garrido. Blockchain provides transparency and immutability of information and is considered one of the technologies that is expected to disrupt the logistics industry. Story continues Garrido added, "Partnering with BiTA, ChainGO Tech want to take part in defining and developing blockchain standards for transportation and logistics. Being involved with leading companies in the sector and emerging technological companies worldwide, all pushing in the same direction, is an incredible opportunity that will help all of us." Oliver Haines, Vice President-European Region for BiTA, said, "On behalf of BiTA and its members around the world, I welcome ChainGO Tech to the BiTA Community. We look forward to the company's contributions to the Alliance. ChainGO Tech brings expertise in current supply chain practices, which is important for the establishment of a seamless path into blockchain application." "We are grateful to BITA, its staff and membership for this opportunity to offer our know-how," Garrido said. "ChainGO Tech can make a contribution in this new era of digitalization and transformation." Based in Madrid and Valencia, ChainGO Tech offers innovative software solutions based on blockchain technology that manage the burdensome transport and cargo documentation process involved in sea, ground and air transportation. ChainGO Freight is the platform the company launched earlier this year. ChainGO Freight connects the many different players in the global supply chain with a safe, secure and efficient process backed by an immutable blockchain. ChainGO Tech offers clients a complete platform dedicated to seamlessly managing and controlling documentation in cargo transport. The company has a novel approach, with an agnostic blockchain solution aimed at providing a high level of customization tailored to the needs of every client. Founded in August 2017, BiTA has quickly grown into the largest commercial blockchain alliance in the world, with nearly 500 members that collectively generate over $1 trillion in revenue annually. BiTA members are primarily from the freight, transportation, logistics and affiliated industries. Alliance members share a common mission to develop a standards framework, educate the market on blockchain applications and encourage the use of those applications. BiTA has offices in Chattanooga, Tennessee (North America Region); Sydney, Australia (Asia-Pacific Region); and London (European Region). Image sourced from Pixabay Want more content like this? Click here to Subscribe Permalink See more from Benzinga 2019 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. A teenager wandering the streets of Aurora has claimed to be Timmothy Pitzen, who went missing eight years ago (Aurora PD) A 14-year-old boy has claimed to be a boy who vanished eight years ago shortly after his mother killed herself. In 2011, six-year-old Timmothy Pitzens mother picked him up at school in Illinois, took him to a zoo and a water park, and then killed herself, leaving a note in which she said her son was fine but no one would ever find him. After years of mystery, a teenager came forward on Wednesday to tell authorities he is Timmothy, now 14, and authorities from his home town of Aurora, Illinois, are checking out the story. The boy claimed he had escaped from two kidnappers in the Cincinnati area and then fled across a bridge into Kentucky. #NEW at 11PM: A Newport woman we talked with said the boy, who claims hes Timmothy Pitzen, who vanished in 2011, was spotted on Columbia Street. He walked up to my car, and he went, Can you help me? I just want to get home. Can you just please help me?' #wlwt @wlwt pic.twitter.com/PJc7BLJRtN Dan Griffin WLWT (@DanGriffinWLWT) April 4, 2019 Aurora Police Sergeant Bill Rowley said: Weve probably had thousands of tips of him popping up in different areas. We have no idea what were driving down there for. It could be Pitzen. It could be a hoax. Timmothys grandmother Alana Anderson told WISN-TV that authorities have told the family very little. She said: We just know a 14-year-old boy was found and went to the police. We dont want to get our hopes up and our familys hopes up until we know something. Read more from Yahoo News UK: Carer jailed after defrauding vulnerable victims out of 1m Brexit: Up to 15 ministers on the verge of quitting British missionary found burned to death in Peruvian Amazon Story continues We just dont want to get our hopes up. Weve had false reports and false hopes before. Police in the Cincinnati suburb of Sharonville wrote in a short incident report that the boy said he had just escaped from two kidnappers he described as white men with body builder-type physiques. They were in a Ford SUV with Wisconsin licence plates and had been staying at a Red Roof Inn, he said. The boys mother killed in herself in a hotel just before his disappearance (Missing Timmothy Pitzen) Sharonville police said: The City of Sharonville Police Department, like every other police agency in the greater Cincinnati area, was requested to check their Red Roof Inn hotels regarding this incident. To the best of our knowledge, we have no information indicating that the missing juvenile was ever in the city of Sharonville. The FBI said in a statement that its offices in Cincinnati and in Louisville, Kentucky, were working on a missing child investigation with Aurora police and departments in Cincinnati and Newport, Kentucky, and Hamilton County Sheriffs Office in Ohio. The body of 43-year-old Amy Fry-Pitzen was found on May 15 2011 with slashed wrists. Police investigating her death said she took steps that suggest she might have left her son with a friend. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK The Trump administration is forcing this health start-up that took Chinese money into a fire sale PatientsLikeMe sold a majority stake to China's iCarbonX in 2017 so it could take advantage of the Chinese company's deep technology. The Trump administration is now forcing a divestiture following a review by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). It's the latest sign that CFIUS is expanding well beyond big deals that involve critical infrastructure and moving into areas of consumer data. As the Trump administration cracks down on Chinese investment in corporate America, one health tech start-up is facing an abnormal situation: PatientsLikeMe is being forced to find a buyer after the U.S. government has ordered its majority owner, a Chinese firm, to divest its stake. PatientsLikeMe provides an online service that helps patients find people with similar health conditions. In 2017, the start-up raised $100 million and sold a majority stake to Shenzhen-based iCarbonX, which was started by genomic scientist Jun Wang and is backed by Chinese giant Tencent 700-HK . That deal has recently drawn the attention of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), which is aggressively cracking down on Chinese investments in American companies, particularly when national security and trade secrets are at risk. CFIUS is now forcing a divestiture by iCarbonX, meaning PatientsLikeMe has to find a buyer, according to several people with knowledge of the matter. PatientsLikeMe started receiving notifications from CFIUS late last year, said the people, who asked not to be named because the details are confidential. The move could have dire implications for the start-up community, as Chinese investors are scared away or forbidden from participating in deals that can help emerging businesses. As a result of the Trump administration's clampdown, Chinese direct investment in the U.S. has plummeted 90 percent in two years, from $46 billion in 2016 to $4.8 billion in 2018, according to data from research firm Rhodium Group . Another $20 billion in divestitures is still pending, says Rhodium. Story continues The clampdown is expanding The CFIUS statute , established under President George W. Bush , gives the president the authority to review, and potentially block, any merger that could result in a foreign person or company controlling a domestic business. Last year's expansion by the Trump Administration allowed CFIUS to review foreign investments and non-controlling stakes in addition to takeovers. But forcing a small company into a divestment is new territory for CFIUS, which until recently has focused its attention on much bigger deals. President Trump's most notable move came last March, when CFIUS forbade Singapore-based Broadcom AVGO from pursuing its $121 billion proposed acquisition of Qualcomm QCOM because of security concerns related to Qualcomm's work on 5G. In 2017 the committee blocked the proposed $1.3 billion sale of Lattice Semiconductor to a group that involved a Chinese investor, and last year it kept Ant Financial, an Alibaba affiliate, from buying MoneyGram MGI for $1.2 billion because of national security concerns. Ad-tech company AppLovin was set to be acquired in 2017 for $1.4 billion by a Chinese private equity firm until CFIUS stepped in. The government's clampdown is now making its way into more niche parts of the internet economy, where user data seems to be the key issue. The Chinese firm that owns gay dating app Grindr is facing pressure from CFIUS to relinquish control over concerns that China would use information about American officials' sexual orientation or dating habits to blackmail or influence them. PatientsLikeMe potentially presents similar unease, because the company collects data on users who set up profiles so they can ask and answer questions about their conditions. In November, CFIUS expanded its scope in a pilot covering 27 industries, including parts of health and life sciences. In a report ahead of the launch, partners from law firm Morrison Foerster said "data that may be collected or held by life sciences companies, including genomic or health data, is likely to be included in such regulations." "It starts to hurt the interests of the country in terms of entrepreneurial efforts or mid-stage company efforts," said Greg Tarr, the founder of CrossPacific Capital, a seed investing and start-up advisory firm. When it comes to military equipment and telecom networks, "I don't have any issues with that politically," he said. But when it comes to areas like health care, "that's out of control." What's at stake for the company PatientsLikeMe was founded in 2004 by brothers Jamie and Ben Heywood in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Their brother, Stephen, was suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, a progressive neurodegenerative disease. The Heywood brothers advocate for the opening up of medical data for research , and the company tells users that, with their consent, it might share identifying information with research partners. Prior to selling control to iCarbonX, PatientsLikeMe had raised about $30 million from U.S. investors. The 2017 iCarbonX deal was designed to marry the Chinese company's artificial intelligence technology for improving health care with PatientsLikeMe's customers and data sets. Wang, who founded iCarbonX in 2015, brought serious credentials to the project, having started the bioinformatics department of the Beijing Genomics Institute two decades ago. About 700,000 people use the PatientsLikeMe website to report their experiences with medical conditions. The company claims to have tens of millions of "data points about disease," and its partners range from large pharmaceutical companies like Biogen BIIB to non-profit health organizations like the International Bipolar Foundation. They use the site mostly to find patients for their clinical studies and research . The forced divestiture by iCarbonX means that PatientsLikeMe will lose not only its principal financier but also a critical technology partner, said the people familiar with the matter. PatientsLikeMe has been looking for a buyer for several months and has held talks with a handful of U.S. health-tech companies, they said. A spokesperson for the Treasury Department declined to comment, writing in a statement that "information filed with CFIUS may not be disclosed by CFIUS to the public." A representative from iCarbonX also declined to comment. Companies can submit transactions to CFIUS voluntarily, though the committee also has the authority to review deals that are not submitted. PatientsLikeMe was not presented for voluntary review, because at the time of the deal in 2017, CFIUS had not shown any public interest in transactions of that size or in the health industry, the people familiar with the matter said. CFIUS has become "more systematic at looking into unnotified cases," said Rod Hunter , a partner at law firm Baker McKenzie and an expert in international trade. Hunter wasn't speaking specifically about PatientsLikeMe. WATCH: Ant Financial and MoneyGram merger cancelled More From CNBC Lunaticoutpost.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program , anaffiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.Amazon, the Amazon logo, MYHABIT, and the MYHABIT logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.Don't be a pest to the forum.No profanity in thread-titles or usernamesNo excessive profanity in postsNo Racism, Antisemitism + HateNo calls for violence against anyone..This website exists for fun and discussion only. The reader is responsible for discerning the validity, factuality or implications of information posted here, be it fictional or based on real events. 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(Photo: Diego M. Radzinschi/ALM) Two California lawyers nominated to seats on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit passed through Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday morning despite opposition from the states two Democratic senators. Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris, who both sit on the committee , came out publicly earlier this year against President Donald Trump's nominations of Daniel Collins and Kenneth Lee, declining to return the so-called blue slips to indicate their signoff. The California senators said they opposed Lee, a Los Angeles-based partner at Jenner & Block, largely because of college writings that werent initially disclosed to the senators judicial vettors and the Judiciary Committee, where Feinstein sits as ranking minority member. Feinstein and Harris claimed Lees writings expressed extreme views on issues including affirmative action and campus sexual harassment. With Collins, a Los Angeles-based partner at Munger, Tolles & Olson, the senators cited temperament concerns based on positions hed taken in litigation while in private practice. But on Thursday, Feinstein also criticized Collins for only answering Republican questions during his confirmation hearing regarding his stance on certain issues while refusing to answer questions from Democrats. Nominees should not be able to answer Republican questions and evade Democratic ones, Feinstein said. The same standard must govern responses to questions from both parties Thursdays vote came after the president saw the fourth of his nominees to the Ninth Circuit confirmed to the bench. Bridget Bade, who had served as a magistrate judge in the District of Arizona since 2012, got signoff from the full Senate in a 78-21 vote Tuesday. Trump has also appointed Circuit Judges Mark Bennett, Ryan Nelson and Eric Miller to Ninth Circuit seats based in Hawaii, Idaho and Washington, respectively. Trumps first nomination to the courtfederal prosecutor Ryan Bounds of Oregonwas withdrawn shortly before a scheduled vote by the full Senate. Read more: 2 California Ninth Circuit Nominees Get Confirmation Hearing Despite Senators' Objections Trump Gets a 4th Judge Appointed to 9th Circuit On Judicial Nominations, Trump White HouseAgainSpurns Democrats 3 Takeaways From Failed Ryan Bounds 9th Circuit Nomination Nate Robson contributed to this report from Washington, D.C. (Adds Pompeo-Cavusoglu meeting, meeting with lawmakers) By Doina Chiacu and David Brunnstrom WASHINGTON, April 3 (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Mike Pence warned Turkey on Wednesday against buying a Russian S-400 anti-missile system, keeping up pressure on the NATO ally to abandon a purchase that Washington views as a threat to U.S. military equipment. "Turkey must choose. Does it want to remain a critical partner in the most successful military alliance in history or does it want to risk the security of that partnership by making such reckless decisions that undermine our alliance?" Pence said in an address during a meeting of NATO ministers in Washington. The United States and Turkey remain at loggerheads over Ankara's plan to buy the air defense system from Russia, which Washington believes would compromise the security of its F-35 fighter jets, made by Lockheed Martin Corp. Turkey struck back promptly, with Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay issuing his own admonition on Twitter: "The United States must choose. Does it want to remain Turkeys ally or risk our friendship by joining forces with terrorists to undermine its NATO allys defense against its enemies?" Washington has warned that proceeding with the deal could result in U.S. sanctions and the exclusion of Turkey from the F-35 fighter jet program. The United States this week halted delivery to Turkey of equipment related to the stealthy aircraft. "Weve also made it clear that we will not stand idly by while NATO allies purchase weapons from our adversaries that threaten the cohesion of our alliance," Pence said. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Turkey has proposed to the United States that they form a working group to determine that Russian S-400 missile defense systems do not pose a threat to U.S. or NATO military equipment. "It will not be integrated into the NATO system ... therefore we propose the United States to establish a technical working group to make sure that this system will not be a threat - neither to (U.S.) F-35s nor the NATO systems," Cavusoglu told a panel in Washington. Ankara says it needs the S-400s, to be delivered in July, to defend itself, as Turkey faces threats from Kurdish and Islamist militants at home and conflicts in neighboring Syria and Iraq. Story continues The United States hopes to find a way out of the dispute by convincing Turkey to purchase the U.S.-made Patriot air defense system, made by Raytheon. Turkey is also looking into a French-Italian system based on the SAMP-T missile systems. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo discussed his concerns about the S-400 surface-to-air missile system with Cavusoglu in a meeting on Wednesday, the State Department said. The leaders of the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, who can block military sales to Turkey, also told him that the S-400 purchase could jeopardize Turkey's future in NATO and risked sanctions as well as Turkey's participation in the F-35 program. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, in Washington for the 70th anniversary of the Western alliance and a meeting of its foreign ministers, told Reuters in an interview he had spoken several times with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan about the S-400 issue and had discussed it in a meeting with Trump on Tuesday. Asked about Turkey's working-group proposal, Stoltenberg said the S-400 issue had been considered many times at different NATO ministerial meetings. While it was not formally on the agenda in Washington, he expected it to be addressed. "I expect that on the margins of our foreign ministerial meeting here in Washington this week, the S-400 issue will be discussed again. Not at the formal agenda, but on the margins when we have the ministers sitting down and looking into whether theres a way to find a way to find a compromise," Stoltenberg said. In the meeting with his Turkish counterpart, Pompeo also called for the speedy resolution of cases involving detained U.S. citizens including Serkan Golge, the State Department said. (Reporting by Doina Chiacu and David Brunnstrom in Washington; Additional reporting by Sarah Dadouch in Istanbul and Patricia Zengerle in Washington; Editing by Grant McCool and James Dalgleish) COLUMBUS, Ohio, April 03, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Washington Prime Group Inc. (WPG) today announced that the Company will hold a conference call on Thursday, April 25, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss the Companys first quarter 2019 financial and operating results. The dial-in number for the conference call is 844.646.4463 (or +1.615.247.0256 for international callers), and the participant passcode is 7295326. The live audio webcast of the call will be available on the investor relations section of the Companys website at www.washingtonprime .com . A replay of the call will be available on the Companys website, or by calling 855.859.2056 (or +1.404.537.3406 for international callers), passcode is 7295326, beginning on Thursday, April 25, 2019, at approximately 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time through midnight on Thursday, May 9, 2019. About Washington Prime Group Washington Prime Group Inc. is a retail REIT and a recognized leader in the ownership, management, acquisition and development of retail properties. The Company combines a national real estate portfolio with its expertise across the entire shopping center sector to increase cash flow through rigorous management of assets and provide new opportunities to retailers looking for growth throughout the U.S. Washington Prime Group is a registered trademark of the Company. Learn more at www.washingtonprime.com . (Adds China Foreign Ministry comment) By Jeff Mason WASHINGTON, April 4 (Reuters) - Trade talks between the United States and China made "good headway" last week in Beijing and the two sides aim to bridge differences during talks that could extend beyond three days this week, White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said. Kudlow, speaking to reporters on Wednesday at an event organized by the Christian Science Monitor, said China had recognized problems for the first time during the talks that the United States has raised for years. Negotiations continued in Washington on Wednesday after meetings last week in Beijing, spearheaded by U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. President Donald Trump will meet Vice Premier Liu He, who is leading the Chinese side in the talks, in the Oval Office at 4:30 p.m. (2030 GMT) on Thursday, the White House said. A date for a meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping could be announced as early as Thursday, Bloomberg and the Wall Street Journal reported, citing unidentified sources, which would signal that a deal could be close. But the WSJ, citing an administration official, said discussions remained fluid and those plans could change. Asked about the potential for a meeting between the presidents, China's Foreign Ministry told a news briefing on Thursday that it had noted that Trump had repeatedly expressed his hope to meet with Xi. "President Xi also looks forward to maintaining communication with President Trump in all kinds of ways," ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said without elaborating. The United States and China have levied tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars' worth of two-way trade since July 2018. Trump has said he wants a "great deal" with China and has hinted that tariffs could remain in place for some time. Chinese commitments to increase purchases of American agricultural, energy and manufactured products are expected to be part of a final deal, and a person familiar with the talks said China would get about six years to meet those commitments, or until 2025. Story continues The deadline was reported earlier by Bloomberg, but Trump administration officials previously said that a six-year timeline for purchases exceeding $1 trillion had been under discussion. A final number for the amount of purchases has not been settled, the person said. Kudlow said Liu and his team would remain in Washington for three days and possibly longer. "We're covering issues that have never really been covered before, including enforcement," Kudlow said, listing U.S. accusations that Beijing engages in intellectual property theft, forced transfer of technology from U.S. companies doing business in China, cyber hacking, tariffs and non-tariff barriers for commodity trading. "All making good progress, all making good headway, but we're not there yet," he said about those areas. "We hope this week to get closer." Kudlow said it was significant that China had "acknowledged these problems for the first time. They were in denial." Those structural issues along with the way a potential deal would be enforced have been sticking points during months of talks between the world's two largest economies. Kudlow said on Wednesday that U.S. charges against Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei Technologies Co Ltd had generally not come up during trade talks. Kudlow also said no decisions had been made on tariffs on auto imports coming from top U.S. allies. (Reporting by Jeff Mason; Additional reporting by Michael Martina in Beijing; Editing by Grant McCool and Peter Cooney & Simon Cameron-Moore) On a cold day in New York City, just a short walk from Times Square, a line of people has formed; they're neatly herded by a rope in front of an unassuming building sandwiched between the city's many skyscrapers. A man stands guard by the door, asking individuals how many people are in their party and ushering in just a few at a time. It isn't the scene outside some hot New York City nightclub. It's lunchtime in Midtown and the crowd is waiting to eat at Manhattan's first Jollibee suddenly, it's the place to be. Jollibee, known as "the McDonald's of the Philippines" where it was founded has a relatively small presence in the U.S.; there are only 37 stores over a handful of states. But in the Philippines the fast-food chain is an absolute sensation, handily beating McDonald's and Burger King in popularity and local market share. There, Jollibee has more than 750 stores and is a dominant market leader . Now, Jollibee is aiming to win over more Americans, with plans to grow to 150 stores within the next five years. And it's making progress: Store openings attract crowds (at the October Manhattan location opening a couple showed up 20 hours early to be first in line for a year of free fried chicken ), social media influencers love Jollibee, and fans and analysts alike have compared the food to American staples like Kentucky Fried Chicken. Jollibee declines to disclose U.S. sales figures but tells CNBC Make It that it had "record-setting, double-digit sales growth in 2017." A big part of Jollibee's "secret sauce" is its menu, which is eclectic by American fast-food standards. "One of the key things really is that it's popular food fried chicken, pasta, pies but it's twisted in a different way that's very true to Jollibee in its uniqueness," Jose Minana, Jollibee's group president for North America, tells CNBC Make It. "It's almost like a mosaic of different flavors, it's not just that one blanket that fits all." Story continues Offerings vary by location , but there are fan favorites. Take Jolly Spaghetti: The red sauce on the noodles is sweet, made from banana ketchup (a Filipino staple), and the concoction also has ground meat, hot dog slices and cheese, which add a tangy flavor. Then there's Jollibee's most famous offering Chickenjoy. The hand-breaded fried chicken is praised for being crispy and juicy; it's made with a secret marinade and served with a side of gravy that's been called " ethereal ." It is often ordered as a combo with Jolly Spaghetti. Some say Chickenjoy is even better than Kentucky Fried Chicken . "[Jollibee] is going to be up there when we talk about Chick-fil-A and KFC, who's got the best chicken?" Kara Nielsen, vice president of trends and marketing at food and beverage consulting firm CCD Helmsman, tells CNBC Make It. "That I could see happening." (Kentucky Fried Chicken did not respond to CNBC Make It's request for comment.) But it's not just the spaghetti and chicken. Fans love menu items like Fiesta Noodles (a recreation of "pancit palabok," a noodle dish with toppings like shrimp, ground meat and hard-boiled eggs); Breakfast Joy Corned Beef (served with garlic rice and a fried egg); and for dessert, peach and Filipino mango pie or Halo-Halo (a concoction of shaved ice, ube and jackfruit ice cream, leche flan and jellies). Prices are similar to other fast food, and Jollibee has stores in California, Hawaii, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Texas, Virginia and Washington state. Its general strategy in the U.S. is to open in areas with denser Filipino-American populations, to give them a "familiar feeling of home," the company says . In the busy Midtown Manhattan Jollibee where employees chirp, "Have a jolly day!" while upbeat music plays in the background 31-year-old patron Cara is originally from the Philippines. She says Chickenjoy is indeed nostalgic for her. In the Philippines, "most kids have Jollibee birthday parties; we don't have McDonald's birthday parties," she says. "It's funny, because fried chicken is traditionally not a Filipino food thing, but somehow, Chickenjoy is, which is kind of weird and kind of surprising." She took her co-workers for their first Jollibee experience. And Jollibee has been encouraged by the reception at the Manhattan location, where there is actually not a particularly big Filipino population, says Minana. "It's very humbling when they share their gratitude for us coming here, saying, 'Thanks for giving us a new way of eating,'" Minana tells CNBC Make It . Felix, an 18-year-old from Hoboken, New Jersey, is in the Midtown Jollibee munching Chickenjoy for the first time. "It's pretty good ... better than McDonald's," he says. (McDonald's did not immediately return CNBC Make It's request for comment.) He's there because his girlfriend saw an influencer eating Jollibee on Instagram. And that is another key to Jollibee's growing success the brand naturally resonates with the young, social media set, say analysts. On YouTube there are scores of vloggers tasting everything on the Jollibee menu. A video by Bloveslife and PatrickStarrr alone got nearly 600,000 views in a matter of months. Competitive eater and vlogger Matt Stonie filmed himself doing the "Jollibee Five Bucket Fried Chicken Challenge," for which he ate 30 pieces of Chickenjoy in 27 minutes. The post has more than 9 million views on Youtube. Jollibee worship is also on fire on Instagram, with over half a million posts dedicated to the fast-food establishment. "Modern consumers curate their identity, in part, through social channels," Jeff Fromm, president of millennial-trends marketing consultancy FutureCast, tells CNBC Make It. And Jollibee is not only Instagrammable, it is accessible. "I can try Thai food or Filipino food or a number of any other kind of foods, and it's a $10 investment," he says. "Experiences are a currency," adds Fromm. Nielsen says Jollibee also fits millennials' world view: "They are much more open-minded to discovering things," Nielsen says. "And the sooner you start trying something, it becomes part of your taste-set, it becomes part of your identity." Don't miss: People are going wild for these boozy baked goods Like this story? Like CNBC Make It on Facebook ! More From CNBC When the United States' special representative for Afghan reconciliation arrived in Kabul this week amid ongoing peace talks with the Taliban, the country's national-unity government was in disarray. Zalmay Khalilzad met with the leaders of the government, President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, separately on April 1: Ghani with his running mate in the upcoming elections; and Abdullah, the de facto prime minister, with the country's foreign minister, an electoral ally. Meanwhile, Ghani's national-security adviser -- who is overseeing Kabul's ongoing war effort and recently had a much-publicized falling out with Washington -- was not in Kabul at all, but in the remote province of Nuristan. The developments, analysts say, highlighted stark divisions within the government in Kabul that have been laid bare as the United States and the Taliban carry on negotiations aimed at ending the nearly 18-year war. The Afghan government, with no seat at the table, has essentially been shut out of its own peace process, relegated to lame-duck status as Washington talks of a military withdrawal and presidential elections approach in September. Peace Requires Broader 'Buy-In' The Taliban has refused to negotiate with Ghani's administration, calling it a U.S. "puppet." Adding to the ignominy of being left out of the U.S.-Taliban negotiations in Qatar, some of the president's rivals held high-profile meetings with Taliban negotiators in Moscow in February. Those talks marked the most significant contact between senior Afghan political figures and the militant group since the U.S.-led invasion in 2001. The sides are expected to meet again this month. Meanwhile, Ghani has alienated much of the country's political elite, including influential ex-President Hamid Karzai and former warlords who attended the Moscow meeting, by failing to consult with them over the government's national peace plan and denying them a spot on the government's negotiating team. "The current isolation of the Afghan government from the peace process is the result of its own failed policies and internal divisions," says Haroun Mir, a Kabul-based political analyst. Ghani is expected to convene a consultative Loya Jirga, a traditional assembly of tribal, ethnic, and religious leaders, in the coming weeks to reach national consensus on peace talks with the Taliban. But is unclear who will be invited and whether he will actually carry out the gathering's suggestions. "Peace cannot be concluded by the executive office of the president or his appointees," says Barnett Rubin, a former U.S. State Department official and leading expert on Afghanistan. "It requires much broader participation and buy-in." His administration already considered by many Afghans to be weak and ineffective, Ghani's position and leverage have been further eroded as the clock winds down on his first term in office. While he will run in the upcoming elections -- postponed until September -- he is not expected to win. And there is a possibility that the vote could be canceled altogether in the event of a peace settlement and the formation of an interim government that the Taliban would join. The idea has been floated by Khalilzad and has been supported by the Taliban and Afghan opposition figures, although Ghani has rejected it. 'No Negotiations At All' The United States long refused to hold direct talks with the Taliban unless the Afghan government was involved. But that changed under President Donald Trump, who has expressed a desire to end the war and withdraw U.S. troops. One of the Taliban's conditions for negotiations was that the Afghan government not be involved, and while NATO has said it is "no way possible" to have a lasting peace without the full involvement of the Afghan government, the United States has been less declarative. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has stressed the need for the government to be involved, while Khalilzad has suggested that a formula for bringing the government into an Afghan-owned peace process was still being developed. "The choice the U.S. faced was between direct negotiations with the Taliban and no negotiations at all," Rubin says. "I am sure that the U.S. government would have much preferred direct Taliban-government talks or a trilateral format, but the Taliban refused." Khalilzad has held several rounds of talks with the Taliban, culminating in a draft agreement on two of the four core components of a settlement: a Taliban guarantee to prevent international terrorist groups from basing themselves in Afghanistan, and conditions for the withdrawal of U.S. forces. A cease-fire and intra-Afghan talks over a political settlement with the Taliban, which will likely be part of a new government, would involve the Afghan government, Khalilzad said. Significantly, Washington appears to view the Kabul government as one of three Afghan stakeholders in any political settlement, not the central player. Pompeo suggested as much when he said in February that the "Afghan government, other Afghan leaders, and the Taliban" needed "to sit together and negotiate a political settlement." Deal That 'Doesn't End In Peace' The Ghani administration's simmering anger at being left out the peace negotiations boiled over on March 14, when his national-security adviser, Hambullah Mohib, launched a blistering attack on Khalilzad. In remarks that stunned U.S. officials, Mohib said the U.S.-Taliban talks were "decreasing the legitimacy of the Afghan government" and suggested that Khalilzad had sidelined Afghan leaders because of his ambitions to be a "viceroy" in an interim government if the negotiations succeed. Reports in the U.S. media said U.S. officials had since ended contacts with Mohib, jeopardizing a key relationship at a time when Kabul is running out of time and friends. Yes, I found a better job Yes, but I'm still looking for a new job Yes, I retired Yes, I started my own business No, I like my current job No, but I'm currently looking for a new job Vote View Results The Colorado Senate gave initial approval to the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act on Wednesday morning. The bill would allow those who feel underpaid because of their gender to sue their employer, without first going to the state Department of Labor and Employment as is now required. The bill makes exceptions for an employees experience and education. SB 85 also would prohibit potential employers asking people about salary history. Weve created a way for women to hold their employer accountable for the first time ever, said Sen. Jessie Danielson, D-Wheat Ridge, one of the sponsors of the bill. Republicans who said they supported the concept but not the bill said it would cripple small business with lawsuits. The bill still must pass the Senate on a recorded roll call vote before it can bounce to the House. Colorado Springs Republican Rep. Dave Williams controversial badge fee bill which was extremely unpopular among his GOP colleagues effectively died this week. House Bill 1046 would have prohibited major political parties from preventing delegates or alternates from voting in caucuses or party assemblies unless they hand over what are commonly known as badge fees. Only state and local Republican parties would be affected by the bill since Democrats dont charge the fees. Williams said the fees prevent many from participating in the democratic process and eliminating them would boost turnout. But many prominent GOP members said the bill could possibly bankrupt parties across Colorado and castigated the measure as one of the worst proposals put forth by a Republican. While he had support for the measure from House Democrats, Williams postponed the legislation in February without sponsors in the Senate saying he wanted to give the state Republican Party the chance to pass internal bylaws to rectify the issue. On Monday, with Williams absent, Rep. Kevin Van Winkle, R-Highlands Ranch, asked to further postpone the bill until May 12, after the session ends. That was done, frankly because there was a solution that was adopted by my party on Saturday, which solved the problem, Williams told his colleagues on the House floor Wednesday. WASHINGTON U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner on Thursday reintroduced a bill in Congress to ensure states can determine marijuana legalization issues for themselves, regardless of whether federal policy differs. Gardner and his bill drew immediate criticism from opponents of marijuana legalization. While opponents called the proposed legislation irresponsible and dangerous, Gardner said it was a matter of 10th Amendment states rights. The 10th Amendment says that powers not delegated to the national government by the Constitution are reserved to the states. Gardner referred to the 2012 state ballot measure in Colorado that legalized recreational marijuana sales and use, criticizing federal laws that continue to classify marijuana as an illegal drug that could lead to felony convictions even when state law allows it. Because of the one-size-fits-all federal prohibition, state decisions like this put Colorado and other states at odds with the federal government, Gardner said. In the past year, Michigan, Missouri, Oklahoma, Utah and Vermont increased the number of states to 47 that have legalized at least some uses of marijuana. Gardner reintroduced the bill on the same day the New Hampshire House of Representatives passed a bill by a 200-to-163 vote that would commercialize the sale of recreational marijuana. The Justice Department initially tolerated states efforts to legalize marijuana. But last year it withdrew the support amid outcries from opponents about health and safety concerns. The outcries continued Thursday from the public policy group Smart Approaches to Marijuana. Make no mistake, this bill formally legalizes marijuana at the federal level, said Kevin Sabet, president of the Alexandria, Va.-based Smart Approaches to Marijuana Action. It allows for the advertising and sale of 99 percent potency concentrates and kid-friendly pot gummies, candies, ice creams and sodas that have recently come under scrutiny for causing massive increases in emergency room visits in legalized states and have been shown to increase the risk of psychosis. Other dangers come from corporations that could advertise marijuana sales, sometimes making it more available to vulnerable children, Sabet said. He added that proposals like Gardners would encourage organized crime to enter the industry, such as through illegal imports of marijuana into U.S. mainstream markets. Many Coloradans are deeply embarrassed that Senator Gardner has become a champion of the increased cartel and black-market activity that is harming other states, Sabet said. Gardner did not directly address his critics but instead focused on the rights of state residents to make their own decisions. The bipartisan, common-sense bill ensures the federal government will respect the will of the voters whether that is legalization or prohibition and not interfere in any states legal marijuana industry, Gardner said in a statement. The bill is called the Tenth Amendment Through Entrusting States Act (STATES Act). Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., joined Gardner in introducing it in the Senate. Colorado Democratic U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet is a co-sponsor. Key provisions of the bill would amend the federal Controlled Substances Act to protect persons from criminal liability if they comply with state or tribal laws on manufacturing, production, possession, distribution and delivery of marijuana. They would not be protected from federal prosecution if they employ minors in marijuana operations or endanger human life while manufacturing it. Other provisions ban sales to anyone less than 21 years old except for those with medical conditions. Distribution of pot would be prohibited at transportation safety facilities such as truck stops. Username: Password: or Register Back to Forum Reply to This post Post New Thread Thread Rating: 1 Vote(s) - 5 Average 1 2 3 4 5 Exclusive Peter Schweizer: Joe Biden Steered $1.8 Billion to Ukraine while so She Man lop guest User ID: 453356 04-04-2019 06:17 PM Post: #1 Exclusive Peter Schweizer: Joe Biden Steered $1.8 Billion to Ukraine while so Advertisement Exclusive Peter Schweizer: Joe Biden Steered $1.8 Billion to Ukraine While Son Bagged Sweetheart Deal from Their Government Peter Schweizer noted how Hunter Biden received millions from Ukraine while his father, Joe Biden, sent $1.8 billion to its government. https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/...overnment/ BOOM! Evidence Shows Joe Biden Got Ukrainian Prosecutor Fired Who Was Investigating His Son Hunter Biden Joe Biden made the remarks during a meeting of foreign policy specialists. Biden said he, Threatened Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in March 2016 that the Obama administration would pull $1 billion in U.S. loan guarantees, sending the former Soviet republic toward insolvency, if it didnt immediately fire Prosecutor General Viktor Shokin. Biden suggested during his talk that Barack Obama was in on the threat. https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2019/04...ter-biden/ Peter Schweizer noted how Hunter Biden received millions from Ukraine while his father, Joe Biden, sent $1.8 billion to its government.BOOM! Evidence Shows Joe Biden Got Ukrainian Prosecutor Fired Who Was Investigating His Son Hunter BidenJoe Biden made the remarks during a meeting of foreign policy specialists. Biden said he, Threatened Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in March 2016 that the Obama administration would pull $1 billion in U.S. loan guarantees, sending the former Soviet republic toward insolvency, if it didnt immediately fire Prosecutor General Viktor Shokin. Biden suggested during his talk that Barack Obama was in on the threat. Looky lop guest User ID: 482139 04-04-2019 06:27 PM Post: #2 RE: Exclusive Peter Schweizer: Joe Biden Steered $1.8 Billion to Ukraine while so This is why they are throwing fingers under the bus. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 397180 04-04-2019 06:29 PM Post: #3 RE: Exclusive Peter Schweizer: Joe Biden Steered $1.8 Billion to Ukraine while so Lies all the collusion is between Trump and the Russians. Biden is completely innocent and there's plenty of video evidence to prove it! LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 496229 04-04-2019 07:06 PM Post: #4 RE: Exclusive Peter Schweizer: Joe Biden Steered $1.8 Billion to Ukraine while so She Man Wrote: (04-04-2019 06:17 PM) Exclusive Peter Schweizer: Joe Biden Steered $1.8 Billion to Ukraine While Son Bagged Sweetheart Deal from Their Government Peter Schweizer noted how Hunter Biden received millions from Ukraine while his father, Joe Biden, sent $1.8 billion to its government. https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/...overnment/ BOOM! Evidence Shows Joe Biden Got Ukrainian Prosecutor Fired Who Was Investigating His Son Hunter Biden Joe Biden made the remarks during a meeting of foreign policy specialists. Biden said he, Threatened Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in March 2016 that the Obama administration would pull $1 billion in U.S. loan guarantees, sending the former Soviet republic toward insolvency, if it didnt immediately fire Prosecutor General Viktor Shokin. Biden suggested during his talk that Barack Obama was in on the threat. https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2019/04...ter-biden/ seems there is a whole lot of corruption there between biden, Ukraine, manafort and clintoon - if true - I am sure it will easily bring biden stopped completely in his struggle toward potus dan bongino has researched & explained the entire complicated crooked situation in a youtube video - unless bongino is wrong - biden is dead in the water over this Ep. 949 This is the Real Joe Biden Scandal. The Dan Bongino Show 4/2/2019. seems there is a whole lot of corruption there between biden, Ukraine, manafort and clintoon -if true - I am sure it will easily bring biden stopped completely in his struggle toward potusdan bongino has researched & explained the entire complicated crooked situation in a youtube video - unless bongino is wrong - biden is dead in the water over thisEp. 949 This is the Real Joe Biden Scandal. The Dan Bongino Show 4/2/2019. Fu King Registered User User ID: 430765 04-04-2019 07:25 PM Posts: 3,346 Post: #5 RE: Exclusive Peter Schweizer: Joe Biden Steered $1.8 Billion to Ukraine while so Ukraine now controlled by Zionist Jews. pooky Registered User User ID: 451507 04-04-2019 07:50 PM Posts: 6,101 Post: #6 RE: Exclusive Peter Schweizer: Joe Biden Steered $1.8 Billion to Ukraine while so https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-echochambers-27403003 Hemingway adds, however, that there may be another, less savoury possibility: The most disturbing explanation is that the company is attempting to curry favour with the US government by enlisting the services of the close family friend and campaign bundler of the secretary of state and the son of the vice president. After all, Archer notes on one of his company's web pages that his firm's "relationship network creates opportunities for our portfolio companies which then compound to greater outcomes for all parties". She concludes that this seems like a "cliched movie plot": "a shady foreign oil company co-opts the vice president's son in order to capture lucrative foreign investment contracts". The White House has emphasised that the vice president's son's new job will have no influence on US foreign policy. Vice President Joe Biden's son joins Ukraine gas companyHemingway adds, however, that there may be another, less savoury possibility:The most disturbing explanation is that the company is attempting to curry favour with the US government by enlisting the services of the close family friend and campaign bundler of the secretary of state and the son of the vice president. After all, Archer notes on one of his company's web pages that his firm's "relationship network creates opportunities for our portfolio companies which then compound to greater outcomes for all parties".She concludes that this seems like a "cliched movie plot": "a shady foreign oil company co-opts the vice president's son in order to capture lucrative foreign investment contracts".The White House has emphasised that the vice president's son's new job will have no influence on US foreign policy. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 496246 04-04-2019 07:51 PM Post: #7 RE: Exclusive Peter Schweizer: Joe Biden Steered $1.8 Billion to Ukraine while so She Man Wrote: (04-04-2019 06:17 PM) Exclusive Peter Schweizer: Joe Biden Steered $1.8 Billion to Ukraine While Son Bagged Sweetheart Deal from Their Government Peter Schweizer noted how Hunter Biden received millions from Ukraine while his father, Joe Biden, sent $1.8 billion to its government. https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/...overnment/ BOOM! Evidence Shows Joe Biden Got Ukrainian Prosecutor Fired Who Was Investigating His Son Hunter Biden Joe Biden made the remarks during a meeting of foreign policy specialists. Biden said he, Threatened Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in March 2016 that the Obama administration would pull $1 billion in U.S. loan guarantees, sending the former Soviet republic toward insolvency, if it didnt immediately fire Prosecutor General Viktor Shokin. Biden suggested during his talk that Barack Obama was in on the threat. https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2019/04...ter-biden/ ...except there ISNT any actual EVIDENCE of this happening. You have a pundits unsubstantiated verbal claim of hearsay as reported by other paid pundits. Thats not evidence. cali Banned User ID: 436836 04-04-2019 07:53 PM Posts: 2,105 Post: #8 RE: Exclusive Peter Schweizer: Joe Biden Steered $1.8 Billion to Ukraine while so el estupido romantico LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 496229 04-04-2019 08:09 PM Post: #9 RE: Exclusive Peter Schweizer: Joe Biden Steered $1.8 Billion to Ukraine while so pooky Wrote: (04-04-2019 07:50 PM) Vice President Joe Biden's son joins Ukraine gas company https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-echochambers-27403003 Hemingway adds, however, that there may be another, less savoury possibility: The most disturbing explanation is that the company is attempting to curry favour with the US government by enlisting the services of the close family friend and campaign bundler of the secretary of state and the son of the vice president. After all, Archer notes on one of his company's web pages that his firm's "relationship network creates opportunities for our portfolio companies which then compound to greater outcomes for all parties". She concludes that this seems like a "cliched movie plot": "a shady foreign oil company co-opts the vice president's son in order to capture lucrative foreign investment contracts". The White House has emphasised that the vice president's son's new job will have no influence on US foreign policy. sure - that is why the Ukraine company donates 25 million to the CF - just to keep the relationship on the up and up - nothing to see here! LOL sure - that is why the Ukraine company donates 25 million to the CF - just to keep the relationship on the up and up - nothing to see here! LOL LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 496229 04-04-2019 09:49 PM Post: #10 RE: Exclusive Peter Schweizer: Joe Biden Steered $1.8 Billion to Ukraine while so LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 494875 04-05-2019 03:30 AM Post: #11 RE: Exclusive Peter Schweizer: Joe Biden Steered $1.8 Billion to Ukraine while so https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-04-0...nment-deal "Joe Biden's 2020 Ukrainian nightmare: A closed probe is revived" https://thehill.com/opinion/white-house/...is-revived "Biden Funneled $1.8 Billion To Ukraine While Son Bagged 'Sweetheart' Government Deal: Report""Joe Biden's 2020 Ukrainian nightmare: A closed probe is revived" Back to Forum Reply to This post Post New Thread A Colorado Springs man found shot to death on the citys east side in December was killed when a plot to rob him went awry, prosecutors alleged Thursday at a hearing for two people they say were involved. Prosecutors alleged that Savino Benjamin Anceno, 20, and Saphire Lee Nicks, 22, intended to steal a car and a gun from Nicholas Gabriel Romero, 32, when he was shot Dec. 8 outside the Windmill Apartments in the 4000 block of Lacy Lane. Witnesses reported seeing a man and a woman fleeing the parking lot with a third person moments after the deadly shot was fired. Police say they fled empty-handed. Responding officers found a pistol on the ground next to Romeros body, and a Honda Civic was parked and still running beside him. The gun and car had been reported stolen. Anceno and Nicks are charged with first-degree murder under Colorados felony murder rule, which applies when someone dies during the commission of a felony. Both are charged with aggravated robbery, and Anceno has an additional count of second-degree murder, alleging that the crime could have occurred in the heat of the moment. Nicks is awaiting trial in four other felony cases, including on charges of drug possession and identity theft. At the time of Romeros death, Anceno was serving a three-year probation after pleading guilty in April 2018 to menacing in a 2017 confrontation in Colorado Springs. Defense attorneys probed at indications that someone else could have been involved, while Nicks attorney suggested claims against her were concocted by jailhouse snitches. A judge is expected to determine whether Anceno and Nicks will be held for trial when the hearing concludes Friday. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Cuba played a critical role in the United States emergence as a regional power. The U.S., triumphant in the Mexican-American War, had expanded westward, showing great potential to become the dominant regional power. But shortly thereafter, the U.S. descended into civil war and a period of reconstruction, both of which drained the young countrys resources and attention, forcing it to turn inward. When it managed to emerge intact, the U.S. set its sights on regional expansion. With a territory that stretched coast to coast, this meant turning to the seas. The United States was operating on the notion that if it controlled the oceans it could harness regional and potentially global power. Controlling Cuba was a key part of this strategy. The U.S needed to expel foreign powers (particularly Spain) from its environs, form a security belt through its southern waters and open an east-west maritime corridor in the Caribbean. A base in Cuba, which lies about 100 miles (160 kilometers) south of Florida, would help the U.S. defend its coastal waters, safeguarding access to the Atlantic for its Gulf of Mexico ports. Cuba would also serve as a foothold from which the U.S. could establish a defensive perimeter and expand farther. To this end, the U.S. military intervened in 1898 to support the Cuban fight for independence from Spain in what would become known as the Spanish-American War. The Cubans and their American backers prevailed and Cuba, along with Puerto Rico, became a de facto U.S. territory. The U.S. had its foothold, and its status as the dominant North American power was secured. With the onset of the two world wars, Cubas prominence in regional geopolitics subsided. As of the early 1900s, European powers were no longer pursuing territorial claims in the Western Hemisphere. Instead, the major threats to U.S. interests, the great wars, were in Europe itself. U.S. resources were funneled toward supporting allies and, later, combating the Central and Axis powers. The U.S., therefore, modified its approach to the island, keeping Cuba under control by maintaining strong economic ties, supporting political movements and installing leaders whose policies aligned with U.S. interests. Cubas import returned with a vengeance during the Cold War. In 1959, following years of guerrilla warfare, Fidel Castro ushered in his Cuban Revolution and took control of the country. The U.S. had lost its grip on the Cuban government but held onto its naval base in Guantanamo Bay, preserving a fragment of the U.S. foothold and a threat to the Castro regime. Castro, who despised the United States, quickly aligned his government with the Soviet Union. For Moscow, having a Soviet ally located so close to the United States mainland proved invaluable. The U.S. was stationing nuclear weapons in its allies territories along the Soviet border, and with Cuba on its side, Moscow could do the same. Cuba opened itself to Soviet military equipment and installations, posing a major strategic threat to the U.S. That threat culminated in the 1962 Cuban missile crisis, during which the U.S. and Soviet Union teetered on the brink of nuclear war, which could very well have been triggered by missiles launched from proxy states . This was Cubas 15 minutes of geopolitical fame, placing it at the center of the global system. Of course, the threat was defused, and while U.S.-Cuban enmity persisted for the remainder of the Cold War, it did not reach crisis levels again. Cuba Now A generation has passed since the end of the Cold War, and Cuba is far less important to the global system than it once was. The Cuban economy collapsed as the Soviet Union fell, and it has never recovered. No major outside power like Russia or China currently has the will or resources to build up a military presence in Cuba, and the U.S. has the naval capabilities to control regional waters without physical holdings there. Still, Washington cant ignore it altogether. The U.S. can stop Cuba from posing a threat by keeping it weak and limiting foreign influence through a lower-cost, hands-off approach. The Obama administration went so far as to reopen diplomatic ties with the island, signaling that while Cuba and its communist regime posed no real threat, improved relations wouldnt hurt. Cubas regional geopolitical importance is decreased but not erased. In recent months, Cuba has played a role in the unfolding crisis in Venezuela as Cubas security forces stand firmly behind embattled Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. It is in this context that the U.S. government announced on March 5 that it will allow U.S. citizens and companies to sue Cuban entities over contested property rights on the island. (This comes just months after the Trump administration moved to sanction more Cuban businesses with ties to the government and military.) Out of the options for recourse that the U.S. has available, this one is relatively mild. The potential lawsuits will buttress economic sanctions and restrictions already in place against Cuba, but this move wont have any immediate impact on Cuba it will take years for courts to rule on any suits filed. The decision does, however, raise the level of uncertainty for doing business on the island in the medium term and may cause much-needed investors to reconsider putting their money there. Trumps Imperial Overreach on Trade As part of its effort to contain its main global rival, the US is trying to secure the power to prevent the United Kingdom and the European Union from so much as negotiating trade agreements with China. Although a post-Brexit UK will probably have little choice but to follow Canadas lead and comply, the EU is big enough to say no. Daniel Gros LOS ANGELES Two recent developments are bringing Americas trade strategy toward China into focus. The first, which affects bilateral trade negotiations, is no surprise: US President Donald Trump has abandoned his bluster for vague promises to enforce property rights, loosen restrictions on foreign investment, and stop pressuring foreign companies to share their technology that China has made before. The second development, which concerns Americas allies, is more revealing and treacherous. In the last few months, the Trump administration has released its negotiating objectives for a possible trade agreement with the United Kingdom after Brexit, as well as future talks with the European Union. Most of those objectives are not particularly surprising; they seek to maximize access to UK or EU markets, while protecting sensitive US sectors. But they do include one highly unusual provision. In its document on the EU, the US states its intention to secure a mechanism to ensure transparency and take appropriate action if the EU negotiates a free-trade agreement with a non-market country. The non-market country is no doubt China. If the EU agrees to this demand, it would have to inform the US which would have the right to intervene even if it is merely negotiating a trade deal with the worlds second-largest economy. This objective has to be taken seriously, because the US had a similar clause added to the revamped North American Free Trade Agreement, now called the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement. In fact, the USMCA clause is even stricter, because it gives the US the right to intervene even earlier, when Canada so much as intends to start trade negotiations with China. Asking a trading partner to ensure transparency when they negotiate with other countries may sound innocuous, but it represents an unprecedented level of interference in partner countries trade policymaking. Trade negotiations are already arduous, protracted affairs, not least because they involve easing protection of politically sensitive sectors. Adding an unrelated third party to the proceedings especially one whose intent might be to torpedo the negotiations would make success even less likely. Moreover, action the US would deem appropriate if the EU started negotiating a free-trade agreement with China would presumably include the threat of tariffs against European exporters. The EU currently has no intention of entering into a free-trade agreement with China. But, as a matter of principle, it is highly unlikely to accept such a clause. And, given that the EU is actually a bigger global trading power than the US, it is in a position to say no. A post-Brexit UK, however, will probably have little choice but to follow Canadas lead and hand the US an effective veto on its trade policy towards China. In the UK, Brexiteers used the slogan Take Back Control in campaigning to leave the EU. However, with these US demands, the UK will lose its autonomy over trade policy. The dream of a Singapore-on-Thames is unlikely to materialize. There can be no economic justification for the US to object to one of its allies concluding a free-trade agreement with another country, even one without a pure market economy. Economic analysis has shown that regional trade agreements can have ambiguous effects on third countries. This is why such deals are subject to Article XXIV of the World Trade Organization (WTO), which says that regional free-trade agreements should cover substantially all the trade between the relevant partners. This bar might be difficult for the EU and China to clear, given that both still have rather protected agricultural sectors. The US could thus air any legitimate complaint about an EU or UK deal with China through existing WTO channels. This is yet another example of how the US could use the multilateral trading system to its advantage, instead of undermining it. But the US attempt to control its allies trade policy toward China is not driven by economic considerations. Rather, it represents a geostrategic effort to isolate China, thereby giving the US more leverage with its main global rival. This is not the first time that economic weapons are being deployed in a great power rivalry. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, the French army had vanquished most other powers on the European continent. But Napoleon could not force his will upon the pesky British, whose navy dominated the seas and who had the financial resources to support his enemies. So, in 1806-07, at the peak of his military success, Napoleon erected the so-called Continental Blockade, forbidding any territory he ruled from trading with Britain. The blockade proved extremely difficult to enforce, even in France, where smuggling proliferated. Worse, by forcing all of his allies to bend their trade policy to his will, Napoleon inadvertently fueled hostility to his rule, especially in Northern Europe, where trade with Britain had played a vital role in the local economy. Yet Napoleon was so obsessed with enforcing the blockade that he forced even Russia the only power he had not defeated to agree to it as a condition of peace. This proved extremely costly for Russia, which eventually disregarded the blockade and reopened its ports to the British. Napoleon took this as a casus belli and invaded Russia. The rest, as the saying goes, is history. Napoleons imperial overreach was his undoing. If Trump sticks to his current course on trade policy, the US may well face a similar fate. Daniel Gros is Director of the Center for European Policy Studies. This blog has nothing to do with gorillas (though I love 'em)...fellow bloggers have inspired me to share vintage images of Disneyland from my personal collection. But don't be surprised if you see something from a World's Fair, Knott's Berry Farm, or someplace else that is cool! CFL multimodal (from right to left) Felix Braz and Yin Li, Governor of the Sichuan Province CFL multimodal New freight rail connection between Luxembourg and Chengdu CFL multimodal Liu Xiaoliu, vice mayor and member of the Party Group of the Chengdu Municipal Peoples Government In the presence of Yin Li, Governor of the Sichuan Province, and Felix Braz, in replacement of the Minister for Mobility and Public Works of Luxembourg, Francois Bausch, as well as shippers and logistics service providers, the train departs from Bettembourg-Dudelange Intermodal Terminal towards Chengdu Qingbaijiang International Railway Port. The train will cross Germany, Poland, Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan, entering the Chinese territory in Alashankou and will finally arrive at the Chengdu Qingbaijiang International Railway Port in only 15 days. With this new connection, the Intermodal Terminal of Bettembourg-Dudelange contributes to strengthen the intermodal offer between Europe and China, as a consolidation hub for South Western Europe. Simultaneously, Chengdu International Railway Services (CDIRS) improves further its coverage in the hinterlands of Europe as well as its service quality. Felix Braz said: "I am extremely pleased to witness today's launch of the new freight rail connection. It is the result of long discussions with different Chinese partners and certainly a huge milestone in Luxembourg's railway history as well as the partnership between China and Europe. In the name of the Luxembourgish Government, I would like to extend my thanks to all concerned for their fruitful cooperation; I am sure the project will be a huge success." Yin Li said: "Today, the train will travel nearly ten thousand kilometers across Europe and Asia, carrying goods representing the friendship between people from Luxembourg and China to Chengdu Qingbaijiang International Railway Port. I hereby address my most sincere gratitude to all parties involved in propelling the materialization of Luxembourg Sino Belt and Road collaboration, as well as to those who have contributed to strengthen the relationship between the two countries. I would also like to address special credit to CFL multimodal, and to all the other Luxembourgish and Chinese companies who have contributed to the opening of this rail freight connection." The train inaugurated today carries 41 containers loaded with food, medical equipment, electronics, hardware, ceramics, daily consumer goods, etc. Located on the Rail Freight Corridor 2 and at the crossroads of the North-South and East-West routes, the Intermodal Terminal of Bettembourg-Dudelange is ideally positioned to act as an international hub for the consolidation of multimodal transport flows between South Western Europe and China. With daily combined train shuttles to major European economic centres, CFL multimodal is constantly striving to develop and enhance its multimodal service offering. From 31 trains launched in 2013 to 1.595 trains in 2018, Chengdu has been topping the EU China rail platform companies for the 3rd consecutive year. Chengdu's high-paced development has proven the wide support and acceptance of the Belt and Road initiative in the relevant countries along the road, reflecting these countries' acknowledgement of the slogan "peaceful cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, reciprocity and mutual benefit" proposed in the New Silk spirit, and their consensus for the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind. The inaugural run between Luxembourg and Chengdu serves as a good start. CFL multimodal and CDIRS have commonly expressed the intention to optimize the operations and set-up a regular connexion in both directions in the coming weeks. Both parties will also ensure the implementation of the agreements reached between the two countries. The Luxembourg-Chengdu Railway Express will contribute to foster the cooperation between Europe and China, to enrich the Luxembourg Sino friendship, and to promote the development of Luxembourg, China and all the other countries and regions along the road. Press release by the Ministry of Mobility and Public Works Username: Password: or Register Back to Forum Reply to This post Post New Thread Thread Rating: 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average 1 2 3 4 5 Australian Gun Ban: Results LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 496225 04-05-2019 12:24 AM Post: #1 Australian Gun Ban: Results Advertisement Australian Bureau of Criminology and the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) acknowledged, The percentage of homicides committed with a firearm continued its declining trend since 1969, or in other words, it had no measurable impact on murders. 'So both the U.S. and Oz both dropped about 32% in murder rates in the 10 years after the ban from 1997-2007 , the difference being that Oz enacted a gun ban, and America did not. While gun control was having no measurable effect on murders, it was having another more obvious effect: during that same time American crime was falling with violent crime -31.8%, rape -19.2%, robbery -33.2% and aggravated assault -32%, Oz had the exact opposite going on: violent crime rate rose +42.2%., robbery +6.2%, rape +29.9%, and aggravated assaults +49.2%. Guns used in robberies stayed flat all during this time and were 6.4% of robberies before the ban, and a decade after it. Which would you rather have? In Australia, it seems that 'criminals still have access to guns at the same rate as before (or the incentives for using one, makes up for the difficulty in acquiring one, because theyre used at the same rate). Their murder rate didn't go down appreciably any faster than in the U.S., and their crime rates (especially violent crime rates) did go up, while the U.S. and much of the world was going down. That's not a good signal. Then on top of it, there's the type of crimes. Before gun bans, "home invasion robberies" (where thugs just kick in the front door, and terrorize the family they're robbing in broad daylight) were virtually non-existent in the U.S. and Australia. Now they are far more common than other kinds of robberies and far more popular there, than in America. Coincidence? [1] So if youre taking anything from the data it is that gun confiscation leads to far more violent crime . http://igeek.com/w/U.S._vs_Australia_-_Crime/Murder After studying the first 5 years after the ban, theacknowledged, The percentage of homicides committed with a firearm continued its declining trend since 1969, or in other words, it had no measurable impact on murders., the difference being that Oz enacted a gun ban, and America did not. While gun control was having no measurable effect on murders, it was having another more obvious effect: during that same time American crime was falling with violent crime -31.8%, rape -19.2%, robbery -33.2% and aggravated assault -32%, Guns used in robberies stayed flat all during this time and were 6.4% of robberies before the ban, and a decade after it.Which would you rather have?In Australia, it seems that 'criminals still have access to guns at the same rate as before (or the incentives for using one, makes up for the difficulty in acquiring one, because theyre used at the same rate). Their murder rate didn't go down appreciably any faster than in the U.S., and their crime rates (especially violent crime rates) did go up, while the U.S. and much of the world was going down. That's not a good signal.Then on top of it, there's the type of crimes. Before gun bans, "home invasion robberies" (where thugs just kick in the front door, and terrorize the family they're robbing in broad daylight) were virtually non-existent in the U.S. and Australia. Now they are far more common than other kinds of robberies and far more popular there, than in America. Coincidence? [1] LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 461961 04-05-2019 12:54 AM Post: #2 RE: Australian Gun Ban: Results That is why a certain Australian poster keeps pushing for a US gun ban. He wants Americans to enjoy the same elevated levels of robbery and rape that he does. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 423870 04-05-2019 01:40 AM Post: #3 RE: Australian Gun Ban: Results Robbery and rape are Democrat's stock and trade. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 495235 04-05-2019 01:47 AM Post: #4 RE: Australian Gun Ban: Results How many MASS murders in Australia since Port Arthur? How many in the USA? LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 453005 04-05-2019 02:18 AM Post: #5 RE: Australian Gun Ban: Results LoP Guest Wrote: (04-05-2019 01:47 AM) How many MASS murders in Australia since Port Arthur? How many in the USA? Your real question is, what is my chance of being victimized in a multiple victim single-incident shooting? Almost zero. According to the FBI, this type of shooting is: The rarest of all types of shooting The smallest number of shooting victims per category The smallest number of offenders So what is your annual chance of being involved in such an incident. Again, almost zero. In fact, in the most recent report, between the years 20002013, there were 160 multiple victim/active shooter incidents. In that same time, there were approximately 100,000 single victim shootings. In the report, the FBI identified 486 killed and 557 wounded in those 160 incidents. Do the math. In fact, lets do three maths. First: incidents over time. 160 in 13 years. 12 per year. 1 per month. 0.3 per day. Second: incidents per square mile (per year). 3,537,436 sq mi in the US. 12 incidents per year. That equals 0.00000339 incidents per square mile per year. Third: victims per capita (per year). Approximately 313,000,000 Americans. Approximately 80 single-incident multiple victims per year. That equals a per capita involvement rate of 0.00000026 single-incident victimization. In percentages, you have a 0.000026 per cent chance of this happening to you. In other words, almost zero. Your real question is, what is my chance of being victimized in a multiple victim single-incident shooting?Almost zero.According to the FBI, this type of shooting is:The rarest of all types of shootingThe smallest number of shooting victims per categoryThe smallest number of offendersSo what is your annual chance of being involved in such an incident.Again, almost zero. In fact, in the most recent report, between the years 20002013, there were 160 multiple victim/active shooter incidents. In that same time, there were approximately 100,000 single victim shootings. In the report, the FBI identified 486 killed and 557 wounded in those 160 incidents.Do the math. In fact, lets do three maths.First: incidents over time. 160 in 13 years. 12 per year. 1 per month. 0.3 per day.Second: incidents per square mile (per year). 3,537,436 sq mi in the US. 12 incidents per year. That equals 0.00000339 incidents per square mile per year.Third: victims per capita (per year). Approximately 313,000,000 Americans. Approximately 80 single-incident multiple victims per year. That equals a per capita involvement rate of 0.00000026 single-incident victimization.In percentages, you have a 0.000026 per cent chance of this happening to you.In other words, almost zero. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 495235 04-05-2019 03:30 AM Post: #6 RE: Australian Gun Ban: Results LoP Guest Wrote: (04-05-2019 02:18 AM) LoP Guest Wrote: (04-05-2019 01:47 AM) How many MASS murders in Australia since Port Arthur? How many in the USA? Your real question is, what is my chance of being victimized in a multiple victim single-incident shooting? Almost zero. Don't try to tell me what my question is. The purpose of the gun buy-back was to counter mass shootings. In that respect it worked. By comparison, how many mass shootings have there been in the USA since 1996? Whether you agree with the Australian gun laws or not at least get your facts straight. Don't try to tell me what my question is.The purpose of the gun buy-back was to counter mass shootings. In that respect it worked.By comparison, how many mass shootings have there been in the USA since 1996?Whether you agree with the Australian gun laws or not at least get your facts straight. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 423870 04-05-2019 03:40 AM Post: #7 RE: Australian Gun Ban: Results Fake news has rendered all your statistics meaningless, anyway. Nothing lop guest User ID: 496300 04-05-2019 04:44 AM Post: #8 RE: Australian Gun Ban: Results LoP Guest Wrote: (04-05-2019 03:30 AM) LoP Guest Wrote: (04-05-2019 02:18 AM) Your real question is, what is my chance of being victimized in a multiple victim single-incident shooting? Almost zero. Don't try to tell me what my question is. The purpose of the gun buy-back was to counter mass shootings. In that respect it worked. By comparison, how many mass shootings have there been in the USA since 1996? Whether you agree with the Australian gun laws or not at least get your facts straight. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_..._Australia Something is seriously wrong with the official version of the port athur massacre btw. Something is seriously wrong with the official version of the port athur massacre btw. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 423870 04-05-2019 04:46 AM Post: #9 RE: Australian Gun Ban: Results Nothing Wrote: (04-05-2019 04:44 AM) LoP Guest Wrote: (04-05-2019 03:30 AM) Don't try to tell me what my question is. The purpose of the gun buy-back was to counter mass shootings. In that respect it worked. By comparison, how many mass shootings have there been in the USA since 1996? Whether you agree with the Australian gun laws or not at least get your facts straight. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_..._Australia Something is seriously wrong with the official version of the port athur massacre btw. The original Mass Shooter Hoax . The original LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 453005 04-05-2019 05:08 AM Post: #10 RE: Australian Gun Ban: Results US Deaths (2006): Homicide Firearm 11,493 Falling Down (gravity) 24,792 LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 370139 04-05-2019 05:45 AM Post: #11 RE: Australian Gun Ban: Results during that same time American crime was falling with violent crime -31.8%, rape -19.2%, robbery -33.2% and aggravated assault -32%, Oz had the exact opposite going on: violent crime rate rose +42.2%., robbery +6.2%, rape +29.9%, and aggravated assaults +49.2%. PROF DumbAssCrats Policies are a FAILURE! LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 423870 04-05-2019 05:47 AM Post: #12 RE: Australian Gun Ban: Results Their real goal is to ban cars, then doctors, both kill WAY more people. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 495939 04-05-2019 06:33 AM Post: #13 RE: Australian Gun Ban: Results LoP Guest Wrote: (04-05-2019 05:47 AM) Their real goal is to ban cars, then doctors, both kill WAY more people. You forgot about hippies. They are mass murderers in disguise. You forgot about hippies.They are mass murderers in disguise. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 370139 04-05-2019 06:37 AM Post: #14 RE: Australian Gun Ban: Results The Hippies are UPSET You Posted Real Sociology figures that PROVE their Policies Wrong and They Opened a Little Anti 3%er THREAD to Show their anger and hate! The Lefties are Prone to Tantrums. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 423870 04-05-2019 07:06 AM Post: #15 RE: Australian Gun Ban: Results Today's Leftist Commies are an embarrassment even to Hippies. Advertisement Back to Forum Reply to This post Post New Thread Grand Old Partisan salutes Charles Devens, born in Massachusetts this day of 1820. He attended Boston Latin School and Harvard College and Harvard Law School. While a Whig state senator, he was named a federal marshal by President Zachary Taylor. Millard Fillmore's term concluded, there were eight years in private legal practice. Outbreak of civil war, Devens delivered a speech calling on patriots to "rise and go with" him to the "rescue of Washington". Impressed, the Republican Governor commissioned him major and then colonel of the 15th Massachusetts Infantry. He survived wounds at Ball's Bluff and Seven Pines and Chancellorsville. His brigade was the first Union unit to enter Richmond. General Devens later headed the Grand Army of the Republic, a GOP-aligned veterans organization. Peace restored, Republican governors placed Devens on the superior court and the supreme court. In 1877, President Rutherford Hayes appointed him Attorney General. After four years in the Cabinet, he returned to the state supreme court. Here is a Video Version of this article on YouTube: https://youtu.be/udeX4_Xe3C4 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." and "one of the best books I ever read" " " A mule-drawn wagon carrying the casket of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., is followed by dignitaries and thousands of people as it moves en route to Morehouse College, Atlanta for his memorial service on April 9, 1968. Bettmann/Getty Images His birthday is a national holiday in the U.S. His leadership in the struggle for civil rights and his nonviolent stance have made him an international icon of social justice. But that wasn't always the case. More than 50 years ago, Martin Luther King was assassinated on April 4, 1968, but historians tell us that it wasn't King's work while he was alive nor even his tragic death that changed his reputation in the minds of most Americans. Jeanne Theoharis teaches political science at Brooklyn College and is the author, most recently, of "A More Beautiful and Terrible History: The Uses and Misuses of Civil Rights History." Her book is an attempt to get beyond the myths that have arisen about the civil rights movement and look at how it was really seen then and what it means for us now. Advertisement Many Northerners, for example, believe that King was always a beloved figure and that his crusade against the Jim Crow South was widely celebrated by them. But Theoharis points to a New York Times poll from 1964 the same year the Civil Rights Act was passed that showed a majority of white New Yorkers thought the civil rights movement had gone too far. And a national poll in 1966, just two years before King's death, found that only 28 percent of white Americans had a favorable opinion of MLK. (A separate 1966 poll found that 78 percent of blacks rated King's job performance in the "fight for Negro rights" as "excellent.") "The general public does not support the civil rights movement when it's happening," says Theoharis. "The same criticisms made against Colin Kaepernick and the Black Lives Matter movement today were trotted out against Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks 60 years ago. They were disruptive, they were called extremists, they were accused of moving too fast, going too far. All these things we see today have parallels in the civil rights movement." Even King's famous "I Have a Dream" speech at the 1963 March for Jobs and Freedom in Washington, D.C., viewed today as the high watermark of the movement and King's short yet impactful career, was delivered under a cloud of fear and tension. "We think of the March on Washington as the most American event ever," says Theoharis. "At the time it wasn't seen like that. Local and federal law enforcement prepared for it like it was an invasion." Many Americans also believe that King's work ended with the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting Rights Act, and that the acts themselves somehow "cured" the nation of institutional racism. But Clayborne Carson, history professor at Stanford University and founding director of The Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute, points out that King didn't retire after the passage of the Voting Rights Act. "He was in Chicago the next year dealing with problems more national in scope that are still with us today. He was dealing with the question of war, and now we're living in an era of perpetual war. He was dealing with issue of poverty on the day he died," says Carson. "If Martin Luther King were alive today, he would say that [the landmark legislation] was a tremendous victory, but it has made us very complacent about his goal of global human rights and social justice. That was his big picture." The Turnaround on King's Legacy So, if King was distrusted and maligned by mainstream America during his life, was it his martyrdom at age 39 that changed public opinion and transformed him into an almost saintly American hero? Not immediately, says Theoharis, explaining that it took 15 years of lobbying by civil rights leaders and sympathetic legislators to finally convince Congress to commemorate Martin Luther King Day. President Ronald Reagan, who was against the holiday during his first term in office he agreed with former FBI director J. Edgar Hoover that King was a communist changed his tune when running for re-election and needed to close a "sensitivity gap" with minorities and women. Signing the bill in 1983 that made King's birthday a national holiday, Reagan skillfully laid out the elements that would become the national fable: "Now our nation has decided to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., by setting aside a day each year to remember him and the just cause he stood for. We've made historic strides since Rosa Parks refused to go to the back of the bus. As a democratic people, we can take pride in the knowledge that we Americans recognized a grave injustice and took action to correct it. And we should remember that in far too many countries, people like Dr. King never have the opportunity to speak out at all," Theoharis says that Reagan's genius was to frame King's story as another example of American exceptionalism. "We had an injustice and we corrected it. It's all about the power of individuals and the power of American democracy," says Theoharis. "These will be key elements in terms of how the civil rights movement comes to be memorialized in our national culture." By 1987, four years after the creation of MLK Day and nearly 20 years after King's murder on a hotel balcony in Memphis, Tennessee, a full 76 percent of Americans had a favorable opinion of King and those numbers only continued to grow, says Theoharis. (By 1999, King came in second on a Gallop survey of 20th-century individuals Americans admired most, behind Mother Teresa.) Political scientist Sheldon Appleton wrote in 1995 that younger, college-educated white Americans tended to support King and both of these demographics were larger in 1987 than in 1966. He also noted that the widespread lack of knowledge about King and the civil rights movement in general (see sidebar) might have also colored earlier perceptions. "Perhaps recent media treatment of King has helped to induce selective memory by some middle aged and older Americans," Appleton wrote. Of course, Americans have every reason to venerate Martin Luther King and to celebrate his accomplishments. He didn't do it alone, and he had his flaws like any other man, but as Carson explains, he also had an undeniable gift for challenging Americans, then and now, to make good on the promise of our founding principles. "He had that ability to link the goals of the civil rights struggle to ideals that most Americans believe that they have," says Carson. "That's what he was doing in [the 'I Have a Dream' speech in Washington]. We as a nation justified our independence with a human rights statement called the Declaration of Independence. The question is: Can we live up to that?" Learn more about the civil rights movement in "The Eyes on the Prize Civil Rights Reader: Documents, Speeches, and Firsthand Accounts from the Black Freedom Struggle" by Clayborne Carson (editor). HowStuffWorks picks related titles based on books we think you'll like. Should you choose to buy one, we'll receive a portion of the sale. Now That's Amnesia In 1993, on the 30th anniversary of the March on Washington, 57 percent of white Americans and 28 percent of African-Americans said they knew or remembered little or nothing about the event, according to a Gallup poll. Advertisement Originally Published: Apr 4, 2018 Remarks: This is one of the best-selling Christmas songs of all time in the US. It came out in 1994 but did not hit #1 in the US till 2019, and not in the ... 1 day ago Vista Land & Lifescapes Inc., one of the countrys leading integrated developers and the largest homebuilder, plans to launch at least P60 billion worth of residential projects this year as it remains robust about the property sector. Vista Land president and chief executive Paolo Manuel Villar said in a press briefing Thursday the company was expecting double-digit growth in net income and revenues this year on the steady growth of the residential business as well as increasing contribution from the leasing portfolio. We are confident about the companys prospects for the coming year as we have delivered strong residential sales in 2018 and have a significant leasing portfolio now accounting for about a quarter of our net income, said Villar. 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They are also often victims of the Islamic idea. This is true when it comes to the cruel and tragic treatment of Muslim women and children when it is in accord with the Koran, the example of Mohammed and Islamic law, Sharia, which may be applied regardless of where a Muslim male may find himself in the world, whether in a Muslim or non-Muslim country. However, in no way, shape or form should one judge all Muslim men because of what is in Islamic scripture and what constitutes the Islamic law, Sharia. "Race", ethnicity or basically anything that you are "merely" born with should never be a basis for bigotry and discrimination. Apostates from Islam have been executed for 1400 years in accord with the Koran and the words and actions of the Islamic prophet Mohammed and Islamic law, Sharia. They should be lovingly helped. Furthermore, approximately as many as 11,000,000 Muslims may have been killed by other Muslims since 1948. To quote the website The Religion of Peace (TROP), edited by Glen Roberts: While it may be safe to say that a true Muslim would not intentionally kill another true Muslim ( 4:92-93 ), the Quran places no such value on the life of a Muslim who is not true. Consider verse 9:73 : Strive hard against the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and be harsh against them, their abode is Hell. The Arabic for strive hard uses the same root as Jihad - and the context in this sura is holy war (see v. 86 and 91). Thus, there are two distinct classes of people that a true Muslim is to target with harshness: disbelievers and hypocrites. A disbeliever obviously refers to a non-Muslim, so a "hypocrite" must be a Muslim of some sort. In fact, hypocrites are those who say they believe, but do not act as they should. In other words, they are "Muslims", but not true Muslims. They will go to hell just as unbelievers do, and so, according to the verse, their lives matter for naught. The same sura says that a hypocrite can be recognized not just by lack of piety (reluctance to follow Sharia), but by fear of death ( 9:56 ), reluctance to fight ( 9:44-45 ) and even friendliness toward non-believers ( 9:67 ). A true Muslim would thus be a pious person who relishes martyrdom, is eager to fight, and shuns non-believers. Even the Quranic passage that warns against killing "believers" ( 4:88-94 ) is more complicated than it first appears. It never says that a true Muslim is incapable of killing another Muslim, just that it should not be done. In fact, it makes exceptions for the unintentional killing of "believers" in war and mandates the killing of "hypocrites." Verse 17:33 says, "Do not kill anyone which Allah has forbidden, except for a just cause" . The greatest cause of all is that Islam be superior ( 9:33 ), which is exactly what Islamic terrorists say is their goal. Thus believing Muslims are allowed to be collateral damage in the war on unbelievers. There is sadly a phenomena that I`ve noticed in Sweden and elsewhere of people using true facts about Islamic doctrine and history as a cover for all sorts of irrational targeting of Muslims, ranging from xenophobia and racism to verbal abuse and physical attacks. This is strongly condemned by this website and does not in any way serve serious criticism of orthodox Islam and other important work. It`s also important that one tries to express oneself in a civilized way. Words matter. In this bloggers humble opinion the root cause of the problem is the ancient doctrine of orthodox Islam. In simple terms a non-Muslim is a Kafir. " The Koran defines the kafir and kafir is not a neutral word. A kafir is not merely someone who does not agree with Islam, but a kafir is evil, disgusting, the lowest form of life." An exact quote, as stated in the writings of Dr. Bill Warner in the article "Kafir" at http://www.politicalislam.com/kafir . In the perfect Koran (Allah`s direct and literal word as revealed to Mohammed through the angel Jibril), Muslims are told 89 times to emulate Mohammed in all ways (see Koran 33:21 for instance). Mohammed`s example, the Sunna, is found in the Hadith (stories of what Mohammed said and did) and the Sira (biographies of Mohammed). Islamic law, Sharia , is directly derived from these unchanging scriptures. It is based on the Koran`s numerous commands to obey Allah and obey the Messenger, that is Mohammed (see Koran 4:59 for instance). Islam is Sharia. Sharia is Islam. It is a capital crime for Muslims to deny Sharia in any way. A Muslim is someone who submits to Islam and submitting to Islam means obeying the Sharia of Allah. Sharia law includes pronouncements for both Muslims and non-Muslims (Kafirs). Islam is a "complete way of life", a "complete code of life", a "complete system of life". Islam is not just a religion but also a comprehensive ideology. Islam is a supremacist ideology. Islam is a totalitarian and imperialistic ideology akin to Communism and Nazism. Islam is a civilization. Islamic law, Sharia, is a manual for a civilization. Islamic law, Sharia, governs every aspect of life. It has a say about every conceivable human act . Non-Muslims are morally and legally inferior in Islam. Women are morally and legally inferior in Islam. The History of Jihad: From Muhammad to ISIS by Robert Spencer is the first one-volume history of jihad in the English language and a great book on the topic. Allah guarantees Paradise to those who "kill and are killed" for him (Koran 9:111). A hadith depicts a Muslim asking Muhammad: "Instruct me as to such a deed as equals Jihad (in reward)." Muhammad replied, "I do not find such a deed." (Bukhari 4.52.44) Muhammad himself said: I have been commanded to fight against people so long as they do not declare that there is no god but Allah, and he who professed it was guaranteed the protection of his property and life on my behalf except for the right affairs rest with Allah. (Sahih Muslim 30) Freedom of speech, human rights, democracy, science and human lives are all at stake in the fight against the Islamic Jihad. At one point in time, the newspaper business was seen as a cash cow, says Jon Whitney, Illinois Press Foundation board member and publisher of Carroll County Review. But theres been a sharp decline in print advertising revenue since 2006, when it peaked at $49.3 billion, according to a 2018 report from Pew Research. By 2016, print media advertising revenue had declined to $18.3 billion, less than half of what it had been generating just a decade earlier. The time of locally owned newspapers is almost a thing of the past with most publications now part of chains with corporate owners who care primarily about the bottom line. Reporters from Capitol News Illinois in the press room of the Statehouse with Jeff Rogers (second from right), CNI's interm bureau chief. Creative methods pay off Courtesy of the Franklin Center. Illinois News Network publisher Chris Krug. Filling the gaps in Illinois Photo by Jeff Rogers Charlie Wheeler III surrounded by years of documents. Can they survive? The revenue concerns at the top of media corporations have trickled down to those working in skeleton newsrooms across the country, where sources in this story have seen their colleagues and friends lose jobs due to layoffs, leaving them to wonder if they would be next.Those in the industry realize that news reporting is a thankless job, said Jeff Rogers, interim bureau chief of Capitol News Illinois and director of the Illinois Press Foundation.The future of journalism remains uncertain, even to its practitioners. Some reporters resign themselves to other professions, like spokespeople or public relations, in an attempt to save themselves from an industry that began to heavily reduce its work force in 2007.John Patterson, spokesman for Illinois Senate president John Cullerton, was the senior state government editor for the Daily Herald when he resigned in 2011. While he was never laid off, he watched as the number of Statehouse reporters declined from when he first arrived in 1996.You could kind of see the handwriting on the wall for where things were going, Patterson said.No reporter goes into journalism to amass wealth. The days are long, its impossible to please the entire audience and reporters constantly need to see through the spin to do the job correctly.Were not special people, but we have a special responsibility, said Chris Krug, publisher of Illinois News Network. Its a very challenging, frustrating line of work a lot of people dont understand. It might take someone three minutes to read a story but itll take a writer three days to write.Print journalism is evolving, but journalism itself is also facing the challenge of overcoming the increased use of news bots that proliferate inaccurate or fabricated news stories to the masses one social media share at a time. There have also been technological advances that give hoaxers the ability to alter images and videos that often leave news consumers confused about the authenticity of stories.Despite the changes, those involved in news reporting continue to try to keep voters informed about the policies state legislators enact. Journalists also dig into the states bureaucracies to ensure theyre efficient, ethical institutions and continue to serve the people, not a few corrupt politicians and their friends.They tend to cut corners and do shady things when people arent looking, said Charlie Wheeler, former Chicago Sun-Times Statehouse bureau chief and a member of the Illinois Press Foundation. Plus, the general public doesnt know whats happening.As news organizations shrink in size and reporters are required to take on more roles while still producing the same amount of content as before their co-workers were laid off, some forward-thinking editors and reporters have tried to continue serving readers through different means.Legislative reporters have been on the decline since 2007 due to layoffs and reporters leaving the industry for other positions, often in public relations or press secretary work like Patterson. Yet, whats occurring in the Illinois legislative press corps isnt unique.Reporters and editors around the country have been getting in touch with their creative side to continue to provide what they see as a necessity: quality state government news.One such example is a program offered by the University of Kansas that was reintroduced eight years ago and has continued since.You can go into the media room and count on one hand the number of reporters covering the Statehouse in Kansas, said Scott Reinardry, associate dean at the University of Kansas School of Journalism and Mass Communications.Reinardy teaches a class that puts undergraduate students to work covering the legislature. His students arent writing for the school paper; their work gets published through the KU Wire Service, which is coordinated through the Kansas Press Associations 225 member newspapers throughout the state.Undergraduates who sign up for the advanced media course are on deadline for three stories every two weeks. Reinardy said most of the students are green when they enter the course, but they walk away from the experience understanding the importance of state government reporting.Theyre looking at some of the stories that are generally being ignored by the Associated Press and larger dailies in the state, Reinardy said. Were not looking to step on peoples toes; were here to help with the content.Peter Hancock, a reporter with Capitol News Illinois, is a former Kansas legislative reporter who watched the press corps decline from 20 full-time reporters to about half of that by time he left to join Illinois Statehouse reporters. He said when the locally owned paper he worked for was acquired by a chain he thought hed be the first to be laid off.University of Illinois Springfield offers a masters level Public Affairs Reporting program, which is similar to University of Kansas advanced media undergraduate course. The UIS program has been in existence since 1972 but recently has needed to reduce the number of students admitted to the program due to the declining number of Statehouse bureaus.Wheeler, who now serves as the PAR adviser since retiring from the Chicago Sun-Times in August of 1993, said the program is committed to placing students in a Statehouse reporting internship for real-world experience.The program could be larger if we had internships to place students at, so Im always constrained on who Im going to offer, Wheeler said.Other Capitol bureaus have tried different tactics. Organizations in Oregon collaborated to form the Oregon Capital Bureau and something similar has occurred in Pennsylvania with the creation of a nonprofit called Spotlight PA that serves as a statewide investigative newsroom. Realizing the need to replenish state government correspondents, reporters and editors who are employed by three different media organizations in both states now work together. The collaboration has allowed reporters to focus on more in-depth reporting since theyre no longer chasing the same stories as their colleagues who work for a different organization.The collaboration is one thing thats going to help the newspaper to survive, said Rogers. The nonprofit model also helps.Illinois die-hard news enthusiasts are joining those around the country who are attempting to keep journalism alive but adapting to a new business model.While Illinois remains in the top 10 states with the most full-time Statehouse reporters when compared to the rest of the nation, according to a July 2014 study from the Pew Research Center, the Illinois press corps has been steadily decreasing since 2007.In the late 1980s, there were 44 full-time Statehouse reporters. That number remained fairly consistent through the 1990s until the mid-2000s when bureaus began to leave state government reporting behind.During the 2009-2010 legislative session the number of full-time Statehouse reporters dipped to 31. During the last legislative session, there were just 20.Even at the height of financial viability of newspapers we still werent covering Statehouse or statewide news with the priority you would think, said Krug, president of the Franklin Center and publisher of Illinois News Network.The Illinois Press Foundation and the Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity, both nonprofit groups, have launched news services that those who are involved with the operation of news dissemination hope will fill a hole thats been left by the declining numbers of reporters in the Statehouse.Krug said Illinois News Network, which was acquired by the conservative think tank Illinois Policy Institute in 2017, tries to cover news across the state, border to border. He said the content the organization produces, which is available online, is most popular in the collar counties, central and southern Illinois.We dont put our stories behind a pay wall, and we dont make our stories only available to legacy media, though they certainly use it, Krug said. While newspapers are allowed to use Illinois News Network content at no charge, the articles are also made available to individuals through the website, no sign-in or subscription required.Krug acknowledges that Illinois News Network has been characterized as being right-leaning because of its connection to the Illinois Policy Institute, but he said he accepted his job as publisher as long as he was able to maintain autonomy over the news operation. He said part of his job requires him to find donors to contribute to the platform, although he declined to disclose the budget for the current fiscal year. The organization has five employees, according to Illinois News Networks staff webpage.Capitol News Illinois, a project being advanced by the Illinois Press Foundation, launched in January and has received funding from the foundation, as well as the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, to keep the operation going for the next three years. However, Rogers declined to say how much funding has been provided to keep the news service running over the next three years.Its our obligation (as reporters) to observe, and when we see something thats not appropriate, its our job to let the public know about it, Wheeler said. Thats the point of the First Amendment.Capitol News Illinois was an idea that Wheeler had for a few years but wasnt able to put into practice until recently. However, the content produced is only made available for publication to Illinois Press Associations member papers.Rogers, Capitol News Illinois interim bureau chief, said the wire service already has a strong circulation in the couple of months since it launched, and hes pleased with the content and quality of work his reporters are producing.Illinois News Network and Capitol News Illinois both have a presence at the Statehouse, but neither has received credentials, which are necessary if journalists want to report from the Senate or House floor. Theres been speculation that both were denied credentials because of their attachment to lobbying groups, but House spokesman Steven Brown said the answer is much more complicated. Patterson simply said neither organization met the Senate press credential guidelines.However, that hasnt stopped either organization from sending reporters to attend committees, where all the decisions about the construction of a bill are made, and reporters from both organizations are able to watch the floor debates from the public gallery. And they arent the only organizations that are providing Statehouse coverage without press credentials.One Illinois, a web-based platform that offers free content, turned to Kickstarter to get the service running in 2018. The group exceeded its initial goal of $10,000 by raising $10,895 and Cox said the nonprofit organization continues to exist because of donations from individuals and groups.Ameya Pawar, a former two-term progressive Chicago alderman, is the president of One Illinois, according to the organizations webpage.Ted Cox, editor of One Illinois, said he contacted the former alderman after his former employer, hyper-local and online newspaper DNAInfo, was closed after workers tried to unionize.Cox said he called Pawar after the closing of DNAInfo and learned about Pawars idea to keep the people of Illinois informed about the great people and communities in the state.Early on, we took a bunch of trips around the state and did some travelogue pieces, Cox said. I think there are a lot of places across Illinois where their news is not being covered.One Illinois is a smaller operation than Illinois News Network or Capitol News Illinois, with Cox, a videographer and a podcaster making up the staff. Its content is available online, though Cox said some of the groups content is used for a Politico newsletter.Cox said he rarely gets down to Springfield from Chicago, but reports whats going on in the General Assembly by watching floor debates and other happenings that are live on Blueroom Stream, a subscription-based service that allows anyone to watch legislators in action.Cox isnt shy about One Illinois being, as he describes it, a little left-leaning. After all, he said, the service was created to counter heavily slanted stories being produced by Dan Proft and his chain of free print papers, Illinois Policy Institute and Breitbart News Network. But, he said, while he may feel strongly about supporting working families and a progressive income tax, his top priority is delivering news to his readers.I think these are positions we stand by, but we want to cover the news, first and foremost, Cox said.Regardless of the good intentions, how to keep funding the newly created Illinois news services is a question those involved with each project will have to answer. Illinois News Network, One Illinois and Capitol News Illinois are all providing free content, meaning they must depend on grants or donations to continue their work. Some traditional print publications are moving away from relying exclusively on advertisers or subscribers to support the bottom line and also turning to donations from both readers and corporations to make the numbers work. Committed news advocates have found new ways to support the industry and, in effect, support the dissemination of information.Knowing how elected officials will cut corners and do shady things when no one is looking, as Wheeler said, makes the need for state government reporting of utmost importance. That is especially true in Illinois, which political analyst Dick Simpson ranked third in the nation in political corruption.Im proud of the work journalists do out there because theyre trying their damnedest, said Rogers.Lindsey Salvatelli is an editorial intern with Illinois Times as part of the Public Affairs Reporting masters degree program at University of Illinois Springfield. Contact her atintern@illinoistimes.com. Peter Glatz sampling fermented grasshopper garum. My first experience with fermented fish was not a good one. Halleys Comet pays us a visit approximately every 75 years and the last time was 33 years ago. I wanted to optimally experience this once-in-a-lifetime event. One of the best viewing areas was French Polynesia so I booked passage on the Aranui, a freighter out of Tahiti, far away from the lights of civilization. The Aranui delivered goods to the Marquesa Islands and brought back coconut to Tahiti to be processed into coconut oil. The freighter had space for a couple dozen tourists mostly from Europe and the U.S. After a few days at sea I realized that hanging out and dining with the fellow tourists was keeping me from having the deep cultural immersion I was hoping for, so I started hanging out with the Polynesian sailors. We did not share a common language so we communicated with facial expressions and hand gestures. One day the sailors gestured for me to come eat with them. They were having fafaru, a local dish of fermented fish, allegedly delicious but smelling like three-day-old roadkill. Crabs are crushed and put into a bucket of saltwater which is left on the beach under the hot sun to ferment for a few days. The liquid is then strained and used to marinate fresh tuna. The marinated raw tuna is then topped with fermented coconut milk. I am an adventurous eater and I felt honored to be invited to share food with the Polynesians, but the rotten smell of the fermented fish made me retch, much to the amusement of my new friends.A few years later my wife started dabbling in Southeast Asian cooking and bought some Vietnamese fish sauce, which is the liquid drained from barrels of anchovies left to ferment in the hot sun. The smell of the fish sauce triggered memories of Polynesian fafaru and I just couldnt bring myself to eat anything she made with it. To make matters worse, one day the fish sauce bottle got knocked over, spilling its contents onto the floor and seeping underneath our heavy commercial refrigerator. It took months for the smell to dissipate!I eventually got over my aversion and realized that once you get past the awful smell, fish sauce, used in moderation, imparts a wonderful umami to a dish. In fact the late Anthony Bourdain even recommended putting a dash of fish sauce in Thanksgiving turkey gravy.I used to cook lunches and make snacks at my dental office. One day I tried out a new recipe for Thai Bar Nuts made with fish sauce. The nuts were delicious but the office ended up smelling so horrible that my weak-stomached assistant started throwing up and we had to cancel afternoon patients!Top restaurants around the world are increasingly using fermented natural products to boost the flavors of their dishes, especially a group of fermented seasonings known as garum. Garum, made from fermented fish guts, was popular 2,500 years ago during the Roman Empire. Garum was the Roman equivalent of ketchup a condiment used on 90 percent of all their dishes. Vats filled with fresh fish guts were placed between layers of salt and aromatic herbs and left in the sun for several months until they reached proper pungency. Garum was so popular that factories were built to keep up with the demand. With the fall of the Roman Empire, garum faded into relative obscurity.During my periodic apprenticeships at Chicagos Elizabeth Restaurant Ive been asked to work on several special projects. Last winter I was told to mix fish and meat trimmings with salt, pack them into canning jars and place into a 140-degree dehydrator oven. When I returned the following spring I was instructed to empty the contents out into a sieve and strain and rebottle the liquid for further aging. The resultant garum later appeared on the menu in such dishes as Shredded Cabbage Dressed in Garum and Bergamont with Cauliflower Mushrooms.Lat fall saw the publication of the widely acclaimed Noma Guide to Fermentation. During their book tour the authors mentioned that their favorite fermented flavor enhancer was garum made from fermented grasshoppers. As I stated earlier, Im an adventurous eater, but I wasnt ready to make the leap to eating fermented bugs.This month I begin a new job as a chef at Nonesuch in Oklahoma City. Nonesuch has an active fermentation program. At the end of my working interview I was offered the job and given a gift of my own jar of grasshopper garum, which I was told was made from $1,000 worth of live grasshoppers imported from Japan. I bravely sampled my grasshopper garum and found it to taste like a mix of chocolate and soy sauce with a Mexican mole-like complexity.I realize that exotic garums are a bit outside the realm of home cooks, but I encourage you to experiment with fish sauce, garums more accessible cousin. Sprinkle some on ripe tomatoes or put a few drops on grilled steaks to make the flavors pop. Add a teaspoonful to ground beef before you make burger patties.Or try this recipe for Thai Bar Nuts. (Just dont make these at work!)Ingredients:2 T light brown sugar2 T fish sauce1 t red curry paste1/4 t ground ginger1 lb unsalted peanutsPreparation:Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.Mix together the first 4 ingredients in a large bowl.Add the peanuts and mix until coated.Spread on baking sheet in an even layer.Bake for 10 minutes, and then stir.Bake another 3 minutes and stir.Remove and allow to cool. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Illinois, in partnership with the City of Springfield and the Sangamon County Juvenile Justice Council, is hosting its 4th Annual Teen Job Fair and Resource Expo at The Boys & Girls Clubs Central Unit. According to Dan Wright, chair of the Sangamon County Juvenile Justice Council, the event will help connect local teens with year-round and summer opportunities including employment, camps and recreational services. Job seekers will get help filling out job applications, may receive on-the-spot interviews and have a chance to enter multiple prize drawings. The event features many local employers and youth service organizations. Tiffany Mathis of the Boy & Girls Clubs says that the job fair and resource expo is a one-stop shop for teens and past events have received positive feedback from both employers and area youth who attended. The event is free to attend and geared toward teenagers ages 16-19 who are seeking employment or volunteer opportunities. Parents are also welcome to accompany their teen participant. Teen Job Fair and Resource Expo April 5, 6 p.m. Fri. Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Illinois 300 S. 15th St. 544-0548 Illinois Times has provided readers with independent journalism for more than 40 years, from news and politics to arts and culture. Now more than ever, were asking for your support to continue providing our community with real news that everyone can access, free of charge. Were also offering a home delivery option as an added convenience for friends of the paper. Click here to subscribe, or simply show your support for Illinois Times. George Reisch toasts the crowd at Pasfield House's first known kegger. As keggers go, a shindig last Saturday at the Pasfield House was fancier than most no Solo cups or loud music, and the kegs were pressurized, so no pumping. But some things never change. Dozens arrived early, each paying $100 for all they could drink and eat, with the menu including horseshoes, pasta, shrimp, brats and sandwiches, either turkey or muffelata. It was the first in what organizers hope will be a series of beer parties featuring Reisch Gold Top, the recently revived Springfield brand that has local beer nuts going nuts. I had my first taste about a month ago at the VFW on Old Jacksonville Road, what with Illinois Tap on North Grand Avenue recently having raised the all-day-every-day price of Pabst from $1 to $1.50 but helpfully putting a sign on the door announcing the price hike so as to promote informed decisions. I wasnt expecting much of Reisch, which Id never heard of before the hype hit local media, but it was the same price, more or less, as Budweiser. And, it turned out, much better. I had more than one. Saturdays event was supposed to be limited to 117 guests, matching the number of years Reisch was in business before closing shop in 1966, but it seemed like there were more. You could barely move. George Reisch, retired brewmaster for Anheuser-Busch whose family started its Springfield brewery in 1849, chatted easily about many things, including the legendary Gussie Busch and son August, both of whom once ran AB, but what really got him excited was yeast, proper glasses and the awfulness of bottles as opposed to cans the guy is a total beer nerd, and he knows a thing or two. The best way to figure the quality of a brewing operation is to drink its light beer, even if you dont like light beer any flaws will be obvious. To determine whether a beer is good, pour a glass, let it sit four hours, then start sipping. If its drinkable enough to down a warm glass, itll be great when cold. Reisch, Reisch said, passed the test after FedEx delivered a test can to his St. Louis home for approval prior to the start of production at a Wisconsin brewery. He beamed the whole night on Saturday. "This is nuts just insane," he said as the crowd swelled. Four days later, he was still sounding like George Bailey from It's A Wonderful Life, saying he never dreamed that his family's beer would have such a following after all these years. "It's just a wonderful thing," Reisch said. "It came out of nowhere, this whole thing." Reisch had resisted calls to revive the family recipe until someone made a suggestion he couldn't refuse: Donate all profits to charity. And so all proceeds after expenses will toward historic preservation in Springfield. Saturday's event grossed more than $10,000. "There's no ulterior motive other than love," he said. Reisch says rumors that profits will go to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation to pay off its debt for Lincoln artifacts aren't true no decisions have been made. "It's funny how people say that," he said. "We can't possibly even know who we're going to give the money to." Reisch says he's heard from beer lovers in Chicago, and so distribution might widen. But there are limits. "I said I only wanted to take care of Springfield when I started this thing," he said. "If we run out of beer in Springfield because it's going to Chicago, that's a problem." Legislators and drugs Legal pot might draw homeless folks to Illinois from across the nation. Thats just one of the whereass in a reefer-madness resolution sponsored by 60 House members urging that the state go slow in letting the devils weed be sold to consenting adults. Hey, Ethel: Lets get the heck out from under this bridge in Florida and hitchhike to the Springfield library so we can buy weed with money we dont have. Sure. Dan Linn, executive director of the Illinois chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, isnt buying the hype. He predicts 10 or so of the representatives whove sponsored this silliness will ultimately vote for a legalization bill, but just when isnt clear. Will it happen this spring? Maybe, Linn says. By next spring? Very likely. While legislators chew cud over pot, out-of-staters see green. Just ask Chris Stone, chief executive officer of HCI Alternatives, the dispensary company with outlets in Collinsville and downtown Springfield. Ascend Wellness, a Massachusetts-based company is buying HCI, which the company says serves about 10 percent of Illinois medical marijuana customers. The deal is pending approval of state regulators, according to Stone, who prefers the term merger to acquisition. Ascend plans to lease growing space in Pike County from Innovative Industrial Properties, a real estate investment trust that buys property for pot farms. Innovative in December closed on a $19 million deal for 10 acres in Barry, where the state has licensed a cultivation center that so far hasnt lived up to dreams. Ascend will run the cultivation center and is expected to expand production, which has been lower than authorized. Linn sees the deal as part of consolidation in an industry where cultivation centers are holding onto licenses to protect market share while outsiders pay premiums to enter the Illinois market. While business booms, Stone says the state should be cautious in permitting new cultivation centers. Linn, who manages a Grandview dispensary, argues that the state should allow home growing. Reactions, he says, vary when customers find seeds in buds, which are supposed to be seedless. Theyre either very happy or theyre very upset, he says. Let's contrast two trips. Over Thanksgiving we visited relatives in Australia. We were struck by the lack of garbage along roads and near towns. We rarely saw a plastic shopping bag or a plastic straw. Two weeks ago we visited Carlsbad Caverns National Park. The park was in good shape but within 3-4 miles of each town we went through in New Mexico we saw hundreds if not thousands of pieces of shredded plastic bags hanging from everything and bits of plastic straws everywhere. The difference is not that Australians are neat and New Mexicans arent. The difference is Australians have as a society worked hard to eliminate the use of non-recyclable plastic for one-time purposes. Everyone carries reusable cloth shopping bags, not only in grocery stores, but in all types of shops. A plastic bag adds 10 cents to your bill. Coffee-stirring sticks are wood. Drinks are served without straws and if you request one you get a paper straw. When we ate at a bakery, the utensils were metal, not plastic. Why, from a health perspective, is it important to eliminate the one-time use of plastic? Plastic discarded into the environment may contain additives that can leach out into the water supply that are carcinogenic or cause disruption in endocrine gland function that impacts hormone levels. However, even chemically safe plastic can break into pieces that are ingested by wildlife and can kill them. Let's consider plastic straws. Americans use about 390 million plastic straws a day (The Freedonia Group). Straws are unnecessary (except in uncommon medical situations), unrecyclable and nonbiodegradable. They are in the top 10 items picked up on our beaches (1millionwomen.com). They contribute to the plastic eaten by wildlife with disastrous results, killing 1 million seabirds and 100,000 marine animals each year (get-green-now.com). Cities like Seattle have banned plastic straws and environmentally conscious local restaurants like Mariahs serve drinks without straws and provide paper straws if necessary. The state of Illinois is finally taking positive steps to deal with the issue of plastic bags as a source of plastic pollution. House Bill 3335, the Carryout Bag Fee Act, would place a 10-cent fee on plastic bags provided at retail outlets with three cents of the money being retained by the store, four cents to the Carryout Bag Fee Fund and three statewide funds getting one cent each: the Solid Waste Management Fund, the Partners in Conservation Fund, and the U of I Prairie Research Institute. The Carryout Bag Fee Fund would go to various county or municipal agencies in the county where it was collected to fund the collection of various hazardous wastes and related environmental functions. Purchases made under government food assistance programs would be exempt from the fee. In the Senate there is a less satisfactory bill, SB 1240. It pushes for a seven-cent-per-bag fee that allocates the money two cents to the retail store, two cents to the General Revenue Fund and three cents to a Checkout Bag Tax Fund. Again there is an exemption for food assistance programs. SB 1240 is less satisfactory because two cents generated under the premise of improving the environment will disappear into the General Revenue Fund for who knows what purpose, the local retailer and Carryout Bag Fund get less money and some important statewide initiatives get nothing. The wording may prevent local regulation of containers. We urge readers to write to their state representatives and state senators asking them to back HB 3335 and oppose SB 1240. If no state action occurs, nothing prevents our own city council from taking action to reduce plastic pollution. For those wanting more information on plastic pollution, the Sangamon Valley Group of the Sierra Club is having a presentation on the topic April 10 at 6:30 p.m. in the Carnegie Room of the Abraham Lincoln Public Library at Seventh and Capitol. Stephen and Karen Soltys are both retired physicians. Stephen teaches at SIU School of Medicine on a volunteer basis and Karen volunteers with various community organizations. Almost exactly one year ago, I attended a hearing of the House Judiciary criminal law committee and watched as the Democratic majority killed one Republican-sponsored penalty enhancement bill after another. One wouldve made recruiting street gang members a Class 4 felony instead of the current Class 3. A bill to prevent child sex offenders from moving within a mile of their victims went down. The Democrats even killed a bill to enhance criminal penalties for anyone who knowingly harmed a police dog. The legislative massacre was staged after Rep. Tony McCombie (R-Savanna) rose on the House floor to complain that she couldnt get a hearing for one of her bills because the Democrats had bottled it up in subcommittee along with other Republican-backed penalty enhancement proposals. McCombies measure wouldve enhanced the criminal penalty for assaulting DCFS workers to bring it into line with the already enhanced penalty for knowingly assaulting police, firefighters, corrections workers and some Department of Human Service workers. It seemed like a no-brainer bill, especially since one of McCombies DCFS worker constituents was literally beaten to death while attempting to take a child into protective custody. In years past, that AFSCME-backed bill wouldve sailed through the General Assembly and been signed into law. Judiciary-Criminal has for years been a bulwark against penalty enhancement bills. The Black Caucus and former committee chair Rep. Elaine Nekritz derailed most of them by sending them to subcommittee to quietly die. Lawmakers slowly increased the penalties on countless crimes over the decades. And their pace increased after Illinois passed a so-called Truth in Sentencing law in the 1990s, which drastically limited the amount of time that inmates could earn to reduce their sentences while in prison. Eventually, people started waking up and realizing the very real damage this was doing. It wasnt just expensive to pay for prisons; the laws were contributing to the cycle of crime and violence and were locking up a whole lot of people of color. Republicans actually took the lead on criminal justice reform in other states and former Gov. Bruce Rauner signed quite a large number of reform bills during his term in office. But reforming existing laws was only part of the process. Preventing the passage of press release bills to enhance penalties after high-profile crimes was also important. Rep. Justin Slaughter (D-Chicago) now chairs the Judiciary-Criminal committee. He has taken a different approach, and four penalty enhancement bills have been approved this year. After her stinging defeat last year, McCombie started working her bill hard and even managed to get herself appointed to Judiciary-Criminal. She refiled her bill and added enhanced penalties for knowingly physically attacking adult protective service employees at the Illinois Department on Aging. Last week, Judiciary-Criminal unanimously approved McCombies new bill. Rep. Art Turner (D-Chicago) even co-sponsored the bill this time, as did Chairman Slaughter. Slaughter told me hes willing to consider sensible penalty enhancement bills like McCombies. We decided this year to consider, respectfully, those penalty enhancements that were sensible that didnt have anything to do with some of the Truth in Sentencing punitive policies, Slaughter said. And keep an eye on a new topic that is almost sure to surface. As I write this, 15 Illinois State Police troopers have been struck by motorists since the beginning of January. Two troopers have been killed. The penalty for drivers who dont move over or slow down for emergency vehicles is just a fine and possible loss of license. Somebody in the legislature will surely try to pass an enhancement bill, and this one will be tough to stop - and, frankly, shouldnt be stopped if properly drafted. PHOTO COURTESY STERI-CLEAN ILLINOIS. Hoarding cleanups represent 80 percent of Steri-Cleans business. When a loved one dies of a suicide, violent crime or a drug overdose, the Sangamon County coroner gives the deceaseds family a list of biohazard businesses to help with cleanup needed in the home or vehicle. Most people dont know companies like us exist until something happens to them, said Tony Moser, the franchisee and operations manager for Steri-Clean Illinois. Steri-Clean hopes to soon be added to the countys list of biohazard cleanup businesses since Moser expects to open an office in Springfield later this month to service central and southern Illinois. The company currently has a presence in more than half the states in the country, including Mosers existing franchise in Lynnwood, Illinois, a south Chicago suburb near the Indiana border. Mosers line of work means he and his employees are often employed at locations that are a source of grief for surviving friends and family. Some job sites can also be an emotional challenge for the work team. Ive been in a situation where a child had died, Moser said. I did one case where it was a triple murder by machete. You could actually see the struggle; you could see the swing marks and the blood splatter and the blanket of the girl who tried to hide in the closet. Those situations get very difficult. The company also assists in the clean up of car accidents and substances left at the scene of drug busts. Its Mosers job to think about the spread of blood pathogens and other foreign matter. So when he sees a fatal car accident, he said hes concerned about the spread of disease from blood being washed into grass. Thats pretty bad, because kids play there and people carry a lot of diseases, Moser said. While the company offers biohazard cleaning services, its main focus is assisting in the clean up of hoarding cases. Cory Chamlers, Steri-Clean CEO, started the business in 1995, but his work received national attention once he helped create and hosted the hit A&E show Hoarders. Moser said hes already worked with some hoarding clients in the Springfield area and expects to have a staff of four people in the local office. Hoarding is a disorder that affects about 5 percent of the population, which equates to around 680,000 Illinois residents. What most people dont understand about hoarding, Moser said, is that those affected by the disorder are usually intelligent and have experienced some type of loss. Steri-Clean doesnt intend to fill the role of a therapist, but Moser said he understands hes dealing with clients whove experienced something traumatic that has led to a change in behavior. Moser said the last thing he wants to do is walk into a clients home and remove possessions without first understanding the significance of the items the client is attempting to keep. He said he sees his company as one of the first steps a person takes to overcome those challenges, which requires a lot of care and establishing a relationship with clients who are attempting to correct their behavior. People dont realize and recognize that its a mental disorder, Moser said. A person may go through something traumatic in life that changes them. Lindsey Salvatelli is an editorial intern with Illinois Times as part of the Public Affairs Reporting masters degree program at University of Illinois Springfield. Contact her at intern@illinoistimes.com. 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 Estonian companies expressed interest to join the bidding for the national ID system contract, the Finance Department said Thursday. Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III met in Manila with Estonias ambassador-designate to the Philippines Vaino Reinart, Estonia Ministry of Foreign Affairs director Marki Tihhonova-Kreek and representatives of Estonian companies behind Estonias electronic governance system. Reinart said the companies that transformed the northern European country of Estonia into the worlds most advanced digital society expressed interest in developing the Philippines national identification system and explore other opportunities in evolving technology-driven industries. We are aware that the Philippines is about to implement the digital ID and provide their citizens with this, Reinart said. It is indeed a good time to come here and demonstrate what you could possibly be able to implement provided the digital ID is properly secured in place, he said. Electronic video communications tool Skype was developed in Estonia. About 99 percent of public services in the Baltic nation are available digitally, including the filing and payment of taxes. Dominguez welcomed Estonias interest in the Philippines and invited Estonian companies to participate in the bidding for the national ID system contract. Our number one interest right now is the national ID, and we are going to be putting out the international tender docs pretty soon, Dominguez said during the meeting. Dominguez said the Asian Development Bank was assisting the Philippine government through a policy-based loan program to provide support for the implementation of the national ID system.Dominguez said that aside from exploring business partnerships here, Estonia could also tap the Philippines young, skilled workers who are quick learners, fluent in English and can easily adapt to Estonias high-tech work environment. Dominguez said with the average age of Estonias labor force at 41 years old, the Philippines could complement this with its young workforce with an average age of 23. Dominguez said the Philippines is now Japans demographic partner in Asia, with the average age of Japanese workers in the late 40s complementing the Philippines young and talented labor force. We would like to encourage you to look at us as potentially your demographic partners here. I think Filipinos around the world have a relatively good reputation, Dominguez said to the visiting Estonian delegation. Attending the meeting were Jana Silaskova of the Estonia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Madis Sassiad of GoSwift, Raul Kaidro of RaulWalters, Rein Haavel of Cybernetica, Dr. Aleksander Reitsakas of Aktors and Linnea Parnaste-Virve of Ecomatic. Reinart said the representatives of Estonian companies were looking to establish partnerships in the Philippines. Cybernetica developed the secure software system of the Estonian government; Aktors specializes in e-governance, e-finance, defense and security; RaulWalters is behind the technical solutions for the Estonian e-ID; GoSwift deals with streamlining customs operations at the ports of entry; and Ecomatic is engaged in building management systems. Senator Sherwin Gatchalian proposed the restructuring of state-run Philippine National Oil Co. into a pure oil and gas exploration firm. Were working on restructuring PNOC and to sharpen its mandate to purely oil and gas exploration. Were working on that. This is a model we saw in Japan, Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate energy committee, said. We will remove the trading. [There will be] no more RC [PNOC-Renewables Corp.] and EC [PNOC Exploration Corp.] No more jatropha, no more property [development]. Just oil and gas, he said. Gatchalian said there was a time that PNOC Alternative Fuels Corp. invested in jatropha amounting to P2.4 billion.Lets just concentrate on oil and gas discovery because that is mandated. They should look for, explore in the upstream, he said. He said PNOCs name might be retained, but the government would streamline its mandate. We will retain. We will tighten the power of Congress over this new entity that were thinking. But the bottom line here is we will refocus it to purely upstream oil and gas so that we will be secure in our energy needs. Because if you go jatropha and other things, money is wasted, he said. Prof Dr Tochtermann Prof Dr Nordemann [See recent decision of Henry Carr J in TQ Delta which demonstrates that injunctions are not always tied to the FRAND licence] Danny Alexander QC Dr Martin Stierle Patents are all around us, even if we cannot always see them. So, what if I hold a patent in a complex product say a chip for mobile devices and you build smartphones using my chip without a licence? What if I hold a patent in a screw and you use this screw in an industrial plant without my permission? Would an injunction always be the fair and adequate response? Generally, if I can prove infringement, the courts in Germany and other countries on the continent will require you to stop your infringing activity and deliver up or destroy the infringing articles. Shouldnt courts grant more individually tailored remedies for example, by awarding compensation in lieu or granting grace periods to use up the infringing articles or to switch production? And what about standard-essential patents (SEPs)? Can their owners be forced into FRAND-licences?A conference organised by the Institute of Law and Technology/Chair of Private Law, Intellectual Property Law and Technology Law at the Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany, addressed these questions through talks and discussions on how to enforce patents smoothly (programme here ). When ruling on patent infringement, courts have so far been considering various competing interests. The question is, however, if they should further expand their discretion (in common law jurisdictions) or balancing leeway (in EU law or civil law jurisdictions) explicitly to the remedy-level. Should future case law lead the way from automatic injunctions to proportionate remedies?To begin with, Prof Dr Franz Hofmann, LLM argued that remedies in general are an important tool to balance interests (on remedies in European private law, see here ). Particularly in patent law, this tool might be utilised more, because patent law is confronted with various competing interests. Whereas balancing is a well-recognised task at the stage of exceptions and limitations, opportunities to strike a balance via remedies are considered more controversial. However, they should not be missed. Via proportionate remedies, patent law enforcement could reach a desired level of fine-tuning and sophisticated enforcement and strike an optimal balance between the competing interests of patent holders and infringers. Hence, the question what is the appropriate remedy should be answered with regards to the individual interests in each case. For example, an injunction might not be granted because switching costs could cause individual hardship. Yet, remedies must not be misunderstood as a general tool to get access to certain technologies.in turn, was more reluctant. Tasked with laying the groundwork for the upcoming discussion, she analysed the question of whether we should scrutinise the automatic grant of an injunction in cases of infringement from the statutory perspective. Spoiler alert: we dont. At least, according to L. Tochtermann. Starting with TRIPS, she found no sign of proportionality when it comes to granting injunctions. Arguably, neither Art. 44 para. 1 nor Art. 41 para. 2 include a proportionality requirement. And since the wording of Art. 30 is clearly about limiting the scope of the patents as such and addresses members to TRIPS, not individual judges, a broad interpretation is inappropriate. After that, L. Tochtermann analysed the EU IP Enforcement Directive and came to the same conclusion: whereas certain provisions on remedies explicitly spelled out a proportionality requirement (i.e. Art. 8(1), 10(3)), Art. 11 on injunctions did not. Art. 3 might stipulate that every remedy should be effective, proportionate and dissuasive, however, L. Tochtermann deemed this to be a "quite general statement". Finally, L. Tochtermann argued with reference to German law: if preconditions of s. 139 German Patent Act were fulfilled, an injunction had to be granted. Though the infringer could raise the good faith defence according tothe courts set a high threshold and had yet to refrain from granting an automatic injunction in patent cases. In her conclusion, she saw a danger of legal uncertainty and highlighted the function of the patent as a temporary monopoly compensating for the duty to disclose. Therefore, any codification should come with high standards.After that, Prof Thomas F. Cotter g ave an introduction to the economic side of injunctions in Patent Law. Conventional wisdom is that property rules are a good fit for IP rights. The parties might be the best judges of incremental value. Moreover, transaction costs will normally not impede bargaining because patents are public documents, and if necessary parties can form pools and collective rights organisations to mitigate transaction costs when they are high; also, some observers argue that judicial remedies are systematically under-compensatory (although Cotter expressed doubt about this). But there are reasons to question this conventional wisdom: especially when patent owners use injunctions to extract ex-post royalties that exceed the ex-ante value of the invention (holdup, see Thomas F. Cotter, Erik N. Hovenkamp & Norman V. Siebrasse, Demystifying Patent Holdup ). In cases in which the risk of holdup is high, courts could deny the injunction. Cotter then showed that this is not without risk, because it may encourage a holdout by the infringer if damages are not fully compensatory. Moreover, eliminating the risk of an injunction may discourage private efforts to reduce transaction costs. In theory, the path to the optimal solution is clear: courts should award injunctions only when the social benefits outweigh the social costs. Cotter, admitting this was not very helpful, provided some rules of thumb for the judge.The next session was opened by Prof Dr Jan Bernd Nordemann who portrayed grace periods in so-called soft IP. After a short overview on the development of the principle of proportionality and grace periods, he focussed on the preconditions and characteristics of a period to use up infringing goods. In Unfair Competition Law, he argued that two questions were decisive: who is affected by the infringement in which way and who is protected by the corresponding legal provision. Hence, in unfair competition cases consumer protection and public interests were relevant factors to determine if a grace period could be granted. Trademark Law, by contrast, is focussed on the individual interests of right holders and infringers. Nordemann then outlined the relevant interests to be balanced when (not) granting a grace period in Copyright cases. An additional statutory basis for faultless infringements ( s. 100 German Copyright Act ) would exist but is barely used due to the broad interpretation of negligence. In the end, he underlined that a grace period is only relevant when an injunction was disproportionate and its exceptional character should by all means be considered by the court. In contrast, grace periods are usually contained in settlements.After these elaborations on soft IP, the conference was guided back to hard IP bywho depicted grace periods in German Patent Law. According to Osterrieth, the dogma of automatic injunctions has changed due to two cases: Toll Collect and Warmetauscher (leading case of the German Federal Court of Justice, BGH GRUR 2016, 1034). He argued that both cases emphasised the question of whether the old system of patent enforcement covers all types of cases or whether injunctions should be granted more flexibly and noted that problems arise when complex devices are concerned. Especially when infringers are facing disproportionate"replacement" costs, tailored injunctions should gain in importance, bearing in mind the definition of the protected subject matter, even if injunctions should remain the starting point of patent enforcement. Thus, grace periods would not lead to compulsory licences but provide a soft enforcement tool for hard IP rights.After lunch, Prof Dr Peter Georg Picht addressed injunctions in the context of FRAND cases. As a result of the CJEU decision in, obtaining an injunction has become harder for patent holders. In his opinion, unFRANDly behaviour is an additional layer on top of the requirements for an injunction to be granted. According to Picht such behaviour can be divided into two scenarios: (1) unFRANDly negotiation conduct and (2) unFRANDly content. Following some statistics on injunctions in Germany and the UK, selected issues were discussed. For example, German courts accept claims for injunctions even if the parties do not fulfil their negotiation duties prior to commencing litigation, as long as they catch up regarding their conduct during litigation, which might incentivise patentees to sue first and negotiate later. On the other hand, courts in the UK accept conditional injunctions in cases of untimely litigation (see, [2017] EWHC 71 (Pat)). They tie the effect of the injunctions they grant to the existence of a FRAND licence (FRAND injunctions)Whereas UK judges refer to their discretion when granting injunctions, German courts pursue a stricter approach. But even their general procedure of granting injunctions might be modified in a FRAND context, especially when antitrust aspects are involved. Finally, anti-suit injunctions might be used by UK litigants as a strategic tool to safeguard UK jurisdiction in patent claims. Anyhow, a dialogue of the courts in cross-jurisdictional disputes would be helpful to avoid contradictory judgments (see further P Picht et al, The Effect of FRAND Commitments on Patent Remedies ).Later on, the alternatives to injunctions were discussed in more detail. At first, Daniel Alexander QC considered the underlying question why do the UK courts grant injunctions or alternatives in IP cases. He emphasised the need to understand the origins of the UK approach to granting/refusing injunctions that are rooted in real property law ([1895] 1 Ch 287). After summarising the current English law against the background of a rise of proportionality requirements via European law, he focussed on two cases: (1) life-saving pharmaceuticals and (2) FRAND determinations in SEPs. The overall themes were the tensions created by the long duration of patent litigation and a fast-developing modern patent system as well as the problem of assessing financial remedies in lieu of injunctions. The latter issue revealed interesting connections to the general debate on negotiating damages ( Morris-Garner) and the scope of a reasonable licence fee ([2018] EWHC 2761 (Ch)). In the subsequent discussion, he further highlighted the interesting tension between the principle of territoriality of IP rights and the assessment of damages via global licence fees.Next up, Prof Dr John M. Golden considered injunctions in the US after. He reminded us of the need to distinguish between preliminary and permanent injunctions before and subsequent to thedecision. Whereas the former injunctions are still difficult to get, Golden analysed that the real change happened with regards to the latter, especially concerning the burden of proof (see further Mark P. Gergen, John M. Golden & Henry E. Smith, The Supreme Courts Accidental Revolution? The Test for Permanent Injunctions ). Overall, he focused on three controversies: (1.) ongoing royalties as an alternative to injunctions, (2.) staying injunctions and (3.) judicial discretion to tailor an injunction with respect to (a.) its timing and (b.) its scopefor example, to be more fitting to the particular infringing aspect (on tailoring injunctions, see John M. Golden, Injunctions as More (or Less) than Off Switches: Patent-Infringement Injunctions Scope ).Nearing the end of the conference, Dr Martin Stierle was tasked with identifying underlying legal principles. Highlighting the very different approaches of common and civil law, Stierle admitted that at first glance he took this task for a mission: impossible. However, he considered the fundamental conflict between administrability and flexibility to be the same. The injunction is the default remedy, but do we need exceptions? Stierle concludes that the majority in German academia nowadays says exceptions are needed. The question of whether a non-automatic injunction is a compulsory license in disguise is also common in both legal systems. From a purely theoretical point of view, Stierles answer to that question is "no"". If a compulsory licence is granted, there is no infringement of the patent, whereas compensation in lieu of an injunction would be granted in the event of an infringement (see., 504 F.3d 1293, 1313 (Fed. Cir. 2007)). Based on his concept of abuse of right, which Stierle defines as a dysfunctional exercise of right, one must consider the function of patent law as creating welfare by innovation. This is why seeking an injunction for an infringement of a non-practiced patent could be deemed an abuse of right.Finally, Dr Peter Tochtermann presented his perspective as a German judge. He highlighted the issue of proportionality as an argument being put forward by many defendants in current patent litigation proceedings. He argued that a wide judicial discretion could, inter alia, lead to a decrease in predictability of litigation. Nonetheless, P. Tochtermann emphasised that at least in German law proportionality is rooted in the constitutional basic rights and the principle of good faith in private law ( s. 242 German Civil Code ). Thus, German judges already need to take proportionality considerations into account, i.e. by granting a grace period, irrespective of legislative changes. However, the crucial question should always be whether an injunction would indeed be disproportionate in the respective cases.The final presentation led to a panel discussion chaired by(Google). The speakers, P. Tochtermann, Patrick Schmitz (Deutsche Telekom) and(Nokia), discussed the controversial role of the parties and the courts in patent litigation. Should judges grant injunctions more flexibly? And if so, are they well-prepared to do so? Against the background of a current suggestion to change the statutory provision on injunctions in German law ( s. 139 German Patents Act ), the discussion focused on the need for and consequences of a change in the patent enforcement system. At the end of the day, the remaining overall question was: Where do we see the law of enforcing patents in the future?" It has been clarified that during the crisis and even before, the entire regime was prepared not for the flood but for controlling possible social and political consequences. As seen in a video posted on social media, during an interview a soldier says, we are here from March 19. In this clip we could also see numbers of military carriers, armoured vehicles and some tents, showing the 24h presence of the military. Since the clarification of what has truly happened and the possible growth of the flood, the regime, fearing a popular uprising, has elevated censorship of news of the flood in an effort to minimize the dimensions of the disaster. In this regard, Rouhanis minister of interior, Rahmani Fazli, asked the regimes judiciary to take so-called legal action against the publishing of popular news, that he called fake news. While minimizing the dimensions of the disaster in northern provinces and Shiraz to reduce peoples outrage, the regime has sent thousands of IRGC and Basij units with full military equipment, under the pretext of helping people in the northern part of Iran, to control the situation assessed as explosive. The Deputy Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the regime admitted the peoples outrage and blocking the road and while minimizing the situation said, regarding the flood in Golestan, which has not been controlled since Monday. so families are disturbed. For example, we said that in Agh Ghela township the flood has decreased but how much? I was there and except a little that I was able to walk with boots, I had to use a tractor. Tractors are serving as taxis. People are not accustomed to living in tents and this situation. Although the governorate has created a camp but over 70% of tents are empty. Even now the frustrated people have blocked the roads without the permission of the crisis management office. Although the devastating flood forced misery and suffering on our people, it once again has proven that the mullahs regime is the worst enemy, and instead of taking common and known responsibilities taken by the governments at the time of crisis, it is worrying about popular uprisings. Their priority is not to save people lives but is to oppress any potential popular uprising by those affected by flood. Khamenei (like other dictators) wouldnt realize the time of being stricken with this ongoing fire of outrage, that burns him and his entire regime. Many towns are still in super-crisis state and rescue workers are trying to save as many people as they can, but are too often being stopped by the mismanagement of the Regime. Even state-run institutions like the Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) are admitting it, although it should be noted they are doing so for factional gain, rather than genuine concern. The commander of IRGC ground forces Mohammad Pakpoor said that there is no management in the rescue and aid operations, adding that no government official would dare to show up in the areas where conditions are bad because the people are in a rebellious mood. He said: They said for two or three days that the flood is coming, evacuate, without any foreground without, for example, giving them a tent, now they evacuate, where to go, go on a mountain which is cold, now water has taken everywhere, there is no road, only an open gas road Many villages, most of the villages have no road, theres nothing, only with just a helicopter, some food is taken there Electricity is cut off because all cables have fallen. On Monday, after all, communication and road connectivity was lost with the town of Pol-e-Dokhtar, Lorestans governor predicted a great human tragedy if rescue workers and aid were not sent. (Indeed, videos and photos from early in the day showed that two-thirds of the town was under several feet of water.) While rescue workers were sent, there has not yet been any information about possible casualties. All rivers in Lorestan have breached their banks, while the Marook dam is also overflowing. In the capital, Khorramabad, the water levels have reached nine feet. The local MP Mahmoud Sadeghi tweeted the vice president for help. He wrote: Mr Jahangiri please come to the rescue of Lorestan province. Connection has been lost with a few towns and cities. Defenceless people are besieged by floods. All officials who are contacted say they cannot do anything. Other areas of Iran in a state of emergency over the floods include: Khuzestan, where over fifty villages have been evacuated and two major dams are completely full Shush, where 30 villages in the area were evacuated The Alborz mountain range, where melting snow is adding to the rising river waters Many roads and railway lines are now impassable all across the country. Over 200 are thought to have died. In the wake of that statement, Al Monitor criticized the Trump administration for supposedly focusing its response upon an effort to score political points. However, it bears mentioning that the State Departments comments came only after Iranian officials had largely turned their own efforts toward blaming foreign adversaries for the situation. To wit, Foreign Minister Javad Zarif accused the US of committing economic terrorism with its sanctions, while President Hassan Rouhani took advantage of a disaster management meeting in Khuzestan Province to deride the Trump administration as a racist, lawbreaking, and war-mongering group. With such rhetoric coming even from the supposedly moderate faction of Iranian politics, it seems unlikely that the regime would have seriously considered accepting any American offer of assistance, regardless of the accompanying commentary about Tehrans response to the floods. Nonetheless, Al Monitor criticized the US State Department for its apparent failure to provide guidance to foreign governments and international aid groups about how to guarantee that they would not encounter sanctions enforcement issues upon offering material assistance. Yet the same Al Monitor article quotes State Department deputy spokesperson Robert Palladino to suggest that such guidance may not be necessary. After all, the White House has long insisted that humanitarian goods such as food and medicine are already exempt from the sanctions on Iran. This contradicts a message that has been repeated by the Iranian regime both in the global media and in lawsuit last year that alleged the US was in violation of a Treaty of Amity that had been signed between the two countries long before the 1979 Iranian Revolution. The resulting judgement from the International Court of Justice ordered the US to avoid restricting the flow of humanitarian goods, but it gave no indication that any such restrictions had actually been in place previously. Tehrans latest references to economic terrorism and supposedly overreaching US sanctions simply repeat longstanding talking points, but these arguably serve only to cover up the regimes own culpability for an economic crisis that has affected ordinary Iranian citizens to a far greater extent than government officials and persons affiliated with hardline institutions like the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. One clear contributing factor to that crisis is Irans refusal to come into compliance with the anti-money laundering standards of the Financial Action Task Force, which are enforced upon every nation that engages in commerce with major international markets. Irans persistent heel-dragging on FATF compliance legislation prevented full access to sanctions relief following the implementation of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. And more recently, it has hampered the full implementation of the sanctions-busting payment vehicle created by the United Kingdom, France, and Germany in response to the Trump administrations withdrawal from the nuclear deal in May of last year. According to the National Council of Resistance of Iran, the recent flooding and the desperate need for access to foreign capital has reinforced awareness of the need for FATF compliance. The report cites Masoud Pezeshkian, deputy speaker of the Iranian parliament, as saying that the countrys current problems are worse than during the eight year war with Iraq. But in spite of this, the NCRI notes that Pezeshkian refused to blame the mullahs for the crises, instead accusing foreign forces of hurting the country. Such stubbornness reflects the broader regimes unwillingness to compromise or submit to international standards, according to the NCRI. Furthermore, the report emphasizes that as the nationwide flooding was just beginning, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei addressed the country on the occasion of the Nowruz holiday to insist that the Islamic Republic should forgo the help and company of the West altogether. Such a sentiment puts at least some of the onus upon the regime itself for any difficulty that it faces in receiving support from the international community during the ongoing crisis. Khameneis sentiment has carried over into the public statements by other Iranian officials, attempting to blame the US and its allies for the severity of the flooding. These statements include not only the aforementioned references to sanctions as a source of impairment in the domestic relief efforts, but also outright conspiracy theories regarding climatic manipulation by the West. As IranWire pointed out on Monday, similar conspiracy theories had been peddled in previous months to explain the long-term drought that preceded the floods and were reportedly exacerbated by poor environmental management on the part of the Iranian government. Similar mismanagement issues have been credibly identified as contributing factors in the flash-flooding crisis. As the Associated Press pointed out on Tuesday, government authorities and construction companies affiliated with the IRGC have routinely been criticized for widespread disregard of safety measures and construction of buildings and roads near the rivers. The effects of these practices were arguably on display one year ago when more localized flooding was seen in East Azerbaijan Province, which killed 30 people. As such, there was reportedly a high degree of public awareness about government mismanagement in the run-up to the current crisis. This point was emphasized by Al Monitor in its reporting on the State Departments commentary on that same mismanagement. Although critical of Pompeos decision to publicly blame Tehran, the article only suggests that those remarks are redundant and politically opportunistic, not that they are inaccurate. Indeed, Al Monitor quoted Ali Vaez, the Iran director of the International Crisis Group, as saying, The Iranian people are fully aware of endemic mismanagement and corruption in their country, and do not need to be reminded of it by foreign officials who are hostile to the regime. The preexisting public awareness was no doubt a contributing factor in one aspect of the regimes response to the flooding. It has been widely recognized that at least in the first several days during which government officials were present in flood zones, in-fighting was amplified between the hardliners associated with Khamenei and the IRGC, and the pragmatic political faction that is led by Rouhani. The NCRI stated that in lieu of taking responsibility for the corrupt and incompetent practices that contributed to the recent devastation, these factions have been blaming each other for their crimes because they fear being overthrown by the Iranian people. The primary outlet for wider factional feuding was a series of conflicts between the president and the Revolutionary Guards, a phenomenon that IranWire describes as having arisen before in times of national emergency. The same report claims that Rouhani and IRGC Commander-in-Chief Mohammad Ali Jafari have been trading accusations and insults regarding each others general capabilities and actual responses to the situation, thereby suggesting that there is little coordination between the two factions as they pursue their own projects and preferred outcomes. Meanwhile, both factions are separately subject to condemnations from the public and from opponents of the entire regime. On one hand, Rouhani was criticized for taking a full nine days before traveling to an area affected by the floods. On the other hand, the IRGCs presence on the ground has been widely recognized, but its motives have also been questioned. Iran Human Rights Monitor, for instance, described the hardline paramilitary as being more focused on managing the peoples anger and repressing dissent than on actually providing relief or preventing further loss of life. As a result, even regime officials have come to acknowledge that the peoples anger has been growing. This was underscored by another NCRI report, which pointed to remarks delivered by Mohammad Pakpour, the head of IRGC ground forces, to a media outlet that is close to the Guards. There are too many problems, there is no management, he said, adding, I have just been able to get out of their way. They are very upset. They are very angry. In the face of that situation, factional infighting may be waning somewhat, as evidenced by the efforts in recent days, by the Rouhani administration and hardline authorities, to turn their joint propaganda against the US and other foreign enemies. At the same time, authorities on both sides of the factional divide have also been contributing to the silencing of domestic dissent, as by threatening flood victims and their families with prosecution for speaking publicly about their experiences. In reporting upon this, the Center for Human Rights in Iran quoted Iranian human rights lawyer Abdolkarim Lahiji as saying, The government wants to shift the blame to the people and unleash the police against them. We are dealing with a regime that considers it a crime to inform the public about natural disasters and criticize. The regimes threats provide ominous overtones to efforts by Iranian state media to portray a vigorous response to the flooding. Fars News Agency, for example, has relentlessly boasted of the military and paramilitary presence in flood zones. On Monday, it emphasized that 100 units of the Army have been mobilized and on Tuesday it identified Major General Seyed Abdolrahim Moussavi as saying that the army will stand by flood hit people [until the] end. Then, on Wednesday, Fars reported that 1,341 civilian militias were active in the provinces of Golestan and Mazandaran alone, adding to the well-recognized presence of the IRGC, which controls these basiji volunteer groups. While there, the MPs and Peers from almost all political parties expressed their condolences to the bereaved families in Shiraz and across Iran, who have suffered through devastating floods in recent weeks. They also urged the UK government to condemn the Iranian Regime for its failed relief efforts, which have mainly been about sending in suppressive forces to quell protests about the lack of relief. They further stressed to the British government about the need to work with the European Union to end this vile crackdown in the flood-stricken areas. Sir David Amess MP, co-chairman of the British Committee for Iran Freedom (BCFIF) welcomed the participants to the Nowruz celebration in the Parliament and said, We reiterate our call on the UK Government to support the democratic aspirations of the Iranian people and recognise the NCRI. The UK should join the US campaign of maximum pressure on Iran regime. It is time for the UK to stand on the side of millions of Iranians and not on the side of the mullahs. The future of Iran belongs to those who stood and struggle against both the Shahs dictatorship and the religious dictatorship. Steve McCabe MP said, Human rights continue to deteriorate in Iran. The regimes brutal crackdown to a year of sustained popular anti-regime protests and strikes by workers show that the regime leaders are neither willing nor interested in addressing the legitimate demand of Iranian people. The UK must now take the lead internationally to secure an accountability process backed by the international community and Europe to hold the regime to account for its serious human rights abuses, including the 1988 massacre of thousands of political prisoners. The parliamentarians noted that the Regime was at its weakest point, both domestically and internationally, which is why it is striking out at the Iranian Resistance movement through terrorist plots and a massive disinformation campaign. The speakers explained that the disinformation campaign has not affected their views of the Resistance because they know how the Regime operates and they know that the Resistance is a democratic, freedom-seeking movement. That is why they support the Iranian Resistance, its leader Maryam Rajavi, and her 10-point democratic platform for future Iran Farzin Hashemi from the NCRI Foreign Affairs Committee said: As [Maryam] Rajavi, emphasised in her New Year message, a change in Iran is within reach. The people of Iran deserve a free and democratic country and they will write and create such a destiny with their own hands. The gates of Iran are open to embracing a future without oppression, inequality and injustice; a republic based on the separation of religion and state; a country ruled by its peoples suffrage and sovereignty, where the peoples votes have the first and final words. Other attendees included, Stephen Pound MP; Rt Hon Sir Roger Gale MP; Rt Hon Theresa Villiers MP, Former Secretary of State for Northern Ireland; Rt Hon John Spellar MP, Former Shadow Minister for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs; Bob Blackman MP; Baroness Redfern; Rt Hon Lord Dholakia OBE DL, Co-Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrat Peers; Lord Singh of Wimbledon CBE; Lord Maginnis of Drumglass; Lord Clarke of Hampstead CBE; Malcolm Fowler, Former Member of the Human Rights Committee of the Law Society of England and Wales; Hossein Abedini, the NCRI Foreign Affairs Committee; Rt Hon Stephen Timms MP; Dr David Drew MP; Afzal Khan MP; Andy McDonald MP; Faisal Rashid MP; Eleanor Smith MP; and Jack Lopresti MP. Shell Philippines Exploration B.V. is seeking a six-year extension of Service Contract 38 or the Malampaya natural gas project to explore other areas in northwest Palawan. We heard that Shell is willing to explore more around that area. In fact, there are three or four potential areas around SC 38 and that will eventually extend the same quantity, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said in an interview with reporters. Gatchalian, the chairman of the Senate energy committee, said Spex was seeking to extend its contract to 2030. The Malampaya consortiums SC 38 contract will expire by 2024. The consortium is composed of Spex as the operator and with a 40-percent stake, Chevron Malampaya Llc with a 40-percent stake and PNOC Exploration Corp. with a 10-percent stake. Gatchalian said Spex wanted an extension of the contract because it intended to explore other areas near SC 38 which could yield more natural gas and extend the life of the Malampaya well until 2030. That is only a briefing to us by Shell but we also want to understand how that will affect the LNG terminal knowing there are now new prospects. Because if I am the LNG terminal, why would I import if there is still [gas] by 2030. My $2 billion [investment] will be sleeping, he said. Gatchalian said he would coordinate with the Department of Energy on the strategy for LNG development given the new development.The Energy Department earlier issued notices to proceed to two groups for the LNG projects. These include Tanglawan Philippine LNG Inc., the $2-billion LNG venture of Phoenix Petroleum Philippines and China National Offshore Oil Corp. and FGen LNG Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of First Gen Corp. Sources said Shell applied for service contracts around SC 38 under the first Philippine Conventional Energy Contracting Program which remained to be approved by the Energy Department. The Shell Companies in the Philippines announced in December that it would push for more oil and gas exploration to discover another Malampaya gas field instead of putting up an import terminal for LNG. The economic question in LNG, if those who will use it are the existing ones we have, which are around 3 gigawatts of capacity. Then actually if we can drill and find one more [gas field], thats enough to feed the five plants, SCIP chairman Cesar Romero said. Romero said LNG terminals could face the risk of being stranded once a new gas discovery was made. The risk of LNG terminal is who will be your customer. If sensibilities prevail, indigenous always trumpsover imports. The import terminal, then if there is discovery, hopefully, us, the LNG facility may be stranded, he said. The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines will enforce an 18-day travel security and safety measures in anticipation of an increase in passenger traffic in 44 commercial airports in major cities and provinces around the country this coming Holy Week. CAAP spokesperson Eric Apolonio said the agency has regularly prepared for the increase in passenger influx during the holiday season. He added CAAP will start its implementation of Oplan Byaheng Ayos: Semana Santa 2019 next week in compliance with the directive from the Department of Transportation. This is in anticipation of the increase in passengers as Filipinos fly home to their provinces for the approaching Holy Week, he said. CAAP expects an increase in the number of passengers this year. On April last year, Philippine airports welcomed a total of 5,508,498 domestic and international passengers with 3,036,274 of these passengers arriving and departing through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Security measures will be in place to ensure safe, reliable, and convenient operations at all 44 commercial airports in the country from April 8 to April 25, said Apolonio. Apolinio said coordination has also been made with airlines regarding the efficient processing of their passengers, especially at the check-in counters. Additional airline personnel will be deployed as needed to accommodate the increase in travelers. All 12 area managers handling the 40 CAAP-managed airports with commercial flights nationwide were also advised that maximum deployment of service and security personnel will be observed so a no leave and day-off policy will be implemented during the entire duration of Oplan Semana Santa.The CAAP also coordinated with the Office for Transport Security (OTS) for baggage screenings and with the PNP-Aviation Security Group for perimeter security and surveillance. The area centers have also been directed to ensure that hotlines are operational and properly manned for the duration of the Oplan and to report incidents in real time to the CAAP Operations Center. Meanwhile, help desks manned by duty officers will also be set-up to accommodate passenger concerns. Travelers are also reminded not to bring prohibited items to the airport and to stow all belongings in ones carry-on baggage for faster processing at the screening checkpoints. NAIA officials earlier advised passengers to leave home early to allot more time for travel to the airport during the peak period. We expect a heavy volume of travelers in the coming peak travel period. As a general rule passengers be at the airport at least three hours before their flights. Be sure that travel documents (passports/visas) and ID cards are in your possession and are easily accessible, said Manila airport general manager Eddie Monreal. Monreal also asked air travelers to be mindful of valuables and personal belongings as well as infants and small children, and have name tags and distinguishing marks on pieces of luggage for easy identification and ease in retrieval from airport carousel. Four members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, including a brother of a top terrorist leader, were killed while 11 others were wounded following a running gunbattle against government troopers in Maguindanao early Monday. The military said one of those wounded was a nephew of another terrorist leader belonging to a separate radical group. Major Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, commander of the Armys 6th Infantry Division identified the slain terrorists as Ali Abdul Malik, brother of BIFF leader Abu Toraype; and three others who have yet to be unidentified Citing intelligence reports, Sobejana identified two of the wounded terrorists as Hairudin Abubakar and a certain Maranao, all members of the Bungos group, a separate faction of the BIFF. The killing of the four BIFF members came after security forces launched search and destroy operations against terrorists operating in the outskirts of Maguindanao, particularly in Datu Unsay town. While searching for the terrorists lair, ground troops launched indirect fire which hit the supposed hideout of Ali Abdul Malik, triggering a fierce firefight.After a lull in the fighting, ground troops conducted clearing operations, which led to the recovery of war materiel, including Improvised Explosive Devices. Hours later, the BIFF Bungos faction tried to reinforce their comrades under the Toraype group, triggering renewed firefight which led to the deaths of the terrorists Sobejana said a volley of gunfire and mortar fire backed by air strikes were launched against the terrorists who numbered to more than a hundred fighters positioned in separate locations. As the firefight continues, ground troops maneuvered to a strategic area in anticipation of another reinforcement from a separate BIFF group led by Commander Karialan, which failed to materialize. The recent clash came following last Mondays firefight between soldiers and the BIFF which wounded a number of civilians and army troopers at the outskirts of Isulan town. Here is an article in the Jurist discussing the discrimination gay people face in the criminal justice system. The article primarily examines the harm that arises with jurors who have a gay bias. The article advocates for the SCT to take up the case of Charles Rhines v. Darin Young. The petitioner, Charles Rhines, claims that the South Dakota jury that sentenced him to death harbored an anti-gay bias. As a general rule, courts don't like to interject themselves into the jury deliberation process. However, in 2016, the SCT in Pena-Rodriguez v. Colorado overturned a defendant's conviction because members of his jury harbored racial biases against Latinos. If the SCT were to take up this case and side with the petitioner, it would most likely be viewed as an extension of Pena-Rodriguez to sexual orientation. Jurist.org: Anti-Gay Bias Has No Place in Our Juries - Luis Manzano and Dante Gulapa had a hilarious moment together on Minute to Win It - The two had a macho dance showdown onstage - However, their dance battle received mixed reactions from netizens PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed Luis Manzano and viral sensation Dante Gulapa had a hilarious encounter with each other on the ABS-CBN program Minute to Win It. KAMI learned that the two also had a macho dance showdown onstage. The Kapamilya host shared a video of their epic dance battle. Kadalasan ang unang naiisip sa akin ang hosting pero di alam ng karamihan ang tawag rin sa akin ay ang dancing diamond of asia, ilan lang to sa ebidensya na may puwang ako sa hall of fame ng pagsasayaw. Note, after 9 mos manganganak na ang stage namin dahil kay Kuya Dante, Luis wrote. Netizens on Fashion Pulis had mixed reactions regarding their dance battle: OA ni Luis Hindi naman sa feeling conservative pero i dont think dapat pinapakita ang mga macho dancing skills sa tv. I watched this. Its super hilarious. Luis is such a funny guy diko talaga ma gets ang hype sa dante gulapa na yan. ok macho dancing O tapos? si Dante his trying to make a living habang hot topic pa ...hayaan ninyo na!! PAY ATTENTION: Using free basics app to access internet for free? Now you can read KAMI news there too. Use the search option to find us. Read KAMI news while saving your data! As previously reported by KAMI, Luis grandmother Milagros Santos passed away at the age 93. Luis Manzano is one of the most in-demand television hosts in the Philippines. He is the son of showbiz legend Vilma Santos. The Kapamilya star is currently in a relationship with actress Jessy Mendiola. He also used to be the boyfriend of Angel Locsin. POPULAR: Read more news about Luis Manzano! Enjoyed reading our story? Download KAMI's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Filipino news! PAY ATTENTION: 21 Celebrities Who Preferred To Tie The Knot With Ordinary People What is the Tagalog of bag? We took to the streets to ask ordinary citizens some tricky and hilarious trivia questions. The answers we got are even more hilarious! Check out all of our exciting videos on KAMI HumanMeter YouTube channel! Source: Kami.com.ph - Raymund Marasigan called out the candidates who used unauthorized popular songs as their campaign jingle - He then urged the Filipino voters not to support those who steal music - The musician also gave advice on how to know if a candidate used an unauthorized music PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed Rock musician and former drummer of iconic OPM band Eraserheads Raymund Marasigan has taken his thoughts to social media about the politicians who used pop songs as their campaign jingles without permission. KAMI learned that through a tweet, Marasigan urged the Filipino voters not to support the candidates who illegally used popular songs for their campaign. Whenever you hear an unauthorized bastardized version of a popular song as an election jingle, pls dont vote that candidate, he said. Di pa naelect, nagnakaw na, the musician added. PAY ATTENTION: Caught In the Act: 15 Celebrities Who Have Cheated On Their Partners When a netizen asked on how they could know if the candidate used an unauthorized song for his jingle, Marasigan said that they could ask the artist their management or the recording label. He added that they could also inquire with Filscap. PAY ATTENTION: Using free basics app to access internet for free? Now you can read KAMI news there too. Use the search option to find us. Read KAMI news while saving your data! In an article by the Inquirer (author Katrina Hallare), Filipino Society of Composers, Artists and Publishers of Filscap, tried to have an agreement with the Commission on Elections to remind the candidates to seek the permission of the artists or composers before using their song for it would violate the RA 8293 or the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines. Enjoyed reading our story? Download KAMI's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Filipino news! What is the Tagalog of bag? We took to the streets to ask ordinary citizens some tricky and hilarious trivia questions. The answers we got are even more hilarious! Check out all of our exciting videos on KAMI HumanMeter YouTube channel! Source: Kami.com.ph About books, reading, the power of fiction, some music, some movies. These are my opinions, my thoughts, my views. There is much wisdom afloat in the world and I like finding it in books. Communicating about wisdom found keeps it from getting lost. Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Wednesday activated the Local Inter-Agency Committee on Housing Proclamations to address problems in the implementation of her housing proclamations for the urban poor. Arroyo herself presided over the LIAC hearing at the House of Representatives as she moved to resolve issues in the housing proclamations, particularly in Pasay and Paranaque City, which are covered by Proclamation 9964 and Executive Order 67 signed by the Speaker during her presidency. The issuance of titles for the estimated 10,000 housing beneficiaries in those projects had been delayed for various reasons. Arroyo said she wanted to speed up the process to enable the beneficiaries to get their titles to their properties before she steps down from office in June 2019. During the hearing, Arroyo initiated the overall simultaneous planning, census survey and lot survey of the properties which were undertaken from March 29 to April 3, 2019. The prices of the lots, ranging from P1,000 to P4,000 per square meter, one of the contentious issues in the negotiations, were also agreed upon during the hearing. She also pushed that some developments make use of the Medium Rise Building system rather than single detached homes in order to accommodate more informal settlers.In the end, Arroyo was able to resolve the issues and schedule the issuance of titles to beneficiaries in two of the three areas within April 2019. We were able to solve some policy issues, very good. [The awarding process] will be a lot smoother like the pricing has been agreed, the MRB versus single-detached. A lot of things. Im so glad, you know the LIAC is something to my knowledge, the LIAC is a mechanism that was constituted before when I was president and as you can see, it really works a lot. You discuss a lot and solve problems, Arroyo said. The hearing was attended by representatives from different agencies particularly from the first and second districts of Paranaque City, the National Housing Authority, Philippine Commission for the Urban Poor, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and various Barangays and Peoples Organizations from Barangays Tambo, La Huerta, Dongalo and San Dionisio. Representatives from the Peoples Organizations expressed gratitude for the Speaker for giving priority to urban poor housing. Arroyo said it was the priority of the legislature and the government to continue consulting and conferring with POs to address the growing problems being encountered with informal settlers. Youth and Innocence The Hidden Scars Bart and Pearl Carrillo: The Next Generation "I quit [high] school right about April of '41, just before Pearl Harbor," my father said, sitting back in his chair where he could feel a cool breeze blow in through his bedroom window, and continued, "I sensed there was no future going to school. A lot of guys were joining the 'service'. A lot of guys were going into the peacetime army. Some guys joined the CC camps (Conservation Corps) and from there they went right into the military. But after Pearl Harbor, everybody was joining; even the smart kids were joining. In those days, school wasnt what it is now. Today, kids have a lot of choices. For us we only had one choicework."Something caused a shift in his focus, and he began talking about his Japanese friends and how much it bothered him when the government shipped them to relocation camps and confiscated their property. He remembered his friend George Kanagai, as American as any kid in town."George told me he went to get his Boy Scout merit badge in swimming, but they told him he could only use the pool on certain days. There was more discrimination against the Japanese than us."George Kanagai joined the Army and distinguished himself in Europe, fighting with the famed 442nd, all Japanese infantry battalion, known for winning more medals than any other unit in WWII.George became an officer, made a career of the Army, and eventually retired and returned to West Los Angeles, where his family waited. Ironically, he dedicated his life to serve the same government that interned his family and friends.Ted Nakamura, on the other hand, a neighbor who lived two doors down from us, had been sent to a relocation camp with his family during the war. My dad told me how one afternoon, Ted told my father about the time the Army came to the camp to ask the incarcerated Japanese men if they would serve in the military and swear allegiance to the U.S., a strange request considering most of them were already Americans, born and educated in the U.S.My father recalled Ted telling him, They take everything from my family, lock us up in a camp, then ask us to fight for this country... No! he answered to both questions. Mr. Nakamura was to become what the Japanese Nisei, and historians, called a "No-No Boy." My father, an army veteran, told his friend, I dont blame you one bit, Ted.To drive home his point, my father asked me, "You know Bob Brent? I nodded that I did. He was one of my dads friends Well, Bob told me he had to go to Lordsburg, New Mexico to get marriedin 1955, because his wife was Japanese. Ain't that funny? Didn't I tell you? In the 1800s, California passed a law where Anglos couldn't marry Japanese or blacks. But, guess what? An Anglo could marry a Mexican. You know why? That's because the government figured one way to take Mexican lands from the Californios was for Anglos to marry Mexican girls whose families had a Spanish land grants.In 1941, after my father quit high school, he and his parents were living in Sawtelle, or what the Mexicans pronounced, Sotel, West Los Angeles today, in a house near Sepulveda and Pico Boulevards, on Pontius Avenue. He continued talking, his mind meandering through his memory. I let him take me wherever he desired.He said, "Remember, there weren't any apartments back then. My dad, your grandpa, always rented.""Why didn't he buy?""Well, the people from Mexico always thought one day they were going to get sent back, so why buy property? But that was just a rumor. You know how people were then. But! They did send some back in the '30s. Some people they picked up right off the street. They didn't ask them anything. They just put them on a train. Nobody from our town, mostly [people] from the east side. Sometimes they'd round 'em up downtown and take them away. The families didn't even know what happened to the fathers. A year later or so the families would get a letter from Mexico. I did meet guys my age who got taken to Mexico, but they were born here, so they got to come back. Maybe in some ways it was worse than what happened to the Japanese because at least the Japanese knew where they were going. These people didn't know what happened. They just were gone."He was referring to the forced repatriation of Mexicans, a U.S. program initiated in the 1930s. In their book,Francisco Balderrama and Raymond Rodriguez described the social and economic disaster, for both the U.S. and Mexico, that proceeded the action, a clear warning for those today who do not truly understand border politics or economics.When did you go into the Army? I asked.I quit school in the eleventh grade, and that's when they drafted me. They gave me a month before I had to go inright here to the Masonic Hall, for our physical exams, on Santa Monica Boulevard and Butler. And oh, god, everybody was there, all my friends, mostly eighteen-year-olds, drafted together. Pete Valdez and the older guys went before us. Congress passed the first draft in 1940 for 21-years-olds. Then when the war started, I guess Congress figured they'd need moreso they passed the law to draft of 18-year-olds. I was in the second batch. Everybody wanted to go, too. In fact, I remember one guy started crying because he couldn't go. He had lung problems or something."What did your father say about it?He thought, as if remembering, then answered, "Well, my dad said, 'If they want you, you've got to go. It's your duty.'"My brother Nick, and your uncle, Rufino, were fathers, but they got drafted in the tail end of the war. Rufino had five-kids, and they still took him. His brother Trini got killed in Europe. My brother Nick and Rufino went to the Philippines, mostly clean-up duty by that time. I went in 1942, to Basic Training in Mississippi."In a low steady voice, he told me how after basic training, the Army assigned him to mechanic school. He said, Because I guess my tests showed my IQ was pretty good. But I wasn't mechanically inclined. I just couldnt get it. After eleven months, I just didn't feel comfortable. I had to work on airplanes, but I told them nothing I learned had really sunk in, so they sent me to Georgia where I drove a truck, towed the planes around, checked the tires, and pulled guard duty."In those days, it was the Army Air Corps. "If you didn't fly, the Air Corps was no fun. They sent me to San Rafael, California for nine months. Then they told me I was going to Texas, for advanced infantry training. In Texas, I met a guy named Philip Lyman. We became good friends."I also met quite a few guys from Puerto Rico. They came from the island where it was warm, so, in Texas, they were always cold. The sergeants made fun of them all the time. They couldnt speak English. I did the translating for them. The Puerto Ricans had already been in the Army in Puerto Rico, and since Puerto Rico was considered overseas duty, they were receiving overseas pay. In Texas, when they received their first paycheck, they were short $21.00. That was a lot of money in 1942. They couldn't figure it out, so they asked me to go talk to the paymaster. There I was with about 20 Puerto Rican guys following me. That's when they found out since they were in the States, they wouldn't receive the extra pay."My father volunteered for Jump School at Fort Benning, Georgia. He had heard many Chicanos were joining the paratroopers, like the Villa brothers, Aurelio and Nico, though Nico had already been killed in Italy.Why did so many Chicanos go Airborne? I asked.He said, first, it was for the extra jump pay, an added incentive for poor kids who were sending home money to help support their families. He also said it was the uniforms. Only paratroopers could tuck their pant legs into their special jump boots and wear the airborne wings and insignia on their caps. He figured, finally, it was to show courage, maybe even loyalty to a country that had always questioned their American-ness. He said that he, Philip Lyman, and Kiki Estrada, a Puerto Rican friend, all signed up.After Jump School, he got 15-day leave before reporting for overseas duty. He came home, with Philip Lyman, who had a girlfriend in Los Angeles. Instead of reporting for overseas duty on the date assigned, they both got drunk and stayed AWOL 22 days. When they reported back, they learned they had missed their deployment to Europe. They both figured the Army would just put them on the next ship out. Instead, the Army sentenced them to six-months in the stockade.He asked the commanding officer, "Why don't you just send us to Europe?" He rejected their request."That didn't make any sense to me, having us sit in stockade when we could have still gone overseas.""Did many guys from your hometown get killed in the war?"He grew pensive, then said, "Let's see Sal Talamantez, Aurelio Baca, Nico Villa, (Teh-Teh's brother), --ahAlfonso Mendezwho else? Joe Fojardo. There were quite a few."I asked, "And that was just West L.A.?""Yeah, just West L.A. Oh, Santa Monica had a lot of them. Oh they lost quite a bit, like Chava Guajardo (Tudi's brother), Talo Mireles, Tino Diaz, Julio Marquez, Ramon Hernandez--no wait, I think he was killed in Korea. There was Tony Manriquez and Trini Hernandez, Rufino's brother, Joe Gandara [recently awarded the Medal of Honor], and a lot others.""Why so many guys from Santa Monica?" I asked."See, there were more people in Santa Monica. It was an older town. Over there they had more barrios. Here [West L.A.] they (the barrios) were scattered all over and there were Anglos mixed in. In Santa Monica, a lot of them came from the same towns in Jalisco, like San Juan de Los Lagos and Valle de Guadalupe."The Simons brickyard of Montebello sent a lot of Chicanos to Santa Monica in the 1920s. Simons built homes for them. In fact, most of the people on 24th and 25th Street came from Simons. That's what your grandfather [my mother's father] died of, brick-dust in the lungs. Then Simons [in Santa Monica] sold out to Higgins. But the guys stayed-on, working. A lot of them retired from the brickyard. But that also meant a lot more Chicanos lived in Santa Monica and got drafted.""Did you know any of those guys well, the ones who died?""Yeah, I knew them all. When I was at Ft. Campbell, I met a guy who had made six combat jumps. Thats a lot. After four jumps, the Army would assign you to stateside duty, but this guy stayed in. He said he made his first jump with the 82nd Airborne in North Africa.I knew Nico Villa had been in the 82nd Airborne, so I asked if he knew Nick Villa. The guy did. He even knew how Nico got killed. It was in the invasion of Anzio, in Italy. Nico had parachuted in. He saw heavy action. The Army had broken through the beachhead. Nico and the guys had come into a small town. The guys were out of water and thirsty. You know in Italy how they have those fountains in the middle of town? Well, the guy said Nico and a bunch of other guys ran over and started drinking water. Someone called in the German planes. They came in a shot up the center of town. After all that fightingNico and those guys get killed drinking water. The first thing you always learn in the Army is to never bunch-up."He remembered Frank Machado, a kid from West L.A., an M.P. who had been stationed stateside. He got bored, and he went AWOL for a few weeks. When he returned, his punishment was to go overseas. He went on a troop carrier. "The Germans sank Frank's ship before he even reached Europe."He thought for a moment, and then said, "You know, it was a pretty exciting time in West L.A. I mean, there were soldiers all over. There were gun batteries stationed at the Soldier's Home, up in Brentwood, and at Stoner Park. They were camouflaged. I guess there were about thirty guys stationed at Stoner Park. Before we were drafted, we used to watch them go through their exercises. M.P.s would patrol along Santa Monica Boulevard, looking for guys going AWOL."Every afternoon, the sirens would go off, and everyone had to cover their windows to keep the lights from shining through. The air raids kept going off, even into the '50s. You remember that?"I did. The sirens were used in the late 50s and early 60s to prepare us for an atomic bomb attack. When the sirens sounded, we would practice diving under our desks in school, and cover our head with our hands.After his discharge from the military, my mother and father married. He worked in construction. He said employers searched desperately for workers during those post-war boom years. Contractors, especially in housing, wanted skilled labor, union jobs closed to my grandfather's generation. Though, thats a whole other story. The Philippines flagged terrorists global funding schemes to homeland security authorities of Asia-Pacific countries, seeking cooperation to combat a wide international network of communist-infiltrated front organizations. Major General Antonio Parlade Jr., Armed Forces of the Philippines Deputy Chief of Staff for Civil Military Operations, in his speech at the Milipol Asia-Pacific 2019 Conference in Singapore on Thursday, warned that the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed units, are masking themselves as humanitarian non-government organizations to secure funds from international donorswhich are then used to conduct terrorist activities. He said the 50-year-old CPP has already established an international network, named the International Department, comprised of some 252 member-organizations based in 39 countries. The group established 16 chapters abroad through the International League of Peoples Struggle headed by CPP chairperson Jose Maria Sison. We foresee that this problem, if not checked can turn out to be a hybrid scheme that can be a transnational crime problem. The purpose of this presentation is to make you aware that there is such a thing, and because of how intricate these international funding is being done. It may not be in our radar, Parlade said. He also named local organizations that are affiliated with the ILPS, such as the IBON Foundation, General Assembly Binding Women for Reforms, Integrity, Equality, Leadership, and Action, Alliance of Concerned Teachers, KARAPATAN, National Union of Peoples Lawyers, among others. Parlade said these organizations conduct international solidarity missions where they publish inaccurate reports to portray a tyrant and oppressive Philippine government. At the same time, they lobby for funds from foreign institutions claiming that they will be used for projects to solve the fabricated issues, but will rather be used to fund terrorist activities. The CPP-infiltrated organizations, he added, publish inaccurate information such as weak employment generation, and bloated figures on displaced indigenous communities, among others.Theyve been fabricating reports, theyve been tweaking, distorting reports so that the Philippine government will be perceived as incompetent, inefficient. They submit all these reports, false and fabricated reports, to the EU, UN, and other governments, again for funding, he said. On December 2018, President Rodrigo R. Duterte signed Executive Order No. 70 creating the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict. This national task force is not only about a military or police solution, but its about good governance. Its approaching the problem in many perspectives, and you can see there the 12 lines of efforts that we are using to engage the different CPP Programs. Theres local government empowerment because this is about good governance. We are engaging our international stakeholders through our international engagements, Parlade said. During the task forces engagement in Europe earlier this year, Parlade learned that the Communist-affiliated NGOs were able to raise as much as 15 million euros over a five-year period from Belgium alone. He also found out that about 1.3 million euros will be remitted this year. We have a long way to go. We have to analyze deeper, the links, the layers, and layers of organizations covering this fund generating scheme for the terrorists, he said. So we have to work together in order to alert each other of this, he added. Your tax-deductible gift today powers our reporters and keeps us independent. We rely on you, our reader, not paywalls to stay funded because we believe important news and information should be freely accessible to all. Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe For decades, California has been a land of opportunity for Indian workers seeking technology jobs, but in recent years, restrictive U.S. immigration policies and economic growth back home have caused many Indian expats to move back to India seeking a better life. Meet Mani Karthik. He's a digital marketer from South India who moved to Irvine in 2013 with his wife and young son. Four years later, they moved back to Kochi --an Indian port city in the southern state of Kerala. Karthik's decision to return to Kochi came in the wake of attacks on Indian American immigrants in Seattle, Kansas and Northern California. "The trigger was the concerning news happening around us, and the political change," Karthik said. "Hearing such things kind of makes you think, 'What are we doing here? Do we belong here? Is it safe to be here?'" Like most Indian immigrants in the U.S., Karthik was here on a temporary visa for foreign workers in speciality occupations called the H-1B. Karthik's employers had filed to sponsor his green card, which would have granted him permanent residency, but after waiting and waiting, his green card never came. "You don't know how long that wait is going to be. There's a lot of uncertainty there," Karthik said. Currently, the U.S. State Department advises that wait times for green cards for high-skilled Indian workers are upwards of 10 years. Those long green card wait times are among several factors prompting some Indian skilled workers to leave California and move back to India. Also driving the shift: an uptick in H-1B visa denials and delays, anti-immigrant sentiment circulating in the U.S. and improving job prospects in India -- especially in the country's booming tech sector. BACK TO INDIA Karthik is also the creator of BackToIndia.com, a website inspired by the surge of Indians returning from jobs in the U.S. The website is a step-by-step guide for Indians living abroad looking to return home. "There was a lot of information online, but it was either outdated or all over the place," Karthik said. "I wanted to bring it all into one place, to create a checklist that people can refer to, people who want to move back." Mani Karthik shows off his website, BackToIndia.com, which helps Indians in the diaspora move back to their homeland. (Aaron Schrank/KPCC) The website, launched shortly after Karthik's 2017 move back to Kochi, has spurred an online community with thousands of members. In closed groups on Facebook and Whatsapp, they trade advice on how to ship their belongings, find jobs and help their kids cope with culture shock. A REVERSE BRAIN DRAIN? Skilled workers returning to India in large numbers is a stark contrast to labor trends of past decades. Carnegie Mellon University engineering professor Vivek Wadhwa moved to the U.S. from India in the 1980s. He said at the time, he and his peers could put down roots. They had success starting companies or rising through the ranks. "Parents would cry when their children would leave [India] because that means they would not see them again," said Wadhwa, who researches skilled immigrants leaving the U.S. "They would not come back. Then, everything began to change because of U.S. immigration policies." In 1990, Congress created the H-1B visa, amid a boom in the American IT sector. By the early 2000s, Wadhwa said Indians were seen as a threat to American tech jobs. New restrictions added to a backlog for green cards. Currently, three-quarters of H-1B visa recipients in the U.S. are from India. Most are trying to get their employers to sponsor them for green cards, or permanent residency. But there are only 140,000 employment-based green cards issued per year, and the federal government says no one country can get more than 7 percent of them. So Indians are stuck in limbo longer than most. Wadhwa explored this trend in his 2012 book, "The Immigrant Exodus," in which he warned that restrictive U.S. visa policies would spur innovation in India and China. "The tide has turned," Wadhwa said. "It's a reverse brain drain at a very fast pace that's happening, and the United States lost a big strategic advantage it had." Canada is also on the hunt for high-skilled labor. For families who want to remain in North America and spend less time waiting for permanent residency, Canada has streamlined the process for highly-skilled workers with strong English or French language skills to immigrate. The country's "express entry program" is ramping up and could accept H-1B's leaving the U.S. It's a shift that's prevalent in engineering classes at Carnegie Mellon, according to Wadhwa, where the majority of his students are Indian or Chinese. "The default now for top engineering students is to go back home," Wadhwa said. The number of Indians in the U.S. looking for jobs back in India grew from 600 at the end of 2016 to 7,000 in March of 2017, according to analysis by consulting firm Deloitte. In the 2017-2018 school year, there was an 8.8 percent drop from the prior year in the number of graduate and professional students from India enrolled in U.S. universities, according to the Institute of International Education's annual survey. VISA GAMBLE It's not just the green card backlog. The U.S. immigration system leaves Indian-born workers and their families with a cluster of uncertainties that make it difficult to plan a future in California. "I love this place, but I'm worried about the visa issues," said Rashmi Pradhan, an IT worker living in the Los Angeles neighborhood Woodland Hills. Those uncertainties have only grown since President Trump took office. Trump issued his "Buy American, Hire American" executive order in April 2017. Months later, federal immigration officials began increasing the rate of H-1B visa denials, according to a National Foundation for American Policy analysis of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services data. Then, last June, USCIS announced another new policy signalling a crackdown on highly-skilled immigrant workers. Now, if you're a non-citizen who tries to extend your visa or apply for a green card and you're denied, you can be placed into deportation proceedings. Plus, most spouses of skilled immigrant workers are unable to work in the United States, because they are on H4 visas for dependents. Pradhan's wife Manisha has a doctoral degree in organic chemistry, but no work authorization in Southern California. "That makes me think 'okay, let's go back ... and we can both have a career," Pradhan said. In 2015, President Obama issued an executive order giving work authorization to some spouses, if the were married to someone with an H-1B visa who had begun the green card process to become a lawful permanent resident. That didn't help Pradhan's wife, but it did allow tens of thousands of immigrant spouses, many Indian-born, to begin working. Then, last month, the Department of Homeland Security proposed undoing Obama's 2015 order, which would strip them of work authorization. Pradhan, who works for an IT services firm called Cognizant, and his wife have already decided to move back to India -- in part due to the uncertainty of their future work prospects in the U.S.. They've purchased an apartment in Hyderabad, the capital of India's southern state of Telangana. "It's easy to switch jobs in Hyderabad, but not here in Los Angeles," Pradhan said. They hope to relocate in December, but it might happen sooner. Pradhan's H-1B visa is only good until June. He applied for an extension, but doesn't know whether it'll come. OPPORTUNITY IN INDIA Last year, Udit Patidar lived in San Francisco and was a product manager at Intel. Then he moved to Hyderabad and founded a waste management startup. At an in-person meetup for Mani Karthik's 'Back to India' community, held in the heart of Hyderabad's bustling IT corridor, Patidar told the small group that he always felt comfortable as an Indian-American before the U.S. 2016 presidential election. He even had secured a green card. "The morning after Trump had won, that was the first and only time I ever felt a little bit self-conscious," Patidar said. "I went into a cafe to get croissants or whatever and felt that people are looking at me for whatever reason. You have some eyes on you." Experiences like that were just one factor for Patidar. He and the others at the meetup said they were lured by job prospects in the city's tech industry. Microsoft built its largest campus outside of Seattle in the city in 2004. More recently, Google, Facebook and other big names have moved in. Vinay Goli and Sudheer Bandaru both recently moved from California to Hyderabad. They participated in the first in-person meetup for the 'Back to India' community. (Aaron Schrank/KPCC) As the economy in India changes, so do the views of locals living there. About two-thirds of Indians say the financial situation of average people in India is better than it was 20 years ago, according to a recent Pew survey. "Nothing is better than living in California, especially the Bay Area," said Vinay Goli, 30, who moved back to Hyderabad last year after nine years in the U.S. "I definitely miss California. But I'm happy with where I am today here." So are Mani Karthik and family. Karthik is an entrepreneur now, pursuing projects from his home office in Kochi that his U.S. work visa wouldn't allow. His wife Dhanya couldn't legally work in the U.S., but now runs an online boutique selling women's clothing. Karthik misses a lot of things about Southern California - the weather, big box stores, Mexican food, In-N-Out Burger, but said he has no desire to move back. Karthink's 11-year-old son Dhruvan, however, said he's planning to move back to Irvine someday. His parents said, maybe, if he studies well, he can come back for college. Your tax-deductible gift today powers our reporters and keeps us independent. We rely on you, our reader, not paywalls to stay funded because we believe important news and information should be freely accessible to all. Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe A pile-up of unresolved investigations. A sharp drop in the number of cases closed. Allegations from at least four employees of a hostile working environment. These were the findings of a KPCC/LAist investigation published earlier this month into how Ken Bramlett ran the Los Angeles Unified School District's Office of the Inspector General -- the powerful internal watchdog unit that polices LAUSD from within for waste, fraud or mismanagement. For L.A. Unified School Board member Nick Melvoin, KPCC/LAist's reporting reflected doubts he'd harbored about Bramlett. "My assessment of the prior inspector general," Melvoin said in an interview, "was that no, the work product wasn't up to a quality that I would expect." During a closed-door meeting in June 2018, board members declined to renew Bramlett's contract. Bramlett left LAUSD shortly thereafter. In his interview, Melvoin acknowledged that his concerns about Bramlett's ability to manage the office's culture and caseload played a role in that decision. Melvoin also noted that the board has already taken action to address those concerns: "We brought in a new inspector general," he said -- William Stern, a 20-year FBI veteran, who began at LAUSD in January. Two candidates running in a special election for an open LAUSD board seat -- Heather Repenning and Jackie Goldberg -- also said KPCC/LAist's findings raised concerns about the rate at which the Office of the Inspector General was addressing cases. "I do think Ken Bramlett was kind of disappointing," Goldberg said, though she stressed she didn't have inside knowledge of the OIG's work. It is very disappointing to see that the person appointed to fight waste and mismanagement at LAUSD isn't showing up in the same way, or barely at all. Closing less than 5% of internal investigations is unacceptable. Heather Repenning (@heather4all) March 25, 2019 In two stories this month, KPCC/LAist reported that at least four OIG employees had filed formal complaints alleging Bramlett -- or his top deputy overseeing the investigative unit, Frank Cabibi -- fostered a hostile workplace culture. OIG employees also alleged Cabibi's management style was causing a backlog of unresolved investigations. Sources said Cabibi was eager to open cases, but not to close them. After Cabibi left LAUSD, OIG staffers found at least 25 cases sitting in a credenza in his office, ready to close, according to one document obtained by KPCC/LAist. WHY THE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL MATTERS To Melvoin, the reporting touched on a critical issue: "Who's watching the watchdogs?" The Office of the Inspector General, or "OIG," polices more than $9.6 billion in district spending for "waste, fraud and abuse." The office also employs "about a dozen" investigators to ensure LAUSD's 63,000 employees don't misbehave on the public dime. Armed with subpoena powers, the scrutiny of OIG investigators has gotten contracts canceled and employees fired -- or even criminally charged. The OIG reports directly to the LAUSD board, not the superintendent -- an arrangement that's supposed to make the office more independent from the district's administrative power structure. "When issues internally -- like to this office -- arise, and the board is made aware," president Monica Garcia said in an interview with KPCC/LAist on March 12, "the board has a responsibility to address them." Garcia expressed confidence in the new inspector general, but did not speak directly to specific concerns about Bramlett or Cabibi, saying she was prohibited from discussing "personnel-related" matters. Three other board members declined to comment for this story: Kelly Gonez, Scott Schmerelson and Richard Vladovic. A fourth board member, George McKenna, didn't respond to multiple requests for comment. In "watching the watchdogs," LAUSD board members must perform a balancing act: they must ensure, on the one hand, that the OIG wields its extraordinary powers fairly, and they must do so without applying political pressures that might shut down important inquiries. On the other hand, board members have also had to push back against critics who would prefer LAUSD's watchdog be kept on a shorter leash. HOW CAN WE KNOW THAT THE INSPECTOR GENERAL IS DOING A GOOD JOB? In an interview, the new Inspector General William Stern said he hoped the office would be judged by the quality of its work product, not the quantity of investigations. Stern noted the OIG publishes all of the reports produced by its auditors and makes public "as much as we possibly can" without breaking state law, which keeps all OIG investigations and work product confidential. Stern also said it's not fair to focus only on the numbers of cases closed, since the counts don't reveal how many of those cases were simple or complex. Consider: During Bramlett's tenure, the OIG played a role in the district's infamous iPad debacle and first raised red flags about a former LAUSD food service director who recently pled guilty to criminal charges. District officials had also referred to the OIG at least one matter involving ex-LAUSD board member Ref Rodriguez, who resigned last summer. The dip in case closures might mask the importance of this work. The L.A. Unified School District's Office of the Inspector General (OIG) completed 58 investigations in Fiscal Year 2013. Of those cases, seven were closed with "Reports of Investigation," which outline the evidence OIG investigators found. The other 51 investigations were closed with "Case Memoranda" -- documents OIG staffers file when they conclude no further investigation is necessary. By 2018, the number of cases the OIG completed had dropped to five. (KPCC/LAist analysis) Melvoin, Goldberg and Repenning all agreed that there's only so much the raw numbers of cases open and closed reveal about how good a job the IG's office is doing. But Melvoin said there are metrics worth tracking. He said he had discussed with Stern possibilities for metrics tracking the OIG's performance, like the ratio of criminal charges to cases brought or the number of personnel actions taken. (Melvoin said he was mindful about creating metrics that caused perverse incentives. Measuring the number of criminal charges brought, for example, might encourage the office to file "spurious" charges.) Melvoin said they also discussed tracking how much questionable spending the OIG identified -- a figure that OIG already publishes in its annual reports, but that the board might look to emphasize. "You can see a world," Melvoin said, "where [the OIG] is cost-neutral -- that it's recouping to pay for itself." HOW LONG A LEASH SHOULD THIS WATCHDOG GET? In both 2016 and 2017, charter school advocates made attempts to limit the OIG's role. As spokesman Richard Garcia said in an email last week, the California Charter Schools Association wants the OIG to more clearly define the scope of an investigation at the outset, with "district roles outlined and details on the nature of each investigation established in plain terms." "Your piece," Richard Garcia's statement continued, "highlighted a need for such change within the office and the process." But Goldberg said she believes the charter association simply chafes at the idea of any oversight at all. "I don't think anyone is exempted from a good look by the IG if there's a reason to believe there's a problem," she said. Melvoin said the complaints from charter operators reflected broader concerns about how the OIG was handling cases. The first step in addressing those complaints was hiring a new Inspector General, Melvoin said. "I led the charge in making sure we brought in a more effective IG," Melvoin said, "because we believe in the mission of this office." Melvoin, Repenning and Goldberg all expressed confidence in Stern, saying it appears he has the credentials to be successful in his job. Repenning said ensuring the Inspector General lives up to expectations is the board's responsibility. "The onus is on the board," said Repenning, "to develop a set of measures and mechanisms so that the people running the office know that this is the bottom line expectation for annual work product." Your tax-deductible gift today powers our reporters and keeps us independent. We rely on you, our reader, not paywalls to stay funded because we believe important news and information should be freely accessible to all. Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe Gas leaks. Collapsed buildings. People trapped in elevator shafts. When a major earthquake hits, first responders are going to be busy. Very busy. That's why more than 130 Urban Search and Rescue responders from Fairfax, Virginia and L.A. County, are eating, sleeping and acting like a major earthquake has hit. It's part of a massive training exercise at the Los Angeles County Fire Department's Del Valle regional training center just north of Magic Mountain. The 96-hour drill started on Monday and continues through Thursday. It's a simulated scenario, with crushed cars, pancaked buildings, and a busted elevator shaft. Responders are practicing confined space rescues, technical rope rescues and canine search functions. Here's what a "simulated earthquake environment" looks like in action, starting with Urban Search and Rescue workers using a crane to lift a piece of concrete that's crushed two cars. (Jacob Margolis/LAist) Another responder here works to free victims from a car crushed by concrete. (Jacob Margolis/LAist) The environment in this drill is meant to model a collapsed parking structure with a trapped victim inside. And here is Etta, an expert at finding victims trapped in collapsed buildings. (Jacob Margolis/LAist) "Even though this is a drill, this is an equal opportunity killer," said Matt Walmsley, L.A. County Firefighter and urban search and rescue worker. "This is a live pile. Anything can shift. Anything can buckle. Anything can crack. Rigging can break. So, you could get killed out here just as easy you can as a real disaster." Walmsley and his colleagues have designed the simulations based on their own earthquake experiences in places like New Zealand and Japan. Steve Bartram -- LA County battalion chief -- helped in the 2011 Christchurch quake, which killed 185 people and caused widespread damage in New Zealand. "We had a building we worked in Christ Church," Bartram said. "We actually were told that we had people trapped in the stairwell. And we started removing concrete, breaching it and pulled six stories of concrete out of a stairwell to get to the bottom." In the drill version of events, responders are using chainsaws and jackhammers to navigate the collapsed buildings. Both the LA and Virginia rescue teams are partially funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). And if a big San Andreas quake hits, they'll be the ones coming to rescue us if we're trapped. Their advice if you find yourself trapped in a structure after an earthquake? Get yourself noticed. "Make noise. Help us to find you. Be an active participant in your own survival," Walmsley said. "Call out to us. Tap. Bang on something. Let us know you're there. We are proactively looking for you." READ: Kill-Duterte plot exposed Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio on Thursday said she was barred by the Presidential Security Group from attending a campaign rally in Tangub City, Misamis Occidental, amid reports of an. The mayor, the campaign manager of the Hugpong ng Pagbabago coalition, said the security group did not say why she could not proceed, noting that the order came from the highest officer of the PSG. On Tuesday, the President spoke during a campaign rally behind bullet-proof glass, also upon the insistence of the PSG. Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said whether theare real or imagined, the government takes them seriously. There have always been threats against national leaders... It is public knowledge that the Chief Executive has made many powerful enemies for spearheading this reform agenda in the two-and-a-half years of his presidency, Panelo said. There is also no denying that the President is a man of the masses and has made himself accessible to the public, and will do so at every opportunity, he added. While Duterte could not care less about the threats against his life, the Chief Executive is still bound by mandatory security protocols, Panelo said. Whether he likes it or not, these protocols are mandatorily attached to the position he holds. It is the duty of the PSG to provide the highest level of security protocols, which includes putting up a bullet-proof glass panel if it deems necessary at a given situation, to keep the man holding the most powerful position in the country safe, he added. [Also,] whether the threats are real or imagined, we take them seriously and the Palace commends the PSG for doing a good job, Panelo said.Brig. Gen. Jose Eriel Niembra, deputy commander of PSG, earlier said the bullet-proof glass was needed as the venue during the Presidents recent engagement was held in an open area. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the use of bullet-proof glass is a normal precaution, especially in open areas. Is there a threat to the life of the President? We always assume the existence of threat to the President. Assuming otherwise would be foolhardy, reckless, and irresponsible, Lorenzana said. The Philippine National Police, meanwhile, said it has yet to receive any validated information on threats to the life of the President. PNP spokesman Col. Bernard Banac said the threats against the safety and security of the President come with the job, especially now that he is fighting drug syndicates, communist terrorists and criminals. It is the role of the Presidential Security Group [PSG] to always ensure that security and safety measures are set in place, including the bullet-proof glass casing in situations where they are needed most, he said. The Makabayan Bloc in the House of Representatives on Wednesday assailed the killing of 14 farmers during police operations in Negros Oriental on March 30, 2019. The group slammed the killing even as party-list Representatives Antonio Tinio and France Castro of ACT-Teachers, Ariel Casilao of Anakpawis, Arlene Brosas of Gabriela, and Carlos Isagani Zarate of Bayan Muna filed three resolutions calling for the investigation, in aid of legislation, of the killings. In another development, the Philippine National Police on Thursday condemned the people who continued to support the enemies of the state by taking advantage of the search warrant operations that resulted in the death of 14 suspects in Negros Oriental for their alleged propaganda against the government. We should vehemently send our condemnation against these people supporting the perceived enemies of the state to gain power themselves, even sacrificing the innocent lives of young students to attain their own propaganda against our country and government, Police Chief Oscar Albayalde, said in a statement. He made the statement amid the calls for his resignation over the incident. The lawmakers condemned the killing that they described as political. Casilao said Anakpawis was outraged over the incident, adding that the victims were leaders and members of the different local organizations in Negros Oriental. Casilao said the incident could be the implementation of Memorandum 32 that he described as a type of martial law, an open crackdown on legitimate organizations that the police had tagged as communist fronts.He said the victims, who were civilians and members of active organizations and local organizations of peasants, became the sacrificial lamb of the police counter-insurgency operations. Casilao said Makabayan was calling for an independent investigation and would not accept the investigations conducted by the National Polices Internal Affairs Service or IAS. He did not say how his group would react should the National Polices IAS find the policemen implicated in the killing guilty. This will lead to a whitewash only. We know the script, Casilao said. He said they were collating the testimonies of the survivors and the victims families which would form part in the case buildup against the policemen. Tinio also called on the House to take action on the killing of the 14 farmers. Businesswoman and Community Philanthropist Kiana Webb Talks McDonalds Next Generation Program Although Womens History Month has come to a close, women are still making powerful moves! In late March, the Los Angeles Sentinel Newspaper spoke with one extraordinary Black woman who is carrying the torch of her familys legacy and creating a name for herself in the business industry. Local McDonalds restaurant franchisee Kiana Webb always knew she would go into business given her familys background and widely known reputation for pioneering Black-owned franchises. My upbringing allowed me to learn about business and community engagement. Having an entrepreneurship conversation was always what [my family] did and is one foundation of who I am, said Webb. ADVERTISEMENT I understood the benefits and the pitfalls of being in business as a young person and how hard my parents worked, the sacrifices that had to be made and times when we had to budget and really go without while other people didnt around us. But I understood that whatever we created for ourselves, we were going to be successful. I also understood the freedom that it created and that the hours were theirs to control. Shortly after graduating college, Webb began working for a small clothing company that designed clothing for taller women, an experience that Webb could relate to given the fact that she is 63. In 2001, Webb joined her parents organization, the McDonalds Next Generation program and became an approved operator by 2005. Two years later, Webb was able to buy her first restaurant. Currently, Webb is a five-restaurant franchisee in Southern California and the president of Webb Family Enterprises which oversees 16 McDonalds restaurants. The Next Generation program is about creating multiple generations of owner-operators within one family and affording an opportunity to achieve multi-generational wealth, loyalty, and commitment to the Brand and the success of the communities we own our restaurants in. For better or worse, we are a family business, I am blessed to be able to work alongside my brother Kyle Webb and with our parents every day, she said. I am blessed to be a child of Reggie and Rene Webb. All of the lessons I learned as a child, I was now seeing through the lenses of an adult and a business owner; it made more sense as to why my parents were encouraging us to be more civic-minded and community focused. When asked about the most fulfilling part about her job, Webb referred to empowering her employees. ADVERTISEMENT Seeing how my team develops their leadership style and creates their teams to be successful is proof to me that we grow stronger together by transferring knowledge amongst each other. We continue that by sharing it with other people who are in the positions under us so that everyone really can achieve the greatest idea of who they are, she said. I love seeing the excitement on my supervisors faces as they are creating plans I love seeing the joy that happens when their people are successful and how much they brag about them. Throughout her career, Webb has managed to incorporate philanthropy, a passion that she shares with her family. Some of the organizations she is involved in include: Chapter president of the Black McDonalds Operators Association (BMOA) of Southern California Represents the Womens Operators Network (WON) nationally Creates employment opportunities in partnership with Turning Point Staffing Services, an organization that works with women who have been incarcerated Represents women operators nationally on the McDonalds NFLA (National Franchisee Leadership Alliance) Board member of Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare Board member of the Los Angeles County Fairplex Partners with the Pomona Unified School District to provide literacy grants and scholarships; sponsors the math and literacy fair in partnership with the University of La Verne Association Member of the LA County Fair For me, being a part of the community means taking care of the community. Whether its giving back to the school district from a literacy standpoint which is one of my passions or whether its giving food donations or providing scholarship money. Whatever it is, its who we are, she said. I know that I wouldnt be here if it wasnt for the foundation that my great grandmother and grandmother had given to my parents and then in turn what my parents did with it and in turn what they passed on to me and what Im passing on to my children. I also know it wasnt just them, it was the village that surrounded them that helped create each generation to be a little bit more successful. During the interview, the Sentinel also asked Webb if she had any advice for young Black girls and women who were interested in pursuing business. I think we are powerful, women especially are powerful. We can make a way out of no way and thats really what you do in business, she said. You have an idea and you either believe in that idea so much that you move forward with it or you let fear and doubt stop you from doing what your dream is. I would just say choose yourself and choose your dream. Look to the world not for affirmation, rather ideation and create your future. Dont let what other people are saying about you stop you from being your most successful self. At the end of the day its me, its God, and its love. So my hope is that women understand their power, that they are creating opportunities for other people and themselves. Census 2020 Vital for Nation and Various Media Campaigns Census 2020 will provide vital information about the nations growing population and infrastructure, which impacts the everyday lives of all Americans. Tasha Boone, the senior advisor in the office of the director of the United States Census Bureau, addressed just how crucial the coming census is during a discussion with African American newspaper publishers during a Black Press Week event in Washington, DC on Friday, March 22. Census data forms the basis of our representative democracy by enhancing the quality of life for all Americans, Boone said. ADVERTISEMENT The accuracy of census data is critical to determine congressional apportionments, state and federal monetary distributions, and planning for programs, she said. Boone noted that participating in the census is also important because it helps determine where more than $675 billion is distributed annually to communities around the nation for building new schools and other infrastructure. We need to know who we are and where we are and what the age range is so that money for programs can get into things like schools, Boone said. An accurate count is essential for a communitys future economic, social, and civic well being, said Boone. It is also essential for determining political representation and for business owners who seek locations to bring their companies, she said. The U.S. Census Bureau plans to host a live operational press briefing to mark the one-year out milestone from the 2020 Census. On April 1, 2019 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., Census Bureau Director Dr. Steven Dillingham and Census Bureau leadership will brief the public on the status of operations and provide updates on the success of the integrated partnership and communication campaign. ADVERTISEMENT The Census Bureau will be joined on stage by several organizations that highlight a handful of the partnerships that are key to ensuring a successful 2020 Census. Additionally, Census Bureau leaders will be available to discuss national hiring efforts and highlight what partners and other stakeholders can do to ensure complete and accurate counts in communities across the country. One of the most under-counted are our children, Boone said. If we dont count them, we cant get new programs for schools. Boone said the Census is a massive undertaking every decade and provides a snap shot that gives a voice to communities and those who comprise them. Census data is behind so much it determines where roads go, where schools are built, where people locate their businesses, fire services, and health care services, Boone said. For media owners, the Census provides an opportunity to help spread the word. 2020 Census Media Vendor Day for the 2020 U.S. Census Paid Media Campaign is an event designed to be accessible for media outlets that cover a wide range of audiences, demographics, and channels, as well media outlets that are small businesses, and women- or minority-owned. 2020 Census Media Vendor Day is scheduled for April 3 in New York. Split into two sessions the first from 9 a.m. to noon, and the second from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., both will be live streamed. The second 2020 Census Media Vendor Day is scheduled in Puerto Rico on April 5 for the Puerto Rico market. All media vendors interested in providing paid advertising opportunities for the 2020 Census Paid Media Campaign are encouraged to apply. Get your proposals in on time, Boone said. Holy Week, Resurrection Day Services Set at Agape-LA Bishop Craig A. Worsham and the members of Agape Church of Los Angeles will host three Holy Week services in their worship center located at Consolidated Plaza, 3725 Don Felipe Dr., in Los Angeles. Maundy Thursday worship will take place on Thursday, April 18, at 7 p.m. With a theme of A Service of Love and Reflection, the program will include feet washing and Holy Communion. The Resurrection Celebration is set for Sunday, April 21. At 8 a.m., the Right Rev. Theodore Larry Kirkland, Sr., who celebrates his 77th birthday on April 8, will bring the message. A retired AME bishop, he served nearly 20 years as pastor of Brookins Community AME Church in Los Angeles. The 11 a.m. Resurrection Day service will feature a sermon by Worsham, the founding pastor of Agape Church, who added that a continental breakfast will served after the 8 a.m. service. Following the 11 a.m. service, brunch will be available and the Childrens Ministry will present Eggstraveganza. ADVERTISEMENT We invite the public to join us on this most holy of all days as we praise, rejoice and worship our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, said Worsham. To learn more, call (323) 295-5571 or visit agapela.org. King, Memphis and the Morality of Sacrifice: Dangerous Unselfishness and Righteous Struggle In this month, we rightly turn toward Memphis and the martyrdom of Dr. Martin Luther King and again towards the enduring message and meaning of his life. Indeed, we turn to Memphis because it is the site of the martyrdom of Dr. King, one of the tallest trees in our forest of freedom fighters and a constant reminder we must continue the struggle and keep the faith. And we turn to Memphis because it is a microcosm, mirror and reminder of conditions we still must change in this country and the world, and of the work we must do and the struggle we must wage and win to accomplish this. Martin and Memphis are essential and instructive parts of our history as a people, as an African people, as African Americans. And to understand Dr. King and the city that became the site of his ultimate sacrifice and assassination, we must always place King in the context of his people and in the context of the history, culture and the Black Freedom Struggle of his people that called him into being. It is his peoples ancient and ongoing social justice tradition he embraced and in which he grounds himself and it is a tradition which makes morally imperative witness to truth, service to the people and self-conscious sacrifice in the ongoing righteous and relentless struggle to bring and sustain good in the world. ADVERTISEMENT The message of Dr. Kings life and his teachings, like all great messages of the world, are both particular and universal. They are particular in that they rise out of and speak first to a particular people, but it also universal in that it speaks to universal principles and practices which resonate with other peoples of the world, for it speaks to the best of what it means to be African and human in the world. It is good we gather to remember, raise up and pay rightful homage to Dr. King on April 4th, his Day of Sacrifice. We say Day of Sacrifice here rather than ,day of assassination, not because we dont acknowledge he was assassinated. But we want to shift the emphasis from assassination, which is what his enemies and the enemies of human freedom and justice did, to sacrifice which is what Dr. King did. That is to say, he refused to back down, surrender or be seduced by the system, but rather put his life on the line, demonstrating what he called on us to practice, i.e., a dangerous unselfishness. In his prophetic speech in Memphis, his last message to his people, the country and the world, he marked out paths we must follow if we are to be successful in our righteous and relentless struggle for freedom, justice, equality, civil rights, and rightful recognition and respect as persons and a people. Thus, he left us lessons of life and struggle we, in rightfully paying homage to his life, struggle and awesome sacrifice, should raise up, reflect on and put into practice. First, King, an astute reader of the signs of history, asked us to read those same signs and see the time we live in as a gift and good, a time for test and righteous and relentless struggle. He said he was glad to live in this great time of turning in human history when the struggle and cry everywhere is for freedom, justice, and recognition and respect of humans and human rights. Something is happening in the world he said, The masses of people are rising. And we are and must continue to be a powerful and assertive part of this revolution in the struggle for human rights and freedom. Secondly, Dr. King tells us that if we are to honor the invitation of history that is offered us, it means weve got to stay together and maintain unity. And that unity must be an active operational unity in the interests and advancement of our people. We can have coalitions and alliances with others, but without unity ourselves, we dont enter the battlefield or meeting room from a position of power rooted in the unified strength of our people. Thirdly, King tells us we must keep the issues where they are, i.e., clear and in the forefront and not let others divert us or decide the focus of our struggle. He states that The issue is injustice and justice, the need for racial, social and economic justice. It is a justice that is sensitive to and actively strives to end suffering, hunger, homelessness, lack of healthcare, police violence, mass and unjust incarceration, unemployment and undeserved and needless deaths of all kinds. King also tells us we must audaciously challenge America to live up to its best ideals and even go beyond them in the interest of a wider and more inclusive concept of freedom, justice and equity. And weve got to say to the nation, he says, It will be resolved; and we will overcome, regardless of unjust and irrational resistance. For he says, when people get caught up with that which is right and they are willing to sacrifice for it, there is no stopping point short of victory. Indeed, he says, these people, as history has taught, have a certain kind of fire that no water can put out; a fire of freedom, justice and the constant quest for good in and for the world. ADVERTISEMENT Certainly, giving this speech in the midst of the Black sanitation workers strike and struggle in Memphis in 1968, King speaks of the need for economic power through economic withdrawal, economic discipline, institution-building and support, pooling resources and supporting workers in their rightful struggle for fair treatment, a living wage, safe and just working conditions, and the right to unionize. Dr. King also calls on us to support and maintain a relevant ministry, a body of preachers and priests that are deeply rooted in our social justice tradition, not in a gospel of prosperity; a gospel that deals with the problems of the poor; refers repeatedly to heaven, but is self-consciously engaged with issues of earth. He wants to reaffirm the faith tradition that brings good news to the poor, proclaims freedom for the prisoner and oppressed, and care and empowerment of the vulnerable. Furthermore, King tells us, we must develop a morality of sacrifice, a dangerous unselfishness which asks the question not what will happen to me if I act to help persons in need and vulnerable, but rather what will happen to them if I dont? He says, Weve got to give ourselves to the struggle until the endweve got to see it through regardless of the costs. Be concerned about your brother and sister, he counsels. You might not be on strike, or fired or harassed or killed by police violence, but we are all affected. For freedom and justice are indivisible. And thus, he says, we either go up together or go down together. Dr. King ends his speech by giving thanks for being able to serve in his century and expressing joy in witnessing students standing up for freedom and justice and Black people in Albany, Birmingham and elsewhere in defiant and righteous resistance; deciding to straighten their backs and actively resist, knowing that the oppressor cant ride your back unless its bent. Closing, he reaffirms his faith in us, as a people, and prophesizes our ultimate victory and passing into a promise land, a land of freedom, justice, truth and righteousness that we have forged in righteous and relentless struggle. And thus, he ends saying, Let us rise up in greater readiness and let us stand up with greater determination. And let us move on in these powerful days of challenge to make America what it ought to be and to remake the world. For as he said in his first speech to the Movement in Montgomery, this is our task and overwhelming responsibility. Dr. Maulana Karenga, Professor and Chair of Africana Studies, California State University-Long Beach; Executive Director, African American Cultural Center (Us); Creator of Kwanzaa; and author of Kwanzaa: A Celebration of Family, Community and Culture and Essays on Struggle: Position and Analysis, www.AfricanAmericanCulturalCenter-LA.org; www.OfficialKwanzaaWebsite.org; www.MaulanaKarenga.org. Local Business Fills Digital Void Cryptocurrencysounds kind of like something from a sci-fi movie to some but many are getting in the know. Entrepreneurs, Najah Roberts and business partner, Jaci Marie, want the community at the table when it comes to digital money. This brand-new technology has already shown its ability to disrupt the global financial system, said Marie. It has created a paradigm shift in the way we look at money. Most cryptocurrencies solve a problem and for our community, it is crucial to begin to address some of the issues that plague us as it relates to finances, said Roberts. ADVERTISEMENT To that end, both ladies founded Crypto Blockchain Plug, which recently celebrated its grand opening located at 614 E. Manchester Boulevard in Inglewood, CA. Marie and Roberts join other Black cryptocurrency enthusiasts becoming the first African-American, women-owned Cryptocurrency OTC exchange in the country, which makes their business 1 out of only 3 cryptocurrency exchanges in the United States. They are both California natives, with Roberts born in Inglewood and Marie originally from San Mateo, CA. Maries educational background is in healthcare with a bachelors degree in nursing and public health from Cal State L.A. Roberts attended Bethune-Cookman College in Daytona Beach, Florida and has a bachelors degree in criminal justice administration and her masters degree in business administration. They both shared how they came to take interests in cryptocurrency. I joined the Dr. Boyce Watkins, Black Business School Online in 2017 and went down a rabbit hole for about 6 months learning about how digital money works, said Roberts. I was already in financial services watching how things were done on the traditional side and this new money, new transparency was something that spoke to my soul. Every day I spent researching and just could not stop reading, the more I understood what was in store for the future. I got involved out of curiosity and wanting to understand this new technology of my sons generation, the Blockchain, said Marie. This technology is a global platform that fundamentally changes what we can do online, how we do it, and who can participate. So, cryptocurrency, why is this important to the Black community? Is this important to the Black community? The creation of Crypto Blockchain Plug, a 3,000 square foot, beautifully designed office space built with Crypto and Blockchain enthusiasts in mind, says yesits important. ADVERTISEMENT Cryptocurrency is essentially a digital ledger of transactions, said Marie. Bitcoin, is a type of digital currency where a record of transactions are maintained and new units of currency are generated by computer solutions of mathematical problems which operates independently of a central bank. Marie continued, Blockchain is a platform and its technology allows cryptocurrencies to operate within. Essentially, any transaction capable of being recorded can look to the use of blockchain, ie., medical records, birth certificates, insurance policies. However, as a financial-based blockchain, meaning it is not governed by any central bank or monetary authority, it is maintained by a peer-to-peer community computer network. Just like any other currency, from the US dollar to the money in your Paypal account, currency has value because we all agree it has value. Crypto Blockchain Plug also offers two chic lounges, a 12-seat conference room, a kitchenette, Social Media Recording Studio, shared offices, a Crypto Blockchain store and a space for kids called the Krypto Kids Kamp. Visitors will also take note of the CryptoSpace Smart ATM with both Crypto and traditional banking capabilities. In an effort to educate the community with the proper understanding of the Cryptocurrency/Blockchain Eco System, monthly meet-ups and free workshops will be offered to bring individuals unfamiliar with this new financial concept, into realization. Unfortunately, in our community we are always subjected to the hype when it comes to people introducing get rich quick schemes and those bad actors over the last couple of years introduced Bitcoin to our community in the wrong way, said Roberts. Network marketers swooped through our community, took peoples money and left a bad taste in their mouth giving them nothing in return. Cryptocurrency is not hype or something else altogether, it is an entire ecosystem. Its an amazing space for crypto enthusiasts, a lounge for crypto beginners and the advanced within the community, said Marie. Its a place where you have real people to answer your crypto questions. Marie and Roberts care about their community and want everybody to know exactly whats going on when it comes to cryptocurrency. They saw a need in the community before most even knew it was needed. If anyone has questions, Crypto Blockchain Plug exists to help provide the answers. Cryptocurrency nor Blockchain Technology is going anywhere soon and we as a community dont necessarily need to embrace it but we need to understand what is going on behind the scenes and position ourselves at this juncture is critical, said Roberts. For additional information, visit www.cryptoblockchainplug.com. Pfizer, Sickle Cell Advocates Address Disease During Black Press Week National Sickle Cell Advocacy Day 2019 is a great time to focus on key legislative issues that are important to individuals and their families who are living with the blood cell disorder, including promoting stable funding for research, better healthcare access, expanded programs and increased education and awareness for the Sickle Cell Disease community and programs throughout the country. Lori Luck, the global medical director for Pfizer Rare Disease, joined Beverley Frances-Gibson, the president and CEO of the SCD Association of America; and Angie Snyder, a professor at Georgia State University, to discuss the latest in Sickle Cell Disease advocacy during Black Press Week in Washington, D.C. The discussion came ahead of National Sickle Cell Advocacy Day, which is actually held over two days on April 8 and April 9 at the Kellogg Conference Hotel at Gallaudet University in Washington. ADVERTISEMENT The event features advocacy training and meetings with legislative champions and a collaboration of federal partners, as advocates attempt to raise awareness to the disease which affects about 100,000 Americans and occurs among nearly 1 out of every 365 black or African American births. According to researchers, the illness occurs among about 1 out of every 16,300 Hispanic American births and about 1 in 13 Black or African American babies are born with sickle cell trait, meaning that the individual has inherited the sickle cell gene from one of his or her parents. Were educators and were not only educating internal clients but external as well, said Luck, who noted that Pfizer has partnerships with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as other organizations. The company also has a partnership with the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), a trade association of more than 200 African-Americanowned community newspapers from around the United States. The partnership is a collaboration to raise awareness of sickle cell disease, a lifelong and debilitating genetic disorder that affects red blood cells. People with rare diseases, like sickle cell disease, have unique and complex challenges and the Pfizer partnership provides an opportunity for NNPA to inform and educate readers of Black-owned newspapers in more than 70 markets across the country on sickle cell disease, which NNPA president and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., said is an often misunderstood disease that has a profound impact on the health and well-being of those affected. ADVERTISEMENT Together with Pfizer, we look forward to providing sickle cell disease education that can underscore the importance of improving quality of care in the community, Chavis said. Snyder, whose work at Georgia State University includes researching and advocating for the sickle cell disease community, said its important that everyone is educated. We have to continue to study on what works and doesnt work for people, she said. Francis-Gibson said conversations must take place in and outside the home. Sickle Cell Disease is personal for me because I have a family member who died from sickle cell disease when I was in high school, Francis-Gibson said. We never discussed it and when I was offered my current position, I knew it was my calling because if my own family isnt discussing sickle cell disease, I knew that other families werent discussing it either, she said. In December, a bi-partisan bill aimed at fighting sickle disease was signed into law by President Donald Trump. The Sickle Cell Disease and Other Heritable Blood Disorders Research, Surveillance, Prevention, and Treatment Act of 2018 was introduced by Sens. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and Tim Scott, R-S.C., in February 2018 and passed in the Senate in October. The bill also reauthorizes a current sickle cell disease prevention and treatment program for nearly $5 million each year over the next five years. Even though sickle cell disease is the most common inherited blood disorder in our country, research and treatment lags behind that of other chronic illnesses, Booker said in a statement. Our legislation will help find new ways to improve the lives of people suffering from sickle cell disease. Its time we start treating sickle cell disease as a serious and debilitating illness and allocate adequate resources to monitoring, researching, and treating it, he said. Francis-Gibson said advocacy for funding the bill is still needed. Its important everyone comes out during National Sickle Cell Advocacy Day and join me on Capitol Hill because when Im speaking to the legislators, its much better when they look and see all of the people behind me, she said. Spirituality, Activism and Social Transformation We live in an age where polarization is the norm and demonizing anyone who thinks differently is the practice. Yet we still see the Black collective as loving with open arms and aspirations for the best for our families and communities as well as the best for all of humanity. We continue to be great listeners and doers of good even after we have endured centuries of abuse and continued oppression. We have, by Gods grace, still come out to be a very conscious and resilient people. While those who oppress continue to use our images as the faces of every example of unconscious negative acts from violence to sexual predatory behavior, we have remained steadfast in our exemplification of higher spiritual responses in a world where the norm is that hurt people hurt people. The black community in America has not lashed out with retribution, violence or hate. We remain the most abused but have maintained a commitment to Dr. Kings principle of nonviolence. As a people we are still the most non-harming collective. Throughout the centuries we have been God-fearing and compassionate. But Scripture says, faith without works is dead. We must, as a collective, come together and, where necessary, partner with others who have the same concerns and stand up. ADVERTISEMENT We have all resources, challenges and opportunities. We play disproportionately on social media where modern revolutions are being built. Yet, we mostly are operating on a moral high ground. There are so many issues that need to be addressed. Its ok because we are capable of changing and rising to the challenges of today. We must whenever possible support all of our community members who take effective leadership roles. We have great examples like Van Jones, Meek Mills, Jay-Z, and even Kim Kardashian, who are fighting the prison industrial complex and unjust mass incarceration. We should support their efforts and leadership. Yes, black lives matter, and Tamika Mallory and Benjamin Crump are very visible and effective on the subject of police brutality. Our spirituality and sense of fair play should not extinguish our activism. But instead, our spirituality should be as it always has been: an organizing force for social transformation. Traditionally, it has been the church that has united us spiritually, with a commitment to change the world for the better. Where are our pastors and spiritual teachers in this moment of struggle? We must look to them to pick up the baton. Yet, we all should be engaged in the ongoing struggles for freedom, justice and equality in America and throughout the world. We are under attack and prayers will only be answered for those who stand up, work together and take action. With great love, all things are possible. Russell Simmons State Leaders Kick Off $100.3M Census Push With Call to Ethnic Media, CBOs to Help Get Word Out California isnt playing around in its effort to avoid an undercount in the 2020 Census. That determination was clear April 2 when the California Complete Count (CCC) office assembled a mixed group of stakeholders advocates, state officials, legislative leaders and community members to kick off an anticipated $154 million statewide public information campaign. The event was held exactly one year away from Census Day 2020. California is determined to ensure we achieve a complete census count. Weve started early and are committing more resources than any other state on a robust outreach and engagement effort to reach all Californians, said Ditas Katague, Director, California Complete Count Census 2020. Our collaborative partnerships throughout the state will make a difference in 2020, which may be the most difficult Census count yet for California. ADVERTISEMENT To reach the high mark its setting for itself, the CCC is encouraging ethnic media, community based organizations and other groups they are calling trusted messengers to apply for bids in a third round of funding as it finalizes its Census 2020 communication push. The office says the new contracts will be funded from a $22.9 million pot allotted to designated groups called Administrative Community Based Organizations in 10 regions of the state. The second source of funding, $26.6 million, will be channeled through county administrations. So far, the state has invested $100.3 million to support its overall Census outreach. Gov. Gavin Newsom has proposed an additional $54 million in the 2019-2020 budget. Last month, during its second round of funding, CCC announced it selected California Calls, an LA-based community organization comprised of 31 local grassroots groups, to lead its African-American outreach ahead of next years national Census. My district and California as a whole have some of the hardest to count populations in the country, but were going to make sure everyone counts, said Speaker of the California State Assembly Anthony Rendon who represents an electoral area in southeastern Los Angeles. The Census is coming and its important. We all need to use our good reputations to remind everyone in every community to participate. California Calls joined 13 other local community groups from across the state in the $4 million partnership with CCC. They are tasked with reaching out to ethnic minorities and other hard-to-count groups to ensure maximum participation. The US Census has always undercounted African Americans and the reasons are mostly economic. Correctly counting all the individuals in households with multiple or multigenerational families called sub families is a major factor. Other variables like families without permanent housing, incarceration, homelessness, homes without broadband subscriptions and low literacy can all come into play. ADVERTISEMENT During the last national survey in 2010 alone, US Census field representatives missed nearly 800,000 Blacks across the country and overlooked roughly seven percent of all Black children. Other racial and ethnic minorities have been similarly undercounted as well. I represent one of the most undercounted census districts in California, said Assemblymember Reggie Jones Sawyer (D-Los Angeles). It is imperative that we work to change the chronic undercounting of my district and many other disadvantaged communities throughout the state. On March 29, CCC held a bidders conference in Sacramento to share information about the states Census 2020 priorities, the proposal process, application requirements and project deliverables with interested contractors and sub-contractors. People who attended could show up in person or patch in through a teleconference line. CCC told interested organizations to submit strategic plans by May 2019. Their proposals should include details of how they would spread the word about the 2020 decennial to the least-likely-to-respond people in the state and lay out the ways they would motivate them to participate. Regina Brown Wilson, executive director of California Black Media, says she is encouraged by the steps the governors office is taking to address the solvable undercount problem. We Black community leaders and media professionals are committed, she said. We are looking ahead and we are ready to do everything on the front-end, with all the tools that we have available to us, to prevent yet another undercount in the 2020 Census. Inaccurate Census counts can lead to billions lost in federal funding for states. Those decreases can be far-reaching in disadvantaged communities that need the cash for things like social programs, infrastructure or schools. The number of Representatives a state is allotted in the US Congress is also determined by the Census count. An undercount in California in 2020 could mean the loss of one seat in the US Congress. The state has the largest population in the United States and the highest number of seats 53 in the United States House of Representatives. The 2020 Census will shape Californias future for the next decade, said Assemblymember Marc Berman, chair of the Assembly Select Committee on the Census. California is a big, bold, beautiful, diverse state and because of that, were also the hardest to count in the country. Research about past undercounts found that two demographic groups immigrants and young, usually poor, unmarried women with children of all races are overlooked the most. The 10 regional administrative community foundations that the CCC announced at its quarterly meeting March 12 will be tasked with working with the local County Complete Count Committees, local community-based and grassroots organizations to help and get the word out. Heres a list of those foundations and regions: Sacramento Region Community Foundation United Way of the Wine Country United Way of the Bay Area Faith in Action Network Ventura County Community Foundation Sierra Health Foundation: Center for Health Project Management The Community Foundation California Community Foundation Charitable Ventures of Orange County Stop Invisible Lynchings in America No form of lynching should be tolerated or permitted in America. A lynching is defined as putting a person or a group of people to death by hanging a person or group with or without legal due process. However, in the no so distant past, the hideous act of racially-motivated lynching African Americans was considered legal, judicial and moral under state and federal laws. The Congress of the United States finally has a bill pending enactment that makes lynching a federal crime. We support this long overdue anti-lynching federal legislation. ADVERTISEMENT However, there are other forms of lynching that are still occurring across the nation, without due process of law and without a national public moral outcry. Why? Because today, some lynchings are invisible. There are no blood-thirsty mobs of people salivating their pleasures at the sight of a fresh Black body swinging lifelessly via a rope around his or her neck hanging from a tree or from the institutionalized gallows of history. On college and university campuses in too many states, what is increasingly happening should be called an invisible and insidious form of lynching. Disproportionately, young African male college students and others are being summarily expelled from college based solely on mere allegations of sexual misconduct violations of Title IX rules without any due process of law or findings of fact. College administrators are arbitrarily determining that these targeted students are guilty and expendable until their innocence is proven. This is not about guilt or innocence. This is about denial of due process. For thousands of the accused students the outcomes are fatal to their education and life goals. ADVERTISEMENT I know that this is a controversial subject that many would prefer to remain silent about. But as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. clearly warned: An injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. Currently, in the state of Missouri, there is important pending legislation (HB 573 and SB 259) in both the Missouri State House and Senate that seeks to stop and prevent these kinds of invisible Title IX-related lynchings from occurring at Missouri colleges and universities. This year marks the 400-year anniversary of the enslavement of African people in America. The horrid history of racism and racially-motivated lynchings of African American men, women and children is a gruesome reminder of the depravity of humanity, as well as the malicious lack of due process when a person or group is deemed expendable to satisfy the rage, fear and hate of others. In the past, lynchings were very visible. Today Title IX-related lynchings on colleges and universities are less visible, but this form of injustice must be exposed and challenged in Missouri and in every state. Equal justice and the constitutional right to due process should be afforded to all without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, gender or sexual orientation. This is the reason we add our voice and advocacy to encourage the Missouri legislature and all other state legislatures to stop Title IX-related invisible lynchings from occurring. Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. is a civil rights leader and the President and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) based in Washington, DC. He can be reached at [email protected]. The New Negress Film Societys Inaugural Black Womens Film Conference at MOMA PS1 a SOLD OUT success! The inaugural Black Womens Film Conference which was co-organized with the New Negress Film Society had a sold-out, standing room only capacity at New Yorks MOMA PS1. The day-long event included screenings, talkbacks, and discussions of diverse works meant to bring a different perspective to the table in the white-male-dominated industry. The New Negress Film Society is a core collective of black women filmmakers whose priority is to create community and spaces for support, exhibition, and consciousness-raising. The group was formed by Chanelle Aponte Pearson, Nuotama Bodomo, Dyani Douze, JaTovia Gary, Stefani Saintonge, and Yvonne Michelle Shirley. ADVERTISEMENT We focus primarily on works that break boundaries in film politically and artistically, said JaTovia Gary in her opening remarks. Womanist in their content and experimental in form, often these are some of the most challenging for a marginalized filmmaker to create and distribute. It all started in 2013 when Kumi James (formerly Wendy James) organized a screening called I Am A Negress of Noteworthy Talent centering the work of black women filmmakers at Brooklyn Fireproof in Brooklyn, NY. The collective is now steadfast in breaking barriers presenting at institutions such as the Brooklyn Museum, Anthology Film Archives, Hammer Museum, Black Radical Imagination, Ann Arbor Film Festival, Afrikana Independent Film Festival, NY Media Center, Indiana University Cinema and the South Dallas Cultural Center. This screening emerged due to the collectives observation that the films and critical interventions made by black women filmmakers were seldom highlighted or discussed in public and private institutions. After a successful screening showcasing the works of Nevline Nnaji, Frances Bodomo, JaTovia Gary, Kumi James, and Nikyatu Jusu, James convened the screenings participants to form the New Negress Film Society Collective in June 2013. Their mission spread quickly finding strong allies who understood and appreciated their art and political ideas. The New Negress Film Society recognizes the importance of their collective strength as marginalized artists in the film industry. To that end, core members of the NNFS hold creative space to workshop ongoing film projects, fundraise, and gain visibility for their own work. ADVERTISEMENT Their goal is to raise awareness and understanding of the challenges within the film world. This ranges from interesting behind-the-scenes media to reflective vlogs, to artist spotlights showcasing their recent successes. They regularly interview black women who work in the filmmaking community to highlight their unique stories. The Black Womens Film Conference began with the screening of short films made by Cauleen Smith which included Song for Earth and Folk, Triangle Trade, The Changing, Same, The Three Songs about Liberation, and Sojourner. Smith is known for mixing mediums and the talk-back with the filmmaker was moderated by JaTovia Gary. They delved into what it means to make art that speaks from and to African-American women. At first, I didnt know what I was doing, you know? confessed Cauleen Smith. I was reading all these stories in the film industry trade publications how white, male filmmakers were making entire films for under 7 grand, and I believed it, so went on to make films. I thought this is easy. Right? I was wrong. Moderator Gary echoed feelings of being lost at the start of her own creative journey. My work seeks to liberate the distorted histories which Black life is often viewed, said Gary. I admire your work [Cauleen Smith] and I seek to fish out a nuanced and multivalent Black interiority. Can you feel it, can you?, asked a tall, Ebony-hued woman dancing in six-inch heels, a sky blue African head scarf wrapped with a fashion sense that only a sista can pull off. She threw up both of her hands as if praying to an unseen Goddess, the silver bangles, that she wore on both of her wrists and that snaked past her well-toned biceps, made a shrill sound, like castanets keeping in beat with the Afro-centric music being spun by DJ DOUZE between each film screening. The Black Womens Film Conference included the screening of Gessica Geneus by Douvan Jou Ka Leve (2017) followed by a conversation with the filmmaker and moderated by Yvonne Michelle Shirley & Stefani Saintonge. The afternoon continued with a screening of short films by Adepero Oduye (To Be Free), Shirley Bruno (An Excavation of Us), Nikyatu (Suicide by Sunlight) and Keisha Rae Witherspoon. Moderated by Chanelle Aponte Pearson and Nuotama Bodomo. The evening was completed with the screenings of Solace by Tchaiko Omawale in a conversation moderated by JaTovia Gary. At 8 pm when DJ DOUZE started spinning the music, it was like Mother Nature herself decided to join the party. The energy sparked as ideas and business cards were exchanged and the women danced like their very bodies were sharing stories with every, single beat of the music. Heres what MoMA PS1 Assistant Curator, Taja Cheek, who co-organized the event with New Negress Film Society had to share about the sold-out event. LOS ANGELES SENTINEL: What did you expect in creating this event? TAJA CHEEK: I have been interested in the New Negress collective and the work of its individual members for many years. The films were shown as a part of this program all stand on their own theyre challenging, raw, and beautiful in all the ways that excite me as a curator and maker. But, beyond the work shown, the community that gathered in the VW dome made the program especially moving and special: a diverse group of Black filmmakers and other industry professionals from across the diaspora. I was reminded of the radical potential of community gathering spaces. LAS: It was sold out. Did that surprise you? If not why not. If so, what surprised you? TCL: It became clear to me, especially after the program sold out, that this conference filled an important void. In an era of heightened visibility for Black artists of all disciplines, its especially important to create spaces for Black artists to be in community with each other to discuss ideas and craft. To learn more about the https://newnegressfilmsociety.com READ: Duterte in a hurry: Three years to end war, cure PH of ills READ: Drug war success validatedPalace READ: US backs Rodys harsher drug war READ: Drug war wins of most Filipinos President, the Palace said Thursday. Despite the governments relentless efforts in, the President remains exasperated by their proliferation, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said. The President is frustrated because it [drugs] keeps on entering [the country]. Its like the bastards arent discouraged at all. In a way, thats the Presidents point, Panelo said in a radio interview with dzMM. The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency has seized at least P2.8 billion worth of illegal drugs and P1.8 billion worth of shabu in separate anti-narcotics operations in Metro Manila alone. The Philippine Coast Guard also intercepted cocaine bricks alleged worth millions of pesos floating in the coastal waters of Catanduanes. With the rise of intercepted drugs, Duterte last week admitted the countrys drug menace has worsened, with policemen on the brink of surrendering. In a speech during the campaign rally of ruling PDP-Laban party in Malabon City, the President, who vowed to, said his crackdown against illegal drugs has failed, adding he cannot control it. Its swallowing the country. You can read it every day, even in the crawler of the TV networks. There are billions worth of drugs. Before, there were only thousands. I cannot control those drugs, son of a b****h. Even if I ordered the deaths of these idiots, drugs remain, still intensifying, Duterte said Tuesday evening. The other officials are asking: Is it successful? Now, I tell you its not [successful] because its happening worldwide. Drugs are a worldwide problem now even China, Taiwan, and others are also affected, he added. The President said errant local police officials contribute to the reasons why his government is having a hard time stopping the drug problem. He said some cops, who are allegedly linked in the narcotics trade, were causing the drug war to fail and vowed to release a list of policemen tagged in the narcotics trade. I will reveal these documents tomorrow. [Documents showing] how these policemen, and the police officials, play with illegal drugs, and why the drug problem is never-ending, Duterte said, adding that policemen are making a mockery of the people by involving themselves with drugs. He also slammed previous claims that he pays additional money to police officers to kill drug suspects. Duterte previously warned that Sinaloa, Medellin cartel, and the Golden Triangle drug syndicates have entered the country. Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, meanwhile, said it is best for the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to reopen its investigation into the illicit drug trade linking presidential son, resigned Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte and lawyer Mars Carpio to illegal drugs. He said this is needed to clear the names of the Presidents son and Carpio, husband of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, after a video linking him to illegal drugs began circulating on the internet.To me, the blue ribbon investigation will give Mr. Duterte [the chance] to explain and dispute the allegations, Drilon said. If not, he said the video will keep going around the social media and there is no opportunity for Duterte to disprove the allegations. The younger Duterte said he believed the Presidents most vocal critic, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, was behind the video but offered no evidence to support his belief. The Palace on Thursday shrugged off the video, saying it was mere black propaganda. On Tuesday afternoon, Facebook page Metro Balita, posted a six-minute video showing a list of alleged drug lords and the kickbacks deposited in their bank accounts. During the video, a male narrator, who identified himself as alias Bikoy, said that codenames Polo Delta-TSG01 and Alpha Tierra-0029 top the list. According to the narrator on the video, Polo Delta refers to Paolo. The video also mentioned the supposed drug links of Waldo Carpio as Dutertes alleged dummy in illegal transactions. Carpio is the brother of lawyer Manases Carpio, Paolos brother-in-law and husband of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio. Also on Thursday, Philippine National Police chief Oscar Albayalde said the PNP was ready to investigate police officers tagged by the President as being involved in illegal drugs. But interviewed on GMA-7, Albayalde said the PNP has not received any documents yet from the President. Thursday, April 4, 2019 Guest blogger: Nicole Gorney, University of San Francisco law student, who recently volunteered counseling asylum seekers gathered in Tijuana. Heading down to Tijuana for my spring break with Al Otro Lado, I didnt know what to expect. For the past few months I have been keeping up with the news about what is happening down at the border and along the way. I was aware of la lista [seemingly controlled by the migrants, but actually by CBP with the Mexican government] and some other things occurring in border areas but I didnt fully understand. Before I saw it, I didnt completely comprehend why the list is so problematic and also, illegal. After spending a week in Tijuana, I determined that our country, our government, has essentially turned the city of Tijuana into a refugee camp. And now, we are now forcing the Mexican government and people to take care of it. My first day at El Chaparral (port of entry foot crossing), I watched three women from Haiti who were around my age, huddle together and change. After speaking with some volunteers, they were preparing themselves to enter into the hieleras [ICE's freezing holding cells] as their numbers had been called that morning. Watching them and their bravery, I knew, whatever it is they are fleeing from, it must be worse than the prospect of what we just told them. Worse than knowing that they were about to be entering into freezing cold holding area to then most likely be detained for months in an immigration detention center. We think of our detention centers as terrible places, but during the week, conducting intake with individuals, I heard about many worse places they could be. I met with a woman from Cuba, who fled in early February after her job as a clerk at Western Union left her caught in between the Cuban government and certain groups of interest to the government. Special police officers were coming to her work daily to try to force her to share information about the groups that were using Western Union to send funds in their opposition groups against the government. She knew if she shared this information with them, she would then have to fear the wrath of the groups who would most likely know where the information came from. Since she refused to comply with giving the officials the information, she was told by the government officials that they would treat her as someone who was going against the government and that she knew what they did with people who are against us. At the end of her intake, she asked me how far Miami was from Tijuana. Miami is where she has an Aunt waiting for her in the United States. She was confused when I explained that Miami was much closer to her geographically when she was in Cuba than when she was in Tijuana. She next asked me how expensive it would be for her to purchase a flight to Miami. After having fled Cuba about a month earlier, she had no idea still how many obstacles were remaining between her and a chance at living with her Aunt in Miami. For me, the week was challenging, on an emotional level. A lot of what we were doing was delivering bad news and explaining terrible policies and actions to hopeful immigrants. Typically, the United States has been known to those fleeing their homes as a country of refuge. Our Lady Statue of Liberty stands tall and reads Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!. Many are traveling thousands of miles just to find out, they are not going to be welcomed with open arms. Once they arrive, some may realize that what they just left might actually be safer than being forced to live in a shelter or on the streets of Tijuana for weeks while awaiting their number to be called. We dont know what will happen in 2020, and in what way the dialogue and laws will shift when we have a new administration. What we do know is what is happening right now. As advocates, one thing we can do is spread the truth, the truth about what is happening at the border, and the truth about what the future looks like for those seeking asylum the United States. During my time in Tijuana, I kept reminding myself that I needed to be there, to help people, to see what was happening. I had moments in my head when I questioned if I will be strong enough to do this type of work as a lawyer. Fortunately, each time someone looked into my eyes when I explained to them something that moments ago was unknown to them, I knew, this is what I have to do. Immigrants fleeing their homes deserve to have at least one person on their side, and they deserve to know the truth and their rights, before they make the decision to attempt to come to the United States. I felt guilty when the week was over and I simply walked back across the border to the United States. I was back in California within minutes, able to carry on my life and privileges so easily all because of what side of the border I was born on. When coming back into the States, the CBP Officer asked me what I was doing in Tijuana for the week. I explained to him quickly what I had done for the week and his response caught me off guard. He replied to me that he knows this is tough work, and he wanted me to know that they take no great pride in having to enforce these laws, welcome back. bh https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/immigration/2019/04/volunteering-to-assist-asylum-seekers-in-tijuana.html Thursday, April 4, 2019 An attorney has been sanctioned by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court for sex with a client The client engaged the respondent in January 2011, to represent her in extending a temporary restraining order, that the client had obtained a few days earlier, against her husband. At some point, the respondent informed the client that he was also a former licensed social worker. In April, the client engaged the respondent to represent her in seeking a divorce from her husband. From the beginning of the representation, the respondents correspondence with the client was unusually personal in tone. In early April 2011, the client was hospitalized because she had overdosed on drugs and alcohol. The respondent visited the client in the hospital. During May and June 2011, the respondent and client met in his office for a total of at least nineteen hours. During the final week of June 2011, the client was again hospitalized after overdosing on an over-the-counter pain reliever. The respondent again visited the client in the hospital. At some point in the representation, the respondent and client began a romantic and sexual relationship. In August 2011, the client recognized the danger of being sexually involved with her divorce lawyer and spoke to him about obtaining new counsel. The respondent, however, continued to represent the client in the divorce until her death on October 1, 2011, resulting from an overdose of drugs and alcohol. By representing the client in a divorce when his representation was materially limited by his own interest in his personal and sexual relationship with her, the respondent violated Mass. R. Prof. C. 1.7(b) (as in effect prior to March 26, 2015). Sanction This matter came before the Board of Bar Overseers on a stipulation of facts and disciplinary violations and a joint recommendation for suspension. On February 11, 2019, the Board voted to accept the stipulation and file an Information with the Supreme Judicial Court recommending that the respondent be suspended for one year and one day. Another recently posted summary involved disbarment of a convicted attorney On September 29, 2016, the respondent pleaded guilty in the Hingham District Court to four counts of possession of child pornography, in violation of G.L. c. 272, 29C, a felony. The respondent was sentenced to eighteen months in the house of correction, suspended for three years on various probationary terms. The respondents conviction was based on the following facts. On March 8, 2009, the respondent brought his computer to a computer service for repairs. During the repair process, the technician identified several images of what he suspected was child pornography, and contacted the Hingham Police Department. The police obtained a search warrant and conducted a forensic analysis that showed that the respondent created and therefore possessed child pornography movies on four dates between September 2, 2008 and January 15, 2009. In each of the movies there were images of persons appearing to be under the age of eighteen engaged in acts of sexual conduct involving the sex organs of the child and the sex organs of another person. The respondent reasonably should have known that the person in the images was under age eighteen, and the respondent knew of the content and nature of the movies and images. (Mike Frisch) https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/legal_profession/2019/04/an-attorney-has-been-sanctioned-by-the-massachusetts-supreme-judicial-court-for-sex-with-a-client-the-client-engaged-the-res.html Thursday, April 4, 2019 The Ohio Board of Professional Conduct has listed the matters set for hearing in April. One matter involves charges brought in a second amended complaint. The Respondent is the former Chief of Police of the City of Campbell. As a law enforcement officer, he had access to the Ohio Law Enforcement Gateway ("OHLEG") that requires that the system only be used for legitimate law enforcement investigatory purposes. Respondent used the system to access information about "female citizens" who were not subject to any investigation and had no idea why he was looking at their personal information. When he got caught, he faced criminal charges. He pled guilty to four misdemeanors, resigned from office, surrendered his OPOTA certificate and self-reported the conviction to the Mahoning Bar. The Vindicator reported on the conviction. Mayor Nick Phillips had fired Rauzan in November 2016 after a woman, who had a warrant out for her arrest at the time of the incident, came forward to say Rauzan had sexually harassed her in the police gym in July 2016. Phillips contacted the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, a division of the Ohio Attorney Generals Office, about the allegations, which prompted Kasaris investigation of Rauzan. Prosecutors became aware of Rauzans misuse of the OHLEG system during the course of that investigation. After Rauzans firing, a police department employee also came forward to say that Rauzan had sexually harassed her in 2013 and 2015. Rauzan denies the sexual-harassment allegations. Kasaris confirmed Monday that the states investigation is closed. Rauzans misuse of the database did not relate directly to the initial allegations of sexual harassment, according to Ohio Attorney Generals Office spokeswoman Jill Del Greco. While it is a crime in and of itself to use OHLEG for non-law-enforcement purposes, the investigation did not find that the defendant used the information obtained through OHLEG for additional criminal purposes, she wrote in an email. Del Greco said BCI agents fully investigated the allegations of sexual harassment but did not find sufficient evidence for criminal prosecution. In January, Rauzan reached an agreement with the city in which he was allowed to resign in exchange for the citys rescinding his firing. That agreement prohibits Rauzan from suing the city about the circumstances of his suspension, termination or resignation. It also prohibits Rauzan from suing the mayor, law director and civil-service commission members about those circumstances. In a prepared statement, however, Rauzan indicated he will be taking legal action. No lawsuit had been filed as of Monday afternoon. Regarding the rest of the false, defamatory and twisted trash being purported about me, I have sought counsel and in the near future will be taking legal action against those individuals who have made these baseless public claims about me simply to embarrass, harass and defame me, Rauzan said. This trash is pure political retaliation against me by a mad person, designed with the purpose of tormenting my life. This matter will also be settled soon in a court of law. The statement does not name the person or people to whom Rauzan is referring. Billak said he could not comment on the statement, as he does not handle civil lawsuits and is not representing Rauzan in that matter. Rauzan was sworn in as Campbells police chief in 2013. He first became a full-time officer for the department in 1998, according to Vindicator files. Its important to remember that no one is above the law no lawyer, no policeman, Judge DApolito said Monday before accepting the plea deal recommended by the prosecution and defense. But you also have to remember that no one is beneath the law. That is, you should not be treated any differently than anyone else who appears in front of me. The remaining charges relate to IOLTA issues and a personal injury matter. (Mike Frisch) https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/legal_profession/2019/04/the-ohio-professional-conduct-board-has-listed-the-matters-set-for-hearing-in-april-one-matter-involves-charges-brought-in.html Malala Yousafzai is known for promoting education as a basic right, especially education for women and children. The 21-year-old Pakistani activist became world famous after she was shot in the head by a Taliban militant. At the time, the Taliban was fighting for control of her hometown in northwest Pakistan. She was attacked for expressing support for the education of girls. Malala Yousafzai has won awards for her human rights work. In 2014, at the age of 17, she was the youngest person to win the Nobel Peace Prize. She shared the 2014 peace prize with a child rights campaigner from India. Yousafzai has written books and many books have been written about her. A bookstore in Vienna, Virginia, had a special event on a Saturday morning last month. It asked two women who have books about Yousafzai to come and read from their works. Young children, their parents and grandparents came to hear the two authors. Malala was recovering from a serious injury. It was a miracle she could stand up at all. But she stood up in front of the whole world to prove that words have power. That was Karen Leggett Abouraya reading from her book, Malala Yousafzai: Warrior with Words. The crowd also heard from Jenni L. Walsh, author of the book, She Dared Malala Yousafzai. Malala was a very good speaker, much like her father. People listened to him and it seemed like people wanted to listen to Malala, too. Her first speech was publicized across Pakistan with the title, How dare the Taliban take away my basic right to education. In the year 2007, the influence of the Taliban was growing in Pakistans Swat Valley. Malala Yousafzais father owned a school and supported her writing about life under the Taliban for a British website. Pakistani forces and the Taliban fought for control of the Swat Valley. Schools for girls were closed. Malala continued to write and speak publicly about the importance of education for all children, especially girls. Her life changed forever in 2012, when she was 15 years old. On a ride home from school, a Taliban gunman got on her bus. He shot Malala and two of her friends. They survived, but Malalas wounds were severe. She was taken to a hospital in Birmingham, England, where wounded soldiers were treated. There, she recovered with no lasting injury to her brain. Less than a year later, when she turned 16, Malala was at the United Nations in New York, speaking out for education. Karen Leggett Abouraya says the speech was a turning point. And there she is in front of the United Nations. It was a group of young people, she was speaking on her birthday. We will bring change through our voice, she said. She asked every nation to make it possible for all children to go to school and live in peace. Our words can change the world. Author Jenni L. Walsh continues the story. Malala wondered out loud: How can they stop more than 50,000 girls from going to school in the 21st century? Today, Malala Yousafzai is studying philosophy, politics and economics at the University of Oxford. And, she says she fights every day so that all girls receive 12 years of free, safe and quality education. Im Dorothy Gundy. Dorothy Gundy reported on this story and produced the video for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story promoting v. helping (something) to happen, develop, or increase miracle n. an unusual or wonderful event that is believed to be caused by the power of God Thailands leader traveled to the northern city of Chiang Mai earlier this week to personally inspect areas with extremely poor air quality. Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha ordered government agencies to take urgent measures to fight the air pollution, which has reached dangerous levels. Recently, pollution levels in and around Chiang Mai have risen above those of major world cities known for having poor air quality. In recent days, tests found that Northern Thailand had very high levels of airborne particulates known as PM2.5. PM2.5 particulates are small enough to be taken into the lungs and enter the bloodstream. They can cause breathing problems and may raise the risks of heart disease and even some cancers. Recently, the Chiang Mai area has had PM2.5 measurements as high as 480 micrograms. This is more than six times higher than Thailands air pollution safety limits. Air quality experts consider any level over 300 "hazardous." By comparison, Indias capital New Delhi recently reached a level of 228, while Beijing had 161. Much of Chiang Mais current pollution is a result of farmers burning crops. Many farmers set fires at this time of year as a way to clear land for planting. Agriculture experts say the air pollution is worse this year because of extremely dry weather. The dirty air led many people walking or working outside to wear face masks and at least two universities cancelled classes. Mountains surrounding the city trap large levels of pollution in the area, which is popular with foreign travelers. Prime Minister Prayuth said he had met with local officials to discuss ways to reduce the burning activities within seven days. Measures would cover more than 1,900 places across nine provinces. We need to work on a long-term solution with understanding from the public, Prayuth said. We need time to change the way we grow crops and farm. Tens of millions of people could be affected. He said officials had given out nearly two million face masks to people in affected areas. His visit came after widespread criticism of the governments reaction to the air pollution. About 40,000 people signed an online appeal calling for the local governor to be replaced. Chiang Mai officials have resisted calls to declare a state of emergency, partly because the move could frighten off visitors. Earlier this year, Thailands capital Bangkok also had a problem with air pollution. That led more than 400 schools to close and Bangkoks governor to declare a pollution control area. That declaration permitted road closings and limits on use of diesel fuel, outdoor burning and some building projects. Since then, air quality in Bangkok has stayed mostly at moderate levels. Im Bryan Lynn. Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from the Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story hazardous adj. dangerous mask n. covering for the face online adj. of or related to the internet or computers Robots are increasingly being developed to think and act like humans. But one common human quality that has been difficult for engineers to recreate in machines is humor. Most robots are powered by artificial intelligence, or AI, and machine learning technology. Some have performed better than humans in tests designed to measure machine intelligence. For example, we have reported on experiments involving robots competing against humans in a reading test and in a live debate. Computer scientists have also hoped to give robots technical skills to help them recognize, process and react to humor. But these attempts have mostly failed. AI experts say that in many cases, attempts to make robots understand humor end up producing funny results but not in the way they were supposed to. Context is everything Kiki Hempelmann is a computational language expert who studies humor at Texas A&M University-Commerce. Artificial intelligence will never get jokes like humans do, he told the Associated Press. The main problem, Hempelmann says, is that robots completely miss the context of humor. In other words, they do not understand the situation or related ideas that make a joke funny. Other experts who study the subject agree that context is very important to understanding humor both for humans and for robots. Tristan Miller is a computer scientist and linguist at Darmstadt University of Technology in Germany. He also spoke to the AP. In one research project, he studied more than 10,000 puns. Puns are a kind of joke that uses a word with two meanings. For example, you could say, Balloons do not like pop music. The word pop can be a way of saying popular music; or, pop can be the sound a balloon makes when it explodes. But a robot might not get the joke. Tristan Miller says that is because humor is a kind of creative language that is extremely difficult for computer intelligence to understand. Its because it relies so much on real-world knowledge, Miller said. This includes background knowledge and common sense knowledge. A computer doesnt have these real-world experiences to draw on. It only knows what you tell it and what it draws from, he added. Humor is job security for humans? Allison Bishop is a computer scientist at New Yorks Columbia University. She also performs stand-up comedy. She told the AP a big problem is that machines are trained to look for patterns. Comedy, on the other hand, relies on things that stay close to a pattern, but not completely within it. To be funny, humor must also not be predictable, Bishop said. This makes it much harder for a machine to recognize and understand what is funny. Bishop says since robots have great difficulty understanding humor, she feels like it gives her better job security as a comedy performer. It even made her parents happy when her brother decided to become a full-time comedy writer because it meant he would not be replaced by a machine, she added. The risks of teaching humor to AI systems Purdue University computer scientist Julia Rayz has spent 15 years trying to get computers to understand humor. The results, she says, have at times been laughable. In one experiment, she gave the computer two different groups of sentences. Some were jokes, others were not. The computer kept mistaking things as jokes that were not. When Rayz asked the computer why it thought something was a joke, the answer made complete sense technically. But she said the results coming from the computer were not funny, nor memorable. Despite the difficulties, Darmstadt Universitys Miller says there are good reasons to keep trying to teach humor to robots. It could make machines more relatable, especially if they can learn to understand sarcasm, he noted. Humans use sarcasm to say one thing but mean another. But Texas A&Ms Kiki Hempelmann is not sure such attempts are a good idea. Teaching AI systems humor is dangerous because they may find it where it isnt, and they may use it where its inappropriate, he said. Maybe bad AI will start killing people because it thinks it is funny, he added. Im Bryan Lynn. The Associated Press reported on this story. Bryan Lynn adapted it for VOA Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. Do you think machines will ever be developed enough to have interpersonal relationships with humans? Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. Quiz - Why Robot Humor Mostly Falls Flat Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story artificial intelligence n. the ability of a machine to use and analyze data in an attempt to reproduce human behavior context n. the words that are used with a certain word or phrase and that help to explain its meaning linguist n. someone who studies human speech pun n. a joke that uses a word that has two meanings rely v. to need for support, to depend on pattern n. a particular way something is done or repeated sarcasm n. the use of words that mean the opposite of what you really want to say especially in order to insult someone, to show irritation, or to be funny inappropriate adj. not suitable More than half of American workers say they are stressed because their employers do not give them the information they need to do their jobs. This information comes from a company called Dynamic Signal. It sells communications systems that enable businesses to send messages to workers mobile devices. The Dynamic Signal study involved 1,001 people who work in the United States. They answered a series of questions online at the beginning of 2019. The study found that 80 percent of the workers reported feeling stressed, or under pressure, because of poor communication by their employers. The same study showed that more than 60 percent of those asked said they are ready to leave their companies. And, it said the most unsatisfied workers are those who cannot look at work email regularly. They include workers in stores, hotels, restaurants, hospitals and buildings where products are stored, as well as delivery drivers. These workers are more likely to say that their companies communicate better with employees who work in offices. Russ Fradin is the head of Dynamic Signal. He says that, over time, many businesses have stayed the same, but what workers expect has changed. In the past, companies communicated with employees by putting up signs in the break room or on the factory floor. Or they might have used newsletters or magazines. But today, 77 percent of Americans own smartphones, and workers are used to getting information pushed to them immediately. Their phones can show information about bank account balances, sporting events and possible love interests from a dating service, notes Fradin. So, he says, when workers receive information they need to know for their jobs an hour late, or three days late or two weeks late, they are likely to be angry. Its really just about bringing the types of tools around your mobile phone that everyone is used to in their day-to-day life into the workplace," he adds. Other studies Other studies also show a growing dissatisfaction with how workplaces communicate to employees. A company called Staffbase produces software programs for workplace communication. It says that 74 percent of U.S. employees feel they are missing out on company news and information. In addition, a 2017 Gallup survey found that just 13 percent of employers thought that company communications were effective. The Harvard Business Review also published an article about how companies can use mobile phone applications to improve employee communication. For example, the story said, businesses could send company announcements or information about payments and other assistance directly to workers on their phones. Improving workplace communications can be good for a companys profit. Gallups 2017 State of the American Workplace Report found that companies with more engaged workers keep employees longer and bring in more money. Im Kelly Jean Kelly. Dora Mekouar wrote this story for VOA. Kelly Jean Kelly adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story stressed - adj. feeling very worried or anxious online - n. done over the Internet regularly - adv. very often Algerias Constitutional Council met Wednesday to confirm the resignation of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. Constitutional Council president Tayeb Belaiz opened Wednesdays meeting of the 12-member body. He said the reason for the meeting was to establish the vacancy of the post of president of the republic. Bouteflika, who is 82, appeared Tuesday on national television to give his resignation letter to Belaiz. Bouteflika has not spoken publicly since he suffered a stroke in 2013. On television, he appeared very weak. After Bouteflikas televised resignation, protesters celebrated with songs and waving flags in the capital city, Algiers. Bouteflika ruled the country for 20 years and was a major member of the Arab Worlds political leadership. Bouteflikas ally, Abdelkader Bensalah, is expected to take over as a temporary leader while the cou ntry plans presidential elections. He is the president of the upper house of parliament. He will take over for 90 days, as called for in the Algerian Constitution. The move may anger the protesters who demanded Bouteflikas resignation. They want to change a system they consider to be secretive and corrupt. Bensalah has run the upper house for the past 17 years, and has held high-ranking political positions for the past 25 years. But he has mostly stayed out of the public eye. He is known as a politician who works quietly to make compromises and solve problems. Bensalah is also a big part of the countrys political elite. Protesters worry that those involved in the political changes are too close to the elite power structure, including Prime Minister Noureddine Bedoui. He has been accused of aiding in fraud during the last presidential election in 2014. He is also known for violently halting past protests. New protests are already planned for Friday, April 5. There have been large, peaceful protests the past six Fridays. Such gatherings have surprised Algerias leadership. The protesters, however, do not appear to have unifying political demands for the future. It is also not known what the military and Bouteflikas supporters in the government will do next. Military chief of staff Ahmed Gaid Salah reportedly pushed for Bouteflikas resignation. Leaders from around the world are closely watching Algerias political crisis. Many are worried about the possibility that the crisis may interfere with gas and oil deliveries to Europe and Africa. A Russian government spokesman warned against foreign interference in Algerian politics. Dmitry Peskov said that we hope theprocesses in that country ... will by no means affect the friendly nature of our relations. Russia and Algeria have been economic and political allies since Soviet times. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said he hoped Algeria would have a democratic transition in the same spirit of calm and responsibility that has marked the recent protests. France was once Algerias colonial ruler and is an important trading partner. French leadership was criticized early in the protest movement for appearing to support Bouteflika. The U.S. State Department has expressed support for the peaceful protests. It says it is up to Algerians to decide what comes next. Since fighting a violent Islamist uprising in the 1990s, Algeria has worked closely with the United States and Europe against terrorism. Im Susan Shand. The Associated Press reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for VOA Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in this Story vacancy - n. a job or position that is available to be taken stroke - n. a serious illness caused when a blood vessel in your brain suddenly breaks or is blocked elite - n. the people who have the most wealth and status in a society fraud - n. the crime of using dishonest methods to take something valuable from another person transition - n. a change from one state or condition to another spirit - n. the attitude or feeling that a person has about a particular job, activity, etc. Praying for the direction to take in this years devotions, God directed my thoughts to the alphabet and 2x26 equals the weeks in a year, and that He can be described by many English words beginning with those 26 letters (X is the exception, but EX words will work). This year, I will gaze at the glory of God using the ESV and the alphabet! READ: Work permit rules revised Reelectionist Senator Nancy Binay on Thursday called on the Bureau of Immigration to cancel the special working permits it issued to Chinese construction workers working in different infrastructure projects in the country. Binay said that the BIs issuance of SWPs is illegal and contrary to law, and the agency should start detaining and deporting these workers. Construction workers and other work connected to manual labor are not included in the issuance of SWPs, Binay said. Foreign construction workers, cashiers, waiters, janitors, household workers, carpenters, garbage collectors, security guards, and warehouse caretakers are forbidden in the SWPs supplemental guidelines. The senator also wants the Department of Labor and Employment to start inspecting construction sites to find out if Chinese workers there have permits. Some reports said Chinese construction workers working in Chinese-funded infrastructure sites under the Build, Build, Build program have no working permits. There are around 138,000 foreign nationals that have been given SWPs in 2018, and 56,180 of these are Chinese working in online gaming operations in the country, according to combined data from the BI and DOLE. DOLE said Thursday it will issue new guidelines on foreign workers drafted in coordination with other government agencies, including the Bureau of Immigration and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.An interagency committee met last week and reviewed a list of foreign workers and their job description submitted by the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators, and those working without the required SWP from the BI or alien employment permit from the department. This will all be addressed when we release a memorandum or guidelines governing the entry of foreign workers. Its not about the nature of the job, its whether the job can be done by Filipinos, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said. He said that strict monitoring of the foreign workers will require more DOLE personnel to validate the list of workers submitted by the companies who were given license to operate POGOs. Bello recommended the hiring of 5,000 additional labor laws compliance officers to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez to supplement the monitoring workforce for foreign workers and private establishments in the country. Dominguez said the hiring of additional labor inspectors will entail around P2.5 billion, but the government is expected to collect around P22 billion to P40 billion in taxes from the foreign workers in the Philippines. READ: No work visa, no job for aliens READ: Pinoy fishers urged: Avoid Scarborough READ: Duterte pooh-poohs ICC case vs Chinas leader Macau Radio Taxi Services Limited (Macau Taxi) hopes that the Macau SAR government can provide the company with subsidies to support it in providing accessible services. During yesterdays TDM radio program, the general manager of Macau Taxi, Kevin U Kin Lung, expressed this hope. According to U, the company currently has five taxis which offer accessibility for handicapped or mobility impaired persons, which are currently fully booked. Moreover, even if the number doubles, it would not be enough to meet the citys demand. U noted that these specialized taxis lose money, and that the government should therefore consider providing subsidies. 1,602 illegal smoking prosecutions In the first quarter of this year, a total of 1,602 prosecutions for illegal smoking were registered, according to statistics released by the Health Bureau (SSM). Of this number, 1,590 cases were instances of illegal smoking, while 12 were related to sales of non-conforming tobacco products. In 32 of these cases, police assistance was called for. During the same period, the SSM, jointly with the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau, prosecuted 446 illegal smoking cases in casinos, an increase of more than 10 percent year-on-year. In addition, the SSM reported that it has received a total of 35 applications from casinos to establish 588 smoking lounges, of which 503 were approved. Top political aide meets Macau advisors Chinas top political advisor Wang Yang met with a visiting delegation of an association of provincial political advisors on the mainland, who are also Macau residents. Wang, chairman of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference National Committee, said the association had carried forward impressive work and achieved commendable results over the two years since its founding. Wang said he hoped the association would take an active part in the development of the Greater Bay Area. He also encouraged them to improve the associations activities and make greater contribution to the lasting prosperity, stability and development in Macau. Macau is not a good place for people to start a business, said Derio Chan, President of China Europe International Business Association (CEIBA), during yesterdays seminar at City University of Macau. The opportunity cost is too high in both Macau and Hong Kong. Macau is not suitable for entrepreneurship. There are no ancillary facilities; you cannot find a break point, you cannot find good talented people in IT to form a team, listed Chan, adding that even if you have a good concept, you cannot find good people to write the program for you. The city itself is good, but its difficult to find a good commercial mode. During his talk, Chan said that Portugal, especially Lisbon, may be a good place to start an IT business, because the country is spending to import high-technology and already has a certain degree of knowledge in terms of innovation. Comparing young people from Macau and the youth of Portugal, Chan noted that the education of Portuguese youngsters in addition to the countrys art history and traditions is what makes Portugal stand out in respect to science. In his opinion, the artistic background of Portugal is an advantage that Portuguese youngsters have over the Macau youth. [While] a website designed by a Portuguese person and a website designed by a Macau person show the same scientific ability and scientific concept, the color and design make you feel they are not at the same level [the Portuguese-designed one is better], said Chan, adding that this is their invisible advantage, which we dont have. As of today, much bilateral cooperation between Macau and Portugal has been announced, however, in Chans opinion, Macau-Portugal cooperation has not really begun. The next few years represent the beginning of the actual cooperation between Portugal and Macau, according to Chan. However, he says, it will be dependent upon Portugal making a decision whether or not to work with Macau. Despite the fact that Portugal has a historical relationship with Macau, it is still not absolutely necessary for Portugal to work with Macau, said Chan. We need to work with other regions. However, it should not just be about signing papers. There needs to be some actual cooperation, Chan elaborated. Talking about Macaus competitiveness when compared to China in terms of working with Portugal, Chan, who is a believer in the market economy, voiced that Macaus environment is not letting people feel very free. Industry-academia-research is not happening in Macau. The government should not tell people [to do business], we [the industry] will tell the government. The governments dominance is too strong, said Chan, adding that the government is not necessarily wrong, but the governments [instruction] can be right for three months and yet not for one year. When talking about cooperation across Macau, China and Portugal, the CEIBA president argued that there is a [lot of] room for cooperation between China and Portugal. Shareholders of Honworld Group Ltd. are exploring a sale of the Chinese soy sauce maker, which sells products under the Lao Heng He brand, people with knowledge of the matter said. Owners are working with an adviser on a possible sale of more than 49 percent of the Hong Kong-listed firm, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the information is private. The adviser reached out to potential buyers including Chinas Foshan Haitian Flavouring & Food Co. and Hong Kongs Lee Kum Kee Co., the people said. Any deal would add to the USD18.3 billion of announced acquisitions of Asia-based food companies over the last 12 months, data compiled by Bloomberg show. Japanese seasoning company Ajinomoto Co. last November sold Amoy Food Ltd., a century-old firm that makes Hong Kongs most popular soy sauce, to Citic Capital Holdings Ltd. Honworld founder Chen Weizhong has pledged most of his 49 percent stake in the company to China Construction Bank Corp., Honworlds latest interim report shows. Chinese tycoon Xie Zhikun owns about 13 percent. Deliberations are at an early stage, and the shareholders of Huzhou-based firm could still decide against a sale, the people said. Representatives at Honworld and Lee Kum Kee didnt respond to requests for comment, while a representative for Haitian had no immediate comment. Shares of Honworld rose 6.9 percent yesterday, giving the company a market value of HKD2.3 billion ($296 million). The benchmark Hang Seng Index rose 1.2 percent. In addition to soy sauce and vinegar, Honworlds products include Hunan-style hot sauce, cooking wine and fermented bean curd, according to its website. Vinicy Chan, Bloomberg Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is maintaining a friendly tone toward China, even after defense officials raised concerns over an increased Chinese presence around a disputed island in the South China Sea. China isnt after Philippine territory and hasnt asked for anything in exchange for the weapons and aid its given the Philippines, Duterte said in a campaign speech in Manila late Tuesday. You know, Red China or Communist China just wants to be friends with us, Duterte said. He added that he wouldnt confront China over the two countries competing territorial claims in the South China Sea because it would result in war. More than 200 Chinese ships have been spotted near the Philippine-occupied Thitu Island in the South China Sea since the start of the year, triggering a diplomatic protest from the Philippines. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana earlier this week voiced alarm over Chinas actions in the sea, describing Beijings island-building activity in waters claimed by Manila as very concerning after meeting with acting U.S. counterpart Patrick Shanahan at the Pentagon, the Philippine Daily Inquirer reported. Diplomats from the Philippines and China held their regular biannual meeting in Manila, where they raised recent issues on the South China Sea, according to a joint statement issued yesterday. Both nations reaffirmed the importance of maintaining and promoting regional peace and stability as well as freedom of navigation in and over-flight above the South China Sea. They also committed to address disputes and discuss oil and gas development, the statement read. Andreo Calonzo, Bloomberg A third-year student of the Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST) won the first prize of a China-wide English-speaking competition. Winner Cheng Xue-rong is a student of the School of Business of the university, who is currently in his third year of studies. This edition of the competition started in September last year, attracting approximately 100,000 university students from around the country to compete for the trophy. The competition went through several phases before Cheng brought the prize back home, beating 11 other contestants. The final was held in March in Hangzhou, and was organized by the China Daily. Its first edition was held in 1996. This year is the 24th edition of the competition. According to MUST, the competition has long been highly regarded in both China and around the world by educational institutions and government departments. It is the top-tier English competition in China. Professionals from international institutions, media organizations, foreign embassies and consulates in China, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are invited as jurors at the final. Apart from Chengs success, his instructor in the competition, Dr. John Lei Kai Cheong, assistant professor of the universitys International College, was also awarded first-tier instructor by the competition. Staff Reporter Guangdong has proposed a more preferential permanent residence policy for talent and will pilot a skilled migration system in nine cities in the Pearl River Delta, local authorities said. Li Shiwei, director of the Exit-Entry Administration Bureau of the Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department, said at a press conference that Guangdong would implement the pilot skilled migration system in nine cities of the Pearl River Delta and shorten the approval period for foreign talent to apply for permanent residence. The Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department and other departments are stepping up research on the skilled migration system to quickly formulate an implementation plan for the skilled migration system. As for the entry and exit of foreign talent, there are two channels for foreign talent to apply for talent visas: one is the regular channel to apply to visa agencies stationed overseas, and the other is to apply for visas directly at visa agencies in Guangdong. At the same time, foreigners who come to work in Guangdong for a short-term within 90 days can apply for visiting visas. After entering China, they are exempted from applying for work permits and residence permits, according to Li. For high-level foreign talents who have obtained work and residence permits to come to China, their foreign team members and scientific research assistants can apply for work and residence permits for corresponding periods, Li said. DB/Xinhua The Health Bureau (SSM) is set to commence a sample survey on the immunity of measles, opening the application to Filipino domestic helpers. According to a statement, the research is being conducted due to the lack of concrete data on the immune status of these employees although reports suggest that most have already been vaccinated. Blood will be collected from the workers this Saturday at the regions health centers, following a registration process that began yesterday. The report will be released a week after the blood collection. To date, there have been 11 imported cases and 17 proliferated cases of measles registered in the SAR representing a record high for the city. The latest patient, reported last night, is a 32-year-old local resident who visited Bangkok and Pattaya last month. He was previously vaccinated but it is likely that he never acquired the immunity. The SSM says its staff are monitoring the patients friends, family and colleagues who accompanied him on the trip. Prior to last nights case, the second-most recent recorded infection was a 32-year-old local nurse in the pediatric section of the Conde S. Januario Hospital. The bureau said that an 11-month-old infected baby, who had been to Switzerland and had not yet been vaccinated due to his or her young age, infected the nurse. The SSM remarked in its statement that the overwhelming majority of non-resident workers in Macau come from regions where there are epidemic areas of measles, notably in Southeast Asia and South Asia. In this context, SSM decided to carry out a survey of measles antibodies to selected groups of non-resident workers from different countries and regions, it noted. The SSM said that, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, a total of four Filipino nationals were infected with measles three of which are imported, while one case was related to the spread of measles in Macau. Meanwhile, 22 of the infected were not from the Philippines, with the majority of them being from the Macau SAR. In reply to the Times, the SSM noted that the imported cases originated in mainland China, Malaysia, Switzerland, Taiwan and Nepal. The bureau said that the study would be extended to other non-resident communities after the initial survey. In a separate statement, the SSM announced that approximately 200 people are being vaccinated against measles everyday, adding that there are still some 1,000 Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccines in stores as of Sunday. The bureau said that immunity rates for local residents exceed 95 percent for age groups above two years old. A superyacht seized by Malaysias government from fugitive financier Low Taek Jho, a central figure in the 1MDB scandal, has found a buyer in casino company Genting Malaysia Bhd. A Malaysian court approved the sale of the vessel for USD126 million, which Genting must pay by the end of April, Attorney-General Tommy Thomas said in a statement yesterday. While the price is lower than its $130 million valuation, the sale marks the largest amount of money that the country has recovered from 1MDB, he said. The deal records a high-water mark for our judicial system in ensuring that market value is secured for a vessel sold through the processes of Court, without any discount, Thomas said in the statement. It is even more commendable that this is achieved in a very sophisticated high-end superyacht sale, where the pool of buyers is extremely small. The government had struggled to find buyers for the 300-foot luxury ship after an earlier auction failed. The yacht was seized in Indonesian waters last year as part of Malaysias effort to recoup about $4.5 billion allegedly embezzled from 1MDB. The scandal surrounding the troubled state fund has reached the highest levels of Malaysias government and ensnared Goldman Sachs Group Inc. in its first criminal case. Former Prime Minister Najib Razak is set to attend his first day of trial on Wednesday to face seven of 42 charges linked to his role in 1MDB. He has pleaded not guilty to all the allegations. Low, who has also denied any wrongdoing, remains at large. He faces charges in Malaysia including money laundering. Genting Malaysias shares surged after the announcement, rising 2.5 percent as of the midday break in Kuala Lumpur, the steepest gain since Feb. 19. The company said in a statement yesterday that the purchase will help it differentiate itself from its competitors. It will provide Genting Malaysia with a unique and competitive edge for its premium customers business, it said. The company is part of a global conglomerate that operates casinos, resorts and cruise lines in the U.S. to Australia, as well property and palm oil plantations. The group runs the luxury Star Cruises line in Hong Kong and Resorts World Sentosa in Singapore that boasts a Universal Studios complex. Elffie Chew, Bloomberg The 10 measures announced by the government that aim to fix or at least relieve the effects of severe storms and high tides have not yet moved forward to their implementation phase. The projects are stranded, awaiting further studies and analysis. This is the major conclusion that came out from the latest meeting of the Follow-up Committee for Land Affairs and Public Concessions of the Legislative Assembly, held on Tuesday. The acknowledgement was made after the meeting by the Committee president, lawmaker Ella Lei, who speaking with the media said there had been no advances in regards to these public works projects. Regarding the works for increasing the height of the walls, these are all [still] in the study phase or even preliminary study. We are aware of the risks to residents living in low-lying areas [but] some members of the committee are not satisfied with the replies from the Government, Lei said, as quoted by Radio Macau. The committee president took the opportunity to criticize the lack of communication between different government departments, and the lack of transparency regarding the plans and the timeline for their implementation. We call attention to the lack of coordination between the different services, she said. This issue is probably due to the lack of a mechanism for information disclosure [on the timetable for the execution of the works] so that at least the population can know what the government is going to do and what [is the current situation] in the event of a disaster. In the bundle of measures that the government presented as solutions to severe weather conditions for example the flooding of low-lying areas of the peninsula and islands were works such as the construction of flood barriers (levees). This includes in the Inner Harbor district, which the Marine and Water Bureau (DSAMA) acknowledged in October last year could only be done after 2021. The DSAMA noted that analysis and scientific research on the flood prevention improvement measures had been concluded. It noted that for the time being, the works to be advanced would only include, the installation of over 10 drain valves on the lower walls in the Inner Harbor, which would be opened to facilitate faster water drainage after a storm surge accumulation. According to the bureau, the installation of such valves would only be possible in the second half of this year. As for the flood barriers, which are to be built between piers number 23 and 26, the DSAMA said in the same statement, it can only be built after the conclusion of the construction works of the Box-Culvert of the Rainwater Collection and Pumping Station of the Northern area of the Inner Harbor. The work is expected to finish during 2021 and is included in the mid-term measures. Citing the same research and analysis ordered by the government, the bureau said that the studies concluded that the solution of deepening the riverbed in the area would not contribute to solving the flooding problem. Ka Ho Port new contract to be written soon The new concession contract for the renovation, update and operation of the Ka Ho Port has been already settled and the contract will be written soon, the Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Raimundo do Rosario, said on the sidelines of the Follow-up Committee for Land Affairs and Public Concessions of the Legislative Assembly. To the media, Rosario said that the new contract has no major changes from the previous one, and that the only relevant change relates to the transport of hazardous materials. Two or three years ago, the transport of dangerous products by road was banned. The major change was to find a way [together] with Macau port to ensure the entry of such materials, especially of fireworks and other products, by sea, the secretary said in a report by Radio Macau. RM The chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations said Wednesday the Senate led by Senate President Vicente Sotto III made adjustments to the proposed 2019 General Appropriations Bill after the ratification of the bicameral report. The senators also increased by P83.9 billion the allocation for their pet programs and projects under various departments and agencies. These adjustments were submitted to the House appropriations committee by the members of the Senates Legislative Budget Research and Monitoring Office beginning February 11, or three days after Congress ratified the 2019 budget on February 8. The Senate adjustments were submitted piece-meal until March 8, 2019, Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr. said in a statement. He made the statement even as Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said Thursday President Rodrigo Duterte had no choice but to veto the P75-billion pork insertions made by congressmen in the P3.8-trillion national budget for 2019. The insertions by House members were done after the ratification of the bicameral conference committee report. The President has no choice but to veto the questionable items in the budget, particularly the P75 billion worth of pork barrel funds, which was illegally inserted into the budget after both houses ratified the bicameral conference report," Drilon said. Andaya said the biggest increase, totaling P26 billion, was realigned to the Department of Public Works and Highways to finance infrastructure projects that were also itemized by the Senate. Next was the Department of Health, which was given additional allocation of P17 billion. Of this amount, P10 billion was earmarked for the Health Enhancement Program and P1 billion for the Malasakit Centers, Andaya said. With Macon Ramos-Araneta The other institutions that received major portions of the Senates budget increase included the following: * Senate 1.7 billion; * Office of the Vice President 215 million; * Department of Agriculture 597 million; * Department of Education P2.5 billion; * Department of Energy 110 million; * State Universities and Colleges 2.5 billion;* Department of Environment and Natural Resources 289 million; * Department of Information and Communication Technology 2 billion; * Department of Interior and Local Government 1.2 billion; * Department of Justice 1.3 million; * Department of Labor 2.1 million; and * Assistance to Local Government Units 997 million The submission of these adjustments are fully documented. The House has copies of videotapes from our CCTV cameras showing the entry and exit of LBMRO staff during the submission of the Senate realignments from Feb. 11 to March 8, 2019, Andaya said. Should Sotto and other senators wish to get a copy of these videotapes, Andaya said, we can send them to the Senate anytime. He advised Sotto and the other senators to look closely into the budget books prepared by their chamber and consult once again with their technical staff who helped the Senate craft the final inputs to the 2019 General Appropriations Bill. The figures I had cited with regard to the national budget are printed in the enrolled copy of the 2019 GAB, which was transmitted for signature of President Duterte, Andaya said. These figures are official records and beyond reproach. To brand them as fake is an insult to both Congress and the people who worked in the preparation of the bill. Andaya said the piece-meal explanation on the budget cuts imposed by the Senate and click-bait statements from senators were no longer acceptable. These will only confuse, rather than educate, the public on the budget authorization process. He said the senators could not hide the fact that they unilaterally reduced by more than P75 billion the 2019 budget allocated to the Presidents major infrastructure projects and vital social programs. These cuts would also affect the benefits due to government workers, including pension and retirement benefits of retired uniformed personnel. The American black civil rights leader, Dr Martin Luther King, has been assassinated. Dr King was shot dead in the southern US city of Memphis, Tennessee, where he was to lead a march of sanitation workers protesting against low wages and poor working conditions He was shot in the neck as he stood on a hotel balcony and died in hospital soon afterwards. Reverend Jesse Jackson was on the balcony with Dr King when the single shot rang out. He had just bent over. I reckon if he had been standing up he would not have been hit in the face, said Mr Jackson. Police in Memphis were put on alert for a well- dressed white man who is said to have dropped an automatic rifle after the shooting and escaped in a blue car. There were early signs of rioting in Memphis after Dr Kings death and 4,000 members of the National Guard were drafted into the city. A dusk-to-dawn curfew has been ordered to ward off disturbances. The US President, Lyndon Johnson, has postponed a trip to Hawaii for peace talks on Vietnam. The president said he was shocked and saddened by the civil rights leaders death. I ask every citizen to reject the blind violence that has taken Dr King who lived by non-violence, Mr Johnson said. Dr King, 39, had previously survived several attempts on his life including the bombing of his home in 1956. The charismatic civil rights leader joined the crusade for equal rights for black people in America in the mid 1950s. He first came to national prominence as one of the leaders of the Alabama bus boycott in 1955. In 1963 Dr King led a massive march on Washington DC where he delivered his now famous I have a dream speech. Dr King advocated the use of non-violent tactics such as sit-ins and protest marches. In 1964 he was awarded the Nobel peace prize. Courtesy BBC News In context Martin Luther Kings assassination led to riots in more than 100 US cities. James Earl Ray was convicted of his murder and sentenced to 99 years in prison. But he later retracted his confession and said he had been only a minor player in a conspiracy. However, his appeals for a new trial were rejected and he died in prison in 1998. Ray was supported by some members of Martin Luther Kings family who believed the US Government may have been involved in Dr Kings death. Their case was strengthened in December 1999 when a jury in a wrongful death case brought by the King family, decided the civil rights leader was the victim of a murder conspiracy. However, in June 2000 after an investigation the US Justice Department said it had uncovered no reliable evidence of a conspiracy. WashingtonThe US is prepared to pump dollars into Venezuela to fortify its economy if President Nicolas Maduro leaves, the top White House economic advisor said Wednesday, as American senators introduced legislation to authorize $400 million in humanitarian aid. Larry Kudlow told reporters that Washington is already working with banks and the International Monetary Fund on a rebuilding plan to revitalize the countrys crushed economy and said that, when the time comes, we will be moving as fast as we can. We call it Day Two, he said at a briefing arranged by The Christian Science Monitor newspaper. It would be a rescue plan, it would be a restructuring plan, it would be a plan to put cash into the country. Venezuelas oil economy has crumbled under a collapse of crude exports and international sanctions against Maduro, whom Washington and its allies view as illegitimate. The United States has been pressuring for Maduro to step down or be overthrown, but he has clung to power with the support of Venezuelas military. The time line is to get rid of Maduro. I have no idea when that is going to be, said Kudlow. Once Maduro leaves, economic assistance would be immediate, beginning with pushing the US currency in to reignite economic activity, moving it via banks, iPhones, apps, said Kudlow, who is director of the National Economic Council. The cash will not be bolivares, it will be dollars, at least at the beginning, he said.There is no demand for bolivares. Dollars are the answer. On Capitol Hill, a bipartisan group of US senators introduced legislation to authorize $400 million in humanitarian aid to Venezuela. The funds are part of a package of measures aimed at re-establishing democracy and supporting opposition leader Juan Guaido. Since 2017, Washington has allocated more than $195 million for humanitarian aid for Latin American nations that are taking in Venezuelan migrants and refugees. In January, the US Agency for International Development said that it could kick in an additional $20 million. The bipartisan senate initiative, known as the Venezuela Emergency Relief, Democracy Assistance, and Development Act -- acronym VERDAD, or truth in Spanish -- was proposed by New Jersey Democrat Bob Menendez and Florida Republican Marco Rubio. More than 50 countries including the United States support Guaido, the head of the opposition-controlled National Assembly legislature, as Venezuelas interim president. Russia and China back Maduro. Malnutrition and disease are on the rise as living conditions plummet in Venezuela, which is spiraling ever deeper into economic chaos during the protracted political crisis. Ample proof that the judiciary, represented by the Supreme Court, remains an independent branch of government and not, as feared by critics, totally beholden to the President and the executive branch, is the High Tribunal's en banc ruling this week that the Solicitor General should release documents on the thousands of killings directly attributed to President Rodrigo Dutertes bloody war on drugs. The ruling directs Solicitor General Jose Calida to submit to the Supreme Court the police reports, copy furnished the petitionersCenter for International Law and the Free Legal Assistance Groupon the more than 20,000 killings since mid-2016 by policemen and suspected vigilantes. Calida had blocked the release of the documents by invoking national security, claiming that the release of the reports of a big number of killings "may lead to the inference that these are state-sponsored." He also argued that CenterLaw and FLAG were not entitled to the rest of the documents as their cases only cover specific killings in Metro Manila. According to CenterLaw, however, the release of documents is important to shed light on the killings: "This is an emphatic statement by the highest court of the land that it will not allow the rule of law to be trampled upon in the war on drugs. It is a very important decision." We agree completely. The ruling is a welcome development as the Philippine National Police has acknowledged only more than 5,000 alleged drug traffickers and addicts have been killed after they resisted arrest and fought back in legitimate law enforcement operations. Human rights groups and media have documented more than 20,000 deaths under Oplan Tokhang. These have been classified by police as "deaths under investigation," ostensibly carried out by vigilante groups. Curiously, though, none of the cases appears to have been thoroughly investigated. What's disturbing is that of the 5,000 drug suspects claimed to have been killed in legitimate police operations, the government has prosecuted only 76 cases. In other words, the rest of the 5,000 are mere statistics, with their families unable to seek justice in court. The Commission on Human Rights is correct in pointing out that the Supreme Court ruling is a "reminder to the government to observe the rule of law in the face of rising human rights violations." Kudos to the members of the Supreme Court for reassuring the citizenry that it upholds accountability, justice and the rule of law in this country. Pay up, or else... Where can an additional P22 billion in the form of taxes go these days?Low-cost housing for the poor, for one. That amount can be used to jumpstart the construction of subsidized housing for those now living along esteros leading to the Pasig River, thus also helping in the ongoing rehabilitation of Manila Bay. Where it shouldn't go is to the pockets of the hopelessly corrupt and the interminably greedy. We're talking about the projection of the Department of Finance that the government can collect an estimated P22 billion annually in income taxes from foreign workers, mainly Chinese, employed in the country's booming online gaming industry. The DOF has created an interagency task force to monitor the number of foreign nationals employed in Philippine offshore gaming operations and compile a list of these workers with the goal of taxing their wages. This after members of the task force consisting of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. Department of Labor and Employment, Securities and Exchange Commission, Bureau of Immigration, and the various special economic zones, discovered gaps or inconsistencies in the figures they had initially submitted to reconcile their records. Authorities would like to determine whether POGO workers could possibly exceed 100,000 in number. A recent news report quoted BIR Deputy Commissioner Arnel Guballa as saying that an initial list of 64 out of 205 service providers of POGOs showed that they employ a total of 33,000 foreign workers or an average of 515 per service provider. Hence, with 515 foreign workers employed in about 200 service providers, the government should be collecting income taxes from about 103,000 aliens working here. The BIR calculates that if foreign workers in POGOs receive an average of 10,000 yuan, equivalent to about $1,500 or P78,000 a month, then an average income tax of 25 percent of their salaries would yield an estimated amount of P18,750 a month that can be collected from each foreign workeror a total of roughly P22.5 billion a year in foregone income tax revenues. This estimate does not include allowances and fringe benefits that are also taxable. The government needs all the taxes it can collect from all sources, including foreign workers, to fund vital infrastructure projects and social services like education and health. [email protected] Sacramento area community musical theater (esp. DMTC in Davis), Liberal politics, Meteorology, "Breaking Bad" and "Better Call Saul" filming locations reference site, New Mexico and California arcana, and general weirdness. Hemali Phatnani, PhD, Director of the New York Genome Center's Center for Genomics of Neurodegenerative Disease (CGND) and Silas Maniatis, PhD, Staff Scientist, CGND, (l to r) examine the multidimensional data available in the new ALS gene expression atlas, being made available to the research community via interactive exploration portal https://als-st.nygenome.org . Credit: New York Genome Center ALS researchers at the New York Genome Center (NYGC) have utilized new technologies for mapping gene expression in spinal cord samples that provide new insights into the mechanisms that contribute to disease onset and progression in ALS patients. In a global collaboration that included scientists at the Simons Foundation's Flatiron Institute in New York, the Science for Life Laboratory and KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden, and New York University, researchers at the NYGC's Center for Genomics of Neurodegenerative Disease (CGND) used spatial transcriptomics, combined with a novel computational approach, to obtain gene expression measurements over time and space for close to 12,000 genes in the spinal cord. The result is a new, multidimensional gene expression atlas, providing unparalleled detail and scale and offering a previously unavailable view of disease progression in ALS. In a new study in Science, the researchers describe how the spatiotemporal gene expression atlas uncovers early changes in ALS disease not observable using traditional sequencing methods. The scientists also developed novel computational approaches that reveal disease-driven changes in the activity of many signaling pathways across all cell types in the central nervous system, which may reveal novel targets for designing therapeutics and diagnostics. What makes this study unique from previous transcriptome profiling research is the method used by the scientists, Spatial Transcriptomics, which generates RNAseq profiles at many locations in a tissue section simultaneously. Thus, the team was able to record precisely where in the tissue virtually every gene is expressed. The researchers examined four time points during disease progression, from earliest adulthood to end stage in a mouse model of ALS. In addition, postmortem spinal cord samples from ALS patients were examined. "Spatial Transcriptomics allows us, for the first time, to gain important insights into gene expression in individual cell types while in their natural multicellular context," explained Hemali Phatnani, Ph.D., Director of NYGC's CGND, senior author of the study. "It enables unprecedented interrogation of cell-to-cell interactions so that we can now examine and explore specific pathways in ALS where things are going wrong, where and in which cell types dysfunction is first seen, and how this spreads through the spinal cord." The scientists have made this multidimensional gene expression atlas available as a resource to the research community via the interactive data exploration portal. They believe that the study can provide a framework for further mapping of the central nervous system and its modes of dysfunction, to aid research into not just ALS but also other neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and Huntington's disease. A relatively new method enables researchers to study tissue samples in high resolution to determine where genes are expressed. In these four cross-sections of a mouse spinal cord, each dot represents an individual measurement site. Yellower dots represent regions with elevated expression of the CHODL gene. Credit: S. Maniatis et al./Science 2019 The ongoing insights to be gleaned from this comprehensive, spatiotemporal, transcriptome-wide gene expression dataset will be crucial to advancing understanding of ALS, a complex neurodegenerative disease with no clear cause or known cure. More than 200,000 people worldwide are living with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, which typically manifests at first in distal muscles of a single limb, and then spreads throughout the body, leading to total paralysis and death. The average life expectancy of a person with ALS is about two to five years from the time of diagnosis. In their paper, "Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Molecular Pathology in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis," the team collected 76,136 spatial gene expression measurements (SGEMs) from 1,165 mouse tissue sections and 61,031 SGEMs from 80 human tissue sections (for context, the next largest comparable spatially resolved transcriptomics studies considered only about a dozen tissue sections at a single time point). By combining the data from many tissue sections, the researchers were able to detect the expression of close to 12,000 genes simultaneously across the tissue region under examination. This is the first time that such a spatially resolved approach has been used to study ALS at this depth and scale. "Even though it is the motor neurons that are most vulnerable in ALS, the neighboring cells that surround the motor neurons also play a role in the disease," said co-first author, Silas Maniatis, Ph.D., Staff Scientist at NYGC's CGND. "Our research focuses on understanding how disease-causing mutations disrupt the function of both neuronal and non-neuronal cells, and how disrupted interactions between the various cell types of the nervous system drive motor neuron loss in ALS. Spatial Transcriptomics and the associated computational tools we developed in this study give us a superb view of these processes. Perhaps more importantly, this combination of technologies and experimental approaches provide a framework for understanding other diseases of the nervous system." TYROBP, a gene linked to ALS, lights up across a thin cross-section of spinal cord tissue from a person with ALS. Expression of the gene is elevated in some regions (yellower dots), a new study shows. Credit: S. Maniatis et al./Science 2019 Corresponding authors on the study include: Joakim Lundeberg, Ph.D., whose lab developed the Spatial Transcriptomics method, and is head of the department of Gene Technology at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology, and Director of the Genomics platform at SciLifeLab, an institution for the advancement of molecular biosciences in Sweden; and Richard Bonneau, Ph.D., Professor of Biology, Computer Science, and Data Science, New York University, and Group Leader for Systems Biology at the Center for Computational Biology at the Simons Foundation's Flatiron Institute, who led the team in devising novel computational methods for analysis of atlas data. "The study is a beautiful example that 'geography' matters, i.e., being able to spatially position subtle gene activity changes and linking these to initial steps in the disease. An added benefit is that information is indeed provided in a data-driven manner using the wealth of information provided by transcriptome-wide technologies in situ," said Dr. Lundeberg. "The synergy of this global collaboration has resulted in the development of a powerful new genomic tool that provides researchers with a wealth of information in a data-driven manner," said Dr. Bonneau. Explore further Spinal organoids mimic neurodegenerative disease More information: "Spatiotemporal dynamics of molecular pathology in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis" Science (2019). "Spatiotemporal dynamics of molecular pathology in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis"(2019). science.sciencemag.org/cgi/doi 1126/science.aav9776 An interactive data exploration portal is publicly available at http://als-st.nygenome.org/. Journal information: Science Provided by New York Genome Center N. Scott Adzick, M.D., Surgeon-in-Chief of CHOP with a patient. Credit: Children's Hospital of Philadelphia New research recently published in the Journal of Pediatric Surgery found that post-operative success rates of pediatric thyroid patients, particularly children who require a thyroidectomy, correlate with the institution's patient volume. The study, conducted by a team at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), reviewed nearly 500 cases. The findings underscore how a highly experienced clinical team can make a big difference when it comes to patient outcomes. Since thyroid disease is less common in children than adults, pediatric surgery specialists often have less experience in managing thyroid disease. Other studies have reported an increased risk of complications for children undergoing thyroid surgery, with patients about 3.5 times more likely than adults to be readmitted and receive care that does not conform to national guidelines. For many patients, surgery is often a necessity, as is the case for patients with thyroid cancer where surgical removal of the thyroid and regional lymph nodes is the most important initial step in care after the diagnosis is confirmed by fine needle aspiration biopsy. Surgery is also commonly performed for patients with Graves' disease, an autoimmune disorder that causes hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid), since less than 30 percent of pediatric patients with Graves' disease achieve remission. "The Pediatric Thyroid Center at CHOP is the busiest center of its kind in the United States," said N. Scott Adzick, MD, Surgeon-in-Chief of CHOP and senior author of the study. "Our highly skilled team performs at least 80 thyroid surgeries each year, along with the evaluation and management of care for hundreds of patients. We wanted to measure the advantages of being in a high-volume center and examine what that means for patient outcomes both before and after surgery." The study team reviewed medical records of 464 pediatric patients undergoing thyroid surgery at CHOP between 2009 and 2017. Data collection focused on pathologic diagnosis, surgical technique, and surgical complications. The patients were diagnosed with papillary or follicular thyroid cancer (n=168), benign modules (n=151), Graves' disease (n=124), medullary thyroid cancer (n=14), and seven patients underwent a prophylactic thyroidectomy for multiple endocrine neoplasia, type 2A (MEN2a), which is characterized by medullary carcinoma of the thyroid. Surgery for papillary thyroid cancer included lymph node dissections based on the extent of disease. Complication rates after thyroidectomy in 464 pediatric patients are the lowest ever reported. Only two patients demonstrated a persistent recurrent laryngeal nerve deficit at 6 months postoperatively (0.4%), and two patients had persistent hypoparathyroidism 6 months after total thyroidectomy (0.6%). There was no significant difference in either hypocalcemia or hypoparathyroidism after total thyroidectomy based on the patient's age or diagnosis. "We reported extremely low complication rates after surgery, underscoring that a high-volume center with specialized pediatric surgeons well-versed in these procedures should be considered for children and adolescents who require surgery for thyroid disease," said Andrew J. Bauer, MD, an endocrinologist and Medical Director of the Pediatric Thyroid Center at CHOP and one of the co-authors of the study. "By seeing a higher volume of patients, our team is extremely skilled at ensuring an accurate and complete pre-operative evaluation, and selecting the best surgical plan for each patient based on their diagnosis. This approach is associated with optimizing outcomes while at the same time reducing complications for our patients and families." Explore further Thyroidectomy rates lower after guideline implementation More information: Heron D. Baumgarten et al, Surgical management of pediatric thyroid disease: Complication rates after thyroidectomy at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia high-volume Pediatric Thyroid Center, Journal of Pediatric Surgery (2019). Journal information: Journal of Pediatric Surgery Heron D. Baumgarten et al, Surgical management of pediatric thyroid disease: Complication rates after thyroidectomy at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia high-volume Pediatric Thyroid Center,(2019). DOI: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2019.02.009 The country's economic growth this year may not be as robust as many expect it to be because of at least three major factors. Government and private economists agree that the delay in the approval of the 2019 budget, the slowdown in global trade and the El Nino phenomenon will make a dent on the gross domestic product. The inter-agency Development Budget Coordination Committee was the first to make the adjustment on the economic growth target. It reduced its growth forecast for the Philippines this year to a range of 6 percent to 7 percent from the previous target of 7 percent to 8 percent, taking into account the delay in the approval of the national budget and external risks, including the lingering trade war between the US and China. Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III has noted that the budget impasse will affect the creation of more jobs from the Build, Build Build infrastructure program of the Duterte administration. Estimates by the National Economic and Development Authority showed that a reenacted budget until April would bring down full-year GDP growth to 6.1 percent to 6.3 percent. The Neda said if the budget was passed in August, growth could be expected at 4.9 percent to 5.1 percent. It said that with a full-year reenacted budget, the growth could go as low as 4.2 percent to 4.9 percent. The current El Nino, meanwhile, is already wreaking havoc on farm production. The Department of Agriculture department is now assisting some 138,000 farmers grappling with the lack of rain. El Nino, according to Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Pinol, had caused some P5 billion in agricultural losses in about 149,000 hectares of farmland. The worst-hit areas included Cagayan Valley, Bicol, Northern Mindanao and Occidental Mindoro.Both the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank made their respective downward adjustments on the country's growth forecast, citing the weaker global growth and the budget delay. A lower economic growth simply means lesser creation of jobs than what the government originally projected. Lower employment opportunities, in turn, will worsen the poverty incidence in the Philippines. Scanning electromicrograph of an HIV-infected T cell. Credit: NIAID A large team of researchers with members from the U.K., Canada, Uganda and Zimbabwe has found that the common antibiotic cotrimoxazole reduces adverse health events in children with HIV. In their paper published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, the group describes testing the effectiveness of the antibiotic in young HIV patients and what they found. Over the past several decades, scientists have made great strides in treating people who have been infected with HIVso much so that it is no longer considered lethal, at least in people who live in developed countries. In many parts of Africa, the situation is much more diremany people who become infected cannot afford the cocktail of drugs required to treat the infection. There is also the problem of high transmission rates. In response to the situation, medical personnel in Africa have been looking for other ways to help those with HIV infections, particularly children. One such treatment is the inexpensive antibiotic cotrimoxazole, which has a prophylactic effect. Researchers suspect that the drug may also reduce adverse health events associated with HIV infections such as pneumonia. In this new effort, the researchers sought to find whether the antibiotic really did help HIV patients. The researchers gave cotrimoxazole to 293 children with HIV infections living in Uganda and Zimbabwe for 96 weeks. Then they collected plasma samples from all of the children and ceased administering the antibiotic to half of them. The researchers then collected plasma samples from all of the children again 48 weeks later and compared what they found. The researchers report that the children who had continued to receive cotrimoxazole had lower systemic inflammation compared to those who had gone without the drug. They also found a decrease in activity levels of Streptococcus. More specifically, they found that the children who stopped taking the antibiotic were 18 percent more likely to suffer from an adverse health event than the children who continued with the drug. In taking a closer look at the impact of the antibiotic on the body, the researchers found that it had a direct effect on immune cells which inhibited inflammatory molecule production in 16 adult patients. They conclude that despite widespread resistance to the antibiotic, giving it to people with HIV can provide them with some degree of relief from adverse health events. Explore further Low-cost drugs package saves lives of people starting HIV treatment late More information: Claire D. Bourke et al. Cotrimoxazole reduces systemic inflammation in HIV infection by altering the gut microbiome and immune activation, Science Translational Medicine (2019). Journal information: Science Translational Medicine Claire D. Bourke et al. Cotrimoxazole reduces systemic inflammation in HIV infection by altering the gut microbiome and immune activation,(2019). DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aav0537 2019 Science X Network Credit: CC0 Public Domain Global life expectancy grew by 5.5 years between 2000 and 2016, the World Health Organization said Thursday, warning though that unequal income and access to healthcare translates into far shorter lives for many. The UN health agency also stressed significant gender differences in life expectancy worldwide. On average, a child born in 2016 can expect to live 72 years, up from 66.5 in 2000, according to the annual World Health Statistics report. The first 16 years of the century saw dramatic drops in deaths among children under five, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, where progress has been made against malaria, measles and other communicable diseases, WHO said. Life expectancy has also increased thanks to advances against HIV/AIDS, which ravaged much of Africa in the 1990s. But despite progress in poorer countries, WHO said there remained significant life expectancy gaps between developed and developing nations. People in low-income countries live 18 fewer years on average than those in high-income nations, statistics showed. In Lesotho, for instance, people on average live to be just 52, or 53 in the Central African Republic 53 years of age, compared to over 83 for Switzerland and over 84 in Japan. While most people who die in rich countries are old, nearly one in three deaths in poorer countries are children under five, WHO said. 'Shocking differences' For the first time, WHO broke down its global health statistics by sex, clearly showing that females have better longevity prospects than males. At birth, babies are more likely to be male than female, with some 73 million boys expected to be born this year, compared to 68 million girls, WHO said. But due to greater biological frailty and riskier behaviours, mortality rates tend to be higher among boys and men, and the ratio shifts as the population ages. At a global scale, girls born in 2016 are expected to live to the age of 74.2, while and boys on average will make it to 69.8 years, the report showed. One reason why women appear to live longer is that they tend to be better about using available healthcare. In countries facing HIV epidemics, for instance, women are far more likely to take HIV tests and access antiretroviral therapies than their male counterparts. Female TB patients are also more likely to seek treatment, WHO said. It is therefore perhaps not surprising that the gap between men's and women's life expectancy is narrowest in places where women lack access to health services. In low-income countries with scarcer services, one in 41 women die from maternal causes, compared to one in 3,300 women in high-income countries. These are "shocking differences", WHO's head of data and analytics, Samira Asma, told reporters. Overall, the statistics showed that life expectancy has risen in most countries, including significant jumps in places like Eritrea, where people on average are now expected to live 22 years longer than the 43 years predicted in 2000. In Syria, meanwhile, which has been ravaged by eight years of conflict, life expectancy dropped by a decade, from 73 years in 2000 to 63.8 years in 2016. People in the United States have meanwhile seen their life expectancy slip from 79 years in 2014 to 78.5 years two years later, the WHO numbers showed. Asma said the drop was in part driven by the obesity epidemic. Explore further Life expectancy rises in poor nations, UN reports 2019 AFP Lime is working on ways to overcome the problem of helmet churn on its e-scooters. Credit: Marvin Fox Photography, Author provided You're smiling as your e-scooter whispers along the riverside path. Without the helmet, the wind can blow through your hair and it looks good! You hear a shout, "Pull over!", and turn to see police heading towards you with your helmet in hand. Police conducted a blitz on safety breaches by eletric scooter riders in Brisbane over the weekend. And employees of operator Lime tell us safety issues have been persistent in Australia's first trial of a shared e-scooter scheme. How do we educate users about helmets and safe riding behaviour? And how can helmets be distributed cost-effectively? As with other disruptive tech companies with mass appeal, the safety and regulatory issues raised by e-scooters including rider and pedestrian safety and being left in inappropriate places are attracting attention. A closely related issue is helmets and their role in rider safety. Scooter operators have come under pressure to encourage riders to wear helmets. The RACQ has called on Lime "to ensure every scooter put out has a helmet attached". A day in the life of a helmet Ultimately, responsibility for public safety and compliance with civic cleanliness rests with the individual mobility provider. Lime accepts this and has announced it will distribute 250,000 helmets worldwide. Each day fully charged scooters, with helmets, are placed on footpaths. At the end of each day, the tally of scooters and helmets does not add up. This is known in the industry as helmet churn the constant loss and replacement of helmets. Unlike the scooters themselves, which have smart tracking technology, helmets are kept cheap to minimise the cost of these losses. Let's try to unpack the issue of helmet churn. It is agreed that not wearing a helmet plays a part in the problem. Some riders simply leave it behind. Aside from being unsafe, this separates the helmet from the scooter, so it becomes unavailable for the next scooter user. New insights are emerging as we begin to study this phenomenon. Reasons for helmet churn are linked to a reluctance to share them we believe some riders worry about hygiene and it being a disposable product. It seems there may even be feelings of ownership, with some perceiving the helmet to become their property through paying for the ride. Assumed reasons for helmet churn. Credit: Peter Townson/QUT Chair in Digital Economy Limits of deterrence Two main compliance mechanisms are in place to discourage riders from contributing to helmet churn: police and Lime. In Queensland, the fine for not wearing a helmet is A$130. In other states and territories fines range from as little as A$25 to as much as A$337. Research into deviant consumer behaviour tells us this tactic of appealing to fear of punishment extends only to riders wearing helmets. It does not have an effect on the broader issues of vandalism and theft. The research also suggests the "fear of punishment" approach makes two critical assumptions: that people agree the behaviour is wrong ("yes, this is dangerous")riders think there is a real risk of being caught ("catch me if you can"). Given this is not always the case, a risk-based approach to deterrence is limited. Lime also plays a part in curbing helmet noncompliance. Its current strategy, aside from providing the helmets, is the Respect the Ride education program. It aims to foster a community and culture of safe mobility, underpinned by a personal pledge each rider is encouraged to make. This approach is appropriate for trying to change the behaviour of not wearing a helmet. It does not target people who are taking advantage of publicly available helmets. These measures still do not fully solve a pervasive problem. You have a disruptive mobility company in the spotlight because of safety concerns. The company has a duty of care to supply helmets and ensure riders are safe. Riders are disregarding, disposing of, defacing and destroying helmets. The penalty for not wearing a helmet in each state. Credit: Peter Townson/QUT Chair in Digital Economy How do we solve this tough, intractable, social problem? A shift in thinking ecosystem view If helmet churn exists for Lime scooters, then it exists for all other ride-share operators in that area. If a helmet isn't available, riders will often borrow from other services such as share bikes. Helmets are sometimes considered "free for grabs" across different mobility providers. Should the duty of care that requires helmets be provided rest on each mobility service operator, when the noncompliance of one undermines them all? While these personal transport providers are in competition with one another, they have an opportunity to relinquish their individual burden of helmet churn by working together on the problem. A shift in thinking personalised view If the one constant across various mobility services is the rider, we should also consider a "bring your own helmet" approach. This approach possibly started in technology companies ("bring your own device", allowing employees and customers to use their own devices to interact with an organisation) and has spread to other areas. For instance, environmentally conscious coffee lovers bring their own cups, while still having the option of using a paper cup. Could a similar option work for helmets? Disposable helmets made of cardboard are being tested as a concept. And personalised helmets that look and feel like a beanie can be pre-purchased from a start-up created by QUT students. Cyclists still carry their own helmets when they commute on their own bikes, so the acceptance of this BYO approach should be simple. The difference is users need only provide a helmet, without having to worry about finding safe parking and storage places for the day or overnight. Adapting to disruption The meaning of a helmet has shifted significantly from individual property to a shared utility, as has the meaning of many modes of transport, including bikes and scooters. There are two paths from here: ecosystem, with ubiquitous helmets available for everyone; and personalised, with riders bringing their own helmets. Either of these is different from the world we know today. The bigger picture is a collaborative effort to achieve the goal of rider safety. Explore further Seattle bike share programs show infrequent helmet use, little disparity in access to bikes among neighborhoods This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Rolling Stones fans were concerned by the news Mick Jagger needs a new heart valve. But they'll be happy to know that these days most patients in his situation can get what they needand often without intensive surgery. While Jagger has not discussed his condition, Rolling Stone magazine confirmed reports that Jagger, 75, needs heart-valve surgery. It's scheduled Friday in New York. Jagger is expected to make a complete recovery, the band said in a statement. Jagger has plenty of company. More than 5 million Americans live with heart-valve disease. In 2013, the most recent year for which numbers are available, more than 100,000 people had heart-valve surgery, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. Dr. Catherine Otto, a professor of medicine at the University of Washington in Seattle, offered this primer on the heart's four valves and how they can malfunction. The two valves on the right side, which pump blood into the lungs, are rarely a problem, said Otto, co-chair of the committee that wrote the latest American Heart Association guidelines on heart-valve disease. The valves on the left, which pump blood into the body, are typically the issue when something goes wrong, she said. If one of these valve narrows, blood can't go forward without the heart working extremely hard to push it, she said. And if a valve leaks, the heart has to pump extra blood to make up for it. "It's a very delicate structure that with time can become a little bit thicker and get a little bit of scar tissue," said Dr. Robert Bonow, professor of cardiology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago and co-author of those AHA guidelines. A small percentage of people are born with malformed valves; many live for decades without problems. But even an anatomically normal valve is opening and closing with every heartbeat. Dr. Bonow did the math: For someone with an average heart rate, the valve opens about 3 billion times over 80 years. "It's just one of those things that if you live long enough, these valves will begin to wear out at some point," said Bonow, a past AHA president. Risk factors include the same ones that lead to heart attacks, high cholesterol, smoking, high blood pressure and diabetes, Bonow said. "But even people who have no risk factors, including athletes, can develop problems," he said. Symptoms can include chest pain or palpitations; shortness of breath; fatigue; lightheadedness or swelling in the ankles, feet or abdomen. But the warning signs can be "very subtle," Otto said. (Jagger, in fact, was spotted frolicking with his girlfriend and toddler son in Miami Beach just after the band canceled upcoming tour dates because of his health.) Otto said the most common symptoms she sees include reduced ability to exercise. Patients get out of breath, fatigued or just don't feel like doing it. "If they get to the point of actually having chest pain with exertion or shortness of breath or dizziness or passing outthose are really more severe symptoms of the disease," she said. Worn-out valves can be replaced with new ones made from metal or from animal tissue. And treatment has undergone a "transformative" change in recent years, Bonow said, with the growth of a procedure called transcatheter aortic valve replacement, or TAVR. The aortic valve is on the left side of the heart and releases blood to the body's main artery, the aorta. Until recently, complicated open-heart surgery was standard. But with TAVR, a replacement valve can be inserted without surgery by puncturing a leg artery, inserting a new valve, threading it up to the heart "and just popping it in place," Otto said. "It's a very short procedureit takes an hour or two at the most," she said. The patient is the hospital overnight or maybe a couple of days, followed by a week or two of recovery at home. That compares with six weeks to three months of recovery for surgery. TAVR is currently approved in people for whom open-heart surgery would be considered risky, although both doctors were excited about a recent study indicating TAVR can produce results comparable to traditional surgery in even low-risk patients. Also, Dr. Otto noted, if the problem is related to the mitral valvethat's less likely in someone Jagger's agea transcatheter approach is possible, but a patient is more likely to need open-heart surgery. The good news is that barring complications, heart valve problems are usually "pretty much alleviated completely" by treatment, she said. "There is some risk up front, but the outcomes are excellent." Explore further Transcatheter valve replacement safe in those with unusual valve anatomy American Heart Association News covers heart and brain health. Not all views expressed in this story reflect the official position of the American Heart Association. Copyright is owned or held by the American Heart Association, Inc., and all rights are reserved. If you have questions or comments about this story, please email editor@heart.org. Credit: CC0 Public Domain Researchers have discovered that a family of lipids (fats) contribute to the development of a serious aortic disease, by driving clotting in the blood vessel wall. The findings could lead to the development of new treatments for this potentially life threatening condition. The team, led by researchers at Cardiff University, in collaboration with colleagues at Oxford and Erlangen, discovered that the lipids, called eoxPL, promote the development of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) - a disease of the aorta where inflammation causes damage and can ultimately lead to rupture. When AAA ruptures, uncontrolled internal bleeding can lead to death within minutes; only about 2 in 10 people survive. Many aneurysms are not detected until they rupture, and for those that are, treatments to stop them progressing are limited. Men aged 65 and over are most at risk of developing AAAs. Professor Valerie O"Donnell, Co-Director of Systems Immunity Research Institute at Cardiff University, who led the research, said: "After discovering new lipids that promote blood clotting we wondered if they also played a part in AAA, as we know the condition is linked to blood clotting. "Our research found that these lipids in circulating blood cells did promote AAA formation in the vessel wall, because they directly regulate blood clotting. "Unexpectedly, when administered into the blood system, the same lipids were also found to have preventative properties because rather than being made by circulating blood cells in the vessel wall they instead mop up clotting factors, causing them to be removed from circulation and preventing disease." Professor Jeremy Pearson, Associate Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation, which funded the research, added: "An AAA is not usually found before a life-threatening rupture occurs, and there is no routine treatment to prevent them. However, screening is offered to men from 65 years of age, which involves a simple 10-15 minute ultrasound scan. "This research gives us a new understanding of the biological links between blood clotting and the development of an AAA. The findings also suggest that to stop blood clotting from happening, whether directly or by blocking the formation of these lipids, could be an effective way to reduce the risk of rupture in people where screening reveals an AAA." The study "Phospholipid membranes drive abdominal aortic aneurysm development through stimulating coagulation factor activity" is published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and a review article on the new lipids was also published this month in Science Signalling. Explore further New lipids discovery could reduce deaths from stroke and heart attack High-resolution model of six insulin molecules assembled in a hexamer. Credit: Isaac Yonemoto/Wikipedia The discovery of insulin in the 1920s marked the breakthrough in the almost 3,500-year-long mystery of diabetes, a disease first described in ancient Egyptian papyruses. Until its discovery, physicians struggled to explain how symptoms such as sugary urine, constant thirst and frequent urination could lead to ailments ranging from blindness and nerve damage to coma and death. Over the past century, scientists have detailed the hormone's central role as a regulator of blood sugar, mapped its cell-signaling pathways and established its involvement in diabetes and a staggering array of other chronic conditions, including neurodegeneration, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Still, many aspects of insulin signaling remain unclear, particularly its long-term effects on cells, and there are currently no effective cures for the hundreds of millions of people around the world living with diabetes. Now, researchers from Harvard Medical School have made key new insights into the molecular behavior of insulin. Reporting online in Cell on April 4, they describe an unexpected mechanism by which insulin triggers changes to the expression of thousands of genes throughout the genome. Their analyses show that the insulin receptora protein complex at the cell surfacephysically transports to the cell nucleus after it detects and binds insulin. Once there, it helps initiate the expression of genes involved in insulin-related functions and diseases. This process was impaired in mice with insulin resistance. The results outline a set of potential therapeutic targets for insulin-related diseases and establish a wide range of future avenues of research on insulin signaling, including potential clues toward the underlying biological mechanisms that differentiate type 1 and type 2 diabetes. "Our findings open the door for a new field of study on the insulin receptor, a remarkable protein complex expressed in almost all cells and implicated in major chronic diseases that affect hundreds of millions of people," said senior study author John Flanagan, professor of cell biology at HMS. "Understanding the fundamental mechanisms of how cells work can help us design new drugs or improve existing ones, and the insulin receptor certainly has potential for tremendous returns on investment," Flanagan added. Produced by specialized cells in the pancreas, the hormone insulin serves as the main signal to cells to absorb glucose from the bloodstream and begin the production and metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. This process is essential for normal cell function, growth and nutrient storage. Dysfunctions in insulin signaling give rise to a number of serious chronic diseases. In type 1 diabetes, pancreatic cells fail to produce enough insulin, and in type 2 diabetesthe far more common form of the conditioncells become resistant to insulin. Without proper insulin signaling, glucose accumulates in the blood where it damages tissues and organs. Insulin resistance has also been implicated in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, and excessive insulin signaling contributes to a variety of cancers. Strange bedfellows Flanagan and colleagues were broadly interested in studying how cell surface receptors communicate with the interior of a cell and performed screens to identify proteins associated with the insulin receptor. Their experiments suggested that one of the most prominent such proteins is RNA polymerase, an enzyme responsible for transcribing DNA into RNAthe first step in gene expression. This was unexpected, said Flanagan, because RNA polymerase functions inside the nucleus of a cellfar away from surface of the cell where the insulin receptor is located. Additional analyses revealed an unexpected explanation. The team found that after the insulin receptor binds insulin, it is physically transported from the cell surface to the nucleus via a yet unidentified mechanism. Once there, it binds to RNA polymerase on chromatinthe protein-DNA complex that cells use to store their genomes. A genome-wide search revealed around 4,000 genomic regions where the insulin receptor bound with a degree of specificity that essentially makes random chance impossible. The striking majority of these sites were at promoterssequences of DNA that initiate the expression of genes. A high proportion of the targeted genes were involved in insulin-related functions, particularly the synthesis and storage of lipids and proteins. Certain subsets of genes appeared to be unique to different tissue types. The analyses also identified numerous disease-related genes, including ones linked with diabetes, cancer and neurodegeneration. Lipid paradox Counterintuitively, the researchers found the insulin receptor does not specifically target genes involved in carbohydrate metabolismone of the primary functions of insulin signaling. This was an intriguing result for many reasons, Flanagan said, especially because of the observed differences between the two major forms of diabetes. Both types involve problems with carbohydrate synthesis and storage. However, if left untreated, patients with type 1 diabetes lose weight, while type 2 diabetes is associated with obesity. "The excessive lipid storage seen in type 2 diabetes compared with type 1 is a bit of a paradox because disrupted insulin signaling should cause issues with both lipid synthesis and storage in either condition," he said. "The finding that genes downstream of the pathway we identified are involved in lipid metabolism but not carbohydrate metabolism potentially gives us a window into that differential effect between carbohydrate and lipid," Flanagan said. "But we won't know until we perform further experiments." New paths The researchers made a number of other insights on how the insulin receptor regulates genes. They identified several additional proteins that play a role in this process. One of particular interest was HCF-1 (host cell factor-1), which is expressed in all cells and is involved in regulating cell cycle and growth. It appears to play a critical role in recruiting the insulin receptor and other proteins to the location of a promotor to initiate gene activation. The team also studied the effects of insulin resistance on this pathway. Giving mice glucose to trigger a rise in blood insulin led to an increase in insulin receptor-chromatin binding. Mice with insulin-resistance, however, showed 30-fold reduction in receptor-chromatin binding, an observation that suggests a high degree of sensitivity to insulin resistance. While the insulin receptor has been studied intensely for decades, these findings represent a new pathway for insulin signaling function and shed light on potential mechanisms for the long-term effects of insulin in the body. Intriguingly, as far back as the 1970s, scientists had clues that the insulin receptor and other members of the same class of cell surface receptors, known as receptor tyrosine kinases, can be found within the cell nucleus. These observations remained poorly understood, and the process behind them never fully described. The identification of this pathway opens new avenues of investigation into the insulin receptor and other members of the same receptor family, which function as key "on" or "off" switches for a wide range of important cellular processes. "We were surprised to find such strong evidence that the entire insulin receptor complex moves to the nucleus, and we were initially very skeptical," Flanagan said. "We still don't know how exactly this happens, but we've pinned down the details of much of this process on a genome-wide scale." "A better understanding will help us improve our knowledge of the biology of insulin signaling in health and in disease, as well as other receptor tyrosine kinases, which are attractive targets for drug therapies due to their involvement in such a broad range of diseases," Flanagan added. Explore further Culprit in reducing effectiveness of insulin identified @alextdaugherty The U.S. Senate confirmed a Venezuelan-born Miami lawyer on Thursday to the federal bench in South Florida, the first judicial nominee confirmed after Senate Republicans changed the rules to lessen the power of the minority party during the confirmation process. Roy Altman, a lawyer at Miami firm Podhurst Orseck, was approved by the Senate to be a U.S. district judge in a 66-33 vote on Thursday, with 14 Democrats joining Republicans to confirm him. Republican Sen. Rand Paul joined 30 Democrats and two independents to vote against Altmans nomination. Altmans private work was centered on aviation law, and he represented victims of high-profile airline crashes like the Malaysia Airlines flight that disappeared over the Indian Ocean in 2014. He also worked as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Florida. Todays vote is an important step in ensuring Floridas federal judiciary continues functioning at a high level. I am confident that Roy Altman will serve Floridas Southern District with honor and integrity, Sen. Marco Rubio said in a statement. Altman, 36, will be one of the youngest judges ever confirmed for a lifetime post. Washington lawyer Allison Rushing, also 36 but two months younger than Altman, was confirmed as a federal appeals court judge in March. Altman was first nominated for a federal judgeship by President Donald Trump last year, but his nomination expired at the end of 2018. More here. The Government of Mali has recently received close to $52 million for the construction of a 50 MW solar power plant under public-private partnership (PPP). The government of the West African country has given the temporary concession to PowerPro to develop the first phase of the project. The plant will be located in the Sikasso Region, in the southernmost part of the country. PowerPro was selected to install this photovoltaic solar power plant in a BOOT (Build, Own, Operate, Transfer). The solar park is expected to produce 50 MW. The government has committed to purchase the power produced by this plant, which is the reason for the signing of a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with PowerPro. After the construction, the state-run power utility company, Energie du Mali (EDM), will purchase energy from PowerPro for 28 years, according to the PPA agreement. The project is expected to enhance the value of natural resources, substantially increase the production capacity of the interconnected network, reduce the average cost of energy production for the distributor and improve the quality of the public electricity service, according to the government. The World Bank funding is part of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Regional Electricity Access Project. Minister: Bank Loan Regulations Will Not Change By Tea Mariamidze Georgias Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, Giorgi Kobulia says that the government is not going to soften tight banking regulations, according to which banks are not allowed to give their clients loans without studying their solvency.The minister says banking regulations serve to protect the population with the lowest income, and they may have some amendments, but it is not planned to change the principal part."These regulations are adequate and serve to protect the people from taking loans without realizing the possible consequences But of course, we are holding consultations with the private sector and banks about this issue, he added.He noted the government always monitors the results of the regulations and if necessary, some corrections can be made.President of Association of Banks Alexander Dzneladze says the consultations with the National Bank of Georgia (NBG) and commercial banks over the regulations will continue.According to him, at the meeting with the National Bank, it was discussed which fields were mostly influenced by the regulations.The regulations most of all affected quick loans, installments and mortgage loans, mainly of newly constructed flats, Dzneladze said.The President of the Association of Banks also said that despite the fact that the regulations decreased the sales, their introduction was quite adequate.New banking regulations came into play on January 1, 2019. They became necessary after it was revealed that debts of individual households have been growing and additionally, the practice of crediting physical bodies with higher loan liabilities has also been increasing.The decree was issued by the Head of the NBG, Koba Gvenetadze.The regulations apply to all entrepreneurial entities where more than 20 individuals have a loan or credit obligations.As a result of the regulations, rules for lending by guaranteeing real estate have also tightened. In particular, such a loan is issued if the borrower owns more than one residential property and, at the same time, these properties are not on the lease. 2 workers killed in a land collapse By Levan Abramishvili On March 31, on 5 Chavchavadze Avenue, a land collapsed on a construction site, which resulted in the death of two workers. Rescuers were able to find the body of a 26-year-old Davit Abesadze quickly after the accident, but they spent 8 hours looking for the second worker, Eduard Varishov. Both of the men were trapped under 8 meters of soil.The company that handles the construction on the behalf of ltd Lechkombinati, Transmsheni, says that the safety at the construction site was a responsibility of a sub-contractor Khiminj Service 2 and the workers were hired by that company.Beka Peradze, the head of the Department Labour Inspection of Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Affairs of Georgia said that after the initial examinations of the site it was evident that job safety standards were violated.Transmsheni expressed their condolences to the families of the killed workers and said that they would be ready to work with the investigators.The Ministry of Internal Affairs launched an investigation under the article 240, paragraph 2 of the Criminal Code of Georgia (breach of safety regulations during mining, construction or other works that result in death or other grave consequences).Solidarity Network Workers Center (SNWC), an independent union quickly announced a protest in response to the accident. Representatives of the union were present at the construction while the rescuers searched for the bodies of the workers. According to their Facebook post, a 17-year-old son of the deceased Eduard Varishov also worked at the construction since he was 16 without a contract. For the last two weeks the father and son had been working non-stop, they only took a day off two days ago to celebrate the 40th birthday of Eduard reads the post.This is not a tragic accident. This is an accident that was created artificially, because we have a terrible policy and this, as a whole, is a problem of the government said Sopo Japaridze, the chairperson of SNWC. She also emphasized the connection between workers rights and their safety workers rights should have the effect now. We adopted the Georgian Labor Code in 2013 but no ones complying to it. And theres nobody to enforce it. It all starts with labor rights. There cant be work safety without the labor rights.Yesterday demonstrators gathered in front of the Chancellery of the Government of Georgia in a protest called Time to Fight so We Dont Have to Mourn organized by SNWC. They demanded an effective investigation of the accident and a quick inspection of the ongoing constructions citywide, also a meeting with the Prime Minister, the Minister of Health, Labour and Social Affairs and the Mayor of Tbilisi. The description of the protest reads: the government shouldnt only care for peoples health because they got the instruction from the EU. The priority of the government should be a person! We demand the Labor Inspection to immediately get a mandate for examining labor rights!.After the demonstration in front of the Chancellery, the protesters started marching to the Chavchavadze Avenue, they chanted city full of death as a response to the Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze calling Tbilisi a city full of life.ltd lechkombinati, as of now, lost the license to continue works on site. Sub-contractors were fined. Transmsheni was fined with GEL 7 000 for hindering the inspection process, and Khiminj Service 2 was fined with GEL 1 000 for not being registered to carry out hard, harmful and dangerous works.This is not the first tragic accident in the past weeks. On March 16, three workers fell from a 15-story building in Tbilisi while painting a facade, two of them died immediately and the other was heavily injured.According to a data from The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, from 2010 up until June of 2018, a total of 1061 workers were injured at the workplace and 395 people died as a result of unregulated working conditions.As of now, workplaces are monitored for health and safety violations by safety inspectors who can only make one visit to the workplace per year. The construction site on Chavchavadze Avenue was inspected recently and there were no violations found.As the government continues to turn a blind eye to the violations at a workplace and refuses to harshly punish companies responsible for the deaths of hundreds of workers, they keep being killed while trying to earn a bare minimum in order to survive. South Africa is in the midst of an electricity crisis, which is curiously the result of plans by Eskom to prevent this exact scenario from happening. Energy analyst and EE Publishers MD Chris Yelland explained that Eskom was faced with two choices a few years ago: Spend money on maintenance of old power plants to ensure they continue to function optimally. Divert the maintenance funds to the Medupi and Kusile power plants to expedite bringing their 800MW units online. Medupi and Kusile have six 800MW generation units each with more modern technology and higher efficiency than Eskoms older power stations. If all 12 of Medupi and Kusiles generation units were functioning optimally, they would add 9,600MW of electricity to the grid. This, in turn, would relieve pressure off Eskom and allow it to decommission old power stations which are expensive to run and maintain. Eskom therefore decided to divert maintenance funds to finish construction at Medupi and Kusile. Plan backfired spectacularly Yelland explained that spending money which should have been used for maintenance on Medupi and Kusile has backfired spectacularly. Instead of having two fully-functional and modern power stations adding 9,600MW to the grid, here is what actually happened: Only 3 units at Medupi and 1 unit at Kusile are in commercial service. The other units are still under construction or going into commission. Instead of producing 800MW each, these units can only generate 600MW each before problems arise. The new generation units at Medupi and Kusile have serious problems, with an energy availability factor of around 50%. This should be between 85% and 90%. The power generation units at Medupi and Kusile trip regularly and have worse reliability than Eskoms older power stations. Reasons for these problems are corruption and mismanagement at Eskom and its partners. Widespread corruption and mismanagement have also seen the cost to build Medupi and Kusile increase by more than R300 billion, reaching R145 billion and R161.4 billion respectively. Additionally, the Special Investigating Unit is currently looking into the theft of R170 billion from Eskom: R139 billion of which is related to 11 contractors who helped build the Medupi, Kusile, and Ingula power plants. With Eskoms Medupi, Kusile, and Ingula plants costing R334 billion to construct, the R139 billion stolen by contractors makes up a large chunk of the total price tag. Yellend said Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan has even suggested that the strategy to divert maintenance money to Medupi and Kusile may have been because corruption is easier with capital projects. Eskom left in a tough spot With Medupi and Kusile not functioning as planned, Eskom is in a tough spot. Medupi and Kusile are not adding nearly enough electricity to the grid to relieve pressure off Eskom and allow it to take older power stations offline. The older plants now need to run optimally, but they have not been maintained properly for years because funds were blown on Medupi and Kusile. Eskom does not have enough money to increase maintenance and finish Medupi and Kusile, and Yelland said Eskom now wants to backtrack on its previous strategy planning instead to focus its finances on maintenance of older plants again. To get the older plants to run optimally will not be easy, however, because of their deterioration in recent years. Just like a car which is not serviced, these power stations are now seeing more unexpected breakdowns which are costly to repair. Winter is coming With an increase in unplanned outages and a much lower energy availability factor in 2019 than in previous years, Eskom will have to perform miracles to prevent load-shedding this winter. Yelland said South Africas electricity demand is currently very close to the supply, which means any unexpected event can lead to load-shedding. With electricity demand significantly increasing in winter months, Eskom will have to rapidly increase its power generation. This will not be easy, and Energy expert Ted Blom recently told MyBroadband that load-shedding will absolutely return it is only a matter of time before the power cuts are back. Samsung could release a smaller version of its upcoming Galaxy Note 10 smartphone alongside the standard model, according to Korean publication The Bell. The report stated that while the Galaxy Note devices have traditionally featured large screens, Samsung will launch a version of the handset with a smaller screen to cater for customers who want a less bulky smartphone. Samsung also plans to increase the screen size of the main Galaxy Note model to 6.7 inches and aims to deliver the same specifications as the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G. According to the report, this increase in size has prompted Samsung to launch a Galaxy Note 10 model with a 6.4-inch screen alongside the bigger smartphone. The smaller version of the Galaxy Note 10 could reportedly only be released in European markets. The new devices are expected to be revealed in August 2019. Founded in 1969 by Norman and Rosa Lee deLeuze and Gino Zepponi. The winerys name comes from their last names and from Zero Defects, an engineering quality control term. (Zepponi and deLeuze were aerospace engineers.) The first winery was a 450-square-foot farm building in Sonoma Carneros. The $3,000 investment was enough for rent, to repair the winery equipment so it would work, buy inexpensive whiskey barrels (Zepponi and deLeuze re-coopered those barrels themselves), and buy Pinot Noir and Reisling grapes fron Rene di Rosa, who created Winery Lake Vineyard in the Carneros region. Fewer than 300 cases of 1969 ZD Wines Pinot Noir were produced. The label indicates the wine was made in Sonoma from grapes grown in the Carneros region of Napa County. According to the bottles label, the grapes were picked on Sept. 12-13, with a sugar content of 22.6 Brix. After crushing, the wine was allowed to ferment three days in a redwood vat, fermentation was completed in 50-gallon barrels and it was bottled in August 1971. ZD Wines President Brett deLeuze said the story of ZDs 1969 Pinot Noir is interesting. Sometime before October 2005, ZD stored 3,700 cases of wine, nearly all of its library wines in a concrete military bunker on the former Mare Island Naval Shipyard in Vallejo. Sausalito businessman Mark Anderson leased 2,500-square-feet of the concrete bunker and called his wine storage business Wines Central. He not only stored the wine, but then sold wines that were not his. To cover the embezzlement, he set the wines on fire on Oct. 12, 2005, destroying 4.5 million bottles of wine worth some $277 million, according to newspaper reports at the time. Anderson was arrested in March 2007 and found guilty of 19 criminal counts. He was sentenced to 27 years in prison and ordered to pay $70.3 million in restitution. In the late 1990s, deLeuze said he was having lunch at Berns Steak House in Tampa, Florida and went through its extensive wine list. He got to the page where the Zs were listed and found seven vintages of ZD Pinot Noir listed, from 1969 to 1978. There were little red marks on all the listings except the 1969 wine. He asked the wine buyer, Michael Borges, if they actually had the 1969 wine, and Borges said he did. We ordered a bottle and it was $75, which was inexpensive considering that the wine would have been purchased for in 1971 or 1972 and I was there in 98, so thats a very long time for storage, deLeuze said. He said the wine was stellar. It was fun and it was very drinkable and way better than I expected it to be. DeLeuze asked how many more bottles were in the cellar and was told they had half a case. He commented, We didnt have half a case at the winery anymore, because we lost 3,700 cases of our library wines. DeLeuze asked if there was any chance Berns would sell some of those wines. Borges said no, adding he would give deLeuze the wine for a case of ZDs 1997 Cabernet Sauvignon. Wow, thats amazing, deLeuze said, We were able to add it back to our cellar. How many bottles of the 1969 Pinot Noir do they have left? We had six before today, and we served one today. So, there are five bottles left. Berns Steak House website said its wine list has 6,800 unique wine blends, including 5,500 red wines from all around the world. The wine cellar is said to include half a million bottles of wine. Its wine list was first printed in 1960. The latest, from December 2018, had 183 pages. Wine hobby all-consuming By 1978, Norman deLeuzes wine hobby was all-consuming, according to his son, Brett. He was working full time at Optical Coatings Laboratory in Santa Rosa, but that was the year Norman deLeuze quit his job. He spent a whole year building a prospectus to get a bank loan, wrote the software for the wine company and when he went to the banks to get a $500,000 loan to build a winery, the first 20 banks refused. Brett said the 21st bank read the numbers wrong and gave deLeuze the loan. The family was in Carneros in Sonoma and they wanted to stay there. They made a successful offer on a piece of property, but it was contingent on finding water. After deLeuze drilled a dry well, spending $3,000 in the process, he went to find property with both power and water. ZD Wines is on a six-acre piece of land in Rutherford and the winery was built, but there were no provisions for visitors. Brett deLeuze said his father thought he had moved out into the country and visitors were not really part of the thought process, because he was there to make wine. Then the visitors started to come, he added. The tasting area was first a small carpeted area right through the cellar doors, but in 1993, the ZD family went to the county and said, Wed like to expand our winemaking and put in a little tasting room. When construction was finished, the front area, with a stand-up bar, was where the tastings were done. In the 90s, believe it or not, we would see up to 300 people on a Saturday in that little tasting bar, deLeuze said. It was a very different day and when you walked in, theres a little sign there that said tastings were $5. It was a big deal to start charging people for tastings. Lots of people wanted to come around and taste our wines. Norman deLeuze spent the last years of his life working to find a non-toxic cure for lymphoma. He died of the disease on Oct. 26, 2007. ZD Wines co-founder Rosa Lee deLeuze passed away on April 30, 2018. Pop the cork on Napa Valley wine! Discover the hidden stories of Napa Valley wine and the people behind it -- plus expert analysis from our columnists and more with our weekly email newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. If Diamond Platnumz can sing and become a superstar, so can his father. This must be what the father of the Tanzanian Bongo star was thinking when he decided to venture into music. Yes, Abdul Juma is now a musician who goes by several stage names including Baba Diamond aka Big Lion aka Mzee Mondi aka Babu Tiffah. Im tempted to add Simba mkongwe but that would just be disrespectful and untrue. Big Lion, who sells Mitumba shoes to feed his wife and two children, has released his debut song Umeniteka/Mwewe that features upcoming Tanzanian artistes Sungura Madini, Promis Nyota and Blod Gaz. The jam that caught many by surprise is all the rave in Tanzania and its safe to say that Mzee Mondi has received a positive reception. Even the small Lion, Diamond Platnumz, shared the song via his Insta-stories with the caption Big Lion Kill dem shaa!. Check out Baba Diamonds first song below. Dont hold your breath for anything spectacular. Where is a California wine country table found? Anywhere from Mendocino to San Diego; from the Sonoma coast inland to Lodi, from Santa Barbara to Bakersfield, Fresno and Madera, from Lake County to Sacramento. This is the journey Janet Fletcher takes in her new book, Wine Country Table, published this month by Rizzoli. It is a Wine Institute book but wine is just one element of this bountiful table. The book is subtitled With Recipes that Celebrate Californias Sustainable Harvest. Fletcher spent two years, traveling California, meeting California farmers and vintners who live and grow by a commitment to sustainable farming, and she tells their stories in this 350-page book, richly illustrated with photographs by Sara Remington and Robert Holmes. It was a dream assignment, Fletcher said at a book launch at Mulvaneys S&L restaurant in Sacramento. Fletcher is the food writer and author of many cookbooks, including Eating Local, Recipes Inspired by Americas Farmers Markets and Fresh From the Farmers Market. A cheese specialist, she also publishes a weekly blog, Planet Cheese. But Wine Country Table is the book she said she first glimpsed while working at Chez Panisse in the 1980s, when chef owner Alice Waters was pioneering a new California restaurant vision with her use of fresh, local produce. Recognizing that their livelihoods depend on it, Californias farmers and vintners were early advocates of sustainability, Fletcher writes. The book looks at California, region by region, with portraits of family-owned wineries, as well as the farmers who grow cherries, prunes, asparagus, figs, peaches, and olives. It includes a discussion of the products that grow, along with vines, in each region. And then there are recipes. Even flower growers got a special nod with a profile of the Resendiz Brothers, who grow the colorful protea flowers in the desert hills of Rainbow, a town just north of San Diego. Some of these showy starlets of nature, Fletcher writes, resemble giant apricot pincushions; others look like firecrackers exploding in the night sky. Mel Resendez, a teen-aged immigrant from Mexico, fell in love with the flowers, and now ships them all over the world. Bouquets of protea were on the tables at the launch at Mulvaneys S&L. The restaurants name was inspired by Its a Wonderful Life, explained owner Patrick Mulvaney, who has been dubbed the unofficial dean of Sacramentos farm to fork movement, and who opened his roguish restaurant in a 1893 brick former firehouse 10 years ago. At the launch were many of the people featured in the book, among them, John Concannon, a fourth-generation member of the winemaking family in Livermore, whose story goes back to the roots of the California wine industry. There were also relative newcomers, Kaj Ahlmann, an immigrant from Denmark who farms a 4,000-acre ranch in Lake County, where he grows grapes, makes wine and raises livestock. Nick Palumbo, a chef-turned-winemaker from Temecula who says, I make wine like I make a mole. Im building layers of flavor. Most of my winemaking skills I attribute to cooking. Delve into the book and youll meet even more memorable people like David Lucas owner of Lucas Winery in Lodi, who knows his grapevines by name, and the Scheid family of Monterey who grew grapes for 47 years before becoming winemakers; they invest the profits back into protecting their land, their workers and helping local youth through projects like a high-school writing contest. The Food One of Fletchers profiles is of Larry Turley, a former emergency room physician who doesnt do winespeak, but is known for elevating the stature of old-vine Zinfandel at Turley Wine Cellars in Amador County. Fletcher writes that Turley, an avid cook, prizes simplicity and seasonality over showmanship. This could be said, as well, of the recipes that fill her new book. At the kick-off lunch, we sampled some of recipes from Wine Country Table: Little Gem Lettuce with Olive-Oil Poached Tuna, a Warm Salmon Salad with Aspagagus, Farm Eggs, and Fingerling Potatoes, and an Almond, Orange, and Olive Oil Cake, served with fresh berries. It was the stellar quality of the products that made the recipes shine. In the book, page after page showcases the bounty of California, 50 in all, from Breakfast Brushcetta and a Dried Plum-Buttermilk Smoothie to a Zinfande-Poached Pear with Marscapone Cream. In between, is a collection that pays tribute to the diversity of people as well as regions and crops that make up California: Chinese Chicken Soup with Egg Noodles, Baby Bok Choy and Pea Shoots, Vietnamese Chicken Pho, Spring Vegetable Tabbouli with Fava Beans, Radishes and Spring Herbs, and Baked Lingcode with Green Olive Salsa Verde. Its astonishing to think of the California crops that have transitioned from ethnic or rare to mainstream in a generation, Fletcher writes, Among them, arugula, Asian basil, baby bok choy, broccoli rabe, endive, clementines, frisee, green garlic, lemongrass, pomegranates, and radicchio. (This is not to overlook, of course, kale). One could be content to just turn the pages of Wine Country Table and admire the luscious photos of cherries, pears and vineyards. But maybe, you too will become fascinated, getting to know the people who make up California, reading the tales of those who carry on a family tradition of farming or those who went trailblazing on their own to follow a passion in a way that helps preserve a patch of earth. For myself, however, this is a book that I will be using to cook. Warm Salmon Salad with Asparagus, Farm Eggs and Fingerling Potatoes Janet Fletcher, Wine Country Table: With Recipes that Celebrate Californias Sustainable Harvest Serves 4. For a late-spring lunch or light dinner, make a salmon salad the centerpiece. Surround with tender hearts of butter lettuce and seasonal vegetables: California asparagus, radishes, and the first new potatoes in late spring; tomatoes, corn, and sweet red onions in summer. A vinaigrette whisked with fresh herbs and capers brings all the elements together. Wine suggestion: California rose, Sauvignon Blanc, or Chardonnay Vinaigrette: 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar, plus more if needed 1 tablespoon Vietnamese fish sauce 1 large shallot, finely minced 3 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley 1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon 1 tablespoon salt-packed capers, rinsed and finely chopped 12 cup (125 ml) extra virgin olive oil, plus more if needed Kosher or sea salt Salad: 1 pound (500 g) fingerling potatoes 4 large eggs 1 pound (500 g) medium asparagus, tough ends removed Extra virgin olive oil for oiling the pan 4 skin-on wild salmon fillets, about 6 ounces (185 g) each Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 soft butter lettuce heart, separated into leaves 12 radishes, trimmed and halved 12 ripe olives Make the vinaigrette: In a bowl, whisk together the vinegar, fish sauce, shallot, parsley, tarragon, and capers. Whisk in the olive oil. Season to taste with salt, then adjust the balance with more oil or vinegar if needed. Set aside for 30 minutes to allow the flavor to mellow. Put the potatoes in a saucepan and add salted water to cover by 1 inch (2.5 cm). Bring to a simmer over high heat, cover partially, adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, and cook until the potatoes are tender when pierced, about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes, let stand just until cool enough to handle, then peel. Let cool completely and slice crosswise or halve lengthwise. Preheat the oven to 400F (200C). Put enough water in a saucepan to cover the 4 eggs generously but do not add the eggs yet. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to a simmer so you can add the eggs without jostling them. While the water is heating, prepare a large bowl of ice water. With a large spoon, lower the eggs into the simmering water, working carefully so they do not crack. Adjust the heat so the eggs cook at a gentle simmer. Cook the eggs for 7 minutes exactly. (The yolk will be runny; cook for another minute or two if you prefer a firmer yolk.) Transfer the eggs to the ice water with a slotted spoon. When cool, lift them out of the water and peel. Bring a large frying pan half full of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the asparagus and boil until just tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain and chill quickly under cold running water. Pat dry. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet. Season the salmon with salt and pepper. Place skin side down on the baking sheet and bake until the flesh just flakes when probed with a fork, about 12 minutes. While the salmon bakes, arrange a few lettuce leaves on each of four plates. Leaving room in the center for the salmon, arrange an equal amount of the potato slices, asparagus, radishes, and olives and 2 egg halves on each plate. With an offset spatula, lift the salmon fillets off of their skin and transfer to the plates, leaving the skin behind. Whisk the dressing and spoon it over the salads; you may not need it all. Serve immediately. Satisfy your cravings With our weekly newsletter packed with the latest in everything food. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Highway 29 through American Canyon is being targeted for congestion-easing changes in coming years, though the supposed big fix of creating a wider, six-lane version remains a distant, and perhaps fading, dream. The American Canyon City Council on Tuesday heard a transportation update. The focus was on such things as coordinated Highway 29 traffic signals that could come this year and a key Devlin Road reliever route segment now set for construction in 2020. Highway 29 through American Canyon is one of Napa Countys major traffic chokepoints. About 40,000 vehicles use the four-lane road on an average day and rush-hour motorists crawl along, with some seeking relief by taking to city residential side streets as alternate routes. The big project in our world is State Route 29, Napa Valley Transportation Authority Executive Director Kate Miller told the City Council. Local officials are hoping a small Highway 29 project will make a difference. By years end, Caltrans intends to have what it calls an adaptive signal control project up and running. Five Highway 29 traffic signals in American Canyon will be tied into the Caltrans District 4 Traffic Management Center in Oakland, Caltrans officials said. Changes to signal timing will be made according to real-time traffic conditions using algorithms. The more green you have on your route, the more youre moving, American Canyon Mayor Leon Garcia said. Other efforts are underway. Miller told the council about an upcoming State Route 29 Comprehensive Multimodal Corridor Plan. That plan is needed for American Canyon highway projects to tap into funding from the state Senate Bill 1 fuel and vehicle tax hikes. The Multimodal Corridor Plan could include better crosswalks, more convenient bus stops, improvements along parallel corridors and bike-and-walking paths. The idea from the 2014 State Route 29 Gateway Corridor Improvement Plan of expanding Highway 29 from four lanes to six lanes in American Canyon three lanes running in each direction isnt in the mix. There are some significant changes, City Councilmember David Oro said, because the city here, our citizens, believe three lanes are coming on each side, that we will expand that highway. Miller didnt say the dream of a six-lane Highway 29 is dead. But she described several significant barriers. For example, many potential highway improvement funding sources dont pay for expanding capacity. Caltrans has trouble maintaining its existing infrastructure. Widening a bridge over Paoli Loop Road and the railroad tracks would be expensive. I appreciate the argument, City Councilmember Mark Joseph said. Theres part of me that says you have a lot more convincing to do. He wasnt alone. Frankly, myself, Im not at the point where Im going to give up a third lane, Garcia said. Neither was City Councilmember Kenneth Leary. I want to ask that you look at the six-lane solution, Leary told Miller. Miller said a highway project miles away in Solano County might make a difference for American Canyon traffic. That is improving the connector ramp from eastbound Highway 12 through Jameson Canyon to eastbound Interstate 80 near Fairfield. Turning this one-lane connector ramp into a two-lane ramp would help remove a rural Jameson Canyon afternoon rush-hour bottleneck. That, in turn, might encourage more I-80-bound drivers to take Highway 12 through Jameson Canyon instead of Highway 29 through American Canyon. Construction of the improved Highway 12-and-I-80 ramp is to begin in summer of 2020, according to the Solano Transportation Authority. Another effort to make at least a small dent in Highway 29 traffic is finishing off Devlin Road. The city and Napa County are taking the final steps to complete this 3.5-mile parallel route from American Canyon to Highway 29 near the Grapecrusher statue. American Canyon had sought to begin construction this summer on the half-mile segment between Middleton Way and Green Island Road. Work would finish in 2020. That hinged on the California Transportation Commission (CTC) advancing $4.1 million in state funds scheduled to be released for the project in 2021-22. After talking with CTC staff, American Canyon has decided to seek a shorter advance that will allow construction to begin in 2020, but in such a way that takes advantage of the entire summer construction season. This could still allow the project to finish by the end of 2020. It will be cause for celebration, Garcia said. Joseph said a completed Devlin Road parallel route also raises a question. The American Canyon general plan shows a link ultimately being made from Devlin Road to residential areas a short distance away, creating American Canyons long-planned west side connector. But a west side connector is controversial. Some residents fear it will increase the number of motorists fed up with Highway 29 congestion who seek traffic relief by driving through their neighborhoods. Christopher James and Tammy Wong have done speed studies on their residential street, Wetlands Edge Road. Using an automated speed camera, they created a rogues gallery with photos of autos going between 35 mph and 53 mph. The speed limit is 25 mph. James told the City Council that the city in 1999 went against its general plan and allowed homes along Wetlands Edge Road. As a result, it promised never to make Wetlands Edge Road an alternative to Highway 29, something a west side connector would accomplish. Joseph said he wants the city to convene a group to talk about the west side connector alternatives. Wong urged to the city to send out mailers to get residents involved. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. American Canyon Police say a local man attacked and injured his fiancee while her 3-year-old child was in the home, and officers found a concentrated cannabis lab inside while investigating. Officers headed to a mobile home in the 2500 block of Flosden Road around 4:20 p.m. Tuesday, according to the American Canyon Police Department. They found a crying, injured woman in front of the home, called paramedics and detained her fiance, 35-year-old Christian Charles Ward of American Canyon, police say. Ward was not injured. Officers determined the woman had been strangled and had a knife held to her throat, police say. Ward put a pillow to her face while she tried to scream for help and escape, police say. Upon a search of the home, officers say they found a lab used to manufacture concentrated cannabis, known commonly as hash oil or honey oil. The lab used butane to extract tetrahydrocannabinol, the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, and such labs have been associated with explosions and fires. The Napa Special Investigations Bureau arrived to investigate and take evidence, police say. Ward was arrested on suspicion of felony charges related to attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, false imprisonment, domestic violence causing injury and child endangerment, jail records show. He was booked into Napa County jail around 6 p.m., where he remained as of Thursday morning, jail records show. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. PG&E named a new chief executive officer and overhauled its board of directors Wednesday. But the move, brokered by three major hedge funds, left Gov. Gavin Newsom saying the utility could still be too beholden to Wall Street. Bill Johnson, the retiring head of the Tennessee Valley Authority, was named CEO of the embattled utility, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy under the weight of $30 billion in wildfire liabilities. The company also named 10 new directors to its board. We have heard the calls for change and have taken action today to ensure that PG&E has the right leadership to bring about real and dynamic change that reinforces our commitment to safety, the company said in a press release. But Newsom who previously ripped PG&E over its planned changes to the board of directors said he isnt convinced the company has gone far enough. While changes were made in the last few days to augment the safety and government expertise on the board, this proposed board still raises concerns particularly the large representation of Wall Street interests and most board nominees lack of relevant California experience, his chief spokesman Nathan Click said in an emailed statement. PG&Es bankruptcy has become a major headache for regulators and elected officials who are trying to keep utility rates in check while making sure wildfire survivors get paid. PG&E is potentially liable for damages in more than a dozen of the October 2017 fires plus the November 2018 Camp Fire, the deadliest and most destructive in Californias history. Johnson will replace John Simon, a PG&E executive who became interim CEO when his predecessor Geisha Williams resigned from the company just before it filed for bankruptcy in late January. PG&E acknowledged that the shakeup was conducted in consultation with three hedge funds that own a combined 9.8 percent of PG&E Corp.s stock: Knighthead Capital Management, Redwood Capital Management and Abrams Capital Management. The three funds disclosed in Securities and Exchange filings last month that they had banded together and were proposing leadership changes to PG&E. The new board members announced Wednesday include Nora Mead Brownell, a former commissioner on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. But it also includes people with ties to Wall Street. Among them is Richard Barrera, who formerly was a partner at Redwood Capital. A week ago Newsom, based on reports circulating about PG&Es plans to remake its board, accused the company of prioritizing quick profits over fire safety and other issues. PG&Es announcement came a day after a federal judge declared that he would oversee PG&Es efforts to eliminate wildfire. The judge, William Alsup, who is in charge of PG&Es criminal probation, also ordered the utility not to pay shareholder dividends until it is in compliance with all applicable vegetation management requirements. PG&E halted dividend payments after the 2017 fires. PG&E is on probation after being convicted in connection with the deadly 2010 natural gas pipeline explosion in San Bruno. 040519-nvr-wir-pgandeleadershipdeal Correctional officer Sarah Coogle was seven months pregnant when an alarm sounded during her shift at a California state prison in Tehachapi. Coogle ran toward the ringing and fell. She felt pain in her abdomen immediately. Two months later, in her 38th week of pregnancy, her baby was still-born. She believes she wouldn't have lost the baby had the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation provided her the same accommodations the federal Bureau of Prisons and other state and local law enforcement agencies routinely provide pregnant women, including letting them transfer temporarily to positions with lighter workloads without losing seniority. "I would have taken that position, I never would have been running, I never would have fallen and I never would have lost my baby," Coogle said. California state correctional officers who become pregnant face a difficult choice, according to a newly filed class action lawsuit. They can keep working and risk their babies' health, take a leave of absence and lose pay or switch to a different position and risk losing their peace officer certification, which can compromise their future in public safety. That policy is fairly new. The Department of Corrections had a policy accommodating pregnant women until 2015, when the department quietly got rid of it for reasons that it has refused to explain. "We're not aware of any other major law enforcement agency that has this kind of policy," said Arnold Peter, of Peter Law Group, the firm representing six female correctional officers who announced their suit March 26. 'These are men's jobs' The case in Los Angeles County Superior Court is the third lawsuit filed over the policy change. Coogle sued the department and so did former correctional officer Amanda Van Fleet, who said she was denied accommodations at California Men's Colony in San Luis Obispo following a hepatitis C scare when she stuck her finger on something sharp in an inmate's jacket. California's own Department of Fair Employment and Housing, which enforces workplace discrimination laws, joined Van Fleet's lawsuit, seeking a return to the pre-2015 policy. The Department of Corrections is fighting the two women's lawsuits in Kern and San Luis Obispo county superior courts. "We do not comment on pending litigation," CDCR spokeswoman Vicky Waters said in an email. "CDCR has and believes in strong nondiscrimination policies, including policy to ensure that reasonable accommodations are provided where appropriate." The three lawsuits argue the department's refusal to accommodate pregnant employees with modified assignments violates state and federal workplace protections for women. The Kern County Superior Court issued an injunction in Coogle's suit that suspended CDCR's policy for her during pregnancy, but not for other CDCR employees. CDCR settled with Van Fleet, but the Department of Fair Employment and Housing is still pursuing a policy change related to her case. In court filings so far, CDCR doesn't discuss its reasons for changing the policy in 2015. The change does not appear to stem from concerns about staffing shortages. A 2016 corrections report noted the state's inspector general had determined the department was in 100 percent adherence with staffing requirements. A Legislative Analyst's Office report from 2018 said the department had no trouble recruiting or retaining staff. "This is a not-so-subtle way of telling women, 'these are men's jobs,'" said Katherine Spillar, executive director of Los Angeles-based Feminist Majority Foundation, a nonprofit that studies women in law enforcement. "And if they're going to take a man's job, they're going to be treated like a man." Fewer women working in state prisons Women made up just below 15 percent of CDCR's workforce of about 23,000 correctional officers as of 2017, according to the latest CalHR data. That's down from about 20 percent in 2009, according to the data. Angela Powell, 32, a correctional officer at California Medical Facility in Vacaville, said she asked in summer 2017 to swap her gear belt for a vest to shift weight from her pregnant belly. Holding keys, handcuffs, pepper spray, a flashlight, a baton and other gear, the belts can weigh 15 to 20 pounds. Powell said she waited seven weeks for a response, when she was told she would have to submit more paperwork. Around the same time, she was finishing an eight-hour shift when a superior told her she would have to work another six hours of overtime patrolling a unit with three tiers of stairs. She said she went home and contacted her doctor, who wrote a note regarding her condition that she presented the next day asking for a reprieve from mandatory overtime. "When I turned that in, I was basically laughed at and told that wasn't going to happen," she said. She took leave for the rest of her pregnancy. She said when she returned to work after giving birth to her son, she was told 10 percent of her pay would be withheld for a year for insubordination over refusing the shift. The prison eventually dropped that adverse action, she said. "We would like the policy to be changed back so women can continue working and grow their family at the same time," Powell said. A choice between 'your job and the life of your unborn child' Melissa Glaude, 37, a medical technical assistant at the Vacaville prison and a plaintiff in the new suit, had her first child in 2017. At that time, Glaude said, her job classification fell under the Department of State Hospitals. Her supervisors accommodated her starting at nine weeks, when the department moved her to an office tech position. She said she worked until her 36th week of pregnancy without problems. Then the job was reclassified under CDCR. She became pregnant again last October. She said the department offered some accommodations, exempting her from overtime, but even that didn't last. She said she received an email during that time noting she would be responsible for responding to an inmate emergency if an alarm sounded. She started taking leave at 25 weeks pregnant. "As a mother you're being forced to choose between your job and the life of your unborn child," she said. "It's a choice you have to make but you don't really have any other choice. I'm not willing to put my child in harm's way for the sake of anything, really." The 2015 policy change coincided with a new contract for the union that represents correctional officers, the California Correctional Peace Officers Association. The union didn't support ending pregnancy accommodations, CCPOA spokeswoman Nichol Gomez said. "The CCPOA team concluded that the old policy wasn't broken and shouldn't be fixed," Gomez said in an email. "The system had been working for the individuals who need it. The CCPOA team disagreed with the basic regulation change so strongly the CCPOA team members chose not to put CCPOA's stamp of approval on the idea." SACRAMENTO Elder abuse prevention legislation from Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, that was inspired by the abandonment of seniors at two Santa Rosa assisted living centers during the 2017 wildfires passed the Senate Thursday by unanimous vote. Senate Bill 314 adds abandonment to the list of offenses eligible for enhanced civil remedies under the Elder Abuse and Dependent Adult Civil Protection Act. We must always meet our obligations to our seniors, especially in extreme emergencies, Dodd said. Leaving them to fend for themselves is unacceptable. This bill penalizes caretakers who shirk their responsibilities and encourages more people to do the right thing. About 150,000 California elders live in assisted-living facilities. Many are not able to protect themselves during disasters due to dementia, physical disabilities, chronic illnesses and frail health. Their safety is entirely in the hands of facility owners, administrators and caregivers. Department of Social Services officials last year placed the two Santa Rosa assisted living facilities on probation after investigations found they abandoned residents during the North Bay wildfires. At least 20 frail, elderly residents would have died had family members not arrived to rescue them before one of the facilities burned to the ground. SB 314 heads next to the Assembly. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The sepia-toned photos of the Napa Valleys past grow faded and dog-eared with the passing of time, but those days remain as colorful and vivid as ever in the memories of Thelma Hermes and Ramona Decker. The two sisters are the oldest surviving members of one of Pope Valleys pioneer families, the Haugs. The days of living off the land and attending one-room schoolhouses are gone now. But thanks to Hermes, who turned 100 on Wednesday, and Decker, who turns 92 on Saturday, they are far from forgotten. During an interview at Deckers St. Helena home, the sisters shared some of those memories: The visits from their grandmother Silvia Samuels, whod come West on a covered wagon. The smokehouse where their father Adolph cured ham, bacon and sausage. Carrying buckets of eggs from the chicken nests, where they would find the occasional rattlesnake. The sight of their brother Chester working on the ranch even after hed been left disabled by a World War II combat injury. Wed come home from school and Mama would have fresh hot bread with homemade butter, Hermes said. Then shed sprinkle it with sugar. Ive always remembered that. The familys 148-acre ranch was established in 1873 by German immigrants Gotthilf and Dora Haug. Gotthilf had come to the U.S. in 1855 and worked in a Tuolomne County gold mine before moving to Pope Valley. The ranch produced cows, chickens, sheep, hogs, turkeys, prunes, walnuts, almonds, peaches, pears, potatoes and, for a while, grapes. Gotthilf established his winery Pope Valleys first, Decker said in 1878. His oldest son Adolph rebuilt it in 1938. Adolph married Ethel Samuels, the daughter of another Pope Valley pioneer family. They had 11 children: Verna, Violet, Adolph Jr. (Bud), Irene, Carl, Chester, Hilda, Thelma, Mildred, Donald and Ramona. There were a lot of chores to do around the ranch, but there were enough kids in the family that we made our own fun, Hermes said. Neighbor kids would come over to play games, and in the summers they would swim in the dammed-up creek that ran through the property. The children attended the one-room Olive School at the bottom of Ink Grade Road. After eighth grade, Hermes stayed at the school for what were called post-graduate classes in shorthand, typing and bookkeeping. By the time Decker graduated from eighth grade, she was able to catch a bus to attend St. Helena High School, where she graduated in 1945. Decker had to learn to drive at the age of 13 because her older brothers had either left home or been drafted to serve in World War II and her father had never learned to drive. Hed tried, but only once. My oldest brother tried to teach him, Decker said. I can still hear Papa tell the story hed say I drove down to the lower gate and said whooooa! and the darn car didnt stop. So that ended my driving. The sisters went on to marry, raise their own children, and lead their own lives outside Pope Valley. Decker worked for the St. Helena Unified School District, while Hermes worked for the St. Helena Cemetery and spent 39 years volunteering at the Courtesy Desk at St. Helena Hospital, which honored her with a lifetime achievement award. Hermes also traveled extensively throughout the country and as far away as Canada and the Panama Canal. Both became deacons in the First Presbyterian Church of St. Helena. Yet they would all return to the ranch when something needed to be done. One of the advantages of having such a sprawling family is that theres always someone close at hand with the skills necessary to do plumbing or electrical work, pump a septic tank, or do some heavy lifting. We all stepped up and helped, at least until we all got older, Decker said. The time eventually came when the family couldnt take care of the ranch anymore, so they sold it in 1999 to local ceramist Richard Carter, who still lets them visit whenever they want. The stream where they used to swim and the redwood groves where they used to play now set the perfect backdrop for Haug family reunions no small affairs given that Hermes alone has two daughters, seven grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great-grandchildren with a third on the way. The last remaining Haug brother, Donald, died in 2018 at the age of 94, but the constellation of grandkids, cousins, nephews, nieces and in-laws remain close, avoiding the squabbles and grudges that often cause rifts in large families. The sisters say their hardscrabble but happy upbringing left them with an unbreakable bond. We took care of one another, Decker said. There was never any bitterness or unhappiness. Everybody helped everybody else. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. California's new surgeon general made Sacramento the first stop on her statewide listening tour, and after Tuesday's event, Dr. Nadine Burke Harris told The Bee that capital residents are powerfully grappling with the long-term impact childhood trauma has on their families and neighborhoods. Burke Harris said many of the 100 Sacramento-area residents she met with asked her to find ways to bring training, resources and support to families, educators, nonprofits and other community-based organizations, so they can better deal with the toxic stress that affects physical and neuro-development starting in childhood. To study the impact of traumatic childhood events, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Kaiser Permanente asked 17,000 people, from 1995 to 97, to share their childhood experiences and their current behavioral and physical health status. They found there are about 10 different categories of adverse experiences that can lead to long-term dysfunction. Burke Harris said they include physical, emotional and sexual abuse; physical and emotional neglect; or growing up in a household where parents were mentally ill, substance-dependent, incarcerated; or living in a family where there was parental separation, divorce or domestic violence. Many people -- as many as two-thirds of adults in the study -- will go through at least one of those experiences, Burke Harris said, but one in eight will have had to find ways to cope with four or more. That coping process, she said, may lead children to develop an overactive stress response, triggering hormones and physical reactions that shouldn't commonly have residence in the body. When people consider the impact of this kind of toxic stress, Burke Harris said, they typically talk about the behavioral and mental health impact, and they don't commonly or intuitively think to look at the physical impact of it. In addition to mental and behavioral health, things like heart disease, chronic lung disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes all may have roots in a child's attempt to overcome numerous adversities. Look, for example, at the incidence of asthma among children who have four or more adverse childhood experiences. They are twice as likely to develop the chronic lung condition as children who experience no adverse reactions, Burke Harris said. What can be done? This is why physicians and the health care community at large are talking about addressing social determinants of health, Burke Harris said. When people talk about things like access to safe and affordable housing, she said, that is germane to the conversation about reducing toxic stress for California's children because it shapes whether a child will grow up in a stable, secure environment. Burke Harris said she's concerned, though, because she can tell from Tuesday's session and other interactions with state residents that people feel overwhelmed when it comes to making a dent in solving this problem. Everyone doesn't have to solve everything, she said. Rather, they can work on their part of it. "It's critically important that the state of California is taking this on as a public health issue," Burke Harris said, "and when we each are leaning in and taking on this issue in our own sector, then everyone doesn't have to do everything. ... It's going to feel overwhelming if everyone feels as thought they have to invent a separate wheel, and this is what I heard today, rather than having all of us be part of a system that is working in coordination." This is also a two-generation challenge, Burke Harris said. "Adverse childhood experiences reliably and consistently are handed down from one generation to the next," she said, "so in order for us to interrupt this inter-generational transmission of childhood adversity, we have to address caregivers' history of adverse childhood experiences." This means caregivers must have access to mental health services or lessons in how to ensure healthy relationships for themselves, along with services shown to help improve health outcomes in their kids, Burke Harris said. Improving the well-being of children can take a number of different interventions, Burke Harris said: It could be meditation or, in the case of the child with asthma, medication. Nutrition and therapy have to be available. And kids will benefit from expanding exercise programs and safe, open green spaces. This year, local agencies can apply for $255 million in state funds to create new parks and introduce new recreation opportunities specifically in California's low-income communities. California State Parks is taking applications through Aug. 1. "We're seeing research that's coming back now that's telling us that safe, open green spaces, especially paired with exercise, can not only improve health but it can improve mental health as well," Burke Harris said Burke Harris also hopes to see primary-care clinician screening for adverse childhood experiences, both in children and in adults all around California, one day, and she hopes the state Legislature will take a step toward that by passing Assembly Bill 340. That measure would allow clinicians to add screenings for adverse childhood experiences to the list of other screenings that will be covered for Medi-Cal beneficiaries. Early detection can get families access to the network of services that can help them overcome toxic stress. Burke Harris, California's first-ever surgeon general, has had years of experience in treating children suffering with toxic stress at the Center for Youth Wellness that she founded in San Francisco in 2007, and she's written a book on the topic, "The Deepest Well: Healing the Long-Term Effects of Childhood Adversity." Bob Dole lay in state at the U.S. Capitol, as the president and others gathered Thursday to pay tribute to an American giant who served the Ronald Reagan emptied the psychiatric hospitals and Jerry Brown emptied the prisons, or so some people say. Although neither statement is completely true, there are elements of harsh reality in both. And they are connected. Reagan and Brown, two of the most consequential governors ever in California, led the state during two of the most well intended, but poorly executed, movements in this states history. The first was the de-institutionalization of the mentally ill starting in the 1960s. The movement, started in Europe, was supported by President Kennedy and ultimately complicated by a U.S. Supreme Court opinion and civil liberty concerns over forced treatment. The second in recent years was fueled by concerns about perceived mass incarceration, and the reality that our jails and prisons had become the de facto mental facilities. The result: fewer inmates, and significant increases in homelessness and untreated mental illness. I have witnessed this as a county prosecutor, deputy attorney general and El Dorado County District Attorney. As someone with more than 27 years in the pursuit of justice, I worry for the people on the streets, and for the future victims of crime. The history of psychiatric treatment isnt pretty. Too many people who were institutionalized for mental disorders suffered abuse, neglect and mistreatment. Gov. Reagan signed the Lanterman-Petris-Short Act in 1967, all but ending the practice of institutionalizing patients against their will. When deinstitutionalization began 50 years ago, California mistakenly relied on community treatment facilities, which were never built. And the Lanterman-Petris-Short Act made it virtually impossible to compel treatment prior to extreme decompensation. The consequence became clear quickly. The number of mentally ill people entering the criminal justice system doubled the first year after the Lanterman-Petris-Short Act was enacted. We in the criminal justice system use the expression life on the installment plan to describe the cycle. Offenders would commit low-level crimes and be incarcerated. Jail or prison for many meant stabilization through regular sleep, food, hopefully no alcohol or drugs, and for some, much needed mental health treatment. Then, theyd be released. Back on the streets, they would decompensate, get arrested again and continue to serve life on the installment plan. The connection between deinstitutionalization and incarceration is all too obvious. In 1978, the prison population was about 25,000, By 2006, it had grown to over 170,000 and 30 percent of the prison population were designated as needing mental health services. In the last several years, California engaged in mental health deinstitutionalization 2.0. This time it was Gov. Brown who pushed for sweeping new laws. Measures approved by the Legislature and voters have drastically changed the legal landscape and reduced prison and jail populations. By the end of his tenure, the prison population has fallen by almost a third. As the jails and prisons emptied, homelessness jumped. Unlike the rest of the U.S. where homelessness has been relatively flat, Californias homelessness spiked in 2015. Now, approximately a quarter of all people experiencing homelessness in this country reside in California. And while there are fewer inmates, the prevalence and severity of the mental illness among prisoners has increased. Astonishingly, in just four years, the number of people in California who were deemed incompetent to stand trial has increased by 60 percent, straining courts and state hospitals. Somehow, we must find a middle ground between incarceration, and untreated, unsupervised and at-risk mentally ill people. Senate Bill 1045 became law Jan. 1, and authorizes pilot programs to create housing conservatorships for people with serious mental health illness and substance use disorders who do not qualify for Lanterman-Petris-Short Act conservatorship in Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco. This is a modest step, but it could help ensure treatment for people with mental disorders outside the criminal justice system. Community based treatment before extreme decompensation, such as has worked in Europe, could greatly reduce incarceration and homelessness. Ultimately, isnt it time to reevaluate our legal perspective that essentially determined that the mind was like a light switch, where a person is either perfectly sane or an immediate threat to him- or herself and others? Vern Pierson is El Dorado County District Attorney, and a board member of the California District Attorneys Association. He wrote this commentary for CALmatters, a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how Californias Capitol works and why it matters. Mirjana Spoljaric Egger, Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations, Assistant Administrator of UNDP, and Director of the UNDP Regional Bureau for Europe and the CIS, paid a three-day visit to Armenia. In an interview with Armenian News-NEWS.am Mirjana Spoljaric Egger spoke about UN reforms, women's rights and prospects of cooperation with the new Armenian government. The United Nations is going through a reform process, which also affects the UN development system. According to the UN Secretary General, the UN will focus more on people and less on process, more on delivery and less on bureaucracy. Please elaborate on the UN reforms agenda and explain what implications it will have for UNDP. In 2015, UN member states adopted a very comprehensive development plan, commonly known as the 2030 Agenda, divided into 17 development goals covering all sectors of human development. This 2030 Agenda requires the UN system to rethink the wayit provides support to countries. We effectively need to do two things: improve coordination among all UN agencies, funds and programs on the ground, and empower UNDP to focus entirely on development-related issues. Until now,UNDP was mandated to coordinate the rest of the UNs development work. Now we can focus our energy on the substance of development. This means guiding partners on how to work across sectors together, from developing institutions to creating jobs, from reducing carbon emissionsto promoting human rights. Development is complex. We are very well placed to understand and tackle that complexity! Your visit to Armenia includes meetings with the Chairman of the National Assembly, as well as senior government officials. What are your impressions from these meetings? Do you see new cooperation prospects with the new government? Definitely, I am very proud to say that UNDP supported elections in Armenia over the past years, including the most recent ones. Together with the support and cooperation of the EU, UK, Sweden and Germany and the government of Armenia, we helped to ensure maximum transparency and credibility of the recent elections. It was a pleasure and an honor to meet with the speaker of the parliament to discuss how UNDP can continue to support parliamentary institutionsin practical ways. We will of course do it in close coordination with our partners and donors, but we want to look at how the parliament can engage with its citizens and national constituencieseven more effectivelyin the future. As for the government, my aim is to discuss how we can support the government in its reform agenda to ensure sustainable and inclusive economic growth over the next years. Armenia is celebrating the so called womens month starting from March 8 to April 7 and this is the most appropriate time to speak about womens rights. What can you tell us about womens rights in Armenia? Let me speak about women in general, not women's rights. If you look at the statistics, 56 percent of population with higher education in Armenia are women. Supporting women is not just the right thing to do, it is the smartestand the best thing to do to ensure economic growth. Women are still underrepresented in politics and in the labor market, in Armenia and beyond. If you look at the global gender gap, we needa 32 percent increase of women representation globally to ensure gender parity. Armenia is in the lower half of gender representation; of 150 countries that we measured, Armenia ranks 98, which means we have some way to go to reach gender parity. Over the last years we have worked closely with the government and at also at the local levels and we have promoted over 3,000 women in local politics, so this is a good basis to start with. What criteria do you think are most important in deciding the status of womens rights in a country? How have the gender equality criteria changed in the world during the past decades and what are the new challenges women face in the modern world? We measure genderequality globally and nationally according to four main criteria: inclusion of women in politics, labor, health and survival, and educational attainment. Women are less represented in politics and the labor market in Armenia, even though they are highly educated. Yesterday I met with a group of young women who are tech experts. They are very energetic, self-confident women who want to participate in designing the future of this country. Given their high human capital levels and willingness to participate in development, the country has a lot to win by promoting these women to go into the labor market. And here I am referring tohigh value sectors and not areas where they make less money than men. That is, sectors where they can have high value jobs and get promoted to eventually become leaders and decision-makers. The share of women in politics is very small in Armenia. There is only one woman minister in the government. In your opinion what and who are the main drivers for success in reaching gender balance? What would be your advice to Armenian women? I would advise Armenian women and men to demand from the government and parliament to implement national laws and the recent action plan adopted by the new government to promote gender equality. It is all there, you have the laws and the policies in place, but you have to make the government accountable to implement those laws proactively, but also to reflect the promotion of women in the national budget. The Government of Armenia has declared innovation as a priority direction. How can UNDP help the government to mainstream innovation in different sectors of the economy, particularly, in pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals? Armenia, I am very happy to say,is very innovative in its approach to development. In 2017 we launched together with government of Armenia the very first sustainable innovation lab, and this means two things. We are bringing together all sectors that are relevant to developing new solutions, people from tech, science, private sector and government, but also investors and financial institutions that would allow for swift implementation of the identified solutions. What we also do is that we increase use of behavioral insights, big data, Artificial Intelligence (AI) to improve analytics and strategies to accelerate sustainable development in the country. Yesterday I had the pleasure to participate in the 2019 Hackathonin Yerevan that brought together roughly 20 teams who are looking for smart solutions to reduce pollution, improve waste management, andincrease green spaces in the cities. I am curious to see what theycome up with and to hear from our institutional partners to what degree they are prepared to help them and implement thesesolutions. There are good experiences from the past and I am sure we can do more. UNDP itselfis undergoing a digital transformation. Armenia is not only the first country that helped us launch this type of development cooperation, but Armenia is also leading as an example for over 60 countries where we established such labs.We hope to scale these accomplishments to achieve global coverage. Fellow soldier arrested for killing Armenia serviceman, wounding 2 others Armenia high tech minister, Estonia envoy discuss several opportunities for cooperation Man, 42, kills his mother, 77, in Armenias Kapan 1 more person dies of coronavirus in Karabakh Armenia Central Bank raises refinancing rate by 0.5 percentage point Armenia parliament majority to reserve right to elect deputy chair of one of committees Armenia NGO head detained 161 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Pilgrims, Artsakh residents visit Amaras Monastery, with Russia peacekeepers assistance MFA spokesman: Armenia also will appoint special representative for dialogue with Turkey Armenia PM heads for Brussels on working visit Newspaper: Armenia authorities develop mechanisms to suppress, recruit Newspaper: Armenia PM Pashinyan wants to become President with absolute power Armenia famous singer turns herself in to police Ex-deputy PM Avinyan: Armenian National Airlines CJSC is registered Australia and South Korea sign $680,000,000-dollar defense deal US, North Korea, South Korea and China agree to end Korean War Turkish FM: Armenia and Turkey will designate special envoys to discuss normalization of relations Why did the police summon Armenia ex-MP Ruben Hakobyan? Yerevan Municipality spokesperson: Director of city's bus operating company resigns Lukashenko thanks Erdogan for Turkey's principled stance on Belarus Russian and Iranian FMs discuss JCPOA situation NATO Secretary General to meet with Aliyev Turkish man arrested for throwing Erdogan's portrait on the ground Tractor that remained in Karabakh's Amaras after Azerbaijani shootings removed through Russian mediation Georgia MFA is discontent with showing of Georgian national flag at '3+3' regional format meeting in Moscow Armenia PM's Chief of Staff, France Ambassador discuss strengthening of trade-economic relations Iran, Turkmenistan stress measures to strengthen transit ties Iran's and Saudi Arabia's representatives hold security meeting in Amman NEWS.am daily digest: 13.12.21 Armenia Constitutional Court president receives France Ambassador 55-year-old Yerevan pedestrian run over by 21-year-old with moped, hospitalized Armenia education, science, culture and sport minister has new deputy Armenia Prosecutor General attending Conference of States Parties to UN Convention against Corruption Armenia President receives head of Higher Presidential Committee of Churches Affairs in Palestine Joining up for Green Future: British Embassy and HSBC Bank Armenia promoting sustainability in Armenia (PHOTOS) Armenia ruling force MP: Opposition demand for parliament speakers resignation is attempt to collect dividends Armenian Zartonk political party issues statement on apprehension of 3 members Dollar falls after long rise in Armenia Charles Michel to hold trilateral meeting with Armenia and Azerbaijan Presidents in Brussels on Dec. 14 Opposition 'Armenia' faction MP: Armenian parliamentary speaker elections were unlawful Tovmasyan Foundation: Christmas fair is held Ruling party MP: Armenian POWs' issue is an exclusively speculative one for opposition 'Armenia' Faction Armenia Armavir Province deputy governor sacked Armenia Parliament Speaker receives German MFA official Matthias Luttenberg Armenia representative at ECHR considers International Court of Justice decision on December 7 a victory Armenia Supreme Judicial Council examining issue of subjecting Yerevan judge to disciplinary liability Ambassador to Armenia on Russia peacekeepers indefinite presence in Artsakh: Life will show 'With Honor' Faction MP: We will definitely vote in favor of draft for Armenia Parliament Speaker's resignation Armenia ex-police chief Vladimir Gasparyan's health condition is stable Armenia PM attends reopening of high school in Vagharshapat Armenia representative at ECHR: Work on captives return from Azerbaijan continues Armenia opposition MP: It is necessary to urgently solve issue of opening of aid station in Shurnukh Opposition 'Armenia' Faction MP: Parliamentary speaker is making statements that pose danger to foreign policy Russia envoy to Armenia: 3+3 format should have positive impact on relations between regional countries Armenia ambassador presents her letter of credence to Cuba President Armenia parliament opposition plans to nominate candidate for new speaker of legislature Biden announces natural disaster in Kentucky Armenia President, France ambassador discuss agenda of bilateral relations Russia diplomat: Armenia is one of important countries in New Generation program Armenia official, France envoy outline priority domains of economic cooperation between 2 countries in 2022 Iran puts 20 US citizens on sanctions list for human rights violations Armenia PM visiting Etchmiadzin, police carrying out intensified service Yerevan holding New Generation 2021 forum 66 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Russia military doctors provide medical assistance to Karabakh remote village residents World gold prices rising moderately International Studies expert: Armenia authorities refuse any anti-Turkish process Yerevan public transport bus drivers staging protest World oil prices going up One of 4 injured dies in Yerevan road accident New Shepard rocket makes suborbital flight with tourists Researchers determine how Covid pandemic will develop in case of Omicron variant Iran ready to exchange electricity with neighboring countries Armenia takes part in tank exercises in southern Russia Azerbaijani FM says the only way to avoid tensions is to start the process of demarcation Peskov says US aggressive rhetoric does not contribute to detente in relations Russia US tornado leaves 79 people killed 133 new cases of coronavirus confirmed in Armenia ICRC representatives visit Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan UK urges allies to seek alternatives to Russia natural gas 168.am: Armenia ex-police chief hospitalized NBC: US holds back additional military aid to Ukraine to avoid tension Person, 26, found dead in Armenia water pit Criminal case launched into killing of Armenia soldier Man found dead in Yerevan At least 2 killed from tornado in Arkansas Investigative Committee: Staff left combat positions and fled as a result of which adversary invaded Armenia territory Jill Biden comments on talks about US President's mental fitness Poland PM issues ultimatum to Russia 30 new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh Media: Islamic State takes responsibility for 2 blasts in Kabul France presidential candidate Eric Zemmour to visit Armenia US to sell 18mn barrels of oil from its strategic reserve Famous Armenia singer declared wanted Bright Armenia Party leader: ECtHR obliges Azerbaijan to pay 30,000 to Badalyan as moral damage compensation Psaki: US seeks diplomacy in context of situation between Russia and Ukraine 290 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Biden believes leaders of all other countries would like to be in his place Armenia PM: Internal patriots do not calm down because their foreign partners do not consider the mission over Nuclear weapons are easier to get than ever before, said Yukiya Amano, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). "In general terms, the technology to develop nuclear weapons is an old one, dating back 70 years, and after that lots of progress has been made in technology," CBS News reported quoting Yukiya Amano. According to him, "you can get the information, you can get the material, the education. It's available. "That is one of the reasons why we have to strengthen our activities to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons and verify that all the material and equipment stay for a peaceful purpose," Amano said. North Korea According to CEO, over the last decade North Korea's "nuclear program has significantly expanded. "Over the past year, activities at some facilities continued or developed further," he said. He noted that the IAEA "is the only international organization that can verify and monitor denuclearization in an impartial, independent and objective manner. Iran still sticking to nuke deal "I don't see activities that are contrary to the Iran nuclear agreement... but we need to monitor very, very carefully," Amano said referring to Iran nuclear deal that the Trump administration withdrew from last year. According to him, so far Iran is implementing the deal, while the US is "a very important country, so, of course, it (the U.S. withdrawal) has impact. Under the 2015 deal, Iran agreed to limit its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. The IAEA has already said that Iran continues to abide by it. Saudi Arabia's nuclear energy bid Saudi Arabia seeks to join the nuclear community. The Kingdom is currently considering applications from international companies for the construction of the first two nuclear reactors, but the country does not meet stringent international nuclear control standards now. That, experts and the IAEA say, is a problem. The Trump administration seems interested in helping Saudi Arabia create a nuclear energy program. The White House said that if the US does not get a contract, a country that is less interested in providing a verifiable and legitimate nuclear program can get it. The leading US consortium, Westinghouse, competes for contracts with companies from China, France, Russia and South Korea. In the late 1990s, the IAEA adopted a new, more stringent monitoring program, known as the Additional Protocol. Many countries with nuclear programs, old and new, have agreed to join the new oversight mechanism, but not Saudi Arabia. According to Amano, the additional protocol is, "a powerful verification tool that gives the Agency broader access to information about all parts of a State's nuclear fuel cycle. It also gives our inspectors greater access to sites and locations, in some cases with as little as two hours' notice. Saudi Arabia states it is only pursuing nuclear energy, not weapons, however, last year Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said that his country "does not want to acquire any nuclear bomb but without a doubt, if Iran developed a nuclear bomb, we will follow suit as soon as possible." The Kenyan government has finally responded to distress calls of poor working conditions and high-cost living by Kenyan doctors undergoing training in Cuba. Health Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki Wednesday announced a three-fold salary increment for the medics; from Ksh.50,800 to Ksh.144,000 per month. This will especially facilitate the doctors to seek accommodation outside the University premises. The response from the State follows pressure from the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentist Union (KMPDU) for the immediate termination of the training programme in Cuba. KMPDU, in a statement sent to newsrooms, argued that the Kenyan-Cuba arrangement has left Kenyan doctors vulnerable, frustrated, and in deplorable conditions. The medics said they had expressed their disappointment with the manner in which the government failed to address their numerous pleas. The CS Sicily Kariuki said the Ministry of Health sent officials to Cuba to access the welfare of Kenyan doctors. The ministry officials will continue to monitor the outcome and identify any other emerging issues. The push to terminate the Cuba programme kicked off following the death of Dr. Hamisi Ali Juma who committed suicide after six months in Cuba. The deceased was one of 50 Kenyan doctors sponsored by the government to study Family Medicine as a specialisation. His family reported that he constantly complained of poor working conditions in the northern Caribbean country and he had even lodged a formal request to return home but nothing came of it. Before Jumas death, a distress letter signed by 40 doctors including Juma was sent to the Parliamentary Committee on Health, pleading with the legislators to address what the medics termed as numerous challenges that have gone unanswered. The letter indicated that the doctors constantly asked the Health Ministry for details of the course, accommodation, and welfare but nothing was forthcoming. Health Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki says the doctors have since been posted to various clinics across Havana for their post-graduate training. She said the doctors are progressing well with the program and have expressed satisfaction on the quality of teaching and academic staff. We shall continue to partner on health service delivery, capacity building for health care workers, Malaria Vector Control and Health Research, said Cicily in a presser. Residents of Kamucege Village in Mwea, Kirinyaga County were Tuesday left in shock after a man stabbed his friend to death for allegedly having an affair with his ex-wife. Simon Gitari, 40, reportedly confronted 45-year-old Simon Muriithi in the house of his ex-wife, Josephine Wawira, 37, on Tuesday night. Ms Wawira said her former husband stormed her house and demanded to know why she allowed Mr Muriithi into her house that late in the night. It is said that Gitari was incensed because the deceased and his ex-wife were apparently in a relationship. During a heated confrontation, Gitari in a fit of rage reached for a kitchen knife stabbed Muriithi to death. Wawira, who suffered injuries on her hands, screamed for help but by the time neighbours arrived, the attacker had fled the scene. Confirming the incident, Mwea East Deputy County Commissioner, Edwin Chabari said a manhunt has been launched for Gitari. Wawira said she and her former husband had been separated for seven years. They have two children. On 4 April MEPs voted in favour of extending EU gas market rules to pipelines coming from non-EU countries, including Nord Stream 2, a 1,200 km pipeline connecting Russia and Germany currently being built through the Baltic Sea, the European Parliament reported. Today, we are putting an end to the era of external monopolies in the EU gas market which, for years, has exposed consumers to paying much higher energy bills and has been used to turn off gas taps in the middle of winter. This is excellent news for our citizens, industry and our overall security in the EU, said Jerzy Buzek MEP, EPP Group Spokesman, after the deal on common rules for the internal market in natural gas was adopted by the European Parliament. The parts of those import pipelines that are in the territory of EU countries, including territorial waters, will have to meet the requirements that currently apply to the EUs internal pipelines. This means there should be a separation of gas supply/production from transmission business, other operators should be allowed to access pipeline capacity, while there needs to be a transparent regulation of transit tariffs. Exemptions are possible, but only if approved by the European Commission. "Far too often, gas supply has been used as a political weapon. We cannot disarm the impure intentions of others, but we can arm ourselves with full legal clarity and consistency of existing legislation. This is what our energy union as well as this amended directive is about," said Polish EPP member Jerzy Buzek, chair of the energy committee. Gas is mainly used to heat homes and generate electricity. One fourth of the the EU's energy consumption comes from natural gas. Many EU countries mostly depend on gas imports. More than 70% is imported and this is expected to increase further. EU countries get their gas from a variety of places, as shown by data from the third quarter of 2018. Russia was the top supplier (47%), followed by Norway (34%), Algeria and Libya (8.6% combined). The main supply route for Russian gas was Ukraine (Brotherhood Pipeline and the Balkan route) covering almost half of total imports from Russia, followed by Belarus (Yamal pipeline) covering about 20% and the Nord Stream 1 pipeline (30%). Some 89% of gas is imported using pipelines, the rest is transported by ships as LNG. On 4 April, Chairperson of the Armenia-China Parliamentary Friendship Group Lena Nazaryan and members of the Group met with the delegation led by Vice-Chairwoman of the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress of the Peoples Republic of China Shen Yueyue, who is on an official visit to the Republic of Armenia, reports the news service of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, according to Armenian News-NEWS.am. According to the deputy speaker of the National Assembly, China is one of Armenias key partners, and the friendship between the two nations traces back to the times of the Great Silk Road. Lena Nazaryan stated that the relations between the two countries have grown in several fields following the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1992. Shen Yueyue stated that she is visiting Armenia for the first time and has already noticed that Armenians have a rich historical heritage and are very hospitable and talented. Shen Yueyue emphasized that the Armenian-Chinese relations have been dynamically growing since the establishment of diplomatic relations. The Chinese party expressed willingness to exert joint efforts to advance and implement new programs and initiatives. Shen Yueyue deemed it necessary to deepen cooperation of committees, friendship groups and women MPs. Yueyue informed that the Chinese parliament has also created a friendship group with Armenia. Talking about cooperation for security and defense, Lena Nazaryan attached importance to partnership in cybercrimes and personnel training. Touching upon the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the deputy speaker of the National Assembly expressed her gratitude to China for its balanced position on the conflict and support to the peaceful settlement of the conflict. Shen Yueyue stated that Chinas position on the conflict settlement remains unchanged and voiced hope that the parties to the conflict would be able to maintain restraint and resolve the issue through political dialogue. Lena Nazaryan valued Chinas support to Armenia and attached importance to the Armenian-Chinese friendship school opened in Yerevan. The head of the Armenia-China Parliamentary Friendship Group congratulated the Chinese people on the 40th anniversary of the launch of implementation of the policy on the reforms and liberalization proclaimed by Deng Xiaoping and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the Peoples Republic of China, wishing peace, welfare and happiness. Bo Cao, an English professor at Hunan Normal University in China, will be in residence at Emory this year as he translates influential Irish writer Samuel Becketts letters for Chinese readers. Bo Cao, professor of English Language and Literature at College of Foreign Studies, Hunan Normal University, Hunan Province, China, will be in residence at Emory for 2019. He is the Chinese translator of the first volume of The Letters of Samuel Beckett to be published by Hunan Literature and Art Press. Cao is working with Lois More Overbeck, one of the editors of the original edition of The Letters of Samuel Beckett, published in four volumes by Cambridge University Press (2009-2016). The Beckett Letters Project is based in the English Department of Emory University. The Letters of Samuel Beckett has been translated into German (Suhrkamp Verlag), French (Editions Gallimard), and Italian (Adelphi Edizioni). It is a special pleasure that the edition will soon be available to readers in China, thanks to the efforts of Dr. Cao and his colleagues, Overbeck says. While at Emory, Cao will complete his translation of The Letters of Samuel Beckett: 1929-1940. He will also familiarize himself with the research for all four volumes of Becketts letters, so that he can guide colleagues who are translating the other three volumes. The full Chinese edition of the letters will be available by 2021. The publication of The Letters in Chinese will be monumental, marking the completion of the Beckett translation project and rewriting the reception of Beckett in China, Cao says, noting that the letters, a biography with no commentary, are as significant as Becketts works themselves. In 2016 Hunan Literature and Art Press published The Complete Collection of Samuel Beckett in Chinese. In that series are Caos translations of Becketts novels Murphy, Watt (first edition in 2012), and More Pricks Than Kicks (2016), as well as his collection of occasional pieces edited by Beckett scholar Ruby Cohn: Disjecta (2016). According to Cao, critical Chinese playwrights and novelists are curious about Becketts avant-garde works. As to the difficulties of translation, he notes that Beckett frequently alludes to classical European philosophy and arts, which are not widely known by Chinese readers. Beckett uses many invented terms and plays many word games for which it is difficult to find exact equivalents in Chinese, making the translation of The Letters of Samuel Beckett challenging. While at Emory, Cao also intends to further his studies of Irish literature and learn more about the teaching of Irish studies in the United States. He is in consultation with Geraldine Higgins, director of the Irish Studies Program at Emory, and the Massee-Martin/NEH Distinguished Teaching Chair in English (2014-2018). Ireland has been called the worlds smallest cultural superpower, Higgins says. We are delighted to have Dr. Cao here at Emory for an important cultural exchange of ideas and experiences in teaching Irish studies to an international audience. At issue in translation are both linguistic and cultural interpretation, and as such, the questions raised with each interpretive decision are of great interest in many fields. During his stay at Emory, Cao looks forward to meeting others who are working on these matters, as well as discussing the importance of iconic western works in modern China. Cao is director of the Center for British and Irish Literature at the College of Foreign Studies, Hunan Normal University, where he also directs the Department of Translation Studies. Since earning his PhD in 2005 at Shanghai International Studies University, he has written on Irish and British authors and English-Chinese translation. Among his monographs are A Study of Samuel Becketts Novels of Failure (Beijing: Commercial Press, 2015) and Humanity Exploration: A Study of 18th Century British Novels (Beijing: Guangming Daily Press, 2009). Among his translations is also the Irish national epic The Tain (Changsha: Hunan Education Press, 2008). He is secretary general of China British Literature Association. Azerbaijan is planning on holding joint military drills with Turkey and Pakistan. This is what Minister of Defense of Azerbaijan Zakar Hasanov told . According to him, Pakistan will also participate in the joint military drills of Turkey and Azerbaijan. Hasanov also praised the Turkish army. The Turkish army is one of the strongest armies of NATO. We need to take advantage of this opportunity. Recently, our military air forces held drills. During the drills, Turkeys experienced pilots of the military air forces attacked our anti-air defense systems. We needed this. We needed to understand whether we could retaliate or not. We managed to retaliate. Our army is raising the level of its efficiency. Of course, there are mistakes, and we are learning from them and eliminating the flaws, he informed. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan received on Thursday the delegation led by Vice-Chairwoman of the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress of the Peoples Republic of China Shen Yueyue, the PM's office. Welcoming the guests to the National Assembly, Nikol Pashinyan noted that the development of relations with friendly China is one of the important directions of Armenia's foreign policy, and the visit of the Vice-Chairwoman of the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress of the Peoples Republic of China will give a new impetus to the cooperation between the two countries. Highly assessing the current level of Armenian-Chinese relations, the prime minister said that Armenia is interested in the development of mutually beneficial ties in political, economic, humanitarian, technological and other spheres. Expressing gratitude for the reception, Shen Yueyue noted that Armenia is a friendly country and an important partner for China. According to him, relations between the two countries are at a high level and China is interested in their further development, including the activation of inter-parliamentary cooperation. Nikol Pashinyan also highlighted the role of inter-parliamentary relations, noting that when he was a member of the parliament he was a member of the parliamentary friendship group with China and participated in the works of strengthening the Armenian-Chinese relations, and now, as an MP, he is ready to continue the efforts in that direction. Shen Yueyue noted that China highly appreciates Nikol Pahinyans contribution to the development of bilateral relations and is ready to deepen the partnership. Nikol Pashinyan thanked for the balanced position of China over Nagorno Karabakh conflict, highlighting the support of the international community for a peaceful conflict settlement. Nikol Pashinyan said that Armenia remains committed to "One-China policy". The Vice-Chairwoman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee noted that China continues supporting the peaceful settlement process of Nagorno Karabakh conflict, highlighting the settlement of the conflict through political dialogue. The interlocutors discussed issues referring to the cooperation agenda between Armenia and China and prospects for its development. Nikol Pashinyan noted that Armenia is interested in the development of partnership in the spheres of road construction, energy, high technologies, and organic agriculture. Expressing satisfaction over the pace of the development of tourism between the two countries, the sides emphasized the importance of taking practical steps for establishing direct flights. Shen Yueyue said that the direction mentioned by the Armenian PM are also of interest for China and there is great potential for developing cooperation and she will convey the proposals of the Armenian side to the respective state bodies of China. The sides also referred to the cooperation in the sidelines of the Eurasian Economic Union. PM Pashinyan noted that Armenia, as a country presiding over the EAEU, will continue to support the future development of China-EAEU relations. The Vice-Chairwoman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee of China highly assessed the role of Armenia in the cooperation between China and the EAEU. The interlocutors also exchanged views on international and regional projects initiated by China, particularly One Belt One Road. Saluting the China-initiated projects and highlighting their economic importance, the Armenian Prime Minister noted that Armenia is ready to be involved in their implementation. Nikol Pashinyan expressed gratitude for the support of China to Armenia and assessed the opening of the Armenian-Chinese friendship school in Yerevan as a proof of the high level of relations between the two countries. The school has already become quite popular and has 400 students. Story Highlights Percentage of working-age Russians who would like to move has at least tripled 12% who approve of Putin want to migrate vs. 40% who don't approve of him Germany, U.S. are top desired destinations WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Adding to the bad news last month that Russia is dangerously close to a full-blown demographic crisis, with its population declining for the first time in a decade in 2018, a new high of one in five Russians (20%) now say that they would like to leave Russia if they could. While not all of these Russians will move, the higher desire in recent years should concern Moscow. Larger potential migration numbers could accelerate the population decline, and losses could potentially exceed the 8% of the population that the United Nations currently projects Russia to lose by 2050. But the "who" may be just as concerning for the country's future economic position and political influence as the "how many." Since 2014, the percentage of working-age Russians who say they would like to move has at least tripled, jumping from 14% to 44% among 15- to 29-year-olds, from 7% to 22% among those between the ages of 30 and 45 and from 3% to 9% among those aged 46 to 60. Although young people typically are more likely to want to migrate -- as they are the most mobile within a population -- the 44% of the youngest Russians who want to move is unprecedented in Russia within the past decade. The Demographics of Desire to Migrate in Russia Ideally, if you had the opportunity, would you like to move permanently to another country, or would you prefer to continue living in this country? Would like to move to another country % Age 15 to 29 44 30 to 45 22 46 to 60 9 Education Primary or less 20 Tertiary 19 College education or higher 24 Urban/Rural Urban 23 Rural 13 Gallup World Poll, 2018 Russia could face losses of workers from all educational backgrounds -- and potentially all skill levels -- not just the most educated Russians. At least one in five Russians with primary education or less (20%), some tertiary education (19%) and college degrees or higher (24%) say they would like to leave Russia permanently. Potential losses in all these demographic groups could have negative implications on the future of Russia's already-stressed pension system -- which Russia attempted to shore up in 2018 by raising the retirement age for men (from 60 to 65) and women (from 55 to 60). Fingers Point to Putin If these demographic losses turn Russia into the "empty space" that President Vladimir Putin warned Russians about during his 2012 campaign, he may be at least partly to blame. Gallup's analysis* shows that even after accounting for demographics and income, Putin's job approval has had a strong effect on Russians' desire to migrate. In 2018, 12% of adults who approve of Putin's job performance would like to migrate, while 40% of those who do not approve of Putin would like to migrate. Looking back over time, between 2008 and 2013, Russians' desire to migrate slowly increased, while approval of Putin's job performance slowly decreased. But in 2014 -- a patriotic year for Russians highlighted by Crimea joining Russia and the successful Sochi Olympic Games -- approval of Putin shot up by 31 percentage points to 83% and desire to migrate dropped to as low as 7%. And Russians were only further unified under the sanctions from the West. This enthusiasm about Putin and the country lasted for a couple more years, and then desire to migrate started to go up, and in 2018 it reached the highest point in the last 11 years -- 20%. At the same time, Putin's approval started to go down -- dropping in 2018 to 63%, which is the lowest level in the past five years. Gallup recently saw a similar relationship between leadership approval and desire to migrate in the U.S., where a record 16% said they would like to move in 2017-2018. The difference between the situations in the U.S. and Russia is that while U.S. population growth is slowing, it is still growing. Economic Conditions Less of a Factor While it may be tempting to blame Putin's falling approval ratings and the rising desire to migrate on Russia's ongoing economic woes, Russia's economy has been in a spiral for years. Putin's approval ratings have been largely immune to the country's economic troubles. Still, economic conditions in Russia, too, are a factor in Russians' desire to migrate. Those who say their local economy is getting better (18%) are less likely to want to migrate than those who say it is getting worse (27%). Where Do Russians Want to Go? With so many Russians desiring to leave Russia, the next logical question is where would they like to go if they could leave? Although relations between Russia and the West -- the EU the U.S. in particular -- have been strained after the situation in Ukraine and military posturing regarding NATO, Russians who desire to migrate most often name a country within the European Union (40%), followed by Northern America (16%). Russians are most likely to name Germany (15%) and the U.S. (12%) specifically. Top Desired Destinations for Potential Migrants in Russia Among Russians who say they would like to move Country would move to % Germany 15 United States 12 Japan 5 Canada 5 Spain 5 France 4 Gallup World Poll, 2018 Implications Despite the government's efforts to encourage more births in Russia, even more births now will not solve the country's workforce shortfalls in the near future. To that end, the country is starting to look outside its borders to shore up its declining population. Putin's new migration policy for the next six years involves granting citizenship to millions of migrants from Russian-speaking countries such as Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Moldova. But in addition to looking outside its own borders, Russia would be well-served to look hard at why so many more Russians would like to move away in the first place, and look for ways to not only retain them, but to entice the Russians who may have already left to return. Dato Tsabutashvili contributed to this analysis. *Regression analysis controlled for demographics such as income, age, education and urban/rural location. Learn more about how the Gallup World Poll works. Intel on Tuesday took the veils off its Agilex family of Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) that aim to provide customised solutions to address data-centric workloads across embedded, network and data centre markets. Expected to start coming with devices in the third quarter of this year, the Agilex family is part of a new wave of more easily programmable FPGAs which is beginning to take an increasingly central place in computing as data centres are called on to handle an explosion of data. "The race to solve data-centric problems requires agile and flexible solutions that can move, store and process data efficiently. Intel Agilex FPGAs deliver customised connectivity and acceleration while delivering much needed improvements in performance and power for diverse workloads," Dan McNamara, Intel Senior Vice President, Programmable Solutions Group, told reporters here. The Intel Agilex family combines FPGA fabric built on Intel's 10 nanometer (nm) process with innovative heterogeneous 3D SiP technology. This provides the capability to integrate analog, memory, custom computing, and Intel eASIC device tiles into a single package with the FPGA fabric. Intel Agilex FPGAs are also the first processors to support Compute Express Link (CXL) which is a high-speed interconnect designed to maintain memory coherency among CPUs such as the second-generation Xeon Scalable processors and FPGAs and GPUs. It ensures that different processors do not clash when trying to write to the same memory space, thus, allowing CPUs and accelerators to share memory. The Santa Clara, California-headquartered company delivers a custom logic continuum with reusable IPs through a migration path from FPGA to structured application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). Intel Agilex will support DDR5, high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and Intel Optane DC across three series. The company's second-generation HyperFlex architecture helps give Agilex 40 per cent higher performance than the company's current high-end FPGA family -- the Stratix 10 line. Read More News : How the technology has changed the hand planers Local area children performing with professional actor, Angel Lozado (Jesus Christ Superstar: Live in Concert-NBC-2018) in the 2017 McLeod Summer Playhouse production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Photo provided). McLeod Summer Playhouse hosting special auditions for area youth by Myah Gary CARBONDALE, Ill. The McLeod Summer Playhouse is boosting the local arts scene, offering three unique opportunities for aspiring performers to pursue their ambitions. On April 6, Southern Illinois University Carbondales professional theater company will host special auditions for area children to fill roles in Gypsy and The Full Monty. Carbondale Community Arts will also host auditions for teen performers to fill roles in The Drowsy Chaperone. Special auditions for area children Auditions for Gypsy and The Fully Monty are set for 9:30 am- 12 p.m. on April 6 at Altgeld Hall, room 116. Prepared singing or acting pieces are not necessary, as music and acting sides will be provided and taught at the audition. Schedule includes: 9:30-10 a.m. Sign-in for girls roles. 10-11 a.m. - Singing and dancing auditions for girls roles. 10:30-11 a.m. Sign in for boys roles. 11 a.m.-noon Singing and dancing auditions for boys roles. Auditions for Gypsy include several singing and acting roles for both girls and boys: Baby June Must be able to play ages 9-10. Featured dancing, singing and acting role. Baby Louise Must be able to play ages 10-12. Featured singing, mover and acting role. Newsboys Looking for four boys who can play ages 10-12 (voices should not have changed yet). Must sing and dance/move-well. Participants can also audition for one position in The Full Monty. Nathan Featured acting only (no singing) role; son of the leading character, must be able to play around 12 years old; strong actor needed to act in several key scenes with the leading actor; does not need to sing or dance. All children auditioning must live or have housing with an approved guardian in the Southern Illinois area during the times of rehearsals, and must have transportation to and from the rehearsal spaces in Carbondale. Parents and guardians are encouraged to become familiar with the plays and the roles. For more information, contact J. Thomas Kidd at 618-453-5741 or email mcloeodsummerplayhouse@gmail.com. Auditions for area teens In addition to the openings for children, casting spots are available for local teenagers in the upcoming production of The Drowsy Chaperone. Auditions are also set for April 6 at Altgeld Hall, room 116, with sign-in at 1 p.m. and auditions beginning at 1:30 p.m. Auditions are open to high school students and those who have just completed grades 8-12. While performers do not need musical theater experience to audition, they should prepare 90 seconds to sing a musical theater selection and perform an upbeat or comic monologue (memorized if possible). Selections from the show are permitted, but participants should bring sheet music in the correct key. An accompanist will be provided. Additionally, it is recommended to wear comfortable clothing and sneakers for a choreography workshop. For more information, contact Lisa Janssen at 618-457-5100 or email info@carbondalearts.org. (Updates death toll, adds territorial minister quote) OUAGADOUGOU, April 3 (Reuters) - More than 60 civilians have been killed in tit-for-tat clashes between communities in northern Burkina Faso in recent days, the government said on Wednesday, the latest in a bout of inter-communal violence afflicting West Africa's Sahel region. Burkina and neighboring Mali have seen a spike in ethnic clashes fueled by Islamist militants as they seek to extend their influence over the Sahel, an arid region between Africa's northern Sahara desert and its southern savannas. Islamist attacks have risen in recent months, and the violence has reignited long-standing tensions between communities as certain groups are blamed for collaborating with the jihadists. New violence arose near the town of Arbinda in Burkina's Soum province on Sunday night, when a religious leader and six of his family members were killed by unidentified armed men, the ruling Movement of People for Progress (MPP) party said in a statement on Wednesday. "On the morning of April 1st, reprisal acts were reported in the Arbinda Department. They were directed against a community following the assassination of a religious leader," said MPP spokesman Bindi Ouoba. The MPP statement said a royal family was also attacked in neighboring Boulgou province on Sunday night, leaving at least nine dead. Territorial Administration Minister Simeon Sawadogo said on state TV late on Wednesday that 62 people died in the Arbinda attack. "Thirty deaths were the result of inter-communal conflicts, and 32 people were killed by terrorists," said Sawadogo, adding that militants had taken nine hostages. Deteriorating security prompted the government to declare a state of emergency in several northern provinces bordering Mali in December, which was extended by six months after jihadists attacked civilians in Soum. Burkina Faso, which had previously been known for its stability in a troubled region, has suffered 499 deaths from attacks on civilians between November 2018 and March 23 - a more than 7,000 percent jump from the same period a year earlier. (Reporting by Thiam Ndiaga; Writing by Sofia Christensen; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne and Peter Cooney) (Adds details, background) BEIRUT, April 4 (Reuters) - Lebanon's government has approved a second offshore energy licensing round with bids to be submitted early next year, Energy Minister Nada Boustani said on Twitter on Thursday. Offshore energy development has been a central ambition for successive governments in cash-strapped Lebanon, but political paralysis has caused years of delays and the country is in dispute with Israel over the maritime border along some exploration blocks. Lebanon awarded a first license for offshore oil and gas exploration and production last year to a consortium comprising France's Total, Italy's Eni and Russia's Novatek, which aims to drill its first well by the end of this year. The Lebanese Petroleum Administration (LPA), the government agency that manages the sector, recommended four offshore blocks to be included in the second licensing round, but Boustani did not say in her Tweet if they had all been approved. One of the blocks awarded last year in the first licensing round was located on the maritime border with Israel, but the consortium said it was not drilling near the disputed waters. Lebanon is on the Levant Basin in the eastern Mediterranean where a number of big sub-sea gas fields have been discovered since 2009 in Cypriot, Israeli and Egyptian waters. Beirut tried to launch its first offshore exploration in 2013, but domestic political problems delayed it until 2017. Bids for the second licensing round are due on January 31. 2020, Boustani said in her Tweet. (Writing by Tom Perry; Editing by Kirsten Donovan) NuStar Energy (NYSE: NS), like many midstream MLPs, has struggled in the aftermath of the oil market downturn. The company had too much debt and a high dividend payout ratio, which handcuffed its ability to fund expansion projects. That forced it to undertake several actions to improve its financial profile, including merging with its parent, slashing its high-yielding payout, and selling assets. As a result, the company is in a much better position to fund growth while still paying a generous 8.7%-yielding dividend to investors. While NuStar still has some work to do, it's worth watching given its upside potential as the company continues turning things around. An oil worker turning a valve. Image source: Getty Images. What a difference a year makes NuStar Energy has come a long way in the past year. In early 2018, the company unveiled a comprehensive turnaround plan to improve dividend coverage, reduce leverage, and position itself for growth. NuStar would go on to vastly outperform the goals it set by ending the year with a 1.42 times dividend coverage level -- well above its target range of 1.1 to 1.2 -- and achieving its three-year deleveraging goal in one year. As a result, the company now has the financial flexibility to fund growth through at least 2022. One of the drivers of the quick turnaround was the company's decision to sell its UK/European assets for $270 million last fall, which enabled it to pay down some debt. That gave it the financial flexibility to go ahead with several high-return expansion projects that should drive growth over the next few years. For example, the company signed a deal to connect its South Texas Crude System to the Plains All American (NYSE: PAA) Cactus II Pipeline, sending crude to NuStar's North Beach Terminal in Corpus Christi, Texas, for export. Overall, the company expects to invest $500 million to $550 million this year on oil gathering projects in the Permian Basin as well as downstream export-related ones like Corpus Christi. These expansions position the company to grow earnings at a healthy rate over the next few years. Story continues A calculator and pen on top of $100 bills. Image source: Getty Images. What NuStar still needs to do NuStar Energy ended last year with a much-improved leverage ratio of 4.05 times debt-to-EBITDA. However, leverage will likely rise to 4.3 times this year -- above its sub-4.0 target -- as the company invests heavily on expansion projects. That's just one area of concern for a company that has a weaker balance sheet compared with rivals like Plains All American Pipeline. Another is NuStar Energy's credit rating, which remains in junk territory. For comparison, Plains All American has a solid investment-grade rating, backed by a lower 3.4 leverage ratio. NuStar also has significant debt maturities in 2020 that it needs to address, with nearly $1.3 billion of its $3.1 billion total borrowings coming due next year. While the company believes it can get past this tighter spot as its expansion projects come on line, it remains an area of concern. In addition, distribution coverage will fall to a range of 1.2 to 1.3 times this year because the company needs to invest in several maintenance projects. Because of those two factors, the company isn't yet in a position to start returning more cash to investors. That puts it a step behind rivals like Plains All American, which have either already restarted dividend growth or expect to in 2019. On a positive note, NuStar could begin returning more money to investors next year when its current slate of expansions start generating cash, and it refinances its upcoming debt maturities. Interesting upside if everything goes right NuStar is still in the earlier stages of turning around its operations. The company made excellent progress last year. However, its key financial metrics will take a step back because 2019 will be a heavy investment year. While the higher spending positions the company for strong growth, investors might want to watch the turnaround from the sidelines until its expansion projects start delivering and it addresses its 2020 maturities. More From The Motley Fool Matthew DiLallo has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Philip Hammond has said a second Brexit referendum is a perfectly credible option as warring ministers continue to clash over Brexit. The Chancellor warned that UK faces a potentially lengthy delay to Brexit and indicated the Tories could be prepared to compromise on a customs union an idea that enrages Brexiteer ministers. Arch Eurosceptic MP Steve Baker told MailOnline: The Chancellor has come up with about the stupidest suggestion I could imagine. Look at the rage and despair created by asking Parliament to choose between Brexit in name only or no Brexit, and then imagine the public reaction. Is he trying to destroy all faith in democracy? Theresa Mays decision to meet with Jeremy Corbyn and seek a softer Brexit has already cost her two ministers with many more reportedly ready to quit. According to The Sun, 10 junior ministers and five members of the cabinet are said to be on the edge of resigning in protest at the Prime Ministers plans. One of those ministers told the paper: Many, many colleagues in government are just seething and a lot of us are on the edge now some over a customs union, others over European Parliament elections. Whats for sure is if she asks for a long extension next week it will mean mass resignations. Theresa May faces as many as 15 ministerial resignations over her choice to seek a softer Brexit (Getty) One Tory big beast already hinting hes ready to quit is International Trade Secretary Liam Fox, who said he was not prepared to ditch Tory manifesto promises. Ministers Nigel Adams and Chris Heaton-Harris both quit on Wednesday after Mrs May said she would meet with Jeremy Corbyn (PA/Getty) The Government resignations over the past year (PA) The quitters Wales minister Nigel Adams was the first to quit on Wednesday, denouncing the PMs decision to meet Mr Corbyn as a grave error. The Selby and Ainsty MP a close ally of Boris Johnson who took part in planning for his abortive push for the leadership in 2016 told Mrs May in a letter: It now seems that you and your Cabinet have decided that a deal cooked up with a Marxist who has never once in his political life put British interests first is better than no deal. I profoundly disagree with this approach. Read more: John Bercow blocks third round of indicative votes Tory MP says hes lost four inches off his waistline due to Brexit Most Brits would not mind if Northern Ireland left the UK Story continues Chris Heaton-Harris quit the Department for Exiting the EU with a warning that the PM was being badly advised over the risks of no-deal. The Daventry MP, whose responsibilities included overseeing no-deal preparations, said the UK would swiftly overcome any difficulties caused by quitting the EU without an agreement. Mrs Mays evident determination to avoid no deal had made his job irrelevant, he said. Jeremy Corbyn and his delegation of Labour MPs met the PM for talks on Brexit on Wednesday (PA) Meetings and plots Following the meeting with the PM, Mr Corbyn said he put forward Labours view that we want to achieve a customs union with the European Union, we want to have access to the market and, in particular, we discussed the dynamic regulatory alignment that is guaranteeing European regulations as a minimum on the environment as well as consumer and employment rights. A Labour spokesman said: We have had constructive exploratory discussions about how to break the Brexit deadlock. We have agreed a programme of work between our teams to explore the scope for agreement. Cabinet members Andrea Leadsom and Gavin Williamson met on Wednesday with other MPs to try and stop Mrs May from seeking a soft Brexit (Getty) And Downing Street said: Todays talks were constructive, with both sides showing flexibility and a commitment to bring the current Brexit uncertainty to a close. We have agreed a programme of work to ensure we deliver for the British people, protecting jobs and security. However, other meetings took place between a large group of Brexiteer ministers including Leader of the House Andrea Leadsom and Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson to plot ways to derail Mrs Mays soft Brexit plans. Blame game As MPs lined up to attack the PM, the blame game also shifted to Tory Brexiteers for not passing Mrs Mays Brexit deal in the first place. Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay said a softer Brexit was the remorseless logic of the numbers of the House of Commons. Mr Barclay told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: If the Prime Ministers deal wont go through and no deal in law is taken off the table, then the consequence of that is either a soft Brexit or no Brexit at all. He blamed hardliners in Tory ranks for the situation, saying: Its regrettable that what we have been saying for several months now is coming to pass, but that is the remorseless logic of not backing the Prime Ministers deal. The PM has been hit by a wave of fury from Brexiteers in her party (Getty) But Attorney General Geoffrey Cox suggested that it would remain possible for the UK to quit any customs union arrangement after successfully completing Brexit. Mr Cox told BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg: If we decided, in some considerable years time, that we wanted to review our membership of any such customs union if we signed it and Im not saying we will thats a matter for negotiation and discussion. Theres nothing to stop us removing ourselves from that arrangement, so we cant look at these things as permanent straitjackets upon this country. The key dates in the Article 50 process (PA) No no deal? In a boost to the Prime Minister, MPs failed in a bid to take over the Commons timetable on Monday for a third round of indicative votes on Brexit alternatives, with Speaker John Bercow wielding his casting vote after MPs split 310-310. But MPs voted by a majority of one to allow a cross-party bid to pass legislation to block a no-deal Brexit in a single day. European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said the EU would accept an extension to May 22 if the UK had approved Mrs Mays Withdrawal Agreement by a viable majority before April 12. But speaking in Brussels, he said a no-deal Brexit at the end of next week was becoming more and more likely, adding: April 12 is the final date for possible approval. If the House of Commons does not adopt a stance before that date no short-term extension will be possible. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK A violent conflict between English colonists and Native Americans almost 400 years ago grew into a war that ended with the near extermination of an entire Indian tribe. Now, archaeologists in Connecticut are investigating the town at the center of the conflict the scene of an attack by Pequot warriors concerned by the burgeoning population of English settlers in the area. The attack on Puritan colonists in 1637 at Wethersfield, Connecticut, was smaller in scale than the Jamestown attack in Virginia in 1622 just nine settlers were killed, while hundreds were killed in Jamestown. But the Wethersfield conflict grew into the Pequot War in New England, and it resulted in the Mystic River Massacre in May 1637; during that massacre, an army of colonists and their Native American allies killed about 500 people and effectively wiped out the Pequot tribe. [See Photos of the Remains of the Pequot War] The conflict instilled a deep fear among European settlers of Native American tribes that would last for centuries and would influence the treatment of Native Americans in the years that followed, said Charles Lyle, the director of the Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum in Wethersfield. Excavations at the Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum in Wethersfield, Connecticut, have revealed artifacts of occupation dating back to the early 17th century. Charles Lyle/Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum "That is when this whole fear of Indian attack really took over, and it took over for the rest of the 17th century in New England. People were really fearful of the Indian attacks," Lyle told Live Science. The museum comprises three historic houses built in the 18th century. But now archaeological investigations of the grounds of the museum have revealed traces of occupation that date back even further, to the time of the Pequot attack more than 100 years earlier. The finds include window glass, household pottery, iron clothing hooks and buttons, as well as trade items, including Native American pipe stems and about 20 pieces of the shell beads known as wampum, which were used by both the Native Americans and settlers as currency. Story continues The excavations also revealed pieces of a defensive wooden palisade that was built on the property around the time of the Wethersfield massacre in 1637, an indication of the growing tensions between the English settlers and the Native Americans of the area, Lyle said. Pequot War At the time of the Pequot attack, the Pequot were particularly worried about the growing numbers of English settlers in the region, and the land they were taking for their homesteads, fields and herds, he said. Historians note that food supplies in the area had been badly disrupted by a severe hurricane a few years earlier what is now known as the Great Colonial Hurricane of 1635. Artifacts excavated from the museum site span more than 300 years, from the early 17th century to the 1920s. Charles Lyle/Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum "I think there were some problems in this area with having a reliable food supply during this period," Lyle said. "The Indians in the early period were helping the settlers by trading with them, in providing corn and venison." He added, "But the [English] settlers were planting fields now and weren't trading with the Indians like the Dutch were they were trying to establish their own crops and their own herds of domesticated cattle." The friction came to a head on April 23, 1637, when about 200 Pequot warriors attacked the settlement at Wethersfield one of the earliest colonial towns in New England. According to historical accounts, six men and three women from Wethersfield were killed, and two girls were kidnapped; the Pequot warriors also deliberately killed dozens of horses and cattle, in what has been seen as a warning to other settlers. Although the girls were later returned through the intervention of Dutch traders, the Pequot killings at Wethersfield resulted in the Mystic Massacre and the Pequot War. The war lasted until September 1638, when the few remaining Pequot fled the area. Colonial artifacts The finds on the grounds of the Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum push back the archaeology of the site to the time of the earliest historical accounts of colonial European settlement in North America, said Ross Harper, senior historical archaeologist for the Public Archaeology Survey Team, which is carrying out the excavations. The 17th-century artifacts excavated at the site include diamond-shaped panes of glass (center), a piece of window lead, and two brass tacks. Ross Harper/PAST "This is a period that we really just don't know a lot about," Harper told Live Science. "Sites of this period, in New England especially, are very rare, so it is a very important discovery." "The excavations have been carried out ahead of the construction of an education center at the museum. The construction will go ahead this year, while archaeologists continue to excavate other parts of the property, Harper said. The work so far has been funded by the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America, which owns the Webb-Dean-Stevens Museum, and the state of Connecticut. The excavations also revealed traces of trading activity at the site, although the archaeologists can't tell if the trading happened before or after the Pequot attack in 1637. Several small colonial coins have been found including a farthing from the reign of James I, minted in the early years of the 17th century as well as what were once strings of wampum shell beads. "The English were extraordinarily dependent on Native Americans at this early period, particularly for foodstuffs," Harper said. "[But] the Native Americans didn't want coins, they wanted wampum or some other kinds of trade goods that they valued." But he said that the remains of the 17th century palisaded wooden wall on the property also showed that the settlers were concerned about attacks by Native Americans. "We can't really say if it was [built] before or after the Pequot War, but that whole period, 1630 to 1640, was a very challenging and violent and difficult period for the people involved, for Native Americans and all the different European groups," Harper said. "It's hard to say if it was built in response to the war or before the war, but that's a question we may very well be able to answer when we do more work." Original article on Live Science. Want to participate in a research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and earn a $60 gift card! For investors with a long-term horizon, assessing earnings trend over time and against industry benchmarks is more valuable than looking at a single earnings announcement in one point in time. Investors may find my commentary, albeit very high-level and brief, on Deutsche Lufthansa AG (FRA:LHA) useful as an attempt to give more color around how Deutsche Lufthansa is currently performing. See our latest analysis for Deutsche Lufthansa Despite a decline, did LHA underperform the long-term trend and the industry? LHA's trailing twelve-month earnings (from 31 December 2018) of 2.2b has declined by -7.6% compared to the previous year. Furthermore, this one-year growth rate has been lower than its average earnings growth rate over the past 5 years of 32%, indicating the rate at which LHA is growing has slowed down. Why is this? Well, let's look at what's going on with margins and if the rest of the industry is facing the same headwind. DB:LHA Income Statement, April 4th 2019 In terms of returns from investment, Deutsche Lufthansa has invested its equity funds well leading to a 23% return on equity (ROE), above the sensible minimum of 20%. Furthermore, its return on assets (ROA) of 6.0% exceeds the DE Airlines industry of 5.7%, indicating Deutsche Lufthansa has used its assets more efficiently. And finally, its return on capital (ROC), which also accounts for Deutsche Lufthansas debt level, has increased over the past 3 years from 8.3% to 12%. This correlates with a decrease in debt holding, with debt-to-equity ratio declining from 105% to 70% over the past 5 years. What does this mean? Deutsche Lufthansa's track record can be a valuable insight into its earnings performance, but it certainly doesn't tell the whole story. Companies that are profitable, but have capricious earnings, can have many factors impacting its business. You should continue to research Deutsche Lufthansa to get a more holistic view of the stock by looking at: Story continues Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for LHAs future growth? Take a look at our free research report of analyst consensus for LHAs outlook. Financial Health: Are LHAs operations financially sustainable? Balance sheets can be hard to analyze, which is why weve done it for you. Check out our financial health checks here. Other High-Performing Stocks: Are there other stocks that provide better prospects with proven track records? Explore our free list of these great stocks here. NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the trailing twelve months from 31 December 2018. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. With the House Judiciary Committee voting to authorize a subpoena for the Mueller report, an extended legal donnybrook is shaping up between the panel and Attorney General William Barr over full access to the 400-page document and its underlying evidence. Such a protracted confrontation would be a mistake that serves no one's interest, especially the public's. This is a problem with a solution staring it straight in the face: good-faith negotiations between the Justice Department and House members to resolve concerns Barr has with portions of the report he believes cannot be publicly released. Congress and the public are understandably eager to sift the details of special counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russia's involvement in the 2016 presidential election. According to a four-page summary that Barr released on March 24, Mueller did not establish that President Donald Trump conspired with Russians and punted on the issue of whether Trump obstructed justice. Attorney General William Barr Since then, Barr has been subjected to relentless and unfair attacks from critics on the left, who say the letter was too brief, too stingy in quoting Mueller directly and too presumptuous in deducing that Trump did not obstruct justice after Mueller declined to reach a conclusion. Barr deserves some benefit of the doubt. The attorney general rushed to slake the thirst of a nation hungry for news of the voluminous Mueller report by pushing out bottom-line conclusions 48 hours after the report landed at the Justice Department. He candidly quoted Mueller's inconclusive-but-does-not-exonerate language on obstruction. And he reached his own obstruction finding not by himself, but in collaboration with Deputy Attorney General (and longtime Mueller protector) Rod Rosenstein. Beyond that, Barr is ready to testify before Congress, has "no plans" to provide an early privileged review of Mueller's report to the White House, and promises something for public consumption by mid-April. Story continues Where the attorney general falls short, however, is in failing to distinguish between duty to the public and duty to Congress. "He isn't acknowledging that Congress and the House Judiciary Committee have special constitutional standing that goes well beyond what the general public is entitled to," says Steven Aftergood, director of the Federation of American Scientists' Project on Government Secrecy. Barr plans to redact material from Mueller's report that falls into four areas: grand jury material that cannot be released without a court order; intelligence methods; ongoing investigative matters; and material that could embarrass "peripheral third parties." Apart from the grand jury matters, members of Congress should be able to view all the other material. "We handle confidential material all the time," says Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y. "The question before us today is not the public release of information. It's the release of information so that we can do our constitutional duties." True, Congress can be leaky. But material from sensitive spy methods, for example, could be viewed by a limited group such as "Gang of Eight" congressional leaders who often receive classified intelligence briefings, or by top Judiciary Committee members from both parties. Bipartisan viewings can assure the public there's no cover-up in the redactions. All of this requires Barr to work with Congress, something he has shown little inclination so far to do in Washington's highly polarized atmosphere. This cooperation could also extend to obtaining a necessary court order for releasing grand jury material for Congress to review. Investigating prosecutors in both the Watergate and Clinton impeachment proceedings, while they operated under different laws than those that govern Mueller, obtained court orders to allow Congress to see grand jury material in those cases. Wednesday morning's party line vote authorizes Nadler to subpoena the Mueller report when he sees fit. Let's hope it doesn't come to that. Barr and the committee ought to be able to negotiate a way out of this. USA TODAY's editorial opinions are decided by its Editorial Board, separate from the news staff. Most editorials are coupled with an opposing view a unique USA TODAY feature. To read more editorials, go to the Opinion front page or sign up for the daily Opinion email newsletter. To respond to this editorial, submit a comment to letters@usatoday.com. If you can't see this reader poll, please refresh your page. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: AG William Barr and Congress must negotiate in good faith over Mueller report The man trying to bring down Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and her staff for allegedly breaking campaign finance laws during the 2018 midterm elections, is a devout partisan and proud Donald Trump supporter, known for his distaste for the very campaign finance regulations he is using to try and stir up controversy. Dan Backer, a Virginia attorney, filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) on Wednesday, alleging that Ms Ocasio-Cortez and her chief of staff Seikat Chakrabarti engaged in a scheme to undercut normal market value for campaign services for her and several other progressive candidates. It is a complaint that Mr Backer says shows Ms Ocasio-Cortezs hypocrisy as an advocate for campaign finance reform, even if he does not personally agree with the underlying law. And, it is Mr Backers own duality on these issues that campaign finance experts say illustrates how easy it is for partisan complaints to be filed with the FEC and make news with little in-depth scrutiny. Video: A lexandria Ocasio-Cortez Contemplates What's Next. For more news videos visit Yahoo View. I think much of what they set out to do SHOULD be legal, and the provisions restricting people from engaging in robust political activity in this way are likely unconstitutional, but its still the law, Mr Backer told The Independent in an email. He continued: And its self-aggrandising reformers like [Ms Ocasio-Cortez] who seek to make the laws even more burdensome. I would be thrilled if the adjudication here resulted in overturning some of these restrictions, but until then its still the law and a self-professed reformer ought to follow the laws. A request sent to Ms Ocasio-Cortezs office seeking comment on Mr Backers allegations received no reply. She has previously claimed the campaign finance allegations against her originated from a conspiracy machine. Story continues In the newest complaint, Mr Backer charges that Ms Ocasio-Cortez and Mr Chakrabarti controlled three overlapping entities the Justice Democrats PAC, the Brand New Congress PAC and Brand New Congress LLC with a goal to subsidise cheap assistance for Ocasio-Cortez and other candidates at rates far below market value. The complaint details a string of allegations, with multiple different ways that Mr Backer says Ms Ocasio-Cortez may have violated campaign finance laws. Dan Backer is a longtime actor in this space who has scored some notable victories. He has won, but he also has a reputation for taking a kind of kitchen sink approach, said Daniel Weiner, the senior counsel for the Brennan Centre for Justice. He sues the FEC constantly and loses much more often than he wins, though he has won, Mr Weiner continued. Hes also, frankly, hes a very, very committed partisan. Not unlike many people in this bar. Hes also a committed one might even say ferocious opponent of campaign finance regulation generally. Mr Backers complaint was filed on Wednesday on behalf of the Coolidge Reagan Foundation, a conservative activist group that has challenged Ms Ocasio-Cortez for campaign finance violations on at least one other occasion. The foundation is run by Mr Backer and by Shaun McCutcheon, a Republican donor and delegate for Mr Trump who once challenged and won with Mr Backers help the FEC over limits on aggregate campaign donations to federal candidates during a two year period. In addition to his complaints against Ms Ocasio-Cortez, Mr Backer has been active in Republican politics organising against former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. Mr Backer helped to establish the Stop Hillary PAC, for instance, which was highly critical of her handling of the 2012 attacks on US government facilities in Benghazi, Libya, where a US ambassador was killed. The PAC was later renamed following Mr Trumps election as the Committee to Defend the President. Mr Backer was also involved in a complaint accusing the Clinton campaign in 2016 of campaign violations related to payments to Fusion GPS the company that helped produce the dossier compiled by ex-British spy Christopher Steele. With Mr Backers signature behind it, the Committee to Defend the President and a separate pro-Trump PAC called Great America PAC have already begun spending big to support the presidents re-election bid. By mid-February, for instance, those two groups had already spent $441,038 and $821,280, respectively, according to the Centre for Responsive Politics. Algiers (AFP) - Mass protests may have pushed long-time Algerian leader Abdelaziz Bouteflika from power, but demonstrators look unlikely to let up, demanding sweeping changes to the political system. With pressure far from dissipating, what happens now? - Constitutional roadmap - Algeria's constitution outlines a vague roadmap for political transition. It stipulates that the speaker of the upper house of parliament, currently 77-year-old Abdelkader Bensalah, should act as interim leader. The Constitutional Council has noted the presidential "vacancy" and informed parliament, with its two chambers expected to meet soon. The interim leader has 90 days to organise a presidential election -- in two rounds -- and hand over power to the winner. He himself is barred from running. It is a quick turnaround made even trickier by a number of electoral deadlines. Once a date for the first round of polls is set, electoral hopefuls have 45 days to collect backers and submit their candidacies, which must be validated by the Constitutional Council. A final run-off between the top two candidates is to be held 15 days after results from the first poll are announced. - Continued pressure - Algerians celebrated Bouteflika's resignation, but protesters have vowed to keep up the pressure, pushing to do away with the deposed leader's entire elite. Calls have multiplied on social media for the ouster of key officials nicknamed the "3B": Bensalah, the prospective interim president, along with Tayeb Belaiz and Noureddine Bedoui. Belaiz chairs the Constitutional Council, which regulates elections. Bedoui, appointed prime minister on March 11, served as interior minister for four years and was responsible, among other things, for organising polls the opposition says were fraudulent. Pure products of the regime, the men have faithfully served Bouteflika since he came to power in 1999. Protesters say the short deadlines layed out in the constitution make it difficult to amend an electoral code that favours powerful, "established" parties. Story continues Some 20 civil society groups representing a broad swathe of issues have called for continued mass demonstrations Friday to "maintain pressure", until the "departure of all officials of the regime" and the establishment of transitional institutions. - At a crossroads - For Isabelle Werenfels, a research associate at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, Algeria is at a crossroads. "The immediate question is whether Algeria will stick to the constitutional process, with elections in 90 days, or whether there will be an effort to negotiate an extra-constitutional outcome," she said. For the moment, institutional mechanisms have been set in motion and the government has given symbolic pledges of openness to the press, the opposition and civil society. Some say Bensalah, a Bouteflika loyalist who frequently stood-in for the ailing leader after the latter suffered a stroke in 2013, may step down and make way for a more "acceptable" replacement. Others have called for the resignation of the Constitutional Court -- the only way to replace its members, who are seen as stalwarts of the Bouteflika era. Their successors, however, would still need to be appointed by that same system and the interim head of state does not have the constitutional power to reshuffle the government. Regardless, if the protests do not dwindle, it will be difficult to carry on with the constitutional process as it currently exists. "One option would be to name an independent and broadly accepted head for a transitional body," said Werenfels. But the jury is still out on who might make an acceptable choice for such a position. - Army's role - The key judge will likely be the army, whose intervention was decisive in Bouteflika's departure. The military has said it would "support the people until their demands are fully and completely satisfied". At the same time, it has insisted it only accepts "a process that guarantees the management of state affairs within the framework of the constitution". If mass protests do continue, how will the army react? "The fears are huge... of a face-off between the street and the military institution," said Hasni Abidi, who heads the Geneva-based Centre for Arab and Mediterranean Studies. "There is no counterweight for the army today," he added. But the military "is not authorised or trained to handle a delicate transition", he said, calling to "immediately enter a round of negotiations, which is key to a smooth transition". Amazon AMZN continues to dominate the global cloud computing space on the back of its increasing number of availability zones and regions of Amazon Web Services (AWS). This is evident from the companys latest announcement wherein it notified its plans to set up an infrastructure region in Indonesia, marking its ninth such establishment in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region. Notably, the new region, which is expected to be operative by 2021 end or early 2022, will be located in Jakarta. The company aims to strengthen the cloud infrastructure in Indonesia with the aid of lower latency networks of its availability zones. Per the plans, this Jakarta region will comprise the three availability zones, which will help its customers achieve the robust fault-tolerance by running their designed applications on these zones. Further, this will assist AWS traction among the startup ecosystem, big enterprises and the countrys government agencies. Expanding AWS Global Presence AWS latest move bodes well for its strong focus on fortifying its cloud footprint on the international territories. Apart from its upcoming Indonesian region, the company is gathering resources to open a region in Hong Kong SAR. Moreover, it already has infrastructure regions in Beijing, Mumbai, Ningxia, Seoul, Singapore, Sydney and Tokyo. At present, AWS infrastructure regions across the globe totals 20, offering 61 availability zones. The company is set to roll out additional 12 Availability zones across its regions, namely Bahrain, Hong Kong SAR, Italy and South Africa. This apart, the company announced its plans to open an infrastructure location in Colombia, marking its fourth such establishment in Latin America. We believe, all these strong endeavors will continue to aid its leading market share in the cloud market. Amazon.com, Inc. Revenue (TTM) Amazon.com, Inc. Revenue (TTM) | Amazon.com, Inc. Quote Story continues Rising Competition in APAC APAC region is one of the biggest emerging markets in the cloud industry and therefore, the market is capable of attracting big cloud providers to bolster their presence in it. Recently, Alibabas BABA cloud arm doubled its cloud capabilities in Indonesia by opening its second data center in the country. Further, Alphabets GOOGL Google Cloud is leaving no stone unturned to capitalize on the huge growth prospects in this particular region. The company recently opened an infrastructure region in Hong Kong, marking its sixth such zone in APAC. Further, the company is gearing up for opening a region in Jakarta, Indonesia. Additionally, Microsofts MSFT Azure has cloud regions and locations across many APAC countries like China, India, Japan, Korea and Australia to name a few. Nevertheless, AWS expanding reach in the APAC cloud space will continue to boost its position in this region. Currently, Amazon carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. 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. See their latest picks 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 Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) : Free Stock Analysis Report Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA) : Free Stock Analysis Report Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) : Free Stock Analysis Report Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research She may not be running in 2020 but she isnt ruling out the idea of holding elected office at some point. Angelina Jolie has told People Magazine that she is looking to others for leadership while noting we have to change laws that treat women as second-class citizens. The A-list actress has become a prominent voice for human rights in her role on the United Nations High Commission for Refugees in recent years, imploring countries to elevate more women into peacekeeping positions to combat sexual violence. When asked about a possible run for office, Jolie replied: Never say never! Jolie has mostly kept out of the Hollywood limelight in recent years, only returning to the press circuit to tease her upcoming film Maleficent: Mistress of Evil. The movie, which is scheduled for release in October, is Ms Jolies first in four years. I try to speak for what I believe in, Jolie said in the interview. She added: If you look across the world, there are far too many women and girls who are not only not seeing progress, their rights are slipping away from them. Jolie has six children with Brad Pitt, whom she divorced two years ago. Speaking about her advocacy work, Jolie said, I feel very blessed in my work to have the opportunity to meet so many extraordinary people who spend their lives dedicated to others. PHOENIX A person died after falling off the edge of the Grand Canyon this week, the third death at the canyon since early last week. On Wednesday at around 11:30 a.m., park rangers were notified that a man had fallen over the edge, east of Yavapai Geology Museum, a press release from the National Park Service said. Rangers were able to find the body of a 67-year-old man about 400 feet below the rim, the release said. Start the day smarter: Get USA TODAY's Daily Briefing in your inbox The site of the fall is located on the South Rim in Grand Canyon Village. The area is open to public and visitors, the release stated. This marks the third person to die at the Grand Canyon in the past two weeks. The Grand Canyon celebrated its 100th anniversary as a national park on Feb. 26, 2019. Millions of people visit the park each year, forcing managers to balance the needs of tourism and conservation. More: Tourist falls hundreds of feet into Grand Canyon while attempting to take a photo On March 26, a body, which was identified as a possible foreign visitor, was found in a wooded area south of the Grand Canyon Village away from the rim, the Associated Press reported. The cause of the death was being investigated, park spokeswoman Vanessa Ceja-Cervantes said. Two days later, a 50-year-old tourist from Hong Kong fell into the canyon while trying to take photos at Grand Canyon West, an area that is on the Hualapai Indian Reservation west of the national park. That fall happened at Eagle Point, an area close to the famous Skywalk attraction. Grand Canyon National Park officials in the statement about the latest death reminded visitors to keeping a safe distance away from the edge of the canyon, being extra cautious when taking pictures, and staying behind railings at overlooks. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Man dies after falling at Grand Canyon, third death in two weeks President Donald Trump on Thursday said the United States and China were a month from a potentially "epic" trade agreement. But, nine months into the two countries' trade war, the announcement was anti-climactic, as the White House had earlier stoked anticipation that Trump could announce a date for a summit to clinch a final deal with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. Global markets had also rallied in recent days, roused by the hope that an end to the skirmish between the world's two top economies was at last at hand. "We will probably know over the next four weeks. It may take two weeks after that," Trump told reporters following a meeting with Beijing's trade envoy Liu He. "It's looking very good." The talks are due to continue for a third day on Friday. Trump had said as far back as February that a summit could occur within a month. Despite Trump's rosy gloss on the talks on Thursday, US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer told reporters that major issues were left to be resolved. Both US and Chinese officials have projected cautious optimism for months, but the last mile is proving to be the hardest, with the two sides reportedly tussling over whether and when Washington should remove the punishing tariffs it imposed last year on Chinese goods. Trump in early 2018 launched a trade war with China, seeking to slash that country's soaring trade surplus with the United States, end alleged unfair trade practices such as the theft of American technology and China's massive state intervention in markets. Washington and Beijing since last year have imposed tariffs on more than $360 billion in two-way trade, biting into their manufacturing sectors as the world economy slows. China has floated offers to make sizable purchases of US commodities and taken steps to show it will protect foreign intellectual property. But Democrats have warned of the temptation to accept a superficial deal that does not extract profound changes to the Chinese industrial policies American officials have long denounced. Story continues Trump reiterated Thursday however that, "if it's not a great deal, we're not doing it." Chinese state media later carried a report which said Xi has called for the talks to conclude as soon as possible. "I hope the two sides of the economic and trade teams will continue to resolve both sides' issues of concern in the spirit of mutual respect, equality, and mutual benefit, and finish negotiations on the China-US economic and trade agreement document as soon as possible," Xinhua quoted Liu as saying, as he conveyed a message from Xi to Trump. - A tariff compromise? - A final sticking point appears to be when and how Washington will agree to lift the steep tariffs it has placed on more than $250 billion in Chinese imports. Last month, Trump said the tariffs would stay in place for "a substantial period," although whether this would apply to both tranches of goods subjected to the new duties was unclear. US officials demand that any agreement have teeth and Lighthizer, the US trade representative, has said tariffs offer crucial leverage should Beijing backslide on its commitments. Gary Clyde Hufbauer, a former US trade official and senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, said lifting the tariffs too early could encourage criticism from Democrats that he had gone soft in the negotiations. "The White House response to this drama is to keep the tariffs and only to slowly lower the rate as the Chinese fulfill their commitments," Hufbauer told AFP. "The Chinese strategy is to have them get rid of it," he said. "My guess is that something in between will be in the compromise." Analysts say any agreement is likely to include banner announcements that China has agreed to increase purchases of American commodities like soybeans and fuel. This could perversely serve to give Chinese state enterprises a greater market role while making US exporters more reliant on the Chinese government's purchasing decisions -- both possibly contrary to US objectives and interests. William Reinsch, a trade expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and former Commerce Department official for exports, pointed to Beijing's boycott of US soybean exports last year. American producers could struggle to fill major new orders announced by Beijing, he said. "The only way they can buy every bean is if we stop selling to everybody else and that puts us in an enormous position of vulnerability," he said. Apogee Enterprises (APOG) is expected to deliver a year-over-year increase in earnings on higher revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended February 2019. This widely-known consensus outlook gives a good sense of the company's earnings picture, but how the actual results compare to these estimates is a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price. The earnings report, which is expected to be released on April 11, 2019, might help the stock move higher if these key numbers are better than expectations. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower. While the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call, it's worth handicapping the probability of a positive EPS surprise. Zacks Consensus Estimate This glass products company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.95 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +46.1%. Revenues are expected to be $364 million, up 3% from the year-ago quarter. Estimate Revisions Trend The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period. Investors should keep in mind that an aggregate change may not always reflect the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise Earnings Whisper Estimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. This insight is at the core of our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction). The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier. Story continues Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only. A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP. Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell). How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for Apogee Enterprises? For Apogee Enterprises, the Most Accurate Estimate is higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that analysts have recently become bullish on the company's earnings prospects. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of +1.41%. On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #3. So, this combination indicates that Apogee Enterprises will most likely beat the consensus EPS estimate. Does Earnings Surprise History Hold Any Clue? While calculating estimates for a company's future earnings, analysts often consider to what extent it has been able to match past consensus estimates. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number. For the last reported quarter, it was expected that Apogee Enterprises would post earnings of $0.83 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.80, delivering a surprise of -3.61%. Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates two times. Bottom Line An earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss. That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported. Apogee Enterprises appears a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Apogee Enterprises, Inc. (APOG) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research WASHINGTON Former Vice President Joe Biden, facing multiple allegations from women of unwanted and inappropriate behavior, promised to be more "mindful and respectful" in a video released Wednesday Biden, who is considering a bid for the White House in 2020, says his touching was all about making a "human connection." "It's just who I am," Biden says in the video. "I've never thought of politics as cold or antiseptic." Hours after the video, The Washington Post reported allegations from three more women, including a former White House intern who said Biden got very close to her face and called her a "pretty girl." The additional accounts bring the total number of women who have brought forward complaints about Biden to seven, since Friday. Biden contends his close contact is his way of showing people he cares. "Ive always tried to be, in my career, Ive always tried to make a human connection. Thats my responsibility, I think. I shake hands, I hug people, I grab men and women by the shoulders and say you can do this, Biden said in the video posted to Twitter. Its the way Ive always been. Its the way Ive tried to show I care about them and Im listening. But he says he understands times have changed and so should his behavior. "I get it. I get it. I hear what they're saying. I understand," Biden says. "Ill be much more mindful." "Ill always believe that governing, quite frankly life for that matter, is about connecting with people," Biden says. "That wont change, but I will be more mindful and respectful of peoples personal space and thats a good thing." Social norms are changing. I understand that, and Ive heard what these women are saying. Politics to me has always been about making connections, but I will be more mindful about respecting personal space in the future. Thats my responsibility and I will meet it. pic.twitter.com/Ya2mf5ODts Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) April 3, 2019 The string of accusations started when Lucy Flores, a former member of the Nevada Legislature, accused Biden of "demeaning and disrespectful" behavior when he kissed the back of her head. Story continues In a column for New York Magazine, Flores detailed a backstage encounter with Biden during an event in 2014 in Nevada where he spoke to help boost voter turnout for Democrats. "I felt him get closer to me from behind. He leaned further in and inhaled my hair. I was mortified," Flores wrote. "He proceeded to plant a big slow kiss on the back of my head. My brain couldnt process what was happening. I was embarrassed. I was shocked. I was confused." Since then, three women told similar allegations stories to the New York Times and another three on Wednesday came forward in the Post. Trump talks Biden: As Biden faces 2 more accusations of improper conduct, Trump jokes, 'You having a good time, Joe?' Opinion: I worked with Joe Biden for a decade. I saw nothing inappropriate: Today's talker Among the allegations, Vail Kohnert-Yount, a former intern at the White House, told the Post that in 2013 she met the vice president at the White House. After shaking hands, "he put his hand on the back of my head and pressed his forehead to my forehead while he talked to me. I was so shocked that it was hard to focus on what he was saying. I remember he told me I was a pretty girl," Kohnert-Yount told the Post. Another accuser, Sofie Karasek, told the Post that she told Biden a story about a college student who was the victim of a sexual assault during the Oscars in 2016. She told the Post that after she told Biden that the student had committed suicide after the assault, Biden took her hands and placed his forehead against hers. Karasek told the Post that it was an awkward moment and that she did not know how to react. She said she doesn't feel Biden's video apology was enough. "He emphasized that he wants to connect with people and, of course, thats important. But, again, all of our interactions and friendships are a two-way street," Karasek said, adding that Biden "still didnt take ownership in the way that he needs to." A third woman on Wednesday told the Post that Biden held her close "for a beat too long" during a 2008 event when she was introduced to the former vice president. Ally Coll said Biden leaned in, squeezed her shoulders and complimented her smile, according to the Post. The allegations against Biden come amid #MeToo, a movement started nearly a decade ago that went viral in 2017 as women in Hollywood and across the country shared stories of sexual harassment and assault. More: How Democrats in early primary states view allegations against Joe Biden Its led to the resignation or downfall of more than 100 entertainers, executives and politicians, including Harvey Weinstein, Matt Lauer and Kevin Spacey. Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., announced his resignation in 2017 after accusations of sexual misconduct. Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., also stepped down, as well as Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., who resigned amid reports he discussed with female staffers the possibility they could be surrogates for his and his wife's baby. President Donald Trump suggested at an event Tuesday that Biden may have been one of the Democrats' best shots at taking the White House in 2020, then he cracked several jokes. "It looks like the only non-sort-of-heavy socialist, he's being taken care of pretty well by the socialists. They got to him, our former vice president," Trump said. "I was going to call him. I don't know him well. I was going to say, 'Welcome to the world, Joe. You having a good time, Joe? Are you having a good time?' " Trump again mentioned Biden while telling the crowd at the National Republican Congressional Committee Dinner about a general who told him defeating the Islamic State could be done within a week. "Give me a kiss," Trump said he told the general. He continued: "I felt like Joe Biden." Wednesday, the president said, "I wish him luck. I do wish him luck." More than a dozen women have accused Trump of sexual misconduct over the years, including eight women who accused him of forcibly kissing them. Trump denied the allegations. In an Access Hollywood tape that surfaced during the final weeks of the presidential campaign in 2016, Trump made lewd comments and bragged about groping women. The president said that was "locker-room banter." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Joe Biden vows to be 'more mindful' on same day as three more women make accusations Donald Trump is in the same boat as Democratic leaders: They're all under increasing pressure to do something about the aging infrastructure of the nation's bridges. The recently released annual report by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association, based on an analysis of data from the Department of Transportation, paints a grim picture of bridges throughout the country. For Trump and the Democrats, the aging infrastructure was one of the rare points both sides agreed on during the 2016 presidential election buildup. More than two years later, the problem of bridges continues to fester. The report said 47,052 of the nations 616,087 bridges 7.6% are structurally deficient and in poor condition. The combined distance spanning those structures, nearly 1,100 miles, is about the same as the drive from Chicago to Houston, the report pointed out. Just as damning, ARTBA said the pace of bridge improvements is at its slowest point in five years, and at that clip it would take more than 80 years to replace or repair them all. As recently as last year, that figure was 37 years. This report makes clear that its about time Congress and the Trump administration stop talking and start solving this national problem, ARTBA President Dave Bauer said. While its clear that ARTBA, which advocates for investment in transportation infrastructure, has a vested interest in the matter, the numbers it presents are nonetheless striking. Among them: Drivers cross the compromised structures 178 million times a day, including such well-known spans as the Brooklyn Bridge, the Arlington Memorial Bridge over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., and the San Mateo Bridge over San Francisco Bay. The average age of the structurally deficient bridges is 62 years, while the rest average 40 years. 235,020 of the bridges, or 38 percent, need repair, replacement or other major work, with a cost estimate of close to $171 billion. One out of every three interstate highway bridges is in need of repairs, and about 1,775 of them are regarded as structurally deficient. Being structurally deficient does not mean a bridge is about to collapse, but rather that it rates a 4 or below (on a safety scale of 0-9) in at least one of four critical elements. Story continues ARTBA officials say the way to address those shortcomings is through major federal funding. Americas bridge network is outdated, underfunded and in urgent need of modernization, said Alison Premo Black, the ARTBA chief economist who conducted the analysis. State and local government just havent been given the necessary resources to get the job done. The Trump administration has proposed a $1 trillion infrastructure plan that would include only $200 billion in federal investment over 10 years, with the rest of the money supposedly coming from state, local and private sources. ore: Flashback from Sen. Amy Klobuchar: Minnesota bridge collapse shows bipartisan path forward In other words, the federal outlay to fix roads, train tracks and bridges would suffice to cover the latter but leave major questions about the rest. Congressional leaders and the White House have been in discussions about a bipartisan infrastructure bill, raising hopes one may be introduced in May. Before that, another party with a stake in the issue intends to make its voice heard. Rachel Derby, vice president of government affairs for the Portland Cement Association, said the trade group will send 150 members to Washington next week to meet with congressional staffers and representatives from the vice presidents office and the Department of Transportation to talk infrastructure. The president has listed infrastructure as a top-5 priority in the State of the Union (address), but where does the money come from? Derby said. Were here to support things like a user fee for fuel charges yes, a gas tax freight charge, vehicle miles traveled, sales taxes. All funding options are on the table. But it really takes leadership from the president of the United States. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: US bridges are in serious trouble. It would take 80 years to fix 'national problem' of deficient structures April snow and ice has descended on parts of the UK. But the weather will start to turn over the next five days (SWNS) A burst of April snow and ice brought travel chaos to parts of Britain on Thursday but conditions are set to warm up this weekend. The cold start to April left many UK commuters questioning if a further blast of wintry conditions could hit the UK. But according to the latest 5-day forecast from the Met Office, the weather will gradually warm up across the country this weekend after a chilly week for many. Commuters in parts of Britain faced severe delays as train services were cancelled due to snow and ice. Northumberland was hit particularly bad by the wintry blast (PA) Train operator Southeastern halted some trains completely on Thursday and warned of disruption to other leaving commuters scornful of journeys being affected by a tiny bit of ice Snow fell in parts of South Wales amid a yellow warning for the region from the Met Office, which forecast between 0.8in (2cm) and (2.4in) 6cm of snowfall. Some police forces in England and Wales also said there had been several accidents and road closures caused by the wintery weather conditions. Overnight temperatures plunged to as low as minus 3.8C (25.2F)in Santon Downham in Suffolk. It has been a chilly and wintry start to April (SWNS) Forecaster Simon Partridge said snow also fell in parts of Scotland, while areas in south and south-west England were mainly hit by heavy rain. In County Durham, following several accidents, the fire service warned people of black ice and slush on the A1M near Chester-Le-Street. Central and southern parts of England could also see heavy thundery downpours throughout the day, with the best of the weather is likely to be across eastern England. Temperatures are predicted to struggle to get above 10C-11C (50F-51.8F) but could feel as low as 7C (44.6F) or 8C (48.2F) in the wind and rain. Commuters were affected after trains were cancelled by icy conditions on Thursday morning (GETTY) It comes as spring got off to a wintry start across many parts of the country this week, with hill snow, hail and sleet. Forecasters previously said a deep area of low pressure is centred over the UK, bringing with it the potential to drive showers and produce long spells of wet and changeable weather. Story continues Lancashire Police said a sudden microburst of hail and snow caused a 24-car motorway pile-up on Wednesday morning. Read more on Yahoo News UK UK temperatures plunge as Met Office predicts cold weather continuing into February Storm Gareth: Heavy rain and strong winds of up to 75mph set to batter UK and cause travel chaos In pictures: Parts of Britain hit by snow as country battered by strong winds The force said the M55 was closed off in both directions but no-one was seriously injured. But, following the freezing conditions, the weekend is set to look brighter, with drizzle in the east and brighter spells in other parts of the country. Meanwhile, conditions will become warmer away from the east coast. The Met offices 5-day forecast read: On Friday, it will remain dry and bright for most, but further showery rain is possible across western parts and the far northeast of Scotland. Scotland saw the heaviest snowfall, while the south and and south-west of England were struck by heavy rain (SWNS) In the sunshine, it will feel a little warmer for many. From Saturday, it will becoming drier, brighter and warmer away from the east where cold and cloudy with some rain and drizzle is possible. Some showers may develop across the south on Monday. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK Blockchain in Australia is becoming a widely discussed topic at the moment. Earlier this year, Coin Rivet reported on the national blockchain roadmap the country has launched. The roadmap focuses on areas such as investment, regulation, and innovation. The new plans have been devised with the hope of turning the country into a global leader in blockchain technology. The national strategy puts us on the front foot in exploring how government and industry can enhance the long-term development of blockchain and its uses, says Karen Andrews, Minister for Industry, Science, and Technology. With this move, and many others like it, it is no surprise that a lot of countries are jumping on the blockchain technology bandwagon. Making moves Australias national blockchain strategy is being boosted by $100,000 in funding by the federal government. This support is helping the country to recognise the capabilities of blockchain and boost wider adoption. Blockchain technology is now an industry in Australia that is becoming recognised for the opportunities it presents. This has been shown by the number of initiatives now in development to help implement blockchain across the financial and government sectors. Last year, IBM signed a deal that was worth over $740 million USD. The five-year contract was to help the Australian government use blockchain and other new technologies to improve security across all federal departments. Motivating other countries Australia is proving that with the help of government funding, blockchain can be implemented seamlessly into different sectors to help the growth of businesses. 2019 is proving to be the year of regulation. People and businesses are starting to see the need for regulatory support to help the adoption of blockchain to further its push for mainstream adoption in the worlds ecosystem. If every country starts to see the potential of blockchain and uses their own governments to implement regulation, then we might just start to see the technology being used more and more. Story continues Countries are adopting regulation to aid the future of blockchain Many countries are already seeing the benefits of having stricter regulation surrounding blockchain, including Japan, Switzerland, and Russia. Switzerland has been making large moves towards becoming one of Europes most technologically-advanced nations. It has created its own Silicon Valley known as the Crypto Valley and has started to relax its laws on cryptocurrency and blockchain. The country hopes that by adapting current regulations, it can clarify certain laws surrounding trading platforms for cryptocurrencies. Russia is another country that is proving to be serious about blockchain technology. The main goal of Russias regulation is to help achieve a better framework so blockchain companies have the ability and surroundings to flourish and grow innovation in the country. Final thoughts If countries want to fight for the right to be global leaders in the space, they will all need to start following in the footsteps of Australia and similar countries. Australias blockchain roadmap has shown us what support from governments can achieve. Is 2019 going to be the year that blockchain is truly recognised in all sectors? Make sure you keep up to date with all the latest regulation and country focus news surrounding crypto and blockchain with Coin Rivet. The post Australia has launched a blockchain strategy: What can other countries learn? appeared first on Coin Rivet. BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) Six Balkan countries have signed a European Union-backed agreement to abolish roaming charges by 2021 as part of efforts to boost cooperation in the region. The agreement was signed Thursday by Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Kosovo during a summit on digital technology in Belgrade. It envisages a gradual reduction of roaming prices by 27 percent from July 1 and the eventual establishment of a roaming-free zone. The deal comes amid ongoing tensions between Serbia and Kosovo, a former Serbian province that declared independence in 2008 but whose statehood Belgrade refuses to recognize. Serbia and Kosovo must normalize relations to advance their bids to join the EU. The two sides have blamed each other for a halt in EU-mediated talks on solving the decades-long dispute. South Africa: BUSA pledges to support Eskoms sustainability efforts Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) has assured President Cyril Ramaphosa of the business communitys support for current efforts to stabilise electricity supply in the country and to secure the sustainability of Eskom as a power utility. BUSA is the largest business confederation in South Africa and serves as an apex structure for a broad range of organisations that represent various sectors of business. BUSA made a commitment to leverage its membership in order to place expertise, skills and technological interventions at the disposal of government and Eskom, to reinforce actions that are currently being implemented to stabilise Eskom and to secure the supply of electricity. Engagement on these initiatives will serve to complement and strengthen the work being done by the management and board of Eskom in partnership with the Special Cabinet Committee and the technical review team of Eskom. BUSA offered its commitment to President Ramaphosa at a meeting in Pretoria on Wednesday. At the meeting, Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan updated South Africas largest business federation on the challenges facing Eskom and actions that are unfolding to mitigate the immediate crisis and secure the long term sustainability of the power utility. BUSA proposed the creation of a collaborative platform where business, government and Eskom can work together to explore practical solutions to address the short term operational challenges facing the utility. This platform will enable regular and transparent communication with the business community; lend operational and technical expertise and solutions, as well as leverage available human capital by secondment or other means, said the Presidency in a statement. BUSA will engage with its members on issues including demand management that could help to reduce pressure on the national grid. Todays meeting agreed that greater public and business confidence pertaining to the supply of electricity depended on improved coordination and communication within government around Eskom, and between government and business. This applied similarly to governments communication with the nation at large, said the Presidency. The meeting welcomed the increasing frequency and depth of communication by Minister Gordhan and Eskom Chair Jabu Mabuza on Eskom, and called for this effort to be intensified. President Ramaphosa welcomed the initiative presented by BUSA in the spirit of Thuma Mina and said the new channel for greater transparency and the sharing of information would facilitate and encourage improved coordination among stakeholders that would assist in the day-to-day improvement of the current situation, said the Presidency in a statement. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2019-04-04. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Charlize Theron at the Long Shot premiere Charlize Theron rocked a new fringe with a Dior suit at the Long Shot premiere at the AMC Lincoln Square Cinema in New York. [Photo: PA] As we wave hello to a whole new season, celebrities across the Hollywood circuit are gearing up for Aprils red carpet events. First things first, actress Jodie Comer wasnt going to let us look elsewhere for fashion inspiration, as she celebrated season two of Killing Eve in a 2,340 Victoria Beckham dress. Meanwhile, co-star Sandra Oh played on her more angelic character in a slick white co-ord by Giorgio Armani. Across town, sisters Elle and Dakota Fanning also demonstrated their sartorial know-how in contrasting looks at the premiere of Teen Spirit. Elle chose a millennial pink frock by cool girl brand-of-the-moment Rodarte while her big sister opted for a bow-embellished mini dress. As though that wasnt enough to keep the fashion pack content, the Game of Thrones cast stepped out for their final season premiere on April 3 and it proved a great opportunity to showcase their individual style. Actress Emilia Clarke paid homage to onscreen character, Daenerys Targaryen, in a regal braid and tulle Valentino ruffles while Sarah Paulson oped for a feathered AW18 Gucci number. From Emma Roberts to Gillian Anderson, see who wore what in April 2019. Charlize Theron rocked a new fringe with a Dior suit at the Long Shot premiere at the AMC Lincoln Square Cinema in New York. [Photo: PA] The actor wore an asymmetric Givenchy gown at the Avengers: Endgame world premiere in Los Angeles. [Photo: PA] The Sex and the City star posed with TV host Andy Cohen at the gala premiere in New York City. She paired her skinny leather trousers with grey peep-toe heels and a hot pink bag. [Photo: Getty] The actor wore Armani Prive to attend the Oliver Awards at the Royal Albert Hall in London. [Photo: Getty] The supermodel wore Balmain at the wedding reception of Marc Jacobs and Char Defrancesco in New York on 6 April. [Photo: Getty] Charlize Theron rocked a new fringe with a Dior suit at the Long Shot premiere at the AMC Lincoln Square Cinema in New York. [Photo: PA] Story continues The actor wore an asymmetric Givenchy gown at the Avengers: Endgame world premiere in Los Angeles. [Photo: PA] The Sex and the City star posed with TV host Andy Cohen at the gala premiere in New York City. She paired her skinny leather trousers with grey peep-toe heels and a hot pink bag. [Photo: Getty] The actor wore Armani Prive to attend the Oliver Awards at the Royal Albert Hall in London. [Photo: Getty] The supermodel wore Balmain at the wedding reception of Marc Jacobs and Char Defrancesco in New York on 6 April. [Photo: Getty] Betsey Johnsons open-heart surgery was a success. The 76-year-old designer is recuperating since undergoing the operation last week, according to the New York Post. Betsey had a successful surgery and is recovering wonderfully, a rep for the designer told the news outlet. She had previously told Womens Wear Daily that she decided to go public about the procedure after Mick Jagger made a similar announcement. Having been honest about being a breast cancer survivor, Johnson also felt it was important to talk openly about heart disease. Johnson, who in the past has modeled for the American Heart Associations Go Red for Women Red Dress Collection runway show which aims to raise awareness of heart disease in women said she plans to devote a chapter to health in her upcoming book. To me, open heart surgery means they have to get the saw out. They cant go through veins and arteries. For this, they have to cut me open just like my mom and dad had to have done them, she told WWD. They said my aorta is the size of a 300-pound guy, but the walls are very thin. This little one-inch accordion gizmo is being thrown in and they will remove my aorta. They say it really works and my doctor has done a million of these procedures. RELATED VIDEO: Betsey Johnson Gives PEOPLE a Tour of Her Over-The-Top Backyard For the past three years Johnson has been living in a pink trailer in Malibu. She had three baby seizures you know, the fall down, go to the hospital, go home, everythings fine, which eventually led her to seek help at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, according to WWD. And while Johnsons mother died from a slightly different heart procedure 45 years ago, she doesnt seem seem worried. That was so long ago and there was a glitch in the testing. They have done so much testing on me.You have to be one of the lucky ones to get one of these insanely precise robots to assist your doctor. Although Johnson is expected to make a full recovery, she said, If anything goes whoops, I am very, very happy to have lived a wonderful life full of love and support. Ive had a great lucky life just filled with the best family, friends, work, everything. The Queens former press secretary has said the media wont know the royal baby is on the way until the Duchess of Sussex is actually in hospital, because of the chaos outside the Lindo Wing around Prince Georges birth in 2013. Dickie Arbiter says: [Kensington Palace] learnt bitter lessons when Prince George was born. The media were camping outside the Lindo Wing in Paddington for about six or seven weeks. It was disrupting the hospital, disrupting ambulances, disrupting people wanting to go into the hospital for treatment or visiting. Hundreds of reporters, photographers and TV camera crews from across the world gathered outside the private maternity wing at St Marys hospital in Paddington, ahead of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridges eldest childs birth. Speaking on Yahoo UKs The Royal Box, Mr Arbiter says: The security services laid down the law when Louis was born that nobody was to go in the pens, they set the pens up, nobody was to go into the pens until the duchess was physically in the hospital. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge outside the Lindo Wing with a newborn Prince George in July 2013 [Photo: PA] Parking restrictions and barriers were put in place outside the Lindo Wing in the weeks leading up to Prince Louis birth on April 23 last year, but royal aides didnt allow any media to take their positions until Kate was in hospital. The same guidelines were used for the birth of Kate and Williams second child Princess Charlotte in 2015. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are expecting their first child within the coming weeks, but Kensington Palace have still not confirmed where the baby will be delivered. The couple have reportedly chosen a maternity unit close to their new home Frogmore Cottage in Windsor, instead of the Lindo Wing. The media outside the Lindo Wing following Prince Georges birth in 2013 [Photo: Getty] One of the closest options for them is Frimley Park hospital in Surrey, which is around 16 miles from Frogmore Cottage. Its also where Sophie, Countess of Wessex had her two children Lady Louise and James, Viscount Severn. Mr Arbiter says: The thing is with Frimley Park theres a lot of private space around the main entrance, whereas at the Lindo Wing, its a public highway. Story continues This press pen was using part of the public highway and also they [the media] were utilising the cafeteria. They were lounging all over the place which meant that people going in to visit or going in for treatment couldnt use the cafeteria, because there wasnt any room. Rachel Weisz and David Harbour are joining the MCU After years of rumours, the Black Widow movie (which will presumably be called Black Widow) appears to be moving faster than Natasha Romanoff pursuing a target. Now, were seeing two more exciting names joining the project. Scarlett Johanssons Black Widow in Avengers Assemble (credit: Marvel Studios) Rachel Weisz and David Harbour are said to be circling the film, with ongoing talks moving in a positive direction, according to Variety. Lady Macbeth star Florence Pugh is already on board, with Cate Shortland signed on to direct. Jac Schaeffer will write the script. Read more: Every Marvel movie coming after Avengers: End Game While theres no firm plot details, let alone character descriptions, we can have a good guess about what the film will involve. The current rumour is that itll be an origin movie, but, following the failure of Red Sparrow (a Black Widow origin movie in all but name), we think itll be an Endgame follow up. If you look to the comics, the most likely inspiration is a book called Winter Soldier. Not to be confused with Captain America: The Winter Soldier which was the inspiration of the MCU movie of the same name. Captain America faces The Winter Soldier (credit: Marvel Studios) Winter Soldier is set after Captain Americas death, after Bucky Barnes has replaced Steve Rogers as the shield slinger. Black Widow is a huge part of the book with her past being a driving force of the narrative. In fact, she even becomes the antagonist at one point, with a former Soviet assassin brainwashing Romanoff into attacking her friends. Read more: Florence Pugh set to join Black Widow Add in the fact that Bucky Barnes is getting his own Disney+ series, so will presumably be around after Endgame, this dynamic would be a cool echo of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, which was essentially a Black Widow movie (Scarlett Johanssons character went on the biggest journey as a character, and even faced the main villain at the end). Theres a couple of characters in Winter Soldier who could get the MCU treatment David Harbour could make a cool Leonid Novok, the main antagonist of the comic. And, if you do a simple google image search of Lucia von Bardas, youll see that Rachel Weisz would be a perfect fit for that character. Story continues Rachel Weisz resembles Lucia von Bardas, the Winter Soldier villain. Time will tell, but whoever they end up playing, Harbour and Weisz are cool additions to an already cool cast. Moscow (AFP) - The body of an Israeli soldier missing since the 1982 Lebanon War has been found by the Russian and Syrian armies, President Vladimir Putin said during a meeting Thursday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu visited Putin in Moscow five days before he is to seek a fifth term in office in a difficult election. "Our military together with Syrian partners found the place of his burial," Putin said, referring to Sergeant First Class Zachary Baumel. "We are very happy that he will be able to receive the right military honours in his homeland," Putin said, adding that Russia would send the remains to Israel. Netanyahu said Baumel would be laid to rest in Israel Thursday evening. "There will be a very moving ceremony tonight," he said. "Zachary's friends and family will take part." Putin's statement contradicted an earlier report by the Israeli army which announced Wednesday that the body had been recovered and returned to the country. Neither Putin nor Israel gave details on how the remains were found. "The remains are with us and, in accordance to military tradition, we will send them to Israel with your participation," the Russian leader said. "As far as I know, all the necessary genetic tests have been completed," he added. "For the group of special forces that was working on this, it was not easy," Putin said. Baumel's case is highly sensitive for Israelis. Baumel had been missing since what is known as the Battle of Sultan Yacoub. The battle between Israeli soldiers and Syrian forces took place in a Lebanese village near the Syrian border. In comments translated into Russian, Netanyahu said he asked Putin two years ago to "help in the search of the remains of our soldiers, including the Sergeant (Baumel)." "You personally responded and gave the order to help in this holy deed," he said at the Kremlin, thanking the Russian leader. In a televised address on Wednesday, Netanyahu said the operation was "the result of major diplomatic efforts that we will speak about one day." The 69-year-old is running in the April 9 vote despite facing potential corruption charges. Baz Ratner/Reuters Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg issued an astonishing mea culpa on behalf of his company after a report by Ethiopian air crash investigators added to the pressure on Boeing to prove that they have truly understood and fixed flaws in the flight control system of their new 737 MAX series of jets. On the heels of a previously anonymous company statement, Muilenburg said, The history of our industry shows most accidents are caused by a chain of events. This again is the case here, and we know we can break one of those chain links in these two accidents. As pilots have told us, erroneous activation of the MCAS function can add to what is already a high workload environment. Its our responsibility to eliminate this risk. We own it and we know how to do it. In a preliminary report on the crash of Ethiopian Airlines flight 302 on March 10 that killed 157 people, the investigators said that the pilots had followed recommended emergency procedures, but their efforts were overpowered by Boeings rogue Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) that repeatedly forced down the airplanes nose. The report leaves no doubt that the Ethiopian flight was doomed by the MCAS system in exactly the same way that Lion Air Flight 610 was brought down last October over Indonesia. The Lion Air pilots, like the Ethiopian pilots, desperately tried to regain manual control of the airplane during the early ascent but the MCAS system repeatedly countered their efforts. The two crashes have taken a total of 346 lives. There is no precedent in recent aviation history for a new model jet to have two catastrophic crashes within five months apparently caused by the same flaw. After Lion Air, Boeing presented the problem as one of training the pilots: If the pilots were trained to respond to a problem with the controls, they could deal with it. Boeing did not concede that the primary problem was technical, a faulty sensor reacting with the MCAS, and not human error. Story continues If they had acknowledged that the problem lay with the airplane, not the pilots, the entire fleet would probably have been grounded, as it eventually was. Instead, Boeing impliedamazinglythat even with the problem left unfixed, the airplane remained safe to fly. This complacency was shattered when the Ethiopian pilots followed Boeings procedure and still the airplane nosedived to oblivion. The comments from the Ethiopian authorities underline the failure of both Boeing and safety regulators to understand and respond to the seriousness of what the Lion Air crash had disclosed: That a faulty sensor feeding data to the MCAS system had switched control of the most powerful control surface on the airplane, the horizontal stabilizer, from the pilots to the computers. The timeline of how Boeing and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) safety inspectors responded to the Lion Air crash now looks increasingly damning. On February 7, some three months after the crash, Boeing presented a bunch of proposed changes to the MCAS system to the European Aviation Safety Agency. Under bilateral arrangements between the FAA and EASA, all safety certification steps are normally taken together. And on March 7three days before the Ethiopian crashBoeing took what they believed would be the final step, issuing for approval new pilot training procedures for the MAX-8 that would include an understanding of the MCAS system and corresponding details of that system that were to be included in flight manuals. One of the most startling revelations that followed the Lion Air crash was that pilots had never been briefed on or trained for dealing with the MCAS system that was, essentially, contained in a few lines of new software. At that point neither Boeing nor any safety regular had entertained the idea that the world fleet of MAX-8s, approximately 370 airplanes, should be grounded. That all changed within two days of the Ethiopian crash. China, the largest operator of the MAX-8, unilaterally grounded its fleet. Soon after, the rest of Asia, then Europe and Canada, followed. That was in stark contrast to the FAAs first response on the day after the Ethiopian crash when they announced, Our review shows no systemic performance issues and provides no basis to order the grounding of the aircraft. Boeing echoed that statement. And that makes it even more remarkable that this week the FAA stated that the grounding would be unexpectedly prolonged because Boeings latest proposed fixes had not satisfied a panel of safety inspectors and needed additional work. In a separate statement Boeing said, We are working to demonstrate that we have identified and appropriately addressed all certification requirements and will be submitting for FAA review once completed in the coming weeks. One feature of the proposed fixes that is already known focuses on the sensors that measure the airplanes angle of attackthe angle at which the airplane pitches up or down from its level flightpath. These sensors are a comparatively simple instrumentthey protrude like short tubes from the nose of the airplane. This position makes them vulnerable to both accidental impacts while lining up with an airport gate or from bird strikes. That is one reason why regular maintenance checks should be made of them. But Boeings fix for preventing a sensor from triggering the MCAS system via false data readingsin other words, indicating the approach of a dangerously high angle of attack and prompting it to correct it by pitching down the noseis to equip every MAX-8 with a second sensor. If one sensor is flawed, a disagree light in the cockpit would warn pilots of the problem. However Airbus equips its rival to the 737, the Airbus A320, with three sensors and even that did not prevent a fatal crash. In November 2008 a seven-man crew was flight testing an A320 owned by Air New Zealand over southwestern France. During a landing approach over water the Airbus went into a slow-speed aerodynamic stall. The nose pitched up by 57 degrees and it plunged into the Mediterranean, killing all on board. An investigation found that the sensors had been damaged before the flight when the airplane was washed with powerful water jets. One sensor had provided the pilots with correct data and the other two were feeding false data. The flight control computers accepted the majority false readings and rejected the correct one. Read more at The Daily Beast. OSLO (Reuters) - Boeing's new MCAS flight control system for its 737 MAX aircraft appears foolproof, Norwegian Air Chief Executive Bjoern Kjos said on Wednesday after visiting the plane maker in Seattle. Kjos, a former fighter pilot, said in a series of tweets he had tested the old system versus the new one in a MAX simulator. More than 300 Boeing 737 MAX jets have been grounded worldwide after two fatal crashes in the past five months in Ethiopia and Indonesia killed nearly 350 people. Boeing said on Monday it planned to submit a proposed software enhancement package for the MAX in coming weeks, after previously saying it planned to deliver the fix for government approval by last week. Kjos said he had tested the old and the new MCAS software "under a malfunction", saying the new system seemed foolproof. "I hope the regulators will have safety in focus as always and not be directed by politics. I will gladly take my family on board a Norwegian MAX," he added. Norwegian has 18 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in its fleet and dozens more on order. The budget carrier has said it would seek compensation from the aircraft maker for the cost of leasing replacement planes while its own are grounded. (Reporting by Terje Solsvik; Editing by Kirsten Donovan) The children of Newport, Kentucky, are on spring break this week so on Wednesday morning, when Sharon Hall spotted a scrawny teen in a hooded sweatshirt loitering outside her home at 7:30 a.m., she thought something wasnt right. My first thought was, Hes not from around here,' Hall tells PEOPLE, noting the boy seemed in a daze and she was worried he might try to break into her neighbors car. Instead, the boy was looking for help. He approached a Nissan Murano, idling on Columbia Street at the corner of West Eighth Street, and spoke to the 17-year-old driver behind the wheel, who was about to take the kids in the backseat to daycare. Can you help me? the boy asked, identifying himself as Timmothy Pitzen, who went missing in 2011 when he was six years old. He even provided the woman with his middle name. I just want to get home, he continued. Can you just please help me? Police were called to the neighborhood of brick, two-family homes that date back to the 1960s, and two officers showed up to speak with the boy, Hall explains. I knew he wasnt from herehe just looked out of place, Hall says. When the police pushed his hood back, his face was dirty, she recalls. Crekasafra Night, who lives next door to Hall, also noticed that when police removed the boys hat, his dark hair was matted. Night and Hall say they spoke to the boy before police arrived, and he told them hed escaped two men who were holding him captive. Night says the boy told her he crossed a bridge into Kentucky from Cincinnati, Ohio, where hed been staying with the two men at a Red Roof Inn. He told us he had been running for two hours, Night tells PEOPLE, adding the boy had bruises about his face and appeared malnourished. He looked like hed been punched. At this point, the boys identity has not been confirmed. The results of DNA testing are expected back today. A report from police in Sharonville, Ohio, states the boy also told responding officers he was Timmothy Pitzen and was being held by two men. Story continues Timmothy described the two kidnappers as two male, whites, body-builder type build, reads the report. One had black curly hair, Mt. Dew shirt and jeans, and has a spider web tattoo on his neck. The other was short in stature and had a snake tattoo on his arms. The boy reportedly told police he escaped the men and ran across the Central Bridge in Kentucky. The boy also told police the types of car the men were driving, and told them it has Wisconsin license plates. Hall tells PEOPLE the boy in her neighborhood Wednesday morning looked more like the picture of Pitzen at 6 than the age-progressed image released by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Age-progressed photo of Timmothy Pitzen | National Center for Missing or Exploited Children (2) RELATED: You Will Never Find Him: A Mothers Chilling Vow After Kidnapping Son and Killing Herself Timmothy was last seen at a water park in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, with his mother. He would be 14 now. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has confirmed they are working with authorities from Aurora, Illinois, on a missing child case. According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Timmothy is the only missing child from Aurora. In a statement to PEOPLE Thursday, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children said, With details still emerging about the possible recovery of Timmothy Pitzen, we remain hopeful. Here at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, we never give up our search for a missing child. We ask that you keep Timmothy and all missing children in your thoughts. Timmothys mother, Amy, 42, picked up her son from his elementary school on May 11, 2011. Three days later, she was found dead in a motel room in Rockford, Illinois, with self-inflicted slashes on her neck and wrists. RELATED: Boy Found in Ohio Says Hes Timmothy Pitzen, Who Vanished in 2011 After Mom Wrote Cryptic Suicide Note Nearby was what police characterized as a suicide note. In it, Amy wrote that Timmothy was safe with others who would love and care for him. She added, You will never find him. Aurora Police Public Information Officer Bill Rowley confirms to FOX19 two police detectives are en route to assist with the investigation. 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. The boys father, Jim Pitzen, has vowed not to rest until Timmothy who he described to PEOPLE in 2015 as a little mini-me was found safe. Alana Anderson and Kara Jacobs Amy Pitzens mother and sister have declined PEOPLEs request for comment at this time. Hong Kong (AFP) - Across much of Britain's former Asian colonies, many are greeting the UK's impending departure from the European Union with a mixture of bafflement, apathy, amusement -- and a touch of schadenfreude. Britain long justified imperial subjugation by arguing Rule Britannia brought order, stability and shared prosperity -- even after its retreat from colonialism birthed a host of troubled new nations still saddled with historical grievances and legacies to this day. Now Brits face a chaos and internal division of their own making, alongside potential isolation and years of economic hardship -- particularly if the UK crashes out with no deal on April 12. "I was born and brought up in this British colony called Hong Kong and used to think that the Brits were a very sensible people," remarked Claudia Mo, a pro-democracy lawmaker in the financial hub. "I've been watching Brexit process as a former colonial person and it's almost like a farce, it's sadly funny, sadly amusing. I'm baffled as to why and how things got to where they are now. To outsiders it's almost unthinkable," she told AFP. Mo, 62, came of age politically during a turbulent period for her birthplace sparked by Britain's colonial legacy -- the 1997 handover of Hong Kong to China. Unlike Brexit, Hong Kongers had no say in their future and many were desperate to obtain British passports in case the handover unleashed chaos. Many youngsters, Mo said, are still looking for opportunities overseas given Beijing's increasingly authoritarian grip, but they may be less inclined to opt for Britain. "I think their first choices here are more likely Australia and Canada," she remarked. - 'Sinking ship' - In India, Sreeram Chaulia, dean of the Jindal School of International Affairs, said many regard Brexit as the latest chapter in what has been a "sharp decline in the place Britain commands as a great power". Story continues "They are not a gold standard to look up to," he said. "We get a feeling of a sinking ship and everybody wants to leave a sinking ship." India's economy is set to overtake the UK's later this year. "The UK will then become a middle power. It is like a reversal of scale," he noted. Students at Bangladesh's Dhaka University offered mixed views on what Brexit might mean. Syed Tahsin said he hoped the relationship between the two countries might be "more positive than ever before" given Britain has vowed to strengthen bridges with Commonwealth countries. But others fretted that the anti-immigrant sentiment which fuelled the leave vote would make Britain less welcoming to overseas visitors and the Bangladeshi community already there. "Brexit itself is a policy of white supremacists," lamented student Aishwarya Proma, adding she feared it will "just push more... immigrants (to) go back to their countries." While Brits and Europeans may have been engrossed by the unceasing weekly drama of Brexit, many further afield admitted that they were more preoccupied by local issues. "The Brexit issue and the wider conversations about democracy seem far removed from daily life in Sri Lanka, where we are all consumed with our own dysfunctional politics," Dharisha Bastians, chief editor of the Sunday Observer newspaper, told AFP. Nationalist Sri Lankan legislator Udaya Gammanpila regarded that disinterest as a good sign. "We are no longer preoccupied with British politics. We are slowly getting over our colonial mentality," he said. - 'Brexit yoga' - Given its cultural and linguistic links, Australians have followed the Brexit drama perhaps more closely than any other former colony. Nick Miller, Europe correspondent for the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age newspapers, noted there was "immediate interest" from readers. "The sight of a country deliberately throwing away a close, mutually beneficial partnership, wilfully damaging its economy and influence on a point of cultural principle, was a surprise," he wrote. Though he noted Britain hardly had a monopoly on political dysfunction. "We've changed prime ministers six times in the past 11 years, only twice as the result of an election," he wrote. Others have opted for humour. A "Brexit Yoga" video by Australian comic Sammy J -- featuring postures such as "Rising Nationalism", "Instant Regret" and "Downward Facing Economy" -- went viral last month on Facebook racking up some 5.4 million views. Singaporean economics student Linus Yeo said he was keen to look for silver linings. "Feels like the perfect time to take a holiday in the UK," he told AFP. "The pound is probably going into freefall." Meanwhile Tanmay, a freelance cameraman in New Delhi, joked Brexiters could learn some patience from India. "I am not surprised Brexit is taking a long time," he said. "The British took ages to leave here too." Hasakeh (Syria) (AFP) - Young children nursing severe facial burns, others suffering from malnutrition -- an exodus of jihadist families and civilians from the Islamic State group's vanquished final enclave is overwhelming eastern Syria's hospitals. A handful of health facilities in the Kurdish-administered northeast receive dozens of patients every day, often including young victims who are terribly disfigured, some allegedly by mortar fire. Most arrivals are women and children from Al-Hol, a camp for the displaced that has swelled far beyond its capacity to house more than 70,000 people during a months-long offensive against the last scrap of the jihadists' "caliphate". "The situation here in the hospital is tragic," said Aydin Sleiman Khalil, who manages the main health institution in Hasakeh, some 40 kilometres (25 miles) from Al-Hol. To cope with the influx, the semi-autonomous Kurdish region's hospitals are desperately seeking support from the international community and aid agencies. "We lack equipment, medicine, finances and medical personnel," Khalil said, urging humanitarian groups and the United Nations to help. Lit by neon strips, long and clean corridors led to a succession of hushed rooms inhabited by women clad in black from head-to-toe, caring for their sick and wounded offspring. In one room, several women slept on iron beds, their newborn babies in nearby cots, wrapped in thick blankets. On another floor, Iraqi mother Badreya Kamel said she arrived a few days ago with her three children. One of them, Rowayda, died at the hospital on Monday from severe burns. "She was two years old," said the 24-year-old, her voice barely audible behind her face veil, long black robes draped over her frail figure. - 'Urgent need' - Kamel had spent the last five months at Al-Hol, after fleeing a village caught up in the fighting between IS and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), who are backed by a US-led coalition. Story continues She left her tent to look for breakfast one recent morning. During her brief absence, her children lit a gas stove, sparking a fire. Four-year-old Zobeida and 10-year-old Hafsa survived. In their hospital room, both children sat in silence, moving their heads only rarely, a thick cream smeared over the raw, red wounds disfiguring their faces. "We do what we can, but it's not enough," said Khalil, referring to the two girls and a clutch of other very young burn patients. "They need more care -- more medicine, aesthetic surgery." His hospital hosts around 25 in-patients who fled the collapsing IS "caliphate", mainly via Al-Hol. Around 50 more arrive for out-patient appointments each day from the camp, including many who need dressings changed and wounds cleaned. In March alone, local hospitals were "overwhelmed" by some 2,000 women and children from Al-Hol, mostly suffering from wounds or malnutrition, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) aid group says. But two new field hospitals should open at the camp itself by the end of April, the aid group says, to fill what the United Nations says is a pressing need. "There is an urgent need for expanded health services in the camp itself," said the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, or OCHA. Donors have disbursed 4.3 million dollars (3.8 million euros) for Al-Hol, including to combat malnutrition and to provide emergency health care, it said. - 'Many children burnt' - On March 23, the SDF proclaimed victory against IS, after dislodging the jihadists from all but a few tunnels on the edge of Baghouz, a village that served as their final Syrian redoubt. Over several weeks before that, the Kurdish-Arab alliance periodically had paused operations to allow out civilians -- including jihadists' families -- and surrendering fighters. Among the 500 most recent arrivals to Al-Hol, a number of women and children were trucked in with burns and shrapnel wounds, the IRC confirmed. Saniya Roustom arrived around three weeks ago at the hospital, where she shares a room with two other Russian women and their children, all burn cases. The 32-year-old had been trapped in Baghouz, where she sheltered against the gun battles, mortar fire and coalition air strikes in a trench covered by tarpaulin sheet. That sheet was ignited by a mortar round, she said. "Many children were burnt. They needed help, good doctors... We were brought here," Roustom said in hesitant Arabic. Of her six children, only one is still alive. The others died during other bombardments, or from their burns. Five-year-old Mariam sat stooped on a hospital bed, her blonde hair trimmed short, parts of her face terribly burnt. Her skinny forearm swaddled in bandages, she clutched a pen and scribbled on a notepad. By Nia Williams CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) - The Supreme Court of Canada on Thursday dismissed claims attempting to force Chevron Corp's Canadian unit to pay a $9.5 billion judgment handed down in Ecuador against the U.S. oil major over pollution in the Andean country. Residents of Ecuador's Lago Agrio region have been trying to force Chevron to pay for water and soil contamination caused from 1964 to 1992 by Texaco, which Chevron acquired in 2001. The villagers obtained a judgment against Chevron in Ecuador in 2011. But the company has no assets in the country, and the villagers have been trying to sue it in the United States, Canada, Brazil and Argentina to enforce the decision. The Court of Appeal for Ontario ruled in 2017 that Chevron Canada was a separate entity to its parent company and its shares and assets could not be seized by those seeking to enforce the Ecuadorian judgment. Canada's highest court rejected a request to review that decision, which is now final. "Any further efforts by the plaintiffs' lawyers to continue this lawsuit in Canada would be an abuse of the country's legal system and a waste of its judicial resources," said R. Hewitt Pate, Chevron's vice president and general counsel. An international tribunal unanimously ruled last year that the pollution judgment by Ecuador's Supreme Court against Chevron was procured through fraud, bribery and corruption. Texaco was released from liability through a settlement with Ecuador years earlier, the tribunal found. Patricio Salazar, one of the lawyers for the affected communities, said the Supreme Court ruling left parent company Chevron Corp as the sole defendant and the communities would proceed immediately to trial to force the U.S. oil company to comply with the Ecuadorian judgment. "While we wanted the Canada Supreme Court to hear the issue, its denial of our motion does not mean the issue is resolved and it can still be decided at a later date after we enforce the judgment," said Salazar. (Reporting by Nia Williams; Editing by David Gregorio and Peter Cooney) Want to participate in a research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and earn a $60 gift card! While some investors are already well versed in financial metrics (hat tip), this article is for those who would like to learn about Return On Equity (ROE) and why it is important. By way of learning-by-doing, we'll look at ROE to gain a better understanding of IVP Limited (NSE:IVP). IVP has a ROE of 4.7%, based on the last twelve months. That means that for every 1 worth of shareholders' equity, it generated 0.047 in profit. View our latest analysis for IVP How Do I Calculate ROE? The formula for return on equity is: Return on Equity = Net Profit Shareholders' Equity Or for IVP: 4.7% = 37m 793m (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2018.) Most know that net profit is the total earnings after all expenses, but the concept of shareholders' equity is a little more complicated. It is all the money paid into the company from shareholders, plus any earnings retained. You can calculate shareholders' equity by subtracting the company's total liabilities from its total assets. What Does Return On Equity Signify? ROE measures a company's profitability against the profit it retains, and any outside investments. The 'return' is the amount earned after tax over the last twelve months. A higher profit will lead to a higher ROE. So, as a general rule, a high ROE is a good thing. That means ROE can be used to compare two businesses. Does IVP Have A Good ROE? Arguably the easiest way to assess company's ROE is to compare it with the average in its industry. Importantly, this is far from a perfect measure, because companies differ significantly within the same industry classification. As is clear from the image below, IVP has a lower ROE than the average (13%) in the Chemicals industry. NSEI:IVP Past Revenue and Net Income, April 4th 2019 That's not what we like to see. We prefer it when the ROE of a company is above the industry average, but it's not the be-all and end-all if it is lower. Nonetheless, it might be wise to check if insiders have been selling. Story continues The Importance Of Debt To Return On Equity Most companies need money -- from somewhere -- to grow their profits. That cash can come from retained earnings, issuing new shares (equity), or debt. In the first two cases, the ROE will capture this use of capital to grow. In the latter case, the debt used for growth will improve returns, but won't affect the total equity. In this manner the use of debt will boost ROE, even though the core economics of the business stay the same. IVP's Debt And Its 4.7% ROE IVP does use a significant amount of debt to increase returns. It has a debt to equity ratio of 1.52. The combination of a rather low ROE and significant use of debt is not particularly appealing. Debt increases risk and reduces options for the company in the future, so you generally want to see some good returns from using it. In Summary Return on equity is a useful indicator of the ability of a business to generate profits and return them to shareholders. In my book the highest quality companies have high return on equity, despite low debt. If two companies have the same ROE, then I would generally prefer the one with less debt. Having said that, while ROE is a useful indicator of business quality, you'll have to look at a whole range of factors to determine the right price to buy a stock. It is important to consider other factors, such as future profit growth -- and how much investment is required going forward. So I think it may be worth checking this free this detailed graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow . If you would prefer check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. It all started when my son was 4. My boy was intelligent and super articulate for his age. So when he woke up on a Monday morning and couldnt talk, I knew something was wrong. One minute, he was fine, and the next minute, he was panicked and unable to communicate. Alarmed, I was at a loss of what to do. I called Childrens Hospital, and was told he could be seen in April. It was February. Arent you concerned this could be a stroke? I couldnt understand why his primary care doctor, the hospital, and even friends, thought it was just a typical occurrence for a 4-year-old child. In my eyes, the sudden onset and change in our son was scary and obvious. I posted a video of my boy on Facebook. One friend urged me to have him evaluated for pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disease associated with strep (PANDAS). It was an unknown term to me, but I took her advice and called his primary doctor to urge him to begin by testing my son for strep. He was not interested. I persisted. I never did get the results from that test. Related: Why This Saying Is Not Helpful to Mamas of Kids With Disabilities Antibodies to the strep infection mistakenly attack proteins in the brain resulting in neurologic or psychiatric symptoms. There is a larger umbrella of terms, called pediatric acute-onset neurological syndrome (PANS), which is defined by severe and sudden onset of unexplainable, extreme, neuropsychiatric symptoms in response to infection. PANDAS falls under this umbrella, but to have PANDAS requires a temporal relationship with group A strep. PANDAS can create a very sudden onset of neuropsychiatric symptoms, such as tics, because of the bodys abnormal autoimmune response. These symptoms can decrease, can improve over weeks, or sometimes just over a period of days. However, if they get another infection, symptoms can suddenly worsen again or other symptoms manifest. The stuttering and stammering continued for a few days, albeit at a decreased state. As it wore off, it became less alarming and I started to question my own sanity. Perhaps this was just a developmental stage. I started to think maybe I had been overreacting. Then, like a light switch, on the 10th day, his speaking returned to normal. He woke up, I understood him clear as day. And I forgot. Story continues Related: Dear PANDAS, You Can't Steal My Family's Joy Months went by, but by summer, more unusual and concerning behaviors resurfaced. During these difficult times, we realized we could see it coming in his eyes. His pupils became black. I now know that this black foretelling, the dilation of his pupils, was actually a sign of inflammation in the brain, infection-induced encephalitis. Our little boy displayed many concerning behaviors, sometimes for weeks at a time before disappearing completely. A diagnosis of PANDAS is based on five criteria, including acute abrupt onset of OCD and/or severe tics. Symptoms are relapsing and remitting in nature. PANS is often caused by or exacerbated by underlying infections, such as Lyme disease. Three years after his telling onset of symptoms, we were informed that our boy had elevated antibodies in his blood for strep. His anti-streptolysin O, anti-dNase were abnormal (there was also vitamin B deficiency, low ferritin, abnormal WBC, ANA, Epstein Barre and active Lyme bands). Our doctor this was our Lyme specialist, not our primary care physician explained to us what PANDAS was, and pointed out via physical examination that our child also exhibited Sydenhams chorea. Sydenhams chorea is a neurological disorder characterized by rapid, jerky, uncontrollable, irregular, and involuntary movements, especially of the face and limbs. Other symptoms include muscle weakness, slurred speech, headaches and seizures. Sydenhams chorea is another marker for PANDAS. Related: When Your Illness Flares When You Least Expect It With PANS PANDAS is highly misunderstood, and we had to find ourselves a doctor who specialized in it another doctor we would have to seek out on our own. We quickly were put on the long waitlist for a local hospital in Boston (four-year waitlist), but the next closest specialist, three hours away in Connecticut, was available in two weeks time. We still see him to this day. By the time our child was diagnosed, three years had gone by since I had first heard the acronym PANDAS. During these three years, our son had episodic symptoms that relapsed and remitted. At times new symptoms manifested, and others increased in severity. Because of the delayed discovery of both Lyme, his co-infections, and now PANDAS, his immune response progressed into a chronic autoimmune condition. For a child with PANDAS, a simple dose of ibuprofren around the clock will immediately calm symptoms of brain encephalitis. For a child with a chronic condition, this treatment can take years. You begin a trial of treatments, therapies, interventions, following up with your doctor every few months and adjusting depending on the patient response. Its been seven years since our PANDAS diagnosis. Weve taken oral antibiotics and antivirals, weve gone the holistic approach, weve fought for unaffordable IVIG treatment, weve taken med breaks, weve switched up our med regimen. We are still fighting. Its been seven years of traveling out of state for treatment every few months to see a doctor. I look back and read the careful history Ive taken of my childs life, and I see it all there, glaring at me. I see the evidence of what should have been recognized. I see PANDAS. If only we had had adequate medical care, doctors who were aware, who were proactive, who were able to treat him. My son is learning to identify his own signs of a PANDAS flare, and to ask for help. He is beginning to understand, to look in the mirror when he is feeling the heat of his brain on fire, to identify his triggers and find ways to self-regulate. His determination and adequate medical care make a difference. Read more stories like this on The Mighty: When I Say I'm 'Fine,' I'm Not in Denial About Being Sick The Three Words That Helped Erase the Shame I Felt About My Chronic Illness The 5 Emotional Stages of Our Daughter's PANDAS Diagnosis Christchurch (New Zealand) (AFP) - The man accused of attacking two mosques in Christchurch last month will face 50 murder charges when he appears in court on Friday, New Zealand police said. Australian Brenton Tarrant was previously charged with one murder as a holding measure, but police said Thursday that all the deaths and injuries in the March 15 attacks will be reflected in upgraded charges during his next appearance. "The man arrested in relation to the Christchurch terror attacks will face 50 murder and 39 attempted murder charges when he appears in the High Court in Christchurch on Friday," they said in a brief statement. Tarrant, 28, will appear via video link in the Christchurch court from a maximum-security prison in Auckland. A note from the court this week said the appearance was likely to be brief and would "ascertain the defendant's position regarding legal representation" and other procedural matters. Tarrant sacked a court-appointed lawyer after his first court appearance on March 16, raising fears he wanted to represent himself and attempt to use any trial as a propaganda platform. The court said Tarrant would not be required to enter a plea during Friday's hearing. The court has now barred media from filming or photographing the accused. Police said further charges were being considered against Tarrant -- a self-avowed white supremacist -- but did not specify what they were. They may relate to whether the court deems the attack a terrorist act, something Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has repeatedly labelled the atrocity. However, New Zealand's Terrorism Suppression Act, introduced after the 9/11 attacks, is little used and could complicate the prosecution. Criminal charges, such as murder and attempted murder are easier to pursue, although prosecutors may want the accused tried as a terrorist to make the point that right-wing extremism is just as dangerous as its Islamic counterpart. Story continues New Zealand's Corrections Department revealed last month that Tarrant was segregated from other prisoners and able to be observed constantly, either directly by staff via CCTV camera. It said he had no access to television, radio or newspapers and no visitors. Local media have reported that if convicted, he will likely face long-term isolation to prevent him being targeted by the largely Polynesian prison population over his white supremacist views. New Zealand is in the process of tightening its gun laws after the attack and the government has also said it will review laws dealing with hate speech. Ardern has called for action by social media giants after the alleged gunman livestreamed the attacks online. The latest update from health authorities earlier this week said 24 people remained in hospital after the attacks, four of them critical, including a four-year-old girl. The deadly back-to-back bleaching events that hammered Australias Great Barrier Reef in 2016 and 2017 led to a collapse in the recruitment of new corals, severely affecting the ecosystems ability to recover from the devastation. Thats according to a new study published Wednesday in the journal Nature, which found that the number of juvenile corals that settled across the entire Great Barrier Reef in 2018 was 89 percent lower than historical averages before major bleaching events. The loss of so many mature adults during the climate-change-driven ocean heat waves left the ecosystem the largest living structure on the planet largely unable to replenish itself. The report highlights the plight of corals in a warming world. Along with an overall shortage of offspring, the study documents an alarming shift in the makeup of coral larvae. Dominant branching staghorn corals and table corals, the species that provide most of the habitat on the reef, produced fewer offspring than less-common stony corals. Its a change that is likely to reduce the diversity of the reef, leaving it less resilient to future warming. The whole way that the Great Barrier Reef is behaving has changed, Terry Hughes, the studys lead author and the director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, said by phone. The mix of adult species is different. The mix of baby species is radically different. And the way its interconnected has shifted. The Great Barrier Reef has been hit by four mass bleaching events since 1998. Nearly 30 percent of the reef died off in 2016 alone. Scientists at the time described the damage at places like Lizard Island, in the northern part of the reef, as so, so sobering and warned that something akin to a train crash was about to occur. Hughes said that under normal conditions, it would take about 10 years for coral recruitment to bounce back. The adult population will need to reassemble, he said. Theres a dearth of large, highly productive corals in the system. It will take some time to regroup so the production of larvae gets back up to normal levels. Story continues But with climate change forecast to drive more frequent extreme heat waves, Hughes said, the big question is whether weve got the luxury of a decade for that recovery to fully unfold. Bleached corals near Australias Lizard Island on the Great Barrier Reef in March 2016. The reef has been hit by four mass bleaching events since 1998. (Photo: WWF Australia/XL Catlin Seaview Survey) Coral bleaching is a phenomenon in which heat-stressed corals turn white after expelling their algae, which provide most of the coral polyps energy. If not allowed to recover free of stressors, the corals can perish. The most recent bleaching event, which lasted from June 2014 to May 2017, was the longest, most widespread, and possibly the most damaging coral bleaching event on record, Coral Reef Watch said. Scientists say failing to cut global greenhouse gas emissions would spell doom for reefs around the globe. A U.N.-backed study published in 2017 predicted that annual severe bleaching will affect 99 percent of the worlds reefs within the century. The U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warned in a dire report late last year that the worlds tropical reefs could decline by 70 to 90 percent with an average global rise of 1.5 degrees Celsius from preindustrial temperatures the upper limit that is the goal of the Paris Climate Accord. At 2 degrees Celsius warming, 99 percent of reefs could be lost. And the latest federal climate assessment, released by the Trump administration in November, concluded that the loss of unique coral reef ecosystems can only be avoided by reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Hughes said that the Great Barrier Reef is undergoing rapid change and is in serious trouble but that its not too late to save it from total destruction. It still has a pulse, he said. I think if we can hold global warming to 1.5 degrees, we will certainly still have a Great Barrier Reef, but the mix of species will be quite different from today. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Rod Aydelotte/Waco Tribune-Herald via AP Killer bikers could still be walking free in Waco, Texas, according to the countys top prosecutor. McLennan County District Attorney Barry Johnson on Tuesday dropped all remaining charges related to the biker shooting in 2015 that left nine men dead and another 20 injured. Johnson told The Daily Beast he dropped the charges against 24 people because he claims his predecessor botched the case. As a result, he said, some people who may be responsible for murder may never face justice. On May 17, 2015, a gun battle broke out between members of the Cossacks and Bandidos motorcycle clubs at a Twin Peaks restaurant at a quiet outdoor shopping mall. The bedlam ended in seconds, andwith bodies piled in the parking lotthen-District Attorney Abel Reyna arrived on the scene and began working with police to round up the more than 200 motorcyclists who were being held at gunpoint by officers. Most were arrested and sent to jail on identical charges of engaging in organized criminal activity. A grand jury indicted 155 of those people, but only one man, Bandidos Dallas County chapter president Jacob Carrizal, was tried. Carrizals six-week trial ended in a mistrial in November 2017. Johnson said the trial that failed to convict Carrizal cost the county $1.5 million. After Carrizals mistrial, Reyna dropped all but 24 of the bikers charges. They were trying to get the whole group on a conspiracy theory, Johnson told The Daily Beast on Wednesday. They spent a lot of resources trying to go that route. Thats the train that they got on. Johnson listed several charges that may have been successfully pursued by Reyna, including aggravated assault, attempted murder, and felony with a deadly weapon. But the statutes of limitations on those charges have expired, he said. In my opinion, had this action been taken in a timely manner, it would have, and should have, resulted in numerous convictions and prison sentences against many of those who participated in the Twin Peaks brawl, Johnson said in a statement on Tuesday. Over the next three years the prior district attorney failed to take that action, for reasons that I do not know to this day. Story continues As it stands, some of the shooters may be walking free. Preliminary autopsy reports showed that four of the bikers were killed by three police officers. The Waco Police Department, Texas Rangers, and a McLennan County grand jury cleared the officers of any wrongdoing last year. Unfortunately, Johnson said authorities dont know exactly who killed the other five men. There still may be some open murder cases that may develop down the road, but thats probably unlikely, Johnson acknowledged. We were not able to meet our burden by putting a gun in the hand of whoever it was that shot and killed those other five people, he said. We just werent able to meet our burden to prove a murder. You just had 25 officers and over 200 combatants in basically a war zone when the police got there, he explained. We watched those videos hundreds of times, Johnson continued. It was just my opinion that it was going to end up being another two to three years worth of trials back to back and it was not the right decision to go down that road. Reyna declined to respond to specific questions but provided a statement to The Daily Beast on Wednesday: I absolutely disagree with the overall result as well as several statements and accusations within Mr. Johnsons press release; however, it is solely his decision on how to proceed with any case in the District Attorneys Office. I respect the fact that the voters of McLennan County chose Mr. Johnson to make these types of decisions. Meanwhile, the bikers defense attorneys threw their hands up in collective relief on Wednesday, pointing the blame squarely at Reyna for arresting innocent people and letting potential murderers go free. I dont think we can conclude who shot who, said San Antonio attorney Alfonso Cabanas, whose clients case was dismissed in May 2018. I dont think were ever going to find out. The case was tainted the minute that Abel Reyna stuck himself into the process at the scene and started telling people what to do, arresting everyone, said Cabanas. The only people who should have been arrested are the shooters themselves. Not just the people there drinking iced tea, like my clients. Houston lawyer Paul Looney claimed the case was dead before Johnson ever got elected. He just didnt have a chance, Looney added. We have 177 people whose lives were just utterly devastated, Looney continued. Theres no winner whenever the law is manipulated that badly. Dallas attorney Clint Broden, meanwhile, called the prosecution a clusterfuck. It fell apart because they charged too many people and tried to create a false narrative, said Broden, who at one point represented five defendants involved in the case. When the false narrativethat bikers were out to get Waco residentswas exposed, it was too difficult to convince people that the prosecution was in good faith. You had a hard time sorting the guilty from the not guilty at that point. A lot of peoples lives were ruined because they were innocent, but a lot of people did die, said Broden. There are victims and victims families who are being denied closure. The mess that was created prevented anyone who was guilty from being prosecuted. Theres enough injustice to go around on both sides of this. Seth Sutton, who was the first attorney hired after the shooting, said his client, Bandido and Marine veteran Jeffrey Lee Battey, was vilified by the courts, by the prosecution. And every biker here paid the price for the false narrative, said Sutton. They were so treated like cardboard cutout monsters and villains. The motorcycle culture is a tight-knit group; its a family, Sutton added. Hes a real victim here at the hands of the state. More than 130 of the bikers have filed civil rights lawsuits against Reyna, the city of Waco, McLennan County, and officers who were involved in the arrests. Even Judge Ralph Strother, who presided over dozens of hearings on the case, told The Daily Beast on Wednesday that he was glad to be done with it. No matter what perspective you view this episode from, it leaves an unpleasant taste in your mouth, Strother said. Read more at The Daily Beast. HELENA, Mont. A bill that would have replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples' Day in Montana was defeated by a state Senate panel whose chair said she hoped to see the proposal return with a solution more lawmakers could support. The bill was defeated 5-3 Monday, and tabled, by the Senate Administration Committee. Two amendments had been proposed Monday for the bill. One would have replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples' Day on the Friday after Thanksgiving. The other would have kept Columbus Day while still adding Indigenous Peoples' Day as a state holiday. The second proposal did not have a fiscal note estimating its cost, prompting committee chair, Rep. Dee Brown, R-Hungry Horse, to say she could not vote for it. I cant support another state holiday, she said. We are trying to scramble for money for in-home health care for people. Brown said she would like to see another proposal submitted in a future session. "I see, as a real solution, we could have a celebration I really do," she said. "But when it starts costing everybody a bunch of money, I have to step back and say, 'I have responsibilities to the taxpayers too.'" Sen. Dee Brown, R-Hungry Horse The bill passed the House, 62-35, in February. Many Native American members of the House spoke out in favor of the bill. One Native American lawmaker said on the House floor that Columbus Day celebrates a man who killed and tortured Native American people and compared it to having a holiday that would celebrate Nazi Germany. Sen. Bryce Bennett, D-Missoula, criticized Christopher Columbus, the explorer credited with discovering America. Bennett said that to have a celebration in Montana for a colonizer who came into the Americas-ish and brutally mutilated Native populations just doesnt match up with the culture we have here in the state. Montana has a lot to celebrate and a guy who has no connection with the state of Montana has got to go," Bennett said, noting that a state holiday would have a tremendous fiscal note. Story continues Sen. Bryce Bennett, D-Missoula Sen. Douglas Kary, R-Billings, said admiringly that Columbus was a bad dude. He was sent out to a place where he was probably not expected to come back, but he did. The bill's sponsor, Rep. Shane Morigeau, D-Missoula, said Tuesday that he would continue efforts to get the proposal passed. "It's disappointing that, once again, the opportunity to celebrate the rich cultures of all Montanans has been pushed to the sidelines," Morigeau said. Indigenous Peoples' Day would have let Montanans honor shared successes and challenges "rather than a man who has a legacy of committing atrocities against innocent people," he said. "We're all equal under the Big Sky, and we're going to keep telling our story and the horrific true story of Columbus until this gets done," Morigeau said in a text. Columbus Day is reportedly not observed in Alaska, Florida, Hawaii, South Dakota and Vermont, where it has been replaced with Indigenous Peoples' Day. This article originally appeared on Great Falls Tribune: Columbus Day lives on in Montana: Indigenous People's Day bill defeated by lawmakers Here are the companies Yahoo Finance is watching today. A warning from Office Depot (ODP). The company says it expects revenue to come in lower than expected this quarter. That's driven mostly by weak performance at its CompuCom operation. Higher costs are also hitting its business solutions division. Tesla (TSLA) is in the spotlight after revealing it delivered 31% fewer cars last quarter than many analysts were expecting. It's also warning that first quarter income will be impacted by lower delivery volumes. Later today, a judge will hear arguments in Elon Musk's battle against the SEC. Mark Zuckerberg is defending Facebook (FB) amid new scandals. The social network's CEO told ABC the company will work to "amplify the good" and remove as much negative content as possible. There's a new person at the top of PG&E (PCG). The embattled California utility named the current head of the TVA Bill Johnson as its next chief executive and announced a new board. PG&E worked with a group of activist investors to remake its leadership. This comes as the company deals with billions in potential liabilities from its role in starting deadly wildfires and looks for a path out of bankruptcy. It looks like iHeartMedia is gearing up for an IPO. The radio broadcaster filed for an initial public offering yesterday, just months after its bankruptcy plan was approved, detailing a path to solvency. The company has been pitching potential investors on radios reach and the appeal of its personalized playlists and song recommendations. Tunis (AFP) - The resignation of Algerian leader Abdelaziz Bouteflika after huge protests has inspired activists in the region, but looks unlikely to spark a repeat of the Arab Spring uprisings. Civil society figures in authoritarian Egypt and Sudan welcomed the toppling of a veteran president once seen as unassailable in dramatic scenes that recalled the wave of upheavals in 2011. Egyptian activists who helped mobilise demonstrators with their online calls to oust autocrat Hosni Mubarak eight years ago shared the bitter lessons they had learnt since their own revolution. "Congratulations to every Algerian and may we see each Arab country and its people free," wrote blogger Abderahman Mansour. Following the ouster of Mubarak, Egypt was wracked by years of instability that eventually saw the army force out his elected successor Mohamed Morsi. Now former military chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is firmly in charge and accused by rights groups of heading a regime more repressive than under Mubarak. Gamal Eid, an Egyptian rights lawyer, warned Algerians to remain on their guard after their own army chief played a key role in pushing Bouteflika from power. "My Algerian brother, don't leave the square until the military leaves the politics and government," he wrote on Twitter. "Don't be fooled by the military salute." Faced with the show of people power in Algeria, Sisi has warned against the dangers of protesting and on Sunday lamented the "lack of stability" caused by political confrontations. - 'New energy' - Hamza Meddeb, an independent analyst in Tunisia, said the end of Bouteflika's 20-year rule "reminds regimes like Egypt that nothing can be taken for granted". "It shows that the Arab Spring remains current, and not a matter of history, as the hope for change remains." But he insisted it was "unlikely" that the events in Algeria would have the same domino effect as the Tunisian uprising that set off the 2011 upheavals. Story continues "The people take much more precautions to try to avoid their hopes turning into nightmares." In Sudan, where protests sparked by economic woes have rocked the three-decade rule of President Omar al-Bashir, demonstrators said they felt bolstered by the success. "What happened in Algeria will give a new energy to the protest movement in Sudan," Omar el-Digeir, chief of the opposition Sudanese Congress Party, told AFP. "There are similarities between the demands of the two movements, although the problem in Sudan is more complicated than in Algeria." Protesters in Sudan said they are planning a rally for April 6 to march to the army headquarters and demand that the military stand with the people. "The Algerian and Sudanese protests come on the back of a wave of smaller, political and socio- economic protests since 2011 that suggested that the Middle Eastern counterrevolution amounted to putting a lid on a pot that could boil over at any moment," said James Dorsey, a senior fellow at Singapore's S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies. "The protests also suggest the fragility of hopes of Middle Eastern autocrats that China's model of successfully growing the economy, creating jobs and opportunity, and delivering public goods coupled with increased political control and suppression of rights would prove to be a sustainable model in their own backyard." - 'Drawing lessons' - The specific dynamics in Algeria -- which went through a brutal civil war in the 1990s -- appears to have prevented the security forces intervening to stamp out the demonstrations. "Leaders as well as protesters in the region are drawing lessons from what is happening in Algeria," said Isabelle Werenfels, a research associate at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs. "But the difference in Algeria, is that the security forces, having the memory of the 1900s, were not too keen to act, whereas other regimes, could conclude that these movements should be forcibly suppressed." While nations further afield from the United States to France and Russia reacted to the upheaval in Algeria, countries across North Africa and the Middle East stayed silent. Werenfels said that governments around the region remained "extremely wary", even Tunisia, the only country to go through a democratic transition after the Arab Spring. "We are reliving our Tunisian revolution through our Algerian friends and see it is good to return to the fundamentals as Tunisia is struggling to move forwards," wrote political scientist Selim Kharrat. Geopolitical expert Michael Ayari said that Tunisia sees Algeria as a "bulwark" against a troubled broader region and views any instability there as "scary". burs-cnp/kl/gk/del/dr Zagreb (AFP) - Croatia's former prime minister Ivo Sanader was jailed Thursday after the Supreme Court increased his sentence to six years for taking more than two million euros ($2.2 million) in kickbacks while in power, state media reported. Sanader, who led Croatia's government from 2003-2009, was handed a four-and-a-half year jail sentence in 2017 for pocketing the cash from a real estate deal. On Thursday police escorted the former premier to Remetinac prison after his jail term was increased to six years, Hina news agency reported. "This is politically motivated persecution that has lasted for nine years and I will still fight by all means to prove my innocence," Sanader told reporters before being taken away. According to the conviction, Sanader pushed his cabinet to buy a Zagreb building for the rural development ministry at twice its market value. The government agreed to pay some 10 million euros for the property but 2.3 million euros were given directly to Sanader. The 65-year-old has faced several other graft cases in which he is suspected of embezzling millions of euros. In October he was sentenced to two and half years in jail for war profiteering, and acquitted of abuse of power charges in another trial. Sanader, who helped guide Croatia to NATO membership, is the country's highest official to be charged with corruption since it declared independence from the former Yugoslavia in 1991. Tackling graft was key for Croatia's successful bid to join the EU in 2013. Want to participate in a research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and earn a $60 gift card! A sizeable part of portfolio returns can be produced by dividend stocks due to their contribution to compounding returns in the long run. Historically, CTT - Correios De Portugal, S.A. (ELI:CTT) has paid dividends to shareholders, and these days it yields 3.8%. Should it have a place in your portfolio? Let's take a look at CTT - Correios De Portugal in more detail. View our latest analysis for CTT - Correios De Portugal How I analyze a dividend stock If you are a dividend investor, you should always assess these five key metrics: Is it paying an annual yield above 75% of dividend payers? Has it consistently paid a stable dividend without missing a payment or drastically cutting payout? Has dividend per share amount increased over the past? Can it afford to pay the current rate of dividends from its earnings? Will the company be able to keep paying dividend based on the future earnings growth? ENXTLS:CTT Historical Dividend Yield, April 4th 2019 How does CTT - Correios De Portugal fare? The company currently pays out 76% of its earnings as a dividend, according to its trailing twelve-month data, which means that the dividend is covered by earnings. In the near future, analysts are predicting a higher payout ratio of 84% which, assuming the share price stays the same, leads to a dividend yield of around 6.5%. Furthermore, EPS should increase to 0.18. The higher payout forecasted, along with higher earnings, should lead to greater dividend income for investors moving forward. When assessing the forecast sustainability of a dividend it is also worth considering the cash flow of the business. Companies with strong cash flow can sustain a higher payout ratio, while companies with weaker cash flow generally cannot. If dividend is a key criteria in your investment consideration, then you need to make sure the dividend stock you're eyeing out is reliable in its payments. Unfortunately, it is really too early to view CTT - Correios De Portugal as a dividend investment. It has only been consistently paying dividends for 5 years, however, standard practice for reliable payers is to look for a 10-year minimum track record. Story continues In terms of its peers, CTT - Correios De Portugal generates a yield of 3.8%, which is high for Logistics stocks but still below the market's top dividend payers. Next Steps: Taking all the above into account, CTT - Correios De Portugal is a complicated pick for dividend investors given that there are a couple of positive things about it as well as negative. However, if you are not strictly just a dividend investor, the stock could still offer some interesting investment opportunities. Given that this is purely a dividend analysis, I recommend taking sufficient time to understand its core business and determine whether the company and its investment properties suit your overall goals. There are three essential aspects you should look at: Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for CTTs future growth? Take a look at our free research report of analyst consensus for CTTs outlook. Valuation: What is CTT worth today? Even if the stock is a cash cow, it's not worth an infinite price. The intrinsic value infographic in our free research report helps visualize whether CTT is currently mispriced by the market. Dividend Rockstars: Are there better dividend payers with stronger fundamentals out there? Check out our free list of these great stocks here. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. By Sarah Marsh HAVANA (Reuters) - Cuba says a paper shortage is forcing it to cut back on pages and circulation at several state-run newspapers including the Communist Party daily Granma, highlighting the severity of the country's cash crunch as scarcity of basic goods increases. The Communist government said on Thursday that it was halving the edition size of some weeklies as well as Granma on certain days due to the lack of newsprint, which it imports. It will also no longer publish the Union of Young Communists' newspaper, Juventud Rebelde, on Saturdays. It was the first time Cuba had taken such a measure since the 1990s depression spawned by the fall of former ally the Soviet Union. It comes as Cubans are having to queue sometimes for hours for basics such as eggs and flour whenever they appear on store shelves. Last year's introduction of mobile internet and a state app called "Donde Hay" ("Where there is") have to some extent multiplied the mayhem as they have made it easier for Cubans to find out in real time when new stock has arrived. "There's nothing at the moment, and when they finally put something in the shops there are huge queues and you have to fight for it," said Niurka Fontana, 33, a Havana resident who works at an ice-cream parlor. "Every day it's worse." While Cubans have long faced sporadic shortages of particular items due to external shocks to the state-run economy and often dysfunctional central planning, widespread scarcity of some basic goods has picked up over the past few months. First it was medicine and then flour, then vegetable oil and now eggs and meat. "I've had this prescription for renal antibiotics on me for two months now, but you can't find them anywhere," said pensioner Georgie Pi. The shortages have pushed up prices of some goods on the black market that not all Cubans can afford given the average state salary is around $30 per month. The government has acknowledged that some shortages, like medicines, are due to a lack of imports of goods necessary for production. Cuba announced austerity measures three years ago due to lower exports and liquidity problems as aid from key ally Venezuela shrank amid its own economic crisis. It has since also had to contend with a tightening of the decades-old U.S. trade embargo under President Donald Trump and the end of medical services exports to Brazil following the election of far-right Jair Bolsonaro as president. It faces another threat to its exports of doctors and nurses as protests roil old friend Algeria. President Miguel Diaz-Canel told the National Assembly in December that the government would be increasing austerity this year. The Economy Minister Alejandro Gil Fernandez said last month that egg production had recently been affected by problems with the importation of avian feed. Cuba would import more of certain basic goods in upcoming months and take measures to avoid hoarding, he added. Many state-run shops are already rationing sales, creating a new headache for private eateries that do not have access to wholesale markets. Most Cubans say they are used to shortages, although some fear they will only get worse. "If there is a crisis in Venezuela, it affects us directly," said state worker Carlos Perez, 51. (Reporting by Sarah Marsh; Additional Reporting by Nelson Acosta; Editing by Daniel Wallis) NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) Cyprus' attorney general says he will appeal a court decision that judged as unconstitutional cuts to civil servants' salaries imposed during the financial crisis six year ago. The cuts had helped steady public finances that were nearly depleted during the 2013 crisis, when authorities confiscated savings from some citizens to keep the banking sector from collapsing. The office of Attorney General Costas Clerides' said Thursday he will also seek an injunction suspending the ruling's implementation. He will also ask that the appeal is heard by all 13 Supreme Court judges due to the ruling's potential impact on state finances. Apart from the pay cuts, last week's ruling said that withholding pay raises and imposing a 3% state pension fund contribution were also unconstitutional. NEW DELHI (AP) The Dalai Lama on Thursday praised New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern for her compassionate handling of a recent attack on two mosques by a gunman that left 50 Muslim worshippers dead in Christchurch. The Tibetan spiritual leader said others could learn from her. "I really admire the New Zealand prime minister. She is wonderful,'" he told reporters in the Indian capital, where he addressed a conference of educators and students. He said the killing of worshippers in New Zealand was an example of what hatred can do to people. "She really tried to tackle this problem through nonviolence, through compassion and through mutual respect. I really admire her. I think that's one living example." The Dalai Lama also answered question related to Tibet's future with China. He reiterated that he is not seeking independence for Tibet, but would prefer a "reunion" with China under mutually acceptable terms. "I prefer Tibet remain within the zone of China. Some kind of reunion," he said. He added that Chinese and Tibetans could live side-by-side, with China helping Tibetans economically and gaining from their knowledge. The 83-year-old Dalai Lama has been living in exile in India since a failed 1959 uprising in Tibet. China claims Tibet has been part of its territory for more than seven centuries. Many Tibetans insist they were essentially independent for most of that time and have protested what they regard as China's heavy-handed rule imposed after the People's Liberation Army's battled its way into the Himalayan region in 1950. The Dalai Lama said he developed direct contact with the Chinese leadership in 1979, but little progress has been made since because China still thinks he is seeking independence for the region. Autopsies show deaths of children at border were caused by bacterial infections originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Bacterial infections were to blame for the deaths of two migrant children in U.S. custody last December, according to newly released autopsy reports. The findings raise questions about the care children receive at the border, according to a leading pediatric group, and challenge President Donald Trump's assertions that one child's father didn't give her water. Since the deaths of 7-year-old Jakelin Caal Maquin and 8-year-old Felipe Gomez Alonzo, both of Guatemala, U.S. authorities have said they've ordered additional medical personnel to remote parts of the border and stepped up screenings of young children that enter into government custody. Still, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection has acknowledged being overwhelmed by the influx, with some 1 million migrants expected to be stopped at the border this year and hundreds of thousands of them traveling as families. Last week in El Paso, Texas, families were being processed in a makeshift CBP station beneath a highway overpass. (MORE: US border officials predict the number of migrants attempting to cross the southern border could reach as high as 1 million this year) PHOTO: This Dec, 12, 2018 photo provided by Catarina Gomez, shows her half-brother Felipe Gomez Alonzo, 8, near her home in Yalambojoch, Guatemala. (Catarina Gomez/Catarina Gomez via AP, FILE) Those are the type of conditions that Dr. Julie Linton of the American Academy of Pediatrics says can be dangerous for young children if they contract the flu or develop a bacterial infection. Symptoms like muscle fatigue, shortness of breath or a rapid heart rate can be a serious warning sign in children but might go unnoticed in a high-stress environment and if medical personnel aren't trained to treat children. "Children are not little adults, so when they get sick those symptoms don't present the same way," said Linton, a practicing pediatrician in Greenville, South Carolina. President Donald Trump has blamed the Democrats for the death of the children because they refuse to build a border wall. He also claims that Jakelin's father didn't give her enough water, an allegation the family denies. Story continues "The father gave the child no water for a long period of time. He actually admitted blame," Trump falsely claimed to reporters last week. He also told his supporters at a Michigan rally that families claiming asylum is "a big fat con job, folks." Any deaths of children or others at the Border are strictly the fault of the Democrats and their pathetic immigration policies that allow people to make the long trek thinking they can enter our country illegally. They cant. If we had a Wall, they wouldnt even try! The two..... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 29, 2018 Jakelin died one day after being taken into custody in a remote part of the New Mexico border with more than 160 other people. The El Paso County Medical Examiner's office found in its autopsy that traces of streptococcus bacteria were found in her lungs and other organs as part of a "rapidly progressive infection" that caused those organs to fail. (MORE: Border Patrol defends handling, medical care of 7-year-old girl who died in custody) Felipe's death came just weeks after Jakelin's. Traveling separately with his father, Felipe spent several days in government custody, where he was transferred to different government facilities after being apprehended near El Paso, Texas on Dec. 18. On Dec. 24, he was taken to a local medical center, where he was diagnosed with having a "common cold and given Tylenol," according to CBP. It was noted that he had a 103-degree fever and was prescribed amoxicillin before being returned to a border facility. His symptoms worsened that night and he died. The New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator said Felipe died of complications from the influenza B infection which damaged his lungs, "allowing a generalized infection." (MORE: What we know about 8-year-old boy's time in Border Patrol custody before his death) Linton, who has not reviewed his autopsy report, said the signs of sepsis in a child can be easily missed by someone not trained to treat children. The dangers of bacterial infections and the flu in young children also underscores why AAP recommended two years ago that migrant children are kept in a child-friendly setting with an attentive caregiver and rapid access to medial treatment. Linton said a concrete floor in a border facility wouldn't count. "Every hour of delayed treatment dramatically increases the chances of death of sepsis," she said. CBP commissioner Kevin McAleenan says offering medical checks for children entering border patrol stations is "not a capacity we've had in the past." "We're going to have 22,000 children come through our system, a system built for adults," he adds https://t.co/fiVeDInKY3 pic.twitter.com/lvhCyxkEFI This Week (@ThisWeekABC) December 30, 2018 After Felipe died, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen called for additional medical resources to be sent to the border and ordered new protocols to screen migrants -- particularly children -- upon their arrival for any symptoms of illness. Earlier this week, Nielsen asked Congress for additional resources to address the border crisis, including the authority to immediately deport unaccompanied minors back to their home countries. "Now we face a system-wide meltdown," Nielsen wrote in a letter. (MORE: Homeland Security secretary asks for new authority to send young migrants back home) Nielsen is visiting the Texas and Arizona border this week. Trump has threatened to shut down the border if Mexico doesn't do more to stop migrants from reaching the United States. Rep. Joaquin Castro, a Texas Democrat and chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, said lawmakers plan to hold the administration accountable. "CBP is legally responsible for the health and well-being of migrants in their custody and it is clear that these children did not receive the immediate, emergency care required," he said in a statement to ABC News. Charlyn Laserna, MD, is a resident physician in pediatrics and member of the ABC News Medical Unit and contributed to this report. Want to participate in a research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and earn a $60 gift card! This article is written for those who want to get better at using price to earnings ratios (P/E ratios). We'll show how you can use Owens-Illinois, Inc.'s (NYSE:OI) P/E ratio to inform your assessment of the investment opportunity. Based on the last twelve months, Owens-Illinois's P/E ratio is 21.18. That means that at current prices, buyers pay $21.18 for every $1 in trailing yearly profits. Check out our latest analysis for Owens-Illinois How Do You Calculate A P/E Ratio? The formula for price to earnings is: Price to Earnings Ratio = Price per Share Earnings per Share (EPS) Or for Owens-Illinois: P/E of 21.18 = $19.05 $0.90 (Based on the year to December 2018.) Is A High Price-to-Earnings Ratio Good? A higher P/E ratio means that investors are paying a higher price for each $1 of company earnings. All else being equal, it's better to pay a low price -- but as Warren Buffett said, 'It's far better to buy a wonderful company at a fair price than a fair company at a wonderful price.' How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios When earnings fall, the 'E' decreases, over time. That means unless the share price falls, the P/E will increase in a few years. Then, a higher P/E might scare off shareholders, pushing the share price down. Owens-Illinois's earnings per share fell by 20% in the last twelve months. And EPS is down 2.1% a year, over the last 5 years. This could justify a pessimistic P/E. How Does Owens-Illinois's P/E Ratio Compare To Its Peers? We can get an indication of market expectations by looking at the P/E ratio. As you can see below, Owens-Illinois has a higher P/E than the average company (17.8) in the packaging industry. NYSE:OI Price Estimation Relative to Market, April 4th 2019 That means that the market expects Owens-Illinois will outperform other companies in its industry. Shareholders are clearly optimistic, but the future is always uncertain. So investors should delve deeper. I like to check if company insiders have been buying or selling. Story continues Remember: P/E Ratios Don't Consider The Balance Sheet Don't forget that the P/E ratio considers market capitalization. Thus, the metric does not reflect cash or debt held by the company. Theoretically, a business can improve its earnings (and produce a lower P/E in the future), by taking on debt (or spending its remaining cash). Such expenditure might be good or bad, in the long term, but the point here is that the balance sheet is not reflected by this ratio. How Does Owens-Illinois's Debt Impact Its P/E Ratio? Owens-Illinois's net debt is considerable, at 165% of its market cap. This is a relatively high level of debt, so the stock probably deserves a relatively low P/E ratio. Keep that in mind when comparing it to other companies. The Bottom Line On Owens-Illinois's P/E Ratio Owens-Illinois's P/E is 21.2 which is above average (17.7) in the US market. With significant debt and no EPS growth last year, shareholders are betting on an improvement in earnings from the company. Investors should be looking to buy stocks that the market is wrong about. If the reality for a company is better than it expects, you can make money by buying and holding for the long term. So this free visual report on analyst forecasts could hold the key to an excellent investment decision. You might be able to find a better buy than Owens-Illinois. If you want a selection of possible winners, check out this free list of interesting companies that trade on a P/E below 20 (but have proven they can grow earnings). We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Deutsche Bank has banned its staff from staying in hotels of the Brunei-owned Dorchester Collection, following the Sultanate's decision to implement Islamic laws that would allow death by stoning for adultery and homosexuality. "The new laws introduced by Brunei breach the most basic human rights, and we believe it is our duty as a firm to take action against them," Deutsche Bank's Chief Risk Officer Stuart Lewis said in a statement. Brunei's state-owned investment agency BIA owns the Dorchester Collection hotel group, which features luxury venues such as The Dorchester, The Beverly Hills Hotel, Principe di Savoia and Hotel Bel-Air. Deutsche Bank was one of the co-founders of the Partnership for Global Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Inter and Queer (LGBTIQ) Equality consortium. On Wednesday, the United Nations said that Brunei was violating human rights by implementing Sharia laws, which punish sodomy, adultery and rape with the death penalty - including by stoning, and theft with amputation. (Reporting by Arno Schuetze; Editing by Kirsten Donovan) You wouldn't necessarily think to equate an extended bout of cold weather with added spending, but apparently, this past winter managed to wreak havoc on Americans' budgets. A good 34% of U.S. adults spent $1,000 or more on non-essentials between December 2018 and February 2019, according to a recent poll by MassMutual. Not surprisingly, much of that money was spent online. The top purchases made in that regard were takeout meals, clothing, and streaming services. Now, the good news is that 56% of Americans say they plan to lower their spending in the upcoming months to compensate for going overboard during the winter. At the same time, however, 62% of Americans admit that they typically spend more money during the warmer-weather months. If you expect to keep spending freely this summer, then you'll need to do these two important things. Woman on couch wrapped in a red blanket IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES. 1. Rethink your budget If you spent more than expected this past winter, it may be time to re-examine your budget so you don't make the same mistake in the future. Specifically, you should look at the things you overspent on and consider allocating more money to those categories, all the while cutting back in other areas so that you're effectively breaking even. For example, let's say you spent $200 a month on takeout food these past few months but only budgeted $100 for it. Granted, that extra spending might've boiled down to not wanting to grocery shop in the cold. But if you think there's a good chance you'll continue spending $200 a month on prepared food (perhaps this time in restaurant form since you'll be feeling more social when the weather is nice), then you'll need to save that $100 elsewhere. Take an honest look at your budget and see if the uptick you experienced in spending is likely to continue. If it is, then you'll need to compensate in other spending categories. 2. Get a side job Maybe you signed up for a streaming service in February and now feel you can't live without it. At the same time, the idea of cutting back in other spending categories might seem unappealing or impossible. If that's the case, then you'll need extra money to make up for a long-term uptick in spending, and that's where a second job can come in handy. Story continues There are numerous options you can pursue when it comes to landing a side hustle. First, the obvious: As long as your employer doesn't prohibit it, you can try doing the work you normally do for private clients on evenings and weekends. For example, if you're employed as a graphic designer, you can do that work on your own time for outside clients and get paid for it. Otherwise, find something you enjoy doing with money-making potential. If you like writing, sign up to blog for different businesses that want a steady stream of content. If you're musically inclined, play at weddings or parties for additional cash. You might even revert to your teenage years and get a job babysitting. It doesn't really matter what you do for extra money as long as you earn enough to support your spending habits. It's easy to get caught up in a spending spree when you're cold, cooped up inside, and bored. If you're convinced that your wintertime uptick in spending was really a temporary thing, then you might just chalk it up to a passing splurge period and leave things at that. But if you're not convinced that you'll manage to lower your spending now that winter has passed, revisit your budget and work on boosting your income. More From The Motley Fool The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Want to participate in a research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and earn a $60 gift card! The CEO of China CBM Group Company Limited (HKG:8270) is Zhong Sheng Wang. This analysis aims first to contrast CEO compensation with other companies that have similar market capitalization. After that, we will consider the growth in the business. Third, we'll reflect on the total return to shareholders over three years, as a second measure of business performance. The aim of all this is to consider the appropriateness of CEO pay levels. View our latest analysis for China CBM Group How Does Zhong Sheng Wang's Compensation Compare With Similar Sized Companies? According to our data, China CBM Group Company Limited has a market capitalization of HK$69m, and pays its CEO total annual compensation worth CN867k. (This figure is for the year to December 2017). It is worth noting that the CEO compensation consists almost entirely of the salary, worth CN867k. We looked at a group of companies with market capitalizations under CN1.3b, and the median CEO total compensation was CN1.3m. This would give shareholders a good impression of the company, since most similar size companies have to pay more, leaving less for shareholders. Though positive, it's important we delve into the performance of the actual business. The graphic below shows how CEO compensation at China CBM Group has changed from year to year. SEHK:8270 CEO Compensation, April 4th 2019 Is China CBM Group Company Limited Growing? Over the last three years China CBM Group Company Limited has grown its earnings per share (EPS) by an average of 55% per year (using a line of best fit). It saw its revenue drop -5.9% over the last year. Overall this is a positive result for shareholders, showing that the company has improved in recent years. While it would be good to see revenue growth, profits matter more in the end. We don't have analyst forecasts, but you could get a better understanding of its growth by checking out this more detailed historical graph of earnings, revenue and cash flow. Story continues Has China CBM Group Company Limited Been A Good Investment? Given the total loss of 17% over three years, many shareholders in China CBM Group Company Limited are probably rather dissatisfied, to say the least. This suggests it would be unwise for the company to pay the CEO too generously. In Summary... China CBM Group Company Limited is currently paying its CEO below what is normal for companies of its size. Since the business is growing, many would argue this suggests the pay is modest. Unfortunately, some shareholders may be disappointed with their returns, given the company's performance over the last three years. So while we don't think, Zhong Sheng Wang is paid too much, shareholders may hope that business performance translates to investment returns before pay rises are given out. When I see fairly low remuneration, combined with earnings per share growth, but without big share price gains, it makes me want to research the potential for future gains. If you think CEO compensation levels are interesting you will probably really like this free visualization of insider trading at China CBM Group. If you want to buy a stock that is better than China CBM Group, this free list of high return, low debt companies is a great place to look. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. Depending who you ask, ex-Wells Fargo CEO Tim Sloan was either fair game to be firedor unfairly faced a firing squad. Sloan, who took over at the scandal-plagued bank from John Stumpf three years ago, announced last Thursday that he was retiring as Wells Fargo CEO and president, effective immediately. It was the culmination of months of pressure on the 31-year company veteran who recently faced a brutal four-hour grilling on Capital Hill by the House Financial Services Committee, was widely derided for receiving total compensation in excess of $18 million in 2018, and was dogged by reports that his board of directors was looking elsewhere for a new CEO. Those cheering his departure did not hold back. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) tweeted that it was about damn time, and called on the Securities and Exchange Commission and Department of Justice to investigate Sloan for his role in all the Wells Fargo scams. She followed with an op-ed in the Washington Post excoriating CEOs like Sloan and proposing legislation that would make it easier to criminally charge and jail negligent corporate executives for wrongdoing. If top executives knew they would be hauled out in handcuffs for failing to reasonably oversee the companies they run, they would have a real incentive to better monitor their operations and snuff out any wrongdoing before it got out of hand, she wrote. Others, however, feel that Sloan was unfairly scapegoated by politicians who, buoyed by a new election cycle, are overstepping their bounds and shortsightedly interfering with the affairs of corporate America. I do see [Sloan] very much as a sacrificial lamb for Elizabeth Warrens crusade, says Renny Ponvert, the CEO of independent research firm Management CV, which analyzes executives teams for institutional investors. In Ponverts view, the lawmakers who targeted Sloan have been very reactive about stuff that really should be properly blamed on John Stumpf. Story continues He notes that the banks 110-page independent investigation into its retail sales practices found that Sloan was not aware of the magnitude of the issues [at Wells Fargo] or of their potential to cause customer harm. And, in Ponverts view, Sloan had done well in his attempts to get Wells Fargo back on track after its avalanche of issueshaving pursued a number of changes to the banks corporate culture and risk profile that put it on a very solid trajectory moving forward. Sloan also looked to alter Wells Fargos organizational structure, bringing in outsiders like chief compliance officer Mike Roemer, from Barclays, and chief risk officer Mandy Norton, from JPMorgan Chase, to reform arguably the most sensitive parts of his organization, Ponvert says. Youve got to be careful not to penalize the people who are put in the role of fixing their predecessors problems, he adds. If you do that, it starts to look like the political system, where its a big blame game and whoevers in charge gets pilloried for what happened previously. A Culture Issue Part of the issue, say observers, is that Sloan has been inside the bank for so long. David Tawil, the co-founder and president of corporate turnaround-focused hedge fund Maglan Capital, says that the multiple instances of failure that have emerged at the bank in recent yearsincluding activities that took place under Sloans leadershipwere simply too much to ignore. Frankly, I think he should have been taken out a lot earlier, Tawil says. Someone has to change the culture there, because theres clearly something wrong. He adds that in a post-recession world where no [Wall Street] executives were criminally indicted for their role in the financial crisis, there is still a great deal of pent-up anger against the financial sector in terms of accountabilityespecially at the top. Despite Sloan being largely exonerated by Wells Fargos independent investigation into the fake accounts scandal, he was still viewed as part of the problem given his three-decade tenure at the institution, says Robert R. Johnson, a professor of finance at Creighton Universitys Heider College of Business. He was part of the management team that was in place when the banks problems began. (Neither Sloan nor representatives for Wells Fargo returned requests for comment for this story.) One thing all observers can agree on is that Wells Fargo desperately needs an outsider to fill the CEO rolebut its not clear that its a job any prime candidate wants. Regardless, with the search process expected to take monthsand a new chief executive needing months more to assess the situation and implement their visionits clear that this is yet another major setback for the San Francisco-based bank. This is going to set [Wells Fargo] back something like nine-to-12 months in terms of its operating progress, Ponvert notes. It may not be jail time, but its still a sentence. Want to participate in a research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and earn a $60 gift card! Simon Dunn is the CEO of Rotala PLC (LON:ROL). This report will, first, examine the CEO compensation levels in comparison to CEO compensation at companies of similar size. Next, we'll consider growth that the business demonstrates. And finally we will reflect on how common stockholders have fared in the last few years, as a secondary measure of performance. This process should give us an idea about how appropriately the CEO is paid. Check out our latest analysis for Rotala How Does Simon Dunn's Compensation Compare With Similar Sized Companies? At the time of writing our data says that Rotala PLC has a market cap of UK26m, and is paying total annual CEO compensation of UK223k. (This number is for the twelve months until November 2017). We think total compensation is more important but we note that the CEO salary is lower, at UK206k. We took a group of companies with market capitalizations below UK152m, and calculated the median CEO total compensation to be UK239k. So Simon Dunn is paid around the average of the companies we looked at. Although this fact alone doesn't tell us a great deal, it becomes more relevant when considered against the business performance. The graphic below shows how CEO compensation at Rotala has changed from year to year. AIM:ROL CEO Compensation, April 4th 2019 Is Rotala PLC Growing? Over the last three years Rotala PLC has grown its earnings per share (EPS) by an average of 34% per year (using a line of best fit). It achieved revenue growth of 7.8% over the last year. Overall this is a positive result for shareholders, showing that the company has improved in recent years. It's also good to see modest revenue growth, suggesting the underlying business is healthy. Shareholders might be interested in this free visualization of analyst forecasts. Has Rotala PLC Been A Good Investment? Since shareholders would have lost about 18% over three years, some Rotala PLC shareholders would surely be feeling negative emotions. This suggests it would be unwise for the company to pay the CEO too generously. Story continues In Summary... Remuneration for Simon Dunn is close enough to the median pay for a CEO of a similar sized company . We like that the company is growing EPS, but we find the returns over the last three years to be lacking. Considering the improvement in earnings per share, one could argue that the CEO pay is appropriate, albeit not too low. So you may want to check if insiders are buying Rotala shares with their own money (free access). If you want to buy a stock that is better than Rotala, this free list of high return, low debt companies is a great place to look. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. Donald Trump has wrongly claimed his father was born in Germany, again, during a press conference with the Nato secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg. Trump made the claim while criticizing Germanys chancellor, Angela Merkel, whose country, the president said, was not paying their fair share toward the military alliance. Related: Trump keeps saying his father was born in Germany he wasn't I have great respect for Angela and I have great respect for the country, said Trump. My father is German, was German, born in a very wonderful place in Germany so I have a very great feeling for Germany. Trumps father, Fred Trump, was born in New York. Trumps grandfather, Friedrich Trump, was born in the German village of Kallstadt. According to a German historian, Friedrich Trump immigrated to the US in 1885, escaping poverty and allegedly catering to miners during the Gold Rush in the western US. He returned to Germany in 1901, fell in love with Elisabeth Christ. The two married and returned to the US. Friedrich attempted to return to Germany in 1905 when Christ became homesick, but was ejected from Germany and ordered not to return after it became apparent he failed to perform mandatory military service. The couple returned to the US on a ship bound for Pennsylvania. Christ was three months pregnant with Fred at the time. Their son was born in New York City. Sign up for the US morning briefing Trump has falsely claimed his father was born in Germany before. In July 2018, as he criticized EU nations for doing business with Iran after Trump broke a nuclear agreement with the country, Trump also claimed his father was born abroad. He was not. Trumps mother was Scottish. For years before he became president, Trump falsely claimed former president Barack Obama was born in Kenya, a conspiracy theory he repeated even after it was disproved. Downing Street has denied that Theresa May has already bought a holiday home for her retirement (Getty) Downing Street has denied that Theresa May has bought herself a holiday home in Ireland for when she eventually leaves office. It had been claimed that the Prime Minister and her husband Philip had bought a property in Dunmore East, County Waterford, in the south-east of the country. According to the Munster Express, Mr May had already been on several trips to the popular fishing village to check out the newly-purchased property. The home was said to have been snapped up in County Waterford, Ireland (Flickr) Philip May has reportedly visited the fishing village several times to check out the property (Getty) Estate agent Des Purcell had confirmed he sold a home in Dunmore East to someone with an international reputation. However, a spokesman for Mrs May described the claims as totally untrue. The PM told Tory MPs last month that she would quit once Brexit has been delivered, allowing a new leader to take charge of the next round of negotiations. Read more from Yahoo News UK: Teenager claims to be boy who went missing in 2011 Carer jailed after defrauding vulnerable victims out of 1m Teenager dies after his scooter crashes with BMW However, a series of defeats on her withdrawal bill and another extension to Article 50 has moved her no closer to the exit at Number 10. Boris Johnson, Michael Gove and Sajid Javid are all tipped to replace Mrs May when she does finally leave Downing Street. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK Author: Ian Hamilton, Associate Professor in addiction at the University of York Who cares that cocaine and ecstasy are illegal? Many people use these substances without getting into trouble. But the attraction for some is that drugs are illegal and the risks are minimal. The evidence supporting the current drug laws is fragile at best and in some cases non-existent. So what would you do if this all changed and drugs like heroin, cocaine and ecstasy were made legal Recent polling by YouGov for Yahoo News UK exposes some intriguing insights into how the British public would behave. 79% of Britons say they would not take Class A drugs even if they were legal, and the majority of those who would are already doing so (9% already taking, 5% would if legalised) https://t.co/KtJRN7pUdb pic.twitter.com/MRoiz8BzU6 YouGov (@YouGov) April 4, 2019 When asked if making class A drugs like heroin, cocaine and ecstasy legal would encourage people to try them, 79% said they wouldnt. Responses depended on the age of the respondent. Perhaps unsurprisingly the number fell to 57% of 18-24 year olds compared with 94% of over 65s. Remainers and leavers were united on this issue with an almost equal proportion, with 77% and 85% respectively saying they were unwilling to try a class A drug even if doing so was not against the law. Disinterest was the main reason given by those who said they wouldnt use a class A drug even if it were legal. Listen to a discussion of these statistics on Yahoo and YouGovs podcast, Britain is a Nation of However if drugs did become a legal commodity some of these people would likely succumb to the marketing and behaviour psychology tactics that the alcohol and tobacco industry have used in successfully promoting their products. Story continues We know that class A drugs are becoming more popular, and the Governments own polling shows a marked rise in recent years in those saying they have tried one of the substances. This new poll shows more than 1 in 10 respondents would be willing to try a class A drug but adds important detail to that overall figure. For example the drug most people would be willing to try is LSD, closely followed by ecstasy. Again age matters with nearly 1 in 2 18-24 year olds saying they would try LSD compared to only 1 in ten of those aged over 65. Cocaine use has risen significantly over recent years and this poll reveals some fascinating responses to what people would do if the drug became legal. Scots were four times more likely to consider giving coke a go compared to those in London. Remainers were twice as likely as Leavers to think about trying the drug, although both groups were united in their willingness to try ecstasy. But the fact remains that the UK government fully supports the failing war on drugs, so it might seem like fantasy to think about these drugs becoming legal. If we embraced an evidence based approach to drug policy we could see a change in the ranking of substances. Based on an assessment of the harms to society and population health tobacco and alcohol would be outlawed and ecstasy and cannabis would become legal. Drug use is not a niche activity as millions of us use drugs, so we can either pretend they dont or acknowledge that just banning drug use is ineffective. Moving from denial to acceptance opens up the possibility of a drug policy that matches the populations needs, thats a fantasy that should be turned into a reality. This survey was made possible by YouGovs panel of 6 million respondents. Join the trend and share your opinions with the world today. By Tom Sims and John O'Donnell FRANKFURT (Reuters) - The European Central Bank will ask Deutsche Bank to raise fresh funds before it gives the go-ahead for a merger with a state-backed rival, a person with direct knowledge of the matter said. The official said that Deutsche would be required to have the buffer, which has yet to be calculated, to cope should it experience setbacks while integrating Commerzbank if a deal is agreed. The demand could complicate a bid to create Europe's third-largest bank from Germany's top two lenders, Deutsche and Commerzbank, who have struggled to recover since the financial crisis. Government officials, led by Finance Minister Olaf Scholz, have pushed for a merger to create a national banking champion and end questions over the banks' future. While Deutsche has argued the case that little or no capital may be needed, regulators, worried about the group's U.S. investment bank and the potential fallout of it failing a stress test there in September, are putting their foot down. The ECB, Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank declined to comment. With much left to be negotiated in any deal, the size of a capital hole remains unclear but is expected to run into billions of euros. A merged entity could need up to 10 billion euros ($11.22 billion) of fresh capital because of restructuring costs and the fact that losses on investments could be triggered by a tie-up. Deutsche Bank's exploratory merger talks with Commerzbank come after prodding by Germany's finance ministry, which is worried about Deutsche's future. A deal would see Berlin become a shareholder in the combined group. Germany currently holds a 15 percent stake in Commerzbank after a bailout during the financial crisis. The banks announced on March 17 that they were in talks to merge and a preliminary decision on whether they want to go forward with a merger is expected within days. Deutsche Bank came under increased pressure on Thursday to move forward on a tie-up with Commerzbank after Italy's UniCredit was named as a potential alternative bidder for the German lender. Story continues UniCredit could explore a merger with Commerzbank if talks with Deutsche fall through, two people with knowledge of the matter said on Thursday. A potential merger between Deutsche and Commerzbank has met stiff resistance from labor unions fearing jobs cuts, and from some major investors. Lawmakers are also warning Germany's finance minister they will block any attempt to invest public money in a merged Deutsche and Commerzbank. (Reporting by John O'Donnell, Hans Seidenstuecker, Tom Sims, and Arno Schuetze; Editing by Alexandra Hudson) SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) Police in El Salvador say the father-in-law of ex-President Mauricio Funes has been arrested in Costa Rica and is wanted back home for alleged corruption. National Civil Police deputy director Cesar Flores Murillo said Wednesday that Juan Carlos Guzman Berdugo is facing a process of extradition that has a 30-day window. Prosecutors have said Guzman is wanted for prosecution on money laundering related to a corruption network allegedly led by Funes in which $351 million was purportedly diverted from government coffers. Funes and his partner, Ada Mitchell Guzman, are also implicated. Both are in Nicaragua where they were granted asylum in 2016. They have denied wrongdoing. Each year, state lawmakers across the U.S. introduce thousands of bills dreamed up and written by corporations, industry groups and think tanks. Disguised as the work of lawmakers, these so-called model bills get copied in one state Capitol after another, quietly advancing the agenda of the people who write them. A two-year investigation by USA TODAY, The Arizona Republic and the Center for Public Integrity reveals for the first time the extent to which special interests have infiltrated state legislatures using model legislation. USA TODAY and the Republic found at least 10,000 bills almost entirely copied from model legislation were introduced nationwide in the past eight years, and more than 2,100 of those bills were signed into law. The investigation examined nearly 1 million bills in all 50 states and Congress using a computer algorithm developed to detect similarities in language. That search powered by the equivalent of 150 computers that ran nonstop for months compared known model legislation with bills introduced by lawmakers. The phenomenon of copycat legislation is far larger. In a separate analysis, the Center for Public Integrity identified tens of thousands of bills with identical phrases, then traced the origins of that language in dozens of those bills across the country. Model bills passed into law have made it harder for injured consumers to sue corporations. Theyve called for taxes on sugar-laden drinks. Theyve limited access to abortion and restricted the rights of protesters. In all, these copycat bills amount to the nations largest, unreported special-interest campaign, driving agendas in every statehouse and touching nearly every area of public policy. About this report This story was produced as part of a collaboration between USA TODAY, The Arizona Republic and the Center for Public Integrity. More than 30 reporters across the country were involved in the two-year investigation, which identified copycat bills in every state. The team used a unique data-analysis engine built on hundreds of cloud computers to compare millions of words of legislation provided by LegiScan. Story continues The investigation reveals that fill-in-the-blank bills have in some states supplanted the traditional approach of writing legislation from scratch. They have become so intertwined with the lawmaking process that the nations top sponsor of copycat legislation, a member of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, claimed to have signed on to 72 such bills without knowing or questioning their origin. For lawmakers, copying model legislation is an easy way to get fully formed bills to put their names on, while building relationships with lobbyists and other potential campaign donors. For special interests seeking to stay under the radar, model legislation also offers distinct advantages. Copycat bills dont appear on expense reports, or campaign finance forms. They dont require someone to register as a lobbyist or sign in at committee hearings. But once injected into the lawmaking process, they can go viral, spreading state to state, executing an agenda to the letter. USA TODAYs investigation found: Models are drafted with deceptive titles and descriptions to disguise their true intent. The Asbestos Transparency Act didnt help people exposed to asbestos. It was written by corporations who wanted to make it harder for victims to recoup money. The HOPE Act, introduced in nine states, was written by a conservative advocacy group to make it more difficult for people to get food stamps. SUBSCRIBE Support local journalism Special interests sometimes work to create the illusion of expert endorsements, public consensus or grassroots support. One man testified as an expert in 13 states to support a bill that makes it more difficult to sue for asbestos exposure. In several states, lawmakers werent told that he was a member of the organization that wrote the model legislation on behalf of the asbestos industry, the American Legislative Exchange Council. Bills copied from model legislation have been used to override the will of local voters and their elected leaders. Cities and counties have raised their minimum wage, banned plastic bags and destroyed seized guns, only to have industry groups that oppose such measures make them illegal with model bills passed in state legislatures. Among them: Airbnb has supported the conservative Arizona-based Goldwater Institute, which pushed model bills to strike down local laws limiting short-term rentals in residential neighborhoods in four states. Industry groups have had extraordinary success pushing copycat bills that benefit themselves. More than 4,000 such measures were introduced during the period analyzed by USA TODAY/Arizona Republic. One that passed in Wisconsin limited pain-and-suffering compensation for injured nursing-home residents, restricting payouts to lost wages, which the elderly residents dont have. This work proves what many people have suspected, which is just how much of the democratic process has been outsourced to special interests, said Lisa Graves, co-director of Documented, which probes corporate manipulation of public policy. It is both astonishing and disappointing to see how widespread ... it is. Good lord, its an amazing thing to see. The impact of model legislation is undoubtedly larger than the 10,000 copied bills identified by USA TODAY/Arizona Republic. Because the investigation relied on matching identical text, it flagged instances where legislators copied model legislation nearly verbatim, but it did not detect bills that adapted an idea without using the same language. Sherri Greenberg, who spent 10 years in the Texas Legislature and is now the Max Sherman Chair in State and Local Government at the University of Texas at Austin, said bills used to spring from lawmakers experiences, constituents, or lobbyists representing long-established industries. Model legislation has flourished as gridlock in Congress forced special interest groups to look to the states to get things done, she said. Not all model legislation is driven by special interests or designed to make someone money. Some bills were written to require sex offenders to register with law enforcement, while others have made it easier for members of the military to vote or increased penalties for human trafficking. Charles Siler, a former external relations manager for the Goldwater Institute, which has pushed copycat bills nationwide, said it's a fast way to spread ideas because with little modification lawmakers can adapt it to their state. Its not inherently bad, one way or the other," said Siler, who now works for a political action committee. It depends on the idea and the people pushing it. Definitely people use model legislation to push bad ideas around." Allison Anderman, managing attorney at the pro-gun-control Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, said model bills are simply how the system works now. This is how all laws are written, she said. Youd be hard-pressed to find a law where a legislator sits in a chamber until a light bulb goes off with a new policy. Illustration by Andrea Brunty Bills promise to protect the public. They actually bolster the corporate bottom line. The Asbestos Transparency Act sounds like the kind of boring, good-government policy voters expect their representatives to hammer out on their behalf to safeguard public health. Better transparency was one reason Colorado state Sen. Jerry Sonnenberg said he introduced the bill in 2017, and again last year, at the urging of a tort reform group called the Colorado Civil Justice League and backed by insurance companies, including Nationwide Insurance. Whenever you add transparency to the mix, it helps all consumers, said Sonnenberg, a Republican. But the bill had nothing to do with requiring companies to disclose to consumers what products contained asbestos or informing those who had been exposed to the cancer-causing mineral how to get help. It, in effect, cast corporations as victims of litigation filed by people harmed by asbestos. The model bill requires people battling the asbestos-triggered disease mesothelioma to seek money from an asbestos trust, set up to compensate victims, before they can sue a company whose product might have caused their cancer. That process can take months or even a year. Many mesothelioma victims die within a year of their diagnosis. Their families can still sue on their behalf, but for far less money. I can tell you for a fact that families dont have time for all these hoops they want you to jump through, said Chris Winokur, whose husband Bob was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2015 and died nine months later. Theyre trying to make it more difficult to sue. Bob Winokur, who worked for the U.S. Forest Service and served as mayor of Fort Collins, Colorado, never pinpointed where he came in contact with asbestos. And he never filed a claim to help pay his medical bills. The disease progressed too rapidly to allow it, even without the additional requirements proposed by the model bill, Chris Winokur said. The model legislation was the work of corporations seeking to limit their exposure to billions of dollars in litigation associated with asbestos. Insurance companies Nationwide, AIG, Travelers, Hartford and CNA Financial Corp. together hold more than half the nations asbestos claim exposure totaling over $870 million. USA TODAY/Arizona Republic found the Asbestos Transparency Act, a product of the American Legislative Exchange Council, an industry-supported model bill factory, has been introduced in at least 17 states since 2012. It became law in at least 11 states. Chris Winokur poses for a portrait with a photo of her late husband, former Fort Collins City Councilman and Mayor, Robert Winokur, on Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019, in Estes Park, Colo. Sonnenberg, the lawmaker who introduced it in Colorado, said he didnt write the bill and relied on my experts to explain it during a February 2017 hearing. One of those experts was Mark Behrens, who logs thousands of miles a year testifying before lawmakers about ALEC's model asbestos legislation. He has done so in at least 13 states, where he was billed as an objective authority. Behrens is an attorney with Shook, Hardy and Bacon, which represents companies in complex civil litigation. He is a co-chairman of ALECs Civil Justice Task Force and is a paid consultant for the U.S. Chambers Institute for Legal Reform, an arm of the nations largest business lobby, which has the stated goal of reducing litigation. During the hearing, Behrens testified: "The only thing the legislation does is accelerate the timing of when the trust claim is filed. It's not putting any new burdens on plaintiffs." A Democratic legislator pressed Behrens on why the 26-page bill needed technical language that could confuse victims trying to be compensated. She called it, "a gift to defendants," before voting against it. Sonnenberg told USA TODAY he didnt know Behrens worked for the Chamber of Commerce when he called him to testify. I just knew they were experts and they indeed understood the legal issues and process much better than I, he wrote in an email. Behrens said the Asbestos Transparency Act seeks to hold wrongdoers accountable, while exonerating innocent companies paying for harm they didnt cause. These companies dont get a vote; all we can do is make our case, Behrens told USA TODAY. I dont care who Im there for, I still have to be credible and honest. Graves said special interests have "so-called experts who aren't neutral. They go around the country and testify about those bills as if they're good for that state or even as if they're products of that state." Colorado lawmakers rejected the Asbestos Transparency Act in 2017 and 2018, and Sonnenberg said he doesn't plan to introduce it this year. It would be wise, he said, for someone with a better understanding of these types of issues to carry the bill in the future. Bill Meierling, chief marketing officer and executive vice president of ALEC, said supporters of the asbestos model believed it did create more transparency, "but it's up to each individual state to choose how they would name" the bill when they copy ALEC's model. USA TODAY found more than 4,000 bills benefiting industry were introduced nationwide during the eight years it reviewed. More than 80 of those bills limit the public's ability to sue corporations, including limiting class-action lawsuits, a plaintiff's ability to offer expert testimony, and cap punitive damages for corporate wrongdoing. "No citizens are saying, 'Hey, can you make it harder to sue if ... low-paid (nursing home) orderlies happened to kill or injure my parents,' " Graves said. "That's not a thing citizens are clamoring for. But you know who is? The nursing home industry, and big business in general." Many of the bills USA TODAY found were copied from models written by special interests were couched in unremarkable or technical language that obscured their impact. Bans on raising the local minimum wage were dubbed "uniform minimum wage" laws. Changes to civil court rules to shield companies from lawsuits were described as "congruity or reforms to make laws consistent. Repealing business regulations was disguised under the term "rescission." Illustration by Andrea Brunty Politicians get a shortcut to success. Special interests get their agendas turned into law. A moderate Republican from the Philadelphia suburbs shows how copycat bills in some states set the legislative agenda. Rep. Thomas Murt has sponsored more model legislation than any other state lawmaker in the nation, according to USA TODAY's database. Murt, whose biggest campaign donors include the Pennsylvania Republican Party and labor unions, said he was stunned to learn that he was listed as a sponsor on 72 bills substantially copied from model legislation from 2010 to late 2018. Pennsylvania State Rep. Thomas Murt has sponsored more model legislation than any other state lawmaker in the nation, according to USA TODAY's database. Pennsylvania House members solicit co-sponsors by circulating short memos summarizing a bill without including its actual language or who wrote it. I had no way of knowing unless its put in the memo, Murt said of the bills he helped sponsor. Murts situation highlights how critical bill titles and summaries are especially when it comes to copycat legislation because lawmakers, even sponsors, often dont read bills. Had Murt probed further, he would have seen the bills he signed onto came from ALEC, its liberal counterpart ALICE, the State Innovation Exchange, Council of State Governments, Goldwater Institute and other groups that specialize in writing copycat bills. They dealt with cities ability to take action against blighted properties, prohibitions on businesses banning guns in employees' vehicles, and a call for the U.S. president to be elected by popular vote, among many others. USA TODAY provided Murt with a list of all 72 bills, 13 of which became law, and asked questions about his support for them. He was the primary sponsor of only one: a ban on smoking in workplaces written by the liberal State Innovation Exchange. Murt said he would reconsider his support for two of the bills that were copied from ALEC, after learning more about their impact. One was a call for a constitutional convention to curb federal spending, backed by the controversial Koch brothers conservative political network. The other was a bill protecting Crown Cork & Seal from asbestos liability. "I would be suspect of such a proposal," Murt said of the constitutional convention model. "But bear in mind that when that co-sponsor memo was circulated, I'm sure it never mentioned the Koch brothers, because for some people that would have been a show-stopper." Murt also said he would never support limiting asbestos victims' ability to sue. USA TODAY interviewed more than 50 sponsors of model legislation nationwide. Half said they knew they had sponsored model legislation. But 20 legislators said they didnt know the source of their bill or claimed they wrote at least part of the bill. Five insisted the bill was their own work, even though the wording of each included multiple passages that matched model legislation nearly verbatim. Almost all of the sponsors defended the practice of copying model legislation or had no opinion of it. In Michigan, Republican state Sen. Joe Haveman said he worked with a lobbyist from a Lansing law firm to draft his states version of the law aimed at shielding Crown Cork & Seal from asbestos liability stemming from a corporate merger in the 1960s. The law firm, Clark Hill, has donated $1,800 to his campaigns since 2012, according to state records. Help us report this story We found more than 10,000 bills that were based on model legislation were introduced nationwide. Help us find more. Submit language you think might be from model legislation and we will run it through our system to see if it has been introduced by state lawmakers. Tell your story Haveman said he had no issues with relying on model bills and said even though Crown Cork & Seal is not a Michigan company, he said he saw it as a fairness issue. He said he was approached by a lobbyist and agreed with the bill when he saw a draft. It really had nothing to do with my passion for anything. They had to do this in all 50 states, Haveman said. "Somebody targeted me, and I had to do it. Its not just legislators circulating copycat bills. In Pennsylvania, the nonpartisan service that drafts all bills for the state Assembly the Legislative Reference Bureau frequently copies directly from model legislation, said director Vincent DeLiberato. But the legislator ultimately decides whether to use it, he said. In Wisconsin, the Legislatures nonpartisan legal staff is similarly tasked with converting lawmakers ideas into bills. A March 1, 2017, email to that staff from the office of Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos requested that an attached document be drafted as stated. Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos. The document contained the Campus Free Speech Act, which prevents universities from blocking controversial speakers and imposes penalties on students, including expulsion, for disrupting such events. The measure, written by the Goldwater Institute, is a reaction to liberal protesters at Middlebury College, UC-Berkeley, University of Florida and other campuses who have disrupted speeches by conservative commentator Ben Shapiro and white supremacist Richard Spencer, among others. Vos did not respond to questions about the origin of his bill, which was copied nearly verbatim from Goldwater's model. It didnt pass, but the ideas were incorporated in new university rules adopted by Wisconsin. USA TODAYs algorithm found the same model was introduced in 13 states, becoming law in Arizona and North Carolina. A similar version passed in Colorado. The relationship between groups writing model legislation and the lawmakers introducing them is a marriage of convenience, experts said. Special interests give lawmakers fully conceived bills they can put their names on and take credit for. And those special interests can become dependable donors to their campaigns. Conservative groups like ALEC nurture those relationships at annual conferences where lawmakers and corporate lobbyists discuss policy and mingle over meals and drinks paid for by corporate sponsors. This arrangement is particularly appealing to new lawmakers, said Alexander Hertel-Fernandez, an assistant professor at Columbia University who has studied the influence of ALEC and other conservative groups. His research showed less-experienced lawmakers are more likely to use copycat legislation. They know they are conservative, they know they are pro-business, but ... they dont really know what it means to translate that into different bills, he said. These networks are able to fill in what it means to be a conservative Republican who wants to support business. Meierling, ALEC's chief marketing officer, said there are checks and balances on corporate influence within the organization "just like our government structure." Companies join ALEC because they want feedback and insight from a variety of legislators, he said. "Sure they (companies) are going to share their perspective, but a legislator is there to represent their constituents and if they don't they'll be held accountable at the ballot box," Meierling said. "ALEC ... has proven its an asset to society." Progressive groups, meanwhile, have failed to replicate conservatives success because theyve not invested in facilitating the relationships between lawmakers and special interests, Hertel-Fernandez said. What ALEC does is more than provide the model bills: They provide relationships. They approach you when you are first elected and build these enduring social connections with you at recurring events that happen every year, he said. You really need that social connection in addition to the model-bill resources that youre getting, the research help. Illustration by Andrea Brunty Bills sound like theyre protecting people from a problem. Theyre actually for promotion, and persuading people to open their wallets. Countless American lives will be saved. ... I dont want to say thousands because I think its going to be much more hundreds of thousands, President Donald Trump said at a signing ceremony for the national Right to Try bill in May 2018. It is such a great name. From the first day I loved it. Its so perfect: Right. To. Try. With the stroke of a pen, Trump made a bill that had circulated in statehouses for four years the most successful copycat bill in history. Not only did it pass in 41 states, it also had conquered Congress. The version passed by Congress allows terminally ill individuals a right to try experimental medications that have not been fully approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The bills title left the public with the impression it was spurred by a groundswell of patients demanding lifesaving treatment. Instead, it was a focus group-tested name, coined by a consultant to a for-profit corporation. President Donald Trump holds up the "Right to Try" act after signing it in the South Court Auditorium on the White House campus, on May 30, 2018 in Washington. That corporation, Cancer Treatment Centers of America, a chain focused on alternative cancer treatments, wanted access to experimental drugs. Right to Try illustrates another finding of USA TODAYs investigation: Some copycat bills amount to little more than marketing and posturing, with organizations behind them highlighting a perceived problem and then offering a solution with little or no measurable impact. The point is seemingly to score political points, draw attention to the organization behind the model, and raise funds off the effort. Former Goldwater President Darcy Olsen parlayed this campaign into the book Right to Try. In it, she said Cancer Treatment Centers of America approached Goldwater for help addressing a national medical emergency: the government blocking terminally ill patients from receiving potential lifesaving treatments. When asked, Goldwater could not produce any of those patients. Chuck Warren, corporate consultant to Cancer Treatment Centers of America, said he came up with the bills name. Goldwater and CTCA paid for focus groups to make sure the name struck the right chord. It was always our favorite name and it was the name that resonated the most with focus groups, Warren said. While the marketing was cutting edge, its policy largely had been implemented decades earlier. Alison Bateman-House, an assistant professor of medical ethics at New York Universitys Langone Health, said Right to Try is an effort to address a problem that did not actually exist. Patients have been able to access experimental drugs since the 1970s, she said. Through the FDAs compassionate-use program, about 1,000 patients a year have gained access to non-approved drugs in recent years. The FDA approves more than 90 percent of those requests, often within days and, in emergencies, sometimes more quickly. The Goldwater Institute was taking advantage of a very heart-rending and sympathetic issue to push for their pet policy, which is basically to roll back regulations, Bateman-House said. They did pick a winner of a name. ... Unfortunately, its a lie. Its unclear how many people have received experimental drugs through Right to Try. Bateman-House said shes heard of two. Goldwater points to those same two patients, and a Texas doctor who ran a trial involving 200 patients. Goldwater CEO Victor Riches said those were only the individuals who informed his organization about their success using the law. Riches said Goldwater crafts legislation it sees a need for in Arizona, where it's based. It then considers the exportability of its model legislation to other states, he said. Goldwaters strategy for Right to Try was to get it passed in as many states as possible to pressure Congress to enact a version, Riches said. When you are in 41 states and you've had literally thousands of legislators, Democrats and Republicans alike, it is hard for the federal government not to take notice, he said. Its even harder to pin down what problem the American Laws for American Courts bill is solving. The model bill, which was introduced in legislatures 53 times during the past eight years, mandates judges' rulings be void if based on a foreign law or doctrine that violates the rights granted to U.S. citizens under the Constitution or state law. Even backers struggle to identify situations where this has occurred. This is a solution looking for a problem, said Ahmed Abdelnaby, an engineer who testified against the bill last year at the Idaho Legislature because he felt it fomented hate against his Muslim faith. While proponents are unable to cite court cases where U.S. law has been supplanted by Sharia or some other doctrine, those lobbying for it collected about $206 million in donations between 2008 and 2013, according to a study released by the Council on American-Islamic Relations and University of California, Berkeleys Center for Race and Gender. They wouldnt be doing it if they werent making a buck, said Robert McCaw, government relations director for CAIR. SUBSCRIBE Support local journalism Minnesota state Rep. Steve Drazkowski, who co-sponsored similar legislation in 2016, said some people fear Sharia law will be applied in the U.S., but he does not. Drazkowski also pushed a bill in 2011 to declare English as the official language of Minnesota and prohibit conducting routine business in foreign languages, including drivers license exams. The bill was strikingly similar to model legislation by a group called ProEnglish, which calls itself the nation's leading advocate for official English. The Saint Paul Pioneer Press editorialized that Drazkowski was using it to ensure his reelection by pandering to the mostly conservative and card-carrying residents of the paranoid states of America. Drazkowski said he is aware of ProEnglish but couldnt remember where he got the language for his English-only bill. The use of these model bills is not the end of the world, he said, noting that immigrants are more successful when they learn English. The idea that one organization or group is somehow controlling legislation or legislators or states, thats a fallacy. Illustration by Andrea Brunty Voters say they want one thing. Special interests get lawmakers to do the opposite. For Susan Edwards, it seemed like a godsend when Arizona lawmakers introduced a bill to create a new kind of school voucher for students with disabilities. With the money funded by dollars taken from a recipients local district school the mother of two children on the autism spectrum could send her kids to a private school where they would receive specialized attention they wouldnt get elsewhere. With a sympathetic group of students as the face of the legislation, Democrats and Republicans rallied behind the 2011 bill which borrowed language from the Goldwater Institute, ALEC, and American Federation for Children, the pro-school choice group founded by U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos. Edwards opinion of the program, however, changed drastically as legislators later introduced bill after bill to give vouchers to more students, culminating in lawmakers approving them for all students. None of those bills, however, guaranteed Edwards sons and others with disabilities could keep their vouchers as more students were added. She didnt know it at the time, but lawmakers were drawing their ideas from model legislation. Edwards said she realized in retrospect that students with disabilities were used as a Trojan horse to put on the legislative agenda a fringe idea that was part of a much bigger campaign. In the years that followed, 19 other states debated 93 nearly identical proposals based on model legislation. They became law in Florida, Mississippi, Nevada, North Carolina and Tennessee. "Every single, little expansion, if you look at who's behind it, it is the people that want to get that door kicked open for private religious education," Edwards said. "All we (families with disabled students) are was the way for them to crack open the door. Riches, Goldwater's CEO, said starting the Empowerment Scholarship Account voucher program with a small group of students and expanding it was the best approach. "When you are talking about a big idea, a new idea, usually the best way of approaching it is to wade into it and demonstrate it can work on a smaller level and then grow it from there, Riches said. The groups behind Arizonas move toward universal vouchers, however, were shown in indisputable terms that the public opposed their ideas. On Election Day 2018, Arizona voters rejected universal vouchers by a 65-35 margin. It was only the most recent example of model legislation that didnt reflect the will of voters, USA TODAY/Arizona Republic found. Model-legislation factories have increasingly proposed what are known as "preemption" bills. These laws, in effect, allow state legislators to dictate to city councils and county governing boards what they can and cannot do within their jurisdictionincluding preventing them from raising the minimum wage, banning plastic grocery bags, and destroying guns. USA TODAYs algorithm found more than 100 such bills had been introduced on an expanding array of topics. Kansas stopped local efforts to require restaurants to list calories on their menus. Arizona and New Hampshire prevented local regulations on home rentals. Airbnb has lobbied against home-sharing restrictions, often with the Goldwater Institute's assistance. One model pushed by ALEC and the Goldwater Institute prohibits local jurisdictions from creating occupational licensing requirements. It reflects conservatives and libertarians belief that job licensing stifles competition and hurts the economy, and should only be required when it involves health and safety. Drazkowski, the Minnesota representative, said he introduced such a bill so you dont have a patchwork kind of discombobulated mess of different ordinances from one community to the next. But Riches said his group stopped promoting similar model legislation because of the public outcry. We found very quickly that you bring people out of the woodwork when you try to get rid of occupational licenses, he said. What I would refer to as the status-quo crowd. Goldwater returned with another that allows anyone who's been harmed by occupational regulation to sue for damages, including harm that occurred before the law was enacted. It was introduced in at least five states and passed in Arizona. But Riches acknowledged no one has used it to file suit, and the only beneficiary he can point to is a person with ties to the administration of Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, a vocal supporter of occupational licensing restrictions. Because preemption bills have almost exclusively been advanced by Republicans, many of whom rail against the excessive mandates of Washington, D.C., critics see such legislation as the height of hypocrisy. "There's real ... hypocrisy in many of these so-called conservative legislators trying to rip away local control when they preached for years that a government that's closest to you ... is most responsive to you," said Dawn Penich-Thacker, who campaigned to overturn Arizona's school-voucher expansion with a public vote. Penich-Thacker saw a similar disregard for the will of voters when within hours of Arizonans vote to overturn universal school vouchers, the Goldwater Institute and American Federation Children declared they would continue to feed their model proposals to state lawmakers. More in this series Copy, Paste, Legislate: A visual introduction Used car dealers didnt want to fix deadly defects, so they wrote a law to avoid it Stand your ground, right to work and bathroom bills: 5 model bills that spark controversy What is ALEC? 'The most effective organization' for conservatives, says Newt Gingrich How we uncovered 10,000 times lawmakers introduced copycat model bills and why it matters What's the solution for model bills? Reveal who wrote them, critics say Bills to modify Arizona's voucher program were soon introduced. One bore a striking resemblance to model legislation from the Heartland Institute, granting vouchers to any parent who feels their child is unsafe or being bullied at school. The sponsor, Shawnna Bolick, denied any knowledge of the Heartland model. Her bill, she said, was based on the experience of her daughter. Edwards, the voucher supporter-turned opponent, noted that just like the first Arizona bill granting vouchers to children with disabilities, Bolick had sympathetic victimskids who'd been bulliedto help sell her bill. It really does seem like you are fighting against the tide, Edwards said of the influence of model legislation and the groups behind it. They are ignoring the vote of the people. A letter to the editor appeared in The Arizona Republic defending renewed efforts to expand the voucher program despite defeat at the ballot box. The letters author, Scott Kaufman, wasnt a concerned parent, or even an Arizona resident. He had sent his letter from the Washington, D.C., suburbs, from a model-bill factory: the American Legislative Exchange Council. Contributing: Yvonne Wingett Sanchez, Dustin Gardiner, Ronald J. Hansen, Kelsey Mo, Agnel Philip, Giacomo Bologna, Paul Egan, Dan Nowicki, Chris Amico, Matt Wynn, Justin Price, Pamela Ren Larson The team behind this investigation REPORTING AND ANALYSIS: Natalie Allison, Chris Amico, Daniel Bice, Giacomo Bologna, Ben Botkin, David Boucher, Jon Campbell, Amy DiPierro, Paul Egan, Dustin Gardiner, Ronald J. Hansen, Greg Hilburn, Greg Holman, Joe Hong, Lisa Kaczke, Keegan Kyle, Kaitlin Lange, Pamela Ren Larson, Aamer Madhani, Patrick Marley, Kelsey Mo, Dan Nowicki, Rob ODell, Geoff Pender, Nick Penzenstadler, Agnel Philip, Justin Price, Nick Pugliese, Yvonne Wingett Sanchez, Jeff Schwaner, Chris Sikich, Michael Squires, Matt Wynn FROM THE CENTER FOR PUBLIC INTEGRITY: Jared Bennett, Kristian Hernandez, Sameea Kamal, Rui Kaneya, Mark Olalde, Pratheek Rebala, Peter Smith, Liz Essley Whyte EDITING: Chris Davis, John Kelly, Amy Pyle, Michael Squires, Kytja Weir (CPI), Gordon Witkin (CPI) GRAPHICS AND ILLUSTRATIONS: Andrea Brunty, Veronica Bravo, Lauren Lapid, Pim Linders, Ramon Padilla, Jim Sergent, Shawn Sullivan, Mitchell Thorson PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEOGRAPHY: Patrick Breen, Chris Powers, Pat Shanahan DIGITAL PRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT: Robert Barnes, Christian Baucom, Andrea Brunty, Tom Foster, Tyler Hawkins, Spencer Holladay, Ryan Marx, Annette Meade, Josh Miller, Michael Varano, Stan Wilson SOCIAL MEDIA, ENGAGEMENT AND PROMOTION: Mary Bowerman, P. Kim Bui, Anne Godlasky, Danielle Woodward This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: You elected them to write new laws. Theyre letting corporations do it instead. Tallinn (AFP) - Estonia's centre-left prime minister Juri Ratas resigned on Thursday after his Centre party took second spot in last month's general election, but he still stands the best chance of leading the Baltic eurozone state's next government. Ratas is in coalition talks with the anti-EU far-right EKRE party and the Isamaa conservatives to cling to power and prevent the winning pro-EU liberal Reform party from taking office. Efforts by Reform leader Kaja Kallas to forge a majority coalition with Ratas failed last month but President Kersti Kaljulaid is still expected on Friday to task Kallas, a 41-year-old lawyer and former MEP, with forming the new government. None of the five parties which entered parliament in the March 3 general election scored a large enough majority to govern alone. Kallas has two weeks to cobble together a coalition. If she succeeds, she will become Estonia's first female prime minister. If she fails, the president will have to tap a new candidate. In a signal that Ratas has succeeded in clinching a majority coalition, EKRE MP Henn Polluaas was elected parliamentary speaker on Thursday by 55 members in the 101-seat chamber. "It is unlikely that Kaja Kallas can form a majority government," analyst Rein Toomla said. "A Centre-Isamaa-EKRE coalition now seems more certain," the Tartu University lecturer told AFP. Ratas first took office in November 2016 in a three-way coalition with Isamaa and the Social Democrats after a Reform-led alliance collapsed. His pro-EU Centre party has long been favoured by the Russian minority, comprising around a quarter of Estonia's 1.3 million population. It signed a memorandum of understanding with Russian President Vladimir Putin's United Russia party in 2004. To avoid losing voters suspicious of Soviet-era master Russia, Ratas insists the deal is "frozen" but has refused to rip it up. Bread-and-butter issues such as taxation and public spending dominated the election in a country known for its IT savvy. Joblessness hovers at just under five percent in the EU and NATO member country, while economic growth is expected to slow to 2.7 percent this year from 3.9 percent in 2018. All 157 passengers and crew died in the crash on March 17 - Getty Images Europe Pilots of an airliner that crashed last month in Ethiopia initially followed Boeing's emergency steps for dealing with a sudden downturn of the nose of their plane but could not regain control, according to a published report. The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that pilots of the Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Max turned off a flight-control system but still couldn't get the plane to climb. They turned the system back on and tried other actions before the plane crashed, the paper said, citing people familiar with preliminary findings of the crash investigation. The findings were confirmed by Ethiopia Airlines on Thursday. In a statement, Boeing urged against speculating before the preliminary report and flight data from the plane are released. The Journal says the pilots' actions are still being evaluated by investigators but could raise questions about assertions made by Boeing and US regulators in the aftermath of another Max crash in October that pilots could regain control simply by following steps to turn off a specific anti-stall system. Investigators are examining the crashes that killed all 346 aboard the 737 Max 8 jets operated by Indonesia's Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines, including the role of a flight-control system called MCAS, which under some circumstances could automatically turn the plane's nose down to prevent an aerodynamic stall. The Journal reported that data downloaded from the plane's black boxes indicates that the Ethiopian Airlines pilots followed recommendations to flip two switches that disconnected the system, but the plane kept sinking. They turned a manual wheel that adjusts the plane's tail, and used electric switches in an effort to climb, but that reactivated MCAS, which continued to push the plane's nose lower. Ethiopian investigators are expected to release their preliminary findings in the next few days. Boeing is the focus of investigations by the Justice Department, the Transportation Department's inspector general, and congressional committees. Investigations are also looking at the role of the Federal Aviation Administration, which certified the Max in 2017 and declined to ground it after the first deadly crash in October. Sign up for your essential, twice-daily briefing from The Telegraph with our free Front Page newsletter. New York (AFP) - Ethiopian officials on Thursday are expected to release preliminary conclusions in the probe of last month's crash of a Boeing 737 that killed 157 people, two sources told AFP on Wednesday. The report on the March 10 crash on the Ethiopian Airlines plane could be published late Thursday morning in Ethiopia, which would be in the middle of the night in the continental United States, said the sources close to the investigation, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Aviation regulators around the world grounded Boeing's 737 MAX last month following the Ethiopian Airways crash, which came less than five months after an October Lion Air crash that killed 189 people. Scrutiny has centered on an anti-stall system developed specifically for the planes that has given pilots problems. The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that pilots on the doomed Ethiopian plane initially followed emergency steps outlined by Boeing but still could not regain control. The pilots shut off the anti-stall system, called the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, but switched it back on because they could not regain control, The Journal reported, citing people briefed on the preliminary findings. Seeking to win back public confidence in the planes, Boeing released photographs of its chief executive, who joined a test flight of a 737 MAX with the company's updated anti-stall system. The Federal Aviation Administration said Monday that Boeing needed to undertake more work on the proposed fix before it could be submitted for review. Boeing distributed a cockpit photo of Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg wearing earphones and seated behind two pilots. A second shot showed the Boeing chief exiting the aircraft at Boeing Field in Washington state. "The flight crew performed different scenarios that exercised various aspects of the software changes to test failure conditions," the company said. "The software update worked as designed and the pilots landed safely at Boeing Field." Boeing said it planned to submit its proposal to the FAA in the coming weeks following "a thorough and disciplined approach to the development and testing" of the enhancements. Washington (AFP) - Embattled US aviation giant Boeing on Thursday insisted on the "fundamental safety" of its 737 MAX aircraft but pledged to take all necessary steps to ensure the jets' airworthiness. The statements came hours after Ethiopian officials said pilots of a doomed plane had crashed last month after following the company's recommendations, leaving 157 people dead. The preliminary findings released Thursday by transportation authorities in Addis Ababa put the American aircraft giant under even greater pressure to restore public trust, with nearly 350 people dead in crashes involving its formerly top-selling 737 MAX aircraft in less than five months amid mounting signs the company's onboard anti-stall systems were fault. "We remain confident in the fundamental safety of the 737 MAX," CEO Dennis Muilenburg said in a statement, adding that impending software fixes would make the aircraft "among the safest airplanes ever to fly." Muilenburg also acknowledged, however, that an "erroneous activation" of Boeing's so-called Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System had occurred. The system is designed to prevent stalls but may have forced the Ethiopian and Indonesian jets into the ground. In an earlier statement, the head of the company's commercial aircraft division had said Boeing was ready to perform "any and all additional steps" to enhance the safety of the 737 MAX. A report by Ethiopian investigators on Thursday said the crew of the Ethiopian Airlines plane that crashed last month, killing 157 people, repeatedly followed procedures recommended by Boeing, but were unable to regain control of the jet. The initial probe appears to confirm concerns about MCAS, with data echoing that from the crash of the Indonesian Lion Air 737 MAX 8 flight in October last year which killed 189 people. Ethiopian authorities' full report has not been publicly released, but according to a draft copy seen by AFP, shortly after take-off a sensor recording the level of the plane began transmitting faulty data, prompting the autopilot system to point the nose downwards. Story continues "The crew performed all the procedures repeatedly provided by the manufacturer, but was not able to control the aircraft," said Ethiopian Transport Minister Dagmawit Moges, unveiling results of the preliminary probe into the crash. - 'Not survivable' - The report recommends "the aircraft flight control system shall be reviewed by the manufacturer," Dagmawit said. "Aviation authorities shall verify that the review of the aircraft flight control system has been adequately addressed by the manufacturer before the release of the aircraft for operations," she added. Boeing now says it plans to release a software fix to the anti-stall system used aboard the 737 MAX aircraft in the coming weeks. US regulators this week demanded further improvements to a proposed fix before it could be submitted for review and announced a review of the certification of the automated flight control system on the 737 MAX. The Ethiopian Airlines flight was headed to Nairobi on a clear morning on March 10 when so-called Angle of Attack sensors on either side of the nose of the plane began sending conflicting information to the auto pilot system shortly after take-off. According to report AFP saw, the nose of the plane pointed down four times without pilot input. The autopilot was switched off at some point and the captain called out "pull up" three times to his first officer as the pair battled to gain control. Three minutes after takeoff and three minutes before the crash, the captain asked the first officer to try the manual trim system, which changes the level of the plane. He replied that it was not working. They asked to turn back, but it was too late. The plane pitched down at a 40-degree angle, smashing into a field outside Addis Ababa at about 500 knots (920 kilometers/575 miles per hour). Both engines were buried at a depth of 10 meters (32 feet), in a crater 28 meters wide and 40 meters long, with fragments of debris found within a radius of about 300 meters. "This accident was not survivable," said the report. Citizens from over 30 countries were on board. Shortly after the Lion Air crash last year, Boeing issued a bulletin reminding operators of emergency guidelines to override the anti-stall system, amid indications it had received erroneous information from Angle of Attack sensors during that disaster. burs-dg/ia BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union governments condemned on Thursday a measure by Venezuela's Constituent Assembly that allows for the trial of opposition leader Juan Guaido, considered by many Western nations as the de facto head of state. "The EU rejects the decision taken by the non-recognized National Constituent Assembly to lift Juan Guaido's parliamentary immunity. This decision constitutes a serious violation of the Venezuelan constitution, as well as of the rule of law and separation of power," the EU said in a statement. "These acts undermine a political way out of the crisis and only lead to further polarization and escalation of tensions in the country," the statement said. (Reporting by Robin Emmott; Editing by Gareth Jones) By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS, April 4 (Reuters) - The family of an American killed when a Malaysian Airlines plane was shot down over Ukraine in 2014 filed a lawsuit on Thursday against U.S.-based money transfer companies and two Russian banks they accuse of providing services to the group they blame for striking Flight MH17. MH17 was brought down over territory held by pro-Russian separatist forces in eastern Ukraine as it flew from Amsterdam to the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur, killing all 298 people on board, roughly two-thirds of them Dutch. American Quinn Lucas Schansman, 18, was aboard MH17 on his way to meet his parents for a family vacation. "We realize that we will never get our son back. But we are committed to shedding light on and holding accountable all who participated in his murder," his father Thomas Schansman said in a statement. Under the U.S. Antiterrorism Act, the Schansman family are suing Sberbank of Russia, VTB Bank, Western Union Co and Western Union Financial Services, MoneyGram International Inc and MoneyGram Payment Systems Inc for providing services to the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR). Fighting broke out in 2014 between separatist forces in eastern Ukraine backed by Moscow - the DPR - and forces loyal to the pro-Western Ukrainian government in Kiev. The Ukrainian government has designated the DPR as a terrorist group. "The DPR systematically and openly solicited financial support from individuals around the world to help it procure weapons, ammunition, and lethal equipment," said David Pressman, of law firm Boies Schiller Flexner LLP, which is representing the Schansman family. "The money poured in with the reliable assistance of U.S.-based money-transfer services and Russian banks," said Pressman, who was deputy U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations between 2014 and 2016. A team of international investigators, which is attempting to identify perpetrators to be tried under Dutch law, said in May last year a "Buk" missile system used to bring down the passenger plane came from the 53rd Anti-Aircraft Brigade, based in the western Russian city of Kursk. Story continues The Netherlands and Australia, which lost 38 people, said they hold Russia legally responsible and pushed Moscow to cooperate. Russia has always denied any involvement, and said none of its missile launchers had ever entered Ukraine. However, Dutch Foreign Minister Stef Blok said last week that Dutch and Australian government officials had met their Russian counterparts to discuss who is responsible. Australia has said it will seek financial damages for victims' families. In 2015, Russia vetoed a proposal by Malaysia, Australia, the Netherlands, Belgium and Ukraine for the United Nations Security Council to set up an international tribunal to prosecute those suspected of downing the aircraft. "The men who launched the missile may never be hauled before a court to answer for their crimes, but all of those who participated in arming them and supporting them must be," Pressman said. (Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Bernadette Baum) CINCINNATI - DNA tests show that the teen found Wednesday in Northern Kentucky is not Timmothy Pitzen, the FBI said Thursday afternoon. "DNA results have been returned, and the person in question is not Timmothy Pitzen," FBI Louisville spokesman Timothy Beam said in an emailed statement. The Aurora (Illinois) Police Department will continue to lead the investigation into Timmothy's disappearance. The FBI will assist when needed, Beam said. A local investigation into the teen's true identity will continue. Timmothy was 6 years old when he was reported missing in May 2011. He lived in Aurora, Illinois. There have been reported sightings over the years, but nothing nearly as definitive as what happened Wednesday morning in Newport. Who is Timmothy Pitzen: Missing boy disappeared nearly 8 years ago from the Chicago area Missing boy found?: Teen found by police says he is Timmothy Pitzen, Illinois child who disappeared 7 years ago Authorities received a call about a person on Columbia Street who didnt seem like he belonged there, Newport Police Chief Tom Collins told The Enquirer. The teen told police he had escaped from two men who were holding him captive and then ran across a bridge into Kentucky. He said his name was Timmothy James Pitzen and gave Timmothy's date of birth. Timmothy Pitzen in an undated photo taken before he went missing in 2011. He also gave detailed descriptions of the two men he called "kidnappers," a police report says. He described, also in specific detail, a Ford SUV with Wisconsin license plates he said they had been driving. He said they had been staying at a Red Roof Inn, but he didn't know the location. Officials said Thursday the investigation is ongoing. The police department in Aurora sent two of its detectives to assist. Timmothy was last seen the morning of May 13, 2011, in a security video, when he and his mother checked out of a resort in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. Two days before, Amy Fry-Pitzen had taken him out of school. Story continues She was found dead in an Illinois hotel room from an apparent suicide. She left a note saying Timmothy was "somewhere safe with people who love him and will take care of him," according to the Daily Herald in suburban Chicago. "You will never find him," the note said. Timmothy Pitzen disappearance: A child vanished in 2011. His mom wrote a note that said 'you will never find him' Missing kids: Here's a list of kids found alive after their disappearances made headlines Follow Max Londberg and Kevin Grasha on Twitter: @MaxLondberg and @kgrasha This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: FBI: Teen found by police isn't Timmothy Pitzen, DNA tests show (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday confirmed Commissioner Scott Gottlieb plans to return to the American Enterprise Institute to focus on drug prices. The Washington Post had earlier reported on Thursday that Gottlieb, who is set to leave the agency on Friday, plans to spend a half-dozen days a month in Washington as a resident fellow at the think tank. Before becoming the FDA chief in May 2017, Gottlieb was a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. The American Enterprise Institute declined to comment. Gottlieb, who has been instrumental in speeding up approval times for cheap generic drugs to help bring down drug prices, announced his plans to step down last month. (Reporting by Saumya Sibi Joseph in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta) Fibromyalgia symptoms include widespread body pain, fatigue, poor sleep, and mood problems. But all of these symptoms are common to many other conditions. And because fibromyalgia symptoms can occur alone or along with other conditions, it can take time to tease out which symptom is caused by what problem. To make things even more confusing, fibromyalgia symptoms can come and go over time. That's why it can take a long time to go from fibromyalgia symptoms to a fibromyalgia diagnosis. No specific test for fibromyalgia Fibromyalgia can't be easily confirmed or ruled out through a simple laboratory test. Your doctor can't detect it in your blood or see it on an X-ray. Instead, fibromyalgia appears to be linked to changes in how the brain and spinal cord process pain signals. Because there is no test for fibromyalgia, your doctor must rely solely on your group of symptoms to make a diagnosis. In the American College of Rheumatology guidelines for diagnosing fibromyalgia, one of the criteria is widespread pain throughout your body for at least three months. "Widespread" is defined as pain on both sides of your body, as well as above and below your waist. Old guidelines required tender points. Fibromyalgia is also often characterized by additional pain when firm pressure is applied to specific areas of your body, called tender points. In the past, at least 11 of these 18 spots had to test positive for tenderness to diagnose fibromyalgia. But fibromyalgia symptoms can come and go, so a person might have 11 tender spots one day but only eight tender spots on another day. And many family doctors were uncertain about how much pressure to apply during a tender point exam. While specialists or researchers may still use tender points, an alternative set of guidelines has been developed for doctors to use in general practice. These newer diagnostic criteria include: Widespread pain lasting at least three months Presence of other symptoms such as fatigue, waking up tired, and trouble thinking No other underlying condition that might be causing the symptoms Excluding other possible causes Story continues It's important to determine whether your symptoms are caused by some other underlying problem. Common culprits include: Rheumatic diseases. Certain conditionssuch as rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren's syndrome, and lupuscan begin with generalized aches and pain. Mental health problems. Disorders such as depression and anxiety often feature generalized aches and pain. Neurological disorders. In some people, fibromyalgia causes numbness and tingling, symptoms that mimic those of disorders such as multiple sclerosis and myasthenia gravis. Tests that may be needed While there is no lab test to confirm a diagnosis of fibromyalgia, your doctor may want to rule out other conditions that may have similar symptoms. Blood tests may include: Complete blood count Erythrocyte sedimentation rate Thyroid function tests Vitamin D levels Your doctor may also perform a careful physical exam of your muscles and joints, as well as a neurological exam to look for other causes of your symptoms. If there's a chance that you may be suffering from sleep apnea, your doctor may recommend a sleep study. More clues for fibromyalgia diagnosis People who have fibromyalgia also often wake up tired, even after they've slept continuously for more than eight hours. Brief periods of physical or mental exertion may leave them exhausted. They may also have problems with short-term memory and the ability to concentrate. If you have these problems, your doctor may ask you to rank how severely they affect your day-to-day activities. Fibromyalgia often coexists with other health problems, so your doctor may also ask if you experience: Irritable bowel syndrome Headaches Jaw pain Anxiety or depression Frequent or painful urination Possible fibromyalgia triggers In some cases, fibromyalgia symptoms begin shortly after a person has experienced a mentally or physically traumatic event, such as a car wreck. People who have post-traumatic stress disorder appear to be more likely to develop fibromyalgia, so your doctor may ask if you've experienced any traumatic events recently. Because a genetic factor appears to be involved in fibromyalgia, your doctor may also want to know if any other members of your immediate family have experienced similar symptoms. All this information taken together will give your doctor a much better idea of what may be causing your symptoms. And that determination is crucial to developing an effective treatment plan. Updated: 2017-08-19 Publication Date: 2007-08-29 Always watch the quiet guy in the corner. While competitors are spending millions of dollars in an increasingly intense battle to claim the title as No. 2 best-selling pickup, the Ford F-Series is not only holding onto the top slot but expanding its lead. Its like theyre in the middle of a barroom brawl, said Karl Brauer, executive publisher of Kelley Blue Book. Ford is looking across the aisle, with Chevy Silverado getting hammered by Ram, and theyre like, Were over here, happy as a clam. The F-150 and Super Duty trucks are hugely important to Ford, which is more financially dependent on its full-size truck than any other car company, Brauer said. Ford lives or dies on the F-150. On Thursday, Ford released sales data that showed 0.2% growth in F-Series sales during the first three months of the year, from 214,191 in 2018 to 214,611 in 2019. In the first quarter, the 2019 Ram 1500 and Classic sold 120,026 trucks versus 114,313 Silverados, according to company filings, which historically is the No. 2 vehicle. It's Burrito Day: National Burrito Day features specials from Chipotle, Moe's, Del Taco and more today Pricier Homes: As pricey homes hit market, median list price for a house reaches record $300,000 If the F-150 is doing good, Ford is doing good, Brauer said. It's essentially flat this year. They cannot be unhappy. Theyre not going to complain at all. F-Series is $50 billion baby Ford sold 38% of all full-size trucks in the United States in 2018, with more than 1 million F-150 and Super Duty trucks sold globally. That includes 909,000 F-Series in America at an average transaction price of $46,700, which is an annual record. The truck franchise generates more than $50 billion for Ford. The company reported Thursday ending the first quarter with yet another increase in its F-Series average transaction price -- to $47,454, with the lowest incentive spending among all major full-size pickups. Ford saw notable sales in Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina and the West Coast. Story continues With Chevy and Ram locked in mortal combat for No. 2 and No. 3, it is very difficult for Ford to gain much, so any gain is a real tribute to them, said market analyst Jon Gabrielsen, who advises automakers and auto suppliers. "It's damn near a miracle." GM reported a 15.7% quarterly drop in Silverado sales from the first quarter a year ago. It takes pride in holding the line on sales incentives and credits Ram's offers for its surge. Chevrolet has been disciplined. But how long can they maintain discipline as theyre losing market share? Theyll have to respond in some way, said John McElroy, longtime industry observer and TV host of Autoline after Hours." 'Kick in teeth' Ram's strategy to kick Chevy in the teeth is working, McElroy said. Meanwhile, the full-size pickup market segment is growing about 2% a year. Companies recognized the loyalty challenge and cant get people to switch, so winning over consumers will require taking a financial hit in the short term, Brauer said. You work to convert loyalties and maybe those people will fall in love with your brand and model, he said. Then, in three to five years, you might not have to push so hard. In touting the Silverado, Chevy spokesman Jim Cain said, Ford has the oldest trucks in the business." Such comments annoy F-150 loyalists. In my world, you throw a punch back, said Mohamad "Mike" Beydoun, 45, a previous production line worker at the Ford Michigan Assembly Plant who now serves as the UAW Local 900 skilled trades representative. He told of a recent discussion with Joe Hinrichs, 52, Ford president of global operations, during a leadership meeting with Ford and UAW officials. I raised my hand, and I said, Joe, I want to ask you something, Beydoun recalled. I said, GM loves to throw a punch at Ford Motor Co. every chance they get. Why dont you attack? He said, We dont need to. Theyre coming at us because we own the market. They want a piece of it. Lets just stick to what we know.'" Mike Levine, Ford North America product communications manager, said, The F-Series is staying above the fray. Our strategy is working. 'Not just a work truck anymore' Ford knows its audience. These are the folks who believe in America, family and leaving the world a better place, Levine said. "That's who they are." Analysts say Ford products attract people who see themselves as loyal to their country. Not only does Ford employ more American workers than any other car manufacturer 85,000, including 56,000 hourly workers but the company also builds more of its vehicles in the United States than any other company, at 82%. More: Your 'domestic' vehicle may not be made in America: Here's where they're built More: 'We're going to electrify the F-Series,' Ford exec says Beydoun is proud his factory builds the Ford Ranger midsize pickup, and soon the Ford Bronco SUV. But he drives an F-150, along with almost every member of his family. His cousin, whose last name is spelled differently, sells F-150s at Jorgensen Ford in Dearborn, Michigan. Were selling 40 to 50 a month, said salesman Mohamad Catfish Baidoun, 47, of Dearborn Heights, Michigan. Its been our bread and butter and what keeps us going. Ford is keeping promotions on them. Were retaining our customers and were getting a lot of outside customers who switch over from Ram and Silverado when they return their leases. He often puts people in an F-150 and suggests they drive, explaining "it's not just a work truck anymore and it's comfortable for families with young kids." "Im able to drive any vehicle in the dealership and I choose the F-150 every time, Baidoun said. People will say they dont want to come out of the Ram Hemi engine. I tell em to just go drive that 2.7 liter V6 Ecoboost engine and Ive never lost a customer wanting power." Top truck since 'Star Wars' When the dealership is selling more than 40% full-size pickups of 120 sales each month, you dont have to make yourself look good by talking bad about other people, Baidoun said. The 115-year-old company and its F-Series have led in full-size pickup sales in America since the first "Star Wars" blockbuster hit theaters back in 1977. When it comes to fighting for market share, every detail matters. The advertising, the quality of products, public relations. But Ford may benefit simply from its history, McElroy said. Theres still the residual benefit of not taking government money during the bailout. The public remembers stuff like that. I still hear people say theyll never buy a GM product, McElroy said, and the latest GM controversies about plant closures, job cuts and sourcing from Mexico resurrect past anxiety and anger. In some ways, Ford's history is invaluable during these uncertain times McElroy said. The company is not this faceless corporate monster, he said. Ask anyone on the street anywhere about Bill Ford. They know hes the head of Ford Motor. Ford, Silverado and Ram dominate 84% of the sales in a truck segment that includes GMC Sierra, Toyota Tundra and Nissan Titan. Jessica Caldwell, senior analyst at the car shopping site Edmunds.com, said, Theres a lot at stake here. The truck market is extremely lucrative for the auto companies. Any advantage or sales increase they have is really important to their bottom line. You are paying for your future with these trucks. Having more success either through sales or margins sets these companies up for success." While Honda, Volkswagen, Volvo, Subaru, Hyundai Kia and Tata saw a sales increase from first quarter 2018 to 2019, many including the Detroit 3 did not. Ford sales dropped 2% while GM and Fiat Chrysler dipped 7%. 'Other guys don't roll like that' The F-Series is a buffer. Ford plans to have a new F-150 in 2020, including a new hybrid powertrain with beefed-up towing and payload that can also operate as a mobile generator on job sites. "Our history has never been to wait for an all-new truck, where you load it up with new features and say, 'Bam! Innovation! Levine said. Every year, with F-Series, we improve it. In 2016, we came out with Pro-Trailer Backup Assist, where you just turn a knob. We didnt hold that back for a big launch. In 2017, we introduced a 10-speed transmission with the 3.5 liter Ecoboost engine. In 2018, we introduced two all-new engines and redesigned two more. We dont wait," he said. "The other guys dont roll like that. They may give you different paint and wheels. Our customers value our improvements. We love our customers. The F-Series is built in Dearborn, Michigan; Louisville, Kentucky; and Claycomo, Missouri. Contact Phoebe Wall Howard at 313-222-6512 or phoward@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @phoebesaid. Read more on Ford and sign up for our autos newsletter. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Ford F-Series lengthens its lead over No. 2 best-sellers 2019 Ram 1500 and Chevy Silverado Photo credit: Dong Wenjie - Getty Images From Car and Driver A new industry group has been formed to create standards for developing, testing, and the public use of fully automated vehicles. The Automated Vehicle Safety Consortium (AVSC), partnered with the SAE International engineering group, so far includes only Ford, General Motors, and Toyota. No federal standards exist for AVs, and state regulation is all over the map. With the explicit encouragement of a hands-off federal government, three automakers are creating a new safety group with the engineering group SAE International to draft national standards for autonomous cars. This week, Ford, Toyota, and General Motors joined the SAE to form the Automated Vehicle Safety Consortium (AVSC), a group that will "responsibly evolve" the technology while it's tested, and eventually, when driverless cars are picking us up from bars at 2 a.m. AVSC is concerned with Level 4 and 5 automationthe most advanced categories previously defined by the SAE and accepted by the industrythat will lead to autonomous cars driving in restricted areas (Level 4) or nationwide (Level 5). First on the agenda is figuring out how to develop technical standards that automakers, suppliers, and developers will universally adopt. That has been the crux of the SAE's existence since its founding in 1905. The federal government currently has no statutes on autonomous cars and no plans to restrict or regulate them. In October, transportation secretary Elaine Chao introduced the department's third round of voluntary guidelines for autonomous cars that would align federal agencies toward the goal of letting automakers lead and self-police their development. Chao said the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in particular would remove language from current rules that require steering wheels, pedals, mirrors, and other equipment that tomorrow's cars won't use. Despite the lack of formal rules, she also called for automakers and tech companies to quell the "public's legitimate concerns about the safety, security, and privacy of this new technology," which is exactly what the AVSC says it will do. Story continues No Common GroundYet We understand that autonomous vehicles need to operate safely and reliably in concert with infrastructure and other road users to earn the trust of the communities in which they are deployed, said Randy Visintainer, Ford's director for autonomous vehicles, in a statement. At this point, the AVSC is just a dry-erase board of ideas. While the majority of states have enacted either legislation or executive orders on testing autonomous cars, there is no common ground on what is considered safe, no shared goal of best practices, and nothing approaching a standard like those the industry has met on passive-safety features such as ABS, airbags, and seatbelts. The U.S. government isn't even evaluating driver-assistance systemsthe insurance-industry-funded Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does thatand automakers have so far shown little interest in making systems such as automated braking function uniformly at a baseline level. Aggressive first-to-market pushes from companies including Tesla that beta-test automated features on their customers have been greeted with media fanfare instead of careful analysis. The AVSC isn't yet addressing these semi-automated systems (Levels 1 through 3) that will become widespread for many years before fully automated systems are introduced nationwide. It's a Wild West of AVs and semi-AVs right now, which is part of the reason that AVSC was founded: to rein in some of the mess. You Might Also Like Washington (AFP) - Paleontologists have found a well-preserved fossil of a four-legged amphibious ancestor of whales, a discovery that sheds new light on the mammals' transition from land to the ocean. The ancestors of whales and dolphins walked on Earth about 50 million years ago in the regions that now comprise India and Pakistan. Paleontologists have previously found partial fossils of the species in North America that were 41.2 million years old suggesting that by this time, the cetaceans had lost the ability to carry their own weight and walk the Earth. The new specimen, described in a study published Thursday in the journal Current Biology, is 42.6 million years old and provides fresh information on the evolution of cetaceans. The fossil was found about 0.6 miles (one kilometer) inland from Peru's Pacific coast, at Playa Media Luna. Its mandibles grazed the desert soil and during excavations, the researchers found the lower jaw, teeth, vertebrae, ribs, parts of front and back legs, and even the whale ancestor's long fingers that were likely webbed. Based on its anatomy, the scientists say this cetacean of about 13 feet (four meters) long could both walk and swim. "Part of the tail's vertebrae showed similarities with that of present-day semi-aquatic mammals like otters," lead author Olivier Lambert of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences told AFP. "This would therefore have been an animal that would have started to make growing use of its tail to swim, which differentiates it from older cetaceans in India and Pakistan." Pieces of four-legged whales were found in Egypt, Nigeria, Togo, Senegal and Western Sahara, but they were so fragmented that it was impossible to decisively conclude whether they could swim. "This is the most complete specimen ever found for a four-legged whale outside of India and Pakistan," said Lambert. If the whale in Peru could swim like an otter, the researchers hypothesized that it likely crossed the Atlantic from the western coast of Africa to South America. As a result of continental drift, the distance was half that of today, around 800 miles, and the east-west current of the time would have facilitated their travel. Story continues This finding would make less likely another hypothesis according to which whales reached North America via Greenland. The Pisco Basin, off Peru's southern coast, likely holds numerous fossils, given its excellent conditions for preservation. "We have work for at least the next 50 years," said Lambert, the paleontologist. Paris (AFP) - The niece of French far-right leader Marine Le Pen, former MP Marion Marechal, will visit the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea this month, furthering her links with Russia, which annexed the territory in 2014. Marechal, who still commands a wide following despite stepping down from her public role in 2017, will attend the Yalta International Economic Forum on April 18-20, which was set up by Moscow after its annexation of Crimea from Ukraine. Both Marechal and Le Pen have argued for closer ties between France and Vladimir Putin's Russia and repeatedly condemned sanctions imposed by the European Union on Moscow over the annexation, which is not recognised by the international community. Last year, Marechal founded a privately owned political science college in the southeastern French city of Lyon, which promotes conservative teaching on subjects including "cultural identity". She visited St. Petersburg at the end of March, telling students during a speech there that "Franco-Russian friendship never left me while I was an MP," according to her Twitter account. Her aunt Le Pen has met Putin several times, including once during the French presidential campaign of 2017, and he has cultivated links with many far-right, anti-EU political movements around Europe. The European Commission criticised Putin after the election-period meeting with Le Pen for trying to use the far-right to divide Europe. Marechal, 29, currently holds no electoral office but is widely expected to return to frontline politics at some point. Gossi (Mali) (AFP) - Under the scorching sun, diggers and earthmovers are hard at work breaking ground on a new French military base in east-central Mali where troops will begin operating near the Burkina border. The base will be the newest outpost of Operation Barkhane, France's 4,500-strong anti-jihadist force which is headquartered in Chad but also operates in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. Within Mali itself, French forces have spent the last 18 months largely fighting jihadists from ISGS (Islamic State in the Greater Sahel) in the northeastern Liptako region which flanks Niger. But now the force is expanding westwards into the central Gourma area -- a crossroads region that flanks Mali's border with Burkina. Here, a sea of tents and containers marks out the site of the new base just outside the town of Gossi. "This will be the main base for operations in the Gourma region where the threat is active," explained the base commander, who spoke on condition of being identified only by his first name, Francois. "Before, we dipped in and out of the region but now we're planting the flag here and staying," said another high-ranking officer, who requested anonymity. Kicking up clouds of red dust, the construction work is well under way, the drivers togged up in bulletproof vests in temperatures approaching 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit). Since mid-January, troops have been hard at work on the site and are currently drilling to source water. For now, supplies are brought in from Gao, and when the water tanks run dry, they use bottled water for showers. Located some 150 kilometres (90 miles) southwest of Gao, the new outpost will stand on a former UN peacekeeper base, and be home to up to several hundred French soldiers. - Sanctuary for jihadists - A huge area stretching south of the Niger River, Gourma straddles parts of the regions of Gao, Timbuktu and Mopti and is a known haven for armed groups who hide in the forests along the Burkina border, said Barkhane head General Frederic Blachon. Story continues In recent weeks, Malian troops have suffered heavy losses in Gourma and this week a French military doctor was killed when his armoured vehicle ran over a bomb. Both the ISGS and other shadowy jihadists operate in the region, including one particularly active group called the "Gourma Katiba" which is linked to the GSIM, the main regional alliance supporting Al-Qaeda. Gourma Katiba's leader Al-Mansour Ag Alkassim was killed in November during a French raid. Another powerful group, Ansarul Islam, is implanted in southern Gourma along the Burkina border. Its militants are thought to be responsible for a string of attacks in northern Burkina which began in 2015. The violence has spread to the country's east in a wave of bloodshed that the authorities appear unable to stop. "When you're in Gourma, you can reach anywhere in the area. You can even provide support in Burkina if needed," Blachon told AFP and France's RFI in an interview. Burkina, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger are bound in a French-backed alliance, the G5 Sahel, to fight jihadism on the southern rim of the Sahara. - Inter-ethnic complications - Extremists linked to Al-Qaeda took control of Mali's vast desert north in early 2012, but were largely driven out in a French-led military operation that began in January 2013. But huge areas are still in the grip of lawlessness, despite a 2015 peace agreement with some armed groups that sought to definitively stamp out the jihadist threat. Since then, the jihadist threat has shifted from the north towards the more densely-populated centre of the country, where it has fanned the flames of local ethnic conflicts which date back years. The Malian government on Wednesday said that 450 civilians and 150 military personnel -- Malian and foreign -- had been killed in the first three months of this year alone. On March 23, more than 160 people from a Fulani herding community were slaughtered in Ogossogou, a village near the Burkina border, by militiamen believed to be from the rival Dogon ethnic group. Such inter-ethnic violence has complicated Barkhane's work to root out jihadists, Blachon admits. "Inter-communal violence is the real threat and the biggest risk for this country. It is extremely difficult to know where a particular conflict began which then kicks off a string of revenge attacks," he said. "It's the big fear of any armed force, whether UN peacekeepers or a national army which has come to help out. We know how complicated it is to get out of such a spiral. So we need to act in a way that doesn't exacerbate the problem." The aim was to avoid favouring one particular group over another, he said. "It's all about not falling into this trap. The work of a force like Barkhane is to neutralise the real terrorists while supporting those in charge of development. You have to treat the root of the problem, which does not mean supporting one ethic group or particular community." Want to participate in a research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and earn a $60 gift card! Attention dividend hunters! General Mills, Inc. (NYSE:GIS) will be distributing its dividend of US$0.49 per share on the 01 May 2019, and will start trading ex-dividend in 4 days time on the 09 April 2019. Is this future income a persuasive enough catalyst for investors to think about General Mills as an investment today? Below, I'm going to look at the latest data and analyze the stock and its dividend property in further detail. View our latest analysis for General Mills What Is A Dividend Rock Star? It is a stock that pays a stable and consistent dividend, having done so reliably for the past decade with the expectation of this continuing into the future. More specifically: Its annual yield is among the top 25% of dividend payers It consistently pays out dividend without missing a payment or significantly cutting payout Its dividend per share amount has increased over the past It is able to pay the current rate of dividends from its earnings It is able to continue to payout at the current rate in the future High Yield And Dependable General Mills's dividend yield stands at 3.8%, which is high for Food stocks. But the real reason General Mills stands out is because it has a high chance of being able to continue to pay dividend at this level for years to come, something that is quite desirable if you are looking to create a portfolio that generates a steady stream of income. NYSE:GIS Historical Dividend Yield, April 4th 2019 If there is one thing that you want to be reliable in your life, it's dividend stocks and their constant income stream. In the case of GIS it has increased its DPS from $0.86 to $1.96 in the past 10 years. During this period it has not missed a payment, as one would expect for a company increasing its dividend. These are all positive signs of a great, reliable dividend stock. General Mills has a trailing twelve-month payout ratio of 76%, meaning the dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. However, going forward, analysts expect GIS's payout to fall to 57% of its earnings. Assuming a constant share price, this equates to a dividend yield of around 4.0%. However, EPS should increase to $3.08, meaning that the lower payout ratio does not necessarily implicate a lower dividend payment. Story continues If you want to dive deeper into the sustainability of a certain payout ratio, you may wish to consider the cash flow of the business. A business with strong cash flow can sustain a higher divided payout ratio than a company with weak cash flow. Next Steps: General Mills's strong dividend attributes make it, without a doubt, a stock dividend investors should be considering for their portfolios. However, given this is purely a dividend analysis, you should always research extensively before deciding whether or not a stock is an appropriate investment for you. I always recommend analysing the company's fundamentals and underlying business before making an investment decision. I've put together three important aspects you should further research: Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for GISs future growth? Take a look at our free research report of analyst consensus for GISs outlook. Valuation: What is GIS worth today? Even if the stock is a cash cow, it's not worth an infinite price. The intrinsic value infographic in our free research report helps visualize whether GIS is currently mispriced by the market. Other Dividend Rockstars: Are there strong dividend payers with better fundamentals out there? Check out our free list of these great stocks here. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. Berlin (AFP) - The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD)'s chief candidate for European elections, Joerg Meuthen, expects big gains for nationalist parties but thinks they will have trouble forming a united front to advance an agenda. Meuthen, one of two leaders of the anti-immigrant, anti-Islam AfD, said diverging interests and clashing personalities would likely prevent a "patriotic alliance" forming in the European Parliament after the May polls. "I expect that conservative forces will be clearly strengthened in the elections and that social democratic forces... will be heavily weakened," Meuthen told AFP. He said the expected strong gains of the "patriotic parties" of the right would allow them to block certain measures advanced by the conservative European People's Party, which currently has a majority. To do that, however, would require far-right, right-wing populist and right-wing nationalist parties to "work together because they can't do anything as individual parties", said Meuthen, 57. The AfD, along with Italy's hard-right League party -- which is planning a meeting of like-minded group Monday -- and Austria's Freedom Party (FPOe), saw its support surge during the 2015-16 migrant influx. In Germany, the party has railed against Chancellor Angela Merkel for allowing in more than one million asylum seekers fleeing war and poverty. The AfD won its first seats in the German parliament in 2017 with nearly 13 percent of the vote, and is now represented in all 16 state legislatures. But "even if the AfD wins seats in the (European) Parliament, we can't do anything on our own. That's why we need to unite with the others who share our thinking," Meuthen said. The AfD, which is presenting its European election campaign programme Saturday, is currently polling at around 10 percent. In order to throw their weight around on the European stage, far-right parties have got to strike "compromises in the European Parliament and that's even more complicated because we have 28 different countries with different approaches", said Meuthen. Story continues The European Parliament still includes Britain as a member state and progress on the complicated Brexit withdrawal procedure will determine whether the country will still need to elect new deputies in May. Meuthen, an economist by training, stressed that common ground could prove elusive. Rightist parties "have the same or similar positions on migration policy but very different views in other areas," he said. - Brexit as cautionary tale - Economic policy is just one topic of serious divergence among the parties of the right, particularly between Marine Le Pen's National Rally (RN) in France and the AfD. "We are a party that believes in the market economy and aren't friends of protectionist measures, compared to National Rally," he said. On these issues, the AfD sees its allies among "northern Europeans such as the Danes, the Finns and the Irish who favour an open economy and not strong statism as is the tradition in France". But even within the AfD, the splits are sizeable. Some members of the European Parliament elected in 2014 joined different parliamentary groups once they claimed their seats, and some turned their backs on the party altogether. One thing that has focused the minds of the traditionally eurosceptic parties has been the unseemly spectacle of Brexit. While many of the nationalist outfits once advocated an at least long-term strategy of leaving the European Union, Britain's torturous path to the exit has served for many as a cautionary tale. Meuthen also speaks of a German departure from the European Union, which still enjoys relatively high approval ratings in the bloc's top economy, as only the "ultimate recourse". He said he even regrets Britain's more-or-less imminent goodbye, although he welcomed Brexit after the referendum approved it in June 2016. "We are sad that the Brits are leaving the EU" but we "have to respect their democratic choice," he said. "We shouldn't shut the door for good." Rather, Meuthen said, the EU must be changed from within. "We want to reform Europe and reduce its requirements to an exclusively economic minimum," he said, with an eye to the currently binding immigration policies of the bloc. Rightist parties must oppose "a common army, a common labour market or a common minimum wage," Meuthen said. Debbie Goldsborough slashed her husband 13 times with a bread knife while he slept A grandmother has been jailed after slashing her husband 13 times with an eight-inch bread knife while he slept. The man woke to find 53-year-old Debbie Goldsborough standing over him with the knife in her hand. A court heard that he tried to ring 999 after suffering 13 cuts to his neck, arms and body on September 22, 2018 but she took the phone off him. York Crown Court heard that when police rang back on the couples landline, Goldsborough told them nothing had happened but her husband was heard shouting help me please, help me before fleeing the house in his dressing gown. Goldsborough, from Malton, North Yorkshire, was jailed for 31 months at York Crown Court after admitting wounding. Goldsborough was jailed at York Crown Court (Picture: Anna Gowthorpe/PA Wire) She had initially claimed her husband had slashed himself but changed her plea on the day of her trial. The court heard that Goldsborough and her husband, who had been together for four years and married for one, had been on a six-hour pub crawl round Malton that night. The victim had suggested they go home but Goldsborough said she was staying out, and he had gone home where he fell asleep under the joint effect of alcohol and his medication. READ MORE April snow brings travel chaos in parts of UK (but itll warm up this weekend) In a statement following the attack, the victim told police: I cannot live with her, I would be frightened to go to sleep and I dont want her back in the house. He said Goldsboroughs behaviour had changed after she was diagnosed with breast cancer and she needed help. Neal Kutte, defending Goldsborough, said she was a law-abiding woman who had never been in trouble with the police before. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK VISALIA, Calif. A California woman is mourning the freak electrocution death of her 17-year-old grandson while trying to rescue a dog from a canal near Dixon. Jacob Hourmouzus and Jacob Schneider were seriously injured and later died Monday after grabbing an electrified bridge while in the waterway attempting to save the dog from the swiftly moving water. According to KXTV-TV in Sacramento, Joy Branco rushed to Dixon after learning about Hourmouzus, her grandson. The Solano County Sheriffs Office says the dog survived. Dixon High School Principal Stephanie Marquez said both boys were students of the school and that counseling services will be available for their classmates. The California Highway Patrol said first responders found the teenagers around 12:30 p.m. Monday in a nearby field after the boys' friends called 911. According to the Sacramento Bee, Hourmouzus, Schneider and at least two other friends were riding four-wheel vehicles near an orchard in Dixon when at some point their friend's dog fell into a canal operated by Solano Irrigation District. March 10: Baseball coach and wife die in electrocution at Florida high school's field Hourmouzus and Schneider jumped into the canal to try to save the dog. As they attempted to pull themselves out of the canal, they reached up to grab onto the electrified bridge, a Solano County Sheriffs Office statement said. A third boy jumped into the canal and knocked the boys off the bridge, the sheriffs office said. He then pulled Hourmouzus, Schneider and the dog out of the canal, and a girl called 911, according to the sheriffs statement. The boy who jumped in after the two was Schneider's cousin, Kelby Holland, CBS station KOVR-TV reports. "He (Schneider) was saving his dog," Holland told the station. "He loved his dog a lot." The sheriffs officials said Pacific Gas and Electric Co. crews later deactivated power to the energized bridge, making the site safe for investigators. Story continues The sheriffs office and the Solano County District Attorneys Office will investigate the incident and determine how and why the bridge was electrified. There are power lines over the bridge and the canal. KOVR-TV in Sacramento crews also saw exposed wires near the bridge, but according to the Solano Irrigation District, the bridge was not supposed to be electrified. According to KXTV-TV, a vigil was held Tuesday night at Hall Park in Dixon where dozens of family and friends, including Branco, gathered to light candles and meet with one another. Branco told KXTV-TV that she had a strong bond with her grandson. "Jacob put a tattoo on his chest last month or the month before," Branco said. "He had put my name 'Joy' on his heart and I said, 'Jake, why did you do that?' (and he said) '(Be)cause I love you, grandma.'" She said she has several grandchildren and great-grandchildren, but Jacob was always her baby. "Jake," Branco said. "You'll always be in my heart. Always." Candy Carrillo, Hourmouzus' mother, told the AP there should have been warning signs posted on the electrified bridge. He didnt drown, Carrillo said. He was electrocuted at 17 1/2 years old ... thats too soon for any young person to be taken off this earth. Contributing: The Associated Press. Follow James Ward on Twitter: @VTDChoices This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Two teens fatally electrocuted in freak accident trying to rescue dog from a canal SEATTLE (AP) Federal officials say they may restrict salmon fishing off the West Coast to help the Pacific Northwest's critically endangered killer whales, but two environmental groups are suing anyway to ensure it happens. The Center for Biological Diversity, which filed a lawsuit nearly two decades ago to force the U.S. government to list the orcas as endangered, and the Wild Fish Conservancy asked the U.S. District Court in Seattle on Wednesday to order officials to reconsider a 2009 finding that commercial and recreational fisheries did not jeopardize the orcas' survival. The National Marine Fisheries Service issued a letter early last month indicating that it intends to do so. Julie Teel Simmonds, an attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity, said the point of the lawsuit is to ensure they finish the job with urgency, given the plight of the whales, and to take short-term steps in the meantime to help provide more of the orcas' favored prey, Chinook salmon. "We have got to figure out how to get them more salmon," she said. "Since 2009 it's become much more crystallized just how critical prey availability is to their reproductive success and survival." The Endangered Species Act requires the government to certify that any actions it approves won't jeopardize the survival of a listed species. In the 2009 review, experts found that it wasn't clear how a lack of prey affected orcas, but that the fisheries were not likely to contribute to their extinction. Since then, however, the population of whales that spend their summers in the waters between Washington state and Canada known as the Southern Resident killer whales has fallen from 87 to 75. A calf born in December is the first to have lived past birth since 2015. And scientists have learned much more about how crucial it is for orcas to have enough of the large, fatty Chinook: As they starve, the whales start burning their blubber. Because toxins from water pollution are stored in the blubber, that can harm the whales' reproductive ability, scientists believe. Story continues The orcas typically spend about two-thirds of the year in the open ocean off California and Oregon. In December, the Center for Biological Diversity told the fisheries service it was intending to sue to force it to reconsider how salmon fishing off the coast affects the orcas. Last month, Barry Thom, the regional administrator for the fisheries service, said in a letter to the Pacific Fishery Management Council it would do just that. The council helps establish ocean-salmon harvests off the West Coast; it reported more than 300,000 Chinook caught last year. Thom urged the council to consider the effect of salmon fishing on orcas as it sets the 2019 fishing seasons, especially with regard to Chinook runs considered especially important to the orcas in the Lower Columbia, Sacramento and Klamath rivers. Michael Milstein, a spokesman for the fisheries service, said Wednesday the agency is reviewing the lawsuit. "Since the Southern Residents are endangered, the Endangered Species Act requires us to consider the impacts of fisheries on the whales, and we just recently underscored how we're doing that in a letter to the Pacific Fisheries Management Council," Milstein wrote in an email. "We are reviewing all the relevant fisheries in the same light." Teel Simmonds called the fisheries service response "a great sign," but that it wasn't a clear enough step to avert the lawsuit. She added that while habitat restoration and dam removal might do more in the long run to bring back the salmon, officials must also restrict fishing if that can help the whales now. The lawsuit is the third the Center for Biological Diversity has filed since last summer to force the government to do more for the orcas. The others seek protections on the orcas' full West Coast habitat and a "whale protection zone" in Puget Sound to shield the whales from boat noise. WASHINGTON Gun control politics has become a potential hurdle as Congress works to renew a 25-year-old law aimed at reducing domestic and sexual violence. The Democratic-controlled House voted 263-158 to renew the Violence Against Women Act Thursday. But a provision to prevent people convicted of abusing dating partners from buying or owning guns is likely to continue to be controversial as the Republican-controlled Senate has its say. The National Rifle Association opposes the legislation and warned lawmakers that support for the bill would count against them in the group's rating of lawmakers. "Do not let the NRA bully you," Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., urged her colleagues shortly before the vote Thursday. The vote was the second time since the law was first enacted in 1994 that its renewal has been complicated by partisan disputes. How it all started Originally included in a omnibus crime package in 1994, the Violence Against Women Act primarily uses federal grants to help victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking and try to reduce those crimes. It grew out of the aftermath of the 1992 elections, dubbed the Year of the Woman after a record number of women were elected to the House and Senate following the galvanizing testimony of Anita Hill against Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas in 1991. Former Vice President Joe Biden, who was the lead author of the legislation, said it was one of his top accomplishments from his lengthy Senate career. Biden, who was accused by four women of unwanted, inappropriate behavior, said in a video Wednesday that he will be more "mindful and respectful" of people's personal space. The allegations against Biden come amid #MeToo, a movement started nearly a decade ago that went viral in 2017 as women in Hollywood and across the country shared stories of sexual harassment and assault. The movement helped fuel the second Year of the Woman in the 2018 elections, which set a record for the number of women elected to Congress. Story continues In the first few months of the new Congress, female lawmakers spoke out about their personal experiences, including when the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act was being debated. I remember what it was like when you called the police and they didnt come because your father was an important man in town," Dingell said on the House floor Thursday. "We cannot go back to those days." Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., joined at left by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., speaks about plans to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act which provides funding and grants for a variety of programs that tackle domestic abuse, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, March 7, 2019. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) ORG XMIT: DCSA120 Why now? The latest version of the law expired in December. Both parties wanted to extend the law but disagreed on changes. The bill the Democratic-led House voted on Thursday would expand programs and broaden eligibility. Responding to the #MeToo movement, the bill would create grants for programs addressing sexual harassment and bullying. "We're making it stronger with the legislation today with lifesaving updates that reflect the voices of victims and survivors and the input of experts," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. It also includes a provision that has drawn the ire of the NRA. The bill would bar people convicted of stalking from being able to purchase firearms. Democrats said they need to close what they call the "boyfriend loophole" to prevent people convicted of abusing dating partners from buying or owning guns. The NRA argued that the change is too broad and would ensnare people for minor offenses such as a tweet. Tricky politics for some Republicans The NRA's opposition puts some Republicans in a tricky spot. They don't want to get a low rating from the advocacy group, which holds sway with GOP voters. But Republicans in swing districts risk being attacked by Democrats for not standing up for women if they oppose the legislation. When the law was last renewed in 2013, 87 House Republicans voted for it. Although previous versions of the law enjoyed wide bipartisan support, the two sides couldn't agree on the last round of changes, which were aimed at helping gay and lesbian victims, Native Americans and immigrants in the country illegally. This year, House Republicans wanted Democrats to pass an immediate, but shorter, extension of the law without changes. The Democratic bill on the floor today will collect dust in the Senate," said Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y. "Lets pass this clean extension today. After the House rejected that approach, 33 Republicans voted for the bill. Although the Republican-led Senate may not take up the Democrats' version, House Democrats want to approve the most comprehensive bill they can before negotiating with Senate Republicans on a final version. Extent of abuse One in three women have experienced some form of physical violence by an intimate partner, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey in 2010. One in three female murder victims were killed by intimate partners, according to a study in 2008. Men, too, can be victims of abuse. Nearly one-fifth of men reported unwanted sexual contact at some point in their lives, according to the CDC. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Democrats push to close 'boyfriend loophole' by adding gun provision to domestic violence bill WASHINGTON (AP) The White House said Thursday that Democratic efforts to obtain President Donald Trump's tax records are "political games." A House committee chairman formally asked the IRS Wednesday to provide six years of Trump's personal tax returns and the returns for some of his businesses as Democrats try to shed light on his complex financial dealings and potential conflicts of interest. The request by Massachusetts Rep. Richard Neal, who heads the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, is the first such demand for a sitting president's tax information in 45 years. The unprecedented move is likely to set off a huge legal battle between Democrats controlling the House and the Trump administration. Neal made the request Wednesday in a letter to IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig, asking for Trump's personal and business returns for 2013 through 2018. He asked for the documents in seven days, setting an April 10 deadline. Trump told reporters Wednesday he "would not be inclined" to provide his tax returns to the committee. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said Thursday morning that the White House "is not interested in playing a bunch of political games like the Democrats in Congress clearly want to spend their time doing." Asked again later Thursday for his response to Neal's demand, Trump didn't provide a direct answer. "They'll speak to my lawyers; they'll speak to the attorney general," Trump said at the White House, referring to Attorney General William Barr, whom he appointed. Justice Department spokeswoman Kerri Kupec declined to comment. An IRS spokesman said the agency had no comment on Neal's request. Democrats insist that obtaining Trump's tax filings falls within their mandate of congressional oversight. Republicans have denounced it as a political witch hunt and invoked privacy concerns. "We have completed the necessary groundwork for a request of this magnitude, and I am certain we are within our legitimate legislative, legal and oversight rights," Neal said in a statement Wednesday evening. Story continues Rep. Kevin Brady of Texas, the senior Republican on the Ways and Means panel, denounced the move as "an abuse of the tax-writing committees' statutory authority." "Weaponizing our nation's tax code by targeting political foes sets a dangerous precedent and weakens Americans' privacy rights," Brady wrote in a letter Wednesday to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who oversees the IRS. "As you know, by law all Americans have a fundamental right to the privacy of the personal information found in their tax returns." Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise, the No. 2 House GOP leader, said "a lot of Americans are shocked" that Congress can review tax returns, "whether it's a blue collar worker or president of the United States." The legal battle set to ensue could take years to resolve, possibly stretching beyond the 2020 presidential election. Trump broke with decades of tradition for presidential candidates by refusing to release his income tax filings during his 2016 campaign. He has said he won't release them because he is being audited, even though IRS officials have said taxpayers under audit are free to release their returns. Trump claimed at a news conference following the November election that the filings are too complex for people to understand. The IRS has a policy of auditing the tax returns of all sitting presidents and vice presidents, "yet little is known about the effectiveness of this program," Neal said in the statement. "On behalf of the American people, the Ways and Means Committee must determine if that policy is being followed, and if so, whether these audits are conducted fully and appropriately." Neal continued, "In order to fairly make that determination, we must obtain President Trump's tax returns and review whether the IRS is carrying out its responsibilities." Neal is one of only three congressional officials authorized to make a written request to the Treasury secretary for anyone's tax returns. The Internal Revenue Service is part of the Treasury Department. A rarely used 1924 law says the Treasury chief "shall furnish" the requested material to members of the Ways and Means Committee for them to examine behind closed doors. A spokesman for Mnuchin didn't respond to requests for comment. Mnuchin suggested in testimony to Congress last month that he would protect Trump's privacy if the House Democrats requested his tax returns. "We will examine the request and we will follow the law ... and we will protect the president as we would protect any taxpayer" regarding their right to privacy, Mnuchin said. ___ Associated Press writers Jill Colvin, Alan Fram, Mary Clare Jalonick, Darlene Superville and Eric Tucker contributed to this report. Investors in BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. BCRX need to pay close attention to the stock based on moves in the options market lately. That is because the Jun 21, 2019 $7.00 Put had some of the highest implied volatility of all equity options today. What is Implied Volatility? Implied volatility shows how much movement the market is expecting in the future. Options with high levels of implied volatility suggest that investors in the underlying stocks are expecting a big move in one direction or the other. It could also mean there is an event coming up soon that may cause a big rally or a huge sell-off. However, implied volatility is only one piece of the puzzle when putting together an options trading strategy. What do the Analysts Think? Clearly, options traders are pricing in a big move for BioCryst Pharmaceuticals shares, but what is the fundamental picture for the company? Currently, BioCryst Pharmaceuticals is a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) in the Medical Drugs industry that ranks in the Top 27% of our Zacks Industry Rank. Over the last 60 days, one analyst has increased the earnings estimate for the current quarter, while none have dropped their estimates. The net effect has taken our Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current quarter from a loss of 30 cents per share to a loss of 28 cents in that period. Given the way analysts feel about BioCryst Pharmaceuticals right now, this huge implied volatility could mean theres a trade developing. Oftentimes, options traders look for options with high levels of implied volatility to sell premium. This is a strategy many seasoned traders use because it captures decay. At expiration, the hope for these traders is that the underlying stock does not move as much as originally expected. Looking to Trade Options? Each week, our very own Dave Bartosiak gives his top options trades. Check out his recent live analysis and options trade for the NFLX earnings report completely free. See it here: Trading Netflix's (NFLX) Earnings with Options or check out the embedded video below for more details: 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 BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (BCRX) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Geneva (AFP) - A leading Nicaraguan human rights defender said Thursday that it was impossible to negotiate with President Daniel Ortega, after a deadline passed in talks to resolve the country's deadly political crisis. Months-long talks between Ortega's government and the opposition had set Wednesday as a deadline to make headway on several key issues. That passed without progress being made, but the talks could still continue. Speaking at the United Nations in Geneva, the head of the Nicaraguan Center for Human Rights Vilma Nunez (CENIDH), said she had "no confidence" in Ortega to agree to any kind of deal. "It is not possible to negotiate with him," she told reporters, characterising some of his positions as "a joke." The opposition has blamed the government's lack of political will for the stalemate. Ortega has cited the "extremist" positions of his opponents. One of the main stumbling blocks is the fate of people who participated in violent anti-government protests, many of whom are under arrest. Nunez, whose organisation has been blacklisted by the government, said one of the thorniest issues was agreeing on the number of people detained. The opposition counts the number at above 800, while the government has countered with 290, according to Nunez. As part of an effort to break the impasse, Nunez said the International Committee of the Red Cross was generating its own list of detainees, which it planned to submit to the government. The ICRC did not immediately respond when asked to confirm those details. Ortega agreed last month to release all opposition prisoners within a 90-day period, but the opposition has said that detentions have continued. Nunez was in Geneva to address an event at the UN on rights abuses in Nicaragua, which was being sponsored by the United States, a staunch opponent of the Ortega government. A year of political upheaval has left hundreds dead in the Central American country. India's Supreme Court has, once again, delayed the case of the central bank vs the domestic cryptocurrency industry. | Source: Shutterstock By CCN.com: The courtroom battle between the Indian cryptocurrency exchanges and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has reached its ninth month but remains far from conclusion. On March 29, the Supreme Court of India moved the hearing to a new date in July. It was the sixth time in a row when the apex court had adjourned the so-called Crypto vs. RBI case. The move breathed further extension into the ongoing RBIs ban, leaving the cryptocurrency exchanges and investors without a banking service 12-months in a row. But new information reveals that July could see a full-fledged legal proceeding. The outcome could be RBI lifting its banking ban on Indian crypto services altogether. RBI Counsel Sought Regular Day Hearing Effectively, the Supreme Court of India admits cases based on two separate types of days: miscellaneous and regular. Miscellaneous Days are Monday and Friday, on which the apex court admits new/admission stage matters. On the other hand, Regular Days are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, on which the court acknowledges cases whose final arguments have been submitted to the bench. Update in #CryptoVsRBI! Supreme Court has adjourned the #CryptoVsRBI matter on the request of Government's Counsel. Matter fixed for final arguments in 2nd week of July on a non-miscellaneous (Regular) day. Crypto Kanoon (@cryptokanoon) March 29, 2019 March 29 was a Friday, a Miscellaneous Day, which generally sees unedifying spectacle of overpopulation in the court corridors. It leads to a case congestion scenario, in which the court delays hearings for as much as 1 hour 30 minutes. At the same time, each court discussion lasts for a maximum of two-three minutes, leaving very little time for plaintiffs and respondents to develop a solid argument. Naturally, March 29 was not an ideal day to listen about a complex cryptocurrency regulatory framework. The RBI counsel, headed by advocate Shyam Divan, suggested extending the hearing to a Regular Day for an extended discussion. The court granted his recommendation and moved the date to July 23, a Tuesday, this year. Read the full story on CCN.com. A pilot program involving five Indiana schools and a local non-profit seeks to provide to-go meals for students in need by making use of excess cafeteria food. The partnership between Elkhart Community Schools and the northern Indiana non-profit Cultivate Culinary School & Catering began in March and is the starting point for a program that organizers hope to expand widely in the community, Randy Ziolkowski Cultivate's co-founder and general manger told USA TODAY on Wednesday. Cultivate picks up excess cafeteria food items that have been prepared but not served from five Elkhart schools three times a week, said Ziolkowski, who goes by Randy Z. That food is taken back to Cultivate's facility and transformed into nutritionally balanced frozen to-go meals. Currently, 20 students at one Elkhart school are receiving eight Cultivate meals weekly, Ziolkowski said. Those meals are delivered on a Friday in an insulated backpack and are intended to ensure students have food to eat over the weekend. The students who receive the meals are assured a variety of food because their to-go meals are sourced from multiple locations, not just the school cafeteria donations, Ziolkowski said. And those 20 students are just the beginning of the program, he hopes. 'You're done, you can't come here': Student banned from school for vaping. Then he was blacklisted by other Arizona schools WATCH: Boy in wheelchair shows off trampoline moves at charity event Cultivate has provided meals to students before, but Ziolkowski is excited about the partnership with Elkhart Schools. The nonprofit works with multiple donors to repackage food that would have otherwise gone to waste, but finding enough food donations to meet the demand in the community is a challenge, he said. More than half of Elkhart Community Schools' 12,000 students qualify for free and reduced-price lunches, CNN reports citing Natalie Bickel, Elkhart's supervisor of student services. She hopes to expand the partnership with Cultivate to all of the district's 21 schools. Story continues Combating waste in school cafeterias is an issue that has been highlighted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In addition to donating excess food to charitable organizations, the USDA says schools have used strategies such as composting to help reduce waste. The program was met with cheers when it was announced to cafeteria staff, Ziolkowski said. The nonprofit, which has spent two years working to rescue excess food for charitable purposes, has been receiving media attention from across the country for the the new pilot program. Contributing: The Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: This Indiana pilot program is feeding needy students with food that once would have gone to waste Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. INO announced that its novel therapy, INO-3106, demonstrated the clinical efficacy in a pilot study. The evaluation was conducted on a couple of patients with recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP), a human papilloma virus (HPV)-associated disease. RRP is a rare HPV-associated disease, indicated by persistent noncancerous tumor growth in the airways, primarily caused by two strains of HPV, HPV 6 and 11. To date, the surgery usually conducted multiple times a year, was the only option available for patients with this incurable respiratory disease. Tumor recurrence is a common phenomenon and the operation was not considered a long-term solution for the given patient population as it only temporarily restored the airway. The two patients with RRP needed surgery approximately every six months to clear tumor growths. However, data from the pivotal study showed that treatment with a dose of INO-3106 helped the two patients stay surgery-free due to lack of tumor recurrence. One patient was surgery-free for more than two years while the other did not require a surgical procedure for over a year. The results were presented at the annual meeting of American Association for Cancer Research. Shares of Inovio were up 4.3% following this news on Wednesday. However, the stock has lost 3.5% so far this year against the industrys rally of 13.8%. Following encouraging results from the study on this novel HPV therapy, Inovio can now provide an effective treatment to patients with RRP and rapidly advance INO-3106 as a non-surgical cure for this rare orphan disease. The company also plans to further develop INO-3106 as a novel non-invasive immunotherapy for treating RRP in both adult and pediatric subjects. Notably, Inovio has several promising candidates in its pipeline under early-to-mid-stage development. The company has collaborations with big pharma companies like Roche RHHBY, Regeneron REGN and AstraZeneca AZN, which helps it capitalize on their expertise for further growth. Story continues Earlier this week, Inovio completed enrolling patients in the phase I/II study on its immuno-oncology combo of INO-5401 plus INO-9012 in combination with Regeneron/Sanofis PD-1 inhibitor, Libtayo (cemiplimab), for treating the newly-diagnosed patients with glioblastoma (GBM). The company closed the patient enrollment three months ahead of its scheduled time. Zacks Rank Inovio currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. 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. See their latest picks 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 AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) : Free Stock Analysis Report Roche Holding AG (RHHBY) : Free Stock Analysis Report Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (REGN) : Free Stock Analysis Report Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (INO) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. JERUSALEM (AP) The Israeli army on Wednesday said it had recovered the body of a soldier who went missing in a bloody 1982 battle with Syrian forces in southern Lebanon, closing a famous case that has plagued Israel for nearly four decades. Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, an Israeli military spokesman, told reporters that the remains of Zachary Baumel had been returned to Israel and identified after years of "significant intelligence operations." Conricus declined to elaborate on how the return was arranged or where the remains were found, saying only that "an opportunity arose to locate the body" through an unnamed country. Baumel, a U.S. citizen from New York, went missing in action along with five other Israeli soldiers near the Lebanese village of Sultan Yacoub. Several years later, two of the missing soldiers were returned alive to Israel in prisoner exchanges with Syria, but the fate of the other three had remained unknown. In a nationally televised speech, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Baumel's remains, along with his clothing and tzitzit, the knotted ritual fringes worn by observant Jews, had been returned to his family in Jerusalem. Netanyahu said that Baumel was "full of Zionist zeal" that led him to Israel and to the battle where he disappeared. He recalled the pain of his late father, who "traveled the world to track down any peace of information about his missing son." Osnat Haberman, Baumel's sister, told Netanyahu: "I told my mother years ago that it was not enough to want and to search. There needs to be someone with the winning card and now you have brought it." Cases of missing soldiers have a powerful emotional and political resonance in Israel, where military service is compulsory for most Jewish men. In his remarks, Netanyahu lauded the repatriation of Baumel's remains as an "expression of mutual responsibility and feeling of unity" that epitomizes Israel. He described the homecoming as a "moral obligation" to fallen soldiers and their families. Story continues Anwar Raja, a Syria-based official with the Palestinian militant group PFLP-GC, said that insurgents excavated graves in the capital of Damascus last year in search of the remains of the three missing Israeli soldiers. He said that their remains had been transferred to Syria after the 1982 battle. Lebanese politician Walid Joumblatt, a harsh critic of the Syrian government, hinted in a tweet Wednesday that Syrian authorities were responsible for the return of the Israeli soldier. "Handing over the remains of the Israeli soldier through unknown mediators is a free and valuable gift to Netanyahu in his elections," Joumblatt tweeted. Israel holds its general election next week, largely seen as a referendum on Netanyahu's rule. Joumblatt poked fun at the Syrian government, adding sarcastically: "Greetings to the Syrian regime that is spearheading Arab, regional and international rejectionism." The disastrous battle, which occurred soon after the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, resulted in the deaths of 20 Israeli soldiers. The military confirmed it was still working to secure the return of the other two missing soldiers. ___ Associated Press writers Sarah El Deeb and Bassem Mroue in Beirut, Lebanon contributed to this report. Paris (AFP) - Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said Thursday that he had told Germany to deal with a ship run by a German charity carrying dozens of migrants picked up in the Mediterranean, while denouncing the work of NGOs in the region. "The ship is German property, with a German flag and a German crew... It's their problem, they must deal with it," Salvini said on the sidelines of a meeting of G7 interior ministers in Paris. He said he had personally written to the captain of the Alan Kurdi, operated by the Sea-Eye charity, warning him the ship would "not enter Italian territorial waters." The ship on Wednesday rescued 64 people, including women and children, from an inflatable raft after efforts to contact the Libyan coastguard failed. It is headed for the Italian island of Lampedusa. Salvini, a leader of the far-right League party, reiterated last month that he would close his country's ports to migrant rescue NGOs operating in the Mediterranean, in a bid to force Europe to take its share of asylum-seekers. He said Thursday that his stance had been backed by his fellow G7 interior ministers. "To my great satisfaction, I'm not the only one who has doubts about the NGOs in the Mediterranean," he said. "Ask my French, German and British colleagues." "Everyone at the table noted it: the NGOs are a problem and they help human traffickers," he said. But French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner indicated "disagreements, in particular on the docking of rescue boats in the closest port." He added, however, that he had "reaffirmed to the Italian minister France's solidarity with regards to welcoming refugees who might be on these boats." Europe has been wrestling with divisions over how to handle the problem since the migration crisis of 2015 when more than one million people arrived on its shores, many of them fleeing conflict in the Middle East. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. A lawyer who spat at a flight attendant during a racist foul-mouthed tirade after she was refused alcohol on a nine-hour business class flight has been jailed for six months. Judge Nicholas Wood, sentencing at Isleworth Crown Court, told Simone Burns: The experience of a drunk and irrational person in the confines of an aircraft is frightening, not least on a long-haul flight and poses a potential risk to safety. The judge noted that such offences are often committed by people of impeccable character. Although the aircraft was not at risk by Burnss behaviour, the judge said for the luckless and unfortunate passengers and crew there is no escape at 30,000ft. Simone Burns pictured outside court today (left) and during her abusive tirade. (PA/SWNS) He added that spitting straight into a crew members face at close range is a particularly insulting and upsetting act. Burns, of First Avenue, Hove, sat quietly in the dock as she was sentenced to six months for being drunk on an aircraft and two months for assault. The sentences are to be served concurrently after she previously pleaded guilty to the charges. Simone Burns outside Isleworth Crown Court, where she was sentenced on Thursday. (PA) Simone Burns was sentenced to six months for being drunk on an aircraft and two months for assault. (SWNS) Burns, 50, who is known as Simone OBroin, was initially served three bottles of red wine but declared Im a f****** international lawyer when she was denied more on an Air India flight from Mumbai to London on November 11 2018. She also called staff Indian money-grabbing c**** and smoked a cigarette in the toilets during the tirade which was condemned by a member of the cabin staff as unlike anything he had seen during his 30-year aviation career. The lawyer, who is Irish and has worked with refugees around the world, unleashed a barrage of abuse in a prolonged rant which also saw her spit and grab the arm of the steward, the court heard. The Jamaica Stock Exchange will carry out a live-trading pilot of bitcoin and ethereum. | Source: Shutterstock By CCN.com: In a further sign of the blurring of the lines between crypto and mainstream assets, it will soon be possible to trade bitcoin on the Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE). The exchange which was founded five decades ago has inked an agreement with Canadian fintech firm Blockchain that will enable live trading of digital assets and security tokens in a regulated and secured environment, according to a statement. Under the agreement, Blockstation will offer the end-to-end crypto trading platform for JSEs network. This followed a test-run in which the broker-dealer members of the JSE participated. JSEs subsidiary, the Jamaica Central Securities Depository, also took part in the pilot phase. According to the JSEs managing director, Marlene Street Forrest, the development will allow the stock exchange to diversify its product offerings. Additionally, it will allow the JSE to attract new listings and inbound investments. Europes Stock Exchanges Dont Want to Miss out on Bitcoin Growth As crypto adoption grows, stock exchanges across the globe have seized the opportunities presented by the new asset class. Germanys second-largest stock exchange, Boerse Stuttgart, is for instance expected to launch a cryptocurrency exchange in the second quarter. Borse Stuttgart is collaborating with German fintech firm solarisBank in this endeavor. Germanys Second Largest Stock Exchange is Launching a Zero-Fee Crypto Exchange https://t.co/SPUdeZYAqY CCN.com (@CCNMarkets) December 13, 2018 The German stock exchange however already offers a crypto trading app known as BISON. The app is modeled after Robinhood in that it eliminates most fees and charges that other exchanges charge. BISON makes money from the spread. Additionally, users dont need a bitcoin wallet to trade crypto; just a German bank account. Read the full story on CCN.com. A jeweller has slammed magistrates who let a thief walk free from court after he caught the criminal stealing gems from his shop twice (Picture: SWNS) A jeweller has slammed magistrates who let a thief walk free from court despite him TWICE stealing gems from his store. Richard Jones, 31, smashed the display window of the jewellers to snatch valuables in the early hours of the morning, returning a few hours later for more. CCTV footage shows the dad-of-three breaking into Mantons Jewellers in Stourport-on-Severn, Worcestershire, at 1.26am and again at 4.29am on January 8. Jones smashed a window and stole jewellery returning a few hours later for more (Picture: SWNS) Jones, of Hinton, Worcester, was caught after leaving blood at the scene when he cut his hand. Police raided his home and found 4,000 worth of gold and jewellery but a court heard goods worth around 10,000 were stolen. But despite admitting theft at Worcester Magistrates Court, Jones was spared jail instead receiving a suspended prison sentence and 180 hours of unpaid work. READ MORE Countries launch worlds first 5G mobile networks (and its coming to the UK) The sentence was branded a joke but Russell Hinton, owner of the jewellers, who said damage to the shop window had cost him 1,000. Blasting the decision not to force Jones to pay him compensation, he said: The sentence is a joke. I feel sorry for the police. They do all this work. It goes to court and the magistrates and judges just let them go. Jones had apparently reach rock bottom after losing his job and his relationship breaking down (Picture: SWNS) He added: Hes pretty much got away with it and Ive had no compensation. What can I do though? He said his insurance premiums would rise and he was unable to get the window repaired for few months. Michael Aspinall, defending, said Jones had reached rock bottom after he lost his job and his relationship of 22 years had broken down. He said: This was a vainglorious attempt by someone who was in drink. I accept thats not a mitigating factor and he was easily identified from CCTV. It doesnt show someone who is particularly artful. He was on the verge of being evicted and was drinking heavily. Reaching rock bottom he did what can only be described as a ridiculous burglary to try and get some money to save his home. Thursday, April 4, 2019 Just when everyone was sure peak employment was beginning to wane 20K new jobs in February according to BLS, jobless claims bouncing out of the long-term historically low range this morning we get an Initial Jobless Claims report ahead of the bell that sends us back down to near-half-century lows. Initial claims of 202K last week was well below the 216K analysts were expecting. The new jobless claims data was also -10K week over week. Suddenly were right where we were late last summer: the lowest levels of new claims since the Beatles were still together. The 4-week moving average on new claims fell by 4000 to 213,500. Continuing Claims dropped by 38K on the week, down to 1.72 million. This is not quite as low as the 1.6 million reads we were getting last year, but still consistent with an historically robust long-term labor market. The 4-week moving average tumbled 8000 to 1.74 million. Between jobless claims data and yesterdays private-sector payroll report from ADP ADP, the pump is primed for tomorrows employment survey from the federal government. Currently, estimates are for roughly 170K new jobs to have hit the market in the month of March. Perhaps the months of 300K new jobs are a thing of the past, but thats what we thought about weekly jobless claims threatening to break through 200K. Well know for sure tomorrow. Tesla Disappoints on Q1 Deliveries Shares of electric car leader Tesla TSLA fell 9% in todays pre-market on an announcement that Q1 deliveries came in well short of expectations. Tesla brought 63K vehicles in the quarter, well short of the 76K expected. The company cited a massive backlog in Europe and China regions. Deliveries were down 31% quarter over quarter. Production of vehicles surpassed deliveries by 22%, according to the company. Tesla has not altered its full-year guidance for 360K-400K vehicle deliveries. In the more distant past, CEO Elon Musk had predicted half a million deliveries for 2019. To make matters worse for Musk, he appears in Manhattan federal court today, where he is being accused of violating a fraud settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). He will argue why he should not be held in contempt of court after tweeting out information about his company after the October 2018 settlement. Mark Vickery Senior Editor Questions or comments about this article and/or its author? Click here>> Story continues 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. See their latest picks 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 Tesla, Inc. (TSLA) : Free Stock Analysis Report Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (ADP) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research 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 Senator John Kennedy (R., La.) on Wednesday said the invasive behavior ascribed to former vice president Joe Biden by two women was creepy, and suggested that the country would no longer tolerate politicians who are seen to abuse their power. This is no country for creepy old men. And it needs to stop. Do I consider it inappropriate to smell someones hair? To get so close that I smell their hair? Yes! I mean duh! Somebody gets close enough to smell my hair they might get to smell my hair but they might lose some teeth, Kennedy told reporters on Capitol Hill. Its inappropriate! But other than that I dont know what to say. This is no county for creepy old men. And leaning in and smelling a guys hair or a womans hair is a little bit too close. Two women have now accused Biden of invading their personal space in a way that made them uncomfortable during his time as vice president. Lucy Flores, a former Nevada state assemblywoman, claimed in a New York Magazine piece published Friday that Biden approached her from behind and inhaled her hair before kissing the back of her neck during a campaign event in 2014. Amy Lappos, a former congressional aide, told the Hartford Courant that Biden pulled her face toward his and rubbed his nose against hers during a fundraiser in 2009. In a series of statements released last week, Biden vowed to listen his accusers but maintained that he had never intended to make anyone uncomfortable. Then, in a statement released on Monday, Biden spokesman Bill Russo accused journalists and right-wing trolls of taking innocent photos out of context to discredit Biden ahead of a possible 2020 Democratic presidential bid. These smears and forgeries have existed in the dark recesses of the Internet for a while. And to this day, right wing trolls and others continue to exploit them for their own gain, Russo said. More from National Review JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon told investors Thursday that the GOP tax cuts increased his banks profits by $3.7 billion last year. In his annual letter to shareholders, Dimon said that JPMorgan Chase generated record revenue and net income in 2018 and would have done so even without tax reform. The tax overhaul also contributed to profits the prior year. (See the chart below, with net income in blue.) The new tax code establishes a business tax rate that will make the United States competitive around the world and frees US companies to bring back profits earned overseas, Dimon said. The cumulative effect of capital retained and reinvested over many years in the United States will help cultivate strong businesses and ultimately create jobs and increase wages. Dimon said that the bank used some of its windfall to massively increase our investments in technology, new branches and bankers, salaries (we now pay a minimum of $31,000 a year for full time entry-level jobs in the United States), philanthropy and lending (specifically in lower income neighborhoods). In the long run, however, he expected that some or eventually most of that increase will be erased as companies compete for customers on products, capabilities and prices. On a darker note, Dimon warned that while he sees capitalism as "the most successful economic system the world has ever seen," the American Dream is fraying for many citizens. He called for a Marshall Plan for America to address persistent policy failures in the U.S. on issues including education, health care, infrastructure and immigration, and argued that CEOs and businesses need to play a role in fixing the countrys problems. Critics of the GOP tax cuts were quick to argue that the banks windfall was more of a problem than a triumph. Michael Lind of the progressive Hub Project tweeted, Donald Trump, champion of working people, gave a tax cut worth $3.7 billion to one of the largest Wall Street banks in the country. And in response to Dimons discussion of the economic struggles many Americans are experiencing, Sen. Elizabeth Warren wrote, Great point, Jamie! How about we start with you giving back the $3.7 billion J.P. Morgan made this year off the #GOPTaxScam that you lobbied for? Like what you're reading? Sign up for our free newsletter. Want to participate in a research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and earn a $60 gift card! Increase in profitability and industry-beating performance can be essential considerations in a stock for some investors. In this article, I will take a look at Kunming Dianchi Water Treatment Co., Ltd.'s (HKG:3768) track record on a high level, to give you some insight into how the company has been performing against its historical trend and its industry peers. Check out our latest analysis for Kunming Dianchi Water Treatment Could 3768 beat the long-term trend and outperform its industry? 3768's trailing twelve-month earnings (from 31 December 2018) of CN349m has jumped 11% compared to the previous year. Furthermore, this one-year growth rate has exceeded its 5-year annual growth average of 8.6%, indicating the rate at which 3768 is growing has accelerated. How has it been able to do this? Well, lets take a look at whether it is solely a result of an industry uplift, or if Kunming Dianchi Water Treatment has experienced some company-specific growth. SEHK:3768 Income Statement, April 4th 2019 In terms of returns from investment, Kunming Dianchi Water Treatment has fallen short of achieving a 20% return on equity (ROE), recording 9.0% instead. However, its return on assets (ROA) of 5.5% exceeds the HK Water Utilities industry of 4.4%, indicating Kunming Dianchi Water Treatment has used its assets more efficiently. Though, its return on capital (ROC), which also accounts for Kunming Dianchi Water Treatments debt level, has declined over the past 3 years from 8.9% to 7.8%. This correlates with an increase in debt holding, with debt-to-equity ratio rising from 42% to 71% over the past 5 years. What does this mean? While past data is useful, it doesnt tell the whole story. Positive growth and profitability are what investors like to see in a companys track record, but how do we properly assess sustainability? I suggest you continue to research Kunming Dianchi Water Treatment to get a more holistic view of the stock by looking at: Story continues Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for 3768s future growth? Take a look at our free research report of analyst consensus for 3768s outlook. Financial Health: Are 3768s operations financially sustainable? Balance sheets can be hard to analyze, which is why weve done it for you. Check out our financial health checks here. Other High-Performing Stocks: Are there other stocks that provide better prospects with proven track records? Explore our free list of these great stocks here. NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the trailing twelve months from 31 December 2018. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan) (AFP) - Kyrgyzstan's parliament on Thursday passed a law that will make it easier to prosecute former presidents as a rivalry between the country's former and present leaders threatens a new political crisis. The impoverished Central Asian country of six million, which hosts a Russian military base, saw consecutive presidents overthrown in 2005 and 2010, with a wave of deadly ethnic violence following the second uprising. Under the amendments to the law on "guarantees of the activities of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic", a president can be jailed for crimes committed while in office after he or she steps down. The law, which was opposed by only three lawmakers, is seen as a move to pile pressure on the country's former president Almazbek Atambayev who has been openly critical of incumbent and former ally Sooronbai Jeenbekov. The relationship between Atambayev and Jeenbekov collapsed just months after Jeenbekov's inauguration in 2017. The standoff between the pair has prompted fears over stability in a country that is surrounded by authoritarian neighbours and remains a corridor for drugs trafficked from Afghanistan. Atambayev, the first elected Kyrgyz leader to see out a full term in office, was unable to run in the race because of a constitutional clause that limits presidents to a single six-year term. He has pledged to lead his Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan -- the country's largest political party -- to parliamentary elections set for 2020. Jeenbekov's brother Asylbek Jeenbekov, an influential lawmaker, quit the Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan on Wednesday, complaining of Atambayev's "dictatorship" over the party. Atambayev's spokeswoman declared SDPK an opposition force last month despite the fact the party is represented in the ruling coalition, while the bulk of SDPK lawmakers remain loyal to the president. ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) The Latest on the reactions to the preliminary report issued by the Ethiopian government on the March 10 crash of the Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 jet shortly after takeoff which killed all 157 people on board. (all times local): ___ 11:45 p.m. Boeing's stock rose Thursday despite the release of a preliminary report that highlighted the role of an automated anti-stall system on its best-selling plane in two deadly crashes. The shares gained 70 cents, or 1.3 percent, to close at $53.51. Key findings of the Ethiopian report had already leaked, so investors may have been prepared for more bad news around Boeing's 737 Max jet. They might also have been encouraged when Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg tweeted late Wednesday about being on a test flight during which a software upgrade to the anti-stall and flight-control system on the plane was tested successfully. That system is believed to have played a key role in a crash off the coast of Indonesia in October and another March 10 in Ethiopia. CFRA Research analyst Jim Corridore said the software test flight made it more likely that Boeing could get the grounded Max planes back in the air relatively soon, within several weeks. "We expect extreme regulatory scrutiny around the safety of the 737-MAX fleet, but do expect these planes to resume flying eventually," the analyst said in a note to clients. ___ 10 p.m. The two pilots of the Ethiopian Airlines plane that crashed last month had just 159 hours of flying time on the Boeing 737 Max between them. The captain, Yared Getachew, was just 29 but had accumulated more than 8,000 hours of flying since completing work at the airline's flight academy in 2010, according to a preliminary accident report released Thursday by the Ethiopian government. Getachew was licensed by the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority to fly the 737 and several larger Boeing jets, the 767, 777 and 787. In 2017, he was permitted to command flights on 737s, and that was expanded in 2018 to include the Max, Boeing's newest version of its workhorse single-aisle jetliner. Story continues The captain flew more than 1,400 hours on 737s, but just 103 hours on the Max, of which Ethiopian Airlines had just five, including the one that crashed on March 10. The co-pilot, Ahmed Nur Mohammod Nur, was only 25 and was licensed to fly the 737, including the Max, on Dec. 12 of last year. He logged just 361 flight hours not enough to be hired as a pilot at a U.S. airline. He flew 207 of those hours on 737s, including 56 hours on Max jets. A preliminary report released Thursday by the Ethiopian government found that the two pilots followed Boeing's recommended procedures when their plane started to nose dive but could not avoid crashing. ___ 9:15 p.m. Boeing is reiterating its sympathies to the families of victims who died in a March 10 crash of an Ethiopian Airlines jet and emphasizing that it is making fixes to an anti-stall system that is suspected of also playing a role in a second crash. The system, known by its acronym MCAS and designed specifically for the 737 Max, can automatically lower the plane's nose to prevent an aerodynamic stall in certain circumstances. Investigators are looking into whether MCAS contributed to the Ethiopian Airlines crash as well as a Lion Air jet crash off of Indonesia in October. "To ensure unintended MCAS activation will not occur again, Boeing has developed and is planning to release a software update to MCAS and an associated comprehensive pilot training and supplementary education program for the 737 MAX," the company said in its statement. Boeing said the software update "adds additional layers of protection and will prevent erroneous data from causing MCAS activation. Flight crews will always have the ability to override MCAS and manually control the airplane." The company says it cannot comment on a preliminary report released by the Ethiopian government Thursday pending an investigation. The Max has been grounded worldwide until Boeing completes the software update, which still needs to be approved by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and other regulators. ___ 8:03 p.m. A doomed Ethiopian Airlines jet suffered from faulty readings by a key sensor, and pilots followed Boeing's recommended procedures when the plane started to nose dive but could not avoid crashing, according to a preliminary report released Thursday by the Ethiopian government. The findings including the faulty sensor data drew the strongest link yet between the March 10 crash in Ethiopia and an October crash off the coast of Indonesia, which both involved Boeing 737 Max 8 jetliners. All 346 people on the two planes were killed. Both planes had an automated system that pushed the nose down when sensors readings detected the danger of an aerodynamic stall, but it now appears that sensors malfunctioned on both planes. In a statement, Boeing repeats that it is working on a software update to prevent the automated system from activating when it should not. ___ 7:50 p.m. The family of a 24-year-old American passenger on the Ethiopian jet has sued Boeing in Chicago. The complaint, which also names Ethiopian Airlines and parts maker Rosemount Aerospace as defendants, is alleging negligence and civil conspiracy among other charges. The American who was killed in the March 10 crash in Ethiopia, Samya Stumo, is the great niece of consumer advocate and former presidential candidate Ralph Nader. "Blinded by its greed, Boeing haphazardly rushed the 737 MAX8 to market" and "actively concealed the nature of the automated system defects," the lawsuit alleges, demonstrating a "conscious disregard for the lives of others." "You've let us down. You've killed people when you've let us down," said Adnaan Stumo, the victim's brother, addressing Boeing during a press conference in Chicago. Boeing is facing several other suits, including seven filed in Chicago earlier by one law firm alone claiming the flight-control system was defective and that Boeing failed to warn airlines about it or fully train pilots. The Max 8 has been under scrutiny since a Lion Air flight crashed off the coast of Indonesia under similar circumstances in October. ___ 7:45 p.m. A sister of one of the crash victims of the Ethiopian Airlines flight said her whole family is grieving the death of her brother again amid the release of a preliminary report Thursday that said pilots followed Boeing's recommended procedures when the plane started to nose dive but could not avoid crashing. Konjit Shafi, who lost her younger brother Sintayehu Shafi in the crash, told The Associated Press that her family is unsettled by the news reports that are coming out all day. "Today's preliminary report suggests Boeing could have done better in notifying the problem with the aircraft system early on," she said, surrounded by her family members in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa. "This is causing us a great deal of pain. It is so sad to learn that our loved ones would have been spared if this problem was detected on time." Konjit said her family has not yet decided to hire a legal team and is waiting for the full report to come out. "We will do what we got to do when it's the right time for us," she stated. "But we want justice . not a delayed justice but a quick one. I heard the full report may take one year. But that's too long." The late Sintayehu, a senior mechanic with a Toyota dealership in Ethiopia, was travelling to Kenya to attend a training workshop. "My late brother was the one who used to drive me back home every day after work," she said tearfully. "Now I have to walk all the way from the main road to my home. And that's become a long walk." ___ 11:30 a.m. The pilots of a doomed Ethiopian Airlines jet followed all of Boeing's recommended procedures when the plane started to nose dive but still couldn't save it, according to findings from a preliminary report released Thursday by the Ethiopian government. The plane crashed just six minutes after taking off from Addis Ababa, killing all 157 people on board. The report, based on flight data and cockpit voice recorders on the Boeing 737 Max 8, was not released in full. Boeing declined to comment pending its review of the report on the March 10 crash. The Max 8 has been under scrutiny since a Lion Air flight crashed off the coast of Indonesia under similar circumstances in October. Thursday's revelations raise questions about repeated assertions by Boeing and U.S. regulators that pilots could regain control in some emergencies by following steps that include turning off an anti-stall system designed specifically for the Max, known by its acronym, MCAS. Thanks to a report from South Korean media on Tuesday, we learned that Samsung is planning to do something with its 2019 Galaxy Note lineup that it has never done before. According to sources in Samsungs supply chain, the company intends to release not one Galaxy Note 10 flagship phone, but two. Weve obviously grown accustomed to seeing Samsung launch multiple versions of its flagship phones, but so far only the Galaxy S series has offered variety. First Samsung would release different versions of its Galaxy S phones with flat and rounded displays. Then once Apple started releasing a normal iPhone and a Plus size iPhone, Samsung coincidentally decided to do the same. Oh, and then once Apple switched things up again in 2018 and added a third lower-cost model to its iPhone lineup, Samsung coincidentally decided to do the same thing yet again in 2019. When it comes to the companys Galaxy Note phones, however, there has always been one and only one new S-Pen equipped flagship phone released each summer. This year, Samsung reportedly plans to introduce a second new Galaxy Note 10 alongside the main model, and now a new report offers further details about this mysterious second Note 10 phone. Related stories Samsung is making 5G modems too, but probably not for the iPhone New leak offers more details on Samsung's mysterious second Galaxy Note 10 model The Galaxy S10 5G is coming soon, but a cheaper 5G phone is also on the way Why is this supposed second Galaxy Note 10 model so mysterious? The idea of Samsung offering a smaller and more affordable Galaxy Note phone alongside its main flagship model is hardly outside the realm of possibility. After all, the company just did the same thing with the Galaxy S10e. Whats so odd about the report we saw on Tuesday, however, is the fact that Samsung is apparently planning to release its smaller Note phone only in the European region. Samsungs Galaxy S10e is reportedly selling quite well all over the world, so why on Earth would Samsung confine its smaller Galaxy Note 10 only to one region? Story continues While you ponder that, Korean-language financial news site The Bell is back with another Galaxy Note 10 report on Wednesday morning. This time around, the site has some details about this supposed second Note 10 model apart from just the fact that its expected to be smaller than the main Galaxy Note 10. We first learned last month that there will definitely be a 5G version of the Galaxy Note 10. But even before that, a report from back in February revealed that the Note 10 will feature a quad-lens camera on the back of the phone. Samsungs upcoming Galaxy S10 5G has a quad-lens setup that adds a 3D depth camera to the triple-lens array from the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+. With that in mind, its likely that the Note 10 will have the same configuration. However, according to The Bells inside info, the smaller version of Samsungs upcoming Galaxy Note 10 will only have a triple-lens camera on the back. The report cites multiple sources in stating that the larger Note 10 will have four rear camera sensors while the smaller model will have three. It does note that the Note 10s specs have yet to be finalized, but says this is the current situation. If this news does pan out, it seems like Samsung might be taking the same approach to the smaller Galaxy Note 10 that it took with the Galaxy S10e its not only smaller, but also less expensive thanks to some pared down specs. If that indeed ends up being the case, it would sting even worse if Samsung decided to release the Galaxy Note 10e only in Europe and not in the rest of the world. Sign up for BGR's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Trending Right Now: See the original version of this article on BGR.com Paris (AFP) - Three close aides to French President Emmanuel Macron have been summoned for questioning as part of a wide-ranging probe into a scandal involving Macron's former bodyguard Alexandre Benalla, the president's office said Thursday. Macron's chief of staff Alexis Kohler and cabinet chief Patrick Strzoda were summoned as witnesses in the investigation into Benalla's continued use of his diplomatic passports last year after being fired over a video in which he was seen roughing up protesters. Another official in the presidency, Francois-Xavier Lauch, was summoned as a civil plantiff in the case. The so-called Benalla affair was the first major scandal of Macron's presidency. The 41-year-old leader was accused of betraying his campaign promise of an "exemplary republic" after it emerged that he had known about Benalla's actions and let him off with a mere two-week suspension. The presidency also initially held off reporting Benalla to the authorities. Benalla was only fired and placed under investigation after Le Monde newspaper broke the story in July 2018. A former bouncer, Benalla began working as a bodyguard for Macron during his election campaign in 2016 before being promoted to a senior security role in the presidential palace following Macron's election in May 2017. He was given leave by the presidency to attend the May Day protest in an observer capacity but waded into the fray wearing a police helmet, grabbing a female demonstrator by the neck and hitting a male demonstrator. The affair has continued to make headlines in recent months. Revelations that Benalla continued to travel on his diplomatic passports, using them to travel to Africa for meetings with dignitaries including Chadian President Idriss Deby Itno, caused further outrage in December. The presidency said it was not informed about Benalla's Africa trip ahead of time and that it believed Benalla had obtained a service passport due to forgery. A French Senate commission of inquiry found "major flaws" in the government's handling of the affair and said it suspected Macron's aides of trying to cover up some of the details. The Senate recommended that Strzoda be investigated for perjury over his testimony to the commission and said it suspected Kohler and the presidency's security chief Lionel Lavergne had withheld information. A Japanese probe began descending towards an asteroid on Thursday on a mission to blast a crater into its surface and collect material that could shed light on the solar system's evolution. The mission will be the latest in a series of explorations carried out by the Japanese space agency's Hayabusa2 probe and could reveal more about the origin of life on Earth. But the task scheduled for Friday will be the riskiest yet of Hayabusa2's investigations, and involves the release of a device filled with explosives. The so-called "small carry-on impactor", a cone-shaped device capped with a copper bottom, will emerge from Hayabusa2 on Friday, after the probe has arrived just 500 metres above the asteroid Ryugu. The probe will then depart the area, and the impactor is programmed to explode 40 minutes later, propelling the copper bottom towards Ryugu, where it should gouge a crater into the surface of the asteroid that sits 300 million kilometres from Earth. Hayabusa2 will move away from the area to avoid being damaged by debris from the explosion or the collision with Ryugu. As it does so it will release a camera slightly above the site of the detonation that should be able to capture images of the event. The camera should be able to transmit those images, but it is unclear when the first confirmation of the mission's success will come. It will take two weeks for the probe itself to return to its "home position" near Ryugu after the detonation and impact. "We are thrilled to see what will happen when the impactor collides with the asteroid," Takashi Kubota, engineering researcher at the Japanese space agency (JAXA), told reporters earlier this week. The crater could be as large as 10 metres in diameter if the surface is sandy, but a smaller three metres across if it is rocky, according to JAXA scientists. - 'Dragon Palace' - NASA's Deep Impact project succeeded in creating an artificial crater on a comet in 2005, but only for observation purposes. Story continues The aim of the crater on Ryugu is to throw up "fresh" material from under the asteroid's surface that could shed light on the early days of the solar system. In February, Hayabusa2 touched down briefly on Ryugu and fired a bullet into the surface to puff up dust for collection, before blasting back to its holding position. The asteroid is thought to contain relatively large amounts of organic matter and water from some 4.6 billion years ago when the solar system was born. The Hayabusa2 mission, with a price tag of around 30 billion yen ($270 million), was launched in December 2014 and is scheduled to return to Earth with its samples in 2020. Photos of Ryugu -- which means "Dragon Palace" in Japanese and refers to a castle at the bottom of the ocean in an ancient Japanese tale -- show the asteroid has a rough surface full of boulders. Hayabusa2 observes the surface of the asteroid with its camera and sensing equipment but has also dispatched two tiny MINERVA-II rover robots as well as the French-German robot MASCOT to help surface observation. At about the size of a large fridge, Hayabusa2 is equipped with solar panels and is the successor to JAXA's first asteroid explorer, Hayabusa -- Japanese for falcon. That probe returned with dust samples from a smaller, potato-shaped asteroid in 2010, despite various setbacks during its epic seven-year odyssey and was hailed as a scientific triumph. Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.s MMC subsidiary Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC (MMA) has reached an agreement to buy Centurion, which is located at Plymouth Meeting, PA. However, terms of this deal expected to close in the second quarter of 2019 were not disclosed. Since 2006, the to-be-acquired company has been offering retirement consulting, asset management, institutional pension consulting, employee group benefit consulting and benefit-plan advisory. It provides fiduciary services to customers with joint plan assets worth more than $16 billion as well as to above 400,000 participants. On completion of the agreement, Centurion will be part of the Trion Group, a Marsh & McLennan agency. Centurion is a perfect fit for MMA as the acquirer will be able to gain traction from the to-be-acquireds skilled and experienced retirement consulting services, investment and health experts. This, in turn, will enhance the companys offerings to clients. Notably, Centurions clients will benefit from MMAs unique and enriched resources and solutions. This is yet another strategic initiative by Marsh & McLennan to upgrade its portfolio and establish its presence in the United States. Several acquisitions made over the past many years, significant capital expenditures undertaken for growth, launch of products and services, improvement of digital capabilities and branching out into new businesses will further drive the company's growth. Of late, the company completed its other acquisitions , such as Pavilion Financial Corporation, Summit Strategies Group, Otis-Magie Insurance Agency, Klein Agency and Insurance Associates, Houston-based Wortham Insurance plus Eustis Insurance & Benefits. The company also closed the pending buyout of JLT Specialty this month for $5.6 billion. In 2018, it spent a total of nearly $1.04 billion on acquisitions. Notably, $120 million of the companys total revenues and $2 million of its operating income are related to its accretive acquisitions. Given the insurance industrys all-time high available capital, there has been a spate of buyouts in this space of late. Recently, Brown & Brown, Inc. BRO announced that Brown & Brown of South Carolina, Inc. has acquired Cossio Insurance Agency to boost its South Carolina operations. Moreover, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. AJG concluded the purchase of McLean Insurance Agency, Inc. to ramp up its portfolio and consolidate its footprint in Northern Virginia. RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. RNR also received the pending regulatory approvals for the takeover of Tokio Marine Holdings, Inc.'s reinsurance platform comprising Tokio Millennium Re AG and Tokio Millennium Re (UK) Limited . With this transaction, the company will be able to penetrate into the reinsurance market further. Shares of this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company have rallied 17.5% in a years time, underperforming its industrys growth of 22%. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Story continues 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. See their latest picks 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 Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (AJG) : Free Stock Analysis Report Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (MMC) : Free Stock Analysis Report Brown & Brown, Inc. (BRO) : Free Stock Analysis Report RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. (RNR) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research By Padraic Halpin DUBLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday she hopes cross-party crisis talks in London to try to break the domestic deadlock over Britain's exit from the European Union can produce a common position by the time EU leaders meet next week. British Prime Minister Theresa May, whose deal to leave the EU has been rejected in parliament three times, has turned to the opposition Labour Party in a last-ditch bid to pass the divorce terms she signed with the bloc's leaders in November. "We hope that intensive discussions in London can lead even by next Wednesday, when we will have our extraordinary summit, to a position that British Prime Minister Theresa May can present to us, that we can then discuss," Merkel told a news conference with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar in Dublin. "We will then stay together as 27. We will do everything, as I've already said, to the last hour to prevent a disorderly exit." Merkel added that there had been a lot of movement in the British position over the past few days and Varadkar said EU leaders must be patient while talks continued, to avoid Britain leaving without a deal - an outcome that would impact his country more than any other member state. "This is an outcome that none of us want to see. Matters continue to play out in London and I think we need to be patient and understanding of the predicament they're in. But of course any further extension must require and must have a credible and realistic way forward," he said. BORDER CONUNDRUM The leaders also discussed how to keep Ireland's 500 km (350 mile) border with British-governed Northern Ireland open even if Britain leaves without a deal. The future of what will be the UK's only EU land frontier after Brexit has been a major hurdle in efforts to ensure an orderly exit. With Dublin also pledging to maintain the integrity of the EU's single market, where goods move freely around the bloc without the need for checks, Merkel said the EU "simply have to" work out a way to achieve those twin aims with London, whatever shape Brexit takes. "You have the same saying that we have in Germany, where there is a will there is a way," she said. Britain, Ireland and the EU fear the installation of physical customs infrastructure on the border could reignite largely dormant sectarian tensions and prove a tempting target for militants seeking a united Ireland and those who oppose it. To emphasize that point, Varadkar arranged for residents who live along the border to go to Dublin to meet Merkel and explain what impact any return of frontier checks would have on their lives. "I think her own background, living on one side of a wall, she understood the very personal stories that people shared," Peter Sheridan, a former policeman and the head of the peace-building cross border charity Co-operation Ireland, said after the meeting, referring to Merkel's upbringing in East Germany. "I've no doubt the chancellor went away well informed about the impact." (Additional reporting by Thomas Escritt in Berlin and Graham Fahy in Dublin; Editing by Alison Williams and William Maclean) By Isla Binnie and Belen Carreno MADRID, April 4 (Reuters) - Berkeley Energia has appealed to Spain's Supreme Court against the nomination of new members to the country's nuclear safety council (CSN), which is due to assess the Australian company's uranium mine project near Salamanca. The court, in a document released on Thursday, said it had rejected a request from Berkeley to urgently suspend a government decree last week which named four new members to the CSN's five-strong board, which rules on the safety of nuclear and radioactive facilities. The proposed new members include an ecological activist, who has campaigned against Berkeley's mine project. The court gave the government 10 days to offer its side of the story before deciding how to proceed. The CSN needed to be reshuffled as most of the mandates were expiring. One of the tasks awaiting the new board is to assess Berkeley's only project in Spain, the as-yet unopened uranium mine, which sources told Reuters last year the Socialist government had decided to block. The mine was granted preliminary approval in 2013 under a previous government, but still needs final authorisation. If the CSN approves the project, it is up to the government to give the green light, but if the CSN finds against it, the government cannot issue permits. The court did not say what reasons Berkeley gave for its appeal. Berkeley and the CSN declined to comment. The court also refused an urgent request from Spain's main opposition People's Party (PP) to suspend the nominations, which the PP said had been announced on the same day that the government called a snap election. In a statement, the PP homed in on one of the new members, a doctor of physics named Francisco Castejon who has campaigned against nuclear energy generation, and specifically against Berkeley's mine, which would be located in Retortillo, near the northwestern town of Salamanca. "The (PP) group has appealed to the Supreme Court because it was not able to debate the suitability of the candidates, particularly that of Francisco Castejon Magana," it said. Story continues Castejon "is a known activist on anti-nuclear platforms and campaigns, which, in the opinion of the PP group, means that there is a clear conflict of interest," the group continued. Ahead of a demonstration last year, Castejon tweeted: "I am going so that they do not open the Retortillo mine. So that they close the nuclear plants and we move towards a new energy model." Spain's Energy Ministry and Castejon declined to comment. Once the court receives the government's response to the appeal, it must decide whether to suspend the nominations. In the ensuing months, it will rule on whether they were legal. (Additional reporting by Barbara Lewis Editing by Susan Fenton) Gay Mormons wont be kicked out of the church anymore, and theyll be allowed to baptize their kids again. In a surprise reversal of controversial rules established four years ago, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced Thursday that gay marriage will no longer be considered a sin worthy of expulsion. A 2015 policy that deemed those in same-sex relationships apostates who must be banished from the religion drew strong opposition and condemnation from the LGBTQ community and its supporters. Under the change, children of gay parents can be baptized without special permission as long as their parents approve and acknowledge that the children will be taught Mormon doctrine, the church said in a statement from its three-person governing body, known as the First Presidency. FILE - In this April 27, 2006, file photo, the sun sets behind the Mormon Temple, the centerpiece of Temple Square, in Salt Lake City. Fewer than half the residents of Salt Lake County belong to the Mormon church, according to new figures that illustrate how Utah's largest county is becoming more religiously diverse. Mormons account for 49 percent of the 1.1 million residents in Salt Lake County a the lowest percentage since at least the 1930s, The Salt Lake Tribune reported Dec. 9, 2018. (AP Photo/Douglas C. Pizac, File) First counselor "Dallin H. Oaks instructed that the Gospel of Jesus Christ teaches us to love and treat all people with kindness and civility even when we disagree," said the statement from the church's general conference in Salt Lake City. The church said its not changing its doctrinal opposition to gay marriage and still regards same-sex relationships as a serious transgression." There was no apology for the previous policy from leaders of a faith that has about 16 million followers globally. The very positive policies announced this morning should help affected families, the statement said. In addition, our members efforts to show more understanding, compassion and love should increase respect and understanding among all people of goodwill. The reversal from the stricter rules is the latest in a series of changes by church President Russell Nelson since he assumed the leadership in January 2018. The Human Rights Campaign, the largest LGBTQ rights organization in the country, was among those greeting the change warmly. More: Nearly 4 million LGBTQ people live in rural America, and 'everything is not bias and awful' Story continues More: 'Sobering reality': LGBT progress report shows gains, but most states still won't grant rights Theres still work to do,'' HRC President Chad Griffin said. "But this policy reversal is a very welcome change that moves the church closer to a day where LGBTQ Mormons can see themselves affirmed and included within their faith community. Sam Brinton, head of advocacy and government affairs for the Trevor Project a suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ young people said his group regularly hears from gay youths struggling to reconcile their faith with their sexual orientation. "The Trevor Project welcomes any faith group's public commitment to treat the LGBTQ community fairly and equally, and this statement by the LDS Church to change course is a move in the right direction that will make a real difference in the lives of LGBTQ Mormons," Brinton said. Patrick Mason, chair of Mormon studies at Claremont Graduate University in California, said the church hurt its image and relationship with many members both conservative and liberal with its 2015 policy, which ran counter to a movement toward more openness on LGBTQ issues. Troy Williams, executive director of the advocacy group Equality Utah, was among those who viewed the new policy as a positive step. Clearly this is a great development for the church, he said. I think this will go a long way toward healing Latter-day Saint families that have LGBT members. Contributing: The Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mormons to allow baptisms for children of LGBTQ parents, won't expel those in same-sex marriages Mother Abigail Palmer, 33, crushed the chest of two-month-old Teri-Rae with such force that she snapped her ribs (SWNS) A mother who killed her baby has been jailed after powerful 3D aeroplane scanners were used for the first time in British legal history to detect the infants microscopic injuries. Abigail Palmer, 33, picked up two-month-old Teri-Rae and crushed her chest with such force that she snapped her ribs. Some of Teri-Raes ribs were found to have buckled while others had snapped. Palmer was found guilty of manslaughter and wounding after West Midlands Police used 3D scans on Teri-Raes ribs which revealed older injuries, after Palmer had previously claimed the death was an accident. When questioned, Palmer said shed taken a nap on the sofa with her daughter and woke up to find the baby blue and lifeless. 3D scanners usually used by the aviation industry helped to show Palmer had tried to cover up how her two-month-old baby died (SWNS) Teri-Raes death was initially treated as non-suspicious but the skeletal examination assisted by 3D aeroplane scanning technology revealed the baby had suffered a number of healing and fresh rib fractures. On Thursday Palmer, of Solihull, West Midlands, was jailed for 13 years at Birmingham Crown Court. The trial heard the single-mum snapped and attacked her daughter after she was crying for attention. Little Teri-Rae died on January 2, 2017 nine weeks after being born at a weight of just 4lb 7ozs. Palmer fractured two of the babys ribs the day before her death, as well as in late December 2016. Read more on Yahoo News UK Teenage boy, 13, dies after being knocked off micro-scooter as driver, 29, is arrested Shameless care worker jailed after defrauding vulnerable victims out of 1m to fund lavish lifestyle Married council worker posed as pilot and masseur to sexually assault woman Palmer had tested positive for cocaine during her pregnancy and was facing the threat of her baby being taken into care before the baby died. A postmortem confirmed Teri-Rae didnt die suddenly, but over a period of up to three hours when her brain was starved of oxygen. Detectives turned to micro-CT scanning experts at the University of Warwick in a bid to get a more detailed picture of the childs injuries. Story continues The 3D images, which are 1,000s of times more enhanced than traditional CT scans, revealed further tiny hairline fractures to the girls rib-cage. Medical experts concluded the injuries would have shallowed Teri-Raes breathing due to the pain and slowly she would have suffocated. Sergeant Mick Byron, from the Child Abuse Investigation Team, said: We were able to show that Teri-Rae suffered ten rib fractures over a four to 12 hour period, between 3am and 11am on January 2. Palmer was jailed for 13 years on Thursday at Birmingham Crown Court (GOOGLE MAPS) Palmer had been at a pub for six hours on New Years Day but claimed to have drank mainly squash, not alcohol, as that would have breached a condition of the Child Protection Plan she was bound by. We dont believe her and neither did the jury. We suspect she came home drunk, was awoken by her baby in the night and inflicted these terrible images in response to Teri-Raes crying. Palmer admitted the baby was never out of her sight and never mishandled by anyone else; she offered no plausible accidental explanation for her daughters injuries. There was no indication Teri-Rae suffered a bone fragility condition and she was not independently mobile enough to have injured herself. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK Significant force is required to cause rib fractures in a baby the presence of rib fractures in a baby of this age is indicative of abusive, deliberately inflicted, injury. This was a truly heartbreaking case to investigate, that a little babys life was taken by the one person who should have been protecting her. Professor Mark Williams, from the University of Warwick said of the technology: State-of-the-art 3D scanning technology allowed us to identify multiple fractures to Teri-Raes ribs that had occurred over an extended period of time. The ability to produce highly detailed 3D images of these shocking injuries helped establish the truth and show what had happened. Its an honour for us to provide critical evidence to this case, and to be able to help the police investigate such an appalling tragedy. His address to a joint session of Congress is a rare honour - REX Natos Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg made an unprecedented pitch to Congress for unity amid transatlantic tensions on Wednesday, as he marked 70 years since its founding charter was signed in Washington. Mr Stoltenberg gave a ringing defense of "the most successful alliance in history," which has often been derided by Donald Trump, the US president. He used the speech to underscore Americas "enduring support" for the historic alliance and downplayed disagreements with Mr Trump, saying: "Nato has been good for Europe, but Nato has also been good for the United States." He added: "We have to be frank. Questions are being asked on both sides of the Atlantic about the strength of our partnership. And, yes, there are differences. "The strength of Nato is that despite our differences, we have always been able to unite around our core task: to defend each other, protect each other, and to keep our people safe". Jens Stoltenberg addresses a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill Credit: Reuters Members of Congress, who greeted Mr Stoltenberg with repeated cheers and standing ovations, said they viewed his address as a chance to reaffirm the American commitment to the Nato alliance. His address to a joint session of Congress - a rare honour usually reserved for heads of state - is the first by a Nato chief. The invitation from Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic House Speaker, and Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader of the Senate, has been seen as a rebuke of Mr Trump and his repeated bashing of the alliance. An invitation to meet with Mr Trump at the White House was later extended to Mr Stoltenberg. The Trump administrations relationship with Nato has been fractious, with the president publicly pressuring other partners to pay their "fair share" in defence spending. During an on-camera meeting in the Oval Office on Tuesday, Mr Stoltenberg appeared at times stony faced as Mr Trump criticised German defence spending and predicted the US would get along with Russia. Story continues However he acknowledged that Mr Trumps demand appeared to be paying off, telling the president: "As you just mentioned, after years of cutting defense budgets, Nato allies have now started to invest more. And by the end of next year, they will have added $100 billion more into their defense budgets since you took office." Mr Trump has continued to criticise other allies' spending commitments Credit: Rex Mr Stoltenberg also used his speech Wednesday to warn of the threat "a more assertive Russia" posed to the alliance, including its violations of the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty. "Nato has no intention of deploying land-based nuclear missiles in Europe," Mr Stoltenberg said. "But Nato will always take the necessary steps to provide credible and effective deterrence." Mr Stoltenbergs address is part of a two-day meeting in the US capital for foreign ministers from the 29-member alliance to mark its 70th anniversary. The celebrations are also intended to show a tough, united front on a resurgent Russia but Mr Trumps rhetoric is not the only chord of disunity among the allies. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu insisted Wednesday that his country would push ahead with buying Russias S-400 missile defense system. "The S-400 deal is a done deal and we will not step back from this," he told a think-tank forum in Washington. Mr Cavusoglu went on to say that Turkey still backed Nato on core concerns with Russia and would never recognise Moscows 2014 takeover of Crimea from Ukraine. But he said Turkey turned to Russia as it could not buy US Patriot missiles and claimed Mr Trump had said in a phone call that his predecessor Barack Obama had made a "mistake" not to sell the system to Ankara. It was also announced this week that Nato is to fund a $260 million weapons store at an airbase in central Poland to ward off Kremlin aggression. Mr Stoltenberg said the weapons store, along with improved infrastructure will "underpin the increased US presence in Poland". Sign up for your essential, twice-daily briefing from The Telegraph with our free Front Page newsletter. Buzz Aldrin poses beside the US flag on July 20 1969 - NASA A British engineer has claimed that a Union Flag was planted on the moon by an unwitting Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. Keith Wright was an engineer at the Kennedy Space Centre, working on experiments for the 1969 Apollo mission. Fifty years on, he has disclosed that he secretly ensured a little piece of Britishness made it to the moon, because he wanted to give Brits a bit of credit. Speaking to The One Show on BBC One, Mr Wright said: We were working on the experiments that the astronauts were going to put on the lunar surface. We had Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin come to our facility for a run-through. There were two brackets on the experiment which held the solar panels folded while travelling to the moon. We got a ball pen and signed our names.. I signed my name and I thought, well, Ill put UK. Then I thought, Ill draw a little Union Flag. Apollo 11 astronuat Buzz Aldrin stands near a scientific experiment on the lunar surface Credit: Getty Images So we had a little Union Flag sketched onto there, installed it on the experiment package and it went to the moon. Mr Wright said the US flag was planted first, before the astronauts laid down the solar panels. The Nottingham-born engineer worked in the UK for de Havilland before winning a coveted job on the Apollo space missions and moving with his young family to the US. Of his meeting with Armstrong and Aldrin on the eve of the mission, he said: Neil was very relaxed and quite jokey. We were concentrating so hard on doing our job, and seeing that they could do the job properly, it almost seemed normal. But, thinking about it afterwards, I did get their signatures. The planting of the US flag was back in the headlines last year when it was omitted from the Ryan Gosling film, First Man. Although the flag was seen at a distance as the men returned to Earth, there were no scenes of it being planted. The omission led to a major row, with Republican senator Marco Rubio branding it total lunacy and Aldrin tweeting a picture of himself on the moon alongside the words proud to be an American. Sign up for your essential, twice-daily briefing from The Telegraph with our free Front Page newsletter. MOSCOW (AP) President Vladimir Putin told Israel's visiting prime minister on Thursday that the Russian military helped locate the remains of an Israeli soldier missing since 1982 with Syrian assistance, while Damascus denied any knowledge of the matter. The recovery of Zachary Baumel's remains closed a famous case that has plagued Israel for nearly four decades, but Israeli officials have declined to elaborate on how the return was arranged or where the remains were found. The Israeli spokesman who announced it on Wednesday only said that "an opportunity arose to locate the body" through an unnamed country. Baumel went missing in a 1982 battle with Syrian forces in southern Lebanon along with five other Israeli soldiers. Several years later, two of the missing soldiers were returned alive to Israel in prisoner exchanges with Syria, but the fate of the other three had remained unknown. A Syria-based official with a Palestinian militant group told The Associated Press on Wednesday that insurgents who were in control of the Palestinian refugee camp of Yarmouk in the capital, Damascus, up until last year excavated graves in search of the remains of the three missing soldiers. Speaking on a visit to Moscow Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked Russia for its assistance in finding the remains, and Putin acknowledged that Russia had worked to retrieve them. Netanyahu is meeting with Putin just days before seeking a fifth term in Israel's parliamentary elections. Tuesday's vote is largely seen as a referendum on Netanyahu, who has campaigned on his foreign policy prowess and relations with world leaders. "Our military together with Syrian partners established the place of his burial," Putin said at the start of the meeting. "We are very pleased that at home they can give him the necessary military honors." Syria, however, released a statement Thursday denying any knowledge of the remains. Story continues "We have no information on the entire matter of the remains or whether any such remains exist," the statement published on state-run news agency SANA said. It said Israel's recovery of the remains is new evidence that confirms cooperation between "terrorist" groups in Syria and Israel's Mossad spy agency. Public involvement in the return of the remains to Israel would be embarrassing for the Syrian government, which is technically at war with Israel. Baumel's burial ceremony, held at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem, Israel's national cemetery, drew thousands of Israelis Thursday. Fresh off the plane from Moscow, Netanyahu attended and addressed the crowd. "I felt a shudder when I was told that Zechariah will be with us again," he said. "We will be able to pay our last respects. We waited 37 years for this moment." Cases of missing soldiers have a powerful emotional and political resonance in Israel, where military service is compulsory for most Jewish men. Netanyahu lauded the repatriation of Baumel's remains as an "expression of mutual responsibility and feeling of unity" that he said epitomizes Israel. The trip to Moscow, made at Netanyahu's request, came a week after he traveled to Washington and met with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House. Netanyahu also hosted Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro in Jerusalem earlier this week. Putin's foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov told journalists the two leaders discussed events in Syria but that Netanyahu did not present any concrete plan for regulating the conflict and tensions there. Israel and Russia have a military hotline to coordinate air force operations over Syria, where Russia supports President Bashar Assad's forces and Israel frequently strikes targets linked to Iran and the Lebanese Hezbollah. Want to participate in a research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and earn a $60 gift card! One of the best investments we can make is in our own knowledge and skill set. With that in mind, this article will work through how we can use Return On Equity (ROE) to better understand a business. By way of learning-by-doing, we'll look at ROE to gain a better understanding of United Utilities Group PLC (LON:UU.). United Utilities Group has a ROE of 12%, based on the last twelve months. That means that for every 1 worth of shareholders' equity, it generated 0.12 in profit. See our latest analysis for United Utilities Group How Do I Calculate ROE? The formula for ROE is: Return on Equity = Net Profit Shareholders' Equity Or for United Utilities Group: 12% = UK370m UK3.0b (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2018.) Most know that net profit is the total earnings after all expenses, but the concept of shareholders' equity is a little more complicated. It is the capital paid in by shareholders, plus any retained earnings. The easiest way to calculate shareholders' equity is to subtract the company's total liabilities from the total assets. What Does Return On Equity Mean? ROE looks at the amount a company earns relative to the money it has kept within the business. The 'return' is the amount earned after tax over the last twelve months. The higher the ROE, the more profit the company is making. So, all else being equal, a high ROE is better than a low one. Clearly, then, one can use ROE to compare different companies. Does United Utilities Group Have A Good ROE? One simple way to determine if a company has a good return on equity is to compare it to the average for its industry. However, this method is only useful as a rough check, because companies do differ quite a bit within the same industry classification. If you look at the image below, you can see United Utilities Group has a similar ROE to the average in the Water Utilities industry classification (12%). Story continues LSE:UU. Past Revenue and Net Income, April 4th 2019 That isn't amazing, but it is respectable. ROE can give us a view about company quality, but many investors also look to other factors, such as whether there are insiders buying shares. If you like to buy stocks alongside management, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them). How Does Debt Impact Return On Equity? Companies usually need to invest money to grow their profits. That cash can come from retained earnings, issuing new shares (equity), or debt. In the first two cases, the ROE will capture this use of capital to grow. In the latter case, the debt required for growth will boost returns, but will not impact the shareholders' equity. In this manner the use of debt will boost ROE, even though the core economics of the business stay the same. United Utilities Group's Debt And Its 12% ROE United Utilities Group clearly uses a significant amount debt to boost returns, as it has a debt to equity ratio of 2.60. Its ROE is quite good but, it would have probably been lower without the use of debt. Investors should think carefully about how a company might perform if it was unable to borrow so easily, because credit markets do change over time. The Key Takeaway Return on equity is a useful indicator of the ability of a business to generate profits and return them to shareholders. A company that can achieve a high return on equity without debt could be considered a high quality business. If two companies have around the same level of debt to equity, and one has a higher ROE, I'd generally prefer the one with higher ROE. But ROE is just one piece of a bigger puzzle, since high quality businesses often trade on high multiples of earnings. Profit growth rates, versus the expectations reflected in the price of the stock, are a particularly important to consider. So you might want to check this FREE visualization of analyst forecasts for the company. Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. By Jonathan Stempel and Deena Beasley NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Swiss drugmaker Novartis AG sued Amgen Inc on Thursday, accusing the U.S. biotechnology company of trying to wrongfully back out of agreements to jointly develop and market the migraine prevention drug Aimovig and keep the profits for itself. The complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Manhattan comes as drugmakers move to build share in the large market for new treatments to prevent migraine headaches. Aimovig, which won U.S. and European approvals last year, belongs to a new class of medicines that also includes Eli Lilly and Co's Emgality and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd's Ajovy. Novartis called Aimovig a "runaway success," used by about 210,000 patients in the United States and 20,000 elsewhere. Roughly 39 million Americans suffer from migraine headaches, according to the Migraine Research Foundation. Global drug sales to treat migraines could total $8.7 billion by 2026, according to the GlobalData analytics firm. Amgen, in an emailed statement, said it is seeking to terminate the collaboration agreements with Novartis and obtain damages, but termination would not be effective until the litigation is resolved. In its complaint, Novartis said it has spent at least $870 million on Aimovig since it began collaborating in August 2015 with Amgen, which previously controlled rights to the drug. Novartis accused Amgen of trying to back out of their collaboration agreements based on the pretext that the Swiss company's Sandoz unit was working with Alder Biopharmaceuticals Inc on a possible Aimovig rival. "The program about which Amgen has complained is being terminated," Novartis said, and the lack of a breach means Amgen's April 2 notice terminating the collaboration agreements should be deemed void. Novartis said that Sandoz this year amended its contract manufacturing agreement with Alder, agreeing to continue supplying Alder's drug only through 2023. "Amgen now wants to keep the Aimovig profits for itself and deprive Novartis Pharma of its contractual right to share in the product's success and recoup its significant investments," Novartis said. The lawsuit seeks to enforce the companies' collaboration agreements and declare Amgen's purported termination void. Alder said it is not a party to the pending litigation between Novartis and Amgen. "Sandoz is a separate entity who does contract manufacturing for many companies who would compete with an Amgen or whatever," Alder Chief Executive Robert Azelby told Reuters in a telephone interview. RBC Capital Markets analyst Brian Abrahams said in a research note: "We see it as highly unlikely that Sandoz would breach its own agreement with Alder, and in such a case would owe Alder substantial compensation." Azelby said Alder intends to keep all U.S. marketing rights for eptinezumab migraine treatment, but is looking for a partner to sell it in other parts of the world. Novartis' U.S.-listed shares fell 0.8 percent to close at $94.22, while Amgen shares dropped 0.6 percent, closing at $192.33. Alder's shares fell 4.9 percent to close at $13.33. The case is Novartis Pharma AG v. Amgen Inc, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 19-02993. (Reporting by Deena Beasley in Los Angeles, Jonathan Stempel in New York, and John Miller in Zurich; editing by Bill Berkrot and Dan Grebler) He is best known as the founder of National Review and the host of the long-running TV program Firing Line, but Bill Buckley was also as the political leader who, more than anyone else, built the modern conservative movement. The cornerstone of the movement was National Review, whose masthead included representatives of all the different strains of conservatism in the 1950s. Buckley was a master fusionist. Before him, conservatives were a bunch of ill-assorted semi-enemies located in isolated outposts across the country. He persuaded conservatives to unify in the face of a common enemy liberals. He welcomed traditional conservatives such as Russell Kirk, libertarians like Frank Meyer, anti-Communists like Whittaker Chambers, neoconservatives like Irving Kristol, and neo-populist conservatives such as Willmoore Kendall. Unwelcome were kooks, anti-Semites, and God-haters such as Ayn Rand, whom he once encountered at a New York City party. Rand singled Buckley out and remarked, in her heavy Russian accent, Mr. Buckley you are too intelligent to believe in Gott. Reflecting on how best to respond, Buckley decided to send her a Christmas card in Latin. His policy of inclusion and his practice of civility inspired young conservatives like myself when we founded Young Americans for Freedom at his Sharon, Conn., home in 1960. Present at the founding were nearly 100 strong-willed, outspoken conservatives and libertarians. We debated and voted on everything, especially the wording of the Sharon Statement, our statement of first principles. A key question was whether to include the phrase God-given free will. The ayes barely prevailed 44 to 40. Significantly, the libertarians did not protest or walk out; they abided by the democratic process and honored Buckleys example of civility, sadly absent in much of todays politics. Bill Buckley would have praised the National Review Institute Ideas Summit recently held here in Washington. In fusionist fashion, the speakers ranged from Tucker Carlson, Jonah Goldberg, and James Buckley to Secretary of State Michael Pompeo, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, and Senator Marco Rubio of Florida. Story continues Secretary Pompeo delivered a brisk tour dhorizon of the world and Americas place in it. The Trump doctrine, he said, is principled and realistic: Its core principle is defensive engagement. The president is the toughest commander in chief since Ronald Reagan, Pompeo said, unafraid to challenge shibboleths. Why not, therefore, reevaluate NATO? Regarding Venezuela, the U.S. has built a major coalition of partners against Nicolas Maduro and will continue to apply pressure and to call attention to the Cuban forces that are protecting the Venezuelan dictator. Although the ISIS caliphate is gone, the threat of ISIS remains. The world cannot survive, the secretary said emphatically, without a strong and powerful America on the world stage. Living through the Cold War and faced with the clear danger of the Soviet Union, Bill Buckley was always a supporter of a policy of peace through strength as was his favorite president, Ronald Reagan. TV commentator Tucker Carlson described the decline of the American male, whose life expectancy is falling, in part owing to a rising suicide rate. College graduates are shackled with student debt and living with their parents. Modern feminism is producing women who think they have a moral obligation to serve business before their family. His solution: Stop with the identity-politics crap! Buckley would have endorsed the solution if not the rhetoric. Conservative feminists Tammy Bruce and Harmeet Dhillon argued that too many people are afraid to speak and that the Left is relying on shutting us down. Conservatives must defend those who do speak out, like Mark Janus, an Illinois government employee whose refusal to pay union dues was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court and who was honored at the NRI Ideas Summit. We must understand, said Dhillon, that the Left is playing by Leninist rules while conservatives are still playing by Marquess of Queensbury rules. The two women urged conservatives to learn from President Trump, who has taught us to fight back. Bill Buckley too was a fighter who challenged the liberal zeitgeist, with National Review as his primary weapon. He took the struggle into the streets in 1965 when he ran for mayor of New York City. Ever the fusionist, he reached out to conservative Republicans and blue-collar Democrats on his way to receiving 13.5 percent of the vote. In The Emerging Republican Majority, the political analyst Kevin Phillips wrote that the Buckley campaign uncovered populist Democrats who helped Richard Nixon and Reagan gain their landslide victories. If he had been a speaker at the NRI Ideas Summit, Bill Buckley would probably have reminded the attendees of a tried and true political axiom that some conservatives seem to have forgotten: Politics is about addition, not subtraction; multiplication, not division. Fusionism was Buckleys guiding principle as he built the conservative movement that remains a major political force to this day. A final comment about a question frequently asked at the Ideas Summit: Should conservatives welcome populists or not? Here is what Bill Buckley once said: I would rather be governed by the first two thousand names in the Boston telephone directory than by the Harvard University faculty. More from National Review Congressman Tim Ryan is in. The Ohio Democrat has long flirted with a run at higher office and on Thursday he announced he's launching a campaign for president. Ryan, 45, felt prompted to join the race after General Motors closed its Lordstown Assembly plant last month. His daughter called him, in tears, because her friend's dad was being transferred out of state. "She said youve got to do something, and I said Im going to do something," Ryan said. "Im going to run for president of the United States. Ryan, 45, joins a crowded field of 16 Democrats seeking to challenge President Donald Trump next year. A few others, including former Vice President Joe Biden, are still feeling out a candidacy. More: Who is running for president in 2020? An interactive guide Ryan hails from the Mahoning Valley in the northeastern part of the state, a reliably Democratic region that swung hard toward Trump in 2016. Ryan was first elected to Congress in 2002 as an underdog candidate facing a well-known Ohio political veteran. More: Who is Tim Ryan? 5 things to know about the Ohio Democrat expected to announce a run for president. Ryan has planned a campaign kick-off rally in Youngstown on Saturday and plans to campaign in Iowa on Sunday. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan announces campaign for president By Nate Raymond (Reuters) - Oklahoma's attorney general on Thursday had dropped all but a single claim against Johnson & Johnson and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd in a closely watched lawsuit alleging the drugmakers helped fuel the U.S. opioid epidemic. The move by Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter came ahead of an upcoming May 28 trial, the first in the United States to result from roughly 2,000 lawsuits seeking to hold manufacturers of painkillers responsible for contributing to the epidemic. Opioids were involved in a record 47,600 overdose deaths in 2017 in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hunter dropped the claims after announcing last week that OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma LP had along with the wealthy Sackler family who own it reached a $270 million settlement. The 2017 lawsuit accused the three companies of engaging in deceptive marketing that downplayed the addiction risk from opioids while overstating their benefits. The Sacklers were not defendants in the case. The companies deny wrongdoing. Hunter said he would continue to bring a public nuisance claim against J&J and Teva but was dropping five other claims, including that they violated the Oklahoma Medicaid False Claims Act. Hunter said dropping those claims would not impact the amount of damages the state is seeking. Hunter had been asking for more than $20 billion before Purdue's settlement. J&J in a statement said the state's decision to drop most of its claims "underscores their lack of merit." It said the evidence at trial will show that the company appropriately marketed its pain medications. Teva did not respond to a request for comment. Hunter said the decision to refocus the case around the single claim that the companies caused a public nuisance that needs remediated will obviate efforts by the companies to delay the upcoming trial. It will also transform what was to be a televised jury trial into a non-jury one in which a state court judge will decide the case, Hunter said. "The team and I remain laser focused on the goal we set since filing this lawsuit: holding those responsible for creating this crisis accountable and bring an end to the opioid epidemic in Oklahoma," Hunter said. More than 1,600 other opioid-related lawsuits are consolidated before a federal judge in Ohio, who has pushed for a settlement ahead of the trial before him in October. Other cases, including Oklahoma's, are pending in state courts. (Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston; Editing by Noeleen Walder and James Dalgleish) Washington (AFP) - US Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said Tuesday he was confident that Turkey would drop its plan to purchase the Russian S-400 missile defense system and buy the US Patriot system instead. A day after Washington put a freeze on its joint F-35 fighter jet program with Turkey in protest to the S-400 deal, Shanahan said he expects Ankara to opt for the Patriot missiles. That would then allow the F-35 program to continue, he confirmed. "I've had a number of conversations with Defense Minister (Hulusi) Akar and I really think we'll resolve this situation with our strategic partners," he said. "I am very confident in the Patriot proposal that we've delivered to Turkey, its availability, it's pricing, and very importantly, the industrial participation that comes along with the Patriot system." Asked if that meant he expects Turkey will buy the Patriot system, Shanahan replied: "I expect we'll solve the problem so that they have the right defense equipment in terms of Patriots and F-35s." As for the F-35s planned for Turkey, he said: "I expect them to be delivered." On Monday, the Pentagon said it was halting all deliveries and joint work with Turkey on the F-35 if Ankara insisted on buying the S-400 system from Russia, a move which has alarmed Turkey's NATO allies. The tough step came after months of warnings from Washington that Turkey's adoption of Russian missile technology alongside US fighter jets would pose a threat to the F-35 technology and endanger Western defenses. "Pending an unequivocal Turkish decision to forgo delivery of the S-400, deliveries and activities associated with the stand-up of Turkey's F-35 operational capability have been suspended while our dialogue on this important matter continues with Turkey," the Pentagon said in a statement. The purchase of a Russian system is highly unusual for a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the Western alliance forged to counter the Soviet Union. The US suspension announcement came two days before foreign ministers from NATO's 29 members were due in Washington to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the alliance. Last week, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu met in Turkey with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, and insisted that the S-400 purchase would go ahead. By Mike Stone WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is considering expanding sales of Lockheed Martin Corp-made F-35 fighter jets to five new nations including Romania, Greece and Poland as European allies bulk up their defenses in the face of a strengthening Russia, a Pentagon official told Congress on Thursday. In written testimony submitted to the U.S. House of Representatives and seen by Reuters, Vice Admiral Mathias Winter - the head of the Pentagon's F-35 office - said that "future potential Foreign Military Sales customers include Singapore, Greece, Romania, Spain and Poland." News of the new customers coincides with U.S. tension with F-35 development partner Turkey over Ankara's plans to buy a Russian missile defense system. Foreign military sales like those of the F-35 are considered government-to-government deals where the Pentagon acts as an intermediary between the defense contractor and a foreign government. Other U.S. allies have been eyeing a purchase of the stealthy jet including Finland, Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates. Winter's full written testimony, which will be made public as soon as Friday, said the United States would respond to all official requests for information about the jet. Last year, Belgium was the first new customer for the F-35 in years, choosing it over the Eurofighter Typhoon to replace its aging F-16s in a 4 billion euro ($4.55 billion) deal. Under President Donald Trump the United States has rolled out a "Buy American" plan that relaxed restrictions on sales and encouraged U.S. officials to take a bigger role in increasing business overseas for the U.S. weapons industry. Lockheed, the jet's prime contractor, is developing and building three models of the new warplanes for the U.S. military and 10 other countries that have signed up to buy the jets: Britain, Australia, Italy, Turkey, Norway, the Netherlands, Israel, Japan, South Korea and Belgium. Story continues U.S. arms sales to foreign governments rose 13 percent to $192.3 billion in the year ending Sept. 30, the State Department said in November. Lockheed delivered 91 F-35 fighter jets to the United States and its allies in calendar 2018. (Reporting by Mike Stone in Washington; Editing by James Dalgleish) * Prosecution alleges lawyers manipulated villagers to extort MMG * Villagers want lawyers freed before ending road blockades * Blockades have force MMG to reduce output at Las Bambas mine By Mitra Taj and Marco Aquino LIMA, April 3 (Reuters) - A Peruvian judge on Wednesday ordered three years of jail time for three lawyers representing indigenous villagers who have blockaded shipments from a massive copper mine operated by Chinese miner MMG Ltd. The ruling, which a lead prosecutor confirmed on television news channels, promises to further polarize a dispute between MMG and the Quechua-speaking village of Fuerabamba, in Peru's southern copper belt. Villagers have demanded that their lawyers be freed before talking with the government about lifting their blockades of two roads that have cut off access to the Las Bambas mine, halting its exports. "I hope that the community understands we're not against them. We're against crime," prosecutor Jorge Chavez Cotrina said in comments broadcast on local TV channel RPP. "They can ask for whatever they want. But we have to act according to the law." The prosecution argued the lawyers - the brothers Jorge and Frank Chavez, and Carlos Vargas - had manipulated Fuerabamba villagers into blocking a road used by Las Bambas to extort MMG, and must be held in jail because they are a flight risk. Kevin Pena, the attorney for the three men, denied the accusations and said their due process was being violated. Fuerabamba villagers have repeatedly denied that they were manipulated by the lawyers, saying they fairly represented them in their claim for compensation from MMG for transporting its copper concentrates on a road that passes through the community's farmland. At the end of a three-day hearing in the regional capital of Cusco, Judge Patricia Valencia granted the prosecution's request to order the lawyers to 36 months in pre-trial detention while prosecutors prepare charges against them. Story continues Fuerabamba villager Edison Vargas said the community would continue the blockades while they remained in jail. "We'll keep up the struggle 36 months. The mine will be shuttered 36 months," Vargas said in a phone message. Fuerabamba's president, Gregorio Rojas, could not immediately be reached for comment. MMG has said it is open to dialog. Las Bambas, MMG's flagship mine, is one of Peru's biggest copper producers, churning out about 400,000 tonnes in copper per year, or about 2 percent of global supply. Only some 900 workers out of 1,900 remained at the mine on Wednesday, and more will be evacuated by helicopter in coming days, a company source told Reuters. Production at Las Bambas "continues at progressively reduced rates," the company said in an emailed statement from its headquarters in Australia. "The situation at the site remains unchanged, inbound and outbound logistics are suspended." MMG is controlled by state-owned China Minmetals. (Reporting By Mitra Taj and Marco Aquino) A near-400 pound pet pig named Princess that wandered out of her pen was slaughtered by a neighbor while Northern California police looked for the animal's owner, according to local reports. Princess went missing from her home in Humboldt County on March 23. She was later found nearby in someone's yard, as seen in photos shared by a lost and found animal Facebook page. Arcata Police Department, which is used to responding to loose livestock calls in the area, SF Gate reports, came to help the Hampshire pig home. An officer asked a nearby neighbor if he could keep the pig while police searched for the owner, and the neighbor agreed. About an hour later, the officer returned to find the neighbor butchering the pig for meat. "We were totally shocked and surprised to learn that the pig had been slaughtered, Arcata Police Department's Chief Brian Ahearn said, Lost Coast Outpost reports. Arcata Police Lt. Todd Dockweiler told SF Gate "given the stage of the butchering process he was in, he must have slaughtered the pig very shortly after the officer left." Princesss owner Carrie Hogan told the Outpost that Princess was a "very sweet" pig who liked to be around people. Hogan said her family raised the pig, who turned 1 in January. Local police say it is a crime to butcher a pig that isn't yours, and the man responsible could face charges. The hardest part of this is knowing that theres somebody out there thats this kind of a savage, Hogan told the Outpost. Follow Ashley May on Twitter: @AshleyMayTweets This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Pet pig named Princess slaughtered by neighbor while police searched for owners Pfizer, Inc. PFE announced that the European Commission has granted marketing approval to its tyrosine kinase inhibitor, Vizimpro (dacomitinib) for the first-line treatment of metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in patients with EGFR activating mutations. This new lung cancer medicine was approved in the United States last September. Vizimpros (45 mg)approval in EU was expected as in February the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) had granted a positive opinion recommending approval of Vizimpro. The drug holds immense sales potential as EGFR-mutated NSCLC is a disease that is associated with low overall survival rates. Including Vizimpro, in oncology, Pfizer gained FDA approval for four innovative medicines in the last four months of 2018, which has strengthened its oncology portfolio. These include Daurismo (glasdegib) for previously untreated AML, Lorbrena (lorlatinib) for second line non-small-cell lung cancer and Talzenna (talazoparib), an orally-available PARP inhibitor for advanced breast cancer. Shares of Pfizer have declined 1.8% so far this year against the industrys 4.8% increase. Moreover, two leukemia treatments Besponsa/inotuzumab ozogamicin for relapsed/refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and Mylotarg for newly diagnosed CD33-positive AML were approved in the United States in 2017. A key candidate in the oncology pipeline is Bavencio (avelumab), which is being evaluated for different types of cancer. Bavencio is already approved in metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma and for second-line treatment of locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma. Bavencio, though approved for two small indications currently, could be a key long-term growth driver for Pfizer if it can gain label expansion approvals. Pfizer has 30 ongoing studies in the avelumab development program involving more than 9,000 patients across 15 tumor types. The studies include double/triple combination studies for chemotherapy and targeted therapies and several avelumab combination therapies with immuno-oncology agents are under development. Pfizer has developed Bavencio in partnership with Germanys Merck KGaA MKGAF. Story continues Pfizer is als oventuring into the oncology biosimilars space. In Europe and United States, Pfizer markets biosimilar versions of Amgens AMGN drugs, Neupogen and Epogen. A biosimilar version of Roches RHHBY cancer drug Herceptin (trade name: Trazimera) was approved by the FDA in March. Biosimilar versions of Roches other cancer drugs Rituxan and Avastin (trade name: Zirabev) are also under review in the United States with FDA decisions on all expected in 2019. Biosimilar versions of Herceptin and Avastin are already approved in the EU while that of Rituxan is under review in the EU. Pfizer is evaluating several biosimilar molecules in various stages of development. In fact, oncology drugs have been a key driver of Pfizers sales, accounting for more than 13% of its total sales in 2018. Oncology revenues increased 30% to $1.91 billion in 2018. Its marketed oncology drugs are Ibrance Sutent, Inlyta, Bosulif and others. Pfizer also gets a share of profit from its alliance with Japans Astellas Pharma for Xtandi. Pfizer currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. 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. See their latest picks 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 Pfizer Inc. (PFE) : Free Stock Analysis Report Roche Holding AG (RHHBY) : Free Stock Analysis Report Amgen Inc. (AMGN) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research MANILA, April 4 (Reuters) - The presence of hundreds of Chinese boats near an island occupied by Manila in the disputed South China Sea is illegal and a clear violation of Philippine sovereignty, the country's foreign ministry said on Thursday. "Such actions when not repudiated by the Chinese government are deemed to have been adopted by it," the Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement, days after the Philippines said it had lodged a diplomatic protest over the vessels. The presence of the vessels in the vicinity of Thitu island for sustained and recurring periods raised questions about their intent and concerns over their role "in support of coercive objectives," the ministry added. Military data shows the Philippines has monitored more than 200 Chinese boats near Thitu, or Pagasa, as it is known locally, from January to March this year. Besides the Philippines, Brunei, China, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam have competing claims of sovereignty in the busy waterway, a conduit for goods in excess of $3.4 trillion every year. (Reporting by Karen Lema; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) There are ghostly shapes hidden in magnetic fields. They're not made of stuff in the way a lightning bolt or a beam of light is. A lighting bolt carries a fairly defined group of electrons from the sky all the way to the ground. Sunshine that hits your face consists mostly of the same photons that traveled millions of miles from the sun. But magnetic fields contain things called skyrmions that are different from electrons and photons; a skyrmion is a knot of magnetic field lines looping around each other. As it drifts from one spot to the next, a skyrmion makes itself anew out of the magnetic field lines that are already there. The knot holds together because magnetic field lines resist passing through one another. So, while skyrmions are insubstantial and different from objects we're used to thinking about, they act like more tangible things. [9 Cool Facts About Magnets] An image from the paper shows how skyrmions can deform magnetic field lines on a two-dimensional plane. Foster et al. Physicists call these skyrmions "quasiparticles," and suspect they could explain phenomena as disparate as ball lightning and the nuclear structure of an atom. Now, in a new paper, researchers showed that skyrmions can be stuffed inside one another, taking on a completely new shape. These puffed-up "skyrmion bags" are fascinating objects in their own right, but the bizarre things might also be useful for futuristic computing, the researchers said. Stuff 'em in a bag The team revealed the skyrmion bags in a paper published April 1 in the journal Nature Physics. The result relies on a key similarity between the ghostly quasiparticles and solid matter: the existence of antiparticles. Just like protons have counterpart antiprotons that annihilate each other on contact with each other, skyrmions have antiskyrmions. "An antiskyrmion is a skyrmion where all the numbers are reversed," said David Foster, a physicist at the University of Birmingham in England and one of the lead authors of the new study. So, if a magnetic field line points north in a skyrmion, it would point south in an antiskyrmion. But antiskyrmions and skyrmions powerfully repel one another. That turned out to be the key to building skyrmion bags, the researchers said. Story continues "If I take a skyrmion and I stretch it out a bit and I take an antiskyrmion and place it in the center of it [the skyrmion] they will not annihilate. It's a stable construction," Foster told Live Science. What's more, the researchers realized, once a skyrmion has been stretched, you can stuff even more antiskyrmions inside it. And that realization, Foster said, opened the door again to a six-year-old idea about putting skyrmions to work. Skyrmion storage Back in 2013, a trio of researchers proposed a theoretical "skyrmion racetrack memory device" in the journal Nature Nanotechnology. The idea was that the little magnetic patterns might offer a solution to a basic problem in computer design: electricity consumption. "If you consider an old-fashioned hard drive, which is a sort of spinning disk, it takes a lot of power," Foster said. The 2013 researchers' proposed low-power replacement would take advantage of the fact that a very small current causes skyrmions on a magnetic surface to scoot along rapidly. Perhaps, those researchers suggested, if you took a long, thin strip of magnetic material (the racetrack) and loaded it with skyrmions, you could encode data into the magnetic material in gaps between the quasiparticles. A magnetic reader could interpret a long gap between skyrmions as a binary 1 and a short gap as a binary 0, for example. To retrieve that stored data, then, an electric current could nudge the skyrmions into scooting back and forth under a magnetic reader. It takes very little power to move skyrmions back and forth along a magnetic surface, so the resulting device could be very efficient. But the idea had some basic problems, Foster said. While skyrmions are fairly stable, the gaps between them aren't. Over time, imperfections in the magnetic strips would muddle the data as the skyrmions moved back and forth. "Stray magnetic fields come in. And this is like speed bumps which appear and disappear. And with those gaps appearing and disappearing, the gaps between your [skyrmions] will have been lost," Foster said. How bags could solve the problem The really interesting thing here, Foster said, is that skyrmion bags don't lose antiskyrmions over time or when they pass over magnetic "speed bumps." Put a bunch of skyrmion bags on a racetrack device, the researchers in the new study wrote, and a computer could encode and retrieve data based on the number of antiskyrmions in each bag that pass under the reader. "My colleagues are really excited about the idea that you could also increase data density this way," Foster said. [9 Numbers That Are Cooler Than Pi] Where conventional computer storage relies on only 1s and 0s, he said, a skyrmion bag system could use 0s, 1s, 2s, 3s and so on. That would open the door to much more complex forms of data encoding that could stuff far more information into a given space than a traditional binary method can. The liquid-crystal test No one's yet managed to make a skyrmion bag on a magnetic strip. But after testing the concept using computer simulations, Foster and his team in the U.K. turned to a group of researchers at the University of Colorado to bring the first known skyrmion bags into the world. Typically, physicists think of skyrmions as things that exist in magnetic fields. But the particles can also exist in other substances, like the liquid crystals aligned, rigid, rod-like molecules that fill the screens on your laptop and some cellphones. [Images: Inside the World's Top Physics Labs] With precision "optical tweezers," the University of Colorado team (headed by the experimentalist Ivan Smalyukh) "drew" skyrmion bags in the liquid crystal, said Jung-Shen Tai, a physics graduate student in the lab. A figure from the paper shows different arrangements of skyrmion bags. The images with the pale backgrounds are from a computer simulation. The images with the dark background are from a liquid crystal experiment. Foster et al. These skyrmion bags remained indelible in the crystalline substance and visible when the researchers peered at them through microscopes. That (along with the computer simulation) is strong evidence that skyrmion bags would also be stable in magnets, Foster said. So far, no one's reported building any real-world racetrack storage devices, let alone storage devices relying on skyrmion bags. But such devices are coming, Foster insisted. "I already know people are working on grants to make these things," he said. Originally published on Live Science. Pittsburghs City Council has approved three controversial gun reform bills months after a gunman shot and killed 11 people at the citys Tree of Life synagogue. But the votes set up the city for a number of legal challenges. The 6-3 final vote on Tuesday on a package of three gun control bills comes about five months after the deadly synagogue shooting. The legislation would restrict military-style assault weapons (including the AR-15, which authorities have said the Tree of Life shooter used during the massacre), ban the use of armor-piercing ammunition and high-capacity magazines, and allow guns to be seized temporarily from people deemed to be a danger to themselves or others. Councilwoman Erika Strassburger, who introduced the reforms with Councilman Corey OConnor in December, tells TIME that the Tree of Life shooting marked a turning point in the citys reckoning with gun laws, noting that activists and politicians in the region have been fighting to reduce violence for decades. This is not just about mass shootings like the ones that have happened in our district, she says. It runs the whole gamut of gun violence. Homicides kill people on a weekly basis and its just too much. Twelve people so far have died this year in shooting deaths in Allegheny County, whose county seat is Pittsburgh, according to The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, which compiled data from the county medical examiner as well as local police reports. City officials said in January that, in 2018, Pittsburgh had 55 homicides, including the Tree of Life victims, and 114 non-fatal shootings. Officials did not specify if all the homicides were shooting deaths. Pittsburgh has a home rule charter, which affords the city some independence from the state legislature. But Pennsylvanias law on the charter says a municipality shall not enact any ordinance or take any other action dealing with the regulation of the transfer, ownership, transportation or possession of firearms. The states firearms code has an amendment that expressly prohibits municipalities from regulating the lawful ownership, possession, transfer or transportation of firearms, ammunition or ammunition components. That inherent tension has set in motion a legal battle over gun rights in Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania more broadly. Story continues Pennsylvanias legislature is the only entity that can change the state law to grant cities and municipalities the right to regulate firearms on their own, according to David Harris, a professor at the University of Pittsburghs law school. Right now, Pittsburgh and the courts can battle it out over the specificity of wording in the bills and the state legislation, Harris tells TIME. Because the provision from the city bans the use of certain weapons, one could argue that the state law does not technically stipulate anything about firearms usage. In order to have this stand up, courts will have to find that the idea of using these items that are now part of the citys law is different than all the other ways the state prohibited cities from regulating firearms, Harris says. Gun rights advocates in the Pennsylvania region have repeatedly challenged the legality of the legislation since it was announced. In January, hundreds of gun rights supporters gathered at a pro-gun open carry protest at the City-County Building, where speakers defended their rights to carry weapons and decried Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto. Later that month, more than 100 critics and supporters of the legislation appealed to the city council at a public hearing. Mahita Gajanan Justin Dillon, a resident of Erie, Pa. who organized the pro-gun rally, tells TIME he felt the legislation, which he argues violates state law, came as an outsize reaction to the Tree of Life shooting. They used the shooting tragedy and used emotions to pull proposed ordinances, he says. You want law abiding gun owners and people that own guns to follow your laws and regulations, but while youre breaking the law. City officials have criticized the bills as well. Council members Anthony Coghill, Darlene Harris and Theresa Kail-Smith voted against the measures, citing the state law against firearm regulation. Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala warned the City Council in January that its proposed legislation would violate state law. While I certainly see the desire for such type of legislation at the state and federal levels, I believe that City Council does not have the authority to pass such legislation, he wrote in a letter addressed to OConnor. I am also certain that you realize that if such legislation passes, there is sure to be a resident of Allegheny County who seeks to file a private criminal complaint alleging a violation of 6120, referring to the statute that bans municipalities from regulating firearms. Still, proponents of the citys gun control bills remain steadfast. Peduto, in response to gun rights advocates saying they would file complaints against him, said: Arrest me. He is expected to sign the bills into law. Arrest me. Sue me. Impeach me. I was elected to protect my constituents and that is exactly what I will do. https://t.co/sp1lxRVzVO bill peduto (@billpeduto) January 28, 2019 Beyond a question of legality and wording is a bigger fight to bring more control to cities and municipalities, Harris says. Pittsburgh officials are well aware of the state law. By challenging it, they hope to harness energy statewide to convince the state legislators to change the rules. Such actions stem from frustration over not being able to react to gun violence in the past, according to Harris. He points to New Zealand, where lawmakers have already voted on new gun restrictions after a gunman killed 50 people at two mosques in March. Theyre frustrated that they cant simply do what the Prime Minister of New Zealand did after the shooting at the mosques, Harris says. She said, Thats that. It hasnt even been a month. Harris adds that Pittsburghs new ordinance symbolizes the citys attempt to do anything to try and make a change. They dont want to just say, Nothing is possible,' he says. Theyre willing to try and have the fight. The ordinance itself, according to Harris, is a pretty narrow kind of thing. But it shows the lengths to which cities can go to show they want to determine their own laws for firearms regulation. In Pennsylvania, home to a diverse gun culture, having the state dictate firearms regulations doesnt suit each and every town or municipality, Harris says. Its very different to live in Pittsburgh or Philadelphia or by Harrisburg near the state game reserves, he says. Its just very different. Cities would like to see if they would have the freedom to determine whats appropriate for them. The National Rifle Association said Tuesday that it was helping Pittsburgh residents file a lawsuit to challenge the citys definition of large capacity magazines in light of the newly enacted ordinance. Pittsburgh residents have a right to carry the self-defense tool that best suits their needs and the NRA is proud to support this challenge to the citys magazine ban, Chris W. Cox, the NRAs executive director, for its institute for legislative action, said in a statement. Restricting law-abiding citizens from exercising their constitutional rights will do nothing to stop violent criminals. Peduto told the Post-Gazette he was not surprised by the legal challenges. We have not been able to get any movement in Harrisburg and Washington, and the answer is just dont do nothing. Weve seen what doing nothing has done. It has led to an escalation in severe mass murders. And were going to take action on a local level, he said. So were not surprised about the lawsuit. We anticipated it. And we look forward to the next part of this challenge, which will be through the court system. Richard Osborn-Brooks stabbed career criminal Henry Vincent to death a year ago as he tried to burgle his home Police have reportedly stepped up patrols in the area where a career criminal was stabbed to death by a pensioner exactly a year ago. Locals have apparently warned the family of Henry Vincent who was killed by 78-year-old Richard Osborn-Brooks as he broke into his home in Hither Green, south-east London, on April 4 last year that tributes to the burglar will be torn down. On the anniversary of the murder, police have confirmed that officers will be patrolling the area to provide reassurance to neighbours, The Sun reported. Following Vincents death last year, his family built a shrine just yards from Mr Osborn-Brooks front door, sparking a turf war with locals who tore down the balloons and messages. According to The Sun, angry locals have warned they will tear down any tributes if the memorial is resurrected. Locals have apparently vowed to tear down tributes to career criminal Henry Vincent, who was stabbed by pensioner Richard Osborn-Brooks a year ago (Picture: PA) One unnamed neighbour, 66, told The Sun Online: There are some militant people here. I saw how they ripped those flowers down. I think if they started putting those up they would be ripped down again. The man reportedly said he had noticed was a bigger police presence in the area as the first anniversary approached. READ MORE Facebook advert system is racist and sexist, researchers find Mr Osborn-Brooks was arrested on suspicion of murder but was released without charge following an outcry over his arrest. The pensioner and his wife Maureen, 79, moved house after receiving death threats following Vincents death and their home is reportedly still boarded up. A Met Police spokesman said: Officers will be patrolling the Hither Green area to provide local reassurance. Washington (AFP) - US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday warned France to drop plans for a tax on digital giants such as Facebook and Apple, saying it would hurt American business. The top US diplomat raised his objections as he met French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian in Washington during 70th anniversary celebrations for the NATO alliance. "Secretary Pompeo urged France not to approve a digital services tax, which would negatively impact large US technology firms and the French citizens who use them," the State Department said in a statement. France last month unveiled draft legislation to set a three percent tax on digital advertising, the sale of personal data and other revenue from any technology company that earns more than 750 million euros ($841 million) worldwide each year. The effort comes amid rising public outrage at the minimal tax paid by some of the world's richest firms which base operations in jurisdictions that charge low rates. France has led the effort after a European Union-wide effort was scuttled by low-tax countries such as Ireland, which have wooed big technology firms. Other countries are considering following France's lead including Britain, Spain, Austria and Italy. The State Department said that Pompeo also spoke to Le Drian about the fate of foreign fighters from Syria. The United States has been pressing France and other Western countries to bring back and try at home their citizens who joined the Islamic State movement as Washington prepares to withdraw troops. Repatriation is a deeply unattractive option for European states, which have recent experience with attacks. WASHINGTON Days after threatening to close the U.S. border with Mexico, President Donald Trump suggested Thursday that his administration would slap tariffs on autos long before it considered sealing the nation off from its southern neighbor. I dont think well ever have to close the border, Trump said in the Oval Office. Trump's statement marked a significant departure from his position last week, when he said there was a "very good likelihood" he would close the border this week. The White House faced sharp blowback from business groups and Republicans on Capitol Hill for the threat. A closure would disrupt the flow of roughly $1.5 billion in daily trade. White House aides sought to soften the language through the week as the president prepared for a visit Friday to the border in California. Trump said earlier Thursday that he would give Mexico a year to halt the flow of illegal drugs coming into the USA. If the drugs didnt stop, he said, the United States would impose tariffs on Mexican-made cars. If that didn't work, Trump said, then the United States would close the Mexican border. That will be a very powerful incentive, he said. Trump insisted he wasn't bluffing. "I will do it," he said. "I don't play games." President Donald Trump speaks at the National Republican Congressional Committee's annual spring dinner in Washington, April 2, 2019. Trumps remarks are the latest signal that the administration is toning down its rhetoric after days of relentlessly attacking Mexico over illegal border crossings. During a trip to Florida last Friday, Trump warned there is a "very good likelihood" that he would close the border this week if Mexico didnt do more to stem the influx of migrant families arriving from Central America. By Tuesday, he softened his position, saying closing the border is still an option but he had seen signs that Mexico has started apprehending more people. At a news conference in Washington, Mexicos ambassador to the United States, Martha Barcena, said her country would continue to cooperate with the Trump administration to address the root causes of migration. Story continues Migration will never be stopped, she said at the Embassy of Mexico. It is intrinsic to humanity. But what we can do is to do it in a regular way, in an orderly way that protects human rights. More: Fact check: Trump is wrong on Mexico's migrant apprehensions Asked whether Trumps policies and threats to close the border made things worse, Barcena stressed the need for cooperation between the two countries. "I respect him enormously hes the president of the United States," she said. "What I want to underline is that we want to cooperate. We want to continue to say to everybody that Mexico is willing to have a good relationship, that we need to work with the U.S. There are certain challenges, and one of them is migration. If we dont cooperate, if we dont see migration from a regional basis, we will not address the root causes of migration. Trumps threat to close the border prompted objections from border state Republicans and business groups such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which argued the move would damage the nation's economy. In a statement Thursday, the chamber welcomed Trump's decision to keep the border open. "Congress and the president should take this opportunity to enact border security and immigration reform. Congress should also ensure Customs and Border Protection officials receive the resources they need to reduce the excessive wait times affecting legitimate trade and travel across the border," said Neil Bradley, the chamber's executive vice president and chief policy officer. Trump will visit the border Friday to tour a recently replaced section of border fence in California. It's the first such project completed under his presidency. More: Plaque marking Trump's first 'border wall' section awaits his visit to Calexico This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: President Trump says US may never close the Mexico border, would try tariffs first If you're selling a high-end home, you've got company. More pricey houses are up for sale this year, pushing listing prices to record highs. The median asking price for a U.S. home hit $300,000 for the first time ever in March, according to housing data from Realtor.com to be released later Thursday and provided early to USA TODAY. That topped the previous peak of $299,000 reached in June and July of last year. Still, there are signs that things are slowing for sellers. Year over year, the median list price increased 7% in March, slightly lower than the growth rate of 8% from the same month in 2018. In spite of the fact that some markets are slowing, we are hitting that level in March, which tends to not be the highest price during the year, says Danielle Hale, chief economist at Realtor.com. This suggests that well see prices go above $300,000 this year. Tax refunds: Tax refunds cause the most confusion for filers this year, H&R Block says Beef recall: Tyson Food subsidiary recalls 10 tons of beef patties for possible plastic contamination Why are sellers asking for more? The reason for the jump in list price isnt necessarily because sellers are overly optimistic. Instead, higher-priced homes tend to come onto the market in the spring, pushing up the overall median, and this year, more of these pricier homes are hitting the sales block. The number of houses priced above $750,000 jumped 11% from last year, while the supply of entry-level homes sunk by 9%. Were seeing this shift toward more home available in the higher price points, Hale says. Overall, there were 56,000 more homes for sale in March versus last year, up 4%. The inventory growth largely occurred in the 50 largest U.S. markets mostly on the pricey West Coast West, including San Jose (up 114%), Seattle (up 77%) and San Francisco (up 44%). Hottest areas cool In some markets, we see list prices declining, Hale says, but in others, list prices are increasing faster than the national pace. Story continues Listing prices are declining in what were some of the hottest housing markets in the country, Hale says. For instance, the median asking price in San Jose, California, was $1,100,050 in March the highest of 500 metro areas, but down 11.6% from a year ago. Median asking prices in Denver and Boulder, Colorado, experienced similar declines. The median asking price declined the most year over year in Lynchburg, Virginia, plunging 37% to $145,000. Overall, 114 of the 500 markets Realtor.com surveyed saw a drop in the median listing price. On the other side, smaller markets in the middle of the county experienced the largest increases in asking prices such as Kokomo, Indiana (up 42.9% to $122,540); and Columbus, Indiana (up 31.6% to $309,950). Its an interesting year to be a seller. It really matters where you are this year and what price point, Hale says. Its very important to do your research. That will make the difference. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: As pricey homes hit market, median list price for a house reaches record $300,000 Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) has introduced new legislation that would require YouTube and Netflix to do more to protect children from viewing sex, violence, and drugs on their streaming services. The proposed law, called the Kids Internet Design and Safety Act, aims to update childrens media regulations, which date back to 1990 and are focused on television broadcast services. The new rules would require all streaming services to better protect children from seeing harmful content, limit the kinds of ads they see, and include ratings on videos much like T.V. already does. The current policies are completely out of date, and the tech industry has forged ahead without regulation, said Jim Steyer, CEO of Common Sense Media, a childrens advocacy nonprofit that supports the legislation. This is long past due, and it is an incredibly important advance. If the bill gets enough bipartisan support, it could be considered during the current legislative session and take effect in 2020. Markey announced the proposed KIDS Act at the Truth About Tech Conference hosted by Common Sense Media in Washington, D.C., on Thursday. The KIDS Act would mark the second piece of legislation Markey has led in support of children. He also authored the Childrens Television Act, which required broadcasters to create educational programming for children and limited their exposure to commercials. While kids technology use and media consumption have exploded in recent years our laws have failed to keep pace, Markey said in a statement. Children and parents deserve new online rules of the road to ensure that children are able to thrive in our increasingly digital world. The proposed law stemmed from incidents in which children and families were unexpectedly exposed to inappropriate online content. For example, some of YouTubes childrens videos reportedly have been doctored to include violent imagery and drug references. Story continues Last month, YouTube and Facebook live streamed the mass shooting of people at two New Zealand mosques. Both services struggled to prevent the spread of the the recorded video. In response to concerns about videos on its service, YouTube launched YouTube Kids in 2015. The service was meant to serve as a destination for children, offering kid-friendly videos and programming. Nobody is on YouTube Kids, Steyer said. Everyone is on YouTube. So this is going to apply to all of the platforms. The bill is also aimed at protecting children online addiction. It would require streaming service to eliminate built-in features that promote binge watching, like auto playing videos in succession. Moscow (AFP) - The body of an Israeli soldier missing since the 1982 Lebanon War was found by the Russian and Syrian armies and returned, President Vladimir Putin said Thursday. Sergeant First Class Zachary Baumel had been listed as missing along with two other Israeli soldiers after a deadly battle with Syrian forces in a Lebanese village. Russia said it handed over the remains to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is visiting Putin five days before he is to seek a fifth term in office in a difficult election. Baumel was buried later Thursday at a military cemetery in Jerusalem. Netanyahu, 69, is running in the April 9 vote despite facing potential corruption charges and experts said he hoped the Moscow visit will increase his chances of success on election day. "Our military together with Syrian partners found the place of his burial," Putin said of Baumel. "We are very happy that he will be able to receive the right military honours in his homeland. Netanyahu added that Baumel's father was no longer alive. "His mother is around 100-years-old. Zachary also has a sister." Neither Russia nor Israel have given details on how or where the remains were found. Syrian state news agency SANA said Damascus had no details on the discovery of the corpse. Putin said only that Syria -- with which Israel has technically been at war -- participated in the operation. The return of the remains of soldiers missing in action is a highly important issue in Israel, which has fought repeated wars with its Arab neighbours since the state of Israel was established in 1948. - 'Risking their lives' - The Russian defence ministry said it handed over Baumel's remains to Netanyahu in a ceremony at its headquarters. A video released by the ministry showed the Israeli prime minister and Russian armed forces chief Valery Gerasimov laying flowers on a casket covered with an Israeli flag. "I would like to thank you, on behalf of the people of Israel, on behalf of the soldiers of the IDF (Israel Defence Forces), and on behalf of the mothers and fathers of all our soldiers," Netanyahu said at the ceremony in remarks released by his office. Story continues He also praised Russia's "enormous sacrifice" during World War II, including in "saving the Jewish people from the Nazi monster". Putin said "it was not easy" for Russian special forces to find the remains, adding that "all the necessary genetic tests have been completed". Putin said he valued Netanyahu's "attitude to the memory of Red Army soldiers", adding that Baumel shared the same fate as thousands of Soviet soldiers who went missing during World War II. - 'We will not forget' - Baumel, who was born in the US in 1960 but immigrated to Israel, had been missing since what is known as the Battle of Sultan Yacoub in a Lebanese village of the same name near the Syrian border. Some 20 Israeli soldiers were killed. Tank driver Baumel and two other soldiers, Zvi Feldman and Yehuda Katz, had been listed as missing and presumed dead. The other two remain missing. Netanyahu said he asked Putin two years ago to help in the search for the remains of the missing men. "You personally responded and gave the order to help in this holy deed," he said, thanking the Russian leader. "We will not forget this act, it will go down in history." JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel on Thursday buried the remains of a soldier missing since 1982, which were recovered by Russian special forces troops in Syria. Russia handed over the remains and personal effects, including the combat uniform, of Zachary Baumel, who was 21 when he fought in Israel's invasion of Lebanon. He was declared missing in action along with two other soldiers in the Battle of Sultan Yacoub. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in his eulogy for Baumel at a military cemetery in Jerusalem, thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for his help. "One word has been repeated among many Israelis over the past momentous day. Chills. I, too, felt chills. When I learned that Zachary was with us once again, that his remains were identified, and that we will be able pay him our last respects," Netanyahu said. Hours earlier the Israeli leader met in Moscow with Putin, who described how Russian and Syrian forces had located Baumel's remains, and that it had been a difficult task. "We are very happy that they will be able to give him the necessary military honours at home and most importantly... that his close relatives will be able to bring flowers to his grave," Putin said in comments published by the Kremlin. The disappearance of Baumel has long troubled Israel. Baumel immigrated to Israel with his parents from New York in 1970. Over the years, there had been unverified reports that Baumel and two other soldiers who went missing at Sultan Yacoub might have survived the fighting and been captured. The precise location of his remains was not disclosed, but Netanyahu said Russian soldiers had risked their lives to get them. The recovery was welcomed by the United States, Baumel's birthplace. "For many years we prayed for the safe return of Zachary Baumel," U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman said on Twitter on Wednesday. "Welcome home, Zachary, and Rest in Peace." Netanyahu, who is campaigning for a new term ahead of elections next week, said he had asked Putin to help Israel find Baumel's remains two years ago. Israeli commanders and intelligence agencies were in "constant contact" with the Russian army throughout, he said. (Reporting by Dan Williams and Ari Rabinovitch in Israel, Tom Balmforth in Moscow; Editing by Alexandra Hudson) By Subrat Patnaik NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi filed his papers on Thursday to run for parliament from a southern constituency, aiming to strengthen his Congress party's prospects in a region where the ruling Hindu nationalists have a limited presence. Although surveys show Congress is trailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the elections that begin next Thursday, the race is tightening. Gandhi, the fourth generation of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty that has ruled India for much of its history since independence from Britain in 1947, picked Wayanad in Kerala as his second constituency, in addition to the family borough in the north. "I am here to send a message that south India is important," he told reporters as thousands of party members lined the streets of the small town in welcome. Modi's BJP has its core base of voters in India's north and west, playing second fiddle to regional parties across the south, except for Karnataka, home to the technology hub of Bangalore. But the party has been trying build its presence in the region, especially Kerala, where the Congress and a communist party are the main players, and where Gandhi is looking to galvanize party workers through his candidacy. He was accompanied by his sister, the charismatic Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who plunged into active politics in January in another move Congress hopes will add momentum to its campaign. Gandhi said his candidacy emphasized the unity of India and contrasted with the Hindu-first vision of the nationalist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh that Modi was tied to. "There is a feeling in south India that the way the government, RSS and Narendra Modi are working... many people in the country feel that their culture, language and history are under attack," he added. Kerala has a significant population of Muslims and Christians in a predominantly Hindu India. Muslims form nearly 27 percent of the state's population of about 33.4 million, and Christians roughly 18 percent, census figures show. Congress has accused Modi and aligned right wing groups of pursuing a partisan agenda of attacking Muslims and changing school textbooks in efforts to shape the national identity to reflect their view, that India is a nation of, and for, Hindus. The BJP denies bias against Muslims, but says it opposes appeasement of any community. Muslims account for 14 percent of India's population of more than 1.2 billion, which is almost 80 percent Hindu, census data shows. Gandhi is also running from Amethi, in India's most populous state of Uttar Pradesh, which sent his father, former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi to parliament, as well as his grandmother Indira Gandhi, another former prime minister. Indian election rules allow candidates to run for more than one seat in parliament. But the BJP was quick to attack Gandhi for running in two constituencies, saying he was not sure he would win. However, Modi himself ran from two constituencies in the 2014 election, Varanasi in the north and Vadodara in his western home state of Gujarat, carrying both. (Reporting by Subrat Patnaik in New Delhi; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani and Clarence Fernandez) Want to participate in a research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and earn a $60 gift card! Dividends play an important role in compounding returns in the long run and end up forming a sizeable part of investment returns. Wuxi Sunlit Science and Technology Company Limited (HKG:1289) has recently paid dividends to shareholders, and currently yields 2.8%. Does Wuxi Sunlit Science and Technology tick all the boxes of a great dividend stock? Below, I'll take you through my analysis. See our latest analysis for Wuxi Sunlit Science and Technology 5 questions I ask before picking a dividend stock If you are a dividend investor, you should always assess these five key metrics: Does it pay an annual yield higher than 75% of dividend payers? Has its dividend been stable over the past (i.e. no missed payments or significant payout cuts)? Has it increased its dividend per share amount over the past? Is is able to pay the current rate of dividends from its earnings? Based on future earnings growth, will it be able to continue to payout dividend at the current rate? SEHK:1289 Historical Dividend Yield, April 4th 2019 Does Wuxi Sunlit Science and Technology pass our checks? The company currently pays out 13% of its earnings as a dividend, according to its trailing twelve-month data, which means that the dividend is covered by earnings. Furthermore, analysts have not forecasted a dividends per share for the future, which makes it hard to determine the yield shareholders should expect, and whether the current payout is sustainable, moving forward. If you want to dive deeper into the sustainability of a certain payout ratio, you may wish to consider the cash flow of the business. Cash flow is important because companies with strong cash flow can usually sustain higher payout ratios. Reliablity is an important factor for dividend stocks, particularly for income investors who want a strong track record of payment and a positive outlook for future payout. The reality is that it is too early to consider Wuxi Sunlit Science and Technology as a dividend investment. It has only been consistently paying dividends for 4 years, however, standard practice for reliable payers is to look for a 10-year minimum track record. Story continues Relative to peers, Wuxi Sunlit Science and Technology has a yield of 2.8%, which is on the low-side for Machinery stocks. Next Steps: After digging a little deeper into Wuxi Sunlit Science and Technology's yield, it's easy to see why you should be cautious investing in the company just for the dividend. But if you are not exclusively a dividend investor, the stock could still be an interesting investment opportunity. Given that this is purely a dividend analysis, I urge potential investors to try and get a good understanding of the underlying business and its fundamentals before deciding on an investment. I've put together three pertinent aspects you should look at: Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for 1289s future growth? Take a look at our free research report of analyst consensus for 1289s outlook. Valuation: What is 1289 worth today? Even if the stock is a cash cow, it's not worth an infinite price. The intrinsic value infographic in our free research report helps visualize whether 1289 is currently mispriced by the market. Dividend Rockstars: Are there better dividend payers with stronger fundamentals out there? Check out our free list of these great stocks here. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. When youre a fourth-round pick who is coming off a rookie season that saw you play a really limited role, your best bet is probably to lay low, spend your offseason working out, and arrive for Year 2 as ready as you could possibly be. Or you can do what Mark Walton has done. Third arrest in less than three months Via the Miami Herald, Walton, a Cincinnati Bengals running back who is a Miami native and played for the Miami Hurricanes, turned himself in to authorities on Thursday to face felony charges of carrying a concealed weapon, marijuana possession and reckless driving. The allegations come after a March 12 incident. Cincinnati Bengals running back Mark Walton, right, has been arrested three times this year. (AP) According to court documents, police in Miami-Dade tried to pull over Walton, who was behind the wheel of a rented BMW, speeding and weaving through traffic. Police say the car abruptly pulled over in the front yard of a home and Walton got out. One officer ordered Walton to the ground. Police say initially Walton did that, but then he sprang to his feet and ran away. The 5-foot-10 Walton was shot in the back with a Taser stun gun during a foot chase, but documents say he removed the electrified barbs and continued running, escaping police. Upon a search of Waltons car, police say they found 14 grams of marijuana, a 9mm carbine rifle and several fully loaded clips. Walton did purchase the weapon legally, and rented the car in his own name. January and February incidents preceded most recent arrest Walton, who had just 14 carries, five catches and totaled 75 yards from scrimmage as a rookie, was already facing charges from incidents in January and February before the March incident. Miami police say that on Feb. 16, Walton was arguing with a neighbor in a parking garage at his condo building when he snatched a phone from the neighbor. He was charged with misdemeanor battery from that scuffle. He is also awaiting trial for a January arrest for misdemeanor marijuana possession. There has been no word publicly from the Bengals. More from Yahoo Sports: Photo credit: Yevgeny Kurskov - Getty Images From Popular Mechanics A new report claims that Russian security forces have engaged in extensive spoofing of satellite-based navigation systems, often to protect President Vladimir Putin or Russian armed forces. A report by the nonprofit think tank C4ADS has logged nearly instances of spoofing of GPS-type navigation systems, The report highlights interference operations in the Global Navigation Satellite System, or GNSS. These satellites relay position, navigation and timing signals to cell phones, car navigation systems, and ships at sea 24/7 across the globe, providing location and navigation detail with unparalleled accuracy. Commonly known as GPS in the United States, Russia operates a similar system named GLONASS (see above photo), Europes system is called Galileo, Chinas is Beidou, and Japans QZSS. Photo credit: Getty Images C4ADS report, Above Us Only Stars: Exploring GPS Spoofing in Russia and Syria, claims to have detected 9,883 instances of GPS spoofing by Russian security forces. These instances often correlate to protecting Russian military forces, particularly those in Syria and Russian-occupied Crimea. Theyre also particularly notable when Russian President Vladimir Putin travels across Russia. There are, according to the report, three different types of GNSS interference operations. The first is brute force jamming, in which a transmitted broadcasts noise on the same frequencies used by GNSS receivers to prevent them from receiving legitimate signals. Another is a denial of service attack, in which transmitters bombard receivers with signals that appear to be legitimate but which are worthless or misleading. The third type of operation involves feeding receivers false location data, say, reporting the position of a persons cell phone a dozen or so miles from its actual position. Until recently, it was relatively difficult to interfere with the GNSS system. The successful use of GPS by the U.S. military in combat operations however has made interference a top priority for many countries, particularly those like Russia and North Korea that could face the U.S. on the battlefield. Today, according to the C4ADS report, GNSS spoofing can be accomplished for $300 or less, using commercially available software defined radios and open source software. Military grade GNSS systems used by U.S. and foreign military forces are harder to spoof. Story continues Photo credit: Mikhail Svetlov - Getty Images One of the most interesting aspects of Russian spoofing are those incidents that correlate to public events attended by President Putin. In 2018, Putin himself led a convoy of vehicles across the Kerch Bridge linking Russia and Crimea. According to line of sight analysis, Russian security forces vehicles traveling in the convoy next to Putin were emitting GNSS signals that tricked receivers into thinking the Presidents position was Anapa airport, more than 65 kilometers away. Why the GNSS spoofing around Putin? Its likely meant to complicate efforts to assassinate the President. Drones carrying grenades or payloads of explosives to carry out suicide attacks are one possibility. Although the idea of a drone carrying out a grenade attack seems far-fetched such attacks h ave been carried out ...allegedly by Russian forces themselves, against Ukrainian military supply dumps. Source: BBC ('You Might Also Like',) Weather Alert ...HIGH WIND WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING... * WHAT...Sustained southwest winds of 25 to 35 mph with gusts of 55 to 75 mph. * WHERE...Portions of east central, northeast and southeast Nebraska and southwest and west central Iowa. * WHEN...From Wednesday morning through Wednesday evening. * IMPACTS...Damaging winds could blow down trees and power lines, leading to widespread power outages. Travel will be hazardous, especially for high profile vehicles along north to south highways like Interstate 29. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Monitor the latest forecasts and warnings for updates on this situation. Fasten loose objects or shelter objects in a safe location prior to the onset of winds. && On Apr 3, 2019, we issued an updated research report on ResMed Inc. RMD. The stock carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). The company achieved strong global revenue growth over the last few quarters on the back of robust sales of sleep devices, respiratory care devices, mask systems and software solutions. Also, the Brightree buyout has acted as a significant contributor to ResMeds operating results through 2018. In this regard, ResMed registered solid constant currency growth across all geographical regions in the last reported quarter. Overall, the company saw sturdy sales from Software-as-a-Service business and the new mask products and devices. Within Software-as-a-Service, the company recorded steady growth in the Brightree service offerings and an incremental contribution from the buyouts of MatrixCare and HEALTHCAREfirst. ResMed Inc. Price ResMed Inc. Price | ResMed Inc. Quote We expect the companys product launches and strategies to gain traction from the sleep-disordered breathing market and further boost its near-term performance. Among the recent developments, in January 2019, following a successful initial launch, ResMed announced the complete unveiling of its portable oxygen concentrator Mobi in the United States for COPD or other chronic diseases. The company plans to introduce Mobi in other countries this year post the necessary regulatory approvals. This apart, ResMed recently closed the Propeller Health acquisition for $225 million. Per management, ResMeds cloud-connected ventilators suite for people with stage III and IV COPD (including Astral, Stellar and AirCurve 10 ST-A with iVAPS new portable oxygen concentrator Mobi) is compatible with the Propellers portfolio, catering to patients with stage II and III severity levels of COPD. Thus, the transaction is expected to expand ResMeds COPD offerings. Earlier, in the first-quarter fiscal 2019, the company re-launched the portable oxygen concentrator called Activox. Story continues In the past month, shares of ResMed have outperformed the broader industry. The stock has inched up 0.6% against the 0.3% decline of the industry. However, challenges like competitive bidding and reimbursement issues persistently plague the stock. The company is also constantly exposed to foreign exchange fluctuations. Additionally, its rising operating expenses are another major headwind. Zacks Ranks and Key Picks Some better-ranked stocks in the broader medical space are Stryker Corporation SYK, Penumbra, Inc., PEN and Amedisys, Inc AMED, each currently carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Strykers long-term earnings growth rate is projected at 10% Penumbras long-term earnings growth rate is estimated at 20.9%. Amedisyss long-term earnings growth rate is forecast to be 19.7%. 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. See their latest picks 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 Penumbra, Inc. (PEN) : Free Stock Analysis Report ResMed Inc. (RMD) : Free Stock Analysis Report Stryker Corporation (SYK) : Free Stock Analysis Report Amedisys, Inc. (AMED) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Theyre the most powerful blasts in the universe (Space.com) Astronomers have worked out the origin of long gamma ray bursts, the most powerful electomagnetic phenomena in the universe. The bursts release as much energy in a second or so as the Sun will release over its entire lifetime. Scientists used simulations to work out that the photons emitted by the bursts come from the visible surface of high-speed jets, emitted as massive stars tear themselves apart. Researchers used supercomputers to simulate how the gamma rays were released and if it made sense that they came from the surface of jets released from the dying star. Its known as photospheric emission, where the rays come from the surface of the jets as they expand. Read more from Yahoo News UK: Teenager claims to be boy who went missing in 2011 Carer jailed after defrauding vulnerable victims out of 1m Teenager dies after his scooter crashes with BMW Lead author Hirotaka Ito of the RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research said, To us this strongly suggests that photospheric emission is the emission mechanism of gamma-ray bursts. There are still mysteries concerning how the relativistic jets themselves are generated by the collapsing stars. Our calculations should provide valuable insights for looking into the fundamental mechanism behind the generation of these tremendously powerful events. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK Want to participate in a research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and earn a $60 gift card! The big shareholder groups in South Port New Zealand Limited (NZSE:SPN) have power over the company. Large companies usually have institutions as shareholders, and we usually see insiders owning shares in smaller companies. I generally like to see some degree of insider ownership, even if only a little. As Nassim Nicholas Taleb said, 'Dont tell me what you think, tell me what you have in your portfolio.' South Port New Zealand is a smaller company with a market capitalization of NZ$177m, so it may still be flying under the radar of many institutional investors. In the chart below below, we can see that institutions are not really that prevalent on the share registry. We can zoom in on the different ownership groups, to learn more about SPN. Check out our latest analysis for South Port New Zealand NZSE:SPN Ownership Summary, April 4th 2019 What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About South Port New Zealand? Many institutions measure their performance against an index that approximates the local market. So they usually pay more attention to companies that are included in major indices. Since institutions own under 5% of South Port New Zealand, many may not have spent much time considering the stock. But it's clear that some have; and they liked it enough to buy in. If the business gets stronger from here, we could see a situation where more institutions are keen to buy. When multiple institutional investors want to buy shares, we often see a rising share price. The past revenue trajectory (shown below) can be an indication of future growth, but there are no guarantees. NZSE:SPN Income Statement, April 4th 2019 We note that hedge funds don't have a meaningful investment in South Port New Zealand. We're not picking up on any analyst coverage of the stock at the moment, so the company is unlikely to be widely held. Insider Ownership Of South Port New Zealand While the precise definition of an insider can be subjective, almost everyone considers board members to be insiders. Company management run the business, but the CEO will answer to the board, even if he or she is a member of it. Story continues Insider ownership is positive when it signals leadership are thinking like the true owners of the company. However, high insider ownership can also give immense power to a small group within the company. This can be negative in some circumstances. Our most recent data indicates that insiders own a reasonable proportion of South Port New Zealand Limited. It has a market capitalization of just NZ$177m, and insiders have NZ$18m worth of shares in their own names. I would say this shows alignment with shareholders, but it is worth noting that the company is still quite small; some insiders may have founded the business. You can click here to see if those insiders have been buying or selling. General Public Ownership With a 13% ownership, the general public have some degree of sway over SPN. While this group can't necessarily call the shots, it can certainly have a real influence on how the company is run. Private Company Ownership It seems that Private Companies own 5.4%, of the SPN stock. Private companies may be related parties. Sometimes insiders have an interest in a public company through a holding in a private company, rather than in their own capacity as an individual. While it's hard to draw any broad stroke conclusions, it is worth noting as an area for further research. Next Steps: While it is well worth considering the different groups that own a company, there are other factors that are even more important. I like to dive deeper into how a company has performed in the past. You can access this interactive graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow for free . Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies. NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the last twelve months, which refer to the 12-month period ending on the last date of the month the financial statement is dated. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. Diana Turner conned vulnerable adults out of nearly 1 million to fund her lavish lifestyle (PA) A carer has been jailed for seven years after she selfishly and shamelessly conned vulnerable adults out of nearly 1 million to fund her lavish lifestyle. Diana Turner, 53, used the money to buy houses, holidays and high-performance cars over a 10-year period, South Yorkshire Police said. She was jailed at Sheffield Crown Court on Wednesday after being found guilty of fraud. Turner provided daily care to residents with various vulnerabilities at a complex in Sheffield and became more involved in the running of the business in 2006 when the owner was ill. Turner used some of the money to buy two properties in Dubai (Wikipedia) Over the next decade, police said she took some 923,000 from 10 victims by linking her bank account with theirs and using their bank cards to regularly withdraw money after they had been paid benefits. Turner used the money to buy a static caravan worth almost 60,000, two properties in Dubai, three properties in England, numerous holidays to the Middle East and high-value cars. She was sacked and the police alerted after the business owner returned to work in 2016 and discovered that some residents bank accounts had been linked to Turners. Read more from Yahoo News UK: Theresa May faces mass resignations over soft Brexit plans British missionary found burned to death in Peruvian Amazon Pensioner, 74, hit by robbery getaway car dies from his injuries Turner, of Ecclesfield Court, Sheffield, was charged with two counts of fraud and was found guilty by a jury on Monday after a trial. Detective Constable James Hughes, from South Yorkshire Police, said: Over 10 years, Turner selfishly and shamelessly took advantage of the vulnerable residents, taking possession and control of their bank cards, making regular and often daily bank withdrawals to fund the lavish lifestyle she was leading. She also set up standing orders from the victims accounts to subsidise that lifestyle, which saw her buying a static caravan worth almost 60,000, two properties in Dubai, three properties in England and numerous holidays to the Middle East. Story continues Turner was jailed at Sheffield Crown Court after being found guilty of fraud (Wikipedia) He continued: During a three-year investigation, extensive banking data was analysed and the full extent of her fraudulent activity became known it was believed that she took possession of a total of almost 923,000 from the ten vulnerable residents and benefited herself from 640,000. All of the residents she took advantage of are vulnerable due to their age, mental health, or due to substance abuse issues and many struggle to operate daily functions they relied on her to get through life every single day and she callously took advantage of that. Mr Hughes added: The decade of control she exercised over the victims is absolutely abhorrent and I hope that they feel some comfort in knowing she has been jailed. To abuse her position as a carer with people who trusted her implicitly is absolutely disgusting and Im pleased that the jury returned guilty verdicts and she will now serve a basic lifestyle in prison. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK This proxy season, big mutual fund companies and investors alike will get a chance to make their voices heard by corporate executives on key issues. See Also: 5 Mutual Funds That Win With ESG Shareholders will likely file 800 to 900 proposals--also called resolutions--this year with the goal of bringing a variety of initiatives to a vote at annual shareholder meetings. Top issues for 2019 proposals include climate change, corporate political contributions and gender diversity on executive boards. Although management isn't obligated to act after the shareholders vote on such proposals, a majority vote in favor of a resolution sends a powerful message that executives often heed. Last year, for instance, a 69% vote in favor of disclosures on firearm safety at gunmaker Sturm Ruger prompted the firm to follow suit. In 2017, ExxonMobil agreed to produce reports on climate change after 62% of shareholders voted for the proposal. Those resolutions were noteworthy not only because of the results but also because of who voted in favor of them: major mutual fund providers. Until 2017, firms such as Vanguard, BlackRock and State Street (which collectively manage about $14 trillion in investor assets) typically either voted their proxies in favor of executives or stayed above the fray entirely. "Mutual fund companies are recognizing that issues such as climate change represent risks that affect these companies' bottom lines," says Heidi Welsh, executive director of the Sustainable Investments Institute, an investing research firm. Still, she expects mutual fund firms to stay away from more politicized issues, such as immigration policy and corporate political spending. Mutual fund voting has boosted support for environmental and sustainability-focused shareholder resolutions. The average vote in favor of such proposals reached a record-high 24% in 2018, up from 15% a decade earlier. Companies must also consider another important shareholder group: their own employees. Once a perk reserved for executives, stock-based compensation is increasingly making its way to the rank and file, especially at tech firms. Shareholding employees at Amazon submitted a proposal in December asking execs to take action on climate change. Last year, Alphabet employees joined a proposal that would have linked executive pay to diversity initiatives. Employees who are also shareholders have a better chance of being heard on issues that are important to them, says Welsh. Story continues Last year, shareholders withdrew about 30% of all proposals they filed. Oddly enough, that indicates a win for shareholders. If a resolution is withdrawn before it can come to a vote, it's typically a sign that management has agreed to take action on the proposed initiative. Changing standards. The bar for filing a shareholder resolution is low. To qualify, the Securities and Exchange Commission requires investors to have held $2,000 worth of company stock for a year. But if you want to file, read the rules first (see SEC Staff Legal Bulletin No. 14I). Companies often petition the SEC to exclude proposals, and the agency can do so for a litany of reasons. In December, SEC chairman Jay Clayton said the SEC would consider stricter rules for shareholders wishing to submit resolutions. But similar proposals have failed to gain traction in Congress, and experts say such changes aren't likely before the 2020 presidential election. EDITOR'S PICKS Copyright 2019 The Kiplinger Washington Editors Bandar Seri Begawan (Brunei) (AFP) - Transgender woman Zoella Zayce fled her native Brunei last year as the country shifted towards hardline Islam, and thinks more of the LGBT community will follow after the death penalty for gay sex was introduced. The absolute monarchy on tropical Borneo island, ruled by a sultan who has been on the throne five decades, implemented tough new Islamic laws on Wednesday, including death by stoning for sex between men, and adultery. The new sharia penal code has sparked a global outcry with governments around the world condemning the measures, and celebrities -- led by actor George Clooney -- calling for Brunei-owned hotels to be boycotted. The country's tiny lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, who already had to be discreet about their sexual identities in the highly conservative Muslim country, have been left terrified. "What Brunei is adopting is a violation of basic human rights," a 33-year-old gay man in the country, who spoke anonymously, told AFP. "All the condemnation and boycott calls internationally speak volumes -- Brunei should just abandon these laws and continue to stick to moderate Islam." Zayce fled Brunei last year due to the increasingly conservative climate and is now seeking asylum in Canada. Plans to implement sharia law were announced in 2013 and the first phase, with less stringent punishments, came into effect the following year, before the entire penal code was implemented this week. Zayce said that gay people in Brunei, who were leading "secretive lives" even before death by stoning came into force, were now even more scared. "Some worry a lot and would like to escape the country before they are found out not to be heterosexual," the 19-year-old said. Khairul, a gay man in Brunei who gave only one name, described the laws as "daunting", adding: "When I'm ready, I'll be on my way to a safer community." Story continues Before the sharia punishments came into effect, sex between men was already punishable by up to 10 years in jail. It is now a capital offence, while lesbian sex is punishable by up to 40 strokes of the cane and a decade in prison. - No govt engagement, no NGOs - Observers say it is hard to know the size of the LGBT community in the country of about 400,000 people. That is because there is nowhere members feel safe to gather openly -- such as gay clubs or bars -- and there is not thought to be any accurate data available on them. "The LGBT community tends to keep a low profile and LGBT (people) are generally much less open than in some of Brunei's neighbours, such as Thailand," Matthew Woolfe, founder of rights group The Brunei Project, told AFP. "The government does not engage with the LGBT community and no NGOs are working with them." Woolfe organised Brunei's first ever LGBT event -- a 2016 gathering at a hotel in the sultanate to mark the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia -- and was subsequently barred from visiting the country. However sharia law appears to enjoy substantial support in Brunei and some are doubtful the harshest penalties -- such as death by stoning, and severing of limbs for theft -- will be imposed. Analysts say the new code may be largely symbolic as Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah seeks to burnish his Islamic credentials with conservatives, and note that although Brunei has long had the death penalty, the last known execution was in 1957. In addition, the burden of proof for stoning to death to be imposed is high. An accused person must either confess, or there must be four witnesses who can testify the offence was committed. Some members of the LGBT community believe the changes may in reality make little difference in a country where most gay people were already secretive about their sexualities. A 23-year-old transgender woman in Brunei, who declined to be named, said the new laws had caused concern but added: "I think just as long as we remain discreet, it will be fine." The stock market may be especially volatile due to the current political climate, but the majority of small business owners (SBOs) aren't worried. In fact, 66% of SBOs say that recent fluctuations in the stock market have not changed their business outlook, according to the new Small Business Growth Index from Capital One (NYSE: COF). That doesn't mean the economy does not hold many concerns for SBOs. Nearly half (49%) are worried that a recession could hurt their business over the next year, according to the twice-yearly survey of 500 small business owners. The report tracks sentiment related to the economy, business conditions, and plans for growth. "Small business owners remain cautiously optimistic," Jenn Flynn, head of Small Business Bank at Capital One, said in a press release. "While we saw a slight dip in optimism compared to Fall 2018, small business owners are still making strategic investments in their businesses, while paying close attention to the uncertainty in the stock market and evaluating the potential impact of a recession." People celebrate a small business opening. Most small business owners remain optimistic, but overall optimism has fallen, according to a recent survey. Image source: Getty Images. Some worry, little impact Small business owners may not be all that worried about the economy or the stock market, but many are taking steps just in case. Nearly half (49%) are being more conservative than usual with inventory and/or supply management, while 36% are planning for a decrease in sales. In addition, 34% said they believe stock market volatility may affect their ability to expand their business this year. And 27% believe that economic conditions may keep them from adding any staff. Overall optimism has fallen. Only 59% of SBOs expressed optimism about the coming year in the current report, down from 67% in October. Some of that pessimism may come from the strength of the current economy, which is making hiring a challenge. Only 29% of SBOs said they plan to add staff in the next six months (down from 33% in October). Of those choosing not to add staff, 29% said "they would like to but are nervous to take on the added expense due to economic conditions." Another 28% said they cannot find the right talent, and 24% say they don't have the financial resources. Story continues The labor market has made hiring expensive. Over three-quarters of SBOs (76%) planning to add employees in the next six months said "they are providing industry-leading or competitive salaries." Almost half (47%) have started offering more benefits, and 43% have made an effort to market their company as a "great place to work." It's about being flexible The economy, the stock market, the labor markets, and consumer demands are moving targets. That makes it somewhat disturbing that only 23% of SBOs surveyed said they "feel pressure to change aspects of their business, like customer experience, based on industry innovation driven by large companies like Amazon." Your business may not need to do everything the big boys do, but you should remain aware of customer expectations. Consumers may be fine with a small business offering slow delivery or not having gift cards -- until they aren't fine with it, and then they can leave abruptly "Change is a constant for small business owners, and it's encouraging to see leaders remain resilient as they interpret new things like tax reform and the impact of technology," said Brad Jiulianti, head of Small Business Card at Capital One, in the press release. It's not that SBOs have to follow, but they do need to monitor what their customers expect. That requires asking a lot of questions and making sure you invest in the areas that consumers demand, while staying away from ones that aren't as important to your customer base. More From The Motley Fool John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fools board of directors. Daniel B. Kline has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Amazon. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. South Korea launched the world's first nationwide 5G mobile networks two days early, its top mobile carriers said Thursday, giving a handful of users access in a late-night scramble to provide the super-fast wireless technology. Three top telecom providers -- SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus -- began their 5G services at 11 pm local time Wednesday, despite previously announcing the launch date would be April 5. Hyper-wired South Korea has long had a reputation for technical prowess, and Seoul had made the 5G rollout a priority as it seeks to stimulate stuttering economic growth. Along with the United States, China and Japan, South Korea had been racing to claim the title as the first to provide the ultra-fast network nationwide. But speculation that US mobile carrier Verizon might start its 5G services early forced South Korean providers to hastily organise a late-night launch, Yonhap news agency reported. Verizon began rolling out its 5G services in Chicago and Minneapolis on Wednesday in the US, a week ahead of schedule. But according to Yonhap, the South Korean launches came two hours earlier. "SK Telecom today announced that it has activated 5G services for six celebrities representing Korea as of 11 pm April 3, 2019," the country's biggest mobile operator said in a news release. The celebrities -- including two members of K-pop band EXO and Olympic ice-skating heroine Kim Yu-na -- were "the world's first 5G smartphone subscribers", it said. Both KT and LG Uplus said they also went live at the same time, with a total of three specially-selected users: KT offered it to the wife of a technician setting up its network on the disputed island of Dokdo, while LG Uplus provided it to a television personality and her racing-driver husband. For general customers, the services will be available from Friday -- the original launch date -- when Samsung Electronics rolls out the Galaxy S10 5G, the world's first available smartphone with the technology built in. Story continues Verizon's network will work with Lenovo's Moto Z3 smartphone. Rival US carrier AT&T began making its "standards-based" 5G network available to users in a dozen cities late last year. Qatari firm Ooredoo said it offers 5G services in and around Doha -- but does not have devices available to use them -- while Japan is also expected to roll out a limited deployment in 2019 before full services start in time for next year's Tokyo Olympics. - Bitter standoff - Experts say 5G will bring smartphones near-instantaneous connectivity -- 20 times faster than 4G -- allowing users to download entire movies in less than a second. The technology is crucial for the future development of devices such as self-driving vehicles and is expected to bring about $565 billion in global economic benefits by 2034, according to the London-based Global System for Mobile Communications, an industry alliance. The implications of the new network have pitted Washington against Beijing -- whose firms dominate 5G technology -- in an increasingly bitter standoff. The US has pressed its allies and major economies to avoid 5G solutions from Chinese-owned telecom giant Huawei, citing security risks that technological backdoors could give Beijing access to 5G-connected utilities and other components. Chinese entities, including 1,529 5G patents registered by Huawei, own a total of 3,400 patents -- more than a third of the total, according to data analysis firm IPlytics. South Korea comes next, with its companies holding 2,051 patents, while US firms have 1,368 together. Neither KT nor SK Telecom use Huawei technology in their 5G networks, but it is a supplier to LG UPlus, the companies told AFP. Southwest Airlines has legions of fans and sits atop countless industry rankings for its vaunted customer service. The airline has more than 2 million Twitter followers and 6 million Facebook fans, a group of frequent flyers and once-a-year travelers who gush about its free checked bags, fare sales, flight attendants, fee-free ticket changes and new flights to Hawaii. Rare are nonstop rants. Until now. Southwest, which calls itself the love airline the ticker symbol for its stock is LUV is suddenly seeing a steady stream of hate on social media that threatens to damage its sterling reputation. Travelers started to turn on Southwest in mid-February when the airline saw a spike in last-minute flight cancellations due to maintenance issues it blamed on a dispute with mechanics. The complaints escalated with the March 13 grounding of the Boeing 737 Max 8. Southwest has more Max 8s than any U.S. carrier and has scrambled to accommodate those passengers. Combined, the two incidents have led to more than 5,600 flight cancellations at Southwest, an unprecedented number of non-weather related cancellations. Passengers aren't complaining about the grounding of the plane involved in two fatal crashes in less than five months. They're peeved about Southwest's handling of passenger rebookings, especially last-minute flight cancellations that leave them with few options. And they're perplexed by Southwest's uncharacteristic lack of flexibility, with affected passengers given two options: take the alternate flight, even if it's days later or to a different airport, or get a refund. In social media post after post, passengers slam the nation's largest domestic carrier for stranding them, cutting vacations short, forcing the purchase of pricey last-minute tickets on other airlines, long waits on the phone and for giving little compensation, if any, as a goodwill gesture or to cover expenses incurred by passengers. Story continues The airline is not required to provide compensation for flight disruptions due to factors out of its control, such as the weather or the FAA-mandated Max grounding. Travelers have just come to expect more from the airline that touts its customer-friendly policies. "Buyer be aware,'' a passenger posted on Southwest's Facebook page Wednesday morning. "Southwest just isn't dependable right now.'' A few hours later, another traveler posted a lengthy complaint on Southwest's Facebook page about a last-minute flight cancellation Wednesday at Los Angeles International Airport due to the Max 8 reshuffling. "Southwest's lack of planning should not have cost me a day's pay, a one day delay in arriving to my destination, a bad seat choice, and increased rental car fees,'' the poster said. "Really bad form, Southwest, really bad form.'' Southwest has seen a spike in negative sentiment since the grounding of the Max 8, according to SEMrush, a global search analytics firm that pulled social media data for USA TODAY. In the last week of March, for example, the percentage of negative comments versus positive comments about Southwest on Twitter ranged from nearly 40% to as high as 54%. That compares with a range of 28% to 37% in the last week of January, according to the firm. Southwest spokesman Chris Mainz, in response to questions from USA TODAY, acknowledged a spike in negative comments and overall negative social media sentiment. But he says the complaints represent a small portion of the airline's customer base. Southwest carried 120 million passengers last year. Mainz said passenger frustration is to be expected given the length of the Max 8 groundings. Southwest said Friday that it has now taken the plane out of its schedule through May. He likened the flight impact to a winter storm that lasts for weeks and weeks. "The duration is one major factor of what makes this situation highly unusual especially for our customers,'' Mainz said. "We know its been frustrating for our customers, but we have taken several steps to try to minimize the inconvenience and frustration.'' The airline said it offered "massive flexibility'' for ticket changes to all travelers after the Max grounding, whether or not they were scheduled on a Max 8. Southwest never charges a ticket change fee but does charge for any fare difference since the ticket was purchased. It was waiving that fare difference for all travelers through March 31 and the policy still applies to passengers impacted by the Max 8 grounding. Mainz said passengers should see fewer last-minute cancellations due to the reduced flight schedule announced Friday, which gives it more time to notify travelers than the five days or shorter window they had been using, as well as other moves Southwest is making to restore "brand-standard reliability.'' American Airlines has the second-highest number of Max 8 planes among U.S. carriers 24 to Southwest's 34 but has not seen social media backlash on a similar scale except for the first couple days after the grounding. American spokesman Ross Feinstein said the airline revised its flight schedule for a broad period as soon as the planes were grounded so it could strategically cancel flights as far in advance as possible to give travelers the most options. "As long as you offer a viable solution for the customer, they've been pretty understanding and will take those alternatives,'' he said. Unlike Southwest, American has the added tool of being able to put affected travelers on other airlines including United and Delta. The airline has been cutting its use of this costly option but still offers it on a case-by-case basis. American has been putting some passengers, especially elite frequent flyers, on other airlines during the Max 8 grounding, Feinstein said. The big question is whether Southwest has done permanent damage to its brand. Eric Schiffer, chairman of Reputation Management Consultants, says he sees "zero empathy'' from Southwest for travelers impacted by thousands of cancellations, even if they were out of its control. The airline is treating the rebookings like transactions instead of thinking about its hard-fought relationship with travelers. "Its like they're marauding customers instead of treating customers with great respect and empathy,'' he said. "And I think that is a threat to the future of Southwest. You're only as good as your customer's willingness to commit to the brand.'' Southwest doesn't appear too worried. Mainz said the airline tends to recover better than other airlines due to its customer service and "very loyal fan base.'' "We feel we have the ability to regain their love, support and loyalty better than anyone,'' he said. More: Southwest Airlines user's guide More: You don't have to be on a Max 8 to be affected by the FAA grounding This Ohio retiree had to cancel her trip to California and eat the costs of an Airbnb rental. Jan Laing and her husband were already packed for their Saturday morning flight from Columbus, Ohio, to Oakland, California, in late March, their first flight in more than six years, when Jan received a text from Southwest at 10:08 p.m. the night before. Their flight was canceled, and she was directed to call Southwest. After an hour on the phone, Laing says she was told the next available flight to Oakland wasn't until Monday. She searched for affordable flights on other airlines because Southwest famously doesn't book passengers on other airlines under so-called interline agreements. One price quoted: $1,600 per person. That was nearly as much as they paid for three round trip tickets on Southwest. The higher priced tickets weren't in their retiree budget, even though they were looking forward to their first flight in more than six years. . "You just don't book an airline the same day,'' she said. "We tried, we really, really tried.'' The couple was meeting up with family members in California, and a Monday arrival wouldn't work with their schedule, so they reluctantly canceled the trip. It was too late to cancel their four-night Airbnb reservation in Manchester, California, so they ate the $700 cost and had to pay $50 to cancel their car rental. Laing, 67, reached out to Southwest on Facebook and pressed her case with Southwest's customer relations department but didn't get far. The airline eventually offered to provide each passenger a $50 voucher "as an apology and to invite you back for (a) more favorable experience." "They were polite. They were apologetic. But I felt like they were saying to me, 'Too bad, so sad, sorry about your luck.'' "I would probably fly Southwest again because weve had good experience with them,'' Laing said. "But I probably wouldn't fly in the near future until their whole fleet is back in service and the dust has settled.'' A Seattle-area family was forced to spend an extra $1,300 on Delta to make it to Virginia for a family reunion. Jeremy Fleck booked Southwest tickets for a family spring break trip to visit his grandmother in Virginia. They were scheduled to fly from Seattle to Norfolk, Virginia, on Friday, March 29. Six days before the flight, Fleck was notified their flight was canceled. The soonest Southwest could get them on another flight: Monday, April 1. Flying out on another airline, they calculated after shopping around, would cost an additional $1,300 for the family of four, even after a refund from Southwest. Fleck, a 39-year-old IT systems analyst, decided they couldn't afford it and informed more than a dozen family members who planned to meet them there because they wanted to see the couple's kids, ages 4 and 8. They insisted and all chipped in help pay for four flights on Delta. Fleck is a big Southwest fan for business and vacation travel but was offended by the airline's response, when he asked to be put on another airline or to receive vouchers for his inconvenience and extra expense. "The only thing we are willing and able to do is give you your money back,'' Fleck said he was told. "They acted as if that was like a privilege, like they were doing this wonderful thing. It makes your head want to explode.'' He and his wife called and sent e-mails to Southwest customer relations hoping for vouchers, something he considered a reasonable request. Every time, he said, they got the same response: "We're not obligated to do anything.'' A San Diego teacher had to cut her spring break trip to Belize short. She lost money on a jungle cruise, airport transfers and a hotel reservation. Amanda Fanning and her boyfriend booked a five-night tropical vacation to Belize in January for spring break. The 38-year-old San Diego teacher and teachers' union representative left Tuesday, April 2. They were supposed to return Sunday, April 7. A few days before their Southwest departure, the airline left her a voicemail telling her the return flight had been changed. They wanted her to call to confirm that it was acceptable. Fanning didn't recognize Southwest's number and figured it was a robocall, so she didn't listen to the voicemail until she returned from a conference a couple of days later. Southwest had changed the return flight to Saturday, April 6. It was only a day earlier, but it was an already short vacation and the couple had booked a jungle cruise and trip to Mayan ruins for Saturday. And they weren't due to check out of their hotel until Sunday. The first Southwest representative she reached was sympathetic, Fanning said. "She said, 'You're right. This is totally unacceptable. They need to do something for you, let me put you through to a supervisor,''' Fanning recalled. She asked the supervisor to switch to a Monday flight, which would extend her trip by a day instead of cutting it short. Southwest said the earliest available flight after April 6 was April 14. "My school district and my students wouldn't appreciate it if I was gone that long,'' she said. Booking on another airline for Sunday would have cost $800, not an option. The supervisor left her with two options: come home early or cancel her trip. She asked to speak to a customer service manager but was told the office was closed until Monday. She received a $200 voucher for a future Southwest flight, but Southwest wouldn't budge on finding them a Sunday or Monday flight, even though Fanning has elite status in the airline's frequent flyer program. On Monday, a day before departure, they decided the only option was to cut their trip short. They're out $160 for the jungle cruise and $225 for the Saturday night hotel. When Fanning was caught up in Southwest's major computer meltdown in July 2016, she said Southwest showered her and other travelers with vouchers for half-price tickets. But the outage was Southwest's fault. "In the past, they've always been super proactive,'' Fanning said. "In this case, they're kind of just saying, 'Too bad.''' This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Southwest blasted for poor Max 8 customer service: 'They're kind of just saying, 'Too bad'' By Alicia Powell NEW YORK, April 3 (Reuters) - The cast and creators of "Game of Thrones" walked their last red carpet together on Wednesday, recalling memories of their years working on the international hit television series. Dozens of actors, many of whom were unknown before the medieval fantasy series began in 2011, flew to New York ahead of the eighth and final season of the show, which arrives on HBO on April 14. Sophie Turner, who was just 14 when she began her role as Sansa Stark, said she would miss the months of filming outdoors in freezing weather in Northern Ireland. "Some of the fondest memories I have are of all of us snuggled up in warm coats trying to get warm," she said. "That camaraderie that we've built from just being so like cold and so wet... they were the most exciting times because it was how we really bonded as a cast." Turner said she had kept one of her character's corsets as a souvenir. Pilou Asbaek (Euron Greyjoy) and Conleth Hill (Varys) said they kept some rings, while Richard Dormer held on to Beric Dondarrion's trademark eye patch. "Game of Thrones" has won multiple Emmy awards and is HBO's biggest hit ever with some 30 million viewers in the United States and an army of devoted fans worldwide. The series, set among warring families in the fictional kingdom of Westeros, is based on novels by George R.R. Martin in a series called "A Song of Ice and Fire." Plot details of the final season have been kept strictly secret although filming started in October 2017. "This has been a year and a half weve been having to hide these. I can remember when I read the script I was like, you know, I wish I didn't have this information in my head," said Isaac Hempstead-Wright, who plays the visionary Bran Stark. Season 7, which was broadcast in 2017, saw the characters head towards a great battle over the Iron Throne while a zombie army of White Walkers, led by the undead Night King, march south and threaten mankind's destruction. Story continues "I can tell you something. I'm probably the only guy with a happy end," Asbaek said. The show has become known for killing off beloved characters, but many of the actors playing them, including Jason Momoa (Khal Drogo), Natalie Dormer (Margaery Tyrell) and Sean Bean (Ned Stark) turned up for Wednesday's red carpet. This is the last mile, the last carpet, the last premiere, this is the end," said Kristofer Hivju, who plays raider Tormund Giantsbane. "I think everything has an end and this is the perfect way to end it." (Reporting by Reuters Television, writing by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore) The Libyan Presidential Council (PC) led by designated Prime Minister Faiez Serraj has ordered the mobilization of all its aligned forces to block the advance of the self-proclaimed Libyan National Army (LNA) to the western region of the country in view of numbing terrorists. Khalifa Haftar, the military strongman and leader of the LNA, which controls the eastern region of the North African country, reportedly ordered his forces to march westward in a move claimed to free the region from terrorists. The move came following a last month meeting between him and Serraj in UAE where both agreed to avoid military actions and endorse the organization of elections in view of ending years-long transition following the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Haftar launched in December another operation designed to flash out terrorists from the south of the country but the PC and critics said it was a cover-up to seize the countrys largest oil field. The PC on Wednesday issued a statement calling on all its ally armed forces to mobilize in order to thwart the LNAs march towards the Western region, Libya Express reports. The looming confrontation will exacerbate UN efforts to bring various political stakeholders to a dialogue table that is planned for mid-April. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed this Thursday from Libya his deep concern by risk of fresh military confrontation as forces based in the east are reportedlt advancing towards the Libyan capital, Tripoli and urged restraint. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is on a visit to Libya, in support of the internationally-recognized Governments efforts to bring rival leaders across the country together, for a national reconciliation conference, ahead of democratic elections later in the year. The UN chief tweeted that he was deeply concerned by the military movement taking place in Libya and the risk of confrontation adding that: There is no military solution. Only intra-Libyan dialogue can solve Libyan problems. According to news reports, Commander Khalifa Haftar, who leads a rival administration through the Libyan National Army in eastern Libya, which in recent weeks has been advancing to take control of territory in the south, has instructed his forces to move west, in pursuit of what he has reportedly described as terrorist elements. Guterres had expressed hope that a solution to Libyas instability, civil conflict, and economic turmoil since the fall of former dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, could be found, following an historic meeting between Prime Minister Faiez Serraj, and Commander Haftar, at the end of February. The two leaders agreed to national, democratic elections, and ways to maintain stability in the country, and unify its institutions, according to statement from the UN Mission UNSMIL. Serraj last week chided Haftar noting that Libya will not accept any military and power-sharing solutions to the oil-rich countrys political fragmentation. There will be no military solution to the crisis and those who are threatening military actions should replace them with wisdom and dialogue for the good of Libyans. Serraj had said. By Belen Carreno MADRID (Reuters) - Spain's Podemos was the rising star of Europe's far left four years ago, but infighting and a failure to evolve has left it a shadow of the newcomer party it was then as it gears up for the country's most open election in living memory. At best, it might emerge from the April 28 ballot as a junior partner in a Socialist-led government, but that outcome would require support from other parties likely to be hard to win over. Its decline underlines the challenge, in Spain and elsewhere across Europe, of forming viable governments once new parties emerge to break the political status quo. Podemos was instrumental in setting that pattern as a European trend in a national election in 2015. Founded a year earlier out of the anti-austerity movement against Europe's debt crisis, it won 20 percent in that vote, finishing a close third behind the conservatives (PP) and the Socialists (PSOE) and dismantling the monopoly on power those two parties had held since Spain's return to democracy in the late 1970s. Now Podemos is down to around 12 percent, its appeal dented by scandals and divisions over how hard-line the party, which supported a minority Socialist government over the past ten months and sits on some local councils, should be. "We have caused shame due to our internal fights, our top officials and our visibility," leader Pablo Iglesias told a rally in March. "We have acted like any other political party." With polls showing no single party anywhere close to securing an absolute majority on April 28, Podemos remains one of five parties, also including far-right Vox, with a chance of being part of a governing coalition. But its hopes of partnering the Socialists would likely rest on outgoing Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez also persuading skeptical Basque and Catalan nationalists to join that alliance. In 2015, Podemos (meaning 'We Can') surged on a groundswell of anti-austerity support as protesters occupied the Puerta del Sol square in Madrid for weeks during the debt crisis, inspiring similar movements elsewhere in Europe and the United States. It came within 350,000 votes of the Socialists, unprecedented for a non-mainstream party. But that election was inconclusive and, by the time a fresh ballot was held six months later, Podemos had lost one million votes as the initial excitement waned. Since then the party has also fragmented. In January, Podemos' co-founder Inigo Errejon left to launch another movement, a defection political analysts linked to his failure to maintain the party's wider appeal as a counterweight to Iglesias' more far-left stance. NO LONGER "BREAKING THE SYSTEM"? Sanchez has said nothing about possible post-election coalitions. But while his Socialists lead in opinion polls, his options for securing a second term appear largely dependent on how Podemos fares, especially after the center-right Ciudadanos ruled out an alliance. The right's options also appear limited, and a repeat election is a distinct possibility. The dilemma of managing a fragmented or deadlocked political system is one that Spain shares with several neighbors. Politics have ruptured from Italy to France and Greece as the after-effects of the 2009-14 debt crisis and austerity linger. In Greece, things turned out differently for the anti-austerity left. Its standard-bearer, Syriza, has governed since 2015, supplanting the establishment Pasok socialists by accepting the strings attached to bailouts and changing from radical to reformer. Podemos instead chose a harder line. "(In Greece's case) we drank from that particular chalice, we were disappointed and returned to pragmatism," said Theodore Couloumbis, a political analyst in Athens. But, without being in government, Podemos has also been forced to compromise through its representatives on local councils and as a PSOE ally. "The party has become normal when it got into power," said Jose Fernandez-Albertos, a political scientist at the Spanish National Research Council. "Voters see that it will no longer break the system." If it manages to get into government, Podemos is likely to see its influence limited by its drop in votes, but could still have an impact, as it has done by pushing the Socialists on issues such as increasing the minimum wage. "Its usefulness is to maintain the Socialists on the left," Fernandez-Albertos said. In neighboring Portugal, the Left Bloc also gained from its anti-austerity stance during the debt crisis but lost support since it became an ally of the ruling Socialists in 2015. That minority government, also supported by the Communists, has achieved stability, potentially giving Sanchez and Iglesias a model to emulate. But the Socialists and Podemos barely poll 40 percent together, leaving them far short of a majority and needing to quickly attract more votes from elsewhere. Rafael Mayoral, a member of the Podemos executive, said the party still enjoyed broad appeal, telling Reuters: "We are a popular force that defends working people, from top to bottom." But that hasn't stopped it from splintering. In a regional election in Madrid next month, it will run on three different platforms. (Additional reporting by Axel Bugge, Michele Kambas, Renee Maltezou and Richard Lough; Writing by Axel Bugge and Ingrid Melander; editing by John Stonestreet) These Stores Are Most at Risk of Going Bankrupt Sears. Gymboree. Payless ShoeSource. The sad parade of store closings and bankruptcies keeps marching on and with no end in sight, because analysts say America still has way more stores than it needs, especially now that we're doing so much shopping online. Will your favorite chain be next? These 12 retailers have the greatest odds of going bankrupt over the next year, Retail Dive reports, using data from CreditRiskMonitor. Remember to take along a cash-back credit card to your next going-out-of-business sale, to save even more. 1. Neiman Marcus Leonard Zhukovsky / Shutterstock Neiman Marcus has opened a new store in New York's Manhattan. Bankruptcy odds within the next year: As high as 50% Because its luxury department stores are meccas for upscale shoppers, Neiman Marcus was initially able to fend off the threat from online retailers. But as shopping habits continue to evolve, even among the well-to-do, Neiman's has had to invest more in e-commerce and digital technologies and has taken on a ton debt in the process. Though sales have been rising and the chain is celebrating the opening of its first store in New York City, red ink remains a very big problem for Neiman Marcus. A bankruptcy reorganization may be the only solution. 2. J. Crew lentamart / Shutterstock J. Crew continues to lose money and is weighed down by debt. Bankruptcy odds within the next year: As high as 50% A quarter-century ago, J. Crew was a catalog-only niche retailer selling barn jackets and rugby shirts. Starting in the late 1990s, the company rapidly expanded into brick-and-mortar stores. Then, the brand sought to go upscale but that approach didn't quite pan out. The chain has been posting losses for years, including a net loss of $120.1 million for 2018. Though sales were up 6% last year at the company's stores open at least a year, J. Crew is struggling under the weight of $1.7 billion in debt which could make bankruptcy inevitable. 3. Francesca's Helen89 / Shutterstock These are tough times at Francesca's. Bankruptcy odds within the next year: As high as 50% The last year has not been pretty for the women's clothing and accessories chain Francesca's, which has been losing lots of money and customers. Story continues Visits to the company's stores have dropped around 15% in recent months as younger shoppers have drifted away to online retailers and one-of-a-kind boutiques, the Houston Chronicle reports. Francesca's has announced it's closing up to 40 stores in 2019, and the company has been shaking up its management and weighing its options, including whether to put itself up for sale. Bankruptcy may be another alternative. 4. Rite Aid Jonathan Weiss / Shutterstock Rite Aid was once the nation's largest drugstore chain. Bankruptcy odds within the next year: As high as 50% Rite Aid was once America's largest drugstore chain, but it's now just a shadow of what it was, after an attempt to merge with Walgreens went bust in 2017. Though the deal failed, Walgreens did end up buying more than 2,000 Rite Aid stores leaving behind another 2,500 drugstores in need of a prescription for survival. Sales at Rite Aid stores have been uneven, the company recently cut 400 jobs, and Walgreens has had major second thoughts about the Rite Aid locations it took over. It's closing about 750 of them. 5. J.C. Penney Jonathan Weiss / Shutterstock J.C. Penney is being squeezed and is closing stores. Bankruptcy odds within the next year: Under 10% Shopping mall mainstay J.C. Penney is in a tough spot, in the middle of the retail road. It doesn't sell luxury items, but it also can't claim the lowest prices. Penney famously did away with coupons a few years ago and tried an everyday-low-prices strategy, but that flopped because savings-hungry shoppers were unhappy to lose the coupons. Now, the department store company is being squeezed by Amazon and other online retailers, and by popular discount chains such as T.J. Maxx and Marshalls. J.C. Penney has said it will close 27 stores in 2019, but analysts are predicting dozens more will shut down. 6. Pier 1 Jonathan Weiss / Shutterstock Pier 1 needs to light a candle. Bankruptcy odds within the next year: Under 10% Furnishings retailer Pier 1 will need to light some scented candles and find its Zen if it wants to stay clear of bankruptcy. A key measure of the chain's sales dropped 10.5% in the most recent quarter, continuing a downward trend. Pier 1 has been working on reinventing itself, overhauling its prices and investing more in its online operation. But finding money for all of that has been a challenge, especially since the company is deep in debt. To top it off, Pier 1 gets a majority of its products from China, so tariffs from the ongoing trade war haven't helped matters for the company. 7. Ascena Retail Group MilesbeforeIsleep / Shutterstock Dressbarn is one of the many chains owned by Ascena Retail Group. Bankruptcy odds within the next year: Under 10% Never heard of Ascena Retail? You probably know it better by the names of its clothing stores for women and girls, including Justice, Ann Taylor, Loft, Dressbarn, Catherines and Lane Bryant. You see them in practically every mall and strip shopping center, but the company has been hit hard by shoppers who have realized that online shopping is even closer at hand and more convenient. (Especially when you have the right credit card.) With its sales sinking, Ascena said in June 2017 that it would close as many as 667 stores within two years. It's on track to shutter 200 or so during the first half of 2019. 8. Destination Maternity JHVEPhoto / Shutterstock Destination Maternity has been expecting things to get better. Bankruptcy odds within the next year: Under 10% Destination Maternity is the company behind the Motherhood and Pea in the Pod stores you find standing alone or as departments within Macy's and Buy Buy Baby stores. Destination calls itself "the world's largest designer and retailer of maternity apparel." But it has been losing money while straining to find the right strategy to appeal to millennial moms who grew up with the internet. The company is taking (baby?) steps to improve its online store, such as by shortening the shipping times. That hasn't stopped sales from going downhill, and the company is closing stores. 9. Tailored Brands Luke.Travel / Shutterstock Tailored Brands is the company behind Men's Wearhouse and several other menswear chains. Bankruptcy odds within the next year: Under 10% As more professional men go tieless and wear polo shirts and jeans to work, Men's Wearhouse, Jos. A. Bank, Joseph Abboud and the other chains that are part of Tailored Brands are in something of an identity crisis. The storied Wall Street firm Goldman Sachs recently announced that suits and ties are now optional for its employees. Amid that kind of sea change, sales at Tailored Brands dropped 10.7% in the company's latest quarter. "We have just not kept pace with an evolving customer," the retailer's executive chairman, Dinesh Lathi, told analysts in a recent conference call. 10. Stein Mart Helen89 / Shutterstock Stein Mart has been struggling for years Bankruptcy odds within the next year: Under 10% Discount department store chain Stein Mart said early last year that it would "explore all opportunities" to lift its sad sales numbers but today, they remain dreary. The company had a disappointing 2018 holiday sales season and recently reported that its quarterly and annual sales have been sliding. But Stein Mart is trying to meet more of its shoppers where they live: online. It has been putting virtually every item found in its stores onto its website, and executive say those efforts are paying off. 11. Overstock.com Jarretera / Shutterstock The Big O has been trying to find a buyer. Bankruptcy odds within the next year: Under 10% Yes, even an e-commerce retailer can wind up on the endangered list. Are you surprised? The discount site that once invited customers to "discover the secret of the Big O" has been trying to sell its online shopping operation so it can transform itself into a blockchain company. But so far Overstock hasn't found a buyer. While the search continues, sales are faltering and debt is mounting. The company reported a net loss of $42.3 million from its most recent quarter. 12. Camping World Holdings Jonathan Weiss / Shutterstock Bankruptcy odds within the next year: Under 10% Fans of the CNBC reality show The Profit should be familiar with Camping World because it's led by the show's investor/star Marcus Lemonis. It's how he started building his business empire. Retail Dive says Camping World could find itself teetering toward bankruptcy after "an interesting couple of years" of gobbling up other outdoorsy businesses, including the Gander Mountain chain, recently renamed Gander Outdoors. Though sales were up for the Camping World company in the most recent quarter, it posted a net loss of $71.5 million. And, there's a potentially poisonous snake in the camping tent: more than $1 billion in long-term debt. The tragedy happened on Wednesday night (PA) A 13-year-old boy has died after he was knocked off his micro-scooter by a car. The boy was in collision with a BMW and later pronounced dead at Derriford Hospital. Devon and Cornwall Police said they have arrested the driver of the car following the incident which took place at 8.20pm on Wednesday in the Plympton area of Plymouth. His next of kin have been informed of this incident, a police spokesman said. A 13-year-old boy has died following a collision involving a BMW and a boy who was riding a non-mechanical scooter (micro scooter) on Sandy Road, Plympton, Plymouth last night. https://t.co/1KWB5qXO6V pic.twitter.com/lYqZN1Qlhl DevonCornwall Police (@DC_Police) April 4, 2019 A 29-year-old local man has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and remains in police custody. The road was closed while a forensic examination was conducted. Officers specialised in the investigation of road traffic collisions attended the scene from across the force. Inquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances leading up to the collision. Read more from Yahoo News UK: Carer jailed after defrauding vulnerable victims out of 1m Brexit: Up to 15 ministers on the verge of quitting British missionary found burned to death in Peruvian Amazon Police have also asked for any witnesses to come forward with any information. Officers also described the scooter the teenage boy was riding as a micro scooter, or a non-mechanical one. They also to Twitter to give information about the crash. One respondent described the news as very sad. The tragedy happened in Plymouth (PA) Locals also took to Facebook following the tragedy. One wrote: So so sad such a young life taken so soon . Thoughts are with his family and friends. Another wrote that the news was absolutely heartbreaking. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK Want to participate in a research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and earn a $60 gift card! This article is for investors who would like to improve their understanding of price to earnings ratios (P/E ratios). We'll show how you can use Abbott India Limited's (NSE:ABBOTINDIA) P/E ratio to inform your assessment of the investment opportunity. Based on the last twelve months, Abbott India's P/E ratio is 35.64. That is equivalent to an earnings yield of about 2.8%. Check out our latest analysis for Abbott India How Do You Calculate Abbott India's P/E Ratio? The formula for P/E is: Price to Earnings Ratio = Price per Share Earnings per Share (EPS) Or for Abbott India: P/E of 35.64 = 7333.75 205.75 (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2018.) Is A High Price-to-Earnings Ratio Good? A higher P/E ratio means that investors are paying a higher price for each 1 of company earnings. That is not a good or a bad thing per se, but a high P/E does imply buyers are optimistic about the future. How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios P/E ratios primarily reflect market expectations around earnings growth rates. When earnings grow, the 'E' increases, over time. That means even if the current P/E is high, it will reduce over time if the share price stays flat. Then, a lower P/E should attract more buyers, pushing the share price up. Abbott India increased earnings per share by a whopping 27% last year. And it has bolstered its earnings per share by 18% per year over the last five years. I'd therefore be a little surprised if its P/E ratio was not relatively high. How Does Abbott India's P/E Ratio Compare To Its Peers? We can get an indication of market expectations by looking at the P/E ratio. The image below shows that Abbott India has a higher P/E than the average (20.1) P/E for companies in the pharmaceuticals industry. NSEI:ABBOTINDIA Price Estimation Relative to Market, April 4th 2019 Its relatively high P/E ratio indicates that Abbott India shareholders think it will perform better than other companies in its industry classification. The market is optimistic about the future, but that doesn't guarantee future growth. So investors should delve deeper. I like to check if company insiders have been buying or selling. Story continues Remember: P/E Ratios Don't Consider The Balance Sheet It's important to note that the P/E ratio considers the market capitalization, not the enterprise value. Thus, the metric does not reflect cash or debt held by the company. In theory, a company can lower its future P/E ratio by using cash or debt to invest in growth. Such spending might be good or bad, overall, but the key point here is that you need to look at debt to understand the P/E ratio in context. How Does Abbott India's Debt Impact Its P/E Ratio? The extra options and safety that comes with Abbott India's 13b net cash position means that it deserves a higher P/E than it would if it had a lot of net debt. The Verdict On Abbott India's P/E Ratio Abbott India has a P/E of 35.6. That's higher than the average in the IN market, which is 16.3. With cash in the bank the company has plenty of growth options -- and it is already on the right track. So it is not surprising the market is probably extrapolating recent growth well into the future, reflected in the relatively high P/E ratio. When the market is wrong about a stock, it gives savvy investors an opportunity. As value investor Benjamin Graham famously said, 'In the short run, the market is a voting machine but in the long run, it is a weighing machine.' So this free visualization of the analyst consensus on future earnings could help you make the right decision about whether to buy, sell, or hold. Of course you might be able to find a better stock than Abbott India. So you may wish to see this free collection of other companies that have grown earnings strongly. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. NEW YORK A judge told Elon Musk and the Securities and Exchange Commission to try to settle their dispute over a contempt of court request for a controversial tweet by the tech and electric car billionaire or else. U.S. District Court Judge Alison Nathan issued a two-week deadline for a resolution following a hearing in which she voiced surprise that SEC lawyers sought the contempt ruling as a first response to Musk's tweet. "My call to action is for everybody to take a deep breath. Put your reasonableness pants on, and work this out," Nathan told the two sides after the nearly two-hour proceeding. The judge said she would issue a decision if the two sides fail to resolve their differences. "Contempt of court is serious business. ... I don't take it likely," said Nathan. "I have serious concerns that no matter what I decide here, this issue won't be resolved." Musk, who came to the hearing federal court with a smile and sporting a dark suit and a tie, pronounced himself "very happy" with the outcome. "I'm very impressed with the judge's analysis," he told reporters. "The tweet in question was true, immaterial to shareholders, and in no way a violation of my agreement with the SEC," Musk added in a statement issued later. "We have always felt that we should be able to work through any disagreements directly with the SEC, rather than prematurely rushing to court. Today, that is exactly what Judge Nathan instructed. The SEC argues that Musk's Feb. 19 tweet about the number of cars his Tesla electric vehicle company would make in 2019 violated the terms of a settlement he agreed to in September. At that time, Musk accepted penalties for using Twitter to proclaim what the SEC concluded were "false and misleading statements" about the prospects of him taking the publicly traded car company private. Burrito deals: National Burrito Day features specials from Chipotle, Moe's, Del Taco and more today Story continues Spring homebuying: As pricey homes hit market, median list price for a house reaches record $300,000 The settlement required the Musk to give up his board chairmanship of the company for three years and pay a non-tax-deductible penalty of $20 million. He also agreed to comply with Tesla procedures requiring him "to seek preapproval of any written communications, including social media posts, that contained or reasonably could contain information material to Tesla or its shareholders." Attorneys tell a federal judge that Tesla CEO Elon Musk shouldn't be found in contempt because he didn't violate a securities fraud settlement. In the tweet in question, Musk told Twitter followers "Tesla made 0 cars in 2011, but will make around 500k in 2019." Tesla made 0 cars in 2011, but will make around 500k in 2019 Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 20, 2019 "Musk did not seek or receive preapproval prior to publishing this tweet, which was inaccurate and disseminated to over 24 million people," SEC lawyers argued in their show-cause motion for a contempt of court ruling. "Musk has thus violated the court's final judgment by engaging in the very conduct that the preapproval provision of the final judgment was designed to prevent." As evidence that Musk and Tesla realized the tweet was problematic, SEC legal briefs cited the follow-up message Musk sent more than four hours later with the help of a securities lawyer for the company. Meant to say annualized production rate at end of 2019 probably around 500k, ie 10k cars/week. Deliveries for year still estimated to be about 400k. Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 20, 2019 Musk clarified: "Meant to say annualized production rate at end of 2019 probably around 500k, ie 10k cars/week. Deliveries for year still estimated to be about 400k." During Thursday's hearing, attorneys for the two sides gave competing arguments about whether the initial February tweet violated the agreement. SEC attorney Cheryl Crumpton argued "it's not even a close call" that the "recklessly tweeted" message to Musk's millions of Twitter followers crossed the legal line. "Tesla still seems unwilling to exert some sort of control over the tweets of its CEO," she said. Musk attorney John Hueston countered that the tweet simply added sales gloss to previous car-production statements publicly issued by Tesla. He also insisted that both the billionaire and the company had made a good faith effort to comply with the SEC agreement. The Wall Street regulator "has not met its legal burden" to show that there was a violation, Hueston told the judge He noted that both sides and the judge spent much of the hearing debating whether the alleged violation met the legal standard for being "clear and unambiguous" and whether it was "material" to Tesla investors giving them new and potentially market-moving information. "It's not clear, and it is ambiguous," Hueston said. Crumpton for the first time disclosed that the SEC will seek sanctions against Musk if he's found to be in contempt of court. Potential penalties could include periodic reports to the SEC on compliance with the settlement and a series of escalating fines for any future violations. Musk publicly stated the $20 million fine imposed by the original settlement was "worth it," Crumpton said as she suggested that future fines should by "not worth it." Instead of wielding "a hammer on the head of Mr. Musk," Hueston said both sides should negotiate a new settlement that resolves all ambiguities in the SEC oversight of the billionaire's social media communications. "If there is an action, that's what the action should be here, your honor," said Hueston. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Judge tells Elon Musk, SEC to try to settle dispute over contempt of court request Tesla(TSLA) shares were down more than 10 percent in premarket trading Thursday as investors reacted to disappointing delivery numbers, which will hurt profits in the first quarter. Late Wednesday, Tesla announced it delivered about 63,000 cars in the latest period, below analysts' expectations of 76,000 deliveries. Deliveries of the Model 3 midsize sedan, considered a key product for Tesla, were 50,900, below a FactSet estimate of 52,450. Tesla also said it produced about 77,100 cars during the quarter. The electric car maker also warned that first-quarter income will be "be negatively impacted" because of "lower than expected delivery volumes and several pricing adjustments." "Tesla continues to struggle as a 'real car company,' with demand collapsing for the tired Model S/X platforms and higher priced versions of the Model 3," said Cowen analyst Jeff Osborn in a note Thursday. However, the company reaffirmed its full-year forecast of 360,000 to 400,000 vehicle deliveries in 2019, which should reassure investors given this quarter's miss. It also said that about 10,600 vehicles were in transit to customers, reflecting unexpectedly strong demand in China and Europe toward the end of the quarter. The company wrote that one challenge was trying to deliver cars around the world when they were manufactured only in one factory in the San Francisco Bay Area, meaning that production could continue to outpace deliveries. The company is planning to build a factory in Shanghai, China, to meet Chinese demand. Breaking the numbers down by model, the company says it delivered approximately 50,900 Model 3s and 12,100 Model S and X vehicles. It produced 62,950 of its new Model 3 vehicles and 14,150 Model S and X cars. Wedbush analyst Dan Ives characterized the miss as bad but not "apocalyptic." This was a disappointing performance by Tesla, although the key Model 3 number was within the area code of Street expectations...The overall deliveries missed Street expectations the all-important Model 3 deliveries were above whisper expectations and exceeded 50k this quarter which will be the focus of many bulls on the Street. That said, European and Chinese deliveries hit anticipated delivery logistics and were the main culprit for the overall miss which was disappointing to see and resulted in a soft quarter with profitability in the red for Musk & Co. Importantly, with Model 3 being the linchpin of growth and future success for Tesla and assuming roughly 7k of the in-transit cars are Model 3's in Europe, the overall Model 3 delivery number would have been closer to 57k and exceeded Street expectations. Overall, the Street was expecting an apocalyptic quarter and Model 3 deliveries were better than feared by many with 50k Model 3 vehicles the "line in the sand" although the overall number was clearly rocky and represents an "air pocket" quarter in our opinion. Story continues Prior to the news, investors had expected demand for Tesla's electric vehicles to slide during the first quarter as buyers of its energy efficient cars lost some key federal tax credits and the company faced falling demand for its luxury lineup. "We do not find this slowdown in U.S. demand to be totally surprising or alarming," Bernstein analyst Toni Sacconaghi told investors in a research note Friday. He noted that Tesla's most expensive Model 3s accounted for "an extraordinary" 33 percent of all sales of sedans priced between $40,000 and $60,000 in the second half of 2018. The average selling price for a Model 3 sedan, Tesla's most popular vehicle, was $57,000 last year, according to data compiled by FactSet. The first quarter also reflects demand for Tesla electric vehicles without the full $7,500 federal tax credit used to gin up demand for energy efficient cars. The credit for Tesla buyers was halved to $3,750 beginning Jan. 1. CEO Elon Musk has attempted to stoke demand by starting to sell the long-awaited $35,000 Model 3, Tesla's cheapest car, and generate more interest in the company by unveiling another highly anticipated vehicle Tesla's Model Y crossover utility on March 14. Two of the three vehicles Tesla currently sells are sedans, which have fallen out of favor with customers who increasingly prefer crossovers, SUVs, and pickup trucks. Watch: What investors should watch ahead of Musk's faceoff with the SEC Washington (AFP) - Texas announced Wednesday it would no longer allow clerics into its execution chambers, to bypass a Supreme Court ruling that stayed a convict's capital punishment because no Buddhist monk was available to accompany him in his last moments. The court last week granted Patrick Murphy, 57, a last-minute reprieve in the name of religious equality because, under Texas policy, Christian and Muslim clerics could be present in the room while those of other faiths could not. Murphy is one of the last members of the so called "Texas Seven," a group of escaped prisoners who killed a police officer during a high-profile crime spree in 2000. In response to the decision, a spokesman for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) said Wednesday it "has made a change to its execution protocol to only allow TDCJ security personnel in the execution chamber. "TDCJ chaplains will continue to be available to an offender until they are transferred to the execution chamber. The offender's approved spiritual advisor will continue to have the ability to visit the offender and be present in the witness room. "This change is effective immediately." The court's decision on Thursday after the same bench in February refused to grant a stay of execution for Alabama inmate Domineque Ray, who asked for an imam to accompany him to his death. The refusal -- on the basis that the request was made late, was strongly criticized, including by the court's four liberal judges, one of whom wrote it was "profoundly wrong." Texas carried out 13 of the 25 executions in the United States in 2018. A slim young recruit wearing make-up, new fathers, nervous lovers holding hands -- diverse groups of Thais flocked to a famed Bangkok shrine this week offering prayers to avoid military conscription. Every male citizen aged 21 in Thailand must participate in the country's massive annual draft, which starts in April and sees an estimated 100,000 enlisted for up to two years. It is a sensitive subject in military-run Thailand, and politicians opposing the junta in last month's election suggested ending the mandatory practice. While some draftees volunteer, others enter a lottery system where young men pluck coloured cards out of a box and wait nervously as a soldier reveals either a red slip -- meaning they have been drafted -- or the coveted black. For young men dreading military service, the shrine of Ya Nak ("Grandmother Nak") in the capital's Wat Mahabut temple has become a popular pilgrimage. Represented by a golden statue of a woman with long black hair sitting cross-legged with a baby, Ya Nak is surrounded by gifts of flowers, toy cars, and traditional Thai clothing. Legend has it that while her husband was away in military service she died alone during childbirth, a story turned into a hit Thai movie. Like many Thais who grew up knowing the folklore, university student Pasakorn Raksri travelled five hours from Kanchanaburi province to pray to Ya Nak. The 21-year-old, who presents herself as a woman and has shoulder-length hair and wears make-up, does not want to be enlisted. "One of my concerns is my sexual appearance as it is not exactly what the army is looking for," Pasakorn told AFP. Thais who have transitioned are exempt from conscription but those who have not undergone surgery have been subjected to harassment when they are drafted into the military, rights groups say. Others pray to Ya Nak because they have financial commitments and are the sole breadwinner. "I am the only one who works in the family," said Thawatchai Saisawang, a father of one young girl. Story continues Factory worker Utain Kamrit was returning to the shrine with gratitude. The 22-year-old had prayed to Ya Nak and said there was a single black card remaining in a box of reds during his enlistment. "I was thinking about her, asking her to help me," he said, recalling the moments before he pulled the black card. These tension-filled sessions often leave young men bursting into tears of relief when they get an exemption, while some faint from the stress. "First thing that came into my mind was, I have to return here to fulfill my promise (to give thanks)," Utain told AFP. Former Algerian leader Abdelaziz Bouteflika in a letter to the nation has begged for forgiveness over wrongdoings that occurred during his two-decade stay in power, the state-run news agency APS reported. The reign of Algerias Abdelaziz Bouteflika came to a sorry close on Tuesday as his 20-year tenure as president ended in a badly-lit room in Algiers, commented UAE paper, The National. The pale 82-year-old, wheelchair-bound since a 2013 stroke, was so weak he could barely pass his resignation papers to the president of the Constitutional Council, on the backdrop of repeated and massive protests demanding his stepping down, coupled with pressure from the army. Bouteflikas standing started to ebb away dramatically mid-February after he announced his plans to seek a fifth term in office despite being glued to a wheelchair since 2013 after he suffered a stroke. Under street pressure, the former national hero scrapped his plans but sought to cling to power through postponing the April 18 elections to an unknown date, triggering more protests. In the letter published by APS, Bouteflika announced his complete withdrawal from the countrys political affairs and demanded forgiveness for failing at any time to fulfil his responsibility. Now that I am putting an end to my fourth mandate, I am leaving my functions with the collaboration we had together on my mind, Bouteflika said according to the translated letter. Error being human, I ask for your forgiveness for all wrongdoings, through speech or action, Bouteflika added, urging Algerians to stay united and never divide. Head of Senate Abdelkader Bensalah, as stipulated by the Constitution, will lead the country for 90 days in a transition that will prepare presidential elections to elect a new ruler for five years. However, Bouteflikas resignation was not enough to appease the wrath of protesters who want an utter regime change. Over twenty associations and trade unions have called for mass demonstrations on Friday April 5. New York (AFP) - A sarcophagus believed to contain an Egyptian nobleman will be opened on live TV during a special broadcast by the American channel Discovery. The two-hour "Expedition Unknown: Egypt Live" will air Sunday night (0000 GMT Monday) from the site outside Minya, which is along the Nile River south of Cairo and its Giza pyramids. Egypt has sought to promote archeological discoveries across the country in a bid to revive tourism hit by turmoil after the 2011 uprising against Hosni Mubarak. The country's Supreme Council of Antiquities declined to comment, even though Discovery announced that council head Mostafa Waziri would be present for the event. The site containing the sarcophagus was discovered in February last year, and a Discovery spokesman told AFP that the project was set up in collaboration with Egypt's antiquities ministry. Archeologists at the site recently discovered a network of vertical shafts leading to a network of tunnels and tombs containing 40 mummies "believed to be part of the noble elite." In one of those, a limestone sarcophagus holding a 3,000-year-old mummy is to be opened during the show. Discovery declined to disclose the identity of the mummy prior to the broadcast. Prominent Egyptian archaeologist and former antiquities minister Zahi Hawass will also participate, Discovery previously announced. Asked by AFP about a possible financial deal between the channel and the Egyptian state for permission to film and open the grave, the spokesman for Discovery refused all comment. "It's a media spectacle in the end -- but it could make people love antiquities and is a good promotional opportunity for tourism, if done right," an Egyptian archeologist who asked to remain anonymous told AFP. She said the broadcasters should not open the tomb without providing solid archeological context, but "the main problem" is something else. "If money is being paid by a major channel to the ministry to show antiquities, where is it going to end up?" the archeologist asked. Story continues "Will it go in the state's purse-strings or end up elsewhere? We need more transparency on where the money is going." Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has overseen a crackdown on dissent, banning protests and jailing Islamists as well as liberal and secular activists. He regularly evokes political stability to draw foreign investment. The tourism sector has begun to return, with arrivals reaching 8.3 million in 2017, according to government figures. That still falls far short of the 14.7 million tourists in 2010. Discovery's broadcast also comes with global interest in Egyptian archeology generated by a "once in a generation" exhibition about the pharaoh Tutankhamun, which opened in Paris last month and will tour the world. In Washington, a separate exhibition has opened focusing on the "Queens of Egypt." Discovery said that its broadcast will be simulcast on the Travel and Science channels. Photo Illustration The Daily Beast/Reuters The person who claimed to be long-lost Timmothy Pitzen is not the Illinois boy who vanished in 2011but a 23-year-old man, the FBI confirmed through DNA testing on Thursday. Its not clear why Brian Michael Rini of Medina, Ohio, concocted the story, but a relative said he has been plagued by mental illness. He also has a criminal past. Hes been doing stupid stuff, not the serious, but stupid stuff for as long as I can remember, his brother Jonathon Rini told WEWS. I hope he gets help and I hope he goes to prison for this. Or at least an institution, Rini said. Brian Rini appeared to be a battered and scared teenager when he approached strangers in Newport, Kentucky, on Wednesday, saying he had been kidnapped and held at a motel. He identified himself as Timmothy, who went missing nearly eight years ago after his mother picked him up at his elementary school for a road trip. Timmothys mother, Amy Fryer-Pitzen, was found dead by suicide soon after, along with a note saying her son was with people who would care for him and love him. You will never find him, the note added. Rinis bogus claim raised hopes among Timmothys family that their agonizing wait to find out what happened to the child was going to have a happy ending. But just a day later, investigators used a 24-hour DNA test to determine the person who surfaced in Newport was not Timmothy. We know that you are out there somewhere, Tim, and we will never stop looking for you, praying for you, and loving you, Pitzens aunt Kara Jacobs said in a press conference after the DNA results were released. The FBI said in a tweet: To be clear, law enforcement has not and will not forget Timmothy, and we hope to one day reunite him with his family. Unfortunately, that day will not be today. Pitzens grandmother Alana Anderson said the family has been on tenterhooks, hopeful that their Timmothy was coming home. I feel so sorry for the young man whos obviously had a horrible time and felt the need to say he was someone else in hope that they can find his family, Anderson said. Story continues On Wednesday, Rini told Campbell County police that he escaped two male kidnappers while they were staying at a Cincinnati Red Roof Inn and ran across a bridge just over the Ohio River before knocking on a car window to ask for help, authorities said. He walked up to my car and he went, Can you help me? I just want to get home. Can you just please help me? And I asked him what was going on and he told me hes been kidnapped, a good Samaritan who called police told WCPO. The Campbell County Sheriffs Office immediately contacted other nearby law-enforcement agencies, including the FBI field office, and searched all of the Red Roof Inns in its jurisdiction, according to the police report. Rini described his alleged captors as having bodybuilder-type build and were last seen in a newer Ford SUV with Wisconsin plates. Police were unable to find the described men. According to the police report, one of the men allegedly wearing Mountain Dew shirt and jeans was described as having black curly hair... and a spider web tattoo on his neck, while the other is short in stature and had a snake tattoo on his arms. Newport Police confirmed they are looking into Rinis claim of being kidnapped and acknowledged that he has given false statements in the past 24 hours when he claimed to be a kidnapped teenager. His motive is still unknown, and its unclear whether hell be charged with a crime. The 23-year-old man has reportedly been arrested three times, once in 2015 for allegedly making false reports that involved an Ohio law-enforcement agency, according to the Medina Post. Along with three other men, Rini was also arrested in 2017 for allegedly hosting a party in Medina, Ohio, and causing over $1,250 of damage in a model home, according to The Medina Gazette. Although we are disappointed that this turned out to be a hoax, we remain diligent in our search for Timmothy, as our missing persons case remains unsolved, Aurora police spokesman Sgt. Bill Rowley said in a press conference Thursday, adding that they will be investigating this hoax. The FBI tested genetic material belonging to the man claiming to be Pitzen and compared them to a DNA sample from the missing teen, a spokesperson told The Daily Beast, adding that the results were top priority. We still have no confirmation of the identity of the person located, but hope to have something later this afternoon or early this evening, an Aurora Police spokesperson told The Daily Beast. Unless or until his identity is confirmed, we have no official statement to mark, and nothing of substance to add. On May 11, 2011, 43-year-old Amy Fry-Pitzen checked her 6-year-old son out of his elementary school for a three-day vacation, which included a trip to a local zoo and a waterpark. She did not inform the boys father of her intentions. The pair were last seen at the Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Three days later, Fry-Pitzen was found dead inside a motel room and her son missing. Aurora police told The Daily Beast on Thursday that the mother who openly struggled with depression suggested in her note that she might have dropped her son off with a friend. We never forgot, never stopped thinking about him every day, stayed in touch with the police, Anderson, told NBC Chicago on Wednesday when she heard the news. It just went cold and I just prayed that when he was old enough that he would remember us and contact usthat was kind of the best I could hope for for a long time. Read more at The Daily Beast. Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here Police in Kentucky are trying to determine the identity of a teenager who says he is a child who went missing more than seven years ago, and who told officers he fled kidnappers who held him as prisoner all that time. In 2011, Timmothy Pitzen, 6, was picked up at school by his mother in Illinois, taken to a zoo and a water park, before she killed herself at a hotel, leaving a note in which she said her son was fine but that no one would ever find him. On Wednesday, a 14-year-old came forward to tell police he was Timmothy. He reportedly told officers he had fled across a bridge in Cincinnati over the Ohio River into Kentucky. Weve probably had thousands of tips of him popping up in different areas, Aurora police officer Bill Rowley told the Associated Press. We have no idea what we're driving down there for. It could be Pitzen. It could be a hoax. Timmothy Pitzens grandmother, Alana Anderson, told WISN-TV on Wednesday that authorities had told the family very little. We just know a 14-year-old boy was found and went to the police, Ms Anderson said. We don't want to get our hopes up and our family's hopes up until we know something. We just don't want to get our hopes up. Weve had false reports and false hopes before. Police in the Cincinnati suburb of Sharonville wrote in a short incident report that the boy said he had just escaped from two kidnappers. He described them as white men with body builder-type physiques. They were in a Ford SUV with Wisconsin license plates and had been staying at a Red Roof Inn. CBS News said it spoke to the person who dialled the emergency services. He said he had escaped, said the woman who called 911. He said he was missing from Illinois. Thats what he said. The channel said that in May 2011, the boys mother picked him up from school in Aurora. Amy Fry-Pitzen then took him on a two-day trip to the Brookfield Zoo, a water park in Gurnee, and final the Wisconsin Dells, where the last known sighting of Timothy was caught on tape. Two days later, Ms Fry-Pitzen was found dead in a Rockford hotel along with a note saying that her son was safe, but no one would find him. Tina Brown, award-winning journalist and former editor of Vanity Fair and the New Yorker, has some career advice for women: rather than try to squeeze yourself into a patriarchal type of workplace, start your own thing. I know so many women who are starting their own businesses, and I think theyre doing it because then they can then design a culture that suits them better, said Brown, who joined Yahoo Finances On the Move ahead of the Women in the World Summit, which she founded 10 years ago to highlight the work of global leaders. Among the women scheduled to participate in next weeks summit in New York are Susan Rice, Brie Larson, Oprah Winfrey, and Anna Wintour. One common characteristic shared by all of them, said Brown: tenacity. They have tenacity and they are tough, Brown said. What I find very appealing about all the women who come to our stage, is that they bring this human side which is a multi-dimensional approach to leadership. Its not just sort of barking orders, its not just sort of swinging the Alpha-ness around. It isnt that. Its actually about listening well. Theyre all women who know how to listen and therefore they know how to lead. Powerful women leaders While there are a handful of well-known powerful female leaders currently making their mark on the world such as Pelosi, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and New Zealands prime minister Jacinda Ardern, Brown says that the path to being a woman leader is a tough road where very often women have to sort of battle through being marginalized and minimized. FEBRUARY 5, 2019 - WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump delivered the State of the Union address, with Vice President Mike Pence and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, at the Capitol in Washington, DC on February 5, 2019. (Doug Mills/The New York Times POOL PHOTO) NYTSOTU When it comes to Brexit, an issue she feels strongly about, Brown has both harsh and sympathetic words for the woman at the center of the debacle. Theresa May has been a completely inept prime minister, Brown said, but added in Mays defense: I resent the fact that [she] was put in this position by the feckless behavior of those upper-class men in the [David] Cameron administration, in the Tory administration, who just simply blundered this referendum without any kind of plan for Brexit and now look where we are. (More than two years after the 2016 vote for Britain to leave the European Union, the British parliament has been unable to decide on the terms for Britains withdrawal from the European Union, rejecting Prime Minister Theresa Mays plan for the third time.) Story continues A powerful leader who has earned Browns praise is Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. She knows how to put the tangerine toddler, as I call him, in his basket. She kicks him to the curb, Brown said, referring to President Trump, who Pelosi publicly tussled with over his demands for border wall money last year. Brown describes Pelosis leadership style as one that entails rallying her caucus like a mother hen, using a combination of tough love, time-outs, treats and meetings. Its a particular leadership approach Brown wants to celebrate at the Women in the World summit. Follow Sibile Marcellus on @SibileTV More from Sibile: Gen Y and Z will drive up demand for rentals over the next 10 years Millennials are 41% below boomers in a key wealth measure More households subscribe to a streaming service than pay TV now: Deloitte Trump isnt worried about rising government debt, and neither are voters Tory MP Johnny Mercer believes the party would be wiped out in a snap election (Getty) With uncertainty over Brexit bringing Parliament to a deadlock, one Tory MP does not think a General Election is the answer. Johnny Mercer, a rising star backbencher who represents Plymouth, believes a snap election would wipe out the Tories putting Jeremy Corbyn in Downing Street. The 37-year-old former army captain told Spectator: The party will get wiped out. Well get top-sliced and bottom-sliced by those who dont want any Brexit and those who want a Ukip version of Brexit. The Plymouth MP did not give much away when it came to his leadership ambitions (PA) Well just get left behind and Jeremy Corbyn will be Prime Minister. Theresa May told her MPs last month that she would be quitting once Brexit has been delivered, opening the door for the likes of Boris Johnson and Sajid Javid to take over the reins. However, Mr Mercer is a popular figure within the Conservative party and his name has been mentioned as a potential future leader. Read more from Yahoo News UK: The country where most people die because of an unhealthy diet Carer jailed after defrauding vulnerable victims out of 1m Philip Hammond says second referendum is credible And, while not saying outright if he would consider running, Mr Mercer, who once described his own Government as a s*** show, did not accept that his lack of front bench experience would rule him out of the top job. He said: Im afraid Im not one of these people who thinks that years of cabinet service are a mandatory precursor to becoming Prime Minister Obama was a first-time senator. We need to put more emphasis on people who can lead a team, who can sell a vision, who can lead a country, inspire a nation. Theresa May with Mr Mercer on the election campaign trail in Plymouth in 2017 (PA) An opening for a new PM may come quicker than Mrs May would hope her announcement of a softer Brexit this week has infuriated Brexiteers, with mass resignations rumoured as a result. Chancellor Phillip Hammond said last night that he was expecting Brussels to insist on a lengthy delay to Brexit but stressed that the Government wanted to ensure that any extension to the Article 50 process could be cut short if a deal was agreed by MPs. Mexico is not paying for Donald Trumps wall. The 2018 tax cut did not give tax relief to middle-class Americans. And no infrastructure or healthcare bills have emerged from this administration. But, the one promise that the president has kept, and perhaps the one that is of greatest importance to his base, is his selection of judges for the federal bench. The president has vowed to appoint judges who share the views and values of the minority of Americans who voted him into office. And he has succeeded. A look at the growing list of judges now occupying life terms in the federal judiciary shows that, as a general matter, they oppose reproductive rights, gay rights, affirmative action, unions, government regulation, any form of gun control, and immigration. To date, 92 judges selected by Trump have been confirmed: two for the supreme court, 37 for the circuit courts of appeal, and 53 for the district courts (the entry level trial courts). Thirty-nine nominations have cleared the Senate judiciary committee (two appellate and 37 trial court) and are pending Senate confirmation which means they could be confirmed any day. Twenty-one of these 39 were voted out of committee on a vote of 12-10 (54%) which means on strict party line votes supported only by Republican senators. Finally, 61 more nominations (six appellate and 55 trial court) have been made. To date, Trump has appointed nearly 22% of the appellate judges with more surely to come. Only six of the 13 circuits have a majority of Democratic appointees and that number will decrease in the remaining months of his presidency. These appointments are well on their way to reshaping the federal judiciary. Because so few cases are heard by the supreme court between 80 and 90 per year the circuit courts are often the final word on issues raised in federal court. A number of the circuit courts of appeals now have a majority of judges appointed by Republican presidents. For example, Trump has appointed 37.5% of judges in the sixth circuit (six of 16); 35% of judges in the seventh circuit (four of 11) and the same in the eighth circuit (four of 11); nearly 30% of the judges in the fifth circuit (five of 17) and 27% of judges on the eleventh circuit (three of 11). The addition of three Trump judges to the third circuit, has added that circuit to the list of circuits dominated by Republican appointees. Story continues These new judges have already shown that they can be counted on to advance the presidents agenda. One example is judge James C Ho of the fifth circuit who referred to the moral tragedy of abortion in a recent published opinion. Finally, it is worth noting, that of the 92 judges confirmed to date, only 1% are African American, and only 25% are women. A recent example of the impact of Trumps circuit appointments is a decision of the full sixth circuit court of appeals. Ohio passed a law barring state public health grants to any organization performing abortions. Planned Parenthood sued the state claiming that Ohio had imposed an unconstitutional condition on its receipt of grants by effectively requiring that Planned Parenthood forgo providing abortion services to its clients. Planned Parenthood was successful in invalidating the law at the district court level and again at the circuit court, but then the full sixth circuit decided to hear the case en banc, which means by all of the judges of the circuit court. With the addition of four new Trump-appointed judges, the decision was reversed by a vote of 11-6, thereby re-instituting the law barring state funding of Planned Parenthood. A different kind of example is a look at the background and qualifications of several recent appointees. Two nominees for the ninth circuit court of appeals a circuit repeatedly attacked by Trump as a complete and total disaster failed to receive the approval of either of their home state (California) senators. In the past, a nominee who did not receive what is known as a blue slip from their home state senators, was not given a hearing or a Senate vote and the nomination was eventually withdrawn. The purpose of requiring this approval was to be sure that judges were drawn from a mainstream pool of those who would at the very least be acceptable to both parties. The two ninth circuit nominees drew sharp criticism from California senators Kamala Harris and Dianne Feinstein. One nominee, Kenneth Lee, has denigrated the struggle for racial justice, espoused harmful stereotypes about sexual violence, and expressed offensive views about the LGBTQ community. Worse yet, he had failed to disclose his writings on these subjects to the Senate judiciary committee. The second ninth circuit nominee, Daniel Collins, has fought to undermine civil liberties, weaken womens rights, and has opposed criminal justice reform. He has represented entities accused of discrimination, human rights violations, and endangering the health and safety of US workers. Two recently confirmed circuit judges share similar beliefs to these nominees. Paul Matey, a former highly placed aide to New Jerseys governor Chris Christie, will now sit on the third circuit court of appeals despite the opposition of New Jersey senators Cory Booker and Robert Menendez. Similarly, Neomi Rao was just confirmed for Justice Brett Kavanaughs former seat on the very important DC circuit court of appeals despite the opposition of sexual assault victims, people of color, women, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ people. Among other positions, she has blamed sexual assault survivors for causing their attacks and belittled the fight for racial justice. In her years serving as administrator at the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, of the Office of Management and Budget, she has opposed environmental protections, immigrants, workers, and consumer rights. She previously served as a law clerk to Justice Clarence Thomas, and is close to the Federalist Society an organization that has spearheaded Trumps choice of judges for the federal bench. Why do these appointments matter? Of our three branches of government, two and a half are now squarely in the control of the current conservative Republican party. This is the party that seeks to roll back a hundred years of progress with respect to womens rights, racial justice, equal opportunity, workers rights, environmental protection and, of course, voting rights. The federal courts will soon be the last place to go to seek justice. We can only hope that our state courts remain up to the task of ensuring justice for all. It is unlikely they will find comfort in the federal courts. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House is not expected to announce a date on Thursday for a trade summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, a senior administration official said, as negotiators for the two sides launch another day of talks. China and the United States are in the middle of intense negotiations to end a months-long trade war that has rattled global markets. After meetings in Beijing last week, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin are holding talks with a Chinese delegation in Washington this week. Trump is slated to meet with China's top trade negotiator, Liu He, at 4:30 p.m. (2030 GMT) at the White House. The Wall Street Journal and the New York Times reported that he was expected to announce a date for a summit at that time, but a senior administration official told Reuters that was incorrect. "The White House is not expected to announce a date for a meeting," the official said. Trump administration officials have cited progress in the talks on tricky aspects, including reforming practices that Washington objects to by Beijing such as the intellectual property theft and forced transfer of technology from U.S. companies doing business in China. Hopes that the talks were moving in a positive direction have cheered investors. Administration officials initially envisioned a summit between Trump and Xi potentially taking place in March, but that period passed while talks continued. How to enforce a deal as well as when and whether to lift tariffs on billions of dollars of goods have been sticking points in what appear to be the final stages of the talks. (Reporting by Jeff Mason; Editing by Susan Thomas) Members of Robert Muellers team who worked on his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 US election have reportedly expressed frustration over how the probes findings have been presented, particularly regarding whether Donald Trump sought to obstruct justice. According to reports in the New York Times and Washington Post, some of Mr Muellers investigative team have objected to the way in which Attorney General William Barr characterised the reports key findings, saying they inadequately portray evidence which could potentially trouble Mr Trump. Investigators who worked on the 400-page report have complained in private the evidence they gathered on obstruction was alarming and significant, according to the Washington Post. When Mr Barr first announced the findings of the probe, in a four-page letter to Congress, he said investigators had not found evidence indicating a conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia, and added Mr Mueller did not conclude one way or the other as to whether Mr Trumps conduct in office constituted obstruction of justice. Mr Barr said his conclusion from reading the report was the evidence was not sufficient to charge the President with obstruction. Mr Trump, who had described the two-year-long process as a witch hunt throughout its course, said after the findings were announced the report exonerated him. There was no collusion with Russia, Mr Trump said. There was no obstruction. He said the report was a complete and total exoneration. The sources speaking to the Washington Post and New York Times did not expand on why the probes findings could potentially be more damaging to the president than Mr Barr initially explained, but it is believed one focus was on Mr Trumps efforts to halt or thwart the investigation itself. It was much more acute than Barr suggested, one person, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told the Washington Post. Story continues In particular, investigators are reportedly disappointed Mr Barr did not release the summary information the special counsel team had prepared. Summaries for various sections of the report were apparently written with a view they could quickly and easily be made public. There was immediate displeasure from the team when they saw how the attorney general had characterised their work instead, the Washington Post said one US official briefed on the matter had said. The official said the report had been prepared so that the front matter from each section could have been released immediately or very quickly. It was done in a way that minimum redactions, if any, would have been necessary, and the work would have spoken for itself. The scale of the operation means the complaints and frustrations which have surfaced may not reflect all the views of those who worked on the probe the special counsel team included 19 lawyers and about 40 FBI agents and other personnel. Mr Barr has said he will act to quickly release as much of the report as possible, but needs time to redact confidential and legally sensitive information. The Attorney General has also reportedly voiced his frustration with Mr Muellers finished report, with those familiar with the situation saying he believed the team fell short on the task by declining to decide whether the president had illegally obstructed the investigation. Speaking to reporters in the White House Tuesday, President Trump misstated his fathers place of birth as Germany, rather than New York City. My father is German, right? Was German. And born in a very wonderful place in Germany, so I have a great feeling for Germany, Trump said during a meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who is from Norway. Trumps father, Frederick Christ Trump, was born in the Bronx on Oct. 11, 1905. Tuesdays misstatement was not the first time that the president has incorrectly identified his fathers birthplace. In a 2018 interview with Fox News Sunday, Trump did the same. I was there many, many years ago, the president said of the European Union, which was not founded until 1993. Meaning, my parents were born in the European Union. I love these countries; Germany, Scotland, they are still in there, right? Fred Trump with Donald Trump. (Adam Scull/Photolink/MediaPunch/IPX) During a visit to Scotland last July, Trump told reporters, accurately, that his mother was from Scotland, but he repeated the misinformation about his father. Dont forget both of my parents were born in EU sectors my mother was Scotland, my father was Germany. Trumps grandfather Friedrich was indeed born in the German town of Kallstadt on March 14, 1869. Friedrich immigrated to the United States in 1885, at the age of 16, but did so before fulfilling his military service. In 1905 the kingdom of Bavaria wrote Friedrich a letter ordering him never to return. Seeking to distance himself from his German heritage, Trumps father, Fred, a prominent builder in New York, went on to claim Swedish heritage, probably for business reasons. He said, You dont sell apartments after the war if youre German, Trumps cousin John Walter told the Boston Globe. So hes Swedish, no problem. Trump himself pushed this false narrative in The Art of the Deal, saying his father had emigrated from Sweden as a child. By 2000 Trump dropped the ruse, admitting that the story had come about because being from Germany didnt necessarily play so well for a period of time. Story continues For the record, the president was born in Queens, New York, at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center on June 14, 1946. _____ Read more from Yahoo News: Investigators working for FBI special counsel Robert Mueller say attorney general William Barr has misrepresented just how damaging their report really is to Donald Trump, according to reports. Mr Barrs four-page letter to Congress summarising its contents last month stated Mr Mueller had reached a no collusion conclusion regarding the presidents relationship with Russia, but stopped short of exonerating him on obstruction of justice charges. In response to that limitd discllosure, the House Judiciary Committee voted to subpoena the full, unredacted 400-page report from Mr Barr on Wednesday after he missed their deadline for it to be handed over, while the House Ways and Means Committee has formally demanded that the Treasury Department release Mr Trump's income tax returns. The report is currently being combed over by Justice Department officials, who are determining how much of the documented or classified. Some reports have indicated that there is classified material like grand jury information, or information related to ongoing investigations on most if not all of the pages. Those would need to be redacted for security reasons. The report has already sparked protests across the US, with demonstrations planned for Thursday night in Washington outside of the White House and in New York. Please allow a moment for our liveblog to load Pilots of the 737 Max that crashed in Ethiopia last month initially followed Boeings standard emergency procedures to try to get control of the plane, before the crash, Ethiopias transport minister told a news conference in Addis Ababa on Thursday, as she delivered the first official report on the disaster. According to Dagmawit Moges, the crew performed all the procedures repeatedly provided by the manufacturer but was not able to control the aircraft. The Ethiopian Airlines crew ended up turning the control system back on before the plane crashed, killing all 157 people aboard. She said investigators have reviewed the cockpit voice and flight data recorders, as well as records such as additional documents gathered from the operator of the plane. Data retrieved from the Ethiopian Airlines jets black box suggest that the flight-control feature, called the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS), automatically activated before the crash. Earlier this month, the Federal Aviation Administration agency grounded all Boeing 737 Max planes, saying it had identified similarities between the Ethiopian Airlines crash and the Lion Air crash in Indonesia six months earlier. The US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation launched an investigation on Tuesday into whistleblower complaints accusing the FAA of improperly training its safety inspectors to review the Boeing jets. A lawsuit against Boeing Co was filed in US federal court last week in what appeared to be the first suit over the Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX crash. The lawsuit was filed in Chicago federal court by the family of Jackson Musoni, a citizen of Rwanda, and alleges that Boeing had defectively designed the automated flight control system. Boeing is still preparing software updates for the 737 Max planes flight-control system. Photo Illustration by Sarah Rogers/The Daily Beast/Getty A top ally to President Trump said on Tuesday that Capitol Hill should expect a fresh health-care plan from the White House soon, just a day after the president himself conceded that no real movement on the issue will happen until after the 2020 election. Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC) told The Daily Beast he believes the Trump administration will have the framework for a comprehensive health-care initiative within months. I can tell you he is working, and his administration are working, as if we will bring it up legislatively this year, but pragmatically understand that a future Congress actually deals with it, said Meadows. The prediction from Meadows foreshadowed the presidents latest position, which he reportedly made clear on Tuesday night. Appearing at a fundraiser for House Republicans, Trump said he would come up with a health-care plan to run on in 2020 and then put to a vote at the dawn of his second term, should the GOP win control of both houses of Congress. That pledge, and Meadows apparent support of it, adds another layer of confusion to a chaotic stretch in which Trump has embraced, backed away from, and embraced again the idea of once more trying to repeal and replace Obamacare. Last week, the Trump administration endorsed a court ruling that would, if upheld, strike down the entirety of Obamacare, throwing the future of the law into greater legal uncertainty. At a Senate Republican lunch, Trump urged lawmakers to take another stab at ambitious health-care legislation and publicly tasked three GOP senators the assignment of crafting a beautiful new bill. Days later, Trump had relented in response to behind-the-scenes pressure from Republicans who noted that they do not control the House currently, could not repeal and replace the law when they did, and got clobbered during the 2018 midterms for trying. By Monday evening, the presidents sunny declaration that repeal was moving forward in Congress was replaced with tweets saying that his party was developing a really great HealthCare Planand that a vote on it would be taken after the election. Story continues In seemingly punting on a health-care battle till after the 2020 elections, Trump relieved most Republicans on Capitol Hill. On Tuesday, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell revealed that he told the president that the Senate would not be taking up repeal-and-replace legislation this session. Asked if there was any daylight between him and Trump on health care, a grinning McConnell simply told reporters, not anymore. As McConnell framed the presidents health-care fit as water under the bridge, members of his conference criticized the party for passing on a chance to go after a law they loathe and have campaigned against for nearly a decade. Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) told a Fox News reporter that some of his colleagues need to see if Amazon is selling spines at a special discount this week. The only reason Ive heard not to tackle health care is politics, Kennedy told The Daily Beast, and thats not a good enough reason. Other close allies of the president were content to leave responsibility for crafting a health-care plan with Trump, all while not offending him by seeming eager to move on to other topics. The president is going to develop something he feels comfortable with, and hopefully most of us can rally around it, said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC). Graham, who speaks regularly with Trump, is up for reelection in 2020. He suggested that a Trump health-care proposal could be useful for Republicans on the campaign trail by giving the party a proposal to compete with Democrats increasingly ambitious plans to expand Medicare and Medicaid. Theres not the votes to get a bill passed, Graham said, but I think we need to show the public why Medicare for All is a bad idea and why Obamacare is failing. He did not offer specifics on what such a plan would look like, but did say it might look like the repeal bill he co-authored with Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) that nearly passed the Senate in 2017. Those tasked with re-electing the president, meanwhile, couldnt help but exhale as he appeared to take his foot off the gas. My sense is healthcare is a complicated issue as we have found out in the past. There is no bill that Republicans or Democrats have that can be pushed through right away, said Ed Rollins, a longtime Republican strategist who heads the pro-Trump Great America PAC. The votes arent there. The Democrats control the process [in the House and]...theyre obviously not going to do anything except like Medicare for All. Rollins added it would be very foolish for Trump and Republican lawmakers to dive back into a healthcare debate that has in recent years proved so politically and electorally toxic to the GOP. Dont waste the effort at this point in time, he said. Republican strategists beyond Rollins have increasingly warned that health care reform has become a political quagmire for the party. But for Trump, it remains a lingering, bothersome box unchecked. The first year of the Trump presidency was largely defined by the shambolic, wide-ranging failures of the administration and the GOP to follow through on their long-held promise to finally kill the Affordable Care Act. And its one that still causes fits of stress for those who were in the White House as it unfolded. The first attempt at healthcare was a debacle, Cliff Sims, a former White House official and ex-friend of Trumps, told The Daily Beast on Tuesday. The President had heard all of these congressmen go on and on about repeal and replace for so long that he assumed theyd be able to just get it done. As is so often the case with Congress, they couldnt. That led to a different approach on tax reform, he continued. We were all joined at the hip with our Hill counterparts. And even with total Republican control, that was still a herculean task. With a divided Congress [today], its hard to imagine anything nearly as significant as healthcare reform getting done, especially since neither party has any motivation to work with the other going into what promises to be another polarizing election cycle. Read more at The Daily Beast. Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here WASHINGTON (Reuters) - White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow on Wednesday said the Trump administration would soon issue an executive order that would open the door for more natural gas pipelines and exports of liquefied natural gas, or LNG. The administration, which is pushing a policy it calls energy dominance, has been considering an order that would push back against states, including New York, that have blocked interstate natural gas pipelines. Kudlow said the executive order would open the way for pipelines and LNG at an event hosted by the Christian Science Monitor news outlet. New York has blocked pipelines that would take natural gas from Pennsylvania to New England, which means the region sometimes needs imports of LNG. Early last year, a tanker carrying LNG from a project in Russia's Arctic arrived in Boston Harbor to satisfy demand during a cold snap. It was unclear how the order would overrule the authority of states to rule on pipelines. Several politicians in New York, including Governor Andrew Cuomo, have said they want energy companies to focus more on renewable power sources and energy efficiency, instead of building more gas and other fossil fuel-fired power plants and infrastructure. New York State in recent years blocked the construction of several pipelines that would transport fracked natural gas from the Marcellus shale in Pennsylvania to New England, including Williams Cos Inc's Constitution and Northeast Supply Enhancement and National Fuel Gas Co's (NFG) Northern Access. In those cases, New York regulators denied the pipelines on environmental grounds. Trump has attempted to use an executive order to jumpstart TransCanada Inc's long-delayed Keystone XL crude oil pipeline, signing an order just two days after assuming office in 2017. But that did not save the pipeline from getting bogged down in the courts and last week he issued another order seeking to breathe life into the project. Meanwhile an independent federal agency has taken some steps that could help gas pipelines in New York. The U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) determined last year that New York regulators waived their right to decide on a water quality certification for NFG's Northern Access project because the state waited too long. FERC this week denied New York's request to rehear that decision. Williams has made a similar argument about the Constitution pipeline. (Reporting by Jeff Mason and Timothy Gardner; additional reporting by Scott DiSavino in New York; editing by Franklin Paul, Jonathan Oatis and Susan Thomas) WASHINGTON (AP) Abandoning his threat to immediately seal the southern border, President Donald Trump warned instead on Thursday that he'd slap tariffs on cars coming to the U.S. from Mexico unless the Mexicans do more to stop the flow of migrants and drugs to the U.S. In his latest backtrack in recent days, Trump told reporters he would try the "less drastic measure" before resorting to his standing border-closure threat. "Mexico understands that we're going to close the border or I'm going to tariff the cars. I'll do one or the other. And probably start off with the tariffs," Trump said. He added later: "I don't think we'll ever have to close the border because the penalty of tariffs on cars coming into the United States from Mexico, at 25 percent, will be massive." It was the latest, seemingly sudden attempt at new leverage by a president struggling to solve what his administration has called a border "crisis." And it was a dramatic departure for Trump, who last week tweeted that he would close the border or large swaths of it this week unless Mexico immediately halted "ALL illegal immigration coming into the United States" a seemingly impossible task. Trump said at the time that he was "not kidding around," and his acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney said in a television interview Sunday that it would take "something dramatic" for Trump not to close down the crossings. Since then, however, White House advisers, border city leaders and U.S. economists have warned that such a move would have enormous economic consequences on both sides of the border, interrupting supply chains and boosting U.S. consumer prices on everything from avocadoes to autos. Trump in recent days has also backtracked on his push for Republicans to again take on health care and surprised his own education secretary by reversing a plan to ax federal aid for the Special Olympics. Story continues Those actions have only added to longstanding concerns about whether Trump's words can be trusted. Trump, who has long said his unpredictability is one of his greatest negotiating assets, has also followed through with some of his most bombastic threats, including forcing the country's longest-ever government shutdown over border funding. Trump had already appeared to be easing off his border threat earlier this week. Though he said Tuesday all options remained on the table, he shifted his goal posts, calling on Congress to pass immigration legislation to avert a closure and praising the Mexican government for doing more to apprehend migrants traveling through the country from Central America though it's unclear anything has changed. Marcelo Ebrard, Mexico's foreign relations secretary, said Tuesday his government had not changed its policies. And on Thursday, Mexico's ambassador to the U.S. Martha Barcena told The Associated Press the country was working to make its own border "more orderly" but "migration will never be stopped." Jesus Seade, the Mexican undersecretary for North America, also brushed off the threat of new tariffs, saying officials were "not concerned" and noting the tariffs are not part of the United States-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement that the countries have agreed to but not yet ratified. On Thursday, Trump also threatened tariffs if Mexico doesn't halt the flow of illegal drugs across the border, saying he'd give the country "a one year warning" to comply. "But if in a year from now drugs continue to pour in we're going to put tariffs on," he said, adding: "I don't play games." As for concerns his actions might interfere with the trade deal he fought for, Trump said the border was "more important to me than the USMCA." Trump has wide-ranging power to impose tariffs on national security grounds, which he has repeatedly used as leverage against other countries. But the USMCA was worded to protect Mexico against auto tariffs based on national security concerns, and trade lawyer Daniel D. Ujczo said those provisions are already in effect under a side letter. "In short, this is the exact scenario that the Mexican negotiating team predicted and secured protections from in the USMCA," he said. "Mexico 'Trump-and-Tweet-proofed' its auto sector," and the White House "would need to get very creative to impose auto tariffs on Mexico." In addition, despite what Trump suggests, Mexico, China and other American trading partners don't pay U.S. tariffs directly. American importers pay the tariffs at the border and then must decide how much of the higher cost they can pass along to U.S. customers. Tariffs do squeeze the manufacturers who export to the U.S. from foreign countries by making their products more expensive in the United States. But there again, that can hit U.S. companies, such as General Motors, which is a major car-maker in Mexico. Trump has been increasingly exasperated at his inability to halt the swelling number of migrants entering the U.S., including thousands who have being released after arriving because border officials have no space for them. Arrests along the southern border have skyrocketed in recent months and border agents were on track to make 100,000 arrests or denials of entry in March, a 12-year high. More than half of those are families with children, who require extra care. The president's "pretty frustrated," said Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, who spoke with Trump this week and offered to work with the administration "to try to come up with some more targeted ideas," including changes for remittances to Mexico. Trump suggested he work with the Treasury secretary on the idea, Cornyn said. Trump has invoked other executive powers, including declaring a national emergency in an effort to secure more money for his long-promised border wall. Congress voted to block the emergency declaration, but Trump vetoed that measure. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday that Democrats would file a lawsuit aimed at preventing Trump from "stealing" billions from federal programs and diverting the money to building barriers along the border. Administration officials had been studying ways to minimize the economic impact of a potential border closure in case Trump went through with his threat, including keeping trucking lanes open or closing only certain ports. But even absent that extraordinary step, delays at border stations have been mounting after some 2,000 border officers were reassigned from checking vehicles to deal with migrant crowds. ___ Associated Press writers Paul Wiseman, Darlene Superville and Luis Alonso Lugo in Washington and Peter Orsi in Mexico City contributed to this report. WASHINGTON As President Donald Trump warns Republicans to be a little bit more paranoid about how votes are counted, states are spending millions in federal money to buy new voting machines, hire cybersecurity experts and update voting-registration systems. Republicans and Democrats in Congress agreed last year to give states $380 million to improve the nations elections systems with the aim of building voter trust in the process. Trump said Tuesday that hes concerned votes would be counted unfairly and in favor of Democratic candidates. "We have to be a little bit careful because I don't like the way the votes are being tallied," Trump said in an address to the National Republican Congressional Committee. 'Paranoid': Trump tells Republican lawmakers to be more 'paranoid' about how votes are counted in 2020 2020: Democratic candidates boast fundraising totals as 2020 race heats up "There's something going on, he said, warning that Republicans need to "be a little bit more paranoid than you are, OK?" Trump has repeatedly said theres major voter fraud across the country. But election experts and voting-rights advocates say theres no evidence of that. Voter confidence Some state election officials have cautioned that Trump and others should be careful about rattling voter confidence as the 2020 elections approach. Secretaries of State, 40 of whom are their states chief election official, across the nation are working hard each day to safeguard the elections process with their own IT teams, private sector security companies, and the federal government, among others," said Maria Benson, a spokesman for the National Association of Secretaries of State. We will continue to do this as we approach the 2020 election and beyond,'' she said. "We ask, however, the White House and others help us rebuild voter confidence in our election systems by promoting these efforts and providing clear, accurate assessments of the voting process. Story continues Trump-Smollett: President slams Smollett as 'the actor that nobody ever heard of' Bennet: Potential 2020 candidate Michael Bennet says he has prostate cancer Democrats accuse the Trump administration of adopting measures to try to suppress voter access to the polls, particularly for people of color. Sen. Doug Jones, D-Ala., called Trump's comment "a political statement." Jones said states and Congress were taking steps to give people confidence'' and that he will push for more access to the ballot box, including early voting. But the president talks about things in a political context and most people just recognize its a political speech," said Jones, who is giving a speech on voting rights Friday. Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said there may be some cases of voter fraud, but he doesnt think its rampant. I think our states do a pretty good job, he said on CNN Wednesday. Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., speaks to reporters. Thwarting cyberattacks Ahead of last year's midterms, Congress approved $380 million in federal funds to help states beef up their elections systems. Trump signed the bill into law last March. The states and U.S. territories have spent much of those funds on cybersecurity and voting equipment, according to a report to be released Thursday by the Election Assistance Commission. USA TODAY received an advance copy of the report. States spent money to train staff, hire cybersecurity experts and test their system vulnerability to hacking. Some also upgraded and replaced voting machines, added paper ballots and set up post-election audits. Christy McCormick, chairwoman of the commission, said state election officials rose to the occasion spending the federal funds on short and long-term projects. The funds have been used to make a tangible difference in the efficiency, security, accessibility and integrity of American elections, McCormick said in a statement. Voting paper trails? Report says paper trails are needed to thwart cyberattacks Heres how states spent the money Alabama used the $6.1 million in federal funds to help replace old voting machines and set up rules for post-election audits. Minnesota used its $6.9 million to among other things modernize its voter registration system and upgrade its cybersecurity technology. Washington, D.C. used nearly $400,000 to buy new machines and hire more people to staff early-voting centers. Rhode Island spent some of its $3 million to add layers of protection for its voter-registration system. Election officials have called the funding a down payment and say they need more for upcoming elections. Lawmakers and election officials pushed for the extra funding after U.S. intelligence reports that Russians tried to meddle in the 2016 presidential election. These funds serve as an important initial federal investment in our elections systems, but cybersecurity is not a destination, said Rhode Island Secretary of State Nellie M. Gorbea. To protect our elections, we need to have a continuous process of assessment, improvement of our systems, and mitigation of risk. Contributing: William Cummings This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump warns GOP should be 'paranoid' about elections as states spend millions to boost voter confidence Washington (AFP) - Donald Trump wanted a victory lap after the apparent flop of the Russia collusion probe, but on Thursday, 11 days later, the president instead found himself being chased in circles. Over and over the president has crowed that special counsel Robert Mueller's massive investigation into the Trump team's links to Moscow resulted in total "exoneration." But that claim is based on the conclusions of Trump's handpicked attorney general William Barr who released a four-page summary of the still secret report. The actual report, running hundreds of pages, has yet to be released publicly. And US media reports have now quoted sources from the previously almost totally leak-proof Mueller team saying that Barr's characterization glossed over potentially damaging findings. "Members of Mueller's team have complained to close associates that the evidence they gathered on obstruction was alarming and significant," The Washington Post said late Wednesday. The New York Times -- another mainstay of insider US political reporting -- quoted its unnamed sources saying that Barr "failed to adequately portray the findings of their inquiry and that they were more troubling for President Trump than Mr. Barr indicated." The Justice Department was forced Thursday to defend Barr's summary, saying "every page" of Mueller's report was flagged as potentially containing confidential material and insisting it would be released in full once "appropriate redactions" had been made. And in a furious tweet, Trump said the Times "had no legitimate sources, which would be totally illegal, concerning the Mueller Report. In fact, they probably had no sources at all! They are a Fake News paper who have already been forced to apologize for their incorrect and very bad reporting on me!" - Vindication - This is not the way it was meant to be for the Republican as he launches his 2020 reelection fight. Story continues For two years Trump loudly, repeatedly excoriated Mueller's "witch hunt" and dismissed as nonsense the idea he might have colluded with attempts by Russia to tilt public opinion in his favor during the 2016 election. The Barr summary looked like a stunning vindication. According to Barr, Mueller found that no one in the Trump team had "conspired or coordinated with Russia." On the question of whether Trump had tried to obstruct justice and prevent Mueller from freely investigating the Russia angle, Barr said the special prosecutor did not reach a definitive conclusion. "While this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him," Barr quoted Mueller as saying. That sounded perilously ambiguous for the president, but with Barr himself making the judgment that there was in fact no obstruction offense, Trump could call it a win. In streams of tweets, comments to journalists and a celebratory campaign rally, Trump said he had been proven right. He even accused the law enforcement officials and Democratic Party politicians who supported Mueller's probe of treason. - 'Sneaky,' 'rabid' - But questioning by Democrats about why the report has not been fully released and now the reported leaks from the Mueller team are turning that victory sour. In a statement on Thursday, Justice Department spokeswoman Kerri Kupec defended Barr's handling of the report. "Given the extraordinary public interest in the matter, the Attorney General decided to release the report's bottom-line findings and his conclusions immediately -- without attempting to summarize the report -- with the understanding that the report itself would be released after the redaction process," she said. Barr "does not believe the report should be released in 'serial or piecemeal fashion,'" she added. In the meantime, it was back to business as usual for Trump on Twitter, with attacks on opponents that could have been written months ago. "According to polling, few people seem to care about the Russian Collusion Hoax, but some Democrats are fighting hard to keep the Witch Hunt alive," he tweeted Thursday. "They should focus on legislation or, even better, an investigation of how the ridiculous Collusion Delusion got started - so illegal!" Trump's lawyer, former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani, was also refighting the supposedly finished battle. On Fox News Wednesday night, he called the Mueller team "a bunch of sneaky, unethical leakers. And they are rabid Democrats who hate the president of United States." As for Trump's actions regarding the murky Russian involvement in the election? "We think we can prove beyond any doubt that there is nothing to collusion," Giuliani said. A talk show host has threatened to duff [Tucker Carlson] so hard his bowtie would spin around like Daffy Duck's beak after the Fox News presenter insulted congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and MSNBCs Chris Hayes. Joel Martinez, known professionally as The Kid Mero, hit back at Mr Carlson following a segment mocking a town hall event on Ms Ocasio-Cortezs Green New Deal policy hosted by Mr Hayes. Mr Carlson called the New York congresswoman a moron on his talk show and said Mr Hayes was what every man would be if feminists ever achieved absolute power. In response, Mr Martinez lambasted the Fox News host, threatening to beat him up if Mr Carlson challenged him and saying Mr Hayes would give him an openhand face smack in a no gloves no rules fight. He also described Mr Carlson as a scrubbed potato with a wig on and said MSNBC host Rachel Maddow would beat him in a fight. Mr Martinez is the co-host of the late-night talk show Desus & Mero on Showtime with comedian Desus Nice. The show has previously featured interviews with Mr Hayes and Ms Ocasio-Cortez, who are both from New York. Mr Carlson took offence at a recent episode of All In with Chris Hayes in which Ms Ocasio-Cortez spoke at length about proposals to limit the effects of climate change. The congresswoman's Green New Deal is a policy proposal which outlines radical changes that would need to be made to transition the US to an economy which uses 100% renewable, zero-emission energy sources. The Fox News host tore into Mr Hayes for hosting the programme. He said: Chris Hayes is what every man would be if feminists ever achieved absolute power in this country: apologetic, bespectacled and deeply deeply concerned about global warming and the patriarchal systems that cause it. "He looks like Ellen," Mr Carlson added, referring to comedian Ellen DeGeneres. He then went on to attack Ms Ocasio-Cortez for saying that America should aim to be a moral society. Story continues "'Wait a second,' you may be wondering, 'How does a member of Congress who hasn't yet turned 30, someone who's never even raised children, get the right to lecture me about morality?'" he said. "So it's official: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is a moron and nasty and more self-righteous than any televangelist who ever preached a sermon on cable access, he added. Ms Ocasio-Cortez responded to Mr Carlsons attack by tweeting You mad bro? with a link to an article about his insults. The Fox News presenter has been a long-standing critic of the first-term congresswoman and previously called her dumb and totally ignorant of everything on his show. By Martinne Geller LONDON (Reuters) - The United States and China will be key focuses for the consumer healthcare venture being formed by GlaxoSmithKline and Pfizer, as the companies look to build on strong existing positions in those markets. GSK and Pfizer are on track to create the world's biggest consumer health business - with brands from Advil painkillers to Chapstick lip balm - by the second half of 2019, Brian McNamara, CEO of GSK Consumer Healthcare, told Reuters on Thursday. The venture, to be 68 percent owned by GSK, will become a stand-alone company within three years of closing the deal, and McNamara will lead it. "The U.S. and China are really two of the key value drivers of the deal because it's where Pfizer has critical mass and a significant amount of their key brands," he said in an interview, noting the new entity will be the No.1 player in the United States and No.2 in China. "U.S. and China are must-win markets." The consumer health sector, which spans vitamins, non-prescription medicines and other drug store purchases, is buoyed by ageing populations, a growing interest in health, wellness and self-care, and growing middle classes. It has slowed at times in recent years, due to emerging market fluctuations or weak flu seasons. The new, yet-to-be-named company will have annual sales of 9.8 billion pounds ($12.9 billion) and more than 7 percent of the global consumer health market, with brands also including Centrum vitamins and Sensodyne toothpaste. That puts it ahead of rivals Johnson & Johnson, Bayer and Sanofi. Pfizer's Centrum is already the leading multivitamin in China, while Caltrate is the No.2 calcium supplement in what is one of the world's most calcium-deficient populations, McNamara said. He said vitamins, minerals and supplements (VMS) would be a major focus, alongside oral care and over-the-counter pain medicine, and respiratory treatments like cold and flu tablets. Story continues "It gives us the presence globally but it really strengthens our China position," he said about VMS. GSK has said it is aiming to make divestments worth about 1 billion pounds ($1.3 billion) in 2019/2020, but McNamara declined to comment on them. GSK in December announced plans to separate into two companies - one for prescription drugs and vaccines, the other for over-the-counter products - after agreeing the deal with the consumer health business that Pfizer tried, and failed, to sell previously. (Reporting by Martinne Geller; Editing by Mark Potter) By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives approved a resolution on Thursday that would end all U.S. involvement with the Saudi Arabia-led coalition in the war in Yemen, rebuffing President Donald Trump's policy of continued support for the kingdom. As the resolution had already passed the Senate, the vote in the Democratic-led House sends the measure to the White House, which said last month Trump would issue a veto. It would be the second of his presidency. The vote in the House was 247-175, as 16 Republicans joined the majority Democrats in backing the rare use of the War Powers Act, which limits the president's ability to send troops into action. Thursday's vote marked the first time both chambers of Congress have supported a War Powers resolution. "The president will have to face the reality that Congress is no longer going to ignore its constitutional obligations when it comes to foreign policy," Representative Eliot Engel, the Democratic chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said before the vote. Still, neither the House tally nor the 54-46 bipartisan vote in the Senate, where Republicans have a slim majority, would be enough to override a veto. The four-year-long civil war in Yemen, which pits the Saudi-led coalition against Houthi rebels backed by Iran, has killed tens of thousands of people and spawned what the United Nations calls the world's most dire humanitarian crisis, with the country on the brink of famine. KILLING OF KHASHOGGI Backers of the War Powers resolution said the Saudi-led bombing campaign in Yemen had made the humanitarian crisis worse, harshly criticizing Riyadh for killing civilians. They also argued that U.S. involvement in Yemen violated the constitutional requirement that Congress, not the president, should determine when the country goes to war. Resolution opponents argued that support for the Saudi-led coalition was not an appropriate use of the War Powers Act, because the military provides support such as targeting assistance, not troops on the ground. Story continues They also argued that it could boost Iran, arch-rival of U.S. ally Israel. Defence Department spokeswoman Commander Rebecca Rebarich said in a statement after the vote that new restrictions on U.S. military support could "increase civilian casualties, jeopardize cooperation with our partners on counterterrorism, undercut UN-led peace negotiations at a critical point, and embolden Iran." Getting the measure passed took months, but support grew after the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a U.S. resident and Washington Post columnist, at a Saudi consulate in Turkey in October. Both Democrats and Republicans have said they believe Saudi Arabia's powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was responsible for Khashoggi's death. Riyadh has denied he ordered the killing. House Republicans derailed the resolution earlier this year by tying it to a measure condemning anti-Semitism. They tried to stop it again on Thursday by adding a provision opposing the Boycott, Divest, Sanction (BDS) movement tied to Israel's treatment of the Palestinians. That effort failed in the House and was condemned by the House Democratic majority leader, Representative Steny Hoyer, as a "cynical, political ploy." Overcoming Trump's veto would require two-thirds majorities in both the Senate and House. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle, additional reporting by Idrees Ali; Editing by Bernadette Baum) By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Republican and Democratic senators introduced legislation on Wednesday seeking to deter Russia from meddling in U.S. elections by threatening stiff sanctions on its banking, energy and defense industries and sovereign debt. The "Deter Act" is the latest effort by U.S. lawmakers to increase pressure on Moscow over what they see as a range of bad behavior, from its aggression in Ukraine and involvement in Syria's civil war to attempts to influence U.S. elections. The measure was introduced by Senators Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat, and Marco Rubio, a Republican. They offered a similar measure last year, when it also had bipartisan support but was never brought up for a vote by the Senate's Republican leaders, who have close ties to President Donald Trump. Trump has gone along with some previous congressional efforts to increase sanctions on Russia, although sometimes reluctantly. Backers of stronger action against Russia believe such measures will have better prospects in 2019, given control of the House of Representatives by Democrats, who are less reluctant than Trump's fellow Republicans to push back against the White House. According to details of the legislation, first reported by Reuters, it would require the U.S. Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to determine, within 30 days of any federal election, whether Russia or other foreign government or anyone acting as an agent of that government, had engaged in election interference. If the DNI found such interference occurred, the act would require, among other things, that mandatory sanctions be imposed within 10 days on, among others, Russian banks and energy companies. The act would mandate that sanctions be imposed on two or more of the following Russian banks: Sberbank, VTB Bank, Gazprombank, Vnesheconombank and Rosselkhozbank. It also would order the prohibition of all transactions subject to U.S. jurisdiction in Russian sovereign debt, Russian government bonds and the debt of any entity owned or controlled by Russia's government. The sanctions would include blocking - freezing without seizing - any assets in the United States of those targeted for sanction, including senior Russian political figures and business leaders. Russia denies trying to influence U.S. elections. But U.S. intelligence and law enforcement agencies have found that Moscow sought to intervene in the 2016 vote to boost Trump's chances of winning the White House. An investigation by U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller did not establish that members of Trumps campaign conspired with Russia during the 2016 election, according to a summary released by U.S. Attorney General William Barr last month. The Deter Act is targeted at Russia but notes that U.S. intelligence has identified China, Iran and North Korea as other major foreign government cyber threats. It also asks that Trump's administration present Congress with a strategy on preventing interference in U.S. elections for each of those countries and other countries of significant concern. The senators timed the bill's release to come after the end of Mueller's investigation, which has cast a shadow over the first two years of Trump's presidency, and just before an address to Congress by Jens Stoltenberg, secretary general of the NATO alliance, who has focused on the threat posed by Russia. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Peter Cooney and Bill Trott) Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat has reaffirmed the African Unions full backing to the decision adopted by the African summit of Nouakchott on the Sahara and UN efforts made to reach a mutually acceptable political solution to this regional conflict. The report submitted by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to the Security Council states that Mr. Moussa Faki has assured the UNSG personal envoy for the Sahara, Horst Kohler of his support for UN efforts to resolve this conflict. The report also says that the chairperson of the AU Commission informed Mr. Horst Kohler about the mechanism set up at the AU Nouakchott Summit on the Sahara issue. This mechanism, in the form of a Troika, includes the outgoing, current and incoming AU presidents, as well as the chairperson of the Commission. The goal of this mechanism is to provide effective support to the UN-led efforts, which confirms the UNs exclusivity in dealing with Sahara issue. In March, the city of Marrakech (Morocco) hosted an African Ministerial Conference to show AUs support to the UN political process on the Sahara. The resolution of the Sahara conflict would require strong political will, not just from the parties and neighboring states, but also from the international community, the UN chief said in his latest report to the Security Council. A solution to the conflict is possible, he stressed in his report that takes into account the outcome of the two Geneva round-table meetings held on the Sahara with participation of Morocco, Algeria, the Polisario and Mauritania. He conceded, however, that building trust between all sides will take time. In his report, the UN Chief addressed several issues, including the situation in the Tindouf camps where repeated demonstrations protest against the dire humanitarian condition, the human rights violations and the humanitarian assistance embezzlement. He also brought up the violations by the Polisario of the demilitarized zone and of the military agreements in force. The UN Secretary-General on the other hand informed the Security Council members that Morocco continues to invest in the Moroccan Sahara, and that local populations directly benefit from these investments and are consulted for their implementation. Guterres also highlighted the calm and stability prevailing in the Moroccan Sahara. Moroccos huge investments in its southern provinces had impressed the UNSG Personal Envoy Horst Kohler, during his visit in July 2018 to the cities of Laayoune, Dakhla and Smara, as mentioned in the Secretary-Generals previous report in October 2018. In addition, the Secretary-General refers to the two resolutions of the European Parliament, adopted on January 16 and February 12, by which it approved the extension of the application of the agriculture and fisheries Agreements between Morocco and the European Union to the Moroccan Sahara. In his report, Antonio Guterres called for extending MINURSO mandate and proposed to increase the annual budget of the mission to $56.4 million, for the period from July 2019 to June 2020. MINURSO currently has 235 members. This proposal must be validated by the UN General Assembly. The Security Council members are expected to hold consultations on the Sahara and to renew the mandate of the MINURSO before it expires on 30 April. Kampala (AFP) - Ugandan security forces scoured dense bush on Thursday in the hunt for a US tourist and her safari guide who were kidnapped by gunmen in a national park. "The operation to rescue the tourist is still ongoing," Uganda's tourism minister, Godfrey Kiwanda, told AFP on Thursday. Four kidnappers stopped a group of tourists at gunpoint around dusk on Tuesday as they drove through the Queen Elizabeth National Park on safari to see wild animals. Police identified the American as a 35-year-old woman and said the kidnappers had used her mobile telephone to demand a ransom of $500,000 (445,000 euros) for the release of the pair. The driver is a 48-year-old safari guide with years of experience. Police spokeswoman Polly Namaye said all efforts were being made, adding that Uganda's top-ranking police officer, Inspector General Martin Okoth Ochola, had flown to the area to lead operations. "The operation is continuing," she told AFP. The gunmen dragged the pair from their safari vehicle, but left behind two other tourists, whom police described as an "elderly couple". They managed to raise the alarm from the lodge where they were staying. Army spokesman Brigadier Richard Karemire said the security forces were doing all they could to track down the gunmen. "Let the security forces do their work," he said Thursday. There was much speculation but no information as to who the gunmen behind the attack might be. - Porous border - The US embassy in Kampala said it was aware of the kidnapping, warning its citizens to "exercise caution when travelling to this area due to ongoing security activity." Soldiers have fanned out along the porous border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, with security forces insisting they believe the pair remain in the country. The Ugandan police's tourist protection force has also deployed a special response unit working alongside soldiers and wildlife rangers. Story continues Queen Elizabeth National Park, one of the East African nation's most popular wildlife reserves, runs along the frontier with conflict-wracked regions of DR Congo. It borders on the famous Virunga national park, the oldest in Africa. Numerous militia groups and armed gangs roam eastern DR Congo. Virunga suspended all tourism activities last year after a ranger was killed and two British tourists kidnapped. The Britons and their driver were freed two days after the attack. The park reopened in February. The Ugandan park straddles the equator, covering 1,978 square kilometres (764 square miles) in the country's southwest region. Queen Elizabeth park is about 150 kilometres (90 miles) north of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, famous for gorilla trekking. Uganda is home to more than half of the world's endangered mountain gorillas. In 1999, Rwandan rebels killed eight foreign tourists and four Ugandans there, inflicting an enormous blow to Uganda's tourist industry. The rebels were part of a militia group that was involved in the 1994 Rwandan genocide before fleeing to the jungles of DR Congo. Tourism is a key industry for Uganda, as a major earner of foreign currency. Hundreds of thousands of tourists visit each year. United Nations (United States) (AFP) - The UN Security Council will meet behind closed doors on Friday to discuss the situation in Libya after the leader of eastern forces in the war-scarred north African country ordered his troops to advance on Tripoli. Britain requested the urgent meeting on Thursday, diplomats said, following the order from Khalifa Haftar, a key player opposed to the government in the capital. Haftar's forces announced Wednesday they were gearing up for an offensive in the west of the country to purge it of "terrorists and mercenaries," having seized key areas of the country's south since the start of the year. "The time has come," Haftar said in an audio message released Thursday by his self-proclaimed Libyan National Army, pledging to spare civilians and "state institutions." The meeting is scheduled for 3:00 pm (1900 GMT). The spike in tensions came as Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was making his first visit as UN chief to Libya ahead of a planned conference later this month aimed at charting a course toward elections. "I am deeply concerned by the military movement taking place in Libya and the risk of confrontation," Guterres tweeted. The United States and its allies issued a joint statement urging "all parties to immediately de-escalate tensions." "Our governments oppose any military action in Libya and will hold accountable any Libyan faction that precipitates further civil conflict," said the US, France, Britain, Italy and the United Arab Emirates. Elections in Libya are meant to turn the page on years of chaos following the 2011 overthrow of Moamer Kadhafi that has seen a bitter rivalry emerge between two governments scrambling for control in the oil-rich country. Tripoli (AFP) - UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said Thursday he was "shocked" by the level of suffering of migrants at a detention centre in Tripoli which he visited during a visit to the Libyan capital. "I was very moved and shocked by the level of suffering and especially by the level of despair that I found," Guterres told reporters during the second day of trip to Tripoli during which he visited the Zara detention centre. "This is, of course, not only a responsibility for Libya, its a responsibility for the whole of the international community," the UN chief added. European Union cooperation with Libya has been credited with sharply reducing the number of migrants arriving from North Africa and the Middle East from a 2015 peak when Europe faced its worst migration crisis since World War II. Italy's tough line on the issue has seen many boats that pick up migrants making the perilous journey across the Mediterranean increasingly return them to chaos-wracked Libya. But there they face trafficking, kidnap, torture and rape, according to the United Nations and aid groups. Activists also decry rampant human rights abuses against migrants in Libya as they await passage to Europe and urge the EU not to outsource the problem to Tripoli. Guterres said that "in the present circumstances that we are living, it would be very difficult to argue that disembarkation in Libya is disembarkation in a safety situation". He appealed to the international community "to understand the need for international refugee law to be fully respected, and the need to address the migration problem in a way that is compatible with the defence of the interests of the state but also the human rights of the migrants". Tripoli (AFP) - Forces loyal to Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar reached a security barrier within 30 kilometres (19 miles) from the capital Tripoli late Thursday, an AFP journalist saw, as world powers warned of consequences for military action. General Abdessalem al-Hassi, head of operations for Haftar's self-proclaimed Libyan National Army (LNA) in the eastern region, said his forces had seized the roadblock without any fighting. Haftar's forces announced Wednesday they were gearing up for an offensive in the west of the country to purge it of "terrorists and mercenaries", having seized key areas of the country's south since the start of the year. Dozens of uniformed men and a least 15 trucks carrying anti-aircraft guns took up positions at the control point known as "Bridge 27", just 27 kilometres (17 miles) from Tripoli, the seat of the internationally-recognised unity government. Meanwhile, fighters from the Tripoli Protection Force, an alliance of militias from the capital city, announced on Facebook that they had launched an operation to stop the LNA advance, without giving details. Unity government chief Fayez al-Sarraj earlier condemned Haftar's "escalation" and said he had ordered loyalist forces to prepare to "face all threats". - 'At the gates' - "The time has come," Haftar said in an audio message released Thursday by his self-proclaimed Libyan National Army, pledging to spare civilians and "state institutions". Dozens of militias have fought for control of the North African country since a NATO-backed uprising toppled and killed longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011. Haftar's forces have emerged as a key player, opposing the government in Tripoli and backing a parallel administration in the east. On Thursday evening LNA spokesman Ahmed Mesmari announced that the force was "at the gates of the capital". Unity government chief Fayez al-Sarraj earlier condemned Haftar's "escalation" and said he had ordered loyalist forces to prepare to "face all threats". Story continues His interior ministry announced a "state of maximum alert" and powerful armed groups from Libya's western city of Misrata said they were ready to halt Haftar's advance. A convoy of vehicles from Haftar's forces on Thursday pushed towards the city of Gharyan, some 100 kilometres (60 miles) from Tripoli, witnesses and military sources said. Commander Abdessalem Al-Hassi told AFP Thursday that his forces had entered into the city without a fight. But at least four sources in the city denied this, and a Gharyan official said there were "ongoing efforts to avoid a confrontation" between rival fighters who divide the city. - Risk of 'chaos' - Haftar has repeatedly expressed his intention to march on Tripoli. His forces in January launched an offensive from his eastern strongholds into oil-rich southern Libya, ostensibly aimed at wiping out "terrorists" and criminal groups. The latest rise in tensions came as United Nations chief Antonio Guterres visited Tripoli ahead of a planned conference later this month to hammer out a roadmap for delayed parliamentary and presidential elections. "I am deeply concerned by the military movement taking place in Libya and the risk of confrontation," Guterres tweeted. The United States and its allies issued a joint statement urging "all parties to immediately de-escalate tensions". "Our governments oppose any military action in Libya and will hold accountable any Libyan faction that precipitates further civil conflict," said the US, France, Britain, Italy and the United Arab Emirates. "At this sensitive moment in Libya's transition, military posturing and threats of unilateral action only risk propelling Libya back toward chaos." The European Union warned that the "military buildup underway in Libya and the escalatory rhetoric... seriously risks leading to an uncontrollable confrontation". The UN Security Council will meet behind closed doors on Friday to discuss Libya, at Britain's request, diplomats said. Russia, which has courted Haftar, meanwhile called for a solution to Libya's problems through "political-diplomatic" means. - Tripoli battle 'possible' - Rival Libyan leaders had agreed in Paris last year to hold elections before the end of the year, but that vote never materialised as Haftar's forces and the Tripoli government grappled for power. The UN said Haftar and Sarraj agreed at a meeting in Abu Dhabi last month to make a new attempt to organise the elections. Libyan analyst Emad Badi said factions in western Libya were angling for a joint front against the strongman, but "whatever the result ... Haftar will benefit from it militarily or politically". "His progress can enhance his position in the negotiations" if the UN-backed conference set for this month goes ahead, Badi added. Jalel Harchaoui, a researcher at the Clingendael Institute in The Hague, said that "taking Tripoli is certainly not an easy or risk-free task, but it's still a possibility." "The risk of conflagration has increased," he said. PHOENIX - Two students at the University of Arizona will be charged with misdemeanors after a video showing them protesting a Customs and Border Protection event on campus went viral, UA President Robert Robbins announced Friday. The potential charges stem from a Border Patrol presentation to a student club, the Criminal Justice Association, on campus on March 19. Video of the incident showed two Border Patrol agents in a classroom giving a presentation, with people outside the door recording them and calling them "Murder Patrol," "murderers" and "an extension of the KKK." After the agents leave the classroom, a group followed them until they left campus, chanting "Murder Patrol," video footage on social media shows. Conservative media and commentators shared the video on social media and blogs as an example of free-speech issues on college campuses. Cutting aid and closing ports: Here's what's happening at the southern border 'I am with you': President Trump signs executive order on free speech at college campuses In the letter sent to students posted online, Robbins said the protest represented a "dramatic departure from our expectations of respectful behavior and support for free speech on this campus." UA police determined Friday that they "will be charging" two students involved in the incident with "interference with the peaceful conduct of an educational institution," which is a misdemeanor. A Class 1 misdemeanor could result in up to six months of jail time. Related Video: Charges have not been filed yet, UA Police Chief Brian Seastone said in an email. The names of the two students have not been released. Robbins wrote that UA police will continue to investigate the matter for potential "additional criminal violations." The Dean of Students' office also is reviewing the incident to determine if the student code of conduct was violated. Story continues Separately, Robbins said the university would conduct a "probe into actions involving UA employees." It's unclear what role employees played in the situation. Robbins also has directed staff members to examine university policies "to ensure we are working effectively to help prevent similar incidents in the future" while still maintaining First Amendment rights. Opinion: I was assaulted at Berkeley because I'm conservative. Free speech is under attack. 'Protest is protected but disruption is not' "At the core of these inquiries is the University of Arizonas commitment to free speech," he wrote. "The student club and the CBP officers invited by the students should have been able to hold their meeting without disruption. Student protest is protected by our support for free speech, but disruption is not." In the days after the March 19 incident, Robbins wrote a statement affirming the university's commitment to free speech. Top officers from the Associated Students of the University of Arizona, the school's student government organization, wrote a letter dated March 21 that said unannounced visits to campus by the Border Patrol were "unacceptable." Silent protest: Swamp creatures crash Senate confirmation hearing for Trump's Interior Secretary nominee Climate protest: The kid is all right: Friday's worldwide climate protest sparked by Nobel-nominated teen The letter pointed to an arrest by the Border Patrol a few miles from campus the same day as the UA presentation, saying the concerns of undocumented and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals students were valid. Students should be notified in advance of Border Patrol visits to campus, the letter said. And there should be an understanding that the "mere presence" of the Border Patrol on campus can negatively affect DACA and undocumented communities, it stated. On Monday, DACA recipients who attend UA also released a letter saying they face "discomfort and fear" when they see Customs and Border Protection. "As DACA recipients at the university, the presence of CBP on campus has a traumatic impact on our overall well being and impedes us from fully engaging with our academics. In a space where all students are given the right to pursue an education, their presence was and will always be an infringement on that right," the letter states. Since the video was released, students have been "bombarded with threats to their physical and emotional well being," the letter claimed. A letter from DACA recipients regarding the recent altercation between students and Border Patrol agents on campus. pic.twitter.com/D1yVKgIr5m Daily Wildcat (@dailywildcat) April 1, 2019 Robbins' announcement of criminal charges for two students proves "the swiftness with which institutions criminalize people of color," the letter said. The DACA recipients wrote that they are in "full support" of students who spoke out against the Border Patrol on campus. DACA? Dreamer?: Confused by terms in the immigration debate? Here are some popular ones defined Follow Rachel Leingang on Twitter: @rachelleingang This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: University of Arizona will charge 2 students over protest of Border Patrol event on campus United Nations (United States) (AFP) - The United States on Thursday requested that the UN Security Council hold a meeting next week to discuss the worsening humanitarian crisis in Venezuela, diplomats said. The meeting, expected to be held on Wednesday, comes amid growing alarm over the impact of the economic and political crises in Venezuela on families and children. An internal UN report seen by AFP last week said seven million people -- about 24 percent of Venezuela's population -- are in need of humanitarian aid, lacking access to food and medical care. Some 3.7 million people suffer from undernourishment -- three times the rate from the 2010-2012 period, according to the UN report. At least 22 percent of children under five suffer from chronic malnutrition. President Nicolas Maduro has blamed US sanctions for Venezuela's economic problems but opposition leader Juan Guaido, who has declared himself interim leader, says government corruption and mismanagement are at fault. Guaido is recognized by the United States and about 50 other governments. In a note circulated to the council, the US mission to the United Nations asked for an open meeting to allow the council to be briefed by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres or his representative on the crisis. "Given the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the country, we believe a briefing is necessary and timely," said the note seen by AFP. - Humanitarian emergency - Maduro has charged that the United States is using humanitarian aid as a political tool to overthrow him. Human Rights Watch and a group of US public health experts released a report Thursday detailing severe medicine and food shortages in Venezuela combined with the spread of disease resulting in a "complex humanitarian emergency." They called for a full-scale response from the United Nations to address the crisis. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the world body was scaling up aid to Venezuela but stressed that relief agencies require the consent of the government to expand their operations. Story continues The Red Cross last week said it would begin distributing aid to Venezuela. At least seven people were killed and dozens injured in February when the United States sought to bring in aid to Venezuela in an operation denounced by Maduro as a foreign conspiracy to destabilize his government. The United States in February asked the council to adopt a resolution demanding new presidential elections and unimpeded deliveries of humanitarian aid, but that measure was vetoed by Russia and China. Russia has accused Washington of seeking regime change in Venezuela while China has stressed that there should be no international meddling in the South American country's affairs. New York (AFP) - Elon Musk's messy Twitter habit will get a once-over on Thursday when a federal court weighs whether the controversial Tesla chief executive should be held in contempt of court. His attorneys and the US Securities and Exchange Commission are scheduled to appear before US District Judge Alison Nathan, who will hear arguments on the agency's request to crack down on Musk for allegedly violating the terms of a settlement Nathan approved in October. Musk's removal as CEO is not seen as a very likely result of the latest fight, although a finding of contempt could make such an outcome more likely down the road, analysts said. A negative ruling could also increase investor pressure on Musk to appoint a chief operating officer to share responsibility for managing a company that has suffered from near-constant turnover. Tesla representatives did not respond to queries on whether Musk would attend the hearing, which comes as shares of the electric car marker plummeted following disappointing first-quarter deliveries. The October agreement required Musk to step down as chairman and pay $20 million to settle charges he defrauded investors with false claims on Twitter in August about a possible go-private transaction that was quickly aborted. Tesla was also fined $20 million. The settlement, which allowed Musk to remain as CEO, required the CEO and other senior officers to obtain pre-approval from Tesla counsel before making written communications "that contain, or reasonably could contain, information material to Tesla or its stockholders." - 'Nobody's perfect' - The hearing is the latest event in Musk's running battle with the SEC, which he derided on Twitter as the "Shortseller Enrichment Commission" on October 4, days after the SEC settlement was signed but before it was finalized in court. Musk also blasted the agency in a December "60 Minutes" interview where he acknowledged his tweets were not being reviewed. Story continues "I guess we might make some mistakes. Who knows?" Musk said. "Nobody's perfect." "I want to be clear. I do not respect the SEC," he said. "I do not respect them." The agency took action after Musk tweeted on February 19 that Tesla would make 500,000 cars in 2019 -- up from the 400,000 that the company had estimated until then, an apparent increase on a benchmark tied to profitability. Musk corrected himself four hours later, saying that Tesla would indeed produce about 400,000 cars this year: "Meant to say annualized production rate at end of 2019 probably around 500k." Six days later, the SEC asked Nathan to hold Musk in contempt for violating the settlement, arguing that Musk had not made "a diligent or good-faith effort" to honor the commitment to seek review for a statement that could be "material," or consequential to investors. Musk "once again published inaccurate and material information about Tesla to his over 24 million Twitter followers, including members of the press, and made this inaccurate information available to anyone with Internet access," the agency said. In response, Musk's lawyers argued that the production figures were not material and that Musk had shown "diligence" in following the order, cutting his average monthly Tesla-related tweets "nearly in half." Musk's attorneys also accused the SEC of an "unconstitutional power grab" that flouted Musk's free speech rights and "smacks of retaliation and censorship" over the executive's remarks on "60 Minutes." Legal experts described the case against Musk as solid but note that the SEC did not ask the court for a specific punishment, such as removing him as CEO. - Overpromising? - The hearing comes on a bruising day for Tesla shares, which plunged 8.8 percent to $266.10 after the company said it delivered 63,000 vehicles to customers in the first quarter, 31 percent less than the previous quarter and below the 76,000 units expected by analysts surveyed by FactSet. A note from JPMorgan Chase said the report was "substantially worse than expected" and that it undermined Musk's defense in the SEC matter, which holds that Musk's February 19 tweet on production numbers was not material in light of other company statements. The JPMorgan note also pointed to a "clear incongruence" between Tesla's official forecasts and Musk's statements, pointing to company's January 30 earnings report that projected 360,000 to 400,000 deliveries in 2019, a figure reaffirmed Wednesday. However, Musk in the January 30 conference call discussed Model 3 deliveries of between 350,000 and 500,000, implying much higher overall deliveries. Musk explained that the gap was due to uncertainty about the progress of a new Shanghai plant that is being built. But the JPMorgan note said the "choppiness and inconsistency" of the figures are "eroding investor confidence and potentially placing additional pressure on the shares." A federal judge gave Tesla(TSLA) CEO Elon Musk and the Securities and Exchange Commission two weeks to work out their differences, punting a request from the agency to hold him in contempt of court for allegedly violating an October securities fraud settlement. Musk told reporters he was "happy" and "impressed with the judge's analysis" as he left the hearing room in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on Thursday. U.S Judge Alison Nathan said she had "serious concerns that no matter what I decide here, this issue won't be resolved." Nathan ordered both parties to "take a deep breath, put on your reasonableness pants" and work out a solution. Musk was at the hearing on contempt charges requested by the SEC after he tweeted about the company's production forecasts on Feb 19. His settlement agreement prohibits him from using Twitter to make statements about Tesla's operations or financial position without company review and approval. Nathan told Musk and the SEC that contempt charges are serious business. Everyone must follow the law, she said, whether you are a "small potato" or a "big fish." Musk told reporters outside the courthouse that he would "most likely" be able to work out an agreement with the SEC over the next two weeks. "I have great respect for the justice system and I think the judges in the American system are outstanding," Musk said before entering the courthouse in lower Manhattan. When CNBC's Phil LeBeau asked Musk if he felt the same about the SEC, the CEO laughed and walked away. SEC lawyers argued that Musk and his legal team offered a "series of shifting justifications" for his behavior on Twitter, citing 15 separate tweets they believe violated his settlement. They also accused Musk of "recklessly tweeting out material information that had no basis in fact" and caused confusion in the markets. Story continues "We don't think every tweet needs to be approved," SEC attorney Cheryl Crumpton told the court, citing conversations on social media with Tesla customers as OK. Statements much beyond that need to be cleared, she said. Reaffirming guidance could be material and needs approval, she said, adding that Tesla still "appears to be unwilling" to exercise control over Musk. Musk's lawyers said the judge's order was a gateway to a negotiation with the SEC. "He actually does what he is told," Musk's lead attorney John Hueston told the court. Musk sat in the center of the courtroom, flanked by three members of his legal team, periodically nodding in agreement with their arguments. Securities lawyers and other industry executives have said that Musk, who has already been removed as chairman, could also lose his post as CEO if he keeps pushing the SEC. "The court and SEC are in a bit of a bind here because capital punishment, if you will, would be ... throwing him out of company or banning him from running any public company from now on for violating this agreement with the SEC," Paul Ingrassia, Revs Institute for Automotive Research editor, said Thursday on CNBC's "The Exchange." "He is viewed as being the essence of Tesla. It's his brainchild. He's not only the public figure but also the creative genius behind it." Tesla's shares plunged by more than 10% Thursday before recovering slightly to close down 8.2% after the company released its production and delivery data for the first quarter that missed Wall Street estimates and disappointed investors. "At some point I think people have to start wondering would this company be better off with a calmer managerial presence in charge as opposed to a genius leader but a mercurial leader," Ingrassia said. "Is the company now at that stage of its development? But Musk has so much of the shares himself that that's probably not going to happen without an SEC or court order, which I doubt they'll be willing to do." CNBC's Michelle Fox contributed to this article. France and Germany have joined their voices to the numerous declarations having hailed the joint call launched by King Mohammed VI, Commander of the Faithful, and his Holiness Pope Francis on Jerusalem/Al-Quds Al-Sharif, cradle of the three monotheistic religions. In Berlin, the spokesperson for the German Foreign Ministry said Thursday The German government commends the Call signed by HM King Mohammed VI and His Holiness Pope Francis which stresses the importance of Jerusalem (Al-Quds Al-Sharif) for the three monotheistic religions. On Wednesday a Spokesperson for the French foreign ministry hailed the call, saying that France considers that the final status of Jerusalem must be settled within the framework of peaceful negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians, said. The goal of these negotiations is the establishment of two States, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security, added the French official. During his historic visit to Morocco March 30-31, Pope Francis and King Mohammed VI, chairman of Al Quds Committee of the OIC, signed a document, calling for the protection of the multi-faith and sacred character Al-Quds Al-Sharif. We believe it is important to preserve the Holy City of Jerusalem / Al-Quds Al-Sharif as a shared heritage of humankind and to safeguard it, above all for the believers of the three monotheistic religions, as a symbol of peaceful coexistence and as a meeting place where mutual esteem and dialogue are fostered, said the two leaders. They also affirmed that the uniqueness, the spiritual dimension and special identity of Al-Quds Al-Sharif must be preserved and enhanced. We therefore hope that, in the Holy City, the followers of the three monotheistic religions will be guaranteed free access to religious sites as well as the right to practice their faith there, so that from Jerusalem / Al-Quds Acharif, the believers may address a prayer to God, the Creator of all beings, for a future of peace and brotherhood on earth, said King Mohammed VI and Pope Francis. Director general of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri, also hailed the Jerusalem/Al-Quds Al-Sharif which insists on the preservation of the Holy City as a common heritage of humanity and on safeguarding its specific multi-religious character, spiritual dimension and particular identity. The ISESCO Chief also lauded the contents of the speech delivered by King Mohammed VI on the first day of the popes visit. The Sovereigns speech is very expressive of Islams message of tolerance, which invites people to know each other and respect religious and ethnic diversity, rejecting all forms of extremism, a scourge that must be fought by giving religion its rightful place in education, said Othman Altwaijri. He also commended the Kings warning to young people against radicalization, and his stressing that what all terrorists have in common is not religion, but rather ignorance of religion. New York (AFP) - A federal judge on Thursday gave Tesla chief executive Elon Musk and US securities regulators two weeks to resolve their differences over Musk's prolific social media use. The Securities and Exchange Commission had said Musk should be held in contempt of court for allegedly violating an earlier settlement on tweeting potentially market-sensitive information. US District Judge Alison Nathan told the parties to report back -- while suggesting the SEC reconsider its threat which she said "carries a significant burden." "I am requiring you to meet and confer for at least an hour," Nathan said. Musk told CNBC on the courthouse steps he was "impressed" with the judge and would "most likely" be able to resolve his differences with the SEC. An October agreement required Musk to step down as chairman and pay $20 million to settle charges he defrauded investors with false claims on Twitter in August about a possible go-private transaction that was quickly aborted. The settlement, which allowed Musk to remain as CEO, required him and other senior officers to obtain pre-approval from Tesla counsel before making written communications "that contain, or reasonably could contain, information material to Tesla or its stockholders." The SEC revived its action after Musk tweeted on February 19 that Tesla would make 500,000 cars in 2019 -- up from the 400,000 that the company had estimated until then, an apparent increase on a benchmark tied to profitability. Musk corrected himself four hours later, saying that Tesla would indeed produce about 400,000 cars this year. The SEC said the inaccurate information should lead to his being held in contempt. Musk's removal as CEO is not seen as a very likely result of the latest fight, although a finding of contempt could make such an outcome more likely down the road. A negative ruling could also increase investor pressure on Musk to appoint a chief operating officer to share responsibility for managing a company that has suffered from near-constant turnover. America has warned Turkey not to buy a Russian air defence system and threatened it could risk its Nato membership if it goes ahead with its plans. "Turkey must choose," US vice president Mike Pence said. "Does it want to remain a critical partner in the most successful military alliance in history, or does it want to risk the security of that partnership by making such reckless decisions that undermine our alliance?" His remarks came after Turkey insisted on Wednesday the Russian deal was already done. Washington fears the Russian S-400 missile system would compromise the security of its F-35 fighter jets. Speaking at a Nato 70th anniversary event, Mr Pence added: "We've also made it clear that we will not stand idly by while Nato allies purchase weapons from our adversaries that threaten the cohesion of our alliance." Turkey retaliated promptly, with its vice president Fuat Oktay tweeting: "The United States must choose. Does it want to remain Turkey's ally or risk our friendship by joining forces with terrorists to undermine its Nato ally's defence against its enemies?" The US' support to the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighting against Islamic State in Syria has infuriated Turkey, which views the SDF as a terrorist organisation. Washington has however warned proceeding with the deal could result in US sanctions and the expulsion of Turkey from the F-35 fighter jet programme. On Monday, the Pentagon stopped the delivery of F-35 parts and manuals to Turkey. The US has offered to sell Turkey the American-made Patriot missile defence system, but Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said it could not be delivered on time. "We couldn't get it for 10 years," Mr Cavusoglu said at the Atlantic Council on Wednesday morning. "That's why we had to buy from Russia. And we tried to buy from other allies as well. It didn't work. So it is an urgent need of Turkey. I mean, we need air defence systems urgently in Turkey." Story continues Ankara says it needs the missile system to defend itself, as Turkey faces threats from Kurdish and Islamist militants at home and also from conflicts in neighbouring Syria and Iraq. The US and other Nato allies have repeatedly complained about the purchase of the S-400 system, saying it is not compatible with other allied systems and would represent a threat to the F-35. Officials have said Turkey's acquisition of both US and Russian systems could give Moscow access to sophisticated American technology and allow it to find ways to counter the stealth fighter jet. Additional reporting by agencies Carlos Solis never knew he was driving with a shrapnel bomb inside his steering wheel. The 35-year-old father of two was waiting to make a left turn on a suburban road outside Houston when another car struck the front end of his Honda Accord, triggering its airbags. Instead of protecting Solis, the defective airbags shot a piece of metal into his neck and severed his carotid artery, killing him within minutes. Solis knew nothing about the danger: A used-car dealer sold him the car without fixing the airbags or warning him that Honda had recalled the vehicle three years earlier, according to a lawsuit filed by his family. By the time Solis was killed in 2015, similar accidents were piling up nationwide amid an unprecedented series of recalls for an array of dangerous defects from shrapnel-flinging airbags to ignition switches that shut off engines. For auto dealers, the string of accidents was a warning sign of what was to come: a barrage of lawsuits filed against them for selling recalled used cars without fixing them first. Auto dealers came up with a plan to preempt the problem. They crafted whats known as model legislation that would allow them to continue selling recalled used cars, so long as they disclosed open recalls to customers somewhere in a stack of sales documents. They then turned to their army of lobbyists more than 600 on call in 43 states to help get the measure passed, one state at a time. The effort is paying off. About this report This story was produced as part of a collaboration between USA TODAY, the Arizona Republic and the Center for Public Integrity. More than 30 reporters across the country were involved in the two-year investigation, which identified copycat bills in every state. The team used a unique data-analysis engine built on hundreds of cloud computers to compare millions of words of legislation provided by LegiScan. In the past five years, versions of auto dealers copycat bill have been introduced in at least 11 states California, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Virginia. So far only Tennessee and Pennsylvania have adopted them, but Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey and New York still have measures under consideration. Story continues The success of auto dealers effort is a case study in how special interest groups with deep pockets go from state to state with model legislation copy-and-paste measures that can be handed to friendly lawmakers in any state to get the policies they want, often with little public scrutiny and sometimes with tragic consequences. During a two-year investigation, the Center for Public Integrity, USA TODAY and the Arizona Republic found thousands of similar pieces of legislation and retraced a number of them to their root. Many were written by corporations or special interest groups that stood to benefit directly. Some are pitched as public-service measures. Their true intentions, however, are often difficult, if not impossible, for the public to understand. Thats what has been happening with auto dealers recall disclosure bill. Lawmakers have been touting the bill as a consumer-safety measure. But it was written by the Automotive Trade Association Executives, an industry group in Washington, D.C., that represents more than 100 executives from regional auto dealer associations. Consumer advocates say the bill is a cynical ploy: It requires the bare minimum of responsible behavior on the part of auto dealers to disclose open recalls to customers while leaving out any requirement for them to actually fix the defects that led to the recalls. Consumer advocates say the bill is a cynical ploy: It requires the bare minimum of responsible behavior on the part of auto dealers to disclose open recalls to customers while leaving out any requirement for them to actually fix the defects that led to the recalls. The bill also gives auto dealers a potent new legal argument when trying to fend off lawsuits by implying that, with recall disclosure, its legal to sell recalled used cars. Yet the bill has allowed lawmakers to say they were addressing a high-profile problem. In California, the bill was called the Consumer Automotive Recall Safety Act. In a statement announcing his 2015 measure, then-Assemblyman Rich Gordon, a Democrat, promoted it this way: California already has the strongest car buyer protection laws in the nation, but we need to enhance those laws to improve the information provided to consumers. In the face of opposition, Gordons bill was eventually amended, and the final version that passed doesnt address the sale of recalled used cars. In Tennessee, the bill that passed, the Motor Vehicle Recall and Disclosure Law, replaced a far more aggressive measure championed by Jay and Gerri Gass, who lost their daughter in a crash caused by a faulty ignition switch. Instead of Laras Law in honor of their daughter, the Gasses ended up with something they felt they couldnt support a law that mandates only recall disclosure, not a sales ban. Lara Gass died in a car fire Tuesday morning, March 18, 2014, on northbound Interstate 81 after a chain reaction wreck during icy conditions. Lawmakers were more influenced by lobbyists than they were by citizens trying to do the right thing, Jay Gass said. Jim Appleton, a New Jersey-based lobbyist who once chaired the Automotive Trade Association Executives, said theres nothing questionable about auto dealers push for their bill. The measure, he said, simply clarifies that they should disclose open recalls to customers while avoiding more stringent requirements that could devastate their businesses by sidelining much of their inventory for months on end until recall repairs are completed. We think thats a good, positive step, Appleton said. But Rosemary Shahan, president of Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety, a California-based consumer advocacy group, said auto dealers are interested only in protecting their bottom lines, not the safety of customers. If the dealers can get the bill passed, they will be able to say the only duty they have is to disclose that there is a safety recall, which can be hidden in a stack of documents and presented to the consumer only after they have already test-driven several cars, chosen a car, negotiated the price, applied for credit and signed a purchase or lease contract, Shahan said. Too late to be effective or meaningful as a form of disclosure. A framed picture of Lara Gass taken by her father, Jay Gass, in 2011 at a restaurant celebrating her brother's college graduation in Nashville, Tenn., photographed in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., on March 18, 2019. Lara Gass died at age 27 on March 18, 2014, in a car crash caused by a faulty ignition switch. Protecting the used-car loophole Under federal law, its illegal for auto dealers to rent, loan or sell new cars with open recalls. But that ban doesnt apply to most used cars, which gave dealers little to fear when they sold defective used cars under recall. That began to change about five years ago when a series of recalls, the likes of which the U.S. had never seen, sent shock waves through the auto industry. First, General Motors recalled more than 2.7 million cars in 2014 for faulty ignition switches, which have caused more than 120 deaths and 250 injuries nationwide. The following year, Takata Corp. admitted that the parts inside its airbags could turn into deadly shrapnel like the one that killed Solis in Texas and began the biggest auto recall in U.S. history. By the end of 2015, the pace of recalls was so frantic that about 18% of cars on U.S. roads had been subject to them, according to an estimate by Carfax, which compiles vehicle history reports. As recalls piled up, auto dealers found themselves under increasing scrutiny. By the end of 2015, the pace of recalls was so frantic that about 18% of cars on U.S. roads had been subject to them, according to an estimate by Carfax, which compiles vehicle history reports. The Federal Trade Commission, for instance, began investigating auto dealers who were selling recalled used cars as certified pre-owned or claiming the vehicles had gone through a rigorous inspection. In California, Bakersfield resident Tammy Gutierrez sued CarMax for selling her a recalled used car. The landmark case was initially dismissed by the court, but an appeals court reinstated it last year, ruling that Gutierrez had a valid claim under state laws. As the pressure grew, auto dealers launched their lobbying campaign for the recall disclosure bill. The first bill surfaced in New Jersey in September 2014, when Assembly Deputy Speaker Paul Moriarty introduced a measure that included a $20,000 fine for failing to disclose open recalls to customers. Moriarty, a Democrat who chairs the consumer affairs committee, said his initial inclination was to propose a ban on the sale of recalled used cars until he realized that auto dealers often face a lengthy delay for recall repairs, which can only be completed by a manufacturer-authorized facility. The delay can sometimes take months, even years, when critical parts are in short supply, or when manufacturers havent figured out a fix for the defects. You could have some small dealer that has 20 cars on his lot theres a lot of those people and they could have their entire lot taken up by cars that are under safety recall, Moriarty said. They wouldnt be able to sell them. And theyd be out of business. Behind the push for Moriartys bill was Appleton, the lobbyist who heads the New Jersey Coalition of Automotive Retailers, an influential Trenton lobbying group whose political action committee has given more than $1.6 million to state legislative candidates including $14,400 to Moriarty since 2000. Appleton said a sales ban would be an exceptionally bad idea because it would force auto dealers to shoulder the financial burden for manufacturers mistakes. If automakers were to fairly compensate us for holding recalled vehicles, then wed gladly hold the vehicle and wait until the fix is made available, Appleton said. But the fact that they arent paying us means theyre in no rush to find a fix. So placing the burden on the dealers is wrong-headed. Driving for a state-by-state solution As Moriartys bill made its way through the legislative process, Appleton was helping craft model legislation at Automotive Trade Association Executives. What Appleton and his colleagues came up with has two parts: one requiring manufacturers to fairly compensate auto dealers for holding on to used cars awaiting recall repairs; the other requiring auto dealers to disclose open recalls to customers but not to actually fix the defects that led to the recalls. Jennifer Colman, president of the Automotive Trade Association Executives, said the model legislation was never intended to be a copy-and-paste exercise. The measure, she said, is better described as suggested language. Architects of the recall disclosure bill in some states did craft their own language, with the assistance of regional auto dealer associations. In Virginia, Anne Gambardella, chief counsel of the Virginia Automobile Dealers Association, said she was aware of the model legislation but worked independently to craft a bill with then-Del. Greg Habeeb, a Republican who raised $30,000 from auto dealers in his seven years as a delegate. We draft our laws here, Gambardella said. Still, Habeebs bill ended up aligning closely with the model legislation, having both fair-compensation and recall disclosure provisions. The measure eventually was stripped of the recall disclosure provision before then-Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat, signed it into law in 2016. In other states, the model legislation played a more prominent role. In Pennsylvania, then-Rep. James Santora worked closely with Pennsylvania Automotive Association to craft his 2017 bill using the model legislation as a starting point. The measure went on to win unanimous approval in the Pennsylvania General Assembly the following year and was signed into law by Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf. Tennessee two-step In May 2017, Tennessee became the first state to pass the recall disclosure bill. The winding path that led to the bills passage dates back to 2014, when Lara Gass, 27, died in a crash caused by a faulty ignition switch in her Saturn Ion, which had been recalled just weeks earlier by GM. Gass parents, Jay and Gerri, then embarked on a crusade for a law in Tennessee that would ban the sale of recalled used cars. They sat down with Mark Green, a Republican who represented their district at the time, and persuaded him to introduce a bill, dubbed Laras Law, on their behalf. But it turned out that, when crafting his bill, Green consulted other stakeholders including Bob Weaver, an influential Nashville lobbyist who heads the Tennessee Automotive Association. The result: Laras Law was watered down to require only recall disclosure, not a sales ban. To say the least, we were very upset, Jay Gass said. We could not have our daughters name associated with a bill that included a disclosure requirement. Green, who has raised at least $56,000 in contributions from auto dealers, later withdrew the bill. He did not respond to requests for comment. Jay and Gerri Gass, on the fifth anniversary of their daughter's death, pose for a portrait in their home in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. on March 18, 2019. Lara Gass died at age 27 in 2014 in a car crash caused by a faulty ignition switch. The next year, Green again introduced Laras Law, this time calling for a sales ban. On the House side, state Rep. Rick Staples, a freshman Democrat, sponsored an identical bill. But both bills stalled in the business-friendly Tennessee General Assembly. Then came a surprise: At the end of the legislative session, with Staples help, auto dealers succeeded in adding their bill as a last-minute amendment to an unrelated measure regulating rickshaws. It was quickly passed and signed into law by Republican Gov. Bill Haslam. The Motor Vehicle Recall and Disclosure Law allows auto dealers to continue selling recalled used cars unless theyre subject to do-not-drive recalls or stop-sale orders, which are issued on rare occasions for serious safety defects. All auto dealers have to do is to disclose open recalls to customers and have them sign a form acknowledging that they were notified. Staples said he introduced his bill because the only alternative was the status quo. SUBSCRIBE Support local journalism Nothing was in place as far as protecting consumers dealing with those recalls, Staples said. I didnt want to live with not having done anything to deal with the issue. In a statement, Weaver said the feedback from a number of stakeholders led to changes in the laws language. While no stakeholders got everything they wanted, he said, there was widely shared consensus that this law achieved a major step forward to benefit Tennessee automotive buyers. For the Gasses, however, a law that mandates only recall disclosure, not a sales ban, is a bitter disappointment. This is absolutely the one thing that we did not want, Gerri Gass said. I feel so sorry for the people of Tennessee. Andy Spears of Tennessee Citizen Action, a consumer advocacy group, said the whole experience was a sober reminder of how much sway auto dealers who have collectively given more than $1.4 million in contributions to state legislative candidates in Tennessee since 2000 hold over lawmakers. They were more inclined to follow Weaver and protect unscrupulous dealers than to work to protect the lives of used-car buyers in our state, Spears said. A national ban? For consumer advocates, one of the ultimate goals is to secure a federal ban on the sale of recalled used cars through Congress or by regulatory means. Either approach would neutralize the laws now in place in Tennessee and Pennsylvania. But a long road appears to lie ahead. A case in point: In 2017, a coalition of six advocacy groups filed a lawsuit against the FTC after it reached settlements with CarMax, GM and its franchisees that allow them to continue selling recalled used cars, so long as they disclose open recalls to customers. The case is pending before the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, which held oral arguments in September. More in this series Copy, Paste, Legislate: A visual introduction You elected them to write new laws. Theyre letting corporations do it instead. Used car dealers didnt want to fix deadly defects, so they wrote a law to avoid it Stand your ground, right to work and bathroom bills: 5 model bills that spark controversy What is ALEC? 'The most effective organization' for conservatives, says Newt Gingrich How we uncovered 10,000 times lawmakers introduced copycat model bills and why it matters What's the solution for model bills? Reveal who wrote them, critics say For anti-abortion activists, success of 'heartbeat' bills was 10 years in the making Progressives borrow strategy from anti-abortion groups: Use copycat legislation These copycat bills on sharia law and terrorism have no effect. Why do states keep passing them? The Catholic Church and Boy Scouts are lobbying against child abuse statutes. This is their playbook Puppies, phones and porn: How model legislation affects consumers lives They copied bills from corporations. These lawmakers say that's OK. Meanwhile, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., co-sponsored a bill in 2017 to propose a sales ban, saying consumers should be protected from driving a ticking time bomb off the lot and onto our roads. But Blumenthals bill soon faced opposition from the National Automobile Dealers Association, which represents about 16,000 auto dealers, and stalled without getting a single hearing. Jason Levine, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety, a Washington, D.C.-based consumer advocacy organization, said getting Congress to act on a sales ban is daunting. One would hope that more education of policymakers about the dangers would be sufficient, Levine said. One fears that more deaths and serious injuries will be necessary. Contributing: Joe Yerardi The Center for Public Integrity is a nonprofit investigative journalism organization in Washington, D.C. The team behind this investigation REPORTING AND ANALYSIS: Natalie Allison, Chris Amico, Daniel Bice, Giacomo Bologna, Ben Botkin, David Boucher, Jon Campbell, Amy DiPierro, Paul Egan, Dustin Gardiner, Ronald J. Hansen, Greg Hilburn, Greg Holman, Joe Hong, Lisa Kaczke, Keegan Kyle, Kaitlin Lange, Pamela Ren Larson, Aamer Madhani, Patrick Marley, Kelsey Mo, Dan Nowicki, Rob ODell, Geoff Pender, Nick Penzenstadler, Agnel Philip, Justin Price, Nick Pugliese, Yvonne Wingett Sanchez, Jeff Schwaner, Chris Sikich, Michael Squires, Matt Wynn FROM THE CENTER FOR PUBLIC INTEGRITY: Jared Bennett, Kristian Hernandez, Sameea Kamal, Rui Kaneya, Mark Olalde, Pratheek Rebala, Peter Smith, Liz Essley Whyte EDITING: Chris Davis, John Kelly, Amy Pyle, Michael Squires, Kytja Weir (CPI), Gordon Witkin (CPI) GRAPHICS AND ILLUSTRATIONS: Andrea Brunty, Veronica Bravo, Lauren Lapid, Pim Linders, Ramon Padilla, Jim Sergent, Shawn Sullivan, Mitchell Thorson PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEOGRAPHY: Patrick Breen, Chris Powers, Pat Shannahan DIGITAL PRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT: Robert Barnes, Christian Baucom, Andrea Brunty, Tom Foster, Tyler Hawkins, Spencer Holladay, Ryan Marx, Annette Meade, Josh Miller, Michael Varano, Stan Wilson SOCIAL MEDIA, ENGAGEMENT AND PROMOTION: Mary Bowerman, P. Kim Bui, Anne Godlasky, Danielle Woodward This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Takata airbag, GM ignition recalls: Car dealers won't fix fatal flaws A pro-government lawmaking body installed by President Nicolas Maduro voted on Tuesday to strip the opposition leader Juan Guaido of parliamentary immunity, paving the way for his potential arrest. The move by the Constituent Assembly represents the governments latest effort to raise the pressure on Guaido, who declared himself interim president in January in the biggest challenge that Maduro has faced in six years in office. In recent weeks, the government has barred Guaido from travelling, frozen his bank accounts, begun investigating him on terrorism accusations, and prohibited him from running for office. But thus far the government has stopped short of detaining Guaido. The United States has repeatedly said that any attack on Guaido would draw a severe reaction. Guaido has brushed off legal challenges from the government in the past, going so far as touring South American capitals despite the travel ban. The opposition does not recognise the Constituent Assembly, a sort of parallel congress created by Maduro two years ago as a means of circumventing the opposition-controlled National Assembly. The regime believes that by attacking me, they will stop us, Guaido told supporters outside his house Tuesday night. Theres no way back in this process. Venezuelas intensifying political battle is unfolding amid an electrical crisis that has led to almost daily blackouts in most major cities since early March. Lights went off in parts of the capital, Caracas, minutes after the Constituent Assemblys vote. On Tuesday the government announced that it would introduce national power rationing in peak hours until further notice. The New York Times Tel-Aviv (AFP) - The pungent whiff of marijuana can frequently be encountered during strolls past Tel Aviv's sidewalk cafes, and whether its recreational use should now be legalised has become an unexpected issue before April 9 elections. Equally as unexpected is the party that has brought the issue to the forefront: the far-right Zehut (Identity), led by former lawmaker Moshe Feiglin. Feiglin's unusual combination of Jewish religious nationalism and libertarianism has drawn in a strange mix of voters, from young dope smokers to right-wingers attracted by his extreme views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Campaign photos featuring him with round glasses, a closely cropped beard and a black turtleneck bear an unmistakable resemblance to someone who would likely be on the opposite side of the ideological spectrum: late Apple founder Steve Jobs. To accusations that he is exploiting marijuana legalisation for political gain, Feiglin has a simple reply. "If it's true, so what?" the 56-year-old former lawmaker in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party told AFP. The most recent opinion polls forecast Zehut winning around five to seven seats in Israel's 120-member parliament, meaning Feiglin could form part of the next governing coalition. The party's rise has led to something of a contact high. Others have jumped on the issue, with even Netanyahu brandishing his marijuana bona fides. Talk of marijuana legalisation is not entirely new in Israel, and enforcement for casual smokers can be light. In certain bars and cafes, it is smoked more or less openly. In 2017, Israel's public security ministry partially decriminalised recreational marijuana use, setting fines and treatment for initial offenders instead of criminal procedures. The new rules took effect on April 1. - 'Not even have dreamed' - Netanyahu, who is fighting for a fifth term, has not ruled out full legalisation. Cultivation of cannabis for medical use has been legal for more than a decade but is strictly regulated, as is consumption. Story continues The government in January gave the final go-ahead for its export, expected to bring in big revenues. There are currently a handful of companies in Israel growing medical cannabis, with many more awaiting for licences. Legalisation is just part of Zehut's unique ideology, which includes far-right positions such as Israel's annexation of the occupied West Bank and an end to Muslim administration of the flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem. The compound, the third-holiest in Islam, is known to Jews as the Temple Mount and revered as Judaism's holiest. He also champions data privacy, seeks to liberalise marriage procedures, and wants police to be more tolerant of non-violent protests. Left-wing party Meretz says it was first to demand legalisation across the board and Labour also supports such change, but it is Feiglin who has put a campaign spotlight on the issue. The Green Leaf party has been advocating it for years but its leader, Oren Liebowitz, says he would "not even have dreamed" that it could have stirred such election interest. "In Israel, 27 percent of the public says they have smoked in the past year and 71 percent are in favour of legalisation," he told AFP at a Tel Aviv cafe terrace. His party is not running in this election so that others with a better chance of making it into parliament can reap the benefit of traditional Green Leaf supporters' votes, he says. - 'We are sick' - Israeli chemist Raphael Mechoulam was the first to isolate THC, the major psychoactive substance in cannabis, and pioneered its medical applications. He was sceptical about imminent change. "Israel society is a conservative one," he said. "Medical and legalisation of cannabis are two completely different things." He added that only a few doctors are authorised to prescribe marijuana for medical use. "It's a political issue," said Hagai Hillman, founder and CEO of B.O.L Pharma, a pharmaceutical company that grows and distributes therapeutic cannabis. He says he will never invest in anything outside medical marijuana. "Cannabis is a drug, and it is a dangerous drug," he said. On a recent day, around 100 people turned out in Tel Aviv to hear delegates from several parties explain their pot policy. Some let off firecrackers while waiting for the speakers. "I am undecided between Meretz and Zehut," said teacher Eran Shalev, 37, referring to two parties that are political polar opposites. In the crowd was standup comic and Zehut member Gadi Wilcherski, who backs Feiglin's stance on marijuana but admits to ignoring the rest of his manifesto. "You can't have a nation that constantly goes to war and our children sit in the shelters, and after that they go to the army (for compulsory service)," he said. "You can't expect this kind of nation to be healthy mentally. We are sick, all of us. Cannabis is the best cure." One of the many questions swirling for parents-to-be is: What do we need for our new baby? And retailers like Walmart and Target are angling to be the answer. With the opening left after the collapse of Babies R Us and Toys R Us, retailers have been eager to fill that void and attract that booming baby market. "Consumers want the best for their babies so are willing to spend on both everyday essentials and more infrequent purchases like cribs and clothing," said Neil Saunders, managing director of retail consultancy GlobalData. "This is a consumer retailers want to attract." To that end, several big names have filled the void that came with the loss of the iconic baby and toy stores by expanding their offerings to cater to parents and parents-to-be. Both Target and Walmart enhanced their websites and added new brands to their stores. J.C. Penney added baby departments in 500 stores last August. Online sales of baby products is a $7.5 billion industry, according to a March 2018 IBISWorld report. Amazon leads the market with 27.5% share, followed by Target at 5.8%. Overall, approximately $65.4 billion of baby products were sold in the U.S. in 2018, according to GlobalData. Munch on this: Lunchables is releasing a breakfast line called Brunchables Texting instead of yelling?: How families 'talk' to one another at home Walmart also is looking to grow its baby business. On Thursday, the retail giant announced the launch of an all-new baby registry aimed to make the "incredibly overwhelming" process of starting a registry easier with a personal touch, said Lauren Uppington, Walmart eCommerce U.S. vice president and general manager for baby, in a blog post. "The new registry includes an adorable chatbot, Hoo the Owl, who gets to know registrants by asking them questions, including due date, gender (or gender neutral), state and preferred nursery theme, in a fun and engaging way," Uppington said. Story continues In the blog post, Uppington said Walmart has added new mobile enhancements for the parents and for gift-givers on its app. Making changes and investments Babies R Us and Toys R Us closed all 735 stores last June after their parent company failed to rebound despite a last-ditch effort to restructure under bankruptcy protection. Former competitors have brought up how the closings have helped them grow in the baby and toy categories during recent quarterly earnings calls with analysts. Last summer, J.C. Penney began stocking cribs, high chairs and other baby products in 500 locations, most chosen because of their proximity to now-shuttered Babies R Us stores. We saw strong performance in both our toys and baby apparel and gear businesses, a clear indication that our efforts to enhance these categories and capture market share from competitor closings are working, Trent Kruse, J.C. Penney senior vice president of finance said in a Feb. 28 call with analysts. Target officials said in a call with analysts March 5 that the company's effort over the past two years has been paying off. The company expanded its Cloud Island brand in January to include a line of essentials like wipes, toiletries and diapers with prices ranging from less than a dollar to $21.99. They've also expanded clothing lines Cat & Jack and Art Class. We made big investments to make sure that we were going to garner market share in those important categories, Target CEO Brian Cornell told analysts. It's going to drive long-term benefits for us, as families come to Target more frequently for toys and items for babies and kids. Select Target stores have revamped their baby department with lower shelves, displays of sample nurseries and areas where parents can test out products such as strollers and car seats. Walmart remodeled the baby departments in more than 2,000 stores so customers can touch and feel items and test drive strollers in stores. "We know that these are also popular registry items for first-time moms, so by having them available to touch and feel, customers can feel confident in adding them to their registry," Walmart said in a statement to USA TODAY. Gene Castagna, chief operating officer of Bed Bath & Beyond, which also owns Buy Buy Baby, spoke of how the retailer benefited from the closings in September and in January earnings calls. There are about 135 stores in the U.S. and Canada. The baby business across the Bed Bath & Beyond side, baby side, baby stores continues to perform well, he said in January. Be the Sunday brunch hero: Aldi selling Pineapple and Orange Mimosas for a limited time Game of Thrones Oreo: Special limited-edition cookie hits shelves Monday Mobile videos Even before Toys R Us announced it was closing all of its stores, Oakland, California-based Babylist started adding more product videos to its platform, said Natalie Gordon, CEO and founder. Most new families in America dont have a local baby store where they can go and push the stroller, Gordon said, adding the goal is that customers should be able to understand the stroller better from a video than seeing it in real life. A former Amazon developer, Gordon said she started the universal baby registry before her son Max was born in 2011 because she was looking for gifts not sold in stores and available to put on other registries home-cooked meals, someone to walk her German Shepherd and a month of a cloth diaper service. According to a recent Babylist report, 15% of Babylist users put nontraditional requests or favors on their lists. For Jillian Kirschner, of Swampscott, Massachusetts, that request was newborn photo shoots for her two young sons. It was really nice that it just linked to the photographers website and you could put the details on the package you were looking for, Kirschner said. Online push Retailers' online presence allows them to showcase a more robust selection of products than they display in their physical stores, which was the case before Toys R Us left. Marina Gregory, of Saratoga Springs, New York, actually finds it more convenient to shop online. A mother of two boys, Gregory used Babylist before her 4-month-old was born. In our marketplace today, I think people are more and more primed for online shopping, she said. You might not be able to see it in person, but if theres free shipping everywhere, you can have it at your house in two days. And most retailers are super open with their customer service and returns. Walmart's new registry has mobile enhancements to make it easier to start a registry and manage it, Uppington said. "We want to be there for mom and dad with everything they are looking for, and through experiences that make shopping for those items easy and fun," Uppington said. Netflix in April: Here are the best new family movies, shows to stream Stroller size limits: Disneyland will limit stroller sizes before Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge opens Follow USA TODAY reporter Kelly Tyko on Twitter: @KellyTyko This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What do you need when you're expecting a baby? Walmart, Target want to be the answer By Jeff Mason and David Lawder WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday a trade deal with China was getting very close and could be announced in about four weeks, but warned it would be difficult to let China keep trading with the United States if remaining issues were not resolved. Speaking to reporters at the White House at the start of a meeting with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, Trump said some of the tougher points of a deal had been agreed but there were still differences to be bridged. "It's got a very, very good chance of happening. I think that will be great for both countries," Trump said, adding he would hold a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping if there were a deal. "I would say we'll know over the next four weeks," Trump said. China and the United States are in the middle of intense negotiations to end a months-long trade war between the world's two largest economies that has rattled global markets. Trump declined to say what would happen to U.S. tariffs on $250 billion worth of goods as part of a deal. Asked about the benefits of an agreement for China, Trump said China "will continue to trade with the United States. Otherwise it would be very tough for us to allow that to happen," he added, without elaboration. Goods trade between the United States and China totaled $660 billion last year, according to U.S. Census Bureau data, consisting of imports of $540 billion from China and $120 billion in exports to China. In comments during his meeting with Trump, Liu cited "great progress" in the talks because of Trump's direct involvement, adding that despite remaining issues, "hopefully we'll get a good result." U.S. SEEKS SWEEPING CHANGES Trump has previously threatened to impose punitive tariffs on all imports from China, more than a half-trillion dollars worth of products. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said there were still some "major, major issues" to resolve and that Liu's commitment to reform in China was encouraging. Story continues Trump said the sticking points included tariffs and intellectual property theft. He said he would discuss tariffs with Liu in their meeting. Washington wants sweeping changes to China's economic and trade policies, while Beijing wants Trump to lift expensive sanctions on Chinese goods. After meetings in Beijing last week, Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin are holding talks in Washington with Liu and a Chinese delegation this week. The current round of talks is scheduled to last through Friday and possibly longer. Hopes that the talks were moving in a positive direction have cheered financial markets in recent weeks. But U.S. stocks were mixed on Thursday as investors waited for more developments in the trade negotiations, with the Dow Jones industrial Average slightly higher, and the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite slightly lower. [.N] Trump has proven unpredictable in past White House meetings with Liu, openly challenging Lighthizer in late February over the use of the term "memorandum of understanding" in the talks. Liu, Lighthizer and Mnuchin declined to speak to reporters as the three entered USTR offices near the White House on Thursday morning. The United States is seeking reforms to Chinese practices that it says result in the theft of U.S. intellectual property and the forced transfer of technology from U.S. companies to Chinese firms. Administration officials initially envisioned a summit between Trump and Xi potentially taking place in March, but some U.S. lawmakers and lobbying groups have said recently they were told that the administration was now aiming for a deal in late April. DEADLINES SLIP White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow has declined to give a deadline for a deal, saying last week that the talks were "not time dependent" and could be extended for weeks or even months longer. While some reform pledges by Beijing are largely agreed upon, including an agreement to avoid currency manipulation, the two sides have not yet settled on an enforcement mechanism to ensure that China keeps its pledges. Another key unresolved issue is whether and when punitive U.S. tariffs on $250 billion worth of Chinese goods would be removed. As the talks reach their final stages, resolving those two issues will be critical in determining whether a deal can be reached, U.S. Chamber of Commerce international affairs chief Myron Brilliant told reporters on Tuesday. "China has been very clear, publicly and privately, that they would like to see all the tariffs removed," Brilliant said. "The (Trump) administration has been equally clear that they want to keep some of the tariffs in place as a way to have leverage over China fulfilling its obligations under whatever final package is reached." (Reporting by Jeff Mason and David Lawder; Editing by Susan Thomas and Peter Cooney) British Prime Minister Theresa May and the opposition Labour Party are holding meetings this week to try to "break the logjam" over Britain's European Union exit or Brexit. On Friday, May requested a delay to Brexit until June 30 so there's more time to get a divorce deal through Parliament. Here's a recap on Britain leaving the EU. Brexit: Why is it called that? It may sound like a breakfast cereal, but the word "Brexit" is a combination of the words "British" and "exit." It was first coined by The Economist magazine in 2012 and emerged after Greece's potential departure from the EU as it struggled with a heavy government debt load. "Grexit" never happened, but it inspired the British abbreviation. What is the EU? It's a trade and monetary club, essentially, that enables its member nations to send goods, services and people across the bloc's collective borders with minimal friction. The EU was founded in 1948 in the aftermath of World War II to promote stability and economic cooperation among countries that had fought two major wars. The EU includes 28 countries 19 of which use the euro currency and it has more than 500 million citizens who are entitled to live and work in any other EU country. Brexit: UK Brexit chief says Theresa May not offering a 'blank check' to opposition May's offer: Theresa Mays EU Brexit deal rejected by Parliament a third time Why is Brexit happening? British Prime Minister David Cameron called a public vote in 2016 on EU membership to appease right-wing, Euro-skeptic members of his ruling Conservative Party who had long agitated to leave the EU. They viewed the EU as a threat to Britain's sovereignty. Cameron expected the national referendum would easily reconfirm Britain's EU membership. He miscalculated. "Leave" won 52% to 48% over "Remain." Why is it taking so long? There is no easy answer to this one. However, it can be boiled down to the fact that although Britain's electorate narrowly opted to discard decades of EU membership it joined in 1973, when the EU was known as the European Economic Community, or EEC the majority of British lawmakers don't believe it's in the best interests of the country. The delay is also a result of Britain and the EU not being equal negotiating partners. The EU has the final say on all Brexit matters. May spent almost three years negotiating an exit arrangement that was acceptable to the EU's 27 other leaders. Many lawmakers don't like it but have been unable to agree on what kind of deal they want instead. Story continues Brexit was originally scheduled for March 29. Parliament has rejected May's deal three times. What's so bad about May's deal? Critical issues accompanying the country's EU divorce, such as how much Britain will need to pay to leave the bloc (about $50 billion) and what rights EU nationals in Britain will have after the separation (similar to what they have now, but they'll need to prove they are not a burden on the state) have been less controversial with British lawmakers. The deal has fallen afoul of parliamentarians over the thorny question of the land border between Northern Ireland (part of Britain) and Ireland (part of the EU). Years of EU-facilitated trade and travel across this border underpin the Good Friday Agreement, the 1998 peace deal between the British and Irish governments and political parties in Northern Ireland. The EU and May signed off on a temporary measure, known as the "backstop," to keep the border open while Britain and the bloc negotiate a post-Brexit trade deal. Lawmakers are concerned that the "backstop" runs the risk of becoming permanent, keeping Britain tethered to the EU. May: Britain's Theresa May offers to step down to get Brexit deal passed What happens if there's a 'no-deal' Brexit? Britain leaves the EU anyway because that is the default legal position. The EU has given Britain until April 12 to come up with a plan that is acceptable to lawmakers. If an agreement is not made by that date, Britain will leave the EU, only there could be considerable chaos because years of EU legislation covering everything from Britain's transportation policies to public health will more or less vanish overnight. About 3.7 million non-British EU nationals, or 6% of the population, live in Britain and 1.2 million people born in Britain live in the 27 other EU countries. In the event of a "no-deal" Brexit, these nationals would have no formal legal status or working and residence rights. Business leaders warned a "no-deal" Brexit would badly hurt commerce. There are concerns about shortages of food and medical supplies. More: 'Bewildering, dire, disastrous': Queen has a Brexit escape plan What's happening? In recent days, lawmakers have voted on a range of Brexit alternatives in an attempt to find a compromise solution. These have included a "softer" form of Brexit that would allow Britain to keep closer trading ties to the EU and revoking Brexit altogether. All the options were voted down. May, from the ruling Conservative Party, said Tuesday that the country needed "national unity to deliver the national interest" and offered to hold talks with opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn in an attempt to find a compromise solution. "This debate, this division, cannot drag on much longer," May said in a statement from 10 Downing St., her official residence. The EU scheduled an emergency summit in Brussels for April 10, two days before Britain's new Brexit deadline. Before that, May could call a fourth vote on her EU exit deal. Lawmakers are also considering adopting legislation that would force May to seek a further delay from the EU aimed at preventing a "no-deal" Brexit on April 12. Ahead of next week's summit with EU leaders in Brussels, May has asked the EU to consider delaying Brexit until June 30. The request needs unanimous approval. More: Theresa Mays EU Brexit deal rejected by Parliament a third time Wait, didn't May resign? Kind of. After May's EU exit deal was rejected the second time, she vowed to quit if lawmakers would approve it in the third vote. They didn't. She's still Britain's prime minister. Unlike in the USA, Britain does not elect a leader but a party. If May steps down, her Conservative Party would still be in power as long as it could agree on who should replace her. If it can't, there would be an election. More: Britain's Theresa May offers to step down to get Brexit deal passed May is Britain's second female prime minister after Margaret Thatcher (1979-90) and served in Cameron's Cabinet as home secretary. In that role, she took a strict line on drug policy, immigration and fighting terrorism. When does Brexit end? Nobody knows. Although the term "Brexit" is a noun, it has morphed into something of a verb that is nothing if not a seemingly never-ending exercise in a political process. Even if May's deal passes in a fourth vote, the Brexit process wouldn't be over. The deal she is trying to get through Parliament is a transition-period arrangement. Her successor would need to negotiate depending on how "soft" or "hard" a Brexit deal emerges post-EU trade deals and other aspects of British legislation pertaining to life outside the bloc from environmental protections to human rights. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why Brexit, or Britain's exit from European Union, is so important but so tough to finish As the 2020 presidential primary preseason kicks in, the Democratic consensus of the early Trump era is naturally breaking down a bit. Still, there are a few things Democrats of all flavors appear to agree on: Trump is terrible, Hamilton is wonderful, and . . . Brexit must be stopped by any means necessary. There is no reliable polling data on U.S. attitudes toward Britains leaving the EU. But there probably doesnt need to be any, at least for the people who think a ticket to Hamilton is worth the price of a weekend getaway to London. A few months back, the U.K. Independent did a New Yorker on the street feature on the question and couldnt locate a single Brexit fan except for a German tourist who thought it might help turn Frankfurt into the EUs financial capital. Everyone else was firmly against, including one woman who barked, We need to squash it! The elite commentariat is, if anything, even more militant. Veteran New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman suggested that the stupid and mad inability of the House of Commons to endorse a withdrawal deal acceptable to the EU meant that Parliament itself should be squashed, concluding, I say bring back the monarchy. (One assumes he was joking, though given his recent gushing over the Chinese political model, its hard to be confident.) It apparently wasnt always this way. The New Yorkbased Guardian columnist Arwa Mahdawi writes of an interesting evolution in (liberal) US attitudes toward Brexit, from a certain schadenfreude at seeing a historic cultural rival humbled to a new sort of special relationship based on the parallel traumas of Brexit and Trump. And as the Brexit drama messily grinds toward its still-uncertain conclusion, it has become something of an obsession for many Democrats and even centrist Republicans. I now have more than a few American friends with zero familial or business ties to Britain who appear to take Brexit more personally than many Brits I know. Story continues In fact, the passion of the American Remainers seems to outstrip that of many leading British Leavers. Most of the Brexit-types Ive known, over the course of many years living in Europe and working on EU-related issues, have tended to be pretty laid-back about the issue. The late Sir Alan Walters, a former Margaret Thatcher adviser I used to work with back when Leavers were called Euroskeptics, could go on for hours about the looming European superstate without ever getting a head of steam. Even some of the most high-profile Brexit boosters such as the Vote Leave campaign co-founder and member of the European parliament Daniel Hannan seem to have a better sense of proportion and humor about it than many American critics. This, as the Brits say, is bonkers. Did New Yorkers get upset when the French rebelled against NATO or when the Slovaks stomped out of Czechoslovakia? If Italy withdrew from the eurozone a threat to the EU that many in Europe see as more existential than Brexit would Corriere della Sera be able to find anyone up in arms on the streets of Little Italy? One clear cause of the local outbreak of Remain fever is the British prestige medias increasing penetration of the American market the Guardian now has over 300,000 paying supporters in the U.S. as well as the decision by many highbrow domestic news outlets to go all-in. (Vox recently featured a first-person account entitled Brexit has turned me into a prepper.) And like a British actor with a talent for American accents, Brexit neatly slots into our running plotlines, especially the one about oafish, nihilistic voters from the provinces pushing indisputably self-destructive policies on everyone else. Above all, American Remainers seem driven to tell everyone how obviously stupid Brexit is, often by pointing out how messy it is. Which is, if not bonkers, then bollocks, because anyone who actually knows anything about British or EU matters knows that the reason Brexit is so messy is precisely that it represents a very complex problem that defies easy solutions. But members of our domestic squash Brexit squad cant see this because they are usually innocent of the most basic facts about it, not least that the only meaningful opposition party is also lead by Leavers (though ones whose Euroskepticism is driven by a belief that the EU is whats standing between Britain and socialism). They also seem utterly unaware of not just the level of ambivalence in Europe toward the EU, but the sheer indifference: Over the last decade, three countries have held referendums to join, and none saw a turnout topping 50 percent. If North Macedonia cant be bothered to show up and vote to join the EU, why should Manhattan care if the East Midlands vote to leave? VIEW GALLERY: Brexit Demonstrations At the same time, the uninformed but genuine special relationship the American Remainers feel for their British compatriots ironically provides the strongest validation of the Leavers case. They are more interested in Britains problems than those of Belgium or Bulgaria not just because the Brexit and Trump traumas seem similar. If that was all, wed be hearing much more about how Belgiums government fell because of fights over immigration, or how Bulgarias may soon collapse over a scandal involving bribes of Trump-style high-rise luxury apartments. Instead, transatlantic Remainer solidarity is rooted in the same cultural and linguistic kinship, and perceived loss of place and status, that has from the start animated Brexit. And if they really think that national independence movements that involve a bit of messiness and some painful sacrifices should be squashed, I can recommend a musical thats drawing crowds to Londons Victoria Palace Theatre that would make them feel right at home. More from National Review Photo credit: Courtesy Cedit From ELLE Decor Cristina Celestino has a penchant for conjuring worlds in pastel colors with a touch of natures wonders: multiplying coral, creatures from both sea and land, and candied fruits. Tinged with irony and a soft femininity, her retro-futuristic stylings and rigid geometries shine through products and spaces overflowing with rich materials like ceramics, marbles, and carpets. Born in 1980, the Friuli native is now a heavy-hitting regular on the design scene in Milan, where she quickly earned a spot as one of the most delicate and bold voices of design and interiors today. Rubelli, Fendi, CEDIT, Sergio Rossithe collaborations and art direction of Cristina Celestino often explore diverse materials and production processes that range from the artisanal to industrial, and from fabrics to chests and large ceramic slabs. We connect with Cristina by telephone on a morning in mid-March, as the designer is busy at work preparing for new projects to be presented at Milan Design Week 2019. Photo credit: Courtesy Cedit Youve recently signed off on the Policroma collection for CEDIT: ceramic cladding intended for interiors. How did that collaboration come about? I was contacted by them and it was the first time Ive ever worked with a company on such a large scale, with such an extraordinary capacity for industrial production. The story behind CEDIT is what pushed me to accept the challenge, even though the company of today is vastly different than what it used to be. With designers like Ettore Sottsass and Sergio Asti, they were the first to experiment in the field of ceramic cladding that wasnt artisanal, but rather something technologically advanced-prints and molds instead of manual decorations. What was the inspiration for your work with them? Something between the entrances of Milanese apartments and Carlo Scarpa. On one hand, your architectural studies in Venice and Carlo Scarpa. On the other, your adopted city, Milan. Exactly. My design references are always moving between my studies, the world of architecture, the great maestros-especially the work of Carlo Scarpa-and that which Ive become: my passions connected to the city of Milan, from designing collections to the city itself, and accents from the worlds of fashion and jewelry. Story continues With CEDIT, their technical abilities were crucial in the industrial work with ceramics, which is able to transform the surfaces of ceramics into other materials. I decided to use this to obtain surfaces imitating marble and marmorino. How did this idea come about? In the case of the marmorino slabs, the reference comes from the marmorino of Carlo Scarpa, while in the case of the marble, I decided to print those that are starting to disappear-which I chose very carefully. They were all Italian marbles that are beginning to go extinct, but that were used often in the past by the great maestros. We printed, for example, the Rosa Valtoce marble, which was used for the Duomo of Milan and traditional buildings in the city. My idea was to take advantage of the companys skill in printing, but also to save these quarries, which are very small. In this way, were able to carry on using these prized marbles without having to further damage the natural environment. The marbles I printed on CEDIT surfaces include Verde Alpi, Rosa Valtoce, Cipollino Ondulato, and the Breccia Capraia. Photo credit: Courtesy Cedit Does this knowledge and passion for marble come from your studies in architecture school? Its something Ive developed over the years. I became passionate about Cipollino for a project of mine looking at Adolf Loos, who used it in the American Bar of Vienna, as well as in many private residences. Meanwhile, Rosa Valtoce was one I encountered in the entrances of Milan, just like the Verde Alpi used by Gio Ponti. You print marble onto ceramics, playing with the illusion and reality of the two materials. I wanted to lay out this idea of the fake by introducing a border: all the slabs are outlined with a printed frame in opaque black iron sheet, like those used by Carlo Scarpa in his marmorino surfaces. Photo credit: Courtesy Cedit What else will you be presenting for Design Week? On Instagram youve announced a project with Cucchi, the historic Milanese bakery and cafe in Corso Genova: Caffe Concerto. The photo of musicians with a pear and apple looks interesting! Its a special project: one part of the curation will be temporary, for MiArt and the Salone, while the other will remain as a new part of the interiors. I studied tables in Budri marble for the exteriors, while interiors will feature original tables with antique colored mirrors. Photo credit: Coutesy Photo Why Caffe Concerto? The name alludes to the origins of the Cucchi bakery, which was founded in the 30s under that name. I began with the theme of the Italian and Parisian caffe concerto, which was then freed to move into a more surreal place, stealing inspiration from the world of the bakery and the aesthetic of sweets. To that, I then added abstract objects that transform the space. Its a bourgeois environment with colorful, fresh (which I call Canditi) elements that render the locale more contemporary. And in Brera youre presenting Planetario. Yes, in the Brera Design Apartment-the central hub of the Brera District. Its a project with Besana Carpet Lab in collaboration with Esperia, a historic Tuscan lighting company. Ive reproduced retro-futuristic interiors that include an intense and often outside the box application of carpeted surfaces, mixing colored backgrounds with a new printed carpet. Photo credit: Courtesy Besana Carpet is back! Im very happy. Ive had it in mind for years. The retro-futuristic atmosphere seems to be a recurring theme of yours. Looking at your Instagram profile, you often post photos with this kind of feel, like the dress from Valentino. I should dress like this for Planetario! Fashion is a strong suit of yours, both personally and professionally. Back in 2016, you collaborated with Fendi at Design Miami and this past year, you crafted the interiors of the Sergio Rossi boutique. If only you could see how Im dressed now! This morning, I refused to go into the office because I needed to work in peace at home. Where is your office? Near my home, here in Piola. Fashion, I wanted to ask I really love fashion-its a space I always feel very free in. The brands are coherent, with creative languages and a strong sense of history, like Fendi. But they also know how to keep renewing themselves. A world that moves quickly. In design, theres still a lot of fear. Everything is very slow, even though weve realized we need to move faster. In fashion, theres this freshness, even just in choosing a color palette. I think leather products are fascinating and bags can almost be considered examples of micro-architecture. It would be nice to see you working on something in fashion! Soon! When can you tell us more? Im not sure yet, but Ill present a collection of furnishings for Fendi Casa under Silvia Venturini Fendi, who was really passionate about the project and followed it personally. Its called Back Home. Well be presenting it in Via Solari, where Fendi holds its runway shows. Im also working on the curation. Youll be in a lot of places at once for Design Week! I know. I was thinking of just escaping to Friuli! The world of Cristina Celestino seems to embody this feminine, delicate touch, which perhaps reflects your philosophy on life? It reminds me of the title for your project at Fendi, The Happy Room. Its a question I often get. I dont knowI think my world of reference, whether I like it or not, comes from this feminine imagery, from furnishings with a vanity table to greenery with flowers. A kind of retro-futuristic world in pastels as we mentioned before. Its a mix of my passions and my personal aesthetic based on colors and textures. Together, these end up creating a universe that also embraces a sense of the ironic. The ability to maintain a strong personality and stylistic identity. Whats helped me over the years is perhaps consistency: clients ask me to do what I know how to do-theyre looking for my creative language. Which each time is met with the company for whom youre working. Of course. Im myself but I also look to understand the materials and the world of my clients. Looking at The Happy Room or the boutique for Sergio Rossi, although they come from the same hand, theyre vastly different. Each project is born and developed in that moment for the needs of the client. And the names of collections and objects: The Happy Room, Planetario, Candidi, Back Home A sensation and an atmosphere is already created with the title. I always dedicate a lot of time to find the right name. Its what tells the story and inspiration of each project. For me, its fundamental. Back to Design Week, which is just around the corner. How long have you been at work? It depends. With CEDIT, for example, we began a long time ago. Other collaborations have been developed faster. With Fendi Casa, we worked more at the pace of fashion, and I already knew Besana Carpet Lab from last year with the Corallo Tram. Milan, the city that has adopted you-or you it. Being from Pordenone, you studied at Venices IUAV, but did you come to Milan right after graduating? NoI went first to Florence, because the professor I did my thesis with, Massimo Carmassi, had his studio there. What did you do your thesis on? A female prison in Venice. So returning to this feminine theme. And from Florence, how did you make your way to Milan? I worked in architecture and then had a brief experience in Rome, but it wasnt the right place for me. Sending resumes to Milan, I ended up working for Sawaya & Moroni, where I stayed for two years. On nights and weekends, I would work on my own things. Then in 2012, I participated in SaloneSatellite and since 2014, Ive worked full time with my own studio after the birth of my daughter. Final question: what would you suggest for those visiting Milan during MiArt and Design Week? Hmmm, I would say without a doubt, the Massimo De Carlo Gallery, hosted in the building by Piero Portaluppi. Then, I personally love the Rotonda della Besana, with its enclosed lawn in the heart of the city. And a visit to the Triennale is an absolute must. As for going out, Potafiori is a favorite of mine. MILAN DESIGN WEEK 2019 WITH CRISTINA CELESTINO Policroma CEDIT Space, Via Foro Buonaparte 14/14a - and Salone del Mobile, Rho Fiera, Pav. 24, booth B02 Caffe Concerto Cucchi - Cucchi, Corso Genova 1, April 3-29 Planetario - Brera Design Apartment, Via Palermo 1 - April 8-14 Back Home for Fendi Casa - Fendi showroom, Via Andrea Solari 35, April 9-14 Scenografia - Fornace Brioni, Via Statuto 18, April 9-14 ('You Might Also Like',) Want to participate in a research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and earn a $60 gift card! Adam Couch became the CEO of Cranswick plc (LON:CWK) in 2012. This analysis aims first to contrast CEO compensation with other companies that have similar market capitalization. Then we'll look at a snap shot of the business growth. Third, we'll reflect on the total return to shareholders over three years, as a second measure of business performance. This method should give us information to assess how appropriately the company pays the CEO. See our latest analysis for Cranswick How Does Adam Couch's Compensation Compare With Similar Sized Companies? According to our data, Cranswick plc has a market capitalization of UK1.4b, and pays its CEO total annual compensation worth UK3.4m. (This figure is for the year to March 2018). We think total compensation is more important but we note that the CEO salary is lower, at UK616k. When we examined a selection of companies with market caps ranging from UK761m to UK2.4b, we found the median CEO total compensation was UK1.3m. It would therefore appear that Cranswick plc pays Adam Couch more than the median CEO remuneration at companies of a similar size, in the same market. However, this fact alone doesn't mean the remuneration is too high. A closer look at the performance of the underlying business will give us a better idea about whether the pay is particularly generous. You can see a visual representation of the CEO compensation at Cranswick, below. LSE:CWK CEO Compensation, April 4th 2019 Is Cranswick plc Growing? On average over the last three years, Cranswick plc has grown earnings per share (EPS) by 14% each year (using a line of best fit). It achieved revenue growth of 6.5% over the last year. Overall this is a positive result for shareholders, showing that the company has improved in recent years. It's nice to see a little revenue growth, as this is consistent with healthy business conditions. It could be important to check this free visual depiction of what analysts expect for the future. Story continues Has Cranswick plc Been A Good Investment? Boasting a total shareholder return of 35% over three years, Cranswick plc has done well by shareholders. As a result, some may believe the CEO should be paid more than is normal for companies of similar size. In Summary... We examined the amount Cranswick plc pays its CEO, and compared it to the amount paid by similar sized companies. We found that it pays well over the median amount paid in the benchmark group. Importantly, though, the company has impressed with its earnings per share growth, over three years. In addition, shareholders have done well over the same time period. So, considering this good performance, the CEO compensation may be quite appropriate. Whatever your view on compensation, you might want to check if insiders are buying or selling Cranswick shares (free trial). Important note: Cranswick may not be the best stock to buy. You might find something better in this list of interesting companies with high ROE and low debt. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. For Immediate Release Chicago, IL April 3, 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: Cisco Systems, Inc. CSCO, T-Mobile US, Inc. TMUS, CenturyLink, Inc. CTL and United States Cellular Corp. USM. Here are highlights from Tuesdays Analyst Blog: 5G Likely to Spearhead Innovations in Global Farming With the telecom industry on the cusp of 5G boom, various technological firms are aiming to stretch the boundaries of 5G to reap its immense benefits across diverse industries. The farming industry is the latest to be bitten by the 5G bug as it aims to automate production and scale up farm outputs for future population explosion. Why 5G? 5G is billed as the technology of the future with faster download speed and seamless transfer of data. Leveraging state-of-the-art communication network architectures, 5G is touted to be the primary catalyst for next-generation Internet of Things (IoT) services. These include connected cars coupled with augmented reality and virtual reality platform, smart cities and connected devices that revolutionize key industry verticals. Moreover, 5G is likely to augment the scalability, security and universal mobility of the telecommunications industry, which is expected to lead to the wide proliferation of IoT. Leveraging such technological advancements, the farming industry is using remote sensors and drones as key tools to test and collate data for the latest farming technologies. Drones with 5G capabilities have been used to boost potato production in the Netherlands through precision agriculture tests. The test involved capturing accurate images of the field through a camera drone and sent to an agricultural machine through 5G mobile connection on real-time basis. This has helped to set the precise dose for proper protection of the crop from pests to boost farm productivity. As the entire process required large bandwidth hitherto unavailable in existing 4G networks, 5G emerged as the perfect option to achieve the desired results. Moreover, it saved time for farmers to physically scan the entire field to detect the quantum of pesticide required for the crops. Story continues Other 5G Innovations in Farming 5G sensors, artificial intelligence and cloud computing methods are increasingly being adopted in Japan to monitor water temperature and salt concentration in oyster farms. Drones with 5G capabilities are used to capture images of fish as they swim in large tanks in farmed fishing. These images are then analyzed to calculate the timing and volume of seafood required according to the weight of the fish. These efficient farming operations are vital to sustain the growing industry that is crippled with shrinking workforce and aging population. Moreover, it helps to reduce seafood wastages to a large extent and improves farm productivity. A U.K. government initiative with support from tech firm Cisco Systems, Inc. has launched a smartphone app called Me+Moo to track "connected" cows. The project involves 5G-connected collars that send daily updates on the cows health and behavioral patterns for accurate data. Veterinarians and nutritionists can then monitor this data for proper feeds and medicines that would have been otherwise been impossible for farmers to do on an individual basis on large farmlands. Road Ahead Such technological innovations seem to be the call of the hour to bridge the gap between the soaring global population and the food produce required to feed it. Per the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, the world will need to grow 70% more food in 2050 than it did in 2009. No wonder that leading technological firms are pitching in their contribution to spearhead innovations in the farming industry. At the same time, firms like T-Mobile US, Inc., CenturyLink, Inc. and United States Cellular Corp. are working tirelessly for rural broadband expansion to benefit the overall industry. With such a holistic growth model, 5G is poised to be the next game changer in the farming industry. 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. See their latest picks free >> Media Contact Zacks Investment Research 800-767-3771 ext. 9339 support@zacks.com https://www.zacks.com Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Cisco Systems, Inc. (CSCO) : Free Stock Analysis Report CenturyLink, Inc. (CTL) : Free Stock Analysis Report T-Mobile US, Inc. (TMUS) : Free Stock Analysis Report United States Cellular Corporation (USM) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research For Immediate Release Chicago, IL April 4, 2019 Zacks Director of Research Sheraz Mian says, "Earnings growth in 2019 Q1 is expected to turn negative, the first earnings decline since 2016 Q2. Driving the Q1 earnings decline are margin pressures across all major sectors even as revenues continue to grow." Is the Earnings Picture Really Weak? Note: The following is an excerpt from this weeks Earnings Trends report. You can access the full report that contains detailed historical actual and estimates for the current and following periods, please click here>>> Here are the key points: Earnings growth in 2019 Q1 is expected to turn negative, the first earnings decline since 2016 Q2. Driving the Q1 earnings decline are margin pressures across all major sectors even as revenues continue to grow. Tough comparisons to last year when margins got a one-time boost from the tax legislation coupled with the rise in payroll, materials and transportation expenses are weighing on margins. Total S&P 500 earnings are expected to decline -4.0% from the same period last year on +4.6% higher revenues and 100 basis points of compression in net margins. Earnings growth is expected to be negative for 10 of the 16 Zacks sectors, with Technology and Energy as the biggest drags. Technology sector earnings are expected to decline -10% from the same period last year on +3% higher revenues, with the semiconductor space as the biggest drag. Excluding the Tech sectors weak growth in Q1, total earnings for the rest of the index would be down by -2.1% from the year-earlier period. Estimates for Q1 as well as full-year 2019 steadily came down over the last few months, with the magnitude of negative revisions one of the highest in recent years. The earnings season has gotten underway, with results from 22 S&P 500 index members already out (fiscal quarters ending in February). Total earnings for these 22 companies are down -10.9% on +4.3% higher revenues, with 72.7% beating EPS estimates and 50.0% beating revenue estimates. For the small-cap S&P 600 index, total Q1 earnings are expected to be down -10.1% from the same period last year on +4.1% higher revenues. For full-year 2019, total earnings for the S&P 500 index are expected to be up +2.0% on +3.5% higher revenues, which would follow the +23.4% earnings growth on +9.2% higher revenues in 2018. Estimates for 2019 have been steadily coming down, with the current +2.0% growth rate down from +9.8% in early October 2018. The implied EPS for the index, calculated using current 2019 P/E of 17.5X and index close, as of April 2nd, is $163.92. Using the same methodology, the index EPS works out to $181.94 for 2020 (P/E of 15.8X). The multiples for 2019 and 2020 have been calculated using the indexs total market cap and aggregate bottom-up earnings for each year. With earnings growth in the first two quarters of 2019 expected to be in negative territory, the earnings recession term is liberally being thrown around. This is coming at a time when late-cycle worries have already made market participants overly sensitive to the shape of the Treasury yield curve and its cyclical implications. Story continues The definition of recession is two or more quarters of negative growth, typically GDP growth. To be totally pedantic about it, the recession talk reflects ground reality. After all, earnings growth in the first two quarters of the year is on track to be negative, even though the 2019 Q2 growth pace is barely in negative territory at present. We shouldnt take this recession talk too seriously, however. The reason is that the negative growth in the first half of the year is solely because of very tough comparisons. In other words, the base period for 2019 Q1 growth is 2018 Q1, when earnings received a huge boost from the tax-cut legislation. The lower corporate tax rates that showed up in earnings for the first time in 2018 Q1, the base year for 2019 Q1, boosted profitability through margin expansion. As such, we are up against some tough comparisons in 2019. The tax cut legislation didnt have a direct bearing on revenues last year and we are not seeing that much drop off in estimates for this year either, as the earlier chart above shows (orange bars). Importantly, growth is expected to resume in the second half of the year and accelerate into next year. So, if the earnings recession is only technical,' is there nothing to worry about on the earnings front? Thats not correct, as there are legitimate reasons to be wary of the earnings picture. The earnings growth trajectory would be challenged and difficult even without the issue of the aforementioned tough comparisons as the global economic growth backdrop has become less favorable and cyclical rises in transportation, logistics, payroll and other expenses are squeezing margins. As a result, analysts steadily lowered their estimates for 2019 Q1 as well as full-year 2019. The weak guidance from Nike NKE, FedEx FDX, Adobe ADBE, Oracle ORCL and others in this reporting cycle suggests that we will likely see a replay of what we experienced the last earnings season that pushed estimates lower. We will be keeping a close eye on how estimates for 2018 Q2 evolve as companies report Q1 results and share their outlook for Q2 and beyond. Recent revisions trend shows that these low growth expectations for the coming quarters still remain vulnerable to further downward revisions. In other words, it is reasonable for market participants to nurse some doubts about the current earnings backdrop. 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. See their latest picks free >> Media Contact Zacks Investment Research 800-767-3771 ext. 9339 support@zacks.com https://www.zacks.com 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. 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 Adobe Systems Incorporated (ADBE) : Free Stock Analysis Report Oracle Corporation (ORCL) : Free Stock Analysis Report NIKE, Inc. (NKE) : Free Stock Analysis Report FedEx Corporation (FDX) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research The Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in Ogun, Clement Oladele, on Thursday, advised motorists plying Lagos -Ibadan Expressway to exercise patience and drive cautiously, especially within construction areas. Oladele disclosed this in a statement signed by the FRSC Public Education Officer in the state, Florence Okpe, and made available to newsmen in Abeokuta. The sector commander warned motorists to avoid driving against traffic, as violators were liable to be prosecuted. He noted that the FRSC was working in concert with the construction company, Julius Berger Nigeria PLC, on introducing additional measures to cushion the hardship motorists were facing as a result of the construction efforts. Oladele said that the FRSC had been encouraging the construction company to speed up rehabilitation work and also open up areas that had been fairly completed for public use. Motorists are enjoined to cooperate with the FRSC and sister traffic agencies in ensuring a free flow of traffic while driving along the road corridor and other corridors in the country. The expressway has witnessed sporadic gridlocks this week due to incessant infractions occasioned by frequent breakdown of majorly articulated vehicles, which is compounded by the ongoing rehabilitation of the corridor. This has narrowed the lanes available on the expressway, especially between Magboro /Ibafo axis to the Mowe sections of the road. Commuter activities along the corridor have also affected motorisation, coupled with traffic indiscpline by some reckless drivers that take advantage of gridlocks to attempt driving against traffic. The FRSC wishes to inform the motoring public that the past few days have been characterised with infractions that distorted the free flow of traffic, he said. Oladele said that the command would continue to ensure free flow of traffic on the expressway. KINDLY DROP A COMMENT BELOW Home | World | Africa | Zimbabwean woman escapes sex slavery after defying SA 'traffickers' A Zimbabwean woman escaped a life of sex slavery after "refusing to be submissive" to two men who allegedly trafficked her from Johannesburg to Cape Town. The Hawks' anti-human trafficking team and the City of Cape Town's law enforcement vice squad arrested Lebogang Molapo 33 and Ndubuisi Andy Okafor 34 in a raid on a house in Milnerton last week. A 35-year-old woman reported them to the police after she was kicked out of the house because she refused to submit to her alleged traffickers despite being assaulted and threatened. "Molapo allegedly recruited and transported the 35-year-old victim from Johannesburg to Cape Town on March 5 2019" said Hawks spokesperson Cpt Philani Nkwalase in a press statement on Wednesday. "The Zimbabwean-born woman who left her country of birth to find work was enticed to travel by bus with her recruiter as she could not immediately find a job in Johannesburg." When she arrived in Cape Town she was taken to a house in Farnworth Street Rugby where she was locked up during the day and "coerced into a life of prostitution and drugs by night". The duo appeared in the Cape Town magistrate's court on Monday on a charge of human trafficking and their case was postponed to April 8 for a bail application. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: Africa Home | World | Africa | Mnangagwa's cabinet approves construction of Beira railway line CABINET on Tuesday approved the proposal for the construction of a railway line and wharf at Beira port to facilitate the transportation of minerals. This follows the country's endeavour to create a cobweb of railway lines to move freight and passengers to many places at ease. At the same time with Zimbabwe being landlocked Beira is the shortest gateway to the sea for both imports and exports for the southern country. Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa said Balmoral Corporation Investments has been given the green light to undertake the construction of the railway line. "Following a presentation by the transport minister and Infrastructure Development Cabinet approved in principle the proposal for Balmoral Corporation investments to undertake the construction of a railway line and a port at Beira on a built, operate and transfer basis in order to facilitate the transportation of minerals", Mutsvangwa said. At least 70 percent of Zimbabwe's exports reportedly go through South Africa. However, the distance between Harare and Beira is only 559km, while the distance between Harare and Durban is pegged at 1 683km. The full utilisation of the Beira corridor will inevitably decongest the Beitbridge border post and Durban port at the same time decreasing both import and export costs for Zimbabwe. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: Africa Theres still plenty of time. Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images Intelligencer staffers Benjamin Hart, Irin Carmon, Sarah Jones, and Ed Kilgore discuss why Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warrens bold ideas havent translated yet to polling success. Ben: A few short months ago, Elizabeth Warren was seen by many progressives as a top-tier contender to take on President Trump in 2020. We ran a cover in September with a picture of Warren and the headline Front Runner. Since then, Warren has more than distinguished herself in the Democratic field on policy she has released thoughtful, wide-ranging proposals on everything from taxing the rich to de-monopolozing big tech to restructuring corporate governance. Many of her ideas have helped set the agenda for the primary so far. But Warren is a consistently middling, single-digit performer in the polls, trailing Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris, and Beto ORourke. To state the obvious, it is still very early in this endless process. Nevertheless, her lack of traction so far is striking. Why do you think she hasnt really caught on yet? Irin: It seems to me a preemptive panic about electability, mostly because of her screwup out of the gate of not getting buy-in from Native American leaders on how to handle Trumps slurs, and not finding a good way to talk about affirmative action. (She pissed a lot of progressives off with protesting that she never benefited from affirmative action, with the implication that theres something inherently wrong with that.) But on the undulating curve of shifting expectations, it feels like something is turning the backlash to the backlash. Sarah: I think there are a few reasons, one being that its a crowded field. Another is policy. Her detailed proposals distinguish her as a candidate she should be top-tier, by any reasonable standard but as important as policy is, I think it can be a tough sell to voters. (Speaking as a journalist who covers policy, its difficult to get anyone to read or care about it.) Its possible that shell catch on more as the primary advances and voters have more opportunities to see her in action; they may begin to see her more as a compelling and charismatic personality, and thus gain confidence in her ability to take on Trump in a general election. Ed: Theres a lot of buzz about her being the victim of bias against older women call it the Hillary Syndrome or of general voter/media sexism. Irin: That too. I wonder where all the but I love Elizabeth Warren guys are now. I reread Sady Doyles piece today and it really resonates. We want something beautiful to work for, some bright future, and all the while, women work in the background, holding up a bright light so their men can shine. Sarah: Certainly I think sexism is part of it, but for whatever my anecdotal observation is worth, she seems to be much more popular with the DSA-adjacent left than Clinton was. Its just not enough to tilt the polls in her favor. Irin: I just think history shows we like women most when they arent asking for a promotion. That was true of Hillary too. And the most popular older woman I can think of (Ruth Bader Ginsburg) never asked for our vote. Ed: That gets to two aces in the hole I think Warren has, if I can complete the thought for a moment. Irin: Ed, men arent allowed to talk anymore. Ed: Haha. Hope I can get an exemption to make a plug for Warren. First, she is a potential unity candidate. She is widely respected by pretty much everyone; is a likely second choice of the Bernie people; and has a remarkable amount of support (I speak anecdotally here) from centrist types who believe the party really does need to move left but not without some nods to traditional economic thinking. Bidens no longer a unity figure, Id say. Beto could flame out. And the Pocahontas thing will seem like nothing compared to the crap Republicans will soon be hitting her rivals with. Second, she seems to be doing better in Iowa than elsewhere, and she has an excellent organization there. She should wear well on likely caucusgoers who appreciate being respected to understand policy arguments. And shed hardly be the first Massachusetts senator left for dead in New Hampshire and being miraculously revived by doing well in Iowa (cf. 2004). Ben: Im Elizabeth Warren, and Im reporting for duty! Irin: Not the most cheering antecedent for Democrats. Ed: Theres no reason Warren would run the kind of maddening general-election campaign Kerry ran, and I say that as a Kerry fan. Irin: Warren probably benefits from being off the radar at this stage, as long as she can stay in it. Everyone is tearing each other apart, and she can emerge as the unity candidate, per Ed. Ben: The bungled Native American explanation seemed to take the wind out of her sails early, but anecdotal evidence shows that Democratic voters dont care about the issue too much. What they probably do care about is the effectiveness of Trumps attack lines, and one does hear from people that Warren might just be a lost cause because she gave him a potent piece of ammunition. After the trauma of 2016, are Democrats overthinking what it takes to beat the president? I mean, they overthink everything, but are they doing so to a damaging degree here? Ed: Again, compare Pocahontas to the stroll down fellow-traveler lane with Bernie that Republicans are sure to pull on him and it looks a lot less formidable. And we know about Bidens baggage. Sarah: They might be overthinking it, yeah. The Pocahontas incident was an obvious misstep, but compared to the baggage some of the other Democrats are lugging around, its nothing. She doesnt have to account for her record as a prosecutor. She didnt repeatedly violate the personal boundaries of women in public settings. Her tax returns are straightforward. Unlike Beto ORourke, she didnt just lose an election. Ben: I agree that taken as a scandal in isolation, it pales in comparison. But thats a different thing than its salience as a GOP talking point. Kamala Harriss prosecutorial record might actually be helpful in a general election. Sarah: Shes gotten some bad advice the DNA testing, the website that preemptively addressed right-wing smears and thats a bit concerning. Ed: Well, the trump card no pun intended in all these arguments is the tiebreaker: Who would you like to see as president? Do Beto ORourke and Kamala Harris strike you as cant-miss great presidents? Sarah: Ill plead the Fifth. Ed: Haha, I should, too. Though I did qualify this with cant miss. Irin: Ive heard a lot of progressives say Warren would be the best president, but that they dont think she can win. Ben: I actually feel that way. Sarah: It all still feels like reading tea leaves at this point. Ed: Well, one possibility is that as we approach 2020, what Ive called electability panic among Democrats could fade. Or at least they could conclude that the identity of their nominee isnt going to move the numbers a lot. Sarah: I also think that voters and pundits define electability in different ways. Bernie Sanders polls very well, but that hasnt stopped a round of professional hand-wringing about the inevitability of his loss to Trump. Ben: There has been some pretty convincing analysis that beyond anything thats happened in the last few months, Warren underperformed in her Senate election last year. Whether thats because of sexism, her status as a Fox News target of ridicule, or something else, I dont know. But it certainly concerns me, as does the lack of enthusiasm from home-state voters and media about her presidential candidacy. Sarah: The other day I plugged her name and Pete Buttigiegs into Google Trends, and friends, the result depressed me. Theres definitely a problem! Ed: All Im saying is that if primary voters eventually throw up their hands and admit electability is impossible to determine, being the candidate everyone would actually like to see in the White House is a pretty big asset. Irin: Maybe were in the bright, shiny object phase of things, and Warren will really shine in the debates. Ben: I think thats a pretty good bet. She excels in that kind of setting. Irin: Running an anti-corruption message against Trump when you dont have to carry Bill Clinton or Goldman Sachs speeches on your back: It could work. Or maybe Hillary is the last woman Democrats will ever nominate. Ben: Ive seen some criticism of that reliable bogeyman the media the charge being that were too focused on charismatic men like Beto, Bernie, and Buttigieg, and that we focus on Warrens flaws, not her wonkery. I personally think that her ideas have gotten plenty of coverage, and that the notion that shes not blowing up the polls gives too much credit to the press for being able to mold voters opinions. Whats your take? Irin: Oh, I think the nature of the coverage has absolutely been different. But thats the publics fault as much as media. See Sarah on Google Trends. She gets covered dutifully, they get covered rapturously. (Bernie is in a different category.) Ed: Media follow as well as lead. Sarah: I do think the coverage of Beto and Buttigieg has been a little breathless! But again people dont tend to click on stories about policy. Those stories dont go viral. Its more difficult to come up with a punchy headline for those stories. Ben: True, though Warrens lets tax the hell out of rich people plank is pretty catchy. Sarah: It is! But there are other candidates angling for the same slogan. Not all of those candidates are progressive as she is, though. Ed: I am not, repeat not, making any direct analogy between these two people, but in 2012 nobody took Rick Santorum seriously until he traipsed around Iowa and pulled an upset there. And then he hounded Romney for quite some time, and came a few thousand votes in Michigan away from destroying him. Warren may just need to show her strengths in the right time and the right place. Sarah: Maybe, yeah! Obviously a lot of these candidates will flame out, and soon, and theres no reason to think that Warren cant at least survive past that initial die-off and then distinguish herself Ben: This may be the first time someone has compared Elizabeth Warren to Rick Santorum. Ed: I just think shes the kind of candidate who will wear well on voters. Not sure about some of the others. Irin: I definitely think she has fewer ideological or personal enemies than a lot of other primary candidates. Process of elimination. Sarah: I just wish liberals defended Warren as doggedly as some of them have defended Joe Biden in recent days. Irin: I think weve found consensus. NIH Marks 9th Rare Disease Day in New Locale Photo: Daniel Sone If you ever find yourself questioning your vocation as an NIH employee, take in a Rare Disease Day celebration. Like a good Willie Nelson song, NIHs 9th observance of RDD (it has been marked internationally for 12 years) on Feb. 28 was a mixture of teardrops and laughter as the research community, the patient advocacy community and industry scientists gathered in Natcher Conference Center to inspire one another. This is a really, really big day for us, said NCATS director Dr. Christopher Austin, whose center has housed the Office of Rare Disease Research for the past 5 years. Rare diseases research is like musica universal language that transcends disciplines and national boundaries. A musician himself, Austin announced the theme for the day, which coincides with a new, multi-faceted NIH initiative: Rare Diseases Are Not Rare! The event, traditionally held in the Clinical Centera major partner in addressing rare diseases, with 552 rare disease research protocols currently underwaymoved to Natcher this year to accommodate more than 650 attendees. It opened with video salutations from EURODIS, a rare disease patient advocacy group in Europe, the National Organization for Rare Disorders based in the U.S., as well as from rare disease organizations in Hong Kong, Japan, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, India, Iran, Malta, Spain, Kenya, South Africa, Argentina, Mexico and Canada. The medical truth is that rare diseases [of which there are some 7,000], though individually rare, cumulatively affect about 8 percent of the populationabout the same as type 2 diabetes, Austin said, but with a greater morbidity and mortality, especially among young people. The economic costs, both for direct health care and in lost productivity, are enormous. We need to redefine, in the publics mind, the importance and impact of rare diseases. Clinical Center CEO Dr. James Gilman noted that rare disease studies make up a little over half of the total of patient protocols underway in the CC. Fifty-seven percent of all Clinical Center patients, or 13,113 people, are enrolled in rare disease research protocols. Most are in clinical trials, but some are in so-called natural history studies, known euphemistically, Gilman disclosed, as admiring the disease. These protocols involve discovery of the usual course of development of a disease or condition. The daylong event also included four scientific sessions, poster sessions, award presentations and a display of awareness-raising art. Rare Disease Day gets bigger every year, said NIH director Dr. Francis Collins. This year is just absolutely amazing. Awareness is steadily growing, certainly at NIH. Most institutes and centers are involvedBut we still need to find treatments for most [rare diseases]. Photo: Daniel Sone A few days earlier, Collins and a cadre of IC directors had attended a Capitol Hill reception in support of the Childrens Inn at NIH, where many young patients with rare diseases stay with their loved ones during treatment at the Clinical Center. The Congress of the United States is increasingly aware of, and sympathetic to, the need for more resources [for rare disease research], Collins said. Some 30 members from both parties attended the inn event. There is a unanimous sense that medical research is importantnobody disagreesand worthy of support. Collins said that when he meets with members of Congress nowadays, he often talks about sickle cell disease, a rare disease affecting some 100,000 people in the U.S. Advances in gene therapy offer fresh promise of not only treating, but perhaps also curing sickle cell disease, he said. [News magazine 60 Minutes featured the work on Mar. 10.] This approach could fit other diseases as well, Collins added. The excitement of that kind of outcome cannot be overstated. The Common FundNIHs venture capital spaceis becoming involved in in vivo gene editing, Collins continued. It seems like were at a real juncture of opportunity, to go right to the heart of genetic disorders using the CRISPR-Cas system. Muscular dystrophy might be a good candidate for this type of therapy, he said. Collins announced that a consortium of 17 academic research institutions receiving $190 million over the next 6 years from NIH has been formed to develop safeguards and standards around therapeutic genome editing. Well be hearing more about that in the next year or two, he said, noting that the work does not involve embryoslets be clear on thatThe work will start in animal models, then hopefully move to patients soon. Photo: Daniel Sone Collins himself has spent 15 years working on Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome, a research interest that began in the 1980s, when he took care of a patient, Meg Casey, with the disease. She was about 3 feet tall and could curse like a sailor, said Collins. I remember thinking, I hope someday, some scientist would figure out a way to help her. Later in his career, Collins met another memorable progeria patient, Sam Berns, who was 3 when Collins first saw him. During a span of 14 years before Berns died, researchers learned that progeria, which affects about 200 children in the world, arises when a simple letter in the DNA code is misspelledthere should be a C instead of a Tin a nuclear structure protein, Collins said. Working with the Progeria Research Foundation and Sarepta Therapeutics, Collins and his team think they may be nearing a way to treat progeria successfully. Its not out of reach at this point, he said. I want this same story of progress to happen for all the conditions you represent, he told the audience. You have powerful stories to tellThis is the time, scientifically, to take advantage. He left the crowd with the four tenets of Sam Berns philosophy: Be okay with what you cant do, surround yourself with people you like, keep moving forward and never miss a party. This is your party today, Collins concluded. A sorry man. Photo: Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call,Inc. Senate Republicans went nuclear Wednesday: In a party-line vote, Mitch McConnells caucus changed the upper chambers rules, so as to maximize the number of judges Donald Trump will get to appoint, and minimize the Democratic Partys say over who those judges will be. Specifically, Republicans slashed the minimum time between ending debate over a district court (or Executive branch) nominee from 30 hours to two. Before the rule change, Trump was already handing out lifelong judgeships to reactionary lawyers at a historic pace. Thanks, in part, to McConnells tireless obstruction of Barack Obamas judicial nominees, Trump has already put more than 90 judges on the federal courts. Now, hes poised to handpick another 128 (or so) before his first term is through. And if Democratic senator Michael Bennet had his way, that number would be even higher. Wednesdays vote marked the third time in six years that a Senate majority had unilaterally changed the chambers rules to advance its preferred appointments. The first time came in 2013, when Democrats abolished the filibuster on non-Supreme Court judicial nominees. The reason Harry Reid went nuclear was simple: Republicans would not let Obama make any appointments to the D.C. Circuit Court because doing so would have jeopardized that bodys conservative majority and eliminated a last line of defense against big government regulations. At the time, Senator Bennet felt that his Republican colleagues had left him no choice to preserve the presidents constitutional right to appoint judges, he had to support the abolition of a minority right in the Senate. But a lot has happened since 2013. And if Michael Bennet has learned anything over the past six years, its that you should never doubt Mitch McConnells commitment to Senate norms or basic fairness. Therefore, Bennet now believes that if Democrats hadnt abolished the judicial filibuster in 2013, McConnell would have never considered weakening it in the Trump era: Even if Democrats refused to confirm a far-right justice to the Supreme Court, McConnell would have just sighed and implored the president to find another, more moderate nominee (someone like Merrick Garland, perhaps). And if honoring procedural norms meant forfeiting an opportunity to secure conservative control over the federal bench for a generation, well, thats a price McConnell would have gladly paid for rewarding the Democratic Partys demonstration of good faith in 2013. This all might sound more delusional than a 3 a.m. presidential tweetstorm. But if Bennet does not believe in Mitch McConnells commitment to fairness, then this apology would make even less sense: "I apologize for that vote. I share some responsibility for where we find ourselves today," Bennet says of supporting killing the 60-vote requirement in 2013 on most nominees Burgess Everett (@burgessev) April 3, 2019 Notably, Bennet is not alone in this position. It actually might be the consensus view of Chuck Schumers caucus. The Minority Leader himself has said that he regrets going nuclear in 2013. I argued against it at the time, Schumer explained in 2017. I said both for Supreme Court and in Cabinet should be 60 because on such important positions there should be some degree of bipartisanship. I won on Supreme Court, lost on Cabinet. But its what we have to live with now. Again, this contention is only coherent if we stipulate that Senate Republicans would have dutifully honored the Democrats right to filibuster judges even if it meant sacrificing a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reshape the Judicial branch in the conservative movements image so long as Harry Reid had held his fire six years ago. If we dont make this assumption, then the only thing Democrats would have accomplished by preserving the judicial filibuster in 2013 would have been to help McConnell keep even more judgeships open for Donald Trump. And that assumption is, of course, insane. McConnells contempt for fair play and commitment to consolidating his partys power are not secrets. The man wears his bad faith on his sleeve. This is the guy who said publicly in 2010 that the congressional GOP had to prioritize undermining Barack Obama over all policy goals. Hes the man who raged about the irresponsibility of Obamas fiscal stimulus in the depths of historic recession then championed Trumps deficit-financed tax cuts in the middle of years-long expansion. The one who refused to grant Merrick Garland a single hearing, citing a Democratic precedent for nullifying Supreme Court appointments in a presidential election year that did not exist. It defies credulity that anyone could believe that McConnell has qualms about engaging in unprecedented violations of Senate norms let alone how people who work with him everyday could believe such a thing. But Bennet, Schumer & Co. are delusional (or at least, playing dumb) about more than just McConnell. The Senate Majority Leader is a uniquely nihilistic political figure. But it is true that the Senates escalating hardball did not start with him. The more fundamental reality here is that our governing institutions were not designed for ideologically polarized parties. Which means that Democrats and Republicans simply cannot remain faithful to both their constituents and our governments institutional norms. McConnells refusal to consider Garlands nomination was radical and unprecedented. But if I believed that human life began at conception, corporations were people, and labor unions were instruments of tyranny which is to say, if I were a conservative I would never have forgiven McConnell if he had put Senate norms above blocking a liberal Supreme Court majority. Why on earth should the traditions of a millionaires club take precedence over stopping fetal genocide? If the Republican Party were a less extreme institution and Mitch McConnell a more honorable individual there would surely be a bit more bipartisan cooperation in the Senate. But the stakes of partisan conflict would still strain institutions like the filibuster. Republican presidents should not expect Democratic senators to vote for judges who believe corporate campaign contributions are speech. And Democratic presidents shouldnt expect conservatives who owe their Senate seats to the pro-life movement to confirm judges who oppose red-state restrictions on abortion access. Politics is not supposed to be a chummy elite game. It is how we collectively decide whose values will be upheld and whose rejected; whose freedom expanded and whose restricted; whose lives are worth saving and whose health care would simply be too expensive to provide. For all his hideous faults, Mitch McConnell understands this. And if Michael Bennet doesnt, then he has no business representing the Democratic Party in the Senate. The naturaldisaster caused widespread damage and destruction Volunteers fromDeutsche Post DHL Group assist humanitarian logistics at the airport in Beira First DisasterResponse Team deployment in Africa BONN, GERMANY - Media OutReach - 3 April 2019 - Onthe night of March 14th to 15th, cyclone Idai made landfall in Mozambique andneighboring countries Zimbabwe and Malawi. A series of storm surges and massiveflooding followed, causing widespread damage and destruction. In Mozambiquehundreds of thousands of people are said to be homeless, electricity supply issporadic and large swathes of the country are cut off from the outside world.Current reports say there are 550 casualties, but estimates point to as many asone thousand. The Mozambiquegovernment has declared a state of emergency. Extensive damage toinfrastructure such as communications systems, electricity supply and roads ismaking it extremely difficult to provide humanitarian help and logistics.Deutsche Post DHL Group has deployed its Disaster Response Team (DRT) toprovide assistance at the local airport in Beira. The DRT advises airportpersonnel and coordinates incoming humanitarian aid for non-governmentalorganizations (NGOs). This first DRT deployment to Africa is headed by Chris Weeks,Director for Humanitarian Affairs at Deutsche Post DHL Group. He is accompaniedby a team of DHL volunteers from the United Arab Emirates, Mozambiqueand South Africa. The United Nations and other humanitarian organizations havealso deployed staff to Beira. Many of thehelpers are still at the airport and are organizing safe options for onwardtransport. "There isn't much aid coming in right now," Chris Weeks explains,"but we expect that to change as the UN has allocated USD 20 million to providehumanitarian help." The Disaster Response Team is cooperating closely withnational and international humanitarian aid organizations, and with theresponsible airport personnel to provide logistical support. "In the wake of anatural disaster, logistical coordination of relief supplies is crucial," saysWeeks. "As logistics specialists with vast experience in disaster management,our skills and expertise can help save lives. We help airport personnel toprocess relief supplies quickly so that they reach the victims of the cyclonein the fastest possible time." Story continues "We have been here since the start of the week. One and ahalf weeks after the disaster, conditions in this part of Mozambiqueremain critical. The rain hasn't let up, the floodwater can't drain away andthe river continues to rise," says Weeks. "Right now, the airport in Beirais one of the few places in the city that is dry and has functioninginfrastructure." The airport is currently receiving most of the incoming aidsuch as water, food, tents, fuel, medical supplies and technical equipment.These are sorted and distributed in Beiraas well as in rural areas and other places affected by the cyclone. "It's hard to estimate the full extent of the damage anddestruction caused. We'll no doubt see follow-on effects over the next few days-- such as outbreaks of diseases like malaria, which is fostered by stagnantwater and increases the need for medical supplies. Our team is standing by tohelp," says Weeks. About theDisaster Response Team The DRTs are partof DPDHL Group's GoHelp disaster management program, which it has operated inpartnership with the United Nations (UN) since 2005. Through this partnership,the Group provides the UN and national disaster management agencies with probono access to its core logistics expertise, and the logistics skills of morethan 500 specially-trained employee volunteers worldwide who can deploy within72 hours after a natural disaster. Since thepartnership was launched, the DRTs have completed more than 40 deployments fordifferent natural disasters in over 20 countries -- most recently the teamhelped the victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Palu, Indonesia in October2018. In addition to theDRT deployments, the Group's Get Airports Ready for Disaster (GARD) initiative --also part of the GoHelp program -- trains airport management in high-riskregions to be better prepared should disaster strike. You can find thepress release for download as well as further information on dpdhl.com/pressreleases You can read moreabout our CR activities in our latest CR Report . Deutsche Post DHL Group Deutsche Post DHL Group is the world's leading mail and logisticscompany. The Group connects people and markets and isan enabler of global trade. It aspiresto be the first choice for customers, employees and investors worldwide. The Group contributes to the world throughresponsible business practice, corporate citizenship and environmentalactivities. By the year 2050, Deutsche Post DHL Groupaims to achieve zero emissions logistics. DeutschePost DHL Group is home to two strong brands: DeutschePost is Europe's leading postal service provider. DHLoffers a comprehensive range of international express, freight transport, andsupply chain management services, as well as e-commerce logistics solutions. Deutsche Post DHL Group employs approximately550,000 people in over 220 countries and territories worldwide. The Group generated revenues of more than 61billion Euros in 2018. Prince Harry Is 'Very Excited' to Become a Dad as He Heads Out for Curry Lunch with Veterans Prince Harry headed out for a special lunch on Thursday and of course, there was some baby talk! As wife Meghan Markle prepares for the birth of the couples first child, the ex-army captain was supporting three causes that help servicemen and women. The lunch, at the Guildhall in the financial district of London, was hosted by the Lord Mayor and aided those soldiers and ex-service members who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Harry, 34, served two tours of Afghanistan while he was in the army and the army air corps. The prince was asked by the wife of Sheriff Alderman Vincent Keaveny about the impending addition to the family, due in the coming weeks. Harry told her, Of course I am excited, very excited. Harry even showed off his already strong bond with children when he crouched down to accept a bundle of flowers from a girl in pigtails 4-year-old Zofia Zdenkowska. Prince Harry | John Phillips/Getty Images Prince Harry | John Phillips/Getty Prince Harry | WILL OLIVER/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock The mayor has been hosting the lunch event since 2008 for former and current serving soldiers and the beneficiaries and supporters of three national service charities. One of the biggest barriers to veterans getting into the world of work can be chronic pain. Some of the proceeds from this years lunch will fund veterans to take part in a program designed to help them manage their pain and then get into meaningful work. Prince Harry | WILL OLIVER/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock Dad-to-be Harry who danced with some young ballerinas and visited with some mental health charities at the YMCA in London Wednesday chatted to two veterans who have completed a six-month program, which is targeted for veterans who are now in employment, that runs at the Edward VII Hospitals Centre for Veterans Health. He also met some of the charities beneficiaries and their families, as well as key supporters of the three national service charities, the curry lunch chef and the musicians playing in the Hall. Story continues Prince Harry | John Phillips/Getty Images Three charities ABF The Soldiers Charity, the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity and the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund were the recipients of the special fund that the Mayor hopes will top $2.63 million (2 million) this year. It has so far raised $2.5 million since 2008. They were joined by political leaders; the Ministry of Defense ministerial team and a wide cross-section of business leaders and professionals. Block the vote. Photo: Joshua Lott/Getty Images The kids are not all right in fact, the youngest voters in America today are almost all left. In 2016, Donald Trump commanded the support of some 28 percent of voters under 30, according to Pew Research. His disapproval rating among Americans under 35 currently hovers around 70 percent. And while the senescent pussy-grabber-in-chief might be especially unappealing to the youths, millennials and Gen-Zers dont look kindly on the rest of the Republican Party either. Meanwhile, when quizzed on their ideological beliefs and policy preferences, the rising generations espouse more liberal views than any older cohorts. The sources of the GOPs troubles with young people arent difficult to discern. Millennials (and Gen-Zers) are less white than older generations and the whites among them are more racially progressive. For this reason, Republicans have a harder time persuading them to swallow the bitter (and deeply unpopular) pill of conservative fiscal policy with a spoonful of attacks on Colin Kaepernick and migrant caravans. This problem is not lost on Republican operatives. But so long as reactionary plutocrats remain the partys top shareholders and resentful white cultural conservatives remain their most reliable voters updating their product to better suit young voters tastes simply isnt an option. So theyve opted to disenfranchise left-leaning young voters, instead. The latest effort comes in the swing state of Iowa, where Republicans currently enjoy full control of state government. Initially, the Hawkeye State GOP hoped to ban early voting on public university campuses. But after county auditors decried the measure as an attempt at disenfranchisement, Republicans settled for a subtler means of customizing the electorate: requiring all graduating college students in the state to take a survey asking whether they intend to remain in Iowa after receiving their diplomas, and then removing them from the voting rolls if they say that they do not. Of course, graduating college students have been known to change their plans on occasion. And many students may not understand the implications of answering the survey in the negative. Whats more, the voting reform bill would also move the poll closing time for statewide elections from 9 p.m. to 8 p.m., and mark any active voter who fails to turn out for a single presidential election as inactive. Meanwhile, the State Senate rejected a proposal to end Iowas lifetime disenfranchisement of voters with felony convictions. Iowa Republicans are hardly alone in their quest to erect obstacles to college student voting. In 2008, Republicans in the Tarheel States government revised North Carolinas voter-ID law to exclude student identification cards. Eight other states have adopted similar restrictions. And last year, New Hampshire Republicans passed a law that effectively imposed a poll tax on college students, while thenFlorida governor Rick Scott tried to block early voting on university campuses. It is unclear whether Iowas disenfranchisement by survey scheme will make it into law or whether it will survive legal challenge if it does. Regardless, the effort is one more ominous sign that the conservative movement recognizes that its goals are incompatible with democracy. Hit em in the wallet where it hurts most. Reply Thread Link This boycott won't pick up steam & stick until the person who dies is an A list celebrity's relative (or a child). Which is a fucked up thing to say, yes, but otherwise celebs will continue acting like "I'll go back there for weddings & sponsored pool parties in two months." Edited at 2019-04-04 01:24 am (UTC) Reply Thread Link celebs can only hold out for so long Reply Parent Thread Link Congrats to me, and 98% of ONTD who have already successfully been boycotting these hotels for our entire lives because helpmeimpoor.gif. Reply Thread Link That's what I was thinking too Reply Parent Thread Link mte, amazing how much easier it is for ontd to boycott these hotels than chick fil a! Reply Parent Thread Link LMAO Reply Parent Thread Link lol mte Reply Parent Thread Link Exactly my first thought. Reply Parent Thread Link Lmao yeah Reply Parent Thread Link lmao Reply Parent Thread Link true Reply Parent Thread Link Seriously Reply Parent Thread Link fr what kind of virtue signaling Reply Parent Thread Link this is exactly what i've been thinking Reply Parent Thread Link Right lol Reply Parent Thread Link lmao Reply Parent Thread Link I just saw pics of the Beverly Hills Hotel and honestly I thought it would look a lot more posh, it looks like an elderly community center somewhere in Central Florida. Reply Parent Thread Link Lmfao cackling Reply Parent Thread Link lmfao it reminds me of blanche devereaux's bedroom on the golden girls Reply Parent Thread Link i went to a fashion show there last year and i was like wtf is this place? it needed to be renovated 25 years ago. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Its ugly tbh. And their body wash is like hand soap. Reply Parent Thread Link I went to the wiki for the beverly hills hotel and I wonder if russell crowe and kim k are gonna speak out against the boycott again this time Reply Thread Link Wasn't there a boycott of the Beverly Hills Hotel before? I wish this one luck, but celebs don't care. Reply Thread Link george clooney was the first one to boycott i believe? Reply Parent Thread Link How humble of her. This boycott only hurts the employees who work on tips. He doesnt give a shit if they sit empty. Reply Thread Link this concern trolling is so tired Reply Parent Thread Link Mte. We should be putting pressure on our elected officials (lol, as incompetent as they are) to take action - implement sanctions, create a process for accepting LGBTQ refugees from Brunei, etc. Like, none of this is new. It's been phased in over years, I believe. Countries should have implemented measures ages ago. Rich people boycotting hotels isn't going to do anything. Reply Parent Thread Link Pretty sure Ill never be able to afford these hotels in my life so you got it Reply Thread Link I saw that the instagrams for the Hotel Bel Air and the Beverly Hills Hotel have disappeared Reply Thread Link I guess this is supposed to be symbolic? He's the Sultan of Brunei so I doubt that any lost income from these hotels will make even the slightest dent in his income. Reply Thread Link The Sultan has been ranked among the wealthiest individuals in the world; Forbes estimated the Sultan's total peak net worth at US$20 billion in 2008. After Queen Elizabeth II, the Sultan is the world's second longest-reigning current monarch. - From Wikipedia I'm sure he's fucking gutted and the people employed at these hotels won't be affected at all by the loss of revenue. Reply Parent Thread Link yeah. I'm sure he'd see it as a fine price to pay to kill gay people. Reply Parent Thread Link Learn more about LiveJournal Ratings in Hello! Your entry got to top-25 of the most popular entries in LiveJournal!Learn more about LiveJournal Ratings in FAQ Reply Thread Link Humans are so fucking disgusting. Reply Parent Thread Link Men. Men do this. Reply Parent Thread Link Sickening and heartbreaking Reply Parent Thread Link Mmmm what is in this blue link sis? Because I don't need photo evidence trust me Reply Parent Thread Expand Link fucking horrendous Reply Parent Thread Link i hate humans so much Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Sadistic pieces of shit Reply Parent Thread Link Jfc. The part about 'women being at a disadvantage' makes me so angry Reply Parent Thread Link Absolutely vile. Wonder why the victims have to be covered, let the pigs doing the stoning to see what they've done (would they even care though) Reply Parent Thread Link who came up with the idea of this punishment ? Reply Parent Thread Link i really wish i hadn't read this. who the fuck came up with the idea of stoning someone to death? Reply Parent Thread Link honestly? I don't thing that the people who can afford this type of hotel will give a shit about htis (sad but true) Rich people don't care about things that don't afect them Reply Thread Link I don't know. Rich people love their empty symbols of support. Should they have business interests/dealings with Brunei then that's when their true colours would show Reply Parent Thread Link Mhm hit em where it hurts. I cannot believe this situation, its wild. Its been there for like yeeears and bam now this. Wild Reply Thread Link ONTD, are you ready to avoid spoilers for the next few weeks? MY HEAD IS GONNA EXPLODE!!!!!!!! I wanna click the spoiler link so bad... Reply Thread Link I clicked it lmao. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link bless your lack of self control Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I did too I'm weak :( Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Damn sis, made it for a solid minute there bless Reply Parent Thread Expand Link me too haha i lasted about fifteen seconds Reply Parent Thread Link hahahahaha youre too funny. Reply Parent Thread Link how am i supposed to wait three more weeks Reply Thread Link this post will be the last of spoilers i'll read. that spoiler tho, funny how that happens probably at the like 10 minute mark of a 3hr movie lmao. i need this movie now omg! and while watching captain marvel i was like carol could defeat thanos and make endgame a 10 minute movie, lo and behold... lol Reply Thread Link He's still got the upper hand with all the stones, but strip him of a few of them and whew... Reply Parent Thread Link same here that's it for me. no more trailers, no more reading shit, no reading reviews (lets face it, 'critics' could give it one star and i'd still be the first in the queue for my screening haha Reply Parent Thread Link [ Spoiler (click to open) ] the gauntlet was definitely damaged after the snap but the stones were probably just fine Reply Parent Thread Link I thought so too Reply Parent Thread Link well that's what i thought too! his dumb bitch glove looked all tatty post-snap, (which is why i thought he did the disappearing act) Reply Parent Thread Link Eh, not a huge MCU fan (and not really a theater goer) so as usual I will wait until it gets to streaming/VOD and watch it along with the first one (in obv more than one sitting) but by then I'll know the entire plot. Reply Thread Link I'm not a big mcu fan but Infinity war was worth watching if you like comic books or anime because it was pretty much a huge cosmic adventure film. Reply Parent Thread Link I'm so excited, got my tickets for sunday evening. I know I'll spoil myself before that though because I have zero self control. I'm trying to not set my expectations too high because I did enjoy infinity war, but I'm so afraid of leaving the theater not feeling satisfied, atleast with infinity war w/e issues one may have had, there was something to look forward to. I just hope for a decent amount of screen time for everyone, though I assume that the main focus will be on the original 6. Also, at any point is anyone going to mention what happened to Nakia? Also I must have missed it on of the many previous marvel posts, but M'Baku is still alive right? Reply Thread Link I'm trying to set my expectations low lol. My greatest fear is that they kill off like almost all the OG Avengers. My heart won't be able to handle it. I have an embarrassingly large love for these dumb movies and I don't want this decade to end on a bummer note (plus I think "conclusion=death is shitty writing") Reply Parent Thread Link I can't fucking wait for this movie. Reply Thread Link i should probably rewatch infinity war at some point in the next three weeks Reply Thread Link ooh thanks for reminding me! i'm gonna watch it the day before Reply Parent Thread Link anyway this spoils nothing the teasers havent already alluded to lmaoanyway #leavethanosalone !! Reply Thread Link this spoils nothing the teasers havent already alluded to lmao Pretty much. Which is fine tbh Reply Parent Thread Link well , apart from specific dialogue but yeah i love how confident carol is if anyone deserves to kill thanos by hand its nebula, i could write an essay on that one lol Reply Parent Thread Link Lmao, there are people who don't keep up with every spot/trailer, I didn't want to accidentally spoil someone lol Edited at 2019-04-04 04:18 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link anyway #leavethanosalone !! naaaaaaaaaah, i want carol to smash his swollen scrotal face to smithereens. naaaaaaaaaah, i want carol to smash his swollen scrotal face to smithereens. Reply Parent Thread Link ok what were not gonna do is start calling the good sis thanos a scrotal face. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link We're really gonna have multiple posts a day about Endgame, huh? LMAO I'm gonna start avoiding them real fast tbh I don't wanna wreck my brain guessing at what's going on and I don't wanna "accidentally" read any so-called leaks. I'm excited for it to come out already though! Reply Thread Link TheOffenders2k19 press tour is coming! Reply Parent Thread Link just avoid all of ruffalo's interviews and you should be good. Reply Parent Thread Link lol I clicked it because spoilers mean nothing to me Reply Thread Link Same Reply Parent Thread Link How much can a mcu movie surprise anyone, anyway. Reply Parent Thread Link bloop Reply Parent Thread Link the more spoiled i am, the more i enjoy my movies because i can't handle tension Reply Parent Thread Link lol same, I'll watch for fun but I'm just not invested Reply Parent Thread Link Mte Reply Parent Thread Link I don't care about knowing spoilers like this, but I just really want to avoid being tipped off about the ending but I know I won't be able to stop myself from clicking when those spoilers start coming in. Reply Thread Link I'm contemplating buying a book to keep myself off the internet from Thursday until 4AM on Sunday morning. Reply Parent Thread Link "There are a lot of planets in the universe and unfortunately they dont have you guys." Reply Thread Link I stan Carol Danvers. Fo real Reply Parent Thread Link Kris Kobach, former Kansas secretary of state. Photo: Fox Business Network At first glance, what happened on Tuesday was just an alarming slip of the tongue. Fox Business Networks Lou Dobbs Tonight hosted Kris Kobach, Kansass former Secretary of State, who recently lost his states gubernatorial election. Kobach remains, for Republicans, a pace-setting luminary regarding undocumented immigration and voter suppression. He is currently a front-runner to become President Trumps immigration czar, a newly announced position. It was in this capacity that Dobbs invited Kobach to discuss his vision for American immigration. The former secretarys past left no doubt that his plan would be draconian Kobach has fought legal battles across the United States to prevent undocumented immigrants from securing in-state college-tuition rates, getting jobs, and renting homes. But that seemed reserved compared to his assertion on Tuesday that those immigrants should be incarcerated in a camp. Instead of selling [the thousands of empty mobile home trailers that the United States owns], deploy them to the border cities, and create processing towns that are confined, Kobach said. We process them right there, in that camp, where they have the three square meals, theyre living in a nice mobile home, and then as soon as theyre done theyre on the next plane back home. As rosy a picture as Kobach is trying to paint of what is essentially a jail masquerading as a trailer park, the word camp has sinister connotations. It calls to mind the extermination camps that the Nazis used to imprison and kill millions of Jews across Europe in the 1930s and 1940s. Less intuitive but more damning for Americans who consider themselves fundamentally distinct from early-20th-century Germans are its similarities to the U.S. governments internment of Japanese-Americans around the same time. Internment camps have become synonymous with governments robbing people of their rights, property, and lives. That Kobach would draw such a parallel so casually on national TV seemed ill-advised, at best. It may have even seemed like a gaffe. The irony is that Kobachs remarks, particularly his use of the word camp, are an unusually blunt articulation of already-existing practices. By definition, internment camps are used to house large groups of people deemed by the government to be dangerous, but whose alleged crimes are often arbitrary or contingent upon their ethnicity or nationality. The Trump administrations may not fit this definition precisely. But they do come uncomfortably close. Today in the U.S., such facilities have become stopover sites in the governments mission to further criminalize undocumented immigrants, especially from Latin America. They represent efforts to punish more harshly than perhaps ever before the act of entering U.S. borders without the sanctioned paperwork, and then existing within those borders. Although crossing the border illegally has been a misdemeanor since 1965, the degree to which it is enforced and the harshness of how it is punished is traditionally a matter of federal discretion. Trump has chosen to prioritize the rapid arrest and deportation of these people, especially those arriving from Mexico and Central America, and including those already living in the U.S. The result is the heightened criminalization of the very state of being undocumented. Where a person is categorized as illegal as undocumented immigrants have been they can more seamlessly be treated as if their existence is a crime. This practice has calcified over the past two decades, going back to the administrations of George W. Bush and Barack Obama. Under Trump, it has been paired with louder and more focused xenophobic rhetoric against Hispanics, dramatically fewer options for legal entry for asylum seekers and refugees, accelerated arrests of people living in the U.S. undocumented, and the increased use of cruel punitive measures to deter future immigrants. Trump was not the first of these presidents to accelerate ICE raids and the separation of undocumented children from their families. But he was the first to make them policy. As a result, thousands of immigrant children to date have been taken from their guardians and placed in cages under his orders. Some have died. Others have been lost in the foster care system. The centers used to incarcerate them and their parents have reached a bursting point. Overflow at brick-and-mortar detention facilities has led the government to increasingly lock detainees in outdoor processing towns and tent cities, such as the one under a bridge in El Paso, Texas, which sparked outrage last week. A Border Patrol spokesman has described them as temporary holding locations. [They] have it all there, spokesman Ramiro Cordero explained, touting the El Paso facilitys blankets, food, bathroom facilities, water, snacks. If all of them wanted to sleep inside the tent, they would be able to. A lot of them choose not to for whatever reason. Underlying these practices is the belief that incarceration and expulsion are the proper response to suffering. Trump has responded to people fleeing poverty and gang violence in Central America to seek refuge in the U.S. by giving them two options: Go home and die, or come to America and become a criminal. It is in the interest of the Trump administration and its surrogates to sell its camps as luxurious. It obscures their basic inhumanity, and distances U.S. government practices from behavior that Americans have historically defined themselves against. It also casts the administrations border crackdowns as reasonable. Considering the purported invasion threat they were designed to contain, such camps might be mistaken for a humane response. In reality, illegal border crossings have been declining for almost two decades. People crossing the U.S.-Mexico border comprise a secondary source of Americas undocumented population. For the seventh straight year, pre-approved visitors who overstayed their visas comprised 62 percent of newly undocumented residents. Immigrants both documented and undocumented commit crimes at lower rates than native-born Americans. They pay billions of dollars in taxes. As with the internment camps of yore that repulse modern sensibilities, todays camps are largely an outsize response to a fabricated threat. But their proliferation on Trumps watch affirms another sobering reality: that they remain un-troubling to a large share of the population. Forty-two percent of those polled approve of the presidents approach to immigration enforcement, according to Gallup. In the past year, that support has not dipped below one-third. Said enforcement has included parents arrested while dropping their children off at school and placed in deportation proceedings. It has included children locked in cages and toddlers dying while incarcerated. The unavoidable conclusion is that the inhumanity on display is either acceptable, or worse, it is the point. For Kobachs invocation of camps to register as a gaffe, it would need to be politically costly. But in a country where such camps have become the standard, it is almost quaint to believe that naming them and even planning to build more of them would be controversial at all. You could start helping by not selling women dangerous products. And I really do not think she's the person to be dealing with mental health, she was callous about Rob's and makes excuses for her husband's. Reply Thread Link I was thinking "the revolution starts at home." In this case, it could literally start in her home and how she chooses to engage with members of her family. This could be impactful with how public she is with everything. Reply Parent Thread Link she was so mean to Rob. Reply Parent Thread Link rob was mean to her as well Reply Parent Thread Expand Link are you aware you're talking about kim kardashian who regularly says and does horrible things or is "the day" like one we're waiting for in the future context? lol i'm confused Reply Parent Thread Link i'm obv talking about on THIS particular issue in a way that would directly contradict what she's advocating for then again i don't care enough about her opinions on anything to follow any of the stuff she says daily i'm just gonna delete the comment lol i'm tired and i don't have the energy Reply Parent Thread Expand Link i will say, for the past few seasons, Kim has regularly used her storyline to address issues like gun control, prison reform, homelessness, women's health (planned parenthood) etc. like i know it's the bare minimum, but she could also NOT be doing any of it like her sisters, so i will give her credit for that. Reply Thread Link omg i'm so sorry. what was i thinking! Reply Parent Thread Expand Link But she's still cool with her husband's love of Trump, right? Reply Thread Link way too much to unpack here ( its crazy on skid row fuck off with that word choice) but the KKs have a shit ton of influence soo i hope that she actually gets behind this issue and uses her influence to effect some change while staying in her lane (e.g. plz dont run for any offices). they have so much capacity to make change in the world. i am doubtful of course that she'll do more than tweet, but it would be rly nice if this broken fucked up family who has the most influence in the US could just do 1 nice thing for us all. thx. Reply Thread Link i think she already got someone out of jail? or at least got their case retried but i don't remember Reply Parent Thread Link She "got" someone out of jail because Donald Trump knew he could use these dumbasses as props to try to act like he cares about black people. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link shes definitely setting all of this up so she and kanye can run for office one day bet Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I refuse to let any member of this klan try to rebrand themselves into some sort of fucking social activist do-gooder. Fuck the fuck off Kim, and take your dumb fucking husband with you. Reply Thread Link Preach Reply Parent Thread Link people are really gonna sit here pretending these vile culture vultures are suddenly liberal queens like everything isn't a giant pr strategy for them lmao Reply Parent Thread Link This Reply Parent Thread Link yeah like the fact that people are bringing up that she and trump got alice johnson out of jail as if they both didnt use her as a political tool to make themselves look like they care about the black community is absolutely laughable. Reply Parent Thread Link Yup. For every one step forward, this family takes two giant steps back, and as long as they continue to profit off of that pr game, the Kardashian word isn't going to mean a damn thing to anyone. Like posing for a friendly photo op with Trump automatically fucks over whatever good deed they just performed as far as public perception is concerned. Reply Parent Thread Link Especially since she picks and chooses what matters. One day, she's Kanye "Slavery was a choice" West's ride or die, the next she's an ally for incarcerated black people. And then the day after that, she's like "lol who cares about the poor kids from Chicago! You wore fake Yeezys!", but then after that, she's a pioneer for social justice again. And people will say "well, at least she does something!". And? There are millions of activists who do an amazing job but don't have the platform nor the praise this ugly ass white woman does. They're the real heroes. Fuck praising this hypocrite. Reply Parent Thread Link Absolutely this. Reply Parent Thread Link I know!! I don't believe any of them are sincere and are only doing things for attention. Reply Parent Thread Link i mean good for her? Reply Thread Link This political lean is so obvious its crazy. Reply Thread Link Of course. If they're going to make a solid go of things, they're going to have to hire someone to write for them. "When you believe a lot in something, really don't not believe in it!" And she visited Skid Row? What's that thing called when people hire guides to take them around slums and then go, "Wow, it really opened my eyes. Everyone living here is so brave and authentic. So happy with so little! Here's a picture I took of some starving children. They were so appreciative when I gave them each a fidget spinner with my lifestyle brand's logo on it." It's not poverty tourism but another word... Reply Parent Thread Link Just another PR move. Reply Thread Link I mean she can call Jared & Ivanka to discuss this and maybe get a meeting with Trump. Unless of course it was just about getting good press on the prison reform meeting. Reply Thread Link activism begins at home, Kim Reply Thread Link all that needs to be shown Reply Parent Thread Link She looks so unhappy lmao I would be too having to stand next to that orange piece of shit tho. Reply Parent Thread Link Yeah no one sane and sensible like us would be up and close him personally. like a frickin 10 foot pole away from him is a better option than come to physical contact with. Kayne even came to hug him. Reply Parent Thread Link she looks a lot happier in pictures with him that they took together before he became president Reply Parent Thread Link did she match her spray tan to his for the occasion? Reply Parent Thread Link The transparency of it all lmao Reply Thread Link I would say "call your bff trump" but he isnt about to piss off his base and the gun lobby by pretending to care about gun violence the way he used getting 1 woman out of jail to "prove" he isnt a racist. If you care about mental health stop going on Twitter and saying your husband ~just has a different opinion~ when it's clearly more than that. And last but not least stop promoting poison to young women for a quick check. Reply Thread Link Since making his initial promises of a border wall on the campaign trail in 2015, United States President Donald Trump has been pushed to back down on the word wall. In the past year weve hear fence, barrier, and other fuzzier terms, but the one constant is that Trump wants some sort of physical buffer between the U.S. and Mexico, and he wants it now. So far, the fight over the wall has led to heated debate, a highly controversial declaration of national emergency, and even the longest U.S. government shutdown in the nations history. While politicians fight over the terms and the funding of the wall/fence/barrier and constituents remain highly divided on the issue, some factions of the scientific community are getting down to business. A nationwide team of 28 engineers and scientists have put together a radical and potentially viable plan that could, amazingly, please anti-immigration hawks and bleeding-heart liberals alike: an energy park spanning all 1,954 miles of the border between the United States and Mexico. The consortium of scientists and engineers have proposed the plan (still in its early stages) with the consideration that the development would benefit both the United States and Mexico alike, making it a realistic possibility for the two nations to work together to build the massive-scale industrial park. Luciano Castillo, Consortium Lead and Purdue University professor of renewable energy and power systems, says of the project: "This is a different kind of initiative that will solve many existing challenges while bringing people together. It will bring energy, water and education to create more opportunities for the USA and Mexico." The park, as designed, would be made up of vast swaths of renewable energy farms and facilities, including solar, wind, natural gas pipelines, and even desalination facilities, providing huge quantities of clean, renewable energy and clean water to the parched and largely desolate region, not to mention massive jobs creation and border security to boot. The massive project would go hand in hand with border security concerns, as infrastructure of such size and value would need considerable amounts of security itself. More developed plans for the energy park will take into account a need for a security system that would include various layers of fencing, electronic sensors, and even drone surveillance. While there would still be openings for wildlife to migrate--an essential component for the ecological health of the region--officials would be immediately aware of any human border crossings. Related: Big Tech Joins Renewable Energy Buyers Alliance The plan would not only meet a lot of border security needs, it would also revitalize the economy in a largely underdeveloped part of both the U.S. and Mexico, all while providing clean water and energy to a drought-prone region. The plan is still very much in its early stages of development, with the spokespeople from the consortium calling for collaboration, participation and innovation from U.S. and Mexican universities, industries and laboratories to contribute their technical expertise to the cause. That being said, its not so far-fetched of a pipe dream as it sounds. Even under Trump, no friend to solar, ideas like the energy corridor have been bounced around before as viable options--Trump himself even talked about building a solar border wall in 2017. In a Purdue press release from last month, Castillo goes on to compare his consortiums ambitious industrial park plan to one of the nations most historically salient infrastructural developments, saying, "Just like the transcontinental railroad transformed the United States in the 19th century, or the Interstate system transformed the 20th century, this would be a national infrastructure project for the 21st century. It would do for the Southwest what the Tennessee Valley Authority has done for the Southeast over the last several decades." By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The last year or so has not been kind to Canadian oil producers. Output has been rising as international prices stabilized at higher levels, but pipeline capacity has not changed, which last year pushed Canadian heavy crude to huge discounts, hitting producers hard. Now prices are higher but many are still struggling to make ends meet. Outside the oil sands, however, things look differently. Bloombergs Robert Tuttle quoted in a recent story Michael Kay, a senior industry analyst from Bloomberg Intelligence, as saying Anything outside the oil sands, those guys are definitely happy with where prices are versus where they were. Canadas non-oil sands producers are certainly in a better position: they produce lighter crude, whose price is currently just about US$4 a barrel below West Texas Intermediate. They sell their output locally and are therefore unconcerned about the pipeline shortage that seems likely to remain in place for the observable future. The local sales also mean they dont have to worry about costly rail transport, either. In short, as Tuttle puts it, Canadian wildcatters are getting a big price boost from the curtailments announced at the start of December, without the headaches. The joy is not universal, however. Last November, Bloomberg again wrote about Canadas light oil producers noting that they, too, were hit by the discount of the local benchmark to WTI, which at one point reached US$50 a barrel. At the time, the news outlet quoted the chief executive of one such light crude producer, Whitecap Resources, as saying the industry was heading into unchartered territory this year with wild swings in prices. Grant Fagerheim at the time added that some producers were already cutting their production as they couldnt get their oil to U.S. refiners. In other words, some light crude producers have been spared this particular headache, but those that export their crude have not. Related: China Cant Get Enough Of Brazilian Crude The situation is pretty similar for oil sands producers, too. The pipeline and railway transport woes are far from universal. In fact, integrated oil producers such as Suncor have been doing pretty well both when Western Canadian Select prices were low and now when theyre a lot higher. Low crude prices mean cheap feedstock for refineries and high crude prices mean higher realized prices for the commodity that Suncor exports. Some light oil producers are already adjusting their drilling plans to expand production in a bid to take advantage of the price situation. They anticipate substantial cash flow improvements this year as a result, while oil sands producers are being more guarded in their expectations. The picture is mixed, as usual. Canadian oil prices will remain volatile with surprises always a possibility. The latest came from the Alberta Energy Regulator. It said crude oil inventories in the province had jumped by 3.9 million barrels despite the production cuts. The reason? A combination of more expensive oil and costly rail transport. The only support Albertas heavy crude producers can expect now is from a market with shrinking supply of heavy crude coupled with healthy demand. Light crude producers, meanwhile, are switching to a Drill, baby, drill mode. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Colorado has hosted a surge in oil and gas production in the last few years, but the industry faces new challenges as the state overhauls its regulatory regime. Much of the shale boom in Colorado has been concentrated in relatively dense suburbs north of Denver, which means, unlike the fracking frenzy in West Texas, drillers often bump up against homes, businesses and schools. That has led to an ongoing tension and fights between local communities and the shale industry. Years ago, this battle was manifested in a handful of local bans on fracking. Those were tossed out by state courts. More recently, a 2018 public referendum on increasing setback distances the minimum distance between a drilling operation and a local home or school went down in defeat as the oil and gas industry showered the state with money in opposition the vote. But the story didnt end there. Although consumer advocates, environmental groups and local communities lost the vote on greater setback distances, the same November election resulted in wins in the legislature for Democrats. The bluer legislature has moved quickly. Over the last few weeks, a landmark bill has been moving quickly through the Colorado House and Senate, which would vastly expand the authority that local communities have over drilling operations. They would have a larger say on permitting, zoning and setback distances. On Wednesday, the Senate passed the bill, sending it to the desk of Governor Jared Polis, who supports the measure. A few of the biggest losers could be Anadarko Petroleum, which holds over 400,000 acres in Colorado, followed by Noble Energy, which has 350,000 acres, according to Bloomberg. Some of that acreage could become harder to develop if local cities or counties impose stricter zoning laws or greater setback distances that limit the ability to drill near population centers. But a few independent companies, such as Extraction Oil & Gas, PDC Energy and SRC Energy, could be particularly hard hit as some of their acreage lies near Denver suburbs, Bloomberg noted. Related: Supermajor Shell Looks To Revitalize The Rust Belt The bill would be credit negative for oil and gas operators in the state, raising regulatory risks for oil and gas producers there and possibly impeding production growth and heightening the compliance and operational costs for companies in the Denver-Julesburg (DJ) Basin, Moodys Investors Service said in March, according to the Colorado Sun. Arguably the impetus to rein in the industry was supercharged by an explosion at a gas line owned by Anadarko back in 2017, which killed two people, so the impact on Anadarko from the current legislation is notable. Erin Martinez, whose husband and brother died in the incident, testified in favor the bill. The industry has put out ads that warn that the bill could kill off energy development in the state. On the flip side, some analysts argued that the legislation could provide some degree of certainty for the industry, effectively assuaging the concerns of the public after years of heated fights. In other words, the bill could, at least in theory, put an end to the back-and-forth legislative and regulatory battles. But, that is likely wishful thinking as the industry will likely litigate regulations made by localities. However, the legislation is arguably much weaker than the public referendum from last year that would have imposed state-wide setback distances. The legislation in question only grants localities the ability to set their own, rather than state-wide setbacks. Moreover, there will be a lengthy rulemaking process, so any fallout for the industry wont be immediate. Some localities in favor of drilling may not impose limits at all. Related: The Country Where Electric Cars Outsell Petrol Cars Still, another notable change is the overhaul of the general mission of the state regulator. Up until now, the main objective of the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission has been to promote the development of the states oil and gas reserves, which contradicts its secondary missions of protecting the environment and public safety. The reforms that are now on their way to the governors desk elevate the importance of the environment and public health as the primary objective of the regulator. Colorados ozone levels exceed federal standards, and the shale industry is at least in part to blame. The reforms also transform the commission from a part-time, volunteer body to a full-time, professional one, according to the Denver Post. Wall Street has grown more skeptical of the shale industry in general, but Colorado-focused drillers have been particularly hit. Many investors have simply exited Colorado stock positions altogether, believing that the downside risk is unquantifiable and not worth bearing, said Ethan Bellamy, a senior analyst at Baird, according to the Colorado Sun. Until we see true policy stability, Colorado oil and gas stocks likely stay in the penalty box for long-term investors. By Nick Cunningham of Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: What a difference just a few years can make. In the aftermath of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster that eventually saw Japans 50 nuclear reactors shut down due to safety concerns, the energy anemic country was forced to turn to even more LNG imports. The situation for Japan over the next few years became dire as its growing gas demand forced spot prices in the region to new highs, breaching the $20 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) price point in February 2014 - with little relief in sight at the time. In order to regain control over both exorbitant prices and unfavorable contract conditions, two of Japans largest electric utilities, Tokyo Electric Power and Chubu Electric formed JERA, a JV intended to combine both firms buying power to be able to strike more favorable deals. And it worked. Within a few years not only had the JV secured better LNG contractual terms but the group started trading the super-cooled fuel, a proposition that was unthinkable just a few years earlier. Moreover, in the ensuing time, the somewhat limited supply of LNG that faced Japan in 2011 to around 2014 also ended, and a historic supply overhang of the fuel kicked in, mostly due to more production coming online from new Australian and U.S. projects. Now, Japans LNG imports are steadily falling amid these new market dynamics. Fourth month of reduced LNG imports Japans LNG imports fell for the fourth consecutive month in February, on a year-on-year basis, tumbling 11.4 percent to 7.35 million tonnes, according to trade figures released by the nations Finance Ministry on March 18. The pace of decline picked up from the 8.7 percent drop in January. Related: China Cant Get Enough Of Brazilian Crude Despite their volume falling, the imports price tag rose. In February, the cost of Japans LNG imports increased by 8.6 percent from a year earlier to about $4.19 billion (465.5 bn yen). LNG imports accounted for 7.7 percent of Japans overall imports in terms of value in February. In February, Japan imported 2.044 million tonnes of LNG from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which includes Indonesia and Malaysia, down 20.0 percent from a year earlier. Japan imported 1.547 million tonnes of LNG from the Middle East, which includes Qatar, in February, up 1.8 percent year-on-year. Qatar is the worlds largest LNG exporter and has a liquefaction capacity of some 77 million tons per annum (mtpa), with that amount to increase to a staggering 110 mtpa by the end of 2023 or early 2024 as the countries continue to bring more production online from its already prolific North Field. The Japanese Finance Ministry figures do not show the specific volume of LNG imports from Indonesia, Malaysia, Qatar and Australia, Japans largest LNG exporters. The ministry figures also showed that Japans LNG imports from Russia reached 604,000 tonnes in February, down 15 percent from a year earlier. Japan also imported 335,000 tonnes of LNG from the U.S. in February, up 139.6 percent year on year. Though Japan moved away from nuclear power in 2011 and subsequent years, this dynamic is easing off, though, as some nuclear reactors are being brought back online. The volume of Japans LNG imports in 2018 reached 82.854 million tonnes, down 0.9 percent from 2017. Related: Alberta Oil Inventories Rise Despite Production Cuts Reverse arbitrage opportunities Japans procurement of LNG on the spot market also dropped due to an unseasonably warm winter season in the northern hemisphere. Usually, spot prices for LNG in the Asia-Pacific region spike during cold winter months, enter a trough during the spring and trend upward again during hot super months as more air conditioning usage places a greater demand for gas. Earlier this month, spot prices for LNG in the Asia-Pacific region plunged to multi-year lows as buyers spurned spot procurement of the fuel. Spot prices for LNG cargoes to be delivered into Northeast Asia in May fell last week to a nearly three-year low of $4.30/MMBtu, according to several trade sources. The spot price for Northeast Asia LNG LNG-AS was last assessed at $4.65/MMBtu on March 21, Refinitiv Eikon data showed. The price quoted by the trade sources is the lowest since the week of April 15, 2016, when Refinitiv data showed it at $4/MMBtu, the lowest ever for data going back to 2010. Gas inventories in Asia are high, due to warmer temperatures this past winter, ample storage levels in Japan, China and South Korea, the regions and the worlds three largest LNG importers, respectively, while buyers are shunning cargoes and re-directing them to Europe - a reverse arbitrage situation that historically has seen cargoes leave Europe for higher prices in Asia. By Tim Daiss for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: What does the resignation on April 2, 2019, of Algerian Pres. Abdelaziz Bouteflika mean for the future of his country and the region, and why was the Algerian military so unprepared for the event? After all, Pres. Boutefilika was 82 years old, was gravely impaired by the effects of a stroke in 2013, and was clearly not engaged in day-to-day decisionmaking even as he prepared to run for a fifth term of the Presidency. He was replaced, as Acting or Interim President, by the President of the upper chamber of Parliament, al-Majlis al-Umma/Conseil de la Nation (National Council), Abdelkader Bensalah, a close confidante of Pres. Bouteflika, until elections could be called within 90 days. But the street protests originally against Pres. Bouteflika running for a fifth term appeared unlikely to evaporate unless substantive moves could be made to the system which has concentrated power in the hands of the military essentially since 1965. It was for that reason that, anticipating the unrelenting nature of the national protests, the Vice-Minister of National Defense (Pres. Bouteflika was Minister) and Chief of Staff of the Peoples National Army, Lt.-Gen. Ahmed Gaid Salah, appeared on a private television station, Ennahar, on March 26, 2019, to say that protesters demanding the retirement of the President had legitimate demands. He went on to invoke Article 102 of the Constitution which stated that if a serious or chronic illness of the President did not allow him to carry out his functions of office then the office was to be declared vacant. With that, Pres. Bouteflika had nowhere to go. But even with the symbolism of Pres. Bouteflika stepping down, Lt.-Gen. Salah and the senior military figures who had shaped the Government for decades could not now afford to allow an open election process to occur in the short term. The prospect that a totally new government would subject them to intense legal scrutiny held too much personal risk. The real question is why the military-led leadership had not in recent years planned for an orderly succession from Pres. Bouteflika to avoid exactly the kind of collapse which occurred on April 2, 2019. And what is it those senior military could do now to sustain their role in governance and maintain stability? Related: Expect An Extension Of Iran Sanction Waivers The lack of succession planning to this point indicated a lack of cohesion among the military leadership, with Lt.-Gen. Salah finally when all the writing was on the wall that Pres. Bouteflikas situation was unsustainable being best placed to attempt to salvage the situation. It now seemed likely that the Armed Forces would use the legal 90-day period of interim governance by the President of the National Council to build or shape a transitional governance, with a key role assumed by Army Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Salah. Despite his attempt to put himself on the side of the protestors and opposition, he was, nonetheless, viewed by the Algerian public as the key strength behind the Bouteflika-led Government until its collapse. Significantly, Nazim Taleb, of the opposition Rachab movement, said on April 2, 2019, that a transitional council was necessary to pave the way for a free and fair election in the country, but that [National Council Pres.] Bensalah and the Army will not facilitate a free election. Bouteflika's most trusted people are still part of the system. They don't want a free election because they might end up in jail. He said that the Algerian people want oversight of the election, to control the process so there can be a fair vote that reflects the peoples will but that the Rachab movement was open to including representatives of the Army in any transitional body. There is little doubt that the Algerian population has been stirred by the more liberalized political environments which have emerged in neighboring Tunisia and Morocco, and that any attempt by the Algerian Armed Forces to returned to the Bouteflika days would meet severe unrest. Pres. Bouteflikas term in office had been due to end on April 28, 2019, and proposals agreed at a meeting between opposition parties and unions called for a six-month transition period from that date. The roadmap stipulated the creation of a presidential body which would run Algeria during the transition period and which would be comprised of national figures known for their credibility, integrity and competence. But members of the body should not, the agreement said, run in future presidential elections nor back any candidates in the poll. The proposals were made during a meeting attended by the party of Pres. Bouteflikas key rival, former Prime Minister Ali Benflis, who had joined the opposition, and the main Islamist party, the Movement for the Society of Peace (Harakat Moudjtamaa Es-Silm/ Mouvement de la societe pour la paix: MSP). But the pace of street protests, and the sudden collapse of the Presidents position changed all that. The momentum now had moved to civil society. The traditional, political opposition became marginalized by the protest movement, which has been largely led by students and professionals. Some 1,000 lawyers had protested against the Government in the days before Pres. Bouteflika resigned. Related: Bullish Hedge Funds Send Oil Soaring Who is likely to fish in the troubled waters? It is probable that the neighboring Kingdom of Morocco would take most interest in the outcome in Algiers, given that the two states have fought over territory (the Sand War in 1963; the Western Sahara War of 1975-91). Currently, however, the major outstanding difference has been Algerias support for the POLISARIO Front (Frente Popular para la Liberacion de Saguia el Hamra y Rio de Oro) which continues to claim sovereignty over Moroccos Sahara province. Rabat would hope for a new Algerian Government which might finally abandon that position. But the reality is that a softening of the firm military hand which has been guiding Algeria for a half century would most likely embolden already-entrenched radical jihadist groups, particularly those linked with al-Qaida and DIISH (Islamic State), and particularly outside of Algiers and in the Tindouf Province abutting Morocco to the West. The formal Islamist parties of Algeria have been in disarray in recent years, but are expected to begin to coalesce to meet the anticipated political opening. Moreover, the Turkish Government is likely to support them, particularly those close to the Muslim Brothers (Ikhwan). First among these is Bouguerra Soltanis Mouvement de la societe pour la paix (MSP), which is explicitly a Muslim Brotherhood party, as is Turkeys own governing AKP. The Algerian Government has in the past helped mediate issues on behalf of Turkey, which is why Ankaras support until now for the MSP has been careful. Now, Ankara will wish to ensure its primacy within the post-Bouteflika administration. This automatically will engage the interest of Egypt, which is concerned over the Turkish/Ikhwan attempts to remove the present Egyptian Government. With all this, the Algerian military may once again feel compelled to step in firmly. By GIS/Defense & Foreign Affairs More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier received on Wednesday the symbolic last piece of black coal, marking the end of Germanys two centuries of hard black coal production, while the country struggles to keep up with European peers in curbing emissions. Germany closed its last black coal mine in December 2018. In January this year, Germany became the latest large European economy to lay out a plan to phase out coal-fired power generation, aimed at cutting carbon emissionsa metric in which Berlin has been lagging in recent years. A government-appointed special commission at Europes largest economy announced the conclusions of its months-long review and proposed Germany to shut all its 84 coal-fired power plants by 2038. While Germany will mostly seek to replace coal capacity with renewables, the countrys suppliers of natural gas expect to benefit from the coal exit because natural gas-fired capacity could offer steady supply. Germany, where coal hard coal and lignite combined currently provide around 35 percent of power generation, has a longer timetable for phasing out coal than the UK and Italy, for examplewho plan their coal exit by 2025not only because of its vast coal industry, but also because Germany will shut down all its nuclear power plants within three years. The government ordered in 2011 the immediate shutdown of eight of its 17 reactors in the wake of the Fukushima disaster in Japan, and plans to phase out nuclear by 2022. The closure of all nuclear reactors in Germany by 2022 means that Germany might need to retain half of its coal-fired power generation until 2030 to offset the nuclear phase-out, German Economy and Energy Minister Peter Altmaier said earlier this year. According to the coal commissions phase-out proposalwhich needs the approval of the government some 24 coal-fired plants will be shut by 2022. Then, by 2030, Germany is expected to still have eight coal plants operating. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Tanzanias government will start this month talks with major international firms to define the commercial terms for a deepwater liquefied natural gas (LNG) project off the coast of the east African country expected to be worth US$30 billion. Negotiations are set to begin this month and to conclude by September, The East African news outlet quoted Tanzanias Energy Ministry as saying. Major international companies have been exploring for gas offshore Tanzania and have found sufficient quantities for a potential LNG plant. The development of such project, however, has been stalled due to the lack of a host government agreement (HGA) setting the legal, fiscal, and commercial terms of the project. A deep-water LNG plant is a large project that requires large upfront investments. To ensure that all parties benefit from such a project, a stable and predictable framework for more than 30 years of the plant is essential, Equinor spokesperson Erick Haaland told The East African. We trust that the government of Tanzania has a long-term view on this major industrial investment, Haaland added. Norways Equinor has been operating in Tanzania since 2007 when it signed a Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) for Block 2 with Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC). Equinors Tanzanian unit is the operator of the block with a 65-percent participating interest, while U.S. ExxonMobil is partner with a 35-percent working interest. TPDC has the right to participate with a 10-percent stake. Equinor has made nine discoveries with estimated volumes of more than 20 Tcf of gas in place. Royal Dutch Shell holds stakes in two blocks adjacent to Equinors block 2. According to Shells website, all these blocks together hold sufficient gas to enable a shared onshore LNG liquefaction plant. The government of Tanzania has allocated land for this facility in Lindi, located on the southern Tanzanian coast. Now the government and the international majors need to hammer out the legal and commercial framework of the LNG project, which Tanzania says would be done by September. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Venezuela exported a little over 980,000 bpd on average in March despite a string of severe blackouts, Reuters reported, citing documents from state oil company PDVSA and its own data. The blackouts suspended operations at Venezuelas largest oil export terminal Jose and, according to TankerTrackers.com, caused a slump in exports to 650,000 bpd, the co-founder of the tanker data provider, Samir Madani, told Reuters. The catchup, according to Madani, was impressive. Source: TankerTrackers.com This suggests PDVSA, against all odds, was able to quickly ramp up shipments when power was restored. The Reuters figures are higher than those from Kpler, a France-based energy commodity shipments tracking provider, which calculated Venezuelan March exports at an average daily of 928,000. However, Kpler estimated these had fallen by 355,000 bpd from February, dipping below 1 million bpd for the first time in more than five years. Reuters numbers for February had Venezuelas average daily oil exports at 990,355 bpd. TankerTrackers.com calculated the March decline from February at around 100,000 bpd, from over 995,470 bpd in February to 898,383 bpd in March, Madani told Oilprice. Related: Did Aramco Just Open Pandoras Box? The bulk of what Venezuela exported last month went to China, India, and Singapore: these three destinations constituted 74 percent of PDVSAs oil exports in March. Thats up from 70 percent in February, Reuters noted. As the South American country grapples with its numerous problems, the U.S. plans to tighten the sanction noose around it soon. Beginning in May, importers of Venezuelan crude that use U.S. subsidiaries in their transactions with PDVSA or the U.S. banking system would have to stop buying the commodity as a grace period granted by Washington to these entities expires. (We will) continue to take action to ensure Venezuelas energy resources are preserved for the legitimate government of interim president Juan Guaido, for the people of Venezuela, and the reconstruction of a country destroyed through mismanagement and corruption, a U.S. official told Reuters earlier this week. Whats more, Washington was considering extending the sanctions to non-U.S. companies buying Venezuelan oil even if they do not use the U.S. banking system. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Jamas nos callaran Fisica y culturalmente Nec plus ultra, nec variatur Precio del Brent To get the BRENT oil price, please enable Javascript. Precio del WTI To get the oil price, please enable Javascript. Paginas vistas en total Dolar USA Vs Euro Sin ellas, no seremos Deja vu Nada que celebrar Hasta cuando? Colombia Hoy Para nunca olvidar 'Parasite' painted on a statue of Queen, Elizabeth in Kent, England Sin palabras La UE le apunta a la paz Cada vez mas solo Precio del Oro To get the gold price, please enable Javascript. LULA y su Pueblo Bye Bye Homenaje al genial Quino Fueron ellos Una imagen que resume Tan bajo ha caido que se deja tocar el trasero? Porky y el Nene (archiconocido narcotraficante) Ladrones al poder Asi mira el perrito a su amo Crazy Clamor popular La nueva inquisicion Bolivia Chile Hoy Eso es todo amigos! Piensalo! Pinerachet No More Trump Adios Macri, hasta nunca La Marioneta se desinfla Asi o mas cinico Almugre Mexico en 1794 Mas arrastrado imposible Hasta cuando! La pura verdad Solidaridad con Palestina Serie Capitalismo Espejismos de la clase trabajadora Asi es! Comerciantes o delincuentes No pasaran! Asi es la vida USA HOY 01/01/1959 La avaricia no tiene limites AYUDA HUMANITARIA? Chile Hoy Asi son las cosas Mapa Electoral de Venezuela Patagonia argentina? Un aniversario mas del mayor genocidio de la Humanidad Retrato del franquismo en Espana Visca Catalunya! El Chulo de Madrid Cuando la policia se roba la democracia Una imagen dice mas que mil palabras La purita verdad Asi gobierna la maldita burguesia Mi pobre clase media Como Chavez nadie Comparte La Colmena via twitter Twittear Programa de la MUD Asi o mas clarito Por que Trump no ataco Corea del Norte? Hace 15 anos Por que la OEA no se pronuncio? Una verguenza nacional La luz que nos guia La Union Europea Premio Nobel de la Paz? Feudalismo ayer y hoy Obama, el mentiroso Curiosa coincidencia Un mundo de cerdos No es extrano? La Marioneta Los ricos protestan, los pobres celebran MARICORI Y OBAMA Cuantas muertes este ano? 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Por culpa de Chavez Cerveza Polar Algun dia Colombia volvera a la ideologia de Bolivar Translate LOS REVOLUCIONARIOS NO TOMAN CACA-COLA No se trata solamente de un capricho, sino de una sana actitud en todos los sentidos. Desde la solidaridad con el pueblo colombiano donde la empresa Caca-Cola ha cometido los mas grandes abusos contra sus trabajadores incluyendo el presunto secuestro y asesinato de los dirigentes del sindicato, hasta la proteccion de la salud de nuestros hijos, enviciados por ese jarabe de cola y azucar, que les produce obesidad prematura. Pensemos tambien los revolucionarios, que ese dinero que gastamos en los refrescos es utilizado por esas empresas para financiar el terrorismo en nuestro pais. Es cierto, no se trata solo de la Caca-Cola, sino tambien de la cerveza, de los cigarrillos y todos esos articulos innecesarios y mas que eso, daninos para nuestra salud. Podriamos incluso pensar en un dia de parada para cada uno de ellos. Es cuestion de irnos organizando. Pero para empezar, que tal si dejamos de comprar Caca-Cola y sus similares? Cuando lo extraordinario se vuelve cotidiano... Discurso del Acto de Grado en Barinas en 12 de Febrero del 2005 Queridos Graduandos: Mas que un discurso, quiero dirigirles algunas palabras que escribi anoche, despues de visitar en las clinicas, a los estudiantes heridos, a consecuencia de los enfrentamientos con la policia de hace apenas dos dias. Me ha tocado por razones del destino, ser la persona que les otorgue el titulo que bien merecieron con sus estudios. Y me siento sumamente orgulloso de serlo. Me consta que la Universidad de Los Llanos Occidentales Ezequiel Zamora, a pesar de lo dicho por los enemigos de esta universidad, es una universidad de primera. No tendremos la mejor planta fisica, en los salones hace calor. En el comedor hace calor. Pero no es en lo material que las cosas deben valorarse. El mayor capital es el ser humano. Y en eso, nuestra UNELLEZ, lo digo con conocimiento de causa, esta sobrada. Los llaneros venezolanos son nobles, valientes, de coraje. En la UNELLEZ hacen vida, en este momento, aproximadamente 67000 personas. El 97% de ellas son estudiantes. Jovenes que, como Ustedes hasta el dia de hoy, buscan ese titulo, que constata los anos de dedicacion y de estudio. Los jovenes son el rio de la vida, ustedes graduados deben ser los capitanes de esos barcos que naveguen por el rio de la vida. Nuestra Patria atraviesa momentos muy dificiles porque decidio dejar de ser esa matrona de edad vetusta y complaciente, para ser joven, rebelde y altanera. Nuestra imagen ya no es la de una acaudalada ricachona mayamera. En nuestro rostro brilla ahora la sonrisa del Che Guevara, con su diente delantero torcido, su pelo largo y su boina con la estrella. Entender esto, a mi me ha tomado practicamente toda la vida. Tengo 53 anos, y ya perdi mi oportunidad de derramar sangre joven a causa de un ideal. Ustedes son jovenes, estan en la flor de la vida. No cometan por favor el error de renunciar a su instinto de rebelion. El Che Guevara fue Ministro de a Economia en Cuba. Los billetes y las monedas se adornaban con su rostro. Nada de eso le importo. Primero fue a Angola donde paso un penoso ano de combate. Despues se fue a Bolivia, donde encontro la muerte. El Che era el ultimo que comia, el que cargaba la mochila mas pesada. Siempre se sacrificaba por los demas en un estoicismo que mas parecia fervor religioso que ideologia marxista. Si quieren un modelo de vida. Ahi lo tienen. Dije hace unos momentos que el 97% de la poblacion de la UNELLEZ es estudiante. Se imaginan Ustedes la Universidad que podriamos tener si todos los estudiantes tuvieran la abnegacion, la combatividad del Che? Los momentos que se avecinan van a requerir de una gran unidad del pueblo venezolano. La alternativa de continuar siendo libres o regresar a la pobreza se nos planteara en los proximos dias de forma enmascarada, o quizas peor, desenmascarada, vestida con uniforme de soldado del Imperio. Por nuestra parte podemos esperar lo mejor. La macroeconomia no podria ir mejor, la justicia social ha mejorado notablemente. Las misiones ocupan un papel muy importante en el pago de dicha justicia social. Aqui en Barinas ya hemos cumplido con dos de las misiones, la mision Robinson y la mision Sucre. No hay analfabetismo y no hay exclusion en la educacion superior, en estas tierras de Zamora. Pero ay malhaya! Son precisamente estos exitos los que nos hacen mas antipaticos al Imperio. Para ellos, somos inclusive un mal ejemplo que se esta contagiando al resto del continente y cuidado sino al resto del mundo. Nunca venceremos al Imperio. Estara siempre ahi, acechando. Por lo menos hasta que el mismo no se autodestruya. Porque, sepanlo senores, el neoliberalismo es canibal. Cuando le ataque el hambre, se devorara a si mismo. Ustedes, queridos graduandos, a partir de hoy pasan a conformar la elite profesional que debe sostener este pais en los proximos cuarenta o cincuenta anos. Anos decisivos para el logro de nuestra libertad y del rescate de nuestra Soberania. No se dejen comprar. No se dejen corromper. No se dejen gritar. No se dejen pisar. Que nadie les diga que comer, o que vestirse, o que leer. Sean siempre autenticos, rebeldes, contestatarios. Pero eso si, profundamente patriotas, dignos de ser hijos de Bolivar. Muchas gracias y que Dios los bendiga. Alguna duda? Medio siglo de Holocausto Palestino Oscar Zanartu Nacio en Caracas en 1960. Ha realizado exposiciones individuales en las galerias Minotauro, Clave y San Francisco, y en salas de Coro, estado Falcon, y Puerto Ordaz, estado Bolivar. En Paris su obra ha sido exhibida en el Centro Cultural Tanagra, en la Exposicion Cite Internationale des Arts, en las galerias De Mars y Arver Space, al igual que en la Galeria Municipal Levallois, en Levallois Perret (Francia). En muestras colectivas, su obra se ha expuesto en Belgica, Francia, Estados Unidos y Venezuela; en Caracas intervino en la exposicion "Del genesis a la memoria", 1995, organizada por la Fundacion La Previsora. En 1982 obtuvo el Premio Nacional Critven y en 1990 la Mencion de Honor Jose Antonio Paez, en la Embajada de Venezuela en Paris. En 1991 se le concedio el primer premio de Pintura Itinerante, en Levallois Perret, Francia. OZ1 OZ2 OZ3 OZ4 Homenaje a Jason Galarraga La Victoria de Samotracia Odalisca Mas fotos de la nevada del pasado agosto 2008 La Sierra Nevada de Merida Nuestro precioso Churum Meru Homenaje a Picasso Autoretrato Sabes lo que bebes en una Coca-Cola? La formula de la Pepsi tiene una diferencia basica con la de la Coca-Cola y es intencional, para evitar el proceso judicial. La diferencia es a proposito, pero suficientemente parecida como para atraer a los consumidores de Coca-Cola que prefieren un gusto diferente con menos sal y azucar. Mi profesion? Tuve que aprender quimica, entender todo sobre componentes de gaseosas, conservantes, sales, acidos, cafeina, enlatado, produccion, permisos, aprobaciones y muchas otras cosas. Monte mi propio mini-laboratorio de analisis de productos. Sal en la Coca Cola? A patadas. El Cloruro de Sodio no solo refresca sino da mas sed, como para pedir otra gaseosa. Y no resulta desagradable porque la sal mata literalmente la sensibilidad al dulce... del que por cierto tambien tiene mucho: 39 gramos de azucar. De los 350 gramos de producto liquido, mas del 10% es azucar, o sea que en una lata de Coca-Cola mas de un centimetro y medio es puro azucar en polvo. Aproximadamente tres cucharadas soperas llenas de azucar por lata!!La formula de la Coca Cola es muy sencilla: Concentrado de azucar quemado caramelo- para dar color oscuro y gusto Acido fosforito (para darle el sabor acido) azucar (HFCS-jarabe de maiz de alta fructosa) Extracto de hojas de la planta de Coca (Africa e India) y otros pocos aromatizantes naturales de otras plantas Mucha Cafeina Conservante que puede ser Benzoato de Sodio o Potasio Dioxido de Carbono en cantidad para sentir freir la lengua cuando se bebe Sal para dar la sensacion de refrigeracion El uso del acido fosforito y no del acido citrico como en todas las demas gaseosas, es para dar la sensacion de dientes y boca limpia al beber. El acido fosforito literalmente frie todo y dana el esmalte de los dientes, cosa que el acido citrico lo hace en menor grado.Trate de comprar acido fosforito para ver las mil recomendaciones de seguridad que te dan para su manipulacion (quema el cristalino del ojo, quema la piel, etc...). Esta prohibido usar el acido fosforito en cualquier otra gaseosa; solo la Coca Cola tiene permiso. Porque claro, sin el acido fosforico, la Coca Cola sabria a jabon.El extracto de coca y otras hojas casi no cambia en nada el sabor. Es mas bien un efecto cosmetico. El extracto forma parte de la Coca-Cola porque legalmente tiene que ser asi. Pero sin el, no se nota ninguna diferencia en el gusto, que esta dado basicamente por las cantidades diferentes de azucar, azucar quemada, sales, acidos y conservantes.Sabor a que...? ja, ja, ja. Aqui en Bartow, sur de Orlando, hay una empresa quimica que produce aromatizantes y esencias para zumos. Envian diariamente camionadas de sales concentradas y esencias para las fabricas de helados, gaseosas, jugos, enlatados y comida colorida y aromatizada.Cuando visite por primera vez la fabrica, pedi ver el deposito de concentrados de frutas, que deberia ser inmenso, especialmente los de naranja, pina, fresa y tantos otros. El encargado me miro, se rio y me llevo a visitar los depositos inmensos... pero de colorantes y componentes quimicos. Las gaseosa de naranja no contiene naranja. En los zumos dizque de fresa, hasta los puntitos que quedan en suspension estan hechos de goma (una liga quimica que envuelve un semi-polimero). Pina, es un popurri de acidos y goma. La esencia para helado de aguacate usa peroxido de hidrogeno (agua oxigenada) para dar la sensacion espumosa tipica del aguacate. Bebidas Light? Quieres saber la cantidad de basura que tiene un refresco 'light'? Yo ni siquiera los uso para destapar mi lavaplatos pues temo que danen los tubos de PVC. Los productos endulzantes 'ligth' tienen una vida media muy corta. Por ejemplo el Despues de toda mi experiencia con la produccion de bebidas embasadas, puedo afirmar sin dudar un segundo: la mejor bebida es el agua, como tambien los jugos exprimidos de naranja o limon. Nada mas, cero azucar y cero sal. Publicado por loretahur En realidad, la formula secreta de la Coca-Cola se puede detallar en 18 segundos en cualquier espectrometro optico, y basicamente la conocen hasta los perros. Lo que ocurre es que no se puede fabricar igual, a no ser que uno disponga de unos cuantos millones de dolares para ganarle la demanda que te metera la Coca-Cola ante la justicia (ellos no perderian).La formula de la Pepsi tiene una diferencia basica con la de la Coca-Cola y es intencional, para evitar el proceso judicial. La diferencia es a proposito, pero suficientemente parecida como para atraer a los consumidores de Coca-Cola que prefieren un gusto diferente con menos sal y azucar.Tuve que aprender quimica, entender todo sobre componentes de gaseosas, conservantes, sales, acidos, cafeina, enlatado, produccion, permisos, aprobaciones y muchas otras cosas. Monte mi propio mini-laboratorio de analisis de productos.A patadas. El Cloruro de Sodio no solo refresca sino da mas sed, como para pedir otra gaseosa. Y no resulta desagradable porque la sal mata literalmente la sensibilidad al dulce... del que por cierto tambien tiene mucho: 39 gramos de azucar.De los 350 gramos de producto liquido, mas del 10% es azucar, o sea que en una lata de Coca-Cola mas de un centimetro y medio es puro azucar en polvo. Aproximadamente tres cucharadas soperas llenas de azucar por lata!!La formula de la Coca Cola es muy sencilla:Concentrado de azucar quemado caramelo- para dar color oscuro y gustoAcido fosforito (para darle el sabor acido)azucar (HFCS-jarabe de maiz de alta fructosa)Extracto de hojas de la planta de Coca (Africa e India) y otros pocos aromatizantes naturales de otras plantasMucha CafeinaConservante que puede ser Benzoato de Sodio o PotasioDioxido de Carbono en cantidad para sentir freir la lengua cuando se bebeSal para dar la sensacion de refrigeracionEl uso del acido fosforito y no del acido citrico como en todas las demas gaseosas, es para dar la sensacion de dientes y boca limpia al beber. El acido fosforito literalmente frie todo y dana el esmalte de los dientes, cosa que el acido citrico lo hace en menor grado.Trate de comprar acido fosforito para ver las mil recomendaciones de seguridad que te dan para su manipulacion (quema el cristalino del ojo, quema la piel, etc...). Esta prohibido usar el acido fosforito en cualquier otra gaseosa; solo la Coca Cola tiene permiso. Porque claro, sin el acido fosforico, la Coca Cola sabria a jabon.El extracto de coca y otras hojas casi no cambia en nada el sabor. Es mas bien un efecto cosmetico. El extracto forma parte de la Coca-Cola porque legalmente tiene que ser asi. Pero sin el, no se nota ninguna diferencia en el gusto, que esta dado basicamente por las cantidades diferentes de azucar, azucar quemada, sales, acidos y conservantes.Sabor a que...? ja, ja, ja.Aqui en Bartow, sur de Orlando, hay una empresa quimica que produce aromatizantes y esencias para zumos. Envian diariamente camionadas de sales concentradas y esencias para las fabricas de helados, gaseosas, jugos, enlatados y comida colorida y aromatizada.Cuando visite por primera vez la fabrica, pedi ver el deposito de concentrados de frutas, que deberia ser inmenso, especialmente los de naranja, pina, fresa y tantos otros. El encargado me miro, se rio y me llevo a visitar los depositos inmensos... pero de colorantes y componentes quimicos.Las gaseosa de naranja no contiene naranja.En los zumos dizque de fresa, hasta los puntitos que quedan en suspension estan hechos de goma (una liga quimica que envuelve un semi-polimero).Pina, es un popurri de acidos y goma.La esencia para helado de aguacate usa peroxido de hidrogeno (agua oxigenada) para dar la sensacion espumosa tipica del aguacate.Quieres saber la cantidad de basura que tiene un refresco 'light'? Yo ni siquiera los uso para destapar mi lavaplatos pues temo que danen los tubos de PVC. Los productos endulzantes 'ligth' tienen una vida media muy corta. Por ejemplo el aspartamo , despues de tres semanas mojado, pasa a tener gusto de trapo viejo sucio.Para evitar eso, se agregan una infinidad de otros productos quimicos, uno para alargar la vida del aspartamo, otro para neutralizar el color, otro para mantener el tercer quimico en suspension porque sino el fondo de la gaseosa quedaria oscuro, otro para evitar la cristalizacion del aspartamo, otro para realzar el sabor, dar mas intensidad al acido citrico o fosforito que perderia su sabor por el efecto de los cuatro productos quimicos iniciales... y asi sucesivamente.Un consejo final !!Despues de toda mi experiencia con la produccion de bebidas embasadas, puedo afirmar sin dudar un segundo: la mejor bebida es el agua, como tambien los jugos exprimidos de naranja o limon. Nada mas, cero azucar y cero sal.Publicado por loretahur MARGARINA o MANTEQUILLA La margarina fue producida originalmente para engordar a los pavos; cuandolo que hizo en realidad fue matarlos.Las personas que habian puesto el dinero para la investigacion quisieronrecobrarlo asi que empezaron a pensar en una forma de hacerlo.Tenian una sustancia blanca, que no tenia ningun atractivo como comestible,asi que le anadieron el color amarillo, para venderselo a lagente en lugar de la mantequilla.Que tal esa?... Ahora han sacado algunos nuevos sabores para vender mas alos incautos como usted y yo.CONOCE USTED la diferencia entre la margarina y la mantequilla?Siga leyendo hasta el final... porque se pone bastante interesante!Comparacion entre mantequilla y margarina: 1.- Ambas tienen la misma cantidad de calorias. 2.- La mantequilla es ligeramente mas alta en grasas saturadas: 8 gramos,comparada con los 5 gramos que tiene la margarina. 3.- Comer margarina en vez de mantequilla puede aumentar en 53% el riesgo deenfermedades coronarias en las mujeres, de acuerdo con un estudiomedico reciente de la Universidad de Harvard. 4.- Comer mantequilla aumenta la absorcion de gran cantidad de nutrientesque se encuentran en otros alimentos. 5.- La mantequilla provee beneficios nutricionales propios mientras lamargarina tiene solo los que le hayan sido anadidos al fabricarla. 6.- La mantequilla sabe mucho mejor que la margarina y mejora el sabor deotros alimentos.7.- La mantequilla ha existido durante siglos mientras que la margarinatiene menos de 100 anos. Ahora... sobre la margarina: 1.- Es muy alta en acidos grasos trans. (Si, esos que recien ahora loscientificos descubrieron que son malisimos y los gobiernoscomenzaron a prohibirlos) . 2.- Triple riesgo de enfermedades coronarias. 3.- Aumenta el colesterol total y el LDL (el colesterol malo) y disminuye elHDL (el colesterol bueno). 4.- Aumenta en cinco veces el riesgo de cancer. 5.- Disminuye la calidad de la leche materna. 6.- Disminuye la reaccion inmunologica del organismo. 7.- Disminuye la reaccion a la insulina. Y he aqui el factor mas inquietante (AQUI ESTA LA PARTE MAS INTERESANTE! ):A la margarina le falta UNA MOLECULA para ser PLASTICO...!!Solo este hecho es suficiente para evitar el uso de la margarina de porvida, y de cualquier otra cosa que sea hidrogenada (esto significaque se le anade hidrogeno, lo cual cambia la estructura molecular de lassubstancias).Usted puede ensayar lo siguiente:Compre un poco de margarina y dejela en el garaje o en un sitio sombreado.Dentro de unos dias notara dos cosas: * No habra moscas; ni siquiera esos molestos bichos se le acercaran (esto yale debe decir a usted algo). * No se pudre ni huele mal o diferente porque no tiene valor nutritivo; nadacrece en ella. Ni siquiera los diminutos microorganismos puedencrecer en ella.Por que? Porque es casi plastico!! No a la guerra, Si a la Paz Misterios de la ciencia... Los costos de la guerra medicos y capitalismo... Capitalismo... medicos (2) Quien educa a nuestros hijos? Los Medios... Sin Palabras... Chistes feministas - Cual es el problema, Eva? - Se que me has creado, que me has dado este hermoso jardin, todos estos maravillosos animales y esa serpiente con la que me muero de risa... pero no soy del todo feliz... - Como es eso, Eva? - replico Dios desde las alturas. - Me encuentro sola, y ademas estoy harta de comer manzanas... - Bueno Eva, en tal caso, tengo una solucion... creare un hombre para ti. - Que es un hombre? - Un hombre sera una criatura imperfecta, con muchas artimanas. Mentira, hara trampas, sera engreido... vamos, que te va a dar problemas... Pero, va a ser mas fuerte y rapido que tu y le gustara cazar y matar cosas... Tendra un aspecto simple, pero como te estas quejando, le creare de tal forma que satisfaga tus... eh... necesidades fisicas... Y tampoco sera muy listo, y destacara en cosas infantiles como pegarse o dar patadas a un balon... Necesitara tu consejo siempre para actuar cuerdamente. - Suena bien - dijo Eva, mientras levantaba la ceja ironicamente. - Cual es el truco?. - Pues... que lo tendras con una condicion. - Cual? - Como te decia, sera chulo, arrogante y muy narcisista... asi que le tendras que hacer creer que le hice a el primero... recuerda... es nuestro secreto... de mujer a mujer. Por que a los hombres no les puede dar la enfermedad de las vacas locas? Porque todos son unos cerdos Un dia, en el Paraiso, Eva llamo a Dios: Tengo un problema.- Cual es el problema, Eva?- Se que me has creado, que me has dado este hermoso jardin, todos estos maravillosos animales y esa serpiente con la que me muero de risa... pero no soy del todo feliz... - Como es eso, Eva? - replico Dios desde las alturas.- Me encuentro sola, y ademas estoy harta de comer manzanas...- Bueno Eva, en tal caso, tengo una solucion... creare un hombre para ti.- Que es un hombre?- Un hombre sera una criatura imperfecta, con muchas artimanas. Mentira, hara trampas, sera engreido... vamos, que te va a dar problemas... Pero, va a ser mas fuerte y rapido que tu y le gustara cazar y matar cosas... Tendra un aspecto simple, pero como te estas quejando, le creare de tal forma que satisfaga tus... eh... necesidades fisicas... Y tampoco sera muy listo, y destacara en cosas infantiles como pegarse o dar patadas a un balon... Necesitara tu consejo siempre para actuar cuerdamente.- Suena bien - dijo Eva, mientras levantaba la ceja ironicamente.- Cual es el truco?.- Pues... que lo tendras con una condicion.- Cual?- Como te decia, sera chulo, arrogante y muy narcisista... asi que le tendras que hacer creer que le hice a el primero... recuerda... es nuestro secreto... de mujer a mujer.Por que a los hombres no les puede dar la enfermedad de las vacas locas? Porque todos son unos cerdos Ellas... Ellas (2)... Tres venganzas femeninas VENGANZA NUMERO 1 Hoy mi hija cumple 21 anos y estoy muy contento porque es el ultimo pago de pension alimenticia que le doy, asi que llame a mi hijita para que viniera a mi casa y cuando llego le dije: -Hijita, quiero que lleves este cheque a casa de tu mama y que le digas que: Este es el ultimo maldito cheque que va recibir de mi en todo lo que le queda de su puta vida!!! Quiero que me digas la expresion que pone en su rostro. Asi que mi hija fue a entregar el cheque. Yo estaba ansioso por saber lo que la bruja tenia que decir y que cara pondria. Cuando mi hijita entro, le pregunte inmediatamente: -Que fue lo que te dijo tu madre? -Me dijo que justamente estaba esperando este dia para decirte que no eres mi papa! VENGANZA NUMERO 2 Un hombre que siempre molestaba a su mujer, paso un dia por la casa de unos amigos para que lo acompanaran al aeropuerto a dejar a su esposa que viajaba a Paris. A la salida de inmigracion, frente a todo el mundo, el le desea buen viaje y en tono burlon le grita: - Amor, no te olvides de traerme una hermosa francesita Ja ja ja!! Ella bajo la cabeza y se embarco muy molesta. La mujer paso quince dias en Francia. El marido otra vez pidio a sus amigos que lo acompanasen al aeropuerto a recibirla. Al verla llegar, lo primero que le grita a toda voz es: - Y amor me trajiste mi francesita?? - Hice todo lo posible, - contesta ella - ahora solo tenemos que rezar para que nazca nina. VENGANZA NUMERO 3 El marido, en su lecho de muerte, llama a su mujer. Con voz ronca y ya debil, le dice: - Muy bien, llego mi hora, pero antes quiero hacerte una confesion. - No, no, tranquilo, tu no debes hacer ningun esfuerzo. - Pero, mujer, es preciso - insiste el marido - Es preciso morir en paz. Te quiero confesar algo. - Esta bien, esta bien. Habla! - He tenido relaciones con tu hermana, tu mama y tu mejor amiga. - Lo se, lo se Por eso te envenene, hijo de puta!!! machismo y cibernetica Chiste machista La NASA ha enviado al espacio una mision experimental tripulada por dos monos y una mujer.Apenas abandona la atmosfera, se establece comunicacion con Houston. -Atencion, simio 1, verifique sistemas hidraulicos, controle adecuada presion de los propulsores de arranque. A 60.000 pies disminuya un 25% la velocidad. El simio hace la sena de OK. -Atencion, simio 2, nivele al cruzar la estratosfera y active sistemas anticongelantes. No olvide monitorear sistemas de comunicacion e indicadores de presion. Comprendido?. El simio hace la sena de OK. -Atencion, Houston llamando a mujer: no se olvide. -Mujer: Si, si, ya se! -interrumpe enojada- que no me olvide darles de comer a estos monos de mierda y que no se me vaya a ocurrir tocar nada!. .Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti. Un abogado mantiene un romance con su secretaria.Al poco tiempo, esta queda embarazada y el abogado, que no quiere que su esposa se entere, le da a la secretaria una buena suma de dinero y le pide que se vaya a parir a Italia.Esta pregunta: Y como voy a hacerte saber cuando nazca el bebe ? El abogado responde: Para que mi mujer no se entere, tan solo enviame una postal y escribe por detras: Spaghetti. Y no te preocupes mas, que yo me encargare de todos los gastos. Pasan los meses y una manana la esposa del abogado lo llama al bufete, algo exaltada: Querido, acabo de recibir el correo y hay una postal muy extrana viene desde Italia. La verdad, no entiendo que significa.El abogado, tratando de ocultar sus nervios, contesta:Espera a que llegue a casa, a ver si yo entiendoCuando el hombre llega a casa y lee la postal, cae al suelo fulminado por un infarto.Llega una ambulancia y se lo lleva. Ya en el hospital, el jefe de cardiologia se queda consolando a la esposa y le pregunta cual ha sido el evento que precipito tan masivo ataque cardiaco. Entonces la esposa saca la postal y se la muestra diciendole: No me explico, doctor; el solamente leyo esta postal. Vea usted mismo lo que trae escrito.Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti."Tres con salchicha y albondigas y dos con almejas Gol !!!! Chistes de Borrachos Entra un borracho a su casa todo manchado con lapiz labial por todos lados hecho un desastre, y la mujer le pregunta:-Hombre que te paso?Y el borracho le responde:-No me vas a creer, me pelee con un payaso! Este es un borracho que entra en un bar y le dice al camarero:-Me da cinco copas de whisky?Al rato:-Me da cuatro?Al rato:-Me da tres copas?Despues:-Me da dos copas?Luego le dice:-Me da una copa?Y le dice al camarero:-Ves? Cuanto menos bebo, mas borracho estoy! Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images While investigating an administration plagued by leaks, one of the most special aspects of special counsel Robert Muellers team was its airtight relationship to the press and public. Bob Mueller runs a very tight ship, and that ship does not leak, David Kris, a former assistant attorney general who worked closely with Mueller, told Vox in late 2018. Hed rather do his talking through his work. The say-nothing nature of the Mueller team is either gone now that the captain has left the ship, or special counsel officials are frustrated enough by Attorney General William Barrs summary of their work that theyre now willing to leak their opinion. According to government officials who spoke to the New York Times, the investigators think their findings are more damning for the president than the attorney generals summary suggested. Members of the special counsel team are also reportedly concerned that the Barr summary will be the narrative that Americans stick to regardless of whats in the full report, as opinions could calcify before the almost 400-page investigation is made public. The Times reports that special counsel team members believe that Barr should have included more detail in the four-page summary, which announced that Mueller did not find that Trump had colluded with Russia in the 2016 election, although he explicitly did not exonerate Trump. Mueller controversially left the call for whether or not Trump obstructed justice to William Barr. Though the attorney general determined the president was not on the hook for such a charge, members of the Mueller team have reportedly complained to those close to them that the evidence on obstruction was substantial. It was much more acute than Barr suggested, one member of the special counsel team told the Washington Post. The Post also reveals new details about the layout of the report, which was prepared so that the front matter from each section could have been released immediately or very quickly, according to an official briefed on the matter. It was done in a way that minimum redactions, if any, would have been necessary, and the work would have spoken for itself. Since the team assumed the report would be made public, they prepared their summaries to be shared in their own words and not in the attorney generals summary of their work, said the official. There was immediate displeasure from the team when they saw how the attorney general had characterized their work instead. Barr himself has faced significant criticism for his abstract on the report, as well as his actions related to the special counsel prior to his appointment as attorney general. Mimi Rocah, a former federal prosecutor, sums up the consternation quite nicely: Some say Barrs entitled to benefit of the doubt. Not when he: wrote pre-memo saying Pres cant obstruct justice, refused to recuse, wrote conclusory summary exonerating on questionable basis & inserted himself into the executive privilege process. Subpoena now. Mimi Rocah (@Mimirocah1) April 3, 2019 The leaked frustrations of the Mueller team come as the Trump administration is settling into the reality that, despite the political victory of the Barr summary, the full report is unlikely to bring a second coup. The administration appears to no longer be as enthusiastic about a release of the full Mueller report as they were on Day One. According to a senior White House official who spoke to New Yorks Olivia Nuzzi: There will be plenty of unfavorable things about the president in the full report, which we think will eventually come out, so lets not go overboard saying theres no wrongdoing. Apparently, the special counsel team agrees. " " (Clockwise from top) A pair of umbrella shoes seem smart, but they're really, um, ridiculous; the butter stick is one of the most well-known chindogu; the noodle cooler probably still wouldn't help for those times when your ramen is just too hot. HowStuffWorks Pretty much everything we do now has a purpose. We curate an Instagram account to become an influencer; we play video games on Twitch to build an audience; we sew and forge and paint and then sell our works on Etsy. It's all pretty exhausting, and it's making the fun stuff less fun. Meet chindogu, the art and craft of inventing things that are (almost) useless but a whole lot of fun. How useless? Take invention No. 189 from the exhibit halls of the International Chindogu Society: the AC Free Charger. It recharges a rechargeable battery ... using power from 12 other batteries. Or invention No. 341, The Sock Closet. It's just what it sounds like. A tiny closet for your socks. There are loads more chindogu pieces that take inventing to a whole new level. Hovercraft dog bed anyone? Advertisement Do You Chindogu? Chindogu was created by Japanese artist Kenji Kawakami in the 1990s, who describes these inventions as "un-useless." He coined the term chindogu using a combination of the Japanese words chin, meaning "strange" or "odd," and dougu, which means "device" or "tool." But chindogu is more than a mashup of words (a portmanteau, if you will); it's a philosophy. There are 10 tenets of chindogu, according to the chindogu society: A chindogu cannot be for real use. If you end up using your invention on the regular, you have failed. A chindogu must exist. No thought experiments allowed. There must be the spirit of anarchy. Build your invention free from the constraints of utility or cultural expectations. Chindogu are tools for everyday life. Everyone everywhere must be able to understand how it works without any special technical or professional background info. Chindogu are not tradeable commodities. Finally, something in your life that you just can't turn into a Finally, something in your life that you just can't turn into a side hustle Humor must be the sole reason for creating chindogu. Creating an elaborate way to solve a tiny problem is just funny. Roll with it. Chindogu is not propaganda. This is not the place for your clever commentary on the dumpster fire that is the current state of the world. As the tenet makes clear: "Make them instead with the best intentions." Chindogu are never taboo. If you demand sexual innuendo, cruel jokes and sick humor, the International Chindogu Society would ask that you find it literally anywhere else on the internet. That's not chindogu's jam. Chindogu cannot be patented. Consider chindogu the openest of open source. They're meant to be shared and delighted in, not owned and collected. Chindogu are without prejudice. Race, religion, gender, age, ability none of these matter to chindogu. These inventions should be equally (almost) useless to everyone who sees them. Advertisement If You Build It, They Will (Sort of) Come Kawakami started with a few simple inventions to fill out the back pages of a magazine he edited. He hoped his Eye Drop Funnel Glasses and Solar-powered Flashlight would amuse readers. But if there's a chindogu evangelist, it would be Dan Papia, who worked at another magazine, the Tokyo Journal. He brought chindogu to the magazine's English-speaking audience and encouraged readers to create their own inventions. In 1995, Papia started the International Chindogu Society. Others have taken up the banner in the decades since. Maker mecca Instructables ran a chindogu contest that yielded a toothbrush light, a food magnifier that perches on a pair of chopsticks, and scuba mask wiper blades, all classics of the form. Advertisement What We Talk About When We Talk About Chindogu The real key to (almost) useless inventions is that, at first glance, they have to seem a bit reasonable. Then, after a moment's thought, you realize they're just no better than the usual way of doing things. Take the butter stick, which is like a giant tube of lip balm, but with butter inside. Just swipe it on that corn on the cob at the next barbecue. But wait, what if it's hot on the way to the party and the butter melts in your bag? Or what if you don't use it all quickly enough and it molds? Or what if you mistake it for your lip balm and smear it on your face? Hey, that last example might be a feature, not a bug. The entire philosophy of chindogu is probably best summed up by Tenet VI: Try your best, you nearly succeed. Then you realize, sardonically, that your problem may not have been all that pressing to begin with. Words to live by. NOW THAT'S CHINDOGU If chindogu has a star, it's probably Simone Giertz, who builds what she calls "sh*tty robots." As she explained in her TED Talk from May 2018 called "Why You Should Make Useless Things," Giertz started building useless robots to teach herself about hardware and get over performance anxiety. Over the years, she's built an audience of 1.3 million subscribers to her YouTube channel. Viewers are treated to such chindogu gems as a machine that blows your nose for you and her first, an eight-second video of a toothbrush machine. " " Language is the most important identifier of national identity in many countries, according to new research. Sarah L. Voisin/Washington Post/Getty Images What does it mean to be "truly" American, German or Japanese? As U.S. politicians debate a wall along the Mexican border, and post-Brexit Europe contends with waves of displaced migrants, there's renewed debate over the recipe for national identity. Do new arrivals threaten to dangerously "water down" the native culture or does diversity strengthen democracy? According to a Pew Research Center global attitudes survey conducted from April 4May 29, 2016, language is the single most important requirement to be "one of us." That's true in the U.S., Canada, European countries, Australia and Japan, where clear majorities of those surveyed ranked "being able to speak our national language" far above other considerations like being born in the country, sharing national customs and traditions or being a Christian. Advertisement Sanford Levinson, an expert on the U.S. Constitution and professor of government at the University of Texas Law School, isn't surprised by the Pew survey results. Levinson says that language is the primary way nations have identified themselves since the Middle Ages. France, for example, is "obsessed" with the purity of the French language, even writing it into their Constitution as the official language. Well before the state of Israel was established, Zionists insisted on establishing modern Hebrew as the national language. In Turkey, the government has waged a war against the Kurdish language in attempts to purify the national identity. While the framers of the U.S. Constitution avoided establishing a national language, the debate over language and national identity was there from the start, Levinson points out. In the 18th century, Benjamin Franklin was ticked off that German was the lingua franca for a third of Pennsylvanians. And a lot of upstate New Yorkers only spoke Dutch at the time. Some of the Founding Fathers worried that a multilingual nation couldn't be fully united. As a result, says Levinson, "There's always been a strain of American thought that 'real Americans' speak English." Writing in The Federalist Papers (18th-century essays urging ratification of the Constitution), former Chief Justice of the United States John Jay was one of the first to argue that America's strength comes from its homogeneity. "Providence has been pleased to give this one connected country to one united people," Jay wrote in "Federalist No. 2" under the pen name Publius, "a people descended from the same ancestors, speaking the same language, professing the same religion, attached to the same principles of government, very similar in their manners and customs." What Levinson finds extraordinary about Jay's assertion that America is blessed for our monolingualism is that it was never true. "John Jay clearly had to know that he was wrong when he said we were united by a common language," says Levinson. "He was from New York. He had to know about the Dutch speakers and the German speakers." Levinson sees a straight line from the anti-diversity rhetoric of Federalist No. 2 running up to politicians like Bobby Jindal, the former Louisiana governor and Republican presidential hopeful who called for English to be the national language and warned that "immigration without assimilation is invasion." Actually, Levinson published a whole book in 2015 on reading The Federalist Papers in the 21st century. President Donald Trump won the 2016 election partly by harnessing the growing nationalist tendencies of an American public worried about the threats of global terrorism and the impact of immigration on American jobs. Although both Republicans and Democrats told Pew that language was a requirement of being a "true" American, there was a significant divide along party lines. Eighty-three percent of Republicans said speaking English is "very important" compared to only 61 percent of Democrats. have failed over the centuries to pass through Congress. Voting, one of the hallmarks of American civic life, can be conducted in multiple languages in most states. And there are those like Levinson who believe that the motto of the United States, e pluribus unum ("out of many, one"), remains the proudest example of "American exceptionalism." "It's the claim that people of different religions, different ethnic backgrounds, who speak different languages can nonetheless unite around a set of abstract values found in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution," says Levinson. "And that's what keeps us together and makes us strong." Now That's Interesting The Netherlands topped the Pew survey, with 84 percent of respondents saying it was very important for "true" Dutch people to speak Dutch. Interestingly, many people in the Netherlands are multilingual, with 94 percent of Dutch respondents in one 2012 survey claiming to speak at least one other language. By comparison, only 25 percent of American adults can carry on a conversation in a language other than English. TWO men, including a former anti-crime unit head of Tanauan, Batangas, were abducted from a hotel in Nuvali in Sta. Rosa, Laguna on Wednesday evening, April 3.According to a report reaching Camp Crame, TWO men, including a former anti-crime unit head of Tanauan, Batangas, were abducted from a hotel in Nuvali in Sta. Rosa, Laguna on Wednesday evening, April 3. According to a report reaching Camp Crame, abducted were Ricky Atienza and Allan Lumbres Fajardo, Tanauans anti-crime unit head during the time of slain Mayor Antonio Halili. The two were forcibly taken by unidentified men around 7:50 p.m. while they were having dinner inside Mistro restaurant in Seda hotel. Police said the two were loaded into a white van. Laguna police chief Colonel Eleazar Matta said based on initial investigation, the abductors introduced themselves as policemen and served a fake arrest warrant against Atienza and Fajardo. He said the two had been receiving death threats, which were earlier reported to the police. Matta said operations are ongoing to determine the victims' whereabouts. (SunStar Philippines) The Manila International Auto Show (MIAS), arguably the countrys biggest motor show held annually, opens its doors today at the World Trade Center Metro Manila (WTCMM) in Pasay City for its 2019 staging. A number of new-car launches and debuts are expected on opening today. What we can confirm so far are the following: Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI) , the Korean carmakers distributor in the Philippines, will showcase the Hyundai Palisade which debuted globally in November 2018 at the Los Angeles Auto Show; Auto Nation Group (ANG) , the official importer and distributor of Jeep in the countryamong other brands such as Chrysler, Dodge, and RAMwill preview the all-new Jeep Compass and another vehicle it has yet to identify (the recently-launched Jeep Gladiator, perhaps?) ; The Covenant Car Company, Inc. (TCCCI) , Chevrolets official distributor in the Philippines, will launch the all-new, sixth-generation Chevrolet Camaro ; Kia Philippines is expected to show off the Kia Stinger after the numerous sightings in the metro this week; and Coventry Motors Corporation (CMC), the sole authorized distributor of Jaguar and Land Rover in the country, will give everyone a virtual reality sneak peek of the all-new Range Rover Evoque, which is to be launched later this year. MIAS 2019 is also a tad smaller this year as weve been told by the shows organizer, Worldbex Services International, that the Philippine Trade Training Center, which is adjacent to the World Trade Center, is no longer a part of the show as the area that used to serve as the venue for the classic and custom car show has been repurposed. Instead, the car show will be staged at the tents adjacent to the venue. Other things to watch out for at the MIAS 2019 are the vehicle aftermarket sellers in the World Trade Center tents and the Russ Swift Stunt Show courtesy of Subarus local-market distributor, Motor Image Pilipinas. Story continues MIAS 2019 will run until April 7 with ticket prices at PHP100 each. Also, tickets will only be available at the North Wing, which is the tent area right in front of the WTCMM main building so make sure to buy your tickets there first before you proceed to the entrance in the main building. See you there! The post 2019 Manila International Auto Show Opens Today appeared first on Carmudi Philippines. Social media executives risk jail for failing to take down violent extremist content quickly, under controversial laws passed in Australia Thursday -- a "world first" in the wake of the Christchurch mosques massacre. Lawmakers voted overwhelmingly in favour of the laws, which hold firms like Facebook and YouTube -- and their executives -- responsible for removing "abhorrent material" quickly. The companies face fines approaching billions of dollars -- or 10 percent of global annual turnover -- for failing to enact the "expeditious removal" of footage of terrorism, murder and other serious crimes, while executives could face up to three years in jail. Technology companies, policy experts and lawyers pilloried the legislation -- which was jammed through parliament in two days and faces an uncertain future beyond elections expected in May. Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who is facing a difficult reelection battle, said: "Big social media companies have a responsibility to take every possible action to ensure their technology products are not exploited by murderous terrorists." Attorney-General Christian Porter said the legislation was "most likely a world first." The opposition Labor party expressed serious misgivings but voted in favour of the legislation -- in a step that echoed the bipartisan passage of a similarly controversial law forcing technology firms to weaken encryption. With those two reforms, Australia has put itself at the forefront of global efforts to regulate social media giants more closely. But both measures have been roundly condemned by industry and experts as "knee-jerk" and ill-conceived. It will be up to a jury to decide whether the platforms acted with good speed to take down offending content, raising questions about how the law will be implemented. "No one wants abhorrent content on their websites, and DIGI members work to take this down as quickly as possible," said Sunita Bose, managing director of the Digital Industry Group, which represents Google, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon and others. "But with the vast volumes of content uploaded to the internet every second, this is a highly complex problem that requires discussion with the technology industry, legal experts, the media and civil society to get the solution right -- that didn't happen this week." She also warned that the law would encourage companies to "proactively surveil" users and slammed parliament's "pass it now, change it later" approach. "This is not how legislation should be made in a democracy like Australia." Technology companies now face the task of developing failsafe moderation tools capable of quickly detecting offensive material in hundreds of billions of media uploads to their platforms. In the immediate aftermath of the Christchurch shootings, Facebook alone said it had taken down 1.5 million videos of the attack. Current tools like Microsoft's Content Moderator API "cannot automatically classify an image, let alone a video," according to Monash University's Robert Merkel. "Nor can it automatically identify videos similar to another video." The legislation could be a particular problem for smaller platforms used by the far-right, like 4Chan and 8Chan. The CEO of Australian technology firm Atlassian, Scott Farquhar, warned of a broader economic impact: "The legislation is flawed and will unnecessarily cost jobs and damage our tech industry," he said on Twitter. News organisations also worry they could face legal action. The Law Council of Australia warned the legislation could have "serious unintended consequences," like muzzling whistleblowers and "could also lead to censorship of the media, which would be unacceptable." The Institute of Public Affairs described the legislation as a "blatant attack on the freedom of the media." "Throwing media executives in jail will increase costs to taxpayers without improving community safety or addressing concerns about violent content being shared on social media platforms," said researcher Andrew Bushnell. "Companies and executives may respond to the threat of criminal penalties by erring on the side of censorship." The laws are expected to be followed by steps toward treating social media giants more like publishers, which would make them legally responsible for any content on their platforms. A criminal case against a Chinese woman accused of gaining unlawful access to US President Donald Trumps Florida resort has, for the second time in recent weeks, trained the spotlight on an organisation selling clients access to prominent politicians around the world. According to a criminal complaint, Zhang Yujing told Secret Service agents guarding Trumps Mar-a-Lago property on Saturday that she was visiting the resort to use the pool, then later told reception staff that she was there to attend a United Nations Friendship event, to which she had been invited by a Chinese man identified only as Charles. Both details appear to point towards the United Nations Chinese Friendship Association (UNCFA), an NGO whose recently deleted website shows numerous photographs of the organisations founder, Charles Lee, with prominent public figures, including what the site says is Trump himself and former UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon. The association, which sells photo-ops and personal meetings with political heavyweights to Chinese clients, says on its defunct website that it is a civil society participant of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA). The Chinese Friendship Association does not appear on a UN list of NGO associations registered with DESA. Lee, who is listed on the UNCFA site numerous times under the moniker Prince Charles, hung up when contacted on Wednesday, but advertisements posted as recently as Tuesday to a WeChat account linked to his number promised photographs and opportunities to interact with prominent political and business figures. One such advertisement, posted the same day criminal charges against Zhang were made public, offered clients a photograph and dialogue with former president Barack Obama during a June 2019 event at the US Military Academy at West Point an event a West Point representative said did not exist. Other advertisements, such as meetings with Microsofts Bill Gates and former president George W. Bush at an upcoming forum in Dallas, Texas, and an appearance this month in New York featuring Bill and Hillary Clinton apparently refer to scheduled events. Story continues According to The Miami Herald , the United Nations Chinese Friendship Association recruited clients for several events advertised by Cindy Yang, the day spa magnate and Republican Party fundraiser who was thrust into the spotlight when a Florida massage parlour she used to own was caught up in a sex trafficking and prostitution sting in March. Chinese ex-spa owner linked to Trump speaks out to decry unfair treatment Trump and Yang were pictured together at a Mar-a-Lago event in January 2018 organised by the childrens charity Young Adventurers. This years repeat of that event slated to feature a guest appearance by Trumps sister Elizabeth Trump-Grau was scheduled for March 30, the same day that Zhang, 32, attempted to gain entry to Mar-a-Lago. She has been charged with making false statements and illegally entering a restricted area. Saturdays event had been cancelled after scrutiny into Yangs practices, which, like Lees, offered paying clients access to Trump family members and Republican politicians. A number of people, including senior congressional Democrats and the pro-democracy advocacy group Common Cause, have called for criminal investigations into whether Yang facilitated straw donations on behalf of foreign clients, which are illegal under US campaign finance law, and whether she could be part of a foreign influence campaign by Beijing. She had a very influential position and could potentially bring other Chinese nationals within the presidents orbit, and potentially exert influence or certainly bring up topics that could be favourable to whatever particular interests [those Chinese nationals] have, said Joseph Campbell, a former assistant director of the FBIs criminal investigative division. A statement from Yangs lawyer shared with the South China Morning Post by the Asian GOP, where Yang previously worked as a director of community engagement, denied any relationship between Yang and Lee, as well as acquaintance between Yang and Zhang. Our client has stated that she does not know the woman who was arrested at Mar-a-Lago this weekend, said Evan Turk, the lawyer. The Dr. Lee that has been mentioned in several articles was pictured with our client twice. Beyond that, she states that she has no relationship with him. They were guests at the same event. Thats all. Cindy Yang opposed foreign money crackdown at Trump fundraisers According to the criminal complaint, Zhang told police that she had been advised by Charles to attend the Mar-a-Lago event on Saturday and attempt to speak with a member of the presidents family about Chinese and American foreign economic relations. Zhang was carrying four mobile phones, a computer, an external hard drive, a thumb drive containing malware and two Chinese passports, the complaint said. Senate Democrats wrote the FBI on Wednesday demanding an investigation into security at Mar-a-Lago, The Washington Post reported. An FBI spokeswoman would not confirm whether an inquiry was under way. Campbell said it would be logical for the FBI to be involved in any investigation carried out by the Secret Service, which is responsible for safeguarding the president and his residences, given the counter-intelligence implications of a foreign national carrying malware into Mar-a-Lago. The FBI will want to do a full scope [investigation] on Zhang herself everything about her, said Campbell, now an anti-bribery and corruption investigator at Navigant. Where did she come from, how long has she been in the United States, who are her associates? Additional reporting by Robert Delaney More from South China Morning Post: This article Chinese firm offering to sell access to Donald Trump comes into spotlight after arrest in Mar-a-Lago breach first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2019. The man accused of shooting dead 50 Muslim worshippers in a Christchurch mosque sat impassively Friday as a New Zealand judge ordered him to undergo tests to determine if he is mentally fit to stand trial for murder. Survivors and relatives of those killed in the March 15 attacks packed into a Christchurch courtroom as alleged gunman Brenton Tarrant appeared via audio-visual link from a maximum-security prison in Auckland. The 28-year-old Australian faces 50 murder and 39 attempted murder charges over the shootings at two mosques, which shocked the world and rattled normally peaceful New Zealand. High Court judge Cameron Mander ruled during the brief hearing that Tarrant would be examined by two health assessors to determine "whether he is fit to stand trial or insane". The suspect -- a self-avowed white supremacist -- sat motionless throughout the hearing, listening intently to proceedings. He was not required to enter a plea and was remanded in custody until his next court appearance on June 14. About 50 people were in the court's public gallery to catch a glimpse of the man charged with the deadliest massacre in modern New Zealand history. While the public gallery could see Tarrant on screen, the position of the camera in court ensured his view from prison was restricted to the judge and lawyers. For most, Tarrant's appearance on screen was the first chance to see the face of the man accused of gunning down their loved ones in cold blood. Yama Nabi, whose 71-year-old father was killed, went to bear witness on behalf of his "heartbroken" family. "I just wanted to see his face... it's not going to bring the loved ones back. I was like (he's a) coward," he told reporters outside the court. - 'Didn't see emotion - Survivor Tofazzal Alam lay down in the Linwood mosque to avoid being shot during the attack and never saw the gunman up close. "I wanted to see him because he killed so many of my friends. He looks crazy and it was very upsetting," he said after the hearing. "I'm very upset to see him. He killed 50 people and he doesn't look like he's bothered. I didn't see any emotion on his face." Ahead of the shooting, Tarrant posted a rambling manifesto on social media in which he identified himself by name and described himself as a white supremacist out to avenge attacks in Europe perpetrated by Muslims. The far-right French "Generation Identitaire" group -- known for its anti-immigration stunts -- said it had received two donations totalling 1,000 euros ($1,100) from Tarrant in 2017. He live-streamed himself as he opened fire in the packed Al Noor mosque during Friday prayers and then travelled across town to continue the carnage in the suburban Linwood mosque. Tarrant was initially charged with one murder count as a holding measure when he made his first court appearance a day after the killings. However, the charges were updated Friday to include the names of all 50 who were killed in the attack and 39 others who were wounded. Tarrant had sacked a court-appointed lawyer after the initial court appearance, raising fears he wanted to represent himself and attempt to use any trial as a right-wing propaganda platform. However, two Auckland lawyers, Shane Tait and Jonathan Hudson, appeared in court Friday on his behalf. Judge Mander barred media from filming or photographing proceedings and reiterated an existing ruling that Tarrant's face must be pixillated in images taken during his previous court appearance. He also ordered the names of the 39 attempted murder victims to be suppressed, saying identifying them could hinder their recovery, and ruled a summary of the prosecution's allegations would not be made public as it contained sensitive information. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has called the mosque killings a well-planned "terrorist attack" and taken immediate steps to tighten the country's gun laws. The government has also said it will review laws dealing with hate speech and called for social media giants to do more to combat online extremism. The latest update from health authorities earlier this week said 24 people remained in hospital after the attacks, four of them critical, including a four-year-old girl. MANILA, Philippines The National Food Authority (NFA) has increased its procurement of local farmers yield in the first quarter of 2019 by 6,149% higher than last year. According to the agencys first quarter report, the NFA has procured a total of 1.26 million sacks of palay from local farmers, from January to March. This is way higher from the mere 20,540 bags procured in the same period last year. NFA Officer-in-Charge Tomas Escarez noted that the agency was able to offer a much more reasonable deal with the local farmers. We are not surprised though because March is the start of the summer crop harvest and we were able to capitalize on our higher incentives versus the low buying price of palay traders. While traders reduced their buying price to as low as P14.00/ kilogram, we on the other hand increased our buying price up to P20.70/ kg for clean and dry palay, Escarez said. Based on the NFA data, highest palay procurement as of March 31 by the NFA branches were recorded in Tarlac, Isabela, Occidental Mindoro, North Cotabato, Nueva Ecija, Sultan Kudarat, Bulacan, Bataan, Cagayan and Ilocos Norte. Meanwhile, Escarez said the agency is now preparing for more palay procurement in the next two months in view of the dry season. NFA also increased its previous target of palay procurement from 7.78 million bags to 14.46 million bags for 2019. This is in accordance with the NFAs new functions under RA 11203 or the Rice Trade Liberalization Law. NFA will continue to serve our farmers by buying their produce to ensure a reasonable return for their harvest especially now that farmers are suffering from the effects of El Nino and private traders are buying low, Escarez said. According to Agriculture Secretary Manny Pinol, the locally produced rice will be out in the market by August when the stocks of imported rice are expected to be consumed. Marje Pelayo (with reports from Rey Pelayo) The post NFA procures 1.26M sacks of palay from local farmers in Q1 appeared first on UNTV News. 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 THE Office of the Ombudsman approved Thursday, April 4, the dismissal of and filing of murder cases against a Manila police officer who killed a 23-year-old epileptic during an anti-drug operation in 2017. Malacanang, for its part, welcomed Ombudsman Samuel Martires's order against Police Officer 3 Gerry Genalope of the Manila Police District Station 7 in Tondo, saying President Rodrigo Duterte's administration would not condone any acts committed by any police officers beyond their duty. Genalope has been accused of killing a suspected drug personality identified as Djastin Lopez. Lopez was reportedly shot to death by Genalope at the Hermosa-Pilar rail tracks in Tondo on May 18, 2017. Witnesses, in their testimonies, said that Lopez even had a seizure while begging for his life. Police said firearms, ammunition, and shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) were seized from Lopez, but the alleged drug suspect's mother accused the authorities of planting evidence. In his resolution, Ombudsman Martires found Genalope guilty of grave misconduct. He ordered the cancellation of Genalope's eligibility to be a police officer, forfeiture of his retirement benefits, and perpetual disqualification from holding public office. Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said: "We welcome it as [Duterte] says his administration will not tolerate abuse on the part of police officers as there will be hell to pay." (SunStar Philippines) 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 PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte is slated to fire another government official next week, Malacanang said on Thursday, April 4. Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo, in a radio interview, did not, however, cite any reasons for the impending dismissal of the still unnamed government official. "Ia-announce niya next week. Binanggit niya rin 'yun kagabi during the meeting with some businessmen na he will be firing another official next week (He'll announce it next week. He mentioned it last night during the meeting with some businessmen that he will be firing another official next week)," Panelo said. Panelo's statement came more than a week after the President earlier revealed that he will be firing "more" government officials. Asked if only one public official will be sacked, the Palace official said: "Parang 'yun 'yung narinig ko sa kanya kagabi (That's what I've heard from him last night)." Amid his relentless crackdown on corruption in government, Duterte threatened on March 26 to fire another set of government officials. The President, however, did not give any hint about the identity of the public executives facing dismissal from service. His pronouncement came after he told officials of state water regulator Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), and private water concessionaires Manila Water and Maynilad Water Service on March 19 to "shape up or ship out" for their failure to solve the water crisis in the country. The fate of the MWSS, Manila Water, and Maynilad officials depends on their report about water shortage, which must be submitted to Duterte by April 15. (SunStar Philippines) A prison minister prays with a death-row inmate in Huntsville, Texas, in 1998. Photo: Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images Last week, the Supreme Court blocked Texas from executing a Buddhist inmate, Patrick Murphy, stating that he was entitled to have a spiritual adviser present in the execution chamber, just as a Christian inmate would be permitted to have a priest at his or her side. The decision came a little over a month after the Court ruled in a nearly identical case against a Muslim death-row inmate in Alabama, Domineque Ray, who requested his imam be present at the time of his execution. The difference in the two cases was Judge Brett Kavanaugh, who sided with the liberal justices on the Texas proceeding. In a separate opinion agreeing with the Courts decision, Kavanaugh determined that the Texas Department of Criminal Justice must go all or nothing: either expand the program so that all inmates may have a religious adviser at their side during executions, or no one is afforded the option. We are pleased the Supreme Court acknowledged both that Mr. Murphy, as a Buddhist, is entitled to be accompanied in the execution chamber during the execution by a minister of his own faith, just as a Christian would be, Murphys attorney wrote in a statement. Murphy enjoyed that theoretical entitlement for five days, until Texas decided it would cut the pastor program entirely. On Tuesday, the state signed new procedures saying that chaplains and ministers must observe the execution only from the adjacent witness rooms, where media and friends and family of the murder victim and prisoner are also present. A spokesperson for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice told the Texas Tribune that TDJC Chaplain(s) will continue to be available to an offender until they are transferred to the execution chamber and that prisoners can still meet with a TDCJ chaplain on the day of execution. Only Christian and Muslim clerics are employed by the state as TDCJ chaplains. Since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976, Texas has executed 560 inmates more than five times as many prisoners as any other state. In 2019, the state intends to execute five inmates in addition to Patrick Murphy, who was one of a group of seven who escaped from prison in 2000 and committed multiple robberies before killing a police officer outside of Dallas. There are currently 221 inmates on death row in the state. Texass decision to strip religious privileges from death-row inmates is ethically in line with a similar, if more physically distressing decision made by the Supreme Court earlier this week. On Monday, in a case in which a death-row inmate in Missouri would face excruciating pain during lethal injection due to a medical condition, the Court ruled 5-4 that the inmate, Russell Bucklew, was not entitled to an alternative method of execution. Writing for the majority, Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote that the Eighth Amendment, which bars cruel and unusual punishments, does not guarantee a prisoner a painless death. 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 THE Presidential Security Group (PSG) is doing a "good job" to ensure that President Rodrigo Duterte is free from harm, Malacanang said on Thursday, April 4. Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo made the guarantee, as the President had divulged that there was an assassination plot against him. Panelo said the supposed plan to kill Duterte was nothing new since it is public knowledge that the Chief Executive has made "many powerful enemies" for initiating reforms for the country's betterment under his leadership. "There has always been threats against national leaders, and all the more so against this President who has made enemies in all fronts when he declared a war against drugs, criminality, corruption and all forms of illegality," the Palace official said in a statement. "Whether the threats are real or imagined, we take them seriously and the Palace commends the PSG for doing a good job," he added. On Tuesday, April 2, Duterte spoke before his audience in Malabon City behind bullet-proof glass during the campaign sortie of his ruling party, as he alluded that someone wanted him dead. The PSG explained on Wednesday, April 3, that they had to place a bullet-proof glass in front of Duterte's podium because the campaign rally of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan was situated in an "open area." PSG commander Brigadeir General Jose Eriel Niembra said all "multi-faceted threats are usual considerations," especially since his security team's mandate is to protect Duterte. "With or without outstanding threat, it is but imperative for PSG to implement the highest security protocols," Niembra said. "In every engagement, assessment of the venue is conducted in order to determine the type of security measures needed to be enforced," he added. Panelo said that while Duterte was merely brushing aside the threats to his life, the Chief Executive needs to abide the security protocols implemented by the PSG. Story continues He stressed that the PSG's role is to provide the "highest level of security protocols," which include "putting up a bulletproof glass panel if it deems necessary at a given situation, to keep the man holding the most powerful position in the country safe." "There is also no denying that President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is a man of the masses and has made himself accessible to the public, and will do so at every opportunity. The man could not care less about these threats," Panelo said. "[Duterte] is, however, bound by security protocols and, whether he likes it or not, these protocols are mandatorily attached to the position he holds," he added. Panelo said the Palace was elated that Filipinos understand the situation of the President. "We also thank the overwhelming majority of Filipinos who understand the complexities involved in protecting the President's welfare and show genuine concern on the security of [Duterte]," he said. (SunStar Philippines) With consideration for the amount of time, money and resources needed to develop sustainable mobility to help combat rising emissions and continuing to utilize currently available technology, Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) announced two measures related to its patents and technical knowledge to further promote the widespread use of electrified vehicles. First, Toyota announced that it will grant royalty-free licenses on nearly 24,000 patents it holds (including some pending applications) for vehicle electrification-related technologies. Second, Toyota will provide fee-based technical support to other manufacturers developing and selling electrified vehicles when they use Toyotas motors, batteries, PCUs, control ECUs, and other vehicle electrification system technologies as part of their powertrain systems. Ultimately, by granting royalty-free patents and providing technical support on its vehicle electrification systems, Toyota aims to help further promote the widespread use of electrified vehicles, and in so doing, help governments, automakers, and society at large accomplish goals related to climate change. Based on the high volume of inquiries we receive about our vehicle electrification systems from companies that recognize a need to popularize hybrid and other electrified vehicle technologies, we believe that now is the time for cooperation, said Shigeki Terashi, member of the Board and executive vice president of Toyota Motor Corporation. If the number of electrified vehicles accelerates significantly in the next 10 years, they will become standard, and we hope to play a role in supporting that process. The royalty-free patents are advanced technologies found in electrified vehicles, particularly those used in hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) that have helped Toyota realize enhanced performance, reduced size, and cost reductions. More specifically, the patents included are for parts and systems, such as electric motors, power control units (PCUs), and system controls. These are core technologies that can be applied to the development of various types of electrified vehicles including HEVs, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV), and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV). Together, Toyota will offer approximately 23,740 patents awarded over more than 20 years of electrified vehicle technology development. The grant period will start immediately and last through the end of 2030. Contracts for the grants may be issued by contacting Toyota and discussing specific licensing terms and conditions. Story continues Toyota has already been offering 5,680 patents related to its fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV) since January 2015. Now, Toyota is adding approximately 2,590 patents related to electric motors, 2,020 patents related to PCUs, 7,550 patents related to system controls, 1,320 engine transaxle patents, 2,200 charger patents, and 2,380 fuel cell patents (bringing the total of fuel cell related patents to 8,060). As for the fee-based technical support Toyota will offer, specifics include providing overviews of vehicle electrification systems, control guides, and detailed explanations of tuning guides for vehicles that will utilize its systems. The guidance that Toyota will provide, for example, includes helping other automakers to achieve high-level product performance in terms of fuel efficiency, output, and quietness fit for the vehicles they are working to develop. The services will be contract-based. More details will be provided to interested parties. By offering both royalty-free patents and technical support for electrified vehicles, Toyota sees an opportunity to encourage the development and market introduction of electrified vehicles around the world, something it has long considered a top-priority management issue based on its strong belief that environmentally-conscious vehicles will contribute to the fight against climate change only if they come into widespread use through reductions in CO2 emissions. In 2015, Toyota identified targets to reduce its own emissions and established the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050, a set of long-term action targets for sustainability, aiming to reduce CO2 emissions from its vehicles and plants, and in 2017, Toyota announced a sales plan for the proliferation of electrified vehicles covering the period through the end of 2030. The post Toyota Promotes Global Vehicle Electrification by Providing Nearly 24,000 Licenses Royalty-Free appeared first on Carmudi Philippines. The US is prepared to pump dollars into Venezuela to fortify its economy if President Nicolas Maduro leaves, the top White House economic advisor said Wednesday, as American senators introduced legislation to authorize $400 million in humanitarian aid. Larry Kudlow told reporters that Washington is already working with banks and the International Monetary Fund on a rebuilding plan to revitalize the country's crushed economy and said that, when the time comes, "we will be moving as fast as we can." "We call it Day Two," he said at a briefing arranged by The Christian Science Monitor newspaper. "It would be a rescue plan, it would be a restructuring plan, it would be a plan to put cash into the country." Venezuela's oil economy has crumbled under a collapse of crude exports and international sanctions against Maduro, whom Washington and its allies view as illegitimate. The United States has been pressuring for Maduro to step down or be overthrown, but he has clung to power with the support of Venezuela's military. "The timeline is to get rid of Maduro. I have no idea when that is going to be," said Kudlow. Once Maduro leaves, economic assistance would be immediate, beginning with pushing the US currency in to reignite economic activity, moving it via "banks, iPhones, apps," said Kudlow, who is director of the National Economic Council. "The cash will not be bolivares, it will be dollars, at least at the beginning," he said. "There is no demand for bolivares. Dollars are the answer." - More aid for Venezuela - On Capitol Hill, a bipartisan group of US senators introduced legislation to authorize $400 million in humanitarian aid to Venezuela. The funds are part of a package of measures aimed at re-establishing democracy and supporting opposition leader Juan Guaido. Since 2017, Washington has allocated more than $195 million for humanitarian aid for Latin American nations that are taking in Venezuelan migrants and refugees. In January, the US Agency for International Development said that it could kick in an additional $20 million. The bipartisan senate initiative, known as the "Venezuela Emergency Relief, Democracy Assistance, and Development Act" -- acronym VERDAD, or truth in Spanish -- was proposed by New Jersey Democrat Bob Menendez and Florida Republican Marco Rubio. More than 50 countries including the United States support Guaido, the head of the opposition-controlled National Assembly legislature, as Venezuela's interim president. Russia and China back Maduro. Malnutrition and disease are on the rise as living conditions plummet in Venezuela, which is spiraling ever deeper into economic chaos during the protracted political crisis. Journalists in Harare said police fired tear gas at their office and blocked the door so they could not leave on April 4. Local reports said the incident occurred after members of the news organization 263Chat recorded police chasing street vendors. In a live-streamed video posted by 263Chat, a man tells the camera that he was taking photos when police in plain clothing chased him into the office building and sprayed tear gas. They also took his press pass and a mobile phone, he said. 263Chat also posted images that it said showed injuries sustained by a reporter on the premises. This footage shows an office room filed with smoke. A man is seen covering his mouth and running from the smoke, while several people are seen on a balcony beside the office. Credit: 263Chat via Storyful Aurora Group Management Co.Ltd and Global Exhibition Management Co.,Ltd, associated with Phuket Boat Lagoon Co.,Ltd have organized the What The Fun Festival 1st event during 5th & 6th April, 2019 from 5 to 11PM at the Marina Boardwalk of Phuket Boat Lagoon, Koh Kaew, Muang Phuket. The main Concept of Grab a Glass and Stroll Through This Yacht Marina. In the event you can enjoy the Taste and varieties of food and drinks from Phuket Celebrity restaurants, Shopping or buy Phuket activities voucher for the promotions prices!, Kids performance and Kids Fashion Shows in Peranakan style, Live Jazz Band, MauyThai Show, DJs Battle. Pop into boardwalk of Yacht Marina to enjoy your evening, there will be special door prizes given out at the event. Special from Phuket Boat Lagoon, the 1st 100 arrival guest can get a Free Drink coupon, first come first serve, both days. The honor guests of the event Mr. Boon Yongsakul, the Vice President of Phuket Boat Lagoon Co.,Ltd, is giving the Welcoming Speech to all visitors, Miss Natchanok Sucharitkul, M.D. of Anda Focus Advertising and the Director of Public Relations of the Business & Professional Womens Association of Thailand Phuket congratulates to the Venue Host and the Organizer, , Director of Tourism Authority of Thailand, Phuket office Mrs. Kanokkrittika Kritwutthikorn giving the Opening Speech of the event and the brunch of flower to the Event Management Team. What The Fun Festival has been scheduled by monthly, during high season of the year 2019 the dates are : 3rd & 4th May, 7th & 8th June, 8th & 9th November and 3rd & 4th December, 2019.(please note for the possibility of the date can be change without notice) Thank you to the great support from CHANG, Coke Haadthip, and media partner : Thini Phuket, Anda Focus News, Phuketindex.com Magazine, Phuket Record, The Guide Phuket, Phuket Andaman News, Phuketify.com For those who shall need any further information, please contact Chompoo 089-877-9823 email : tarint25@gmail.com or Ann 081-868-7676 email : phuketann@gmail.com (a) Phonon (wavy lines) absorption and (b) stimulated emission of so called longitudinal optical (LO) phonons schematically explained in the conduction band structure (black parabola: electron energy vs. its momentum) of the semiconductor gallium arsenide (GaAs). (a) The blue circles of different size represent a thermal electron distribution at room temperature. A phonon is absorbed (removed) by lifting an electron from a state with a higher occupation probability to one with a lower. (b) A strong THz field (green double arrow) shifts the electron distribution to an inversion situation. Now, stimulated emission of a phonon increases the number of phonons by the inverse electron transition. (c) Sketch of the sample architecture covered by an array of metallic dogbone resonators (orange). The latter enhance electric fields (along the dashed lines) close to the electrically charged arms of the resonators. (d) Measured amplitude (area under peaks) of coherent phonons as a function of time showing a 10-fold increase within a period of 1.5 picoseconds. Credit: MBI Berlin In analogy to the amplification of light in a laser, vibrations of a semiconductor crystal, so-called phonons, were enhanced by interaction with an electron current. Excitation of a metal-semiconductor nanostructure by intense terahertz (THz) pulses results in a 10-fold amplification of longitudinal optical (LO) phonons at a frequency of 9 THz. Coupling such lattice motions to propagating sound waves holds potential for ultrasound imaging with a sub-nanometer spatial resolution. The fundamental principle of laser light can be adopted for phonons via the vibrational quantum in a crystal. Phonons can be absorbed or emitted by electrons in the crystal lattice. A net amplification of phonons requires that their number emitted per second via stimulated emission is larger than that absorbed per second. In other words, there must be more electrons emitting than absorbing a phonon. This condition is illustrated schematically in Fig. 1, in which the electron energy is plotted as a function of the electron momentum k, following roughly a parabolic dependence. For a thermal equilibrium distribution of electrons at room temperature [sketched by filled blue circles of different size in Fig. 1(a)], electron states at higher energies have a smaller population than those at lower energies, resulting in a net phonon absorption. Stimulated emission of a phonon can only prevail if a so-called population inversion exists between two electronic states separated by both the energy and the momentum of the corresponding phonon in the crystal [Fig. 1(b)]. For optical phonons, this condition is very difficult to fulfill because of their comparatively high energy. Researchers from the Max-Born-Institute in Berlin, Germany, the Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico, and the State University of New York at Buffalo, New York, have now demonstrated the amplification of optical phonons in a specially designed metal-semiconductor nanostructure [Fig. 1(c)]. The system consists of a metallic dog-bone antenna on top of a layered semiconductor structure consisting of GaAs and AlAs. This structure is irradiated with an ultrashort pulse at THz frequencies. On the one hand, the THz pulse excites longitudinal optical (LO) phonons; on the other hand, it drives an electron current in the thick GaAs layer. The LO phonons oscillating with a frequency of 9 THz (9 000 000 000 000 Hertz, about 450 million times the highest frequency humans can hear) are amplified by interaction with the electrons. The strength or amplitude of the phonon oscillations is monitored via the concomitant change of the refractive index of the sample. The latter is measured with the help of a second ultrashort pulse at higher frequency. In Fig. 1(d), the time evolution of the phonon excitation is shown. During the peaks of the curve, there is a net phonon amplification with the yellow area under the peaks being a measure of the phonon oscillation amplitude. The movie attached shows the spatiotemporal evolution of the coherent phonon amplitude which displays both periods of phonon attenuation [situation Fig. 1(a)] and phonon amplification [situation Fig. 1(b)] depending on the phase of the THz pulse. Left: Amplitude of GaAs optical phonons at the interface between the thin AlAs layer and the thick GaAs layer [Fig. 1(c)]. Red curve: LO phonon oscillations with a THz-driven electronic current in the thick GaAs layer. Blue curve: phonon oscillations without the amplifying mechanism. Right: Spatiotemporal evolution [cf. moving circles in the left panel] of the LO phonon amplitude as a function of the penetration depth from the AlAs/GaAs interface into the thick GaAs layer [Fig. 1(c)]. The movie clearly shows alternating periods of phonon attenuation [situation Fig. 1(a)] and phonon amplification [situation Fig. 1(b)] depending on the phase of the driving THz pulse. Credit: Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V. (FVB) The present work is a proof of principle. For a usable source of high-frequency sound waves, it is necessary to further increase the amplification. Once such a source is available, it can be used for extending the range of sonography towards the length scale of individual biological cells. While the non-propagating optical phonons cannot be directly used for imaging, one can transform them into acoustic phonons with the same frequency in another material and apply the latter for sonographic imaging. Explore further Terahertz laser pulses amplify optical phonons in solids More information: Michael Woerner et al, Terahertz Driven Amplification of Coherent Optical Phonons in GaAs Coupled to a Metasurface, Physical Review Letters (2019). Journal information: Physical Review Letters Michael Woerner et al, Terahertz Driven Amplification of Coherent Optical Phonons in GaAs Coupled to a Metasurface,(2019). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.122.107402 This illustration shows an artistic reconstruction of two individuals of Peregocetus, one standing along the rocky shore of nowadays Peru and the other preying upon sparid fish. The presence of a tail fluke remains hypothetical. Credit: A. Gennari Cetaceans, the group including whales and dolphins, originated in south Asia more than 50 million years ago from a small, four-legged, hoofed ancestor. Now, researchers reporting the discovery of an ancient four-legged whalefound in 42.6-million-year-old marine sediments along the coast of Peruhave new insight into whales' evolution and their dispersal to other parts of the world. The findings are reported in the journal Current Biology on April 4. The presence of small hooves at the tip of the whale's fingers and toes and its hip and limbs morphology all suggest that this whale could walk on land, according to the researchers. On the other hand, they say, anatomical features of the tail and feet, including long, likely webbed appendages, similar to an otter, indicate that it was a good swimmer too. "This is the first indisputable record of a quadrupedal whale skeleton for the whole Pacific Ocean, probably the oldest for the Americas, and the most complete outside India and Pakistan," says Olivier Lambert of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences. Some years ago, study co-author Mario Urbina of Museo de Historia Natural-UNMSM, Peru, discovered a promising area for digging fossils in the coastal desert of southern Peru, named Playa Media Luna. In 2011, an international team, including members from Peru, France, Italy, the Netherlands, and Belgium, organized a field expedition, during which they excavated the remains of an ancient whale they've since named Peregocetus pacificus. It means "the traveling whale that reached the Pacific." The bones of Peregocetus, including the mandible with teeth, scapula, vertebrae, sternum elements, pelvis, and fore- and hind limbs. Credit: G. Bianucci "When digging around the outcropping bones, we quickly realized that this was the skeleton of a quadrupedal whale, with both forelimbs and hind limbs," Lambert says. With the help of microfossils, the sediment layers where the skeleton was positioned were precisely dated to the middle Eocene, 42.6 million years ago. Anatomical details of the skeleton allowed them to infer that the animal was capable of maneuvering its large body (up to 4 meters long, tail included), both on land and in the water. For instance, features of the caudal vertebrae (in the tail) are reminiscent of those of beavers and otters, suggesting a significant contribution of the tail during swimming. This video abstract shows the finding of the first indisputable quadrupedal whale from the Pacific Ocean. Credit: Lambert et al./Current Biology The geological age of the new four-limbed whale and its presence along the western coast of South America strongly support the hypothesis that early cetaceans reached the New World across the South Atlantic, from the western coast of Africa to South America, the researchers report. The whales would have been assisted in their travel by westward surface currents and by the fact that, at the time, the distance between the two continents was half what it is today. The researchers suggest that, only after having reached South America, the amphibious whales migrated northward, finally reaching North America. The international team continues to study the remains of other whales and dolphins from Peru. "We will keep searching in localities with layers as ancient, and even more ancient, than the ones of Playa Media Luna, so older amphibious cetaceans may be discovered in the future," Lambert says. Explore further New postcranial skeleton of ancient dolphin Albertocetus meffordum found in South Carolina More information: Current Biology, Lambert et al.: "An amphibious whale from the middle Eocene of Peru reveals early South Pacific dispersal of quadrupedal cetaceans" DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.02.050 Journal information: Current Biology , Lambert et al.: "An amphibious whale from the middle Eocene of Peru reveals early South Pacific dispersal of quadrupedal cetaceans" www.cell.com/current-biology/f 0960-9822(19)30220-9 Australia's Attorney-General Christian Porter, left, and Minister for Communications Mitch Fifield hold a press conference at Parliament House, in Canberra, Wednesday, April 4, 2019. Australia's Parliament passed legislation that could imprison social media executives if their platforms stream violent images such as the New Zealand mosque shootings. (Mick Tsikas/AAP Image via AP) Australia's Parliament passed legislation on Thursday that could imprison social media executives if their platforms stream real violence such as the New Zealand mosque shootings. Critics warn that some of the most restrictive laws about online communication in the democratic world could have unforeseen consequences, including media censorship and reduced investment in Australia. The conservative government introduced the bills in response to the March 15 attacks in Christchurch in which an Australian white supremacist apparently used a helmet-mounted camera to broadcast live on Facebook as he shot worshippers in the two mosques. Australia's government rushed the legislation through the last two days that Parliament sits before elections are expected in May, dispensing with the usual procedure of a committee scrutinizing its content first. "Together we must act to ensure that perpetrators and their accomplices cannot leverage online platforms for the purpose of spreading their violent and extreme propaganda these platforms should not be weaponized for evil," Attorney General Christian Porter told Parliament while introducing the bill. The opposition's spokesman on the attorney general portfolio, Mark Dreyfus, committed his center-left Labor Party to support the bill despite misgivings. If the Labor wins the election, the law would be reviewed by a parliamentary committee. The law has made it a crime for social media platforms not to remove "abhorrent violent material" quickly. The crime would be punishable by three years in prison and a fine of 10.5 million Australian dollars ($7.5 million), or 10% of the platform's annual turnover, whichever is larger. Abhorrent violent material is defined as acts of terrorism, murder, attempted murder, torture, rape and kidnapping. The material must be recorded by the perpetrator or an accomplice for the law to apply. Platforms anywhere in the world would face fines of up to AU$840,000 ($597,500) if they fail to notify Australian Federal Police if they are aware their service was streaming "abhorrent violent conduct" occurring in Australia. Dreyfus described the bill as "clumsy and flawed," and the timetable to pass it as "ridiculous." Labor first saw the legislation late Monday. The bill could potentially undermine Australia's security cooperation with the United States by requiring U.S. internet providers to share content data with Australian Federal Police in breach of U.S. law, Dreyfus said. The Digital Industry Group Inc.an association representing the digital industry in Australia including Facebook, Google and Twittersaid taking down abhorrent content was a "highly complex problem" that required consultation with a range of experts which the government had not done. "This law, which was conceived and passed in five days without any meaningful consultation, does nothing to address hate speech, which was the fundamental motivation for the tragic Christchurch terrorist attacks," the group's managing director Sunita Bose said in a statement. "This creates a strict internet intermediary liability regime that is out of step with the notice-and-takedown regimes in Europe and the United States, and is therefore bad for internet users as it encourages companies to proactively surveil the vast volumes of user-generated content being uploaded at any given minute," Bose added. Arthur Moses, president of the Australian Law Council, the nation's top lawyers group, said the law could lead to media censorship and prevent whistleblowers from using social media to shine a light on atrocities because of social media companies' fear of prosecution. "Media freedom and whistleblowing of atrocities here and overseas have been put at risk by the ill-informed livestream laws passed by the Federal Parliament," Moses said. The penalties would be "bad for certainty and bad for business," which could scare off online business investment in Australia, Moses said. Australian Industry Group chief executive Innes Willox, a leading business advocate, said more time was required to ensure the law did not unnecessarily impinge on existing fundamental media rights and freedoms. Scott Farquhar, co-founder of the Sydney-based software company Atlassian, predicted job losses in the technology industry. "As of today, any person working at any company (globally) that allows users to upload videos or images could go to jail," Farquhar tweeted. "Guilty until proven innocent." Fergus Hanson, head of the International Cyber Policy Center at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, saw problems in the legislation's definitions, including how long a company had to "expeditiously" remove offense material. Facebook livestreamed the Christchurch massacre for 17 minutes without interruption before reacting. Facebook said it removed 1.5 million videos of the shootings during the first 24 hours afterward. It was filmed by Brenton Harrison Tarrant, 28, whose video and writings included anti-Muslim views and detailed how he planned the attack. Tarrant is scheduled to appear in court Friday and will face 50 murder and 38 attempted murder charges, according to New Zealand police. Executives of Facebook, Google, Twitter, internet service providers and Australian phone companies met Prime Minister Scott Morrison and three ministers last week to discuss social media regulation. Communications Minister Mitch Fifield said Facebook "did not present any immediate solutions to the issues arising out of the horror that occurred in Christchurch." Facebook did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday. CEO Mark Zuckerberg used an op-ed in The Washington Post last week to invite a more active role by governments and regulators to deal the harmful online content. "The rules governing the internet allowed a generation of entrepreneurs to build services that changed the world and created a lot of value in people's lives," Zuckerberg wrote. "It's time to update these rules to define clear responsibilities for people, companies and governments going forward." Morrison wants to take the Australian law to a Group of 20 countries forum as a model for holding social media companies to account. New Zealand's Justice Minister Andrew Little said his government had also made a commitment to review the role of social media and the obligations of the companies that provide the platforms. He said he had asked officials to look at the effectiveness of current hate speech laws and whether there were gaps that need to be filled. Little said he didn't see any irony in that people were watching hearings into a bill that would place new restrictions on guns in real time on Facebook, the same platform the shooter used to broadcast the massacre. "There's a world of difference, I think, between the exercise of a democratic function and a democratic institution like a national parliament, and some of the more toxic stuff that you see put out by individuals," he said. Explore further New Australian laws could see social media execs jailed over terror images 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. Bayer confirmed "a significative hacking attempt" had taken place but said no data leaks had been found German chemicals giant Bayer confirmed Thursday reports it had suffered a hacking attack, but insisted that so far no data appeared to have been stolen. The Leverkusen-based group "detected indications of (hacker group) Winnti infections at the beginning of 2018," a spokesman told AFP, confirming reports by German public broadcasters BR and NDR. "There is no evidence of data outflow," he added. Hackers from the so-called Winnti group, believed to be linked to the Chinese state, were first spotted using malicious software to spy on Bayer's activities in early 2018 and were present in company networks until late last month, the media reports said. Bayer said that "in close collaboration with" private cyber security organisation DCSO and police in North Rhine-Westphalia state it had "identified, analysed and cleaned up the affected systems." The two public broadcasters reported that state police had declined to comment on the investigation for "tactical reasons". For its part, Bayer said that Cologne state prosecutors were looking into the case. Gerhard Schindler, former head of Germany's BND foreign intelligence service, told BR that while it was extremely difficult to attribute hacking attacks to any state, spying on German firms was "in line with China's ambitious economic goals". Andreas Rohr of the DCSOset up by German companies as a joint cyber defence centresaid that given the targets so far chosen by Winnti, "we can assume that there is a very targeted tasking by the Chinese state," although definite proof was impossible. Winnti attacks have been discovered at three smaller German firms since the beginning of 2019, BR and NDR reported. And in 2016, the group's software was discovered in systems at industrial conglomerate Thyssenkrupp. Explore further Bayer victim of a cyber-attack: German media 2019 AFP Bayer confirmed "a significative hacking attempt" had taken place but said no data leaks had been found German chemicals giant Bayer was the victim of a cyber-attack for more than a year but there has been no evidence of data leaks so far, German media reported Thursday. A group of hackers known as "Winnti" gained access to Bayer's network in early 2018 by using malware to spy on the company until the end of March, radio stations Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR) and Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR) said. "Signs of infection by Winnti were detected at the start of 2018 and important analysis was carried out," they said. Bayer confirmed "a significative hacking attempt" had taken place but said no data leaks had been found. The company said that it could not comment further on the incident while official investigations were ongoing. The former head of Germany's BND foreign intelligence service, Gerhard Schindler, told the radio stations it was very difficult to determine the hackers' location. According to BR and NDR, Winnti's malware has also been detected at three other, smaller companies in Germany this year, as well as industrial giant Thyssenkrupp in 2016. Explore further Bayer announces settlement to resolve Xarelto litigation 2019 AFP Jeremy Corbyn and Theresa May are trying to come up with a last-minute breakthrough. Photo: Karwai Tang/WireImage If the U.K. government and Parliament dont agree on a workable plan for Brexit by next Friday, their country is on track to crash out of the European Union with no deal. If there is one thing Prime Minister Theresa May and most (but not all!) members of Parliament can agree on, its that a no-deal Brexit would be materially disastrous for Britain and fatal to their own political fortunes as well. Nonetheless, despite an escalating series of desperate moves this week, they are still distressingly far from a final deal. On Monday, Parliament narrowly rejected several potential alternatives to the thrice-rejected Brexit deal May negotiated with the E.U. (If this sounds familiar, thats because its almost an exact repeat of the strategy they tried last week.) All four indicative votes failed, but two soft Brexit motions came within striking distance of a majority. The first, tabled by Conservative whip Nick Boles, would have the U.K. enter a permanent customs union with the E.U. The other, dubbed Common Market 2.0, is a Norwegian-style arrangement that would entail joining the European Free Trade Association and European Economic Area. Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn had encouraged his partys MPs to vote for both options, which most did, but ten Labour MPs voted against the customs union and 25 rejected the common market proposal more than enough to flip the outcomes. The deep internal divisions Brexit has uncovered in both major parties were instrumental in ensuring that there was no majority for any option. While Labour is riven between MPs advocating a soft Brexit and those holding out for no Brexit at all, the Tories are split into several factions, with some willing to back Mays deal, others seeking a softer Brexit, and the right flank demanding a hard Brexit, even if that means crashing out with no deal. Boles reacted to the defeat of his motion on Monday by resigning from the Conservative Party entirely, lashing out at its refusal to compromise. On Tuesday, May convened her cabinet for a seven-hour come-to-Jesus meeting in which nobody seemed willing to come to Jesus. The prime minister emerged from the meeting with an announcement that she would seek another Brextension from the E.U. (the original deadline was March 29) and would sit down with Corbyn to try and find a compromise. For May, this represented a major step down from her previous insistence that no deal was better than a bad deal, indicating that she was now willing to accept a softer Brexit plan that a large faction of her own party would reject. This olive branch to the opposition did not go over well among the Tories: Two ministers quit the government in protest on Wednesday, including Brexit minister Chris Heaton-Harris, who claimed in his resignation letter that the country was better prepared for a crash-out than May realized and that the country should have departed the E.U. last Friday as planned. May has now faced more resignations, and at a faster pace, than any of the last five prime ministers who preceded her, and the bloodletting may not be over: She could ultimately lose 15 ministers, including five cabinet ministers, over this outrage. Just as the Tory Brexiteer rebels are nipping at Mays heels, Corbyn himself is now facing pressure from his party to push for a second referendum: Shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry told her colleagues she would insist that any cross-party pact be put to a public vote, with the option to cancel Brexit and remain in the E.U. on the ballot. The Scottish National Party is also increasingly firm in its demands for a second referendum. On the other hand, one of Mays Northern Irish allies, the Democratic Unionist Party, hinted that his party could hold their nose and vote for a customs union as a temporary staging post toward the U.K. being able to make its own trade deals again (although just how the U.K. gets from point A to point B in that scenario remains a mystery). The prime minister and Corbyn did not come to any conclusions in Wednesdays discussions but described them as constructive. Mays hope is that she and the opposition leader can either agree on a compromise solution, or at least on a binding process to conclusively determine what form of Brexit is acceptable to the House of Commons. Their talks are continuing today. Wednesday also saw further drama in Parliament, with two knife-edge votes. MPs split 210-210 the Commons first tie since 1993 on whether to hold yet another round of indicative votes next Monday. Speaker John Bercow, who is only allowed to vote to break ties, cast the deciding vote against the motion, arguing that it would be improper for him to create a majority which does not otherwise exist. At the end of the day, by just one vote, the lower house passed hastily prepared legislation reaffirming their commitment to avoiding no-deal and requiring May to request a further delay from Brussels, with Parliament getting a say in the details of that extension. Any further delay would require the unanimous consent of the 27 other member states of the E.U., which is not a given. The two-week extension they granted last month was controversial, and far short of the three months May had asked for. European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said on Wednesday that the bloc would not grant any more short-term extensions without a final deal in hand by the April 12 deadline. The U.K. is looking at asking for a longer delay, perhaps nine months, but with the option of bringing it to a close as soon as Parliament approves a plan. This could require the U.K. to participate in the impending election of a new European Parliament in late May, which the E.U. has been keen to avoid. Given how thin E.U. leaders patience has been stretched, there is a very real chance that the Mays request will be rebuffed at next Wednesdays emergency European Council meeting. Even the E.U. officials who have been most willing to cut the U.K. a break are anticipating a crash-out next week. The E.U.s Brexit coordinator Guy Verhofstadt tweeted after Mondays vote that a hard Brexit was now nearly inevitable. The blocs chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier called the no-deal scenario very likely, as did Juncker in his statement yesterday. Meanwhile, Bank of England governor Mark Carney said the risk of a disorderly Brexit was now alarmingly high. Deutsche Bank announced on Monday that it had raised its estimate for the probability of a no-deal Brexit from 20 to 25 percent and was shorting the pound. Many businesses have already prepared for the worst, meaning the toll of Brexit on the British economy is already partly locked in, no matter what happens now. To get a sense of how bad a no-deal Brexit would be, look at the letter leaked to the Daily Mail on Monday in which Cabinet Secretary Mark Sedwill warned senior ministers of a 10 percent increase in food prices, a recession worse than the one in 2008, the weakening of public order and national security, and the need to reintroduce direct rule in Northern Ireland for the first time since 2007. Its not hard to see why May is willing to sacrifice whats left of her political career to avoid this; really, the only question is what on earth took her so long. A fundamental obstacle to U.K. legislators passing a Brexit deal is and has always been that most MPs really never supported Brexit in the first place. Even most Conservative MPs, including May herself and most of her cabinet, were Remainers (and remain so), even as they pretend otherwise to pander to their pro-Leave constituents. Nearly three years after stumbling into a popular mandate for a choice most MPs know to be bad, they cant bring themselves to comply with it. Parliament has now voted three times against a no-deal Brexit, but MPs have no control over the decisions of European heads of state, much less the inexorable forward march of time. Absent an acceptable deal with majority support (or a politically calamitous decision to revoke Article 50), the U.K. leaves the E.U. next Friday, ready or not any delay just kicks that can a little farther down the road. Thats why the hard Brexiteers look most likely to get what they want right now: Everyone else has to get their preferred solution through Parliament and then past the E.U., but all they have to do is wait. Engineers inspect the Helios 2 spacecraft. Credit: NASA When Simone Di Matteo first saw the patterns in his data, it seemed too good to be true. "It's too perfect!" Di Matteo, a space physics Ph.D. student at the University of L'Aquila in Italy, recalled thinking. "It can't be real." And it wasn't, he'd soon find out. Di Matteo was looking for long trains of massive blobslike a lava lamp's otherworldly bubbles, but anywhere from 50 to 500 times the size of Earthin the solar wind. The solar wind, whose origins aren't yet fully understood, is the stream of charged particles that blows constantly from the Sun. Earth's magnetic field, called the magnetosphere, shields our planet from the brunt of its radiation. But when giant blobs of solar wind collide with the magnetosphere, they can trigger disturbances there that interfere with satellites and everyday communications signals. In his search, Di Matteo was re-examining archival data from the two German-NASA Helios spacecraft, which launched in 1974 and 1976 to study the Sun. But this was 45-year-old data he'd never worked with before. The flawless, wave-like patterns he initially found hinted that something was leading him astray. It wasn't until uncovering and removing those false patterns that Di Matteo found exactly what he was looking for: dotted trails of blobs that oozed from the Sun every 90 minutes or so. The scientists published their findings in JGR Space Physics on Feb. 21, 2019. They think the blobs could shed light on the solar wind's beginnings. Whatever process sends the solar wind out from the Sun must leave signatures on the blobs themselves. Making Way for New Science Di Matteo's research was the start of a project NASA scientists undertook in anticipation of the first data from NASA's Parker Solar Probe mission, which launched in 2018. Over the next seven years, Parker will fly through unexplored territory, soaring as close as 4 million miles from the Sun. Before Parker, the Helios 2 satellite held the record for the closest approach to the Sun at 27 million miles, and scientists thought it might give them an idea of what to expect. "When a mission like Parker is going to see things no one has seen before, just a hint of what could be observed is really helpful," Di Matteo said. The problem with studying the solar wind from Earth is distance. In the time it takes the solar wind to race across the 93 million miles between us and the Sun, important clues to the wind's originslike temperature and densityfade. "You're constantly asking yourself, 'How much of what I'm seeing here is because of evolution over four days in transit, and how much came straight from the Sun?'" said solar scientist Nicholeen Viall, who advised Di Matteo during his research at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Helios datasome of which was collected at just one-third the distance between the Sun and Earthcould help them begin to answer these questions. Modeling Blobs The first step was tracing Helios' measurements of the blobs to their source on the Sun. "You can look at spacecraft data all you want, but if you can connect it back to where it came from on the Sun, it tells a more complete story," said Samantha Wallace, one of the study collaborators and a physics Ph.D. student at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. Wallace used an advanced solar wind model to link magnetic maps of the solar surface to Helios' observations, a tricky task since computer languages and data conventions have changed greatly since Helios' days. Now, the researchers could see what sorts of regions on the Sun were likely to bud into blobs of solar wind. In the days before Parker Solar Probe, the record-breaking spacecraft for speed and closest approach to the sun were the two Helios probes, launched in the mid-1970s. This visualization shows the orbits of Helios 1 and Helios 2, from an oblique view above the ecliptic plane. Credit: Tom Bridgman/NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio Sifting the Evidence Then, Di Matteo searched the data for specific wave patterns. They expected conditions to alternatehot and dense, then cold and tenuousas individual blobs engulfed the spacecraft and moved on, in a long line. The picture-perfect patterns Di Matteo first found worried him. "That was a red flag," Viall said. "The actual solar wind doesn't have such precise, clean periodicities. Usually when you get such a precise frequency, it means some instrument effect is going on." Maybe there was some element of the instrument design they weren't considering, and it was imparting effects that had to be separated from true solar wind patterns. Di Matteo needed more information on the Helios instruments. But most researchers who worked on the mission have long since retired. He did what anyone else would do, and turned to the internet. Many Google searches and a weekend of online translators later, Di Matteo unearthed a German instruction manual that describes the instruments dedicated to the mission's solar wind experiment. Decades ago, when Helios was merely a blueprint and before anyone ever launched a spacecraft to the Sun, scientists didn't know how best to measure the solar wind. To prepare themselves for different scenarios, Di Matteo learned, they equipped the probes with two different instruments that would each measure certain solar wind properties in their own way. This was the culprit responsible for Di Matteo's perfect waves: the spacecraft itself, as it alternated between two instruments. After they removed segments of data taken during routine instrument-switching, the researchers looked again for the blobs. This time, they found them. The team describes five instances that Helios happened to catch trains of blobs. While scientists have spotted these blobs from Earth before, this is the first time they've studied them this close to the Sun, and with this level of detail. They outline the first conclusive evidence that the blobs are hotter and denser than the typical solar wind. The Return of the Blobs Whether blob trains bubble in 90-minute intervals continuously or in spurts, and how much they vary between themselves, is still a mystery. "This is one of those studies that brought up more questions than we answered, but that's perfect for Parker Solar Probe," Viall said. Parker Solar Probe aims to study the Sun up close, seeking answers to basic questions about the solar wind. "This is going to be very helpful," said Aleida Higginson, the mission's deputy project scientist at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland. "If you want to even begin to understand things you've never seen before, you need to know what we've measured before and have a solid scientific interpretation for it." Parker Solar Probe performs its second solar flyby on April 4, which brings it 15 million miles from the Sunalready cutting Helios 2's record distance in half. The researchers are eager to see if blobs show up in Parker's observations. Eventually, the spacecraft will get so close it could catch blobs right after they've formed, fresh out of the Sun. Explore further All systems go as Parker Solar Probe begins second sun orbit More information: S. Di Matteo et al, Helios Observations of Quasiperiodic Density Structures in the Slow Solar Wind at 0.3, 0.4, and 0.6 AU, Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics (2019). S. Di Matteo et al, Helios Observations of Quasiperiodic Density Structures in the Slow Solar Wind at 0.3, 0.4, and 0.6 AU,(2019). DOI: 10.1029/2018JA026182 A top US official dampened speculation that Washington would seek to nationalize 5G wireless systems in the United States, saying the privately-led system is working well A top advisor to President Donald Trump said Thursday the United States is committed to private sector deployment of 5G wireless networks, brushing aside the notion of a nationalized system. Larry Kudlow, the top White House economic advisor, sought to quell speculation that Washington would seek to nationalize ultrafast fifth-generation networks for national security reasons in view of the dominant position of Chinese firms like Huawei, which has been banned from US government contracts. "I want to note how well we did on 4G, and we will apply the exact same free-market principles to 5G," Kudlow told a gathering of the wireless industry group CTIA. "We will continue the process of auctioning off spectrum and letting the private companies run (the networks)," he said. 5G will herald a new level of connectivity, empowered by speed. It is crucial for the future development of devices ranging from self-driving vehicles, to industrial robots, drones and other elements of the Internet of Things. Kudlow said the latest survey from CTIA showing the US leading the world in 5G deployments this year showed the merits of staying with a privately-led system. "I don't want the government to run this," Kudlow said, although "the government will be engaged. We have a national security reason to be engaged." Kudlow added that he wanted US firms to play a role in setting 5G standards to enable them to compete in the emerging technology. "We want to make sure the door is open for American companies," he said. Explore further Trump seeks gathering with Big Tech firms this months 2019 AFP Credit: CC0 Public Domain A study has shown that 'inclusive' educational policies that help working class students access higher education, such as delaying streaming children according to their ability until they are older, lowering the cost of private education, and increasing the intake of universities so that more students can attend all act to reduce the 'happiness gap' between the rich and poor. Research shows that the more educated people are, the happier they tend to be. Unfortunately it is also the case that children from privileged, wealthy backgrounds tend to do better at school and are more likely to go to university than children from poorer working class backgrounds. This means that by the time they reach adulthood, there is a big 'happiness gap' between middle class kids and their peers from disadvantaged backgrounds. However, a new study, published in the British Journal of Sociology of Education shows that this doesn't have to be the case, and that the link between social class and happiness can be moderated by educational policies that offer more opportunities to disadvantaged children. Researchers from Umea University in Sweden used the European Social Survey, a European wide survey carried out every two years since 2002, to calculate the life satisfaction and happiness of almost 15,000 people aged 18-29 years from a total of 25 countries. They then looked at the impact of four different education policies on the wellbeing of citizens. These included streaming, or tracking children according to ability at a young age; providing low cost education to all; allowing universities to increase their number of places so that more young people could attend; and giving students a second chance to go to university if they did not get the right grades. The results showed that, as expected, young people from privileged social backgrounds were more satisfied with their life than those from disadvantaged backgrounds. However the size of this disparity was affected by the types of educational policies adopted by European countries. For example in countries that delayed streaming, or tracking children according to ability until a later age, there was a negligible difference in life satisfaction between different social classes. "The age at which children were streamed had no effect on the wellbeing of middle class students, however children from impoverished backgrounds were significantly happier when streaming age was delayed," says Bjorn Hogberg from Umea University, who led the study. People from disadvantaged backgrounds were also happier in countries where the average cost of education was low, where universities increased their enrolment size, and when universities allowed second chance opportunities. The gap in happiness between social classes was largest in Hungary and Bulgaria, where children are streamed at a very young age and there are limited second chance opportunities provided for students to go to university. The UK and Germany also had significant 'happiness gaps', which in the UK was due to the very high costs of private education and the low enrollment levels of British universities. Denmark, on the other hand was one of the most equal country in terms of the happiness of its citizens. It also had the most inclusive educational policiestracking pupils at an older age, providing low cost private education, and giving children generous second chance opportunities to go to university. "Among the wealthier western European countries, those with more inclusive education systems, such as Denmark, had smaller social differences (in fact none at all, on average) than equally wealthy but less inclusive countries, such as the UK or Germany," says Hogberg. The study suggests that governments and other policymakers need to consider the wider impact of their education policies on society. "Schools have the potential to have a huge impact on children and youth and on their life chances, but a narrow focus on academic outcomes such as test results provides only an incomplete picture of the consequences of education policies," says Hogberg. "I would recommend that education policy, especially at higher levels, are designed such that the opportunity to access education, should one want to, is maximised, either through institutional measures, such as widening access for poorer students, or through financial measuressuch as lowering student fees." More information: Bjorn Hogberg, Educational policies and social inequality in well-being among young adults, British Journal of Sociology of Education (2019). Bjorn Hogberg, Educational policies and social inequality in well-being among young adults,(2019). DOI: 10.1080/01425692.2019.1576119 A US court will hear arguments Thursday on whether Tesla CEO Elon Musk should be held in contempt for violating a settlement with securities regulators Elon Musk's messy Twitter habit will get a once-over on Thursday when a federal court weighs whether the controversial Tesla chief executive should be held in contempt of court. His attorneys and the US Securities and Exchange Commission are scheduled to appear before US District Judge Alison Nathan, who will hear arguments on the agency's request to crack down on Musk for allegedly violating the terms of a settlement Nathan approved in October. Musk's removal as CEO is not seen as a very likely result of the latest fight, although a finding of contempt could make such an outcome more likely down the road, analysts said. A negative ruling could also increase investor pressure on Musk to appoint a chief operating officer to share responsibility for managing a company that has suffered from near-constant turnover. Tesla representatives did not respond to queries on whether Musk would attend the hearing, which comes as shares of the electric car marker plummeted following disappointing first-quarter deliveries. The October agreement required Musk to step down as chairman and pay $20 million to settle charges he defrauded investors with false claims on Twitter in August about a possible go-private transaction that was quickly aborted. Tesla was also fined $20 million. The settlement, which allowed Musk to remain as CEO, required the CEO and other senior officers to obtain pre-approval from Tesla counsel before making written communications "that contain, or reasonably could contain, information material to Tesla or its stockholders." 'Nobody's perfect' The hearing is the latest event in Musk's running battle with the SEC, which he derided on Twitter as the "Shortseller Enrichment Commission" on October 4, days after the SEC settlement was signed but before it was finalized in court. Musk also blasted the agency in a December "60 Minutes" interview where he acknowledged his tweets were not being reviewed. "I guess we might make some mistakes. Who knows?" Musk said. "Nobody's perfect." "I want to be clear. I do not respect the SEC," he said. "I do not respect them." Analysts note Elon Musk owns a large stake in Tesla, which would likely make him a presence in the company even if he were barred as CEO The agency took action after Musk tweeted on February 19 that Tesla would make 500,000 cars in 2019up from the 400,000 that the company had estimated until then, an apparent increase on a benchmark tied to profitability. Musk corrected himself four hours later, saying that Tesla would indeed produce about 400,000 cars this year: "Meant to say annualized production rate at end of 2019 probably around 500k." Six days later, the SEC asked Nathan to hold Musk in contempt for violating the settlement, arguing that Musk had not made "a diligent or good-faith effort" to honor the commitment to seek review for a statement that could be "material," or consequential to investors. Musk "once again published inaccurate and material information about Tesla to his over 24 million Twitter followers, including members of the press, and made this inaccurate information available to anyone with Internet access," the agency said. In response, Musk's lawyers argued that the production figures were not material and that Musk had shown "diligence" in following the order, cutting his average monthly Tesla-related tweets "nearly in half." Musk's attorneys also accused the SEC of an "unconstitutional power grab" that flouted Musk's free speech rights and "smacks of retaliation and censorship" over the executive's remarks on "60 Minutes." Legal experts described the case against Musk as solid but note that the SEC did not ask the court for a specific punishment, such as removing him as CEO. Overpromising? The hearing comes on a bruising day for Tesla shares, which plunged 8.8 percent to $266.10 after the company said it delivered 63,000 vehicles to customers in the first quarter, 31 percent less than the previous quarter and below the 76,000 units expected by analysts surveyed by FactSet. A note from JPMorgan Chase said the report was "substantially worse than expected" and that it undermined Musk's defense in the SEC matter, which holds that Musk's February 19 tweet on production numbers was not material in light of other company statements. The JPMorgan note also pointed to a "clear incongruence" between Tesla's official forecasts and Musk's statements, pointing to company's January 30 earnings report that projected 360,000 to 400,000 deliveries in 2019, a figure reaffirmed Wednesday. However, Musk in the January 30 conference call discussed Model 3 deliveries of between 350,000 and 500,000, implying much higher overall deliveries. Musk explained that the gap was due to uncertainty about the progress of a new Shanghai plant that is being built. But the JPMorgan note said the "choppiness and inconsistency" of the figures are "eroding investor confidence and potentially placing additional pressure on the shares." Explore further US judge gives Musk 2 weeks to justify controversial tweets 2019 AFP French experts point to 'considerable lack of rigour on the part of crew and the technical services of EgyptAir' An Airbus jet operated by EgyptAir that crashed over the Mediterranean almost three years ago, killing all 66 people on board, should have been grounded because of a series of technical issues on previous flights, according to a French investigation. The report, ordered by the French judiciary, stops short of drawing firm conclusions about the precise cause of the disaster but makes clear a serious of previous issues with the plane should not have been ignored. Flight MS804, which was bound from Paris's Charles de Gaulle airport to Cairo, plunged into the sea between Crete and the northern coast of Egypt after disappearing from radars. All passengers and crew on board, including 40 Egyptians and 15 French citizens, lost their lives in the crash of the A320. The Egyptian authorities rapidly suggested that the crash was due to an attack, but French officials have always preferred the theory that it was caused by a technical problem. Three Paris judges investigating the case ordered two probes to reconstruct the sequence of events that led to the crash, with results from the first handed over to magistrates in June. In the document of 76 pages, first reported by the Le Parisien newspaper and seen by AFP, the two experts complain of "the considerable lack of rigour on the part of crew and the technical services of EgyptAir" in processing the aircraft's technical documents. 'Recurring faults' The report, by a technical expert and an aeronautic expert, says there were several incidents concerning the operation of the aircraft which were not reported by the pilots and thus not followed up by maintenance teams. These faults "were not signalled when the aircraft was at its principal base in Cairo, apparently so that it would not be grounded for repairs". "The examination has shown that this aircraft should have been subject to checks during its four previous flights and should not have taken off from Cairo after a sequence of recurring faults which were not signalled by successive crews." But they stop short of drawing a conclusion on what caused the crash, saying the "study of the elements" at their disposal "does not allow to determine if the accident resulted from the different technical issues". Yet they point to suspicions that one of the faults "could have been the precursor of a major electrical failure". Investigators are not certain what exactly caused the crash 'Warnings ignored' Antoine Lachenaud, a lawyer for the family of Clement Daeschner-Cormary, a 26-year-old passenger who died, said the report showed that the crash was due to error and not chance. "When warnings are ignored in a systematic manner this results in a crash and it becomes impossible to maintain that this is due to chance," he said. "Based on this report and the investigations, there should be consequences over the responsibilities of those involved." The report says the on-the-ground technician in Paris had no reason to stop the flight from taking off, since no alert of the plane's previous problems had been given. But it does highlight eventual shortcomings in the competence and accreditation of the technician responsible for checking the plane for the return flight while it was on the ground in Paris. Cockpit fire? It also notes that the casing of the oxygen mask for the co-pilot was replaced for unknown reasons three days before the crash. "The replacement of this equipment requires careful checking, given the danger of oxygen leaks," the experts wrote. A report published last year by France's Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety (BEA) said its main hypothesis was that a fire erupted in the cockpit which rapidly got out of control. A second report requested by the French judges is expected to determine if smartphones and tablets left in the cockpit could have led to the fire. A source close to the case, who asked not to be identified, said French investigators had started to analyse a copy of one of the "black box" voice recordings from the cockpit. They received the recordings after the Egyptian security authorities ended their investigation. In December 2016, Cairo officials said traces of explosives had been found on the remains of some victims, but French authorities were sceptical, as no organisation had claimed responsibility for any attack. Explore further Black boxes: Crucial to air crash probes 2019 AFP The Audi Lunar quattro is a lunar rover designed by PTScientists in conjunction with their technical partner Audi. Credit: PTScientists European Space Agency operations specialists are helping flight planners at new European space startup PTScientists, headquartered in Berlin, pilot their way to the moon. PTScientists are planning to launch lunar landers and rovers as a regular service in the future, with an inaugural flight expected in 2020. ESA specialists providing support to PTScientists Specialists from ESA's European Space Operations Centre in Darmstadt, Germany, are providing consultancy on flight dynamics and flight operations as well as preparing for driving two lunar rovers. In recent years, ESA has worked on the Multi-Purpose End-To-End Robotic Operation Network developing expertise in operating robots and in working with the specialised networks needed to remotely operate a vehicle on a moon or planetary surface from space. Agency teams have supported live tests, including controlling a rover in Quebec, Canada, from Darmstadt, and enabling ESA astronaut Tim Peake to control a rover in the UK from the International Space Station. This ESA experience and long-time know-how in mission operations will help PTScientists reach their lunar goals. "We are supporting PTScientists in defining their mission operations concepts. All of the elements of which are important," says ESA project lead Kim Nergaard, from ESOC's Solar System and Exploration Missions Division. "To be successful, their team needs to prepare for the end-to-end operations of the lander from launch to landing on the moon and handle all aspects of near-real time surface operations, as well as fitting that into a bigger mission control environment." "Right now, we are in the early stages, mapping out what their needs will be. As it becomes clear what will be needed to achieve mission success, we aim to support them with a suite of tools to achieve that." PTScientists is a German new-space company whose aim is to bring down the cost of space exploration and democratise access to the moon. Credit: Joerg Mitter / Mission to the Moon Cooperation also fits ESA's long-term plans As well as drawing on a wealth of experience, the cooperation builds nicely into ESA's long-term plans for lunar operations. "We're happy to work with PTScientists during the definition of mission operations, and perhaps more in the future," says Andrea Accomazzo, Head of the Solar System and Exploration Missions Division at ESA. "While we help them to develop expertise, there is also a benefit to ESA in consolidating aspects of our operations concepts, so it should really be worthwhile for both sides." The first mission is planned to demonstrate technology, including a mobile-phone-style 4G communications network on the moon, as well as revisiting at a safe distance the last Apollo landing site. ESA's Estrack ground station network will help make sure that mission controllers on ground can communicate with PTScientist's ALINA spacecraft, as they have done for recent Chinese missions to the moon. First privately financed mission to the moon "We are delighted with the support we are receiving from ESA's highly skilled experts. Together, we will perform the first privately funded European lunar landing. For PTScientists, this is the first stage of what we expect to be a long-term collaboration with ESA," says Robert Boehme, CEO and founder of PTScientists. Enabling European industry to make use of ESA's expertise and infrastructure is a key aspect of the Agency's support for the emerging 'ecosystem' of commercial space startups. Earlier this year, ESA announced that it was making mission control facilities available to organisations such as universities or small companies wishing to fly their own cubesats. How we make a space mission ESA is Europe's space agency, enabling its 22 Member States to achieve results that no individual nation can match. ESA combines space mission development with supporting labs, test and operational facilities plus in-house experts covering every aspect of space, all supported through the Agency's Basic Activities. Boeing Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg deplaning a Boeing 737 MAX after a test flight of the company's proposed fix to its anti-stall system Ethiopian officials on Thursday are expected to release preliminary conclusions in the probe of last month's crash of a Boeing 737 that killed 157 people, two sources told AFP on Wednesday. The report on the March 10 crash on the Ethiopian Airlines plane could be published late Thursday morning in Ethiopia, which would be in the middle of the night in the continental United States, said the sources close to the investigation, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. News of the report's impending release came as the Federal Aviation Administration announced a new review of the 737 MAX and as the head of Boeing joined a test flight designed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the company's proposed fix. Aviation regulators around the world grounded Boeing's 737 MAX last month following the Ethiopian Airways crash, which came less than five months after an October Lion Air crash that killed 189 people. Scrutiny has centered on an anti-stall system developed specifically for the latest versions of the planes that has given pilots problems. The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that pilots on the doomed Ethiopian plane initially followed emergency steps outlined by Boeing but still could not regain control. The pilots shut off the anti-stall system, called the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, but switched it back on because they could not regain control, The Journal reported, citing people briefed on the preliminary findings. Boeing's CEO personally tests fix The FAA announced it was establishing a new interagency team to review the certification of the automated flight control system on the 737 MAX. The group "will evaluate aspects of the 737 MAX automated flight control system, including its design and pilots' interaction with the system, to determine its compliance with all applicable regulations and to identify future enhancements that might be needed," said a spokesman for the FAA, which faced tough questioning at a Senate hearing last week over its relationship with and oversight of Boeing. The initiative will be chaired by former National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Chris Hall and include experts from the FAA, NASA and international aviation authorities. Meanwhile Boeing, seeking to win back public confidence in the planes, released photographs of its chief executive, who joined a test flight of a 737 MAX with the company's updated anti-stall system. The FAA said Monday that Boeing needed to undertake more work on the proposed fix before it could be submitted for review. Boeing distributed a cockpit photo of Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg wearing earphones and seated behind two pilots. A second shot showed the Boeing chief exiting the aircraft at Boeing Field in Washington state. "The flight crew performed different scenarios that exercised various aspects of the software changes to test failure conditions," the company said. "The software update worked as designed and the pilots landed safely at Boeing Field." Boeing said it planned to submit its proposal to the FAA in the coming weeks following "a thorough and disciplined approach to the development and testing" of the enhancements. Explore further Ethiopian 737 pilots followed Boeing guidelines before crash: WSJ 2019 AFP Herd of elephants (Loxodonta africana), Addo Elephant National Park, South Africa. Credit: Enrico Di Minin Unsustainable harvesting, including hunting, trapping, fishing and logging, comprises one of the biggest threats to biodiversity. Yet, no previous assessment has investigated which areas are most vulnerable to this threat globally. In a new article published in the journal Science Advances, a team of scientists has identified regions under high-intensity threat from commercial harvesting of species. On land, high-risk regions occur across all continents, but are especially concentrated in Asia and North and South America. At sea, high-risk regions are particularly concentrated in Asian seas. These hotspots cover 4.3 percent of the land and 6.1 percent of the seas. Dr. Enrico Di Minin, a conservation scientist at the University of Helsinki, the lead author highlighted that urgent actions are needed in these centers of unsustainable harvesting to ensure that use of species is sustainable. "We found that high-risk areas contain 82 percent of all species impacted by unsustainable harvesting, and more than 80 percent of the ranges of Critically Endangered species threatened by this threat," says Dr. Di Minin. "Currently, only 16 percent of these regions are covered by protected areas on land and just 6 percent at sea. Furthermore, species threatened by unsustainable harvesting are especially concentrated in areas where governance is the lowest", he says. Helmeted hornbill from Southeast Asia is heavily hunted for its remarkable beak. Credit: Bjorn Olesen Species threatened by unsustainable harvesting include highly charismatic species, such as elephant and rhinoceros, but also thousands of other less well-known species, including birds, amphibians, reptiles, fishes, plants and invertebrates. Examples include the Helmeted Hornbill from South-East Asia a bird that is heavily hunted for its remarkable beak, which is carved for decoration or used in traditional medicine. The Dama Gazelle of North Africa is threatened by uncontrolled hunting for food. And many shark species are threatened by targeted fishing and bycatch. Prof. Thomas Brooks, chief scientist at the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), a co-author in the article highlights the pressing threat from unsustainable harvesting. "Unsustainable harvesting is now the most prevalent threat affecting threatened marine species and is the second most prevalent (after agriculture/aquaculture) for terrestrial and freshwater species. In this analysis, we included an extensive set of species from all comprehensively assessed groups in the IUCN Red List," he says. Co-author Dr. Stuart Butchart, Chief Scientist at BirdLife International, concluded: "There is an urgent need to expand and effectively manage protected areas in these hotspots, alongside broad-scale policies to tackle unsustainable fisheries, logging and hunting" added Butchart. Underpinning such efforts is the need for awareness-raising to reduce demand for threatened species, better enforcement of protective laws and strengthening compliance with trade regulation including through the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. Explore further Protected areas alone won't save all threatened species More information: E. Di Minin et al. Identifying global centers of unsustainable commercial harvesting of species. Sci. Adv. 5, eaau2879 (2019). Journal information: Science Advances E. Di Minin et al. Identifying global centers of unsustainable commercial harvesting of species.. 5, eaau2879 (2019). advances.sciencemag.org/content/5/4/eaau2879 Alligators are a common sight in Florida. Those that are 12-feet long, nearly 750 pounds and walking through a commerce park aren't. A massive alligator measuring just that was trapped by the Jupiter Police Department on Thursday after a business owner noticed it wandering by an office in South Florida, officials said. Photos shared by the department on Facebook show the behemoth reptile with its jaw open as police officers carefully coax it near what appears to be a cul-de-sac. Officers were able to wrap the alligator's jaw shut and restrain it. "He was carefully removed without harm from the area and relocated to a safe place," the department said. The alligator was taken to a gator farm in Central Florida "where he will live out the remainder of his years," Jupiter Police public information officer Kristin Rightler told the Sun Sentinel. Female alligators rarely measure beyond 10 feet long, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. American male alligators are known to grow larger, with an average size of 11.2 feet, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute reports. They can also weigh up to a whopping 1,000 pounds. Florida's heaviest alligator on record came in at 1,043 pounds in Alachua County, the FWC website shows. The longest was found in Brevard County and measured 14-foot, 3.5 inches. Alligators are more active in warmer weather, the FWC notes. Another reason the reptiles could be on the move: April 1 marks alligator mating season, which typically runs through June. Explore further Alabama alligators may become hunted (c)2019 USA Today Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. You can't always count on finding water above ground in Australia. Some rivers flow through the sand beneath their beds and arid calcite crusts in Western Australia seal off water trapped in permeable rocks beneath. Yet, far from being sterile isolated pools, these calcrete aquifers are teaming with life. 'It can be a really bustling metropolis down there', chuckles Karl Jones from the University of Adelaide, Australia, describing how these subterranean waterways are home to hundreds of species of tiny diving beetle. But no one knew how the diminutive insects breathe. 'Terrestrial diving beetles generally go to the surface and collect a bubble of air, take it underwater and consume oxygen from there', says Jones. But with no obvious source of bubbles for the subterranean dwellers, Jones, Steven Cooper from the South Australian Museum and Roger Seymour, also from the University of Adelaide, were curious to know just how the intriguing mini-beasts breathe. They publish their discovery that the insects breathe through their skins in Journal of Experimental Biology. 'Collecting the beetles meant driving halfway across the country to the Western Australian Goldfields, says Jones, recalling the gruelling journey. Once the team had set up an impromptu lab at the Sturt Meadows station, they went fishing for beetles in boreholes drilled into the aquifer. 'We used the bottom half of a fishing rod with a small plankton net attached to the line. We dropped the net into the aquifer water, dragged it up and down a bit and then pulled it up with the animals collected in a small vial at the bottom', he says. 'The local farmers must have thought we were crazy', he laughs. Having collected Paroster macrosturtensis, P. mesosturtensis and Limbodessus palmulaoides, the team set about painstakingly measuring the oxygen concentration in the water immediately next to each insect's body. Jones explains that when aquatic insects on the surface of the planet absorb oxygen directly from water through their skin, the level of oxygen in the layer of water adjacent to their body is lower than that in the surroundings. Wondering whether the aquifer beetles could absorb oxygen directly from the water, the trio cautiously manoeuvred a tiny oxygen sensor against the body of submerged beetles and then cautiously shifted the sensor away, in 50 m steps at first and then in 100 and 200 m steps as they recorded the oxygen concentration. 'It was very fiddly and delicate work', recalls Jones. When the team reconstructed the oxygen profile, it was clear that the oxygen levels in the water adjacent to the beetles were significantly reduced. 'The beetles use cutaneous respiration', says Jones. Then the team asked themselves whether the beetles' limited supply of oxygen through their skin could account for their diminutive size; 'All known species are less than 5 mm long', explains Jones. To test their idea, the team reduced the amount of oxygen available to P. macrosturtensis, one of the larger species, from ~20% down to ~5%, and monitored the beetle's reactions. Initially, the insects scampered around, but as the oxygen declined, they moved less and less. The team realised that as the oxygen levels dropped, the amount of oxygen and spare energy available to power the beetles' activity fell dramatically: 'P. macrosturtensis has no excess capacity within its respiratory system to maintain its metabolic rate at lower oxygen levels', says Jones. So, breathing oxygen across their skin from the surrounding water naturally limits the size of these reclusive beetles and Jones is keen to discover whether other species of subterranean aquifer beetles depend on oxygen absorbed through their skin or have evolved alternative forms of respiration that allow them to live permanently underwater. Explore further Backswimmers use buoyancy aid like a gill More information: Jones, K. K., Cooper, S. J. B. and Seymour, R. S. (2019). Cutaneous respiration by diving beetles from underground aquifers of Western Australia (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae). J. Exp. Biol. 222, jeb196659. jeb.biologists.org/content/222/7/jeb196659 Journal information: Journal of Experimental Biology Jones, K. K., Cooper, S. J. B. and Seymour, R. S. (2019). Cutaneous respiration by diving beetles from underground aquifers of Western Australia (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae).222, jeb196659. DOI: 10.1242/jeb.196659 Photo: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images For those Democrats who are obsessed with electability and convinced prying northeastern-midwestern states from Pennsylvania to Wisconsin away from Donald Trump is the only way to beat him, veteran Ohio congressman Tim Ryans announcement of his candidacy could be great news. For others, he may simply look like yet another white male joining an overcrowded field, and bringing to the table a dubious record with occasionally jarring conservative undertones. There is no question Ryan comes out of central casting for a candidate aiming strictly at white working-class men in places very much like his own base of Youngstown, Ohio, where he apprenticed with the famously eccentric but consistently bitter enemy of economic globalism James Traficant. (A bribery conviction landed the old goofball in the hoosegow; Ryan took his House seat in 2002). For years in Congress he exemplified the sort of economic populist/social conservative blend that once characterized most Catholic Democrats from the so-called Rust Belt, combining attacks on the corporations that were moving manufacturing jobs out of the region (and the country) with support for gun rights and abortion restrictions. More recently Ryan has brought his views on cultural issues more or less into line with his partys Zeitgeist (splitting with the National Rifle Association after the Newtown massacre of 2012, and declaring himself pro-choice in 2015). But he annoyed many traditional liberals (and feminists, too) with an abrasive 2017 challenge to Nancy Pelosis party leadership position. And then he joined another revolt against Pelosi launched by House Democratic Caucus moderates in 2018. Ryans been considering a presidential run for quite some time, but had sort of gotten lost in the shuffle of late. Hes not even listed in most polls (even the vast Morning Consult tracking poll, which lists almost everyone). His entry into the race, however, may scratch an itch among pundits if not actual voters left by Sherrod Browns decision not to run. On economic issues, at least, Browns heartland street cred was similar to Ryans, as Nate Silver notes: As someone who was bullish on Sherrod Brown's chances, I'd be somewhat bullish on Ryan as wellhe has a more liberal voting record than you'd think for someone from a district that has quickly gone from blue to purple-ishbut I think his stance against Pelosi will hurt him. Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) April 4, 2019 For that matter, Ryan may be counting on Joe Biden to decide against running, or to fade in the heat of the scrutiny hes undergoing. In theory at least, if Joe Says No, then Ryan could compete with Amy Klobuchar and Pete Buttigieg for the mantle of Authentic Midwesterner Who Gets It, and partisans transfixed by fear of losing the same heartland states to Trump again might give him a listen. Theres also the matter of a quirk in Ryans background and personality that you dont really expect from the Pride of Youngstown, as Clare Malone explains: Ryan purportedly also wants to go after the yoga vote, according to one report. He wrote a book in 2012 called A Mindful Nation: How a Simple Practice Can Help Us Reduce Stress, Improve Performance, and Recapture the American Spirit, which includes chapters on how mindfulness can improve performance and build resiliency for our military and first responders and how mindfulness can help us rediscover our values and reshape our economy. Ryans intention seems to be to apply the mindfulness mindset so often associated with wealthy yuppie types to the issues and concerns of working class Americans. In 2018 FiveThirtyEight staffers discussed what exactly the yoga vote might actually look like electorally and concluded itd rely on suburban white women riled up over Trump. Ryan might see a path to victory by appealing both to working class voters and those women who fueled the Democrats 2018 midterm victories in House seats. Im not so sure a candidate who didnt come out for basic reproductive rights until four years ago and used to sport an A rating from the NRA, is going to light up suburban women via his advocacy of hot yoga. But it certainly makes him stand out in a crowd, as Marin Cogan noted in 2015: It really is disgusting, if you think about it, Tim Ryan is saying. The six-foot-four, Italian-Irish Congressman from Ohio is sitting in his office. Behind him is a blown-up photograph of his baby in a Tiny Democrat onesie. Hes inviting me to come to a hot-yoga class he regularly attends with his staff, but hes careful not to oversell it. People are sweating everywhere. Dudes are in there with their shirts off. If youre like a petite, clean woman, next to this beast whos sweating like He makes a face. Anyway, youre invited. Wed love to have you. Well see soon enough how well that goes over in Iowa. But for now, the one thing we know is that Ryan has expanded the official Democratic 2020 field to 17 and counting. Sign Up for the Intelligencer Newsletter Daily news about the politics, business, and technology shaping our world. Email This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Terms & Privacy Notice By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice and to receive email correspondence from us. Credit: Graph courtesy of David Kirk, University of Oxford Are prisoners who go back to their old neighborhoods upon release more or less likely to get arrested again than those who move? That's the question University of Oxford sociology professor David Kirk posed in a seminar he gave at Duke March 28. Recidivism is the tendency of a convicted criminal to re-offend, and Kirk wondered if the risk of recidivism might be lower when former prisoners reside in a geographic area different from where they lived prior to incarceration. To test his hypothesis, Kirk first designed a study in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. A full 72 percent of dwellings in New Orleans were damaged in some manner following the hurricane, but the neighborhoods that were hit the hardest tended to be areas that were socioeconomically disadvantaged and home to ethnic minorities. These also tended to be areas to which released prisoners would have returned. Realizing they would not be able to return because of the damage, Kirk designed a study to compare the likelihood of recidivism in people who moved to a different parish pre vs. post-Katrina. The results of the study showed that 50 percent of people were induced to move post-Katrina, compared to 25 percent before Katrina. Parolees who moved to a new neighborhood were less likely to be rearrested. Based on the Moving to Opportunity (MTO) project, a government-funded housing mobility program in the 1990's for poor families in five cities, Kirk decided to build on his Katrina results to launch a pilot program in Maryland called MOVE, or Maryland Opportunity through Vouchers Experiment. In the first design, the treatment group received a six-month housing subsidy upon release, but it had to be used in a new jurisdiction. The control group received a six-month subsidy in their home jurisdiction. In the results for this experiment, no one in either group that received free housing was rearrested. However, in the control group where released prisoners received no free housing and returned to their old neighborhoods, 22 percent were rearrested. The second design gave no subsidy for staying in the home jurisdiction, but incentivized moving to a new city with free housing. In the Maryland experiment, the 'home' jurisdiction was Baltimore, and the treatment group housing subsidy was in Prince George's County, about forty-five minutes away in neighboring Washington, D.C. The pilot implemented four prisons in the state of Maryland and male prisoners hailing from Baltimore were eligible, with the exception of sex offenders. In the second design where the treatment group got free housing in a new environment and the control group moved to their old communities with no free housing, 22 percent of the treatment group was rearrested compared to 57 percent of the control group. Kirk explained that this second design is more practical than the first because only one group has to receive subsidized housing, thus it is half the cost of the first design. However, since the treatment group gets free housing and moves in the second design, it is harder to tease out the exact reason for lower rearrest rates. Other general trends Kirk has found through his research are that younger individuals who have been imprisoned tend to benefit more from district changes than older individuals. There is also a much larger gap between 'movers' and 'stayers' in rearrest rates for women, so Kirk hopes to conduct future studies involving female released prisoners. Explore further Moving away lowers re-incarceration risk for parolees If someone calls you pretending to be from your cell phone carrier and asks for a verification code, don't give it to them. That was a lesson learned in Florida last month after two different scammers tried to buy phones at a Clearwater, Florida, Verizon store. The two scammers, Ah'jhzae Diamondric Artag Berry and Keith Ramsey, had apparently tricked two unsuspecting victims in an attempt to purchase new devices on the victims' accounts. Both scammers were busted at the store after Verizon alerted local police to the irregularity. Clearwater police department tells USA TODAY that the victims were unrelated, however, the department is not sure if there is a link between the two cases. Ramsey was trying to buy two iPhone XS Max phones valued at $1,200 per device on March 26. Berry was trying to purchase a single phone that was valued at $1,250 or March 21, police told USA Today. Tim Downes, detective sergeant for the department's economic crimes unit, says Ramsey's scheme started with getting the victim's email address and sending his target a false message impersonating Verizon saying that there was fraud on the account with a number to contact. "That's a bad number, so basically if you respond to that email you are going to get the bad guy," Downes says. If you call back, the fraudster says they will send you a personal identification number, or PIN code, that they will want you to tell them. By giving them the PIN over the phone the scammer exploits the password reset verification system that Verizon has put in place to confirm that you are you. Once they have that PIN, they can reset the password, make themselves a "master account user" on your account and otherwise do what they want, including forwarding calls or going into a store and buying devices as that primary user. They'd have to pay taxes and some fees in the store on a new device purchase but could otherwise leave you footing the majority of the bill while they sell the device for a profit. Luckily, in this case, the Verizon store noticed how quickly the account changed and notified the police allowing both suspects to be apprehended while they were in the store. "We recognize that the privacy and security of information is of paramount importance to our customers. Unfortunately, it's a harsh reality that bad actors are always looking for ways to engage in fraud and identity theft," Verizon spokesperson Steve Van Dinter said in a statement provided to USA TODAY. "As fraudsters gather more private information from the dark web and create more authentic looking fake identification, our teams at Verizon are always working to stop these criminals who impact about 7,000 customers every month." If you suspect fraud, Verizon recommends contacting them directly at (800) 922-0204. While cell phone fraud has been going on for years, Downes says that this method, exploiting the security measures against the victim, is new. So how can you protect yourself? He recommends checking the companies you deal with and being aware of the ways they interact with you. Verizon, for example, would never ask for those identification PINs they text you to confirm your identity. When in doubt, you can and should reach out to the company directly instead of responding to "them" reaching out to you. "People are getting smarter and more sophisticated, and it's going to be more difficult to prevent these things from happening," in the future, Downes says. "Be careful with these emails that you get, and people should be monitoring all their accounts and their credit report just to make sure everything is the way it should be," he adds. "That goes a long way in helping to stop and prevent these frauds from happening." Explore further Verizon cuts 10,000 workers through buyouts as part of restructuring (c)2019 USA Today Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Credit: CC0 Public Domain Scientists at the University of York have mapped out how to protect over a third of the world's oceans by 2030, in order to safeguard wildlife and mitigate the impacts of climate change. The research explores what it would mean to fully protect 30 percent and 50 percent of the global oceans. These targets have been widely discussed as part of negotiations at the U.N. towards a Global Ocean Treaty to protect oceans outside of national borders, covering 230 million square kilometres. In one of the largest studies of its kind, researchers broke down the global oceans which cover almost half the planet into 25,000 squares of 100x100 km. They then mapped the distribution of 458 different conservation features, including wildlife, habitats and key oceanographic features, generating hundreds of scenarios for what a planet-wide network of ocean sanctuaries, free from harmful human activity, could look like. The team, which included researchers at the University of York, the University of Oxford, and Greenpeace, showed that targets could be achieved by employing a network of marine reserves across the high seas to protect wildlife hotspots. Net of protection Professor Callum Roberts, marine conservation biologist at the University of York's Department of Environment, said: "Extraordinary losses of seabirds, turtles, sharks and marine mammals reveal a broken governance system that governments at the United Nations must urgently fix. "This report shows how protected areas could be rolled out across international waters to create a net of protection that will help save species from extinction and help them survive in our fast-changing world." Scientists warn that global oceans are at risk from fishing, the emerging threat of deep seabed mining, climate change warming the seas, and other pollution, such as plastic waste. Unique opportunity Louisa Casson, Greenpeace U.K. campaigner, said: "Over the next 18 months, governments around the world have an unique opportunity to establish a global framework for protecting the oceans. "By working together they can facilitate the protection of 30 percent of the world's oceans by 2030, via a network of fully protected ocean sanctuaries." Working together The scenarios for protection are explored in the report can be viewed using and interactive map. UK Environment Secretary, Michael Gove, said: "The U.K. is already on course to protect over half of its waters, and I join Greenpeace in calling for the U.K. and other countries to work together towards a U.N. High Seas Treaty that would pave the way to protect at least 30 per cent of the world's ocean by 2030." Explore further UN steps closer to treaty for protecting ocean life More information: 30 x 30: A Blueprint for Ocean Protection: 30 x 30: A Blueprint for Ocean Protection: storage.googleapis.com/planet4 blueprint-report.pdf Mark Flint of The Ohio State University examines a green sea turtle in Australia. Credit: Ohio State New research is detailing how environmental stressors, including heavy metals, brought on by human activity are harming coastal green sea turtle populationswork that researchers hope will inform conservation efforts going forward. In a study that appears in the journal Science of the Total Environment, a multidisciplinary group of researchers set about evaluating turtle health, water quality and other factors in the aftermath of a catastrophic mass death of green turtles in Australia. "We found evidence of heavy metalsparticularly cobaltin sea turtle populations where we also saw signs of illness," said lead author Mark Flint, program head of Zoo and Wildlife Conservation Medicine and Ecosystem Health in the College of Veterinary Medicine at The Ohio State University. "Though we can't be sure what caused this, there were cyclones and major flooding in this part of Australia two years prior to the start of our study, and that could have drawn out sediment rich in heavy metals that had been lying in rivers and streams benign for the past 50 years," Flint said. Green turtles, Chelonia mydas, are an endangered species, and one of the largest sea turtles, weighing in at as much as 400 pounds in adulthood. Green turtles are named for the greenish color of their fat, not their shells, and are found mainly in tropical and subtropical waters, according to the World Wide Fund for Nature-Australia (WWF). The WWF provided funding for this research, and led the Rivers to Reef to Turtles project under which it was conducted. Large populations live, feed and nest on Australia's Great Barrier Reef, favoring the bays and protected shores near the coast and around islands. The Rivers to Reef to Turtles project, which ran from 2014 to 2017, examined health of green turtles at two northern Queensland baysCleveland and Upstartknown to be impacted by urban and agricultural human activities and at a third remote "pristine" area, the Howick Group of islands. Following up on a high number of turtle deaths in 2012 and 2013 that conservationists were attributing to a "whole kit and caboodle of reasons" including runoff from agriculture, industrial toxins and climate change, the team conducted physical exams and tested the turtles' blood over time, looking for signs of contaminants and illness, Flint said. They also counted barnacles on the turtles. Flint's previous work has shown that high barnacle counts on turtles' undersides correspond to poor health. The theory behind that? When healthy and feeding normally, a turtle's trips to the sea floor for seagrass meals effectively scrape away barnacles. When the green turtles aren't eating well, the barnacles build up. "An unhealthy turtle often has trapped air in its shell and is buoyant, meaning it can't dive down for food. It's almost like a balloon," Flint said. "Also, a turtle that can't dive sits on the surface of the water where algae and barnacles can grow better." In cases where the researchers found dead turtles, they conducted in-depth necropsies. The research team found elevated levels of an enzyme called creatinine kinase in turtles at Cleveland Bay. That enzyme typically increases after muscle injury or illness. And they found elevated white cell counts in turtles at Upstart Bay. White cells proliferate when an animal is fighting infection. One in five of the juveniles examined at Cleveland Bay had high barnacle levels (16 or more) and one in 10 of the young turtles at Upstart Bay had excessive barnacle growth. This level of barnacle growth was not seen in any of the turtles at the "pristine" control site. By the end of the study, the researchers saw some evidence that the population in Cleveland Bay was returning to normal, but the problem still remains for turtles in Upstart Bay. This multidisciplinary approach is the first effort to look with this depth at this population of turtles and the potential links between environmental toxins and their well-being, Flint said. The researchers suspect that the unhealthy measures seen in the turtles that live in areas affected by urbanization, farming and industry are connected to contaminants in their ecosystem. In particular, the study team found evidence of heavy metals, primarily cobalt, in the turtles' blood. Green turtles migrate long distances between feeding grounds and from the beaches on which they hatched. The reptiles are threatened by overharvesting of their eggs, hunting of adults, being caught in fishing gear and loss of nesting beach sites, according to the WWF. The green turtle is the only "vegetarian" sea turtle, eating mostly seagrass and algae, which relates to its ecological importance. When green turtles graze on seagrass beds, that vegetation remains productivesomething the WWF compares to mowing the lawn. The turtles also recycle nutrients they digest, making them available to other animals and plants, which ultimately is important for the survival of invertebrates and fish, some of which people eat. The monitoring of sea turtle health also is important because with their long lifespans and tendency to stay in one place, they can potentially serve as proxies for the broader environment, Flint said. The trouble is, their physical responses to environmental assaults and disease are slow-moving, complicating conservationists' ability to draw connections between the environment and sickness and death. This research gives conservationists and marine biologists a baseline understanding of sea turtle health and response to environmental stressors, he said, which will better enable them to assess turtle health after an insult and over time. It will also provide tools to help decision makers develop environmental mitigation strategies, Flint said. Explore further Cold-stunned turtles flown from New England to Florida Keys Credit: iStock They increasingly hunt in the waters off Cape Cod, and sometimes humans get in their way. Last summer, scientist Greg Skomal was one of them. The shark expert has been studying the massive marine predators for years, but even as a seasoned observer he got a fright when a great white shark breached, jaws open and only inches from his feet, as he stood on the pulpit of a small boat off Cape Cod, where he was looking to tag some of the giant visitors. The shark could have been spooked by the boat, Skomal told a Harvard crowd Tuesday evening during a talk sponsored by the Harvard Museums of Science & Culture that focused on the increasing great white population off the Cape's summer shores. Or the shark could have been in search of his next meal. "I know what it's like now to be a seal," said the biologist and senior scientist at the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries. For the past decade, Skomal and a team of researchers have been tagging and studying great whites off the Massachusetts coast. He hopes his work tracking their movements, biology, and behavior will help shed light on the animals, support protection efforts for them, and perhaps help reduce their encounters with humans. The gray seal population along the Cape's shores has jumped dramatically in the past 20 years, a result of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972. The sharks, who hunt the seals, have also increased in number in large part due to protections put in place in 1997. "We are seeing this general overall population rebound after being hit pretty hard by the development of commercial fisheries in the '80s and '90s, but also by some recreational fisheries that targeted white sharks after [the movie] 'Jaws' came out," said Skomal. "And white sharks were also not only rebounding but redistributing themselves to near coastal areas, and we felt that that was very highly correlated with the fact that seals were coming back." As the gray seals have increasedSkomal estimates roughly 30,000 now make the Cape their year-round homeso too have their No. 1 predator. For the past decade, scientist Greg Skomal has been tagging and studying great white sharks off the Massachusetts coast. Credit: Stephanie Mitchell/Harvard Staff Photographer "When you show me big numbers of seals," said Skomal, "obviously you are going to have something that wants to eat them." And with the overlap of seals, white sharks, and people in the water in summer, he said, "the probability of negative interactions goes up." Great whites are important in maintaining the marine ecosystem's delicate balance. The pristine Cape beaches on which the seals love to bask have become prime feeding grounds for the sharks, which attack in their shallow waters. While shark attacks on humans remain rare (according to some estimates, the odds of being attacked by a shark are one in 11.5 million), last summer sharks attacked two people on the Cape. A man from New York who was out for a swim was bitten about 10 feet off Longnook Beach in Truro in August and survived puncture wounds to his upper leg. Just over a month later, a man from Revere on a boogie board was attacked off of Newcomb Hollow Beach in Wellfleet. He died following the attack. Though that was the first shark fatality in the area since 1936, the attacks and the rising numbers of sharks sparked safety concerns for swimmers. "We are seeing an increase in these kinds of interactions. And as you can imagine, for those of us who love to go to Cape Cod, there's some concern out there," said Skomal, who meets regularly with beach managers and town officials about what to do. For Skomal, there is "no silver bullet there's nothing we can implement right now." Changing the seals' or sharks' behavior is likely impossible, he said. One option involves changing human behavior, something Skomal thinks can be informed by his research. Using a series of trackers attached to some sharks' fins, Skomal and other researchers monitor the sharks' movements and record information such as the depth, water temperature, light levels, and ambient conditions where they swim, as well as their direction and their speed. To date, Skomal and his colleagues have tagged 151 white sharks. The information provided from those animals indicates that "white sharks are everywhere" off the Cape's outer beaches, and less likely to be in Cape Cod Bay, a finding that correlates to the presence of their prey. "Show me big piles of seals," said Skomal, "and I am going to show you white sharks wanting to eat them." Greg Skomal tags a great white shark in the waters off Cape Cod. Credit: Wayne Davis The data reveals the sharks travel thousands of miles to warmer waters during the New England winter and spring, and typically begin returning to Massachusetts waters in June. A few are detected in the early summer, said Skomal, and their numbers peak in August, September, and October. As the water temperature drops, the "number of detections goes down and the sharks leave." When they are here, they spend about 50 percent of their time in shallow water. "If we can have some kind of forecast as to when these sharks are likely to be in certain areas, then I think that that at least gives some beach managers information that they can work with. I am not sure we will ever get there. "What we are still lacking are those direct observations," he added, "particularly at times when we are not out there." While some species of sharks keep dawn and dusk feeding times, it has never been proven for those off the Cape, said Skomal. By attaching camera systems to the sharks, Skomal and his colleagues hope to obtain more of that data this season and assess "when, where, and how these sharks are feeding." For now, Skomal said Cape swimmers this summer should avoid swimming near seals, keep close to shore, and never depend on being able to spot a shark. "Don't rely on seeing the dorsal fin in shallow waters," he said. "I've probably seen that 10 times in 10 years. The classic Steven Spielberg shot of the white shark doesn't really happen." While Skomal doesn't know exact numbers of great whites off the Cape, a colleague is examining data from the past five years to determine a figure. "I can tell you, from our raw data, [there are] at least 320 individuals that we have identified over the course of the last five years, but [there are] likely many more than that." Explore further More great white sharks appear to be visiting off Cape Cod This story is published courtesy of the Harvard Gazette, Harvard University's official newspaper. For additional university news, visit Harvard.edu. CRISPR-associated protein Cas9 (white) from Staphylococcus aureus based on Protein Database ID 5AXW. Credit: Thomas Splettstoesser (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0) Scientists at UMass Medical School have developed a strategy for editing and repairing a particular type of genetic mutation associated with microduplications using CRISPR-Cas9 and a seldom-used DNA repair pathway. Described in Nature, this approach to programmable gene editing overcomes prior inefficiencies in gene correction. "It's like hitting the reset button," said Scot A. Wolfe, Ph.D., professor of molecular, cell & cancer biology. "We don't have to add any corrective genetic material, instead the cell stitches the DNA back together minus the duplication. It's a shortcut for gene correction with potential therapeutic appeal." Microduplications are changes in chromosomes where small segments of DNA are copied or duplicated. In certain genes, these duplications can lead to what are called "frameshift mutations," when the number of added nucleotides is not divisible by three. This alters the translation of gene into protein, causing a loss of function. Frameshift mutations resulting from microduplications cause as many as 143 different diseases, including limb-girdle muscular dystrophy, Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome, and Tay-Sachs. Dr. Wolfe, a co-investigator of the Nature study, is an expert in CRISPR-Cas9 and other programmable nuclease-based methods of gene editing. Most of these techniques require both generating a break of the DNA strands at the defective gene and the introduction of corrective genetic material. The new sequence is inserted into the break and repaired by an innate DNA repair mechanism found in cells known as the homology-directed repair pathway. Though therapeutically promising, this method of correcting genes can be inefficient and has other technical challenges. Wolfe and co-investigator Charles P Emerson Jr., Ph.D., professor of neurology, director of the Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Center at UMass Medical School, and an expert in skeletal muscle development and muscular dystrophies, believed that there might be a more direct approach to correct diseases caused by microduplications. They reasoned that if the microhomology-mediated end joining (MMEJ) pathway could be effectively harnessed, instead of the homology-directed repair pathway, it would remove the duplicated sequence and restore the gene's functional sequence. Less efficient and rarer than other cellular repair mechanisms, the MMEJ pathway often results in deletions on either side of the break and is responsible for performing a small percentage of DNA repairs less than 10 percent according to some estimates. Dr. Emerson had a promising disease target for evaluating the feasibility of this editing approach limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 2G (LGMD2G) caused by a microduplication in the TCAP gene. The Emerson and Wolfe labs treated pluripotent stem cells generated from a LGMD2G patient with a Strepetococcus pyogenesCas9 (SpCas9) nuclease to target a DNA break near the center of the microduplication in the TCAPgene. As they predicted, the MMEJ repair mechanism deleted one copy of the microduplication effectively stitching the DNA back together again with remarkably high efficiency, leaving out the mutated genetic material and restoring the gene to enable normal TCAPprotein to be produced. "The simplicity and efficiency of microduplication gene editing of the TCAP gene was a very exciting discovery moment, and presented a unique opportunity to develop a therapy for LGMD 2G, which currently is untreatable, and this has become our immediate goal," Emerson said. How many diseases are caused by microduplications that might be treated by MMEJ nuclease gene editing? Collaborating with Christian Mueller, Ph.D., associate professor of pediatrics, the team demonstrated that microduplications in the HPS1gene associated with Hermanksy-Pudlak syndrome type 1 could be corrected in patient cells. Oliver King, Ph.D., assistant professor of neurology, then developed computational tools to search human genome databases and remarkably identified 143 diseases associated microduplications that would be treatable using their Cas9-MMEJ approach. "From this modest beginning, we believe that the simplicity, reliability and efficacy of the MMEJ-based therapeutic strategy may permit development of nuclease-based gene correction therapies for many currently untreatable diseases," said Wolfe. Explore further Unexpected outcomes sound warning for treatment of genetic diseases using gene editing in embryos More information: Sukanya Iyer et al. Precise therapeutic gene correction by a simple nuclease-induced double-stranded break, Nature (2019). Journal information: Nature Sukanya Iyer et al. Precise therapeutic gene correction by a simple nuclease-induced double-stranded break,(2019). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-019-1076-8 Credit: CC0 Public Domain A new book, Companion Animals and Domestic Violence: Rescuing You, Rescuing Me, explores the role that dogs and other companion animals play in women's recovery from abuse, and the impacts on the animals themselves. A dog (or other companion animal) is often a woman's best friend when it comes to escaping and recovering from domestic violence. Women were interviewed by University of Canterbury Associate Professor Nik Taylor, and her co-author QUT Associate Professor Heather Fraser. They spoke of companion animals as part of the family which played an important role in helping them to heal after domestic violence. The link between domestic violence and animal abuse is well documented in social work research, so the authors focused instead on the loving connections between human and animal survivors for their initial project: Loving You, Loving Me: Companion Animals and Domestic Violence. "It is clear that these woman have a deep and profound relationship with their animals that helps them get through their experiences of abuse," Dr. Taylor says. "For more than a few caught up in domestic violence, these relationships can literally provide victims/survivors with the will to live, to eat, sleep, keep caring for others, and in the process, maintain the will to rebuild their lives." Mistreatment of animals can also be the catalyst for women to leave. "Women who say they can take the abuse themselves cannot see their animals suffer abuse, and that is ultimately good because it gets everyone out of the abusive situation," Dr. Taylor says. Co-location following abuse may be just as important for animals, which are often impacted after indirectly or directly experiencing abuse. Dr. Taylor wants people to remember that animals are victims, too. This was evident in the project, when participants spoke of their animals' recovery process. For example, one dog waited for the children in her family to come home after school and then licked them thoroughly. "It is just what she needs to do," a woman explained in an interview. Keeping women, children and animals together, however, is challenging. The Northern Domestic Violence Service (NDVS) in Adelaide is one of the few facilities that offers a pet-friendly shelter for domestic violence victims. Other shelters commonly offer a fostering service for pets, which keeps pets safe from abusers, but nonetheless separates women and children from their animals. NDVS contacted Drs Taylor and Fraser after hearing them speak at a conference. "They said 'we offer a pet-friendly residence. We know that the women really value it but we don't have any research showing that are you interested?' So we got together with them and the project was born," Dr. Taylor says. NDVS created a photography exhibition of women, children and companion animals, and the interviews were conducted alongside that. The project, Loving Me, Loving You, then developed into the book. Featuring images from the photography exhibition, the book Companion Animals and Domestic Violence: Rescuing You, Rescuing Meis published by Palgrave Macmillan and will be launched on 8 May at Avid Reader Bookshop in Brisbane, Australia, with a panel discussion hosted by ABC Radio National's Paul Barclay in conversation with Dr. Taylor, Dr. Fraser and social worker Christine Craik. UC Professor Annie Potts, co-director of UC's New Zealand Centre for Human-Animal Studies, has called the book a "compelling landmark text". "Rescuing You, Rescuing Me is a comprehensive, honest, compassionate and respectful study of a difficult and disturbing subject," Professor Potts says. The book will inform various academic disciplines including social work, anthropology, sociology, philosophy, geography, as well as to professionals working in domestic violence or animal welfare service provision. However, the work also explores empathetic connections between humans and animals in the context of domestic violence. For Dr. Taylor, the impacts of domestic violence on animals has been a lifelong interest, since she first volunteered at an animal shelter in Northern England as an undergraduate student. Dr. Taylor is an internationally recognised critical and public sociologist who has published over 70 articles, books and book chapters. She recently joined UC and teaches topics in the Human Services programme that focus on human-animal violence links; scholar-advocacy; social change; and crime and deviance, particularly domestic violence and animal abuse. She is a convenor of the Human-Animal Studies (HAS, also known as Anthrozoology) group Animals in Society Working Group. Explore further Companion animals delay women leaving domestic violence Researchers determined the age of millennia-old barley grains using radiocarbon dating. Credit: Santeri Vanhanen, CC-BY 4.0 licence On the basis of prior research, the identity of the Pitted Ware Culture from the Stone Age has been characterized as hard-core sealers, or possibly even related to Inuits of the Baltic Sea. Now, researchers have discovered barley and wheat grains in areas previously inhabited by this culture, leading to the conclusion that the Pitted Ware Culture adopted agriculture on a small scale. A study carried out in cooperation with parties representing the discipline of archaeology and the Department of Chemistry at the University of Helsinki, as well as Swedish operators in the field of archaeology (The Archaeologists, a governmental consultant agency, and Arkeologikonsult, a business), found grains of barley and wheat in Pitted Ware settlements on Finland's Aland Islands and in the region of modern Stockholm. The age of the grains was ascertained using radiocarbon dating. Based on the results, the grains originated in the period of the Pitted Ware culture, thus being approximately 4,300-5,300 years old. In addition to the cereal grains, the plant remnants found in the sites included hazelnut shells, apple seeds, tuberous roots of lesser celandine and rose hips. The study suggests that small-scale farming was adopted by the Pitted Ware Culture by learning the trade from farmers of the Funnel Beaker Culture, the latter having expanded from continental Europe to Scandinavia. Other archaeological artefacts are also evidence of close contact between these two cultures. "The grains found on Aland are proof that the Pitted Ware Culture introduced cultivation to places where it had not yet been practised," says Santeri Vanhanen, a doctoral student of archaeology at the University of Helsinki. Cereal perhaps used to brew beer? The 5,000-year-old barley grain found on Aland is the oldest grain of cereal ever found in Finland. The researchers also found a handful of barley and wheat grains a few hundred years younger, representing either common wheat or club wheat. In the study, the age of cereal grains found at the sites tagged with numbers in the map were determined with radiocarbon dating. These findings demonstrate that hunter-gatherers adopted farming on the Aland Islands on the southwestern coast of Finland and in eastern Sweden already 5,000 years ago. Credit: Santeri Vanhanen, CC-BY 4.0 licence "We also dated one barley grain found in Raseborg, southern Finland. This grain and the other earliest grains found in mainland Finland date back some 3,500 years, some 1,500 years behind Aland according to current knowledge," Vanhanen explains. In prior studies, it has been extremely difficult to demonstrate that the hunter-gatherer population would have adopted farming during recorded history, let alone in the Stone Age. Research on ancient DNA has in recent years proven that the spread of agriculture in Europe was almost exclusively owing to migrants. "We find it possible that this population, which was primarily specialised in marine hunting, continued to grow plants as the practice provided the community with social significance." From time to time, an abundance of pig bones are found at Pitted Ware sites, even though pigs were not an important part of their daily nourishment. For instance, the bones of more than 30 pigs were found in a grave located on the island of Gotland. "Members of the Pitted Ware culture may have held ritual feasts where pigs and cereal products were consumed. It's not inconceivable that grains might even have been used to brew beer, but the evidence is yet to be found," Vanhanen continues. Grain age determined through radiocarbon dating The research relies primarily on archaeobotanical methodology, which helps examine plant remains preserved in archaeological sites. In this study, soil samples were collected from the sites, from which plant remains were extracted using a flotation method. The plant remains are charred; in other words, the grains and seeds have turned into carbon after having come into contact with fire. Plant remains can be identified by examining them through a microscope and comparing them to modern plant parts. The age of individual grains can be determined with radiocarbon dating, based on the fractionation of the radioactive carbon-14 isotope. This way, the age of a grain aged several millennia can be determined with a precision of a few centuries. Explore further Five ways to get more whole grains into your diet More information: Santeri Vanhanen et al, Maritime Hunter-Gatherers Adopt Cultivation at the Farming Extreme of Northern Europe 5000 Years Ago, Scientific Reports (2019). Journal information: Scientific Reports Santeri Vanhanen et al, Maritime Hunter-Gatherers Adopt Cultivation at the Farming Extreme of Northern Europe 5000 Years Ago,(2019). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-41293-z Photo: Courtesy of the retailer. Rain can be a drag, but dressing for it doesnt have to be. The perfect pairs of rain boots are fashionable and functional, able to keep you fly and dry all day, whether commuting, running errands, heading to dinner with friends (or all three). For Rain Week, we spoke to several stylish men about their go-to, wet-weather footwear, and what they use to protect their non-waterproof shoes in unexpected showers. (Full disclosure: We stuck to shoes guys would wear on a normal day not for a damp pheasant hunt, or muddy music festival, though the below boots would work for those, too.) Read on for our list of rain boots that will keep your feet dry, and look sharp while doing it. The best Chelsea-style rain boots Hunter Original Refined Chelsea Boots $155 We recommend a Chelsea-style rain boot to guys searching for waterproof footwear that pairs well with both jeans and dressier trousers. This twist on Hunters classic Chelsea-style rain boot features a slightly narrowed toe and thinner sole, making it ideal for men who regularly wear suits or business-casual attire, too, according to fashion PR executive Fred Kim. This is the refined version of the classic Hunter boot. If youre looking for a standard black pair to go with your everyday suit, it is great. $155 at Nordstrom Buy Aigle Landfor Rain Boots From $56 Jeremy Smith, owner of menswear store Standard and Strange in Oakland, California, is a fan of the waterproof footwear by French boot-maker Aigle, which in 1853 became the first firm to make rain boots using vulcanized rubber. (Prior to that, the super-weather-resistant material was exclusively used to make tires, according to the company.) Smith swears by the brands construction and quality his wife is still wearing her ten-year-old pair and recommends Aigle boots for Francophiles who want to look the part when rain starts to fall. Theyre built like real footwear, which means a sole with traction, a mid sole with comfort, and expensive materials where it matters. Theyre what actual equestrians and hunters wear in France. From $56 at Amazon Buy From $56 at Amazon Buy Swims Charlie Rain Boot $120 This chunky Chelsea-style rain boot by Norwegian brand Swims is designed to be worn all day, thanks to its cushioned insole and non-chafing, fabric-lined interior. The boot, also made from vulcanized rubber, features a thick sole, providing traction on even the slipperiest of wet streets. It comes in all black, too, for men who prefer a more neutral color. $120 at Zappos Buy Stutterheim Chelsea Rainwalker Rain Boot $165 Fashion PR executive Fred Kim also swears by the Chelsea style, which he says looks just as appropriate in the office as it does on the street. I try to wear shoes that I dont have to change into or out of I dont like to lug around more shoes. Sutterheims Chelsea Rainwalker boots are mostly made of rubber (which, as their name suggests, allows you to splash through curbside puddles without fear of wet feet). But the boots two non-rubber panels near the ankle still let air flow through them, according to Kim. The sides of the Stutterheim boots arent all rubber, so its a little bit breathable in there. $165 at Stutterheim Buy The best classic rubber rain boots Xtratuf Performance 6 Kryptek Ankle Deck Boots From $95 Classic rubber boots do not all have to rise to just below your knee, says Smith, who suggests this six-inch style by Xtratuf a rain-boot company known for outfitting Alaskan fishermen as a stylish, budget friendly, compromise. I like the shorter lengths, and theyre not so expensive as to be precious. Ill probably get these myself for the next rainy season. From $95 at Amazon Buy $95 at Huckberry Buy Aigle Icare Rubber Rain Boots $225 Aigles mid-height rain boot is a slightly dressier version of the classic style, and features a chunky sole to grip slick city streets. $225 at Westerlind Buy The best lace-up rain boots The Original L.L.Bean Boot $139 L.L. Bean rain boots are ubiquitous and constantly selling out for good reason. They are impenetrable, and pair really well with jeans for guys looking to pull off a very specific, New England style. Smith particularly loves the Original Boot because it is unabashed by its primary purpose: to protect feet from rain. They dont hide their rain-booted-ness. Plus they can be repaired and remade indefinitely. Everyone riffs off of their aesthetic, so why not get the original? $139 at L.L. Bean Buy The best non-rain boots for rainy weather Blundstone Thermal Series $200 now 10% off From $181 Strategist-approved Blundstone boots many not technically be rain boots, but they still keep feet dry in wet weather, according to influencer Patrick Janelle, who chronicles his stylish way of life on Instagram and in a weekly newsletter. I slip on a pair of classic Blundstone boots when the elements are questionable, he tells us. Theyre classics, and the whole point is that they look good while being very utilitarian. With these on, Im set whether the rain stays or not. From $181 at Amazon Buy $230 at REI Buy Thom Browne Black Derby Boots $820 Guys not crazy about rubber can opt for leather boots to protect their feet from rain providing the shoes are made with the right grain, says Kim, who regularly wears leather lace-up boots in wet weather. Leather is underestimated in terms of how waterproof it can be, especially with something that has a larger grain. The fashion PR executive suggests a pebble grain like that of this Thom Browne boot, which he also recommends for its thick sole and heel. You want to find something with some grips on the bottom. These have a thick sole and a stacked heel, which is helpful for keeping water out of your shoes. This pair is pricey, but worth splurging on, Kim says, because you can dress them up or down, and wear them rain or shine. You could wear them with anything even a garbage bag. $820 at SSENSE Buy Vasque Sundowner GTX $220 Strats resident cool guy Chris Black recommends these leather hiking boots for when rain starts to fall. Their Gore-Tex shell is waterproof and breathable, keeping feet dry and fresh for hours. $220 at Zappos Buy Timberland 6 inch Premium Mens Boots From $200 Podcaster Jeremy Kirkland, who interviews stylish gents and ladies for his menswear-themed podcast Blamo!, turns to another classic boot-maker when he needs to step out on rainy days. Timberlands Premium Boots feature a chunky rubber sole and heel to provide traction on wet surfaces, and a body made from waterproof nubuck leather, which allows the ever-relevant style to hold up over time, according to Kirkland. Theyre for when youre going outside, but you really dont want to. Every cool dude has a pair of Timberlands. Drake will wear Timberlands, Kanye wore Timberlands theyre like the ultimate equalizer in boots. From $200 at Amazon Buy $198 at Timberland Buy The best rain-proofing products for shoes and boots Tarrago Hightech Nano Protector Spray $12 Kirkland who says he usually wears suede shoes when hes not in his Timberlands enthusiastically recommends this spray, which gives all of his suede kicks a protective coating that he equated to weather-resistant Gore-Tex. I cover any shoe I buy with the Nano Protector, and then that shoe is pretty much completely waterproof for three months. I spray it on suede shoes, like my New Balance 990s, or my suede Common Projects sneakers. Its like it turns your shoes into Gore-Tex. $12 at Amazon Buy $15 at Nisolo Buy Swims Galoshes $95 On the rare day that he must wear a dress shoe, Kirkland will break out these rubber galoshes to slip over his fancier footwear. They work really well whenever I need to wear proper leather dress shoes. Its really about protecting the sides of the shoe, and the bottom leather sole. The galoshes also help you keep your footing while running to catch the train in the rain. Theyre actually great for going down the subway stairs, he says. $95 at Amazon Buy $95 at Amazon Buy Leather Honey Leather Conditioner $28 now 29% off $20 Kim uses this conditioner to treat his leather rain boots, which he says keeps the leather supple after days in the wet outdoors. When youre out in the cold and damp, and then you go inside and the air is dry, its important to keep the leather moisturized. But Kim always lets his boots dry naturally before he applies. Let them dry out. Shoe trees are great if you have them. $20 at Amazon Buy $20 at Amazon Buy get the strategist newsletter Actually good deals, smart shopping advice, and exclusive discounts. Email This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Terms & Privacy Notice By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice and to receive email correspondence from us. The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best womens jeans, rolling luggage, bed sheets, coffee makers, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change. Every editorial product is independently selected. If you buy something through our links, New York may earn an affiliate commission. Decrease Font Size Font Size Increase Font Size Article body Three Auburn University research teams have been recognized for innovative ideas that could impact not only the economy of the state and region, but its health as well. The Office of the Vice President for Research on March 27 presented faculty experts with funds from the LAUNCH Innovation Grant Program in an effort to help move their ideas from the lab to the marketplace. The LAUNCH program helps bring some of Auburns most promising research innovations to the marketplace, for the public good, said James Weyhenmeyer, Auburn vice president for research. We encourage our faculty, staff and students to be entrepreneurial. Delivering research-based solutions to our stakeholders is part of Auburns land-grant traditiondelivering those solutions through commercialization creates jobs, grows the states economy and improves quality of life, said Cary Chandler, director of business development and startups for Auburns Office of Innovation, Advancement and Commercialization. This years recipients include: Feng Li, assistant professor, Department of Drug Discovery and Development, Harrison School of Pharmacy, for SMILE Plus: A Nanoparticle Drug Formulation for Cancer Therapy, a novel drug formulation to enable a new use of an approved drug against late-stage, drug-resistant cancers for which there is currently no treatment. Elizabeth Lipke, the Mary and John H. Sanders Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering, Samuel Ginn College of Engineering, as well as Yuan Tian, a doctoral candidate also in Chemical Engineering, for Flexible microfluidic platform for rapid production of uniform cell-laden hydrogel microtissues, a device which can encapsulate human cells to better mimic their natural environment, allowing for more efficient early screening of drug candidates. Professors Sue Hudson Duran and Julie Gard Schnuelle and associate professor Tom Passler from the Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine; Soren Rodning, extension veterinarian and associate professor, Department of Animal Sciences, College of Agriculture; as well as Misty Edmondson, associate state veterinarian, Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries; and Jennifer Koziol, a clinical assistant professor from Purdue University, were recognized for Treatment of Bovine T. foetus with an Extended Release Topical Formulation, a novel formulation of an approved drug to create the first treatment for an infectious reproductive disease in cattle that reduces birth rates. Each team will receive a cash award from a pool of $150,000 toward commercialization of their work. We are very excited to receive this award, Lipke said. Our system for producing tissue microspheres has the potential to advance a wide range of fields, including drug discovery, therapeutic cell production, bioprinting and veterinary and human regenerative medicine. This funding will enable us to take important steps in bringing this technology from the lab to industries that can use it. LAUNCH is an endowed fund conceived by the Auburn University Research and Economic Development Advisory Board as a mechanism to bridge the gap between innovative research and the marketplace. Milestone-based awards are given to winning teams who complete a competitive process involving a two-stage evaluation of proposals by internal and external parties, followed by a live presentation before judges and the public. The fund was created in 2015 with the goal of creating an endowment of $10 million that will generate approximately $400,000 annually for research grants. Until the endowment is fully funded, the Office of the Vice President for Research provides the awards. LAUNCH recipients have the opportunity to meet with experts in entrepreneurship from Auburns Raymond J. Harbert College of Business as well as members of the Office of Innovation Advancement and Commercialization to assist in developing plans and assembling resources to move scientific achievement into commercial success. Researchers may also be partnered with Auburn MBA students as well as alumni and friends with related experience whose expertise will assist in advancing the projects. More information about LAUNCH is available online at https://cws.auburn.edu/ovpr/pm/tt/launch. (Written by Leslie Parsons, Auburn University) WASHINGTON -- Recent detentions and fines targeting two Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) journalists in Kazakhstan suggest that the countrys new political uncertainty may be generating increased pressures for independent media. On April 2, a regional court in western Kazakhstan upheld a lower court decision to fine correspondent Saniya Toiken the equivalent of $135 for refusing to follow police orders while covering a protest over jobs last month in the western city of Zhanaozen. Toiken is appealing the ruling. The same day, Svetlana Glushkova, a correspondent for Current Time, the Russian-language network led by RFE/RL in cooperation with Voice of America, was fined the equivalent of $66 by a court in the Kazakh capital, now called Nur-Sultan, for allegedly assaulting a teenage girl while reporting on demonstrations there last month. Glushkova says the girl was trying to prevent her from documenting the arrests of several protesters. Video from the rally shows police telling RFE/RL correspondents to report about a nearby concert and positive things, and failing to intervene. The protest, during which Glushkova was detained by police for several hours, took place on March 22, only days after President Nursultan Nazarbayev surprised audiences at home and abroad with the announcement of his resignation. RFE/RL deplored the detentions as a blatant attempt to control media coverage of political events and intimidate independent journalists. RFE/RLs live coverage of those protests and other unrest in the country was exceptional in a country dominated by state-controlled media, driving a record 17.9 million views in February and 17 million views in March on the Kazakh Service's YouTube feed. Toiken, who was detained three times by police in February and March, is a recipient of the 2017 Courage in Journalism Award of the International Women's Media Foundation. RFE/RLs Kazakh Service, known locally as Radio Azattyq, provides a platform in both Kazakh and Russian for audience engagement and the free exchange of news and ideas about the most important issues facing the people of Kazakhstan. In 2018, the services azattyq.org website logged nearly 16 million visits and over 25 million page views. More than 387,000 people subscribe to its YouTube feed, and 178,000 follow its Instagram page. About RFE/RL RFE/RL relies on its networks of local reporters to provide accurate news and information to 34 million people in 26 languages and 22 countries where media freedom is restricted, or where a professional press has not fully developed. Its videos were viewed over 2.6 billion times on Facebook and YouTube in FY2018. RFE/RL is an editorially independent media company funded by a grant from the U.S. Congress through the U.S. Agency for Global Media. ---- FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Joanna Levison in Prague (levisonj@rferl.org, +420.221.122.080) Martins Zvaners in Washington (zvanersm@rferl.org, +1.202.457.6948) 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 Cash-strapped Jet Airways is currently operating a fleet of 26 planes and the airline is eligibility to fly internationally, Civil Aviation Secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola told PTI. "26 planes are flying currently," said Kharola, adding that international operations of an airline depends on the number of aircraft and seating capacity and Jet Airways "right now fulfils this" criteria. The secretary reportedly said that airlines have to comply with the "0/20 rule for international operations". He also said that since Jet Airways has 26 aircraft in its fleet currently, question of "examining Jet Airways" on "0/20 rule does not arise". Kharola also revealed that Jet Airways reiterated on Thursday that it will fly 75 aircraft by the end of April. On Wednesday evening, Kharola had said that Jet Airways is operating 28 planes, including 15 aircraft in the domestic routes. Also Read: Jet Airways may not fly beyond April if it does not get Rs 1,500 crore in a week Speaking on the sidelines of an aviation conference, he had said that the airline's ability to fly international operations needs to be "examined". That's because under India's new aviation policy of 2016, domestic airlines can fly overseas provided they deploy 20 planes or 20% of their total capacity for domestic operations. As per information available on Jet Airways website, the beleaguered airline had a total fleet of 119 planes. Jet Airways, which is facing financial crisis, on Tuesday disclosed that an additional 15 aircraft have been grounded due to non-payment of amounts outstanding to lessors under their respective lease agreements. Also Read: Have helped to implement the resolution plan laid down by Jet Airways' lenders: Naresh Goyal Earlier this week, the Indian aviation watchdog approved the summer schedule of flights of Jet Airways only till April 25, while that for all other domestic airlines such as Vistara, IndiGo, Air India and GoAir have been approved till October 26. On March 25, the airline's board had approved 'the debt resolution plan', under which SBI-led consortium of lenders acquired a majority stake in the company after Naresh Goyal along with his wife Anita Goyal, and one nominee of Etihad Airways PJSC resigned from the board of the company. The lenders to the struggling airline also proposed immediate funding support of upto Rs 1,500 crore to meet the operating cost. (with inputs from PTI) Edited by Chitranjan Kumar Tata Motors may get blacklisted by the government for delaying the delivery of e-buses to transport departments of six cities. The automobile manufacturer has been pulled up by the government for failing to honour the deadline regarding the timely deliveries of the vehicles along with a warning that it could be proscribed from getting future contracts under FAME II if the dispatches are not expedited. The said deliveries have been delayed on account of battery issues and lags in the manufacturing process, an ETAuto report said. Also Read: Tata Motors shares surge as sales rise 16% In FY19 Tata Motors in March 2018, had won a contract for supplying 40 electric buses each to the cities of Guwahati, Kolkata, Jaipur, Jammu & Kashmir, and Lucknow, the deadline of which according to the report has been missed. The automobile manufacturer had been awarded the contract to supply e-buses to the above six cities under the first phase of Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles in India (FAME India) scheme by different state governments. Also Read: Tata Motors plans to bring plenty of EVs not just for fleet, govt sales but also for private consumers The Centre under the FAME India scheme gave a 60 percent subsidy to states to procure e-buses either as outright purchases or on a supply-operate basis. However, the states now stand to lose the subsidy if these e-vehicles are not secured in time. Also Read: No production of Tata Nano for third month in row, no sales in March The Madhya Pradesh government has already issued a notice to Tata Motors with regards to delay in the said deliveries, an official from the Indore City Transport Department told the news website. Meanwhile, other states have also imposed liquidated damages on the automobile manufacturer for the hold-up. The Uttar Pradesh Transport Department Directorate is also reported to have levied a Rs 3.42 crore fine on Tata Motors for not supplying the e-buses to the Lucknow transport department. Also Read: Tata Motors sells stake in TAL to TASL for Rs 625 crore Also Read: TATA Motors first Indian automaker to sell 1 million units in a year Also Read: Cabinet clears Rs 10,000 crore FAME II scheme to promote EVs, hybrid vehicles (Edited by Manali) Fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya is broke, bankrupt and living off his partner, personal assistant, a business acquaintance and his children, according to submissions made by banks in the London High Court. The court learnt that Mallya's "partner/wife Pinky Lalwani" pockets about Rs 1.35 crore (150,000 Pounds) per annum and that he is only left with Rs 2,956 crore (328 million Pounds) in personal assets, which he has put forth in his settlement offer to the Karnataka High Court These details on were part of Mallya's response to a bankruptcy petition presented by 13 Indian banks on September 11, 2018, which will be heard in December 2019. Mallya's children and his partner/wife "are supporting him", as per the banks' submissions to the court, the Times of India reported. Also Read: PM Modi's statement has fully vindicated me as a 'poster boy' for BJP govt: Vijay Mallya The businessman has been helped by his personal assistant, Ms Mahal, as well as a business acquaintance, Mr Bedi, who have given him Rs 75.7 lakh (84,000 Pounds) and Rs 1.15 crore (128,000 Pounds), "for living expenses and money owed to Inland Revenue", Nigel Tozzi QC, who is representing the 13 Indian banks, said in these submissions. Mallya owes around Rs 11,000 crore to these banks, according to the submissions made to the court. Mallya also owes about Rs 2.40 crore (267,000 Pounds) to HMRC (Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs) which is a non-ministerial department of the UK Government and an undisclosed amount to his previous lawyers, Macfarlanes, as well, according to the written arguments by Tozzi. The fugitive businessman also failed to pay Rs 1.57 crore (175,000 Pounds) of Rs 3.37 crore (375,000 Pounds) in legal costs to the Indian banks. Also Read: Vijay Mallya's 74 lakh UBHL shares sold for Rs 1,008 crore: ED Meanwhile, Mallya's lawyer, John Brisby QC, also informed the court that the businessman was willing to cut corners by dropping his weekly living allowance as allowed by the court from Rs 16.21 lakh (16,000 Pounds) a week to Rs 26.57 lakh (29,500 Pounds) a month, since the monthly payments of Rs 14.4 lakh (16,000 Pounds) he previously had to make on hire purchase agreements "were no longer required.", the report said. The court also learnt that Mallya owes Rs 30.6 crore (3.4 million Pounds) to South African bank Investec which has joined the Indian banks in their bankruptcy petition. "He cannot on any view satisfy judgment of 1.1 billion Pounds. He is insolvent," Brisby informed the court. Also Read: Court allows sale of Vijay Mallya's shares worth Rs 1,000 crore Wednesday's hearing was about an application moved by the banks to access funds in Mallya's current account with ICICI Bank UK Plc as a part of ongoing efforts to enforce the Bengaluru DRT judgment against the fugitive businessman in the UK. The banks had on January 14, 2019 secured an interim third party debt order attaching the amount of Rs 2.33 crore (259,000 Pounds), which was there in Mallya's account at that time. He however, has opposed the order being made final and has asked the court to discharge the order proceedings. Tata Sky CEO Harit Nagpal today clarified that the tweets related to NaMo TV put up on the DTH service provider's official Twitter handle were incorrect and that the recently-launched channel was not a "Hindi news service". "NaMo TV is a Special Service," Nagpal told NDTV, adding, "Tata Sky carries many Special Services in different genres like Education, Self Help and so on ... Special Services do not need a licence." Tata Sky users had taken to the social media platform to question why NaMo TV was suddenly showing up on their channel list despite not having subscribed to it. That's when the DTH player tweeted that "Channel no 512 is NAMO TV, it is a Hindi news service which provides the latest breaking news on national politics". Another user was told that "the channel is added to all the subscribers as a launch offer. There is no option to delete the individual channel". This development had fanned the debate over the already-controversial channel. It hardly fitted in with the Information and Broadcasting ministry's stand before the Election Commission that NaMo TV is an advertising platform of the BJP and not a licenced channel. India has roughly 350 unlicensed channels that come alive during elections. ALSO READ:Grey area that makes BJP's NaMo TV an 'advertising platform', not a TV channel! ALSO READ:Is Namo TV really a licensed TV channel? In case you missed the buzz, NaMo TV airs Prime Minister Narendra Modi election speeches every day and propagates various policy initiatives taken by him. The channel, which has Modi's image and initials as its logo, is being hosted by all major DTH platforms. On Tuesday, Congress and AAP filed a complaint against NaMo TV, which was launched on March 31, asking how the channel was launched after the Model Code of Conduct came into force. They are alleging that the ruling party has sneaked in the channel to push its campaign. The Election Commission has also written separately to Doordarshan for its live broadcast of PM Modi's public address 'Main bhi chowkidaar' on March 31. According to sources, the I&B ministry, which is preparing its report on the channel for the poll panel, is likely to take the stand that NaMo TV "is not a normal channel" and does not figure in the official list of approved channels of the ministry. Instead it is an advertisement channel which does not require a prior permission and it is run on certain DTH channels on payment made by the BJP. It is not on the list of permitted private satellite TV channels on the ministry's website, the report added. ALSO READ:The curious case of NaMo TV: Now, owner puts domain namotv.com up for sale ALSO READ:Election Commission seeks response from I&B Ministry on NaMo TV As Business Today previously pointed out, this is not the first time the BJP has launched a news channel. In 2007, during state assembly election in Gujarat, the Modi led BJP had launched a channel called, Vande Gujarat. Again, in 2012, the state BJP unit had collaborated with five Gujarati channels to broadcast NaMo TV. The Congress isn't far behind - Tiranga TV, backed by Congress leader Kapil Sibal, was also launched in January this year. Edited by Sushmita Choudhury Agarwal with PTI inputs "I would like to say 'This book is written to the glory of God', but nowadays this would be the trick of a cheat, i.e., it would not be correctly understood."--Ludwig Wittgenstein "Talk to me about the truth of religion, and I'll listen gladly. Talk to me about the duty of religion and I'll listen submissively. But don't come talking to me about the consolation of religion or I shall suspect that you don't understand."--C.S. Lewis Africas biggest e-commerce startup, Jumia Technologies, is set to list on the New York Stock Exchange in April, ending months of speculation. The online retailer plans to offer 13.5 million American depositary shares with a price range of $13-$16--though the final price will be set after the companys planned investor roadshow. The upper end of that range gives Jumia a valuation of $1.2 billion, thus making it Africas first unicorn to list on an American exchange. The company has also received a cash injection of $56 through million private placement from MasterCard Europe. This means that MasterCard will purchase shares worth that much at whatever price the market will give it. This gives the young company a confidence boost ahead of an uncertain listing. Jumia will trade under the ticker symbol JMIA. Who is Jumia? Launched in 2012 in Nigeria by the Africa Internet Group (AIG), Jumia has fashioned itself as the leading pan-African e-commerce platform. According to SEC filings, the company operates in 14 countries representing 72 percent of the continents GDP estimated at $2.2 trillion. Jumia is a vertically integrated company that provides a marketplace for a wide variety of goods, payment services, logistics, and delivery options. The company is more than a mere e-commerce company, operating its own online payment platform (JumiaPay) and also provides logistical services via Jumia Logistics including its own last-mile fleet of delivery vehicles. Like many startups, Jumias top line is growing at an admirable clip whereas the company has not yet figured a way to turn a profit. According to its updated S1 documents, Jumia recorded net revenue of 130.6 million Euro in 2018, a healthy 38.9 percent Y/Y growth. However, its losses continued widening, from 165.4 million Euro in 2017 to 170.4 million Euro in 2018. Its adjusted profitability metrics are not too good either, with adjusted EBITDA clocking in at -150.1 million Euro in 2018 from -126.8 million Euro in 2017. Related: Gold Mining Stocks Are Soaring As of the end of 2018, Jumia had accumulated losses of close to a billion dollars and had a negative operating cash flow of $159.2 million. IPOs losing money Jumia is in good company, though. Amazon consistently lost money during its first few years as a public company, and would still be operating on razor thin margins if it were not for its hugely profitable cloud business, AWS. Is the lack of profitability likely to deter investors? Jumia seems to be having little trouble raising funds. According to CrunchBase Data, the company has held four rounds of funding and managed to raise $767.7 million. But if the Lyft IPO is any indication, then Jumia could be in for a rough ride. The ride-hailing company had a pretty good IPO, with the shares soaring 20 percent on its Friday IPO. Yet, the shares reversed, giving up nearly all their gains on Mondays trading session. Experts are warning that unlike in the past, the market is now punishing money-losing companies. Just like Jumia, Lyfts losses have been widening, with the company booking a $900 million loss last year. In fact, IPOs this year have not been faring very well with many losing money shortly after going public. Thats a sharp reversal from the past years whereby shares of unprofitable unicorns that IPOd have performed better than profitable ones. (Click to enlarge) Source: Recode By Alex Kimani for Safehaven.com More Top Reads From Safehaven.com: BJP senior leader Lal Krishna Advani, who has been dropped from the party's list of candidates for the Lok Sabha Elections 2019, has finally spoken. In a blog titled "Nation first, party next, self last", LK Advani wrote that the party of which he is a founding member never called its political opponents 'anti-national' and it has been committed to 'freedom of choice of every citizen'. The blog is addressed to BJP workers and is written ahead of the party's Foundation Day on April 6. The 91-year-old Advani said that this is an important occasion for all of us in the BJP to look back, look ahead and look within. "I deem it to be my duty to share my reflections with the people of India, and more specifically with the millions of workers of my party, both of whom have indebted me with their affection and respect," Advani said. Also Read: Amit Shah replaces Advani as BJP candidate from Gandhinagar; Modi can't respect elders, says Congress Reminding the fundamental principle of the democracy, LK Advani said: "The essence of Indian democracy is respect for diversity and freedom of expression. Right from its inception, the BJP has never regarded those who disagree with us politically as our 'enemies', but only as our adversaries." "Similarly, in our conception of Indian nationalism, we have never regarded those who disagree with us politically as "anti-national. The party has been committed to freedom of choice of every citizen at personal as well as political level," he said. Advani, who is the longest serving BJP president, said that 'Nation First, Party Next, Self Last' has been the guiding principle of his life and had tried to adhere to this principle in all situation of life. Advani along with senior leaders like Murli Manohar Joshi and BC Khanduri have been denied ticket for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections 2019 after the party decided that senior leaders aged 75 years, or more, will not hold any public office. Also Read: L K Advani BJP's tallest leader, forced to retire: Shiv Sena in Saamana editorial Advani, who served as Union home minister and deputy prime minister during the Atal Behari Vajpayee government, had vacated the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat for BJP president Amit Shah. Advani had been fighting elections from Gandhinagar since 1998, a time when Shah used to be his poll manager. He had won from Gandhinagar for the first time in 1991, and retained the seat in 1998, 1999, 2004, 2009 and 2014. Edited by Chitranjan Kumar e-STEM or e-STEAM - STEM or STEAM curriculum with an environmental focus. FACMAC - Facilities and Capacity Management Advisory Committee. A district committee comprises of an all-volunteer citizen group created in 2012 to help bring research and ideas to capacity management issues in the district. FERPA - Family Education Rights and Privacy Act. A federal law that protects students' privacy FRL - Free and reduced lunch. FTE - Full Time Equivalent FY - Fiscal Year Highly Capable Services - NEW name (as of 2014) as umbrella name for these programs: Highly Capable Cohort (formerly APP), Spectrum and ALO (Advanced Learning Opportunities). HSPE - High School Proficiency Exam, state assessment that replaced the WASL for 10th graders, required for graduation HQT - Highly Qualified Teacher, a standard set by federal law IA - Instructional Assistant IB - International Baccalaureate program. An international program of advanced classes that can either be taken as stand alone or as part of an overall IB program. IDEA - Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The federal law that governs special education IEP - Individual Educational Plan, a federal requirement for students with disabilities (special education) JSCEE - John Stanford Center for Educational Excellence (see headquarters) MAP - Measures of Academic Progress. A computer-based adaptive assessment made by NWEA and originally purchased by the district for use as a district-wide formative assessment but now used for a wide variety of purposes. MSP - Measurement of Student Progress, the state proficiency assessment that replaced the WASL for students in grades 1-8 NCLB - No Child Left Behind, a provision of the federal education law, ESEA, introduced during the George W. Bush administration OSPI - Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction PCP - Planning, Conference and Preparation PD - Professional Development PG & E - Professional Growth and Evaluation, the teacher (and principal) evaluation procedure RIF - Reduction in Force RttT - Race to the Top, see Arne Duncan RIT - Rasch Unit - scoring used in MAP testing RTI - Response to Intervention, the old name for MTSS SBE - State Board of Education (or BOE) SEA - Seattle Education Association (Seattle Teachers' union) SEAC - Special Education Advisory Committee SIT - School Intervention Team STEAM - Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math STEM - Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. TIF - Teacher Incentive Fund WASL - Washington Assessment of Student Learning (former state test) WSF - Weighted Student Formula, the old method of determining school funding WSS - Weighted Staffing Standards, the current method of determining school funding MTSS - Multi-Tiered Systems of Support- No Child Left Behind, a provision of the federal education law, ESEA, introduced during the George W. Bush administration- Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction- Planning, Conference and Preparation- Professional Development - Facilities and Capacity Management Advisory Committee. A district committee comprises of an all-volunteer citizen group created in 2012 to help bring research and ideas to capacity management issues in the district.- Family Education Rights and Privacy Act. A federal law that protects students' privacy- Free and reduced lunch.- Full Time Equivalent- Fiscal YearHighly Capable Services - NEW name (as of 2014) as umbrella name for these programs: Highly Capable Cohort (formerly APP), Spectrum and ALO (Advanced Learning Opportunities).- High School Proficiency Exam, state assessment that replaced the WASL for 10th graders, required for graduation- Highly Qualified Teacher, a standard set by federal law- Instructional Assistant- International Baccalaureate program. An international program of advanced classes that can either be taken as stand alone or as part of an overall IB program.- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The federal law that governs special education- Individual Educational Plan, a federal requirement for students with disabilities (special education)- John Stanford Center for Educational Excellence (see headquarters)- Measures of Academic Progress. A computer-based adaptive assessment made by NWEA and originally purchased by the district for use as a district-wide formative assessment but now used for a wide variety of purposes.- Measurement of Student Progress, the state proficiency assessment that replaced the WASL for students in grades 1-8 Note: not a complete list. Here's a link to the district's list. - SPS' three-tier program for advanced learners. Made up of APP, Spectrum and ALOs. (Note: the name of the district program is "Advanced Learning Services and Programs" but these three programs fall under "Highly Capable Services" of AL Services and Programs.- Advanced Learning Opportunity, the third tier of SPS' Advanced Learning program- Advanced Placement. A national program of college-level classes given in high schools.- Accelerated Progress Program. One of the levels of the Advanced Learning Program. NOTE: the name of this program is now "HIGHLY CAPABLE COHORT." This change occurred in 2014.- Associated Student Body. High school leadership groups.Adequate Yearly Progress. Part of NCLB.- Building Excellence. SPS' capital renovation/rebuilding program that is funded via the BEX levy. Every 3 years there is the Operations levy and either the BEX or BTA levies as those two levies rotate in six year cycles).- Building Leadership Team. Staff members at a school who meet regularly to discuss building issues.Buildings, Technology, Academics. The major maintenance/other capital fund for SPS. Originally BTA was to cover major maintenance like HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning), roofs, waterlines, etc.) but now covers wide swaths of items like athletic fields, technology and funding academic needs.- Community Advisory Committee for Investing in Educational Excellence. Created by former Superintendent Manhas in 2008, to issue a report about reform recommendations for SPS.- Continuous School Improvement Plan, the plan for improvement for each school as required by state law.- Career and Technical Education (formerly Voc Ed)- Essential Academic Learning Requirement- Everyday Math, the board-adopted instructional materials for elementary math- English Language Learners- End of Course Assessments, given in math and science, required for high school graduation Fourth Circuit panel rejects claim that Virginia Parole Board must consider age-related characteristics for juve lifer | Main | "When 'Violent Offenders' Commit Nonviolent Crimes" Alex Busansky and Eli Lehrer have this notable new Hill commentary under the headline "Voters are driving justice reform." Here are excerpts: When crime rates soared between the 1970s and early 1990s, Democrats and Republicans alike did everything possible to avoid being labeled soft on crime. As crime has dropped, however, reforms that ease punitive measures, reduce correctional populations from the current level of more than 2.2 million, and give people who are formerly incarcerated a fresh start have become a bipartisan cause. Results from the 2018 midterms, particularly ballot measures backed by voters, should provide important advice for gearing up for the 2020 cycle. Criminal justice reform has become a winning issue with voters and advocates should pay heed. Polling data make it clear how voters feel nationally. In a recent article, pollster Celinda Lake says that by a two to one margin, voters believe that our country relies too much on incarcerating people. A national poll last year by Public Opinion Strategies showed that 68 percent of Republicans, 78 percent of Independents, and 80 percent of Democrats support significant reform. Places across the nation with very different politics have followed suit and moved towards significant justice system reforms.... This trend has lessons for what works at the state level and ought to give a significant tailwind to those looking to organize for the next cycle. Efforts are already underway to make Nebraska and Mississippi the latest states to legalize medical marijuana. This decriminalization of a drug that is now widely accepted is an important step because it reduces justice system involvement for many, particularly people of color, who are simply not dangerous to anyone. Likewise, Los Angeles County recently approved a plan to close the downtown Mens Central Jail, while killing a proposal to convert a detention facility into a womens jail. Next year, Los Angeles County voters will decide whether to pass a jail reform ballot measure. Looking to 2020, citizens are already hearing justice reform touted by candidates of both parties. That is not surprising, and it is only going to increase. Politicians are catching up with American voters, who have already realized that both easing some unnecessarily harsh measures and helping those who have made mistakes become productive members of society is not just a good and right idea, it is a winning campaign issue. Spotlighting how "politicians are catching up with American voters" on criminal justice reforms | Main | Split Sixth Circuit panel debates status of lawsuit over Tennessee judicial order that gave reduced jail time to inmates agreeing to sterilization The title of this post is the title of this interesting recent Marshall Project piece. I recommend it in full, and here are excerpts: [M]any of the violent offenders in U.S. prisons are there for crimes that not everyone would classify as violent. According to a Marshall Project survey of all 50 states laws, you can get charged and convicted as a violent criminal in more than a dozen states if you enter a dwelling thats not yours. That might seem like a property crime, but its often deemed a violent one: burglary. Similarly, purse snatching is considered a violent offense in several states. So are the manufacture of methamphetamines and theft of drugs. Our survey of statutes yielded even more surprising examples. In Kentucky, committing Possession of Anhydrous Ammonia in an Unapproved Container with Intent to Manufacture Methamphetamine a second time puts you in a violent category under the law and youll face 20 to 50 years in prison. In Minnesota, aiding an attempted suicide is listed as violent, as is marijuana possession (depending on the amount). In North Carolina, trafficking a stolen identity and selling drugs within 1,000 feet of a school or playground are both violent crimes, according to the states habitual violent offender statute. And in New York, its deemed a violent felony to simply possess a loaded gun illegally with loaded defined as simply being in possession of bullets.... Those classifications arent just semantics: When a crime is described as violent, there are all kinds of consequences for incarcerated people. Anyone convicted of such offenses can face longer mandatory-minimum sentences, the triggering of three-strikes-youre-out and habitual violent offender penalties and, in immigration cases, are at risk of deportation. They can also be disenfranchised at the ballot box: Some states let certain nonviolent ex-prisoners vote, but not violent ones. And they are often placed in different housing behind bars, according to their supposed violence level. Rethinking whether these kinds of crimes should be considered violent would change the conversation about what must be done to cut the incarcerated population, some advocates of prison reform say. Take two states Minnesota and North Carolina that classify several questionable crimes as violent. In Minnesota, approximately 3,092 prisoners out of a total imprisoned population of 9,849 were locked up for violent crimes that, on second glance, might not seem all that violent, according to a Marshall Project analysis of July 2018 data. These include burglaryentering a building without consent and with the intent to commit a crime and drug crimes. In North Carolina, a significant portion of those behind bars 7,532 of about 35,700 total prisoners were incarcerated as of 2018 for crimes deemed violent according to the states habitual violent offender law. These include habitual breaking and entering, trafficking in stolen identities, embezzlement of large amounts of money and obtaining property by false pretenses, as well as drug dealing. If those convicted of such offenses ever get re-arrested, they could, at the bail hearing, be considered to have a violent criminal history and therefore be sent to jail instead of getting released on bond or supervision. If they are later released but fail a urine test, they could be returned to prison as a violent offender, even though testing positive for drugs is not a violent crime.... Phillip Kopp, an assistant professor of criminal justice at California State University, Fullerton, said that at the very least, rethinking whether the crime of burglary is violent would reframe our understanding of who exactly is in our prisonsand who should potentially be let out. Burglary just means entering a structure with the intent to commit some kind of crime thereineven if you step right back out and nothing else happens, he said. Its just going inside; anything you do additionally, like robbery, would be charged as an additional offense. We should ask ourselves why exactly thats considered violent, he said. Kopp acknowledges that some burglaries are categorized as violent because of the implied threat of force, or the potential of inflicting psychological violence upon a victim who comes home to see that his or her personal space has been invaded. But in this country, he pointed out, only about 3 percent of the millions of burglaries that take place every year involve any actual violence against a human being. Thinking about how better to punish such crimes rather than just focusing on shoplifting and low-level drug possession might be the next step for states that are serious about prison reform. SINGAPORE (Apr 4): Frasers Property says it has been in talks with certain parties who have expressed interest in acquiring a stake in Frasers Tower located at 182 Cecil Street. Frasers Property made the disclosure in a regulatory filing after receiving a query related to Frasers Tower from Bloomberg News. In 2013, Frasers Property paid $924 million or $1,112 psf per plot ratio for the 99-year leasehold, 82,841 sq ft, commercial site. It was where the former Telok Ayer Performing Arts Centre once stood. Frasers Tower has a total net lettable area (NLA) of 663,000 sq ft with floor plates of 20,000 to 22,000 sq ft. To date, the office tower has achieved 94% occupancy, with asking rents now in the range of $11 to $13 psf per month. Anchor tenants include tech giant Microsoft Singapore and French oil and gas company Total Oil, which are taking up a combined floor area of 232,200 sq ft or 35% of the total NLA. Analysts say Frasers Tower could benefit from the rejuvenation of the areas around Anson Road, Cecil Street, Shenton Way, Robinson Road and Tanjong Pagar under the CBD Incentive Scheme announced on March 27. Frasers Property says it continually reviews opportunities to enhance shareholder value, which included potential opportunities to collaborate with new investors and divestment of its interests in projects and assets. In the course of such review, we may from time to time enter into discussions with parties for potential investments in or divestment of our interest in our projects/assets, says Frasers Property, adding it will issue further announcement when there are material developments in the matter. Shareholders are meantime advised to refrain from taking any action in respect of their shares in Frasers Property which may be prejudicial to their interests, and to exercise caution when dealing in the shares of the company. As at 2.54pm, shares in Frasers Property are down 1 cent at $1.80. SINGAPORE (Apr 4): Synagie Corporation has announced expansion plans to Vietnams e-commerce market by signing one of the worlds biggest luxury beauty companies as its first brand partner to use Synagies e-commerce enablement solutions to help them grow in the country. Through the groups end-to-end commerce enablement and fulfilment solutions are achieved using a cloud-based Synagie platform, which leverages on technologies such as cloud computing, big data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI). Synagies new brand partner was not named. In a Thursday filing, the e-commerce solutions provider says it believes it is poised to benefit from Vietnams market, which it views as undoubtedly poised for massive growth. As we chart further growth in the year ahead, we look forward to creating more revenue synergies and will continue to be on the lookout for opportunities to extend our business service offerings in other markets with untapped potential, especially Philippines, says Clement Lee (pictured, far right), Synagies CEO and executive director. Shares in Synagie closed 2 cents higher at 8.3 cents. FILE PHOTO: Yahoo News Singapore The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) has denied entry to 50 foreign vehicles at both of Singapores land checkpoints as of 8am on Wednesday (3 April), after a new initiative to turn away foreign vehicles with outstanding fines kicked in on Monday. The move was announced in February, targeted at foreign vehicles with outstanding fines for traffic, parking or vehicular emissions offences. It was aimed at strengthening the enforcement of such offences, and was publicised through local and foreign media, as well as flyers and billboards at the land checkpoints, to give foreign motorists enough time to settle unpaid fines. Clearance time not affected The ICA said in a media statement on Wednesday that it had planned ahead to deal with such a scenario, and clearance time for incoming vehicles has not been affected even as ICA personnel are turning away the foreign vehicles with outstanding fines. It added, All vehicles to be turned away are diverted to separate parking spaces to be processed, and as such it does not affect the flow of other traffic. We will continue to monitor the implementation of the new policy on the traffic situation at the land checkpoints, and seek the cooperation of foreign motorists to settle all outstanding fines promptly. Malaysian newspapers, however, have reported motorists complaining of long queues on the Causeway and Tuas Second Link after the ban began on Monday. Addressing the situation, the ICA said in its statement, Traffic at the land checkpoints is dynamic and can be affected by many different factors, including peak hour travels, school holidays, and events like the ongoing Qing Ming festival. The ICA monitors arrival and departure traffic conditions in real-time across the different conveyance modes, and adjusts our deployment of resources accordingly. Where to check and settle fines To avoid being denied entry into Singapore, foreign motorists are strongly advised to check if they have any outstanding fines for vehicle-related offences, and settle them promptly. They can check this at www.axs.com.sg. Story continues Payment for fines can be made through the following channels: AXS kiosks, AXS website and AXS mobile app, respective agencies websites and customer service counters, and SingPost post offices (applicable for all agencies except Traffic Police). Foreign motorists who wish to seek clarifications on their offences may contact the following agencies: HDB tel: 1800-2255432, email: hdbcarparks@mailbox.hdb.gov.sg LTA tel: 1800-2255582 NEA tel: 62255632 SPF (Traffic Police) tel: 65470000 URA tel: 63293434 Related story: Foreign vehicles with outstanding fines may be denied entry into Singapore from 1 April A shipment containing 12.9 tonnes of pangolin scales as well as 177kg of cut up and carved elephant ivory was seized on 3 April, 2019. (PHOTOS: NParks) Almost 13 tonnes of pangolin scales worth about US$38.7 million (S$52.3 million) was seized in Singapore on Wednesday (3 April) in what the local authorities said was the biggest single haul globally in recent years. Following an inspection of the 40-ft container by the National Parks Board (NParks) and Singapore Customs, the 12.9 tonnes of scales were found packed in 230 bags hidden among packs of frozen meat at the Pasir Panjang Export Inspection Station. The shipment, bound for Vietnam from Nigeria, was declared to contain frozen beef. It also included 177kg of cut up and carved elephant ivory with an estimated worth of US$88,500 (S$120,000). Authorities said that the scales are estimated to come from about 17,000 pangolins. They are from four species native to Africa: the White Bellied Tree Pangolin, the Black-Bellied Tree Pangolin, the Temmincks Ground Pangolin, and the Giant Ground Pangolin. The previous biggest haul on record occurred in China two years ago, where nearly 12 tonnes of pangolin scales were seized. Previously, Singapore authorities intercepted two shipments of pangolin scales in 2015 and 2016, with an estimated total haul of about 440kg (0.44 tonne). On the latest seizure, NParks said the scales and ivory will be disposed of via incineration after investigations are complete. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)s SSC Pangolin Specialist Group, an estimated one million pangolins were taken from the wild for illegal international trade in the decade leading up to 2014, making them the most heavily trafficked wild mammal in the world. Pangolin meat is considered to be a luxury product in consumer markets in Asia, especially China and Vietnam, while their scales are typically used as an ingredient in traditional Asian medicines, despite the absence of evidence about its purported medical benefit. Pangolins and elephants are protected species under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES), of which Singapore is a signatory. Story continues If convicted of illegal import, export, and re-export of wildlife, an offender can be fined a maximum of $500,000 or two years in jail, or both. These penalties apply to transit or transshipment of illegal wildlife species, including their parts and derivatives. The Singapore government adopts a zero-tolerance stance on the use of Singapore as a conduit to smuggle endangered species and their parts and derivatives, said the authorities in a joint release on Thursday. Other Singapore stories: Singapores law ministry refutes Human Rights Watch criticism of proposed fake news laws: report Edwin Tong disagrees with view of fake news laws chilling effect on political discussions Money for NYAY will come from 'chor' businessmen: Rahul Gandhi Loading the player... India lost 1.1 crore jobs in 2018; 90 lakh lost in rural areas alone, says report India lost 1.1 crore jobs, including 90 lakh in the rural sector, in 2018 alone, claimed a "chargesheet" released on Wednesday by a group of civil society organisations on the NDA government's five-year tenure.According to the document, released about a week before the general election starts, demonetisation in November 2016 has resulted in 35 lakh jobs being lost. It claimed at least 75 people, including children, died of hunger across 10 states since 2015. The cause of death, it stated, was "prolonged hunger." Money for NYAY scheme will come from pockets of 'chor' businessmen, says Rahul Gandhi Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said that funds for his party's ambitious NYAY scheme will come from pockets of "chor" businessmen favoured by "Chowkidar Narendra Modi".Addressing a rally in Assam's Bokakhat, Gandhi said the Congress, if voted to power, promises to provide Rs 72,000 annually to 20 per cent families in poorest of the poor category under the Nyuntam Aay Yojana (NYAY) or Minimum Income Support Programme (MISP) scheme. Jet Airways crisis: No govt intervention in commercial matters of airlines, says Suresh Prabhu Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu has ruled out any intervention on part of the government to help the embattled Jet Airways. The minister said that the government should not be seen involved in deals to help an airline.Prabhu said his job as an aviation minister is to come with the policy, ensuring that policy allows growth and it allows to deal with this kind of situation. Supreme Court ruling on RBI norms may push resolution timelines on NPAs: CRISIL The Supreme Court order quashing a crucial RBI circular on dud assets resolution will push resolution timelines and also clouds the gains achieved on credit discipline over last year, a report said Wednesday.The order will not materially impact the banks' asset quality as a bulk of stress has already been recognised, the report by domestic rating agency Crisil said. Pakistan's GDP to decelerate to 3.9% in 2019: Asian Development Bank Pakistan's economic growth is set to slump further to 3.9 per cent in the fiscal year 2019 from 5.2 per cent in 2018, the Asian Development Bank forecast Wednesday, citing the "macroeconomic challenges" faced by the cash-strapped country.To meet its large financing needs, the Pakistan government is discussing a macroeconomic stabilisation programme with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Reddit, Telegram among websites blocked in India: internet groups Websites like Reddit and Telegram are being blocked in India by internet service providers, throwing into question the enforcement of net neutrality rules, advocacy groups said on Wednesday.Some internet users have posted on social media screenshots of pages displaying messages saying a website was blocked to comply with government orders. Facebook's WhatsApp allows users to control who can add them to group chats Facebook Inc on Wednesday changed the privacy settings on its WhatsApp messaging platform, allowing users to decide who can add them to chat groups, as it tries to revamp its image after growing privacy concerns among users.Concerns about Facebook's handling of personal information have grown since the world's largest social network admitted in March that data of millions of users was wrongly harvested by political consultancy Cambridge Analytica. The resignation of Algerian leader Abdelaziz Bouteflika after huge protests has inspired activists in the region, but looks unlikely to spark a repeat of the Arab Spring uprisings. Civil society figures in authoritarian Egypt and Sudan welcomed the toppling of a veteran president once seen as unassailable in dramatic scenes that recalled the wave of upheavals in 2011. Egyptian activists who helped mobilise demonstrators with their online calls to oust autocrat Hosni Mubarak eight years ago shared the bitter lessons they had learnt since their own revolution. "Congratulations to every Algerian and may we see each Arab country and its people free," wrote blogger Abderahman Mansour. Following the ouster of Mubarak, Egypt was wracked by years of instability that eventually saw the army force out his elected successor Mohamed Morsi. Now former military chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is firmly in charge and accused by rights groups of heading a regime more repressive than under Mubarak. Gamal Eid, an Egyptian rights lawyer, warned Algerians to remain on their guard after their own army chief played a key role in pushing Bouteflika from power. "My Algerian brother, don't leave the square until the military leaves the politics and government," he wrote on Twitter. "Don't be fooled by the military salute." Faced with the show of people power in Algeria, Sisi has warned against the dangers of protesting and on Sunday lamented the "lack of stability" caused by political confrontations. - 'New energy' - Hamza Meddeb, an independent analyst in Tunisia, said the end of Bouteflika's 20-year rule "reminds regimes like Egypt that nothing can be taken for granted". "It shows that the Arab Spring remains current, and not a matter of history, as the hope for change remains." But he insisted it was "unlikely" that the events in Algeria would have the same domino effect as the Tunisian uprising that set off the 2011 upheavals. "The people take much more precautions to try to avoid their hopes turning into nightmares." In Sudan, where protests sparked by economic woes have rocked the three-decade rule of President Omar al-Bashir, demonstrators said they felt bolstered by the success. "What happened in Algeria will give a new energy to the protest movement in Sudan," Omar el-Digeir, chief of the opposition Sudanese Congress Party, told AFP. "There are similarities between the demands of the two movements, although the problem in Sudan is more complicated than in Algeria." Protesters in Sudan said they are planning a rally for April 6 to march to the army headquarters and demand that the military stand with the people. "The Algerian and Sudanese protests come on the back of a wave of smaller, political and socio- economic protests since 2011 that suggested that the Middle Eastern counterrevolution amounted to putting a lid on a pot that could boil over at any moment," said James Dorsey, a senior fellow at Singapore's S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies. "The protests also suggest the fragility of hopes of Middle Eastern autocrats that China's model of successfully growing the economy, creating jobs and opportunity, and delivering public goods coupled with increased political control and suppression of rights would prove to be a sustainable model in their own backyard." - 'Drawing lessons' - The specific dynamics in Algeria -- which went through a brutal civil war in the 1990s -- appears to have prevented the security forces intervening to stamp out the demonstrations. "Leaders as well as protesters in the region are drawing lessons from what is happening in Algeria," said Isabelle Werenfels, a research associate at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs. "But the difference in Algeria, is that the security forces, having the memory of the 1900s, were not too keen to act, whereas other regimes, could conclude that these movements should be forcibly suppressed." While nations further afield from the United States to France and Russia reacted to the upheaval in Algeria, countries across North Africa and the Middle East stayed silent. Werenfels said that governments around the region remained "extremely wary", even Tunisia, the only country to go through a democratic transition after the Arab Spring. "We are reliving our Tunisian revolution through our Algerian friends and see it is good to return to the fundamentals as Tunisia is struggling to move forwards," wrote political scientist Selim Kharrat. Geopolitical expert Michael Ayari said that Tunisia sees Algeria as a "bulwark" against a troubled broader region and views any instability there as "scary". burs-cnp/kl/gk/del/dr Human Rights Watch on Thursday urged Egyptian authorities to reveal the whereabouts of at least five Egyptians deported home from Malaysia and Turkey fearing they may face "torture and ill-treatment". "Since Egypt has a dire record of systematic torture, forcible disappearances, and unfair trials of dissidents, it is imperative for the authorities to provide full legal access to these deportees," said Michael Page, HRW's deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa. Malaysian authorities said they deported six Egyptians and one Tunisian in early March over their alleged plans to carry out terror attacks in other countries. Ankara, which has strained relations with Cairo and is accused of being a haven for Egyptian Islamist exiles, has launched an investigation into the deportation of one man from Turkey to Egypt. The man identified as Mohamed Abdelhafiz had been sentenced to death in absentia over the assassination of Egypt's prosecutor general Hisham Barakat in a car bomb in 2015. In a statement released on Thursday, HRW said it had established the identities of four prisoners deported from Malaysia to Egypt and one from Turkey. All of them had Islamist backgrounds. The New York-based organisation said they were now "at serious risk of torture and ill-treatment in Egypt" and "could face severe torture and unfair trials". No official response has been provided from Egyptian authorities regarding the deported men to date. Following the military ouster of president Mohamed Morsi in 2013, authorities have cracked down on dissent, targeting thousands of Islamists as well as secular activists. Egypt specifically outlawed Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood deeming it a terror group in late 2013. Rights groups have consistently criticised Egypt's ongoing crackdown but the government insists the measures are necessary to maintain stability and counter-terrorism. The European Parliament on Thursday approved a law allowing Britons visa-free EU visits even after a "no deal" Brexit, despite a furious dispute over the status of Gibraltar. The law means British visitors making trips of fewer than 90 days to the Schengen passport-free zone will not need visas, even if Britain crashes out of the EU without a deal in place. The parliament approved the measure by 502 votes to 81, with 29 abstentions, paving the way for millions of British holidaymakers to flock to the beaches of the Mediterranean this summer regardless of the outcome of Brexit. Implementation will depend on Britain granting EU citizens the same rights in return, but London has said it will do so and the principle of the law has broad support. But the text of legislation itself triggered a bitter row in Brussels, after member states -- at Spain's urging -- referred in a footnote to the draft to Gibraltar as a "colony of the British crown". The United Nations does legally list Gibraltar as a "non-self-governing territory", but Britain insists it is part of "the UK family" and that its citizens freely voted to remain British. Britain's decision to leave the EU has revived controversy over Spain's long-standing claim on the territory, against the backdrop of Spanish elections. Indonesia may temporarily shut an island that is home to komodo dragons in a bid to fix problems created by mass tourism and thwart attempts to smuggle the world's biggest lizard, the local tourism agency said Thursday. The proposed closure, which is awaiting central government approval, would start from 2020 but does not apply to nearby islands where the giant, slavering carnivores are also found, the agency said. Thousands of tourists annually descend on the cluster of islands in the eastern part of the sprawling archipelago nation -- the only place in the world where komodo dragons can be seen in their natural habitat. Komodo Island is home to some 2,300 dragons, which can grow to around three metres (10 feet) in length. An adult typically weighs from 70 to 90 kilograms (150 to 200 pounds). "Mass tourism is already happening on Komodo Island and it's really disturbing," local tourism agency head Marius Ardu Jelamu told AFP. "When there are too many tourists in sensitive areas like Komodo National Park, the dragons can be adversely affected," he added. Jakarta has agreed in principle to temporarily shutter the national park, Jelamu said. During the proposed closure, conservationists would work to rehabilitate endemic plants and boost the number of deer, boars and other natural prey. "We want Komodo Island to be like the Galapagos islands... so we need to rehabilitate the flora and fauna," Jelamu said. The move would also include tighter visitor quotas and a new ticketing system that would require tourists to book online ahead of time rather than paying on the spot. Last year, the provincial governor sparked a controversy when he proposed charging visitors $500 to see the dragons, about 50 times the current entrance fee. Security would be tightened to prevent bids to smuggle the endangered lizard, Jelamu said Thursday. Last week, police in East Java foiled an attempt to smuggle five komodo dragons, and arrested a group of traffickers linked to the case. Those dragons were not smuggled from the national park, however, according to the environment ministry. MV Emerald, boarded by Chinese and Indonesian crew was sighted in the mangrove forest of Barangay Lagadlarin, on March 28, 2019. The local government of Lobo, Batangas has ordered the Chinese dredging ship to leave their shores after failing to provide permit to operate. The foreign ship MV Emerald, boarded by Chinese and Indonesia crew was sighted in the mangrove forest of Barangay Lagadlarin, on Thursday. According to Lobo, Batangas Mayor Gaudioso Manalo, there are companies who have contracts to conduct dredging along the Lobo River but the MV Emerald is not included in their list. Manalo said they have already advised the ships captain to leave their town. Wala kayong business permit, sabi ko. Parang barakuhan hindi pwedeng ganoon. Definitely hindi ko kayo papayagan. Sabi ko, umalis na kayo, (They dont have any business permit. They seem to be forcing their way in, we cant have that. I am definitely not allowing them to stay, I told them to leave), he said. The MV Emerald presented an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) CALABARZON but Manalo said they are still not allowed to operate. Kami ang huling magde-desisyon kung iyan ay papayagan o hindi. So iyong kanilang nakuha na ECC ay first step pa lang, andiyan na kaagad parang atat na atat, (We make the final decisions on whether well allow them or not. The ECC they presented is just the first step but they already made their way there as if they couldnt wait. ) he adds. The local government assured that the ship has not begun dredging the area. According to Manolo, the Lobo River is included in the protected areas because it is near Verde Island which is considered as the center of the center of marine biodiversity in the world. Kami po ay tapat ng Verde Island passage. Iyang Verde Island passage ay center of marine biodiversity in the whole world. Ito ang pinakamagandang dive site kapag nagankla ka diyan masisira kaya hindi kami pumapayag, (We are across Verde Island passage. The Verde Island passage is the center of marine biodiversity in the whole world. It has the most beautiful dive site. If you anchored there, it might damage the area, thats why were not allowing [the ship]), he said. Story continues Meanwhile, other Chinese dredging ships were sighted in Masinloc and Cabangan, Zambales. According to Bayan Muna Partylist Cong. Neri Colmenares, they took a video on February 16 while they were documenting the West Philippine Sea. I personally rode a boat to get near and see the ships for myself. Fishermen also sent me pictures of quarrying ships with Chinese crew in Cabangan, Zambales, he said. Aileen Cerrudo (with reports from Sherwin Culubong) The post Lobo, Batangas local govt ordered Chinese dredging ship to leave appeared first on UNTV News. Although Jet Airways' promoter Naresh Goyal released a statement on Wednesday saying he has "signed on the dotted line as required to ensure release of the much needed funds committed by the lenders", the beleaguered airline's woes are far from over. Battling crises on multiple fronts, from grounded planes to disgruntled and unpaid employees threatening to go on strike, it may be racing against the clock to stay afloat. "Jet Airways won't be able to operate beyond April if it doesn't get the entire promised debt funding of Rs 1,500 crore from its lenders in a week, its top management has estimated internally," sources in the know told The Economic Times. But the recent Supreme Court ruling that struck down the RBI's February 12 circular - outlining a revised framework for resolution of stressed assets - may throw a spanner in the works. The cash-starved Jet Airways on Wednesday deferred payment of March salaries citing "complexities" in the finalisation of the debt-recast plan, under which the SBI-led consortium of lenders took over the reins of the airline last month. The resolution plan involves converting the airline's debt into equity - a 50.1% stake - for a notional value of Re 1 per share, as per the RBI's circular, which has now been declared unconstitutional and ultra vires (acting or done beyond one's legal power or authority). Hence, the promised emergency infusion from the lenders to meet operating costs is now held up on "technical" grounds. Status on salary Jet Airways chief people officer Rahul Taneja said in a communication to staff yesterday that the airline is making every "possible effort" to remit salaries at the earliest and will provide "an update on the status of the pay-out by April 9, 2019". The airline's management has reportedly already met lenders seeking clarity on the future of the resolution plan but no clarity or assurance has been forthcoming. Meanwhile, the airline's pilots' body, National Aviator's Guild (NAG), has deferred its no-flying call to April 15. The body, which claims to represent around 1,100 of the 1,600 Jet Airways pilots, had announced earlier that its members will not fly from April 1, unless their salary dues were cleared. "The management has shown us a positive intent by transferring our (December) salary and we thought we should give them at least a couple of weeks to settle down and form the interim board and solve our issues which they have already spoken about earlier," NAG president Karan Chopra said on Sunday. Incidentally, it was on the NAG's pushing that the SBI-led consortium had agreed to infuse interim funding of Rs 1,500 crore. Chopra had added that the total payout of salary for pilots, engineers and general managers and above-level executives would be in the range of Rs 320-350 crore for the period between January and March this year. Fleet size "Jet received loan funding of Rs 180-200 crore last weekend, all of which has already been exhausted in paying salaries for December and clearing jet fuel dues," a source said. This means that there was nothing left to pay its lessors. On Tuesday, the airline disclosed that it has grounded 15 more aircraft due to non-payment of lease rentals. In addition, several more of its planes are reportedly non-operational since its ongoing cash-crunch is making it difficult to finance spare parts and engines. In the bargain, India's second-biggest airline until January is currently the smallest. And until more aircraft start flying there won't be any cash generation, which is bad news for an airline burdened with a debt of around Rs 8,200 crore Civil Aviation Secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola said on Wednesday evening that Jet Airways is operating 28 planes, including 15 aircraft in the domestic routes. Back in December, the airline had boasted a 124-strong fleet. Speaking on the sidelines of an aviation conference earlier in the day, he had said that the airline's ability to fly international operations needs to be "examined". That's because under India's new aviation policy of 2016, domestic airlines can fly overseas provided they deploy 20 planes or 20% of their total capacity for domestic operations. Jet is reportedly likely to seek approval from the regulator to continue international operations even though it flies fewer than 15 planes locally. If the DGCA decides to withdraw Jet Airways' international flying rights, those who have booked international holidays over the upcoming school summer break may suffer. Ajay Awtane, founder of Live From A Lounge, a popular desi frequent-traveller website, told Firstpost that after Air India's direct flights from India to the USA, Jet Airways is the only other carrier that can fly to long-haul destinations at the moment, and provides an Indian option to the passengers. So, there are no other alternatives if the latter's international operations are asked to close down on short notice. Plans afoot The report added that the operational revival plan submitted by the airline to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation earlier this month, claiming it would have 75% of its fleet up by the end of April, had been rejected as too ambitious. So Jet Airways has now submitted a fresh plan proposing to have 35 planes up shortly, and is accepting bookings based on this curtailed schedule. Earlier this week, the Indian aviation watchdog approved the summer schedule of flights of Jet Airways only till April 25, while that for all other domestic airlines such as Vistara, IndiGo, Air India and GoAir have been approved till October 26. The big question now is whether the new management of the struggling airline can bag new investors, and how soon. The buzz is that state-run National Investment and Infrastructure Fund, TPG Capital and Delta Air Lines, among others, have been approached. Will any of them bite in time to save the airline? With PTI inputs Also read: Banks take control of Jet Airways board as Naresh Goyal exits, lenders to infuse Rs 1,500 crore Also read: Jet Airways plans to fly 40 more planes by end of April Members of the Makabayan bloc files House Resolution 2533 on April 3, 2019 that calls on CHR to probe the killing of 14 farmers during a police operation in Negros Oriental on March 30, 2019 QUEZON CITY, Philippines The Makabayan Bloc wants the House of Representatives to probe the killing of 14 farmers during a police operation in Negros Oriental on Saturday (March 30). READ: PNP Chief relieves Negros Oriental top cops over farmers killing The bloc has filed House R esolution 2533 on Wednesday (April 3) which calls on the House Committee on Human Rights to investigate on the killings. The killings in Negros Oriental are crimes against humanity, targeted assassinations of leaders and members of local peasant organizations perpetrated by the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines in the guise of anti-criminality operations, according to their statement. Anakpawis party-list Representative Ariel Casilao said that he doesnt believe that the slain individuals fought back. Our initial collation of data and testimonies from the survivors and the family of the victims point that there was a summary executiona summary execution style, Casilao said. Based on the report, the chairperson of Hukom or Hugpong Kusog Mag- uuma sa Canlaon and two barangay chairman in Manjuyod were among the individuals killed.Aileen Cerrudo (with reports from Grace Casin) The post Makabayan bloc wants probe on death of 14 in Negros Oriental appeared first on UNTV News. The Government of the Philippines strongly recognizes the interdependence of population and sustainable development. Such recognition has been concretely translated into national policies and programs such as the Philippine Population Management Program established fifty years ago. This was part of the opening message of National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Ernesto Pernia during the 52nd Session of the Commission on Population and Development in UN Headquarters, New York City, 1-5 April 2019. In his speech, Pernia reported that the country has achieved significant milestones at the outcome and policy levels even in the face of challenging political and cultural factors, with Filipinos continuing to increase at around 2 million annually, even as the growth rate has declined to 1.76%. The countrys total fertility rate has also gone down to 2.7 children, closer to the desired fertility rate of 2.4 children on average. Adolescent fertility rate has likewise taken a downward trend. This decline in fertility rate has been made possible by the increasing contraceptive use for modern methods from 38% in 2013 to 40% in 2017. Pernia added that President Rodrigo Dutertes firm policy actions on population and development are expected to pave the way for the country to meet the goals in the medium term. Among these actions are: (1) the issuance of Executive Order No. 12 to achieve and sustain zero unmet need for modern family planning by 2022; (2) the inclusion of the full implementation of the RPRH Law as one of the priority socioeconomic agenda; and, (3) the approval of the intensified implementation of the National Program on Population and Family Planning, the NEDA official said. Pernia added that the Philippines is no longer an economic laggard in our region. Our economy has been growing 6 percent or better for fifteen straight quarters, and at an average rate of 6.5 percent during the first ten quarters of this administration. This shows that we are on a higher growth trajectory. Story continues As part of the countrys socioeconomic strategies under the Philippine Development Plan for 2017-2022, the NEDA Chief said, the government is pursuing policy interventions to reach for and optimize the demographic dividend, with the enactment of the Universal Health Care (UHC) Law; the continuing education reforms through our K-12 program; and the provision of free tuition and fees for tertiary students of state universities and colleges, among others. Pernia, on the other hand, admitted that while the government has considerably advanced the agenda of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in the country, there are still gaps and challenges to address. He is confident, however, that with strong political will and resolve from the national leaders, the government shall vigorously pursue strategic ways and means to ensure people-centered, self-sustaining development towards the realization of the ICPD agenda in the country. Maris Federez The post NEDA: Govt sets in place firm policies on advancing population, development in Phl appeared first on UNTV News. Nissan dealerships Quezon Avenue, Santa Rosa, and Isabela were recently hailed as Dealer of the Year in their respective categories. Nissan Philippines Inc. recently recognized its outstanding and top-performing dealers at the Dealer of the Year Awards. The Japanese brand attributed its strong growth in 2018 to the enhancement of its sales and after-sales services through its dealerships. Last year, Nissan enjoyed a 40-percent growth by the end of December 2018. Currently, Nissan has a total of 44 dealerships around the archipelago. Outgoing President and Managing Director of Nissan Philippines Inc., Ramesh Narasimhan acknowledged the dealers achievements. With record-breaking performance from last year, 2019 is shaping up to be another historical point for Nissan as it continues to be the fastest growing brand in the local industry, Narasimhan said. In line with the local arms achievements, NPI awarded the following: NISSAN GLOBAL AWARD: Nissan Santa Rosa DEALER OF THE YEAR AWARD (MEDIUM): Nissan Santa Rosa EXCELLENCE IN AFTER SALES AWARD: Nissan Santa Rosa DEALER OF THE YEAR AWARD (LARGE): Nissan Quezon Avenue DEALER OF THE YEAR AWARD (SMALL): Nissan Isabela Congratulations to all the winners! The post Nissan Quezon Avenue, Santa Rosa, Isabela Bag Nissan Dealer of the Year Awards appeared first on Carmudi Philippines. The Philippines on Thursday branded as "illegal" the recent presence of hundreds of Chinese ships near a disputed island in the South China Sea -- a rare public rebuke of Beijing by Manila, which has backed off their once tense territorial standoff. Control over the South China Sea is a point of regional contention because trillions of dollars of goods pass through it, and rich petroleum reserves are thought to sit deep beneath its waters. Under President Rodrigo Duterte, however, Manila has largely set aside its previously confrontational stance on China's claims in favour of seeking trade and investment from Beijing. Pag-asa, also called Thitu island, is held by the Philippines, but in the first three months of the year at least 275 Chinese fishing and coast guard vessels were sighted in the area, the Philippines military said. "The presence of Chinese vessels near and around Pag-asa (island)... is illegal," the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said in a statement. "Such actions are a clear violation of Philippine sovereignty," it added. The DFA statement said the "swarming tactics" raised questions about the ships' intent, which critics have speculated is an effort to pressure the Philippines over infrastructure work it is doing there. "Such actions, when not repudiated by the Chinese government, are deemed to have been adopted by it," the statement added. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told journalists Manila and Beijing met on Wednesday and "exchanged views frankly, amicably and constructively" on the issue. "They (both sides) also reiterated that they would continue to cooperate and discuss measures to promote trust," he said. China, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam have all staked claims to various islands and reefs as well as waterways in the sea. Duterte's spokesman Salvador Panelo said on Monday the Philippines had filed a diplomatic protest over the presence of the ships. But in a speech a day later, the president said China "just wants to be friends with us." He has been criticised at home for taking too soft a stance on China and getting little of the billions of dollars in investment promised by Chinese President Xi Jinping. The US has aimed to shore up its relationship with its long-time ally the Philippines. During a visit to Manila in March, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo vowed to defend the Philippines from "armed attack" in the South China Sea, a pledge Philippine leaders had long sought. burs/jm/amz Agriculture Secretary Manny Pinol MANILA, Philippines Agriculture Secretary Manny Pinol on Thursday (April 4) said he will make sure that the P10 billion per year Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) will be profitably expended up to the last centavo. The DA is now awaiting the final draft of the Rice Tariffication Laws implementing rules and regulations (IRR) to be able to begin improvements in farm mechanization, seed distribution and be able to provide agriculture financing programs for farmers as stated in the law. As directed by President Rodrigo Duterte, Secretary Pinol will solely manage and oversee the disbursements of the RCEF. With this huge responsibility, the secretary said he will ensure that the fund will be free of any irregularity. I will be solely accountable for the disbursement and utilization of the RCEF funds. And because of that, I will be very, very strict about it, Pinol said. Through the additional financial assistance, Pinol is confident that local farmers will have the chance to compete with the demands of the market and improve their yield while there is a reduction in production costs. Meanwhile, the Secretary said they are still in the process of adjusting the separation pay of retiring employees and NFA staff who will be affected by the implementation of the Rice Tariffication Law. The concerned employees are appealing for similar benefits as their counterparts in the ARMM or the new Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) who will also be affected by the new law. However, the final decision on the issue will still depend on the governments economic managers. Kung talagang iyon ang desisyon ng economic managers then I will sign the IRR (If that is the decision of the economic managers, then I will sign the IRR), he concluded. Marje Pelayo (with details from Rey Pelayo) The post Pinol to be very strict in managing P10B/y farmers fund under RCEF appeared first on UNTV News. The Madras High Court has asked the Centre to ban popular video app TikTok, alleging that the Chinese app is "encouraging pornography". The Madurai bench of the Madras High Court that has been hearing a petition on the same said that children who were using the app are vulnerable to exposure to sexual predators. The bench comprising Justice N Kirubakaran and Justice SS Sundar has also prohibited the media from telecasting videos made on the app. "The dangerous aspect is that inappropriate contents including language and pornography are being posted in the TikTok App. There is a possibility of children contacting strangers directly and getting lured by them. Without understanding the dangers involved in these kinds of mobile apps, it is unfortunate that are our children are using these apps," the court said asking the Centre to ban TikTok. The petition was filed by a Madurai-based senior lawyer-cum-social activist Muthu Kumar who had requested the court to ban TikTok citing pornography, child abuse and suicides. A TikTok spokesman told Reuters that the company was committed to abiding by local laws and was awaiting a copy of the court's order, following which it would take appropriate action. "Maintaining a safe and positive in-app environment... is our priority," he said. Also read: TikTok to hire chief nodal officer in India amid calls for ban over 'inappropriate' content The social video app allows users to create short videos and apply filters and special effects. TikTok has over 54 million monthly active users in India. The fourth-most downloaded non-game app in 2018 reached a billion download mark in February. TikTok is owned by Beijing-based ByteDance Co. (Edited by Anwesha Madhukalya; with agency reports) Also read: Tiktok introduces more safety initiatives in India FILE PHOTO: Yahoo News Singapore Singapores Ministry of Law has on Wednesday (3 April) refuted assertions by Human Rights Watch (HRW) that proposed new laws under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Bill would excessively restrict online freedom of speech. The Bill was tabled in Parliament on Monday, and seeks to protect society against the damage from deliberate online falsehoods created by malicious actors. Proposed sanctions include fines of between $30,000 and up to $1 million, and/or jail time of up to 10 years. The authorities could also issue correction directions or take-down orders. The proposed laws come six months after a Select Committee made its recommendations. Strong criticism from HRW HRW published an online post on Wednesday criticising the Bill, claiming that it is sweepingly broad and threatens to stifle discussion on websites worldwide. Its deputy Asia director Phil Robertson was quoted as calling the draft laws a blatant violation of free speech and an affront to freedom of the Internet, and governments and businesses around the world should call on Singapore to withdraw it immediately. He added, Singapores ministers should not have the power to singlehandedly decree what is true and what is false. Given Singapores long history of prohibiting speech critical of the government, its policies or its officials, its professed concerns about online falsehoods and alleged election manipulation are farcical. HRW refused chance to explain its views at Select Committee hearing According to Today Online, the Ministry of Law has rejected HRWs claims, saying that its statements are part of its long-standing practice of issuing biased and one-sided statements about Singapore. MinLaw added that HRW was unwilling to come to last years Select Committee hearings, despite offers to fund its travel costs or to use video-conferencing. It was an opportunity for HRW to give its views, and explain views it had previously expressed about free speech in Singapore, with local and international media present, the ministry said in a response to HRWs report. Story continues HRW did not dare to come before the Select Committee because it knew that its views were biased and indefensible, and without any basis in fact. HRWs initial willingness to appear before the Select Committee evaporated once it was informed that its representative should be prepared to answer questions about its views on Singapore. According to Today Online, MinLaw said that it will generally not respond further to HRW until it confirms that it is prepared to defend its views. Related stories: Parliament: Draft bill proposes up to 10 years jail for individuals who deliberately spread fake news Edwin Tong disagrees with view of fake news laws chilling effect on political discussions People take photographs during a launching ceremony for SK Telecom's 5G service, in Seoul People take photographs during a launching ceremony for SK Telecom's 5G service, in Seoul, South Korea, April 3, 2019. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji By Ju-min Park SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea will become one of the first countries to commercially launch fifth-generation (5G) services as it rolls out on Friday the latest wireless technology with Samsung Electronics' new 5G-enabled smartphone Galaxy S10. With one of the world's top smartphone penetration rates, South Korea is in a race with China, the United States and Japan to market 5G, hoping the technology will spur breakthrough in fields such as smart cities and autonomous cars, and drive up its economic growth that slowed to a six-year low in 2018. "It is meaningful that South Korean telecom companies are providing services and networks meeting South Korean customers' high standard in speed and picture quality," Ryu Young-sang, executive vice president at the country's top mobile carrier SK Telecom, said on Wednesday. A few hours after the announcement, U.S. telecoms company Verizon Communications Inc said it was launching Wednesday its 5G service on mobile phones in two cities, moving up its schedule by a week. "For the first time ever, customers can access a commercial 5G network with the worlds first commercially available 5G-enabled smartphone," Verizon said in a statement on Wednesday. U.S. carriers have launched 5G services in limited areas and not on all devices as early as last year. "We launched the first mobile 5G network several months ago and weve followed that up with other firsts, including 1 Gig speeds last week with more cities to come soon," said an AT&T spokesman, disputing South Korea's first in 5G claim. Telecoms and media company AT&T Inc has said it was the first to launch a "commercial and standards-based" 5G network in December 2018. The service was made available to mobile hotspot devices but not yet on phones on Dec. 21 in 12 cities. 5G will change the landscape of the gaming industry as it allows games streamed with minimal delay to be played on smartphones, SK Telecom's Ryu said. Story continues The technology can offer 20-times faster data speeds than 4G long-term evolution (LTE) networks and better support for artificial intelligence and virtual reality with low latency. Sometimes it can offer 100-times faster speeds. South Korean carriers have spent billions on campaigns marketing 5G and, on Wednesday, SK Telecom showed off K-pop stars and an Olympic gold medalist as its first 5G customers. SK Telecom is working with its memory-chip making affiliate SK Hynix to build a highly digitized and connected factory powered by 5G technology, Ryu said. The operator expects about 1 million 5G customers by end-2019. It has a total of 27 million users. Smaller rival KT Corp is set to offer cheaper plans than its LTE service, with unlimited data and four-year installments to buy 5G devices. Samsung was the first to unwrap a 5G phone in February when it unveiled the Galaxy S10 5G and a nearly $2,000 folding smartphone, putting the world's top smartphone maker by volume in pole position in the 5G race, some analysts say. Smaller local rival LG Electronics Inc plans to release its 5G smartphone in South Korea later this month. SECURITY CONCERNS While security concerns over 5G networks using telecom equipment made by China's Huawei Technologies Co Ltd have marred the buildup to the release of these services, South Korean telcos have tried to shrug them off. "I don't think we have a security issue in South Korea," Park Jin-hyo, head of SK Telecom's information and communication tech research center, told reporters. He added that the company uses advanced technology to block eavesdropping or hacking into 5G networks. Among South Korea's top three telecom operators, SK Telecom and KT Corp do not use Huawei equipment for 5G. Smaller carrier LG Uplus Corp uses Huawei gear. But SK Telecom officials said it was likely there will be an open auction for network equipment makers including Huawei if South Korea needs more base stations for higher frequencies. (Reporting by Ju-min Park; Editing by Sayantani Ghosh, Himani Sarkar, Lisa Shumaker and Diane Craft) A giant forest fire swept across swathes of South Korea Friday, as authorities declared a rare national disaster, deploying 900 fire engines and tens of thousands of personnel to bring it under control. Apocalyptic images on television and social media showed walls of flame lighting up the night, buildings ablaze, and clouds of smoke billowing across hillsides during the day. The fire broke out late Thursday alongside a road in the town of Goseong, in the far northeast of the country and only around 45 kilometres (28 miles) from the border with the nuclear-armed North. Fanned by strong winds it quickly spread through the mountainous area, incinerating 400 homes and 500 hectares of land, according to the government. Nearly 4,200 people were evacuated and one person died, authorities said, while 35 were injured. South Korean President Moon Jae-in visited the areas in Gangwon province most affected by the blaze, meeting with residents who were forced to leave their homes. Moon and his staff wore yellow jackets, which symbolise situations of national emergency. The president's approval rating hit a record low of 41 percent Friday over concerns about the economy. He visited an elementary school in Goseong where evacuees were staying, and Jangcheon village, where many residential houses are reported to have burnt down. "I hope you take extra care of displaced victims who -- after having lost their homes in an instant -- may now find time to catch their breath," Moon told fire officials. The National Fire Agency said more than 870 fire engines and some 10,000 emergency personnel were dispatched to fight the blaze. The military sent 32 helicopters, along with fire engines of its own and 16,500 soldiers, to help. "Fortunately, the main fire has been brought under control," provincial governor Choi Moon-soon said in a radio interview with TV channel YTN, but added that others were still burning. The central government declared a state of national disaster, entitling affected areas to special assistance including goods and equipment, and banning entry to dangerous zones. The last time Seoul made such a declaration was in 2007, when a crude oil carrier leaked thousands of tonnes of oil into the sea off the west coast. Moon told officials to liaise with North Korean authorities if the fire approaches the border, the presidential office said. By Ahmed Elumami and Ayman al-Warfalli TRIPOLI/BENGHAZI (Reuters) - Eastern Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar ordered his troops on Thursday to march to the capital Tripoli, taking his conflict with the internationally recognised government to a dangerous new level. Shortly after the announcement, his forces moved on the capital from several sides, an eastern official said, making it from the south as close as al-Heira and Gharyan, two mountainous areas some 80 km (49.7 miles) south of the capital despite its force getting attacked in an air strike. The developments mark a dramatic escalation of a power tussle that has dragged on in Libya since the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The offensive surprised the United Nations, whose Secretary-General Antonio Guterres flew on Wednesday to Tripoli to help organize a national conference later this month to lay the groundwork for much-delayed elections. Asked about Haftar's statement, Guterres only said Libya needed a political, not a military solution. His Libya envoy Ghassan Salame, who has been mediating for almost two years, sat next to him stone-faced with folded arms. Haftar made his order in a video posted online hours after his forces took full control of Gharyan, a town about 100 km (60 miles) south of the capital. "To our army which is stationed at the outskirts of Tripoli. Today we complete our march. ... We are going to start shortly," he said in the video titled 'Operation to liberate Tripoli.' The offensive had started with the capture of Gharyan after skirmishes on Wednesday with forces allied to Tripoli-based Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj followed a rapid thrust westwards by Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA) from his eastern stronghold of Benghazi. The country has been divided between the Western-backed government in Tripoli and a parallel administration allied to Haftar since Gaddafi's downfall. Armed groups from the coastal city of Misrata, which oppose Haftar, started moving towards Tripoli to defend it against the eastern advance, residents said. Story continues The governments of France, Italy, the United Arab Emirates, Britain and the United States said in a joint statement they were deeply concerned about the fighting. SETBACK The developments are a setback for the U.N. and Western countries which have been trying to mediate between Serraj and Haftar, who met in Abu Dhabi last month to discuss a power-sharing deal. The national conference the U.N. is helping to organize is aimed at forging agreement on a road map for elections to resolve the prolonged instability in Libya, an oil producer and a hub for refugees and migrants trekking across the Sahara in the hope of reaching Europe. Haftar enjoys the backing of Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, which see him as bulwark against Islamists. His opponents see in him as a new Gaddafi. The 75-year old general has in recent months increasingly taking matters in his own hands, seizing southern Libya and its oil fields. Their advance took diplomats and analysts by surprise while they were focused on neighbouring Algeria, where President Abdelaziz Bouteflika resigned on Tuesday after weeks of protests. Earlier on Thursday, one of Haftar's commanders said his forces had taken full control of Gharyan. "Right now as we speak I'm driving through the town," Abdelsalam al-Hassi told Reuters by telephone. Gharyan had been allied to the Tripoli government although some Haftar supporters were also based there. The two sides fought skirmishes on Wednesday but these had ceased, town mayor Yousef al-Bdairi said. A town resident told Reuters: "The town now is under control of the army who came from the east and I can see their vehicles with their Libyan National Army logo." (Reporting by Ulf Laessing, Ahmed Elumami, Ayman al-Warfalli and Tom Miles; writing by Ulf Laessing; editing by Angus MacSwan, Andrew Heavens and Richard Chang) Forces loyal to Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar reached a security barrier within 30 kilometres (19 miles) from the capital Tripoli late Thursday, an AFP journalist saw, as world powers warned of consequences for military action. General Abdessalem al-Hassi, head of operations for Haftar's self-proclaimed Libyan National Army (LNA) in the eastern region, said his forces had seized the roadblock without any fighting. Haftar's forces announced Wednesday they were gearing up for an offensive in the west of the country to purge it of "terrorists and mercenaries", having seized key areas of the country's south since the start of the year. Dozens of uniformed men and a least 15 trucks carrying anti-aircraft guns took up positions at the control point known as "Bridge 27", just 27 kilometres (17 miles) from Tripoli, the seat of the internationally-recognised unity government. Meanwhile, fighters from the Tripoli Protection Force, an alliance of militias from the capital city, announced on Facebook that they had launched an operation to stop the LNA advance, without giving details. Unity government chief Fayez al-Sarraj earlier condemned Haftar's "escalation" and said he had ordered loyalist forces to prepare to "face all threats". - 'At the gates' - "The time has come," Haftar said in an audio message released Thursday by his self-proclaimed Libyan National Army, pledging to spare civilians and "state institutions". Dozens of militias have fought for control of the North African country since a NATO-backed uprising toppled and killed longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011. Haftar's forces have emerged as a key player, opposing the government in Tripoli and backing a parallel administration in the east. On Thursday evening LNA spokesman Ahmed Mesmari announced that the force was "at the gates of the capital". Unity government chief Fayez al-Sarraj earlier condemned Haftar's "escalation" and said he had ordered loyalist forces to prepare to "face all threats". His interior ministry announced a "state of maximum alert" and powerful armed groups from Libya's western city of Misrata said they were ready to halt Haftar's advance. A convoy of vehicles from Haftar's forces on Thursday pushed towards the city of Gharyan, some 100 kilometres (60 miles) from Tripoli, witnesses and military sources said. Commander Abdessalem Al-Hassi told AFP Thursday that his forces had entered into the city without a fight. But at least four sources in the city denied this, and a Gharyan official said there were "ongoing efforts to avoid a confrontation" between rival fighters who divide the city. - Risk of 'chaos' - Haftar has repeatedly expressed his intention to march on Tripoli. His forces in January launched an offensive from his eastern strongholds into oil-rich southern Libya, ostensibly aimed at wiping out "terrorists" and criminal groups. The latest rise in tensions came as United Nations chief Antonio Guterres visited Tripoli ahead of a planned conference later this month to hammer out a roadmap for delayed parliamentary and presidential elections. "I am deeply concerned by the military movement taking place in Libya and the risk of confrontation," Guterres tweeted. The United States and its allies issued a joint statement urging "all parties to immediately de-escalate tensions". "Our governments oppose any military action in Libya and will hold accountable any Libyan faction that precipitates further civil conflict," said the US, France, Britain, Italy and the United Arab Emirates. "At this sensitive moment in Libya's transition, military posturing and threats of unilateral action only risk propelling Libya back toward chaos." The European Union warned that the "military buildup underway in Libya and the escalatory rhetoric... seriously risks leading to an uncontrollable confrontation". The UN Security Council will meet behind closed doors on Friday to discuss Libya, at Britain's request, diplomats said. Russia, which has courted Haftar, meanwhile called for a solution to Libya's problems through "political-diplomatic" means. - Tripoli battle 'possible' - Rival Libyan leaders had agreed in Paris last year to hold elections before the end of the year, but that vote never materialised as Haftar's forces and the Tripoli government grappled for power. The UN said Haftar and Sarraj agreed at a meeting in Abu Dhabi last month to make a new attempt to organise the elections. Libyan analyst Emad Badi said factions in western Libya were angling for a joint front against the strongman, but "whatever the result ... Haftar will benefit from it militarily or politically". "His progress can enhance his position in the negotiations" if the UN-backed conference set for this month goes ahead, Badi added. Jalel Harchaoui, a researcher at the Clingendael Institute in The Hague, said that "taking Tripoli is certainly not an easy or risk-free task, but it's still a possibility." "The risk of conflagration has increased," he said. A vacant middle seat is enough to get most travelers excited, but this airplane passenger raised the bar when he boarded the plane and realized he was the only person on the entire flight. Skirmantas Strimaitis, a Lithuanian, was flying from the capital of Lithuania to Bergamo, Italy, for a ski trip when he found himself to be the only passengers on a plane that the Associated Press reports can typically seat up to 188 people. Other than Strimaitis, the only other people on board the over two-hour flight were the Boeing 737-800s two pilots and five crew members. According to the Novaturas travel agency, they had chartered the plane to fly a group of travelers home from Italy. For the flight from Lithuania to Italy, only one-way tickets were sold and Strimaitis was the only person to buy one. While unusual, Strimaitis wasn't the first and won't be the last person to enjoy a private commercial flight experience. In 2017, a woman boarded a flight to Crete at the tail-end of tourist season only to find she was the only one headed to the Greek island. Strimaitis told the AP that the one-person flight was a once in the lifetime experience. President Obama Just Opened Up About the Importance of Travel and Shared His Top Bucket List Picks When hes not empowering the worlds youth through the Obama Foundation or working on his forthcoming memoir, Barack Obama is ticking off destinations on his travel bucket list, from Bali to Richard Branson's private island. The ex-president is an ardent believer in the power of travel to broaden peoples worldviews and break down geopolitical barriers. And earlier this week, he shared some of his sage opinions on the subject at the at the World Travel and Tourism Council Global Summit in Seville, Spain. In a conversation with Hilton CEO, Christopher Nassetta, Obama praised travel's ability to remind people of the value of diversity amid growing xenophobia and nationalism. I believe in bringing people together instead of separating them out as us and them, Obama said. If we try to reassert hard, fixed borders at a time when technology and information are borderless, not only will we fail but will see greater conflict and clashes between peoples. While climate change, political upheaval, and biases reinforced by social media rank among his deepest concerns, Obama remains optimistic about the younger generations commitment toward change. Young people are innovative, smart, creative, idealistic, and ready to go. They understand, instinctively, that this is one world, Obama said. National boundaries and ethnic and religious differences dont prevent them from learning from and collaborating with other people; the politics of looking backwards and erecting walls is a politics that is not going to appeal to them. They fundamentally reject it. Obama urged destinations to make travel visas more widely available, impose stricter environmental protections, and create safer environments for female travelers. If youre part of a tourism council in a city or nation where young women feel uncomfortable where theyre traveling, that will potentially reduce your market, Obama said. Young women arent going to put up with that; they dont need to feel harassed or uncomfortable when they travel. Obama credits his solo trip through Europe and Kenya in his mid-20s as a transformational experience that shaped his worldview. Of all his travel experiences, however, his most cherished are the ones he took with Michelle and the kids. There is something spectacular about seeing a new place and experiencing a different culture but when youre able to watch that sense of discovery in your childrens eyes, thats more special than anything else. Next up on Obama's hit list are two of the world's most famous attractions: the Taj Mahal and Cambodia's Angkor Wat temple complex. But hes also looking forward to exploring the rugged wilderness of Patagonia and Antarctica and venturing beyond Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo to discover the Brazilian countryside. In Doing The Work, a three-part series from HG contributor Tiffany Lashai Curtis, three Black women who work in different industries tell us their stories. During Black Womens History Month, we hope this series uplifts and amplifies the work of Black women in spaces where they are underrepresented or rendered invisible. The sex and wellness industry has expanded in recent years as more and more conversations take place highlighting womens pleasure and undoing sex-negative messages. But as in other industries, the work of Black women in the realm of sex and wellness isnt always highlighted or celebrated. Historically, Black women have had a tumultuous relationship with sexual pleasure. As we continue to reclaim our bodies and our sexuality, we are still forced to navigate centuries-old stereotypes of either being hypersexualized deviants (the jezebel) or homely figures devoid of sex lives (the mammy). So when it comes to our sexual health and pleasure, the conversation extends beyond trying a new sex toy or exploring a kink. Its about healing and finding bodily autonomy as Black women and their bodies continue to be disproportionately subjected to violence and scrutiny. Thats why the work of Black woman sex educators, therapists, and wellness practitioners is so important, and Jimanekia Eborn is a Black woman sex educator, trauma specialist, and podcaster who is out here doing the work to help Black women and femmes achieve sexual liberation. One example of this is Eborns recent collaboration with The KinkKit, a sexual wellness and education company founded by Candice Smith, on a pleasure-positive healing kit for survivors of sexual assault. Mark Dektor For the first profile in this series, I spoke with Eborn about her work around pleasure and trauma, as well as the importance of Black women in the sex education and wellness space. Read our conversation below. HelloGiggles (HG): Youve been doing work around mental health for the last 10 years. What moved you to begin incorporating sex ed and sexual trauma support into your work? Story continues Jimanekia Eborn (JE): Funny you ask that. I actually started focusing on sexual trauma pretty early on. After I was assaulted during my third year of college and [my experience was] dismissed, the first thing I did was become a rape crisis counselor and open an online vintage clothing store. I am a Gemini with a Cancer Stelliumwhen I say that, it suddenly makes sense to folks. I was drawn to helping and supporting survivors, which for me just felt natural and easy. As for the combination of sex ed and trauma, working in the intensity of mental health was a lot. I wanted to work in a space that was ever evolving and never boring. I told my mom one day, I think I wanna work in sex. Her response was Oh, hell. I dont know about you,, but when I tell my momma stuff, it is official for me. When I started really exploring sexual education, I realized that not a lot of people were talking about trauma So many of us are connected to trauma and need to deal with the trauma to get to the pleasure aspect. So when I realized that most werent, I started to [explore that]. I found my niche in sex ed doing something that I truly loved and was really good at: supporting survivors. HG: How has your identity impacted your work in the sex education and wellness space? JE: I have many identities that I think have been helpful in many ways. Im queer and polyamorous. A lot of people in sex ed are as well, or just understand these identities, so that has been coolalthough there is only one [identity] that is visible. Being a Black woman is interesting in any space. I still feel like I have to fight and break doors down. Im constantly calling people out. As for being queer and polyamorous, those arent things you have to fight for as much in these particular spaces. But the more I evolve in the field, the more comfortable I am; Ive become louder when calling people out and holding them accountable. Mark Dektor HG: Whose voices do you think are centered the most in the sex education and wellness space? Whose stories need to be amplified? JE: I mean, any voice without melanin is centered. I will be honest; sex ed is no different from any other field. There are levels to this game, and at the top is white men, down to white women, then the rest of [us]. As long as I grew up hearing about sex ed, it was never from the voice or work of those who had melanin within their skin. I will say that within the last two years, things have been changing quickly and aggressively, and its somewhat beautiful. Sadly, the voices that need to be amplified are having to show up and show out to get their voices heardwhich are POC folks, trans folks, and folks with disabilities. But we are tired of being pushed to the side. So we are amplifying each other and calling others out. We are quick to back each other because other folks have not. HG: April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. What are some ways that the sex and wellness industry can better support survivors of sexual assault, especially those who are people of color? JE: That is easy. The same thing that I tell anyone that asks how they can support survivors: Listen to them and ask them what they need! It is so exhausting constantly reminding people that they do not know better than the survivor. Ask them what they need versus telling them what they need. Listen to hear them, do not listen to respond. It is not helpful to either party. HG: How can sex ed curriculums do better at addressing topics like consent and sexual trauma? JE: I am still wrestling with the fear that people have about talking about consent and sexual trauma. Like, do they think if they do not talk about it, it will stop or go away? These are things that we are all affected by. We all have known someone that has had their consent [violated] or has had some sexual trauma. The only way that we can evolve to safer spaces is to actually talk about them. Be honest about what is going on in the world. I think we need to start talking to kids pretty young. If we give them the tools while theyre young, I believe it can help them to better navigate the world. Art by Zoie Loves HG: Your podcast Trauma Queen aims to normalize talking about assault and healing. Season 3 of Trauma Queen is specifically focused on the experiences of Black femmes. Why is it important that Black femmes be given the opportunity to tell their own experiences of surviving and healing from trauma of all kinds? JE: For me, Black femmes are everything. We carry the world on our shoulders and no one gives a damn about us. Honestly, Black femmes raise themselves, their kids, their partners, and other people, and other peoples damn kids. Yet we are constantly overlooked and thrown under the bus. I wanted to recognize different types of femmes as well; that was really important to me. Because there is no one way that a Black femme looks. I wanted someone to hear a story that resonated within them, that they could say, Chile, me too. I also really and truly believe that there is so much healing in storytelling, which is something that is very important and strong in Black culture in general. I also think this season was healthy for me to spend time emerged in the energy of Black femmes. I am so thankful. HG: Black women have historically never held autonomy over their own bodies or sexuality. How can pleasure positive experiences help us to collectively heal and reclaim our bodies? JE: Sadly, this is so real! There is something about being told that you matter. We as Black women do not get told that outside of from other women. And even then, there are some women who do not support others. That is a whole nother conversation. But having pleasure positive experiences strengthens us. And teaches and reminds us that we are so much more than what others have pushed upon us or attempted to force us to believe. There is strength in numbers; there is strength within beautiful and positive experiences. I have been and will continue to say, this is our year! This is not temporary; this is the START of the breakdown because as Black women, we are tired and taking what is already ours back. Mark Dektor HG: Why is having Black women as practitioners and experts in the sex education and wellness space essential? JE: Black women to me are traditionally natural healers. It is just embedded within us and passed down through us. We have a way of reading you down and also picking you up in the same breath. Making you feel seen and supported, knowing that we mean business. We are a force to be reckoned with and I honestly think it makes people nervous and keeps them on their toes. I believe that is why we are also held back, because we are truly walking beings of magic. Black women are also not just focused on themselves as some others may bewe are about uplifting and doing things together, unlike others. HG: Black women are chronically underrepresented, undervalued, and under-recognized across many industries. Whats one thing you want people to know about the work of Black women in the sex ed and wellness industry? JE: Whew chile, one thing? We have been doing this work in our own communities and homes for years. Why are you so afraid to share the space, and give us our roses now? GIVE US OUR ROSES WHEN WE ARE STILL HERE! See more entries in this series: How this cafe owner is creating space for Black women in the coffee business How this culture writers work celebrates Black women and challenges misogynoir in media While many shoe companies are striving to become carbon-neutral, Icebug has taken its sustainable mission a step further by becoming the first climate-positive outdoor footwear brand. During the past year, the Sweden-based footwear brand committed to implementing measures from the United Nations Climate Neutral Now initiative, aimed at emissions reduction. Related stories As part of that process, firms are asked to measure their emissions, reduce them as much as possible and then offset the remainder by purchasing U.N.-certified emission reduction points (or CERs). Icebug estimated that it produced 3,637 tons of greenhouse gas for fiscal year March 1, 2018, to Feb. 28, 2019. However, the company found it challenging to get an accurate measure of its emissions. So to be on the safe side, it overcompensated by buying 30 percent more CERs, landing it in climate-positive territory. In total, it purchased 4,755 tons of CO2 equivalents through the UN Carbon Offset Platform. When we made the decision, we plunged into the unknown, CEO David Ekelund said in a statement. We didnt know if it would cost 20 cents or 20 euros [$22] per shoe, but we felt we had to take action. He challenged leaders at footwear brands to follow their lead. As a society, we still have a lot of work left to do to reduce emissions, said Ekelund. Simply offsetting is not a free card to continue business as usual. We want the maximum effect, and that can only be achieved if others follow suit. Many in the footwear sphere have indeed taken dramatic action on the climate front. Last year, Montreal-based Aldo Group was certified carbon-neutral after a five-year process. To offset its emissions, the company invested in wind farms in Europe and North America, and hydroelectric projects in China. And French fashion conglomerate Kering (parent of Gucci, Balenciaga and other top labels) has implemented a program aimed at reducing its environmental footprint by 40 percent by 2025. Story continues In the U.S., meanwhile, more than 2,000 businesses and investors have signed on as part of the We Are Still In campaign, committing to following through with the Paris climate agreement after the Trump administration made the decision to withdraw from the global pact. Want More? British MPs Call on Fast Fashion to Address Environmental Harms The RealReals Sustainability Calculator Shows How Consignment Helps Save the Planet 5 Things to Know About the Eco-Friendly Shoe Brand That Meghan Markle Loves Sign up for FN's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Chinese electronics firm Xiaomi kicked off its Mi Fan Festival from today which will see sale of products and accessories at discounted prices across Mi.com, Mi Home, Mi Store and also at its partner offline stores. Fans of Mi products can pick smartphones like Poco F1, Redmi Note 6 Pro and also smart TVs and Mi bands. The sale will end on Saturday, April 6. Buyers using HDFC credit and debit cards can also avail 10 percent instant discount on buying Xiaomi products during the Mi Fan Festival. Also, MobiKwik is offering 15 percent instant MobiKwik SuperCash up to Rs 2,000. Discounts on Xiaomi phones during Mi Fan Festival Xiaomi Poco F1: The 6GB RAM and 128GB variant of Poco F1 is available at discounted price of Rs 20,999, down from its recent price cut of Rs. 22,999. Poco F1 comes in four storage variants. Xiaomi's most popular mid-range smartphone is the cheapest phone available with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC. Redmi Note 6 Pro: Redmi Note 6 Pro can be bought during the Mi Fan Festival for Rs 10,999 for a 4GB RAM and 64GB storage variant. The phone was originally launched at Rs 17,999. The phone is built on a 14nm Platform and is powered by Adreno 509 GPU. Redmi Note 5 Pro: The 4GB RAM and 64GB storage variant of Redmi Note 5 Pro will be available at Rs 10,999, while the Redmi Note 5 Pro 6GB RAM and 64GB storage option will be priced at Rs 11,999. Similarly, customers can also buy Redmi Y2, Redmi 6A and Redmi 6 at discounted price during the Mi Fan Festival. Discounts on other Xiaomi products during Mi Fan Festival Mi Fan Festival sale is also applicable for Xiaomi products other than smartphones. During the sale, Mi Air Purifier can be bought for Rs 8,499, Mi Band HRX Edition can be had for Rs 999, Mi compact and Mi Compact Bluetooth Speaker 2 at Rs 699. Xiaomi will also host Re 1 Flash Sale every day throughout the Mi Fan Festival. There will also be a Mystery Box Sale wherein customers stand a chance to buy products of up to Rs 2,400 for just Rs 99. Also Read: Apple cuts price of iPhone XR in India; here's how much the phone will cost you now Welcome Guest! You Are Here: This is a re-post from Carbon Brief. Prof Stephen Belcher is chief scientist at the UK Met Office; Dr Olivier Boucher is head of the Institut Pierre Simon Laplace (IPSL) Climate Modelling Centre; and Prof Rowan Sutton is director of climate research at the UK National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS), University of Reading. The first results from a new generation of global climate models, which are valuable tools for understanding climate change, are now becoming available from climate research centres around the world. These new climate models make maximum use of advances in technology such as increased supercomputing power and feature many improvements in their treatment of Earths climate system. These include better representation of the weather systems that bring us wind and rain, the clouds within those weather systems, and aerosols the myriad of small particles in the atmosphere that come from natural sources and human activities. An unprecedented amount of information is available from the new models about the changing character of weather processes in a changing climate, which is important for understanding our exposure to climate hazards and how to make society more resilient to climate change. Many of the new models from centres around the world have been recently finalised, with others due to be completed over the coming weeks. They will be included in the next international comparison of climate models, known as the sixth Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6). This will provide the foundation of climate model information for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Changes (IPCC) sixth assessment report (AR6) which is due to be published in 2021. From an international policy perspective, an important function of climate models is to provide evidence for estimates of the permissible global greenhouse gas emissions available to stay within a given level of global warming. This is known as a global carbon budget and varies in size according to the temperature goal in question and the defined likelihood of staying below these thresholds. The climate agreement signed by governments in Paris in 2015 aims to keep global temperature rise this century to well below 2C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5C. A key factor in determining carbon budgets is how sensitive the Earths climate system is to increases in CO2. One measure of the long-term response of the climate over hundreds of years is known as the equilibrium climate sensitivity (ECS), which is defined as the temperature increase when CO2 has doubled and the climate system has come into equilibrium. The higher the ECS is, the smaller the remaining carbon budget has to be to meet a particular climate target. Early results suggest ECS values from some of the new CMIP6 climate models are higher than previous estimates, with early numbers being reported between 2.8C (pdf) and 5.8C. This compares with the previous coupled model intercomparison project (CMIP5), which reported values between 2.1C to 4.7C. The IPCCs fifth assessment report (AR5) assessed ECS to be likely in the range 1.5C to 4.5C and very unlikely greater than 6C. (These terms are defined using the IPCC methodology.) The chart below shows how the early estimates from the CMIP6 models (red bar) compare with the CMIP5 models (yellow) and the assessment of ECS range from AR5 (blue). It should be noted that the CMIP6 range is preliminary and could change as more modelling centres publish their results. Assessment range for ECS from IPCC AR5 (blue bar; thick bar denotes likely range, thin bar extending from it shows values below which ECS is extremely unlikely and above which ECS is very unlikely), range from CMIP5 (orange bar) and preliminary estimates of ECS values from new global climate models (red bar). The IPCC estimates its assessed range of ECS through multiple lines of evidence, including the following: Global climate models, which are powerful tools for understanding the effect of greenhouse gases on climate; Simple models constrained by observed changes in the instrumental record (since 1850); Using estimates of past climate going back thousands of years, which are inferred from proxy measures, such as ice cores and tree rings, combined with simple models; New techniques to study and quantify climate processes, such as the interactions between clouds and radiation For AR5, simple models constrained by observed changes in the instrumental record tended to give values of ECS generally in the lower part of the likely range of 1.5 to 4.5C, whereas global climate models tended to give ECS in the upper part of the likely range. Climate scientists will need to assess how new understanding of ECS from the various lines of evidence compares. They will all be considered by the IPCC for AR6 due in 2021. The chart below shows an assessment of climate sensitivity estimates published since the year 2000. Each dot shows the best estimate of ECS from an individual study, while the bars show the range of possible values found by that study. The colour indicates the type of study. The black bar on the right-hand end shows how the early CMIP6 estimates compare. Updated compilation of climate sensitivity studies featured in the Carbon Brief climate sensitivity explainer , adapted from Knutti et al 2017 . Bar on the far right shows the range of preliminary estimates of ECS values from the new global climate models. The next step is for climate scientists to understand in detail why some of the new models are showing this shift in ECS and how this fits with other lines of evidence. This includes looking at other measures of sensitivity, including transient climate response (TCR), which measures the rate of warming. TCR is defined as the temperature increase at the instant that atmospheric CO2 has doubled, following an increase of 1% each year. This measure is arguably more useful for looking at changes we might expect over the current century, as it deals with shorter timescales than ECS. The international community of scientists working on this new generation of climate models meets together for the first time next week from 25-28 March in Barcelona at the CMIP6 model analysis workshop. This has been organised under the auspices of the United Nations World Climate Research Programme (WCRP). It is an exciting opportunity for modelling centres to compare notes about the performance of their models and for the community to start thinking about the implications of this new rich seam of information for climate policy, including causes of past climate change and projections of likely future rates of change. If it turns out that there is enough evidence to corroborate the higher ECS values from new-generation climate models then there would be important implications for carbon budgets. A higher ECS means a greater likelihood of reaching higher levels of global warming even with deeper emissions cuts. Higher warming would allow less time to adapt and mean a greater likelihood of passing climate tipping points such as thawing of permafrost, which would further accelerate warming. The exact implications will only become clear once more analysis work is done using the latest generation climate models. In the meantime, the IPCCs special report on 1.5C, published last year, remains the most up-to-date and robust assessment of the carbon budgets needed to meet the Paris goals. Sometime in mid-90s, when I was about 11, I noticed a paperback copy of Stephen Kings Pet Sematary on my mothers nightstand, a shrieking cats green eyes calling to me from the cover. I was discovering adult books, and my mom let me have it, as long as I didnt tell my dad. That was bad enough. Some months later, she rented Mary Lamberts utterly terrifying 1989 film adaptation as a treat. By the time a giggling undead toddler sliced into Herman Munsters ankles on a staircase, I was forever scarred. Advertisement But Ive come to believe that Pet Sematary left me with a deeper scar, a psychic affliction more profound than the one from the flashbacks about the emaciated sister, or from the cats multiple deaths, or from No fair! No fair! No fair! The damage is in the title itself: Sematary. An obvious misspelling, maybemost of us probably know the real word starts with a C. But can you spell the rest? Its not cematary or cemetary. Its cemetery. And it is a word I will never be able to write with confidence because of my fateful early exposure to Kings gruesome vision (of his characters spelling abilities). I have since learned Im not alone. Like Ludacris and The Santa Clause after it, Pet Sematary has polluted the minds of a generation, 1983 to present. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Already, the new film adaptation, due in theaters this weekend, has inspired confusion new and old: Why is Pet Sematary spelled like that? Have I been spelling "cemetery" wrong my whole life?? Tyler Payton (@tylerdpayton) April 1, 2019 Advertisement Seeing the Pet Sematary title in my schools library as a kid really fucked up the spelling of cemetery for me during my early ESL years. Alejandro Barba (@Alejllujah) March 27, 2019 Remaking PET SEMATARY means were signing on to yet another generation of folks physically incapable of spelling cemetery correctly and I for one will not stand for it while I am definitely still seeing this movie about undead cats aka: my dream Sarah Hayden (@wearyourshaydes) February 7, 2019 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This horror is real. And it is international. In France, where children should be writing the word as cimetiere, posters are telling them its Simetierre. In Portugese, it should be properly be written Cemiterio, but posters are advertising Samiterio de Animais. (Strangely, Germany and Spain seem to be spared. I guess some countries still care about their young people.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Pet Sematary, we learn the sign on the titular cemetery is misspelled by the children who created it as a resting place for their fallen pets, an error replicated by King in the title. (In the new version, an 8-year-old girl, somewhat implausibly, points out the misspelling.) But should you be inclined to grant one of the great horror writers, I dont know, artistic license, I submit he knew exactly what he was doing. Please note this parenthetical, later in the novel: Rachel would call the vet this morning, they would get Church fixed, and that would put this whole nonsense of Pet Semataries (it was funny how that misspelling got into your head and began to seem right) and death fears behind them. Advertisement Advertisement Hmm! It isnt hard to find others who suffer from this infirmity. When I asked my colleaguespeople who write and proofread for a livingwhether they shared my troubles, it was clear it is a widespread issue. Some spelling-bee types proudly rattled off cemetery, but never mind them. Most people got the C and first E correct but were flummoxed by the final vowel and went with an A, perhaps because of words like secretary, or because it just sounds like it should be an A. Orperhaps!because they spent their entire lives staring at the word spelled incorrectly on their mothers bedside stands and in scary-movie roundups. As one correspondent admitted to me, Now that I look at it, maybe the atary at the end of the title has affected my memory. I definitely looked at the cover of that book as a teenager more often than I looked at any real cemeteries. Indeed! Advertisement Advertisement The cycle is about to begin anew as the stylish new version of the story arrives in theaters, perpetuating a curse that has infected too many already. Disgusted, I decided to reach out to King directly to see if he had any words of explanation or contrition. He sent a quick reply to my email message. It read, in full: Peter Straub, the novelist, called me after he got the manuscript. In a very diffident tone, he said, Stevie, you misspelled cemetery. I laughed and told him to read the book. Steve Sure, read the book. See the movie. But dont say you werent warned. Pls donate 2 me, thx! If you havent already, at some point youre going to start receiving a lot of text messages from candidates in the 2020 election cycle, telling you they will stand for your principles and that it would be so great if you could pitch in for the cause. Aaron Mak explains why so many presidential campaigns are adopting this outreach tactic and what to do if you find yourself getting annoyed. Biding time: Joe Biden has been repeatedly accused of inappropriately touching and generally behaving in a creepy manner around various women. While many have voiced outrage, Uncle Joe still has his unexpected defenders. Josh Voorhees breaks down the sources of Biden fandom from the modern Democratic base, concluding that this controversy probably wont hurt him too much in the polls, where he still currently stands as the Democratic front-runner. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No, really, Im fine, youre fine, everythings fine! Its fine! If you cant make head or tail of whats going on with Brexit at this moment, what with all the stalled votes and extended deadlines and general turmoil, I promise youre not alone in your befuddlement. Thankfully, Joshua Keating has been keeping track of the crisis and sorting it out for all of us in his new daily series, Today in Brexit. Read the latest installment here. Flea market find: The 1924 film The City Without Jews was lost for decades, until a collector stumbled upon a copy in a Paris flea market. Set to screen this week in New York, the movie depicts Utopia, a city in economic disarray that expels all its Jews, to its own downfall. A prescient warning against anti-Semitism, the works reemergence carries extra resonance in our current moment. For fun: Why you should watch Black Monday. As if you needed another TV recommendation, Nitish On Tuesday, Sen. Elizabeth Warren published an op-ed in the Washington Post in which she called for corporate executives to be hauled out in handcuffs for failing to reasonably oversee the companies they run. Warren used the piece as a vehicle to introduce new legislation, the Corporate Executive Accountability Act. The bill would expand criminal liability to any corporate executive who negligently oversees a giant company causing severe harm to U.S. families. While there is a lot to like about Warrens plan, the proposal to put corporate executives in jail for acting negligently is a very bad idea. Advertisement This is not the first time that Warren has made these arguments or focused on criminal liability for corporate executives. Last year, she introduced the Ending Too Big to Jail Act, which would have increased government resources devoted to investigating fraud and potential criminal conduct by large financial institutions. Her new bill takes aim at corporate criminality by shifting more resources to prosecution, requiring executives to certify that no crimes have been committed on their watch, and lowering the mental state required for guilt to negligence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Negligence is an incredibly low standard for criminal punishment. A person who is acting negligently does not know that what she is doing (or failing to do) is wrong or risky. Negligence means that a reasonable person in that position would have realized that there was a risk of harm. Prosecutors are likely to think that defendants should have known that there were risks simply because something bad occurrednot because they necessarily would have recognized the risks themselves if theyd been in that situation. Advertisement Advertisement Not only is the standard itself problematic, but Warren also supports her proposal with a highly misleading example. She says, Even when in-house lawyers flag conduct that skirts the law, theres little reason for executives to listen. The executives know that, at worst, the company will get hit with a fineand the money will come out of their shareholders pockets, not their own. But her example is not of an executive acting negligently. The whole point of Warrens exampleand what makes the executives so blameworthyis that they are aware of the risk that they are breaking the law. The executives in her example are not guilty of negligence, but recklessness or willful blindnessmental states that are both more serious and more difficult to prove than the negligence standard she proposes. Advertisement Warrens decision to use criminal law to bring about change is part of a broader pathology on both the right and the left. We think it may not be an accident that Warren gives an example of executives who are engaged in more serious conduct than negligence. Anyone familiar with Warrens work should recognize that she doesnt believe that the 2008 financial crisis was the result of unfortunate accidents; she and others have argued (quite compellingly) that corporate executives were well aware of the riskiness of their behavior but took risks to make bigger profits. Warren has argued that financial fraud should be prosecuted aggressively. But the bill she is now proposing would treat mistakes the same as intentional fraud. Advertisement Advertisement Warren tells us that one reason prosecutors dont try to bring criminal prosecutions against corporate executives is that they claim its too hard to prove that the people at the top knew about the corporate misconduct. And she complains that under current law, those executives can escape the threat of prosecution so long as no one can prove exactly what they knew. In other words, the problem isnt necessarily that the law criminalizes the wrong conductits that corporate fraud cases are hard to prove. Warren does acknowledge that current law could address a lot of these problems if prosecutors devoted more time and resources to those cases. While she deserves credit for this admission, she also deserves criticism for trying to water down the law simply to make it easier to punish people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, some will say that prosecutors will only use this overly broad law to go after executives who were willfully blind or who knew about these problems. That claim is reminiscent of arguments made in other contextsthat the burden of proof makes some cases too difficult to prove, so we need to change the law. Thats very dangerous. We should not change the law to include conduct we dont actually want to punish in order to make it easier for prosecutors to punish people we think do bad things that are hard to prove. Overly broad laws essentially delegate the content of the criminal law to prosecutors. And prosecutors will decide what is worthy of punishment using criteria that the public doesnt know about and that can change from case to case and defendant to defendant. Prosecutors can even enforce the law as writtento cover truly accidental behaviorand there is nothing potential defendants can do about it. The fact that Congress was trying to solve a different problem doesnt matter if the text of the statute sweeps in other people too. (For example, Congress wrote a law designed to punish computer hacking so broadly that it appears to criminalize violations of a websites terms of use.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Warren has been a proponent of this approach elsewhere. She has opposed bipartisan criminal justice reform legislation out of concern that it might benefit white-collar defendants. When legislators sought to clarify or impose higher mental state requirements for criminal culpability, Warren argued that prosecutors needed greater flexibility to reach bad actors in the financial sector. In advancing these arguments, Warren once again argued for criminal statutes that went well beyond the conduct that she had identified as deserving punishment. And in doing so, she has embraced the sort of prosecutorial power that criminal justice reformers nationwide have long sought to curtail. To be clear, there are other aspects of Warrens proposal that seem like worthy reforms. In particular, Warren proposes a certification requirement so executives at big banks would need to certify that they had done due diligence inquiries to ensure that their subordinates were abiding by the law. This proposal certainly seems that it would foster a culture of accountability, particularly because Warrens bill would impose penalties for filing false certifications. And focusing more resources on regulating financial institutions, as Warren argues in her op-ed, might well be an important component of curbing economic inequality and preventing the next financial crisis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Warrens decision to use criminal law to bring about change is part of a broader pathology present on both the right and the left in this country: the assumption that the best way to solve a social problem is to pass a new criminal statute. The past half-century provides plenty of evidence that this approach is a recipe for disaster. As criminal codes have expanded, prison populations have ballooned, and prosecutorial and police discretion have led to a massive, racialized underclass of individuals with criminal records. Anyone who is committed to criminal justice reform should reject this approach. Advertisement Advertisement It can be tempting to make exceptions when we encounter particularly unsympathetic defendants. And certainly, U.S. prisons are not full of bank executives. But those exceptions can add up quickly, and they help normalize arguments that equate accountability with incarceration. The fact that economic inequality is a pressing problem and criminal laws are historically easier to pass than civil regulatory statutes shouldnt excuse Warrens approach. Addressing the crisis of the U.S. criminal system requires moving beyond a reflexive turn to punishment when we encounter bad conduct or injustice. Warren rightly notes that the rich and poor are treated differently in the criminal system. But we should not use the much-criticized treatment of poor defendants, particularly poor defendants of color, as a model for policymaking. It doesnt improve the treatment of the poor and the disenfranchised to subject others to that same terrible treatment. Criminal punishment should be used sparingly. And when other avenues, such as regulatory regimes and civil penalties, are available, there is no good reason to turn to criminal law. Calls to put people in handcuffs at that point seem like political rhetoric that is designed to inflame voters sense of injustice and righteous indignation. Thats the path that led this country to mass incarceration, and it is time to change course. Seven women have now accused Joe Biden of touching them in an overly familiar way that made them feel uncomfortable or embarrassed. Biden released a video on Wednesday saying that he hugged people or grabbed their shoulders because of a desire to make a human connection and comfort people in times of stress or hardship. He said he would try to be more mindful and respectful of peoples personal space because social norms are changing. Even though it appears his defense will appease his baseand several women who experienced such intimate physical contact from Biden have come forward to defend his affectionate style of engaging with acquaintances and strangersthree more women have come forward since the video to accuse him of touching them in a way that left them feeling uncomfortable. Here is the complete list of the accusations against Biden. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lucy Flores In an essay for the Cut, Flores wrote that when she was running as the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor of Nevada, Biden came up to her and placed his hands on her shoulders just before she went onstage to talk at a campaign event. I felt him get closer to me from behind, she wrote. He leaned further in and inhaled my hair. I was mortified. He proceeded to plant a big slow kiss on the back of my head. My brain couldnt process what was happening. I was embarrassed. I was shocked. I was confused. The encounter left her feeling ashamed, confused, and demeaned at what was meant to be an important career moment for her, she wrote. Advertisement Amy Lappos In an interview with the Hartford Courant on Monday, a former congressional aide to Rep. Jim Himes said she had been a volunteer at a 2009 fundraiser when Biden approached her. It wasnt sexual, but he did grab me by the head, Lappos said. He put his hand around my neck and pulled me in to rub noses with me. When he was pulling me in, I thought he was going to kiss me on the mouth. Advertisement Lappos told the Courant she felt Biden had crossed a line of respect in a sexist way. She told the New York Times she spoke out because she was disappointed in the public reaction to Flores allegations. Uninvited affection is not okay, she said. Objectifying women is not okay. Advertisement Caitlyn Caruso The next day, Caruso, a sexual assault survivor who met Biden three years ago when she was a 19-year-old college student at an event related to sexual assault at the University of NevadaLas Vegas, told the New York Times about her experience with Biden. She said Biden rested his hand on her thigheven as she squirmed in her seat to show her discomfortand hugged her just a little bit too long, according to the Times. Advertisement Advertisement She told the Times that she did not say anything publicly because she just thought it was how men act. But she had just shared her story of sexual assault and felt Biden had failed to understand her need for boundaries, she said. Advertisement Advertisement D.J. Hill In the same article, the Times interviewed a writer who met Biden at a 2012 fundraising event in Minneapolis. She told the Times that Biden had placed his hand on her shoulder before dropping it down to her back, making her very uncomfortable. Advertisement Advertisement Speaking on Fox News on Wednesday, she called for a zero tolerance policy on invading personal space and said she had come forward because she wanted to see a cultural change. Vail Kohnert-Yount In 2013, she was a White House intern, standing aside at the exit of the West Wings basement to allow the vice president to move through, when she met Biden. According to Kohnert-Yount, Biden introduced himself and shook her hand. He then put his hand on the back of my head and pressed his forehead to my forehead while he talked to me, she told the Washington Post in an article published early Thursday. I was so shocked that it was hard to focus on what he was saying. I remember he told me I was a pretty girl. Advertisement Advertisement She told the Post that even though she did not consider the interaction sexual harassment, she had felt embarrassed that Biden had commented on her appearance. She said she thought Bidens intentions were good but that it amounted to the kind of inappropriate behavior that makes many women feel uncomfortable and unequal in the workplace. Sofie Karasek In the same article, Karasek, one of 51 sexual assault victims who appeared with Lady Gaga onstage at the Oscars, said that she met Biden after the ceremony and told him the story of a college student who died by suicide after being sexually assaulted. Biden, in response, held her hands and placed his forehead against hers in a gesture others told the Post was a common one for the former vice president. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Karasek told the Post that she appreciated that Biden was making a gesture of support but felt that he had inappropriately invaded her personal space at an emotionally charged moment. He emphasized that he wants to connect with people and, of course, thats important, she said. [But] too often it doesnt matter how the woman feels about it, or they just assume that theyre fine with it. Ally Coll Coll said she had been a Democratic staffer in 2008 when she was introduced to Biden at a reception. She told the Post that Biden complimented her smile and held her shoulders for a beat too long. She said she felt uncomfortable at the time but ignored it because of her excitement over meeting him. She told the Post she now thinks his behavior was inappropriate in a professional setting: Theres been a lack of understanding about the way that power can turn something that might seem innocuous into something that can make somebody feel uncomfortable. Before Donald Trump nominated him to the federal bench, John K. Bush was perhaps best known as an anti-gay blogger who spread birther conspiracies. Now he is a judge on the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals. Bush was selected, in part, because of his conservative views on reproductive rights, including a belief that abortion is a tragedy on par with slavery. On Thursday, he transformed those views into law, upholding Kentuckys informed consent law in an opinion overflowing with charged anti-abortion rhetoric. Advertisement The Kentucky law at issue is extraordinarily invasive. It requires abortion providers to perform an ultrasound, generally using a transvaginal probe for pregnancies of less than nine weeks, on all patients seeking to terminate their pregnancies. The provider must then describe the fetus in detailed terms, pointing out its organs, and play the sound of its heartbeat. Patients can only avoid this sound and description if they cover their ears and make noises to drown it out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Get The Angle in Your Inbox Every weekday, Slate's copy editors round up the stories you need to read. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time. An abortion clinic sued to block the law, known as H.B. 2, alleging a violation of its doctors constitutional rights. It argued that Kentucky seeks to compel ideological speech without sufficient justification in violation of the First Amendment. A federal district court agreed, but on Thursday, a panel of judges upheld H.B. 2 by a 21 vote. Writing for the majority, Bush essentially praised the law as an effort to provide patients with information about the development of unborn life and alternatives to abortion. (In fact, Bush refused to use the word fetusoutside of quotations from statutes and precedentsinstead using the phrase unborn life every time.) Advertisement Advertisement Even though the Supreme Court has never upheld mandatory sonogram laws, Bush framed H.B. 2 as an obviously legal means to curb abortion. He claimed that todays Posterity, whose first picture of themselves commonly comes from a sonogram, turn to photos and videos to share information. It is only natural that Kentucky would use images and sounds of unborn life to persuade women not to terminate their pregnancies. Analyzing the law under the undue burden standard, Bush found that it passed constitutional muster. Any informed consent law should be upheld, he wrote, so long as it is truthful, non-misleading, and relevant to an abortion. And the Kentucky statute passes this test. Advertisement As Judge Bernice B. Donald pointed out in her furious dissent, Bush used the wrong standard: The plaintiffs allege a First Amendment violation, accusing Kentucky of forcing doctors to carry the states ideological message. Under the Supreme Courts 2018 decision in NIFLA v. Becerra, Donald wrote, the government cannot compel doctors speech under the pretext of informed consent using a law that does not actually facilitate informed consent. And a mountain of undisputed evidence indicates that H.B. 2 fails to provide informed consent, and instead subjects women to emotional trauma. Donald recounts testimony provided by a woman forced to see her profoundly ill fetus on an ultrasound before receiving an abortion: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the staff at the abortion clinic did all they could for me, this experience was nothing short of torture. I had to lie on an examination table, with my feet in stirrups. My belly was exposed with the ultrasound gel and abdominal probe on it while we saw images of our sick child forming on the screen for the third time that day. Before the doctor even started the description, I began to sob until I could barely breathe. My husband had to calm me down and the doctor had to wait for me to find my breath. The description the doctor provided was perhaps the most devastating part because although our baby was profoundly ill, he had healthy organs too. So, the doctor was forced to describeand I to hearthat he had a well-developed diaphragm and four healthy chambers of the heart. His words were unwelcome and I felt completely trapped. I closed my eyes. I twisted away from the screen. The doctor and staff repeatedly apologized for making us go through this, but their compassion could not ameliorate my pain. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Multiple doctors and medical professionals testified that this requirement does nothing at all to help patients make any kind of decision. Instead, it subjects them to agony in their most vulnerable moments. Thus, Donald wrote, H.B. 2 does not regulate speech as part of the practice of medicine. Instead, it coerces doctors to perform a gratuitous procedure while describing the fetus, harm[ing] their patients for no medical purpose. Under NIFLA, this kind of content-based regulation of speech must be subject to heightened scrutiny. And because Kentucky put forth no evidence demonstrating that mandating the procedure set forth in H.B. 2 provides any medical benefit, the law cannot meet this standard. Donald concluded: Advertisement Benjamin Franklin warned that [f]reedom of speech is a principal pillar of a free government; when this support is taken away, the constitution of a free society is dissolved, and tyranny is erected on its ruins. H.B. 2 is a restriction on speech that has no basis in the practice of medicine. It should be subjected to heightened scrutiny and deemed unconstitutional, lest our constitution dissolve, and tyranny be erected on its ruins. I dissent! Advertisement It is difficult to quibble with Donalds reasoning, but unfortunately, the plaintiffs have little hope of reversing Bushs decision. In NIFLA, the Supreme Courts conservatives created a bizarre double standard: The majority suggested that it would strike down pro-choice disclosure laws, but uphold anti-abortion disclosure laws. So, according to the court, California cannot compel unlicensed crisis pregnancy centers to disclose their lack of a licensebut states can compel doctors to express anti-abortion propaganda to patients. Donalds dissent, then, may be logically compelling, but it is unlikely to attract five votes on this Supreme Court. To the conservative justices, the First Amendment simply protects anti-abortion speech more robustly than it protects pro-choice expression. From this hypocrisy, Judge Donald dissents. So both the New York Times and Washington Post ran big stories Wednesday night that asserted that some members of Robert Muellers special counsel team are unhappy about the way that Attorney General William Barr summarized their work in his March 24 letter to Congress. Barrs letter quoted Muellers report as concluding that evidence does not establish that the President was involved in an underlying crime related to Russian election interference; the attorney general also wrote that special counsels findings were not sufficient to establish that the President committed an obstruction-of-justice offense. President Donald Trump then declared that Mueller had delivered him a complete and total exoneration, an interpretation that was not too far off from that of newspapers like the New York Times, whose front-page headline about Barrs letter read MUELLER FINDS NO TRUMP-RUSSIA CONSPIRACY. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, though, the Times says that some of Robert S. Mueller IIIs investigators have told associates that Attorney General William P. Barr failed to adequately portray the findings of their inquiry and that they were more troubling for President Trump than Mr. Barr indicated, while the Post says in particular that members of Muellers team have complained to close associates that the evidence they gathered on obstruction was alarming and significant. Apparently Muellers team in fact prepared its own summaries of its findings with a view that they could made public, in the Posts words, only for Barr to decide that they contained sensitive information that couldnt be releasedthis despite Muellers office being staffed entirely by career law enforcement officials with experience in handling classified and otherwise restricted material. Advertisement Advertisement Heres the most stunning paragraph in the Posts story: Some members of Muellers team appear caught off guard by how thoroughly the president has used Barrs letter to claim total victory, as the limited information about their work has been weaponized in the countrys highly polarized political environment, according to people familiar with their responses. Trump selected Barr to become attorney general after Barr defended Trumps right to mess with the Russia investigation both publicly and privately; Barr had also held the same office under George H.W. Bush, during which time he recommended pardoning four individuals close to Bush whod been convicted of lying to investigators about the sale of weapons to Iran. Also, Donald Trump is Donald Trump. Im not the first to point this out, but on what world could anyone be surprised that this particular presidentattorney general tag team would weaponize any given piece of information in a partisan way? Neptune? Sure, maybe the special counsels office was on Neptune. As to whether well find out what the report actually said, Barr has said he will deliver a partially redacted version of it to Congress by mid-April; the Democrat-controlled House Judiciary Committee has voted to authorize a subpoena demanding the full, unredacted report but has not yet issued one. Last week, I wrote a piece about Pete Buttigieg that made a lot of people mad. My goal was to apply an intersectional lens to Buttigiegs queer politics and identity in the context of conversations happening on the left about diversity in the 2020 Democratic presidential slate. Relying on statements Pete had made about his gay identity, and my own analysis of the ways homophobia affects all queer people differently based on race, class, gender, and gender presentation, I wondered if his lived experiences might more closely mirror his white male counterparts than any of his other competitors. Advertisement I expected that some of my fellow queer people would disagree with what I wrote, but I didnt expect the overwhelming volume of angry responses that followed. So I asked one of the critics of my piece, film writer Mark Harris, to discuss the topic with me, help contextualize the backlash, and further analyze Buttigiegs possible candidacy. What follows is a lightly edited and condensed transcript of our conversation. Christina Cauterucci Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Christina Cauterucci: A lot of the responses Ive gotten have been from people who were legitimately hurt by the piece, who said it resurfaced the shame they felt while growing up gay or living in the closet. So I do want to apologize for any hurt I caused. I specifically wanted to talk to you, Mark, because you tweeted some useful comments in response to the piece. And before I wrote this, you were involved in kind of a broad Twitter conversation about Buttigieg and his qualifications, and the fact that he was beating everyone but Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders in this recent Iowa poll. Tell me a little bit about the discourse you were seeing and what prompted you to comment on Buttigieg. Advertisement Advertisement Mark Harris: I think what interested me was that some of what I was seeing on social media was a pushback from Elizabeth Warren supporters, saying basically its a reflection of media bias that Pete Buttigieg is getting all the attention that Elizabeth Warren should be getting, when his proposals are just either pale versions of her proposals or good versions of her proposals, but late. It seemed to me that he was being used as a kind of avatar for media inequity, like: This is a typical imbalance where a white guy comes in, says the same things as a more qualified woman and gets all the attention, and kind of sucks the air out of the room. First of all, I thought that was not really an accurate statement of what was going on with Buttigieg, and second, I thought he, in particular, is a really bad example if you want to make that point, which I do not think is an illegitimate point to make. Advertisement Listen to Cauterucci and Harris conversation on the Waves podcast using the audio player below. Advertisement Advertisement Cauterucci: I appreciated one tweet I saw of yours, which was actually a little bit of the inspiration for the piece I went on to write, where you said gay people in America are never given a free ride. I interpreted that tweet as saying, You know, you cant write him off as just another white male candidate, because hes not. Hes different from all of the white male presidential candidates whove come before, in that hes openly gay. Is that a fair characterization of your tweet? Harris: Absolutely. Yes, and I do think there is this tendency among a certain set of progressives to feel that about LGBT issues, certainly about gay and lesbian issues. To feel like: We solved that, and everybodys equal now, so we dont have to factor in [sexual orientation] when we talk about candidates. I certainly dont know any actual gay people who feel that way, so it can be a little jarring to hear this historic nature of a gay candidacy and have a gay candidate dismissed by other progressives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cauterucci: Including me, possibly. Is that right? Harris: I think you were raising the question, yeah. I think where I pushed back was the sort of: Is he just another white guy, or is being gay sufficiently unusual to nullify the same old, same old aspect of the rest of him? I think that connects to a bunch of larger questions about how we view this extremely large and still-growing Democratic field, because when you look at it in the aggregate, the field of Democratic candidates is men, its women, its African Americans, its white people, its a Latino, its someone of mixed heritage, its straight, its gay, its Jewish, its Christian, its coastal, its Midwestern. So, like, all together, its pretty great. It covers the bases you would want a progressive, inclusive party to cover. But the fact is, one person is going to get picked, and if we view that eventual choice only through the prism of the idea that certain demographics are going to get shafted, were probably going to be in trouble no matter who gets picked. Advertisement Advertisement Cauterucci: Yes. I completely agree with that. And at the same time, I think its worth questioning how different identities and perceptions of identities affect the conversation that happens before the election. I think its important to explore how the intersecting identities of all the candidates affect their lives, and their own conceptions of their lives, because someone isnt [reducible to] just their marginalized identity. With Buttigieg in particular, I think its interesting to look at how hes framed his gay identity in his political career. Advertisement He only came out midway through his political career. He was already mayor of South Bend, so we actually have a lot of information on how he sees his sexuality and how he explains it to others, how it affects his political worldview. There were some conversations I was having among friends about how some of usnot all of us, but somewere feeling a little bit less than excited about him as this possible gay trailblazer in part because hes tried to distance himself a bit from gay culture and from queerness as anything but this kind of unimportant distinction in who he happens to love. Advertisement Harris: Well, I mean, youre opening so many interesting doors here. I would argue a little bit with the idea that he has distanced himself from it. I dont think you become an openly gay mayor of an Indiana city, population 100,000, without I mean, I think hes owned it in a pretty large way. But youre absolutely right that we cant look at a candidate simply as a distillation of one particular identity or another, or even as an intersection of identities. On the other hand, I think we also cant look at candidates, as much as some people would like to, as just kind of fleshly embodiments of positions on issues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think this was where I got my back up a little bit about the insistence on comparing Buttigieg and Warren, because Pete Buttigieg is a gay, Midwestern, veteran mayor of a city. Thats not Elizabeth Warrens background, and all of that is part of who he is. The fact is, people dont vote just by closing their eyes, getting the pictures of who the candidates are out of their heads and saying, OK, but what are their positions? Its about this weird intersection of positions and biography and demeanor and experience and age. And with a lot of those X factor issues, probably most of all the issue of relatability, theres a huge amount to interrogate about the difference between the way men and women are treated. Thats where I think the criticism is legitimate. I just think it was interesting and, to me, somewhat disturbing that this wasnt a discussion of Warren versus Inslee, or Warren versus Hickenlooper, or Warren versus Biden. It was about the one gay candidate in the race, and it felt like he was not necessarily the right place to aim ones wrath about this particular issue, I guess. Advertisement Advertisement Cauterucci: One of the things I was trying to do in this piece, which relates to the questions youve just raised, is [think through]: What do votersespecially voters in the Democratic primarymean when they say they want representation or diversity, beyond the sort of aesthetics or feel-good factor? Like, what do we actually value in diversity and in the candidacies of people from demographics that have been underrepresented in politics? Why is it important? I mean, its amazing to see the Democratic slate right now. Its incredible. It feels like a Band-Aid has been ripped off, or maybe its just that this diverse pipeline is finally starting to mature. Advertisement Harris: Right. Cauterucci: I was trying to think about, what do we value in a candidate who comes from a background thats underrepresented? And how does that identity, if they want to identify with that aspect of their identity, affect their perspective? How have Pete Buttigiegs identities informed his perspective? Recently, talking about Chick-fil-A, he said that the boycott of Chick-fil-A is a lot of virtue signaling, or maybe its a worthy cause, but theres a lot of virtue signaling involved there among progressives. To me, that says hes actively trying to play down the way his gay identity might be affecting his politics, because an economic boycott is the opposite of virtue signaling. Its trying to prevent money from being funneled into the hands of people who would want to continue to subjugate queer people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Harris: I agree with you about that, and I think one thing thats going on I mean, first of all, were going to learn a lot more about him, rather than the sort of fun [trivia] like, Oh, his father was Maltese, and he speaks Norwegian. Were just at the tip of what were eventually going to learn, so I dont agree with him about Chick-fil-A or virtue signaling, but Im also conscious of like, I remember the Obama isnt black enough pushback in his first campaign, and it seems to me absolutely inevitable that the first really viable gay candidate is going to be mild, moderate, almost aggressively reasonable about gay issues. Advertisement Cauterucci: Reasonable for straight people, not reasonable for gay people. Harris: Right. Exactly. That said, I absolutely do not doubt that he would be a fantastic president on LGBT issues, which is something, by the way, that I feel about most of the candidates in the Democratic field. Its not that he would be unique in that regard. Im just saying I think hes trying to reach out to a lot of people, and so hes going to disappoint some people who want him to be absolutely where activists are on some of these issues. Advertisement Advertisement Now, I mean, if he were to say, for instance, I think its fine that religious people shouldnt have to bake wedding cakes for gay people, then I would have a real policy problem, but I would be surprised if he said that. I dont think thats who he is or where he is. I mean, in one of the interviews hes done in the last few weeks, he used the word gaydar. He was asked if he thought James Buchanan was actually the first gay president. Advertisement Cauterucci: Oh, my God. Harris: I have to admit, I reeled for a second at the idea that there is someone who is doing fantastically in fundraising, and is polling now at 4 percent nationally in one poll, who can actually be free to say a sentence like: My gaydar isnt actually that good. I do not discount the historic nature of this candidacy, nor do I think that that gives him a free pass, but as I said on Twitter, no gay candidates get a free pass, no gay people in America get a free pass for stuff like this. Cauterucci: Yeah. To his credit, he has talked about that quite a bit. Whenever somebody asks him about what its like to be the first gay candidate, or the first openly gay candidate in a major partyactually, he hasnt announced his candidacy yet, has he? Hes still in the exploratory mode, so I guess hes the first openly gay exploratory committee person in a major party. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Harris: Its still exploratory. Cauterucci: Still historic. Harris: Right. Im all for having a gay explorer. That seems good to me. I wanted to go back to this really important question you asked, which was: Why, other than the great optics, do we value diversity in a candidate? Advertisement I would just say the most optimistic version of that would be that if somebody belongs to any demographic category that is historically ignored, or demonized, or underrepresented, or brushed off, that they would take that experience not just to advocate for their own category, but for all of the categories of people who have been in that position. I mean, as much as I like Pete Buttigieg, I think the optimism and hope with which we would invest a diverse candidate could apply to a lot of the people in this race. I think one thing that the anger about him, from this handful of Warren supporters, did not acknowledge was that this was the first thing in the Democratic race so far that has been a genuine surprise. Weve had a lot of announcements. We have Bernie and Biden in the front of the pack, which is I think where pretty much everybody thought those two guys would be. But Pete is the first candidate who has gotten noticed in a way thats out of proportion with what people expected. Advertisement Advertisement That in itself is exciting. This race could use a lot more positive surprises like that. Cauterucci: Yeah, and its also out of proportion. The attention hes gotten has been out of proportion with his name recognition in general. I mean, most of the other candidates in the race have had years of national press to accompany them, to get people used to their candidacies, and he hasnt. So I think that probably plays into some of the excitement, too, and hes a very interesting person and a very good politician. One question I wanted to ask is about a nerve I think my piece hit, which is about gender presentation and how that affects the homophobia that all queer people experience in one way or another. In queer womens communities, at least the ones Im a part of, its a pretty common conversation: the different privileges or stereotypes that attend femme presentation, or a butch presentation, or a nonbinary presentationthe way society has a strong preference for masculine characteristics, but also a distaste for gender nonconformity. Advertisement Advertisement These are all different lenses that inform the way people experience the world and are perceived by the world, and I tried to make an argument about that in relation to Buttigieg that because hes a masculine gay man who was not out, maybe not out to himself, but definitely not out to the world until 2015, his experiences in life might have been more akin to that of a straight man than some of the women in the race, lets say. And a lot of people took issue with that. Im not asking you to speak for all gay men, but I would love to hear from you why you think that in particular has been hurtful to people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Harris: This issue of gay self-presentation, vis-a-vis masculine self-presentation, is so fraught for gay men. I mean, so many of us grew up learning to pass, learning to conceal any kind of femmy traits that we have, trying to deepen our voices, trying not to be sibilant, watching our wrists, watching our walk, all of that stuff, and so its hard to hear that framed as the idea that straight-acting gay men are the recipients of privilege that is not afforded to femmier guys or gender-nonconforming guys. Because while thats true, for many people, that presentation was developed as a survival strategy. You needed to look a certain way and act a certain way and be a certain way to get through your adolescence, to get through high school, and, often, beyond high school. Advertisement It was a survival strategy for a lot of people. That said, its funny to hear Pete described as some sort of representation of alpha male homosexuality, because in his demeanor, I dont get that from him at all. I mean, yeah, he was in the [Navy]. Thats pretty alpha. But I think judging or ranking gay men or lesbians or any gender-nonconforming person by how they come off, what their demeanor is, their walk, the timbre of their voice, their manner, how legibly gay they are or nonconforming they are, thats something we should all probably stay away from. Advertisement Advertisement Cauterucci: Yeah. I definitely never intended and would never try to rank people on how gay they are based on their characteristics. I definitely wont ever say that anyone who identifies as gay is more or less gay than another person who identifies as gay, but Advertisement Harris: I didnt take that from your piece at all, by the way. Cauterucci: Thank you. A lot of people did. You know, the author is dead, and Im fine with people interpreting my piece however theyd like to, but I think one difficulty that Im now facing as I continue to try to write about this stuff is how to its a topic that is infinitely interesting to me to pull apart how public perception and self-perception plays into candidates campaigns and narratives, self-narratives, and I think gender presentation is a big part of that. I dont doubt that any political candidate, gay or not, has thought about their gender presentation. I want to find a way to talk about this in a way that doesnt make it seem like Im playing the so-called oppression Olympics, or saying that one person has been uniformly privileged, while another person has been uniformly disprivileged. Harris: I think for anyone who isnt a straight, white man, self-presentation absolutely becomes an issue that they think about. I think thats true for all the candidates who arent straight, white men in that [they wonder], Am I too angry? Am I too shrill? Am I going to get criticized for how I eat, or the way I look, or if I point too much, or if I raise my voice? Were looking at a field now where probably at least half the candidates, maybe more, are not so-called traditional candidates, and so I think its going to be really incumbent on any of us who write about them to try to check our own biases. Im sure there are ways in which my thinking defaults to straight, white male candidates and politicians just because thats what I grew up with, and Im gay, so I think its not going to be easy for a lot of people, but yes. What you call the oppression Olympics would be the worst possible road for any of us to take. Any kind of Gay people have had it worse than women, or that would be just an utterly pointless road for us to go down. Texas would rather condemn all death row inmates to die without a spiritual adviser than allow a Buddhist inmate to bring his reverend into the death chamber. On Wednesday, the Houston Chronicles Keri Blakinger reported that the state has retooled its policy after the Supreme Court blocked the execution of Buddhist inmate Patrick Henry Murphy. Previously, Texas provided either a chaplain or an imam to Christian and Muslim inmates as they receive lethal injectionsbut prisoners of any other faith had to die alone. Murphy sued, alleging a violation of his religious liberty, and the Supreme Court agreed. In a concurring opinion, Justice Brett Kavanaugh explained that, under the First Amendment, Texas could not provide the benefit of a spiritual adviser to some inmates while denying it to religious minorities like Murphy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Kavanaughs opinion in Murphy v. Collier helpfully laid out some options for the state to speed along Murphys eventual demise. In an equal-treatment case of this kind, the justice wrote, the government has at least two possible equal treatment remedies available: Texas can either allow all inmates to have a religious adviser of their religion in the execution room, or allow inmates to have a religious adviser, including any state-employed chaplain, only in the viewing room, not the execution room [emphasis mine]. It now appears that Texas has implemented Kavanaughs second proffered remedy. The new prison guidelinesimplemented less than a week after the Supreme Court put Murphys execution on holddeclare that spiritual advisers designed by the offender can observe the execution only from the witness room. In other words, chaplains and imams may no longer pray with the inmate as he is put to death. Texas apparently prefers to curtail the religious liberty of all inmates rather than extend existing privileges to those who hold minority faiths. Advertisement Advertisement There is, however, some tension between Kavanaughs opinionwhich would undoubtedly permit what Texas wants to do hereand the actual order of the court. Its brief order stated that Texas may not carry out Murphys execution as the prisoner pursues his appeal on the merits, unless it permits Murphys Buddhist spiritual advisor or another Buddhist reverend of the States choosing to accompany Murphy in the execution chamber during the execution. Unlike Kavanaugh, the court did not say that Texas can carry out the execution as soon as it adopts a blanket policy denying clergy access to the death chamber. Advertisement The Supreme Courts order is the law; Kavanaughs concurrence is not. That means Texas still cannot execute Murphy until it either allows a Buddhist reverend to accompany his execution or receives permission from the court to kill him without a reverends presence. In other words, we will soon learn if a majority of the court supports Kavanaughs equal-treatment solution, or if at least five justices will refuse to let Texas skirt the First Amendment so easily. It is the clearest command of the First Amendments Establishment Clause, the court has ruled, that one religious denomination cannot be officially preferred over another. By taking away rights from all denominations, Texas seeks to wriggle out from under the Constitution and secure its right to kill Murphy. Kavanaugh has already announced that hes fine with this gruesome gamesmanship. But until a majority of the court authorizes it, Texas cannot lawfully use its new policy to execute Murphy without the comfort of a Buddhist reverend by his side. Today in Brexit is a daily feature that attempts to keep track of the chaotic mess playing out in the U.K. If youre just tuning in, heres a brief explainer on what youve been missing. One striking thing about British politics for an American observer is that bipartisanship and reaching across the aisle are not fetishized there like they are here. This is probably for structural reasons: In the American system, the White House and the legislature are often controlled by different partiesDonald Trump has to sit down with Chuck and Nancy on a regular basis if he wants to pass anything through Congress. In the U.K., the party controlling Parliament also controls the executive, and can usually rely on its own votes, sometimes with a coalition partner, to pass legislation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So the prime minister sitting in a room haggling with the leader of the opposition to pass her billas Theresa May did with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn this weekis not how things are supposed to work. Its even weirder when the governing partys official position for the past four years has been that the leader of the opposition is an anti-Semitic Stalinist who poses a grave threat to national security. But with the prime ministers party terminally split over Brexit, thats where we are. Todays meeting: Corbyn and May wrapped up a second day of talks after four and half hours Thursday. May is now hoping to forge an agreement with Corbyn that the two of them can present jointly to Parliament, meaning shes hoping that she can get enough votes from the opposition to overcome resistance from the hard-liners in her own party and her coalition partners, who have continuously opposed the withdrawal agreement she negotiated with the EU. Advertisement Advertisement No concrete deal came out of the talks, but they plan to meet again and Mays side described the session as constructive. Thats also what they said about Wednesdays meeting, but there have been reports suggesting it was a little frostier than that: New: Senior Labour source telling me today's talks did not go as well as initially thought: 'May offered nothing today. Unless tomorrow's talks change the narrative it seems to be a waste of time.' Anna Mikhailova (@AVMikhailova) April 3, 2019 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Today in intra-party squabbles: The Labour Party is split on whether Corbyn should demand a new public referendum on whatever deal is passed. Emily Thornberry, the shadow foreign minister, issued a statement Wednesday calling on the party to insist that any deal agreed by Parliament must be subject to a confirmatory public vote, and yes, the other option on the ballot must be Remain. But Thursday, 25 Labour MPs wrote an open letter to Corbyn warning him against calling for a new referendum, insisting on the importance of respecting the 2016 vote. The shadow Brexit secretary, Keir Starmer, who participated in the May-Corbyn talks, said a new vote would be discussed, but its not clear how strongly Labour will push for it. This whole debate will be academic if Corbyn and May cant reach an agreement at all. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Todays in Lords: Wednesday night, the House of Commons passed a bill, by one vote, that attempts to prevent a no-deal Brexit by requiring May to ask the EU for an extension on the current Brexit deadline, which is April 12. (Coming up soon!) It would also give Parliament the power to determine the length of the extension she asked for. The government opposes the bill, arguing that it would actually increase the risk of an accidental no-deal Brexit: EU leaders are meeting on Wednesday where they will likely consider the U.K.s request for a delay. If they approve a different date than the one proposed by Parliament, May would then have to bring it back for approval by Parliament the next day, which is April 11, one day before the deadline. Thats cutting it pretty close. Advertisement The bill still needs to be approved by the House of Lords, where it is being debated Thursday under a special expedited process. (Most bills take weeks to pass.) Pro-Brexit lords are fighting the bill, with one calling the expedited process tyranny. Advertisement Today in Ireland: German Chancellor Angela Merkel visited Ireland on Thursday, where she met with Prime Minister Leo Varadkar and spoke with people living near the Republic of IrelandNorthern Ireland border. Merkel was seeking a clearer picture of how Ireland is preparing for the possibility of a no-deal Brexit, according to the German ambassador. We will do everything in order to prevent a no-deal Brexit, Merkel said in a press conference, which could indicate shes open to granting the U.K. another extension next week. But a lot still has to happen before then. Advertisement The visit seemed to have some personal resonance for Merkel, who grew up in East Germany during the era of the Berlin Wall. I lived behind the Iron Curtainand I know what it means when walls fall. The discussion with citizens from the border region has shown that everything must be done in order to maintain this peaceful coexistence, she said. Today in plumbing: NEW: Commons sitting suspended as torrents of water pour out of chamber roof into press gallery seating below. Pick your apocalyptic Brexit metaphor now. Pippa Crerar (@PippaCrerar) April 4, 2019 Days left until next deadline: 8 One morning last month, dozens of migrants with handcuffed wrists and ankles filled the benches of the federal courthouse in McAllen, Texas. Theyd all been caught crossing the Rio Grande just days earlier and faced criminal chargesmisdemeanors for illegal entry and felonies for illegal reentry. Some charged with illegal reentry faced the gravest consequence of all: having their kids ripped away. The Trump administration claims it now only separates families when parents have serious criminal histories, when parents or children have medical issues, or when officials determine that the parent poses a danger to the child. But the administration is apparently interpreting serious criminal history to mean the parent has tried to enter the U.S. before. Using that rationale, the government appears to be violating the spirit of last years court ruling against family separation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You had two children with you? Texas Civil Rights Project attorney Karla Vargas, whom I was assisting in that Texas courtroom last month, asked one Honduran father. He nodded, begging to reunite with his kids, even if he was to be deported. Weeks later, this father remains separated from his children, and Vargas told me she has not been able to access information about whether the family will be reunited. The Department of Homeland Security has not released a breakdown for the reasons for ongoing family separations, though it recently disclosed in a court filing in response to litigation from the ACLU that it separated at least 245 families from June to December 2018, of which 225 were separated because of the criminal history of a parent. An inspector generals report into family separation also noted that between July 1 and Nov. 7after the separation policy had endedthe Office of Refugee Resettlement was still taking in double the number of separated children as were received in the last year of the Obama administration. Advertisement Advertisement Many of the separations that the Texas Civil Rights Project is monitoring are solely due to the criminal history of previous illegal entry, said Vargas, who has compiled the information from personal conversations with detainees. Other families are separated due to criminal issues that would not necessarily have a bearing on the parents ability to care for their child or pose any danger to the childincluding DUIs that are more than a decade old, she told Slate. Advertisement In the case of Ms. L v. ICE, District Judge Dana Sabraw ruled last year that child separation was a violation of the Due Process Clause of the Constitution and ordered it ended, except in cases where the parent had criminal history or a communicable disease. Sabraw said his goal was to prevent the government from separating families without a showing that the parent was unfit or a danger to the child. The government appears to be using vagueness around the definition of fitness to evade Sabraws order. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Indeed, Border Patrol Chief Carla Provost told a House Judiciary Committee hearing in late February that Border Patrol agents were separating families if the [parents] have a serious criminal conviction, if they have a medical condition, [] or if its in the welfare of the childif they present a danger to the child. At the same time, Provost also acknowledged that individual Border Patrol agents are allowed to use their discretion to determine whether separation should occur and stated that families were being separated on the basis of felony convictions for illegal reentry. Seeking asylum in the United States is these parents legal right. This would mean that Customs and Border Patrol agents are individually determining that entering the U.S. without documents more than once makes undocumented immigrants unfit parents deserving of losing their child, perhaps indefinitely. Based on Sabraws own words, this does not appear to be what the judge intended. During a hearing in July clarifying the scope of his order, which has not been appealed by the government, Sabraw said that he assumed that convictions for illegal entry and illegal reentry collectively would not exclude parents from the part of his order that halted family separation. The court has made clear that neither entry or reentry convictions are a basis for deeming the parent unfit, says the ACLUs Lee Gelernt, who is litigating the case on behalf of separated families. (Disclosure: I am interning this summer with the ACLU Immigrants Rights Project, at which Gelernt is the deputy director.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If Sabraws order is meant to protect the best interest of the children, a reading that family separation should not occur in cases of illegal reentry makes sense. Seeking asylum in the United States is these parents legal right, and theyre often doing it to protect their children from rampant violence, corruption, and instability in their home countries. These parents are no harm to their children. Separating children from their parents, meanwhile, has ongoing traumatic effects. Advertisement The Trump administrations manipulatively broad interpretation of serious criminal history and child welfare in the service of maintaining family separation continues to put countless children at risk. (DHS did not respond to multiple emails asking if it was separating families on the basis of illegal reentry and how this might comply with the spirit of Sabraws order in Ms. L v. ICE.) As Bob Carey, who served as director of ORR under the Obama administration, told me, this approach is demonizing the act of the right of seeking protection. Advertisement If the parents are seeking to protect their children and theres this punitive measure that has been put into effect, it harms the child, he said. This runs counter to the goals of child welfare. Advertisement In these cases, parents are being separated from their kids at the border or in their first few days in DHS custody. Through interviews with dozens of separated parents, the Texas Civil Rights Project has found that these parents are given little information about when or if they will ever see their children again. At most, [agents] will tell them their children will go to a shelter, Vargas told me. There is no systemic method identified where parents can know where their children end upindeed, DHS agents, at the point of separation, do not know where the children will end up. Advertisement Vargas added that, in many cases, parents are only able to communicate with their separated children after the intervention of her organization. After separation, the parents, like all adults who face illegal entry or reentry criminal prosecutions, are handed from DHSs Border Patrol agents to the custody of the U.S Marshals Service. After they serve any jail sentence, they are returned to DHSs hands. DHS then will often initiate their deportations immediately, Vargas says, unless the parents know to ask to seek asylum out of fear of returning to their home countries. While the cases proceed, the children are held in ORR custody, uncertain of their own fates, said Jennifer Podkul, senior director of policy and advocacy at Kids in Need of Defense, a national organization advocating for unaccompanied minor immigrants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The kids dont know when or if their parents are ever going to be released from ICE custody, Podkul said, [or] if their parent will be able to reunify with them in the U.S., or if theyll go back to their home country with the parent, or if theyll have the option of being reunified with someone else in the United States. Podkul also said that, while the government created a plan to reunify class members in the Ms. L case, reunification of families who continue to be separated appears to remain very ad hoc. When asked if there was a current plan for reuniting those children who have continued to be separated following the Ms. L court order, ORR responded: HHS and its interagency partners created reunification plans to meet the orders issued by the court in Ms. L. The plans continue to be executed to complete any remaining reunifications of Ms. L class members. Advertisement In its January report, the inspector general found that there was still no centralized tracking of separated families, which would mean that these reunification plans do not extend to separations that have continued to occur after the courts ruling. The average stay for children in ORR custody, meanwhile, has dramatically increased: from 37 days in 2016, according to a congressional report, to 89 days in the first quarter of fiscal year 2019, according to the Department of Health and Human Services March fact sheet. Advertisement While we dont know for sure why these families are being separated, increased enforcement of illegal reentry is clearly playing a role. In fiscal year 2018, illegal entry or reentry constituted 57 percent of all federal criminal charges filed, according to data compiled from TRAC Immigration and analyzed by Justice Strategies and Grassroots Leadership. Advertisement Advertisement At the same time, the administration has made it increasingly difficult for people to seek asylum by coming to ports of entry, with the presidents recent threats to shut the entire Southern border only the latest such escalation. Previous policies, such as those increasing wait times at ports of entry and forcing asylum-seekers to carry out their court cases from Northern Mexico, have placed additional pressure on desperate asylum-seekers. Some have then chosen to cross outside of a port of entry. However they enter, these people have the legal right to seek asylum. Even asylum-seekers, though, are not safe from an administration that continues to treat desperate parents as criminals, taking and traumatizing their children in the process. Surprise! Facebook is still a privacy nightmare. The companys history of porous data sharing continues to haunt both it and us (its fairly helpless users) on the regular. On Wednesday, researchers from the cybersecurity firm UpGuard shared that they found two massive troves of exposed Facebook user data that had been posted publicly on Amazon cloud servers. The data included users passwords, names, comments, and likes. The scope of this particular privacy foul from Facebook is tremendous: More than 540 million user records were sitting in plain sight, available to anyone who found them. Advertisement The two troves of data came from two different app developers: Cultura Colectiva, a Mexican company that was responsible for the vast majority of the data exposure; and At the Pool, an app thats been defunct since 2014 and had improperly stored records of 22,000 users, including their passwords. Despite being contacted in January by both Amazon and UpGuard, Cultura Colectiva didnt move to take down the data until Wednesday, when Bloomberg contacted Facebook about the findings. (The data from At the Pool came down during the course of UpGuards research.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is almost par for the course these days. Facebook is currently in the midst of multiple federal investigations over the Cambridge Analytica scandal that came to a boil about a year ago when it was reported that the voter targeting firm had inappropriately accessed the data of as many as 87 million Facebook users. That led to Facebook suspending hundreds of apps from accessing the social media network, as well as a raft of new privacy rules that restrict how app developers are now allowed to access Facebook user data, but it has not stopped the drip-drip of news that the companys years of loose habits had come with breach after breach after breach. Advertisement Advertisement Not to mention that it was less than two weeks ago that Brian Krebs reported that Facebook had been storing the passwords of hundreds of millions of Facebook users in plain text accessible to more than 20,000 Facebook employees to see. And it was only last September that Facebook shared its discovery of evidence of a security breach that hit 30 million usersthe largest hack in the companys history. The numbers of people affected by Facebooks privacy blunders are so large its nearly impossible to wrap your head around them: 87 million, 30 million, 540 millionthe list goes on. And once user data is exposed, theres really no way to get it back. It can then be copied and repasted somewhere else in an instant. Even if Facebook works with Amazon to take the exposed personal information down now, that doesnt mean it hasnt already been found and posted elsewhere. Theres no putting the toothpaste back in the tube. Advertisement Theres no putting the toothpaste back in the tube. Facebook has more than 2.2 billion users, but the company is grappling with hundreds of millions of compromised accounts. Thats no small percentage. Theres a good chance that you or someone you know has been dragged into this privacy nightmare. So the questions that are likely on a lot of users minds are: What is there to do? And will this just keep happening forever? Advertisement Advertisement Right now, theres no comprehensive federal data privacy law in the U.S.or even a federal requirement for companies to notify users if theyve been swept up in a data breach or other violation of privacy wherein their data was improperly handled. There have been some proposals in Congress that would impose requirements on how platforms handle user data, but at the moment theres no piece of legislation that a ton of lawmakers are rallying behind. In California, the strictest privacy law in the country was passed last year, and the details of its implementation are currently being debated before it goes into effect next year. Tech industry lobbyists have been pushing a version of privacy legislation that they feel comfortable with, which would preempt state laws, since last summer. Without any strong legal prohibitions against treating sensitive user data like Halloween candy to be handed out and traded with friends, theres a strong chance that these kinds of privacy breaches will only continue. And its hard to know exactly how these breaches harm users. Yes, they make people vulnerable to identity theft or pernicious ad targeting based on their likes and interests. But the fallout may be way worse than we even know yet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So at the moment, short of deleting Facebookwhich wouldnt even protect you from being tracked by Facebooks massive online ad ecosystem or from damage done in the pastthe best users can do is change their passwords and go through all their privacy settings and connected apps to better lock down their accounts. Otherwise, if you think that Facebook and other tech companies should be subject to laws that force them to treat user data responsibly, the best you can do is let your elected officials know. Offline, we get to lock the doors to our homes and cars and use passwords to protect our phones. Online, where we live so much of our lives, we have to trust private companies to keep us locked down. The problem is that when it comes to Facebook, at least, thats not happening. Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society. Birders like to make lists. The other day, just walking by the lake in Oakland, California, I saw an Annas hummingbird, a couple different types of finches, grebes, sparrows, a kingfisher, a great blue heron, and an egret. Soon, I plan to upload that list to eBird, the online bird-watching community based out of Cornell University, which is the largest citizen science open data archive in the world. None of these species are particularly threatened, so I feel good about sharing my list. But had I been in a region where birds are struggling for their lives and I spotted a threatened species, like the violet-necked lory of Indonesia, the Dulit frogmouth of Borneo, or the golden-winged laughing thrush of Vietnam, I would think twice before posting those findings to an app with nearly half a million other eBirders who have clocked some 590 million bird observations since the project started in 2002. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The whole point of eBird is to share birding data, so that other birders can enjoy the same delights. But a couple years ago, in October 2017, the project under went one of the largest overhauls to its code to date: The database started hiding birds entered into its system that were endangered and threatened. Basically, the whole database had been built to share bird data and show it publicly on maps, Marshall Iliff, a project leader at eBird, told me in an interview. We put basically 10 years of development and PR behind asking users to show us exactly where they found the birds, so itd be most useful for science. And suddenly we were in this situation where we realized we have to hide certain birds. Advertisement When it comes to enjoying nature in real life, most peoples intention in sharing their experiences online is to celebrate it. But these increasingly ubiquitous acts are also opening the door to abuse. Apps and databases made for identifying and mapping native plants and birds have had to rebuild their infrastructure in recent years to obfuscate endangered species. Its the only way to protect them from poachers who are savvy enough to take advantage of the citizen science open data projects and nature forums where enthusiasts share photos and locations of plants and animals with fellow nature lovers. Advertisement Though Iliff says he hasnt heard specific reports of eBird data being used by poachers, with open data its pretty hard to know what people who access the information do with it. We do know that there were anecdotal reports of people in Indonesian markets saying that some of the bird trappers were familiar with eBird and pull it up on their phone to say, This is where the bird lives, Iliff sighed, adding that the poachers were also reportedly savvy about downloading birdsongs from other websites, like xeno-canto.org, a bird sound database that likewise takes precautions to protect sensitive species. The market incentivizes the poachersthe beak of the helmeted hornbill in Indonesia, for example, with its red rubbery neck, remarkably expressive eyes, and prized casque that resembles ivory, can sell for thousands of dollars. Now, after the changes, birdwatchers can log data for the helmeted hornbill, but its not sharable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thanks to the well-meaning efforts of citizen scientists and open data projects, what in a previous generation may have taken poachers years to map can now be downloaded in minutes. Closing select parts of a fundamentally open platform wasnt easy. Over the course of about eight months, eBird built in features that allowed a person who entered the data of a protected species to see it, as well as eBirds data review team, but no one else. EBird flags birds that are on its Sensitive Species List, which are at risk of being captured, targeted, and killed, or are at risk of detrimental disturbance in specific locations. There are hundreds of birds listed as sensitive. When a threatened species is logged, itll show that the bird is within a 20-kilometer area but wont allow users to drill down to the specific location of the sighting. And if you share your bird list with a friend, only youll be able to see the endangered species you recordedthey wont show up on the shared list. The same goes with photos of threatened birds and other tools that eBird has built to share bird spotting data. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not only birds that need privacy online. In 2015, a Spanish husband and wife team were arrested after a park ranger found them with a pickup truck just outside the remote Knersvlakte Nature Reserve near the central west coast of South Africa. When a ranger asked to look in the couples backpacks, she found 49 of the miniature succulents that grow between the quartz that blankets the arid flatland. The couple, it turns out, was anonymously operating a website, africansucculents.eu, where they sold poached plants, according to a report from Yale Environment 360. The Knersvlakte is one of the richest succulent diversity zones in the world, with 1,500 species of plants, including more than 150 that are threatened with extinction. Advertisement Back at the succulent thieves guest room, authorities discovered more than 2,200 succulents worth around $100,000. Beyond the thousands of plants, hundreds of which were threatened species, the couples room was also packed with pages of research. There were reportedly pictures and detailed maps printed from social media and the online citizen science database iSpot, as well as pages from the digital museum project JSTOR Global Plants. Thanks to the well-meaning efforts of citizen scientists and open data projects, what in a previous generation may have taken poachers years to map can now be downloaded in minutes. Advertisement Advertisement In recent years, other wildlife data projects that opened with the primary intention of sharing as much data on the natural world as possible have started to batten down, too. INaturalist, a citizen science portal that records sightings of all kinds of wildlife, from plants to birds to insects and fish, started hiding endangered taxa in 2011, though Ken-ichi Ueda, one of the founders and directors of iNaturalist, told me it was a problem they considered since starting in 2008. Today, iNaturalist logs about 135,000 observations a month, of which about 4,600 obscure the location data because the wildlife is marked as threatened. The push to hide plants and animals that are at risk, Ueda says, was driven by the launch of a project on iNaturalist called the Global Amphibian BioBlitz that encourages sharing citizen data of amphibians around the world by gamifying the observations and highlighting users who log the most. So far, more than 11,000 identifiers have logged in nearly 300,000 observations. Before the project launched, Ueda told me that many of the groups iNaturalist was partnering with in the world of amphibian conservation, including the International Union for Conservation of Nature, were concerned that the project wasnt hiding location data and asked that the database be built in a way to obscure the coordinates of threatened wildlife before they collaborated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hiding data puts open data projects in an obvious bind. A great deal of what I have learned about the natural history of California comes from information others have shared in public on the internet, and one of my purposes in developing iNaturalist was to facilitate the same kind of sharing so others could learn as I have, Ueda commented on a Facebook post I made asking about how citizen science projects grapple with threatened species on the California Native Plant Society group. Hiding the locations of threatened species is ultimately about hiding information, not sharing it, so I think its important for everyone to understand theres a tradeoff: the more you hide, the less you share, and the less useful the information becomes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Databases for nature obsessives arent the only way our online habits threaten wildlife. Virality on social media can be deadly as well. The wildflowers of Southern California are so stunning this year theyre causing what Lake Elsinore officials are calling a public safety crisis. Hundreds of thousands of people have descended on the small Southern California city to photograph the rare cascade of poppies that paints the hillsides with delicate apricot flowers. The mania is sparked by enviable Instagram posts of people frolicking in the bloom, likely crushing flowers underfoot as they venture, against the advisement of the park rangers, off trail to get that perfect shot drenched in California sunshine. A couple even flew a helicopter into a field of poppies recently at the Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve to take a hikelikely killing hundreds of the beautiful buds visitors exactly like them would wish to see upon landing. We have brought in all available staff, as many outside traffic controllers that we could, more shuttles, and our small City cannot sustain crowds of this magnitude, read a recent post on the Facebook page of Lake Elsinore City Hall. The mayor of Lake Elsinore dubbed the uncontrollable throngs of flower tourists a Poppy Apocalypse and last month the city even had to shut down two interstate ramps to keep tourists away, announcing the closures on Instagram with the hashtags #Poppyshutdown, #IsItOver, and #PoppyNightmare. Advertisement Advertisement Theres something just a little too 2019 about the internet finding a way to ruin wildflowers. But all of this is an inevitable consequence of how online our lives have become. The internet is perhaps best at making the world seem so much smaller than it really is. The popularization of natural wonders, like Californias superbloom, fueled by sun dappled photos on Facebook and Instagram, attracting thousands of onlookers and social media influencers who step on the flowers, scratches at a larger question how we can revel in nature without inadvertently ruining it. When we share an image online of a place or a bird or a flower that we love, we are sharing our experience with it. But even as we aim to spread beauty, we must also reckon with the truth about the human-induced fragility of our ever-deteriorating natural world. And that might sometimes mean not sharing everything. Advertisement Advertisement Northern California is currently in the midst of a succulent poaching crisis of its own. The crown jewels the thieves are after are the Dudleya farinosa, a thick-leafed roseate flushed with pink tips and a bizarre flowering yellow stalk that towers from its center. When mature, the plants can fetch as much $100 where theyre currently in vogue in South Korea, where people display them as a windowsill decoration. Thats why theyre being plundered by poachers who often fly in, load up on cardboard boxes, snag a hotel room, and spend their days digging up succulents off oceanside cliffs. Stephen McCabe, a dudleya expert and emeritus director of research for the UCSanta Cruz Arboretum, told me that thousands are being pulled from the ground a month. Many are decades oldsome are as old as a 100. McCabe, who helps law enforcement identify poached plants, told me that while he hasnt heard of any of the poachers specifically using sightings from citizen science projects, he did say hes been asked on online plant forums for help spotting suspicious activity. I saw posts on social media where someone was looking for identification of plants that looked wild collected. And then I looked on eBay and the person was selling them, McCabe tells me. I said something about how I am not going to help you. And they stopped posting and disappeared. Thats the thing about the internetits just the tool. What really matters is how we use it. The gravity of the existential threat we face from Islamic Jihad is truly of epic proportions. It is essentially a battle pitting free-civilized man against a totalitarian barbarian. What is at stake is the struggle for our very soul - namely who we are and what we represent. The lives that were sacrificed for individual rights and freedoms that we've come to cherish are being chiseled away from right under our noses by the stealth jihadists. And many of us are in denial and totally clueless. The left's appeasement and pandering to evil is nothing new. What makes their utopian delusions so infuriating and unpardonable is that it is not only they who will have to pay the consequences, and deservedly, so, they are thwarting and undermining our best efforts at resistance and are thus dragging us down in the process as well. By Peter Lancz,, the head of the Raoul Wallenberg World Campaign Against Racism. life in and around NYC is insane In the 1990s, Slovakia opened up to the world, but its R&D expenditure was reduced, says president of the Slovak Academy of Sciences. News: Receive favorite authors articles by email. Try the new feature and turn on the subscription. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Read more in this interview: -What is the problem with financing science in Slovakia? -How to motivate private companies into investing in research and development? -How can Slovakia motivate its talents to return from abroad? -Does the country have the potential to lure foreign scientists? The Slovak Spectator (TSS): Public research institutions are often encouraged to join forces with the private sector. How does that connection work in Slovakia? Pavol Sajgalik (PS): Its important for every country what portion of its GDP goes to research and development. In Slovakia, its only 0.88 percent of GDP. The EU average is around 2 percent, and developed countries contribute even more. The structure is important too: A significant portion of funds in Slovakia is allocated by the state, while the private sector only invests a small amount. The question is how to support private investments. The government has introduced the super deduction of R&D costs, enabling companies to deduct 100 percent of their expenditures on R&D from their tax base. It might even increase to more than 100 percent, meaning companies will benefit from investing in R&D. But this measure still fails to meet the goal. TSS: What can be done to change this? PS: In other developed countries there are schemes supporting research. Apart from state finances, the private sector is forced to allocate some funds, too. We dont have such a scheme. Although there are some supplementary programmes, like the infamous stimuli allocated by the Education Ministry, this is not how the system should work. If the private sector receives 100 percent of funds from the state, its not motivated to contribute to research. Read also: Read also: Nobel Prize winning scientist will give a public lecture in Bratislava Read more State support is insufficient. There should be an agency that focuses on grants for the private sector and follows a scheme that would diversify the subsidy based on certain criteria, like the size of a company. Companies would then be forced to allocate money from their own resources. The biggest bonus for the company would be a product with higher added value. Another problem is that companies able to conduct R&D are owned by foreign investors. In Germany, for example, big multinational companies like Siemens and Bosch invest in research. But there arent such companies in Slovakia. Although there are sub-contractors of big multinational companies that have the vision and the will to carry out research, they are small and lack funds. TSS: Why do big multinational companies refuse to invest in research in Slovakia? PS: The reason is simple: the companies have their R&D bases in their home countries. Moreover, when, for example, Asian companies want to establish a research centre in Europe, they often do not opt for Slovakia, because of the absence of the scheme I described before. They prefer to go to a country where the scheme exists. Replacement for Peter Kazimir not known yet. News: Receive favorite authors articles by email. Try the new feature and turn on the subscription. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Incumbent Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini (Smer) will temporarily oversee the Finance Ministry. The current minister, Peter Kazimir (Smer), who was appointed new governor of the National Bank of Slovakia, the countrys central bank, will probably submit his resignation on April 11. Read also: Read also: Kazimir appointed as new governor of Slovakia's central bank Read more I will thank minister Kazimir on Thursday and will temporarily take over the ministry until all questions are settled, Pellegrini said during a discussion at the Hospodarske Noviny Club. After this happens, I will give the ministry over to a new minister. Pellegrini does not think a new person will be able to run the department in the next few weeks, including current pressures, as reported by the Sme daily. It is not clear who will replace Kazimir, who is leaving upon his own request. Potential replacements include ex-head of the Financial Administration Frantisek Imrecze, and chair of the parliamentary financial committee Ladislav Kamenicky, Sme wrote. Slovakia's EU Commissioner would like to continue in Brussels after EP election. Maros Sefcovic during the presidential election campaign in Slovakia, March 2019. (Source: Sme) Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Less than a week after the second round of the presidential election, the Slovak EU Commissioner Maros Sefcovic met a group of Slovak journalists in Brussels. He also described the reactions of his colleagues in Brussels about the presidential campaign in Slovakia. How was your return to Brussels? It was very fast, I arrived on Monday, and on Wednesday I submitted the first materials in which we summed up what we have achieved in energy union. I submitted the strategy for the production of batteries in Europe. We are organising another summit to tackle that issue, on April 30, to get things moving in the right direction. EC President Jean-Claude Juncker assigned me to lead the EC delegation to Beijing, for a summit on the New Silk Road. So, my calendar is filling up quite fast and, obviously, we will soon have a campaign before the European Parliament elections. I will try to use my potential there, to make sure more people turn out to vote than they did last time. Do you find it more pleasant to be back in your "traditional" agenda of EU Commissioner? I must stress that the transition was very fast. I still get a lot of e-mails and messages with words of encouragement and congratulations. Many people write that they miss us already. Its an unseasonably warm winter day in Istanbul when I get off the metro at the Sanayi Mahallesi station. Sanayi Mahallesi means industrial neighborhood in Turkish, a name whose accuracy makes up for what it might lack in creativity. The district is home to a somewhat grungy assortment of garages and warehouses, with the occasional office park thats crept in from the neighboring financial district in search of lower rents. I follow a zig-zagging street downhillone is always either walking uphill or downhill in Istanbulpast the Kagthane State Hospital, before spotting a triangle-shaped logo in front of an otherwise unmarked storefront. I ring the bell and am soon greeted by one of the best coffee brewers in the world, Asl Yaman, who welcomes me into Kimma Coffee Roasters new roastery and training lab. Asl Yaman is tall with cropped hair. She speaks Englishand Turkishin a distinctive soprano with a certain musical quality. Shes upbeat and cheerful, despite being tired from a busy few days in Madridher first board meeting as a trustee of the Specialty Coffee Association. Ushering me into Kimmas training lab, Yaman offers to brew me a coffee, recommending a natural process Costa Rica. She asks my preferred brew method, but I opt to have Yaman choose. She selects a Chemex, the method she used to earn third place in the 2014 World Brewers Cup in Rimini. As Yaman carefully folds a Chemex filter origami-style, making four distinct triangles to evenly distribute the thicker parts of the filter, we chat about the new space. Although Kimma Coffee Roasters is about to turn three, its the first private space for the wholesale coffee roaster. In addition to being home to their coffee roasting operations, Kimmas headquarters hosts a steady stream of courses in the Specialty Coffee Associations Coffee Skills program. Yaman served as the education coordinator for the SCAs Turkey chapter before being elected to the SCA board of directors. The space has barely been open for a month, but its already welcomed a carousel of aspiring baristas. We sit down with our coffee at the conference table and are soon joined by Yamans business partner, Hanife Ozyurt, who begins to tell me the story of their company. Were very close friends, like sisters, says Ozyurt. The relationship, which precedes and transcends their coffee careers, provided the inspiration for Kimmas name, which they discovered on a road trip from Istanbul to Ankara, Turkeys capital. While Asl drove I looked up sisters in different languages, says Ozyurt. They thought the Finnish word Kimma had a nice ring to it. We asked our Finnish friends, and they liked it, says Yaman. In addition to being short and memorable, the name projects a strong, feminine brand in a male-dominated coffee industry. Although its traditionally women who make coffee in the home in Turkey, the business side of things, whether importing or roasting, remains a mans world. But Yaman and Ozyurt arent afraid of the challenge. Were not just brewing coffee, were trading. And the business side of things is really tricky, says Yaman. Sometimes they dont want to do a project with a woman. Despite the obstacles, Ozyurt and Yaman retain a positive outlook. Its about professionalism. They see our passion and sincerity, says Yaman. We dont believe in boundaries or borders. But beyond passion, Yaman and Ozyurt both have serious business chops. Yaman earned an MBA at Istanbuls Bilgi University, with her dissertation focusing on Starbucks expansion in the Turkish market. Her research led her to a job at Istanbuls Johns Coffee before taking a position at Soyuz Coffee in Kaliningrad, Russia, where she worked for five years. Ozyurt followed a more conventional career path in business. I was in a corporate life. I was a communication manager for a big company, but I was not happy, says Ozyurt. During her international business trips, she would often visit coffee shops that Yaman would recommend. During a trip to San Francisco, one shot of espresso particularly stood out. I said, If this is a coffee, what are we drinking? says Ozyurt. I told my husband, Ill leave my corporate life and start a coffee business. Ozyurts growing interest in coffee coincided with Yamans desire to move home, a decision more personal than professional. I came back to Turkey because I really missed my family and friends, says Yaman. Yaman realized she could take her expertise and experience and use it to help guide the nascent Turkish coffee community. When she had left Turkey in 2010, Istanbuls specialty coffee scene was practically nonexistent, but by 2015 the city was on its way to becoming one of the fastest growing markets in Europe. I wanted to show how we could succeed. I wanted to share all of this knowledge with the community here, says Yaman. Her experience working for a large roaster, going to origin, and excelling on the world competition stage made Yaman a valuable commodity in Istanbul. As soon as she moved back she took on a variety of consulting jobs. I had a network I could bring to my country, says Yaman. That network includes current World Barista Champion Agnieszka Rojewska, who will be leading SCA coffee skills programs in the facility. For Kimmas first two years, they rented time in Delfiano Coffees roastery. But as Kimma grew, Ozyurt and Yaman knew they needed their own space. And a new partnership with local chain Cup of Joy made that possible. The founders of Cup of Joy made an investment in Kimma, which in turn roasts the coffee for Cup of Joys three Istanbul locations. Cup of Joy is also a woman-owned business, and by all accounts a pioneer in specialty coffee retail in Istanbul. Ozyurt and Yaman have big plans for the space. In addition to a 10-kilo Probat coffee roaster, and designated packaging area, the lab space is home to three espresso machines which allow them to maximize hands-on time in training sessions. A sponsorship from Turkish milk-giant Sek is allowing them to provide free courses to a wide variety of baristas, many at conventional cafes, who otherwise wouldnt be able to afford training. Their goal is to train 1,000 baristas in 2019. This is on top of pro bono projects in Ethiopia and Rwanda, focusing on women producers. The work in East Africa is close to the heart of both Ozyurt and Yaman. Were going to farms, says Ozyurt, Were trying to support the farmers. We want to give back, says Yaman. In all, its an impressive work schedule, especially in an emerging market like Turkey. But Ozyurt downplays their accomplishments. Were not saving the world, she says. Were just making coffee. Michael Butterworth is the publisher of Pilgrimaged, based in Louisville, Kentucky. Read more Michael Butterworth for Sprudge. In Gaza Hamas continues to negotiate with Egypt for ceasefire deals that rarely last more than a few hours or days. Because of this, these deals are signed by Israel and Hamas with full knowledge of what happens next. Invariably one of the smaller Islamic terror groups in Gaza (which Hamas insists it can control but cannot) fires rockets or mortar shells into Israel and Israel retaliates. Among themselves Hamas leaders know this works because every time a Palestinian gets killed at the border fence or Israel fires on a target in Gaza, it is easier for Hamas fundraisers worldwide to get more contributions. Getting that cash into Gaza, or the goods the money can buy, is another matter and increasingly difficult. Hamas does not mind because they believe they will again restore free access to Gaza and all those contributions will be available. There is a problem with this plan; Israel and Egypt know about it and are intent on preventing it. Meanwhile, Hamas continues staging the violent demonstrations at the border fence and spending what money they have to finance the demonstrations and pay victims or their families for deaths and injuries. The latest ceasefire offer includes the smaller Islamic terrorist factions in Gaza insisting they are willing to halt the smaller but noisier night time fence demonstrations and balloon attacks in return for some economic relief (reopening of the Israeli and Egyptian crossings). The smaller factions, especially Iran backed Islamic Jihad, are very unreliable when it comes to these deals. The smaller factions contain many former Hamas members who grew disillusioned with Hamas for not being radical enough. These more radical Palestinians then join ISIL (and tend to get killed in Egypt) or more radical factions in Gaza, and insist that nothing less than the destruction of Israel will do. That leads to victory or death attitude where the chance of victory over Israel is extremely low but since these Islamic fanatics are on a mission from God anything is possible. Israel realizes that most Gazans see victory or death strategies being pursued at the expense of the average Gaza resident. This creates growing popular resistance within Gaza. The Islamic terrorists cannot ignore that because this anger makes it easier for Israel to recruit paid informants who supply targeting information for Israeli airstrikes. Gazans also know that Israel will go to great lengths to avoid civilian casualties. That includes calling civilians on their cell phones and warning of an imminent airstrike nearby. Hamas tries to discourage civilians from responding to those phone calls but everyone knows that Hamas prefers civilian casualties because these involuntary martyrs, especially women and children, make for great propaganda. For that reason, the Israeli government resists calls from Israelis living near the Gaza border that Israel invade and occupy all or some of Gaza. That will get Gaza civilians killed and that is seen as a plus by Hamas because it will force Arab oil states to resume, for a while, their financial support. Hamas and other Islamic terror groups keep trying to come up with some action that will result in an Israeli invasion but so far that is not working. Egypt doesnt trust Hamas and the other Islamic terror groups in Gaza either so Hamas is stuck and is running out of time and options. Meanwhile In The North 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 upgraded rockets could overwhelm Israeli anti-missile defenses. Russia has taken the lead in brokering agreements or understandings deal with disagreements with Turkey or Iran over who will get what in Syria. So far Russia has had limited success with Iran and Turkey. Israel has been willing to work with Russia and that has proved useful for both countries. 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 because Iran has less cash to operate with. The IRGC (Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps) budget for foreign operations (especially Syria and Lebanon) has 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 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. Meanwhile, there are a number of complications in Syria that have led to a military stalemate. Many of these revolve around what to do with the Syrian Kurds. Iran has problems with its own allies in Syria as well as Israel. 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 Iranian 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 work out a compromise (which the two seem willing to do). The Americans, Israelis and most other Middle Eastern nations agree with this. In Gaza, Iranian agents are trying to convince the Islamic terror groups there to unite and cooperate to make a ceasefire with Israel work. That would enable Iran to pay for a military buildup similar to Hezbollah, which has Iran financed since the 1980s. There are several factors that cripple the southern Hezbollah effort. First Iran and Hezbollah are Shia and the Gulf Arab states are largely Sunni and basically at war with Shia Iran because of that. This is crucial because Iran is currently broke (because of low oil prices, revived American economic sanctions and decades of corrupt rule by a religious dictatorship) and unable to finance two Hezbollahs. Actually, payments to Hezbollah have been cut recently and Hezbollah is openly seeking new sources of income. Hamas has always received the bulk of its foreign aid from Gulf Arab oil states and the United States. Both of these sources have largely dried up because Hamas refuses to make peace and allow the formation of a united Palestinian government. April 3, 2019: In the south Israeli troops found and destroyed several bombs demonstrators had thrown over the border fence during a recent demonstration. Elsewhere on the Gaza border Israeli soldiers caught three Gazans coming through the security fence and arrested them. The three were carrying knives. The security fence is part of a security zone that contains numerous sensors, vidcams and, in some cases, remotely controlled machine-gun towers. Thus determined Gazans can get through the fence but few, if any, get far from the border without being captured or killed. Egypt is brokering yet another ceasefire with Hamas and other Islamic terror groups in Gaza. In the West Bank, a Palestinian armed with a knife attempted to attack two Israeli civilians but was shot dead by one of the civilians. April 2, 2019: In the south (off the Gaza coast), an Egyptian patrol boat seized a Palestinian fishing boat near the maritime border between Gaza and Egypt. Five fishermen were arrested and their boat towed back to an Egyptian port. One of the fishermen was wounded by gunfire. Israel had recently allowed Gaza fishing boats to resume operations offshore. March 31, 2019: In the south (Gaza), several rockets were fired into Israel but caused no damage or casualties. Within hours Israeli tanks fired shells at Hamas positions close to the border fence. This led to the closing of the two Israeli crossing into Gaza, which had been reopened earlier in the day. March 30, 2019: In the south (Gaza), Hamas mobilized over 20,000 Palestinians to stage another violent demonstration at the border fence. The Hamas leader spoke and said he hoped Hamas would soon be able to bomb Tel Aviv. Then the demonstration turned violent. Three Palestinians were killed and over a hundred wounded as Hamas operatives led the crowd in efforts to get through the fence. Hamas had assured Israel that this demonstration would be kept away from the fence but that was not the case. March 29, 2019: Egypt is still pressing Israel and Hamas to sign a ceasefire deal that had been negotiated a month ago. This one has Israel repairing the electrical transmission line between Gaza and Israel, expanding the fishing zone for Palestinian fishermen and allowing some foreign aid projects to resume. Qatar would be allowed to move cash into Gaza for infrastructure and economic projects. The Israeli and Egyptian border crossings would be gradually reopened to full and regular traffic flow. No one believes this deal will actually work but Egypt is determined to keep at it until one does. March 27, 2019: In Syria, Israel launched another airstrike on Iranian facilities, this time outside Aleppo. Seven people were killed and at least one warehouse full of weapons and explosives blew up. Israel apparently coordinated this attack with Russia, which is according to an understanding Russia has with Israel. Russian media later revealed that the Israeli warplanes had flown over Jordan and western Iraq to enter Syria. This avoided any interaction with Russian S-400 air defense systems in western Syria or the Syrian S-300 batteries covering the rest of the country. March 26, 2019: Today is the 40th anniversary of the Egypt-Israel peace treaty. After a decade both nations were confident that neither was a military threat to the other. But Egypt continued to back anti-Semitic and anti-Israel propaganda in the mass media and the educational system. The U.S. was now supplying both nations with military aid and Egypt obtained American M1 tanks and F-16 jet fighters plus lots of other American gear. The Egyptian military still had and still has, lots of Russian equipment but the Western stuff is preferred. March 25, 2019: In the south (Gaza), a long-range rocket fired into Israel exploded in a village outside Tel Aviv, wounding seven Israelis. The rocket was not intercepted by Iron Dome because there was no Iron Dome stationed that far from Gaza. At first, Hamas insisted the rocket attack was an accident. Then they said it was carried out by Iranians without permission from Hamas leaders. Finally, Hamas leaders admitted that they ordered the attack. It is unclear why efforts were made to deny responsibility. In the end, Egypt was able to confirm that Hamas had ordered the attack and some Hamas officials confirmed that. In retaliation for this attack Israel carried out dozens of air and artillery strikes against Hamas facilities in Gaza. This included bombing the new Hamas headquarters and intelligence service buildings. Hamas believed Israel did not know the location of these buildings but the Israelis did and demolished the two multistory buildings in a residential neighborhood. Egypt quickly arranged a ceasefire in Gaza but that did not last because rockets were again fired into Israel and these attacks and Israeli retaliation attacks continued for two more days. March 24, 2019: The leaders of Iraq, Jordan and Egypt met in Egypt to discuss military, diplomatic and economic cooperation. The military cooperation was mainly about the continuing battle against ISIL. March 21, 2019: The United States officially 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 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 effort to retake the Golan Heights since 1973. In that respect Israel considers the Golan Heights abandoned property and has absorbed it. March 18, 2019: Egyptian negotiators have told their Hamas counterparts that if Hamas makes a major rocket attack on Israel and the Israelis respond with an invasion Egypt will not provide any support for Hamas. Egypt does not care if Israel destroys Hamas and takes back control of Gaza (which it voluntarily gave up in 2005). This was another indication that Hamas was losing support in the Arab world. March 17, 2019: Egypt has ordered 24 (or more) Russian Su-35 fighter-bombers for about $2 billion. Arab Gulf oil states will probably pay for this and the U.S. will probably ignore the violation of existing sanctions on Russia. March 16, 2019: India insists its Israeli SPICE 2000 smart bombs hit their intended targets at the Balakot Islamic terrorist training base in Pakistan during a February airstrike. But as high-resolution satellite photos became available (from commercial sources) it became clear that three smart bombs all missed their targets by the same distance and that was apparently to the GPS data being entered into the SPICE 2000 bombs incorrectly. India does not have a lot of experience using smart bombs and that would explain the error. March 15, 2019: Russia apparently supplied Iran with the zero click cell phone hacking tech which Iranians recently used to hack the phone of an Israeli politician. Its unclear if this was an authorized transfer of technology to Iran or an illegal one. Both methods are used for Iran to get needed items from Russia. 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: Israeli intelligence released aerial photos showing the 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. Immanuel Kant composed theories and writings on philosophy and ethics. Learn about the life and philosophy of one of the most prominent philosophers of the German Enlightenment through his biography and information on some of his writings. The International Court of Justice or ICJ, was set up to handle disputes that occur between countries. Study the role and jurisdiction of the ICJ, the composition of the ICJ and its limitations, and learn about cases involving the United States. Multicultural literature represents peoples and cultures from all over the world. Learn to define multicultural literature, explore its importance, then review books such as 'The Kite Runner,' 'Things Fall Apart,' and 'One Hundred Years of Solitude.' Learn about the history of Libertarianism, Libertarianism philosophy, and the tenets of Libertarianism. Find out about Libertarianism ethics. Xenocentrism: Definition & Role in Sociology Xenocentrism is the concept of elevating one's own culture over others. Understand this concept deeper as it applies to sociology and cultural relativism through examples of each. Multicultural Theory and Treatment of Abnormal Functioning There are many factors that could contribute to abnormal functioning, one of which is culture. Learn about multicultural theories and associated disorders of abnormal psychology. Defining Cultural Diversity Cultural diversity exists in many countries around the world, but it can be challenging and, at times, problematic. Through this lesson, you'll learn how to define cultural diversity and explore some of the ways in which it influences society. North Korea has said that, with Bashar al-Assad's leadership, Syria will claim a great victory over terrorism and imperialism writes SANA. The President of the Presidium of the Supreme Peoples Assembly of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK), Kim Yong Nam, affirmed the DPRK peoples support for the Syrian people in defending their countrys sovereignty, lauding the victories achieved by Syria in the fight against terrorism. Kim was speaking during his meeting with a delegation from the Baath Vanguards Organization headed by Izzat Arabi Katibi on Wednesday. He said that any success that Syria achieves against terrorism is also a success for the DPRK, adding that Syria, under the leadership of President Bashar al-Assad, will achieve the final victory over the imperialist powers and their tools, while pointing out the deep-rooted historic relations that bind the two countries. This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. Ahmed Taameh has criticised the regime for their continuous breaches of the Sochi agreement, while welcoming the Russian-Turkish patrols in the area reports Ana Press. The head of the Syrian opposition delegation to Astana, Ahmed Taameh, said: Regime forces will not be able to carry out any invasion of northern Syria, despite the continuous bombardment of liberated areas. He said that, The essence of the Sochi agreement is continuing, fixed, and will not change. Taameh told Ana Press that: the latest military escalation in the northern areas by the regime has nothing to do with the M4 and M5 roads the matter of the roads will be implemented according to the Sochi agreement around Idleb. He added that, All sides will abide by the international roads agreement, which I predict will be in our interests. With regards to the Turkish-Russian agreement surrounding Idleb, Taameh said: Idleb is part of the safe zone according to the agreement, which is still continuing and is a fixed agreement, despite the fact that the regime and Iranian militias are trying to violate it and ignore its existence. He said that, all the meetings that were held in Astana after this agreement have confirmed that Idleb is a safe area and that there will not be any military escalation between the parties. Regarding the Turkish-Russian joint military patrols, which have been carried out in northern Syria, Taameh said: These patrols are part of the Russian-Turkish agreement around Idleb, and I think these patrols will have a positive role, which is monitoring the regimes violations of the liberated areas. 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. Since the Nasib border crossing reopened, a number of Syrian living in Jordan have used it to return to their homes, which have been liberated reports SANA. A latest batch of displaced Syrians returned home from refugee camps in Jordan via the Nasib border crossing. SANAs reporter at the Nasib crossing said that the latest batch of Syrians, who had been displaced due to terrorist acts, returned on Wednesday from al- Azraq and Zaatari camps in Jordan to areas liberated from terrorism by the Syrian Arab Army. The concerned bodies in Daraa have met all the required arrangements for receiving the displaced returnees coming from Jordan, before they are transported to their liberated villages. For their part, a number of the returnees expressed their joy at returning home, after the Syrian Arab Army restored security and stability to their villages and towns. This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. Credit: Stuart Miles/Freerange If you look under the hood of the internet, you'll find lots of gears churning along that make it all possible. For example, take a company like AT&T. They have to intimately understand what internet data are going where so that they can better accommodate different levels of usage. But it isn't practical to precisely monitor every packet of data, because companies simply don't have unlimited amounts of storage space. (Researchers actually call this the "Britney Spears problem," named for search engines' long-running efforts to tally trending topics.) Because of this, tech companies use special algorithms to roughly estimate the amount of traffic heading to different IP addresses. Traditional frequency-estimation algorithms involve "hashing," or randomly splitting items into different buckets. But this approach discounts the fact that there are patterns that can be uncovered in high volumes of data, like why one IP address tends to generate more internet traffic than another. Researchers from MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) have devised a new way to find such patterns using machine learning. Their system uses a neural network to automatically predict if a specific element will appear frequently in a data stream. If it does, it's placed in a separate bucket of so-called "heavy hitters" to focus on; if it doesn't, it's handled via hashing. "It's like a triage situation in an emergency room, where we prioritize the biggest problems before getting to the smaller ones," says MIT Professor Piotr Indyk, co-author of a new paper about the system that will be presented in May at the International Conference on Learning Representations in New Orleans, Louisiana. "By learning the properties of heavy hitters as they come in, we can do frequency-estimation much more efficiently and with much less error." In tests, Indyk's team showed that their learning-based approach had upwards of 57 percent fewer errors for estimating the amount of internet traffic in a network, and upwards of 71 percent fewer errors for estimating the number of queries for a given search term. The team calls their system "LearnedSketch," because they view it as a method of "sketching" the data in a data stream more efficiently. To their knowledge, it's the world's first machine learning-based approach for not just frequency-estimation itself, but for a broader class of so-called "streaming" algorithms that are used in everything from security systems to natural language processing. LearnedSketch could help tech companies more effectively crunch all kinds of meaningful data, from trending topics on Twitter to spikes in web traffic that might suggest future distributed denial-of-service attacks. E-commerce companies could use it to improve product recommendations: If LearnedSketch found that customers tend to do more comparative shopping for household electronics than for toys, it could automatically devote more resources to ensuring the accuracy of its frequency counts for electronics. "We're all familiar with consumer-facing applications of machine learning like natural language processing and speech translation," says Sergei Vassilvitskii, a computer scientist who studies algorithmic machine learning and was not involved in the project. "This line of work, on the other hand, is an exciting example of how to use machine learning to improve the core computing system itself." What's also surprising about LearnedSketch is that, as it learns how to count items, the structure it learns can be generalized even to unseen items. For example, to predict which internet connections have the most traffic, the model learns to cluster different connections by the prefix of their destination IP. This is because places that generate large traffic, like big companies and universities, tend to share a particular prefix. "We combine the model with classical algorithms so that our algorithm inherits worst-case guarantees from the classical algorithms naturally," says Ph.D. student Chen-Yu Hsu, co-author of the new paper. "These kinds of results show that machine learning is very much an approach that could be used alongside the classic algorithmic paradigms like 'divide and conquer' and dynamic programming." Explore further Researchers put machine learning on path to quantum advantage More information: Learning-Based Frequency Estimation Algorithms: Learning-Based Frequency Estimation Algorithms: openreview.net/pdf?id=r1lohoCqY7 This story is republished courtesy of MIT News (web.mit.edu/newsoffice/), a popular site that covers news about MIT research, innovation and teaching. The Undead Archives I have finally salvaged my pre-Blogger TDR archives and added them into Blogger. They are almost totally in the form of one giant post for each month. And the formatting strayed from the originals. Sorry. But historians everywhere can rejoice that this treasure trove of my thoughts is restored to the world. 50 minutes ago Dipped into Your Retirement Account in 2021? Here's What Happens Next If you pulled money from your account in 2021, what does that mean for you? Congress allowed retirement savers to take out as much as $100,000 from individual retirement accounts by the end of December 2020 without the 10% early withdrawal penalty (for those younger than age 59). Read Article A solution to the conflict around the Sahara is possible, but it requires a strong political will on the part of the different parties and of the international community, says the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in his report to the Security Council. Unveiled Monday, this report comes in the wake of the second roundtable, which took place March 21-22 in Geneva, with the participation of the four protagonists to the Sahara conflict (Morocco, Algeria, Polisario and Mauritania). The second roundtable, held under the aegis of the Secretary-Generals Personal Envoy for the Sahara, Horst Kohler, did not shift position lines. This lack of breakthrough is due to lack of trust between the parties, said the UN Secretary-General, who conceded that the establishment of a climate of trust takes time. In this connection, he called for gestures of good faith to advance the political settlement process in the Sahara. The cost of the conflict in terms of human suffering, lack of opportunities for young people and security risks is too high to be accepted, he laments. In his report, Antonio Guterres also requests the extension of the MINURSO mandate, which expires at the end of April. At the end of the March roundtable, Horst Kohler had said that nobody should expect a quick outcome, because many positions are still fundamentally diverging. The former German president had announced a third roundtable before the summer. The talks stumble on the status of the Sahara. Morocco offers a solution based on a large autonomy, which has the support of the international community, while Algeria and the Polisario cling to independence, despite the fact that no major capital is ready to accept the establishment of a failed state in the region. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in his latest report on the Moroccan Sahara, informed the Security Council on the seriousness of the situation prevailing in the Tindouf camps recently shaken by numerous demonstrations against the abuses of Polisario leaders. The UN Chief recalled that for several months, the Tindouf camps have witnessed demonstrations of hundreds of Sahrawis who claim the truth about the disappearance of Ahmed Khalil, a Polisario executive kidnapped in 2009, while he was about to disclose the serious human rights abuses committed by Polisario leaders. During these demonstrations, severely repressed by the armed militias of the Polisario, the Sahrawi protesters also denounced the unfair measures imposed on them, while a handful of Polisario leaders and notables and their families are leading a luxury life. In his report, Antonio Guterres also sounded the alarm about the dramatic humanitarian situation in the Tindouf camps because of the lack of a census, required by the Security Council since 2011, and the systematic and large scale diversion of humanitarian aid. The UN boss also denounced the human rights situation in the Tindouf camps, where the populations are deprived of their most basic rights. The UN Secretary-General also summoned the Polisario leadership to receive MINURSO officials in Rabouni, and not to the east of the Moroccan Sahara defense system in the Tifariti and Bir Lehlou localities in the demilitarized zone. On the other hand, Guterres informed the Security Council that the local populations in Western Sahara directly benefit from the colossal investments injected by Morocco into the region, where calm and stability reign. This region was a bare desert when the last Spanish settlers left in 1975. At present, the Sahara provinces are thriving and have experienced an extraordinary boom in all areas: infrastructure, housing, industry, services, agriculture, health, education, tourism and and culture, thanks to the huge public investments Morocco injected in these provinces. Today, as New Hampshire tackles issues related to opioid addiction, mental health, education, and growing the economy, we cannot forget that they are all tied to the arts and the creative economy. Public funding of the arts has deep roots here in the Granite State, and it is a heritage we should be proud of. Governor Sununus proposed 2020-21 budget includes a $282,000 increase in the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts General Fund State Arts Development Grants appropriation, bringing the total investment to $505,000. This investment would raise New Hampshires state arts investment ranking from 42nd in the country to 31st. New Hampshire State Council on the Arts (NHSCA) grants have a proven impact on local communities. Because the arts create new opportunities to overcome real social challenges, this increase will enable NHSCA to respond to big issues, including the behavioral health/opioid crisis, workforce development, economic and community development and workforce retention and growth. Back when the Great Depression gripped America in 1931, then-Governor John Gilbert Winant saw investing in the arts as a way to build economic recovery, and promote who we were as a state. Winant acted to establish a New Hampshire Commission of Arts and Crafts. With this effort, he made New Hampshire the first state in the nation to publicly fund the arts. With public support, the League of New Hampshire Arts and Crafts started in 1932 and went on to be one of the institutions that defines our state. Research today shows that art, music, dance, theatre and creative writing are powerful tools in the prevention of addiction, and in the treatment of addiction as well as behavioral health disorders. The NH Council for the Arts makes grants in these areas- and with a larger investment more can be done. With additional funds they can make more opioid/mental health-specific grants and partnerships and projects that serve veterans and seniors. The new budget, if approved, would allow for additional grant funds to: Support behavioral health/opioid-specific grants, partnerships and projects in healthcare facilities and communities that blend the arts into prevention, treatment and recovery programs, including those that serve youth, veterans, seniors and the incarcerated. Research shows that the arts contribute to positive results when services are included in medical treatment and community prevention and wellness programs. A new grant program to help creative workers to get entrepreneurial training and opportunities to grow their small businesses. The Arts Councils Strategic Planning process identified a need for business and career training for this sector of New Hampshires economy. Additional funding in the General Projects grant category to support projects on creative placemaking and arts-focused community planning. These projects employ creative workers and generate interest in community spaces, leading to increased business activity. New grants to K-12 schools for artist residencies in schools that specialize in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) projects. Creativity is essential to training in science, technology, engineering and math and an absolute necessity for a competent 21st century workforce. The beauty of New Hampshires natural resources and the ingenuity of the people who have settled here over time have combined to inspire a wide range of artistic endeavors and arts engagement. The economic impact numbers in the Granite State are impressive with nonprofit arts organizations in the state generating $115 million in economic activity annually that supports almost 4,000 jobs and generates more than $12 million in state and local government revenue. This amazing accomplishment was thanks to the vision of John Winant, and his investment in arts and culture of New Hampshire. Tell those folks in the State House that we know how arts can help economic and social growth we started the idea way back when. Howard Brodsky, Chairman & CEO CCA Global Partners 670 North Commercial Street, Manchester, NH 03101 hbrodsky@ccaglobal.com Issues of concern to people who live in the west: property rights, water rights, endangered species, livestock grazing, energy production, wilderness and western agriculture. Plus a few items on western history, western literature and the sport of rodeo... Frank DuBois served as the NM Secretary of Agriculture from 1988 to 2003. DuBois is a former legislative assistant to a U.S. Senator, a Deputy Assistant Secretary of Interior, and is the founder of the DuBois Rodeo Scholarship. Every year, the European Commission publishes a report on the economic and social situation in Luxembourg. On Wednesday morning, employee and employer representatives met with the relevant ministers alongside Luxembourg's Economic and Social Council (CES), an advisory board to the government. The meeting had an early start, but nearly all representatives were present as this marked the only opportunity for the concerned parties to meet and discuss the European Commission's recommendations. The recommendation to reform the pensions system is not a new idea put forth by the European Commission in February 2019, having been in previous recommendations. Speaking about the meeting, Prime Minister Xavier Bettel explained that the goal of the meeting was to have a dialogue about the European Commission's recommendations. Bettel believed the meeting was positively productive, but quipped that it is not his place to mark his own efforts. He went on to say he expects the social partners to provide criticism, but also to acknowledge positive decisions, especially given their role in making those decisions. The meeting began with the government presenting its own work and achievements over the last year, which was then followed by trade unions highlighting areas for improvement. Not wholly representative The president of the CGFP (Luxembourgish General Confederation of Public Services), Romain Wolff, explained that from his perspective, it is clear that the employees his trade union represents are paying too much tax. Christophe Knebeler, the joint secretary-general of the LCGB, highlighted that praising the country's general prosperity should not hide the fact that individual situations still include financial struggles. He added that a certain proportion of the population is not benefiting from the country's prosperity and the authorities should introduce additional measures to help these citizens. Housing remains a complex issue Housing is a particularly acute issue for people struggling with poverty. As a result, some of the trade unions had tangible recommendations for the government. OGBL president Andre Roeltgen explained that the trade unions proposed ten separate points in curbing the rising costs of housing. In his opinion, the free market must be legislatively limited in order for residents to be able to afford to keep up. Roeltgen mentioned upper limits of new plot prices as a particular measure worth introducing. The new president of the Luxembourg Employers' Association (UEL), Nicolas Buck, found the meeting an interesting exercise, especially in experiencing different perspectives on the country's development. He found the dialogue constructive and highlighted the importance of these meetings in exchanging ideas. Whilst the Luxembourgish army is currently at work building the controversial fence along the Belgian border, the Belgian authorities have made a decision that goes in a different direction entirely. A group of residents living in the village Linger (Bascharage municipality) have published an open letter angrily deploring that the fence is as close as 200 metres to some of their homes, in turn limiting their possibilities to freely move on the land of their village. The residents also slammed the government for not warning them in advance, and highlighted that the fence is not going along the border, but has been built alongside a walking route. The walking route is, at points, one kilometre away from the border. The group of residents questioned this move, claiming it would allow potentially infected wild boars to travel through Luxembourgish territory. Instead, they asked why the authorities had not built the fence through the woods at the border. An information meeting will take place on Thursday evening in Clemency to discuss the measures taken against African swine fever. The topic will also be discussed in the parliamentary commission on agriculture. Whilst the government is grappling with discontent related to the fence, the Belgian authorities have decided to partially allow access to the woods as of 6 April. Over the past few months, residents in Wallonia have been banned from walking in the woods, but certain areas., around 16,000 hectares of land, will be accessible to walkers as of Saturday However, the authorities have continued to ban access from the areas in which the most recent cases of African swine fever have been registered. This notably affects the northern area surrounding Rulles, Neufchateau, and Chiny as well as the southern area near Bois dArdenne, Meix-devant-Virton, and Grand Bois. Foreign volunteers at a university in Hanoi are helping Vietnamese students to overcome their fear of English through a free-of-charge learning program. A fear of foreign languages, particularly English, seems to be endemic amongst Vietnamese students, but the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (USSH Hanoi) is hoping to empower its students by offering free English classes to those looking for the opportunity to improve their speaking skills and build their confidence. The free classes, taught entirely by a group of foreign volunteers, have so far helped over 500 students overcome their fear of communicating in English and the organizers couldnt be more thrilled at the results. Effective course The free course is hosted by USSH Hanoi and the Center for Sustainable Development Studies (CSDS), a non-governmental organization which aims to further sustainable development through community-based interventions. While the classes are taught by foreign volunteers, a small group of USSH Hanoi students contributes to the program by acting as coordinators between the learners and teachers, organizing the classes, and ensuring the quality of the program. Students accepted into the program are able to enroll in one of two levels - beginner and advanced, and each class limited to 20 learners in order to ensure that everyone is able to interact with the teachers, according to Nguyen Thu Hao, one of the programs coordinators. Regardless of the level, however, the course aim is simple help students improve their speaking skills and motivate them to improve their overall English abilities. Classes are held four days a week - from Monday to Thursday - with one in the morning and another in the afternoon. The only requirement for students to be accepted is a deposit of VND200,000 which is used help guarantee attendance. The deposit is returned to students who finish the course with three or fewer absences. In Vietnam, university students are required to obtain the B1 certificate on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages scale in order to graduate. Many of them are good at grammar and reading, but when it comes to speaking, they struggle, Hao said, adding that the free program was designed around the students specific needs and has done a great job of meeting them. Cao Quang Duy, a student in the course, attributes his success to a mixture of the personal goals hes set for himself and the motivating lessons his teachers plan for each class. I set a goal of learning 200 new words this week. Next week Ill focus on grammar, he said. Duy said the foreign teachers each have different personalities and ways to motivate students. Excitement in the classroom makes it easier for us to remember the material compared to traditional ways of learning with papers and pens, he shared. Fear is the enemy The two primary volunteers Alberte Hogh, a 19-year-old Dutch woman, and Julien Ert, a 22-year-old from France do their best to explain to students exactly how important confidence is when learning a new language. Hogh, for example, takes a gentle approach to each class, beginning each lesson by gently asking her students Are you ready? to which they reply yes in chorus. Most of the students in the class are quite shy when they interact with foreigners. Thats a barrier in learning a language, said Hogh, who goes by Birdy with her students. Understanding this problem, Birdy and other volunteers incorporate exciting activities which they hope will help their students overcome their embarrassment and break free from their inhibitions. Actively participating in the activities, not being afraid of making mistakes, and occasionally using body language are simple ways to avoid fear, according to Ert. If one can overcome these challenges at the beginning, theyll have greater success studying a new language, he said. The two teachers also make sure their students understand that the biggest enemy barrier to learning English is a fear of the language. At first I was really scared of talking in English because my English is so bad, said Tran Ngoc Anh, a tourism and hospitality student at USSH Hanoi. While attending the class, I realized that the most important thing is feeling comfortable while interacting during games and class activities. Thats helped me build more confidence in my speaking, she said. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Hundreds of students at a elementary school in Hanoi joined a drawing contest on Tuesday in the hopes of raising awareness for environmental protection issues. Among the contestants colorful drawings, a picture depicting robot vacuum collecting trash in a park by Kieu Ngoc Ha An, a fourth-grader at Trung Yen Primary School in Hanoi, captured the attention of many in attendance. I hope robots can help people clean up garbage in the park since there is too much of it today, An said. A drawing of vacuum robots collecting trash in a park. Photo: Ha Thanh / Tuoi Tre Tuesdays event was part of the second edition of the For A Green Vietnam drawing festival, hosted by the Central Council of the Ho Chi Minh Young Pioneer Organization in cooperation with the education ministry and Thien Long Group. The campaign aims to enhance artistic creativity in young children. Other activities at the event were aimed at encouraging a love and awareness of protecting the environment in children from 6-15 years. A drawing by a fifth-grader of students cleaning up garbage. Photo: Ha Thanh / Tuoi Tre A drawing depicting people planting trees. Photo: Ha Thanh / Tuoi Tre A drawing of green paddy fields, rivers, and mountains bathed in sunlight. Photo: Ha Thanh / Tuoi Tre A drawing by a fifth-grader of two hands holding the green earth. Photo: Ha Thanh / Tuoi Tre A drawing of people picking up trash and putting it into a bin. Photo: Ha Thanh/Tuoi Tre Students of Trung Yen Primary School in Hanoi take part in a drawing contest on April 2, 2019. Photo: Ha Thanh / Tuoi Tre A drawing of people cleaning up trash on land and in the ocean. Photo: Ha Thanh / Tuoi Tre Students gather to praise a schoolmates piece of art. Photo: Ha Thanh / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The United States hopes to reach agreement for another aircraft carrier visit to Vietnam this year and for such port stops to become a regular feature of the increasingly close relationship between the two countries, a senior U.S. defence official said on Wednesday. The USS Carl Vinson stopped in Vietnam in March last year in the first such visit since the end of the American war in Vietnam in 1975. We very much hope we can reach agreement with our colleagues in Vietnam for a second aircraft carrier visit this year, Randall Schriver, the assistant secretary of defence for the Indo-Pacific region, told a Washington think tank. We are discussing it with Vietnam right now. Our hope is that this can be a regular feature of the relationship. It would be a sign of a mature and a strategic relationship, Schriver told the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Schriver also said he hoped the United States would be able to make a second coast guard cutter available to Vietnam to help with maritime security work. On Monday, the United States delivered six patrol boats worth $12 million to Vietnams Coast Guard. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A flower shop in Ho Chi Minh City is doing its part to raise environmental awareness by eliminating single-use plastics from its operation The florist, Nguyen Hong Viet, says he first began wrapping his bouquets in leaves after reading about a supermarket in the northern Thai province of Chiang Mai thats switched from plastic to banana leaves in order to reduce waste. Inspired, Viet began replacing the plastic wraps he used in his own business with dong leaves, a broad leaf commonly used to wrap traditional Vietnamese food, such as banh chung (square sticky rice cake) He said the bright-green color of dong leaves blends well with colorful flowers and compliments their beauty. Viet said his new dong wraps have received positive feedback from many customers, who applaud his efforts to raise environmental awareness. A sunflower bouquet wrapped in leaves are seen at a florists shop in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngoc Hien/ Tuoi Tre Using leaves for wrapping bouquets not only helps the flowers last longer but also reduces costs by three times compared to using plastics, Vu said. The whole bouquet is biodegradable so its environmentally friendly, he said. The eco-conscious florist said he plans to come up with more creative styles of wrapping flowers in leaves to meet customers demand, adding that he hopes other flower shops take the same initiative and switch to more eco-friendly materials. Major supermarket chains in Vietnam such as Co.op Mart, BigC and Lotte Mart have already begun using dong or banana leaves for packaging food packaging certain foods and have been praised for their efforts to save the environment. Flower bouquets wrapped with dong leaves are seen at a florists shop in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngoc Hien/ Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A man who purportedly molested a little girl in an apartment elevator in Ho Chi Minh City earlier this week is a former high-ranking official of the Peoples Procuracy in the central city of Da Nang, a source close to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper confirmed. Nguyen Huu Linh, 61, a resident of Hai Chau District, Da Nang, retired as deputy head of the municipal Peoples Procuracy in June last year. Linh spent 33 years working in the procuracy sector until his retirement in June 2018, according to information obtained by Tuoi Tre reporters. He was also a member of a lawyers association within the Da Nang procuracy. In the CCTV footage captured Monday night, a man who appears to be Linh can be seen grabbing and kissing a young girl, estimated to be somewhere between five- and seven-years-old at Galaxy 9 Apartment Complex in District 4, Ho Chi Minh City. The footage first catches the girl entering the elevator at around 9:10 pm, followed by Linh, who can be seen wearing a blue shirt and holding a smartphone. As soon as the door closes, Linh approaches the child, puts his arm around her neck, and kisses her. Afterwards, the girl moves towards the door, but Linh grabs her once again. The moment the door opens, Linh lets go of the girl and she bolts away from the elevator as fast as she can. Police officers were able to identify Linh, but not before he had already returned to Da Nang. He was visiting a relative who lives at Galaxy 9 on the day of the incident. Linh returned to the southern metropolis on Wednesday to assist following a police request to cooperate with the investigation. The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Police confirmed on the same day that officers are collecting statements from the victim, suspect, and relevant individuals and will make an announcement once a conclusion is reached. Phap Luat Thanh Pho Ho Chi Minh (Ho Chi Minh City Law) newspaper, a media outlet under the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Justice, reported on Wednesday that Linh had confirmed he was the man in the CCTV footage. Phap Luat quoted the ex-procuracy official as saying that he was just petting the young girl and refused to provide further information. In early March, a man was caught on camera forcefully hugging and kissing a 20-year-old girl inside an elevator in an apartment building in Hanoi. He was eventually slapped with a VND200,000 (US$8.6) fine for having offensive words and actions toward another person. In Linhs case, however, legal experts believe a much harsher punishment could be handed down. In Vietnam, molesting someone under 16-year-old is punishable by six months to three years in prison in accordance, experts stated. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Screenwriter Andrew Knight and Director Daina Reid were last night honoured by Film Victoria at its annual screen awards. Andrew Knight (pictured left) was recognised with the 2019 Jan Sardi (pictured right) Award for his significant achievements as a screenwriter. His body of work includes Fast Forward, Full Frontal, SeaChange, Jack Irish, The Water Diviner, Alis Wedding and Hacksaw Ridge which landed a BAFTA nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay in 2017. Daina Reid was awarded the 2019 Fred Schepisi Award for significant achievement in directing. Her credits include Blue Heelers, The Secret Life of Us, Rush, Miss Fishers Murder Mysteries, Offspring, Paper Giants, Howzat! Kerry Packers War, Never Tear Us Apart: The Untold Story of INXS, The Secret River, Sunshine and I Love You Too. She received a Directors Guild of America nomination for The Handmaids Tale. Reid is currently filming in Canada. Left to right: Fred Schepisi, Minister Martin Foley, Andrew Knight, Film Victoria CEO Caroline Pitcher, Film Victoria President Ian Robertson AO, Claire Dobbin AM, Jan Sardi, John Howie, Tony Reed The 2019 John Howie Award was presented to games advocate Antony (Tony) Reed and Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) Chair Claire Dobbin AM was recognised with the 2019 Jill Robb Award for outstanding leadership, achievement and service to the screen industry. Film Victoria CEO Caroline Pitcher said: Were thrilled to honour Claire Dobbin AM, Andrew Knight, Daina Reid and Tony Reed for their incredible contributions to the Victorian screen industry. Together they demonstrate the breadth of talent we have in Victoria, and we know their continued creativity and leadership will help keep our industry thriving well into the future. Minister for Creative Industries, Martin Foley said: Our screen industry plays a vital role in our culture, our economy and Victorias reputation as a creative state. From our extraordinary writers, on-screen talent and crew to our visual effects and post-production capability and our exceptional game makers, Victoria is increasingly recognised for excellence. I applaud the role that this years Film Victoria Screen Awards recipients have played in shaping our screen industry and culture, in mentoring and inspiring new talent, and in bringing extraordinary projects to life. Labor again pledged to restore funding cuts to ABC, in the Budget Reply speech by Opposition Leader Bill Shorten. Not only will we put back the $83 million the Liberals have cut from the ABC, well provide another $10 million to support regional news and emergency broadcasting, particularly in areas affected by natural disasters such as Townsville, Tasmania and regional Victoria, Shorten said. Shorten has previously said ABC already made enough savings and Labor would reverse changes made by the Coalition. In 2014 the Turnbull govt announced ABC cuts of $254m over 5 years, followed by a further $83.7m cut in the 2018 budget. On Tuesday announced an extra $43.7 million over three years for local news and current affairs services which Acting Manager Director David Anderson said was crucial to our delivery of news, analysis and investigations to the Australian public. Netflix has confirmed its cast for a 10 part revival of UK crime drama Top Boy. The original series follows the lives of a group of people involved in drug dealing and street gangs in Hackney, East London and screened for 2 seasons from 2011-2013. Ashley Walters (Bulletproof, Sugarhouse) and Kane Robinson reprise their roles as Dushane and Sully, joined by newcomer Micheal Ward as Jamie (The A List, Blue Story). New cast members include Lisa Dwan (Trust), Jasmine Jobson (Lie Low, Obey), Kadeem Ramsay (Sex Education, Blue Story), Saffron Hocking (London Kills, White Gold), Kola Bokinni (Hunter, Killer, Black Mirror) and Hope Ikpoku. Shone Romulus (Out) returns as Dris and Ashley Thomas (24: Legacy, The Night Of, Black Mirror) returns as Jermaine. The new episodes pick up as Dushane (Ashley Walters) returns from exile to his home in London to reclaim his throne in the highly lucrative drug market. He teams up with Sully (Kane Robinson), his spiritual brother, partner and sometime rival who is also returning to the same streets after his own form of exile prison comes to an end. Awaiting them both is Jamie (Micheal Ward), the young, hungry and ruthless gang leader whose ambitions leave no place for Dushane and Sully. Writer Ronan Bennett shared Ten years ago, I witnessed a 10 year-old boy dealing drugs outside my local supermarket. It made me question what was going on in my own community and led me to create Top Boy. Series veteran Ashley Walters shared, Top Boy is a raw, real representation of street culture. It explores how these characters came to make the choices they make, and gives the audience a behind-the-scenes look as to what is happening on our streets today. It needs to be talked about and the show doesnt shy away from giving us the platform to tell our story. We cant change things if we do not acknowledge it and understand it first. Netflix is the perfect platform for this show, there arent many networks who would be brave enough to keep it this real. Netflix currently screens both original seasons which first screened in Australia on ABC2. Ahead of the birth for Prince Harry & Meghan, Melissa Doyle is in London for Sunday Night. Royal watchers are on high alert as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex prepare for the arrival of their first baby. And if theres one thing weve learned watching Meghan and Harry, this couple doesnt mind breaking with tradition. Their relationship was a fairy tale tailor made for the millennial generation. A beautiful American actress the very modern Meghan Markle meets and falls in love with the cheeky ginger haired Prince Harry. 16 months later, they were engaged. Marriage followed soon afterward. Then on their Australian royal tour, they announced they were expecting a baby Sussex. As the big day draws closer, Sunday Night explores the history and traditions of royal births from Her Majesty the Queen to the latest generation of princes and princesses. So will it be a boy, a girl or maybe even twins? Thats a close-guarded secret. What we can be sure of is that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will raise the seventh in line to the throne their way. Sunday Nights Melissa Doyle heads to England to bring us all the pomp, ceremony and excitement of the impending birth and goes beyond the gates of Norland College the most prestigious nanny training school in the world. These royal nannies in waiting have all the charm of Mary Poppins as well as the skills of a secret agent. Sunday at 8.30pm on Seven. The Today show is headed to North Queensland as the region recovers from severe floods and drought. Georgie Gardner, Deb Knight, Tom Steinfort, Stevie Jacobs and Brooke Boney will visit will broadcast from Airlie Beach, Townsville and Palm Cove, while Today Extras Sonia Kruger and Richard Wilkins will also broadcast from Palm Cove. Georgie Gardner said: The images of devastating drought and floods in Queensland were nothing short of heartbreaking. The Today Show wants to bring the of rest of the country up-to-date with how Queenslanders are faring and drive home the message that tourism in the affected areas has never been more important. Deborah Knight said: North Queensland is the jewel in the Sunshine States crown; it seems everywhere you look is stunning scenery. Tourism is crucial and were keen to spread the word that the region is back in business. We want all Australians to consider Queensland in their holiday plans this year, and make sure we help out struggling tourism operators. Tom Steinfort added, The scale of the flooding was awful but my lasting memory of the disaster is the spirit of community in Townsville and the way everyone wanted to help each other. Viewers are invited to attend broadcasts with cash giveaways, free breakfast and live performances Wednesday, April 10: Today at Airlie Beach Lagoon Thursday, April 11: Today at Townsville (Picnic Bay Surf Lifesaving Club at Strand Park) Friday, April 12: Today & Today Extra at Palm Cove (Williams Esplanade Reserve) and Stevie Jacobs at Palm Cove Monday, April 15 Stevie Jacobs in Port Douglas Tuesday, April 16 Stevie in Charters Towers Wednesday, April 17 Stevie in Magnetic Island Thursday, April 18 Stevie in Bowen Friday, April 19 Stevie in the Whitsundays They are one of Germany's - and the world's - wealthiest families. But the secretive clan behind one half of the Aldi discount supermarket chain has found itself under attack for its ostentatious lifestyle. Worse still, the attack has been delivered from beyond the grave by the widow of one of the brothers that built up the grocery chain. Aldi was founded in 1913 in Essen, in the heart of the industrial and mining heartlands of the Ruhr in north-western Germany, by Anna Albrecht. Yet its breakneck expansion only began when, in 1948 in the ruins of post-war Germany, her two sons Karl and Theo took over the running of the business. The pair eventually fell out over whether Aldi - the name comes from an abbreviation of the words 'Albrecht Diskont (Discount)' - should sell cigarettes, with Karl arguing against, on the grounds that it would attract shoplifters. The upshot was that the business was split in half in 1960. Karl and his family took control of Aldi Sud, the arm of the business operating in southern Germany, the UK, Australia and Ireland and which trades under the Aldi name in the US. Theo and his family took control of Aldi Nord, the part of the business that operates in northern Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, France and Spain and which also runs the Trader Joe's chain in the US. It is this half of the family, the side behind Aldi Nord, that now finds itself attracting unwanted attention. When Theo died in 2010, at the age of 88, a majority 61% stake in Aldi Nord was left in the hands of the Markus Foundation. Two smaller foundations were each left with a further 19.5% stake - Lukas and Jakobus, which were respectively run by Theo's sons, Theo Junior and Berthold. The arrangement is supposed to protect Aldi Nord from a takeover but has instead led to countless conflicts, particularly after Berthold's death in 2012. These have now exploded very publicly with the death of Theo's widow, Cilly, in November last year at the age of 92. Story continues In her will, which was heard in court in February but which was only made public last weekend in the newspaper Bild, Cilly attacked Berthold's five children and their mother, Babette, for their extravagance. Both Karl and Theo, who were brought up in poverty after their father - a miner - was forced to retire due to emphysema, were notoriously frugal. That showed itself in the way both arms of Aldi operate to this day, with no flashy displays and customers picking products out of boxes, while the brothers themselves lived simple lives and eschewed the trappings of wealth. Theo, in particular, preferred to live a secretive life after he was kidnapped at gunpoint in 1971. A devout Catholic who attended mass every Sunday, he avoided being photographed, while taking a different route to work each day in an armoured car. In her will, Cilly accuses Babette and her children of abandoning that frugality, even accusing them of siphoning 100m from the foundations. She said: "With this document, I undertake to ensure the preservation of the philosophy of our family, which is to serveAldi Nord and to foster this, at the same time as setting aside self-interests and practicing a modest and abstemious way of life." Most explosively, in her will, Cilly also suggests her son felt that none of his children were equipped to take over the running of the business. She went on: "Berthold himself said when he was alive that he had considerable doubts as to the suitability of his children to respect the life's work of my husband who, with my support, builtAldi Nord and to serve it with respect and with responsibility towards its thousands of employees." It is not the first time Babette and her children have been attacked publicly by other members of the family. Berthold's brother, Theo Junior, said in 2014 that "the Albrecht name requires a modest lifestyle" and accused his sister-in-law of hurting the company with her lifestyle. He followed that two years later by appealing against a court decision that enabled Babette to install two of her daughters on the board of the Jakobus Foundation. He told the German newspaper Handelsblatt at the time: "My sister-in-law's behaviour in public, which is sometimes embarrassing, as well as the many lawsuits she is involved in are a burden for our company. My brother [Berthold] would be turning in his grave if he knew what was happening here." Not that Babette is likely to be too concerned at the latest criticism. Her relationship with her mother-in-law had got so venomous that, when Berthold died in 2012, neither his mother or his brother were able to attend his funeral. Babette, it has been reported, subsequently refused to disclose to them the location of the urn containing Berthold's remains. In response, neither Babette nor her children were allowed to attend Cilly's funeral last year. Babette's public profile could not be more different from that of her late mother and father-in-law. She flaunts her wealth regularly at society events where her wealth is flaunted ostentatiously, while she has also appeared on 'Let's Dance', the German equivalent of Strictly Come Dancing. She also fought a high profile court case some years ago after a former friend, Dorothee Achenbach, wrote a novel called 'Now Everyone Knows My Laundry' in which, Babette claimed, the main character - a greedy individual who indulged in an extra-marital affair - was based on her. The in-fighting appears to be harming how Aldi Nord is trading. While the German courts found for Theo Junior at the end of 2017, depriving Babette and her children of influencing strategic decisions at the firm, the case is still rumbling on. And, in her will, Cilly alleges that the firm's strategy has been hobbled for years by interference by Babette and her children. This is because, whenever a significant investment is made by the business, all three foundations have to approve it. Babette and her daughters deny having ever blocked any major decisions by the company. There are other cultural factors that have also contributed to the relative fortunes of the two branches. Aldi Sud, under Karl, was always prepared to experiment with new concepts and was quicker to innovate. Aldi Nord, firstly under Theo and then later under Berthold, remained closer to the original discount concept and was legendarily stingy about investing money. Theo Junior has frequently pointed out how much more profitable Aldi Sud is compared with Aldi Nord and how much more it appears to spend in renovating and maintaining its stores than Aldi Nord. It certainly seems to be no coincidence that the more successful Aldi Sud has brought in more management professionals from outside the family than Aldi Nord. Perhaps the only way out of this will ultimately be for Babette and her children to be bought out and for the two branches of the business to be reunified. That would unwind a near 60-year old arrangement and would be tantamount to a revolution. In the face of tough competition in Germany, particularly from Lidl, the pair now co-operate in some procurement, advertising, logistics and in running the mobile phone service Aldi Talk. Non-family members in the management of both are said to be keen on a closer tie-up while the competition authorities, it is suggested, would be relaxed about it because one family already stands behind both businesses. The two themselves last year ruled out a merger. However, as the founding family and its various branches becomes bigger and ever more fragmented, some members will inevitably want to sell. Photo Illustration by The Daily Beast/Anadolu Agency/Getty OBANLIKU, NigeriaMonica, 16, is one of two sisters sold as wives to men who found their photographs on their father's Facebook page and contacted him. She and her 14-year-old younger sister never wanted to get married until they completed their secondary education in Ogbakoko, a small village in Obanliku Local Government Area in Nigerias south-central Cross River state. But the teenage sisters fell victims to a culture which subjects little girls, some as young as 10, to de facto slavery through a tradition called money marriage. The sisters belong to the Becheve community, a large tribe of 17 villages in Obanliku where there is a long tradition in which young girlsoften referred to as money women or money wivesare sold in exchange for food or livestock or cash, or to settle debts. Like hundreds, or perhaps thousands, of girls from the Becheve clan who are victims of money marriages, Monica and her sister were sold without their consent. Their father wanted to clear the debt he owed to a distant relative. The two sisters got married a month apart to men whom they did not know at all and who were old enough to be their grandfathers. Their respective husbands got in touch with their father after seeing the Facebook page where he posted photos of his six daughters to draw the attention of his tribesmen. The men of the clan have found the new technology helps to extend and expand their old, exploitative traditions. My father knew nothing about Facebook until my elder brother bought him a smartphone and convinced him to join Facebook and post our photographs whenever he likes, Monica told The Daily Beast. He'll buy new clothes and force me and my sisters to put them on before taking photographs of us. Usually in the Becheve community, parents of the money brides take the girls to men who can afford to pay for their daughters whenever they think they are fit for marriage, or wait for interested men to request their daughter's hand in marriage. But in recent months, families who are so desperate to give their children away for money turn to Facebook so their kinsmen can check them out. Story continues It is young people who convince old men to look for wives on Facebook, said Monica, who ran away from her husband to live with a friend less than a year after she got married. The man I married said his oldest son showed him my photo on Facebook and directed him to my father. In effect, they use Facebook, quite literally, as a face book, although the actual exchange of money or goods does not take place online. Spokespeople for Facebook, when contacted by The Daily Beast, were not familiar with the phenomenon as practiced in the Becheve community. In other cultures where brides have been auctioned online, measures have been taken to stop the transactions. Reports of Facebook being used as a tool to facilitate child marriage arent unique to Nigeria. Last November, the social media platform came under fire after posts discussing the sale of a 16-year-old girl in South Sudan. The victim was married in the process after her father, in exchange for his daughter, received 530 cows, three Land Cruiser V8 cars and $10,000. The teenager reportedly was bid on by five men, including senior officials in the South Sudanese government. Facebook said it took down the post as soon it learned of of it on Nov. 9, but that wasn't until after the victim, Nyalong Ngong Deng Jalang, had been married off as the 10th wife of Kok Alat, a wealthy businessman from the countrys capital city of Juba, on Nov. 3. The post seeking bids for the teenager reportedly was published on Oct. 25. After publication of the winning bid, Jalang achieved a certain notoriety in local media as the most expensive woman in South Sudan. But the money wives of Becheve rarely receive any publicity, and often endure very difficult times as, in effect, chattel servants. They are usually not allowed to go to school and could be given out to another man if their husbands so desire. If the husband of a money wife dies, his next-of-kin becomes her new husband. The Becheve custom demands that if a money wife dies without bearing any child, her parents can bring another girl in the family to replace her. Regardless of the treatment she gets in her husband's house, a money wife is not to run back to her parents. The practice is meant to boost the status of the men in Becheve community, Magnus Ejikang, a local chief in Ogbakoko, told The Daily Beast. The more brides you have, the more respect you gain in the community. But for many money wives in the Becheve community, the experience in their husband's home is often disastrous, with reports of marital abuse and exploitation. Once he married me, he turned me into his slave and punching bag, said Monica, whojust like her sisterwas given away to her husband for 20,000 Nigerian naira (about $50), along with two goats, a pig and some yams. He said he paid so much to marry me and so I had to labor hard by working for hours everyday in the farm to prove that I'm a grateful wife. Monica and her sister, who is still married to her 65-year-old husband, aren't the only girls to have ended up in forced marriage after their photos appeared on Facebook. Regina, another teenager from the Becheve tribe, was sold in January by her parents to a man already married with two wives and 11 children. Her husband found her photo on the Facebook page of her uncle, who is notorious for putting photographs of his female relatives on the social media site to draw the attention of men from Becheve seeking child brides. She was then forced into marriage after her uncle pressured her parents, to the dismay of her older brother. Our greedy uncle, in his usual way of manipulating his brothers into selling their daughters, convinced my parents [to give out their daughter in marriage] because he wanted a share of the bride price money, John Ashua, brother of 15-year-old Regina, told The Daily Beast. He earns a living by looking for husbands for the girls in the family even when they are not ready to get married. Married life has been difficult for Regina herself. Besides having to drop out of school and carrying out most of the chores at home, she has to look after her husband's livestock, which includes dozens of goats and pigs, and she is punished if she doesn't work as demanded. He beat me last night because I said I was tired and couldn't have sex with him, Regina, who is now pregnant, complained to her brother on the telephone. Whenever he returns home at night, he demands sex. Facebook is hugely popular in Nigeria with about a fifth of the country's 98 million internet users connected to the site. But in rural areas like the Becheve community, where literacy levels are not so high among the elderly, the social media platform is mostly common among young people, who are the greatest owners of smart phones. Activists say youths in the clan are actually the brain behind men searching for money wives on Facebook. The majority of Becheve men knew nothing about Facebook until their sons and other young relatives began to show them photos of young Becheve girls on the platform, Queen Eteng, a researcher with the Nigerian women's rights NGO, Our Women Network, told The Daily Beast. Most fathers don't run the Facebook pages opened in their names. Rather it is younger family members who create the pages and post the photos. In the Becheve community, the practice of child marriage is deeply rooted in its customs and tradition. While rights campaigners admit it will be challenging changing the age-old tradition, they do nevertheless believe that the scale of the practice could easily be reduced. Young people have a huge role to play in putting a stop to this brutal tradition, said Odey, whose organization works to end child marriage in Cross River state. We are reaching out to young men in Becheve community to put a stop to the use of Facebook to display photos of girls for the purpose of having them married. Read more at The Daily Beast. Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here The European Parliament on Thursday approved a law allowing Britons visa-free travel to the bloc even in the event of a "no deal" Brexit, despite outrage in some quarters over the status of Gibraltar. Britain is due to leave the European Union, perhaps as early as next week, but the law will allow British visitors 90-day trips to the Schengen passport-free zone.Implementation will depend on Britain according EU citizens reciprocal rights, but it has said it will do so and the principle of the law has broad support.The bill passed by EU lawmakers triggered a bitter row in Brussels, after member states -- at Spain's urging -- referred in a footnote of the draft to Gibraltar as a "colony of the British crown".The United Nations does legally list Gibraltar as a "non-self-governing territory", but Britain insists it is part of "the UK family" and that its citizens freely voted to remain British.Britain's decision to leave the EU has revived controversy over Spain's long-standing claim on the territory, against the backdrop of Spanish elections."If the EU plans to continually take Spain's side on Gibraltar, against the will of the people of the Rock, then it could poison the future trade talks before they have even begun," said Daniel Dalton, a British Conservative MEP."It would also fatally undermine Europe's standing as a union which defends democracy and human rights across the world," he added.TensionEsteban Gonzalez Pons, a leading Spanish MEP, seized upon the law as a diplomatic victory for Madrid."Spain has obtained fundamental support from the European institutions in the dispute over Gibraltar by considering this territory a colony," he argued."The mention of Gibraltar as a colony will be fundamental in attempting to resolve the dispute over this territory in a post-Brexit scenario," the MEP added.The chief minister of Gibraltar, Fabian Picardo, has denounced the text as "disgraceful", noting the law would not even be needed if Britain approves a Brexit withdrawal agreement."In this case it is obvious that extreme pressure exerted by Spain and the bullying tactics of Spanish MEPs, on purely nationalistic grounds," he complained.Brexit itself will not change the status of Gibraltar, but Madrid has been keen to establish that it will retain a veto over any future agreement between Britain and the EU that touches on the territory.(FRANCE 24 with AFP) The European Parliament on Thursday approved a law allowing Britons visa-free travel to the bloc even in the event of a "no deal" Brexit, despite outrage in some quarters over the status of Gibraltar. Britain is due to leave the European Union, perhaps as early as next week, but the law will allow British visitors 90-day trips to the Schengen passport-free zone. Implementation will depend on Britain according EU citizens reciprocal rights, but it has said it will do so and the principle of the law has broad support. The bill passed by EU lawmakers triggered a bitter row in Brussels, after member states -- at Spain's urging -- referred in a footnote of the draft to Gibraltar as a "colony of the British crown". The United Nations does legally list Gibraltar as a "non-self-governing territory", but Britain insists it is part of "the UK family" and that its citizens freely voted to remain British. Britain's decision to leave the EU has revived controversy over Spain's long-standing claim on the territory, against the backdrop of Spanish elections. "If the EU plans to continually take Spain's side on Gibraltar, against the will of the people of the Rock, then it could poison the future trade talks before they have even begun," said Daniel Dalton, a British Conservative MEP. "It would also fatally undermine Europe's standing as a union which defends democracy and human rights across the world," he added. Tension Esteban Gonzalez Pons, a leading Spanish MEP, seized upon the law as a diplomatic victory for Madrid. "Spain has obtained fundamental support from the European institutions in the dispute over Gibraltar by considering this territory a colony," he argued. "The mention of Gibraltar as a colony will be fundamental in attempting to resolve the dispute over this territory in a post-Brexit scenario," the MEP added. The chief minister of Gibraltar, Fabian Picardo, has denounced the text as "disgraceful", noting the law would not even be needed if Britain approves a Brexit withdrawal agreement. Story continues "In this case it is obvious that extreme pressure exerted by Spain and the bullying tactics of Spanish MEPs, on purely nationalistic grounds," he complained. Brexit itself will not change the status of Gibraltar, but Madrid has been keen to establish that it will retain a veto over any future agreement between Britain and the EU that touches on the territory. (FRANCE 24 with AFP) FILE PHOTO: Laura Codruta Kovesi, Romania's former chief anti-corruption prosecutor, arrives to attend a hearing at the Section for the Investigation of Criminal Offences in the judiciary in Bucharest, Romania, February 15, 2019. Inquam Photos/Octav Ganea via REUTERS By Gabriela Baczynska and Radu-Sorin Marinas BRUSSELS/BUCHAREST (Reuters) - Romania's top court on Wednesday lifted a ban preventing its former anti-corruption chief from leaving the country, in a move sure to be welcomed by the European Parliament which wants Laura Codruta Kovesi to become the EU's first chief prosecutor. During Kovesi's five-year tenure at the helm of Romania's DNA anti-corruption office, conviction rates for high-level graft across the political spectrum jumped, drawing praise from the European Union, civil society groups and private investors. But Kovesi ran foul of Romania's ruling Social Democrats who forced her out of office last year. They oppose her candidacy for the newly created EU post of chief prosecutor. An agency set up by the Social Democrats and tasked with investigating magistrates filed criminal charges on March 29 against Kovesi that meant she lost her right to leave Romania or to speak to the media about her case. Kovesi said she was innocent and appealed the ruling. "I can now leave the country, the judicial control was revoked, my appeal was upheld," she told reporters on Wednesday after leaving the Supreme Court. Earlier on Wednesday the president of the European Parliament, Antonio Tajani, expressed concern over Romania pressing charges against Kovesi and said he would write to the government in Bucharest on the matter. "Ms Kovesi remains our candidate (to be the EU's new chief prosecutor) and continues to enjoy our respect and support," Tarjani told a plenary session of the European Parliament. The European Commission, the bloc's executive, warned Romania on Wednesday against reversing anti-corruption reforms and said it would take swift action if it decided Bucharest was undermining the rule of law. Transparency International ranks Romania as one of the EU's most corrupt states and Brussels has kept its judicial system under special monitoring since it joined the bloc in 2007. (Additional reporting by Clare Roth; Editing by Gareth Jones) BERLIN (AP) A court Germany has sentenced a 44-year-old Iranian man to life in prison for stabbing to death a woman on a street in the western city of Duesseldorf last year. German news agency dpa reported Thursday that the Duesseldorf regional court earlier found Ali .S, whose full name wasn't released for privacy reasons, guilty of murder. The suspect, who was arrested in Spain, had stalked the 36-year-old woman. She had rejected his advances, whereupon he stabbed her 27 times in July 2018. Kamil Krzaczynski/Getty This was a good week to be a lesbian candidate for mayor. On Tuesday night, three Democratic lesbian candidates either won their mayoral races or advanced in their primary contests. Gaining the most headlines, former federal prosecutor Lori Lightfoot won in Chicago with a cushion of over 40 percentage points, making her both the first out LGBT and first black female mayor in the citys history. Chicago will now be the largest U.S. city to have an openly LGBT mayor, surpassing Houston, where out lesbian Annise Parker served from 2010 until 2016. Former city councilor Satya Rhodes-Conway won the Madison, Wisconsin mayoral race in a landslide, beating incumbent Paul Soglin by a margin of over 20 percentage points. Former Missouri state legislator Jolie Justus placed first in her primary for the Kansas City mayoral race and will advance to a general election in June. Parker now serves as the president of the Victory Fund, an organization that works to elect LGBT candidatesand she believes that lesbian electoral success is no accident. What we have found at Victory is that our lesbian candidates outperform our male candidates, she told The Daily Beast.Women tend to wait longer before they run, they want to be more qualified, and theyre often better prepared. On the other hand, Parker acknowledges that the particular stigma around gay men may also play a role: I think for a lot of really unpleasant reasons, lesbian candidates are [seen as] a lot less threatening in some ways than gay male candidates. According to the Victory Institute, the Victory Funds partner organization, there are currently 38 U.S. cities with openly LGBT mayors. That list includes several lesbian mayors, like Salt Lake Citys Jackie Biskupski, Seattles Jenny Durkan, and Key Wests Teri Johnston. Still, though, Tuesday nights wins mark a major step forward for lesbian electoral representation. As Parker noted in a press release, the number of lesbians who are elected mayor of a big city could triple by the time this cycle is over. Story continues Tuesday nights candidates ran on local issuesbut that doesnt mean they arent celebrating the new national precedents they have set. Were going to be working on affordable housing and transit and trying to bridge our racial opportunity gap and preparing for the impacts of climate change, Rhodes-Conway, who will be the first openly LGBT mayor of Madison, told The Daily Beast. But at the same time, that in no way keeps me from being, I hope, a national leader and role model for the LGBTQ community. For Rhodes-Conway, these two roleslocal mayor and potential national role modelarent mutually exclusive, especially because LGBT people are disproportionately affected by many of the problems she is hoping to address while in office. I dont see those [roles] as conflicting or separate necessarily, she said. All the issues that I talked about are LGBTQ issues. Tuesday nights lesbian electoral winswhich all took place outside of coastal statesshow that running as an openly LGBT candidate is becoming less of a liability than it once was, says Parker. In fact, she believes it could be an asset in some cases. Its not always a positive to run openly LGBT, but its not necessarily a negative, she told The Daily Beast. And weve had success everywhere. In her initial statement to press, Parker shared her belief that lesbian mayors bring unique experiences and perspectives to the position that make them more empathetic, principled, and values-driven leaders. Parker expanded on that sentiment for The Daily Beast, observing that empathy and honesty are qualities the electorate seems to want, and so people respond when they hear candidates be clear about who they are. When those candidates have had experiences of marginalization, Parker contends, they may better relate to others. Taking a clear look at yourself and how you relate to the world, and then deciding to come out and approach the world more head-onI think thats a good quality for any public official, said Parker. That sense of being on the outside, of being differentI think that makes you more aware of being able to put yourself in other peoples shoes. Rhodes-Conway agrees that her experiences as a lesbian have informed her politics in the same way that any candidate brings their background with them into office. I think being a woman, being a lesbian, is certainly core to my identity and affects how I see the world and how I think, she told The Daily Beast.One of the most valuable things in leadershipwhether thats in the public sector or the private sector, we know how valuable it is to have a diversity of opinions at the table. After 2018s Rainbow Wave of LGBT electoral wins in state legislatures, lesbian wins across the Midwest in 2019 are another sign that the electoral map might be changing for candidates who arent straight or cisgender. In a recent NBC/Wall Street Journal poll, nearly 70 percent of Americans said they would be comfortable with a gay or lesbian presidential candidate, which is up significantly from 43 percent in 2006. That poll made headlines in large part because of another openly LGBT mayor: South Bend, Indianas Pete Buttigieg, whose presidential exploratory committee has gained widespread media attention in the past two weeks. In the midst of the Buttigieg buzz, Parker hopes that the LGBT community can take some time to celebrate these mayoral-level lesbian accomplishments to make sure they dont get overshadowed. I love Mayor Pete and were all excited, said Parker. We havent endorsed him because hes still in the exploratory phase, but were cheering him on from the sidelines. In the meantime, Victory Fund is looking ahead to the Tampa mayoral run-off election, where out lesbian Jane Castor could become the first openly LGBT big-city mayor in the American Southeast, as the advocacy group noted. Theres still a long way to go toward achieving equality, said Parker. To that end, new Mayor-elect Rhodes-Conway hopes that younger generations of LGBT people will be encouraged by this weeks victories. I want them to know that they can see themselves in leadership and that they should see themselves in leadership, she said. Read more at The Daily Beast. Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here German chancellor Angela Merkel said she was moved by the stories of people living in Irish border communities who were affected by the Troubles. Ms Merkel met with a panel of 15 people from Protestant and Catholic communities, both unionists and nationalists, from both sides of the border. Speaking in Dublin, she said: Today was a very important experience for me. I come from a country that for many, many years was divided by a wall. I lived behind the Iron Curtain so I know only too well what it means once borders vanish. I thought it would be important for the Chancellor to hear directly from people from Northern Ireland and the border region, people for whom the border is a very real issue & with direct experience of conflict before the Good Friday Agreement. pic.twitter.com/kSVoIhAUYs Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) April 4, 2019 She added that everything needs to be done to ensure a peaceful co-operation continues. After all, a heavy death toll has been taken here throughout the Troubles, she said. What I have heard here will encourage me to explore ways and means to ensure this peaceful co-existence continues, she added. Representatives from the Irish border communities who met with the chancellor say they were impressed by her knowledge of the issue. Ms Merkel travelled to Dublin on Thursday to meet with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in Dublins Farmleigh House to discuss Brexit, and show solidarity with Ireland amid the Brexit negotiations. An Taoiseach and Chancellor Merkel participating in a tete-a-tete at their meeting in Farmleigh House this afternoon. pic.twitter.com/nCMjViwApQ MerrionStreet.ie (@merrionstreet) April 4, 2019 The border issue has remained a point of contention during the Brexit impasse, as an open border on the island of Ireland is a key component of the Good Friday Agreement. Story continues Peter Sheridan, chief executive of Co-operation Ireland and a former assistant chief constable with the PSNI, who mediated the meeting, says Ms Merkel reflected on her own life growing up in East Germany. She absolutely understood the personal messages that people gave her, Mr Sheridan said. I think anyone who was there couldnt help but be impressed by her. She understood the passion of people, and the very personal stories people shared with her this afternoon. Peter Sheridan (centre) speaking to the media following a meeting with the chancellor (Brian Lawless/PA) She reflected her own understanding and her own background and what it was like to be behind a wall. You also couldnt help but be impressed about the range of people around that table today who were there speaking about their own personal experiences. I have no doubt that the chancellor went away well informed about the impact and the people part of this, not just the technical part of it were trying to put people in the middle of all this. Patricia Mac Bride, a magistrate in Londonderry, and a former Commissioner for Victims and Survivors of the Northern Ireland conflict said everyone who met with Ms Merkel was confident she took their words on board. Patricia Mac Bride speaking to the media (Brian Lawless/PA) It was clear from the meeting today that the Chancellor has a very thorough understanding of the issues Irish citizens face living in the north, the issue around denial of rights, issues around citizenship for people living in Northern Ireland and the border counties. She understands the challenges a hard border would bring to this island, and I am certain she will take those messages into the meeting next week with the EU27 and what she heard today will be strongly reflected. The group also included peace workers from Derry and Belfast who lost close family members in bomb attacks, a Unionist farmer and haulier from Inishowen in Donegal, a businessman from Co Monaghan and a GP from Donegal who now lives in Derry. Adding milk to your tea or coffee lowers cancer risk. [Photo: Getty] Adding milk to your tea or coffee could help to protect you from throat cancer. Thats according to research conducted by scientists from Tehran University of Medical Sciences in Iran, who have discovered a link between drinking boiling hot water and the development of cancer of the oesophagus. The study of over 500,000 people found those who drink tea at 60C or more were almost twice as likely to develop the condition. According to the research, this is because scalding water damages the lining of the mouth and throat, increasing the risk of cancer. Whats more, those who drink their hot drinks at 75C are as much as 2.4 times more likely to develop the cancer, the research found. However, adding cold or warm milk will reduce the temperature, making them safer to drink. READ MORE: The reason youre either team coffee or team tea Dr. Farhad Islami, the studys lead oncologist, alternatively recommends hot drink lovers wait until their drinks cool before they drink them. Traditionally, in Iran where the study was conducted and countries such as China, Turkey and South America, tea is often drunk without milk and at a hotter temperature of 70C. READ MORE: Mum shocked after toddler given tea However, this is less often the case in the UK, where tea is typically served below 60C. Georgina Hill, a health information officer at Cancer Research UK commented on the study, saying: This study adds to the evidence that having drinks hotter than 60C may increase the risk of oesophageal (food pipe) cancer, but most people in the UK dont drink their tea at such high temperatures. As long youre letting your tea cool down a bit before you drink it, or adding cold milk, youre unlikely to be raising your cancer risk and not smoking, keeping a healthy weight and cutting down on alcohol will do much more to stack the odds in your favour. What temperature should you drink tea and coffee at? The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IRAC), which is part of the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends people drink tea at a temperature of 65 degrees or less, to avoid health risks. Story continues As for the optimum temperature to enjoy teas flavour, researchers at the University of Northumbria found 60 degrees is best but anywhere above 45 degrees is fine to enjoy the sensory experience. Meanwhile, coffee experts recommend the drink should be enjoyed at between 48C and 60C. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo [April 04, 2019] Logistics Giant Aramex Innovates Last Mile Delivery With Nexmo, the Vonage API Platform HOLMDEL, N.J., April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Vonage (NYSE: VG), a global business cloud communications leader, today announced that Aramex has successfully digitally transformed its last-mile delivery processes using Nexmo, the Vonage API Platform. Using the Nexmo Messages APIs to integrate directly with the WhatsApp Business solution, in addition to existing messaging capabilities via Nexmo's SMS APIs, Aramex was able to build effective communications with customers, increasing the speed, accuracy, and efficiency of messaging delivery while improving the overall customer experience. A global leader in the logistics and transportation industry, Aramex is recognized for its customized and innovative services for businesses and consumers. The company offers international and domestic express delivery, freight-forwarding, logistics and supply chain management, e-commerce, and record management. Fueled by the growth of global e-commerce, the competitive landscape of the logistics market is changing in a way that required Aramex to evolve. Large and small e-tailers, as well as new digital logistics operators, are using new and disruptive "Last Mile Delivery" technologies. These technologies help companies complete the final, most important step of the process: the timing of package delivery. To remain competitive, Aramex wanted to upgrade its technology-enabled solutions to allow for faster and more efficient last-mile delivery. Leveraging the WhatsApp "Live Location" feature to ensure more accurate deliveries to those areas without traditional zip codes or addresses, Aramex turned to the Nexmo Messages API, transforming the last mile by using programmable communications. Nexmo's enterprise services guided Aramex through the process - from kick-off to being live in production. "By leveraging Nexmo APIs to integrate with the WhatsApp Business solution, we are able to efficiently communicate with or customers and receive precise delivery instructions," said Mohammed Sleeq, Chief Digital Officer at Aramex. "This communications transformation has helped us enhance our last mile delivery process, and allowed us to become more effective on the ground. It also helped in reducing the number of contact center interactions and improving the quality of service we provide to our customers." The Aramex-WhatsApp Business solution service, supported by Nexmo APIs, provides Aramex customers with a highly integrated communication and messaging channel. With the service, Aramex is able to offer features such as "find the nearest Aramex location" and "track and trace" functionalities. Aramex plans to incorporate future digital enhancements, including "on-demand and customized customer interaction for shipment notifications." "Forward-thinking enterprises, such as Aramex, want to differentiate themselves by how they engage customers and are moving beyond the traditional business communications to do so," said Omar Javaid, Chief Product Officer and EVP & GM of Nexmo, the Vonage API Platform. "By tapping into Vonage's unique combination of offerings, Aramex created deeper customer engagement through more meaningful interactions. We are honored Aramex selected Vonage for its transformative efforts." See the case study to learn more about how Aramex is leveraging Nexmo APIs to create better business outcomes. About Vonage Vonage is redefining business communications, helping enterprises use fully-integrated unified communications, contact center, and programmable communications solutions via Nexmo, the Vonage API Platform, to improve how business gets done. True to our roots as a technology disruptor, we've embraced technology to transform how companies connect, collaborate and communicate to create better business outcomes. Vonage's fully-integrated cloud communications platform built on a microservices-based architecture enables businesses to collaborate more productively and engage their customers more effectively across all channels, including messaging, chat, social media, video and voice. Vonage Holdings Corp. is headquartered in Holmdel, New Jersey, with offices throughout the United States, Europe and Asia. Vonage is a registered trademark of Vonage Marketing LLC, owned by Vonage America Inc. To follow Vonage on Twitter, please visit www.twitter.com/vonage. To become a fan on Facebook, go to www.facebook.com/vonage. To subscribe on YouTube, visit www.youtube.com/vonage. (vg-a) View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/logistics-giant-aramex-innovates-last-mile-delivery-with-nexmo-the-vonage-api-platform-300824376.html SOURCE Vonage [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Uprooted Palestinians are at the heart of the conflict in the M.E Palestinians uprooted by force of arms. Yet faced immense difficulties have survived, kept alive their history and culture, passed keys of family homes in occupied Palestine from one generation to the next. The National Park Service has owned the parkway since it opened in the 1950s. It was viewed as scenic, wooded entrance into the nations capital. It was always meant as parkway-type roadway, said Superintendent Matt Carroll. But the role of the road has changed, according to former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke. The Department of the Interior is not in the business of managing commuter highways, Zinke said a news release last June. We owe it to the 120,000 taxpayers who use the Parkway every day to make the best possible decision to relieve traffic congestion and increase public safety in the region. For obvious historical reasons, certain area parkways and bridges were developed by the Federal Government, in this case the National Park Service.While they are parkways, a road type that is designed to be park like, and are decidedly different from more traditional freeways (Interstates) and regional arterials, many are used as freeways, such as the George Washington Parkway in Virginia, the Suitland Parkway in DC and Maryland, the Baltimore-Washington Parkway in Maryland, and the Clara Barton Parkway in Maryland, along with the Memorial Bridge which crosses the Potomac River connecting the Lincoln Memorial in DC to Arlington Cemetery and the GW Parkway in Virginia.Mount Vernon Parkway is not so much commuter oriented compared to the others. It connects to the George Washington plantation, Mount Vernon, in Fairfax County. But it still serves large residential sections of the county.I've written about this in terms of the Memorial Bridge, that NPS isn't in the business of providing transportation infrastructure in the DC region, it's a parks organization and that instead of paying to serve commuters -- although my understanding is that Virginia DOT pays some of the cost of maintaining the GW Parkway -- this infrastructure and the cost of maintaining it should be off loaded to the local jurisdictions.-- " The National Park Service shouldn't be on the hook for basic roadway infrastructure in the Washington Metropolitan Area ," 2016That way they can spend money elsewhere on the maintenance and repair backlog of more than $10+ billion in capital projects and facilities (" National Park Service delayed $11 billion in maintenance ,"), which is only worse now because of the federal shutdown, which accelerated damage and degradation at some parks units.WAMU/NPR has a story on this in terms of the Baltimore-Washington Parkway (" How did the potholes on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway get this bad? .)Ryan Zinke is hardly a genius for pointing this out. From the article:While the article doesn't say anything new, it does include a great drawing of different roadway types, which was produced by the HIstoric American Engineering Record.It turns out that it's from a set of 51 photos and drawings produced to document the Baltimore-Washington Parkway . They are pretty cool and worth checking out. Labels: parks planning, public finance and spending, road maintenance, transportation infrastructure, transportation planning Para poder comentar debes estar registrado y haber iniciado sesion. Olvidaste la contrasena? Elisa Monte Dance is a company that was founded to bring the beauty of modern dance to the masses. Founded by Elisa Montea pupil of the legendary Martha Grahamthe thirty-eight-year-old company has just established a partnership with The Flea theater in Manhattan. The company is planning several shows at the venue, all which focus on different themes and are occasionally created in collaboration with other respected organizations, such as the Harlem Stage. Recently Artistic Director Tiffany Rea-Fisher granted an exclusive interview where she discussed her experiences with the dance-centered organization and her hopes for its future. Dancing, directing, and shows Meagan Meehan (MM): How did you start dancing and what styles most appealed to you and why? Tiffany Rea-Fisher (TRF): My Mom put me in dance when I was three because she said I had no rhythm. I did lots of other activities as a kid, gymnastics, track, volleyball, choir but everything fell to the wayside and dance became my life. I started with tap and loved the all the different sounds I could make with my feet but when I found modern dance my whole life changed. When I arrived at SUNY Purchase as a college student, I realized I had a lot of catching up to do. I had never taken a modern dance class before I began studying at SUNY Purchase, so I would spend hours in the library studying and researching modern dance. It was in that library that I discovered Elisa Monte Dance, little did I know I would one day be the director of the company I fondly admired as a college student. Modern dance appeals to me the most because it is a truly American art form rooted in social justice, protest and making space for the other. Modern dance celebrates you as YOU are, and that is a practice I have carried over into my daily life. Discuss this news on Eunomia MM: How did you get involved with Elisa Monte Dance? TRF: I had a friend in the company who encouraged me to audition. At the time I didn't think it was a good fit for me, but I was coming back to the United States from dancing overseas and thought what's the worst that can happen? Fifteen years later, I'm running the company so I'd say it was a good fit. MM: How did you get into directing and how much more difficult is that role? TRF: I am the handpicked successor of Elisa Monte, so she prepped me for the roles years before it was time to actually take over. I dont know that directing is more difficult, but it is a completely different skill set. You need to be able to multitask, be diplomatic, kind, strong and creative. It is can be draining because of all it takes, but it is also extremely rewarding. MM: How did you get to collaborate with The Flea Theater? TRF: Years ago, I presented work at the Emelin Theater in Westchester and the curator at the time, Lisa Reilly, kept up with my career as I transitioned to Artistic Director. Lisa transitioned from the Emelin to the Flea Theater so when it was time for the Flea to start looking for anchor partners for the Lisa knew that I was diversifying what projects the company took on. She thought I would be a good fit for a theater who was new to the dance space. MM: You have so many shows coming up, is it tough to keep them all on track? TRF: OMG, yes, its crazy. Thank god for calendar alerts. Although I am scheduled within an inch of my life, I will never complain about being busy. My entire life Ive prepped for success and here it is, so I am ready and excited for the journey. Inspiration, performances, and audiences MM: What inspired each of these performances and how did you decide which shows to slate for 2019? TRF: Some are commissioned, so the source material is provided for you. Like our show with the theater company, The Classical Theater of Harlem. They pick the play, so it then becomes my job to create the movement within this new world. Our last show at the National Gallery of Art was based on their exhibit Women of Cohort, and they commissioned me to create a ballet celebrating these women. Our upcoming show at the National Gallery of Art is inspired by an exhibit covering the moon landing. Then there are other times when you can just work off of your own imagination and make whats in your head and heart and see what comes out. I like partnering with venues who have a similar philosophy to my own and who treat people well. That is a big thing for me. I am also inspired by the artist in front of me; I take the person into consideration when creating new work. Personalities, energy, and goals are inspiring to me, and I create work that will not only look good on my dancers but inspires growth and change within them. I often observe my company when their guard is down in real human moments. It is in those true personal moments when I realize who they are and what I can pull out of them artistically. Using dance as a service to my community is extremely important to me. Dance has always been a communal practice. Therefore, it is inspired by the community in terms of inception, and returned back to them through the performance. It is crucial to me that my audience can see themselves in my company and in my work. I want EMD to reflect the diversity of NYC and America. MM: What do you hope audiences get out of Elisa Monte Dance productions and whats on the horizon? TRF: When leaving an EMD experience, I hope the audience feels empowered and inspired by the life they have created for themselves. I want my audience to use the excitement and inspiration to curate a life they love. Dance should empower the community and serve the people directly. Therefore, I hope my audience feels considered, cared about, and more excited to live their best life. Up next the company has our gala, National Gallery of Art show and a conference performance in April, our season and collaboration with the Young Peoples Chorus of NY at the Apollo in May, performances with the Classical Theatre of Harlem and at the New Victory Theater in July, our summer intensive, then Lake Placid performances and Summer Stage performances in August. All the while Im teaching at Steps on Broadway on Mondays and Wednesdays. So, yea...not much rest but its an incredibly creative and fulfilling few months! Valerie Bustamante is a staff writer for the Seguin Gazette. You can e-mail her at valerie.bustamante@seguingazette.com. On Monday's episode (April 1) of "The Young and the Restless," it was revealed that Dominique Carroll is Kerry's real name and she has been working with Ashley. This set off a chain reaction that caused the rest of the Abbott's to unite. Lauren naturally is concerned about Fenmore's and wanted Phyllis to remain in the CEO chair. Unfortunately for the fiery redhead, she was voted out by the majority. Traci, Jack, Billy, Abby, and Kyle decided Ashley's offer to take over the company was not in their best interest. The oldest of John Abbott's sons stated his case as to why he should be in charge again and the rest of the family agreed. Lauren troubled and Phyllis is fired Ashley now owns all the patents for Jabot's formulas, which leaves Jabotiques in the hands of the rest of the family. She offered to take over and save the day but was met with extreme resistance from Jack. It was brought out that the real Kerry Johnson works for Ashley in Paris, and Dominique Carroll is the woman who has was hired as the Jabot chemist. Phyllis wanted to consider Ashleys proposal but was shut down immediately, and blamed by the Abbotts for all the recent problems. Lauren also wanted everyone to consider the offer and for her good friend to remain the company CEO. Unfortunately, Jack, Traci, Billy, Kyle, and Abby voted against Phyllis and now she is out of a job. A smug Ashley told her family she could give them 24 hours to consider her take over, offer and left. Later, Abby stopped by her mom's hotel in hopes of finding out why she is causing all these problems. Jack regains control of Jabot When Jack made his case for being named CEO once again, the Jabot board agreed. Lauren expressed her sorrow that her good friend was now out of a job and nothing else was mentioned about accepting Ashley's take over. Discuss this news on Eunomia After everyone else left, Jack spent some time alone in his office, pondering his once and future position. Later, Kerry and Phyllis were both drinking at the club and Ms. Johnson told her former boss she had no doubt she would land on her feet. Phyllis mentioned that Kerry was now speaking with an Engish accent and asked if anything about her had been real. Especially their friendship. Ms.Johnson sidestepped the question. Phyllis was left to wonder how she messed up so badly. Michelle Stafford will soon be reclaiming the role of Ms. Summers, so be on the lookout for spoiler alerts announcing her first air date. Keep watching "The Young and the Restless." Lenin Moreno, the President of Ecuador, has reportedly accused the founder of the controversial website WikiLeaks Julian Assange of leaking his family and friends highly private pictures. This accusation comes as a violation of the terms of Assange's asylum in the Ecuadorian embassy in London. He has been living in the Ecuador embassy since June 2012. The leaking of Moreno's private pictures is believed to be a result of the tensions going on lately between Julian Assange and the embassy of Ecuador, Gizmodo reported. The ongoing leaking scandal While talking to the Ecuadorean Radio Association yesterday, Moreno said he believes that the WikiLeaks founder has been involved extensively in intercepting the President's extremely private messages. Moreno also said that Assange has been leaking the images of his bedroom, what he eats during the day, his wife, his children, basically everything that comes in the definition of private, the Associated Press reported. The Ecuadorian President, however, has so far given no evidence of the hacking. Julian Assange has been staying in the Ecuadorian Embassy in the city of London since he skipped bail on a sexual assault charge from Sweden dating back to the year 2012. The legal authorities have since dropped those charges in Sweden. Even though Assange is free to leave the embassy anytime he wishes, he still proclaims himself to be a prisoner in the embassy. In several of his media interviews, Assange has said he fears that as soon as he leaves the Ecuador embassy, he will be immediately extradited to the United States where he will be prosecuted on various criminal charges filed against him over the years. The controversial media figure has also claimed that his internet access in the embassy was suspended about a year ago. Assange believes that cutting his internet access was a part of a master plan to silence him. The embassy's officials, on the other hand, had accused Assange of intervening in the international level politics way before his access to the net was suspended. Discuss this news on Eunomia In an official statement to the London-based news agency Reuters, Lenin Moreno, Ecuador's President has stated that Assange has come in violations of the terms of his asylum in the embassy too many times. The President further added that If he thinks we are in any way trying to silence him, then he can talk to us because hacking someone's phone or anything else is not the solution. In early 2018, the Ecuadorian President publicly called the WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange a nuisance and a problem that we inherited. The previous president of Ecuador initially granted the asylum to Julian Assange, and so far it seems that Moreno is not able to tolerate Assange's behavior in the embassy. WikiLeaks has suggested that the main reason behind Moreno's frustration towards Assange is because WikiLeaks published the INA papers which exposed the corruption scandal in Ecuador. Moreno is currently under an investigation related to the corruption in the country which was brought forward by a rival lawmaker. The rival lawmaker claims that Moreno allegedly took money from a China-based company for a hydroelectric dam project but then laundered the borrowed money through a Panama-based shell company, the Venezuelan state media reported. Controversies surrounding Julian Assange In an official statement to the Associated Press, WikiLeaks has clearly stated that if the Ecuadorian president, Moreno, is willing to terminate the asylum of a refugee publisher for the sake of covering up an offshore corruption scandal, then we can assure you that history will not be kind. Assange, who is an Australian by birth was given the Ecuadorian Citizenship in January of 2018 in an attempt by the embassy to grant him diplomatic immunity. The Ecuadorian embassy was in high hopes that this move would force Assange to permanently leave the London embassy and find asylum in some other country, but unfortunately, that too didn't work. Not too long ago, Julian Assange said that he would be willing to leave the London embassy if the whistleblower Chelsea Manning was released from prison. As a result, the previous US president Barack Obama significantly reduced Manning's jail time before leaving the Oval Office in 2017. However, then Julian Assange backed out of his promise and said that the only reason the President did this was to make Assange look like a liar. Last month, Chelsea Manning went back into the solitary confinement after she refused to answer questions related to the controversial website WikiLeaks. Nowadays, WikiLeaks mostly talks about far-right topics and Assange himself has undoubtedly proved to be an ally for all the authoritarian-natured leaders around the world including the US president Donald Trump and the Russian president Vladimir Putin. Both WikiLeaks and Assange has many times exposed the classified secrets of the Russian government. The Twitter account of WikiLeaks even exchanged messages with Donald Trump Jr. during the 2016 presidential elections. After the talks with Donald Trump Jr., it was suggested by the website WikiLeaks that Donald Trump himself should appoint Assange as the Australian ambassador to DC. The Wisconsin women's track and field team head out west again to compete in the Sun Angel Classic in Tempe, Arizona.The Sun Angel Classic is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. (CT) on Friday with the field events. Saturday's action is slated to begin at 12:20 p.m. with the field events and the running events to take place starting at 4:05 p.m.The meet will be streamed live on FloTrack. In addition, fans can follow along on Twitter (@BadgerTrackXC) and can catch a recap following the meet on UWBadgers.com.moved up in the school record book after her performances at the Stanford Invitational. The distance runner now has the second best time in school history in the 3000-meter steeplechase, finishing the race in 10 minute, 5.96 seconds.Competing in the invitational 10,000 meters,andalso moved up in the school record book.holds the school's fourth best time time in Wisconsin women's history, completing the race in 33:02.91 minutes. Davis also moved up to the fifth best time, after covering the distance in 33:15.04 minutes.Six Badger women will compete in long jump at the Sun Angel Classic.andwill all represent the motion "W" in Tempe.The Badgers will put their sprinters to work this weekend.will compete in the 200 meters, 400 meter hurdles, and run a leg of the 4x400. Stubler last competed at the Aztec Invitational, where she was runner-up in the 400 meter hurdles.Following the Sun Angel Classic, the Badgers will have a week off before splitting up to compete at the Bryan Clay Invitational, Pacific Coast Intercollegiate and the Long Beach Invite in California. Some of Virginias brightest high school students will compete at the annual Virginia State Science and Engineering Fair on April 6 at the Berglund Special Events Center in Roanoke. Hosted by volunteers from the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute and the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, 274 students will present their projects. More than ever, we need scientist citizens to help us make informed decisions based on insights derived from facts, built on reason and logic, but also infused with vision, said Michael Friedlander, vice president for health sciences and technology at Virginia Tech and executive director of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute. These young people are our future. They deserve encouragement and congratulations for what they have already achieved, and it should be reassuring to everyone that their best is yet to come. Dozens of volunteer judges from across the state will interview the students and evaluate their projects. After judging concludes at 2:30 p.m., the fair is open to the public until 4 p.m., when the award ceremony begins. Its a wonderful opportunity to show off all of the terrific academic things that are happening right here in Roanoke, and hopefully will help us attract students to come to Roanoke for both education and careers in health care and biomedical research, said David Trinkle, associate dean for community and culture at the VTC School of Medicine. Projects from five local students have already qualified for the International Science and Engineering Fair taking place this May in Phoenix, Arizona. One of the projects was developed by students working in the laboratory of Stephen LaConte at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, who is also an associate professor in department of biomedical engineering and mechanics at Virginia Tech. Working in the lab has been a fantastic experience for me, said Erik Scarlatescu, a junior at Hidden Valley High School. I am very fortunate to have a mentor who is willing to work with students. Scarlatescu and his research partner, Harrison Huang, trained a neural network computer program to aggregate brain-scanning data. Using these data, the students could determine where people are looking during their MRI brain scans. My partner and I have put a lot of effort and passion into our project, and we are excited to share that with others, Scarlatescu said. Among the other students who will compete in Phoenix is Kevin Sheng, a junior at Cave Spring High School. Sheng created a big data aggregation technique that doctors can use to track a cancer patients gene signatures, allowing them to prescribe a more personalized medical approach. He was mentored by Robin Varghese, who trained at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute and is now an assistant professor of biomedical sciences at the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine. Shengs father, Zhi Sheng, is a molecular cancer biologist and an assistant professor at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute. His mother, Yanping Liang, is a research associate in the institutes Center for Neurobiology Research, which is directed by associate professor Michael Fox. Logan Dunkenberger, a senior at Glenvar High School, has been researching disease progression in Epstein-Barr Virus infection, a common pathogen in the herpes family that causes mononucleosis infections, and its treatment in patients with lymphoma. She has been conducting her research in the lab of John Chappell at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, who is also an assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics at Virginia Tech. Last year, her discoveries won an international science fair Best of Category award. Ranked a grand award alternate at the Western Virginia regional fair this year, Dunkenberger hopes to qualify for the international fair a second time this weekend. The Fralin Biomedical Research Institute and VTC School of Medicine have committed to hosting the Virginia State Science and Engineering Fair this year and in 2020. Trump badly needs a win. American farmers and Chinese import-dependent businesses are screaming bloody murder as bankruptcies are already surging to numbers we havent seen since the great recession. With all this pressure as a backdrop will the trade deal Trump announces be anything but political window dressing? By James DiGeorgia President Trump is expected to announce today that he and President Xi Jinping of China will meet here in the United States, either at Mar-a-Lago or Washington to resolve the remaining trade issues in order to a final agreement between the United States and China to end the trade war the two countries have been waging for several months. The announcement is expected to come during a meeting between President Trump and Chinese special envoy Liu He, who arrived in Washington at the beginning of this week for to meet with American negotiators that meet last week in Beijing. The trade deal isnt done yet, and both sides intend to continue to negotiate over remaining issues. However, scheduling of the summit between the two leaders suggests both sides are eager to come to a compromise and end months of tensions and economic damage the trade war has inflicted on both countries. U.S. farmers and manufacturers who have been crippled by the trade war are hopeful that any deal signed between the two countries will mean a quick rollback of at least most of the tariffs that the United States has imposed on Chinese goods. Myron Brilliant, executive vice president and head of International Affairs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said yesterday Administration officials had expressed progress in the discussions, giving confidence to both sides to move forward with a presidential summit meeting. The talks are progressing in such a matter that confidence is building. An agreement is more likely than not over the next several weeks, though there is still work to be done. Myron Brilliant comments, however, demonstrate that any signing that takes place at the end of the summit may not be the end of this trade war with China. Trump can walk away from the negotiating table as he did with North Korea if he thinks for any reason the deal isnt sufficient. This has many skeptical that the summit is nothing more than a diversionary tactic to take attention away from the growing controversy over the Mueller report and the wave of subpoenas from Congress that have and will be issued. Moreover, now the upcoming coming fight to release the report and six years of Trumps tax returns being requested from the IRS by Congress. Special: Imagine an options trading service that has delivered over 4,872% in winning trade recommendations over 11 years. That's 442% a year in winning trade recommendations. Check it out! Just $49 for the first 60 days! Trump said this morning negotiations Chinese were going very well and that the two countries were headed toward an agreement that might be one of the biggest deals ever made. Its a very complex deal. Its a very big deal, we could have made a quickie, but were in a very good position. There have been more than nine rounds of negotiations in which the United States has pressured China to dramatically increase its commitments to on purchase American goods, opening markets to foreign business and increasing protections for foreign intellectual property in a bid to rebalance an economic relationship that Mr. Trump says is unfair for American workers. The date and location of a summit meeting between the two leaders have yet to be worked out. Trump wants the meeting to take place at his Winter White House Mar-a-Lago, Mr. Trumps Florida resort to help promote the property, China instead wants the summit to be an official state visit in Washington, or in a third country thats neutral. Senator Marco Rubio of Florida said in a Twitter post today... I believe him. However, to be a great deal, it must allow us to do in China what they can do in the US, and it must have real enforcement mechanisms. Last week @POTUS told us he would not sign a good trade deal with #China he would only sign a great one. Rubio like many is concerned that announcing a summit meeting before a final deal could be interpreted as the president is surrendering some of his negotiating leverage in a rush to make an agreement. Democrat and Republican have both urged President Trump to hold out for a tougher deal to combat Chinese practices that American businesses have long seen as anti-competitive and that risk our national security. Chinese negotiators have resisted American demands for an enforcement mechanism that would allow tariffs on Chinese goods to snap back if China violated the terms of the deal, and that would forbid China from retaliating in return. Mr. Brilliant of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce insists that foreign stakeholders in Chinese businesses would be looking closely at any deal to see if it contains a strong enforcement mechanism that would hold the Chinese accountable to their obligations saying. That is what would separate this agreement from previous agreements. President Trump sounds more and more like a man in the early stages of dementia. Between his aphasic battle to communicate facts, names, timelines to his inability to focus and prepare for essential interviews and meetings; Trump may be amid a mental health crisis. By James DiGeorgia Wind energy is one of the cleanest and potentially cheapest energy resources in the world. If any of the promising high capacity, long life battery technologies under development mature, wind energy could provide an enormous amount of our national energy needs for a fraction of what American consumers pay currently. Thats why Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa has become a champion of the wind energy tax credit. He understands the enormous potential of wind energy, and it was the reason during a call with reporters yesterday he called President Donald Trump's comments that wind turbines cause cancer "idiotic." Trumps attack on wind energy included this ridiculous statement "If you have a windmill anywhere near your house, congratulations, your house just went down 75% in value. And they say the noise causes cancer. You tell me that one, OK?" Either fact dont matter, or the Presidents comments reflect his continuing loss of touch with reality, or we are witnessing a dystopian Presidency where Trumps reflect both dire realities. There is absolutely no evidence showing the sound, or any other aspect of wind turbines causing cancer. The disconnect with the truth is puzzling since Grassleys home state of Iowa has become a national leader in wind energy, and is the first state to generate more than 30% of its electricity through wind power, according to the Iowa Environmental Council. Special: Imagine an options trading service that has delivered over 4,872% in winning trade recommendations over 11 years. That's 442% a year in winning trade recommendations. Check it out! Just $49 for the first 60 days! After Grassley's comments yesterday his office sent out a news release trumpeting his bipartisan appeal for more federal wind energy funding. The appeal was co-signed by Oregon Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley along with several senators running for president as Democrats, including Sens. Kamala Harris of California, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, and Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Also, Iowas Republican governor Gov. Kim Reynolds highlighted the important role wind energy plays in Iowa's economy. However, fearful of Trump supporter backlash Reynolds declined to say whether she thinks Trump is wrong that wind turbines can cause cancer. Instead, she positioned herself as just as mentally addled and every bit as intellectually dishonest as President Trump saying "That's not my place." "You know how those things change," she said. "One year, coffees good for you. The next year, coffee causes cancer." Vacheron Constantin particularly excels in artistic dials with unusual time displays, something that arguably started with the Mercator two decades ago, and continuing today with the charming Les Aerostiers. But the most striking, both visually and technically, of the current offerings in this category is the Metiers dArt Celestial Spheres 2460 RT. The watch is a nod to Nicolas Copernicus, and consequently has the Sun sitting gloriously right in the centre of the dial, with the Earth orbiting around the Sun. While most astronomical complications tend to look complicated, the Celestial Spheres is discreet and easy to understand, showing the solar year against a beautifully decorated dial. The cosmos on the wrist Made of solid pink gold, the Sun is Louis XIV-style, with a hand-engraved face at its centre. The Earth is represented by a disc showing the continents as viewed from the North Pole and it is also the unusual complication of the watch. The Earth on the dial moves as it would in real life. It rotates on its own axis every 24 hours, or once a day, making it a day and night indicator of sorts. That represents the mean solar day, which is the time shown on wristwatches based on a 24-hour day. But it also travels around the Sun on a narrow, elliptical track, going around the Sun once every 365.2421898 days, which is a tropical year (or solar year). Thats equal to about 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, 45 seconds. The tropical gear train that drives the motion of the Earth around the Sun is accurate enough that will be only deviate by a day after 8000 years. Unsurprisingly, the time is less important than the progression of the heavenly bodies, and so the hands are small arrows that sit on the edge of the dial. An open-worked arrow points to the hours, while the solid arrow is for the minutes; both are made of solid gold. Both are driven by gears on the periphery of the movement, with the central portion of the mechanism dedicated to the tropical gear train. The elliptical motion of the Earth on the dial it essentially travels in an oval over the span of a year is a particularly complex motion to master mechanically. Thats because the Earth has to travel on two axes to create an elliptical orbit: it makes a large circular rotation around the dial, while at the same time moving away from the centre of the dial and then back again. Consequently, a complex assembly of gears and levers is required to achieve this. Both the time and astronomical display are conveniently accessible and set via the crown. The display is powered by a module that took three years to develop, and sits on top of the cal. 2460, the in-house automatic movement Vacheron Constantin reserves for its high-end watches. The module is significantly larger than the base movement, adding almost 10mm to its diameter, which explains the discrepancy between the apparent movement size seen from the back and the case. The cal. 2460 is Vacheron Constantins flagship automatic movement, so it boasts details like the finely finished and complex hacking seconds mechanism. Its made up of a series of levers just beside the balance wheel, with one beak-shaped lever touching the rim of the balance when the crown is pulled out for time-setting. The decoration is also finely executed, right down to the smallest details, including polished countersinks for jewels, screws and pins. The particularly watch pictured is a prototype, so there is lint and stray tool marks on the movement. Artisanal dials Just as unusual as the complication are the three dial styles offered for the Celestial Spheres. Although all three have exactly the same layout and function, each is notably different. The most expensive, being the most intricately decorated, but also the least interesting, is the Celestial Spheres in grand feu enamel. The Earth is a small globe finished both champleve and miniature enamelling, while the dial is lavishly decorated in miniature enamelling. Surrounding the Sun are concentric lines that show the orbits of the five planets closest to the Sun, followed by tiny depictions of the 12 signs of the zodiac. Starting with a dial disc of 22k gold, the cells of the dial are first filled with enamel to form the base for the motif. The miniature enamelling is then done with a stencil and quill pen for the outlines, followed by a tiny brush to apply the colour and fill the outlines. Its then baked repeatedly in an oven, to set each section of the dial, before being lapped and polished. The process takes over a month. That being said, the technique of miniature enamelling is not as arduous as the miniature painting of the style practiced by the famous artisans of Geneva like Suzanne Rohr, but the dial is nonetheless finely executed, offering tremendous detail up close. Notably, it is produced by Belgian enamel workshop J&L Genbrugge, made up of the husband and wife team Jean and Lucie. Their partnership with Vacheron Constantin has been a durable one; the pair were also responsible for the enamel dials of the Mercator watches from the mid 1990s. The reason I say this is the least interesting of the trio is twofold. Firstly, the enamel dial is composed of general pale colours that are close to most skin tones, which means it doesnt stand out much. Secondly, enamel dials are relatively common in this segment of watchmaking. The hand-engraved Celestial Spheres has more visual impact. Here the 12 signs of the zodiac are spread out in an intricate circle around the dial, arranged in such a way they almost seem to be combating each other. Its reminiscent of relief carvings of the ancient world. All the engraving is done with detail and finesse. The dial is solid 18k white gold, with the engravings done in polished relief against a dimpled surface. And the third dial version is the least expensive, but the most compelling. This features a dial that is made up of two levels: a lower dial plate of 18k gold thats hand-painted in blue, and an upper dial plate thats made of clear sapphire engraved on its underside. The sapphire dial plate is first engraved with laser, and then refined and finished by manual engraving. Because the motif is executed with a combination of laser and hand-engraving, this is the most affordable of the trio. Resembling engraved crystal glassware, the result is an intricate motif that show all of the zodiac signs, and their equivalent constellations in the night sky. The constellations, in turn, are painted with Super-Luminova, so they glow in the dark. It is extremely enticing on the wrist, day or night. Concluding thoughts All three versions have the same 18k white gold case thats 43mm wide and 12.9mm thick. That size is the only weakness of the watch; while the dials are delicate and detailed, the watch feels chunky. But the size is not an affectation, the movement inside is 37mm in diameter and 6.7mm high, as a result of the large module that contains both the peripheral time display and tropical gear train for the Earth display. And not a shortcoming but a necessity with such watches is the fact that the accuracy of the astronomical display is never matched by the owner setting the mechanism. Even though the mechanism behind it is exceptionally accurate, the size of the dial and user error when operating the crown means that the accuracy of 1-day-in-8000-years is academic. Nevertheless the Celestial Spheres is a gorgeous timepiece that is both mechanically clever and impressively executed, with a straightforward function that is easily understood. Price and availability The Constantin Copernicus Celestial Spheres is available in three versions, priced as follows: Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang's Regular Press Conference on April 4, 2019 2019/04/04 Q: According to media reports, the spokesperson of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) in Taipei said on April 3 that the US government has stationed officials including active military personnel at the AIT since 2005. On the same day, a spokesperson of the US State Department said the US follows the one-China policy and that the security of the AIT is maintained by a small US unit and a larger group of local employees and authorities. What is your comment? A: We have noted relevant reports. The US has made unequivocal commitments on keeping non-official relations with Taiwan. China firmly opposes any forms of official and military ties between the US and Taiwan. We have made clear our stern position to the US many times. The one-China principle is the political foundation of China-US relations. The US sending military personnel to Taiwan under whatever pretext constitutes a violation of the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques, which will inevitably have a negative impact on the bilateral relations. We urge the US to honor its commitments, strictly abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques, correct its wrongdoing and exercise caution and prudence when handling Taiwan-related issues to avoid serious damage to China-US relations and cross-straits peace and stability. Q: Yesterday, China and the Philippines convened the fourth meeting of the Bilateral Consultation Mechanism (BCM) on the South China Sea. Compared with what was achieved in the last three meetings, is there any new progress this time? A: Supported by the leaders of China and the Philippines, the Bilateral Consultation Mechanism (BCM) on the South China Sea was set up in early 2017. It offers a platform for the two sides to discuss measures to enhance mutual trust, properly handle differences, prevent and manage incidents at sea and promote practical maritime cooperation. It has played a significant role in ensuring the steady development of the bilateral relations. Yesterday, the fourth meeting of the BCM was convened in Manila. Like in the three previous meetings, China and the Philippines exchanged views on the situation in the South China Sea, the maritime activities and other issues of respective concerns in a candid, friendly and constructive manner and reached fruitful outcomes. More information on this meeting can be found in the press readout that China issued. Here I would like to stress three points: First, during this meeting, China and the Philippines reaffirmed that our differences regarding the South China Sea should not affect the mutually beneficial cooperation in other fields. The relevant differences should be peacefully resolved through friendly consultation and negotiation by sovereign states directly concerned. Second, China and the Philippines had a productive exchange of views on strengthening across-the-board maritime cooperation. Without prejudice to our respective positions on sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction, both sides exchanged views on oil and gas development. Third, China and the Philippines reiterated our commitments to full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and agreed to maintain the positive momentum of the negotiations towards the early conclusion of a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, based on consensus. China will continue to work with the Philippines to implement the important consensus of our leaders and make efforts to uphold the friendly cooperation and the peace and stability in the South China Sea. Q: A couple of questions on the ongoing trade consultations in Washington. There are reports out there that President Trump could announce a date for a summit between President Xi and himself. Is China prepared for a leaders' summit if President Trump announces it? I'm also wondering if Vice Premier Liu He's visit has been extended in the US? A: Lately there have been many reports on the next summit between Chinese and US Presidents. Here I'd like to reiterate that as we have noted, President Trump said on many occasions that he very much looks forward to meeting with President Xi who also expressed willingness to keep in contact with President Trump through various means. As for your question on the China-US economic and trade consultations, I can only tell you that Vice Premier Liu He is still in the US and the consultations are still going on. Q: I wonder if you have information about a Chinese woman who was reportedly arrested for illegally entering Mar-a-Lago? Also, she is accused of spying by some in the US. Do you have any comment? A: According to the latest updates I have, on April 3 local time, the Chinese Consulate General in Houston received a notification from the US side on the arrest of a Chinese citizen on March 30. The Consulate General then contacted the person concerned and provided consular assistance. Q: The Philippine foreign ministry said the presence of a large number of Chinese boats near the island Thitu (Zhongye Dao) in the South China Sea is a violation of Philippine sovereignty. I want to ask if you have any comment? A: Like I said earlier, the fourth meeting of the BCM was just convened yesterday. During the meeting, China and the Philippines exchanged views on the situation in the South China Sea, the maritime activities and other issues of respective concerns in a candid, friendly and constructive manner. We discussed ways to resolve issues with a cooperative attitude and reiterated our commitments to further cooperation and talked about measures to enhance mutual trust. I believe that the consensus reached by the two sides through discussion in this meeting is the best answer to your question. Q: I'd like to follow up on that question about the Philippines. The Philippines said that the Chinese boats going near that island was illegal and said that if China doesn't disavow the actions of those boats, they would deem that the Chinese government was in support of that. So does China support the actions of these boats? A: Like I said earlier, during yesterday's consultation in Manila between China and the Philippines on the South China Sea, the atmosphere was candid, friendly and constructive. We exchanged views on issues of respective concerns and agreed to uphold a cooperative attitude in resolving the relevant issues. I think this speaks volumes. Q: The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has issued a statement today saying that it has stopped collaborations with Huawei and ZTE because of US investigations into those companies for violating sanctions. Do you have any comment on that? A: You may need to ask Huawei and ZTE for their comments on this matter. As the spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry, I can tell you that we support Chinese companies in carrying out international cooperation in economic, trade and other fields in compliance with international rules and local laws. Meanwhile, we ask foreign governments to offer a fair, just and non-discriminatory environment for Chinese companies. After the Press Conference, a journalist asked if China is going to offer assistance to Iran for the damage caused by severe flooding. A: I answered a question on the severe flooding in Iran the day before yesterday. State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi has sent a message of condolences to the Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. China will positively consider providing assistance based on Iran's needs. ******************************************************** The regular press conference of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be adjourned on April 5 (Friday) for the Qingming Festival and resumed on April 8 (Monday). During this period, you are welcome to contact the Spokesperson's Office via phone and fax if you have any question. In a letter to the warden of Otero County Processing Center in New Mexico, the American Civil Liberties Union said transgender and gay migrants suffered abuse in the facility. The letter said some migrants were placed in solitary confinement, and other were reassigned to barracks with straight men as a form of punishment, according to NBC News. The Management and Training Corporation, which operates Otero, denies this happened. We have no evidence of rampant sexual harassment, discrimination, abuse, denying proper medical care to transgender detainees, and no evidence of retaliation and improper use of solitary confinement, a spokesperson from the company said. A report published last year by the Center for American Progress said that the dew LGBTQ detainees held in the detention centers were 97 times more likely to be sexually assaulted. Airbnb, a global home-sharing company, has teamed up with the Louvre Museum to give a chance to spend one night in a mini pyramid inside the Louvre's glass pyramid in Paris, France. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the I.M. Pei-designed Louvre Pyramid, for the first time ever, passionate art-lovers will be able to have a chance to be a close to priceless masterpieces, including the Mona Lisa, and sleep under the Louvres iconic glass Pyramid in a "mini-pyramid". The lucky winner will only have one night on April 30 to win a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see what happens inside the worlds most magical museum when the lights go out. As the sunsets on Paris, the winning duo will make their way to the museum where they will be greeted by an art-historian, who will take them on a bespoke tour, like those previously given to the Obamas, Beyonce and Jay-Z. Once they have discovered the museums wonders, the duo will enjoy their Home for the night in the presence of some truly legendary hosts: they will toast the Mona Lisa with a cosy Renaissance inspired aperitif, while relaxing on a sumptuous Parisian lounge sofa, listening to the atmospheric sounds of French music on vinyl records. Venus of Milo, the Greek goddess of love and beauty, will then host an extravagant feast in a pop up dining room. And lastly, guests will be treated to an intimate acoustic concert in Napoleon IIIs lavish Apartments. At the end of this very special evening, the winners will retire to their bedroom under the Pyramid for what promises to be a masterpiece of a sleepover. "We are happy to offer this unique and special experience for two people to stay in the museum overnight, in a bespoke pyramid shaped bedroom," said Anne-Laure Beatrix, Deputy Managing Director of the Musee du Louvre. "We know that many people would love the opportunity to wander alone at night through the Louvre and we want this to be a magical and unforgettable experience. With Airbnbs partnership, we hope to encourage more people to discover how truly accessible and inspiring the wonders of art can be." Airbnb also stated that "Airbnbs partnership with the Louvre extends beyond the lucky winner of the contest and their guest; from May until the end of the year, a series of exceptional Experiences at the museum will be bookable on the Airbnb platform." These Experiences, the programming of which will be revealed in the coming weeks, will give everyone the opportunity to rediscover the most famous museum in the world from a totally new angle, with exclusive visits and intimate concerts." "Paris is one of the most attractive cities in the world and the Louvre is one of the most loved and celebrated institutions in Paris. We are thrilled to partner with them and to offer exciting and unique experiences that will celebrate our community and welcome Parisians and international travellers to rediscover the museum in a new and authentic way," said Emmanuel Marill, General Manager, Airbnb France. How to Participate To enter, simply go to Louvre page on Airbnb before April 12 at 23h 59 (French time - GMT+1) and answer this question: why would you be the Mona Lisa's perfect guest? One winner will be selected. All terms and conditions of the contest are available on Airbnb. This is not the first experience Airbnb has offered a unique experience to its community. Previously Airbnb offered to spend a special night on the Great Wall Of China but the company cancelled its offer later as the company received a mixed feedback on its concept. All images Julian Abrams > via Airbnb The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) has announced the 2019 Honorary Fellows, exemplifying the role that architects play in public life around the world and the evolving diversity of the profession. Five architects, including Renzo Piano, Denise Scott Brown, Ivenue Love-Stanley, Elizabeth Chu Richter and Vishaan Chakrabarti, have been named as Honorary Fellows of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC). "This years Honorary Fellows have been rightfully recognized as leaders and creative thinkers," said Diarmuid Nash, FRAIC, Chancellor of the RAIC College of Fellows. "We are honoured to have iconic figures such as Denise Scott Brown and Renzo Piano become members of the RAIC, and at the same time to welcome leaders and role models such as Love-Stanley and Richter, and a provocative thinker like Chakrabarti who is challenging our ideas about cities and urban life." Honorary fellowship recognizes extraordinary achievement. Piano, Love-Stanley, Richter, and Chakrabarti will be inducted into the RAIC College of Fellows at a ceremony during the RAIC 2019 Festival of Architecture, taking place in Toronto from October 26 to 30. Piano will deliver the keynote address at the College of Fellows Convocation, and Chakrabarti will be a plenary speaker on the future of architecture. Scott Brown will be honoured at a later date. Renzo Piano is currently working on the new Toronto Courthouse in collaboration with NORR Architects & Engineers. Image courtesy of RPBW "It is a great honor to be appointed as Honorary Fellow of the RAIC. It comes at the perfect time, since I have just been given the opportunity to work on the Toronto Courthouse, which will be my first project in Canada. I am particularly happy to work in this city, which is proud to be an open city, welcoming people that come from all around the world. It actually reminds me of construction sites, where people from all over the world work together: making public buildings is always a great gesture of peace," said Renzo Piano. "Thank you, RAIC. I am happy indeed to receive your Honorary Fellowship, and to ponder on the thought of fellowship amongst us. If I walk in a foreign country and see a doorbell marked 'Architect,' I know when I ring that I will receive a warm welcome. Just as, when I talked in Washington to the diversity committee of the AIA and told those young architects how Bob [Robert Venturi] and I realized that the marginality we felt lay at the very root of our creativity the sigh of recognition that I heard from the audience I will never forget, added Denise Scott Brown, Hon. FAIA. The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada is the leading voice for excellence in the built environment in Canada. Representing about 5,000 members, the RAIC advocates for excellence, works to demonstrate how design enhances the quality of life, and promotes responsible architecture in addressing important issues of society. Top image (from left to right): Denis Scott Brown (image Frank Hanswijk. Courtesy of Venturi, Scott Brown and Associates), Vishaan Chakrabarti, FAIA (image Aaron Richter), Ivenue Love-Stanley, FAIA (courtesy of RAIC), Renzo Piano (image RPBW, ph. Stefano Goldberg), Elizabeth Chu Richter, FAIA (image Raymond Gray). > via RAIC A bill in the California Legislature would ban cosmetic surgeries on intersex children until they are old enough to consent. Some medical professionals say patients who have the surgeries heal better if theyre young, and not having a predetermined age of consent could raise legal issues for doctors, according to the Los Angeles Times. But while they believe its an overreach, intersex rights organizations and activists are praising the bill. The hypothesis is that these surgeries enhance the psychological well-being of children by ensuring they have genitals that are normal, Julie Greenberg, author of the book Intersexuality and the Law. told the LA Times 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. The first hearing for the bill is expected to be early this month. Note that some of the information on the pages referenced here is preliminary and subject to change. You can find election calendar and party primary/nomination links in the 'President' menu on the page header above. As usual, Iowa will hold the first presidential nominating contest in 2020. Its caucuses will be held on February 3. This will be followed by February contests in the other traditionally early voting states of New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina. Super Tuesday follows on March 3. That date will be even more prominent in 2020 as California moves up its traditional June primary. By the end of March, events covering well over 50% of each partys delegates will have taken place. The party conventions are in July, with the 2020 presidential election scheduled for November 3, 2020. 2020 Democratic Nomination: A historically large field is shaping up for the opportunity to take on President Trump. Given the party's proportional delegate allocation process - and the front-loaded 2020 election calendar - it is quite possible that no candidate will amass a majority of delegates before the party's Milwaukee convention. On the other hand, because there's a minimum vote threshold (15%) to win any delegates in a contest, it is also possible that a candidate could build a large delegate lead without broad party support. Depending on how the above plays out, a rules change may have significant ramifications as well. Beginning in 2020, what the party is now calling 'automatic delegates' will no longer vote on the first ballot at the convention unless there is no uncertainty about the outcome. More commonly known as superdelegates, these party insiders are not pledged to a specific candidate. These delegates were controversial in 2016, as the majority of them announced early support for Hillary Clinton, creating the perception that the party was putting its thumb on the scale in her favor against Bernie Sanders. The map below shows the month for each nominating contest; locations in gray have not yet set a date. For now, the map shows estimated total delegates (including superdelegates). On the map page - click the image - we've also listed the national polls. Click any state on the map for polls and more information on their primary or caucus. 2020 Republican Nomination: Barring a credible challenge to the president, the GOP nomination is a foregone conclusion. We do have a delegate map here, with state-level information also available regarding dates and allocation methods, which do vary by location. Credits: Much of the calendar and delegate data is sourced from FHQ and The Green Papers. These are invaluable resources --- check them out. Stuart Schrader in the Boston Review: I recently stumbled across a statue in Baltimore that celebrates the young men of the city who fought in the Spanish War. On a narrow triangle in a residential neighborhood, this lone soldier stands at ease, holding a rifle across his body and staring into the distance, unperturbed by the city buses screeching past or the litter that collects below his feet. The pedestal records the years, from 1898 to 1902, when these brave Americans fought against Spains weak imperialist hold on the Philippines, Cuba, and Puerto Rico. Known as The Hiker, fifty or so versions of this statue still quietly dot city streets and parks across the United States. The bulk were erected in the 1920s in northern states, with Baltimores in 1943, and the last in 1965 near Arlington Cemetery. Their anti-imperialist sentiment resonated with a different kind of monument that emerged in the same periodthose to the Confederacy. To numerous white Americans, the democratic reconstruction of the former Confederacy was an imperialist exercise, and both types of statue celebrated a fight against empire. But they mobilized a rose-tinted vision of past war-making to reject the contemporary reality of early twentieth-century U.S. statecraft: Washington had built an empire, subjecting millions with dark skin to its rule. The anti-imperialist sentiment implicit in the statues, whatever its source, did not curtail empire. It denied its existence. These monumentsboth to the Confederacy and to far-flung operations and occupationsreveal just how vexing the term empire is in the U.S. vocabulary. More here. Leonard Sax in Psychology Today: If there are superstar scholars, Berkeley professor Judith Butler is a superstar. She is best known for pioneering the idea that male and female are merely social constructs. She writes that because gender is not a fact, the various acts of gender creates the idea of gender, and without those acts, there would be no gender at all. For this insight, she has been rewarded with an avalanche of scholarly honors and prizes, including the Mellon Prize, which carries with it a $1.5 million cash award. (By comparison, the Nobel Prize gets you just $1.1 million.) Butler is a professor of comparative literature, not a neuroscientist, but her ideas about have become widely accepted worldwide in the nearly 30 years since the publication of her book Gender Trouble. In 2017, Cordelia Fine, professor of historical and philosophical studies at the University of Melbourne, published a book titled Rex: Unmaking the myths of our gendered minds. Following Butler, Fine asserted that any claims that women and men differ significantly in brain or behavior are simply myths perpetuated by the heteronormative patriarchy. Fines book promptly received the Royal Societys prestigious prize for best science book of the year. The worldview promulgated by Butler, Fine, and their followers now constrains what neuroscientists are allowed to say in public. More here. (Mirror) We have become such a homogenized society that its easy to forget that just a generation ago traveling from state to state was similar to traveling from continent to continent today. It used to be that there were regional department stores that were theplaces to shop when you went from one city to the next. Stopping in Chicago? You must shop at Marshall Fields. Boston? Filenes. Now every mall has the same 30 or so chains; Macys Bloomingdales, Forever 21, the list goes on. Victorias Secret is no secret anymore. The same can be said of regional foods. Stop in any mall restaurant and you can now get a Maine lobster roll, with a side of poutine, wash it down with a Dr. Browns soda and finish your meal with Key lime pie. Some foods that used to be regional favorites are gaining in popularity. In Hawaii, everyone has their own family recipe for poke, much like potato salad in the Midwest. When you travel, there are some specialties that are indigenous to certain areas and are dishes you must try if you want to feel like a local. Here are a few that havent been adopted by the masses yet. Hawaiis penchant for poke is out of the bag, but there are still two favorites that havent popped up all over the mainland. is a favorite dish, especially when youve had a little bit too much to drink. It is essentially a mound of white rice topped with a hamburger patty, fried egg, and brown gravy. Another favorite on the islands is. Spam is popular throughout the state - for many years it was one of the few meat products readily available -and Spam musubi capsulizes Hawaiis East-meets-West cuisine. It is a cube of grilled Spam on sushi rice, wrapped with a strip of nori (dried seaweed). In Louisville, Kentucky during Prohibition, the Brown Hotel had a basement speakeasy. Revelers asked for a late-night treat and the kitchen staff took what it had on hand; turkey, bacon and bread, topped it with mornay sauce (bechamel that includes grated cheese), slipped it under the broiler and dished it out to the throngs. The dish, dubbed the Hot Brown became an instant favorite. It is becoming better known throughout the country and was just featured on Top Chef, so dont be surprised to see it on a menu near you soon. Salt Lake City is not exactly known as a culinary capital, but a Utah-based fast-food chain created a burger that is the unofficial state dish, the Crown Burger. Its basically a cheeseburger topped with hot pastrami. A variation is available here in Fort Lauderdale at B Squared. If youve ever eaten a Sloppy Joe and thought, This would be much better without this tasty sauce., then youll love Iowas favorite, the Loose Meat Sandwich. It supposedly was created by the "Maid Rite" burger chain, which began serving the sandwich more than 80 years ago. Leave it to L.A., the ultimate melting pot of a city to merge dishes from China and Mexico to create Shandong Beef Rolls. Similar to a burrito, but substituting a fried Asian pancake smeared with bean paste, then stuffed with sliced beef, scallions, and cilantro. The whole thing is rolled up and sliced into rounds for easy handling. Mystic, Connecticut may be famous for its pizza thanks to the Julia Roberts movie, Mystic Pizza, but over in New Haven Apizza,' a thin-crusted take, invented by Italian immigrant bakers in the 1920s is topped with white clams. The creamy garlic-laden sauce subs for tomato sauce and the pie is studded with chewy, salty clams. Wisconsin is the Dairy State (Its been suggested that their motto should be, Come and smell our dairy air!) so its no shock that the food that you can find throughout the state is made from cheese. Cheese Curds to be exact. If you eat them raw, the dice-sized nuggets squeak when you bite into them. But you really should enjoy them the way everything in Wisconsin is prepared: battered and fried. You hear a lot about Chicago-style pizza and hot dogs, but the Italian Beef is still a mystery to many. It is similar to a French dip, but with Italian seasonings on the thinly sliced beef, which is soaked in Italian-spiced au jus. The beef is piled inside a section of crusty Italian bread, and is then topped with peppers, either sweet (cooked bell peppers) or hot (giardiniera, a tart and spicy vegetable blend). Those in the know order it wet,meaning that the entire sandwich is dunked in the au jus, making it a sodden mess, and absolutely delicious. Its made from everything you shouldnt eat - flour, butter, sugar, eggs and more sugar - but thats what makes Gooey Butter Cake, a St. Louis specialty, so delicious. The flat, dense cake originated in the 1930s and is found in just about every grocery store in the area. If you like this story, check out SFGN's weekly food column also by Rick @ or Check out all of SFGN's March Mirror Travel stories @ Central grad George Amundson made college football history 50 years ago Local columnist John Papendick looks back at the football career of George Amundson, who made college football history half a century ago. You may have noticed a new Observer intern this past month in the paper; well. I would like to introduce myself. Hi, my name is Amanda Britt. I have been interested in journalism since high school. I loved working for Rio Rancho High Schools yearbook, and having the role of editor my senior year is a treasured memory of mine. Going into college almost three years ago, I didnt have a clear understanding of what I wanted to do and who I was. I knew at the time I wanted to help people, and the best way I thought of was to study psychology and become a counselor or therapist. Several semesters later and still feeling generally lost and unmotivated in school, I decided to redirect my path in life and completely change my course of study. I wanted to get back into the world of journalism. A journalists role in the community is to give people the information they need to be free and self-governing. The idea of being a provider of information, an investigator of truth and a part of a system that acts as a check to make sure no one source is too powerful entices me to that role. Interviewing people, hearing their stories and being able to share them with a wider audience are some of the reasons why Im drawn to journalism. In studying Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of New Mexico, I feel like I am on my way to finding a career with the original goal I had in mind to help people. I hope to have a successful career in journalism and go on to write important stories that can educate the public and make a difference in individuals lives. Working at the Observer, I hope to not only learn writing, interviewing and editing skills, but also gain a better understanding of how local politics and government run. My long-term career goals involve working in Washington to cover politics and government, but I believe working at the Observer allows me to start from the bottom up and learn how government works on a smaller scale. Im excited to continue learning here, and to bring interesting and educational stories to the people of Rio Rancho. (Amanda Britt has been with the Observer since February.) WASHINGTON It has been six months since Jamal Khashoggi was murdered inside Saudi Arabias consulate in Istanbul, but the aftershocks continue. The U.S.-Saudi defense and intelligence partnership has been rocked. The future of the relationship is on hold, pending answers from Riyadh. This case is personal for us at The Washington Post. Khashoggi was our colleague, and my friend for 15 years. To understand how his murder happened and whether its possible to rebuild the U.S.-Saudi relationship, I interviewed more than a dozen knowledgeable Americans and Saudis who revealed some previously secret details because they hope to establish new rules and accountability that might preserve the relationship. The bottom line is that unless the crown prince takes ownership of this issue and accepts blame for murderous deeds done in his name, his relationship with the United States will remain broken. Saudi officials claim that Mohammed bin Salman, or MBS as he is known, has made changes, firing Saud al-Qahtani, his former covert-operations coordinator. But the Saudi machine of repression remains intact, run by many of the same people who worked for Qahtani. MBS took a small step toward placating critics last week when the kingdom released three female human-rights activists from prison while they await trial. Eight other women who campaigned for women to drive and other issues remain in detention. Among the previously undisclosed findings: Some members of the Saudi strike team that was sent to Istanbul received training in the United States, according to U.S. and Saudi sources. The CIA has cautioned other government agencies that some of this special-operations training might have been conducted by Tier 1 Group, an Arkansas-based company, under a State Department license. A U.S. plan to train and modernize the Saudi intelligence service is also on hold, pending State Department approval of a license. This project was developed by Culpeper National Security Solutions, a unit of DynCorp, with help from some prominent former CIA officials. No work on the project has been done. Michael Morell, former acting director of the CIA, was publicly identified as Culpepers chairman of the board in 2017, but he no longer holds that position. A source said Morell withdrew within days of Khashoggis murder because of his concern about the direction Saudi Arabia was heading. Morell declined to comment. Tier 1 Group and DynCorp are both owned by affiliates of Cerberus Capital Management, based in New York. The company wouldnt confirm or deny whether any of the 17 perpetrators of the Khashoggi killing who were sanctioned by the Treasury Department had been trained under the Tier 1 contract. NSO Group, a company founded by Israelis that provides sophisticated tools for hacking cellphones, has reviewed and modified its relationship with Saudi Arabia, according to a Saudi source, because of concerns that its technology might have been misused. The company wouldnt confirm or deny this account. The best narrative of Khashoggis murder seems to come via a bug planted in the consulate by Turkish intelligence. A Saudi who has carefully read a transcript of that illegal surveillance described its contents. He said it indicates the team planned to kidnap Khashoggi and bring him back home for detention and interrogation, but the plan was botched and Khashoggi was killed. His body was then dismembered and disposed of. The transcript, as described by the Saudi source, is chilling. Maher Mutreb, the Saudi team leader, tells Khashoggi, Youre coming back with us. Khashoggi protests, No! I have people outside waiting for me, meaning his fiancee, Hatice Cengiz. Mutreb insists: Youre coming! Khashoggi screams as he is grabbed, the Saudi source said. What happened next remains conjecture. The Saudi source says there is a note in the transcript indicating that Khashoggi was given an injection. This source said the shot was probably a powerful sedative, administered by Salah Tubaigy, a medical specialist from the Saudi Interior Ministry who was part of the team. A bag was then placed over Khashoggis head, and he screamed, I cant breathe. I have asthma. Dont do this. He died soon after possibly from a sedative overdose, choking or asphyxiation. After his death, the transcript describes a buzzing noise, perhaps from an electric saw as his body is cut into pieces. Khashoggi wrote often about his fervent desire for modernization and rule of law in the kingdom. In his last moments, he pleaded that he couldnt breathe, but his murder may yet give oxygen to his demand for reform. Twitter: @IgnatiusPost. 2019, Washington Post Writers Group. As the world's earliest known civilization developed in Mesopotamia...as Genghis Khan worked to create the largest contiguous land empire in history...as the Ottomans occupied European and Asian lands for nearly 600 years...each empire had one thing in common. hey all set up camp on a small plot of land in what is now the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq: the Erbil Citadel. The Citadel is possibly the oldest continuously occupied human settlement on Earth, dating back at least 6,000 years. Its extensive history is embedded in its own ground. It sits on an oval-shaped mound that stands about 32 meters (100 feet) high, built up from dirt, debris, and collapsed mud houses from previous human settlements. This ancient town within the heart of Erbil was added to the World Heritage List in 2014. It covers just over 10 hectares (24 acres). This image of Erbil Citadel and its surroundings was acquired on November 20, 2018, by the Operational Land Imager on the Landsat 8 satellite. From above, Erbil Citadel appears at the center of what looks like a wagon wheel--perhaps more than a coincidence, as evidence suggests humans may have been living there during the Ubaid period, when humans invented the wheel. The Citadel is surrounded by the capital of the Iraqi Kurdistan autonomous region. The Citadel is today surrounded by tall 19th-century walls, which once gave it an appearance of a formidable fortress. Within those walls, a maze of narrow alleyways and culs-de-sac branch out from the main gate and connect courtyard houses and public buildings--street patterns carried over from the Ottoman period. Today, only one family lives within the walls, an arrangement by Kurdish officials in order to preserve the Citadel's title of "continuously occupied." The town currently contains one mosque and various museums open for business. Several organizations are working to rehabilitate and bring new activities to the Citadel. NASA Earth Observatory image by Lauren Dauphin, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey. Story by Kasha Patel. Larger image Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook. Editors note: The story has been updated. One of the provost candidates formally withdrew from consideration on March 26. Copyright 2019 Albuquerque Journal The University of New Mexicos Faculty Senate president says members of the faculty are raising concerns about the lack of diversity among the remaining two finalists for the institutions top academic post but said the two other finalists were diverse candidates who took jobs elsewhere. UNM is declining to identify those two finalists. While we have a very talented and diverse pool of candidates, it would not be appropriate to discuss the details of the search committee deliberations while the search is ongoing, said Cinnamon Blair, a university spokeswoman. UNM brought the remaining two finalists Paul Holloway and Michael J. Benedik, both Anglo men to campus last week. Its unclear whether any other candidates will make visits to UNM. During a faculty meeting last week, Pamela Pyle, Faculty Senate president, who is on the search committee for provost, addressed concerns she said were raised by faculty members about the lack of diversity. Pyle said during the meeting that the committee provided UNM President Garnett Stokes with the names of four candidates but that two have since accepted jobs elsewhere. Both of them were diverse candidates, she said. A schedule on the universitys website says a third candidate is coming to campus, but does not list a name. Blair said that the third candidate has not been confirmed but that the university has scheduled for him or her to come to campus next week. The university contracted with a private search firm Isaacson, Miller for the initial part of the search. University documents show the estimated cost of the firm will be about $126,000 for the provost search. The university declined to provide the total number of names submitted to or gathered by the search firm. Instead, last week UNM released the names of 11 applicants, including Benedik and Holloway, who were selected to submit letters of interest to the search committee as semi-finalists or finalists after affirmatively responding, upon request, that they wished to move forward in the search, according to Cinnamon Blair, a spokeswoman for the university. The two finalists for the UNM provost post who visited the campus brought up their work on diversity fronts during last weeks public forums. Pyle said in an interview that multiple faculty members have raised concerns to her about diversity among the candidates, but she declined to discuss any other specifics about the search; committee members had to sign confidentiality agreements, according to university officials. The finalists Holloway, vice provost for global engagement and interdisciplinary academic affairs at University of Michigan, was on campus on Monday and Tuesday last week. Benedik, a vice provost and chief international officer at Texas A&M University, spoke at public forums last week on Thursday and Friday. Higher education, to me, is one of the most important activities that humans undertake, Holloway told a public forum. Its the body of work in which we develop the uniquely human capability of having a plastic mind and be able to develop our minds, to develop our intellects to create new ideas. Holloway earned bachelors and masters degrees from the University of Illinois and a doctorate in engineering physics from the University of Virginia. He started at Michigan in 1990 as an assistant professor and became a dean in 2007, before being named an assistant provost in 2013. Benedik said he has experience directing an academic institution to focus on particular issues and improve them, whether they be recruitment and enrollment, retention rates or research. I kind of see (diversity) as an opportunity. Its an opportunity to engage the institution in reflection and dialogue with thinking, what does it mean to be a public university in a diverse community? Benedik said during a forum last week. I think higher education has failed students coming from diverse backgrounds. Benedik studied as an undergraduate at the University of Chicago and earned a doctorate from Stanford University. He started as a professor at Texas A&M in 1985 before joining the faculty in 1989 at the University of Houston, where he stayed until going back to A&M in 2005. He was on the Faculty Senate from 2005 to 2012 and was named vice provost in 2015. Other candidates Meanwhile, the nine additional candidates UNM identified were: Beth Fisher Ingram, a former provost at North Dakota State University. Carol Parker, a UNM Law School professor and former senior vice provost. David Perlmutter, dean of the College of Media and Communication at Texas Tech University. Scott Pratt, executive vice provost for academic affairs at the University of Oregon. Javier Reyes, dean of the College of Business and Economics at West Virginia University. Jorge Reina Schement, a vice chancellor at Rutgers University. Mary Beth Walker, an associate provost at Georgia State University. John Michael Wiencek, provost and executive vice president at the University of Idaho. Wiencek said he formally withdrew from consideration on March 26. Richard Wood, interim provost at UNM. UNM provided their names and resumes to the Journal in response to an Inspection of Public Records Act request. Their resumes are available on the Journals website. Other searches Stokes has said diversity within the administration is a priority. UNM released the names of finalists in two other ongoing top administration job searches: for senior vice president for finance and administration and vice president for equity and inclusion. Stokes has also said that a top enrollment official for the university needs to be hired. The finalists for the senior vice president position are Teresa Costantinidis, Dan Layzell, Kevin Reynolds and Terry Pankratz. They will be on campus next month. The Journal has submitted a records request for all of the applications and is awaiting a response. The finalists for the equity and inclusion position are Nancy Lopez, Daryl Joji Maeda, Christine Zuni-Cruz and Assata Zerai. They start visits to the campus beginning today. Former World War II prisoner of war Ralph Nelson remembers marching through German towns in the snow after being captured during the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944. The Army infantryman said German civilians grabbed boots off the troops as they marched. He also remembered being crammed into a boxcar after three days of marching. And after the journey ended by train, the prisoners had to escape an attack by American bombers. The Americans tried to strafe us one day, said Nelson, 93, of Albuquerque. I guess they were on a bombing run. I guess they were trying to shoot up everything on the railroad tracks. Maj. Gen. Kenneth Nava, the adjutant general of the New Mexico National Guard, said American POWs such as Nelson were forced into slave labor and were guinea pigs in chemical and biological experiments. You endured loneliness and torture, Nava told the former World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War POWs in attendance at a ceremony Wednesday at the Raymond G. Murphy VA Medical Center. These men chose to live and fought to live. The veterans were honored during a Former Prisoners of War Recognition Ceremony. Its held every year as part of the celebration of National Former Prisoners of War Recognition Day, which will be observed Tuesday. World War II Army Air Force veteran and Albuquerque resident Joe Gideon, 93, said he was appreciative of the ceremony. We were just doing our job, Gideon said. I didnt really expect special recognition. He was stationed in Italy with the 15th Army Air Forces, which held bombing raids in Austria and southern Germany. He was captured in March 1945. Gideon said the Germans adhered to rules established for the treatment of POWs and did not subject him or his fellow prisoners to slave labor. We didnt have to work, Gideon said. They fed us the best they could. We didnt have a lot to eat. But they didnt either. Army veteran Walter Rencehausen, 94, did recall being mistreated, part of which came as the result of having German ancestry. Im German and was captured in Germany, Rencehausen said. I didnt like them. They didnt like me. Rencehausen, an Albuquerque resident, said he was captured during the final months of the war in Leipzig, Germany. We were trying to get Hitler but didnt make it, Rencehausen said. They said I was a traitor to the fatherland. Each of the 15 former POWs in attendance was recognized during the ceremony. Former POWs who died during the year were honored by the playing of taps and the playing of Amazing Grace on bagpipes. TOKYO Tokyo prosecutors arrested Nissans former chairman Carlos Ghosn on Thursday for a fourth time on fresh allegations that cut short his brief time outside detention. Ghosn was taken from his apartment in Tokyo early in the morning to the prosecutors office and then sent to the Tokyo Detention Center, the same facility where he spent more than three months following his arrest in November. He had been released on bail just a month earlier. Its unclear how long Ghosn may be detained under the latest arrest. My arrest this morning is outrageous and arbitrary, Ghosn said in a statement issued Thursday. It is part of another attempt by some individuals at Nissan to silence me by misleading the prosecutors. Why arrest me except to try to break me? I will not be broken. I am innocent of the groundless charges and accusations against me. Prosecutors defended the move, saying the latest allegations are a new case requiring precautions to prevent Ghosn from destroying evidence. They allege $5 million in funds sent by a Nissan subsidiary to an overseas dealership were diverted to a company controlled by Ghosn. We now have a totally different case, and we are only doing what we think is right, Shin Kukimoto, deputy chief prosecutor at the Tokyo District Prosecutors Office, told reporters. As a result of our investigation, we have a new case in which he must be detained, and we have appropriately obtained an arrest warrant from the court, he said. Ghosn, 65, was first arrested on Nov. 19 on charges of under-reporting his compensation. He was rearrested twice in December. The multiple arrests prolong detentions without trial and are an oft-criticized prosecution tactic in Japans criminal justice system. The allegations in the most recent arrest cover three money transfers from 2015 through last year, according to the prosecutors. Kukimoto said the new allegation of breach of trust is different from an earlier charge made in January. The companies where the money was transferred to, the motives, and the alleged scheme are all different, he said. He refused to identify the three companies allegedly involved but said one company was in effect owned by Ghosn. Unlike an earlier case, in which Ghosn caused damage to Nissan to benefit himself and a business partner, this time it was merely for his own personal benefit, Kukimoto said. French prosecutors also are investigating Ghosns financial activities at Nissans French alliance partner Renault SA, where he was chairman and CEO until his arrest. Ghosn is one of Frances most famous executives, and each development in his legal saga is closely watched by the French government, a key Renault shareholder. A statement from the Japanese prosecutors did not mention Oman, but the new allegation appears related to an investigation by Renault into payments to a major dealership in the Middle Eastern country, some of which are suspected of having been channeled for Ghosns personal use. Renault said Wednesday that it had turned over information about those payments to French prosecutors. Ghosn predicted a new arrest in a French television interview conducted hours before the prosecutors appeared at his apartment. He told broadcaster TF1 that he had never been above the law, but acknowledged that he pushed things to the limit to improve Nissan and Renault. The interview was filmed Wednesday but aired Thursday. Prosecutors also seized the passport of his wife Carole along with her computer and cellphone, including sensitive exchanges with attorneys, the familys French lawyer told The Associated Press in Paris. Japanese prosecutors would not comment when asked why the wife was targeted. Ghosn was an auto industry star, having transformed Nissan over two decades from near bankruptcy into one of the largest automaking alliances in the world. Nissan, a co-defendant on the charges of under-reporting compensation, declined comment on the criminal proceedings. However, company spokesman Nicholas Maxfield said in a statement that Nissans internal investigation has uncovered substantial evidence of blatantly unethical conduct. The maker of the March subcompact, Leaf electric car and Infiniti luxury models will hold a shareholders meeting next week to oust Ghosn from its board. The maximum penalty upon conviction on charges of under-reporting compensation and breach of trust is 15 years in prison. It is unclear when Ghosns trial may begin. Preparations for trials in Japan routinely take months. ___ Angela Charlton in Paris contributed to this report. ___ Yuri Kageyama is on Twitter at https://twitter.com/yurikageyama On Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/yurikageyama/?hl=en Copyright 2019 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE Despite a recommendation from a district attorneys committee that Santa Fe officers should not be charged in the fatal shooting of a mentally disturbed man, District Attorney Marco Serna has agreed to review information from lawyers for the mans family. District Attorney Serna has accepted the committees decision; however, when he contacted the familys attorneys, he agreed to review any additional information provided by them regarding the shooting, DA spokesman James Hallinan said in an email. The familys understanding is that he (Serna) is going to reconsider his position when he gets a legal analysis from us, said Shannon Kennedy, attorney for the family of Anthony Benavidez. Last Friday, Sernas office released a letter in which a panel of three district attorneys from around New Mexico recommended not pressing charges against SFPD officers Luke Wakefield and Jeramie Bisagna in the July 2017 shooting death of the 24-year-old Benavidez, who suffered from schizophrenia and had been taken to the hospital the day before. Benavidez was killed as SWAT officers were trying to remove him from an apartment he had been evicted from and later broke into. He had stabbed his caseworker earlier in the day of the shooting and threw two homemade explosive devices at police, one of which did not explode while the other emitted something. The panel consisting of DAs Raul Torres of Albuquerque, Andrea Reeb of Clovis and Richard Flores of Las Vegas said prosecutors would have difficulty proving that the officers didnt act out of reasonable fear for their safety. The committee letter said Bisagna couldnt tell whether a knife that Benavidez was holding was a gun or not before he started shooting through a window opening when Benavidez was still 12 feet away. Benavidez was hit by four of 16 or 17 shots, all but one fired by Bisagna. Serna didnt say what he would do regarding charging the officers in a written statement when he released the committee letter to news organizations Friday. But a spokesman told the Santa Fe New Mexican that Bisagna and Wakefield would not be prosecuted. Kennedy said Wednesday that Benavidezs relatives are not happy that they found out about the committees recommendation from the news instead of the DAs office. DA Serna apologized profusely to the family for releasing the letter to the media before speaking with them, Kennedy said. Kennedy added that she was not happy that the panel cited jury instructions from the high-profile trial of two Albuquerque officers who killed a homeless camper, James Boyd, as a big part of its legal analysis. She said those instructions were not part of any standardized jury instruction and arent law. The Boyd shooting trial ended in a hung jury. Benavidezs family received a $400,000 settlement from the city of Santa Fe after filing a wrongful death lawsuit. COLUMBUS The U.S. Department of Defense proposed to construct 46 miles of new barrier structures along Luna and Dona Ana counties last week. Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., whos a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense indicated to the Las Cruces Sun-News last Tuesday that the project includes 46 miles of vehicle barrier replacement beginning approximately 17.5 miles west of the Columbus Port of Entry continuing east in non-contiguous segments to approximately 35 miles east of the Columbus Port of Entry. Udalls staff then clarified on Wednesday telling the Sun-News information provided by the Department of Defense indicated existing vehicle barriers would be replaced with segments of pedestrian fencing comprising of 18-foot high steel bollard structures. Russell Johnson, a cattle rancher whose ranch expands to the edges of the U.S. and Mexico border just 20 miles west of Columbus, shared with the Deming Headlight his experiences with incoming traffic of illegal immigrants at the beginning of the year, from break-ins, litter, theft and damage to his property and livestock. At the time, Johnson said he did not wish to disclose the amount of property acreage he owns but told the Deming Headlight the construction project could include part of his cattle ranch. It looks like 17.5 miles would be at the end of the vehicle barrier in front of the little village across from our ranch in Mexico called Las Chepas, Johnson said. Provided Google Maps measuring is accurate, the new barrier would start on our ranch where the barbed wire begins. We will still have 3 miles of barbed wire fence and around 4 miles of the Normandy style barrier further west. Johnson further indicated that hes glad theres some momentum building to address the incoming traffic, but hopes that it doesnt come to a halt as he finds Udalls efforts to block President Donald Trumps national emergency for a border wall discouraging. They need to build the barrier from one end of the border to the other, Johnson said. With our ranch still having barbed wire fence and inadequate vehicle barrier, it will continue to be a weak link exploited by smugglers and people trying to come to our country illegally. Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan told the U.S. House Armed Services Committee on last Tuesday the Pentagon was executing an order from President Trump, who declared a national emergency on Feb. 15 after Congress appropriated less than the $5.7 billion he had requested for the wall. Udall argued that the plan compromises military preparedness and drug interdiction programs. In New Mexico, the proposal includes potentially diverting up to $187.5 million in funds for projects at White Sands Missile Range, Holloman Air Force Base, Kirtland Air Force Base and Cannon Air Force Base. The Department of Defense should be standing up for our military personnel and readiness needs, not allowing themselves to become a piggy bank for a presidents pet project, Udall said in a media release. Udall has also announced last week he wont be seeking a third term. Xchelzin Pena may be reached at 575-305-5532 or at xpena@demingheadlight.com. 2019 The Deming Headlight (Deming, N.M.) Visit The Deming Headlight (Deming, N.M.) at www.demingheadlight.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. JERUSALEM As Israel prepares to hold a national election next week, experts say it is vulnerable to the kind of foreign hacks and cyber campaigns that have disrupted the political process in other countries. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says there is no country better prepared to combat election interference. But despite Israels thriving tech sector and vaunted security capabilities, experts say its laws are outdated and that Netanyahus government hasnt made cyber threats a priority. Campaigning had just started to ramp up in January when the director of the Shin Bet, Israels internal security agency, told a closed audience that a world power had tried to disrupt the April 9 vote. Suspicion fell on Russian operatives, now infamous for their alleged cyber meddling in Americas 2016 presidential race and the Brexit referendum. Soon after, news erupted that Iranian agents had hacked the cellphone of Benny Gantz, a former general who is the main challenger to Netanyahu. Although the breach occurred months before Gantz joined the race, the scandal threatened to derail his campaign, which is largely based on his security credentials. Boaz Dolev, the CEO of ClearSky, a cyber security firm, said Iranian operatives have honed their phone-hacking skills over the past five years and targeted nearly all of Israels senior army officials. He said Israel is also a target for hackers who support the Palestinian-led boycott movement, and who launch an annual wave of attacks that this year will coincide with the vote. But many experts say the greatest threat comes from within. Karine Nahon, president of the Israel Internet Association, says the main danger comes from Israeli politicians and their supporters spreading disinformation on social media. She said there is little in the way of legislation to prevent such activities as laws on political propaganda were written before the digital age and are poorly enforced. On Monday, an Israeli group known as the Big Bots Project revealed what it said was a sprawling network of fake and automated social media accounts, some operated by real people, that circulated posts supporting Netanyahu and smearing his opponents, particularly Gantz. Noam Rotem, one of the researchers, said the legion of accounts pumping fake news into democratic debate poses the biggest and most sophisticated threat weve seen yet to Israels electoral integrity. The researchers said they found no direct link between the network and Netanyahu or his Likud party. But Netanyahus son Yair, who has run into trouble in the past for controversial social media activity, has frequently liked posts by the networks accounts. At a press conference, the prime minister dismissed the report as a fake investigation, saying almost all of the accounts in question turned out to be operated by real people. But critics say the government has failed to take necessary precautions, even as concern over cyber meddling in elections has grown in recent years. Election systems in Israel are not formally designated as critical infrastructure, a move that would expand the mandate of security agencies to protect them. The main law regulating political campaigns was passed in 1959 and tailored for TV and radio. Last fall, legislators introduced an amendment that would subject online political ads to its requirements. The bill seemed guaranteed to pass, but at the 11th hour, Netanyahus Likud shot it down. The Shin Bet and the Cyber Directorate, the main bodies tasked with overseeing election security, both report to the prime minister, something Rotem views as a conflict of interest during a hard-fought election campaign. The Cyber Directorate declined to comment on its efforts to secure the election, referring questions to the Central Elections Committee, a monitoring panel made up of parliamentarians from different political parties. In a statement, the committee said it has a plan of action that includes increased alertness and awareness, but that its actions cannot be publicized because of their sensitive nature. It pointed out that Israel still uses paper ballots, enhancing security on election day. But the vote count is digitized, which means that in the last and most critical stage of the voting process, our database is vulnerable, said Lotem Finkelstein, head of the threat intelligence team at Check Point, a cybersecurity firm. In its only public step so far, the elections panel issued a decree March 1 banning anonymous election ads from social media platforms in Israel. But Finkelstein called the measure deficient. I havent seen anyone reprimanded by the elections committee, he said. It just issues recommendations. Rotem said cybersecurity firms have identified efforts by Iran, Saudi Arabia and Turkey to breach party databases, troves of sensitive voter information he says is just circulating on the internet. Social media networks themselves have recently stepped up efforts to combat fake news and election meddling. Facebook says it has shut down thousands of Iranian pages and accounts aimed at sowing doubt about the legitimacy of Israels elections, and that worldwide it is purging a million fake accounts every day. Twitter says it took action against fabricated accounts after the Big Bots Project report, without elaborating. The report authors say Twitter removed half of the bot accounts they identified. Looking back to 2016, we were slow to act on misinformation, but weve made massive strides, Sean Evins, Facebook director of politics and government outreach for Europe and the Middle East, told The Associated Press. He said the company struggles to walk a fine line between security and free participation in political debate. Following pressure from the Central Elections Committee and other Israeli officials, Facebook rolled out Israel-specific measures one month before elections: an authorization process for buyers of political ads and third-party fact checking that demotes unverifiable posts in newsfeeds. But Nahon, of the Israel Internet Association, said those measures were not enough to combat systemic threats from bots, hackers and proxy accounts that are difficult to trace. The last word has not been said on these threats, she said. Were expecting much more. The estate of the man shot and killed by a ride-share driver on St. Patricks Day has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against that driver and Uber. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of James Porters estate, seeks unspecified compensatory and punitive damages from Clayton Benedict, the driver, and from Uber. Benedict has not been charged in the incident. Benedict did not want to comment for this story, and Uber didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. Benedicts (sic) actions were intentional, reckless and malicious such that an award of punitive damages against Benedict is justified, the lawsuit alleges. Benedicts [sic] actions were intentional, reckless and malicious such that an award of punitive damages against Benedict is justified, the lawsuit alleges. The four-page complaint does not, however, provide many new details of what led up to the shooting. It does state that Benedict was employed by the Uber and acting in the course and scope of his employment as a ride-share driver. On or about March 17, 2019, (Porter) and his friend were at a local Albuquerque establishment and decided to leave, however were not able to drive, the suit states. (Porter) called Uber for ride-services and was picked up by Benedict who was then instructed to drive them to their destination. The suit goes on to state that, while Benedict was traveling on Interstate 25, he pulled the vehicle over and shot (Porter) which resulted in (Porters) death. Porter, 27, worked for Hewlett-Packard in Rio Rancho. Albuquerque police have said a fight broke out and the driver shot and killed Porter by the side of southbound I-25 near Montano NE. Porter died at the scene. The driver and Porters friend were interviewed by police after the shooting. An Albuquerque Police Department spokesman has previously said that, when the investigation into the case is complete, it will be turned over to the District Attorneys Office for review and adjudication. The lawsuit was filed Wednesday in state District Court in Santa Fe. Among the claims made in the suit is that Uber knew, or should have known, that by selecting, hiring and retaining Benedict, it would create an unreasonable risk of injury to individuals who used Uber services. After a year off, organizers say they are set to have the "best show ever." CHICO, Calif. -- A new policy at California State Universities will give students accused of sexual assault the right to a hearing. Generally, the alleged victims and witnesses will have to testify with the accused in the room, though the new policy provides an avenue for one party to request to participate out of the physical presence of the other party. Some students told Action News Now they think this will be a fair opportunity to hear both sides, others say this would discourage victims from coming forward. This change comes after a January 4th ruling. A USC student accused of sexual assault sued the university after he was expelled. A judge in the case ruled that any student accused of sexual misconduct who faces expulsion or suspension has a right to have a live hearing. We spoke to Chico State students about the new policy change. "It kind of tips the scale on both sides. At the same time when a person is accused, I think they have the right to see who is accusing them and stand up for it, but at the same time I see how it can have a negative effect on the people trying to expose those who are accused," said Michael Whittemore, a Chico State student. The CSU adopted a policy where all the questions will be asked by a hearing officer to avoid direct confrontation between students. SHASTA COUNTY, Calif. - Officials are warning residents of potential flooding along the Sacramento River due to increased releases from the Keswick Dam. The Bureau of Reclamation said the river level will rise fairly rapidly at around 10 a.m. on Thursday in Shasta County. Releases at the dam will increase from 20,000 cubic feet per second to 30,000 cubic feet per second. With the first phase of the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections set to commence on April 11, Google India has come up with an India Transparency Report, with specifics of spends on political ads since February 2019. According to the report, political parties and candidates have spent as much as Rs 37,616,400 for 831 political ads on Google in the past month and a half. Out of these 831 ads, 554 have been done by the BJP with a total spend of Rs 12,148,600 since February 2019. Andhra Pradesh saw the highest investments in political advertising on Google; with total spends of Rs 17,356,100, with YSR Congress based in Andhra and Telangana being among the top spenders. YSR Congress party spent Rs 10,434,500 on 107 advertisements. Meanwhile, the Congress spent only about Rs 54,100 on 14 Google ads. The report is part of Googles initiative to make the Lok Sabha elections transparent. Google enforced its election ads policy for India on February 20, 2019. Among ad spends as per geography, after Andhra Pradesh, comes Telangana at Rs 7,278,300, followed by Uttar Pradesh at Rs 1,847,300. Then there are other states such as Maharashtra that has seen spends of Rs 1,719,500 on political advertisements, followed by Bihar at Rs 1,053,300. Delhis spends stood at Rs 996,500. The lowest spend of only Rs 800 came from Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The election ads policy requires advertisers running election ads in India to provide a pre-certificate issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI), or anyone authorised by the ECI, for each ad they wish to run. Further, Google verifies the identity of advertisers before their election ads run on its platforms. Google platforms are disclosing who has paid for the ad. For most ad formats, Google automatically generates a paid for by disclosure, using the information provided during this verification process. The disclosure displays the organisation name or individual name to users who see the ad. The News Broadcasting Standards Authority (NBSA) has passed orders dated April 2, 2019 with regards to the complaints it received against several news broadcasters like ABP News, India Today, Tez, Republic TV and Zee News on the telecast of different special programmes last year. A total of six complaints were made, out of which four complaints were received from Deputy Director of Electronic Media Monitoring Centre (EMMC), which included 2 complaints against ABP News and one each against India Today and Tez. The complaints related to a special programme broadcast by ABP News channel under the title Viral Sachh in the context of young pupils of a school (purportedly RMVM School) who were mercilessly beaten up. After the some research done by NBSA, it was found that what was being circulated were fake videos relating to brutality being meted out to children in an orphanage in Egypt. NBSA warned the broadcaster to exercise greater caution and discretion in future while formulating news stories relating to depiction of violence or intimidation against children and that in future it would be viewed seriously. The second complaint by EMMC deputy director against ABP News was for a news report which showed a video where some boys are appealing to the people to buy country made guns to protect the Hindu religion. The video had gone viral on Twitter and Facebook. NBSA was of the view that while it is the duty of the news channel to report such news, it is equally necessary for news channels to be balanced in their reportage, not glamorise or in any way promote individuals/ groups/ organisations that employ or advocate the use of violence or engage in criminal/ nefarious activity. NBSA, therefore, warned the broadcaster to exercise greater care, caution and discretion in future. The third complaint was related to the telecast of a news bulletin about an audio clip of Masood Azhar, chief of the proscribed organisation Jaish-e-Mohammed, on India Today channel. The broadcaster stated that the telecast was aired when the Centre had directed the security forces to halt their operations during the month of Ramzan. The NBSA did not find merit in the submission of the broadcaster. It was of the view that there was no public interest in telecasting the hateful speeches of terrorists and that in such a situation, the channel should have merely reported about the video, without telecasting the hatful speech. It, therefore, directed the broadcaster to exercise greater care, caution and discretion in future while formulating news stories relating to propaganda by terrorists/ secessionists and warned the broadcaster that any similar future violations would be viewed seriously and action would be taken against the broadcaster. The fourth complaint was related to a special programme titled Main Rakshash Hoon (I am a demon) on Tez News channel, in which several videos of a man humiliating his mother, children being thrashed and daughters-in-law beating up their mothers-in-law were shown. On this complaint, the broadcasters reply stated that the title of the programme Mein Hun Rakshas showed that the intention of the channel was to highlight the heinous crimes that were being committed behind closed doors against aged relatives and children. On this, NBSA was of the view that the purpose could have been achieved by the channel by reporting the news rather than glorifying the brutality being meted out to the elderly, women and children. It, therefore, directed the broadcaster to exercise greater care, caution and discretion in future while formulating news stories relating to depiction of violence or intimidation against children, elderly and women and warned that any future violations by the channel would be viewed seriously and action would be taken against the broadcaster. The fifth complaint was from Sharad Shah against Republic TV for telecasting a news report on August 18, 2018, where the anchor had stated that Navjot Singh Siddhu, Minister of Local Government Tourism, Cultural Affairs, Punjab Government, was a member of the ISI. The anchor also alleged that Sindhu had received money from the ISI. Shah in his complaint stated that the said allegations were without any evidentiary basis, were defamatory and violated the Code of Conduct of NBA. NBSA found no merit in the contention of the broadcaster that the notice issued by NBSA was beyond the scope of the original complaint. It, therefore, decided to censure and warn the broadcaster that any future violations by the channel would be viewed seriously and action would be taken against the broadcaster. The sixth complaint was filed by Dr Manilal Valliyate, CEO, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), which pertained to three programmes telecast by Zee News under Taal Thok Ke: Special Edition on September 3, 2018. PETA, which works for the promotion and protection of animal welfare, alleged that Zee News had used the defamatory tagline, #AntiHinduPETA, to sensationalise and promote the programme on social media even before the programme was aired. NBSA considered the submissions made by both the parties and viewed the CD and held that the broadcaster had violated Clauses 1 and 2 of Principles of Self-Regulation and Code of Ethics of NBA, dealing with Impartiality and Objectivity in reporting and ensuring neutrality and also guideline 2.1 of the NBSA specific guidelines covering reportage. Dublin-based communications agency PR360 is the newest addition to PROI Worldwide, the largest and leading global partnership of 75 independent communications agencies with more than 5,400 staff servicing 8,200+ clients and 2017 net fee income of US$ 868+ million. PR360 will continue to expand PROIs global footprint of consultancies which, because they are independent, are recognised for their ability to be agile and passionate in working for their clients. PR360 was established eight years ago by Founder and Managing Director, Dan Pender. Since then, the team has grown dramatically to include 25 experienced professionals across its corporate, public affairs and brand practices and in-house digital content studio. Today, the agency can offer a full suite of traditional and digital public relations services to its growing client portfolio. PR360 is an exceptional communications agency which, like our other PROI agencies, has seen significant growth opportunities by offering integrated services, said PROI Worldwides Global Chairman Clare Parsons, Chair of London-based Lansons. The shift towards measurable, authentic, integrated and intelligent communications is a trend weve observed not just in Ireland, but globally, said Dan Pender. As people seek authenticity in the brands and companies they support, the products they buy and the services they acquire, the role of communications is more important than ever. Today, in the best organisations, communications is a function that is fundamental at the C-suite and boardroom levels. That demands us as advisors to deliver strategic, commercial insights and outcomes. At PR360, we revel in producing results that have a real, demonstrable impact on the metrics that matter to decision makers. PROI Worldwides Global Chairman Parsons said that PR360 has a huge opportunity to collaborate with likeminded PROI Worldwide independent agencies to deliver impactful campaigns for clients in other regions, as well as to clients seeking a foothold in the important Irish market. Pender responded saying We look forward to contributing to the global PROI partnership and learning more from our new international colleagues. The most successful companies, organisations and politicians see the big picture: they take a long-term, integrated view of communications. They understand that words, like actions, matter. They embrace and explore new platforms and fully exploit and upend existing ones, internally and externally, to propagate their message, added Pender. The media is giving credit to the FDA for not approving thalidomide in this country, yet in the case of thimerosal, it was never tested or approved by the FDA, yet its still allowed in vaccines. Eli Lilly said it was safe back in the 1930s and the medical community just accepted it. After the creation of the FDA, its use was simply continued. This unconscionable oversight failure has yet to be recognized. The mercury-containing vaccine preservative thimerosal goes back 75 years. It was invented and tested Eli Lilly Pharmaceutical Company in 1930. The one study done on thimerosal was done by Eli Lilly on 22 adult patients suffering from meningitis. There was no chance for follow-up to observe long-term effects, as the test subjects died. Even if follow-up had been possible, damage to the developing brains of very young children would have remained an unknown. The analogy is undeniable. How different is the mistaken belief that its safe to inject toxic mercury into human beings? How can one medical mistake be recognized while another is continually covered up. Because its tests failed to detect hazards, many women took the medicine without knowing it could harm their babies, he said, and were left with a heavy burden. For almost 50 years, Grunenthal had not found a way to reach out to the victims person to person, Stock added. The thalidomide scandal triggered a worldwide overhaul of drug-testing regimes and boosted the reputation of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which refused to approve the drug. Victims of thalidomide said on Saturday an apology from the German inventor of the drug that caused birth defects in thousands of babies around the world was too little too late. By Anne Dachel There is recent news that after 50 years of silence the German pharmaceutical company, Gruenenthal, has apologized for the horrific damage caused by thalidomide, the morning sickness drug given to pregnant women in the late 1950s and early 60s. This got my attention immediately because of the obvious similarity of the use of mercury in vaccines. Several news sites are telling us that the thalidomide disaster led to better testing for drugs. Have these people forgotten about Vioxx and the endless stories about drug recalls? Vioxx was a drug that was originally approved by the FDA. Because its tests failed to detect hazards, the company that made thalidomide claims that they acted in good faith. In the case of thimerosal, no one will ever be able to say that. The evidence is clear that both the company that manufactured thimerosal and the health officials that have allowed its use have been fully aware of the potential for damage from mercury use in vaccines. In the case of thimerosal, well be asking: What did they know, when did they know it, and what did they do to cover it up? The book, Age of Autism, HERE , by Dan Olmsted and Mark Blaxill, had this to say about the invention of thimeroal. (p. 149) Today, a toxic substance like ethylmercury (thimerosal) could not be used in a medical product without rigorous testing. Ensuring its safety would entail a process that would start in a test tube and progress to animals; only after passing through several stages could it win approval to be administered to humans. But before 1938, and the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, drugmakers were not required to demonstrate the safety of their products in this manner before they were allowed on the market. The act spent most of the decade tied up in Congress, stalled and gutted by the brawny proprietary-medicine lobbywith help from friends in the newspaper industry, which had become addicted to advertising revenue from wonder drugs such as Paw-Paw Pills and Cherry Pectoral. Instead, thimerosal was tested only on twenty-two patients in an Indianapolis hospital. They did not appear to show overt or immediate signs of mercury poisoning even though most of the patients subsequently died. David Kirby wrote about Eli Lilly in his book, Evidence of Harm, HERE. (p. 207) Kirby described the discovery of 46 boxes of internal Eli Lilly documents. Kirby wrote about a 70 year old paper trail of evidence that Eli Lilly knew about thimeroals dangers and had relied on bogus clinical data to maintain approval for the preservative. Were told the documents clearly demonstrate that Lillys thimerosal product was known as early as April 1930 to be dangerous The thalidomide scandal triggered a worldwide overhaul of drug-testing regimes and boosted the reputation of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which refused to approve the drug. In June, 2000, a closed meeting was held at a remote site in northern Georgia called the Simpsonwood Conference Center. HERE Representatives from the CDC, the FDA, and the pharmaceutical industry held two days of discussion examining the possibility of a link between increased use of toxic mercury in vaccines and rise in neurological problems in children who had received those vaccines. Everything talked about at the meeting was to be kept secret. Only through the Freedom of Information Act were people able to find out what was said. Simpsonwood transcript: HERE The meeting wasnt made public by the government and one of the attendees, Dr. David Johnson from Michigan was quoted saying, Forgive this personal comment, but I got called out at eight oclock for an emergency call and my daughter-in-law delivered a son by c-section. Our first male in the line of the next generation and I do not want that grandson to get a Thimerosal containing vaccine until we know better what is going on. It will probably take a long time. In the meantime, and I know there are probably implications for this internationally, but in the meanwhile I think I want that grandson to only be given Thimerosal-free vaccines. Instead of honestly and thoroughly investigating the link between mercury-containing vaccines and neurological damage in our children, our U.S. health officials have produced a number of easily manipulated population studies, all tied to the vaccine makers, and all showing no harm from injecting humans with the second deadliest element on earth. In February 2005, in an article in the LA Times, reporter Myron Levin wrote this about the use of thimerosal in a piece called, 91 Memo Warned of Mercury in Shots HERE A memo from Merck & Co. shows that, nearly a decade before the first public disclosure, senior executives were concerned that infants were getting an elevated dose of mercury in vaccinations containing a widely used sterilizing agent. The March 1991 memo, obtained by The Times, said that 6-month-old children who received their shots on schedule would get a mercury dose up to 87 times higher than guidelines for the maximum daily consumption of mercury from fish. There is much more about what officials knew about and chose to ignore. In the end itll all come out as this nation wakes up to the disaster we will be living with from here on as the children with autism reach adulthood at the same time more and more kids are being diagnosed. America will have to try and survive with an ever-growing population of the chronically ill and disabled. I cant imagine a worse future for us. Fifty years from now will there be anyone left to apologize to? Anne Dachel is Media Editor for Age of Autism. Susubscribe to her site at AnneDachel.com NOTE: Last week a local Facebook group Mom posted a photo of her son's peeling, red feet, asking a large group of local Moms "What is this?" They all chimed in - "COXSACKIE!" And then they offered her sympathy, recommended quarantine ideas, and generally supported her, saying they too had dealt with this common childhood disease. It was a nice display of Moms supporting Moms. Had she said, "What is this?" and there were spots all over his face, the response would have been different. "Measles!" And panic, blame and shame may well have been the follow up, instead of the same advice about quarantine and managing discomfort. Measles means BAD MOM. Coxsackie does not. Why? Because there is a vaccine for Measles, formerly a common childhood illness that bonded Moms in coffee klatches and Tupperware parties. Need proof? Look at this article - there's NO mention that measles is deadly. It's generally not to a healthy child. In fact it was sitcom fodder for decades, from the Flintstones to the Brady Bunch. "Measles is such a concern, because one, it's preventable. We have a vaccination that can prevent it," Dr. Umair Shah, executive director of the Harris County, Texas, Health System, told KTRK. "And two, it's so easily transmittable to someone else. ... Vaccines save lives. Texas nurse fired after posting about patient's measles on anti-vaccination page From ABC News: A nurse at a hospital in Texas where a toddler tested positive for measles has been fired after she posted about the diagnosis on an anti-vaccination website, according to hospital officials. The employee's firing comes just one day after Texas Children's Hospital said it was investigating the incident. "We were made aware that one of our nurses posted protected health information regarding a patient on social media," the hospital said in a statement Tuesday night. "We take these matters very seriously as the privacy and well-being of our patients is always a top priority. After an internal investigation, this individual is no longer with the organization." Texas Children's Hospital in Houston said Monday it stopped a nurse from seeing patients after she reportedly posted about a young boys condition on an anti-vaccination group on , according to a statement. She allegedly wrote about the case on the "Proud Parents of Unvaccinated Children - Texas" Facebook page, which has since been deleted. A concerned parent posted screenshots of the unidentified nurses comments on the hospital's Facebook page late Friday. Read more here. All 6 Brady Kids Had Measles and Fought Over Which Doctor - the actors then became Mr and Mrs Cunningham on Happy Days! Note: Thank you to Becca Tucker for a rational look at the measles outbreak. By Becca Tucker A six-month measles outbreak has Rockland County in a state of emergency, with unvaccinated kids barred first from school and then, in a move that made international headlines, from public places. Rockland County Executive Ed Day and health officials say the extraordinary measures are necessary to protect the public from a highly contagious and potentially dangerous disease. Betty and Wilma Had the Measles in the 1960s Cartoon The Flintstones A growing group of concerned parents is suing, saying the countys strong-arm tactics are out of proportion and imperil families rights to make appropriate medical choices for their children. Dr. Hendrieka Fitzpatrick, a general practitioner in New Jersey with an expertise in womens and childrens health, is one of those people who say the county has gone too far. We cant start taking peoples choice away over the measles vaccine. Regarding measles itself, Fitzpatrick said: Im not saying its not miserable, but its not life threatening in the Western world. Its probably milder in children than the flu, she said. The last measles death in the U.S. occurred in 2015, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hedda Get Better A Doll from the Late 1950s. With Measles. The Faces Turned - to Happy and Sleeping. Severe measles, the kind that can kill you, is more likely among poorly nourished young children, especially those with insufficient vitamin A, or whose immune systems have been weakened by HIV/AIDS or other diseases, the World Health Organization says on its website. More than 95 percent of measles deaths occur in countries with low per capita incomes and weak health infrastructures. READ MORE HERE AT The Advertiser-News. Would you like to receive breaking news notifications from The Post and Courier? Sign up to receive news and updates from this site directly to your desktop. Breaking News Columbia Breaking News Greenville Breaking News Myrtle Beach Breaking News Aiken Breaking News N Augusta Breaking News Click on the bell icon to manage your notifications at any time. Success! Please click the 'Allow' button in the 'Show Notifcations' alert in your browser if one is available. Thank you for signing up! Please enable notifications in your browser and reload the page. U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., unloaded on the U.S. Department of Energy and its semiautonomous National Nuclear Security Administration during a testy if not combative Wednesday afternoon Senate appropriations subcommittee hearing. Echoing remarks he made to the Aiken Standard in early February, Graham told subcommittee members and NNSA chief Lisa Gordon-Hagerty who was testifying alongside several other NNSA executives he lacked faith in and was highly skeptical of what was being pitched for the Savannah River Site, the plutonium stored there and its facilities, both old and potentially new. "I have no confidence you've got a plan," Graham said, following an exchange regarding the death of the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility and the pursued plutonium disposition alternative, dilute-and-dispose. "I think you're making this up as you go." The NNSA terminated MOX designed to turn 34 metric tons of defense plutonium into nuclear fuel on Oct. 10, 2018. The facility should be fully mothballed by fiscal year 2021, per President Donald Trump's FY20 budget request. MOX was cost-bloated and more than a decade in the making. Graham and other lawmakers have said the project was about 70 percent complete. That figure, though, has been contested. Dilute-and-dispose involves taking plutonium, mixing it with inert material and storing it long-term at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico. It's a politically controversial plan. But it's also fully supported by Gordon-Hagerty and U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry. Perry last year certified dilute-and-dispose as roughly half the lifecycle cost of MOX; Gordon-Hagerty brought that same point up saving money during the hearing. "We were willing to do something nobody else wanted to do called the MOX program," Graham said. "They were looking around, 'Who'll take all this weapons-grade plutonium.' Not a lot of people raised their hand, but we did, thought it was, you know, turning a sword into a plowshare." The sword-to-plowshare comment is a MOX go-to for Graham. The senior senator eventually shifted to plutonium pit production and maintained the same message. "I have no confidence we're going to have two pit production facilities, unless somebody can figure this out better than we have today," Graham said, continuing: "And this little exchange we've had proves to me, beyond a shadow of a doubt, you're making this up as you go." Trump's budget includes $410M for 'Savannah River Plutonium Processing Facility' Plutonium pits are nuclear weapon cores. Eighty per year are needed by 2030, according to the 2018 Nuclear Posture Review. On May 10, 2018 the NNSA and the U.S. Department of Defense together recommended recapitalizing MOX for a plutonium pit production mission. Plutonium pits are nuclear weapon cores. Fifty pits per year would be made at a revitalized MOX, and another 30 per year would be made at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, according to the joint recommendation. At least 80 pits per year are needed by 2030, according to the 2018 Nuclear Posture Review. Perry has described Los Alamos as the pit "capital." He also has said SRS is certainly the right place to do a majority of the production. "And you're talking about two pit facilities," Graham said Wednesday, "and I'll believe that when I see it." The NNSA has tasked Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, the SRS management and operations contractor, with preliminary pit-related work as well as MOX termination and transition activities. The NNSA recently gave SRNS $40 million for the latter. The president's latest budget blueprint includes $410 million for early design of the Savannah River Plutonium Processing Facility what SRS's potential pit hub is now being called. Graham earlier this year said "we'll see how real" the pit mission is. On Wednesday, the senator said he's fine with hosting pit production in the Palmetto State. "I'm a pretty hawkish guy," Graham said. He further explained clarified his position while responding to U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein: "I'm OK with South Carolina being in the mix. What I'm not OK with is bypassing the issue that I've been talking about: the weapons-grade plutonium in my state. I want it out." Energy Secretary Rick Perry talks SRS, pit production following Plant Vogtle event Speaking to reporters on Friday after an event at Plant Vogtle in Georgia, Perry said he thinks SRS can "absolutely" take on a 50-pits-per-yea A U.S. district court judge in December 2017 ordered the DOE to remove 1 metric ton of defense plutonium from South Carolina. A half-metric ton of it was moved out of the state prior to November 2018, according to court documents. Gordon-Hagerty on Wednesday promised another half-metric ton would be removed by 2020, a sentiment NNSA spokespeople have made repeatedly. Graham earlier this year said the half-metric-ton removal was "not much of a comfort" to him. U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, a New Mexico Democrat, on Wednesday said he has the same concerns as Graham. Feinstein, a California Democrat, that same day said the MOX saga has proven confusing. Tension is still high in the Gaza Strip amid Egyptian-led mediation efforts to defuse a military confrontation between Hamas and Israel. As of the time of this writing, Egyptian intelligence officers continue to act as peacemakers between Gaza and Israel. On March 25 and 26, tension escalated between Hamas and Israel and sparked a round of violence after a rocket was launched from Gaza into Tel Aviv on March 25, wounding seven Israelis. No Palestinian faction claimed responsibility for it, yet Israeli aircraft bombed several sites and facilities in the Gaza Strip. Israel targeted several Hamas military and security positions across the Gaza Strip, injuring seven Palestinians. Meanwhile, Palestinian factions fired rockets and shells at Israeli settlements adjacent to the Gaza Strip. On March 25, Israel bombed the offices of the insurance and investment company Al-Multazem in the Sabra neighborhood of Gaza City. The Israeli army tweeted that the three-story building belongs to Hamas and that the movement has offices inside. Al-Multazem identifies itself as a Palestinian public joint stock company established in 2008 with five branches in the Gaza Strip. It offers insurance services and seeks to alleviate the risks facing the Gaza residents and improve the national economy. Israeli reports claim the company works in technology investment, including cyber and information technology. A source in the company told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, The company includes 400 Palestinian shareholders from inside and outside the Gaza Strip. It has a capital of $10 million with 50 employees. It is not affiliated with any Palestinian organization. Over the past 10 years, it was able to secure 50% of the insurance market in Gaza by winning insurance tenders for ministries in Gaza and local municipalities. The source added, We deal with all institutions and companies in Gaza without any restrictions or reservations. We offer car insurance and worker's compensation insurance, among other kinds, and we finance projects to build houses and buy apartments in addition to supporting university students with interest-free loans. Al-Multazem is one of the economic institutions established in Gaza after Hamas took control of it in the summer of 2007, alongside the Islamic National Bank established in 2009, the Palestine Production Bank in 2013 and Dhamin Insurance and Investment in 2014. All these companies are critical to Gazas economy, which has been gradually declining since the Israeli blockade was imposed. Israeli aircraft also bombed the bank's headquarters in the wars of 2012 and 2014. Al-Barasi Exchange in Gaza was bombed in 2010, 2007 and 2008. In June of 2018, outgoing Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman designated the Hamed Exchange in Gaza as a terrorist organization, claiming it channelled funding for Hamas. Essam Aldalis, deputy head of Hamas political department, told Al-Monitor, The recent Israeli aggression on Gaza had four specific goals. The first is a political one; it destroyed the headquarters of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. The second is military, bombing sites belonging to Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas military wing. The third had security objectives in terms of targeting the headquarters of the internal security apparatus and the fourth is an economic one, of which Al-Multazem was the target. Aldalis added, [Al-Multazem] is a public joint stock company in which Hamas has not a single dollar only the Palestinian peoples money. But Israel thought that the financial siege on Hamas is achieving its objectives, so it carried on cutting off its funding sources by targeting Gazas economic companies, believing this would affect Hamas, even if it has nothing to do with those companies. Israeli researcher at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy Ehud Yaari wrote in a study published in 2011 that Al-Multazem along with commercial companies, residential projects, hotels, shopping centers, spas, agricultural spaces and fish farms are part of Hamas economic empire in Gaza. Mohammed Abu Jiyab, editor-in-chief of Al-Eqtesadia newspaper in Gaza, told Al-Monitor, Al-Multazem is Hamas only investment in the insurance sector in Gaza even if the movement has not officially declared its ties to it because companies registered with the Palestinian Authority are not allowed to deal with government institutions in Gaza, being illegal from the PAs point of view. Al-Multazem is the most investment-oriented business for the Hamas-run government in Gaza and the most popular among Gazans in insurance deals, but Israel does not miss an opportunity to damage Hamas' financial and economic assets. Striking Al-Multazem conveys the clear message that all of Gaza's economic facilities are on the Israeli radar and that Gaza is unsafe for investment. Israel strives to mobilize the international community against Hamas by forcing Palestinian banks to refuse to receive or transfer money from the movement. It also prosecutes exchange companies accused of working with Hamas, drains the resources of Hamas-affiliated charitable institutions such as El-Salah Islamic Association and the Islamic Society and directly targets its affiliated banking and financial companies. Hussam al-Dajani, a political science professor at Al-Ummah University in Gaza, told Al-Monitor, Hamas' economic capabilities, including Al-Multazem despite Hamas denying all ties to it are an integral part of the economy of the Gaza Strip. Targeting the movements financial institutions is a direct hit to the general economic structure of Gaza, which leads to further deterioration of the Palestinians living conditions. This will strengthen the radical current in Hamas. Israel believes that hitting its economic structure will pressure the movement and force it to make political concessions, but there are few signs of this plan succeeding. Indias largest employer, Indian Railways, will be using Microsoft Kaizala to connect its employees across the country with quality healthcare facilities. Microsoft Kaizala app will enable serving and retired railway employees to avail healthcare services of 125 railway and 133 private recognized hospitals. The Kaizala group, managed by doctors from South Central Railways will be complemented with focused groups of doctors, paramedical staff and nurses. On registering for the healthcare services, Indian Railway employees will be able to search on Microsoft Kaizala, nearest hospitals and doctors, list of empaneled diagnostic centers and health units. Employees can book doctor appointments, share diagnostic lab reports directly with their doctors and save digital records in Me Chat of Microsoft Kaizala. They will also be able access key announcements, share their feedback to improve quality of medical service with built in action cards. Kaizala enables Indian Railways to enable direct communication with their employees including achievement bulletins, educative bulletins and informative bulletins to spread awareness around CPR, general first aid, immunization and vaccination, including others. The doctors on this Kaizala group can view medical history of an employee, pull out case sheets and aid in taking timely decisions. Microsoft Kaizala is a mobile-only product that makes it simple for organizations to seamlessly communicate, collaborate and complete tasks, bringing together desktop users and mobile-only users. Commenting on the development, Mr. Vinod Kumar Yadav, Chairman Railway Board, Indian Railways, said, As one of the largest employers in India, we are committed towards providing rich experience to our employees. Ensuring quality medical care facilities for our employees is one of key focus areas, integrating it with Microsoft Kaizala will help us take this vision with ease to all our employees, including those situated in remote locations in India. Rajiv Kumar, Corporate Vice President, Experiences & Devices Group, Microsoft, said, Microsoft Kaizala is a simple and secure chat-based app for work. It offers organizations to easily connect with everyone in their organization and beyond in simple way to share data for insightful decision making and gives employees an easy-to-use solution for efficient collaboration and improved productivity. Powered by Microsofts trusted cloud platform, mobility and enterprise security, Microsoft Kaizala is a perfect fit for the unique needs of one of Indias largest job creator. We are optimistic that our experience of working with large scale customers across private and government sectors will help us serve millions of railway employees effectively. Microsoft Kaizala offers large organizations like Railways easy and simple way to share data for insightful decision making and gives employees an easy-to-use efficient solution. GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Ramallah announced on March 26 the halting of medical transfers to Israeli hospitals and vowed to find alternatives for Palestinian patients in private and government hospitals. The Ministry of Health's decision comes as part of escalatory steps being taken to protest Israeli measures. The boycott between the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Israel worsened after the PA refused Feb. 27 to accept the tax revenues that Israel collects on its behalf to protest Israels Feb. 17 decision to slash 502 million shekels ($138 million) yearly in PA tax revenues, which is the amount the PA paid out in 2018 in stipends to detainees, those injured in attacks or violence, or families of those killed. Palestinian news agency Wafa cited Ministry of Health spokesperson Osama al-Najjar as saying March 26 that the bill of medical transfers to Israeli hospitals, which the Palestinian Ministry of Health has to pay, is estimated at $100 million per year or 22% of the annual budget of the ministry according to the Civil Society Team for Enhancing Public Budget Transparency. Israeli hospitals send Palestinian patients' bills to the Ministry of Health, an amount that would be deducted from the tax revenues that Israel transfers monthly to the PA. According to the annual medical report published by the Ministry of Health in July 2017, medical transfers to Israel added up to 16,269 cases. They constitute 17% of the total number of transfers abroad, counting 12,121 cases from the West Bank and 4,148 cases from the Gaza Strip, at a total cost of 193 million shekels ($53 million) per year or 32% of the total cost of treatment abroad. Najjar mentioned, however, that the $100 million annual cost of medical referrals based on 2014 data from the ministry dropped to $53 million according to the 2017 report. The Ministry of Health deals with treatment abroad based on 2006's Law No. 11. Palestinian patients in government hospitals in the West Bank and Gaza Strip are often referred abroad to receive services that are not available locally. After doctors in one of the government hospitals diagnose the case, the patient fills in the transfer paper, which the health practitioner, department chief and hospital director sign. In October 2018, director general of the Medical Referral Department of the Health Ministry Amira al-Hindi revealed a political decision based on orders from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to give Jerusalem hospitals that were affiliated with the PA priority in medical transfers to strengthen them, then move to community and private hospitals inside Palestinian territories. Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health Assad Ramlawi told Al-Monitor, The decision of the ministry to halt medical referrals carries political significance. It was a response to Israels decision to withhold tax revenues, but it also coincides with the ministrys five-year plan [2017-2022] to localize health services and rely on Palestinian hospitals rather than ones abroad for treatment. The ministry also devised a plan to limit departments Palestinian patients resort to in Israeli hospitals to the departments of oncology, ophthalmology, neurosurgery, vascular surgery, childrens cardiac surgery and kidney transplant. He added, We have highly competent medical staff, and 25% of Palestinian doctors work in Israeli, Arab and European hospitals. We relied on the strategy we launched to lure many of them in through financial incentives and private contracts that set them apart from current doctors and to benefit from their wide experience. We also sent 50 doctors to train abroad in European and Gulf countries to gain new expertise that would allow them to offer high-level and competent services like the ones in Israeli hospitals. Ramlawi added, At the ministry, we devised a plan to deal with the halt of transfer of patients to Israeli hospitals by resorting to a liver transplant protocol signed between the ministry and its Turkish counterpart, and another protocol for lung and heart transplants with India. One of the motives that pushed us toward this decision was Israels deprivation of a wide group of patients in Gaza of treatment in the West Bank or Jerusalem hospitals due to their political affiliation and the blockade. Hospitals affiliated with the Ministry of Health in the Palestinian territories amount to 66 seven among which are in Jerusalem, 49 in the West Bank and 10 in Gaza. Ministry of Health employees amount to 13,737, including 2,509 doctors, 4,205 nurses, 1,607 assistants and 5,416 administrative officers. Many medical faculties have opened in Palestinian universities over the past few years, such as the Islamic University and Al-Azhar in Gaza, and An-Najah University, Jerusalem University and the Arab American University in the West Bank. Included with the universities are hospitals to train students as soon as they graduate, like An-Najah University Hospital and the Palestine-Turkey Friendship Hospital affiliated with the Islamic University. Najjar said, Israel is manipulating the issue of medical transfers and adding figures to the treatment bills that do not mirror the real cost, then carrying the bills to the Ministry of Health. Israel is also adding the treatment bill to the ministrys expenses when offering treatment to a wounded Palestinian, whether due to a car accident or injury at work within its borders. Director general of hospitals at the Ministry of Health in Gaza Youssef Abou al-Rish told Al-Monitor, The Ministry of Health in Gaza hopes the decision of its counterpart in Ramallah would reflect positively on the number of patients in Gaza who are denied treatment abroad due to Israeli constraints. Rish said the Ministry of Health's plan to localize medical treatment could allow Gaza patients to receive treatment in private hospitals in the West Bank and Jerusalem instead of seeking treatment in Israel, which imposes restrictions on Gaza patients. Some Palestinian patients, however, were concerned the decision could prove disastrous for their medical treatment. Said Awad, a 38-year-old from Gaza City, suffers from leukemia and relies on Israeli hospitals for treatment. I discovered I have leukemia three years ago, and I am currently receiving treatment at the Assuta Hospital in Israel. The ministrys decision could have a negative impact for me, as the treatment I am receiving is not available in the hospitals affiliated with the Palestinian Ministry of Health," he told Al-Monitor. For her part, Souad a 25-year-old from Hebron who asked to be identified only by her first name told Al-Monitor, I am currently undergoing treatment at the Hadassah University Hospital in Ein Karam based on a medical transfer from the Palestinian Ministry of Health. I was shot in the eye by the Israeli army six months ago, after which I was diagnosed with [damage to the retina of the eyes]. I was scheduled to have surgery in May. So the ministrys decision to halt medical transfers will prevent me from having the surgery inside Israel. Legal researcher at the Social and Economic Policies Monitor (a civil organization based in Ramallah) Iyad al-Riyahi told Al-Monitor, The Ministry of Health in Ramallah must determine the fate of patients who are [currently] receiving health care in Israeli hospitals. The decision should not apply to them before [2006's Law No. 11] ends to avoid health complications. If the decision is politically motivated to respond to Israels slashing of tax revenues, the ministry should sever ties completely. The House voted today to end US support for the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen, finally sending the resolution to President Donald Trumps desk after five votes since March 2018. Todays 247-175 vote marks the first time Congress has successfully used the 1973 War Powers Act in a bid to curtail a foreign military intervention. But Trump has threatened to veto the bill, which has not garnered enough support in either chamber to override him. This is the first time in the history of this nation that a War Powers Resolution has passed the House and Senate and made it to the presidents desk, the bills sponsors, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., said in a statement. Despite the many procedural roadblocks deployed in both chambers to block this resolution, commitment to human rights and responsibility prevailed. The resolution enjoyed bipartisan support when it passed the Republican-led Senate 54-46 last month. But todays House vote was mostly along party lines, with just 16 Republicans joining their Democratic colleagues to pass the bill. Most Republicans sided with Trump in arguing that the Vietnam-era War Powers Act does not apply in this case because US support for the Saudi intervention against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels does not rise to the level of hostilities. Lawmakers of both parties have long argued that Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates should do more to limit civilian casualties in Yemen, but disagree on the best approach. This resolution abuses the war powers tool to get at a completely different security assistance issue which Congress already has clear tools to address, Rep. Mike McCaul, R-Texas, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said ahead of the vote. If a member wants to condition or cut off US security assistance to Saudi Arabia, then bring forward a bill to do just that. McCaul argued that the resolutions only legal effect is to cut off US midair refueling support for Saudi Arabia, which the Trump administration already ended last year after the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. But Democrats note that it would also prevent the Trump administration from resuming that support. The liberal Congressional Progressive Caucus goes a step further, insisting that the resolution requires the United States to end targeting and logistical support for the Saudi coalition. The Democratic caucus stood largely united against a last-ditch Republican attempt to keep the bill off Trumps desk by adding unrelated language regarding Israel. Exploiting Democratic divisions over the pro-Palestinian boycott, divestment and sanctions movement (BDS), Republicans attempted to attach a nonbinding resolution to the bill opposing the movement. Most Democrats voted against the Republican motion, which failed 194-228, with five Democrats voting in favor. When offering the motion, McCaul labelled the Yemen resolution as pro-Iran and anti-Israel. Democrats in turn accused Republicans of using Israel as a partisan wedge issue. I am not for the BDS movement, Khanna said ahead of the vote. I have supported very strongly resolutions condemning anti-Semitism, but I also dont think that these tactics should be used as weapons to prevent the efforts to stop the greatest humanitarian crisis in the world. The Palestinian Authority (PA) says Hamas rocket attacks on Israel are interfering with PA efforts to gain international condemnation of Israel for its actions against the Gaza Strip. But Hamas says the PA has no one to blame but itself for its failures. In fact, it appeared Hamas and Israel made some progress with each other via an Egypt-brokered truce March 31, despite the flurry of rocket exchanges that immediately preceded the fragile calm. Israel agreed to open two border crossings it had closed recently, and to expand the area in which Palestinians can fish off the coast. Before this, however, Hamas found itself the target of heavy criticism from many directions, for its rocket attacks on Israel and especially for its violence in mid-March against Palestinians who were protesting the dire living conditions in the Gaza Strip. On March 10, Fatahs Central Committee member Jamal Mheisen accused Hamas on Felestin TV of never [being] willing to return to the Palestinian national ranks," and said "Palestinian and Arab efforts to encircle Hamas are required. On March 27, Saeb Erekat, secretary-general of the PLO Executive Committee, told the Voice of Palestine radio station, Gazas situation cannot remain the same. No party can [interfere] with its security." Also that day, Ibrahim Khraishi, the permanent observer representative of Palestine to the United Nations, told Voice of Palestine, Palestinian efforts to condemn Israeli violations in Gaza are being undermined by the rockets launched from Gaza. In a March 28 interview on An-Najah television, PA security services spokesman Adnan al-Dumairi accused Hamas of being non-Palestinian. Muwaffaq Matar, a member of Fatahs Revolutionary Council, described in his March 26 article on the movements website the recent rocket attack on Tel Aviv as a stray rocket Hamas is using to achieve its interests and receive money through understandings with Israel." He was referring to understandings between Hamas and Israel reached in November under Egyptian brokerage. Israel had agreed to allow the entry of a Qatari financial grant worth $15 million per month to pay the salaries of Hamas employees in Gaza and help poor families. Matar believes that by launching the rockets, Hamas aimed to pressure Israel to proceed with the grant from Qatar. Did it work? Through the March 31 agreement brokered by Egypt, Israel agreed to raise the amount Qatar can send to $40 million a month. Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem told Al-Monitor, Fatah and the PA condemnations for rocket-launching are old news. They criticize any act of resistance and their rhetoric promotes the Israeli narrative before the international community. The PAs diplomatic conduct is inappropriate. Of note, PA officials statements against Hamas on March 28 and March 31 coincided with Israels attack against Hamas targets inside Gaza. Qassem added, Hamas abides by the international law, which ensures the legitimacy of the resistance against Israel. The weak political discourse of the PA in international events reflects political bankruptcy, which the national Palestinian entity refuses. Abdullah Abdullah, a member of Fatahs Revolutionary Council and head of the political committee of the Palestinian Legislative Council, told Al-Monitor, Hamas rockets are impeding our diplomatic efforts before the UN and are restricting our action to mobilize voices condemning Israeli violations. Hamas is not helping us in this regard. [Hamas] is responsible for Gaza and each rocket launched toward Israel from Gaza burdens us legally and diplomatically. Israel is using these rockets to mobilize voices against us. An official in the Palestinian Foreign Ministry told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, The stance toward Hamas rockets must remain inside the Palestinian territories and should not be discussed in international platforms, because it would give Israel a diplomatic card to condemn us. During the March 26 regular session of the UN Security Council to discuss the situation in the Middle East and the Palestinian cause, UN Middle East Special Envoy Nikolai Mladinov called on the council members to condemn Hamas rockets on Israel because they are provocative and risk escalation. Israeli UN Ambassador Danny Danon also asked the council to condemn Hamas following the Tel Aviv rocket attack. Mazen Nour el-Din, dean of the Faculty of Law at Ummah Open University in Gaza, told Al-Monitor, It's wrong to blame Hamas rockets of undermining the PAs efforts to condemn Israel over its violations of international law. We should separate both matters because they are different. We can't compare Israels violations to Hamas rocket-launching, and we can't [blame] a lack of condemnation for Israel" on Hamas for launching the rockets. This was not the first time Hamas was discussed before the UN and its bodies. The United States on Dec. 6 had sought an official condemnation of Hamas for launching rockets on Israel, but failed to secure necessary votes of two-thirds of the members: 87 voted in favor, 57 voted against and 33 abstained. Even the PA opposed the bill. Rami Abdo, director of ImpACT International for Human Rights Policies, a nongovernmental think tank based in London, told Al-Monitor, Accusing Hamas rockets of impeding the PAs efforts before the UN reflects the failure of the PAs diplomatic corps in international platforms and exposes the illusions it tried to sell as diplomatic victories against Israel in the international community. In reality, the PA did not make a real breakthrough in UN diplomatic circles against Israel. On the contrary, the Palestinian mission at the Human Rights Council has undergone major setbacks. With the PA accusing Hamas of obstructing its diplomatic efforts with the UN, already tense relations are worsening. The PAs performance before the UN has been deteriorating without any Hamas effort. On March 22, the Human Rights Council, rather than criticizing Hamas, issued a resolution condemning Israels use of fatal force against protesters during their weekly demonstrations in the Gaza Strip. The PA can't blame Hamas rockets for its failures before the UN. Any Iranian hopes of Europe salvaging the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) are quickly fading nearly a year after the United States reneged on the nuclear deal between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany. Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on April 3 had some harsh words for Europe in an interview with Khamenei.ir, the official website of Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The Europeans must know that they cannot drop their responsibilities with a few statements or unimplemented plans, Zarif said. Our responsibility as a diplomatic agency is to pursue the work of the Europeans, warn them, bring pressure on them that they are responsible for acting upon their commitments, but we must never have hope in them. In return for Iran continuing to comply with the nuclear deal, which the International Atomic Energy Agency has verified numerous times, Europe has established a special purpose vehicle called INSTEX, short for Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges, to facilitate trade between Iran and the European Union. Given Zarifs reference to unimplemented plans, it appears INSTEX has had little effect in circumventing US sanctions reimposed as a result of President Donald Trump withdrawing from the JCPOA. During the short interview, Zarif said that the Europeans always looked at the JCPOA as an achievement, but certainly they did not have the ability to stand up against American sanctions. He continued, They made efforts, but their efforts were not enough. [This] demonstrated that the Europeans lacked the willingness to pay a cost in an area in which they themselves said was of strategic importance for them. In a tweet on April 3, Zarif further criticized the Europeans, noting that the E3 France, Germany and the United Kingdom has not been able to defend the nuclear deal by setting up a single banking channel for humanitarian aid. Zarif also accused the E3 of appeasing the United States in seeking a United Nations report on the status of Irans missile capabilities. Perhaps in an attempt to save face and stress the importance of working regionally, Zarif emphasized in the Khamenei.ir interview, [Iran will] still continue to work with Europe, but we never attached our hopes to Europe. This is why in the last few years, and even in the first years of the JCPOA, most of our travels have been to neighboring countries. Among the countries that Iran will continue to focus on according to Zarif are old partners, among them Russia, China, Turkey and Iraq. While I dont want to use the word friend, the focus will be on countries that cooperated with us under difficult conditions, Zarif said. The prime minister of one of these old partners, Iraq, will pay a visit on April 6. It will be Adel Abdul Mahdis first trip to Tehran since taking office last year. He is expected to meet with senior Iranian officials, including Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani. The trip comes just weeks after Rouhani traveled to Iraq for the first time since becoming president in 2013. According to Irans semi-official Mehr News Agency, Abdul Mahdis trip shows that the United States and its allied Arab countries have not been successful in pressuring states in the region to cut ties with Iran. To the contrary, it reported, Iraq plans to strengthen its political and economic ties with Tehran. As the transportation industry continues to grow around the globe, traffic congestion remains as one of the most significant, largely unresolved issues of the modern world. This is no different in Iran, and especially its capital, Tehran, where even the thought of being stuck in afternoon traffic is painful. But now, thanks to blockchain technologies, the general public may be empowered enough to take matters into their own hands and solve traffic and all the detrimental side effects that come with it. Since mid-2018, a group of Tehran-based millennial entrepreneurs and developers with extensive backgrounds in Irans lively startup scene have been working on Locon, a decentralized ecosystem for transportation, logistics and location-based services. They argue that the overwhelming majority of companies offering location-based services at the moment are centralized, and this creates a host of problems and concerns in the long run. For one, a centralized entity means a single point of failure that is vulnerable to hacking or extraterritorial exertions of power such as sanctions. But more importantly, centralization often means lack of transparency and profiting from user data that are not owned by users, which endangers their privacy. Moreover, centralized businesses will always move toward maximizing profits, which could have an adverse impact on affordability for users after the business has found a foothold in the market. To resolve these issues, Locon has combined concepts of secure decentralization and smart contracts pieces of self-executing computer code designed to digitally enforce an agreement. According to the Locon whitepaper, its blockchain is divided into a financial and a nonfinancial subnet to balance network access and management with network security. The financial subnet is a fork of the Ethereum permissioned public blockchain that has been tweaked to utilize a proof of stake consensus algorithm and support a higher capacity of transactions per second. The nonfinancial subnet, on the other hand, is a permissioned private blockchain that employs the Hyperledger Fabric framework. The two subnets interact directly and automatically through smart contracts. Before using any of the networks facilities, users will undergo a peer-to-peer authentication process based on consensus. In addition to providing a decentralized platform on which other businesses can develop their projects, Locon aims to offer four decentralized applications, or dApps. The first is map contribution, where users get to complete decentralized maps of cities and countries. The second is social contribution, which allows users to share everyday information about the environment they live in. The third dApp facilitates navigation. Decentralized ride-sharing, which links drivers and passengers, is the final dApp. Underpinning the entire nonfinancial and financial subnets are, respectively, a data-sharing facility and a token economy facility that uses a cryptocurrency called Locoin as its native asset to incentivize constructive contribution and deter malignant behavior. In total, the ecosystem will have 6.2 billion Locoins, according to the whitepaper. Locon has reserved 1.24 billion tokens for public and private initial coin offerings (ICO), 930 million for development, 620 million for marketing and 310 million for the founding team. The remaining half of total Locoins will comprise a reward pool that will be central to the projects operations. Based on the proof of stake algorithm, when employing any of the facilities offered by the Locon platform, users will have to lock in a certain volume of tokens. If their contribution is successful, they will get that amount back, in addition to a reward from the pool. If not, their initial tokens will be moved to the reward pool. Locon founders unveiled their project as an international platform in the Blockchain Economy Istanbul Summit on Feb. 20. They had launched their first private ICO about two weeks prior. The Istanbul summit was very good for us since we were supported by dozens of Iranians who had participated and also received interest and positive feedback by other nationalities, Locon cofounder and CEO Amir Habibzadeh told Al-Monitor. There, he added, they caught the attention of six foreign investors from Croatia, Germany, India and the United Arab Emirates, with whom they are currently negotiating. Due to legal reasons, the Locon team wants to register the company in ICO-friendly countries such as Malta, Lichtenstein and Estonia. If the company was to be registered in Iran, it could not have gone ahead with its ICOs because such offerings are currently illegal in Iran. The Central Bank of Iran in late January released an early draft of its cryptocurrency regulatory framework that included a relatively rigid stance on ICOs and also banned cryptocurrency use as a method of payment inside the country. Irans cryptocurrency community is trying to appeal to the regulator and has already sent extensive proposals to improve the framework, but the Locon team decided not to tie its fate to an uncertain future. Nevertheless, they have big ambitions for their native market. Habibzadeh said he expects Locon to replace Googles Waze, a navigation app used by millions of Iranians on a daily basis, in the near future. Our goal is to offer a variety of services to the general public and demonstrate that we will not steal their data for our own profit, he said. The roadmap envisioned for Locon sees the company release its DAICO, a set of rules that allow token holders to vote for reimbursement of contributions if they are dissatisfied with the projects development, in addition to its public ICO, in the second quarter of 2019. Starting in the first quarter of 2020, the network will launch its four dApps on a quarterly basis. In the third quarter of 2021, Locon aims to release a crowdfunding platform and establish a venture studio. When our MVP [minimum viable product] is out in the next few months, showing that what we claim to offer is really there, we expect initial interest to peak, Habibzadeh said. In an effort to focus on education, something they feel will be key to their success, Locon members are planning introductory courses first for investors and then for the general public. If Locon manages to get its platform off the ground, which will need $2.5 million in initial capital, it has the potential to completely change the face of traffic in Iran and beyond. This will have major implications since Iran is ranked third in the 2019 Numbeo Traffic Index and Tehran is ranked 10th in the organizations city rankings. In terms of pollution, Numbeo ranks Iran and Tehran 17th and 35th, respectively. According to local estimates, traffic congestion costs Tehran alone about 80 trillion rials ($1.9 billion) in terms of time and fuel wasted, in addition to pollution caused. On the second day of his trip to Iraq, Lebanese parliament Speaker Nabih Berri met April 1 with Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, a Shiite leader known for promoting cooperation and moderate positions in the region. Sistani told Berri, "It's important for everyone to work on establishing values of peaceful coexistence based on protection of rights and mutual respect between the different religious and ethnic components in our region, to provide security, stability, progress and prosperity for its peoples. After the meeting, Berri reciprocated, noting the opportunity Sistani's presence provides for the entire region: Sistani was the first one to save [not just] Iraq, but the region, from terrorism." Berri also met with Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi and Berri's Iraqi counterpart, Mohammed al-Halbusi. They discussed ways of enriching the countries' relationship in all aspects. Berri's visit to Iraq came after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's trip March 22 to Beirut. Pompeo warned about what he said are the criminal and terroristic activities of the Lebanon-based Shiite militant group Hezbollah, and raised the possibility of more US sanctions against Hezbollah and Iran. It seems Berri, during his visit to Iraq, wanted to send the message that his Amal Movement is different from Hezbollah, and gain Sistani's support against any possible sanctions. Berri leads Amal, which is a moderate Shiite group and the rival of pro-Iranian Hezbollah. Amal was founded by the famous Iranian cleric Musa al-Sadr, who was known for his clear distrust of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who led Iran from 1979-1989. Khomeini was an Islamist who considered the United States the "Great Satan." Sistani met last month with reformist Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. Sistani stressed to Rouhani as well the necessity of adopting moderate regional and international policies in this sensitive region to avoid disasters for its nations" meaning the escalating hostility between Iran and Saudi Arabia that shakes the region at times. Sistani always welcomes moderate Shiite figures, but declines to receive Shiite hard-liners. In the past he has met with Hashemi Rafsanjani (Iranian president from 1989-1997) and current Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, but refused to meet with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who was president of Iran from 2005-2013, and Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi, who was chairman of the Iranian Expediency Council from 2017 until his death in December. During a visit to Lebanon in 2004, Sistani refused to have Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah welcome him at the airport. He also declined to meet with a Houthi delegation in September 2016. Iran backs the Houthi rebels in Yemen's civil war, while Iran's nemesis, Saudi Arabia, backs the Yemeni government. Sistani always has been in favor of improving Iraq's relationship with Saudi Arabia. Unlike Iranian Supreme leader Ali Khamenei, Sistani never slams Saudi Arabia and other Sunni countries in the region. For example, Sistani avoided attacking the Saudis for executing Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr in 2016, and instead expressed solidarity with Nimr's family. Khamenei, on the other hand, blasted the Saudis, which led to an attack against the Saudi Embassy in Iran by pro-Khamenei advocates. Former Iraqi President Fouad Massoum met in 2014 with Sistani and the latter praised the Iraqi governments efforts to improve its regional relations and called for the strengthening of ties with all neighboring countries. During a visit at that time to Saudi Arabia, Massoum told then-Saudi King Abdullah that Sistani welcomed rapprochement efforts with Riyadh and stressed the importance of improving the relationship. Since then, Iraq's relations with Riyadh have progressed. Iraqi President Barham Salih, who visited Saudi Arabia last year, said April 2, "Iraqi-Saudi relations are growing very fast." Abdul Mahdi said April 3 that a high-ranking Saudi delegation is visiting Baghdad this week and he will be heading to Saudi Arabia in mid-April. Iraqi officials are visiting regional powers regularly to improve Iraq's ties and build economic bridges in the region. In 2014, Abdullah, in turn, praised Sistani's positions on Iraqi matters and regional issues. Saudi media, including the state-owned TV news channel Al Arabiya, have always adopted positive stances on Sistani's role in Iraq and the region. At the same time, Iranian Reformists also have been in good relationships with Sistani. Sistani did, however, criticize Iranian interference in Iraq. He told Rouhani that Iraq's sovereignty must be respected. Sistani also criticized Iranian Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani's public presence in Iraq during the fight against the Islamic State. Similarly, Sistani was against Iran's involvement in Syria. In conclusion, Sistanis approach in the region indicates he is supporting Shiite reformists, to empower them to engage with Sunni powers and international forces to reduce tension in the region and prepare for broad cooperation between all parties, bringing peace into the region. After two elections (2013 and 2015) in which economic issues were a central feature of the various parties campaigns, the current April 2019 election makes very little mention of economics. This time, the topics on the public agenda are completely different and include the various scandals involving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the ability of Blue and White head Benny Gantz to lead the country, and more recently, the conflict with Hamas in Gaza. The 2013 election took place with the socioeconomic protests which erupted in Israel just a year and a half earlier (the social justice demonstrations of summer 2011) still looming in the background. This brought issues like housing and the cost of living to the forefront. Yair Lapid, then a popular television host, decided to ride the wave and created a party called Yesh Atid, much like his father Tommy Lapid, who headed the centrist Shinui party from 1999 to 2006. The younger Lapids election slogan was Wheres the money? He ended up winning 19 seats, an excellent outcome for a new party, and was appointed finance minister. The economy was once again a major issue in the 2015 election. This, time, however, the person to benefit most from it was Moshe Kahlon, a former minister, who left the Likud to form his own party, Kulanu. His partys only message was socioeconomic. It won him 10 seats, an achievement that earned him the position of finance minister for the past four and a half years. In contrast, the economy is not a major issue in the current election. In fact, almost anyone identified with socioeconomic issues suffers in the polls. So, for instance, Kahlons party has dropped in the polls and is now hovering on the electoral threshold. In response to a question by Al-Monitor, Kahlon explained that his electoral strength suffered as a result of the struggle between the two major parties (Likud and Blue and White). He tried to win back those lost votes by announcing a plan to provide free education starting at the age of 1 and another program to help the elderly, but so far none of this has had any real success in boosting his standing. Lapid and his party also failed to rise in this elections early polls, winning just 14 seats and less. That was one of the reasons he decided to join forces with Benny Gantz to create the Blue and White party. As Netanyahus only serious rival for the office of prime minister, Gantz built his party without any major economic figures. Only recently did he bring in Avi Nissenkorn, chairman of the Histadrut, Israels largest labor union. Yet even then, the move was interpreted as resulting more from a desire to get the help of the Histadrut and the workers committee organizational infrastructure than as part of some economic policy. From an economic perspective, Gantz was subjected to harsh criticism for this move. Nissenkorn is identified with the bullying tactics of the markets big monopolies, including the Israel Railways, the Airport Authority, the Electric Company, the Israel Ports Authority, etc. (the labor unions of these companies are considered especially strong in Israel). Furthermore, Nissenkorns social democratic economic views are completely different from the liberal capitalist positions of Lapid and his people. The impossible connection between these two groups making up the Blue and White party shows that Gantz is not prioritizing the economy. Gantz speaks very little about the economy in his speeches; when he does bring up economic issues, it is generally in response to important questions like "Will you raise taxes?" In those cases, he tends to make do with generic responses and offers promises without any economic basis. A report by the financial newspaper Calcalist showed that some of Gantz socioeconomic promises merely reflected his hopes; other promises were not feasible and could not be implemented in the Israeli market. As little as the Likud does focus on the economy, it will raise the fact that the economy is doing relatively well. There has been a reduction in the poverty gap according to the inequality index, and there has been a sharp rise in the average wage. Dry economic data does show that Israel is facing some economic problems, as Akiva Eldar suggested here in an Al-Monitor article describing severe transportation problems and overcrowded hospitals. Still, the average Israeli saw a rise in the standard of living over the last 10 years (2009-2019) when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ruled, along with a decline in inequality and social gaps, significant increase of the average salary and relatively low unemployment compared to other countries in the West. Netanyahu was in power for all those years. Netanyahu and the Likud have been concealing Kahlon and Lapids long-term involvement in these achievements while blaming them for economic failings such as the high deficit and succumbing to workers unions. Lapid said, I dont know anything about economics, and he was right. He really was a failure as finance minister, Netanyahu said disparagingly on Feb. 21, adding, perhaps the biggest failure in the countrys history. He also lashed out at his main rival, saying, What is Gantzs economic record? He had one foray into the private sector, and he caused his firm to collapse. In fact, Netanyahu has been ignoring his own responsibility of nominating first Lapid and then Kahlon to the position of finance minister. Netanyahus political reason for the nomination of both was the same: appointing political rivals to positions that are traditionally unpopular in the public. In general, neither the people nor the other elements in the market like the finance minister. He is the one who always cuts budgets and orders new taxes. And indeed, both Lapid and Kahlon suffered on the electorate level from this position. One of the most prominent parties in the current election that is running exclusively on a socioeconomic platform is the Gesher party of Orly Levy-Abekasis, who hopes to be appointed minister of health. She was very popular in the polls at the start of this election, though most polls now predict that she will not pass the electoral threshold despite widespread support for her personally and for her economic positions. Another party whose economic positions are actually helping it gain traction is Moshe Feiglins Zehut party. Feiglin is a far right politician whose platform supports rejecting the Oslo Accord, retaking all the Palestinian occupied territories, granting civil but not political rights to loyal Palestinians and encouraging disloyal Palestinians to emigrate. But Feiglin is becoming the surprise of the current election, with recent polls giving him as many as seven seats some of them from left-wing bastions in the Greater Tel Aviv region. In a conversation with Al-Monitor, Feiglin explained that his voters, most of whom are young, may not align with the right on diplomatic issues, but they love the ideas surrounding personal freedom that appear in his platform chief among them libertarian economic policies and a radically free economy. So, for instance, he advocates privatization of the education and health systems, the repeal of taxes on cars, the elimination of different income tax levels and revoking government stipends to the unemployed, disabled, etc. In the 2019 election, the Netanyahu investigations and questions surrounding Gantzs personality have pushed aside much more important issues like the economy and Israeli society. The candidates are rarely asked about them, meaning that voters will cast their ballot knowing very little about the economic platforms of the major parties. Not even the most optimistic of polls give the Blue and White Party any hope of forming a relatively stable government after the April 9 elections without the support of the two Arab parties running, Raam-Balad and Hadash-Taal. However, neither one may get sufficient votes to enable the formation of a center-left bloc large enough to unseat Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Raam-Balad may not attract enough votes to get into the Knesset at all. Labor and left-wing Meretz are not doing well among Arab voters, while Blue and White leader Benny Gantz has declared on more than one occasion that Arab parties would not be welcome in his government. In a Feb. 8 interview with Yedioth Ahronoth, Gantz said he will consider partnership with any Zionist, a clear reference to the Arab parties not known to share the Zionist dream. In a March 19 interview on Channel 11, Gantz explicitly ruled out any political dialogue with Arab representatives. Little wonder, then, that many among Israel 21% non-Jewish minority are planning to spending their day off on April 9 meeting up with friends and family or going shopping rather than heading to the ballot box. The main challenge that the Arab parties now face is convincing the Arab voters that despite their frustration and disappointment, abstention would hurt their own interests. A video by popular Arab rapper Tamer Nafar confronting that question has tens of thousands of views. A poll commissioned by the Hadash-Taal list forecasts a turnout of 51%, compared with 63.5% in the 2015 elections. Another poll, commissioned by the German Friedrich Ebert Foundation and the Abraham Fund, foresees a turnout of 56%, 7.5% less than last time. Such low Arab turnout was last recorded when then-opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu challenged Prime Minister Shimon Peres in 1996, in the wake of Israels unintentional killing of dozens of children in the Lebanese village of Kafr Kana during a military operation codenamed Grapes of Wrath. Overall turnout in 2015 reached 72.3%. Adjusting for the estimated 500,000 Israelis who live abroad and do not vote, the real rate topped 80%. Two factors explain the declining Arab interest in Israels democratic process. One is disappointment with elected leaders whose turf and ego wars resulted in the dismantling of the alliance of four Arab parties that ran together in 2015 as the Joint List in response to the newly legislated electoral threshold of 3.25%, or four Knesset seats. However, the run seems to have been a one-off for the various individual ambitions and very different parties whose views range from Islamist fundamentalism to secular communism. The other factor, just as important, was the passage of the nationality law last July with the support of the right-wing and ultra-Orthodox parties, anchoring Israels status as the nation-state of the Jewish people. The platform of the new Blue and White Party, the only viable alternative to the ruling Likud, includes a promise to amend the controversial law to include the principle of equality. However, it is hard to ignore the party leadership's public aversion to a Jewish-Arab partnership. It is no secret that one of the partys top figures, Netanyahu's former Cabinet secretary Zvi Hauser, was instrumental in formulating the bill. Discourse across most of the political spectrum promises equality in public services for the Arab population. Nonetheless, no additional budgetary funding can erase the shame of an Arab child living in the Galilee town of Sakhnin repeatedly humiliated along with his family by security checks at the airport. How can an Arab mother from the town of Umm al-Fahm convince her daughter that Israel is her state, too? How does one translate into Arabic Netanyahus declaration that Israel is the nation-state of the Jewish people and only of the Jewish people? Recall the important but generally forgotten recommendations of the commission of inquiry established after rioting in 2000 left 12 Arab Israeli citizens and one Palestinian dead and dozens injured. The role of the state is not limited to material matters, wrote the panel headed by the late Supreme Court Justice Theodor Or. The commission, which included Nazareth District Court Judge Hashem Khatib and Middle East scholar Shimon Shamir, who served as Israels ambassador to Egypt and Jordan, recommended finding ways to reinforce Arab citizens' sense of belonging to the state without adversely affecting their belonging to their culture and community. The panel asked whether the time had come for public expression of common denominators that link the entire population through the addition of official state events and symbols with which the Arab citizens could identify. Except for the health care system, Arabs constitute only 3% of senior government staff and 5% of mid-level public sector employees. Most government agencies do not have a single highly placed Arab. The Israel Democracy Institute determined that the way to achieve equality and civil partnership between Jews and Arabs in Israel involves not only funding allocations but also inclusion in decision-making. The state comptrollers 2015 report found that seven of the 10 main state-owned enterprises did not employ a single Arab official. The data reflects a particularly grim picture that runs counter to the principle of equality, wrote the governments watchdog agency, urging that the problem be resolved expeditiously. But who will rectify this serious shortcoming? Who will instill the principle of equality between Arabs and Jews? Other minorities in Israel, such as the gay community and, of course, the settlers who violate the law in West Bank outposts, can choose from an array of coalition Knesset members with close ties to the government to champion their cause. The Arab Knesset members, however, perch uneasily on the opposition benches and serve as punching bags for the right. The remedy to this dangerous sense of alienation on the part of the Arab minority was spelled out in black and white in Israels 1948 Declaration of Independence. Its authors pledged that the state would ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex, as well as freedom of religion, conscience, language, education and culture. Gantz party would do well to include these words in its agenda. Arab Knesset members were excluded from the prestigious Knessets Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee for years until Meretz member Issawi Frej was accepted in 2017. In 2007, a first Arab Knesset member was invited to join the cabinet. Labor's Raleb Majadele received the science portfolio in the Ehud Olmert government. Right-wingers like Avigdor Liberman and Avi Dichter were members of that same cabinet without any problems. So why not appoint this time around Taal's Dr. Ahmad Tibi as minister of health? Such an appointment would help Israel's shaken democracy recover. And where is the danger in appointing Hadashs Ayman Odeh to the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee? He wouldnt be suspected of promoting the sale of submarines to Arab countries. On April 7, two days before the general elections, hundreds of Hamas members jailed in Israel will launch a hunger strike. According to the announcement by the prisoners leadership, and in contrast to previous hunger strikes, this time the inmates will not even drink water. The idea is for them to succumb quickly, flooding hospitals and increasing pressure on Israel to acquiesce to their demand. The first to strike will be prisoner leaders in five facilities, followed by all the Hamas prison population. Prisoners affiliated with other organizations, such as Fatah and its top official, former Tanzim head Marwan Barghouti, who is serving five life sentences, will join them. The Israel Prison Service (IPS) has declared an emergency and beefed up its deployment. The IPS has reportedly called up doctors for reserve duty to administer forced feeding as the strike expands and the condition of the strikers deteriorates. Previous hunger strikes sparked bitter clashes with the Israel Medical Association (IMA) over the ethics of force-feeding. The IMA has already informed the IPS ahead of time that doctors would refuse to force-feed prisoners at deaths door. From the minute Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called early elections and scheduled primaries in the ruling Likud party, this whole scenario was a foregone conclusion. On Jan. 2, Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan convened a news conference at which he announced a crackdown on the thousands of Palestinians jailed in Israel for security-related offenses. The party is over, he declared combatively, presenting a series of measures that would make life tougher for the prisoners. These included limits on water use (Erdan claimed the inmates use five times more water than Israelis do), fewer canteen privileges, a ban on cooking in the cell areas, and a halt to the practice of housing prisoners affiliated with different organizations in separate wings or jails. Erdan also announced prisoners would no longer be allowed to elect their leadership, a body that in fact provides prison authorities with control over the prisoners and discipline. In February, Erdan launched a campaign against the use of cellphones smuggled into the prisons, ordering the installation of jamming devices. The IPS had for years been reluctant to use these simple technological means, preferring instead to conduct periodic searches and confiscate hidden phones. Everyone understood that sweeping campaigns of the type announced by Erdan would have disastrous results and that a measured response to the phone issue was advisable. In other words, authorities had decided over the years to accept a certain degree of cellphone use that they could control in order to prevent wholesale use of the forbidden devices but avoid a showdown. Senior security officials warned against Erdans policy. The heads of the IPS argued behind closed doors that the minister was wrong and that he was motivated by political considerations on the eve of party primaries, but no one stopped him in time. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not put Erdan in his place, either, and Israel is now facing a dilemma. Any decision it makes could complicate matters further. Accepting the prisoners demands would be considered surrender; trying to overpower and force-feed them could encourage other inmates to join the strike and spark Palestinian protests in the West Bank. The death of a prisoner could set off widespread violence. A week after Israel and Hamas reached initial understandings on a cease-fire and alleviation of the crisis in Gaza, the planned hunger strike raises the issue not only of the cellphones but also of the crackdown Israel launched several months ago on visits by inmates families. At an April 2 news conference, Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh linked the emerging cease-fire deal with Israel to the issue of the prisoners. He insisted there would be no compromise over the phones, the family visits and the canteen privileges. Israel, he had realized over time and certainly in recent weeks, only understands one thing: force. The leader of Hamas in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, considers himself the father of Palestinian prisoners, having promised them he would not forget them when he himself was freed from an Israeli jail in 2011 in a swap for a captured Israeli soldier. He is willing to go all the way, just as long as the prisoners, the spearhead of the Palestinian national struggle, remain steadfast. The hunger strike, which is a result of worsening conditions mostly for Hamas inmates, also underscores the struggle between Fatah and Hamas and between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Which of them will the prisoners and their families crown as their greatest ally who stands beside them as they wage their just struggle? Fatah head and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas or Hamas Haniyeh and Sinwar? Where will the larger protests be held? In Gaza? In the West Bank? And what additional moral support will the organizations provide? A rocket launch by the Hamas military wing toward central Israel or a terror attack against Israelis in the West Bank with the help of an organized infrastructure? Will we witness, perhaps, a local initiative by young Palestinians as a gesture of support for the hunger strikers? All these questions were put on the table at various assessment sessions conducted in recent weeks by Israeli security forces. The military and other security agencies are convinced the planned hunger strike will result in an escalation in Gaza and the West Bank. A clash in one arena could set off a series of clashes in another arena, pitting rival organizations against each other to prove which can deliver the most for our brave young men (Palestinian prisoners in Israel). According to a famous Jewish saying, 100 wise men would not be able to pull out a stone that one stupid man threw down a well. To paraphrase the adage, if a not-so-smart minister throws a stone into a well, 100 wise men will not be able to pull it out. Erdan the braggart, who has consistently been wrong in his assessments and proved that not only does he not understand security issues but also refuses to listen to experts, has cooked up a dangerous and unnecessary mess for next weeks elections. BEIRUT In an upscale area of downtown Beirut at the luxury Le Gray Hotel, staff and members of the public lay on folding beds in a conference room, giving blood at a drive organized by Donner Sang Compter (DSC), a Lebanese nongovernmental organization (NGO). The organization, founded in 2006, plays a unique role in Lebanons blood donation system organizing blood drives, creating a database of donors and engaging with the many actors in the countrys health-care system. The April 2 blood drive in Beirut is only one of the 200 events DSC holds each year, filling an important gap in the decentralized blood donation system. Lebanon primarily uses replacement donations, where patients who need blood have to find it themselves, putting pressure on families already dealing with a medical emergency. To complicate matters further, Lebanons health-care sector is made of public and private hospitals often acting independently. DSC has been working to address this, promoting a volunteer donation system, where individuals give blood to be stored and used without requiring involvement from those who need it. This model is supported by the World Health Organization (WHO), which has called for a global transition to 100% volunteer blood donations by 2020. In a 2010 report, WHO found that hospitals that are dependent on replacement donors are rarely able to maintain a sufficient stock of blood to meet the transfusion needs of all their patients. Despite this, Lebanon is still far from achieving a volunteer-based system. While there are no national statistics, Yorgui Teyrouz, the head of DSC, estimates that 90% of Lebanons blood is acquired through replacement, with even the modest achievement of reaching 10% voluntary donations in large part due to the work of NGOs and civil society groups like DSC and the Lebanese Red Cross (LRC). Founded by Teyrouz, DSC was a project a long time in the making, as he told Al-Monitor. When I was 17, I volunteered at the LRC, and it was there I realized there was a need to organize the whole sector. I was in the first aid team, and in that team we were trying to procure blood, but that was not our job; our job was to help people [involved] in accidents," he said. This realization carried through into other aspects of Teyrouzs life including his work in the Scouts movement, where he formed a database of donors from his troupe. In 2006, the grandfather of one of my Scouts needed 5 units [2,250 milliliters] of AB-negative, the rarest blood type. At that time I had a small database in the Scouts with members phone numbers, names and blood types to help him, he said. Teyrouz still keeps a copy of this database on a laminated card in his wallet. As I dug deeper, I realized the real problem, which is that we have a super-decentralized system in this country, Teyrouz explained. Around 84.66% of Lebanons hospitals are private, according to a 2013 report by the Lebanese Banque BEMO. Many of these hospitals operate independently and have their own small blood bank supply based on replacements from patients, which is often insufficient. One of the largest suppliers of blood is the LRC, which covers approximately 15% to 20% of the estimated national blood needs. Dr. Rita Feghali, director of blood transfusion services at LRC, told Al-Monitor, The Ministry of Public Health delegates the LRC blood transfusion services and its 13 branches present in six governorates in Lebanon to collect blood and to provide health institutions with safe blood for patients in need. The LRC has increased its voluntary blood donations from 10% of all available blood in 2013 to 43% in 2018, with the aim of reaching 80% in 2023. However, Feghali said, People are struggling to find blood donors for patients and the transfusion system is still based on replacement donation in the country. She said she supports Teyrouzs opinion in regard to the fractured nature of the Lebanese system, explaining, The blood supply in Lebanon is highly fragmented and relies on the service provided by over 100 private and governmental hospitals as well as the service provided by the LRC blood transfusion services. The Lebanese government has attempted to standardize the system, seen in the 2013 guidelines set by the Ministry of Public Health for good blood transfusion practices, but the decentralization and reliance on replacements still maintains pressure on patients and their families. Furthermore, per the law the responsibility for blood transfusions rests on the party that administers blood to the patient, and as such hospitals are still wary of accepting blood from a third party. Teyrouz offers an answer to this, saying, My solution, is you [the hospital] want to [take] the blood yourself. Fine, I will provide all the services, I will organize the blood drive, the equipment, the volunteers, the marketing, the connections, everything. You bring your staff to supervise the drive, take blood and increase your stock. In doing this, the DSC navigates the fragmented health-care system while avoiding donors getting turned away, a situation Teyrouz warned of. Say today you wake up and you want to give blood. The first question [the hospital] would ask is To who? And if you dont have a name, they wouldnt take it, which is creepy and crazy. We have zero motivation for donors and [then] we say we dont have blood. However, the work of institutions like DSC are changing this and offering the public a place to donate blood and hospitals a safe, quality supply. Amira Ayoub, a student who gave blood for the first time at the drive in downtown Beirut, told Al-Monitor, "Think about it, how many people get into an accident or need surgery? And you ask yourself whether your family will need it, or you yourself. Then you see how important it is. American Birding Podcast: On Crow Culture with Kaeli Swift Dr. Kaeli Swift knows crows. And shes watched them do some pretty extraordinary things. In fact all corvids-the family that includes crows, jays, magpies, and others-have a well deserved reputation for intelligence and fascinating social behaviors. Dr. Swifts research has provided insights into how crows interact with us, with their dead, and with each other. She joins me from Denali National Park where she is working with Canada Jays to talk about corvid culture and cognition. Also, Fantasy Birding makes the big time! Sort of. And some thoughts on the passing of a giant of modern birding. Thanks to the Grays Harbor Shorebird Festival for their support of the American Birding Podcast. Vodafone Idea Limited is deploying a state-of-the-art, automated multicloud network across the country to enable an unmatched experience for its retail and enterprise customers. As pioneers in Cloud implementation, Vodafone Idea is deploying the largest integrated cloud platform for its IT and network applications. It has collaborated with Cisco to deploy a distributed multicloud architecture based on Cisco Network Functions Virtualization Infrastructure (NFVI). This automated solution has enabled a nationwide deployment in record time. It has fast-tracked Vodafone Ideas Data Core Network rollout, increased capacities, and helped reduce costs as Cloud implementation is now done in just 72 hours with the same cloud being used for both IT and Network applications. As Vodafone Idea Ltd. modernizes its network to make it more efficient and future proof, the agile, smart, and efficient platform will help the operator adapt to changing customer preferences, and allow for the continued launch of innovative use cases. In the face of unpredictable data growth, agility means getting adequate capacity on line, where needed, in time. Vodafone Idea Limiteds automated cloud scale architecture is synchronized across applications, operating systems, infrastructure, and an underlying IP-MPLS core. CiscoVIM for NFVI management, Cisco Ultra Packet core and Policy, 3rd party VNFs (Virtual Network Functions), Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (Cisco ACI) the industry leading intent-based data center solution Security. Together with Cisco Customer Experience teams, Vodafone Ideal Limited ensures that the deployment of cloud infrastructure is done in less than 72 hours. Vishant Vora, Chief Technology Officer, Vodafone Idea Limited, said, We are in the midst of a large scale Network Integration and Transformation program to serve our approximately390 million subscribers. Building a robust, secure and future proof network infrastructure based on cloud is a key component of the transformation. The distributed cloud architecture will enable edge and fog computing services for our customers in both the enterprise and consumer spaces. Cisco has collaborated with us in building this fully virtualized, scalable cloud architecture that supports our traditional connectivity as well as IOT. Kishen Mangat, vice president and general manager, Mobility Business Group, Cisco, said, This project furthers Ciscos position as a trusted partner at Vodafone Idea Limited India for cloud, virtualization, data center and mobile packet core. Our work together has helped to advance Vodafone Idea Limited Indias rapidly growing data traffic over many years, and we look forward to our future networking transformation. ISTANBUL Turkeys biggest city remained on tenterhooks on Thursday as a recount of votes in a contentious mayoral election entered its third day, with the opposition candidate arguing that his winning margin remained too wide for the ruling party's candidate to overcome. Ekrem Imamoglu, a former district mayor who ran as a unity candidate on the Republican Peoples Party (CHP) ticket, is ahead by 0.2% of the vote in Istanbul, where more than 8.5 million votes were cast, according to preliminary results, putting him on the cusp of a huge upset against the Justice and Development Party (AKP), which has controlled the municipality for 25 years. His opponent, former Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, has said it is far too early for Imamoglu to declare himself mayor and that both sides must wait for a recount to finish. So far, the recount of votes that were initially invalidated has been completed in 11 of the 21 Istanbul districts for which the High Election Board initially ordered partial or complete recounts. Imamoglu said the new tally had narrowed his lead slightly to 19,552 votes. Late on Thursday, the election board ruled that all invalidated votes would be examined in all 39 Istanbul districts, a sweeping expansion of the recount. It ordered a full recount of all votes in three areas, a CHP official told reporters. This process should be completed as soon as possible We just want to get on with our work as soon as possible, Imamoglu told a news conference on Thursday. At the end of the day, even if all of the invalidated votes are counted, the difference will remain between 18,000 and 20,000. But the AKP said the recount should make the opposition nervous. Already, 11,109 votes from 530 ballot boxes have been corrected to show votes for Yildirim, AKP deputy chairman Ali Ihsan Yavuz said on Thursday. But he did not say how many votes in the recount had gone to Imamoglu, nor how the recount has affected the overall tally. Youll see, very different results will emerge. There are more corrections to come, Yavuz said, adding that soon the CHP may have cause for concern. The AKPs representative on the High Election Board, Recep Ozel, said the gains Yildirim has made in the recount show he would win the mayorship if authorities grant the party's request for an expanded recount. Sundays election for mayors and city councils took place against the backdrop of a recession and saw the AKP lose a string of provinces amid widespread voter discontent over President Recep Tayyip Erdogans handling of the economy. The party has focused its recount efforts on Istanbul and the capital Ankara, where CHP candidate Mansur Yavas holds a seemingly insurmountable lead of 4 percentage points. Unofficial results from recounts in two eastern provinces confirmed wins by the Peoples Democratic Party (HDP), whose base is overwhelmingly Kurdish, after candidates from the ruling partys alliance had disputed the outcome. The election board has so far resisted the HDPs call for a recount in a third province where it lost by fewer than 600 votes. Losing Istanbul is an especially painful blow for Erdogan, who was born in a tough waterfront neighborhood there before becoming its mayor in 1994, setting the stage for him to become prime minister in 2003 and president in 2014. Erdogan has been largely absent from public view since delivering remarks that were neither a concession nor a victory speech, stirring some anxiety among the opposition about whether he would attempt to block Imamoglu. On Thursday, Imamoglu half-joked that Erdogan owed him a debt of three to five meetings the number of times the president has met with Yildirim since the election. In his first comments since the election, late on Wednesday Erdogan called the apparent winners in Ankara and Istanbul lame ducks, possibly referring to the parliamentary majority his party controls with its ultranationalist partners and his unchecked powers as president. He doesnt face his own reelection until 2023. The president wont be happy if the final count shows Ekrem Imamoglu will become mayor but he takes consolation in the majority [his party] won in districts and councils and he is placating his base with that, Akfi Beki, a columnist for Karar and a former press adviser to Erdogan, said in an interview. Newspapers reported this week that Erdogan may reshuffle his Cabinet after the election setback and that he is already contemplating how to regain support in Turkeys biggest cities, which will prove key battlegrounds in his reelection bid. Erdogans spokesman Ibrahim Kalin earlier this week ruled out an early general election, tweeting that the next vote will be held as scheduled in 2023. Signs of divisions within the AKP may be emerging. A former AKP lawmaker said in a newspaper column that traitors within the party are partly to blame for the loss of Istanbul and Ankara, acting as if they were with us while stabbing us in the back. Erdogan could seek his revenge by straitjacketing Ankara and Istanbuls budgets. The government is said to be preparing new rules to limit the fiscal authority of municipalities that would require Erdogans approval to award contracts to companies, according to the opposition Sozcu newspaper. Istanbuls 2019 budget is more than $4 billion. For now, the CHP is enjoying what it believes is a certain win in Istanbul. Imamoglu spent part of Thursday visiting a street market where vendors and shoppers hugged and kissed the previously little known 49-year-old who has defiantly squared off against the AKP. Imamoglu urged volunteers to protect the ballots until the recount is finalized. Volunteers from political parties are guarding votes around the clock, and observers posted images on social media of volunteers sleeping on sacks of votes throughout the night. One CHP official manning a recount station on the Asian side of Istanbul said the process had been smooth but was taking longer than expected because AKP officials had requested that votes in all of the ballot boxes be recounted. At the facility where she is volunteering, electoral officials spent Thursday examining 426 ballot boxes, which contain about 300 votes each, she said on condition her name was not used. The Pentagon will not entertain Turkeys plan to set up a bilateral working group aimed at tempering US fears over the looming acquisition of Russian air defenses, the Defense Department told Al-Monitor today. Speaking at a Washington panel celebrating the 70th anniversary of the NATO alliance on Wednesday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu again insisted that the purchase of the Russian made S-400 was a done deal. But he also floated the idea of creating a bilateral panel to try to quell US fears that the system could give Russia insights into Western weapons systems, including the F-35 fighter jet, for which Turkey builds the fuselage. Cavusoglus pitch for a working group appears to be the newest idea from Ankara to quash tensions over the pending purchase of the S-400, which Turkey insists will not be integrated into NATO networks. But the Donald Trump administration isnt interested. A technical working group at this stage isn't necessary or a path the US is even considering as a resolution, said Pentagon spokesman Eric Pahon. We have been clear with Turkey at all levels the S-400 is a threat to the F-35 program and the safety of our NATO allies. The United States had anticipated that the first jets sold to Turkey would be transferred as early as this summer, but the Pentagon halted the delivery of F-35 equipment to the country earlier this week in response to the pending S-400 purchase. Despite the rising tensions, the United States continues to proceed with Turkish training on the F-35 in hopes that Ankara may come around on the S-400. The Pentagon today delivered two more of the jets to Luke Air Force Base in Arizona, where Turkish pilots are training on the jets before they are flown back to Turkey and formally handed over to Ankara. The Pentagon appears to already have made its best counter-offer to stave off a potential S-400 sale. In January, Pahon told Al-Monitor, the United States made our strongest possible offer with the Patriot missile-defense system, offering fresh batteries, advanced air defense missiles and bilateral coordination on industrial and system development aspects of the program. We have provided Turkey the opportunity with Patriot to acquire a NATO interoperable system that will advance our collective security, Pahon reiterated today. As Turkey's ally, we recognize Turkey lives in a tough neighborhood and its acquisition decisions are its sovereign choice, he added, while adding that the S-400 purchase was fundamentally incompatible with the Patriot offer. Members of Congress are also doubling down on efforts to stop the F-35 transfer if the Russian sale goes through. Last month, 31 lawmakers sent a letter to the leaders of the House Appropriations Committee pushing for legislative language blocking federal funds from being used to help transfer F-35s to Turkey unless the secretary of state certifies that Ankara isnt moving ahead with the S-400 deal. Meanwhile, Russia and Turkey remain in talks over the delivery date for S-400 parts, originally slated for May. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to meet with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Moscow next week. MOSCOW Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Moscow today, his second trip to the Russian capital in three months. The previous visit at the end of February saw Netanyahu and President Vladimir Putin put the crisis in Russian-Israeli relations over a downed Russian plane in Syria behind them the first step in getting bilateral coordination to the level desired by both leaders. At that meeting, Netanyahu also invited Putin to Israel in May for the unveiling of a monument to the defenders of Leningrad (modern day St. Petersburg) during World War II. This time, the conventional wisdom in Moscow had it that Netanyahu wouldnt have traveled to Russia five days before his nation's fateful parliamentary elections had he not felt positively about the talks with Putin. With the election stakes rising and the Iranian presence in Syria apparently becoming an even bigger of a worry for Israel, Netanyahus three-part ploy eyed the following: to placate about a million descendants of Russian Jewish immigrants who are now voters in Israel and politically dispersed but mainly support former Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman's Yisrael Beitenu, to negotiate favorable terms for Israels standing in Syria, including countering pro-Iranian forces there, and to reinforce the image of one of a handful international leaders who enjoy good relations with both Trump and Putin and arguably the only one who manipulates both Russia and the United States for the benefit of his country's national security interests. The visit to Moscow may be his second biggest campaign move since his recent trip to Washington. Remarkably, Trumps recent decision on the Golan Heights was not brought up in public deliberations of in press releases of the Putin-Netanyahu talks. For Putin, the 13th meeting with his Israeli counterpart since December 2015 had its own significance. As Syria slowly moves into a post-war stage, he outsourced the marshy process of political settlement, return of the refugees and reconstruction to agencies within Foreign and Defense Ministries to personally focus on riskier yet more politically valuable assets: high level mediation of the Israeli-Iranian and Turkish-Syrian conundrums. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey yet another leader who seeks to play Russia and the United States against each other for the benefit of his country's interests is expected in Moscow on April 8. Putin and Netanyahu seem to be on the same page. They have developed good personal chemistry and seem to have the knack for engaging on interests without exposing their metagame. Therefore, in terms of public promotion, Putin gave Netanyahu everything he coveted and a little more. We highly appreciate your policy on commemorating the Red Army soldiers who fought against Nazism and who brought liberation to many people in Europe, including the Jewish people, Putin said in his opening remarks with Netanyahu, adding that work would begin that day searching for the remains of fallen Red Army soldiers who perished while fighting in Russia. He went on, I believe the same fate befell Israeli serviceman Zachary Baumel, who was killed in 1982 and was considered missing in action. As you may know, our military personnel and their Syrian partners helped find Zacharys remains. We are glad that he will receive proper military honors in his homeland. Another purely humanitarian aspect of this case is that Zacharys family will be able to bring flowers to his grave. Two years ago, Netanyahu asked Putin to help recover the body of Baumel, who went missing in Syria 37 years ago. Now that the body has been found, Putin ceremonially presented it to Netanyahu. The Russian Defense Ministry set up a special ceremony to commemorate Baumel. Putin would claim credit for keeping his word, Netanyahu for managing to develop the kind of relationship with the Russian leader for him to risk his own servicemen and go out of his way to have the Syrians to cooperate on the task. Mr. President, we are wholeheartedly grateful to you for your personal friendship, for your position and for the position of Russia, which shares these values with Israel, Netanyahu told Putin in response. We would like to express our gratitude to the Russian Defense Ministry and the Russian army. We will never forget their contribution, which will go down in history, he added, making an overture to the institution that has been critical of Israel ever since the spy jet was downed in September last year in what the Defense Ministry is still convinced was an Israeli provocation. Yet its the military that will have to do the daily bilateral coordination which Russia apparently seeks to take to a new level and part of Putins conversation with Netanyahu. Russia and Israel have recently been in talks about updating the existing de-confliction agreement on Syria that has been in place since 2015. Following the downing of the Russian aircraft, Moscow pushed for faster notifications about Israeli strikes on suspected Iranian targets in Syria. The Russians also wanted the agreements to be written and signed instead of based on mutual trust. The Israelis, in turn, are concerned about having their wings clipped. Israeli sources who spoke with Al-Monitor not for attribution argued that in principle, Israel is not against making the agreement more legally binding, but Russias own attitude toward Iran remains a riddle that makes it hard to negotiate concrete terms beyond the de-confliction of Russian and Israeli forces. In February, Putin and Netanyahu agreed to create a working group on the gradual expulsion of foreign forces from Syrian territory. But each party may see the outcome somewhat differently: For Israel, just like for the United States, the primary problem in Syria is Iran, but for Russia its the American presence that is seen as destabilizing. Thats not to say Moscow would resist initiatives that involve cutting down on the Iranian presence in Syria, especially in the areas where it may conflict with Russias own interests or create a source of geopolitical strain. Yet Moscow is unlikely to yield to the Israeli demands if they mean tipping the political and security balance in favor of the United States or threaten to upset Russias own work on Syria. The idea of a comprehensive working group bringing together the Russians, Israelis, Syrians and perhaps the Americans, Iranians and Turks seeks, in the words of Putin, to settle Syria after the ultimate suppression of all terrorist hotbeds and to have all foreign contingents depart Syria to fully restore its statehood and sovereignty. Russia certainly doesnt see its own presence as subject to the expulsion, given the treaty Moscow and Damascus signed in January 2017 that allows Russia to use and expand the Tartus naval facility for 49 years free of charge. Although the Astana format showed even most incogitable compositions of actors are not impossible, the modern reality suggests that all of the outside actors getting on board is unlikely and probably unproductive at this stage. Until then, Moscow is likely to eye a separate working group for Israel, Syria and Iran and will continue to forge leverage and brainstorm incentives via bilateral dealings the process that transcends election cycles and that may take several of them before its completed, if ever. About a month ago, while campaigning for Turkeys March 31 local polls, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stressed that separating domestic and foreign policy is impossible and that domestic policy shapes foreign policy anywhere in the world. In further remarks at the March 2 rally in Trabzon, he said, The more our country grew stronger at home, the more it grew stronger and gained respect abroad over the past 17 years. The more the Turkish economy grew, the more influence Turkish diplomats gained. The more Turkish democracy advanced, the more Turkeys say in foreign affairs increased. Before getting to the point, lets use our liberty to construe Erdogans words and note that what he means by our country and Turkish democracy is his own rule since 2002. In the local polls, Erdogan lost hold of Turkeys most important city, Istanbul, the capital, Ankara, and all other big urban centers except Bursa. The fundamental meaning of this loss was described by Erdogan himself in his Trabzon speech. Every move, every achievement of ours in domestic politics and I underline every election victory of ours has had very positive repercussions abroad, he said. The statement points to one crucial reality: The political clout derived from election victories was of significant help to Erdogan and then-Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu as the pair moved Turkish foreign policy away from its institutional trajectory and put it on an increasingly Islamist and anti-Western track from 2009 onward. Deserving a special mention in this regard are the 2010 constitutional referendum, which the government won with 58% of the vote, and the general elections the following year, in which Erdogans Justice and Development Party mustered a record 50% of the vote. By all measures, Erdogan proved highly successful in projecting the political might bestowed on him by elections onto his foreign policy, both in its takeoff and collapse stages. His international perception as Turkeys strongman proved instrumental in his ties with the West and Middle Eastern affairs. And from the moment his foreign policy spiraled into deadlock, the broad voter base and the cult of personality he had built at home gave him a sound resistance ground to hold onto in the face of mounting challenges. During the anti-government Gezi Park protests in 2013 the turning point when his international image was irrevocably tarnished, only to continue worsening ever since Erdogan issued a memorable threat to his opponents demonstrating in the streets. I am hardly restraining [my] 50% at home, he said June 4, 2013, referring to his voter base. The fact that he made the remarks in response to questions by a Reuters reporter ahead of a foreign tour comprising Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria was neither coincidental nor independent from his foreign policy. Since Erdogan believes that every election victory has had very positive repercussions abroad, the same logic dictates that his defeat in the local polls is now expected to cause negative repercussions for him on the international scene. Indeed, Erdogan has suffered a big power loss and the world has immediately discerned it. Second, the world has also seen the rise of a democratic resistance to Erdogans authoritarian rule a resistance that remains committed to expressing itself at the ballot box. The recognition of this fact is expected to turn up external pressures on Erdogan, especially in ties with the United States. Turkish-US ties are already on a collision course over Ankaras insistence on buying S-400 air defense systems from Russia. With the two NATO allies heading toward a perfect storm, US sanctions appear inevitable if Turkey proceeds with acquiring and deploying the S-400s. The 2017 Countering Americas Adversaries Through Sanctions Act authorizes President Donald Trump to impose various sanctions on countries that purchase significant weapons from Russia and relevant Russian officials and organizations. Twelve types of sanctions are available under the act, including blocking the targeted countrys access to international financial institutions such as the International Monetary Fund. Should Turkey receive delivery of the S-400s in midsummer, as announced, it would face the risk of being slapped with at least five of the sanctions under the act, depending on Trump's decision-making. Apart from the sanctions, the S-400 deployment would halt the delivery of F-35 jets to Turkey, a co-producer of the new-generation stealth fighter, over concerns that the radars of the Russian air defense systems could compromise the technology secrets of the aircraft. In a first step to that effect, Washington announced April 1, the day after the local elections, the suspension of equipment deliveries to Turkey related to its purchase of the F-35s. Clearly, US decision-makers waited for the elections to pass to make the move timing that can hardly be explained with any other reason but to prevent Erdogan from using the suspension as election fodder fanning anti-American sentiment. It is not hard to predict that Erdogans defeat in the local polls will embolden his adversaries in the Trump administration and other US institutions, encouraging them to be more assertive in pushing sanction against Ankara. The likely hardening of positions is also expected to exacerbate the impact of the open-ended economic crisis Turkey is going through. Indeed, Erdogans election defeat could push him to seek closer relations with Moscow. Nevertheless, one could easily guess that if Turkey loses the maneuvering room that traditionally has come from by balancing relations between Russia and the United States, Erdogans ties with Moscow would be akin to a hostage situation. Incidentally, the news that Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Erdogan for his election success might afflict one with a temporary loss of touch with reality. Still, one should keep in mind that Putin might have helped Erdogan duck a bigger defeat. The Sochi deal the two leaders reached in September 2017 on Syrias rebel-held province of Idlib has long proven to be a failure, but a Russian-backed Syrian offensive on the al-Qaeda-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in the region has thus far been deferred, which cannot be explained without factoring in Turkeys political calendar. The launch of an offensive prior to the March 31 polls and its potential side effects on Turkey could have led to larger electoral losses for Erdogans government. In light of these timing considerations, the likelihood of an offensive on Idlib has now increased. At the same time, Ankara is likely to step up its pursuit of a military operation against the Syrian Kurdish Peoples Protection Units which Turkey sees as an offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers Party, a designated terrorist group in a bid to push Erdogan's election defeat out of focus. In a campaign speech a day before the elections, Erdogan said, The first thing after the elections will be to resolve the Syrian issue on the ground rather than at the [negotiating] table, if possible. This was not for nothing he was well aware he was up for a bad outcome from the polls. Finally, the specter of a crisis with the United States, coupled with the economic turmoil, raises the importance of ties with Europe for Ankara. Anticipation is now likely to build in the European Union and other major European actors that pressure on a weakened Erdogan could begin to yield results. Turkeys security officials are divided over how to handle Chinas ongoing repressive policies against the Uighurs, a Turkic minority living mainly in China's Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region. Pro-Russian circles believe Turkey shouldnt take any approach that might hurt Ankara-Beijing ties, while conservative circles defend a "moral" approach to support a fellow Muslim community. In a Sept. 14 column, I had questioned Ankara's passivity toward China's tactics against ethnic Uighurs: One wonders the reason for the silence at a time when nationalist sentiments in Turkey are gaining momentum." While Chinese investments in Turkey are increasing, Turkeys meager reaction to the Uighurs' treatment has amounted to no more than a few tactfully worded Foreign Ministry statements. In the first days of February, distinguished folk poet Abdurehim Heyit who was sentenced to eight years in a Chinese prison for one of his songs was thought to have died behind bars. Public reaction against China was so strong that on Feb. 11, Beijing felt compelled to publish photos of Heyit to prove that he is alive. Chinas treatment of the Uighurs doesn't bear directly on Turkeys economy, but the debate on the matter reveals the power struggle between the two circles that currently dominate Turkey's security administration. The pro-Western and pro-NATO wing of the security establishment suffered serious setbacks from the purges that followed a botched coup in 2016. It has lost its influence to two dominant groups. Staunch Eurasianists identified by their fierce anti-US, anti-NATO stance are making headway in the security bureaucracy. This camp has members who back Russia and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and advocate strategic ties with China particularly over ballistic missile systems, space technology, robotic systems, artificial intelligence and cyberwarfare. The Eurasianists believe Turkey should reduce its dependency on the West regarding defense and security matters. They say China is likely to be one of Turkey's top global partners in the next 20 years. According to this camp, the Uighur issue is being kept alive in the media under pressure by the United States and other Western powers to hurt developing economic and strategic relations between Turkey and China. The other dominant camp of Turkey's security bureaucracy can best be described as conservative-nationalists. They are inclined to promote their pan-Turkic attitudes; they aspire for full independence of Turks and see Russia and China as colonialist powers, much as they view the United States. The power struggle between these two camps crystallized March 25 at the newly founded National Defense University of Turkey, which is controlled by the conservative-nationalists. Zafer Karatay, Turkey's representative at the Crimean Tatar National Assembly, was invited to lecture students. Karatay is an influential journalist and documentary producer renowned for his work on the topics of Crimean Turks and Uighurs. Karatays invitation to the National Defense University and the contents of his lecture were sternly criticized in the Aydinlik daily newspaper, an important media organ of the Eurasianist camp. According to the newspaper, Karatay who is supported by the United States sharply attacked the growing alliance between Russia and Turkey against the United States, which has delivered thousands of truckloads of weapons to outlawed Kurdish militants in Turkey. The conference, which was timed to coincide with the debate over [Turkey's proposed purchase of Russian] S-400 missile systems, disturbed Turkish officers attending the conference, the newspaper reported. Apparently, the officers were amazed that such a conference was held after Turkey's Foreign Ministry backed the Chinese line on Uighurs. According to the Aydinlik report, criticizing Russia for what's happening in the Crimean Peninsula and openly trying to disrupt Ankara's alliance with Moscow means serving the United States and indirectly the Kurdish groups in Syria, which Turkey considers a threat. But Karatay told Al-Monitor, The Daily Aydinlik has criticized a conference it didnt listen to." "It's making me a target because I spoke of the Turkish presence in the fifth year of Russias annexation of Crimea and the realities of Uighur Turks. I'm not an expert on Eastern Turkistan [the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China], Karatay said. But as a caring, patriotic intellectual, I can't remain indifferent to the status of our brethren there. If there is occupation and oppression in a place, it means there are also problems. As much as I'm worried about what Russia is doing in Crimea and the Chinese practices in Eastern Turkistan, I am also worried about efforts to describe Russia and China as friendly nations, as antidotes to the United States and Israel. As much as I criticize human rights violations of the United States in Afghanistan and Iraq, and Israeli oppression in Palestine, I also object to Russian and Chinese practices in Crimea and Eastern Turkistan. Chinas Uighur policies have caused extreme polarization among Turkey's security officials, as the debate triggered by a simple conference at Turkeys National Defense University shows. This, in turn, exposes the changes in Turkeys strategic culture transformation. One must watch carefully whether the Eurasianist camp or conservative-nationalist camp will get the upper hand in the future, while the pro-NATO and pro-West circle is in intensive care, trying hard to stay alive in that competition. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced it is investigating a series of fires in Hyundai and Kia vehicles. The probe could cover as many as 3 million vehicles, according to published reports, including vehicles manufactured in Montgomery. The NHTSA, a federal safety regulator, began the probe after a petition last year from the Center for Auto Safety, which claims that there have been more than 100 consumer complaints of non-collision fires with these vehicles and 200 complaints of melted wires in the engine bay, with smoke and burning odors. According to The Wall Street Journal, the investigation is focusing on the 2011 through 2014 Hyundai Sonata and Santa Fe, and the 2011-2014 Kia Optima and Sorento. The agency said it has received more than 3,000 complaints in connection with the auto fires. Reuters reports that Hyundai and Kia together have recalled more than 2.3 million vehicles since 2015 to address various engine fire risks. The new probe apparently is not limited to engine components and may cover additional vehicle systems or components. In a statement, Hyundai said it is cooperating and that the company is in frequent, open and transparent dialogue regarding non-collision engine fires. Suzannes Bakery in Athens, Ala., has a new sweet treat on its menu today, and its one Sun Drop soda fans will love. The bakery debuted its new Sun Drop rolls on its breakfast menu today. The rolls are made from a sourdough starter, filled with Sun Drop jelly made in-house and finished with a Sun Drop glaze. Hungry yet? Owner Suzanne Chandler said they were already making the Sun Drop jelly when they decided to make the breakfast rolls, which will be available regularly on Thursday and Friday mornings. Sun Drop is a big thing around here, said Suzanne Chandler. Weve found anything you add Sun Drop to, people enjoy and come back for more. In addition to Sun Drop rolls, Suzannes Bakery also serves a wide variety of other desserts as well as lunch items. They are open Tuesday through Saturday with varying hours. Suzannes Bakery is located at 1207 Forrest St. in Athens, Ala. For more information, visit their website. Celebrated poet, educator and activist Sonia Sanchez will give the keynote address at this years Magic City Poetry Festival. The celebration of the spoken word returns for its second year tonight at 7:00 with an evening of remembrance for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Friday, the festival will usher in its first weekend of events with a night of poetry and craft beer at the Birmingham Museum of Art, as Bards and Brews hosts Art after 5. This year, the festival has partnered with UAB and Jefferson State Community College to expand its programming to a month-long series of events, thanks to additional funding from the Alabama Humanities Foundation and the Awesome Foundation. The crown jewel of the series of workshops and performances will be on April 16, when Jefferson State Community College hosts An Evening with Sonia Sanchez, a night of poetry and conversation with Birmingham native Sonia Sanchez. Born Wilsonia Benita Driver in 1934, Sanchez rose to prominence in the 1960s and 1970s. Involved in the civil rights movement, Sanchez was initially an integrationist and a member of C.O.R.E. Influenced by Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr and Malcolm X, the young activist eventually shifted her focus to black nationalism and started to reflect the political thoughts in her work. Sanchez, along with her contemporaries Nikki Giovanni and Gwendolyn Brooks, became one of the architects and foremost poets of the Black Arts Movement. Sanchez has lectured extensively around the world and is the author of over a dozen books about black identity and liberation, including We a BaddDDD People and Homegirls and Hand Grenades, which received the American Book Award in 1985. Dr. Jacqueline Wood, a noted Sonia Sanchez scholar, will introduce the author and activist for a reading of her poetry. Leading up to her visit, the festival will host a screening of the documentary "BaddDDD Sonia Sanchez " at the Homewood Public Library on April 14. Bringing Sanchez back to Birmingham will be a full-circle moment for Ashley M. Jones the founder and director of the Magic City Poetry Festival. Sanchez selected Jones, an author and instructor at the Alabama School of Fine Arts, to receive the 2019 Lucille Clifton Legacy Award from St. Marys College of Maryland. Sanchez also wrote the blurb for Jones 2019 book of poetry, dark // thing. Published in February, dark // thing examines the worlds perceptions of black people and their humanity. Ashley Jones accepts the 2019 Lucille Clifton Legacy Award from St. Marys College of Maryland with poet and activist Sonia Sanchez. (Courtesy: Ashley M. Jones) A Birmingham native and graduate of the UAB, Jones is eager to present Sanchezs legacy of fusing art and activism to a young generation who will inherit the city. Shes just an incredible force. And really the reason that many of us black poets are able to do what we do today. You know, if it wasnt for her, I literally wouldnt be able to hold down a job in academia, while also being political vocally. She is the reason that many of us are able to do that, said Jones. She was one of the people who started teaching Black Studies and putting it in on college curriculums. So to have her here is just incredible. Sanchez is returning to Birmingham two months after another revolutionary black activist returned to her native city for a celebration of her legacy. In February, hundreds of people gathered in the Boutwell Auditorium downtown to see Angela Davis in conversation with Dr. Imani Perry. Deemed one of the most engaging nights in the citys history, Davis spoke for close to an hour about the foundation of her work in social justice and the next generation of activists. The event was organized by the Birmingham Committee for Truth and Reconciliation, who sprang into action to honor Davis after the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute rescinded the Fred Shuttlesworth Award they initially planned to give to the scholar and activist, citing her polarizing history. Jones wasnt in town to see Davis speak in February, but she says the return of Sanchez-- a similarly political contemporary of Davis who some could also consider polarizing-- is an affirmation that black radical activist foremothers will always have an audience ready to welcome them home to celebrate their legacy. Sonia Sanchez and Ashley M. Jones (Courtesy: Ashley M. Jones) It's incredible to think that there will be young people who will see her. There will be people who were alive while she was deep in her activism who will be able to come together and celebrate the work that she has done, said Jones. Birmingham matters as much as any other city. Our thinkers are just as important as any other city or state's thinkers. The month-long festival of events will also be free. For Jones, accessibility has always been a key component in organizing events around art and culture. Poetry is for everyone. And if Im doing a program for the community, how can I cut the community out by charging them money? And just based on the work that Sonia did and that Angela Davis did, it makes no sense to create division or a situation where someone might not be able to attend because of money, said Jones. Every event during the festival is free for that reason. So anyone can come. Theres no special seating. Theres no VIP. Everybody is the same and everybody gets to come and experience the arts. Last year, the Magic City Poetry Festival debuted to rave responses. This year, the festivals keynote event is currently on a wait list. To Jones, both of those factors speak to the demand of Birminghams residents to make the culture of the city more alive. Its a great time to be in Birmingham, period. Details: The Magic City Poetry Festival runs from April 4 to April 27, 2019. An Evening with Sonia Sanchez will take place at the Jefferson State Community College, Shelby-Hoover Campus on April 16 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. To join the waitlist for tickets, email kboyer@jeffersonstate.edu. All events during the Magic City Poetry Festival are free to the public. A full calendar of events is available here. For more information, visit https://www.magiccitypoetryfestival.org/. The teenager accused of killing Mobile Police Officer Sean Tuder has plead guilty in federal court to gun crimes. Marco Perez entered a blind plea of guilty to possessing a stolen firearm, which was accepted by federal prosecutors and the judge in the case, according to court records. The maximum custodial sentence could be up to 10 years. Perez, who is also charged with the capital murder of officer Tuder in state court, will remain in jail until his sentencing on June 21, per the instructions of Chief Judge Kristi DuBose. Even if he had made bond until sentenced on his federal charge, he would continue being detained by state authorities until the outcome of his capital charge. If convicted in that case he could face the death penalty. The guilty plea to the possessing a stolen gun comes during a period of heightened awareness in Mobile about weapons being stolen from vehicles and being used in predominately African-American neighborhoods, according to Mobile Police Department and city officials. During a presentation about gun violence in Mobile Tuesday, it was said that approximately 1,200 guns were stolen from unlocked cars in Mobile in 2018, including one that was used in the Jan. 20 killing of officer Tuder, according to executive director of public safety James Barber. "As many as 90 percent of our victims are now in the African- American community, as well as over 90 percent of the shooters, said Barber at the meeting. About ten percent of the people involved in criminal activity account for about 80 percent of the crime. We know who they are. Airport travelers may soon be able to keep laptops, liquids and other items in their baggage as they go through security screenings. The Transportation Security Administration is deploying 300 new 3D security scanners at airports nationwide. The computer tomography technology similar to CT scanners used in the medical field - will allow officers to examine an image digitally, doing away with the need for unpacking a bag while also enhancing security. These state-of-the-art 3-D scanners will enable our screening officers to detect explosives and other threats to commercial aviation with unprecedented precision, TSA Administrator David Pekoske said. The system was first tried in airports in Phoenix and Boston in June 2017 and later expanded to 12, including the nations busiest, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Installation of the new systems will start this summer and is expected to be complete by 2020. Its unclear which airports will receive the scanners first. The TSA awarded the $96.8 million contact for the project to Smiths Detection of Edgewood, Maryland last week. GoDaddy launched its new Professional Email solution in India, designed to help small business owners and entrepreneurs create a professional email address to support their ventures. A professional email account is an accessible and easy way to have the name of your company or your domain name in your email address. Email that matches your business name, versus generic email, can help you look more professional and can build credibility and trust with new and prospective customers. A professional online presence is beneficial whether you are a freelancer, a small business owner, an entrepreneur in early development stages, or an established business. Finally, it is a great way to highlight the name of your company or project in the inbox of those with whom you are in contact. GoDaddy Professional Email offers a modern look and a clean interface with an intuitive experience, making it easy to set up and use. Professional Email features a responsive design that works great on all of your devices. So, whether youre working on desktop, laptop, tablet, or on your mobile phoneits the same seamless experience. Additionally, GoDaddy Professional Email syncs data across all of your devices automatically so your email, calendar, and tasks are always up-to-date. Professional Email works flawlessly with the email client of your choice, such as Outlook, Apple Mail, or your favorite Android email program. This email solution also can help you manage your digital life with a customizable web portal that lets you personalize the way you use your email and calendar. Helpful features like drag-and-drop attachments, full text search, attachment previews, and a clean, ad-free interface provide a top-notch experience. In addition to the features of each plan, Professional Email also has built-in industry-leading security and anti-virus and spam filters to help protect your data. Sharing his thoughts, Nikhil Arora, Managing Director and Vice President for GoDaddy in India said, India has emerged as a leader for innovation and entrepreneurship that has grown at a rapid pace. With this professional email tool, we aim to strengthen the small and medium businesses and entrepreneurs online presence, by further building credibility, and help them show a more professional view of their business or idea. GoDaddy wants to help customers promote their business with every email sent. GoDaddy Professional Email is currently available in two affordable packages, each aligning to the particular needs of a business or entrepreneur. The GoDaddy Professional Email Startup plan, currently offered for 39.00 per month/user, features: Email address that matches your domain 10 GB of email storage. of email storage. Mobile-friendly webmail . . Calendar, contacts and tasks. Works with the email app of your choice. No distracting advertisements Industry leading email security The GoDaddy Team plan Email, currently offered for 58.00 per month/user, offers all of the great features of the Startup plan, plus more email storage and additional ways to collaborate: A Texas abortion advocate accused an Alabama abortion provider of sexual misconduct in an article she wrote on Medium. The since-deleted post alleged Dr. Willie Parker encouraged Candice Russell to drink a bottle of wine and coerced her into having sex. There is no evidence of a criminal or civil complaint filed against Parker. Parker is from Birmingham and has provided abortions in Alabama and Mississippi since 2002. He has regularly worked at the Alabama Womens Center for Reproductive Alternatives in Huntsville since 2016. When contacted by AL.com Parker said everything he needed to say regarding the allegation was said in a post he wrote on Medium. He denied the allegation and said he welcomes any sort of investigation into the matter. In the Medium article Parker denied the allegations saying the sexual encounter with the abortion advocate was consensual. I have never had sex with anyone without obtaining their consent or giving mine, Parker wrote. Consent is core to my practice of medicine, and for precisely the same reason it has been core to my sexual practices as well. Thank you Holler Health Justice for making this feel safe. We believe that Candice Russell and others in our movement... Posted by Yellowhammer Fund on Tuesday, March 26, 2019 Reyes said Yellowhammer was initially funded by a National Network for Abortion Funds (NNAF) fund named for Parker. As an abortion fund whose mission is to support the bodily autonomy of pregnant people we believe survivors and we believe Candice and we are very angry that he used his power and influence to target people in our movement, Reyes said. And Im upset that there are people in our movement who enabled that behavior and continue to shield him from consequences or blame. NNAF, Ultraviolet and other national abortion advocacy have groups distanced themselves from Parker in the week since the allegations dropped. Parker is the author of Lifes Work: A Moral Argument for Choice and has been an outspoken advocate for abortion as a moral choice based on his faith. I believe that what I do is rooted in justice, is rooted in love, is rooted in honesty and integrity, Parker told AL.com in 2017. Those are values that, for me are reinforced by my Christian understanding and those are also the same values that leave me unable to disavow other people who share that tradition even though they feel quite empowered to disavow me. Parker served as Chair of Physicians for Reproductive Health for 12 years, but resigned last week according to his post on Instagram. After two weeks of rumor and one day of allegation, the board met and was divided--some board members committed to due process, others committed to acting decisively on the basis of the rumor and allegation. That said, I care enough about the organization to leave it rather than allowing this discussion to become a distraction to its mission, Parker said in the post. In another Instagram post, Parker said he would be returning to providing abortion care. His Twitter bio said he provides abortion in Alabama. AL.com reached out to the Montgomery and Tuscaloosa abortion clinics Parker worked, but they both chose not to comment. This post has been updated to include a response from Dr. Willie Parker and to amend his status providing abortion care in Huntsville since 2016. State Sen. Jim McClendon has introduced legislation to set up an Alabama lottery. McClendons bill proposes dividing the net lottery revenue equally between the Education Trust Fund and the General Fund. How do you feel about a lottery vote for Alabama? You can vote in our poll below. The Alabama Constitution prohibits lotteries, so any proposal would have to be approved by voters in a constitutional amendment. Voters had that chance in 1999 but rejected a lottery plan led by Gov. Don Siegelman. Although lottery bills are proposed every year, none have passed the Legislature since. It takes approval by three-fifths of senators and representatives to put a proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot. McClendon said he would like to have the question on the ballot in the presidential primary in March 2020 because a large number of voters would be participating. Florida, Georgia and Tennessee have lotteries in place, and the Mississippi Legislature approved lottery legislation last year, meaning that Alabama is now surrounded by lottery states. Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz is reportedly considering a run for Alabamas Senate seat. Gaetz, a 36-year-old Republican and close ally of President Trump, told several House lawmakers he is considering a move to Alabama in an effort to unseat Democrat Senator Doug Jones in 2020. A source told The Hill Gaetz would likely pick up the presidents endorsement. Gaetz himself remains noncommittal - at least publicly about the idea. I had a few people make mention to me that Alabama has a very short residency requirement but its not something Ive looked at myself, Gaetz told The Hill. I think that my most likely path would be to seek reelection in the House. Alabama law requires Congressional candidates both House and Senate to only live in the state for one day before running for public office. Gaetz represents Floridas 1st district, which includes places such as Pensacola, Fort Walton Beach and Santa Rosa. He was first elected to Congress in 2016. Alabama Congressman Bradley Byrne, a Republican, has announced his candidacy for the office. Jones, who defeated Republican Roy Moore in 2018 after a controversial election in which Moore was accused of having sexual contact with underage girls in the 1970s, is widely seen as the most vulnerable Senator during the 2020 elections. Byrne told The Hill Gaetz has not mentioned a possible run to him. A Mobile County man is missing Thursday after his boat struck an object in the Mobile River late at night and sunk. Robert Leslie Ellison, 32, went missing after his 14-foot boat was lost near to the Barry Steam Plant, about five miles south of Mt. Vernon. His passenger Tasha Nicole Wood was able to swim to shore after being ejected from the boat, according to a report from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA). Her condition is not known at this time. ALEA also said neither passenger was wearing a life jacket at the time despite several being available. ALEA was alerted to the incident at approximately 1 a.m. Thursday morning and launched a drone to search both banks of the river. The vessel was located on the east side of the river about a quarter mile downstream from the plant. The couples dog was located and returned to family members. The Mobile County Sheriffs Flotilla began a search for Ellison shortly after daylight. He was last seen wearing rubber boots, blue jeans, a Carhart jacket, and a Carhart shirt. Sexually assaulted Alabama prison inmates fear reporting abuse, knowing they will be punished for what prison officials say is deliberately creating a safety hazard. Family members of inmates are extorted by other inmates who threaten their imprisoned loved ones -- unless the family pays a prisoners drug debt. Understaffed prisons are overflowing with inmates who are armed with makeshift weapons and will kill officers over food and will kill fellow inmates for any number of reasons. Inmates are drugged, raped and tortured for days at a time, sometimes in retaliation for reporting sexual abuse. These are the findings of a federal investigation of Alabama prisons, released Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Justice. Here are some of the more disturbing findings: An inmate texted a woman, saying he would rape her son, also an inmate, and chop him into pieces unless she paid his $800 drug debt. The mother begged for time to get the money. I tried to work with you and him, he replied. mom you did it to him." Debt, particularly drug debt, can result in sexual abuse. This was a common point raised by the prisoners we interviewed on site. Submission to sexual abuse under the threat of violence resulting from the drug trade does not indicate consent, the report stated. Inmates who reported sexual abuse were "disciplined for intentionally creating a security/safety/health hazard because he admitted to the drug debt. Texts included in report on DOJ findings in Alabama prison investigation. After a Kilby inmate died in 2018, officials classified his death as natural although he was stabbed in the head, back and arm and suffered a fractured skull. There are numerous instances where ADOC incident reports classified deaths as due to natural causes when, in actuality, the deaths were likely caused by prisoner-on-prisoner violence, the report states. ADOC has acknowledged that it does not maintain a centralized repository for all autopsies that have been performed. And, even apart from maintaining autopsies and tracking deaths, ADOC has no other mechanism in place to identify patterns in causes of death. From the DOJ prison report. Murder, as well as rape and torture, are very real threats for Alabama prison inmates, investigators found. The assaults are often committed by inmates with deadly, handmade weapons. "Prisoners at Bibb said that everyone has knives, and prisoners need a weapon to stay alive. One prisoner stated that Bibb is a place where you have to fight the day you arrive or youll be a bitch, so you get a knife. Another recounted being warned by officers when he arrived at Bibb that he would need a knife for protection....At facilities we visited, shift commanders estimated that anywhere from 50-75% of prisoners were armed with some sort of weapon. Inmates high on drugs often attack fellow inmates. Sometimes inmates are raped after agreeing to take drugs and unexpectedly losing consciousness. The violence takes many forms. An inmate, known to be a gang member, was strangled in St. Clair in 2016 and had the number 1636 carved into his rib-cage. The number 1636 is a gang-related reference to cardinal sin, indicating that the person is a traitor or snitch. Less than two weeks before his death, the victim had been assaulted over a debt. Following that assault, the victim was placed in segregation for his protection. He was released from segregation hours before he was killed. Here is complete coverage of Alabamas prison crisis In March 2018, a correctional lieutenant received information that a prisoner was being tortured in a dormitory at Ventress. The lieutenant located the prisoner and escorted him to the Health Care Unit. The prisoner reported that he was tied up, burned, and tortured for two days and that a broom handle was stuck up his rectum. The prisoner stated that the torture was in retaliation for his documented report of a prior sexual assault. From DOJ report It was impossible to capture a complete picture of sexual abuse in prisons, the report states, because inmates do not report it out of fear of retaliation, shame or a belief nothing will be done. Moreover, we did not identify any incidents where a correctional officer or other staff member observed or intervened to stop a sexual assault in progressleading us to conclude officers are either failing to report abuse or failing to monitor prisoners. Because correctional officers are not observing the incidents of sexual abuse, if the victim or a witness does not report it, the abuse will not be recorded or addressed. Prison employees also face constant danger, even as they often contribute to problems in the prisons, according to the report. Walking out of these gates, knowing youre still alive, thats a successful day, a Donaldson officer told the D.O.J. Since 2017, correctional officers have been stabbed, punched, kicked, threatened with broken broomsticks or knives, and had their heads stomped on...At the same time, dozens of ADOC correctional officers have been arrested in the past two years for crimes related to drug trafficking and other misconduct within Alabamas prisons. In 2016, about a month before the federal government notified Alabama of the investigation, an officer working alone in Donaldsons dining hall was stabbed in the head and killed after refusing to let an inmate get a second tray of food. From the DOJ report. Conditions inside Alabama prisons have deteriorated for years and Alabama does not care, the report concluded. Alabama prisoners endure an extraordinarily high rate of violence at the hands of other prisoners. Based on the latest data available from the Department of Justices Bureau of Justice Statistics, Alabamas prisons have the highest homicide rate in the country, the report states. From the DOJ In 2014, the national average homicide rate in prisons was seven homicides per 100,000 prisoners. During fiscal year 2017, ADOC publicly reported nine homicides in its mens prisons, which house about 16,000 prisoners (a rate of homicide of 56 per 100,000 prisoners). This is approximately eight times the 2014 national rate. Alabama is deliberately indifferent to that harm or serious risk of harm and it has failed to correct known systemic deficiencies that contribute to the violence. Alabama Power Company officials told environmental regulators that the company spilled about 700 gallons of a fire retardant compound near its Gorgas Steam Plant in Walker County a few days before about 100 dead fish were seen floating on the river nearby. The company filed a report (embedded below) with the Alabama Department of Environmental Management dated March 26, stating that on March 23, an estimated 650-700 gallons of a fire suppression chemical was released into Baker Creek mixed with approximately 22-23,000 gallons of water. The spill happened after the primary fire control system lost air pressure and a backup system failed to activate. Baker Creek is a tributary of the Mulberry Fork of the Black Warrior River. Alabama Power spokesman Michael Sznajderman said the company would provide limited information because the investigation into the fish kill is still pending. We are supporting ADEM and [the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources] in their investigation to determine the cause, he said. Nick Nichols, chief of fisheries for the ADCNR, said the agency was still working on its report to estimate the number, size and species of fishes involved and their estimated replacement value. ADEM will attempt to determine the cause of the incident. Environmental group Black Warrior Riverkeeper published photos of the fish kill on their Facebook page on March 29 after a tip from fishermen on the river. Riverkeepers Nelson Brooke estimated that approximately 100 fish were visible floating on the surface when he arrived, but noted that more may have been there previously. Apparently this fish kill occurred at least a day or two ago, so a lot of the fish have been eaten, sunk to the bottom, or floated downstream, Brooke said on March 29. Brooke said that the dead fish included gar, carp, drum, bass, catfish, and crappie. The dead gar may be especially noteworthy because gar tend to be hardy fish and we saw more dead gar than any other species, Brooke said. The more than 100-year-old coal-fired power plant is being retired later this year. The Alabama Attorney Generals Office has responded in a court filing to Christopher Prices motion for a stay of execution, arguing the execution shouldnt be called off because the inmate failed to elect an alternate means of execution in a timely matter. Price, 46, is set to die by lethal injection on April 11 at Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore. He was convicted in the 1991 robbery and slaying of Bill Lynn and was sentenced to death by a jurys vote of 10-2. A judge upheld the jurys recommendation and sent Price to death row. Last week, attorneys for Price filed a motion in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Alabama asking for a stay of execution. The motion filed Friday argues the states three-drug lethal injection cocktail could cause Price severe pain, and also claims the states refusal to allow Price to elect the newly approved nitrogen hypoxia method denies him equal protection under the Constitution. The AGs response, filed Tuesday, states Price was given the forms necessary to elect a change of execution method from lethal injection to nitrogen hypoxia last summer, when all other inmates on death row were given the same opportunity. The state says Price neglected to make that election. That counsel failed to keep abreast of relevant developments in a state in which he was actively engaged in litigation concerning a death-sentenced inmate has no bearing on the question of whether the State treated Price differently from other inmates," the filing states. "Price had timely notice, Price could have asked counsel if he wanted a legal consultation, and yet Price sat on his hands for seven months until the State moved to set his execution date. Early last year, Gov. Kay Ivey signed a bill giving inmates the option to choose execution by nitrogen hypoxia. According to the state, inmates waiting to be executed were allowed to opt in the nitrogen method if they wished, but had to do so within a 30-day period in June 2018. Of the 177 inmates on Alabamas Death Row, more than 50 inmates have chosen to die by the new method. ADOC Commissioner Jeff Dunn said the department is working with the AGs Office to develop a protocol for executions by nitrogen hypoxia, but has no timeline on when that protocol might be finalized and ready to implement. One of Prices attorneys argued in a filing the ADOC allowed some inmates to choose nitrogen hypoxia in a manner that was completely arbitrary and created two classes of death row inmates. The state said in its response, There is nothing irrational about the State setting a time limit for an inmate to choose how he would prefer to be executed. Requesting an execution date is not a matter the State takes lightly, and the [ADOC] must ensure that its equipment and training are up to standard before an execution is carried out. Price offers no time limit in his pleading, and taking his view to the logical end, an inmate could change his mind as to his method of execution up until the moment he entered the death chamber. In other words, conceivably, the ADOC could prepare for a lethal injection but be blindsided by an eleventh-hour nitrogen election. The AGs Office called the current lawsuit a meritless delay tactic. Price also was at the center of a lawsuit in 2014 seeking to block the state from setting his execution date, because of what the inmate called a prolonged, excruciating and needless pain, caused by the lethal injection drugs. Lynn, a minister at Natural Springs Church of Christ, was fatally stabbed outside his home in the Bazemore community three days before Christmas. Court records state Lynn was putting together Christmas presents for his grandchildren, when the power went out. He walked outside to check the power box when he was attacked. Lynn died en route to a local hospital. Price was arrested in Tennessee several days later, and was convicted in 1993. Lynns wife, Bessie Lynn, was wounded in the attack but survived her injuries. Law students took a break from studying on Thursday to celebrate and honor a former canine graduate. Cumberland School of Law hosted its annual Rascal Day event to celebrate the life of Rascal, a stray dog who first attended class when Cumberland was located in Lebanon, Tennessee, in 1933. Rascal sat outside the window of the law classroom and quickly became part of the Cumberland family. When the freshman class that Rascal had become a part of graduated in 1937, Rascal too walked across the stage and the school awarded him a Doctor of Canine Jurisprudence degree. In 1940, Rascal died and was buried underneath the law classroom window. When the school moved to Birmingham in 1961, Rascals tombstone and dirt from his grave were moved to the Samford University campus. Today, Rascal lies just west of Cumberlands Robinson Hall. Every year before final exams in the spring, Cumberland students honor Rascal with a jazz parade and eulogy given by a professor. In addition to Wednesdays events, dogs were given treats and toys while students enjoyed a free lunch. Cumberland Student Bar Association President Denzel Okinedo said he looks forward to the celebration every year and already plans to come back and attend after graduating next month. Law school can be stressful, so we try to offer things that can kind of take your minds off of studying for exams. This is kind of one of the hallmark events. Its a cool event that we use to commemorate him," Okinedo said. The West Morgan East Lawrence Water and Sewer Authority and chemical giant 3M are finalizing a settlement in a lawsuit over who will pay for a new multi-million dollar filtration system to remove industrial contaminants from the drinking water of thousands of people in north Alabama. The amount of the settlement has not been disclosed, but the water authority had previously said the new filter system could cost $30-50 million. The water authoritys suit asked 3M to pay for a new water filtration system to remove industrial chemicals that 3M manufactured and used for decades at its facility on the Tennessee River in Decatur. The water authority provides service directly or through other utilities for about 20,000 metered customers in north Alabama from an intake on the Tennessee River downstream of the 3M facility. 3M spokesperson Fanna Haile-Selassie confirmed that the company was working to finalize a resolution to the litigation. We look forward to announcing the outcome of those negotiations in the near future, Haile-Selassie said. Attorneys for the water authority did not immediately respond to requests for comment. PFOA and PFOS are not found in nature but were widely used to make non-stick, waterproof or stain resistant coatings on consumer products like non-stick cookware, waterproof clothing or Scotchgard stain repellent. By nature, the chemicals are very slow to break down in the environment. They can last for decades after use and build up over time in human and animal tissue. Though 3M stopped producing those chemicals in the early 2000s, they are now so widespread that nearly every person on earth has some level of them in their blood. However, in 2016, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency warned that those chemicals were associated with health problems, including cancer at concentrations as low as 70 parts per trillion. After that health advisory, the WMEL general manager Don Sims issued a do not drink advisory until the water system could get concentrations of the chemicals below those health advisory thresholds. The water authority constructed a $4 million temporary activated carbon filter system to remove those chemicals from the water. The water authority was preparing to vote on a rate increase to cover the costs of the new filter system, which may not be necessary with the settlement. PFOA and PFOS are just two of a class of thousands of chemicals known as per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS for short. After PFAS and PFOA fell out of favor, many product manufacturers turned to similar substitute chemicals that may also have health concerns. The EPA has said it is moving forward to establish hard limits on certain PFAS chemicals in drinking water, including PFOA and PFOS. As of now, the health advisory limit is only a recommendation, not a regulation. *This story will be updated as more information becomes available. An Alzheimers disease researcher says science isnt winning the battle against the brain-killing disease now, but there is hope. If you have confidence in science, we will find a cure, Dr. Kenneth Kosik said in Huntsville Wednesday. Kosik is a professor of neuroscience at the University of California Santa Barbara and a leader of Alzheimers research in Colombia. He is working with the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology on the genetic sequencing for the study, and he delivered an update at the institute. Kosik says current medications are band-aids that dont stop Alzheimers progression. There are some ideas about some drugs that may work, he said. But they need to be tried in people who are going to get the disease, not the ones who already have it. The key to treating this disease is detecting it before it strikes, because once it strikes, its going to be very hard to replace brain cells that have already died, Kosik said. If we can detect it before it strikes, the brain is relatively healthy, thats the time we want to intervene. The only way we can tell who (victims) are before they get the disease right now is through genetics, Kosik said. We look at their genetic risk, and we say those are the people we want to treat pre-symptomatically. Scientists think Alzheimers is passed from generation to generation by transmission of a gene mutation that factors in the creation of plaque in the brain. If we can figure out the way it is inherited, the genes involved, they will give us a clue about how to treat this disease, he said. Researchers are making progress at doing just that. Colombia has a rare mixture of European, African and native American genes, Kosik said. There is also a rare and serious form of Alzheimers in Colombia brought by the Spanish explorers seeking gold in the late 1400s. The countrys isolated villages and close-knit families make for good research subjects. So good, in fact, that that an actual clinical trial of a possible medication is under way in the country now. Results are expected in about three years. Its remarkable, Kosik said after the presentation. From a small group of people who have this serious and rare form of Alzheimers disease, we actually may learn enough to treat the vast majority of people that have the disease. Its not going to be tomorrow, he said. There is a lot more to understand. This is a good shot at finding the people that can help us find a cure. An abandoned schoolhouse in downtown Fairhope could be transformed into a performing arts center, an educational or cultural complex, a giant green space, a parking lot or a hybrid of several possibilities. The ideas were tossed out during a three-hour meeting Wednesday at the Fairhope Civic Center. But what the 94-year-old schoolhouse represents, according to some observers of the citys push to buy the building, is a potential clash of ideas between newcomers and longtime residents with emotional ties to a school that educated generations in Fairhope. We should embrace new ideas and the new people who come here, said Joe Manelos, with the Citizens for Higher Expectations, a group of community activists. But you have to be respectful of the people who have grown up and lived here and are seeing some of the things they have loved change. The K1 Center is one of them. Rare opportunity Indeed, the 1925 schoolhouse and the 6-acre property it encompasses represents a rare opportunity for a city whose downtown appears well-established with quaint shops and eateries. No other property in Fairhope is as large and offers as much public potential as a schoolhouse that has been shuttered since 2011. There are not too many opportunities where you have 6-7 acres in the central business district where people can walk to and from eating and overnighting or whatever, said Manelos. This is an important decision. Fairhope city officials sense this and are wanting to get the community more involved. The program on Wednesday will likely be followed up with a shorter public event soon before the process is wrapped up in May and a concept is presented to the Fairhope City Council for consideration. When you are emotionally tied to something, you dont want to think about changing it, Fairhope Mayor Karin Wilson said. Thats why you start this process first (and create) a bigger vision for the future and then you talk about how you get there. The city is scheduled to purchase the schoolhouse, a nearby playground and the James P. Nix Senior Activity Center from the Baldwin County School System on May 31. The overall purchase is for $4 million. Of that, $2.5 million will be paid in cash and due upon closing, with an additional $1.5 million paid out in $300,000 annual increments for five years to the citys Educational Advisory Committee. A decision to purchase the schoolhouse and other facilities was approved by the Fairhope City Council in September. But the closing on the property has been delayed, while a $6.1 million federal grant application to renovate the building remained in limbo. The city received word recently that it had not received a grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration, which is under the Commerce Department. The grant would have gone toward rehabilitating the facility to house a program called, Hatch, that provides guidance and business connections for tech entrepreneurs who are in the early stages forming their own companies. Council members said the city plans to reapply for the grant, but they also acknowledged the flexibility they now have because their plans do not have to be tied to the grant funding. I think we have a ton of flexibility if we dont use their funds to acquire their property, said Councilman Jimmy Conyers. Once we acquire it, we can pursue any route we want. Sherry-Lea Bloodworth Botop, the citys director of economic and community development, said that all options are possible for the buildings future. Weve heard a lot about culture, arts and education and it can all co-exist on that 7 acres, she said. Fair process Roughly 100 people attended the community engagement meeting and were divided into small teams that pitched ideas for the property including ways to pay for renovating it. Fairhope City Council President Jack Burrell said what he learned wasnt too far from what we want in terms of including a performing arts or cultural center into the facility. Fairhope, despite its diverse cultural attractions and reputation as a hub for artists and authors, has never had a cultural center. While there are small theaters and public venues in the city, there hasnt been a community-owned cultural center hosting a variety of arts under one roof. The performing arts center, if we build one, will be all private donations, Burrell said. To renovate it will be expensive. Im not in a huge rush to do anything right now. Burrell said he supports utilizing portions of the building as a so-called solar energy farm provided by the Alabama Municipal Electric Authority. Its free and theyd provide for it, he said. Just have to find a place for it. Wilson, the mayor, said that she understands the interest in developing a performing arts center, but acknowledged that a complex will require buy-in from residents. All of the ideas are good ideas and things we would like, but it has to be looked at in an overall vision, Wilson said. I want to make sure this is done in a fair way. Wilson said the community engagement meeting was something needed, and criticized the recent past conversations about the K1 Centers for not including residents. She said the community engagement meeting, unlike public hearings that occur during council meetings, allowed people to be involved even if they were too shy to speak publicly. This whole approach is the way we want to address everything we want to do in the future, Wilson said. A fifth person has died as a result of a fiery head-on crash that happened Monday on I-10 as a driver fled law enforcement pursuit. According to information provided by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, 81-year-old Joseph L. Andrews of St. Simons Island, Ga., died Thursday in a Mobile hospital. ALEA said confirmation had been provided by the Department of Forensic Sciences. According to an account provided by ALEA, the situation began when a Baldwin County deputy attempted to pull over a 2019 Chevrolet Malibu on eastbound I-10 near Loxley. The driver of the Malibu refused to stop and fled the initial scene, and eventually began traveling east in the westbound lanes of I-10. Just west of Exit 49, where the interstate crosses the Baldwin Beach Express, the Malibu collided head-on with a 2018 Ford Escape driven by Joseph Andrews. Joseph Andrews' son, 54-year-old Kevin J. Andrews of Milton, Fla., was a passenger in the Escape and was pronounced dead at the scene. Joseph Andrews was airlifted to Mobile. The Malibu, which burned after the crash, was found to contain three bodies. Law enforcement officials have said a forensic investigation is under way to establish their identities. Support our FIGHT AGAINST illegal immigration & Amnesty by joining our E-mail Alerts at "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing" ** Edmund Burke** Residents in storm-hit region decry what they call publicity stunts by politicians and NGOs amid haphazard and chaotic aid delivery. On Tuesday afternoon, Pheta rural municipality of Bara district in southern Nepal had an air of a funfair. Horse-drawn carriages and brightly painted auto-rickshaws brought visitors from neighbouring villages and towns. Trucks and trailers arrived loaded sacks of rice and vegetables. Some came just for a look. People were busy taking selfies and snapping photos of the locals. A group of students were there with their teacher who explained that they had come for an educational trip, to experience what a disaster zone looks like. The residents of Pheta, about 120km from the capital, Kathmandu, had nowhere to escape to. Most had just lost their homes. Some had just lost their loved ones. They stood guard, keeping watch over their belongings the little they had managed to recover. They wore a look of shock and disbelief as people stared at them as if they were specimens in a zoo. For them, normal life came undone on Sunday. Around 7:30 in the evening, fierce winds started, uprooting trees and throwing vehicles in the air. Locals say the wind was warm and it moved in a circular motion; a phenomenon theyd never experienced before. No one understands our pain and grief. The whole village is in mourning but for others, it is a festival Devi Patel, resident of Pheta Nepals Department of Hydrology and Meteorology says the wind speeds were more than 90 kilometres an hour. In less than two minutes, at least 31 people had died, hundreds were injured and more than 2,400 homes had been damaged around 900 flattened to the ground. Disasters are not new in Nepal. Between 2000 and 2017, more than 16,000 people lost their lives to natural calamities. This includes the earthquake in 2015 when more than 9,000 people died. The local government, the first in two decades, found itself overwhelmed [Bishnu Kalpit/Al Jazeera] Nepals first democratic constitution passed in 2015 has a disaster mitigation plan sharing the burden between the federal, provincial and local layers of government created to devolve power. Nepal elected representatives to all the three organs of the state in 2017 and soon the new parliament endorsed the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act. The early warning system While on paper the plan looks good, the first step for disaster reduction, the early warning system, failed. The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology released a statement on Monday saying they dont have enough equipment and human resources for these unexpected occurrences. As it often does, the best in people came out in times of need. According to the district officials from both Bara and Parsa districts, locals along with security forces responded within minutes in the aftermath of the storm. The injured and the dead were loaded into vehicles and taken to the local hospitals. Social media came alive with volunteers organising blood donations. People started collecting money, food and even school supplies. The provincial government pledged $3,000 to each victim who died and the federal government promised to rebuild the houses that were destroyed. But the governments disaster mitigation plans that should have translated into action, did not. Beda Nidhi Khanal, under-secretary of the National Emergency Operation Center, told Al Jazeera that confusion on jurisdiction made things difficult. Chief district officer for Bara, Rajesh Poudel, told Al Jazeera that they have a disaster plan but not one for thunderstorms. His office, the district administration office, which falls under the federal governments home ministry, is supposed to coordinate with the local government. By Wednesday, the office had finally put together a committee for creating a database, an inventory of all those affected. We are left with nothing Without a database, it was a freefall for relief distributors. On Tuesday, local NGOs and political cadres were haphazardly distributing food rations and tents. 190401023434159 Several residents told Al Jazeera that people near the road head were receiving several tarpaulin sheets, while in the interior they had not received any. Tempers flared intermittently. People who had lost everything found themselves fighting for relief material. The local government, the first in two decades, found itself overwhelmed. Khanal from the National Emergency Operation Center said the local governments performance has been poor. They havent told us how many people have received relief or how many still are in need. They havent demanded anything, neither relief materials nor money, from the federal government. Amiri Shah, head of the Pheta Rural Municipality, has been coping with the influx of senior political leaders, party representatives as well as other officials all of whom want to distribute relief material on their own terms. If they come through us, they can still distribute themselves but in areas that need it. But everyone wants to distribute where they please. Thats why our disaster-hit village is like a festival site, he told Al Jazeera. The problems of leaderships, coordination, seniority and jurisdiction among the layers of government have created a level of bitterness for the survivors of the storm. We are left with nothing. The big politicians and government babus came and spoke to us but they are not giving us shelter fast enough, said Devi Patel, sitting on the rubble of her damaged home. We are sick of cameras and people taking our photos, including you. No one understands our pain and grief. The whole village is in mourning but for others, it is a festival. The country has more than enough food to feed its population; yet dozens are starving in its drought-stricken north. As a biting drought cuts through a swath of suffering across much of the north and northeastern parts of Kenya, imperilling nearly a million people, government officials and journalists have been locked in an obscene public relations battle over whether anyone has actually died. Despite the heart-wrenching pictures and footage of emaciated villagers published on newspaper front pages, broadcast on TV channels and shared on social media, the officials continue to insist that the situation has been blown out of proportion. There should be no cause for alarm at the moment. The government has put in place intervention to manage the current drought, Deputy President William Ruto said in mid-March. Yes, deaths have been reported. But the reports weve gotten from our multi-agency team on [the] ground have not linked the reported deaths directly to drought, added James Oduor, the head of the National Drought Management Authority, whose mandate is precisely to ensure that drought does not result in disaster. Yet the images Kenyans have seen and the testimony of the people on the ground belie the assertion that there is no emergency. One newspaper has reported at least 20 deaths from starvation across two of the worst-hit counties. It is repugnant that those who have been forced to watch helplessly as their relatives slowly starve to death are essentially being told it didnt happen by a government that is more focused on covering its backside. The irony is that not only was this tragedy predicted months ago, but there is actually more than enough food in the country to feed everyone. In December, the Famine Early Warning Systems Network, which monitors food insecurity across more than 36 countries, warned that poor households in the northern counties of Kenya would experience heightened food insecurity in February and March. This, however, did not spur any concerted action to avert the suffering. In fact, at the time, President Uhuru Kenyattas administration was steeped in a scandal over the irregular import of maize, the countrys staple, which had flooded the market and precipitated losses among farmers. None of that maize, it seems, made it to where it was urgently needed. In the decades since Kenya gained independence, folks in the marginalised and neglected northern regions have developed a depressing familiarity with drought and hunger. According to the Institute for Security Studies, the drought cycle has decreased over the years, from once every decade, to every five years, further down to every two to three years, and currently every year is characterized by some dry spell. While this is attributable to factors, such as climate change that are largely beyond the governments control, the accompanying food crises are not. Although adequate information exists to predict and thus avoid food shortages, the government has eschewed forward planning in favour of emergency interventions once crises are under way. Further, there has been little in the way of long-term measures to build resilience within communities or even to integrate the remote regions into the countrys food economy, which would allow surpluses in other areas to flow there. One study, for example, notes that poor infrastructure means transport costs account for nearly two-thirds of the cost of maize and that maize moving from surplus to deficit regions is levied multiple local taxes for traversing different local government municipalities. The humanitarian crisis that hit the Horn of Africa region in 2011 and affected 13 million people, including nearly four million Kenyans, prompted a change in the approach of governments, donors and humanitarian organisations away from emergency responses and towards building resilience within communities to extreme events and climate variability. Kenya has committed itself to ending drought-related food emergencies by 2022, yet three years to that deadline, officials are still blaming the weather. It is thus more than a little ironic for Eugene Wamalwa, the cabinet secretary under whose docket this falls, to claim he now wants to end this relief food business and focus more on resilience, as if the government has not had a decade to do this. The Kenya Red Cross has also come in for a bit of stick after it launched an appeal for Kenyans to donate $8m to help the people the government insists are not dying. A similar appeal in 2011 raised some $10m in cash and kind promising to invest it in long-term resilience. However, many of the projects that money initiated were not themselves sustained and were abandoned long ago. In reality, such appeals, when unaccompanied by demands for accountability for the governance failure that makes the crises possible, have only served to keep people chronically vulnerable to hunger by substituting charity for policy action. Famines are easy to prevent, declared Indian economist and Nobel laureate Amartya Sen. So are drought-related emergencies, if there is a serious effort to do so, and a democratic government, facing elections and criticisms from opposition parties and independent newspapers, cannot help but make such an effort. In the end, the real reason why people are starving in Northern Kenya has little to do with rain or climate-change and everything to do with a government, politicians and media that for decades have been indifferent to their plight. In challenging the governments narrative, the media is perhaps attempting to atone for its part in this. But it is too little and has come too late. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance. On 25th anniversary of Rwandan genocide, residents in Mabare village share stories of survival, heroism and tragedy. Mabare, Rwanda It was the first week of April 1994 and a month after the start of the long rainy season. The mountain slopes were a lush green, the fields brimming with bananas, maize and sorghum plants. Mabare, a village in Rwandas Eastern Province, was an oasis of calm but trouble was brewing. On April 6 at around 8:30pm, as people in this lakeside village were preparing to go to bed, about 50km away a surface-to-air missile shot down a jet carrying President Juvenal Habyarimana as it prepared to land in Kigali, Rwandas capital. Habyarimana an ethnic Hutu was flying back with his Burundian counterpart, Cyprien Ntaryamira, after signing a peace deal with rebels from the Tutsi ethnic group in Tanzania. The crash killed everyone on board and set in motion one of the bloodiest events of the late 20th century. Over the next 100 days, forces from the Hutu majority killed more than 800,000 Tutsis and thousands of moderate Hutus. Many were brutally hacked to death with machetes by Hutu militia known as Interahamwe, the youth wing of the then ruling party, the MRND. Rwanda is this week commemorating the 25th anniversary of the genocide. Leaders from across the world are in the country to attend vigils and pay their respects to the victims. For the first days of the genocide, Mabare, a Hutu-majority village, was spared. People in the village continued to tend to their farms as usual. But then bodies, some peppered with bullets, started floating in the waters of the nearby Lake Mugesera. Some were alive but badly injured, with deep wounds from machetes. As the campaign of violence began spreading from Kigali throughout the country, it became apparent to Mabares residents that it was only a matter of time before they also came under attack. Led by the imam of their only mosque, Rashid Bagabo, the residents decided to act. Using his small boat, the imam began collecting the bodies from the lake while young men from his mosque set up barriers at the two unpaved roads that cut through their village in a bid to obstruct the attackers access. Our religion teaches us to save lives not take lives, Bagabo, 56, told Al Jazeera. It teaches us that if you save one life it is like saving the whole humanity. So it was easy for me to do something. There was nowhere to stand Slowly, the mosque filled up young and old, men and women, Muslims and Christians all took shelter. People were being killed everywhere, Bagabo said. Thousands were being killed in churches. Some church leaders were taking part in the genocide. There were three churches in our village but people were scared to go there. So they felt safe coming to our mosque. Muslims made up less than a quarter of the population of the small village of about 500 people. But at the height of the genocide, more than 500 came to the mosque, including people from nearby areas in search of safety. There was nowhere to stand. Every little space, there were people, the imam recalled. Muslim leaders from the community next to the lake where they used to collect dead bodies [Hamza Mohamed/Al Jazeera] Abdul Karim Rugwiza was one of the then young men tasked by the imam to man the roadblocks. Our job was to delay the advance of the Interahamwe so we could give people time to flee and hide in the bushes, Rugwiza, 59, told Al Jazeera. It was not just men from the Muslim community who were trying to stop the bloodshed in the village. The women from the mosque decided to offer first aid and basic medical treatment to the wounded being brought there. There was 20 of us women, Mwanaidi Kampire said. We did our best to help the injured. We were farmers and housewives before the genocide but that changed, she added. People were brought to us from everywhere. We could not help everyone because some had injuries we could not treat, she added. Twenty-five years later, Kampire is still haunted by what she witnessed. We saw people, babies and old women, who were cut up using machetes by their own neighbours. They did nothing to them. I still cannot understand how anyone can do such a thing, she said. Barricaded in the mosque On April 13, a week after the start of the genocide, a group of about 100 heavily armed Interahamwe attacked the village. The young villagers at the checkpoint tried their best to halt their advance. We had nothing. Just rocks, sticks and some of us had spears. The Interahamwe had guns and grenades. There was no way we could stop them, Rugwiza said. We threw stones at them and they threw grenades at us. Some of my friends were killed trying to stop them. We run to the mosque and told everyone to run. Many escaped to the bush. Others, traumatised physically and psychologically from surviving previous attacks in other villages, decided to barricade themselves in the mosque. Almost 300, mostly women and children, stayed put. When the militia got to the mosque, located at the far end of the village by the lake, they were short on bullets. One by one, they started hurling grenades. Of the nearly 300 people who barricaded themselves in the mosque, only eight survived. Pierre Ngarambe, a local Christian who had sought refuge in the mosque, was one of the lucky few to survive the grenade attack. A new mosque was built following the massacre that took place 25 years ago [Hamza Mohamed/Al Jazeera] I survived but lost my wife and seven children in the attack. Our Muslim brothers did everything to keep us safe. I cannot thank them enough. Until the last moment they were trying to get us out to safety, the 65-year-old said. The imam also survived the attack but others close to him, including his nephews, didnt. 181206154419075 I was away taking some old people to safety when it happened. I was about 3km away. My deputy, Said Ndagira, was killed protecting the people in the mosque, the imam said. Today, the village has a new mosque a short distance from where the old one stood. Survivors and residents say the horrific events a quarter-of-a-century ago have further united the community. We have become very close, Said Sahinkuye, the new imam of the village mosque told Al Jazeera. We are now in the process of building a wall at the old mosque with the names of the people that died. They are not here with us but we havent forgotten them or what happened. Bagabo, the former imam, has been honoured as a hero by the government for his role in saving lives in his village during the genocide. I was just doing what my religion tells me to do. I dont think Im a hero. The heroes are the ones who are not with us today, he said. Follow Hamza Mohamed on Twitter @Hamza_Africa Algerias military has historically played a significant role in choosing the countrys civilian leaders. In 1992, President Chadli Bendjedid was shown the door to make way for President Liamine Zeroual. Then in 1999, Zeroual was forced to quit and Abdelaziz Bouteflika was elected president. And on April 2, after six weeks of largely peaceful mass protests, Bouteflika submitted his resignation after Army Chief of Staff Ahmed Gaid Salah called for his immediate departure on account of his failing health. But Algerians today are more preoccupied with the government that Bouteflika left behind than they are about the military. 190403200919697 Under articles 102 and 104 of the Algerian Constitution, which regulate the process of removing an ailing or deceased head of state, a new government cannot be appointed until a presidential election is held. In an attempt to appease protesters, Bouteflika, just days before he stepped down, announced the formation of a new caretaker government that saw the appointment of 21 new ministers out of a total of 27. The reshuffle, which included keeping newly appointed Prime Minister Noureddine Bedoui in place, failed to placate demonstrators. Abiding by the constitution Many of those Algerians who have taken to the streets for more than a month to demand an end to the ruling order have said they do not want Bouteflikas close associates to remain in power. Algerians want a radical change, said Dalia Ghanem, political analyst at the Carnegie Middle East Centre in Beirut. By that, they mean they want the departure of all these people who have been supporting Bouteflika. They want the departure of business tycoons. They also want the military to support them, yet return to the barracks. They dont want the military to handle the transition. Bedoui is close to the former presidents powerful brother, Said Bouteflika, who approached Zeroual and offered him the opportunity to lead the transitional government, in a last-ditch attempt to secure a transition for the ruling elite. Zeroual told the daily Khabar newspaper that he met retired intelligence chief Mohamed Mediene on March 30, with Saids blessing, but turned down their offer. Senate Chief Abdelkader Bensalah a longtime Bouteflika ally is now acting president. Many, including members of Algerias opposition, as well as the hundreds of thousands of protesters who took part in the popular movement against Bouteflikas rule, are questioning whether this move will guarantee a peaceful democratic transition and fair elections. By insisting that the constitutional process be respected, analysts say that Gaid Salah was likely hoping Algerians will accept highly unpopular figures to lead the country during the transition period. [Gaid Salah] must now convince the people in the coming days that having the trio, made up of Abdelkader Bensalah as the head of state, Noureddine Bedoui as the head of government and Tayeb Belaiz as head of the constitutional council, was the ultimate goal of the millions of protesters during these past six weeks, wrote journalist El Kadi Ihsane. And that they must make do [with the leaders they have] to create the Algeria of tomorrow. Hundreds of thousands of Algerians took to the streets to call for Bouteflikas resignation [Zohra Bensemra/Reuters] Ultimate arbiter Although the military stepped in to force Bouteflika out, it is unclear how much Algerias most powerful and best-organised institution is willing to concede to the protesters. Gaid Salah was himself a close confidant of the president and has only recently switched sides, defending the armys intervention as indispensable for the countrys unity and territorial integrity. In a column published by TSA Algeria, Abed Charef, a political analyst, wrote that strictly abiding by the Constitution might allow the cluster of ruling party officials, bureaucrats and tycoons that profited from preferential access to lucrative state contracts, to organise and work out a succession plan. 190403094806880 A presidential election organised at the end of the [transition] could allow the system to fix the question of power but constitutes a dangerous option for the country, he wrote. Because putting in place a succession plan with the current mechanism and with the same actors could result in the renewal of a reinvigorated system, free of its most negative symbols. If protests persist, the army may decide to violate the Constitution and step in again to rid the government of Bouteflika loyalists. A serious, and perhaps long, dialogue needs to take place about the values, laws and spirit of the new republic, Charef wrote. Law makes it offence in Australia for firms not to remove videos, photos showing murder, torture or rape without delay. Australia will fine social media companies up to 10 percent of their annual global turnover and imprison executives for up to three years if violent content is not removed expeditiously. The new law, passed by the countrys parliament on Thursday, is in response to the attack by a self-confessed white supremacist on two mosques in Christchurch in New Zealand on March 15, killing 50 people as they attended Friday prayers. The gunman broadcast his attack live on Facebook and it was widely shared for over an hour before being removed, a timeframe Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison described as unacceptable. Together we must act to ensure that perpetrators and their accomplices cannot leverage online platforms for the purpose of spreading their violent and extreme propaganda these platforms should not be weaponised for evil, Attorney-General Christian Porter told Parliament while introducing the bill. The passing of the law means it is now an offence in Australia for companies, such as Facebook Inc and Alphabets Google, which owns YouTube, not to remove any videos or photographs that show murder, torture or rape without delay. Companies must also inform Australian police within a reasonable timeframe. It is important that we make a very clear statement to social media companies that we expect their behaviour to change, Mitch Fifield, Australias minister for communications and the arts, told reporters in Canberra after the law was passed on the parliaments last sitting day before elections in May. Juries will decide whether companies have complied with the timetable. A Google spokesperson declined to comment on the legislation specifically but said the company has already taken action to limit violent content on its platforms. Last week, Facebook said it was exploring restrictions on who was able to access their live-video streaming service, depending on factors such as previous violations of the sites community standards. Australias opposition Labor party backed the legislation, but said it would consult the technology industry over possible amendments if it got to power. 190317090315412 An attempt by the minor Greens party and independent legislators to have the vote scrutinised by a parliamentary committee was rejected. Critics of the legislation said the government moved too quickly, without proper consultation and consideration. Laws formulated as a knee-jerk reaction to a tragic event do not necessarily equate to good legislation and can have myriad unintended consequences, said Arthur Moses, head of the Australian Law Council. Whistleblowers may no longer be able to deploy social media to shine a light on atrocities committed around the world because social media companies will be required to remove certain content for fear of being charged with a crime. Potential jail time for failing to quickly take down online content in response to mosque attacks in New Zealand. Australia has passed tough new laws that threaten to send social media executives to jail if they do not act quickly to take down violent content. In response to those mosque attacks in Christchurch, which were livestreamed by the killer, Australias government has rushed the legislation through. Australias government is the first in the world to pass laws as a result, explicitly targeting social media companies. Some are concerned it may have acted too fast. Al Jazeeras Andrew Thomas reports from Sydney. Trump has repeatedly threatened to close the border. If he does, border city residents fear the potential economic harm. Nogales, Arizona Jesus Perez, a shuttle bus driver in Nogales, Arizona, worries about what would happen if US President Donald Trump followed through on his threat to close all or parts of the US-Mexico border. Most customers we get, come to do business, or in the high season, they come for tourism, Perez, 53, told Al Jazeera. Business is often good, but Perez said if the border is closed, he and others in the city would feel almost an immediate effect. We could survive for a few days, but it would soon be a big problem for us, Perez said. I have my children to feed, bills to pay, the insurance. In recent months, Trump has repeatedly threatened to close the border, citing what he has called an immigration crisis. Last week, the US president for the first time issued the threat with a timeline. If Mexico doesnt immediately stop ALL illegal immigration coming into the United States through our Southern Border, I will be CLOSING the Border, or large sections of the Border, next week. This would be so easy for Mexico to do, but they just take our money and talk, he tweeted last Friday. 190403171452145 He appeared to walk back on that timetable earlier this week, however, saying he was pleased to see Mexico had taken steps. But on Wednesday, he doubled down, calling on Congress to act or the border or large sections of the border will close. Trump is facing pressure to keep the border open by Democrats and those within his own party, as well as business groups and those living in cities in the United States along the border, including in Nogales, where residents fear potential economic harm. Nearly $1.7bn in trade Mexico is Arizonas number-one trading partner. According to the University of Arizonas Economic and Business Research Center, over the last three months, the state averaged $682m a month in exports to its southern neighbour. Additionally, around two million people cross the border between Mexico and Arizona northbound for business and tourism each month, spending billions of dollars a year in the state. Thats only part of the total amount of trade and international tourism between the US and Mexico. In California, the city of San Diego and the Mexican city of Tijuana have many business relations. The same is true for a number of other cities on the border, including El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. 190320152131826 Nearly $1.7bn of good and services cross the border daily, according to the Chamber of Commerce, which also said that five million American jobs that depend on trade with Mexico would be at risk if the border was to close. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told NBC News on Tuesday that closing the border would have potentially catastrophic economic impact in the US. Many who work and live in these areas agreed. Nogales survives completely from Mexicans crossing over, said Lizeth Babuca, who is a teller at a local bank in Nogales, Arizona. Lizeth Babuca said her city depends on the business of Mexicans who cross the border [Eline van Nes] The quality of the materials is better here, so people come for that. And they do have money to spend, she added, saying just a few weeks of a border closure would be disastrous for local businesses. Businesses on the Mexican side of the border would likely feel an immediate effect as well. In Nogales, Mexico, Jose Pastrano, a dentist at a clinic near the port of entry, told Al Jazeera that business was already down from normal. Because of high healthcare costs in the US, many Americans cross into Mexico for medical reasons. The Mexican city of Los Algodones, just over the border from Yuma, Arizona, is sometimes referred to as Molar City because so many Americans have their teeth done there. In recent weeks, Pastranos schedule was fully booked, but over the last few days, he has had slower-than -normal days. I have clients calling in to inquire about the border, Pastrano said. They are worried it would close while they are here. Many pharmacies and dentist office line the streets near the port of entry in Nogales, Mexico [Eline van Nes/Al Jazeera] On Wednesday, he had only one client scheduled. The other two dentists working at the clinic stayed home because there was no work. Pastrano said lines at the border were longer than normal, slowing down to a waiting time of an hour and a half at least. We have our rent and our secretary to pay, so it [closing the border] should not take too long, Pastrano added. This is all political Trump maintains a border closure may be needed to stem irregular immigration as thousands of Central Americans make their way to the border to apply for asylum, fleeing violence, extreme poverty and persecution. 190303094412827 In February, Trump declared a national emergency on the border to circumvent Congress and obtain billions of dollars for his promised border wall. Congress passed a bill to revoke the measure, but Trump vetoed it. The emergency is still being challenged in the courts. US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said last week that it had apprehended or encountered close to 100,000 migrants at the border in March, the highest figure in a decade. Responding to surge, the US government reassigned hundreds of its agents from commercial to immigration duties last week, creating long delays at some border crossings. Not everyone at the Nogales crossing on Wednesday believes a closure would be a bad thing. Hank and Bonnie Walton, from Oklahoma, come to Mexico every year to buy cattle. They are thrifty, they dont get sick, as opposed to American cattle, Hank Walton told Al Jazeera while waiting in line to cross back into Arizona. The Waltons buy the cattle through an importer, which brings them into the US. Although closed borders would affect them personally, they both believe it could also be a good way to put pressure on Congress. We do have a crisis with migration, I believe that, Bonnie Walton told Al Jazeera. So if closing the border is what it takes, thats what we have to do. You do what you have to do, she added. But shuttle bus driver Jesus Perez disagreed, saying there is no emergency at the border. Nothing really changed here in Nogales in the past 20 years, Perez said. This is all political, its for his [Trump] personal benefit to close the border. This country runs on consumerism, you cant just put a brake on that. Bill narrowly approved in the House of Commons on Wednesday; PM May to seek extension from EU on current April 12 date. British parliamentarians have narrowly approved a bill seeking to delay Brexit, as they attempt to avoid a no-deal exit from the European Union. In a third reading, the House of Commons voted by 313 votes to 312 late on Wednesday in favour of forcing Prime Minister Theresa May to seek an extension of the current Brexit date of April 12. The bill, which would require May to bring a motion to delay the date of Brexit, now needs to be approved by the upper house, the House of Lords. The European Union would also need to agree to a delay. May also said she would ask the EU for a further delay to Britains departure date postponed once already to avert a chaotic and economically damaging no-deal Brexit on April 12. Sceptical MPs, reluctant to take her word for it, approved a hastily crafted law that compels May to ask for an extension to the Brexit deadline if a no-deal departure is looming. 190403131647449 The country needs a solution, the country deserves a solution, and thats what Im working to find, May told MPs before meeting Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn for about two hours. Downing Street said both sides were showing flexibility and would agree a programme of work late on Wednesday before another full day of talks between their teams on Thursday. There hasnt been as much change as I expected but we will have further discussions tomorrow to explore technical issues, Corbyn said in a statement. I put forward the view from the Labour party that we want to achieve a customs union with the EU, access to the single market and dynamic regulatory alignment, that is, a guarantee of European regulations as a minimum on the environment, consumer and workers rights, he said. I also raised the option of a public vote to prevent crashing out or leaving on a bad deal, Corbyn added. Earlier, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker reiterated the EUs position that Britain should get the Brexit deadline extended to May 22 if May could persuade MPs to approve her withdrawal agreement, which has already been rejected three times, in the next few days. May said late on Tuesday that she planned to ask Brussels for a further Brexit extension as she tried to avoid a no-deal outcome. If the United Kingdom is in a position to approve the withdrawal agreement with a sustainable majority by April 12, the EU should likewise in this case accept a delay until May 22, said Juncker. But if British MPs failed to agree on the deal, no further short extension will be possible, he warned, citing the risk of jeopardising the European Parliament elections in late May. EU leaders are meeting at an emergency summit on April 10 and appear divided over whether they should offer May any more help. Somali and Arab complainants say displacement from Heron Gate was result of systemic discrimination. Canada More than a dozen former residents of a community in Canadas capital have filed a human rights complaint that their evictions late last year were the result of systemic discrimination. Fourteen former residents of Heron Gate, one of Ottawas most diverse communities, filed the complaint earlier this week to the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal, which adjudicates on alleged human rights code violations. The mass, forced displacement of an entire community of immigrants, people of colour, families, and people receiving public assistance amounts to systemic discrimination, the complaint reads. Specifically, they said the evictions violated articles of the Ontario Human Rights Code, such as Article 2, which states that every person has a right to equal treatment with respect to the occupancy of accommodation, without discrimination. The complainants 13 of whom are of Somali background and one who is ethnically Arab were evicted from Heron Gate between May and November 2018, the filing states. They are among some 100 families who were forced to leave their homes in the community last year, after the landlord, a company called Timbercreek Communities, announced plans to demolish about 150 units it said were no longer liveable. 180817200106463 Largest forced displacement Located in the south end of Ottawa, Heron Gate comprises of a mix of townhouses, medium-sized buildings and tall apartment towers. At the time of the evictions, a local tenants rights group said Canadians were witnessing the largest forced displacement in the countrys recent history. But Timbercreek has insisted it followed the law in carrying out the evictions, giving tenants 120 days to find alternative housing. It also gave residents three-months rent and additional compensation, as well as help with moving. Timbercreek is going beyond the requirements of the law in providing relocation assistance, the company told Al Jazeera in a statement in August. However, residents told Al Jazeera at that time that being forced to leave Heron Gate would be devastating on their social support networks. Many also said they struggled to find alternative housing options amid sky-rocketing rental costs and a lack of affordable rental units in Ottawa. Seeking damages In their Ontario Human Rights Tribunal filing, the evicted former residents also accused Timbercreeks redevelopment plan for Heron Gate of violating international law. Displacing existing residents, particularly those who are low-income and members of groups experiencing discrimination, for the purposes of redevelopment, is only permitted if existing residents are fully consulted about development plans, and if those plans avoid permanent displacement of residents, they said. {articleGUID} The complainants also accused the City of Ottawa of being complicit in the discrimination they faced. They are seeking $50,000 each in damages and to be allowed to return to similarly sized and priced units when the redevelopment is completed. They also want the tribunal to declare that the evictions infringed upon their right to housing without discrimination. A spokesperson for Timbercreek said in an emailed statement that the company was aware of the complaint and are not currently in a position to comment further. The City of Ottawa did not respond to Al Jazeeras request for comment at the time of publication. City officials told local media that the city does not comment on ongoing cases. Tensions rise as renegade General Khalifa Haftar orders his forces to move on Libyan capital in a victorious march. Libyas internationally-backed government is deploying forces in and around the capital, Tripoli, after renegade General Khalifa Haftar on Thursday ordered his eastern military forces to advance on the city, sparking fears of a major showdown with rival militias. The UN Security Council has called for an emergency meeting on Friday to discuss the escalation in Libyas years-long power struggle, as a number of foreign powers urged restraint. Earlier on Friday, the AFP news agency reported that some troops of Haftars self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA) were pushed back from a security barrier by a militia in Zawiya, fewer than 30km from the capital. On Thursday, Haftars forces took over Gharyan, a town 100km south of Tripoli. In an audio recording posted on the LNAs media office Facebook page, Haftar described his forces move as a victorious march to shake the lands under the feet of the unjust bunch. We are coming Tripoli, we are coming, he said. Why use weapons? The oil-rich country, which has been in turmoil since the NATO-backed removal of its long-time ruler Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, has at least two rival administrations: the internationally-recognised government based in Tripoli, headed by Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj; and another in the eastern city of Tobruk, which is allied with Haftar. The rising tensions come as the United Nations is preparing to hold a conference later this month in the southwestern city of Ghadames to discuss a political solution to prepare for long-delayed elections and avoid a military showdown. Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha told Al Jazeera that Haftar is making his move at an unprecedented time of calm. Why use weapons and force to terrorise the people of Libya, to kill them, and to force them to accept one thing only, which is to be ruled by a military dictator? What makes Mr Haftar a better candidate than other Libyans? Bashagha said. 190403155045917 We will not be subdued by any use of force by any side or any person. And if anyone is willing to use force against us were ready for sacrifice but we will not give up on democracy which weve always wanted from the beginning. In the audio recording, Haftar urged his forces to enter Tripoli peacefully and only raise their weapons in the face of those who seek injustice and prefer confrontation and fighting. He also told them not to open fire on any civilians or those who are unarmed. Those who lay down their weapons are safe, and those who raise the white banner are safe, he said. UN peace efforts The advance by Haftars forces prompted UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who was in Tripoli on Thursday for talks with Sarraj, to voice his deep concern. I want to make a very strong appeal, an appeal for all military movements to stop, an appeal for containment, calm and de-escalation, both military and political and verbal de-escalation, Guterres told reporters. He was due to meet Haftar in eastern Libya later on Friday. Analysts say Haftars previous strategy has been to expand his control through forging alliances and buying off opposition, and that his military move is motivated by the upcoming talks. Haftar would like to force the hand of the UN and those attending in a way that does not exclude him, fearing that this conference may start a whole new path for Libya in the next few years and that he may not be included in that process, said Hafed Al Ghwell, a fellow at the Foreign Policy Institute of Johns Hopkins University. Troops on the move On Wednesday, the LNAs media centre said on Facebook that several units had headed to the western region to cleanse it of the remaining terrorist groups. An accompanying video showed a column of dozens of armed vehicles moving along a road, but it was not immediately possible to identify their location or destination. In response, the Tripoli-based government, which relies on patches of armed groups with flexible loyalties, declared a military alert. Serraj called the eastern advance an escalation and urged Haftars forces to stop using the language of threats. He said he had ordered pro-government forces to prepare to face all threats whether from terrorist groups, criminals, outlaws and all who threaten the security of every Libyan city. 190212075514781 In response to the LNAs move, armed groups in Misrata city, which back the Tripoli-based government, said on Thursday they would block an advance on the capital. The Misrata-based forces stand ready to stop the cursed advance of the LNA, they said in a statement, as cited by AFP. Libyas highest religious authority, meanwhile, called on the public to take to the streets against Haftars campaign aimed at capturing the capital. The Libyan people should resist and fight against Haftars forces in Tripoli in order not to see crimes against humanity committed in [the eastern cities of] Derna and Benghazi, Grand Mufti Sadiq Al-Ghariani told Al Jazeera. It is no longer a secret that the UN mission in the country cooperates with Haftar. No military solution In a joint statement issued on Thursday, the United States, France, Britain, Italy and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) called for an immediate de-escalation of tensions in Libya. Our governments oppose any military action in Libya and will hold accountable any Libyan faction that precipitates further civil conflict, the statement said. At this sensitive moment in Libyas transition, military posturing and threats of unilateral action only risk propelling Libya back toward chaos, it added. We strongly believe that there is no military solution to the Libya conflict. Al Jazeeras diplomatic editor James Bays said it was notable that two of the countries that signed the statement France and the UAE have supported Haftar. The word from diplomats is they are angry, they are somewhat surprised that Haftar made his move at a time when the UN secretary-general was visiting Libya. They are concerned about the situation and are highlighting the arrogance of this move at this time, Bays said, reporting from a NATO summit in Washington, DC. Tense situation Reporting from the capital, Al Jazeeras Mahmoud Abdelwahed said on Thursday that things are moving from bad to worse. It seems that the rival factions on the ground are not listening to the UN chiefs warnings, he added, calling the situation in Tripoli tense. People are afraid that if Haftars forces enter Tripoli, if they engage in military confrontations with local armed groups, there could be another war, said Abdelwahed. We understand that local armed groups have vowed to face Haftars forces if they approach Tripoli. Abdelwahed said it was possible that Haftar wants to reach Tripoli before the conference so he could impose himself as a de facto security commander in the western area. Masudi Alimasi Kokodiko is the leader of the widely feared Raia Mutomboki armed group. A Congolese rebel leader accused of orchestrating mass rapes and other atrocities has been caught, Democratic Republic of Congos (DRC) army said. Masudi Alimasi Kokodiko, leader of the widely feared Raia Mutomboki armed group, was captured on Tuesday in the Shabunda territory of the eastern South Kivu province after being wounded in a firefight, army spokesman Dieudonne Kasereka said on Thursday. Raia Mutomboki was formed in 2005 to fight armed Rwandan Hutu groups active in eastern DRC and became one of the most powerful of the dozens of armed groups active in the mineral-rich area bordering Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi. A report by a United Nations Security Council panel of experts last year said Kokodikos forces had gang raped at least 17 women in the central town of Lubila last September. The panel also accused the group of using child soldiers. 170321085151907 In 2012, a UN-led investigation found that Raia Mutomboki and two other militias were responsible for the deaths of more than 260 civilians in a wave of tit-for-tat ethnic massacres in restive North Kivu province. The DRCs new president, Felix Tshisekedi, who took office in January, has pledged to address the militia violence that plagues the east, where millions died in a civil war from 1998-2003. Tshisekedi succeeded Joseph Kabila, who governed the largely impoverished central African country for 18 years. Election observers reported a number of irregularities during the vote and there were widespread opposition allegations that it was marred by fraud. Christoph Vogel, a researcher who previously advised the UN, told Reuters news agency that Kokodikos arrest coincides with the new government announcing a more deliberate agenda to disarm militias, yet it remains to be seen if it comes as part of broader change. Last month, Tshisekedi pardoned some 700 political prisoners jailed under Kabila and in February urged tens of thousands of political exiles to return home, saying everyone would be needed to move Congo forward. Another of the DRCs most infamous rebel leaders, Ntabo Ntaberi Sheka, went on trial last year for rapes and other atrocities. Victim testimony in that trial began last month. According to the UN, Shekas forces and two other armed groups raped at least 387 civilians between July 30 and August 2, 2010, as punishment for alleged collaboration with Congolese government forces. His soldiers are also accused of razing almost 1,000 homes and businesses and taking about 100 people into forced labour. Pilots followed procedure when Boeing jet repeatedly nosedived before crash, minister says, unveiling official report. The crew of an Ethiopian Airlines plane that crashed last month repeatedly followed procedures recommended by Boeing, but were unable to regain control of the jet, the Ethiopian transport minister has said. Dagmawit Moges made the announcement at a press conference on Thursday as she unveiled the results of the preliminary probe into the crash, which killed all 157 people on board The crew performed all the procedures repeatedly provided by the manufacturer but was not able to control the aircraft, Dagmawit said, citing data from the Boeing 737 MAX 8s recorders. She said the report recommends the aircraft flight control system shall be reviewed by the manufacturer. Aviation authorities shall verify that the review of the aircraft flight control system has been adequately addressed by the manufacturer before the release of the aircraft for operations. 190313181501069 Dagmawit did not make specific reference to the automatic anti-stalling system which has been implicated in the crash but did mention a repetitive nose-down movement of the aircraft. The Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) is designed to automatically lower the aircrafts nose if it detects a stall or loss of airspeed. David Learmount, consulting editor for Flight Global, told Al Jazeera it was not clear what triggered the nose-down, but said that the crew reacted quite correctly by carrying out a drill that has been prescribed if this occurs and isolated this system that was trying to push the nose down. Speaking from London, he added: But having done that, they then found that one of the control systems that they have for pulling the nose back up again simply wouldnt perform for them. Recover trust The jet crashed on March 10 shortly after takeoff from Ethiopias capital, Addis Ababa. It was the second crash of a 737 MAX 8 within five months, following a Lion Air crash in Indonesia in October last year. Following the latest crash, Max jets have been grounded worldwide pending a software fix that Boeing is rolling out, which has yet to receive approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and other regulators. Learmount said the crash has been terribly harmful for Boeings reputation. Boeing has probably one of the strongest brand names in the world and has for a very long time produced a lot of superb aircraft both military and civilian, he said. So Boeing really has to work very fast to recover trust because this will end up being like a cancer if it cant sort it out rapidly. Dagmawit did not give details of what happened in the cockpit during the fateful final minutes of the flight but said takeoff appeared very normal and that all the crew had the requisite qualifications to operate the jet. The head of the accident investigation bureau, Amdiye Ayalew, said the full probe would take six months to a year, but that there had been no sign of foreign object damage to the aircraft. Within this one year well analyse whether other problems are existing on this aircraft, he said. Tewolde GebreMariam, the head of Ethiopian Airlines, said he was very proud of the efforts of the pilots in trying to stop their jet from crashing. The FAA said in a statement that it is continuing to work towards a full understanding of what happened and will take appropriate action as findings become available. Millions more people could be exposed to mosquito-borne diseases in coming years amid global warming, experts say. A new study has predicted that climate change will result in millions more people, especially in Europe, being exposed to mosquito-borne diseases in the coming decades. Two of the worlds most dangerous mosquitos Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus are known to thrive in warm climates, spreading viruses such as dengue, yellow fever and Zika most effectively at between 26 and 29C. The mosquitos currently threaten more than a billion people globally. But scientists say that as the world warms the expected result of climate change they will migrate towards the poles, exposing millions more to the diseases they carry. We wanted to demonstrate how projected future climate change would impact the risk of spread of vector-borne disease in this case, by two very tenacious global invaders, Sadie J Ryan, an associate professor of medical geography at the University of Florida, told Al Jazeera. 190401082408931 The researchers, whose study was published last week in the PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases journal, developed a model that allowed them to track shifting weather-warming scenarios over the next century. With this, they were able to work out where mosquitos were likely to migrate and what effect the diseases they carry could have on people living in those regions. In the next few decades, nearly half a billion more people will be exposed, said Ryan. By 2080, that number will increase to nearly a billion, under the worst-case scenario. The researchers said the threat to human health would likely also come from new and lesser-known mosquito-borne diseases. Before the Zika epidemic in the Americas in 2015-2016 which resulted in more than 600,000 notified cases and almost 2,000 babies being born with birth defects the disease was little studied. Researchers at the University of Florida decided to include Zika in their modelling, as well as chikungunya, a viral disease transmitted to humans by infected mosquitoes. This model advances the field by providing the first mechanistic forecast for the potential future risk of chikungunya and Zika, Maria Diuk-Wasser, an associate professor at Columbia University, told Al Jazeera. Europe at risk The researchers called the scale of the potential risk alarming, but the real effect of the mosquitoes movement only became apparent when it was mapped against human populations. We will see poleward expansions, [into] some of the densest populations in Europe for the first time, leading to rather rapid increases in novel exposure risks, said Ryan. The team said their predictions were useful as a planning tool, giving decision-makers a better idea of the risks they were likely to face and what they would need to do to monitor and control the spread of diseases in the years ahead. This means we can start thinking about how to allocate resources before we are surprised by the next outbreak, said Ryan. Added dimension to climate change Last week, the United Nations weather agency reported that extreme weather in 2018 had affected 62 million people worldwide, forcing two million to relocate. UN chief Antonio Guterres highlighted the fast-expanding cost to public health from changes to climate, including heatwaves and flooding. The University of Florida researchers expressed hope their study will increase awareness about changing health threats and the need to act to limit rising global temperatures. It gives us a sense of the urgency to think about climate change mitigation in the context of global health, said Ryan. It shows us that places we dont currently associate with tropical diseases will become at-risk areas, but also that we still can mitigate that risk through action on climate change. Too hot One surprise finding from the study was that as global temperatures rise, some areas currently home to the Tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) will become too hot for them to thrive. While this will have a positive effect on human health in these regions tropical zones in Africa and the Americas, Southeast Asia the scientists expressed concern over how the temperature changes could affect entire ecosystems. The fact that we start to see a decline in risk for the Tiger mosquito indicates that we face a world that is too hot for mosquitoes to transmit disease, which is itself rather an alarming signal, said Ryan. I was surprised to see the degree to which this would occur in certain areas, Diuk-Wasser said, adding that the non-linear effects of climate change on disease risk means it poses a very difficult management challenge, Ryan said more work needed to be done to better understand how rising global temperatures would affect humans, animals and plants. Understanding how these will respond to climate change will allow us to assess our future, plan for management and control and argue for climate mitigation strategies. The measure now goes to Trump, but the White House has signalled the president will likely veto the bill. Washington, DC The US House of Representatives on Thursday approved a bill to end US support for the Saudi-UAE war in Yemen, sending US President Donald Trump another rebuke over his support for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The measure, passed in a 247-175 vote, now goes to Trump, but the White House has signalled that the president is likely to veto the bill. Passage of the resolution, approved previously by the US Senate, marks the first time the United States Congress has acted under the War Powers Act of 1973, a Vietnam War-era law introduced to curtail a US presidents deployment of US military forces without congressional approval. Since 2015, the US has provided aerial refuelling of jets, reconnaissance, targeting and intelligence information to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), in their campaign against the Houthi rebels who unseated the Saudi-backed government in Yemen. Saudi Arabia and a coalition of Arab governments have launched more than 19,000 air raids across Yemen. Air raids by the Saudi-UAE coalition have hit civilians, hospitals and water treatment facilities. Aid groups estimate as many as 60,000 civilians have been killed in the war and as many as 85,000 children starved to death, with millions more one step away from famine. Recruitment of children The Saudi-UAE military authorities are recruiting Yemeni children, many of them desperately poor, to fight along the Saudi border against the Houthis, Al Jazeera previously reported. Two-thirds of the child soldiers in Yemen fight for the Houthis, according to a United Nations report. 190329132329547 I became convinced long ago that we cannot tie ourselves to the Saudis and the Emiratis given the way in which they have conducted this war, Democratic Senator Chris Murphy told Al Jazeera. If they are recruiting child soldiers, it just adds to the list of reasons why we need to be out of this coalition as soon as possible, he added. We have plenty of other avenues we can pursue. We can continue to push sanctions legislation in the committee. We can look at future arms sales votes. There is only so much we can do if the president refuses to change direction, Murphy said. The Trump administration argues that by directing the military to support a US ally, the president is acting within his constitutional authority. The presidents senior advisers would recommend he veto the joint resolution, the White House Office of Management and Budget said in a statement of administration policy. Many US politicians are unhappy with the Trump administrations handling of the US relationship with Saudi Arabia following the October 2018 murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at a Saudi consulate in Turkey. US intelligence agencies have reportedly concluded that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) was involved in Khashoggis killing, a conclusion the kingdom denies. A bipartisan group of senators led by Senator Bob Menendez have introduced a separate bill that would impose sanctions on members of the Saudi royal family and others for the killing of Khashoggi. Republican Senators Lindsey Graham, Susan Collins and Todd Young are cosponsors. 190329064300346 Trump has declined to answer demands from Congress that the US reach a determination on MBSs role and impose sanctions under US human rights law, the Global Magnitsky Act. Khashoggis family have received homes and cash payments from the Saudi government since the killing, according to a Washington Post report. Ending US involvement in Yemen war The Democrat-controlled House had previously approved Thursdays measure on a 248-177 vote on February 13, but was required to redo the vote to overcome a parliamentary hurdle raised by Republicans. There are 22 million souls at risk of dying, of being killed. Maybe not of being shot, but being starved to death or dying from medical problems for which they can receive no medicines, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer previously told reporters. It is a humanitarian crisis. I would refer to it in even more draconian terms because I think its such a conscious effort by both sides to put these people at risk, he added. It is necessary for us to act. 190327122627856 The resolution excludes US drone attacks and special forces operations against al-Qaeda in Yemen from the terms of its prohibition. US forces conducted six air attacks in March against what the US military says were al-Qaeda targets located in the Al Bayda Governorate in Yemen, according to an April 1 statement by the US Central Command. A previous US drone attack in Yemen on January 1 targeted and killed Jamal al-Badawi, who the US says was one of the planners the 2000 al-Qaeda bombing of the USS Cole naval ship in Aden Harbour that killed 17 American sailors. Meanwhile, Trump walked back on border closure threat, saying instead that he could slap tariffs on imports from Mexico. The US House of Representatives will sue to block President Donald Trumps transfer of money to pay for a wall along the border with Mexico, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Thursday. The Republican president in February declared a national emergency at the border to secure the money that Congress refused to give him for the wall. The Presidents action clearly violates the Appropriations Clause by stealing from appropriated funds, an action that was not authorized by constitutional or statutory authority, Pelosi, the top Democrat in Congress, said in a statement. She said a congressional legal advisory group voted to authorise the lawsuit. In a stinging rebuke, the Democratic-controlled House passed legislation to terminate the emergency Trump declared at the US-Mexico border but Trump issued the first veto of his presidency in March to block that measure. The House will once again defend our Democracy and our Constitution, this time in the courts, Pelosi said in a statement. No one is above the law or the Constitution, not even the President. US Attorney General William Barr said the presidents emergency declaration was legal. Trump pulls back from border closure threat Meanwhile on Thursday, Trump backed away from his repeated threat to immediately close the southern US border with Mexico, but raised a new spectre of eventually slapping tariffs on car imports from Mexico unless it does to stop immigrants. 190403231543621 Trump prompted panic in the US business community last Friday by saying he would likely close the border this week to deal with a surge of migrants from Central America, but has since walked back the threat. On Thursday, he told reporters at the White House he wants to see Mexico stop more migrants at its southern border. He gave the country a deadline to do more to stop drugs or face tariffs. Were going to give them a one-year warning, and if the drugs dont stop, or largely stop, were going to put tariffs on Mexico and products in particular, cars. The whole ballgame is cars, Trump told reporters. Trump made immigration a centrepiece of his 2016 run for the White House, pledging to build a wall on the border to stop migrants. Trump plans to visit the border at Calexico, California, on Friday. A lot of good things are happening with Mexico. Mexico understands that were going to close the border, or Im going to tariff the cars, he said. Later on Thursday, a top Mexican trade official said that the trade agreement between Mexico, Canada and the US was firm on the car industry and not under threat. 190403171452145 Jesus Seade, the Mexican undersecretary for North America, would not comment on Trumps remarks about possible tarriffs and said the trade agreement was separate from immigration issues. Separately, Mexican exporters said this week they were looking into sending their goods to the United States by air freight to avoid a five-mile (eight-km)-long line of trucks at the border caused by the Trump administration moving federal agents away from customs checks to immigration duties. Car parts and medical equipment makers were among the Mexican companies considering the more expensive air cargo to avoid incurring penalties for late delivery to US clients or factory closures, Luis Aguirre, the president of Mexicos manufacturing industry chamber INDEX, said late on Wednesday. Regional leaders say the move to shut the vital road twice a week is inspired by Israels lockdown of Gaza. Srinagar, Indian-administered Kashmir Authorities have announced that an arterial highway in Indian-administered Kashmir will be closed to civilian movement twice a week to facilitate the movement of army convoys in the region. The 300km-long Baramulla-Jammu national highway connects the disputed Kashmir region to the outside world. It also links the southern and northern parts of the region to the capital city, Srinagar. The decision comes after a suicide bomber rammed his car into a military convoy on the same highway a lifeline for a large number of civilians in Kashmirs Pulwama town, killing at least 40 army personnel in February. This Shah residents] In an order issued on Wednesday, the government spokesman said: Keeping in view the large movement of security forces on the national highway during the parliamentary elections and associated possibility of any Fidayeen [suicide] terror attack on security forces convoys, the state government has notified specified days in a week for the movement of security forces from Srinagar to Jammu. During these days, no civilian traffic would be allowed on the National Highway. Closing the Jammu Srinagar highway is the worst anti-People move I've seen in 30 years of militancy. Hundreds of schools and hospitals can only be accessed via this crucial road. Stark admission that the mighty Sec forces can only rule through force. Expect further alienation Harinder Baweja (@shammybaweja) April 4, 2019 To mitigate the inconvenience to the civilians by this move, the government has notified two dedicated days in a week Sunday and Wednesday exclusively for movement of security forces convoys and there would be a complete ban on civilian traffic on the national highway during these two days from 4am to 5pm. The civilian population, as well as regional mainstream leaders, have said that India was importing Israeli policies to turn Kashmir into Gaza, referring to the Israeli policy of barring Palestinians from using many roads, citing security reasons. For Muhammad Afaq, 50, a resident of Baramulla, the closure of the highway means his children will be unable to reach their school. This means my children will not be able to go their school as they travel 15km on the highway every day in their school bus. There are scores of schools, colleges, and hospitals on the highway that does not only connect Kashmir to India but also the other districts with the main city. It will be catastrophic, he said. Inspired by Israel Shah Faesal, a bureaucrat-turned-politician, told Al Jazeera that the policy seems to be inspired by Israels lockdown of Gaza strip. This is the only road link that connects Kashmir to the outside world. This is completely choking the freedom of movement for 70 lakh [7 million] residents. It will restrict people from going to jobs. It will halt business activities. How will patients move? It is an attempt to terrorise the population, Faisal said. It is unheard-of in recent history. It is converting this valley into Gaza Strip for two days. The February 14 attack, the worst on security forces in decades, heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, bringing the two countries close to war. 190319133729126 The tension has since calmed down but India launched a major crackdown on separatists and rebels in the restive region. Two major separatist organisations, Jamaat-e-Islami and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), have been banned and hundreds of their leaders and activists put behind bars. With the multi-phase Indian general elections set to begin on April 11, the authorities have rushed thousands of additional troopers into Kashmir to ensure smooth polls. Mehbooba Mufti, former chief minister of the disputed territory, denounced the move in a tweet, adding: Last I checked, we were a democracy. But this sounds like a diktat of martial law. After bringing Kashmir to the brink, the administration is adamant on ensuring collective punishment for Kashmiris. As the region is currently without a civil government, one of the top officials in the administration run by the governor told Al Jazeera that because of the incidents that took place, the step has been taken after assessing threat perception to the convoys from the terror groups. Survivors and relatives of victims of Christchurch shootings pack court room as suspect appears by video link. Christchurch, New Zealand The Australian man accused of murdering 50 people at two New Zealand mosques has been ordered to undergo psychiatric tests. At the brief and sombre hearing in Christchurch on Friday, Justice Cameron Mander ordered Brenton Tarrant, the suspected gunman, to undergo a psychiatric assessment to determine his fitness to stand trial as he appeared by video link from a prison in Auckland. The 28-year-old, a self-confessed white supremacist, sat still with an impassive face during the preliminary hearing, in contrast to his first court appearance when he smirked at the media and appeared to flash a white nationalist hand signal. New Zealand police on Thursday filed 49 counts of murder against Tarrant, bringing the total number of murder charges to 50. He was also charged with 39 counts of attempted murder. Mander suppressed the names of the 39 survivors, citing concern for their welfare. The gallery was packed with survivors, two of them in wheelchairs, as well as relatives of victims. For many, it was their first glimpse of the man accused over the March 15 gun massacre which targetted two mosques in Christchurch as people gathered for Friday prayers. Tarrant did not enter a plea and was remanded in custody until his next court appearance on June 14. The judge did not set a trial date. Dressed in a grey prison sweatshirt and hands cuffed together in front of him, Tarrant occasionally tilted his head to one side as he listened to the judge speak. Tarrant had sacked his court-appointed lawyer last month, saying he would represent himself. But at Fridays court hearing he was represented by two lawyers. Shane Tait, a member of Tarrants legal team, said he was concerned the publication of the news that Tarrants mental health was being assessed could prejudice the trial. But Mander said the mental assessment was an entirely normal, regular step to be taken at this stage of the process. If found guilty, Tarrant faces life in prison without parole, something that has never happened in New Zealand before. The Pacific island nation does not have the death penalty and the longest previous sentence of prison time without parole was 30 years. After the hearing, victims and their families received a private debriefing session in the courtroom. Some were emotional as they left the building. Yama Nabi, whose father Haji Daoud Nabi was among those killed at the Noor Mosque, said it was important for him to be at the court. Describing the killer as a coward, Yama said he wanted justice. Tarrants second court appearance comes three weeks after the attack, as the New Zealand government rushed to make changes to gun laws and investigate how he was able to carry out the attacks. On Thursday, the government held a single day of public hearings as it rushed to implement new gun-control laws, due to be passed on April 11. The law change which enjoys broad support in parliament would ban most types of semi-automatic weapons, including those used in the March attacks. It has been a hotly contested campaign with many issues. But which of them may decide this election? Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus visit to Russia has come just days ahead of a general election in Israel. It has been a hotly contested campaign with many issues on the table. but what are the issues that may decide this election? And what do voters care about? Al Jazeeras Stefanie Dekker asked people in occupied West Jerusalem what is important to them. India PM continues with social media push, as he makes a bid for a second term in office with a freshly minted slogan. New Delhi, India Clever catchphrases and viral social media campaigns were a defining feature of the bid for power launched five years ago by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The ruling Hindu nationalist party is credited with introducing professionally managed campaigning for elections. Modi continues to be the champion of the hashtag and his partys pioneering advantage on social media seems intact, as he makes a bid for a second term in office with a freshly minted campaign slogan: Main bhi chowkidar (Me too watchman). More than 900 million registered voters are expected to elect 543 members to the lower house of parliament in multiphase elections beginning on April 11. The chowkidar campaign was launched in response to a slogan coined earlier this year by opposition Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi: Chowkidar chor hai (The watchman is a thief). Gandhis slogan had sought to highlight the prime ministers role in facilitating an alleged scam in the purchase of Rafale fighter jets from the French company Dassault Aviation for nearly $9bn. The counter-campaign quickly became another example of the BJP coming up with a winning repartee to an attack by the opposition. When we were running the campaign that our watchman is a thief, Modi was completely shaken and just to counter that campaign, he has come up with Main bhi chowkidar' campaign, Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam, told Al Jazeera. Modi's new campaign 'Main bhi chowkidar' also allows him to go into the area of defence and national security which is an area of comfort for him Dilip Cherian, public relations executive Launched a fortnight ago, Modis Main bhi chowkidar campaign features a title song, four short films, caller tunes, mass rallies, T-shirts, caps, badges, and a customary hashtag along with Modis trademark video conferences with his supporters. The party also made use of the conversation cards feature launched by Twitter and sent personalised messages to those who supported the chowkidar campaign from the prime ministers official handle. Modi changed his Twitter profile and added the prefix chowkidar to his name [Noah Seelam/AFP] Modi even changed his Twitter profile and added the prefix chowkidar to his name, tweeting: Your chowkidar is standing firm and serving the nation. But I am not alone. Everyone who is fighting corruption, dirt, social evils is a chowkidar. Everyone working hard for the progress of India is a chowkidar. Today, every Indian is saying #MainBhiChowkidar. Political mileage BJP leaders, cabinet ministers and hundreds of thousands of Modis online supporters soon followed and added the chowkidar prefix to their names. The hashtag used by the Indian prime minister, who has a nearly 47 million followers on Twitter, trended for several days. For months, Gandhi has relentlessly taunted Modi with his Chowkidar chor hai slogan, accusing the government of corruption and granting favours to corporations that are close to the prime minister. Modi and his BJP party have denied the corruption claims. This is not the first time that Modi and his party have successfully turned opposition criticism into political campaigns. In the run-up to the 2014 elections, BJP launched the Chai pe charcha (Conversations over tea) campaign, after senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar dubbed Narendra Modi a chaiwala (tea seller) and mocked his prime ministerial ambitions saying that a place will be identified for him to distribute tea. The senior Congress leaders comments were perceived as elitist and a sign of the partys arrogance, causing serious damage to the party which had fought for Indias independence in 1947. The BJP won the 2014 elections in a landslide, while the Congress party was reduced to 44 seats, its worst performance on record. Supporters of Indias main opposition Congress shout slogans against Prime Minister Modi in Kolkata [Rupak De Chowdhuri/Reuters] Social media head of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the party which currently governs Delhi, said that unlike the 2014 Chai pe charcha campaign, the current one isnt going to help the BJP in the upcoming elections. At a deeper level what we see is that the BJP and Modi have tried to take the focus away from the real issues that are plaguing the country. The real issues of economy, jobs and women safety are not being talked about, Ankit Lal told Al Jazeera. But BJPs national spokesman told Al Jazeera that the chowkidar campaign was adopted as a result of the negative campaign by the opposition. Public relations exercise Since coming to power in 2014, Modi has coined numerous slogans to highlight issues and government programmes such as Beti bachao beti padhao (Save daughter, educate daughter), Swach bharat abhiyan (clean India campaign), Digital India, Make In India and Startup India. But the opposition has accused the Modi government of wasting taxpayers money on public relations exercises. Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Brinda Karat described the marketing of Modi as unprecedented. From the government money, for example, in the Beti bachao beti padhao campaign, half of the funds were spent on advertisements, Karat said. In December last year, the government told parliament that it had spent over Rs 5,200 crore ($7.5bn) in advertisements through electronic, print and other media since 2014. Media reports have estimated that the election campaign for the BJP-led-National Democratic Alliance (NDA), will cost around 2,500 crore ($3.6bn) with 20-25 creative agencies deployed to manage its traditional and social media strategies. The chairman of the Perfect Relations public relations firm, Dilip Cherian, told Al Jazeera that such media campaigning has worked for Modi in the past and he thinks that it might work for him again. Cherian said that Modis approach is brave as he takes the opposition head on with his offensive strategy. Modis new campaign Main bhi chowkidar also allows him to go into the area of defence and national security which is an area of comfort for him, Cherian said. Doctors Without Borders suspends medical admissions in Aden after armed men storm its hospital and abduct patient. Doctors Without Borders, known by its French initials MSF, has suspended work at its hospital in Yemens second city of Aden after the kidnapping and killing of one of its patients. In a statement on Thursday, the medical relief organisation said a group of armed men threatened guards and staff at its emergency trauma hospital in Aden and abducted a patient who was due to undergo surgery. He was found dead on a street in the citys al-Mansoura district. Following this incident, we have no choice but to suspend the admission of patients until further notice, says Caroline Seguin, MSFs programme manager for Yemen. Over recent weeks, the hospital has been functioning at full capacity, particularly the emergency room and intensive care unit, following an escalation of violence in the city. Yemen has been gripped by a civil war between the internationally recognised government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who is also backed by a Saudi-led military coalition and Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. The four-year war has killed tens of thousands of people and pushed the impoverished country to the brink of famine. Many of the countrys hospitals have been damaged or destroyed and the country is heavily dependent on aid groups for medical care. 1/2 #MSF has suspended admission of patients in its hospital in #Aden following the abduction of one of its patient on 2 April, who was found dead later on. pic.twitter.com/amQVi8IzC3 MSF Yemen (@msf_yemen) April 3, 2019 MSF said the kidnapping on Tuesday was just one among a number of threats and security incidents, involving both patients and staff, since the start of the year at the Al Sadaqah Hospital in Aden. We are extremely worried by the deteriorating situation inside Aden and its consequences for our medical activities, as incidents like these endanger the lives of both patients and staff, said Seguin. A police commander in Aden, who requested anonymity as he was not authorised to brief the press, told the AFP news agency that the patient was hospitalised at the MSF clinic after being wounded in a battle between rival armed groups. His body was found on the grounds of a local school, the commander said. The southern port city of Aden has served as the seat of Yemens beleaguered government since early 2015, when Hadi fled the capital Sanaa in the face of the Houthi takeover. 181203162342489 In March 2015, as the Houthis closed in on Aden and Hadi went into exile, a Saudi-led military coalition intervened in support of the government, triggering what the UN calls the worlds worst humanitarian crisis The government exercises only limited authority, even in areas that have been retaken from the rebels. In November, MSF announced it had suspended its work in Daleh, a region inland from the Red Sea port of Hodeidah, in the face of multiple security incidents directly targeting patients and staff. Thursdays arrest, which Ghosn termed outrageous and arbitrary, came less than a month after he was released on bail. Former Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn has been rearrested in Tokyo on fresh financial misconduct allegations. Authorities arrested the 65-year-old less after he was dramatically freed on bail last month in Japan following more than 100 days in detention. According to local media, prosecutors entered Ghosns temporary accommodation in central Tokyo early on Thursday morning and he left with them by car shortly afterwards. The arrest, which Ghosn termed outrageous and arbitrary, was the latest twist in a case that has gripped Japan and the business world since November. It is part of another attempt by some individuals at Nissan to silence me by misleading the prosecutors. Why arrest me except to try to break me? I will not be broken, he said, insisting that he was innocent. Reports emerged on Wednesday that prosecutors were weighing rearresting Ghosn as they investigate claims related to at least $32m in Nissan funds transferred to a distributor in Oman. The former high-flying executive already faces three charges of financial misconduct related to allegations he under-reported his compensation and sought to transfer personal investment losses to Nissans books. He has denied any wrongdoing and took to Twitter for the first time on Wednesday, using a newly created account that his spokespeople confirmed was authentic, to announce plans for a news conference. Im getting ready to tell the truth about whats happening. Press conference on Thursday, April 11, said the tweet, sent in English and then Japanese. A Nissan spokesperson said the firms internal probe had uncovered substantial evidence of blatantly unethical conduct and that their focus was on addressing weaknesses in governance that enabled this misconduct. Ghosn currently faces two separate charges of deferring his salary to the tune of nine billion yen ($81m) and not revealing this in official documents to shareholders. 190114025949103 The Brazil-born car sector pioneer, widely credited with saving Nissan from the brink of bankruptcy, also faces a charge of seeking to shift his personal investment losses onto Nissans books and then using company funds to pay a Saudi associate who stumped up collateral for him. Ghosn was first arrested at a Tokyo airport on November 19 last year. He has since been rearrested on multiple occasions over a series of allegations, employed a little-used article of Japanese law to force a day in court and emerged on bail dressed in a workmans uniform and cap in a bizarre attempt to avoid the media. Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors removed Ghosn as chairman following his arrest while he stepped down as chairman and chief executive of Renault in January. Nissan is set to hold an extraordinary shareholders meeting on Monday to remove Ghosn from the board and bring in Renaults new chairman Jean-Dominique Senard as a new member. Foreign ministers from NATO member countries meet in Washington to mark the 70th anniversary of the alliance. United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged NATO allies on Thursday to work together to confront a wide variety of emerging threats from Russia and China. Pompeo made the call at the start of a NATO meeting of foreign ministers in Washington that marked the 70th anniversary of the transatlantic military alliance. We must adapt our alliance to confront emerging threats whether thats Russian aggression, uncontrolled migration, cyberattacks, threats to energy security, Chinese strategic competition, including technology and 5G [or] many other issues, Pompeo said. In a 2018 strategy document, the United States military put countering China and Russia at the heart of a new national defence strategy. The meetings first session focused on ways to deter Russia, including in the Black Sea, where it seized three Ukrainian naval vessels last year. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg called on Moscow to release the ships and their crews. He said Russias breach of the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty was part of a pattern of destabilising behaviour. 190404064751519 Washington has said it will withdraw from the treaty this summer unless Moscow ends its alleged violations of the pact, which rid Europe of land-based nuclear missiles. We will not mirror what Russia is doing, said Stoltenberg. We will be measured and coordinated, and we have no intention of deploying ground-launched nuclear missiles in Europe. Cyber warfare In his remarks, Pompeo said NATO should also confront increased cyber warfare, including threats from China. Washington has warned it will not partner with countries that adopt Chinas Huawei Technologies systems, but has been at odds on the issue with the European Union (EU), which has shunned US calls to ban the company across the bloc. The bulk of NATO members are EU countries. Huawei is under scrutiny from Western intelligence agencies for its perceived ties to Chinas government and the possibility that its equipment could be used for espionage. Huawei has repeatedly denied engaging in intelligence work for any government. The US has also been at odds with European countries over the failure of many of them to meet NATO defence-spending guidelines of two percent of gross domestic product (GDP). Stoltenberg told reporters that NATO allies should commit to increased defence spending to improve burden-sharing in NATO. 190403185202324 All NATO allies made a pledge to invest more in defense to improve burden-sharing in our alliance, and I expect all allies, including Germany, of course, to make good on the pledge we made together, the NATO secretary general said. Defence spending US President Donald Trump has called on NATO countries to pay even more than two percent of their GDP for defence. He told NATO leaders last year to increase defence spending to four percent of GDP. He said the US pays 4.3 percent of its GDP to NATO. Trump has singled out Germany for not doing enough. Stoltenberg said Germany was now making progress, but all allies needed to do more. We didnt make this pledge to please the United States. We made it because we live in a more unpredictable and uncertain world, Stoltenberg said. On Thursday, Pompeo said every NATO member had an obligation to explain to its citizens the need to increase their defence budgets and rejected what he called tired arguments about public opposition to such spending. The NATO chief said disagreement between NATO members Turkey and the US over Ankaras plan to buy S-400 missile defence systems from Russia was not part of the formal agenda of the Washington meeting, but would be discussed in the margins. The US has halted delivery of equipment related to its advanced F-35 fighter jets to Turkey over its S-400 plans. The US has said Turkeys purchase of the Russian air defence system would compromise the security of F-35 aircraft, which are built by Lockheed Martin Corp and employ stealth technology. 190402151937735 Pompeo on Thursday said he was confident the US will be able to find a path forward with Turkey over its S-400 plans. Meanwhile, Canadas Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland took the opportunity of the NATO meeting to register Ottawas displeasure with being labeled a potential national security threat by the US in relation to steel production. She called the designation, which has led to the imposition of tariffs on Canadian steel, absurd and pointed to her presence at the NATO meeting as proof that Canada is not a threat to the US. Pompeo said NATO allies also discussed the need for Russian troops to leave Venezuela. The two leaders reportedly discussed events in Syria just days before Netanyahu runs for re-election. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was in Moscow on Thursday for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, five days before parliamentary elections are due to begin in Israel. The vote is largely seen as a referendum on Netanyahu, who has campaigned on his foreign policy prowess and relations with world leaders. The trip to Moscow, made at Netanyahus request, came a week after a visit to Washington where he met US President Donald Trump at the White House. The Israeli prime minister, who is facing a tough election challenge from a popular former military chief and reeling from a series of corruption allegations, has repeatedly sought to focus attention on his foreign policy record and his ties with Trump. 190320190424580 Netanyahu also hosted Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro in Jerusalem earlier this week. He is seeking a fifth term in the elections next Tuesday. Before departing from Israel, Netanyahu said he and Putin would discuss events in Syria, including the special coordination between our militaries. The Kremlin had said earlier this week the two would compare notes during a brief meeting, the two leaders third in recent months. Israel and Russia have a military hotline to coordinate air force operations over neighbouring Syria, where a civil war recently entered its ninth year. Common values On Wednesday, a day before the meeting, the Israeli army announced the recovery of the remains of a US-born Israeli soldier who went missing in a 1982 battle with Syrian forces in southern Lebanon following Israels invasion of the country. In 1982, during the First Lebanon War, Sgt. 1st Class Zachary Baumel went missing in action. Now, his body has been returned to Israel. May his memory be a blessing. pic.twitter.com/GXfaBHROXP Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) April 3, 2019 Putin acknowledged that Russia had worked to retrieve Zachary Baumels remains from Syria. He was 21 when he fought in Israels invasion of Lebanon and was declared missing in action along with two other soldiers in the Battle of Sultan Yacoub in Lebanons Bekaa Valley 37 years ago, Our military together with Syrian partners established the place of his burial, Putin was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency. 190320190424580 We are very pleased that at home they can give him the necessary military honours. Meanwhile, Netanyahu was quoted as saying that he had asked Putin to help Israel find Baumels remains two years ago, and that he was grateful to the Russian leader for his help, He said Baumel would be buried in Israel on Thursday. I am grateful to you Mr President for your personal friendship, for your position, Russias TASS news agency cited Netanyahu as saying. We share common values. Netanyahu lauded the repatriation of Baumels remains as an expression of mutual responsibility and feeling of unity. The bill would provide $200m in new aid for Venezuela and $200m for neighbouring countries taking in those fleeing. Keeping up the pressure for political change in Venezuela, a bipartisan group of 15 US senators introduced legislation on Wednesday to provide $400m in new aid, encourage other countries to impose sanctions on President Nicolas Maduros administration and ease penalties on officials who recognise a new government. The introduction of the Venezuelan Emergency Relief, Democracy Assistance and Development (VERDAD) Act comes more than two months after US President Donald Trumps administration recognised opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuelas legitimate leader. Guaido declared himself interim president in January, calling the presidency of Maduro illegitimate. Maduro has accused the United States and Guaido of staging a coup. Senator Bob Menendez, ranking Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, led the bill. He said the act would put teeth behind support for the Venezuelan people and provide tools for a peaceful solution to the crisis in the OPEC nation. This legislation will offer needed humanitarian assistance and support for Venezuelas long path to democratic order, said Republican Senator Marco Rubio, another sponsor, who has worked closely with Trump on Venezuela. The bill would provide $200m in new aid for Venezuela and $200m for neighbouring countries taking in refugees. 190403005511589 It would also revoke US visas for relatives of sanctioned Venezuelans, remove sanctions on officials not involved in human rights abuses if they recognise Guaido, and require work with Latin American and European governments to implement their own sanctions. It also requires US agencies to lead efforts to recover corrupt financial holdings of Venezuelan officials and accelerate planning with international financial institutions on Venezuelas economic restructuring. Temporary protected status The bill would not provide temporary protected immigration status, or TPS, which would allow 70,000 Venezuelans already in the United States to remain. TPS proposals have faced some opposition in the Trump administration, which takes a hard line on immigration. Menendez told reporters on a conference call he hoped separate legislation seeking TPS could move concurrently with the VERDAD Act. He said the bill stood an excellent chance of moving ahead in the Senate, given its bipartisan support. It sends Maduro a message, as well as Russia and China that are helping to prop up Maduro, Menendez said. Rescue service says dozens more wounded when missile fired by Syrian government forces hit market in Kafr Nabl. Syrian government shelling has killed at least a dozen people in rebel-held Idlib, according to rescue workers, the latest violence to threaten a Russia-Turkey brokered truce in the northwestern region. The bombardment on Thursday killed at least 12 people and wounded dozens more in the town of Kafr Nabl, where one missile hit a market, said Obada Dhikra, the director of Syria Civil Defence, also known as the White Helmets. The number of dead could rise due to the severity of the injuries, he added. Those killed included two women and a child, the Al Araby news website reported, citing an unnamed White Helmet worker. Separately, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that government shelling had killed 17 other civilians in the past 24 hours in different locations of the northwest. The war monitor said half of the dead were under the age of 18. The northwest, home to about three million people, represents the last big piece of territory held by rebels opposed to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Last year, the Syrian government, backed in the war by Russia and Iran, was poised to mount a major offensive into parts of the northwest, including Idlib and adjoining parts of Hama and Aleppo provinces, raising concerns of a humanitarian catastrophe. But the attack was postponed after Moscow struck a deal with Ankara that included the creation of a demilitarised zone in the region. Russia is the governments strongest ally and Turkey backs some rebel groups and has troops on the ground in the northwest. Losing patience The United Nations humanitarian office said that the escalating violence had already killed 90 civilians in the Idlib region in March, nearly half of them children. More than 86,500 people fled their homes in February and March as a result of the escalation, it added. The UN also expressed concern over increased shelling along front lines, an intensification of air raids and a growing number of attacks involving improvised explosive devices in urban areas. Speaking at a news conference in Damascus on Thursday, Walid al-Mouallem, Syrias foreign minister, said his government was growing impatient to recapture Idlib, the last region outside its control apart from the Kurdish-held north and northeast where the United States retains a troop presence. 190218233213761 Muallem said Turkey had failed to ensure the withdrawal of armed opposition groups from a planned buffer zone along the front line as stipulated by the truce agreed in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi. It is known that Turkey is responsible for a delay in implementing the deal, he said, adding: Honestly, we are still waiting for the Sochi deal to be implemented but our patience has its limits and we must liberate this land. He warned: We are losing patience. More than half of the population of the Idlib region have already fled government offensives on other rebel-held regions of Syria. Many live in tent cities where they are dependent on humanitarian aid and deeply vulnerable to a resurgence of all-out conflict. At least 370,000 people have died in Syria since the civil war erupted in 2011. Taliban fighters storm Afghan government compound, kill at least 20 soldiers and policemen in western Badghis attack. The Taliban has launched an attack on an Afghan government compound in western Badghis province, killing at least 20 soldiers and policemen, officials said. The massive attack began before dawn on Thursday, targeting the local governments headquarters in the district of Bala Murghab, according to Mohammad Nasir Nazari, a member of the provincial council. The Taliban first stormed all the security posts around the compound, he told The Associated Press news agency. The attack put the lives of some 600 members of the security forces deployed there at risk, he added. Jamshid Shahabhi, spokesman for the Badghis governor, said intense fighting was still under way on Thursday afternoon. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement to local media. The armed group controls or contests nearly half of Afghanistan, the most since US-led forces removed it from power in 2001, according to the US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction. Its attack on Badghis came amid talks with US officials to end the South Asian countrys 17-year war. 190312171834928 US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad has held several rounds of talks with the Taliban, most recently in March in Qatar where both sides said progress has been made. The start of the next round has not been announced, but is expected this month. During a visit to Kabul on Monday, Khalilzad called for intra-Afghan dialogue talks that would encompass prominent Afghan figures, government representatives and the opposition, as well as the Taliban. But despite the talks, the Taliban stages near-daily attacks on Afghan forces, inflicting staggering casualties. The armed group refuses to talk directly with the government in Kabul, considering it a US puppet. The Taliban says it is fighting to expel foreign troops, topple the Western-backed Afghan government and restore its version of Islamic law. In March, some scores of Afghan forces were killed in two attacks in Badghis and Helmand. On March 23, 13 civilians, including 10 children, were killed in a US air attack in Kunduz, while more civilians died in a Helmand stadium attack by the Taliban. NATOs Resolute Support Mission said 94 Taliban fighters died in a single battle near Kunduz city. Two US soldiers were also killed in the province in March. US VP Mike Pence describes the Russian-Turkish deal as deeply troubling and says it poses great danger to NATO. US Vice President Mike Pence warned Turkey on Wednesday that it could risk its membership in NATO if it goes ahead with plans to buy a Russian air defence system despite widespread international opposition. Pences escalating rhetoric came after Turkey insisted on Wednesday that the Russian deal was done, signalling an apparent impasse between the two NATO allies. Speaking at a NATO 70th anniversary event in Brussels, Pence said Turkey risks expulsion from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) programme, which could cripple Turkish manufacturers who are making parts for the aircraft. And he raised the possibility of much broader repercussions. Turkey must choose, Pence said. Does it want to remain a critical partner in the most successful military alliance in the history of the world or does it want to risk the security of that partnership by making reckless decisions that undermine our alliance? Turkeys Vice President Fuad Oktay replied on Twitter saying that The United States must choose about whether to remain allied with Ankara. He raised the contentious relationship of US support for Kurdish forces in Syria, accusing Washington of joining forces with terrorists. The United States must choose. Does it want to remain Turkeys ally or risk our friendship by joining forces with terrorists to undermine its NATO allys defense against its enemies? Fuat Oktay (@fuatoktay) April 3, 2019 Other US officials have stopped short of threatening Turkeys underlying relationship with the US or NATO over the S-400 purchase, but there have been growing calls for swift action to try to stop the deal, including possible sanctions against Ankara. Turkeys foreign minister, however, appeared unmoved by the US threats, saying that buying the Russian S-400 system is a done deal. We will not step back from this. 190402135956435 The US has offered to sell Turkey the American-made Patriot missile defence system, but Mevlut Cavusoglu said it could not be delivered in time. We couldnt get it for 10 years, Cavusoglu said at the Atlantic Council on Wednesday morning. Thats why we had to buy from Russia. And we tried to buy from other allies as well. It didnt work. So it is an urgent need of Turkey. I mean, we need air defence systems urgently in Turkey. Cavusoglu also met Wednesday with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and leaders of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, whose Democratic chairman and ranking Republican member said they made clear our bipartisan opposition to Turkeys plan to acquire the Russian missile system. Republican Congressmen Eliot Engel and Michael McCaul said they cautioned Cavusoglu that deepening ties with Moscow will risk sanctions and Turkeys involvement in the F-35 programme. Deeply troubling The US and other NATO allies have repeatedly complained about the purchase of the S-400 system, saying it is not compatible with other allied systems and would represent a threat to the F-35 stealth aircraft. Pence described the purchase as deeply troubling and said it poses great danger to NATO, to the strength of the alliance. As a result, US government leaders have repeatedly threatened to shut down Turkeys participation in the F-35 programme if the Russian deal goes through. On Monday, the Pentagon took its first retaliatory step and stopped the delivery of F-35 fighter jet parts and manuals to Turkey. 190401201937194. However, so far, Turkish pilots continue to train on the aircraft at Luke Air Force Base, outside Phoenix, Arizona. Pentagon leaders say there is still hope for some type of negotiated settlement. Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan also expressed optimism, saying he is confident that the Patriot system proposal will work out. Cavusoglu, however, said he believes Turkey can convince the US that the S-400 will not be a risk or threat to NATO. We made very clear that this system will not see any NATO system, including F-35s, as an enemy, he said, adding that Turkey has proposed setting up a technical working group that would ensure that the S-400 did not pose a threat. Lack of water is one of the worst side effects of power outages that have gone on for weeks. Caracas, Venezuela Weeks of power cuts in Venezuela have further crippled an already fragile infrastructure, creating widespread water shortages hampering basic services. Power has been restored in many areas but it is being rationed, and without electricity to run pumps there is not enough water in many areas. Imagine the scenario of a hospital without water, without power. We remain without a water supply. Even though the power has been restored, the water is still an issue, said paediatrician Vietnam Veras Rivas at Caracas Childrens Hospital. The first blackout hit on March 7, and until a week ago, I was working in this hospital with no water whatsoever, Rivas told Al Jazeera. 190123205835912 During the first outage, one of his patients was a 10-day-old baby in an incubator in intensive care. He recalls transporting the child through the dark hospital, while manually supplying him oxygen with some reanimation bags, he said. After 24 hours with intermittent power, the patient started decompressing and 48 hours later, he died. The baby had problems when he was born, but the blackout complicated things further, the doctor explained. The hospital was already suffering a chronic shortage of supplies and equipment and the water problems made maintaining sanitary conditions impossible, he said. We would wash our hands only when possible, we tried to not drink much water to avoid clogging the toilets. The first blackout hit on March 7, and until a week ago, I was working in this hospital with no water whatsoever, said Rivas, a paediatrician [Elizabeth Melimopoulos/Al Jazeera] Very stressful situation In the corridors of a poorly lit building in the capital city, people are visibly tired of the debate on how to build wells that could make it easier to get water. They heatedly discuss the price of fixing a lift damaged by power outages, and share complaints about increasingly infrequent showers, unwashed dishes and stinking toilets. Water shortages are not new in Venezuela, but it has never been like this. Since 2014 weve been having issues with the water supply, but now its way worse, especially after the blackouts, we can spend 15 days without supply, Yoana De Oliveira, 30, told Al Jazeera. Its a very stressful situation, sometimes I want to shower, or wash my hair, and doing so with a bucket is not the way to go. For big families, the situation is even more complicated. I have a family of five, and I really need water to always be available, said Carlos Rincon, a 42-year-old driver, said. Ive spent 10 continuous days without water. Weve had to go shower in other places I also have kids that dont go to school, thus, water consumption is higher. Hygiene is also an issue, as you cannot flush the toilets constantly, the kitchen is a mess, bad odours permeate the place where the trash door is, its unbelievable, Rincon explained. Since 2014 weve been having issues with the water supply, but now its way worse, Yoana De Oliveira said [Elizabeth Melimopoulos/Al Jazeera] The first power outages hit Venezuela between March 7 and 14 and another blackout started on the evening of March 29, paralysing most of the country. The continuous power outages followed the US ban in January on any purchases of Venezuelan oil. President Nicolas Maduro has blamed the blackouts on US-backed sabotage. Venezuela is living the first unconventional war, which seeks to impose itself with attacks to public services by the US to overthrow a democratic government, Maduro said on Wednesday night. We have to be prepared and continue in resistance to this war that Donald Trump decided to declare against the Venezuelan people, he added. But Luis Vincente Leon, from Datanalisis, a think-tank that focuses on Venezuelas economy, said the power problems are the governments fault. 190403005511589 The [power] grid collapsed due to lack of investment and corruption, a situation that the own government has denounced in the past, Leon told Al Jazeera. He said the outages are not a result of US sanctions, but that the ability of the country to respond was indeed affected by the sanctions and the isolation that the US has imposed. What is happening in Venezuela is equivalent to an earthquake, and where is international aid for this earthquake? It isnt here, because in the end, what is being sought with this international pressure is to collapse the government, to get it out, to generate a social uprising, he added. Traitors in the country The power failures and water shortages have accompanied a power struggle between Maduro and opposition leader Juan Guaido. Guaido has been recognised by the United States and 50 other Western nations as Venezuelas legitimate leader. Tensions further escalated when the Constituent Assembly voted on Tuesday to strip Guaido of the legal protections he has as a member of Venezuelas opposition-controlled parliament. For me, this [action] is [still not enough], said Constituent member Maria Leon. How are traitors treated in the country? They do not deserve to be called Venezuelans, the former minister said. Assembly Vice President Tania Diaz said its members were seeking justice. 190403203937542 The people demand justice and we are acting within the framework of justice, she explained while affirming that the all-powerful assembly was elected to guarantee peace and legality in her country. Guado said he didnt recognise decisions that came from the current government. You know how the regime behaves this is not just persecution any more, this is an inquisition, Guaido said. This decree is a necessary step for the Supreme Court to be able to try Guaido. Guaido asked supporters to respond to Maduros brute force, and called for more street protests. US support The US has continuously backed the opposition leader. The only thing preventing Venezuela from the road to economic reconstruction and prosperity is Maduros corruption, incompetence, and usurpation, John Bolton, National Security adviser of the United States wrote, on Twitter on Thursday. The US supports Juan Guaido and the Venezuelan people on their journey to democracy. On Tuesday night, Republican senator Rick Scott also wrote: The US will not stand idly by if anything happens to Guaido or his family. But not everyone believes US backing benefits the country. The oppositions theme is that Maduro leaves, but it has not done anything that convinces me, it feels like a push and shove, businesswoman Yanira la Cruz told Al Jazeera. The 28-year-old to make second appearance in court on Friday, three weeks after the attack where 50 people were killed. Christchurch, New Zealand Brenton Tarrant, the self-confessed white supremacist accused of killing 50 people at two Christchurch mosques last month, has been charged with 50 counts of murder and 39 counts of attempted murder before a court appearance on Friday. The 28-year-old Australian was only charged with one murder when he first appeared in the Christchurch District Court the day after the shootings, which took place on March 15. However, the police later admitted the person listed as the victim on the single-murder charge was alive. Thursdays additional charges laid by the police could mean that, if found guilty, Tarrant could be the first person sentenced in a New Zealand court to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The 28-year-old will appear at the High Court in Christchurch on Friday morning by video from prison in Auckland. He will have the opportunity to enter a plea. Otherwise, the short procedural hearing will be used to set dates for his future court appearances, including a possible trial date. 190316011147796 The jumbled manifesto Tarrant published online before the killings and the live streaming of the attack on Facebook have both been banned by New Zealands Chief Censor, the government officer in charge of censorship in the country. Tarrants second court appearance comes three weeks after the attack, as the New Zealand government rushed to make changes to gun laws and investigate how he was able to carry out the attacks. On Thursday, the government held a single day of public hearings as it rushed to implement new gun-control laws, due to be passed on April 11. The law change which enjoys broad support in parliament would ban most types of semi-automatic weapons, including those used in the March attacks. At the same time, the government, led by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, is also settling on the terms of reference for a major, independent inquiry to be held into the attacks. That inquiry will scrutinise New Zealands security agencies, the police as well as social media networks. Laws pertaining to hate speech are also being examined. Tarrant was not on a government watchlist in New Zealand or Australia. Some in the Muslim community said they had been the focus of New Zealands security services while white nationalists had avoided scrutiny. The Islamic Womens Council of New Zealand raised its fears to government agencies and politicians about harassment, discrimination and online abuse of Muslims for years before the attacks, according to the organisations spokesperson Anjum Rahman. I dont believe they took appropriate and effective action, Rahman told Al Jazeera. I dont believe they provided the resources and the needed programmes. There was something done, but not enough. There are also calls for New Zealand to begin recording hate crimes, something the police have never done before. 190404022603624 At the moment, if someone commits a crime against someone who is gay, or because of their religion, thats recorded as an assault or a homicide, said Janet Anderson-Bidois, legal manager for the Human Rights Commission, adding that the organisation has called on the government to record hate crimes for years. The physical act is recorded. But we dont have a separate category for hate crime. We dont know the scale of the problem, and it makes it much harder to address it because youre relying on anecdotes. After overreaching on the Trump-Russia collusion attempted coup, rather than admitting they were wrong, humbling apologizing and moving on, Democrats (and I include the media here) are doubling down. They are hellbent on seeing the entire Mueller report, with the House Judiciary Committee voting on party lines to authorize a subpoena of the report without redactions sooner than AG Barrs promised mid-April release. In their minds, the 400-page report contains all manner of evidence of collusion and obstruction, despite the summary written by Barr and Rosenstein that says otherwise. Note that Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein was easily confirmed by the Senate and has been defended by Democrats since he appointed Robert Mueller to be special counsel, and yet now they apparently believe he is lying. If Rosenstein and Barr were misrepresenting the report in their summary letter, one would think Mueller and his partisan team of attorneys would be outraged and speaking out to correct the record. Yet they are silent. This is the same gang that had no problem evidently leaking advance notice of Roger Stones commando-style arrest to CNN so they could be on site filming everything. If Barr and Rosenstein werent truthful in their summary, why isnt CNN reporting on unnamed officials who dispute the summary? Perhaps all is not what it seems. There is much debate over who is wearing a black hat, or a white hat, meaning bad guy versus good guy, from the President Trump perspective. Is Mueller a white hat or a black hat? Despite much speculation, no one knows for sure, other than Mueller himself, Rosenstein, and Barr and a small circle around them. Suppose he is a gray hat, somewhere in between, and is laying a grand trap for the Democrats to waltz into, a big steaming pile of MAGA? Let me explain with the caveat that this is just my theory based on following all of this quite closely, but with no more inside knowledge than anyone reading this. If I am full of hot air, offer up a better theory. Regardless its all speculation at this point. Collusion was put to bed in the Mueller report because there was none. And Team Muller likely figured this out just a few months into their investigation. Obstruction, on the other hand, is in the eye of the beholder. Team Mueller might have actually believed that Trumps tweets and use of the words witch hunt were obstruction. Or firing FBI Director James Comey, which Rosenstein recommended, though Trump is well within his authority to do so. Suppose Mueller was deliberately noncommittal on the obstruction issue, leaving the final judication to Barr and Rosenstein, but letting it dangle like a piece of tasty meat in front of rabid Democrats, ready to grab it for the purposes of impeachment? Barr said there was nothing criminal, but impeachment is a political act, and criminality doesnt factor in. Here are some things to ponder. Donald Trump may have been an FBI informant in the early 1980s when the Feds went after the Five Families. US Attorney Rudy Giuliani led the charge, followed by Robert Mueller and Rod Rosenstein, under then AG William Barr. What a coincidence! Perhaps these men all know each other from decades ago and they believe Trump is a patriot. Despite all of Trumps supposed ties to the mob, he was never indicted, which would make sense if he had been working with the FBI. If one assumes Mueller is a patriot too, as befitting a former Marine, would he not be disgusted with the coup attempt he found himself in the middle of? How can he save face with his deep state pals with whom he socializes and attends church, while still doing what a patriot must do? By not totally exonerating Trump in his report, he can save some face, while baiting the corrupt Democrats, who might disgust him at this point, those who initiated the coup attempt. Mueller could have it both ways according to my gray hat theory. What about those FISA warrants? Those can work both ways. The first was issued against Carter Page in October 2016, allowing two-hop spying, meaning surveillance against Page, anyone he communicated with and anyone they communicated with, two hops beyond the original target. This would cover most of Washington, DC considering Page likely communicated with Jeff Sessions, making the entire US Congress the second hop. Or if he communicated with Mike Flynn, making most of the intel community the second hop. The FISA warrant was renewed on January 19, 2017, the last day of the Obama presidency. But then again, in April and July 2017, when Trump was president. Rosenstein was already nominated by Trump for deputy AG and confirmed when the last two FISA warrants were renewed. Remember FISA goes both ways. Two hops from Carter Page covered most of the deep state, and media they might have been leaking to. Suppose the Trump FBI were now using FISA surveillance against the deep state tricksters and their media comrades? Rosenstein expanded Muellers scope in August 2017. We dont know what the expansion was, based on the heavily redacted memo, but suppose it was for more than going after Trump and his team? Remember also that Trump has been saying nice things about Rosenstein and has kept him around. Is it a case of keeping your enemies close, or was Rosenstein working for Trump and not the swamp? What is in those 400 pages of Muellers report? Could he have looked at the origin and basis of the collusion story and who started the coup attempt? What about the Five Eyes intelligence services that participated in the hoax, since they too never thought Hillary Clinton would lose? That type of background would be a reasonable part of any investigation. Are 400 pages and nearly two years needed to say there was no collusion and no decision on obstruction? Remember also that Muellers pit bull assistant, hyper-partisan Andrew Weissman, slinked away from the committee to teach at NYU and pursue, His longstanding interest in preventing wrongful convictions. Aside from the irony in that, why is he slithering away quietly? Could the renewed FISA surveillance have caught Weissman doing anything unsavory, say leaking or colluding? If Mueller were truly a black hat, his report would have stated that in the teams opinion, Trump did obstruct justice. That would have teed-up impeachment hearings to begin the next day. But thats not what Mueller did. He said enough for the Dems to salivate over the entire report, insisting that it be made public. What if it has some unexpected surprises, a big steaming piles of covfefe, ready to be stepped in, that will bring Democrats pain like they have never seen? Lastly, Trump says the release of the Muller report wouldnt bother him at all. He has not asked to see it and is not planning on claiming executive privilege against any portions of it, leaving everything up to AG Barr. Does Trump know whats in the report and is staying out of the way of the Dems stepping in it, bigly? As Sun Tzu said, All warfare is based on deception. Source: Twitter Again, this is just my theory, one among many circulating through the internet. Knowing how smart and shrewd Trump is, and that this is not his first rodeo dealing with unsavory characters, it seems entire plausible and a better fit of the facts than most other theories. Stay tuned as this plays out over the upcoming weeks. Brian C Joondeph, MD, MPS, a Denver based physician and writer. Follow him on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. With the recent admission by Jeh Johnson that there actually is a crisis at the border, it seems even more likely that the spate of lawsuits against the president's emergency declaration will fail. But that has no effect on the multitudes attempting to scale the ramparts and overwhelm the United States. The Democrats in Congress will be of no help whatever, so President Trump is left with a single ally: himself. That leaves open the question of what options he has. Article 2, Section 2 of the Constitution makes him the commander in chief of our military forces. But before we fix bayonets against a horde of mothers, there are other actions Donald Trump can take based on Article 2, Section 1. He is the chief executive, and all executive power is vested in him. Not in Congress. Not in some administrative agency. In him. It is indisputable that if the government of Mexico were to enforce its own laws, we wouldn't be having this problem. But El Presidente Lopez is no fan of Donald Trump and is quite happy to let these economic migrants be a thorn in Donald's side. So he sits on his hands and does nothing of substance. While the president of Mexico has been purposefully idle, our president has not. He has been a whirlwind of activity on a host of fronts. Of particular importance, he has spent two-plus years keeping the promises he made on the campaign trail. He moved our embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. He browbeat NATO countries into paying their contractual share. And he cemented his support of Israel by recognizing the Golan Heights as Israeli. Finally, in the center of the Mexico question, he delivered the USMCA trade deal. In short, "Promises Made, Promises Kept" is more than a slogan. It's reality for everyone, including El Presidente, to see. By now, Lopez must know that Donald Trump's favorite book is Sun Tzu's classic treatise, The Art of War. A quick search of it yields multiple principles, with a few ideally suited for this situation. "The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting." "Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt." "Supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting." "The greatest victory is that which requires no battle." Let's see how Donald Trump might go forward. Remember, he has already made it clear that he doesn't make idle threats. China has already had to deal with him. If we remember that every element of border security is under Trump's command, and that we have a true invasion underway, then it is clear that every tool in the military's arsenal is properly available to deal with this problem. But I'd bet that those are late in the list. The first is much simpler. The U.S. is Mexico's largest trading partner. As a courtesy, most trucks bringing goods from Mexico to the U.S. are functionally waved through the border check points. That doesn't need to be the case. If our inspectors were to be just a bit more careful, an awful lot of goods would back up in a hurry. Yes, it would pinch some of our businesses that source in Mexico, but the pain would be far worse on the south side. The price of guacamole would go up, but hey, I'll have Italian tonight instead. Just this little bit of pressure might be enough to get El Presidente's attention. But if it's not, then we simply take the inspections up to detailed levels for every truck. That will ring some phones in Mexico City. And I bet one phone in D.C. would ring very quickly. Mexico cannot survive if we do detailed inspections of all goods coming north. And El Presidente has enough problems without this making them worse. I would take bets that it won't get any worse than this. Mexico could stop the caravans overnight. Donald Trump will simply supply the motivation. But let's suppose that El Presidente gets his jockeys in a wad about being pushed around. Instead of helping, he lets the cartels loose on the border. Donald Trump now has a shooting war on his hands, and the job of being commander in chief requires that he win it. Overnight, we'd have a major military presence on the border. Will soldiers fire on barefoot Maria and little Juan Carlos? Not likely. But there are other ways. In the Rio Grande valley, a few patrol fireboats would be enough. Any vessel that left the Mexican side would be driven back with a fire hose. Anyone foolish enough to try to ford the river in a shallow spot would have a similar problem. And the Army Corps of Engineers could dredge the shallow spots, making them unsafe to ford. Not a shot fired! Because we have a policy that one foot in the U.S. grants you the right to legal process, it will be necessary to prevent feet from arriving. For that, we have Israel's example to imitate. When Hezb'allah was actively invading from Lebanon, Israel set up a "buffer zone" inside Lebanon to protect itself. There's no reason we can't do the same. The U.S. is being invaded. Mexico is acting as a hostile power abetting the invasion. We have every right to go into Mexico and set up a buffer zone. It can be as shallow as a mile; it would prevent migrants from ever entering the U.S. If they are apprehended in the buffer, they can be loaded on Chinooks and taken back to points south. Our courts would never see them. No more measles, tuberculosis, and swine flu would be flooding into the U.S. Do I think the president will go this far? He would be fully within his job description to do so. But I would bet that a small amount of inspection squeeze would get El Presidente's attention. He would understand the Donald Trump does not bluff, and the weapon pointed directly at him is far bigger than he can handle. He would melt like an ice cream cone on a Miami summer sidewalk. "Promises Made, Promises Kept" is not just a slogan. It's the most powerful tool of international diplomacy ever invented. Donald Trump's hole cards are aces. He's not afraid to go "all in" when it matters . Swamp critters see the strength and won't push hard. It's not worth it to them, but it is to us. Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr. Even since Donald Trump won the presidency, the foreign service community has almost unanimously circled its wagons to protect and prop up their prized project, the 70-year old North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Yet the reality is, NATO is hardly a prize. It has been an ongoing complaint by U.S. presidents dating well before President Trump that NATO members aren't pulling their weight. However, it took President Trump to bring to issue to the public's attention. Up until now, NATO members paid lip service to living up to their treaty obligations to spend their agreed-upon commitments for defense. But they didn't. And those who did pay -- namely, the U.S., did little, if anything, about it. In the past, this was enough to let things go on as usual. But the task to justify America's inordinate committment to NATO gets harder by the day. Alliance members are not just continuing to shuck their responsibilities they now they actually thumbing their noses at the U.S. upon being called out about it. The latest such insult comes from German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Her German cabinet just decided to keep its defense spending at 1.25 percent of Gross National Product for the next five years. This is well below the 2 percent that Germany committed to. And Germany of all countries in Europe can't claim poverty . It is the powerhouse of the European Union. Germany is expected to have a balanced budget this year, and last year it ran an 11.2 billion-euro surplus, its fifth annual surplus in a row. Germany's refusal to abide by its defense commitments amounts to giving the middle finger not just to Trump, but to America in general. Merkel is essentially saying: "Keep paying, suckers." Here, the chancellor's timing couldn't be worse for Germany. The likelihood of Trump's reelection went up considerably with the release of the Muller report, and the president is someone who doesn't forget slights. This comes on top of Germany' push for the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia to Europe. This pipeline will increase Germany's dependency on Russia for natural gas. Ironically, Russia is the country that America is spending many billions of dollars each year to defend Europe from. How does this make sense? And Germany is far from the only country tearing NATO asunder. Turkey has defied Washington and is going ahead with the purchase of Russian S-400 missiles defense system. The Military Times reports that in speaking to the Munich Security Conference in February, Vice President Mike Pence told attendees: ... we will not stand idly by while NATO allies purchase weapons from our adversaries. We cannot assure the defense of the West if our allies grow dependent on the East. Indeed. Turkey's purchase of the Russian S-400 system not only feeds an enemy desperate for cash, it makes Turkey itself more dependent on Russia. It also renders much of Turkey's missile defense system incompatible with the rest of NATO's. How's that for solidarity? And how long has it been since Turkey, a Muslim country, has showed solidarity with the West? And then there's Italy, the third largest economy in the European Union. Italy has an unstable government, its economy is stagnant with chronic double-digit unemployment, and it's drowning in debt. Whether it is out of desperation or rank stupidity, the Italian government is signing on to China's One Belt One Road project. This act exposes cracks in the unity of Europe and the G-7 and if played out, will make Italy dependent on communist China . This, too, severely undermines the NATO alliance. Why is Italy's embrace with communist China stupid? It's not just because such an act means Italy will face anger from both Brussels and Washington. It's also because China is a greedy, grasping country. It is not merely amoral, it is immoral .... as was the USSR. Look at the facts. China lies and cheats on every agreement it signs. China has active re-education (concentration) camps for up to a million Muslims which makes it incompatible as a partner to Europe. China actively harvests body parts from political prisoners in a further signal of its inhumane value. Politically, China is authoritarian and spies on its people with a vigor equal to Stalin's. It's not a natural partner for a purportedly freedom loving region with a tradition of humanism, as are any of the nations of NATO Europe. Italy might think that none of that affects them. Not so. The old adage applies: "He who sups with the devil should have a long spoon ." By putting itself in bed with communist China, Italy is making NATO more of joke than it already is. NATO is dead man walking. By their deeds, the leaders in Western Europe don't believe Russia is a threat. In this, they are correct. France and Germany have jointly stated that they want to see the creation of a European army. But one doesn't have to be a think tank guru to see that such a military would not be designed to meet external foes on the battlefield but rather to address the unruly Eastern European countries within the EU. Until then, Europe would like to keep U.S. money flowing into the alliance. And NATO serves U.S. national interest only in the minds of the foreign service establishment and the neocons who see its bureaucracy as job haven. The more the contractions and absurdities of NATO are discussed, the sooner the U.S. will unburden itself of it. Recently, there has been an interesting trend of high-ranking Russian politicians writing articles of an ideological nature in which they attempt to analyze the metaphysical meaning of global political processes and find a place for Moscow in a changing world. The most interesting piece originates from Vladislav Surkov, personal adviser to Vladimir Putin. The article is devoted to the new civilizational stage of the Russian state. In Surkov's opinion, there are four state models in Russian history: the Grand Duchy of Moscow of Ivan the Third (XV -- XVII centuries), the Russian Empire of Peter the Great (XVIII -- XIX centuries), the Soviet Empire of Lenin (XX century) and the Russian Federation of Vladimir Putin. Surkovs main message is that the country has approached a certain period when the process of forming a new long-term national ideology -- Putinism -- is being completed. The given ideology is weakly connected with the subjective personality of the Russian leader. In turn, it largely reflects the civilizational, political, cultural, and religious values that emerged at the junction of the liberal experiment of the first decade after the USSRs collapse with conservative realism, which has consistently gained momentum since the 2000s. Conservative statespeople quickly became disillusioned with the neoliberal way, given that the leaders of the West were not in a hurry to integrate Russia into their system. Apart from that, the political dialogue was built on the basis of endless promises and real disregard for Moscows position on key issues of international politics. Yet, the second largest nuclear power, which played a crucial role in creating a balance of power system in Europe after the defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte and the victory over Nazi Germany, is not willing to imagine itself on the sidelines of global peace processes. Neither can it accept the fact that it is considered the losing side in the Cold War. The deep-rooted elites that are responsible for strategic decisions perceive their country through the narratives Moscow = Third Rome and Successor of Byzantium. The ideology of Putinism is in many ways similar to the American Jacksonianism, which is close to the current administration of President Donald Trump. Both concepts are grounded in a conception of the priorities of their nations' interests. Globalism and supranational institutions are significant from the standpoint of establishing closer contacts between different actors, but they should not act as "teachers" to certain countries. The formulas are extremely simple -- for Trump, it is America First and everything else must be subordinated to the achievement of this goal. For Vladimir Putin, the world without Russia makes no sense. Faith and religion occupy a huge place in these ideologies. The United States was formed on the basis of the Protestant Puritan ethics that determines the spiritual foundation of the American nation and statehood. A similar core for Russia is Orthodoxy, adopted in 988 following the Byzantine model. The religious element has always played a crucial role in the process of state-building (Orthodoxy, Autocracy, Nationality -- the philosophy of the Russian Empire) and formation of the national elite. Russian leaders believe that Orthodoxy can act as a major factor in the consolidation of society, contributing to the creation of a new Russian identity. Without the latter, the society is doomed to spiritual and moral crisis, fraught with serious consequences, even losing sovereignty and disappearing as a civilizational unit. At the same time, it is obvious that America and Russia are multiconfessional countries. Therefore, the task of Protestantism and Orthodoxy is to unite and strengthen, and not to dominate or absorb. In terms of Putinism and Jacksonianism, politics should be built on the basis of strength and determination. Specific implementation of these principles is carried out through the enhancing of the military factor. Trump in America and Putin in Russia are consistently strengthening their armed forces, increasing funding for the defense sector and the military-industrial complex. The leaders of the two countries realize that the neoliberal order is in deep crisis and its collapse is inevitable. That is the reason why they are obliged to ensure the security of their nations in a changing world. According to Surkov, it is also meaningful for Moscow to return to its geopolitical senses. There is also much in common between Putinism and Jacksonianism here. Thus, President Trump is ready to use all resources to protect the interests of the United States at critical points. With respect to Venezuela, he rightly proceeds from the immortal concept of the Monroe Doctrine, according to which the American continent is a zone of vital U.S. interests. Russia perceives the post-Soviet space similarly. It is historically, politically, and economically closely connected with Moscow. On the basis of his ideas about protecting U.S. interests, Donald Trump decides to move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem (which is right) and recognize the Golan Heights as part of Israel. The truth is that this step will be challenged by many countries, but another truth must be recognized -- all these judgments will be subjective and will proceed from certain sympathies. Why should these opinions concern the President of the United States, who makes decisions based on his beliefs about right and wrong, good and evil? Similarly, Putin supported former President Dmitry Medvedev on the issue of recognizing the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Apart from that, during his third term he made the decision on the Crimea case. Moscow does not consider its steps to be anti-American or anti-Western. Its perception of the West is different, it is based on conservative Christian-Jewish values. In general, Putinism implies the indisputability of the fact that it was Vladimir Putin who saved new Russia from disintegration and returned it to global politics as a great power with its own national interests. It is reminiscent of "Jacksonianism" that is aimed to make America great again, return it to its real civilizational values and mission, devised by the Founding Fathers. Undoubtedly, the proximity of ideological attitudes does not mean that the United States and Russia will become allies and will form a new world order together. Quite the contrary -- competition in the international arena will intensify, and the crisis in relations between Washington and Moscow will deepen. However, these concepts allow us to hope that the sides, perceiving each other adequately and respecting one another (after all, even opponents can be respected) will not cross dangerous red lines. Areg Galstyan Ph.D. is a regular contributor to the American Thinker, the National Interest and Forbes. When confronted with an immediate question in the wake of the news about Jussie Smollett having fabricated the hate crime he allegedly suffered, Cory Booker was calmly reserved with his comments, saying he would "withhold [judgment] until all the information actually comes out." It was certainly a curious response, because he initially had no such reservations or skepticism regarding Smollett's farcical story about two MAGA-hatted white guys carrying bleach and a noose at 2 A.M. in sub-zero temperatures, waiting to violently remind any passing black guy that the streets of Chicago are somehow "MAGA country." But what's even more curious is that Booker continued defending the predetermined narrative of white racism by saying that "we actually know, in this country, since 9/11, that the majority of terrorist attacks on our soil have been right-wing terrorist attacks, and the majority of them have been white supremacist attacks." Like you, I'd never before heard anyone refer to Jussie Smollett's alleged attack as a "terrorist attack" until Cory Booker invoked those words. Why did he? What Cory Booker was referencing, and the "since 9/11" statement seems to be a dead giveaway, is likely the data collected in a well known study conducted by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) suggesting that "right-wing" terrorist attacks occur more frequently than Islamic ones. Though that study has its own issues, which I've highlighted before, comparing right-wing terrorism to Islamic terrorism is nothing more than a red herring in this case. The narrative that Jussie Smollett's hoax attack was meant to prove is that Trump's presidency has led to a massive increase in white Americans committing hate crimes against minorities unlike anything we've seen in decades. Hate crime data don't actually support that narrative, however, and that's likely why Cory Booker, when put on the spot, decided to cite an altogether unrelated study about terrorism. The raw data on hate crimes, as compiled by the FBI, simply don't suggest that white hate crimes are uniquely on the rise, despite the illusion being presented to the American people that they are. In 2009, for example, the FBI statistics show that there were 2,724 "anti-black" hate crimes committed, 1,503 of which were committed at the hands of white offenders. In 2017, which year contains the latest data provided by the FBI, that number decreased by roughly 13.5% to 2,358 at the hands of 1,241 white offenders. Inversely, in 2009, anti-white hate crimes were at 652 and saw an increase to 844 in 2017 nearly a 30% increase, which includes a 26% increase in anti-white hate crimes by black offenders. This general point should be simple enough. From the year after Obama's election to the year after Trump's election, the number of anti-black hate crimes decreased, while the number of anti-white hate crimes increased. It's important to note that all hate crime had dropped by 2014, but that year signified a stunning reversal of a declining trend going back to at least 2006. In 2006, there were 9,080 total hate crimes tallied by the FBI. In 2009, there were 7,789, and by 2014, there were 6,418. Something happened at that moment, however, that reversed that trend across the board, in nearly every measurable category. In 2015, there were 6,885 hate crimes recorded by the FBI. In 2017, that number indeed spiked to 8,437. But while there was an 11% increase in anti-black hate crimes recorded during that timeframe, it also coincided with a 15% increase in anti-white hate crimes. Interestingly, between 2015 and 2017, there was only a 1% increase in known white offenders committing anti-black hate crimes, despite there being a clearly correlating ~13% increase in known black offenders committing anti-white hate crimes. A significant driver of that curious discrepancy is that the number of offenses where the race was "unknown" in anti-black hate crime had jumped by ~33% between 2015 and 2017. We like to look at these hate crime data and assume that these are proven or solved crimes we are talking about. They are not. According to the FBI methodology, "the term known offender does not imply that the suspect's identity is known"; rather, it implies that "some aspect of the suspect was identified." In other words, if Jussie Smollett had not been caught fabricating his attack, the incident would have likely been recorded by the Chicago police and provided to the FBI as an anti-black hate crime at the hands of "known white offenders." How thin must the evidence of all these additional crimes be, we might ask, if the race of the offender is altogether "unknown"? To say fabricated hate crimes can occur is a gross understatement, and to say hate crimes are far more often fabricated by individuals in minority demographics, where victimhood often amounts to social currency in the media, is just simple logic. Andy Ngo has done the yeoman's work of compiling a large list of recent hate crime hoaxes, all of which involve "victims" who fit neatly in the intersectional hierarchy of victimhood having fabricated a hate crime. Rarely, if ever, is it the inverse of those circumstances. If this many hate crime hoaxes can be identified, how many undetected hoaxes make it into FBI hate crime statistics? A few hundred? A thousand or more? It's impossible to know. In short, hate crime data are incredibly unreliable, and they certainly present more animosity toward minorities than actually exists in America. The only question is how much more. Hate crime law is all ridiculous nonsense on its face. Crimes are crimes, and hate crime laws arbitrarily suggest that some crimes are worse than others based upon the rationale leading to the crime rather than judgment based upon the severity of the crime itself. Buried within these cited statistics above are examples of intimidation, vandalism, rape, arson, theft, assault, and murder. The distinctions among those actual crimes should mean everything, but for mass consumption, they're all just labeled "hate crimes," with the supposed impetus of bigotry as the primary feature worthy of note. These crimes are sculpted into broad, misleading statistics that leftists can use to signify that America is a hateful place where demographic minorities are unfairly targeted as victims of crimes. And even with the benefit of their subjective data constructs and media support, leftists still cannot present an intelligent argument to defend their narrative, because their own data and reality completely destroy it. So instead, you can just expect them to continue calling white people terrorists. William Sullivan blogs at Political Palaver and can be followed on Twitter. Image: YouTube screen shot. More than 70 professors at the University of Arizona have penned a letter to campus police asking them to drop charges against two students who disrupted an event by the Customs and Border Protection agency. CPB agents were speaking to the Criminal Justice Association student group on March 19, when the two students stood outside the room where the event was being held and screamed "Murder Patrol" and "an extension of the KKK," according to a video of the incident reviewed by the local news outlet. The university president said the incident "was a dramatic departure from our expectations of respectful behavior and support for free speech on this campus." Police then charged the two with a misdemeanor. But the professors who are supporting the students see things a little differently. The Hill: "We ask that you, in your role as President, end the investigations and harassment of the students by demanding that UAPD Chief, Brian Seastone, drop the charges against them," faculty members wrote in the letter dated Wednesday. "We also implore you to ask the the Dean of Students to support rather than investigate the two students." Imagine if those had been conservative students protesting outside a social justice event. Would the professors be so forthright in asking the university to stop the "harassment" of the students and "support rather than investigate" them? The professors, part of a group called Professors of Color, said Mexican American Studies faculty, staff and students have received death threats since the protest went viral. "Rather than its current emphasis on investigating and criminalizing free speech, the UAPD and administration's highest priority should be an immediate UA response to the death threats and the impact that the Border Patrol on campus has on many of our students, staff, and employees," they wrote. The police investigated the "death threats": A spokesman for the university told the Arizona Republic that the institution received information Tuesday from the Mexican American Studies faculty about a threat, which was then shared with UA police. UA police and other law enforcement agencies "evaluated the message and the source of the message and determined there was not a threat to campus or to public safety," the spokesman said. Another hoax hate crime? More than possible. The CPB agents have a job to do. They don't make policy; they only enforce the law. Calling them the "murder patrol" is silly and immature, as was the effort to disrupt the speakers. That the professors want the school administration to support the students in their efforts to stifle free speech shows them to be silly and immature as well. A misdemeanor offense sounds about right. The school should resist the pressure from these "Professors of Color" and enforce their own standards of behavior. How's the prospect of regime change going in Venezuela? Up until now, quite a few of us have been wondering. The U.S. aid-on-the-bridge gambit was blocked and apparently went nowhere. Gargantuan protests also went nowhere. A thousand Venezuelan troops have fled to Colombia at acting president Juan Guaido's urging, but the drug lords of the Venezuelan military leadership, linked to the Nicolas Maduro socialist dictatorship, seen as key to keeping Maduro in power, are remaining in place. There are seemingly credible arguments that Guaido has lost critical momentum, based on his visits abroad, such as this one from the Daily Beast. There are also indicators nasty ones that Russia means to play for keeps in Venezuela. Its threats to Colombia are just the latest instance of the depth of its will to keep its Maduro pawn in place, never mind the starving and suffering. It's been bleak. But the U.S. does seem to be regrouping for another battle with its democratic Venezuelan allies. Here's a CBS report: Washington A bipartisan group of senators introduced legislation Wednesday to authorize $400 million in humanitarian aid to crisis-stricken Venezuela and intensify the U.S. campaign to isolate the increasingly authoritarian government of Nicolas Maduro, who has held on to power despite international pressure for him to step down. The bill, spearheaded by Senate Foreign Affairs Committee ranking member Sen. Bob Menendez, also directs the State Department to work with European governments to replicate U.S. efforts and issue their own sanctions. The New Jersey Democrat, a longtime leader of U.S. foreign policy in Latin America, said "internationalizing" sanctions would increase pressure on the Maduro regime and its chief allies around the world. "That is something that would be incredibly powerful, knowing that the sanctions that would levied are not just by the United States against the Maduro regime, but internationally," Menendez told CBS News during a conference call with reporters Wednesday. "That's something that could significantly change the dynamics." Europe's kind of a worthless bird on these matters, Menendez's excitement aside, harboring a closet affection for socialism and the romance of leftist revolution in Latin America, but if they can help (resisting what will probably be high pressure from Russia), it will be a good thing. What I like about it is that Menendez, a top Democrat, is involved. This ain't no Ocasio-Cortez Congress we are seeing now; this is genuine bipartisanship and a standing rebuke to the socialist media airsuckers in Congress, including socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders, who's up till now held the Democrat "narrative." Menendez is taking the lead here, bringing his Democrats with him, making this a Democrat issue, too, and Republicans rightly are not going to say no. It's a marshaling of the liberals to accept facts about Venezuela, which is also powerfully seen in this persuasive video that ran two days ago in the New York Times from lefty comedian Joanna Hausmann, addressing her fellow leftists. Menendez may know that the Latino vote is at stake here, but his motive is unimportant. What he's doing is getting the gears turning for regime change to happen on a bipartisan basis, the strongest kind. The Trump administration has not been idle, either. Two things stand out in the past 24 hours. First, this announcement from USAID: Today, the United States is pre-positioning humanitarian relief supplies in Curacao, a constituent country of the Kingdom of The Netherlands, to help people affected by the political and economic crisis in Venezuela. The collapse of health care in Venezuela has left nearly all hospitals in the country in desperate need of basic medicines and supplies, and prompted outbreaks of diseases that were thought to be under control. Today's commercial delivery to Curacao contains four emergency health kits manufactured in The Netherlands, which contain medicines and medical supplies including bandages, gauze, examination gloves, thermometers, and syringes designed to fill immediate medical gaps for people affected by emergencies. The kits can cover the priority health needs of 40,000 people for three months. That aid positioning, and the aid itself, involved some helpful collaboration with the Netherlands, which is good news. The Dutch are coming through. Second, White House chief economist Larry Kudlow a man usually associated with domestic free-market economics has been busy on the matter of a post-Maduro Venezuela. Here's the most detailed report on his statements at a conference from F.T. (subscription, but it can be opened by the first three readers since I am a subscriber). It begins: Larry Kudlow, the director of the White House National Economic Council, said the US was exploring ways to pump dollars into Venezuela through mobile phones if the Maduro regime is toppled as part of a sweeping economic rescue package. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Mr Kudlow said that the Trump administration, including the treasury department, the commerce department, and the White House, were involved in extensive contingency planning to offer economic assistance to Venezuela, confirming a recent report in the FT. We are developing a very well rounded, what I think will be an extremely effective plan, Mr Kudlow said. Its a rescue plan, its a restructuring plan, a plan that would put cash in the country, he said, adding that work was being done by the International Monetary Fund as well. The report says the U.S. will focus on cell phone transfers and electronic means (assuming the electricity will be up, I suppose) to get a program in place right away to help Venezuelans out of the morass, which is going to be a big one. Joanna Hausmann's father, Ricardo Hausmann, a respected Harvard economist who is serving as Guaido's top economic negotiator, according to the FT, believes that upwards of $100 billion in grants and loans are going to be required to get the country back on its feet. So yes, it will be a monster. But two things stand out. The planning for a Maduro-free, socialism-free Venezuela is going on at breakneck speed behind the scenes. And even more important, that news is getting out. The fact that it is getting out - that the competent authorities of the multilateral institutions (let's face it, compared to Maduro, they most certainly are professional and competent), the U.S. and perhaps the Europeans are all coordinating to set up a safety net for the disastrously crashed country, quite possibly preventing a Lord of the Flies or Mad Max situation in the wake of a Maduro exit. The drug dealers, the FARC terrorists, the Chavista motorcycle goons, the Cuban mercenaries, and the Russians, are not going to be taking over if Maduro is booted. A plan is in place. Venezuela can fall into a safety net even as Maduro is thrown out. That's something that could motivate more military men in Venezuela to make that happen. The military men are key, and now that word is getting out about a safety net, the incentive to force Maduro out gets that much stronger. Operation Boot Maduro is back. Can lefty companies pick and choose their buyers, as if the gay cake controversy were applicable only to conservatives? Yep, they're doing it and getting away with it as a good public relations move in the press. In a Bloomberg piece under the unintentionally ironic header of "Good Business," Patagonia is refusing to license the vests it sells to oil companies, mining companies, religious groups, "politically affiliated" (read: conservative) organizations, and big wicked banks. Late last year, Patagonia updated its mission statement, saying, "We're in business to save our home planet." Oh, give us a break. Do these jackasses use electricity? Do they use capital to create those black vests they are selling as today's business attire? Do they have religious views of their own? Yes, yes, yes, on all fronts. So what they're really doing is setting belief requirements for their buyers in order to allow them to order their vests with any company name on them. See, they aren't in the business of selling vests anymore; they are now saving the planet. The Bloomberg piece says they're actually turning buyers away, because some of them aren't virtuous enough. Never mind if those buyers pick up trash or their companies have greenie agendas of their own, as many big banks and mining companies do. Right industry, come right in, and let us sell to you, since we permit that privilege. Wrong industry, no sales. Sounds like a lovely business plan that should thrill the shareholders. It's obnoxious, because they are setting belief requirements on buyers as a condition of sales. Mere money isn't good enough. I suppose there's an argument to be made about company image with Patagonia's "B club," but it's a bad precedent, and frankly, they're overestimating it. Nobody thinks anything of the manufacturer of a garment on a company-branded shirt except in terms of its fabric and construction quality. They're saying that's not true, their product is special, and they're no longer in the clothing business; they're saving the Earth. Actually, their product is probably nice, but it's not that special it's sold in the market, it projects an outdoorsy lefty image, yet there are countless other competitors making equal or better products, and the blacklisted companies can and should order from those instead. I bought several of these black vests from other companies for my male relatives at Christmas from the Macy's website and L.L. Bean, and those competitor vests, with no ideological requirements attached, were superb. It's a bad precedent, and it's also stupid. Imagine a startup of no name recognition doing such a practice; it wouldn't get off the ground, because this isn't a sound business practice. There's nothing stupider than a company inhaling the exhaust fumes of its inflated corporate ego and, worse still, its own public relations. Image credit: Backcountry.com ad. Algeria's longtime socialist strongman, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, got thrown out of power this week, following 20 years of what even he admits was failed rule. He got thrown out the way they all pretty much do, given the predictable-as-sunrise failure of socialism. He was hardly the worst of them; he just seems to have gotten too old to stay a strongman. Fine and dandy. What's cool, though, is that Bouteflika's exit creates some problems big problems for the Castro dictatorship over in Cuba. Bouteflika was one of their longtime candymen, sending funds to prop up the otherwise unsustainable regime through his employment of the Castroite Cuban doctors program, which brought the regime big cash. Here's a Reuters report that ran just a few days before Bouteflika got his boot: HAVANA (Reuters) Cuba faces yet another threat to its exports of health services in exchange for oil and money as social unrest roils old friend Algeria, even as a new deal to mitigate declining support from crisis-racked Venezuela kicks in. ...and... The North African country is a major oil and gas producer and has been a friend of Cuba ever since former leader Fidel Castro sent doctors and troops there in the early 1960s as it threw off the yoke of rule by Paris. Communist-run Cuba has seen its foreign exchange revenues and fuel imports on preferential terms from socialist ally and economic partner Venezuela steadily fall since 2014, leading to stagnation, austerity measures, scattered shortages and late payments to foreign partners. Turns out Algeria under Bouteflika was a very, very important cash source for Cuba, trading its medical mercenaries (who, the New York Times notes, serve a dual-role as "free health care" and regime propper-uppers at election time). They're useful tools to any busy dictatorship. It's quite likely that the replacement regime in Algeria is going to want to continue with them. Why prop up an overseas dictatorship that helped the last Algerian dictatorship? There's a distinct chance the Cubans will be sent packing. Brazil threw its Cubans out when Jair Bolsonaro was elected president. These new Algerians may do the same. This puts the Castro dictatorship in a quandary. For decades, it's always needed a sugar daddy to prop its dictatorship up. That's because socialism is always unsustainable, no matter where it's been tried. The Castro dictatorship has managed to last longer than most because it's had the socialist cachet other socialists have always hankered after. So a regime like Algeria, which has a base of oil from which to finance itself for a while (as did Cuba's other sugar-daddy, Venezuela, until socialism collapsed its production), is a lifeline to the Cuban regime. Rats ate it. Venezuela is not helping much, either. The sugar-daddies and sweetheart deals are drying up. What's left is Putin, and Russia cut off support for Cuba a long time ago. That may change now, and Russia's price will be the wherewithal to challenge the U.S. on the military front, which, if it chooses to jump in, would enable it to be a greater menace to us. But there's also the possibility that Russia won't bite. It's already up to its ears in defending Venezuela because of all the money Venezuela owes (reportedly $17 billion) Russia, and that's expensive. Now Cuba will have its hand out, raising the costs of this little imperial adventure. Bottom line: Cuba is in a quandary. Its sugar-daddy supply is now seeing shortages. What would socialism be without shortages? Image credit: Alan Turkus via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0. The Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT) has recommended reducing steel safeguard duties previously instituted in response to Section 232 measures implemented by the United States, it said on Wednesday April 3. The CITT has recommended tariff rate quotas (TRQs) for only two steel products heavy plate and stainless steel wire out of seven that have been subject to 25% temporary safeguard duties since October. Canada initiated the duties after US President Donald Trump issued Section 232 orders against imports. These steel safeguards are in the midst of a 200-day effective period that will expire in May. For the remaining five steel products concrete reinforcing bar, energy tubular products, hot-rolled sheet, pre-painted sheet and wire rod the tribunal found no serious injury to the domestic industry, even when flows of certain of these products increased significantly. We are disappointed and concerned with the Tribunals recommendations, Canadian Steel Producers Association (CSPA) president Catherine Cobden said in a statement on April 3. The recommendations are a significant departure from the conclusions reached by the Minister of Finance to establish the provisional measures and the overwhelming evidence put forward to the CITT that justified the imposition of final safeguard measures, Cobden added. The Finance Department said at the time that such measures were appropriate under international law, given exceptional circumstances. The safeguards were intended to protect Canadian steelmakers and workers from harm caused [by] excessive imports and steel that has been diverted from other countries to the Canadian market. It excluded imports from the US, Chile, Mexico, Israel and other Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement beneficiary countries. Therefore, the CITTs recommended remedies do not apply to imports from these countries. The CITT recommended an above-quota surtax of 20% on heavy plate imports during the first year of implementation, and lower surtaxes of 15% and 10% in the second and third years respectively. For stainless steel wire, it recommended an above-quota surtax of 25% in the first year, 15% in the second year and 5% in the third year. Prior to the recommendations, the CITT held a series of hearings on whether to extend the steel safeguards. Steel market participants in Canada held mixed views on whether the duties were needed to counter the incentive to divert US-bound foreign steel into Canada. CITT recommendation not binding As in the US, trade cases are arbitrated along two tracks in Canada. The CITT, like the US International Trade Commission, decides whether the domestic industry has been injured. And like the US Commerce Department, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) decides on margins. The CITTs recommendation is not binding on the Minister of Finance, the CSPA said. The trade group, therefore, is urging the minister to exercise his statutory authority and impose final safeguard measures on all seven steel products as recommended by the industry in order to protect thousands of middle-class jobs and more than $1.1 billion in planned investments, Cobden said. Without these safeguards, the Canadian steel industry is threatened with job losses, significant community impacts, market share erosion and growing investment uncertainty, Cobden added. Fastmarkets AMMs daily Midwest HRC index was calculated at $34.44 per hundredweight ($688.80 per short ton) on April 3, down by 0.2% from $34.50 per cwt the previous day and off by 0.6% from $34.65 per cwt a week earlier. The memorial of the famous 19th century Irish writer and poet, Oscar Wilde, lies in a cemetery in Paris. Chiseled out of a 20-tonne block of stone, the tomb features a winged figure resembling the Sphinx on a forward flight with vertically outstretched wings, and is supposed to be based on Wilde's poem The Sphinx and inspired by the British Museum's Assyrian figures. For years, female fans have visited the huge memorial in Paris's largest cemetery Pere Lachaise to pay homage to the Irish playwright and left their mark in red lipstick. Over thousands of lipstick kisses and graffiti messages cover the bottom half of the tomb. The practice started in the late 1990s, when somebody decided to leave a lipstick kiss on the tomb. Since then lipstick kisses and hearts have been joined by a rash of red graffiti containing expressions of love, such as: "Wilde child we remember you", "Keep looking at the stars" and "Real beauty ends where intellect begins". Kissing Oscar's tomb on the Paris tourist circuit has become a cult pastime. Photo credit A fine of 9,000 ($12,000) was imposed on anyone caught kissing or damaging the historical monument, but it had no effect. It was hard to catch people in the act, and most culprits were tourists who were long gone before the police could bring them to court. Appeals from Wildes grandson Merlin Holland to stop the practice also fell on deaf ears. A plaque asking fans to respect the tomb instead of defacing it went in vain. Meanwhile, those greasy red lipstick stains seeped into the stone making it harder and harder to clean. Every cleaning eroded a layer of stone rendering it even more porous, so the next cleaning had to go even deeper and wear away the stone even more. In 2011, on the the occasion of Oscar Wildes 111th death anniversary, the authorities put up a glass barrier surrounding the tomb to prevent kissers from causing further damage. But now tourists are leaving kisses on the glass instead and flowers and notes were tossed inside the enclosure and now lie strewn at the tombs foot. Oscar Wilde died bankrupt and desolate and his friends could offer him only a sixth-class burial at Bagneux, outside the city. Over the following years his friend and literary executor, Robert Ross, managed through the sale of Wilde's works, to annul Wilde's bankruptcy and purchase a burial plot at Pere Lachaise. The following year Helen Carew, one of Ross's friends who had known Wilde in his heyday, anonymously offered 2,000 to erect a monument by the young sculptor Jacob Epstein. When the sculpture was brought into the cemetery, the Parisian officials were offended by the angels nakedness and attempted to cover it with tarpaulin. They also covered the testicles with plaster as they considered its size unusual. Eventually, as compromise, a bronze plaque similar to the shape of butterfly was placed upon the testicles of the monument and it was unveiled in early August 1914. The tomb survived without further incident until 1961 when some vandals took off with the testicles. Photo credit Photo credit Photo credit Photo credit Photo credit Photo credit Photo credit Photo credit Photo credit Photo credit Photo credit Sources: The Guardian / Wikipedia / The History Blog Google announced the second beta version of Android Q earlier today and of the main features discussed in the announcement post is Bubbles. This is not exactly a new feature as Bubbles was included within the first beta version. However, Google explains that the latest beta version now provides platform support for Bubbles. This is important as it highlights how Google is trying to get app-makers on board with the new feature at the app level without having to build out their own solution. Consistency of experience is the key here. Advertisement Google is positioning this as a feature thats built on top of Androids notification system and is expected to not only be easier to implement by developers, but also familiar. As for what it does, many will already be accustomed to the experience as it seems like Bubbles will not be that different to similar features offered by third-party apps and services, including Facebook. The idea being users can continue to engage with features of an app without having to actually launch the app. This naturally seems most likely to be of benefit to the messaging world and where it will draw the most comparisons to Facebook Messengers solution. As regardless of the app, as long as the feature is supported users will be able to continue their messaging conversations while doing other things on their Android Q-running device. Advertisement Responding to messages is only one example of the type of use-case as in principle the options are relatively endless for how app-makers could include the support. For example, the announcement goes on to explain how Bubbles could prove useful for quick access to notes or translations, or for viewing current tasks. Google states the overall end goal with Bubbles is to make interactions consistent, safeguard user privacy, reduce development time, and drive innovation. Advertisement At present, this is all theoretical and even the support announced today is just more of a heads up as none of the apps will be using the feature in the current version of Android Q. Instead, this will be of most use for developers to know so they can prepare their apps to make use of the feature. This shouldnt be too disheartening to Android users now though as Android Q itself is currently in a developer state and a fair amount away from being ready for general consumer use. Theres plenty of preview versions set to become available before then and that means theres equally plenty of time for the feature to gain traction at the app level. Presumably, this will be spearheaded by Google itself as it would seem logical Bubbles support will be showcased with Googles apps in an upcoming release. Therefore, the more tied in a user is to Googles services, the more likely they can expect to see the Bubbles end product in action soon. Advertisement Based on the current Android release, this is not something that all Android device owners that upgrade to Android Q will have to use as there is the option to toggle the feature on and off within the settings. It was reported recently that the Samsung Galaxy Note10 may arrive in two sizes, a regular Galaxy Note10, and a smaller Galaxy Note10e. Having said that, some more info regarding those two variants has just surfaced in Korea, to be more specific, some info regarding their cameras. According to The Bell, the larger Galaxy Note10 handset will ship with four cameras on the back, while the smaller one will include three cameras. The source did not share any info regarding camera specs, as such info is still not available, but specifications have been delivered to part makers, it seems. In previous years, the Galaxy Note series basically copied camera sensors from the most powerful Galaxy S series smartphone that launched half a year before, but if a recent report is to be believed, that will not be the case with the Galaxy Note10. According to Ice Universe, a well-known tipster, the Galaxy Note10 will ship with a larger camera sensor than the Galaxy S10 series, and we presumed that he was referring to the main sensor, though its possible that other units will be different as well. Advertisement The Samsung Galaxy S10+ includes two 12-megapixel, and one 16-megapixel camera on the back. The phones main sensor is a 12-megapixel unit which comes with a variable aperture (f/1.5-2.4), 1.4um pixel size, and this is a wide-angle lens. This is the same sensor that Samsung used in the Galaxy S9 series, so if the company opts to change things around with the Galaxy Note10, that would not be all that surprising. So, if rumors are to be believed, the company will introduce the Galaxy Note10 and Note10e later this year, but we havent really heard anything about a 5G-enabled variant of the Galaxy Note10. Both the Galaxy Note10 and Note10e will support 4G LTE, but not 5G, almost certainly, so it remains to be seen what are Samsungs plans for the 5G-enabled model, as the company is expected to release such a unit, as it did with the Galaxy S10 5G. The source notes that industry experts expect the Galaxy Note10 series to arrive in August, a year after the Galaxy Note9 was announced, and that assumption is probably correct. Samsung will want to release the Galaxy Note10 before IFA in Berlin kicks off, and considering that IFA starts in September, August seems like a logical option for the company. Advertisement The Samsung Galaxy Note10 series will almost certainly be fueled by the Exynos 9820 and Snapdragon 855 SoCs, depending on where you buy one of the Galaxy Note10 devices, of course, as the Exynos variant will be sold in Europe and India, while the Snapdragon 855 model will hit the US and China. Android 9 Pie will almost certainly come pre-installed on the Galaxy Note10 smartphones, while Samsungs One UI Android overlay will be included on top of it. The device will include a large battery on the inside, and QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED, curved display will be included in the package as well, though it will be interesting to see how large will that display be. The Galaxy S10 5G includes a huge 6.7-inch panel, so it remains to be seen if the larger Galaxy Note10 variant will use that very same panel, or will Samsung increase it even further. Marysville, CA (95901) Today Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. High 48F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies in the evening, then becoming cloudy overnight. Low 39F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Cargo is in the doldrums with smaller volumes being shipped over the last four months than a year ago. And with order books weakening, consumer confidence deteriorating and trade tensions hanging over the industry, it is difficult to see an early turnaround. The industry is adapting to new markets for e-commerce and special cargo shipments. But the bigger challenge is trade is slowing. Governments need to realize the damage being done by protectionist measures. Nobody wins a trade war. We all do better when borders are open to people and to trade, said Alexandre de Juniac, IATAs Director General and CEO. Middle Eastern airlines freight volumes contracted 1.6% in February 2019 compared to the year-ago period. Capacity increased by 3.1%. A clear downward trend in seasonally-adjusted international air cargo demand is now evident with weakening trade to/from North America contributing to the decrease. Other regional performance All regions reported a contraction in year-on-year demand growth in February 2019 except for Latin America. Asia-Pacific airlines saw demand for air freight contract by 11.6% in February 2019, compared to the same period in 2018. Weaker manufacturing conditions for exporters in the region, ongoing trade tensions and a slowing of the Chinese economy impacted the market. Capacity decreased by 3.7% North American airlines saw demand contract by 0.7% in February 2019, compared to the same period a year earlier. This was the first month of negative year-on-year growth recorded since mid-2016, reflecting the sharp fall in trade with China. North American carriers have benefited from the strength of the US economy and consumer spending over the past year. Capacity increased by 7.1%. European airlines experienced a contraction in freight demand of 1.0% in February 2019 compared to a year ago. The decline is consistent with weaker manufacturing conditions for exporters in Germany, one of Europes major economies. Trade tensions and uncertainty over Brexit also contributed to a weakening in demand. Capacity increased by 4.0% year-on-year. Latin American airlines posted the fastest growth of any region in February 2019 versus last year with demand up 2.8%. Despite the economic uncertainty in the region, a number of key markets are performing strongly. Seasonally-adjusted international freight demand achieved growth for the first time in six months. Capacity increased by 14.1%. African carriers saw freight demand decrease by 8.5% in February 2019, compared to the same month in 2018. Seasonally-adjusted international freight volumes are lower than their peak in mid-2017; despite this, they are still 25% higher than their most recent trough in late-2015. Capacity grew 6.8% year-on-year. CNNs Zakaria Deals With U.S. Proclamation Recognizing Golan As Part Of Israel | Main | New York Times Adopts Erroneous 'Palestine' Terminology April 04, 2019 The New York Times' Slow Reaction to Hamas Crackdown on Palestinian Protesters The New York Times took a slight jab at Hamas, the terrorist organization that rules the Gaza Strip, in a recent story about Hamas's crackdown on Palestinian protesters who spoke out against its policies in Gaza. The March 24 story, which points out that Hamas beat protesters and journalists and arrested about 1000 of its citizens, made a point of contrasting the government's "assiduous" reporting on casualties during violent anti-Israel riots with its silence about those injured during the internal protests: Gazas 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. Indeed. What the Times doesn't tell you, though, is that it's guilty of the very same discrepancy. While the newspaper gave some press to last year's anti-Israel protests already during the planning stages, days before rioters first gathered on the Israel-Gaza border, its March 24 story was the first time the reporters seriously covered the Hamas crackdown, which had been going on for two weeks with hardly a passing mention. Here's a (partial) timeline that shows when Times reporters, eventually, decided to run a story on the violence: March 10: Hamas arrests, and reportedly tortures, 13 Palestinian activists planning the demonstrations. March 14: The protests and crackdown begin. The Associated Press covers the story, noting that "Videos circulated on social media showed police firing live rounds in the air, beating protesters and hauling them into police vehicles." March 15: Haaretz reports on "Hamas police officers shooting, beating and arresting protesters, as well as detaining journalists and human rights activists," and CBS News is among the news outlets worldwide picking up AP coverage about how Hamas "violently broke up a rare protest by demonstrators angry about the dire living conditions in Gaza." March 16: AP, China's Xinhua, and Palestinian reporters in the West Bank are among those reporting on the unrest. March 17: Reuters and the Jerusalem Post are among those covering the crackdown and noting that the UNs Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process strongly condemned the "campaign of arrests and violence used by Hamas security forces against protesters, including women and children, in Gaza over the past three days" and the "brutal beating" of reporters and rights activists. March 18: Amnesty International decries "beatings, arbitrary arrest and detentions, and torture and other forms of ill-treatment since 14 March." In the UK, the Telegraph reports serious injuries as "videos appeared to show officers clubbing unarmed protesters." March 19: AP, CNN, NPR, Al Jazeera, the Independent, and Ma'an are among those covering the Hamas violence. March 20: Human Rights Watch publishes a report and Hamas itself acknowledges the story, apologizing " for any psychological or material harm inflicted on any Palestinian citizen." March 21: On the Opinion pages, a New York Times columnist criticizes his own newspaper's failure to cover the crackdown, saying it, and the Western press in general, "for too long has been depressingly incurious about any form of Palestinian suffering for which Israel cannot be held responsible." March 22: etc... March 23: etc... March 24: ... and finally, the news pages of the paper that promises "all the news fit to print" gets around to writing a story about the crackdown. Why so slow? See the March 21 entry above. Posted by gi at April 4, 2019 03:08 PM Guidelines for posting This is a moderated blog. We will not post comments that include racism, bigotry, threats, or factually inaccurate material. Post a comment The sextoy market is growing quite rapidly in India right now. Although it is not a big trend, it is a hot topic on the internet as it is secretly expanding its market. In this article, we will focus on sextoy and introduce recommended sextoy for Indian beginners of sextoy by gender. India, the birthplace of the Kama Sutra, is very strict about sex. Also, premarital sex is basically not allowed. Therefore, there are many people who are sexually restricted. But what happens when you continue to be sexually restricted? Frustration may build up and you may end up taking your sexual stress out on your partner. If you are able to adopt sextoy in a timely manner, you can get rid of those problems. I want to have more exciting sex than Im having now. I want more variation in masturbation I want to get even stronger pleasure than I do on my own. If you have any of these problems, please stay with me until the end. What is sex toys for Indian? Sextoy, as the name implies, is a toy used during sex and masturbation. It is a generic term for vibrators, Egg-vibrators, Electric massagers, dildo, handcuffs and condoms. They are used to make regular sex more exciting or to make masturbation more pleasurable. Because sextoy is very stimulating, it can help you to get rid of the problems and frustrations of being in a rut of sex with your partner for a long time, or if you are unhappy with the lack of pleasure in sex with your partner. The ability to satisfy your desires with movement, texture, and size, which cannot be done by a normal human being, can help you to be satisfied with sex and, as a result, improve your relationship with your partner. It is also said to help improve sexual dysfunction (inability to get an erection or ejaculate) and difficulty in feeling during sex (insensitivity), which is attracting more attention than in the past. In recent years, the demand for sextoy has increased due to the spread of smartphones and the Internet and the increasing number of people using online shopping. Even those who are concerned about the appearance of sextoy (and find it difficult to purchase) can now easily obtain it by using mail order. In the case of online shopping, most of the stores have taken steps to ensure that the contents of the products delivered to you are not revealed, so you can purchase them without your family members knowing. Until a while ago, you had to go to the store where the adult goods were sold to buy them, so it was quite a hurdle to overcome. Also, many people may have an image that sextoy is somehow embarrassing to own. But nowadays, some of them are so stylish and cute that you cant believe they are sextoy at a glance. More and more people are using them for travel and outdoor use because they are not too bulky and are suitable for carrying around. Sextoy situation in India Before introducing the recommended sextoy for Indians, lets talk about one of the sextoy situations in India in recent years. In India, due to the high concentration of population, the following six cities have particularly high sales of sextoy in India. Mumbai Kolkata Bangalore Delhi Chennai Hyderabad These cities account for roughly 70 percent of sextoy sales in India. In the future, the percentage of sextoy use will gradually increase in other cities in India as well. If you never talk about sextoy publicly, that girl in your neighborhood might be a sextoy user too. If you are interested in sextoy, you dont have to suppress your desire for it. What are Sextoys for beginner? Among all sextoys, sextoy for beginners are vibrators, dildo, masturbators, Sex Lubricants, and condoms. Sex Lubricants and condoms, which are familiar to people who have had sex, are also a great beginners sextoy. I will explain the details of each toy later, but there are many sextoy products that are painful to use and can only be used after some anal expansion. I assume that the Indian readers of this article are people who have not had much experience with sextoy. If such people use professional sextoy suddenly, they are at risk of injury or trauma. Therefore, to introduce sextoy, you need to start with a beginners version and gradually become familiar with it. Advantages of using sextoy for Indians There are three advantages of using sextoy for Indians You can masturbate in a wide variety of ways. Can have stimulating sex Can develop new sexual zones If you try to masturbate with your own fingers or hands, it tends to be a pattern. However, with sextoy, you can easily masturbate in a variety of ways. You will definitely be fascinated by the attraction of new stimulation. Also, your daily sex life will be more exciting than ever. There are many things in sextoy that are visually stimulating and give you a strong and intense feeling of pleasure. This allows you to see your partners promiscuity in a way that you wouldnt normally see it. When you are in a relationship, sex with your partner may become a pattern, but it can also eliminate these problems. It can also lead to the development of new sexual zones (which is the training of sexual stimulation to allow you to feel orgasms). For more information on the development of new sexual zones, see the following articles [Women's Erogenous Zone]How to find and develop, 7 hidden sexual zones !![In India] In this issue, we will dissect the female erogenous zone! ..." Many of you may be like that. Men, in particular, shou... Thus, the use of sextoy can only be a good thing for the men and women of India. Sextoy for beginner men in India So, lets continue with the recommended goods for Indian sextoy beginners. For ease of understanding, we will introduce them by gender. Lets start with the men! The following five goods are recommended for novice Indian sextoy men Masturbator Cock rings Love Doll Sex Lubricants Toys for the prostate Lets check each one in detail. Masturbator The masturbator is a sextoy for men that elaborately reproduces a womans vagina, mouth, and anus, and is one of the most popular sextoy products. It is used by men to masturbate, and it is popular because it provides stronger stimulation and pleasure more easily than using hands. Most are made of good quality silicone, and their softness is something that cannot be achieved with ones own hands. They can provide stronger pleasure than a real womans vagina, so be careful not to overuse them. (You wont be able to have an orgasm in a womans vagina anymore.) Again Male masturbators are a wonderful toy. I do not need any favourite timing, bothersome bargaining. You do not have to worry too much. Revolutionize your masturbation time! ! ! Made in Japan is a wonderful kinky toy.#sextoysindia #SexToyIndia #Japanhttps://t.co/4k70QGzoTP pic.twitter.com/tRVdxTKPpa SEXToys India PR (@SextoysIndia) November 12, 2018 Some of them are disposable, while others can be washed and used over and over again, so its fun to buy a few to use depending on your mood. If you want to know more about masturbator, please click here Really pleasant male masturbation and how to do it Are you in a rut with your daily masturbation routine? I'm going to show you five ways men masturbate that you might ... [For Beginners] How to choose and use a male masturbator without fail Gentlemen.Have you ever used a masturbator? The person who sees this article is probably the one who has not experien... Cock Ring A cock ring is literally a ring-shaped sextoy that is worn on a mans penis. It maintains an erection by binding the penis with a ring of rubber and blocking blood flow. It is sometimes used as an accessory to be worn on the penis, and may be made of metal or plastic as well as rubber. In some cases, cock rings have parts or vibrators attached to them that stimulate the vagina, so they kill two birds with one stone, giving a woman pleasure while maintaining an erection. Cock rings are also sometimes used to treat erectile dysfunction. It can help with erectile dysfunction, where the penis doesnt get hard when you get an erection or doesnt last long when you try to insert it. Men who are prone to breakage or who are unsure of the hardness and size of their erections can use a cock ring to increase the size of their penis and maintain an erection for a longer period of time. Cock rings vary in price from around RS700 to over RS2000 with a vibrator function. Some of them do not fit your penis, so you should check the size of the cock ring before you buy. You should know the size of your partners or your own penis when it is erect. [Penis enlargement] What is a cock ring? Types and usage Cock rings can make your penis bigger and harder. It also makes sex with women more fulfilling and increases your sat... Love Doll Love dolls, also known as Dutchwives, are dolls with the appearance of a woman who can experience simulated sex. There are dolls that look like a woman, but they have no face and only have their breasts and lower torso cut off, and some dolls are so realistic that they can actually be mistaken for real women. Some expensive dolls can cost more than 1 million yen, and the quality of the doll is easily influenced by the price. The higher the price, the higher the quality of the doll will be, the closer it will be to the real woman, and the cheaper the doll will be, the less elaborate it will be, making it look like a real doll! Something is wrong! That is also true. You cant go wrong if you choose a balance between price and taste. There are stores that allow you to make custom-made love dolls, so you can create a girl of your choice. You can make a girl of your choice. You can start with inexpensive love dolls at first, and once you get used to it, you can try custom-made love dolls. If you want to know more about Love doll, please click here Thorough explanation of the charm of sex dolls! Have you ever heard of sex dolls that are used primarily for pseudo-sex purposes? It is a doll that is quite close to... Sex lubricants Sex lubricants are used as a substitute for lubricating fluid during sex or as a lubricant for men to use masturbator rules. It is not uncommon for women to have difficulty getting wet, depending on their physical condition, or to have difficulty getting wet due to their constitution. Forcing the penis into the vagina at such times can cause painful intercourse. There are various types of Sex Lubricants, some with a warming effect, some with a cooling effect, and some with a scent. Changing the Sex Lubricant used during play is recommended as a good sex accent. If you want to learn more about Sex Lubricants, click here. What is sex lubricant?Explain the difference and usage of each ingredient The word "sex toy" may seem like a hurdle to overcome, but lotion is actually one of the most familiar sex toys. Many... Toys for the Prostate Another sextoy for men is prostate toys. The most famous prostate toys include Enemagra, which was originally a prostate massager developed by an American urologist to treat an enlarged prostate line. Modern prostate toys are imitations of Enemagra that have spread as sextoy for men. Many people think of prostate toys as being used by gay men, but in fact they are often used by straight men. What is the prostate? The prostate is an organ found only in men. It is a walnut-sized organ located deep in the pelvis, just below the bladder, and its primary role is to protect and nourish sperm. You cannot touch the prostate gland from outside the body, but you can touch it by inserting a finger or sextoy through the anus. By inserting a finger or sextoy through the anus and touching the prostate and developing it, you can feel intense orgasms. Orgasms felt in the prostate are mainly dry orgasms, which are orgasms that do not involve ejaculation. (You can also feel orgasms with ejaculation through prostate stimulation.) The prostate is called the male G-spot, and dry orgasms can be much more intense than ejaculation. Therefore, men who are able to develop a prostate can become addicted to the pleasure. sextoy for beinner women in India The following are the recommended goods for Indian women who are new to sextoy. The following three are recommended for use by women who are new to sextoy. Vibrator. Dildo Electric Masserger Lets check out what each one is in detail. If you want to check out womens toys, click here. [BEST25]Sex Toys for Women in IndiaThat Can Help You Have an Orgasm There are many women who pretend to feel orgasm during sex. But don't worry, you don't have to pretend to feel orgasm... Vibrators A vibrator is a sextoy that vibrates with an Egg-Vibrator to provide stimulation and is often referred to simply as a vibrator. Some vibrate as well as rotate, and there are many variations of sextoy. It is quite a popular sextoy, and is well recognized by people who do not know much about sextoy. Its usage is similar to that of a massager, but it is more compact and easier to carry than a massager, and many of them look as cute as a lipstick or a macaroon, so they are popular among women. For a while, a famous influencer on twitter said, This is good! You may have heard of the topic of this article by introducing the recommended vibrators. Vibrators are great for women to use on their own, but they are also recommended for men who have difficulty satisfying women with sex. Since it is powered by electricity, it is far less tiring than moving your hands by yourself. This makes it easier to satisfy a woman with sex because you can caress her for longer than usual. Vibrators are mainly used on the female side, but they can also be used on men. When used on men, they are used to attack the nipples and glans, and in both cases it is recommended to wear a condom for hygiene reasons. Introducing how to use the vibrator, its purpose, and how to choose it! Vibrator uses the vibrations caused by the rotation of the motor to provide stimulation. It is one or two of the most... Dildo A dildo is a model sextoy made to mimic a male penis. It can be made of silicone, elastomer (think of it as a material similar to PVC), metal or glass. A dildo can be used by a man for his female partner during sex, or by a woman for masturbation to get pleasure from it. They are mainly inserted into women, but some can be used in the male anus as well. It is sometimes used synonymously with vibrators, but the vibrator is not the same thing as a vibrating device. A model of a penis that does not vibrate is a dildo. Some of them have suction cups that can be attached to the floor or wall so that you can enjoy realistic masturbation without using your hands. For fun, there is a dildo made in the shape of your partners penis. This one is also popular as a gift, and if youve been together for a long time and are having trouble finding a gift for your partner, you might want to pick one. To learn more about dildo, please click here. What is Dildo: Orgasms with Dildos for Men and Women A dildo is a model of a male organ that is used by women for masturbation and by men to stimulate the prostate gland. Th... Electric Masserger A Electric Masserger is a hand-held electric massager, also known as a handheld massager, and can usually be purchased at electronics stores. It was originally designed to relieve stiff shoulders and back pain, so the hurdle of buying one in a physical store is quite low. Many people may have seen or used it in some form or another, as it is often installed in leisure hotels. Such a massager is highly recommended for beginners because it is easy for women to get pleasure from it when they use it during masturbation. It is larger than Egg-Vibrator and vibrations are stronger than those of Egg-Vibrators and vibrators, so even just hitting the clitoris can give you a great deal of pleasure. For those women who have never had an orgasm during sex with their man, the massager may be a good way to get a feel for what it feels like to have an orgasm. It looks and feels like an electric massager, so you wont have to feel awkward if your roommate finds out. If you are in a rut of having sex with your partner, if you want to feel an orgasm through masturbation, or if you are thinking of using a sextoy, why dont you try it from a simple massager? To learn more about Electric Masserger, click here. What is a massager? Introducing types, selection methods, and usage Originally, the Magic-wand vibrator and the massage machine were sold as a home massage machine used for the back and th... How to choose a sextoy for Indian Now that weve covered the different types of sextoy, heres how to choose one. Especially if you are trying sextoy for the first time, pay attention to the following three points: Does the size fit you (the partner)? Does the size fit you (your partner)? Is the environment able to produce sound without problems? Price range First of all, the choice of size is quite important. Most sextoy are used against or inserted into the genitals, but the genitals are very delicate organs for both men and women. 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I live with my family and want to use sextoy without them finding out! If you are a man, you should buy a camouflage sextoy that does not look like a sextoy at first glance. For men, there are many masturbators that do not look like a sextoy, and for women, there are vibrators that only look like cosmetics. If you choose such a type, youll be safe in case your family members find out. How to buy sextoys in India The best way to purchase sextoy is through online shopping. For more information on how to purchase sextoy, please see the article below. Sextoy is one of them. Therefore, you can easily get sextoy in India by using online shopping. SexToysINDIA is a long established and stable sextoy store and you can have sextoy delivered to any place in India. They also offer cash on delivery, so those who are worried about shopping with a credit card do not have to worry. Of course, the latest security is in place, so your information will not be taken out when you use your credit card. To begin with, many people may be concerned about whether they are legally allowed to purchase sextoy. ikmAs it turns out, its not illegal. Right now, it is not open to the public because the Indian adult market is still in the development stage, but it will gradually spread from now on. Take advantage of sextoy and open the door to new pleasures and culture. Cautions for Indians using sextoy When using sextoy, keep the following three things in mind Keep sex toys clean Watch out for electrical leakage Beware of the heat generated by the body while using a sex toy As I mentioned earlier, many sextoy products are used for the delicate zone. Therefore, it is most important to keep the sextoy itself clean. It is very important to keep the sextoy itself clean, because if a slight scratch is created by friction, bacteria can enter and breed there. It is safe to wear a condom when using the masturbator, just in case. In addition, many sextoy devices are powered by a power source, so if they are not waterproof, there is a possibility of electric shock or malfunction due to wetness. Some may even develop heat during continuous use. If the fever becomes too much, you may get burned, so be careful. If you get a fever during use, stop driving the sextoy immediately and refrain from using it. You will enjoy sex more if you keep it safe and use it correctly. Summary What did you think? In this article, we have introduced the recommended sextoy for the beginners of sextoy in India. The sextoy market is growing rapidly in India and it will continue to grow steadily in the future. As India is a rather closed-minded country, it can be difficult to be open about ones sexual habits and values. However, being faithful to ones desires by properly dissolving ones sexual desire is very effective for ones physical and mental health. If this is your first time to learn about sextoy, or if you are interested in using sextoy, why not give it a try? Indian Sextoys for ur best! will introduce you to sextoy and other trivia about sextoy, sexuality, and sexuality for men and women. I want to read more! If you think its a great idea, please bookmark it. Jet Airways delayed March payment to its all 16,000 employees for the third time since September last year. The airline had been delaying the salaries of its pilots, engineers and senior staff since August who have not been paid since January. Mumbai: Struggling carrier Jet Airways engineers body, Jamewa on Wednesday met chief executive Vinay Dube and sought an early payment of salary dues even as the airline delayed March payment to its all 16,000 employees for the third time since September last year. Meanwhile, the operational fleet strength Jet Airways, where the lenders are set to take control as part of a debt resolution plan, reduced to 26, as per a flight tracking website. However, aviation regulator DGCA and civil aviation secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola said that Jet Airways is operating "28 planes", including 15 aircraft in the domestic route. "Jet Airways Maintenance Engineers Welfare Association (JAMEWA) during the meeting pressed for the early payment of overdue salaries. We were told that the intent of management is to clear the arrears as soon as the lenders release the much-needed funds," the association informed its members in a post-meeting communication. Jet Airways has nearly 560 engineers to maintain its fleet of around 100 planes. The JAMEWA claims representing around 490 engineers. The management also told the association that the documentation procedure regarding the debt-recast plan was at the final stages and expected to be ready by Wednesday ahead of the meeting with the lenders scheduled for Thursday, as per the communication. Dubey during the meeting also assured the engineers of providing an update on the developments by Friday. The airline had been delaying the salaries of its pilots, engineers and senior staff since August who have not been paid since January. Earlier in the day Jet Airways chief people officer Rahul Taneja in a communication to employees said that the airline had deferred their March salary payment to a later date. "Given the complexities of such (finalisation of the resolution plan) processes, it has taken us longer than expected. However, we continue to strive and are in continuous deliberations with the lenders and institutions to find a solution," Taneja said. Jet Airways had delayed payment of salaries to its employees twice last year as well. On March 25, Jet Airways board had approved a resolution plan formulated by SBI-led domestic lenders, under which had agreed to infuse an emergency funding of Rs 1,500 crore into the airline, and convert the same into equity worth 50.1 percent for a notional value of just Re 1 each share. "In the current difficult times, the management team has been working with the lenders and other institutions to finalise a resolution plan which will help us stabilise our operations and build a sustainable future for the airline," Taneja said. Forma will offer a wide variety of options to Indian consumers across the entire gamut of home furniture and accessories. Kolkata: Sajjan Jindal-owned $13 billion JSW Group has been planning to get into some consumer focus businesses for some time now, and has now forayed into the fast growing furniture business, which has been growing at a CAGR of 11 per cent over the last five years. The company will make inroads into the furniture business with its own brand Forma from the stable of JSW Living Pvt Ltd, top company officials said. JSW group has interests in steel, power, cement, and infrastructures. The company has lined up plans to be present across the value chain of furniture, furnishings and daily living objects that impact the Indian consumer's life. There is strong focus on sustainability and durability, to deliver good design to a larger number of users. Forma has already developed a relevant product portfolio for the Indian consumer based on extensive market research, officials said. "We are learning and there is an immense distance to travel. We have started in a small way with a strong belief to help India with newer products and solutions. We are working with our own team as well as designers - both domestic and international - to develop unique designs. At Forma, we will take good designs to larger sections of our society in India," said Tarini Jindal Handa, Managing Director, JSW Living. With an initial launch portfolio of over 30 uniquely differentiated furniture SKUs, Forma plans to scale up its total portfolio to10 folds. Forma will offer a wide variety of options to Indian consumers across the entire gamut of home furniture and accessories. Significantly, the furniture market in India is estimated to be nearly $19 billion and growing at a CAGR of 11 per cent over last 5 years. The organized sector which accounts for around 16 per cent of the entire furniture market is extremely fragmented with over 50 key players. JSW is targeting Forma to be among the top 5 furniture brands in India. JSW's Forma brand aims to be a significant disruptor in the Indian furniture market. Judge Chandra Kumar Songara has asked the actor's team of lawyers to ensure that everyone is present in the next hearing. Jodhpur: The hearing of actor Salman Khan's appeal against Rajasthan High Court's verdict in the blackbuck poaching case, which was scheduled for Wednesday, has now been postponed to July 4. Judge Chandra Kumar Songara has asked the actor's team of lawyers to ensure that everyone is present in the next hearing in July. The actor in his appeal had challenged the High Court's verdict against his five-year jail term for killing endangered species of blackbuck in Kankani near Jodhpur in 1998, during the shooting of his film Hum Saath Saath Hain. The hearing which took place last year had actors Saif Ali Khan, Neelam, Tabu and Sonali Bendre being acquitted of all the charges by the court. However, Salman Khan was found guilty and was sentenced to 5 years in jail. Khan was charged under Section 51 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act and others under Section 51 read with Section 149 (unlawful assembly) of the Indian Penal Code. In April 2018, when the Jodhpur Court found Khan guilty, he had even spent a night in jail but was soon released on bail. Post this verdict, Salman challenged Rajasthan High Court">Rajasthan High Court's decision by appealing to the Sessions Court. Last year when the punishment was announced, Salman Khan's lawyer Anand Desai said in a statement, "ln the present case the Hon'ble Court has acquitted all the 5 co-accused actors which would imply that Salman was out hunting alone in the middle of the night in a remote area outside Jodhpur. We have preferred an appeal to the Hon'ble Sessions Court and applied for an urgent hearing today." Director Vivek Agnihotri talks about his film, its conceptualisation and the support he received from Shastrijis family. Director Vivek Agnihotri, who made his debut with Chocolate: Deep Dark Secrets (2005) and went on to make films like Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal (2007), Hate Story (2012) and Junooniyat (2016), is now coming up with The Tashkent Files. Featuring Mithun Chakravorty, Naseeruddin Shah, Pallavi Joshi, Pankaj Tripathi, Shweta Basu Prasad and Mandira Bedi, the film will deal with the murder mystery of former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri. Talking about how the conceptualisation of the film came into being, he says, About three-four years ago, while turning the pages of a newspaper, I noticed that being 2nd October, everybody was writing something on Gandhiji (Mahatma Gandhis birth anniversary) on Facebook, Instagram and everywhere. I asked my son, who was sitting beside me, Do you know today is Shastrijis birthday? My son questioned back, Who is Shastriji? I angrily questioned him back, You go to the best school in Mumbai and you dont know about him? It is then that I tweeted about Shastriji. After a few hours, when I reached my office, my inbox was full and everyone was asking me to make a film on Shastriji. Everyone said, make a film on his mysterious death. I had heard that there was some mystery. My assistants searched (about Shastrijis death) and found some loopholes. Thereafter, I and my wife Pallavi Joshi became the whistleblowers. We filed over 20 RTI (Right To Information) applications. We received a similar reply from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Foreign Ministry, National Archives, PMO and other offices they dont have any documents related to former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastris death. It was then that my ears raised. It is not about Shastrijis death, it is about the system. What kind of democracy are we living in? Our second Prime Minister goes out of the country after a war, which was not an ordinary war. We had faced a humiliating defeat in 1962, the Army was demoralized. He goes to Tashkent, which is in USSR, the cold war is going on... He goes there to sign the treaty. Even after the third, fourth and fifth day, no proper negotiation was done. On the sixth or seventh day, he keeps negotiating. He comes back and dies. In Uzbekistan, it was chilly winter. In that freezing cold, his body was (kept) in the air-conditioner. His body was swollen, had blue cuts and blood was pouring out. All his supporters at the Palam Airport started saying that it is a murder and that they want a postmortem to be conducted, he adds saying that he has shown one or two facts in the film. Stressing on the support he received from Shastrijis family, Vivek says, His family has supported us from day one. They also attended the trailer launch that was held recently in Delhi. They were very cooperative and supportive. Lalitaji (Shastrijis wife) informed me that when, according to Hindu rites, the body was being bathed, they noticed cuts on his body and the blood was still pouring. She along with her son then had approached Gulzarilal Nanda (then Prime Minister of India) and the Home Ministry requesting for a postmortem. Even Lal Krishna Advani had put up this question but nothing happened. If you make a list of the loopholes, you will definitely feel that it is a murder mystery that needs to be solved. But, they got only one reply if they would be allowed to conduct the postmortem, it could give rise to riots. The director further adds that he is not at all being manipulative in the film. I have tried to make this film fearlessly. I am not giving judgment, I am taking you to a place to find the truth. There are a few loopholes, which you will notice in the film. But for that, you need to watch the film. I can only say that it will trigger a debate. If a debate is not triggered then no one will ever try to make such films, he concludes. The DGCAs confirmation sought to clear confusion over exactly how many aircraft the airline was operating currently. This had earlier led to speculation of a possible review of the airlines international operations. New Delhi: Aviation regulator DGCA on Wednesday said cash-strapped carrier Jet Airways is now operating 28 aircraft, a reduction from the 41 aircraft it was operating a fortnight ago. The DGCAs confirmation sought to clear confusion over exactly how many aircraft the airline was operating currently. The DGCAs confirmation also sought to clear confusion after some reports quoted a senior government official as indicating that the number of aircraft being operated by the airline may have come down to less than 15. This had earlier led to speculation of a possible review of the airlines international operations. Jet Airways had reportedly informed the stock exchanges that about grounding of another 15 of its aircraft due to non-payment of amounts outstanding to lessors but the DGCA on Wednesday said these 15 aircraft were already accounted for and was only informed to the Stock exchange by Jet Airways yesterday (Tuesday). Jet Airways continues to fly 28 aircraft as on date. The 15 aircraft reported (to be grounded) is already accounted for and was only informed to the stock exchange by Jet Airways yesterday, senior DGCA sources said on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the financially-ailing airline issued a statement on Wednesday, saying, Jet Airways would like to clarify certain speculative media reports with regard to the airlines ability to operate on international routes. As informed to the regulator (DGCA), the airline is operating a curtailed schedule with sufficient number of aircraft, and is compliant with applicable guidelines. Amid concerns over the poor financial situation of private carrier Jet Airways and reports of return of several of its aircraft to lessors and cancellation of a large number of flights, the DGCA had warned a fortnight ago on March 19 that that there may be further attrition in coming weeks. The PM underlined that Ms Banerjee and other Opposition leaders were shouting anti-national slogans as their base had been shaken by his steps. Kolkata/Siliguri: Describing Trinamul Co-ngress supremo Mamata Banerjee as a speed-breaker on development in West Bengal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday asserted that her boat has sunk. In a series of rallies, in Silguri in North Bengal and later at Kolkatas historic Brigade Parade Ground, Mr Modi also accused both the Congress and Trinamul Congress of being sympathisers of Pakistan who wanted to break the morale of Indias security forces and make them helpless in the fight against terror. He also lambasted the West Bengal chief minister for questionning the airstrike at Balakot in Pakistan before he promised to build a New Bengal when the BJP would come to power in the state. Addressing a Lok Sabha campaign rally in Siliguri, Mr Modi said: If many big pundits, even myself excluded, had not visited this place and witnessed this sea of people, it would not have been possible to understand that Didis boat has sunk. He lamented that he could not implement his welfare schemes in West Bengal, which he did at high speeds across the country successfully. Do you know the reason behind it? Yes, you have got it right. There is a speed-breaker in West Bengal. The people here know this speed-breaker as Didi. This Didi is the speed-breaker on development for you. Didi is not bothered about the poor. She is more occupied in playing politics over poverty. So how can she work to eradicate poverty? If poverty ceases to exists, Didis politics will also end, Mr Modi told the crowd. Justifying his charges against Ms Banerjee, he referred to the non-implementation of Aayushman Bharat and other Central welfare schemes in the state. When the poor fall ill, worries of medical expenses eat them. But what has speed-breaker Didi done for them? A brake has been applied on a welfare scheme like Ayushman Bharat. The list of speed-breaker Didis activities is very long, the PM alleged. He went on to claim: She has even put a brake on the livelihood of 70 lakh farmers and their families. Money is directly transferred to their bank accounts through the PM Kisan Yojana. But Didi is Didi. She is the speed-breaker after all. So she did the same thing on this scheme too. Ridiculing the other Opposition parties, the PM argued: The same situation prevails upon the Congress and the Communists, who want poverty to continue. Their politics lies in keeping the poor in the same condition. That is why they have applied brakes on the development work for the poor. They have plotted to ensure the poor would not be uplifted. In his second rally at Kolkatas Brigade Parade Ground, the PM wondered how a group of Opposition leaders, invited by Ms Banerjee, could demand his ouster from power during a fair at the same venue recently. Attacking Ms Banerjee, Mr Modi asked: Who was doubting the airstrike and was asking for its proof? Who demoralised the Army? Who sought to see the terrorists bodies? Who committed the sin of insisting for proof from their own son? Is it not an insult of Sudip Biswas and Bablu Santra, the martyrs of Pulwama? Who called the historic event of anti-satellite missle test a drama? The PM underlined that Ms Banerjee and other Opposition leaders were shouting anti-national slogans as their base had been shaken by his steps. Accusing the Congress of abolishing Tada and Pota, Mr Modi predicted that its manifesto, which calls for the removal of the AFSPA, would expire on May 23. The people of Bengal has made up their minds. Neither extortion nor hooliganism will prevail here. We and you will build a New Bengal free from the goonda raj of the Trinamul and the Left, Mr Modi added. Attacking the Congress, the PM said the actual age of democracy in India was barely 15-16 years as family rule stifled talent and spread the poison of casteism in society. He accused both the Congress and the TMC of perpetuating family rule. In 55 years that a family ruled India, it stifled the talent of young people and spread the poison of casteism in society. It is being repeated in West Bengal where the aunt (Mamata Banerjee) and nephew (party MP Abhishek Banerjee) are looting people, he alleged. The Prime Minister cautioned people against voting for the TMC which he said has inherited the bomb and gun culture from the Left parties. Seeking to strike a chord with the electorate of north Bengal where illegal immigration is a sensitive and divisive issue, Mr Modi said his government will act against infiltrators with the same firmness as it had exhibited while tackling terrorists and Naxalites. But I want to ensure you that bonafide refugees, who have suffered due to the faulty policies of the Congress, will get justice... This chowkidar will ensure it. None of our Gorkhas will be made to suffer, he asserted. Once implemented, move expected to benefit more than 9L personnel. The finance ministry has responded favourably to both the demands which would be examined in the next budget exercise. New Delhi: Paramilitary personnel from Central security forces may get exemption on ration money as the finance ministry has assured the home ministry that it would consider this issue. Once implemented the move is expected to benefit more than nine lakh personnel of paramilitary forces from CRPF, BSF, CISF, ITBP and SSB. In a recent communication to the home ministry, the finance ministry has assured that this long pending demand of forces would be considered during the coming budgetary exercise. The home ministry had earlier raised the issue of tax exemption on ration money allowance given to paramilitary personnel on the basis of parity with other uniformed forces and Pay Commission recommendations. Security personnel from the defence forces, Assam Rifles and NSG are provided free ration, while personnel of CRPF, BSF, CISF, ITBP and SSB are granted Ration Money Allowance (RMA). Paramilitary personnel up to non-gazetted ranks such as constable, head constable, assistant sub inspector, sub-inspector and inspector are entitled to an RMA of Rs 3,000 per month. Earlier, the 7th Central Pay Commission in its report had recommended that looking into the unique service conditions of paramilitary personnel and since RMA is granted in lieu of free ration, it should be exempt from income-tax. Apart from the RMA, the home ministry in its communication to the finance ministry had also raised the issue of exemption of risk and hardship allowance of paramilitary personnel from income-tax, the official said. The finance ministry has responded favourably to both the demands which would be examined in the next budget exercise. Quantum of risk and hardship allowance varies from Rs 6,000 to Rs 25,000 per month per head, depending on various factors. KCR blamed the Congress and BJP for 'non-development' in the country. Rao said Congress was still talking about poverty 'which is ridiculous.' (Photo: ANI) Hyderabad: Blaming the Congress and BJP for "non-development" in the country, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao Thursday said there is need for a government at the Centre that would heed to the demands of the States. "There is need to link agriculture with MGNREGA scheme. We have repeatedly requested the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his predecessor Manmohan Singh, but they did not heed," Rao said. This is the reason why such leaders should be rejected and a Federal Front brought in at the centre, Rao said. "There is need for a government that would heed to the demands of State. For that (TRS) we need to win 16 seats (in the State)," he said in an election rally at Mahabubabad. Both Congress president Rahul Gandhi and Modi were calling each other "chor" to confuse the public, he alleged. Rao claimed that there is no state in the country which supported its poor people by giving pension as much as his state gave. "Who ruled this country for 66 years? You (Congress and BJP) only ruled. Who else ruled. They cannot blame others (for the state of affairs)," he said and blamed the Congress and BJP governments for "non-development" in the country. Rao said Congress was still talking about poverty "which is ridiculous." The chief minister promised drinking water connection to every household in the Mahabubabad constituency by the end of this month. He said there was a need to divide Telangana into crop colonies for better farm yield. At a meeting in Khammam, he claimed that both the NDA and UPA would not be able to form the government at the centre after the Lok Sabha polls and predicted that regional parties would get 250-260 seats. "For qualitative change in the country, there is need to have non-BJP, non-Congress Government at the centre," he said. In bid to patch up differences among some leaders in Khammam, Rao said there would plenty of political opportunities for all and one must patiently wait. The chief minister said, if required, the State government would take steps to set up a steel plant at Bayyarma where iron ore is available. According to the AP Reorganisation Act, feasibility study will be taken up for setting up steel pant in Bayyaram. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala alleged that the vehicles from which the cash was recovered were part of the chief ministers convoy. Guwahati: A major controversy broke out in the frontier state of Arunachal Pradesh after the seizure of Rs 1.8 crores from a vehicle at Pasighat late Tuesday night with the Opposition Congress claiming the vehicle in which the cash was recovered was the part of chief minister Pema Khandus convoy. The recovery of the cash from Pasighat was more significant as it coincided with the election rally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday. However, expenditure commissioner N. Tsering Glow at Itanagar confirmed the recovery of the cash from a vehicle but clarified there was no detailed information yet from the field officers at the spot. Expenditure observer for Arunachal West Jagdish Prasad Jangid could not be contacted on any of three contact numbers on the website of the chief electoral officer of Arunachal Pradesh. Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala alleged that the vehicles from which the cash was recovered were part of the chief ministers convoy. The cash, he said, was being transported in vehicles from the Siang guesthouse at Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh. The searches were carried out on the complaint of local Youth Congress members, he said. Was this part of Rs 80 lakh crore black money that the PM promised to bring back within 100 days of assuming power? Mr Surjewala asked. The Congress has demanded that a case should be filed against the Prime Minister too, in addition to the Arunachal Pradesh chief minister. Arunachal Pradeshs chief electoral officer Kaling Tayeng also confirmed the recovery. It is true that a cash amount of Rs 1.8 crores was seized Tuesday night from some vehicles. But we dont have the exact details yet. Since the deputy commissioner and police superintendent of East Siang district are busy with the Prime Ministers rally in Pasighat, they have not sent a report yet about the recovery. We would be able to get a clearer picture once the report is available by late afternoon, he said. Meanwhile, several civil society groups and Congress leaders on Wednesday accused the Arunachal Pradesh CM and his party of transporting cash to remote areas. Claiming that some local leaders and members of civil society were instrumental in the recovery of cash on Tuesday night, sources at Pasighat told this newspaper that local leaders had formed flying squads of their own to raid leaders using cash for votes at the election meetings. The local residents said they have been trying to lodge complaints to the observers too, but their mobile numbers circulated to the public are mostly found to be out of network areas. Challenging him to face her during a debate, the West Bengal chief minister sought to reply to his volley of questions on her rule in the state. Kolkata: Stung by Prime Minister Narendra Modis sharp salvo, Trinamul Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee mocked him on Wednesday as Expiry Babu, and also vowed to not to treat Mr Modi as the PM any longer. Challenging him to face her during a debate, the West Bengal chief minister sought to reply to his volley of questions on her rule in the state. I was listening to Pradhan Mantri Babu who is now Expiry Babu. From now, I will not call you the PM as your government has already expired. So I will call him Expiry Babu. You claimed in Siliguri that our government does not work for the poor. What did you do in the last five years at the Centre? Explain it, she said, referring to Mr Modi, while addressing her Lok Sabha campaign rally at Dinhata in Cooch Behar, in North Bengal. Exploding in fury, Ms Banerjee said: And if you really think what you claimed is right, join me in a debate directly. You will ask questions and I will answer with proof. Dont lie daily. The PMs post is not for lying. It is about decency. It is not about being chowkidar and spreading canards. Keep in mind always. You are spreading lies of 560 inches with a chest of 56 inches. What do you think of yourself? Bantering over Mr Modis rally at the Brigade Parade Ground being covered by giant hangars, she alleged: Those who are money sharks organise their rally in hangars. After May 19, they will have to remain in hangars forever. Criticising him over the launch of Namo TV and a cinema ahead of the polls, the Trinamul chief complained that her flight was stuck mid-air due to his movement. We could have arrived here 40 minutes before time. But Babu is the PM. He is such a big leader! When we were coming from Kolkata, our flight was stranded until he reached Kolkata from Siliguri. It is normal while going in the same direction from here. But our routes were opposite. When we were about to land at Bagdogra airport in five minutes, a message came that the airport was closed for VVIP movement, she alleged. Ms Banerjee claimed: We had to wait for 40 minutes because only one person has security in India. I do not want talk about anyones security. He can get as much security as required. But it has to be ensured that the public is not harassed. We have no objection to your high security. We want your security be increased four times. You will only move with your security because you have no contact with the people. But it is not fair that road, air and other services will remain closed for your rally. The Indian Navy has been seeking these helicopters on an urgent basis. The US Navy has deployed these helicopters as its primary anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface weapons system. New Delhi: India is expected to soon get one of the most advanced naval helicopters capable of hunting submarines in the sea and launching anti-surface missions. The US state department has approved the sale to India of 24 MH-60R multi-mission helicopters for an estimated cost of $2.6 billion. The Indian Navy has been seeking these helicopters on an urgent basis. At present, India uses the old British Sea King helicopters, which are around half a century old. The United States said the proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the US by helping strengthen US-Indian strategic relationships and to improve the security of a major defence partner which continues to be an important force for political stability, peace and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific and South Asia region. India will use the enhanced capability as a deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen its homeland defence, the US government said in a statement. It said the proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region. The helicopter has been designed to hunt submarines as well as knocking out ships and conducting search-and-rescue operations at sea. These are built by Lockheed Martin and is the most capable naval helicopter available today, designed to operate from frigates, destroyers, cruisers and aircraft-carriers. Under the US defence department notification, the helicopters will be equipped with Hellfire missiles, Raytheon MK 54 torpedoes and BAE Systems Advanced Precision Kill Weapons System laser-guided rockets. There will be M-240D and GAU-21 crew-served machine-guns, night vision devices and identification friend or foe transponders. Along with these, there will be Kongsberg Naval Strike Missile emulators and captive inert training missiles, although not the missiles themselves. The US Navy has deployed these helicopters as its primary anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface weapons system. The security forces also inflicted injuries to some ultras, but the rebels managed to escape, police said. The deceased were identified as BSF's assistant sub- inspector Boro, and constables Ramkrishnan, Someshwar and Ishrar Khan. (Photo: Twitter | ANI) Bhopal: A week before the first phase of Lok Sabha elections in Chhattisgarh on April 11, Maoists on Thursday ambushed a search party of BSF personnel in north Bastars Kanker district killing four jawans, including an assistant-sub inspector (ASI), and injuring two others. According to Bastar range inspector general of police Vivekanand Sinha, Maoists attacked a combing party comprising personnel of 114 Battalion of BSF near Mahala village in the morning, leading to a fierce gunbattle. The security forces also inflicted injuries to some ultras, but the rebels managed to escape, police said. The deceased were identified as BSFs assistant sub-inspector Bipul Borah, who hailed from Assam, constables Silam Ramkrishna from Andhra Pradesh, Ishrar Khan from Jharkhand and Tumeshwar from Dongargaon in Chhattisgarh. BSFs assistant commandant Gopu Kumar and inspector Gopal Rang sustained injuries in the exchange of fire. Eleven LS constituencies in Chhattisgarh are going to polls in three phases between April 11 and April 23. Advani, 91, one of the BJPs founding members, also thanked the people of Gandhinagar for their love and support. New Delhi: After being dormant for almost five years, veteran BJP leader Lal Krishna Advanis personal blog came alive on Thursday with the senior party leader writing a piece titled Nation First, Party Next, Self Last, in which he cautions party leaders against the destruction of democracy within the party and strikes the right margdarshak note by speaking against the growing culture of hate and deliberate attempts to polarise voters. On the eve of the BJPs foundation day (April 6), Mr Advani urges the party to look back, look ahead and look within and stressed on democracy and democratic traditions within. He also wrote that his party has never regarded those who disagreed with it politically as anti-national or enemies but only as adversaries. The essence of Indian democracy is respect for diversity and freedom of expression. Right from its inception, the BJP has never regarded those who disagree with us politically as our enemies, but only as our adversaries. Similarly, in our conception of Indian nationalism, we have never regarded those who disagree with us politically as anti-national. The party has been committed to freedom of choice of every citizen at the personal as well as political level, Mr Advani wrote in the blog, in which the last post is of April 23, 2014. He also noted that the defence of democracy and democratic traditions, both within the party and in the larger national setting, has been the proud hallmark of the BJP. Tagging the blog, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: Advani Ji perfectly sums up the true essence of the BJP, most notably the guiding mantra of Nation First, Party Next, Self Last. Proud to be a BJP karyakarta and proud that greats like L.K. Advani Ji have strengthened it. Mr Advani, 91, one of the BJPs founding members, also thanked the people of Gandhinagar for their love and support. The BJP veteran, one of the partys founder members, has been smarting since he was dropped and BJP president Amit Shah decided to contest from Gandhinagar in Gujarat, a seat he held for six terms, since 1991. Wishing everyone contesting the coming polls, Mr Advani wrote that everyone should collectively strive to strengthen the democratic edifice of India. The veteran leader added: True, elections are a festival of democracy. But they are also an occasion for honest introspection by all stakeholders in Indian democracy political parties, mass media, the authorities conducting the election process and, above all, the electorate... My best wishes to everyone. Mr Advanis blog comes at a time when the campaign for the Lok Sabha polls is in full swing and the party often attacks its rivals as being anti-national or of speaking the language of Indias enemies, specifically Pakistan. The UAE move underscores the close ties between it and India, which have become stronger in the tenure of the Narendra Modi government. New Delhi: The United Arab Emirates on Thursday decided to confer its highest civilian award, the Order of Zayed, on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in recognition of the efforts of the government under the Prime Ministers leadership to develop the strategic partnership between India and the UAE. In a statement, India said it greatly appreciated this honour. The UAE move underscores the close ties between it and India, which have become stronger in the tenure of the Narendra Modi government. Speculation is raging on whether Mr Modi will travel to the UAE to receive the award. While there is speculation on whether the visit will take place on April 20, sources said scheduling any visit now may be difficult in view of the hectic ongoing political campaign of Mr Modi while at the same time, not ruling out a brief visit altogether. It may be recalled that the UAE had played a crucial role in de-escalation and reduction of tensions between India and Pakistan after a dogfight between the two Air Forces on February 27. It may also be recalled that India had been the guest of honour at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) foreign ministers meeting in Abu Dhabi on March 1 at the invitation of the UAE. Mr Modi had in February this year received the Seoul Peace Prize for 2018 in South Korea in recognition of his dedication to improving international cooperation, raising global economic growth, accelerating the human development of the people of India by fostering economic growth in the worlds fastest growing large economy and furthering the development of democracy through anti-corruption and social integration efforts. Exactly three years ago, in April 2016, Mr Modi had also been conferred Saudi Arabias highest civilian honour. Meanwhile, in a statement from New Delhi on Thursday, the external affairs ministry said: The Government of the United Arab Emirates has decided to confer the countrys highest civilian award, the Order of Zayed, on the Prime Minister of India. This singular honour is in recognition of the efforts of the government under the Prime Ministers leadership to develop the strategic partnership between India and the UAE. We greatly appreciate this honour bestowed upon the PM by HH Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed and the UAE government. The UAE is home to the largest number of our citizens outside India, and is our partner in diverse pillars of cooperation, including investment, energy, defence and security. News agency reports from the UAE quoted Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohamed bin Zayed as saying: We have historical and comprehensive strategic ties with India, reinforced by the pivotal role of my dear friend, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who gave these relations a big boost. In appreciation of his efforts, the UAE President grants him the Zayed Medal. Aslam, who is from Karanda in Mewat and was staying in Loni in Ghaziabad, was arrested, police said. A proclaimed offender ran out of luck on April Fool's Day when he unknowingly disclosed his identity to police in plain clothes when on a recce to loot an ATM in Uttam Nagar in west Delhi, officials said Wednesday. (Photo: Representational Image) New Delhi: A proclaimed offender ran out of luck on April Fool's Day when he unknowingly disclosed his identity to police in plain clothes when on a recce to loot an ATM in Uttam Nagar in West Delhi, officials said on Wednesday. Aslam, who is from Karanda in Mewat and was staying in Loni in Ghaziabad, was arrested, police said. He was charged with dismounting ATMs and stealing money from them using gas cutters along with other associates, they added. "Aslam was arrested on April 1 from Uttam Nagar area where he had gone at about 9.00 pm to recce an ATM. He mistook police officials, dressed in lungi-kurta (Mewati attire), as members of a new gang and spoke to them, disclosing his name and address," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka) Anto Alphonse. After cross-checking Aslam's identity, the policemen handcuffed him, saying "April Fool Banaya" (made you an April Fool), he said. In 2012, Aslam along with associates tried to loot an ATM in Mourya Enclave in Delhi, but the guard fired at them, killing one of his associates. Aslam was later arrested, the DCP said. Aslam stopped attending court in 2017, following which he was declared a proclaimed offender. Aslam used to make a list of ATMs after conducting a recce and then prepared plans with his associates to loot them, he said. Several cases had been registered against Aslam, under different names. He used to give different names whenever he was caught to escape with a light punishment, claiming it was his first offence, officials said. MLA calls MP CMs son would-be MP, creates flutter. Bhopal: A BJP MLA on Wednesday created a flutter in his party when he addressed Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Naths son Nakul, a prospective Congress candidate in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, as would-be member of Parliament at a cultural function held in Chhindwara in MP. Seoni MLA Dinesh Rai Munmun heaped praise on the chief minister while speaking at the cultural function held under the aegis of Rashtriya Kalchuri Ekta Mahasangh at Chhindwar and called the latters son Nakul who was also present on the occasion along with his father, a would-be MP. Nakul was set to contest as a Congress candidate from Chhindwara Lok Sabha constituency being vacated by Mr Nath in the upcoming LS elections. Mr Nath, who represented Chhindwara in LS for eight times, was set to contest a byelection from the Chhindwara Assembly constituency to enter the state Assembly. The Chhindwara model of development created by Mr Nath should be adopted in the rest of MP. Mr Nath has a development-oriented outlook and he would ensure rapid development of MP in coming days, Mr Roy said. His comments coming ahead of the forthcoming LS polls have left BJP red-faced. Mr Modi also accused past Congress governments of ignoring the Northeast and overlooking the region in their schemes. Guwahati: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday lambasted the Congress manifesto, calling it dishonest and as full of lies as the partys leadership. Addressing a public rally at Pasight in Arunachal Pradesh, Mr Modi said, It is not a ghoshnapatra (manifesto) but a dhakosla-patra (hypocritical document). The Congress had released its manifesto on Tuesday with its chief Rahul Gandhi highlighting its focus on five big economic and social ideas including the Nyuntam Aay Yojana (NYAY) scheme that promises Rs 72,000 a year to Indias poorest families. In an obvious reference to the Gandhis as namdar, the PM launched a blistering attack on Congress party which has proposed to de-criminalising laws like those on sedition and defamation. What has happened to these people, said Mr Modi adding, On the one hand, this chowkidar is standing here trying to protect the country and on the other hand this power-hungry Congress has stooped so low. Is the Congress hand with citizens or with anti-nationals. Mr Modi also accused past Congress governments of ignoring the Northeast and overlooking the region in their schemes. Mr Modi reiterated, The 2019 election is an election between truth and lies, between those who deliver and those who make false promises, between those you can trust and those who are corrupt. The Prime Minister also said that unlike the Congress, the BJP never made false promises and kept its commitment of providing a free LPG connection to nearly 60 crore women in the country, besides constructing toilets in every village and extending healthcare facilities under the Ayushmaan Bharat scheme. Under the Ayushmaan Bharat Yojana, about three lakh people in Arunachal Pradesh were covered, who were provided free treatment to the tune of Rs 5 lakh per family, Mr Modi said. Every house in Arunachal Pradesh has been illuminated with electricity after 70 years of Independence, he added. Mr Modi said that he does not claim to have completed all the developmental work since becoming Prime Minister, but, I can say that I am a man who can withstand any challenge the country faces, and plan and execute all works with dedication and commitment. Accusing the Congress of neglecting the Northeast, especially Arunachal Pradesh, he said the state never found its place in the dil (heart) of the grand old party. She referred to the party slogan of the 70s Indira is India, India is Indira. Mayawati said this phrase has insulted India and its democracy and that the parties could not be forgiven for this sin. (Photo: ANI) New Delhi: Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati has slammed the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) for encouraging a practice of sycophancy by announcing the catchy phrase Modi is India, India is Modi. Mayawati said the BJP was no better than the Congress. She pointed out during the height of Emergency, the then Congress president Dev Kant Barooah had coined the sentence Indira is India, India is Indira. Mayawati said this phrase has insulted India and its democracy and that the parties could not be forgiven for this sin. The BSP leader tweeted: "By portraying Modi is India and India is Modi, the BJP/RSS are committing the same mistake and insulting India and democracy which the Congress had done earlier by declaring Indira is India & India is Indira. A huge pity and most condemnable. People should not forgive them for this sin." Mayawati's sharp remark has been interpreted as a response to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's comment made during a poll campaign in Ghaziabad, where he dubbed the Indian Army as Modiji ki Sena. The remark sparked controversy following which the Election Commission of India sought an explanation from Yogi Adityanath. The poll body asked Yogi to respond by April 5. Mayawati has recently been in the news for making statements that hint at her eagerness to be the Prime Minister of India. The BSP and Samajwadi Party have entered into a seat-sharing alliance to defeat the BJP in Uttar Pradesh. It was thought Congress would be a part of a greater alliance in this key state but talks fell through. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. The country is voting to make Narendra Modi prime minister, Shah also said he wanted "direct mandate" from people to come to Parliament and that is why he decided to contest the general election. (Photo: ANI) New Delhi: BJP president Amit Shah has said that it was his party's decision not to give Lok Sabha poll tickets to those above 75 years of age, leading to veteran leaders like L K Advani and Murali Manohar Joshi missing out. Shah also said he wanted "direct mandate" from people to come to Parliament and that is why he decided to contest the general election. He, however, played down speculation that he may join the government if the BJP retains power at the Centre, saying such a claim has no basis as one can become a minister even as a Rajya Sabha member. He made these remarks in an interview to 'The Week'. On the question of party veterans not given tickets, Shah said, "Only the media is pushing this issue. No one above 75 has been given tickets. This is the party's decision." Talking about his own candidature from Gandhinagar, where he replaces Advani, Shah said, "I have been an MLA for 25 years. I am a political worker who stays among the people. When my assembly term ended, there was no Lok Sabha election. So, I went to Rajya Sabha. I wanted a direct mandate from the people to go to Parliament and the party agreed." Underlining that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership and national security are two major issues for the party in these elections, Shah said Modi brought the policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism to the fore. "This policy has been successful. We had the surgical strikes and the air strikes. Through these two interventions, a message has gone to the world that apart from the United States and Israel, if there is any other country which can avenge the murder of members of its armed forces, it is India," he said. On Balakot strikes, the BJP chief said even Pakistan's army and its prime minister accepted that they had suffered losses. They were even preparing for retaliation but even then opposition was asking for proof. "I believe there cannot be a bigger disrespect to our armed forces. The opposition should not stoop so low for their vote-bank politics," he said. When asked about BJP's sitting MPs facing anti-incumbency, Shah said it is Modi who is contesting election from every seat not these MPs. "... Correct this misunderstanding that everyone is contesting parliamentary elections. Even Amit Shah is not contesting elections. From every seat, Narendra Modi is contesting. The country is voting to make Narendra Modi prime minister," he said. When asked about not much movement on party's ideological issues such as Ram temple and Article 370, he said these require a "full majority" in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. "The Ram temple issue is pending in court. We will wait for the judgment. But our stand is that a grand temple should be built at the same spot as early as possible," he added. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. Nyay funds will come from pockets of chor businessmen: Congress president Rahul Gandhi. Guwahati: Congress president Rahul Gandhi who on Wednesday addressed three elections rallies, one in Nagaland and two in Assam, said that Congress wouldnt allow the Citizenship Amendment Bill if voted to power. Asserting that Congress would restore the special status to Northeastern states, Mr Gandhi reiterated that his government would also bring a new industrial policy to make this a manufacturing hub. Targeting the BJP, Mr Gandhi said, We do what we say, we dont lie... they always lie. We are committed to paying minimum wages in tea estates. We will fulfil it. This is a fight of ideologies. The RSS, BJP break the country but the Congress unites the nation. RSS and Nagpur are attacking Assam, its history, thinking and culture. He said the party would change the GST and give a simpler tax on coming to power. The Modi government has given Rs 30,000 crore to one person. The countrys youth want to start small businesses. But you need permissions and to give bribes to start businesses in Modis India. But we have promised that no permission will be needed for the first three years if you want to start a small business. Talking about the flagship programmes of the party, the NYAY scheme, he said, Modi ji made people unemployed in five years, we want to create a new line. Twenty per cent of people earns less than Rs 12,000 per month. The moment our government is formed, we will make a list of all these people and the government will put Rs 72,000 every year in the bank accounts of these people. The money will go into womens accounts. We will give Rs 3,60,000 in five years in the accounts of 20 per cent of Indias poorest. This is our guarantee. He added, Funds for the scheme will come from pockets of chor businessmen favoured by chowkidar Narendra Modi. Mr Gandhi who continued his rhetoric against Mr Modi in all rallies said, The chowkidar is always speaking lies. I decided to put the truth in front of the people. I asked the Congress think tank to tell me how much money could the Congress government put into peoples accounts? We worked for six months, spoke to worlds top economists, and planned. We came to the conclusion of Rs 72, 000 every year in everyones account. Congress held a road show to mark the beginning of the party president's campaign at Wayanad, Kerala after the nomination. Congress president Rahul Gandhi filed his nomination from the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat on Thursday. (Photo: Twitter/ANI) Wayanad: After filling nomination, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said his aim is to send a message that India is one, be it North, South, East or West. He said, "I understand that my brothers and sisters in CPM will now speak against me and attack me, but I am not going to say a word against the CPM in my entire campaign." He also said that there is a feeling in South India that the way Centre, Modi ji and RSS are working its like an assault on culture and languages in South. Rahul Gandhi filed his nomination from the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat on Thursday. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra accompanied him while the documentation at the district collectorate. The brother sister duo took a helicopter to fly to Kalpetta in Wayanad. #WATCH Congress President Rahul Gandhi and General Secretary UP-East Priyanka Gandhi Vadra arrive at Wayanad, Kerala. pic.twitter.com/Xqcskiaoaj ANI (@ANI) April 4, 2019 Congress held a road show to mark the beginning of the party president's campaign at Wayanad, Kerala after the nomination. #WATCH Congress President Rahul Gandhi holds a roadshow in Wayanad after filing nomination. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Ramesh Chennithala also present. #Kerala pic.twitter.com/lVxKhDxGrZ ANI (@ANI) April 4, 2019 Three journalists sustained minor injuries after a barricade in Rahul Gandhi's roadshow broke. The injured were helped to the ambulance by Rahul Gandhi. Wayanad: Three journalists, including ANI reporter, sustained minor injuries after a barricade in Rahul Gandhi's roadshow broke. The injured were helped to the ambulance by Rahul Gandhi. #Kerala pic.twitter.com/JviwAgWX5h ANI (@ANI) April 4, 2019 The AICC chief, along with the state leaders including former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly Ramesh Chennithala, came out in an open vehicle after Gandhi completed the nomination procedures at the district collectorate here. As the massive crowd of supporters gathered on both sides of the road, security personnel had a tough time controlling the workers to clear the way for the vehicle. Gandhi and Priyanka, attired in a mustard and red border saree, waved to the crowd. As the vehicle inched forward, Gandhi was seen shaking hands with many elated supporters. People were seen clicking photos on their mobile phones and waving flags of the Congress party and its ally Indian Union Muslim League (IUML). Earlier, Gandhi filed nomination before the district collector A R Ajayakumar here. Heavy security was in place in and around the Collectorate ahead of the high profile visit of the Congress chief. While leaving the guest house in Kozhikode, the Congress chief and his sister were greeted by a huge crowd. He stopped his car and stepped out to greet party workers, who were standing there for hours. Three-year-old Zoya, who was among the people waiting to get a glimpse of the Gandhi siblings, was greeted by Rahul. "We were waiting since 8 am. Last night also we waited so long, but couldn't meet him. We are so happy that we could meet him," Zoya's mother told reporters. Rahul also shook hands with some party workers before he moved on. He will later fly to Nagpur in Maharashtra to address a rally. The state party unit had requested Gandhi to contest from the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency which fell vacant following the death of Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) working president M I Shanavas last year. Shanavas was elected to Lok Sabha for consecutive two terms - 2009 and 2014 -- from the Wayanad seat which came into existence in 2009. Apart from Wayanad, Gandhi will also be contesting from the Congress stronghold of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh where he will face Union Minister Smriti Irani. Congress is contesting on 16 out of the 20 Lok Sabha seats in Kerala leaving four seats for its allies two for Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and one each for Kerala Congress (Mani) and Socialist Party (RSP). Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. Australian chef Tony Howell chats about the similarities between Indian and Australian cuisines and how food binds us all. A chef is not just a person who cooks and feeds everyone for a paycheck, but the real qualification is far more complex. Fusing different flavours to create a memorable experience out of basic ingredients is what makes a good chef stand out from an everyday cook; and, thats what we discovered when we met award-winning chef Tony Howell from Australia, who visited Mumbai recently. Chef Tone, as he is popularly known among his fans, is also Tourism Australias culinary brand ambassador and the face of Restaurant Australia. Speaking about his journey as a chef, he tells us, My passion for cuisine began at a very young age and the reason I started cooking was to buy surfboards. As a 14-year-old, all I wanted to do was go surfing. It was whilst working in a Mexican restaurant that I discovered how much I enjoyed being in the kitchen the bond between chefs, the hard work and stress but most of all the camaraderie it was something that I enjoyed. From there, I went to a better restaurant and learned from the best chefs in the city. I started an apprenticeship when I was 16 years old at Perths best restaurant at that time, a French silver-service fine dining restaurant called Luis and did four years study at culinary college. He currently heads a restaurant Cape Lodge in Margaret River (Australia) and has been featured in Conde Nast Travellers Gold List Best Food Category in the year 2005, 2008, 2011 and 2012. While Chef Tone started quite young, he has already ticked off some important milestones in his career. He was flown to LA to cook with Curtis Stone at his restaurant Gwen, and has worked alongside legendary chef Shane Osborn at a special dinner at Cape Lodge (Shane was the first Australian chef to be awarded one and then two Michelin Stars when he had Pied a Terre in London). He has hosted some amazing chefs like Renee Redzepi, Sat Bains, Alex Atala and Rick Stein at Cape Lodge, and cooked for rockstars like Sting. Howell mentions that a chefs profession has both high and low points, and one of the best things about this field is being part of the kitchen brigade. He elaborates, The good thing about being a chef is that I get to use my creative side, see the expressions on peoples faces when they see the meal and the feedback after they have eaten it. Its a job that you can take with you around the world, you can make interesting and new friends. Food is a common thread that binds us all whether youre a chef or not, we all have to eat. And, the worst part is the long hours and missing out on family time around Christmas. My advice for anyone who wants to be a chef is to write everything down. A chef once showed me how to make a sauce from a fish stomach and it was amazing. I made it a few times, then I didnt make it for a few years, and I have forgotten the recipe, laments the chef adding that it is essential to learn the classical styles first and build from there rather than jumping straight into molecular gastronomy. In other words, you need to learn to walk before you can run. Gather information from as many chefs as you possibly can, come up with your own style and avoid the temptation of following trends and becoming one of the herd. As Chef Tone specializes in Western Australian cuisine, a lot of influence from this region can be seen in his cooking style. Speaking of his signature style, he informs, Western Australia absolutely influences my cooking style its the amazing produce that we have all around us. Were surrounded by clean waters and fresh pastures. Australia is melting pot for so many different cultures and we take from those, but we try to keep things clean and not overpower the taste of the great protein, which Western Australia is renowned for. As an example, in our dinners, we are using prawn heads to make the bisque. Howell, who visited India for the first time was quite overwhelmed by his experience and food tasting in the country. While comparing the Indian and Australian food culture, he points out, The similarities between the two food cultures are pungent flavours in some of our dishes in Australia, particularly the dishes that have an Asian influence. Both Australian and Indian cuisines are outstanding on their own. Im not sure Id blend Australian food and Indian food on a platter. Ive only been in India for about a short period, so the food journey is continuing. I had a great stay at JW Marriott in Juhu and their restaurant is brilliant. Nikhil Agarwal from All Things Nice took me to a place called The Bombay Canteen and it was an absolute winner. We had an Indian Prawn dish and duck curry and both dishes had similarities to Thai food Ive spent a bit of time in Thailand over the years. The modern Indian food we had was fantastic and outlined regional flavours it was almost like traveling India in one restaurant. My next trip will be to the capital to host the second dinner in India at JW Marriott New Delhi Aerocity. A curated a five-course modern Western Australian cuisine for the guests is what I plan to present for the night. I cant wait to come back and spend more time in India, but next time Ill make sure that theres more travel and less work so I can experience more. The spiritual leader said he admired the way New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern dealt with the Christchurch terror attacks recently. New Delhi: Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama Thursday praised New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern for taking a compassionate approach in dealing with the aftermath of the recent terror attack in her country and said 21st century should be the century of peace and non-violence. At a press conference in New Delhi, he said that New Zealand serves as a "living example" for others, as to how to respond with calmness and compassion in the wake of such incidents. New Zealand is one example where a country's leader tried to deal with a "very sad situation" through compassion, he said when asked about the incidents of violence in the last few years in many countries, stemming from hatred. "She tried to tackle the problem through non-violence, compassion and respect for others. So, there are methods to deal with violence. And, although what happened was a very sad incident, there was no further increase in violence," the Dalai Lama told reporters. "I really admire the New Zealand prime minister, that lady. She is wonderful. So, that is a living example and everyone can learn from that," he said. At least 50 people were killed and several others wounded in a hate-filled terror attack by a shooter, targeting two mosques in the New Zealand city of Christchurch in March. The attack sparked global outrage, drawing condemnation from leaders and institutions around the world. After the attack, Ardern's humane approach in consoling a grieving nation and dealing with its aftermath, including meeting the Muslim community members, was widely praised. "We saw so much violence in the 20th century, two world wars and so much more. Hence, we must deal with our problems now through dialogues and non-violent measures. And, through peace we can achieve it all," he said. Dalai Lama also lamented that most of the problems the world faces currently are "our own creations". "Even the killings we are seeing today around the world, doings of humans only. Our education today is only teaching us to be materialistic and not seek happiness. So, in education, that horizon of emotion is necessary and compassion in heart is required to achieve happiness," he said. The Dalai Lama also asserted that India is a country based on secular philosophy at the press conference. He said that India had the "potential to help humanity" by combining modern education with the ancient wisdom of the country. The Dalai Lama also answered a question related to Tibets future with China. He reiterated that he is not seeking independence for Tibet, but would prefer a reunion with China under mutually acceptable terms. I prefer Tibet remain within the zone of China. Some kind of reunion, he said. He added that Chinese and Tibetans could live side-by-side, with China helping Tibetans economically and gaining from their knowledge. The 83-year-old Dalai Lama has been living in exile in India since a failed 1959 uprising in Tibet. China claims Tibet has been part of its territory for more than seven centuries. Many Tibetans insist they were essentially independent for most of that time. They have protested against what they regard as Chinas heavy-handed rule imposed after the Peoples Liberation Armys battled its way into the Himalayan region in 1950. The Dalai Lama said he developed direct contact with the Chinese leadership in 1979, but little progress has been made since because China still thinks he is seeking independence for the region. An exercise like the National Register for Citizens (NRC) in Assam should also be conducted in Delhi. In August 2018, the opposition BJP staged a sit-in inside Delhi Assembly premises after their demand for a debate on illegal Bangladeshi and Rohingya immigrants in the national capital was turned down by speaker Ram Niwas Goel. New Delhi: While there have been plethora of politics over the citizenship of illegal migrants. The Delhi Police have deported 16,845 illegal Bangladeshi since 2004 to January 2019 from the eight districts of the national capital. According to the data provided by Delhi police, a maximum of 7,023 illegal Bangladeshi migrants were deported from Northeast Delhi during the same period. The Delhi police data shows that 6825 Bangladeshi citizens repatriated their respective country from the East district from 2004 to January 2019. One Bangladeshi citizen repatriated from the Railway unit of Delhi police. Four were repatriated from Southwest district, a total of 1648 Bangladeshi citizens were repatriated from West district, 23 were repatriated from Outer district, 1321 Bangladeshi citizens were repatriated from Central district stated the Delhi police data. Adding to the problem is that there are many Bangladeshis who have settled down here, many of them are criminals. The lavish lifestyle of youngsters is another reason for anti-social activities, said the sources. Delhi Police said that these illegal immigrants are also involved in crime in Delhi NCR regions and it is very difficult to track them. The sources further added that most of these migrants have voter identity cards made at their native places and it was difficult to establish that they were staying illegally in India, adding that it was a politically sensitive issue. Earlier in August 2018 the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party Legislators staged a sit-in inside Delhi Assembly premises after their demand for a debate on illegal Bangladeshi and Rohingya immigrants in the national capital was turned down by speaker Ram Niwas Goel. Bharatiya Janata Party MLA O.P. Sharma alleged that illegal Bangladeshi and Rohingya immigrants were involved in criminal activities in the city. He also added that this is an issue related to the national security but AAP government is shying away from a debate on it. An exercise like the National Register for Citizens (NRC) in Assam should also be conducted in Delhi. The demand has been raised by other BJP leaders, including the partys Delhi unit chief Manoj Tiwari. Earlier during the 2014 Parliamentary election Aam Aadmi Party alleged Bharatiya Janata Party for their double standard to deal with the African people in Goa and their hate speeches against Bangladeshi who are living in India. The decision to drop Mr Somaiya from the BJP list was announced by the partys Central Parliamentary Board in New Delhi. Mumbai: In a major political decision, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has denied a ticket to its sitting MP Kirit Somaiya from the Mumbai North East constituency and instead decided to field senior Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) corporator Manoj Kotak from there for the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls. The move is seen as the BJP bowing down to the pressure of its ally Shiv Sena, which had vehemently opposed Mr Somaiyas re-nomination from the constituency. The decision to drop Mr Somaiya from the BJP list was announced by the partys Central Parliamentary Board in New Delhi. Mr Kotak, who is the group leader of the BJP in the civic body, will take on Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) candidate and former MP Sanjay Dina Patil, who had lost to Mr Somaiya in the 2014 elections. Ever since the BJP and Sena decided to contest the Lok Sabha polls together, the latter had opposed Mr Somaiyas candidature from Mumbai North East. Sena workers had threatened not to campaign for the BJP if Mr Somaiya was re-nominated. Sunil Raut, a Sena MLA from Bhandup, had even announced he would contest as an independent if Mr Somaiya were given a ticket again. Senior BJP leader Vinod Tawde admitted that the decision to deny a ticket to Mr Somaiya was taken due to ground realities. Mr Somaiya has contested the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections and even won them in the past. However, the decision this time has been taken keeping the ground realities in mind. It has nothing to do with the Senas opposition, he said. According to party sources, Mr Somaiya had to pay the price for his tirade against the Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray during the 2017 BMC elections. In the run-up to the polls, which the BJP and the Sena had contested separately, Mr Somaiya had targeted the Sena chief by calling him the mafia of Bandra. Mr Thackerays residence Matoshree is located in Bandra. Expressing wonder over Mr Modis reminder, Ajit Pawar said that the Prime Minister came to Maharashtra and raised the issue of his statement. Mumbai: Senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar Wednesday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi need not be concerned about the Pawar family. He said that he and Supriya Sule were capable of taking care of the Pawar family. Mr Modi had attacked NCP chief Sharad Pawar at the Wardha rally Monday saying that a dynastic war was brewing within the party in which the NCP chief was losing control over his party to his nephew, Ajit Pawar. Ms Sule, who is the daughter of the NCP chief, filed her nomination from the Baramati Lok Sabha seat Wednesday. Post this, Ajit Pawar addressed a public rally. He appealed party workers to help Ms Sule win. At the Wardha rally Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reminded people of former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawars sarcastic remarks on the depleting irrigational water levels. Mr Modi said it would not be appropriate for him to repeat the remarks. Expressing wonder over Mr Modis reminder, Ajit Pawar said that the Prime Minister came to Maharashtra and raised the issue of his statement. He said, "I have already stated that it was the biggest mistake in my political life. I have expressed my regrets and sought an apology several times. Post this, many elections have been held. Despite this, Mr Modi raised this issue. In August 2013, Ajit Pawar stated at a public meeting in a village in Punes Indapur that Bhaiyya Deshmukh, a farmer from a drought-hit area in Solapur, was demanding more water. Mr Deshmukh was on a hunger strike at Mumbais Azad Maidan. Ajit Pawar asked how they could release water when there was none in the dam and whether they should urinate in the dam. If there was no water to drink, even urination was impossible. PM also ridiculed Pawar for the mess in the agriculture sector when he was the Union minister for agriculture. Nagpur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday renewed his attack on NCP chief Sharad Pawar asking him whether he agrees with the Congress manifesto on scraping of sedition law and called on to wipe out the Congress-NCP grand alliance terming them as mahamilavat from Maharashtra. Mr Modi while addressing a public meeting in Gondia for the second time in three days again attacked Mr Pawar saying as former defence minister, does he agree with the Congress promises of scraping sedition law against the perpetrators of anti-national activities. Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis also addressed the meeting. In a rally at Wardha on Monday Mr Modi had targeted Mr Pawar and the NCP, remarking that a dynastic war was brewing within the party in which Mr Pawar was losing control over his party to his nephew, NCP leader Ajit Pawar. He also ridiculed the NCP leader for the mess in the agriculture sector when he was the Union minister for agriculture. PM asserted that the Congress manifesto, released by Rahul Gandhi, was against the country as it will only help Pakistan, Maoists and the desh ke tukde tukde karnewale gang. Mr Modi accused the Congress of destabilising the country and said in five year tenure, the government tried to wipe off misdeeds of previous Congress-led government right up to the treasury. By Trend The April battles are an example of the heroism of the Azerbaijani army, head of the Azerbaijani delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Samad Seyidov said, Trend reports. Seyidov made the remarks at a meeting of the joint working group on human rights in the Azerbaijani parliament. He added that the operation to liberate the occupied Azerbaijani lands in April 2016, which demonstrated the courage and heroism of the Azerbaijani army, added glorious pages to the countrys history. Seyidov stressed that Azerbaijan, through the April battle, sent a message to the whole world. We once again sent a message to the whole world and to the forces which occupied our lands, he said. We declared that our lands would be liberated. The April battles proved that the occupants would be withdrawn from our lands. We are proud of this event, Seyidov added. But at the same time, we are grieving because during the operation, the Azerbaijani heroic sons became martyrs. They gave their lives for the territorial integrity of our country, by properly fulfilling Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyevs order." In 2014, Rahul Shewale, the then Shiv Sena corporator from Chembur had directly contested the Lok Sabha polls. Mumbai: It is the second time in Mumbai that a municipal corporator will directly contest the Lok Sabha elections. It was declared on Wednesday that BJP corporator from Mulund, Manoj Kotak, will be contesting the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls from the Mumbai north east constituency. In 2014, Rahul Shewale, the then Shiv Sena corporator from Chembur had directly contested the Lok Sabha polls. Shiv Sena fielded Shewale, four-time chairman of BMCs standing committee and corporator from Chemburs Anushakti Nagar from the Mumbai south central Lok Sabha constituency, considering his popularity. Shewale won the seat, while continuing as corporator till the term ended in 2017. Mr Kotak, who is a senior corporator and BJP group leader in the BMC, has been fielded this time to appeal the Gujarati base in the constituency. However, it hasnt been confirmed whether Kotak will retain his post of corporator if he wins the Lok Sabha seat. A senior BMC officer said, If Mr Kotak wins and becomes a member of Parliament, he can continue to be a corporator. But if he and his party decide that he should resign, there will be a by-poll in the ward. Mr Kotak is the corporator from ward 103 i.e. Mulund. Pakistani infamy in ball-tampering and game-fixing have entered the diplomatic lexicon as well. Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has perfunctorily, routinely and unconvincingly maintained that terrorism has no place in Naya Pakistan. The recent terror attack in Irans Sistan province near the Pakistan border that killed 27 Iranian Revolutionary Guards, and the other terror attack, almost simultaneously, along the India-Pakistan Line of Control (LoC) in Indias Pulwama that killed over 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans, were amongst the deadliest terror attacks in the respective nations. In both these terror attacks, the governments in Tehran and Delhi had squarely, unambiguously and convincingly pointed the finger at the Pakistani establishment and its usual machinations, through its affiliates. To Pakistans good luck, Irans own undeserved and unwarranted taint as a terror nation had ensured minimal international traction and condemnation of Pakistan, whilst India battled its own tryst with Naya Pakistan post-Pulwama, with Pakistans all-weather-friend China, bailing it out from a potentially sticky position at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). All the while US President Donald Trump dished out platitudes like, very very bad situation between India and Pakistan, and yet continued unashamedly with his latest policy U-turn on Af-Pak dynamics, by deliberately engaging, enlisting and ensuring Pakistani presence in the Afghan morass, as the US sought to extricate itself out of the mess in Afghanistan, which was generously contributed by Pakistan. Earlier, US accusations of lies and deceit at Islamabads patent doublespeak on terrorism were conveniently forgotten, as the embattled regime of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in Kabul, along with Tehran and Delhi looked on befuddled at the selective amnesia of Washington D.C. and its realpolitik moves. While sovereign nations were susceptible to fickle behaviours and relationships, it was left to the multilateral institutions like the UNSC and the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to pursue the case of Pakistani patronage, support and acceptance of terrorism. True to its functional and unbiased mandate, the UNSC is back to haunt the Pakistanis with yet another draft resolution to blacklist Pakistan-based terrorist Masood Azhar as an international terrorist, whereas the regional subsidiary of the FATF i.e. Asia-Pacific Group (APG), has come down heavily on the Pakistani inaction and insincerity on blocking funds and activities of terror organisations, as part of its latest country risk assessment report. This leaves Islamabad with the task of managing its dangerous double-game and dalliances with the invaluable help of China and some Gulf sheikhdoms while the Iranians remain internationally ignored and the Indians distracted in their own electoral frenzy and vortex. However, it was left to the equally afflicted and irritated government in Kabul to call the latest bluff on Pakistani intransigence, duplicity and incorrigibility, as it too feels sidelined and set up by the Pakistanis in the latest round of engagements. The trigger to the Afghan angst was a hardly naive comment from Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan professing an interim government in Kabul tantamount to blaming the current regime in Kabul for the stalemate and impasse in bringing peace to Afghanistan. The Afghan government was justifiably horrified at what they perceived as an affront to their legitimacy and sovereign pride with Pakistan slyly shifting the blame on the official Afghan regime, while washing away any blame onto the Taliban terrorists or onto the Pakistanis, themselves. The Afghans recalled their envoy to Pakistan to express their dismay, while the former head of Afghan Intelligence Services and vice-presidential candidate in the forthcoming elections, Amrullah Saleh, echoed the sentiment by saying: We will never bow to Pakistan. The official statement from the Afghan government was as direct, an obvious example of Pakistans interventional policy and disrespect to the national sovereignty and determination of the people of Afghanistan. Sensing the magnitude of anger in Afghanistan, even the US was forced into taking a position on Imran Khans chicanery and the US special representative on Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad was left with tweeting the obvious: The future of #Afghanistan is for #Afghans, and only Afghans, to decide! No amount of Imran Khans subsequent retractions and clarifications of being misinterpreted could put the lid on the regions spontaneous outrage at Pakistans basic instincts. There is a clear and documented pattern of Pakistani interference and enthusiasm in the affairs of its neighouring countries it comes wrapped in the context of strategic depth and aspirations of a beholden government in Kabul, it comes through the angle of misplaced co-religiosity in Kashmir, and in the form of a wider sectarian undercurrent against Iran, as Islamabad throws its weight behind the Sunni-bloc of the Gulf sheikhdoms. Feeble attempts to posture a changed narrative in Naya Pakistan, comes undone in the backdrop of Pakistan-propped terror attacks in Iran, Afghanistan and India, as indeed in the sort of the Freudian slip by Imran Khan in giving unsolicited advice, owing to Pakistans undeserved place on the Afghan negotiation table. Unlike India, which the US believes is capable of defending its own turf and interests, and Iran, for which it cares little for managing the Afghan perceptions on the Pakistani interference will test the US abilities to control the Pakistanis. Already the ghost and price for abandoning the Afghans to their fate with a domineering Pakistan in the early 1990s is a memory that the US can ill-afford to repeat. Expectedly, the sincerity and maturity of the current Pakistani establishment is a matter of grave concern, with a Union minister (ironically, for human rights) name-calling the US envoy to Afghanistan a little pygmy and later added the term moron onto the US diplomat! With the Indians embroiled in their own electoral theatrics and the Iranians unfortunately not counting for much in Capitol Hill, the regional gauntlet passes onto the Afghans to continue pressuring Pakistan along with the parallel push by the multilateral agencies into checkmating Islamabad, and by that logic, even goading the US into ensuring that Imran Khan walks the talk of Naya Pakistan. Pakistani infamy in ball-tampering and game-fixing have entered the diplomatic lexicon as well. The Congress manifesto contains promises in three domains and is an emphatic statement of its pro-people and democratic political intent. The Congress Partys manifesto released earlier this week makes a bold attempt to rescue the electoral narrative from the shrill hyper-nationalistic and increasingly majoritarian pitch it was reduced to courtesy the ruling BJP. While the focus so far has been on the manifestos five pillars the minimum income scheme Nyay, jobs, farm distress, healthcare as well as education there is more in the Congress litany of poll promises. It signifies the attempt of the party to reinstate ideation in the political process. The partys serious approach to its poll promises is in sharp contrast to the BJP, which released its electoral charter in 2014 on the day when the first phase of polls were held. Even its state units were not very serious ever about manifestos; in Gujarat, before the 2013 Assembly elections, the charter was released just one day before the first phase of voting. Undoubtedly, interest the Congress manifesto has generated across the country, and the flak it drew due to its lackadaisical routine earlier has forced the BJP to be more serious about its manifesto this time. The Congress also emphasised the effort and engagements of its manifesto committee in the course of crowd-sourcing ideas, besides incorporating inputs from domain experts. Union ministers like Arun Jaitley, Nirmala Sitharaman, Ravi Shankar Prasad and even Prime Minister Narendra Modi have damned the Congress manifesto. This shows that the BJP has been forced to take note of the document. The Congress committee tasked with drafting this charter has done its job and now the challenge is for the party campaigners and publicists to take the message to the people. Most important, they have to neutralise the trust deficit among people due to a poor track record in fulfilling earlier promises and also because of Prime Minister Narendra Modis sustained campaign against the Congress. He certainly never loses an opportunity to depict it as doing very little for the people despite being in office for close to six decades. The Congress manifesto contains promises in three domains and is an emphatic statement of its pro-people and democratic political intent. In statements made while introducing the document and answering media queries, Congress president Rahul Gandhi claimed that India was facing an economic emergency. This phrase portrays livelihood concerns among people stemming from the lack of jobs and rising rural distress coupled with the killer blows of demonetisation and slipshod introduction of the Goods and Services Tax. Of the five most visible pillars of the manifesto, while Nyay, government jobs and addressing farm distress are the three most visible remedies, the undertakings on healthcare and education are also significant. The BJP is expending substantial energy trashing Nyay, and this underscores its anxiety as being seen positively by the people. Significantly, in the political domain, the Congress reclaims its secular position and sheds its recent diffidence. Rahul Gandhi, in the manifestos foreword, unambiguously plugs for Indians being free from fear, free to live and work and pray and eat and love and marry according to their wishes, free from poverty and free to pursue their ambitions. Some days ago, in an interview, BJP president Amit Shah claimed his was the only party which was promoting its ideology. While this may have been true when the Congress was steering clear from articulating concerns of religious minorities, this is not the case any longer. Mr Gandhi contended in the note that the alternate to the Congress vision was an India governed by a pernicious ideology that will trample upon peoples rights, institutions, conventions and the healthy differences that are the essence of a multi-cultural country. The Congress manifesto is not ambiguous in its criticism of the BJP and is unworried about annoying Hindu sentiment. The document stated that hate crimes and atrocities against the minorities and other vulnerable sections of the people have increased since 2014, and that the perpetrators of these crimes walk on the streets with impunity. The Congress has found the confidence once again to remain committed to non-discrimination, equal opportunity in employment and the right to establish minorities educational institutions. Besides cocking a snook at the BJP on the issue of upholding the minority character of Aligarh Muslim University and Jamia Millia Islamia, the Congress Party has pledged a new law to prevent and punish hate crimes. In the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack and the airstrikes at Balakot in Pakistan, the BJP campaign has revolved around national and internal security with Prime Minister Narendra Modi giving disproportionate space to his vituperative themes of Pakistan and its alleged allies in India (those questioning the government on security and diplomatic matters). The Congress, particularly, is showing as having buckled down not just after 26/11, but even on matters like testing of A-Sat. To counter the BJPs claim of being the sole upholder of national security, the Congress manifesto points out that defence spending has fallen after Mr Modi assumed office and pledges to reverse this slide. The manifesto provides a natsec shield to the Congress by pledging immediate modernisation of the armed forces and providing a statutory basis to the National Security Council (NSC) and the office of the national security adviser (NSA). It is certain that the Congress has introduced this significant point to the debating table making the NSA answerable to Parliament in a direct response to the growing cult around Ajit Doval and the centralisation of powers in the PMO. The Congress remains committed to a broad base of decision-making processes on matters of national and internal security. Despite knowing that the BJP would question its commitment to internal security and for lowering the morale of the security forces, the Congress displayed political courage by promising to modify AFSPA and to scrap the sedition law. The Congress pledged a more humane government without undermining internal and national security. It makes an important point laws do not have to loaded against citizens to make the nation more secure. When added to the alterations in the judiciary, the Congress manifesto will force the BJP to address issues which it might otherwise have ignored. By Azernews By Abdul Kerimkhanov The World Bank Group continues to support Tajikistan as it seeks to improve people's lives and promote development for the benefit of future generations. The World Bank and the National Bank of Tajikistan discussed issues regarding the Rogun HPP project on April 3, reports Avesta. The parties discussed issues related to the National Development Strategy implementation and the preparation of a preliminary analytical calculation of the consequences of the macro-fiscal investment of the project. During the meeting, representatives of the National Bank of Tajikistan and the WB delegation headed by Goar Guluman discussed the progress on the Rogun HPP project, the project financing plan, the importance of issuing Eurobonds in the project, the process of implementing the CASA-1000 project as well as energy reform and cooperation with international financial institutions. WB representatives spoke about the possibility of attracting foreign investment to the Rogun HPP project, the prospects for exporting electricity in the region and the restructuring of the state energy holding Barki Tochik. In 2017, the Tajik authorities decided to issue $ 1 billion worth of securities to complete the construction of the Rogun HPP. At the first stage, $ 500 million worth of bonds were put up for sale on world markets. Thus, 24 billion rubles ($2.5 billion) were spent from all sources of financing since the start of construction of the Rogun HPP, as many as 4.7 billion somoni ($498 million) in 2018, and it is planned to allocate almost 4 billion somoni ($423.7 million) for this purpose in 2019. Earlier, the Government of Tajikistan signed an agreement with the Italian company Salini Impregilo on the Rogun HPP completion in the summer of 2017. According to the Tajik authorities, the amount of the agreement is $ 3.9 billion. Only $ 1.95 billion is required for the construction of the reservoir dam. The Rogun HPP, the ninth in a row of a cascade of hydro power plants on the Vakhsh River, is located 110 kilometers from Dushanbe. According to the project, the HPP consists of six units, each of which has a capacity of 600 MW. The height of the stone dam will be 335 meters, which is the highest in the world (in type). Rogun HPP itself, with a production capacity of 3,600 MW (more than 17 billion kW / h) of electricity, is considered the largest in the region. "Our strong focus on enhancing our firm's LinkedIn presence, and the presence of our people on LinkedIn, has allowed us to greatly increase our reach and engagement," said Annette Kimmitt, MinterEllison Chief Executive Officer & Managing Partner. "More staff than ever are using LinkedIn, and it has become a platform to create valuable connections." Mary Lyras, MinterEllison's Chief Talent Officer, added that the firm has an absolute focus on creating an engaging workplace for all its people. "And one which enables each individual to thrive and accelerate their career in a way that enables them to balance work commitments with the priorities in their lives," she said. Five offices join Ince Gordon Dadds entity Five Ince & Co offices have joined the UK-listed entity Ince Gordon Dadds. Gordon Dadds acquired the UK business of Ince in a deal which completed in January this year after a full merger of the international operations were scaled back with most international offices remaining separate but operating in a network arrangement with the UK firm. One of the world's most celebrated French chefs is set to fly from the Cote d'Azur to Bahrain with a star-studded team for a kitchen takeover at Bahrains peak degustation restaurant, Mahonia. For two nights only, on April 15 and 16, two Michelin star Chef Bruno Oger will be serving up an eight-course gastronomic experience of Mediterranean haute cuisine composed of the finest internationally-sourced ingredients, the restaurant announced. Executive chef Oger is best known on the high-end culinary scene as the genius behind the official dinners of the Cannes Film Festival, and as the proprietor of Bastide Bruno Oger which comprises the famed gourmet restaurant La Villa Archange, the brasserie Le Bistrot des Anges. He was awarded the Chevalier des Arts et Lettres medal by the French Government in 2003 and won Best French Chef of The Year in 2010. Pastry Chef Sylvain Mathy, the renowned 2002 dessert champion of France, will also be visiting to put his unique spin on the sweet offerings. Rounding out the team will be Chef Oger's right-hand-man Jacques di Guisto, F&B Director Eric Descazaux and other trusted members of his team from the French Riviera. Mahonia has distinguished itself as a world-class destination for chefs as well as epicures since its launch. Already noted for its ongoing Four Hands Dinner Series - wherein chefs from the World's Best Top 50 Restaurants List collaborate with resident Executive Chef Herve Pronzato - this new kitchen takeover concept demonstrates Mahonia's commitment to introducing truly unique and one-off experiences for guests, it said. Founder Sawsan Baluch commented: At a time when the Arabian Gulf is being looked to as the global epicentre of innovative luxury lifestyle ideas, we strive to put Bahrain on the epicurean world map. The special menu for the two nights features an eight-stage progression of dishes such as Cape Breton Lobster (arguably the best lobster in the world), Prawn Ceviche with Caviar, and Lamb with Provencal condiment. The dessert portion includes an oversized madeleine designed to be shared, driving home the French influences that will imbue the entire extravaganza. Chef Bruno Oger commented: "This is an exciting event for all involved. The team and I look forward to taking over the kitchens of Mahonia to produce an authentic, curated and bespoke taste of France in the heart of Arabia. Meanwhile, we welcome the opportunity to be inspired by the island kingdom as well as the team and venue of Mahonia." Seating at this boutique destination is extremely limited and early booking is recommended to avoid disappointment, said the restaurant. More information is available at www.mahoniabh.com or by calling +973 1700 0071 TradeArabia News Service Media freedom and whistleblowing of atrocities here and overseas have been put at risk by the ill-informed livestream laws passed by the Federal Parliament, said Arthur Moses SC, Law Council president. The Law Council is disappointed and concerned these world-first laws, which were rammed through in 24 hours without scrutiny and consultation, will have negative unintended consequences. The Law Council earlier warned that the then-proposed bill would set a dangerous precedent. It may also be unconstitutional and would create difficulties in sentencing and setting appropriate punishment for offences committed. The Law Council has now said that the law can lead to censorship. We now have a situation where important news can be censored across social media platforms, which is contrary to the democratic principle of a free press, which exists to hold governments to account, Moses said. The top body said that while it agrees that action needs to be taken to combat the weaponisation of social media and the proliferation of violent content on these platforms, the process should have been thorough as consultation was required. These laws should have been subject to the committee process, Moses said. When parliament returns after the federal election these laws must be reviewed and amendments made to deal with the negative impacts they have the potential of causing. The technology is called MADCAT, short for Mission Adaptive Digital Composites Aerostructure Technology. Made of hundreds of tiny triangular components, the resulting wing is according to its creators as stiff as a rubber-like polymer and as light and low-density as an aerogel.The pieces of material they can be made of anything from metal to composites, but this time they used carbon fiber have been bounded together to form a lattice framework, covered in a thin layer of polymer.What resulted is a wing that can change its shape to control the roll or pitch of the plane, without the use of components like ailerons. The shifting of shape is not done by means of motors or cables although, engineers say, these can be added but by using changes in the wings aerodynamic load.Were able to gain efficiency by matching the shape to the loads at different angles of attack, said according to MIT News Nicholas Cramer, research engineer at NASA Ames and the papers lead author.Were able to produce the exact same behavior you would do actively, but we did it passively.A hand-assembled prototype of the wing has already been tested in the NASA wind tunnel at Langley Research Center, where it performed even a bit better than predicted.The wing is currently only in research stages, but if successful, the technology's scope could expand far beyond aviation and become the design of choice for wind turbines, bridges or space structures.The paper published in the Smart Materials and Structures journal was authored by Nicholas Cramer, MIT alumnus Kenneth Cheung, and MIT graduate student Benjamin Jenett, among others.More details about the project can be found in the video below. A 31-year-old man was arrested for tossing 3 coins at the planes engine, as he was boarding it, the Daily Mail informs, citing reports in the local media. The man, surnamed Xia, was traveling with his wife and his 4-month baby, and he was caught by surveillance cameras throwing the coins right before stepping into the cabin, as he stood on the bridge.Reports say 3 coins were recovered on the ground. The man was detained and his wife had to fly out without him, after a 40-minute delay. Asked why hed done such a thing, Xia told airport authorities that his mother-in-law had advised him to toss the money, while saying a prayer, to have a safe flight since this was the first time his baby was on a plane.Hainan Airlines flight 7783 departing for Urumqi, Xinjiang was delayed for 40 minutes, affecting 101 passengers on the plane, the Mail writes. Two 1 yuan and one 1 jiao coins were found on the ground near the aircraft's engine after a security guard alerted airline staff.Needless to say, had the coins gotten into the engine and had Xias actions remained unnoticed, the engine could have been severely damaged or even destroyed.The engine could tremble, lose speed and even stop in mid-air if a coin were sucked into its core. That would put all the passengers on board at great risk, a professor at Civil Aviation University of China is cited as saying.Next time, stick to saying a prayer.Though strange, tossing coins at planes engines isnt exactly uncommon, the Mail says. Recently, there have been at least a handful of similar incidents , two of them involving elderly passengers. All of them were spotted in due time, before takeoff. Since the late 1990s, in a time when no one really believed such technologies will take off, the Japanese carmaker has been at the forefront of hybrid car production. And after an equal amount of time of chasing after its secrets, others will now have free access to some of the tech that made Toyota great.On Thursday, the carmaker announced it will grant royalty-free licenses for about 24,000 patents it holds for vehicle electrification-related technologies. And not only old ones, but also some pending applications.In addition to opening the floodgates for patents, the carmaker has also committed to providing free technical support to all the other carmakers interested in using Toyota-sourced motors, batteries, PCUs, control ECUs for their own cars."Based on the high volume of inquiries we receive about our vehicle electrification systems from companies that recognize a need to popularize hybrid and other electrified vehicle technologies, we believe that now is the time for cooperation," said in a statement Shigeki Terashi, Toyota vice president."If the number of electrified vehicles accelerates significantly in the next 10 years, they will become standard, and we hope to play a role in supporting that process." Toyota s idea of granting free access to patents for electrified cars is not the first of its kind in the industry. The biggest announcement of this kind was made in 2014 by Elon Musk who said All Our Patent Are Belong To You.Its not clear how Musk's decision influenced today's industry, as it is not clear how Toyota's will influence the industry of tomorrow.What is obvious is that the auto world is now clearly pushing toward a fuel-free future, and perhaps for the first time in history big players are crowdsourcing ideas for a common goal. Palmdale, CA (93550) Today Windy with periods of rain. Morning high of 52F with temps falling to near 40. Winds SW at 25 to 35 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near an inch. Locally heavy rainfall possible.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 31F. Winds WSW at 15 to 25 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph. A bipartisan group of lawmakers led by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) wrote a letter to President Trump on Wednesday expressing support for his decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria. Details: In the letter obtained by Politico, the lawmakers write that they "welcome the completion" of U.S. withdrawal from Syria "within the next six months" and recommended the use of U.S. weapon sales to Turkey as leverage to deter a "Turkish military assault on Syria's Kurds." Trump's initial decision to hastily withdraw from Syria drew criticism for the possibility that it could leave the U.S.' Kurdish allies vulnerable to a Turkish military campaign. The following lawmakers signed the letter: Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) Rep. Bill Posey (R-Fla.) Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.) Go deeper: Bipartisan senators call Trump's Syria withdrawal a "costly mistake" Boeing's CEO Dennis Muilenburg expressed his condolences in a letter that was made public on Thursday for the 346 people who were killed in Boeing 737 MAX 8 crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia. Details: Muilenburg wrote: I cannot remember a more heart-wrenching time in my career with this great company," acknowledging the role the MCAS system which, in some instances, has led to pilots losing control of aircraft based on false data from the external sensors played in both crashes. This follows preliminary reports issued early Thursday on the Ethiopian Flight 302. Why it matters: Muilenburg has barely been seen in public and has kept quiet in past few weeks. Read the letter: "We at Boeing are sorry for the lives lost in the recent 737 MAX accidents. These tragedies continue to weigh heavily on our hearts and minds, and we extend our sympathies to the loved ones of the passengers and crew on board Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302. All of us feel the immense gravity of these events across our company and recognize the devastation of the families and friends of the loved ones who perished. The full details of what happened in the two accidents will be issued by the government authorities in the final reports, but, with the release of the preliminary report of the Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 accident investigation, it's apparent that in both flights the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, known as MCAS, activated in response to erroneous angle of attack information. The history of our industry shows most accidents are caused by a chain of events. This again is the case here, and we know we can break one of those chain links in these two accidents. As pilots have told us, erroneous activation of the MCAS function can add to what is already a high workload environment. It's our responsibility to eliminate this risk. We own it and we know how to do it. From the days immediately following the Lion Air accident, we've had teams of our top engineers and technical experts working tirelessly in collaboration with the Federal Aviation Administration and our customers to finalize and implement a software update that will ensure accidents like that of Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 never happen again. We're taking a comprehensive, disciplined approach, and taking the time, to get the software update right. We're nearing completion and anticipate its certification and implementation on the 737 MAX fleet worldwide in the weeks ahead. We regret the impact the grounding has had on our airline customers and their passengers. This update, along with the associated training and additional educational materials that pilots want in the wake of these accidents, will eliminate the possibility of unintended MCAS activation and prevent an MCAS-related accident from ever happening again. We at Boeing take the responsibility to build and deliver airplanes to our airline customers and to the flying public that are safe to fly, and can be safely flown by every single one of the professional and dedicated pilots all around the world. This is what we do at Boeing. We remain confident in the fundamental safety of the 737 MAX. All who fly on itthe passengers, flight attendants and pilots, including our own families and friendsdeserve our best. When the MAX returns to the skies with the software changes to the MCAS function, it will be among the safest airplanes ever to fly. We've always been relentlessly focused on safety and always will be. It's at the very core of who we are at Boeing. And we know we can always be better. Our team is determined to keep improving on safety in partnership with the global aerospace industry and broader community. It's this shared sense of responsibility for the safety of flight that spans and binds us all together. I cannot remember a more heart-wrenching time in my career with this great company. When I started at Boeing more than three decades ago, our amazing people inspired me. I see how they dedicate their lives and extraordinary talents to connect, protect, explore and inspire the world safely. And that purpose and mission has only grown stronger over the years. We know lives depend on the work we do and that demands the utmost integrity and excellence in how we do it. With a deep sense of duty, we embrace the responsibility of designing, building and supporting the safest airplanes in the skies. We know every person who steps aboard one of our airplanes places their trust in us. Together, we'll do everything possible to earn and re-earn that trust and confidence from our customers and the flying public in the weeks and months ahead. Again, we're deeply saddened by and are sorry for the pain these accidents have caused worldwide. Everyone affected has our deepest sympathies." Dennis Muilenburg Chairman, President & CEO The Boeing Company Go deeper: Everything you need to know about the Boeing 737 MAX crashes British members of parliament voted Wednesday night in favor of legislation requiring the government to request another extension to the Brexit process and avoid leaving the EU with no deal just. Details: The bill passed in the House of Commons 313-312. It will need approval in the House of Lords, the upper house of the parliament to become law. The EU must decide whether to grant an extension. European Commission First Vice President Frans Timmermans told Germanys Die Welt newspaper the EU "cannot forever continue this way in the Brexit negotiations and always extend by two weeks." Digital and software are seen as the key industries that will attract foreign direct investments (FDIs) in the UAE, according to an expert. In addition, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), education, healthcare and hi-tech industries are other industries that will boost the growth of FDIs. These sectors, along with other priority sectors, will witness a 15-20 per cent increase in the flow of FDI between the end of this year and 2020, said Dawood Al Shezawi, CEO of Annual Investment Meeting (AIM) Organising Committee. Digital sectors may continue to attract more global investments as we continue to optimise what todays digital era has to offer. At a time of rapid technological innovations, including automation, developed and advanced countries across the world are fast aligning their efforts towards these critical developments to remain globally competitive and to keep up with the changing nature of industries and business models, Al Shezawi said. AIM 2019 will take place from April 8 to 10 in Dubai. In light of this, Al Shezawi said Industry 4.0 - including artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, big data, and blockchain and smart city solutions - will be put under the spotlight at AIM 2019 so that participating global economies can discuss how to rethink their approaches and adjust their strategies accordingly. Sustainable economic practices, clean and renewable energy, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and startups will be the key areas of discussions in the event as well. AIM, the worlds biggest FDI platform, carries the theme Mapping the Future of FDI: Enriching World Economies through Digital Globalization, this year. This years meeting is an opportunity for global leaders and decision-makers to tackle ways to boost FDIs and look into best practices, legal frameworks, and investment-friendly policies that are critical to inclusive growth, Al Shezawi said. Apart from the main conference, the ninth edition will feature capacity-building workshops and country presentations, while a special zone called Investors' Hub will be set up to allow global corporations across multiple sectors meet with official government representatives and project developers. Another highlight will be the AIM Connect, an all year-round consultancy service offered exclusively by AIM Organising Committee. Moreover, AIM will bring together thousands of exhibitors and visitors to network, promote projects, and attract international investments. AIM 2018 had several country pavilions, with participating international organizations representing the key sectors of agribusiness, real estate and property, finance and banking, aviation, energy and mining, trade and industry, IT and telecommunication, manufacturing, and education. The three-day event will be a chance to explore industrial policies that favour FDI. There is a need to reinforce different sectors to make them more attractive to investors and draw the needed capital to help generate opportunities, including jobs, and drive long-lasting, inclusive, and sustainable progress and development at the national level, Al Shezawi concluded. AIM will launch an online World Investment Map that will feature information about investment destinations worldwide, target sectors and projects, and contact points to be available to all the participants. TradeArabia News Service More than 1,000 Google employees are calling for Google to rescind its decision to include Heritage Foundation president Kay Coles James on a key AI advisory panel, pointing to her history of anti-gay, anti-transgender and anti-immigrant comments. What they're saying: "Her record speaks for itself over, and over, and over again," the Google employees said in a petition. "Google cannot claim to support trans people and its trans employees a population that faces real and material threats and simultaneously appoint someone committed to trans erasure to a key AI advisory position." The big picture: Google last week named James to its Advanced Technology External Advisory Council. The company declined to comment. However, a source familiar with the situation said Google isn't budging and that the company likes the perspective she brings, including her NASA experience and free market thinking. Plus, the company wants to be challenged on various issues by those that aren't part of its usual circles. Between the lines: There is also a feeling in Google leadership that the company can't be seen as having to put all its management decisions up for a popular vote. Flashback: Google refused for months to pull down an Android app that LGBT groups said engages in a form of conversion therapy. Repetitive, severe marine heat waves are disrupting the Great Barrier Reef's ability to regrow with a similar abundance and mix of species as before, a new study warns. The paper, published in Nature Wednesday, depicts a vast, complex reef ecosystem that is on the verge of "ecological collapse." Why it matters: The Great Barrier Reef is the word's largest coral reef ecosystem, spanning 1,400 miles from north to south off the eastern coast of Australia. The reef is a haven for biodiversity and a major driver of tourism for Australia. The new results add to a series of grim findings about just how susceptible this reef community, long viewed as too big to fail, is to warming ocean waters. What they did: For the study, researchers in Hawaii and Australia examined how corals reproduce, or spawn, from one year to the next, by taking in situ measurements out on the Great Barrier Reef. Researchers compared spawning behavior in years prior to the marine heat waves that struck two-thirds of the reef in 2016 and 2017 against what happened immediately following the heat waves, also referred to as coral bleaching events for their tendency to turn corals a ghostly white as heat stress causes organisms to kick out symbiotic algae that gives corals their vibrant colors. What they found: By comparing coral spawning behavior in years without marine heat waves with what followed the devastating marine events of 2016 and 2017, the study found that such heat events compromise the reef's capacity to recover by causing a sharp plunge in coral reproduction rates. By killing adult corals, the heat waves slashed the rate of reproduction and the balance between coral species. According to the study, the number of new corals settling on the Great Barrier Reef declined by 89% following the assault on adult corals in 2016 and 2017. One species, Acropora, which establishes branching and table coral, declined by 93% compared to prior, non-heat wave years. What they're saying: There are more reasons for pessimism about the reef's future than optimism, scientists tell Axios, but all is not lost, at least not yet. The increased frequency of bleaching events means that more corals will die before they can recover. "One more large scale bleaching event in the next few years and it could be curtains" for many parts of the Great Barrier Reef, study co-author Andrew Baird, of James Cook University in Australia, tells Axios via email. But the new study is just one snapshot of the reef's damage right after a massive shock. "The drop in coral recruitment is what we would expect after such severe bleaching events that result in high mortality of adult reproductive corals," says Sarah Lester, who studies corals at Florida State University. I think extrapolating that to say that we could understand how these systems are going to respond or compensate potentially over the longer term, thats a bit harder, that still would remain to be observed because were still trying to extract these lessons from these sort of life after death moments, says Kim Cobb, a coral expert at Georgia Tech. But, but, but: However, the severe bleaching events mean that the surviving corals were able to withstand the extreme heat, and that they may prove more resilient to future events as well. Madhavi Colton, program director with the nonprofit Coral Reef Alliance, says she''s interested in seeing what happens with coral recruitment (the term that describes the process by which coral larvae attach themselves to existing coral) beyond just a single year following the bleaching event. I would be interested in seeing if this trend holds up, then we should be more alarmed than we are with one very bad year, she tells Axios. Be smart: Colton says in looking at these results, one could focus on the high percentage of corals that died, which previous studies have pegged at about75% of all the corals in the northern two-thirds of the reef. Or, as she put it, "Oh my gosh, 25% of the corals survived! They made it through that! And thats where the future lies," Colton says. The bottom line: According to Cobb, the future of the world's reef ecosystems will look nothing like what we've known in the recent past. Its worth remembering that we kind of think about will they ever get back to where they were before these events happened? Probably not," she says. "Will they look very, very different? Will there just be a different kind of reef there, will they have a different functionality? Maybe yes. Go deeper: The House on Thursday passed a Senate resolution 247-175 directing President Trump to remove the U.S. military from Yemen within 30 days and to end U.S. support for the Saudi-led coalition in the war. Why it matters: This marks the first time that a bill leaning on the War Powers Resolution of 1973 will go to the president's desk. Trump is expected to veto the resolution, which he threatened to do when it passed through the Senate for the first time in December last year. The big picture: The bill is a rebuke of Trump's foreign policy amid broader pushback over his defense of Saudi Arabia, whose role in the conflict has been under heightened scrutiny since the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The war waged by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has resulted in the world's worst humanitarian crisis, with an estimated 80% of the population in need of some sort of aid or protection. "Only we say and decide when the United States is at war," House Foreign Affairs Chairman Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) said in his opening remarks on Thursday. "If [Trump] uses his veto pen, I hope he understands just what it is he's vetoing." House GOP lawmakers attempted to change the resolution through an amendment that would have added language to condemn and oppose the global Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which promotes various forms of boycott against Israel. It was defeated 194-228. A bipartisan pair of former Cabinet members Secretary of State John Kerry and Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel is set to testify to Congress next week on the national security implications of climate change, Axios has learned. Driving the news: Kerrys appearance will be his first time testifying since stepping down from his State Department post under President Obama in January 2017, an aide confirms. Hagel, a Republican, also served under Obama. Where it stands: Kerry who was the chief architect of the 2015 Paris climate agreement that Trump vowed to withdraw America from told Axios this week he will continue to speak out about Trumps actions. Its a level of political and moral irresponsibility that is unparalleled, except for a couple of wars that shouldnt have been fought. This is very serious business. People are going to die because of decisions made and not made. Youre going to have billions if not trillions of damage directly related to the fact that the United States has walked away from where we were going on climate. Former Secretary of State John Kerry Reality check: Thats strong rhetoric. The reality is a bit more nuanced. Climate change is like diabetes for the planet: It makes existing weather conditions, like heat waves and rain events, worse. It is tough to pinpoint the weight of Trumps actions because this plays itself out over decades and centuries, not election cycles. The bottom line: But it is correct to say generally that hes making global efforts to address climate change an already very heavy lift much harder, not easier. Go deeper: The House Oversight Committee webpage for the hearing is here. Creatives in music, film and tech that have for decades been the center of attention at the annual SXSW (South by Southwest) festival in Austin, Texas, have been overshadowed this year by the arrival of rising political stars. Why it matters: The invasion of politicians, regulators and political reporters at the festival shows just how much politics has become entrenched in every aspect of our cultural lives. Driving the news: For years, critics and investors came to SXSW mostly to scout hot trends, products and talents before they got big. This year, however, all eyes were on up-and-coming political stars like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Beto O'Rourke, as well as presidential hopefuls like Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Howard Schultz, Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, who drew massive crowds. High-end cocktail parties hosted these figures as special guests. At one party Axios attended, Ocasio-Cortez received far more attention than the Hollywood celebrities in the room. Ocasio-Cortez was particularly busy. The freshman representative participated in on-stage interviews and attended events to promote the new Netflix documentary "Knock Down the House," which follows the 2018 political campaigns of four female progressive candidates, including AOC. Seizing on the moment, CNN aired a live presidential town hall Sunday night from Austin in the middle of the festival, which brought well-known political journalists to the event. "We want to give every single candidate a platform. It seemed logical for CNN to come in and have a town hall at SXSW," CNN Digital executive vice president Andrew Morse told Axios on stage Saturday. Between the lines: Part of the political blitz at SXSW relates to the rise of attention to the regulation of Big Tech companies, which have long-participated in the festival. Attendees at a Vox Media party were shouting "break them up!" during a panel discussion about antitrust policy in tech. The EU stepped up its presence at the event this year, flying its competition secretary Margrethe Vestager in for an interview with Kara Swisher. Noticeably absent from the conversations, events and parties were conservative politicians and media outlets. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) addressed one event. None of the major conservative news outlets threw big parties or set up exhibitions on Austin's famous Rainey Street, while CNN, NBC, the New York Times, Buzzfeed, Vox Media and others all had a big presence. Be smart: SXSW has progressive, indie-alternative roots, but the festival's new political dimension makes the lack of ideological diversity more visible. The big picture: Politics' entry into SXSW now becomes part of the history of the festival, which started in 1987 as a music showcase and has evolved over the years to include film, media and technology components. Editor's note: This story has been updated to mention Rep. McCarthy's SXSW appearance. Former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams responded to former Vice President Joe Biden's video on the claims of harassment Wednesday, praising him for recognizing his mistake and affirming change in the future. "I think the vice president has acknowledged the discomfort that he has caused. He has created context for why that is his behavior. And he has affirmed that he will do something different going forward. And I think that's what we should be looking for. Abrams on MSNBC What she's saying: The public is "going to find out something about everybody running for office whether it's for the presidency or for school board," she said on "Morning Joe." "We have to as a people be ready to forgive, but forgiveness does not mean you accept it unless what you see is accountability and an attempt at reformation." Axios has previously reported that Biden advisers considered naming Abrams as his VP choice out of the gate, but Abrams said she is not joining his ticket. By Mirsaid Ibrahimzade Significant increase in the production of honey has been observed in Azerbaijan since the Agriculture Ministry granted subsidies to Azerbaijani beekeepers, Head of the Azerbaijan Beekeepers Association Badraddin Hasratov told Trend. He said that there has been an increase in the number of apiaries among amateur beekeepers. For this year, it is planned to increase production to 5,000 tons of honey, which is 66.7 percent more than last year. He noted that 3,000 tons of honey was produced last year. Hasratov added that negotiations are underway with various countries to study the foreign market. The association is more focused on Arab countries such as the UAE, in particular Dubai, and Kuwait, he said. In 2018, eight tons of honey was exported to Japan, he noted. In order to expand exports, negotiations are underway with several Japanese companies, he added. In order to increase production and product quality, the association conducts various seminars and trainings in all Azerbaijani districts involved in the field of beekeeping, he said. An international conference is expected to be held, and experts from leading countries engaged in this industry will be invited to this conference, he noted. The groups of the association created in Facebook helped to improve and strengthen business relations with both local and foreign specialists, he said. If in 2017-2018, about 300,000 families were employed in the beekeeping industry in Azerbaijan, this year their number has already exceeded 500,000, he noted. The head of the association added that the main goal is to reduce the dependence of the market on foreign competitors (Georgia, Ukraine, Russia, Turkey, Iran) by increasing local production. As a result, prices are expected to decline, and this will increase the competitiveness of Azerbaijani beekeepers in the domestic market and in importing countries, he said. Azerbaijani beekeepers were provided with subsidies in the amount of more than 450,000 manats ($264,784), the Ministry of Agriculture informed earlier. According to the decision taken during the regular meeting of the Republican Commission for the payment of subsidies, subsidies were allocated for each beehive, which is kept by individuals and legal entities involved in the sector. As well, in accordance with the decree of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev dated March 5, 2018, in order to stimulate the development of beekeeping in the country, support small businesses and provide employment in rural areas to individuals and legal entities involved in beekeeping, a subsidy worth 10 manats per year for each bee family (beehive) will be paid during five years, including this year as well. Moreover, speaking about integration of this field of agriculture in Azerbaijan to world markets , it is vital to note that the 5th Azerbaijan International Conference of Beekeepers was held in Baku on January 26-27 and representatives from Germany, Turkey, Russia, Ukraine and Georgia came to share their experience with local beekeepers. The conference discussed issues of preventing bee diseases, increasing the yield in beekeeping, supplying beekeeper products to local and foreign markets. Generally, there are about 600 species of honey plants in Azerbaijan, of which almost 200, as a source of nectar and pollen, create even greater natural opportunities for the expansion of beekeeping. Annual honey production in the republic is 3,000 tons, and honey consumption is 5,000 tons. Most of bee families are located in Zagatala (17,097), Astara (12,429), Gakh (9,125), Lerik (8,669) and Balakan (8,581). In 2018, 3,000 tons of honey was produced in Azerbaijan. Moreover, 65-70 percent of the country's population is provided with honey produced in the country. The number of bee colonies increased in 2018 compared to 2017. According to the available data, there were 300,000 bee colonies in Azerbaijan. However, presently, there are 400,000 bee colonies and grants have been given for the maintenance of 270,000 of them. It is expected that the number of colonies will reach 500,000-600,000. On average, each bee colony gives up to ten kilograms of honey. If certain measures are carried out, volume of honey from each bee colony can be increased up to 25-30 kilograms. Presently, about 6,000 people are engaged in beekeeping in Azerbaijan. By Trend The international rating agency Moody's Investor's Service maintains a stable outlook on Azerbaijans banking sector, Petr Paklin, vice president and leading analyst of the agency on Azerbaijans banking sector told Trend. "Until August last year, for three consecutive years, the outlook was negative," he said. "The change in valuation was associated with an improved operating environment, expectation of further clean-up of loan portfolios from problem loans, as well as improved capital adequacy thanks to the help of shareholders and restoring the profitability of banks." He noted that the agency positively assesses the decree by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on additional measures in connection with solving the issue of problem loans of individuals. "These measures should improve household creditworthiness and reduce the volume of problem retail loans on banks balance sheets thanks to government support," he said. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on additional measures in connection with solving the issue of the individuals problem loans. The decree envisages the payment of compensation to citizens whose loan burden increased as a result of the devaluation of the manat in February and December 2015. According to the decree, opportunities are created for restructuring concessional terms of both US dollar loans and manat loans with a delay of more than 360 days. In January 2019, the assets of Azerbaijani banks amounted to 29.6 billion manats. The loan portfolio of Azerbaijani banks amounted to 12.54 billion manats. Of this amount, the banks created reserves for 1.48 billion manats. Also, in the structure of assets, 1.19 billion manats accounted for cash held by banks, while 3.9 billion manats accounted for securities. Total value of deposits in Azerbaijan in January 2019 amounted to 21.99 billion manats. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Laman Ismayilova Works of Azerbaijani artist Vugar Muradov will be showcased in Ukraine The event will take place at Kalita Art Club from April 12 to May 12, Yenicag reported. The exhibition "Colour Vs Shadow" includes more than twenty works by Vugar Muradov. The artist will also create another work during his stay in Kiev, transferring his impressions of the city to the canvas. The exhibition curator Olesya Lanevskaya shared her thoughts about the upcoming art event. "Colour is what the viewer sees primarily in the works of Vugar Muradov. Colour fills the space and attracts the eye. Simple compositions and images, the atmosphere of Caucasian hospitality and generosity are characteristic of his canvases," she said. "At first glance, it seems that the works of the artist were created without any claims to the conceptuality and complexity of ideas, but it is worth the viewer to stop longer before the painting, and he or she risks getting through another of Vugars colour portals to another dimension and space," she added. The exhibition opens a space for cultural exchange between artists of Azerbaijan and Ukraine. Several joint events with the Azerbaijani diaspora in Ukraine and artists from Kyiv meetings, as well as meetings with Vugar Muradov are also planned. Over the past years, Vugar Muradov has successfully participated at major international exhibitions and art fairs. For example, last year his paintings were sent to the prestigious art fair in the United States. Muradov became the only Azerbaijani artist whose paintings were displayed at Art Basel Miami Beach 2017, the most extensive international exhibition of contemporary art in North America. Last year, Art Basel Miami Beach attracted more than 77,000 art dealers, artists, collectors and art lovers. Art Basel is the only fair held at the Miami Beach Convention Center. The works of the Azerbaijani artist were presented at the prestigious fair of modern art in Miami, which is annually visited by the most famous art dealers, art agents, gallery owners, art lovers and connoisseurs. The talented artist born in 1967 is one of the iconic figures of modern painting of Azerbaijan. Muradov usually says that he has everything that an artist could want: plentiful light suffusing the space through a glass wall and an open view across a bay in the Caspian to a cascade of oil derricks on the horizon. Standing guard over the district for more than a century, they evoke romantic thoughts and feelings. His canvases "Mugham", "Adam and Eve", "Old Nodding Oil Derrick" are made up of many different faces contained in small squares and they gave rise to his cycle "Faces", which professionals have hailed as a new word in artistic craftsmanship. Muradovs paintings are mainly bought by private collectors and the worlds most famous museums, including the Guggenheim Museum in New York and the same citys Museum of Modern Art, the Argentinean company Guevara Films, the Central and Eastern European Art Foundation in Washington, the Sasakawa Peace Foundation (Japan). His painting "Garnet" was sold for $50,000 at Tokyo International Art Fair. They embellish the offices of the Baltimore Sun newspaper (U.S.), Turkeys Ministry of Defence, the Lambri International company (Holland), the Peace Foundation, the French embassy in Azerbaijan and many private collections around the world. Azerbaijani artist Vugar Muradov is also a member of the UNESCO International Federation of Art. --- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Laman Ismayilova Exhibition of the Irish artist Edward Tvoghig opened at QGallery. At the opening ceremony, the leading specialist of QGallery, Narmina Khalilova spoke about the peculiarities of creativity and the iconic elements of the biography of a British artist, who first came to Baku during the international Eurovision Song Contest 2012 and was fascinated by the city. Edward Tvoghig also visited Gobustan where he filmed cave paintings. Peoples Artist of Azerbaijan, Secretary of the Azerbaijan Union of Artists Salhab Mammadov noted that Edward Tvoghig finds inspiration in the countrys nature and architecture, Yenicag reported. In his speech, Salhab Mammadov stressed that art lovers highly appreciated a series of his works dedicated to Gobustan and Icherisheher. "Last June, the National Museum of Art of Azerbaijan hosted the personal exhibition of Edward Tvoghig "100 Views of the Old City". We are very pleased that two of his works dedicated to Icherisheher are showcased at the British Museum," said Mammadov. "Edward was in many parts of Azerbaijan, so I wish him to look in the future in those regions of the country where he hasnt been and dedicate new works to our country," he concluded. Edward Tvoghig expressed his thanks and appreciation to the participants of the event. "Before coming to Azerbaijan, I never painted with colors, but only created graphic works, so I dedicated the first series of works to Gobustan and the Old City, creating it in my usual style. However, traveling around the country and admiring the picturesque landscapes of Azerbaijan, I wanted to transfer this beauty to the canvas," he said. The event organizers also prepared a small surprise for the artist who has turned 50 years. Then the guests of the event got acquainted with the exposition, which included a series of paintings and graphic works inspired by country's regions. Edward Tvoghig is an acclaimed Irish artist working in the UK who is permanent member of Royal Society of Gravers and a patron of Print Collectors' Club on 6 July, 2018. Inspired by nature, Edward Tvoghig in creating his paintings, drawings and etchings infuses each with aesthetic, spiritual and musical senses. The exhibition will last until April 9. Admission is free. --- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Uzbekistan has exempted UAE citizens with diplomatic and ordinary passports from requiring pre-entry visas, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation announced. The decision by Uzbekistan's government came into force on March 20, enabling UAE citizens to visit Uzbekistan for 30 days without a pre-entry visa. Badr Al Awadhi, director of the Consular Services Administration at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, said: "The Uzbek governments initiative to exempt UAE citizens from pre-entry visas is an important achievement of Emirati diplomacy, led by H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation." He added that the decision reflects the historic ties between the two countries, which are based on joint cooperation in the areas of politics, the economy and commerce. The ministrys achievements have reinforced the countrys global stature while noting that the initiative confirms the growing bilateral ties between the UAE and Uzbekistan, which will provide new opportunities for UAE citizens in Uzbekistan in the areas of tourism, investment and trade, Al Awadhi said. - TradeArabia News Service Azerbaijan Public Speaking Competition (APSC) is the platform that, using international experience, fosters future leaders, speakers in Azerbaijan. APSC is a renowned partner of the ESU "The English-Speaking Union" organization of the Great Britain with over 100 years of experience. Within the framework of cooperation, the winners are sent annually to London to participate in an international competition. Azerbaijan Public Speaking Competition which is a partner of the The English-Speaking Union holding the biggest public speaking competition of the world continues its activities successfully. On March 16, 2019, the platform having carried out different several public speaking competitions and educational projects up to now conducted the Junior Public Speakers Conference. The main goal of the conference was to gather the best public speakers in the country, to give them a chance to express their ideas and also to introduce the demand of the 21st century - opportunities of public speaking in different spheres like career, personal branding and business through panel discussion held with the participation of the professional, international speakers. At the conference the 10 public speakers speeches on the topic The best way to predict the future is to invent it were accepted by everybody with interest and evaluated by the jury. The 3 best public speakers in Azerbaijan were determined: 1st place: Adil Gatarli Baku Engineering University 2nd place: Vagif Gasimov Baku-Oxford School 3rd place: Lamiya Huseyn- Dunya School Adil Gafarli, the winner of the competition entitled to represent Azerbaijan and will visit London on May 13-17, 2019 to compete with representatives of 54 countries for becoming the best speaker in the world. The panel session on Importance of Public Speaking at Business and Personal Branding was also held at the event. The panel participants were Rashad Bayramov, International Public Speaker, Tatyana Mikayilova, Chairwoman of 100 Business Women of Azerbaijan and Aysel Suleymanova, Head of Marketing and Communication Department at PwC Azerbaijan Company. To note that, APSC also cooperates with Public Speakers Association PSA of the USA. The International Public Speakers conference held in different countries of the world every year brings together corporative employees, company leaders, public speakers, and business leaders. The persons selected from Azerbaijan participate at the conference. Media partners of the event are Azernews.az Trend.az, Day.az, Milli.az -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Illegal activities in occupied territories of Azerbaijan will be discussed in Strasburg, France, during the spring session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Trend reports citing Permanent Representation of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Council of Europe. A side event hosted by Samad Seyidov, the chairman of the Azerbaijani parliamentary committee on international and inter-parliamentary relations, on April 9, during PACE spring session will address the theme of Illegal activities in and with regard to the occupied territories of Azerbaijan: implications for the commitments taken before the Council of Europe, reads a message from the Permanent Representation. PACE spring session will take place in Strasburg on April 8-12. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend A meeting between Russian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers is expected to be held in Moscow before the meeting of the CIS Council of Foreign Ministers, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova said at the briefing, Trend reports on April 4. Sergey Lavrov will meet with Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei before the meeting of the CIS Ministerial Council, she said. Moreover, Lavrov also intends to have brief meetings with the Turkmen and Azerbaijani foreign ministers. The Azerbaijani delegation headed by Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov will take part in the meeting of the CIS Council of Foreign Ministers in Moscow on April 5. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has signed an order regarding measures to construct Baku-Shamakhi-Yevlakh (12 kilometers)-Khojasan road. Under the presidential order, 2.8 million manats will be allocated to the Azerbaijan Highway State Agency for the construction of the road. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has sent a letter of congratulation to Zuzana Caputova as she was elected President of the Slovak Republic. I hope that we will make joint efforts to develop the relations of friendship and cooperation between Azerbaijan and Slovakia, the head of state said in his letter. I wish you the best of health, happiness and success in your endeavours for the prosperity of the friendly people of Slovakia, President Ilham Aliyev said. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend A meeting has been held with servicemen, who were supplied with high-tech prostheses by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, at the Heydar Aliyev Center. A minute of silence was observed for the martyrs of the April battles. Assistant to the First Vice-President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Director of the Heydar Aliyev Center Anar Alakbarov addressed the event. He said that more than 100 officers and soldiers have been supplied with high-tech prostheses over the past three years. Anar Alakbarov read out First Vice-President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva`s message to the event participants. Other speakers at the meeting included lieutenant colonel Eldaniz Sadigov, captain Amil Dadashov, senior lieutenant Namig Aliyev and director of MEDICOM company Anar Rustamov. Servicemen were presented with certificates of appreciation by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. Then First Vice-President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva met with servicemen, who were supplied with high-tech prostheses, and talked to them. The servicemen thanked Mehriban Aliyeva for the care and attention. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend A number of issues were discussed at the recent meeting of the Joint Working Group on Human Rights in the Azerbaijani parliament, head of the Azerbaijani parliamentary committee on international and interparliamentary relations Samad Seyidov told Trend on April 4. "In particular, attention was focused on the presidents decree on the intensification of reforms in the judicial-legal system and the corresponding tasks, Seyidov said, adding that the importance of this decree was appreciated at the meeting. This decree will be of great assistance in connection with the issues being discussed in the working group." Moreover, the ongoing processes in the Council of Europe and other international organizations, the issues related to the human rights were discussed, he said. "As a result, a decision was made to hold regular meetings during which the necessary issues will be discussed. The recent meeting of the Joint Working Group on Human Rights was partially held behind closed doors. Assistant to the Azerbaijani President for Work with Law Enforcement Bodies and Military Issues Head of the Department of the Presidential Administration Fuad Alasgarov, Permanent Representative of Azerbaijan to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) Chingiz Asgarov, Head of the Pardon Issues Sector of the Department for Work with Law Enforcement Bodies of the Presidential Administration Kamala Ismayilova, Deputy Interior Minister Fazil Guliyev, Head of the Public Prosecution Office of the Prosecutor General's Office Ilgar Jafarov, Deputy Head of the Human Rights and Public Relations Department of the Justice Ministry Aynur Sabitova, Head of the Azerbaijani delegation to the PACE Samad Seyidov, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee for Legal Policy and State Building Ali Huseynli, human rights activists Novella Jafaroglu, Saadat Benanyarli, Evez Hasanov, Mirvari Gahramanli and Arzu Abdullayeva attended the meeting. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Leman Mammadova A meeting of Energy Ministers of Eastern Partnership countries was held in Bucharest, Romania, on April 2. As the Eastern Partnership program celebrates its 10th anniversary, the meeting featured discussions on future cooperation prospects in the field of energy, the Eastern Partnership Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) network, energy infrastructure - natural gas and electricity projects, energy efficiency as well as focus on the improvements of goals and priorities in the energy sector. Azerbaijan`s Deputy Energy Minister Elnur Soltanov attended the first meeting of Eastern Partnership countries' energy ministers under the Romanian presidency of the EU Council. Speaking at the event, Soltanov noted that a new stage has begun in the implementation of the Southern Gas Corridor project, which envisages transportation of Azerbaijani gas to Europe. Soltanov noted that the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) project, which is the final leg of the Southern Gas Corridor, is more than 85 percent complete, and gas transportation within the second stage of development of the Azerbaijani Shah Deniz gas condensate field will begin in 2020. The deputy minister emphasized that with the launch of the Shah Deniz 2 project, the volume of natural gas exports to Turkey began to grow starting from the summer of 2018 and this process will continue. The growing volumes of gas that will be exported to Turkey and in the future to Europe provide an opportunity for a proportional increase in the volumes of gas received by Georgia through the South Caucasus gas pipeline as a commission, and thereby increase Azerbaijans contribution to Georgias energy security, Soltanov said. The deputy minister also noted the importance of continuing cooperation between the EU and the Eastern Partnership in diversifying sources and routes of energy supply. He further spoke about the cooperation between Azerbaijan, Turkey and Georgia in the field of electric power. He brought to the attention of the meeting participants that the cooperation in this field in the South Caucasus region doesnt go beyond the cooperation between Azerbaijan and Georgia due to the occupation of Azerbaijani lands. The European Commission highly appreciated the success of Azerbaijan in the implementation of the Southern Gas Corridor project and noted the importance of cooperation between the EU and Eastern Partnership countries for accelerating and diversifying steps in this direction, the ministry said. The Eastern Partnership program was launched by the EU in 2009. Its main goal is the development of regional cooperation with six countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. The Southern Gas Corridor, $ 40 billion worth project, envisages the transportation of 10 billion cubic meters of gas to Turkey and Europe through the pipeline, which will be operated within the second stage of the Shah Deniz gas condensate field project in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea. Gas produced within Shah Deniz Stage 2 will be transported from the Caspian Sea to Europe, through Italy, Georgia, Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria, Albania and the seabed of the Adriatic Sea. The Southern Gas Corridor consists of four projects: Shah Deniz 2, Expansion of South Caucasus Pipeline (Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum), the Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) and Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP). Perhaps this is one of the most ambitious projects in the world of oil and gas industry, as well as a complex target that involves a large number of different stakeholders - including seven governments and 11 companies. On May 29, Baku hosted the launch of the first phase of the Southern Gas Corridor project, and on June 12, the opening ceremony of the TANAP took place in the Turkish province of Eskisehir. Thus, the first gas from the Azerbaijani Shah Deniz field has already gone through the first segment of the Southern Gas Corridor - from the Sangachal terminal to the expanded South Caucasus Pipeline. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Abdul Kerimkhanov Uzbekistan and Belarus have experience in the further creation of joint ventures and the development of mutual trade in the field of mechanical engineering. The company GM Uzbekistan has sent the first batch of vehicles for export to Belarus on April 3, Podrobno.uz. reports. Nexia R3 and R4 models will be exported to Belarus. Previously, the company has already exported Nexia R3 cars for a large-unit assembly at the "SaryarkaAvtoProm" plant in Kostanay (Kazakhstan), as well as the finished R4 model at "Ravon Motors Kazakhstan". Since the beginning of 2018, Uzbekistan has exported cars to Afghanistan and Tajikistan. GM Uzbekistan and SaryarkaAvtoProm LLP (Kazakhstan) signed a production development contract. The parties within the framework of the document have agreed to release up to the end of 2019 16,000 vehicles intended for sale, both in the market of Kazakhstan and in export markets, including Russia. In addition, automakers discussed the creation of a joint venture, phased work to deepen localization, including on the automotive component base, continued cooperation on new competitive models, measures to improve the quality of products. At the Kazakh enterprise "SaryarkaAvtoProm", the SKD assembly of the Ravon Nexia R3 sedan was launched in 2017. It's capacity assembly is about 3,000 cars a year, with the possible increase in production of up to 7,000 cars. GM Uzbekistan, formerly known as UzDaewooAuto, was created in 1996 on a parity basis by Uzbekistan and South Korean Daewoo Motors. In 2005, Uzbekistan acquired Daewoo's shares in UzDaewooAuto. Two years later Uzavtoprom (Uzbek Association of Automotive Industry Enterprises) and the U.S.-based General Motors signed an agreement to establish the GM Uzbekistan with an authorized capital of $266.7 million. GM had previously held a 25 percent stake in the joint venture. Previously, it became known that Uzavtosanoat bought 15 percent of shares. Currently, at three production sites GM Uzbekistan are producing 10 car models under the Chevrolet and Ravon brands, in particular, Matiz, Spark (R2), Nexia (R3), Cobalt models (R4), Lacetti (Gentra) are produced at the main production in the Asaka city, models Captiva, Malibu in the branch in Tashkent, models Damas, Labo in the branch in the Pitnaka city. Diplomatic relations between Belarus and Uzbekistan were established on January 21, 1993. The trade turnover between Uzbekistan and Belarus in January-November 2018 amounted to $ 145.2 million, which is 28.5 percent more compared to the same period in 2017. The Uzbek exports to Belarus mainly consist of vegetables and fruits, dried fruits, cotton, cars and clothing. Belarus supplies the Central Asian republic with tractors, road and construction equipment, medicines, epoxy resins, chassis with engines for cars, oil products and meat. Both countries planned to increase trade to $ 500 million by 2020. Given the current growth rate, the goal looks quite feasible. This task is planned to be solved thanks to the development of cooperation in such areas as mechanical engineering, the agro-industrial complex, construction and health care. --- Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Russia and Kazakhstan are strengthening the military-technical cooperation, Russian President Vladimir Putin said, Trend reports referring to RIA Novosti. President Putin made the remarks following the Russia-Kazakhstan talks. "The military and military-technical cooperation is being strengthened, the president said. Russia assists Kazakhstan in training military specialists, specialists at the high schools of the Russian Defense Ministry and other security agencies." --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz February turned out to be a slow month for Middle East carriers, which recorded a 0.8 per cent decline in international air travel demand compared to a year ago. According to figures released by the International Air Transport Association (Iata), it was the only region to report a drop year-over-year. Middle East carriers reported a capacity increase of 2.9 per cent in February. However, load factor fell 2.7 percentage points to 72.6 per cent. Broadly speaking, passenger volumes of the regions airlines have been moving sideways for the past 12 - 15 months, the Iata report said. European carriers showed the strongest performance for a fifth consecutive month in February with international passenger demand increasing by 7.6 per cent, compared to a year ago, followed by Latin American airlines (up 4.3 per cent), Asia-Pacific and North American airlines (both up 4.2 per cent), African airlines (up 2.5 per cent), and Middle East carriers. Overall, international passenger demand in February rose 4.6 per cent compared to February 2018, which was a slowdown from the 5.9 per cent growth in January. Capacity climbed 5.1 per cent, and load factor dropped 0.4 percentage point to 79.5 per cent. Domestic air travel demand rose 6.4 per cent in February compared to February 2018, down from 7.4 per cent annual growth in January. All markets except Australia reported increases in traffic, with India recording its 54th consecutive month of double-digit percentage growth. Domestic capacity climbed 5.8 per cent, and load factor edged up 0.5 percentage point to 82.4 per cent. The global passenger traffic results for February showed that total revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs) rose 5.3 per cent, compared to February 2018. This was the slowest rate of growth in more than a year but still in line with long-term demand trends. Monthly capacity (available seat kilometres or ASKs) increased by 5.4 per cent, and load factor slipped 0.1 percentage point to 80.6 per cent, which is still high by historic standards. "After Januarys strong performance, we settled down a bit in February, in line with concerns about the broader economic outlook. Continuing trade tensions between the US and China, and unresolved uncertainty over Brexit are also weighing on the outlook for travel, said Alexandre de Juniac, Iatas director general and CEO. - TradeArabia News Service By Abdul Kerimkhanov Russia and Kazakhstan have lived for centuries in friendship and mutual understanding, and today the relations of the two countries in all spheres of life are reaching a new qualitative level. The President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, arrived in Moscow on April 3. This official visit was his first foreign visit as head of state. Vladimir Putin, following talks with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow had offered Nur-Sultan the construction of a nuclear power plant, RIA Novosti reports. We are proposing to switch to new forms of interaction. I mean first of all the possibility of building a nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan using Russian technologies, the Russian leader said. The Russian President also noted the active bilateral cooperation between the two countries in the oil and gas sector. Putin expressed gratitude to Tokayev for having arrived in Russia with his first official foreign visit, and stressed that the talks were held in accordance with the traditions established under Nursultan Nazarbayev. Following the talks, the two leaders adopted a joint statement. Putin noted that the document reflects the intention to strengthen strategic partnership. In turn, Tokayev promised to continue the strategic course in relations with Russia. He noted that his visit has a deep symbolic meaning because it emphasizes the special nature of relations between states. Following the consultations at the highest level, the Joint Statement of Kazakh and Russian Presidents was adopted. In addition, a number of cooperation documents were signed. Agreement between the Government of Russia and the Government of Kazakhstan in the field of gas supply to the Baikonur complex; A joint action program between the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia and the Ministry of Industry and Infrastructure Development of Kazakhstan in the development of industrial cooperation; Bilateral cooperation plan between the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia and the Ministry of Digital Development, defence and aerospace industry of Kazakhstan in the field of industrial and scientific and technical cooperation. Diplomatic relations between Kazakhstan and Russia were established on October 22, 1992. The trade turnover of Kazakhstan and Russia amounted to $ 17.6 billion in 2018. This is 7.2 percent higher than the previous year. According to the figures for January-November 2018, Russia ranks first in terms of imports to Kazakhstan. Russia's share among the countries supplying products to Kazakhstan is 37.3 percent. --- Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Uzbek Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulaziz Kamilov held a meeting with the new Permanent Representative of the United Nations Development Program in Uzbekistan Matilda Dimovska, Trend reports with reference to the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The state and prospects of relations between Uzbekistan and UNDP were discussed during the conversation. The minister praised the efforts of the UN, including UNDP, to help solve environmental problems. It was noted that the launch of the Multi-Partner Trust Fund for Human Security for the Aral Sea region under the auspices of the UN was an important event in the field of solving environmental problems of a huge region. Matilda Dimovska confirmed the UN commitment to actively participate in the country's socio-economic development processes and praised the process of implementing the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) for Uzbekistan for 2016-2020. UNDP maintains mutually beneficial relations with many ministries of Uzbekistan in the field of environmental protection and energy, government and economic management. The organization is active in supporting the government in creating an enabling environment for small businesses. In particular, it assists in the establishment of Business Assistance Centers and Single Window Centers for the provision of public services to the public. Regarding the public sector, UNDP contributes to improving the efficiency, transparency and accessibility of public services at the national, regional and local levels. It plays an important role in creating an e-government system in Uzbekistan, in particular, through the development of a national e-document management system, thereby improving the quality of public services. Moreover, UNDP implements projects aimed at solving environmental problems in Uzbekistan, and advocates for the rational use of energy resources. The organization plays an important role in the development of a new edition of the Law on Water and Water Use, which embodies an important transition of the country from a fragmented to an integrated approach of water resources management. Matilda Dimovska headed the Country Office Support Team at the UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub for Europe and the CIS (since July 2016). Prior to this, she worked as Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP in Turkey (20122016), Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP in Moldova (2008-2012) and Assistant Resident Representative of UNDP in Georgia. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Abdul Kerimkhanov For the development of domestic and international tourism, Kyrgyzstan has a rich natural, recreational and environmental potential. Much attention in the field of investment opportunities is paid to the tourism industry, as tourism is one of the priority areas of the Kyrgyz economy. At the present stage of development of Kyrgyzstan, the following types of tourism are distinguished: adventure, ski, sport hunting, fishing, collecting medicinal herbs, mountaineering, sightseeing and educational routes to the south and north of the country with a rest in Issyk-Kul and in the mountains. The number of foreign citizens who visited Kyrgyzstan in 2018 exceeded 7 million people, which is more than 1.5 times more compared to 2017, the press service of the National Statistical Committee informs. Most of all people arrived in the republic from neighboring Uzbekistan - 48 percent of the total number of foreign citizens. Kazakhstan ranked second - 38 percent, Russia third - 7 percent, and Tajikistan fourth - 3 percent. Of these, 1.4 million people indicated other as the reason for their visit to Kyrgyzstan. The most popular holiday destination for foreigners is traditionally Lake Issyk-Kul - more than 900,000 people visited it in 2018. According to preliminary estimates, gross value added in tourism last year amounted to more than 27 billion soms ($386.5 million), or 5 percent of GDP, remaining at the level of 2017. As many as 486 recreation facilities and tourism organizations carried reception and tourist services in 2018. Of these, 187 are specialized accommodation facilities, 185 hotels, 64 travel agencies and tour operators, travel and excursion agencies, nine natural parks and more than 40 other tourist sites. Kyrgyzstan has a visa-free regime for citizens of more than 40 countries - Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Vietnam, Cuba, Malaysia (up to 30 days), Mongolia (up to 90 days), Turkey (up to 30 days), Ukraine (up to 90 days), Uzbekistan (up to 60 days) and Japan. In order to develop tourism and attract investment, Kyrgyzstan declared a visa-free regime for a period of 60 days in 2012 for citizens of Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brunei, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany , the United Kingdom, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates, the United States of America and the Vatican. The safety of tourists during the preparation and conduct of the Tourist season in the country is ensured by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kyrgyzstan. Thus, Kyrgyzstan has opened its heart wide for guests from many countries. Come to Kyrgyzstan and discover its history, culture and hospitality! --- Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Abdul Kerimkhanov The new concept of tourism development in Uzbekistan for 2019-2025 is designed to contribute to the modernization of the industry through diversification and improvement of the quality of services, as well as improving the tourism and transport infrastructure. It will also positively affect the growth in the number of foreign tourists, including from Germany. In the German city of Hamburg, the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Germany together with the State Committee for Tourism Development held an economic forum on April 2. Partners from the German side were the Eastern Committee of the German Economy, the Chamber of Commerce and the mayor's office of the city of Hamburg, as well as the Embassy of Tajikistan in Germany and the Honorary Consulate of Tajikistan in Hamburg. Representatives of business and financial circles of Germany who are interested in developing mutually beneficial cooperation with Uzbekistan, as well as specialized German media attended the event, the Press Service of the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Germany reports. The forum discussed the prospects for the development of business cooperation between the business community and business entities of Germany and Central Asian countries, including Uzbekistan. The reports of German companies operating in Uzbekistan were heard, in which attention was paid to the favorable conditions created in the republic for doing business and the advantages of establishing a bilateral business partnership. In particular, the head of the German company Heinemann Medizintechnik GmbH, Frank Shpillner, shared his experience in developing business in Uzbekistan and gave German companies useful advice on targeted investments in the Uzbek economy. Presentation of the economic, investment and tourism potential of Uzbekistan caused great interest among the visitors. Its participants were informed about the current economic development of the country, the measures taken to modernize industrial enterprises, to further improve the business climate and priority areas of investment cooperation. The audience of German businessmen positively perceived the information on the introduction of a visa-free regime for 30 days for German citizens visiting Uzbekistan for tourism purposes from January 15, 2019. It was stressed that the decision to abolish the visa regime is aimed at strengthening the cultural, scientific, educational exchange between the two countries, as well as improving the investment climate and increasing the tourist flow. After the reports and presentations, a podium discussion took place, during which the participants discussed various aspects of the Uzbek-German trade, economic and investment interaction. The Consular Section of the Uzbek Embassy in Berlin held a meeting with compatriots living in Hamburg on April 2. Diplomatic relations between Uzbekistan and Germany were established on March 6, 1992. Bilateral trade between Uzbekistan and Germany amounted to $712 million in January-November 2018. Uzbekistan supplies a number of foodstuffs, textiles, chemicals, transport, telecommunications and other services to Germany. In turn, the basis of imports from Germany is mechanical, electrical equipment, vehicles, pharmaceuticals, chemicals and other goods. Currently, 115 enterprises with the participation of German investors operate in Uzbekistan. As many as 29 of them with a 100 percent German capital. --- Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Leman Mammadova Rapidly gaining a title of popular destination, Azerbaijan offers new product to the visitors of capital to spend their time efficiently during their stay. The new BakuCard has been issued for residents and guests of Baku, which allows card holders to use city public transport and Baku City Aero Express buses, which offer airport transfer services to the city and vice versa. By purchasing the card, tourists will be able to buy tickets for the Baku City Tour buses with a 50 percent discount. With BakuCard, it will be possible to visit more than 20 museums and recreational parks for free or at a discount, and benefit from discounts at more than 200 retail stores and shopping centers, various cafes and restaurants. 24-hour, 72-hour and 7-day cards, each costing 24, 45 and 70 manats, respectively, will be available. The cards are sold at the Heydar Aliyev International Airport, tourist information centers, hotels, travel agencies, ticket selling kiosks and on the website www.bakucard.az. As of 28 February 2018, the memorandum was signed between the National Tourism Promotion Bureau, the Baku Transport Agency and PASHA Travel with the aim of creating BakuCard. Such a card will allow its holder to plan his trip and rest, make his stay in Baku diverse and interesting, saving time and money. BakuCards will further enhance the appeal of Baku as an international tourist destination. A presentation for the new and innovative product - BakuCard will be held on April 5, within the framework of the event organized by Azerbaijan State Board in Baku Convention Center for the meeting with foreign travel agencies operating in six countries. The main purpose of the event is to familiarize local tourism industry participants with the activities of representative offices and to provide information on the cooperation opportunities to them. Representatives of travel agencies, tour operators and hotels will take part in the presentation on activities and strategies of countries where their representations are located. It should be noted that Azerbaijan tourism representative offices are operating in Frankfurt (Germany), Dubai (UAE), Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), Beijing (China), Mumbai (India) and Moscow (Russia) since December 2018. Representations aim to achieve greater recognition of the country abroad, to increase the flow of tourists from target markets, and to promote the development of tourism in the country as a whole. Azerbaijan, the popular destination for many tourists, attracts millions of visitors every year. The country is popular for a number of archaeological and historical sites, decently depicting its past. The country views tourism development as a priority in its efforts to diversify the non-oil economy. A number of tourist facilities have been built in the regions, and cultural and historical reserves have been set up or restored. --- Leman Mammadova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @leman_888 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz On the eve of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) anniversary summit, which will be celebrated in May in Nur-Sultan, a conflict is brewing between Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. Bishkek intends to recall the ministers of the board of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) for consultations on the situation on the Kyrgyz-Kazakh border, where more than 250 trucks with Kyrgyz goods are stuck. Kazakhstan blocks Kyrgyz cargo again. A similar situation occurred in the autumn of 2017, when Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev made a number of harsh statements against Astana and leader Nursultan Nazarbayev, accusing him of interfering in the internal affairs of Kyrgyzstan. In response, Kazakhstan closed the border. The current situation is not political. The Kazakh side indicates that vehicles are stuck on the Kyrgyz-Kazakhstan border because carriers didn't want to undergo an additional security check. According to Kyrgyzstan's State Revenue Committee of the Ministry of Finance, the following documents are checked and scanned at the border: international consignment note, shipping document, invoice, vehicle registration certificate, border pass coupon. "Such actions are the implementation of hidden customs control, which is fundamentally contrary to the EEU rules, as well as violates the provisions of Article 25 of the EEU Treaty in terms of ensuring free movement of goods in the internal EEU market," the Kyrgyz Economy Ministry's statement reads. According to the ministry, control over vehicles with consumer goods has been strengthened since March 19 at the Kyrgyz-Kazakh sections of the state border. Each vehicle transporting goods is subject to thorough inspection, therefore, the border crossing time is significantly increased. "In the current situation, Kyrgyzstan believes that the additional control measures conducted by the Kazakh side violate the EEU law and limit free movement of goods - the basic principles of the EEU market. At the same time, it should be noted that such measures entail financial costs for Kyrgyzstan, associated with increased downtime, as well as negative consequences associated with the failure to fulfill obligations to counterparties on the delivery of goods, which will cause a decline in the country's economic activity as a whole," the report says. Kyrgyz politician and public figure Toktaim Umetaliyeva visited the Kyrgyz-Kazakhstan border in the area of the Ak-Tilek Avtodorozny checkpoint. In the commentary to Vestnik Kavkaza, she confirmed that there are mile long lines of heavy trucks with perishable goods here. "This is a deliberate blow to small and medium-sized businesses in Kyrgyzstan, the segment which has no Kazakh investments. This is not the first time when the borders were closed, artificial barriers were created or inspections of our citizens were strengthened. This is due to corruption in the relevant ministries and departments of Kazakhstan and the Kyrgyz side's incompetence. In particular, the agreements signed within the framework of the EEU are not a decree, but formal solutions for Kazakhstans colleagues. There should be equal conditions and opportunities in the EEU for all entrepreneurs of the countries of this integration association," Umetalieva stressed. Kyrgyzstan, for its part, accepting wholesale codes and other regulations with gross violations of technical regulations and the road map, gives grounds for not being considered. A Kyrgyz politician also pointed out that random people who have no proper education and work experience take positions of responsibility. They get portfolios with the means of "sponsorship and matchmaking". What kind of cooperation can there be? The issue needs to be solved at the level of presidents. This situation should be resolved by the carriers themselves. The situation at the border is an indicator of the current government's powerlessness and the stagnation of the EEU, Toktaiym Umetalieva concluded. According to the researcher at the Center for the Study of Central Asia, candidate of historical sciences Alexander Vorobyov, the Kazakh side's actions look like going beyond the framework of agreements on the free movement of goods and services established by the EEU agreement. However, Nur-Sultan has arguments in this regard. According to them, Bishkek is not properly fulfilling its obligations to control the quality of imported products and the consistency of cargo with the declared documents. The 'you can if you really want' behavior is no longer considered a bad tone within the framework of the EEU, Alexander Vorobiev told Vestnik Kavkaza. According to him, both Russia and Belarus do this sometimes as well. Accusations against Bishkek are not unfounded. Kyrgyzstan has not fully completed its 'homework' to strengthen control over the documentation and the quality of imported goods, to strengthen control over smuggling flows through external customs borders. Nur-Sultan uses protective measures beyond what is needed - that is, for protectionist purposes, knowing that Bishkek - as a weaker member of the association - cannot adequately stand up for its rights," the expert noted. In his opinion, the EEU is approaching the anniversary summit in a state of deep stagnation. The integration association has become really "bureaucratic", replacing the substantive work with the work on formalities. Indeed, breakthrough decisions within the EEU can be made only at the level of heads of state and only partly at the level of heads of government. The underlying reason for the stagnation of the EEU is that not one of its member countries, including Russia, is ready to seriously compromise its economic interests and sovereignty in favor of the development of an integration association. No serious effort - no development. President Donald Trump has threatened to close the border between the U.S. and Mexico, in order to stem the flow of migrants from Central America. His latest pitch: Giving the country a one-year warning before putting additional tariffs on car imports from the country, and then closing the border if that doesnt work. But closing the border would be a major problem for thousands of children who are U.S. citizens but live in Mexico and attend school in the United States, said Thomas Saenz, president and general counsel for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, a civil rights group. In many of those cases, families live in border towns in Mexico because its less expensive than the United States. But they choose to send their U.S. citizen children to higher-quality schools here, he said. Other times, parents have been deported but want their U.S. children to continue to live with them, while also receiving a U.S. education. Thats been a phenomenon for decades, he said. (See more here from Education Week .) Some of the students attend private school in the U.S. and others go to public schools that allow for out-of-district enrollment. Many of the students walk over the border, so its unclear how they might be affected if Trump closed the border only to vehicular traffic, Saenz said. But presumably, the border could be closed to foot traffic as well. And that would be problematic, Saenz argued. Youre depriving kids of an education. They are U.S. citizen kids. They have all the rights of U.S. citizens, he said. That is compromised a little by the fact that they are not living in the United States but it would definitely end up in court. Saenz said those who argue that U.S. citizens living in Mexico should attend schools there are missing the bigger picture and are being short-sighted. Its not to our benefit to deprive them of an education that would make it possible for them to contribute at a higher level to our economy, because the fact is most of them, when theyre adults, are going to move to the United States because they have that right, he said. Whats more, closing the border could lead to an economic slowdown that would especially hurt families whose jobs are dependent on trade with Mexico, including truck drivers, grocery store workers, and more, Saenz said. President Donald Trump salutes as a U.S. customs and Border Protection helicopter passes as he tours the U.S. border with Mexico at the Rio Grande on the southern border on Jan. 10, 2019, in McAllen, Texas. (Evan Vucci/AP) Follow us on Twitter at @PoliticsK12 . When the life ran out of NATO with the demise of the Soviet threat, Sen. Richard Lugar was among the first to conclude in 1993 that NATO must go out of area or out of business. This proved to be a powerful infusion of voodoo magic that eventually took the form of a U.S.-led NATO military intervention into the Balkans, which is where NATO sought to extend democracy at gunpoint to Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo between 1994 and 1999. The National Interest reports in its article NATO Is Not Dying. Its a Zombie that reanimation received a big boost with NATOs 1994 partnership for peace program. Predictably, the Poles, Czechs, Hungarians and virtually everyone in Eastern Europe compelled to live under Soviet occupation after World War II lined up to become NATO partners. Why not? What East European State would not want a direct line to Washington, DC that promised military assistance against the Russian menace that all believed would inevitably return? Mysteriously, the promises given to President Mikhail Gorbachev by President George H. W. Bush, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, President Francois Mitterand, Chancellor Helmuth Kohl and their foreign ministers in 1990not to expand NATO eastward; not to extend membership in the NATO alliance to former member states of the Warsaw Pactwere ignored. Why was this important strategic commitment made by NATOs key leaders to President Gorbachev ignored? Well, in the 1990s, the Russian threat was nonexistent and there was no reason to suppose it would return. In addition, President Clinton and the Senators who were nominally in charge of overseeing the conduct of U.S. Foreign and Security Policy were mesmerized by the prospects of being on the right side of history and campaign donations. Given the voracious appetite for cash in Congress the defense industries were clearly interested in NATO expansion and found ways to advocate for it. Weapons sales to East European nations invited to join NATO promised huge profits. Bruce Jackson, a Lockheed vice president from 19932002, rushed to set up the Committee to Expand NATO and reportedly used contributions from defense companies to lobby Congress for NATO expansion. After 2001, just about anything could be and was characterized as an existential threat to the American People: Islamist Terrorism or the Global Caliphate, China, Iran, Venezuela, Cuba, and, by 2012, a resurgent Russia. Defense budgets rose and U.S. Forces were now in Africa, the Mideast, Asia and Eastern Europe. By the time President Obama completed his first term Moscow concluded that Washingtons expansion of the NATO Alliance combined with its open-ended presence in Afghanistan and the Near East was really a coordinated plan to make Russia's strategic situation untenable. President Putin policies arguably helped Russia to withstand the impact of damaging sanctions after its annexation of the Crimean Peninsulaa region that was under Russian control longer than Texas has been in the Union. President Putin restored Russias military power and its national self-image to a formidable position. Putins actions have led some observers to suggest that Putin is preparing Russia for a military showdown with the West. Thats an exaggeration, but it would be a mistake to doubt Putins resolve to protect Russias rights in its own hemisphere. Now, Georgia is stepping up to join NATO. Georgia like Montenegro (and most NATO members) is in line to become another military protectorate of the United States, not an ally. Unless President Trump wants Moscow to conclude that Georgia will be a future platform for attack against Russia, Iran or another regional power, President Trump should just say No! Its time for the NATO zombie to expire. Successes of the Russian fuel and energy complex are colossal, Yury Shafranik, hairman of the Council of the Union of Oil and Gas Industrialists of Russia and hairman of the Supreme Mineral Council, said at a multimedia press conference dedicated to situation in the fuel and energy sector, external and internal challenges, as well as forecasts for 2019. "We're second in the world after Saudi Arabia in oil exports; we're first in gas exports, third in coal exports. Excellent performance of all the past 15 years... All fuel and energy complexes of the industry managed to overtake the levels of the Soviet Union. And had pretty good levels back then," Yuri Shafranik said. Summing up last years meeting with Vladimir Putin, Energy Minister Alexander Novak also said that Russian energy sector reached record production levels, which ensured increase in exports potential: "As for oil industry, we produced 556 million tons of oil in a year. This is 10 million tons more compared to 2017. The increase of 1.6%. 54 fields were put into operation, including several large ones, such as Russkoe, Tagulskoe, Kuyumbinskoe in the Krasnoyarsk Krai and Yamalo-Nenetsky Autonomous District. Gas industry also broken 18-year production record: 725 billion cubic meters of gas have been produced, which is increase of about five percent compared to 2017. As for exports, they were higher by 20 billion cubic meters of gas, in other words, almost reached the level of 225 billion cubic meters. There was an increase in pipeline deliveries by 4.1%, and, of course, thanks to commissioning of new facilities - the Yamal LNG plant - the total export volume of liquefied natural gas increased by 70%, amounting to almost 26 billion cubic meters of gas. The third phase of the Bovanenkovskoye field was also commissioned. This increased Russia's production to 115 billion cubic meters of gas. This is also a source of gasification, which increases exports potential. In the gas industry, we have an intensive dynamic of infrastructure building - the Power of Siberia and the Turkish Stream. " Yuri Shafranik warned that if necessary measures won't be taken, the decline in oil production may begin, but so far indicators are pretty good: "By 2000, oil exports reached 144 million, now it reached 260 million... Labor productivity has increased by six times, two times since 2000. The injury rate dropped by 12 times. The number of employees was 900 thousand, in 2000 - 400 thousand, now - 143 thousand. As for coal production, in 2000, 258 million tons were mined, now - 433 million tons. Exports reached 38 million in 2000, and now it reached 190 million." Steven Mayer can be reached at 661-395-7353. Follow him on Facebook and on Twitter: @semayerTBC. Delano, CA (93215) Today Periods of rain. High 49F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 33F. Winds light and variable. Bakersfield, CA (93308) Today Rain likely. High 53F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall may reach one inch.. Tonight Rain showers early with clearing later at night. Low 36F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Political consultations between the Armenian and Romanian Foreign Ministries were held in Yerevan yesterday, the press service of the Armenian Foreign Ministry reported. The Armenian delegation was headed by Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Avet Adonts and the Romanian delegation was headed by Romanian Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Dan Neculaescu. A wide range of issues related to the development of the Armenian-Romanian relations were discussed during the consultations. The sides also touched upon the latest developments in the region, as well as the prospects of expanding the cooperation between the two countries within the framework of Armenia-EU relations and international organizations. Greeting the Romanian delegation with the first direct flight from Bucharest to Yerevan, Adonts noted that it will play an important role in the development of trade-economic, tourism and educational-cultural cooperation in bilateral relations, News.am reported. Provided by Jefferson County Sheriffs Office A former Beaumont Independent School District police officer has been indicted after allegedly having an affair with a student. Quincey Daniels, 28 of Beaumont, has been indicted for an alleged improper relationship between and educator and a student. A 34-year-old Mexican national has been indicted for immigration violations in the Eastern District of Texas after a Beaumont traffic stop, according to federal officials. Oscar Rendon-Gonzalez was indicted by a federal grand jury Wednesday with unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Motiva Enterprises on Wednesday announced plans to purchase a pair of historic buildings in downtown Port Arthur for 500 office workers, including an undetermined number of expected new hires. The companys purchase of the Adams Building and the Federal Building, across the street from each other at 440 and 500 Austin Ave., respectively, is expected to close in mid-May, company STL Deals Manager Jay Hall said. Motiva spokeswoman Angela Goodwin added that the company will begin developing a rehabilitation plan on the two buildings immediately. Because the transaction has not closed and the plan has not been completed, the company does not have a firm development timeline. Hall said he expects it to take about 2 years. Houston-based Motiva is an affiliate of Saudi Refining. Its Port Arthur Refinery, currently the largest in the United States, was the fifth largest in the world when the company completed an expansion in 2012. The rehabilitation will include internal demolition, reconstruction and any necessary work to the buildings facade. Our hope is to maintain the integrity of the outside because it goes with the downtown appeal, he said. The Federal Building was constructed in 1911 and the Adams in 1924. Hall said that Motiva felt choosing such historically significant buildings would honor the citys heritage as well as its long relationship with the local plant, which opened as Texacos first refinery in 1903. Some of the expected 500 employees currently work in 230 module buildings, similar to portable buildings used by some schools, at the Motiva plant just outside the city limits. The rest will be hired as the company grows, although the company did not have a firm number or timeline for the hires. Moving them to these two buildings will consolidate them into one central location so they can collaborate together, he said. Motiva doesnt currently have solid plans to buy more downtown buildings, he said, but it will do a needs assessment based on long-term plans for the refinery and acquire real estate as needed. The company is also considering a separate $6.6 billion expansion at its Port Arthur refinery. Final decision on that expansion is not expected until 2020. Jefferson County Commissioner Michael Sinegal said with the buildings purchase, hes singing Motivas praises. Weve been waiting on something like this for Port Arthur for a long time, he said. Assistant City Manager Rebecca Underhill said the city is optimistic that the investment will bring more retail and other money into downtown, infusing new energy into the area. This is part of a dream for revitalization for downtown, and the idea that Motiva is going to invest in the downtown and in the classic buildings of downtown Port Arthur, were just thrilled to work with them in any way that we can to assist with this project, she said. The city expects the investment will bring restaurants, coffee shops, retail and other investment downtown that will cater to these workers and any other businesses that may soon come into the community. The key is to get buildings in use (and) people here, she said, and the commerce will follow. Underhill couldnt say if any other specific businesses were looking to relocate downtown but said theres a lot of interest and activity in the area. Jacob Dick contributed. kaitlin.bain@beaumontenterprise.com twitter.com/KaitlinBain The Port of Beaumonts Orange County Terminal is addressing infrastructure needs to keep up with its growing success as a hub for oil and refined products. The latest project to be completed there is a $12.5 million overpass that prevents tanker trucks and other vehicles from getting stranded by oil trains coming and going from the terminal site. The port, which partnered with Jefferson Energies in 2012 to operate its trans-liquid terminal, now sees up up to 40 trains a day carrying tanks of ethanol, gasoline or even heavy crude from Canada. This rise in activity and industry profile has also led to a loss of 1,483 work hours per year as trains regularly blocked off the terminals main entrance. There was no timing it or predicting when you would get caught, Port Director Chris Fisher said. It didnt matter if it was a work truck or if we were with an elected official. The terminals main entrance for all of the personnel and tanker trucks coming and going from the terminal had to pass by the main rail lines for not just the terminal but also the steel mill next door. The recently opened overpass allows those vehicles to bypass the three main lines bringing trains from the BNSF, Union Pacific and KCS railroads. Started in 2014, the project used a $6.4 million Federal Highway Administration grant dispersed by the Texas Department of Transportation along with funds from the ports operational revenues. Jefferson Energy Cos., majority-owned by Fortress Transportation and Infrastructure Investors, said the new Orange County Terminal Overpass will increase safety and efficiency as it increases its activity at the terminal in the future. In addition to helping us better move our cargo and people, this overpass provides increased safety measures - allowing traffic to bypass multiple rail lines - and helps the environment by lessening wait times for vehicles entering and exiting the facility, the company said in a statement. The Orange County Terminal works as a public-private partnership, giving Jefferson Energy Cos. ownership of the facility and its existing infrastructure during its 50-year-lease with the port. If the company decides to leave after its lease, the terminal and any improvements performed by the company are returned to the Port of Beaumont. As U.S. and Canadian crude production increases, more trains are likely to roll into Southeast Texas. Some pipeline projects aimed at connecting the oil fields of the Great North with buyers and exporters in the south have been scrapped, and the Keystone Pipeline was reduced to 80 percent capacity in 2018 after a leak. According to a 2018 report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Canadian crude oil production has continued to outpace pipeline capacity, driving demand for more oil by rail. In January, crude oil by train from Canada to the Gulf Coast was up a 34 percent increase from the previous year. Sade Chick, manager of corporate affairs with the port, said tonnage of liquid products, including oil and refined products, increased more than 300 percent last year. Fisher said the port has even invested in a heated pipe transfer system that can turn the heavy Canadian crude into a form that can be easily pumped into tankers and shipped out along the Neches. Fisher said the Port of Beaumont and its Orange County Terminal are uniquely situated as the Gulf Coast has become increasingly attractive to oil producers looking for well-connected ports to ship their crude. We have direct service from the three Class 1 railroads that are graded to handle these tankers BNSF, Union Pacific and KCS but they also have agreements with two of the national Canadian lines, Fisher said. In effect, we have access from five Class 1 railroads that can basically get a tanker from anywhere to here. jacob.dick@beaumontenterprise.com twitter.com/jdickjournalism Baku is hosting the Russia-Azerbaijan business forum today, the correspondent of Vestnik Kavkaza reported. The forum was attended by Azerbaijani Minister of Economy Shahin Mustafayev, Chairman of the Board of the Azerbaijan-Russia Business Council Samad Gurbanov, Acting President of the Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO) Yusif Abdullayev and Director of the Russian Export Center Andrey Slepnev. Russia and Azerbaijan have good dynamics of cooperation in many areas of the economy, as well as prospects for their growth, Azerbaijans Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev said that about 200 representatives of industrial enterprises are taking part in the forum. According to Mustafayev, Russia and Azerbaijan have good dynamics of cooperation in many areas of the economy, as well as prospects for their growth. The minister noted that the trade turnover between the two countries in 2018 amounted to $2.5 billion, which is 19% more than in the previous year. He added that there are about 700 companies with Russian capital in Azerbaijan. The minister noted that the value of investments by Russian companies in Azerbaijan amounted to $4.4 billion, and the value of Azerbaijani investments in Russia stood at $1.2 billion. Mustafayev stressed that the two countries have serious prospects for the development of cooperation in the field of agriculture, chemical engineering, industry and in a number of other sectors. Minister of Industry and Trade of Russia Denis Manturov said that representatives of more than 60 Russian companies operating in various sectors of the economy, including in the fields of agriculture, ICT, automotive engineering, chemical industry and other sectors, are taking part in the forum. Manturov said that Russia considers creation of joint ventures with Azerbaijan in the industrial sector as one of the priorities in cooperation. Russia is interested in strengthening trade and economic ties with Azerbaijan and looks forward to strengthening partnership cooperation in the near future, he said, stressing that Russian companies are actively increasing their export potential and their competence in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan and Russia have signed three agreements in Baku on economic cooperation. The documents were signed as part of the visit of Minister of Industry and Trade of Russia Denis Manturov to Baku. In particular, Sumgait Technology Park LLC signed an agreement on cooperation and organization of relations with Rostselmash KZ LLC and a memorandum of cooperation with Transmashholding LLC. This is while AzOkso LLC signed a memorandum of intent to jointly implement fencing systems with ServiceInvest LLC. As scientist of the Center for Post-Soviet Studies of the RAS Institute of Economics Artem Pylin told Vestnik Kavkaza earlier, one of the directions for development of industrial cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan is creating joint assembly plants for deliveries to third countries. "One of the options is creating joint assembly plants for deliveries to third countries - Iran, Turkey, Vietnam, the countries of Southeast Asia, that is, those which need traditional engineering products due to rapid economic growth, in which both Russia and Azerbaijan are strong," he said. "The second option is everything related to digital transformation. Both the Azerbaijani and Russian governments are paying special attention to the digital economy development, corresponding state programs have been adopted. Here it is important to coordinate the interaction, in particular, in applying best practices and guidelines for digitizing public administration services and developing joint platforms. We have very good companies - Yandex, Mail.ru Group, Kaspersky Lab - that could interact with relevant partners in Azerbaijan," Artem Pylin suggested. "Of course, it is also necessary to think about how Russia and Azerbaijan will interact in the global gas market and the global oil market. In our view, Russian gas, which will go to Europe via the Turkish Stream, and Azerbaijani gas, which will be supplied via the Southern Gas Corridor, cannot be direct competitors since the end user are different countries. We know that Azerbaijani gas will mainly go to Italy, while Russian gas will go via the Turkish Stream to the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. These are different markets, and there can be no direct intersection between us. Therefore, the issue is our engagement, cooperation within the framework of Turkish hubs," the scientist of the Center for Post-Soviet Studies of the RAS Institute of Economics concluded. Port Neches will have time to weigh in on Mardi Gras today. The City Council is expected to hear from Mardi Gras of Southeast Texas about a proposal to move the annual celebration from Port Arthur to Port Neches. Residents will then have time to share their feelings. >> Related: Organizers confident Port Neches will welcome Mardi Gras Mardi Gras organizers are confident the proposal will be supported by the council members and other area officials. But residents on social media haven't been so sure. Room for parking, the parade and the "experience" that Port Arthur gives as the home of Mardi Gras are one a few reasons residents have balked at the idea of the celebration coming the their town. Thursday's agenda item is only for a discussion. A vote on the issue would likely take place at a future meeting. The meeting starts at 4 p.m. Thursday at City Hall, 1005 Merriman St. Reporter Kaitlin Bain will be tweeting live from the meeting. Follow the discussion on Twitter @KaitlinBain. Ankaras tough position on the purchase of the Russian S-400 missile systems proves that Turkey refuses to be dictated, Russian Federation Council (the upper house of parliament) Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Konstantin Kosachev said on Thursday, TASS reports. However, in his view, Turkey is unlikely to be expelled from NATO over its stance. US Vice President Michael Pence said at a NATO 70th anniversary event on Wednesday that Turkey must make a choice. "Does it want to remain a critical partner in the most successful military alliance in history, or does it want to risk the security of that partnership by making such reckless decisions that undermine our alliance?" he said. "I believe that NATOs Washington meeting will not make any of the parties change its position, debates will continue. Turkey will neither leave nor be expelled from NATO," Kosachev pointed out. "However, the very war of words with Washington confirms that Ankara realizes its military and political significance and refuses to be dictated," the Russian senator pointed out. He said that Pence had, in fact, given an ultimatum to Turkey. "It certainly has nothing to do with the alleged technical incompatibilities between Russian and NATO weapons, so Turkey made it clear by giving a Pence-style response: it is the US that has to choose whether it wants to remain Turkeys ally or risk friendly relations, joining forces with terrorists to undermine Ankaras security. It is a clear hint at the United States support for the Kurdish armed units in Syria," Kosachev noted. According to the senior Russian senator, Ankara has taken a tough stance because "it has more powerful cards up his sleeve." In particular, Turkey is a most important NATO member in the Black Sea region. "Simply speaking, NATO needs Turkey more than Turkey needs NATO because the Alliance can provide little help to Ankara in resolving the issues it is facing. At the same time, Turkey is not inclined to support the hysteria built on the alleged Russian threat, and the S-400 deal is another proof of that," Kosachev emphasized. The Republican-controlled Legislature hasnt done much to promote better health care in Texas in recent years, but lawmakers are finally acting in this session. Legislation is moving through the House and Senate to control the so-called surprise bills that are harming so many unsuspecting patients. These bills occur when doctors and hospitals shift onto patients the out-of-network charges that insurance companies wont pay. Those patients had no idea this would happen. They sought treatment from an approved health-care provider and believed, with good reason, that their insurance would cover it. If patients want to challenge these invariably high bills, they have to initiate a mediation process. Many dont have the time or ability to undertake that challenge. Pullman (Wash.) Regional Hospital will invest $10 million in a new Epic EHR system, Moscow-Pullman Daily News reports. The hospital will spend the next seven years transitioning to the new EHR as part of its proposed $40 million "Next Era of Excellence" project, which focuses on expanding and enhancing healthcare delivery. By installing the Epic system, Pullman Regional Hospital aims to reduce stress and save time for hospital physicians and staff, who will be able to access medical records in one, single system. Additionally, patients will be able to access their health information when they go to different providers that use Epic, according to the report. "The chances of you going to a provider in Spokane, [Wash.] or Seattle or even down in Portland, [Ore.] are very good that they'll be able to see your whole personal health record right from there," Pullman Regional Hospital Chief Clinical Officer Jeannie Eyla, RN, told Moscow-Pullman Daily News. "You don't have to take your X-rays and lab work and all that stuff because they can just log right on to their own system." Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., is drafting legislation aimed at enhancing EHR interoperability efforts between the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs, FedScoop reports. Both departments are in the process of transitioning to Cerner EHRs, but the Interagency Program Office, which oversees EHR interoperability between the VA and DOD, is not effectively "living up to Congress' vision for a single point of interoperability," said Mr. Banks, who also serves as chairman of the House VA's Subcommittee on Technology Modernization, according to the report. "The idea is the IPO should be repurposed to organize all aspects of interoperability, not just the [EHRs], between DOD, VA and the [ONC for Health IT]," Mr. Banks said April 2 at a House VA Technology Modernization Subcommittee meeting, FedScoop reports. "The departments will have to figure out what level of centralized control they want, but we need to focus on comprehensive interoperability." In August, Mr. Banks sent a letter to VA Secretary Robert Wilkie expressing concern over the leadership of the VA's Office for EHR modernization, after its chief health information officer Genevieve Morris resigned. VA established the OEHRM in June 2018 to oversee the roll out of the VA's Cerner system, which was originally scheduled for October of that year. The VA has since extended the launch of the new EHR system until 2028. Mr. Banks' staff has been issued a summary of his proposed legislation, which Mr. Banks said they are trying to finalize, according to the report. To access the full report, click here. De Queen (Ark.) Medical Center filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on April 3. In its bankruptcy petition, De Queen Medical Center listed its assets as between $1 million and $10 million and listed its liabilities in the same range. The bankruptcy filing comes after the hospital, owned by a subsidiary of Kansas City, Mo.-based EmpowerHMS, has faced financial challenges for months. Electricity was temporarily shut off in some parts of the hospital in February due to nonpayment, and the hospital recently stopped providing patient care. In a ruling issued March 28, a judge in Arkansas temporarily barred EmpowerHMS from transferring the hospital's assets. "There is a real and present danger that the assets of [De Queen Medical Center] are being dissipated and not used for providing the [hospital's] essential medical services, including payment of employees and healthcare professionals," Sevier County Circuit Judge Tom Cooper's order said. The hospital's bankruptcy petition, which is pending in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida, was signed by EmpowerHMS President and CEO Jorge Perez. On April 4, the bankruptcy court clerk filed a notice outlining several deficiencies with the bankruptcy filing. If Mr. Perez and his lawyers fail to correct the issues by April 17, certain documents may be stricken or the bankruptcy case could be dismissed, according to court documents. More articles on healthcare finance: Pennsylvania hospital's payroll troubles persist CFO Ben Spence on Lee Health's transformation Congress takes up surprise medical bills: 7 things to know The House recently held its first hearing on surprise medical bills as federal lawmakers work on a legislative solution to address the issue, The Wall Street Journal reports. Seven things to know: 1. Democrats and Republicans agree on finding a solution to protect patients from unexpected costs after receiving care from an out-of-network provider, but they're divided on how to determine how much an insurer will pay healthcare providers for out-of-network patients, according to the WSJ. 2. Insurers want the federal government to limit what healthcare providers can charge for out-of-network bills, the WSJ reports. But hospitals and some medical specialty groups are against the government regulating prices between private businesses, saying this could eventually result in wide-ranging federal rate-setting in the healthcare industry, according to the WSJ. 3. Various legislative solutions were the focus of a House Education and Labor Committee hearing April 2. 4. One idea is using arbitration between physicians and insurers to settle price disputes. Insurers are opposed to this. 5. Representatives of employees, large and small American businesses, health insurance providers and brokers sent a letter to congressional leaders March 18, urging them to "avoid the use of complex, costly and opaque arbitration processes that can keep consumers in the middle and lead to higher premiums." 6. Another legislative idea calls for patients to receive one "bundled" in-network bill after they receive care from an out-of-network provider at an in-network emergency room. Payments would then be negotiated between hospitals and the out-of-network providers. 7. The Federation of American Hospitals, American Hospital Association and American Medical Association came out against bundled billing earlier this week. Read the full WSJ report here. More articles on healthcare finance: AHIMA, AHCA to prepare skilled nursing facilities for reimbursement changes BPCI Advanced participants by condition Average prices higher for outpatient healthcare, study finds Kyrgyzstan's parliament on Thursday passed a law that will make it easier to prosecute former presidents, Yahoo News reports. Under the amendments to the law on "guarantees of the activities of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic", a president can be jailed for crimes committed while in office after he or she steps down. North Carolina lawmakers have introduced a bill to protect patients from surprise medical bills, according to public radio station WFAE. The bill, introduced by state Sens. Ralph Hise and Joyce Krawiec, would require hospitals and other healthcare facilities to notify patients before they receive care from a provider who is not in their insurance company's network. It also limits charges to patients from these out-of-network providers, according to the station. The state already has some surprise-billing rules in place. WFAE reports that if patients receive a surprise medical bill after an emergency, they can call the North Carolina Department of Insurance for assistance in getting the costs taken care of. Read the text of the bill here. Amazon unveiled software for its voice assistant Alexa that allows healthcare organizations to transmit and receive patients' protected health information, according to an April 4 company blog post. The new healthcare skills allow customers to use Alexa-enabled devices for tasks such as scheduling medical appoints, checking on the status of prescriptions and accessing hospital post-discharge instructions. Alexa's skills are HIPAA-compliant and can be accessed by healthcare providers, payers, pharmacy benefit managers and digital health companies as part of an invite-only program. Amazon has partnered with the following six healthcare organizations: Livongo, Renton, Wash.-based Providence St. Joseph Health, Boston Children's Hospital, Atrium Health in Charlotte, N.C., Express Scripts and Cigna. "Voice is going to be a big part of the future in all areas of our lives, including health and healthcare," Providence St. Joseph Health Chief Digital Officer Aaron Martin said in a news release emailed to Becker's Hospital Review. "We're excited to be one of the first health systems in the U.S. to build Alexa skills that help our patients connect to our providers and get faster access to care." To use the new Alexa skills at Providence St. Joseph, patients can simply ask Alexa to open Providence's health app, and Alexa will suggest appointment times within the next day at a clinic closest to the patient's home. Individuals can also cancel appointments through the new Alexa skill. At Livongo, a digital health startup aimed at supporting people with chronic conditions, customers using Alexa can ask the voice assistant to read their latest blood sugar reading and blood sugar measurement trends as well as provide health insights personally individualized for the user. To access the full report, click here. The University of South Carolina in Columbia opened its new Innovation Think Tank Lab as part of its collaboration with Siemens Healthineers to address health IT issues. The lab will serve as a gathering space for the university's researchers, faculty and staff to develop inventions and methods that address issues in healthcare, artificial intelligence, robotics and IT. "The ITT Lab will allow us to bring people together from a variety of disciplines to share their unique perspectives, which will stimulate innovation and help great ideas become reality," Dilek Akgun, the lab's operations director, said in a news release. University of South Carolina's medical school has previously partnered with Siemens Healthineers on developing clinical innovations in areas including pediatrics, cardiovascular care and neuroscience. Advocate Aurora Health has assumed full ownership of Bay Area Medical Center in Marinette, Wis. Since 2014, Bay Area Medical Center operated as a joint venture with Milwaukee-based Aurora Health Care, which merged with Downers Grove, Ill.-based Advocate Health Care last year. The hospital is now part of Advocate Aurora Health and has been renamed Aurora Medical Center-Bay Area. Under the agreement, Advocate Aurora Health, which has dual headquarters in Downers Grove and Milwaukee, contributed $25 million to establish a new foundation to support health and wellness programs at Aurora Medical Center-Bay Area and in local communities. More articles on healthcare industry transactions: U of Louisville prolongs search for Jewish Hospital partner Western Maryland Health System, UPMC to pursue merger CHS to sell Tennessee hospital Marin General Hospital in Greenbrae, Calif., has settled labor disputes with engineers and imaging technicians, according to a Marin Independent Journal report. The engineers, represented by the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 39, revealed strike plans in January. They walked off the job Feb. 1 and returned to work March 23, after reaching an agreement with Marin General, according to the report. The union did not give the Journal details about the deal, and the hospital only said it was pleased that it has reached an agreement with the engineers. The imaging technicians, represented by the National Union of Healthcare Workers, also revealed strike plans in January. They walked off the job Feb. 1 and returned to work Feb. 2. On March 21, they signed a new agreement with Marin General, according to the report, which cites information from the union. Employee health plan coverage was a key issue for both groups. The hospital proposed insurance changes that included charging employees a percentage of the cost for PPO health plans and offering HMO plans for free, according to the Journal. The imaging technicians reportedly agreed to the changes because the hospital offered a 16.5 percent pay boost for employees over five years. More articles on human capital and risk: Highland Hospital residents, interns walk off job for 20 minutes Amid labor talks, union unveils billboards highlighting Cedars-Sinai profits, CEO pay Staffing dispute between 10,000 NYC nurses, 3 systems: 6 things to know Below are 13 legal actions involving the drug supply chain, including pharmaceutical companies, PBMs and distributors, reported by Becker's Hospital Review in the last month. 1. Biotech accuses Dr. Soon-Shiong of orchestrating a 'catch and kill' scheme to protect cancer drug A California biotech claims that controversial billionaire biotech entrepreneur Patrick Soon-Shiong, MD, orchestrated a "catch and kill" scheme to stop development of an experimental cancer drug that may have saved the U.S. healthcare system more than $1 billion. 2. Novartis must face trial over alleged physician kickbacks, judge rules A federal judge in New York has ruled that Novartis must face trial in a case accusing the drugmaker of paying millions of dollars in kickbacks to physicians to boost prescription rates. 3. Class-action suit against Mylan over EpiPen will go forward, judge rules Mylan must face a class-action lawsuit over its lifesaving allergy treatment EpiPen, a judge ruled March 29. 4. New York sues 6 opioid manufacturers, 4 distributors, the Sacklers The New York attorney general is suing six opioid manufacturers, the Sackler family and four prescription drug distributors in a massive legal fight against the pharma industry accused of fueling the opioid crisis. 5. J&J cleared of liability in New Jersey talc case In the latest talc trial, a New Jersey jury decided Johnson & Johnson was not liable for causing a man's mesothelioma. 6. 3 drugmakers settle lawsuit claiming they stifled generic competition Three generic drugmakers Teva Pharmaceuticals, Mylan and Ranbaxy will pay $65.9 million to settle claims that they engaged in a scheme promoting anticompetitive behavior. 7. Purdue Pharma to pay $270M to settle Oklahoma opioid lawsuit OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma and the billionaire Sackler family will pay $270 million to resolve Oklahoma's claims that the company helped fuel the opioid epidemic. 8. Dr. Reddy's legal win expected to lower cost of opioid addiction treatment After a two-year legal battle, Dr. Reddy's Laboratories has won the right to sell a cheaper version of a best-selling opioid addiction treatment in the U.S. 9. Roche sues US execs, says diabetes test strips fraudulently resold Roche has sued more than a dozen former executives at Alliance Medical Holdings over what the drugmaker calls fraudulent schemes involving its diabetes test strips. 10. Ohio sues OptumRx to recover $16M in alleged overcharges Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost is suing pharmacy benefit manager OptumRx to recoup $16 million in alleged overcharges. 11. Judge tosses suit alleging Express Scripts 'stole' patients A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by six pharmacies that claimed Express Scripts violated health privacy laws and poached customers. 12. J&J hit with $29M verdict in California talc case A California jury ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay $29 million to a woman who alleged that asbestos in the company's talc-based baby powder caused her fatal cancer. 13. Novartis to pay $23M to settle claims it used charity payments as kickbacks Pharma giant Novartis agreed to pay $23 million to settle allegations that it used charities to pay kickbacks to Medicare patients to cover their out-of-pocket costs. A California biotech claims that the controversial billionaire biotech entrepreneur Patrick Soon-Shiong, MD, orchestrated a "catch and kill" scheme to stop development of an experimental cancer drug that may have saved the U.S. healthcare system more than $1 billion, according to The Wall Street Journal. Five notes: 1. Sorrento Therapeutics filed a civil lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court against Dr. Soon-Shiong April 3. 2. Sorrento sold the cancer drug Cynviloq to Dr. Soon-Shiong's pharmaceutical company NatPharma in 2015. Under the deal, Sorrento received more than $90 million in cash up front and could earn up to $1.3 billion if the drug hit regulatory and sales milestones. 3. The lawsuit claims Dr. Soon-Shiong promised Sorrento that Cynviloq would be approved and launched in the U.S., but he stopped development of it because it would hurt sales of Abraxane, a rival drug invented by Dr. Soon-Shiong sold by Celgene. 4. Dr. Shoon-Shiong sold Abraxine to Celgene in 2010 for $2.9 billion. Last year, the drug had $1 billion in sales, according to the report. 5. The lawsuit is the latest in a series of controversies related to Dr. Soon-Shiong. In 2017, pop star Cher claimed she was tricked into selling her shares of a biotech, Altor BioScience, to Dr. Shoon-Shiong at a fraction of what they were worth. In another instance, Dr. Soon-Shiong gifted $12 million to the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, but the contract was reportedly written in a way that directed most of the donated money back to his company. Read the full report here. The FDA sent 21 letters to stem cell clinics and manufacturers April 3, chastising them for not doing enough to comply with its regulations. The agency sent 20 letters to manufacturers and healthcare providers telling them that they may be providing unapproved stem cell products in violation of agency regulations. In addition, Cord for Life, a Florida stem cell manufacturer, was warned of six regulatory violations that may put patients at risk. Specifically, the company was selling unapproved umbilical cord blood products in violation of manufacturing practice requirements. "We remain very concerned that countless clinics across the country continue to market violative stem cell products to patients, claiming that they dont fall under the regulatory provisions for drugs and biologics. This is simply not true," an FDA news release states. The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America called Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin's admission that he purposely exposed his children to the chickenpox virus as alternative to vaccination "gravely concerning." Gov. Bevin told a radio station March 19 that he intentionally exposed each of his nine children, ages 5 to 16, to chickenpox. He also said that the "federal government should not be forcing [vaccination] upon people. They just shouldn't." SHEA released a statement urging public education on the value of vaccinations. The organization also said that exemptions should only be allowed on the basis of medical reasons. The statement also points to recent events, such as the mumps outbreak in Pennsylvania and the growing number of measles cases in the country, that show the importance of vaccinations. "Vaccinations are critical to protecting not only the health of those receiving them, but also the health of those contraindicated from receiving them, including children who are too young or immunocompromised individuals, who depend on the protection of 'herd' immunity provided by high community vaccination rates," the statement reads. Dayton, Ohio-based Kettering Health Network is facing nurse vacancies because more nurses are stepping into higher leadership roles, the system's Chief Human Resources Officer Tim Dutton told WHIO-TV. "You see a lot of degrees being pursued like nurse practitioner degrees, certified nursing, midwifes, a lot of professional development occurring in the nursing field," Mr. Dutton told the news station. The Ohio Nurses Association is calling for the state to ban overtime to prevent nurses from leaving the field. But Mr. Dutton said nurses aren't actually leaving nursing they're just moving up the ranks. This trend opens positions for new graduate nurses, which Mr. Dutton says is a good thing. "As nurses are being promoted, they can pass along some of the knowledge they've gained to the next wave of the workforce," he said. The secretary general of the United Nations expressed concern Thursday about a possible major armed showdown over Libya's capital, urging the country's rival factions to instead turn to dialogue as a self-proclaimed army commander ordered his forces to march toward Tripoli, CBC.ca reported. The remarks by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres came during his visit to Libya, which began on Wednesday. Guterres is the second UN chief to visit Libya since the 2011 uprising that toppled and later killed Libya's longtime ruler Moammar Gadhafi. Ban Ki-moon visited in October 2014. Guterres, who is expected to hold a news conference in Tripoli later on Thursday, said on Twitter that he is "deeply concerned by the military movement taking place in Libya and the risk of confrontation." Earlier, forces loyal to Marshal Khalifa Hifter who commands the self-styled Libya National Army that's based in the country's east took control overnight of the town of Gharyan, 50 kilometres from Tripoli, without major clashes. Hifter described his forces' move to the capital as a "victorious march" to "shake the lands under the feet of the unjust bunch." He ordered forces not to open fire on any civilians saying, "whoever raises the white banner is safe." Walla Walla, Wash.-based Providence St. Mary Medical Center launched an emergency telemedicine program for pediatric patients after receiving a financial donation and letter from a local family of a child who previously needed emergency medical care, KNDO, an NBC affiliate, reports. The new program will implement virtual visits with specialists such as neonatologists or pediatric interventionists so patients in Walla Walla can receive care without being transferred to a different hospital. The telemedicine specialists will also provide care and guidance for patients who cannot immediately be airlifted. Providence St. Mary Medical Center implemented the new telemedicine program after a family in Walla Walla sent the hospital a letter suggesting a telemedicine solution for infants and children experiencing medical emergencies. The parents of the family cited its own experience with having an ill child who needed to be airlifted out for specialized care. "This supports the care the child needs," Providence St. Mary CMO Christopher Hall, MD, said, according to the report. "It also supports the pediatricians here. The pediatricians in Walla Walla operate at a very high level, but there are very complex, sometimes rare, conditions that require specialists, such as a baby born with an unusual abnormality." Five spine surgeons share best practices for sharpening one's skill set and remaining on the cutting-edge of spine care. Ask Spine Surgeons is a weekly series of questions posed to spine surgeons around the country about clinical, business and policy issues affecting spine care. We invite all spine surgeon and specialist responses. Next week's question: What innovations would you like to see in the pain management arena to improve spine surgery outcomes? Please send responses to Anuja Vaidya at avaidya@beckershealthcare.com by Wednesday, April 10, at 5 p.m. CST. Question: What can spine surgeons do to ensure their skill set remains sharp? Richard Kube, MD. Founder and CEO of Prairie Spine & Pain Institute (Peoria, Ill.): First, do not become complacent. I see many surgeons lose interest in new technology as they mature in their careers. Stay interested. Continue to raise your own bar. If you set these goals as your baseline, then you will be motivated to remain sharp. Whether it's adopting new technologies or having discussions with colleagues, there is always more to learn beyond simply reading journals. Challenge yourself to improve efficiency. Take on students or residents or fellows. These individuals will ask questions and keep you sharp as well. They will help you to continue rethinking problems and treatments, and the act of teaching helps you to clarify your own thinking. The same thing happens when you take them to the operating room. Brian R. Gantwerker, MD. Founder of the Craniospinal Center of Los Angeles: Taking up a hobby involving dexterity, I think, is critical. There are some exciting companies beginning to test and develop some amazing technology that will allow fellows and surgeons to practice certain procedures from the comfort of the home. Mental rehearsal before any case, for me, is so important. During training, I noted the really excellent surgeons would essentially talk through the operation, and when coming upon certain aspects of the pathology, would use it as a signpost for continuing on the case. Rehearsal of what one will find in the operation (that is, a very small lateral mass, a spondylolisthesis, and so on) will help develop comfort, increase confidence and improve safety. Issada Thongtrangan, MD. Orthopedic Spine and Neurosurgeon at Minimally Invasive Spine (Phoenix): I always keep an open mind for new technologies that can improve patient outcomes. I then do my own research and filter the data, which can be biased, and it is overwhelming at times to see what make senses and what doesn't. Once I identify what those are, then I am proactive about learning those techniques or technologies. There are many tools to keep myself up-to-date and keep my skill sets sharp, including visiting the experts, attending courses especially hands-on workshops, participating in specific group discussions to share experiences and teaching others. Noam Stadlan, MD. Neurosurgeon at NorthShore University HealthSystem's Neurological Institute (Skokie/Evanston, Ill.): The best way to ensure a sharp skill set is ongoing practice and use. Multiple studies across disciplines have shown that continued practice is the most important factor in maintaining dexterity and motor skill. But equally important is the need to stay current on new techniques, knowledgeable regarding changes in treatment recommendations and always keep an open mind regarding ways to improve patient care and surgical outcomes. Keeping a sharp skill set is obviously important, but if those skills are used in procedures that are no longer considered optimal, patient care may suffer. Mark M. Mikhael, MD. Spine Surgeon at NorthShore University HealthSystem's Orthopaedic Institute and Illinois Bone & Joint Institute (Chicago & Glenview, Ill.): To remain sharp, spine surgeons need to stay up-to-date with the literature and evaluate it critically. It's not just about reading the latest studies but assessing the quality of them. If the latest articles are not quality studies, then the conclusions are often not supported by the data presented and the surgeon should pause before implementing the findings. While surgeons should never switch to trending technology without established evidence of its efficacy, they should be open to change and avoid being set in their ways. And if they are performing a procedure they do infrequently, they should actively take courses to better hone their skills, whether it be a series of classes through the implant manufacturer or academic institutions. Lastly, be open to advice from colleagues. It is one of the hardest things for surgeons to do, especially from younger colleagues. But listening is free, and surgeons might hear something that will make their practice better and make them sharper in the surgical suite. Arcadia Group has signed a new three-year agreement for three of its stores in Ballymena's Fairhill shopping centre. The lease deal comes just days after reports that Sir Philip Green's fashion group had drawn up a list of 67 outlets that it wants to close across the UK and Ireland. Arcadia's shops in the Co Antrim centre include Topshop/Topman, Dorothy Perkins/Burton and Wallis. The Fairhill centre has also announced the addition of two new arrivals on the back of a 3% year-on-year rise in its first quarter footfall for 2019. Toytown has relocated to the complex from its current premises on Church Street in the town, while an outlet of Boyzone member Shane Lynch's Amen Shoes will also open its doors later this month. It brings the total number of retail units inside Fairhill close to the 50. Commenting on the new additions, centre manager Natalie Jackson said: "We had a very strong end to 2018 and to see 2019 off to a flying start is fantastic. "I am very proud of what the centre has achieved this year to date and the fact a number of our anchor tenants are continuing to work with us, with the addition of new stores, is a testament to the team at Fairhill." High street favourite Zara has revealed it will reopen its Belfast store next week As fashion retailer Zara resumes trading at its Belfast city centre store it's claimed the Tesco Metro reopening and a further reduction of the Primark safety cordon are not far off. The shop, along with 14 others, was forced to shut in the wake of the devastating Primark Bank Buildings fire last August. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Many retailers have expressed concern the closure of large stores such as Zara, Tesco and McDonald's which pull crowds into the city would have a long term detrimental impact on footfall in the city. Over the past six months Belfast City Council has been forced to put in place a safety cordon over fears the building could collapse. However, as work continues to painstakingly bring down the building in order to rebuild the cordon has been slowly reduced in size allowing business to reopen. Belfast Chamber of Trade president Rajesh Rana told the BBC he expected Tesco to reopen its Metro store at the end of April and the cordon would be reduced further in June to allow buses - which have been on altered routes since the fire - to again pass through the heart of the city. Belfast city council said it expected the cordon to be reduced at the end of the month allowing Tesco to reopen, however, it said responsibility for the cordon rested with Primark. Tesco said it was "working hard to re-open" the Belfast store but did not provide a date. Read More Primark is also to reopen its second city centre store on April 16. An extension at the rear of Bank Buildings at Commonwealth House opened in November. Challenge now is to get more families back into the city. Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Zara in Belfast reopened after the Primark fire. Zara in Belfast reopened after the Primark fire. Zara in Belfast reopened after the Primark fire. Zara in Belfast reopened after the Primark fire. Zara in Belfast reopened after the Primark fire. Zara in Belfast reopened after the Primark fire. Zara in Belfast reopened after the Primark fire. Zara in Belfast reopened after the Primark fire. Zara in Belfast reopened after the Primark fire. Zara in Belfast reopened after the Primark fire. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Zara in Belfast reopened after the Primark fire. Mr Rana said the reopening of Zara was "very important store for the city centre" as it was the only store in Northern Ireland. "So a really key store and it will help get people back into the city .... we are looking forward to it reopening," he added. "It is not just about one shop. Primark is opening the second store right in the city centre. There is a lot of positivity around. I was very pleased the way the business community, the council and Belfast City Centre management pulled together before Christmas and that campaign really worked and drew people into the city who had not been in for a while. "The challenge now is to get more families back in and we hope our pop-up play park will help that." Over the coming weeks a spring continental market is to reopen and the Festival of Fools returns which it is hoped to draw in more people to the city. "Footfall was very strong in the last couple of weeks coming up to Christmas," Mr Rana added. "The fundamentals are strong - big stores such a Marks and Spencer and House of Fraser are some of the the best performing for those groups in the UK so Belfast has a very strong retail offering which I think people can forget. "When people come in to the city centre they really enjoy it. "There is a lot of action going on behind the scenes and a lot of good news is coming out." Retail NI chief executive Glyn Roberts said the opening of Zara was another welcome step forward. Zara contributes a significant amount of footfall and is an important part of part of the City Centres retail offering," he said. "While good progress is being made, we still have some way to go to fully rejuvenate that part of the city centre. Retail NI will continue to continue work at all levels of government to see appropriate funding in place to achieve this. Primark was also approached for comment. The Northern Ireland operation behind high street jewellery chain Argento last year made a 7m profit from the sale of 26 UK stores to Danish jewellery giant Pandora, the Belfast Telegraph can reveal. It leaves the firm founded by Strabane man Pete Boyle with a portfolio of 26 outlets, with most located here. The May 2018 deal, which garnered 7m for Argento's parent owner Denvir Holdings, was reflected in the latest annual report by the company run by Mr Boyle and his wife Ciara Denvir. The home-grown jewellery group, which includes the Argento and Pyrrha brands, saw a slight dip in its annual turnover from 52.1m to 51.2m during the 12 months to June 30, 2018. But pre-tax profits surged by 86% from 7.7m to 14.3m on the back of the one-off 7m brought in from the Pandora store sale. Mr Boyle, who had been Pandora's largest partner in the UK, said the Danish group had taken the strategic decision to buy back stores from franchise operators across the UK and Ireland. "We are still in control of all the 10 Pandora shops and five concept stores in Northern Ireland," he said. "It's just that we have sold the Scottish and English concept stores back to Pandora. "That has reduced our overall store count to 26 going into 2018/19 and it inflates the profits of 2017/18 by around 7m. "We were coming to the end of our franchise contract. "We didn't really have a lot of choice, but we were happy with the deal." Argento was among the Belfast traders hit by the August 2018 Primark fire. The blaze forced the closure of its flagship Royal Avenue store, prompting the company to open a pop-up operation in Cornmarket. Mr Boyle said the impact of the fire came amid a difficult period for high street retail. "We're as worried as anybody else. We're seeing declines in sales in most locations. Our jewellery is doing okay, I think we're only down about 4% for this year. "We're pretty happy with that number actually, considering what's going on generally in the retail sector." The Argento founder said while the company's online turnover has now reached 6m, the internet remains a very challenging and competitive market. "We won't give up on stores. We have low debt in the company, we have good leases and we don't have any loss-making stores," he said. "Our view at the minute is to sit tight and look after our costs, train our staff and really try and defend what we have. It's not a time for us to expand." However, Mr Boyle said if the company does open any new stores, it will likely be in England, under its growing Nomination brand. "Our strength in 20 years of trading has always been to spot the next product and get on it before anyone else. We are doing extremely well with Nomination. It's in the very early stages of growth in the UK, so we are looking at the option of more Nomination branded stores there." Pandora's decision to buy back stores from franchise operators came during a disappointing performance in 2018. Results for the company last year showed like-for like sales dipping by 4% for the year, and dropping a further 7% in the final quarter of 2018. Pandora's global operation had stood at 7,800 during 2017. In February the Danish group announced plans to save 141m by 2022 by cutting back on promotions, buying back slow selling stock and investing in retail locations. TBC Conversions, a subsidiary of motor dealer Donnelly Group, has won a 3.5m contract for 60 wheelchair accessible minibuses in Leeds. The Dungannon-based company, which specialises in converting vehicles for wheelchair drivers and passengers, will supply and convert a series of new model Volkswagen Crafter vehicles for Leeds City Council to transport residents with limited mobility. The 15-seater vehicles will be converted to enable a combination of up to 14 quick release passenger seats or five wheelchairs. TBC said the deal has created employment for six new technicians at the firm, bringing its workforce to 61. Managing director David Donnell said: "This is a large contract and work began right away with the first vehicle scheduled for delivery by the end of April. "Prior to being awarded this contract, TBC Conversions employed 55 technicians with specialist skills at our locations in Dungannon and Birkenhead, but we have now recruited a further six technicians." Mr Donnell said the Co Tyrone operation had been in competition with a number of firms for the lucrative contract. "TBC Conversions is the only company in Northern Ireland to have attained the Volkswagen commercial vehicles recognised convertor status," he added. "This, coupled with our engineering experience and ability to deliver all elements of a brief on time and on budget, means that we are trusted by manufacturers and customers alike." The managing director said passengers with limited mobility will benefit from an electric cantilever step at the side entry door, while wheelchair users will be able to alight and disembark via a 500kg internal wheelchair lift fitted at the rear doors. Poultry giant Moy Park has blamed "challenging market conditions" for a decision to temporarily halt some production at one of its Northern Ireland factories. It is understood no job losses are being considered with staff being moved to other sites, or into different roles until production fully resumes. However, a union official dismissed the company's stance, claiming up to 400 jobs could be under threat. The company said it will cease processing of live birds at the Ballymena plant which will have a knock-on effect on its nearby hatchery. Other production processes will continue at the plant. Around 1,700 people are employed at the site. A spokesman added: "Moy Park is proposing to temporarily cease processing live birds at Ballymena due to challenging market conditions, with the view that we will re-open the line in January 2020. In line with this, it is proposed the North Antrim hatchery will temporarily cease hatching until November 2019. "We will continue to cut, further process and pack at Ballymena, including retail production of our BBQ products. "We are working with our colleagues and their representatives doing our utmost to minimise the impact of this proposal on our excellent workforce, including offering temporary transfers to other shifts and roles. "We will also be working closely with our farming partners throughout the process to manage this temporary reduction in poultry requirement." Moy Park is one of Northern Ireland's biggest employers and is a huge buyer of poultry on both sides of the border. Headquartered in Craigavon, Co Armagh, it employs 6,300 people across Northern Ireland and 12,000 more at operations in the Republic and elsewhere in Europe. Founded in 1943, it was bought by JBS from Marfig for 1.2bn in 2015 before being sold on to the Pilgrim's Pride Corporation, a subsidiary of JBS, in September 2017. That purchase is currently subject of legal proceedings in the States by shareholders to determine if the purchase was fair. Last year it was reported the company had a record turnover of 1.5bn with pre-tax profits of 64m. Unite union representative Sean McKeever questioned the temporary nature of the shutdown of the kill-line and hatchery in Ballymena, and claimed it posed a threat to 400 jobs. "Unite is highly concerned at this news of a temporary closure of the 'kill-line' at Ballymena," he said. "Our members on the shop-floor are reporting that they have been told that this will result in up to 400 job losses although the company are telling the media that there will be no job losses and that redundancies can be avoided through redeployment elsewhere. "Moy Park's latest annual pre-tax profits were just short of 60m - an enormous increase of 67% on the year previously. "This is not a company that needs to squeeze its workforce - this is a company which is attacking workers' pay and conditions to maximise profits for their corporate shareholders." Mr McKeever added that the workforce had little confidence that the promised investment will happen, or that the line will reopen as promised in January 2020. The SDLP's Eugene Reid said he will be contacting management to ask for reassurances "that all staff are redeployed fairly and reasonably and that no staff member will be financially worse off by having to be redeployed elsewhere". Mr Reid, who is standing in the Mid & East Antrim council elections, said: "I will also be asking for urgent clarification that no member of staff will be laid off, whether that be now or in the near future." Theresa May during Prime Ministers Questions in the Commons yesterday Talks between the Prime Minister and Jeremy Corbyn will continue today after the Labour leader described discussions about a Brexit compromise as "useful but inconclusive". The DUP last night indicated that it might be prepared to support a softer Brexit, with MP Sir Jeffrey Donaldson suggesting a customs union as a temporary staging post. Read More Earlier, the DUP blasted Theresa May's handling of Brexit negotiations as "lamentable". Sir Jeffrey told the BBC: "We would have preferred a form of Brexit that enables the UK to negotiate new trade agreements with other countries. "That's part of the reason for Brexit and maybe a customs union might be a temporary staging post towards that objective. "We will wait to see what the Prime Minister brings before Parliament, but we are clear - we want a Brexit that delivers for all of the United Kingdom and that keeps the United Kingdom together. That is our objective." The Lagan Valley MP insisted that parliamentary arithmetic meant the DUP retained its influence at Westminster and said its position on the Union was "unpersuadable" . Mrs May's meeting with Mr Corbyn sparked fury among the Tories, with two ministers resigning and a string of backbenchers voicing their anger during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons. She is trying to broker a deal with the Labour leader that would allow her to obtain a short delay to Brexit at an emergency EU summit on April 10. Mr Corbyn described the meeting in her Commons office as "useful but inconclusive". He added: "There has not been as much change as I expected." In formal statements, both sides described the talks as "constructive". A Labour spokesman said: "We have had constructive exploratory discussions about how to break the Brexit deadlock. "We have agreed a programme of work between our teams to explore the scope for agreement." Downing Street said both sides had shown "flexibility and a commitment to bring the current Brexit uncertainty to a close". A spokesman added: "We have agreed a programme of work to ensure we deliver for the British people, protecting jobs and security." Intensive technical discussions by the negotiating teams are expected today. Mrs May has said she hopes to find a solution which both leaders can support or, failing that, a system of indicative votes which both will recognise as binding. In a boost to the Prime Minister, MPs failed in a bid to take over the Commons timetable on Monday for a third round of indicative votes on Brexit alternatives, with Speaker John Bercow wielding his casting vote after MPs split 310-310. MPs voted by a majority of one to allow a cross-party bid to pass legislation to block a no-deal Brexit in a single day on Wednesday, with a majority of five then agreeing to a second reading. Earlier, Wales Minister Nigel Adams denounced Mrs May's decision to meet Mr Corbyn as a "grave error" as he announced his resignation. In a letter to the Prime Minister, he wrote: "It now seems that you and your cabinet have decided that a deal cooked up with a Marxist who has never once in his political life put British interests first is better than no-deal. I profoundly disagree with this approach." Meanwhile, Chris Heaton-Harris resigned from the Department for Exiting the EU with a warning that the PM was being badly advised over the risks of no-deal. He maintained that the UK would "swiftly overcome" any difficulties caused by quitting the EU without an agreement. Mrs May's evident determination to avoid no-deal had made his job "irrelevant", he stated. In his resignation letter, he said civil servants had "moved mountains" to ensure a no-deal Brexit could go ahead smoothly. Leading Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg accused Mrs May of planning to collaborate with "a known Marxist". The Prime Minister told MPs that the purpose of her meeting with Mr Corbyn was "to look at those areas we agree on". She said: "I think we both want to deliver leaving the EU with a deal. "I think we both want to protect jobs. I think we both want to ensure that we end free movement. I think we both recognise the importance of the withdrawal agreement. "What we want to do now is find a way forward that can command the support of this House and deliver on Brexit, deliver on the result of the referendum and ensure that people can continue to have trust in their politicians doing what they ask us to do." She also met Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford. Following his meeting, Mr Corbyn said he put forward Labour's view that "we want to achieve a customs union with the EU, we want to have access to the market and, in particular, we discussed the dynamic regulatory alignment that is guaranteeing European regulations as a minimum on the environment as well as consumer and employment rights". To the fury of some Tories who strenuously oppose any involvement in a customs union, Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay said a softer Brexit was "the remorseless logic of the numbers of the House of Commons". Sammy Wilson has said the Chancellor appears to be paving the way for "another Government U-turn" after he said another referendum on any Brexit deal was a "perfectly credible" proposal. Philip Hammond said the UK faced a potentially lengthy delay to Brexit also indicating the Tories could be prepared to compromise on a customs union. Read More The DUP last night suggested it might be prepared to support a softer Brexit, with MP Sir Jeffrey Donaldson suggesting a customs union could be a temporary staging post during trade talks. The Chancellor Philip Hammond said a referendum on any Brexit deal was a perfectly credible proposal. But he said fulfilling the promise of leaving the European Union was the Governments central commitment and other pledges made were somewhat secondary to that. The Chancellor's comments regarding a second referendum seem to indicate the beginning of another u-turn from a Government which promised us that we would leave on the 29th March, no deal was better than a bad deal and that they would never agree to a border in the Irish Sea. Sammy Wilson MP (@eastantrimmp) April 4, 2019 In response Sammy Wilson tweeted: "The Chancellor's comments regarding a second referendum seem to indicate the beginning of another U-turn from a Government which promised us that we would leave on the 29th March, no deal was better than a bad deal and that they would never agree to a border in the Irish Sea." His tweet came just after he appeared in the Commons to ask the junior Brexit minister Kwasi Kwarteng if it was indeed a U-turn from a "government which has abandoned all its promises". Mr Kwarteng said the government was focused on leaving the EU. "This issue of the second referendum," he added, "frankly I think it is a red herring it is not something that we would countenance and we are focused on want to deliver on the 2016 referendum. Meanwhile, backbench legislation forcing Theresa May to delay Brexit rather than risk a no-deal break from Brussels cleared the Commons by a majority of just one in a knife-edge Commons vote. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the Bill made the chances of the UK crashing out very unlikely, as he suggested he could accept a customs union compromise. I would much prefer the Prime Ministers deal to a customs union, to be frank, Mr Hancock told BBC Radio 4s Today programme. I want to deliver Brexit. I have spoken about the problems of a customs union and I dont think its as good for the country. But I also want to deliver Brexit. Read More Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (PA Graphics) The health secretary's comments followed the opening round of talks between Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn aimed at finding a possible Brexit compromise which the Labour leader described as useful but inconclusive. The meeting sparked fury among some Conservatives, with two ministers quitting Mrs Mays Government and a string of backbenchers directly challenging Mrs May during Prime Ministers Questions in the House of Commons. Mr Hammonds comments are likely to further enrage Brexiteers on the Tory benches. In an interview with ITVs Peston, he said he was expecting Brussels to insist on a lengthy delay to Brexit but stressed that the Government wanted to ensure that any extension to the Article 50 process could be cut short if a deal was agreed by MPs. He said the Government wanted absolute clarity that as soon as we have done the deal we are able to bring that extension to an end. Signalling that compromise would be required from both sides in the talks with Labour, Mr Hammond was asked whether a customs union was a price worth paying for a deal. If thats what we have to do then lets look at that, he said. Mr Hammond said that some kind of customs arrangement is clearly going to be part of the future structure. When you enter into a negotiation like this to find a compromise way forward, both parties have to give something up. There is going to be pain on both sides. Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (PA Graphics) On the prospect of another referendum, Mr Hammond said a confirmatory vote on any Brexit deal was a perfectly credible proposition, unlike some of the other ideas circulating at Westminster which were not deliverable. However Mr Hancock said he was very, very strongly against a second referendum. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas urged not to break off channels of dialogue with Russia, speaking at a conference on the occasion of NATOs 70th anniversary in Washington. We are aware of the concerns of our eastern and central European partners in particular and we take these concerns seriously, Maas maintained. He accused Russia of repeatedly trying to test NATO members unity. At the same time, however, Maas argued that this does not mean breaking off all channels of dialogue with Russia. Despite the current disagreements in the alliance, Maas said that both sides of the Atlantic over the last seventy years have shown how valuable strong allies are, adding that the Alliance is an unparalleled success story. There is no doubt about that. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said the EU will simply have to find a way of preventing a border on this island in the event of a hard Brexit. The Chancellor said she still believes there can be a Brexit deal with the UK saying "where there's a will, there's a way". Following her meeting with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in Dublin, Ms Merkel offered reassures that she will work until the very last hour to prevent a no-deal scenario. But she said it will require a new proposal for a way forward from Prime Minister Theresa May next week if a further Brexit extension is to be granted. Ms Merkel met with representatives of the farmers, businesspeople and community activists at Farmleigh House today for what she described a "very moving" discussion on the impact of the border. She said she lived "behind the Iron Curtain" and knows what it means when a wall falls. Asked afterwards if it is possible for Ireland to protect the EUs single market and not have a border, Ms Merkel said: "We will simply have to be able to do this. We will have to be successful. "I think you also have this phrase 'where there's a will, there's a way. And were working on this." She said her visit to Dublin was a very important one because Germany wanted to show its solidarity with Ireland at a difficult time. "We will walk together. Today was a very important experience for me," the Chancellor said. Mr Varadkar said he hopes to protect the Good Friday Agreement as well as upholding the integrity of the EU Single Market. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar also said that German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been a very strong ally of Ireland during the Brexit process. He said that he still wants the Brexit deal ratified but there is very little time left and "we have to prepare ourselves for all outcomes." He said he and Mrs Merkel discussed planning for a no-deal Brexit: "Including how we will work together to meet our twin objectives of protecting the Good Friday Agreement on which peace in Ireland is based and also protecting the integrity of the European Single Market and Customs Union on which our economic model is founded." He added: "I welcome the Chancellor's continued understanding and support for the challenges that we face and if it arises it will be a shared challenge for Ireland and the European Union." Mr Varadkar said patience is needed with Westminster where the Brexit debate continues to play out. He said any extension to the UK's departure requires a credible and realistic way forward and he added that the Withdrawal Agreement is not up for renegotiation. The 15 people from the border region who met Ms Merkel included a peace worker from Belfast who lost close family members in a bomb attack and a woman from Derry who also lost her husband during the Troubles. Some of the group spoke to the media during a rain-soaked press conference outside Farmleigh. Peter Sheridan, the chief executive of Co-Operation Ireland, who is a former PSNI assistant chief constable said they shared their "personal lived experiences" of the border with Mrs Merkel. He said the idea is those messages would be taken back into the technical meetings about Brexit and that "human beings would be planted in the middle of all that". He said everyone who was there was impressed by how much the Chancellor knew. Ms Merkel grew up behind the Cold War 'Iron Curtain' in East Germany. Mr Sheridan said: "I think her own background living on one side of a wall, she understood the very personal stories we shared with her." He said: "She mentioned her own background and what it was like to be on one side of that border. She had that personal experience herself." Patricia MacBride, a magistrate from Londonderry, said: "It's very clear she understands, given her own experience, of Germany prior to reunification, that she understands the challenges that a hard border would bring to this island." She said she believes Ms Merkel will take their messages to the crunch European Summit next week. Former INM group business editor Dearbhail McDonald was also among the group. She said Ms Merkel was told about the significance of the Customs Union and the Single Market and the dismantling of the physical border across the island of Ireland. Businesswoman Deborah Loughran said one point she wanted to put across to Ms Merkel was there are businesses in Northern Ireland that rely on being part of the EU and have a lot of trade with member states. She said: "For Northern Ireland - it's not just about cross-border, it's about our relationship with the rest of Europe and that's important too." Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald has said Theresa May was unable to give her "any assurance" her Withdrawal Agreement will pass in the Commons. Ms McDonald spoke to the Prime Minister over the phone on Thursday to reiterate Sinn Fein's opposition to a hard border on the island of Ireland. Earlier this week, Theresa May reached out to Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn in the hopes of agreeing a "compromise plan" on a way forward for Brexit. Read More The Prime Minister stated, however, that any plan would have to include her Withdrawal Agreement, which has already been rejected by MPs in the Commons on three occasions. Speaking following the phone call, the Sinn Fein president likened a hard border in Ireland as akin to putting the Berlin Wall back up. This afternoon we spoke to the British Prime Minister Theresa May and we reiterated our steadfast opposition to a return to a hard border in Ireland," she said. "Such a scenario would be akin to putting the Berlin Wall back up. "While the Withdrawal Agreement is imperfect, for Ireland it remains the bottom line. Mrs May was unable to give any assurance that her deal will come to fruition. The prospects of a crash Brexit are high. "In this scenario it is crucial that the national interests of the island of Ireland are paramount and while we must protect the integrity of the Single Market, we must also recognise that the border is about more than economics it is about people, agreements and rights. "In the event of a crash the only way to ensure there will be no return to a hard border is to put the constitutional question to the people in a referendum on unity." Talks between Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn continued on Thursday. A Downing Street spokesman said negotiating teams from the Government and Labour met for four and a half hours for "detailed and productive technical talks" on Brexit and they hope to "meet again tomorrow for further work to find a way forward to deliver on the referendum". Meanwhile, the DUP's Sir Jeffrey Donaldson suggested remaining in the EU customs union could be a "temporary staging post" during future trade talks, leading to speculation the DUP may be prepared to accept a softer Brexit. German Chancellor Angela Merkel is to be given a lesson in Irish history today as part of the Taoiseach's bid to get her on side ahead of a potentially disastrous Brexit outcome. Leo Varadkar is to lean heavily on stories of the border region while trying to convince Mrs Merkel that a hard border cannot be erected under any circumstances. Central to her first visit to Dublin in five years will be a round-table discussion with 15 business and community representatives from both sides of the border. Sources said the aim is to help her understand the Republic's refusal to plan for border checks in the event that the UK crashes out of the EU. Mrs Merkel was quoted as saying she will fight until the very end for an orderly Brexit and use her Irish trip to consider the border situation and solutions that could prevent a hard Brexit. She is also expected to give a public indication of whether Germany will back the UK's application for a short Brexit extension. Prime Minister Theresa May met with Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn yesterday to start work on a possible compromise that could break the impasse. But Mr Varadkar said it is unclear whether Mr Corbyn "will rise to the occasion". There are now conflicting messages from Dublin and Brussels on the likelihood of a UK crash-out on April 12. Tanaiste Simon Coveney said a disorderly Brexit next week is "very unlikely", but EU Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said it is "now a very likely scenario". Mr Juncker told MEPs that April 12 is the "ultimate deadline" for the House of Commons to approve the withdrawal agreement, including the backstop. "If it has not done so by then, no further short extension will be possible. After 12 April, we risk jeopardising the European Parliament elections, and so threaten the functioning of the European Union," he said. Amid growing frustration that Brexit is dominating the EU agenda, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said he sees "absolutely no reason" for another extension. The downbeat mood makes Mr Varadkar's meeting with the German leader all the more significant. He said that an extension could not "be merely a licence for further indecision". He added: "We need a clear plan. An extension in this context is one thing, but a rolling extension that just leads to further indecision, further majorities against things but for nothing, is not a solution for anyone." After a broadly successful meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday, the Taoiseach will be hoping Mrs Merkel will send a message to EU colleagues by playing down the possibility of checks at the border in a no-deal scenario. She has previously urged EU officials to expedite work on how to secure the EU's single market if a disorderly Brexit occurs. Irish Government sources insisted her decision to travel to Dublin is "very positive". "Chancellor Merkel has a particular interest in the border. She is keen to learn the history," the source said. While Mrs Merkel will not visit the border area, it is understood people with direct experience will explain how the removal of checkpoints has changed their lives. Mr Varadkar said European leaders are asking "reasonable questions" about what happens in a no-deal scenario but denied there is "a big stick or Ireland being put under undue pressure". "If there is a no-deal Brexit, whatever issues arise will be seen as shared problems," he said. A woman whose health was already deteriorating due to sepsis had an allergic reaction to an antibiotic that led to her death, the Coroner's Court has heard. Leona Morrow-McKitterick (38) from the Waterside area of Londonderry went to Altnagelvin Hospital's A&E department on November 16, 2017, with a soaring temperature and abdominal tenderness. Eight days earlier she had undergone surgery to remove her womb at Belfast City Hospital. Coroner Joe McCrisken heard how she was admitted to Altnagelvin's gynaecology ward where her condition continued to deteriorate over the course of the following day. Staff on the ward suspected she was developing sepsis - the serious complication of an infection that can lead to multiple organ failure and death. They had been monitoring her condition in accordance with the protocol for treating sepsis, which includes antibiotics. After a handover meeting at 5pm on November 17, consultant Dr Sandra McNeill ordered teicoplanin to be given to Mrs Morrow-McKitterick. This is an antibiotic commonly used in cases where patients are allergic to penicillin, as she was. Five minutes after this antibiotic was administered, Mrs Morrow-McKitterick's condition deteriorated further at a rapid pace and she passed away in theatre, where she had been taken to try and stabilise her. Giving evidence, Dr Rona Anderson said she received a "fast bleep" - an urgent call to the ward - five minutes after the antibiotic had been administered. Dr Anderson said when she saw how rapidly the patient was deteriorating she called for help because she knew "we needed more hands to help treat" her. Dr Anderson told the court that given her deterioration since the antibiotic was administered, she checked for classic symptoms of allergic reaction to the drug, but Mrs Morrow-McKitterick didn't have any. However, Dr Anderson ordered adrenaline and steroids, which are used to treat people in anaphylactic shock. Mrs Morrow-McKitterick did not respond to the drugs and continued to get worse. She was then taken to theatre. While in theatre, medical staff including surgeon Dr Michael Harron performed an operation to see what was the cause of the suspected sepsis. Dr Harron said that while he didn't find the organs in the damaged condition he was expecting, he did find 250-300 millilitres of "turbid" (cloudy) fluid. He said this "was a sign that something is going wrong" and he thought the patient had gone into septic shock. Dr McNeill told the court she didn't consider Mrs Morrow-McKitterick had an allergic reaction because she did not respond to the treatment for it. As a result, she discounted it as a factor in her death when she was reporting it to the Coroner's Office. But three expert witnesses, Dr Gerard Glynn, a Dr McIvor and Dr Paul Weir, who were part of a serious adverse incident investigation carried out into the death, concurred that it was a combination of an allergic reaction to the antibiotic and sepsis that killed her. The inquest continues. The bonfire at Bloomfield Walkway in 2018. Pallets have been collected for this year already. Material collected for a Belfast bonfire has been removed and disposed of for a second time in so many days. The material had gathered at Bloomfield Walkway in east Belfast. Council workers moved in on Tuesday to remove material which had been collected over recent days. They returned to the site on Wednesday to again remove material. Last year the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in the east of the city sparked controversy which ended in the High Court intervening and private, masked contractors moving in to take away material to reduce its height after it was found to pose a "serious threat" to homes in the area. The court last year heard the Bloomfiled Walkway pyre was under the control of "sinister forces" within the east Belfast UVF. Police were attacked and the material set alight during the subsequent operation to remove material. There was also controversy when it was revealed Belfast City Council was storing thousands of pallets for bonfires which were later stolen. The pallets were for the Chobham and Hope Street bonfires. All the material removed from the Bloomfield Walkway this week was disposed it, the council confirmed. It said the material was removed in conjunction with Department for Infrastructure as the landowner, elected members and community representatives. Meanwhile, it is understood there will be only be a small token bonfire for a children's party at the Bloomfield site this year as an alternative location had been found for the main pyre. It comes after UUP councillor Jim Rodgers said it was "too early" to collect material for bonfires and residents in the area would welcome its relocation. Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close A bonfire at Bloomfield Walkway in east Belfast in July 12 2018. Pacemaker Press An East Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 police in riot gear present at the scene. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 10th July 2018 The scene at Bloomfield Walk bonfire in east Belfast, which was set on fire during the night. A High Court order late on Tuesday night stated that the bonfire should be reduced in size as it was a danger to surrounding homes. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye The scene at Bloomfield Walk bonfire in east Belfast, which was set on fire during the night. A High Court order late on Tuesday night stated that the bonfire should be reduced in size as it was a danger to surrounding homes. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 10th July 2018 The scene at Bloomfield Walk bonfire in east Belfast, which was set on fire during the night. A High Court order late on Tuesday night stated that the bonfire should be reduced in size as it was a danger to surrounding homes. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 10th July 2018 The scene at Bloomfield Walk bonfire in east Belfast, which was set on fire during the night. A High Court order late on Tuesday night stated that the bonfire should be reduced in size as it was a danger to surrounding homes. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 10th July 2018 The scene at Bloomfield Walk bonfire in east Belfast, which was set on fire during the night. A High Court order late on Tuesday night stated that the bonfire should be reduced in size as it was a danger to surrounding homes. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 10th July 2018 The scene at Bloomfield Walk bonfire in east Belfast, which was set on fire during the night. A High Court order late on Tuesday night stated that the bonfire should be reduced in size as it was a danger to surrounding homes. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 10th July 2018 The scene at Bloomfield Walk bonfire in east Belfast, which was set on fire during the night. A High Court order late on Tuesday night stated that the bonfire should be reduced in size as it was a danger to surrounding homes. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye Bloomfield Walk bonfire in east Belfast, which was set on fire during the night, as seen from the Castlereigh Hills. A High Court order late on Tuesday night stated that the bonfire should be reduced in size as it was a danger to surrounding homes. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Civilian contractors remove bonfire material from the site. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Civilian contractors remove bonfire material from the site. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E The fire was set alight early. The scene on Wednesday morning. Bloomfield Walk bonfire on the Comber Greenway before it was set alight. Fire crews at the pyre last night / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A bonfire at Bloomfield Walkway in east Belfast in July 12 2018. Pacemaker Press Dr Stacey Mearns spent four months in DR Congo with an aid team tackling the lethal Ebola virus Dr Stacey Mearns spent four months in DR Congo with an aid team tackling the lethal Ebola virus A Northern Ireland doctor involved in tackling a major Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has told of the challenges of battling the deadly disease in a war zone. Dr Stacey Mearns spent four months in the central African country, working as part of an aid team. The number of confirmed cases has passed 1,000 with the death toll standing at 679. Dr Mearns (35), who is from Belfast, said dealing with the virus in an area where no one feels safe brought many challenges. Ebola is spread via small amounts of bodily fluid and infection is often fatal. Early symptoms are flu-like, followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, a rash and internal and external bleeding. The current outbreak is the 10th that DR Congo - the largest country in Sub-Saharan Africa - has suffered and the worst since its first epidemic in 1976. Dr Mearns is senior health coordinator for aid organisation International Rescue Committee (IRC). Previously she was an NHS doctor for six years and joined IRC four years ago after helping with the West Africa Ebola epidemic in Sierra Leone -the largest ever outbreak, which killed more than 11,000 people between 2013 and 2016. Dr Mearns was also in DR Congo for four months and returned on February 19. She helped with the response to the outbreak in Beni, Butembo and Katwa in the country's war-torn North Kivu province, where 120 militia groups operate. Humanitarian group Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) has pulled out of Butembo because of the security situation. In the past month, four Ebola clinics have been attacked. A male nurse was strangled in front of his wife. Dr Mearns said dealing with a contagious and deadly virus in one of the world's most dangerous conflict zones was challenging. "The attacks are fuelled by mistrust," she said. "Some people believe Ebola was deliberately introduced in this area as a political tool to enrich those in power. The populations in opposition strongholds like Beni and Butembo were not allowed to vote in the December election because of Ebola. "Another problem is a lack of understanding. A lot of rumours have circulated that if you go for the vaccine, you are actually injecting people with Ebola. There are all manner of suspicions that mean there are still communities who refuse to take the vaccine." Dr Mearns described the security situation as "hazardous". She added: "I was not attacked personally, but I certainly had my movement affected. You have fierce fighting between rival factions and aid organisations being targeted directly. "Security concerns mean that all the response workers, your safe burial teams, your surveillance teams, your vaccination teams, teams working in Ebola treatment centres and health workers cannot get to where they rapidly need to be to control the outbreak. "We've seen at numerous points during this outbreak where there has been two or three days where every single response activity has been on pause because no one is safe to move. It is so difficult." Dr Mearns was born in Belfast but left Northern Ireland at the age of seven to move to the Isle of Man. Now based in London, she previously worked at a hospital in England. However, she was shocked by what she encountered between 2014 and 2016 when in Sierra Leone, dealing with the previous Ebola outbreak. She added: "Working in the NHS as a doctor, I'd seen people die, but nothing could have prepared me for the volume and pace of death we faced working at in Sierra Leone. "I worked in a 20-bed Ebola unit and we were constantly full, and we constantly had more patients than we had beds for. It was very, very difficult. "Once people have the advanced stages of Ebola there's very little you can do to bring them back. There was a period where dead bodies were just being dumped all over the hospital. "I think on the worst day, I saw 25 people in body bags. That was a combination of bodies dumped around the hospital and people dying inside the unit. It felt like everyone was just dying and that was a very tough environment to work in. "You just see immeasurable amounts of suffering and all of that takes its toll on you. "When I think back to West Africa, there were times of just feeling hopeless. You were seeing the outbreak worsening, feeling exhausted and tired from the work you were doing." Dr Mearns added: "I think the hardest moments are those moments of just wondering if this is ever going to end." Dr Mearns has used her West Africa experience to provide training for front line health workers as the IRC's programme director in DR Congo, in an Ebola response project supported by UK aid through the Department for International Development. She believes the number of cases in DR Congo would be far greater had a new vaccine - developed with support from UK aid - not been administered through the World Health Organisation to more than 85,000 people. "This time has been different because we have learned a lot about the disease from the West Africa outbreak and have tools like the vaccine at our disposal," she added. "You can't really compare the DR Congo outbreak to the West Africa one, although we have still hit 1,000 cases, and that's with the vaccine. "But without the vaccine we'd be looking at double or treble the number of cases." The dangers faced by health workers were illustrated during the West Africa outbreak when British nurses William Pooley and Pauline Cafferkey nearly died after returning to the UK in 2014 with Ebola. Dr Mearns admitted the threat of contracting the virus has given her sleepless nights. She said: "When you come back from an Ebola outbreak you do get paranoid. Every time you get a headache or something, you fear the worst. "It wasn't too bad this time, but I remember in West Africa, when I was working directly with patients, any time you felt remotely unwell, or a pain here or there, the first thing that comes to mind is 'Do I have Ebola?' Sometimes that would keep you awake at night. "Ebola is the last disease in the world you'd want to catch." International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt said: "From helping to put specialists like Dr Mearns on the ground, to developing a vaccine - the UK is playing a crucial role in the fight against Ebola. "Disease does not respect borders, so UK aid playing a significant role in saving lives and stopping the spread of this devastating and deadly virus is firmly in our national interest." The easyJet plane after hitting the vehicle Budget airline easyJet has launched an investigation after a collision between one of its planes and a runway vehicle at Belfast International Airport yesterday. Passengers had to be taken off the flight to Malaga following the incident. "We can confirm the flight has been delayed as a result of damage sustained from a pushback tug," easyJet said. "All passengers disembarked normally and they have been provided with refreshment vouchers and support from our ground staff in Belfast International Airport. "A replacement crew and aircraft will operate the flight to Malaga. "We apologise to customers for any inconvenience caused. "We have launched an urgent investigation with our ground handling provider at Belfast Airport." Belfast International Airport remained open and ground handling company Swissport added it was working with the airline operators to conduct an investigation. The Presbyterian Church has expressed dismay that a recommendation by Queen's University to end its link with Union Theological College was seen by the media before its own staff. An internal university review - seen by the BBC - has advised cutting the links to the Presbyterian-run institution that dates back to 1927. Around 150 theology students are admitted each year, with some being trained for the ministry. The Presbyterian Church in Ireland said yesterday: "We have been awaiting the final outcome of the university's review for some time now, the report of which senior staff at Union Theological College have still not received. "Needless to say, we were disappointed to find that the report, which we understood to be part of an internal process, was given to journalists who appear to have a full copy of the text." The Church added: "While we appreciate the opportunity to respond, it would be inappropriate to comment further on the outcome of a review that we have not seen." Queen's University said it was "currently considering" the implications of the review. "The university is committed to ensuring that issues raised by the review will be addressed and its priority is to continue to support students who have already begun their course," it said. "Prospective students that have applied to affected programmes for 2019-20 entry have been contacted and supported to find suitable alternatives." Two previous Queen's reviews about Union Theological College in 2016 and 2018 have already raised concerns. The 2018 report said that admission to undergraduate programmes would be suspended, as a single denomination providing all theology provision was "highly problematic and not sustainable in today's post-conflict Northern Ireland". The lack of female teachers was also criticised. If the latest review is approved, there will no longer be any affiliated colleges that teach theology to undergraduate students at Queen's. A small number of students take postgraduate courses at Union Theological College, Edgehill Theological College, Irish Baptist College and Belfast Bible College. Queen's will also end its links with these colleges once students complete their studies. Religious teaching, in some form, is expected to continue at Queen's through other departments, such as English and history. In December Union Theological College said it was not by choice that it had become the sole provider of undergraduate courses. "As to why Northern Ireland's three other theological colleges found themselves unable to work with Queen's University is, of course, an open question," it said at the time. "Is the real issue that there is no place for a Christian college linked to the Queen's University of today?" Two Northern Ireland schoolgirls are taking part in Race for Life in memory of their mum after she lost her battle with a rare kidney cancer. Six-year-old Genevieve Graham and her sister Harriet (13), from Bangor, are running in the Cancer Research UK (CRUK) fundraising event for the third year in a row. And this year they will be joined by their dad, 45-year-old Peter, who can finally take part after the female-only event was opened to men. The girls were just two and nine respectively when doctors broke the devastating news that their mum, Lisa, had incurable cancer. Taking part in the annual CRUK event is just one of the ways they honour their mum's memory. Peter explained: "We are trying to get on with our lives and live like Lisa would have wanted, but we talk about her all the time, especially with Genevieve, because she was so young when she lost her mummy." Lisa, who ran a coffee shop in Bangor alongside Peter, was diagnosed with cancer in December 2014. She had been complaining of a pain in her back for a year and eventually a scan showed a tumour in her back, which was benign. However, it also showed that there was something on the kidney which did not look right. More scans, an ultrasound and a kidney biopsy revealed the awful truth - Lisa had an extremely rare form of kidney cancer called collecting duct carcinoma. It is so rare that the doctors treating Lisa had only seen one other case in Ireland. Peter continued: "We had a call from the hospital asking us to come in for a talk. "I assumed they were going to tell us Lisa would need surgery, probably have her kidney removed, but in no way was I prepared to hear the dreadful words 'Lisa has only a few months to live'. "I was numb with shock - when we entered the hospital the sun was shining and we were feeling quite positive but our mood had drastically changed when we left. "Yes, the sun was still shining, but our whole world had crumbled. How could anyone say six to eight weeks? It all seemed so unreal. "Just a few months before we had been on holiday in Spain with the girls, really happy watching them play and chatting together about their future, a future we no longer could share together." Unwilling to accept the prognosis, Lisa insisted upon chemotherapy to give her as much time as possible with her precious children. Peter added: "Lisa was such a wonderful mum and the girls were so young that she wanted to be around for as long as possible. "The chemotherapy was tough on her but she did it to keep the cancer at bay so she could make memories with the girls. "We were able to go for a holiday to Center Parcs, which was tough going, but we were also able to enjoy it and it was so important to Lisa that we could go." However, by the summer of 2015, a decision was made to halt the chemotherapy as the treatment was so severe and it wasn't having the desired effect on the tumour. She was dealt a further blow when she had to be admitted to hospital for treatment for the side effects of radiotherapy she was undergoing. Desperate to return home and be with her girls, Lisa (39) was only convinced to remain in hospital because Peter was allowed to stay with her. "I stayed with Lisa for two weeks, until she lost her battle on February 20, 2016," he said. "The girls were still young, Harriet was nine and Genevieve two and it was really important to Lisa that Genevieve should attend the same nursery school as Harriet. "Thankfully we were successful in arranging that and Lisa was able to leave hospital for an hour, as we took Genevieve to her first day. "It was very emotional, but being able to do that meant so much to Lisa and Genevieve." And even though Peter knew the end was near, he was still devastated when it came. "You just don't believe it will really happen," he said. "I was left with two little girls and no matter how much I tried, I could not be Lisa. "Yes, I was their daddy, but they needed their mummy. "Her passing has left a huge hole in our lives, but family have been a great source of strength. "Harriet is in second form at Glenlola Collegiate and Genevieve has now settled into school and is in primary two at Ballyholme Primary School. "I am very proud of how the girls have coped and I know Lisa would be too." CRUK relies on the public's support to continue its vital research. Belfast is recognised worldwide for ground-breaking cancer research and thanks to the generosity of its supporters, the charity was able to spend around 3m last year in Northern Ireland on some of the UK's leading scientific and clinical research - helping more men, women and children survive the disease. The charity is hosting two fundraising events in Belfast on May 26 - Race for Life at Stormont and Pretty Muddy at Ormeau Park. For further information on how to sign up to the events on May 26, log on to www.raceforlife.org Relatives of Lesley-Ann McCarragher comfort each other outside court yesterday A campaigner urging stiffer sentences for people convicted of serious driving offences said the justice system in Northern Ireland needs to "wake up to reality" after a killer motorist's term was reduced. Senior judges ruled that the original sentence imposed on hit-and-run driver Nathan Finn for causing the death of Lesley-Ann McCarragher in Armagh did not give credit for his lack of previous convictions and his genuine remorse. The family of the teenager was left "devastated" after his nine-year sentence was reduced by a year at the Court of Appeal. Relatives appeared shocked, with some in tears following the verdict. The ruling, which also took into account decisions reached in previous cases, means Finn (20) will now serve just four years in jail and the same period on licence. Co Tyrone man Peter Dolan's student son Enda was killed by a drunk driver on the Malone Road in Belfast in 2014. "This is shameful. I'm totally devastated for the McCarragher family on hearing the result," Mr Dolan (below) said. "Yet again we have a family who lost a loved one let down by the legal system. "I can't understand why this verdict has been delivered given the seriousness of the crime. "This individual had no licence, no insurance, drove off from the scene and yet denied all charges when first before the court. "Fourteen years is the maximum term they can hand down in cases like this, but that has never been used once in Northern Ireland. Perhaps it's time they did. "We have campaigned tirelessly to have sentences increased and now, five years later, we're no further forward." Mr Dolan said the legal system "needs to put down a serious deterrent". "It needs to wake up and look at how decisions like this affect real families who have already been through so much trauma," he said. "In this case, if anything, there would have been a case for challenging the original sentence as unduly lenient." With next week marking the third anniversary of Lesley-Ann's death, her family described how their pain is still raw. They said yesterday: "That pain has been exacerbated by the cruel decision today to allow her killer's sentence to be reduced." Claiming Finn has never shown any genuine remorse, the family branded his regret "self-serving". "Clearly little value has been placed on the life of our Lesley-Ann," they said. "There is an urgent need to review the sentencing framework to ensure that effective deterrent sentences are delivered. "The system is very clearly slanted towards the offender. "Victims - and those left behind to grieve in their absence - fall very low on the list." They added: "The parting comment of the appeal judge that no sentence will ever bring Lesley-Ann back or lessen our pain is entirely true. "But it is no excuse for justice to be so weighted in favour of offenders. "Our hearts have been broken again." Earlier Lord Justice Deeny acknowledged the offender's "appalling driving" had led to the 19-year-old student's death in April 2016. He said: "No sentence imposed by the courts on the applicant can bring her back or lessen her absence for her grieving family and friends. "It is the duty of the court to dispassionately consider the justice of the sentence for the offences committed in the light of all the circumstances and the previous decision of this court." Ms McCarragher was jogging along the Monaghan Road when Finn's Saab car struck her and then failed to stop. Despite being airlifted to hospital she died from her injuries. Finn, of Keady Road in Armagh, initially denied all charges against him, but later accepted causing death by dangerous driving and driving without a licence or insurance. A man who was behind the wheel of another car pleaded guilty to dangerous driving in connection with the same incident. The pair were racing when Finn, then aged 17, drove aggressively onto the hard shoulder in an undertake manoeuvre, striking Ms McCarragher and throwing her into the air, according to a witness. Following the fatal collision other motorists stopped to lend assistance, the court heard, with some of them approaching the window of Finn's vehicle and shouting at him. Panicking over having no licence, he drove off and headed to a nearby address where he hid the car in a shed. Later that day Finn denied owning the Saab or driving, telling police that he had sold the car on. It took almost two weeks before he admitted being behind the wheel and said he was sorry for what he had done. Appealing the original nine-year term handed down, defence lawyers accepted it had been a sustained and prolonged episode of bad driving in the category of the most serious culpability. However, they argued the sentence was manifestly excessive. Counsel for Finn contended that the mitigating factors of his previous good character and genuine remorse were not recognised. The prosecution countered that Finn had been deliberately racing another motorist and was determined "not to be beaten". A Crown lawyer told the court: "Young men must appreciate that driving at this atrocious, appalling level, that has to stop." Delivering judgment in the appeal, Lord Justice Deeny held that the sentence was "out of kilter" with prison terms imposed in other fatal driving cases. He also backed defence submissions on the failure to give credit for significant mitigating factors. Confirming the new sentence of eight years, the judge said: "Half is to be served in custody, the maximum allowed by legislation, and half on licence." Armenia creates new difficulties in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said at a press conference following the meeting of the Azerbaijan-EU Cooperation Council in Brussels. Commenting on the statement of the war for new territories voiced by the Armenian defense minister David Tonoyan, Mammadyarov said that this approach is misleading. "We just finished meeting Vienna and issued the statement 3+2 and within the next three hours Armenian defense minister issues a statement: 'I have the formula now: not peace for territories but war for new territories'. This has created a lot of confusion," he noted. "On one side we have some positive sentiments, on the other side the minister of defense starts creating new difficulties. That is one of the issues we should work on. I think that sooner they will realize that the annexation policy, separatism is not going to fly in international relations, the better," Mammadyarov stressed. The DUP's Gregory Campbell has accused Sinn Fein of "shamelessly exploiting" border communities after Mary Lou McDonald said the return of a hard border would be "akin to putting the Berlin Wall back up". The Sinn Fein leader made the comment following a phone call with Prime Minister Theresa May on Thursday discussing Brexit. "This afternoon we spoke to the British Prime Minister Theresa May and we reiterated our steadfast opposition to a return to a hard border in Ireland," she said. "Such a scenario would be akin to putting the Berlin Wall back up." Read More In response, DUP MP Gregory Campbell said the comparison was "scandalous and careless exploitation of genuine fears amongst good border communities". "The only people building walls at the border have been Sinn Fein amateur dramatics activists with fake checkpoints and trench coats," he added. "Jean-Claude Juncker, Michel Barnier, Angela Merkel and Leo Varadkar have all recognised that even in a no deal exit, there will be no one building a hard border. "The Sinn Fein leadership is shamelessly exploiting border communities for their own electoral advantage and making claims which bear no relation to the facts. Mary Lou McDonald should withdraw her claim that the border post Brexit will be akin to the Berlin Wall. "Whilst Sinn Fein speak much about border communities they do nothing at Westminster for those communities in return for the Parliamentary allowances they happily accept. Their real priorities lie exposed. A Sinn Fein spokesperson said: Sinn Fein will take no lectures from Gregory Campbell whos party are driving our economy over a cliff edge and threatening our peace agreements. They continue to ignore the views of businesses, farmers and a majority of people in the north who voted to remain within the EU. The DUP are happy to accept a border in the Irish Sea when it comes to rights enjoyed by citizens in Britain, as they continue their disgraceful denial of language rights, marriage rights, womens rights and the right to a coroners inquest. The only way to avoid a crash out Brexit and a hard border in Ireland is through the Withdrawal Agreement and the backstop contained within it. The subject of the Irish border has been a key sticking point in Brexit negotiations ever since the referendum in June 2016, with the controversial backstop later designed to prevent the return of a hard border. Agreed between the EU and the UK in December 2017, the backstop would see UK remain in the EU customs union and Northern Ireland aligned to large parts of the single market, if no formal deal can be reached on trade and security arrangements. Last weekend, protests were held at various crossing points along the border by Border Communities Against Brexit, an anti-Brexit campaign group. Flights to and from Belfast have been cancelled (Flybe/PA) More Flybe flights to and from Belfast City Airport have been cancelled. Six Belfast flights to and from London, Manchester and Edinburgh on Friday will not go ahead, the airline has confirmed. The cancellations come after hundreds of passenger's journeys were affected by flight disruption on Wednesday. Belfast City Airport flights to and from the East Midlands, Glasgow, Birmingham, Leeds Bradford and Aberdeen were cancelled, with Flybe blaming "operational reasons". Read More The airline said: "We are doing our best to mitigate the impact of the current situation that has arisen due to a combination of factors including seasonality, pilots end of leave year, Easter holidays, base restructuring and the shortage of pilots across the industry that Flybe has highlighted over recent months." In another statement on Wednesday evening, the airline said "contingency plans" had been put in place to ensure no further disruption on Thursday, however one flight from Belfast was cancelled. When contacted regarding Friday's cancellations, a Flybe spokesperson was unable to confirm if the latest disruption was also due to "operational reasons". Richard Williams of The Consumer Council advised passengers whose flights have been cancelled to contact Flybe. "They have to offer you a choice between a refund and an alternative flight, even with a different airline," he said. "These cancellations by Flybe have caused a huge inconvenience for passengers travelling to and from George Best Belfast City Airport. "Since Flybes cancellations on Wednesday, The Consumer Council has gained confirmation from the Civil Aviation Authority that passengers effected by Flybes cancellations are entitled to compensation under EU Regulation 261/2004." A victims' campaigner has written to the BBC to express concern about an IRA joke made by Frankie Boyle. On his BBC Two programme last week, the Scot said it might be a relief for Theresa May to resign after having spent a weekend at Chequers with leading Tory Brexiteers. "Where the f*** are the IRA when you need them?" he asked. The joke has already drawn criticism from Lord Tebbit, who was pulled out of the rubble after the 1984 Brighton bomb, which left his wife paralysed. The Tory peer called on the BBC to ban the comedian - a view shared yesterday by TUV leader Jim Allister. The North Antrim MLA said: "Calling something comedy is not a licence to get away with a deeply disturbing attempt to parody brutal murder. "In the context, the correlation with the Brighton bombing is inescapable. Lord Tebbit called it exactly right." However, Anne Graham, the sister of murdered academic Edgar Graham, said the remarks were "tasteless rather than outrageous". Mr Graham, a UUP politician, was shot dead by the IRA outside the library at Queen's University in 1983. Ms Graham said: "I'm aware of Frankie Boyle's remark, or attempt at a joke, but although I consider it to be deplorable and in very bad taste, I do not feel that it is necessary to give him the oxygen of publicity. "I do not choose to watch him, but I am no snowflake and do not feel he has to be barred. "Better people know that such despicable remarks are being made and can vote with the off switch. "The BBC should make a considered decision and let us know why they are choosing to allow something like that to be broadcast and whether they think victims should be subjected to it." Victims' campaigner Kenny Donaldson said the BBC had questions to answer over the comedian's joke. Mr Donaldson, of Innocent Victims United, wrote to the BBC after concerns were raised by survivors of terrorism. He said: "The BBC are very much in the firing line for permitting the remarks to be broadcast, given the hurt that has been caused. "Mr Boyle can only relay material if it gets the nod from the BBC, so they have to ask themselves if these are issues that they really want to be sanitising and making such a joke of. "This is another example of the diminution of the impacts of terrorism. The IRA is almost being framed as an old boys' network. "For those who have been impacted by terrorism, they will never see the IRA in any other way than that they brought death and destruction. The BBC cannot simply wash its hands of responsibility for the messaging communicated, which is having the impact of diminishing the evils and ongoing legacy of terrorism." The BBC has so far defended the programme, saying it "was shown after 10pm on BBC Two and its content is within audience expectations for a post-watershed, topical, satirical programme from a comedian whose style and tone are well-established". "Within the same programme, Frankie clearly acknowledges the brutality of the IRA's activities," the BBC added. German chancellor Angela Merkel has said she will do everything she can to prevent a no-deal Brexit. Speaking after Brexit talks with Irish premier Leo Varadkar in Dublin, the chancellor said the European Union member states will stand together until the very last hour. Ms Merkel made the comments at Farmleigh House in the capital on Thursday afternoon. Speaking alongside Mr Varadkar, she said: Every step of the way we will stand together, we will walk together. We do hope that the intensive discussions that are ongoing in London will lead to a situation by next Wednesday, when we have a special council meeting, where Prime Minister Theresa May will have something to table to us on the basis of which we can continue to talk. We want to stand together as 27. Until the very last hour I can say this from the German side we will do everything in order to prevent a no-deal Brexit; Britain crashing out of the European Union. But we have to do this together with Britain and with their position that they will present to us. We will simply have to be able to do this. We have to be successful and we hope for a solution that we can agree together with Britain. Expand Close Angela Merkel with Leo Varadkar (Maxwell Photography/PA) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Angela Merkel with Leo Varadkar (Maxwell Photography/PA) I heard that you have the same saying as what we say in Germany: Where theres a will theres a way. We are working on this and we have very good partners in the Commission, with Michel Barnier and Jean-Claude Juncker who are putting everything into finding a good ending, finding mutual solutions, so we will find this together. We still hope, obviously, for an orderly Brexit. Taoiseach Mr Varadkar said that any further extension to Article 50 must have a credible and realistic way forward. I thought it would be important for the Chancellor to hear directly from people from Northern Ireland and the border region, people for whom the border is a very real issue & with direct experience of conflict before the Good Friday Agreement. pic.twitter.com/kSVoIhAUYs Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) April 4, 2019 Matters continue to play out in London and I think we need to be patient and understanding of the predicament that they are in, he added. Mr Varadkar restated that the EU was prepared to amend the Political Declaration if the UKs red lines shifted. Both Ireland and Germany want to have a future relationship with the UK which is close and comprehensive and as deep as possible, and we would like to see the Withdrawal Agreement ratified so that we can begin the negotiations on a new economic and security partnership without further delay, he said. But he added: There is very little time left and we have to prepare ourselves for all outcomes. Expand Close Chancellor Angela Merkel (Brian Lawless/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Chancellor Angela Merkel (Brian Lawless/PA) Earlier the two leaders took part in a round-table discussion with 15 people from Northern Ireland and the border area about the impact a no-deal scenario could have on their lives. They heard from some victims of violence, as well as farmers and business people. It comes as efforts intensify to find a way through the Brexit impasse. Its a real privilege to welcome Chancellor Angela Merkel to Ireland today. Were meeting people from Ireland North and South to hear why we must avoid the return of any hard border and secure an orderly #Brexit pic.twitter.com/22HrwvUpIP Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) April 4, 2019 The UK Government and the Labour Partys negotiating teams are locked in intensive talks in the hope of agreeing a position which could win a majority in the House of Commons in the coming days to allow Theresa May to request a short delay to Article 50. Mr Varadkar held talks with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Tuesday. Expand Close Earlier this week, Mr Varadkar met French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris (Christophe Ena/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Earlier this week, Mr Varadkar met French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris (Christophe Ena/AP) Discussing his meeting with Mr Macron, Mr Varadkar said he was really heartened by the enormous support that France continued to demonstrate towards Ireland, and by Mr Macrons statement that Ireland would never be abandoned by France or by the EU. Whatever issues arise, if there is no deal, they are very much seen as shared problems, ones that Ireland will try to resolve with our partners in France and the European Commission, he added. Its not a questions of a big stick or us being put under undue pressure, but there are reasonable questions being asked as to how we will protect the integrity of the single market and the single union. An emergency health care summit has been called to tackle the pressures facing Northern Ireland's emergency care system and find a new model of care. A public consultation on a proposed new regional model of care for the province as a whole will be launched later this year. The summit and public consultation are key stages in the review of urgent and emergency care announced by the Department of Health in November 2018. As well as A&E care it will consider out of hours provision and facilities in other parts of the UK and Ireland. The review is being led by John Maxwell, emergency department consultant at the Royal Victoria and Mater Hospitals with the summit planned for June. The Bengoa Report in 21016 on health care transformation identified urgent and emergency care as one of the specialties in most need of reform. Permanent Secretary Richard Pengelly said: It is very clear we need a new model of care. In particular, we need to determine the best way to meet the needs of the rising number of older people in our population. With demand for care continuing to rise, our hospital emergency departments remain under intense pressure. Unless we make changes, we will increasingly be unable to cope with the changing levels of need in our community. The summit will bring together clinicians, patient voices and representatives from organisations across the Health and Social Care (HSC) system. Dr Maxwell said: Our emergency departments continue to face serious pressures, as my colleagues across the system can testify. The level of pressure usually experienced at winter is now lasting throughout the year, and is showing no signs of letting up. Experience elsewhere would indicate that the answer is not to simply build bigger units, add more beds and keep trying to recruit more staff. Many people who currently attend emergency departments do not have life-threatening emergency care needs, and could be dealt with more effectively in different settings, but there is currently nowhere else for them to turn. We need fundamental reform including developing alternative routes to treatment, care and admission for our older citizens. This is not about simply looking at the future of individual hospital sites, but at how the system works as a whole. That includes assessing how well defined the roles of emergency departments currently are and examining the potential for more urgent treatment centres, similar to the facility at Omagh Hospital. The review was launched following a Population Health Needs Assessment. It highlighted that demographic change is a major factor behind growing demand for urgent and emergency care, with pressures due to intensify significantly in coming years. For example, during the 10 years between 2016 and 2026, the N Ireland population is projected to grow by a further 77,600. Of this increase, the rise in the population aged 65 and over is projected to be 74,500. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has arrived in Dublin for Brexit talks with Irish premier Leo Varadkar. Ms Merkel was greeted by Mr Varadkar at Farmleigh House in the capital on Thursday afternoon. Her visit is viewed as a sign of her solidarity with Ireland as the Brexit saga rumbles on. Their discussions are set to focus on the latest developments ahead of the special European Council meeting next week. Its a real privilege to welcome Chancellor Angela Merkel to Ireland today. Were meeting people from Ireland North and South to hear why we must avoid the return of any hard border and secure an orderly #Brexit pic.twitter.com/22HrwvUpIP Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) April 4, 2019 Prior to their sit-down, the two leaders will take part in a round-table discussion with 15 people from Northern Ireland and the border area about the impact a no-deal scenario could have on their lives. They will hear from some victims of violence, as well as farmers and business people. It comes as efforts intensify to find a way through the Brexit impasse. The UK Government and the Labour Partys negotiating teams are locked in intensive talks in the hope of agreeing a position which could win a majority in the House of Commons in the coming days to allow Theresa May to request a short delay to Article 50. Mr Varadkar held talks with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Tuesday. Ahead of Ms Merkels visit, an Irish Government spokesman said the German Chancellor had been a strong and unwavering ally of Ireland as the country responds to the challenges posed by Brexit. He said: Ahead of their formal meeting, the Taoiseach and Chancellor will participate in a round-table discussion with people from Northern Ireland and the border area, who will share their personal experience and perspectives on the impact any return to a hard border would have on border communities and businesses. These are people for whom the border is a very real issue people from communities along the border, from business, and with direct personal experience of conflict before the Good Friday Agreement. It is important to hear their voices as we work together to deal with the challenges that Brexit presents. Expand Close Earlier this week, Mr Varadkar met French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris (Christophe Ena/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Earlier this week, Mr Varadkar met French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris (Christophe Ena/AP) The spokesman said the meeting is also an opportunity for the two leaders to consider other issues on the EUs agenda, and reflect on how Ireland and Germany can strengthen their already excellent relations. Speaking in the Irish Parliament on Wednesday, the Taoiseach said he hoped Mr Corbyn would show leadership and come up with a compromise plan with Mrs May. Mr Varadkar also said the growing frustration among a number of EU countries over the Brexit process is worrying for Ireland. Discussing his meeting with Mr Macron, Mr Varadkar said he was really heartened by the enormous support that France continued to demonstrate towards Ireland, and by Mr Macrons statement that Ireland would never be abandoned by France or by the EU. Whatever issues arise, if there is no deal, they are very much seen as shared problems, ones that Ireland will try to resolve with our partners in France and the European Commission, he added. Its not a questions of a big stick or us being put under undue pressure, but there are reasonable questions being asked as to how we will protect the integrity of the single market and the single union. A man accused of sexually explicit online chats with paedophile hunters posing as children could face a threat to his life if he returns to his hometown, the High Court has heard. Some people in Coleraine, Co Londonderry may not tolerate Harold Burke being allowed back to live there, it was claimed. The 59-year-old was granted bail back in January but remains in custody because he cannot secure a required address outside the town. Opposing a legal bid to vary those terms so he can stay at his Quilly Road home, a Crown lawyer said: "Police believe there would be a threat to his own life." Burke faces charges of attempted sexual communication with a child and inciting a person believed to be under 16 to engage in sexual activity. He is further accused of possessing 370 rounds of ammunition in suspicious circumstances. Burke was arrested after police were contacted in July last year by a group called Decoy Central. Information was supplied about his alleged online conversations with two people portraying themselves as schoolgirls, the court heard. According to the prosecution, however, they were really adult volunteers acting as decoys. It was claimed they clearly portrayed themselves as being aged 13 during exchanges, making references to their parents, school libraries and other activities associated with children. The conversations were said to have been explicit and included various graphic requests Burke made to one who used the name "Angel". Burke exchanged more than 100 messages and offered to meet one of the decoys, it was claimed. When police arrested the accused and carried out searches at his home ammunition was allegedly discovered in a utility room safe. Defence lawyers have stressed he must still be presumed innocent. In January Burke secured bail on condition that he finds an approved address outside Coleraine. The court heard, however, that he cannot find any other accommodation and wants permission to live at the home inherited from his parents. Judge Stephen Fowler QC was told police are opposed to him returning to the area. "The local community hold strong beliefs in relation to persons such as this applicant, and police are concerned they will not tolerate this applicant at any address in Coleraine." Aaron Thompson, defending, insisted Burke has never been served with any PM1 threat message. "He's never been attacked at that address, he's never been assaulted at that address," counsel added. "This was all nine months ago, the dust has surely settled." Following submissions Judge Fowler adjourned the application to next week. Gary Graffin was refused bail amid concerns he could re-offend if released A man accused of knocking out two of his ex-girlfriend's teeth claimed she was attacked by someone else over an alleged affair, the High Court has heard. Prosecutors contended that Gary Graffin also banged the woman's head off a wall at a house in Larne, Co Antrim last month. A judge was told that when the 28-year-old was arrested and cautioned he replied: "All this because she gets a couple of slaps to the mouth." Bail was refused amid concerns he could re-offend if released. Graffin, of Portland Street in Larne, faces charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and assault on police over the incident on March 21. The court heard the woman made a 999 call claiming he had knocked two of her teeth out and banged her head off a wall. Police went to the scene and discovered her with a swollen jaw and bruising. "Two teeth were knocked out of her front dental plate," A Crown lawyer said. Counsel said Graffin told police during interview that he lived alone and was not currently in a relationship with the woman. "He stated that she had been having an affair with her best friend's boyfriend, and she had been assaulted by her best friend," the prosecutor added. At one point handcuffs and leg restraints had to be applied due to his alleged aggression. A defence barrister described the relationship between Graffin and the woman as "toxic". He contended that the alleged victim already had visible injuries when she arrived at his client's home. The alleged remarks about "a couple of slaps" related to that altercation with another person, the barrister added. But ruling that Graffin must remain in custody, Judge Stephen Fowler QC said: "I'm not satisfied he's appropriate for bail." German chancellor Angela Merkel said she was moved by the stories of people living in Irish border communities who were affected by the Troubles. Ms Merkel met with a panel of 15 people from Protestant and Catholic communities, both unionists and nationalists, from both sides of the border. Speaking in Dublin, she said: Today was a very important experience for me. I come from a country that for many, many years was divided by a wall. I lived behind the Iron Curtain so I know only too well what it means once borders vanish. I thought it would be important for the Chancellor to hear directly from people from Northern Ireland and the border region, people for whom the border is a very real issue & with direct experience of conflict before the Good Friday Agreement. pic.twitter.com/kSVoIhAUYs Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) April 4, 2019 She added that everything needs to be done to ensure a peaceful co-operation continues. After all, a heavy death toll has been taken here throughout the Troubles, she said. What I have heard here will encourage me to explore ways and means to ensure this peaceful co-existence continues, she added. Representatives from the Irish border communities who met with the chancellor say they were impressed by her knowledge of the issue. Ms Merkel travelled to Dublin on Thursday to meet with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in Dublins Farmleigh House to discuss Brexit, and show solidarity with Ireland amid the Brexit negotiations. An Taoiseach and Chancellor Merkel participating in a tete-a-tete at their meeting in Farmleigh House this afternoon. pic.twitter.com/nCMjViwApQ MerrionStreet.ie (@merrionstreet) April 4, 2019 The border issue has remained a point of contention during the Brexit impasse, as an open border on the island of Ireland is a key component of the Good Friday Agreement. Peter Sheridan, chief executive of Co-operation Ireland and a former assistant chief constable with the PSNI, who mediated the meeting, says Ms Merkel reflected on her own life growing up in East Germany. She absolutely understood the personal messages that people gave her, Mr Sheridan said. I think anyone who was there couldnt help but be impressed by her. She understood the passion of people, and the very personal stories people shared with her this afternoon. Expand Close Peter Sheridan (centre) speaking to the media following a meeting with the chancellor (Brian Lawless/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Peter Sheridan (centre) speaking to the media following a meeting with the chancellor (Brian Lawless/PA) She reflected her own understanding and her own background and what it was like to be behind a wall. You also couldnt help but be impressed about the range of people around that table today who were there speaking about their own personal experiences. I have no doubt that the chancellor went away well informed about the impact and the people part of this, not just the technical part of it were trying to put people in the middle of all this. Patricia Mac Bride, a magistrate in Londonderry, and a former Commissioner for Victims and Survivors of the Northern Ireland conflict said everyone who met with Ms Merkel was confident she took their words on board. Expand Close Patricia Mac Bride speaking to the media (Brian Lawless/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Patricia Mac Bride speaking to the media (Brian Lawless/PA) It was clear from the meeting today that the Chancellor has a very thorough understanding of the issues Irish citizens face living in the north, the issue around denial of rights, issues around citizenship for people living in Northern Ireland and the border counties. She understands the challenges a hard border would bring to this island, and I am certain she will take those messages into the meeting next week with the EU27 and what she heard today will be strongly reflected. The group also included peace workers from Derry and Belfast who lost close family members in bomb attacks, a Unionist farmer and haulier from Inishowen in Donegal, a businessman from Co Monaghan and a GP from Donegal who now lives in Derry. The burglary took place at a property on Mullaghfad Road near Fivemiletown A 91-year-old woman has vowed to stay put in her isolated Co Tyrone home despite being burgled for a second time. Gertie Primrose from Mullaghfad Road in Cooneen, three miles outside Fivemiletown, was targeted last Friday when a man ransacked her home and stole cash from her bedroom. Ms Primrose was standing in her kitchen at around 12.30pm when she heard a noise. When she turned around she saw the thief running past her and out of the house. While the pensioner was unhurt, she was left shaken. "I was out feeding the chickens in the back yard and I think that's when he got into the house and started ransacking the place," she said. "I never heard a thing until I was working away at the kitchen sink. "I thought I heard something behind me. When I looked around I saw the man running out of the house. "He had been through the place by that stage and left an awful mess behind. "He only went into my bedroom, so it must have been someone who knew the house or had been watching me. "It all happened so quickly - he was in and out of the house in seconds." Ms Primrose's home was previously targeted 19 years ago when two thugs broke in late at night and held her down before making off with a small amount of money. Despite the latest attack, the defiant pensioner is determined to remain living at her home of over 70 years, 48 of which she has spent on her own. She admitted she was upset but stressed she was by no means afraid following the incident. "This is my home and I don't intend on letting any scoundrels put me out of it," she said. "This kind of thing shouldn't be happening in this day and age, but I don't plan on being a prisoner in my own home. You have to get on with life." Ulster Unionist councillor Victor Warrington said locals had been been shocked. "People are disgusted by what has happened to this lady, who is very well-known in the local community," he said. "This 91-year-old is trying to live independently and I have no doubt that she will battle on." Police appealed for anyone with information on the burglary to come forward. Detective Sergeant Keith Monaghan asked anyone who noticed any suspicious activity or vehicles in the area to contact detectives in Omagh. "We would also like to speak to the driver of a small grey car that was seen in the area because they may have information that could assist them with our enquiries," he added. Police can be contacted on the non-emergency number 101, quoting reference 634 of March 29. Today, Russia and Azerbaijan are strategic partners, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said in an interview with the Azerbaijani ONA portal, posted on the Russian Foreign Ministry's website. She recalled that April traditionally marks the anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Russia and Azerbaijan, since the Protocol on the establishment of diplomatic relations was signed on April 4, 1992. "Over the past 27 years - a short period by historical standards - our countries have managed to do a lot to strengthen the foundation of cooperation and fill bilateral relations with mutually beneficial practical content. Today, Russia and Azerbaijan are strategic partners, holding an active dialogue in political, trade and economic and other spheres. The relations between Moscow and Baku are based on the principles of sovereign equality, non-interference in internal affairs, genuine respect for the interests of each other, preserving and enhancing the traditions of friendship and good neighborliness," the diplomat stressed. According to her, an open, confidential dialogue between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, who met six times last year, give a powerful impetus to strengthening the interaction of the countries. Maria Zakharova clarified that Russia is one of Azerbaijan's key trade partners. "The development of bilateral trade and economic relations is dynamic. The trade turnover in January-November 2018 amounted to $2.2 billion, which is 14% more than in the corresponding period of 2017. A good rate of practical implementation of the five road maps approved following the official negotiations between the leaders of the two states in Sochi on September 1, 2018. Currently, more than 700 joint ventures operate in Azerbaijan, we expect their number will increase. In February 2018, the construction of the production of GAZ Group machinery factory was launched in the republic. The Russian Export Center and Gazprom recently opened their offices in Baku," she said. The official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry noted that Russia and Azerbaijan have established close cooperation in the cultural, humanitarian and educational fields. "About 11,000 Azerbaijani students study in Russia, of which about 1,000 are financed through budget allocations. Every year, over 200 scholarships are granted to citizens of Azerbaijan. A branch of the Moscow State University has been successfully operating in Baku for 10 years, since 2015 - a branch of Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University. The issue of opening branches of MGIMO and Moscow State University of Humanities and Economics is being worked out. Days of Russian culture will be held in Azerbaijan this year," Maria Zakharova specified. "Our cooperation with Baku is successful not only in bilateral terms, but also in international and regional affairs. A good example is the signing of the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea in August 2018. The document adopted by the heads of the Caspian Five opens up broad prospects for cooperation between coastal countries in various fields. I have no doubt that Russia and Azerbaijan will be able to effectively take advantage of these new opportunities," the diplomat said. "In the context of the tasks set by the presidents of Russia and Azerbaijan, Vladimir Putin and Ilham Aliyev, we intend to continue to actively develop strategic cooperation between our countries," the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry said. Responding to a question about Russia's foreign policy concept, which is the main document regulating the country's foreign policy, Maria Zakharova clarified that it clearly defines the Foreign Ministry's goals, objectives and priorities, including in relation to the South Caucasus. This region is "a sphere of Russias major interests. First of all because of its geographic proximity. The importance of the South Caucasus in a broader geopolitical context is obvious. An unceremonious bid by well-known non-regional forces to redraw the CIS map to their own design can be perfectly seen in the region. We consider the activity of the U.S. and NATO towards the military absorption of Transcaucasia as a most serious military and political challenge for Russia. And of course, we cant help but mention the unsettled conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, where two of our closest friends and partners are engaged in unfortunately - Azerbaijan and Armenia," she said. "Maintaining stability in the South Caucasus, ensuring the development of the region with a friendly attitude of its countries towards Russia will remain one of the main goals of Russias foreign policy," Maria Zakharova stressed. Commenting on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry explained that Moscow is aware of how painful this topic is for Azerbaijan. "We are vitally interested in peace and stability to come to our neighboring region. Therefore, Russia has always played the most active role in resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," she recalled. Answering the question about the change of political leadership in Yerevan, the diplomat pointed out that this is Armenia's internal affair. "The parties demonstrate their intention to continue work aimed at achieving a peaceful settlement. This was evidenced in a statement made following the recent meeting of the Azerbaijani President and Armenian Prime Minister in Vienna. We welcome the constructive approach that prevailed in the negotiations. We will provide the parties with the necessary assistance in order to realize the ideas on which understanding was achieved in the Austrian capital. However, as the presidents of the co-chair countries have repeatedly stressed, the responsibility for putting an end to the conflict lies with the parties involved in it. They have a basis. The main thing is to show political will," Maria Zakharova concluded. Snow and ice could cause problems The road has been closed. Follow the latest updates from our travel feed below The Dobbin Road in Armagh has been reopend folowing an earlier crash. Diversions are in place and traffic is being diverted onto the Vicarage Road, delays are expected. Our live updates from across Northern Ireland are compiled by @TrafficwatchNI, @BBCNITravel and @PSNITraffic. The cancellation of a policing event at a Londonderry youth club due to republican protests is a disgrace, the Chief Constable has said. Officers were due to have difficult conversations with young people critical of their use of stop and search powers, George Hamilton added. Read More Long Tower Youth and Community Centre called the meeting off after republicans vowed to stage a demonstration. The PSNI chief said: I think it is disgraceful that this group was able to exercise enough influence and pressure to have the event pulled. This was not some sort of cosy tea and biscuits event. This was hard-edged young people who had their concerns about policing, coming to challenge their local police about how they conducted themselvesGeorge Hamilton The conference was due to be held at the citys Guildhall on Wednesday. Fringe grouping Saoradh promised to demonstrate because of planned PSNI involvement. Mr Hamilton said: This was not some sort of cosy tea and biscuits event. This was hard-edged young people who had their concerns about policing, coming to challenge their local police about how they conducted themselves. He said the community had stood together and condemned the planting of a bomb which exploded in a car outside Bishop Street courthouse in Derry in January. Our schools and youth clubs should not be held to ransom by dissident republican groups who have nothing to offer other than sowing hatred and division. Its about time they got off the backs of our communities. https://t.co/h63tNmNGTm Gary Middleton MLA (@Gary_Middleton) April 3, 2019 Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said: I think it is a mark of desperation by this group to prevent this. He said it was an attempt to intimidate young people out of engaging with police who were there to protect them. They have no interest in the community safety of our young people. Youth work is about providing the platform for young people to engage directly with those who they have issues with.... Posted by Long Tower YC on Tuesday, April 2, 2019 He told a Policing Board meeting in Belfast there were no no go areas for police in Northern Ireland. The youth centre said it had no option but to cancel the event after Saoradh refused to engage in dialogue. Saoradh representative Paddy Gallagher said youth clubs should be a neutral environment for children, not a political mechanism to adopt a broader acceptance of so-called policing. An angry parent has told of his frustration after queuing for an hour-and-a-half for a parking space at a local hospital. Several people contacted the Belfast Telegraph yesterday to complain of long waits to access the designated car park at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children. One man, who waited 90 minutes in the queue, said that to ensure his daughter did not miss her appointment, he had to place her into a wheelchair while waiting in the filter lane. "I had to get my child physically out in the road. Any car could have been coming the other way. It's dangerous," he said. "My other half then took her into the hospital. "My daughter's eight years old, she's had major surgery and the top of her legs have been rebuilt. She was there to see a consultant." The man. who did not wish to be named, said that when he eventually got into the car park he had to wait a further 15 minutes for a disabled space to become available. "As a parent of a disabled child I just feel we've been treated like second-class citizens," he said. He added that there was a vehicle parked in a disabled space without a blue badge. When he raised this with a staff member, he was told "there was nothing" that could be done to stop it. "It's an absolute joke," he added. When we visited the hospital at 11am yesterday there were around 12 cars in the queue, with vehicles only gaining access once another had exited. Another parent, mum-of-three Nichola Donnelly from Coalisland, said she was visiting the hospital two weeks after long queues meant that she missed an appointment for her five-year-old daughter. She explained: "Her appointment then was at noon, and 15 minutes before it I was still queuing, so I phoned the hospital and they told me that there was no point, as the appointment couldn't be moved. Today's the rescheduled appointment. At 10am I was on the motorway and got here at 10.30. It's now 11.30 and we're still queuing." The 30-year-old, a regular visitor to the hospital, said the problem had gotten worse over time. "It's awful. I'm here all the time and normally it's a 50-minute wait, now its way past an hour," she added. Another mother, who did not wish to be named, said she had brought her young son to the hospital on the advice of her GP, and had been waiting for almost an hour. She explained: "My son's had chickenpox since last Thursday and has a temperature that's not going away. "My GP told me to come here and we've been waiting 45 minutes. He's sick as a dog... this is a disgrace." The Belfast Trust yesterday apologised to Children's Hospital visitors who have experienced delays. The trust admitted there has been an "ongoing" issue at peak times. Advising visitors to "allow plenty of time for their appointments", it said it had staff redirecting vehicles stuck in queues to other car parks within the site, including its main visitors' car park. The trust added additional disabled parking bays can be found adjacent to the Children's Hospital. It said: "Unfortunately, congestion on the Royal Hospital site at peak times is an ongoing issue. "In the longer term the trust will improve car parking provision as part of the development of the new maternity and children's hospitals." Police in Londonderry had been invited to the conference (PA) Sinn Fein has condemned a republican party's threat to protest against a youth club event involving the PSNI . The Long Tower Youth and Community Centre, in Londonderry, was due to hold a conference in the Guildhall on Wednesday. But political party Saoradh said it would stage a demonstration because of the planned involvement of the PSNI. The youth centre said they had no option but to cancel the event after they said Saoradh refused to engage in dialogue. Long Tower said the conference was focused on providing young people with direct dialogue so that their voices can be heard and their views expressed on stop-and-search, house raids and policing in the community. The management of Long Tower have tried to engage in dialogue with the particular organisation who have a issue with this event, as they have vowed to stage a protest. This request for engagement has been refused.Long Tower Youth Club Foyle Sinn Fein MLA Karen Mullan described the cancellation as "a disgrace". The fact that Saoradh refused to even engage with the youth club is typical of their failure to rationalise or defend their own actions," she said. They should withdraw the threat to protest and allow the youth club to get on with the positive work they are doing within this community every day of the week. DUP MLA Gary Middleton called for nationalist leadership following the cancellation of the conference. The cancellation of this event is the latest example of a very worrying trend within Londonderry. Police recruitment events have been cancelled in the city and I am aware of schools coming under pressure not to allow the PSNI to visit to speak to pupils, said Mr Middleton, who is also a member of the Policing Board. We are continually told about micro-groups who have no support, yet we now see an event scheduled for the main civic building of our city cancelled due to threats of protest. Those who claim to speak on behalf of the overwhelming majority of nationalists and republicans in Londonderry need to step forward and demonstrate the leadership they are so ready to demand from others. The Chief Constable has previously talked about the need for nationalism to take 'another step in terms of policing'. The cancellation of this event demonstrates the need for leadership is greater than ever. In a post on Facebook, Lower Tower Youth Club wrote: This was never about going into a room and the police talking down to young people. It was about having the hard conversations and meaningful dialogue so that our members can take the journey of developing a community where they can develop a deeper understanding of each other and the roles they play within the community. The management of Long Tower have tried to engage in dialogue with the particular organisation who have a issue with this event, as they have vowed to stage a protest. This request for engagement has been refused. Therefore we have no option but to cancel this event. Saoradh representative Paddy Gallagher said: It is of our opinion that youth clubs should be a neutral environment for children to flourish, develop and associate with their peers, not to be used as a political mechanism to adopt a broader acceptance of so called policing and normalisation within the Six Counties. The party urged Long Tower Youth Club to rethink its position and the effect it would have on young people involved with the club. Stephen Nolan took to task a dissident republican spokesman who complained he was not being asked questions he wanted to talk about on his radio show with the broadcaster telling him "I'll decide what we talk about". It comes after a conference in Derry's Guildhall was cancelled after dissident republican group Saoradh said it would protest over the PSNI's involvement. Read More Organisers The Long Tower Youth and Community Centre said the conference was focused on providing young people with direct dialogue so that their voices can be heard and their views expressed on stop-and-search, house raids and policing in the community. It said it had no option to cancel as Saoradh had refused to engage in dialogue. The matter was discussed on the BBC Stephen Nolan Radio Ulster show. Saoradh spokesman Paddy Gallagher called in to say they had decided to protest against the event after concerns were raised by children and their parents about the PSNI's attendance and in response to police activity in the city. He said he was not aware of the activities of the new IRA which has claimed responsibility for the recent Derry courthouse car bombing back in January. And only was aware of the bomb through reports in the media. "We are a standalone body, we are an autonomous political party and do not come under the control or influence of any other person or organisation." When asked about a group of teenagers who walked past the vehicle just minutes before it exploded, he replied: "What about them?" You have right to hear some of the reality of Northern Ireland. Stephen Nolan He said he didn't support violence "but I know why violence happens... you have to look at things in context ". "The politics of condemnation didn't work in the past and they won't work now... a simple word has little or no effect on what's happened," he continued. "If you want to go down the route of condemning violence, you have to condemn all violence. You can't condemn an act of resistance but be happy with British state violence." He said he "understood" why violence occurred and why it would continue to occur. He said his group had lots of "positives" to offer youth people "from our revolutionary hub in Derry" and around the country. He said it would be "regrettable" if children were killed in an explosion as a result of a terrorist act. "Any death is terrible," he said. When asked further about the car bombing and what he thought of how lucky those young people were that walked past it moments before the explosion, he said he did not call into the show to talk about it. Mr Nolan responded: "Well you know what when you come on the media, just to send you a wee message my friend. Do you see when you come on to the Nolan show, what you decide to come on about, I'll decide what we talk about." Following the interview listeners complained about the broadcaster giving Mr Gallagher the air time. "We take the view," responded Stephen Nolan, "We should do a robust strong challenging interview and you have right to hear some of the reality - minority though it is - of Northern Ireland and what is happening here." Sinn Fein TD Pearse Doherty described the scene in the hospital as utter chaos (Liam McBurney/PA) Chaos at a hospital in Limerick was akin to scenes after a major natural disaster, the Dail has been told after a new record was set for hospital overcrowding. A total of 92 patients were left on trolleys waiting for a bed at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) on Wednesday, according to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisations (INMO) Trolley Watch. Fifty-two people were waiting in the emergency department, with 29 in wards elsewhere in the hospital. Sinn Feins Pearse Doherty said there were currently 76 patients left on trolleys in the hospital on Thursday. Speaking during leaders questions, Mr Doherty said the figures were absolutely scandalous, describing the scene in the hospital as utter chaos. It would be something akin to scenes in hospital after a major natural disaster, he said. The reality is that while you try to talk about doing so much better, there are 531 patients on trolleys todayPearse Doherty, Sinn Fein UHL is at the centre of a row with the union after a 17-bed ward closed last week, which the INMO says is contributing to the problem. Ward 1A was used primarily for patients who require short periods of admission. The hospital said the closure would facilitate the completion of works on a new fracture unit. We were sent pictures from people in the hospital as 92 patients were lying in trolleys in wards and corridors, Mr Doherty added. There was a picture of ward 1A with padlocks and a chain around the gate. There are 17 beds behind those doors that could accommodate those patients. The reality is that while you try to talk about doing so much better, there are 531 patients on trolleys today. Simon Coveney told the Dail that the closure of the medical ward has been offset by the opening of 22 beds in the hospital. The Tanaiste said: In relation to ward 1A, the HSE has informed me that the closure of the 17-bed medical short stay ward will facilitate the completion of work on a new fracture unit there. We can't simply abandon plans to invest in capacity and efficiency in an effort to try and deal with the immediacy of what is a very pressurised situation in a hospitalTanaiste Simon Coveney The closure is in accordance with plans to redesignate the space occupied at the old emergency department. We cant simply abandon plans to invest in capacity and efficiency in an effort to try and deal with the immediacy of what is a very pressurised situation in a hospital. The hospital advises that the closure of these 17 beds has been offset by the opening of 22 beds elsewhere in the hospital in recent weeks. However, it is widely agreed that a key part of the solution in Limerick is additional beds. Mr Doherty added that some hospitals in Ireland are being deemed unsafe. Your own hospital in Cork had to invoke status black, which means it is unsafe to admit a patient into the hospital regardless of the circumstances, he continued. There is complete and utter chaos in terms of the health service. It isnt just about the discomfort of not having a hospital bed, it is about the treatment and health outcomes as those in the front line are telling us that people are dying as a result of this crisis and your Government is failing to address it. The Justice Minister has launched a new recruitment drive for the Garda (Niall Carson/PA) The Justice Minister has launched a new recruitment campaign for the Garda. Charlie Flanagan said the drive was part of the governments plans to increase numbers in the force and he encouraged members of minority communities in particular to consider applying. Changes to this years recruitment process have been made in a bid to encourage more diversity within the force. Alterations to the Garda uniform will be facilitated on request to accommodate religious and ethnic diversity. We have been attracting high calibre people to the organisation, but it is vital in a time of near full employment that this continues.Drew Harris It means members of the Sikh community will be able to wear a turban with their uniform and members of the Muslim community will be able to wear a hijab. Mr Flanagan said the mission of the Garda was to protect and serve and he urged all those interested in supporting that mission to consider applying. A career as a Garda is hugely rewarding, Mr Flanagan said. Its one of public service where, every day, members make a vital contribution to the safety and well-being of their communities all across the country. At present there are more than 14,100 members in the force. The Government has committed to grow the numbers to 15,000 by 2021. Garda Commissioner Drew Harris welcomed the new competition. We have been attracting high calibre people to the organisation, but it is vital in a time of near full employment that this continues, he said. We also know that we need to become a much more diverse organisation so that we properly reflect the society we serve. That is why our campaign is focusing on people who might not have previously considered a career as a Garda member. They have the skills we need for a policing role, but they might not have thought they could transfer those to being a Garda. Mr Flanagan said it was important for the Garda to reflect the increasing diversity of Irish life. Mr Harris said: We hope that this will encourage people from minority communities to join An Garda Siochana. We want to demonstrate to them that An Garda Siochana is an inclusive employer that is serious about becoming more diverse. Successful candidates are required to undergo a two-year training programme leading to a Bachelor of Arts in Applied Policing. The programme includes a 34-week block of tuition at the Garda College in Templemore, Co Tipperary, as well as a 34-week block of on-the-job learning. Garda trainees receive an allowance of 184 euro per week as well as accommodation and food at the college. The pay scale for gardai starts at 30,296 euro per annum rising to 48,754 euro per annum after eight years. All applications must be made through publicjobs.ie. The closing date for applications is Wednesday April 24. Former INLA member Dessie O'Hare, who was known as 'The Border Fox', told gardai he was employed by a businessman to evict an employee and his family from his home, Dublin's Special Criminal Court has heard. The three-judge court was also told during O'Hare's sentence hearing yesterday that the employee pleaded with him to be given a few days to leave his property voluntarily but the defendant refused, saying: "Get out right now." O'Hare (62), of Slate Rock Road, Newtownhamilton, Co Armagh, admitted last January to assaulting John Roche, causing him harm at The Towers in Saggart, Co Dublin, on June 9, 2015. He also pleaded guilty to falsely imprisoning Martin Byrne at Rathcoole and Saggart on the same date. The non-jury court was asked to take two counts of falsely imprisoning Mr Byrne's wife and son into consideration. At yesterday's hearing detective superintendent Colm O'Malley said Martin Byrne was employed by James Mansfield Snr for almost 20 years and had provided security for him and his extended family. James Mansfield Jnr took over the running of his father's business and the portfolio of properties included a block of apartments called The Towers. Mr Mansfield Jnr was having difficulty reacquiring control of the apartments at The Towers, which was not under the control of Nama. Mr Mansfield Jnr could not convince Mr Byrne to let him acquire his interest in the tower block in May 2015, and their relationship deteriorated. Mr Byrne and his family lived in two units at The Towers during this time. They met at a business park on June 9, where O'Hare and another man, Declan Duffy, were waiting in a room. Mr Mansfield Jnr left the room and five other men came in and Mr Byrne was "blocked off" from leaving. Mr Byrne was told in "no uncertain terms" that he and his family had to vacate The Towers before he was brought to the courtyard of the building and placed into a car by the men. Mr Byrne pleaded with O'Hare to give him a couple of days to leave his home but the defendant refused and said: "Get out now", before he was placed in a car. Three cars drove in convoy back to The Towers and Mr Byrne was assaulted by the men in the car until they arrived at the gates of The Towers. O'Hare was in a different car at the time. Following this, John Roche came to the gate and was asked to open it but he refused to do so and ran into the complex. Some of the other men went to look for Mr Roche and found him in a nearby house. Five men including O'Hare dragged Mr Roche from his house and kicked and punched him on the ground. CCTV footage of the assault was shown to court. Men can be seen bringing Mr Byrne's wife and his son past the scene of the assault and towards the complex gates. Mr Roche and Mr Byrne were then brought to the same apartment but a resident at The Towers saw what was happening and made a 999 call to gardai who soon arrived, said Mr Costelloe. O'Hare and the other six men fled the scene at this point, the court heard. O'Hare returned to Northern Ireland but went back to the Republic and presented himself to gardai in January 2018. The three members of the Byrne family have since been placed in the witness protection programme, the court heard. O'Hare was remanded in custody until April 11 when he will be sentenced. Sinn Fein have told the Prime Minister that she must deliver on promises she made to protect the Good Friday Agreement. Speaking after a phone call with Theresa May on Thursday, the partys leader Mary Lou McDonald said she made it clear that any decisions taken on the UKs departure from the EU must protect citizen rights and avoid a hard border. We had a phone call with Mrs May around lunchtime, it was quite a detailed conversation, where we set out for her the consequences of a crash Brexit, Ms McDonald said. "The idea of reinstating any form of the border on the island of Ireland is almost like suggesting we rebuild the Berlin wall, from a political point of view. It is imperative that we protect political progress." - @MaryLouMcDonald pic.twitter.com/bdkKGMOmzH Sinn Fein (@sinnfeinireland) April 4, 2019 She informs us that efforts are underway to secure some level of agreement in Westminster and she states that it is not her intention or preference to exit without a deal. However the reality is, that as we speak, that is still a very live possibility. Weve put it to the Prime Minister that at the beginning of this Brexit debacle commitments were given to protect the Good Friday Agreement in all its parts, to prevent any hardening of the border and to ensure the protection of citizens rights. She didnt give us any assurances as to how this would be achieved in the absence of any agreement. The idea of reinstating the border on the island of Ireland is almost like suggesting we rebuild the Berlin wallMary Lou McDonald I think its important we understand that Irish prosperity, in addition to being linked to single market is also linked to the all-island economy. Its not just about the economy and trade, its not a technical dilemma, its a political question and the idea of reinstating the border on the island of Ireland is almost like suggesting we rebuild the Berlin wall. We have to be very, very clear that we must protect political progress and we set all of that out for Mrs May this morning. Ms McDonald says she believes that the Prime Minister is dedicated to leaving the EU with a deal, however she is unsure how Mrs May will proceed as Westminster remains deadlocked. I have the clear sense that reaching a deal is her first preference, and that is the course of action she has set out, Ms McDonald said. I cant guess where this will land and I suspect she might be in the same position which is cause for concern for all of us. Theres no use saying you support the Good Friday Agreement, we need actions. We told her in no uncertain terms that the commitments given in the beginning must be honoured. The call comes as efforts intensify to find a way through the Brexit impasse. The UK Government and the Labour Partys negotiating teams are locked in intensive talks in the hope of agreeing a position which could win a majority in the House of Commons in the coming days, allowing Theresa May to request a short delay to Article 50. Say hello to the newest White House hopeful: Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, announced Thursday that he is seeking the Democratic nomination for president in 2020 . Ryan, who was first elected to the House in 2002 and challenged Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi for her Democratic leadership post in 2016, says on his congressional website that he supports the Every Student Succeeds Act because it gives states greater power to close the achievement gap for disadvantaged students, reduces overreliance on standardized testing, and gives teachers and schools the resources they need to be successful. Ryan says hes recently become convinced that social-emotional learning should be a top priority for schools. On his congressional website, he highlights a bill he first introduced in 2011 (and reintroduced as recently as last year ) that would have allowed federal money to go to teacher and principal training on SEL. He also notes that hes worked on promoting SEL in two school districts in Ohio. Social and emotional learning is a process that promotes the development of core personal competencies: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationships skills, and responsible decision-making - all within a safe, caring, and participatory learning environment, he says. Ryan also says that Head Start has a proven track record of success. And based on recent troubles in Ohio charter schools, he believes they need more robust oversight and accountability provisions. Hes also a backer of ending corporal punishment in schools and the Democrats recent bill to provide about $100 billion in aid for school infrastructure. Do you like salad? If you said yes, youre in luckso does Ryan. In fact, he thinks giving children access to healthy food at school is important enough that he introduced legislation to help schools pay for things like the equipment thats necessary to help them have salad bars. Research shows that children are much more likely to consume healthy fresh food if there is a salad bar available for children to build and create their own meal, Ryan said. However, the upfront cost of acquiring the equipment and the investment in planning and administering a salad bar can be too costly for most schools to undertake with existing resources. Ryan also says that as a member of the Ohio Senate, he led efforts to standardize the way schools report data. Photo: Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, speaks at the Heartland Forum held on the campus of Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa, Saturday, March 30, 2019. (Nati Harnik/AP) Follow us on Twitter at @PoliticsK12 . And follow the Andrew Ujifusa half of Politics K-12 @AndrewUjifusa . As the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair and active mediator in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement, Russia recognizes and takes into account only those statements of the sides that are in line with peaceful spirit of negotiation process and focus on resolution of the Karabakh problem without the use of force. This statement was made by Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, who commented on the question of Vestnik Kavkazka correspondent about statement of Armenian Defense Minister David Tonoyan on replacement of the territory for peace settlement formula with the new war for new territories formula, later supported by Minister Nikol Pashinyan. I can reconfirm Russia's commitment to political-diplomatic settlement of the conflict. Certainly, priority is given to mutual agreements of the sides. If there are things or issues on which they agree, we welcome it, she noted. If sides need help of mediators, we're ready to lend it to them within the framework of our commitments as co-chairs of the Minsk Group. We're facilitating negotiation process and keep in touch," she concluded. The Army does not have a problem with far-right views and extremism, the Defence Secretary has said the day after a video showed soldiers shooting at an image of the Labour leader. Footage captured in Kabul, Afghanistan, shows personnel from 3rd Battalion, Parachute Regiment using a picture of Jeremy Corbyn for target practice on a Simunition range. The Army confirmed an investigation has been launched, with Brigadier Nick Perry, commander of 16 Air Assault Brigade, describing the incident as a serious error of judgment. I commend the prompt and clear leadership shown by the army in investigating this troubling video. https://t.co/JBYbGotkCq Gavin Williamson (@GavinWilliamson) April 3, 2019 Speaking to reporters, Gavin Williamson said it was completely unacceptable what happened and that the Army will be looking at it closely and reporting swiftly. Asked by the Press Association if the Army has a problem with far-right views and extremism, he said: I dont believe they have an issue on that at all. The Army, when it is recruiting, that is one of the areas that they vet. Its certainly something that isnt tolerated, and thats something that I have always taken swift action on. The video shows a number of soldiers taking aim down the range and firing their weapons the camera then focuses on the target and zooms in on an image of Mr Corbyn. With a graphic of happy with that across the screen throughout, a number of marks can be seen peppered across Mr Corbyns face. I was horrified to see the footage apparently showing soldiers firing at an image of @jeremycorbyn. This disgraceful behaviour is deeply troubling and has no place in the Army. I have written to @GavinWilliamson about the investigation that is underway. pic.twitter.com/WcELyHLDPE Nia Griffith MP (@NiaGriffithMP) April 3, 2019 It is understood it was a non-lethal hardened wax substance aimed and fired at the image instead of metal bullets, with the incident taking place in the past few days. The range is designed for and used by personnel to practise what is called the guardian angel drill a force protection tactic. On Wednesday, after the video was widely shared on social media, Mr Corbyn said he was shocked the paratroopers had used an image of his face. The incident comes after far-right activist Tommy Robinson posted a photograph of himself surrounded by grinning soldiers in October prompting another Army probe. The former English Defence League leader also shared a video featuring Army personnel who cheered and shouted his name. At the time, the Army said it was aware of the image and footage and was investigating the circumstances, adding that a far-right ideology is completely at odds with the values and ethos of the armed forces. A backbench Bill designed to stop the UK crashing out of the EU next week has created the danger of an accidental no-deal Brexit, ministers have warned. The Bill tabled by Labours Yvette Cooper passed by a single vote in the House of Commons on Wednesday evening and is expected to go through the Lords in a single day today. But Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay in a warning backed up by Downing Street told MPs that the measure could backfire if the Commons rejects any Brexit delay offered by EU leaders at a summit next Wednesday, as there would be no time to renegotiate it before the deadline for departure on Friday. The warning came as Government and Labour negotiating teams were locked in intensive talks to seek the consensus Brexit position needed to secure an extension of any kind at the April 10 Brussels summit. Arriving for the talks, shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer said the idea of a confirmatory referendum would be discussed. We have been discussing Labours alternative plan and issues such as confirmatory votes, he told reporters. In remarks likely to infuriate Tory Brexiteers, Chancellor Philip Hammond on Wednesday night described a referendum as a perfectly credible proposal, though he stressed that he opposed it. Mr Hammond told ITVs Peston: When you enter into a negotiation like this to find a compromise way forward, both parties have to give something up. There is going to be pain on both sides. .@PhilipHammondUK says in order to find a way forward, there will have to be some kind of customs arrangement as part of the future structure. #Peston pic.twitter.com/A2B37J38Dn Peston (@itvpeston) April 3, 2019 There were signs of divisions on the Labour side over whether to demand a confirmatory public vote as part of any consensus plan. Deputy leader Tom Watson said members would not forgive us if it was not included, while chairman Ian Lavery reportedly warned shadow cabinet it could split the party. Meanwhile, both Mr Hammond and Health Secretary Matt Hancock signalled that Tories could be prepared to compromise on a customs union. I would much prefer the Prime Ministers deal to a customs union, to be frank, Mr Hancock told BBC Radio 4s Today programme. I want to deliver Brexit. I have spoken about the problems of a customs union and I dont think its as good for the country. But I also want to deliver Brexit. Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (PA Graphics) With time running out before Theresa May must inform European Council president Donald Tusk of the UKs proposal, Downing Street appeared to indicate that it may not be necessary for MPs to approve any consensus deal ahead of the summit. Mrs Mays official spokesman said the important thing was to provide the leaders of the other 27 EU states with clarity on the way forward, in order for them to feel able to offer a further extension to the Brexit process, which is currently due to end on April 12. The spokesman said talks involving Mr Barclay, Mrs Mays effective deputy David Lidington and Chief Whip Julian Smith on the Government side and Sir Kier, shadow business secretary Rebecca Long Bailey and opposition chief whip Nick Brown from Labour, were proceeding with urgency. But there was little sign of a conclusion in time to table a motion for Commons debate on Monday by the Thursday evening deadline, leaving only Tuesday next week the eve of the summit for a possible vote. Mrs May will be expected to spell out the UKs plans in a letter to Mr Tusk in sufficient time for the other 27 leaders to consider them before they gather in Brussels on Wednesday evening. Asked whether the Commons vote must take place before Mrs May puts pen to paper, the spokesman said: What we are obviously working towards is being in a position to set out clarity to the European Council that there is a clear path in Parliament going forward which will allow the UK to leave with a deal and to ratify that deal as soon as possible. The spokesman highlighted warnings from Mr Barclay over the possible unintended consequences of the Cooper Bill. The Brexit Secretary told MPs the legislation could increase the risk of an accidental no-deal, as it requires MPs to agree any Brexit extension the day after it is proposed by the European Council, giving no time for the Government to renegotiate the date if it is rejected. Mr Barclay said this was not the intention of Ms Cooper, but was a possible outcome. Mrs Mays spokesman told a Westminster media briefing the measure would deny the PM the royal prerogative power to conclude a deal with fellow leaders in Brussels without having to refer it back to MPs. On Wednesday next week, the European Council could propose an extension of an alternative length to that put forward by Parliament, and under the Bill the Prime Minister would have to return on Thursday April 11 to put that proposal to the House, he said. By April 11, the European Council will have concluded and the leaders will have returned to their member states. In the words of the Secretary of State the Bill could increase the risk of an accidental no-deal exit. Expand Close House of Commons vote: Yvette Cooper bill. See story POLITICS Brexit. Infographic from PA Graphics Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp House of Commons vote: Yvette Cooper bill. See story POLITICS Brexit. Infographic from PA Graphics The spokesman added: The Bill is going to go through the House of Lords today. Im sure the House of Lords will want to look at the issues that the Secretary of State has raised. However, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said passage of the Bill would make the chances of the UK crashing out very unlikely. Anger among Tory Brexiteers was increasing, with European Research Group deputy chairman Steve Baker telling Peston the leadership of the Conservative Party was out of step with members and, I think, the country. He said a majority of Tory MPs would not accept a customs union and Mrs May would effectively be making Mr Corbyn deputy prime minister. If we find a majority of Conservative MPs voting against the policy, its not us who will be moving on, he warned. Former whip Michael Fabricant questioned whether the Chancellor had gone rogue. Avan Najmadeen, 32, who was found dead at her home in Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent, following multiple stab wounds (Staffordshire Police/PA) A convicted paedophile and illegal immigrant who murdered his estranged wife after she refused to support his application to stay in the UK will serve a minimum of 18 years and eight months in prison. Iranian-born Dana Abdullah used a kitchen knife to inflict 50 wounds in a brutal and sustained attack on mother-of-four Avan Najmadeen before covering her body in a white spirit on October 1 last year. The defendant, who had the same immigration lawyer as his wife, left the 32-year-old to die at her home in Glebedale Road, Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent. The court heard she had asked the lawyer not to co-operate with his application to remain in the country. In order to cover his tracks, Abdullah tried to create a fire or explosion in the kitchen and fled to Liverpool and then Glasgow by taxi. He eventually handed himself into a police station but only to admit being a failed asylum seeker, hoping to be deported and avoid prosecution for his wifes murder. Expand Close Dana Abdullah, who has admitted murdering his wife Avan Najmadeen at her home on October 1 last year, stabbing her multiple times three days after she refused to support his application to remain in the UK (Staffordshire Police/PA) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Dana Abdullah, who has admitted murdering his wife Avan Najmadeen at her home on October 1 last year, stabbing her multiple times three days after she refused to support his application to remain in the UK (Staffordshire Police/PA) Stafford Crown Court heard Abdullah had threatened to kill Ms Najmadeen before, claiming she had dishonoured him after converting to Christianity. Abdullah, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to murder in February. Jailing the defendant for life on Thursday, Judge Michael Chambers QC said: This was, on any view, a planned and pre-meditated murder involving a brutal and sustained attack using a knife, knowing full well that it would deprive four children under the age of eight of their mother. It was motivated by you seeking retribution for her failure to support your immigration appeal against deportation as a failed asylum seeker. You entered the house and it is clear from the post-mortem and forensic evidence that you subjected her to a sustained and brutal attack. The judge added: You left the premises but before doing so, took significant steps in order to conceal what you had done. Speaking of Abdullahs previous conviction for a child sex offence, the judge said: It does show that you are not someone of good character and, having been deported for that matter, you chose to come back into this country illegally and have committed this very serious crime. The 35-year-old claimed to have been tortured in Iraq after his deportation following the conviction for sexual assault on a girl under the age of 13 in 2013. Psychiatric reports suggested Abdullah, who was given a 15-month sentence for the earlier offence, suffered from PTSD due to his treatment in Iraq. Opening the facts of the case on Thursday, prosecutor Andrew Smith QC said: The prosecution case is that Dana Abdullah made a considered decision to murder his wife, in the context of the breakdown in their relationship and his refusal to support his visa application. He stabbed her to death and unsuccessfully tried to cover up that he killed her by trying to create a fire or explosion in the kitchen. Mr Smith then summarised a victim impact statement from Ms Najmadeems sister Hevi, saying her death had had a profound emotional impact on the family. A short extract from the statement read: When Dana killed my sister Avan, he killed all of us, my mother, my father and her children as well. Abdullahs defence counsel, Charles Miskin QC, said the defendant had lived a transient, miserable and extremely difficult life and was very remorseful for what he had done. In a statement released on behalf of Ms Najmadeens family after the hearing, they said: We the family of Avan Najmadiein are pleased with Dana Abdullahs guilty plea. For us no sentence would be long enough and will not bring Avan back to us. Her four boys miss her very much, all of our family do. We would like to thank Staffordshire Police for their help and support during the investigation. From left to right; Seamus Milne, shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey and Shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer after leaving the Cabinet office (Jonathan Brady/PA) Talks between the Government and Labour to break the Brexit logjam have been productive and will continue on Friday, Downing Street said. Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyns negotiating teams met for four-and-a-half hours in the Cabinet Office on Thursday for detailed talks. The talks are aimed at finding a consensus Brexit position ahead of a crunch summit of European Union leaders in Brussels on April 10. David Lidington, effectively the deputy prime minister, led the Governments negotiating team with Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay, Chief Whip Julian Smith, Business Secretary Greg Clark and Theresa Mays chief of staff Gavin Barwell. On the other side of the table were shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer and shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey along with senior Labour officials. A Downing Street spokesman said the detailed and productive technical talks were supported by civil servants. The Government and the Opposition hope to meet again tomorrow for further work to find a way forward to deliver on the referendum, mindful of the need to make progress ahead of the forthcoming European Council, the spokesman said. Any decision on an extension to Brexit in order to prevent the UK crashing out of the EU on April 12 will be taken by EU leaders at that summit. Expand Close Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and German Chancellor Angela Merkel held talks on Brexit in Dublin (Brian Lawless/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and German Chancellor Angela Merkel held talks on Brexit in Dublin (Brian Lawless/PA) German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she was still hopeful that a no-deal Brexit could be avoided as where theres a will theres a way. Speaking in Dublin alongside Irish premier Leo Varadkar, she said: We will simply have to be able to do this. We have to be successful and we hope for a solution that we can agree together with Britain. Mr Varadkar said: Matters continue to play out in London and I think we need to be patient and understanding of the predicament that they are in. But of course, any further extension must require and must have a credible and realistic way forward. The talks in Westminster between the Government and Opposition have highlighted divisions within both the Tory and Labour ranks. Backbench Labour MPs have issued a warning to Mr Corbyn not to include a second Brexit referendum in any compromise deal thrashed out with Mrs May. Arriving for the talks in Whitehall, shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir confirmed that a confirmatory referendum was among the ideas on the table for discussion. Expand Close Shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer is heading Labours negotiation team (John Stillwell/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer is heading Labours negotiation team (John Stillwell/PA) But a group of 25 Labour MPs wrote to Mr Corbyn warning that a second public vote would divide the country further and add uncertainty for business. They warned: A second referendum would be exploited by the far right, damage the trust of many core Labour voters and reduce our chances of winning a general election, they warned. Alongside some of my Labour colleagues I have written to @jeremycorbyn to encourage him to engage with the Government to achieve a Brexit deal. This would show that we are respecting the referendum result as Labour has promised. pic.twitter.com/psHfayhJjP Kevin Barron (@KevinJBarron) April 4, 2019 Signatories included veteran backbenchers Sir Kevin Barron, Dennis Skinner and Ronnie Campbell, former minister Caroline Flint and MPs for Leave-voting areas of the North and Midlands including Gloria De Piero, Sarah Champion and Gareth Snell. They said the policy adopted at Labours autumn conference made clear there was no need for a public vote if the party secures its preferred customs union deal, which was now within reach. The letter reflects deep fissures within Labour over whether to demand a confirmatory vote as part of any compromise. Deputy leader Tom Watson has said: I dont think our party would forgive us if we were to sign off on a Tory Brexit without that kind of concession. This really did happen. My thanks to @10DowningStreet for hosting me to speak up for the 48% and UKs remain community. Still not much the wiser about what red lines have changed and whether customs union could be inserted but shes in need of persuasion of #peoplesvote pic.twitter.com/Y6kh4hcyNq Rupa Huq MP (@RupaHuq) April 4, 2019 And referendum-supporting Labour MP Rupa Huq met the Prime Minister to make the point that potentially hundreds of Opposition MPs could be prepared to back a Brexit deal if it was subject to a public vote. Meanwhile, a string of Cabinet ministers signalled that Tories could be prepared to compromise on Labours key demand of a customs union arrangement with the EU an idea loathed by Brexiteers. Attorney General Geoffrey Cox said avoiding a customs union was not an article of faith, while Chancellor Philip Hammond said Tories should be ready to look at it. Health Secretary Matt Hancock told BBC Radio 4s Today programme that he preferred Mrs Mays deal to a customs union, but added: I have spoken about the problems of a customs union and I dont think its as good for the country. But I also want to deliver Brexit. With time running out before Mrs May must inform European Council president Donald Tusk of the UKs proposal, Downing Street appeared to indicate that it may not be necessary for MPs to approve any consensus deal ahead of the summit. The PMs official spokesman said the important thing was to provide the leaders of the other 27 EU states with clarity on the way forward, in order for them to feel able to offer a further extension to the Brexit process. Mrs May will be expected to spell out the UKs plans in a letter to Mr Tusk in sufficient time for the other 27 leaders to consider them before they gather in Brussels on Wednesday evening. .@HayteratLords proposed a motion to consider all stages of the #EUWithdrawal5Bill in one day. Several members suggested changes to her motion. (2/6) House of Lords (@UKHouseofLords) April 4, 2019 The House of Lords was debating a backbench Bill designed to stop the UK crashing out of the EU next week, after it cleared the Commons in a single day on Wednesday. To avoid the prospect of peers having to sit through the night, Chief Whip Lord Taylor of Holbeach announced a deal had been reached with Labour to hold the Bills committee and report stages, and third reading, on Monday. But ministers have warned that the legislation, tabled by Labours Yvette Cooper and passed by the Commons with a majority of just one vote, could create the risk of an accidental no-deal Brexit because it gives MPs a vote on any extension obtained by Mrs May next week. Mr Barclay told the Commons the measure could backfire if MPs reject the proposed delay, as there would be no time to renegotiate it before the deadline for departure on Friday. The Duke of Sussex is presented with a posey by four-year-old Zofia Zdenkowska (Geoff Pugh/The Daily Telegraph/PA) The Duke of Sussex laughed and joked with a four-year-old girl who presented him with a bouquet of flowers for his pregnant wife as the birth of their first child approaches. The father-to-be, who said he was very excited about the upcoming birth, looked relaxed as he chatted with four-year-old Zofia Zolenkowska, who had been practising her curtsy beforehand. Harry joined hundreds of soldiers, veterans and beneficiaries at the 12th Big Curry Lunch hosted by the Lord Mayor of the City of London at The Guildhall, which has raised more than 1.9 million since 2008 to support soldiers and veterans who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. The duke, who is expecting a baby with wife Meghan later this month or in early May, was also given a handmade wooden baby rattle and an off-white cashmere baby set which included a shawl, bonnet, booties and mittens, as well as beige lounge socks for the duchess during the visit. Expand Close Four-year-old Zofia had been practising her curtsy before meeting the duke (Geoff Pugh/The Daily Telegraph/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Four-year-old Zofia had been practising her curtsy before meeting the duke (Geoff Pugh/The Daily Telegraph/PA) Expand Close Harry is greeted by Peter Estlin, the Lord Mayor of the City of London (Geoff Pugh/The Daily Telegraph/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Harry is greeted by Peter Estlin, the Lord Mayor of the City of London (Geoff Pugh/The Daily Telegraph/PA) This years lunch was organised in aid of the ABF The Soldiers Charity, the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity and the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund. The duke spent 10 years serving in the armed forces, ending operational duties in 2015. During his service he conducted two tours of duty to Afghanistan with the Army. Mark Stevens, a former soldier in the 1st Battalion, the Duke of Lancasters Regiment, remembered his time serving alongside the duke in Afghanistan. Prince Harry would get called in, especially by me, on a number of occasions, Mr Stevens said. He used to save my bacon when I was a sergeant. Metropolitan Police officers at the scene in Northolt Road in Harrow (Ted Hennessey/PA) A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after he was seen running away from the scene of an unexplained death in London. The victim, a man in his mid-40s, was pronounced dead on Wednesday afternoon after he was found with an injury in Harrow that was first thought to be a stab or slash wound. Scotland Yard said they arrested a male nearby on suspicion of murder after officers were told he had been seen running from the scene in Northolt Road in possession of a machete. One person stabbed in #Southharrow near the front of Iceland just before ##harrow pic.twitter.com/WCet6FcEq5 Kavinthan (@S_Kavinthan) April 3, 2019 He remains in custody at a north London police station as detectives investigate whether the weapon was used. The Metropolitan Police stressed it had not launched a murder investigation, but instead was treating the death as unexplained. A post-mortem examination will confirm whether the wounds were recent or pre-existing, the force said. Officers remain on the scene and will be trawling through CCTV footage to find out what happened. Officers are investigating the unexplained death of a man in #Harrow after he was found with a serious injury on Northolt Road. One person was arrested after he was found in possession of a machete. It is not yet known if he was connected with the death https://t.co/TXysGrqHhH Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) April 3, 2019 Harrow West MP Gareth Thomas said on Twitter: I am very concerned to hear reports of a recent fatal attack in South Harrow in my constituency. Mr Thomas said he was in contact with police and the local council, adding: My thoughts are with the victim and their family. I am very concerned to hear reports of a recent fatal attack in South Harrow in my constituency- I am in contact with the @metpoliceuk and @HarrowCouncil to understand who is responsible and why. My thoughts are with the victim and their family. @gdh1961 https://t.co/FeceNmbHXg Gareth Thomas MP (@GarethThomasMP) April 3, 2019 Londons Air Ambulance was called just before 3.15pm. The victim was treated for his injury, but was pronounced dead at the scene at 3.50pm. Sadly, despite the efforts of medics, a person died at the scene, a London Ambulance Service spokesman said. Police said the victim has not been formally identified and his next of kin are yet to be informed. A 15-year-old girl suffered superficial cuts and a boy, also aged 15, sustained stab injuries after they were attacked by a group in a park in Harrow on Wednesday night in an unconnected incident, police said. They were both taken to hospital, where their conditions are said to be not life-threatening, after being assaulted in Harrow Recreation Ground. Officers, who were called at around 9.20pm, are investigating and no arrests have been made. A man has been charged with the murder of shopkeeper Ravi Katharkamar (Katharkamar family/ PA) A man has been charged with the murder of a shopkeeper who was stabbed to death during a robbery at his newsagents in north-west London. Alex Gunn, 31, has been charged with killing 54-year-old Ravi Katharkamar as he opened Marsh Food and Wine in Pinner on March 24. Mr Katharkamar was found by a member of the public collapsed inside the shop suffering from stab injuries and police were called at about 6am. A vicious and unwarranted attack on a completely innocent man.Simon Stanscombe Despite the efforts of emergency services he was pronounced dead at the scene 45 minutes later. Investigators said previously that his attacker fled with a shop till. Detective Chief Inspector Simon Stancombe of the Mets Homicide and Major Crime Command described the murder as a vicious and unwarranted attack on a completely innocent man. He called for information from anyone who might have noticed someone trying to use lots of loose change in the days after the killing. Mr Stancombe was also trying to trace a black Vauxhall Astra parked on Cecil Park before the murder and driven away at speed immediately afterwards. Gunn is due to appear at Willesden Magistrates Court on Friday. The Met said that Gunn previously appeared at the same court on Monday charged with burglary, theft from a motor vehicle, possession of an offensive weapon and driving while disqualified. A 44-year-old man arrested in connection with the murder on March 28 has been released under investigation. Bosses at the Drax power plant in North Yorkshire hope to repower the site to burning gas (PA) Green campaigners are urging the Government to turn down plans for the UKs largest gas power plant to replace coal units at Drax in North Yorkshire. The company is seeking planning permission to modify two of its coal-fired units to burn gas, as the Government seeks to phase out all polluting coal generation by 2025. But the plans for up to 3.6 gigawatts of gas-fired generating capacity more than the new nuclear power plant at Hinkley Point, Somerset have come under fire from campaigners who warn burning gas will add to climate change. If the Repower project goes ahead we could stop using #coal ahead of the governments 2025 deadline, protecting #jobs and preserving the life of the power station. -- Drax Power CEO @andykoss https://t.co/93XNitPyue Drax (@DraxGroup) April 4, 2019 A petition with more than 96,000 signatures and an open letter signed by dozens of environmental groups have been handed in to the Department for Business urging Business Secretary Greg Clark to refuse planning permission for the scheme. Drax has converted four of its six coal units at the power plant to burn wood pellets, known as biomass. It wants to repower its two remaining coal-fired units to burn gas, which would make it the UKs largest gas power plant, and create up to 200 megawatts of battery storage to help balance the grid. Duncan Law from campaign group Biofuelwatch said the UK does not need the gas capacity the proposals would create, even under Government projections. He warned: Draxs vast gas plans must not go ahead. 96,000 people & 92 groups say NO to Drax plans for huge new gas power plant to complement their forest-destroying #biomass. @GregClarkMP must listen as petition and Open Letter handed to him today https://t.co/kYlT5HBbZs #BeyondGas #NoNewGas pic.twitter.com/6rWOsiwRrP Biofuelwatch (@biofuelwatch) April 4, 2019 Ash Hewitson, from campaign group Reclaim the Power, said: We dont need this dirty infrastructure, which will increase demand for imported and fracked gas and take us further away from meeting our obligations under the Paris climate treaty to stay within 1.5C of global warming. Drax has no social licence to continue burning fossil fuels for the next 30 years. We urgently need to reduce our energy demand and switch to genuinely low-carbon renewables. But Andy Koss, chief executive at Drax Power, said: By using high-efficiency gas turbines we can continue to deliver flexible and reliable generating capacity as well as system support services, which are vital for maintaining secure power supplies as more intermittent renewables, like wind and solar, come online ensuring the electricity we need is available when we need it whatever the weather. Drax Power Station wants to replace burning one type of #fossilfuel with another - while continuing to burn #biomass. For the climate, forests and communities we need genuine #renewables and #NoNewGas https://t.co/qznWrEvRxC #AxeDrax Fuel Poverty Action (@FuelPovAction) April 3, 2019 If the Repower project goes ahead we could stop using coal ahead of the Governments 2025 deadline, reducing emissions, protecting jobs. Building modern, high-efficiency gas power stations will enable ageing, less efficient plants to close, reducing emissions and supplying the reliable and flexible power needed to provide vital system support services. The hospitals trialling new AandE targets have been announced (Chris Radburn/ PA) Fourteen NHS hospital trusts are set to trial new targets which could lead to changes in the way A&E performance is measured. Hospitals at selected sites will begin testing from May before wider implementation in spring next year, NHS England said. A series of pilots were announced by the body last month, including possible changes to targets for A&E, cancer and planned operations. Under the new plans for emergency care, patients with the most serious conditions will receive rapid treatment within an hour, while people with minor conditions can expect to wait longer. The information we gather through field testing and engagement will inform final recommendations from this review, and ahead of full implementation beginning spring 2020NHS England At present, all A&E patients should be seen within four hours, but the target has not been hit since July 2015. The proposals have faced criticism from some, who say the targets are being abandoned because they can no longer be met. The Royal College of Emergency Medicine has previously warned that scrapping the four-hour A&E target would have a near-catastrophic impact on patient safety. The hospital trusts leading testing of the proposed targets for urgent and emergency care are: Cambridge University Hospitals Chelsea and Westminster Hospital Frimley Health Imperial College Healthcare Kettering General Hospital Luton and Dunstable University Hospital Mid Yorkshire Hospitals North Tees and Hartlepool Nottingham University Hospitals Plymouth Hospitals Poole Hospital Portsmouth Hospitals Rotherham West Suffolk NHS England said: The information we gather through field testing and engagement will inform final recommendations from this review, and ahead of full implementation beginning spring 2020. The hospitals trialling other new proposed targets have not yet been announced. Scotlands First Minister has warned against Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn securing a cobbled together, behind closed doors, least worst compromise in Brexit talks. The Prime Minister and Labour leader are meeting for a second round of talks aimed at resolving the Westminster stalemate after MPs rejected Mrs Mays Withdrawal Agreement three times. Ms Sturgeon held talks with both of the party leaders in London on Wednesday. The UK is due to leave the EU on April 12, with no deal yet in place. Speaking at First Ministers Questions at Holyrood, Ms Sturgeon said: It think it is absolutely vital, given the mess that this process has become, that what we dont see is a cobbled together, behind closed doors, least worst compromise cooked up between the Prime Minister and the leader of the Opposition. Far better now to request a long extension from the EU, to fight the European elections to make that possible by all means, then, to allow the Commons to come up with what a compromise might look like but then ask the people across the UK whether they want to accept a second-best compromise or whether, actually now, given everything weve learned over the past three years, they might think the best option now for the whole of the UK is to remain in the EU. FM: "The Prime Minister wants to know where the rest of us are prepared to compromise, but I got no sense at all from her at any stage yesterday of where she is willing to compromise." #FMQs The SNP (@theSNP) April 4, 2019 The First Minister told MSPs: I am very concerned that a deal may lead to a legally binding Withdrawal Agreement being passed that would irrevocably take the UK out of the EU on the strength of non-legally binding commitments about the future relationship that could be ripped up by a future Prime Minister, perish the thought, such as Boris Johnson. Questioned by Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie, she confirmed she wants a Peoples Vote to be held in all circumstances. She reiterated criticism of Mrs May and warned Mr Corbyn to be wary. She (Theresa May) wants to know where the rest of us are prepared to compromise but I got no sense at all from her, at any stage yesterday, of where she is willing to compromise, Ms Sturgeon said. If the Prime Minister wants to find a compromise, its time she starts to set out where she is prepared to compromise. The real benefits of the European Union could be lost if a hasty agreement between the Leader of the Labour Party and the Prime Minister is done. We need a Peoples Vote and exit from Brexit. #FMQs Scottish Lib Dems (@scotlibdems) April 4, 2019 Questioned on Scotlands preparedness for a no-deal Brexit next Friday, Ms Sturgeon said pharmaceutical companies had given the broad assurance six weeks worth of medicine has been stockpiled. The Scottish Governments Resilience Committee is due to meet again on Thursday afternoon but she stressed no amount of preparation could fully mitigate the impact of leaving the EU without a deal. Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard called for Scottish Finance Secretary Derek Mackay to bring his budget back to Holyrood by next week if the Scottish Parliament is recalled from recess by Thursday ahead of a no-deal Brexit the following day. Ms Sturgeon said Mr Mackay would bring the budget back as soon as possible in that situation but it was unlikely to be next Thursday or Friday. First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva met with servicemen, who were supplied with high-tech prostheses by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, at the Heydar Aliyev Center yesterday. A minute of silence was observed for the martyrs of the April battles. Assistant to the First Vice-President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Director of the Heydar Aliyev Center Anar Alakbarov addressed the event. He said that more than 100 officers and soldiers have been supplied with high-tech prostheses over the past three years. Anar Alakbarov read out First Vice-President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva`s message to the event participants. Other speakers at the meeting included lieutenant colonel Eldaniz Sadigov, captain Amil Dadashov, senior lieutenant Namig Aliyev and director of MEDICOM company Anar Rustamov. Servicemen were presented with certificates of appreciation by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Then First Vice-President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva met with servicemen, who were supplied with high-tech prostheses, and talked to them. The servicemen thanked Mehriban Aliyeva for the care and attention. A divorce court judge has ended the marriage of Prince Louis of Luxembourg and Princess Tessy after making rulings on a row over money. Mr Justice MacDonald pronounced a decree absolute at a hearing in the Family Division of the High Court in London on Thursday. Four months ago he published a ruling on the division of money and property following a trial. Princess Tessy, who was at Thursdays hearing, had indicated she wanted to challenge that ruling, but the judge ended the marriage after being told she had changed her mind and no longer planned to appeal. Expand Close Princess Tessy leaves the High Court in London (Stefan Rousseau/PA) PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Princess Tessy leaves the High Court in London (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Mr Justice MacDonald analysed arguments over money at a private trial in London in October and produced a ruling in December. He said Prince Louis and Princess Tessy, who are both in their early 30s, could be named in media coverage of the case, but placed limits on what could be reported. The prince is the third son of Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg and now lives in Paris. Princess Tessy, a former soldier and now a director at a non-governmental organisation she founded called Professors Without Borders, lives in London. Mr Justice MacDonald heard that the couple began a relationship in 2004, married in 2006 and had two children. Expand Close Prince Louis leaves the High Court (Stefan Rousseau/PA) PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Prince Louis leaves the High Court (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Princess Tessy, who was born Tessy Antony, was not of royal descent but had been recognised as a member of the royal family and granted her title by royal decree, the judge was told. After getting married, they lived in the US and London. Their marriage broke down during the summer of 2016. Mr Justice MacDonald decided that Princess Tessy and the children could live in a property the couple had shared when married. He said the prince would pay the princess nominal maintenance and pay child maintenance of 4,000 a year per child. The judge said he had examined the relatively complex financial arrangements of the Luxembourg royal family during the trial. He said at its heart the dispute was simply a sad case involving a couple who were determined to marry for love and had been happy before their fairytale soured. Algerian protesters who succeeded in pushing out long-serving President Abdelaziz Bouteflika now want other key officials to leave too. Demonstrators are planning new nationwide protests on Friday to call for the departure of the men who head Algerias government, legislature and constitutional court. Expand Close Algerian Senate Speaker Abdelkader Bensalah (Fethi Belaid/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Algerian Senate Speaker Abdelkader Bensalah (Fethi Belaid/AP) Theyre dubbed the three Bs, prime minister Noureddine Bedoui, constitutional council president Tayeb Belaiz, and upper house of parliament president Abdelkader Bensalah. But constitutional experts warn that forcing the three men out would leave a power vacuum. Expand Close A man reads a newspaper headlining Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflikas resignation (Anis Belghoul/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A man reads a newspaper headlining Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflikas resignation (Anis Belghoul/AP) The protest movement has not unified around a single alternative plan to govern Africas largest country and replace a leadership seen as corrupt and repressive. Mr Bouteflika resigned this week under pressure from protesters and the powerful army chief. His ally Mr Bensalah is expected to take over as interim leader. The Dalai Lama has praised New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern for her compassionate handling of a recent attack on two mosques by a gunman that left 50 Muslim worshippers dead in Christchurch. The Tibetan spiritual leader said others could learn from her. I really admire the New Zealand prime minister. She is wonderful, he told reporters in the Indian capital, New Delhi, where he addressed a conference of educators and students. She (Jacinda Ardern) really tried to tackle this problem through nonviolence, through compassion and through mutual respectDalai Lama He said the killing of worshippers in New Zealand was an example of what hatred can do to people. She really tried to tackle this problem through nonviolence, through compassion and through mutual respect. I really admire her. I think thats one living example. The Dalai Lama also answered question related to Tibets future with China. He reiterated that he is not seeking independence for Tibet, but would prefer a reunion with China under mutually acceptable terms. I prefer Tibet remain within the zone of China. Some kind of reunion, he said. Expand Close New Zealands PM Jacinda Ardern embraces a member of the Muslim community following the national remembrance service for the victims of the March 15 mosques terrorist attack (Mark Tantrum/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp New Zealands PM Jacinda Ardern embraces a member of the Muslim community following the national remembrance service for the victims of the March 15 mosques terrorist attack (Mark Tantrum/AP) He added that Chinese and Tibetans could live side-by-side, with China helping Tibetans economically and gaining from their knowledge. The 83-year-old Dalai Lama has been living in exile in India since a failed 1959 uprising in Tibet. China claims Tibet has been part of its territory for more than seven centuries. Many Tibetans insist they were essentially independent for most of that time and have protested against what they regard as Chinas heavy-handed rule imposed after the Peoples Liberation Armys battled its way into the Himalayan region in 1950. The Dalai Lama said he developed direct contact with the Chinese leadership in 1979, but little progress has been made since because China still thinks he is seeking independence for the region. A gunman opened fire at the Al Noor mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand (AP Photo/Mark Baker) The man accused of carrying out the Christchurch mosque attacks will face 50 murder charges and 39 attempted murder charges when he makes his second court appearance, New Zealand police said. Police had earlier filed a single, representative murder charge against 28-year-old Australian Brenton Harrison Tarrant. He is due to appear via video link during a brief hearing on Friday, and will not be required to enter a plea. Fifty people died in the attacks on two mosques on March 15, while another 50 were injured. Other charges are still under consideration. As the case is before the court, Police is not in a position to comment further. New Zealand Police (@nzpolice) April 4, 2019 Police said in a brief statement that they were considering filing more charges against Tarrant but could not comment further as the case was before the court. Tarrants first court appearance was on the day after the attacks in the Christchurch District Court. His case has now been moved to the High Court due to the seriousness of the charges. Tarrant has reportedly been moved to a high-security prison in Auckland, which is why he will appear via video link. During the scheduled court hearing, media photographs will not be allowed and reporting on the proceedings will be severely restricted under New Zealand law. Expand Close Mourners carry the casket of Syed Areeb Ahmed, a victim of the Christchurch mosque shootings, during his funeral in Karachi, Pakistan (AP Photo/Fareed Khan) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mourners carry the casket of Syed Areeb Ahmed, a victim of the Christchurch mosque shootings, during his funeral in Karachi, Pakistan (AP Photo/Fareed Khan) The intent of the law is to avoid the possibility the reporting and images would taint the views of potential jurors before they hear evidence in court. Judge Cameron Mander said in a note that the brief hearing would mainly be about the accused gunmans legal representation. Tarrant earlier dismissed lawyer Richard Peters, who was assigned to represent him during his district court appearance. Mr Peters said Tarrant told him that he wanted to represent himself. The judge said he had received applications from 25 media organisations to take film, photographs or audio recordings of Fridays hearing but had denied all of them. He said reporters could remain throughout and take notes, although would be restricted in what they could report. He said media could still use pixelated images of Tarrant which the district court judge had allowed. Theresa May told MPs and the nation 50 times that the UK would quit the EU on March 29 Too many MPs, in spite of their manifesto commitments, are refusing to respect the Brexit referendum result, writes Nelson McCausland. Last Friday was March 29, 2019. It was the day that the United Kingdom was to leave the European Union. More than 17.4 million people voted to leave the EU, and in March 2017 Parliament voted to trigger Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union. Read More There were some MPs who voted against invoking Article 50 47 Labour MPs joined with a solitary Conservative, Ken Clarke, seven Liberal Democrats and an assortment of MPs from the SNP, SDLP, Plaid Cymru and Green Party to oppose it. However, the overwhelming majority of MPs voted for us to leave on March 29. In so doing, Parliament set down in law that the United Kingdom would leave the EU on March 29, 2019, and that was the start of the countdown to our independence day. Both the Conservative Party and the Labour Party were committed to that and both parties fought the general election in June 2017 with the manifesto commitment that they would respect the result of the referendum. Lest there be any doubt about it, Theresa May told us, on more than 50 occasions, that we would be out of the EU on March 29. She was absolutely clear and unequivocal. There was to be no extending Article 50 and there was to be no revoking Article 50. That is why there is so much public anger about what has happened since then. This is not just about the European Union and Brexit, this is about democracy and the determination of Remainers to subvert the result of a democratic referendum. The truth is that the majority of MPs in both the Conservative Party and the Labour Party voted Remain in the referendum, somewhere around 75%. However both parties are deeply divided, with the membership of the Conservative Party at odds with their MPs and many Labour voters at odds with the Labour MPs. The focus is generally on the divisions with the Conservative Party, because they are the party of government, but the divisions are there within the Labour movement too. Labour has had an influx of young idealists who are mostly Remainers, but they need the votes of working-class constituencies where so many working-class people voted Leave. This split was illustrated recently when trade union activist Eddie Dempsey addressed a Full Brexit rally. This drew condemnation from Labour MP and staunch Remainer Clive Lewis, who resigned from the shadow cabinet over the triggering of Article 50. Of course Eddie Dempsey, a member of the Connolly Association, isnt the only trade union activist to support Brexit. Paul Embery, who serves on the executive of the Fire Brigade Union, is the national organiser for Trade Unionists against the EU. Very often, those who support Brexit are dismissed by Remainers as too old or uneducated or xenophobic or far-right or whatever, but the reality is that the left is as divided over Brexit as the right. Indeed, that has always been the case. At the time of the 1975 referendum on the European Community, those opposed to the European Community included Labour MPs such as Peter Shore. On this side of the North Channel, both Official Sinn Fein and Provisional Sinn Fein opposed membership. That only changed when Sinn Fein needed EU membership, with its message of harmonisation and integration, to convince their followers that while the IRA had not driven out the Brits, the border would be gradually dissolved. Its not a left-right issue, and that is one of the reasons why Parliament, with its current arithmetic, finds it so difficult. However, the main reason is simply this. We have too many Conservative and Labour MPs who do not, in spite of manifesto commitments, respect the democracy of a referendum. One hundred years ago, the Representation of the People Act gave the vote to working-class men and some women. I suspect that today some of the globalist elite who oppose Brexit really regret that reform. They are appalled at the fact that so many ordinary people who form the overwhelming majority of that 17.4 million dared to vote against the European Union, and they are determined to subvert it. One of the most enduring reactions to a burglary is the feeling of insecurity, that the place where one should feel safest, their home, has been violated One of the most enduring reactions to a burglary is the feeling of insecurity, that the place where one should feel safest, their home, has been violated. But 91-year-old Gertie Primrose from near Fivemiletown in Co Tyrone is made of stern stuff. She has been living on her own for 48 years and last Friday was burgled for the second time. However, she has vowed that the cowardly thieves will not make her leave her home. One can only admire her courage and stoicism after what was a frightening experience last week. She had been working outside and had just come back into the house when she spotted a man running out, having ransacked her bedroom and stolen cash. In the previous burglary, 19 years ago, two men held down the then 72-year-old and stole money. These sort of crimes, especially targeting elderly people often living alone, are among the most repellent. It is evident the victims are carefully chosen. They are unlikely to be able to defend themselves and there is a feeling that elderly people are more likely to keep cash in their homes. The rural location of many thefts means that the crime may not even be noticed until the victim raises the alarm. The closure or restricted opening hours of many police stations mean fewer officers on the ground. The ever-present threat from dissident republicans means that officers have to treat calls for help with a certain degree of caution, again slowing response time. With the best will in the world, it is difficult for police to solve such burglaries unless the perpetrators leave some incriminating evidence. It is clear that the criminals feel emboldened by the lack of success by police in bringing burglars before the courts and securing a conviction. All of this makes the decision of Gertie to remain in her home all the more remarkable. She comes from a generation that is made of tough stuff, and while she was left badly shaken by the theft, she has recovered and defiantly proclaimed that no one was going to force her out of her home of 70 years, nor would she be a prisoner in her own home. Hopefully the local community will rally round the courageous pensioner, and anyone with the smallest morsel of information that could lead to the arrest of the thief will pass it on to the PSNI. He deserves to be brought to justice before he can target some other vulnerable person. After two failed attempts in Parliament to reach a consensus on an alternative way forward to the Prime Minister's withdrawal agreement, all the major parties find themselves divided. We know about the public divisions in the Conservative and Labour parties, but now the divisions in the ranks of the Liberal Democrats have widened as well, with long-serving Liberal Democrat MP Norman Lamb stating that he is "considering his position". Read More Why is it that we, as a United Kingdom, find ourselves in this position? Parliament passed legislation to provide for a referendum on membership of the European Union, and when that resulted in a decision to leave, instead of rallying round the decision and presenting a united front to Brussels, a fifth column emerged, across the major parties and beyond, determined to thwart and eventually reverse the decision. This group was aided and abetted by the most incompetent negotiation ever undertaken by any UK government in living memory and well beyond. Who would agree to pay 39bn to the EU without knowing what the future trading relationship was going to be? The same applies to the Irish border question as it is directly linked to trade. However, as things limped on, the seeds of the current crisis were sown when in December 2017 the joint report from the EU and UK negotiators was published. It was clear to all who had a grasp of the negotiations that the backstop proposed in that report was going to radically change the integrity of the United Kingdom and create a schism in the UK, with a border up the Irish Sea, and leave the UK unable to get out of the backstop without the consent of the remaining 27 nations of the EU. On December 7, 2017, the Ulster Unionist Party wrote to the Prime Minister, setting out our concerns, especially on regulatory alignment. By contrast, on December 8, 2017, DUP leader Arlene Foster (above) issued a statement saying categorically that there would be no regulatory separation of Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK. The current backstop could lead to regulatory divergence over time. Arlene's interpretation was clearly wrong. Despite the publication of a draft withdrawal agreement on March 19, 2018, where it was clear what the backstop meant beyond any doubt, no concerted action was taken by DUP MPs to prevent the backstop getting into the final agreement, which was then endorsed by the EU and the UK and published on November 14, 2018. Not one comma of that agreement has been changed since then. Given that alarm bells were ringing and the EU had spelled out in black and white what its intentions were, I cannot understand how the DUP could not have grasped the significance of what was about to happen, especially as the Irish government made no secret of its intentions. The fact is that Dublin played the green card and Leo Varadkar and Simon Coveney were happy to do so. Maybe now they realise that they overplayed their hand, but that does not excuse the DUP for culpability in failing to prevent Theresa May's government - which they support - from forging ahead with the backstop contained in the withdrawal agreement. The solution we need to move forward is an agreement with the EU that mitigates against the negative effects of the backstop, thus avoiding a no-deal scenario, which would be so harmful to Northern Ireland. I believe that there could be a majority formed in Parliament around sensible and fair proposals which recognise the importance of defending the EU's single market but with the UK being able to remain an independent nation, not at the mercy of 27 other nations. Could anybody imagine President Trump or President Macron signing up to a similar backstop on behalf of their countries? The immediate task will be to stimulate debate in the next few days on a way to overcome the negative effects of the backstop, and the Ulster Unionist Party stands ready to participate constructively. This does not, however, explain why or exonerate the DUP from their inactivity during a year when their so-called Parliamentary influence could have been used to convince the Prime Minister not to agree to the backstop. We were frequently told by the DUP that they had great influence. On November 25, 2017, Nigel Dodds said, "Today, it is the DUP that stands in the heart of government, not in Northern Ireland, but across the United Kingdom", so I cannot understand how they failed to spot the dangers which have led us to the present impasse, put our farmers and businesses through a nightmare and now sees Northern Ireland more divided than ever. The Prime Minister is now, at last, reaching out to other parties to help the country avoid a no-deal Brexit, participating in European elections or a prolonged extension of Article 50. All of us must step forward with proposals to ensure that the UK can succeed and deliver on the 2016 referendum result in a responsible and orderly fashion. Lord Empey is a former leader of the Ulster Unionists and former acting First Minister of Northern Ireland Filipino fishermen prepare their boat, docked in northern Infanta town, for a fishing expedition to the Scarborough Shoal west of the main Philippine island of Luzon, Oct. 29, 2016. Updated at 4:11 p.m. ET on 2019-04-04 In a dramatic change of tone, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte warned Beijing on Thursday to keep away from an island that Manila occupies in the disputed South China Sea, saying he would order troops to defend it if necessary. The president made the remarks soon after the Philippine government announced that Chinese vessels have been present in large numbers near Pag-asa Island, which Manila claims. Duterte, who has fostered closer ties with China since taking office in 2016, had spoken warmly about Beijing only two days earlier. I will not plead or beg, but I am just telling you that lay off the Pag-asa because I have soldiers there. If you touch it, that's a different story. I will tell the soldiers prepare for suicide mission, Duterte said in a speech Thursday, using the local name for Thitu, according to the Reuters news service. Earlier in the day, in a surprising turnaround, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs issued a statement about the presence of the Chinese boats, saying this constituted an illegal and clear violation of national sovereignty. The rare public rebukes by Philippine officials followed a government announcement that it had delivered a diplomatic protest to Chinas Embassy in Manila last Friday, after the navy said it had spotted almost 300 Chinese vessels near Pag-asa, where Filipino troops have been repairing facilities. The vessels were seen from January to March by the Philippine militarys Western Command based in Palawan, an island province southwest of Manila. Such actions are a clear violation of Philippine sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction, as defined under international law including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. The presence of Chinese vessels near and around Pag-asa is illegal. Moreover, it has been observed that Chinese vessels have been present in large numbers and for sustained and recurring periods what is commonly referred to as swarming tactics raising questions about their intent as well as concerns over their role in support of coercive objectives, it said. Such actions when not repudiated by the Chinese government are deemed to have been adopted by it. The statement by the Philippine president and his foreign ministry marked his governments strongest words towards China in recent years. When Duterte became president three years ago, he chose a non-confrontational tack in order to boost closer relations with Beijing, as he moved to distance the Philippines from the United States, its traditional defense ally. His move led to a warming of ties with Beijing, which had agreed to grant Manila millions of dollars in development aid and loans. But economists, and even other Asian leaders, have warned Manila to be wary of Beijings debt trap strategy. On Tuesday, Duterte maintained a friendly tone toward Beijing despite concerns raised by defense officials over the increased Chinese presence around Pag-asa Island. You know, Red China or Communist China just wants to be friends with us, he said then in a speech in Manila. Manila tells Beijing to desist The statement from the foreign ministry emphasized that Pag-asa, which literally means hope in Tagalog, is part of the Kalayaan Island Group and an integral part of the country where it maintains sovereign rights and jurisdiction. The ministry called on Beijing to desist from actions that it said contravened an earlier agreement between Southeast Asian countries and China to refrain from moves that generate tension, mistrust and uncertainty and threaten regional stability. We cannot emphasize enough the imperative to build and promote mutual trust and confidence, the statement said, adding that all parties should practice self-restraint in conducting actions that may disturb the peace. Manila also emphasized that Chinese leader Xi Jinping, during his Philippine visit last year, had agreed to the diplomatic arrangement to ensure that disputes did not escalate. We call on the Chinese government to adhere to this consensus reached at the highest levels, down to its agencies and its military, the statement said. It came after senior diplomats from both sides earlier this week convened the fourth meeting of a bilateral consultation mechanism. At the meeting, officials said, Filipino diplomats had a frank yet cordial and constructive discussion with their Chinese counterparts, during which specific issues and recent developments and actions in the South China Sea were raised. They agreed that while they could not ignore the issues, they did not represent the sum total of Philippines-China bilateral relations, officials said. The two sides also agreed that any misunderstanding should be addressed through peaceful means, said officials who described the meeting as fruitful. Deemed to have acquiesced Chinese fishing vessels had no right to be in the area, according to Philippine Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, a South China Sea expert who noted that the boats were well within the Philippines exclusive economic zone. He urged Manila to also file a diplomatic protest over Chinas takeover of Sandy Cay and two other sandbars. Otherwise, the Philippines will be deemed to have acquiesced to Chinas seizure of these sandbars, which form part of Philippine territory, Carpio said. China occupied Sandy Cay two years ago but the Philippines did not file any protest despite its promise that it would do so. Sandy Cay, a sandbar with an area of seven hectares (17 acres), and two nearby low-tide sandbars are less than two nautical miles from Pag-asa, which is internationally called Thitu. Anything that emerges within our territorial sea is also our territory. That is well-recognized under international law, Carpio said. Chinas ambassador to the Philippines, Zhao Jianhua, had earlier assured Manila that Beijing was verifying reports about the alleged huge number of Chinese vessels in Pag-asa, saying the ships might be manned by unarmed fishermen China claims most of the mineral-rich South China Sea, including areas that reach the shores of its smaller neighbors. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan also have claims to the region. During an overnight visit to Manila last month, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo assured the Philippines that Washington would come to its defense if its security forces came under armed attack in the South China Sea. Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, leader of the anti-junta Future Forward Party, poses for selfies with supporters while campaigning in Bangkok, Feb. 21, 2019. The top two leaders of an anti-junta political party said Wednesday that Thai police had summoned them for individual questioning over separate criminal allegations. Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, who heads the Future Forward Party (FFP) and ran as its prime ministerial candidate in the March 24 general election, described a summons from police to question him about his alleged role in helping suspects escape in 2015 as politically motivated. He revealed the summons letter in a Facebook post on Wednesday. The partys secretary general, meanwhile, posted a similar summons letter that he had received to be questioned over contempt of court and computer-crimes charges. It is apparent that the same old political game doesnt end at the end of elections, but it is intensified, Thanathorn said. Just because they fear the Future Forward Party, fear its unexpected triumph, fear the party with the policy and ideology which gained followers without using money or influence. I will go meet the police to prove my innocence, to prove that the nations justice wont yield to the dictatorship, he said. BenarNews could not immediately confirm with police that they had summoned Thanathorn and Piyabutr Saengkanokkul, Future Forwards secretary general, for questioning. Future Forward won 30 directly elected parliamentary seats in last months polls, the first held in Thailand since the military seized power through a coup five years ago. The party led by Thanathorn, the 40-year-old scion of a Thai auto parts company, was among seven parties that formed a pro-democracy alliance last week in the aftermath of the election, whose final outcome has yet to be officially resolved. The alliance is headed by Pheu Thai, a party linked with deposed and exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Pheu Thai won the biggest number of directly elected seats in parliaments lower house 137 out of 350 contested seats according to results released by the Election Commission. The pro-junta Palang Pracharat Party won 97 elected seats, but boasted that it had won the popular vote by drawing at least 8.4 million votes, according to official full results of ballots counted. Old cases Thanathorn said he was scheduled to meet with police in Pathumwan, a district in Bangkok, on Saturday. He could face a charge of sedition, which carries a maximum seven-year sentence, and aiding criminals, which carries a maximum two-year sentence. The charges against Thanathorn stemmed from a rally at Pathumwan police station on June 24, 2015, Col. Burin Thongprapai, legal adviser for the military government, told Thai media on Wednesday. On that day in 2015, eight students who had been involved in anti-junta activities a month earlier, were scheduled to report to police but surrounded the station instead. He said Thanathorn had used his mothers van to help the student activists escape. A senior police official denied that move to summons Thanathorn was political. These are the old cases, Deputy National Police Chief Gen. Srivarah Rangsipramanakul told a Thai news channel. The case proceeded slowly because of changes in supervisors. Piyabutr, for his part, said he had received a police summons to be questioned for his role in criticism leveled by his party after a court disbanded the opposition Thai Raksa Chart Party weeks before the vote. Piyabutr, who postponed his scheduled appearance before police on Wednesday, posted the summons letter on Facebook. The letter stated that the culprit was the owner of the partys website but did not specify a charge against Piyabutr, calling him a witness. Burin said the government sought to punish Piyabutr for contempt of court and violations of the Computer Crimes Act that carry penalties of up to seven years and five years in prison. After the Thai Raksa Chart Party was ordered disbanded on March 7 because it had nominated Princess Ubolratana as its candidate for prime minister, the Future Forward Party issued a critical statement. The judicial system has been abused as a political tool for over a decade. It doesnt help in reducing political tension but raises the question on power abuse, according to an excerpt. Threats against pro-democracy activists Also on Wednesday, Human Rights Watch (HRW) called on Thai authorities to investigate alleged threats and attacks against a Thai political activist, Ekachai Hongkangwan, and other pro-democracy activists. HRW said arsonists had torched his car early Monday, hours after he led a protest calling for members of the Election Commission to be impeached for allegedly helping Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha to retain power through the election. The results of the election have not been finalized. The environment for Thailands pro-democracy activists appears to be taking a turn for the worse, said Brad Adams, HRWs Asia director. Its crucial for Thai authorities to fully investigate these incidents, bring the attackers to justice, and act promptly to end the deepening climate of fear. We have stepped up support for our close partners, Georgia and Ukraine, sovereign nations with the sovereign right to choose their own path, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated during the joint meeting of the United States Congress in Washington, Agenda.ge reported. "We do all of this not to provoke a conflict. But to prevent a conflict. And to preserve the peace. Not to fight, but to deter. Not to attack, but to defend, Stoltenberg said. Stoltenbergs speech focused on the bond between Europe and North America, the enduring strength of the NATO Alliance and the importance of unity in an unpredictable world. "Since we cannot foresee the future, we have to be prepared for the unforeseen. We need a strategy to deal with uncertainty. We have one. That strategy is NATO, he said. For Immediate Release, April 4, 2019 Contacts: Collette Adkins, Center for Biological Diversity, (651) 955-3821, cadkins@biologicaldiversity.org Alison Shapiro, The Humane Society of the United States, (301) 721-6421, ashapiro@humanesociety.org Bonnie Rice, Sierra Club, (406) 640-2857, bonnie.rice@sierraclub.org Taylor Jones, WildEarth Guardians, (720) 443-2615, tjones@wildearthguardians.org Kristin Combs, Wyoming Wildlife Advocates, (307) 413-4116, kristin@wyowild.org Josh Osher, Western Watersheds Project, (406) 830-3099, josh@westernwatersheds.org Zack Strong, Natural Resources Defense Council, (406) 556-9302, zstrong@nrdc.org Wyoming, Idaho Petitioned to Require Hunters to Carry Bear Spray Proposal Would Save Human, Grizzly Bear Lives JACKSON, Wyo. Conservation organizations submitted petitions today to the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission and Idaho Fish and Game Commission proposing rules to require hunters in grizzly bear habitat to carry bear spray. The proposals follow years of high grizzly bear mortalities due to hunter-related conflicts. Wyoming and Idaho have an opportunity to adopt a common-sense policy that will protect bears and hunters alike, said Nicholas Arrivo, a staff attorney at the Humane Society of the United States. The evidence that bear spray works is overwhelming, and the time to enact this lifesaving proposal is now. Although grizzly bear conflicts with people remain relatively rare, data shows increasing numbers of conflicts between grizzly bears and humans during the fall hunting season as grizzly bears are drawn to gut piles left by hunters or come face to face with hunters in surprise encounters. When encounters do occur, researchers and wildlife managers overwhelmingly agree that bear spray is the most effective means of deterring bear attacks and preventing human injury. Bear spray has been proven time and time again to be the most effective tool in preventing injury to both people and bears in close encounters, including hunting conflicts, said Bonnie Rice, senior representative for the Sierra Clubs Our Wild America Campaign. Its common sense to require hunters to carry bear spray, and agencies should act now to make it mandatory. In recent years Yellowstones grizzly bears have suffered record levels of human-caused mortality. As of 2017 the 15 bears fatally shot during encounters with hunters represent the leading human cause of grizzly bear mortality in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, eclipsing the previous highest cause of grizzly bear death: lethal removals for livestock losses. Most human injuries caused by grizzly bears occur during encounters with hunters. Mandatory bear spray could prevent these tragic and unnecessary casualties. Peer-reviewed studies have shown that bear spray is 98 percent effective at preventing human injuries during bear encounters. Firearms are only 50 percent effective. Some have suggested that a gunshot during hunting season is like a dinner bell to a grizzly bear, at a time when bears are filling their bellies before denning, said Andrea Santarsiere, a senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity. A mandate requiring hunters to carry bear spray would save the lives of people and bears. This common-sense safety measure is akin to requiring a helmet when riding a bike, said Taylor Jones, endangered species advocate at WildEarth Guardians. We know it works, and we know it saves lives, so it should be standard practice. Its clear and simple; bear spray works, said Kristin Combs, executive director of Wyoming Wildlife Advocates. Hunters are extremely vulnerable, especially deep in bear habitat precisely when the animals are actively searching for food. This one easy practice will undoubtedly save the lives of both humans and bears. There is still a lot of work to be done before grizzly bear conservation can be called a success. Reducing bear mortalities and human injury by requiring hunters to carry bear spray is an obvious and effective policy with no downsides. Wyoming and Idaho have 60 days to respond to the petitions. The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.4 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places. www.biologicaldiversity.org. The Humane Society of the United States is the most effective animal protection organization, as rated by our peers. For more than 60 years, we have celebrated the protection of all animals and confronted all forms of cruelty. We and our affiliates are the nations largest provider of hands-on services for animals, caring for more than 100,000 animals each year, and we prevent cruelty to millions more through our advocacy campaigns. Read about our more than 60 years of transformational change for animals and people at HumaneSociety.org . The Sierra Club is Americas largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters nationwide. In addition to creating opportunities for people of all ages, levels and locations to have meaningful outdoor experiences, the Sierra Club works to safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and litigation. For more information, visit http://www.sierraclub.org. Wyoming Wildlife Advocates is a nonprofit organization focused on informing, educating, and empowering communities to preserve our wild legacy and protect our shared wildlife resources. We envision a Wyoming that leads the nation in exceptional and innovative wildlife management; all stakeholders are valued equally, and management decisions are driven by the best available science. Headquartered in Jackson, Wyoming, WWA has thousands of supporters in Wyoming, the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, and nationwide. www.wyowild.org WildEarth Guardians is a West-wide nonprofit conservation organization whose mission is to protect and restore the wildlife, wild places, wild rivers, and health of the American West. www.wildearthguardians.org Western Watersheds Project is a nonprofit environmental organization that works to protect and restore watersheds and wildlife throughout the West. Together, Don Webber and Peter Spadaro bring over 60 years of medical device leadership and management experience to SynCardia SynCardia Systems, LLC, LLC, manufacturer of the world's only clinically-proven and commercially approved total artificial heart, is pleased to announce that Don Webber has been promoted to Chief Executive Officer, and Peter Spadaro has been appointed as the President and Chief Commercial Officer (CCO). Don Webber joined SynCardia in 2018 as Chief Operating Officer (COO), leading Manufacturing Operations and Engineering, Quality and Supply Chain Logistics for the SynCardia product line. Don's demonstrated leadership as COO led to his promotion in January 2019 to Chief Executive Officer (CEO). He brings extensive management experience from more than 25 years in public and private sector life science companies. Prior to joining SynCardia, Don had been the COO at OptiScan since 2010. In addition, he's previously served as VP of Manufacturing Operations at C.R. Bard, VP of Operations at EKOS Corporation, and President and CEO of Mitralign. He holds a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering technology from the State University of New York and an MBA from Nova Southeastern University. Peter Spadaro has joined SynCardia's leadership team as the President and Chief Commercial Officer. Peter will be responsible for oversight of the global Sales and Marketing Organizations and for driving the company's sales growth. He assumed the new role on April 2, 2019 reporting directly to the CEO, Don Webber. Peter started his career at St. Jude Medical as a Sales Representative in New York City. During his almost 30-year career with St. Jude Medical he progressed through the organization's Sales and Marketing organizations taking on leadership roles that included Vice President of Global Marketing, Vice President of Cardiovascular Sales, and Division Vice President of Cardiac Rhythm Management to name a few. Peter comes to SynCardia from his recent leadership role at Medtronic as Senior Director of Sales, Cardiac Surgery. He holds a bachelor's degree from Fordham University. #Bookmarks2019: Raising awareness without stepping over into sensationalism Anthony Molyneaux, multimedia journalist at Tiso Blackstar Group, was awarded Online News Video Gold at IAB SA's Bookmarks Awards 2019 for his nine-minute reconstruction video, which mapped out the final hours of murdered Stellenbosch student, Hannah Cornelius and the 11-hour rampage that left four victims in its wake. Here, he explains the success of longer-form video and strong storytelling in a snappy digital world. Anthony Molyneaux, multimedia journalist for Tiso Blackstar Group. His work on the video took roughly four full days, working 12 to 14 hours a day, trying to get everything plotted and correct. Molyneaux explains: Accuracy was a strong focus. The narration was key as it needed to feel like a friend telling the audience the story. It came more naturally after tightening the script sounding good, in my opinion. Once I told my editor, Amanda Moore, that the video was complete and that it was nine minutes in length, she almost tore her hair out. But I trusted the strength of the piece. She watched the video, came back and said, We can run with the nine minutes. It was a sign that in a digital world where anything above a minute-and-30-seconds is considered a no-no, to run with a nine-minute piece was hugely significant. Here, Molyneaux explains why his Bookmarks win for this work was bittersweet, his process in putting the reconstruction video together and the personal attributes and technical skill required to sensitively put together in-depth hard news reconstruction-style multimedia content This is understandably a bittersweet win. What does this specific accolade mean for your career? This is understandably a bittersweet win. What does this specific accolade mean for your career? His work on the video took roughly four full days, working 12 to 14 hours a day, trying to get everything plotted and correct. Molyneaux explains:Here, Molyneaux explains why his Bookmarks win for this work was bittersweet, his process in putting the reconstruction video together and the personal attributes and technical skill required to sensitively put together in-depth hard news reconstruction-style multimedia content Definitely. Lets rewind talk us through how you got involved in working on the reconstruction video. Definitely. Lets rewind talk us through how you got involved in working on the reconstruction video. A 20-year old student and her friend were kidnapped in Stellenbosch, a popular university town. One was severely assaulted and left for dead. The other was found murdered in a field. It was harrowing. I drove out to Stellenbosch the day after the story broke and began to investigate what happened, trying to understand how something like this could take place in a supposedly safe town. What does it take to sensitively put together in-depth, hard news reconstruction-style video like this? List the personal attributes and technical skill. What does it take to sensitively put together in-depth, hard news reconstruction-style video like this? List the personal attributes and technical skill. How did you know you were done with the work? What was the end goal you had in mind? How did you know you were done with the work? What was the end goal you had in mind? That makes the end result all the more impressive. What specific obstacles did you have to keep in mind, in working to raise awareness of the case without stepping over into sensationalism? That makes the end result all the more impressive. What specific obstacles did you have to keep in mind, in working to raise awareness of the case without stepping over into sensationalism? Leigh Andrews' articles About Leigh Andrews Leigh Andrews AKA the Leigh Andrews AKA the #MilkshakeQueen , is former Editor-in-Chief: Marketing & Media at Bizcommunity.com, with a passion for issues of diversity, inclusion and equality, and of course, gourmet food and drinks! She can be reached on Twitter at @Leigh_Andrews It was a bittersweet award, but Ive decided to look at the accolade as a way to draw more attention to Hannah Cornelius case and the senseless crimes that happen in South Africa.This win has highlighted how important it is to evolve our storytelling methods in journalism. In terms of my career, it shows that longer-form video and strong storytelling can be successful in a digital world and that we can bring something new and professional to the digital storytelling medium.The whole reason I did the piece was to get people's attention to the case because I felt there was not enough attention on her murder and the people behind it. Winning an award for it means that more people are aware of it.I picked up on Hannahs case as it happened. It was a shocking event:I filmed a few places relevant to the case after finding more information, but that was only the beginning. I continued to follow the case closely as it hit home for me, and I wanted people to understand what had happened to this innocent young girl and her friend.Fast-forward a year later and the case was in full swing, yet it felt like the public had lost interest at this point: crime is something we as South Africans are constantly inundated with. This story deserved more attention for so many reasons, the main reason being Hannah.Everyone I interviewed and everything I could find out about her was so positive. For example, on her birthdays she would go out to Ocean View a struggling area and hand out gift-packs to the less fortunate. She was a really special person who ended up in the wrong place, at the wrong time, at the hands of the wrong people.To draw more attention to the case, something new needed to be done. Since first hearing of Hannahs death, there was a curiosity about where and how the events took place.So when CCTV footage of the kidnapping, as well as footage of the suspects attempting to draw money from various petrol station ATMs, was shown in court, it was possible to finally piece together what most likely happened in those 10 hours between the initial kidnapping and the suspects being arrested.By plotting events on Google Maps, I was trying to make sense of where the suspects went before and after they were captured on CCTV footage. Through their confessions, which all varied in some way, it was possible to confirm some things and rule others out about the journey.The first thing is having respect for the case and for the victims. Eagerness to really understand what happened will help you to tell a powerful story.An investigative mind, strong writing skills for narration, experience with Google Earth, and expertise on editing software are essential. You also require access to the court documents and footage which can be quite difficult to access but if you persist in what you want, you can usually find a way to get it.It was after four intense days, feeling burnt out and still receiving feedback from my editors to make certain style changes, but not editorially. I was so tired and to be honest, I would have loved a graphics artist to help with the mapping and the titling, but we just didnt have the time for that.It needed to be published as soon as possible after the CCTV footage was released in court.Its important to be respectful, particularly when reporting on crime, and not to include unnecessary details that wont bring anything new to the reader or viewer. My dad is a lawyer, so I understand the inner workings of what can and cannot be released legally. Fortunately, I also work for a great company and there was a lot of communication regarding the piece.The end product was well received, especially by the Cornelius family sign that the case was handled in a respectful, honest manner. It also assisted Hannahs cousin in raising more than R50,000 to pay for a hearing-aid and further studies for Hannahs friend Cheslin Marsh, who survived the attack. This is where raising awareness can really deliver positive change.Thats what effective investigative journalism is all about. Follow Molyneaux ,as well as Tiso Blackstar Groupsandon Twitter for the latest updates. Also, click through to our IAB Bookmarks Awards and Summit special section on site for continued coverage of this years winning work. CellCgirl walked away with a Silver Pixel at the prestigious IAB Bookmarks Awards last Thursday night. The awards offer multiple prizes in eight different categories, with the Brand Commercial and Retail Website category focusing on the websites overall design, impact, and user experience, among other things. CellCwon the silver pixel in this coveted category.Launched in September 2018, The CellCwebsite is an extension of Cell Cs flagship CSI initiative, Take A Girl Child to Work Day. The website was created to give the annual project longevity by providing girls between the ages of 14 and 24, with a platform where they can access free information, study tools and advice on a daily basis, wherever they are.The CellCwebsite, caters to four sets of users - high schoolers, tertiary students, first time workers and young entrepreneurs. It offers users useful features like a Career Interest Test, a CV Builder, downloadable past exam papers and study resources, and a list of available bursaries and internships. The website also gives users the opportunity to get confidential advice and study tips through its Ask CellCfunction.When asked about this remarkable achievement, Managing Executive of Corporate Social Investment at Cell C, Suzette Van Der Merwe had this to say, Cell C is very proud to have been acknowledged with this prestigious award and that the combined passion and efforts for CellCin partnership with Arc Interactive have been recognised within such a short space of time.Arc Interactive, the digital agency behind the CellCinitiative, is not new to the world of CSI projects. Luke Goller, who is Managing Partner at Arc expressed excitement at having another one of the agencys platforms recognised in such a short space of time, ARC is really excited to be involved in an initiative that has such a wide impact on young females and the South African community at large. The recognition that CellChas had in such a short space of time is testament to how necessary such a brand is and to how significant the Take a Girl Child to Work Day movement has been. Were honoured to be a part of it.Cell C have been running their Take A Girl Child To Work Day project for over a decade and have been successfully helping girls all over South Africa to plan their careers by gaining insight into the world of work as well as the opportunities available to them. The initiative is looking to expand and offer online certifications to its users through the CellCplatform in 2019.You can visit the CellCwebsite here . And see more from Arc Interactive here Google remembers SA jazz icon Hugh Masekela Google has created a birthday Doodle of the late South African jazz icon Hugh Masekela, on what would have been his 80th birthday. Doodles are changes that are made to the Google logo to celebrate/honour famous artists, pioneers, and scientists. Masekela sadly lost his battle against prostate cancer on 23 January 2019. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu intends to discuss events in Syria and coordination between the servicemen of the two states at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Israeli prime minister said about it ahead of his departure to Moscow. "We will discuss events in Syria, which are accumulating, the regular and special coordination between our armies, as well as other issues that are important for the State of Israel," TASS cited Netanyahu as saying. It is the second meeting between the Russian and Israeli leaders since early 2019. The previous meeting between Putin and Netanyahu also took place in the Russian capital on February 27. The Kazakh authorities decided that the nuclear power plant might be built in Ulken village, Almaty region, Kazakh Energy Minister Magzum Mirzagaliyev said during the Senate meeting. According to him, there is no precise decision on the construction of the nuke plant so far, but it's location has been decided. Ulken village is located near the Balhash lake some 300 km from Almaty, AKIpress reported. On April 3, during the meeting with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia proposes to build a nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan. "Cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy continues; there are six Russian-Kazakh uranium mining and enrichment operations. We suggest moving on to new forms of cooperation, meaning, first of all, the building of a Russian technology-based nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan," Putin said. The main results of the April battles were the defeat of the Armenian army, the solidarity shown by the Azerbaijani people, the rising spirit of patriotism and the combat experience of the Azerbaijani army, Azerbaijani Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov said in an interview with AzTV channel, Trend reports on April 4. The minister said that during the April battles, only 20 percent of the Azerbaijani armed forces fought against the entire Armenian army. The Armenians are unable to cope with Azerbaijan economically, politically and in terms of building an army, he said. Therefore, they resort to other methods, namely, use traitors, spread lies and slander. "But it is also useless, Hasanov added. It is not the beginning of the 1990s now. During that period, taking advantage of the disorder in the country, the Armenians occupied our lands. Azerbaijan has changed since the 1990s. Presently, there are strong statehood, strong president, strong economy, army." Reciba en su email: noticias de ultima hora, analisis tecnicos o el cierre de mercado Email no valido Nombre requerido Recibira las informaciones mas relevantes del dia en tiempo real Que informacion desea recibir? Noticias de Ultima hora Boletin Cierre de Mercado Boletin analisis tecnico Boletin Fundsnews Debe seleccionar un tipo de boletin Acepto la Politica de privacidad Debe aceptar la politica de privacidad Responsable EMPRESAS DEL GRUPO WEB FINANCIAL GROUP Finalidad La remision de informacion, novedades y promociones Establecimiento o mantenimiento de Relaciones Comerciales. Legitimacion Consentimiento del interesado. Interes legitimo en el desarrollo de la relacion comercial Destinatario Empresas del Grupo WEB FINANCIAL GROUP Derechos Acceso, rectificacion, supresion, limitacion, oposicion y portabilidad Informacion adicional Politica de Privacidad de nuestra pagina Web + INFORMACION The Ibex 35 has signed a bullish repoker (five consecutive days in positive) and has marked new highs of the year in closing prices in 9.534,10 points. The Spanish selective has risen 0.49%, accumulates a weekly return of 3.1% and rises 11.3% so far this year. It hasn't closed at these levels since September. Among the most bullish values of the day, Acciona and Sabadell have rebounded more than 2%, while BBVA has advanced 1.57%. Bolsamania has published that its president, Carlos Torres Vila, has received 180,000 shares within its variable remuneration system, valued at one million euros. For its part, Santander has risen 0.99% after closing on Wednesday with increases of 2% after presenting its strategic plan in London. The bank said it plans to invest 20bn in digitization until 2022. It also said it expects to save 1.2bn in the medium term with an efficiency plan. It is also worth noting the performance of other securities, such as Inditex (+ 0.98%), Telefonica (+ 0.89%) and Iberdrola (+ 0.63%). The electric continues to mark historical highs and rubs already 8 euros per share. On a negative note, Repsol has dropped 1% after Barclays analysts have lowered their profit forecast due to a worse performance of their businesses in Libya and Venezuela. The most bearish values of the Ibex were Mediaset Espana (-2.36%) and Indra (-1.38%). Outside of Spain, this Thursday we talk about the supposed interest of UniCredit in Commerzbank. According to the Financial Times, the Italian bank would be interested in bidding for the German if the latter's negotiations with Deutsche Bank fail. In other markets, Brent oil rose 0.2% to 69.48 dollars, while the euro depreciated 0.12% to 1.1219 dollars. On the other hand, Spain's risk premium drops slightly to 112 points, while the yield on the Spanish 10-year bond eases to 1.12%. BREXIT AND COMMERCIAL NEGOTIATIONS This Thursday, the big issues are again Brexit and trade negotiations between China and the United States. On the first issue, the House of Commons has passed legislation to force Prime Minister Theresa May to seek an extension for Brexit and thus avoid a disorderly departure from the European Union on April 12. It seems that the 'kick forward' and the Brexit extension are valued positively, given that they would avoid what is most feared: a hard Brexit. As for the negotiations between the two main world economic powers, Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He this Thursday. It is speculated that the pact could be imminent, although the hardest part of the negotiation is missing, which consists in closing agreements on the 10% of the most thorny issues. As for the agenda of the day, factory orders in Germany have been known, a figure that has come out much worse than expected. In addition, the minutes of the last meeting of the European Central Bank (ECB) have shown the debate within the body on the possible measures to be taken to 'compensate' the banks for the current negative interest rates. As for the economic situation, the minutes have indicated that the ECB considers "relatively low" the probability of a recession in the euro zone. "The baseline scenario is for solid growth to return by the end of this year," the agency expects. TECHNICAL ANALYSIS OF THE IBEX 35 "There we have the Ibex, at the annual highs (9,534) and approaching the resistance zone that it presents in the upper part of the bullish channel in recent months: now at 9,650 points, but in the very short term, We recommend some caution as we have the bullish gap on this Wednesday (9,360) pending to be filled, at least partially, adding that little by little we started to go back into daily overbought, which in some way reduces our gasoline to continue going up, "says Jose Maria Rodriguez, an analyst at Bolsamania. "Let's not forget that, in the absence of a session to close the week, our selective accumulates a positive weekly balance of more than 3%, we will see if the most capitalized title of our market (Inditex) is able to jump over the resistance of 27.07 euros.To jump, we will have a new and important revulsive to continue rising in the short term, "adds this expert. The United States remained open to a dialogue with Russia on the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said in an address during a meeting of NATO ministers in Washington. "America remained open to an ongoing dialogue with Russia in the hopes that she could see her way clear to full INF compliance," he said. The official, at the same time, stressed that Moscow "continues to refuse to dismantle its non-compliant new missile systems." According to Pence, the U.S. had no choice but to provide the requisite six-month written notice to treaty parties of our intention to withdraw under Article XV of the INF Treaty. President Vladimir Putin told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday that Russian special forces troops in Syria had found the remains of a U.S.-born Israeli soldier missing since 1982, allowing him to be finally buried. The disappearance of Zachary Baumel, who was 21 when he fought in Israel's invasion of Lebanon and was declared missing in action along with two other soldiers in the Battle of Sultan Yacoub, has long troubled Israel. Speaking at talks in Moscow with Netanyahu who is campaigning for a new term ahead of elections next week, Putin said Russian and Syrian forces had located Baumel's remains, but that it had been a difficult task. "We are very happy that they will be able to give him the necessary military honors at home and most importantly... that his close relatives will be able to bring flowers to his grave," Putin said in comments published by the Kremlin. Russia handed over a casket containing Baumel's personal effects, including his combat uniform, on Thursday. An online drug trafficking scheme was uncovered and three drug dealers who are the citizens of Russia were detained, according to the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs. The ministry revealed that he detainees were a group of organised drug dealers who came to Georgia to sell drugs. "They were packaging the drugs in small packs, hiding them at different addresses in Tbilisi, taking photos of the drugs and posting them on the internet to sell them," Agenda.ge cited the Ministry of Internal Affairs as saying. Police have seized hashish, a substance containing buprenorphine, MDM and norfentanyl from the homes of the detainees. The crime is punishable by 8 to 20 years in prison or life imprisonment. So far this year 477 people have been detained for drug crimes, according to the ministry. The U.S. administration will keep trying to persuade Germany to change its position on the Nord Stream 2, director of the Office of Policy Planning Kiron Skinner said at the conference in Washington. The director of policy planning for the U.S. Department of State urged nations to "put their interests first." At the same time, she noted that it doesnt mean that the U.S. cant try to persuade its allies to "think differently about their interests or align their interests to the common challenges," the press service of the Atlantic Council website reported. Skinner added that the Trump doctrine speaks to "some of the challenges that NATO has faced in recent years." South Africa: South Africa's SEZs attract billions South Africas Special Economic Zones have attracted over R16.8 billion in investments, says Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies. Speaking at the first National Special Economic Zones (SEZs) Investment Conference on Wednesday, Davies said the total number of operational investors in designated SEZs has now reached 115 with a private investment value of over R16.8 billion. Since the introduction of the new SEZ legislation in 2014, the number of designated zones has increased, the investor confidence has improved, the number of operational investments has increased and continue to increase. "Support from various sectors of the society, in particular, all spheres of government, State-Owned Entities (SOEs), the business community and labour has also improved considerably, he said at the start of the two-day conference. The Minister said the companies have created 15 716 direct jobs. The Dube TradePort Special Economic Zone has managed to attract 35 operational investors with an investment value of R1.5 billion, creating a total of 3 246 direct jobs. In the 2017/18 financial year 429 new direct jobs and 974 construction jobs were created. As at 18 March 2019, 184 new direct jobs and a total of 2 020 construction jobs have been created. According to Davies, Coega SEZ has become a best practice model for all SEZs in South Africa and across the continent, and it remains the biggest SEZ in terms of number and value of investments on the African continent. In 2012, the Coega Special Economic Zone had 19 investors with a total private sector investment value of R1.13 billion, creating 3 778 jobs. As at April 2019, the Coega SEZ has grown to 43 operational investors worth over R9.93 billion worth of private investments. As a result, it has doubled its direct employment creation to 8210 jobs and 19402 including construction jobs since inception, said Davies. To cement its position as a leading SEZ on the continent, Coega is now the subject of a global case study led by the World Bank which looks at best practice examples of SEZ development across the globe. Davies said this was an indication that the SEZ Programme in South Africa was on the correct path. To improve and upscale the impact of the SEZ programme, Davies said it was critical to look at new and innovative ways of supporting SEZs to achieve more and double investments in line with President Cyril Ramaphosas mission to attract more investments to the zones. Davies said it was time to find tailor-made solutions that will support the SEZs and find solutions that will support investors in the zones. To date, a total of ten SEZs have been designated. In 2018, the Atlantis SEZ in the Western Cape, a Green-Tech Hub as well as Nkomazi SEZ in Mpumalanga, agro-processing and logistic hub, were the latest designations under the programme. In addition, the designation of Bojanala SEZ in North West is at the advanced stage, very soon I will be publishing the application for the designation of the proposed zone in the government gazette to afford the public an opportunity to submit written comments on the proposed development, said Davies MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs in KwaZulu-Natal, Sihle Zikalala, applauded government for implementing the SEZ programme particularly the two SEZs in KZN which he said have become the catalyst for foreign direct investments. He added that community members living in far flung areas that were neglected by the apartheid regime are already benefitting from the investments in these economic zones. Over 500 delegates representing national, provincial and local government, STATE-OWNED entities, SEZs, industry associations, industry experts and academics, international Investment communities and local businesses, multinational corporations, as well as ports and logistics operators are attending the conference. The two-day conference at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre in Durban, is hosted by the Department of Trade and Industry, in partnership with the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA). The conference will conclude on Thursday. - SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2019-04-04. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Portland, Ore. One of the more intriguing new developments teased at the annual conference of the Consortium for School Networking, being held here this week: Google is starting to provide cloud storage for K-12 districts, helping them warehouse the massive amounts of data they collect on their students, then offering artificial intelligence-as-a-service to help districts analyze the information and use it to generate visualizations, recommendations, and predictions. The emerging effort involves Googles Cloud Platform and Data Studio tools. Its currently being piloted by Washingtons Evergreen Public Schools system and a couple other U.S. school districts, according to a presentation made here Tuesday. During the session, Evergreen chief innovation officer Derrick Brown described his districts partnership with the Mountain View, Calif.-based online-services giant. We have tons of data in our school districts, Brown said, ticking off the information generated by student information systems, instructional software programs, online surveys of childrens social-emotional well-being, and special-needs students individualized education plans. All that data needs to go in a container. And that doesnt exist. But this does that, Brown said of Google Cloud Platform. Google has not yet answered questions from Education Week about how the arrangement works. But the basic idea, Evergreen officials said, is to take all the districts information, put it in one place, then allow for automated analysis that can cut across datasets that have historically been housed in separate silos. Such capability has long been something of a holy grail for K-12 districts, which for years have pursued better data integration and interoperability by building their own information warehouses, working with vendors providing learning-management and student-information systems, and pushing for new technical standards to ease the flow of data between systems. Its unclear exactly how Google proposes to overcome the longstanding challenges that have vexed other such efforts. Its also unclear how the new effort will address potentially significant privacy concerns, including questions over how participating districts will comply with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. FERPA, as the nations main student-data-privacy law is commonly known, requires that districts maintain direct control of students educational records, and that parents be given the opportunity to review and amend those records. We havent gotten to the [data] ownership piece yet, said Brown, who noted that Evergreen Public Schools involvement with the effort began under a since-departed superintendent and has proceeding without a formal data-sharing agreement in place. Its something we have to address, as well as privacy, he said. Those are things were thinking about, but havent figured out yet. Evergreen recently starting hosting its data with Google, Brown said, as part of a free pilot experiment with the company. The district has not yet figured out what questions it hopes to answer with the data, and Google is not currently analyzing the data via its machine-learning algorithms or other artificially intelligent tools. Big picture, cloud computing is nothing new in education. Eighty percent of districts now use cloud-based educational software, according to a 2017 survey of school technology leaders by CoSN and the Education Week Research Center. Amazon Web Services is already a popular option for K-12 cloud storage, minus the analytics and recommendations that Google is now exploring. And Google has been hard at work touting its cloud platform to higher education institutions. But if the new Google experiment in K-12 were to take off--and overcome the many questions it is already raising--it could be a big deal. Evergreen assistant superintendent Chris McMurray touted the effort as a way for schools to know more about their students, then combine that information with the powerful AI tools that Google is already using in its consumer products to personalize the learning experience. What Im excited about is the ability to gather information on learners at such a scale that when I start seeing certain indicators, the machine can automatically [make predictions], he said. Google knows me. Its a great relationship, because Google can finish my sentences. We can harness that power to learn about our learners. See also: for the latest news on ed-tech policies, practices, and trends. Turkey's move to buy Russian air defence systems is a "national decision", but NATO members may discuss the issue on the margins of an alliance ministerial meeting in Washington, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has stated, Sputnik reports. "It is a national decision of each NATO ally to determine its own capabilities", Stoltenberg told reporters when asked whether he sees any potential resolution on Ankara's plans to buy the S-400. Stoltenberg acknowledged that this "an issue of great disagreement between NATO allies". He noted that the alliance provides a platform to resolve such issues. "NATO provides [military] support to Turkey," Stoltenberg said. Such support includes missile and air defence capabilities, he added. Morande's independent research for his sociology major focuses on Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he studied abroad in 2018. At that time, approximately 26,000 people were homeless or living in what he calls "extreme housing insecurity." Morande began an investigationwhich eventually became the basis of his Bowdoin honors projectinto the political and economic factors that had tipped the country into crisis, and how some people left destitute had responded. The resilience, tenacity, and political creativity Morande found among the most affected Argentines was all the more notable given the obstacles they faced. Morande notes that along with "neoliberal" market reforms ushered into the country in the 1990slike the privatization and deregulation of public assetscame a decrease in subsidized social services and a detrimental attitude toward the poverty-striken. "Neoliberalism pushes the notion that people have an independent responsibility for their own health management and financial management, and shouldn't rely on state services," he said. Additionally, in Argentina and elsewhere, there is a trend toward treating homelessness as a medical condition, as if not having a home is a manifestation of mental illness. "This creates a stigma," Morande said, "and stops people from addressing the underlying issues, which are a lack of affordable housing and a lack of good-paying jobs." While the stress of being homeless can precipitate or exacerbate mental health and behavioral problems, Morande said, "we cannot conflate housing insecurity with such illnesses." But Morande found that in Buenos Aires, some homeless people have mobilized, creating alternatives to public services or other social support systems that treat them as diseased. "They have reconceptualized homelessness as a state problem," he said. To pursue the concept further, Morande returned to Buenos Aires over winter break with the help of a Grau/O'Connell Research Award from Bowdoin. There he studied two organizations in which homeless people are taking an active management role. "They are peer-based," he said. "They help people mobilize, make political demands, and construct a community where they can maintain a sense of dignity." The two organizationsSUMAR Solidario and Proyecto 7"reimagine care as a collective empowerment practice . . . mobilizing people to protect and advance their rights to housing, health care, and public space," Morande writes in his thesis. Morande's advisor, Assistant Professor of Sociology Oyman Basaran, said the strength of Morande's work "lies in his passion for weaving together personal narratives, poems, astute observations, historical details, and complex sociological concepts." Basaran adds, "His fascinating work not only shows the emotional and physical suffering that homeless people in Argentina experience, but also serves as a testament to their resilience . . . and will to change the social and political institutions that relentlessly fail them. It also bears many lessons for understanding and addressing the alarmingly fast-growing homeless population in the US." Morande has pursued his interest in homelessness back in Maine. Last summer, he received a Denning Summer Fellowship from Bowdoin to continue studying the issue in Portland. He did social work and street outreach for Maine Medical Centers Homeless Health Partnersa job he's continued throughout the academic year. His main responsibility is to connect people living on the street with health services. While his interest in homelessness is now a matter of sociological and moral inquiry, it grew out of a childhood trauma. Living in Vermont, he observed his father's spiral into poverty, homelessness, and gradually worsening illnessa decline that ultimately led to his premature death from a heart attack when Morande was eleven. For years, Morande said he blamed himself for his father's death. It wasn't until he was older and could recognize the broader social currents underlying his father's strugglesan economic recession and no access to healthcare or medicinethat his guilt lessened. "Today it's the realization that it was not I who failed my fatherbut rather a health system based upon economic privilegethat motivates me to fight for the right to quality care," he said. Morande recently learned he has been awarded a $30,000 Watson fellowship to travel the world next year, studying other peer-based homeless organizations. He says he's hoping the year of exploration, spent connecting to people like homeless artists in the UK, shelter residents in Denmark, and refugees in Colombia, will give him clarity on what to do next. "While I remain uncertain as to my postgraduate pathaspiring to either conduct street outreach as a social worker, propose legislation as a public health lobbyist, or manage free clinics as a nurse practitionerI know that my future will center around such stories," he said. The U.S. must choose between remaining Turkey's ally and siding with terrorists, Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay said on Twitter. "The United States must choose. Does it want to remain Turkeys ally or risk our friendship by joining forces with terrorists to undermine its NATO allys defense against its enemies?" Anadolu Agency cited Oktay as saying. His remarks came in response to his U.S. counterpart Mike Pence's tweet in which he said that Turkey must choose whether it wants to remain a critical partner of NATO, or continue its purchase of the Russian S-400 missile defense system. Climate change will bring more unpredictability to southwestern Manitobas weather, meaning more floods, hotter summers and warmer winters, according to a report from the federal government. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 4/4/2019 (985 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Advertisement Advertise With Us Climate change will bring more unpredictability to southwestern Manitobas weather, meaning more floods, hotter summers and warmer winters, according to a report from the federal government. Canadas Changing Climate Report, released Monday, urges action to reduce the long-term effects of climate change. The report traces average temperature between 1948 and 2016 and shows the climate in the Prairies has already gotten much warmer. Over the last 70 years, the average temperate has risen almost two degrees and 3.1 degrees in the winter. In that same time, the amount of rain and snowfall has climbed seven per cent, a major factor in flooding. Barrie Bonsal, a research scientist with Environment and Climate Change Canada who helped write the report, said the Prairies are going to see the biggest swing in average temperatures. The area is right in the middle of the North American continent, meaning we are further away from the oceans that help moderate temperatures. The report outlines two scenarios for climate changes impact on Canada. The first if the world is able to meet the targets set out in the Paris Agreement and the second is for "business as usual." The two scenarios outline different severities of the impact of climate change on the country. While Bonsal said both scenarios mean a longer growing season for Westman farmers, that might not necessarily be a good thing. "It really depends. If we have a longer growing season you might be able to plant earlier or diversify in crops, but really what the limiting factor will be is how much water you have. In the high emissions scenario its projected well have drier summers on the Prairies." That could mean more crops withering in the ground, meaning financial losses for people working in agriculture. David Greenwood, a professor in the department of biology at Brandon University, said its already getting harder and harder to predict weather patterns in the Prairies. "For the last three years weve got this seesaw of unpredictability where you can have a dry hot summer or you can have more snowy warmer winter but you can have like we just had a much colder, more traditional Prairie winter, so that variability seems to be increasing." That uncertainty isnt limited to temperatures, it is also affecting the amount of rainfall the region can expect, as well as its intensity. "We seem to be going through these long periods of calm weather with no rain and suddenly it rains for two days and we get floods, that unpredictability is probably the big story in the next decade or so. Floods are going to become much more a part of everyday life. Brandon saw significant flooding in both 2009 and 2014 and the Red River Valley is expected to reach near-record water levels later this month. Flooding wont be confined to the spring thaw anymore, he said, as people could see more summer floods from huge storms. "Calgary got hit a few years ago now, so you get the long periods without big thunderstorms and then Bam weve got this big system that comes in and dumps a summers worth of rain in 24 hours." Peter Whittington, a Brandon University professor in the department of geography and environment, said in an email that hot summers could make floods worse. When the ground gets very dry it cant absorb water as well, resulting in more runoff and pooling in low-lying areas. This presents a problem for municipal infrastructure, which often isnt built to deal with the type of weather climate change could bring. Greenwood said municipalities need upgrade storm drains and drainage to deal with sudden deluges of water. Farmers could also be hit with new pests affecting their crops. Warmer winters mean less will be killed off during the cold temperatures and the climate will be suitable for insects that prefer the heat. Non-farmers will also have to worry about new bugs bringing diseases that previously werent an issue. "No one talked about ticks; now ticks are everywhere and of course they carry disease like Lyme disease," Greenwood said. "Some of those mosquitos we didnt have before, we have new mosquitos and some of those are carrying diseases were not thinking about." The bottom line is that countries around the world have to take quick action to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, including how it might impact Manitoba. "This is here and its now, the time to talk about Is it real or not? is long since passed. The time is here that were facing significant costs across society, whether its the cost of your insurance policy or the cost of being a farmer. ... We cant continue to stick our heads in the sand." dmay@brandonsun.com Twitter: @DrewMay_ Vietnam recorded positive economic achievements in Q1 Updated: 09:28 - 04/04/2019 Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc speaks at a Government cabinet meeting in Hanoi on April 2__Photo: VNA In the first quarter of 2019, Vietnam recorded positive economic achievements despite a range of difficulties both in and outside the country, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said at a Government cabinet meeting in Hanoi on April 2. The countrys GDP growth was estimated at 6.79 percent, while the macroeconomy was stabilized and foreign currency reserves were on the rise.The inflow of foreign investment increased by nearly 31 percent, with USD 4.12 billion disbursed, and total revenue from retail sales and services rose 12 percent, he added.During the reviewed period, Vietnams exports continued to expand amidst the global economic slowdown, helping the country to enjoy a trade plus of USD 536 million in the first three months of 2019, PM Phuc said.The government leader highlighted the promising outcome of budget collection, reaching almost 27 percent of the annual target, and the establishment of new businesses, with more than 28,400 enterprises set up during the period, along with a low unemployment rate.Although the global economy was predicted to slow this year, international organizations still had a positive outlook for Vietnam, he said, citing growth forecasts from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the World Bank (WB) of 6.8 percent and 6.6 percent, higher than the predicted average growth of 6 percent in Asia-Pacific.Apart from challenges caused by the global economic slowdown, Vietnam would have to face pressure in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) as Chinas Foreign Investment Law was set to help raise the countrys competitiveness, he warned.The PM asked ministries and localities to take measures to step up foreign investment attraction, thus creating resources for national economic development.At the meeting, PM Phuc also mentioned African swine fever which has been reported in 23 cities and provinces nationwide, along with climate change and drought in the Central Highlands and the Southwestern regions, affecting domestic production.He urged ministries, agencies and sectors to uphold their responsibility and overcome these challenges to fulfill their yearly targets, saying the greatest efforts should be made to ensure economic growth targets were met and to address social issues, especially in culture and education.The government leader underlined the need to handle bottlenecks hindering the countrys economic growth, especially the low disbursement of public investment.Given the disbursement of capital sourced from the state budget dropping 30 percent year-on-year, PM Phuc asked the Minister of Planning and Investment and other ministries and agencies to clarify the problem and accelerate disbursement in April.Mentioning the credit growth rate of only 2.38 percent as compared with the yearly target of about 14 percent, the PM asked the State Bank of Vietnam to employ measures to support production.In terms of environmental protection, he asked the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and localities to work harder to encourage the public to reduce the use of plastic products, helping to handle plastic waste, especially along the countrys coastline.Regarding the recently-announced provincial competitiveness index, the PM asked localities to pay more attention to transparency, personnel training, corporate support and administrative reforms in land, tax and customs.Cabinet members also discussed some reports, including those regarding administrative reforms in the first three months of 2019, and the Governments program on law and ordinance building, among others.- A longtime mining geologist and developer has come up with his own solution to Canada's long-running Arctic sovereignty dispute with Denmark. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 4/4/2019 (984 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The crew of Danish warship Vedderen perform a flag raising ceremony on the uninhabitated Hans Island off northwestern Greenland, in this Aug. 13, 2002 file photo. A longtime mining geologist and developer has come up with his own solution to Canada's long-running Arctic sovereignty dispute with Denmark. (AP Photo/Polfoto, Vedderen, File) ** DENMARK OUT ** A longtime mining geologist and developer has come up with his own solution to Canada's long-running Arctic sovereignty dispute with Denmark. John Robins has filed and been granted a mineral exploration claim under Canadian law to Hans Island a remote pimple of rock between Ellesmere Island and Greenland that lies exactly on the international border. "It was done on a bit of a lark," said Robins, who's involved with a number of Vancouver-based mining companies. "The reason I applied for it is more just to stir the pot a bit." Hans Island, an uninhabited 1.3-square-kilometre knuckle of rock in the middle of the Kennedy Channel, has been the focus of a half-jocular, half-serious boundary quarrel between Canada and Denmark that began in 1973. Back then, the two countries set out to draw a conclusive border between Ellesmere and Greenland at the time a Danish territory. They couldn't decide what to do about Hans and left it until later. Later came in 1984. Canadian soldiers landed on the island, dropped off a bottle of Canadian whisky and erected the Maple Leaf. Soon after, the Danish minister of Greenlandic affairs invaded. He left the Danish flag, a bottle of schnapps and a note that said: "Welcome to the Danish island." Diplomats are silent on the fate of the whisky. Canada's then-defence minister Bill Graham visited in 2005, followed shortly by some Danish soldiers. In 2010, 64 Danish tourists landed and erected a cairn with the Danish flag. The so-called whisky war goes back and forth. About a year ago, the two countries created a team to try to hammer out a deal to resolve the boundary debate once and for all. It's not Robins's first attempt to beat back the Danes. In 2006, he filed a similar claim, which has since expired. No valuable mineral deposits are known to exist on Hans Island, although the waters beneath are thought to have potential for oil and gas. Robins said there's a serious purpose behind his attempt to use an online mineral claim as a tool of conquest. "Canada's been very lax about pushing Arctic sovereignty," he said. He also wants to draw attention to what he calls the current government's neglect of the Arctic particularly the poor understanding of the vast region's geology, the foundation of the mining industry. "We rely on maps that are decades old," Robins said. "Often, they're based on people flying over an area and looking out the window and saying, 'Yeah, it looks like this rock type.'" Nevertheless, Canada has a 2005 agreement with Denmark to inform that country about anything involving Hans Island. Robins's permit was granted Feb. 4. The next day, Canada let Danish officials know. "The Canadians have reached out and we are in close contact with them," confirmed Henning Dobson of Denmark's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Michael Byers, an international law professor at the University of British Columbia, said Robins's claim is a welcome nudge toward settling an old dispute with a friendly country. "He's successfully drawn attention to the fact we have an unresolved territorial issue." Solutions are easy and obvious, Byers said. The countries could draw a line through Hans that connects the maritime border or agree to manage the island jointly. "The only thing that is stopping them is concern about domestic politics. No government wants to be accused by its political opponents of surrendering sovereignty." Follow Bob Weber on Twitter at @row1960 OTTAWA - Former Afghanistan hostage Joshua Boyle was angry and domineering in the days following his release from captivity, witnesses told his assault trial Thursday. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 4/4/2019 (984 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA - Former Afghanistan hostage Joshua Boyle was angry and domineering in the days following his release from captivity, witnesses told his assault trial Thursday. Boyle and his wife, Caitlan Coleman, were seized by extremists during a 2012 backpacking trip to central Asia and rescued five years later by Pakistani forces. Joshua Boyle and his mother Linda Boyle arrive at the courthouse in Ottawa ON Friday, March 29, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld Janice Unger, a Global Affairs Canada official who accompanied them on a plane back to Canada in October 2017, told the court that at one point during the flight Boyle abruptly ordered her and a colleague to stop talking and go back to their seats. Coleman's sister, JoAnn Rotenberry, visited the couple shortly after their return and recalled that Boyle always seemed angry and frustrated and would speak in a demeaning way to his wife. Coleman has testified her husband spanked, punched and slapped her during their time as hostages, and that his violent ways resumed shortly following their arrival in Canada. Boyle was arrested in Ottawa in the early hours of Dec. 31, 2017, after Coleman told police he had assaulted her on numerous occasions. Boyle, 35, has pleaded not guilty in Ontario court to offences against Coleman including assault, sexual assault and unlawful confinement. The Crown witnesses who testified Thursday painted a picture of Boyle as a self-absorbed man who exerted obvious control over his wife. Unger remembered Coleman as a quiet person who did not make a lot of eye contact. Coleman and Boyle would speak to each other, she recalled. "But she would look to him for, I would say, cues." Often, Boyle would use hand gestures to direct his wife's actions, she said. Rotenberry travelled to Ottawa from the United States to visit Coleman, who had fallen ill, in hospital. "She looked very tired," Rotenberry said Thursday. "She was frail, skinny." Although his wife was sick, Boyle expected her to care for their three children, who were present at the hospital, Rotenberry told the court. "He would talk demeaningly towards her," she recalled. "He would say to her, 'Why don't you keep the kids quiet?'" Rotenberry had expected Coleman would be stronger and do more to stand up for herself. "She would sit meekly, she would have her head down. Her tone of voice was demure," she said. "To me, she just accepted everything that Josh said." Rotenberry said Coleman told her: "I make some of the decisions, but he makes the majority of them." The sisters kept in touch by text and email after Rotenberry returned to the U.S., sharing messages during one stretch of several days because Coleman "needed to vent," she said. Rotenberry became so concerned for Coleman at one point that she alerted the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, telling an officer "some sort of safety net" was needed to protect her sister. Shortly thereafter, Rotenberry said, she was "cut off completely" and her texts and emails to Coleman went unanswered. Rotenberry tried again, sending Coleman an email inquiring whether she had taken offence at something. To Rotenberry's surprise, Boyle wrote back to say his wife had not replied because she had been very busy. Follow @JimBronskill on Twitter The federal health minister is forming a national task force to provide input on how to better prevent, treat and manage chronic pain, which affects one in five Canadians and is often addressed with opioids. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 3/4/2019 (985 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The federal health minister is forming a national task force to provide input on how to better prevent, treat and manage chronic pain, which affects one in five Canadians and is often addressed with opioids. Ginette Petitpas Taylor said in an interview Wednesday the task force will provide information on barriers that may prevent people suffering with persistent pain from receiving the treatment they need. "This is the first step in addressing the issue of chronic pain in this country," she said, adding the eight members will consult with governments and advocacy groups around the country and provide an initial report in June, followed by two more over the next couple of years. Petitpas Taylor made the announcement in Toronto at the 40th annual scientific meeting of the Canadian Pain Society, which has long called for a national pain strategy, especially as the opioid crisis has exacerbated the stigma around prescribing and use of the pain killers. She said she committed to exploring the creation of a national pain task force after a discussion with patients, clinicians and researchers at a symposium in Toronto last year, when she heard people living with pain often feel their condition is misunderstood and services are inconsistent. "We have to recognize that Canada's a big country and we certainly know there's inconsistent services in provinces and territories so I have to really have a good understanding of what's available and what's happening out there," Petitpas Taylor said. Advocates for pain patients presented the former Conservative government with a plan in 2012, but Petitpas Taylor said it's too early to say whether such a plan will be introduced. Andrew Koster, who suffers from debilitating lower back and knee pain from a type of arthritis called ankylosing spondylitis, said he's concerned the task force's work will go nowhere if there's a change in government in October. "I'm looking for signs from the government that they're taking this seriously and it's not just something to state during an election campaign," he said. "There has to be definite action." Koster, who will have surgery on his left knee next month following an operation on the other one last year, said he can no longer afford to pay $100 a week for acupuncture to deal with daily pain after he voluntarily reduced his opioids over concerns about any long-term consequences. "People with chronic pain are often underemployed or unemployed because they simply cannot work and not all of us have extended health benefits and even health benefits run out," he said from Victoria. He said it's crucial for the task force to identify non-drug costs for patients and provinces for services such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy and acupuncture as part of any strategy it may come up with in its final report. Serena Patterson, a 60-year-old psychologist in Comox, B.C., has lived with pain associated with fibromyalgia for over half her life and also developed migraines that prevented her from continuing her teaching job at a college. She said a three-year task force seems excessive, especially because advocacy groups have enough information on health-care gaps and patients wait too long to see specialists. "I think we know that people are dying in an opioid epidemic and chronic pain patients are high on that list," Patterson said. "I would hope that this three years would be building, not more research. What needs to be built is a network of multidisciplinary team programs that are accessible, that are in rural areas as well as urban areas, that provide not only medical support but psychological as well as social support to help people be full participants in their life and in their community." Dr. Norman Buckley, scientific director of the Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Pain Research and Care at McMaster University in Hamilton, said hundreds of organizations, patients, clinicians and researchers came together in providing the federal government with the strategy in 2012. There was no action at the time but he said the opioid epidemic has now made that unavoidable. Follow @CamilleBains on Twitter. HALIFAX - A Halifax-area pharmacy will be offering free feminine hygiene products to customers in need and is suggesting other drugstores could do the same. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 4/4/2019 (984 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. HALIFAX - A Halifax-area pharmacy will be offering free feminine hygiene products to customers in need and is suggesting other drugstores could do the same. Store manager Cassidy Bellefontaine says that as of Friday, customers can simply speak discreetly with a pharmacist to access the donation bin at Highfield Park Pharmachoice. She says the store will match every purchase of feminine hygiene products with a giveaway, and customers can also make monetary donations. There will be a selection of tampons and pads and Bellefontaine is looking into offering reusable cups and reusable cotton pads. Such measures are part of an emerging trend across Canada and the world, and Bellefontaine says she was inspired after reading comments on social media about the need for assistance. She says she hopes other pharmacies will do the same, and that one day the products will be free in general for women. "This product is a necessity,'" she said. "There is no reason anyone should say, 'I can't afford this, I'm not going to have it this month.' There are programs for people who can't eat, so why not have a program for people who have a period as well?" Last month, Toronto city councillors voted to spend more than $222,000 to buy menstrual products and dispensers for city-run homeless shelters, drop-in and respite centres, as well as some neighbourhood community centres. Those developments came soon after a British Columbia school board opted to make feminine hygiene products available for free in school washrooms. Starting in September, tampons and pads will be available in women's and universal washrooms in elementary, middle and high schools operated by the New Westminster School Board. (Global News, The Canadian Press) OTTAWA - Attorney General David Lametti says he will resist any attempt to pressure him on the SNC-Lavalin criminal prosecution. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 4/4/2019 (984 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Justice Minister David Lametti arrives for a cabinet meeting in West Block on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Tuesday April 2, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld OTTAWA - Attorney General David Lametti says he will resist any attempt to pressure him on the SNC-Lavalin criminal prosecution. Lametti is now in the hot seat on the court case that has rocked the Liberal government, resulting in the resignations of two cabinet ministers, the prime minister's most trusted adviser and the country's top civil servant. The director of public prosecutions decided last fall not to negotiate a deferred-prosecution agreement with SNC-Lavalin, which is facing charges of bribery over its work in Libya between 2001 and 2011. Former attorney general Jody Wilson-Raybould says she was inappropriately pressured by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his senior staff to overrule that decision. She believes she was shuffled out as justice minister and attorney general in January because she would not intervene, though the prime minister denies that had anything to do with her move. Wilson-Raybould resigned from cabinet altogether Feb. 12, a day after Trudeau said her continued presence there, several days after her concerns about interference were first reported, spoke to her support for and confidence in the government. However it is now alleged Wilson-Raybould set several conditions for her to remain in cabinet, including the firings of both Trudeau's principal secretary Gerald Butts and Privy Council clerk Michael Wernick, the country's top public servant. Unidentified sources tell both the Toronto Star newspaper and CBC News that Wilson-Raybould also wanted a commitment Lametti would not step in to negotiate a remediation agreement with SNC-Lavalin. Wilson-Raybould hasn't responded to a request for comment on the claims. Trudeau said he wouldn't discuss a private conversation publicly, but acknowledged there was some sort of back and forth at play. "We worked very hard to try to find some way to move forward together," he said. On his way into question period Thursday, where the SNC-Lavalin saga dominated the House of Commons again, Lametti said if that conversation happened between Wilson-Raybould and Trudeau, Lametti was unaware of it. That said, Lametti added he will not allow anyone to direct his decision on the matter one way or the other. "The prime minister has never tried to direct me," said Lametti. "If someone else tries to direct me then they'll hear about it." He said he wouldn't comment on the details of the SNC-Lavalin case, but said he did receive "routine briefings" on the file when he became the minister. His spokesman confirmed to The Canadian Press that those briefings included a breakfast meeting with some of Trudeau's aides where the discussion was largely based on the contents of the departmental briefing book prepared for Lametti. That book discusses remediation agreements in general but makes no specific mention of the SNC-Lavalin case. It does say the application of a remediation agreement "to any particular case is a matter of independent prosecutorial discretion." Trudeau said Thursday he respects that Wilson-Raybould felt he and his staff were interfering with that discretion but that "I disagree." "I think it's the job of a government to continue to look for ways to try and protect Canadians and their work," he said. Trudeau has said repeatedly that any conversations with Wilson-Raybould about the SNC-Lavalin case involving his aides came because the government was concerned that prosecuting the company would endanger many of the 9,000 SNC jobs in Canada, a fear backed up by a presentation the company prepared for government officials in September. Liberal MP Wayne Easter, who said he doesn't think any of the conversations between Wilson-Raybould and Trudeau, Wernick or Trudeau's staff put any inappropriate pressure on her, also said the commitment Wilson-Raybould reportedly wanted from Trudeau, that her successor would not arrange a deal for SNC-Lavalin, would have been inappropriate interference. "What she is basically saying is the prime minister should order the new attorney general to do such-and-such on SNC-Lavalin," he said. "Isn't that a contradiction and that does shock me." NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh rejected that interpretation of the conversation, arguing this is "another attempt to smear Ms. Wilson-Raybould." He said all she was doing was telling Trudeau and his office not to interfere. Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer agreed, saying he doesn't put much faith in the leaked conditions, but that the Lametti condition sounds more like she just wanted a commitment that the prime minister would not interfere in this case at all. Trudeau removed both Wilson-Raybould and former Treasury Board President Jane Philpott from the Liberal caucus Tuesday night, saying the breakdown in trust between them and the rest of the caucus, and their inability to express confidence in the government, left him no choice. In a long interview on CBC Radio Thursday morning, Philpott said she was "stunned" by the decision and felt she had not been given an opportunity to explain her decision to resign from cabinet to either Trudeau or the caucus. Philpott also said that if Trudeau had just admitted mistakes had been made and apologized for making Wilson-Raybould feel pressured, all could have been forgiven. ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - With an election expected by the end of June, Newfoundland and Labrador's government is promising a slow but steady balancing act to get the province's finances back on track. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 4/4/2019 (984 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Lieutenant Governor, Judy Foote, reads the Speech from the Throne, at the Confederation Building in St. John's, N.L. on Thursday, April 4, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Daly ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - With an election expected by the end of June, Newfoundland and Labrador's government is promising a slow but steady balancing act to get the province's finances back on track. The throne speech presented by Lt.-Gov. Judy Foote on Thursday touted the Liberal government's deficit reduction since being elected in 2015, bringing the annual deficit down to $547-million last fall from a starting point of over $2.5 billion. It also highlighted the province's strong working relationship with the federal Liberals. "Our government has a strong partnership with the federal government, and working together, we will position this province to achieve its full potential," Foote read. Foote pointed to the recently renewed Atlantic Accord, saying its $2.5 billion over 38 years will be spent "wisely" to reduce net debt and bring stability to the province. The speech also repeated plans for new medical facilities, including new mental health centres, an acute regional care centre on the province's west coast and two care homes in central Newfoundland. It said the projects will be financed through public-private partnerships, and suggested similar models could be on the province's other challenges. "We will continue to explore similar opportunities to save money and improve access to services," Foote said. "These goals are not mutually exclusive but they require innovation and determination." The speech touted the government's long-term plans to expand the province's mining and offshore resource industries, and hinted at new legislation to protect domestic violence victims. The speech also emphasized improving the retention of newcomers with unspecified employment initiatives for refugee women and assisting migrant workers and foreign graduates in becoming permanent residents. The lengthy speech also listed Liberal progress in hiring teachers, attracting business and other accomplishments. "Against a mountain of fiscal, economic and social challenges, our government has been resilient and made progress that can be measured," Foote read. "We will continue onward and guide our province toward a bright future." Despite the speech's optimistic tone, Newfoundland and Labrador is not clear of its hefty financial burdens. Auditor General Julia Mullaley issued a grim statement on the province's finances last December, reporting that net debt had increased to $14.7 billion, the highest in the province's history. In the legislature Thursday, the speech was criticized by opposition parties as campaign posturing with few solutions to the province's challenges. Progressive Conservative Leader Ches Crosbie dismissed the Liberals' long-term plans, saying the current government has had a chance to improve the state of the province. "Their time to get things done is now finished," Crosbie said. New Democratic member Lorraine Michael criticized the Liberals for touting the Atlantic Accord as an economic accomplishment, instead of presenting a clear plan to tackle fiscal problems. Michael also critiqued the government for not presenting a plan to mitigate residents' electricity bills, expected to double in 2021 to pay off the vastly over-budget Muskrat Falls hydro megaproject. "What's missing in this document is a real economic plan," Michael said. "It's meaningless for people who are living in real life." Premier Dwight Ball defended the celebratory tone of the throne speech, praising his government for improving on the bad hand it was dealt when entering office. "This province is in a better spot in 2019 than it was in 2015 thanks to the work of this group of people," the premier said of his government. Ball has promised a provincial election before the end of the school year on June 27. QUEBEC - The number of Quebecers seeking medical assistance in dying has been growing steadily since 2015, according to a report on the state of end-of-life care tabled Wednesday in the provincial legislature. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 3/4/2019 (985 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. QUEBEC - The number of Quebecers seeking medical assistance in dying has been growing steadily since 2015, according to a report on the state of end-of-life care tabled Wednesday in the provincial legislature. The commission created to oversee the Quebec law on assisted dying found that 1,632 people received medical assistance in dying between Dec. 10, 2015, when the law came into effect, and March 31, 2018. Of those cases, 969 were in 2017-18. Quebec Health and Social Services Minister Danielle McCann tables a document, Thursday, November 29, 2018 at the legislature in Quebec City. The number of Quebecers seeking medical assistance in dying has been growing steadily since 2015, according to a report on the state of end-of-life care tabled Wednesday in the provincial legislature. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot This "strong growth" is much greater than what elected officials expected when the law was drafted, commission chairman Michel A. Bureau said. Almost all those who received medical assistance in dying had six months or less to live, 87 per cent were at least 60 years old and 78 per cent had cancer. Two-thirds of the deaths were in a hospital, while 20 per cent were at the patient's home and 10 per cent were in a long-term care centre. About one-third of the 2,462 total requests for medical assistance in dying were rejected, usually because the person did not meet the eligibility requirements. To receive medical assistance in dying under the Quebec law, one must be at the end of life, suffer from a serious, incurable illness, be in an advanced state of irreversible decline and experience constant and unbearable physical or psychological suffering. Four hundred people did not receive medical assistance in dying even though they met the eligibility requirements, the report found. About 30 per cent died before it could be performed, 20 per cent changed their minds and 19 per cent lost their ability to consent to care. Bureau's report states that access to medical assistance in dying remains uneven. For example, there were 87 assisted deaths at Montreal's two teaching hospitals, about half the number at the teaching hospital in Quebec City. Doctors' adherence to the program also remains inadequate, the commission said. About 350 physicians, the vast majority of whom are family physicians, have agreed to administer physician-assisted dying. "It is reported that people are discouraged from applying for medical assistance in dying, that their request is not heard or that it is rejected without having been properly assessed," the report says. The commission recommends that hospitals take the necessary steps to ensure that each application is assessed with "diligence" so an eligible patient "can receive timely care" as prescribed by law. Quebec Health Minister Danielle McCann kicked off the debate on a possible expansion of medical aid in dying for people with Alzheimer's disease and related conditions. She announced that the group of experts currently working on the issue will report to the government in late May. This report will be followed by a round of public consultations, McCann said, without specifying a deadline. During the election campaign, the Coalition Avenir Quebec pledged to hold public consultations in order to potentially expand medical assistance in dying. "Quebecers are ready to continue the discussion," the minister said. "We have a duty to be proactive and to get ahead of the issues that arise." Veronique Hivon of the Parti Quebecois warned that the debate will raise complex questions. Is someone with Alzheimer's in constant suffering, will the eligibility criteria need to be changed and will doctors agree, she wondered. TORONTO - Ontario is taking aim at the wages of public sector workers as the Progressive Conservative government tries to balance the budget, including possibly imposing hard caps on pay increases. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 4/4/2019 (984 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. TORONTO - Ontario is taking aim at the wages of public sector workers as the Progressive Conservative government tries to balance the budget, including possibly imposing hard caps on pay increases. Treasury Board President Peter Bethlenfalvy delivered a pre-budget speech Thursday, framing the management of public finances as a "moral imperative." In order to help eliminate a $13.5-billion deficit, he zeroed in on public sector compensation. "When we talk about controlling spending or managing expenditures, we must realize that a central component to this conversation is public sector compensation," he said. "Let me be clear, our public sector workers have earned their generous compensation. I am amazed every day by their hard work, dedication, and diligence. But we must be honest about what we can reasonably afford while ensuring the sustainability of government programs and services." About $72 billion a year is spent on public sector compensation, Bethlenfalvy said. Public sector employers and bargaining agents were sent invitations Thursday to consultations with the government, including those representing teachers, professors, nurses, Crown attorneys, provincial police officers, power workers and thousands of other public-sector staff. Bethlenfalvy said ways to curb rising compensation costs could include wage agreements lower than current trends, "trade-offs" that would reduce compensation costs, and legislative measures. The letter to public employers and bargaining agents asks them to consider several ideas. "While no decisions have been yet made, the government is considering legislated caps on allowable compensation increases that can be negotiated in collective bargaining or imposed in binding arbitration," it says. Bethlenfalvy said after his speech that there is no fixed amount the government is looking to save from wage restraint. New Democrat Catherine Fife said Premier Doug Ford is giving away millions of dollars in "gravy train appointments" to his friends and insiders, while squeezing workers in education, health care and social services. Ford tried to appoint his long-time friend, Toronto police Supt. Ron Taverner, as Ontario Provincial Police commissioner, and before that to a $270,000 job with the Ontario Cannabis Store. The premier's principal secretary was appointed to the Ontario Energy Board with an annual salary of about $197,000. And Ford campaign adviser Ian Todd was appointed Ontario's trade representative to the United States, with a $350,000 salary. "The Ford government's new vow to attack the paycheques of public sector workers will send shockwaves of worry through households across Ontario," Fife said in a statement. Teachers' contracts expire in August, and the head of the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario said he looks forward to negotiating "a fair and reasonable compensation package." "ETFO urges the government not to make cuts to, or privatize, public services and assets including public education," Sam Hammond said in a statement. The head of the union representing public service supervisors and professionals said his members have done their part to tackle Ontario's deficit, noting their wages were frozen from 2012 to 2016. "I remain skeptical of this government's motivations, but I am always willing to talk," said Dave Bulmer, the president of AMAPCEO. Bethlenfalvy said spending by the previous Liberal government that led to a multibillion-dollar deficit jeopardized public services such as hospitals and schools. "Ladies and gentleman, this is a province-building moment that if done right, will see a more sustainable Ontario for this generation and for future generations," he said. "After all, the proper management of public finances is not just a fiscal imperative. It is a moral imperative." Ontario has already implemented a public service hiring freeze and has frozen the salaries of public sector executives as the government reviews how raises are granted to them. That move affects those who make $100,000 or more at public-sector organizations including school boards, universities and hospitals. The annual list of public sector workers making over $100,000 was published last week and it had increased by 20,000 people from the year prior. Bethlenfalvy had also earlier directed ministries to not enter into any new funding commitments between mid-February and the fiscal year end of March 31. The previous Liberal government implemented wage freezes and for several years dictated "net zero" terms in public-sector bargaining, meaning any wage increases were to be offset by savings elsewhere. CALGARY - The Calgary Zoo is hoping for a furry bundle of joy in about four months after artificially inseminating its female giant panda earlier this week. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 4/4/2019 (984 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Panda Er Shun eats bamboo at the Panda House at the Chongqing Zoo in Chongqing, China on February 11, 2012. Officials at the Calgary Zoo say they've moved ahead with the process to add more pandas to the facility's population, announcing that Er Shun was artificially inseminated on Tuesday. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld CALGARY - The Calgary Zoo is hoping for a furry bundle of joy in about four months after artificially inseminating its female giant panda earlier this week. Officials say keepers noted that Er Shun had entered the preliminary stages of her breeding cycle, so veterinarians inseminated her on Tuesday with sperm provided by the Chinese government. Animal care and veterinary teams, along with reproductive specialists from China, had been monitoring the panda's hormone levels since last month. Er Shun is now resting in her custom den in the zoo's Panda Passage, where she is receiving special care. It wont be known for some time if she is pregnant since pandas experience delayed implantation in the uterus. Experts say its difficult for pandas to get pregnant because they only ovulate for three days out of the year. Er Shun gave birth to two cubs in October 2015 when she was at the Toronto Zoo. She and her offspring, as well as their biological father, were relocated to the Calgary Zoo last March. The pandas are on loan from China as part of a 10-year-agreement between the two zoos and the Chinese government. The zoo says there are fewer than 1,800 giant pandas left in the wild. (CTV Calgary, The Canadian Press) MONTREAL - One of the victims of a Montreal priest recently sentenced to eight years in prison for sexually abusing boys under his supervision is suing the archdiocese of Montreal. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 3/4/2019 (985 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. MONTREAL - One of the victims of a Montreal priest recently sentenced to eight years in prison for sexually abusing boys under his supervision is suing the archdiocese of Montreal. A class-action lawsuit was filed Wednesday on behalf of victims of sexual abuse by priests in the Montreal archdiocese between 1940 and the present. A 33-year-old victim of Rev. Brian Boucher is acting on behalf of the entire class as lead plaintiff and is seeking a total of $600,000 in damages in his name. A judge must authorize the action for it to move forward. Boucher was sentenced last week to a federal prison term for assaulting two boys. The filing alleges the lead plaintiff knows of at least two other victims of Boucher, who worked in 10 Montreal-area churches between 1985 and 2015. The law firm spearheading the action says it covers anyone assaulted by an agent of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Montreal, or as it was known before 1950, the Corporation archiepiscopale catholique romaine de Montreal. The archdiocese of Montreal said in a statement that it had received notice of the class action. It would not comment further but noted the Quebec Superior Court filing is limited to facts arising from the criminal proceedings against Boucher. Last week, the diocese announced it would undertake an external audit of its archives and those of four other dioceses that make up the ecclesiastical province of Montreal to assess the number and nature of sexual abuse cases against Catholic clergy between 1950 and present day. KINGSTON, Ont. - A youth charged with terrorism-related offences has been released under strict conditions following a bail hearing in Kingston, Ont. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 3/4/2019 (985 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. KINGSTON, Ont. - A youth charged with terrorism-related offences has been released under strict conditions following a bail hearing in Kingston, Ont. The youth, who cannot be identified under provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act, will be required to be in the presence of one of two approved family members at all times. He is also forbidden to use the internet unless it's approved for education reasons and he must remain in Ontario, surrender his passport and wear an RCMP-supplied electronic-monitoring device. The two family members are responsible for ensuring the youth abides by his release conditions and could be charged themselves if he violates them. A Canadian police investigation sparked by a tip from the FBI culminated in his arrest in January. Police said at the time that the youth had plotted a terrorist attack but had not chosen a specific target. Clad in a purple jacket, the youth sat bowed over, looking at the floor, during much of the two hours that Justice Herbert Kreling took to review the arguments made by defence lawyer Simon Borys and the Crown over the course of three days of hearings. But he smiled numerous times after Kreling announced the decision to release him from custody. None of the evidence, submissions or reasons presented during the hearing can be published under a separate publication ban that covers bail hearings, during which the Crown can present a great deal of evidence with minimal reply from the defence. "Ultimately, the justice of the peace concluded that the young person could be released in the circumstances described in the release documents," Borys said to reporters after his client was released. "Obviously the young person is quite happy with that decision." The Crown does have the right to ask another judge to review Kreling's decision, Borys said, even as he asked the public to trust it. "I understand the concern that people may have given the nature of the allegations," he said. "At the end of the day, the justice of the peace determined in this case that the risk to the public, among other things, could be managed with the young person's release. So we respect that decision and ask other people as well to trust in the system as well that that has been addressed and balanced against other competing interests." The youth was charged in January with knowingly facilitating a terrorist activity and counselling another person to "deliver, place, discharge or detonate an explosive or other lethal device" in a public place. He was subsequently charged last month with uttering a threat as well as "making, or having in his possession or under his care of control an explosive substance" designed to endanger life "or cause serious damage to property." The youth is also accused of "doing anything with intent" to cause harm or death using an explosive. He is scheduled to make his next appearance in court on April 30. Independent News & Media (INM) has confirmed that it has received an approach for a possible takeover of the company. The media group announced that it had received the offer from an unnamed individual or group. IMN said that talks are still at a "preliminary stage" and that there was no certainty that an offer will be made or what the terms of such a potential bid might be. In a statement, the company said that shareholders would be kept informed of any developments and have been advised by the Board not to take any action. The Board made the release this morning in response to "recent press speculation" about the company's future. The Irish Times had reported today that INM's chief executive Michael Doorly had suggested that the media group may be put up for sale. However, he said he was not aware of the intentions of the company's two biggest shareholders, Denis OBrien and Dermot Desmond. Last week, IMN reported a 2.1% decrease in revenues in the year to the end of December, with the total coming to 191m. Pre-tax profits came to 24.1m, ahead of expectations but down 15.4% on the year previous. The company attributed a significant portion of the losses to a decline in advertising revenues which fell by 8.8%. Circulation revenues were down 6.3% while the total advertising and publishing advertising revenues declined by 10.8%. Universities across Ireland contribute 8.9bn to the economy each year. A new report by Indecon, commissioned by the Irish Universities Association, has looked at their socio-economic impact. It also found that from 2000 to 2017, student numbers at the country's seven universities doubled to 120,000. President of DCU and Chair of the IUA, Professor Brian MacCraith, has outlined some of the other key findings. "The exchequer is a net beneficiary from the work we do," said Prof MacCraith. "The annual benefit is 1.6bn in net present value terms over the lifetime net earnings of the students who have come in last year. "Another significant one is the fact that there are almost 17,000 international students in Ireland by virtue of the universities attracting them into the county. "And the net economic value on an annual basis is 386m." That frequently over-used phrase the chance of a lifetime will have genuine credibility for a pair of lucky Irish girls this summer. I Wish, the movement dedicated to encouraging more girls to consider science, tech, engineering and math courses and careers, has joined up with global data centre leader, Park Place Technologies, to bring two Irish college students to Ohio, USA on a summer externship in STEM. With the inclusive attraction of flights, accommodation, expenses and $500 spending money, it promises to be an experience of a lifetime. Girls tell us that they cannot be what they cannot see, and that has always been the driving force behind the I Wish events, which reached over 6,000 students this year, said I Wish co-founder Caroline ODriscoll at the announcement of the partnership with Park Place Technologies. Through showcasing careers in STEM and female leaders in this sector, students begin to understand the possibilities and opportunities of a career in science, engineering and tech. The summer externship was the next natural step for I Wish, and we are delighted and grateful to Park Place Technologies and the IDA for their support in bringing this incredible opportunity to fruition. All I can say is, girls apply today for this once in a lifetime experience in the USA! Chris Adams, president and CEO of Park Place Technologies, said: Encouraging more women into STEM has long been close to our hearts at Park Place Technologies. Having opened our new Operations Centre in Cork in November, were delighted to be the first to partner with I Wish to offer female students in Ireland the chance to experience what a career in technology can truly offer them. We cant wait to meet the competition winners and welcome them to our offices. Since 1991, Park Place Technologies has provided a service-first alternative to post-warranty maintenance for storage, server and networking hardware. Supporting more than 304,000 assets in over 141 countries around the world, we consistently deliver an exceptional customer experience, superior service and an operational advantage to businesses ranging from government, higher education and healthcare institutions to cloud service providers, SMB and Fortune 500 companies, Mr Adams said. Park Place Technologies says it is always on the lookout for talented, driven individuals who want to become part of a winning team and a growing organisation. It is an equal opportunity employer with a service-first philosophy. Im delighted to share this innovative initiative that shows how serious Park Place and I Wish are about fostering STEM ambitions in Irelands young women, Tanaiste Simon Coveney added in support of the externship programme. Its true testament to the STEM industrys commitment alongside our government to fostering a better gender balance in the STEM workplace. The 10-day programme will offer hands-on STEM work experience, engagement with expert mentors and the chance to learn about related career opportunities at the Park Place facilities. Globally, we are witnessing a time of unprecedented technological advances that are affecting most aspects of our lives and nowhere is that impact more obvious than in the job market, says Professor Brian MacCraith, president Dublin City University and chair of the STEM Education Review Group. Research shows that most jobs in the market today didnt exist 20 years ago, and it is predicted that up to 60% of the jobs available ten years from now will be completely new compared to todays situation. There are rapidly growing opportunities and needs for women in STEM careers, and we need to encourage young women to achieve and lead in those roles. Send applications to iwish.ie for the two-week externship. Closing date is April 22. The charity ALONE, which supports older people living at home, says demand has never been greater but funds are running thin. For the first time in more than 40 years, the charity is holding a 'Donation Day' in Dublin and asking people to get behind them. The charity says volunteers from Standard Life, Capita, the National Lottery and Credit Agricole Assurances, will be stationed across Dublin from 8am to 8pm, with a focus on South City centre hubs such as Camden Street, St Stephens Green and Grand Canal Dock. Special guest Patrick 'Rala' O'Reilly, former bag man to the Irish rugby squad, will also be raising funds for ALONE. "Were excited to bring our first ever ALONE Donation Day to the streets of Dublin today, said Sean Moynihan, CEO of ALONE. "ALONE was founded in Dublin more than 40 years ago and today we want the people of Dublin to come together to support us and the older people in their community. CEO @SeanMoynihan_ leading the charge for #ALONEDonationDay on Camden St this morning raising awareness for services to support and enable older people to live in the own home #nationwideissues pic.twitter.com/y4nwlm9aVL alone_ireland (@ALONE_IRELAND) April 4, 2019 "In 2017 we doubled the number of people we supported, but our donations increased by just 15%. "We need the public to get behind us so that we can continue to support older people in the community. "We are dependent on donations and are urging those living and working in Dublin City Centre to look out for ALONE volunteers and give as generously as they can." The sometime scourge of plans by Trump Doonbeg and other developers has lost out on his own plans to extend the number of Airbnb style studio lettings at his protected Georgian Dublin property. This follows An Bord Pleanala refusing planning permission to An Taisce's Heritage Officer, Ian Lumley and builder, Patrick Wigglesworth to convert the lower ground floor of their property at 3 Henrietta Street, Dublin into three short term lease studio apartments. The outspoken planning expert - who doesn't receive any pay for his work for An Taisce - has previously clashed with county councillors over one-off housing and has led An Taisce objections against a number of high profile developments including one office block plan by developer, Johnny Ronan in Ballsbridge. However, Mr Lumley now finds himself in the unusual role of developer and has to now contend with the appeals board shooting down his and Mr Wigglesworths plans to increase the number of AirBnB studio style lettings at the 1750s property. In refusing planning permission, the appeals board pointed out that Henrietta Street is a street of international importance in conservation terms. Upholding a decision by Dublin City Council to refuse planning, the appeals board stated that the plans would result in serious injury to the special architectural character and fabric of this protected structure of international significance. The appeals board stated: The proposed development would also set an undesirable precedent for similar developments along the street. The City Council refused planning permission last year after a Conservation report stated that the provision of three apartments in the basement is over development from a conservation point of view. The report stated that the proposal would have a significant and long term negative impact on Henrietta Street and the wider context along Henrietta Street. Last June, co-owners of 3 Henrietta Street, Mr Lumley and Mr Wigglesworth secured planning permission for seven studio AirBnB style lettings at the same building. Mr Lumley said: The building continues to be under refurbishment." He added: The house has been restored from serious dereliction requiring major investment without any grant funding and is now nearing completion. He stated: I am involved in different ways with a number of organisations, for none of which I am employed or receive any financial benefit. The appeal against the Council refusal argued that the works proposed would have minimal impact upon the historic fabric and will allow for the ongoing use and survival of the building. The appeal also argued that the the proposed alterations do not represent an intensification of existing use, pointing out that the proposal represents a considerable reduction in terms of the intensity of use from the previous multiple occupancy use which until the late 20th century was as high as 60 persons. In an objection to the plan, Cliona Buckley from Rathmines argued that the property is being developed as a totally commercial enterprise. Ms Buckley said that 3 Henrietta Street is arguably the most important house on Henrietta Street. This article was edited on April 5 to update details of the appeal. A Dublin bus worker caught selling almost 10,000 untaxed cigarettes online has been fined 2,500. Father-of-two Istvan Szabo, 44, of 10 Willans Row, Ongar Green, Dublin, pleaded guilty to a charge under the Finance Act. He was accused of having 9,790 cigarettes with no tax stamp on January 1, 2018. Judge Anthony Halpin heard at Dublin District Court that custom and excise officers became aware Szabo was offering cigarettes for sale on the internet. A search warrant was obtained and the cigarettes along with a 0.15kg of tobacco was found. He was interviewed and admitted he placed the advert on the internet. He told the customs officers he had purchased the cigarettes from a person in the North and he had intended to sell them. Judge Halpin was told that 3,606 in duty was evaded. Judge Halpin noted he could impose fines ranging between 2,500 and 5,000 and the accused had no prior criminal convictions. The offence can also carry a 12-month jail sentence. Pleading for leniency, defence counsel Beatrice Vance said her client worked for Dublin Bus and she asked the court to note he pleaded guilty at an early stage. Judge Halpin said he was mitigating the fine down to the least amount possible. Szabo was given 12 months to pay. "Lenovo's ThinkSystem portfolio is ideal for Excelero deployments - it's a high-quality solution that balances high IOPs, low latency, high performance, and cost-efficiency" Excelero , a disruptor in software-defined block storage, announced a collaboration with Lenovo Data Center Group to provide Excelero's NVMesh software-defined block storage solutions to Lenovo customers and channel partners worldwide. The collaboration will make it even easier for organizations to benefit from NVMe Flash storage's superior throughput and efficiency at web-scale and at any scale.Already proven in Lenovo deployments at SciNet, Canada's largest supercomputing facility, and at a London-based machine learning firm, Excelero's NVMesh provides an optimal choice for web-scale deployments and in Big Data uses in concert with Lenovo's ThinkSystem portfolio, rated #1 in customer satisfaction and reliability according to ITIC, leading 140 industry benchmarks as of April 2, 2019. The offering also benefits mainstream data center storage applications, since Excelero's latest NVMesh2 solution now supports TCP/IP and Fibre Channel, and offers flexible protection levels and customized management controls. As NVMe Flash nears price parity with traditional Flash, Lenovo and Excelero enable an even wider range of organizations to achieve heightened storage capacity, flexibility and scale-out support without changing networking protocols or storage fabrics. "Lenovo's ThinkSystem portfolio is ideal for Excelero deployments - it's a high-quality solution that balances high IOPs, low latency, high performance, and cost-efficiency," said John Majeski, general manager of software and solutions, Lenovo Data Center Group. "We are delighted to expand our work with Excelero to enable Lenovo's global channel organization to help customers leverage Lenovo's high-quality solutions in concert with Excelero's innovative NVMesh software." "Lenovo has been making savvy moves in the data storage arena for quite some time, and formalizing its work with Excelero is yet another one," said George Crump, president and founder of industry analyst firm Storage Switzerland. "Both companies' offerings are well suited to serve the high-performance community, as well as to broaden NVMe's appeal to more traditional applications." Excelero's NVMesh enables shared NVMe across any network and supports any local or distributed file system. Customers benefit from the performance of local flash with the convenience of centralized storage while reducing the overall storage TCO. "We are seeing increased demand in the market for highly efficient, agile storage - not only for in high-performance-computing but also for web-scale companies and for mainstream applications. With Lenovo as our partner, Excelero's NVMesh2 is well positioned to capture it," said Patrick Guay, vice president of strategic accounts at Excelero. "We're extremely proud to be the first shared NVMe storage software chosen by Lenovo, and look forward to expanding our business together." A chef broke into a credit union in the early hours of last New Year's Eve and was later found to have had in his apartment a steel safe that had been stolen from a Boylesports betting shop during the electricity blackout of Storm Ophelia. Mohamed Boussir, a 28-year-old Spaniard, had also tried to break into a pub - called The Spaniard - in the County Cork town of Kinsale. Bandon District Court heard that Mr Boussir, of Apartment 1, Market Place in Kinsale, broke into the credit union in the town only after going to his then-place of work to drop off his rubbish. Sgt Paul Kelly, prosecuting, told the court that at 4.35am on December 31 last Mr Boussir broke the front window of Kinsale Credit Union with a brick and gained entry, going on to smash the front counter screen. Having reached the customer area he searched drawers and then tried but failed to gain entry to the rear of the building. Gardai arrived at the scene having been alerted by an alarm, at which point Mr Boussir attempted to discard a metal crowbar. Sgt Kelly said a significant investigation then took place, leading to a search of Mr Boussir's home where on January 2 last the steel safe was found, along with a bag of coins, a coin holder and AIB lodgement slips. The court heard that the safe had been stolen from a local Boylesports on October 16, 2017 during Storm Ophelia when the power was off. Judge James McNulty also heard that on December 16 last Mr Boussir broke two front windows and one rear window at the Spaniard Bar. It was also alleged that he moved CCTV cameras in a bid to avoid detection. Gardai withdrew the charge of trespass with intent at the bar and a charge relating to possession of the crowbar and Mr Boussir, who is 28 and who has lived in Ireland for five years, pleaded guilty to the remaining charges. Defence solicitor, Eamonn Fleming, said his client worked in the Clayton Hotel in Cork as a sous chef having previously worked in Kinsale and had never previously come to garda attention. He had no previous convictions and his employers spoke highly of him, with Mr Fleming stating that the offences were "bizarre" and that a lot drink was involved. He said Mr Boussir had gone to his place of work to drop off his rubbish on New Year's Eve, then picked up the stone and the crowbar. As for the Boylesports safe, Mr Fleming said that had sat in Mr Boussir's apartment for more than a year and had around 250 in it. Judge McNulty said its removal during a storm indicates "a thinking, opportunistic break-in", while the credit union incident was "more brazen and much more serious". The court heard the damage to the windows at the Credit Union amounted to 2,000, and the damage caused at the Spaniard amounted to 350. Mr Boussir had 1,800 in court. Judge McNulty directed that 400 be given to the pub and the remainder to the credit union. The judge also handed down three jail sentences of eight months in relation to the three separate incidents, with the sentences to run together and recognisance for any appeal set on Mr Boussir's own bond of 100. An order to have the safe returned to Boylesports was also granted. The public spending 68,000 a year to keep a prisoner in jail due to shelter, heating, food and recreational costs, a senior Government official has confirmed. Department of Justice secretary general, Aidan O'Driscoll, revealed the cost of sending someone to jail during a detailed meeting with TDs yesterday. During the latest Dail public accounts committee meeting, Mr O'Driscoll told Social Democrats TD Catherine Murphy that the average cost of a prisoner's stay in custody now stands at 68,000 a year. After Ms Murphy said the scale of the costs shows the value of sentencing someone to non-jail time where possible when they commit an offence, Mr O'Driscoll said he agrees completely with this approach. Social Democrats TD Catherine Murphy. However, he emphasised that the reality is that non-custodial sentences are not always possible due to the risk of "recidivism" among offenders, and that there is a need to ensure there are consequences for crimes. A view Ms Murphy agreed with, saying: It [sentencing people to punishments that do not involve prison time] only works if there is a degree of sanction if you don't comply. That's why you have to try to have some balance. The 68,000 cost is based on the price of housing someone while they are in jail, providing heat, electricity, food, health checks and recreational activities. Mr O'Driscoll's figures are mirrored by recent statistics from the Irish prison service which show that it costs the State approximately 1,842 per week to jail a convicted felon. The total 68,000 a year cost is up from the 2013 figure of 65,542. However, it has been noted the average cost for each prisoner is skewed by the fact some prisoners need extra security, ramping up their - and the average - costs. They include a number of republican prisoners in Portlaoise, where the average cost for housing a prisoner is significantly higher at close to 90,000 a year. Previous figures have also shown tthat Ireland pays approximately 2,773.38c to house a juvenile prisoner for just one day - higher than anywhere else in Europe. The 2017 Council of Europe figures said the Irish cost at the time is far higher than the 897.65c figure in Northern Ireland, 303.48c figure in England and Wales, and the Europe-wide average figure of 283.58c. Update 10.20am: Speaking on RTE's Sean O'Rourke show, John O'Connor of the Munster Express said a story in the newspaper that said Theresa May had bought a holiday home in Dunmore East, was a late April Fool's joke. He said this was valid, even though the story did not run on April Fool's Day, Monday. Downing Street had received a number of press calls to confirm or deny the story, and had issued a flat denial. Earlier: Downing Street denies Theresa May has bought a house in Dunmore East Theresa May's office has denied that she has purchased a holiday home in Dunmore East. A report in the Munster Express claimed that Mrs May had purchased a house in the popular fishing village. It claimed that Mrs May's husband, Philip, had visited the Waterford tourist destination "on at least four occasions in the last two months". The report states that the couple are sailing enthusiasts and are "believed to have been seeking a holiday home in a seafaring community for some time". Estate agent Des Purcell told the paper that "a fine house in Dunmore East had been sold by him to a person with an international reputation." However, No 10 said that the report is untrue. Mrs May is currently embroiled in a Brexit battle in the House of Commons. Backbench legislation forcing her to delay Brexit rather than risk a no-deal break from Brussels cleared the Commons by a majority of Read More: It comes as the British Chancellor Philip Hammond said a referendum on any Brexit deal was Read More: A Dublin man has received 240 hours community service in lieu of three years in jail for a one-punch assault which left an acquaintance with a fractured skull and reduced hearing. Keith Curran, 40, of Weaver Street, The Coombe, Dublin pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting the 32-year-old male causing him harm outside The Clock pub, Thomas Street, Dublin, on June 18, 2017. Curran has no previous convictions. Judge Melanie Greally noted that the punch came about after a verbal disagreement, which had been fuelled by a large amount of alcohol. The injured party fell and hit his head off the ground, fracturing his skull. The judge said that though the man has been left with hearing and sensory difficulties and changes to his quality of life, he did not wish to see Curran incarcerated. The court heard the man had known Curran's family. Judge Greally deemed the offence at the upper end of the scale for assaults of its kind but gave the father-of-four credit for his guilty plea, co-operation and genuine remorse. Earlier, Detective Garda Garvan Ware told Anne Rowland SC, prosecuting, that the injured man had been refused entry to The Clock because the bouncer had deemed him too drunk. Curran crossed the road from another pub, encountered the injured party and gave him a cigarette as they talked. He later told gardai that the injured party had asked him to hold his drink and at some point threatened to knock him out. He also admitted he had punched the man. Det Gda Ware said witnesses saw the injured man on the ground after hearing a bump. Garda Peter Tuffy, a trained emergency first responder, happened to be passing by and treated the man. He was unresponsive, bleeding from his left ear and a CT scan later revealed he had suffered complex skull fracture. The court heard the man was placed in an induced coma and discharged from hospital two weeks later. In a victim impact statement, which was read out by Ms Rowland, the man said he has permanent loss of smell and taste and 40 per cent hearing loss. He said he sleeps a lot, has impaired memory and constant headaches and feels he will never be the same again. Det Gda Ware agreed with Anne-Marie Lawlor SC, defending, that this incident was totally out-of-character and that her client gave an account consistent with witness and CCTV evidence. The detective accepted that Curran was not a man of any means. Ms Lawlor submitted to Judge Greally that the consequences of a one-punch assault fit within the spectrum of virtually none to fatal. She said these were people drinking on a summer evening and that their exchange had been coloured by intoxication. She submitted her client was very remorseful and never imagined he would have inflicted such an injury. Judge Greally noted that Curran is on social welfare payments arising from an accident at work but that he continues to engage with employment services. She further noted that there had been no compensation raised, but that the injured party wanted the case finalised. She ordered that Curran complete his community service within 12 months. Update 1.50pm: Agnieska Supo has been located safe and well. Gardai have thanked the public for their assistance in the matter. Earlier: Gardai appeal for help in finding woman, 34, missing in Dublin Gardai have asked for assistance from the public in locating a missing 34-year-old woman from Dublin. Agnieska Supo is missing from Ongar, Dublin 15 and was last seen on the evening of April 2. Ms Supo is described as being approximately 5 8 tall with a medium build, blue eyes and blonde hair. When last seen she was wearing dark blue jeans and a red and dark blue coat. Anyone who has seen Ms Supo or who can assist in locating her is asked to contact Blanchardstown Garda Station on 01 6667000, the Garda Confidential Telephone Line 1800 666 111, or any garda station. The Government is purposely hiding worst-case Brexit plans from the public as they fear they could be "twisted" by MPs in Westminster. Tanaiste Simon Coveney has told the Dail that "internal discussion is taking place" in relation to the border and checks in a no-deal scenario, emphasising that there is "no easy fix". He said all options will be weighed up before the Government informs the public - "otherwise anything we say will be twisted by some in Westminster in order to disseminate a political message that is not accurate. That has happened over and over again with regard to alternatives to the backstop". But lashing out at the lack of clarity from the Government, Green party leader, Eamon Ryan, said a hard Brexit is becoming "very real" and the public and farmers must be given "some understanding of what that might mean". "We better try to provide some clarity so that we will not be totally unprepared for what we will have to do if Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn are unable to reach some sort of agreement and the UK inadvertently crashes out," said Mr Ryan. He said it is not good enough that we are now on "Brexit day plus one" and the Government is only now "scrambling" to answer questions around a border and checks. "We all agree that we want to avoid infrastructure at the Border, but if we will have to have vets carrying out checks in respect of animal movements, when will the vets be told what those checks will be and where they are going to take place?" Citing Glanbia, which brings 130 million litres of milk from Northern Ireland to the South every year, Mr Ryan said: "It would be useful for farmers on both sides of the border to know what will happen with that milk rather than everyone rushing to find a plan to manage the issue the day after Brexit. "What happens in the case that we suspect there is chlorinated chicken in the UK market? How would we manage that? Would it be managed at Dublin Port, at the factory, or at the Port of Larne?" Mr Coveney said the EU will have to protect the single market and the customs union while trying to prevent physical border infrastructure but said there is no magic solution to the issue. While he said the British Government has promised it will not implement checks or apply tariffs on goods travelling from Ireland to Northern Ireland in a no-deal Brexit Mr Coveney said there is "no way" the EU can provide the same assurance in respect of goods travelling from North to South. "We cannot ignore the obligations and responsibilities that would be on the EU if Northern Ireland, as part of the United Kingdom, were to leave the European Union and therefore be outside of the Single Market and customs union. The EU would have to apply the rules it applies to any third country outside of the EU to Northern Ireland, which would pose real difficulties on this island." Mr Coveney indicated that mechanisms to allows for the collection of tariffs are being developed to reassurance to other EU member states that Ireland will not be dragged out of the single market by Britain crashing out of the EU: "They recognise that we have a dual obligation. It is a very complicated and difficult problem to solve." A man followed a garda around a court room shouting that he hoped she would get run over by a bus, a court has heard. John Gavin (31) of Moyne Park, Moyne Road, Baldoyle, Dublin pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to threatening Garda Sergeant Amanda Flood at Four Courts, Chancery Street, on May 29, 2015. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Gavin to 20 months imprisonment, to run consecutive to a six year sentence he is currently serving after being convicted by a jury of an offence of rape. Garda Sergeant Ronan Walton told Diarmuid Collins BL, prosecuting, that on the date in question, Gavin attended a hearing during a court vacation in which a judge revoked his bail. I hope you get run over by a bus Gavin started shouting that the law was corrupt. Sgt Flood, who was the only garda in the court room, tried to talk to him and he became aggressive towards her and began to shout obscenities while following her around the court. I hope you get run over by a bus, he told Sgt Flood. He also told her he would smash this court up and said I hope you die roaring, only relenting when additional gardai arrived. In a victim impact statement, which was read out in court, Sgt Flood said that no incident had affected her as much as this one in her 15 years as a garda. She said she moved back to her family home for a few weeks after the incident. Gavin has 108 previous convictions, including convictions for assault causing harm and violent disorder. He is currently serving a six year sentence for a conviction by a jury of rape and he had been scheduled for release on October 18, 2021. Addressing the court, Gavin apologised and said his actions were very disrespectful. I don't know what happened, I wasn't taking my medication, Gavin said. Pieter Le Vert BL, defending, said his client had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and was currently taking anti-psychotic medication. Gavin is married and has three children. Judge Nolan said that Gavin looks to be a powerfully built man and that it was probably beyond the sergeant to restrain him. He said he was satisfied that even the most resilient of people would have been intimidated. He said it was unfortunate that there weren't people there to save Mr Gavin from himself, but that everyone was responsible for their own actions. The Irish Heart Foundation (IHF) has stalled contentious plans for a drive thru fast food restaurant in Skerries in north Dublin. This follows the IHF lodging an appeal against the decision by Fingal County Council to give the go-ahead to Marbleside Ltd for the fast food outlet on lands at the Skerries Point shopping centre. The IHF is opposing the proposed fast food restaurant on health grounds and point out that there are four national schools and one secondary school within walking distance of the planned outlet. The IHF has told the appeals board that not only is the fast food outlet a producer and distributor of foods high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS foods) that lead to increased calorific intake, it also had the associated purpose of creating branding and promotion of junk food. The IHF contend that the planned new outlet will increase the exposure of children, particularly impressionable children, to the sights and smells of HFSS foods that have been proven to be bad for their health. The IHF state that the health implications of the proposed development go far beyond the accessibility of children at their lunch breaks to the food on offer. The foundation states that it does not believe that the applicant has effectively demonstrated how the proposed development will not have a negative impact on the school students of Skerries. The IHF argue that the development of a new fast food outlet in close proximity to existing learning centres will propagate an obesogenic environment. A staunch supporter of 'no-fry' zones, the IHF has requested an oral hearing into the case as it believes the appeal concerns significant national and local issues. Policy Manager with the IHF, Kathryn Reilly confirmed today that the appeal is the first ever that the IHF has lodged with An Bord Pleanala against a planned fast food outlet in the vicinity of a school. Fingal County Council gave the plan the go-ahead last month in spite of 154 objections and others to appeal the Council decision include the Board of Management of the Skerries Educate Together NS, the Skerries Community Residents Association, the Kellys Bay Residents Association and Louise O'Reilly TD (SF). In granting permission, the Council stated that the zoning for the site allows for fast food outlets in principle and also pointed out that the students of the nearest school are not typically allowed to leave the school during lunch break. On the proximity of the planned fast food outlet to a local Educate Together national school, consultants for Marbleside Ltd told the Council that students attending the school will not be permitted to leave the school premises during school hours. The submission states that outside operating hours, the responsibility for access to the fast food restaurant should fundamentally lie with parents and guardians. The consultants state that therefore, the proposed development will not present a risk to the public health of school students. The consultants also contend that the proposal represents a positive and complimentary addition to the range of retail services currently being offered at Skerries Point shopping centre. A decision is due on the case in August. 130 members of the Defence Forces, who were due to return home today will be back in Ireland on Sunday. There was heartbreak yesterday when it emerged that the 130 troops, who have completed 6 months in Syria, would not arriving in Dublin Airport this morning (Thursday) as scheduled. Press Release: The unmistakable and distinctive growl of the North American T-28 Trojan is a favourite sound and sight at air shows. The Trojan Phlyers Flight Demonstration Team is proudly keeping this famous aircraft in flight. The team recently selected Trig Avionics as their ADS-B (position location/anti-collision) and VHF (radio/comms) avionics of choice. Ex-military F-16 Fighting Falcon combat veteran Chip Lamb is the Trojan Phlyers team leader. Lamb stated recently, The whole team here in Texas is impressed by the quality and capabilities of Trigs compact and certified avionics. Each Trojan will be fitted with a TT22 transponder and TN72 GPS position source as a result we will be ADS-B Out capable. Trigs ADS-B solution looks great in the panel, improves our flight safety and will enable fans to monitor our flights, as we display across the country. As a sponsor of the National Warbird Operator Conference, Chip Lamb is happy to endorse Trig to other pilots. At our national conference I was pleased to share my positive experience with other aircraft operators. To find such a neat ADS-B Out certified solution in one box for $ 2,899 is a great deal, list ex.tax. Like any owner of a vintage type, Lamb is extremely keen to keep the cockpit panel as faithful as he can to the original. Chip added, The Trig controllers are compact, using a 2 14 round hole, the finish is matt black, and they look great alongside existing gauges. The team has also decided to fit the matching Trig TY91 compact radio which is also easy to fit, requiring minimal space and keeps a consistent look. Trig ADS-B solutions are available for all pilots looking for a 2020 solution. The TN72 GPS position source meets ADS-B rule FAR 91.227. It can be used with a TT22 or TT31 transponder in experimental, light-sport and homebuild aircraft to meet the 2020 mandate. Trigs TN72 is highly affordable, costing just $ 380 list ex.tax. Trig offers two antenna options, the TA70 is a conventional puck GPS type or the latest TA50 compact GPS antenna. For Part 23 certified types Trig has a TSO-C145 GPS called the TN70. A free STC for over 650 aircraft types makes installation simple, when using a suitable Trig transponder. Trig is supporting the Trojan Phlyers a core team of ten pilots work tirelessly to maintain and operate these two historic T-28 aircraft. The Trojan was one of the last piston-engined aircraft to see service in both the U.S. Air Force and Navy, in training and combat roles. Over 1,900 Trojans were built and operated by 28 countries around the world. The Trojan Phlyers can be seen at displays across the summer, as a salute to T-28 veterans past and present. For more details visit www.trojanphlyers.com and www.trig-avionics.com An accomplished Irish horse-rider who remarkably made a full recovery after suffering an acquired brain injury in a fall, is attempting to be the first woman ever to ride the Camino Way side-saddle World-record holder Susan Oakes, 36, from Navan, Co. Meath is due to fly to France on Friday along with four horses to trek the 899km trail from St Jean Pied de Port to Finisterre over 21 days. Susan has undertaken the challenge for two charities - the Society for the Protection of working Animals Abroad (SPANA) and Acquired Brain Injury Ireland, which aided her after a fall from a horse almost three years ago. In 2016, Susan was warming up for the Central Park Horse Show in New York when her saddle broke and she fell from the horse, landing on her feet. However the shock waves that rippled through her body from her feet caused two bleeds on her brain which left her unconscious for a week. When she woke up, she was paralysed on her left side and had lost her speech and sight in her left eye. "It was a freak accident and it did take a lot of time, patience and rehabilitation but thankfully, I'm now fully recovered," she said "All I wanted to do was to get back on a horse but I had developed vertigo from my affected sight so it took longer than expected to ride again. "I still spent a lot of time with my horses as therapy, even though I couldn't do anything." The horsewoman who holds a world record for the highest jump sidesaddle at six foot, eight inches realises how lucky she is. "I'm actually so grateful that I had the accident. I feel like I've been reborn and that I'm a changed person. Nothing can stress me out anymore." Although always wanting to ride the pilgrimage Camino Way on horseback, she never thought about side-saddle until she decided to undertake the feat for charity. "I just think that I should make it a little tougher for myself if it's for charity. Since I suffered a brain injury, I have confronted some major challenges. I feel that now it is time to share my experiences as I would not like anyone to go through this alone and not to be aware of this amazing charity who are on hand to assist you and the people closest to you in living and dealing with a brain injury, which can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. "I'm also hoping to raise funds for SPANA, which help the welfare of some 200 million animals - namely donkeys, horses, mules, camels and elephants - transport goods to market, children to schools and water and supplies to remote communities." The trek will also be a challenge, she admits, for the horses. Susan will travel with four horses.One of which will be taken by her friend who will accompany her and two others will be on hand for anyone who wants to join in on any point of the journey. "They are used to big international arenas with crowds wishing them on and performing on perfect footing, surrounded by luxury to the quiet and solitude of trails, byways and roads as we meander across France and into Spain". Anyone who would like to donate can do so here. A jury has found a man whose attempt to kill himself caused a devastating gas explosion not guilty of reckless endangerment and criminal damage charges. The 63-year-old man cut into a gas pipe in his Dublin home and took some sleeping tablets in a plan to kill himself from gas poisoning. A short time later he went to the back door of his home and lit a cigarette, causing a huge explosion. His own home was blown out and damage to three neighbouring buildings led to their demolition. A number of cars parked in the area were badly damaged by falling debris and other neighbouring homes had windows blown out. The majority of costs have been covered by insurers, the trial heard, with only the defendant's house still demolished. The man pleaded not guilty to intentionally or recklessly engaging in conduct which created a substantial risk of death or serious harm to another at Sullivan St., Dublin 7 on June 1, 2014. He also denied 13 charges of criminal damage of houses and cars around that location. The man accepted his actions of cutting the pipe and lighting the cigarette caused the explosion but said he had not intended them to do so. He said his sole focus at the time was on killing himself to end the pain of the depression he suffered. The court heard the man had battled with mental illness for 13 years and spent lengthy periods in treatment in psychiatric hospital from 2009 to 2014. All the time, my mind was in this kind of state that I wasn't thinking of any consequences whatsoever; it was just the getting to sleep as fast as I possibly could. I knew the gas was on but I was not in a rational kind of a state of mind to comprehend that if I lit a cigarette the gas would go up. He told Det Gda Tim O'Sullivan he would now regard his actions as reckless, but at the time and the way I felt and the urgency I felt towards my life overrode any sort of thought of recklessness or maliciousness or anything like that. The jury heard details from written statements from neighbours who experienced the explosion shortly after 6pm on the Sunday evening of the bank holiday weekend. One neighbour said she thought a plane had crashed when the walls of the house started to shake. She looked outside and saw power cable poles had fallen and it looked like a bomb scene from a movie. Another woman said she heard a loud bang and all the doors of her home slammed shut and the glass in the doors smashed. She said she heard people screaming and saw dust everywhere. Judge Elma Sheahan thanked the jurors for their time. She also commended the manner in which the case was dealt with by gardai and the lawyers from both sides. Earlier she told the jury that they must consider whether the accused turned his mind to the risks of his actions but disregarded this risk and went on to act with indifference. Earlier in the trial Brendan Grehan SC, defending, told the jurors that the issue they had to consider was that of recklessness. He told the jury: Unless you can be satisfied that before he lit that cigarette he thought about what would happen and he still went ahead and did it, you must acquit. Eoin Lawlor BL, prosecuting, said that the case was extraordinarily unfortunate and that the defendant's life was one beset by difficulties. He said that suicide has affected almost everyone in Ireland but told the jurors they must be dispassionate in their deliberations and leave aside any sympathies or other feelings. The injuries to Bobby Ryan's body were not caused by debris that fell on the skeleton when gardai removed the concrete lid of the tank in which the body was found, a senior garda has told the Central Criminal Court. Chief Superintendent Dominic Hayes has been answering questions in relation to the investigation from when Mr Ryan went missing in 2011 through to it becoming a murder investigation in 2013 and coming to trial in 2019. The chief superintendent told defence counsel Lorcan Staines SC that he was present when gardai used a digger to remove a large concrete lid from the tank and while "minor debris" fell when the slab broke, no large pieces of debris or concrete fell on Mr Ryan. When Mr Staines asked him why he didn't mention any of this in his statement he said it is not possible to make a statement in anticipation of questions that may arise during a prosecution. He said he was sure Mr Ryan's body was not injured during the removal other than the fact that his arm was detached when the body was lifted onto a sheet on the ground. He said again that no injuries occurred due to the lid being removed and added that it was "testament to the manner of the removal" that the detachment of the arm was the only damage done to the body. Pointing to a photo of the scene taken following the removal, he said the lid sat on a sheet of corrugated iron and was reinforced with steel bars, which he said, "prohibits pieces of large debris falling on Mr Ryan." Patrick Quirke Farmer Patrick Quirke (50) of Breanshamore, Co Tipperary has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Bobby Ryan, a part-time DJ known as Mr Moonlight. Mr Ryan went missing on June 3, 2011 after leaving his girlfriend Mary Lowry's home at about 6.30am. His body was found in an underground run-off tank on the farm owned by Ms Lowry and leased by the accused at Fawnagown, Tipperary 22 months later in April 2013. The prosecution has claimed Mr Quirke murdered Mr Ryan so he could rekindle an affair with Ms Lowry (52). The cross-examination of the chief superintendent continues this afternoon in front of Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury of six men and six women. The injuries to Bobby Ryan's body were not caused by debris falling on the skeleton when gardai removed the concrete lid covering the tank in which the body was found, a senior garda has told the Central Criminal Court. The trial of Patrick Quirke also heard that the accused man has no previous convictions and is not suspected of any other crimes. Chief Superintendent Dominic Hayes has been answering questions in relation to the investigation from when Mr Ryan went missing in 2011 to the discovery of his body in 2013 and the opening of the murder trial in January 2019. Farmer Patrick Quirke, 50, of Breanshamore, Co Tipperary has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Bobby Ryan, a part-time DJ known as Mr Moonlight. Mr Ryan went missing on June 3, 2011 after leaving his girlfriend Mary Lowry's home at about 6.30am. His body was found in an underground run-off tank on the farm owned by Ms Lowry and leased by the accused at Fawnagown, Tipperary 22 months later in April 2013. The prosecution has claimed Mr Quirke murdered Mr Ryan so he could rekindle an affair with Ms Lowry, 52. In wide ranging cross examination Chief Supt Hayes told defence counsel Lorcan Staines SC that Mary Lowry told gardai that she gave the accused a cheque for 50,000 but when gardai investigated they discovered the cheque was for 20,000. Mary Lowry. Picture: Collins He also agreed that gardai investigated whether Mr Quirke went to the Heritage Hotel in Laois on June 3, 2011, the day Mr Ryan went missing. They found that both Mr Quirke and his wife Imelda arrived at the hotel and stayed there for two nights, spending over 600. Mr Quirke's phone records showed that his phone pinged off masts in Portlaoise from 1.56pm on June 3 until 4.50pm on June 5, 2011. Mr Quirke, he further agreed, has no previous convictions and is not suspected of involvement in any crime. He was previously charged with two burglaries of Mary Lowry's home and with possession of a key but the DPP directed that gardai withdraw the charges. Going through the investigation Chief Supt Hayes also agreed that gardai discovered that the last time Bobby Ryan's phone pinged a mast was at 10.19am on the day of his disappearance. In July 2011 the investigation team requested a technical examination of Mary Lowry's home but the job was not done until after the body was discovered. Mr Staines suggested this was a "systems failure" but Chief Supt Hayes said there may have been no reason to do it. When Bobby Ryan's body was discovered the chief superintendent went to the scene and looked into the tank. From his view he thought the body was clothed and was surprised when he was later told that it was naked but for a wrist watch. Mr Staines asked him if, given the same scenario tomorrow, he would have consulted an entomologist at the scene when he saw flies on the body. He said he wouldn't and added that would be a matter for a pathologist. He said he doesn't know of any entomologist working in Ireland. Mr Staines asked if gardai had been "badly let down" by then Deputy State Pathologist Dr Khalid Jaber who did not go to the scene despite being requested. Chief Supt Hayes said the pathologist not being present had no negative impact on the examination of the scene. He said it is more the exception than the rule for pathologists to attend scenes and the best person to assist in removing the body was Detective Garda John Grant of the Scenes of Crime Unit who advised throughout the process. The investigation team decided that before removing the body they would have to remove a concrete slab that covered most of the tank. Bobby Ryan They did so with a mechanical digger. Chief Supt Hayes was present for that process and told Mr Staines that while "minor debris" fell when the slab broke, no large pieces of debris or concrete fell on Mr Ryan. When Mr Staines asked him why he didn't mention any of this in his statement he said it is not possible to anticipate questions that may arise during a prosecution. He said he was sure Mr Ryan's body was not injured during the removal other than the fact that his arm was detached when the body was lifted onto a sheet on the ground. He said again that no injuries occurred due to the lid being removed and added that it was "testament to the manner of the removal" that the detachment of the arm was the only damage done to the body. Pointing to a photo of the scene taken following the removal he said the lid sat on a sheet of corrugated iron and was reinforced with steel bars which, he said, "prohibits pieces of large debris falling on Mr Ryan". Mr Staines suggested there was another systems failure when fingerprints taken from Mr Ryan's van in 2011 were not tested against the accused man's prints or those of the Ryan family until earlier this year. Chief Supt Hayes said those prints should have been tested and responsibility for that lies with the fingerprint section at Garda headquarters. Mr Staines also asked the chief superintendent about Mary Lowry's phone which was examined in 2011 but gardai were unable to download its contents and so it was given back to her. Mr Staines asked if, with hindsight, it would be of assistance to the jury to see the contents of text messages between Mary Lowry and Bobby Ryan in the lead up to his disappearance. The witness said he is uneducated in information technology and is not in a position to answer the question. The chief superintendent agreed that it is "not ideal" that people who searched the farm at Fawnagowan in 2011 as part of the missing person investigation did not make statements about the search until 2013, after the body was recovered. Mr Staines will continue cross examining the witness tomorrow in front of Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury of six men and six women. A Croatian man who raided two post offices while armed with an imitation firearm has been jailed for four-and-a-half years. Judge Melanie Greally noted that Mario Hanzic Broz, 44, suffered post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of his experience in the Balkans conflict. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that he was 18 years old when he joined the army and later witnessed varying levels of atrocities during the Balkans War. He numbed himself against the incidents he had witnessed by using cannabis, LSD, cocaine and heroin. Broz, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and possession of an air pistol with intent at Botanic Road Post Office, Dublin 9 on May 8, 2018. He also pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and possession of an air pistol at Berkeley Road Post Office, Phibsborough, Dublin 7, on May 10, 2018. He has no previous convictions in this jurisdiction. The former cafe worker went into the two post offices with a 6mm caliber air pistol but turned around and left without any money. The elderly postmaster in the first raid did not know if the handgun was real or an imitation. Broz told gardai he carried out the raids after his job hours had been reduced and he was unable to pay his rent. Garda Patrick Dunne agreed with Oisin Clarke BL, defending, that Broz had had second thoughts during the brief incidents and was extremely remorseful when arrested. Gda Dunne told Mr Clarke that Broz's car had been taken from him for having no insurance, which meant he could not get to work on time and his cafe hours were reduced. Judge Greally noted that the postmaster in the first raid described in a victim impact statement the trauma of the attack. The incident left him feeling vulnerable and unsafe and had diminished his confidence. Gda Dunne told Ms Diana Stuart BL, prosecuting, at an earlier hearing that the postmaster was working in the shop when he saw a male in front of him shouting money, money money and holding a handgun. The postmaster knew about firearms from being victim to previous robberies, but wasn't certain if Broz's gun was real. He told Broz he was going to a back area to get money. While he was there he looked at the CCTV but couldn't see Broz. He returned to the post office public area, saw that Broz was gone and rang gardai. Two days later Broz approached a woman working at the cash desk at Berkeley Road Post Office and took the gun out of a white plastic bag. He told the woman to give him all the money, but then turned around after a few seconds and left the post office. The woman hit the panic button and gardai arrived a short time later. Gda Dunne said Broz was arrested at Blessington Street Basin in Dublin about an hour after this second incident. He agreed with Mr Clarke that Broz had retrieved the gun from a bin and handed it to gardai at the scene, revealing he had bought it at a toy shop. Gda Dunne said Broz mentioned he suffered from PTSD due to his service in the army during the Balkans War. He said he tracked down Broz's former cafe boss, who had described him as a very good worker and was surprised about the offending. Mr Clarke submitted to Judge Greally that his client had joined the army when he was 18 years old and had witnessed varying levels of atrocities during the Balkans War. Counsel said his client numbed himself against the incidents he had witnessed by using LSD, cocaine, heroin and cannabis. He said this was commonplace among soldiers and that Broz left the army with a heroin addiction. Mr Clarke submitted that though Broz had held down jobs in Croatia, he got into trouble because of his heroin addiction. He said Broz got clean of drugs before coming to Ireland 18 months ago to join friends here and make a clean sweep of his life. Mr Clarke said the attempted robberies were two desperate situations that his client regretted. The judge said she was giving Broz credit for his guilty plea, his co-operation with gardai, the immediate remorse and subsequent regret shown by him, and his difficult personal history. She suspended the final two years of a six-and-a-half year prison sentence on condition that he keep the peace for the entire period and obey all directions of the Probation Services. There was no victim impact statement from the victim of the later offence. The German Chancellor has said Germany and Europe will stand by the Irish in Brexit talks and said ongoing negotiations will have to find a way to protect the single market while also avoiding a hard border in Ireland. Speaking after Brexit talks with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Ms Merkel said: Every step of the way we will stand together, we will walk together. She said: We do hope that the intensive discussions that are ongoing in London will lead to a situation by next Wednesday, when we have a special council meeting, where Prime Minister Theresa May will have something to table to us on the basis of which we can continue to talk. We want to stand together as 27. Until the very last hour I can say this from the German side we will do everything in order to prevent a no-deal Brexit; Britain crashing out of the European Union. But we have to do this together with Britain and with their position that they will present to us. German Chancellor Angela Merkel meeting with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar at Farmleigh House Dublin. Credit: Maxwell Photography/PA Wire Mrs Merkel added: We will simply have to be able to do this. We have to be successful and we hope for a solution that we can agree together with Britain. I heard that you have the same saying as what we say in Germany: Where theres a will theres a way. We are working on this and we have very good partners in the Commission, with Michel Barnier and Jean-Claude Juncker who are putting everything into finding a good ending, finding mutual solutions, so we will find this together. We still hope, obviously, for an orderly Brexit. Speaking alongside the German Chancellor Taoiseach Leo Varadkar went on to say that while he was understanding of the predicament facing Westminster he said any further extension 'must require and must have a credible and realistic way forward. Mr Varadkar restated that the EU was prepared to amend the Political Declaration if the UKs red lines shifted. Both Ireland and Germany want to have a future relationship with the UK which is close and comprehensive and as deep as possible, and we would like to see the Withdrawal Agreement ratified so that we can begin the negotiations on a new economic and security partnership without further delay, he said. But he added: There is very little time left and we have to prepare ourselves for all outcomes. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar greets German Chancellor Angela Merkel at Farmleigh House in Dublin, ahead of Brexit talks.Credit: Brian Lawless/PA Wire Mr Varadkar restated his commitment to an open border in Ireland with free movement of people and frictionless trade, with no tariffs and no checks. I know three ways that can be achieved, he said. Either the UK remaining in the European Union, which theyve decided not to do; a Norway-plus model where they are in or closely aligned to the customs union and single market; or the Withdrawal Agreement and the backstop. So there are three ways to achieve that, but if all three are rejected that obviously puts us in a difficult position. While the levying of customs and tariffs can be done remotely, necessities like animal checks would have to take place physically somewhere, he said. German Chancellor Angela Merkel: "We will do everything in order to prevent a no-deal Brexit... but we have to do this together with Britain..." pic.twitter.com/7ePN5Dqjaa BrexitCentral (@BrexitCentral) April 4, 2019 Chancellor Angela Merkel arrives in Dublin ahead of Brexit talks with Taoiseach: German Chancellor Angela Merkel has arrived in Dublin for Brexit talks with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. Ms Merkel was greeted by Mr Varadkar at Farmleigh House. Her visit is viewed as a sign of her solidarity with Ireland as the Brexit saga rumbles on. Their discussions are set to focus on the latest developments from the UK, ahead of the special European Council meeting next week. Speaking on Twitter, Leo Varadkar wrote: "It's a real privilege to welcome Chancellor Angela Merkel to Ireland today. We're meeting people from Ireland North and South to hear why we must avoid the return of any hard border and secure an orderly Brexit." Its a real privilege to welcome Chancellor Angela Merkel to Ireland today. Were meeting people from Ireland North and South to hear why we must avoid the return of any hard border and secure an orderly #Brexit pic.twitter.com/22HrwvUpIP Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) April 4, 2019 Prior to their sit-down, Ms Merkel will take part in a round-table discussion with 15 people from Northern Ireland and the border area about the impact a no-deal scenario could have on their lives. It will include some victims of violence, as well as farmers and business people. Mr Varadkar held talks with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Tuesday. Ahead of Ms Merkel's visit, an Irish Government spokesman said the German Chancellor had been a "strong and unwavering ally of Ireland" as the country responds to the challenges posed by Brexit. He said: "Ahead of their formal meeting, the Taoiseach and Chancellor will participate in a round-table discussion with people from Northern Ireland and the border area, who will share their personal experience and perspectives on the impact any return to a hard border would have on border communities and businesses. These are people for whom the border is a very real issue - people from communities along the border, from business, and with direct personal experience of conflict before the Good Friday Agreement. "It is important to hear their voices as we work together to deal with the challenges that Brexit presents." The spokesman said the meeting is also an opportunity for the two leaders to consider other issues on the EU's agenda, and reflect on how Ireland and Germany can strengthen their "already excellent relations". Speaking in the Irish Parliament on Wednesday, the Taoiseach said he hoped Mr Corbyn would show leadership and come up with a compromise plan with Mrs May. Mr Varadkar also said the growing frustration among a number of EU countries over the Brexit process is "worrying" for Ireland. Chancellor Merkel Visits Ireland. German Chancellor Angela Merkel shakes hands with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar today at Farmleigh House in Dublin. Photo: Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie Discussing his meeting with Mr Macron, Mr Varadkar said he was "really heartened by the enormous support" that France continued to demonstrate towards Ireland, and by Mr Macron's statement that Ireland would never be abandoned by France or by the EU. "Whatever issues arise, if there is no deal, they are very much seen as shared problems, ones that Ireland will try to resolve with our partners in France and the European Commission," he added. "It's not a questions of a big stick or us being put under undue pressure, but there are reasonable questions being asked as to how we will protect the integrity of the single market and the single union." Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Chancellor Angela Merkel are expected to hold a press conference to address the media at Farmleigh on Brexit and other issues. -PA and Digital Desk Staff Overcrowding in University Hospital Limerick has been compared to a scene in a hospital after a major national disaster in the Dail. A spike in patients on trolleys in hospitals across the country has led to unsafe conditions for patients and is also impacting on the health and safety of staff, Sinn Fein's Pearse Doherty has claimed. Referencing the front of today's Irish Examiner which showed corridors lined with people on trolleys, Mr Doherty said: "The pictures on the front page of today's Irish Examiner would be something akin to the scenes in the hospital after a major natural disaster, but there is no natural disaster, these scenes of overcrowded hospitals and patients lying on trolleys on corridors are becoming all too common." He added: "In the last number of days the problem has gone from bad to worse. Earlier in the week there were serious problems in Cork University Hospital and there are still significant problems with the number of people on trolleys there today in Cork. "But to top it all off yesterday there was utter chaos in University Hospital Limerick where the number of patients on trolleys reached a level never ever seen in the history of this State." The IMO recorded Read More: He said there are still Read More: This is absoalutely scandoulous at this stage, we are reaching record levels of people on trolleys in hospitals in a situation of utter chaos. Responding Tanaiste Simon Coveney said the first quarter of this year recorded the "best figure" in terms of trolley numbers for five years. Mr Coveney admitted that hospitals, including Limerick, Cork and Galway, are under pressure but they are responding to the increased number of people without a bed. "We are investing in more capacity, we are trying to streamline management systems in hospitals to ensure that we can deal in particular with this time of year which is a pressurised time of year as you come through the winter," he said. But he told the Dail that there have been "particular issues" in the last 24 hours in Limerick hospital. By West Kentucky Star Staff Apr. 02, 2019 | 09:19 PM | GRAVES COUNTY A missing person investigation led to the discovery of a Graves County fugitive in an underground bunker. As part of the continuing investigation into the disappearance of Samantha Sperry, officials on Tuesday searched an area of Bell Road in Graves County near the Marshall County line. Around noon, K-9 teams and Graves County sheriffs detectives were searching a densely wooded area near the Bell Road and Dooms Chapel Road intersection. K-9s alerted to an area in the woods there. A closer examination of the ground revealed a tunnel dug out into a large underground room. A deputy went down into the bunker type hole and discovered a living quarters underground, as well as a man hiding inside. The man was identified as 41-year-old Earnest Dean Hendrickson of Symsonia. Hendrickson became a fugitive last November. He was on parole for manufacturing methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine, theft of anhydrous ammonia with the intent to manufacture meth, fleeing or evading police, tampering with physical evidence, wanton endangerment, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, as well as additional convictions, in Graves, Lyon, McCracken, and Marshall counties. Hendrickson was paroled from prison almost a year ago. Police say he violated the terms of his parole by absconding parole supervision, failure to complete treatment for substance abuse, use of meth, use of marijuana, use of alcohol and failure to report to parole officer. After the arrest warrant was issued for Hendrickson last November, law enforcement officials tried to locate him at a Bell Road home which was listed as his address. Police say the home actually belongs to a close relative and is located several hundred yards from the wooded area where the underground bunker was found. Two-way radio equipment was found underground in the living quarters and is believed to have been the method of communication Hendrickson used with people at the Bell Road home in his attempt to evade capture. Other drug related items were also recovered. Food, clothing and other related items were also found. A second smaller underground type bunker was located a short distance from the first one an hour or so later. Hendrickson was transported to the Mayfield Police Department and interviewed by detectives with the Graves County Sheriffs Office, Mayfield Police, and Kentucky State Police. He was then lodged at the Graves County Jail. By Ann O'Loughlin The Revenue Commissioners, in a bid to get payment of a revenue debt, have secured temporary High Court orders restraining one of Ireland's largest animal welfare charities reducing its assets below 191,000 or transferring its lands to another charity. The orders, which were sought ex parte (one side only represented), concern Animal Heaven Animal Rescue, based in Co Kerry, and were made against the trustees of the charity. Mr Justice Senan Allen granted the interim orders today and returned the matter to next week. The judge said it seemed most of the 191,000 liabilities of the charity as set out in a statement of affairs is owed to Revenue. He said the Revenue has made a prima facie case it is owed the money, that is not in dispute but the issue is whether the defendants are entitled to transfer the assets to another charity which might defeat the Revenue claim. It was "reasonable" for the Revenue to intervene before a transfer is effected and, on foot of the Revenue providing an undertaking for damages, he would grant the interim orders and return the matter to next week, he said. Earlier, in seeking the injunctions, Sally ONeill BL, for the Revenue, said the 191,000 represents the figure for the charitys liabilities as set out in a statement of affairs, the bulk of which - about 145,000 - is owed to Revenue. The statement of affairs showed AHAR had about 275,000 excess of assets over liabilities and the bulk of those assets are the 37 acres from which it operates, she said. The Revenue wanted the injunction to cover the total liabilities because it was concerned, if the order was limited to 145,000, other creditors might be paid out of that sum, she outlined. It seemed it was intended to transfer the AHAR lands to another charity and she was seeking the injunction restraining such transfer in circumstances where the Revenue last Monday sought but had not received an undertaking not to dissipate assets until the Revenue debt was discharged. The Revenues point of contact with the charity was Mr David Hall - who is CEO of the Irish Mortgage Holders Association and former interim CEO of the suicide charity Console - who was among four persons appointed in 2018 to the board of the charity on the nomination of the Charities Regulator, she said. She said Mr Hall, in response to queries from the Revenue, had said the assets and operations of AHAR were to be moved to a charity, Athlone and West Midlands Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Athlone SPCA), and the trustees had unanimously voted to transfer the land. He had acknowledged the Revenue request for an undertaking not to transfer the assets but his reply to that request was "unclear" and did not provide an undertaking, she said. Ms ONeill said audits of the charity carried out by the Revenue for 2015 and 2016 had uncovered cash withdrawals and payments for 149,071 with no records concerning those. There were also serious incidents of non-compliance with PAYE and PRSI, she said. In an affidavit for the Revenue, it was stated the defendants have been or are trustees of AHAR which operated and seems to continue to operate from the premises and lands on 37 acres in Co Kerry. The Revenue also provided to the court an October 2018 press release concerning AHAR issued by the Charities Regulator. Mr Justice Allen noted the press release stated the regulator had continued to monitor the charity since January 2017 when it had imposed conditions on it over failure to keep proper books and accounts. It was stated, following a site visit by the regulator in June 2018, there was concern the charity was still not keeping proper books and accounts. That had led to the regulator seeking to have Mr Hall and three other persons appointed to the board of the charity. A shop manager has been left with a 2,500 fine after a former employee had been doing a clandestine nixer by selling unstamped tobacco from the premises. Some 50 grammes were found in the shop. John Wilson, 42, of Oakley Green, Longwood, Co Meath, pleaded guilty to a charge under the Finance Act for keeping 0.05kg of fine cut tobacco for sale at his Costcutters shop, on Main Street, Lusk, Co Dublin on November 14, 2017. Judge Anthony Halpin heard at Dublin District Court that customs officers entered the retail premises and 50 grammes of unstamped rolling tobacco were found. The shop manager was co-operative and believed a member of his staff placed the illegally obtained cigarettes behind the counter and was operating a nixer. Judge Halpin noted the case related to clandestine selling and the employee was since fired. New procedures have been put in place in relation to the sale of cigarettes at the shop. The court heard the manager had run the shop for 15 years and was sorry this had happened. Unfortunately in these type of cases, people like the defendant were vicariously liable on behalf of the mal fides of another person, the judge said. Judge Halpin noted he could impose fines ranging between 2,500 and 5,000 and the accused had no prior criminal convictions. Judge Halpin said he was mitigating the fine down to the least amount possible and gave Wilson 12 months to pay. Chronic overcrowding continued across the countrys hospitals as 531 admitted patients languished on trolleys in emergency departments and wards today. University Hospital Limerick (UHL) was the most overcrowded hospital with 76 patients on trolleys, according to figures published by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO). Yesterday, nurses recorded 81 patients on trolleys at the Limerick hospital, the highest ever in an Irish hospital. Later the figure rose to 92, INMO representative Mary Fogarty. Today, a hospital spokesperson confirmed that the hospitals own figures - published yesterday and showing 52 patients on trolleys - related only to the numbers on trolleys in the Limerick ED and did not include trolley numbers on general wards. At 2pm today, patient Dean Fitzgerald, from Shannon, Co Clare said he was still on a trolley in the Limerick ED seven hours after arriving by ambulance with severe stomach pain. I came in about 7am this morning and Im still sitting on a trolley, and, nothing done, he said, whilst taking in some fresh air outside the overcrowded A&E department. I came in by ambulance this morning. At 6am this morning I literally woke up in agony, in excruciating pain in my left abdomen. "Hopefully its (not serious). I dont want to be going in for operations. Dean said he felt lucky as he had been placed in an ED isolation pod, due to infection control procedures, in case he had a contagious stomach bug. A few feet away groups of elderly patients continued to bear the busy as hell conditions. Along the cramped corridors nurses and doctors fought for standing room to treat the never-ending stream of sick and injured. The order from the floor was only one relative per patient. Its not the staffs fault, its as busy as hell in there. Theyre doing all they can, said Dean. His mother, Marianne, told how patients were literally camped head to toe just beyond her sons pod. There are people on top of each other on trolleys, and youre not able to pass by it. Theres so many, its so cluttered, she added. Ms Fitzgerald watched on as nurses desperately searched for a few inches of space for another trolley: I overheard one of the staff looking to know had they any spaces (elsewhere), theyre obviously ringing around other parts of the hospital looking to put (patents) in. She continued to observe plucky staff persevere through the naturally chaotic environment of the emergency department, while still coping with grenades of overcrowding, being relentlessly lobbed on top of them. Theyre under pressure big time, she added. Along the under fire ED trench lines, trolleys were continually parachuted in and out by tired and stressed staff. I think its disastrous the way people are on top of each other, youve elderly people in there and they have no dignity, she said. Some of them were crying out with their hands out - a cry for help I suppose. Its sad to see it, god love them. Despite the mayhem, Dean is impressed by the resilience of frontline staff on his first time in A&E. The hospital advised the public to attend local injury units instead of presenting the ED, for non-serious and non-life threatening conditions. In a statement yesterday UHL said it sincerely regrets any delays for patients. UHL has just over 450 inpatient beds; this is recognised as not being sufficient for the needs of the MidWest Region, it added. Enabling works are underway on a modular 60-bed structure situated on the grounds of the hospital. Management have also sought government funding for a permanent 96-bed unit. More than 350 people will die this year because of hospital overcrowding, a consultant in emergency medicine has warned. Dr Fergal Hickey said they know from studies conducted in Australia and elsewhere that the mortality rate increases as a direct result of overcrowding in emergency departments. With Ireland's population at almost 5m, the number of deaths would be in excess of 350 per year, said Dr Hickey, the Irish Association for Emergency Medicine's communications officer. There is lots of medical evidence to show that treatment delays contribute to bad outcomes, he said. This is unacceptable and all we are doing is causing people to have bad outcomes, increasing their lengths of stay, increasing the costs to the system. "Ultimately, it is devastating for individual patients. Dr Hickey said demand for hospital beds is increasing but capacity has not improved, despite what the Minister for Health, Simon Harris, and his department has claimed. There has been very few additional beds, he said. And only of a fraction of the beds lost during austerity have been replaced. According to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, there were 531 admitted patients waiting for hospital beds yesterday. The worst-hit hospitals were University Hospital Limerick (76); University Hospital Galway (60) and Cork University Hospital (43). The INMO's Trolley Watch counts the number of patients who have been admitted to acute hospitals and are waiting for a free bed. Of the patients waiting 383 were in EDs and 148 were being treated on wards and elsewhere. Some images from the University Hospital Limerick trolley crisis. Dr Hickey said the overcrowding problem has become more obvious in recent weeks because elective admissions have started again: There is no hospital in the country that is flush with beds. There are delays to admission every single day. It is bad every day. Dr Hickey said attempts are often made to cloud the issue by blaming inappropriate ED attendees. We deal with inappropriate attendees and we send them home or they sober up and they go home. They are not the people who end up on trolleys. The people who end up on trolleys are the people who we decide require hospital admission. The main problem is simply a lack of bed capacity. Dr Hickey said University Hospital Limerick is always short of beds. The hospital has a new ED which is probably the biggest in the country but the fundamental problem a shortage of beds, has not been addressed. Patient advocate, Stephen McMahon, is concerned that there has not been a meeting of the Emergency Department Task Force since January. The task force was established by the Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, when he was Minister for Health in 2014 to develop long term solutions to ED overcrowding. Mr McMahon, who is co-founder and chairman of the Irish Patient's Association, is the only member of the task force solely representing patients' interests: We do have a crisis in our EDs. "In some situations, the hospitals are a danger to patients and staff. "I know Brexit is looming but the healthcare system still needs the same level of attention. Additional reporting by David Raleigh Children and an elderly man were in the sitting room of a house in Listowel town, Co Kerry, shortly after midnight last Saturday night/Sunday morning when two youths armed with various items including an axe smashed the sitting room windows and door into the room, the juvenile court was told today. A gardai who outlined the facts in relation to alleged incident revealed that a Waterford crystal Reginald Tower, with a value of 4,500, which had been on the window sill was smashed. In all some 7,457 worth of criminal damage was carried out, the in-camera court in Listowel heard . A hammer, and a pool cue were among the objects used to break and damage the property. The pair also attacked a car parked in the driveway, "smashing" the windows and damaging a panel, the court heard. The valuable piece of Waterford Crystal was sitting on the window sill and the incident took place at 12.30am last Saturday/Sunday morning, March 31, at an address in the town of Listowel, the court was told. In the sitting room of the house at the time were two men, two children, and one elderly male. Two youths, one aged 16 and one aged 17 were arrested early on Wednesday morning. Questioned at separate garda stations in Listowel and Ballybunion, they were released on station bail and appeared before the Juvenile court at Listowel District Court on Thursday morning. Each was charged with one count of Criminal Damage of property including the Waterford crystal, a number of windows, a door and a car owned by a female occupant of the house, which was parked in the driveway. The charge is contrary to Section 2 of the Criminal Damage Act, 1991. The 16-year-old replied No, Shane! when charged and cautioned, Listowel Garda Detective, Shane ODriscoll outlined. The 17-year-old had made no reply to the formal charge, the court was told. Gardai applied for an adjournment, saying that a file was being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions. On an application by Pa Daly, solicitor for both youths, bail was granted by Judge David Waters. The bail is in accordance with strict conditions set by Listowel gardai. Mr Daly had asked that curfew conditions not be imposed on the 16-year-old given that he has never been in court before. Judge David Waters adjourned the matter for a file to be prepared for the DPP and granted bail. He imposed a curfew on both youths between 9pm and 8am daily. They are also to stay away from the house that was the subject of the alleged attack last weekend. They are not to interfere with witnesses and are to sign on Monday and Friday at Listowel Garda station. Judge David Waters issued a strong warning to the pair that in the event of any breach of their bail conditions, they would be remanded in custody to Oberstown detention centre. The Government is being called on to act and address the ongoing crisis within the insurance industry. The Alliance for Insurance Reform says that spiralling insurance costs, driven by high financial awards on claims, are crippling small businesses and forcing many to close. The widow of a 79-year-old man who died as a result of spending 36 years of his working life being repeatedly exposed to asbestos particles has settled her High Court action. Maire Ni Uiginn's husband, Michael Higgins, worked as a sales director/manager in Britain and Ireland for a UK insulation company. He died from malignant mesothelioma, a lung disease caused by asbestos on December 19, 2015. Ms Ni Uiginn sued Cape plc of Jersey, Channel Islands, Cape Insulation Ltd, Middlesex, England, Cape Ireland Ltd, Dublin, and Cape Intermediate Holdings, also Middlesex. The defendants accepted liability and the case was before the court for assessment of damages only. Following talks today Mr Justice Michael Hanna was told the matter had been settled. In her action, Ms Ni Uiginn claimed the defendants failed in their duty to take reasonable precautions for the health and safety of her husband. It was claimed that between 1956 and 1991, Mr Higgins' work involved going to various commercial premises and building sites under the control of the defendants during which he was repeatedly and continuously exposed to asbestos particles. As a result, he developed mesothelioma which ultimately caused his death. His widow, Ms Ni Uiginn, a retired education co-ordinator, told the court when he was diagnosed in November 2015, it was a great shock to her and their adult daughter Aine. He was given a very short time to live and passed away the following month. Bernard McDonagh SC, told the court liability was conceded but the only issue was the difference between the medical experts on life expectancy. The court heard doctors for each side would give evidence in relation to this matter. When the case resumed later the court heard the matter had been settled following talks. By The Associated Press Mar. 29, 2019 | 05:42 AM | FRANKFORT Kentucky lawmakers passed a bill that would let up to 118 quasi-governmental agencies leave the state's struggling retirement system. Legislative leaders say the plan will save many of those agencies from bankruptcies, since they can't afford to pay ballooning pension payments. The agencies include local health departments, domestic violence shelters, rape crisis centers and some public universities. But the plan would also let the agencies leave without paying what they owe, which could cost the pension system up to $799 million over the next few decades. The system is already one of the worst-funded retirement plans in the country. Republican Sen. Chris McDaniel called the plan the best of bad options. The announcement said it all: It is time for IOOF to move forward. Some might say it is long overdue and needs to go much further given the wealth management giant has been operating in leadership limbo for four months. Chris Kelaher, CEO of IOOF, is leaving the company by "mutual agreement". Credit:Pat Scala In a statement to the ASX, the scandal-ridden IOOF revealed that its chief executive, Chris Kelaher, was moving on and that acting chairman Allan Griffiths - who stepped in to replace George Venardos - would take the chairman's role permanently. It is worth noting that Griffiths has been on the board since 2014 and the regulator has had concerns about IOOFs conduct for a number of years. Boeing, Ethiopian Airlines and aircraft-sensor maker Rosemount Aerospace were sued in the US for alleged negligence in connection with a plane crash last month that killed 157 people and intensified concern about the safety of 737 Max passenger jets. The suit filed Thursday in Chicago federal court on behalf of an American citizen who was on the doomed Ethiopian Airlines flight March 10 joins a growing pile of complaints against Boeing, as well as a criminal probe, after two 737 Max planes crashed within five months. The plaintiffs also said they will file an administrative claim against the Federal Aviation Administration. The parents of Samya Stumo, 24, alleged Boeing was "blinded by its greed" and rushed the 737 Max 8 to market with the "knowledge and tacit approval" of the FAA, while hiding defects in its automated flight-control system. The suit also cites a similar flaw in the Lion Air flight of a 737 Max 8 jet that crashed into the Java Sea on October 29, killing 189. Earlier on Thursday, the Ethiopian transport minister called on Boeing to review the 737 Max flight-control system before allowing planes to be used, after a preliminary government report showing the doomed jetliner couldn't recover from an uncommanded and persistent nose dive shortly after takeoff. The Lowy family's final ties with the Westfield/Scentre empire they founded in 1960 have been formally severed with the departure of the last remaining director, Steven Lowy. At the Scentre Group's annual general meeting in Sydney on Thursday, Mr Lowy retired as a non-executive director, bringing to a close the Lowy family's direct involvement with the Australian retail industry. Thursday was Steven Lowy's last day on the board of Scentre as a non-executive director. Credit:James Brickwood "I started with the Australian business over 30 years ago, so this is a poignant moment for me but an enormously proud one for me. This meeting brings to an end my role as a director of Westfield and Scentre Group," Mr Lowy told the audience at the Wesley Mission centre in Sydney. "I was privileged to have learnt the business at the knee of my father ... but as the next generation of Westfield executives came through, we made a formidable team, with incredible hard work, integrity and a healthy touch of paranoia." Apr 4, 2019 | By Thomas German conglomerate thyssenkrupp will build an Additive Manufacturing TechCenter Hub in Singapore in 2019. The announcement was made at the Hannover Messe trade show on Wednesday (April 3). The future Singapore Additive Manufacturing TechCenter Hub, which the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) supports, will serve as the regional hub for the company's Mulheim TechCenter. The center aims to unlock the potential of additive manufacturing for customers in Singapore and across Asia Pacific. thyssenkrupp first launched a dedicated TechCenter for additive manufacturing in Mulheim an der Ruhr, Germany in 2017, with capabilities to deliver the full spectrum of the additive manufacturing value chain. Dr. Donatus Kaufmann, member of the executive board of thyssenkrupp AG, commented, Establishing a hub in Singapore now reflects our commitment to bring our transformative innovations closer to the Asia Pacific region to meet our customers needs. (From left) Mr Laurence Bay, Singapore Ambassador to Germany, Dr Koh Poh Koon, Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry, Dr Donatus Kaufmann, Board Member of Thyssenkrupp AG and Mr Lim Kok Kiang, Assistant MD, EDB, at the Hannover Messe trade show.PHOTO: THYSSENKRUPP ASIA PACIFIC thyssenkrupp's TechCenter Hub in Singapore, together with the existing TechCenter in Germany, will focus on innovations around additive manufacturing solutions in metal and plastic technologies for customers in automotive, capital goods, chemical, mining and other heavy industries. It will provide a complete range of additive manufacturing services from part identification diagnostics, project delivery to training and capability building. The TechCenter Hub will also host additive manufacturing engineers who will work together with their colleagues in Germany to develop various products and solutions which leverage this innovation. Posted in 3D Printing Application Maybe you also like: Simon Crowe, owner of the Koko Black chocolate chain and Grill'd burger chain, has a shopping list of items he wants to buy using the instant asset write-off scheme. Cookers for the kitchens at Koko Black, mixing tanks and a chocolate moulding machine are all in his sights after the instant asset write-off was increased to $30,000 and extended to businesses with turnover of up to $50 million in the budget, with the changes passed into law on Wednesday. Simon Crowe is the founder of Grill'd and owner of the Koko Black chocolate chain. Credit:Josh Robenstone Koko Black turned over $18 million last year and was previously ineligible for the write-off when it was limited to businesses with a turnover of up to $10 million. "It's great news for us," Mr Crowe said. "There is no doubt we know the brand and business needs to stand on its own two feet, but there are not many manufacturing businesses thriving, our opportunity is to do the hard yards now and invest in equipment and the brand which drives employment." The careers counsellor at The Pavilion School in Melbourne had quite an interesting and unconventional pathway himself. From refereeing soccer games and scrubbing sports hall floors as a teenager, through part-time jobs at fast food outlets and on to a carpentry apprenticeship after completing his year 12 leaving certificate, Andrew Zarafa was never without a job. The "pathways and transitions" co-ordinator attributes this to the work ethic instilled in him by his parents. His father always said, never leave a job unless youve got another job. School counsellor Andrew Zarafa aims to help students build their confidence. Credit: After a number of years in the carpentry trade, circumstances led Andrew to his own fencing business and a variety of other jobs until one day an advertisement for a course caught his eye in the newspaper. Do you want to help people? it read. A natural history museum should be created in Canberra, a federal parliamentary inquiry says. The inquiry also called for the Australian Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies to be moved from the Acton Peninsula to the parliamentary triangle. A natural history museum could be set up inside the parliamentary triangle. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Chairman Liberal MP Ben Morton said it said it was a shame the only Aboriginal representation inside the parliamentary triangle was one of protest at the tent embassy. The tent embassy has been a long-running source of contention, with periodic attempts to move the temporary campsite from its prominent location in front of Old Parliament House. But Mr Morton is not pushing for the removal of the tent embassy. He told the Canberra Times a relocated institute would complement the protest site. A controversial Morrison government plan to merge the Family and Federal Circuit courts before the federal election has been dealt a fatal blow and would be torn up if Labor wins office. Attorney-General Christian Porter failed to win crossbench senators' support to bring the bill to a vote on Wednesday, the final sitting day of the Senate before the federal election. Attorney-General Christian Porter failed to win crossbench support for a vote on his Family Court merger bill. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen The plan to abolish the Family Court of Australia as a stand-alone court and merge it with the lower-level Federal Circuit Court which handles some family law matters alongside other cases, including migration matters had been roundly criticised by Labor and senior legal figures. Mr Porter had touted the merger as a means of improving efficiency in family law cases and clearing a backlog of about 20,000 matters, but critics said resourcing was the key to fixing the problem. A far-right extremist accused of making explicit violent threats to a Melbourne journalist has told a court he intends to plead not guilty to the charges. Nathan Sykes entered Newtown Local Court on Thursday morning flanked by Australia's most prominent white supremacist, Australia First Party chairman Jim Saleam, and two other men. Rightwing extremist Nathan Sykes, left, outside Newtown Local Court with Australia First Party chairman Jim Saleam, right. Credit:The Sydney Morning Herald A prolific online troll and a lieutenant of Saleam, Mr Sykes, 50, is charged with multiple counts of using a carriage service to threaten serious harm, and with using a carriage service to menace, harass or offend. Early last year, Mr Sykes allegedly threatened journalist Luke McMahon, who had exposed the alleged extremist in stories in The Age and Sydney Morning Herald as being responsible for several racist and intimidating trolling campaigns targeting high-profile Australians. Brisbane City Council has rejected a proposal of more than 100 retirement village units in four new buildings of five or six storeys each at a heritage house in Brisbane's bayside. The development application for Oceana Terrace, Lota, was submitted mid last year by Saunders Havill Group on behalf of The Village Retirement Group. Anglicare Southern Queensland operates the Lota Court retirement community, and Edwin Marsden Tooth Memorial Home at the site. The proposed four-building development would have had more than 100 units for retirement living. The property includes the heritage-listed Lota House, an 1860s-era gentry house that is the oldest surviving residence in the Manly-Lota area, according to the Queensland Heritage Register. The house is also a "rare example" of 1860s Georgian-influenced domestic architecture in Queensland, with the surrounding property forming part of a retirement village that opened in the 1960s. A man has been charged with murder more than six weeks after a Brisbane doctor was found semi-conscious with critical head injuries in a cul-de-sac and later died in hospital. Dr Peter Dunne, who died from the injuries he suffered in an alleged hit and run in February. Credit:Facebook - PCRG Police will allege 53-year-old Peter Dunne was the victim of a hit and run, committed by an unlicensed driver, about 4am on February 18 in Strathfield Street, Tarragindi. Dr Dunne, a regular jogger in the area, suffered skull fractures, brain injuries, significant bruising to his eye socket, a broken ankle, scratches to his lower legs and hand injuries. He was rushed to the Princess Alexandra Hospital where he remained in a critical condition until Sunday, when he died from his injuries. A ride-share driver followed a young woman into her Gold Coast home after dropping her off and sexually assaulted her on Tuesday, according to police. The driver, a 25-year-old man, allegedly picked the 21-year-old female victim up in Broadbeach about 2am and drove her to her Southport home. Gold Coast Detective Inspector Brendan Smith said the "predatory behaviour" was "totally unacceptable". (File Image) Credit:Queensland Police Service The woman got out and went inside, police will allege the driver followed her in through an unlocked door and sexually assaulted her in her bedroom. She was able to fight off her alleged attacker and the struggle woke other people inside the home, who chased the man away. Jess Cochran has been physically restrained, chemically sedated and held in seclusion at Victorian public hospitals more times than shed care to remember. The first episode occurred at the age of 15, when she was locked up for weeks in the mental health unit at the Royal Childrens Hospital, with severe anorexia, depression and anxiety. It meant she was isolated in a tiny room with a mattress on the floor, and a small window looking out to a courtyard an experience she says was confusing and terrifying. Jess Cochran has been placed in seclusion numerous times in Victorian mental health units and hopes the royal commission will result in a complete overhaul of the system. Credit:Jason South Seclusion involves the sole confinement of a person to a space from which they cant escape, but under state law it should only be used as a last resort for psychiatric patients who are deemed a high risk to their own health or the safety of others. Head of Africa Coverage, Commercial Property Finance at Absa, Selwyn Blieden, says significant opportunities for property investors abound even in lean times. Presenting snapshots of African markets in which Absa operates, Head of Africa Coverage, Commercial Property Finance, Selwyn Blieden, says significant opportunities for property developers and investors abound even in lean times. For a long time, the most prominent players in the African property sector have been private equity or other institutional investors. It is also true that there has been an obvious gulf between demand and supply in all property sectors (commercial, industrial and residential) across many markets on the continent. The investment proposition, often-repeated to prospective funders, regulators and local partners, was that by pioneering landmark projects international investment and development teams would go some way to bridge this gulf. But few of those presenting this thesis have shown the success they predicted for themselves and their investors. Asset realisations have taken longer and have been less profitable than expected. Some institutions have chosen to exit direct African real estate investment entirely. With few exceptions, large South African REITs that expressed broader African ambitions have either closed their African operations or indicated that they intend to do so. Given its uneven performance record, an observer of the market might question the market-theses that seemed to be so alluring only a few years ago. Despite this, we still believe that there is evidence to show that the African property market has evolved, just not in the way and for the segments previously expected. It is up to investors, financiers and other stakeholders to adapt their approaches to pursue the opportunities this market offers. Our analysis shows that since the end of 2015 the domestic bank-financed commercial property market in our active African jurisdictions (which we identify as Botswana, Zambia, Mozambique, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Mauritius, Seychelles, Ghana and Namibia) has grown in US dollar terms at a compounded rate of 9.5% per annum. This represents an acceleration in growth since the period 2012 to the end of 2015 the same market grew by 8.3% per annum. This means that since 2012, and even more so since 2015, growth of bank-financing to many African property markets has been faster than the growth of the underlying economies in these jurisdictions. Such growth could only have been possible if some combination of the following factors had been in place: the number and size of bankable projects and clients has increased; banks have become increasingly willing to undertake property finance; and/or the currencies in which property loans have been denominated have strengthened. In all cases the factors mentioned above are positive for the property markets we are targeting: either the broader economies in which they are located are strengthening (as indicated by stronger exchange rates) or the property finance markets are becoming more active and formalised. It bears repeating that not all African property markets are alike and data covering multiple markets may often conceal wide-ranging differences between those markets and nuances within markets. In the case of the countries we have been studying, there are two where the bank-financed property market has actually declined since 2015. These are Mozambique and Uganda. In Mozambiques case the decline (of 8.8% per annum) would be expected given the broader debt-crisis in the country. In Uganda the decline has been an annual 2.1% -- less than the decline in the local currency over the period and thus indicating a market that is, at least, growing in local currency terms. The largest property finance market on our list is Kenya which on its own holds about 46% of the total commercial property financing pool within the markets we service. Its commercial property finance growth rate has been at 9.6% over the past years. Its currency has been relatively stable, ranging only from 99 to 105 Kenyan Shillings to the US dollar over the period. The growth has achieved is largely, therefore, a function of real growth in bank funding and property investment activity. In our experience, growth in this market has been led by market participants that would in South Africa or similar banking markets be classified as commercial or local corporate clients rather than institutional players. In conclusion, it is evident that even though the most prominent segment of the investment-grade African property market has shown signs of strain, the broader bankable property market has been growing significantly and in the case of key markets such as Kenya, the growth is the result of real property activity and risk-taking. For banks and other financiers, future growth may require broadening their target-range of clients and adapting their credit and service models for strong local players. For equity investors, potential focus may be on finding ways to get effective exposure to this same category of market participants. Opportunities exist for those who are willing to adapt their approach and their guiding beliefs regarding this market. A woman who reported hearing gunshots in South Perth on the 1975 night brothel madam Shirley Finn was murdered has told an inquest a "nasty" detective disposed of the gun used to kill her. Janet Lawrence told the WA Coroners Court on Thursday that when she worked at Zanzibar nightclub in the early 1970s, vice squad chief Bernie Johnson and his police colleagues Don Hancock and Vince Katich used to come in with Ms Finn and they'd sit at the "captain's table", which no one else was allowed to use. Perth brothel madam Shirley Finn. Credit:Facebook But Ms Lawrence sat there once with a Greek jeweller friend during a break, and when Mr Johnson came in, he told them to "piss off", saying they had no right to sit there. "He's a nasty piece of work," she said to the man, who replied: "More nasty than you'll ever know. Just watch yourself." A Liberal MP has announced tens of thousands of dollars worth of grants to community groups in a highly marginal seat before applications for the program have opened, it has emerged in Senate estimates. Labor senator Kristina Keneally on Thursday told the hearing that the Facebook page of Dunkley Liberal MP Chris Crewther, in posts which have since been deleted, said he and Environment Minister Melissa Price had announced grants of up to $20,000 to three groups under the Communities Environment Program. The posts included videos of the pair with the three groups. The $22 million program was announced in early March. However officials from the Department of the Environment and Energy told estimates that guidelines for the program have not yet been released and applications will not open until mid-year. Senator Keneally said the posts state that the MPs had "announced" grants worth $20,000, $10,000 and $7500. Medicinal cannabis will be easier to access in Queensland with new laws passing Parliament but people should be able to grow their own, a Greens MP argues. Queensland Health Minister Steven Miles said the changes meant medical cannabis would be treated the same as other prescription medications. Credit:AAP A bill passed on Wednesday night repeals laws from three years ago and means medical cannabis will be treated the same as other drugs of addiction (schedule 8 medicines) or prescription drugs (schedule 4). Health Minister Steven Miles said the changes streamlined the prescription process by removing state-based approvals and would mean patients would have access to treatment sooner. "If cannabis is a suitable way to treat a patient's condition or associated pain, then we believe they should have the same access to it as any other medication," he said. Jakarta: Australia has joined a growing international outcry over the introduction of sharia in Brunei, which includes the death penalty for extra-marital and gay sex in the majority-Muslim country. The harsh new penal code began to be implemented by the country's 72-year-old ruler, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, in October 2013 and came into full effect on Wednesday. The suit of Islamic laws introduced under Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah includes death by stoning for sex between people of the same gender. Credit:EPA It has drawn strong criticism from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the United States, Germany, France and Britain and calls for boycotts of luxury hotels such as the Beverly Hills hotel, which is owned by Brunei. Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne said Australia had "raised our concerns with the Brunei government on the introduction of the full Syariah Penal Code". Chicago: A teen who told Kentucky police he was Timmothy Pitzen, an Illinois boy who went missing in 2011, is not the long-lost child, the FBI said on Thursday. Hopes were briefly raised that the teen, who said he had escaped kidnappers, was Timmothy, last seen after his mother pulled him out of school in Aurora, a far-west suburb of Chicago, and then committed suicide. But FBI officials in Kentucky and Ohio said DNA tests conducted at the Cincinnati Children's Hospital showed that the teen is not Timmothy. "A local investigation continues into this person's true identity," Louisville FBI Agent Tim Beam said in a statement emailed to Reuters. Christchurch: The Australian man arrested over a terror attack on two mosques in New Zealand will undergo mental health tests before his case proceeds. Three weeks on from the shootings that killed 50, Brenton Tarrant, 28, appeared on Friday via videolink at the High Court at Christchurch, where 50 counts of murder and 39 of attempted murder were laid. The alleged mosque shooter appears in the District Court, Christchurch in March. Credit:AAP A silent and largely motionless Tarrant appeared on a large screen in the courtroom, a small cell showing in the background. The courtroom's public gallery was packed by dozens of friends and families of the victims, some who stared quietly at the defendant throughout. Wellington: Three New Zealand journalists were released from police custody in Fiji after being detained overnight for trying to interview a controversial Chinese resort developer. Fiji's Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama. Credit:dpa The journalists were freed after 13 hours in detention at the main police station in Fiji's capital Suva after developer Freesoul Real Estate reportedly accused them of criminal trespass. Newsroom co-editor Mark Jennings, investigations editor Melanie Reid and cameraman Hayden Aull had visited the Freesoul Suva office where the developer is building a resort, the website said on Thursday. The website earlier reported the developers had ignored two court orders as well as Fijian environmental law, permits, environmentalists, and the island locals. Latest News Welcome to the future of digital media We preview the exciting new world of interactive digital content to feature in Australian Broker Property market peak might not have been reached, say PEXA Report into property settlements in Australia suggests we are not quite at top of market A non-major has today launched a tool that provides brokers with immediate access to information to identify the maximum lending limit for certain areas, eliminating the need to draw from multiple sources of information. The new Valuation and Policy Tool launched by Bankwest enables brokers to have instant access to the banks LVR limits and maximum loan amount for the majority of postcodes throughout Australia, according to each property type. Bankwest head of third party banking, Ian Rakhit, said that Bankwests new LVR limits mean a home loan for the purchase of a high density, off the plan property has become a real possibility for buyers in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth. We know more and more people, especially first-time buyers, are looking to buy apartments and units. With the new LVR limits in place, this new tool will help brokers to find Bankwest home loans to as much as 90% LVR for these customers, said Rakhit. Bankwest has unveiled a series of digital services for mortgage brokers over the last two years. Were in continual dialogue with brokers and well continue to listen to feedback to ensure we design products and services that meet their needs and customer and community expectations, Rakhit said. Bankwest has been a long-term supporter of brokers, who provide an essential service that helps meet the needs of customers right across Australia. The new valuation and policy tool is a great addition to the suite of services we provide. Matt Bowman is the founder and CEO of My Tech High , which partners with innovative public school districts to offer personalized distance education programs focused on technology and entrepreneurship. My Tech High is available tuition-free in Utah and currently serves about 5,000 full-time students annually. Matt began his career as a 6th grade public school teacher and then moved into the tech industry to develop online learning programs for Fortune 500 companies. I recently talked with Matt about My Tech High and its approach to personalized learning. Heres what he said. Rick Hess: What is My Tech High? Matt Bowman: For the past 10 years, My Tech High has been providing students in grades K-12 a full-time, tuition-free, high-quality, personalized, distance education experience tailored to the individual needs of each child. It is a home-centered program where students are enrolled in a public school, but they dont physically attend it. Students have a wide range of curriculum options across all subjects, plus we have a particular thematic emphasis on tech and entrepreneurshipskills that I think every person needs to be successful in college, career, and life. We currently serve over 5,000 full-time students, primarily in Utah. Rick: What prompted you to start it? Whats the big idea behind it? Matt: While I was a 6th grade teacher in Washington in the mid-90s, I received a state grant to bring this new thing called the internet into the classroom and immediately saw the power of a globally-connected world to impact public education forever. During that time, I also completed a masters degree in education focused on public school choice modelslike charters, vouchers, magnets, school-within-a-school, and so on. This background, along with my time at Novell in the high-tech industry, helped me design the My Tech High program so that it would be free to every student who wanted to participate and give interested students the skills needed to succeed in the 21st century. Rick: How is this different from other online programs? Matt: We offer micro-choice down to the curriculum provider by student by subject. Most online programs only offer their standardized digital curriculum and call it personalized if a child can go faster or slower through that singular modality. As part of the My Tech High program, we pull from every type of educational modality ever inventedbook-based, in-person, outdoors, online self-paced, online live, 1-1 tutoring, group classes, field trips, community education classes, makerspaces, and more! And we offer options at all levels from kindergarten to early college to professional certifications to work-based learning internships and apprenticeships. Rick: Phrases like personalization and micro-choice can pretty quickly morph into meaningless buzzwords. So how exactly do you personalize the learning? Matt: Agreed. Heres how we approach it: First, we truly believe every child is different and thrives when given a voice and choice in their educational decisions. Second, we believe authentic learning can occur in many different ways and modalities. Third, we create collaborative teams, including the student, the parent, teachers, mentors, curriculum providers, local community resources, and businesses, to design a truly personalized education plan for each child. Rick: I wonder about how you make sure students get the things that they may needrather than the things they like or that are comfortable for them? Is there a risk that students will choose the wrong courses or progress too slowly? Matt: We view our primary role as creating a learning environment that gives students the knowledge, skills, and abilities they need to both enjoy life now and to be set up for success in the future. Our focus is on helping students learn how to take charge of their own learning, identify creative solutions to challenges they see, and become critical thinkers about the world around them. Rick: You mentioned this program is free: How does that work? Matt: My Tech High is a program administered by public schools, so it is tuition-free for all students who live in Utah. We also have a similar sister program in Idaho and Tennessee. Rick: Why are these district partners open to this? Matt: For a wide range of reasons, more and more parents are looking for personalized education options, and smart, innovative districts realize they need to establish key educational partnerships to serve those families well. Rick: Did you need a state law changed to make this possible? Matt: No. The statutory framework in Utah, like many states, actually provides more permission for public schools to innovate than most people think. It just takes an interested superintendent and open-minded local school board members to catch the vision of whats possible. Rick: How hard is it to find a superintendent or board with this kind of vision? Matt: The role of superintendent in our current public school system is a really tough one. They have to deal with so much more than just educating and inspiring young students. Superintendents are constantly under attack from every direction, so its quite hard to find one who has the time and energy to step outside the norm. Rick: What do we know about results so far? Have there been any studies or evaluations? Matt: Yes, all public school students in Utah are required to take the state standardized tests, unless they opt out. And the results have been outstanding! From higher-than-average standardized test scores and ACT scores to the number of early college credits earned and direct-to-career success stories, the program has definitely seen excellent results. For example, our average ACT reported a few years ago was 28 and weve had several students earn a perfect score of 36! Additionally, we launched a truly competency-based associate degree program through College for America at Southern New Hampshire University two years ago and now have our first cohort of students who have completed their degreefully funded and made available by their districts public school! Also, your readers can check our website for six cool student stories , including a 15-year-old farm girl who launched an online business and made $30,000 in her first 6 months. We also highlight a family who traveled to Nepal for several months to do humanitarian service and continued working on their educational plan without disruption. We share the story of a 13-year-old Hollywood actor who did schooling on the set and a gifted 10-year-old who started taking classes at the local university. Other stories include a young man whose parents emigrated from Mexico and is passionate about his makerspace skills and a young ballroom-dancing boy with dyslexia who has benefited greatly from the freedom and flexibility our program offers him. Rick: What about the content itself: Did you custom build the courses, or do other companies contribute? Matt: We custom build our own self-paced, online tech and entrepreneurship courses, such as Computer Programming, Robotics, Animation, Game Design, Web Design, 3D Printing, Drone Videography, Creativity Development, Intro to Entrepreneurship, Google Ninja, and more. We then partner with leading organizations for the other subject area content. Rick: Whats the biggest challenge you guys have encountered along the way, and how have you overcome it? Matt: The biggest challenge has been the need to continuously educate those who want to protect the traditional public school system that there are other ways to accomplish our shared goal of helping students succeed. Rick: Finally, youve been running My Tech High for 10 years now. Whats the fairest criticism that might be made of your work to date, and what are you doing to address it? Matt: Due to our micro-choice approach, it can be very overwhelming to first-year parents and can create a lot of stress for them. As a result, we have recently made some additional investments in streamlining our system and hiring personnel to provide targeted support to brand-new parents just joining our program. This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity. Latest News Welcome to the future of digital media We preview the exciting new world of interactive digital content to feature in Australian Broker Property market peak might not have been reached, say PEXA Report into property settlements in Australia suggests we are not quite at top of market Australias oldest operating non-bank has been given finance industry awards for both its wealth management performance, as well as for the operations and returns to investors in its retail credit fund. La Trobe Financial, a non-bank with $7.4bn in assets under management (AUM), provides funding and investment solutions to 140,000 customers. The International Alternative Investment Review (IAIR) Awards, held in Hong Kong last Friday, aim to award excellence and world best practices in funds management and banking. The winners were selected by an independent judging panel from a short list of nominees generated by more than 50,000 investors from over 120 countries. The company was given the Wealth Management Company of the Year Asia Pacific award due to the strong returns and significant growth evidenced by the La Trobe Australian Credit Fund over the last twelve months for both institutional and retail investors. The fund showed a 50.3% growth rate year-on-year and now has over $3.2bn in AUM and 35,000 member investors. We are delighted to again have been nominated and rated best in class by the IAIR international judging panel for the seventh year in a row, said chief investment officer Chris Andrews. Above all else, these awards are a confirmation of our track record of delivering differentiated real value for retail and global institutional investors through a transparent and time-tested approach. The company received the 2019 Credit Specialist of the Year Asia Pacific award for its operations and utilisation of both conventional lending and peer-to-peer (P2P) lending and funding channels. Chief lending officer and VP Cory Bannister said, We have realised that in order to build ongoing and lasting relationships with clients, you need to provide flexible tech-driven solutions when they need it. This is why we [deliver] flexibility and access to products that the major banks generally cannot provide. We remain good stewards of other peoples capital and this enables us to obtain and maintain the trust of our clients this is the real asset of the firm. La Trobe has taken steps to further its Asian Pacific presence with offices now in Melbourne, Sydney, Hong Kong and Shanghai. Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. 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Digital Editor Before you start the day, let's take a quick look at some of the major events in the country that are likely to make headlines today. From RBI MPC meet to Rahul Gandhi filing nomination from Wayanad in Kerala, here are some of the most important news events scheduled for today that will be keenly watched 1. RBI to unveil this fiscal's first bi-monthly policy decision today The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will unveil on Thursday its first bi-monthly monetary policy decision of this new fiscal. Industry and experts are expecting that the banking sector regulator may cut the ... U.S. President Donald Trump's threats to shut the border with Mexico are now affecting what some might argue is the softest spot in bilateral relations - avocados. Fearing that a border lockdown would prevent Mexico from shipping the 80 percent of avocados that the United States consumes, processors and wholesalers have started stockpiling the prized fruit used in guacamole or as spread on toast. Avocado prices have jumped nearly 50 percent over the last week alone as a consequence. Stefan Oliva, a research analyst at Gro Intelligence, which collects and analyzes ... The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday claimed to have traced the trail of 70 million euros that had come allegedly in the form of "kickbacks" in the Rs 3600-crore AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal. The ED has to probe who all received the kickbacks, the agency said as it filed a supplementary charge sheet before a special CBI court here. "We have traced the routing of 70 million euros that had come from AgustaWestland in the form of kickbacks," ED's counsel and Special Public Prosecutor D P Singh told Special CBI Judge Arvind Kumar. The agency also named two firms -- Global Services FZE and Global Trade and Commerce Limited, besides David Syms, alleged partner and director of "middleman" Christian Michel's firms, as accused in the case. The CBI court judge will take up the charge sheet for consideration on April 6. Besides Singh, advocates Naveen Kumar Matta and Manu Mishra were representing the probe agency. Michel, who was extradited from the UAE in December last year, is currently lodged in Tihar Jail in connection with the CBI and ED cases against him related to the AgustaWestland deal scam. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As many as 2,000-2,500 houses out of around 3,500 have locks on gates in Saru, a small village which comes under Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's Assembly constituency Hinjili, as most of the people here are forced to migrate to cities like Mumbai and Surat in search of work. "Most of the people have gone to different cities, especially Mumbai and Surat, for work. Usually, most of these people don't even come back to cast vote in election. That's why you can see locks on most of the houses here," a local from the village said. Another one said, "Since there are fewer job opportunities here, people are forced to leave their home and migrate to other cities. However, they do come here for a few days once in a year." Voting for Odisha Assembly election and Lok Sabha polls will be held in this area on April 18. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Director of Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Shankha Brata Bagchi has been given the full additional charge of the Director General of the bureau with immediate effect. Bagchi will succeed RP Thakur. "Anti Corruption Bureau of Andhra Pradesh Director Shankha Brata Bagchi is placed in full additional charge of the post of Director General, Anti Corruption Bureau, Andhra Pradesh with immediate effect duly relieving RP Thakur from the full additional charge, until further orders," the state government said. After the decision by the state government, Thakur was called by the Election Commission of India to New Delhi. It is worth mentioning that the main opposition party in the state, YSR Congress Party was asking for relieving Thakur from the DGP's post during the elections, alleging he was favouring the ruling Telugu Desam Party. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ahead of simultaneous Assembly and Lok Sabha polls in Arunachal Pradesh, polling teams of four polling stations were airlifted by an IAF MI-17 helicopter on Thursday in two sorties from Miao to Vijoynagar in the state's Changlang district. The four polling stations include Ramnagar (252 voters), Gandhigram (1338 voters), Vijoynagar (865 voters) and Two-Hut (726 voters). The polling stations have a total of 3181 electors under Miao Assembly constituency, which falls under Arunachal East Lok Sabha constituency. "Each team comprised of one Presiding officer, four polling officers, one attendant and two policemen with four sets of EVMs and VVPATs," read a statement. Vijoynagar is at a distance of about 163 kilometers from Miao across the Namdapha Park. There is no road to Vijoynagar. "It ordinarily takes six days foot march across the Sanctuary area to reach Vijoynagar while the sortie takes 25 minutes," the statement added. Arunachal Pradesh will vote for Lok Sabha and Assembly polls simultaneously on April 11. 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.) Japan's Ambassador to India Kenji Hiramatsu on Thursday said that the Battle of Kohima was etched in "our hearts as one of the fiercest and toughest battles" during the Second World War. "It took a toll on thousands of precious lives of the Indian Army, the British Commonwealth Force, and the Japanese Army," he said, speaking at the 75th-anniversary event of the Battle of Kohima. Chief Minister of Nagaland Neiphiu Rio, Sir Dominic Asquith, High Commissioner of the United Kingdom, and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion. Japanese envoy Hiramatsu also offered his heartfelt prayers to the fallen souls while appreciating the opportunity presented by the event for reconciliation. Renewing Japan's commitment to never repeat the devastation of the war, Hiramitsu said: "The people of Nagaland and its neighbours, including Myanmar, had to endure severe sufferings and pains. We should never forget that the peace we enjoy today is built over such tremendous sacrifices." "Squarely facing the history of the past, Japan renews its commitment to never repeat the devastation of the war. We look back, in order to look towards the future." The envoy further said, "Genuine reconciliation is only possible through dedicated efforts by us all. I would like to pay a special tribute to those who have dedicated themselves to such tireless struggles for reconciliation over these long years. Now, the relations of countries which once fought with each other have been transformed for the good." "Japan currently enjoys relations at their best with India, the United Kingdom and the United States. I am grateful for the true partnership and friendship we have nurtured over the decades. Moreover, the relationship between Japan and the North Eastern region, including Nagaland, has become substantially closer." Looking towards the future, Ambassador Hiramatsu reiterated his commitment to pursue stronger relations with India's North East, including the State of Nagaland, through such means as the people-to-people exchange. He also talked about Japan's IRIS progamme and invited youth from the state to participate. "Japan attaches great importance to people-to-people exchanges, in particular among the youth. The youngsters will shape our future, and there can be nothing more rewarding than investing in them. Japan has been implementing the IRIS program for two years now, inviting young Nagas and other youths from the region. Japan is also willing to welcome people from the North East through the Technical Intern Training Program as, for example, apprentice care workers," he said. Ambassador Hiramatsu said: "I would like to further pursue my efforts to strengthen the ties between our people. I would like to promote intellectual dialogue with the people of the North East so that we can think about and act together on facing our challenges. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Delhi (India), Apr 4 (ANI): The highest number of applications for the Central Teachers Eligibility Test (CTET) examination has been received from Uttar Pradesh, followed by Bihar and Delhi, said the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Secretary Anurag Tripathi on Thursday. The CBSE has also increased the number of examination centres in Bihar and Assam for the CTET, after the number of applicants increased beyond the capacity of schools and colleges in Patna and Guwahati, where the examination was to be held. "The highest numbers of applications have been received from Uttar Pradesh, followed by Bihar and Delhi. From UP, approximately 7 lakh applications were received, over 2 lakh from Bihar and approximately one lakh from Delhi," Tripathi, also Director, CTET, told ANI. CBSE has also extended the date for the candidates to make the online corrections in their particulars to April 7 from April 1. Tripathi told ANI that over 1,38,000 applications were received for Patna and over 63,200 for Muzaffarpur centres in Bihar. He said that over 62, 300 applicants have applied for Guwahati as their centre. "We have added four new centres in Bihar apart from Patna and Muzaffarpur. Now the exam will also be held in Bhagalpur, Darbhanga, Gaya, and Vaishali. We have received over 2 lakh applications from Bihar." "From Assam, over 62,300 applications were received. In Assam, Dibrugarh, Jorhat, and Silchar have been added as the new centres," said Tripathi. According to CBSE official release, the candidates may opt for any three examination cities in their preferential order. Further, the candidates who have earlier selected Patna and Guwahati are informed to modify their choice of examination cities from the new list. The CTET 2019 examination will be conducted on July 7, in twenty languages at 97 cities across the country. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress party has decided to conduct 543 press conferences to publicise its manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections. "Senior leaders will conduct press conferences in each of 543 Lok Sabha constituencies," said a party leader. "The plan is to keep the focus on NYAY, the minimum cash guarantee scheme. The party does not want to get mired in other issues. If it gets down to the people, the peripheral issues and narrative of nationalism will fade away," said the leader, who did not wish to be identified. The party wants that the scheme gets due focus in the local press and trickles down to the masses, he added. The party conducted 22 press conferences on Thursday. On March 25, Congress president Rahul Gandhi had announced NYAY, the minimum cash guarantee scheme under which 20 per cent of the poorest families of the country will be entitled up to Rs 72,000 per year as financial help. The Lok Sabha election to 543 seats is scheduled to be held in seven phases beginning April 11 and concluding on May 19. 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.) Congress workers created ruckus at the party office here on Thursday in protest against the denial of ticket to former party MP Nikhil Kumar from Aurangabad parliamentary constituency. The workers also shouted slogan--'Nikhil Kumar Zinadabad.' Kumar was also present in the office when the ruckus took place. The grand alliance has fielded Upendra Prasad of Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) as its candidate from Aurangabad. Kumar had successfully contested from the seat in 2004 when the Congress fought in alliance with the RJD and the LJP. However, he lost the seat in 2009. Kumar, a former Delhi Police Commissioner, unsuccessfully contested from Aurangabad in 2014 against BJP's Sushil Kumar Singh. He had resigned from the post of Governor of Kerela to contest the election. The Lok Sabha elections for 40 seats in Bihar are scheduled to be conducted in all seven phases from April 11 to May 19. The result will be announced on May 23. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday attacked Congress party for its manifesto and accused the party of being "more worried about its vote bank than terrorism and Naxalism." "The Congress party is putting the country in danger and the party's manifesto is a clear example of it. The Congress party is more worried about its vote bank than terrorism and Naxalism," he said. He also invoked the instance of Congress president Rahul Gandhi tearing up the government documents. "A lot of development took place during the five-year tenure of Prime Minister Modi ji. Congress is not concerned about the problems of the poor. Their only focus is to provide resources to a particular section of the society," he said. "Today Rahul Gandhi is filing his nomination from Waynad where the Muslim League is the alliance partner of the Congress. Congress is becoming a threat to the nation," he said. Yogi also called Congress' 55-page manifesto a document of failure of their 55 years long tenure. Uttar Pradesh goes to polls in all seven phases from April 11 to May 19. The counting of votes will be held on May 23. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) MMA star Conor Mcgregor once again made a U-turn on his retirement, which he had announced just two weeks ago. "I want to move forward, with my fans of all faiths and all backgrounds. All faiths challenge us to be our best selves. It is one world and one for all. Now see you in the Octagon," the 30-year old wrote on Twitter just days after he announced his retirement on the micro-blogging site. . Earlier on March 26, the Irish fighter had tweeted that he is retiring from Mixed Martial Arts. "Hey guys quick announcement, I've decided to retire from the sport formally known as "Mixed Martial Art" today. I wish all my old colleagues well going forward in competition. I now join my former partners on this venture, already in retirement. Proper Pina Coladas on me fellas!" the tweet read. Observers had already predicted that the fighter will quash the decision of his retirement because Mcgregor did the same in April 2016, when he announced to 'retire young' and tweeted: "I have decided to retire young. Thanks for the cheese. Catch ya's later." But he continued with his career. As of now, Mcgregor is serving a six-month suspension, which will end on April 6, for his October post-fight brawl with Khabib Nurmagomedov and his team. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Eastern Libyan army commander Khalifa Hifter on Thursday ordered his forces to take over Tripoli, the capital of the UN-backed government, amid reports of escalating political tension in Libya. An audio message posted on LNA's Facebook page on Wednesday said that Haftar, who commands the Libyan National Army (LNA) from its eastern base of Benghazi, earlier took over Gharyan, a town 100 kilometres south of Tripoli, Al Jazeera reported. In the audio, Haftar described his forces' move as a "victorious march" to "shake the lands under the feet of the unjust bunch." "We are coming Tripoli, we are coming," he said. In addition, Haftar also urged his forces to enter the city peacefully and only raise their weapons "in the face of those who seek injustice and prefer confrontation and fighting." He also urged his forces not to open fire on any civilians or those who are unarmed. "Those who lay down their weapons are safe, and those who raise the white banner are safe," he said. The audio recording came during United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres's visit to the war-torn country, where he said he was "totally committed" to support a Libyan-led political process. Guterres's visit comes amid talks aimed at drawing a roadmap for new elections in Libya. Tensions in the North African country escalated after Haftar's forces said that they had moved towards the western part of the country, prompting the Tripoli-based government to declare a military alert on Wednesday. The LNA gave no details in its statement, however, reports say that the area appears to be the coastal road linking the eastern city of Benghazi, the LNA's main base, with Tripoli in western Libya. Meanwhile, the UN has expressed "deep concern" over the military escalation in Libya. "I am deeply concerned by the military movement taking place in Libya and the risk of confrontation. There is no military solution. Only intra-Libyan dialogue can solve Libyan problems. I call for calm and restraint as I prepare to meet the Libyan leaders in the country," Guterres tweeted. Libya has been in turmoil since the NATO-backed removal of its long-time ruler Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The UN, in its statement regarding the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), further noted that a "solution to Libya's instability, civil conflict, and economic turmoil" can be found following a historic meeting between Prime Minister Faiez Serraj, and Commander Haftar, at the end of February. The two leaders had agreed to national, democratic elections, and "ways to maintain stability in the country, and unify its institutions", according to the statement. Ahead of meeting leading Government figures in Tripoli, the UN called for "calm and restraint", the statement added. Meanwhile, the United States, France, Britain, Italy and the United Arab Emirates, in a joint statement issued on Thursday, called for an immediate de-escalation of tensions in Libya. "Our governments oppose any military action in Libya and will hold accountable any Libyan faction that precipitates further civil conflict," Al Jazeera cited the statement as saying. The governments also said that they were "deeply concerned" by fighting near Gharyan, and "urge all parties to immediately de-escalate tensions." "At this sensitive moment in Libya's transition, military posturing and threats of unilateral action only risk propelling Libya back toward chaos," the statement said. "We strongly believe that there is no military solution to the Libya conflict," the statement added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ex-Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn was arrested again for the fourth time on Thursday by Tokyo prosecutors on suspicions of aggravated breach of trust. Ghosn's re-arrest comes days after he was released on bail by a Tokyo court after spending 108 days in detention, during which he was indicted on charges of aggravated breach of trust and underreporting his remuneration for Japanese carmaker Nissan Motor. He was also fired as the chairman of both Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors following his arrest in December, after which he stepped down as the chairman and CEO of French carmaker Renault. Reiterating his innocence, Ghosn described his re-arrest as "outrageous and arbitrary" in a statement released through his US agent, according to NHK. "Why arrest me except to try to break me? I will not be broken. I am innocent of the groundless charges and accusations against me," he stated. He added that his arrest is an attempt by "some individuals at Nissan" to "silence him" and mislead the prosecutors. The former CEO called for a free trial and expressed confidence that he would emerge innocent if tried fairly. Prosecutors in Tokyo believe that Ghosn allegedly misused Nissan's funds for personal use through a dealership in Oman. They suspect that some funds, out of the USD 34 million paid to the dealership, were used to pay for a yacht, which was used by Ghosn. The 65-year-old's associates immediately denied the allegations. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In an attempt to woo Christian voters, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) supremo N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday promised a number of sops for the community living in the state, including houses for pastors, financial support to churches and Scheduled Caste status to converted Christians if his party is voted to power again in the Assembly elections. "We will build houses for pastors and give permission for construction of churches in villages. We will give financial support for the construction of churches," Naidu said in a meeting of Christian pastors and other preachers here. He also promised to give priority to Christians in nominated posts and "Scheduled Caste status to converted Christians." As of now, Christians get one per cent reservation under BC (C) quota in the state while the reservation for SC stands at 16 per cent. Reservation for converted Christians, however, is a complex and controversial issue as it allegedly promotes religious conversions. During the interaction, Naidu held Prime Minister Narendra Modi responsible for attacks on minorities and slammed YSR Congress chief Jaganmohan Reddy for supporting him."PM Narendra Modi is attacking the TDP as well as Andhra Pradesh. Christian preachers are being attacked," he said. He added, "Reddy said Modi would come to power again. Does Jagan want a person to come to power who did nothing against those who attacked Christians and Muslims? Does Jagan support Modi attacking Muslims and Christians?" he asked. Naidu called Modi a "fanatic" and said that Reddy acts like a "psycho". "Modi has become a fanatic... Modi's rule is like that of a mafia and psycho. Will Christians support Jagan who is a slave of BJP and Modi?" he further asked. Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Ulema Hind (Andhra Pradesh chapter) leaders met Naidu and extended their support to the TDP. They promised to work for TDP's victory in assembly elections. Andhra Pradesh will vote to elect 175 members of Legislative Assembly on April 11. The results will be declared on May 23. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Google's voice-calling robot service, Duplex is soon arriving on smartphones other than the company's own Pixel phones. Google Duplex is a feature within the Google Assistant and allows you to book reservations through the phone. According to Cnet, Google Duplex is arriving on more non-Pixel Android devices and for the first time, offer cross-platform support for iPhones in the US. The mimics human speech and currently only supports restaurant reservations. Businesses have an option to opt out from receiving automated calls. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) United States President Donald Trump said that the last meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ended abruptly without reaching an agreement as Pyongyang was not "ready for a deal." Yonhap news agency quoted the US President while addressing the National Republican Congressional Committee on Tuesday, saying, "We had a walk. He wasn't ready for a deal. That's OK. Because we get along great." "He wasn't ready. I told him, 'You're not ready for a deal.' That's the first time anybody has ever told him that and left. Never happened to him before," Trump continued while adding, "Nobody's ever left, but I said, 'You're not ready for a deal, but we'll make a deal.' We have a good relationship." Trump said that the Hanoi summit ended without any deal due to disagreements over the scope of North Korea's denuclearisation and sanctions relief from the U.S. During their first summit in Singapore in June 2018, both Trump and Kim had agreed to "work towards" complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula in exchange for the U.S. security guarantees. In order to break the impasse between North Korea and the US, South Korean President Moon Jae-in has offered to travel to Washington next week and hold talks with Trump on April 11. Despite the breakdown of the second USA-North Korea summit, Trump had maintained that the relationship with the elusive state continues to be "good". On March 23, Trump removed additional "large-scale" US Treasury sanctions on North Korea in a bid to keep denuclearisation talks with North Korea on track. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) People's Democratic Party (PDP) president and former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday said if the Central government scrapped Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, then India will become just an occupational force in Jammu and Kashmir. Speaking at a rally here Mufti said, "If Article 370 is scrapped then India's relation with Jammu and Kashmir will be same as Israel's occupation of Palestine." Article 370 of the Indian Constitution grants special autonomous status to Jammu and Kashmir. Hitting out at Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) president Amit Shah, the former chief minister said, "Removal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), protection of Article 370, dialogue with Pakistan, dialogue with Hurriyat leaders and return of the state's power projects were part of the agenda of the alliance." Reflecting on BJP withdrawing support from PDP in June last year that led to falling of government in Jammu and Kashmir later, Mufti said, "Earlier BJP says yes to PDP's agenda but when it comes to delivering the promise they pulled out of the government." Earlier on March 30, Mufti warned that if the central government scraps Article 370, its relationship with the state will come to an end. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist was apprehended by the state police from Baramulla district on Thursday, officials said.The terrorist has been identified as Fordous Khan, a resident of Zandpal. According to police, a search operation was launched in Zandpal. During the operation, a person whose movements were found suspicious tried to flee from the spot. However, police successfully apprehended him and seized one live grenade from his possession. An FIR under Section 7/25 of the Indian Arms Act has been registered.Further investigation is underway. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ahead of the Lok Sabha election, Renigunta Rural Police on Wednesday seized Rs 39 lakh unaccounted cash from a vehicle in Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh's Chittoor district. The police said it seized the money and handed over it to Srikalahasti flying squad officers. Further investigation is underway. Lok Sabha election on all 25 seats in Andhra Pradesh will be held on April 11. The result will be announced on May 23. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Madras High Court on Thursday directed the Central Government to ban popular Chinese video app TikTok, saying it was "encouraging pornography". The order also directs the media from telecasting videos made using the app. TikTok, an app that allows users to create and share short videos with special effects, has over 54 million monthly active users in India. "The Government has to answer whether the Union of India will enact a statue, like Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, enacted by the United States, to prevent the children becoming cyber/online victims," the judgment order read. "Majority of the teens are playing pranks, gaffing around with duet videos sharing with split screen to the strangers. The children who use the said application are vulnerable to sexual predators," the court said in reply to a petition filed by Madurai senior lawyer Muthu Kumar. Kumar told the court that the Governments of Indonesia and Bangladesh have already prohibited the use of Tik Tok application. However, the court said: "The Government has got the social responsibility to prevent these kinds of applications and also take action against the persons, who are making use of it. It is always open to the authorities to take action without waiting for order from this court." "On March 27, an auto driver was arrested for posting a video that included a woman from Chennai on Tik Tok Mobile App. A 15-year-old girl is said to have committed suicide at Mumbai for being scolded by her grandmother for use of Tik Tok Mobile App. An old man is said to have fallen in the waterfalls in Valparai, while taking a selfie or Tik Tok video. Before many tragic incidents would occur, the Government has to take appropriate steps," the court said. "The writ petition is to ban the Tik Tok Mobile App which was containing degrading culture and encouraging pornography besides causing pedophiles and explicit disturbing content, social stigma and medical health issue between teens," stated the judgment. The court has also asked the state government to file a report regarding the steps taken by the state authorities to prohibit Tik Tok app. Both the central government and the state government have to respond before April 16. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday clarified that India had postponed the second round of talks on Kartarpur corridor after reports surfaced about the appointment of controversial elements by Pakistan in a committee associated with the corridor. During the weekly briefing, MEA Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar stated that India remains committed to realising the wishes and aspirations of people to visit the Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahab. "We also shared our concerns about controversial elements being appointed by Pakistan to a committee which was to be associated with Kartarpur corridor. The response is awaited and so meeting is postponed. We have offered to hold technical discussions to discuss other aspects. The response is awaited. We had postponed the second round of talks. It is important to remember that we remain committed to realising the wishes and aspirations of people. The aspirations that flow out of a pending demand of Indian pilgrims to visit the holy Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahab using the corridor in a safe and easy manner," Raveesh Kumar said. He further stated that India has sought certain clarifications from Pakistan on several issues including the number of pilgrims that can visit daily, issues of visas etc, which he said remained unaddressed by the other side. Meanwhile, in response to a query regarding the statement by experts under OCHR on Rohingyas, Raveesh Kumar said that interpretation made of the facts of the case, as portrayed in the statement, are misleading and incorrect. He said that the repatriation of illegal immigrants to their country of origin is in accordance with Indian laws. "We have seen the statement to which you refer. The interpretation made of the facts of the case, as portrayed in the statement, is misleading and incorrect. The repatriation of illegal immigrants to their country of origin is in accordance with Indian laws. These actions are being taken in response to the instructions of India's Courts, which have required Government at the State and Union levels to detect, detain and deport illegal immigrants. In this sense, Government will continue to take actions as may be necessary for the implementation of Indian laws, and as directed by our Judiciary," the MEA spokesperson said. In response to a question about the US sanction on the import of Iranian oil, Raveesh Kumar said that India is engaging with the US since the announcement of the first waiver. "We are engaging with the US since the announcement of the first waiver. The waiver lapses on May 4. We will continue our engagement to see if we are taking care of energy security. Engagement is continuing with the US," he added. Upon being questioned about Masood Azhar's listing as 'global terrorist' under United Nations Security Council, Raveesh Kumar said: "We are continuing diplomatic efforts to ensure that terrorists who are involved in heinous attack to citizens are brought to justice." In response to a query on extradition of fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi, the MEA spokesperson said the case is now in Westminster Court and the judge has also decided to not give bail to Nirav Modi. "We are making a lot of effort on him to extradite him. The judge has listed the case for after 30th," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) OBOPAY, the global financial technology company providing enterprise solutions for Telcos, BFSIs and companies with a dominant supply chain focus, today introduced OBOPAY meal vouchers - an app-based monthly meal vouchering system. OBOPAY has deployed the solution with multiple companies including Alsec. The monthly meal voucher system will enable an employee to receive designated meal voucher money as a part of the corporate employee benefits program. The meal voucher money will be transferred into the employee's OBOPAY card which they can further utilize for transactions at various outlets. The digital account of the employee would also consist of a primary digital account which will give them flexibility for self-loading, transferring & withdrawing money to and from OBOPAY's digital account. "Launch of the digital meal voucher system is in line with OBOPAY's commitment of promoting digitization of the entire payment ecosystem of enterprises and providing technology overview as a solution to companies across India and globally. Through this launch, we will not just serve as a payment solutions partner for enterprises but we will add immense value to enterprises' by integrating our systems with the corporates' back-end transactional model," said while commenting on the launch, Shailendra Naidu, CEO, OBOPAY. The multiple benefits of OBOPAY meal voucher system over other meal vouchers includes its reach to more than 3.5 million outlets, multi-pocket digital account facility, ATM withdrawal from the primary digital account, automatic fund reload, multiple self-load money options, person to person primary digital account money transfer, unlimited add-on cards and much more. Users can also set transactional limits by themselves, can block or unblock the card temporarily and they can also request money into the primary digital account from others. The meal voucher system can be used at all mastercard outlets across India. It can be also used for online food purchase along with retail food outlets. The revolutionary meal e-voucher system will enable companies to reach out to hundreds of employees across cities at the click of a button. The disruptive solution will ensure that the employees receive meal vouchers on the OBOPAY digital account and start using them instantly. The OBOPAY meal vouchers can be used across multiple outlets for buying meals regardless of whether the outlet is the companies' affiliated partner or not. The meal e-voucher system will also let the users receive details of all transactions as a statement in the mobile app. As per a recent report, the global meal vouchers and employee benefits market will grow by USD 27.2 billion during 2018 - 2022. Along with having huge growth potential in the coming years, the meal voucher space also has challenges in terms of a complex distribution model. This is where OBOPAY is aptly poised to disrupt the meal voucher space considering the company's proven track record in digitizing the whole payment structures of enterprises. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A joint team of Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) and Cyber Cell of Haryana Police have arrested a man from Bhiwani for allegedly threatening to blow up five railway stations across the country on Thursday. The accused has been identified as Sheikh Salauddin, who is a resident of Samastpur in Bihar. A police official said, "Salauddin had called control room of Railway Protection Force (RPF), Ambala Cantt on April 1 and threatened to blow up railway stations of Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ambala Cantt, Darbhanga, and Patna." "Considering the gravity of the issue and safety of the people, a joint team of CIA Ambala and Cyber Cell of Haryana Police was formed," he added. The accused was produced before the court which has sent him to 10 days police remand. He is being interrogated by the police and further probe is underway. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sirivella Town police on Thursday lodged a complaint against YSR Congress Party workers for allegedly trying to lure voters by throwing money in the air ahead of Lok Sabha and Assembly polls in the state. Speaking to ANI, Sirivella Sub-Inspector Timma Reddy said: "A supporter of TDP Younus Basha has lodged a complaint against YSRCP workers--Mullah Salaam, Mullah Anwar Basha, and some others. The complainant said that the YSRCP activists threw money on the voters to lure them, which is a violation of the Model Code of Conduct." Basha has also submitted a video clip of the incident that took place on April 1 at Balijapeta area. The video shows that the accused are throwing Rs 10 notes in the air while they were campaigning for Allagadda YSRCP candidate Gangula Brijendra Reddy. On being asked if the video is 20 days old as some locals have claimed so, the Sub-Inspector said: "We will verify the authenticity of the clip and its origin." Andhra Pradesh will vote to elect 175 members of Legislative Assembly and 25 members of the Lok Sabha on April 11. The results will be declared on May 23. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Lalu Prasad-led RJD has coined a slogan in Bhojpuri language "Kare ke Ba, Lade ke Ba, Jeete ke Ba" (we have to do, we have to fight, we have to win) for the ensuing Lok-Sabha elections. The slogan imitates the famous Bengali slogan of "korbo, lorbo, jitbo re" (we will do, we will fight, and we will win) which is IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders Anthem. Sharing the slogan, RJD official Twitter said that the nation will have to "battle for justice" for the "sake of democracy". "In this battle of justice for the sake of democracy, we have to do-we have to fight- we have to win. We will have to stand together against all injustice and atrocities as we have to do- we have to fight- we have to win," tweeted RJD from its official handle. In a subsequent tweet, Tejashwi Yadav shared the song based on the slogan "Kare ke Ba, Lade ke Ba, Jeete ke Ba". . (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Focusing on the role of academia and government in catalysing intersection between industry, scientific development and societal need, Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute (LMSAI) at Harvard University, in partnership with the Office of the Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India and NITI Aayog, concluded an eventful, Annual India Symposium - 'Science and Society' at Vigyan Bhawan on Thursday. Science and Society are two elements that share a symbiotic relationship, of the two can truly flourish without the intervention of the other. The event went ahead on the same lines to elaborate on the role of science in developing society. The symposium, which hosted scientists from leading universities in the US and India, identified three overarching strategic objectives, all directed to bolstering the intellectual ties that bind scientists to one another, and science to society. More than 150 leaders from business, academia, industry, government and the research community, as well as officials and students from 20 academic institutes in India, took part in an event that also marks Harvard University's increased academic research presence in India. "My family has always believed in supporting higher learning and its actionable outcomes for and society. We are very proud of this inaugural event of The Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute at Harvard University, which demonstrates our continuing commitment to these goals. In particular, I would like to see more young people actively pursuing and careers in STEM subjects. These skill sets are critical for future economic and societal growth. It is important that collectively business, custodians of public policy and academia work together to address such skill shortages with a common aim and purpose," said Lakshmi Mittal, Chairman and CEO of Arcelor Mittal, the world's leading steel manufacturer, and whose support lead to the creation of LMSAI. The Symposium was graced by eminent leaders like Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog, Dr K. Vijay Raghavan, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, Prof. Tarun Khanna, Director - the Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute and Jorge Paulo Lemann Professor, Harvard School, amongst other. "All the countries that have grown rapidly such as Japan and China have done so, through science & technology. If we want to grow as a country, we need to focus and create opportunities in science & technology. It is time we get into sunrise industries for massive development in science and technology and have sustainable growth," said Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog. "The Mittal Institute has been active in India for over a decade, serving as a platform to facilitate a two-way exchange of ideas between Harvard and Indian universities, government agencies and civil society. LMSAI is an original source of thinking that advances our understanding of the key issues of our day - from STEM to technology in agriculture to the age of biology. As a multi-disciplinary Institute within Harvard, we have the advantage of working with faculty across all departments and professional schools at the University. We regularly bring creative minds together to provide multiple perspectives on ideas that can address complex societal problems facing South Asia and further help in policy decision making," said Prof. Tarun Khanna, Director- the Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute and Jorge Paulo Lemann Professor, Harvard School. Spread across six sessions, the Symposium hosted industry veterans who deliberated on a number of issues. While one session talked about technological advancements in agriculture, focusing on enhancing productivity and ensuring food security for our country, another session focussed on 'Catalysing India's Digital Health Ecosystem', wherein J Satyanarayana, Chairman, Unique Identification Authority of India elaborated on the significance of big data and Artificial Intelligence. In a discussion on methods and tools to enhance STEM in India, R. Ramannan, Mission Director, Atal Innovation Mission, touched on issues revolving around talent mismatch - the evident disparity between college curricula and industry expectations is one of them. He further spoke about many tools that can be used to propagate the idea of pursuing STEM careers among students. Other distinguished names gracing the summit included Dr Rajiv Kumar, Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog; Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, CMD, Biocon; Dr V.K. Saraswat, Member (S & T), NITI Aayog and Chancellor, Jawaharlal Nehru University; Manoj Kumar, Senior Advisor & Head - Innovation, Tata Trusts; Satchit Balsari, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor, Harvard Medical School; Sunita Nadhamuni, Head, Healthcare Solutions, Dell Technologies; Venkatesh Murthy, Professor and Chair of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Dmitry Popov and Ankur Goel, John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, among many others. Dr Rajiv Kumar, Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog concluded the event, enlightening on the way forward by building a culture of science literacy in India. This society-centric Symposium included some grave issues that our country is facing right now - in terms of agriculture, and health. It also acted as a platform to make people from diverse disciplines come together to discuss these issues and spread awareness about substantial and productive change in the society. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Shiv Sena on Thursday threatened to file a sedition case against former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti over her comments on Article 370. On March 30, Mufti warned that if the Centre scraps Article 370, then its relationship with Jammu and Kashmir will come to an end. "If you break that bridge (Article 370)... Then you will have to renegotiate the relationship between India and Jammu and Kashmir. There will be new conditions... A Muslim majority state, would it even want to stay with you? If you scrap Article 370, your relation with Jammu and Kashmir will be over," she had said. Shiv Sena further spokesperson Sanjay Raut "rubbished" her comments and said, "What Mehbooba Mufti spoke is rubbish. A sedition case should be filed against her. Congress in its manifesto had said that they will remove the sedition law if they are voted to power. Will he agree with Mehbooba Mufti's statement?". Demands have surfaced time and again to revoke Article 370 along with Article 35 (A), which grants special rights and privileges to the citizens of Jammu and Kashmir. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Equity benchmarks tripped between gains and losses on Thursday morning as investors awaited for the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to release its policy statement later during the day. At 10:15 am, the BSE S & P Sensex was down 25 points at 38,852 while the NSE Nifty 50 slipped 5 points to 11,639. But most sectoral indices were in the green with tiny margins. Among the early gainers were Indiabulls Housing Finance, Bharti Aitel, Hero MotoCorp, UltraTech Cement and Titan. However, HCL Tech, Wipro, Hindalco, Bharat Petroleum and Tata Steel floated in the negative zone. Asian markets also traded with mixed trends note after witnessing a rally to six-month high. Reports said the ongoing trade deal the United States and China will give Beijing until 2025 to meet commitments on commodity purchases and allow full foreign ownership for American companies operating in China as a binding pledge. . (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has lodged a complaint with Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Gopal Krishna Dwivedi against the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) for allegedly indulging in violent activities. TDP MP K Raveendra Kumar alleged that YSRCP is indulging in violent activities to disturb the peaceful atmosphere during the elections. Kumar alleged that Income Tax raids on TDP leaders in Andhra Pradesh were orchestrated by the YSRCP and the BJP. The Central government is misusing the I-T Department against the TDP, he said. Andhra Pradesh and Telangana will go to polls in the first phase of Lok Sabha elections on April 11. 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.) A team of the Election Commission of India led by senior Deputy Election Commissioner Umesh Sinha held a series of meetings with the Chief Electoral Officer of Telangana, Rajat Kumar, DEOs and other election-related authorities on Monday and Tuesday in Hyderabad. They reviewed special arrangements made for the conduct of elections in Nizamabad constituency and made a detailed evaluation of the logistic requirements and various EVM protocols according to an official statement. They also witnessed a live demonstration of the working of EVMs using 12 ballot units and expressed their satisfaction with the preparedness for elections in the constituency. The team met Chief Secretary S. K. Joshi, DG Police and other senior officials of the state government. The Chief Secretary agreed to deploy additional resources in Nizamabad Parliamentary Constituency in the form of additional officers and budget as per CEO's requirement. He also informed that a helicopter will be placed at the disposal of RO Nizamabad. After the meetings, Senior Deputy Election Commissioner expressed satisfaction on the arrangements being made in the state for the conduct of Parliamentary Elections. He also said that Telangana will create history by conducting elections with 185 candidates with EVMs as more than four ballot units will be used in the constituency for the first time in the country. Telangana will go to polls in a single phase for all 17 Lok Sabha seats on April 11. Results will be declared on May 23. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) South Korea's chief nuclear negotiator Lee Do-hoon on Thursday asserted that strong and tough sanctions imposed on North Korea will not cajole the communist nation to give up its nuclear weapons and to believe in the same would be an "illusion". "Sanctions are a means to deter North Korea from making bad decisions, but sanctions themselves cannot fundamentally resolve our problem," Lee, who is the special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, said at a conference here. "North Korea persisted in its nuclear development through decades of sanctions and pressure. To believe that stronger sanctions and more pressure would make North Korea suddenly give up its entire nuclear program is an illusion," Yonhap News Agency quoted the top South Korean negotiator as saying. Lee's remarks assume significance ahead of the meeting between South Korean president Moon Jae-in and US President Donald Trump slated to be held on April 11 in Washington DC. It would also be the first meeting between the two leaders since the Hanoi summit in February between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ended in a stalemate without any agreement, owing to Pyongyang's demand for sanctions relief in exchange of the tasks done for denuclearisation so far. Despite the collapse of the summit, Lee expressed optimism that "considerable progress had been made" and both the US and North Korea had cleared down some differences on certain issues "almost to the point of reaching an agreement". Lee underlined that a top-down approach "armed with political determination" and "meaningful working-level interaction" was the only possible and feasible way to break the current deadlock between the two countries over denuclearisation. However, he cleared his stance that more "substantive" working-level discussions were needed to narrow down further differences. "Some argue that the Hanoi summit concluding without an agreement demonstrates the limits of the top-down approach, but looking back at what we have done in the past year, it is clear that the top-down approach is still very valid and the limitations do not outweigh the merits," Lee said. "When the dialogue resumes, the substantive early harvest is of utmost importance," he added. On Tuesday, Trump said that his meeting with Kim ended abruptly without reaching an agreement as Pyongyang was not "ready for a deal". "We had a walk. He wasn't ready for a deal. That's ok. Because we get along great," he said while addressing the National Republican Congressional Committee. Despite the breakdown of the Hanoi summit, Trump had maintained that the relationship with North Korea continued to be "good". Last month, Trump had removed additional "large-scale" US Treasury sanctions on North Korea in a bid to keep denuclearisation talks with the elusive state on track. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The United States and Japan are slated to hold trade talks from 15 to 16 April in Washington. The two countries are likely to discuss the Trade Agreement on Goods (TAG). Japan's minister in charge for trade negotiations with Washington, Toshimitsu Motegi and US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer will be leading the negotiations, according to NHK. The talks were originally slated for January but were delayed due to the United States' ongoing trade negotiations with China, which are in its final stages as per officials. The TAG talks are in line with the joint statement from last year's US-Japan summit, which was jointly spearheaded by US President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. "The leaders shared the view that they would further expand trade and investment between Japan and the US in a mutually beneficial manner, and realize economic development in the Indo-Pacific region that is free, open, and based on fair rules," a statement issued by the Japanese Foreign Ministry said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday said that a nation needs a government that finishes its full term of five years and not a government for six months, in a reference to the Opposition's grand alliance. "You need a five-year government, not a six-month-old government. This is extremely important because influences the lives of the people in the country. Not only this, government formulates policy and the faith of each one really depends on that policy," Jaitley said at the annual conference of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) here. Hitting out at the Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance), Jaitley said, "We have a proper coalition in our government. But coalition survives in a stable nucleus. You cannot have people making all kinds of announcements as part of their alliance and then sacrifice their regional constituency.""We have to take a fundamental decision that the Constitution framers described India as a union of states. There has to be a strong union. For the survival of democracy, you need a strong union. It is a dangerous idea if a federal front ends up making India into a confederation of states," he added. Citing the example of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) pulling out of NDA ( Democratic Alliance) over the special category status for Andhra Pradesh, Jaitley further said, "Under the 14th Financial Commission, you cannot give special status to any state. We made special arrangements (for Andhra Pradesh) because we had made a commitment. But, when somebody was in a position to pull out and destabilise you, then the biggest danger comes." Taking a swipe at the Congress over its manifesto, Jaitley said, "They mentioned that they will bring a law for media. The proposed law will look into cross-media holdings over various segments. It will deal with ownership issue. In the 1960s and 1970s, it was experimented but failed. Even the Supreme Court had rejected this idea. What was found unacceptable at that time has come up today." "The Congress manifesto also says that they will bring a law, set up a commission against the complaint of a judge. Parliament members will hear the complaint against that judge. Actually, this is an emergency thinking and not a regulated economic thinking," the Union Minister said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) workers clashed with police on Wednesday after they were stopped from following the convoy of their leader YS Jaganmohan Reddy at Mylavaram in Krishna district. The party workers were lathi-charged by the police after they refused to follow orders and kept following Reddy's convoy. The workers also hurled footwear and pelted stones at the cops for stopping them. After receiving information about the clash, YSRCP leaders Vasanta Krishna Prasad and P Veera Prasad, who are in the fray for the Assembly and Lok Sabha seats from Mylavaram and Vyjayawada respectively, rushed to the place to control their cadre. Jagan is the president of YSR Congress Party and leader of Opposition in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly since 2014. Simultaneous elections will be held in Andhra Pradesh on April 11 for 25 Lok Sabha seats and 175 Assembly seats. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Board of Malabar Trading Company at its meeting held on 04 April 2019 has considered the following - 1. To shift registered office of the Company from 3rd-1 Complex, Basement Office No.5,Cabin No.1, Panchwati Circle, e. G. Road, Ahmedabad GJ 380006 IN To 24, Laxmi Chambers, Navjeevan Press Road, Opp. Old Gujarat High Court, Ahmedabad GJ 380014 IN with immediate effect. 2. To Appoint Ramanlal Trivedi (DIN : 01658705) and Bhavin Padaliya (DIN:08208065) as Additional Directors of the Company with immediate effect. 3. To Accept Resignation of Gopal Bansilal Modi (Din : 02718360) and Kaivant Rasiklal Shah (DIN : 07641964) with immediate effect. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Godrej Properties gained 2.04% to Rs 909.65 at 10:11 IST on BSE after the company announced that it has entered into a joint venture with a developer to develop a property in Mumbai. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 3 April 2019. Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was down 19.31 points, or 0.05% to 38,857.81 On the BSE, 48,000 shares were traded in the counter so far, compared with average daily volumes of 97,000 shares in the past two weeks. The stock had hit a high of Rs 921 and hit a low of Rs 895.55 so far during the day. Godrej Properties announced that it has entered into a joint venture with a renowned developer to develop a 4.25 acres sea-facing property in the prime suburban micro-market of Bandra West, Mumbai. The project will offer approximately 1 lakh square meters (approximately 1.1 million square feet) of saleable area and will be developed as a luxury residential project. Located at the doorstep of the Bandra - Worli Sea link, this project will offer outstanding connectivity to all parts of the city including the domestic and international airports, Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), and Worli. This project will provide its residents one of the most desirable addresses in Mumbai while also offering unobstructed sea views from most apartments. Godrej Properties reported consolidated net profit of Rs 41.63 crore in Q3 December 2018 as compared to net loss of Rs 54.75 crore in Q3 December 2017. Total income rose 53.37% to Rs 472.81 crore in Q3 December 2018 over Q3 December 2017. Godrej Properties is a real estate developer. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India will record highest ever exports in 2018-19, informed Shri Suresh Prabhu, Minister of Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation at an interaction at the CII Annual Session 2019 with the theme of 'India 5.0: India@75 and Beyond'. He said the combined merchandise and services exports could range between USD 520 - 540 billion, with services export accounting for USD 210 - 215 billion. Overall trade deficit is likely to decline by about $10 billion for the first time. Stating that India was facing headwinds in the form of global demand slowdown and rising protectionism, this is really a commendable achievement, he added. Speaking on the economy, the Minister said India is capable of achieving double digit growth on a sustained basis. Coordination between macroeconomic policy and action on the ground is essential for this. Laying out the strategy, he said that if each district could grow by an 'incremental' 3% - 4%, then India will automatically achieve double digit growth. To achieve this goal, pilot case study has already been started in 6 districts across 5 states in India. Reputed institutions like NCAER and IIM have been consulted to make baseline studies for these districts. The Minister said that India will become a USD 5 trillion economy in the next 7-8 years and touch USD 10 trillion by 2035. Smaller towns and districts need to become more business friendly to have broad-based and accelerated growth, noted the Minister. For this, district level 'Ease of Doing Business' (EoDB) ranking will soon be launched for which background work has already been started. A committee has already been formed for this purpose. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) L&T Hydrocarbon Engineering, the wholly owned subsidiary of Larsen & Toubro, has won contracts of significant value across various business segments. The Modular Fabrication business of LTHE was awarded a contract for Process (PAU) and Piperack (PAR) modules for a process plant, which includes procurement, fabrication, precommissioning and load-out of the modules. The contract shall be executed from LTHE's Modular Fabrication Facility (MFF) at Kattupalli near Chennai. The business also secured orders for equipment fabrication for a refinery in Oman. The orders shall be executed from LTHE's facility in Oman. The Construction services business of LTHE also secured an order for additional works for a refinery project in India. Organized under Offshore, Onshore, construction services, modular fabrication and engineering services verticals, L&T's Hydrocarbon business delivers 'design to build' engineering and construction solutions across the hydrocarbon spectrum. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Trading of Nifty 50 index futures on the Singapore stock exchange indicates that the Nifty could rise 25.50 points at the opening bell as global shares continue to be positive. The outcome of the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) first bi-monthly monetary policy meeting will be keenly monitored. The resolution of RBI's two-day Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting, which kicked off on 2 April 2019, will be announced at 11.45 IST today, 4 April 2019. In its previous meeting on 7 February 2019, MPC decided to reduce the policy repo rate under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) by 25 basis points from 6.5% to 6.25% with immediate effect. Consequently, the reverse repo rate under the LAF stands adjusted to 6%, and the marginal standing facility (MSF) rate and the Bank Rate to 6.5%. The MPC also decided to change the monetary policy stance from calibrated tightening to neutral. Overseas, shares in Asia were trading higher on Thursday as hopes rise amid ongoing negotiations on the US-China trade front. High-level trade negotiations between China and the US resumed on Wednesday in Washington. Hopes were high that both countries were closer to a deal, with US President Donald Trump planning to meet with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He on Thursday in Washington. White House economic advisor Larry Kudlow told the media Wednesday that China has acknowledged for the first time that the United States has legitimate gripes about IP theft, forced technology transfer and cyber hacking. US stock closed higher Wednesday as investors reacted to upbeat comments on US-China trade talks, but weighed a shaky private-sector employment report. Payroll services firm ADP estimated that the US private sector added 129,000 jobs in March, the weakest reading in 18 months. Among other data, Markit's March services purchasing managers index came in at 55.3. A reading of at least 50 indicates improving conditions, while those below that level denote contraction. Further, the Institute for Supply Management's services sector gauge fell to 56.1% in March, down from 59.7% in February. Closer home, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth a net Rs 1,040.48 crore on 3 April 2019, as per provisional data released by the stock exchanges. Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) sold shares worth a net Rs 80.83 crore on 3 April 2019, as per provisional data. Key equity indices edged lower yesterday, 3 April 2019, on profit booking after four-day gains. The Sensex ended below 39,000 mark and the Nifty ended below 11,700 mark. The barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, fell 179.53 points or 0.46% to 38,877.12. The Nifty 50 index fell 69.25 points or 0.59% to 11,643.95. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Reliance Industries announced that its subsidiary Reliance Jio Digital Services has entered into a definitive business transfer agreement with Haptik InfoTech. The transaction size, including investment for growth and expansion, is estimated at about Rs 700 crore, with Rs 230 crore as the consideration for the initial business transfer. The Haptik team will continue to drive growth of the business, including the enterprise platform as well as digital consumer assistants. On a fully diluted basis Reliance will hold about ~87% of the business with the rest being held by Haptik founders and employees through stock option grants. This transaction enables Reliance Jio to leverage Haptik' s capabilities across various devices and touch points in the consumer's journey. The investment focus is on enhancement and expansion of the platform, with an addressable market opportunity of over 1 billion users in India. This partnership will also give a boost to Haptik' s existing enterprise grade business, with the company continuing to build innovative AI solutions for corporates globally. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a major attack ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, four Border Security Force (BSF) personnel, including an Assistant Sub-Inspector, were killed and two others wounded on Thursday in a gun battle with Maoists in Chhattisgarh. The troopers were on a routine area domination patrol duty in deep forested Pakhanjur area in Kanker district when they came under attack from the Maoists with improvised explosive devices (IEDs), triggering an exchange of fire, a BSF official said. Assistant Sub-Inspector Bipul Borah and Constables Seelam Ramkrishna, Isharar Khan and Tumeshwar were killed in the attack that took place around 11.45 a.m. They were part of 114 Battalion of the BSF, the official said. "Maoists also suffered casualties," a BSF statement said, adding that the area had been cordoned off. The injured BSF troopers were evacuated to a hospital and stated to be recuperating from their injuries. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh expressed anguish over the loss of the BSF personnel and spoke with the paramilitary force's chief, Director General Rajni Kant Mishra, over the incident. In a tweet, Sigh said: "They fought valiantly before laying down their lives for the nation. My deepest condolences to the families of these martyrs and prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured. I have spoken to DG @BSF_India regarding the encounter in Kanker. He has apprised me of the operation. He will be leaving for Chhattisgarh to help the families of slain BSF soldiers and also assess the ground situation." The attack is a major incident ahead of the Lok Sabha polls as Maoists have given a call for boycott of elections. Earlier, Maoists had dropped pamphlets and also put up banners in the remote areas of Bastar and Kanker constituencies calling for boycott of elections. A large contingent of paramilitary forces have been deployed in the Maoist-affected constituencies of Bastar and Kanker for search, combing and area domination exercises to ensure smooth polling on April 11 in Bastar constituency and in the second phase on April 18 in Kanker constituency. --IANS rak/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Abba's Bjorn Ulvaeus says fans can expect a new song later this year from the four-member Swedish pop group that broke up 37 years ago. The legendary Swedish pop group, which includes Agnetha Faltskog, Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad, last released a single in 1981. In an interview to Denmark's Ekstra Bladet tabloid, Ulvaeus said fans can expect the track to drop in September or October, reports dailymail.co.uk. He said that "it takes an extremely long time" to make the video with the avatars of the group members, adding "it has been delayed for too long". Abba shot to fame by winning the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest with Waterloo, and had big hits in the 1970s including "Dancing queen". They split in 1982. The pop group has not released a studio album of new music since 1981's The Visitors and have not toured since 1979/80s ABBA: The Tour. Last year, the band announced they have recorded two brand new tracks -- "I still have faith in you" and "Don't shut me down". On the tracks, Ulvaeus said: "I am very proud of both songs. One is like a pop song from the 70s. The other one is kind of timeless." --IANS sug/rb/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Ram Nath Kovind has forwarded an Election Commission (EC) letter to the Ministry of Home Affairs on Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh's violation of model code of conduct, asking it to take "necessary action", an official said. The EC letter to the President on Monday says that Singh violated the model code of conduct by praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi and saying that he must be re-elected. As per the letter, the violation of code is a "serious and rare indictment" of a constitutional authority. President forwarded the letter to the Ministry after returning from an international visit and noted that the Governor should keep away from active It is the first time since Independence when a Governor has violated the model code of conduct by campaigning for any Prime Minister. The Congress sought President's intervention demanding dismissal of Singh after the controversy erupted following his remarks praising Modi ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Last month, Singh had said on camera that Modi's re-election is necessary "for the sake of the country and society". He made the statement at his hometown Aligarh. Singh, a former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, was in power in the state when the 16th century Babri mosque was demolished in December 1992. He quit the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 1999 and returned in 2004. In 2014, soon after the BJP came to power, he was appointed Governor of Rajasthan. --IANS rak/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Internet providers and tech giants like Facebook and Google will be compelled to remove violent content in a sweeping new law passed in Australia on Thursday. Under the new law, which passed both houses of Parliament, obligations will be placed on internet companies to stop the spread of violent material. Failure to do so could see executives face up to three years in jail, or fines of up to 10 per cent of the platform's annual turnover, reports CNN. The development comes in the wake of the March 15 Christchurch which was live streamed on social media by the shooter while he killed 50 worshippers in two mosques. Platforms have struggled in the weeks since to remove copies of the video, which have been repeatedly uploaded. "The tragedy in Christchurch just over two weeks ago brought this issue to a head," Australian Attorney General Christian Porter said in a statement on Thursday. "It was clear from our discussions last week with social media companies, particularly Facebook, that there was no recognition of the need for them to act urgently to protect their own users from the horror of the live streaming of the Christchurch massacre and other violent crimes, and so the (government) has taken action with this legislation." The law was passed with the support of the opposition Labor Party and despite strenuous objections from industry bodies and some lawmakers, who warned against a knee-jerk rush to pass legislation that could have far-reaching ramifications. The Law Council of Australia said the legislation could have "serious unintended consequences", CNN reported. "Making social media companies and their executives criminally liable for the live streaming of criminal content is a serious step which requires careful consideration. Furthermore, the proposed legislation should not absolve the government taking steps to prevent crimes being live streamed," Law Council President Arthur Moses SC said in a statement. --IANS ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Bangladeshi national was arrested here with 400 tablets of yaba drug, also known as methamphetamine, worth Rs 80,000, a Kolkata Police officer said on Thursday. Tapas Ahmed, a resident of Dhaka, was arrested from central Kolkata's Colin Lane on Wednesday night, Joint Commissioner of Kolkata Police Praveen Tripathi said. According to the police, the accused used to supply the psychotropic substance to a number of hotels and guest houses in central Kolkata. "Aamed was staying in Kolkata for the last few years without any valid documents. He used to collect the drugs from Bangladesh and supply it to boarders in the hotels including foreigners," the officer said. --IANS mgr/ksk/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former US Vice President Joe Biden has pledged to be "more mindful" about physical contact with women, hoping to draw a line under a controversy that has clouded his expected White House bid. Biden posted a video on Twitter saying he will in future respect personal space, the BBC reported on Wednesday. He stressed he has only ever intended to build a "human connection", rather than make anyone uncomfortable. He has not yet announced whether he will join the 2020 Democratic field. "Social norms are changing, I understand that, and I've heard what these women are saying," Biden, 76, said in a tweet accompanying the video, which looked like it had been recorded on a mobile phone. In the clip, Biden acknowledged being hands-on with constituents throughout his long career in "It's the way I've always been, it's the way I try to show I care about them and I'm listening," he said. But Biden acknowledged his past behaviour may not meet contemporary standards. "The boundaries of protecting personal space have been reset," he said. "I understand it and I'll be much more mindful." His statement follows accusations against him of unwelcome touching from four women in recent days. Lucy Flores, a former Nevada state assembly member, last week said that Biden had kissed her on the back of the head at a 2014 campaign event. This week a second woman, Amy Lappos, said Biden had rubbed noses with her at a fundraiser in 2009. On Tuesday, Caitlyn Caruso, a 22-year-old former college student, told the New York Times that at an event three years ago Biden rested his hand on her thigh "even as she squirmed in her seat to show her discomfort". A 59-year-old writer, DJ Hill, told the newspaper that at a fundraising event in 2012, Biden put his hand on her shoulder and then started dropping it down her back, which made her "very uncomfortable". Biden's spokesman said earlier this week that neither the former Vice President nor his staff had had any idea that Flores felt uncomfortable during her interaction with him. The veteran Delaware politician himself issued a statement this week, vowing to "pay attention" to Flores, while maintaining he did not remember the incident. --IANS pgh/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 14-year-old-school student, who was abducted for a Rs 50 lakh ransom, was found murdered on Thursday in Bihar's Siwan district, police said. Rahul Kumar, a Class 7 student of Kendriya Vidayalya and son of late Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader Surendra Patel, was abducted late on Wednesday. His body was recovered from the Mufassil area, Siwan Superintendent of Police Navin Chandra Jha said. Jha said three persons have already been arrested in this connection. "Abductors killed him fearing arrest after a search and rescue operation was launched," he said. The victim's cousin Rajeev Ranjan informed the police that he received a call from the abductors demanding a ransom of Rs 50 lakh. Jha corroborated it. --IANS ik/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Australian man accused of killing 50 Muslim worshippers in the Christchurch terror attack will face 50 murder charges and 39 attempted murder charges, New Zealand police said on Thursday. "Other charges are still under consideration," the police said in a statement. Australian Brenton Tarrant, 28, a white supremacist, was previously charged with only one murder following the attack and had been remanded without a plea. He is due to appear in the Christchurch High Court on Friday via audio-visual link from prison, The New Zealand Herald reported. He first appeared in the court on March 16, a day after he carried out the massacre at the city's Al Noor Mosque and the Linwood Islamic Centre which also left over 50 others injured. Tarrant has turned down his legal counsel and said he wants to defend himself against the charges. The High Court received 12 applications from both New Zealand media and foreign organisations to film, take photographs or make audio recordings at Friday's hearing. But Justice Cameron Mander rejected the applications. Justice Mander also ruled the accused will appear in court on Friday via audio-visual link from New Zealand's only maximum security prison in Paremoremo, Auckland. Tarrant will not be required to enter pleas to charges he currently faces. The news comes as MPs heard oral submissions on the government's gun law reform bill, which seeks to ban military-style semi-automatics, assault rifles and related components and arrange a buyback scheme for guns that become illegal, according to the Guardian. The law is being overhauled after Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern promised action in the wake of the mosque shootings. Thousands of written submissions have already been received. The government wants to pass gun reform legislation by Thursday next week. --IANS soni/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress on Thursday distanced itself from the remarks of party leader Sam Pitroda that the middle class should bear part of the cost of the party's flagship Nyay scheme, and said the money will be generated by cutting down on wasteful government expenditure as also by mobilising additional resources. Party spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said that former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram had already spoken about how resources will be generated for Nyay. "Congress does not subscribe to this (Pitroda's) view at all. At present, the Centre and states spend Rs 60 lakh crore in running the government. A lot of it is wasteful expenditure. It is time government tightens its purse strings a little bit not by cutting down the employees of their salaries but by not spending Rs 6,000 crore on advertisement of Prime Minister in the newspapers, not spending Rs 2,500 crore on his 89 foreign visits and there are many-many heads as such," he said. He was asked about the remarks of Sam Pitroda on funding of Nyay scheme. Surjewala said when Modi "travels now to address a rally for BJP, you pay for it". "Rs 31,000 is the payment for the entire aircraft that flies the Prime Minister. Please also give me an aircraft for Rs 31,000, I will also hire. Those rates have never been revised because of obvious reasons. The exchequer currently pays for a lot of such activities," he said. He said if government's expenditure is cut down by 5 per cent , additional resources can be generated. He said the size of India's economy is expected to grow to Rs 400 lakh crore under a Congress government. "We will be able to give to middle class more tax incentives. We propose to raise tax limit further. We propose to ensure whether it is the honest taxpayer -- the salaried people -- they get more incentives and tax benefits," Surjewala said. "So, while I respect his opinion but the person who drafted the manifesto answered it for you and he categorically said don't propose to impose any tax in lieu of Nyay," he said. Pitroda told a news channel that under a Congress government, the middle class will have more opportunities and more jobs and the taxes may go up a little bit. He also said middle class should not be selfish and have a "big heart". "How can you see poor people around you and feel that somebody is going to take a 10 paisa from you. That is not India. If you and I have to tighten our belt a little bit, there is nothing wrong with it. They are our cousins, they are our brothers, sisters, and nephews." Pitroda said in a tweet that he was pained by selective editing of his views. "I am pained by the selective editing of my views on funding the historic Nyay scheme. My friend and Manifesto Committee Chairman P. Chidambaram clearly stated the Congress Party's position that the middle class will not be burdened," he said. Nyay is a major promise in Congress manifesto that entails providing Rs 72,000 crore to the poorest 20 per cent people. --IANS ps/pgh/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Election Commission officials checked a vehicle in which Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy was travelling but found nothing incriminating, an official said on Thursday. "It was a routine search at the Channarayapatna check-post on the Bengaluru-Hassan highway. We daily check vehicles of all political parties, their leaders and candidates to ensure they observe the Model Code of Conduct," Election Commission official N.S. Darshan told IANS over the phone from Hassan, about 180 km from here. Besides Kumaraswamy's Range Rover, the three-member EC team also searched on Wednesday 14 other vehicles which were part of a convoy going to Hassan to campaign for Prajwal Gowda of the ruling Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S), who is contesting from the key constituency. "We stopped the vehicle and checked its dicky and open spaces. As we found nothing in it, we allowed it to cross the check-post," said Darshan. On being stopped, Kumaraswamy asked the EC team to check not only his personal vehicle but also those of his party leaders in the convoy and report to their higher authority if anything illegal was found. Hassan will vote on April 18 in the first phase of polling along with 13 seats in the central and southern regions of the state. Prajwal is the grandson of JD-S supremo H.D. Deve Gowda and son of state PWD Minster H.D. Ravenna. He is Kumaraswamy's nephew. To enable Prajwal to contest for the first time from his home town (Hassan), the 85-year-old Deve Gowda shifted to the Tumkur Lok Sabha seat, about 70 km northwest of Bengaluru, after representing it (Hassan) for a record six times since 1991. Kumaraswamy's son Nikhil Gowda, an upcoming Kannada-Telugu film actor, is contesting from the Mandya Lok Sabha constituency, about 100 km from Bengaluru, on the JD-S ticket. Nikhil, 29, is pitted against 55-year-old multilingual south Indian actress Sumalatha Ambareesh, widow of rebel Kannada star Ambareesh, who died on November 24 in Bengaluru after a brief illness. --IANS fb/ksk/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Election Commission (EC) on Thursday said that it has asked the Maharashtra Chief Electoral Officer to register a case against Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh (BBM) chief Prakash Ambedkar for threatening to "throw the EC into jail" for banning any reference to the Pulwama terror attack during the Lok Sabha elections. Deputy Election Commissioner Chandra Bhushan Kumar told the media that the poll panel has received a preliminary report from the District Magistrate of Yavatmal in Maharashtra confirming that Ambedkar had made those remarks during a rally there. "This is an instance of clear-cut violation of our instructions... In this particular case, we have sought a detailed report from the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) in Maharashtra that cases are being registered under appropriate law against Prakash Ambedkar," Kumar said. He said that as per the Indian Penal Code (IPC), sections related to criminal intimidation could be slapped in this case. "We will know the exact details when the CEO submits a detailed report to us," the Deputy Election Commissioner added. Ambedkar on Thursday threatened that if voted to power, his party would "throw the Election Commission into jail" for banning any reference to the Pulwama suicide attack during the elections. "The armed forces are being sacrificed and the EC says we cannot speak about the Pulwama attack. But we shall speak about it because the Constitution grants us this freedom," Ambedkar, the grandson of the architect of Indian Constitution B.R. Ambedkar, told an election rally. "The EC has become a puppet in the hands of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). If our government comes to power, we shall not rest till we throw the EC into jail for at least two days," he said. Ambedkar is contesting the Lok Sabha polls from his traditional stronghold of Akola and also from Solapur. In Solapur, he is pitted against Congress candidate and former Union Minister Sushilkumar Shinde. --IANS vv/arm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday filed a supplementary chargesheet against British national Christian Michel, the alleged middleman in the Rs 3,600-crore Augusta Westland VVIP chopper deal case. The chargesheet was filed before Special Judge Arvind Kumar who has listed the matter for Saturday. The agency has named three new entities in its supplementary chargesheet: David Syms, Global Services Ltd and Global Trading Ltd, which were Michel's firms. Michel had used the companies as a conduit for receiving money. The ED said that the bribe from Augusta Westland was routed through Global Services and Global Trading. The agency said that further investigation was going on over the role of politicians and bureaucrats involved in the case. Michel was extradited to India on December 4, 2018 from the United Arab Emirates. --IANS akk/ksk/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday filed a supplementary charge sheet against British national Christian Michel, the alleged middleman in the Rs 3,600-crore AugustaWestland VVIP chopper deal case, in which it has mentioned "Mrs Gandhi", but not named her as an accused in the case, sources said. Sources confirmed that names of "Mrs Gandhi" and some other Congress leaders are mentioned in the chargesheet, but not as the accused in case. However, it was not clear who "Mrs Gandhi" is and in which context her name was mentioned. It is also learnt that kickbacks were paid separately under different agreements between companies of Christian Michel James, middleman Guido Haschke and AgustaWestland. The agency has said that kickbacks of Euro 70 million were paid to Air Force official, bureaucrats and important persons of the then ruling political party directly or through middleman who helped Christian Michel and Guido Haschke in influencing the decision of the government. The charge sheet has named Michel's partner David Syms and his company Global Services Ltd and Global Trading Ltd as accused in the case. Michel had used the companies as a conduit for receiving money. The ED said that the bribe from Augusta Westland was routed through Global Services and Global Trading. The agency said that further investigation was going on over the role of politicians and bureaucrats involved in the case. Michel was extradited to India on December 4, 2018 from the United Arab Emirates. --IANS akk/prs (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The European Union rekindled on Thursday a long-rumbling row between Spain and the United Kingdom over the tiny British overseas territory of Gibraltar while approving legislation waiving a need for travel visas after a hard Brexit. Lawmakers in the European Parliament passed the decision aimed at allowing UK nationals to enter the EU for short periods without the need of visas but included a footnote classifying Gibraltar as a colony, Efe news reported. "Gibraltar is a colony of the British Crown," the footnote said. "There is controversy between Spain and the UK concerning the sovereignty over Gibraltar, a territory for which a solution has to be reached in light of the relevant resolutions and decision of the General Assembly of the UN." Spain's Foreign Ministry, which had pushed for the inclusion, welcomed the new visa waiver and said it would ease freedom of movement in Europe after the UK's departure from the EU and that the European Parliament had identified Gibraltar as a colony. According to the Ministry, "the measure will avoid problems for the movements of British nationals, including those from Gibraltar, when they cease to be part of the EU and become nationals of a third state." Sergei Stanishev, the Bulgarian politician and MEP who was tasked with reporting on the Parliament's decision said it was an important step for guaranteeing visa-free travel between the EU and the UK after Brexit, especially in the event of no deal. The government of Gibraltar was also scathing about the decision to include the footnote. "Extreme pressure exerted by Spain and the bullying tactics of Spanish MEPs, on purely nationalistic grounds, has led to the acceptance of the 'colony' language in relation to Gibraltar," the government of Gibraltar said in a statement cited by EFE. "This is a disgraceful state of affairs." Gibraltar's citizens elect their own lawmakers while its Parliament and government decide on every aspect of the territory's life except defence and foreign affairs because Spain has consistently blocked such autonomy within the EU. Gibraltar's first Parliament was a Legislative Council held in 1950 whose power was consolidated by the Constitution of 1969 and reconfirmed in 2006. Spain became a democracy in 1978 after the death of long-time military dictator General Francisco Franco. Spain ceded sovereignty over Gibraltar, a territory of 5.5 square km on the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea, to the British by treaty in 1713 but has persistently sought its return ever since. --IANS soni/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With the fiery speech by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his maiden poll rally in Wardha on Monday, the poll campaign has hotted up for the 10 Lok Sabha seats in eastern Maharashtra's crucial Vidarbha region. Two union ministers, former ministers, a film actress, a farmers widow and others are in the fray for the 10 seats - which were swept by the Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena alliance in the 2014 'Modi wave'. This time, spurred by Modi's speech on Monday in which he gave a bloody nose to the entire opposition, the BJP-Shiv Sena is wishing for a repeat performance, though it may be easier said than done. In the fray are BJP heavyweights and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari (Nagpur), Union Minister of State for Home Hansraj Ahir (Chandrapur), South Indian films actress Navneet Kaur-Rana (Amravati) of the Yuva Swabhiman Party and a farmer's widow, Vaishali S. Yede (Yavatmal-Washim), as a Prahar Janshakti Party candidate. Yede, 28, shot to limelight on January 11, when she inaugurated the 92nd Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan (ABMSS), following the nationwide furore after the original chief guest, Nayantara Sehgal's invite was abruptly dropped. However, retaining both seats in the Orange City (Nagpur) is considered symbolically critical for BJP as the RSS is headquartered here and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis hails from here. With no 'wave' to ensure victory for the BJP-Sena alliance, major issues to be highlighted include the continuing plague of farmers' suicides in Vidarbha, with Yavatmal as the epicenter of the agro-distress and the problems of equitable development with several districts here in the grip of the Maoist terror. Last April (2018), Gadchiroli shot into limelight when security forces gunned down around 40 Maoists in a gunbattle in the jungles, but in retaliation, the ultras abducted and killed at least 15 local villagers and farmers. Wedded to these is the demand for a separate Vidarbha state comprising 11 districts of this region to ensure faster development; the alarming drought situation, coupled with unseasonal rains-hailstorms that regularly devastate farmlands and complicated by the problems of irrigation in the farmfields, rampant unemployment and unhappiness among the youth, though infrastructure development has seen an improvement. The region has seen over 1,200 farmers suicides in 2018, including 18,000 in the past five years of BJP rule alone, the highest ever, according Vasantrao Naik Sheti Swavalamban Mission (VNSSM) Chairman Kishore Tiwari. Tiwari, who is accorded a Minister status, had created a major political ruckus last December when he openly demanded that the BJP should replace Modi and party chief Amit Shah with Gadkari if it wanted to survive the 2019 polls. Interestingly, Gadkari is facing Congress stalwart Nana Patole, the former BJP MP from Bhandara-Gondiya who quit the party in December 2017 after a blistering attack on Modi - becoming the first high-profile MP to revolt. In Chandrapur, four-term MP Ahir will wrestle with Congress' Suresh Dhanorkar, who recently changed sides from Shiv Sena, making the seat a prestige issue for state Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, who hails from here. Akola will be another key three-cornered fight between Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi chief Prakash Ambedkar and the Congress' Hidayatullah Patel and the BJP's sitting MP Sanjay Dhotre. With the backing of the Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, Ambedkar - the grandson of the architect of Indian Constitution - will be a tough challenger besides being a former two-time MP from Akola. For the Yavatmal-Washim seat, it will be fight between former state Congress president and minister Manikrao Thakre, four time Shiv Sena MP Bhawna Gawli and farm widow Vaishali Yede. Model-cum-actress Kaur-Rana, 33, wife of Badnera's independent legislator Ravi Rana - the nephew of yoga guru Ramdev Baba - will lock horns with five-time Sena MP Anand Adsul. The elections in Vidarbha will be held in two phases - April 11 for Wardha, Ramtek, Nagpur, Bhandara-Gondiya, Gadchiroli-Chimur, Chandrapur and Yavatmal-Washim; and on April 18 for Amravati, Buldhana and Akola. (Quaid Najmi can be contacted at q.najmi@ians.in) --IANS qn/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The SP-BSP-RLD gathbandhan (alliance) is likely to get a large chunk of Lok Sabha seats at the cost of the BJP in the coming Lok Sabha elections, but the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is far ahead of the RJD-led alliance in Bihar, a survey has shown. As per the ABP-Nielsen survey released on Thursday, the gathbandhan of Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) is set to get 42 out of 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ally Apna Dal (AD) are likely to get 36 seats. The Congress, which is out of the gathbandhan and fighting it alone in Uttar Pradesh, is likely to get just two seats. In the 2014 general elections, the BJP-AD had won 73 seats, SP got 5 while 2 seats were won by the Congress. However, in terms of vote percentage, the BJP-AD is one notch above the gathbandhan with 43 per cent of votes. The Congress is likely to slightly improve its percentage of votes from 7.8 per cent in 2014 to 9 per cent in the present elections, the survey showed. The opinion poll found that voters in Uttar Pradesh found the performance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as "good". However, his rating was "average" among the Muslim respondents. The performance of the NDA government has also been rated as "good" with a mean score of 3.73. Corruption and unemployment are the top two important issues in the state. Maintaining law and order emerged as the top reason to vote for a party in Uttar Pradesh. The Congress seems to be preferred for communal harmony, price control, welfare schemes and job reservation for backwards classes, said the survey which covered over 20,000 respondents between March 16 and March 24. In Bihar, the NDA consisting of BJP, Janata Dal United (JD-U) and Lok Janashakti Party (LJP) is likely to win 34 out of 40 Lok Sabha seats with 52 per cent of votes. The gathbandhan comprising Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Congress, Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP) and Communist Party of India-Marxist Leninist (CPI-ML) is projected to get just six seats with 35 per cent of votes. In the survey of 10,000 respondents done between March 17 and March 26, the performance of Prime Minister Modi has been rated as "good". The scores are higher among men and urban respondents. The performance of the NDA government has also been rated as "good" with a mean score of 3.92. The score is higher among urban respondents. The performance of the Nitish Kumar-led state government has also been rated as "above average". Corruption and unemployment are the top two important issues facing the people. The top problems are more pronounced among women and rural respondents. The opinion is divided on Shatrughan Sinha with 38 per cent of the respondents saying he has done the right thing by leaving the BJP and joing the Congress, while 39 per cent think differently. --IANS mak/arm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Calcutta on Thursday ordered Rujira Naroola, Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee's wife, to present herself before the Customs authority on April 8 as per its summons, but restrained the department from taking any coercive action against her. is a nephew of Chief Minister Naroola had an argument with the Customs authorities on the intervening night of March 15-16 at the NSCBI Airport on her return from Naroola filed a petition in the High Court, arguing that the summons notice slapped on her by the Customs authority was illegal. Senior counsel S.N. Mookerjee, who moved the petition on behalf of Naroola, claimed as the Customs department was yet to frame any issue for summoning her, the notice of summons was bad in law. Naroola, a Thai citizen, as also another woman were "randomly selected considering their movements and profile" for checking after they landed from On March 16, she lodged a complaint with the NSCBI police station alleging she was "harassed and heckled" by the Customs authorities. The complaint was later converted into an FIR as per a directive by the court of additional chief judicial magistrate of Barrackpore following a preliminary inquiry. The Customs officials lodged a complaint at the NSCBI Airport police station alleging they were "voluntarily and intentionally obstructed by the two women and local police from discharging their functions under the Customs Act. On the other hand, representing the Customs, Centre's standing counsel Ravi Prakash argued that Ruchira was not being considered an accused, but has been asked to appear before the joint director of Customs to clear discrepancies in her declaration. After hearing all sides, the judge asked Rujira to present herself before the Customs Authority on April 8 in compliance with the summons issues by it, but also barred the agency from taking any coercive action against her till further orders. The Customs Authority has been ordered to file an affidavit on Naroola's claims within three weeks. Naroola can reply within one week thereafter. The court said the next hearing will be in May. Describing as "baseless allegations that his wife Rujira was caught at the airport for carrying gold in her checked-in baggage, Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee, nephew of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, had told the media on March 24 that a complaint filed by the Customs authority alleging interference and obstruction by the local police was drafted in a and "highly politically motivated". Challenging the Customs authorities to prove that his wife was carrying even two grams of gold after reaching the airport from Bangkok, Banerjee had declared he would leave politics if there was any wrongdoing on her part. --IANS ssp/prs (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Madras High Court on Thursday warned DMK President M.K. Stalin against linking Chief Minister K. Palaniswami to the theft-cum-murder that happened in Kodanad Estate that belonged to late Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa. The court said it would be constrained to remove the stay on hearing the defamation case filed by the government against Stalin for linking Palaniswami to the incidents that happened in Kodanad Estate in Nilgiri district. The court heard the petition filed by the state government to remove the stay on hearing the defamation case. The court also ordered the submission of videos of Stalin's public rallies where he had spoken linking Palaniswami to Kodanad incidents. --IANS vj/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) It was a new day, but the Delhi Capitals batsmen put up another disappointing show at the Feroz Shah Kotla here against Sunrisers Hyderabad in their Indian Premier League game on Thursday. Put in to bat, DC put on 129/8 in their 20 overs. Sunrisers skipper Bhuvneshwar Kumar won the toss and put DC in and the SRH bowlers started well, stifling the home team batsman on a wicket which wore a typical low and slow look. Mohammad Nabi (2/21) and Rashid Khan (1/18) made full use of the conditions as the DC batsmen failed to read the two Afghanistan spinners. Prithvi Shaw looked to start aggressively as he hit Bhuvneshwar for a boundary off the first ball of the match. But the SRH skipper had the last laugh as he sent Shaw's (11) stumps for a walk in the park in the third over of the DC innings. After that it was all about spinning a web over the DC batsmen as Nabi (opening the bowling with Bhuvneshwar) sent back Shikhar Dhawan (12). The struggle of the Delhi batsmen were to be seen on the scoreboard as they managed to score just 36 runs for the loss of two wickets in the powerplay. Star batsman Rishabh Pant (5) fell trying to up the ante as Deepak Hooda picked a smart catch at long-off off Nabi as the score read 52/3. Skipper Shreyas Iyer did try to wage a battle, but he didn't find much support from the other end. Iyer (43 off 41 balls) was finally cleaned up by Rashid as the leg-spinner was finally rewarded with a wicket for his quality effort. All-rounder Chris Morries tried to wield the long handle, but could only manage 17 off 15 balls as DC picked 24 runs off the last two overs with Axar Patel finishing with a six off the last ball. Brief scores Delhi Capitals: 129/8 in 20 overs (Shreyas Iyer 43, Axar Patel 23 not out; Mohammad Nabi 2/21, Bhuvneshwar Kumar 2/27) vs Sunrisers Hyderabad (Baidurjo Bhose can be contacted at baidurjo.b@ians.in) --IANS bbh/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Minister Smriti Irani on Thursday launched a scathing attack on Congress President Rahul Gandhi for betraying the people of Amethi and assured them that she would not leave them in the lurch. Irani is on a two-day visit to Amethi, from where she is contesting against Gandhi again. The BJP leader had lost the 2014 election to Gandhi, who has been representing Amethi since 2004. Addressing a rally in the Salon Assembly constituency, Irani said: "For the past 55 years, they have been raising slogans of 'Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan' in Rae Bareli and Amethi, but the Congress never got local farmers water for irrigation or tried to connect them with science. "It was the BJP that opened a Krishi Vigyan Kendra in Amethi. I got fertiliser rakes delivered at the Gauriganj railway station, something that had never happened since Independence." Irani said the main issue in Amethi was development and the people will vote for the BJP this time. "In 2014, the Congress had promised to work for the development of the constituency, but its missing MP cheated the people. But I promise to stand with you," she said. She said the political temperatures in Rae Bareli and Amethi rose in 2017, when the Congress lost eight of the 10 Assembly seats in the Gandhi family turf. Hitting out at the Congress President for contesting from Kerala's Wayanad besides Amethi, she said, "For 15 years, he enjoyed a position of power because of support from Amethi. But today your missing MP has gone to file his nomination from Wayanad. This is an insult to Amethi and the people will not tolerate this." Earlier speaking to mediapersons, the BJP leader said, "I would like to caution the people of Wayanad. They should come and see what Rahul Gandhi has done in Amethi. There has been no development in the constituency." Taking a dig at Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Irani said, "She campaigned for her party in 2017 and earlier, but could not ensure its victory. She can try again." --IANS aks/rtp/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The impasse that resulted from the Election Commission's (EC) decision to set up special polling stations along the Mizoram-Tripura border for the Reang tribal refugees to vote in the Lok Sabha polls, continued on Thursday. "Since Tuesday, Mizoram Chief Secretary Lalnunmawia Chuaungo has held a series of meetings with the leaders of the NGO Coordination Committee (NGOCC). More such meetings are expected in order to resolve the issues," a Mizoram Election Department official told IANS. The official, on the condition of anonymity, said that the officials of the other related departments were present in these meetings called by Chuaungo, who also holds the home portfolio. The NGOCC, an apex body of various NGOs, student and youth bodies in Mizoram, on Monday called for an indefinite shutdown in the state from April 8 and boycott of the Lok Sabha elections to protest the EC's decision. The Reang tribal refugees, originating from three districts in Mizoram, have lived in Tripura for the past 22 years after they fled their home state in the wake of communal tension. Last month, the EC announced the setting up of 15 special polling stations at Kanhmun village on the Mizoram-Tripura border to facilitate voting by the refugees for Mizoram's lone Lok Sabha seat on April 11. The by-election to Aizawl West-I Assembly seat would also be held on April 11. Announcing its opposition to the decision, NGOCC Chairman Vanlalruata said all polling officials and personnel would be prevented from going to their respective stations with election material and devices including EVMs and VVPATs. "We have been demanding that arrangements be made to facilitate Reang refugee voters lodged in Tripura camps to cast their votes in polling stations in their villages (where they had resided before going to Tripura) in the districts concerned in Mizoram, not in the special polling stations at Kanhmun," Vanlalruata told the media in Aizawl on Thursday. He said that they would reconsider their decision if the EC showed a positive response before April 8. The Mizoram Election Department official said that the state Chief Electoral Officer Ashish Kundra appealed to the civil society groups. The Election Commission has been apprised of the matter. There are around 12,000 eligible voters, from among the 35,000 refugees living in the seven relief camps in northern Tripura . The migrants are originally residents of nine (out of the state's 40) assembly constituencies in the three Mizoram districts of Mamit, Lunglei and Kolasib. Mizoram Bru Displaced People's Forum (MBDPF), the refugees' apex body, has written letters to the EC and the Union Home Ministry explaining the logic to set up polling stations in their camps. "If the refugee voters cast their votes in their original villages, it would take six to seven days for them to go to their villages (in Mizoram) and come back to the relief camps in Tripura. This is absolutely impossible," Bruno Msha, General Secretary of MBDPF, told IANS over phone from northern Tripura's Kanchanpur relief camp. "Even voting in 15 special polling stations at Kanhmun village is very difficult as there are aged, ailing and pregnant women among the refugee voters. To cast votes at Kanhmun, the voters have to travel 35 km on an average." --IANS sc/ksk/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The government on Thursday said that it is in touch with the United States over exemption for buying oil from Iran to see that its energy needs are taken care of beyond May 4 this year when the US waiver ends. "We have been engaging with the US since the first waiver came. The waiver lapses on May 4 this year. Let's wait and see what happens. But the important thing is that we will continue our engagement to see if we are taking care of our energy needs," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesman Raveesh Kumar said. "The important thing is that the engagement should continue and which is continuing between India and the US," he added. The Donald Trump administration in November last year has re-imposed the sanctions on Iran after it pulled out of a 2015 treaty aimed at curbing Iran's nuclear ambitions. Washington granted exemptions to eight countries including India to continue importing oil from Iran till May 4. --IANS mak/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The lenders to the financially challenged Jet Airways on Thursday said they intend to pursue the bank-led resolution plan for the airline under the present legal and regulatory framework. The development assumes significance following the Supreme Court's decision to annul a February 12, 2018 Reserve Bank of India (RBI) circular on bad debts. The judgement was seen as a major setback for the resolution process. The consortium of lenders led by the State Bank of India (SBI) met in New Delhi on Thursday to take stock of the current situation of the company. In a statement issued on late Thursday evening, the consortium said: "The lenders intend to pursue the bank-Led resolution plan for sale of stake in the company in a time-bound manner under the present legal and regulatory framework and intend to invite expressions of interest." "This will be invited on April 6, 2019 and will need to be submitted by April 9. The Lenders are cognizant that the outcome of the efforts of the lenders will depend on the interest shown by the parties on sale of stake in the company." As per the lenders' statement, all efforts will be made for the stake sale and other options may be considered by them should these efforts not result in an acceptable outcome. The lenders did not divulge any information about the present funding needs of the airline. Jet Airway's former Chairman Naresh Goyal has said he has cooperated fully and facilitated the bank-led resolution programme for the company. On March 25, Goyal had stepped down from the board of the airline and ceded majority control to the SBI-led consortium. Under the debt resolution plan, the lenders would inject up to Rs 1,500 crore working capital into the airline and convert their debt into equity, to revive the airline and then sell their stake in it. The airline owes over Rs 8,000 crore to lenders, led by the State Bank of India (SBI). At present, the airline is hard-pressed for funds. It is expected to receive the first tranche of the Rs 1,500 crore promised by banks as part of the debt resolution plan. Industry sources informed that the first tranche of fund is expected in a day or two. However, without further funding the airline's fleet size is expected to shrink further. It has alredy shrunk to 26. Earlier in the day, Civil Aviation Secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola told reporters in New Delhi that Jet now operates a fleet of 26 aircraft and that the airline fulfils the norms for operating international operations. As per rules, an airline needs to have minimum 20 aircraft to be eligible to operate international flights. According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the Jet Airways operated a fleet of 28 aircraft on Wednesday. Last month, Kharola had said that nearly 80 per cent of Jet's fleet is likely to be back in operation by the end of April as it would re-induct 40 aircraft by then. A total of 75 aircraft are envisaged to be back in operation by April-end which is around 80 per cent of the Jet's aircraft fleet previously. Jet Airways has been struggling with cash flows for the past six months because of rising fuel costs and intense competition. It has even delayed payment to lessors, airport operators and oil marketing companies besides a part of its workforce to keep the company running. On Wednesday evening, the airline informed employees that salaries for March will be delayed. Salaries are pending since January. --IANS rv/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The stage is all set for a high-voltage political battle here with the Congress officially fielding Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's son Vaibhav Gehlot for the forthcoming parliamentary elections against the BJP's Union Minister of State for Agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, the incumbent MP. Vaibhav Gehlot has been a Congress worker for the last 15 years. He was born in 1980 when Ashok Gehlot became the MP for the first time. However, the Chief Minister did not allow his son to contest in 2009 while the party did not give him ticket in 2014. "I did not allow him to contest the elections as I wanted him to work hard. In 2014, party did not give him ticket. Now, this time, the party has given ticket to him looking at his capability," the Rajasthan Chief Minister said, expressing his happiness with the party high command for finally giving his son a ticket looking at his capability. "Now, I want him to contest these elections on his own. Vaibhav should fight elections standing firm on his own feet without depending on any one," Gehlot told the media when asked if he would campaign for his son. "I want my son to become like me," the Chief Minister said. It is worth recalling that since 1980, Gehlot senior has never lost an election and recently, became the Chief Minister for the third time after the Congress won the 2018 assembly polls. He had earlier served from 1999 to 2003 and from 2008 to 2013. Meanwhile, his BJP rival Shekhawat feels that Jodhpur has now become "the most talked about". "This seat has become the most talked about seat in the country with Vaibhav being pitched in," he said, adding: "The seat will be retained by the BJP come what may." One thing is for sure - it's not going to be easy for either of the two candidates. While Vaibhav banks on the huge political lineage of his father, who represented Jodhpur as a five-time MP from 1980 to 1999 till he became the Chief Minister for the first time, Shekhawat is relying on strong support the from Rajput vote bank. As Jodhpur is essentially a Rajput-dominated constituency, Vaibhav faces tough competition ahead with Shekhawat enjoying an equally strong following. Shekhawat had won by a huge margin of 410,051 votes in 2014. A trusted aide of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah, sources said that putting their trust in Shekhawat, the duo wanted to appoint him the state BJP president in March 2018 soon after the party lost all three seats in by-polls Ajmer, Alwar and Mandalgarh seats. However the then Chief Minister, Vasundhara Raje, strongly objected to the move. Jodhpur has eight assembly constituencies - Falodi, Lohavat, Shergarh, Sardarpura, Sheor, Sursagar, Puni and Pokhran. The Congress has six MLAs, while the BJP has two. The Congress has won the Jodhpur seat eight times, while the BJP has won it on four occasions. Thirteen of Rajasthan's 25 constituencies, including Jodhpur, will vote in the fourth phase on April 29, while the remaining 12 will vote in the fifth phase on May 6. The day of reckoning will be on May 23 - like in the rest of the country. Archana Sharma can be reached at archana.s@ians.in --IANS arc/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, who is not a member of the state legislature, will contest the Chhindwara Assembly by-election, the Congress announced on Thursday. Kamal Nath, the Lok Sabha member from Chhindwara, took oath as the Chief Minister on December 17 and has to be elected to the Assembly within six months. Congress legislator Deepak Saxena resigned from the Assembly to allow Kamal Nath to contest the by-election in Chhindwara on April 29. --IANS hindi-pg/pcj/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 22-year-old engineering student died on Thursday near here after she was set ablaze by a man, said to be her friend, police said. It was a premeditated attack. The 32-year-old attacker was immediately nabbed by the people in the vicinity as the gruesome act was being committed. However, they were unable to save the woman. The perpetrator, identified as Nitish, arrived at the victim's home around 7 a.m. Following an argument he doused her in petrol, which he was already carrying and set her ablaze, an officer attached to the Nedupuzha police station said. The motive behind the attack is still not known. Neighbours and passersby had rushed to the victims home hearing her pleas for help. They tried to douse the flames, but nothing could be done to save her. Nitish, meanwhile tried to escape, but was overpowered and handed to the police. The victim was living with her grandparents, as her father had deserted the family, while her mother had passed away . Nitish would be produced before a court later in the day. --IANS sg/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Indonesia's Komodo Island, the home of the ancient Komodo dragon, will indefinitely ban tourists from January 2020 for conservation efforts, after a smuggling case involving the endangered animal. The island, in Manggarai Barat, has been a major tourist destination, with many making the trip to see the lizard, which has a poisonous bite, can grow up to three metres long and weigh 50 kg, the Guardian reported on Thursday. Authorities said the island would be closed temporarily so they can plant native vegetation and help to restock the dragon's food supply, according to Indonesian daily Tempo, increasing the population. It is not clear when it will reopen but earlier discussions have suggested it may last a year. The closure announcement came after police in East Java arrested five people accused of smuggling Komodo dragons and other protected animals in March. Police said the suspects had sold Komodos through Facebook and had already sold more than 41 of them. Tempo reported the lizards sold for $34,900 each. It is estimated that there are about 5,000 Komodo dragons in the wild and the animal is listed as both endangered and protected. They are found in the wild primarily on the eastern Indonesian islands of Komodo, Padar and Rinca. Komodo Island is part of the Komodo national park, which also includes two other large land masses, and many smaller islands. The rest of the park will remain open and one of the larger islands also has Komodo dragons. Much is still being learnt about the ancient lizard, which was only discovered by Europeans in the early 20th century. It was not until 2009 that scientists discovered the lizard had a very weak but poisonous bite and killed its prey by infecting it and letting it bleed to death. --IANS ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Madras High Court has asked the Central government to ban the Chinese video mobile application 'TikTok', saying it spoils the future of youths and minds of children. Hearing a petition filed by an advocate, the Madurai Bench of the High Court on Wednesday also issued an interim order to the Central government banning downloading of the app in India and restricted the media from telecasting videos taken using the app. The court said inappropriate content was being provided by the 'TikTok' app and the government had a social responsibility to stop it. Earlier, Tamil Nadu's Information Technology Minister M. Manikandan had said that the state would write to the Central government seeking a ban on the app in India. The 'TikTok' app enables its users to shoot short videos and share it with others. --IANS vj/pg/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress on Thursday said that the Narendra Modi government is killing the public sector enterprises one after another to benefit Prime Ministers "capitalist friends". "The suit-boot-loot Modi government bails out select crony companies but has left the largest public sector telecom company Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) and its sister company Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL) in dire straits," Congress spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala said here. "ILFS, which now has a debt of one lakh crore rupees due to the economic mismanagement and financial bungling of the Modi government, is being saved through state-owned Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) and public sector banks. Similarly, the public money of ONGC (Oil and Natural Gas Corporation) was used to buy out a Rs 20,000-crore scam-ridden collapsing GSPC for Rs 7,700 crore," he said. He added that hard earned savings of 38 crore LIC policyholders worth Rs 9,000 crore was used to save IDBI Bank, while India's leading public sector banks including State Bank of India and others were used by PM Modi to "bail out" a bankrupt private company Jet Airways. "Now BSNL and MTNL are facing the financial wrath of pro-rich, anti-people Modi government. BSNL employs 174,312 people and MTNL employees about 45,000 people. The board of BSNL has reportedly approved the proposal to lay off over 54,451 employees. "The board has accepted three suggestions that will destroy the future of 54,000 families -- reduction in retirement age from the existing 60 years to 58 years, Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) and blocking allocation of 4G spectrum to BSNL," Surjewala said. "For the first time we witnessed that a large number of BSNL and MTNL employees were not given salaries for months. According to information in public domain, both BSNL and MTNL were unable to pay salaries to their employees for the month of February. Modi government's policy to help private telecom giants has resulted in financial chaos in BSNL and MTNL," he added. Surjewala said that while private telecom players are pumping money into their operations through "unfettered" bank loans, the BSNL has been "barred by the government" from taking any loans. "In addition, the government has not yet provided 4G spectrum to BSNL. On April 6, the licence of MTNL shall be cancelled if it doesn't pay a whopping Rs 11,000 crore to renew its license via TRAI. MTNL has 7.7 lakh broadband users whose services might get jeopardized. "Will PM Modi save and bail out state-owned BSNL and MTNL or will he only do it for cronies?" he said. --IANS mak/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has slammed the state government's decision to curb civilian traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar highway on Sundays and Wednesdays to secure the movement of security forces' convoys. Reacting to the decision, the former leader said in a series of tweets on Wednesday: "Has anyone in the administration applied their minds before planning to issue this highway closure order? "Jammu and Kashmir is not Chhattisgarh or Andhra Pradesh where there are alternate routes. Here if you close the national highway you shut down all access to the valley. This is a lifeline." He further added: "I've made this suggestion before and in light of today's highway closure order I feel the need to repeat it - why can't the forces travel between Banihal and Baramulla by special trains? Quicker, safer and more comfortable for the security forces." Echoing Abdullah's remarks, former IAS officer-turned-politician, Shah Faesal tweeted: "Policies imported from Israel will turn Kashmir into Palestine. "The decision to close national highway to civilian traffic on every Wednesday and Sunday is extremely shocking. @RajnathSingh_in how will the employees attend office? How will patients travel? School children?" The state government on Wednesday announced that no civilian traffic will be allowed on the Jammu-Srinagar highway on Sundays and Wednesdays from 4 a.m. to 5 p.m. to ensure the safety of the security convoys. The restrictions will remain in force till May 31. --IANS sq/ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former actress Mayoori Kango, who is remembered for her role in the 1996 film "Papa Kehte Hain", has joined Google India as its Head of Industry - Agency Partnership. Her official LinkedIn profile mentions that she joined Google India in March 2019. "I am super excited to be part of Google and lead partnerships with DAN and Publicis. I am looking forward to applying my experience of over a decade in the industry in the agency realm to grow these partnerships further. It is a wonderful opportunity to be part of this incredible team and I am looking forward to the next phase of my professional life," Kango told IANS. Kango was previously the Managing Director of Performics, a performance marketing agency. She had also worked with Digitas as Associate Director, Media; and Zenith as Chief Digital Officer. She made her acting debut in 1995 with the film "Naseem", based on the Babri Masjid demolition, but rose to fame with her performance in Mahesh Bhatt's "Papa Kehte Hai", which also starred Jugal Hansraj. Mayoori was later seen in films like "Betaabi", "Hogi Pyaar Ki Jeet" and "Badal". Her stint on the small screen included shows like "Kaahin Kissii Roz", "Kittie Party", "Kkusum" and "Kya Hadsaa Kya Haqeeqat". --IANS dc/rb/gb/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Parents of students of four public schools in Ghaziabad on Thursday protested before the District Magistrate, demanding rollback of the fee hike. The District Fee Regulation Committee (DFRC) had earlier this year penalised some schools for raising fees arbitrarily in violation of the UP Self-Financed Independent Schools Fixation Fee Act 2018. The schools were asked to revert to their 2015-16 fee structure, which is about 30 per cent lower than the present one. But they obtained a stay order from the Allahabad High Court against the DFRC decision. Vivek Tyagi, media incharge of the All Parents Association, said Jaipuria Public School and DPS in Vasundhara, Children Academy and Saint Merry in Shastri Nagar, had hiked fees and were not allowing students to attend classes. Some have even issued transfer certificates to students, he said. The DM asked them to submit an application, mentioning names of the students not been allowed to attend classes. "We have become a party in the case at the high court. It will take some time. But till then the DM should stop schools from harassing students," said Tyagi. --IANS sps/rtp/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US Vice President Mike Pence warned Turkey against going ahead with its planned purchase of the Russian-made S-400 missile system, hours after the Turkish Foreign Minister said the acquisition was "a done deal". "We've also made it clear that we'll not stand idly by while NATO allies purchase weapons from our adversaries, weapons that threaten the very cohesion of this alliance," CNN quoted Pence as saying on Wednesday while addressing the "NATO Engages" summit here. "Turkey's purchase of a $2.5 billion S-400 anti-aircraft missile system from Russia poses great danger to NATO and to the strength of this alliance," he said, adding that Turkey could face consequences for its action. "Turkey must choose. Does it want to remain a critical partner of the most successful military alliance in the history of the world? Or does it want to risk the security of that partnership by making reckless decisions that undermine our alliance?" But speaking at the same event just hours earlier, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu called Ankara's acquisition of the Russian system "a done deal". "S-400 deal is a done deal and we will not step back from this," he said. Cavusoglu added that US President Donald Trump had "promised that he will do his best to resolve this issue", warning that if the F-35 transfer is blocked it "it will have a definitely very negative impact on our bilateral relations which we do not prefer". US officials have long warned Turkey that it would not be allowed to acquire the F-35 stealth jet if it goes ahead with the missile system purchase. The US believes that the Russian-system is incompatible with the F-35 jet, saying that Moscow could use it to gather intelligence on the aircraft. On Monday, the Pentagon announced it would halt all F-35 equipment transfers to Turkey unless Ankara irrevocably abandoned plans to acquire the S-400 system. In response to Pence's statement, his Turkish counterpart Fuat Oktay issued an ultimatum of his own, demanding the US end its support for Kurdish groups in Syria who have fought the Islamic State (IS) terror group, CNN reported. "The United States must choose. Does it want to remain Turkey's ally or risk our friendship by joining forces with terrorists to undermine its NATO ally's defence against its enemies?" Oktay said in a tweet on Wednesday. Turkey sees Kurdish groups in Syria as linked to the Kurdish separatist group PKK, which the US and the European Union consider to be a terrorist group. However, US and Syrian Kurdish officials have denied such links. --IANS ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Punam Sinha, wife of actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha, will be contesting against Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh from the Lucknow parliamentary constituency. According to reliable sources, Poonam Sinha will contest on the Samajwadi Party (SP) ticket with the Bahujan Samaj Party's (BSP) support. The Congress, sources said, has decided not to field a candidate from Lucknow and support the candidature of Sinha from the Uttar Pradesh capital. This would pave the way for a one-to-one face off between Rajnath Singh and Poonam Sinha. Sources said that modalities in this regard were being worked out and it was this that have led to the postponement of Shatrughan Sinha's joining the Congress in Delhi on March 28. "Jitin Prasada was keen to contest from Lucknow and he had to be persuaded to opt for his constituency Dhaurhara. Decks have now been cleared and Lucknow will be one of the seven seats that the Congress has said that it would leave for the SP-BSP alliance," said a Congress functionary. Shatrughan Sinha will now join the Congress in Delhi on April 6 and will be the party candidate from Patna Sahib Lok Sabha seat in Bihar. The decision to field Poonam Sinha as the joint opposition candidate against Rajnath Singh is an attempt by the opposition parties to keep the Union Home Minister confined to his constituency. The Samajwadi Party, sources said, has already completed its homework. "There are four lakh Kayastha voters and 1.3 lakh Sindhi voters in Lucknow, apart from 3.5 lakh Muslims. (Poonam Sinha is a Sindhi while her husband Shatrughan Sinha is a Kayastha). This will give a major push to her candidature," said a SP leader. BJP General Secretary Vijay Pathak, however, dismissed the issue and said, "Lucknow has always been a BJP bastion and continues to be one. Rajnath Singh has ensured a lot of development of the state capital and has a rapport with the people. An imported candidate will not cut much ice with the voters." Rajnath Singh had won the Lucknow seat in 2014 garnering 55.7 per cent of the total 10,06,483 votes polled. He had won in all the five assembly segments of the constituency. Rita Bahuguna Joshi, then a Congress MLA and former Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee chairperson, had remained runner-up in these elections by securing 2,88,357 of the total votes. --IANS amita/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh (BBM) chief Prakash Ambedkar on Thursday threatened that if voted to power, his party would "throw the Election Commission (EC) into jail" for banning any reference to the Pulwama suicide attack during the elections. "The armed forces are being sacrificed and the EC says we cannot speak about the Pulwama attack. But we shall speak about it because the Constitution grants us this freedom," Ambedkar, grandson of the architect of Indian Constitution B.R. Ambedkar, told an election rally here. "The EC has become a puppet in the hands of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). If our government comes to power, we shall not rest till we throw the EC into jail for at least two days," he said. He asked whether the country would vote back "an irresponsible Prime Minister" who could not prevent the killing of 40 innocent CRPF troopers in Pulwama. Ambedkar was campaigning in Yavatmal constituency for Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) candidate Pravin Pawar. The VBA -- comprising Ambedkar's BBM and Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) -- is contesting 47 seats in Maharashtra. The AIMIM has separately put up a candidate in Aurangabad. The two parties joined hands for a third front comprising all backward sections and minorities came after the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) refused to accommodate the VBA in the 56-party Mahagathbandhan. At another election rally in Nanded, Ambedkar promised to exchange the old currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denominations, which were demonetised on November 8, 2016. "Demonetisation played havoc on the business community. Many businessmen committed suicide. I am aware that many still have the old notes. We shall exchange those currency notes. Only you must ensure that this government of thieves is not allowed to return," he said. Ambedkar is contesting from his traditional stronghold of Akola and also from Solapur against Congress candidate and former Union Minister Sushilkumar Shinde. --IANS qn/rtp/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Thousands gave a rousing welcome to Congress President Rahul Gandhi who filed his Lok Sabha nomination from Wayanad in Kerala on Thursday morning. Arriving on a helicopter from Kozhikode, Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi drove to the Wayanad Collector's office some 500 meters away, all the time cheered by people packing both sides of the road. Amid tight security, only a few persons were allowed to go in with them. The Gandhis later boarded an open jeep for a road show in Wayanad, one of the economically backward regions of Kerala, accompanied by Congress General Secretary Oommen Chandy. Police personnel found it tough to handle the surging crowds. The situation became more difficult whenever Rahul Gandhi shook hands with supporters. Rahul Gandhi will be contesting from both Amethi in Uttar Pradesh, his traditional Lok Sabha constituency, as well as Wayanad. Kerala goes to the polls on April 23 to elect 20 MPs. At one time, there were heated exchanges between Congress leaders and Special Protection Group (SPG) officials after the latter insisted that the proposed road show might not happen due to security concerns. But in the end the Congress leadership won the tussle. The crowds were delirious. "I have seen Indira Gandhi when she came to Kozhikode many years back. Now I am excited that I have seen her grandchildren. I am very happy," beamed a 78-year-old Muslim woman. Another group of Congress activists shouted: "Rahul will win with a massive margin never seen in Kerala." --IANS sg/mr/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Samsung Electronics on Thursday said its 5G modem and chips are in mass production for the latest premium mobile devices. The 5G chipsets include "Exynos Modem 5100" as well as a new single-chip radio frequency transceiver "the Exynos RF 5500", and supply modulator solution, "the Exynos SM 5800" -- supporting technologies that provide mobile manufacturers with optimum network communication solutions for the 5G era. "Samsung has been an innovator in mobile communication technologies with a strong portfolio of market-proven solutions, and we are well-prepared to extend our leadership into 5G," said Inyup Kang, President of System LSI Business at Samsung Electronics. Earlier this week, Samsung announced its Galaxy S10 5G will hit the market in South Korea starting April 5. "We are proud of the work we've accomplished to bring our the first 5G smartphone to market and look forward to bringing it to everyone around the world in the coming year," said DJ Koh, President and CEO of IT and Mobile Communications Division, Samsung Electronics. Though Samsung did not disclose the price, it is expected to cost around 1.5 million won ($1,332) in the domestic market, according to industry sources. As one of the only companies with an end-to-end 5G solution from chipsets, network core, radio solutions and user devices, Samsung is uniquely positioned to deliver a next-generation smartphone and network. In South Korea, the 5G commercial network has been on air since December by all mobile operators using Samsung's 5G network core and radio solutions. --IANS na/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das said on Thursday that the recent Supreme Court ruling did not take away the powers of the central bank, nor would it impact the major default cases undergoing insolvency proceedings. The Supreme Court on Tuesday declared the central bank's February 12, 2018 circular as ultra vires of Section 35AA of the Banking Regulation Act, saying the RBI can only issue order on "specific" defaults but cannot direct "generic insolvency" proceedings. "All the major cases which were referred to (bankruptcy courts) are not affected by this Supreme Court order because they were all referred earlier," Das told reporters after the Monetary Policy Committee meeting. As per the February 12, 2018 RBI circular, banks had to recognise even one-day default in loans of Rs 2,000 crore and above as non-performing and allow a window of 180 days to resolve the stressed accounts, failing which they had to be sent to bankruptcy courts. However, since the RBI in June 2017 issued the names of 12 specific defaulters, including Essar Steel, Bhushan Power and JP Infra, accounting for 25 per cent of the total bad debt for resolution under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), the Supreme Court order would not impact these cases nor would it impact its second list of 29 defaulters issued in August 2017. The clarity from the RBI Governor came as a relief as there was general apprehension about the fate of the ongoing insolvency cases. Even rating agency Moody's in a note on Wednesday speculated that the judgment may require resolution processes to be started afresh. As for the court's order, Das said it did not take away the powers of the RBI to initiate insolvency proceedings against specific cases, but only laid out the process to be followed by the central bank which the RBI would comply with but would not allow any delay in resolution process. "The powers of the RBI under Section 35AA and other sections of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 are not in doubt at all. What the Supreme Court basically said is that the powers of the RBI under Section 35AA have to be exercised in a particular manner and henceforth we have to comply with the directions of the Supreme Court in this regard and act accordingly. "We remain committed to not only maintain but also to speed up the momentum of resolution of stressed assets in the banking sector because it is very critical for the stability of the sector and has an impact on the overall financial sector," Das said. Das further said that the RBI will take necessary steps, including the issuance of a revised circular, as may be necessary for the "expeditious and effective resolution of stressed assets". The RBI stands committed to maintain and enhance the momentum of resolution of stressed assets and adherence to credit discipline, he said. "We will soon get the revised circular. There will not be any undue delay in that," Das said. The RBI's decision to release a fresh circular soon was welcomed by the industry, which wants the revised circular to take inputs from the banks, practitioners and other stakeholders. "Also, the decision to send defaulting companies to the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) should be left to the discretion of the banks, but can be monitored closely by the RBI," said Sapan Gupta, Partner and National Practice Head (banking and finance) at Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas and Company. On whether the recent instances of the RBI being taken to the court have impacted its actions, Das said: "It's always the democratic right of any person, individual or corporate entity to challenge the decision of any authority in the court of law. The RBI cannot be an exception to this." --IANS mgu-ravi/sn/arm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court on Thursday reserved its judgment on a petition seeking clarification whether the office of Chief Justice of India (CJI) is covered under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. On Wednesday, Attorney General (AG) K.K. Venugopal had submitted that sharing information connected with collegium, which is under the CJI office, would make judges and the government shy and destroy judicial independence. A constitution bench, led by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, was told by the AG that if the RTI is applied to the collegium, it would create a sense of fear in the judiciary and impede a free and frank discussion between judges. Venugopal also said that the court should refrain from opening up the highly confidential correspondence of the Supreme Court's collegium and its workings under the RTI Act. The AG represented the Supreme Court's Central Public Information Officer (CPIO), who is the authority tasked to respond to RTI queries related to the court. Appearing for RTI activist Subhash Chander Aggarwal, advocate Prashant Bhushan on Thursday argued before the bench for the entire day urging the judiciary to put forth the collegium process in public domain. "If SC doesn't allow disclosure of information pertaining to judges' appointment, it would appear that the judiciary is hypocritical -- though it asks other authorities to provide this or that info, it doesn't allow disclosure of information pertaining to its own affairs," said Bhushan. Concluding the argument, Venugopal reiterated his stand that the bench should not allow collegium process to fall under the RTI. The bench asked Bhushan to submit the written arguments on Monday. --IANS ss/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After the honorary doctorates from The University of Bedfordshire and The University of Edinburgh, superstar Shah Rukh Khan has received an honorary doctorate in Philanthropy by The University of Law, London. The actor received the merit during a graduation ceremony for more than 350 students here on Thursday. Over the years, he has established himself as a successful actor, film producer, television host, philanthropist and an entrepreneur. The "My Name Is Khan" actor has also earned love for championing human rights in India. He has lent support to the Indian government's campaigns, including Pulse Polio and National Aids Control Organization. He has worked closely with several charitable foundations, including the Make-a-Wish Foundation. "I believe that charity should be done in silence and with dignity. One cannot speak about their charitable acts because it loses its purpose. I have been privileged to be able to use my status as a public personality to champion causes close to my heart," Shah Rukh said in a statement. "I actively participate with the causes of women empowerment, rehabilitation of the underprivileged and basic human rights. I firmly believe that I have to give back to the world that has given me so much. I am humbled with this honorary doctorate bestowed upon me and would like to thank everyone involved for choosing me," he added. Shah Rukh's non-profit organisation Meer Foundation primarily works with acid attack victims and aims to initiate change at the ground level to build a world that empowers women. He was honoured with the Crystal Award for his work towards acid attack survivors at the World Economic Forum 2018 held in Davos. --IANS nn/rb (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Sri Lankan police commando committed suicide on Thursday by shooting himself with his weapon at a checkpoint at Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's official residence in the capital, officials said. The deceased was a member of the Special Task Force (STF) and identified as a 30-year-old Godadeniyalage Dilruksha Samarasinghe, Sri Lankan Ada Derana news portal reported. He was a resident of Algama area, the police said. According to the Sri Lankan media, Samarasinghe shot himself at the checkpoint at the Prime Minister's residence Temple Trees and sustained critical injuries to his head. The police suspect that the deceased committed suicide over an issue involving a romantic relationship. --IANS soni/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Election Commission will maintain a strict vigil against abuse of money power in the April 18 polls for the Lok Sabha and by-elections for 18 assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu, top officials said on Thursday. Following review meetings held with political parties, District Electoral Officers, the Income Tax Department, police officials and others, the Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra and Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa met the media here. Lavasa said the Election Commission had received a lot of feedback about abuse of money power. He said the officials have been asked to intensify effective and visible measures to prevent such abuse. Keeping in view the sensitivity on expenditure related issues, a minimum of two Expenditure Observers per parliamentary constituency have been deployed for keeping strict vigil. In addition, a Special Expenditure Observer has also been deployed at the state level for Tamil Nadu, the officials said. The Election Commission also said that Central armed police forces will be deployed in adequate number wherever such a necessity is assessed. Moreover, adequate CCTV coverage and webcasting in polling stations in sensitive areas will be ensured. All police check-posts across the state will be under 24x7 webcasting and videography for the entire period during the elections, the officials added. According to the Election Commission, there are a total of 67,720 polling stations at 29,988 polling locations in Tamil Nadu. As many as 1,946 polling stations have been added. --IANS vj/bc (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a bid to suppress what may turn into a mass outcry, major Chinese companies like Tencent and Xiaomi are trying to censor a page on software development platform GitHub where workers are protesting against the overtime work culture that is prevalent in China. The "996.icu" repository on GitHub is where Chinese developers are protesting against the "996" overtime work culture (9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week) in their country. "A number of Chinese browsers, including Tencent's QQ Browser, Qihoo's 360 Browser and the native browser on Xiaomi smartphones, have restricted user access to the '996.icu' repository on GitHub," Abacus News reported on Wednesday. The move is being massively criticised on social networking platforms, especially by people who are part of the protest. While Tencent's browser prompts users that they are trying to visit a "malicious site" that contains "security risks", Xiaomi's browser displays a message "prohibiting" users to visit the page complying to the "national laws and regulations", the report said. Users accessing the page using international browsers like Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome are not encountering any issue, meaning that internal Chinese browsers are blocking the page within the country. The protest on GitHub was started by an anonymous Chinese developer who said workers are risking their health when they follow the "996" schedule, the report added. As part of the project, developers have compiled a blacklist of companies with heavy hours that comprises mostly foreign companies in China. This is not the first instance where GitHub is being scrutinised in China. In 2013, the platform was briefly blocked in China for unspecified reasons and was later unblocked followed by a strong protest from China's developer community. --IANS rp/mag/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Candidate for the by-election to the Perambur assembly seat in Tamil Nadu, J. Mohanraj of the Jebamani Janata party, has declared loan dues to the World Bank of Rs 4 lakh crore and cash in hand of Rs 1. 76 lakh crore. Interestingly, the Election Commission has accepted Mohanraj's affidavit and has allotted him the 'Green Chilli' symbol. "Filing a false affidavit is not a criminal offence. The Election Commission had changed the rules in 2014," Mohanraj, a retired police officer who has also worked in theCentral Bureau of Investigation (CBI), told IANS. "With media focusing on my affidavit, Election Commission officials will feel like they have bitten an Andhra green chilli," he added. He said the Rs 1.76 lakh crore figure in the affidavit as cash in hand is a reference to the alleged 2G spectrum allocation scam, and the Rs 4 lakh crore loan refers to the government's debt. Mohanraj said the 2G scam was not properly investigated by the CBI, which observation was also made by the trial court judge who heard the case. Sixty seven-year old, Mohanraj is the son of late Nellai R. Jebamani who was elected to the Tamil Nadu assembly from the Sattankulam constituency in 1977 as a Janata Party candidate. Mohanraj also said the upcoming one will be his 13th election contest, and that he has unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha and Tamil Nadu assembly elections earlier. --IANS vj/bc (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump has dismissed a recent alleged breach of his Florida resort, saying he was "not concerned" about the incident. "No, I'm not concerned at all," CNN quoted Trump as saying on Wdnesday when asked about the potential Chinese espionage at his Mar-a-Lago club. Trump described an alleged breach of his club by a woman with Chinese passports and a flashdrive containing malware as a "fluke situation". "I think it's just a fluke situation and I think the person sitting at the front desk did a very good job," Trump said, saying he's been briefed on the incident. He added that the receptionist "was able to see things that other people were not, but no, I think it's just a fluke". Trump's comments come as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has begun investigating the security breach incident for the possibility that it was an espionage effort, a US official told CNN. The investigation comes at the same time that a top House Democrat asked for a briefing on the security at Trump's Florida retreat. The official said the FBI is doing what it has to do in these circumstances, when there is a foreign national involved and there is a possibility of counterintelligence or cyber security issues. Federal prosecutors have unveiled charges against Yujing Zhang, a woman whom they accused of entering the President's resort illegally last month. The Justice Department said Zhang was carrying two Chinese passports, and prosecutors have charged her with making a false statement to a federal officer and entering restricted property. --IANS ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) British MPs have narrowly approved in favour of a bill seeking to delay Brexit as they attempt to avoid a no-deal exit from the European Union. In a third reading, the House of Commons voted by 313 votes to 312 late on Wednesday, forcing Prime Minister Theresa May to seek an extension of the current Brexit date of April 12. The bill, put forward by Labour Party's Yvette Cooper, now needs to be approved by the House of Lords before it becomes law. The European Union would also need to agree to a delay, the BBC reported. The development came as talks between government negotiators and Labour were set to continue throughout Thursday after May and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn agreed a "programme of work". A No 10 spokesman said that both parties showed "flexibility" and "a commitment to bring the... uncertainty to a close". Corbyn said the meeting was "useful, but inconclusive", adding there had not been "as much change as (he) had expected" in May's position. Meanwhile, Chancellor Philip Hammond has suggested that he expects Brussels to insist on a lengthy delay to Brexit and described a public vote to approve any final deal as "a perfectly credible proposition". May wants to agree a policy with the Labour leader for MPs to vote on before April 10 - when the EU will hold an emergency summit on Brexit. But if they cannot reach a consensus, she has pledged to allow MPs to vote on a number of options, including the deal she has negotiated with the EU, which has already been rejected twice by MPs. In either event, May said she would ask the EU for a further short extension to Brexit in the hope of getting an agreement passed by Parliament before May 22, so that the UK does not have to take part in European elections. Earlier, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker reiterated the EU's position that Britain could get the Brexit deadline extended to May 22 if May could persuade MPs to approve her withdrawal agreement. But if British MPs failed to agree on the deal, "no further short extension will be possible," he warned, citing the risk of jeopardising the European Parliament elections in late May. --IANS soni/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India said on Thursday that interpretation of facts made in the statement from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights pertaining to deportation of Rohingyas was misleading and incorrect. Responding to queries from the media, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said that the repatriation of illegal immigrants to their country of origin is in accordance with Indian laws. "The interpretation made of the facts of the case, as portrayed in the statement, are misleading and incorrect. The repatriation of illegal immigrants to their country of origin is in accordance with Indian laws. These actions are being taken in response to the instructions of India's courts, which have required government at the state and union levels to detect, detain and deport illegal immigrants," Kumar said. "In this sense, the government will continue to take actions as may be necessary in implementation of Indian laws, and as directed by our judiciary," he added. UN human rights experts, under the aegis of the United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner (OHCHR), had on Wednesday condemned the Indian government's decision to deport three more Rohingyas to Myanmar and urged the authorities to stop such forced deportations which are prohibited under international law. --IANS ps/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Authorities in the US state of Kentucky have launched a probe after a 14-year-old who identified himself as missing Illinois boy Timmothy Pitzen told the police that he had escaped his kidnappers who held him for seven years, the media reported reported. The boy told the authorities in Campbell County, Kentucky, that he fled a Red Roof Inn where he and the two men who had held him were staying, CNN reported. He was unsure of the hotel's location, the police said, but it appears the boy "kept running until he ran across a bridge into" Kentucky. The police said the teen described his kidnappers as two white men of "bodybuilder type build, one with a spider web tattoo on his neck and the other with a snake tattoo on his arms". Law enforcement is yet to confirm the teen's identity. Timmothy, then six-year-old, went missing in May 2011 after his mother took him out of his Aurora, Illinois, school citing a family emergency and they went on a three-day road trip with stops at zoos and water parks. He was last seen at a water park in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, according to the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children. Timmothy's mother was found dead later in a Rockford, Illinois motel. She had killed herself. A note was found saying that her son, Timmothy, was safe with people who would love and care for him. "You'll never find him," it added. --IANS ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Four armed men kidnapped an American tourist in Uganda and have demanded $500,000 as ransom, the country's police force has confirmed. The American citizen, a woman, and a Ugandan driver were kidnapped at gunpoint at Queen Elizabeth National Park while on a game drive on Tuesday evening, CNN reported on Wednesday. "The kidnappers, using the victim's phone have demanded $500,000," the police said, adding: "We strongly believe this ransom is the reason behind the kidnap." An "elite squad" was dispatched from the Tourism Police to the park to actively pursue the gunmen and have closed all exit areas on the border between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. "We strongly believe the perpetrators and victims could still be trapped within our search area," the police statement added. Uganda recorded a spate of kidnapping incidents last year, which prompted street protests amid claims the government was not doing enough to address the security issues. Rights groups who led the protests to the country's parliament in Kampala city, said more than 20 people, mostly women, and children, were abducted for ransom last year and called on the police to make these cases a priority. --IANS ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two Walt Disney Studios employees have filed a lawsuit claiming the company discriminates against female workers by paying them less than men. The complaint, filed on behalf of LaRonda Rasmussen and Karen Moore, asks for back pay, lost benefits and other compensation, reports deadline.com. The 21-page lawsuit, filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court, also names Walt Disney Pictures and Hollywood Records as defendants. The first paragraph of the suit pretty much sums up its claims: "When it comes to paying women fairly, The Walt Disney Company, nearing its 100th year, is woefully behind the times. "Put simply, Disney refuses to pay its women employees equal to men doing the same work. In many instances, Disney is paying women workers tens of thousands of dollars less than their male counterparts." Attorneys Lori Andrus and Jennie Lee Anderson of Andrus Anderson LLP in San Francisco are representing the plaintiffs. The suit also demands that Disney create internal programmes that will "remedy the effects of Disney's past and present unlawful employment policies". That includes adjusting salaries and benefits for other women and creating a task force that compiles reports on progress. The attorneys also requested that the case be certified as a class action. Disney called the suit "meritless" and said it would "vigorously" defend itself. It said that "the lawsuit's uninformed generalized allegations about Disney's policies and practices are baseless. Disney maintains robust pay equity practices and policies. Even before California's Fair Pay Act, Disney created a specialized team of compensation professionals and lawyers to analyze and address the company's pay equity practices". Plaintiff Rasmussen worked at Disney for 11 years, most recently as a product development manager at Walt Disney Studios, according to the legal papers. Moore worked at Disney for more than 20 years, serving as a senior copyright administrator at the studio's music label. --IANS dc/rb/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Facebook-owned WhatsApp Business, a free-to-download communication app specifically designed for small businesses, is now officially available for iPhone users in several countries including India. The WhatsApp Business app was launched for Android in January 2018. "Today we're introducing the WhatsApp Business app for iOS. Like the Android version -- which over the last year has been adopted by millions of businesses around the world -- the WhatsApp Business app for iOS will be free to download from the Apple App Store," WhatsApp said in a blog post on Thursday. Besides India, the app is now available in Brazil, Germany, Indonesia, Mexico, Britain and the US. The app allows one to share useful information about your business such as a business description, email or store addresses, and website. It enables one to respond to customers easily with efficient messaging tools -- quick replies to provide fast answers to frequently asked questions, greeting messages to introduce customers to your business and away messages to let them know when to expect a reply, WhatsApp said. --IANS gb/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In what appears to be a case of scoring a self-goal, a French government ad campaign intended to encourage voting in the upcoming European Parliament elections has been blocked by Twitter for fear of violating France's new fake news law, the media reported. According to the new law which is in force since December, France requires online political campaigns to declare the billing information - who paid for them, and how much was spent, the BBC reported on Wednesday. The French government's information service (GIS) wanted to promote the campaign "#Ouijevote" (#YesI'mvoting) on Twitter. But the microblogging site rejected the campaign after determining it to be a political campaign. Twitter's decision to block the voter registration campaign baffled many. "Twitter's priority should be to fight content that glorifies terrorism. Not campaigns to register on the electoral lists of a democratic republic," France's Interior Minister Christophe Castanter was quoted as saying in a tweet. Other users in the platform are also finding the decision hilarious. "In #France, @TwitterFrance has decided to block a goverment sponsored campaign to promote voting in europeans elections... by invoking a recent french law against #fakenews. #Ouijevote," wrote one user. --IANS gb/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said that his decision to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Wayanad in Kerala was aimed at sending out a message that India was one. Speaking to the media before boarding a helicopter to Kozhikode after filing his nomination papers here, Gandhi said: "I have come to Kerala to send a message that India is one. "I feel there is an assault on all institutions by (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi. I decided I will contest from south India and also from north India." The Congress leader accused Modi of ignoring the main issues: lack of jobs and farmers' plight. "Farmers do not know what is in store for them. The youths have difficulty in finding jobs." He said he had nothing against Kerala's ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M). "I know the CPI-M and Congress are locked in a fight here and it will go on. But I am not going to say a word about the CPI-M. They will attack me and let them do that," added Gandhi. --IANS sg/mr/pg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Paakhi Tyrewala, who wrote and directed the Sikkimese feature film "Pahuna: The Little Visitors", says she faced hiccups in the journey as people did not take women directors seriously even just a few years ago. "'Pahuna...' is not a commercial film. Many people questioned me why I am not making the film in Hindi language and then things started coming out of nowhere that I am a woman director," Paakhi told IANS over phone. "Three years ago, things were different. There were not many female directors. We (women directors) got discriminated in a lot of ways but now things have changed. Many women filmmakers are now coming out and have started receiving equal representation in the industry. But we still face many issues. Issue of pay gap still prevails in the industry," she added. Produced by Priyanka Chopra Jonas and her mother Madhu Chopra under their Purple Pebble Pictures banner, and co-produced by the Children's Film Society, India (CFSI), "Pahuna..." released last year in India after getting premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in 2017. The 90-minute long feature film, which revolves around children who get separated from their parents while fleeing to Sikkim to escape Maoist insurgency in their Nepal village, will now be screened for Syrian refugee children. For the 34-year-old Paakhi, it's "a dream come true". "I always wanted to do something for these kids (displaced children) but everything is being done by big organisations. Now, through my project ('Pahuna'), I will be able to reach to them. I want these kids to have a theatre experience. I hope my film brings joy on their face and gives them a ray of hope," she said. Expressing concern about the lack of children's films in India, Paakhi said: "The idea of screening is to show 'Pahuna' to as many children as possible and then draw them into conversations. Sadly in India, very less films deal with children's issues. "There are hardly any smart and intelligent children's films which evoke conversations. So right now, my focus is to make good children's films which talk about issues being faced by the youngsters," Paakhi added. --IANS sim/rb/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) This refers to the edit Where is the money? (April 4). Apart from the lack of information on how the Congress party will fund the plethora of welfare schemes, its election manifesto is also a reiteration of what it failed to do or should have done during its 10-year rule (2004-14). The Congress' 2009 election manifesto assured 33 per cent reservation for women in Lok Sabha which it promised to pass in the 15th Lok Sabha. It did not support the Bharatiya Janata Party on this in the last five years. Also, its much touted Nyay (Nyuntam Aay Yojana) costing Rs 3.6 lakh crore ... The Anti-Extortion Cell (AEC) of Mumbai Police has arrested a 21-year-old man for allegedly trying to extort Rs 25 lakh from a businessman on behalf of gangster Ejaz Lakdawala. Sagar Satishkumar Yadav was arrested from suburban Bandra Tuesday, a police official said. He told police that he was attracted to the underworld and got in touch with Lakdawala's brother Akeel seeking employment some months ago, the official said. A businessman based in the western suburbs was receiving extortion calls from the Lakdawala gang for the last few months, and some persons had opened fire on his partner. In February, the AEC led by senior police inspector Sachin Kadam arrested Akeel Lakdawala. After Akeel's arrest, Yadav allegedly started calling the businessman, seeking money, the official said. The most recent call was made last week, following which AEC team led a trap at Bandra and nabbed Yadav, he said. He has been sent in police custody till April 12 and further probe was on, the official said. Ejaz Lakdawala is absconding. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 50-year-old mentally ill woman was allegedly raped in southeast Delhi's Lajpat Nagar, police said Thursday. The woman was found lying in a semi-nude state at a park in Lajpat Nagar and was later rushed to the Safdarjung Hospital, they said. Police suspected that the woman was sexually assaulted. However, her statement will be recorded only after doctors declare her fit, a senior police officer said. A medical examination was conducted and the report was awaited. In a CCTV footage accessed, a man was seen running in the area. However, his face was not clear, the officer said. As part of investigation, police formed six to seven teams to spot the suspects. At least 50 suspects were zeroed in and they were made to walk and run, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (southeast) Chinmoy Biswal. The gait of Sudhir Sabita (30) was found to be matching with the one in the CCTV footage. He was then taken to the spot and asked to run, Biswal said. During interrogation, the accused told police that he found the woman alone and took advantage of the fact, the DCP said, adding that Sudhir earlier used to work as a helper at a restaurant. The woman used to live in Lajpat Nagar earlier and was presently staying with her sister in Greater Kailash. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress and the ruling Aam Aadmi Party have resumed talks to discuss the seat-sharing formula for the seven Lok Sabha seats in the national capital, sources said Thursday. The speculation of a tie-up between both the parties got a boost after AAP's Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh met All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge of Delhi P C Chacko Wednesday evening. The ruling AAP has proposed to give two seats to the Congress, which has instead demanded three - New Delhi, Chandni Chowk and North East Delhi, sources in both the parties claimed. "The two leaders discussed the seat-sharing formula, with the AAP offering two seats to the Congress," a source said. Delhi Congress president Sheila Dikshit, however, at a party programme, gave a cryptic reply showing her reservation against alliance with the AAP. "Rest assured we will remain as we are," Dikshit said when asked about possibility of the Congress's alliance with the AAP for the Lok Sabha polls. Chacko will convey the offer from the AAP to Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who will take a final call on the issue in the next few days, the source said. Chacko refused to comment on the issue, saying the decision on the alliance will be conveyed to the media when it is taken by Gandhi. The rationale behind an alliance between the two parties is that together they polled more votes than the BJP, which swept the 2014 general elections winning all the seven seats in Delhi. The AAP has been batting for a tie-up, with the Congress citing the need to defeat the BJP and replace the Modi government in the national interest. However, the Delhi Congress is a divided house, with its president Dikshit and her three working presidents, along with some other leaders, opposing the tie-up with the ruling party. Dikshit met Gandhi over the issue twice and conveyed her message to him. After a meeting with Gandhi last month, she claimed there was "unanimity" in the party against an alliance with the AAP. Rajesh Lilothia, working president of the Delhi Congress, said the alliance will "ruin" the party in Delhi and this stand was clearly stated by Dikshit in her meeting with Gandhi on April 2. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday said he accepts the prestigious 'Order of Zayed' conferred on him by the United Arab Emirates with utmost humility. "Thank you, Your Highness Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. I accept this honour with utmost humility. Under your visionary leadership, our strategic ties have reached new heights. This friendship is contributing to the peace and prosperity of our people and planet," he said in response to UAE Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan's tweet. The Zayed Medal is the highest United Arab Emirates (UAE) decoration awarded to kings, presidents and heads of states. The UAE Crown Prince, who is also the Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, said Modi played a key role in enhancing bilateral ties to the level of comprehensive strategic relations. "We have historical and comprehensive strategic ties with India, reinforced by the pivotal role of my dear friend, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who gave these relations a big boost. In appreciation of his efforts, the UAE President grants him the Zayed Medal," Nahyan tweeted. "By granting our dear friend the Indian Prime Minister the Zayed Medal, we express our appreciation for his role and efforts in developing friendly relations and extending bridges of cooperation between the UAE and the Republic of India in various fields," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama Thursday praised New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern for taking a compassionate approach in dealing with the aftermath of the recent terror attack in her country and said 21th century should be the century of peace and non-violence. Responding to a question at a press conference here, he also said, New Zealand serves as a "living example" for others, as to how to respond with calmness and compassion in the wake of such incidents. New Zealand is one example where a country's leader tried to deal with a "very sad situation" through compassion, he said when asked about the incidents of violence in the last few years in many countries, stemming from hatred. "She tried to tackle the problem through non-violence, compassion and respect for others. So, there are methods (to deal with violence). And, although what happened was a very sad incident, there was no further increase in violence," the Dalai Lama told reporters. "I really admire the New Zealand prime minister, that lady. She is wonderful. So, that is a living example, and everyone can learn from that," he said. At least 50 people were killed and several others wounded in a hate-filled terror attack by a shooter, targeting two mosques in the New Zealand city of Christchurch in March. The attack sparked global outrage drawing condemnation from leaders and institutions around the world. After the attack, Ardern's humane approach in consoling a grieving nation and dealing with its aftermath, including meeting the Muslim community members, was widely praised. The interaction here was held to announce the global launch in Delhi on Friday of a SEE (Social, emotional and ethical) learning programme, hosted by the Emory University in the US in partnership with The Dalai Lama Trust and Vana Foundation of India. Earlier, in his opening remarks, the Tibetan spiritual leader asserted that the 21st century should be the "century of peace and non-violence". "We saw so much violence in the 20th century, two world wars, and, so we must deal with our problems now with dialogues and non-violent measures. And, through peace we can achieve it," he said. The Dalai Lama lamented that most of the problems the world is facing today is "our own creations". "Even the killings we are seeing today around the world, doings of humans only... Our education today is only teaching to be materialistic, and not seek happiness. So, in education, that horizon of emotion is necessary and compassion in heart to achieve happiness," he said. He also asserted that India is country based on secular philosophy and the country has the "potential to help humanity" by combining modern education with the ancient wisdom of the country. SEE learning provides educators with a comprehensive framework for cultivation of social, emotional and ethical competencies that can be used in K-12 education as well as higher education and professional education, the university officials said. "The programme also includes a segment on building resilience in the face of trauma or violence, and how to deal with it in a calm way, so that students do not suffer emotional breakdown or negative impact on their psyche," said, Brendan Ozawa-de Silva, Associate Director for SEE learning at the Emory University. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Close on the heels of the controversy over Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's 'Modi ki Sena' remark, Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi was caught on camera making a similar comment, from which he sought to wriggle out on Thursday. At an election rally in Rampur on Wednesday, the footage of which has gone viral on social and electronic media, Naqvi said, "Our missiles, our defence personnel annihilated the terrorists after storming their bastions. This is not an ordinary feat." "'Ab dikkat yeh hui ki Congress party, Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party sab chilaane lage ki bhai yeh jo Modi ji ne ghus ghus kar, Modiji ki sena ne ghus ghus kar ke aatankwaadiyo ko tabaah kiyaa uskaa saboot to dikhaa do' (But the problem is that the Congress, SP, BSP started demanding proof of the attack carried out by 'Modiji ki sena')," he added. When contacted by PTI on Thursday evening, Naqvi maintained that he had not said it in as many words. "I might have said 'meri sena, aapki sena, har aadmi ki sena' (my Army, your army, everyone's Army)," he told PTI over phone. The Election Commission has issued a showcause notice to Adityanath for his 'Modi ji ki sena' remark made during a poll rally at Ghaziabad earlier this week. Sources in the poll panel said, prima facie, Adityanath has violated the EC's advisory of keeping armed forces away from political campaign. Adityanath, who addressed election meetings in Ghaziabad and Greater Noida on Sunday, had lashed out at the Congress for what he called was its "soft approach towards terrorism and terrorists". "Congress ke log aatankwadiyon ko biryani khilate the aur Modiji ki sena aatankwadiyon ko goli aur gola deti hai. (Congress leaders 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 (JeM chief) Masood Azhar to encourage terrorism," he had said at the Ghaziabad election rally. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Allegations that National Conference candidate Akbar Lone raised pro-Pakistan slogans are "incorrect", Jammu and Kashmir's chief electoral officer said on Thursday after an inquiry conducted by the poll panel. Senior BJP leaders and its allies had been claiming that Lone, NC candidate from North Kashmir, had raised pro-Pakistan slogans during a rally, and also asked the Congress to justify its alliance with the National Conference. Chief Electoral Officer Shailendra Kumar was also asked whether the statements of former chief minister and National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah about the complete restoration of autonomy which includes the state having its own prime minister and that of PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti's remarks on 'relation of JK with India to end' if Article 370 or 35-A are tampered with "qualify as a complaint". "If we get a specific complaint, we will look into it," the CEO said told PTI. On a question related to Lone, Kumar said an assistant returning officer had issued a notice to Lone, seeking explanation about his purported slogans. "I guess it was reported about Akbar Lone that he has said something... Then an internal inquiry was held and it found that the allegations which appeared in newspapers were incorrect", Kumar said. He said it was not a video of any election rally but an old video, in which he was referring to an incident in the state assembly. On Monday, Abdullah said his party would not allow an attack on Jammu and Kashmir's special status and would seek restoration of terms of accession of the state, including the provision for 'Sadr-e-Riyasat' (president) and prime minister posts. On Wednesday, Mufti said the relation of Jammu and Kashmir with India will end if the terms and conditions of the state's accession to the Union were changed. "2020 will also be a deadline from Jammu and Kashmir to the nation. If you remove those terms and conditions on which Jammu and Kashmir acceded to India, our relation with the country will also end," She had told reporters after filing her nomination papers from the Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency. The remarks of Abdullah and Mufti had made headlines, triggering controversies after which BJP and other parties hit out at them for being "pro-separatists". The CEO was asked about the complaints of various political parties about the withdrawal of security to its leaders by the governor administration. He said an information regarding withdrawal of security to politicians has been sent to the Election Commission. The Jammu and Kashmir administration has to seek the approval of the CEO with regard to withdrawal of security and accommodation to political leaders during the elections as the model code of conduct is in place. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Amazon on Thursday confirmed it is working on a project to deploy a network of satellites for high-speed internet service in underserved parts of the world. Project Kuiper was first reported by tech website GeekWire, which cited US regulatory filings disclosing the satellite project that could cost billions of dollars to complete. "Project Kuiper is a new initiative to launch a constellation of low earth orbit satellites that will provide low-latency, high-speed broadband connectivity to unserved and underserved communities around the world," Amazon said in response to an AFP inquiry. "This is a long-term project that envisions serving tens of millions of people who lack basic access to broadband internet." The filings described a plan to put 3,236 satellites in low orbit at altitudes ranging from 590 kilometres to 630 kilometre, according to GeekWire. The frontier of space is internationally agreed to be 100 kilometres above Earth, known as the Karman Line. The Seattle-based online powerhouse was looking to partner with like-minded companies on the effort. There was no indication that Project Kuiper thus far involved Blue Origin, the rocket company owned by Amazon chief executive Jeff Bezos, which blasted off the 10th test flight of its New Shepard rocket early this year. More test flights lie ahead, but the first flights with passengers on board could start by late 2019. Amazon would be one of several companies seeking to use satellites to deliver internet to remote areas including Elon Musk's SpaceX and OneWeb, a venture-backed startup with funding from Japan's SoftBank, Airbus and chipmaker Qualcomm. Several companies have been attempting to use space-based internet systems since the 1990s including one backed by Microsoft's Bill Gates and Saudi royal family investors. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Election Commission said Thursday it has found a "clear-cut" violation of its instructions by Dalit leader Prakash Ambedkar, who allegedly threatened to put the poll panel in jail for two days, and made it clear that he will be booked for his statement. Ambedkar, a three-time Member of Parliament, earlier on Thursday criticised the EC for not allowing political parties speak on the February 14 Pulwama terrorist attack. "We have lost 40 soldiers but still sitting quietly. We have been asked to not speak on the Pulwama attack. How can the EC gag us? "Our Constitution has given us the right to speak. I am not BJP. If voted to power, we will jail the Election Commission for two days," Ambedkar said during a rally in Yavatmal district of Maharashtra. Deputy Election Commissioner Chandra Bhushan Kumar told reporters here the panel has received a report from the district election officer and he "confirmed this statement in his report". "This is a clear-cut violation of our instructions," Kumar said. He said political leaders and people's representatives should exercise "caution" when speaking on "sensitive" subjects. A case will be registered against Ambedkar under an appropriate law, Kumar said. He said a detailed report has also been sought from the Maharashtra Chief Electoral Officer on this episode. In another election rally in Nanded on Wednesday, Ambedkar claimed the banknotes scrapped by the Modi government in November 2016 will be remonetised if he is elected. The grandson of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar is contesting the Lok Sabha election from Solapur and Akola constituencies in Maharashtra as a candidate of Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) an alliance of Ambedkar-led Bharip Bahujan Mahasangh and Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM. The VBA is contesting all 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state. Maharashtra will go to polls in four phases, starting on April 11 and concluding on April 29. The second and third phase of polling will be held on April 18 and 23. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A case was registered Thursday against Bharip Bahujan Mahasangh president Prakash Ambedkar for allegedly making objectionable remarks against the Election Commission of India (ECI), police said. Ambedkar said at an election rally at Digras in Maharashtra's Yavatmal district earlier Thursday that he will jail the EC for two days if voted to power. Yavatmal district collector lodged the complaint at Digras Police Station, and a case under IPC sections 503 (criminal intimidation), 505 (statements conducing to public mischief), 189 (threat of injury to public servant) was registered. Ambedkar has formed Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, an alliance, with Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM for the Lok Sabha The state election commission had sought a report from local poll officials on Ambedkar's speech, Additional chief electoral officer Dilip Shinde had told PTI. Ambedkar, grandson of Dr B R Ambedkar, is himself contesting the Lok Sabha election from Solapur and Akola constituencies. "We have lost 40 soldiers (in Pulwama), but still sitting quiet. We have been asked not to speak on the Pulwama attack. How can the EC gag us? Our Constitution has given us the right to speak. I am not the BJP. If voted to power, we will jail the Election Commission for two days," Ambedkar said during the rally. When asked about his remarks, Ambedkar said he had made a "general" statement. "I said it in a general sense, but only my comment on the EC was singled out," Ambedkar told PTI. The White House on Thursday stoked anticipation President Donald Trump could announce a summit with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to finalize a trade agreement resolving their nine month-trade war. Both US and Chinese officials have projected cautious optimism for months but momentum has slowed as the two sides tussle over whether and when Washington should remove the punishing tariffs it imposed last year on Chinese goods. Chinese trade envoy Liu He is due to meet with Trump later in the day at the conclusion of the latest round of talks, while US officials have said the negotiations are near an end one way or the other. Trump tweeted earlier that the talks, as well as efforts to ratify a new agreement on North American trade, were "moving along very nicely," renewing the positive mood that officials have projected since January. Last year, Trump launched a trade war with China, seeking to slash that country's soaring trade surplus with the United States, end alleged unfair trade practices such as the theft of American technology and China's massive state intervention in markets. Washington and Beijing since last year have imposed slapped tariffs on more than USD 360 billion in two-way trade, biting into their manufacturing sectors as the world economy shows signs of slowing. China has offered to make sizable purchases of US commodities and taken steps to show they will protect foreign intellectual property. A final sticking point appears to be when and how Washington will agree to lift the steep tariffs it has placed on more than $250 billion in Chinese imports. Last month, Trump said the tariffs would stay in place for "a substantial period," although whether this would apply to both tranches of goods subjected to the new duties was unclear. US officials demand that any agreement have teeth and say removing tariffs too soon could allow Beijing to backslide on its commitments. Gary Clyde Hufbauer, a former US trade official and senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, said that lifting the tariffs too early could encourage criticism from Democrats that he had gone soft in the negotiations. "The White House response to this drama is to keep the tariffs and only to slowly lower the rate as the Chinese fulfill their commitments," Hufbauer told AFP. "The Chinese strategy is to have them get rid of it," he said. "My guess is that something in between will be in the compromise." In February, Trump announced he would complete any deal himself at a "signing summit" with Xi later in March but the date has repeatedly slipped further into the year as the two sides continued to haggle. Optimism about a deal has boosted global stock markets for much of the start of 2019, with investors seemingly less concerned about the contents of any deal than the mere fact that the world's two top economies could soon end their skirmishes. Hufbauer noted, however, that any agreement was likely to include banner announcements that China had agreed to increase purchases of American commodities like soybeans and fuel. This could perversely serve to give Chinese state enterprises a greater market role while making US exporters more reliant on the Chinese government's purchasing decisions -- both contrary to Trump's stated goals. "The US has departed very sharply from market-oriented philosophy," he said of China's likely announced purchases. "That's not the market working, that's government diktat. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The opposition Congress in Arunachal Pradesh Thursday released the party's manifesto promising inclusive growth and development besides special incentives to unemployed educated youths. The manifesto pledges to provide employment assurance allowances for graduates to the tune of Rs 5000 per month to be routed through district employment exchanges. The party also promised to implement schemes for capacity building, vocational training, grants and allowances to the unemployed youth based on local resources and availability of funds. "The party will pursue a policy for peaceful resolution of longstanding insurgency problems in three districts - Tirap, Changlang and Longding - by working out a suitable rehabilitation package with the the central government," state Congress president Takam Sanjoy said. Releasing the manifesto here, Sanjoy said the state government and the Centre need to jointly work out a rehabilitation package so that the youth of the state, who have gone astray could be persuaded to return to mainstream. "The government must relax Armed Forces Special Powers (Act) from the three troubled districts where Naga insurgents are active so that they could be invited for talks without compromising the territorial integrity of the state," Sanjoy said adding that the Centre should take responsibility to bear 90 per cent share of the rehabilitation package. The party also promised to provide free rice to BPL families besides providing a one-time grant of Rs 20 lakh to students who want to pursue higher education in foreign countries. The party pledged to revive the Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Universal Health Insurance Scheme launched in the state by the Congress government led by Nabam Tuki, with a ceiling of Rs 5 lakh to each citizen for cashless treatment in empanelled hospitals across the country. The Congress manifesto also promised to provide computer education in all elementary schools besides free textbooks and uniforms, free supply of nutritional supplements to BPL families. Development of road infrastructure was also highlighted in the manifesto. "The party if voted to power will strive for establishing surface connectivity between the state and Mandalay of Myanmar through Jairam-Nampong in Changlang district," Sanjoy said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The traditionally bipolar election to the Pathanamthitta Lok Sabha constituency, ground zero of the Sabarimala agitation, has gone triangular this time with the BJP hoping to win over voters who are opposed to implementation of the apex court order on entry of women in the hill shrine. The BJP has fielded its state General Secretary K Surendran, who led the Sabarimala protests against changing temple traditions, while the ruling Left Democratic Front has nominated Veena George, its Aranmula MLA, to take on two-time Congress-led UDF MP Anto Antony. The opposition to the Left government's decision to implement the September 28 Supreme Court order on allowing entry of women of all ages in the shrine of Lord Ayyappa here snowballed into a huge agitation that grabbed national headlines. The protests, one of the most violent religious agitations in the state, was led by a section of devotees, right wing outfits and the BJP-RSS. During the protests, Surendran was arrested and jailed on various charges, including attempt to murder and the use of criminal force to outrage the modesty of a woman. The constituency consists of Assembly seats from Pathanamthitta and Kottayam district. UDF's Antony, who won from the constituency in 2014 and 2009, is leaving no stone unturned to continue his winning streak. He won 41 per cent of votes in the 2014 election and had a winning margin of 56,191 votes. "He is banking on his developmental credentials. He had done so much for the constituency," said a local leader who is assisting Antony in the campaign However, both Veena George and Surendran are also confident of putting up a good fight to wrest the seat from the UDF. Surendran has been busy visiting families and meeting prominent personalities in the constituency. "We need to bring back Modi government. It's only the BJP that can promote Sabarimala as a world famous pilgrim centre. When Sabarimala develops, the Pathanamthitta district and constituency develops," he said. He alleged that no other political party was interested in developing the shrine. LDF candidate and former journalist Veena George expressed satisfaction over the response of the people during the campaign. "LDF would register historic victory in the coming Lok Sabha polls. The number of participants in our poll campaign itself is a proof for the immense acceptance of the party," she said. George said she will take up with the Centre the issues of Erumely airport and rejuvenation of Pamba river. Pathanamthitta is considered one of the best districts in the country with high human development indices matching most of the developed countries. The district boasts of the cleanest air in India as per a World Health Organisation (WHO) report. It is also one of the least poverty affected districts in the country with a literacy rate of 96.55 per cent. Out of the total population, 56.93 per cent belongs to Hindu community where as 38.12 per cent are from Christian community. The church is an influential body and has been a key player in every field of development including infrastructure for schools, colleges and hospitals. The Nair Service Society (NSS), which is a body representing the powerful Nair community and has been in the forefront of the Sabarimala protests, in a circular Tuesday made it clear that it will continue to maintain equi-distance towards all the three fronts. This would be music to the ears of the ruling Left as the NSS had been upset with the government over the handling of the Sabarimala issue, and the UDF and the BJP were hoping to woo Nair voters. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had attacked the Left government over the Sabarimala issue, saying it was trying to disrespect Kerala's culture. The LDF government, which had incurred the wrath of a section of Hindu community by deciding to implement the apex court verdict on Sabarimala, had set apart Rs 739 crore for overall development of the temple town in its budget and another Rs 100 crore to the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), which administers the Ayyappa shrine. Jayalekshmi, an expert in ecology and environment and a staunch supporter of the Left movement in Kerala, said the political parties were exploiting the sentiments of the devotees. "The ruling LDF could have shown some restraint in implementing the Supreme Court verdict. The BJP had used the situation. However, the matter is going to be a decisive one in this election," she said. The Pandalam royal family, associated with the Sabarimala temple and the agitation, had earlier told the media that they will not campaign for the BJP in the polls. As per the 2011 census, Pathanamthitta has a population of 1,197,412, of which male and female strength was 561,716 and 635,696 respectively. It was also a district which showed a negative growth in population, -2.97 per cent, as per 2001 census. Carved out of neighbouring Kollam, Idukki and Alappuzha districts in 1982, the district has two international airports within a distance of 100 km. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad Thursday defended his party's promise to review the AFSPA, saying while the security forces should enjoy full powers to eliminate militancy, it is also necessary to ensure that no human rights violation takes place. Asserting that the Article 370 - guaranteeing special status to Jammu and Kashmir - would stay forever, Azad also suggested that the administration should "re-look' its order of closing Jammu-Srinagar national highway for two days a week to allow smooth movement of convoys between the twin capitals. On revoking of Article 370, Azad said, "It is there for the last 70 years and will remain so for ever". A government notification on Wednesday said the Baramulla to Udhampur stretch of the national highway has been put out of bounds for the civilian traffics on Sundays and Wednesdays till May 31. Referring to the criticism of his party's promise to review AFSPA, the Congress leader said there are people who are taking "sadistic pleasure" because they have not seen its impact. "AFSPA and disturbed area act are there in the state for the last 30 years which is very long time. The act remained in force in Punjab for 14 years and also at some other places in the country. "It is good for the country that we will review it. The security forces should enjoy full powers to eliminate militancy but at the same time we have to ensure that no human rights violation takes place," he told reporters. Noting that human rights violations do take place, he said,"As chief minister, I had myself witnessed and ordered digging of three graves. You are blaming only Army but I have caught 13 policemen who picked up three local daily wagers killed them and dubbed them as Pakistanis." "Our Army, our security forces and our policemen are laying down their lives and we salute their sacrifice. The nation will always remain indebted to them. "However, if anyone picks up any civilian and kills him for promotion and rewards, I think he is against the humanity and any government, media and anyone from any religious background should not tolerate it, he said. He said Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of the country and will remain so, but there is a need to address the issue to bring peace to the region. "I think Article 370 is there for the last 70 years and it will stay," he said while releasing the party manifesto here. About the government order banning the movement of civilian vehicles on the Jammu-Srinagar highway, he said "the government should find a better solution". "The safety and security of the security personnel is of paramount importance but traffic is equally important. They should have found a solution like restricting traffic for half a day each for security forces and civilians. "That could have been a better solution, but to stop traffic for two days is a little difficult to manage because there will a lot of hue and cry," he said. On Omar Abdullah reportedly proposing utilizing train services for moving security personnel, he said since train does not go to Kashmir, it is a problem. "That is an alternative from any part of the country to Udhampur. Then Banihal to Kashmir, a small stretch can be opened and closed (Udhampur to Banihal)...it is for the state government to find an option," he said. Advocating dialogue to address the Kashmir problem, he said, "Dialogue is the only way forward to address the aspiration of the people of different regions of the state and ensure honourable solution which will satisfy them." He said if his party comes to power, it will follow a two pronged strategy not compromising with border security and not allowing infiltration and second - winning the hearts of the people of all the three regions with sincere efforts. "When Omar Abdullah led NC-Congress government was ruling the state and the UPA was at the Centre, there was only reports of minimum infiltration. But after five years of this government, infiltration has peaked," he said. He asserted, "Congress will strengthen the security grid at the border to stop infiltration of terrorists and will give more role to the state police in dealing with internal law and order situation." Azad also promised martyr status to security personnel who lay down their lives in the service of the nation if his party comes to power. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is making tall claims but the reality is that the defence ministry's budget has witnessed a decline over the past five years. "We will focus on it and will all ensure all the requirements of the armed forces are fulfilled and every step will be taken for modernization," he said. "We will accept the long-pending demand of CRPF, BSF, ITBP and CISF and accord martyred status to those personnel who are killed fighting terrorism or Pakistan," he said. Reading out from the manifesto, he said the Congress will talk to all stakeholders in the state."There is no doubt that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and it will remain so," he said. He pointed out that when he was the chief minister, he had held round-table conferences under the prime ministership of Manmohan Singh in which 27 parties except Hurriyat Conference attended. Azad said there will be no pre-condition for the talks because when a pre-condition is attached, the talks fail at the outset. He said the Congress will nominate three interlocutors from the civil society and will also study the previous reports which are lying with the centre to find out an everlasting solution to the problem. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hundreds of women activists, students and professionals hit the streets Thursday to demand 'azadi' (freedom) from all kinds of oppression under the BJP regime. The women, raising slogans of "Azadi lekar rahenge", marched from Mandi House to Jantar Mantar in the national capital under the banner of 'Women March 4 Change'. Such marches were organised at several places across 20 states of the country. With just a week left for the Lok Sabha elections to begin, women across the country protested against the "environment of hate and violence" under the BJP regime. "We need equality. We do not want war, we do not want violence. We say no to mob lynching. We say no to hate politics and atrocities," said journalist Bhasha Singh addressing the gathering at Jantar Mantar. "Women are not baby-producing machines. We have fought enough and we will continue to fight for our freedom. No one can dictate to us on what we should wear, or whom to love. Humara time aa gaya hain (our time has come)," she said. Rights activist Aruna Roy also slammed the Centre for its "repressive" policies. "If we get this government back, women will lose two fundamental rights--right to freedom of expression and right to equality-- because they (Centre) are threatening to change the Constitution," she told PTI. "For me, it is absolutely important as a woman that this party does not come back. The last four years have seen the culture of politics change in this country. Violence has become the norm, hatred has become a value. How can I let my country go that way?" the activist said. Addressing the crowd, Sumedha Bodh, representative of Rashtriya Dalit Mahila Andolan, said although women vote their voices are rarely heard. "Modiji speaks about 'vikas' (development), but there is no vikas for women. Caste-based politics will not work. If women are not given their rights, we will find an alternative," she said. Another protester said women feel the need to get rid of the present government as they feel unsafe under the Modi regime. "We live in dangerous times. People are being killed in the name of cow. Women do not feel safe. Even cows are safe only on posters. Only Ambanis and Adanis are safe under this government," Deepali, a theatre practitioner, said. "It is important to safeguard our Constitution and this government is a threat to our democracy," she added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Moderate Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Thursday said the administration's decision to ban movement of civilian vehicles on Jammu and Kashmir national highway for two days a week was "anti-people and dictatorial". The national highway from Baramulla to Udhampur has been put out of bounds for the civilian traffics on Sundays and Wednesdays till May 31, a notification issued by the J-K adminstration said Wednesday. "Another anti-people dictatorial move of the government to close the national highway for two days which will cause great distress to people. "The government should withdraw this diktat and stop punishing people of Kashmir," the Mirwaiz wrote on Twitter. The ban on civilian traffic would be effective from Baramulla to Udhampur through Srinagar, Qazigund, Jawahar-Tunnel, Banihal and Ramban, the notification said. The ban would be in force on the two days from 4 am to 5 pm, it added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) German chemicals giant Bayer confirmed Thursday reports it had suffered a hacking attack, but insisted that so far no data appeared to have been stolen. The Leverkusen-based group "detected indications of (hacker group) Winnti infections at the beginning of 2018," a spokesman told AFP, confirming reports by German public broadcasters BR and NDR. "There is no evidence of data outflow," he added. Hackers from the so-called Winnti group, believed to be linked to the Chinese state, were first spotted using malicious software to spy on Bayer's activities in early 2018 and were present in company networks until late last month, the media reports said. Bayer said that "in close collaboration with" private cyber security organisation DCSO and police in North Rhine-Westphalia state it had "identified, analysed and cleaned up the affected systems." The two public broadcasters reported that state police had declined to comment on the investigation for "tactical reasons". For its part, Bayer said that Cologne state prosecutors were looking into the case. Gerhard Schindler, former head of Germany's BND foreign intelligence service, told BR that while it was extremely difficult to attribute hacking attacks to any state, spying on German firms was "in line with China's ambitious economic goals". Andreas Rohr of the DCSO -- set up by German companies as a joint cyber defence centre -- said that given the targets so far chosen by Winnti, "we can assume that there is a very targeted tasking by the Chinese state," although definite proof was impossible. Winnti attacks have been discovered at three smaller German firms since the beginning of 2019, BR and NDR reported. And in 2016, the group's software was discovered in systems at industrial conglomerate Thyssenkrupp. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Uttar Pradesh Real Estate Regulatory Authority (UP RERA) Thursday said it has sent letters to the zonal heads of all 42 banks to be more vigilant of the escrow accounts of the promoters and developers. A copy of the letter has also been sent to the director general of the Directorate of Institutional Finance, Government of Uttar Pradesh, UP RERA said in a statement. The authority has asked banks for strict compliance of the provisions of Section-4 (2) (I) (D) of RERA Act, 2016, which warrants 70 per cent of amounts realised for real estate projects to be deposited in a separate account and to be maintained in a scheduled bank to cover the cost of construction and the land cost and shall be used only for limited purposes. UP RERA Chairman Rajive Kumar said, "It has come to the notice of the Authority that some of the promoters are not complying with the statutory provisions of the law and withdrawing the amount from the designated account without submitting the requisite certificate. This is grave violation of the mandatory provisions of the Act." UP RERA Secretary Abrar Ahmed said the separate accounts related to 2,651 projects registered in RERA are being maintained in 962 branches, some of them are based out of Uttar Pradesh. "We have sent separate individual letters to all the 962 branches by speed post." It has also come to the notice of the Authority that some of the banks, especially the ones that have sanctioned loan to the promoter, arbitrarily adjust the entire amount deposited in the account against the outstanding loan of the promoter instead of transferring 70 per cent of the money collected to the escrow account for the purposes of construction and payment of the cost of land of the project, the statement said. "The banks are requested to issue necessary instructions to all of the regional managers, deputy general managers, assistant general managers (and) branch managers to strictly comply with the provisions," Ahmed said. It is further clarified that if the banks do not adhere to the provisions of the Act, the matter will be brought to the notice of the chairman of the respective banks and the secretary of the banking department of the Government of India for appropriate action in the matter. In total, there are 42 scheduled commercial banks -- 21 each public sector and private sector lenders. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Scores of angry Congress workers engaged in fist fight and heckled top leaders at the partys state headquarters here, charging them with having sold out the interests of the party while negotiating seat-sharing arrangements and deciding candidates. AICC in-charge for the state Shaktisinh Gohil and other senior party leaders were mobbed by angry workers at the Sadaqat Ashram where they had gathered to conduct a meeting of the state election committee, with just a week left for casting of votes to begin. The protesters, most of them supporters of former Aurangabad MP Nikhil Kumar, were livid over the announcement of RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha that he would seek re-election from his sitting seat of Karakat, besides Ujiyarpur. The former Aurangabad MPs supporters have been feeling slighted over the seat a stronghold of Nikhil Kumars family whose grandfather was the states first Deputy Chief Minister, father a several term MP and Chief Minister for a brief period and late wife too an MP before he took the plunge going to Jitan Ram Manjhis HAM. There had been speculations that Kushwaha, who has been given five out of the 40 seats in the states, would be convinced to give up Karakat in favor of Kumar so that the former Delhi Police chief could contest from the seat which borders Aurangabad and where a sizeable population of upper castes and muslims made the Congress prospects look bright. With Kushwahas announcement, the anger of Congress workers who have been feeling that the party has been shortchanged getting only nine seats to contest though it initially wished to field candidates from 15 spilled out in the open. Later, addressing a press conference, Gohil with an embarrassed smile said the angry workers are like members of family. We understand their sentiments. But I would appeal to all to give up grievances for the moment and focus on helping the Mahagathbandhan win so that Rahul Gandhi becomes the next Prime Minister. Congress legislature party leader Sadanand Singh also seemed to share the anguish of the protesters as he remarked, separately, I have already said that injustice has been done to us. But the time for negotiations is over. So we must focus on the task at hand". The party has also been left red-faced with Kushwaha announcing candidature of Akash Prasad Singh, the Congress state campaign committee chief Akhilesh Prasad Singhs son, as candidate from East Champaran which has evoked allegations from several quarters that it was result of a deal. When questions were posed to Kushwaha, he snapped Akash is a member of my party and allegations are being levelled by those opposed to us while BPCC president Madan Mohan Jha replied to queries about the development saying we cannot comment about what happens in another party even if it happens to be our ally. BJP spokesman Nikhil Anand said in a tongue in cheek statement Congress leader Akhilesh Prasad Singh, who was earlier with the RJD, seems to have taken the franchise for the party he is currently associated with as well as the RLSP. The Congress also faced an embarrassing situation in Supaul Lok Sabha seat, where sitting MP Ranjeet Ranjan is in the fray, as an RJD worker filed his nomination papers as an independent candidate and the local unit asserted that he would withdraw only if the parliamentarians husband Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav, sitting MP, withdrew from the contest against RJD nominee Sharad Yadav in Madhepura. Pappu Yadav, who won in 2014 from Madhepura on an RJD ticket, has entered the fray as a candidate of Jan Adhikar Party he founded upon expulsion from Lalu Prasads party. Dinesh Yadav is an RJD worker. His action is in keeping with our earlier warning that we will queer the pitch for Ranjan if her husband tries to put hurdles in our way in Madhepura. The ball is now in Pappu Yadavs court, RJD MLA Yaduvansh Yadav, who is also the district unit chief of his party, told PTI over phone. Meanwhile, RJD heir apparent Tejashwi Yadav dismissed queries about Congress leaders refraining from appearing at rallies of candidates belonging to other constituents of Mahagathbandhan, claiming people used to raise similar doubts in 2015 when Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad held rallies separately. But their alliance won handsomely. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) AAP's Lok Sabha candidate Brajesh Goyal Thursday said neither the BJP nor the central government can shrug off its responsibility for carrying out the sealing drive in Delhi in 2017 and asserted that the saffron party was solely responsible for the sufferings of traders in the city. Rebutting claims of Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri, who on Wednesday said the Centre and the civic bodies had nothing to do with the sealing drive as it was done on the instructions of a Supreme Court appointed panel, he said if the government had the intention, they could have brought ordinance to stop the drive. Goyal, who is contesting from New Delhi constituency, said that the BJP -which is both at the Centre and in MCDs- was solely responsible for the sealing of over 20,000 properties in the capital because of which small businessmen are suffering. Goyal, who is also the convenor of AAP's trade and industry wing in Delhi, said that the statement of Puri has hurt the sentiments of traders and industrialists and they have decided to teach BJP a lesson this time by not voting it to power. De-sealing properties and putting a stop on the drive is one of the agendas of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) which has promised traders and shop owners in its manifesto that all sealed shops will be opened once it comes to power. Criticising Puri, Goyal told reporters, "He made a statement that the Centre and the BJP have nothing to do with sealing. Neither the BJP nor the central government can shrug off its responsibility of carrying out the sealing drive. "The BJP, central government and Hardeep Puri are wholly and solely responsible for it. If the government had the intention, they could have brought ordinance to stop the sealing drive." He said he has personally met Puri with other traders and the minister had promised to resolve the issue of sealing in a week but he did not do anything. "If traders' demands were properly explained to the Supreme Court by the government's Attorney General, then the decision would have been in their favour. "Puri's statement has hurt the sentiments of businessmen and traders and they have decided to teach BJP a lesson in the Lok Sabha elections," he said. Puri had on Wednesday alleged that the AAP is seeking votes from Delhiites by spreading "lies" on several issues and asserted that a party which does not have the expertise of running an administration nor dedication towards works, is resorting to lies. Puri had also tweeted a purported campaign pamphlet of AAP's east Delhi candidate Atishi and said a bunch of lies has been prepared by her. In the pamphlet, the party promises regularisation of unauthorised colonies once the national capital gets full statehood and also promises to stop the sealing drive in the city. Every citizen knows that the sealing drive had been carried out following the direction of the Supreme Court-appointed Bhure Lal committee, and neither the Centre nor any civic body had anything to do with it, Puri had said in a series of tweets in Hindi. AAP's East Delhi candidate Atishi had also hit back, saying even children in Delhi know that if the minister wanted, he could have stopped sealing in Delhi within two minutes by bringing in an ordinance but he did not want to do it. The ruling AAP is currently running a campaign in support of its demand for granting full statehood to Delhi in run up to the Lok Sabha elections. The Lok Sabha polls being conducted in seven phases will begin on April 11 and continue till May 19. Delhi will vote on May 12 and the overall results will be declared on May 23. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BJP MLA Narendra Mehta has lodged a complaint with Thane police against an unidentified person for allegedly creating a fake account on a social media platform in his name and posting objectionable messages on it, an official said on Wednesday. Mehta, the legislator from Mira Bhayandar constituency in Maharashtra's Thane district, was informed by some local BJP activists about the fake account running in his name on Facebook following which he approached the police on Wednesday, he said. The MLA mentioned in the complaint that the account was created with an intention to defame him as objectionable messages were posted on it between March 28 and 30, the police spokesperson said. Based on the complaint, the police registered a case against the unidentified person under Indian Penal Code Section 500 (defamation) and relevant provisions of the Information Technology Act, he said. No arrest was made so far, he said, adding that a probe was underway. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Maharashtra BJP spokesperson Shaina N C Thursday said she was "upset and appalled" as most of the leading political parties, including her own, have not given enough representation to women in the Lok Sabha elections. Praising West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for giving 41 and 33 per cent to women candidates respectively, she said all other parties need to "wake up" as they only pay "lip service" to women's causes. Of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, only 13 women fielded by prominent parties are in the fray. In a statement issued here, Shaina said, "Ability requires opportunity. Talent needs to be showcased." "Leadership across the board need to give more women politicians a chance for us to prove our electoral competence. All parties need to wake up," she said. The BJP has fielded seven women candidates this time, Congress three, NCP and Shiv Sena one each. Independent MLA Ravi Rana's wife, Navneet, is contesting from Amravati as an ally of NCP. BJP candidate for Nandurbar seat, Heena Gavit, is the daughter of former NCP minister Vijaykumar Gavit, while the party's Raver nominee Raksha Khadse is the daughter-in-law of BJP leader Eknath Khadse. Similarly, Bharati Pawar (Dindori) is the daughter-in-law of NCP leader late A T Pawar, Poonam Mahajan (Mumbai North Central) is daughter of BJP leader late Pramod Mahajan, Pritam Munde (Beed) is daughter of late BJP leader Gopinath Munde and Kanchan Kul (Baramati) is the wife of RSP MLA Rahul Kul. MLC Smita Wagh is BJP's candidate from Jalgaon. Gavit, Khadse, Munde, Mahajan are seeking a second term. They had been elected for the first time in 2014. Congress has fielded Charulata Tokas (Wardha), who is the daughter of party leader late Prabha Rau. Priya Dutt, who is contesting from Mumbai North Central, is the daughter of late actor and politician Sunil Dutt. Actor Urmila Matondkar, who joined the Congress recently, is contesting from Mumbai North constituency. Sharad Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule is seeking a re-election from Baramati for the third time, while Navneet Rana is contesting from Amravati as an ally of NCP. Shiv Sena MP Bhavana Gawli is seeking a re-election from Yavatmal-Washim for the fourth time. "Women are 50 per cent of the electorate. Upset and appalled to know that other than Mamata Banerjee, who has given 41 per cent and Navin Patnaik, who has given 33 per cent to women candidates, all other parties only pay lip service to our cause. "What is worrisome is that we are still having dialogues and discussions on the most basic rights that any human being should be entitled to. That's why a 33 per cent reservation must be a collective, concerted, conscious effort of all women in public life," she said. She vowed to champion the cause of reservation and said she will do it even if she has to fight the male chauvinistic mindset in her own party and all other parties. "Here on, I will champion the cause of reservation even if I have to fight the male chauvinistic mindset in my parties in all other parties too," she said. "Requesting all women to speak up and demand all parties to give 33 per cent tickets to women as part of their manifesto of their individual party irrespective of legislation in Parliament for reservation," Shaina said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Four women workers were injured, two of them critically, after a fire broke out at a fireworks factory in Durg district of Chhattisgarh on Thursday, police said. The fire broke out around 11.30 am in a section of Praja Fireworks Factory in Mahmara village of the district, when the victims were working with explosive powders, City Superintendent of Police (CSP) Durg Vivek Shukla said. The women workers, identified as Rahi Nishad (45), Ganeshwari Nishad (40), Surji Nishad (40) and Mati Nishad (36), sustained burn injuries in the incident, he said. Soon after being informed, a police team along with fire tenders rushed to the spot to douse the flames, he said. The injured were shifted to district hospital, from where they were referred to Sector-9 hospital, Bhilai for further medication, he said. "Of them, Rahi and Ganeshwari sustained around 80 per cent burns and are said to be critical," he said. Investigation is underway to ascertain the cause of the incident, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Election Commission (EC) on Thursday said a call given by an umbrella organisation of civil societies and student associations in Mizoram to boycott the upcoming Lok Sabha polls was "called off" and voting will take place as scheduled on April 11 for the lone parliamentary seat in the north-eastern state. "The boycott or the bandh has been called off and polls will take place in Mizoram as scheduled," Deputy Election Commissioner Sudeep Jain told reporters here. Asked if the EC had got the boycott call withdrawn on "any conditions", Jain replied in the negative. He said the Bru refugees would be "facilitated" to cast their franchise on April 11 as it was done during the state Assembly polls last year. The EC sets up special polling booths for this category of voters (Bru refugees) in Kanhmun village at the Mizoram-Tripura border and the civil organisations were protesting this move. The EC is setting up 15 polling booths in the village exclusive for the Bru refugees from Mizoram who are housed in six camps in neighbouring Tripura. The step was taken during the November, 2018 Mizoram Assembly polls too. The Bru refugees have refused to return to Mizoram for years, despite several repatriation efforts. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Police in Brazil say 10 people were killed in a shooting between alleged robbers and police in the outskirts of the country's biggest city. Police commander Mario Alves da Silva told journalists that the incident took place in the city of Guararema, outside Sao Paulo, Thursday afternoon. The police commander said at least 25 suspected criminals were involved in the robberies. He did not confirm if those killed were all suspected criminals, but said no policemen were killed in the shootings. Footage obtained by TV Globo shows two bank branches with their windows smashed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A union of engineers of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Thursday condemned the arrest of two civic engineers in connection with last month's foot overbridge (FOB) collapse near the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) here. In a letter addressed to civic chief Ajoy Mehta, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Engieers' Union (BMEU) said, in such cases only engineers could not be held responsible. So far, two engineers of the civic body- assistant engineer S F Kakulte and executive engineer A R Patil- have been arrested by the Mumbai police in connection with the FOB collapse incident, which claimed the lives of six people. The BMC engineers are "civil servants" carrying out their "specified duties", the BMEU said. "Municipal engineers are always overloaded with work due to the shortage of staff...In this case, the exact cause of the bridge collapse is yet to be established," it said. "Further, a consultant was also appointed to give structural stability report of the bridge. It is also understood that some cosmetic changes were carried out under the control of assistant commissioner in 'A' ward in 2016...In such cases, only engineers working in the bridge department cannot be held responsible," the letter said. "If there are any lapses in the supervision or any other service, punishment for that should be given as per the Municipal Service Rules," the union said. Referring to the collapse of a British-era bridge on Savitri river at Mahad in Raigad district of Maharashtra during the 2016 monsoon, it said it was appropriate that no action was taken against engineers in that case as it was an "accident". "The arrest of engineers, who are civic servants, gives a very bad message to the engineers working in the BMC...In future, such action will definitely prevent the entry of good engineers in the BMC," it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Battles over Brexit have worn down British MPs, who are now being offered counselling to cope with the "extraordinary pressure" they have been under. The Daily Telegraph reported that House of Commons Deputy Speaker Lindsay Hoyle had written to all MPs to inform them about a 24-hour counselling phone line. "It is vital that in times of heightened stress in the workplace we can access the necessary health and wellbeing support," Hoyle wrote, a day after a particularly intense parliamentary session that ended after midnight. Despite enormous pressure, British MPs have voted down Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal three times this year but have failed to agree on any alternatives. The two main parties, the ruling Conservatives and the Labour opposition, are now locked in talks to attempt to find a compromise that could pass through parliament. Security measures have in any case been stepped up around parliament because of angry heckling -- mainly from hardline Brexit supporters against pro-Remain MPs. "Members of Parliament and staff are resilient but Brexit has meant we are all working very long hours for extended periods of time whilst facing extraordinary pressure. "In order to fulfil our duties and do our work on behalf of constituents we must take care of our health and wellbeing," Hoyle wrote in his letter. Hoyle said anyone ringing the confidential phone line would find trained counsellors or advisers. "Your needs will be discussed and together you will agree what support is required," he said. "This could be immediate support given there and then or it may be agreed structured counselling is required". MPs had to cancel a mid-term break in February and are greatly reducing their regular Easter holiday in order to make more time for Brexit debates. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The BSNL Employees Union Thursday opposed the government's proposal to implement a voluntary retirement scheme, alleging that it is a strategy to reduce the PSU's workforce before handing it over to a private player. The union in a statement alleged step-motherly attitude of the government towards BSNL as the company has not been allocated 4G spectrum required for the its business growth. It said that telecom minister Manoj Sinha had given assurance in January 2018 that BSNL would be allotted spectrum for 4G services but it is pending till date. According to sources, the Department of Telecom had floated a cabinet note for allocation of spectrum for 4G services to BSNL but Finance Ministry raised questions on the business viability of such proposal. The Prime Minister's office is now learnt to have asked the DoT to submit a detailed roadmap for the revival of BSNL and MTNL including allocation of 4G spectrum, reduction in headcount of BSNL through voluntary mechanism etc. "It must be noted that VRS is already implemented twice in the MTNL. However, it has not helped for the financial revival of MTNL. That company is neck deep in financial crisis today. Hence, we want to point out that VRS is not going to help for the financial revival of BSNL," the union said. The employees union said that the government should immediately allocate 4G spectrum for financial revival and should help BSNL financially by extending soft loan for the expansion and modernisation of its networks. "Recently, the whole country witnessed how the government moved swiftly to bailout the Jet Airways. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley directed the State Bank of India led banks, to pump in Rs 1,500 crore for bailing out the Jet Airways. Why such a largesse is not being shown to BSNL, which is the government's own company," the union said. The employees union alleged that the government has not given single penny as financial aid to BSNL during the last 18 years of its existence. "BSNL is the company with the least debt in the entire telecom industry. All the private companies, including Reliance Jio, are having debts of more than Rs 1 lakh crore each. Still, the DoT is creating roadblocks for BSNL to avail credit from banks. This is also a clear cut step by the government to retard the growth of BSNL," the union alleged. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Four Border Security Force (BSF) personnel were killed and two injured in an encounter with Naxals in Chhattisgarh Thursday, police said. The encounter comes a week before polling for the first phase of Lok Sabha elections is held in the state. The skirmish took place around noon in a dense forest near Mahla village in Kanker district when a joint team of BSF's 114th battalion and the District Force was out on a search operation, police said. "Four BSF troopers were killed and two injured in the incident," Deputy Inspector General (anti-Naxal operations) Sundarraj P told PTI. The patrolling team had launched the operation from the BSF's Mahla camp, located around 250 from Raipur, he said. When the security men were advancing through a forest patch, a group of naxals fired at them, leading to a gun battle, he said. The deceased were identified as BSF's assistant sub- inspector Boro, and constables Ramkrishnan, Someshwar and Ishrar Khan, he said. Assistant commandant Gopu Ram and inspector Gopal Ram were injured in the exchange of fire, he said. Soon after being alerted, reinforcement was rushed to the spot, he said, adding that a search operation was underway in the area. The bodies and the injured personnel were brought to the BSF's Mahla camp later, he said. Polling in the Kanker Lok Sabha constituency will be held along with two other seats - Mahasamund and Rajnandgaon - in the second phase of Lok Sabha elections in Chhattisgarh on April 18. Polling for other two phases in the state will be held on April 11 and 23. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China's top film festival will screen five Indian films, including Satyajit Ray's 'Pather Panchali', under the category of films from Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) countries despite strong reservations expressed by India over the trillion-dollar project. Three other Indian movies, including Shah Rukh Khan's 'Zero', will be screened in other categories. The films will be screened at the Beijing International Film Festival (BIFF) being organised by Beijing municipal government from April 13 to April 20. The five Indian movies to be screened under BRI countries category included three of Ray's movies - 'Pather Panchali', 'Apur Sansar', 'Aparajito' - romantic comedy 'Love per Square Foot' and thriller 'Ittefaq'. Bollywood movie 'Sir' will also be screened separately. The festival will be closed with 'Zero'. It is significant that China has included the Indian movies clubbing them along with those from the BRI countries ahead of this month's second Belt and Road Forum(BRF) which is likely to be boycotted by New Delhi. In an interview with state-run Global Times, Indian Ambassador to China Vikram Misiri has hinted boycotting the BRF meeting, which is being held to highlight BRI achievements. India has objected to BRI as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which is its flagship project is being laid through Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). India boycotted the first BRI summit in 2017. 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. China said 40 government leaders and officials from over 100 countries have confirmed their participation in its 2nd BRF meet. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The man accused of carrying out the Christchurch mosque last month will face 50 murder charges when he appears in court this week, New Zealand police said Thursday. Australian Brenton Tarrant was previously charged with one murder as a holding measure, but police said all the deaths and injuries in the March 15 would be reflected in upgraded charges during his next appearance on Friday. "The man arrested in relation to the Christchurch terror will face 50 murder and 39 attempted murder charges when he appears in the in Christchurch on Friday," they said in a statement. Police said further charges were being considered against Tarrant -- a self-avowed white supremacist -- but did not specify what they were. They could relate to whether the court deems attack a terrorist act. The 28-year-old will appear via video link in the Christchurch court from a maximum-security prison in Auckland. A note from the court this week said the appearance was likely to be brief and would "ascertain the defendant's position regarding legal representation" and other procedural matters. Tarrant sacked a court-appointed lawyer after his first court appearance on March 16, raising fears he wanted to represent himself and attempt to use any trial as a propaganda platform. The court said Tarrant would not be required to enter a plea during Friday's hearing. The court has now barred media from filming or photographing the accused. (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.) Climate change is not an abstract concept but a direct consequence of human activity on earth, Justice (retired) Swatanter Kumar, former chairperson of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), has said. Addressing a conference on 'Adapting Environmental Laws for Effective Climate Response', organised here by O P Jindal Global University (JGU) in association with WWF India, Kumar emphasised the need for inexpensive and expeditious environmental justice to mitigate the effects of climate change. He called for proper environmental impact assessments to address issues related to climate change and stressed the need for urgent action. Referring to the enormous growth in Delhi's urban waste which has increased from 400 to 600 metric tonnes per day in the late 90s to 1,700 metric tonnes per day at present, Kumar said proper collection, segregation and treatment of waste were required. He expressed serious concern over the fact that 40 per cent of this waste was not collected properly. Underlining the importance of law and its role in fighting climate change, Professor C Raj Kumar, Vice Chancellor of JGU, said, "We are facing an existential threat which requires a collective response of humanity, and law as a social institution has always risen up to the occasion in the past". Speaking at the conference, Justice Michael D Wilson, a judge of the Supreme Court of Hawaii in the US, cited examples of climate refugees to explain how the issue of protection was still awaiting solution. "160 million Bangladeshis have become climate refugees and had to evacuate their own home-ground. Schools stay shut in Delhi in times of extreme pollution. Tigers face threats of deforestation and climate changes too. These are (a) few examples of the situation. To change it, carbon neutrality, energy conservation and protection need to be mandated," he said. Justice Sabrina McKenna, another judge of the Supreme Court of Hawaii, said that with laws in place and people being aware and active, combating climate change will be easier. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A college student here has entered the Guinness book for light painting photography. Sridhar Muthukrishnan, a second year student of BSc Visual Communications in CSI Bishop College of Arts and Science, here, entered the Guinness Book of World Records in light painting photography with 1,350 light orbs. His work was submitted to the Guinness Book officials on February 13 last year and the certificate was issued last month, said a press release from the college. Muthukrishnan's brother Suresh Narayanan helped him in the record-creating endeavour. The certificate was handed over to Muthukrishnan Thursday by CSI Coimbatore diocese bishop Timothi Ravindran at a function in the college. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress and BJP workers clashed outside the collector's office here in Gujarat on Thursday when candidates of both the parties arrived there to file their nominations for the Surat Lok Sabha seat, police said. Some persons from both the sides received minor injuries in the incident, Deputy Commissioner of Police Vidhi Chaudhary said, adding that no FIR was registered yet. The clash took place soon after BJP candidate Darshana Jardosh and Congress nominee Ashok Adhewada reached outside the collector's office along with their supporters to file their nomination papers, she said. However, the police managed to disperse the angry workers without using any force and quickly brought the situation under control, she said. Videos of the incident recorded by mediapersons present at the spot showed some persons, including women, of the rival parties engaging in verbal and physical fight. Later, both the parties blamed each other for the incident. A woman Congress worker showed her torn dress and said, "Look what the BJP workers did to me. They did not even spare women and tore our clothes." However, a BJP activist said, "When Jardosh was heading to the collector's office to file her papers, the police stopped her cavalcade, but allowed the Congress candidate to go inside with vehicles. When we confronted them, the Congress goons attacked us. We also gave them a befitting reply." According to DCP Chaudhary, the BJP workers apparently misunderstood the instructions given by police to Congress workers, who came to the spot in their cars. "Workers of both the parties arrived outside the collector's office at the same time. While the cars of BJP workers were already parked outside the office, we asked the Congress workers to move their vehicles to the opposite side after taking a U-turn from near the office," she explained. "However, the BJP workers thought we had allowed the Congress vehicles to enter the premises, which was not the case," the police official said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress Thursday demanded that Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh be sacked after the Election Commission wrote to the President pointing to poll code violation by him. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala claimed this was the first time in the history of India that a governor openly campaigned for a prime minister. He alleged Singh "tarnished" the established traditions and accepted norms of the office of governor. "He has no right to stay on the post of governor even for a minute," Surjewala told reporters here, adding the Congress moved the President the day Singh made the comments in support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Asked whether the party has sought time from President Ram Nath Kovind to press their demand, Surjewala said, "We have (already) requested his Secretariat to give us time so that we personally meet him and urge upon him to remove Kalyan Singh Ji as Governor." He said the President was on a trip abroad and returned just Thursday. Addressing BJP workers at his Aligarh residence on March 23, Singh had reportedly said, "All of us are BJP workers and we want the party to win. We want Modiji to become the prime minister. It is necessary that Modiji becomes the prime minister again". Singh made these remarks to placate some agitated BJP members who had gathered outside his house over ticket distribution. The EC had examined the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister's remarks in the light of model code of conduct as holding a constitutional post makes him "apolitical". The poll panel had concluded that Singh's remarks supporting the return of Narendra Modi as prime minister were violative of the model code. On Tuesday, the EC had written to the President pointing to the violation of model code of conduct by the Rajasthan Governor by making political comments. The President is understood to have Thursday forwarded the EC letter to the Home Ministry for examination as per the laid down procedures. "It is a normal procedure. The home ministry, after receiving the letter, is expected to take legal opinion on it before formulating its opinion," a source said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a surprise move, the Congress has selected Babu Katara, a former BJP MP with a controversial past who joined the party in 2017, as its candidate for the tribal-dominated Dahod Lok Sabha seat of Gujarat. For the Bharuch seat, the opposition party has chosen Sher Khan Pathan, a political greenhorn who is yet to win any election in his career. The names of both the candidates, who filed their nominations Thursday, were announced by the Congress Wednesday night. With this, the Congress has announced candidates for all the 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat, which will go to the polls in a single phase on April 23. Katara (58) is a two-time BJP MP from Dahod (ST), a seat he won in 1999 and 2004. In 2007, Katara was arrested at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi for allegedly trying to smuggle a woman and her teenage son to Canada on the passports of his wife and son. Following his arrest on human trafficking charges, Katara was expelled from the Lok Sabha in 2008. In subsequent years, he remained largely sidelined in Gujarat He was again in limelight ahead of the 2017 Assembly polls when he was suspended from the BJP for engaging in "anti -party" activities. The suspension came after his son Bhavesh Katara had joined the Congress following denial of ticket by the BJP from the Jhalod Assembly seat, which is part of the Dahod Lok Sabha constituency. Bhavesh Katara eventually won from Jhalod on a Congress ticket. After his son's victory, Babu Katara formally joined the opposition party in 2017-end. Babu Katara will take on sitting BJP MP Jasvantsinh Bhabhor, who has been renominated by the party. Former Congress MP Prabha Taviad, who enjoys a clean image, was considered the front-runner in getting the ticket from Dahod. But the Congress sprang a surprise by selecting Katara over Taviad, who was MP from 2009 to 2014. For Bharuch, the Congress has fielded 38-year-old Pathan to take on five-time BJP MP Mansukh Vasava. While Vasava has never lost an election after entering the Lok Sabha for the first time in 1998, Pathan is yet to win any poll in his political career. Pathan, who had even lost a gram panchayat election in the past, is currently the president of the Bharuch District Youth Congress. His father Shakur Patahn is also a Congress leader who wields clout in some tribal pockets of Bharuch such as Netrang and Jhagadia. Notably, sitting MLA of Jhagadia, Chhotu Vasava, who had floated the Bharatiya Tribal Party ahead of the 2017 Assembly polls, has also jumped into the fray after the Congress and BTP failed to arrive at a seat-sharing formula. Chhotu Vasava and Mansukh Vasava had already filed their nomination papers from Bharuch. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday accused the Congress of playing into the hands of anti-national and separatist forces by releasing a poll manifesto which promises to end the anti-sedition law and dilution of AFSPA. Addressing a rally here in support of the BJP candidate for Nainital, Ajay Bhatt, Yogi described Uttarakhand as the land of brave soldiers, who are ever-willing to sacrifice their lives for the country. Yogi said Uttarakhand would never support a party whose objective was to tie the hands of the armed forces and weaken them. He said the Congress' poll manifesto bore proof that the party had pledged its conscience to anti-national and separatist forces. "By saying that it would revoke the anti-sedition law and dilute AFSPA, the Congress has made it clear that it is playing into the hands of anti-nationals," the Uttar Pradesh chief minister said. He said support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi was pouring from all sides and the call for "Modi as PM again" was reverberating across the country. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The US House voted Thursday to end military support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen, dealing a bipartisan rebuke to Donald Trump and taking the historic step of curtailing a president's war-making powers. The House of Representatives voted 247 to 175, with one congressman voting present, to approve a resolution that directs the president "to remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities in or affecting the Republic of Yemen" within 30 days. The text, which passed the Senate last month, now heads to Trump, who is expected to veto the legislation. The White House called the measure "flawed" and warned it would harm bilateral relations in the region, including with Saudi Arabia. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A special CBI court here Thursday rejected the interim bail plea of former media baron Peter Mukerjea, an accused in the Sheena Bora murder case. Mukerjea, in jail since November 2015, last month underwent bypass surgery at a private hospital after which he moved the court seeking interim bail on medical grounds. His lawyers had argued that conditions at the Arthur Road prison, where he is lodged, were unhygienic, and sending him back there after a bypass surgery would make him prone to infections. The court, however, did not accept the argument. The special judge for CBI cases, J C Jagdale, noted in the order that Mukerjea was lodged in a separate building. "This is the same premises presented by the Indian government to a UK magisterial court in case of a fugitive accused," the court said, referring to the extradition proceedings against liquor baron Vijay Mallya. Seeking Mallya's extradition, the Indian government had submitted to the UK court details of the prison cell where he would be lodged if extradited. According to the prosecution, Sheena Bora (24) was allegedly killed by her mother and Mukerjea's wife Indrani Mukerjea with the help of her driver Shyamwar Rai and her former husband Sanjeev Khanna in April 2012. The former media baron is alleged to be party to the murder conspiracy. The incident came to light in August 2015 after Rai, arrested by police for possessing a firearm, disclosed it. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Communist Party of India has fielded nine candidates for the Lok Sabha polls in Uttar Pradesh and has plans to nominate candidates in a couple of more seats in the state, a party leader said Thursday. On the other hand, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has made it clear that it will not field any candidate in Uttar Pradesh, and will instead extend support to the SP-BSP-RLD alliance in the state. CPI's Uttar Pradesh unit Secretary Girish said, "At the commencement of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, our leaders approached all the secular parties including the Congress, and the SP-BSP-RLD alliance, since our only target is to defeat the BJP." "Since none of the political parties gave us any concrete assurance, we had to field as many as nine candidates in the state. The party will field two to three more candidates," he said. Apart from senior CPI leader Atul Kumar Anjan who will fight in Ghosi Lok Sabha seat, the party has fielded candidates in Robertsganj, Khiri, Banda, Bareilly, Ballia, Shahjahanpur, Lalganj and Gorakhpur. In 2014, the CPI had fielded eight candidates in the state, but all of them lost. In the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections too the party had fielded 58 candidates, but none of them won. Meanwhile CPI(M) politburo member Suhasini Ali said, "Our party is extending support to the candidates of the SP-BSP-RLD alliance and will mobilise opinion against the BJP." On whether the CPI(M) will extend support to CPI candidates in the state, Ali, a former MP from Kanpur, said, "I do not want to comment on this. I know that our party will support the candidates of the alliance to defeat the BJP. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) CPI(M) politburo member Nilotpal Basu wrote to the Election Commission (EC) on Thursday against the launch of Namo TV, alleging that it was a "brazen violation" of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). Alleging that a series of violations by the ruling BJP "severely constrain" the level-playing field for all the political parties and candidates contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha election, Basu demanded action from the poll body. "To start with, we are dumbfounded to come across the information that NaMo TV, which advertises for 'Real time coverage of PM Modi's exciting election campaign and a lot more fascinating content', has been on air for over a week now and it does not even have a broadcast license. "What is even more shocking is that the channel has not even applied for a license. It does not have a compulsory security clearance, making the enterprise illegal under the existing broadcast laws. The implications for national security (of which we get to hear day in and day out from the establishment) is spine-chilling," he said. The Left leader further said nothing was known about the ownership of NaMo TV, the teleport or the system which was being used for uplinking or downlinking the channel. "The channel also does not find mention in the list of permitted channels issued by the I&B Ministry as of 31st March. However, the channel has gone on air and is available on all important DTH platforms," he said. Basu alleged that apart from being a serious security risk with flagrant violation of the existing law and rules for cable television networks, it was also violative of several sections of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. "We urge that the ECI take stringent measurers against such an obnoxious development and fix accountability on whosoever is responsible for such a situation; particularly more so, because the broadcast has started only after the announcement of the date of elections with the MCC coming into force," he said. The CPI(M) had also earlier complained about the "biased" role of public broadcaster Doordarshan and All India Radio (AIR) in disproportionately publicising the views of the prime minister. "The same trend continues with equal zeal and we dare say, being emboldened by the ECI clean chit on the public broadcast of the prime minister. Yesterday, the prime minister's speech in Kolkata was broadcast live by DD. Additionally, private channels using the same coverage were acknowledging this by prominently displaying on the screen that the feeds were from DD. Can the EC ensure a level-playing field by recurrence of such partisan behaviour of the public broadcaster?," Basu wrote in his letter to the poll watchdog. He also raised the issue of public coverage of the enhanced rates of wages under MGNREGA on Doordarshan and AIR. "The extraordinary gazette notification of March 26th was allowed by the ECI while its direction to the Ministry of Rural Development dated 20th March with very specific riders. The direction pointedly asked to ensure that 'absolutely no publicity in this regard in electronic, print, radio, internet or any other media, in any form whatsoever' was given. The ministry also subsequently issued an order on 28th March, 2019 to this effect. "However, again the information about the enhanced rates was publicised in DD/AIR bulletins. We have also come across similar information in the form of WhatsApp messages. It seems that increasingly the ECI's directions are followed in their breach. We urge you to take strong and tangible action against those responsible for such violations," Basu said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) National Conference leader Omar Abdullah Thursday termed the order banning civilian traffic on the Jammu-Kashmir highway for two days a week as "unprecedented" and demanded its "immediate revocation". Addressing an election campaign rally at Rafiabadin in north Kashmir's Baramulla district, Abdullah said closing the highway was a glaring admission of failure by the government in managing the state's internal security and a direct consequence of the PDP's tie-up with the BJP. He also accused the Peoples Democratic Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of practising "opportunistic politics". "The embrace of PDP with BJP wreaked havoc on the security situation in the state. It is for the first time in history that highways are being closed for civilian traffic for two days," the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said. "This is an unprecedented situation and has never happened in the last three decades," he added. Abdullah was reacting to a government order banning the movement of civilian vehicles on the 300-km long highway on Sundays and Wednesdays between 4 am and 5 pm to ensure safe passage of security forces' vehicles. The restrictions will remain in force till May 31. The NC vice president further said that the state had faced dire security situation since 1989 but the highways were never shut. "The state has witnessed numerous attacks on its vital installations for the last 30 years, but barring civilian traffic from highways is unprecedented and has never happened before," he said. "This imprudent order therefore needs to be revoked immediately," he added. "How will the patients who are referred to city hospitals reach SMHS or SKIMS? Why should students suffer who will be not be able to attend schools? How will people reach to their places of work? What will happen to those who are faced with any other emergencies?," he said further. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a major move, the Defence Ministry has started the process to acquire six advanced submarines under the ambitious 'strategic partnership' (SP) model at a cost of around Rs 45,000 crore, official sources said Wednesday. The submarines, to be fitted with anti-ship cruise missiles and other lethal weapons, will be constructed in India jointly by an Indian defence major and a foreign submarine manufacturer under the P-75 (I) programme. The sources said the Expression of Interest will be issued to leading manufacturers of advanced submarines in four weeks, adding the defence ministry has started the process for selecting both the Indian and foreign defence entities for the Rs 45,000 crore project. They said an empowered committee appointed in January to implement the mega project has already held consultations with short-listed Indian defence majors including Adani Defence, Larsen and Toubro and state-run Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL) as part of the process to identify the domestic partner. The defence ministry has already drafted an Expression of Interest for the procurement, and it has been shared with prospective contenders, they said. The project will be implemented under the strategic partnership model which provides for roping in private firms to build select military platforms in India in partnership with foreign defence manufacturers. Six Scorpene-class submarines are currently being built under 'Project 75' of the Indian Navy. The submarines, designed by French firm Naval Group, are being built by the Mazagon Dock Limited in Mumbai. The project P-75 (I) will be a follow-on of Project 75. In January, the defence ministry cleared the long-delayed project. It will be the second project to be implemented under the strategic partnership model. The first project to get government's nod for implementation under the new model was acquisition of 111 utility helicopters for the Navy at a cost of over Rs 21,000 crore. Navy officials said construction of six submarines under Project 75 (I) will provide a major boost to the existing submarine design and manufacturing eco-system in India. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi BJP Thursday accused Chief Minister and Delhi Jal Board (DJB) Chairman Arvind Kejriwal of not conducting an inquiry into allegations of irregularity in the issuance of work orders by the body. Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta claimed that instead of conducting an inquiry into the allegations levelled in a complaint, the DJB released payments related to work orders in which the irregularity was suspected. DJB Vice-Chairman Dinesh Mohania was unavailable for comment when contacted. Gupta claimed that on March 23, a complaint was filed with the DJB, seeking an inquiry into a set of work orders allegedly involving embezzlement of Rs 5 crores. The complainant also urged the body not to release payments until an investigation takes place, he added. According to BJP leader, the complainant had provided evidences and documents to substantiate his claims but the DJB chose not to act on it. "That person finally approached us, (the BJP) saying that his complaint was not investigated into. We will meet Lt Governor and request him that the matter be probed by the Anti-corruption Branch," Gupta said, adding that the Kejriwal government should respond to these allegations. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A controversy has erupted after the Delhi Minorities Commission issued notices to the president and several members of the Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee on a complaint charging them with acts contrary to religious code of conduct. Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) president Manjinder Singh Sirsa rejected the charges and alleged "political conspiracy" behind the move. The DSGMC is answerable only to the Akal Takht, and not any government or its bodies, he said. "This is a politically motivated move by a member of Delhi Minorities Commission, who earlier served as a joint secretary of DSGMC against whom there are charges of corruption. No government or its bodies can question us like this, we are answerable only to Akal Takht," Sirsa told PTI. Delhi Minorities Commission member Kartar Singh Kochhar said that notices were issued to 20 people, including DSGMC office-bearers, on March 25. "We have received replies of only four persons only. We will summon those who fail to reply to our notice," Kochhar said. "The Minorities Commission has the locus standi on the issue as Delhi government conducts the elections of DSGMC under the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Act, 1971," he asserted. The complaint was received by the commission on January 29 from Daljeet Singh, who accused the DSGMC members of violating the tenets of Sikh religion. While Sirsa denied the charges as "baseless and prompted by the ruling AAP", Kochhar said the accused may go to court on the issue of notice if they believed the Commission had no jurisdiction in the matter. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 46-year-old Delhi Police ASI allegedly committed suicide by jumping before a metro train on Thursday, police said. Ajay Kumar, Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI), was posted with the communications unit of the Delhi Police, they said. Delhi Metro Rail Corporation said the incident took place around 12 noon at Jahangirpuri station when the train was moving towards Huda City Centre. Jahangirpuri station is located on Yellow Line that connects Samyapur Badli in northwest Delhi to Huda City Centre in Gurgaon. Kumar, a resident of Himachal Pradesh's Kangra district, was on a medical leave from February 12 to March 4. He extended his leave for another one month and was supposed to join duty on Thursday, police said. "He jumped before the metro train at Jahangirpuri station this afternoon, following which he was taken to a nearby hospital where doctors declared him brought dead," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (metro) Mohammed Ali. No suicide note has been recovered. However, preliminary enquiry revealed that Kumar was suffering from depression and was undergoing treatment for depression at Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College in Kangra. Kumar joined Delhi Police as a constable on May 1, 1994. He was presently living with his family at police colony in Narela. He is survived by his wife, 19-year-old daughter and 17-year-old son, police said. As per Delhi Police data, 11 police personnel committed suicide in 2017 and nine in 2018. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union minister V K Singh was in the midst of a controversy on Thursday over his reported "Modi ki army" comment to a foreign media outlet, even though he denied making the remark. BBC India reported that BJP leader Singh had said in an interview to it that "anybody who calls Indian Army Modi's army is a traitor". Singh, however, strongly denied making the comment, saying the reporter concerned did a "cut-paste job", and took to Twitter to ask the media house as to "how much money did he get" for doing so. BBC India released a full video of its conversation with Singh on its Twitter handle to bolster its claim and said the Minister of State for External Affairs had even used the word "presstitute" for it. Congress leader Ahmed Patel also tweeted, saying, "Gen VK Singh is right, those insulting the Indian Army by calling them the soldiers of an individual or "Modi ji ki Sena" are traitors. I hope BJP takes suitable action against these anti-nationals." Singh was asked about certain comments made by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath referring to the Army as "Modi ki sena" that triggered a controversy with opposition parties hitting out at him. Singh said the armed forces did not belong to an individual but to the nation, even as his cabinet colleague Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi was caught on camera referring to the Army as "Modiji ki sena". Naqvi's purported remark came amid a controversy over a similar comment made by Adityanath recently. However, Naqvi later maintained that he had not said it in as many words. When contacted for comments over the controversy triggered by Adityanath's remark, Singh, a retired Army chief, said the Army belonged to the nation. "Sena kisi ki nahi hoti hai. Sena sirf desh ki hoti hai. Is mein Modi sena kahan se aa gayi (the Army does not belong to an individual, it belongs to the nation. Where did the Modi army come from?," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India's domestic stockpile of pulses could deplete to critical levels by the end of this year and the country will be back into the market to restore its supplies, which will create an opportunity for Australia to capitalise on the situation following strict import tariffs, according to an official of Australian pulse growers' body. India, in 2017, implemented a number of tariffs on imported chick peas, a 30 per cent duty, and lentils in a bid to protect domestic production. "Their stockpile is diminishing. By the time we come around to the end of our season, India will be back into the market to restore their supplies, and we hope Australia can be a part of that equation," Pulse Australia chief executive Nick Goddard was quoted as saying in a media report. Pulse Australia is a peak industry body that represents all sectors of the pulse industry, from growers and agronomists through to researchers, merchants, traders and exporters. Goddard said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was looking to woo the farming community, which form a large constituency, in the backdrop of upcoming general elections. "Modi's party has a large constituency of farmers. Supporting the farmers is very important to him. India was sitting on a lot of chick peas at the start of last year, and the tariffs came on to provide price support for growers," he said, adding "It's unfortunate for us, but it's understood." However, he said that the stockpile could diminish giving Australia a chance to get back in the Indian market. He said he also doesn't foresee an immediate reaction after the election. "I don't really see any major change from a tariff or non-tariff perspective. In the meantime, their supplies are being eaten into. By the end of the year, they will be back into the market, and looking to supplement their domestic stocks," Goddard added. With winter crop sowing approaching, Goddard said demand for animal feed was still strong and that it was expected to see a swing towards those to support the feed market. "The drought doesn't end overnight, animals still need to be fed," Goddard said. "Internationally, there's a global shortage of faba beans. Global silos for faba beans could be empty by the end of April. There's a huge need to restock the supply chain, let alone supply markets in the Middle East." "Probably favour the easier to grow wheat and barley, with the expectation India will return to the market by the end of the year, that gives more confidence than this time last year," Goddard said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A registered doctor can terminate a pregnancy that has crossed the 20-week period without permission from the court only if it poses risk to the woman's life, the Bombay High Court has ruled. A division bench of Justices A S Oka and M S Sonak in its judgement on Wednesday, however, said permission from either the HC or the Supreme Court will have to be sought when a pregnancy has exceeded 20 weeks and the woman feels its continuation would involve risk to her or the foetus' mental/ physical health. The bench also directed the Maharashtra government to constitute medical boards at district levels within three months to examine pregnant women, who wish to terminate their pregnancy after it has crossed the 20-week period. Under provisions of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, a pregnancy that has crossed the 20-week period cannot be terminated. The bench in its order noted that there has been an increase in number of pleas in the high court by women seeking to terminate pregnancy either on grounds that the foetus developed abnormalities or because continuation of the pregnancy was causing mental or physical anguish. The bench said high courts can permit women to undergo medical termination of their pregnancy in contingencies even though its length may have exceeded 20 weeks. "In cases where a registered medical practitioner is of the opinion, formed in good faith, that termination of pregnancy, which has exceeded 20 weeks, is immediately necessary to save the life of the pregnant woman, there is no necessity for even seeking any permission," the court said. "Thus, if a doctor is of the opinion that if the pregnancy is not medically terminated immediately the woman may die, then it is the duty of such a doctor to undertake the termination process and the MTP Act provisions will afford immunity to such doctors," it said. The bench said permission from HC will be necessary if a woman seeks to medically terminate her pregnancy not on the grounds that are not immediately required to save her life, but on grounds like its continuance would involve grave injury to her physical/mental health and/or there is substantial risk that the child when born would suffer from abnormalities. The court also made it clear that if despite attempts at medical termination of pregnancy the child is born alive, then the doctor and the hospital concerned will have to assume full responsibility to ensure the baby is offered the best medical treatment. "Though there is a debate as to whether the foetus is a person entitled to rights, there is no debate on the issue that a child born alive is a person, in whom the right to life and personal liberty inheres," the court said. "We make it clear that under no circumstances such a child must be neglected or left to perish, particularly where the woman or her family members may not be in a position to or not willing to assume responsibility," it said. The court observed that in ideal situations, the instinct of the parents will no doubt take over when it comes to the love and care to be offered to such a child. "However, in the unfortunate situation where, for several myriad factors, the parents are unwilling or genuinely not in a position to care for the child, then the state government will assume parental responsibility towards such a child," the court said. The bench directed the government to frame a policy to address such situations and sought an affidavit of compliance from the state health secretary on July 8. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) / -- To commemorate the 264th birth anniversary of Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, the founder of homeopathy, Dr Batra's Homeopathy Clinics aims to provide free medicines to 10,000 patients. The world's leading homeopathy company opens the doors of its 225 clinics in 125 cities in India and 10 international locations including London, Dubai, Manama, Dhaka and Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, 10th April, to any patient that walks into their clinic between 10 A.M. and 3 P.M. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/846836/Dr_Batra_s_Homeopathy_Logo.jpg ) (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/846835/Benefits_of_Homeopathy_Infographic.jpg ) (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/846797/Dr_Mukesh_Batra_Dr_Batra_Healthcare.jpg )Homeopathy, the 2nd largest system of medicine in the world, according to World Health Organization, is practiced in 86 countries and is consumed by over 200 million people the world over. In India, over 10 crore people depend on homeopathy. All AIIMS at district level are going to have a homeopathic wing. Homeopathy treatments are now covered by insurance companies under their comprehensive health insurance policy. There are many advantages that homeopathy offers to patients. Foremost is that it offers holistic treatment. The other benefit is that homeopathy is safe and treats naturally. Apart from these benefits, what makes it different from other forms of medicine is that it is cost-effective, non-invasive and non-toxic. Homeopathy has been successfully used to treat medical problems such as Allergies, Asthma, Hair loss, Migraine, Anxiety and Depression, Psoriasis, PCOS, White Patches and many more in all age groups. Speaking on the initiative, Dr. Mukesh Batra, Padma Shri recipient and Founder and Chairman Emeritus, Dr Batra's Group of Companies said, "The best way to honor the memory of the founder of homeopathy is to enable more people to experience its true healing power. With our widespread reach and presence in 122 cities across the world and with the medical expertise of over 400 doctors, we aim to reach out to over 10,000 patients through this initiative. We would also like to urge other homeopaths to take up this initiative along with us every year." Watch Dr Mukesh Batra's message - http://bit.ly/WHDMessage Dr Batra's runs over 160 Free Clinics across India to spread the goodness of homeopathy and also provides free treatment to partner NGO's - Victoria Memorial School for the Blind, Shepherd Widows Home, Mercy Old Age Home, Sandhya Home for the Aged, Little Sisters of Poor (Hyderabad, Bangalore and Chennai), Ek Prayaas and Kartar Aasra Home through its CSR arm Dr Batra's Foundation. To locate the nearest Dr Batra's clinic: Visit https://www.drbatras.com . Call on 9167791677 to book your appointment. About Dr Batra's With around 225 clinics across India, UK, UAE, Bahrain and Bangladesh, Dr Batra's is the world's largest chain of homeopathic clinics. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Election Commission did not authorise anyone to seize a Tamil book on the Rafale deal and action has been taken against officials involved in the action, Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa said Thursday. All those involved in the action have been removed, Lavasa said. The Commission has sought a report on the entire episode from Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo, he told reporters here. "It was brought to our knowledge through electronic media. The EC learnt about it, we were informed that the CEO or the EC has not authorised this kind of action taken by the flying squad," Lavasa said. "The moment we came to know about it and after ascertaining the details, the concerned flying squad has been changed. All officials involVed in the action have been removed. We are awaiting a full report on how it happened from the CEO," he added. On Tuesday, a flying squad - that included police officers - reportedly seized over 100 copies of the book titled Naatai Ulukkum Rafale Paera Oozhal (Rafale: The scam that shook the nation) from publisher's outlet Bharathi Puthakalayam just before its launch scheduled in the evening. Editor of the publishing house P K Rajan said the police officials cited violation of the model code of conduct to seize the books. However, the books were returned in the evening and the launch took place as per chedule. Speaking to PTI, Bharathi Puthagalayam publisher K Nagarajan said 8,000 copies have been sold in over 30 outlets across the state and orders have been placed for 10,000 more copies. Authored by a Chennai-based engineer S Vijayan, the book urges readers to defeat the AIADMK-led alliance in the coming Lok Sabha elections. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pick-up and drop facilities from dedicated points to polling stations will be provided to transgender voters as part of the Chief Electoral Office's efforts to encourage the community to participate in the electoral process. A special drive was launched Thursday to enrol transgender voters in the Chandni Chowk parliamentary constituency. Tanvi Garg, the returning officer for the constituency, said the transgender community is very "closed" and it was difficult to make inroads. "For the last few months, we were trying to reach out to the community. We made some inroads through Ghazala, a transgender voter, who is employed in my office. There are only 72 registered transgender voters in the Chandni Chowk constituency and NGOs have told us this is only one-third of the actual number of transgender voters in this constituency," she said. NGOs are helping the administration by carrying out door-to-door survey to find the transgender voters left out, she added. An official said 'third gender' voters can enrol by furnishing a self-declaration along with a report of the block level officer. "They do not have to furnish documents bearing their parents' names. In some cases, these transgenders are under gurus, who are unwilling to give out their names. That would prove a hindrance in their enrolment. Also, many of the transgenders were earlier enrolled as either a woman or a man or have changed their names," another official said. Ghazala said people from her community should be encouraged to come out and vote. They need more support from the authorities, she said. "As a tradition, the gurus do not give out their names and we used to face problems in getting our names enrolled in the lists. People from the third gender are doing well for themselves and must be encouraged to come out and vote," Ghazala said. Garg said transgender voters can visit the centres for enrolment or can apply online. She said that in order to facilitate the third gender voters on May 12, pick-up and drop facilities from dedicated points to polling stations will also be provided to them. Officials said the transgender community members fear they might be judged or taunted when they go ut for vote and, therefore, transportation will be provided to them so that they don't face such issues. Ranbir Singh, the Delhi Chief Electoral Officer, said there are 673 transgender voters enrolled in the national capital till now. There is a need to spread awareness among them for their voting rights, he said, adding block-level officers need to be made more aware. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Election Commission said it will take a final call on the release of a Hindi biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, as Opposition raised the pitch for deferring the release of the film by citing poll code violation. We have sought comments from the producer of the movie and also from BJP's general secretary...that also has been received. The file is under examination and it has been listed for tomorrow (before the EC), Deputy Election Commissioner Sandeep Saxena told reporters here on Thursday. The Commission will take a final call tomorrow, he said. The official said the EC's decision, based on the directives of Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora and Election Commissioners Ashok Lavasa and Sushil Chandra, will be a response to the complaint raised by Congress in this regard. Saxena said the Commission has already told the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to take a call on the issue as it had "no role" in the issue. The EC officials said as Lavasa and Chandra were travelling to south India, the decision could not be taken earlier. The release of the biopic titled "PM Narendra Modi" has been pushed indefinitely, its producer Sandip Ssingh said on Thursday. The film was scheduled to be screened across the country on Friday. Sources in the CBFC said the film was yet to get a clearance. The biopic was originally set to release on April 12, but its producers had advanced it by a week, claiming "public demand". The film, fronted by Vivek Oberoi and directed by "Mary Kom" maker Omung Kumar, was in the with various political parties saying that releasing it less than a week before the general elections begin was a violation of the model code of conduct. The Congress made a formal complaint to the Election Commission over the release of the film. Opposition parties, including the Congress, said the film would give undue advantage to the BJP in electioneering and its release should be deferred till the elections are over. The seven-phased Lok Sabha polls begin on April 11 and end on May 19. The model code of conduct, which among other things, calls for a level-playing field for all parties and candidates, came into force on March 10 as the elections were announced by the EC. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The countdown for the elections has begun and so has planning for the trip back home to vote for many who can afford it -- and also for some who can barely manage the funds and the time to do so. While there are those who have get fresh voter IDs for their new place of residence, there are many who are travelling to their hometowns to make their votes count. Like Nikhil Patwariya, a tea seller in south Delhi's Chittaranjan Park area, who returned from his home in West Bengal after performing his father's last rites just last month. The trip cost him around Rs 15,000, an amount that was not easy to arrange. But the 47-year-old is determined to go back to his home in Nadia district this month to cast his vote, even if it means a temporary financial setback. "I will manage the cost somehow but I must travel back to vote. I will definitely go," he said, making plans to go back home to vote from Krishnanagar, which will go to the polls on April 29. The resolve to go and exercise his franchise come what may is echoed by others, some in formal jobs who applied for leave and others willing to forgo their daily wages. Their push factors are different, ranging from the eagerness to exercise their democratic right to making sure their party of choice comes to power. Patwariya, among the many Indians who migrate in search of employment and better opportunities, said he has always voted and doesn't see any reason to stop just because he is not in his home state. He has been living in Delhi for past 21 years, running a makeshift stall selling tea and snacks like 'ghugni' and 'jhaal muri' in Chittaranjan Park. "I have always been a Congress supporter. I grew up admiring Indira Gandhi. But over the years I have voted for different parties," Patwariya said as he whipped up jhaal-muri for a customer. "But my father was a BJP follower," he added with amusement. While Patwariya is getting ready to take several days off, Anustup Roy Barman will be taking just a day's leave, flying in and flying out. The 25-year-old, a political campaign strategist in Hyderabad, will travel to Barasat in West Bengal on May 19 to ensure he is part of the polling process. The failure to establish a sustainable development model, religion driven lynching incidents and the imposition of "unnecessary" policies like demonetisation in the last five years have left the young man agitated. "As a citizen of the country, voting is the weapon I have to let our politicians know what I want and how I want it," he said. Barman used the analogy, little drops make the mighty ocean, to underline why it is imperative for every single citizen to cast their vote. Every vote counts for Preeti Singh too, a public relations professional here, who will be voting from Patna Sahib constituency in Bihar on May 19. The government's failure to deal with "fanatics" over the last five years, its inability to clear speculation around the Rafale deal and a corrupt education system are some of her grievances. The 27-year-old will be away for five days to participate in the poll action in her hometown. "All of us must vote if we want a good leader," she said. Delhi-based auto drivers Raju from Mathura and Sakil Khan from Faizabad are also making the trip back home. Khan, who has been living in Ayanagar near Chhattarpur here since 1978, expressed concern over the Delhi government's announcement of a hike in auto fares. "The fares might get increased, but they need to also understand that passengers will start taking autos less often. I am not sure how helpful this move would be," he said. Khan said the auto drivers community is "quite satisfied" with the work Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had been doing but asserted his vote will go to Modi. Raju, who has been driving autos in Delhi for the past 15 years echoed Khan's sentiments. "AAP has done some good work in Delhi, but it is difficult see anyone as PM other than Modi. Modi is great as PM, and Kejriwal is great as CM," he said. Satyanarayan Mahato, another Modi fan, said he would be going to Bihar to extend his support to the PM. "Nitish Kumar has worked tirelessly for the state. And people may hate Modi ji but ultimately he has given the country its due respect. I will definitely go back to my village and vote. Voting is my right, said the toy shop vendor in Sadar Bazaar here. According to the data released by the Election Commission of India, the number of registered voters this time is nearly 90 crore. The 2019 general election is scheduled to be held in seven phases from April 11 to May 19. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Wayanad may be the centre of heated political debate with Congress chief Rahul Gandhi choosing to contest elections from the constituency but people in the hill district have many other things on mind -- food, shelter and marauding elephants. Tribals constitute around 18 per cent population of Wayanad district, famed for its forests and hills, which has been propelled into the national electoral map with the Congress president's decision to reach out to voters in the South by contesting from the Wayanad parliamentary constituency. The Lok Sabha seat has two Assembly segments -- Sultan Bathery and Mananthavadi -- which are reserved for tribals. Issues of everyday survival such as food and drinking water as well as lack of roads, ownership of land and the man-animal conflict that has led to increasing instances of elephants trampling their homes and even killing is what troubles them. The main issue is fighting elephant attacks, said one tribal woman, highlighting the pressing problems of shrinking habitat and the many instances of man-animal in the state. "We face problems due to attacks by elephants at our homes inside the forest. We won't cast our votes this time. There is no use participating in elections," she said. According to forest officials in Wayanad, a forest watcher and two tribals were killed in attacks by wild elephants in the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary area. "We don't have shelters or good habitation. There are no roads and no proper drinking water. We do not have much hope in them (politicians)," said a tribal man living in the forests of Wayanad. The area has been home to tribals for centuries. They belong to the Paniyas, Kurumas, Adiyars, Kurichyas and Kattunaikkans ethnic groups. "Traditionally, Wayanad is the land of tribals. They were never bothered about owning the land in their name but now they have become aliens in their own land," Dr Jithendranath, who has been working for the tribals in Wayanad for over four decades, told PTI. The Sulthan Bathery-based doctor said issues like malnutrition are still prevalent among tribals in the area. And this is not just because of lack of food but also because of a fundamental lack of understanding of their way of life. The staple food of the tribals is meat and fruits, but the government distributes items like milk powder and rice through its various programmes, forcing the people to change their food habits, he said. "They cannot survive merely on such food items. They have no use for milk powder or rice. Malnutrition is highest among them," he said. Jithendranath asked party leaders prepping for the elections in Wayanad to first learn their dialect as he feels it is the only way to understand and solve their basic problems. "Please don't see them as vote banks," he said. The Left Democratic Front has fielded CPI candidate P P Suneer from the seat. The NDA candidate is Thushar Vellapally of the BDJS. Congress' M I Shanavas, who died last November after long illness, has been a two-time MP from the seat. He won the Lok Sabha elections of 2014 by defeating CPI's Sathyan Mokeri by over 20,000 votes. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ethiopian officials on Thursday are expected to release preliminary conclusions in the probe of last month's crash of a Boeing 737 that killed 157 people, two sources told AFP. The report on the March 10 crash on the Ethiopian Airlines plane could be published late Thursday morning in Ethiopia, which would be in the middle of the night in the continental United States, said the sources close to the investigation, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Aviation regulators around the world grounded Boeing's 737 MAX last month following the Ethiopian Airways crash, which came less than five months after an October Lion Air crash that killed 189 people. Scrutiny has centred on an anti-stall system developed specifically for the planes that has given pilots problems. The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that pilots on the doomed Ethiopian plane initially followed emergency steps outlined by Boeing but still could not regain control. The pilots shut off the anti-stall system, called the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, but switched it back on because they could not regain control, The Journal reported, citing people briefed on the preliminary findings. Seeking to win back public confidence in the planes, Boeing released photographs of its chief executive, who joined a test flight of a 737 MAX with the company's updated anti-stall system. The Federal Aviation Administration said Monday that Boeing needed to undertake more work on the proposed fix before it could be submitted for review. Boeing distributed a cockpit photo of Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg wearing earphones and seated behind two pilots. A second shot showed the Boeing chief exiting the aircraft at Boeing Field in Washington state. "The flight crew performed different scenarios that exercised various aspects of the software changes to test failure conditions," the company said. "The software update worked as designed and the pilots landed safely at Boeing Field." Boeing said it planned to submit its proposal to the FAA in the coming weeks following "a thorough and disciplined approach to the development and testing" of the enhancements. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The EU on Thursday condemned a decision to strip Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido of immunity from prosecution, calling it a "serious violation" of the constitution that undermined the chances of a peaceful solution to the country's crisis. "The EU rejects the decision taken by the non-recognised National Constituent Assembly to lift Juan Guaido's parliamentary immunity," EU diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini said, in a statement on behalf of all 28 members of the bloc. Lawmakers in Venezuela's Constituent Assembly, which is loyal to President Nicolas Maduro, authorised the high court to prosecute Guaido for proclaiming himself the country's ruler. "This decision constitutes a serious violation of the Venezuelan Constitution, as well as of the rule of law and separation of powers, as the only body authorised to lift the immunity of members of the parliament is the National Assembly," Mogherini said. "These acts undermine a political way out of the crisis and only lead to further polarisation and escalation of tensions in the country." Guaido, the speaker of the opposition-controlled National Assembly, declared himself interim president in January as Venezuela's economic and political crisis plunged new depths -- a move recognised by more than 50 countries, including many from the EU. Mogherini called for Guaido's "constitutionally mandated" immunity to be respected, saying he must not be detained or intimidated. Critics of the controversial two-year-old Constituent Assembly say it was created to rubber-stamp Maduro's decisions and to sideline the opposition-controlled National Assembly. Alongside the political tussle, Venezuela has been hit by a series of devastating blackouts that have left millions without water, prompting the government to replace the country's energy minister and institute power rationing. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Japanese envoy Kenji Hiramatsu Thursday paid tribute to the fallen soldiers of the Battle of Kohima, commemorating 75 years of the decisive battle, the country's embassy here said. A special event was held which was attended by Chief Minister of Nagaland Neiphiu Rio, High Commissioner of the United Kingdom Sir Dominic Asquith, and other dignitaries. "Ahead of the event, Ambassador Hiramatsu visited and laid flowers at the Kohima War Cemetery. After the event, he held a fruitful meeting with the chief minister of Nagaland, and explored ways to further strengthen Japan-Nagaland relations," the Japanese Embassy said in a statement. Hiramatsu offered heartfelt prayers to the fallen souls, while appreciating the opportunity presented by the event for reconciliation, it said. "Looking towards the future, Ambassador Hiramatsu reiterated his commitment to pursue stronger relations with India's Northeast, including the state of Nagaland, through such means as people-to-people exchanges," the statement said. The Japanese envoy also visited the Kohima Cathedral, where an epitaph donated by the ex-soldiers and bereaved families of the Battle of Kohima is situated. He also presented awards to those who have dedicated themselves to the excavation of war remains, it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Jharhand minister and Congress leader Yogendra Sao, out on bail, was sent back to jail by the Supreme Court Thursday which trashed his plea seeking to campaign in home state for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Sao became a minister in the Hemant Soren-led UPA government in Jharkhand in 2013 and was made an accused in over a dozen cases of rioting and instigation of violence. He sought permission from the apex court to campaign for the party in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in the Jharkhand. The BJP-led state government simultaneously moved the apex court seeking cancellation of the bail to Sao and his MLA wife Nirmala Devi claiming that they both violated the bail conditions imposed by the top court. Both Sao and Devi were granted bail on December 15, 2017, by the top court and directed to stay in Bhopal as a bail condition. They were allowed to visit Jharkhand only for court hearings under police protection after intimating Bhopal superintendent of police. A bench of Justices S A Bobde, S Abdul Nazeer and Indira Banerjee rejected their plea allowing them to visit Jharkhand for a month for electioneering saying that they were influential persons and do not deserve any indulgence. "You both have failed the trust we reposed upon you. We are disappointed by your conduct. You don't deserve any indulgence," said the miffed bench. The bench, however, refused to cancel the bail of Devi saying her deviations in bail conditions are not substantial keeping in mind that she was a MLA. The top court transferred the trial of 18 cases against Sao and Devi to Ranchi from Hazaribagh district in the state. It, however, refused to allow the plea of Devi to let her stay in Patna instead of Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. The bench said it is satisfied that there has been breach of bail conditions imposed on Sao as his "unauthorised presence" was found in Jharkhand while he was directed to stay in Bhopal. The court said it was found that Sao left Bhopal on several occasions without any intimation to local authorities despite direction from the court and his presence in Jharkhand during the corresponding period was not disputed. "We are satisfied that the conditions reposed by the court in its December 15, 2017, order has been breached. We therefore cancel the bail...," the bench said. At the outset, advocate Tapesh Kumar Singh, appearing for Jharkhand government said that since Sao was granted bail on December 15, 2017, out of 253 days he has lived in Bhopal only for 25 days. He said that Sao used to leave Bhopal without any intimation to local authorities despite direction from the court his presence in Jharkhand during the corresponding period can be established through flight tickets and call details records. Singh claimed that Sao had even threatened a police officer who is a witness in one of the case and an arrest warrant is pending against him. The state government also produced a letter of public prosecutor in one of the case, in which he has written about an attempt to influence him by Sao who promised him promotion. Senior advocate KTS Tulsi, appearing for Sao disputed the statements of state government counsel saying that out of 317 days of court hearing in Jharkhand he has attended 213 hearing during the period. He sought one more opportunity to establish his bona fide saying he would abide by all the conditions to which the bench said that it cannot give any indulgence. Both Devi and Sao were accused in a case relating to violent clashes between villagers and police in 2016 in which four persons were killed. Devi, a Congress MLA, had led an agitation against NTPC authorities for their alleged attempt to forcibly evacuate villagers from Barkagaon without giving them due compensation or rehabilitation, according to police. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A day after rejecting candidature of the Congress, former MP Bibhu Prasad Tarai Thursday joined the BJP and likely to contest as its candidate from Jagatsinghpur Lok Sabha seat. Tarai joined the saffron party in the presence of BJP national vice-president Baijayant Panda, senior leader Biswabhushan Harichandan and other leaders. "I do not see any future in the Congress as the party has diverted from its ideology. Therefore, I joined the BJP which has pledged to fight against the BJD," Tarai said. Tarai had on Wednesday resigned from the primary membership of the Congress protesting the manner of ticket distribution in the party. He had alleged that the Congress fielded leaders with criminal background and entered into a secret understanding with the BJD. Tarai said while he wanted to contest from Jagatsinghpur Lok Sabha seat, the party fielded him from Tirtol Assembly segment. Tarai had won the Jagatsinghpur Lok Sabha seat on a CPI ticket backed by BJD in 2009. He was later expelled over alleged anti-party activities following which he had joined the Congress ahead of the 2014 general elections. Tarai lost the elections as a Congress candidate in 2014 from Jagatsinghpur Lok Sabha seat. BJP sources said Tarai might get the party ticket to contest from Jagatsinghpur Lok Sabha seat. Though the BJP has so far announced its candidates for 20 Lok Sabha seats, the party is yet to field its nominee from Jagatsinghpur. Earlier, the BJP nominated Nabarangpur MP Balabhadra Majhi from his constituency a day after he quit the BJD. The saffron party had also fielded Bhadrak MP Arjun Sethi's son in Bhadrak Lok Sabha seat a day after the eight-time MP resigned from the BJD. The BJP has also fielded Kharavel Swain from Kandhamal Lok Sabha seat after he resigned from the Utkal Bharat, a party he himself had floated in 2010 after quitting the saffron party. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Congress leader Sham Lal Sharma Thursday said "anti-nationalism" was not a crime for the party as he hit the campaign trail for the forthcoming general elections after joining the BJP. The two-time Jammu and Kashmir minister and former vice-president of the state unit of the Congress also hit out at the party for its "dangerous" manifesto. "When out of power, the Congress makes promises which are either unimplementable or dangerous in nature. I am sure the country will not oblige them again," said Sharma at an election rally in Akhnoor border belt while campaigning for BJP candidate Jugal Kishore Sharma. "There are clear divisive points in the manifesto which will divide the county and not unite it," added the leader who resigned from the Congress after many decades and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) last week. He said that it appears that the manifesto released by the Congress was prepared by a religious organisation. "Some of the ideas are very dangerous for the security and safety of the country", he said. Sharma further slammed the Congress for promising to abolish the sedition law and alleged that for them, "anti-nationalism is not a crime". The former minister accused the Congress of encouraging those who burn the tricolour, refuse to chant 'Jai Hind' and disrespect the Constitution while endorsing those who support divisive and anti-national slogans like 'Bharat tere tukde honge'. "How can the Congress stoop so low to come back to power? Diluting AFSPA and withdrawing sedition act is a step to strengthen the hands of the secessionist. Is Congress' hand with the secessionists or the patriots?," he questioned. In the quest of gaining political mileage, the opposition parties in J-K including the National Conference, the Peoples Democratic Party and the Congress were indulging in votebank politics, Sharma alleged. He further slammed NC vice-president and former chief minister Omar Abdullah over his remarks advocating a separate prime minister and president for Jammu and Kashmir. "While in power, the NC talks about nationalism and when out of power they issue statements which are by and large anti-national and against the unity of the country," he said. "J&K is part and parcel of India and isn't anybody's personal 'jaagir' (property)," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Four Border Security Force (BSF) personnel were killed and two others injured Thursday in an encounter with Maoists in Chhattisgarh's insurgency-hit Kanker district. The incident comes a week before the first phase of Lok Sabha elections in the state on April 11. A joint team of BSF's 114th battalion and the district force of police were out on an 'area domination' operation around noon in a dense forest near Mahla village when they were attacked, Deputy Inspector General of Police (anti-Naxal operations) Sundarraj P told PTI. The deceased were identified as BSF's Assistant Sub- Inspector Bipul Borah, who hailed from Assam, constables Silam Ramkrishna from Andhra Pradesh, Ishrar Khan from Jharkhand, and Tumeshwar from Dongargaon in Chhattisgarh, he said. BSF's Assistant Commandant Gopu Kumar and Inspector Gopal Rang sustained injuries in the exchange of fire. Reinforcement was rushed to the spot, Sundarraj said, adding a search operation was underway in the area. According to a BSF official, the patrolling team, comprising 42 personnel of the BSF, had launched the operation from Mahla camp of the 'A' company of the BSF 114th Battalion, around 250 km from Raipur. When the security men were advancing through a forest near Mahla, a large group of Naxals opened fire, he said. After a brief gun-battle, the ultras fled the spot, the official said. The bodies and the injured personnel were brought to the Mahla camp and airlifted to Raipur, he said. Governor Anandiben Patel and Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel expressed grief over the death of the BSF personnel. Baghel directed officials to provide all necessary medical facilities to the injured and prayed for their speedy recovery, an official statement said. Polling in the Kanker parliamentary constituency will be held on April 18, the second phase of elections. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Four activists in southwestern China have been handed prison sentences over liquor labels commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen massacre -- two months before the crackdown's 30th anniversary, said rights groups and relatives. China forbids public discussion of the military's brutal suppression of the demonstrations, often detaining those who attempt to raise it. The four men were arrested nearly three years ago for advertising and selling alcohol with labels that said "Always remember June 4th, 1989", using a play on words and numbers to represent the banned date. The label also showed an illustrated rendition of "Tank Man", a renowned photograph of a single individual facing down a column of armoured vehicles in 1989. Three of the men -- Fu Hailu, Zhang Juanyong, and Luo Fuyu -- were sentenced earlier this week at a Chengdu court to three years in prison, including time already served for "picking quarrels and provoking trouble", according to human rights groups and relatives. They were also handed suspended jail sentences of between four and five years. The fourth, Chen Bing, was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison Thursday and is expected to have eight months left to serve, according to Amnesty International, citing his lawyer. The Chengdu court did not respond to requests for comment. "I have no choice but to accept it, even though I know he is innocent," Gao Yan, Luo's wife, told AFP. "We probably won't appeal, because it's useless," she added. The first three have already served the bulk of their three-year prison sentences, and Fu has already returned home according to his wife. But Human Rights Watch China researcher Yaqiu Wang told AFP that the addition of a suspended jail sentence means continued surveillance. "The activists will continue to be heavily monitored and have their movement restricted," Wang said, adding that the verdicts could be a "warning" from Chinese authorities to deter others from recognising the anniversary. Doriane Lau, China researcher at Amnesty International, said Beijing has been "consistent" in punishing those who memorialise the Tiananmen Square crackdown. Academics, activists, and dissidents were detained in 2014 for attending a private seminar in Beijing that marked the 25th anniversary of the protests. One of the activists at the seminar, Hu Shigen, had previously spent 16 years in prison for trying to organise memorials for the Tiananmen massacre. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Renault's internal probe into allegations of financial wrongdoing by former CEO Carlos Ghosn has revealed "new elements" that have been passed onto the authorities, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Thursday. "There are new elements that emerged within the framework of the probe that I asked for a few weeks ago," Le Maire told the BFM channel, hours after Ghosn, who was also chairman of Nissan, was rearrested in Japan. "These elements have been passed onto the judiciary and the judiciary will evaluate these elements," he added, without giving details about the nature of the new information. "I tell you that I have asked for total transparency. We owe this to our compatriots," Le Maire said, noting that he had last year asked for a detailed internal probe from Renault. Japanese authorities arrested the 65-year-old early Thursday less than a month after he was dramatically freed on bail following more than 100 days in detention. The auto tycoon, in a statement, slammed his latest detention as "outrageous and arbitrary". Le Maire insisted that he wanted to "throw every light on the previous corporate governance at Renault". Pressed on Ghosn's latest arrest in Japan, Le Maire insisted that the tycoon "was equal before the law like any other" and "should benefit from the presumption of innocence and consular protection". Japanese prosecutors said Ghosn had been detained over transfers of Nissan funds totalling USD 15 million between late 2015 and the middle of 2018. They suspect USD 5 million of that amount was used by Ghosn for personal expenditure. Renault had also announced late Wednesday that a joint Renault-Nissan audit of their Dutch subsidiary RNBV had raised "serious questions" over millions of euros in expenses incurred by Ghosn. The statement said that "RNBV's internal organisation suggests serious deficiencies in terms of financial transparency and expenditure control procedures. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Gautam Buddh Nagar administration has hired a motor boat to ferry voters from the Dalelpur village in Noida across the Yamuna river to help them reach polling station, according to an official communication Thursday. Dalelpur is the only village in the Gautam Buddh Nagar constituency which falls across the Yamuna and towards the Haryana side, but is a part of the LS segment in Uttar Pradesh. The villagers rue years of "ignorance" by the system and lack of connectivity. They had recently announced boycotting the Lok Sabha elections. An official letter to a boat-owner Thursday said his boat has been hired to facilitate voters on April 11, the polling day. "Your motor boat has been acquired to ferry the voters from Dalelpur across the Yamuna on the day of polling. The motor boat would ply on April 11 from 6 am to 6 pm so that none of the voters faces any problem to reach the polling station," an official letter to the boat owner stated. "No laxity of any kind should occur," it added. Voters from Dalelpur will cast their ballot in polling stations 480 and 481 set up at a government primary school in the Gulawali village, some 12 km away. Home to some 250-odd families, Dalelpur has 28 voters, down from around 200 in 2014. In a recent visit, this PTI reporter found that the village has no pucca streets, lacks power supply, proper drainage and sewer system, among others basic amenities. Whatever little it has is privately arranged by the villagers. The village residents claimed they don't not even have essential documents such as Aadhaar card, ration card and driving license. Dalelpur is in the outskirts of the national capital, but a hard place to reach. There is no bridge to link the village to Noida. The only way is to cross the polluted, stench-emanating river on a boat and then walk three kms on a dirt track, or reach by road via Delhi and Faridabad covering 70 km on one side, the villagers say. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With election fever mounting across the country, RJD boss Lalu Prasad will be spilling the beans on many inflection points in the country's political history in his upcoming memoir, the book's publishers said Thursday. Prasad, a former union minister and Bihar chief minister, has penned the memoir with journalist-turned-teacher Nalin Verma and the memoir will release on April 6, a Rupa Publications statement said. Titled "Gopalganj to Raisina", the book is a recollection of the journey of India's "most colourful" political leader and navigates his humble origins in Phulwaria village to his remarkable rise as the Railway Minister, it said. The book relives the twists and turns as well as the highs and lows of his life. "In doing so, it reveals little-known facets of many inflection points in the nation's history: the Emergency, how he got V P Singh to implement the explosive Mandal Commission recommendations, the arrest of BJP leader L K Advani during the latter's Rath Yatra, Sonia Gandhi's decision to not lead the UPA government, his acceptance of Manmohan Singh's candidature for prime minister in 2004, and his relationship with friend-turned-foe Nitish Kumar," the statement said. The autobiography, described as a political potboiler, is most important if one has to understand the evolution of the of the Dalits and the marginalised, it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Japanese prosecutors Thursday re-arrested Carlos Ghosn on fresh allegations of financial misconduct, as the former auto tycoon slammed an "outrageous and arbitrary" detention and vowed he would "not be broken." In the early hours, officials raided the central Tokyo apartment the 65-year-old Ghosn has called home since winning bail last month after more than 100 days of detention on different charges. It was the latest twist in a rollercoaster drama that has gripped Japan and the rest of the world since his shock arrest at a Tokyo Airport on November 19. Prosecutors said Ghosn had been detained over transfers of Nissan funds totalling USD 15 million between late 2015 and the middle of 2018. They suspect Ghosn used USD 5 million of that for personal expenditure. "The suspect... was responsible for overseeing the whole of Nissan's operations and performing his duty loyally so as not to cause losses to Nissan, but he betrayed that duty in order to benefit himself," they said in a statement. Ghosn released a statement through his representatives attacking what he called the "outrageous and arbitrary" detention. "Why arrest me except to try to break me? I will not be broken," said the former high-flying executive. He has denied any wrongdoing and took to Twitter for the first time Wednesday to announce plans to "tell the truth" at an April 11 conference that now looks unlikely. Prosecutors can hold Ghosn for up to 22 days while they investigate the new claims and may re-arrest him again or seek to hold him in pre-trial detention. Deputy chief prosecutor Shin Kukimoto justified the arrest by saying they judged there was a "risk of destruction of evidence." But Ghosn's lawyer Junichiro Hironaka, known as the "Razor" for his mental sharpness, told reporters the fresh arrest was "against the spirit of the law" and "should not be tolerated in a civilised nation." He added his client had expected prosecutors would rearrest him and had therefore prepared a video, without specifying the contents or exactly when it would be released. Visibly angry, he vowed to fight likely attempts by the prosecutor to extend the detention, claiming the arrest was "not necessary" and designed merely to pile pressure on Ghosn. He added prosecutors had confiscated not only diaries and documents belonging to Ghosn, but also the passport and phone of the tycoon's wife Carole. Ghosn already faces three separate charges. The first two relate to the alleged deferring of around USD 80 million in income and concealing this in official documents to shareholders. The third, more complex, charge is that he attempted to transfer personal losses to Nissan and paid a Saudi contact who provided collateral from the company funds. In an interview with French television to be aired later Thursday, Ghosn reiterated he was "combative and innocent" but acknowledged "it's hard." "A lot of lies have been told and these lies have come one after another," he said. Ghosn, who holds French, Brazilian and Lebanese nationalities, appealed to the French government to "defend" him and his "rights as a citizen." French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire stressed Ghosn "should benefit from the presumption of innocence and consular protection" in an interview with BFMTV French television station. Thursday's arrest came after French car firm Renault, which Ghosn also once headed, handed French prosecutors documents showing the auto tycoon had authorised suspicious transfers worth million of euros. A Nissan spokesman said the firm's own internal probe had uncovered "substantial evidence of blatantly unethical conduct" and that their focus was on "addressing weaknesses in governance that enabled this misconduct." Ghosn had maintained his silence since paying around USD 9 million to win bail on March 6 when he walked out of his detention centre dressed in a workman's uniform in a bizarre attempt to evade the world's media. Reports emerged early Wednesday that prosecutors were considering further charges against him whereupon Ghosn suddenly popped up on Twitter to announce he would "tell the truth" about his case at a conference on April 11. His tweet, which his representatives confirmed was authentic, sparked questions about his bail conditions, which were thought to include a ban on internet use. However, Hironaka insisted his client was acting within his rights, telling reporters: "My understanding is that he's not banned from using the internet" and prosecutor Kukimoto said the arrest had nothing to do with the tweet. Ghosn was largely credited with saving Nissan from the brink of bankruptcy by tying its fortunes to Mitsubishi Motors and Renault. He has frequently denounced his downfall as a "plot" by Nissan insiders worried he planned to push them into a full partnership with the French firm. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant Wednesday held a meeting with senior police officials to discuss various issues, including the law and order situation and tackling drug peddling in the state, said a government spokesman Thursday. This was the first meeting of senior police officials presided over by Sawant after assuming charge on March 19. "Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday held a comprehensive review meeting with senior officers of Goa Police which was attended by Director General of Police Pranab Nanda besides others," said the spokesman in a statement here. "All aspects concerned with law and order situation in the state were discussed for evaluating the best approaches to ensure priorities of police," he said. At the meet, special emphasis was given on eliminating drug peddling in the tourist state, the spokesman said. "Other aspects like security, crime, traffic and police welfare were also discussed during the meeting," the spokesman said. Sawant took over as the Chief Minister after the demise of incumbent Manohar Parrikar. Besides other portfolios, Sawant handles the home department. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An international rights group has expressed concern about the disappearance of five Egyptians who were recently deported back to the country, saying they are at serious risk of torture. Human Rights Watch said in a report on Thursday that Malaysia had deported four of the men in early March while Turkey deported the fifth in January. Three of them were sentenced in Egypt over links to Islamist groups. Michael Page, deputy Mideast and North Africa director at the New York-based watchdog, says "Egypt has a dire record of systematic torture, forcible disappearances, and unfair trials of dissidents." It urged authorities "to provide full legal access to these deportees." Egypt has waged heavy crackdown on Islamists and rights activists after the military's 2013 ouster of controversial Islamist President Mohammed Morsi. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a setback to the Congress in Gujarat ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, its MLA Kalu Dabhi resigned from the party's primary membership on Thursday after he was denied ticket for the parliamentary election. However, state Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said Dabhi's resignation was not accepted and that efforts would be made to pacify him. Dabhi wanted to contest the Lok Sabha poll from Kheda constituency, where the Congress has fielded Bimal Shah, a former minister who quit the BJP to join the opposition party in January. Unhappy over Shah's candidature, Dabhi resigned from the party on Thursday. He, however, but did not quit as an MLA from his Kapadvanj Assembly seat in Kheda district. In his resignation letter to state Congress president Amit Chavda, Dabhi said he and his supporters were hurt with the party's decision to field Shah from Kheda, instead of him. Shah served as transport minister in 1998, when Keshubhai Patel was the state chief minister. Talking to reporters after resigning, Dabhi blamed Congress heavyweight and former MP Dinsha Patel for denial of ticket to him. "Since I am already an MLA, I was not keen on contesting the Lok Sabha polls. However, senior party leaders insisted that I should contest from Kheda seat, which has a sizable number of OBC voters. Party leaders told me that being an OBC leader, I can win this seat," Dabhi said. "But, Dinsha Patel, who played a key role in bringing Shah into the Congress, did not want an OBC candidate and threatened to quitthe party if I was given ticket. Following the pressure, the party denied me the ticket and chose Shah, who belongs to the Jain community," he further said. Dabhi claimed that though he enjoyed a huge support in Kheda, he was denied ticket "at the behest of Patel". Meanwhile, Doshi said efforts will be made to placate Dabhi. "We have not accepted his resignation. He is our senior and respected leader. He is a strong OBC leader from Thakor community. Party leaders will sit with him to sort out all the misunderstandings. We are sure he will withdraw his resignation after the meeting," said Doshi. The BJP has renominated its sitting MP Devusinh Chauhan for the Kheda Lok Sabha seat. Polling in all 26 Lok Sabha seats of Gujarat will be held on April 23 and the results will be declared on May 23. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) City-based startup HashedInTechnologies has entered into an agreement with Redis Labs tosell their indigenously developed software RDBTools. HashedIn said Redis is an open source, in-memory database, typically used in high performance scenarios with use-cases, including application caches, message brokers and even as a primary database. Redis is currently being adopted by some of the world's most reputed companies like Twitter, Snapchat and Github, the company said in a press release here Thursday. HashedIn Technologies, the company claimed, is a fast-growing product development services company based out of Bengaluru. It had been developing expertise in Redis for some time, solving problems and developing solutions for Fortune 500 companies. According to Sripathi Krishnan, chief technology officer of HashedIn Technologies, HashedIn created an open sourcecommand-line tool to profile and debug Redis databases inearly 2012. This product was a hit in the open sourcecommunity and large corporations such as Facebook and Alibaba find the solution seamlessly effective, the release said. HashedIn said several enterprises today use RDBTools tomanage large RedisLabs clusters - including Myntra, Palo AltoNetworks and Broadcom. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Having a pet can help older adults cope with mental and physical health issues, according to a US poll which showed that owning an animal lowers stress and gives people a sense of purpose. While pets come with benefits, they can also bring concerns, and some people may even put their animals' needs ahead of their own health, the poll found. In all, 55 per cent of adults ages 50 to 80 have a pet, according to the new findings -- and more than half of those have multiple pets. More than three-quarters of pet owners say their animals reduce their stress, and nearly as many say pets give them a sense of purpose. However, 18 per cent also said having a pet or pets puts a strain on their budget. Two-thirds of all pet owners, and 78 per cent of dog owners, said their pet helps them be physically active, according to the findings from University of Michigan in the US. For those who reported that their health was fair or poor, pet ownership appeared to offer even more benefits. More than 70 per cent of these older adults said their pet helps them cope with physical or emotional symptoms, and 46 per cent said their pets help take their mind off of pain. "We have long known that pets are a common and naturally occurring source of support," said Cathleen Connell, a professor at University of Michigan. "Although the benefits of pets are significant, social connections and activities with friends and family are also key to quality of life across the lifespan," Connell said. "Helping older adults find low cost ways to support pet ownership while not sacrificing other important relationships and priorities is an investment in overall mental and physical health," she said. The poll results indicates a need for physicians and other health care providers to ask older adults about the role of pets in their lives. More than half of those who owned pets said they did so specifically to have a companion -- and a slightly higher percentage said their pets sleep in bed with them. Sixty-five per cent of pet owners said having a pet helps connect them to other people, too. "Relationships with pets tend to be less complicated than those with humans, and pets are often a source of great enjoyment," said Mary Janevic, an assistant research scientist at the University of Michigan. "They also provide older adults with a sense of being needed and loved," Janevic said. One in six said that they put their pet's needs ahead of their own health needs -- a figure that was closer to one in four among those with health issues. "Later life is often a time when people have more freedom to travel, and a long list of things they want to do with their free time, and sometimes having a pet can get in the way," said Janevic. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The on Thursday directed Rujira Naroola, wife of Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee, to appear before the Customs authority on April 8 in compliance with its summons. The court, however, directed that the Customs authority will not take any coercive step against Naroola. Naroola, who recently had a face-off with some Customs officials at the NSCBI Airport here on her arrival from Bangkok, moved the high court claiming that the summons by the central government authority was illegal. Moving the petition for Naroola, senior counsel S N Mookerjee said the authority has no right to issue such summons as the Customs department has not yet framed any issue for summoning her. As such, the notice is bad in law, Mookerjee claimed before Justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj. Naroola, who is a citizen of Thailand, had arrived at the city airport in the early hours of March 16 from and was allegedly selected randomly for checking by the Customs officials at the immigration counter. She filed a complaint with the NSCBI Airport police station on the same day alleging that she had been deliberately harassed and misbehaved with by the officials. The Customs authorities also filed a complaint before the NSCBI Airport police station stating that they were prevented from examination of baggage of Naroola and her companion Menka Gambhir, who Naroola said was her sister. The Customs authorities alleged that they were voluntarily and intentionally obstructed by the two passengers, local police personnel and other unknown persons from exercising their power as conferred under the Customs Act. Mookerjee submitted before Justice Bharadwaj that the additional chief judicial magistrate of Barrackpore court had ordered the conversion of the complaint into an FIR and begin investigation into her claims. He submitted that the Customs authorities have no right to issue summons to the complainant on the selfsame ground. Appearing for the state police authorities, additional advocate general Abhratosh Majumdar argued that the police have already started proceedings in the issue. As such, law of the land does not permit the Customs authority to initiate another proceedings on it, he said. Appearing for the Customs, standing counsel for the Centre Ravi Prakash submitted that the central government authority is not considering Naroola as an accused. Claiming that there are some discrepancies in information declared by her, Prakash said these need to be verified and she has been asked to appear before the joint director of Customs for this purpose. Hearing all the parties, Justice Bharadwaj directed her to appear before the Customs authority on April 8 as per the summons, while restraining it from taking any coercive step against her till further orders. The court directed the Customs to file an affidavit on Naroola's claims within three weeks, while she will be at liberty to reply to it within one week after that. The matter will appear for hearing again in the month of May, the court directed. Abhishek Banerjee, nephew of party supremo Mamata Banerjee, had on March 23 denied reports in a section of media that two kg gold was seized from his wife's baggage when she landed in the city from a few days back. Terming the allegations as baseless and politically motivated, Banerjee said in a press conference that his wife Rujira Banerjee (nee Naroola) was "not carrying even two grams of gold" or any other dutiable or objectionable item in their baggage. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi High Court on Thursday directed AIIMS to set up an expert panel to examine the forensic and post mortem reports of a man, who died allegedly due to medical negligence while on honeymoon at a resort in Maldives in 2016 so as to determine the cause of his death. A bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice A J Bhambhani issued the direction after it was informed by the Maharashtra government, which had carried out the forensic examination and post-mortem of the deceased, that the viscera samples were not traceable and only the reports and the tissue samples were available. The director of the concerned Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Maharashtra told the court that an enquiry was being carried out into the disappearance of the viscera samples which were available till January 2018. The bench, thereafter, directed FSL to handover all the forensic and post mortem reports as well as the tissue samples to the in-charge of the Sahar police station, which had been investigating the case of alleged medical negligence. The officer will transport those to Delhi and hand it over to the Registrar General of the high court on April 8. The Registrar General of the high court would then hand over the reports and tissue samples to the Director of AIIMS who has been asked to set up the expert panel to peruse all the material and "give a report on the cause of death" as well as any other opinion they may have, the bench said. The Maharashtra government was directed to continue the probe into the disappearance of the viscera samples and file a report before the next date of hearing on April 11. The directions came on the plea by the deceased's father, Chelakara Ramaswamy, who has contended that his son died due to the medical negligence of the doctor -- Dr Dorjee Khandu -- who treated him for food poisoning while he was staying at the resort at the Vilu Reef Island which is more than 100 km away from Male, capital of Maldives, and can be reached only by sea planes. He has also alleged that the J J Hospital at Mumbai, where the post mortem was carried out, did not follow the procedure properly and gave a "sham report". He has further claimed that the Final Cause of Death Certificate, issued by J J Hospital was not in terms of the Maharashtra Registration of Births and Deaths Rules, 2000. Senior advocate N Hariharan, who has been appointed as an amicus curiae in the matter, told the court the doctor in Maldives was negligent as he had given certain medicines to Ramaswamy's son for stomach problems, which should never be given together. He said the doctor also did not take into account the man's medical history and did not take emergency measures when the patient's blood pressure began to rise. Ramaswamy, in his plea, has sought directions to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to instruct the Indian Embassy at Maldives to initiate criminal action against Khandu. His petition was dismissed by a single judge last year and subsequently he filed an appeal before the division bench of the high court. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi High Court has put on hold its single judge order of August last year directing the Centre to inform in advance all blacklisted Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card holders and foreigners that they would be denied entry into the country. The single judge had issued the direction after taking note of a number of cases being filed in the high court on account of foreigners or OCI card holders not being permitted entry into India when they arrive here and stating that the "disturbing feature" in each was that none of them had any prior intimation that they were blacklisted, despite having a valid visa. The order was challenged by the Centre before a bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice A J Bhambhani which said the directions given by the single judge on August 21 shall not be given effect to till May 1, the next date of hearing. In the August 21, 2018 order, the court had directed the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to ensure that necessary directions are issued to all the officers, who are authorised to issue blacklisting orders, to inform the foreigners/OCI card holders concerned that they have been blacklisted and their entry into the country would be denied. The directions came while hearing a petition by a woman, whose husband - an OCI card holder - was not allowed to enter the country despite having a valid visa. According to the petitioner, her husband is a person of Indian origin and had acquired the citizenship of the United Kingdom in 2006 after spending 17 years studying and working there. She had said that her husband, Dr Naresh Satyanarayan Kumar, was invited to give a key note lecture at a medical conference in Amritsar between August 9 to August 11 and accordingly, both of them had travelled to India on August 8. On arrival here, Kumar was denied entry and a noting was made on the passport that 'entry refused', her plea said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sleuths of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Thursday apprehended a professor of the state-run Osmania Medical College here for allegedly demanding bribe from students to pass them in examination. Based on a complaint lodged by students, a case was registered and on Thursday, searches were conducted at the office and residence of B Balaji, head of the General Medicine Department at the Osmania Medical College. The ACB sleuths found documents pertaining to collection of money from students and some papers related to properties registered in the name of Balaji and his family members were also found. On March 2, Balaji told a few students that their exams did not go well and they are at a risk of failing in the examination, an ACB release said here. Next day when the students met him, he took their hall tickets and contact numbers and told them that he is taking a risk to pass them in exams for which he demanded Rs 50,000 from each student, it said. Through WhatsApp he forwarded a photograph of a cheque of a bank account in the name of R Srinu and asked them to send screenshots of the transaction details, the release said. The students transferred Rs 75,000 into Shrinu's account and also lodged a complaint with the ACB, it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Karnataka Minister for Rural Development Krishna Byre Gowda, who is contesting the Lok Sabha election from Bengaluru-North as a Congress candidate slammed hiscritics for projecting him as a "reluctant candidate." "The BJP is expert in planting stories that I am a "reluctant candidate," who is not willing to win. I take such a statement as an insult because contesting elections for theatrics is a sign of self-deception. "There are leaders and workers in both the parties who trust me. There are people who have reposed faith in me. It will be unfair if I break their trust," Byre Gowda told PTI. The impression of "reluctant candidate" emerged as theBengaluru-North seat was initially allotted to JD(S) as partof the seat-sharing agreement between the coalition partners-Congress and JD(S). However, the JD(S) 'gifted' it to the Congress, which further delayed identifying a suitable candidate before zeroing in on Byre Gowda, a minister. Speculations were rife that some state leaders wanted to send him away from Karnataka and prevent his growth in state Byre Gowda responded to this speculation, saying, "I have been fielded to contest the election and win a seat. Even if we agree with your argument, it is not easy to get an opportunity in You say that I will be deprived of opportunities, but who knows what is there in store for me. This could be a break in my career. It can open new avenues for me." The selection of Byre Gowda came at a time when the coalition government is finding itself in a tight spot in view of the shrinking majority. Out of 118 MLAs of coalition government, Chincholi Congress MLA Umesh Jadhav recently quit the party to join BJP and contest against Congress heavyweight Mallikarjun Kharge. On the other hand, Congress' Kundagol MLA C S Shivalli passedaway about a fortnight ago. Thus, the number has been reduced to 116 seats. The Congress has fielded two sitting MLAs-Byre Gowda fromBengaluru North and Congress working president Eshwar Khandrefrom Bidar. While Byre Gowda isthe Byatarayanapura MLA in Bengaluru, Khandre is Bhalki MLA. If they too win the election, the numbers will reduce furtherto 114 in the Karnataka assembly. There is already strong dissent brewing in the Congress with the party leadership seeking disqualification of three more MLAs, Ramesh Jarkiholi, B Nagendra and Mahesh Kumathalli. Another MLA J N Ganesh is languishing in jail for the attack onfellow Congress MLA and has openly defied the party'sdirections time and again. However, Byre Gowda did not see any imminent threat to thecoalition government in the state even if both the MLAs emerged victorious inthe Lok Sabha election. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Thursday said if Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned to power, he would throw away the Constitution and change the country from a democracy to a totalitarian regime. Modi has three slogans "loot", "riots" and "kill the people", she said at a rally in Cooch Behar. Claiming that it was the TMC government which solved the six decade-old enclave issue with Bangladesh in 2015, Banerjee said the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was an attempt by the BJP to turn legal citizens of the country into refugees. "We (TMC) will never allow NRC (National Register of Citizens) in Bengal. Modi is no one to decide who will stay and leave the country. The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill is another ploy to turn legal citizens of this country into refugees. We should be careful of their (BJP's) sinister plot," she said. Mocking Modi for his 'Main Bhi Chowkidar' campaign, the chief minister said the 'chaiwallah' (tea seller) who failed to fulfil promises made during the 2014 Lok Sabha polls has now turned into a 'chowkidar' (watchman) to fool people. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) National Conference (NC) vice-president Omar Abdullah Thursday said cases registered against Jammu and Kashmir youth since 2015, after the PDP-BJP alliance came to power in the state, would be reviewed and the FIRs cancelled if his party is voted to power. Addressing an election meeting here in Chijhama village of Rafiabad in north Kashmir's Baramulla district, Abdullah said he wanted to create an atmosphere in Jammu and Kashmir where people could talk freely. "There are cases against our youth under which they are called to police stations even today. The NC government will review each case, one by one, registered against our youth right since 2015 and especially of 2016 (unrest) and afterwards and cancel their FIRs so that our youth are set free," he said. Cases were registered against several youths in the valley during the unrest which followed the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces in Kokernag area of south Kashmir's Anantnag district in July 2016. "We want to attract our people towards us, we want such a situation here where we can talk to each other freely and address the problems of this state. I want to see that day when we would not need this (concertina) wire and rope when we come to see each other, when we would not need policemen or security," the NC leader said. "(I want to see) a day when if I make some mistake, you would come and hold my collar and ask me, 'Omar, we had given you an opportunity to serve us and represent us but why didn't you'. We want return of that Kashmir which has been snatched from us," Abdullah said. Referring to the state's accession with the Union of India, he said the NC wanted restoration of terms agreed upon by the two sides at that time. "We want restoration of those powers on the basis of which our accession took place and which have been gradually taken (away) from us and against which conspiracies are going on even today," he said. Hitting out at Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, Abdullah said the people of Jammu and Kashmir could not rely on her for safeguarding the state's special status. "I was in the parliament when a debate was going on (ahead of trust vote in July 2008) and two members were given the opportunity to talk about the state -- me and Mehbooba. I spoke for about five minutes and said whatever I could, but when the Speaker asked Mehbooba to speak, she said 'what can I say?' and sat down. Do we need such representatives who go there and stay silent?" he asked the gathering. He said the NC is the only party which can safeguard Jammu and Kashmir's special status. Abdullah also reiterated his promise of revoking the controversial Public Safety Act (PSA) in the state if his party returns to power. "The NC has made a promise to the people of the state to remove PSA under which our youth are arrested. If God wills and NC forms the government, I promise you that we will remove this law. I am not saying that we will not use it, because if someone else comes after me, then he will use it," he said. Abdullah asserted that his party would fulfil its promise unlike the PDP. "We will not even change its (PSA) nomenclature like the pen and inkpot people (party symbol of the PDP) did with (special) task force. In 2002, Sayeed said they will disband the task force. But what did he do after he came to power? He changed its name but kept it as it was. It has same functions and same officers, but a new name like old wine in new bottles," he said. "We will not change PSA's name, we will wipe it out from this state so that our elders and mothers do not need to go to police stations to look for their children," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) IL&FS Engineering and Construction Company said Thursday its board has appointed Bijay Kumar as an additional director of the company. Kumar is a former Maharashtra cadre bureaucrat of 1986 batch. "Board of directors of the company at its meeting held on April 4, 2019, has appointed Bijay Kumar as an additional director of the company wef April 4, 2019," the company said in a regulatory filing to the BSE. Kumar was superannuanted from Indian Administrative Service on August 31, 2018, from the post of additional Chief Secretary, Maharashtra. Prior to that, he also worked as the principal secretary (finance), Maharashtra, on return from central deputation. While on central deputation from 2007 to 2014, he was managing director of the National Horticulture Board, Ministry of Agriculture, followed by the chief vigilance officer, Food Corporation of India. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) France on Thursday became the first country to ban a type of breast implant that has been linked to a rare form of cancer. The ban covers certain types of implants with a textured surface or polyurethane coating. The National Agency for Medicines and Health Products (ANSM) said the ban was a "precautionary measure" taken in light of the "rare but serious danger" posed by the implants, which have been linked to anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (BIA- ALCL), a rare type of cancer that attacks the immune system. But it did not recommend that the some 70,000 women believed to have received the implants -- of an estimated 400,000-500,000 French implant wearers -- undergo surgery to have them removed. Silicone implants are used in breast enhancements, or for reconstructive purposes after a mastectomy for breast cancer. They can either be smooth, textured or coated in polyurethane. Textured implants, which are designed to stick to the breast tissue to avoid slipping out of position, are the most popular in France. The Food and Drug Administration in the United States, where the smooth models are more popular, held two days of public hearings last month on the risks posed by implants. The agency, which wrote to healthcare providers in February warning them of the link between implants and BIA-ALCL, told AFP it would announce a decision "in the coming weeks". The ANSM said it had noted a "significant increase in cases of anaplastic large-cell lymphoma linked to the wearing of breast implants since 2011." It said it had recorded 59 cases of the cancer among French implant wearers, of whom three had died. "The more the implant is textured and rough the greater the risk of BIA-ALCL," it said. "We have no scientific explanation for the development of ALCL, all we have are observations," Thierry Thomas, the agency's deputy director for health devices, told a press conference. Of the 457 cases of BIA-ALCL recorded in implant wearers worldwide as of September 30, 2018, at least 310 were found in wearers of textured implants, according to the FDA. Canada, which has 22 confirmed and a further 22 suspected cases of BIA-ALCL, is also reviewing their safety while in European Union, several national health authorities have formed a working group to exchange information. Some studies suggest that inflammation caused by the textured implants rubbing against breast tissue could cause BIA-ALCL. The ban covers several models from US manufacturer Allergan that had already been withdrawn from sale in December as well as similar models from France's Arion and Sebbin, Britain's Nagor and Eurosilicone and German's Polytech. Several implant wearers have already launched legal action against Allergan, accusing it of "deliberately endangering the lives of others". The president of the French Society for Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery, Sebastien Garson, said the move would "complicate things" for medical practitioners, who would have fewer implant models to offer patients. France was at the centre of a major scandal involving implants in 2010 after it emerged that the maker of a popular brand of implants had been filling them with a cheap industrial-grade silicone gel, which was more dangerous for wearers than medical-grade silicone. The French government recommended that women have the implants removed. Jean-Claude Mas, the founder of Poly Implant Prothese (PIP), died on Thursday aged 79, his lawyer said. He was sentenced to four years in prison for fraud but never served jail time after spending eight months in pre-trial detention in 2012. PIP was shut down. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nepal will hold a first ever investment conclave here next month to primarily focus on building relations between India and Nepal through entrepreneurship development. The 'India Franchise Investment Conclave' will from May 15- 16 is to explore business opportunities and exchange expertise and know-how between the business communities of the two countries. "The event will primarily focus on building relations between India and Nepal through entrepreneurship development which entertains in-depth knowledge regarding investment, brand concept and business operations," according to a press release issued by Nepal Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FNCCI), the co-organiser of the conclave. "The expo will be a premier exhibition showcasing a myriad mix of international and national brands from different industries outlining their brand concept and business operations, focusing on master franchising or unit franchise." "The conclave will certainly help in exploring new business through exchange of information and collaboration under one roof with joint efforts," said Bhawana Rana, president of the FNCCI. The event will support Nepalese businesses to establish and maintain international network that will facilitate their gateway to international market, Rana said. Franchise India is excited to join hands with Nepalese business community with a strong focus on encouraging entrepreneurship in Nepal on one hand helping Indian businesses to expand and invest in Nepal market, said Gaurav Marya, chairman of Franchise India. Nepal's economy was similar to that of India, increasingly being fuelled by highly aspiring Nepali consumers who expects nothing short of the world's best when it comes to their brand consumption, Ambassador of India to Nepal Manjeev Singh Puri said. Around 250 aspiring businessmen and investors will attend the conclave and 1,000 plus prospective franchises and investors are expected to visit the expo that will show case different brands representing different industries such as education, fitness, fashion, food and beverage, wellness, real estate, technology and services. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Indian community here has honoured social worker Gitesh Desai, recipient of Pravasi Bharatiya Samman, who was also involved in humanitarian work when Hurricane Harvey struck Texas. Desai, 64, is one of the 28 recipients of the prestigious Indian award presented by President Ram Nath Kovind in January this year. A structural engineer by profession, he is the president of SEWA International's Houston, Texas chapter. He led the rescue efforts during Hurricane Harvey in 2017 and was responsible for rescuing 687 victims and mobilising 1,250 volunteers despite losing the ground floor of his own home to massive flooding. Desai received the honour "Pride of Houston" last week during an event organised by Counsel General of India Anupam Ray with support from major Indian-American organisations like Indo American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston, India House and Hindus of Houston. I am overwhelmed by the Indian-American community of Houston for the outpouring of their love and respect for me, Desai told PTI. He also expressed his gratitude for receiving the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman. "I did not make this journey alone. Countless individuals have nurtured and nourished me over the years with their inspiration, mentorship, love and support in enriching my life," he said. Desai helped Sewa International secure a grant of USD 500,000 from American Red Cross to rebuild homes of victims in Rosharon Village. The grant extends 18 months and is helping the organisation reconstruct 11 completely destroyed homes and 24 partially-destroyed homes. In his address on the occasion, Counsel General Anupam Ray said, he was happy to honour a person who represents the best traditions of the Indo-American community. What Desai and his team in Houston does, indicates an ambition to do good, to be a force for good, to help others across the world, he said. Appreciating Desai's efforts during the hurricane, he said, Desai lost most of his belongings during Harvey flooding, but the three things he didn't lose were his positivity, hope and health. He also expressed gratitude to US Senator John Cornyn and US Congressman Al Green for proclaiming March 29, 2019 as Gitesh Desai Day in the city of Houston. Desai migrated to the US in 1980. He led a delegation to Capitol Hill in Washington lobbying for accountability and transparency in the US financial aid to Pakistan to ensure it was not used to fund terrorist activities against India. In another delegation, he lobbied for a US-India Civil Nuclear Deal and successfully blocked a killer amendment against it in the US Congress. He also advocated for the export of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to India to further develop the diplomatic relationship. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Jammu-Kashmir highway was not closed even during the Kargil war when intelligence reports suggested suicide attackers were at large, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah said on Thursday, a day after the government decided to block the road lifeline for two days a week. "What is happening for god's sake. Are you trying to make Kashmir a colony of the British?" an anguished Abdullah asked and termed the Governor Satya Pal Malik led administration's decision interference with a citizen's fundamental rights. According to the order issued on Wednesday by state Home Secretary Shaleen Kabra, no civilian traffic will be allowed to move from Baramulla in north Kashmir to Udhampur in Jammu region on Sundays and Wednesdays till May 31. The restrictions on civilian traffic on the 271-km highway will remain in force from 4 am to 5 pm, said the order, which follows the suicide attack on a CRPF convoy in Pulwama. The highway passes through important towns such as Anantnag, Awantipora, Pampore, Srinagar, Pattan and Baramulla. "The fundamental rights of people are being tampered with," Abdullah told PTI. Such a decision flies in the face of the BJP-led Central government's assertion that the security situation in the state had improved, he said. "We brought the state from the 1989 turmoil to 2014 when tourism was booming the state and separatists had become redundant. Look where we are now?" asked the National Conference patron, who is contesting the Lok Sabha elections from Srinagar. "We have never seen such a situation. Even during Kargil war when intelligence reports suggested suicide attackers were roaming, such a decision was never taken," he added. Those who had passed such orders were acting as a rubber stamp for Delhi and only worsening the life of the people in the state, Abdullah alleged. "The national highway is the lifeline of people. Patients pass (through the highway), marriages take place, tourists come... Those passing such orders must have surrendered their ability to think before acting," he said. The decision to block the highway for two days has been taken to facilitate the unhindered movement of security forces' convoys to eliminate the possibility of fidayeen terror attacks during the ongoing poll process, the notification said. In case of an emergency requiring the passage of a civilian vehicle, police and administrative officials will take appropriate decisions in line with the provisions for movement of civilian traffic during curfews, it added. Officials said the notification took the state police by surprise and, till the last, it was being argued that the decision would not be beneficial for the state. During his visit to Kashmir after the Pulwama terror attack that left 40 security personnel dead, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh announced that no civilian traffic would be allowed during the movement of paramilitary forces. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Kottampally Srinivas, a turmeric and red jowar farmer in Telangana's Armur village, stands with arms akimbo amid a crowd that has gathered at a public rally here but doesn't sound optimistic. "No political party is concerned about agricultural issues," he says. Sitting Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) MP K Kavitha is to address the rally at Metpally village in Maknoor mandal and Srinivas struggles to have a glimpse of her as she steps out of the car. Few months before the assembly polls in December 2018, the TRS government had procured red jowar at Rs 2,300 per quintal. However, after coming to power, it stopped the procurement, Srinivas rues. Now as the polling date nears, the Nizamabad Lok Sabha constituency is in spotlight as it has the highest number of candidates -- 185 -- contesting, 179 of them being distressed farmers who have kept political parties on tenterhooks and the Election Commission (EC) on its toes to arrange for jumbo EVMs. These farmers are fighting the elections as independents so as to send a message across to political parties about their plight. Their only demand is that the Centre or the state government should fix a minimum support price (MSP) for both turmeric and red jowar (sorghum), rates for which have declined sharply due to the supply and demand mismatch. MSP is fixed by the Centre only for 25 crops in the country. At the rally, Kavitha asserts that she has not kept quiet on the matter and highlights the efforts made to convince the Centre to set up a turmeric board and even move a private member bill in this regard. "The demand for setting up of a turmeric board is not new but the BJP-led central government has not approved it. Now both the BJP and the Congress are provoking farmers against the TRS in the elections," she says, as she promises to boost value-addition to turmeric crop if re-elected. Another farmer Kota Venkatesh, visibly upset after hearing yet another promise, says, "All political parties make fleeting reference to farmers in their election manifesto. The BJP and the Congress too have made the similar ones." "The turmeric board never came up. Once elected, political parties conveniently forget about the promises," he says as the crowd disburse after the rally murmuring when Maharashtra can fix support price of Rs 7,000 per quintal for turmeric, why cannot the Telangana government. Turmeric rates in wholesale market have fallen Rs 4,000-5,000 per quintal this year in comparison to Rs 12,000 per quintal in 2014, Venkatesh says and adds the price fall has affected the income of farmers. The state government procured turmeric last year at Rs 2,300 per quintal under the price support scheme and the farmers are demanding the same rate this year. The farmers in the poll fray are unaware of their symbols and have no time to campaign either and have approached the EC to postpone the election for the constituency and conduct the polling using ballots. But the EC has decided to hold the election on the scheduled date. It is not for the first time that aggrieved groups have filed nominations en masse. A record number of 480 candidates had contested from Nalgonda Lok Sabha seat in 1996 to highlight the acute drinking water crisis. The EC has made it clear that there would no postponement and pointed out that it would set a new record in the country for using the largest number of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). The TRS, which currently holds all seven assembly segments in the Nizamabad parliamentary constituency, is confident of winning from this seat knowing very well the farmers do not have electorate clout, while rival Congress and BJP are trying to cash in on the anger of farmers towards Kavitha's party. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath and his son Nakul Nath are in election fray from their family turf of Chhindwara as Congress candidates, but their destinations are different. While Kamal Nath is contesting bypoll from the Chhindwara assembly seat to continue in his office in Bhopal, his son is looking to enter Parliament in Delhi via his home district which is part of the Mahakaushal region. The Congress has fielded Nakul Nath (44) from the Chhindwara Lok Sabha constituency, represented by his father for a record nine times since 1980, marking his debut in electoral politics. Kamal Nath has lost from the Chhindwara Lok Sabha seat only once, in 1997, when he was defeated by BJP stalwart Sunderlal Patwa in a bypoll. In the 1996 Lok Sabha polls, Kamal Nath's wife Alka Nath had won from the family pocket borough. When Kamal Nath (72) took over as the chief minister in December last year, he was not a member of the state assembly. Under electoral laws, it is mandatory for Kamal Nath to become an MLA within six months of assuming office to continue as the chief minister. The veteran politician decided to enter the assembly by contesting from the Chhindwara assembly seat, which is part of the Lok Sabha constituency once represented by him. Kamal Nath's close aide Deepak Saxena had won the seat on a Congress ticket in assembly polls held in November last year. Saxena later resigned to pave the way for Kamal Nath to contest from the seat. Now, elections in Chhindwara will be in limelight as both Kamal Nath and his son Nakul are contesting from the district to enter Vidhan Sabha and Lok Sabha, respectively. The BJP is yet to announce its candidates against the father-son duo. Voting in Chhindwara will be held on April 29. Madhya Pradesh Lok Sabha Election Management Committee chairman Suresh Pachouri told PTI, "Congress president Rahul Gandhi has taken a very good decision by nominating Nakul Nath from Chhindwara which his father had developed as a model constituency." "Nakul will carry forward his father's legacy by nurturing Chhindwara in the same manner," said Pachouri, a former Union minister. "The decision of party to field Kamal Nath for the Chhindwara assembly by-poll will have its impact not only in Mahakaushal, but also the entire state," Pachouri said. However, veteran journalist Girija Shankar said Kamal Nath, a former Union minister, should have selected some other seat to enter the assembly. "It would have been better if Nath had contested bypoll from some other seat to prove he is a tall leader and can win from any constituency in the state. "By contesting from Chhindwara, he will remain confined to that region and will give his detractors a chance to say he can't come out of his home turf," he said. Kamal Nath had won the Chhindwara Lok Sabha seat in 2014 by a margin of over 1,16,000 votes. He was only the second Congress leader to get elected to the Lok Sabha from Madhya Pradesh in 2014 -- the other one was Jyotiraditya Scindia (Guna). Riding the 'Modi wave', the BJP had won 27 of the 29 Lok Sabha seats in the state five years ago. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath Thursday questioned the timing of the ED summoning his nephew Ratul Puri in the AugustaWestland VVIP choppers money laundering case. Saying he had nothing to do with his nephew's business, Nath, however, asked why the development came ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. "He (Puri) is independent and has nothing to do with politics, and I have nothing to do with his business. Whatever (allegation) there is, a full investigation should take place. I welcome it...but why is it emerging during elections?" Nath told reporters. Puri Thursday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the AgustaWestland case in Delhi. The central agency had Wednesday informed a Delhi court that Puri, Chairman of Hindustan Powerprojects Pvt Ltd, was summoned in the high-profile case for interrogation. Puri is the son of Nita and Deepak Puri, the CMD of optical storage media firm Moser Baer. Nita is Nath's sister. The about Rs 3,600 crore deal to purchase AgustaWestland choppers for the transport of VVIPs was scrapped by India over allegations of corruption and kickbacks being paid in the deal. The ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) are probing the case and have filed multiple charge sheets. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan is yet to respond to India's concerns over reports that controversial elements have been appointed by Islamabad to a committee which is to be associated with the Kartarpur corridor, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday. Sources had last week said India had summoned Pakistan's deputy high commissioner here and conveyed its concerns over the presence of a leading Khalistani separatist in the committee appointed by the neighbouring country on the Kartarpur corridor project. India had also sought clarifications on several issues related to the Kartarpur corridor from Pakistan. "We had sought clarifications from Pakistan on a number of issues...on the number of pilgrims that can be received daily on visas. These are the clarifications which remain unaddressed by Pakistan. "We had also shared our concerns on reports that controversial elements have been appointed by Pakistan to a committee, which is to be associated with the Kartarpur corridor. We are yet to receive a response from Pakistan," MEA Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said. India had offered to hold the technical discussions to finalise other aspects of the corridor, he added. "As and when Pakistan responds to that offer, the technical-level talks will take place," Kumar said. Sources had said India would wait for a response from Pakistan on the issue and was not going ahead with a previously agreed meeting on the Kartarpur corridor on April 2 on the Pakistani side at Wagah. Last November, India and Pakistan had agreed to set up the border crossing, linking Gurdwara Darbar Sahib at Kartarpur in Pakistan, the final resting place of Sikh faith's founder Guru Nanak Dev, to the Dera Baba Nanak shrine in India's Gurdaspur district. Kartarpur Sahib is located in Pakistan's Narowal district across the river Ravi, about four km from the Dera Baba Nanak shrine. Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had, on November 26 last year, laid the foundation stone of the Kartarpur corridor in Gurdaspur district. Two days later, Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan had laid the foundation stone of the corridor in Narowal, about 125 km from Lahore. On the issue of efforts to get Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar listed as a global terrorist, Kumar said India had thanked the unprecedented number of countries that had joined the effort. "We are continuing with our diplomatic efforts to ensure that terrorists involved in heinous attacks on our citizens are brought to justice," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The April 23 Assembly by-poll for Shiroda in Goa has become a prestige battle for the three prominent political parties in the state -- the ruling BJP, its estranged ally MGP and opposition Congress. The seat fell vacant after MLA Subhash Shirodkar quit the Congress to join the BJP in October 2018. Shirodkar is now contesting the election on BJP ticket against Congress' Mahadev Naik and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party's (MGP) Deepak Dhavalikar. Dhavalikar filed nomination for the by-election despite his party being part of the BJP-led ruling coalition, straining the ties between the two allies. The constituency in North Goa district with around 30,000 voters was a Congress stronghold till 2007, after which it went to the BJP. Congress' Shirodkar won it back in 2017 against Naik, who was then with the BJP. "I am approaching people with assurance that I will usher in a second phase of development," Shirodkar told PTI while on campaign trail. Shirodkar, who has been representing the constituency for as long as 24 years barring the gap of ten years between 2007 to 2017, claimed it was one of the most under-developed areas when he was first elected. "Basic amenities like water and electricity were lacking. Now the situation is different," he said. To the criticism that he forced a premature election, he said he joined the BJP because he knew only that party could bring in development. State Congress chief Girish Chodankar said Shirodkar had betrayed the faith of voters. "The voters will react in a big way this time," he said. Chodankar was instrumental in persuading former BJP MLA Mahadev Naik to join the Congress. Dhavalikar said he was in the fray to defeat Shirodkar. "Let the leaders who force mid-term election realise that they are defeated if they play with sentiments of people," Dhavalikar said. The BJP has planned two big rallies in the constituency, to be addressed by Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Smriti Irani, respectively, ahead of the election. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan Thursday rejected the report submitted by a HighCourt-appointed amicus curiae on the August floods and saidit was not the final one and was prepared without consulting all stakeholders. Some people were using the report to divert public sentiments against the government during the time of Lok Sabha polls, Vijayan said at a meet-the-press programme here. He also urged the people to resist any attemptto put the rehabilitation initiatives of the government, whichhad won the world-wide recognition, in poor light. In a setback to the CPI(M)-led LDF government, the High Court-appointed amicus curiae had pointed out that lapses in dam management had aggravated the impact of August floods which had claimed over 400 lives besides causing widespread devastation last year. It had also recommended that an inquiry be conducted by an expert committee headed by a former Supreme Court judge. "The international community in general and various expert communities have appreciated the way the state had dealt with the floods. Rejecting all these, the report prepared by an advocate, appointed by the court to assist it, has been described as real and scientific," Vijayan said. "This amounted to insulting the court. Because they areconsciously covering up the fact that it is not the amicus curiae, but the court which has to take final decision on the report and pronounce the verdict," Vijayan said. It (report) was not the final one and was prepared without consulting all stakeholders, the chief minister said. Stating that the observation that the simultaneous release of water from different reservoirs had caused the floods, was not "logical", Vijayan also rejected the charges that the dams were opened without any prior alert. "The dams were opened after giving timeley alerts. Even media had appreciated the precautions taken by the government before opening the sluice gates of the reservoirs including Idukki," he said. Vijayan also pointed out that the agencies like Chennai IIT and the Central Water Commission, had already come to a scientific conclusion that excessive rainfall had caused the floods. In the 49-page-report, amicus curiae (friend of thecourt), Jacob P Alex, had stated that none of the 79 dams in the southern state were operated or used for the purpose of flood control or moderation, as per the stipulations under theNational Water Policy, National Disaster Management Authorityguidelines on floods and similar directives. The report, submitted to the High Court, also recommended a detailed probe into the floods by an independent expert committee headed by a former Supreme Court judge and a hydrologist, dam management experts and engineers as members. The amicus curiae was appointed by the court based on a slew of petitions including the one submitted by 'metro-man' E Sreedharan, also the president of the Foundation for Restoration of National Values, alleging that the devastating floods was a man-made disaster. The opposition Congress and the BJP had held the CPI(M)-led LDF government responsible for the loss of life and destruction and demanded the resignation of the Chief Minister. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US immigration authorities blocked two immigrants' applications for citizenship because of their work in Colorado's marijuana industry, their attorneys and Denver officials said, accusing the Trump administration of quietly targeting immigrants seeking jobs in the growing field. Oswaldo Barrientos said he began working in the marijuana industry in 2014, inspired by the research he had done into medical products after his mother's skin cancer diagnosis. He was brought to the US from El Salvador as an infant and was granted a green card when he was 13. He assumed the citizenship application process would be simple. The 30-year-old is fluent in English and said he has no criminal history, pays taxes and graduated high school. But during an in-person interview in November, the interviewer became focused on Barrientos' job with a state-licensed company that grows marijuana, he said. Weeks later, he got a letter from US Citizenship and Immigration Services denying him because of his job, his lawyers said. "I was shocked, appalled, sad," Barrientos said. "It was a mixture of emotions. I had no idea I was going to be in this situation." It was not clear Wednesday if people outside Colorado have been denied for the same reason; Barrientos' attorneys said they are not aware of any reported cases. They suspect people without legal representation may accept a denial quietly, hoping to reapply or give up without approaching a lawyer. Barrientos' attorneys Aaron Elinoff and Bryce Downer, who specialize in immigration law in Colorado, said a second client in Colorado also was denied citizenship for her work in the marijuana industry. She asked not to be named publicly because of a new job in the medical field, they said. Deborah Cannon, a spokeswoman for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, said the agency does not comment on individual cases. She defended denials based on involvement with marijuana, saying the agency must follow federal law that prevents its use or sale. "Despite state law that may allow medical marijuana use, the Supreme Court has held that Congress' authority under the Commerce Clause empowers it to prohibit drug distribution and possession, even if the prohibited activities are not also illegal under state law," she said. "When adjudicating applicants for citizenship, the agency is required to apply federal law. We appreciate the candor of applicants who provide the requisite documentation illustrating legal purchase and possession under state law. However, as a federal agency, we are legally unable to make special considerations in these cases unless or until federal law is changed." The use and sale of marijuana for adults is broadly permitted in 10 states. More than 30 states allow a variety of marijuana-based products for medical purposes. Advocates have warned immigrants in Colorado and elsewhere of the damage that state-permitted marijuana use could do to their legal status. A Denver nonprofit that focuses on immigrant and refugee communities paired with the state's largest marijuana trade group for a video campaign in 2017, and the Immigrant Legal Resource Center issued a similar warning in early 2018. Most immigration attorneys would simply advise someone working in the marijuana industry not to apply for citizenship, even with Barrientos' qualifications, Elinoff said. "Frankly, these are the people we want to be citizens," Elinoff said. "And the U.S. government is telling them no. We don't know how many people have been denied on the same issue." Denver Mayor Michael Hancock met with Barrientos and others this week before calling on U.S. Attorney General William Barr to issue formal guidance on the issue. "Denver understands the need for federal laws and regulations regarding citizenship and immigration, but we are seeing the heartbreaking effects that those federal laws and regulations are having on our residents," Hancock wrote in a letter to Barr. "However, under current federal policy, lawful, permanent residents like the Denver residents I have met with are being denied naturalization and may lose their legal status based on their lawful employment in the cannabis industry." Barrientos said he plans to appeal the denial of his application. His attorneys are also considering his options in federal court. In the meantime, he is following their advice not to leave the country and risk being barred from re-entering. He plans to keep his job and calls the government's denial of his application "downright wrong." "I'm trying to help people," he said. "We want to work hard to live the American dream. That's all I've ever wanted." Kathleen Foody is a member of AP's marijuana beat team. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant was arrested in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district on Thursday, police said. A cordon and search operation was launched in Zandpal and adjoining areas in Tangmarg area of the north Kashmir district, a police spokesperson said. During the search, a person was spotted moving suspiciously in Zandpal. On being challenged, he tried to flee, the spokesperson said. However, he was apprehended and a live grenade was recovered from his possession, he added. The apprehended person disclosed his name as Firdous Khan, a resident of Zandpal. He is an active militant of the LeT, the spokesperson said. A case has been registered and investigation is underway, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has said views of locals will be taken into account while undertaking development projects in the tribal-dominated Palghar district of Maharashtra. Thackeray toured the Palghar Lok Sabha constituency on Tuesday and Wednesday during which he held roadshows and interacted with members of various communities, including Sikhs and Christians. The Sena is contesting the Palghar Lok Sabha seat near Mumbai as part of its pre-poll alliance with the BJP. Its nominee from the seat is tribal leader Rajendra Gavit, who had earlier crossed over to the BJP from the Congress and won the Palghar Lok Sabha seat in a bypoll. Gavit joined the Sena last month. During his tour of the constituency on Wednesday, Thackeray met locals and fishermen and held corner meetings with them. "The development projects in the district will be taken up after due consultation with locals," he assured. He said he would visit the proposed Wadhawan port and another jetty project sites to understand people's views. "The feelings and opinions of locals would definitely be considered. If people are opposed to some works, the government would honour their opinion," he said, citing the example of Nanar refinery project in Ratnagiri. After Sena objected to the oil refinery citing local opposition, the BJP-led state government last month made it clear officially that the Rs 3 lakh crore project will not come up at Nanar in the coastal Ratnagiri district. Meanwhile, Thackeray also said that he would look into the issues faced by fishermen in Palghar. He said he was also concerned about the health of tribal children in the region and that efforts would be made to check malnourishment among them. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Madras High Court has directed the Centre to ban mobile application 'TikTok' as it voiced concern that "pornographic and inappropriate contents" were made available through such apps. A bench comprising Justices N Kirubakaran and S S Sundar ordered media not to telecast video clips made with TikTok. The app allows users to create short videos and then share them. The bench asked the government if it would enact a statute like the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act in the US and posted the matter for further hearing on April 16. It passed the interim order Wednesday on a public interest litigation (PIL) petition which sought to ban Tik Tok app on ground that it allegedly contained contents that "degraded culture and encouraged pornography". Even after the havoc caused by Blue whale online game, which reportedly led to suicides of several people, officials had not learnt that they should be alert to these types of problems, the bench said. Only when the officials and policy makers were able to act on the problems of society, decision could be taken to prevent these kind of apps, it said. "People are making cruel humour against innocent third parties. Even TV channels are telecasting such TikTok videos which should be prohibited," the judges said. Voicing concern, they said it was evident from media reports that pornography and inappropriate content were made available through such mobile applications. "Children are exposed to strangers and there is a possibility of their photograph and private details getting landed in the hands of predators or third parties," the bench said. The PIL alleged that the TikTok app from Chinese company Byte Dance encouraged paedophiles and the contents were very disturbing. It had over 100 million users all over the world and scores of youngsters in India were also using it. Stating that Indonesia and Bangladesh have already banned the app, the PIL said children who used the mobile application were vulnerable and may get exposed to sexual predators. The petitioner also sought an act like the Children Online Privacy Protection Act in force in the US to prevent youngsters from becoming victims of cyber crime. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Malaysia's government was urged Thursday to reinvestigate the disappearances of a Christian pastor and a Muslim activist after a public inquiry concluded the duo were abducted by the police special branch over matters against Islam. Amri Che Mat, who ran a charity group, disappeared after he left his home on the night of Nov. 24, 2016. The Rev. Raymond Koh disappeared in broad daylight in central Selangor state on Feb. 13, 2017, while being investigated for proselytization of Muslims. The National Human Rights Commission on Wednesday concluded after a two-year public inquiry that direct and circumstantial evidence showed the men were victims of "enforced disappearance by state agents" involving the special branch. It said the men had been targeted by religious authorities and police and abducted in similar fashion: their cars were cornered by several four-wheel drive vehicles before they were swiftly seized by men in black. It said Amri was under the watch of Perlis religious authorities for allegedly spreading Shiite teachings. The government recognizes only the Sunni branch of Islam and prohibits all others including Shiites, the world's second largest Islamic group. The findings have stunned Malaysians and raised a chorus of calls from rights groups, lawmakers and a Christian body for a new investigation to find the truth and punish the perpetrators. "After the (commission's) damning conclusion, the government can no longer bury its head in the sand. An independent and impartial investigation into the special branch's involvement ... must be immediately undertaken in order to determine (Amri and Koh's) fate or whereabouts," said Sevan Doraisamy, executive director of rights group SUARAM. The National Evangelical Christian Fellowship said in a statement that the government must reopen the investigation into the "heinous injustice" against the two men and that police can't be allowed to do as they please without following the rule of law. Apart from Koh, Muslims-turned-Christian preachers Joshua Hilmi and his wife Ruth Hilmi also mysteriously disappeared six days after Amri in 2016. The commission is still evaluating evidence to decide if it should conduct a public inquiry into the Hilmi case. "These kidnapping have raised fears of religious vigilantism in the country," said lawmaker Charles Santiago, who described the commission's findings as "chilling." Santiago and another lawmaker Ram Karpal called for national police chief Mohamad Fuzi Harun who was the head of the special branch at the time to be suspended. Other NGOs and a former civil servant group demanded the government set up a police oversight body to ensure that police are accountable for their action and to regain public trust. Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad told reporters late Wednesday that the government will reinvestigate if the rights commission has evidence to back up their findings, and not just hearsay. He noted that the disappearances occurred under the watch of the previous long-ruling coalition that was defeated in last May's election. He also said that Fuzi, who is due for retirement soon, will be allowed to do so and that a new police chief could investigate him later. The former home minister in charge of police, Zahid Hamidi, denied ordering police to abduct the men. Fuzi has declined to comment. Former national police chief Khalid Abu Bakar denied the special branch was involved and said Thursday he stood by his comments to the commission. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati accused the BJP-led central government on Thursday of failing on all fronts and claimed that people from all sections, including the poor and traders, were unhappy with its governance in the last five years. Addressing a rally here in support of the Jana Sena Party (JSP) and BSP candidates in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in Telangana, she said the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had not fulfilled its promises made ahead of the last general election and was again coming out with new assurances. She also attacked the Congress, saying it too did not fulfil its earlier assurances and was now coming out with "tempting promises" such as the promise to eradicate poverty. "Under the BJP regime, people all over the country are unhappy. People from all sections, be it the poor, farmers, unemployed, small traders-- all are unhappy. Not only the SC/ST and OBC communities, but the poor from the upper castes and religious minorities are also unhappy," she said. Pointing out that the BJP had come to power at the Centre with its "acche din" promise and the assurance of giving Rs 15 lakh to all the citizens of the country, the BSP chief said, "The Narendra Modi government has completed five years, but did any one of you get Rs 15 lakh? You should ask them (BJP) to give an account of their previous promises." Mocking the Congress's "Nyay" minimum income guarantee scheme, she said they should have first implemented the "formula" of Rs 72,000 annual payment to the poor in the Congress-ruled states. "When they are unable to implement it in those states, how can they implement it in the entire country?," the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister asked, adding, "You should not get misled and fall into the traps of the BJP and the Congress." She said the BSP had got an opportunity to serve Uttar Pradesh under her leadership and they gave "good governance to all people". "In Uttar Pradesh, we will definitely do well and following the BSP-SP-RLD alliance, the situation of the BJP is bad," Mayawati said, adding that the prime minister of the country was always chosen from the northern state. The BSP chief said if there was a change and "if we are given a chance to form the government at the Centre, the way welfare schemes for all were launched during my tenure, they will be implemented in the entire country". The JSP and the BSP have forged a pre-poll alliance in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and have launched a joint campaign. Stating that the people in the two southern states also wanted a change, Mayawati appealed to the voters to give them a chance. She said only because the Telangana region was neglected during the Congress regimes, the separate state demand was made and realised. "Now also, despite Telangana becoming a separate state, there is not much development here and the people are still neglected," she added. The BSP chief said SCs, STs and OBCs together constituted 70 per cent of the population in Telangana, but TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao had become the chief minister, despite his community's strength being "just 1.5 or 2 per cent". JSP chief Pawan Kalyan requested Rao not to meddle in Andhra Pradesh's politics, to remain neutral and not support YSR Congress Party leader Jaganmohan Reddy. "As the leader who led the agitations for Telangana, I respect you a lot. We want you to be neutral," the actor-turned-politician said. He also wondered how KCR supported Reddy when the latter was "rejected outright" during the Telangana agitation. Kalyan, who is the younger brother of top actor Chiranjeevi, formed the JSP in 2014. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A group of mining dependents in Karnataka has requested the Supreme Court-appointed panel to allow free iron ore trade and give preference to local ore over imports, stating that various restrictions on mining in the state have made their livelihood uncertain. Mining dependents pointed out caps on mining volume, e-auction and other restrictions have lowered the mining capacity and led to stagnation in the iron ore industry. The Supreme Court had appointed the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) to look into issues related to iron ore mining in Karnataka. "We appeal to CEC's good office to protect Karnataka's domestic iron ore industry and its dependents from being extinct by allowing free trade, giving preference to local iron ore over imports (and) ensuring regular business of truckers and lakhs of other mining dependents," Karnataka Gani Avalambithara Vedike (KGAV), which represents mining dependents, said. "We, the mining dependents in the state of Karnataka are appealing to your good office to take immediate action in order to secure our means of livelihood and opportunity to lead a life with dignity, which was under threat," KGAV said. After mining was banned in Karnataka, scores of people dependent on iron ore mining industry including truckers and small scale industries, were hit as it resulted in job loss and extreme cases of poverty, it said. "Our livelihood became highly uncertain even after the Supreme Court permitted to start mining but, with a cap, e-auction and lots of other restrictions which lowered the mining capacity and led to stagnation in iron ore industry," it said adding that such discriminatory policies are prevalent only in Karnataka. Without consistent and steady source of income, the lives of mining dependents have become most miserable and barely sustainable, it said. "Hence we request your good self to consider the deteriorating situation of the mining dependents in the state of Karnataka and take urgent necessary actions including representation before the Supreme Court to redress the present situation," it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An apex body of major civil societies and student associations in Mizoram, which had earlier sought to boycott the Lok Sabha election, reversed its decision on Thursday following an internal meeting of the organisation's top hierarchy. Election to the state's lone Lok sabha seat and by- election to Aizawl West-I assembly constituency will be held simultaneously on April 11. The NGO Coordination Committee had called for an indefinite strike from April 8 in protest against the decision of the Election Commission(EC) to set up exclusive polling booths at Kanhmun village, on the Mizoram-Tripura border, for the Bru voters lodged in six relief camps of Tripura. A statement issued by the committee claimed that the boycott was called off after the state government promised to end the Bru imbroglio by undertaking the last and final repatriation process this year. Lalhmachhuana, the secretary of the committee, said the decision was reversed as the organization did not want to inconvenience common people. Thousands of Bru refugees fled to Tripura from Mizoram during an ethnic violence in 1997. The Centre, in association with the governments of Mizoram and Tripura, have been trying to repatriate the displaced Brus in phases. Several refugees have returned to Mizoram over the years, but many refused to leave Tripura citing security reasons and inadequate rehabilitation packages. The state election office has set up 15 polling booths at Kanhmun village for 12,081 Bru voters, in accordance with the instruction of the EC. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, senior Congress leader Anand Sharma on Thursday said his government was in the "departure lounge" and that its time to "threaten and mislead" people was over. Sharma also accused Modi of lowering the political discourse, saying his language was "full of bitterness and violence". He was in the city to launch the Congress' manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. "The Modi government is in the departure lounge. Its time to threaten and mislead people is over. He considers his political rivals as his personal enemies. We don't want to engage in conversation by stooping to that level," Sharma told reporters here. He was responding to a question on prime minister's criticism of the Congress' manifesto during his rally in Maharashtra's Gondia district on Wednesday. Sharma said Modi was not speaking about what he promised in 2014 and if he fulfilled it. "Instead, he is talking about sending his opponents to jail. It doesn't take five years to send people to jail," he taunted. The former Union minister said Modi must talk about his "non-performance" and how be "betrayed" the people. "The Congress doesn't need a certificate of nationalism and patriotism from the BJP, whose ideology supported the British and not Mahatma Gandhi, (former prime minister) Jawaharlal Nehru and (India's first Home minister) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel during the Independence movement," he alleged. Referring to criticism of the Congress's promise to scrap the sedition law and review the Armed Forces (Special Powers Act (AFSPA), Sharma said his party has "zero tolerance against terrorism" and that it was committed to strengthening the national and internal security. He claimed there were demands to scrap the sedition law which, he said, was of the pre-Independence era. "During the (previous) UPA rule, a record number of tourists travelled to Kashmir. What happened in the last five years (of NDA government) is for everyone to see," he said. Asked about doubts being raised over feasibility of the Congress' ambitious NYAY scheme, Sharma said India was a USD 2 trillion economy in 2014. "There is money in the country. We will generate more wealth and re-distribute it. The Congress has better minds for fiscal management. We can give 1.5 per cent of the GDP for the poor," he said. Congress president Rahul Gandhi last month said if voted to power, his party would bring the 'Nyuntam Aay Yojana' (NYAY), a minimum income guarantee scheme, assuring up to Rs 72,000 a year or Rs 6,000 a month income to 20 per cent of India's poorest families. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal Thursday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of having "diminished" the status of his office with his statements and of speaking only about Pakistan and not India and its people. Sibal also mocked Modi's repeated talk about the surgical strike, saying that it should have been carried out on poverty and unemployment. "Nobody has diminished the status of the office of the Prime Minister more than Narendra Modi," the Congress leader said at a press conference here. Sibal said the kind of dialogue the prime minister was indulging in was something he had never witnessed before in his life. "Actually this prime minister only talks about Pakistan; he is not talking about Hindustan. He is the Prime Minister of Hindustan, our prime minister, but it looks like his vision is only directed at Pakistan," he said. "Speak about your people also. Talk about your own people -- what you are doing for them. If he wanted to conduct a surgical strike, he should have carried out a surgical strike on poverty, on unemployment. Those are the surgical strikes that this nation needed...," Sibal said. "... what surgical strike? Surgical strike should be to empower our people," he said, adding that corruption, unemployment and farm distress are the top three concerns for the people. Sibal alleged that the Modi government was ready to spend money on bullet trains but not on the poor. He also questioned Modi's commitment to elimination of corruption. "When Rs 1.8 crore cash is caught in the northeast from the convoy of a chief minister, that's not corruption. 'Operation Lotus' is not corruption? And he (Modi) speaks about eliminating corruption," he said. Taking a jibe at Modi, Sibal asked why the 'chowkidar' had allowed Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi, both wanted in the USD 2 billion PNB scam, to get away. "Is this the kind of 'chowkidar' we want in this country?" Sibal asked. Speaking about his party's manifesto, he said the Congress' manifesto, which was released on Tuesday, stood for economic progress and social justice and those are the pillars on which the nation can move forward. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress president Rahul Gandhi Thursday said that unlike Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is "old and in a hurry", he was not interested in telling lies. Addressing a poll rally here, the Congress leader asserted that he was in for the long haul and "here for another 10 to 15 years." "I want to build a long-standing relationship with you. I will not speak lies. Modi has grown old and is in a hurry. So he is telling lies," Gandhi said. He did not lie since lies gets exposed sooner or later, the Congress president said, adding that his party works while the BJP "only makes hollow promises". Polling will be held in Nagpur Lok Sabha constituency in the first phase on April 11. Union minister Nitin Gadkari of the BJP is pitted against Congress' Nana Patole here. Making a strong pitch for the 'Nyay' minimum income guarantee scheme of his party, Gandhi said all economists have told him that the scheme to deposit Rs 72,000 every month in the bank accounts of the poor was feasible and can be implemented without hurting India's economy. "The 'Nyay' scheme is a surgical strike by Congress on poverty. Every Indian should get a minimum of Rs 12,000 every month," he said, adding the Congress government will provide enough funds for the scheme. Corruption, unemployment and farmers' problems were the priority issues for elections this time, and Modi should explain what he had done to tackle them in the last five years, Gandhi said. He reiterated his challenge to Modi to take part in a 15-minute open debate on corruption, economy and national security with him. "He (Modi) will not be able to show his face to you since he knows he can't answer questions. This is the reality," Gandhi said. Unemployment in the country has reached a 45-year high, the Congress president claimed. Hitting out at industrialist Anil Ambani, Gandhi said Ambani had no money, no expertise in defence manufacturing and all his businesses had failed. "Despite this, Anil Ambani got the biggest defence contract (under the Rafale deal). His brother saved him from going to jail," he said. "Why should Anil Ambani get the Rafale contract and why not somebody from Vidarbha (region where the poll rally was held)," Gandhi said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress on Thursday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of promoting firms of only "his crony friends" at the expense of state-owned BSNL and MTNL. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala also accused Modi of conspiring to close down public-sector telecom firms by not allowing them adequate finances to come out of the red. He alleged that on April 6, 2019, the licence of state-owned MTNL shall be cancelled if it does not pay a whopping Rs 11,000 crore to renew its licence via TRAI and the services of its 7.7 lakh broadband users may get jeopardized. It also alleged that the state-run companies are planning to put jobs of thousands of its employees in jeopardy by reducing their retirement age. "The 'suit-boot-loot sarkar' of PM Modi bails out select crony companies but has left the largest public sector telecom company Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and its sister company Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) in dire straits. BSNL and MTNL have been systematically strangulated by the Modi government and have been left to die its own slow death. Will the Modi government save and bail out state-owned BSNL and MTNL or will they only do it for cronies," he alleged at a press conference. "If the Modi government snatches the jobs of the BSNL/MTNL employees and murders these companies by giving them slow poison, then people of India shall not forgive Modiji for this crime," he told reporters. "Modi government's policy to help private telecom giants and crony friends has resulted in complete financial chaos in BSNL and MTNL," he alleged, adding that select private players have made the rates so low that no other company can survive solely on the basis of internal accruals that are generated by ongoing operations. While all private telecom companies are pumping in finance, BSNL has been barred by the Modi government from taking any loans. BSNL still does not provide 4G service to customers even as no new towers are coming up and the existing ones aren't even being repaired. Surjewala said BSNL and MTNL belong to the country's 130 crore people and alleged that the two companies have been "destroyed" as both firms are in huge debts. "Modi ji has promoted the firms of his capitalist friends. BSNL and MTNL are now on the verge of closure," he alleged. Surjewala cited the example of ILFS, which now has a debt of Rs 1 lakh crore due to the "economic mismanagement and financial bungling" of the Modi government and is being saved through state-owned LIC and public sector banks. He also alleged that public money of ONGC was used to buy out a Rs 20,000 crore scam ridden GSPC for Rs 7,700 crore and hard earned savings of 38 crore LIC policy holders worth Rs 9,000 crore was used to save IDBI Bank. The Congress leader also alleged that State Bank of India and other PSU banks were "used" by PM Modi to "bail out a bankrupt private company Jet Airways", which has a loss of Rs 7,355 crore and which owes Rs 8,500 crore to banks "The state owned BSNL and MTNL are facing the financial wrath of pro-rich, anti-people Modi government," he said. The board of state-run telecom operator BSNL Limited has reportedly approved the proposal to lay off over 54,451 employees and this constitutes around 31 per cent of the 1.74 lakh-strong workforce. BSNL employs 1,74,312 people and MTNL employees about 45,000 people. He alleged that the board has accepted three back-breaking suggestions that will destroy the future of 54,000 families -- of reducing retirement age from 60 to 58 years, voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) and blocking allocation of 4G spectrum to BSNL. "The move to trim the retirement age alone will end up reducing the employee count by 33,568 employees," he said, alleging that for the first time a large number of BSNL and MTNL employees were not given salaries for months. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address election meetings in Kerala on April 12, BJP State chief P S Sreedharan Pillai said Thursday. "The Prime Minister will reach Kerala on April 12. He will attend two programmes--one at Kozhikode and another at Thiruvananthapuram," Pillai told PTI. This is the first visit of Modi to Kerala after the Election Commission issued a notification on March 19 kick starting the poll process in 97 seats spread across 13 states where phase two of the Lok Sabha polls will be held on April 18. Around ten union ministers would arrive in the state in the coming days to campaign, a senior party leader said. "Union Textiles minister Smriti Irani will reach the state on April 9, while External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj will be here on April 11," he said. Party sources said Home minister Rajnath Singh will reach the state on April 13 and on April 15, Transport minister Nithin Gadkari will campaign for the party. Defence Nirmala Sitharaman is expected to reach the state on April 16 and Piyush Goyal on April 19. Minority Affairs minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi will campaign for the party on April 20 and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will reach the state on April 21. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Deepak Talwar, accused in a money laundering case, Thursday withdrew from the Delhi High Court his plea in which he claimed that his arrest since January 30 was illegal. Talwar's counsel sought to withdraw the habeas corpus petition while referring to a recent judgement of the Supreme Court. The top court had said that a challenge to the order of remand is not to be entertained in a habeas corpus petition -- a writ requiring a person under arrest to be brought before a judge or in court, especially to secure his release, unless lawful grounds are shown for his detention. A bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Vinod Goel allowed Talwar, a corporate lobbyist, to withdraw the petition and disposed of the matter. Advocate Tanvir Ahmed Mir, appearing for Talwar, said he would file a bail application in the trial court raising the legal and factual issues. The court was hearing a habeas corpus plea which claimed that his arrest and custody from January 30 onwards was illegal detention. He has alleged that his fundamental rights were violated by the authorities. The court had on March 27, refused to entertain Talwar's prayer challenging the Constitutional validity of various provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), including the agency's power to arrest and burden of proof. Central government's standing counsel Amit Mahajan had informed the court that the challenge to sections 19 (power to arrest) and 24 (burden of proof) of the PMLA is pending consideration before the apex court. The bench had said the Supreme Court was seized of various pleas challenging the same provisions of the PMLA and when the highest court of the land is hearing the matter, the high court cannot interfere with it. "Judicial propriety demands that this court should refrain from hearing the issue so far as this prayer is concerned as it is pending before the Supreme Court," it had said. The high court had earlier sought ED's response which said that persons involved in large-scale money laundering and serious financial frauds have made it a practice to challenge various provisions of the PMLA, including the agency's power to arrest. ED contended that a subterfuge was craftily designed by the "unscrupulous litigants" to bypass the exercise of filing a regular bail plea before the court concerned by directly seeking a habeas corpus writ or bail or anticipatory bail under the garb of challenging the constitutional validity of certain provisions of the PMLA. It alleged that Talwar, who was in judicial custody, acted as a middleman in negotiations to favour foreign private airlines, causing loss to national carrier Air India. The ED had said Talwar was arrested by its competent officers under the PMLA and he was in custody pursuant to a valid remand order passed by a competent court, the jurisdiction of which was not in question, and that the habeas corpus writ was "not maintainable". Talwar has claimed in his plea that when he was in Dubai, a travel ban was imposed on him by a court there in a commercial dispute, due to which he could not return to India despite repeated requests. His counsel earlier contended before the court that the government of India had "abducted" Talwar, adding that he was summoned to appear on February 4, but was picked up and not extradited. He has sought quashing of the FIR against him under the PMLA and also to declare some provisions of the Act as unconstitutional and in violation of fundamental rights. ED earlier told a trial court that it needed to interrogate Talwar to get the names of officials of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, National Aviation Company of India Ltd and Air India, who favoured foreign airlines, including the Qatar Airways, Emirates and Air Arabia. It claimed that entities directly or indirectly controlled by the accused received exorbitant amounts from the Qatar Airways, Emirates and Air Arabia and submitted a chart of total USD 60.54 million received by firms directly or indirectly owned by Talwar between April 23, 2008 and February 6, 2009. His role in some aviation deals during the previous Congress-led UPA regime is also under the scanner. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Moody's Investors Service Thursday assigned B2 rating to Vedanta's proposed senior unsecured notes and said the outlook was negative. B2 is a speculative grade rating and is subject to high credit risk. "Moody's has assigned a B2 rating to the proposed senior unsecured notes guaranteed by Vedanta Resources and issued by its wholly-owned subsidiary, Vedanta Resources Finance II Plc. "The proposed notes will rank pari-passu to Vedanta's existing senior unsecured notes, and are rated at B2, two notches below the Ba3 corporate family rating (CFR). The rating outlook is negative," Moody's said. Vedanta's Ba3 CFR is supported by the company's large-scale and diversified, low-cost integrated operations, with strong market positions across the broad suite of its product offerings, spanning oil and gas, base metals and energy assets. The CFR also incorporates the group's complex shareholding structure and the company's exposure to inherently volatile commodity prices that pressure earnings. Furthermore, large capital spending and dividends will limit free cash flow generation and keep borrowings and debt/EBITDA leverage elevated. "Vedanta's proposed issuance constitutes a proactive step in refinancing its amortising term debt maturities with a long-term bond with bullet repayment and further reducing its cost of debt," Kaustubh Chaubal, a Moody's Vice President and Senior Credit Officer said. For the proposed bond, Moody's expects Vedanta's refinancing risk at the holding company to abate until June 2021, Chaubal said. The proceeds from the issuance will be used towards repaying Vedanta's existing debt, meeting its working capital and interest servicing liabilities and in providing operational support to subsidiaries. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Election Commission said Thursday the I&B Ministry will not be given any extension beyond Friday to reply to its notice seeking a report on NaMo TV, after opposition parties sought the suspension of its broadcast claiming it was launched in violation of the model code of conduct. The channel, launched nearly two weeks after the model code of conduct for the beginning on April 11 came into effect, carries the picture of Modi as its logo. It broadcasts election rallies, speeches of the prime minister and interviews of BJP leaders. The Congress has asked the poll watchdog to stop at the "misuse" of media and ensure a level-playing field during the seven-phase election. Other opposition parties too have criticised the BJP after the launch of the channel on March 31. The EC is expected to take a final call by Friday on whether violates the model code after going through the documents the ministry sends to it. "The I&B Ministry had sought time till April 5 from the EC to reply. They had said they have to obtain information from DTH platforms also," Deputy Election Commissioner Sandeep Saxena told reporters here. "No extension will be given to the ministry beyond this deadline," Saxena added. The AAP had complained to the EC, saying though a party can have its own channel, can permission be granted for its launch "even after the model code of conduct is enforced". The BJP has maintained that it does not own the channel or the platforms that broadcast it. Its Twitter handle nonetheless had urged people to watch it for the prime minister's election campaign. In a memorandum, the Congress has also said that the 'Main Bhi Chowkidar' campaign of the prime minister was being broadcast "live" on DD News and its YouTube channel. The said programme was even being promoted on social media handles of the state broadcaster, the opposition party has alleged. Union Minister V K Singh Thursday said the armed forces do not belong to an individual but to the nation, even as his colleague Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi was caught on camera referring to the Army as 'Modiji ki sena'. Naqvi's purported remark comes amid a controversy over a similar comment made by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath recently. However, Naqvi later maintained that he had not said it in as many words. When contacted for comments over the controversy triggered by Adityanath's remark, V K Singh, a retired Army chief, said the Army belongs to the nation. "'Sena kisi ki nahi hoti hai. Sena sirf desh ki hoti hai. Ismey Modi sena kahan se aa gayi' (Army does not belong to an individual. Army only belongs to the nation. Where did Modi army come from?" he said. At an election rally in Rampur on Wednesday, the footage of which has gone viral on social and electronic media, Naqvi said, "Our missiles, our defence personnel annihilated the terrorists after storming their bastions. This is not an ordinary feat." "'Ab dikkat yeh hui ki Congress party, Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party sab chilaane lage ki bhai yeh jo Modi ji ne ghus ghus kar, Modiji ki sena ne ghus ghus kar ke aatankwaadiyo ko tabaah kiyaa uskaa saboot to dikhaa do' (But the problem is that the Congress, SP and BSP started demanding proof of the attack carried out by 'Modiji ki sena')," he added. On Thursday evening, Naqvi told PTI over phone, "I might have said 'meri sena, aapki sena, har aadmi ki sena' (my Army, your army, everyone's Army)." The Election Commission has issued a showcause notice to Adityanath for his 'Modi ji ki sena' remark made during a poll rally at Ghaziabad earlier this week. Sources in the poll panel said, prima facie, Adityanath has violated the EC's advisory of keeping armed forces away from political campaign. Adityanath, who addressed election meetings in Ghaziabad and Greater Noida on Sunday, had lashed out at the Congress for what he called was its "soft approach towards terrorism and terrorists". "Congress ke log aatankwadiyon ko biryani khilate the aur Modiji ki sena aatankwadiyon ko goli aur gola deti hai. (Congress leaders 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 (JeM chief) Masood Azhar to encourage terrorism," the Uttar Pradesh chief minister had said at the Ghaziabad election rally. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) NATO foreign ministers met Thursday to celebrate the alliance's 70th anniversary amid rifts between members over security and trade issues. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo opened the meeting with an appeal for unity to confront "great power" challenges from Russia, China and Iran. He hailed NATO's deterrence of the Soviet Union during the Cold War and said the alliance was well positioned to move forward as it confronts new and evolving challenges. But a deepening dispute with Turkey over its planned purchase of a Russian air defense system and U.S. demands for allies, particularly Germany, to boost their defense spending threatened to overshadow the proceedings even as the ministers agreed on action to confront Russia's increasing assertiveness. The ministers agreed on a package of measures to assist alliance aspirants Georgia and Ukraine, notably in the Black Sea with increased maritime cooperation, patrols and port visits, according to NATO chief Jens Stoltenburg. And, they renewed demands for Russia to end its annexation of Crimea and release Ukrainian sailors and ships it seized in a confrontation last year in the Sea of Azov. "We have rightly sought peace through strength here at NATO," Pompeo said. "We must continue to do so, especially in this new era of great power competition from Russia, from China, and the Islamic Republic of Iran." Addressing those challenges and others such as terrorism, cybercrime, uncontrolled migration, threats to energy security and new technologies will require enhanced resources, he said. Pompeo said every NATO member had an obligation to explain to its citizens the need to increase their defense budgets and rejected what he called "tired arguments" about public opposition to such spending. "These are real challenges, to be sure, and now is not the time to repeat tired excuses that our citizens don't support increased defense spending or security spending," he said. Pompeo said convincing citizens "of the importance, the relevance, the intrinsic centrality of this institution" is "a key step in confronting these threats head on." Stoltenberg, In an address to Congress on Wednesday and again on Thursday, acknowledged serious divisions within the alliance and called for bigger defense budgets to cope with global challenges such as Russian assertiveness, the core reason NATO was created in Washington 70 years ago this week. "This is about all allies having to make good on the pledge they made," he said, stressing that additional resources were needed to cope with "a more challenging and demanding security environment." President Donald Trump has questioned the value of the alliance and suggested that some members are freeloaders. Pompeo did not address the spat with Turkey in his remarks, but on Wednesday in a meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu he had made clear Washington's displeasure with Ankara for insisting it would go ahead with plans to buy Russia's advanced S-400 system instead of the American Patriot system. The Trump administration is threatening to stop delivery to Turkey of the newest US fighter jet, the F-35, if the purchase is completed. Vice President Mike Pence had delivered the same warning, noting that the U.S. and other NATO members had grave concerns about the S-400 as it is not interoperable with alliance systems. "Turkey must choose," Pence said Wednesday. "Does it want to remain a critical partner in the most successful military alliance in the history of the world or does it want to risk the security of that partnership by making reckless decisions that undermine our alliance?" Cavusoglu and other Turkish officials say they are proceeding with the deal because the need is urgent and the Patriots could not be delivered for another decade. They have also said the S-400 is not intended to work with NATO systems and will be a purely stand-alone defensive mechanism. Stoltenburg acknowledged that the matter was a point of severe contention between the US and Turkey and expressed hope that a resolution was possible. "We fully realize that this is now a challenge," he said. Meanwhile, Canada's Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland took the opportunity of the NATO meeting to register Ottawa's displeasure with being labeled a potential national security threat by the U.S. in relation to steel production. She called the designation, which has led to the imposition of tariffs on Canadian steel, "absurd" and pointed to her presence at the NATO meeting as proof that Canada is not a threat to the U.S. "We really think this is groundless," she told reporters. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A woman was killed and nearly 6000 people were rendered homeless in Tripura after a nor'wester ripped through the state for two consecutive days, damaging hutments and croplands and uprooting trees and electric posts, a government official said Thursday. A tribal woman, who was on her way home from work, was struck by lightning Wednesday night, resulting in her immediate death, Sarat K Das, the project officer of the state's disaster management department, said. Of the eight districts in the state, West Tripura suffered the maximum damage, he said. The NDRF and paramilitary forces have been put on standby for relief operations, with the Met department predicting more rain in the next 24 hours, Das stated. "A total of 5,894 people have lost homes in the storm and the subsequent downpour. They have been shifted to 48 relief camps, set up in Khowai and West Tripura districts," he said, adding that water level in River Howrah, Khowai, Gomati and Katakhal canal have exceeded safety limits. Subhasish Bandopaddhyay, the sub-divisional magistrate of Jirania in West Tripura district, said all affected families have been provided with food, water and clothes. The process for assessment of damages have already begun, he maintained. The director of regional metrological centre, Dilip Saha, said the state might experience more rainfall, but its intensity is expected to take a dip in next 24 hours. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has landed in Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, just days before parliamentary elections at home. The Moscow meeting on Thursday comes just five days before Israelis vote in an election largely seen as a referendum on Netanyahu, who has campaigned on his foreign policy prowess and relations with world leaders. The prime minister said before departing from Israel that he and Putin will "discuss events in Syria," including the "special coordination between our militaries." The Kremlin said earlier this week the two would "compare notes" during Netanyahu's brief meeting with Putin, their third in recent months. Israel and Russia have a military hotline to coordinate air force operations over neighbouring Syria. Netanyahu is seeking a fifth term in the elections next Tuesday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) / -- The New Development Bank (NDB), a multilateral finance institution established by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) in 2014, plans to almost double its loan book to USD 16 billion this year and increase its impact, as the Bank seeks to broaden its global development partnerships and mobilise more institutional and private capital. These announcements were made at the 4th Annual Meeting of the NDB in Cape Town, South Africa which brought together senior government officials from BRICS countries, leaders of multilateral and national development institutions, distinguished scholars, prominent commercial bankers, captains of industry and representatives of civil society organizations. "In 2019 the Bank will build on the strong momentum in our operations and aims to double its loan approval book to about USD 16 billion," Mr. K. V. Kamath, President of the NDB, said in his keynote speech at the 4th Annual Meeting of the institution in Cape Town, South Africa. "The Bank will ramp up its hard currency financing from the international capital markets." In 2018, the NDB approved 17 loans totaling about USD 4.6 billion, building on its base of 13 loans worth USD 3.4 billion as of the end of 2017. That brought the total loan book of the bank to 30 projects worth approximately USD 8 billion by the end of last year. The NDB also announced that on 31 March 2019 its Board of Directors had approved five additional projects with loans aggregating to approximately USD 1.2 billion, two in China and three in South Africa, taking its total loan book to USD 9.2 billion as of today. These five new projects include RMB 825 million (USD 123 million) for the Shengzhou Urban and Rural Integrated Water Supply and Sanitation Project (Phase II); USD 300 million for the Guangxi Chongzuo Urban Water System Ecological Restoration Project; USD 480 million to Eskom for the Environmental Protection Project at Medupi Thermal Power Plant; ZAR 1.15 billion (USD 80 million) to the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) for its Renewable Energy Sector Development Project; and ZAR 3.2 billion (USD 220 million) to South Africa's Trans Caledon Tunnel Authority (TCTA) for work on the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (Phase II). During the 4th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the NDB, its members provided strategic guidance for the Bank and appreciated the growth of the Bank's loan portfolio. The NDB was established to mobilize resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in member states as well as other emerging economies, and the Bank is strongly committed to supporting the sustainable development agenda of its member countries. "The share of the BRICS countries in world GDP in PPP terms has grown from 30% to 36% since 2010. This growth has put increased pressures on natural resources and the environment. Fortunately, however, our members have explicitly recognized these pressures and are increasingly investing in undoing some of the past damage. Our members are also focusing on implementing development strategies aimed at minimizing adverse impacts in the future. In both these endeavours, the Bank is being called upon to assist," said Mr. Kamath in his keynote speech. In keeping with the theme of sustainability at this year's Annual Meeting, the Bank announced that it had signed a USD 180 million loan agreement with Eskom to fund the integration of 670 Megawatts (MW) of renewable energy into South Africa's power grid as well as a two-step USD 300 million loan to the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) to reduce emissions of greenhouse gasses and support renewable energy in South Africa. "We plan to end the year with total loan approvals of about USD 2.3 billion in South Africa," said Mr. K.V. Kamath, adding that the opening of the Africa Regional Centre (ARC) in Johannesburg in 2017 had helped the NDB make progress in South Africa. In the last three years the NDB approved only three projects worth USD 680 million from South Africa. Importantly, the efforts of the ARC had enabled the Bank to identify six new potential projects for 2019, of which three, worth USD 780 million, were approved on 31 March (see project detail above). The NDB now plans to open additional regional offices in Brazil and Russia and is considering opening an Indian regional office in due course. Mr. K.V. Kamath said at a press conference at the end of the event's first day that the expansion of the Bank's membership is expected to be discussed at the 11th BRICS Summit, which will be hosted in Brazil later this year. He also provided greater detail on the Bank's plans to raise capital in local currency in the markets in which the NDB extends loans in order to reduce exchange rate risks to borrowers. "We will help deepen the capital markets and will be a quality paper issuer given the rating we have," said Mr. K.V. Kamath. The NDB has a AA+ long-term issuer credit ratings from S&P and Fitch. Mr. Leslie Maasdorp, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the NDB, added that the Bank had received regulatory approval for a ZAR 10 billion local currency bond programme in South Africa. "We are focusing on the development impact of our lending through more robust monitoring frameworks and measurement of projects' contributions to our members' SDG commitments," said Mr. K.V. Kamath. "Sustainability therefore remains at the core of everything we do." Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/846311/1.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/846312/2. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu Thursday said the proposed new industrial policy has been finalised and the new government would announce that. "We have finalised the industry policy. I am sure that the new government will announce that soon," Prabhu said here at CII's Annual session 2019. Though the ministry has sent the final proposal of the policy to the Cabinet, but it was not taken up for consideration. It aims at promoting emerging sectors and modernising existing industries. It will also look to reduce regulatory hurdles, cut paper work and support emerging and new sectors. The ministry has planned to set up an elaborate machinery including a steering committee for effective implementation of the policy. This will be the third industrial policy after the ones released in 1956 and 1991. It will replace the industrial policy of 1991 which was prepared in the backdrop of the balance of payment crisis. Talking about increasing foreign direct investment (FDI) into India, he emphasised on the need to have a proper strategy to attract overseas inflows in greenfield as well as brownfield projects. "We are trying to bring in more FDI. FDI will come either in greenfield area or it could be through acquisition. So, we must prepare a strategy on both... We should target those companies that can invest because they have investable surplus and same time, we must have a matching sectoral strategy wherein inbound investments can be absorbed," he said. FDI in India during April-December 2018 declined by 7 per cent to USD 33.5 billion. Talking about trade with China, the minister said that for the first time, trade deficit with China has declined by about USD 10 billion and India is working with them to further bridge this gap, which stood at USD 63.12 billion in 2017-18. "Chinese companies are now moving out of mainland and some may come to India. So, we are working with China," he said. He added that this is one of the most challenging times that the global trade is facing in the last several decades and India should be conscious of that. Prabhu said people are questioning about the existence of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and "a loss of WTO would be a loss to entire world". He also listed out steps which the ministry has taken to boost exports and further improve ease of doing business particularly as the district level. He said that in 2018-19, India's exports of goods and services would touch about USD 540 billion. The country's exports grew 8.85 per cent to USD 298.47 billion during the April-February period of 2018-19. Further, he added that thousands of start-ups have been recognised by the ministry and it is also working on removing hurdles in their path to promote budding entrepreneurs. Talking about free trade agreements (FTAs), Prabhu said the ministry is in the process of preparing a template to negotiate future agreements by involving all concerned stakeholders. Industry has raised concern that FTAs which was signed by India is not benefitting domestic players. On a question that ease of doing business is not visible on the ground, the minister said they are working at district levels to improve business environment. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Commerce and Industry Minister Thursday said the proposed new industrial policy has been finalised and the new government would announce that. "We have finalised the industry policy. I am sure that the new government will announce that soon," Prabhu said here at CII's Annual session 2019. Though the ministry has sent the final proposal of the policy to the Cabinet, but it was not taken up for consideration. It aims at promoting emerging sectors and modernising existing industries. It will also look to reduce regulatory hurdles, cut paper work and support emerging and new sectors. The ministry has planned to set up an elaborate machinery including a steering committee for effective implementation of the policy. This will be the third industrial policy after the ones released in 1956 and 1991. It will replace the industrial policy of 1991 which was prepared in the backdrop of the balance of payment crisis. Talking about increasing foreign direct investment (FDI) into India, he emphasised on the need to have a proper strategy to attract overseas inflows in greenfield as well as brownfield projects. "We are trying to bring in more FDI. FDI will come either in greenfield area or it could be through acquisition. So, we must prepare a strategy on both... We should target those companies that can invest because they have investable surplus and same time, we must have a matching sectoral strategy wherein inbound investments can be absorbed," he said. FDI in during April-December 2018 declined by 7 per cent to USD 33.5 billion. He also listed out steps which the ministry has taken to boost exports and further improve ease of doing business particularly as district level. He said that in 2018-19, India's exports of goods and services would touch about USD 540 billion. The country's exports grew 8.85 per cent to USD 298.47 billion during the April-February period of the current financial year. Further, he added that thousands of start-ups have been recognised by the ministry and it is also working on removing hurdles in their path to promote budding entrepreneurs. Talking about free trade agreements (FTAs), Prabhu said the ministry is in the process of preparing a template to negotiate future agreements by involving all concerned stakeholders. Industry has raised concern that FTAs which was signed by is not benefitting domestic players. On a question that ease of doing business is not visible on the ground, the minister said they are working at district levels to improve business environment. : To meet the growing needs of Indian Naval ships here, a new 10-tonne bollard pull tug 'Bahadur' was inducted into service at the naval ship repair yard (NSRY) Thursday. The induction ceremony was presided over by Rear Admiral RJ Nadkarni, Chief of Staff, Southern Naval Command, (SNC) in the presence of Rear Admiral SN Alamanda, VSM, Admiral Superintendent, NSRY, Kochi, and others, a Naval press release said. The vessel has been designed and built at Hindustan Shipyard Ltd, Visakhapatnam, and has steerable rudder propulsion (SRP) with advanced remote control. The NSRY provides technical (maintenance, repairs and refits) as well as services support to all the ships based here, the release said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Cine enthusiasts interested in understanding how film censorship worked in its early phase now have access to a treasure trove of rare and historical data provided by the National Film Archive of India (NFAI). The NFAI Wednesday shared that it had digitalised and uploaded documents related to film certification, published as Bombay and Bengal Government Gazettes from the year 1920 to 1950. The records consist of detailed information like name of the film that has come up for certification; length; number of reels; country of origin; who applied for the censor; the producer of the film, the day the committee viewed the film and the day when the film received certification. "This will help film researchers about understanding how Indian films were certified, the process of certification was done in early days. We have a large paper collection at the archives consisting of posters, still photographs, postcards, song booklets, old journals and magazines in different languages. We have started digitalising it and most of it is almost done. "We were looking at what we can make public. We have put up this data concerning the early era of cinema regarding censor clearance. For research purpose, there are many researchers who come to access the database. So, we thought of using technology," NFAI director Prakash Magdum told PTI. Magdum said most of the films that came seeking certification were foreign. India's first full-length feature, silent film, "Raja Harishchandra" released in 1913. It was directed by Dadasaheb Phalke, who came to be known as the Father of Indian Cinema. Ardeshir Irani-directed "Alam Ara" was the first Indian talkie, which released in 1931. "In early days of Indian cinema, the production of Indian films was less in number that time there were foreign films, mainly from America and Europe, which were exhibited in India in large numbers and they needed to take certificate to show the film in India," Magdum said. "The Volga Boatman" (1926), an American silent film produced and directed by legendary filmmaker Cecil B De Mille, was refused certification in India by Bombay Board of Film Censors apparently because it portrayed class hatred, violence, degrading lust and brutality. The censorship and classification of the films then rested with censor boards, which were placed under police chiefs in cities of Chennai (then Madras), Mumbai (then Bombay), Kolkata (then Calcutta), Lahore (now in Pakistan) and Rangoon (now Yangon in Burma). With Independence, the autonomy of the regional censors was abolished and they were brought under the Bombay Board of Film Censors. After the implementation of Cinematograph Act, 1927, the board was unified and reconstituted, as the Central Board of Film Censors in 1952. Cinematograph (Certification) Rules were revised in 1983 and the body was rechristened as the Central Board of Film Certification. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) (ANSA) - Paris, April 4 - Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said during a working lunch at the G7 in Paris Thursday devoted to the fight against migrant traffickers and human trafficking networks that "we are concerned about what is happening in Libya and I take the opportunity to ask everyone for a solution". Salvini has closed Italy's ports to migrant rescue NGOs and boosted cooperation with the Libyan coast guard to take migrants back to the North African country. Human rights groups have denounced conditions in Libyan migrant detention centres. Italy has been working to firm up a peace and reconciliation accord between warring factions in Libya. A Pune-based NGO has donated an ambulance to the BSF for deployment at outposts in Samba, Hiranagar and Ramgarh sectors, which have been the worst affected by Pakistani shelling, officials said Thursday. Borderless World Foundation (BWF), in association with HDFC Securities, handed over the ambulance to the Border Security Force (BSF) on Wednesday evening, the officials said. This critical care ambulance is to be placed at outposts in Samba, Hiranagar and Ramgarh sectors, which have been most affected by Pakistani shelling, they said. "The ambulance is equipped with latest equipment and medical gadgetry and would be of great help in saving valuable lives," said Adhik Kadam, Founder Director of BWF, who handed over the ambulance's key to N S Jamwal, IG (BSF, Jammu) during a function here. BWF had also provided a critical care ambulance to BSF last year, the officials said. The NGO has so far provided 11 fully-equipped trauma care and critical care ambulances to various institutions in Jammu and Kashmir. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The NGT Thursday asked the Ministry of and Forests to submit a detailed report on the deaths of the Great Indian Bustard, after a plea said that 75 per cent of the critically endangered birds have died due to collision with power lines. A bench headed by National Green Tribunal chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel directed the ministry to submit the report in two months. The tribunal was hearing a plea filed by the Centre for Wildlife and Litigation, through advocate Gaurav Bansal, seeking directions to the ministry to make bio-diversity impact assessment mandatory for every wind-power project, irrespective of its size or capacity. The plea said that as per 30th Forest Advisory Committee meeting, power lines, especially high-voltage transmission lines with multiple overhead wires, are the most important current threat to the critically endangered species as they have poor frontal vision. It said 75 per cent of the birds have died due to collision with power lines in the past 30 years. The petitioner has sought a status report on the issue of undergrounding high-risk powerlines in Great Indian Bustard habitats of Thar Desert, Jaisalmer Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Karnataka. It has also sought a report on the issue of installation of bird flight diverter on medium-risk powerlines besides penal action against those transmission companies which have failed to adopt mitigation measures. The Great Indian Bustard is a bird found on the Indian subcontinent and has a horizontal body and long bare legs, giving it an ostrich like appearance. It is among the heaviest of the flying birds and the species is critically endangered by hunting and loss of its habitat. It is protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Nigerian national was arrested in the beach village of Calangute in Goa Thursday for allegedly possessing drugs. He was identified as Basan Lama. Lama was arrested from Umtavado area and narcotics worth Rs 3,800 were seized from his possession, said inspector Nolasco Raposo. A case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act was registered against him, the officer said. He was remanded in judicial custody for 14 days by a local court. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a boost for the BJP in Uttar Pradesh, the Nishad Party Thursday announced an alliance with it and Praveen Nishad, who won the Gorakphur Lok Sabha bypoll last year on an SP ticket, joined the saffron party. Hours later, Samajwadi Party president Yadav termed it a ghaate wala sauda, or loss-making deal, for the BJP and also alleged that money had changed hands. Praveen Nishad, whose father Sanjay Nishad is the head of the Nishad Party, won from Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's home turf after the SP and the Bahujan Samaj Party joined hands there to take on the BJP. Akhilesh Yadav said by inducting Praveen Nishad the BJP was entering into a loss-making deal, not realising that the people in Gorakhpur had voted for the SP-BSP alliance and not for the candidate. In a series of tweets in Hindi, Yadav also mocked the for not coming out yet with its manifesto, asking if it planned to release it only when the polls are over. Will the prime minister's 'achhe din' (good times) manifesto come after the he tweeted in Hindi. This time even BJP supporters are not able to say among themselves that 'achhe din' are coming, so how will they say it to the people?" he said. The SP chief insinuated that Praveen Nishad switched over to the BJP in return for a bag of 'prasad' (cash) from the 'mathadheesh' of Gorakhnath temple, referring to Adityanath. He, however, did not substantiate the allegation. "Will the Gorakhpur MP who got a bagful of 'prasad' from the mathadheesh' distribute it among others or devour it alone?" Yadav said. ALSO READ: Rahul Gandhi files nomination from Wayanad for Lok Sabha elections 2019 "It is certain that the brothers' boat will sink in the elections," he said in an apparent reference to Praveen Nishad and Adityanath. Ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, the Nishad Party joined the SP-BSP-RLD alliance on March 26. Three days later, it quit. It was keen to contest on its own symbol this time but Akhilesh Yadav's party apparently wanted it to fight on the SP ticket again. On Thursday, Praveen Nishad joined the BJP in New Delhi in the presence of Union minister J P Nadda. Nadda said the Gorakhnath MP had joined the BJP due to his faith in the policies of the government. The Nirbal Indian Shoshit Hamara Aam Dal (Nishad Party) was formed in 2016, claiming to empower Nishads, Kewats, Binds and other communities, whose livelihoods are dependent on the river. Members of these communities are mostly boatmen or fishermen, and are demanding a Scheduled Caste status. Nishad Party fielded 100 candidates in the 2017 Uttar Pradesh assembly election in alliance with the Peace Party, the Apna Dal (Krishna Patel faction) and the Jan Adhikar Party. Its candidate Vijay Mishra won Gyanpur assembly seat in Bhadohi district. Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi on Thursday said there was no "one-size-fits-all" policy on the issue of full statehood to Delhi. He said this at a programme to release the Congress manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls at the party's Delhi unit office. Delhi minister and senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Gopal Rai had asked the Congress on Wednesday to support the demand for full statehood to Delhi so that the people of the national capital could lead their lives with dignity. In a letter to Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Rai had said he should support the demand for full statehood to Delhi, instead of proposing to amend the GNCTD Act, 1991. Asked about the absence of the issue of full statehood to Delhi in the Congress manifesto, although the same was promised for Puducherry, Singhvi said, "There is no one-size-fits-all policy. We have taken a very cautious approach to draft the document. There has been a Supreme Court verdict as well." Delhi Congress president Sheila Dikshit said necessary changes in the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) Act would be made to streamline the power structure. Full statehood to Delhi has been the central theme of the AAP's campaign for the Lok Sabha polls. Dikshit, in the past, had said the Congress had worked for full statehood to Delhi, but it did not succeed. Presenting the salient features of the Congress manifesto on agriculture, employment, health, minimum income and education, Singhvi attacked the Narendra Modi government for resorting to "jumlebazi" (rhetoric) on these issues in the last five years. Dikshit said the manifesto gave an idea about the works the Congress party intended to do. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nobody wants a "system of opaqueness" but in the name of transparency the judiciary cannot be destroyed, the Supreme Court said Thursday, while hearing the appeals of its registry against the Delhi High Court order that the CJI's office falls under the ambit of RTI Act. A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi reserved its verdict on three appeals filed in 2010 by Secretary General of the Supreme Court and the Central Public Information officer of the apex court against the High Court and the CIC's orders after lawyer Prashant Bhushan and Attorney General K K Venugopal concluded submissions. "Nobody is for a system of opaqueness. Nobody wants to remain in the state of darkness or keep anybody in the state of darkness. The question is drawing a line. In the name of transparency, you can't destroy the institution," said the bench which also comprised Justices N V Ramana, D Y Chandrachud, Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna. At the outset, Bhushan, appearing for RTI activist S C Agrawal, said though the apex court should not have been judging its own cause, it is hearing the appeals due to "doctrine of necessity". The lawyer termed as "unfortunate" and "disturbing" the reluctance of judiciary in parting information under the Right To Information Act and asked, "Do judges inhabit different universe?" He said the apex court has always stood for transparency in functioning of other organs of State but it develops cold feet when its own issues require attention. Referring to RTI provisions, he said they also deal with exemptions and information which cannot be given to applicants, but the public interest should always "outweigh" personal interests if the person concerned is holding or about to hold a public office. Dealing with "judicial independence", he said the National Judicial Accountability commission Act was struck down for protecting judiciary against interference from the executive, but this did not mean that judiciary is free from "public scrutiny". "This is not the independence from accountability. Independence of judiciary means it has to be independent from the executive and not independent from common public. People are entitled to know as to what public authorities are doing," he said. The deliberations of Collegium in appointing and overlooking judges or lawyers should be made public and information can be parted with under RTI on case-to-case basis keeping in mind the larger public interest, he said. The bench said people, of late, are opting out and do not want to become judges because of the fear of negative publicity. "Of late, we are experiencing good people, who have opted to become judges, withdrawing their consent. On interaction, the reason appears to be the possibility of the negative observations, whether rightly or wrongly, being brought into the public domain," it said. In such a case, besides losing judgeship, reputation, professional life and family life of the person are all adversely affected, it said. It said it has brought about changes in the functioning of the collegium system and said now collegium members have started interacting with prospective candidates. I It then referred to a case of a Madras District Judge who was not elevated as the High Court judge and moreover, he was allowed to retire at the age of 58 years. "All his colleagues who were not even in the zone of consideration for the High Court got the extension, but not only did he not become a High Court judge, he retired at 58", the CJI said, adding that all the decisions of collegium cannot be "painted" with the same brush. "Let us not assume any judge has an animus against anybody, let alone the Chief Justice. Otherwise, the institution will dissolve...," the bench said. Bhushan then referred to the case of a HC lawyer whose name was recommended and reiterated by the High Court Collegium twice and still the government did not accept and said that people are entitled to know the reasons. Dealing with the aspect of personal information which can be shared, Bhushan gave an illustration and said suppose a homosexual lawyer's elevation as a judge is objected to by the government on this ground alone, then this personal information can be disclosed in public interest as people have the right to know. Justice Chandrachud said certain things may vary from case to case. He said suppose a judge wanted transfer because of certain kind of illness of his spouse then the nature of disease cannot be disclosed as this is a "personal information". The bench said that there cannot be a "blanket" ban on disclosure and it has to be examined on a case-to-case basis. Justice Gupta said a person himself does not want a disclosure as to his sexuality, then a line would have to be drawn, otherwise it would be "very dangerous". The best test would be to ask the person himself if he wanted the reasons for non-elevation or non-appointment to be placed in public domain, the bench said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress president Rahul Gandhi said Thursday that the ambitious 'Nyay' scheme was finalised only after consulting experts. The Congress, if voted to power, guarantees to deposit Rs 72,000 annually under the scheme to poor Indian families, Gandhi said, addressing a poll rally here. The Congress leader said he was here for the long haul and was "not interested in telling lies like Prime Minister Narendra Modi". Gandhi said the promise of Rs 72,000 to the poor families per year under the Nyay scheme was made only after speaking to experts. The Congress chief said implementation of the scheme will not affect the economy. The scheme will be a "surgical strike on poverty", Gandhi said. Lies get exposed, Gandhi said. While the Congress wants to work for the people of India, the BJP just makes hollow claims, he added. Targeting Anil Ambani on the Rafale deal, Gandhi said the industrialist lacks expertise in defence manufacturing, his businesses have failed and he has no money but still got the "biggest" defence contract. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BJP general secretary P Muralidhar Rao Thursday said only BJP under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi can provide a stable government in the country and take on the challenges from terrorists and separatists. He dismissed the proposed alliance of opposition parties at the national level. "Thefore, when meetings are held in Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, Kolkata,... not just one Prime Minister on behalf of opposition, 15 Prime Ministers....," Rao said. If such is the situation, there would be a different prime minister on each day of the week, he said sarcastiscally. "Can this country accept 50 Prime Ministers in five years," he asked. Only Modi can provide stable and efficient government which is development-oriented, Rao said, addressing an election meeting here. "Today, who can face Pakistan, communal politics, betrayers of the nation, terrorists, separatists is only BJP, only Narendra Modiji," he said. Attacking Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on his plans to form a non-Congress, non-BJP federal front and play a key role at the Centre, the BJP leader said the Telangana Rashtra Samithi president had gone to Kolkata, Bhubaneswar and other cities. "The reality is that the federal front is not in existence, as also the grand alliance (of opposition parties)," Rao said. BJP president Amit Shah, who was scheduled to attend the meeting, could not do so due to an emergency meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on party's manifesto, Rao said. The Prime Minister, Amit Shah and other leaders held an emergency meeting this morning and discussed manifesto and other issues, he said. Due to delay there, Shah could not come, he said. Rao said he took a word from Shah that he would attend the party's victory rally after the elections. Attacking Chief Minister Chandrasekhar Rao over his comments that he is a true Hindu, state BJP president K Laxman asked how can Rao be a true Hindu when he allegedly did not have the time to console the injured and families when over 60 devotees of a famous Hanuman temple died in a bus accident in the State last year. "Hindu religion preaches 'Sarva Dharma Sama Bhava' and Rao is trying to get minority votes," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Vaccines hidden in dog food could help curb the spread of rabies more effectively than injections, say UK scientists who conducted a study on street dogs in India. There are an estimated 100 million stray dogs in India. Experts say that the combination of an injectable and oral vaccination approach could help them reach the minimum 70 per cent vaccine threshold needed to minimise risk of rabies being passed to people. According to researchers from University of Edinburgh in the UK, three times as many dogs could be vaccinated each day when the new process is combined with existing injectable techniques. The team worked with experts from Mission Rabies, and the Worldwide Veterinary Service to assess the feasibility of the approach in Goa. The oral rabies vaccine is not yet licensed for use in India so the team embedded empty capsules in dog food to test the concept. Working with the Government of Goa Animal Husbandry Department, teams on mopeds searched for free-roaming dogs, delivering capsules in an attractive bait. Each member of the team reached 35 dogs each day, compared with just nine using current vaccination methods. They accessed 80 per cent of the dogs they spotted, compared with 63 per cent when only using the catch-vaccinate-release method. The study, published in Vaccine X, shows that combined vaccination approach could be cheaper, helping to further maximise limited resources. "Rabies has a massive impact on societies, not only from the disease, but also from the fear that results," said Luke Gamble, a Founder of Mission Rabies. "In many parts of the world, reaction to rabies cases fuels inhumane mass culls of dogs, which does nothing to combat the virus. We are showing that there is another way that benefits dogs, people and nations," Gamble said. Rabies is a serious brain infection that is usually caught from the bite or scratch of an infected animal, often a dog. The disease has been eliminated from many countries but remains challenging in countries where dogs are allowed to roam freely. Around 59,000 people die each year from the infection with a further 29 million people needing costly treatments after being bitten by dogs in areas where the disease is rife. Researchers hope the study will provide evidence to support the introduction of the oral rabies vaccine in India as an extra tool in efforts to eradicate the disease. "This kind of operational research is crucial in pushing the boundaries and finding a solution to the age-old problem of rabies. Dog populations vary, so it is essential that methods are evaluated methodically," said Mark Bronsvoort, of the University of Edinburgh. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistani troops Thursday resorted to fresh mortar shelling and firing along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district in which one person was injured. "At about 1800 hours, Pakistani army initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by shelling with mortars and firing of small arms along LoC in Degwar and Gulpur sectors in Poonch district," PRO defence said. The Indian Army is retaliating befittingly, he said. According to reports, one person suffered injuries in the incident. On Tuesday, the Indian Army destroyed seven Pakistani military posts across the Line of Control in retaliation to the continued ceasefire violations by them. Pakistan's Inter-Services Public Relations admitted three casualties among their troops at Rakhchakri in Rawalakot of the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. As a precautionary measure, all schools along the Line of Control in Poonch and Rajouri districts have been closed in view of the Pakistani shelling. With Pakistan using heavy weaponry and 120 mm mortar bombs targeting civilian areas along the LoC in Poonch, people have been advised to stay indoors, officials said. Ten persons, including four soldiers, have been killed and over 50people injured in Rajouri and Poonch districts since India's air strike on a JeM terror camp in Pakistan's Balakot on February 26 in response to the February 14 Pulwama terror strike which had left 40 CRPF personnel dead. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) (ANSA) - Rome, April 4 - Migrants must be rescued rather than being pushed back, the Italian Bishops Conference (CEI) chief said Thursday. "Migrants must be rescued and not pushed back to unsafe or third countries, also because we take on responsibilities if we entrust them to third parties," said Cardinal Gualtiero Bassetti at the presentation of the Astalli Centre migrant report. "(Migrant) landings in Italy have dropped but the deaths are rising. "Every death is an offence that strikes all humankind". Asked if self-described Christian politics was actually Christian in its actions, he replied: "I don't have an instrument to measure faith. I say (Interior Minister Matteo Salvini's) migrant-security decree is insufficient and must be mitigated". Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz chief Shehbaz Sharif's name was removed from the no-fly list Thursday, days after a court ordered the government to allow him to travel abroad. The 67-year-old leader's name was placed on the travel blacklist on February 22 for allegedly possessing assets beyond his declared sources of income. He had approached the Lahore High Court seeking declaration of the government's decision as null and void. A two-member Lahore High Court bench headed by Justice Malik Shahzad on March 26 ordered the government to remove Shehbaz's name from Exit Control List (ECL). The federal interior ministry authorised the move following the Lahore High Court's order, Express reported. The ministry also issued a notification confirming that Shehbaz is now free to travel abroad, it said. Reports suggest Shehbaz would soon depart for London, where his granddaughter recently underwent a cardiac procedure necessitated by a complication at birth. Shehbaz is also expected to undergo medical check-ups during his stay in London. He has been indicted along with nine others in the Ashiana Iqbal Housing scam case. He was arrested by the National Accountability Bureau in the probe on October 5, 2018 and released on bail on February 14. Shehbaz served as the chief minister of the politically crucial Punjab province from 2013 to 2018. He became PML-N president after his elder brother Nawaz Sharif was barred from holding the top party position and public posts. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A panch from Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir was shot dead by militants at his residence, police said Thursday. The terrorists barged into the house of Abdul Majeed Dar at Shalipora on Wednesday night and shot at him from close range, a police officer said. Dar, elected as panch in last year's Panchayat elections, was rushed to a hospital in a critical condition but succumbed to his injuries, the officer added. The deceased was formerly associated with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Communist Party of India(Marxist) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami condemned the killing. The heinous incident should be condemned by one and all, he said, adding that violence in any form is condemnable. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a veiled attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, NCP chief Sharad Pawar Thursday said he does not mess with anyone on his own, but "shows the place" to someone who does so. Pawar also accused Modi of seeking political mileage out of the valour shown by security forces post the Pulwama terror attack as the recrimination between the two leaders continued in the amidst of Lok Sabha election campaign marked by bitterness and acrimony. Speaking at a poll rally in Gondia Wednesday, Modi had alleged Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leaders "were unable to sleep" as their "sleep was jailed in Delhi's Tihar". He, however, did not elaborate. At another public meeting at Wardha Monday, the prime minister had attacked Pawar, saying the veteran leader has lost grip over his party and that a "family feud" had struck it. Speaking at an election rally here in central Maharashtra, an angry Pawar sought to return fire, making uncharacteristically strong remarks apparently targeted at Modi. "We hail from the soil where Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was born. We don't mess with anyone on our own, but show the place if someone does so," Pawar said as he canvassed for NCP candidate Ranajagjitsinh Patil here. Pawar said Modi asks what he had done during his tenure as the Defence Minister. The NCP leader was the Defence Minister between 1991 and 1993 when he was in the Congress. Hitting back, Pawar said he did not allow attacks to take place in country as was the case under the Modi government's watch. The Maratha strongman said Modi keeps saying that no development took place in the country in the past 70 years under previous governments and asked if it also included the dispensations led by BJP stalwart Atal Bihari Vajpayee (1998- 2004). Pawar hailed former Congress Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi for their respective contribution towards nation building. "The present prime minister uses valour shown by security forces for his campaigning. This government has been unable to ensure even the release of Kulbhushan Jadhav. Where has the 56-inch chest gone?" asked Pawar. Ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, Modi had claimed at an election rally in Uttar Pradesh that only a person with a "56-inch chest" (implying a bold approach) could solve problems faced by the country. Jadhav, a retired Navy officer, is in a jail in Pakistan, where he has been sentenced to death by a military court on charges of espionage. Pawar said the Congress-NCP-led grand alliance had deliberately picked young candidates to contest the polls. The Osmanabad constituency goes to the polls in the second phase of voting on April 18. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The people of Amethi have already accepted Union minister Smriti Irani as their MP, the BJP Thursday said as it claimed fear of losing the Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh compelled Congress president Rahul Gandhi to fight from a second constituency in Kerala. Speaking to reporters at the state BJP office here, BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain claimed the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance will win all the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra. "Rahul Gandhi has decided to contest from Wayanad (in Kerala) for fear of getting defeated from the Amethi constituency because the people of Amethi have already accepted Smriti Irani as their MP," he said. Gandhi, the sitting MP from Amethi, will contest from the Congress bastion in Uttar Pradesh and also from Wayanad, where he filed his nomination Thursday. Irani is the BJP's candidate from Amethi. Hussain claimed adverse results for the BJP in November assembly polls in three states Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh will not have any bearing on the party's prospects in the Lok Sabha elections. Citing the example of Delhi, he said, "Issues are different in assembly and Lok Sabha polls. In Delhi, we had won all the seven seats in last Lok Sabha polls, but in the assembly polls later, we could win only three seats (out of 70 in February 2015)." The former Union minister said people have made up their mind to give a second term to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as they want to see the country become strong under his leadership. "The Opposition has only one point agenda - that is to remove Modi ji as Prime Minister. However, people are with him," he added. The BJP spokesperson claimed Opposition parties would draw a blank in the Lok Sabha polls in the state. "The Congress-NCP will not be able to win even a single seat. They were hoping that BJP and Sena will not contest together, which would have benefited them. "But we have come together to make Modi ji Prime Minister once again. The BJP-Sena alliance will win all seats in Maharashtra," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rajasthan Congress president and Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot Thursday demanded that the Narendra Modi government release a "white paper" on what it has achieved through programmes launched in the last five years. He said the government had given "a dozen slogans" like Standup India, Digital India and Make in India, but its time to release figures of what it has achieved through all such schemes. "The government should bring a white paper to tell people what was the result of such slogans," he said. Terming the Congress's election manifesto revolutionary, Pilot said the party has released a "grounded, wide and visionary manifesto" while keeping in mind the present situation. He accused the BJP of talking only on issues like religion, caste, India-Pakistan to divert people's attention from "actual problems" like unemployment. He said, "The BJP leaders were hiding behind the Army to cover up the government's failure". "The BJP has given a new definition of nationalism. Those who are anti-BJP are anti-national. Every single citizen loves the country and is united in the interest of the nation," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court Thursday agreed to hear on April 8 a Congress leader's plea seeking deferment of release of a biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi till the completion of upcoming Lok Sabha polls saying it was designed to "manipulate, influence and impress viewers and voters". Titled "PM Narendra Modi", the biopic which was slated to be released on April 5, has been postponed till further notice, its producer Sandip Ssingh said on Thursday. A bench of Justices S A Bobde, S Abdul Nazeer and Indira Banerjee said it will hear the plea on Monday. Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for petitioner advocate Aman Panwar, spokesperson of the Congress, said two high courts have refused to interfere with the release of the movie starring Vivek Oberoi. He sought urgent listing of the matter alleging that all four producers had "deep and pervasive links" to the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP). Singhvi said that even Prasoon Joshi, Chairman of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) is listed and credited as one of the artists, who worked on the film. The bench initially observed that it would not like to entertain a fresh petition and would like to hear the appeals of the high court order. Singhvi said that writ petition is filed as even the Election Commission has taken a stand in the Bombay High Court that it would not like to interfere with the movie's release. He submitted that the release of the movie may affect free and fair election as mandated in the Constitution and therefore they have moved the apex court by a writ petition. The plea sought direction from the court declaring that advertisement and promotion of the movie during the operation of the Model Code of Conduct violates electoral laws. It sought directions to the Centre, CBFC and EC to delay it release till the completion of the General Elections next month. The Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court had on Wednesday rejected a plea seeking ban on the release. The Bombay High Court had also on Monday disposed of a plea seeking deferment of the biopic's release, saying the Election Commission will deal with the issue. "The movie was driven by no artistic inspiration and was instead designed to manipulate, influence and impress viewers and voters in the upcoming elections," the plea said. It said that there were several facts which demonstrated that the movie was not an innocuous work of art, despite the repeated statements of the producers, the director and the lead actor to the contrary. "All four producers had deep and pervasive links to the Bhartiya Janta Party. In the case of four of the three producers, they were not mere sympathizers or supporters, but actual card carrying official members of the party in power with two of the individuals having held official posts in the party machinery," the plea claimed. It said that the Chairman of the CBFC is Prasoon Joshi, who is listed and credited as one of the artists who worked on the film. "In other words, the CBFC has acted as the judge in its own cause, (or alternatively, as a judge in the cause of its Chairman) thereby casting a pallor over its decision to be so liberal in its grant of permission for the movie to be released in such an expeditious manner," it said. The plea further questioned the desperate rush to script, shoot and release the movie in a hurried and clumsy manner to time it with the general elections is a fact admitted to by none other than the director of the biopic himself. It said that Maharashtra Chief Minister released the first poster of the biopic and president Amit Shah, was also scheduled to release other similar promotional materials. "The direct association of the upper echelons of the leadership in the stewardship and endorsement of the movie further diminishes the argument that it is an independent work of art produced as the realization of a long-standing vision," it said. The plea said that the Congress Party had approached the EC on March 25 after which a notice to the producers of the film was issued but since then there was complete radio silence. "While it may or may not be likely that such a hagiographic and sycophantic work will influence the voters, the precedent such a release sets will reverberate throughout the course of future elections," it said, adding that it is not an attempt to censor the movie but only to ensure that the Model Code of Conduct and other electoral laws are not violated. The Congress on Thursday mocked the BJP-led government, saying its "dismal" performance bore testimony of the fact that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has only "television" instead of vision. The Rahul Gandhi-led party also slammed the BJP for criticising its manifesto, noting that the central government had no right to preach on national security, as the country saw a "260 per cent" rise in terror-related incidents during the last five years. "The dismal performance of his government shows Modi has no vision and only television," Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi told reporters. She alleged that the rich became richer and the poor turned poorer under the BJP rule, but Congress' election manifesto talks about giving justice to the farmers, women, youth, and the jobless and distressed sections. Accusing the BJP of not fulfilling promises made in its manifesto in 2014, she said the saffron party had assured to provide 33 per cent quota for women, double farmers' income and create two crore jobs annually, but failed "miserably" to meet any of these. Mounting a scathing attack on the BJP for making tall claims about nationalism, the Congress leader said never before in the history of India did any prime minister visit Pakistan "uninvited". However, "Modi went there uninvited, had biriyani, and got the Pathankot (terror strike) in return," she said, adding, even Pakistan's ISI was allowed to investigate into the incident. "No one knows what happened to that investigation," Chaturvedi said. Hitting out at the central government for the Pulwama attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed, she said it was the "biggest intelligence failure". "National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajt Doval, who was instrumental in the release of Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar, had held talks with Pakistani officials in Bangkok, which is deplorable," the Congress leader said. "Let them (the BJP) not try to teach us on nationalism. It was Indira Gandhi who demonstrated with courage how to strike right inside the enemy's house," she said. Dubbing the BJP as a symbol of "hypocrisy", Chaturvedi said the saffron leaders' attack on Congress over the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act was meaningless, and made it clear that her party only seeks to review and hold dialogues before taking any step on the AFSPA, and not dilute it. The AFSPA was revoked in three districts of Arunachal Pradesh and some north-eastern states during the BJP-led NDA government, she said, accusing the party of adopting double standards on the issue. Chaturvedi further alleged that the BJP had promised withdrawal of the AFSPA for entering into an alliance with the PDP in Jammu and Kashmir. Criticising the GST and demonetisation for their "disastrous" impact, she said the Congress will simplify the new indirect tax, if voted to power. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chief Economic Adviser Krishnamurthy Subramanian said Thursday he expects the government and the RBI to work together to ensure expeditious resolution of bad loans against the backdrop of a recent Supreme Court order on RBI's February 12, 2018, circular. Subramanian further said that quashing of the RBI's February 12 circular by the Supreme Court does not impact the ongoing cases or resolution or credit culture itself. "I think RBI and the government will be working together to ensure that whatever needs to be done can be done...it (quashing of RBI's February 12 circular) really doesn't impact the ongoing cases or resolution or credit culture itself," he said at an event organised by industry body CII. RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das on Thursday said the Reserve Bank will shortly come out with a revised circular for bad loan resolution after its February 12 circular was quashed by the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court Tuesday declared the one-year-old circular as "ultra vires", in response to a petition by stressed borrowers. Subramanian further said that analysis shows that globally, there has been a significant increase in uncertainty. Interestingly, though, he said, in India, uncertainty has reduced over time despite spikes during events such as demonetisation and Goods and Services Tax (GST). The CEA also noted that the key to surviving in the volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity (VUCA) is innovativeness. Thriving in a VUCA world, he said, requires vision, understanding, clarity and agility. Subramanian also pointed out that no country is immune to uncertainty coming from path-breaking innovations. Speaking at the event, principal economic advisor in the finance ministry Sanjeev Sanyal said the single biggest reform India now needs is the reform in its legal system. "We need to think of doubling the number of judges in India," Sanyal said adding that it has to be done in partnership with the judiciary. US-India Business Council President Nisha Biswal emphasised the need for a more adaptive mindset in the government for India to fully unleash its growth potential. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who is fighting the Lok Sabha elections from his traditional bastion Amethi in Uttar Pradesh, Thursday filed nomination from Wayanad--a Congress stronghold in South India. Gandhi, accompanied by his sister Priyanka Gandhi and senior Congress leaders K C Venugopal and Mukul Wasnik, submitted the papers before district collector A R Ajayakumar at Wayanad district headquarters here. Hundreds of workers of the Congress-led UDF assembled outside the district collectorate in Wayanad, a scenic hill area in the Western Ghats of Kerala, as Gandhi filed the nomination. Braving the scorching heat, thousands of party workers, including men, women and youth gathered in Kalpetta town and its suburbs to see the Congress' prime ministerial candidate, who landed here to file his nomination from the constituency which has the presence of various ethnic tribal groups. After completing the nomination procedures at the collectorate here, Rahul Gandhi along with Priyanka Gandhi and senior leaders of the Congress-led UDF in Kerala undertook a roadshow to greet the voters of this constituency. The narrow lanes of Kalpetta town were packed with excited onlookers waiting in anticipation for the Congress chief and other party leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi. Talking to reporters after filing his nomination, Rahul Gandhi said he was fighting the polls from down south to send a message that India was one. "I have come to Kerala to send a message that India is one. South, north, east, west, centre... all are one... There is an assault taking place across the country by the RSS and BJP. I just want to send a message and I will stand from south India and north India. My aim was to give a message," he said. "There is a feeling in south India that the way the Narendra Modi government is functioning, their (south) culture, language, history all are being attacked. "So I wanted to give a message that I will fight from north and south," the Congress chief said, in response to his main opponent in Amethi, Union minister Smriti Irani alleging that his decision to fight from Wayanad was an insult to the people of Amethi. Priyanka Gandhi appealed to the people of Wayanad to take care of her brother and assured that he would not let him down. "My brother, my truest friend, and by far the most courageous man I know. Take care of him Wayanad, he wont let you down," she tweeted after the roadshow. Party workers shouted that they would ensure a thumping victory for Gandhi. "We all are excited. All sections of people gathered here to greet our prime ministerial candidate. We will ensure a thumping victory for Rahul ji from the soil of Pazhassi Raja," Ashraf, a UDF worker, who came from Vandoor assembly constituency said. Gandhi said he would "absorb all the criticisms" of the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF in Kerala, which is miffed over his Wayanad candidature, and made it clear that he will not speak against the Left parties during his campaign. The CPI(M) and Congress have been locked in a fight in Kerala and it will go on, he told reporters, adding he wanted to send a message of unity. "The CPI(M) and Congress have been locked in a fight in Kerala. This will go on. I understand that the CPI(M) has to fight me. But I am not going to say a word against them. "I am here to send a message of unity that south India is important and I fully understand that the CPI(M) has to attack me. So I will absorb all their attacks with happiness, but from me you will not hear a word against them in my campaign," Gandhi told reporters. He also said there were two main issues faced by the country--lack of jobs and agrarian crisis. "Farmers are unaware of what the future holds for them. Youngsters are running from state to state searching for jobs and (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi has failed on both the fronts," he said while attacking the PM. Attacking Modi on the issue of corruption, the Congress leader said, "The country had faith on the prime minister when he said he would be the Chowkidar. But the Chowkidar himself has given Anil Ambani Rs 30,000 crore of Air Force money. "He (Modi) has stolen money and given it to Anil Ambani who has no experience. Anil Ambani is in Rs 45,000 crore debt," Gandhi alleged, once again attacking the NDA government over the Rafale deal. As the massive crowd of supporters gathered on both sides of the narrow roads of Kalpetta, security personnel had a tough time controlling the people to clear the way for vehicles. Priyanka Gandhi wearing a mustard and red border saree and Rahul Gandhi waved to the crowd. As the vehicle inched forward, the Congress president was seen shaking hands with many elated supporters. People were seen clicking photos with their mobile phones and waving flags of Congress and its ally Indian Union Muslim League (IUML). Heavy security was in place in and around the collectorate ahead of the high profile visit of the Congress chief. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With sister Priyanka Gandhi by his side, Congress president Rahul Gandhi Thursday filed his nomination from Wayanad in Kerala and said he is fighting the Lok Sabha polls from a second seat in the south besides the party bastion Amethi in the north to send a message of unity and that "India is one". In a bid to reach out to the Left, Gandhi, 48, also said he wouldn't say a word against the state's CPI(M)-led LDF government during his campaign and that he would "absorb all its criticisms with happiness". The Left is is miffed with Gandhi's candidature from Wayanad. Wayanad will witness a triangular contest with Left Front constituent CPI's P P Suneer and BJP-backed NDA candidate Thushar Vellappally also in the fray. Gandhi, who was also accompanied by senior Congress leaders K C Venugopal and Mukul Wasnik, submitted the nomination papers before district collector A R Ajayakumar at Wayanad district headquarters in Kalpetta. Hundreds of workers of Congress and other allies in the party-led UDF assembled outside the district collectorate as Gandhi filed the nomination. Wayanad, a scenic hill area in the Western Ghats of Kerala, has a presence of various ethnic tribal groups. It is a Congress stronghold in South India. Braving the scorching heat, thousands of party workers--both men and women--gathered in Kalpetta town and its suburbs to have a glimpse of Rahul Gandhi. After completing the nomination procedures at the collectorate, Rahul Gandhi along with Priyanka Gandhi and senior leaders of the Congress-led UDF in Kerala undertook a roadshow to greet the voters of the constituency. The narrow lanes of Kalpetta town were packed with excited onlookers waiting in anticipation for the Congress chief and other party leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi. Talking to reporters after filing his nomination, Rahul Gandhi said he was fighting the polls from down south to send a message that India was one. "I have come to Kerala to send a message that India is one. South, north, east, west, centre... all are one... There is an assault taking place across the country by the RSS and BJP. I just want to send a message and I will stand from south India and north India. My aim was to give a message," he said. "There is a feeling in south India that the way the Narendra Modi government is functioning, their (south) culture, language, history all are being attacked. "So I wanted to give a message that I will fight from north and south," the Congress chief said, in response to his main opponent in Amethi, Union minister Smriti Irani, who had alleged that his decision to fight from Wayanad was an insult to the people of Amethi. Priyanka Gandhi appealed to people of Wayanad to take care of her brother and assured he would not let them down. "My brother, my truest friend, and by far the most courageous man I know. Take care of him Wayanad, he won't let you down," she tweeted after the roadshow. Party workers shouted that they would ensure a thumping victory for Gandhi. "We all are excited. All sections of people gathered here to greet our prime ministerial candidate. We will ensure a thumping victory for Rahul ji from the soil of Pazhassi Raja," said Ashraf, a UDF worker, who came from Vandoor assembly constituency. Gandhi said he would "absorb all the criticisms" of the ruling LDF which is miffed over his Wayanad candidature, and made it clear he will not speak against the Left parties during his campaign. The CPI(M) and Congress have been locked in a fight in Kerala and it will go on, he told reporters, adding he wanted to send a message of unity. "The CPI(M) and Congress have been locked in a fight in Kerala. This will go on. I understand that the CPI(M) has to fight me. But I am not going to say a word against them. "I am here to send a message of unity that south India is important and I fully understand that the CPI(M) has to attack me. So I will absorb all their attacks with happiness, but from me you will not hear a word against them in my campaign," Gandhi said. He also said there were two main issues before the country--lack of jobs and agrarian crisis. "Farmers are unaware of what the future holds for them. Youngsters are running from state to state searching for jobs and (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi has failed on both the fronts," he said while attacking the PM. Attacking Modi on the issue of corruption, the Congress leader said, "The country had faith on the prime minister when he said he would be the Chowkidar. But the Chowkidar himself has given Anil Ambani Rs 30,000 crore of Air Force money." The Centre and Anil Ambani have denied allegations of irregularities. As the massive crowd of supporters gathered on both sides of the narrow roads of Kalpetta, security personnel had a tough time controlling the people to clear the way for vehicles. Priyanka Gandhi, wearing a mustard and red border saree, and Rahul Gandhi waved to the crowd. As the vehicle inched forward, the Congress president shook hands with many elated supporters. People were seen clicking photos with their mobile phones and waving flags of Congress and its ally Indian Union Muslim League (IUML). According to state Congress leaders, Rahul Gandhi has an emotional link with Wayanad. An urn containing the ashes of Rahul's father and former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi was brought to Wayanad in 1991 and they were immersed in Papanasini, a stream connected to a famous temple dedicated to Lord Mahavishnu in picturesque Thirunelli village, recalled Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly Ramesh Chennithala. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) (ANSA) - Rome, April 4 - The Alan Kurdi ship belonging to German migrant rescue NGO Sea Eye is heading for the Italian island of Lampedusa with its 64 rescued migrants, according to radar evidence confirmed by informed sources Thursday. After sailing north, they said, the ship has veered westwards and is now about 30 sea miles from the southern Italian island. The Alan Kurdi has reportedly asked Italy's maritime coordination centre for a safe port. Overnight, when it was in Maltese waters, it made the same request to Valletta. Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, who has closed Italy's ports to migrant rescue NGO vessels, said the government has written to the German government asking it "to take on the problem". He said "the interior ministry has warned the ship not to enter Italian waters". Salvini said "other lives put at risk by a foreign NGO, having left Libyan waters in the direction of Italy". Congress chief Rahul Gandhi has assets worth over 15.88 crore, according to the affidavit filed by him on Thursday while submitting his nomination papers for Wayanad Lok Sabha seat. In the 2014 elections, he had declared the value of his total assets as Rs 9.4 crore. The affidavit shows that Rahul Gandhi does not own a car and has a total liability of Rs 72 lakh as loans from various banks and other financial institutions. Gandhi has declared movable assets to the tune of Rs 5,80,58,799 and immovable assets worth Rs 10,08,18,284, with his total assets being worth Rs 15,88,77,083. The Congress president, who is also contesting from Amethi seat, has declared in his affidavit that there were five cases pending against him. Two of the cases against him are registered in Maharashtra and one each in Jharkhand, Assam and New Delhi, according to the affidavit. While the Congress chief has Rs 40,000 as cash-in-hand, he has Rs 17.93 lakh as deposits in various banks. Gandhi also has investments worth Rs 5.19 crore in bonds, debentures and shares in various companies in mutual funds. The assets also include 333.3 grams of gold. He continues to own a share in the inherited farm in Sultanpur Village in Delhi. The affidavit also shows that Gandhi owns two office spaces in Gurugram. The affidavit shows that the total income for the year 2017-18 was Rs 1,11,85,570. Gandhi has declared that his source of income was MP's salary, Royalty income, rental income, interest from bonds, dividends and capital gain from mutual funds. The Congress chief has said that his education qualification was M.Phil (Development Studies) from Trinity college, University of Cambridge in 1995. The affidavit shows that Rahul Gandhi does not own a car and as an SPG protectee he is required to travel in an SPG vehicle for security reasons. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) On her first visit to Rahul Gandhi's parliamentary constituency after the Lok Sabha elections were announced, Smriti Irani Thursday attacked the Congress president, saying his decision to contest from Wayanad in Kerala was an 'insult' to Amethi. The 48-year-old Congress chief is contesting from Kerala in addition to his traditional stronghold Amethi, where he is pitted against the Union textile minister. Terming herself 'didi' (elder sister), Irani told a gathering in Parsadepur in Amethi, "This is a coincidence, a sign from God that 'didi' arrived here and the missing MP reached Kerala. I have come to seek (people's) blessings and he rejected the blessings." "While the BJP workers are working with devotion to make the country capable and strong... the missing MP files his nomination from another place with the blessing of those who want to divide the country," she said. This will be Irani's second attempt to wrest Amethi from the Congress. In 2014, she lost the seat to Gandhi by a margin of over one lakh votes. On her arrival in Lucknow enroute Amethi for a two-day visit, Irani claimed Lord Ram's "vanavas" (exile) was for 14 years and the people of Amethi was experiencing the same for the last 15 years. "The people of Amethi had to bear with the missing MP for 15 years. A person who rode on the shoulder of Amethi and enjoyed power for the past 15 years, has decided to leave his supporters and file nominations from another seat because Congress workers know he does not have support," she reporters at the Chowdhury Charan Singh Airport in Lucknow, hours before Gandhi filed his nomination in Wayanad. "He is filing his papers from another Lok Sabha seat. This is an insult to Amethi and a betrayal of the people," Irani said, adding, "People here will celebrate Diwali on May 23, end the 'vanvas' and march towards the path of development. Referring to the excessive heat, Irani said the temperature had already risen in 2017 when the BJP won in four of the five assembly segments under the Amethi Lok Sabha constituency. The fifth Assembly segment was won by the Samajwadi Party. Irani also tweeted in Hindi, "While Rahul is taking support of 'desh virodhi' (anti-national) forces, BSP candidate from Gauriganj assembly constituency Vijay Kishore Tiwari is joining the BJP with a strong determination to empower the country." The Union minister, who is on a two day-visit to Amethi, landed at the Chowdhury Charan Singh airport in Lucknow this morning and visited the RSS office in Rajendra Nagar before proceeding to Rahul Gandhi's pocket borough. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hours after Congress president Rahul Gandhi filed his nomination from Wayanad, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Thursday accused him of having a secret agenda in Kerala with the Muslim League, the same organisation which caused the country's division. The BJP leader was apparently referring to the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) which is a long-time member of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala, equating it with the pre-Partition Muslim League. "The country attained freedom in 1947 after hundreds of years. But we also saw the country's unfortunate division on the eve of Independence. It was the Muslim League which had caused the division," he said. "Today, Rahul Gandhi has filed nomination from a seat in Kerala where he has a secret agenda with the Muslim League, the same organisation which was at the root of the country's division, he said. Where is this secret agenda between the Congress and Muslim league going to take the country? What sort of an atmosphere the Congress wants to build in this country? he asked at a rally at Kashipur in Uttarakhand's Udham Singh Nagar district. He accused the Congress of playing into the hands of anti-national and separatist forces. "By saying that it would revoke the anti-sedition law and review the AFSPA, the Congress has made its intentions clear. It wants to give the anti-nationals and the separatists a free run and weaken the armed forces," he said. The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act gives the armed forces protection from legal action during operations in disturbed areas. "This is an insult to the brave soldiers of Uttarakhand who don't hesitate to lay down their lives to protect the country's frontiers," Adityanath said. He said the people of Uttarakhand have understood the character of the Congress. "They know it can neither keep the nation safe nor it can do any good to the people of the state," he said. Claiming that support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi was pouring in, he said, "Only one call is heard everywhere, 'Modi, Modi' and 'Modi as PM again'. "On one side there is the Congress which plots conspiracies and on the other there is the BJP which has committed itself to securing the country's boundaries," he said. The Congress "failed" to keep the promises it had made in its manifestos for 2004 and 2009 Lok Sabha elections, he claimed. But now it is making new promises to cheat the people once again, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress President Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Thursday extended a helping hand to some media persons who were injured after falling from a vehicle during their road show here. A Video posted by a youth congress leader on his Facebook page showed both Rahul and Priyanka reaching out to the media persons who fell off the tightly packed open vehicle. The journalists in the media vehicle were covering Gandhis road show after he filed his nomination papers from Wayanad Lok Sabha seat. The journalists allegedly fell off from the open vehicle after a barricade broke and collapsed, eyewitnesses said. Rahul Gandhi was seen holding a stretcher in which an injured journalist was shifted to a private hospital in an ambulance. Priyanka Gandhi was seen picking and carrying the slippers of a scribe injured in the incident. Some five journalists fell from the vehicle. Two media persons who were injured in the incident were admitted to the private hospital, Congress sources said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Claiming that the then defence minister Manohar Parrikar knew there was corruption in Rafale deal, Congress president Rahul Gandhi Thursday said the deal would be probed if his party comes to power at the Centre. Addressing a campaign rally here, Gandhi alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi changed the fighter jet purchase deal, resulting in price increase. "I am telling you, inquiry will be initiated after elections...and the other chowkidar will be in jail," he said, referring to the prime minister's exhortation to everybody to become a 'chowkidar'. "The defence ministry document states Narendra Modi changed it (the original contract) and purchased (each) jet for Rs 1,600 crore," Gandhi said. "The chowkidar committed theft. The then defence minister (late Parrikar), when asked by the media, said I don't know about the new deal, you directly ask Narendra Modi, I don't know about it. "Because Parrikar knew corruption had taken place and (thought) someone will get trapped," Gandhi said. Hitting out at industrialist Anil Ambani, Gandhi said Ambani had no money, no expertise in defence manufacturing and all his businesses had failed. "Despite this, Anil Ambani got the biggest defence contract (under the Rafale deal). His brother saved him from going to jail," he said. "Why should Anil Ambani get the Rafale contract and why not somebody from Vidarbha (region where the poll rally was held)," Gandhi said. The Congress leader asserted that he was in for the long haul and "here for another 10 to 15 years." "I want to build a long-standing relationship with you. I will not speak lies. Modi has grown old and is in a hurry. So he is telling lies," Gandhi said. He did not lie since lies gets exposed sooner or later, the Congress president said, adding that his party works while the BJP "only makes hollow promises". Polling will be held in Nagpur Lok Sabha constituency in the first phase on April 11. Union minister Nitin Gadkari of the BJP is pitted against Congress' Nana Patole here. Making a strong pitch for the 'Nyay' minimum income guarantee scheme of his party, Gandhi said all economists have told him that the scheme to deposit Rs 72,000 every month in the bank accounts of the poor was feasible and can be implemented without hurting India's economy. "The 'Nyay' scheme is a surgical strike by Congress on poverty. Every Indian should get a minimum of Rs 12,000 every month," he said, adding the Congress government will provide enough funds for the scheme. Corruption, unemployment and farmers' problems were the priority issues for elections this time, and Modi should explain what he had done to tackle them in the last five years, Gandhi said. He reiterated his challenge to Modi to take part in a 15-minute open debate on corruption, economy and national security with him. "He (Modi) will not be able to show his face to you since he knows he can't answer questions. This is the reality," Gandhi said. Unemployment in the country has reached a 45-year high, the Congress president claimed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BJP leader Smriti Irani Thursday attacked Congress president Rahul Gandhi, saying his decision to contest from the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat in Kerala was an "insult" to the people of Amethi. The 48-year-old Congress chief is contesting from Kerala in addition to his traditional stronghold Amethi, where he is pitted against the Union textile minister. This will be the second attempt by Irani to wrest Amethi from the Congress. In 2014, she lost the seat by a margin of over one lakh votes to Gandhi. Irani said a person, who has been here in Amethi for the past 15 years, has decided to leave his supporters and chosen to file nominations from another constituency. "He is filing his papers from another Lok Sabha seat. This is an insult to Amethi and a betrayal with its people," she told reporters here, hours before Gandhi filed his nomination papers in Wayanad. Gandhi's decision to fight from Wayanad is because the Congress workers know he does not have support in Amethi, Irani alleged. "People of Amethi had to bear with the missing MP for 15 years. A person, who rode on the shoulder of Amethi and enjoyed power for the past 15 years, has decided to leave his supporters and chosen to file nominations from another constituency because Congress workers know he does not have support," she said. Irani also tweeted, "While Rahul is taking support of 'desh virodhi' (anti-India) forces, BSP candidate from Gauriganj assembly constituency Vijay Kishore Tiwari is joining the BJP with a strong determination to empower the country." The Union minister, who is on a two day-visit to Amethi, landed at the Chowdhury Charan Singh airport here this morning and visited the RSS office in Rajendra Nagar before proceeding to the Lok Sabha constituency. During her visit, Irani will address a Kisan Rally in Parshedpur under the Amethi parliamentary constituency. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) CPI leader D Raja has attacked the Congress for pitching its president Rahul Gandhi against the Left candidate in the April 23 Lok Sabha election from coffee-rich high-altitude constituency of Wayanad in Kerala and said it was a "short-sighted" decision. "What is the message the Congress wants to convey to the whole nation by fielding Rahul Gandhi from Wayanad? In a way, they are subjecting Gandhi to embarrassment by forcing him to fight CPI and the Left," Raja told PTI in an exclusive interview on Thursday. Gandhi, accompanied by his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and a host of Congress leaders, filed his nomination papers from Wayanad Thursday morning. P P Suneer of the CPI is the LDF candidate from the constituency while the BJP-NDA has fielded Thushar Vellappally. Asked if the left was considering to withdraw its candidate, Raja said, "No way!" "We will not withdraw our candidate and his campaign is in full swing," he said. Describing the Congress decision to field its president from Wayanad as "short sighted", Raja said the Left has been consistently saying that all secular democratic forces should fight and defeat the BJP and its allies. "The primary objective must be to defeat the BJP and its NDA allies to save the Constitution, democracy and secular fabric of the country. "What is the perspective of the Congress in choosing Gandhi for Wayanad? The arguments and reasons, given by the Congress, are not at all convincing; and absurd," Raja, who is in Kerala in connection with the election campaign, said. They are saying it is for the unity of the country, he said, adding that they should have chosen a constituency in Jammu and Kashmir or Lakshadweep, he said. After filing his nomination, Gandhi, 48, said he will "absorb all the attacks" and will not speak against Left parties during his campaign. He said he was contesting from Wayanad, in addition to his traditional stronghold of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh, to send a "message of unity". But Raja asked why the Congress did not choose Kanyakumari, the southernmost tip of India, where the BJP is in the field, or a seat in Karnataka, where the fight is between the Congress-JDS combine and the BJP. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was attacking Gandhi, saying he had chosen a constituency where Hindus were not in majority and that the Congress chief was running away from Amethi, the 69-year-old Left leader said. The Congress has also subjected Gandhi to a barrage of criticism from Modi and the RSS on one side and forced him to contest against the Left on the other, he said. "The decision is wrong and it has nothing to do with strengthening the cause of secularism," Raja added. Wayanad district is in the north-eastern part of Kerala and is home to various tribal groups. The area was badly affected by last year's floods. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rs 2 crore cash was seized from two persons here who claimed that the money was to be delivered to some TDP leaders of Rajahmundry Lok Sabha constituency in Andhra Pradesh where parliamentary and Assembly polls will be held on April 11, police said Thursday. They also said that Rs 48 lakh was seized from a car, whose driver claimed that the amount was being supplied to a Congress leader in Nalgonda district of Telangana, where polls for Lok Sabha elections will be held in the first phase. Special police teams were conducting searches of vehicles and people at Hitec City Railway Station around 6.30 pm on Wednesday when they found that N Sri Hari and A Pandari, both office assistants of Jayabheri Properties, were carrying Rs two crore, in banknotes of Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 denomination, in two bags towards the railway station, Cyberabad Police Commissioner V C Sajjanar said. According to the police officer, on enquiry, the duo said that Dharma Raju and Jagan Mohan Rao of Jayabheri Properties gave them the money and instructed them to transport it by train to Rajahmundry. They were told that they will be received by one Y Murali Krishna, a follower of TDP's Rajahmundry MP M Murali Mohan at the railway station and in turn the money would be handed over to Mohan, the police commissioner said. According to the Jayabheri group's website, Murali Mohan is the chairman, chief architect and promoter of the Hyderabad-based firm. In another case, police teams attached to Rachakonda Police Commissionerate while conducting vehicle check on National Highway-65 near Abdullapurmet here Wednesday found a car moving under suspicious circumstances and tried to stop it. The driver, however, did not stop the car and tried to escape, the police said, adding when they finally managed to stop the car, but the driver assaulted the policemen. He has been apprehended, another senior police official said. Rs 48 lakh cash was found under the rear seat and driver's seat of the car. The driver revealed that a partner of an educational institute had given him the amount to be handed over to a Congress leader in Nalgonda, the official said. As part of Model Code of Conduct implementation in Telangana, police and officials of various other departments have as on Wednesday evening, seized a total of Rs 29.07 crore worth of cash, liquor, gold and other items. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court on Thursday cancelled the bail of former Jharkhand minister Yogendra Sao, against whom several cases of rioting and instigating violence have been registered. A bench headed by Justice S A Bobde said it is satisfied that there were breach of bail conditions imposed in December 2017 on Sao as his "unauthorised presence" was found in Jharkhand. Sao had been directed to stay in Bhopal The apex court also comprising Justices S A Nazeer and Indira Banerjee transferred trial in 18 criminal cases against Sao and his MLA wife Nirmala Devi, who is also an accused in similar cases, from Hazaribagh in Jharkhand to Ranchi. However, the top court rejected the state government's plea seeking cancellation of Devi's bail, saying in her case the deviation in bail conditions were minor in nature. However, the court refused to accept Devi's prayer to allow her to stay in Patna instead of Bhopal. Sao was a minister in the Hemant Soren government in August 2013. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court on Thursday cancelled the bail of former Jharkhand minister Yogendra Sao, against whom several cases of rioting and instigating violence have been registered. A bench headed by Justice S A Bobde said it is satisfied that have been breach of bail conditions imposed on Sao in December 2017 as his "unauthorised presence" was found in Jharkhand. Sao had been directed to stay in Bhopal. The apex court comprising justices S A Nazeer and Indira Banerjee transferred the trial in 18 criminal cases against Sao and his MLA wife Nirmala Devi, an accused in similar cases, from Hazaribagh in Jharkhand to Ranchi. However, the top court rejected the state government's plea seeking cancellation of Devi's bail, saying the deviations in bail conditions in her case were minor in nature. It refused to accept Devi's prayer to allow her to stay in Patna instead of Bhopal. On January 21, the Jharkhand government had told the apex court that Sao was threatening an investigating officer posted in Barkagaon police station in Hazaribagh district and a case has been registered against him. The state government had asked for cancellation of Sao and Devi's bail, saying they were not staying in Bhopal as directed by the top court and also did not attend trial court proceedings when they were in Jharkhand. On January 15, the apex court had asked Sao and his wife to explain on how many occasions they did not attend trial court proceedings despite being in the state. The top court had also asked the couple about the circumstances in which they were out of Bhopal, saying the exception granted to them was that they would enter Jharkhand only to attend trial court proceedings. Both Sao and Devi were granted bail on December 15, 2017, by the top court and they were directed to stay in Bhopal as a bail condition. They were allowed to visit Jharkhand only for court hearings under police protection after intimating Bhopal superintendent of police. The Jharkhand government has said that out of 260 days, Sao had been in Jharkhand for more than 150 days and hardly spent 25 days in Bhopal. It has claimed that Sao travelled out of Bhopal on 24 occasions, out of which he travelled to Delhi a dozen times. It has said that in 11 cases registered against Sao, charges were not framed by the trial judge as he did not appear before the court despite directions from the top court. It has said several criminal cases were pending against the couple. The cases are at various stages of trial, including at the level of framing of charges, where their presence is needed. The apex court had taken exception to the charge framing order passed by a court in Jharkhand through instant messaging application WhatsApp. It had wondered how this kind of a "joke" was allowed to happen in a court of law in India. A lower judge in Hazaribagh district had put Sao on trial by pronouncing the order framing charges against them through a WhatsApp call. Both Sao and Devi had challenged the order in apex court, saying the trial judge had on April 19 last year framed charges against them through a WhatsApp call despite they raising objections to it. The apex court took serious note of it and observed that this process cannot be allowed, and administration of justice cannot be allowed to be brought into disrepute. The couple had sought transfer of their cases from Jharkhand to New Delhi. Both Devi and Sao were accused in a case relating to violent clashes between villagers and police in 2016 in which four persons were killed. Sao was a minister in the Hemant Soren government in August 2013. Devi, a Congress MLA, had led an agitation against NTPC authorities for their alleged attempt to forcibly evacuate villagers from Barkagaon without giving them due compensation or rehabilitation, according to police. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Turkey tells US to choose between ally or Kurdish terrorists Responding to Pompeo calling for choice between NATO or Russia (ANSAmed) - ISTANBUL, APRIL 4 - Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay on Thursday tweeted a response to a comment made by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, in which Pompeo called on Turkey to choose between its role in NATO and getting closer to Russia with the purchase of S-400 missiles. "The United States must choose. Does it want to remain Turkey's ally or risk our friendship by joining forces with terrorists to undermine its NATO ally's defense against its enemies?" Oktay tweeted. Pompeo met on Wednesday in Washington with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu. In that meeting, Pompeo "expressed support for ongoing negotiations regarding northeast Syria, while warning of the potentially devastating consequences of unilateral Turkish military action in the region", according to a statement by the US Department of State.(ANSAmed). The Supreme Court Thursday refused to accord urgent hearing to a petition which sought rescheduling of the Lok Sabha polling date of April 18 in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. A Christian body moved the apex court seeking urgent listing of its plea in which it said the scheduled date of polling for Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry falls within the holy period of Good Friday and Easter. The petitioner's counsel told the court that the date of polling in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry be rescheduled. "You can't cast your vote on a holy day?" a bench headed by Justice S A Bobde asked the petitioner's counsel. "How long does it take to vote?" the bench said, adding, "We don't want to advise you how to pray and how to cast vote". The petitioner's counsel told the court that the Madras High Court had dismissed their plea on March 22 and they have moved the apex court against it. The bench, however, said there was no urgency in hearing the matter. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 25-year-old school teacher in New York has been sacked for an old topless selfie that she had sent to her ex-boyfriend but went viral after a student obtained the photo, according to a media report. Lauren Miranda, a former math teacher at Bellport Middle School here, took the topless selfie in 2016 and sent it to her then-boyfriend, who also works at the school, the Fox reported. "In January, a student somehow obtained the selfie and the image circulated through the school, the paper quoted Miranda's attorney, John Ray, as saying during a conference on Monday. Miranda said she had no idea how the student obtained the photo. She was subsequently placed on paid administrative leave and then fired, the report said. Miranda said she plans to file a USD 3 million federal lawsuit alleging gender discrimination unless she is reinstated, the report said. "I loved my job, I never woke up in the morning and didn't want to go. I loved my students, my faculty. I really thought this is where I was going to spend the next thirty years of my life," she said. According to court documents provided by Ray's law firm, the district school had said Miranda was not a good role model because of the photo. My career has been ruined, my reputation has been tarnished, I have been stigmatised, Miranda said. Everything I have worked so hard for since I was 18 years old has been stolen from me because of one innocuous selfie, she added. Ray accused the school district of sexism, arguing that a male teacher would not have been fired had the same thing happened to him. Anytime a man has ever exposed his chest, no one has ever commented or had any problem with it whatsoever. But when a woman displays her chest, as happened here, she gets fired from her job, Ray was quoted as saying in the report. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two alleged sharpshooters of the Neeraj Bawana gang have been arrested here by the special cell of the Delhi Police, officials said Thursday. The accused, Monu Singh (23) and Naseeb Singh (25), both residents of Haryana, were close associates of Neeraj Bawana, they said. With their arrest, police claimed to have worked out two murder cases. The duo were arrested on March 28 from near Jal Vihar bus terminal in Lajpat Nagar after a brief scuffle, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Pramod Singh Kushwah said. A loaded pistol of .32 calibers, with five live cartridges in its magazine, and a loaded countrymade pistol were seized from their possession, Kushwah said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) South Korea said Thursday it is considering dispatching a special envoy to North Korea as part of its efforts to get stalled nuclear talks back on track. Negotiations over North Korea's nuclear program have remained stalemated since a summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Vietnam last month ended without agreement. South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who facilitated US-North Korean talks last year, is to travel to Washington next week to discuss the nuclear diplomacy with Trump. Moon's national security adviser, Chung Eui-yong, told lawmakers on Thursday that his government is also considering sending a special envoy to North Korea. He didn't elaborate. In March 2018, Moon sent a delegation led by Chung to Pyongyang, North Korea's capital. Chung's delegation met Kim and quoted him as saying he was willing to deal away his advancing nuclear arsenal. Moon met Kim three times later in 2018. Kim's first summit with Trump in Singapore last May ended with a vaguely worded commitment to denuclearization that lacked any roadmap or timing. Moon's government wants reconciliation with North Korea and a negotiated solution of the nuclear dispute. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hours after the Samajwadi Party MP from Gorakhpur Praveen Kumar Nishad joined the BJP on Thursday, SP supremo Akhilesh Yadav termed it as a 'ghaatey ka sauda' (loss-making deal) for the saffron party and also alleged that money changed hands. Akhilesh Yadav said that in the by-poll held last year, the people of Gorakhpur parliamentary constituency had voted for the SP-BSP alliance and not for Praveen Nishad. "This is BJP's loss making deal as people had voted for the grand alliance (SP-BSP) and not the parliamentarian (Praveen Nishad)," Akhilesh Yadav tweeted in Hindi. The SP chief insinuated that Nishad switched over to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in return for a bag of 'prasad' (cash) from the 'mathadheesh' (head priest) of Gorakhnath temple, referring to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. He, however, did not substantiate the charge. "Will the Gorakhpur MP who got a bag full of 'prasad' from the mathadheesh distribute it among others or devour it alone?," asked Akhilesh Yadav using his hashtag #VikasPoochhRahaHai in his tweets to attack Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his development claims. "It is certain that the boat of the brothers will sink in the elections," he said in an apparent reference to Praveen Nishad and Adityanath. Nishad joined the BJP in the presence of senior leader and Union minister J P Nadda who introduced him before media persons as a political figure who wields considerable influence in his region. Nadda said that the Gorakhnath parliamentarian had joined the saffron party due to his faith in the policies of the Modi government. Praveen Nishad, whose father Sanjay Nishad is the head of the Nishad Party, had emerged victorious in the Gorakhpur Lok Sabha by-poll last year, after the SP and the BSP joined hands to take on the BJP. Though he had contested on an SP ticket, differences grew between Sanjay Nishad and the SP as it wanted him to contest again on its symbol while he wanted to fight as a Nishad Party candidate. The BJP has not yet announced its candidate for Gorakhpur, the political turf of Adityanath. The saffron party may bank on Nishad to reclaim its bastion. Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party on Saturday named another Nishad community member as its candidate from the coveted seat. Ram Bhuwal Nishad, the SP candidate, has been a two-time MLA from Kaudiram Assembly seat, now Gorakhpur rural, and was the fisheries minister during BSP chief Mayawati's government in 2007. Last week, the Nishad Party-- headed by Praveen Nishad's father Sanjay-- had pulled out of the the SP-BSP-RLD 'mahagathbandhan' in Uttar Pradesh. The Nirbal Indian Shoshit Hamara Aam Dal (Nishad Party) was formed in 2016 to empower Nishads, Kewats, Binds and other communities, whose livelihoods are dependent on rivers. Members of these communities are mostly boatmen or fishermen, and are demanding Scheduled Caste status. Nishad Party had fielded 100 candidates in the 2017 Uttar Pradesh assembly election in alliance with the Peace Party, the Apna Dal (Krishna Patel faction) and the Jan Adhikar Party. Nishad Party candidate Vijay Mishra had won Gyanpur seat in Bhadohi district. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Autonomy of different Indian states to woo international investors gives a major boost to industrialisation in the country and also promotes a healthy competition between them, a leading business strategist and entrepreneur has said. A growing number of Indian states are attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) as the Indian government has given the states a free hand in this regard. Under current rules, only very large foreign investments in some restricted sectors and multi-billion-dollar projects requires the Indian governments' approval. Clearly Indian states now have most of the authority to attract investors which makes them reasonably autonomous. New Delhi, in a way, has decentralised FDI processes - very similar to what they have for provinces in China, Girija Pande, Chairman of Singapore-based Apex Avlon Consulting Pte Ltd, told PTI on Thursday. He was speaking on the sidelines of a high-level investment seminar here on the role of Indian states hosted by the Confederation of Indian Industry and the Indian High Commission. There is now a very healthy competition amongst states to attract investments which is excellent as it improves all, he added. Foreign investors remain bullish on India with its improving economy, backed by the central government's recent reforms like the Goods and Services Tax which has improved transparency and ease of doing business," Pande said. Given the country's attractive growth trajectory of 7 per cent per annum in Gross Domestic Product (GDP), foreign investors are responding favourably to recent policy reforms, he added. Pande said that investors favour India for its strong consumer-driven domestic demand as well as huge export potential. He also noted that most of the states were now seeking ease of doing business ranking in their respective jurisdiction from international agencies. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Syria's foreign minister said Thursday that the Trump administration "lies" all the time about withdrawing its troops from the country, and that its decision to recognise Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights increases America's isolation, "even among its closest allies." Walid al-Moallem pledged to recover "every inch" of Syria's territory, including the Golan, saying all options were on the table. Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war and annexed it in 1981, a move that was never international recognised. US President Donald Trump recognised the annexation last month in a move that has been condemned by the Arab League and UN Security Council countries. "Trump's attempts to give Israel sovereignty over the Golan have only one effect ... which is to increase America's isolation even from its closest allies," al-Moallem said. He spoke at a joint press conference in Damascus with Venezuela's Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza, who lauded what he described as Syria's victory over "terrorism" in the country's eight-year war and said both countries were victims of a US conspiracy. Venezuela's government has traditionally had warm relations with Syrian President Bashar Assad's government. Arreaza met with Assad later Thursday, after which he said both Syria and Venezuela "face the same enemy and resist with the same popular will." "The two Syrian and Venezuelan peoples fight against US conspiracies and imperialism and the two will emerge victorious," Arreaza said. He said that there is a consensus in Latin America on rejecting the militarisation of the crisis in Venezuela, adding that his country has a military cooperation agreement with Russia which supplies it with defensive, not offensive, weapons. He said the government still hopes to resolve Venezuela's crisis through dialogue. The country has been rocked by protests and social unrest fuelled by a severe economic crisis. Al-Moallem, at the press conference, also vowed to liberate the northwestern province of Idlib, the last major rebel stronghold in the country. "Our patience has its limits. We must liberate this land," he said, accusing Turkey of repeatedly violating a cease-fire agreement there. He accused the Trump administration of going back and forth and lying about its intention to withdraw the 2,500 troops the US maintains in northern Syria. "It is clear for everyone that this administration lies," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Donald Trump is well on his way to raising the USD1 billion his campaign believes it will take for him to win another term in the White House, building a fundraising machine that will prove difficult for Democrats to match. Trump's bring-it-on fundraising approach which will be on display during a stop in Los Angeles on Friday is a far cry from his stance in 2015, when the billionaire reality TV star and developer launched his first bid for president promising to use his own money to finance his campaign. It's also an indication of how he has made his political apparatus more professional for Round 2. For all presidents, incumbency has its advantages. Trump, who formalised his re-election effort the day after he took office, moved especially early to leverage his incumbency for 2020. As Trump brings in millions, his would-be opponents are scrambling to raise enough money to earn themselves a spot on the primary debate stages. And the Democratic National Committee remains in debt from previous campaigns. "Whoever the Democratic nominee is, they'll be depleted, and they'll have to start from zero well under zero, the DNC has a debt," said Michael Glassner, the Trump campaign's chief operating officer. He called Trump's decision to keep the campaign in operation during his first two years in office the "new model" for future presidents. Through the end of 2018, the last date for which figures are publicly available, the Trump campaign had brought in more than USD129 million. President Barack Obama, by comparison, didn't even begin his 2012 re-election campaign until 2011. The Trump camp is scheduled to release its first quarter fundraising results later this month, so far only teasing that the campaign's cash on hand this period will be "far beyond" the more than $19 million in the bank it reported at the end of 2018. The RNC, for its part, is promising to report a first quarter record for a nonpresidential year. Trump is travelling to Los Angeles on Friday to raise money for his campaign and the Republican National Committee. Dinner tickets run USD15,000 or USD50,000 for a photo with the president and USD150,000 to participate in a roundtable with the president. The RNC says 170 people are expected to attend. Trump's fundraising is divided between two entities: Trump Victory, the joint account used for high-dollar gifts, and Trump Make America Great Again Committee, the low-dollar digital fundraising operation known internally as "T-Magic." The campaign is set to launch a traditional "bundling" program which it lacked in 2016 in the coming weeks. Bundlers are mid-tier donors who bring in contributions from their associates. Republicans have trailed Democrats in online fundraising ever since the medium was invented roughly two decades ago. But Trump has closed the gap, driving small-dollar donors who make recurring donations to the GOP like the party has never seen before. It's a phenomenon the party is moving quickly to try to take advantage of, as it prepares to roll out "Patriot Pass," its competitor to the Democratic fundraising website ActBlue. In 2015, Trump swore off outside funding, declaring in his opening speech: "I'm using my own money. I'm not using the lobbyists'. I'm not using donors'. I don't care. I'm really rich." He quickly reversed course on high-dollar donations after he won the GOP nomination, bowing to the financial pressures of running a general election campaign, and he'd already raised millions online through the sale of merchandise like his signature red Make America Great Again hats. Trump gave or loaned USD66 million to his 2016 campaign and often flashed frustration if he felt his money wasn't being put to good use. Trump advisers and allies explained that the president, who largely kept out of the particulars of the campaign's field, data and advertising efforts, didn't fully appreciate the need to raise heavily for his campaign and the RNC until his victory on election night. That secured his early buy-in for their more expensive 2020 plans, they said. Still, Trump hasn't put any money into the 2020 effort so far, and aides don't expect that to change. Since his inauguration, though, he's participated in 55 high-dollar donor events, according to the RNC. The campaign has benefited from continuous operation since 2015, said RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, giving fundraisers time to "integrate and fine-tune our operations." The timing also has allowed the campaign to continue prospecting for new donors and maintain its existing roster by fundraising off big events such as the contentious Supreme Court nomination hearings for Brett Kavanaugh and passage of the tax reform bill. McDaniel said there have been more than 1.1 million new donors since Election Day, and 100,000 just in January. She added that there have been at least seven days with seven-figure small-dollar hauls so far this year. "The cohesive and coordinated effort between the campaign and the RNC is something that hasn't happened this seamlessly since at least Bush '04," said RNC senior adviser Katie Walsh, a former deputy chief of staff at the White House. Trump plans to continue his fundraising push in Texas next week, with stops in San Antonio and Houston. Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale has predicted the campaign will spend USD1 billion in 2020, about three times what it spent electing Trump in 2016. Comparing Trump's 2016 and 2020 fundraising efforts, GOP fundraiser and Trump donor Dan Eberhart said it was "completely different. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Superheroes represent hope in a world full of conflict and it is up to the filmmakers to weave real-world issues in the storylines, says "Avengers: Endgame" co-director Joe Russo. Just like mythology, he says, superheroes appeal to a cross-section of people. So one can be a fan of Captain America for his morality while another would be attracted to Deadpool's amorality. "They become important because they are archetypal, hopeful and accessible to global audience. There is a lot of darkness in the world and we try to infuse thematics that are valuable on a global level to these movies. You can find the code, ethics or values you can identify with. It is no different to any mythology, Greek or any gods you can think of," Russo told PTI in a group interview. He believes there are multiple layers to the story as both the sides are driven by a motive greater than them. "'Infinity War' has the message that sometimes villains win. It's a fairly relevant subject matter if you are an American at the moment. There is a mirror held up to society by the films that at least we try to do. This is why they have reached the level of pop culture saturation that they have." This is why, he believes, even a villain like Thanos may find acceptance in some people for his fanatical dedication to his 'altruistic' cause of killing one half of the world's population and preserving the other. "People understand that we are dealing with potential global crisis issues... He is a sociopath and has a sociopathic self-importance. But we tried to make him emotional and we gave him all the beats of the hero in the film (Infinity War). They are horrific beats -- throwing his daughter to her death in order to obtain a stone to complete his goal. People related to his fanatic dedication to his cause. "At the end, he is nuts but there are elements to his personality that are admirable to some of the audience members. It complicates the matter for them. They are not sure whether to hate or root for him," Russo says. The director says he and his brother, Anthony, have tried to decode what it takes to stand up and be a hero in "Avengers" finale. "Both 'Infinity War' and 'Endgame' ask the question: what is the cost to be a hero? Is it worth the price of standing up? That's a relevant question. "Today, if you look at these films, they are about community, they are about community of heroes that is trying to stand up against tyranny. As waves of nationalism sweep the world, you certainly look at that and think whether it is about individualism or community. If you watch our films, you get our answer." The director duo have worked hard to give a justified end to 22 storylines in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the two-part magnum-opus. There are multiple directors who have worked on developing the characters of different superheroes over a decade but Russo believes fans accept all the different iterations. "Our films are tonally different from those of Taika Waititi, James Gunn or Ryan Coogler. Nobody tries to emulate the tone. Fans really go along with that. They like that there are different filmmakers behind each film, like there are different writers behind the comic books. They understand the notion that depending on the author, the tone, the energy and the inflection of the characters change," he explained. Having directed four major films in the MCU, Russo said they are constantly trying to deconstruct the world of superheroes. "My brother and I, we try to bring psychological realism in characters. We like to deconstruct stories and I think when you look at our films - 'Winter Soldier' to 'Endgame', there's a consistent tone process, a lot of psychological realism and constantly deconstructing the universe. "So, in 'Winter Soldier', we found out that the good guys were actually the bad guys. 'Civil War' deconstructed the Avengers by splitting them up and in 'Infinity War', we did that by killing half of the characters. That's a theme with us as filmmakers and issues that are important from storytelling point." "Endgame", set to hit the theatres on April 26, features an ensemble cast of Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Don Cheadle, Paul Rudd, Brie Larson, Karen Gillan, Danai Gurira, Bradley Cooper, Tessa Thompson and Josh Brolin. The film will release in India in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) / -- Over the years, TiE Mumbai has played a significant role in promoting, mentoring, helping and funding startups in this region. TiE Mumbai represents over 2,500 startups in the Greater Mumbai Region. It has successfully connected and mentored over 2,000 entrepreneurs and startups over the last few years, over 1,000 startups have been successfully connected to investors. Commenting on TiE Mumbai's angel investments in startups, Atul Nishar, President, TiE Mumbai, said, "TiE Angels handholds idea stage entrepreneurs, helps them build out a business model, then invests and backs up with constant mentoring to help scale up the next level. TiE's global network of charter members bring in their expertise, global customer connects and money to build great unicorns." He further added, "At a time of depleting early stage funding, TiE Angels Mumbai continues to spot and support promising entrepreneurs and businesses." As a part of its ongoing endeavour to assist startups, and venture into newer domains, TiE Mumbai has participated in the angel funding round and invested in a unique sphere of wireless, centralized, community-focused virtual Wi-Fi infrastructure through EasyFi. A product of WI Digital Service Pvt. Ltd., EasyFi is a Wi-Fi and Data Network aggregator that aims at reducing infrastructure clutter and enhancing network coverage for service providers by deploying a virtualized wireless infrastructure and network resources for end-consumers. This investment will facilitate last-mile Wi-Fi and Data Network provision by offering a virtual infrastructure to ISPs, telcos, and cable TV providers for access to end consumers. Bhushan C Thakkar, Founder, WI Digital Services, elaborated, "Our Company was established with an aim to facilitate providers across remote locations of the country in delivering the fastest internet connectivity for users at the last-mile. With the funds raised in this Angel Funding Round, we strive to accomplish network partnerships across 25 new locations, scaling up to approximately INR 2 lakh daily users. Furthermore, we are looking forward to subsequent rounds of funding to further our vision and tread ahead on our path towards establishing EasyFi as the most optimal network solution across India." In another bid to continuously supported young businesses in India, TiE Mumbai has invested in Odd Giraffe, a newly launched design-led lifestyle brand based in Mumbai. Odd Giraffe creates fun, colorful and aesthetically pleasing stationery and accessories for the young, independent women of today. They help people achieve their dreams of organizing effectively and creatively. Their annual planners are our flagship product. With more than 5500 happy customers planning and organizing with their planners, they also actively collaborate with brands to make office desks and stationery more fun and exciting. They are soon going to launch other types of stationery items, desk accessories, phone cases, drinkware, home decor, and apparel. Karan Joshi, Founder, Odd Giraffe, said, "Associating with TiEMumbai has been great. With the help of the funds and guidance from investors, we were able to expand our production and reach out to a wide audience this time. I think it's a great step taken by TiE Mumbai to help the ideation stage startups raise their first cheque. We are excited to launch new products in the coming months." About TiE The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) was founded in 1992 in Silicon Valley by a group of successful entrepreneurs, corporate executives, and senior professionals with roots in the Indus region. Since 1992, TiE has been supporting entrepreneurs by offering education, mentorship, networking and funding opportunities. The mission of TiE is to foster entrepreneurship globally through the five pillars of TiE: mentoring, networking and education, funding and incubation. Dedicated to the virtuous cycle of wealth creation and giving back to the community. TiE's focus area is to generate and enable the next generation of entrepreneurs. There are currently 11,000 members, including over 2,500 charter members in 60 chapters across 17 countries. TiE's mission is to foster entrepreneurship globally through mentoring, networking, and education. Dedicated to the virtuous cycle of wealth creation and giving back to the community, TiE's focus is on generating and nurturing our next generation of entrepreneurs. For more details, visit: https://mumbai.tie.org/. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) TUNIS - The fourth round of negotiations between the EU and Tunisia for a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) is scheduled to begin April 29 and run through May 3 in Tunis, according to an announcement by Hatem Gasmi, a representative from the Tunisian Ministry for Agriculture, Water Resources, and Fisheries. Gasmi spoke during a conference on the "Social and Economic Impact of DCFTA on the Agriculture Sector" and said the results of studies conducted on this topic have thus far been contradictory. "That is why the agriculture ministry has launched a full study on DCFTA, conducted by Tunisian experts. Its results will serve as the basis for the coming negotiations," he said, adding that "negotiations are still in the initial phase, regarding the general principles". Gasmi said structural reforms in the agricultural sector should also be underway prior to the conclusion of the accord, which calls for significant investments of up to five billion dinars. "Tunisia will ask the EU to provide investment support to carry out these reforms, as well as facilitate the exportation of agricultural products, including olive oil and some fruits," Gasmi said. He said the agriculture ministry is preparing a list of agricultural products that should be subject to special protection measures, such as grain, milk, meat, and oil. Abdelkhalek Ajlan, a representative from the Tunisian Agriculture and Fisheries Union (UTAP), said his organisation rejects "the current version of DCFTA" and is asking to "preserve the sovereignty of the country through unification of positions assumed by all the interested parties". Ajlan said that prior to enacting DCFTA, it will be essential to upgrade the agricultural sector through the implementation of a national programme to reach food self-sufficiency. According to a study by the Austrian Foundation for Development Research (OFSE), the impacts of DCFTA on Tunisian agriculture will be negative if support and protection measures aren't adopted for this sector, above all because the trade deficit from Tunisia to the EU has continued to increase in recent years, up 16% in 2017. Police threw a tight security ring around the Bagdogra airport near Siliguri on Thursday after GJM leader Bimal Gurung, who is in hiding for the past one and a half years, announced he would return to Darjeeling Hills during the day. Police also whisked away Gurung's two aides Roshan Rai and Yogen Pradhan from the airport but said no arrest has been made. Later, a leader of the GJM (Gurung faction) told PTI that Gurung would not return to the Hills on Thursday. "He could not come to the Hills as the police had cordoned off the entire Bagdogra airport following which he has postponed his plans to return." The airport has no night landing facility. Gurung had announced he would return to the Hills on Thursday, a day after the Supreme Court asked him and his aide Roshan Giri to move the Calcutta High Court for anticipatory bail in connection with the cases filed against them. Loksang Lama, the working president of GJM's Gurung faction, too had said the Morcha leader would arrive in the Hills Thursday. When contacted, Gurung told PTI that people in the Hills are eager for his return. He maintained he is still the GJM supremo and commands the respect and love of the people of the Hills. The GJM Gurung faction and the GNLF, another major player in the politics in the Hills, are supporting BJP candidate Raju Bista on the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat, while the faction led by Binay Tamang is supporting TMC candidate Amar Rai. Gurung had gone into hiding after the June 2017 clashes in Darjeeling. The GJM split after it and Tamang, his deputy, took over the reins of the Morcha. Tamang then established himself as the de facto leader of the Hills with the help of the ruling TMC and Gurung and his loyalists were expelled from the party. Quizzed about the tight security outside Bagdogra airport, a senior police official said it was precautionary. Asked whether Gurung would be arrested if he tries to enter Darjeeling, the police official, who did not wish to be named, said, "He is claiming that he can't be arrested as per the (Supreme) court order. So we would like to see the order". Gurung's return to the Hills is likely to change the course of election in Darjeeling Lok Sabha constituency and swing votes in favour of the BJP candidate. "I can't wait to return to Darjeeling. Once I am there, I will do everything to ensure the victory of Bista. Tamang and his group are agents of TMC. The people of Hills have rejected him and Rai," Gurung has said. Tamang, when contacted, claimed that the Hills people no longer favour Gurung and his "politics of violence". The Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat is held by the BJP and the constituency is poised for a neck-and-neck contest between the TMC and the saffron party. For the first time in over three decades, the two parties are looking beyond the statehood demand in the region and have stressed on the need to ensure development in the Hills. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Police threw a tight security ring around the Bagdogra airport near Siliguri on Thursday after GJM leader Bimal Gurung, who is in hiding for the past one and a half years, had announced he would return to Darjeeling Hills during the day. Police also whisked away Gurung's two aides Roshan Rai and Yogen Pradhan from the airport but said no arrest has been made. Later, a leader of the GJM (Gurung faction) told PTI he would not return to the Hills on Thursday. "He is unable to land at Bagdogra and the airport has been cordoned off by police". The airport has no night landing facility. Gurung had announced he would return to the Hills on Thursday, a day after the Supreme Court asked him and his aide Roshan Giri to move the Calcutta High Court for anticipatory bail in connection with the cases filed against them. Loksang Lama, the working president of GJM's Gurung faction, too had said the Morcha leader would arrive in the Hills Thursday. When contacted, Gurung told PTI that people in the Hills are eager for his return. He maintained he is still the GJM supremo and commands the respect and love of the people of the Hills. The GJM Gurung faction and the GNLF, another major player in the politics in the Hills, are supporting BJP candidate Raju Bista on the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat, while the faction led by Binay Tamang is supporting TMC candidate Amar Rai. Gurung had gone into hiding after the June 2017 clashes in Darjeeling. The GJM split after it and Tamang, his deputy, took over the reins of the Morcha. Tamang then established himself as the de facto leader of the Hills with the help of the ruling TMC and Gurung and his loyalists were expelled from the party. Quizzed about the tight security outside Bagdogra airport, a senior police official said it was precautionary. Asked whether Gurung would be arrested if he tries to enter Darjeeling, the police official, who did not wish to be named, said, "He is claiming that he can't be arrested as per the (Supreme) court order. So we would like to see the order". Gurung's return to the Hills is likely to change the course of election in Darjeeling Lok Sabha constituency and swing votes in favour of the BJP candidate. "I can't wait to return to Darjeeling. Once I am there, I will do everything to ensure the victory of Bista. Tamang and his group are agents of TMC. The people of Hills have rejected him and Rai," Gurung has said. Tamang, when contacted, claimed that the Hills people no longer favour Gurung and his "politics of violence". The Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat is held by the BJP and the constituency is poised for a neck-and-neck contest between the TMC and the saffron party. For the first time in over three decades, the two parties are looking beyond the statehood demand in the region and have stressed on the need to ensure development in the Hills. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K V Thangkabalu was Thursday named poll in charge of the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency from where party chief Rahul Gandhi is seeking election for the first time. Thangkabalu was named to man the constituency by the All India Congress Committee, a party release here said. "Thangkabalu will stay put in Wayanad till the completion of polls. He has made arrangements for holding a rally in which top Congress leaders will participate," the release by the TNCC media department said. He was present in Wayanad today to receive Gandhi when he arrived to file his nomination for the Lok Sabha elections. A senior leader, Thangkabalu has held various positions including that of State general secretary in the party. Also, he had twice served as the president of the TNCC and was a former Union Minister. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A top Democrat formally requested Wednesday that the US tax agency provide Congress with President Donald Trump's tax returns, setting up a likely legal battle with the White House. Richard Neal, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee which writes tax law, wrote the Internal Revenue Service seeking six years of Trump's returns, saying he was using his oversight authority to learn the extent to which the IRS audits and enforces tax laws on a sitting president. "Under the Internal Revenue Manual, individual income tax returns of a president are subject to mandatory examination, but this practice is IRS policy and not codified in the Federal tax laws," Neal wrote. He told IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig to deliver the president's individual income tax returns, as well as those from eight entities connected to Trump, by April 10. The president signalled he would not want his returns provided to Congress. "We are under audit despite what people say," Trump told reporters, repeating his 2016 campaign excuse for refusing to release his returns. "Until such time as I am not under audit I would not be inclined" to release them, he added. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said last month he would "follow the law" if Congress requested Trump's tax returns. Trump, a self-declared billionaire, released a less detailed financial disclosure in 2017 but has kept his tax returns private, fueling speculation about his revenue sources and net worth. Trump is the first president since Richard Nixon to refuse to release his returns. Congressman Dan Kildee, a Ways and Means Committee Democrat, said there was "no question" the panel has legal authority to gain access to Trump's records. "We expect the IRS commissioner to comply with the law and provide those returns," Kildee told CNN. In a statement, the committee said that under IRS guidelines, a president's tax returns are subject to "mandatory examination." Kildee stressed that the request had nothing to do with the timing of the investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 US election, and the report recently submitted by special counsel Robert Mueller. "This has nothing to do with the Mueller report," Kildee said. "Obviously there are very serious other public interests that would be served by having access, but principally this is about the policy question." The panel's top Republican Kevin Brady rushed to Trump's defense, writing Mnuchin to warn of Democrats' "misguided rush to impeach" Trump. "Weaponizing our nation's tax code by targeting political foes sets a dangerous precedent and weakens Americans privacy right," he wrote. The committee said in its statement that Neal insisted the request "is not about impeachment," but legitimate oversight issues. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump has said that he is "not concerned at all" about the alleged espionage at Mar-a-Lago, days after the Secret Service arrested a Chinese woman with a flash drive containing malware from his high-security resort in Florida. Yujing Zhang, 32, has been charged with making false statements to a federal officer and entering a restricted property after she visited Mar-a-Lago on March 30, according to the Department of Justice. According to CNN, the security breach is being seen as a possible espionage effort. Asked about the reports of the Chinese espionage, Trump told reporters at the White House: "Well, I saw the story. Haven't spoken to anybody about it, other than I had a brief meeting. Gave me a little bit of information". "No, I'm not concerned at all," he told reporters at the White House on Wednesday. She carried a thumb drive apparently loaded with malware, the Department of Justice said in a federal indictment. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the issue. "We have very good control. We have extremely good. And it's getting better. Frankly, what we're doing with cyber is a story in itself," the US President said. "I think that was just a fluke situation, and I think that the person sitting at the front desk did a very good job, to be honest with you. I think that particular woman did a very, very good job. She was able to see things that other people were not," Trump said. The woman arrested by the Secret Service is now facing the consequences of whatever she had in mind, he said. "Secret Service has done a fantastic job from day one. Very happy with them," Trump added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Donald Trump is set to meet with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He on Thursday, officials said, signalling that a deal to end a tariff battle between the two countries may be close. Trump will meet Liu, who is also China's top trade negotiator, in the afternoon at the White House, according to an official scheduling note from the president's office. US and Chinese negotiators are working to find a binding agreement to address Trump's complaints about years of unfair treatment of US companies by China, which would allow a rollback of the tariffs hitting businesses in both countries. US officials say that China has been using unfair trade practices for years by heavily subsidizing its companies while snatching the technological know-how of American firms. On March 29, Trump said that negotiations to end the bruising tariffs battle with Beijing were going "very well," but reiterated that he will only accept a "great deal." Trump said that US and Chinese negotiators were close to a deal, but US officials however played down expectations of an imminent agreement. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Turkey on Thursday accused the US State Department of making false claims after a meeting between top US and Turkish diplomats to discuss tense ties between the NATO allies. Washington and Ankara are at odds over issues including US support for a Syrian Kurdish militia viewed as terrorists by Ankara and Turkey's purchase of a Russian missile system over US objections. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo held talks on Wednesday during the Turkish official's visit to Washington as part of 70th anniversary celebrations of the NATO alliance. The US State Department said Pompeo had warned Ankara of "devastating consequences" if Turkey launches an offensive in Syria and urged the "swift resolution" of legal cases involving US citizens and US mission employees under investigation in Turkey. Pompeo also pressed Causoglu about Turkey's plans to buy the S-400 missile defence system from Russia, which Washington has warned could put Ankara at risk of US sanctions, the State Department said in a statement. But Turkish foreign ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said on Thursday that the readout "not only fails to reflect the content of the meeting, but also contains matters that were not even raised during said meeting". It was not clear what "matters" Aksoy was referring to in his statement and foreign ministry officials were not immediately available for comment. Aksoy said similar problems had arisen after previous talks, and urged statements to be prepared with "greater care". Ties have been frayed recently by Ankara's purchase of Russian S-400 missiles, which US officials fear have technology that will allow Moscow to gather data from NATO aircraft. The US wants Turkey to instead opt to buy the US Patriot system. Washington responded earlier this week by suspending Turkey's participation in the F-35 fighter-jet programme, in which Turkey has invested over USD 1 billion. In a PBS Newshour interview broadcast on Wednesday, Cavusoglu said Ankara proposed "to form a technical working group and to examine" any US concerns over the S-400s. Cavusoglu said it was "unacceptable" for the US to insist Turkey could not buy a defence system from another country but would not sell any to Ankara either. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Twitter said Thursday it has stopped blocking French government ads calling on people to vote after it came under fire from authorities for being overzealous in applying a law aimed at banning fake The social media company modified its policy after executives met with French government officials, saying it has now decided to authorise such ads "after many exchanges." The French government had planned to use the #OuiJeVote or "Yes I vote" social media campaign to encourage voter registration and urge people to cast their ballots in the European parliamentary elections set for May 26. The campaign reportedly intended to promote its message using sponsored tweets. However, the government said Twitter refused the ads because even though the company modified its conditions in February to comply with the fake law, it couldn't meet the law's transparency obligations. The law, championed by President Emmanuel Macron and adopted last year, is aimed at curbing false information disseminated around electoral campaigns. It obliges platforms to require transparency of funding for any sponsored political content in the three months leading up to an election. That means the platform must reveal the identity of the funder and how much they spent. French officials had criticised the company. Interior Minister Christophe Castaner tweeted that its focus should be stopping content promoting terrorism, not voter registration. Twitter said it clarified its policy because it wanted to "promote and protect the integrity of conversations" around the elections. The government said it welcomed the changes but suggested Twitter hasn't gone far enough in enforcing the fake law and fighting the spread of misinformation online. "Other platforms have already put in place these simple obligations of transparency, showing their technical feasibility," the interior, culture and digital affairs ministries said in a statement. "Some have even made the choice to apply this transparency rule in other countries," without specifying which platforms or countries. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two Army men were killed and five others suffered serious burn injuries in a fire at an army range in Madhya Pradesh Thursday, an official said. The incident took place at the Army's Bercha Range at Mhow, a cantonment town near Indore. "Two Army men were killed in the fire incident at the Army's Mhow-based Bercha Range and five others were seriously injured," defence PRO Colonel Aman Anand told PTI from New Delhi. "They died while dousing flames," he said. Asked about the cause of fire and other details, Anand said he will share the details later. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two alleged members of the Naveen Kasana gang, each carrying a reward of Rs 50,000, have been arrested from the Preet Vihar area here, officials said Thursday. The accused, Ravinder (28) and Anil Kumar (23), are residents of Shastri Nagar, they said. Ravinder was arrested from the Preet Vihar metro station on Monday based on specific inputs, Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Rajiv Ranjan said. On his instance, Kumar, another gang member, was nabbed, he added. During interrogation, the accused disclosed that they, along with Naveen Kasana, Abdul Ahad, Lalu, Salman, Shoaib, Shakeel, Ravinder and Indal, had robbed Rs 15 lakh cash from a man on September 17, 2018 after shooting at him, the officer said. During an investigation into the robbery, Naveen Kasana, Indal and Ravinder were arrested but the rest have been on the run, he added. The accused have disclosed their involvement in many other cases. Police have seized two country-made pistols and six live cartridges from them, Additional CP Ranjan said, adding that investigation is in progress and more arrests are expected. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) MENA region produces 20.5% of world's fossil fuels Study by SRM says 10% of global oil and gas traffic passes Suez (ANSAmed) - NAPLES, APRIL 4 - The Middle East and North Africa region (MENA) produces 20.5% of the world's fossil fuels, according to a report by the Centre for Study and Research of the Italian South (SRM), part of the Intesa San Paolo banking group. The "Med and Italian Energy Report" said more than 1.6 billion tons of oil have been produced in the MENA region (37% of worldwide production) and more than 800 billion cubic metres of natural gas (22% of worldwide production). It said 66% of crude produced by MENA countries is exported, with the majority of Middle Eastern production going to Asian countries, and North African production going above all to Europe. Natural gas exported by the MENA region is 26% of the total produced. A total of 32.6% of the natural gas exports that travel through gas pipelines in MENA countries to destinations within the region and the rest to neighbouring countries. Natural gas is one of the main commodities for worldwide energy systems and infrastructure for its transport is becoming increasingly important. A total of 23.2% of electricity is generated by natural gas, which makes it the second-highest source after carbon, which is 38.4% of the total. Four gas pipelines connect the exporting countries of the southern coast (Algeria and Libya) with the European countries of the northern coast, for a total capacity of more than 60 billion cubic metres per year. Three gas pipelines connect Algeria to Spain and Italy, and a fourth connects Libya to Italy. A new and growing frontier is that of liquefied natural gas (LNG), the sale of which increased worldwide by 12% in 2017 compared to the previous year. By the middle of the next decade, the United States is expected to become the biggest LNG exporter worldwide, with the number of plants expected to double between now and 2040. New capacity is expected to come mainly from the United States and Australia, followed by Russia and Qatar. There are 19 GNL terminals on Mediterranean coasts, of which 14 are for the regasification for natural gas importation and five for the liquefaction for gas exportation. Spain is the country with the highest capacity for GNL importation and represents 37.5% of the total regasification capacity in the Mediterranean area. In terms of GNL exportation, Algeria holds 61.7% of the total liquefaction capacity. The report said the Mediterranean is also central for transport given that oil and gas goods transported worldwide by sea totaled 3.1 billion tons, of which oil makes up 1.8 billion tons, representing 60% of the total. The Suez Canal is a critical junction which sees the passage of 10% of global oil and liquefied natural gas traffic. The other two large energy transit junctions are the Strait of Hormuz and the Strait of Malacca, which, together with the Suez Canal, make up 40% of worldwide naval oil transit. Italian ports managed traffic of 184 million tons of liquid bulk, 37% of the total. The top five ports are Trieste, with 43.2 mn ton, followed by Cagliari, Augusta, Milazzo and Genoa, which together make up 70% of national liquid traffic.(ANSAmed). The Thursday honoured Prime Minister with the prestigious Zayed Medal for giving a "big boost' to bilateral strategic ties. President of the Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan conferred the Prime Minister Modi with the award, the highest decoration awarded to kings, presidents and heads of states. "We have historical and comprehensive strategic ties with India, reinforced by the pivotal role of my dear friend, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who gave these relations a big boost. In appreciation of his efforts, the President grants him the Zayed Medal," Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohamed Bin Zayed tweeted. The award comes in appreciation of Modi's role in consolidating the long-standing friendship and joint strategic cooperation between the two countries, the Khaleej Times reported. The Delhi government made it clear Thursday that "unjustified fee hike" by some private schools was not related to the implementation of the seventh Pay Commission recommendations for the teachers. Talking to reporters here, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said attempts are being made to create a "false impression" by vested interests that the AAP government is against the implementation of the Commission's recommendation, which is "completely baseless". On Wednesday, the Delhi High Court stayed the interim hike in fees by private unaided schools in the city till April 8. The Delhi government had in 2017 allowed recognised unaided private schools on Delhi Development Authority (DDA) land to increase their fees by 15 per cent as an "interim" measure to comply with the seventh central pay commission (CPC) recommendations. A circular to this effect was issued by the Directorate of on October 17 that year. "Unjustified fee hike by some private schools has nothing to do with the implementation of the seventh Pay Commission's recommendations for the teachers working in private schools," Sisodia, who is also Delhi's minister, said. He said during audit of accounts, most of top schools were found to be having surplus amount ranging from Rs 7 crore to 40 crore even after the implementation of Commission's recommendations. "There are 325 private schools situated in the government land allotted by the DDA. Out of these, 260 schools had applied for fees hike, but 32 schools withdrew their applications. "During audit of accounts, it was found that nearly 150 schools had sufficient surplus to implement seventh Pay Commission and were therefore denied permission to hike the fees. Rest of the applications are under the process," he said. Sisodia said the Delhi government recognises the important role of the private schools in in the city. The government is against "extortion" from the parents by the private schools in the name of fees, he said. He also pointed out the irony in hiring "extremely expensive lawyers" using the fees collected from the students to fight against the legitimate interests of the students. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Slamming the BJD government for failing to eradicate poverty in Odisha in its 19-year-long tenure, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma Thursday said the poor had become poorer in the state due to rampant corruption. While other states enjoyed the fruits of development, Odisha remained backward and its poor had turned poorer as the Naveen Patnaik government failed to take any step to eradicate poverty since it took over in 2000, Sharma said addressing BJP's election meetings at Nuapada. Alleging that several BJD leaders, ministers and candidates contesting the upcoming simultaneous assembly and Lok Sabha elections in the state are facing corruption charges, he said Odisha continues to be stung by poverty and backwardness because of all pervasive corruption. Funds provided by the BJP-led government at the Centre for construction of toilets were swindled, Sharma alleged adding that all centrally sponsored schemes were made victims of corruption and financial irregularities. Hitting out at the Naveen Patnaik government, he accused the ruling BJD of misleading people about its much trumpeted Re 1 a kg rice scheme for the poor. The real credit for the programme goes to the Centre and the BJD government's contribution in the cheap rice scheme is only Re one, he said. Sharma claimed that whatever development the state has witnessed was only because of the BJP-led government at the Centre, which has launched a host of projects in sectors like the railways, roads and highways, aviation, Navodaya schools, hospitals and medical colleges have been launched in Odisha. The state government is instead trying to put obstacles in the way of implementation of developmental and welfare programmes, the BJP leader alleged. While Naveen Patnaik has deprived the people of Odisha of the benefits of Ayushman Bharat medical insurance scheme, farmers are unable to get benefits of PM-Kisan programme due to lack of prompt response from it, he said. Similar problems were faced in Uttar Pradesh before the BJP came to power there but now the situation has been reversed, Sharma said and called upon the people to ensure that the saffron party is voted to power both at the Centre and in Odisha. "Double engine government of BJP in the state and at the centre will ensure speedy development of the state and welfare of the people," he added. Assembly election in Odisha is scheduled to be held along with Lok Sabha polls in four phases on April 11, 18, 23 and 29. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The United States and its allies called Thursday for an immediate de-escalation of tensions in Libya and warned any military action would have consequences after strongman Khalifa Haftar ordered forces to advance on Tripoli. "Our governments oppose any military action in Libya and will hold accountable any Libyan faction that precipitates further civil conflict," said a joint statement by the United States, France, Britain, Italy and the United Arab Emirates. The governments said they were "deeply concerned" by fighting near Gharyan, some 100 kilometers (60 miles) from Tripoli, and "urge all parties to immediately de-escalate tensions." "At this sensitive moment in Libya's transition, military posturing and threats of unilateral action only risk propelling Libya back toward chaos," they said. "We strongly believe that there is no military solution to the Libya conflict." Haftar's self-styled Libyan Nation Army has amassed around Gharyan and, in an audio message, he said the time had come to advance toward the capital. Dozens of militias have fought for control of the North African country since a NATO-backed uprising toppled and killed longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011. Haftar's forces have emerged as a key player, opposing the government in Tripoli and backing a parallel administration in the east. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A broad group of US lawmakers on Wednesday called for sanctions against China's top official in the Xinjiang region over alleged abuses -- including mass detentions -- against the Uighur minority. The letter signed by 24 senators -- almost one-quarter of the body -- and 19 House members across party lines also called on the United States to step up disclosure requirements about Chinese companies held to be complicit in rights violations. The lawmakers asked President Donald Trump's administration to target Chen Quanguo, the Communist Party secretary in the northwestern Xinjiang region, who earlier held a similar position in Tibet and has become reputed for his handling of minorities. UN investigators say that some one million people have been rounded up in Xinjiang in a massive network of cramped detention camps, with China pressing Uighurs to renounce Islam through actions such as forcing them to eat pork, which is forbidden for Muslims. "We are disappointed with the administration's failure so far to impose any sanctions related to the ongoing systemic and egregious human rights abuses in Xinjiang," said the letter addressed to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and other top officials. The lawmakers acknowledged the "strong rhetoric" from Vice President Mike Pence and others but added, "words alone are not enough." The letter was signed by Senators Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican close to Trump on foreign policy, and Bob Menendez, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Others who signed it include Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Democratic presidential candidate, Senator Mitt Romney, a former Republican presidential contender, and Representatives James McGovern and Chris Smith, who head a congressional commission on human rights. The lawmakers asked the Trump administration to invoke the Magnitsky Act on Chen and other top officials in Xinjiang. The act -- named after a Russian accountant who died in detention -- calls for the seizure of assets and a ban on US visits by any foreign official found to be behind human rights abuses. China denies the accounts of mass detention, saying it is running educational training centers as part of a fight against Islamic extremism in Xinjiang. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Vedanta Ltd has said it is working with authorities that are investigating the incident at its Lanjigarh alumina refinery in Odisha in which two persons were killed during a protest outside the facility. A security person was burnt to death by a mob and a protestor was killed in clashes near the Vedanta alumina refinery after locals demanding jobs tried to storm its premises last month. The mining major has also urged protestors to engage with the company on the issues that they are concerned about through existing channels. "We are saddened by the recent unfortunate incident at Lanjigarh, following a protest outside the plant, in which a protestor and a member of the Odisha Industrial Security Force were fatally injured. We have extended our sincere condolences and support to their families and are working with the authorities who are investigating the incident," company's CEO Srinivasan Venkatakrishnan said in an investor brief. "We have appealed to the protestors to engage with the company on the issues that they are concerned about through channels that already exist, and we have committed our full participation through these channels," the CEO said. The incident took place when locals were staging a demonstration near the refinery demanding jobs and other facilities, according to the police. Talking about the oil business, Srinivasan said that the company was excited about the oil discovery in the Krishna Godavari (KG) block in the Bay of Bengal, in the second exploratory well drilled. This, he said, is further to the gas discovery made in the first exploratory well. "We will need further appraisal to establish the size and potential of the discovery," he added. The company's zinc and silver businesses continue to create new production and cost records and its aluminium business has reported significant structural cost reductions, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday lambasted the opposition RJD for using foul language against him and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and highlighted the poor performance of pati-patni ki sarkaar an allusion to the 15 years of rule by Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi. Addressing rallies at Bhagalpur, Jamui and Aurangabad Lok Sabha constituencies where candidates of his JD(U) and allies LJP and BJP respectively are in the fray Kumar appealed to the people to vote for the NDA and ensure Prime Minister Narendra Modis return to power. When I listen to the oppositions criticisms, I feel appalled by the language they use against me and the Prime Minister. You can criticize anybody on the basis of facts. But in a democracy, one must maintain certain decorum while speaking in the public, the JD(U) national president said in an oblique reference to the family of Lalu Prasads RJD which controls the opposition party. For 15 years, the husband-wife duo enjoyed power in the state. They could not even ensure a basic amenity like good roads. Whatever progress the state has witnessed, it has taken place after we took over in November, 2005, Kumar asserted. Prasad and later his wife served as chief minister of Bihar during RJD rule from 1990 to 2005, when Kumar took the rein of the state. No segment of the society Dalits, OBCs, women has been left out in the development journey that started with our coming to power. All villages in the state have been electrified and connected through roads. Schemes have been launched to ensure employment generation and skill development, Kumar said. In Araria, Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi addressed a rally organized after filing of nomination papers by party candidate Pradeep Singh. Modi sought to dispel the impression that his party was anti-minorities, saying, the 10 per cent quota for economically backward sections is open to all and poor Muslims could benefit from this measure in a big way. The achievements of Congress 55 years in power pale in comparison with Narendra Modis five years. Like our Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, he too is a man who works tirelessly for the people without taking a vacation. Under Narendra Modis leadership, India has gained respect worldwide and Pakistan-sponsored terrorism is being squarely dealt with, the Deputy CM said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Enforcement Directorate Thursday filed a supplementary charge sheet against Christian Michel, the alleged middleman arrested in the AgustaWestland chopper scam, before a Delhi court. The charge sheet was also filed against two firms -- Global Services FZE and Global Traders and one of its directors, David Syms. Syms and Michel are both directors of the two firms. Special judge Arvind Kumar said he will take cognisance of the agency's charge sheet on April 6. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Enforcement Directorate told a Delhi court Thursday that Christian Michel, the alleged middleman arrested in the AgustaWestland VVIP Chopper scam, and other accused received 42 million euros as kickbacks in the deal. The probe agency, in its 3,000-page supplementary charge sheet also named David Syms, Michel's alleged business partner, and two firms owned by them-- Global Trade and Commerce Ltd and Global Services FZE -- as accused. In its first charge sheet, filed against Michel in June 2016, ED had alleged that Michel and others received EUR 30 million (about Rs 225 crore) from AgustaWestland. Special Judge Arvind Kumar said he will decide on whether to take cognisance of the ED's supplementary charge sheet and to summon the accused on April 6. ED's special public prosecutors D P Singh and N K Matta told the court that British nationals Syms and Michel through their firms had received the money without undertaking any work against the receipt of such amount. The money was received by the firms to execute the 12 helicopters deal but no helicopters were bought, ED said. "The money was paid by Westland Group companies to these two firms. The money was then routed to different companies and individuals. This was done through these two firms in which both (Michel and Syms) of them are directors... Syms' bank statement records showed that substantial amount has been credited to it," ED said. The agency said that this money trail completed the missing link in the total EUR 70 million trail of the AgustaWestland deal which was being investigated by it. ED said that EUR 28 million was routed through the other channel by co-accused lawyer Gautam Khaitan, Rajeev Saxena and his wife Shivani and their firms. It had earlier alleged, in the charge sheet, that companies owned by Saxena and his wife -- Interstellar Technologies, Mauritius, UHY Saxena, Dubai, Matrix -- have received proceeds of crime from Global Services FZE. ED had claimed that Michel had entered into 12 contracts through two of his firms with Finmeccanica, AgustaWestland, Westland Helicopters, UK and so on. Michel, extradited from Dubai in December last year, was one of the three middlemen being probed in the case, besides Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa, by the ED and the CBI. On January 1, 2014, India scrapped the contract with Italy-based Finmeccanica's British subsidiary AgustaWestland for supplying 12 AW-101 VVIP choppers to the IAF over alleged breach of contractual obligations and charges of paying kickbacks to the tune of Rs 423 crore by it for securing the deal. The CBI on September 1, 2017, had filed a charge sheet in the case in which Michel was named as one of the accused. Former IAF Chief S P Tyagi was also chargesheeted by the CBI in a Delhi Court along with nine others in connection with a bribery case in the VVIP chopper deal. Tyagi (73) is the first chief of the Indian Air Force to be chargesheeted in a corruption or a criminal case by the CBI and he has denied all charges against him. Besides him, the agency has also chargesheeted retired Air Marshal J S Gujral along with eight others, including five foreign nationals, in the charge sheet filed before the Special CBI Judge. AgustaWestland, is also one of the accused. Others named in the charge sheet are -- Tyagi's cousin Sanjeev alias Julie, advocate Gautam Khaitan, alleged European middlemen Carlo Gerosa, Christian Michel, Guido Haschke, former AgustaWestland CEO Bruno Spagnolini and former Finmeccanica Chairman Giuseppe Orsi. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Western Balkans countries agreed on Thursday to lower and eventually abolish roaming charges, in a rare act of neighbourly goodwill in region riven with political feuds. Starting in July, the deal will cut roaming charges by 27 per cent across Serbia, Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Kosovo. The plan is to then "completely" abolish the charges by 2021, according to announcement from the Serbian government. Home to some 17 million people, all of Western Balkans countries except for Albania were once part of former Yugoslavia, before it fractured in the 1990s through a series of wars that left 130,000 dead. The EU-backed accord was signed at a digital summit in Belgrade and welcomed by enlargement commissioner Johannes Hahn, who tweeted "Great ..as of July you #RoamLikeAtHome". Unlike a similar 2014 agreement, this one includes Albania and Kosovo, a former Serbian province whose independence Belgrade refuses to recognise 20 years after they were split by war. Already poor relations between the former war foes took a nosedive last November when Kosovo levied a 100 per cent tariff on Serbian and Bosnian goods in political protest. Serbia's Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said signing the roaming accord was "not easy at a moment when Pristina violates regional agreements". But she said the country was "sending a signal to give a chance to the region to be prosperous and to have different future". Valdrin Lluka, Kosovo's Economic Development Minister hailed the "very good for Western Balkan countries". "I believe that this agreement is another step forward towards enhancing regional cooperation between the Western Balkan states," he said in a statement. All of the Western Balkan countries aspire to join the European Union, with Serbia and Montenegro the furthest along in the process. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) TUNIS - A spokesman for the Libyan National Army (LNA) led by General Khalifa Haftar said on Thursday that troops have entered the city of Gharyan, 100 km south of the Libyan capital of Tripoli. The troop movement comes after local media reported on Wednesday night that armed clashes took place between Haftar's forces and those of Fayez Al Sarraj's government of national accord, and that there were troop movements in various directions in Tripoli. The LNA spokesman, Ahmed al Mismari, said "our men were given a celebratory welcome by local residents". In recent days, Haftar had launched a "campaign to rid the country's west of the presence of criminal militias". The national unity government's Presidential Council issued a declaration on Wednesday evening in which it denounced Haftar's orders to his troops to advance towards Tripoli, calling the orders "provocative announcements" because they urge forces to "liberate the capital", said the website Libyan Observer. The entrance into Gharyan took place on Wednesday night. However, on Thursday a tweet by Libya Observer, which is hostile to Haftar's forces, said the general's troops had "retreated to Jandouba area in the southern part of the city as western Libyan forces mobilize troops to attack them". Forces in Misrata, the city with the most military power in the country, are also preparing to react to the advance of Haftar's troops. Another tweet by Libya Observer on Thursday said, "all Misrata forces held an emergency meeting today" to agree on a "unified reaction" to the deployment of Haftar's troops in the western part of the country. It also tweeted that the military council in the city of Zintan "mobilizes forces to repel east Libya invaders". The movement's of Haftar's forces and the clashes with those of Sarraj send a bad sign just 10 days ahead of the UN-backed National Conference on Libya, scheduled for April 14-16 in the southwest city of Ghadames, with only Libyan participants. The conference is supposed to generate an agreement on elections in order to resolve the Libyan crisis that has been going on in fits and starts since the fall of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Union minister and senior BJP leader Vijay Goel said Thursday that he would visit Delhi government-run schools and mohalla clinics to "expose" the AAP dispensation's "tall claims". In an official statement, Goel alleged that "tall claims" of achievements which are being made by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in his public meetings are "far from reality". Goel, a former Delhi BJP chief, said he will visit some schools, mohalla clinics and also JJ clusters to find out whether people in reality are getting cheap electricity and water supply or not. "Biggest proof is that both the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party have conceded defeat and accepted that they cannot contest against the BJP unilaterally," the statement, quoting the minister said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday underscored the importance of women empowerment, which he described as the "real" double engine for growth. Patnaik batted for ensuring adequate representation of women in decision-making bodies like the Parliament and state assemblies. The chief minister used the expression "double engine" in an apparent reference to its frequent mention in BJP leaders' speeches, as a part of campaigning in the state. "In my view, if India has to hit the highway of growth and compete with the likes of the US and China, it has to transform its political landscape by empowering women," the CM said. Patnaik's party, the BJD, has fielded seven women candidates (33 per cent) for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The state has 21 Lok Sabha seats, and will go to polls in four phases, beginning April 11. "This is the real double engine the country needs, to bring about growth with equity and justice," he said, adding, if India had adequate representation of women, its approach to multitude of issues would have been different. "The question of war, peace and terrorism would be differently decided. Our laws on rape, sexual assault and dowry will be more effective implemented," Patnaik said. Noting that empowering household incomes will be much a priority as empowering corporate income, he said, "Both our national parties in their manifestos have repeatedly spoken about women empowerment, but somewhere when it comes to walking the talk, there is a deafening silence." The chief minister said the BJD, however, has done its bit to break this silence. "I am sure the people of Odisha will ensure that the voice of our seven women candidates is heard in the hallowed halls of Parliament, and I am hopeful that the movement that has started from Odisha will be followed by our national parties," he said. Patnaik said his father Biju Patnaik, after whose name the BJD is formed, was one of the pioneers in women empowerment, by making provision of 33 per cent reservation in panchayati raj institutions (PRIs). "We increased it to 50 per cent," the CM said. "One of my most satisfying moments as president of the BJD was when the party, in a first-of-its-kind decision of any political party in the country -- decided to provide 33 per cent reservation for women candidates to the Lok Sabha," he said. Patnaik also hailed New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Arden for her statement in the aftermath of the recent terror attack in her country in which 50 worshippers were killed. "Her response was not what is generally expected of leaders at such times... that is to take the majority line and soft-peddle the issue. Her response stunned the whole world when she declared in her now-famous statement - 'New Zealand is their home' (referring to the refugees and the migrants killed). They are us," Patnaik pointed out. Her response transcended the narrow boundaries of religion and race, and embraced humanity, he said. Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, was perhaps the only leader who welcomed refugees from other countries, Patnaik said. "These leaders are examples of what women can bring to politics. If politics is the exercise of power, women have a more humane touch in its expression..." Patnaik added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former president and opposition Pakistan Peoples Party co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari Thursday asked his supporters to "march towards Islamabad" and topple Prime Minister Imran Khan's government. Addressing a rally at Garhi Khuda Baksh in Larkana on the 40th death anniversary of former prime minister and PPP founder Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Zardari said it was time for the Khan's government to go. "We cannot give them more time. We have to march towards Islamabad to oust the government to save this country," Zardari said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ruling BJP's election manifesto may counter the populist promises in the Congress manifesto with assurances that suit the growth ambitions of the neo-middle class, a segment of the population that is soon to become a dominant class of electorate, finance minister Arun Jaitley has hinted. He criticised the Congress manifesto to be driven by ideas that is far removed from today's reality. Speaking at the inaugural session of the Annual General Meeting of apex industry body Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) in Delhi on Thursday, Jaitley said the Congress manifesto revealed the party's 'regulated economy' thinking. Also read: Arun Jaitley's analysis of Rahul Gandhi: 'Hasn't done any business but lives good life, goes on foreign holidays' "India's socio-economic character is changing. Slogans used 40 years before will not remain relevant soon. India's middle class and neo-middle class will be the largest vote base by the next general election in 2024. Election manifestos hence will be tested and judged using much harsher standards," Jaitley said. According to him, India has already shown its economic resilience by continuing to be the world's fastest growing large economy at a time of global slowdown, bad monsoons and export slump. "If we can do it now, we will continue to grow for many more years. The policy followed in the regulated economy, that of re-distribution of the wealth of the rich, cannot aid this growth," Jaitley pointed out. The finance minister said Narendra Modi government's approach towards growth - reforms which are market-based, resulting in expansion of economy and using that wealth to support the poor is the way forward. Also read: Five key promises in Congress manifesto: NYAY scheme, focus on jobs, farmers, education "Just giving largesse without corresponding growth increase in income through loan melas took the fiscal deficit in UPA II to a five year average of 10 per cent," he said adding that the incumbent government didn't increase taxes, but increased income through better compliance. "It strengthened the neo-middle class as they had more money to spend. Meanwhile, our tax base doubled and increased tax collection resulted in increased expenditure in creating rural roads, in health programmes and in agriculture (direct income support)," he said. The minister also pointed out in the 20 months of GST (Goods and Services Tax) regime, every item related to construction segment, with cement being the sole exemption, saw reduction in tax rates. Congress manifesto, on the other hand, reflected the regulated economic thinking of the pre-liberalisation era, he said. Also read: Arun Jaitley terms Rahul Gandhi's minimum income plan 'biggest bluff', says Congress betrayed India for more than 7 decades It should be noted that one of the biggest promises in the Congress manifesto is an annual income support of Rs 72,000 each to every household of the country's poorest 20 per cent. The theme of the two-day CII AGM this year is India 5.O India @75 and beyond. Also read: What's doable in Congress' jobs manifesto? The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is interrogating businessman Ratul Puri in connection with a money laundering case related to the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam. Puri has reportedly denied any wrongdoing on his part in the AgustaWestland case. "I am cooperating with the investigation. I have no connection with AgustaWestland or defence. I run an independent business. I have no business dealings with any relative of mine," ANI reported Puri as saying. The ED summoned Puri after his name appeared in a statement by middleman Rajeev Saxena, who has turned approver in the case. In a statement before the court, the agency said that Puri was summoned for confronting him with Gupta. Gupta's custodial interrogation was extended by three days by a Delhi court on Wednesday. ED's special public prosecutors D P Singh and N K Matta told the court that Gupta's custody was required to confront him with various people, including Puri, in the AgustaWestland case. Puri is the Chairman of Hindustan Powerprojects and is the nephew of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath. In a statement, Puri's company said, "He would by fully cooperating with the ED investigation and provide any clarification or information as may be required." Moreover, the ED on Thursday claimed that a person with abbreviations 'RG' received Rs 50 crore from 2004 to 2016 in connection with the AgustaWestland deal. The sensational revelation was made by the ED while seeking the remand of accused Sushen Gupta in the AgustaWestland case. ALSO READ: 'RG' received over Rs 50 crore from 2004-2016 in AgustaWestland deal, claims ED ALSO READ: RBI cuts repo rate by 25 bps: Here are 5 key takeaways from monetary policy committee meet The UAE Thursday honoured Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the prestigious Zayed Medal for playing a "pivotal role" in giving a "big boost" to the bilateral strategic ties. President of the UAE Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan conferred the Prime Minister with the award, the highest decoration awarded to kings, presidents and heads of states. "We have historical and comprehensive strategic ties with India, reinforced by the pivotal role of my dear friend, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who gave these relations a big boost. In appreciation of his efforts, the UAE President grants him the Zayed Medal," Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohamed Bin Zayed tweeted. We have historical and comprehensive strategic ties with India, reinforced by the pivotal role of my dear friend, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who gave these relations a big boost. In appreciation of his efforts, the UAE President grants him the Zayed Medal. (@MohamedBinZayed) April 4, 2019 The Crown Prince, who is also the Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, said Modi played a key role in enhancing bilateral ties to the level of comprehensive strategic relations. "By granting our dear friend the Indian Prime Minister the Zayed Medal, we express our appreciation for his role and efforts in developing friendly relations and extending bridges of cooperation between the UAE and the Republic of India in various fields," he said. The award comes in appreciation of Modi's role in consolidating the long-standing friendship and joint strategic cooperation between the two countries, the Khaleej Times reported. "I am extremely happy to welcome the announcement of Order of Zayed for a great son of India Prime Minister Narendra Modi by His Highness Mohamed Bin Zayed," External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted. I am extremely happy to welcome the announcement of Order of Zayed for a great son of India Prime Minister @narendramodi by His Highness @MohamedBinZayed. Chowkidar Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) April 4, 2019 She said the prestigious award was bestowed on Modi in recognition of his "stellar role" in ushering in a new era of strategic partnership with the UAE and the "best ever" relations with the Islamic world. "On behalf of the people of India, I express our deep sense of gratitude to His Highness the President, His Highness the Crown Prince of UAE for this great honour. With this, you have honoured India and the people of India," Swaraj said. Modi visited the UAE for the second time as Prime Minister in February last year and held wide-ranging talks with the Crown Prince. After their talks, the two sides signed five agreements related to energy sector, railways, manpower and financial services. The Prime Minister's first visit to the UAE took place in August 2015. In February, the Crown Prince telephoned Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan as part of his efforts to de-escalate Indo-Pak tensions in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack claimed by the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed terror group which killed forty CRPF personnel. Also read: PM Modi adopts four villages, while majority MPs settle for two as Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana loses steam Also read: EC hauls up Air India over boarding passes with PM Modi's photo The Randstad Workmonitor survey states that 83% of the Indian workforce is interested in entrepreneurship as compared to 53% worldwide. India, a country of entrepreneurs is rapidly emerging as a hub for tech based start-ups. Most entrepreneurs tend to have strong domain knowledge, but financial tips can give them the extra edge they need to succeed. Here are and few quick and easy ways to start planning today. Secure funds There is an old saying that "Cash is King" that entrepreneurs need to be mindful of. No matter how fantastic be the business model of the company, book profits are not enough, it needs to ensure sufficient cash flow to pay its suppliers, employees etc to survive. If it fails to secure cash, the business will eventually fail. While a start up can have negative cash flow from the business, it would need to secure funds from investors, but investors would run out of patience if the business fails to generate cash. It is important for entrepreneurs to secure the financing for the business. While entrepreneurs do invest in their own funds, in order to scale up the business external investors may be needed. This financing can be in the form of debt or equity, both of which have their pros and cons. In case the business has physical assets and the cash flows of the business are stable, debt financing can be an option. However for many start ups, especially in the areas of Technology where the assets of the company are mostly intangible like intellectual property, equity financing would be more appropriate. Here entrepreneurs need to be mindful of valuation, and should hire independent valuation experts for this exercise. Value time Another old adage "Time is Money" is something entrepreneurs need to be mindful of. They will find themselves short of time and need to assess whether an issue is worth spending their time on. Assigning a value on their time can help them assess how much time they should invest in an activity, as well as arrive upon a delegation framework to help them with a quick turnaround time. While an entrepreneur sets up a business to build wealth, it is important for them to recognise their dual roles, that of an investors as well as a full time CEO. The payoff for the first comes from the wealth generated from the business- read that as the valuation of the business. As the CEO, they need to remember to "Pay them-selves" as sustenance is important from the very first step. Ideally, this would amount to the money apportioned for the CEO hired for the business. It is essential to avoid basic financial lapses so that one can focus on building the business. Track inflow, outflow At the initial stages of launching a business, an entrepreneur needs to keep a careful track of how the business model evolves and how funds are allocated. In short, "track revenues and spending" until you arrive upon a consistent pattern. One needs to keep a careful track of inflows and outflows to ensure balanced cash flows as well. An intelligent investment would be building a proper MIS and accounting software, in addition to hiring finance professionals. It is common for new players entering the landscape to burn cash in order to grow fast, which is why they will need to give a detailed thought to expenses. It is important to have a long run perspective and have a scalable business model, with limited fixed costs. This can be achieved by various tactical elements like opting for co-working spaces or an optimal model for fixed vs variable pay for employees. Diversify wealth While new entrants may enthusiastically anticipate success, they should be ready for failure. It is estimated that about 90% of start-ups fail in the first five years of starting their business. Thankfully, in India the stigma attached to failure in business has gone away. However, a failure can be hard to rebound from and they should ensure that a business failure doesn't cause financial ruin. This can be avoided by not staking their entire fortune on the business and by investing portions of their wealth in manner that helps them bounce back. As we mentioned above, entrepreneurs should diversify their wealth in order to shield themselves from the ups and downs of their business. For this they need to have a robust asset allocation plan, depending on their age and risk tolerance. They should invest in equities, debt and real estate. In order to diversify they should seek to invest in equities in sectors other than the sector of their start up. Also when drawing up their asset allocation plan it is important to remember that the wealth in their firm is a part of their equity investment. For an entrepreneur whose age is 40, approximately 60% of their asset allocation should be in equities. For a young entrepreneur whose age is 25, upto 80% of their allocation can be in equities. In order to achieve this objective, consider utilising the services of a financial advisor. Set goals Lastly an entrepreneur setting up a start up needs to set financial goals, while some of this will undoubtedly be part of their vision, like to be a unicorn within five years. However, for an actionable plan will also have milestones to achieve this goal, against which progress can be tracked. Similarly for their personal wealth as well, an entrepreneur needs milestones against which progress can be measured. (The writer is CEO Stock Broking, Karvy) You are not spinning a yarn if you say there have been job losses in the Indian handloom sector. This is the sense we got, talking to people working in the field. Take the case of Vanagari Praveen. The 30-year old Praveen used to work as a handloom weaver, primarily weaving sarees in Narayanapuram, near Pochampally, the handloom hub in Telangana, known nationally for its 'ikat' sarees. Today, Praveen works for a courier company in Hyderabad. He relocated to Hyderabad eight years ago, finding the payment of Rs 500 for weaving a saree quite unsustainable. What is worrying, however, is he sees little incentive in going back home and start weaving again. "I evaluated the job opportunities, got myself trained in DTP (desktop publishing) and joined the courier company. In my current job, I earn Rs 25,000 a month but looking at the economics in weaving, today I will be able to earn at best, anywhere between Rs 13,000 and Rs 18,000 a month. Therefore, despite the added living expenses in a city, I see little benefit in returning to weaving." Donthi Narasimha Reddy, who runs Chetana Society, an NGO focussed on sustainable development, has been associated with the handloom sector for nearly three decades. He says Praveen is not alone and there will be many like him who have left the handloom sector and sought alternative employment opportunities. Although, he is quick to add that not everyone is as lucky as Praveen. Most of them end up having menial job or no job at all. "Employment in the handloom sector has not increased in the last ten years. In fact, it has decreased," he says. Quoting numbers, he says, there were 43 lakh people engaged in weaving and allied activities as per the third Handloom Census, carried out in 2009-10 as compared to 65.5 lakh, as per the second Handloom Census conducted in 1995-96. "The Handloom Census 2009-10 shows employment for only 43 lakh people. We now await the findings of the fourth national handloom census, which was initiated in April, 2017. Its results are yet to be announced." On asking about the job status of the last five years, he says, many indicators show that employment in handloom industry has not increased. "For instance, the handloom fabric production in 2014-15 was 64,332 million square metres, which in 2016-17 went down to 63,480 million square metres, as per Annual Report 2017-18 (Ministry of Textiles)." He further quoted a note on Handloom Sector, prepared by Ministry of Textiles in December 2015, that says number of handloom weavers is declining sharply. He then refers to an answer in the Lok Sabha that says average earnings of handloom weavers households was Rs 37,704 per annum in 2009-10 (Lok Sabha Unstarred Question no.457, answered on 19.7.2018). Reddy points out Rs 37,704 is not enough to maintain a decent standard of living. He also notes that budgetary allocation to handloom sector has declined in the last five years. Budgetary allocations: ALSO READ: Abysmal banking job trend and a bleak future ahead ALSO READ: Lack of quality jobs, increasing wage disparity markers of gender inequality in labour market, says Oxfam study ALSO READ: No data on unemployment means no attention, no remedy The European Union will immediately introduce customs checks and import duties in the event of a "no deal" Brexit, erecting barriers to British exports ranging from cars to farm produce and preventing consumers bringing in British cheese or meats. Pierre Moscovici, the EU's economic affairs and tax commissioner, told a news conference on Wednesday that all the remaining 27 EU members agreed that customs controls would have to be put in place for incoming goods as soon as Britain left. "The cliff-edge scenario, which is again not the one we foresee or wish, would create major disruptions," he said. "We should expect that there would be queues at the tunnel exit and at the ports." Moscovici said more than 11,000 goods vehicles per day took ferries between Dover and Calais or used the Channel Tunnel, although he acknowledged that not all would be checked. He said EU companies trading with the UK had to be ready for additional costs and bureaucracy as customs checks increased, while travelers would also be subject to more checks. Individual travelers arriving in the EU from Britain would be limited to no more than 430 euros' worth of goods, and would not be able to bring in British animal products such as cheese or sausages. Producers would still be able to export them if Britain, as expected, passed laws to comply with EU sanitary rules. However, goods would be subject to import duties; in the case of cars, this would be 10%. On the most sensitive issue, that of the Irish border, Moscovici avoided giving a clear answer. Since Britain has said it wants to leave the EU's customs union as it leaves the EU, the bloc says controls on animals and goods will need to take place on the land border between EU member Ireland and the British province of Northern Ireland. But both London and the EU want to avoid deploying border infrastructure, fearing it could become the target of violence and undermine peace in the province, which saw three decades of sectarian violence at the end of the last century. Moscovici said both the EU and Britain would need to make checks to protect their markets: "We are working closely and intensively with Ireland to organize these checks in the least disruptive way possible, and as much as possible away from the border." He added that the EU could give Ireland more money and other assistance to meet the challenge. He said the EU expected Britain to live up to its obligations of guaranteeing an open Irish border under the Good Friday Agreement peace deal. EU sources told Reuters in February that Dublin would soon have to come up with a plan to ensure the integrity of the EU's single market or face the prospect of checks on its own goods coming into the rest of the bloc - something Ireland has said it will not countenance. (Reuters) Source: www.businessworld.ie TEL AVIV - Palestinian rapper, actor, and screenwriter Tamer Nafar has launched a vibrant appeal to young Arab Israelis calling on them to vote in the April 9 Israeli elections, despite their widespread sense of alienation by the government. Nafar, who starred in and wrote director Udi Aloni's film "Junction 48" and lives in Lod, a few kilometres from Tel Aviv, posted a video online called "Tamer Must Vote". In the video, he appears as two competing boxers in the ring. The first boxer wants to boycott the elections while the second one believes the ballot can be a useful tool to fight the politics of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "If our vote will help send Bibi (Netanyahu) to prison and throw Avigdor Lieberman (former defence minister, ed.) out of the Knesset, then it's worth it to go vote". The video ends with the two boxers and the female referee agreeing to go to the polls. In the last elections, two-thirds of Arab Israelis voted, but that total could be lower this year. A new economic study released today shows the significant economic contribution made by Deliveroo to the Irish economy during 2018. According to the report, over 40% of the over 800 Irish restaurants that Deliveroo partners with, reached new markets. Almost one in ten of these restaurants expanded their offerings and 5% of all partners opened a new premises. In Ireland, the report reveals that Deliveroo supports 590 jobs across the Irish economy and 520 additional jobs in the restaurant sector, of which 350 are in chain restaurants, and 170 are in independent restaurants. Deliveroo generates over 36 million additional revenue for the restaurant sector in Ireland, of which 24.5 million is in chain restaurants, and 11.7 million is in independent restaurants. The report estimates that in total, Deliveroo generates 48 million of revenue across the Irish economy. If Deliveroo continues to grow at its current rate, the report projects that the companys operations would support somewhere in the region of 1,300 jobs and 37.5 million of economic output (GDP) in Ireland by 2020. Following on from the release of the report, Deliveroo UK & Ireland Managing Director Dan Warne said, "Deliveroo wants to be a true strategic partner to our restaurants, helping them to grow and reach new customers. We are delighted to see that our efforts are resulting in significant increases in revenues for restaurants already, as well as creating more well-paid local jobs, but we want to go further. Deliveroo has ambitious growth targets for Ireland and we look forward to continuing to work with the very best Irish restaurants, delivering their amazing meals in record time." Source: www.businessworld.ie Markforged today announced the opening of its first official European headquarters in Dublin, as part of the companys planned global expansion for 2019. Markforged is opening its new European headquarters with the support of the Irish Government through IDA Ireland. Over the next three years, the manufacturer of industrial 3D printers intends to hire 100 new employees, across all functions, to staff the new headquarters. The Dublin office will be the first international office for Markforged and will serve as the base of its operations in Europe to meet the rapidly growing demand for affordable machines that print high-strength materials, such as carbon fiber and MIM metals. Markforged has been gradually expanding its international operations for the last two years, developing a global partner network in 50 countries, in addition to staffing local application engineers and business development leaders across the world. The company has amassed a large installed base among leading manufacturers and other types of businesses that benefit from additive capabilities. Markforged shipped more than 2,500 industrial printers in 2018 alone, making it one of the largest additive manufacturing companies in the industry. Welcoming the announcement, Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys said, "I am delighted that Markforged have chosen Dublin as its new European HQ. We all know the strong potential of 3D printing and I warmly welcome their presence in Ireland and the creation of 100 highly skilled jobs. We already have a strong footprint of High-Tech companies in Dublin and we are very keen to expand that by attracting a wider range of specialist companies such as Markforged." Source: www.businessworld.ie ISTANBUL - Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay on Thursday tweeted a response to a comment made by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, in which Pompeo called on Turkey to choose between its role in NATO and getting closer to Russia with the purchase of S-400 missiles. "The United States must choose. Does it want to remain Turkey's ally or risk our friendship by joining forces with terrorists to undermine its NATO ally's defense against its enemies?" Oktay tweeted. Pompeo met on Wednesday in Washington with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu. In that meeting, Pompeo "expressed support for ongoing negotiations regarding northeast Syria, while warning of the potentially devastating consequences of unilateral Turkish military action in the region", according to a statement by the US Department of State. news, latest-news A natural history museum should be created in Canberra, a federal parliamentary inquiry says. The inquiry also called for the Australian Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies to be moved from the Acton Peninsula to the parliamentary triangle. Chairman Liberal MP Ben Morton said it said it was a shame the only Aboriginal representation inside the parliamentary triangle was one of protest at the tent embassy. The tent embassy has been a long-running source of contention, with periodic attempts to move the temporary campsite from its prominent location in front of Old Parliament House. But Mr Morton is not pushing for the removal of the tent embassy. He told the Canberra Times a relocated institute would complement the protest site. Theres no recommendation to replace the tent embassy, Mr Morton said, after releasing the report of the parliamentary inquiry into Canberras national institutions on Wednesday. The committee received multiple proposals for new institutions. It opted for a natural history museum, recommending the federal government develop a business case for it. Mr Morton said the museum would serve as a place for visitors to learn about Australias unique biodiversity. A natural history museum is worthy of further investigation, to share the story of Australian biodiversity, flora and fauna, minerals and our natural environment, he said. A variety of STEM-based institutions in Canberra is becoming a drawcard for tourists and students. The ACT government expressed support for the natural history museum. The Australian Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies chief executive, Craig Ritchie, backs moving the institute to a more central location. Weve been calling for that for some time, Mr Ritchie said. Our position is that the tent embassy is there, and says something about advocacy and agency of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in pursuit of our rights. Mr Morton said the new institute could serve as a national resting place for repatriated remains that could not immediately be returned to ancestral homes. We have a rich Indigenous history and culture and language and art, and we need to educate others in that rich history and it should be in the parliamentary triangle. Im impressed with the work of the institution in capturing Indigenous languages, but if youre going to conserve something, you dont hide it behind closed doors. You have to make it available to the public. The report criticised the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House, saying it had crept from its original focus. It said Old Parliament House should be used instead as a working extension of the current Parliament House. It also recommended the museum of democracy's objectives be reviewed. Mr Morton said while the museum worked well at targeting school children in learning about the democratic process, other demographics were being left out. We would like to see it expand their offerings from school students to the general public, both in formal programs and walk-up programs, he said. [The museum] is not a think tank, its not an academic organisation. It plays an important role in the education and the understanding of our democracy. The committee said Canberras national institutions had been subjected to budget pressure over a significant period and that smaller institutions had been disproportionately affected by efficiency dividends. It called for setting a threshold amount of smaller institutions, where the dividends would be excluded or reduced, a similar recommendation made in a 2008 joint committee report. Mr Morton said the ability to invest further money would depend on budget management from the institutions. He said a more strategic and united voice for funding from the different institutions would strengthen their cultural capabilities. We have to put behind us a silo approach to advocacy. The national institutions together are a collective record to tell our Australian story, and thats extremely important, he said. All the institutions have a role in storytelling and they need to be in one voice. A shared approach would see a shared collection and storage facility set up, with a shared exhibition space also flagged as a possibility for collaboration. The shared storage facility was an idea previously suggested by National Museum of Australia director Mathew Trinca, who welcomed the reports findings. A joint effort between the national institutions picks up on something that weve long advocated, Dr Trinca said. A joint facility for collection storage that might be shared among the institutions seems to be me to be a powerful recommendation, to be able to work together while also maintaining separate character. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/1d1013ff-d2a3-4b79-88c1-80abb7be1beb/r0_112_2000_1242_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, crime A former journalist has been locked up after allegedly posting threats online to kill members of a Canberra church by cutting off their heads. James Michael Waugh, 28, of Griffith, was arrested on Tuesday after a tip off to the National Security Hotline alerted police to Mr Waugh's online posts. In one post, Mr Waugh allegedly threatened to kill members of the Canberra House of Prayer and posted his own address inviting members to confront him. "I'm going to kill every single one of you dog polytheist c----," a post allegedly written by Mr Waugh read. The court heard Mr Waugh had also allegedly purchased a one-metre long scimitar style sword, which he had sharpened, and had allegedly posted a threat to use it to cut off people's heads. Mr Waugh has been charged with possessing an object with the intent to kill or cause grievous bodily harm, using a carriage service in a menacing manner and making threats to kill. He has not entered pleas. Documents tendered in court showed the National Security Hotline tip off warned of a message allegedly sent by Mr Waugh to numerous people where he stated "I've bought a scimitar and intend to cut their heads off in my front yard as a reprisal". "I have issued threats, along with my name and address, to every coward dog church in Canberra," it read. Mr Waugh's defence lawyer made an application for bail on his behalf saying he would be willing to stay off social media and the internet. His lawyer told the court that his behaviour was not at such a level that he posed an immediate threat to the community and the fact he possessed religious beliefs did not translate to acting upon them. However, the prosecutor told the court that if Mr Waugh was released there was a likelihood he would act upon his alleged threats and he posed a risk to the community. Mr Waugh had been taken away on Wednesday for an assessment with mental health professionals. This determined there was no mental illness present explaining his actions, the court heard. The prosecutor said Mr Waugh demonstrated a clear manifestation and planning to act with the intention of harming others based on his extreme religious beliefs. She reiterated the mental health assessment determined that "he simply believes these things". The court documents stated that during a police interview Mr Waugh admitted to making the threatening posts towards Christian churches and that if people attacked him he would use his scimitar to behead people. Magistrate Bernadette Boss refused to grant bail to Mr Waugh acknowledging he had allegedly made specific threats to a specific group of people and that the opinion of experts was that he posed a threat to the community. She said no bail conditions could adequately lower that risk. Mr Waugh will reappear in court later this month. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/8a1a1109-4c9e-4613-b324-e889b857bc3c/r0_87_400_313_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news Research has revealed the blind spot many people have when applying sunscreen on and around the eyelids. A previous study conducted by the University of Liverpool found that many people werent applying sunscreen to their eye area even when they covered the rest of their face. And the results were even worse in this current study when people were given SPF moisturiser instead of sunscreen. About 14 per cent of participants completely missed their eye area with the sunscreen, while nearly 21 per cent missed with moisturiser. Lead researcher Kevin Hamill said a post-study questionnaire showed participants werent aware of their incomplete coverage. Moisturiser is not as well applied as sunscreen; therefore, if planning prolonged sun exposure we advise sunscreen be used, Dr Hamill said. If using moisturiser we advise one with SPF: any SPF is better than none but it should not be considered the equal of sunscreen. The Cancer Council Australia said it wasnt surprised by the findings, as many people didnt put any form of sunscreen directly on their eye area. Heather Walker, Chair of the Councils National Skin Cancer Committee, said that was why the recommended multiple forms of sun protection. The key takeaway is to heed our standard recommendation of five forms of sun protection; use sunscreen but use it alongside clothing, hats, shade and sunglasses as well, Ms Walker said. This is a UK study but we know in Australia 85 per cent of Australians arent applying enough sunscreen in general across their whole body. Although the study was done in Britain it is of great interest to Australia, which recently regained the dubious honour of having the highest rate of melanoma in the world. A broad brimmed hat will reduce the UV exposure to your eyes by 50 per cent, while adding sunglasses can reduce that to up to 98 per cent. The study results surprised researchers who had been expecting to see greater eyelid coverage by the moisturiser because it was perceived as gentler and less likely to sting the eyes than sunscreen. They said the results showed that overall people should not be complacent about sun exposure, even if they were wearing sunscreen or SPF moisturiser. Ms Walker agreed, saying despite getting most of the publicity, they considered it the last line of defence. If you think about putting on a shirt, thats a lot harder to apply incorrectly than sunscreen, she said. Youre reducing the pitfalls we know people fall into by using multiple forms of sun protection. The research has been published on Thursday in the journal PLOS One. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/0aa30732-b174-4f67-bab0-dfa32e549962/r345_0_1170_466_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news Many public servants find their workplace's social-media policies which warn them against expressing political views confusing and intimidating. Some even regard them as an appalling intrusion on their democratic rights. Their hopes rest with the seven High Court judges now presiding over Comcare v Banerji, a case that will determine the limits of the constitution's implied freedom of political communication. The Informant has been covering Michaela Banerji's trials since I first reported on her sacking in 2013. Banerji, then an Immigration Department employee, had been using an anonymous Twitter account to criticise the government's policies on refugees. She's still at it, on the very same account: @LaLegale. Feel free to follow her. As she awaits the court's decision, I'd like to celebrate Banerji's freedom of speech. Here are some of the views she tweeted freely after last month's horrific attack in Christchurch, New Zealand. "Wasn't there bombing of Gaza on the day of the NZ mosque false flag incident? To distract from Gaza?" Had you considered that, readers? That the attack was a deliberate distraction to help the Israeli military? These were Banerji's thoughts just a day after 50 Muslims were slaughtered. She went on: "Why was [Hilary Clinton's former campaign manager John] Podesta in NZ [a] few days before? Israel needs Pine Gap. Australia is implicated in Israeli/USA wars for that reason. What is Five Eyes and [its] purpose?" And, just in case it wasn't clear: "While Gaza was being attacked, the false flag in NZ sucked up all the social and [mainstream-media] oxygen, distracting everyone from Gaza." Two weeks later, as Pauline Hanson fell further into public disgrace by "questioning" whether Martin Bryant was guilty of the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, Banerji offered more: "If you read about the Port Arthur event, you, too, may have 'questions'. I know that I do. Martin Bryant has taken the fall and will be in prison for the rest of his life. Do you approve? ... "To hold the view that the event was a false flag is not to deny the deaths and injuries. It is only to question the perpetrators and their objectives, and to see elements of the dominant narrative which simply do not make sense." And now to celebrate my freedom of speech. I want the court to find in Banerji's favour. There is a moral panic within the bureaucracy about public comment that doesn't stand up to reason. I suspect it's linked to the habitual secrecy that surrounds policymaking, which would benefit greatly if it were a more open process. What a shame, however, that a person with such vile views has come to represent all public servants. The APS workforce deserves a far better champion than Banerji. This month's Informant has plenty of coverage of the APS review's interim findings (start here). So I'll limit my comment to one word: "climate". The review team titled its document Priorities for change. It focuses on the public service's needs in a changing world. The review even commissioned research to identify future scenarios. Yet, somehow, the report doesn't once even mention the word. How is it possible to avoid discussing what many say is the world's (and Australia's) greatest threat, which will radically change many aspects of social and economic organisation? Even more so when the review team includes Gordon de Brouwer, a former federal departmental secretary who once led Australia's response to climate change. I asked the review panel, which responded in a joint statement (which you can read below). Still, this isn't the first time I've noticed "climate change" missing from allegedly serious, macro-perspectives of the economy and society. I can't help but wonder whether consultants, public servants and others who work with government feel the "c" word is now too dangerous, politically, to mention. If so, these equivocators should get out of the way of real thinkers. (The response: "The panel has been asked to examine the capability, culture and operating model of the APS, to ensure it best serves Australia across all its policy, regulatory and delivery functions in the decades ahead. It is not a review of specific policy challenges per se, and examples used in the Priorities for Change report are illustrative, rather than exhaustive. "The panel acknowledges that climate change is a significant public policy challenge, and will require an integrated and collaborative approach from the APS. The published work that informs the scenarios discussed in Priorities for Change (Scenarios for 2030) references climate change, as do many of the submissions and comments received and considered by the panel.") Some of the latest climbs towards the top of the government tree: /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/488dedaf-a4d8-435a-ab0f-63df1eea99ba/r0_48_1024_627_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg 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. Care2 Stands With: humanitarians, animal lovers, feminists, rabble-rousers, nature-buffs, creatives, the naturally curious, and people who really love to do the right thing. You are our people. You Care. We Care2. Discussion Although most of the 31 GPEI high-priority countries evaluated met national-level AFP performance indicators, considerable variation and deficiencies existed at subnational levels. No substantial improvements were noted in surveillance indicators for these 31 countries from 2017 to 2018. For most of the evaluated AFR countries, the primary deficiency was the low percentage of AFP cases with adequate specimens, which is most often the result of delayed case detection after paralysis onset. In the three countries with endemic WPV transmission, subnational surveillance performance indicators have been high for several years, even at the district level. In Nigeria, no WPV1 was detected during August 2014July 2016; however, during AugustSeptember 2016, WPV1 cases were detected in Borno State. Effective AFP surveillance did not take place in vast insurgent-held areas of Borno during 20132016. Since 2016, more areas have become accessible, and Nigeria has enhanced case detection and reporting by community-based informants residing in currently inaccessible areas (8). AFR will be considered for WPV-free certification in early 2020, and careful examination of the extent of quality surveillance will be needed to certify the region WPV-free. Genomic analyses indicated that the cVDPV1s in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea were circulating several years before detection. Papua New Guinea has experienced chronic national and subnational deficiencies in AFP case detection and adequate specimen collection and transport. Subnational surveillance gaps in Indonesia have been identified previously (9). cVDPV outbreaks in regions with endemic polio and those that are polio-free underscore the need to maintain sensitive poliovirus surveillance everywhere to rapidly detect and respond to outbreaks. AFP surveillance has been complemented by environmental surveillance in high-risk areas, which has allowed detection of cVDPVs before identification of paralyzed patients, as well as documentation of continued circulation of WPV1 in the reservoir areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan despite low-level WPV1 case confirmation. In the long term, continued environmental surveillance will be needed to monitor for poliovirus circulation in high-risk areas. The findings in this report are subject to at least two limitations. First, issues relating to security, hard-to-reach populations, and other factors could affect AFP surveillance indicators and limit their interpretation. Second, high NPAFP rates do not necessarily indicate highly sensitive surveillance because not all cases reported as AFP cases meet the AFP definition and some actual AFP cases might not be detected by weak surveillance systems. Strong AFP surveillance, which is essential for global certification of polio eradication, includes timely case detection, notification, and investigation as well as adequate stool collection and transport (10). External technical and financial support to enhance surveillance has been provided to all seven countries with cVDPV outbreaks and to the other 24 high-priority countries. The Global Polio Surveillance Action Plan, 20182020 (4), specifies which tasks are to be undertaken at the country level; support is tailored to countries needs. Routine monitoring of AFP surveillance performance indicators at subnational levels and supervision of active surveillance by field personnel are critical to achieving sensitive poliovirus surveillance. Leading up to certification of WPV eradication, integrating AFP surveillance with surveillance for other vaccine-preventable and outbreak-prone diseases will have the advantage of maximizing field surveillance capacity and performance (10). Advisory Commission on Special Education Members Gina Plate, Chair Michele Andrus, Vice Chair Mildred Browne Somer Harding Somer Harding Havaughnia Hayes-White Sara Jocham Sara Jocham April Lopez Christina Mills Gloria Perez-Stewart Keila Rodriguez Kimberly Salomonson Christina Mills Gloria Perez-Stewart Keila Rodriguez Kimberly Salomonson Barbara Schulman Jeannine Topalian David Toston Steven Winlock Student Members Mike Infante Legislative Members Honorable Richard Pan, Senate Vacant, Assembly State Board of Education Niki Sandoval, Liaison Executive Secretary Kristin Wright, Director, Special Education Division California Department of Education Agenda Times Are Approximate and Are Provided for Convenience Only Items may be re-ordered to be heard on any day of the noticed meeting or on a subsequent agenda. The order of business may be changed without notice. Every effort will be made to webcast this meeting in its entirety, but some portions may not be webcast due to logistical constraints. Advisory Commission on Special Education Meeting Schedule Meeting Location Wednesday, April 17, 2019 10 a.m.5:15 p.m. Pacific Time California Department of Education 1430 N Street, Room 1101 Sacramento, California 916-445-4602 Thursday, April 18, 2019 9 a.m.3 p.m. Pacific Time California Department of Education 1430 N Street, Room 1101 Sacramento, California 916-445-4602 Advisory Commission on Special Education Mental Health Subcommittee (Due to logistical constraints, the Subcommittee will not be webcast) Meeting Schedule Meeting Location Wednesday, April 17, 2019 89:30 a.m. Pacific Time California Department of Education 1430 N Street, Room 1103 Sacramento, California 916-445-4602 Advisory Commission on Special Education Operations and Planning Committee (Due to logistical constraints, the Operations and Planning Committee will not be webcast) Meeting Schedule Meeting Location Wednesday, April 17, 2019 99:55 a.m. Pacific Time California Department of Education 1430 N Street, Room 2102 Sacramento, California 916-445-4602 Please see the detailed agenda for more information about the items to be considered and acted upon. The public is welcome. Guidelines for Public Input Sessions The Commission welcomes public involvement. Opportunities for public comment are provided at every Commission meeting. Reasonable Accommodation for Any Individual With a Disability Pursuant to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, any individual with a disability who requires reasonable accommodation to attend or participate in a meeting or function of the Advisory Commission on Special Education (ACSE), may request assistance by contacting the Special Education Division, 1430 N Street, Suite 2401, Sacramento, CA, 95814; telephone, 916-445-4602; fax, 916-327-3706. Mental Health Subcommittee Wednesday, April 17, 2019, 89:30 a.m. Pacific Time California Department of Education 1430 N Street, Room 1103 Sacramento, California (Due to logistical constraints, the subcommittee will not be webcast) Members of the ACSE Mental Health Subcommittee Ad Hoc Workgroup will be meeting prior to the start of the ACSE meeting to discuss opportunities and challenges at the state level related to collaboration with education and across systems to improve children's social, emotional, and behavioral health. Update and discussion of new and ongoing legislation addressing mental health Report from Mental Health Services and Oversight and Accountability Committee Breaking Barriers Update Report on work project regarding charter schools and mental health: How to meet the Behavioral Needs of Students Advisory Commission on Special Education Operations and Planning Committee Communication with districts and SELPA from Short Term Therapeutic Residential Placements regarding support and services for students in the schools Wednesday, April 17, 2019, 99:55 a.m. Pacific Time California Department of Education 1430 N Street, Room 2102 Sacramento, California (Due to logistical constraints, the Operations and Planning Committee will not be webcast) Members of the ACSE Operations and Planning Committee will be meeting prior to the start of the ACSE meeting to discuss the operations of the ACSE for fiscal year 201819 and a timeline for the yearly ACSE activities. April's Agenda Committee Meetings ACSEs Trip to the Capitol GOAL Award June Meeting Wednesday, April 17, 2019, 10 a.m. Pacific Time California Department of Education 1430 N Street, Room 1101 Sacramento, California NOTE: Items not heard or completed on April 17, 2019, may be carried over to April 18, 2019. 1010:15 a.m. Call to OrderRoll Call Salute to the Flag Communications and Announcements Report from OPC Meeting GOAL Award Update 201920 Chair and Vice Chair Nominations Review of Agenda 10:1510:45 a.m. Item 1Update on the Development of Californias Accountability System: Recent developments in Californias new integrated local, state, and federal accountability and continuous improvement system will be discussed. (Item type: Information, discussion, action) Background materials: California State Board of Education, March 2019 Agenda, Item 17 (DOCX) 10:4511 a.m. Item 2Ad Hoc Mental Health Subcommittee Report: The activities of the Ad Hoc Mental Health Subcommittee, including requests for any potential future ACSE agenda items, will be reviewed. (Item type: Information, discussion) 1111:30 a.m. Item 3Assessment Update:An update on the California statewide assessments and assessment activities, including detailed information on the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress science assessment, will be provided. (Item type: Information, discussion, action) Background materials: California State Board of Education, March 2019 Agenda, Item 3 (DOCX) 11:30 a.m.Noon Item 4Student Voice: The experiences as a student with a disability navigating Californias education system and recommendations to the field based upon those experiences will be shared. (Item type: Information, discussion) Noon12:15 p.m. Item 5Liaison Reports: Updates from Dr. Niki Sandoval, California State Board of Education (SBE); the Honorable Dr. Richard Pan, California State Senator; and ACSE Commissioners. (Item type: Information, discussion) 12:151:20 p.m. LUNCH 1:201:50 p.m. Item 6Preliminary Education Specialist Credential Update: An update on the status of the Preliminary Education Specialist Credential from recent California Commission on Teacher Credentialing meetings will be provided. (Item type: Information, discussion, action) Background materials: California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, April 2019 Agenda, Item 4c 1:502:50 p.m. Item 7ACSE Committee Meetings: Commissioners have established standing Policy and Legislative Committees. Committees will meet to discuss the items included in their respective meeting agenda. (Item type: Information, discussion) 2:503:20 p.m. Item 8ACSE Committee Report Out: Commissioners will report out on the committee meetings to the whole Commission. (Item type: Information, discussion, action) 3:203:30 p.m. BREAK 3:304 p.m. Item 9Voices from the Field: The ACSE would like to receive input from stakeholder groups about trends, challenges, and successes relevant to serving students with disabilities. The ACSE would like to stay abreast of the most current findings regarding stakeholders, students, and families. (Item type: Information, discussion) 44:30 p.m. Item 10ACSE Bylaw Discussion: Updates to the ACSE bylaws, proposed at the February 2019 ACSE meeting, will be reviewed and discussed. (Item type: Information, discussion, action) 4:304:45 p.m. Item 11General Public Comment: General public comment is invited on any matter, including items not on the agenda. The ACSE is precluded from discussing matters not on the agenda; however, questions may be asked by Commissioners for clarification purposes. Issues raised by the public may be referred to a future meeting agenda. Chair reserves the right to establish time limits on presentations. (Item type: Information, discussion) 4:455:15 p.m. Item 12Preparations for ACSEs Trip to the Capitol: Details regarding the ACSEs trip to the Capitol, including the schedule of events, talking points for meetings with legislators, and Capitol etiquette will be discussed. (Item type: Information, discussion) Background materials: ACSE Web Page 5:15 p.m. ADJOURNMENT Adjournment of day's session. Thursday, April 18, 2019, 9 a.m. Pacific Time California Department of Education 1430 N Street, Room 1101 Sacramento, California NOTE: 9 a.m.Noon ACSE Members will meet at the State Capitol for legislative visits. There will be no webcast during this time. 910:15 a.m. Item 13Meetings with Legislators and their Staff: Members of the ACSE will meet with their local elected legislators to discuss the ACSEs role and current issues. (Item type: Information) 10:1510:45 a.m. Item 14Discussion with Staff from the California State Assembly Committee on Education: The ACSE will discuss current legislation and issues relating to the education of students with disabilities in Californias schools with staff from the State Assembly Committee on Education. Meeting will be held in State Capitol Room 125. (Item type: Information) 10:4511 a.m. BREAK 1111:30 a.m. Item 15 Discussion with Staff from the Governors Office: The ACSE will discuss current legislation and issues relating to the education of students with disabilities in Californias schools with Governors Office staff. Meeting will be held in Governors Office Conference Room. (Item type: Information) 11:30Noon Item 16Discussion with Staff from the California State Senate Committee on Education: The ACSE will discuss current legislation and issues relating to the education of students with disabilities in Californias schools with staff from the State Senate Committee on Education. Meeting will be held in State Capitol Room 2040. (Item type: Information) Noon1:30 p.m. LUNCH 1:302 p.m. Item 17Debrief on the ACSE Trip to the Capitol: The mornings meetings with legislators and staff will be reviewed. (Item type: Information, discussion) 22:15 p.m. Item 18Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B Grant Application: An update on the status of the IDEA Part B grant, including a timeline for the applications submission, will be provided. (Item type: Information, discussion, action) 2:152:30 p.m. Item 19State Special Education Directors Report: Kristin Wright, Director, SED, California Department of Education. (Item type: Information, discussion) 2:302:45 p.m. Item 20General Public Comment: General public comment is invited on any matter, including items not on the agenda. The ACSE is precluded from discussing matters not on the agenda; however, questions may be asked by Commissioners for clarification purposes. Issues raised by the public may be referred to a future meeting agenda. Chair reserves the right to establish time limits on presentations. (Item type: Information, discussion) 2:453 p.m. Item 21Agenda Building for ACSE Meetings: Commissioners will discuss potential items to be included on future ACSE meeting agendas. (Item type: Information, discussion) 3 p.m. ADJOURNMENT Adjournment of day's session. Adjournment of meeting. Questions: Special Education Division | ACSE@cde.ca.gov | 916-445-4602 Last Reviewed: Tuesday, August 25, 2020 Metso Brazil starts celebrating its centenary 04 April 2019 The Brazilian Metso operation (Metso Brazil) is celebrating this June the historic mark of 100 years of activities in the country. The company is conducting a series of events throughout the year, beginning with Metso units in the locations where it operates and concluding with the company's book launch about the company's history in November. "It is a privilege for each of us to look at these 100 years of history and know that we were the ones who built them. More important than looking back and celebrating this special moment, we are launching seeds for the coming periods," says Pedro Macedo, VP of Human Resources at Metso in South America. Marcelo Motti, Sr VP Market Area for the Minerals business in Brazil said: The next few years will be even more challenging as it became clear to everyone that successful companies in the past will not necessarily have success in the future. You have to constantly evolve," adds Mr Motti. "Today, we must keep a close eye on developing appropriate industry solutions for 4.0 and tools based on digital platforms. After all, the digitisation is the new era, and there is no turning back,. The opening of the celebrations took place in March in the cities of Sorocaba (SP), Belo Horizonte and Paracatu (MG) and Parauapebas (PA), where Metso has offices. Published under Cement producers assess damage after major storm hits Nepal 04 April 2019 A number of factories in the Birgunj industrial corridor have reported damages after a major storm hit the districts of Bara and Parsa, Nepal, on Sunday evening. Rungta Group, Kalash Cement and Chachan Group are the companies that faced the worst impact, according to Subodh Gupta, senior vice chair of the Birgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industries. Trishakti Cement, part of Chachan Group, has reported that around 16,000 bags of produced cement were destroyed at the plant. Meanwhile, Kalash Cement has estimated losses of NPR10m (US$90,850), due to the damage caused to its produced cement. Published under Simba Cement plans construction of new plant 04 April 2019 After receiving approval to acquire Cemtech Ltd, Tanzanias Simba Cement has announced plans to construct the Ortum Cement project that Cemtech had struggled to get off the ground. The project in West Pokot County, Kenya, was due to start in 2010. However, due to the recent developments, work is now expected to begin within a year. Construction is scheduled to take 18 months to complete. Simba Cement is currently seeking an audience with the residents of Sebi, where the plant will be built, with the company expected to mine a 650-acre piece of land in the Ortum belt. Published under A woman at Patten Towers said a black male wearing brown clothing approached her asking for money. Then he suddenly grabbed her wallet out of her jacket pocket and began running. While in motion, the suspect took the cash out of her wallet and then discarded it on the ground. The woman said he took between $75 and $80, however, nothing else was stolen. No one in the area was able to identify the man or give any further description. * * * A man said he was driving beneath the railroad bridge on Amnicola Highway near Chattanooga State when several large rocks fell due to workers activity on the railroad tracks. He spoke with a John Smith, one of the workers on the railroad, who gave him a contact number for the company. An officer noticed three different impact points on the vehicle: cracked windshield, damaged passenger side rear view mirror, and passenger side of the front bumper all appeared to be new damage. * * * A resident of Cypress Street Court said she had bad news that got worse. She had just purchased a used vehicle and it broke down. While it was parked someone entered the inoperable vehicle and took several items totaling $1,400. The woman noticed signs of forced entry on the driver door key trundle. * * * A motorist who was interviewed on Highway 153 said he had just purchased the new license plate for his vehicle, a black 2000 Ford Mustang, from black in color) yesterday around 2 p.m. from the Tag Office off of Bonny Oaks Drive. He then put the license plate on the trunk of his vehicle and left there. However, he forgot the plate was still on the trunk. As he was driving, he saw the license plate fly off the car in his rear view mirror. At the time, he was on Highway 153 Southbound still near Bonny Oaks Drive. He immediately went to the next exit and turned around. But by the time he got back to where the plate flew off, he could not find it anywhere. He said he's not sure what happened to it. * * * A man told police in an interview at 5771 Brainerd Road that he was involved in a road rage incident. He said the other driver got out of his vehicle, approached his vehicle, and smashed his driver's side window. In the process, he cracked the door frame and scratched the paint as well. No injuries were reported, and the suspect left the scene. There was no suspect information available other than a description of a white male in his 20s with long brown hair. The victim also got the tag number for the suspect vehicle, but the vehicle did not come back to the suspect. * * * A female resident of North Moore Road said an Hispanic male came to her door trying to sell her a new alarm system. She looked out her window. She told him she did not want anything he was selling and told him to leave. She said the man started cussing at her and banging on the door harder. She "said she was calling the cops, so the gentleman left walking north on North Moore Road. The alarmed housewife was able to get pictures of the angry alarm salesman. Today, we remember Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.s assassination in Memphis on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel on April 4, 1968, at precisely 6:01 p.m. (CST). Dr. King had returned to Memphis a week after a peaceful protest march for sanitation workers ended violently. His flight had been delayed by a bomb threat the previous day. The local sanitation workers of AFSCME had gone on strike following the untimely deaths of co-workers Echol Cole and Robert Walker. The workers, as symbolized by their rallying cry, I AM A MAN, were pushing for fair wages, safer working conditions, and official recognition by the city of Memphis. Dr. King had previously commended the workers on how they had been conducting the strike when he spoke before them during a rally at Mason Temple of the Church of God in Christ that was held on March 18. Dr. King noted, Whenever you are engaged in work that serves humanity and is for the building of humanity, it has dignity, and it has worth. One day our society must come to see this. One day our society will come to respect the sanitation worker if it is to survive, for the person who picks up our garbage, in the final analysis, is as significant as the physician, for if he doesn't do his job, diseases are rampant. All labor has dignity. King saw the Memphis sanitation strike as emblematic of a new national initiative he was then currently launching, the Poor Peoples Campaign. Dr. King was no stranger to the dangers and challenges that he faced on a daily basis. On Jan. 30, 1956, his home was bombed as retaliation for the Montgomery Bus Boycott. In 1958, after he was stabbed by a black woman at a book signing in Harlem, King confided in his wife that an assassin lurked in the shadows of his journey toward social injustice and the struggle for racial equality. He was imprisoned no less than 29 times, including most famously in Alabama where he wrote, A Letter from a Birmingham Jail, which proclaimed, Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly. Nevertheless, these trials and tribulations did not stop nor deter him because the psalmist words reverberated throughout his soul, The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delights in this. Though he falls, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholds him with his hand. One day after he delivered his famous I've Been to the Mountaintop speech, where he passionately told the crowd that he had seen the Promised Land of a better America, he would be struck down by an assassin's bullet. In 1970, the Unity Group initiated the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. March in Chattanooga, to make Dr. Martin L. King Jr. Birthday a national holiday. The march soon became what is now known as the Dr. Martin L. King Jr. Celebration Week. This event now consists of workshops, prayer breakfast, mid-week cross culture worship services, and an annual March and Main Program. Also, the Unity Group was the driving force behind the renaming of 9th Street to M. L. King Blvd in the early 1980s. Similarly on April 4 2018, 50 years after the passing of Dr. King, the Unity Group and Chattanooga community held a day of Remembrance and Reflection by joining in the nationwide Bell Toiling Ceremony. During this global commemoration, communities were asked to join in with the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis and toil church and campus bells at approximately 6:01 (CST), the time the shot reverberated, 39 times to honor the number of years Dr. King dwelt on this earth and to pay homage to his legacy. Once again this year, on this date and at this time, the National Civil Rights Museum will pause to pay respective tribute to Dr. King by changing the "Wreath" which is right beside room 306 of the Lorraine Motel. We must accept our differences while we work together to keep America Great for all comers just as we did for those huddled masses fleeing the bombs of world War II in search of tolerance and social peace. Pray for the peace of the United States that surpasses understanding and cling to the faith of our fathers in the march toward justice for all. Sometimes the crucifixion is the true coronation of a king. Unity Group of Chattanooga Sherman E Matthews. Jr., Chairman Eric Atkins, Corresponding Secretary, Editor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration Committee The Worldview Fellows of Bryan College (previously known as the Worldview Initiative) spent their spring break hosting multiple conferences across Florida and Georgia. Eight Fellows, Ms. Julia Jones, and Mr. Jack Saunders (the graduate assistant and director of the Department of Leadership and Culture, respectively), spent time with two homeschool groups and one private school discussing culture, faith, and how to live well as Christians in an increasingly polarized world. This trip, the Fellows entered new territory by presenting individual keynote presentations they wrote themselves. Topics ranged from sexuality and identity to Christianity and the arts. Each Fellow spent several weeks crafting their keynote presentation to help students think biblically about a specific aspect of culture. Each conference also contained opportunities for break-out sessions and small group discussion, providing the relational aspect that makes the Fellows such a popular resource for schools and youth groups around the country. When asked about the impact the Fellows program has had on his development in college, Gage Goddard (Christian Studies:Philosophy, 19) said, "The Worldview Fellows has been a critical part of my time at Bryan. Through the organization Ive learned so much about God, myself and the world. Its given me opportunities to recognize and use the gifts God has given me and work with a diversely talented team. Ive gained great friends from the Fellows and learned more of what it means to follow Jesus in community. Im forever grateful to Jack for faithfully leading our team in pursuit of the Kingdom of God." GPS students of Mrs. Katye Adams Couch 92 have been studying oceanography in their seventh-grade science class for the past two and one half weeks and Wednesday shared with their peers, GPS faculty, and guests the results of their research. Before the expo the girls visited with GPS alumna Michele Donihe Legernes 09 via FaceTime and learned about her studies, research, and work as a marine ecologist and ocean conservationist. Ms. Legernes founded Zing Ocean Conservancy in 2017 in the Virgin Islands along with her husband, Jonas. After a hurricane destroyed their home in St. Thomas, they sailed to Norway and established a second location of Zing there. Ms. Legernes shared her career path, which included amassing degrees in biology and psychology along with a chemistry minor at Kings College (Bristol, Tn.; now Kings University). I had planned to become a doctor, but I had this desire to be outdoors and Id always loved sharks and the ocean, she said. That passion led her to apply for an internship studying the great white shark population in South Africa and then later earning a masters degree from the University of the Virgin Islands, where she completed a thesis on how an invasive seagrass impacted the stingray population there. That dive into oceanography created a huge ripple effect when, while living in St. Thomas, she witnessed a massive oceanfront trash problem compounded by hurricane debris that seemed to pile up with no plan for disposal. In fact, wherever their travels have taken them, the Legerneses have encountered the same problem: marine pollution. We spent our trip across the Atlantic accessing the trash situation and saw marine debris everywhere we went, Ms. Legernes said. Now thanks to a government-funded grant, they are spearheading The Arctic cleanup organization along with a dedicated team that enlists volunteers to help with ocean debris removal. In their spare time, they enjoy swimming with orcas and humpback whales and watching the northern lights. After her presentation to the girls, she fielded questions and visited with her former French teacher, Dr. Sean Caulfield. Once Ms. Legernes signed off, the girls quickly set up their Oceanography Experiment Expo to share their topics related to oceanography. As a starting point, they were given basic experiments they could modify or change, said Mrs. Couch. They previously formulated a hypothesis, designed a controlled experiment, wrote a procedure, made a data table, collected data, and wrote a basic conclusion. In this project, the students gained new experience communicating their results with graphs via displays and interviews. The expo also gave them a chance to write an abstract. They could choose any topic related to oceanography, Mrs. Couch said. Most chose to investigate ocean pressure, filter feeders, or coral reef bleaching. Mrs. Couch said the girls were excited to share their work with others and were eager to compare their results with other groups in their grade. Maybe one day some of these students will join Ms. Legernes in her work or start their own organizations to help our marine life live in oceans free from trash and toxins. Make-A-Wish East Tennessee has selected Garrett Wagley to be the chief executive officer of the foundation. Serving 36 counties in East Tennessee, the organization grants wishes for children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Mr. Wagley has been charged with expanding the impact and profile of Make-A-Wish East Tennessee with the goal of increasing funding and granting more wishes. This is an exciting time for our East Tennessee Chapter of Make-A-Wish, said Beth Johnson, board chair. There is tremendous opportunity to expand our reach, our influence, and our base of supporters. That will all lead to a greater impact for the special, inspirational children we serve. More wishes mean more children receiving the strength to fight their illness and transform their lives. Were eager to work with Garrett to make that happen. Mr. Wagley brings more than 20 years of nonprofit management and public relations experience to Make-A-Wish East Tennessee. He most recently served as executive director of Wesley House Community Center in Knoxville. He also held positions with the Knoxville and Jefferson County chambers of commerce where he led communications, government, and media relations efforts. His experience includes managing boards and committees, launching events, fundraising, developing high-impact strategic plans, and serving as a media spokesperson. Make-A-Wish was founded in Chattanooga in 1989 to serve 36 counties in Tennessee. While the organization has provided services to children across East Tennessee, its board is interested in increasing the numbers of volunteers, supporters, and leaders across the region. Mr. Wagleys experience in Knoxville will help grow its presence there. "Joining this team of amazing staff, dedicated volunteers, and forward-thinking board members is an incredible opportunity, said Mr. Wagley. Add to that the chance to be a part of the Make-A-Wish story a story where you see wish kids replace fear with confidence, sadness with joy, and anxiety with hope to look beyond the challenges of today toward the possibilities of tomorrow and I couldnt be more thrilled. Mr. Wagleys community and volunteer work includes service with Keep Knoxville, Beautiful, Introduction Knoxville, Youth Leadership Jefferson County, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley, and United Way of Greater Knoxville. He is a graduate of Leadership Jefferson County and Center for Creative Leadership and is in the current class of Leadership Knoxville. My career has been about building relationships, continued Mr. Wagley. I look forward to applying that experience, leveraging relationships, and increasing the impact of Make-A-Wish East Tennessee. We are going to be more visible, more creative, and more impactful. The Signal Mountain Genealogical Society will meet at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, May 7, at the Walden Town Hall, 1836 Taft Hwy. Refreshments will be served followed by a brief business meeting and program. The speaker for the day will be Maury Nicely, a Chattanooga attorney, local historian, and author. His newest book, Hoffa in Tennessee, is scheduled for release in April. As always visitors are welcome. Jim and Elaine Hill have been named 2018 Distinguished Service Award winners by the Kiwanis Club of Chattanooga for their outstanding community leadership. They will join a long list of exceptional volunteer leaders at a ceremony Tuesday, April 16, from noon - 1 p.m. at the Read Houses Silver Ball Room. Since 1922, the Kiwanis Club of Chattanooga has annually presented the Distinguished Service Award in recognition of an individuals outstanding leadership and service to the Chattanooga community. Its recognition as Chattanoogas Citizen of the Year award has been earned by the outstanding group of men and women to whom it has been awarded over the years. In its 96th year, this is the 10th time the award has been presented jointly. Mr. Hill is an Army veteran and retired business executive, and Mrs. Hill is the founder of Breast Cancer Support Services. Both Mr. and Mrs. Hill are dynamic community volunteers who have given decades of service to organizations in education, health care, the arts and other causes. In 1989, Mrs. Hill was diagnosed with bilateral breast cancer. She became a fierce advocate for women diagnosed with the disease from that day forward. In 1992, she co-founded Y-ME of Chattanooga (now Breast Cancer Support Services), a non-profit organization focused on assisting women diagnosed with breast cancer. She served as president of the board of directors for 12 of the organizations 27 years and is still a very active member of the board. Not only has she helped thousands of women in the Chattanooga area, but she has also earned national recognition for her tireless efforts to encourage women to take care of their breast health. Mrs. Hill served as a consumer reviewer and a mentor reviewer for research grant proposals for the Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program. She has been recognized by the National Breast Cancer Coalition for her efforts to reach minority women and by the National Cancer Institute for outstanding efforts in cancer education among minority communities in partnership with the Cancer Information Service. Coping Magazine presented her with a Hero Award for Cancer Survivor of the Year in 1998, and she was a Lifetime TV Breast Cancer Hero in 2007. She was also awarded a Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization Leadership Award. In addition to her work with breast cancer, Mrs. Hill has been an active community volunteer in Chattanooga. She served on several non-profit boards, including Association for Visual Arts, Hunter Museum of American Art, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Chattanooga, Chattanooga Symphony and Opera, Arts and Education Council, Girls Inc. of Chattanooga, Memorial Health Care Foundation, Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga, Chattanooga History Center and UTC Chancellor's Round Table. She is a member of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Chattanooga and has served as president of its board of trustees. Mr. Hill retired from the Army with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. During a 20-year military career, he served in a variety of assignments, including two tours of duty on the faculty of the United States Military Academy at West Point as assistant professor of chemistry and as assistant dean of academics. After his Army career, Mr. Hill was employed in manufacturing management for DuPont Industries, was president of the Tennessee Aquarium from 1992 to 1994 and ultimately retired from a position as CEO of the Lupton Company, LLC of Chattanooga. Mr. Hill remains an active volunteer, serving on numerous boards and commissions. His board memberships in Chattanooga include the Chattanooga Area Urban League, Sun Trust Bank, Memorial Hospital, the River City Corporation, the Public Education Foundation, the UC Foundation, Allied Arts, the United Way and the Chamber of Commerce. At the state level, he served for two terms on the Tennessee Arts Commission and two terms as Chair of the inaugural board of the Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation. Regionally, he served on the board of the Southern Arts Federation in Atlanta. At the national level, Mr. Hill served for eight years on the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies board and was a panelist for ten years for the National Endowment for the Arts. Mr. Hills educational background includes bachelor and master's degrees in chemistry and a Master of Arts degree in business management. To purchase tickets to the April 16 lunch and award presentation honoring the Hills, please call 267-6568 or email kiwanischatt@comcast.net. Tickets are $45 each, and tables are available for $350. Learn more about the Kiwanis Club of Chattanooga and past Distinguished Service Award recipients at www.kiwanischatt.org. As Tennessee policymakers discuss the issue of school choice, Professional Educators of Tennessee is launching a positive, pro-public education initiative to make sure that public education is viewed as a significant part of the choice that parents will make for their children. Today, we are excited to announce a new initiative by Professional Educators of Tennessee to help make public education THE CHOICE for those who want the best educational opportunities for their children, Executive Director J.C. Bowman said as he announced the effort. For too long our local public schools have faced an onslaught of challenges, criticism and funding shortfalls," said Mr. Bowman. "Worst of all, our daily success stories have been lost in the noise of too much news and too little information. Our public schools are the best choice for the majority of the children in our state and it is time for us to take control of the narrative and tell our own story because it is a good story to tell. Mr. Bowman indicated that the initiative has three components: RECRUIT students back to schools by highlighting successes and achievements at the local level; RESTORE confidence in the public education system by actively engaging students, parents, educators and influential stakeholders in communities to help share stories; RECAPTURE the enthusiasm and momentum necessary to regain the credibility and status that public schools and educators once depended upon as a vital part of strong, safe and viable communities. The best and brightest students in our communities should know that our public education system will work for them," said Mr. Bowman. "The underserved and poor in our communities should know that our public education system can work for them. Eevery parent in our communities should know that they have a role in making sure our public education system works for their children. While our teachers will continue to provide instruction in the Three Rs Reading, wRiting and aRithmetic this initiative will add Three More Rs Recruit, Restore and Recapture. The MAKE THE CHOICE initiative will focus on three targets to grow the public education population in each of Tennessees 143 school districts: KEEP WHAT WE HAVE. Make sure that existing student base feels that they are where they should be and making progress towards their educational goals; GROW WHAT WE HAVE. Ensure that the siblings of the students in schools will choose public education as well. The best sales teams should be those inside the systems. GET SOME MORE. Students who have left schools thinking the grass is greener somewhere else should be welcomed back. And with many of the communities in Tennessee growing rapidly, it should communicate that the best choice as school choice" is the public education system in terms of both cost and quality. Its time we went on the offensive rather than continuing to play defense, Mr. Bowman said. Thats why we are all in for public education and working with parents, community leaders, School Superintendents, School Boards and educators to increase public school enrollment across the state! After serving tapas and wine for 17 years on Frazier Avenue, Terra Nostra is closing its doors. Owners Efren and Gema Ormaza want to spend more time with family and devote more time to the Penipe Foundation they created, which provides life-changing medical care to people in need in small rainforest communities in Ecuador, their home country. "Its time to give priority to family and loved ones, said Mr. Ormaza, Terra Nostras executive chef. We have grandchildren now, and we havent been back to Ecuador together since the restaurant opened. I missed my mother-in-laws 90th birthday a few weeks ago because one of us had to stay with the restaurant. Before we close, we want to thank our customers for letting us feed them for 17 years, said Mrs. Ormaza, who supervises baking, chooses the wine list, and runs the front of the house. We also want to thank our amazing employees, who have all been with us for more than 10 years. Grace, our head waiter, started the week after we opened. Before Terra Nostras final serving day on Saturday, July 6, everyone in Chattanooga is invited to two events at the restaurant. A Leg for Bernabe Fundraiser, April 24, 69 p.m. Mr. Ormaza will make his next Penipe Foundation medical mission trip to Ecuador in May. This event will raise money to buy medical supplies and to provide a prosthetic leg for Bernabe, age 50, who lost his leg due to complications from diabetes. Terra Nostra Thanks Chattanooga, Tuesday July 2, 69 p.m. Enjoy a complementary glass of champagne, hors douevres and buy a piece of Terra Nostra. All the art that made Terra Nostras dining room such a magical place will be for sale, including paintings and metal sculptures, tables (featuring metal art under the glass top), and the front and back gate sculptures in the patio. For the last 10 years, Mr. Ormaza has organized medical missions for people in need in Ecuador, through the Penipe Foundation. On the last trip, Mr. Ormaza was accompanied by his son, who is a dentist living in Tampa. The trip before that included Dr. Paul McHugh, a family medicine physician from Las Vegas. On every trip, Mr. Ormaza brings a wheelchair, walkers, canes, crutches, vitamins, and non-prescription analgesics for people with arthritis. Mr. Ormaza also provides care himself. Two trips ago, he met an amputee who had no prosthetic leg. Back in Chattanooga, Mr. Ormaza found connections who provided a leg and taught him how to measure the residual limb and adjust the artificial leg to get a good fit. After Mr. Ormaza returned and installed the mans new leg on his most recent trip, word spread and more amputees asked for his help. His next trip in May will focus on helping three people who need prosthetic legs. He is planning future trips to communities in other parts of Ecuador that have requested help for amputees who need prosthetic limbs. It is very common for people to lose a leg from a motorcycle accident or from diabetes, said Mr. Ormaza. This next trip, I am bringing a scanner that will help me measure the remaining leg so the artificial leg will fit correctly. Actor Heath Ledger tragically died on January 22, 2008, of an accidental prescription drug overdose. Ledger was 28 years old at the time of his death. Today, fans and celebrities alike, remember the actor on what would have been his 40th birthday. Ledgers acting credits Ledger moved from his home in Australia to the United States to pursue a career in acting. His breakout role came in 1999 when he played Patrick Verona in the teen movie, 10 Things I Hate About You, opposite actress Julia Stiles. Heath Ledger | Florian Seefried/WireImage From there, Ledger went on to receive critical acclaim in Brokeback Mountain where he played a homosexual cowboy opposite Jake Gyllenhaal, then in his final film, The Dark Knight, as the iconic character of the Joker. Personal life Two years before his death, Ledger had a child, Matilda, with his then-fiancee, actress Michelle Williams. They ended their relationship before Ledgers death but remained close after their split. Williams remains close with Ledgers family to this day. Our family has the most wonderful relationship with Matilda and Michelle. We talk frequently and visit as often as we can, Ledgers mother said. Following Ledgers death, Williams reflected on her life with her daughter. I am the mother of the most tender-hearted, high-spirited, beautiful little girl who is the spitting image of her father, Williams said. Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams arrive at the 78th Annual Academy Awards on March 5, 2006 | Frazer Harrison/Getty Images All that I can cling to is his presence inside her that reveals itself every day. His family and I watch Matilda as she whispers to trees, hugs animals, and takes steps two at a time, and we know that he is with us still. She will be brought up in the best memories of him. Celebrities remember Ledger Actress Kate Bosworth remembered Ledger in an Instagram post. She wrote a lengthy caption looking back on the early 2000s as a young actress in Hollywood alongside Ledger and reflected on what it wouldve been like to know him as a 40-year-old man. I really, really would have loved to have known Heath today, at 40. No limits on what he would have accomplished. Here is what I remember: he was sensitive, gentle, kind, wickedly funny. Extraordinarily special. Time goes by, his image still a teenage heartthrob. And his work. So brilliant + honest & he was just getting started. Actress Rita Wilson commented on Bosworths post with Gone too soon. What a talent. That will love on. As will his sweet daughter. John Russo, a celebrity and fashion photographer, left another comment on the post, this time reflecting on his first photo shoot with Ledger. I remember the first time I photographed him at his apartment in Hollywood. We were in the early stages of our careers. My lighting blew out the fuses in his apartment. We could not find the fuse box. We looked and looked and looked and it was nowhere. He finally realized someone (probably him! ) hung a mirror over it. We laughed our a**es off and continued our shoot. That was the first of many great shoots over the years with Heath. Glad I knew him Fans remember Ledger Fans have been paying tribute to Ledger on social media. Two of the comments include I think I will miss you forever. Happy birthday, wish you were here. #HeathLedger, and Happy birthday #HeathLedger. You are sorely missed 11 years later, according to the Daily Mail. Dining with a vampire likely sounds like a bad idea. But dining with an actor who played smoldering vampire, Damon Salvatore on The Vampire Diaries probably sounds like heaven. Since The Vampire Diaries ended, star Ian Somerhalder has donated a huge chunk of time to support his favorite causes. He created The Ian Somerhalder Foundation (ISF), designed to provides public outreach, education, and grants in support of Creatures, Environment, Youth, and Grassroots initiatives., according to the site. Ian Somerhalder|Photo by Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for ELLE Part of Somerhalders initiatives involves sustainable living, which includes consumables. As a way to generate awareness and donate to the cause close to his heart, Somerhalder decided to host a fun culinary contest. Enter to win dinner and wine tasting Somerhalder alerted Instagram followers of the contest. Come hang with me. Click the link in BIO! Share this. Like this. @isfofficial needs you and so do I. Enter now! This is a great gift to! Ill fly you and a friend to hang out with me in California! Lovvvvvvvvvve, Ian, he wrote. According to the fundraising site, two lucky winners are in for a serious treat. Youve seen Ian Somerhalder play a vampire. Youve seen him rescue animals. But now youre about to see him like never before in person! Thats rightyou and a friend will join Ian Somerhalder in California for great food and wine, all while surrounded by great people. Youll meet up at one of his favorite vineyards, taste some delicious wine, learn about all the necessary steps that lead to the glass youre sipping on and maybe even stomp on some grapes yourself! It isnt all about wine either. Not a fan of wine? No worries! Think of this as quality time with Ian in his element. And to round out the day of swirling and sipping, Ian will take you to a mouth-watering dinner at a restaurant he loves. Itll be grape great. Flights and hotel included. Somerhalder knows a little about wine Wine tasting with a Somerhalder will be highly educational. The actor turned activist recently launched his own brand, which rolled out in China. He posted a photo pouring a glass. My wine. Ive named it Dark ll Dawn or D2D. Its launching literally right now TODAY in China! Im so proud of this wine. He wrote that the labor of love took over 3 years, 90 blends and countless hours of work and travel to make it happen. Let your friends in China know that we are in the marketplace and to grab this up, he penned. We Only have a few thousand cases of it and it will go fast! Somerhalder adds that he partnered with VIK, a sustainable winemaker to make his dream come true. Somerhalder added, Remember- this is a YOUNG wine, its a 2017. Its beautiful, but like all things in life, its needs to breathe a bit. Give it 15 minutes minimum after opening it! Entering the contest is easy Somerhalder made the contest easy so many people can enter to win. Donate as little as $10 to Somerhalders foundation to earn 100 entries. For the maxmium amount, contestants can donate $1,000 for 10,000 entries. Fans can also get in on some serious collectors item merch too. Donate $2,500 and receive a signed Vampire Diaries script. Or you can really drop some really major dough and Facetime with Somerhalder for a cool $5,000. What cause are you supporting? Funds raised through the contest go directly to ISF. ISF empowers human action through programs and collaborations that promote education, innovation and build skills in empathy and effective leadership, according to ISF. ISF engages and supports youth one of our most powerful, yet often disregarded, groups. Through programs, partnerships, grants, media initiatives and campaigns, ISF provides support for organizational and grassroots efforts that protect and restore our planet. Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! Unlike Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan Markle who are known for doing things their own way Prince William and Duchess Kate Middleton have been pretty traditional when it comes to sticking to royal rules. Since Prince William will be King of England one day the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge cant be quite as relaxed as the Sussexes when it comes to certain protocols. From reigning in the PDA to wearing stockings and traditional royal garb, Prince William and Kate Middleton have rarely broken royal rules. However, with Queen Elizabeths permission, they broke royal tradition at their wedding in a major way. How did Queen Elizabeth allow Prince William and Kate Middleton to break royal protocal at their wedding? After almost ten years of dating, Prince William and Duchess Kate Middleton finally tied the knot on April 29, 2011. However, due to their royal status, the couple was overwhelmed by the number of people they were required to send invitations to. That didnt even include the millions of people who watched them get married on national TV. In her book, Kate: A Biography royal author Marcia Moody said, [The prince] was presented with a list of hundreds of people who he should invite and [William] felt his heart sink. Luckily, Queen Elizabeth or Granny as they call her came to the royal couples rescue. According to Express U.K, the queen secretly told Prince William he could tear up the formal guest list for his royal wedding. Why did Queen Elizabeth allow Prince William and Kate Middleton to tear up the formal guest list for their royal wedding? A wedding is supposed to be about the couple. However, with hundreds and hundreds of people on their guest list the Cambridges knew that they wouldnt be able to add many personal touches or invite as many of their close friends as they had wanted. Luckily, Queen Elizabeth adores her grandchildren, and she is very sympathetic to the pressures of being royal and living life in the public eye. Therefore, to make her grandson and new granddaughter-in-law happy, she broke the rules. Moody explained, He spoke to the Queen and she told him to tear up the list, invite his friends and start from there. Though their big day was a whirlwind, Prince William and Kate Middleton got the personal touches that they wanted. Prince Harry and Middletons sister Pippa Middleton decorated the Buckingham Palace Throne Room with disco balls, bowls of the newlyweds favorite candy, and cocktails for a pre-reception party. The couple also had a massive champagne tower. How did Prince William propose to Kate Middleton? By the time Prince William proposed to Kate Middleton in 2010 the duchess had been dubbed Waity Katie since she had been waiting so long for a marriage proposal. In fact, her mother, Carole Middleton was growing quite concerned. Royal correspondent Katie Nicholl told Vanity Fair, I know that it was the Christmas of 2009 when [Kates mother] Carole was getting quite concerned. Kate was nearing 30, there was still no ring on her finger. Luckily, Middleton would have a ring on it before the end of the following year. In the fall of 2010 during a romantic trip to Kenya, Prince William finally popped the question with Princess Dianas ring. He said later, I didnt really plan it that far in advance. I just knew I wanted it to feel comfortable where I did it. [The ring] was my way of making sure my mother didnt miss out on today and the excitement. Its very special to me. As Kates very special to me now, it was right to put the two together. Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! The arrival of Baby Sussex is growing nearer each day, and is probably the most anticipated birth of 2019! Fans and the media cannot stop speculating about every single detail, down to the exact day that Meghan Markle will go into labor. As we know, when this exciting time finally arrives, the world will go into a frenzy! Millions of people will be waiting to hear every update, and royal fans worldwide will be on the edge of their seats waiting to finally hear the announcement that Baby Sussex has arrived! While we already know that things certainly will not be calm when the Duchess of Sussex goes into labor, we cant help but wonder exactly what will happen at that time. Lets take a look! Kensington Palace will announce the exciting news If everything happens as we would expect, we will hear an official announcement from Kensington Palace stating that Meghan Markle has gone into labor! This will likely set off an exciting chain of events, as royal fans will now be constantly checking news sites and social media to see if there are any updates as to how Meghan is progressing. We can expect fans to be lined up in the streets, waiting for glimpses of royal family members, and looking for clues to signal as to what might be happening. Family members will be notified Family members, such as Prince Charles and Camilla, Prince William and Kate Middleton, and of course, Meghans mother, Doria Ragland, will be notified that the time has finally come! While we are not sure if they will be notified by Meghan and Harrys official assistants or by the couple themselves, we can say that it will be one of the happiest calls they have ever received! Royal betters will be frantically giving odds As was the case with Kate Middleton each time she gave birth, royal betters will be giving odds right up until we find out the gender of the baby, the birth weight, and the name. Even while Meghan is in labor, many people will still be speculating as to whether she will be having a boy or a girl, what the royal moniker will be, and many other aspects of the exciting birth! Fans will watch as staff members arrive at the hospital We can expect to see members of Meghans staff arriving at the hospital to bring her any items she might need. Chances are, we will see pictures of people arriving with a special outfit for the new mother to wear, as well as staff to do Meghans hair and makeup. If we are lucky, maybe we will even catch a glimpse of Prince Harry arriving at the hospital with items to make his wife as comfortable as possible, such as a favorite pillow, cozy bathrobe, or warm, fuzzy slippers! How adorable would that be? Queen Elizabeth II will be notified of the babys birth When the Duke and Duchess of Sussex officially become parents, as per royal protocol, the queen must be the first to be notified. Chances are, she will be sitting by her phone for hours, eagerly awaiting the news that her new great-grandchild has arrived! While it may be hard to imagine Queen Elizabeth doing this, we have to remember that when it comes to exciting events such as a new baby, she is just like the rest of us! The world will find out After the queen and the rest of the family members are informed of the birth, we will get the announcement that we have been anticipating for months! There will be much celebration as the world is informed of the royal babys birth, and we cant wait for the day to finally come! Prince William is second in the line of succession to the British throne behind his father, Prince Charles, while his brother, Prince Harry, is currently sixth in line behind Williams three children. Therefore, many assume that Harry wont ever be the king of England but his mother, the late Princess Diana, reportedly thought he was better suited for the job than William. Heres why Diana believed her youngest son would have made a better king than his sibling, plus the answer to whether or not Williams son, Prince George, knows about his future yet. Princess Diana, Prince Harry, and Prince William | Tim Graham/Getty Images Princess Diana thought Harry was better suited to be king In the biography Harry: Conversations with the Prince, author Angela Levin wrote that while it is Williams destiny to be king one day, Diana saw traits in Harrys personality showing that he would handle the role more easily than William. According to Levin, some of those qualities included Harrys ability to cope, his ease with people, and general gusto. Levin noted that the princess didnt think that her other son, who is the actual heir, wouldnt be a good king but she worried about the burden on him and how he would deal with that throughout his life. William doesnt want his every move watched, Levin quoted Diana as saying. Prince William said he didnt want to be king Prince William, Princess Diana, and Prince Harry | Anwar Hussein/Getty Images Another reason Diana may have felt that way is because William reportedly had doubts about his future role when he was a child and told her that he did not want to be king. Journalist Jeremy Paxman said that his conversation with Princess Diana about her sons feelings took place over lunch at Kensington Palace. We talked about our children and she said William often told her that he didnt really want to be king, and then Harry would say, If you dont want the job Ill have it! Paxman recalled. These days though, Prince Harry has changed his stance. In a 2017 interview, he said that no one wants to be king. We are involved in modernizing the British monarchy. We are not doing this for ourselves but for the greater good of the people, the Duke of Sussex told Newsweek. Is there any one [in] the royal family who wants to be king or queen? I dont think so, but we will carry out our duties at the right time. Does Williams son, Prince George, know he will be king Prince William and Prince George | Justin Tallis/AFP/Getty Images | Justin Tallis/AFP/Getty Images After Prince William, his oldest son, Prince George, is next in line for the throne and a question people have is if the young royal has any idea yet about his destiny. William explained that although he found out at a young age, he and Middleton have decided to delay telling George about his future this early so he can have as normal a childhood as possible. As far as we are concerned within our family unit, we are a normal family. I love my children in the same way any father does, and I hope George loves me the same way any son does to his father, William has said. We are very normal in that sense. Therell be a time and a place to bring George up and understand how he fits in, in the world. But right now its just a case of keeping a secure, stable environment around him and showing as much love as I can as a father . Read more: Is Prince William Controlling and Standoffish In Person? Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! Archaeological discovery: Small seal mentioning King Josiah court official mentioned in Bible found in Israel 04 April, 2019 by Michael Gryboski , | A tiny clay impression from the 8th century BC, which bears an inscription mentioning a member of the court of the biblical King Josiah, was recently located in the City of David in Jerusalem. Excavations held at the Givati Parking Lot in the City of David uncovered a tiny clay impression, also known as a bulla, that included a reference to Nathan-Melech, who was identified as "Servant of the King." The biblical Nathan-Melech is mentioned in 2 Kings 23:11: "He removed from the entrance to the temple of the LORD the horses that the kings of Judah had dedicated to the sun. They were in the court near the room of an official named Nathan-Melek. Josiah then burned the chariots dedicated to the sun." Dr. Anat Mendel-Geberovich of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Center for the Study of Ancient Jerusalem told The Jerusalem Post on Sunday that it is likely a reference to the biblical figure. "Although it is not possible to determine with complete certainty that the Nathan-Melech who is mentioned in the Bible was in fact the owner of the stamp, it is impossible to ignore some of the details that link them together," explained Mendel-Geberovich to the Middle Eastern news outlet. The recent find represented the first archaeological evidence for the biblical figure of Nathan-Melek, according to the Times of Israel. Read more from "Archaeological discovery: Small seal mentioning King Josiah court official mentioned in Bible found in Israel" on The Christian Post. Chick-fil-A banned from another airport for Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Salvation Army donations 04 April, 2019 by Michael Gryboski , | Chick-fil-A was once again banned from an airport concession project over the popular fast food chicken chain's support for groups that hold conservative views on homosexuality and same-sex marriage. A plan to open a new Chick-fil-A at Buffalo Niagara International Airport was canceled following an outcry from individuals including New York State Assemblyman Sean Ryan. The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority confirmed last Friday to local media that they had reversed course and that Chick-fil-A will not be part of the food court project any longer. "A publicly financed facility like the Buffalo Niagara International Airport is not the appropriate venue for a Chick-fil-A restaurant. I applaud the decision that has been made to remove Chick-fil-A from the plans for this project," stated Ryan last week, as reported by WGRZ. "We hope in the future the NFTA will make every effort to contract with businesses that adhere to anti-discriminatory policies, and we're confident another vendor who better represents the values of the Western New York community will replace Chick-fil-A as a part of this project in the very near future." In response to the news, the chicken sandwich company released a statement denouncing the "inaccurate narrative" being advanced about them. "We do not have a political or social agenda or discriminate against any group. More than 145,000 people from different backgrounds and beliefs represent the Chick-fil-A brand," stated Chick-fil-A, as reported by WGRZ. "We embrace all people, regardless of religion, race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity." NFTA's decision about the Buffalo airport came days after city council for San Antonio, Texas, voted 6-4 to remove Chick-fil-A from a project at their airport. As with the Buffalo airport, the key issue was Chick-fil-A's connections to conservative Christian nonprofits and CEO Dan Cathy's stated opposition to same-sex marriage. Both decisions came after the liberal website Think Progress published an article on March 20 arguing that Chick-fil-A was donating money to anti-LGBT groups. "Chick-fil-A has taken great pains to downplay its anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and giving, seven years into a national boycott by LGBTQ and allied diners," stated Think Progress. "But contrary to the company's latest claims that it has no political or social agenda, newly released tax filings show that, in 2017, the Chick-fil-A Foundation gave more than $1.8 million to a trio of groups with a record of anti-LGBTQ discrimination." Chick-fil-A released a statement the following day rejecting the claim, pointing out that their donations to groups like the Salvation Army, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and others were for charitable purposes. "To suggest that our efforts in supporting these organizations was focused on suppressing a group of people is misleading and inaccurate," stated the company. "It is well-known that our Founder S. Truett Cathy used biblical principles to guide our business in its formative stages, and that we still uphold those same principles today." Continue reading about Chick-fil-A on The Christian Post. Kevin DeYoung: The 'Heartbeat of Jesus' ministry' was not 'to transform social structures' 04 April, 2019 by Michael Gryboski , | Christ Covenant Church Senior Pastor Kevin DeYoung warned attendees at an evangelical conference that the key point of Jesus' earthly ministry was to proclaim the Good News and not to "transform social structures." The pastor and author gave a speech on Tuesday at The Gospel Coalition's 2019 National Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana, the theme being "Conversations with Jesus." DeYoung preached about Luke 4:14-30, in which Jesus attends worship at a synagogue in his hometown and reads from the Old Testament book of Isaiah, specifically the passage that reads: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." DeYoung noted that the passage was considered by many to be "the very heartbeat of Jesus' ministry" and that many also argued that it meant social reform was a key part of His ministry. "Then I would often have people say to me that what we see here is Jesus' ministry was one, to focus upon the poor and the oppressed and the downtrodden, to bring God's creation back to Shalom, and to transform social structures," said DeYoung. DeYoung explained that the passage was "a key text" for traditions like Liberation Theology, which argues that the Bible should be interpreted from the perspective of the poor and that the church is obligated to engage in socio-economic change. While Liberation Theology is largely concentrated in Latin America, groups within the United States like the Red Letter Christians movement also stress this socio-economic focus. "Jesus calls us away from the consumerist values that dominate contemporary America. Instead, he calls us to meet the needs of the poor," notes RLC's website. "He also calls us to be merciful, which has strong implications in terms of war and capital punishment. After all, when Jesus tells us to love our enemies, he probably means we shouldn't kill them." In his speech before the conference on Tuesday, DeYoung said that he believed the socio-economic justice focus "is not the most careful way to exegete this passage." In his critique, DeYoung pointed out that of the four verbs used in the Isaiah passage quoted by Jesus, all but one of them had to do with proclamation rather than works. "So yes, this is a key text for defining Jesus' mission and the methods of His ministry, but what do we see here? We see that the Spirit has anointed Him chiefly to be a preacher. To proclaim a message of Good News," said DeYoung. Regarding the fourth verb from the passage, which spoke of liberating captives, DeYoung noted that since the Gospels do not record Jesus literally freeing captives, it should be understood exclusively "on a spiritual plane." "That the recovery of sight to the blind was spiritual sight for those blinded by sin. Those who would have demons cast out was ultimately a pointer to the spiritual freedom that we find only in Christ," he continued. "In other words, we see that the mission of Jesus was first and foremost to proclaim the Good News of the Gospel of salvation for sinners." While the Gospels show Jesus' ministry centered on three things: preaching, casting out demons, and healing the sick, explained DeYoung, they were not treated as equally important by Jesus. "There is not a single example of Jesus going into a town with the purpose of healing or casting out demons. He never ventures out on a healing or an exorcism tour," said DeYoung. "The reason He came out to public ministry was to preach." DeYoung then quoted Luke 4:42-43 to further his point, noting that when the locals urged Jesus to stay upon healing many, Jesus replies: "I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent." Read more from "Kevin DeYoung: The 'Heartbeat of Jesus' ministry' was not 'to transform social structures'" on The Christian Post. 'The Great Commission should begin in the home': Seminary heads stress witnessing to one's own children 04 April, 2019 by Michael Gryboski , | Two seminary leaders have stressed the importance of parents evangelizing their children through teaching and practice, with one declaring that "the Great Commission should begin in the home." The Gospel Coalition began its latest evangelism gathering in Indianapolis, Indiana, on Sunday and Monday with a pre-conference featuring multiple speakers on the theme of reaching the newest generation. Ligon Duncan, chancellor and CEO of Reformed Theological Seminary, explained that he believed the three key elements of witnessing to one's children were "prayer, example, and teaching, in that order." "Pray for your children. You pray for what you care about. I cannot tell you how many testimonies I have heard of the impact of children realizing that their parents prayed for them," he stated, stressing that "the power of praying parents is unbelievable." "My wife had cousins who would sneak next to their parents' bedroom doors and listen while their father prayed for them by name. And the impact ... at his funeral, these two adult women testified to the power of hearing their father pray for them on his knees, by his bed, at night." Regarding the theme of "example," Duncan told attendees that the way that Christian parents act before their children was an important doctrine lesson. "In your life, you live out doctrine, one way or the other. You either live out true doctrine or you live out false doctrine in your life. And living out the truth shows young people that the truth is true and that you embrace it," noted Duncan. "Think of it: by going to church on Sunday and taking your children with [you], you teach them that God is more important than anything else in the world. Why else would you take a day aside to devote to Him if He's not the most important thing in the world?" Duncan believed that teaching doctrine to one's children was an important part of them growing up and accepting the faith, with the seminary head imploring the audience to "catechize your children." "It's very important when we convey truth, theology, doctrine to the next generation, that we understand what it is for, because doctrine is meant to produce certain things in the Christian life," he said. "And if it is not producing those things, that we need to quickly check our doctrine and make sure that our doctrine is biblical or we need to make sure that we understand what doctrine is for." Read more from "'The Great Commission should begin in the home': Seminary heads stress witnessing to one's own children" on The Christian Post. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RNS) Ronnie Floyd, an Arkansas megachurch pastor and former Southern Baptist Convention president, has been elected to head the denominations Executive Committee. Meeting in Dallas, Executive Committee trustees approved Floyds nomination by a vote of 68-1, according to Baptist Press, the SBCs official news service. Its a great privilege for me to be able to accept the opportunity to become the president and chief executive officer of the Southern Baptist Conventions Executive Committee, said Floyd in a news conference after his election Tuesday (April 2). Floyd is pastor of Cross Church, a congregation of about 9,000 that has campuses in Arkansas and Missouri. He is also president of the National Day of Prayer Task Force. Floyd has filled a number of leadership positions in the SBC, the nations largest Protestant denomination, including serving as president from 2014 to 2016. He served as chair of the Executive Committee in the mid-1990s. In his new role, Floyd will head the Nashville-based Executive Committee, which acts on behalf of the SBC in between its annual meetings. One of his major tasks will be promoting the SBCs Cooperative Program, which funds missions, seminary education and other ministries. Cross Church has given more than a million dollars annually to the Cooperative Program since 2015, according to Baptist Press. Floyd said he had much to learn and hopes to spend his early days on the job listening and learning. I dont have all the answers, he said. Who does but Christ? During the news conference, Floyd was asked if he would continue as part of an informal group of evangelical advisers to President Trump. Floyd didnt answer directly but said his involvement with the White House has been minimal since the 2016 election aside from some conference calls and a 2017 visit to the Oval Office, at which he led a prayer for Trump. Floyd said he would go back to the White House if invited by Trump or any other president. If that would have been Hillary Clinton if she would have asked me to do that in the Oval Office, Id be glad to go and meet with any president, he said. Ed Stetzer, executive director of the Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College, called Floyd a strong and courageous leader. We need new ideas and new leaders at the Executive Committee, and Ronnie will lead the way, Stetzer said. His election will bring confidence to Southern Baptists as they know he will take the decisive actions the Executive Committee needs to right itself in this tumultuous time. Dean Inserra, pastor of City Church in Tallahassee, Fla., also approved of Floyds election. He has a deep love for the SBC and my hope is that he will use this position as a way to model leadership that puts the gospel above all, he said. Floyds nomination comes at a difficult time for the SBC. Recent news reports have detailed alleged abuse at Southern Baptist churches. J.D. Greear, the SBC president, has called on the convention to investigate churches that have covered up abuse. A proposed amendment to the SBCs constitution that would allow the denomination to remove churches that show clear indifference to addressing the crime of sexual abuse will be discussed at the SBCs annual meeting in June. Bill Leonard, professor of divinity emeritus at Wake Forest Universitys divinity school, said Floyd represents a move by the SBC to solidify its base. Leonard, a longtime observer of the SBC, said the convention faces a number of challenges, including declining membership, struggles in attracting young people, recent reports of abuse and other issues. Floyd will likely be charged with helping address these challenges. They need someone who inspires their base and might try to slow the demographic hemorrhaging, Leonard said. In a Facebook Live address, Floyd said that as president of the Executive Committee he plans to focus on evangelism. He will resign from his church this weekend, according to Baptist Press. Article originally published by Religion News Service. Used with permission. Photo courtesy: RNS/Matt Miller/Baptist Press (RNS) On Thursday evening last week, 300 United Methodist clergy and laypeople gathered outside their denominations regional headquarters in Garner, N.C., to protest a recent vote that bans LGBT people from marriage and ordination. Their protest was one of many. Across the country, from Iowa to Michigan and Texas to Wisconsin, thousands of United Methodists who support LGBT rights are rising up to denounce the denominations recent decision to strengthen its ban on gay clergy and same-sex weddings. These United Methodists are signing petitions, taking out newspaper ads and, in some cases, withholding their dues to the denomination. They are also plotting a way out. On Thursday (April 4), a group of 30 clergy, bishops and activists led by megachurch pastor Adam Hamilton will gather in Decatur, Ga., to strategize a future for those churches that feel they cannot remain in a denomination that denies LGBT rights. The group met last week in Dallas and has already planned a longer two-day meeting at Hamiltons 22,000-member Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kan., next month. The conflict may have already hurt the denomination financially. Receipts from member churches, called apportionments, are down 15.6 percent so far this year compared with 2018. Receipts in March alone one month after the special General Conference in which the church voted to strengthen LGBT restrictions were down 20 percent over March 2018, according to financial reports posted by the denomination online. Churches such as Open Table, a Raleigh, N.C., congregation, with about 30 active LGBT members, will be looking to Hamilton and other leaders for guidance. They are also awaiting a decision by the denominations top court on the constitutionality of the recent vote to strengthen rules against LGBT people. The Judicial Council meets April 23-26. We want to be ready to move in whatever direction we need to move when those things come, said the Rev. Jason Butler, the churchs pastor. Butler called the restrictions on LGBT people that the denomination adopted in February untenable. From our standpoint, we wont live under the Traditional Plan or follow its rules, he said, referring to the name of the plan adopted by delegates at the global gathering in St. Louis. The special session of the United Methodist Church General Conference met Feb. 23-26 and voted 438-384 to strengthen enforcement of the denominations rules against ordination and marriage of LGBT members and punish clergy who violate those rules. Church leaders think a majority of American delegates voted against the plan. But because United Methodists are a global church and about 45 percent of the denominations 12.6 million members are in Africa or Asia, the U.S. contingent did not prevail. While African and Asian Methodists take far more conservative views on sexuality and gender, those in the U.S. have become increasingly supportive of LGBT people. A recent PRRI poll found that 62 percent of Americans and 68 percent of white mainline Protestants say gay and lesbian couples should be allowed to marry legally. Thats a 10 percentage point increase from three years ago. Same-sex marriage has been the law of the land since a 2015 Supreme Court ruling that such couples have a constitutional right to marry. Methodists across the United States have for years defied rules that forbid clergy from marrying same-sex couples and ordaining them. In 2016, United Methodists in Colorado, Montana, Utah and Wyoming elected a bishop who is a lesbian. Those Methodists are not about to back down. James Howell, pastor of the one of the nations largest United Methodist churches, Myers Park in Charlotte, N.C., made that clear in a video he posted to his churchs YouTube channel last week. Its time for some kind of separation, some kind of amicable divorce, he said in the video. This Traditional Plan, its goal clearly is to stamp out homosexuality in the church. They wish to be rid of centrists, moderates, certainly progressives, but even thoughtful conservatives. Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson of the North Georgia Annual Conference, who will host Thursdays gathering, said as much. I think weve learned theres not much future in this polity if we have folks unwilling to look at whats going on in the United States context, she said. Thats not to say a split is imminent, or even settled. Supporters and opponents of LGBT inclusion acknowledged they are talking to each other. The Rev. Keith Boyette, president of the Wesleyan Covenant Association, said 11 Methodist leaders, including five supporters of the church vote and six opponents, are holding conference call meetings. He would not name names. Its a broadly representative group of respected leaders in the church on both sides of the conflict, Boyette said. Meanwhile, the denominations coffers may continue to suffer. Some churches may be withholding their dues to the national church as a form of protest, said Howell, though he noted that his is not. People are not at all happy with money going to support a denomination they feel is at odds with what we want to be about, he said. Theyre going to ask: Why are we investing in a church that is viciously opposed to what we support? READ THIS STORY AT RELIGIONNEWS.COM. Article originally published by Religion News Service. Used with persmission. Photo courtesy: RNS/UMC NC Conference When it comes to impact, the more popular something is, the less likely you are to make a difference in it. Read as Single Page Page 1 of 2 No one has ever made a bigger impact on the world than Jesus. You dont even need to be a Christian to see the obvious truth in that statement. Because of this, Im convinced that its in the DNA of Jesus followers to want to make a difference, too. Its also in the Great Commandment and Great Commission. Wanting to make a difference is embedded in the heart of every disciple. But how do we do that? With so many competing voices, so many areas of need, so many ways to approach this, how do we clear away the clutter and find an area of need where we can truly make a difference? We need to go narrow, not wide. To the edges, not the center. Work the fringes, not the mainstream. Impact Is Not In The Mainstream If everything you love is in the mainstream of the culture around you, its very unlikely that youll have much impact upon it. If everything you love is in the mainstream of the culture around you, its very unlikely that youll have much impact upon it. We have enough self-esteem books. Were overwhelmed with church growth ideas. We dont need any more personality tests. We need something else. And you might be the one to help us find it. Instead of trying to get in on the action of whats hot right now, find something you love thats on the fringes. Something important that no one else (or very few) are paying much attention to, then shine a big, bright light on it. This is where impact comes from. Its not that you cant like things that a lot of other people like. If youre an MCU movie fan, thats fine. Keep liking it. But dont let that define you. Find Impact On The Fringes Even within Christianity, if the believers around you all love one style of music or one type of church service, feel free to enjoy it and be blessed by it. But look to the fringes for impact. Find a forgotten corner of need, of worship, of leadership, or of ministry, and fall in love with the people in it. Then learn as much as you can about them, work as hard as possible with them, make them the focus of your prayer life. You can have a huge impact if you focus on a forgotten, but important corner of ministry rather than being just one more voice speaking from the mainstream to the mainstream. From Your Healing To Their Pain But heres the key you cant do it just to take advantage of an overlooked market segment. It has to be something that you truly have passion for. Something you love. People who matter to you. Something that breaks your heart. Hundreds of Iraqi Christians detained in immigration raids are once again at risk of deportation after losing their chance to keep fighting their cases in court. On Tuesday, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals closed the book on Hamama v. Adducci, a class-action lawsuit filed in June 2017 by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on behalf of 1,400 Iraqi natives, including more than 100 Detroit-area Chaldean Christians, who were detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement and told they would be repatriated to their home country. After the raids two years ago, a district judge granted an injunction to protect the detainees, many of whom have lived in the US for decades, and let them present their cases in court. Last December, a Sixth Circuit panel overturned the protections, and this week the full court declined to hear further arguments, allowing the government to resume deportations as soon as next week, Michigan Radio reported. The ACLU argued that sending the Christians back ... 1 Megachurch pastor John Ortberg: Christians often dismissive of science for 'no good reason' Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Silicon Valley megachurch pastor and author John Ortberg is calling on Christians to be less dismissive of scientific discoveries, suggesting that passing uninformed judgments on scientific theory is not a way to love God with all your mind. Ortberg, the pastor of the 4,000-member Menlo Church in Menlo Park, California, spoke before hundreds of pastors, scientists and scholars gathered last week in Baltimore, Maryland, for a conference marking the 10th anniversary of the BioLogos conference. The 61-year-old Ortberg is a member of the advisory council of the BioLogos Foundation, an advocacy organization that promotes Evolutionary Creationism that was founded with the goal of ushering harmony between science and biblical faith. With the theme of the conference being Beyond Conflict, the church leader outlined on Wednesday four gifts that he feels Christians should bring to the broader world. The first gift is humility. Ortberg's talk comes at a time in which many Christians particularly from a Young Earth Creation background can be dismissive of points of a scientific consensus and discovery if they somehow conflict with their literal interpretations of the Bible. Ortberg, who studied clinical psychology at Fuller Seminary, explained that he grew up in a Baptist church where he experienced a kind of writing-off of scientific theories. A woman in our church asked me, Why do you need to study [Sigmund] Freud when we have the Bible? he recalled. I asked her, Have you ever actually read Freud? Can you name something he has actually written? Do you know the difference between projection and reaction formation or how you distinguish between the conscience and the ego ideal, or the difference between suppression and repression? Whatever you think of [Freud], he is one of the dominant minds of the 20th Century. Ortberg stressed that Freud was a brilliant neurologist, doctor and follower of psychoanalysis. [Y]oure telling me you think he can be dismissed and you cant even tell me the title of a single thing he wrote? Ortberg recalled asking the woman. Far too often, Christians pass judgments on statements from the scientific community with no good reason at all. [Martin] Luther called [Nicolaus] Copernicus an upstart astrologer possibly because Copernicus dedicated his work to the pope, Ortberg explained. Within two generations and Mark Noll writes about this in The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind all the reformation churches accepted a new view of the solar system. He warned that moving slowly before passing theological judgments on scientific theory is one of the ways that we can love God with all of our minds. The second gift that Christians should bring the secular society is curiosity. Ortberg argued that too often, religious leaders abuse their authority and too many people are led to believe whatever religious authorities tell them to believe. I recently read a book about curiosity and the interpretation from the author on Genesis 3 was very interesting, the pastor said. [The argument] was the story of the fall and the Bible is actually anti-curiosity, that curiosity is what led to the fall and that people are supposed to believe whatever religious authorities tell them to believe. However, he detailed that human beings have a need to make sense of the world. It is a need that, he said, will never go away. But the effort within some churches to stifle curiosity runs counter to the fact that science was largely historically inspired by spiritual and metaphysical questions. The work of historians of science will often tell us that to a very significant extent, that what helped for science to emerge in humanity was religious thought, in particular, Christianity, Ortberg said. [It was] the view that the universe was the product of an orderly God, a reasonable God and yet a God who is also unpredictably creative so that it would require empirical research. He cited English mathematician and philosopher Alfred Whitehead who said that it was the medieval insistence on the rationality of God that made it possible for science to emerge. Additionally, he stated that the explosion of technology in the Middle Ages happened largely in monastic communities. Mechanical clocks were invented by monks because they needed to know when to pray, Ortberg said. When we first read about the invention of eyeglasses in a sermon around 1300, [it was] because monks needed to pour over texts. Ortberg argued that a lack of curiosity is a sin. The gift that Ortberg spent the most time explaining was the gift of knowledge. The prophet, speaking for God, said that my people will perish with lack of knowledge, he continued. We live in a day, of course, when the question of who has knowledge is hotly contested because knowledge means authority and authority means power. Although many are led to believe that something has to be proven in a scientific or mathematical way in order to constitute knowledge, Ortberg noted that there are many questions in the world that science cant answer. One such question is the classic line from William Shakespeare: To be or not to be. It is better for things to be than not to be. It is better for us to be than not to be. It is better for you to be. This is not a preference or an opinion. It is not cultural. It is not biologically programmed. It is knowledge, Ortberg said. It is true. But it is not scientific knowledge. "People often assume that faith is opposed to knowledge in our day. It grew by inviting rational consideration often in opposition to authority." Today, people are urged to consider lifes most important questions as matters of preference or tradition but not of knowledge, he said. In other words, to a large extent, we live in a day where educated people teach us to believe that where knowledge is most desperately needed, it has become most apparently unavailable, he explained. As a result, we are plagued by skepticism, cynicism, confusion, uncertainty, doubt and eventually despair. At the basic level, Ortberg said that knowing right from wrong is essential to humanity. Even in a secular age, I find it fascinating that the defining hallmark of sanity in the judicial system is the capacity to know right from wrong, he stressed. A conversation with faith and science has so much business to add to lifes knowledge. Pastors and church leaders need to be stewards of moral and spiritual knowledge rather than stewards of tradition, history and values because people perish for lack of knowledge," he added. Ortberg concluded by sharing his fourth and final gift that he believes Christians should bring to the larger society: song. The pastor said that one way to communicate the great story and evoke wonder is through song because a good song has rich cognitive contents and expresses unity as well as joy that reaches the core of the human soul. That is why the beauty of creation and song often go together, he said. At Al Sharptons NAN convention, 2020 Democrat candidates support reparations for African Americans Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment NEW YORK Democrat presidential candidates Andrew Yang, Beto ORourke and Julian Castro voiced strong support for reparations for the descendants of slaves to a packed gathering of civil rights activists and African-American voters on Wednesday. I have said several times during the last several weeks that I have long believed that our country will never truly heal until we address the original sin of slavery, Castro, the former secretary of U.S. Housing and Development under former President Barack Obama told the affirming crowd at the Rev. Al Sharptons annual National Action Network convention in Manhattan. If under our Constitution we compensate people if we take their property, why wouldnt we compensate people who were considered property and sanctioned by the state? I support Congresswoman Jackson-Lees HR 40 to appoint a commission to make a recommendation to the president of the United States on how we can do reparations in the country and I believe that for the black community, for the white community, for every other American, that its important to address that original sin. And until we do, we may feel like were moving forward as one nation but I dont think we ever will, Castro said. Texas Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee introduced the H.R. 40 bill in January called the Commission to Study and Develop Reparations Proposals for African Americans Act. This legislation is intended to examine the institution of slavery in the colonies and the United States from 1619 to the present, and further recommend appropriate remedies. Since the initial introduction of this legislation, its proponents have made substantial progress in elevating the discussion of reparations and reparatory justice at the national level and joining the mainstream international debate on the issues, Lee noted in a statement. Though some have tried to deflect the importance of these conversations by focusing on individual monetary compensation, the real issue is whether and how this nation can come to grips with the legacy of slavery that still infects current society. Through legislation, resolutions, news, and litigation, we are moving closer to making more strides in the movement toward reparations. O'Rourke, a former Texas representative who currently enjoys somewhat of a rock star status among some Democrats, said during an interview with Sharpton at the convention that he would sign Lees bill into law as president. I think she is absolutely right. That is something I would sign into law as president of the United States. Talking to someone like Bryan Stevenson whos done so much work in ensuring that we dont just celebrate civil rights victories and leave that as the story of race in this country. But we also look at the brutality, the violence, the continuing suppression today, ORourke told Sharpton. Texas [was] 50th in the nation in 2018 in [voter] turnout, not because we like our democracy any less but people were written out of their democracy and therefore [unable] to represent the true genius of a state and by extension our country. Accepting that truth, that story, those facts is the beginning of a process of repair and that is as the root of any reparation discussion that will follow. So I support my former colleague Sheila Jackson Lee in this effort and want to make sure that at a minimum, we have that conversation and share those facts with the rest of the country, he said. He later reiterated his support for the proposal before the large audience, explaining how he learned a lot on the issue of reparations from founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative Bryan Stevenson. I had a chance to speak with, learn from and listen to Bryan Stevenson in Montgomery, Alabama, and learn from his work on working with the community to build a memorial to justice and to peace. And he said foundational to reparations is the word repair, foundational to repair is the truth. And so all Americans understand that civil rights are not just those victories that I began with at the outset, but the injustices that have been visited and continue to be visited on people we will never get the change to live up to the promise of this country. So absolutely I would sign that into law, he said to applause. Yang who pitched his $1,000 a month Universal Basic Income platform called reparations a logical step. I would go again further, I would put $1,000 a month in the hands of every adult starting at age 18 and then I would say this is not reparations. We need to study reparations independently of the fact that we can make this economy work for you all, minimum, minimum, he said. David Platt calls out 'false gospel' of faith healing; forgiveness of sins is the real Good News Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment McLean Bible Church Pastor David Platt denounced faith healing as a false gospel in a speech at an evangelical conference, explaining that the real Gospel is about Jesus Christ forgiving sins. Preaching on Mark 2:1-12, which recorded the gospel story of Jesus healing a paralytic who was lowered from a roof into a home, Platt explained that while the passage showed two urgent needs that Jesus addressed, the two needs were not equal. This mans spiritual need was ultimate. More important than even his physical paralysis was his spiritual malice, stated Platt, noting that while the passage does not say if the paralysis came from sin, it was evident that this man was a sinner, which meant that his ultimate need was not healing from God, but holiness before God. And this is the ultimate need in all of our lives. Our ultimate need is never physical. Our ultimate need is always spiritual. The Virginia pastor believes the Gospel of Jesus Christ is not the gospel that is being preached in many places around the world. As I travel around the world, there are so many places where a false gospel is being proclaimed, that if you believe in Jesus, you will be healed of all of your diseases now, he explained Wednesday at The Gospel Coalitions National Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana, which had as its theme Conversations with Jesus. That if you trust in Jesus, youll be free of your sicknesses today. It is not the Gospel, because the Gospel is much, much better news than that. Platt argued that our ultimate need is not to be rid of our maladies but to be reconciled to our maker and this is what Jesus has come to do. The Gospel is not going to Africa and saying trust in Jesus and your HIV/AIDS will be gone. The Gospel is not going to America and saying trust in Jesus and your cancer will be gone, he continued. The Gospel is going anywhere and everywhere in the world and saying trust in Jesus and your sins will be gone. Platt said people require a savior who does not just have power over disease and demons, but more importantly someone with power over sin and death. For all who trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins, you can know cancer will not have the last word. Tumors will not have the last word. Alzheimers will not have the last word. Parkinsons will not have the last word, declared Platt. Pain will not have the last word. Heart attacks, hospital rooms, and hospice care will not have the last word. Death itself will not have the last word because it has been defeated by the Son of Man. His name is Jesus and He will have the last word. The Good News of the Kingdom is not that Jesus will heal you of all your sicknesses now. The Good News of the Kingdom is Jesus will forgive you of all of your sins forever. The former head of the Southern Baptist Conventions International Mission Board also talked about the importance of making the power of Jesus love evident in a world of physical need, to care for those who endure earthly suffering. Platt mentioned a wheelchair-bound person named Marisa who was recently baptized at his church. Marisa has cerebral palsy, spends her life in a wheelchair. Every Sunday, she wheels that motorized chair to the middle aisle right in front of me, he explained. Before she came to our church, she was used to being put in a corner by herself. Even at churches who had not thought through how to care for children or adults with special needs. But this time, she found a family of brothers and sisters who welcomed her. And as they cared for her special needs, they brought her to the One Who can meet her greatest need. Platts remarks came on the final day of the conference, which featured other notable speakers including DesiringGod.org founder and pastor John Piper, author and Presbyterian pastor Timothy Keller, and Christ Covenant Church Senior Pastor Kevin DeYoung. During his remarks on Tuesday, DeYoung told conference attendees that the key point of Jesus earthly ministry was to proclaim the Good News and not to transform social structures. While the Gospels show Jesus ministry centered on three things: preaching, casting out demons, and healing the sick, said DeYoung, they were not considered equally important by Jesus. There is not a single example of Jesus going into a town with the purpose of healing or casting out demons. He never ventures out on a healing or an exorcism tour, stated DeYoung. The reason He came out to public ministry was to preach. Evangelicals Should Support Trump but Publicly Criticize His Sins, Michael Brown Says in New Book Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment To support or not to support Donald Trump? That is the question many evangelicals have struggled with since the thrice-married reality TV billionaire announced his candidacy in 2015. In Donald Trump Is Not My Savior: An Evangelical Leader Speaks His Mind About the Man He Supports as President, theologian Michael Brown traces his up-and-down views on the president that has bemused many. Throughout the book, Brown offers his reasons for supporting Trump while also criticizing Trump, and criticizes some of his fellow evangelicals who appear to unconditionally support Trump. "I absolutely believe President Trump has been a divine wrecking ball," Brown writes in the introduction. "He is wreaking havoc on the political status quo. ... "Yet a wrecking ball swings back and forth, and I believe President Trump has also exposed some weaknesses (and more) in our evangelical circles. Have we refrained from any criticism so we can keep our seat at the table? Have we ignored major character issues to preserve our political power? Have we become more identified publicly with our President than with our Savior? Have we confused patriotism with the kingdom of God?" Brown holds a Ph.D. in Near Eastern languages and literatures from New York University, hosts the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program and is a frequent contributor to The Christian Post and other publications. Donald Trump Is Not My Savior is a compilation of all of Brown's op-eds about Trump along with new material. During the Trump presidency, every week brings a new controversy. In such an environment, it's easy to forget the many highs and lows. This is where Brown's book comes in handy. A prolific writer, Brown's reactions to the roller-coaster ride of the Trump candidacy and presidency helps readers grasp the long view of Trump's complicated relationship with evangelicals. In this email interview with The Christian Post, Brown talks about the book's eye catching cover (showing Trump with a crown of thorns), how the book came about, and what it would take for Trump to lose his support in 2020. Here is the full transcript of the interview: CP: I love the cover, but if someone were to judge your book by it, they might get the impression it's an anti-Trump book, which would be an imprecise characterization, in my view. What do you hope the cover conveys? Brown: I love the cover too, and I hope it conveys two things. First, it reinforces the title: President Trump is not our savior. He cannot save the nation. He cannot transform the moral character of our country. No president can. He did not die for our sins, and we do not owe him our lives, nor is our testimony tied to him. Let the whole world know this! Second, he is our president, and he has my vote. Put another way, politics is not the Gospel and patriotism is not the Kingdom of God. This is reinforced by the subtitle, which makes clear that I will speak my mind, even when I disagree, but that I support Donald Trump as my president and I did vote for him. CP: Most of the book is a compilation of the op-eds you've written about Trump (many of which I had the pleasure of publishing at The Christian Post). Sometimes you praise Trump, sometimes you criticize Trump, sometimes you criticize Trump's evangelical supporters. When looking at these as a whole, I sense the conflicted, ambivalent nature that I think many evangelicals feel about Trump. How would you characterize the path of your thought process as you've written about Trump since he entered the presidential race in 2015? Brown: Around Aug. 15, quite out of the blue, I felt a tremendous burden in prayer to get a book out about President Trump and evangelicals, and to get it out before the midterms. But how do you do this when you haven't written the book yet and you don't have a publisher working on it? On the other hand, I thought to myself, "I've been writing about Donald Trump since August 2015, and I have lots of good material already." The morning of Aug. 16 I was in prayer, again feeling very burdened about this, when everything became crystal clear to me: Here's the title and subtitle of the book, and here's the plan of attack: Write brand new material for the beginning of the book, asking whether the relationship between evangelicals and Trump is a match made in Heaven or a marriage with Hell, then print the most relevant Trump articles from the last three years, in chronological order (amounting to about 90 articles), then close with some insights about the coming elections and where we go from here, then contact Larry Sparks, editor with Destiny Image. Within six weeks, a beautiful, advance copy of the book was on my desk. A pretty wild journey! Now, I said all that to say this: In reading through the book, you'll take a fascinating journey through time with me. You'll remember certain events that have now escaped your memory. You'll recall how you felt about Trump and whether or not your views have changed. And if you're a Never Trumper, you'll see that I, too, strongly opposed him at one time, and you'll see how and why I ended up supporting him. For me, going through these articles was a real eye-opener, since we tend to remember the past through the filter of how we feel today. Reading them afresh reminded me of a lot I had almost forgotten. So to get back to your question, I strongly opposed Trump during the primaries, openly saying I would reconsider if he became the Republican candidate, also wondering out loud if the "Cyrus prophecies" about Trump could be true. (Namely, that God was raising him up to do good for our nation and for Israel, despite him not knowing the Lord himself.) Once he was the Republican candidate, and with some of my evangelical friends becoming close to him, I recognized that something was going on that was beyond my logic, and that despite my misgivings, he would have my vote. The reader will see how my warnings turned to tentative support, then stronger support, but always with concerns. The reader will also see how many times I said I hoped I was wrong about my warnings. In retrospect, many of the warnings were accurate in other words, character does matter but President Trump has definitely exceeded some of my expectations concerning the good he has done. All these ups and downs are reflected in the three years of running commentary. CP: One of the arguments made by so-called "Never Trump" evangelicals, like me, is that evangelicals, mostly white evangelicals, are undermining their moral authority by backing Trump. You address that at various points throughout the book. In one chapter in particular, titled "Have Evangelicals Lost Their Credibility by Voting for Trump?" you partly criticize the argument and partly concede the point. How can evangelicals both maintain access to the White House and recover that lost credibility? Brown: On the one hand, I share your concerns, hence the title of my book. When we worship at the altar of Trump, when we cannot differ with him publicly, when we feel as if we have to defend his every word and action to support him, we do discredit ourselves and we do lose some of our moral authority. That's why I address this theme frequently in the book. We really need to be careful here, lest we become an appendage of the Republican Party rather than God's prophetic people. Why can't we say, "Mr. President, I voted for you and support your larger agenda, but I'm grieved when you demean others with such cruelty"? Why must we either demonize him or deify him? Can't we be more nuanced? On the other hand, I reject the idea that we have lost our moral authority by voting for Trump since the very people shouting that to us day and night especially the secular media are the ones who mocked our positions before. In other words, the same ones who ridiculed me for my pro-life, pro-marriage, pro-family stands now ridicule me for voting for Trump. That's also the reason for the title of my book. Donald Trump did not die for my sins, but you better believe that he has my vote over Hillary Clinton when it comes to appointing justices to the courts, when it comes to fighting radical Islam, when it comes to pushing back against radical LGBT activism, when it comes to standing with Israel. Some of the articles reprinted in the book make this point very strongly as well. As for how we move forward, honoring the Lord, not compromising our testimonies before the world, and yet remaining active in the political process and voting that's what I address in the last chapter of the book. CP: What would it take for Trump to lose your support (supposing he runs) in 2020? Brown: That's easy. If he abandons his conservative, pro-life, pro-family, pro-Israel convictions, or if he is living in open and unrepentant sin (for example, if he was caught in adultery today and said, "Big deal. JFK did it, Bill Clinton did it, and I'll do it"). Of course, Trump critics will claim he's living in open and unrepentant sin by lying and by demeaning others. For me, I'll continue to address those things openly when they and if they occur while still believing that it's for the overall best to have him in office. But for all of us, there's a line we draw in the sand. That's why I respect Never Trumpers, although I never totally landed in that camp. But that's why I also urge evangelical voters to look at the larger issues and consider whether his agenda should have our support. Vote for policy, not personality to the extent your conscience will allow. To me, it's pretty simple: I'll let the whole world know that Jesus, not Donald Trump, is my Savior, and my life and testimony are bound up with Him. As for the president, he gets my vote. Michigan county takes down billboard accused of being pro-abortion; issues apology Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A Michigan county health department took down a controversial billboard critics claimed was pro-abortion and released a statement apologizing for its content. The Sandusky-based Sanilac County Health Department posted a billboard ad last month captioned You Can Choose that featured a photo of a distraught pregnant young woman next to a photo of a happy nonpregnant young woman in graduation attire. Take control of your future, says the Health Departments billboard, which includes a phone number for the department. Groups like the Michigan chapter of Right to Life denounced the message of the billboard, posting about it on their Twitter page. The Sanilac County Health Department put this new billboard up. This is the abortion mindset that pits mother against child. Is this the best we can do to advertise health services? tweeted the pro-life group. Also outraged, Protect Life Michigan commented on Facebook: "Is it just us, or does it seem like theyre telling women that we have to choose between being mothers or being successful?!" In response to the outcry, the county department released a statement apologizing for the content of the billboard, noting that they appreciate the many members of our community that contacted us with their apprehension for the messaging that is perceived on the billboard. We now realize, and apologize, that our original intent for the billboard was not correctly portrayed by its content, stated the department. We believe in strengthening the health and wellness of all our community members; women, children, and men, and this billboard did not accurately portray that. Please accept our apologies and know that the billboard is being taken down as quickly as possible. The Christian Post reached out to the Sanilac County Health Department on Thursday morning. A representative confirmed that the billboard has been taken down. Bryant Wilke, environmental health director at the Sanilac County Health Department, told the Huron Daily Tribune that he was surprised by the backlash. It came as a bit of a surprise to us that people thought that it was anything but a teenage pregnancy prevention billboard, explained Wilke to the Tribune. Not to get confused with any pro-choice movements or anything like that, this was specifically meant for teen pregnancy prevention. Wilke also told the Tribune that he felt that there should have been more on the billboard explaining the context of the images. Typically, when you look at the statistics, if you get pregnant between the ages of 15 and 19, you drop out of high school. When you look at the billboard, obviously there are no percentages or any types of statistics up there, continued Wilke. By all means, if through this, it starts to educate about teenage pregnancy in our community, that's a great thing, but we want to do it with appropriate messages. Meanwhile, Protect Life Michigan has posted photos of mothers during their graduation to show "women are capable of some incredible things." "We love how these moms showed the world that to be a mom does not mean we have to give up success, dreams, or a future." Michigan health center accused of stopping senior citizens from telling kids about Christmas Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A conservative law firm has accused a Michigan-based health center of censoring two senior citizens who attempted to explain the religious meaning of Christmas to visiting children. The First Liberty Institute sent a letter to the Kalkaska Memorial Health Center on Thursday on behalf of two residents of Kalkaska Senior Living Center. At issue was an incident last December in which students from the Centers Child Development Center and Preschool visited the assisted living residents. During the visit, residents were allowed to read Christmas-themed stories to the children. However, when resident Wilma Wells tried to explain why people celebrate Christmas, an unnamed teacher reportedly told her not to. Later, according to First Libertys letter, another resident named Joan Wilson was reading A Charlie Brown Christmas to some children. When she attempted to explain the part where the nativity was mentioned, the unnamed teacher abruptly ended the visit. As a government-owned facility, the Kalkaska Memorial Health Center is subject to the constraints of the U.S. Constitution through the Fourteenth Amendment, wrote Michael Berry of First Liberty. Here, the CDCP teachers actions constitute unlawful discrimination and violate the Free Exercise and Free Speech Clauses of the First Amendment to the Constitution. Berry called on the center to remedy these constitutional violations by providing assurance that all Kalkaska Memorial Health Center employees will abide by the Constitution and federal law as well as an apology to Wilson and Wells. Should you refuse or fail to provide these remedies, we are prepared to take any and all necessary legal action and provide pro bono representation of the affected residents, concluded Berry. Keisha Russell, associate counsel for First Liberty, denounced the alleged actions at the center as a government Grinch crushing the spirit of Christmas. Our clients were simply exercising their constitutionally protected rights by reading a much beloved Christmas story to children when they were silenced. KMHC needs to ensure that the rights of its residents are protected and issue an apology, said Russell in a statement emailed to supporters. This is not the first time that A Charlie Brown Christmas has been at the center of a church-and-state dispute. In December 2016, a judge ordered that a Texas school district restore "A Charlie Brown Christmas" themed display after administrators took it down because it featured a Bible verse. Bell County State District Judge Jack Jones issued a temporary injunction against the Killeen Independent School District, stopping it from enforcing the decision against the decoration. "Religious discrimination toward Christians has become a holiday tradition of sorts among certain groups," stated Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in 2016 about the injunction. "I am glad to see that the court broke through the left's rhetorical fog and recognized that a commitment to diversity means protecting everyone's individual religious expression." Morgan Freemans Story of God claims secrecy helped Christianity flourish Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The third season of National Geographic's "The Story of God with Morgan Freeman" premiered earlier this month and the latest episode set out to understand why secrecy and religion are so often intertwined. Unlike past episodes of the series, this episode did not feature much on Christianity; it focused more on cults, encoding the Torah in the practice of Kabbalah and the resurgence of Druids, among others. Freeman journeyed to see the mystery of ritual and how it brings people closer to the mystery of the divine. The show's only mention of secrecy in Christianity was in Rome 361 to 363 AD when the people of the time accused an ancient secret sect of Christians of drinking blood and performing human sacrifices. The actor traveled to a hidden house under a basilica, located in Rome where the supposed sect hid out. Those Christians practiced the Eucharist in secret and rumors began to spread by the Romans that those people were in the hidden house practicing orgies and drinking actual blood. Emperor Julian despised Christ followers and those who were not meeting in secret, such as two men named John and Paul, became martyrs by the emperor's command. It wasnt until the leader was killed and a new emperor was appointed that the tide began to change. Its hard to believe that Christianity was once a small secret faith practiced in the shadows but secrecy actually gave Christianity strength, Freeman said after his visit. [Christian] followers venerated Jesus who died opposing Rome. Oppression only fared the movement and once it was set free, it traveled to every corner of the globe, the Academy Award-winning actor chuckled. He went on to say that Christianity flourished after a few centuries of Roman suppression. If there were no mysteries to life, there would be no need for faith, he maintained. Secrets protect people in times of oppression and keep them alive until their message can take root in fertile ground, Freeman concluded. We can never expect to know the mind of God but we can work to get closer to it. The full episode is now available to watch on National Geographic. Season 3 of Story of God with Morgan Freeman features six episodes that take viewers on an interfaith journey around the globe, traveling to 30 different cities of historical and anthropological importance, including Jerusalem, Kathmandu, Jericho, Rome, Bethlehem, Paris, Prague, Hanoi, Toronto and Lourdes. "The series filmmakers met with 13 religious experts, eight priests, three druids, three shamans, one imam, one rabbi, one former executioner, one nun, two so-called 'living goddesses' and hundreds of monks," according to National Geographic. "The series interviews believers of many faiths including Christians, Jews, pagans, druids, Muslims, Hindus, Jains, animists, Buddhists and agnostics, the shows synopsis reads. Pentecostal Leaders Talk Faith Healing, Reject Hyper-Faith Movement Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Executive leaders at the Assemblies of God recently affirmed the role churches and pastors have in faith healing. George O. Wood, general superintendent of the Pentecostal denomination, said every church service should include a time when people are given the opportunity to be prayed for, whether it's for physical or spiritual healing. But some of the Pentecostal leaders admitted to being hesitant at times to offer faith healing or prayers for healing. "I find as a pastor, if I prayed for people and they weren't healed, I let that be a reflection of my spirituality," said James T. Bradford, general secretary of the Assemblies of God in a recent informal roundtable discussion. "I worried too much about what would they think about me as a pastor. They must think I'm not very spiritual." But Bradford realized that he had to get himself out of that thought. "I think we really have gotten hung up on why doesn't it (healing) always happen," he said. "So we're hesitant; we don't want to give false hopes to people rather than maybe reframing that and say[ing] 'no matter what we're always invited to ask abundantly [of God].'" "I just have to obey the word," he added. "If they're not healed ... that had to at some point not become my problem." The roundtable discussion which also included Assemblies of God leaders L. Alton Garrison, assistant general superintendent, and Douglas E. Clay, general treasurer comes after a number of faith healing cases involving parents whose sick children died of easily treatable conditions. Most recently, Jeff and Marci Beagley from Oregon City were convicted in February for failing to seek medical help for their son. The couple had simply laid their hands on their 16-year-old son and prayed for him, but did not take him to the hospital. Neil died from complications from a urinary tract blockage. The parents were found guilty of criminally negligent homicide. Wood is a believer of faith healing. He received healing himself when elders prayed for his torn retina. "There's a lot of mystery about healing I don't understand," he said. "But I do know that I was healed in that moment." Still, he's critical of those in what he calls the "hyper-faith movement" who essentially neglect New Testament passages that mention suffering and individuals who remained sick and never received the miraculous physical healing that others did. "There are many persons who have lost their relationship with God because of the disappointment that has come as a result of the false hyper-faith teaching," Wood said. Clay called faith healing one of the most confused and abused values among Christians. There is a distinction, he explained, between faith healing and divine healing that people need to understand. "Faith [healing] is my part to do what the Word says but not to be the actual agent of the physical restoration," Clay explained. "Divine healing leaves both the timing and to the degree in God's hands." Supporting Clay's assertion, Wood stressed, "Our faith has to be not faith in faith but faith in God which brings us to divine healing rather than faith healing." Founded in 1914, the Assemblies of God is one of the largest Pentecostal denominations in the country. The U.S. body has experienced 15 percent growth over the past decade and is currently nearing 3 million members. Texas bans chaplains from execution chambers; religious liberty law firm expresses concern Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Texas implemented a ban on chaplains being present in execution chambers for condemned inmates in response to two high-profile court cases on the issue. Recently, the U.S. Supreme Court granted a stay of execution for a Buddhist inmate who was prohibited from having a chaplain of his choosing in the chamber. A spokesperson for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice told the Texas Tribune that the ban was to take effect immediately. TDCJ Chaplain(s) will continue to be available to an offender until they are transferred to the execution chamber. The chaplain will also be present in the viewing room if requested, explained the spokesperson. Late last month, the Supreme Court halted the execution of 57-year-old Patrick Murphy, a Buddhist who had been sentenced to death for his involvement in a prison escape that resulted in a murder of a police officer. At issue was Murphys denied request to have a Buddhist spiritual adviser present with him in the execution chamber, even though Christian and Muslim chaplains were permitted to be present. In a concurring opinion, Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote that Texas had two options to resolve the constitutionally problematic policy. (1) allow all inmates to have a religious adviser of their religion in the execution room; or (2) allow inmates to have a religious adviser, including any state-employed chaplain, only in the viewing room, not the execution room, wrote Justice Kavanaugh. In any event, the choice of remedy going forward is up to the State. What the State may not do, in my view, is allow Christian or Muslim inmates but not Buddhist inmates to have a religious adviser of their religion in the execution room. Luke Goodrich, senior counsel and vice president at the religious liberty law firm Becket, expressed concern over Texas new ban, arguing in a series of posts to Twitter that it would not survive a legal challenge. If this new policy is fully litigated, Texas will lose. Texas has already shown that clergy can be present in the execution chamber without harming security. So it wont be able to prove banning all clergy is the only way to maintain security, tweeted Goodrich on Wednesday. Religious freedom *includes* the vital requirement of equal treatment across all religious faiths. But it also means the government cant prohibit religious practices without a very powerful reason for doing sowhich Texas doesn't have here. Trump admin projected to resettle fewer refugees than already record low cap, World Relief reports Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The Trump administration is on track to resettle far fewer refugees than their historically low ceiling allows, according to a report from World Relief. Last September, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that no more than 30,000 refugees will be resettled to the U.S. in fiscal year 2019, which is Oct. 1, 2018 to Sept. 30, 2019. Pompeo blamed a defective vetting process and a backlog of approximately 800,000 refugees for the decision to reduce the resettlement cap. The 30,000-refugee cap is the lowest ceiling number set by any administration since the passing of the Refugee Act in 1980 and was also 15,000 below the cap for fiscal year 2018. World Relief released a report on Tuesday which noted that, halfway through the fiscal year, the administration is on track to resettle about 5,600 fewer refugees than the ceiling would allow. The projected total of approximately 24,300 refugees is only about one-third the average number of refugees welcomed into the United States since 1980, which is approximately 75,000. This decline in refugee resettlement is hurting a number of persecuted religious minorities, including Christians fleeing intolerant Muslim-majority nations like Iran, Pakistan, and Syria. The humanitarian group predicted severe declines of both Christian and Muslim refugees fleeing both countries where they are the majority religion and where they are the minority religion. World Relief projected a 48 percent decline in Christian refugees arriving from all countries and a 90 percent decline in Muslim refugees arriving from all countries, both compared to FY 2016. World Relief President Scott Arbeiter said in a statement emailed to supporters that the projected total for the current fiscal year does not reflect the capacity or willingness of Americans to receive and resettle refugees. We are gravely concerned that the U.S. has abdicated its role in exemplifying the moral leadership needed to meet the needs of the most vulnerable displaced around the world, stated Arbeiter. Furthermore, the dramatic decrease in the numbers of persecuted Christian and other religious minority refugees resettled in the U.S. to escape religious persecution contradicts the administrations previously stated willingness to help these populations. News of the decreased numbers of resettled refugees comes as the Democrat-led House of Representatives is considering legal action against President Donald Trump over his declaring a national emergency to construct a wall on the Southern border. The House opted to sue President Trump for his national emergency, which was issued in February and allowed him to move $3.6 billion from a budget for military construction to building the border wall. The president's action clearly violates the Appropriations Clause by stealing from appropriated funds, an action that was not authorized by constitutional or statutory authority, stated House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, as reported by the Washington Examiner on Thursday. Trump Hurting Religious Freedom Worldwide With Refugee Cuts, Evangelical Leaders Say Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Evangelical leaders are continuing to speak out against the Trump administration's cuts to United States refugee resettlement, arguing that the historically low levels of refugees being resettled harms international religious freedom. As President Donald Trump and his administration continue to deliberate on what to set the U.S. refugee resettlement cap at for fiscal year 2019, before it begins on Oct. 1, local evangelical pastors are joining national evangelical leaders in calling on the Trump administration to do its part to better serve a small minority of the nearly 70 million refugees around the world who don't have a home. On a conference call Wednesday, a handful of pastors and refugee resettlement advocates voiced their concern with the fact that the U.S. is on pace to resettle less than 22,000 refugees in fiscal year 2018. This means that the U.S. is on pace to resettle the fewest number of refugees in one fiscal year since the Refugee Act passed in 1980. After setting the cap for fiscal year 2018 at 45,000, it's been rumored that Trump is considering setting the refugee cap at around 25,000 for fiscal year 2019. However, one evangelical lobbyist told reporters on the call that he has heard figures as low as a 5,000-refugee cap being floated around. "We are hearing several different numbers. The 25,000 that [was] referenced is what I call a trial balloon that the administration seemed to float about a month ago," Nathan Bult, director of government affairs for Bethany Christian Services, a nonprofit that has historically helped resettle Congolese Christians in Michigan and has helped resettle Rohingya refugees in the last three years, said. "I think there are competing factions in Congress as well as the administration, we have heard numbers as low as 5,000 and we have talked to members of Congress who want to see numbers as high as 100,000 like they were just two years," Bult continued. "Forty-five thousand, the [refugee cap] for this year is already the lowest presidential determination in history. [And] 25,000 would send it even lower." In the immediate aftermath of Sept. 11, 2001, Bult said the U.S. resettled just over 27,000 in the following fiscal year. This year, he says, the U.S. is on pace for between 21,000 to 22,000 refugees despite the cap set at 45,000. "We are already at unprecedented low levels of refugees being resettled and we are deeply concerned that it is only going to get lower," he warned. Galen Carey, vice president of government relations for the National Association of Evangelicals, praised the Trump administration for vowing to promote and protect religious freedom across the globe and for convening the first-ever State Department Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom in July. However, Carey stressed that the administration must follow up on the ministerial by strengthening a weakened refugee resettlement program. "Many refugees are believers who have been persecuted for their faith, because they are Christians or belong to another faith that is disfavored, where conditions do not permit them to return to their homes," he said. "We have the opportunity provide a small percentage of the most vulnerable refugees the chance to rebuild their lives in a country where they can live and worship in freedom and peace." "We commend President Trump, Secretary [of State Mike] Pompeo and Ambassador [for International Religious Freedom Sam] Brownback for convening in an important gathering of leaders from over 80 countries to focus on improving religious freedom around the world," Carey added. "The NAE participated and supported this event. One way the administration can build on the success of this event is to strengthen the U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program to ensure that it responds to the needs of persecuted religious minorities." Jenny Yang, senior vice president of advocacy and policy for NAE's humanitarian arm World Relief, one of nine organizations authorized to resettle refugees in the U.S., warned of the harm to international religious freedom that could come from resettling fewer refugees in the U.S. "The drastic decline in refugee resettlement over the past couple years has meant that far fewer persecuted people, including those persecuted for their Christian faith, have been able to find safety and religious freedom in the U.S," she said in a statement. "A further cut to the ceiling for refugee resettlement would harm even more people persecuted for their faith. We're praying that President Trump will set the ceiling back at 75,000, and World Relief and our many partner churches, along with other resettlement organizations, stand ready to welcome them." In August, evangelical leaders with the Evangelical Immigration Table, including Russell Moore and Samuel Rodriguez, signed onto a letter sent to Pompeo, Brownback and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen that called for the refugee cap to be set at 75,000. This week, Reuters cited 20 current and former U.S. officials to report that the Trump administration had abandoned refugee policies established over decades that were embraced by both Republican and Democrat administrations and have extended stricter vetting to refugees from 11 countries around the world. Reuters also notes that U.S. government has reportedly reduced the number of officials conducting refugee interviews by about two-thirds and has reassigned about 100 of 155 interviewers who handle refugee screenings to to handle asylum screenings for immigrants who already live in the U.S. Additionally, the sources say, the Trump administration has rejected internal findings that "refugees could be admitted safely and with little expense." The administration's actions on refugee resettlement means that thousands of refugees have been waiting in limbo for their applications to be processed through the U.S. government's 18-month screening process Eric Costanzo, a pastor at South Tulsa Baptist Church in Oklahoma, told reporters on the conference call that his church has spent the last two years developing an international refugee ministry that provides english classes and even runs a program to teach immigrant women how to sew so they can find jobs. He added that there is a large community of Burmese refugees in Tulsa that is comprised of many evangelical Christians who are waiting for their family members to be processed through the U.S. refugee resettlement system as genocidal violence and war crimes have been committed by the Myanmar military that have forced hundreds of thousands of residents to flee their homes in the last couple years. "Engaging with these people, you begin to learn about their stories and learn about the importance of family reunification," Costanzo said. "Many of our refugees here in Tulsa are still waiting for their immediate family members to go through a process they already began that has now been almost ground to a halt. More stipulations or unexpected delays have been added and for the most part, for the last year-and-a-half plus, a lot of these families have not had any traction gained." Patrick Vaughn, the assistant pastor at Christ Church East Bay in Oakland, California, explained that there are a group of women in his church that also minister to and befriend refugees as partners with International Rescue Committee. "I think the church has abundant resources of love and radical hospitality because it is radical love and radical hospitality that God extends to us in Jesus," Vaughn stated. "Romans says that Jesus loves us even when we were God's enemy. That is radical love. That is radical love and radical neighboring that Jesus demonstrates to us. My question for the evangelical church as an evangelical pastor is when you experience weclome like that from the God of the universe, how can you not welcome refugees?" Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Last week, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel caved to the ACLU and announced Michigan will force faith-based adoption agencies to violate their religious convictions or lose all state funding that make adoptions and foster care placements possible. Nessel, the first openly gay candidate to win statewide office in Michigan, astoundingly stated that Michigans existing law providing religious conscience protections for faith-based adoption agencies prevented kids from finding forever homes: 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. Ms. Nessel is entitled to her opinions, but not her own facts. In all due respect, her statement is nonsense. According to the state, agencies such as Bethany Christian Services and Catholic Charities were responsible for 12 percent of all foster care and adoption cases in Michigan thats 1,600 children. Meanwhile, there are a number of other child-placing agencies willing to work with prospective parents who identify as LGBT. In fact, the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty who represented St. Vincent Catholic Charities notes that the ACLUs clients live closer to four other foster and adoption agencies that would have helped them adopt. Instead of going to these agencies, they have spent years targeting St. Vincent and trying to shut down their programs. In other words, LGBT couples who want to find an agency to work with in Michigan can easily find one. If the goal is really to find a home for every child, how does it make sense to severely hinder faith-based adoption agencies from doing just that in the name of solving a problem that doesnt exist? It doesnt, unless the real goal is to score political points by marginalizing and sidelining Christians. Every day, were seeing greater hostility to people of faith in our nation, and the epicenter is the clash between religious freedom and LGBT rights. In this month alone, the San Antonio City Council banned Chick-fil-A from being an airport vendor because the restaurants foundation donated to the Salvation Army, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and a Georgia boys home. Jack Phillips, the courageous Christian baker, continued to fend off challenges to his livelihood. Alliance Defending Freedom filed a lawsuit on behalf of Dr. Allan Josephson, a professor at the University of Louisville with a stellar 15-year-record, who was demoted and effectively fired for expressing concerns about providing surgery for children expressing gender dysphoria. Next month will bring a cascade of new cases. Against this cultural backdrop, its easy to see why the Michigan Attorney General felt emboldened to move against faith-based adoption agencies. But this anti-Christian hostility isnt about caring for kids. Every day in this country, children enter foster care as a result of neglect, drug abuse, physical abuse and sexual abuse. Their stories are heartbreaking. Through Focus on the Familys Wait No More program, more than 4,000 families have initiated the process to adopt. We have now expanded the program to include foster care and are providing care and support for these families. Weve seen firsthand the incredible work faith-based adoption agencies in placing kids in loving homes every day. Rather than cut down on the number of child-placing agencies, making it more difficult for prospective foster and adoptive parents to find an organization that aligns with their values and ultimately leading to waiting children waiting even longer, government needs to get out of the way of thriving agencies. Government certainly plays a role in enacting and enforcing reasonable standards to ensure children are safe and cared for, but its an abuse of power to bully faith-based groups who are doing the most good simply for identity politics. If the state of Michigan is serious about finding a home for every waiting child, the Attorney Generals decision to restrict access to adoption services flies in the face of taking care of the states children. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The ethics of Biblically and Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) are not new. In fact, they can be traced not only to specific Bible verses but also to Jewish interpretive writing in the Talmud stretching back before Christ. Drawing from several ancient Talmudic sources, Rabbi Dr. Asher Meier of the Business Ethics Center of Jerusalem confirms that Jewish tradition requires an ethical approach to investing: "Any economic activity that has special social value can be considered a preferred investment," he wrote. Rabbi Lawrence Troster, who opines on Jewish moral responsibility and the environment, wrote that this sense of duty includes investing: "It has been long recognized in Jewish law that investments make us property owners. In Judaism, property owners have rights but also many responsibilities about how they utilize their property. These responsibilities include not only preventing immediate harm from occurring to others but also potential harm." The great Middle Ages Rabbi Maimonides (1135-1204 A.D.) forbade "the sale of weapons to people who may use them for violence or robbery (Mishnah Torah, Laws of Murder 12:12, 14)." David Weitzner at Chabad.org explains why business ethics, including ways to invest, necessarily must take outcomes into account: "Like everything else that is meaningful in one's life, the call to engage in business comes from Above. Perhaps you have heard of the classic Talmudic insight into our moment of judgment. The first question we will be asked after death, according to our sages, is, 'Did you do business b'emunah (in good faith)?'" Christians and Biblically Responsible Investing In 1524, Christian reformer Martin Luther excoriated businesspeople who left out ethics: "The merchants have a common rule ... I shall sell my wares as dear as I can ... But it means making room for greed and opening the door and window of hell.... so long as I have my profit and satisfy my greed, of what concern is it to me if it injures my neighbor in ten ways at once? So you see how this motto goes so straight and shamelessly against not only Christian love but also natural law as well." John Wesley (1703-1791), the founder of the Methodist movement, "urged his followers to shun profiting at the expense of their neighbors. Consequently, they avoided partnering or investing with those who earned their money through alcohol, tobacco, weapons or gamblingessentially establishing social investment screens," wrote William Donovan in The Balance.com. Before the United States became an independent nation, English-born New Jersey tailor John Woolman (1720-1772) refused to buy any cotton or dye handled by slaves. "What pious man could be a witness to these things, and see a trade carried on in this manner, without being deeply affected with sorrow?" he wrote. "Through abiding in the Love of Christ, we feel a tenderness in our hearts toward our fellow creatures entangled in oppressive customs; and a concern so to walk that our conduct may not be a means of strengh'ning them in error. It was the command of the Lord through Moses, thou shalt not suffer sin upon thy brother: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy brother, and shalt not suffer sin upon him. Lev.xix.17." Ratcheting forward to 1928, we see Philip Carret launching the Fidelity Mutual Trust, which became the Pioneer Fund, one of the first-ever mutual funds. Designed initially to serve church investors, the Fund had a policy of "screening investments on ethical grounds," rejecting companies that traded in alcohol or tobacco. With Carret's guidance, the Fund survived the 1929 Stock Market Crash and the Great Depression and went on to become one of the largest mutual funds. Of Carret, who died at age 101 in 1998, Warren Buffet said, "Phil was a hero of mine. He had the best long-term investment record of anyone I know." For many years, "SRI was most commonly a faith-based phenomenon," according to a TFC Financial white paper. The funds "avoided 'sin' stocks such as alcohol, tobacco, gambling, and pornography." Later, "the modern roots of responsible investing can be traced to the impassioned political climate of the 1960s. ...the Vietnam War, civil rights, our natural environment and equality for women served to escalate sensitivities to issues of social responsibility and accountability. This broadened during the 1970s to include labor/ management issues...." In January 1994, MMA Praxis Intermediate fund, designed with Mennonite beliefs, sought companies that support positive values such as the respect for human dignity, responsible management, and environmental stewardship, while avoiding industries and activities like gambling, alcohol and tobacco production, and military contracting. Although with the rising number of SRI funds, including some based on religion, there wasn't really an option for Christian conservatives or pastors to invest without compromising their beliefs, including the sanctity of life and wholesome family values. In March 1994, under Art Ally's leadership, the Timothy Plan unveiled its fund aimed at evangelical Christians. Secular investment firms weren't thrilled by the arrival of Timothy Plan's Biblically Responsible Investments (BRI). In fact, mutual fund analyst Michael Lipper told Bloomberg News, "This fund may have gone too far. It sounds like someone trying to preach to the converted and then setting up a big collection." Time has proven Mr. Ally right. The Timothy Plan is one of several successful BRI-based mutual funds now available. The Bible makes it clear that all things belong to God, including us and everything we own. The earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein (Psalm 24:1). Genesis 1 through 3 tells us that God created all things, including men and women, for his own glory, and that human beings have the honor of being at the very top of his creative order. This means human beings, while inherently sinful, are infinitely valuable, and should be treated with dignity, respect and compassion. Since the beginning, God has given humanity the great gift of dominance over all living things, but also a responsibility to be good stewards of His creation. Therefore, we owe it to our Maker to use our money wisely. We should do nothing to hinder His Kingdom and instead advance it. We should not invest in ventures that promote or traffic in sin and thus are destructive to people. Robert Knight is an author and Communications Adviser for Timothy Partners, Ltd., distributor of Timothy Plan funds. Since 1994, Timothy Plan has been a beacon for Godly stewardship in the financial community. The first of its kind, Timothy Plan is a family of mutual investments that screens funds to ensure that no money is invested in companies that are supportive of ideals that are contrary to their Biblical, moral imperative. Mutual funds are available through a prospectus by contacting the fund or your financial professional. If you are considering a mutual fund you should always carefully read the prospectus before investing to analyze the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment This Washington Post article caught my eye: Im not passing my parents religion on to my kids, but I am teaching their values. The author is Jared Bilski, a writer and comedian based in Pennsylvania. He tells of growing up in the Catholic church, attending Catholic school from kindergarten through high school, and serving as an altar boy and a church reader. He says he even strongly considered going into the priesthood. However, Bilski writes, I lost faith in my faith. There were too many unanswered questions, too many problematic absolutes, too much fearmongering and way too much hypocrisy. For a religion that placed such a premium on loving thy neighbor, it sure had a lot of restrictions on whom you were allowed to love. The clergy-abuse scandal was the last straw. When it broke, Bilski says, I knew Id never return. However, he wants his two children to have a solid understanding of all religions and respect for what others believe. He explains: After all, the Golden Rule is something that should be instilled in all children, regardless of their religion or lack thereof. As a result, Bilski and his wife intend to expose our children to everything, spiritually speaking, to honestly answer any questions they may have about God and religion, and to let them choose for themselves. Most of all, he wants to pass along to his children the morality he learned from his mother. Bilski concludes: That type of foundation matters far more than what church you belong to or whether youre baptized because, in the end, actions will always speak louder than words, even the words of the Bible. Jared Bilski speaks for many Americans I am devoting todays article to Bilskis commentary for two reasons. One: He clearly intends to be an evangelist for his position, as does the Post in publishing it (apparently without seeking a response from the other side). Two: His argument is becoming more popular each day. As I noted last Thursday, the number of Americans who say they have no religion (23.1 percent) now exceeds the number of Catholics (23 percent) and evangelicals (22.5 percent). This equates to fifty-eight million nones. Why are so many people deciding against religious engagement? When Pew Research Center asked a representative sample of more than 1,300 religiously unaffiliated people that question, their first answer was, I question a lot of religious teachings (60 percent). In second place was I dont like the positions churches take on social/political issues (49 percent). Other issues included: I dont like religious organizations (41 percent); I dont believe in God (37 percent); Religion is irrelevant to me (36 percent); and I dont like religious leaders (34 percent). Clearly, Jared Bilski speaks for many Americans. Lets respond to four issues he raises. One: Unanswered questions Bilskis unanswered questions were the first reason he lost faith in my faith. Like many in the Pew survey, he seems to assume that if he doesnt know the answers, they dont exist. Since he doesnt understand some dimensions of the Christian faith, he has chosen to abandon it. Imagine applying this standard of intellectual comprehension to other areas of life. For instance, I hope Bilski doesnt limit his familys health care to the medical options he understands personally. Two: Hypocrisy in the church Bilski rejects the hypocrisy in the church and is troubled by its clergy abuse scandal. Hypocrisy in the church is indeed tragic, and a single clergy abuse victim is too many. We should hold ourselves to a higher standard than others in the culture and respond more quickly to failures in our midst. However, isnt rejecting the church because of the failings of some Christians akin to rejecting education because of the failures of some teachers or medical care because of the abuses of some doctors? Three: Restrictions on whom you were allowed to love Bilski is especially upset with the churchs restrictions on whom you were allowed to love. Since his father was gay (the subject of an earlier Washington Post article), his frustrations are understandable. Does he then believe that there should be no such restrictions? What about the number of people in a sexual relationship? Their age? Their biological relationship? What about other species? Four: Morality without God Bilski believes that he can pass along the morality he learned from his mother without attending her church. This is the we can be good without God claim. It is such a significant issue that Ill devote tomorrows article to it. For today, lets note that the source of the morality Bilski admires is not his mother but the words of the Bible she obeys but he discounts. A car without fuel wont run very far. He it is that bears much fruit Christians can be more like Jared Bilski than we may know. Its tempting to do life in our strength and even to serve God without depending on God. But human words cannot save human souls. We need to be yielded to the Spirit to be used fully by the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). He will then work through us to draw the Jared Bilskis we know to himself. Have you asked the Spirit to empower you yet today? Originally posted at denisonforum.org Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Mental health is both an urgent, and largely neglected, issue in our culture. 70% of teenagers say anxiety and depression, for example, are a major problem among people their age, according to Pew Research. But mental health is not just a concern for high-schoolers. One in four Americans of all ages has some sort of mental illness. And that number doesnt diminish even among clergy, as 23% of pastors admit to experiencing mental health issues, according to LifeWay Research. Yet the same study shows that 60% of pastors do not agree that medications should be used any time they can ease symptoms of acute mental illness. For many churches, mental illness still has a stigma attached to it. Christians who suffer from mental illness are often exhorted to overcome their mental illness with prayer and Bible reading, but are discouraged from taking medication or receiving professional counseling. Yet God can use all of the above to minister to those who struggle with mental illness. Jesus came, not only to save us from sin, but also to make us whole. Renown Bible teacher and speaker, Sheila Walsh, told The Christian Post that her struggle with depression has been used by God to bring her closer to Him. You feel as if youve been crushed. But in those times, thats when you can experience the presence of the Lord. Walsh also talked about how the church must wake up to the reality of mental illness, and not stigmatize it. So often, when people are already hurting and struggling, we shame them, we make them feel as if theres something wrong with them. We tell them theres a lack of faith or trust in God, we tell them to pull themselves together. But, its not a lack of faith; its a lack of chemicals in your brain to be able to function well. She continued, Ive had way too many conversations with spouses or parents whose child committed suicide because they were told within their church they dont believe in medication. The stigma, however, has been changing over the past several years. Tim Sanford, clinical director at Focus on the Family, was optimistic when he told The Christian Post,Fortunately, there has been positive movement in recent years as the church is beginning to respond to mental health issues and recognize their legitimacy. However, Sanford also warned that there is still much work to be done: While many churches acknowledge mental illness as legitimate and are actively helping their parishioners with such issues, sadly, the belief (and subsequent responses) that anxiety or depression is sin or is a lack of faith on the individuals part is still too common in the body of Christ. As Christians, we rightly encourage one another with Bible verses like 2 Timothy 1:7: For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. And while Scriptures like these should give us great courage, they should not be used to accuse of sin or doubt our brothers and sisters who struggle with mental illnesses. Nor should they be seen as a simplistic explanation or solution to an incredibly complex problem. Mental illness affects the whole person. Often, Christians only focus on the spiritual implications of mental health. But while the spiritual side of mental health must be addressed, it is not the only thing that needs to be addressed. We must minister to the whole personspirit, body and mind. Our spirits are made healthier in community, prayer and the Word of God. Our bodies are made healthier when we get enough sleep, eat well, exercise and make other life changes that contribute to mental health. And our minds can be made healthier by, among other things, professional counseling and even medication when necessary. Jesus came, not only to save us from sin, but also to make us whole. He said, I came to give lifelife that is full and good, (John 10:10). The church must join Jesus mission, destigmatize mental illness and strive to bring holistic healing to those who desperately need it. Bishop of Bradford spearheading efforts to tackle radicalism The Bishop of Bradford is partnering with community and faith leaders in the city to address the roots of extremist views. Bishop Toby Howarth is to head up the Stronger Communities Partnership Board, which aims to promote social harmony in areas like education and employment. The board will also work to eradicate radicalisation and foster cohesion under the motto of "Get Along, Get Involved, Get On and Feel Safe". Part of its work includes creating opportunities for people from different backgrounds to engage with each other, with the aim of promoting mutual understanding and respect. The bishop, who starts his new role this month, told the Yorkshire Post that it was a "privilege" to be asked to chair the board. He commended Bradford city council for developing "an impressive programme of work" to foster community integration. "I'm really proud of Bradford for being able to encourage that work to happen, even when there are some voices saying you cannot touch that with a barge pole," he said. "That's not directly our work, what we're trying to do is chip away at some of the things around the edges that cause people to get into that." Steve Hartley, Bradford Council Strategic Director of Place, said: "We had some great applications for the role and it's fantastic that people with real skills and depth of experience want to freely give their time to lead this important partnership. "Bishop Toby has tremendous respect locally and nationally and will be a wonderful leader and facilitator as the Partnership looks to deliver its ambitious strategy." Fast food chain banned from airports over views on homosexuality and same-sex marriage Chick-fil-A has been banned for the second time from an airport concession project over the popular fast food chicken chain's support for groups that hold conservative views on homosexuality and same-sex marriage. A plan to open a new Chick-fil-A at Buffalo Niagara International Airport was canceled following an outcry from individuals including New York State Assemblyman Sean Ryan. The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority confirmed last Friday to local media that they had reversed course and that Chick-fil-A will not be part of the food court project any longer. "A publicly financed facility like the Buffalo Niagara International Airport is not the appropriate venue for a Chick-fil-A restaurant. I applaud the decision that has been made to remove Chick-fil-A from the plans for this project," stated Ryan last week, as reported by WGRZ. "We hope in the future the NFTA will make every effort to contract with businesses that adhere to anti-discriminatory policies, and we're confident another vendor who better represents the values of the Western New York community will replace Chick-fil-A as a part of this project in the very near future." In response to the news, the chicken sandwich company released a statement denouncing the "inaccurate narrative" being advanced about them. "We do not have a political or social agenda or discriminate against any group. More than 145,000 people from different backgrounds and beliefs represent the Chick-fil-A brand," stated Chick-fil-A, as reported by WGRZ. "We embrace all people, regardless of religion, race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity." NFTA's decision about the Buffalo airport came days after city council for San Antonio, Texas, voted 6-4 to remove Chick-fil-A from a project at their airport. As with the Buffalo airport, the key issue was Chick-fil-A's connections to conservative Christian nonprofits and CEO Dan Cathy's stated opposition to same-sex marriage. Both decisions came after the liberal website Think Progress published an article on March 20 arguing that Chick-fil-A was donating money to anti-LGBT groups. "Chick-fil-A has taken great pains to downplay its anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and giving, seven years into a national boycott by LGBTQ and allied diners," stated Think Progress. "But contrary to the company's latest claims that it has no political or social agenda, newly released tax filings show that, in 2017, the Chick-fil-A Foundation gave more than $1.8 million to a trio of groups with a record of anti-LGBTQ discrimination." Chick-fil-A released a statement the following day rejecting the claim, pointing out that their donations to groups like the Salvation Army, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and others were for charitable purposes. "To suggest that our efforts in supporting these organizations was focused on suppressing a group of people is misleading and inaccurate," stated the company. "It is well-known that our Founder S. Truett Cathy used biblical principles to guide our business in its formative stages, and that we still uphold those same principles today." San Antonio Councilman Roberto Trevino celebrated the earlier vote in San Antonio as an example of the Texas city becoming "a champion of equality and inclusion." "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 Trevino, as reported by NBC News. For his part, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has stated that he is investigating whether the San Antonio decision constituted discrimination and a violation of the First Amendment. "The Constitution's protection of religious liberty is somehow even better than Chick-fil-A's chicken. Unfortunately, I have serious concerns that both are under assault at the San Antonio airport," wrote Paxton in an official letter to San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg. "I have directed my office to open an investigation into whether the City's action violates state law. I trust the City will fully cooperate with my investigation into this matter, and will abide by relevant federal and state laws in the future." Courtesy of The Christian Post Home Office needs to be sensitive to 'real threat' of persecution for Christian converts, says legal group The Home Office is being urged to improve its religious literacy following outrage over its handling of an Iranian Christian convert's request for asylum. Writing in The Times, Laurence Wilkinson, of the Alliance Defending Freedom International, said it "beggars belief" that the Home Office used points of theology to reject an asylum seeker's application. The letter also "raises questions about the culture in the Home Office", which he said was lacking sensitivity towards Christians at risk of suffering persecution for their faith in their home countries. "Not wanting to dive into a deep theological debate, the real shocker is that the Home Office official was using 'theological' points to deny a person asylum," he said. "While the Home Office did agree to revisit the application, and the home secretary has confirmed an urgent investigation, quite how an official letter could be sent out like this in the first place beggars belief." He added: "Hopefully this unfortunate chapter can lead to some increased religious literacy on the part of the Home Office, who should be sensitive to the real threat that many face for simply wanting to live in accordance with their religious beliefs." Responding to questions about the scandal in the Commons this week, Home Secretary Sajid Javid insisted the letter was "not in accordance with" Home Office policies. "I found the letter totally unacceptable," he said. "It is not in accordance with policies at the Home Office in any way. I have ordered an urgent investigation and not ruled out any further action." The letter went viral after extracts were shared to Twitter by the asylum seeker's caseworker Nathan Stevens. In it, a Home Official quoted from parts of the Bible, including Matthew and Revelation to refute the asylum seeker's claim that Christianity was a peaceful religion. After citing from the Bible, the official said: "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." President Donald Trump hasn't yet closed the border, but his administration's response to the wave of Central American migrants could cost consumers. Still worse, it may mean auto plants in the U.S. could face disruptions. McCord Development has teamed up with the University of Miami School of Architecture to develop plans for a Health & Wellness District in Generation Park in northeast Houston. The Houston-based developer aims to create a pedestrian-friendly, urban environment centered around community, connectivity and quality of life in the 200-acre medical district, a future component of the 4,000-acre master-planned development along Beltway 8 near West Lake Houston Parkway. The students, who visited the site in February, will present their visions for the district to the McCord team in May. Top ideas will be shared by McCord on its website and social media. RELATED: Generation Park developer looks back as he plans for future "The students love McCord's vision of how to provide a better quality of life through design," Joanna Lombard, one of the course instructors, said in an announcement. "This opportunity gives students a chance to think critically, unleash their creativity and take a practical approach on a proposal for a new medical district that could truly impact the city of Houston." The spring semester coursework, part of the college's Master of Urban Design and Master in Real Estate Development programs, is designed to give students the opportunity to develop and apply sustainable urban and architectural principals to real-world scenarios. Participants include students from various masters programs, including Architecture & Urban Planning, Real Estate Development, Law and Medicine. RELATED: Parking garages drive public art projects in Houston McCord's Gonzolo Echeverria came up with the idea for the partnership. The University of Miami School of Architecture graduate serves as director of design and planning for McCord. "We are always excited to get new ideas and perspectives from around the world," Ryan McCord, president of the firm, said. "Our development team at Generation Park is here every day, so it's helpful to bring people in to look at something in a different light. We are always looking for creative solutions for the issues of today and tomorrow." Colorados legislature passed a sweeping overhaul of the states oil and natural gas laws, giving local governments more power to regulate drilling in one of the nations top crude-producing regions. The bill, which passed the state Senate by just three votes amid intense industry opposition, now heads to the desk of Democratic Governor Jared Polis, a longstanding proponent of tightening public health and safety standards around oil and gas development who helped develop the reforms. The law passed Wednesday comes as Colorado pumps record volumes of crude, primarily from the Denver-Julesburg basin situated on the outskirts of Denver. Under the measure, explorers such as Anadarko Petroleum Corp. and Noble Energy Inc. could face new levels of oversight from local governments, which would be able to regulate the siting of surface infrastructure and impose other rules around drilling. The legislation also shifts the focus of the states energy regulator from fostering oil and gas development to protecting public health, safety and the environment. The shale boom has vaulted Colorado to the nations no. 5 oil producer, ahead of both Alaska and California in crude output. Drillers pumped 513,000 barrels a day in December, a record high. But proximity of oil and gas development to Denvers suburbs has raised concerns about health and safety, especially after an Anadarko gas line explosion in 2017 killed two people and leveled a home. Pure-play drillers focused on the Denver-Julesburg basin have the most to lose under the reforms. Independent explorers such as Extraction Oil and Gas Inc., PDC Energy Inc. and SRC Energy Inc. control significant acreage in the suburbs around Denver and Boulder, where development has been repeatedly challenged by local communities. Those areas would have more power to curb drilling once the new measure becomes law. New state-wide environmental and health standards would affect all producers including Anadarko and Noble, which together control about 750,000 acres, and BP Plc, which controls 275,000 acres in Colorados San Juan basin and last year moved its U.S. onshore headquarters to Denver. What Bloomberg Intelligence says Greater local control over regulating oil and gas operations, including the citing of drilling locations, would likely put some acreage out of reach for companies such as PDC and SRC Energy, particularly closer to more urban areas. -- James Blatchford and Brandon Barnes, energy policy analystsClick here to view the research The legislation follows a failed 2018 ballot initiative to curb development via a half-mile setback, or buffer zone, between homes and oil infrastructure. That measure, which 57 percent of voters rejected, would have limited drilling in more than half the state. Oil and gas companies raised more than $41 million to defeat the proposal. While the latest reform effort isnt as sweeping in scope as the ballot measure, it would allow for local governments to impose their own setbacks, which could all but eliminate development in some areas. Still, the law could alleviate some public concern around development, according to Washington-based Height Securities. It "would restore investor certainty by stabilizing the volatile politics in Not In My Backyard communities along the Front Range," analysts at Height said in a note last week. "By addressing local issues related to health, safety, and nuisance, Colorado officials can ease the tension between industry and residents." A Barcelona bridal shop and a handmade cosmetics store are some of the new-to-Houston retailers coming to the Galleria mall. Owner Simon Property Group announced it recently signed three tenants: Scotch & Soda, Pronovias and Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics. The shops are expected to open later this year. RELATED: More retail tenants announced at the Galleria Scotch & Soda is an Amsterdam brand selling men's, women's and children's apparel. The 1,464-square-foot shop, located on the first floor near the Galleria Financial Center, is expected to open this spring. Pronovias is a Barcelona bridal shop specializing in lace, embroidery and high-end silk dresses worn by brides in more than 72 countries, as well as cocktail and party dresses. The 2,845-square-foot shop, located near Saks Fifth Avenue, is Pronovias' first Texas store and is expected to open this summer. Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics offers luxury skincare, hair and bath products hand-made from organic fruit and vegetables and essential oils. The 1,719-square-foot shop, located near the Galleria Financial Center, is expected to open this fall. RELATED: Samsung Experience store opens in the Galleria mall The Galleria recently welcomed Paige, a California women's and men's fashion shop, which occupies 2,716 square feet near Saks Fifth Avenue. Samsung also recently opened its Experience Store, selling Samsung gadgets and phones, in a 5,097-square-foot space near the Galleria Financial Center. The Galleria is one of the largest shopping malls in the U.S., and the largest in Texas. The 2.4 million-square-foot mall features 400 retailers and restaurants, two high-rise hotels and three office towers. More than 30 million customers visit the Galleria each year. Wearing a tactical green plate carrier and a stern look, Fox News contributor Lawrence Jones looked more ready for eastern Syria than the southern U.S. border. Jones appeared on Sean Hannity's Wednesday show to discuss the border in "crisis," using the stark terms of border officials and President Donald Trump, who has driven home violent imagery on the borderlands to justify moving billions from defense spending to construct a wall. To a viewer, it was not clear from the segment if Jones faced any threat of violence as he spoke under bright television lights in an area apparently secured by border agents. In other moments of the segment, Jones and his border agent escort wore no vests as they stood on the banks of the Rio Grande. Responding to criticism later on Twitter that he overplayed the actual threat, Jones said border officials "instructed" him to wear it for a ride-along. Jones posted a photo of himself wearing the same vest before another segment on Thursday. When commentator Roland Martin criticized it, Jones tweeted: "Did I say it was a war zone or did you ignorantly assume that because I was wearing a vest?" Other people who have done similar segments called out Jones. "This is totally ridiculous. I have never once worn a bulletproof vest at the border, nor has CBP ever asked me to - even while on a chase with Border Patrol to apprehend migrants in remote Arizona desert in the middle of the night," said Jacob Soboroff, an MSNBC correspondent. "Because. The. Border. Is. Not. A. War. Zone." Images matter when they convey an idea to an audience of millions, on a network the president's surrogates have used as a platform to argue for stricter immigration policies and the wall. And Trump has portrayed the border as a frontier marked by unrelenting violence, while more often the opposite is true. Jones wore what appears to be a carrier vest used to house a ballistic armor plate to protect vital organs. There does not appear to be a plate inserted, and it is possible the inside has soft armor typically rated for smaller, handgun-type ammunition. A Customs and Border Protection patch or bade is affixed alongside empty pouches, and it is possible the vest was provided to help border agents identify Jones as a vetted reporter. It's not clear if that was a safety regulation or what kind of safety a plate carrier with minimal ballistic protection but no helmet is meant to provide. Jones appeared in other segments in dress shirts. The plate carrier would take less than half a minute to put on. A Fox News spokeswoman declined to comment on the segment. Jones was dispatched to Laredo, Texas, a border town that has seen falling violence in the past decade and that, in 2016, had a lower violent crime rate than the state average, the Laredo Morning Times reported, citing FBI data. In fact, crime rates in U.S. border counties are lower than the average for similarly sized inland counties, with one exception out of 23 total, according to the Mexico Institute at the Wilson Center, a Washington think tank. Laredo's Webb County, from where Jones filed his report, is safer than 80 percent of comparable counties nationwide, the institute said, using FBI crime statistics. "There is no doubt, the U.S. side (of the border) is a very safe place," Christopher Wilson, deputy director of the institute, told The Washington Post last year. There are a few general conclusions as to why this is the case. There is a substantial federal law enforcement presence in towns and along highways in the border counties, as the flashing border agent vehicle lights in Jones's segment indicates. There are some exceptions. Ranchers in southern Arizona have encountered drug traffickers on their property, though traffickers are more likely to settle problems with violence in Mexico, where police and the rule of law are barriers they can more easily overcome. But on Wednesday's show, the segment ended with some artfully created tension of "breaking news," Jones said, as he was about to describe a common occurrence. "We just got word from the agents that are with us, keeping us safe: There is an attempt to cross the border right now," Jones said. Celine Dion is leaving Las Vegas. And coming to Houston. She returns to the road as part of her Courage World Tour, which includes a Feb. 1 date at Toyota Center. (That's next year, folks.) Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. April 12. Dion announced the tour and a new album during a Facebook Live Wednesday from Los Angeles. She answered audience questions and performed "I'm Alive," "My Heart Will Go On" and "Ashes." This is Dion's first tour in ten years and will visit more than 50 cities. She was last here in 2009 at Toyota Center. ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: Guitarist working to rediscover Houstons Chicano music past The "Courage" album is also due this year. It's her first English-language effort since 2013's "Loved Me Back to Life." Dion has sold almost 250 million albums across more than three decades. STAY IN THE KNOW: Get caught up on what's going on around Houston. From sports to news and entertainment, check out the newsletters we're offering. The 4th annual Black Restaurant Weeks kicks off April 14 through the 28th. The two-week-long food attraction is meant to "stimulate growth of African American owned culinary businesses and farms across the United States" as well as to highlights the inequalities some minorities face in the food and drink industry. It also aims to expose larger audiences to African-American, African, and Caribbean fare. HoustonChronicle.com: Restaurant Indigo serves up neo-soul food with a side of history This year there will be a competitive element: Participants who complete a row on their Black Restaurant Week Bingo card will be eligible to wine prizes, including gift cards and tickets to Houston Reggae Fest. Find it at houbrw.com. These are the HBR highlights you should schedule out now: MORE RESTAURANT NEWS: These popular neighborhood restaurants have closed Tuesday, April 16; 6 to 8 p.m. The Aroma Culinary Panel Discussion will feature tips on raising capital, as well as strategies for successful business operations and distributing culinary products to stores. Tickets, $10 per person: houbrw.com/event/aroma-2019. Thursday, April 19; 7 to 10 p.m. The Art of Flavor: Pop-Up Dinner 2019 will offer a cocktail hour, live music and a four-course meal with wine pairings. Tickets, $100: houbrw.com/event/art-of-flavor-pop-up-dinner-2019. Wednesday, April 24; 6 to 10 p.m. Culinary showcase NOSH welcomes attendees with live music, unlimited food samples from black-owned Houston restaurants and caterers, live-cooking demonstrations, a bartender competition and a People's Choice Award contest. Tickets range from $45 to $350: houbrw.com/event/nosh-culinary-showcase-2019. NEW DIGS: Southern Q BBQ opens on West Richey Saturday, April 27; 2 to 8 p.m. Houston's third-annual black-owned food truck festival kicks off at 2 p.m. Entitled Soundbites Food Truck Fest: Houston 2019, this event will feature live music, various food trucks and stands, as well as a vendor marketplace. Houston's most popular DJs will be around the Peggy Park campus. Tickets, $7 $10; kids under 10 are free: houbrw.com/event/soundbites-food-truck-fest-2019. 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. Here's the latest in Houston's bar and restaurant closings. Spring Branch's W Grill Margaritas To-Go, 8303 Long Point, closed in late March. The announcement came via social media, where the owners wrote: "With heavy heart, we have decided to close our doors permanently... Decisions such as these are not easy to make; especially when a community such as Spring Branch is continuously growing and redeveloping itself for the better.." Not to worry: You can still find your efficient margaritas at the original W Grill Margaritas To-Go location, 4825 Washtington Ave. The Heights' Balls Out Burger, 1603 North Durham, closed just a few months shy of its two-year anniversary, according to CultureMap Houston. Founder Ian Tucker also owns Poitin, a Sawyer Yards bar and restaurant. HoustonChronicle.com: Poitin in Sawyer Yards reviewed "Obviously I'm disappointed that Balls Out Burger's brick and mortar home did not work out the way we had hoped," Tucker told CultureMap. "I can only theorize as to why we didn't draw the kind of consistent crowds needed for long-term survival, including the fact that we were a bit of a pioneer in that particular section of the Heights." This shutter comes on the heels of a previously announced Heights closing: Presidio, which will not be re-opening after a fire shut it down last fall. Roughly two years after its Shepherd outpost shuttered, Mascalzone at 12126 Westheimer closed. Italian boxer and London resident Andrea Magi originally launched this concept in the UK before opening locations in Houston. The signature dish of the restaurant, which operated for five years, is a pizza-calzone hybrid. See which restaurants closed this year and in 2018 in the photos above. 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. Construction has started on a 46-story luxury residential tower at the corner of Preston and Milam streets, developer Hines announced Thursday. Hines' investment partner on the project is Cresset-Diversified QOZ Fund, a fund launched by Cresset Partners and Diversified Real Estate Capital last year to invest in opportunity zones, of which downtown Houston is one. Opportunity zones were created by the federal government in 2017 as an economic development tool meant to improve economically-distressed communities. In such areas, new investments may be eligible for preferential tax treatment. LOOPED IN: From urban renewal to suburban sprawl, a podcast all about Houston real estate The new Hines building, called The Preston, will have 373 rental units and stand taller than any other downtown residential tower. "We are excited to kick off construction on our most impressive residential community to date," Kevin Batchelor, Hines senior managing director, said in a statement. "With its world-class architecture, balance of amenities and services, and irreplaceable location in downtown's new urban core, The Preston will set a new standard for high-rise living in Houston." Munoz + Albin designed the building, which will be positioned diagonally on the site. Located near Market Square, the building will be within walking distance to dozens of bars and restaurants, theater venues and office towers. More than 50,000 square feet of retail space is currently under way within one block of the project site, Hines said. RELATED: Life Time fitness chain to open in downtown's GreenStreet Mayfield and Ragni Studio, TBG and Harvey Builders are also involved in the design and construction of the building. Jones Lang LaSalle provided construction financing and equity. The Preston is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2022 with leasing to start in October 2021. It will be kitty-corner to Hines' 1 million-square-foot office tower under construction at 800 Texas Ave., the site of the former Houston Chronicle office building. Deer Park Mayor Jerry Mouton says things are not the same in his city. It wont go back to the way it was, he said at Deer Parks first city council meeting after the recent Intercontinental Terminals Co. chemical fire and resulting release of crude oil and the hazardous chemical benzene led to shelters-in-place and the temporary shutdown of schools, businesses, a revered historical site and part of the Houston Ship Channel. There will be a new norm. Its too soon, Mouton said, to determine the economic impact. City Councilwoman Sherry Garrison also thinks it is too soon to know the full impact of the disaster. But she recently got a reminder of the widespread publicity caused by the fires. As she checked in for her flight at a Houston airport, an airport employee took her information and recognized Deer Park as Garrisons home city and expressed concern. ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: Deer Park fire a 'blemish' for the petrochemical industry's image I thought, Wow, is that our place on the map now? Garrision said. It made me realize how scary (it must have seemed) for other people as well as for us who live out here. A tradition of perseverance Does she worry that the fires and the black smoke that hovered for days over the area will define Deer Park? No, we are the Birthplace of Texas, and Im not going to let that happen, said Garrison, who is a member of the citys historical society, which touts the areas role in Texas gaining independence from Mexico in 1836. Mouton said the post-event response will need to include extensive evaluations on how to move forward and not allow similar incidents to happen again. Every time you witness these kinds of things, you learn from your mistakes, or you are supposed to; so there should be some level of identifying what went wrong and if it is something that needs to be rectified or fixed or improved, he said. ITC AFTERMATH: Fire forces cancellation of San Jacinto Day Festival Last year, residents celebrated Deer Parks history of hardships and triumphs by marking 125th anniversary of the community, founded by Illinois political leader Simeon Henry West with northern settlers. Disasters came early a freak 22-inch snowstorm struck in 1895, hoof-and-mouth disease killed most of the residents livestock and the Galveston storm of 1900 destroyed homes, crops and livestock and convinced some to move back north. By 1922, Deer Park had dwindled to four houses, a schoolhouse, an old hotel, and scattered shacks by the railroad, according to an entry on the citys website. But the community rebounded when Shell Oil Co., which later became Shell Deer Park, broke ground for a refinery in 1928. The company became closely associated with the community. More refineries came, and that industrial development would become intertwined with the communitys economic and residential development. A school district was established and Deer Park incorporated as a city in 1948. Mouton is originally from Louisiana and grew up in Deer Park; so hes lived around industry most of his life and had family members who worked in plants, like many residents in the region. He has also ridden motorcycles for most of his life and drives his car every day, conscious of the inherent dangers. People naturally develop a sense of complacency, he said, and it takes an event like the ITC disaster to shake them out of it. My family and community At one point in the aftermath of the fires, Mouton found himself at a meeting at a Houston TranStar location and came up to a large photo of the 1989 Phillips explosion in Pasadena, which killed 23 workers and injured 314. COUNTY LAWSUIT: Harris County sues ITC over Deer Park fire When I walked up to this photo, I was like Wow, because I had all but forgotten about it, he said. You do kind of forget sometimes, and I think there will be a season where we get past this and we may have a hard time remembering. The economic base provided by the petrochemical industry is a fact of life in the region, he said. My own way of balancing it out is that in every scenario of life, there are benefits and risks, and somehow we compartmentalize it in some kind of odd way, knowing that every day some things are just not going to work out the way theyre supposed to, he said. You cant ignore the economic impacts of the benefits (of industry) and why so many people move into this region. The bottom line, said Mouton, is that those symbiotic roots cant be reversed. We chose to live here, we choose to live here, he said. You cant make any analogies of people being concerned without me saying, Wait, I live here, too, Im concerned. And its why I took an aggressive lead in working closely with incident command (during the ITC disaster) to make sure it was safe for my family and my community. It wasnt preplanned, but I felt it was an important thing for me to do. ITC faces several lawsuits filed by Harris County, the state and residents, and environmental agencies continue to monitor air and water quality in the area. ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: Deer Park plant on fire at Intercontinental Terminals Co has history of environmental violations As normal activities in the city resumed, some lingering effects of the ITC disaster remained. The 1,200-acre San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site, located in the center of the industrial complex corridor, was closed starting March 17 because of the fire and its officials broke tradition by canceling the annual San Jacinto Day Festival. Because of the ongoing efforts of the cleanup and remediation of the pollution in the waterways and grasslands in and around the San Jacinto Site and continuing uncertainties, San Jacinto Museum of History president Larry Spasic said in a statement, we feel is is better to act proactively than reactively to these circumstances. Mouton had a personal reaction to the news of the April 3 fire in Crosby in a way that it might have been different if the ITC disaster had not occured. It was very personal, and hit closer than I would have imagined, he said. When I found out someone unfortunately lost their life, it puts it into (perspective). I was appreciative that no one got hurt in the ITC fires. I dont think Ill ever look at an event like this the same after going through the last two or three weeks. If there are lessons we can learn from this, Im going to make sure we do, and we will get through this. yorozco@hcnonline.com Next weekend, students at The Woodlands High School are banding together for a common cause at the Sound by the Shore music festival scheduled for April 14 at Rob Fleming Park from 2 to 7 p.m. Theyre not the first to do so, though. When some of Terri Whitemans students at The Woodlands High School approached her in 2015 about putting on a music festival, she wasnt sure if it would work. Their vision of what it could be was bigger than I ever thought, but they said itll work, Whiteman said. They put it all together in about two months, and it was unbelievable. It was the coolest thing Ive ever seen kids do. Her students persistence birthed the first Sound by the Shore, an event not just about music but also about raising money for the daughter of one of The Woodland High School teachers who had a paralyzing disease. They ended up raising $5,000 for that student to receive a special treatment that allowed her to walk again instead of using a wheelchair. The year after, the students came back to Whiteman to do it all over again this time to raise money for Yes to Youth Montgomery County Youth Services. That was the year we had a really tough school year. We lost three kids and one teacher to suicide, Whiteman said. Again, the students organized the festival and raised almost $9,000 for the nonprofit that provides free youth crisis counseling and youth shelter programs. Related: Montgomery County suicide prevention forum set for May 16 This year, a group of juniors and seniors at the campus expressed a desire to bring the festival back and theyve already been impacted by the planning aspect of the festival. For student Tag Kamykowski, whos part of the leadership team, this is an opportunity to make a difference in his community. We feel like mental issues have been increasing in the past few years, especially in youth because of how much pressure is put on kids and teenagers. Its a huge problem, and we want to help fix it, Kamykowski said. Ana Maria Rodriguez, a student also on the leadership team, said its important that they can do this as students. As high-schoolers, its hard to make a difference in the communitybut with Sound by the Shore its kids being able to make a difference in their own communities. Were learning about the world around us and its scary, but we can help out, Rodriguez said. Theyre not doing it all on their own: the leadership team has reached out to each club at the school to get them involved as well. Various groups are organizing festival activities such as face-painting, games and petting zoos. Theyve also reached out to the business community to secure sponsorships. Another student on the leadership team, Annie Bremer, said shes amazed at how professional everything has turned out. Its really impressive to see how everything is going, and how just a little idea can turn into a huge event to help other people, Bremer said. Whiteman shared that the many different facets and pockets of students involved is what gives her what she called chillbumps. Our school is huge, so we rarely get to see everyone connecting. When you look at the whole picture, I feel so privileged because I get to meet these wonderful people who are going to be in charge of our world in a couple of years, Whiteman said. As far as the music goes, there are 10 bands lined up to play throughout the day. The Haps, a student band led by Peter McPoland, is headlining the festival. McPoland is directing the music side of the event. So many people have artistic talents, and they want to be able to use them, and this gives every single person an opportunity to do what they want to do, McPoland said. The team doesnt have an exact fundraising goal; they just want to be able to raise as much money possible to help out their peers who utilize the services at Yes to Youth. At the nonprofit, Marketing and Communications manager Katie Shroff said its an amazing opportunity for both her group and the students. We are a youth organization that helps students their age, so having them come and take a stand and help us help their peers is an amazing thing to happen in our community, and its a great thing to stand behind, Shroff said. Tickets for the event are $5 and can be purchased the day of the festival. jane.stueckemann@chron.com ALBANY New York lawmakers are moving forward with plans to conduct a hearing addressing limousine safety following the inclusion of new regulations in the recently enacted state budget. State Sen. Tim Kennedy, a Buffalo Democrat who chairs the chamber's transportation committee, is taking steps to convene the hearing in the Capital Region, according to his office. Concerns about limousine safety emerged following the October crash of a stretch limousine in Schoharie that killed 20 people. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo unveiled new precautions in his state budget, including a ban on stretch limousines that was subsequently dropped from the final budget deal. State lawmakers did sign off on a new $85 state inspection fee, tougher penalties for illegal limo operators who circumvent state oversight, and broad powers to remove license plates from stretch limousines that fail inspections or do not have state certification to operate. Kennedy's spokesman, Adam Fogel, said the families of the victims of the Schoharie crash and industry interests "would like to see more conversation" on limousine safety. "They understand there were some elements included in the budget, and we're committed to doing more," Fogel said. The budget resolution approved in March by Senate Democrats initially rejected the governor's safety proposals, saying they should first be discussed in a "hearing to incorporate stakeholders' input to ensure that passenger motor carrier safety is properly regulated while enabling the industry to function." Upstate limousine operators are wary of the new $85 fee tied to semi-annual state inspections, and warn about the potential for insurance carriers to increase premiums out of fear they will run afoul of the new regulations. Fogel added that the hearing will also touch on Cuomo's proposal requiring adults to wear seatbelts in the rear of cars. The language advanced by the governor was removed from the final budget agreement, but Kennedy backs the requirement. A time and location has not been set for the future hearing. David.Lombardo@timesunion.com - 518.454.5427 - @poozer87 UPDATE: The FBI has confirmed the missing boy found in Northern Kentucky is not Timmothy Pitzen. Click below for updated story. In 2011, 6-year-old Timmothy Pitzens mother picked him up at school in Illinois, took him to the zoo and a water park, and then killed herself at a hotel, leaving a note in which she said her son was fine but that no one would ever find him. On Wednesday, a 14-year-old boy came forward to tell authorities he is Timmothy. The boy claimed he escaped from two kidnappers in the Cincinnati area and then fled across a bridge into Kentucky. A woman who did not want to be identified told WLWT that the teen came up to her and begged for help. "He walked up to my car, and he went, 'Can you help me? I just want to get home. Can you just please help me?'" said the woman. "I asked him what was going on, and he told me he'd been kidnapped and he's been traded through all these people. He just wanted to go home. He needed help." She said the boy begged her to call 911. "Really felt bad for him. His face looked like he'd been beat up or something. He had a really big bruise on his face. I just was really, I was hurt for him," the woman said. Authorities from Timmothys hometown of Aurora, Illinois, are now checking out the teenagers story. Weve probably had thousands of tips of him popping up in different areas, Aurora police Sgt. Bill Rowley said. We have no idea what were driving down there for. It could be Pitzen. It could be a hoax. Timmothy Pitzens grandmother, Alana Anderson, told WISN-TV Wednesday that authorities have told the family very little. We just know a 14-year-old boy was found and went to the police, Anderson said. We dont want to get our hopes up and our familys hopes up until we know something. We just dont want to get our hopes up. Weve had false reports and false hopes before. She said she is still "cautiously hopeful." Anderson said she would want to tell her grandson, "We never stopped looking for him, thinking about him and that we love him, and we'll do everything to get him back to a good life." Police in the Cincinnati suburb of Sharonville wrote in a short incident report that the boy described his kidnappers as white men with body builder-type physiques. They were in a Ford SUV with Wisconsin license plates and had been staying at a Red Roof Inn. Sharonville police said on the departments Facebook page that the information about the boys reported escape was received by police in Campbell County, Kentucky. The FBI said in a statement Wednesday afternoon that its offices in Cincinnati and in Louisville, Kentucky, were working on a missing child investigation with Aurora police and police departments in Cincinnati and Newport, Kentucky, and the Hamilton County Sheriffs Office in Ohio. The FBI offered no other details. The body of 43-year-old Amy Fry-Pitzen was found on May 15, 2011. Her wrists were slit. Police believe she killed herself at a hotel in Rockford, Illinois, after taking Timmothy to the zoo and a Wisconsin water park. A note she left said that said her son was with people who love him. "You'll never find him," the note said. Police investigating her death said she took steps that suggest she might have dropped her son off with a friend. At the time, police searched for Timmothy in Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa. "I have one image. It's the day I dropped him off at school and he's off -- running off to class -- and that's pretty much the last image I have in my mind of him," Timmothy's father, Jim Pitzen, told CNN in 2015. The day before his mother killed herself, she made several calls from an unknown location to family members, including one to her mother. She assured them that Timmothy was safe. Over the years, family members have said that the mother had a history of depression, and her marriage was failing. Her biggest fear was that a judge would take her son away because of her mental health issues, according to relatives. Security video footage from their stops showed a relaxed and beaming mother and son on what appeared to be a fun-filled adventure. Religious freedom is not only that about private beliefs or worship, but " is the freedom to live, both privately and publicly, according to the ethical principles that derive from religious principles". With the arrival of "new human rights", fundamental rights such as the right to life are denied, "especially in public". Vatican City (AsiaNews) Vatican Secretary of State Card Pietro Parolin yesterday spoke to a symposium titled Stand Together to Defend International Religious Freedom organised by the US Embassy to the Holy See in Rome. During his address, he warned that in the name of tolerance "we end up persecuting those who defend their faith" and in asserting "new human rights", fundamental rights such as religious freedom and the right to life are denied, "especially in public", in relation to the institution of marriage or the inviolable right to all human life. The right to freedom of religion, he notes, is violated by the intolerance of those who "view as inferior or second class all religions other than their own". For the prelate, religious freedom "is not only the right to private beliefs or worship" but "is the freedom to live, both privately and publicly, according to the ethical principles that derive from religious principles". This "is a great challenge in the globalised world, where weak convictions also lower the general level of ethics, and in the name of a false concept of tolerance, we end up persecuting those who defend their faith". Of course, "religious freedom certainly means the right to worship God, individually and in community, as our consciences demand". But "our different religious traditions serve society above all through the message they proclaim" and "remind us of the transcendent dimension of human existence and our irreducible freedom in the face of any claim to absolute power". The topic of the second panel was even more sensitive, because for Cardinal Parolin, "international cooperation means not only to be together but to work together at all levels to defend and further religious freedom". For the secretary of state, "if there were no serious and dedicated attempt to work together to face and overcome the root causes" of religious persecution, "raising awareness of the brutal reality" of this problem in the world "would be useless". Religious freedom violations are "an aggressive attack that affects the very core of the exercise of fundamental human rights", which are necessary for the development of the human person and society, "and for peaceful coexistence among nations". Unfortunately, despite many efforts, violations continue, "often with impunity and sometimes with little, if any, media attention." Through the quick means now available with digital media, those who work in the media and social communications sector must bring to light" the threats to the common good of the human family, like the "serious violations of religious freedom". Ultimately, religious freedom, notes Cardinal Parolin, is not "something granted externally" to the person, even by the State," but rather is a gift from God, indeed a gift rooted in the transcendent dimension of human nature." Civil authorities "have the obligation to protect and defend religious freedom", not because they are "its source but because they are its custodian". The city has sent pink slips to 68 Houston Fire Department cadets, the first documented layoffs resulting from Mayor Sylvester Turners plan to implement Proposition B. The trainees will remain employed through June 7, according to a copy of the layoff notice sent to cadets. The City of Houston has experienced a sizeable budget shortfall due to the implementation of Prop B, the layoff notices read, referring to the charter admendent passed by voters last November. The measure requires the city to pay firefighters the same as police of corresponding rank and experience. Voters approved Prop B by a wide margin. The cadets firefighting careers had been in limbo after Turner declined to promote them following their graduation from training earlier this year. Turner had said he would not promote the cadets while the city was under a hiring freeze he imposed last September in anticipation of the vote on the Proposition B. Despite the hiring freeze, he swore in more than 60 police cadets in early March, angering the fire union, whose leaders have accused him of being vindictive toward firefighters. Throughout the lead-up to the election, Turner had warned that passage of the parity measure could mean the layoffs of hundreds of city employees including firefighters. Turner has said the measure would cost the city $100 million a year, though he recently has begun using the figure of $80 million. His plan for implementing the raises required under Prop B, unveiled last month in talks with city council members, calls for the layoff of up to 400 firefighters, including the cadets. It also calls for all city departments to cut their spending by 3 percent, which is expected to lead to the layoff of about 100 municipal workers. The layoff notice from Fire Chief Sam Pena also reads: I want to assure you that the elimination of your position was a business decision and does not reflect your work performance or the value we place on your service to the City. Turners office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In recent weeks, the mayor has said no layoffs would be needed if the raises required by Prop B could be phased in over four or five years. In a statement, fire union President Marty Lancton said the layoffs were preventable. He called on city council members to finally stand up to Turner and reject his slash-and-burn plan for HFD, predicting the mayor would soon lay off firefighters and close fire stations. Sylvester Turners layoff notices to taxpayer-funded, Houston-trained HFD cadets reflect the mayors ineptitude, egotism, and a new depth of his vindictiveness, Lancton said. jasper.scherer@chron.com twitter.com/jaspscherer Roach infestations were uncovered in four Houston restaurants last week during health inspections from March 25 to March 31, according to health reports. Three of those restaurants were forced to temporarily close because of the roaches, according to health reports. It's unclear whether the fourth restaurant, which faced the highest penalties out of all other restaurants last week, had to close. A Harris County civil court judges ambition for higher office unexpectedly forced him to resign after fewer than three months on the bench, thanks to an obscure provision in the state constitution. The Harris County attorneys office was notified in March that Judge Bill McLeod, a Democrat presiding over Harris County Court at Law No. 4, had filed a transfer of campaign treasurer appointment with the Texas Ethics Commission stating he was seeking the office of chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court. Unbeknownst to McLeod, this filing triggered Article 16, Section 65 of the Texas Constitution which considers such an announcement by anyone holding a county judicial post an automatic resignation. This is insane, McLeod said Wednesday. All of the judges are going, You did what? How? We didnt even know (the constitutional provision) existed. McLeod, who was elected in November, hopes that a different provision of the constitution will help rectify his mistake. Article 16, Section 17 states that a county Commissioners Court is not required to appoint a successor after a county officer resigns, and may allow the officeholder who resignedto remain in office as a holdover. If this happens, McLeod would have to run again in 2020 even though he was elected to a four-year term. IN COURT: Bond companies sue Harris County judges, sheriff over new bail rules Despite having been elected by a 10-point margin with over 640,000 votes, McLeod said he would accept a shortened term Its kind of, like, my punishment, he said if it allowed him to ulitmately keep his seat on the bench. McLeod said he had made no secret of his intention to eventually run for higher office after he accomplished his goals in Harris County. Already, McLeod eagerly touts his accomplishments in his first 90 days of office, which include clearing a backlogged docket of 1,400 cases. Its about potentially wanting to reach out to the rest of the state of Texas because if I could clean this (court) up within two years, that was my intention, McLeod said. In the meantime, according to the Harris County attorneys office, McLeod may sit on the bench and issue rulings until commissioners decide to grant him holdover status or appoint a a successor. All actions he has taken during that time period and up until Commissioners Court chooses to appoint a successor are valid; theres no doubt about that, said Robert Soard, the first assistant Harris County attorney. McLeod is not the first judicial officer to fall victim to this provision. In 2013, Irene Rios, then a Bexar County (San Antonio) court-at-law judge, told county commissioners she intended to run for chief justice of the 4th Court of Appeals, triggering her automatic resignation. Rios remained in her seat for four weeks after her announcement before tendering her letter of resignation, and she continued to make legal rulings during that time. A 1999 amendment to the Texas Supreme Court judicial code of conduct further affirms that judges can continue to hold judicial office while being a candidate for another judicial office. And while McLeod supporters acknowledge that the judicial code of conduct does not override the state constituion, they dont believe its grounds to overturn the will of the hundreds of thousands of Harris County residents who voted him into office. Every judicial position on the Harris County ballot in 2018 was won by a Democrat. We need judges like him who really want to make a difference and who take their job seriously, said Karen Taylor, a former attorney and McLeod supporter. These are not the judges we need to be getting rid of because they ran afoul of some gotcha statute that no one really understands. The decision on McLeods fate will be made by a Harris County Commissioners Court that has a Democratic majority for the first time in decades. Rodney Ellis, a Democratic commissioner, was noncommittal on McLeods future, stating: I firmly believe that any action taken by Commissioners Court on this matter must uphold the Texas Constitution above all else and that principle is what will ultimately guide my decision on Tuesday. Commissioner Adrian Garcia and a spokeswoman for County Judge Lina Hidalgo, the two other Democrats on the court, did not respond to requests for comment. RACIAL TONE: Chambers County commissioner apologizes for "speak English" criticism Republican Commissioner Steve Radack said he would not be receptive to appointing a holdover for a judicial post. If hes resigned then how can you justify having him as a holdover? Radack said. Thats certainly not the spirit of the law. McLeod said he has not spoken with any of the commissioners about his predicament. Thats not the will of the people, thats the will of three people on the county commissioners court, McLeod said. And they are my friends in the sense that theyre colleagues and Democrats, but that doesnt mean theyre gonna vote for me. nick.powell@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. Houston City Council for the second straight week delayed voting on contract documents Wednesday that homeowners must sign to participate in an assistance program for Hurricane Harvey victims. At issue is a provision in the contracts requiring participants to secure permission from the citys Housing and Community Development Department if they leave their residence for more than 90 straight days. Housing officials say the requirement exists in part to deter people from profiting off the recovery program by living elsewhere and renting out their rehabilitated or reconstructed homes. At-Large Councilwoman Amanda Edwards, however, contended the provision is overly burdensome and unreasonable. The city, she said, could choose a different mechanism to certify that people still live in their homes. She proposed an amendment Wednesday that would remove the requirement for people to obtain permission when leaving their homes for extended periods. People have worked their lives to own their homes, Edwards said. And so, to ask for permission to be able to leave for a three-month period, I think is excessive and unnecessary and insulting, in light of all that our residents have been through. The program, funded with federal housing grant money and administered by the Texas General Land Office, will reimburse homeowners for repair work and provide aid for rehabilitation and reconstruction managed by the city or homeowner. Aside from ensuring that people are not gaming the system, Housing Director Tom McCasland said the provision intends to prevent taxpayer-repaired homes from being damaged again if they sit vacant. He compared the requirement to similar clauses in mortgage or insurance contracts, in which rates rise dramatically if someone lives outside their home because vacant property is a sitting target for vandalism. It's ensuring that these homes, as they're repaired, are being used for their intended purposes, McCasland said. When the city invests this much money in a property, we want to make sure that someone is there, and that it's not being abandoned. Mayor Sylvester Turner pushed back on Edwards contention that the provision is unreasonable. Think about it, Turner said. You're getting $80,000 to repair your home, and then you're gone for three months. Why are you gone for three months? If you're sick, or for whatever reason, you just notify us. The mayor told reporters after the meeting he was confident council would approve the item at next weeks meeting, the third time it will be on the agenda. The agenda item and Edwards amendment ultimately were tagged by District J Councilman Mike Laster to allow council members more time to understand the contracts. The vote marks the last action city council must take to approve the recovery program. Council members are considering the programs loan agreements, promissory notes, deeds of trust and grant acknowledgment documents. The housing department has those documents in place for a few homeowners who are waiting for approval to sign, McCasland said. Under the program, families earning 80 percent or less of the area median income can receive up to $80,000 in reimbursement funds, though the total can go higher at the discretion of city officials. Households earning up to 120 percent of the area median about $90,000 for a family of four can receive up to $40,000 in reimbursement, while those earning more than 120 percent of the area median are capped at $20,000. Participants otherwise can receive up to $80,000 worth of rehab work, or $200,000 for a newly constructed home. The program lifts those caps if a home needs to be elevated or otherwise made more resilient for future floods. The housing department is not applying the 90-day provision to homes capped at $20,000, McCasland said, because far fewer tax dollars are being spent there than on other homes. On top of the 90-day requirement, McCasland said, the city performs an annual check-in to certify that a home still is the owners primary residence. Edwards said she thought that provided adequate enforcement. I dont know why this particular provision is something thats being held so tightly to, Edwards said. I dont understand that. Turner framed the requirement as a check and balance procedure that is not intended to be onerous, a point McCasland echoed. We're not looking to nail anyone, McCasland said. We're looking to make sure people remain in their homes. jasper.scherer@chron.com twitter.com/jaspscherer Google Maps A shootout in south Houston left two bystanders wounded, according to a tweet from Houston police. Their current condition is unknown. Police said the shooting erupted around 10:10 a.m. in the 3800 block of Faulkner. Michael Minasi, Staff Photographer / Houston Chronicle Along mostly partisan lines, the Texas Senate on Wednesday gave final approval to a controversial religious liberty bill that some civil rights groups warn could lead to discrimination against people who are gay. By a 19-12 vote, the Senate passed SB 17, which protects licensed professionals such as doctors, accountants, lawyers and counselors from disciplinary action from state boards when they act on their sincerely held religious beliefs in their places of business. by Shafique Khokhar The Centre for Social Justice and the Peoples Commission for Minorities Rights adopt a resolution demanding education without religious discrimination. In schools the ethics course should be an alternative to the one on the Koran, but the two are the same. Lahore (AsiaNews) For the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) in Lahore, Christian children have the right to study the Bible, Hindu children have the right to study the Bhagavat Gita and Buddhist children have the right to study the Vedas. Together with the Peoples Commission for Minorities Rights (PCMR), the CSJ held a conference on 29 March in which they adopted a resolution entitled Right to education without discrimination demanding the right of minorities to teach their own religion in schools, as guaranteed by Article 22 of the Pakistani Constitution. Currently, only Islam is taught in schools. The unanimous resolution is addressed to Pakistans federal and provincial governments. According to the two groups, Pakistans educational system is full of hate material against minorities. For this reason, they want all biased references to be removed from the curricula, that quotas be reserved for minorities in higher education institutions, that the study of religions be included in the curricula, and that minority students be guaranteed the right to enhance the knowledge of their faith. Pakistans constitution guarantees all students the right study the basics of their religion. However, most minority students are forced to study Islam. The law in fact provides only for the study of ethics as an alternative to the Quran; however, the former is basically a course on Islam, so students have no choice. According to the CSJ and the PCMR, religious courses based on minority faiths should be offered to minority students. Instead the current curriculum continues to violate the fundamental rights of minorities, even though they are citizens of the State. Religious education in the South Asian region is largely driven by political economic considerations and often has very little to do with promotion of principles of humanity, said Baela Raza Jamil, CEO of Idaara-e-Taleemo-Agahi. For CSJ executive director Peter Jacob, there is a need to develop sustainable action strategies aimed at creating a pluralistic, open-minded and tolerant society where members of different faith-based communities can co-exist and flourish in peace. by Fady Noun According to Maronite bishops, gathered yesterday with Patriarch Rai, Donald Trump's decision violates international law and also endangers Lebanon. Pressure for the return of Syrian refugees to their country, even without a political solution to the crisis. Caution for the cultivation of hashish for therapeutic purposes. Safeguarding Lebanese nature from pollution. Beirut (AsiaNews) - The Maronite Church has clearly condemned the March 27 decision of the US president, Donald Trump to support Israels claim to sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights. Yesterday the monthly meeting of the Assembly of Maronite bishops, under the chairmanship of Patriarch Bechara Rai, in the patriarchal see of Bkerke, ended with a statement that "this decision constitutes a violation of international law and paper of the United Nations, and the right of every people to recover their stripped and occupied territory ". This principle - the bishops add - also applies to the right of Lebanon to recover what is still occupied on its soil. Israel conquered much of the Syrian Golan Heights (1220 sq km) during the Six-Day War in 1967, and annexed it in 1981. But such annexation was never recognized by the international community. In his speech to the 30th Rally of the Arab League in Tunis, on April 2 last, the president of the republic Michel Aoun denounced the decision of Washington, stating that it threatened "the sovereignty of a brother country, and likewise that of the Lebanese state ". Syrian refugees In light of the recent visit by the head of state to Russia, and the statement released at the end of his meeting with President Vladimir Putin, the Assembly of Bishops once again affirmed that "the resolution of the Syrian refugee crisis in a compliant sense to the constitution is a superior interest of Lebanon . "We hope there will be a local and international political consensus to preserve the human dignity of Syrian refugees, which implies their right to find their land and their homeland, without this return being tied to a political resolution in Syria." Lebanon hosts more than one million Syrian refugees and the question of their return creates controversy on the Lebanese political scene. Some leaders push to organize the return of these refugees to Syria, estimating that the country, almost completely regained by the regime's forces, is now "safe". Others are more inclined to agree with the international community and demand a political regulation of the conflict before ensuring the refugees return. The legalization of hashish Internally, the Assembly of Maronite bishops has warned against any law that legalizes the cultivation of hashish for therapeutic purposes, which would be taken too quickly, "before competent bodies are able to over-view this culture, apply the law and suppress violations . "It would be excessively unpleasant - the statement says - that for considerations of gain ... we destroy our society, in particular our young people". In the name of "transparency", the Assembly then warned against a fight against corruption that would be selective, and would hit "the small targets", sparing the others. Finally, it called for "an exhaustive plan to safeguard Lebanese natural heritage and its threatened resources", citing the danger of a degradation of the environment that would make "the country unlivable" and classify it in the number of the most polluted countries on the planet. "Environmental security - the Assembly said - is an integral part of national security". 28372 John Cappiello, CTO The emergence of various data protection laws like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) has compelled healthcare companies to reconsider their data management and consumer data and consent permissions. Though the search for the right data management solution seems arduous, it ends at HealthVerity. Uniquely positioned as a leader in data preserving-privacy management, HealthVeritys platform allows healthcare companies to make critical decisions by enabling them to rapidly create, exchange, and manage healthcare and consumer data in a fully-interoperable, privacy-protecting manner. HealthVerity has not only simplified data management but also won the trust of investors. In the latest development, HealthVerity has bagged $25 million in series C funding to support continued growth and investment in its technology platform and go-to-market activities. Existing investor Foresite Capital leads the investment with participation from Flare Capital Partners, Greycroft Partners, and other investors. What we are trying to do with our solutions is to help audit the fragmented systems, create a single source of truth for consumer consent, and leverage the immutability of blockchain The recent investment was bolstered by HealthVeritys performance in 2018 during which the company expanded its customer base that now includes more than 100 of the top pharma manufacturers, health insurance payers, and healthcare service providers. Andrew Kress, co-founder and CEO at HealthVerity says, We have been recognized as an industry leader and are fortunate to have strong investors to support our long-term objectives. He further adds, We are also pleased by the trust our customers have demonstrated in our solutions and the positive impact that broad interoperability across our world-class ecosystem of data partners has meant for these same customers. HealthVerity is now uniquely equipped to deploy software solutions that more efficiently manage and govern data in accordance with an ever-changing regulatory environment, but that is exactly the reason that top Pharma and Payers are gravitating to our platform. Check out: Top Blockchain Technology Companies HealthVerity offers HealthVerity Census, a SaaS-based solution for activating, de-identifying and linking data across enterprises. The companys Solution, Marketplace, is a leading cloud platform for discovery and licensing of broad-scale healthcare and consumer data in a privacy-protecting manner. HealthVerity also provides a blockchain-driven platform, HealthVerity Consent that allows healthcare companies to manage patient and consumer permissions. John Cappiello, CTO, HealthVerity says, What we are trying to do with our solutions is to help audit the fragmented systems, create a single source of truth for consumer consent, and leverage the immutability of blockchain. Blockchain Technology Companies - AJBoggs, Big Data Block, BlockchainIL OHCHR Moldova: Apel deschis pentru aplicatii din partea OSC-urilor pentru a beneficia de suport in desfasurarea activitatilor de advocacy la nivel international in contextul celui de-al treilea ciclu de EPU a R. Moldova Earlier this year, I faced a situation thats increasingly common among freelance journalists. I had filed a story of about 1,700 words. And then I received a slew of questions, requests, and queries from my editor. By the time I had answered them all, across eight rounds of edits, it was close to 2,500 words. Of course, going back and forth with an editor on a story is a vital part of what we do. But as budgets have gotten tighter, and the calculations we have to make as freelancers more complex, I and many other reporters have adopted a term for projects that demand more more words, more reporting, more interviews, picture research, and even sidebars without any mention of additional pay: scope creep. RELATED: GQ gave a freelancer 2 days to produce 4-page section as an edit test. The mags response was a letdown, to say the least. Ive had instances where someone wanted a 500-word story, and when you give them the 500-word story, they say, Theres so much more I want to know. Can you add in three more quotes? Can you add in a sidebar? says freelancer Adrienne Samuels Gibbs, who has written for Forbes, Essence and Ebony. Now your 500-word story is 1,500 words. Thats a different assignment. Wudan Yan, a Seattle-based independent journalist was working on a story about free universal healthcare for undocumented migrants in Thailand in 2016. During the edits, she was asked to compare that policy against nations like Germany or Sweden. It was a simple question but created 10 to 15 hours of extra work, calling up organizations and sources across continents. The fee remained $300. Sign up for CJR 's daily email As a young freelancer, hungry for bylines, Yan went with it. But now she has realized that demanding endless extra work is a pattern among certain outlets and editors. You cant expect magazine or investigative-style reporting for a story that at most youre only paying $500 for, she says. Editors, of course, are usually well-intentioned. In some cases, says Amanda Mascarelli, managing editor of Sapiens, a publication focusing on anthropology for a broad audience, we thought a story would fit into 2,400 words but actually to do justice to it, it balloons. Or, a story may turn into something that goes beyond a pitch because thats where the real story is, and an editor may not know this until after a draft comes back. But this can put freelancers especially in a tough position. Staff writers are salaried, after all, so they can take time discovering where a story should go, says Jill Neimark, a freelance writer of several decades. Theres a pressure even among editors to stick with tight budgets and produce the same quality material, and the editor ends up with no apparent choice except to exploit the writer, Neimark says. RELATED: Washington Post apologizes to freelancer after killing story over retweet Minneapolis-based writer Tyler Newman has refrained from negotiating pay or pushing back if a story goes beyond the original scope because he feared editors would not want to work with him again. Just the fact that the power is shifted to editors, its hard to push back, he says. In the best cases, editors acknowledge the additional work and are willing to pay more for itand this is a godsend for freelancers. Its a gesture of good faith, Neimark says. In February, freelancer Suzanne Zuppello managed to re-negotiate pay for what was supposed to be a 2,000-word piece about Instagram influencers selling drugs and medical devices. Word count had doubled, and along with follow-up interviews with her original sources, Zuppello had to add two interviews with government agencies and go over the story with the outlets lawyers. After seeking guidance from other writers in an online freelancers group, Zuppello asked for $1,800double the fee she originally accepted. She got an extra $300, but it felt like a win. The editor did acknowledge the extra work, that its gone beyond the scope of the original story, she says. Its why Sapiens changed their freelance contract in 2017 to reflect payment for published word, rather than assigned word count. We realized we were going over word count, and in some cases, significantly over the assigned word count, Mascarelli, a former freelancer herself, says. Because we are paying per word, it didnt feel right to have an arbitrary number dictate the final payment. Neimark says outlets that pay per published word bring freelancers relief. Its like, thank God, I can write my best piece now, she tells me. And freelancers themselves are finding ways to work better with editors. Gibbs adds a research fee if it feels like an assignment might involve scope creep. Yan protects herself by negotiating, for stories paid by the word, that shell either be paid for the assigned word count or the final word count, whichever is higher. (That was partly a response to the opposite problemwhen stories got cut, shed get paid less than the agreed rate.) As Yan put it: Editors should always come back with a way to increase the rate. If you cant do that rate increase, then change your standards. RELATED: The most annoying thing an editor can do Correction: A previous version of this piece misspelled Amanda Mascarellis name. Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Julissa Trevino is a freelance writer and journalist currently based in Texas. Follow her @julissatrevino. The metaphor YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki likes to rely on when shes describing the Google video-sharing service is a wholesome one: its like a library, she saysa custodian of content provided by others, giving users an easy way to find things they might be interested in. There are disturbing and even offensive books in the library too, she points out, but we take for granted that theres more good than bad. Its an appealing comparison, and it certainly makes YouTube sound like a benefit to society. But is it accurate? Not really. After all, if you start reading a book about the moon, the library doesnt automatically pull books about how the moon landing was faked and stack them beside you, urging you to read them. Thats more or less what YouTubes algorithm does. As criticism of YouTube as a radicalization engine has increased over the past few years, the company has tried hard to show that it is doing something about the supply of misinformation on its platform. In March, it blocked content from Alex Joness Infowars account (although the noted conspiracy theorist and health-supplement hawker has found ways around the block) and, before that, the company said it had taken steps to prevent hoaxes about the Parkland school shootings (peddled by Jones, among others) from showing up in its recommended lists. It also has a new feature that sidelines what it calls borderline content, where a video expresses a view that is offensive or misleading but not actually illegal, such as the growing quantity of anti-vaccination videos arguing vaccination causes disease. But as a major feature story published by Bloomberg earlier this week points out, YouTube has known about the problems associated with its recommendation algorithm for some time, and has done little or nothing about it. According to the news service, several senior employees of the video-hosting service have left over the past year, citing the lack of action on misinformation. ICYMI: Flores, Biden, and deciding whats newsworthy The sources Bloomberg spoke to, most of whom wanted to remain anonymous, say their concerns were brushed off by Wojcicki and her team time and time again. Any fears about the long-term impact of spreading misinformation were subsumed by the need to push the companys engagement numbers higher and higher, they said. At some point during the last decade, according to one source, YouTube prioritized chasing profits over the safety of its users. We may have been hemorrhaging money in the past, this source said. But at least dogs riding skateboards never killed anyone. This is almost exactly what youll hear if you talk to former YouTube engineer Guillaume Chaslot about it. Until he left Google in 2013, he worked on the algorithms that drive recommendations for which videos to watch next, and he told CJR that the number one priority was to build engagement. He proposed using a variety of tools to try to counter the effect that these hoax videos were having, but management wasnt interested. Chaslot co-founded the Algo Transparency project, which aims to inform users about how YouTubes recommendation algorithms work. He is also an outspoken critic of a phenomenon he and other researchers call computational propaganda, which not only involves algorithms spreading such content, but also malicious actors gaming those mechanisms to spread their own messages. As Charlie Warzel notes in a piece for The New York Times, the central problem is the growth at all costs mentality that still drives a lot of what the major platforms do or dont do. Sign up for CJR 's daily email Heres more on YouTube and misinformation: Were trying : The New York Times recently spoke with Neal Mohan, Chief Product Officer for YouTube, who said the company is doing everything it can to limit misinformation and offensive content. Mohan said YouTube looks at a number of signals other than just total watch time, and that extreme content doesnt drive a higher amount of engagement than other content. Rabbit holes : In a New York magazine piece, Brian Feldman took issue with Mohans claim that there is no so-called rabbit hole effect, in which YouTube leads viewers further and further towards more extreme content. This claim assumes most users choose which videos to watch, Feldman says, but recommended videos and the autoplay feature also play a significant role. Easy to find : Despite the companys repeated claims that it is trying hard to get rid of such content, it is still quite easy to find neo-Nazi content on YouTube , according to a report by Vices Motherboard site. Even after the service was alerted to their existence, Motherboard says YouTube just removed the ads from that content (known as demonetization) but left the videos up. Radicalization : Last year, The Daily Beast spoke with a number of former neo-Nazis and other members of the far right, and many of them mentioned how they became increasingly radicalized by watching YouTube videos with extreme content. Sociologist Zeynep Tufekci called the video-hosting platform The Great Radicalizer in an essay for The New York Times . Other notable stories: The New York Times is reporting that members of Special Counsel Robert Muellers team say that Attorney General William Barrs letter summarizing the teams report is misleading. The officials and others interviewed declined to flesh out why some of the special counsels investigators viewed their findings as potentially more damaging for the president than Mr. Barr explained, write Nicholas Fandos, Michael S. Schmidt, and Mark Mazzetti. The Telegraph newspaper in Britain is being paid by Facebook to run sponsored content that defends the companys practices in areas like misinformation and online harassment, according to a report from Business Insider. The government in Singapore has introduced a proposed law that would require social platforms to remove fake news and would also make the spread of false stories a criminal offense. Freedom of information advocates are concerned about the impact such laws could have on media and speech, as well as on journalism. The Guardian says that it plans to have at least two million readers supporting it financially through its membership program by its 200th anniversary in 2022, and the company says it has reduced its costs by as much as 20 percent over the past three years. WordPress announced an initial group of 12 newsrooms it will work with on its new business platform project called Newspack, which is supposed to provide a one-stop publishing solution for independent news websites. The group of adopters includes The Lens, The Brooklyn Eagle , and Oklahoma Watch. Lee Bollinger, president of Columbia University, says the United States has a duty to investigate and potentially bring a criminal case against the killers of Saudi Arabian dissident and former Washington Post contributor Jamal Khashoggi. He says Khashoggis killing was a brazen and an egregious assault against American values and against the First Amendment. Craig Silverman of BuzzFeed writes about the aging population and the risks this poses for our information ecosystem, since older users are more likely to be online targets for misinformation and hyper-partisan rhetoric. WhatsApp has launched a fact-checking tip line in India in an attempt to combat fake news spread on the platform, and is working with a local fact-checking group to review text, photos, links, and video content flagged by users. But the group says the information will be used for research rather than enforcement. A group of Republican legislators in Georgia proposed a law that would create a state journalism ethics board to develop and hold publications and journalists to a canon of ethics. The bill was sponsored by Representative Andy Welch, a lawyer who has complained in the past about biased questions from TV reporters. ICYMI: You may hate metrics. But theyre making journalism better. Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Mathew Ingram is CJRs chief digital writer. Previously, he was a senior writer with Fortune magazine. He has written about the intersection between media and technology since the earliest days of the commercial internet. His writing has been published in the Washington Post and the Financial Times as well as by Reuters and Bloomberg. Last week, four hours of footage of Alex Jones, of InfoWars, surfaced on YouTube. The conspiracy-theory promoter didnt upload the videos himself. Instead, Jones appears in four hours of video footage in a taped deposition, in which he tries to explain why he spent years falsely claiming that the Sandy Hook shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, was a hoax. The deposition was released to HuffPost and uploaded to YouTube by law firm Farrar & Ball. Nine family members of loved ones who died in the Sandy Hook shootings in 2012 are suing Jones, including Scarlett Lewis, who is suing Jones for intentional infliction of emotional distress. (Lewis is represented by Mark Bankston of Farrar & Ball.) Its been a moment of intense media scrutiny for Jones, who has a penchant for off-the-cuff monologues and bloviation. In February, Connecticut Judge Barbara Bellis ruled that Jones would have to answer questions in a deposition as part of the defamation lawsuit filed by Sandy Hook families against him. (Jones has repeatedly contested the defamation allegations.) In his taped deposition, Jones relies on ignorance and a lack of preparation as reasons for why he cant answer basic questions; he does an about-face and says he now believes the Sandy Hook shooting to have happened. Still, he cant help himself: he is defiant throughout the deposition, lacking remorse when hes asked about the time he made the address of Sandy Hook father Leonard Pozner public. (I mean, the guys running an anti-free speech foundation, Jones quips. Pozner is not running an anti-free speech foundation.) He doubles down on the same falsehoods he spread about Sandy Hook, and he reveals his sources to be YouTube and 4Chan. ICYMI: Students wrestle with the cost of free speech online Much of the media coverage of Joness deposition has thus far focused on his excuse for spreading conspiracy theories. He told lawyers during his deposition that he had a form of psychosis that made him believe the Sandy Hook shooting was staged. (This is an old trick: in 2017, during his child custody trial, Jones claimed that his Infowars persona was performance art.) Pozner makes an appearance in an episode of This American Life, released in mid-March, shortly before Joness testimony was made public. The episode described the origin story of Jones, of InfoWars, the spread of Sandy Hook conspiracy theories, and how Jones had made Pozners life hell in the wake of Pozners sons death. After Joness deposition was released, Charlie Warzel wrote a piece for The New York Times about how Joness only real undoing has happened under oath. While tech platforms have enabled him over the years and allowed him to reach ever-wider audiences, the legal system might be the most effective means of defanging him, Warzel argues. Media could fact-check Jones, but while he had his own platforms, he had an audience, and no amount of fact-checking or Pinocchios could hold him to account. Under oath, Joness power dwindles. Jones is arguably less powerful now without his platforms than he ever has been. In August, he was de-platformed, or had his accounts deactivated, from YouTube, Apple, Pinterest, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Spotify; in September, Twitter followed suit and banned Jones and InfoWars. The crackdown came not specifically because of Jones spreading conspiracy theories about Sandy Hook being a false-flag operation, but for promoting violence and hate speech across his platforms more broadly. Still, this likely wont be the last we hear from Jones: the lawsuit that led to the release of his deposition video is just one of a number of suits filed against Jones by Sandy Hook families. More on Alex Jones: This American Life s illuminating episode about Jones origin story, and the effect InfoWars has had on one father of a child killed during the Sandy Hook shooting in 2012. The decision to ban Jones from tech platforms forced tech companies into a politicized battle over free speech and acceptable discourse. This was never more clear than when Twitter declined to follow its contemporaries footsteps and immediately ban Jones, sticking to its free speech principles, CJRs Mathew Ingram wrote in August. Charlie Warzel on why courtrooms are kryptonite for conspiracy theorists like Jones: But this new set of viral clips busts the myth of Alex Jones, presenting him in a situation he can neither engineer nor spin. Hes a man who has lost control of the narrative. And its this performancemore than any ruling from any judgethat poses the greatest threat to the Infowars empire. Sign up for CJR 's daily email Other notable stories: Months before The New Yorker published allegations of sexual harassment against CBS Newss Jeff Fager, The Washington Post had the story but didnt publish it, writes Irin Carmon, one of the women who had been reporting on the story. I dont believe there is just one reason the Post rejected the Fager story. I think it was a little of everything, Carmon wrote. I doubt Ill ever really know. But much of my job has involved asking people, mostly women, to truthfully tell their stories even when it might harm them or the institutions they care about. I figured the least I could do was to try to do the same. In conversation with Axel Springer CEO Mathias Dopfner, Mark Zuckerberg floated the idea of a news tab to surface more high-quality news, and suggested Facebook may pay publishers for their stories. A year ago, Facebook announced there would be less news on its platform. A look at why The New York Times and The Washington Post resisted Apples Apple News+ offerings, from Vanity Fair s Joe Pompeo. A United Arab Emirates hacking team, staffed by former US intelligence agents, hacked the phones of Al Jazeeras chairman, a BBC journalist, and others, according to a new Reuters report . CJRs Zainab Sultan interviews Bill Keller on his time at The Marshall Project as he prepares to retire. Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press has filed a petition asking a US district judge to rule that grand jury material in the Mueller report can be released, Politicos Josh Gerstein reports . In an excerpt from her forthcoming memoir, documentary filmmaker Erin Lee Carr discusses the night her father, New York Times media critic David Carr, passed away. ICYMI: My Brain on Cable News 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. April 7 marks 25 years since the start of the Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda. Since then, the Rwandan government has had a complex relationship with the press. Last fall, the government of Rwanda updated its penal code, officially decriminalizing defamation, a move that the Rwanda Journalists Association praised as a very important step. Yet the code also made it a crime to defame the countrys president, or to humiliateverbally, by gestures or threats, in writings or cartoonsa government official. A violation of this law carries a potential jail sentence of two to seven years or a fine of up to 7 million Rwandan francs (approximately $7,750). These updates to Rwandas legal framework reflect the real progress the country has made in developing its media landscape since it was wracked by violence in the mid-1990s. But they also hint at the continued wariness Rwandans exhibit toward the field of journalism, and a recent investigation shows they continue to hold the countrys media industry back. In many ways, Rwandan media, like the country at large, today exists in what one researcher, Dr. Ingrid Samset, referred to as a state of repressive peace. In 1994, genocide killed an estimated 800,000 Rwandans. Animosity between Rwandas ethnic Hutu and Tutsi populations had been long-simmering: in 1990, civil war broke out as exiled Tutsis attempted to take back control of the country from the Hutus, in power since the late 1950s. A shaky peace remained in place until the plane carrying Rwandas president, Juvenal Habyarimana, was shot down over Kigali in April 1994. In the aftermath of his murder, the country erupted into chaos, and Tutsis were slaughtered by the hundreds of thousands. Researchers have suggested that specific Rwandan media outletsreferred to by scholars as hate media for their incendiary broadcasts urging violence against Tutsiswere partly to blame. A 2009 Harvard Kennedy School study estimated that 51,000 people participated in the violence as a direct result of propaganda transmitted by the infamous Radio Television Libre des Mille Collines. After the genocide, Rwandan society had to be entirely rebuiltand the media was no exception. In the 25 years since, the country has made impressive social and economic developments, including in its media sector: press freedom is inscribed in Rwandas constitution, Rwandan universities offer formal journalism studies, and there are now dozens of media outlets, both public and private. At the same time, international organizations have criticized the relative lack of media freedom in Rwanda; in 2016, Reporters Without Borders declared that the spectre of genocide is used to justify the extensive constraints that the government places on the media. In 2016, to get an on-the-ground look at how Rwandan journalism is functioning, we interviewed 24 Rwandan journalists about the state of the industry. We found that while the number and types of outlets have grown substantially, Rwandas media landscape is unique and complex, because Rwandans are still processing the genocide and learning to live in its wake. Most significantly, in addition to legal impediments to free expression, Rwandan journalists are strongly inclined to self-censor to avoid creating conflict or fear amongst the general public or falling afoul of government restrictions. READ: In Gambia, young journalists prepare to graduate into a country free from dictatorship Sign up for CJR 's daily email The first newspaper published in Rwanda was established in 1933 and put out by the Catholic Church. That was the primary source of news in the country until the 1960s, when the Hutu-led government launched a newspaper and radio station. But it was not until the 1990s that the Rwandan news industry became relatively robust. And when it did, the press in Rwanda did not adhere to Western ideals of press freedom. For the most part, news organizations were government-run and most journalists were not formally trained but were hired because of their connection to government officials. Amid the fighting, the Rwandan government and military used national radio to perpetuate what scholars later described as a kill or be killed narrative that escalated the violence. Popular radio broadcasts routinely referred to Tutsis as cockroaches, disclosed their hiding spots, and urged Hutus to slaughter their Tutsi neighbors. The so-called journalists of that period incited violence through their broadcasts, peppering their reports with words such as cut, spear, eat up, massacre, exterminate, and cleanse. One prominent radio station, Radio-Television Libre des Mille Collines, was owned by members of the Hutu-led government and other like-minded people in positions of authority who subscribed to the racist thinking of then-president Habyarimana, who instituted policies that disadvantaged Tutsis. RTLM in particular adhered to the pro-Hutu agenda, but throughout the country, reporters with opposing views were not tolerated; in 1994, while the genocide was taking place, 48 journalists who publicly opposed the genocide throughout the country were killed. Rwanda was, and still is, a highly religious countryits dominant religion being Christianityand more than half of the country was illiterate a quarter century ago, conditions which combined to form an ecosystem of strong public trust in media. People are raised and taught to take what they hear on the radio as gospel truth, wrote Thomas Kamilindi, a Rwandan journalist present during the 1994 genocide, in the 2007 book The Media and the Rwanda Genocide. After the genocide, there was an influx of international donors interested in rebuilding the nation, which led to an increase in the number of media houses; and the University of Rwanda established the countrys first school of journalism and communication. Amid this rebuilding, Rwandas post-genocide government took steps to ensure that the hate media of the recent past would not rise again. While the postwar Rwandan constitution, enacted in 2003, guarantees freedom of the press, a number of clauses allow for restrictions and censorship. A law prohibiting divisionismdefined as anything that promotes conflicts among the populationis widely applied and commonly used to restrict journalists, according to a 2015 report by the Rwanda Media Commission. A broad law banning genocide ideologywhich includes acts ranging from intimidating or degrading someone to killing themcarries a penalty of up to 25 years in prison, and has been used against journalists on dubious grounds. But the journalists we interviewed seldom complained about these restrictions, regardless of whether they worked at government-run media houses or independent news organizations (which rely heavily on government-funded advertising). Since the genocide, the Rwandan government has prioritized reconstruction and unity, and many reporters spoke about their desire to work with the government to promote those aims and, in some senses, to right the wrongs of their predecessors. Desperate to avoid another genocide, journalists largely view themselves as unifiers who are working hand in hand with the government, and who thus self-censor what they publish. You make sure that you dont publish things that might separate people, that might endanger national cohesion, said a journalist from the government-funded newspaper Izuba Rirashe. In Rwanda, we have a particular history that makes us sometimes do things [journalists in other countries] dont do, said an editor there. A reporter from Voice of Africa, a religious radio station, suggested that the governments media restrictions were promoting national development rather than hindering the presss ability to report: The government can control the media, but not in a negative wayjust in a positive way, to keep things going on and to keep the country in a good light. In fact, during our conversations about self-censorship, it was often difficult to determine which of the restrictions to which they adhered had been put in place by the government and which were self-imposed. We are still in a fragile period, said a producer at the privately funded outlet Radio/TV 10. Even if we are having developments in Rwandapeople who committed genocide are still there; people who suffered are still there; widows, orphans are still there. It means that we have to be careful. Even if you cant get penalized, you self-censor yourself, you sayThis is untouchable, Im not going to talk on this [subject]. A reporter in Kigali who asked that we withhold the name of their publication agreed that the majority of censorship by Rwandan reporters is self-imposed: There is a bit of censorshipbut I dont think its mostly government-led, its individual-led. Similarly, a journalist at the commercial news website Umuseke explained that his own desire, not government regulation, is what drives his tendency to report positively. I belong to a new generation, he said. I know what we wantwe just want peace. We just want development. We just want to survive. People want to bring us back [into] the stories [of the past]? Why? There is no need. Many Rwandan journalists we spoke with explained that while there are necessary restrictions in place for the good of the country, overall they feel as if they can report freely and the level of press freedom is improving. Press freedom rankings have reflected that sentiment, albeit slightly. In the past three years, Rwanda has moved from 161 to 156 (out of 180) in Reporters Without Borders annual press-freedom ranking. Much of what the journalists described as freedom, however, sounded suspiciously like restrictions. You are free to say what you want depending on the topic and depending on the history of our country, said a reporter from Radio/TV 10. I cant say that we are free or we are not free. It depends on what you want to talk about and when you want to talk about [it] and who you are talking to. And journalists have suffered in concrete ways from government restrictions on their reporting. In 2011, an editor of a small Rwandan newspaper received a 17-year sentence on charges that included minimizing the genocide, for an article describing Rwandans in that era as killing each other (she was acquitted of this charge on appeal). Three years earlier, shed served a year in prison for publishing an anonymous letter that was critical of the governments work in the aftermath of the genocide. And in 2012, an editor at the commercial outlet Umusingi spent a year in jail for divisionism because of content in an opinion column published in his newspaper that stated that men who marry Tutsi women merely because of their beauty may end up having regrets. Why did they imprison me? Because of journalism? he asked. Being a journalist is a profession like other professions, its not a crime. Yet many journalists spoke about consequences of violating press restrictions in the context of harms to society, not to individual journalists. Because of our old history, bad history, the journalist from Umuseke explained, he is cautious about what he writes. If you let the people talk about all of whats in their hearts, it can be explosive. It can really be explosive. I know somepeople who say, Yeah, Im Tutsi, I hate Hutu, cause they killed my family. I can revenge myself, said the reporter from Voice of Africa. Imagine if you give those people the freedom to say whatever they want. Nevertheless, the journalists we spoke with were, more often than not, optimistic about the future of media. They said they have seen increased levels of press freedom over the years and that the rise of the internet, and specifically social media, has helped both reporters and the public to speak more freely. Many agreed, however, that only one thing could significantly change the state of press freedom in the country: new leadership. Current president Paul Kagame, who helped end the genocide and has been in office since 2000, has received worldwide praise for the countrys development, especially in education and health care. But Kagame has also been criticized for his increasingly dictatorial leadership. He instituted Rwandas first elections, but international groups have called them a sham, as Kagame has always won more than 90 percent of the vote. His last term was supposed to end in 2017, but a constitutional amendment has now allowed him to potentially remain president until 2034. It is clear that the bad history, as the Umuseke journalist called it, looms large in the country and in the nations media landscapeand has led the press to limit its coverage, either out of fear of legal repercussions or because of an impulse toward self-censorship. Of course, critics would argue that by conforming to the desires of the government, journalists are in fact hindering development. By exclusively reporting on progress instead of challenges, the news media may be strengthening existing authoritarian power structures that could, in the long term, limit progress and autonomy. Journalists desire to join the governments mission in promoting unity to avoid another civil war is understandable, but now, a quarter century after the genocide, perhaps the country is ready for a new era of democratic process and free expression, in which journalists can write freely and hold power to account. Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Meghan Sobel and Karen McIntyre are the authors. Meghan Sobel is an assistant professor in the Department of Communication at Regis University. Her research focuses on the role of media in combating human rights abuses and humanitarian crises. Karen McIntyre is an assistant professor in the Robertson School of Media and Culture at Virginia Commonwealth University. Her research focuses on media processes and effects with an emphasis in constructive and solutions journalism. Pilots on a doomed Ethiopian Airlines flight followed proper procedures and still couldnt bring the 737 Max out of a dive, Ethiopias transport minister said, pressing Boeing Co. to fix the flight controls of its plane to avoid further disasters. Boeing needs to review the flight-control system to ensure the planes safety, Ethiopian Transport Minister Dagmawit Moges said at a news conference in the capital of Addis Ababa on Thursday after completing a preliminary report. Aviation authorities should verify the issues have been adequately addressed before the release of the aircraft to operations. The comments underscored the need for a software update that Boeing already has under way for an anti-stall system that can push down the planes nose. That so-called MCAS feature had been suspected in the crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 about six minutes after takeoff on March 10. The disaster came less than five months after a 737 Max operated by Lion Air plane plunged into the Java Sea and killed 189 people after MCAS was activated. The model is now grounded worldwide as investigators probe its airworthiness and how it gained permission to fly. The Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System was active during the Ethiopian flight, Dagmawit told the New York Times after the news conference. Boeings shares rose 2.4 percent to $393.97 at 10:39 a.m. in New York, leaving the stock down 6.8 percent since the Ethiopia disaster. Pilot Training One question raised by the Ethiopian report is whether guidance issued to pilots by Boeing in the wake of the Lion Air crash was sufficient. While the U.S. manufacturer and aviation regulators made a point of telling airlines worldwide how to disarm MCAS, the pilots of the Ethiopian Airlines plane were found to have followed all the procedures repeatedly, according to Dagmawit. The investigation, staffed by Ethiopian, U.S. and European safety experts, has pitted Boeings reputation for technical quality against a successful, modern African airline thats a symbol of pride for Ethiopia. Importantly, Dagmawit said there were no dissenting voices among participants who worked on the preliminary report, which was sent to the 34 nations with citizens aboard the flight. The full report is expected to be completed within one year. Despite full compliance with the emergency procedures, pilots could not recover from the persistence of nose diving, state-owned Ethiopian Airlines said. The crew followed recommendations mapped out by Boeing and approved by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, the airline said. Boeing said its reviewing the findings, and the FAA said its working to understand what happened. MCAS Focus The details underscore the focus on MCAS, a new software feature installed on the fourth generation of the 737, the worlds best-selling commercial aircraft family. It is recommended that the aircraft flight control system related to the flight controllability shall be reviewed by the manufacturer, Dagmawit said at the news conference, without directly naming the MCAS. The crash has also raised questions about the aircrafts approval to fly. In the U.S., the Transportation Department has ordered a full audit of the FAAs 2017 certification of the Max and the Justice Department is also investigating. China said its been invited by the FAA to join a panel to review the 737 Max. China was one of the first countries to ground the American narrow-body jet. Boeing has spent months refining the 737 Maxs software since data from the Lion Air crash indicated the stall-avoidance system had repeatedly tipped the nose down before pilots lost control. Boeing was close to a software fix when the Ethiopian Airlines jet went down. Planes usually climb steadily to get safely away from terrain and to reach altitudes where engines burn more efficiently. Pilots tried to control the plane repeatedly but were not able to do so, Dagmawit said at the briefing. The plane appeared very normal on takeoff and then suffered repetitive uncommanded nose-down. Captain Yared Getachew, in command of the Ethiopian Airlines flight, had amassed more than 8,000 flight hours, according to the airline, while first officer Ahmed Nur Mohammod had spent about 200 hours aloft. Passengers included 32 Kenyans, 18 Canadians, nine Ethiopians and eight Americans. The United Nations, which was hosting an environmental conference in Nairobi, said it lost 19 staff members in the crash. While Africa has a generally poor aviation safety record compared with global norms, Ethiopian Airlines is known for operating a modern fleet that features Boeing 787 Dreamliners and the latest Airbus SE A350, as well as the 737 Max. Africas only consistently profitable carrier, Ethiopian has built Addis Ababa into a major hub feeding travelers from around the world into dozens of African cities in competition with rivals such as Dubai-based Emirates. Boeing designed the 737 Max to deliver a 14 percent fuel-savings to compete with the A320neo from the companys European rival, Airbus. The use of new, bigger engines required Boeings designers to mount the units farther forward on the wings in order to give them proper ground clearance when taking off or landing. That changed the flying characteristics in a way that the engineers thought required the additional system to prevent stalls. Ethiopian safety officials stopped short of saying the plane needs a redesign. Is there a structural design problem? No, we cannot characterize it now, said Amdye Andualem, the investigator in charge, told the news conference. The investigation found no evidence that a foreign object may have struck the plane, he said, adding that the probe would continue for six months or more. Dogs remain the undisputed champions at generating insurance claims, deer, birds and cats are doing their amount of mayhem as well, and bedbugs are a growing liability for insurers, according to a review of 470,000 insurance claims over five years by Allianz Global & Specialty. According to Allianzs Global Risk Dialogue, animals caused nearly 2% of the 470,000 claims filed over a five-year period and caused $500 million in losses. Bedbug indents, such as bites and infestations, accounted for 8% of those animal claims, generating $2.84 million in losses. Dog incidents such as bites and scratches made up 30% of animal claims, costing an average of $7,940 each. Deer incidents, particularly collisions with cars, accounted for 17% of animal claims and cost an average of $6,240. Bird incidents also accounted for 17% of animal claims. The vast majority of those claims resulted from collisions with aircraft. Cats caused 8% of the animal claims. But its the bed bugs that have the global insurer worried. According to Allianzs report, a 2018 survey by the National Pest Management Association found that 97% of the exterminators who responded had treated for bedbugs in the past year, up from only 25% 15 years ago. In the United Kingdom, the number of bedbug incidents has increased every year since 2006 and shows no signs of plateauing, according to Bed Bugs Limited, an extermination company. Calvin Sugimaya, a risk service specialist for Allianz whos based in Oregon, said he has seen firsthand how bedbugs or the fear of bedbugs is a frequency driver. He said often, an investigation reveals that claimants who thought they were bit by bedbugs were actually bitten by a mosquito or other insect. But legitimate bedbug claims are filed as well. Sugimaya said he counsels clients to be proactive. They should train maintenance workers to recognize the tell-tale signs of a bedbug infestation: the blood droplets that are left behind. He said businesses also need to have a plan in place to isolate any areas that are infested and an exterminator on retainer who can respond quickly to outbreaks. Bed bugs are very opportunistic, he said. They can be anywhere and everywhere. They can go for months without a blood meal. Sugimaya said in the past year, hes also seen a fair share of rattlesnake claims. One of those claims came from a visitor to a campsite who was bitten while walking his dog. The camper did not seek medical treatment, which exacerbated the injury and led to to an expensive settlement. Eventually the manager of the campsite insisted on driving the snake-bitten camper to an emergency room. Sugimaya said he advises any businesses that have spotted venomous snakes on their property to post warning signs and keep in mind that visitors from other states may not be aware of the danger posed by snakes. He said his clients in Alaska are very experienced with cautioning visitor about wildlife dangers. When the moose are out and in rut and the bears are out of hibernation and scouting the area, the resorts put up signs, Sugimaya said. It remains one of the most difficult issues to deal with in the world of property insurance. Homeowners insurance policies usually contain a provision obligating the carrier to repair or replace an insureds damaged property with material of like kind and quality or with similar material. They cover property damage resulting from sudden and accidental losses. When damage caused by fire, smoke, water, hail, or other causes results in a small portion of a home or building being damaged (e.g.,shingles, siding, carpet, cabinets, etc.), whether and when a carrier must replace non-damaged portions of a building in order for there to be a perfect match remains a point of contention. It is a matter of great importance to insurance companies because matching problems with a slightly-damaged section of roof or flooring can lead to a domino effect of tear out and replacement costs of many items that are not damaged. The problem of partial replacement is especially troubling where the damaged siding or shingles have been discontinued, making it virtually impossible to properly match. To replace only the damaged portion would result in an obvious aesthetic deficit due to a clear difference in the appearance of the replaced portion of the building from the portion that remains undamaged. Would the entire structure need to be re-sided or the entire roof re-shingled? Or is it sufficient to replace just one wall of siding or just a few shingles? Whether or not the insurance company must pay to replace entire sections of the structure in order to bring the property back to its previous uniformity and aesthetics can bring various state insurance laws and regulations into play. On the one hand, many pundits claim that the terms of the insurance policy require the carrier to pay the cost to repair or replace with similar construction for the same use on the premises. They argue that similar doesnt mean matching exactly. Others argue that coverage for matching and uniformity under a homeowners policy doesnt exist without a specific endorsement. The truth lies somewhere in between and can vary greatly from state to state. Replacement Cost Value (RCV) vs. Actual Cash Value (ACV) Policy There are two primary valuation methods for establishing the value of insured property for purposes of determining the amount the insurer will pay in the event of loss under a homeowners policy: Replacement Cost Value(RCV): This method is usually defined in the policy as the cost to replace the damaged property with materials of like kind and quality, without any deduction for depreciation. It pays an insured for the value of replacing the damaged property without deduction for deterioration, obsolescence, or similar depreciation of the propertys value. The carrier assumes the cost of paying the full cost of repairing or replacing the damaged property. Actual Cash Value(ACV):This method pays an insured for a similar item less depreciation. ACV is ordinarily determined in one of three ways: (1) the cost to repair or replace the damaged property, minus depreciation; (2) the damaged propertys fair market value (FMV); or (3) using the broad evidence rule, which calls for considering all relevant evidence of the value of the damaged property. The insured bears the difference between the depreciated value of the damaged property prior to loss and the higher cost of repairing or replacing it. The issue of matching or uniformity in first-party homeowners insurance claims is one that lends itself to RCV policies. If property is only partially damaged, the carrier takes the position that it is only required to pay for repair or replacement of the limited portion of the property that is damaged. The insured argues that replacing only the damaged property restores the functionality of the roof but does not fully replace the damaged property because the replaced property does not match the existing property. For example, a roof had a uniform appearance, and uniformity has a significant effect on value. Therefore, the proper measure of RCV is the cost to replace the entire roof to restore the uniform appearance. This is known as the issue of matching or uniformity. The issue is whether the carrier has to match the damaged property to the undamaged property in order to return it to its previous uniform appearance and restore the entire home to its condition prior to loss. Whether the policy is an RCV or ACV policy can make a big difference. ACV coverage pays an insured for a similar item less depreciation. RCV coverage compensates an insured for the value of replacing the damaged property without deduction for deterioration, obsolescence, or similar depreciation of the propertys value. An insurer with an ACV policy may be able to exercise the option to repair, restore, or replace the damaged property itself rather than having to pay for the cost to repair the property with property of like kind and quality. Moreover, some matching regulations only apply to RCV policies. A good illustration of the matching/uniformity problem is found in a 2014 Minnesota federal district court case in which a manufacturer discontinued the shingles used on the insureds roof, thus leading to a mismatch problem. The issue was whether the carrier was obligated to replace the damaged shingles with substantially similar shingles or to pay for new shingles for the entire roof. Trout Brook S. Condo. Assn v. Harleysville Worcester Ins. Co., 995 F. Supp.2d 1035 (D. Minn. 2014). The Harleysville RCV policy provided coverage which obligated it to pay for the propertys replacement cost, defined as: (1) the cost of repair or replacement with similar materials for the same use and purpose, on the same site, or (2) the cost to repair, replace, or rebuild the property with material of like kind and quality to the extent practicable. Harleysville claimed only partial damage to the roof and allocated $21,000 for roof repairs, but the insureds construction expert believed the roof had to be entirely replaced at a cost of more than $800,000. In addition, the shingles were no longer being manufactured. The insured sued, arguing that the unavailability of matching shingles entitled it to full roof replacement. The court noted that the covered property under the policy was defined as the buildings (rather than the individual items on the property) and held there was a jury question as to whether the building suffered a loss on account of the unavailability of matching roof shingles. Whether Harleysville was able to replace shingles with shingles of a like kind and quality hinged on whether the unmatched shingles would provide an acceptable aesthetic result, and that had to be determined by a jury. The idea is that property that has not been physically damaged may become damaged where replacement of physically damaged property does not lead to an aesthetic result acceptable to the insured. It suggests that the carrier has an obligation beyond repairing the functionality of the damaged property, by paying to repair the aesthetics of the building. Notwithstanding any insurance regulations that control the issue, a carriers obligation to pay for matching depends on the policy language and hinges on whether the loss payment and valuation terms of the policy can be read to obligate the carrier to match the replacement materials. The industrys response is that allowing coverage for matching provides a windfall to the insured. To allow for full replacement of matching roofing and siding can be unduly burdensome on a carrier whose policy agrees only to repair damaged portions of the building. Terms of Insurance Policy The terms of insurance policies vary greatly and are extremely important to determining the carriers obligations in a claim which involves a matching concern. The current ISO HO-3 and HO-5 and company-specific policies contain Loss Settlement provisions which provide for payment of the replacement cost of that part of the building damaged with material of like kind and quality and for like use. Individual insurance companies may have a variety of other standard terms included in their policies. Some policies may have other terms, conditions, and/or definitions which attempt to address the matching or uniformity issue and limit exposure in such situations. Some policies even contain Roof Surfacing Loss Percentage Tables which address the percentage of a roof the carrier will be obligated to replace as a function of the roofs age and type of roofing surface material. Overshadowing all of the above are a patchwork of insurance statutes and regulations which attempt to govern claims which have a matching or uniformity component to them. In response to a proliferation of matching claim issues, many insurers have begun inserting language in their policies that expressly precludes the coverage requirement of matching based upon color, a change in product specifications, or other factors, in an attempt to circumvent this clear precedent. Many states have statutes, insurance bulletins, or case law that directly address matching issues, but many do not. Insurance Statutes, Regulations, and Case Decisions Governing Matching Claims In an effort to provide uniformity and predictability in this area, many states have passed insurance statutes, rules, and regulations that govern the handling of matching claims. An Ohio regulation states that when an interior or exterior loss requires replacement of an item and the replaced item does not match the quality, color, or size of the item suffering the loss, the insurer shall replace as much of the item as to result in a reasonably comparable appearance. O.A.C. 3901-1-54(I). In Kentucky, a regulation says that if a loss requires replacement of items and the replaced items do not reasonably match in quality, color, or size, the insurer shall replace all items in the area so as to conform to a reasonably uniform appearance, although the courts have not applied the regulation in private litigation. 906 Ky. Admin. Regs. 12:095 9(b). Whether the statute or regulation applies, and whether the insured can bring a private right of action under the applicable statute or regulation, are also significant issues. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) has drafted a model law called the Unfair Claims Settlement Practices Act. It is a consumer-protection law that prevents insureds from predatory and unfair claims settlement behavior on the part of insurance companies. Most states have enacted their own version of this model law, and the specifics of each such law vary from state to state. The NAIC Unfair Property/Casualty Claims Settlement Practices Model Regulation (MDL-902, 1997) has a section which reads as follows: Section 9. Standards for Prompt, Fair and Equitable Settlements Applicable to Fire and Extended Coverage Type Policies with Replacement Cost Coverage . When the policy provides for the adjustment and settlement of first party losses based on replacement cost, the following shall apply: (1) When a loss requires repair or replacement of an item or part, any consequential physical damage incurred in making such repair or replacement not otherwise excluded by the policy shall be included in the loss. The insured shall not have to pay for betterment nor any other cost except for the applicable deductible. (2) When a covered loss for real property requires the replacement of items and the replacement items do not match in quality, color or size, the insurer shall replace items in the area so as to conform to a reasonably uniform appearance. This applies to interior and exterior losses. The insured shall not bear any cost over the applicable deductible, if any. On the other hand, subsection (B) governs ACV policies and reads as follows: B. Actual Cash Value: (1) When the insurance policy provides for the adjustment and settlement of losses on an actual cash value basis on residential fire and extended coverage, the insurer shall determine actual cash value as follows: replacement cost of property at time of loss less depreciation, if any. Upon the insureds request, the insurer shall provide a copy of the claim file worksheets detailing any and all deductions for depreciation. (2) In cases in which the insureds interest is limited because the property has nominal or no economic value, or a value disproportionate to replacement cost less depreciation, the determination of actual cash value as set forth above is not required. In such cases, the insurer shall provide, upon the insureds request, a written explanation of the basis for limiting the amount of recovery along with the amount payable under the policy. While Section A of the above regulation establishes a guideline for the insurance company to follow with regard to the payment of claims involving matching or uniformity issues, it doesnt necessarily mean that a carrier in any individual state must adhere to those guidelines or that the regulation works to the advantage of a property owner who has been wronged by a carrier who simply ignores the regulation. Private Right of Action Most states have case decisions that state that an individual homeowner/insured does not have a private right of action under a states statute or regulations governing unfair claims settlement practices and the handling of a matching or uniformity issue. As an example, in California, the case of Rattan v. United Services Automobile Association, 101 Cal.Rptr.2d 6 (Cal. App. 2000) involved a home damage by fire. United Services Automobile Association (USAA) allegedly breached the terms of policy in adjusting the loss, and the insureds claimed that it violated requirements imposed on carriers under regulations established by the Department of Insurance. The Court of Appeals disagreed, stating: Even in first party insurance cases, neither the Insurance Code nor regulations adopted under its authority provide a private right of action. ( Zephyr Park v. Superior Court (1989) 213 Cal.App.3d 833, 839 [262 Cal.Rptr. 106].) Thus, any particular violation of the regulations does not require a finding of unreasonable conduct. (See California Service Station, etc. Assn. v. American Home Assurance Co. (1998) 62 Cal.App.4th 1166, 1175-1176 [73 Cal.Rptr.2d 182].) Rather, as the trial court stated, at most the regulations, which were in evidence, may be used by a jury to infer a lack of reasonableness on USAAs part. Because given as instructions the regulations would have suggested to the jury that any violation of the regulations was per se a breach of contract or an act bad faith, rather than only evidence of a breach or bad faith, the trial court was fully warranted in rejecting them. Simply because a state requires carriers to follow a regulation such as the one above doesnt mean that an individual homeowner (private citizen) has a private right of action under the statute or regulation. Defenses to First-Party Matching Claims The arguments most effectively used by carriers in combating matching claims include the following: The property lacked uniformity prior to the covered loss, it would be impossible to conform any replacement items to an existing reasonably uniform appearance and, therefore, the obligation to match the replacement items under the regulation was not triggered; The lack of a reasonably uniform appearance prior to the covered loss was the result of causes that were excluded under the policy so there was no obligation to replace all the existing items because it would represent an unjust windfall to the insured; Even if a matching regulation or obligation applies to the insureds loss, the evidence establishes that the repair can be performed such that a reasonably uniform appearance can be maintained; The replacement items can be matched to conform to a reasonably uniform appearance because reasonably uniform appearance is analogous to like kind and quality. The area that must be replaced to conform to a reasonably uniform appearance is less than the entire property (immediate area, slope section, line of sight); and The regulation is not enforceable because it does not create a private right of action. Much will depend on the courts and the parties understanding of terms such as like construction and use or reasonably uniform appearance. The fine print terms, conditions, and/or definitions of the policy will factor into the matching or uniformity issue and could limit exposure in such claims. Cosmetic Damage While the matching issue involves repairing truly damaged or destroyed property and the ensuing problems that result when the repaired section of a roof, siding, or cabinetry, for example, does not match the remainder of the roof, siding, or cabinetry in appearance. Cosmetic damage, on the other hand, is a related subject, but differs in that it involves dents, scratches, or other minor imperfections to property which result from a loss, that do not rise to the level of being truly damaged. In other words, it is a qualitative difference. The damage is so minor that it is only cosmetic and affects only the appearance of the property in a very minor way. Such cosmetic damage does not cause any punctures, leaks, or loss of functionality of a particular piece of property. An example would be dents in a metal roof resulting from a hail storm. Insurance policies vary, and some include exclusions for cosmetic damage or appearance damage to property. While not every home or business policy currently includes these kinds of exclusions, a growing number of major insurers have started including them in their policies. One policy might cover cosmetic damage while another will exclude it, while technically covering direct physical lossfrom hail, even if the homeowners insurance policy doesnt distinguish between cosmetic and other types of damage and such damages are usually covered. However, some homeowners insurance companies are introducing endorsements which may exclude cosmetic damages. The two organizations that standardize forms and policies for property/casualty insurers, the American Association of Insurance Services (AAIS) and the Insurance Services Office (ISO), have both filed cosmetic damage endorsements. The endorsement also enables the insurer to exclude one component such as the roof separately. These are becoming common with homes that have metal roofs. In practice, what the insurance company considers cosmetic damage as opposed to functional damage is rarely straightforward. In the example of the dented metal roof, what happens if the dents have subtly affected drainage, runoff, or seals? For example, it is not easy to differentiate cosmetic from functional damage on traditional and architectural shingles. Insurers will argue that a few dings to the surface do not compromise the shingle structure, but the storm-chasing roof sales industry will argue that any localized loss of mineral will expedite the demise of the shingle. Profitability in homeowners coverage has become a multi-faceted, politicized, and elusive objective in many states. Regulators, politicians, and consumer advocacy groups with little understanding of how insurance works can present significant obstacles to obtaining appropriate rates for such policies and risks. Recovery of RCV Matching Claim Payments in Subrogation Actions Subrogation claims traditionally involve an insurance company stepping into the shoes of an insured and proceeding against the third-party tortfeasor who caused the loss in the first place to recover those claim payments. The subrogated insurance company (subrogee) assumes the same rights against the tortfeasor as the insured possessed no greater, no less. The tortfeasor can usually employ any defenses against the subrogee that it could have employed against the insured. As a result, the measure of recovery (i.e.,damages) for the subrogee is the same measure of damages as for the insured. This creates some unique and troubling issues when the law dictating third-party damages recoverable in tort are different from the measure of a first-party claim payment under a policy and/or applicable law or regulations. An insurance company that has paid additional damages in order to address matching problems in a first-party claim may or may not be able to recover those damages in its subrogation tort action against the tortfeasor/defendant. The law varies from state to state. If a carrier pays for full replacement cost of a house or a portion of a structure, it might nonetheless be limited to recovering the market value or difference in market value before and after a loss, in a subsequent subrogation tort action. Whether a tort defendant is liable to a subrogated carrier for the additional claim payments necessary for the damaged property to match and be uniform after repair depends on the state. Reimbursement under an RCV policy is likely to lead to an economic betterment of the insured because it means that payment will be made to replace old, depreciated property with new property. Therefore, subrogated carriers cannot always count on recovering all of the claim dollars they have paid out. Liability carriers will argue they are only responsible for ACV or repair costs. Some states allow for recovery of the full cost of repairs without a reduction for depreciation or betterment, where the repairs do not materially increase the value of the property over its market value prior to the loss. You can view a chart that summarizes the regulations or laws in all 50 states regarding the matching issue in the payment of first-party insurance claims HERE. This chart focuses on homeowners claims and only tangentially discusses commercial property policies/claims, although if law regarding a commercial policy is all that is available, it is included. It does not address whether damage alleged to be purely cosmetic, such as dents to a metal roof caused by hail, is covered direct physical injury or the issue of upgrades required by changes in modern zoning or building codes. It also does not address whether an individual private homeowner has a private right of action under the law of each state to mandate compliance with these regulations by an insurance company in a first-party RCV property damage claim or if a subrogated insurance carrier can recover the full RCV matching claim payments it has made in a civil subrogation tort action filed against a responsible tortfeasor. Boeing Co., Ethiopian Airlines and aircraft-sensor maker Rosemount Aerospace Inc. were sued in the U.S. for alleged negligence in connection with a plane crash last month that killed 157 people and intensified concern about the safety of 737 Max passenger jets. The suit filed Thursday in Chicago federal court on behalf of an American citizen who was on the doomed Ethiopian Airlines flight March 10 joins a growing pile of complaints against Boeing, as well as a criminal probe, after two 737 Max planes crashed within five months. The plaintiffs also said they will file an administrative claim against the Federal Aviation Administration. The parents of Samya Stumo, 24, alleged Boeing was blinded by its greed and rushed the 737 Max 8 to market with the knowledge and tacit approval of the FAA, while hiding defects in its automated flight-control system. The suit also cites a similar flaw in the Lion Air flight of a 737 Max 8 jet that crashed into the Java Sea on Oct. 29, killing 189. Earlier on Thursday, the Ethiopian transport minister called on Boeing to review the 737 Max flight-control system before allowing planes to be used, after a preliminary government report showing the doomed jetliner couldnt recover from an uncommanded and persistent nose dive shortly after takeoff. The complaint alleges that decisions by Boeing leaders contributed to the crash and demonstrate Boeings conscious disregard for the lives of others, including designing an aircraft with a flight-control system that is susceptible to catastrophic failure in the event of a single defective sensor made by Rosemount Aerospace. Boeing didnt immediately respond to an email seeking comment. Stumo, originally from Sheffield, Massachusetts, was traveling in Africa as part of her job with ThinkWell, a health-systems development organization, according to a press release from her familys attorneys. Her parents, Michael Stumo and Nadia Milleron, also are also planning to file an administrative claim against the FAA, their attorneys said. Samya Stumo is the grandniece of consumer activist Ralph Nader, who refers to her simply as his niece, according to a spokesman for her familys attorneys. Nadar became famous in the 1960s for skewering the U.S. Federal Trade Commission over the regulators shortcomings in policing serious safety problems in the auto industry. Boeing, the leading U.S. aerospace manufacturer, and the FAA, its principal regulator, have come under intense scrutiny in recent weeks over claims their relationship is too cozy. The FAA is responsible for regulating aviation in the U.S. and operating the nations air traffic control system. Ill-Equipped Sadly, these two entirely preventable airline crashes demonstrate that the FAA is ill-equipped to oversee the aerospace industry and will downplay serious hazards and safety risks to the public rather than sound the alarm about safety concerns, problems, issues and hazards that pose substantial, probable, and/or foreseeable risks to human life, attorneys for Stumo said in the lawsuit. Boeing, and the regulators that enabled it, must be held accountable for their reckless actions. The chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee said this week that whistleblowers have come forward to report that FAA safety inspectors, including those involved with approvals for the 737 Max, lacked proper training and certifications. Senator Roger Wicker, a Mississippi Republican, said those claims prompted him to investigate potential connections between training and certification shortcomings and the FAAs evaluation of the airliner. The Senate panels probe is the latest in a string of investigations by U.S. officials and lawmakers into how the FAA cleared the 737 Max as safe to fly. The Transportation Departments inspector general is reviewing the FAAs process for approving the airworthiness of new jets and aiding a Justice Department criminal probe. Criminal Probe A grand jury convened by U.S. prosecutors last month subpoenaed a former Boeing engineer demanding he provide testimony and documents related to the 737 Max. FAA Acting Administrator Dan Elwell has said the agency welcomes external review of our systems, processes and recommendations. Boeing faces the prospect of substantial payouts to the families of passengers if its found responsible for both the Ethiopia Air and Lion Air crashes. But legal experts have said the second disaster could prove even more damaging for the company. Thats because plaintiffs will argue the manufacturer was put on notice by the earlier tragedy that there was something dangerously wrong with its planes that should have been fixed. The case is Stumo v. Boeing, 19-cv-2281, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division (Chicago). Copyright 2021 Bloomberg. Some of the worlds largest insurers are eagerly pitching cities, states and even school districts on policies designed to pay out quickly with few questions in the event of extreme weather. The catch: Even a hurricane might not be extreme enough. Its called parametric insurance, and it aims to provide a quick-cash payout within days after a storm hits, beating federal disaster aid to the punch with no restrictions on the moneys use. Among the recent clients of reinsurer Swiss Re AG are Louisiana, one of the most hurricane-prone states, and the Miami-Dade County school board. Louisiana gets up to $1.25 million if a named storm produces winds of 80 miles per hour for at least a minute, while Miami-Dade gets $10 million if wind speeds there exceed 87.5 miles per hour. But its a gamble: In 2017, Hurricane Irmas winds fell short of that level in Florida, while still causing the school district $19 million in damage. Youve got to balance how much premium youve got to pay versus the possibility of getting a covered event, said Michael Fox, the school boards risk and benefits officer. Fox doesnt regret buying the insurance, he said, and he expects the board will renegotiate the trigger when the policy expires next month, even if it raises the price. The money can be used for operations or emergency repairs, costs that may not be repaid by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Even when they are, that money can take years to arrive, he said, noting that the board is still waiting for FEMA funds from Irma. The recent spate of extreme weather events have proven expensive for insurers. Natural catastrophes cost the industry $80 billion last year, double the average for the past 30 years, according to Munich Re AG. Insurers such as New York-based Travelers Cos. are seeking to raise rates on homeowners policies in California after last years deadly wildfires, while European insurers including Italys Assicurazioni Generali SpA and Frances Axa SA have been working to address climate change by divesting from some fossil fuel-tied assets or refusing to underwrite certain projects. Parametric policies offer insurers a way to cover risks without the messy complications of sending in a flood of adjusters to assess the damage after a catastrophe. Coupled with the speed of payment that insurers say they can provide with those policies, that could ease the post-crisis burden for both sellers and buyers. Limitless Potential Where this is going, the potential is almost limitless: hail, wildfire, river flood, extreme rainfall, snowfall, Alex Kaplan, head of North America for Swiss Res Public Sector Solutions unit, said in an interview. If I can be successful in just getting people to recognize that the risk is probably bigger than they think, and they can be doing more to manage that exposure, then I think Ive done my job. Louisiana signed a three-year contract last summer. If theres a payout, the state can use the money however it wants, including to cover things that property insurance and federal disaster aid dont, such as lost tax revenue. Six of seven hurricanes that have made landfall in Louisiana since 2002 would likely have triggered a payoff, depending on where the devices that measure the wind were placed. The strongest winds 126.5 miles per hour were recorded by Katrina in August 2005. The latest storm with winds high enough for the payoff came in October 2017, when Nate had winds of 86.3 miles per hour. These policies arent entirely new. But in the past, they were used mainly for weather-sensitive businesses. For instance, a retailer selling winter coats might be able to get a policy that would pay the company if the weather was too warm, dinging those sales. Axa cites an example of a water company using a policy that would pay out if there was a prolonged weather freeze. Increasingly, though, as climate change has stirred up extreme weather events across the country, insurers have seen an opportunity to expand the customer base to states and communities. After the Haiti earthquake, Alabama became the first U.S. government to buy such a policy, according to Swiss Re. The state never received a payout and decided not to renew it because of a price increase, according to the Alabama Department of Finance. Parametric policies have their charms, according to Kathy Baughman McLeod, director of the Atlantic Councils Adrienne Arsht Center for Resilience. If you understand what youre trying to cover, and you understand the risks, a parametric is a good solution because it can be tailored to your needs, McLeod said by telephone. The beauty of the parametric policy is its flexibility what it covers, and how fast. These policies can serve as a bulwark for vulnerable cities and states against disaster-induced budget shortfalls, rising borrowing costs and population flight. To some city leaders, falling bond ratings are a more immediate threat than rising seas. Beautiful Flexibility Still, little is known in the U.S. about how the product works in real life, or even how widely theyre used. No U.S. government has ever made a claim under a parametric policy, according to Swiss Re. Meanwhile, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners says it doesnt collect data on parametric policies. Swiss Res Kaplan calls it a fluke that none of the policies have yet been triggered. There just havent been any large-scale events where theyre now being used since the 2005 hurricane season, he said. Parametric insurance, though, does have a track record in developing countries, where traditional insurance based on claims data was impractical because that data didnt exist. Instead, insurers began offering policies that would pay governments if a storm exceeded a particular parameter. Haiti Earthquake The approach gained popularity in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean including Haiti, where the 2010 earthquake triggered a $7.8 million payout that represented about 20 times the amount of its premium. Miami-Dades Irma experience underscores the gamble for those buying in. Parametric policies create what insurance nerds call basis risk, said David Eckles, a professor of risk management and insurance at the University of Georgias Terry College of Business. Basis risk refers to the mismatch between the policys parameters and the actual event, such as a storm where the damage inflicts a loss on the insured party but doesnt trigger the precise measurements to generate a payout. Other state governments have expressed interest in the idea, but havent yet dipped into the market. Hawaiis state legislators, for instance, have proposed bills in recent years to look into a parametric option, but those efforts failed to pass. Meanwhile, Swiss Re isnt alone on the field. Axa has been building a parametrics business, with much of the public sector part of the portfolio being focused outside of the U.S., according to Karina Whalley, public sector business development manager at Axas global parametrics group. The French insurer is now looking to increase its presence in the U.S. after its acquisition of XL Group Ltd., she said. Climate change is becoming much more of a creator of demand for this kind of insurance coverage, Whalley said in an interview. Buyers of the policies, she said, want that money to come in very, very quickly so that they can start cleaning up. As climate change takes an ever-larger chunk out of local governments revenue, the demand for parametric insurance will grow, according to Swiss Res Kaplan. If you can offload a risk off the back of your citizens and taxpayers into a willing and able private market, thats something that should be reviewed and explored, he said. ORANGE, Ohio -- Assault, disturbance; Park Avenue: Police responded to 3 Palms Pizzeria around 8 p.m. April 2, where a manager reported that he had just fired an employee who then started swinging, punching the manager in the face and leaving him with a swollen eye and a sore nose. The suspect, who apparently lives with his grandmother in Warrensville Heights after being paroled from the Lake Erie Corrections Center, had not returned to her home at 1:30 a.m. the next day, when she called police back. The manager, 28, requested a protection order from court. Prostitution, Orange Place: A Willoughby woman, 18, was arrested March 29 at the Beachwood Inn, formerly the Super 8, after she agreed to provide an undercover police officer with an hour of oral sex for $300. Police were conducting a prostitution investigation and found her via the website SkipTheGames.com, making contact and learning where she had set up shop. Also seized was $135 in cash and her phone. Driving under suspension, marijuana possession, warrant (advised); Park Avenue: Upon finding a stopped car obstructing traffic near Pinstripes at Pinecrest around 5 p.m. March 29, police went looking for the driver. But the driver, a Euclid man, 19, saw the officer first and ran back to his car, taking off at a high rate of speed. He was eventually pulled over near the Harvard Road and Interstate 271 on-ramp, where police found a court suspension on his license, 0.2 grams of suspected marijuana in the glove box, and a warrant from Willoughby Hills that was declined due to staffing constraints. He was cited and given a courtesy ride to the Mayfield Heights Walmart. Departmental information, Lander Road: Police may have expedited a transfer of title for a resident, 19, who reported on March 30 that he had a bill of sale dating back six weeks on a 2017 Nissan GT-R, for which he had traded in his 2016 Corvette and paid almost $26,000. While he had the bill of sale, he still did not have the title for the Nissan -- at least until police contacted the New Jersey import dealership and learned that it was being transferred. If you would like to discuss the police blotter, please visit our crime and courts comments page. For more news from the Chagrin Solon Sun, click here. MAYFIELD HEIGHTS, Ohio -- Welfare check, Golden Gate Plaza: A Pepper Pike woman, 28, was charged with child endangering March 23 after she left her 5-month-old child alone in her vehicle while she was inside Petsmart. She told officers the child was sick and she did not want to take him out in the cold. She also said she is a single mother and it is hard to parent and shop. Theft, Belrose Road: A resident reported March 27 that four leaf blowers and two trimmers were stolen from the garage at his residence. He learned of the theft when two of his employees came to his unlocked garage to pick up the equipment. The estimated total value was $2,400. Impaired driving, Iroquois Avenue: Officers responded at 12:11 a.m. March 22 to a report of vehicle that had struck a residents mailbox while backing out of the driveway. The woman reporting the incident said the man was her friend and that she had taken his keys from him after he hit the mailbox. Officers found the Cleveland Heights man, 38, stumbling on the sidewalk and arrested him for OVI and reasonable control. Illegal dumping, Golden Gate Boulevard: An unknown person drove into the Costco parking lot March 23 and dumped eight large containers behind the building. The containers had stickers on them stating that they were flammable, but the fire department said there was no hazard because the containers were empty. The suspect was not identified. Extortion, Mayfield Road: A woman reported March 21 that she and her family are being threatened by two men who want money from her. She also requested special attention to an assisted living facility in the city where she is employed. The incident is under investigation. Warrant served, Mayfield Road: A woman came to the station March 26 to request that an officer speak to her 8-year-old son about his unruly behavior, but left before an officer arrived. It was learned she had an active warrant out of Garfield Heights. The vehicle she left in was subsequently located on Interstate 271, and the Cleveland woman, 38, was arrested on the warrant and turned over to Garfield Heights police. Theft, Mayfield Road: A manager of BP 7-Eleven reported March 26 that an employee has been seen on surveillance video taking pictures of credit cards and stealing lottery tickets. The employee showed up at work later that night and was fired from his job. He admitted to stealing lottery tickets and cigarettes. Officers followed the Mayfield Heights man, 43, to his home, where he turned over a small stack of lottery tickets. He was advised that he was no longer welcome at the store. Fraud, Parkland Boulevard: A manager in the title department at Howard Hanna reported March 26 that an electronic check for a mortgage payoff had been intercepted and the funds were deposited into another account. That account was located in Mississippi, and the funds -- valued at $273,000 -- were later withdrawn from the account. The companys bank is investigating the fraud. Traffic stop, Interstate 271: Officers attempted to stop a vehicle around 10:30 p.m. March 25 that was registered to a woman with an active warrant. The vehicle exited the highway and turned onto Brainard Road, where it crashed into a ravine and caught fire. There was nobody inside the vehicle, but a Mayfield Heights woman, 22, was found walking in the area. She claimed to have been a passenger in the vehicle, but could not identify the driver and there was no proof there was anyone else in the vehicle. She was charged with failure to comply, driving under suspension, willful and wanton disregard for safety, and other violations. Cleveland Heights police were unable to pick her up on the warrant. Theft, SOM Center Road: A Cleveland woman, 30, was cited at Target March 25 for the suspected theft of a purse, valued at $21.99. See more Mayfield Heights news at Cleveland.com/hillcrest. If you would like to discuss the police blotter, please visit our crime and courts comments page. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish offered condolences Thursday to the family of a construction worker who died after being struck by a car while working on a Department of Public Works project. David Sollars, 54, was critically injured in the March 28 crash on Cedar Road near South Green Road in University Heights. An ambulance took him to University Hospitals, where he died Wednesday, according to the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiners Office. A 46-year-old construction worker was also hurt in the crash, but his condition is stable, police said. The two construction workers were employees at Trafftech Inc. in Cleveland, and were working on the Cedar Road Reconstruction Project, Budish said in his statement. The Cuyahoga County Department of Public Works is managing the $4.5 million project, which is funded by federal money from the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency. "Mr. Sollars and his colleagues at Trafftech Inc. are professional, dedicated contractors who were working with us to improve the roads that are a lifeline to families, commerce, and recreation for the people of Cuyahoga County, Budish said in the statement. We extend our deepest sympathies to Mr. Sollars family and friends, Budish said in the statement. We ask the public to remember him by exercising additional caution any time you see an orange construction barrel or a sign alerting you to road work. Remember, use extra caution in and around work zones. We want to ensure that our workers make it home safely to their families each and every night." Wiley Bridgeman, 64, is charged with aggravated vehicular homicide, vehicular assault and stopping after an accident in connection with the crash, University Heights police said Wednesday in a news release. He remains hospitalized, and his first court date has not yet been scheduled. Bridgeman is accused of driving recklessly when he struck the workers about 3 a.m. on Cedar Road. The workers were part of a crew setting up a construction zone along the roadway. Bridgeman kept driving until he struck a telephone pole at Cedar Road and Soms Center Road in Gates Mills, police said. He called 911 and told a dispatcher that he was driving too fast when he struck the telephone pole, according to a recording of the call. Bridgeman was one of three men along with Rickey Jackson and Kwame Ajamu who were wrongfully convicted of a 1975 murder and spent 37 years in prison. A judge sentenced them to death, but their sentences were reduced to life in prison in 1978 when the state of Ohio enacted a moratorium on the death penalty. Nearly 40 years later, a key witness in the trial -- who was 12 years old when he testified -- recanted his testimony and said detectives pressured him to lie on the witness stand. Cuyahoga County judges subsequently cleared the three men of the charges. Bridgeman and Jackson were released in 2014 with the help of the Ohio Innocence Project. Ajamu was previously paroled in 2003. MEDINA, Ohio -- The person who told authorities that he was Timmothy Pitzen, a boy who was 6 years old when he went missing eight years ago in Illinois, is actually a 23-year-old man from Medina, according to multiple reports. DNA results proved the man found Wednesday in Newport, Kentucky, was not Timmothy, the FBI said in a statement posted on social media. The Newport Police Department in Kentucky identified the man as being from Medina, according to NBC News. The Newport Police Department could not immediately be reached for comment or more information. A 23-year-old man of the same name has a criminal history that includes prior convictions for burglary, theft, vandalism, passing bad checks and trespassing, Medina County court records say. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison after being convicted last year of burglary and vandalism, court records say. He was released March 7 from the Belmont Correctional Institution, Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction records say. The mans attorney in that case filed a motion in November 2017 informing the court the man was receiving treatment from a psychiatrist at the Windsor Laurelwood Center for Behavioral Medicine in Willoughby, court records show. The records do not reveal why the man was receiving treatment. The man who claimed to be Timmothy told authorities on Wednesday that he escaped from two kidnappers in the Cincinnati area, and then fled across a bridge into Kentucky. Authorities have not said whether he will face charges in connection with the alleged hoax. Timmothy vanished in 2011 at age 6 after his mother, Amy Fry-Pitzen, pulled him out of kindergarten early one day, took him on a two-day road trip to the zoo and a water park, and then killed herself at a hotel. She left a note saying that her son was safe with people who would love and care for him, and added: You will never find him, according to the Associated Press. Timmothys family members said Thursday that they were heartbroken at the latest twist. Its devastating. Its like reliving that day all over again, and Timmothys father is devastated once again, said his aunt Kara Jacobs, according to the Associated Press. Please ask Brent Larkin to apologize to President Donald Trump and the readers of The Plain Dealer for blasting Trump for cutting funds to clean up the Great Lakes from $300 million to $30 million. (Gov. DeWines proposed investment in Lake Erie just one of many wise moves on issues critical to Cleveland, March 21). Trump told the people of Michigan at a rally on March 28 he is pledging all $300 million. Then ask him to really retire and stop printing his diatribes against the president of the United States. Michael Ihde, Strongsville AKRON, Ohio A man managed to fight off three home invaders, police say, eventually taking a gun from one of them and chasing them out of the residence. The 31-year-old victim did suffer a cut to the top of his head during the incident Tuesday afternoon on the 300 block of Storer Avenue in the West Akron neighborhood. The man tells police that three men entered his home, assaulted him and took some items, including a cell phone and AirPods. One of the suspects then pointed a gun at the man and demanded he open a safe that was in the home. Another suspect also was carrying a sledgehammer, police say. While near the safe, the victim began to wrestle with the suspect with the gun, police say. He was struck in the head during the fight by an unknown object. Two of the suspects ran from the home as the victim took the gun from the remaining suspect, police say. The victim then fired a shot at the suspect inside the house but the man escaped out of the back door, police say. Police investigating the incident recovered the victims cell phone, a sledgehammer and a handgun. The victim was treated at Cleveland Clinic Akron General for the cut to his head. Anyone with information can call detectives at 330-375-2490 or 330-375-2TIP, or the Summit County Crimestoppers Inc. at 330-434-COPS. A person can also text TIPSCO with tips to 274637 (Crimes). Callers can remain anonymous. To comment on this post, please visit our crime and courts comments page. COLUMBUS, Ohio The body of a 61-year-old woman who had been reported missing was found in her vehicle at a police impound lot, according to reports. An autopsy of Falyce Yuill, who was found in the vehicle at the Columbus Division of Police Impound Lot, did not reveal any signs of foul play or visible trauma, WCMH Channel 4 reports. Officials are still waiting for toxicology reports, however. Police tell 10tv.com that while investigating a missing person report on Yuill, they learned her vehicle had been impounded. Investigators asked officials at the lot to check the vehicle and they discovered her body inside. Police are continuing to investigate, reports say. To comment on this post, please visit our crime and courts comments page. CLEVELAND, Ohio Interested in using solar power at home or for business? Cuyahoga Countys Department of Sustainability will host three meetings later this month for residents who might be interested in forming a co-op to reduce the cost of installing solar arrays. Meeting locations and dates: Tuesday, April 23, 6 to 8 p.m. Brookpark Community Center community room, 17400 Holland Road Wednesday, April 24, 6 to 8 p.m. Great Lakes Tasting Room, 2701 Carroll Avenue, Cleveland Thursday, April 25, 6 to 8 p.m. Cuyahoga County Public Library Mayfield Branch, 500 SOM Center Road Participants will learn about: How to determine if their home is right for solar energy The 30 percent federal solar tax credit How to use the countys low-interest HELP loan program to buy a solar system How to solve technical issues Typical industry warranties Cost savings involved in forming a buyers co-op to solicit bids from installers. The Department of Sustainability is partnering with Solar United Neighbors to present the meetings. The organization has worked with nearly a dozen solar co-ops in Ohio, helping 170 homes in the state go solar, according to a county news release. Once the Cuyahoga County 100 prospective co-op members are found, bids will be solicited from installers, and co-op members will choose which installer to go with, the release said. Members will receive an individualized proposal that incorporates a discount, as the co-op will allow members to save money by making large-scale group purchases. Director of Sustainability Mike Foley said this will be the third round of Cuyahoga Countys solar co-op program. He expects those who join this co-op to save $25,000 per household over 25 years. The 80 local homeowners who have already participated in past co-ops have saved about 20 percent on the cost of solar installations, Foley said. The use of solar power is such a vital way to help improve the environment as we struggle with the effects of climate change, said County Executive Armond Budish in the release. This program allows residents and business owners to support growing renewable energy production in Northeast Ohio while saving money at the same time. CLEVELAND, Ohio A 39-year-old man is accused of stabbing a fellow patron of a bar in Clevelands Union-Miles neighborhood, police say. David Leach is charged with felonious assault in the Dec. 16 incident at Skeets VSP Lounge on East 93rd Street and Gibson Avenue, according to court records. He is not in police custody, but a warrant was issued Monday for his arrest. Leach was at the bar about 1:30 a.m. when he elbowed a 34-year-old mans girlfriend in the head, according to police reports and court records. He then yelled at the bartender and spilled drinks on the 34-year-old man, police reports say. The man asked Leach whats your problem? Leach pulled out a switchblade and stabbed the man in the stomach, police reports say. The mans brother drove him to the hospital for treatment, police say. The man didnt know Leachs name at the time, but described him as someone who wears sunglasses all the time and looks like the late rapper Eazy-E, police reports say. CLEVELAND, Ohio A 16-year-old boy arranged a home invasion robbery that led to his neighbor being shot early Thursday in Cleveland, police said. A gunman shot a 21-year-old Parma man three times during the incident at a home on East 95th Street near Ansel Road, in Clevelands Hough neighborhood, according to police reports. No arrests have been made in the case. Police are searching for the 16-year-old boy. The 21-year-old man let his 16-year-old neighbor and two of the teens friends into the home about 12:30 a.m. Several people were smoking and drinking inside, police reports say. Shortly after, the teen went to the door to let two more friends inside. He and his four friends then walked back into the home with guns drawn, police reports say. The group ordered everyone else inside the home to get on the ground. Several people tried to run and hide, but the robbers chased them down, police reports say. The 21-year-old man tried to run from the home, but one of the robbers caught up to him and shot him three times, including once in the left shoulder and twice in the abdomen, police reports say. Another robbers put a gun to the head of a 21-year-old man who lives in the home, police reports say. The robber demanded to know where the residents surveillance camera was hidden. The resident told police that hed previously told the 16-year-old boy about the security camera. The robber punched the resident in the face, grabbed the security camera from a wall and smashed it on the ground, police reports say. The other robbers went upstairs and rummaged through the rooms. They stole a hamper full of clothes, shoes and designer belts before running from the home, police said. To comment on this story, please visit our crime and courts comments page. CLEVELAND, Ohio A 36-year-old woman died and another woman was hurt when a car crashed into a building early Thursday in Clevelands Glenville neighborhood. The crash happened about 2:30 a.m. on East 108th Street at Superior Avenue, according to police dispatch reports. The 36-year-old woman, later identified as Rikeyta McLoyd of East Cleveland, was a passenger in the 1998 Buick Park Avenue involved in the crash. A 38-year-old woman was driving the car, police said. A 38-year-old woman was driving a 1998 Buick Park Avenue west on Superior with McLoyd as the passenger, police said. The car was westbound on Superior Avenue when it veered into the oncoming lanes. It then swerved back through the westbound lanes before it headed off the side of the street and over a curb. It crashed into a concrete garbage bin on the sidewalk before it vaulted off a raised divider between driveways. It then crashed through a chain link fence and into a brick building that houses the business S Dot Audio, police said. The 38-year-old driver got out of the car through the front passenger window, police said. She was taken to University Hospitals to be treated for unspecified injuries. Firefighters and EMS crews found McLoyd in the backseat of the car. They used a hydraulic cutting tool to extract her from the car, according to police dispatch records. She died after being taken to University Hospitals, police said. Cleveland police are investigating what caused the crash. Police did not say if the driver was arrested or faces any charges. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Its National Burrito Day and we couldnt let the day pass without celebrating. And Ohio City Burrito couldnt either. The Northeast Ohio staple is offering buy one burrito, get a second burrito half off at its downtown and Ohio City locations all day. Reporter Hannah Drown visited the burrito-making crew in downtown Cleveland and offered them a challenge -- can she make a burrito faster than one of its employees? They chose Keagan Meehan. Spoiler: Drown lost. You can catch the action in the Facebook Live video below or on cleveland.coms Facebook page to leave your own comments and reactions. Related: If you love Mexican food please vote in cleveland.coms contest to determine Northeast Ohios Best Mexican Restaurant. COLUMBUS, Ohio Last weekend, Frank LaRose helped oversee one of his first elections since he was elected Ohio Secretary of State but it wasnt in Ohio. LaRose, a Republican, returned to Ohio on Tuesday after spending six days in Ukraine, the Eastern European country bordering Poland, Russia and other countries. He was part of an American delegation to an international group that observed Ukraines presidential election, held on Sunday, April 1. The American delegation included former elected officials, ex-ambassadors and others, LaRose said. The Kyiv Post, an English-language newspaper in the Ukrainian capital, quoted Cindy McCain, wife of the late U.S. Sen. John McCain, who called the election a step forward for Ukraines democracy. The delegation found the election, which saw TV comic Volodymyr Zelensky and President Petro Poroshenko advance to a run-off election, to be not without issues, but generally free and fair. The election occurred against a heated political backdrop, given the 2014 uprising there that ousted a pro-Russian president and Russias subsequent, contested annexation of the Crimean Peninsula. A war continues in the Donbass regions, where the Ukrainian government is fighting Russian-backed separatists that has displaced tens of thousands of people. The Russian government called Sundays election illegitimate and attempted to undermine trust in the results, LaRose said. But the most pro-Russian candidate placed fourth, a departure from past elections, according to the New York Times. The people of Ukraine have been through a lot and as a result of that experience of having to literally fight for their freedom, theyre very serious about this process, LaRose said in a Thursday phone interview. And it reminds me that no one should ever take the vote for granted, that its truly a precious thing. And thats something I really appreciate. LaRoses trip included staying in Ivano-Frankivsk, a Western Ukraine city, and speaking to local elected officials there, meeting campaign officials, touring a prison (Ukraine allows its prisoners to vote) and observing a polling place, where elections workers hand-counted roughly 1,500-2,000 ballots until well past midnight. LaRose said traveling to Ukraine was an honor, and an acknowledgment of Ohios Ukrainian-American community, which is particularly concentrated in the Cleveland area. But he also said it served as a possible dry run for him for the 2020 election, for which election officials have been briefed to prepare for meddling efforts from Russia and other countries, similar to what the U.S. intelligence community believes occurred during the 2016 presidential election. LaRose said there have been no accusations of the Russian government launching cyber attacks on last weekends election, but said they tried to influence the results in other ways, like through social media. Its good for me to be able to see first-hand whats going on there as a way to be prepared for and alert to what tactics could potentially be used here in the State of Ohio by those who would want to influence or undermine the credibility of our elections, said LaRose, who is backing a state bill, which the Ohio Senate unanimously approved this week, meant to bolster Ohios elections security by creating a reserve, civilian cybersecurity force. As for the food, LaRose said he tried borscht (beet soup), varenyky (stuffed dumplings more frequently referred to here by their Polish name, pierogi), stuffed cabbage rolls all good. He also had a smoked fruit-juice drink he hadnt heard of before (Its sort of strange to the American palate, LaRose said.) If you go to the Ukrainian Village area of Parma, you would have a lot of the same stuff, he said. LaRose said his office hopes to plan a trip to Cleveland in the near future to give a presentation on his experiences in Ukraine. LaRoses trip was paid for by the International Republican Institute, a Republican-affiliated nonprofit that receives some of its funding from USAID and the U.S. State Department. The National Democratic Institute, a Democratic equivalent, also participated. COLUMBUS, OhioStarting Friday, Ohio schools must notify parents when their child is at least two hours late to school without an excused absence, under a new law passed in response to the 2017 murder of 14-year-old Alianna DeFreeze. The Alianna Alert requirement was signed into law by then-Gov. John Kasich in early January, but it doesnt take effect until Friday, according to the Ohio House website. Until now, there has been nothing in Ohio law about schools responsibilities to notify parents when their children miss class. The measure was proposed by state Sen. Sandra Williams, a Cleveland Democrat, after 45-year-old Christopher Whitaker kidnapped, raped, tortured and killed 14-year-old Alianna DeFreeze of Cleveland, whose mother never knew she didnt make it to school. Whitaker was sentenced to death last year for his crimes. Hopefully this bill will help prevent any other child on their way to school from dying at the hands of a violent perpetrator, Williams said in a statement after Kasich signed the legislation, House Bill 66. COLUMBUS, OhioRepublican state Rep. John Becker has introduced legislation that would ban insurance companies from covering most types of abortions. Here are three takeaways: - House Bill 182 would prohibit health insurers and public employee benefit plans from covering abortions except to replant a fertilized ovum or to save a pregnant womans life. - It wouldnt apply to private-sector self-insured companies, nor block any employer from directly paying for a workers abortion. - Becker unsuccessfully introduced a similar bill in 2014, but hes more optimistic this time because House Insurance Committee Chair Tom Brinkman is a co-sponsor. CLEVELAND, Ohio U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, a Youngstown-area Democrat, is expected to announce his candidacy for president this week, BuzzFeed News is reporting. Ryan has been considering a run for office for several months now. The report, citing sources with knowledge of Ryans plan, said the Democrat will declare this week. An exact date was not given, but Ryan is scheduled for a Thursday appearance on the popular talk-show The View and is planning a rally in Youngstown this Saturday, according to the report. A spokesman for Ryan did not answer a call requesting comment. A cleveland.com reporter tried to contact Ryan in his office Wednesday, but was told the congressman was on his way to New York where The View is filmed. Ryan, 45, was first elected to Congress in 2002 and has flirted with the idea of running for higher office multiple times in the past, though he has yet to follow through. He garnered national attention following the 2016 election when he unsuccessfully challenged then-House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi for her position. He has been making sporadic trips to both Iowa and New Hampshire over the last several weeks, including appearing at a forum on rural issues and visiting Sioux City over the weekend. Cleveland.com Washington reporter Sabrina Eaton contributed to this report. SINGAPORE, April 4 (Reuters) - Industrial metals extended gains on Thursday as investors awaited developments on trade talks between the world's top two economies. Trade talks between the United States and China made "good headway" last week in Beijing and the two sides aim to bridge differences during talks that could extend beyond three days this week, White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said. Media reports touted progress in the trade talks. Bloomberg reported on Thursday the United States wanted to set a 2025 target for China to meet trade pledges, while the Financial Times reported on Wednesday Washington and Beijing were closer to reaching a final trade agreement. FUNDAMENTALS * Benchmark copper on the London Metal Exchange rose 0.2 percent to $6,506.5 a tonne by 0113 GMT, while the most-traded copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange advanced 0.7 percent to 49,600 yuan ($7,392.17) a tonne. * London zinc increased 0.2 percent, after posting in strongest daily gain since March 12 in the previous session, while Shanghai zinc jumped as much as 2.5 percent to its highest since March 2018 at 23,275 yuan a tonne. * Zinc stocks in LME-approved warehouse edged up to 50,900 tonnes as of April 2, latest data showed, but still hovered near their lowest since at least 1998, Refinitiv Eikon data showed. * For the top stories in metals and other news, click or MARKETS NEWS * Asian shares paused near an eight-month peak as investors awaited developments on trade talks between the United States and China, who appear closer to signing a deal, nudging bond yields higher globally and softening the safe-haven yen. DATA/EVENTS (GMT) 0600 Germany Industrial Orders MM Feb 0615 India Cash Reserve Ratio -- 0615 India Repo Rate -- 0615 India Reverse Repo Rate -- 1130 The European Central Bank publishes its account of the latest monetary policy meeting of the Governing Council, held on March 6-7 1230 US Initial Jobless Claims weekly PRICES Three month LME copper Most active ShFE copper Three month LME aluminum Most active ShFE aluminum Three month LME zinc Most active ShFE zinc Three month LME lead Most active ShFE lead Three month LME nickel Most active ShFE nickel Three month LME tin Most active ShFE tin ARBS ($1 = 6.7098 Chinese yuan) (Reporting by Mai Nguyen; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu) * Prosecutors arrest Ghosn who had been released on bail - NHK * Media reports that arrest was coming over Oman allegation * Ghosn has denied all charges (Adds details about Oman allegations, planned news conference) TOKYO, April 4 (Reuters) - Japanese prosecutors arrested ousted Nissan Motor Co boss Carlos Ghosn for a fourth time on Thursday, broadcaster NHK said, after reports authorities were building a new case against him over payments made to a dealer in Oman. The re-arrest, which NHK described as a highly unusual move, marks the latest dramatic twist in the once-feted executive's fall from grace, and comes after fresh allegations about improper payments made by Nissan under his watch. Prosecutors arrested Ghosn on suspicion of aggravated breach of trust, NHK said, after visiting his residence in Tokyo early on Thursday and asking him to submit to questioning. A silver van believed to be carrying Ghosn later left the residence, NHK said. Footage of the vehicle leaving the residence showed that its windows were covered by curtains, making it impossible to see who was riding inside. More than a dozen officials from the prosecutors' office had arrived early on Thursday morning at the residence, NHK reported. No one was immediately available for comment at the Tokyo prosecutors' office or Ghosn's lawyers' office. The arrest comes just a day after Ghosn pledged on Twitter than he would hold a news conference on April 11 to "tell the truth" about the allegations against him. Ghosn was first arrested in Tokyo in November and faces charges of financial misconduct and aggravated breach of trust over allegedly failing to report around $82 million in salary and temporarily transferring personal financial losses onto Nissan's books during the financial crisis. Released on $9 million bail last month, Ghosn has called the charges against them "meritless" and said he was the victim of a boardroom coup. SUSPECT PAYMENTS Sources told Reuters earlier this week that Nissan partner Renault had alerted French prosecutors after uncovering suspect payments to a Renault-Nissan business partner in Oman while Ghosn was chief executive of the French automaker. Ghosn's spokesman has previously said payments of $32 million made over nine years were rewards for the Oman firm being a top Nissan dealer. Such dealer incentives were not directed by Ghosn and the funds were not used to pay any personal debt, the spokesman said. Nissan had previously established its own regional subsidiary made questionable payments of more than $30 million to the Oman distributor, Suhail Bahwan Automobiles (SBA). Evidence sent to French prosecutors late last week showed that much of the cash was subsequently channelled to a Lebanese company controlled by Ghosn associates, the sources said. Reuters has not been able to reach SBA for comment on the matter. (Additional reporting by Malcolm Foster, Linda Sieg and Billy Mallard Writing by David Dolan; Editing by Tom Brown and Stephen Coates) Ian Goodfellow, one of the top minds in artificial intelligence at Google, has joined Apple in a director role. The hire comes as Apple increasingly strives to tap AI to boost its software and hardware. Last year Apple hired John Giannandrea, head of AI and search at Google, to supervise AI strategy. Goodfellow updated his LinkedIn profile on Thursday to acknowledge that he moved from Google to Apple in March. He said he's a director of machine learning in the Special Projects Group. In addition to developing AI for features like FaceID and Siri, Apple also has been working on autonomous driving technology. Recently the autonomous group had a round of layoffs. A Google spokesperson confirmed his departure. Apple declined to comment. Goodfellow didn't respond to a request for comment. Shares in Asia were mixed on Thursday as investors watched ongoing negotiations between the U.S. and China, with the two economic powerhouses reportedly closer to striking a deal to end a protracted trade dispute. Mainland Chinese markets closed higher, with the Shanghai composite adding 0.94% to 3,246.57 and the Shenzhen component rising about 0.73% to 10,415.80. The Shenzhen composite also gained 0.447% to 1,780.02. Over in Hong Kong, however, the Hang Seng index declined about 0.5%, as of its final hour of trading. The Nikkei 225 in Japan rose fractionally to close at 21,724.95, while the Topix slipped 0.11% to end at 1,620.05. Shares of Apple supplier Japan Display soared 8.33% by the time of market close, following a Reuters report that the company would supply organic light-emitting diode (OLED) screens for the Apple Watch later this year. The supply deal would mark Japan Display's foray into the OLED display market, Reuters reported, citing two sources familiar with the matter. The company currently supplies liquid crystal display screens for the iPhone XR. In South Korea, the Kospi gained 0.15% to close at 2,206.53 as shares of chipmaker SK Hynix dropped 1.88%. Australia's declined 0.83% to end at 6,232.80 as the sectors declined, with the energy subindex dropping 1.86 percent as shares of oil companies fell. Santos shed 2.18%, Beach Energy dropped 4.31% and Woodside Petroleum slipped 2.07%. People walk past a part of the wreckage at the scene of the Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302 plane crash, near the town of Bishoftu, southeast of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia March 10, 2019. Pressure is mounting on Boeing after Ethiopian investigators said pilots flying Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 weren't responsible for the March 10 crash that killed 157 people, shifting blame to the flight-control system that's also suspected in an October crash of the same type of 737 Max jet. The Ethiopian plane, which crashed just six minutes after take off from Addis Ababa, followed a similar flight pattern as the Lion Air flight that went down in Indonesia's Java Sea and killed all 189 passengers and crew five months earlier. Pilots of both planes appear to have had trouble regaining control of the aircraft after an automated flight control system, called MCAS, pushed the nose of the jets down to keep them from stalling. "The crew performed all the procedures repeatedly provided by the manufacturer but was not able to control the aircraft," Ethiopian Transport Minister Dagmawit Moges told reporters at a news conference Thursday. Investigators found that pilots on the Ethiopian flight turned the anti-stall system off and back on again to try to regain control of the plane, casting doubt on Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration's assertions that the crash may have been avoided had pilots simply followed established safety procedures. Moges didn't specifically blame the MCAS software. However, she said it needed to be reviewed before the planes, which have been grounded since mid-March, are allowed to fly again. "Since repetitive uncommanded aircraft nose-down conditions are noticed ... it is recommend that the aircraft control system shall be reviewed by the manufacturer," Dagmawit said. She also suggested that the aviation authority ensures the jet's flight control system is reviewed by Boeing before the jets are allowed to fly again. It's expected to take several months before they will issue a final report and announce the cause of the crash. The preliminary findings were based on flight data and cockpit voice records on the Boeing 737 Max. Hours after Ethiopian investigators published their 30-page preliminary report, Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg released a statement and video acknowledging, for the first time, that bad data feeding into the MCAS system played a role in the crashes. "With the release of the preliminary report of the Ethiopian Airlines flight 302 accident investigation it's apparent that in both flights the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, known as MCAS, activated in response to erroneous angle of attack information," Muilenberg said in a statement and video that was posted to the company's Twitter account Thursday. "As pilots have told us, erroneous activation of the MCAS function can add to what is already a high workload environment," he said. "It's our responsibility to eliminate this risk. We own it and we know how to do it." Boeing is currently under investigation by the U.S. Justice Department, the Transportation Department's inspector general and Congress. The FAA formed an international task force with other aviation regulators to review Boeing's planned fixes for the plane. It said that its investigation is still in the early stages and that it would take "appropriate action" once more details become available. The statement did not specify whether the FAA would review the Max's flight control system, as recommended by Ethiopian investigators. Ethiopian Airlines said in a statement that the report clearly showed that the pilots were not at fault. "Despite their hard work and full compliance with the emergency procedures, it was very unfortunate that they could not recover the airplane from the persistence of nose diving," the airline said. Investigations into the two crashes are ongoing. Ethiopian officials said that a final report could take a year before release, and a final report on the Lion Air accident in Indonesia is expected in August. Democrats aren't just pushing for a higher minimum wage. Now they're talking about "minimum retirement." Sens. Chris Coons of Delaware and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota planned to introduce a bill Thursday that would make companies contribute to employee retirement plans. Here's what the measure calls for: Businesses would be required to pay at least 50 cents into an employee retirement plan for every hour worked. To offset that cost, companies would receive a tax credit for a portion of those contributions. To pay for the proposal, the senators are proposing raising the corporate tax rate by 2 percentage points to 23%. It would also increase the tax rate on the wealthiest households from 37% to 39.6%. "As we deal with immediate problems people have with their health care costs and the costs of college, sometimes what gets forgotten is that people are living longer and longer," Klobuchar said Thursday. "That means that they're going to have a need for retirement." The proposal is part of Democrats' efforts to reimagine America's social safety net through sweeping new programs that range from expanding low-income tax credits to the Green New Deal. Klobuchar, who is running for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, has also proposed rolling back a portion of President Donald Trump's corporate tax cut to help pay for her $1 trillion infrastructure plan. Minimum retirement contributions have won support from both progressive and moderate think tanks as well as key voter groups such as the Service Employees International Union and the AARP. "The Saving for the Future Act will do more to reduce wealth disparity and improve the fortunes of working wage Americans than any single piece of legislation in Congress," said Jim Kessler, executive vice president for policy at the centrist Third Way. "This bill is bold, far-sighted, affordable, and pragmatic." Read more: House panel passes bill to upgrade 401(k) plans At a rate of 50 cents an hour, companies are estimated to contribute at least $20 per week per employee and more than $1,000 per year into workers' savings accounts. The minimum rate rises to 60 cents an hour after two years and is then indexed to wage growth. Over time, the contributions are expected to translate into more than $600,000 in savings for a work with a high school education, according to lawmakers' analysis of the bill. Meanwhile, businesses could offset their costs with tax credits for contributions for up to 30 employees: a 50% credit for the first 15 workers and 25% for the next 15 workers. The program is expected to cost $200 billion to $250 billion over a decade. Many companies that currently offer pensions or provide matching contributions to 401(k) plans would already be in compliance. But the proposal would also create a new federal savings vehicle called an UP account that small businesses can use to contribute to workers' retirement. With an UP account, the first $2,500 in savings would be available for emergency expenses. Additional contributions would be dedicated to retirement, the lawmakers said. Business with 10 employees or less could opt out of the program. Their workers would get individual tax credits for their retirement savings. "It enables workers that lack access to save in a high-quality retirement plan and pushes all employers to contribute towards their employees' retirement so that workers don't have to do it on their own," said David Madland, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress Action Fund. If the relentless cold of British winter isn't for you, head to the balmy beaches of Thailand or Indonesia. At least that's what Jack Bennet thinks could be a lucrative alternative. Bennet, a 24-year-old British national, temporarily left the United Kingdom during its colder months and instead hit the tropical beaches of Bali in Indonesia. Trading his coat for swim trunks, Bennet built his e-commerce businesses from a laptop in coworking spaces in Bali, as well as in Chiang Mai, Thailand. He said he spent three months in each of those locations. "I had always been curious about the nomadic lifestyle and this was my opportunity to try it out," he said of his experience as a so-called "digital nomad" a term used to describe mostly 20-somethings who work remotely and consider themselves to be location-independent. He started several e-commerce businesses, one of which manufactures and sells fun-themed sandals globally. His companies, while registered in the U.K., can be operated from anywhere in the world. Despite his travels, however, he said he still pays taxes like other residents in the U.K. do. Bennet said he's saved $4,483 by swapping continents for six months. He found long-term accommodation through online hospitality service site Airbnb,and rented motorbikes to ride for his commute. He usually ate at inexpensive local restaurants, where in Chiang Mai, for instance, it's not uncommon to find a local dish of Pad Thai for $2. Here's a breakdown of Bennet's costs: Rescuers work at the scene of an Ethiopian Airlines flight crash near Bishoftu, or Debre Zeit, south of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Monday, March 11, 2019. Ethiopia has said Boeing must review the "controllability" of the 737 MAX 8 aircraft model and that aviation authorities should verify that the flight control system was "adequately addressed" by the U.S. plane manufacturer. 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. Speaking at a press conference Thursday, the Ethiopian Transport Minister Dagmawit Moges outlined a preliminary report into the crash and said pilots on board had followed flight procedures given by Boeing. Boeing and the U.S. Federal Aviation Authority have suggested that the crash may have been avoided had pilots simply followed established safety procedures. Moges outlined to reporters that the plane was deemed "airworthy" at take-off, the take-off itself was normal and the crew "performed all the procedures provided by the manufacturer but was not able to control the aircraft." The minister said the preliminary review recommended that Boeing should review the aircraft control systems of the 737 Max 8 before releasing the aircraft to operators. And that authorities should investigate if the flight control system was properly reviewed before that plane is released back to airlines. Moges added that the investigation of the crash was not about blame but was about ensuring air safety. She said she expected a final report within a year. Ethiopia Airlines released a statement on Twitter acknowledging the report and suggesting that it clearly showed that pilots were not to blame. Tweet 1 The statement read: "Despite their hard work and full compliance with the emergency procedures, it was very unfortunate that they could not recover the airplane from the persistence of nose diving." Boeing shares were up 2 percent in thin premarket trade on Thursday morning after the initial release, but quickly lost those gains to trade flat by 5:00 a.m. ET. 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. Following the report the FAA released a statement, noting that it was continuing to work with the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority (ECAA). It added it was continuing to "work towards a full understanding of all aspects of this accident," adding that "As we learn more about the accident and findings become available, we will take appropriate action." On Wednesday, the FAA had said it was working with NASA and international aviation regulators on a joint task force to review Boeing's fix for its 737 Max jets. The Joint Authorities Technical Review team, or JATR, is to evaluate the automated flight control system, or MCAS, many people suspect may have caused both recent crashes. A spokesperson for Boeing wasn't immediately available for comment when contacted by CNBC. WATCH: Ethiopian Airline CEO says it will be difficult for Boeing to restore faith Former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn and his wife Carole leave the office of his lawyer in Tokyo on April 3, 2019. Former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn was re-arrested on Thursday. Japanese prosecutors are building a new case against him over payments made to a dealer in Oman, according to reports. Ghosn called the arrest "outrageous and arbitrary" and said it was "part of another attempt by some individuals at Nissan to silence me." The ousted Nissan chief was first arrested in November last year, and has been accused of misusing company funds and understating his income at the Japanese automaker, where he served as chairman. Ghosn, who denies those allegations, was released on bail after spending more than 100 days in a Japanese prison. He has been stripped of his roles at the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance, which he had formerly chaired. If found guilty, Ghosn could face up to 15 years in prison. In a statement on Thursday, Ghosn reiterated: "I am innocent of the groundless charges and accusations against me." "My biggest hope and wish today is for a fair trial," he said. The Wall Street Journal reported last week that executives at Nissan had taken steps to imprison Ghosn in the hopes his arrest would stall or kill any attempts to merge the Japanese automaker with its French counterpart Renault. There have also been various theories in the automotive world that Nissan executives might have had a role in his arrest. An image of Mickey Mouse, the official mascot of The Walt Disney Company, is displayed outside the Disney Store in Times Square in New York City. With the closing of the 21st Century Fox acquisition and its upcoming streaming services, Walt Disney is turning over a new leaf, Goldman Sachs said. The bank on Thursday reinstated its buy rating on Disney and its 12-month price target of $142, which would translate into a 26 percent gain for the stock. Goldman analysts see benefits from the acquisition of Fox, which is expected to bring in more international viewers and dial up the company's economic scale, and they are bullish on the new streaming service Disney+, seeing it reaching 7.5 million global subscribers by 2020 and 73 million by 2025. "It is the dawn of a new era at Disney," said Goldman analyst Drew Borst in a Thursday note. "The $70 bn acquisition of Fox is now closed and the approaching debut of Disney+ streaming service in late CY19 marks a momentous shift in the company's content monetization model from third-party licensing to direct-to-consumer streaming." Goldman expects Disney to roll out a "mass market streaming bundle" with Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ for a competitive price. It has not been easy for Disney trying to compete with streaming giants like Netflix.The media company recently revealed in a filing that its investment in Hulu was the primary contributor to a $580 million loss in equity investments. Shares of Disney have significantly underperformed the market this year with a 2.6 percent gain, versus 's more than 13 percent surge. "Despite our expectation for near-term investment headwinds, we view Disney+ as a positive long-term strategy given the rising importance of developing direct to consumer relationships, with higher long-run margins and better customer data about consumption," Borst said. The Fox takeover is poised to be a headwind for Disney, Goldman noted, estimating $2 billion in cost synergies by the two-year anniversary. "We see the Fox acquisition resulting in economies of scale, increased bargaining power with distributors, content diversification and increased international reach," Borst said. Supporters of the Houthi movement shout slogans as they attend a rally to mark the 4th anniversary of the Saudi-led military intervention in Yemen's war, in Sanaa, Yemen March 26, 2019. The House voted Thursday to end U.S. support for the Saudi-led military intervention in Yemen, setting up the likely second veto of President Donald Trump's tenure. The Senate already passed the resolution in a rare bipartisan check on Trump. It calls on the president to "removed United States Armed Forces from hostilities in or affecting" Yemen within 30 days. The House approved the measure Thursday in a 247-175-1 vote, with 16 Republicans joining the majority Democrats in rebuking the president's policy. One Republican voted "present." The resolution will head to Trump's desk, but he has already threatened to veto it. Neither chamber of Congress appears to have enough support to override the president's expected veto. Democrats and some Republicans have slammed American involvement in the conflict, which has killed tens of thousands of people and caused widespread hunger. Critics of U.S. support for the Saudi-led coalition fighting Iranian-backed Houthi rebels wanted to flex congressional power to scale back military involvement. The measure passed Thursday is also seen as a rebuke of Trump's relationship with Saudi Arabia. Some lawmakers worry about the White House's warm relationship with the oil-rich kingdom and his tepid criticism of the Saudi monarchy after the brutal killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi last year. In a tweet Wednesday ahead of the vote, House sponsor Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., called the Yemen proposal "a culmination of a years long, bicameral & bipartisan effort to end the world's worst modern humanitarian crisis." Khanna tweet: My Yemen WPR is on the calendar for a vote tomorrow. This is a culmination of a years long, bicameral & bipartisan effort to end the world's worst modern humanitarian crisis. We must vote to pass SJ Res 7. The House vote will force the second veto of Trump's presidency. The White House previously argued the resolution "would harm bilateral relationships in the region." The U.S. has mostly provided logistical support for the Saudi-led coalition. It has carried out separate airstrikes in Yemen, mostly targeting al-Qaeda operations in the region. Last month, Trump vetoed the first legislation of his presidency. The bill he opposed would have blocked his national emergency declaration at the U.S.-Mexico border. The House later failed to override his veto. Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube. Italian stock markets fell Thursday morning after a report that Italy is set to cut its 2019 growth forecast from 1% down to just 0.1%. Bloomberg on Thursday reported that Italy is preparing to cut its gross domestic product (GDP) forecast from an earlier target after similar reports in the Italian press last week. Banking stocks plunged by nearly 1% with the wider FTSE MIB sinking 0.5% during morning deals. The euro hit session lows and the Italian 10-year bond yield rose three basis points to 2.56%. Meanwhile, Germany's 10-year government bond yield quickly slipped to just below zero as more and more signs of weakness in the euro zone start to emerge. This is the second time in two weeks that the German 10-year bond has slipped into negative territory. The German government 10-year bond, an important benchmark for European fixed-income assets, is viewed as a safe haven for investors. In times of uncertainty and challenging market environment, investors tend to move their investments from riskier assets into safe havens like gold and government bonds. The bond yields hitting negative territory shows there is rising demand for the paper with uncertainty in the region, which includes a slowdown in Germany and deadlock among politicians on Brexit. Reports of Italy cutting its growth target have been in the news lately. Last week, Italy's Il Sole 24 Ore reported that the government is set to downgrade GDP along with introducing a package to boost growth. A planned package of measures designed to lift economic growth could boost this year's GDP to 0.2%, the paper said, allowing the government to submit to the European Commission a revised deficit-to-GDP target of 2.3%. That compares with a 2.04% forecast in Italy's 2019 budget law. "It was only a matter of time until the Italian government would have to bring down its growth forecast and raise its deficit call," Florian Hense, European economist at Berenberg, told CNBC Thursday via email. "We expect 0% GDP growth for 2019 and the deficit will likely be way beyond 3%. Expect the conflict with the European Commission to heat up after the European elections on 23-26 May. The elections may, however, also bring a welcome shakeup in domestic policies." Members of a brigade headed by field commander Salah Bogheib and loyal to Khalifa Haftar -a retired general and former chief of staff for Moamer Kadhafi- hold up their guns as they fight alongside Libyan army troops against Islamist gunmen in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi. Libya's eastern military leader has ordered his forces to march on Tripoli, sparking concerns that open war could soon break out between the main political factions in a key oil-producing nation. The OPEC member state has been riven by conflict since the fall of dictator Muammar Qaddafi in 2011. For much of that time, General Khalifa Haftar has held the country's east, drawing support from Egypt and the United Arab Emirates and serving as a foil to the United Nations-recognized government in the capital of Tripoli. The two sides have been engaged in UN-sponsored power-sharing talks. But on Wednesday, Haftar's Libyan National Army unexpectedly advanced towards Tripoli. Skirmishes between the LNA and forces loyal to Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj have since been reported, including in the city of Gharyan south of Tripoli. Earlier, it remained unclear whether Haftar intended to bring the west under his grip or merely increase his leverage ahead of a national conference later this month. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who is in Libya to meet with leaders, called for calm and restraint. Tweet But the order to enter Tripoli came in the early evening in Libya in a voice recording from Haftar posted online, the Associated Press reported. The general told his troops only to raise their weapons "in the face of those who seek injustice and prefer confrontation and fighting," according to AP. "Those who lay down their weapons are safe, and those who raise the white banner are safe," he said. This year, Haftar's LNA forces have already sought to bring order to the restive southern oil-producing region. But a campaign to take Tripoli could be even more grueling, says Hamish Kinnear, senior analyst for the Middle East and North Africa at Verisk Maplecroft. "Our base case is that the LNA will soon find itself bogged down in heavy fighting near Tripoli," Kinnear said in an email briefing. "Unlike its recent advance in the south, the LNA will face more determined resistance from larger and better organised militias in the western region." The LNA's strategy of bringing the south's small, opportunistic militias under its umbrella through negotiation and bribes would not be effective in the east, Kinnear says. Despite controlling oil terminals, Haftar's forces would also struggle to finance a prolonged conflict because his eastern faction does not hold sway over Libya's National Oil Corporation and the central bank, he added. The advance of Haftar's LNA answers the "million dollar question" Libya watchers have been asking for years, says Helima Croft, global head of commodity strategy at RBC Capital Markets. Will Haftar finally seek to consolidate control over Libya's northern coast, leaving the nation's eastern oil terminals vulnerable to his rivals? "Certainly, if he's going to take control of Tripoli by force, the question is what does that mean for these sizable energy assets that are under his control in the east?" Croft said. The looming conflict comes at a time when global crude supplies are tightening and oil prices are steadily advancing towards $70 a barrel. On the demand side, global consumption is growing faster than many expected. On the supply side, OPEC and its allies led by Russia are cutting output while the U.S. is poised to tighten energy sanctions on Iran and Venezuela. Analysts and traders keep a close eye on Libya because its oil production has been one of the biggest wild cards in the oil market in recent years. Its output has fluctuated wildly as the nation's southern oil fields have frequently gone offline amid fighting among Libya's patchwork of militias and tribal and ethnic groups. Haftar also briefly lost control of the Ras Lanuf and Sidra oil terminals last year. If Haftar takes control of the west, it could be negative for oil prices because consolidated leadership could allow more crude to flow to the market from Libya, says Croft. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) holds a news conference at the U.S. Capitol March 25, 2019 in Washington, DC. Sen. Lindsey Graham said Thursday that "everybody" running for president in 2020 should publicly release their tax returns including President Donald Trump. The senior GOP senator from South Carolina weighed in just hours after House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal, D-Mass., said he had formally submitted a request to the Treasury Department for six years of Trump's personal and business tax returns. "I think you should release your tax returns if you're running for president in 2020," Graham told reporters. "I think everybody should," Graham added. "That's just my view, it'd be good for the country." A spokesman for the senator confirmed to CNBC that Graham believes Trump should release his tax returns. Graham has established himself as one of Trump's closest allies on Capitol Hill. But his stance that presidential candidates ought to disclose their tax information puts some distance between him and the president, who has refused to release his returns before or after the 2016 election. Neal's request to IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig is expected to trigger a protracted battle with the Trump administration, whose officials have also signaled their unwillingness to hand over the president's financial documents. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said at a Ways and Means hearing last month that he would protect Trump "as we would protect any individual taxpayer under their rights" if the request for his returns was made. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a Fox News interview Thursday that Trump "doesn't have any intention to release those returns," saying that the president's taxes "continue to be under audit." The F-35 Lightning II production line at Lockheed Martin's facility in Fort Worth, Texas. Lockheed Martin WASHINGTON American defense firms Lockheed Martin and Raytheon are preparing to make massive adjustments to their production processes as the U.S. tries to pressure Turkey not to follow through with a multibillion-dollar deal to buy a Russian missile system, according to multiple people familiar with the matter. If Turkey goes through with the Russian deal, Lockheed Martin would have to rework its supply chain on components for the F-35 fighter jet, while also making changes to its production schedule. Yet if Turkey abandons its deal with Russia, Raytheon would reorganize the Patriot missile defense system production schedule to guarantee that Turkey could receive the missile system within a faster time frame. As it stands, Turkey faces removal from the F-35 program, forfeiture of 100 promised F-35 jets, cancellation of a Patriot missile deal and the imposition of U.S. sanctions as well as potential blowback from NATO if the deal with Russia is completed. Lockheed Martin makes the F-35, while Raytheon produces the Patriot system. "The ball is very much in their court," a U.S. defense official familiar with the matter told CNBC. "There is a lot to lose on the line and Turkey should know that these aren't idle threats." Turkey is slated to receive the Russian-made S-400 missile system later this year after brokering a deal reportedly worth $2.5 billion with the Kremlin in 2017. Turkey has helped finance Lockheed Martin's F-35 program, America's most expensive weapons system and the world's most advanced fighter jet. For Lockheed Martin, the adjustments include replacing Turkey's role in manufacturing elements for the F-35's fuselage and landing gear. Therefore, a new supplier would have to take over making those specific jet components. Additionally, the 100 F-35 jets Turkey hoped to add to its budding arsenal will be shuffled in the company's intricate production schedule as to ensure the defense giant's assembly line will hum along without skipping a beat. On Thursday, the head of the F-35 program at the Pentagon told lawmakers that Turkey's removal would impact the aircraft production rate and strain the jet's intricate global supply chain. "The evaluation of Turkey stopping would be between 50 and 75 airplane impact over a two-year period," Navy Vice Adm. Mat Winter told members during a House Armed Services subcommittee hearing. "From a timeline we would see within 45 to 90 days an impact of the slowing down or stopping of those parts to the three production lines," Winter said, adding that Turkey produces approximately 7 percent of the jet's parts. A Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile system. Sergei Malgavko | TASS via Getty Images Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, leaves after a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron (not seen) for the Tech for Good summit at the Elysee Palace in Paris on May 23, 2018. Microsoft executives spoke with employees on Thursday about new allegations that surfaced in an email thread about how the company has mistreated women. Sexual harassment has been involved in the departures of executives at Alphabet, Amazon and Uber. But Microsoft has not connected any executive departures with sexual misconduct in the recent past. Quartz first reported on the email conversation on Thursday. The article says one employee pointed to issues in the group working on Microsoft's high-priority Azure public cloud, among other company units. A Microsoft spokesperson confirmed the company addressed the email conversation with employees. "As mentioned earlier in the thread, Lindsay-Rae (our Chief Diversity Officer) will be setting up sessions the week of April 22 to ensure we hear and are clear on the feedback, and determine what initiatives or programs to keep/stop/start based on input from this community," Kathleen Hogan, the company's executive vice president for human resources, wrote in a message on the email chain, according to a Microsoft spokesman. "Invites for these sessions will be sent to all women's community groups next week, will accommodate multiple time zones, and joining Lindsay-Rae will be Erin Chapple; Co-Exec Sponsor of the Women's Community at Microsoft. While I do want to create a forum for the community on the thread, I also read and agree with the comments that for us to solve this as a company, the burden does not reside only with us women." The emails came up on Thursday in a monthly employee question-and-answer session with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. "It was a powerful dialogue," the spokesman said. Around 100 to 150 people attended the session in person, not including those who followed along online, according to Wired. In 2015 former Microsoft employee Katie Moussouris filed a class-action lawsuit against the company that alleged Microsoft had a "continuing policy, pattern and practice of sex discrimination against female employees in technical and engineering roles ("female technical employees") with respect to performance evaluations, pay, promotions, and other terms and conditions of employment." The case is currently before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. In 2017, following the rise of the #MeToo movement documenting sexual harassment in the workplace, Hogan and Nadella sent an email to employees that highlighted ways to get help, the Seattle Times reported. Women held 19.7 percent of the leadership roles inside Microsoft as of June 30, up from 17.5 percent three years earlier, according to the company's most recent diversity report. Read the full Quartz report here. WATCH: Melinda Gates: How to get more women in tech and why college is too late to start The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is terminating all research and funding links with Chinese tech firms Huawei and ZTE in light of recent U.S. federal probes, according to a letter from university officials. MIT is one of several prestigious academic institutions in the U.S. to announce an end to ties with Huawei. Stanford University, the University of California, Berkeley and the University of Minnesota have cut all future research collaborations with the Chinese telecom company as well, according to the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post. "MIT is not accepting new engagements or renewing existing ones with Huawei and ZTE or their respective subsidiaries due to federal investigations regarding violations of sanction restrictions," MIT Associate Provost Richard Lester and Vice President for Research Maria Zuber wrote in a letter to the faculty on Wednesday. In a 2017 presentation by Huawei, MIT was cited as a collaborator in the Huawei Innovation Research Program. The program is a global initiative "to identify and support world-class, full-time faculty members pursuing innovation of mutual interest," the SCMP reported the tech giant as saying. The halt in funding to Huawei and ZTE comes at a time of heightening tensions between the U.S. and China. U.S. lawmakers have said ZTE and Huawei equipment may represent national security risks, alleging that the companies' products could support Chinese espionage. Both companies have denied the claims. In January, the U.S. Department of Justice charged Huawei with allegedly violating U.S. sanctions against Iran and stealing trade secrets from U.S. telecom T-Mobile. Huawei and ZTE, however, may not be the only international entities affected by a halt in partnerships with the university. MIT's plans to cut ties with Huawei and ZTE is part of a bigger plan to ramp up its internal evaluation of international partners, the letter to faculty said. "Engagements with certain countries currently China, Russia and Saudi Arabia merit additional faculty and administrative review beyond the usual evaluations that all international projects receive," the MIT officials wrote. MIT's "elevated-risk" review process will pay special attention to "intellectual property, export controls, data security and access, economic competitiveness, national security, and political, civil and human rights," the letter said. ZTE declined to comment and Huawei did not immediately reply to CNBC's emailed request for comment about MIT's decision. For more about MIT's cut in funding links with Huawei and ZTE, see the article in the South China Morning Post. US Attorney General William Barr participates in the 2019 Prison Reform Summit and First Step Act Celebration at the White House in Washington, DC, on April 1, 2019. ( House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., on Thursday urged Attorney General William Barr to "immediately" publicly release any summaries within special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia report. Nadler, whose committee voted a day earlier to authorize a subpoena for an unredacted copy of the confidential report, based his latest request on "troubling" reports that Mueller's team had prepared summaries of their findings from the nearly two-year Russia probe. Those reported summaries were not used by Barr in his initial letters to lawmakers sharing information about the report a decision that has frustrated some members of the special counsel's team, who believe Barr may have inadequately described Mueller's findings, according to NBC News. "I write to you regarding troubling press reports relating to your handling of Special Counsel Mueller's report, and to urge that you immediately release to the public any 'summaries' contained in the report that may have been prepared by the Special Counsel," Nadler told Barr in a letter, revealed Thursday afternoon. Nadler also asked for "all communications between the special counsel's office and the Department [of Justice] regarding the report." Nadler cited earlier reports from The New York Times and The Washington Post, which referenced government officials and other people familiar with the investigators' frustrations. Democrats have questioned, and sometimes criticized, Barr's decision to prepare his own four-page summary of the principal conclusions from Mueller's nearly 400-page report, less than two days after that report had been delivered to the Justice Department on March 22. The report ended the special counsel's 22-month probe of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, as well as possible collusion between the Kremlin and the Trump campaign and possible obstruction of justice by President Donald Trump himself. Barr's brief version said that Mueller did not find sufficient evidence to merit a charge of obstruction of justice against the president. Barr also said that the special counsel did not establish collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. Trump and his supporters have celebrated the findings as interpreted by Barr, claiming vindication after more than a year of the president lambasting the probe a "witch hunt." Trump tore into the Times' report in a Thursday morning tweet, claiming without evidence that the newspaper used "no legitimate sources, which would be totally illegal, concerning the Mueller Report." @realDonaldTrump: The New York Times had no legitimate sources, which would be totally illegal, concerning the Mueller Report. In fact, they probably had no sources at all! They are a Fake News paper who have already been forced to apologize for their incorrect and very bad reporting on me! A Justice Department spokeswoman said in a statement: "Given the extraordinary public interest in the matter, the Attorney General decided to release the report's bottom-line findings and his conclusions immediately without attempting to summarize the report with the understanding that the report itself would be released after the redaction process." Republicans have slammed as "political theater" the Democrats' vote to authorize a subpoena for the "full and complete" Mueller report and its underlying evidence. But Nadler said in his letter that "Congress is entitled to the entire record" without redactions. "But we have a common obligation to share as much of that record with the public as we can," Nadler continued. "Additionally, if the Special Counsel's summaries fit the summary you provided on March 24, that would alleviate substantial concerns that the House Judiciary Committee may wish to discuss when you appear to testify. If there is significant daylight between his account and yours, the American people should know that too." Airline stocks are soaring. Delta Air Lines, American Airlines and United Continental are up sharply this week, boosted by Delta which raised guidance for the first quarter, citing lower nonfuel costs and projecting higher per-passenger revenues. The major carriers are up 10%, 7% and 6%, respectively, since Monday. The move is prompting options traders to double down on one of those names: American. "American Airlines did see about three times the average daily [call] volume today, and by far and away, the May 38-calls were the most active," "Options Action" trader Michael Khouw said Wednesday on CNBC's "Fast Money." "Over 45,000 of those traded in all. That included the purchase of a block of 9,000. Somebody paid 35 cents for that block, and those are bullish bets that [the stock] will be above that $38 strike price by May expiration, which is about six weeks away," added Khouw. Since each options contract is worth 100 shares of stock, this trade equates to a $315,000 bet that American Airlines will be trading above $38.35 by May expiration, or up about 13 percent from the current price. If American Airlines were to race back up to those levels, it would represent a remarkable turnaround in the stock's fortunes. Between Feb. 26 and March 26, the stock plummeted 16 percent and wiped out nearly all of its year-to-date gains. American Airlines was slightly higher Thursday. Australia has passed a tough new law that could see big tech executives jailed if their platforms host violent video content. Attorney General Christian Porter said Thursday that the new penalty regime would target social media firms and clamp down on the circulation of content that broadcasts violent crimes. It comes after tech giants Facebook, Google and Twitter failed to remove videos of a shooting in a New Zealand mosque last month, where 50 people were killed. Australia's new legislation makes it a criminal offence for social media platforms not to swiftly remove "abhorrent content." Executives may be jailed for up to three years if their platforms fail to comply, and companies face fines of up to 10 percent of their annual global turnover. The law will also require social media firms regardless of their location to notify the Australian Federal Police if they become aware that their service is streaming violent conduct that is happening in Australia. Failure to do so will see company executives fined up to 168,000 Australian dollars ($119,300), while corporations face penalties of up to 840,000 Australian dollars. "The tragedy in Christchurch just over two weeks ago brought this issue to a head," Porter said in a press release Thursday. "It was clear from our discussions last week with social media companies, particularly Facebook, that there was no recognition of the need for them to act urgently to protect their own users from the horror of the live streaming of the Christchurch massacre and other violent crimes, and so the government has taken action with this legislation." Some people who worked on special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation believe evidence that President Donald Trump tried to impede the probe is stronger than what Attorney General William Barr publicly suggested when he cleared Trump of obstructing justice, NBC News reported Thursday. NBC News said Mueller's team has told a government official that there is compelling evidence of obstruction by Trump that has not yet been made public. But three government officials who spoke with NBC News have said that Mueller's decision to not state in his final report to Barr his belief on whether or not Trump obstructed justice stemmed in part from a split in the special counsel's office over the evidence and law. NBC News reported that prosecutors and FBI agents in the office could not agree on whether Trump's illegally obstructed the investigation. The New York Times first reported on Wednesday evening that some Mueller investigators have told associates that Barr's summary of the special counsel's findings understated the results. Trump on Thursday slammed the Times' report in a tweet, saying the paper "had no legitimate sources." TRUMP TWEET Mueller submitted his final report to Barr on March 22. Congressional Democrats have insisted on seeing the full, unredacted report, and have threatened to subpoena its nearly 400 pages if Barr does not release it to Congress soon. "The Department continues to work with the Special Counsel on appropriate redactions to the report so that it can be released to Congress and the public," a Justice Department spokeswoman said in a statement Thursday. Two days after the special counsel gave him the report, Barr publicly issued a summary of Mueller's findings. The special counsel concluded that there was no evidence that Trump's presidential campaign colluded with Russian agents to interfere with the 2016 election. Barr also said that Mueller had deferred to the attorney general on the question of whether Trump who has blasted Mueller's probe for the past two years obstructed justice through various means in an effort to thwart the investigation. Barr said that he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein concluded that the president did not obstruct justice. However, Barr's summary did note that, "The Special Counsel states that 'while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.'" House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., told reporters on Thursday "that the fact that there are people who have participated for the last two years in running a report and now believe that that report is being mischaracterized or under-characterized in terms of what it has to say is further compelling reasons why the report needs to be fully released to the American public and to the Congress of the United States." SpaceX fired up its prototype Starship rocket on Wednesday evening at the company's facility in southern Texas, CEO Elon Musk confirmed in a tweet. "Starhopper completed tethered hop," Musk said in a tweet, sharing a video of the apparent test firing. "All systems green," he added. Musk tweet: Starhopper completed tethered hop. All systems green. SpaceX is in the early stages of developing its Starship rocket. Starship, with an enormous booster called "Super Heavy," is being built to transport up to 100 people to the moon, Mars and more. Designed to be a fully reusable launch system, the "hopper" version of Starship is key to proving the design and mechanics of a rocket that will unlock Musk's vision of making spaceflight more like air travel. The company is also building a next-generation series of engines for Starship, known as Raptors. The prototype Starship has one Raptor, which is the second "flight ready" version of the engine that SpaceX has tested. Investors betting against Tesla were up nearly $800 million Thursday after the electric carmaker gave Model 3 production figures that fell way short of estimates and as the company's chief executive officer entered federal court in Manhattan to defend against claims that he violated an October settlement with the U.S. government. Tesla sank more than 8 percent Thursday to around $267 per share, giving short sellers betting against the stock $763 million in mark-to-market profits so far on the day, estimates S3 Analystics. Tesla's short interest is now at $9.04 billion, with about 30 million shares shorted (25% of float) making it one of the most shorted stocks in the U.S. market, according to S3s Ihor Dusaniwsky. Source: S3 Analytics CEO Elon Musk arrived at Manhattan federal court Thursday afternoon in the latest chapter of an extended battle with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The government agency is arguing that Musk broke the terms of a prior settlement by posting material company information on social media earlier this year. In February, Musk tweeted to his more than 24 million Twitter followers: "Tesla made 0 cars in 2011, but will make around 500k in 2019." tweet The SEC claims that Musk's failed to receive approval from lawyers before posting in February. For his part, the CEO of the Palo Alto electric car maker has defended himself by saying that the tweeted information was non-material and did not need to be vetted. "We are seeing increased short selling today as short sellers are increasing their exposure in today's price drop and expected further weakness," Dusaniwsky said in an emailed statement. He added that Tuesday's price action adds to Tesla shorts' yearly profits, and that they are now up $1.79 billion, 21.87% in mark-to-market profits this year. Musk will try to convince the New York court that he should not be held in contempt and did not breach his settlement with the government. Tesla's published in a press release Wednesday production numbers that not only disappointed investors, but may also make it difficult for Musk to show that his tweeting doesn't affect the company's value. Said J.P. Morgan: "Full year delivery guidance was stated in the release to have been 'reaffirmed' at the prior level of 360,000 to 400,000 units, in our view undermining a key tenet of CEO Elon Musk's legal defense against the SEC that his February 19 tweet that Tesla will make around 500,000 vehicles in 2019 was not new information needing pre-approval." Tesla CEO Elon Musk said he respected the U.S. judicial process, but chuckled when asked if he felt the same about the Securities and Exchange Commission as he entered a courthouse Thursday for a showdown with the federal agency. Musk was in New York for a hearing on contempt charges requested by the SEC after it said he violated the terms of its October settlement over securities fraud. Musk tweeted about the company's production forecasts on Feb 19, despite agreeing to stop using Twitter to make statements about Tesla's operations or financial position without company review and approval. Tesla CEO Elon Musk arrives at federal court, April 4, 2019 in New York City. A federal judge will hear oral arguments this afternoon in a lawsuit brought by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that seeks to hold Musk in contempt for violating a settlement deal. Drew Angerer | Getty Images "I have great respect for the justice system and I think the judges in the American system are outstanding," Musk told reporters before entering the courthouse in lower Manhattan. When CNBC's Phil LeBeau asked Musk if he felt the same about the SEC, the CEO laughed and walked away. Securities lawyers and other industry executives have said that Musk, who has already been removed as chairman, could also lose his post as CEO over his latest skirmish with the SEC. Elon Musk, chief executive officer of Tesla Inc., center, arrives at federal court in New York, on Thursday, April 4, 2019. Jeenah Moon | Bloomberg | Getty Images President Donald Trump on Thursday said he would give Mexico a year to stem the flow of illegal drugs and migrants over the southern border, and if the country cannot, he said he would impose auto tariffs, and if that didn't work, he would close the border. "You know I will do it. I don't play games. ... so we're doing it to stop people. We're gonna give them a one-year warning, and if the drugs don't stop, or largely stop, we're going to put tariffs on Mexico and products, in particular cars. The whole ballgame is cars. ... and if that doesn't stop the drugs, we close the border," Trump told reporters at the White House. "If Mexico doesn't apprehend these people coming" into the United States from Central America, "we're going to tax the cars. And if that doesn't work, we're going to close the border," Trump said during a meeting of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council. "If, in a year from now, drugs continue to pour in, we're going to put tariffs up." The move represents a significant step back from Trump's recent threats to shut the border as early as this week. "If Mexico doesn't immediately stop ALL illegal immigration coming into the United States through our Southern Border, I will be CLOSING the Border, or large sections of the Border, next week," Trump tweeted on March 29. It was unclear Thursday exactly how Trump's new demands would be put into motion, or how long he might give tariffs to work before closing the border. At a separate meeting Thursday afternoon, Trump said the auto tariffs would be set at 25%. The yearlong delay came as good news to businesses and Republican lawmakers, both of whom feared earlier this week that the closure of some part of the U.S.-Mexico border was imminent. "We welcome the President's decision not to close the Mexican border," said Neil Bradley, executive vice president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, in a statement Thursday. "Congress and the president should take this opportunity to enact border security and immigration reform. Congress should also ensure Customs and Border Protection officials receive the resources they need to reduce the excessive wait times affecting legitimate trade and travel across the border." It was unclear Thursday whether Trump intended to continue demanding that Congress pass a series of administration-backed immigration reforms. Earlier in the week, he said that if Congress failed to do so, "the border's going to be closed." Closing the border to commerce would have damaged border state economies and raised costs for consumers, both of which were cause for serious concern among Republican representatives of those states on Capitol Hill this week. Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Martha McSally, R-Ariz., cautioned against a move they said would disrupt the economy of their home states. Both senators face re-election next year in states Trump will also need to win in order to guarantee him a second term in the White House. On Wednesday, Cornyn told Texas reporters that he warned the president that closing the border "would be harmful not only to our relationships but also to our U.S. economy," according to a spokesman for the senator. McSally told reporters on Monday, "it's so important for Arizona's economy" to keep "legitimate trade and travel flowing through our ports of entry." The announcement that Trump is considering new auto tariffs on Mexican imports could spell even more trouble for a major trade deal reached last year between the U.S., Mexico and Canada, known as USMCA. The deal has yet to be ratified by the legislative bodies of any of the three countries, and it faces an uphill battle in each of them for domestic reasons that are unique to each country. Trump is counting on Congress ratifying USMCA and intends to make the success of the deal a selling point in his 2020 presidential campaign. It remains one of his administration's most concrete examples of the president keeping a 2016 campaign promise; in this case, his pledge to renegotiate U.S. trade deals, including the Clinton-era NAFTA deal. The new, yearlong timeline for Mexico to take action also ensures that Trump can continue to use the southern border as a rallying cry for his 2020 reelection campaign. In 2016, Trump's pledge to "build a wall" between the U.S. and Mexico was one of the pillars of his campaign. He has yet to build such a wall. President Donald Trump listens to China's Vice Premier Liu He (R) in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, U.S., January 31, 2019. U.S. President Donald Trump is planning to meet with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He on Thursday, according to a White House schedule. The event is scheduled to take place at 4:30 p.m. ET in the Oval Office. That comes as Washington and Beijing appeared to be closing in on a deal that would put an end to their ongoing trade war. White House economic advisor Larry Kudlow told reporters Wednesday that Beijing had acknowledged that the United States has legitimate gripes about intellectual property theft, forced technology transfer and cyber hacking. That would be a significant step toward signing a deal, but it does not guarantee that the world's two largest economies could iron out enough of their differences to get an agreement signed. "They have for the first time acknowledged that we have a point. Several points," Kudlow told reporters at an event hosted by The Christian Science Monitor. Previously, he said, "they were in denial." On Tuesday, the Financial Times reported that the officials negotiating a trade deal have resolved most of the outstanding issues but are still haggling over how to implement and enforce such an agreement. Implementation and enforcement have long been expected to be the major negotiation sticking points. "Without enforcement, this deal fails," Myron Brilliant, executive vice president and head of international affairs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, told CNBC in February. "You need to have enforcement mechanisms that will ensure that both sides have trust that this deal is sustaining and verifiable." Whether provisions include a "snapback" in punitive tariffs if China doesn't live up to the terms of the deal, or some other penalty system, analysts have said Beijing is not pleased with the idea of agreeing to a long-standing threat to its economy. Reuters and CNBC's Lauren Feiner, Huileng Tan and Saheli Roy Choudhury contributed to this report. LOS ANGELES President Donald Trump returns to California on Friday for a trip to the U.S.-Mexico border and a fundraiser in Los Angeles as the state's Republican Party struggles on many fronts. "The Republican Party has been a bad brand name in California politics for a decade, and I think Donald Trump made it a toxic brand," said Thad Kousser, political science chair at the University of California, San Diego. "The clearest flash point for this is in immigration and also the environment." For one, Republicans lost seven seats in the 2018 congressional midterm elections and the GOP has seen its voter registration decline in historic strongholds of the state, including Orange County once considered a bastion of conservatism. Also, some Republican House incumbents and challengers in the recent midterms sought to distance themselves from Trump on immigration and offshore oil drilling, among other issues. But the state GOP is plotting a comeback in 2020, even using the Green New Deal against Democrats. "California Republicans are conflicted about Trump," said Dan Schnur, a professor of political communications at the University of Southern California and a former longtime GOP strategist who is now an independent. "He still has a very strong and very committed core base of support here. But a lot of elected officeholders are nervous about him because he's so unpopular here." A poll conducted last month by the Public Policy Institute of California, a nonpartisan think tank, showed only 29 percent of California adults approve of Trump's job performance as president. Yet among California Republicans, the PPIC polling showed Trump enjoys about 75 percent support. That said, just 27 percent of independents and a mere 7 percent of Democrats approve of how the GOP president is handling his job. "We support the president and are glad he's coming to Los Angeles," said Eric Early, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County Republican Party. "We have lots of policies of the president's that we support." Still, the anti-Trump vote in 2018 also may have helped Democrats secure a supermajority in both houses of the state Legislature. As of Feb. 10, only 23.5 percent of California registered voters were Republican, down from 26 percent just before Trump was elected president. Those registered as "no party preference" is 28 percent, surpassing the GOP and second to Democrats' 43 percent. "I don't see a path to the numbers coming back to California until Trump is out of office," said Rob Stutzman, a Republican consultant who served in the administration of former California GOP Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Stutzman said Trump represents "everything that's opposite" to broaden the party, including being able to reach voters who are younger and more ethnically diverse. On Friday, Trump is expected to be in the LA area for a fundraiser where dinner is $15,000 per person or $50,000 for the chance to get a picture with the president. There's also $150,000 tickets for those with deep pockets to be part of the roundtable at the private event, NBC Los Angeles reported Tuesday. Prior to the fundraiser, Trump is scheduled to visit Calexico, a town about 120 miles east of San Diego to see a new 30-foot-tall section of the border wall. The visit comes after Trump threatened on Twitter to shut down the entire U.S.-Mexico border due to alleged immigration "loopholes" he wants Congress to fix. https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1113437257493561344 "Not everybody is happy with everything he does on Twitter, but the actions speak dramatically louder than words," said Shawn Steel, the state's Republican National Committee member. Immigration is a hot-button issue in California that divides the electorate like few others. With a population of nearly 40 million people, California has more than 10 million foreign-born residents more than any other state. "Most Californians believe that immigrants are a benefit to the state," said Mark Baldassare, president and CEO of the PPIC. "Californians have been against building a wall, and in our latest poll most Californians were opposed to the president calling a national emergency in order to build a wall." Trump has taken a swipe several times as president against California Democratic governors, first Jerry Brown and more recently "grandstanding" Gavin Newsom for asylum shelters and scaling back the state's "so-called Fast Train, which is $Billions over budget & in total disarray." Trump also threatened to cut off funding for wildfire relief in the state. https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/1104499701016133634 For his part, Newsom has slammed Trump for "manufacturing a crisis and declaring a made-up 'national emergency'" at the border and admonished the president for threatening to cut off wildfire funding. "Disasters and recovery are no time for politics," he said in a tweet. Tweet The Trump administration is suing California over its so-called sanctuary state laws that are designed to protect undocumented immigrants. The Trump administration and California are fighting over other issues, including health care, fracking, climate change and the census citizenship question. All told, there are at least 48 lawsuits filed against the administration by the Democratic-led state. "Regardless of how you feel about the current administration, the reality is that Sacramento must have a cooperative relationship with the federal government," California Assembly Republican Leader Marie Waldron said in a statement to CNBC. "From disaster relief funding to infrastructure projects, we have to work with our federal counterparts and California Democrats' practice of picking fights with the president at every opportunity doesn't help anything." In another nail-biting vote in the U.K.'s Parliament, lawmakers voted by a majority of just one to force Prime Minister Theresa May to seek an extension to the Brexit process and avoid a no-deal departure. Members of Parliament (MPs) voted for the draft legislation on Wednesday evening to prevent a shock no-deal exit on April 12 (the date of a new deadline granted by the EU) by 313 votes to 312. The bill will need to be approved by the upper house of parliament, the House of Lords, to become law. Despite last night's vote in favor of a delay to Brexit, it's far from certain that the EU will grant the U.K. an extension when European leaders meet next Wednesday, April 10, at an emergency summit dedicated to Brexit. The U.K. was originally meant to leave the EU on March 29 but granted more time by the EU. Ahead of the U.K. Parliament's vote last night, the European Commission President Jean-Claude reiterated that April 12 was the final date for the approval of the Brexit deal and that no short extension would be possible. MPs have rejected May's Brexit deal three times now, and a selection of alternative Brexit options have also failed to win a majority of support. May's talks with opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn Wednesday also failed to reach any compromise or consensus. Whatever happens next, experts expect a longer delay to Brexit and more political and economic uncertainty. "As an American watching this from afar, we thought this would be done by now and I think what we're increasingly coming to terms with is that no matter what agreement is agreed right now, this is going to be a long-term process because Britain is divided," Christopher Smart, head of macroeconomic and geopolitical research at Barings, told CNBC Thursday. Picture taken on March 17, 2019 shows the headquarters of German banks Deutsche Bank (L) and Commerzbank in Frankfurt am Main, western Germany. Commerzbank shares rose following a report that UniCredit stands ready to make a rival bid for the bank if merger talks with fellow German lender Deutsche Bank fail. The Financial Times, citing people familiar with the matter, reported Thursday that the Italian bank was prepared to make a multibillion-euro offer for a sizable stake in Commerzbank. Commerzbank would be merged with German Unicredit subsidiary HypoVereinsbank, the FT reported, and the combined entity would be based in Germany while UniCredit maintains its headquarters and listing in Milan. Shares of Commerzbank were up around 3 percent in morning trade on the back of the news. Commerzbank and UniCredit declined to comment when contacted by CNBC. While the German government's stance on this remains unclear, it has been speculated that a Deutsche Bank-Commerzbank tie-up would be seen as favorable as it would create a domestic banking champion. A deal with UniCredit would mean a foreign lender taking control of Germany's second-largest bank. Commerzbank's executive board is reportedly set to decide whether to intensify discussions with Deutsche Bank or back away from a deal on April 9. You can read the full Financial Times report here. President Donald Trump speaks while meeting with China's Vice Premier Liu He in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, U.S., April 4, 2019. Ahead of a Thursday meeting with Liu, Trump told reporters that "intellectual property and theft" and "certain tariffs" two of the key topics in the talks are some of the remaining sticking points. A Chinese delegation led by Vice Premier Liu He met with U.S. officials Wednesday and Thursday as the two sides try to strike an agreement and end a potentially devastating trade conflict. While the Trump administration has shown optimism about inking a trade overhaul long sought by the president, negotiators still have some differences. The U.S. and China moved closer to a trade deal during talks this week, but negotiators still need to hammer out some sticking points as they push for a final summit between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. "If we have a deal, there will be a summit. I'd say we'll know over the next four weeks," the president said. The two sides were going line by line through deal text Thursday, with a break for a meeting between Trump and Liu, an administration official told CNBC. They will continue to work through the deal on Friday. The world's two largest economies still disagree over whether the U.S. will use tariffs as an enforcement tool, the official acknowledged. Trump has previously said his administration's tariffs on $250 billion in Chinese goods could stay in place even after the sides strike a deal. China has pushed for the removal of duties as part of an agreement. The U.S. and China had not set a date or place for a summit between Trump and Xi as of Thursday. The talks come as investors and businesses watch closely for developments that could ease tensions between the U.S. and its largest trading partner. The escalating series of tariffs imposed by both China and the U.S. has rattled financial markets and led to concerns about issues rippling throughout both economies. Trump, who won the White House partly on his pledges to crack down on what he called Chinese trade abuses, seeks a victory that he can promote during his 2020 reelection bid. "If it's not a great deal, we're not doing it," he told reporters at the White House earlier Thursday. "But it's going very well." The two sides are eyeing a series of agreements on different subjects tied together by one enforcement tool, the administration official said. The U.S. and China have not decided how much of the agreement to finish now and how much to leave for the potential meeting between Trump and Xi. The U.S. would give China until 2025 to follow through on commitments to purchase more goods from the U.S., the person added. But different products would be subject to separate timelines. Trump has long decried the trade deficit between the U.S. and China and pushed for Beijing to buy more American goods. Negotiators have not set a time frame for addressing structural issues, such as stopping intellectual property theft or forced technology transfers. WATCH: Why investors are banking on trade war deal U.S. government debt prices were higher on Thursday morning, as investors monitor ongoing trade talks and Treasury auctions. At around 1:20 p.m. ET, the yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note, which moves inversely to price, was lower at around 2.508 percent, while the yield on the 30-year Treasury bond was also lower at 2.916 percent. It comes as U.S. and Chinese officials are reportedly getting closer to a trade deal, having resolved most of the outstanding issues in their protracted trade dispute. Both countries slapped tariffs on billions of dollars' worth of each other's goods last year. President Donald Trump is due to meet with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He at the White House on Thursday. Market participants are also likely to closely monitor a flurry of speeches from policymakers at the U.S. central bank. New York Fed President John Williams, Philadelphia Fed President Patrick Harker and Cleveland Fed President Loretta Mester are all set to comment on the U.S. economy at separate events on Thursday. A federal judge gave Tesla CEO Elon Musk and the Securities and Exchange Commission two weeks to work out their differences, punting a request from the agency to hold him in contempt of court for allegedly violating an October securities fraud settlement. Musk told reporters he was "happy" and "impressed with the judge's analysis" as he left the hearing room in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on Thursday. U.S Judge Alison Nathan said she had "serious concerns that no matter what I decide here, this issue won't be resolved." Nathan ordered both parties to "take a deep breath, put on your reasonableness pants" and work out a solution. Musk was at the hearing on contempt charges requested by the SEC after he tweeted about the company's production forecasts on Feb 19. His settlement agreement prohibits him from using Twitter to make statements about Tesla's operations or financial position without company review and approval. Nathan told Musk and the SEC that contempt charges are serious business. Everyone must follow the law, she said, whether you are a "small potato" or a "big fish." Musk told reporters outside the courthouse that he would "most likely" be able to work out an agreement with the SEC over the next two weeks. Elon Musk, chief executive officer of Tesla Inc., smiles while speaking to members of the media outside federal court in New York, U.S., on Thursday, April 4, 2019. Natan Dvir | Bloomberg | Getty Images "I have great respect for the justice system and I think the judges in the American system are outstanding," Musk said before entering the courthouse in lower Manhattan. When CNBC's Phil LeBeau asked Musk if he felt the same about the SEC, the CEO laughed and walked away. SEC lawyers argued that Musk and his legal team offered a "series of shifting justifications" for his behavior on Twitter, citing 15 separate tweets they believe violated his settlement. They also accused Musk of "recklessly tweeting out material information that had no basis in fact" and caused confusion in the markets. "We don't think every tweet needs to be approved," SEC attorney Cheryl Crumpton told the court, citing conversations on social media with Tesla customers as OK. Statements much beyond that need to be cleared, she said. Reaffirming guidance could be material and needs approval, she said, adding that Tesla still "appears to be unwilling" to exercise control over Musk. Musk's lawyers said the judge's order was a gateway to a negotiation with the SEC. "He actually does what he is told," Musk's lead attorney John Hueston told the court. Musk sat in the center of the courtroom, flanked by three members of his legal team, periodically nodding in agreement with their arguments. Securities lawyers and other industry executives have said that Musk, who has already been removed as chairman, could also lose his post as CEO if he keeps pushing the SEC. Elon Musk, chief executive officer of Tesla Inc., center, arrives at federal court in New York, on Thursday, April 4, 2019. Jeenah Moon | Bloomberg | Getty Images Here's a list of some of the names Credit Suisse thinks Buffett could snap up next. The analysts generated 141 potential targets across Wall Street's sectors, ranging from consumer companies like Target to industrials firms like J.B. Hunt Transport and Snap-On . Those qualities are likely good proxies for the way Buffett thinks about investments, the Credit Suisse HOLT team said. Those companies meet a variety of criteria Buffett often prioritizes when deciding on opting for a total buyout, including high returns on equity, a fair price, minimal debt and strong management. To try to duplicate those qualities to see what he might buy next, Credit Suisse's quantitative team screened a universe of stocks for characteristics like cash flow return, income and leverage. Warren Buffett's hunt for his next "elephant-sized" acquisition could be Target , CarMax or Moody's , according to analysis conducted by Credit Suisse. The Credit Suisse analysis comes less than two months after Buffett told shareholders that he's been struggling to deploy Berkshire Hathaway's $112 billion cash hoard thanks to inflated price tags. "2019 will likely see us again expanding our holdings of marketable equities," Buffett said in his letter to Berkshire shareholders. "We continue, nevertheless, to hope for an elephant-sized acquisition. Even at our ages of 88 and 95 I'm the young one that prospect is what causes my heart and Charlie's to beat faster." Buffett's long history as a successful stock picker includes bets on some of Wall Street's flagship companies, including Apple, Bank of America and Coca-Cola. One dollar invested in Berkshire Hathaway in December 1964 would now be worth more than $10,000; the same dollar invested in the S&P 500 over the same period would now be worth just a few hundred dollars. Buffett never comments on rumors or speculation about what he buys next and he has advised in the past that investors should not attempt this guessing game. "I don't think people should be buying stocks because they're reading in the paper that we're buying something," Buffett said during his 1994 annual meeting, according to the CNBC Warren Buffett Archive. "But if they do, they may get cured of it at some point." "So we will never comment on those stories, no matter how ridiculous they are," he added. For full access to Buffett's annual meetings and CNBC appearances going back the last three decades, see CNBC's Warren Buffett Archive. Facebook's founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg speaks to participants during the Viva Technologie show at Parc des Expositions Porte de Versailles on May 24, 2018 in Paris, France. Mark Zuckerberg has expressed reluctance to alter the Facebook feature that hosted video footage of the deadly terror attack on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. The tech giant came under criticism after video of the attack, which killed 50 people, was livestreamed and widely circulated on its platform. Speaking to ABC News' George Stephanopoulos on Thursday, the Facebook founder and CEO admitted that the artificial intelligence it uses to filter harmful content failed to flag the video, adding that its reach may have been limited if livestreams were subject to a broadcast delay. "But it would also fundamentally break what livestreaming is for people. Most people are livestreaming a birthday party or hanging out with friends when they can't be together," he said. "One of the things that's magical about livestreaming is that it's bi-directional, you're not just broadcasting, you're communicating, and people are commenting back. So if you had a delay [it] would break that." Although reluctant to introduce a delay on Facebook's livestream feature, Zuckerberg accepted that the company needed to work harder to "mitigate and remove as much of the negative (content) as possible." He also told ABC that the way the company was run had significantly changed in recent years, with the policing of harmful content among the major issues Facebook was focusing on. "Ninety-nine percent of the ISIS and Al-Qaeda content that we take down are AI systems identifying the move before any person sees it so that's a good example of being proactive, and I think what we should hold all companies to account [for]," he said. Footage of last month's mosque massacre was livestreamed on Facebook by the shooter last month. Facebook, Twitter and Google rushed to remove the content from their platforms, but users were still able to find versions of the video hours after the tech giants said they had taken it down. On Thursday, Australian lawmakers passed legislation that could see social media executives face jail time and hefty fines if their platforms fail to remove violent content. Bazaar Corporate Radar | Feb 22, 2021, 12:00 AM IST Bazaar Corporate Radar Bazaar Corporate Radar is your window into the minds of top CEOs, Boardrooms, global economists, fund managers and sector analysts. If it?s making news, you?ll find it on Bazaar Corporate Radar. Joey Bunch: "The violent political transition happening in Ethiopia, the cradle of mankind, extends its reach into Colorado politics, and smart purveyors of election matters would be wise to keep an eye on American policy towards the most populated country on the Horn of Africa." The Missourians Opinion section is a public forum for the discussion of ideas. The views presented in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Missourian or the University of Missouri. If you would like to contribute to the Opinion page with a response or an original topic of your own, visit our submission form Two years after it first appeared, Microsofts mobile messaging app Kaizala is now available to all Office 365 users globally. Microsoft will integrate the app with its Teams collaboration platform in the next 12 to 18 months, the company said in a blog post on Thursday, as part of its larger plans to appeal to first-line workers such as retail, healthcare and service staffers. Kaizala was launched in 2017 for customers in India, with the Pro version subsequently made available for commercial Office 365 subscriptions in 28 countries including Brazil, Turkey, and Indonesia. The free Kaizala app for Android and iOS has been available for individual download in the U.S. since launch, but not included in Office 365 subscriptions. As of today, Kaizala is available to Office 365 customers globally in 40 languages and 180 markets, including the U.S. What is Microsoft Kaizala? Kaizala supports group text messaging as well as video and audio calls, much like consumer messaging apps such as WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. Indeed, Kaizala emerged as a project within Microsoft as a business alternative to consumer messaging apps, according to Raul Castanon Martinez, a senior analyst at 451 Research. With its business focus, Kaizala has security and administrative features that consumer-focused tools tend to lack. With Kaizala, data is encrypted at rest and in transit, and the Kaizala management portal lets admins create and manage groups, for example, as well as define group policies. This is important, as the use of consumer apps in the workplace can be a significant challenge for large organizations that want to retain control of sensitive data. Microsoft lacked a consumer-style, business-grade chat tool, especially one that could get business users away from the consumer tools they may be using, said Wayne Kurtzman, research director at IDC. Kaizala is part of that effort, and already comes with a number of compliance certifications. Users dont need a Microsoft account to access Kaizala but can sign up with their phone number. This open directory approach makes it easier for temporary employees and contractors to access the service. It also makes it easy to enable the service for first-line workers and those employees who are typically not provisioned with a corporate email [account] or assigned a work computer or smartphone, Castanon Martinez said. It addresses one of the key challenges that traditional business communications have had that prevents them from extending the service to first-line workers. How Kaizala fits with Teams Microsofts wider rollout of Kaizala follows recent updates to Teams, Microsofts collaboration and communication tool, in a bid to win over first-line workers with new mobile app functions. Kaizala differs from the Teams mobile app in a number of ways, and its aimed more at temporary workers and contractors, said Lori Wright, general manager of workplace collaboration at Microsoft. Kaizala serves as a complement to Teams, she said. She explained that Teams works well for employees who are authorized on Microsoft Active Directory or have a Microsoft Account (MSA). For more transient workers that you don't want to bring in and out of the corporate hierarchy and the directory, you can use Kaizala. Wright gave the example of a ski resort the type of business that often has a high employee turnover of around 50%. Employees who are in charge of managing the resort on a permanent basis are suited to Teams. However, there will also be many transient workers who join for a single season that lasts a few weeks or months. This is where Kaizala comes in, she said. Kaizala is great for these types of workers: You can quickly put in your phone number, you can communicate with the other people, and then, when the winter or summer is up, that information stays with the organization. Wright also said there are numerous examples of organizations using Teams and Kaizala in tandem already, including several airline operators. In these cases, Teams is relied on for day to day management, while Kaizala is used by service staff that bring food onto the plane, for example. Microsoft said in its blog post that it will bring Kaizala capabilities into Microsoft Teams as an integrated offering, a process that will occur over the 12 to 18 months. More details on the integration roadmap will appear later this quarter. Castanon Martinez said that while there is definitely an overlap with Teams and Kaizala that could create some confusion for users, there are also distinct attributes that differentiate both products and make them complementary of each other. He said that integrating Kaizala with Teams makes sense, as it expands the reach of Teams into segments of workers that UC [unified communications] and other communication and collaboration tools have not covered before. He added that there are also advantages in having a single platform that covers all groups of employees, while providing the same security standards and access to business resources. The key question is whether Microsoft can build a collaboration tool that can be everything for everyone, said Castanon Martinez. "Experience has shown that this is typically not a solid strategy, and best of breed tends to prevail over jack of all trades, he said. So far, however, Microsoft is proving it can be done, at least to a certain extent, striking a balance between becoming relevant for specific use cases and verticals while still maintaining a horizontal appeal. Kaizala roadmap Alongside Kaizalas wider availability, new features were announced too. This includes @mentions to tag individual members in a group conversation, image annotation, and the ability to delete messages within an hour of sending them. There is also a Kaizala me private chat space feature that lets users send themselves messages such as meeting notes or reminders. A Kaizala web app currently in public preview, with general availability later this quarter lets managers and admins access and search chat, send documents and more from a PC or laptop. New group and data management features include an updated Kaizala Management Portal that now supports single-sign on for Office 365 users, and in-region data residency for storage of customer data. Other Kaizala roadmap features expected to launch in the coming months include Azure Active Directory sync within Kaizala, email invites for new users, and the ability to assign dedicated admins to manage Kaizala policies. UAE confers top civilian honour Zayed Medal upon Indian PM Modi The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has conferred its highest civilian honour-Zayed Medal upon Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in appreciation of his efforts in maintaining strategic ties with the country. Zayed Medal is the highest decoration of the UAE government awarded to kings, presidents and heads of states. The award was given in appreciation of Narendra Modi's role in consolidating the long-standing friendship and joint strategic cooperation between the two countries. UAE has conferred its highest civilian honour-Zayed Medal upon Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Photo courtesy: Wikimedia The Indian Prime Minister had played a pivotal role in enhancing bilateral ties to the level of comprehensive strategic relations, said Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. By granting our dear friend the Indian Prime Minister the Zayed Medal, we express our appreciation for his role and efforts in developing friendly relations and extending bridges of cooperation between the UAE and the Republic of India in various fields, he added. We have historical and comprehensive strategic ties with India, reinforced by the pivotal role of my dear friend, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who gave these relations a big boost. In appreciation of his efforts, the UAE President grants him the Zayed Medal. (@MohamedBinZayed) April 4, 2019 Prime Minister Modi tweeted to say he accepts the award with "utmost humility". Under your visionary leadership, our strategic ties have reached new heights. This friendship is contributing to the peace and prosperity of our people and planet, PM Modi thanked Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi for this kind gesture. Thank you, Your Highness Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. I accept this honour with utmost humility. Under your visionary leadership, our strategic ties have reached new heights. This friendship is contributing to the peace and prosperity of our people and planet. https://t.co/gtAy00uffw Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 4, 2019 The bonds between India and UAE have been considerably strengthened as PM Modi visited the latter country in 2015. He also visited the UAE for the second time as Prime Minister in February 2018 and held wide-ranging talks with the Crown Prince. The two sides even signed five agreements related to the energy sector, railways, manpower and financial services. Several Ministers of the Indian government congratulated PM Modi on receiving the prestigious UAE award including Sushma Swaraj, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh. I am extremely happy to welcome the announcement of Order of Zayed for a great son of India Prime Minister Narendra Modi by His Highness Mohamed Bin Zayed, tweeted Sushma Swaraj, Sushma Swaraj, Indian External Affairs Minister. I am extremely happy to welcome the announcement of Order of Zayed for a great son of India Prime Minister @narendramodi by His Highness @MohamedBinZayed. Chowkidar Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) April 4, 2019 This is in recognition of Prime Ministers stellar role in ushering in a new era of strategic partnership with UAE and the best ever relations with the Islamic world, she added. This is in recognition of Prime Ministers stellar role in ushering in a new era of strategic partnership with UAE and the best ever relations with the Islamic world. /2 Chowkidar Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) April 4, 2019 Indeed, a very proud moment for India as UAE confers Zayed Medal to our popular Narendra Modi. The award recognises the stellar role played by PM in forging deeper ties with UAE and the larger Islamic world, tweeted Ravi Shankar Prasad, Law and Information Technology Minister of India. Indeed a very proud moment for India as UAE confers Zayed Medal to our popular PM @narendramodi Ji. The award recognises the stellar role played by PM in forging deeper ties with UAE and the larger Islamic world. https://t.co/j7wZwM0Eoc Chowkidar Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) April 4, 2019 On behalf of the people of UP, I Congratulate our Hon. PM Shri @narendramodi Ji on being conferred with Zayed Medal, highest civilian honor by UAE government for his international leadership & joint strategic cooperation between the two countries. We Indians are proud of our PM. Chowkidar Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) April 4, 2019 Local elections are taking place on Thursday May 2nd. Campaigning has been well under way for some time. The Statements of Persons Nominated are due to be published today, giving an idea of how many candidates different parties are putting up. Most of the voting is taking place in Brexit territory. This is because no elections are being held in Scotland or London. While there is the usual complicated mix of unitary authorities, district councils, and metropolitan boroughs some with full elections and some with a third of the seats being contested most places in England will see voting take place. I have spoken to ten Conservative councillors from across the country about their experiences campaigning in the current environment. They include council leaders and opposition leaders in different types of authorities. Some I spoke to before the Prime Ministers announcement of Brexit negotiations with Jeremy Corbyn, some after it. The first person I spoke to, in the West Midlands, said Conservatives were disaffected: We are a strongly Brexit area. While we try to fight on local issues that can feel a bit surreal given what is happening in Parliament. Conservatives are not going to switch to Labour or the Lib Dems. But a lot of Conservatives will abstain. Also, there are rumours of independents standing. My next interviewee was someone in the North West. It is tough going. We are defending seats that we won in 2015 at the same day as the General Election. So that was a good year. We are a pretty Remainish place so we have some of our supporters saying they might switch to the Lib Dems and more of them probably just wont vote. Mind you, a Labour councillor Im friendly with did say they were finding it heavy going as well. A councillor from a rural district said: I must emphasise that the problem is not just with Brexiteers. It is wider than that. Its down to trust and there is very precious little of it left. There is this dismay at the incompetence and the duplicity. People coming on and saying one thing one week and then doing the opposite the next week. Perhaps the most damning verdict came from traditional Conservative territory in the South East: It is extraordinarily bad. We have seriously considered stopping canvassing for the time being in case it does more harm than good. Could we be annoying people, winding them up? Over and over again people are saying they will never vote Conservative again. Ive been campaigning for several years now and I have never encountered this pure rage on the doorstep before. One of those I spoke to since the announcement about seeking a deal with Corbyn said that had made matters even worse: It removes our chance to win over floating voters. They might not have a strong view on Brexit. They might not feel the Government was doing well. But the one strong message we had was that Corbyn was a disgrace and must be kept out of power. Its much harder to put out that message when the Prime Minister is pleading with him for help. An opposition councillor in a large Labour-run authority said: What is so infuriating is that we had been working hard to make gains. Now we will be lucky not to make losses. Labour locally is in a mess. But what is happening nationally is a very significant problem. The morale of our team is very low. If they are disillusioned then how can they expect to persuade others? People say why bother voting. We end up agreeing with them. A Conservative councillor in a Council with a big Conservative majority warned that the old certainties had disappeared: We are supposed to be in a safe seat. But I dont think there are any safe seats. CCHQ is very complacent about that. The situation is very volatile. Its pretty dire at the moment, to be honest. But I think it could change. There was a relatively positive response from one councillor in the East Midlands: People are fair and do accept that councillors are not to blame. Often when we speak to them and they let off steam they then end up agreeing to vote for us. But they then add that they wont vote for the Conservative MP again, who is a remainer. There is also the problem about the people we dont manage to canvass and so dont get a chance to try and placate. If voters are angry with the Conservatives, where will they turn? One councillor felt it was whoever was anti-establishment: Im not sure UKIP will have many candidates, if any, in our area. The new Brexit Party doesnt seem to be ready yet either. But we do have some Green Party candidates. I think they could do well as a protest. Odd for Brexiteers to vote Green when the Green Party is anti-Brexit. But when people are angry they sometimes wont listen to points like that. Finally, I spoke to a Conservative Group opposition leader who told me that she herself was going to be standing as an independent. That was due to a local dispute rather than anything to do with the EU negotiations. But she felt that the Brexit backlash would help her chances including with former Labour voters. Independent candidates were with the zeitgeist. Of course with the speed that events are moving, the situation could be much better by the end of the month. Or even worse. But even if we leave on no deal terms next week, it is hard to think the Conservatives, under the leadership of Theresa May, will get much credit for that from the Brexiteers let alone the Remainers. While I consciously tried to secure a range of thoughts from different areas, the response was depressingly uniform. Does that mean the Conservatives will have huge losses? Possibly not purely because of challenges on an equivalent scale for the Labour Party. But it would be a mistake for anyone to discount the scale of disillusionment with the political process. DUP attack Mays decision to sub-contract Brexit to Corbyn The Democratic Unionists have launched a stinging attack on the Prime Ministers decision to invite Jeremy Corbyn for talks on Brexit, in the latest sign that relations between Theresa May and her confidence-and-supply partners is collapsing. In a statement, the Northern Irish party said: The Prime Ministers lamentable handling of the negotiations with the EU means she has failed to deliver a sensible Brexit deal that works for all parts of the United Kingdom. That is why she has not been able to get it through parliament. Her announcement therefore tonight comes as little surprise. Though it remains to be seen if sub-contracting out the future of Brexit to Jeremy Corbyn, someone whom the Conservatives have demonised for four years, will end happily. The Unionists reiterated their support for Brexit and their insistence that the United Kingdom leave the European Union as one country. Earlier this week the Times reported that a senior Cabinet minister blamed Boris Johnson for the DUPs failure to back the Withdrawal Agreement at the third time of asking. They reportedly said: The DUP interviewed Boris and Raab and decided they were not really unionists. Thats why they withheld their support for the deal. The Ulster party were apparently spooked by Johnsons failure to convince them that he would insist on maintaining regulatory alignment between the Province and the mainland after Brexit. Meanwhile Sammy Wilson, the DUPs Brexit spokesman, this morning claimed that Philip Hammonds comments on a second referendum signalled the start of a Government u-turn on this totemic issue. as soft-Brexiteers woo separatists (and tout once again the fragile union myth) Meanwhile on the other side, Remainer hopes that the DUP might be won round to backing one or other of the soft Brexit options put before MPs in the second around of indicative votes were dashed. The partys decision to abstain saw plans such as the Customs Union defeated by a smaller margin than its parliamentary caucus and highlighted the extent to which the Unionists could still play kingmaker. Not that the soft Brexiteers felt any need to confine themselves to seeking pro-UK support: the Sun had the story of how Tory rebels backing the so-called Norway option wooed the Scottish National Party ahead of those crunch votes this week. Meanwhile Nicola Sturgeon has warned Corbyn against striking a tawdry deal with a Conservative government. Meanwhile the Prime Minister has been praying in aid of the Union herself this week, with one source claiming her decision to pivot to Corbyn was based in part on the idea that a no-deal exit would require the formal adoption of Direct Rule for Northern Ireland and that this would break up the Union. From the outside its impossible to tell if this is simply shamelessness or she is genuinely acting on useless advice, but either way such a claim is nonsense. Not only is the Government probably going to have to introduce some form of direct rule in the near future Ulsters civil servants are running up against the limits of their legal authority to govern but there is scant evidence that such a move would be particularly controversial. A more serious threat to the Union changing demographics in Northern Ireland was identified in a new report from The UK in a Changing Europe, although it did not make any new case for the threat being particularly imminent or insurmountable. They also claimed that Scottish independence could not be excluded although the latest polling shows a collapse in support for it, the latest in a long series of blows to the myth of the fragile Union. Plaid did this week say that they might call for an independence vote after Brexit, but there is no evidence they would win one even now, when our EU membership makes the prospect of separation much easier. Voters go to the polls in Newport West Amidst all the chaos, voters in Wales are voting today in a by-election precipitated by the death of Paul Flynn, a long-serving Labour MP. The result will inevitably be analysed to death for its national implications, but local issues have featured prominently in local campaigning. Newport residents have to choose between no fewer than 11 candidates, not one an independent. Alongside the usual suspects from Labour, the Tories, the Lib Dems, Plaid Cymru, the Greens, and UKIP are challengers from minor parties Abolish the Assembly, Democrats & Veterans, For Britain, the SDP, and Renew. The most likely result is a Labour hold they have had the seat since 1987, and whilst the Conservatives have run them fairly close in recent years Flynn extended his lead back to a fairly comfortable 5,658 in 2017. However the Tories apparently have a strong candidate and a majority of the seat voted Leave in the referendum, so Labours increasingly Remain-y stance and the unwinding of Flynns personal vote might give him grounds for hope. Rachel Wolf is a partner in Public First. She was an education and innovation adviser at Number 10 during David Camerons premiership, and was founding director of the New Schools Network. Dont cross the home-schooling lobby was accepted wisdom when I worked in government. In 2009, Labour attempted to introduce a home education register with a requirement on parents to submit a plan for their childrens education that the local authority could inspect against. They backtracked rapidly in the face of furious and well-organised opposition from parents. This became a model of how parents can make a difference, and who not to cross in government. The points made by those parents were very Conservative: this is my family; the state has no right to interfere; why are you assuming I am doing something wrong with no evidence? I am deeply sympathetic to this view. One of the many things I was unprepared for when I had children was the visceral panic and fear of the state deciding to get involved right from that first Health Visitor interview two days after giving birth (where they try to subtly ask you if your partner is beating you up as they mark on a piece of paper if social services should get involved in your family). Im not alone. Two doctor friends of mine told me not to take my children to hospital immediately if they had an injury but to call them instead just in case it triggered some kind of investigation. I know it sounds absurd, but the occasional story of children being wrongfully taken from their parents is beyond fear-inducing. For parents who home educate many of whom will have had bad experiences at their childrens initial school, and many of whom are likely, philosophically, to disagree with the states approach to education that fear will be much greater. And strong parental interest in their childrens education is exactly what, in other areas, government is desperate to have more of. Whether its healthy eating, or reading to them in the evenings, or just turning up to parents evenings, government is constantly trying to persuade parents to do more. It seems paradoxical to somehow take action against this group of parents who are making active and sometimes unfashionable decisions to support their children often at great financial and opportunity cost to their own lives. So why have I come reluctantly to accept that the Government has to track home educated pupils (as it proposed last week)? Because there are some frightening things happening with a growing number of children that currently we know terrifyingly little about. Best estimates are that the number being home schooled has almost doubled from 34,000 in 2015 to 60,000 today. We dont know if this is an accurate number, because no one tracks these children. Its the best estimate of local authorities and is quite likely to be too low. We also dont know why it has increased again, because we dont track. Anecdotally, there are half a dozen reasons. Two common ones are: a) because some schools are chucking out pupils (off rolling) before exam time to boost their results; and b) a growing number of students who are home schooled arent being educated at home theyre going to an untrackable number of unregistered schools (usually religious). Heres an example of one of the schools in an Ofsted letter from the previous Chief Inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw: At the most recent visit, inspectors were intentionally obstructed from entering the premises for an hour. During this time, inspectors observed a number of female students to be on the premises. When inspectors finally gained entry, the girls had left the building by an alternative exit. The staff on site informed inspectors that these girls were attending a local library and that they would return later in the day. They did not return and the staff were unable to account for their whereabouts for the duration of the inspection visit. Inspectors also found squalid conditions, including three single mattresses covered in filthy sheets in one room and no running water in the toilet areas, and clear evidence of segregation, with separate classrooms for boys and girls. This leaves aside the radicalising material that has been found in some unregistered educational settings in recent years. This, then, is the core tension. How do we weigh up our responsibility to very vulnerable children and to protecting others from their later actions against the rights of most families? If some children are being radicalised, or forced into a life because they are women that we would view as unacceptable in modern Britain, or simply being given a rotten education, does this give us the right to interfere with everyone? Particularly knowing that we are going to be causing at least some stress and bureaucracy to families that are doing a very good job? There is no way round that trade off. Its one where, often, I think the government comes down on the wrong side as I wrote in my last column, I dont think the proposed pornography age-checking service is really justified. On this, though, I think we have to accept that we live in a new age one where it is too dangerous for the children concerned (and potentially to us) to live in a vacuum of information. I am also deeply concerned about the education girls might be receiving (or, which is another thing our lack of visibility into children who are withdrawn from school stops us seeing, the number of underage marriages they might be pushed into). Yes, I hate the idea of the state interfering with my child but I also hate the idea of my daughter growing up in a country where all women arent getting access to a proper education and opportunities. It is reasonable for the Government even though it will be annoying to many parents to expect to know where these students are, what theyre doing, and therefore be able to act if something terrible is going on. But there are going to be negative consequences on parents who are not only within their rights but who are doing the right thing by their children. We have to recognise this, and apply the highest possible bar for interfering in what those parents are doing. If its not destroying their children or likely to seriously jeopardise our safety, we need to leave them alone. Ecumenical Exhibition from Germany Shows Peace Achieved in a 'Different Way' NEWS PROVIDED BY April 4, 2019 GENEVA, April 4, 2019 / A group of 22 people accompanied Rev. Detlev Knoche, director of the Ecumenical Centre of the Protestant Church in Hesse and Nassau and of the Evangelical Church of Kurhessen-Waldeck. The group also included members of the Roman-Catholic diocese of Mainz. Knoche explained on 3 April that the interactive exhibition in English and German was inspired by the WCC's Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace. GENEVA, April 4, 2019 / Christian Newswire / -- A group of churches from Germany's west inspired by the quest for justice and peace presented an ecumenical exhibition showing how "Peace takes a different way" at the World Council of Churches (WCC) in Geneva.A group of 22 people accompanied Rev. Detlev Knoche, director of the Ecumenical Centre of the Protestant Church in Hesse and Nassau and of the Evangelical Church of Kurhessen-Waldeck. The group also included members of the Roman-Catholic diocese of Mainz.Knoche explained on 3 April that the interactive exhibition in English and German was inspired by the WCC's Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace. People in the synod of his church decided, "we must show to the people that there are solutions to conflicts that are working nonviolently -- not only always asking for military interventions or violent solutions," said the German pastor. The exhibition will remain on display at the WCC's Ecumenical Centre in Geneva through 3 May. 70th-anniversary gift The exhibition has inspiring footage, photos and other media examples of the theme and first made its rounds in Germany, but the churches in Knoche's area have translated it into English and gave it as a gift to the WCC after its 70th anniversary last year. Rev. Dr Mikie A. Roberts, WCC programme executive for Spiritual Life, led a midday prayer with a brass ensemble providing music and with biblical readings by WCC staff and members of the visiting group. Peace prayer and exhibition opening In words of welcome Prof. Dr Isabel Apawo Phiri, WCC deputy general secretary, noted that while the WCC is a companion on just peace, the root of its peace initiatives is to promote nonviolent peace. "We have taken our ministry of reconciliation seriously as we work with the churches, people of other faiths and goodwill in the hot spots of the world which include the Korean Peninsula, Israel and Palestine, Syria, Iraq, Nigeria, South Sudan, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Colombia and Ukraine," she said. "Making peace defines who we are." Nonviolent peace promotion Phiri cited as an example of nonviolence peace promotion, the WCC's Thursdays in Black campaign that grew out of the WCC's Decade of Churches in Solidarity with Women (1988-1998). During that campaign, the stories of rape as a weapon of war, gender injustice, abuse, violence, and many tragedies that grow outward from such violence became increasingly visible. "The campaign is simple but profound: Wear black on Thursdays. Wear a pin to declare you are part of the global movement resisting attitudes and practices that permit rape and violence." Thursdays in Black shows respect for women who are resilient in the face of violence, encouraging others to join. "Often black has been used with negative racial connotations. In this campaign, Black is used as a colour of resistance and resilience," said Phiri, a Malawian theologian who studied in South Africa and England. Many of the WCC's 350 member churches representing more than half a billion people worldwide have adopted this ecumenical campaign along with national councils and ecumenical and inter-religious partners, academic institutions, student associations, and others. "Therefore, it is in this spirit that the WCC receives the exhibition from the Protestant Church in Hesse and Nassau," said Phiri. On the first of their three-day stay, the group from Germany visited the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, meeting Prof. Dr Fr Ioan Sauca, WCC deputy general secretary and director of the institute; and Rev. Fr Dr Lawrence Iwuamadi, professor of Ecumenical Biblical Hermeneutics and academic dean. There they received an overview about the work and the themes of the Joint Working Group of the Vatican and the WCC, later touring the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva. On the final day of their visit the German ecumenical group met Rev. Dr Martin Junge, general secretary of the Lutheran World Federation, examining the ecumenical situation after "From Conflict to Communion" and before the beginning of the dialogue about "Eucharist, Ministry, Church." More information about the exhibition Photos from the exhibition opening More about Thursdays in Black Blog post by Rev. Detlev Knoche and Rev. Sabine Muller-Langsdorf about the exhibition Website with additional multimedia content (in German) related to the exhibition SOURCE World Council of Churches CONTACT: WCC director of communication Marianne Ejdersten, +41 79 507 63 63, mej@wcc-coe.org Costa Cruises will be increasing its number of calls to Valletta in 2020, according to a press release, launching Malta-to-Malta cruises aboard Costa Cruises ships, with 32 departures operated from late March to early November 2020. Michael Abele, Group Commercial Director of Orange Cruises gave detailed information about the itinerary of the Malta-to-Malta cruises of both 2019 and 2020 during a press conference aboard the Costa Fascinosa. Costa has brought over 474,000 passenger movements on roughly 200 calls between 2014 and 2018. Stephen Xuereb, CEO of Valletta Cruise Port and COO of Global Ports Holding, commented: We are pleased that after an absence of four years, Costa will be re-introducing calls in the third quarter of 2020. This means that in 2020, we will be welcoming circa 110,000 passenger movements aboard a total of 37 calls as compared to 38,000 passenger movements aboard 18 calls in 2019. The Hon. Konrad Mizzi, Minister for Tourism highlighted that the cruise industry positively impacts the local economy. More than 800,000 passenger movements are expected be hosted by Valletta Cruise Port in 2019. Furthermore, he highlighted that the Ministry together with the participation of stakeholders is actively working on a Vision 2025, a new strategy for the tourism industry including the cruise sector, with this vision being finalised by end of year. Cathy Zuraw / Hearst Connecticut Media BRIDGEPORT A local man was arrested after police said he sexually assaulted a woman and flailed at a bystander and police after another woman sprayed pepper spray in his face. Juan Flores, 29, of uncertain address, was charged Wednesday with third-degree sexual assault, third-degree assault, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief and interfering with police. BRIDGEPORT The city is rebidding a lucrative sidewalk repair contract because of complaints about its high costs to residents and an ongoing FBI criminal probe. But Mark Anastasi, a municipal lawyer, and Public Facilities Director John Ricci warned the City Council members who wanted to break the $4 million contract with G. Pic. and Sons Construction that the firm has done nothing wrong. Federal authorities over the winter subpoenaed four years worth of the citys dealings with G. Pic and two other local contractors as part of an investigation into allegations of too many no-bid contracts issued by the Department of Public Facilities. That subpoena, coupled with other concerns council members have about how Bridgeport and G. Pic address damaged sidewalks, led the councils Public Safety Committee this week to ask that the 2-year-old contract be put back out to bid and any planned work stopped. Anastasi and Ricci said Mayor Joe Ganim agreed and that the administration was already taking the appropriate steps. But, Anastasi added, Somebody who has records subpoenaed hasnt been charged, indicted, tried or convicted. Still, Councilwoman Eneida Martinez argued that G. Pic. should not be allowed to do work with the city during the FBI probe. The firm not only repairs Bridgeports public sidewalks, it is also the contractor for the so-called 50/50 program in which the city splits the cost of repairing private sidewalks with property owners. Councilman Ernie Newton noted that Mayor Joe Ganims administration recently delayed moving ahead with improvements to a section of Fairfield Avenue because another contractor named in the subpoena, VAZ Quality Works, was the low-bidder. Its not like were just doing it (ending G. Pics contract) to do it, Newton said. The city set a precedent. Public Safety Committee members also said they have received complaints from constituents about the cost-sharing sidewalk program and want to revise how it works. Throw the whole thing up and start over, Councilman Peter Spain said. The intention is good, but the execution is off the rails. Ricci and the council created the 50/50 initiative in 2016 to tackle the miles of damaged sidewalks and prevent costly trip/fall lawsuits. A woman who fell in 2013 in the Black Rock neighborhood successfully took the city to court and was awarded $416,000 in January 2016. But Martinez complained that she has heard from residents in the East End who received price quotes for thousands of dollars from the city and G. Pic., then found they could get the work done cheaper from other contractors. I think the price these homeowners are given is totally ridiculous, Martinez said. Not an exact science Ricci said initially the city had wanted to award the 2016 sidewalk contract, which is worth $4 million, to three companies. But one bidder, VAZ, was disqualified over a paperwork issue, and a third, Anthony Julian Railroad Construction Company, went out of business, leaving G. Pic to receive all the sidewalk work. Maybe we should have gone back out to rebid (then), but we didnt, Ricci said. He hoped more contractors would participate this time around. In response to Martinezs demand that G. Pic be excluded, Anastasi said there may at least be a way to add more requirements to the bid request. But, he added, Im not singling anybody out. Anastasi and Ricci also said G. Pic must be allowed to finish a backlog of 60 ongoing sidewalk projects that were part of the 50/50 program or the city could face legal repercussions. There are people who have their sidewalk ripped out right now, Ricci said. Councilman Kyle Langan and others accused the city of predatory practices like replacing more sidewalk than is damaged and mailing threatening letters ordering homeowners to participate in the cost-sharing program against their will. Ricci acknowledged unintended issues with letters the city sends homeowners who inquired about the 50/50 initiative. Ricci said even if those residents decide not to participate, now were on record knowing that sidewalk is not in good shape. So a letter is sent ordering the homeowners to repair their sidewalks or to participate in the 50/50 plan. Lady on my street (was) scared to death by one of those letters, Newton said. It was intended to help people do their sidewalks, not threaten them, not make them feel scared. Ricci said he would look into revising the letters and into allowing homeowners to hire their own contractors and still split the bill with the city. Spain said there also appears to be no plan for prioritizing the neediest sidewalks. He noted and Ricci confirmed that the damaged sidewalk that cost Bridgeport $416,000 three years ago has never been fixed. Its not an exact science, Ricci said. Were doing the best we can. GREENWICH Former Ambassador Tom Niles spoke Wednesday morning to the Retired Mens Association of Greenwich about foreign policy under President Donald Trump. Niles his 36 years of experience and insights in the U.S. Foreign Service He has served as the U.S. ambassador to Canada from 1985 to 1989, ambassador to the European Union from 1989 to 1991, assistant secretary of state for Europe and Canada from 1991 to 1993 and ambassador to Greece from 1993 to 1997. A Connecticut man who, federal authorities say, pointed a gun at a car with two undercover detectives, was sentenced Thursday to 30 months behind bars for illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition. Enrique Luciano, 32, of Hartford, was also sentenced by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to three years of supervised release after he serves time in jail. John H. Durham, U.S. Attorney for Connecticut, said Luciano, on June 4, 2018, Luciano approached a car on Cabot Street in Hartford and pointed a gun at the car. The car was occupied by two undercover Hartford Police detectives investigating drug activity on Cabot Street. After the detectives identified themselves as police officers, Luciano fled and discarded the gun, Durham said in a relase. Luciano was apprehended and the firearm, a loaded 9mm Taurus PT 908 handgun with an obliterated serial number, was recovered. Luciano has a previous federal conviction for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and, in May 2010, was sentenced to 60 months of imprisonment for that offense. He also has prior convictions in state court for drug offenses. Luciano has been detained since his arrest. On Dec. 3, 2018, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. This investigation was conducted by the Hartford Police Department and the FBIs Connecticut Violent Crime Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Miller. This prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. MILFORD A sex offender accused of drugging and sexually assaulting a 15-year-old Shelton girl was sentenced Thursday to five years in prison. Miguel Feliciano, 28, had pleaded guilty under the Alford doctrine to second-degree sexual assault on Dec. 23, 2018. Under Alford, a defendant doesnt agree with all of the prosecutions accusations but concedes that a conviction is likely if the case went to trial. Feliciano has been behind bars since his August 2017 arrest in the case. According to an arrest warrant, Feliciano gave the girl Xanax and sexually assaulted her several times in a New Street home over the course of a weekend that May. In court Thursday, Felicianos lawyer, Peter Tsimbidaros, said Feliciano didnt know the girl was a minor. My client was not aware that she was under the legal age, Tsimbidaros said. According to the warrant, the victim told police Feliciano thought she was 16, but that she wanted him to go to jail. The warrant quoted the girl as saying I mean, it wasnt OK, but it was, I OKed it. It wasnt OK with the law, but it was OK with me. But he wanted to and was telling me dont tell anyone. During the investigation, police said they discovered Feliciano is a registered sex offender who had failed to verify his address with the state, as required by law. According to the states sex offender registry, Feliciano had a previous address in Ansonia. He was convicted in 2007 of having illegal sexual contact with a 13-year-old girl and was sentenced to serve three years behind bars. Judge Peter Brown said Thursday in court that the plea deal was appropriate given the allegations and Felicianos record. He then sentenced Feliciano to a 12-year prison sentence to be suspended after five years, followed by 10 years of probation. The judge ordered Feliciano to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life and initiate no contact with minors while on probation. He also signed a protective order barring Feliciano from contacting the victim for the next 50 years. ethan.fry@hearstmediact.com State Police are looking for a woman who has outstanding risk of injury to a child arrest warrant after she was saved from a 2017 opioid overdose. Amber Crisp, 28, with ties to the Coventry area and New Mexico, was overdosing on opioids when troopers found her in a vehicle in the parking garage of Rockville Superior Court in 2017, state police said. FAIRFIELD Chicken and beef thawed at room temperature, a blocked hand sink, and medicines and vitamins near the preparation area were some of the observations made by health department officials during March restaurant inspections. The Fairfield establishments that failed health inspections last month include The Carolton, Shu Restaurant, Wild Rice, China Wok and Country Cow. Establishments fail health inspections when they obtain a score under 80 out of 100 possible points or if they merit even just one 4-point deduction. All restaurants except for Shu Restaurant earned a lower-than-80-point score, though Shu Restaurant merited a single 4-point deduction for blocked handsinks and notes that chicken and beef were thawed at room temperatures according to a March 8 Health Department report. Weve made the changes and were waiting on our re-inspection, a Shu Restaurant representative said in response. The Carolton a chronic and convalescent hospital got a 78-point score with two 4-point deductions in a March 11 inspection with notes that medicines, vitamins, etc. found in two locations not allowed in prep area. The hospital subsequently passed a March 28 inspection with a score of 95. Requests for comment from The Carolton went unanswered. China Wok, which originally failed a March 8 inspection with a score of 73, passed a March 27 re-inspection with an 86. A China Wok representative said the owners were unavailable for comment. Wild Rice obtained a score of 71 following a March 14 inspection with two 4-point deductions and notes detailing that scoops must have handles and to store all food/beverages off floor. The Health Department re-inspected Wild Rice April 5; the restaurant passed with a score of 92. Country Cow almost scraped by with an 80-point score but had two 4-point deductions resulting in an immediate failed inspection. Inspectors wrote that drinks must have lids and that thermometers inside refrigerators must be placed up front near door. A Country Cow representative declined to comment. As of press time, Shu Restaurant and Country Cow are scheduled for a re-inspection in the coming days, according to the towns Health Department. humberto.juarez@ hearstmediact.com Investor optimism about the U.S.-China trade negotiations trumped pessimism about the slowing economy -- but just barely. The tech-heavy Entrepreneur Index was up 0.37 percent while the Dow (0.15 percent) and S&P 500 (0.21 percent) indexes eked out smaller gains. U.S. trade representatives resumed talks with Chinese Vice-Premier Liu He in Washington today. The two sides have reportedly resolved most of the outstanding issues between them. Meanwhile, job growth in the U.S. last month was still positive but well below estimates, according to ADP and Moody's Analytics data. The Institute of Supply Management non-manufacturing index also fell to its lowest level in over a year, suggesting the services sector is also slowing down. Stocks, however, held on to some of the gains from a morning rally. The technology sector led the way. Semiconductor stocks were particularly strong after a Nomura analyst initiated coverage on Advanced Micro Devices with a buy rating. The stock jumped 8.49 percent and pulled along other chipmakers. NVIDIA Corp. was up 3.07 percent -- the biggest gain on the Entrepreneur Index, and Analog Devices rose 1.6 percent. Twitter (1.87 percent), TripAdvisor Inc. (1.85 percent) and salesforce.com (1.31 percent) were also up nicely. Tesla bounced back from its first decline in over a week yesterday, rising 2.07 percent. The market is awaiting first quarter sales and production numbers for the company this week and CEO Elon Musk and his lawyers are in court tomorrow for another hearing on the SEC's contempt of court charges against Mr. Musk for Tesla-related Twitter posts. Wynn Resorts was up again today, gaining 1.93 percent. The casino operator's shares are up eighteen percent in the last week. Other notable gains on the Entrepreneur Index were posted by Jefferies Financial Group (1.44 percent), Ford Motor Co. (1.33 percent) and Gap Inc. (1.24 percent). Regeneron Pharmaceuticals had the biggest decline on the index today, falling 1.89 percent. The stock is up 9.2 percent this year, significantly less than the broader market. Oil and gas producer Hess Corp. fell 1.31 percent as the price of oil slipped modestly. Oil has risen convincingly over $60 per barrel in the last week as demand has remained strong and supplies have been disrupted by Midwest floods among other things. Other declines on the index included Aflac Inc. (-0.99 percent), pipeline manager Kinder Morgan (-0.8 percent) and REIT Kimco Realty Corp. (-0.76 percent). The Entrepreneur Index collects the top 60 publicly traded companies founded and run by entrepreneurs. The entrepreneurial spirit is a valuable asset for any business, and this index recognizes its importance, no matter how much a company has grown. These inspirational businesses can be tracked in real time on Entrepreneur.com. Related: Tech Sector Leads the Way on Positive Day for Entrepreneur Index Wynn Resorts Stock Up Again Despite Alleged Sexual Misconduct of Founder and Former CEO Steve Wynn Strong Manufacturing Activity in March Lifts Stocks Copyright 2019 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved Ayla Hurley, Sterling Huber, and Matt Lindsay are all members of Navy Federal Credit Union. - Nancy Marshall-Genzer/Marketplace Credit unions are only supposed to serve certain communities, but the federal government has made membership restrictions a lot looser than they used to be, and thats helped credit union membership shoot up by almost 60 percent over the past 20 years. Banks are crying foul. The two sides have fought about this on Capitol Hill and in U.S. District Court. Soon, theyll meet in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. You can get a sense of how easy it is to join a credit union these days through three people Marketplace met up with at a cafe in College Park, Maryland. Ayla Hurley joined the Navy Federal Credit Union about five years ago. Hurley works in information technology. Shes not in the Navy. But her roommate had family in the military and belonged to Navy Federal. And if youre living with a member, you can join, too. Previously identified religious cult remains on campus The Daily Wildcat, Arizona/April 2, 2019 By Jake Toole Have you been approached on campus by a person wearing sunglasses and an empty backpack asking you to take a survey on religion? If you have, you were probably approached by a member of the Faith Christian Church. In 2015, over 20 former members alleged this Christian ministry had cult-like practices, according to an Arizona Daily Star investigative article. This investigation, however, has not prevented group members from being on campus and interacting with students. The alleged cult-like practices included teaching members to corporally punish their children, financially coercing members and encouraging members to alienate themselves from their families. FCC was a member of the University Religious Council until the article was published, prompting the URC to investigate FCC and revoke its membership. Ongoing Presence John Winchester, outreach coordinator for the Arizona Center for Judaic Studies, said even after the FCC had its URC membership revoked and the Daily Stars investigations, FCC still has a strong presence on campus. According to Winchester, FCC is not allowed to use any of the universitys facilities. Winchester said FCC has responded to the Dean of Students Office restrictions by organizing its events, such as Bible studies, at off-campus locations. RELATED: Cults on UA campus explored All the Dean of Students Office did was say, you cant do anything organized on campus, Winchester said. So they took it off campus. A defining characteristic of FCCs influence on campus is its campus ministers. According to FCCs website, it has 30 campus evangelists, whose jobs are to go to campus and reach out to students through religious surveys and other practices. Theyve got more people as far as any other Christian groups on campus, Winchester said, explaining FCC ministers are consistently on campus on a day-to-day basis. What has been done According to Randi Kisiel, secretary of the University Religious Council, the URC has not monitored FCC since 2015. She explained FCC is no longer under the URCs jurisdiction. The URC has a red flag program, which is a list of warning signs of a religious organization potentially being dangerous. The list can be found in pamphlets for UA incoming freshman, where there is also a warning specifically about FCC. Kendal Washington White, dean of students and vice provost for Campus Life, said the responsibility of monitoring FCC came under the Dean of Students Office, but they never technically had jurisdiction over FCC, because FCC is not officially associated with the UA. The DSO does have jurisdiction to investigate anything that involves official UA organizations, such as official Associated Students of the University of Arizona clubs. During the Daily Star investigation, three ASUA clubs were said to have affiliations with FCC: Native Nations in Christ, Wildcats for Christ and Providence Club. RELATED: Faith communities and religious orders on campus According to Washington White, they would have Dean of Students Office staff members attend meetings of the three clubs unannounced to see if they were following UA and ASUA restrictions and guidelines. DSO staff members attended multiple meetings of these clubs but discontinued after a year and a half. Our staff had multiple unannounced attendance at their meeting and there were no signs of misbehavior and FCC leaders were not present, Washington White said. Soon after the results of the investigations came out regarding FCC, the Dean of Students Office held a presentation on campus in April 2015 led by Doni Whitsett, a professor from the University of Southern California and expert in cult-related issues. The Dean of Students Office has not sponsored any education sessions on cults since then, according to Washington White. Washington White said the Dean of Students Office watched certain areas where FCC members tended to be seen but has discontinued observation because of the lack of reports. We did spot checks for a year and have not continued to do so as we have not received reports from the UA or Tucson community, Washington White said. Washington White explained monitoring is incredibly difficult, because the DSO cant keep track of all organizations that set foot on campus. Free Speech Kisiel said she believes the main reason FCC potentially survived its negative media coverage in 2015 and is still able to convert people on campus is the UAs prioritization of free speech. She clarified she believes in freedom of speech and freedom of religion but is also concerned when groups like FCC are continuously influencing students. After complaints of its presence, Kiesel said, I then refer them to the Dean of Students Office with the hope that the Dean of Students Office will take care of them. According to the Dean of Students Office, the university free speech policy is: The University is committed to protecting the free speech rights of students, faculty, staff and invited guests. The purpose of this policy is to respect the Campus Communitys rights to free speech and expressive activity within public and designated public forums, while preserving public health, safety and welfare, the normal business uses of the campus and the rights of others to legitimately use and enjoy the campus. Student Experiences TJ Hoshiwara, a pre-computer science sophomore, was approached by members of FCC with a survey the beginning of his freshman year, in the 2017 fall semester. After this first encounter, Hoshiwara went to church services, which he said about 200 members attended, and met with an FCC campus minister once a week for six months. According to Hoshiwara, the one-on-one sessions consisted mainly of the FCC campus ministers questions about when Hoshiwara was going to convert or change his lifestyle to FCCs preferred belief set. Hoshiwara said he believed the FCC member displayed a genuine interest in his personal well-being, making it hard to understand their motives and priorities. He said the first time FCC started raising red flags for him was when his friends from other Christian groups on campus told him about the allegations against FCC. However, the biggest red flag for him was he began to doubt his beliefs after many meetings with the FCC campus minister. Hoshiwara said he confronted the FCC campus minister he had been meeting with, and together they met with an associate pastor of the church to address the accusation Hoshiwara had heard. According to Hoshiwara, they were very open to talking about it with him, but at the same time did not really directly address the accusations. After that meeting, Hoshiwara met with the FCC campus minister a couple of times but declined to go to FCCs church services. The meetings quickly stopped after that. From what Ive read, FCC has hurt a lot of people, and I believe there is a lot of validity to a lot of these claims, Hoshiwara said. But the people I met from there were genuine, and theyre on campus every day because they want to share the gospel with as many people as they can, which I admire. Despite the investigations and administrative responses in 2015, FCC has continued its presence on campus and influence over students. The Daily Wildcat reached out to FCC but it did not respond. To see more documents/articles regarding this group/organization/subject click here. STORY LINK Pound Sterling New Zealand Dollar (GBP/NZD) Exchange Rate Muted Ahead of House of Lords Debate Pound New Zealand Dollar (GBP/NZD) Exchange Rate Flat as Cross-Party Dialogue Continues New Zealand Dollar (NZD) Muted despite Boost in Risk Appetite Pound New Zealand Dollar Outlook: Will the GBP/NZD Exchange Rate Slide on US-China Optimism? Like this piece? Please share with your friends and colleagues: The Pound Sterling New Zealand Dollar (GBP/NZD) exchange rate remained muted, and the pairing is currently trading at an inter-bank rate of NZ$1.9407.On Wednesday evening the House of Commons voted by a majority of one to force the Prime Minister to ask the European Union for an extension to the Brexit process.The Bill is due to be debated by the House of Lords later on Thursday, as it needs the approval of the Lords before it can become law.Speaking to MPs, Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay said he would hope the Lords would scrutinise this bill passed in haste with its constitutional flaws.Meanwhile, Wednesdays discussions between the Prime Minister and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn were described as constructive.EU Chief Negotiator, Michel Barnier said that he welcomed the cross-party dialogue as its time for decisions.However, European Commission Vice President Jyrki Katainen said that despite Parliament proceeding with this legislation a no-deal Brexit was still highly likely.Wednesday saw trade discussions between the US and China continue in Washington, with hopes that the two countries were closer to reaching a final trade agreement.Chinese Vice Premier held meetings with US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.Larry Kudlow, White House Economic Advisor told reporters yesterday that China had acknowledged for the first time the US has legitimate gripes about cyber hacking, forced technology transfer and IP theft.This sparked an increase in risk sentiment as hopes were high ahead of Thursdays scheduled meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He.Despite the boost in risk sentiment, the New Zealand Dollar (NZD) remained flat against Sterling (GBP) on Thursday.However, this spark in risk appetite may be premature, as Head of Economics and Strategy at Mizuho Bank, Vishnu Varathan said in a morning note:News that a US-China trade agreement is virtually a done deal has fueled optimism. But markets may be converging too quickly on the done before the deal.The Pound (GBP) could rise against the New Zealand Dollar (NZD) later during todays session as attempts to end the current Brexit deadlock through cross-party talks continue.If talks between the Prime Minister and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn show signs of progress, Sterling could receive an upswing of support.The risk-sensitive Kiwi could make gains following the meeting scheduled at 20:30 GMT between US President Trump and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He.If talks between the two show prove successful and reports suggest the US and China are closer to a trade agreement, the Pound New Zealand Dollar (GBP/NZD) exchange rate could slip. 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 New Zealand Dollar Forecasts For Subscribers Wrestling preview: Yoder, pair of D5 champs lead county grapplers A preview of the 2021-22 Somerset County wrestling season. New coaches take over at three local schools. Plenty of talent returning to chase gold. Xem them ... Tin bai cuoi cung Khong con du lieu e load When I heard Theresa May had agreed to meet Jeremy Corbyn with a view to reaching a compromise over Brexit, my immediate response was that she had finally blown it. If the Labour leader were a moderate and sensible person, no one could reasonably object to her sitting down with him at a moment of national crisis, and trying to hammer out a deal that might command the support of Parliament. But Corbyn is neither moderate nor sensible. He is an extremist who has given succour to terrorists in Northern Ireland and the Middle East. He is almost certainly a Marxist, and has supported the madcap socialist regime in Venezuela, which has mired that once wealthy country in poverty. When I heard Theresa May had agreed to meet Jeremy Corbyn with a view to reaching a compromise over Brexit, my immediate response was that she had finally blown it Moreover, throughout the Brexit process he has thrown a spoke in Mrs Mays deal at every opportunity, opposing her not out of conviction deep down, he is viscerally anti-EU but because his overriding aim has been to finagle a general election. So the thought of letting such a man shape the policy for leaving the European Union, and potentially gaining kudos in the process, filled me (and Ive no doubt many millions of others) with fury and apprehension. Thats why my first thought was that the Prime Minister had lost the plot. But then, when the dust had settled, I asked myself this question: what else, in the almost unbelievably dire circumstances in which she finds herself, can she do? The epic seven-hour Cabinet meeting on Tuesday was faced with a choice between No Deal and trying to water down Mrs Mays deal so as to make it acceptable to Labour. The pig-headed Northern Irish allies in the Democratic Unionist Party and its leader Arlene Foster, pictured, are responsible for the current situation The European Research Group led by Jacob Rees-Mogg, pictured, is also to blame for the current crisis at Westminster Although a majority in the Cabinet reportedly favoured No Deal, Mrs May resisted it, I believe rightly. Admittedly, it is tempting. Bullying and supercilious Eurocrats who address us as though we are a banana republic are driving many of us mad. How glorious it would be to escape their clutches. But Im afraid the short-term economic repercussions of No Deal might well be painful for millions of hard-pressed people. No responsible Prime Minister could take a risk with their livelihoods. We must ask ourselves why the range of possibilities has been reduced to an unappetising choice between No Deal and a version of Mrs Mays deal, which is reportedly being doctored by Jeremy Corbyn to include membership of the Customs Union. I would argue it is chiefly because of the intransigence of the more blinkered members of the Tory European Research Group (ERG) and their even more pig-headed Northern Irish allies in the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). Oh, I know the Prime Minister can rightly be blamed for her rotten negotiating skills and her terrible tactics as the EUs feline Michel Barnier and his aides have danced rings around our leaden-footed and doubtless Remain-orientated emissaries. Nonetheless, a deal of a sort, which did at least promise this country eventual independence from Brussels, was finally presented by Mrs May and three times rejected by the ERG (albeit in gradually declining numbers), the DUP and a knot of equally obdurate Tory Remainers. And Labour, too, of course. Flawed, yes. Disturbing, too, insofar as the so-called Irish backstop potentially locked this country into the Customs Union ad infinitum. But Mrs Mays deal was immeasurably more attractive to Tory Brexiteers than the compromise she discussed yesterday with Jeremy Corbyn in talks he said went very well. Why in Gods name didnt they accept a better deal when they could? Its not as though they werent warned a thousand times that, to quote the Prime Minister, they might lose Brexit altogether. Iain Duncan Smith caved in when Theresa May's deal came back to the Commons for a third time Boris Johnson idiotically informed us that we could have our cake and eat it. As things have transpired, it looks as though we may end up with a smallish slice of something rather crumbly Its true that when her deal came back for the third time of asking, some Brexiteers Jacob Rees-Mogg, Boris Johnson, Iain Duncan Smith caved in, and reluctantly supported it. But they took so long to do so that there was no time to bring their more bone-headed colleagues on board. When the history of Brexit is eventually written by fair and dispassionate hands, I hope the failures of the extreme Brexiteers will not be glossed over. They told us the process would be quick and easy. It has proved the opposite. Boris Johnson idiotically informed us that we could have our cake and eat it. As things have transpired, it looks as though we may end up with a smallish slice of something rather crumbly. As is invariably the way with zealots, it never occurs to these people that they may bear even the tiniest degree of responsibility for what has gone wrong, or that they may have got their political calculations in a twist. Jacob Rees-Mogg was at it again on Radio 4s Today programme yesterday, blaming Mrs May for her ham-fisted negotiating skills, but disavowing all blame for having rejected a deal that would have largely honoured the outcome of the 2016 Referendum. Both Rees-Mogg and Iain Duncan Smith have laid into the Prime Minister for agreeing to talk with Corbyn, and hard-line Brexiteers are lining up to excoriate her for the compromise they suspect she is hatching. It doesnt enter their minds that she wouldnt have had to meet the Labour leader if they had backed her deal when it mattered. As for the DUP, theyre a cussed, selfish and narrow lot. All they care about is maintaining Northern Irelands place in the United Kingdom but not about the wider interests of that kingdom. They arent greatly exercised by the prospect of the UK remaining in the Customs Union, since all that matters to them is enjoying exactly the same terms as the rest of the country. Should the rest of us care about staying in the Customs Union? I am distinctly queasy. Leaving it was one of Theresa Mays red lines for good reason. It would breach the 2017 Tory manifesto, though as she is in the process of falling on her sword she could probably live with that betrayal. Unfortunately, if we remain in the Customs Union we will find ourselves subject to a stream of new trade rules over which we will have absolutely no control. As a major member of the EU, the United Kingdom was able to influence the blocs trade policy. Continued involvement in the Customs Union would also mean this country would be unable to strike bilateral trade deals with other countries that would take account of our huge strengths in services. Some will reasonably wonder whether, if we sign up to the Customs Union, it is worth leaving the EU at all. It is certainly a thought that has been running through my mind. On the other hand, Mrs May is reportedly determined to resist any idea Labour might have that we should stay part of the Single Market, and thereby lose control of our borders. But she may be forced to accept concessions on workers right that would prove expensive. If a re-worked deal is agreed between the two leaders, there will be enormous Tory indignation and some Labour backbench unhappiness. Corbyns reputation will be enhanced. He will be a step closer to the door of No. 10. The hard-line Brexiteers can blame Theresa May as much as they like for an increasingly botched outcome. But Im afraid they are the worst culprits for having thrown out the best version of Brexit we were ever going to get. Tatler has released a tongue-in-cheek list of the modern symbols that signify status among high society. Explaining that status can be awarded through birth, as is the case with the royal family, or hard work - think the Beckhams - the society bible shared the unexpected household items that prove your standing. Among the unusual items were a hand-built pizza oven and handmade sloe gin - to prove you have a plethora of free time on your hands. Outside of the kitchen, walking a whippet dog and owning an environmentally friendly Tesla car were essentials for any well-heeled socialite, while Japanese house plants and a wine cellar completed the interior must-haves. Elsewhere, letters should be signed with a fountain pen, and visiting guests should be greeted by a strategically placed Grayson Perry plate - preferably personalised with your face on it. A wine cellar Chin, chin! Tatler has released a tongue-in-cheek list of the modern symbols that signify status among high society - and a wine cellar stocked with 'port and vintage wines' is a must A clear indicator that separates the upper rungs of society from the masses is possessing a wine cellar, according to the publication. Bottles of vintage wines and champagnes, as well as port 'gifted by the godparents should be at the ready for thirsty guests. Tatler says: 'To be free to pluck a wine to match the occasion rather than resorting to simply whats available is a serious status marker'. Rare breeds of dog Woof, woof! Walking a whippet dog is sure to get you a plethora of friends and boyfriends, according to the publication - who advise that 'the leggier the dog, the better' According to the publication your status elevates 'beyond all measure' if you take a trot around London's Green Park with a rare breed of dog by your side. Women are promised 'new friends and boyfriends' with the addition of a furry friend by her side - so a trip to Battersea Dog & Cats Home may be due. Tatler says: 'The leggier the dog, the higher the status think whippets and greyhounds'. A fountain pen Yours faithfully! The society bible recommends you buy a fountain pen - preferably engraved with your initials - to RSVP to invites, adding that it has a 'whiff of a public school' The reliable old biro is said to be frowned upon in the more exclusive circles. Instead, a fountain pen - preferably engraved with engraved with your initials, is the way forward for would-be socialites. Tatler says: 'Thank you letters, lunch invitations and RSVPs can be scribed with one of these and the message is loud, clear and respectful it has a whiff of a public school when hours would be set aside for letter writing.' A hand-built pizza oven Fancy a slice? Tatler insists a hand-built pizza oven is a must, and should be placed next to a swimming pool for the ultimate guest invite The hand-built pizza oven should be placed next to your swimming pool, the society bible says. Guests will be blown away by an invite to swim - and snack - though this presumably won't be a regular occurrence if the British climate is anything to go by. Tatler says: Come over for a swim sounds good; come over for a swim and a pizza sounds fantastic'. Homemade sloe gin Sante! Described as a 'status assertion', the offer of a homemade sloe gin apparently sends out the message that you have a 'wealth of time' on your hands As working is presumably an activity bestowed on the less fortunate, handmade gin is said to be a signifier of status. Described as a 'status assertion', the offer of a customised tipple apparently sends out the message that you have a 'wealth of time' on your hands. Tater says: 'The time-poor will not have flagons of sloe gin lining their cupboards it would far more likely be shop bought.' Japanese houseplants Green fingers: Japanese succulents are the recommended house plant to have, and a plant that demands the 'more time, the better' Mere tulips and yellow roses should not be making an appearance in your household if you wish to elevate your status, according to the publication. Instead it is recommended to invest in 'leafy, oxygen-emitting bonsai or towering philodendrons that speak volumes', and take as much time and care as possible. Tatler says: 'The rarer, the better think Japanese succulents or Dracaena fragrans and its not the low-key minimal attention plants, its the ones that demand time, frequent watering and a sought-after sunny spot by the window'. A Tesla Va va vroom! According to the society bible, being environmentally 'a la Prince Charles' is of paramount importance and recommends having a charging station outside your house Encouraging readers to follow in the footsteps of '92-year-old pin-up' David Attenborough, Tatler recommends having an electric car and a charging status outside your home. Branding the Tesla the new 'solar panel', the school run may soon be clear of 4x4 cars. Tatler says: 'Being environmentally tuned in a la Prince Charles is of paramount importance these days.' A Japanese food chef has revealed how the majority of Brits are cooking ramen noodles wrong, and explained the surprising way we should be making them. A new survey by food brand Miso Tasty has shown that 84 per cent of the population have been cooking the Asian delicacy incorrectly all their lives. And in celebration of National Ramen Day on Thursday, the brand's founder Bonnie Chung, 32, from London, has revealed her top tips for achieving perfect Shikoshiko noodles at home. Speaking to FEMAIL, the author and chef revealed the trick is to cook the noodles in a separate pan and put them on ice while they are still 'al dente'. Bonnie said: 'Noodles are a symbol of life in Japanese culture and eating them is considered a very special experience that should be savoured and enjoyed. Japanese food expert Bonnie Chung,32, from London, pictured, has revealed how to make the perfect noodles by cooking them in a separate pan and putting them on ice while they are al dente 'But a lot of Brits associate them with quick, cheap convenience food and the rise of instant noodles means many people have never learnt how to cook them well. 'It's also such a shame that nearly half the population say they never cook Japanese food from scratch. 'It doesn't have to be a complicated process - so long as you get your hacks nailed and your routine mastered, amazing Japanese food can be created in your kitchen.' Bonnie, who is the founder of Miso Tasty and has products stocked in over 1,000 stores nationwide, said when making ramen people should avoid 'slimy' noodles. She explained: 'Sticky, mushy, slimy noodles is exactly what we want to avoid when cooking a dish like ramen. Bonnie, pictured, recommended using two pans for ramen preparation, resting noodles in iced water while cooking other ingredients and having 80 per cent noodles in the bowl 'Like pasta, noodles should always have that al dente bite - or 'shikoshiko' as it's known in Japan. 'But unlike pasta, instead of going straight from pan to bowl, you should immediately rinse them in water to remove any starch, which is what creates that sticky texture. 'From there, rest your noodles in ice cold water while you prep your other ingredients. The art of noodling: How to achieve perfect ramen noodles Down the pan: Always use two pans - one for noodles and one for everything else. Noodles need your full attention if you want to get them right. Respect your noodles: They are a symbol of life in Japanese culture so you should never snap them before putting in the pan. Place into boiling water too rather than cold. Silky not starched: If your noodles always end up stuck together, starch is usually always the culprit. Once boiled, rinse them in cold water to remove the starch and avoid the stick. Ice and simple: Shikoshiko noodles have a nice bite - stop yours overcooking and help retain their texture by resting in iced water while you prep your other ingredients. Rapid refresh: Once youre ready to serve, quickly reheat your iced noodles by dropping them back into simmering water for 10 seconds. Ramen ratio: Noodles are the main event. Remember the 80:10:10 rule and aim for 80 per cent noodles, 10 per cent vegetables and protein. Build your bowl: Your final dish should come together in the bowl, not the pan. Start with the noodles, then layer your protein and veg and top off with a warming broth Advertisement 'While it might sound crazy to put your noodles on ice, it immediately stops them from continuing to cook and turning mushy. 'Then just before you're ready to serve, simply reheat for 10 seconds in simmering water.' Bonnie's noodle hacks come off the back of Miso Tasty research that reveals some of the major blunders Brits are making when cooking Japanese at home. The survey of 2,000 people revealed just 13 per cent of people correctly use chopsticks and only 7 per cent slurp them - as is tradition in Japan. Instead, most Brits - 59 per cent - made the classic mistake of attempting to shovel them down with western cutlery like a spoon, knife or fork. Further confusion arises when it comes to toppings, with 56 per cent having no idea what ingredients to use when cooking Japanese food. Almost a fifth of the population (15 per cent) added western toppings like cheese, ketchup or mayo to their bowls. Bonnie thought of the idea for her business Miso Tasty when she was 24 and working as a chef. Although the idea came to her seven years ago, it took three years for Bonnie to find the miso makers who would recreate the recipes of her design. She said: 'What I thought would take me a few months to complete turned into three years! 'It took over 65 manufacturing trials around the world before we found the right partners in Japan, making over 2 tonnes of miso before we finalised our recipes.' Her partners were found in the Shinshu region of Japan at the foot of the Central Japanese Alps. This area is renowned for having the best conditions for making miso and is home to the finest craftsmen for miso and Bonnie's products are still made there. A hotel in Mexico City is going all-out to celebrate Barbie's 60th anniversary this year. The Hilton Mexico City Santa Fe has partnered with Mattel to give doll-loving guests the 'ultimate Barbie glamping experience' but only for a short time. Through the end of December, guests can book a totally decked-out pink room with a glamorous Barbie camping theme, check out rare collectibles on display, and dine on special pink food served at the restaurant. Calling all Barbie fans! The Hilton Mexico City Santa Fe has partnered with Mattel to give doll-loving guests the 'ultimate Barbie glamping experience' Limited time: Through the end of December, guests can book a totally decked-out Barbie-themed room at the hotel Even the bathroom has Barbie decor, as well as Barbie-branded toiletries like shampoo and toothpaste Happy birthday, Babs! The Barbie theme is present downstairs in the lobby as well, as the hotel celebrates the iconic doll's 60th anniversary Life in plastic, it's fantastic! Out by the pool, the regular lounge chairs have been replaced with pink Barbie ones Take a dip! Guests young and old have been taking pictures with the cute Barbie loungers Top to bottom! Their restaurant is also serving a pink-themed menu with dishes like heart-shaped pizza and pasta in pink sauce The experience starts from the moment guests arrive. In the lobby is an oversized pink Barbie shoe, where visitors can stop and take pictures. Then there are the pink velvet ropes and pink carpet leading up to the front desk, giving Barbie fans the VIP treatment. Upstairs in the room, the Barbie theme really takes over: The suite has a life-sized DreamCamper with a bed inside, in which kids can play and sleep. A fake grass floor with a faux camp-fire sets the tone, and there are both plenty of toys and collectors' items rare dolls from the past six decades in the room. The bathroom is all done up, too, with Barbie artworks, toys, and toiletries, including a welcome kit of beauty and self-care essentials. Rolling out the pink carpet! The theme goes all the way to the check-in desk, which is set up with pink velvet ropes She's everywhere! There's also a Barbie sign and a huge pink Barbie shoe for guests to take pictures with Collectors' items! The special room is decorated with rare Barbies from the past six decades Barbie artwork and dolls in protective boxes make the room fun and playful Time for a grand entrance! There's a pink branded carpet in the hallway in front of the Barbie room, too Fun! Naturally, there are plenty of toys for kids to play with in the room as well And the Barbie glamour doesn't stop in the suite, either. The hotel has set up pink branded lounge chairs by the pool, and the restaurant, MADERA, is serving up a pink menu that includes heart-shaped pizzas, gnocchi in pink sauce, red velvet treats, and strawberry ice cream. The whole thing took 20 weeks to create, and is available from $189 per night on weekdays and $229 per night on weekends. 'Barbie loves to travel, enjoys nature, and cares about the environment, without forgoing the comfort of the most sophisticated accommodations,' Andres Korngold, General Manager of Hilton Mexico City Santa Fe, said in a press release. 'Travelers can now join in her dream glamping experience with an in-room DreamCamper that allows guests to travel in style.' Guests young and old are already eating it up. Parents have been posting photos of their beaming children on Instagram, while plenty of grown-up guests have been posing with the props around the hotel like the pool loungers and the high heel in the lobby. Ta-da! The world's first Barbie-themed hotel room opened at Hilton Buenos Aires in 2014 Dreamhouse! It became permanent in 2014 and is all pink everywhere Walk this way! The walk-in wardrobe has a major focus on Barbie's shoes Strike a pose! A full-length mirror has a runway =so Barbie fans can strut their stuff After the special children's check-in area, guests enter Barbie's room 136 with their own special card Barbie fans heading to Argentina can also check out the doll-themed room at the Hilton Buenos Aires. The Barbie experience room first opened in 2004 as a special offering, and then became permanent in 2014. It's also all pink and outfit with several on-theme amenities like exclusive Barbie products. Kourtney Kardashian's new e-commerce and lifestyle website, Poosh, is being trolled online over pricey items and 'useless' advice, with many accusing her of ripping off Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop. The 39-year-old reality star launched her site on Tuesday, calling it 'the modern guide to living your best life.' Poosh, which is her daughter Penelope's nickname, covers topic such as health and wellness, beauty, home decor, and entertaining. 'I decided to launch Poosh because I felt that there was something missing in the healthy lifestyle space,' she wrote on the site, but, unfortunately for Kourtney, not everyone agreed. Business venture: Kourtney Kardashian, 39, launched her e-commerce and lifestyle website, Poosh, Tuesday After weeks of teasing, fans were initially disappointed to find out that Poosh was a 'just a blog' with content that mirrors her former website and paid mobile app. Predecessor: People are comparing it to Gwyneth Paltrow's lifestyle website, Goop In posts titled 'How to Look Good Naked' and 'Energy-Boosting Supplements to Use Daily,' she recommends an $85 Byredo Burning Rose candle, $275 La Mer body creme, and $215 E3Live + BrainON supplements. She also touts a $95 eye mask and $100 organic wine. For some, the expensive recommendations seemed a little too familiar. 'Kourtney Kardashians lifestyle website be like heres $1500 worth of different serums and a $75 candle (?) to help you "look good naked," one person tweeted. 'Kourtneys new Poosh lifestyle brand is literally the definition of what to do when youre simply bored and you have too much money sitting in your bank account,' someone else added. Critics have been taking to Twitter to compare Poosh to Gwyneth's modern lifestyle site Goop, which is constantly making headlines for controversial wellness tips about everything from vaginal steaming to bee stings to fade scars. Focus: Poosh, which is her daughter Penelope's nickname, covers topic such as health and wellness, beauty, home decor, and entertaining Inspired? The layout of Kourtney's website is incredibly similar to Goop's homepage Check it out: Becca Marcus shared images of both Poosh and Goop's homepages to show just how similar they are FYI: Holly Roberts joked that the combination of the two websites spells 'poop' Many insisted that one Goop was enough. 'Kourtney Kardashian launched Goop today,' one person tweeted. Another added: 'You know what you get when you combine Kourtney K's new (rip-off) lifestyle site, Poosh, with Gwyneth's lifestyle site, Goop? Answer: (Poop). 'I know all celebrity lifestyle websites are staggeringly useless, but Kourtney Kardashian's Poosh is truly staggeringly useless,' Zan Romanoff commented. In addition to featuring comparable content and expensive recommendations, Poosh and Goop both have double O's in their names. Sample post: In her post titled 'How to Look Good Naked,' Kourtney includes a staggering $1,500 worth of products to help the skin stay 'hydrated and fresh' Hard to keep up: Many critics griped about the prices of the reality star's expensive recommendations Plenty to waste: One woman said Kourney's new site is catering to women who have too much money sitting in her bank account 'Let's be more creative sweetie': The woman also pointed out that 'it's already been done by Goop' Say what? Some took issue with the fact that Kourtney's advice for looking good naked was 'great lighting' Embrace yourself: Critics thought the post was an example of body-shaming, and one woman asked actress and Kardashian critic Jameela Jamil to call her out over it Harsh: One Twitter user joked that Kris Jenner finally gave Kourtney 'something to do' Just no: Jenna Amatulli mocked Kourtney for acting like she 'invented avocado toast' Gwyneth, 46, said Goop came about because someone told her successful internet companies have double O's in their name. Kourtney, meanwhile, was inspired to name her site after her six-year-old daughter Penelope Scotland Disick, whom she calls 'Poosh.' Kourtney also refers to herself as KMK (Kourtney Mary Kardashian) on the site, similar to how Gwyneth's Goop staffers call her GP. 'Kourtney Kardashian's Goop knockoff, Poosh, is predictably bad and chockfull of half-a***d listicles telling me things I already know or trying to sell me things I can't afford,' Jenna Amatulli griped. Consensus: Many agreed Poosh is the 'Kardashian-drenched' version of Goop Close enough? A woman named Chelsea joked that Kourtney 'launched Goop' on Tuesday Yikes: Zan Romanoff called Poosh 'truly staggeringly useless' Allegedly: Elizabeth Yorkshire accused Kourtney of 'pushing products' to make money The Twitter user went on to mock Kourtney for acting like she 'invented avocado toast' by suggesting that people should 'try spreading half a ripe avocado on a piece of whole-grain toast for a super satisfying breakfast.' Becca Marcus shared images of both Poosh and Goop's homepages to show just how similar they are. 'If anyone else stopped to wonder why Kourtney Kardashians new lifestyle site POOSH felt all too familiar, perhaps it is because of the new sites striking resemblance to Gwyneth Paltrows own brand and lifestyle blog GOOP,"' she wrote. Lydia Bugg said Kourtney's lifestyle site has actually made her 'appreciate Goop.' 'Gwyn is nuts, but Poosh is so devoid of any personality at all,' she explained. 'It really is the least interesting website to look at. Her thoughts: Kourtney wrote on her site that she decided to launch Poosh because she felt there was 'something missing in the healthy lifestyle space Similarities? One person joked that Kourtney modeled Poosh off of Bloosh, the fictional trends app featured On Parks and Recreation Thoughts: Lydia Bugg said Kourtney's lifestyle site has actually made her 'appreciate Goop' New Goop fan? Lydia said it made her realize that Gwyneth is at least entertaining Already over it? A woman named Amanda predicted that Kourtney is going to give up on Poosh in a month Into it: Despite the criticism, some fans were excited about the website and Kourtney's advice Hear me out: There were also fans who argued that the mother-of-three should be given a chance to make a name for herself in the lifestyle market Gwyn's like "astronauts say these stickers will cure your depression!" Kourtney's like "Organic wine is good." If you're going to be rich and unhinged, at least entertain me.' If Kourtney can learn one thing from Gwyneth, it's how to silence your critics. Last summer it was reported that Goop is worth an estimated $250 million. There were also fans who argued that the mother-of-three should be given a chance to make a name for herself in the lifestyle market. 'I actually think there's gonna be a lot more to Poosh than people think,' Nola Marianna Ojomu tweeted. 'Kourtney Kardashian is just starting off with another version of the subscription website she used to have - which was doing well, I think - and soon I'm sure she'll be releasing organic products, etc. An Australian skincare company is making waves in the beauty community for helping women clear up their pigmentation, fine lines and wrinkles in just a few months. Liberty Belle Rx is a range of products developed by Melbourne's premier plastic surgeon Dr Chris Moss that claims to deliver exceptional results without the need for Botox or cosmetic surgery. One of the brand's customers, Tahnee, recently managed to completely banish her stubborn crow's feet without any injections using the Eye Do ($158) and Eye Dream ($138) creams in just three months. Tahnee recently managed to completely banish her stubborn crow's feet without any injections using the Liberty Belle Eye Do ($158) and Eye Dream ($138) creams in three months It took just eight weeks for makeup artist Lisa Cathcart to see a difference in her melasma (sun damage) and skin pigmentation after trying the plastic surgeon's creams Tahnee started the treatment on October 12, 2018, and had completely transformed her look by January 15 the following year She started the treatment plan on October 12, 2018, and had completely transformed her look by January 15 the following year. In a similar way it took just eight weeks for makeup artist Lisa Cathcart to see a major difference in her melasma (sun damage) and skin pigmentation. 'I had tried every product under the sun and didn't want my closest friends to see me without a tonne of concealer and foundation on,' Lisa said. With her wedding coming up, Lisa decided to try the collection in a last bid effort to have clearer skin - and was very surprised by the results. She relied on the Bright Star brightening cream ($158) and Next Level ($138) triple vitamin C serum to clear up her problem areas. Vitamin C is renowned for fighting the signs of ageing and alleviating any congestion you might have. Women online are calling Liberty Belle the skincare that 'encouraged them to stop paying for Botox', and the reviews are all five-star What should you look for when choosing skincare products? Vitamins for the skin are common active ingredients. The three most well-known and powerful active ingredients for the skin are vitamin A, B and C. Vitamin A increases the rate of mitosis or cell regeneration and is the best anti-ageing ingredient on the market to date, helping to reduce fine lines and wrinkles. Vitamin B (nicinamde) promotes cell repair and hydration. Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant protecting against cell damage and aids in collagen building. For dull and dry skin the go-to active ingredients to look for would be Vitamin B for hydration and cell repair, Vitamin A for increasing cell turnover and natural desquamation, Vitamin C for brightness and finally hyaluronic acid to increase water content on the skin. For congestion the go-to active ingredients would be Vitamin A for increasing cell turnover and natural desquamation, BHAs to dissolve blackhead build up, and a product with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties to destroy the presence of the p.acnes bacteria. Source: Liberty Belle Advertisement Women online are calling the brand the skincare that 'encouraged them to stop paying for Botox', and the reviews are all five-star. 'I'm overly complimented on my skin and no doubt much of it is due to you,' one person wrote on Instagram. Another added: 'Obsessing over my new skin care that REALLY works'. Australian celebrities like Megan Gale, Jodi Gordon and Carrie Bickmore subscribe to the skincare brand and regularly talk about their results on social media. A few weeks ago we told the story of neuroscientist Dr Julia Mossbridge, who has experienced 'precognition' accurate visions of the future. Her account prompted a flood of letters and emails from readers who believe they too have received a warning of future events. Here we share some of their unnerving experiences. So, are you convinced? A RUSH TO VISIT MUM I KNEW THE END WAS NEAR In April 1987 I awoke with the utmost certainty that my father had terminal cancer. I tried to shrug it off, but couldn't. My father, then aged 70, was fit and well and thought me daft, but I insisted he see the GP and even drove him there. Within two weeks he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and he passed away four weeks later. A few months after that, I was standing in the kitchen peeling potatoes when I suddenly knew my cousin's husband would pass away shortly. I literally dropped the knife and ran to phone her. A stranger answered, saying ambulancemen were working on her husband, who had collapsed. A few weeks ago we told the story of neuroscientist Dr Julia Mossbridge, who has experienced 'precognition' accurate visions of the future. Her account prompted a flood of letters and emails from readers who believe they too have received a warning of future events. Here we share some of their unnerving experiences. So, are you convinced? (stock image) I could hear my cousin screaming, so I said: 'Tell her I will meet her in A&E.' I reached hospital just as my cousin was told he had died at 46, with no history of heart problems. In November 1994, I awoke knowing my mother would pass away within seven days. She was 72 and had dementia, but was otherwise well and active. I visited her care home that day and the manager reassured me she was well, with no temperature and nothing to make staff concerned. I went home, but became so uneasy I phoned an undertaker and went back to the home to leave instructions for when she passed away. I think staff believed I was having some sort of breakdown. I even contacted friends and relatives suggesting they visit her. Most said they would 'leave it until the weekend', others reminded me how well she'd been. After six days even I was beginning to think it must be in my imagination, but as I sat reading in bed with the clock approaching midnight, the phone rang. I started getting dressed I knew who was calling before my husband picked it up. My mother had passed away in her sleep. Have there been others? Yes: sometimes friends, sometimes strangers I have merely brushed against, in a supermarket perhaps. Quite suddenly I have been overwhelmed by a sense of the sadness about to descend upon them, or the emotional pain they will suffer for a relative. I walk away, feeling I have intruded into their life. This 'awareness' is not something I asked for, nor is it a blessing. Mary Robertson, Glasgow. I WAS TRAPPED IN A BUS ENGULFED BY A TSUNAMI The night before the 2011 tsunami in Japan, I had an incredibly vivid dream that I was in a bus on a coastal road when a huge wave appeared. The water engulfed the bus, rapidly rising to the windows. I was terrified and knew I wouldn't escape. In the morning I told my partner as I couldn't shake off my terror. FEELING TOLD ME OF LOCKERBIE DISASTER During the Eighties, I owned a small residential home for elderly people. After serving dinner one evening, Id gone into the garden to enjoy some fresh air when I was overwhelmed by a feeling that a major air disaster was imminent. Once Id handed over to my night staff, I anxiously switched on the 10 OClock News to hear the tragic news of the Lockerbie air disaster. Some months later, I was woken at 2.15am by a voice asking: Is anyone there? It was unmistakably the voice of Mary, one of the residents in the home. However, she was in hospital at the time. A quick check of all our rooms proved everyone was soundly asleep, but I continued to worry about Mary. Once breakfast was over I rang the hospital, only to be told that Mary had died at 2.15am. These events should have taught me not to ignore other psychic messages, but the next time it happened, my rational mind still dismissed it as a nightmare. In a dream I saw my mother lying in bed, with knees flexed and her abdomen looking like molten candle wax. It was so horrific that it woke me up. I did check on my mother, but she was perfectly well at the time. A month later, however, she died of a necrotic ischemic bowel meaning clotting within her gut was depriving her bowel of oxygen. I will never forget how she lay with her knees flexed, grimacing due to the pain. Since then, I have paid more notice to psychic messages, however they are received. - Anne Pickering, County Durham. Advertisement A few hours later, the news began to break of the tsunami. One piece of footage showed the wave engulfing a bus on a coast road, exactly as I'd 'experienced'. I went cold. I've never travelled to that part of the world, or even thought about it. I've had other precognitions and they are not always foretelling tragedy some are inane. Like the time I was in a theatre performance. The night before, I had a vivid dream that a child actor was sick on stage and we had to stop the play. And that's exactly what happened. Geraldine Cetin, Poole. A VOICE LED ME TO MY FUTURE HUSBAND I am 73 and throughout my life I've occasionally heard a 'voice' I can't describe it as a thought, it's too profound for that. My first experience was waving goodbye to my godmother in my 20s. As I turned round for one last wave, I was 'told' I would never see her again. I remember thinking, 'how ridiculous'. She died suddenly soon after. Years later, my mum was admitted to hospital and told me she had been discussing her funeral service with my sister just in case something went wrong. I was horrified, but my voice said: 'Go on, say it to her.' I found myself telling my devout Christian mum: 'If you do go, please come back and give me a sign you are all right.' Sadly, she died unexpectedly on the operating table. We were called to the hospital, and I can only describe what happened as hearing her shouting at me from above: 'I'm all right, I'm all right.' A week or so later, I was looking through singles ads in the local paper without much hope I was a single mum and longing for a partner, but had been unsuccessful with the ads before and the voice said: 'Try it one more time.' I did, and met my now husband six weeks after my mum died. Pam James, North Somerset. TOLD TO WEAR LILAC FOR MY LATE FRIEND One day, as I walked my dog, an old lady came out to her front gate to have a chat. Over time we became friends: Joan would look out for me and share her interesting life stories. Sadly, I later heard from a neighbour that Joan had died suddenly. I asked if I had missed her funeral, but the neighbour had no information. I was upset I had not had the chance to say goodbye. A few mornings later, a strong feeling came over me to put on a certain lilac scarf one I'd hardly worn and walk past Joan's house. As I reached her house, cars drew up and couples got out. I called out: 'Are you Joan's relatives?' They said: 'Yes are you coming to our mum's funeral? It's now and you're wearing lilac like us, just as mum requested.' With Joan's family, I said my goodbye. Eileen Rowe, Cheshire. I DREADED MISSING CHRISTMAS AT HOME When I received a letter giving the date of my hysterectomy I was glad, as I had been suffering pain for some years. However as the weeks went past I started to feel real fear. I'd had previous operations, and never felt this way. A huge, heavy dark cloud hung over me, and a cold sense of dread. Each week made it worse. I told my husband I had a great fear of dying and cried about not coming home for Christmas. Liz Adams from Newcastle under Lyme, had dreams where she dreaded missing Christmas at home (stock image). She later got sepsis and spent Chrismas in hospital The morning of the op, I discussed my fear with the consultant. He took my hand and reassured me that I was healthy and he had done thousands of hysterectomies. As I came round, I felt marvellous and somewhat silly for worrying. The relief was amazing. Two days later I developed sepsis. I had an emergency operation to remove 10cm of intestine and was given a 20 per cent chance of survival. After 15 days in a coma I came round, caught pneumonia and spent seven weeks in hospital missing Christmas at home. Since then, my precognition has developed. It's not something I can switch on and off at will, but I have come to trust what I see. In a strange added bonus, if I wake during the night I can see the time, written digitally in red, in my head. I am rarely more than a couple of minutes out. Liz Adams, Newcastle under Lyme. I SAW A PLANE CRASH INTO BUILDINGS On the morning of September 10, 2001, I woke up feeling very unsettled after a dream about a plane crashing into a building. I asked my husband if he had seen a plane crash on the news, but he hadn't. I told him about my dream of the crash and people falling. I rarely dream, so something this vivid quite upset me. It stayed with me all day I felt uneasy, and mentioned it to my work colleagues. At the time I was a staff nurse in a day surgery unit. The next day, September 11, 2001, a colleague called me into a room where a TV was showing the horrific terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers in New York. It took my breath away as it was my dream from the day before. My colleague said: 'Oh my goodness, that's what you were telling us yesterday!' I was glued to the TV like the rest of the world. I was quite shaken as it was so similar. If I hadn't told so many people about it the day before, I don't think I would have believed it myself. Heidi Nemeth I HEARD PINK FLOYD SONG BEFORE IT WAS OUT Many years ago I booked tickets to a Pink Floyd concert at Crystal Palace. Beforehand, I dreamed about the event with disturbing accuracy, although I had no previous knowledge of the venue. In my dream, the stage was fronted by a river with swirling mist. Pink Floyd were playing a song unfamiliar to me, but upon waking, the tune stayed in my head. Martin Redwood, from Gwent, dreamt of a Pink Floyd song 11 years before it was released. Picture: Pink Floyd in 1973 Imagine my surprise when I reached the venue. There was no river, but there was a sizeable lake by the stage. Dry ice blocks were thrown in, creating mist. When Pink Floyd struck up a new song, it was instantly recognisable to me from my dream. It was only much later on that I learned it was called Embryo. It was not released on a studio album until 1983, and the concert was in 1971! Over the years I've also dreamed correctly about crashing my motorcycle, a remote uncle turning up locally for a job interview and sudden snowfall after a hot October day. The dreams were extremely vivid and so different from the usual muddled stuff dreams are made of. I'm convinced something we don't fully understand really exists. But I have made conscious efforts over the years to shut out my precognitions, as they make me feel uncomfortable. I'm now 67, and it is something I had cast aside; until, that is, I read your recent article and realised I was not alone. Thanks for sharing. Martin Redwood, Gwent. A SUDDEN YEARNING FOR SUGARED ALMONDS I was visiting a new customer, who lived in a bungalow in Dorset. I walked in and bizarrely, the words 'sugared almonds and liquorice, Mr Boakes', just blurted out of me. Mr Boakes said nothing, but walked into his kitchen and from a top shelf took down a Tupperware container of sugared almonds and liquorice. William, from Dorset, had a sudden craving for sugared almonds when entering a customer's house, he then saw the ghost of the customer's father I closed my eyes and saw a short man, with a flat cap and round glasses and covered in black dust. I related this and Mr Boakes was amazed I had described his late father, a coalman. I have had hundreds of experiences like this. They tend to occur in dreams, or when my mind is at rest. My wife is now never amazed! William, Dorset. DREAD OVERTOOK ME AT FUTURE SITE OF BOMBING Many years ago, on a visit to London I walked past a large department store. Opposite was a pub playing loud Irish music. Suddenly I felt an overwhelming irrational fear. I was immediately drenched in sweat with my heart beating fast and I knew I had to get away fast. When I turned the corner my condition returned to normal. A week later, IRA terrorists exploded a bomb at Harrods the store I had rushed past. My experience was a one-off, thankfully, as it was frightening. Tony Sharman, Cambridge. Advertisement A father and son duo have revealed how they flipped an old colonial cottage into an 'ultra modern' six bedroom home in just months. Charlie and Adrian Scuderi both work in the construction industry and so decided to take on the old 10 Stafford Street house in Brisbane as a passion project. Working together for the first time, the pair have transformed the run-down faded white house in Paddington into a stylish modern home complete with multiple entertaining spaces, a swimming pool, six bedrooms and four bathrooms. Charlie and Adrian Scuderi said the project turned out 'well' and they are delighted with the results. A father and son duo have revealed how they flipped an old colonial cottage (exterior pictured before) into an 'ultra modern' six bedroom home Charlie and Adrian Scuderi both work in the construction industry and so decided to take on the old 10 Stafford Street house in Brisbane as a passion project (exterior pictured after) Working together for the first time, the pair have transformed the run-down faded white house in Paddington into a modern home complete with multiple entertaining spaces, a swimming pool (pictured after), six bedrooms and four bathrooms 'We've got our own separate businesses, and Dad has done developing in the past,' Mr Scuderi told Real Estate. 'He's always wanted to join forces with his sons, so this time it was me and Dad. He's good at inside, I'm good at outside.' Mr Scuderi said his earliest memories involve being on building sites with his father when he was a child, so it was nice to work together to flip the colonial cottage into something that could be sold. Mr Scuderi said his earliest memories involve being on building sites with his father when he was a child, so it was nice to work together to flip the colonial cottage into something that could be sold (living area pictured before) 'Dad's got more experience in some areas, but we've both got different areas where we are strong which makes us a strong team,' he said (pictured: the outside area after) 'Dad's got more experience in some areas, but we've both got different areas where we are strong which makes us a strong team,' he said. While he said he is better at the outside, his father is better at interiors. The transformed property is now barely recognisable, after the faded yellow walls have been stripped out and replaced with a more sleek and modern look. The transformed property is now barely recognisable, after the faded yellow walls have been stripped out and replaced with a more sleek and modern look (pictured after) Before, the property had yellow walls and needed a lot of work (hall pictured before) The six-bedroom four-bathroom house is on the market for an estimated $1.5 - $1.6 million (bedroom pictured after) There are also dual living capabilities, because the home is based across two levels and has two separate kitchens (exterior pictured after) The pair selected a monochrome colour palette throughout, and the pool runs down the side of the property. The six-bedroom four-bathroom house is now worth an estimated $1.5 - $1.6 million. There are also dual living capabilities, because the home is based across two levels and has two separate kitchens. For more information about the listing, please click here. Jessica Koncz (pictured), from Newcastle, came up with a $2million 'Tinder for food' business idea while browsing a menu at a cafe A young woman has won a $100,000 investment from a backer in Silicon Valley after coming up with a $2million business idea in a cafe. The clever concept is described as 'Tinder for food' and is an app that shows what dishes on a menu look like. Jessica Koncz, from Newcastle on the NSW coast, is a self-described 'foodie' who would spend hours scrolling through Instagram trying to find pictures of what restaurant food looked like. 'I remember thinking of the idea to create visual menus and being so shocked that it didn't already exist. Food is visual and menus should be too, so we created Eatsee,' she said. She first pitched the idea at the Launch Festival in Sydney last June before being invited to speak alongside 30 other entrepreneurs at the LAUNCH Incubator in the United States. The app allows users to swipe left and right to their favourite dishes nearby, personalised to their own filters (Miss Koncz pictured) Before devising Eatsee, the young woman founded social media agency Crave New Media at 22 after the success of her Instagram page Crave Newcastle What is the Launch Accelerator program? The LAUNCH Accelerator selects seven startups for each session. Program participants meet every Thursday and hear from a notable speaker and pitch top Silicon Valley investors. The program runs for 12 weeks Advertisement That's when she caught investor Jason Calacanis' attention, earning herself a place in the Launch Accelerator program in San Francisco. 'Launch invested $100,000 at six per cent equity, which is a $2 million business valuation,' Miss Koncz said. All of this and the 25-year-old hasn't even set the app live yet. 'The product, Eatsee, is a QR code powered menu where you can see photos of dishes on your mobile before you decide what you want to order,' she explained during the winning pitch. 'We are cutting out food envy, while also allowing each business to market their food in ways they couldnt before. She first pitched the idea at the Launch Festival in Sydney last June before being invited to speak alongside 30 other entrepreneurs at the LAUNCH Incubator in the United States Miss Koncz hopes to expand the Eatsee app, which officially launches on April 22, across Australia and the US, mainly in San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York 'I understand the market from a hospitality perspective, and a customer perspective.' Not only does each of the 130 businesses subscribed to the service have their full menu displayed via their own Eatsee landing page, but the top 10 dishes will appear on their app, likened to 'Tinder for Food'. The app allows users to swipe left and right to their favourite dishes nearby, personalised to their own filters. Miss Koncz hopes to expand the Eatsee app, which officially launches on April 22, across Australia and the US, mainly in San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York. Before devising Eatsee, the young woman founded social media agency Crave New Media at 22 after the success of her Instagram page Crave Newcastle. It's the exclusive maternity wing where prices start from an exorbitant $11,000 per night. But if you are equally rich and based in Australia, there is another birthing option that is giving the Lindo Wing - where the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge gave birth - a run for its money. The Prince of Wales Private Hospital in Sydney's leafy eastern suburbs provides patients with five-star facilities by basing their post-natal stay at the 'Little Luxuries' area of the Crowne Plaza at Sydney's Coogee Beach. Prince of Wales Private Hospital in Sydney's leafy eastern suburbs provides patients with five-star facilities by basing their post-natal stay at Crowne Plaza at Sydney's Coogee (pictured) The 'Little Luxuries' program boasts 24-hour-access to midwives, massages and mini bars among countless other facilities (pictured: room interior) The 'Little Luxuries' program boasts 24-hour-access to midwives, massages and mini bars among countless other facilities. Base packages start from $1,000 per night, but can easily rise as high as $5,000 when extras are included. Every room in the Crowne Plaza has sweeping ocean views, floor-to-ceiling windows, king-sized beds, a feeding chair and giant TVs. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge famously gave birth in London Paddington's Lindo Wing, where several generations of the royal family have given birth to their babies (pictured) There is also limo service and partners are welcome to stay with their wives or girlfriends. 'Recover and rejuvenate surrounded by never-ending ocean views and the sounds of the waves on the shore,' the Little Luxuries website reads. 'At this special time, treat yourself to some recuperation and give yourself time to get to know your new baby. 'Plus, with the expert midwife on hand, you can be sure you and your baby will be looked after.' One reviewer described her stay at the Crowne Plaza as 'foodie heaven', where she was treated to sirloin steaks, gorgeous salads, fresh pastries and fruit One reviewer described her stay at the Crowne Plaza as excellent. 'I was in foodie heaven at the Crowne Plaza, eating sirloin steaks and gorgeous salads, and fresh pastries and fruit,' she wrote. 'The food in itself is reason enough to be begging to get to the hotel!'. BBC presenter Deborah James has revealed the reality of living with stage 4 bowel cancer as she urges the public not to be embarrassed by the symptoms. The campaigner, 37, also known as the 'Bowel Babe,' appeared on Lorraine to raise awareness of Bowel Cancer Awareness Month and a disease which claims the lives of 16, 000 people every year. Deborah, who was diagnosed in 2016 and regularly posts about the highs and lows of her journey on social media, was keen to highlight how bowel cancer 'can happen to any one of us' - before discussing the good news she's recently received. 'Im here and I feel well,' she told the Scottish presenter. 'I got some really good news recently and despite all of the treatment Ive been through, the cancer in my recent scan last week is stable, which is a really good thing.' Deborah James, 37, was diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer in 2016 at the age of 35. She appeared on Lorraine this morning to raise awareness of the disease which affects 16, 000 people every year The broadcaster, also known as Bowel Babe, regularly posts on social media about the highs and lows of her journey. Speaking to Lorraine, she admitted: 'At stage four, my chances of survival for five years are eight per cent' She added: 'As a result I have an operation on Monday to remove some more tumours so thats really positive news. Im hoping that by sharing my story I can give people hope.' For viewers that weren't aware of her story, the broadcaster offered an honest account of the harsh realities of living with the disease. 'At the age of 35, just over two years ago, I was diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer,' she explained. 'That means by the time it had already been diagnosed not only did I have a tumour in my bowel, but I already had tumours in my lungs so my chances of survival rapidly plummeted. The reality is I was a fit, young health 35-year-old and the perception for me of bowel cancer was not that.' Keeping a smile on her face, the brave campaigner spoke about the positive news she had recently received - that a scan revealed her cancer is 'stable' Lorraine Kelly (left) and Deborah James (centre ) were joined on the sofa by Dr Hilary Jones, who advised on the symptoms to look out for Dr Hilary Jones (right) urged any concerned viewers not to be embarrassed about their symptoms and to get them checked out immediately And Deborah admitted that because she was diagnosed at a late stage, she doesn't know what her future holds. 'I talk about living with it and want to provide hope to people but theres also the reality,' she said. 'When this disease is caught early at stage 1 or 2 the chances of survival are huge over 90 per cent of people survive. At stage four, my chances of survival for five years are eight per cent and I have a nine-year-old and an eleven-year-old.' Keen to dispel common perceptions of the disease, Lorraine explained that many people associate bowel cancer with 'someone slightly older' and perhaps 'not taking care of themselves' but insisted this wasn't true. And the campaigner agreed, confirming that while there are risk factors that can increase the chances of getting bowel cancer, ultimately it can happen to 'any one of us.' Dr Hilary: Symptoms to look out for - The first thing is any persistent or unexplained change in your normal bowel habit You may be a once a week person or a once a day person but if it changes persistently for more than a few weeks you need to go and talk to the doctor about it because thats an early sign - Any blood from your bottom or any blood mixed with the motions (your poo) It could be on the surface of the poo, it could be blackened, or it could be part of it that means bleeding from higher up the bowel. Look for any sign of blood and report it Dont assume its piles of hemorrhoids because people have died from that go and talk to the doctor - Any abdominal lump or tummy pain thats there and bothering you. Dont ignore it or think its IBS - Lastly, unexplained loss of appetite, loss of weight, or tiredness may be a sign of gradual blood loss which you havent noticed Advertisement 'More and more young people are still getting bowel cancer about 2,500 people under the age of 50 are getting it, which his really worrying,' said Deborah. 'I think people might look at me and think, "you dont look like youve got cancer" and they might not even associate bowel cancer with me, but the more people like myself that can talk about it, the more we can get the reality out there.' During the interview, Deborah also discussed how she had recently met a group of people who all had the disease as part of a campaign she did for Bowel Cancer UK. 'Margaret is holding a picture of her daughter Annabel,' said Deborah, referring to an image that flashed up on the screen. Lorraine was also keen to dismiss common perceptions that bowel cancer is diagnosed in people 'slightly older' than Deborah Deborah revealed she has an operation on Monday to remove some more tumours and is hoping that by sharing her story, she'll give other people hope 'Annabel was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 36 a couple of weeks before me. She died six months later, which is just heart-breaking.' Dr Hilary then revealed that a recent survey showed almost half of people wont go and see their GP for an initial consultation because theyre too embarrassed if its something to do with their guts and bowels. 'Doctors are unshockable,' he told. 'We see it as part of the body. Id encourage people to use the language they're used to. Dont try and dress it up in medical terms as bowel movements and stools thats doctors terminology.' 'And its fine to introduce a bit of humour to the consultation. Have a laugh about it and break the ice but be frank about your symptoms. If you have early symptoms the doctor wants to know about it so he can investigate and save lives.' A Scottish woman has revealed she's struck up a romance with an American armed robber after meeting through a pen pal site for prisoners. Gemma Kelly, 28, from Addiewell, West Lothian, started writing to convict Jordan Bailey, 26, from Tacoma in Washington, after a documentary about US inmates seeking love behind bars inspired her to write to a prisoner. He is serving a seven-year sentence for armed robbery and kidnapping at the Monroe Correctional Complex near Seattle. Gemma began sending messages to Bailey last year after thinking he looked 'cute' in his profile photo on website writeaprisoner.com. And in November she flew more than 4,400 miles to spend time with him inside the prison and even met up with his family and friends. 'I thought Jordan was a really lovely guy,' she said. 'He told me a bit about his crime and how he regretted it and wanted to turn over a new leaf when he's released. By the time it came to return home to Scotland I was crying because I didn't want to leave him.' Gemma Kelly (pictured), 28, from Addiewell, West Lothian, started writing to convict Jordan Bailey (above), 26, from Tacoma in Washington State, after watching a documentary about US inmates seeking love behind bars The customer service adviser (above) began sending messages last year to Jordan Bailey after thinking he looked 'cute' in his profile photo on website writeaprisoner.com. Last November, she flew 4, 400 miles to spend time with him in prison and to meet his friends and family The customer service adviser is already planning another trip to the US to see Jordan in May and the pair have even discussed moving in together when he is released in four years' time. 'I have always been interested in American true crime programmes and when I found out about the website it intrigued me,' explained Gemma. 'I thought it would make a fun hobby for me and I sent a letter to Jordan after thinking he looked really attractive in his profile photograph. I just introduced myself and told him a bit about my life and he wrote back.' She continued: 'He is allowed a tablet in prison so we soon started emailing and calling each other regularly. We hit it off right away and before I knew it I had real feelings for him. I never expected anything like that to happen but I decided I had to fly out there to meet face to face.' Gemma spent more than $3,936 (3,000) on the two-week trip and stayed at an apartment in the prison grounds reserved for visitors who have travelled long distances. She sat at the table chatting with him for several hours a day and while they were allowed to briefly kiss and hold hands, conjugal visits are banned at the jail. Jordan Bailey (right) is serving a seven-year sentence for armed robbery and kidnapping at the Monroe Correctional Complex near Seattle and his earliest release date is September 2023. Gemma said she hopes it will 'lead somewhere good' While Gemma has dived into the romance head first, she admitted to understanding why people, including her mother, would be 'concerned' 'Jordan was so excited that I had come all that way to see him,' she said. 'We talked and talked for hours and there were no awkward silences. 'He hugged me as soon as he saw me and we were allowed to kiss for five seconds at the start of the visit and five seconds at the end.' She added: 'The prison guards were very strict and kept telling us "no touching." On the first day I went in and was forced to go and change because I was wearing ripped jeans.' Jordan Bailey was jailed for a housebreaking where he detained the homeowner at gunpoint. His earliest release date is September 2023. On release, it's unlikely Jordan (left) will be allowed into the UK, meaning Gemma (right) would have to move over there. Speaking of their relationship, she said: 'there's a real spark between us and I can't wait to see him again' 'I realise it's not a normal thing to do and I understand why people would be concerned,' said Gemma. 'My mum was so worried when I told her about it and didn't want me to go to America. But I knew if I didn't go I would always regret it and wonder what if?' 'My mum was so worried when I told her about it and didn't want me to go to.' While Gemma admits it would have been easier to go out with a local guy, she sees her new romance as an 'adventure' and an 'experience.' 'I have dived into this head first and I am hopeful it will lead somewhere good,' she explained. 'Jordan and I have talked about living together but we will need to see what happens when he is released.' She added: 'He is unlikely to be allowed into the UK so I would have to move over there. I know we are very different.' 'He has committed a serious crime and I have worked ever since I left school and never been in trouble with the police. But there's a real spark between us and I can't wait to see him again.' The Queen of Spain looked smart today in a recycled outfit she first wore back in January. Letizia, 46, was heading to Google's Madrid campus, where she attended the launch a new project called (In) Formate. Letizia donned a black and white Zara skirt in a snakeskin print, with a fitted top and black boots for the occasion. She wore the same outfit combination, back in January, for an event she hosted at Zarzuela Palace in Madrid. The skirt, which was one of Zara's bestsellers this winter, cost only 11 (12.99) but is now sold out. Letizia looked stylish in a recycled look she first wore back in January. She donned a 11 Zara skirt with a skane skin print, black swede boots and a chunky belt, and was light on jewelry Letizia donned a natural makeup, with a dash of mascara and blush and wore her brunette hair down After the presentation, Letizia toured the Google campus, which her husband Felipe VI inaugurated in 2015 The wife of King Felipe VI accessorisied the outfit with a pair of black suede boots, a chunky belt and a clutch bag. She wore her brunette hair down and kept her makeup to a minimum, offering a fresh and natural look. Letizia seemed in good spirits as she attended the presentation on (In) Formate with the Spanish secretary of health, consumption and social welfare, Maria Luisa Carcedo. The Queen met with several teenagers, who were also in attendance after the presentation and then went on to visit the campus, which was inaugurated by her husband in 2015. Left, Spanish Secretary of Health, Consumption and Social Welfare, Maria Luisa Carcedo turns to Queen Letizia after the Google presentation on fake news Teenagers gathered around Queen Letizia after the presentation to discuss the importance of identifying fake news Letizia seemed to get on very well with the teenagers who attended the launch of (In) Formate. 30,000 teens in the country will use it to learn to identify fake news The project aims to promote critical thinking in adolescents. It was developed by Google and the Help Against Drug Addiction Foundation, of which Letizia is the honorary president. (In) Formate is an educational digital programme set to be rolled out in several schools all over the country. 30,000 teenagers from all over Spain, aged between 14 and 16 will be trained to identify fake news. The project aims to develop youths critical thinking when it comes to researching the Internet. In an introductory speech, Antonio Vargas, the head of Public Policies of Google Spain, stressed that critical thinking is 'the key to be vaccinated against misinformation and the antidote against fake news.' The Queen of Spain looked stylish in a recycled monochrome outfit. Letizia, standing next to the Spanish Secretary of Health, Consumption and Social Welfare, Maria Luisa Carcedo. is known to recycle many of her looks Letizia excitedly discussed the Google project with teens at the end of the presentation. (In) formate will be rolled out in schools all over the country After the Google launch, Letizia talked to several teenagers who were in attendance. The programme is aimed at teenagers aged 14 to 16 Letizia seemed in execllent spirit as she discussed fake news further with some of the teenagers that attended the presentation at Google campus Gripping conversations. Letizia listened carefully to the teenagers who got the chance to meet her at the end of the Google presentation A video game called 'Eraser' has also been created, which shows what the world would be like in 2030 if there was no critical thinking, and in which participants have to find ways to identify fake news. Just yesterday, Letizia attended a conference on mental health and the media in Madrid. According to local media, the mother-of-two wore a very significant outfit, The look in question, a navy blue trousers by Hugo Boss and a polka dot blouse by Carolina Herrera was one she first wore in 2018 during a Easter Mass in Majorca. During the same event, a video that became viral in 2018 showed there were some 'tension' between Queen Letizia and her mother-in-law Queen Sofia. A vision in blue. Letizia stunned with Hugo Boss navy blue trousers and a polka dot blouse by Carolina Herrera as she attended a conference on media and metal health in Madrid on Wednesday Letizia making her way to the Palma Cathedral for an Easter Mass last year. The Spanish Queen was recorded having a 'tense' moment with her mother-in-law Queen Sofia The two women apparently had a spat over a photograph on the steps of the Palma Cathedral. Spanish media suggested Queen Letizia decision to recycle the look might now have been totally innocent, and might have been a tiny reminder of the 'uncomfortable' incident aimed at her mother-in-law. Yesterday's event, which was organised by the Spanish Mental Health Confederation brought journalists, communication experts and people with mental health issues together to discuss how the subject is reported in the media. During the conference a style guide was presented, featuring examples of good practice when reporting on mental health. Harry and Meghan's arrival to Instagram couldn't have been better timed. The couple will welcome their first child in a matter of weeks, meaning fans flocked to follow their new Sussex Royal page in frenzied anticipation of the inevitable baby Sussex pics. Not only that, in case their move from Kensington Palace to Frogmore Cottage in Windsor didn't hammer home the message enough, it was a further indication of the split of the Sussex and Cambridge households. Harry and Meghan's 'highly stylised' new social media account, which broke the world record for the fastest time to gain one million followers on Instagram, was unveiled on Tuesday afternoon. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have broken away from the Kensington Royal Instagram account, launching their own separate Sussex Royal page. Their first post featured a cascade on images, including this of the couple greeting children on their visit to Sussex last October Their first post features a 'cascade' of images which were every inch what we've come to expect from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex - cementing their reputation as a modern power couple doing it their own way. There was Harry the hero in his military gear, charitable Meghan, 37, hugging two teenage girls, greeting a wheelchair-bound well-wisher and the couple demonstrating their paternal skills as they greeted a gaggle of excited children. They sign of the series of snaps with a trademark black and white 'us against the world' shot; backs to the camera, hands entwined. Though don't expect unfiltered shots from their private holidays to be shared with their (rapidly growing) 3.4million followers, warns branding expert Claire Shiels. 'Both the Sussex and Kensington Royal accounts come across as formal and stuffy; perhaps understandable when the global media spotlight is fixed permanently on these two couples, monitoring every move they make,' she says. The cascade featured an image of Meghan, pictured left, crouching to greet a well-wisher on their royal tour of Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga, and Harry (right) in his military gear 'William and Kate's account is given over principally to family, public engagements and causes close to their heart, and we can expect to see Harry and Meghan's photos following suit.' So, how do their accounts compare to their fellow royals' feeds? From hipster models to glamour puss princesses, here FEMAIL takes a look at the biggest royal players in the social media arena. The Wholesome Family Since the departure of Meghan and Harry, 34, the Kensington Royal account will continue to keep its 7.3million followers up to date with the work of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Cue more candid shots of Wills, 36, and an ever-grinning Kate, 37, cooing over and interacting with children - both their own and those of strangers while on official engagements. The Kensington Royal account will continue to keep its followers up to date with the work of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, who are often pictured interacting with children on royal engagements, and with their own brood - Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis Queen of Nostalgia Princess Eugenie, 29, was the first royal to welcome the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to the platform, posting a snap of the couple from their engagement shoot with the caption: 'Welcome cousins.' The fact she didn't opt for a more recent shot of Harry and Meghan sums up Eugenie's Insta-status as the Queen of Nostalgia. Princess Eugenie regularly uploads childhood images of her and sister Beatrice, as well as snaps of her parents and grandparents when they were kids Eugenie also boasts a score of showbiz pals, including Ellie Goulding (pictured left). She posted this shot saying she was proud of her friend for the work she does for charity Streets of London Her 828,000 followers are regularly treated to childhood shots of her and sister Beatrice, complete with 'cheeky smiles and scrunchies'. Compared to her parents' feed, there are relatively few shots of her wedding day. 'The younger members of the respective royal families particularly those with their own careers - seem to be much more in touch with their social media followers,' says Claire. 'Friendly Princess Eugenie has Instagram totally nailed, with her fun-loving approach, willingness to be open and her #tbt (Throw Back Thursday) hashtags.' Proud Parents Like her daughter, Sarah Ferguson, 59, is a fan of the throwback shot, as well as the odd selfie - the most recent being one of her and Beatrice with jockey Frankie Dettori at the Bahrain Grand Prix. If she wins the crown for Proud Mum, her ex-husband Prince Andrew, 59, is a worthy winner of the Royal Proud Dad. Sarah Ferguson is a fan of selfies - her most recent post this grinning snap with daughter Beatrice and jockey Frankie Dettori at the Bahrain Grand Prix His account, which boasts 156,000 followers compared to Fergie's 192,000, is also littered with snaps of his beloved daughters, with multiple video clips from Princess Eugenie's wedding last year. In contrast to Sarah's, these images are interspersed with considerably dryer shots of the Duke of York on royal duty, shaking hands with officials, handing out awards and delivering speeches. As well as dozens of shots of his daughters, Prince Andrew's feed is generally made up of him on royal duty, shaking hands with officials, handing out awards and delivering speeches 'Sarah Ferguson and HRH The Duke of York show themselves to be very family-oriented and approachable,' Claire explains. 'Sarah shows that she and her ex-husband are still great friends and potentially more - by wishing him a happy birthday, while he is more than happy to share photos of Sarah with their girls, also sending birthday wishes to Eugenie.' Style Icon As the niece of Princess Diana, it's hardly surprising Lady Kitty Spencer, 28, has blossomed into a style queen. The model and the eldest child of the 9th Earl Spencer regularly treats her 460,000 followers to snaps of her enviable lifestyle. As the niece of Princess Diana, it's hardly surprising Lady Kitty Spencer, pictured in Monte-Carlo, has blossomed into a style queen Her feed is litered with exotic sunsets, sandy beaches and chic city breaks, interspersed with official modelling shots. Claire says: 'Model Kitty Spencer uses her account as a platform to showcase her modelling career, choosing to include editorial fashion photos rather than sharing personal or family experiences. 'This could indicate that she is driven and perhaps somewhat unapproachable.' Model couple As far as couple goals go, Prince Carl-Philip and Princess Sofia of Sweden take the crown. The stunning duo, who have 185,000 followers, have been married for four years, after they tied the knot in 2015. Prince Carl-Philip and former glamour model Princess Sofia of Sweden have been married for four years, after they tied the knot in 2015 Prior to marrying the Swedish royal, Sofia boasted a successful career as a glamour model and reality television star, appearing on the Swedish version of Paradise Hotel. But despite her past, Claire says Princess Sofia's Instagram account comes across as 'staged rather than intimate'. 'It includes some carefully chosen photography to portray a happy family life,' she adds. The Gym Buff The Queen's grand-nephew Arthur Chatto hit the headlines earlier this year, becoming the first royal to post topless snaps to Instagram. The son of Lady Sarah Chatto and grandson of Princess Margaret is currently 25th in line to the throne and set pulses racing in January after sharing a shirtless photo of himself while hiking across the Lochnagar mountain in Scotland. Arthur Chatto, son of Lady Sarah Chatto and grandson of Princess Margaret is currently 25th in line to the throne and set pulses racing in January after sharing a shirtless photo of himself while hiking across the Lochnagar mountain in Scotland Unsurprisingly his following shot up to 137,000 afterwards. 'Legions of young girls are eternally grateful for Arthur's topless selfies,' Claire says. 'The buff 19 year old is obviously proud of his undoubtedly fabulous physique, going so far as to pose in his pants. It seems this rebel teen is keen on becoming a pin-up and he's well on the way there.' Glamorous Mum Since welcoming four-year-old twins Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella, Princess Charlene of Monaco has become a fully-fledged Insta-mum. The Zimbabwean-born former Olympic swimmer, 41, regularly shares adorable snaps of the cute twosome she shares with Prince Albert, from birthday parties to weekend family days out. Princess Charlene of Monaco has become a fully-fledged Insta-mum, regularly treating her followers to adorable snaps of her four-year-old twins Princess Charlene's photos of Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella can notch up as many as 20,000 likes In a recent magazine interview, she said they feel 'blessed' to have two children who fill them with 'love and happiness', and are also 'well behaved and kind'. Princess Charlene boasts 122,000 followers, and her adorable brood have their own legion of fans, with photos of Jacques and Gabriella notching up as many as 20,000 likes. Claire says: 'Princess Charlene of Monaco also seems to have her account nailed, despite it being managed for her. 'Slightly more formal, it is nevertheless jam-packed with informal shots of her beautiful children, revealing her to be a doting mum.' The Fashionista Feminist As Prince Harry's cousin, Lady Amelia Windsor, 23, is a member of the extended British royal family and currently 38th in the line to the throne. But flagging her royal status on social media isn't this model's style. Going by the username amelwindsor, she feeds her 74,900 followers a mix of fashion, feminism and risque selfies. Model Lady Amelia Windsor, 23, is a member of the extended British royal family and currently 38th in the line to the throne 'Amelia, with her constant solemn facial expression, only features carefully selected photos of far flung places, art and carefully staged poses,' says Claire. 'Neither she nor Kitty Spencer could be described as fun-loving party girls from their Instagram accounts.' The Hipster Prince Norway's 'accidental' prince Marius Borg Hiby, 22, is another young royal opting for a more 'edgy' social media presence. The son of Norway's Crown Princess Mette Marit, who was four when she married Haakon, the country's heir apparent, keen surfer Marius is clearly a fan of arty, monochrome shots, often with a pet in tow. Norway's 'accidental' prince Marius Borg Hiby is a fan of arty, monochrome shots, often with a pet in tow He clearly takes after his mother when it comes to a love of sport and the great outdoors, with Mette-Marit, 45, interspersing offical duty shots with snaps from the ski slopes, hikes and paddle boarding. 'Describing himself as a 'pirate', Marius' Instagram account is full of images of himself in shades, biker jackets and carrying a surfboard,' Claire observes. 'This James Dean wannabe reveals his desperation to be considered cool and aloof.' We recently told how Marius, who has 50,700 followers, left Norway to study in California and began dating former Playboy model Juliane Snekkstad. Norway's Crown Princess Mette Marit, pictured with husband Haakon, regularly posts shots from the ski slopes and enjoying the alpine countryside The Business Class Couple King Philippe, 58, and Queen Mathilde, 46, of Belgium keep their Instagram page very much a portal for keeping its 24,600 followers up to date with their royal business - little else. The feed is strewn with men in suits, a Trump and Melania-style shot of the couple disembarking a plane and the odd shot of Mathilde receiving a bunch of flowers from a child. King Philippe, 58, and Queen Mathilde, 46, of Belgium keep their Instagram page very much a portal for keeping its 24,600 followers up to date with their royal business - little else. Pictured on a state visit to the Republic of Korea 'The Belgians' photos lack personality and informality, indicating that the couple really aren't in touch with their Instagram followers,' says Claire. 'It's merely a visual portfolio of their public engagements. Very boring and a right royal turn off.' A happily married husband and wife have shared their best relationship advice as they celebrated their 82nd wedding anniversary. D.W. Williams, 103, and Willie Williams, 100, from North Carolina, recently celebrated their wedding anniversary and their milestone birthdays on Sunday, March 31. The couple attended a party thrown by their daughter and granddaughter at First Mayfield Memorial Baptist Church in Charlotte, where they shared some of their tips for sustaining a long-lasting marriage. Amazing: D.W. Williams (L), 103, and Willie Williams (R), 100, from North Carolina celebrated their 82nd year of marriage and their milestone birthdays on Sunday, March 31 Incredible: The couple, who met in 1935, said their advice to anyone hoping for a long-lasting marriage is to 'just be nice to each other' Momentous: The North Carolina couple celebrated their birthdays and wedding anniversary at a party thrown by family members and held at a local church in Charlotte Speaking to WSOC-TV at the party, which was attended by 115 family members and friends, Willie said that although she doesn't have a big 'secret' to making a marriage work, she had a few pointers. 'Just be nice to each other,' Willie said. Inspiration: Their granddaughter BJ Williams-Greene (pictured) said said she thinks her grandparents' relationship has been so successful thanks to their communication, 'loving each other' and 'working together' According to Good Morning America, the couple also believe that communication is key to a happy marriage. They said: 'We don't argue or have any fights. If we have a misunderstanding, we just talk it over.' The couple's granddaughter, BJ Williams-Greene, said she gathered from watching her loved-up grandparents, who are her 'inspiration', that working as a team is essential for maintaining a good marriage. She said: 'It's communication, and loving each other and working together. 'They are each others best friend,' she added. The couple revealed that they spend most of their time together enjoying the simple things, like watching TV together. 'We like to watch country westerns like "Gunsmoke" and "Bonanza", and play crossword puzzles together,' they said. D.W. and Willie's love story began a long time ago when they met in Newberry, South Carolina, in 1935. After falling in love with one another, the pair got married two years later. The happy couple can recall living through wars, The Great Depression and even remember living through the civil rights movement - a protest movement against racial segregation and discrimination in the U.S. Celebration: The couple's incredible achievement was celebrated at the party which was attended by a total of 115 family members and friends over the weekend Happy: The couple believe that communication is key in a marriage. They added: 'We dont argue or have any fights. If we have a misunderstanding, we just talk it over' D.W. and Willie lived through the Jim Crow segregation laws - a set of state and local laws that enforced racial segregation in the South. Describing what it was like to live through this time, they said: 'Although we lived during the Jim Crow era, we were still able to work and do things in the community. 'We were not impacted much by it because there were a lot of people willing to assist, who didn't let the color of our skin stand in the way,' they added. D.W., who is a retired maintenance worker and Willie, a retired daycare nursery worker, won North Carolina's contest for the longest married couple back in 2014. Speaking about her grandparents, BJ said their marriage is an 'inspiration'. 'They communicate and make decisions together, they strive and achieve together and everyone loves them because they are genuine. 'They just inspire everyone to be the best they can be,' she added. The couple's pastor, D.K. Ferguson said: 'The celebration was a wonderful experience. It's a pleasure to see history come together with these two people and to learn from them. 'I'm very proud of them,' he added. The Prince of Wales looked delighted today as he tasted festive mincemeat and opened Waitrose & Partners' Food Innovation Studio in Bracknell, Berkshire. Prince Charles, 70, was all smiles as he chatted to staff in the new studio where the supermarket chefs will trial new dishes and recipes for its product range. The retailer also develops products for the Waitrose Duchy Organic range, the food brand originally founded by the Prince of Wales in 1990. Wearing a navy pin-striped suit, the heir to the throne was hands on as he tasted products in the high-end supermarket's factory. Wearing a pin-stripe three piece suit, the heir to the throne was hands on as tasted products in the high-end supermarket's factory. He also appeared to inspect the vegetables, as he pointed a table of fresh produce, including carrots, potatoes and courgette The heir to the throne was very hands on as he tried the mince pie filling for the company's Christmas range Smiling with a staff dressed in white chef's coats, the father of Prince William and Harry leaned over large mixing bowls to inspect the food being tested Charles also met producers involved in creating a special mincemeat set for this year's Christmas range. Smiling with a staff dressed in white chef's coats, the father of Prince William and Harry, leaned over large mixing bowls to inspect the food being tested. As he arrived Charles delighted well-wishers in Bracknell, which is just 10 miles from Windsor Castle, as he shook hands with people in the adoring crowd. He also appeared to inspect the vegetables, as he pointed a table of fresh produce, including carrots, potatoes and courgette. The trip of the Queen's eldest child comes after reports Prince Harry has been left upset by his grandmother banning Meghan from borrowing jewelery from her personal collection. Certain priceless items from the the Monarch's private collection, which are loaned at the discretion of Her Majesty, will not be made available to Meghan, according to a palace insider. The Prince of Wales looked delighted today as he opened Waitrose & Partners' Food Innovation Studio in Bracknell, Berkshire (pictured) Charles also met producers involved in creating a special mincemeat set for this year's Christmas range Charles delighted well-wishers in Bracknell, which is just 10 miles from Windsor Castle, as he shook hands with people in the adoring crow The trip of the Queen's eldest child comes after reports Prince Harry has been left upset by his grandmother banning Meghan from borrowing jewellery from her personal collection (pictured, Charles in Bracknell) Charles' (pictured) youngest son Harry recently shared that he was 'very exciting' about the birth of his new baby, who will be Charles fourth grandchild Harry was also conducting royal duties today as he told a member of the public he was very excited about the imminent birth of baby Sussex, who will be Prince Charles' fourth grandchild. Prince Harry, 34, looked overjoyed to be attending the buffet lunch, which is the twelfth annual Lord Mayors Big Curry Lunch in aid of the three National Service Charities. ABF The Soldiers Charity, the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity and the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund are all being honoured at the event, which is hosted by the Lord Mayor of the City of London. Charles matched a polka dot blue tie with a navy pinstripe suit and a lilac shirt as he visited the studio Not the Union Jack! Well-wishers waived green flags emblazoned with Waitrose & Partners in the crowd And father-to-be Harry proved he was a natural with children at the event, as he greeted a little girl and adorably shook hands with her. As Harry was leaving the event, he was asked by the wife of a servicemen if he was looking forward to the upcoming birth of his child. He told her: 'Of course I am excited, very excited.' Florals? For spring? Groundbreaking. Not! Tie-dye is all the rage for spring 2019. Formerly associated with the counterculture of the 1960's hippie era, the nostalgic print was given a modern update on the 2019 runways of several high-end designers, including Prada, Proenza Schouler and Stella McCartney. So whether it's a handbag, sweatshirt or a sundress, a swirly-piece is a must-have this season. THE STREETS: Groovy baby: Formerly associated with the counterculture of he 1960's hippie era, tie-dye was given a modern update on the 2019 runways of several high-end designers, including Prada, Proenza Schouler and Stella McCartney Already a hit: On March 30, Gigi sported a colorful tie-dye tee by Polo Yeah, baby! Yeah! On March 30, Gigi sported a colorful tie-dye tee by Polo. The supermodel teamed her cotton shirt with white cropped pants and sneakers. She elevated the casual look with a string of pearls around her neck and a Proenza Schouler tie-dye handbag. Street style stars Xenia Adonts and Veronika Heilbrunner both made tres chic statements wearing garments featuring the colorful pattern in France during Paris Fashion Week. Tres chic: Street style stars Xenia Adonts and Veronika Heilbrunner, wore garments featuring the colorful pattern in France during Paris Fashion Week That's amore: Lisa Hahnbueck was spotted in Milan wearing a blue and white tie-dye sweatshirt by Balmain THE RED CARPET: Red carpet ready: Chiwetel Ejiofor looked dapper in a tuxedo, while Frances Aaternir appeared modern in a velvet Proenza Schoulder tie-dye dress The tied and dyed technique was very popular in the 1960's and will forever be associated with hippie culture. But this season, high-end labels have incorporated it into their formal wear. Chiwetel Ejiofor and Frances Aaternir attended the EE British Academy Film Awards at Royal Albert Hall on February 10, in London, England. Chiwetel looked dapper in a tuxedo, while Frances appeared modern in a velvet Proenza Schoulder tie-dye dress. Rachel Brosnahan hit the carpet at The Paley Center For Media's 2019 PaleyFest LA wearing a tie-dye knee-length frock by Prada. So hip: Rachel Brosnahan hit the carpet at The Paley Center For Media's 2019 PaleyFest LA wearing a tie-dye knee-length frock by Prada THE RUNWAYS: The 'it' look: Kaia Gerber came down the Proenza Schouler and Stella McCartney runways in tie-dye fashions The retro print was seen all over the spring catwalks. Kaia Gerber came down the Proenza Schouler runway in a button down blouse featuring two different tie-dye prints. Several days later, the 17-year-old modeled a tie-dye denim jumpsuit for Stella McCartney. Shopbops Fashion Director, Caroline Maguire, is loving these "go bold or go home" trends: 'Im going to be ditching anything all-black this season. Theres so much excitement and newness this spring its time to embrace bold colors and tie dye,' she said. Whatever Caroline says, we do! SHOP TIE-DYE FASHIONS BELOW: Sequined Tie Dye Rainbow Hoodie by R13; $795; shopbop.com Crop Raw Tie Dye Hoodie by Re/done, $240; saksfifthavenue.com Nala Tie-Dye Mini Dress by Rhode, $355; intermixonline.com Tie Dye Legging by Boohoo, now $8; boohoo.com Oversized tie-dye cotton-jersey hoodie by Amiri, $650; net-a-porter.com Tie Dye Bun Headband by Namjosh, $50; shopbop.com Tie-Dyed Sunday Sweatshirt by NSF, $228; intermixonline.com Tie Dye Frame Clutch by Proenza Schouler, $1,995; farfetch.com Tie Dye One-Piece Swimsuit by Jonathan Simkhai, $225; saksfifthavenue.com 'Darla' Weekender Tote by Steve Madden, now $65.91; amazon.com Zara Tindall looked stylish today as she attended the Grand National and joked around with friends and jockeys in the rain. Zara, 37, wore a sky blue tweed Piccadilly Coat from Guinea London, with a faux fur collar and a navy felt cocktail hat with leather floral detail and veiling from milliner Justine Bradley Hill. The equestrian athlete joined thousands of other racegoers as the first day of racing started at Aintree. As she laughed with friends she paired her 425 coat with a black handbag and black heeled boots. Zara, 37, wore a blue coat, with a fur trim and a navy hat as she was pictured at the Aintree race track today Zara Tindall attended the Grand National today and joked around with friends and jockeys before she watched the races. Zara also spoke to a jockey in the parade ring before the Foxhunters race, but didn't seem to care about the poor weather. Zara also spoke to a jockey in the parade ring before the Foxhunters race, but didn't seem to care about the poor weather. The Olympian was with friends, however her husband Mike Tindall didn't seem to be attending with her. Princess Anne had been seen earlier in the day looking cheery as she arrived in a green wool coat and matching hat, shielding herself from the rain with an umbrella. More than 150,000 people are expected at the three-day event, which is in its 180th year and hosts the showpiece Grand National race on Saturday afternoon. More than 150,000 are expected at the three-day event, which is in its 180th year and hosts the showpiece Grand National race on Saturday afternoon As she laughed with friends she also paired her outfit with a black handbag and black heeled boots Zara Tindall chats with a friend in the parade ring before the Foxhunters race at Aintree today Earlier in the day women braved the plummeting temperatures and heavy rain to put on a head-turning display for the annual festivities. Guests were also seen taking cover from the rain inside, enjoying a tipple as they watched the progress of the races unfold. Racegoers were seen letting their hair down as drinks flowed and the betting floor was transformed to a makeshift dance floor for some cheery guests. The Olympian was with friends, however her husband Mike Tindall didn't seem to be attending with her Zara, 37, wore a sky blue Piccadilly Coat from Guinea London, with a faux fur collar and a navy felt cocktail hat with leather floral detail and veiling from milliner Justine Bradley Hill Let the festivities begin! Glamorous guests kicked off day one of Aintree Grand National Festival 2019 in an array of head-turning ensembles on Thursday, braving the frosty April temperatures in a show of towering heels, plunging necklines and thigh-skimming hemlines Bets will be placed on the top racehorses getting in on the action, including Clan Des Obeaux and Bristol De Mai in the Betway Bowl. Some women were seen arriving at the three-day event in a flurry of towering heels, plunging necklines and thigh-skimming hemlines, and proved that chilly April temperatures are no barrier when it comes to fashion. Elsewhere other racegoers opted for more traditional race attire, with some couples spotted wearing matching tweed skirt and trouser suits and sensible boots, with tweed another theme of day. More than 1.5million has been invested in trying to protect the welfare of horses, following the recent deaths of horses Sir Erec and Invitation Only at Cheltenham, which sparked animal welfare protests Making it rain? A group of racegoers cheered on the horses from the sidelines and appear to have had a flutter on the horses Queen Letizia of Spain donned all black today to pay her respects to former Spanish minister Jose Pedro Perez-Llorca. Arm-in-arm with husband King Felipe, she looked solemn as she arrived for the funeral service at the San Jeronimo Church in Madrid. Perez-Llorca, a Spanish lawyer and one of the seven authors of the 1978 Spanish Constitution, passed away at the age of 78 on March 6 after battling lung disease. He served as the country's Minister of Foreign Affairs between 1980 to 1982. Queen Letizia of Spain and her husband King Felipe donned all black today to pay her respects at the funeral of former Spanish minister Jose Pedro Perez-Llorca The stylish queen joined her husband at the San Jeronimo Church in Madrid to celebrate the life of Perez-Llorca Dressed in a long black belted coat and stilletto heels, the 46-year-old wore her silky brunette lock down and kept her make-up to a respectable minimum The couple paid their respects to Perez-Llorca's widow at the sombre occasion, with Letizia giving her a comforting hug and kiss on the cheek. Dressed in a long black belted coat and stilletto heels, the 46-year-old wore her silky brunette lock down and kept her make-up to a respectable minimum. Earlier in the day she attended the launch of a new project called (In) Formate at Google's Madrid campus with the Spanish secretary of health, consumption and social welfare, Maria Luisa Carcedo. The Queen met with several teenagers, who were also in attendance after the presentation and then went on to visit the campus, which was inaugurated by her husband in 2015. She then made her way to the San Jeronimo Church to join her husband at the mass in celebration of Perez-Llorca's life. Letizia, the eldest daughter of Jesus Alvarez, a journalist, and his first wife Maria Rodriguez, a nurse, made her way into church The couple paid their respects to Perez-Llorca's widow at the sombre occasion Queen Letizia gave Perez-Llorca's widow a comforting hug and kiss on the cheek. The former minister passed away on March 6 after suffering lung disease The late minister played a prominent role in Spanish politics, both as Madrid Deputy of the Union of the Democratic Centre and floor leader of the Parliamentary group of the Centrist party. He also played a key role in establishing the 1978 Spanish Constitution, enacted following a constitutional referendum which saw the Kingdom of Spain transition to a democracy following the death of general Francisco Franco in November 1975. The military dictator ruled over the country for almost 40 years, during a period known as the Francoist regime. The royal couple looked solemn at the service at the San Jeronimo Church in Madrid The royal couple both dressed smartly in black for the funeral of former Spanish minister Jose Pedro Perez-Llorca, who played a key role in establishing the 1978 Spanish Constitution Spain's transition to a democratic state saw the country undergo a series of political, social and historical changes under the guidance of King Juan Carlos I of Spain. While it didn't completely abolish the Francoist regime, it gradually transformed its institutions and laws to produce a new constitution, which was redacted, debated and approved by the constituent assembly which emerged from the 1977 general election. Perez-Llorca co-founded the Perez-Llorca law firm in 1983 and served as its chairman from then until 2005. Meghan Markle's mother, Doria Ragland, was seen walking her dogs near her home in Los Angeles, just a weeks before the royal is due to give birth to her first child. The 62-year-old is expected to fly to London ahead of the birth to help her 37-year-old daughter get ready to welcome her first child with Prince Harry, but it was business as usual for Doria on Thursday. While she was on the West Coast, Meghan, 37, and Harry, 34, officially moved out of their Kensington Palace home and into their new cottage, which they reportedly spent $3.9 million (3 million) renovating. Out and about: Meghan Markle's mother, Doria Ragland, was seen walking her dogs in Los Angles on Thursday Daily routine: The yoga instructor was dressed casually in a light blue long-sleeve shirt and khaki pants. She held her dogs' leashes with her right hand during the stroll Sporty attire: Doria topped off her outfit with a sporty gray puffy vest to keep warm, a red crossbody bag, and dark pink sneakers The royal's due date is in late April, early May, and it was widely believed that Doria would be by her side in the weeks leading up to the birth. However, she didn't appear to have any impending travel plants when she walked her dogs on Thursday. The yoga instructor was dressed casually in a light blue long-sleeve shirt and khaki pants while strolling through the neighborhood with her two dogs by her side. Doria topped off her outfit with a sporty gray puffy vest to keep warm, a red crossbody bag, and dark pink sneakers. The grandmother-to-be may not be in London, but the Duchess of Sussex's friend and makeup artist Daniel Martin is. On Thursday, he was spotted in London's Soho neighborhood, which is just a couple of miles from Kensington Palace. Getting ready for baby: While she was on the West Coast, Meghan, 37, and Harry, 34, officially moved out of their Kensington Palace home and into Frogmore Cottage at Windsor Hard to tell: It was widely believed that Doria would be in London in the weeks leading up to the birth. It was said that she would be helping Meghan get their new home ready for the newborn Secret date: It's unclear when Doria plans on traveling to the UK in the days leading up the royal baby's highly-anticipated arrival Daniel was seen wearing a black coat and trousers while taking a phone call on the sidewalk. His appearance in London has prompted speculation that he was flown across the pond to ensure that Meghan is camera ready after giving birth. It was previously reported that Meghan and Harry would not have a nanny, and instead, Doria would move to the UK to help them watch their newborn. It was thought that she would fly to London ahead of her grandchild's birth to attend Meghan's second baby shower and help the mom-to-be prepare the nursery in her new home, where she would be staying in her own suite. However, it's unclear when Meghan's baby shower will be taking place, or if she is having one at all. Multitasking: Doria was seen carrying her cellphone in her hand at one point during the walk On the go: The grandma-to-be appeared to be jogging at one point. Her puffy vest blew in the wind as the dogs followed behind her Speculation: It was previously believed that Doria would be moving to the UK permanently to help the couple take care of their newborn, but sources said those reports were off the mark It was reported that her sister-in-law Kate Middleton would be throwing her a party, though baby showers have never been a British tradition. 'Doria is coming to a baby shower here. It will be a small gathering of five or six people,' a source told The Mail on Sunday last month. It was said that Meghan planned to host the event at Frogmore Cottage at Windsor where she and Prince Harry are setting up home, but the renovation work on the property took longer than expected. Last month, The Mail on Sunday reported that the couple will be hiring a traditional nanny after the birth of their child. Spotted: The Duchess of Sussex's close friend and makeup artist Daniel Martin was in London on Thursday Close by: Daniel was seen taking a phone call in London's Soho neighborhood. He was just a couple of miles from Kensington Palace Glam squad: Daniel's appearance in London has prompted speculation that he was flown across the pond to ensure that Meghan is camera ready after giving birth Informed sources dismissed speculation that Meghan will recruit a doula, a non-medical assistant who provides support during pregnancy and the early days of motherhood, or opt for a New Age-style birth. They also said reports that Meghans mother, Doria, will move permanently to Britain from America to help bring up the child are also wide of the mark. Instead, the royals plan on being hands-on parents and will bring in a nanny later this year ahead of a rumored royal tour. The approach mirrors that adopted by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge for their children, George, five, Charlotte, three, and Louis, ten months. New home: Meghan and Harry have finally moved into Frogmore Cottage (above) after months of renovation work being done on the property Work: Protective covering had previously been seen over Frogmore Cottage during the works Royal outing: Prince Harry attended the twelfth annual Lord Mayors Big Curry Lunch in aid of the three National Service Charities on Thursday Prince Harry was also out and about in London on Thursday. He attended the twelfth annual Lord Mayors Big Curry Lunch in aid of the three National Service Charities. ABF The Soldiers Charity, the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity and the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund are all being honoured at the event, which is hosted by the Lord Mayor of the City of London. The father-to-be proved he was a natural with children at the event, as he greeted a little girl and adorably shook hands with her. As Harry was leaving the event, he was asked by the wife of a servicemen if he was looking forward to the upcoming birth of his child. He told her: 'Of course I am excited, very excited.' Ben & Jerry's wants to sell you its Cookie Dough Ice Cream hold the ice cream. This week, the frozen treat brand debuted snack bags of its beloved cookie dough chunks, which can be eaten plain or added as a topping to its other ice cream flavors. And it's fitting that cookie dough was chosen as Ben & Jerry's first non-ice cream offering, given that the brand invented Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream back in the '80s. Surprise! Ben & Jerry's is now selling snacking bags of just cookie dough Options: They come in Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, and vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough flavors. Customers living in Vermont may already be familiar with their Just the Dough snack bags, which the brand tested at a few stores int he state last fall. Now, they're available across the US for $5 per half-pound bag. They come in two flavors Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and there's also a Vegan Action-certified Vegan Chocolate Chip option. 'Fans have been asking for "just the chunks" for a while now,' the brand's Innovation Manager Jody Eley said in a press release. 'During a short market test in Vermont last summer, fans snatched up the dough in record time. Bags flew off the shelves in mere days and stores could not keep the delicious dough bites in stock! History lesson: Ben & Jerry's is actually the first known brand to make cookie dough ice cream, back in 1984 'Now, Ben & Jerrys is rollin' out the dough to fans across the US.' Ben & Jerry's is actually the first known brand to make cookie dough ice cream, back in 1984. Then, the company was just a single shop in Burlington, Vermont, and a customer suggested Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield try putting chunks of raw cookie dough in vanilla ice cream. It was a 'huge hit,' according to the brand, and remains popular to this day: Over 1.6 million pints of Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream are sold every year. Yas! Ben & Jerry's released three flavors with cookie dough cores earlier this year, including one called Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Core Yum! Sweet Like Sugar Cookie Dough Core's made with sweet cream ice cream and shortbread cookies on one side, and cherry ice cream on the other, and a sugar cookie dough core Mixing it up: Wake & 'No Bake' Cookie Dough Core has a core made of 'no bake' chocolate, peanut butter, and oatmeal cookies The company also got innovative with cookie dough earlier this year when it announced three flavors with solid cookie dough cores. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Core is made with cookie milk ice cream, fudge chips, and a chocolate chip cookie dough core. Sweet Like Sugar Cookie Dough Core is made with sweet cream ice cream with a hint of almond flavor and shortbread cookies on one side, and cherry ice cream with cherries on the other. It has a sugar cookie dough core. Finally, Wake & 'No Bake' Cookie Dough Core is made with half vanilla ice cream with peanut butter cookies, half peanut butter ice cream with fudge chips, and a 'No Bake' cookie (chocolate, peanut butter, and oatmeal) dough core. With our hectic lives many of us rely on mobiles, laptops and smart watches to keep on top of everything. But scientists now warn constantly switching between the gadgets may be wreaking havoc with our waistlines. Media multitasking' - simultaneously switching between digital media - impairs self-control, which leads us to 'favour reward over control'. And those who cannot resist checking their phone while streaming their favourite box set typically spend more time in restaurants and cafes, the research found. Experts at Rice University, Houston, fear 'media multitasking may be implicated in the recent obesity epidemic'. Switching from gadget-to-gadget may impair our self-control when it comes to food (stock) Richard Lopez, study author, said: 'Increased exposure to phones, tablets and other portable devices has been one of the most significant changes to our environments in the past few decades. 'And this occurred during a period in which obesity rates also climbed in many places. 'So, we wanted to conduct this research to determine whether links exists between obesity and abuse of digital devices as captured by peoples tendency to engage in media multitasking. 'Such links are important to establish, given rising obesity rates and the prevalence of multimedia use in much of the modern world.' HOW FAT ARE BRITISH CHILDREN? English children are fatter than ever official data revealed last October that one in every 25 10 to 11-year-olds are severely obese, the fattest possible category. And out of around 556,000 children of primary school-leaving age in the UK, 170,000 are overweight to some degree, figures showed in May last year. More than one in five 11-year-olds are obese equivalent to around 111,000 children and being so fat means they are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer or have a stroke. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health say children should be weighed every year at school because 'danger is on the horizon' and the UK is lagging behind the rest of the EU in tackling obesity. Experts have also warned children gain weight 'at a drastic rate' when they're at school. Sugar in food is known to be contributing to the swelling waistlines of children, with huge amounts of popular foods crammed full of sugar. A sugar tax has reduced the effects of some soft drinks, but breakfast cereals can still contain more than 70 per cent of an entire day's sugar in a single bowl. Even a single can of Coca Cola (35g of sugar) or one Mars bar (33g) contain more than the maximum amount of sugar a child should have over a whole day. Advertisement To put this to the test, the researchers analysed 123 adults aged 18-to-23 who 'grew up during the recent period of escalating multitasking and obesity'. More than a third of the participants were overweight or obese. All of the volunteers were asked to what extent they experience urges to check their technological devices. This included looking at their phone while talking to a friend or being distracted by their mobile at work. The researchers found those who reported greater levels of media multitasking (MMT) tended to have a higher BMI and body fat percentage. In a second part of the experiment, 72 of the participants agreed to have an MRI brain scan while being shown various images, some of which were of unhealthy food. Results - published in the journal Brain Imaging and Behavior - revealed the participants who admitted to MMT had increased activity in various regions of their brain when looking at tempting treats. There was particular impaired function in the ventral striatum, which is involved in reward processing and has been associated with food temptation. Activity was also awry in the orbitofrontal cortex, which regulates decision making. In the final part of the experiment, the researchers analysed how much time the participants spent in 'food points-of-sale' by looking at GPS coordinates via their mobiles. They found the participants who admitted to MMT spent more time in 'campus eateries'. This is thought to be due to their brains 'favouring reward over control'. 'Taken together, findings from both studies suggest the possibility that media multitasking may be implicated in the recent obesity epidemic,' the authors wrote. British teenagers are among the unhealthiest in the Western world, a report found. Our 15-to-19 year olds have the highest rates of obesity in Europe and the fifth highest in the developed world, according to the report by Nuffield Trust and the Association for Young Peoples Health A one-year-old left disabled after battling meningitis four times desperately needs 30,000 for surgery that could help him walk. Luca Johnson's family were warned he and his twin Lola had slim odds of survival after he was born three months prematurely. After defying medical expectations to survive, Luca went on to catch meningitis four times. Although Luca survived, his parents soon noticed he was unable to lift his head, grab toys or crawl - all things Lola could do. His battles with the killer infection left him with cerebral palsy and the brain injury periventricular leukomalacia, which affects movement. Luca's parents, Jodie Johnson, 30, and her husband Matthew, 29, were warned he may never walk or talk - but refused to give up on him and are now trying to raise tens of thousands of pounds to pay for him to have selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR). SDR improves muscle stiffness in cerebral-palsy patients, which the couple hope will enable Luca to walk before he starts school in 2022. However, the operation is not available on the NHS for such severe cases, meaning the family, from Leigh, Greater Manchester, will have to raise money to go private. One-year-old Luca Johnson (pictured left with his mother Jodie) has been left disabled after battling meningitis four times. The youngster (pictured right as a newborn) needed oxygen and spent weeks in hospital after being born three months premature on September 24 2017 Luca's mother and father Matthew - who are also parents to Nova, two, and Luca's twin Lola (all pictured) - believe their son's only hope of walking is for him to have surgery not available on the NHS. Luca has cerebral palsy and the procedure will help reduce the spasticity in his legs Mrs Johnson, who is also mother to two-year-old Nova, said: 'We are hoping Luca will be able to walk before he starts school. 'It is upsetting to think he can't have the operation through the NHS because his condition is more severe, while children of a lower grade are able to. 'Our dream is one day he will be able to run around with his siblings. 'We feel Luca has been deprived of his life so far so this [operation] gives us so much hope for a brighter future for our precious boy.' Luca and Lola arrived following a 'spontaneous premature birth', which Mrs Johnson puts down to stress. 'I was already 9am dilated by the time I reached the hospital,' she said. 'The doctors were checking the babies with an ultrasound and said their heartbeats were dropping so they needed to get them out straight away.' WHAT IS CEREBRAL PALSY? Cerebral palsy is the umbrella term for a number of brain conditions that affect movement and coordination. Specifically, it is caused by a problem in the parts of the brain responsible for controlling muscles. The condition can occur if the brain develops abnormally or is damaged before, during or shortly after birth. One in every 400 children in the UK are thought to be born with cerebral palsy, meaning around 1,800 children a year have the condition. It's estimated that 764,000 children and adults in the US have one or more symptoms of the disorder. There's no cure for cerebral palsy, but some treatments are available to ease symptoms, such as physiotherapy. Life expectancy is usually unaffected, however, the emotional and physical strain can put a great deal of stress on the body which can cause further problems in later life. Advertisement The twins were transferred to Wigan and Leigh Hospital shortly after they were born via an emergency C-section at the Royal Bolton Hospital in September 2017. Mrs Johnson, who is Luca's full-time carer, said: 'After the twins were born doctors told us the next 24 hours would be crucial but they did so well in the first six weeks and we were able to hold them for the first time at just two weeks old.' Things then took a turn for the worse when Luca battled sepsis at just six weeks old. This occurred after part of his bowel became inflamed and died in a condition known as necrotising enterocolitis. After a tough start, Luca was due to come home in December 2017. However, this was delayed when he was struck down with bacterial meningitis and a second bout of sepsis. While he recovered from that episode, Luca went onto to contract meningitis in February, May and June last year. Although all were traumatic, it was the episode in May that left a lasting impact, with an MRI and CT scan revealing Luca had damage on both sides of his brain. 'Each time he contracted meningitis again, we knew there was a risk he could suffer brain damage,' Mrs Johnson said. 'Every time he seemed to be okay but doctors did tell us it is often hard to tell how the infection has affected them long term. 'During the third time, the doctors told us to prepare for the worst. All I could do was cry, it was all up to him as to whether he would pull through.' Doctors have warned Luca's parents his injuries are so severe he may never walk or talk. The youngster (pictured left recently and right as a newborn) battled sepsis when he was six weeks old. He was then struck by his first bout of meningitis days before he was due to go home His parents want Luca to have the surgery when he turns three to give him hope of walking before he starts school in 2022. Their 'dream' is he will one day 'run around with his siblings' Although Luca survived, his parents soon noticed he was unable to lift his head, grab toys or crawl - all things Lola could do. 'If he was lying down on the play mat he wouldn't reach out with his hands, he was trying to reach them with his tongue - it was like his brain wasn't telling his muscles what to do,' Mr Johnson said. 'We started to do a lot of research ourselves, we drove ourselves crazy. 'It was more not knowing what was wrong, I felt so depressed at the time and I would cry for him, it was awful.' In October last year, the youngster was finally diagnosed with quadriplegic cerebral palsy and PVL. Meningitis can cause cerebral palsy due to the damage the infection does to a baby's brain. And PVL occurs when the white matter in the brain is deprived of blood and oxygen, which causes it to 'soften'. This can lead to problems with movement due to white matter being responsible for the transmission of messages from nerve cells. Despite Luca's difficulties, he has fitted in well with family life. 'Nova and Lola have such a good understanding of his condition already, they seem to be aware of his struggles,' Mrs Johnson said. 'Nova will give him a biscuit and wait for him to grab it because she knows it takes him a bit longer and Lola gives him lots of hugs and kisses.' Doctors were unable to tell the extent of Luca's brain damage initially. However, his parents knew something was wrong when he became unable to reach out for toys Pictured left in hospital, it was the third bout of meningitis that caused lasting damage on both sides of Luca's brain. His parents say the youngster (right) deserves a 'bright future' Nova and Lola are 'aware of Luca's struggles' and 'give him lots of hugs and kisses' Luca, who cannot stand, walk, talk or sit unaided, will undergo Botox injections in September to relax the muscles in his legs. This is recommended before patients have SDR. However, his parents believe the only way he will ever walk is if he has the surgery when he turns three. SDR involves subdividing nerve roots in the spine that cause spasticity. According to Great Ormond Street hospital, children whose muscle stiffness is related to them being premature tend to respond well to SDR, however, those with a history of meningitis do not. NHS England's clinical commissioning policy states SDR can be considered in children with cerebral palsy who have 'spasticity mainly affecting their legs and with not much weakness and with no "dystonia" and who can walk but have problems with their pattern'. Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool offers the surgery for free for children of grade II or III spasticity. But for those of grade IV or V - like Luca - there is a 16,000 cost. Luca's parents are therefore fundraising 30,000 to pay for the operation, as well as 'intensive physiotherapy'. Donate here. A vlogger whose skull was slowly crushing her brain into her spine has revealed that her body is now 'falling apart'. Christina Doherty, of Woburn, Massachusetts, experienced headaches, confusion and paralysis from the age of 16 and had always been an ill child. Doctors diagnosed the 23-year-old with a chiari malformation which is when brain tissue spreads into the spinal canal because in most cases, the skull is too small. But Miss Doherty claims baffled doctors 'didn't know what to do' with her, after surgery failed to improve her condition. She was finally diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), a genetic condition that affects the bodys connective tissue keeping everything - bones, organs, and skin - together. Miss Doherty, who has had more than ten surgeries in total, said: 'My life has become a race against time to literally try to hold myself together before I fall apart.' Christina Doherty, 23, from Woburn, Massachusetts, self-diagnosed a genetic condition, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS). Pictured with her parents Despite having ten surgeries, Miss Doherty, pictured in hospital unwell, says she is in a race against time as her body is falling apart and her skull is 'crushing her brain' Miss Doherty said her surgery has included having her spine from the skull to the tailbone fused together to 'stop me from falling apart'. Pictured, after having surgery Miss Doherty, who is also an artist, believes her EDS was evident from the age of 10-years-old. In 2006, on Christmas Eve, her whole family got the flu and although everyone else got better, Miss Doherty didn't. For the next couple of years, Miss Dohertys family were convinced that she had an auto-immune disease. WHAT IS EHLERS -DANLOS SYNDROME? Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) is the name for a group of rare inherited conditions that affect connective tissue. Research statistics of the Ehlers-Danlos syndromes show the total prevalence as 1 in 2,500 to 1 in 5,000 people, according to charities. There are thirteen individual genetic conditions, all of which affect the bodys connective tissue. Connective tissues provide support in skin, tendons, ligaments, blood vessels, internal organs and bones. Depending on the type of EDS, the faulty gene may have been inherited from one parent, or both parents. Sometimes the faulty gene isnt inherited, but occurs in the person for the first time. EDS can affect people in different ways. For some the condition is relatively mild, while for others their symptoms can be disabling. Some of the rare severe types can be life-threatening. There are several types of EDS that may share some symptoms. These include an increased range of joint movement (joint hypermobility), stretchy skin and fragile skin that breaks or bruises easily. Source: NHS Advertisement Miss Doherty was always tired and contracting viruses but when she was 16, she was suddenly unable to read. She said: 'My symptoms started on the mild side with mostly just gastrointestinal issues, joint pain, fatigue and constantly getting viruses. 'For many years, we thought for sure I had some sort of auto-immune disease causing all of this, but nothing was found. 'Suddenly when I was just 16, I lost the ability to read. I could see the letters clearly, but they meant nothing to me. 'Then the vertigo started. The world was spinning and shifting around me. Next came paralysis, seizures, ringing ears, fainting, headaches and confusion.' Miss Doherty had a MRI scan where doctors discovered that brain tissues were extending into her spinal canal a chiari malformation. Miss Doherty underwent emergency surgery which included removing part of her skull. But unfortunately things got worse - her symptoms came back but she was also experiencing mini strokes. She said: 'I had emergency surgery and remember feeling overwhelmed because I thought I was finally going to get my life back. I was wrong. 'Things got worse. My surgeon struck me off because he didn't know what to do. My symptoms were all back, bringing "friends" with them along with mini strokes.' The vlogger, who is also an artist, believes her condition was evident from the age of 10-years-old when she never recovered from flu. Pictured, with her mother Miss Doherty had a MRI scan where doctors discovered that brain tissues were extending into her spinal canal, which is a chiari malformation. Pictured in front of some brain scans Miss Doherty said: 'Suddenly when I was just 16, I lost the ability to read. Then the vertigo started. Next came paralysis, seizures, ringing ears, fainting, headaches and confusion.' Pictured in hospital In 2013 Miss Doherty was watching a documentary on EDS. After identifying with the symptoms described by others, she started Googling EDS. Within a month, she had the diagnosis she so badly needed and began seeing neurological specialists. They told her that because of her EDS, the remainder of her skull was unable to stay in place. She said: 'I started seeing a neurosurgical specialist in EDS. They found because much of my skull had been removed it was crushing my brain and nearly slipping off altogether.' Miss Doherty has since had more than 10 surgeries to fix this including having her spine fused in place, from her skull to her tailbone, to try and keep her bones in place. She said: 'I can't count the surgeries on two hands, but they included having my spine from my skull to my tailbone fused together to stop me from falling apart. Miss Doherty, pictured knitting with a friend at home, said: 'My life has become a race against time to literally try to hold myself together before I fall apart' Miss Doherty has had an operation to have the bones fused together in her lower leg as her foot was at risk of 'slipping away'. Pictured, wearing a spine and leg brace at home Miss Doherty takes 30-40 tablets a day and has daily rehab exercises and nebuliser treatments to help her breathe. Pictured, wearing a mask because she is sensitive to smells 'I also had a similar operation to have the bones fused together in my lower leg as I was at risk of my foot slipping away. 'Until a few months before the end of 2018 I was also super sensitive to foods, smells and even some types of water. I still wear a mask in public today.' Being sensitive to smell is common among EDS patients as being exposed to strong smells such as perfumes or food can lead to headaches and nausea. Miss Doherty has 30-40 tablets a day which have to be crushed and injected into her stomach because her condition makes it difficult to swallow. She said: 'Besides my daily regime of endless medications, rehabilitation exercises and a nebuliser to help me breathe.' The prognosis for people with EDS varies by subtype, with the most severe type, vascular EDS, having an average life expectancy of 48 years. Despite everything, Miss Doherty tries to remain positive and one day would like to travel Canada and the UK if she can. She said: 'I just love everything about life. The silver lining when being ill are the simple things. Everything is just so beautiful to me. I can't wait to travel to Canada and the UK in future. 'It really does get better. It might be over said, but it's true. EDS doesn't always have to be downhill. 'It is not a death sentence. I can't stress how important it is to make connections and make use of the many support groups out there.' The prevalence of all types of EDS appears to be at least one in 5,000 individuals worldwide, according to the National Institute of Health. It is difficult to determine the true figure, as those with mild joint and skin problems may be undiagnosed. Despite everything, Miss Doherty tries to remain positive and one day would like to travel Canada and the UK if she can. Pictured recently The NHS threatened to sue one of its own hospitals if it publicly said the decision to privatise cancer screening would risk patient safety. Oxford University Hospitals NHS trust was threatened with a lawsuit for agreeing with MPs, doctors and patients, in what is thought to be the first case of its kind. The trust planned to appeal against a decision to hand its cancer screening over to a private firm but backed out after a phone call from NHS England's chairman. NHS chiefs argued in a letter seen by The Guardian that the statement that patients' safety was put at risk would be defamatory if repeated, meaning they would damage the health service's reputation. The cancer centre at the Churchill Hospital in Oxford (pictured) is a centre of excellence for fighting the disease, but a private firm wanted to take its scanning contract out of house The scandal erupted last year when private company InHealth won a contract to provide a cancer scanning service for the trust. InHealth had wanted to move PET-CT body scanners out of one of Oxford's hospitals to its own site but has since been stopped from doing so. And the company also plans to use mobile scanners in Milton Keynes and Swindon. Local MPs said they were 'extremely concerned' about the privatisation of the contract and were publicly backed up by cancer experts working at the trust. A letter from NHS lawyers explained the OUH trust's view was believed to be that the proposal 'has put patient safety at risk, and severely compromised the provision of cancer care and research in the health system'. Tensions were reportedly running high between the trust and NHS England as the former prepared to appeal against the contract decision. But lawyers for the NHS wrote to the OUH trust warning its objections could amount to libel an unlawful damaging statement. The letter said: 'NHS England does not accept that the result of this procurement puts patient safety at risk.' And added: 'We are bound to put you on notice that any statement in those or similar terms would be defamatory if repeated to any third party.' Staff at the trust told The Guardian the NHS was using 'bullying and intimidation' to try and silence them. Anneliese Dodds, MP for Oxford East, told the newspaper: 'I am appalled that NHS England sought to prevent clinicians from offering an informed opinion about privatising Oxfords PET-CT scan service.' She said it was unacceptable that staff did not feel able to speak out. The revelation has come to light ahead of a council meeting in Oxfordshire today. In a statement released last week Dame Fiona Caldicott, chair of the OUH NHS trust said: 'We believe that it is in the best interests of patients living with cancer in Oxford and the surrounding areas for the current PET-CT service at the Churchill Hospital to be retained and for it to continue to be run by OUH clinicians.' An NHS spokesperson said: 'Taxpayers would rightly take a dim view of an NHS hospital diverting funding onto lawyers fees for legal action against another part of the NHS, and Oxford University Hospitals were right not to attempt to do so. 'More importantly, a way has now been found both to secure PetCT services locally in Oxford and expand them to Milton Keynes and Swindon so patients across the region have more convenient high quality care.' MailOnline has contacted InHealth for comment. Areas of the brain controlling emotions, behaviour and memory were affected They found there was less activity in the drinkers' brains even weeks later Experts in Germany and Spain scanned the brains of alcoholics and non-drinkers Experts in Germany and Spain scanned the brains of alcoholics and non-drinkers The headaches, feeling sick and tiredness caused by a hangover usually go away the next day. But your brain may still be feeling the effects of boozing for six weeks after, a study has found. Scientists used brain scans of alcoholics to find the white matter parts of the brain containing nerves continues changing after more than a month of being sober. Scans done by the researchers in Spain and Germany revealed there is significantly less electrical activity (shown by the blue lines) in the brain of an alcoholic after two weeks of sobriety (left) than in the brain of a teetotaller (right) Researchers at the Spanish Institute of Neuroscience and the Central Institute of Mental Health in Germany scanned the brains of 90 alcoholic men. The patients had ended up in hospital because of their drinking problems, and the scans were compared with 36 men who didn't have addictions. And while it was known that drinking alcohol changes how nerves communicate in the brain, the experts realised the changes continue when drinking stops. Although drinking can make people feel happier and more sociable, overuse can cause damage parts of the brain controlling thoughts and movement. Scans showed there is significantly less electrical activity in the brains of drinkers than of teetotallers even after two weeks of sobriety. The changes were still present in the brain after six weeks of no alcohol, according to the research published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry. The researchers said their findings go against the conventional idea that damage from alcohol stops when the drinking ends. Dr Santiago Canals, one of the study authors, said: 'Until now, nobody could believe that in the absence of alcohol the damage in the brain would progress.' The two areas worst affected, the scans showed, were the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex. Memories, emotions, decision-making and behaviour are controlled by these parts of the organ, suggesting these characteristics could be particularly altered. 'We found that at two and six weeks of abstinence, the microstructural changes progressed,' the scientists wrote in their report. They said the travel of the nerve signals continued to be restricted in the brain. And they added: 'These results challenge the conventional idea that the microstructural alterations start to revert to [normal] immediately after discontinuing alcohol consumption.' When Sofia Ali started experiencing intense stomach pain in summer 2016, she initially assumed it was just a stomach bug. But after she started to lose control of her bowels, she went to the hospital, where she was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, a bowel disease that causes inflammation in the digestive tract. When her condition worsened, the then-16-year-old, from Toronto, Canada, was forced to undergo surgery to have her intestine rerouted and she was fitted with an ostomy bag. However, she longed for reversal surgery and had it performed one year later but, when her intestines began leaking, she had to have the bag refitted. Sofia, now 19, say her bag is no longer her most hated feature and she said she wants to break the stigma surrounding the medical device. Sofia Ali started experiencing intense stomach pain in summer 2016 at age 16, but she initially assumed it was just a stomach bug. Pictured: Sofia with her ostomy bag She was eventually diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, a bowel disease that causes inflammation in the digestive tract. Sofia (left and right) was given medication to help control her symptoms Sofia said that when her symptoms first began, she using the bathroom more than 20 times a day and her bowel movements were often bloody. 'My stomach pain was almost constant, and it got worse every time I ate anything. It only got better with pain medication,' she said. 'It wasn't until I began to lose control of my bowel movements and was too weak to leave the house. Then I knew it was more than a stomach bug, so I went to the hospital.' Staff performed ultrasounds and X-rays, but didn't see anything wrong with Sofia, so they sent her home with laxatives. However, Sofia's condition quickly worsened so she decided to visit a different hospital. She spent a week on IV fluids and had a colonoscopy done before being diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. Doctors aren't exactly sure what causes ulcerative colitis, but believe it occurs when the immune system mistakes food and beneficial gut bacteria as an invading virus or bacterium and attacks it. In October 2016, Sofia was admitted to the hospital with a high fever and low heart rate. Doctors discovered her colon was perforated and she was fitted with an ostomy bag. Pictured: Sofia in the hospital in 2017 An ostomy bag allows urine and stool to pass through a surgically-created stoma on the abdomen. Sofia (left and right) said she was ashamed of the bag on her stomach and wanted it removed An estimated 907,000 Americans are believed to have ulcerative colitis, according to Health Union. Treatment usually involves taking anti-inflammatory drugs or, in more severe cases, removing the entire colon and rectum. 'I was mostly in shock because it was pretty terrifying to hear those words,' Sofia said. 'My doctor reassured me that many people live with the disease and just take medication to lead a normal life.' Sofia was put on a medication called Prednisone, which treats inflammatory diseases, but her symptoms were only controlled for a short while. The teenager was eating little to nothing and started losing weight rapidly. She soon began to develop anemia and was getting blood transfusions frequently. In October 2016, Sofia was admitted to the hospital with a high fever and low heart rate. Doctors discovered her colon was perforated and feared it would become septic if they didn't operate, so she was fitted with an ostomy bag. Ostomy surgery is a procedure that allows urine and stool to pass through a surgically-created stoma on the abdomen. A pouch, known as an ostomy bag, is worn over the stoma to collect the bodily waste. 'As much as I was happy to be alive, I hated my ostomy,' Sofia said. 'I was so ashamed of the bag on my stomach. I thought that if people knew about it, they'd think I was gross and that no boys would ever want to be with me.' One year later, in October 2017, she underwent reversal surgery which left her with a j-pouch, a reservoir created out of the small intestine as an alternate way to pass stool. In October 2017, Sofia (left and right) underwent reversal surgery which left her with a j-pouch, a reservoir created out of the small intestine is as an alternate way to pass stool. However, the surgery left her with a leak in her intestines and had caused an abscess and a fistula around her rectum Sofia had to be refitted with her ostomy bag and said she is now proud of the medical device. Pictured: Sofia with her boyfriend, John Unfortunately, Sofia's surgeons failed to notice that there was a leak when he connected the j-pouch to her rectum. For nearly eight months, she suffered from rectal pain, but doctors just assumed she had hemorrhoids, and didn't look into it further. Finally, in June 2018, Sofia had an MRI and CT scan performed, which revealed the leak in her intestines. It had caused an abscess and a fistula around her rectum. In July 2018, Sofia had to have her ostomy bag refitted. But she said her perspective on it changed. 'Those months with my failed j-pouch showed me that my ostomy gave me my life back, and I am so grateful for that,' she said. 'Now, I'm more confident about my ostomy and I wouldn't be alive without it.' She says she hopes that other people who are in the same situation as her can gain the same confidence. 'Having an ostomy doesn't put a stop to your life, it gives you your life back,' Sofia said. 'Ostomies aren't gross, smelly or for old people - they are life-saving devices.' He had lost the tip of his penis just four days after the first sign of a problem A man whose erection lasted two days developed gangrene and needed the tip of his penis amputated. The extraordinary case of the unnamed 52-year-old, from India, has been published in an medical journal. Doctors revealed the man first went to the hospital because he couldn't get rid of a 'painful and sustained' erection. When medics drained the blood, however, they left a catheter in and he quickly developed a black gangrene on the head of his penis. The unnamed patient, 52, first went to a medical centre in the north of India because he had a painful erection which wouldn't go away. But within four days he had had the end of his penis amputated, his doctors revealed in BMJ Case Reports (stock image) By the time he returned to hospital there was so much dead tissue surgeons were left with no option but to amputate. The man was treated at King George's Medical University in Lucknow around 310miles (500km) south east of New Delhi. He first sought help for priapism, the medical term for a persistent and painful erection of the penis, according to an article in BMJ Case Reports. He had been suffering from the painful condition for 48 hours before first going to a medical centre. It is unsure what triggered his priapism. It is considered a medical emergency if an erection lasts for longer than two hours. However, the NHS states it can be caused by sickle cell disease, illegal and legal drugs, or by taking Viagra or similar erection remedies. Surgeons put a device called a shunt, which diverts blood flow, into his penis along with a urinary catheter, and wrapped it in a compressive bandage. But just the day after his operation, the glans (head) of his penis which became flaccid began to turn black. 'We removed his urethral catheter,' Dr Saqib Mehdi, who treated the patient, wrote in the case report. 'But still the black colour of glans penis deepened over the next day and a clear line of demarcation became visible between it and the penile shaft.' Doctors couldn't stop the gangrene, which is the irreversible death of skin and flesh, so decided the best option was to amputate the head of the penis. Three weeks after the life-changing operation the man could urinate normally and had a 'healthy wound', the report said. Dr Mehdi and his colleagues suggested the catheter and tight dressing put on after the procedure to treat the man's priapism may have triggered the gangrene. A man was suspected of murdering his girlfriend until a post-mortem discovered a toothpick had punctured her throat. Doctors had dismissed the unnamed woman as having a cold when she had visited complaining of something jammed in her throat after eating bread and salami. The 50-year-old, who lived in Coimbra, Portugal, had even been sent for psychiatric testing in case the pain was 'all in her head'. Just a day after being given antibiotics for her suspected cold, she was found dead in the bathroom of her and her six-year partner's home. Her pyjamas were soaked with blood and a wound to her head. After the family threw around accusations of foul pay, doctors concluded that a toothpick had caused inflammation and the heart to stop. A 3.5 centimetre (1.3inch) wooden tooth pick fragment was found which punctured the woman's throat and interfered with vital nerves - causing the heart to stop A man was suspected of murdering his 50-year-old girlfriend, from Portugal, until a post mortem investigated green colouring on her neck and discovered a toothpick During an autopsy, the pathologists noticed the woman had a green colour on the skin around her neck. After opening up the throat, a 3.5cm wooden tooth pick fragment was found covered in pus alongside two puncture wounds in her throat wall. Dr Cesar Lares do Santos, a pathologist at the National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences in Portugal, released the report in the Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine. She visited the casualty unit of her local hospital twice but X-rays and a closer examination of her throat hadn't found any significant results. Dr Lares do Santos said: 'Due to the victim's medical history, she was evaluated by a psychiatrist.' The woman had suffered with a psychiatric disorder after becoming a widow in the past. Dr Lares do Santos suggested the doctor probably thought the woman had globus pharingeus, the sensation of feeling a lump in the throat. But after the psychiatrist found the woman to be mentally stable, she was diagnosed with a common cold. The woman was told to return to the doctor if her symptoms didn't clear up. But a day later, she was dead. PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE NEARLY BLEEDS TO DEATH AFTER SWALLOWING A TOOTHPICK A professional athlete nearly died when he swallowed a toothpick and it became lodged in his intestine and punctured an artery. The 18-year-old in Boston, Massachusetts, lived with the 7.5cm (three inches) long wooden spike in his internal organs for three weeks before doctors found it. While travelling to train with his team the man went to hospital after developing pain in his stomach and back, a fever, nausea and diarrhoea with blood in it. Medics couldn't find anything the first time he went to a hospital, but 20 days later they discovered the toothpick which, when removed, triggered 'life-threatening bleeding'. A report from the Massachusetts General Hospital revealed at one point, the unnamed teenager had a body temperature of 40.6C (105.08F) far higher than the threshold for a fever (38C/100.4F). He had pain in his back and side, lost his appetite and repeatedly found blood in his faeces, according to the report in the New England Journal of Medicine. Advertisement She had been watching television with her partner when she went to the bathroom only to be found sometime later, face down, unconscious, her pyjamas soaked with blood and with a wound to her head. Dr Lares do Santos said: 'Sudden, unexpected or of unknown cause deaths, especially when blood is found at the scene, may give rise to unfounded early speculation.' The inflammation caused by the toothpick interfered with nerves vital in the control of the brain, heart and lungs, leading to a cardiovascular collapse, the pathologists claimed. Her injuries would have been due to hitting her head on the bathroom floor, and those on her nose could have been from the glasses she was wearing. Dr Lares do Santos said: 'Traumatic lesions to the oesophagus are relatively uncommon in adults.' Although there are a few cases of toothpicks being swallowed, none, to the team's knowledge, has resulted in a puncture to the throat. One study identified 136 cases of ingestion, with 9.6 per cent rate of mortality. The team said that the toothpick had not been picked up by an X-ray because even coins can be missed, and that it wasn't in an obvious place to be seen during a laryngoscopy - a procedure to look at the back of the throat. Therefore, they said: 'This case is also a very important reminder for clinical practitioners. 'First, to always maintain a high degree of suspicion towards less usual pathological scenarios. 'Second, to avoid diagnostic biases such as those related to psychiatric disorders.' French health officials have officially banned two types of breast implants because of fears they can cause cancer. Surgeons in the country will no longer be allowed to use implants with a textured or polyurethane-coated surface. The country's National Agency of Medicines and Health Products (ANSM) made the announcement today, reporting that 59 cases of implant-caused cancer have been confirmed since 2011. It said there is a 'rare but serious danger' of women developing anaplastic large cell lymphoma as a result of their implants. The move follows a de facto ban by the French last year when they refused to renew the safety approval of certain implants made by the company Allergan. France's National Agency of Medicines and Health Products today banned textured and polyurethane-coated breast implants amid fears they cause cancer (stock image) Health chiefs are growing increasingly concerned about a link between implants and anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL). The illness is a rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and occurs when white blood cells turn cancerous and build up in the lymph nodes immune system reservoirs. French news publication Le Monde, which published a leaked letter the ANSM sent to implant manufacturers, called the decision 'historic'. The ANSM reportedly told the companies BIA-ALCL has a 'rare cancer pathology, but [is] likely to lead to the death of patients'. The government organisation has been tracking people with the breast implants since 2011, when concerns about the link to cancer were first raised. And among those who developed BIA-ALCL, the ANSM said women with textured implants were 'over-represented'. Around 400,000 women in France are believed to have breast implants, but the ANSM today said there was no need for them to have them removed in light of the ban. It described the move as 'precautionary' and it will result in the implants concerned being removed from the French market. In its statement the ANSM said: 'Given the rarity of the risk of occurrence of [cancer], the ANSM does not recommend preventive explantation of macrotextured implants and implants with polyurethane-coated surface.' WHAT IS BIA-ALCL? BIA-ALCL is breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma. It is a rare but treatable cancer that develops in the immune system around breast implants. By September 2018 the US Food and Drug Administration had received reports of 660 BIA-ALCL cases and nine deaths. Per its latest statistics, the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has recorded 57 cases of BIA-ALCL since 2011. The cancer most commonly occurs among women who have had breast implants with a textured surface. The disease is a type of T-cell lymphoma, which means it affects lymphocytes, more commonly known as white blood cells. These can start a cancer when one mutates to become abnormal or out of control, then divides into more cancerous cells which spread. BIA-ALCL is a relatively treatable cancer and many patients are declared cancer-free after having the implants and surrounding tissue removed. The survival rate for patients with BIA-ALCL is 89 per cent for five years after being declared cancer-free. It is considered to be a rare illness but estimates of its incidence vary the MHRA believes it to be one case of cancer per every 24,000 implants. Advertisement The organisation also said it wanted to drive home the importance of giving women 'rigorous and complete' information before they have implants, and said surgeons must have frank discussions about the risks of the procedure. It is unclear how many of the women who developed cancer had textured implants but, in the UK, as many as 99 per cent of women with implants have textured ones. France refused to renew approval for some textured implants last year, effectively banning them in the country and EU. This affected the Allergan Natrelle implants with Biocell and Microcell textured surfaces. And concerns go back even further in July 2017 Professor Jim Frame, a cosmetic surgery expert at Anglia Ruskin University said: 'This cancer is a potential bombshell that has been swept under the carpet for five years. 'Textured implants should be banned. We should return to using smooth ones which were safe.' France was also at the centre of the major PIP scandal in 2010 which involved implants filled with a cheap industrial-grade silicone gel. Poly Implant Prothese, a company based in the southern town of La Seyne-sur-Mer was shut down and its founder Jean-Claude Mas was sentenced to four years in prison for fraud. PIP implants had been found to be made of silicone intended for mattresses, not for medical use, and were two to six times more likely to burst than regular implants. A ruptured implant could cause lumpiness or swelling, redness, pain and a burning sensation, but there have been no proven long-term effects. In a March 2017 report, the US Food and Drug Administration found women with breast implants had a 'very low but increased risk' of developing anaplastic large-cell lymphoma compared with women who did not have them. Of the 359 cases of BIA-ALCL reported in the US, 203 were found in wearers of textured implants compared with 28 in wearers of smooth implants, the report said. The UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has recorded 48 cases of BIA-ALCL since it started recording in 2011. It has not banned the implants from being used but the issue remains controversial, and the MHRA urges surgeons to explain the risks to women considering having them. A spokesperson for the MHRA said: 'We are aware of ANSMs announcement concerning breast implants. 'Patient safety is our highest priority and we always investigate where there are safety concerns raised about a medical device. 'Based on our analysis of the latest scientific evidence and expert clinical advice input our advice remains unchanged: there is no new evidence of an increased risk to patients and there is no need for people with breast implants to have them removed. 'If individuals people have any questions about their implants, they should speak to their implanting surgeon or general practitioner.' The ANSM's ban will take effect from tomorrow, Friday April 5. The US government is continuing its decade-long crusade against rogue stem cell clinics that are proving near impossible to shut down. On Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration sent warning letters to 20 clinics with expensive, unproven and risky stem cell therapies that promise to cure severe eye conditions. Many of the clinics have been accused of blinding patients who were seeking relief from macular degeneration and optic neuritis, among other things - charging up to $50,000 for the service. But experts say the FDA's efforts are hardly enough, calling for stronger and more widespread action. Dr Mark Berman of the Cell Surgical Network is being sued over practices like this one, in which he collected fat from a patient's back for an experimental stem cell procedure Leigh Turner, a bioethicist at the University of Minnesota, told the Washington Post the FDA's slow roll-out of warning letters here and there have allowed the industry to expand. 'If youre trying to tackle this one business at a time, youre not going to make a dent,' Turner told the Post. 'Were talking about one new warning letter when there are now hundreds of clinics out there... Why not send out 50 warning letters? 100 warning letters?' There are no approved stem cell therapies to treat eye conditions in the US. But with no other options to reverse eye damage, patients are often willing to try anything - particularly when they're marketed so glowingly. A new study conducted by the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York found 40 companies with 76 clinics that advertising stem cell procedures to treat vision issues. 'None of this is covered by insurance. They're all paying out of pocket,' coauthor Dr. Rajinder Nirwan of the Flaum Eye Institute at Rochester told Reuters Health. 'Patients have paid anywhere from $5,000 to upwards of $50,000 per treatment,' he added. 'Patients have been taking out mortgages on their homes to pay for these kinds of treatments.' California, Florida, and Illinois had the most clinics, according to the report. Sources of the stem cells included fat, bone, bone marrow, umbilical cord blood and placentas. Some companies infuse the cells through a vein; other companies inject them into the eye. Complications can include bleeding in the eye and sudden, severe vision loss, Nirwan's team notes. The researchers warn that cell therapy clinics often claim -incorrectly - that their services do not fall under FDA oversight. And because patient-funded trials of cell therapy for eye diseases may be listed on clinicaltrials.gov (the National Institutes of Health official online study registry), consumers may mistakenly take those listings as indications that the procedures have been vetted by regulators and the federal government. 'The proprietors have taken considerable pains to push the boundaries of the guidelines, and in some cases misrepresented registered studies as 'government approved' studies, thereby effectively gaming the system,' said Dr. Henry Klassen, professor at the Gavin Herbert Eye Institute at the University of California, Irvine, who wasn't involved in the study. Senior study author Dr. Ajay Kuriyan, also of the University of Rochester Medical Center, believes increasing patient awareness is the best path forward. He noted that most patients who opt for the treatments find them by looking for potential cures in Google searches. 'When you're searching online for other alternatives you do come across these very well designed websites and testimonials and videos that promise a lot, and I think it's easy when you have a disease that doesn't have a clear treatment option . . . that you try to look for other treatments,' he said in a phone interview. Klassen agrees that the clinic-seeking phenomenon is driven by desperation. 'If validated medical options existed, there would be much less interest in non-validated procedures,' he said. Kuriyan is careful to clarify that cell therapies should not be broadly discounted as snake oil. 'There are several studies happening . . . looking at stem cell therapy and I think we need to see what the (results) are,' he said, adding that the safety and effectiveness need to be confirmed in legitimate clinical trials. Having just one or two alcoholic drinks a night significantly increases the risk of suffering a stroke in later life, a major study has shown. Experts from Oxford University said their study of 500,000 people finally dispels the 'myth' that light drinking protects health. They found that one or two drinks a day increased the risk of suffering a stroke in the next ten years by 10 to 15 per cent, and four drinks a day by 35 per cent. For years many experts have argued that consuming alcohol moderately has a protective effect - pointing to studies which showed the odd glass of wine or pint of beer reduced the risk of heart attacks and strokes. But critics argue those studies were flawed - because they included alcoholics who have become tee-total or people who did not drink because of other health problems. Experts from Oxford University said their study of 500,000 people finally dispells the 'myth' that light drinking protects health So the evidence seemed to suggest that light drinkers were at lower risk than those who drank nothing at all. The new study, published in the Lancet medical journal, got around this problem by using a genetic study of people in China. A third of people in China carry a genetic quirk that means they cannot tolerate drink. Their genes mean they do not have the ability to clear away a toxic byproduct of alcohol - causing them to become nauseous and flushed after even a small volume of drink. The researchers tested the genes of people in ten parts of China - and then tracked their drinking. Those who did not drink because of their genetic mutation were judged to be a reliable marker of zero alcohol consumption, because they simply could not tolerate the drink. The other two-thirds of the participants who did not suffer from the same genetic quirk were able to drink freely - and the men on average drank four drinks a day and were at a far higher risk of suffering high blood pressure and strokes. BEER BEFORE WINE IS NOT FINE, SCIENTISTS FIND Beer before wine and you'll feel fine, is how the tactical tippler thinks - but the old adage appears to be a myth. In a less than surprising revelation, researchers last month found hangovers are just as bad, regardless of what order you drink your drinks. Scientists gave alcoholic drinks to 90 volunteers in different combinations in a laboratory experiment on two separate nights. Some were asked to drink two and a half pints of Carlsberg, followed by four large glasses of white wine. A second group started with wine before beer. Researchers had to control the drunk participants, who were singing and dancing, with a megaphone. They were sent to bed in the lab at 1am. Participants were asked about their hangover the following day and gave a score on a so-called Acute Hangover Scale. The findings, led by a team at Cambridge University, indicated that no matter how you order your drinks, if you drink too much you are still likely to be ill. Dr Kai Hensel, one of the researchers, said: 'The vomiting rate was a little higher than I'd have thought. But they enjoyed it.' Advertisement Chinese women drank very little, regardless of their genetic make-up. But researcher Professor Sir Richard Peto, co-director of the Clinical Trial Service Unit at Oxford University, said he was confident the findings were applicable to British men and women alike. 'If women drink like men, they die like men,' he said. He stressed the findings were not intended to put people off drinking - and said smoking would have a much bigger impact on risk. Sir Richard said: 'I don't think people are going to change what they drink due to these results. 'But we have got the truth about a story that has been a myth for ages.' Study leader Professor Zhengming Chen, also of Oxford, said: 'It has been claimed that moderate drinking is potentially beneficial, especially for cardiovascular disease. 'This study shows really robust evidence that refutes this claim. The key message is this protective effect is not real. 'Even moderate alcohol consumption increases the chances of having a stroke..' He added: 'The findings for heart attack were less clear-cut, so we plan to collect more evidence.' The study supports official drinking guidelines issued by the chief medical officer Dame Sally Davies in 2016, which warned there is no 'safe' level of drinking. Leading scientists who were initially critical of that guidance said they may change their minds in the light of the new findings. David Spiegelhalter, professor for the public understanding of risk at the University of Cambridge, said: 'I have always been reasonably convinced that moderate alcohol consumption was protective for cardiovascular disease, but now I am having my doubts.' He added: 'This is a very impressive study which shows that men who, by chance, have a combination of genes that put them off drinking alcohol, have a lower risk of stroke compared with those without these genes. 'The fact that this is not true for Chinese women, who tend not to drink whatever their genes, suggests this effect is due to the alcohol rather than the genes themselves.' He added: 'The increase in total stroke risk was around 38 per cent for every 40g of alcohol drunk per day; that's five UK units, or over a half-bottle of wine. 'To give this some perspective, it is very roughly the opposite effect of taking a statin.' The NHS recommends that adults drink no more than 14 units each week that's 14 single shots of spirit or six pints of beer or a bottle and a half of wine About 95 percent of Oregon anti-vaxx parents print their own exemption certificate from the state government website. Oregon is one of 17 US states that allows exemptions for religious, philosophical and/or personal beliefs. Of the 31,500 non-medical vaccine exemptions filed in 2018, about 30,000 were done from parents who watched an online education module and printed a certificate of completion, reported Kaiser Health News. Not even 2,000 parents partook in the second option, which is to talk to a healthcare provide and have him or her sign a vaccine education form. Of the 31,500 non-medical vaccine exemptions filed in Oregon in 2018, about 30,000 were from parents who watched an online module and printed their own certificate of completion. Pictured: The beginning of Oregon Health Authority's online education module In Oregon, nearly eight percent of children were exempt from getting vaccines required for kindergarten for the 2017-18 school year. Dr Saad Omer, a professor of global health, epidemiology, and pediatrics at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, told Kaiser Health that it's plain to see why anti-vaxx parents were choosing the online module: it's easier. However, he says he's worried because unvaccinated children can become infected with - and spread - communicable diseases like measles. On Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 387 cases have been confirmed this year, surpassing the count for all of 2018, which was 372. The 2019 tally is the second-highest since measles was considered to be eradicated in 2000, putting this year on track to beat the record-high of 667 cases in 2014. One of those outbreaks has been clustered in Clark County, Washington, an anti-vaccination 'hotspot' that borders Portland. Of the 73 people affected in Clark County, 63 of the cases are in residents who have not been vaccinated. Fifty-three cases are in children aged 10 and under. The highly infectious disease has been spreading mostly among people who are unvaccinated or live in states that allow non-medical exemptions for vaccines. 'The ease of exemption is a big predictor,' said Dr Omer. However, experts say that making it more difficult to obtain exemptions will drive down rates of unvaccinated children. Of the 17 states that allow non-medical exemptions, only Michigan and Washington require parents to speak with a practitioner. In 2015, Michigan officials enacted a rule that parents who wanted a vaccine waiver had to partake in an education session in person with a county health educator. Lynn Sutfin, a spokeswoman for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, told Kaiser Health that vaccine waiver rates have since fallen from 4.8 percent in 2014 to 3.6 percent in 2017. Dr Omer said he thinks eliminating the online module and requiring parents to be counseled by a physician would help drive down exemption rates. A bill has recently been presented in Oregon's Congress that would ban all non-medical exemptions for vaccine, including religious reasons. Several residents held a rally on Saturday to show their opposition for the bill, claiming that the state is trying to exert overreaching power. Mother-of-two Carrie Miller, who was at the protest, told KTVL that her seven-year-old daughter Riley has not been vaccinated since she was an infant and believes it's kept her healthier. 'Where there is risk there has to be choice. That is how medicine works and that's how the world works,' Miller said. Cannabis being sold on the streets of Europe may be contaminated with faeces, scientists have discovered. Samples sold in Madrid were tested and found E.coli bacteria in three quarters the diarrhoea and vomiting bug can be transmitted through human faeces. Most of the samples were too dangerous to be consumed and pose a 'public health risk', the researchers said. Though the study was only conducted in Spain, one expert told MailOnline the same 'unusual' thing could be happening in the UK and other places in Europe. This is because of the way the drug is sometimes smuggled into countries by swallowing it and later excreting it with the use of laxatives. Experts said the findings are worrying considering some people who use cannabis do so to try and alleviate health problems. Tonnes of cannabis being sold on the streets of Europe may be contaminated with faeces, scientists in Madrid have discovered The research team, led by Jose Manuel Moreno Perez, a pharmacologist from the Universidad Complutense in Madrid, collected 90 samples in Madrid over a year. The samples were separated into either 'acorns' or 'ingots', which are the shapes they are bought in. Each sample was then broken down into smaller pieces and looked at under a microscope, the authors write in the journal Forensic Science International. They found that 93 per cent of the acorn-shaped samples were contaminated with E.coli, as well as 29.4 per cent of the ingot samples. Some 10 per cent of the cannabis samples were also contaminated with Aspergillus, a dangerous fungus that can cause serious health problems such as lung infections. A total of 88.3 per cent of the cannabis samples were not suitable for consumption based on the amount of E.coli contamination allowed by guidelines in the EU and US. The odour of each sample was also recorded and 40 per cent of acorns had an aroma of faeces, the researchers said. All of these were contaminated with E.coli. The research team, led by Jose Manuel Moreno Perez, a pharmacologist from the Universidad Complutense in Madrid, looked at 90 samples under a microscope. Pictured, an acorn shape This led the researchers to suggest the way the cannabis is transported into the country where it is illegal may be to blame. Mr Perez told Spanish newspaper El Pais the cannabis is wrapped up in small plastic pellets and swallowed before the drug smugglers then 'take a laxative and expel' them in a toilet. WHAT IS E. COLI? E.coli full name Escherichia coli is a bacteria commonly found in people's bodies and which usually does not cause any illness. However, it can cause infection in the gut or urinary tract infections (UTIs) which can have unpleasant symptoms. Diarrhoea, abdominal pain and fever are all common effects, while more serious cases of the infection can cause bloody diarrhoea, dehydration or kidney failure. Advice for avoiding E. coli infection includes good hand-washing, washing fruits and vegetables, cooking meat thoroughly and keeping raw meat separate from other food, and not swallowing water when swimming. E. coli can cause hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a rare disease of the blood which can lead to potentially deadly kidney failure. Advertisement The acorns are then sold by dealers to unknowing users who, the authors pointed out, may believe contamination cannot cause harm if it is inhaled. Ian Hamilton, a lecturer in mental health and addiction at the University of York, told MailOnline the findings were 'very unusual' because this is the sort of thing you would associate with the smuggling of a drug like cocaine. He said: 'This highlights just how much you don't know what you will be exposed to. The same thing could happen in the UK as has happened in Madrid.' However, he said the contamination of E.coli could have been from the hands of the people who processed the drugs. He added the results are particularly concerning for those with existing health conditions who use cannabis. 'We know that some people who have problems with their health use cannabis to try and alleviate the problems they have. This group will be particularly vulnerable to this type of contamination which could make their underlying health problem much worse. 'The risk of exposure to these type of bacteria is always there in an illegal market where some dealers and suppliers don't have to adhere to any quality control.' People with weakened immune systems or lung diseases, such as asthma or cystic fibrosis, are at a higher risk of developing health problems due to Aspergillus fungus. The findings, the authors said, are similar to that of a study which analysed samples of cannabis sold in coffee shops in the Netherlands, which also found that 80 per cent were contaminated with E.coli. Parents are paying up to 600,000 more for a home within the catchment area of Britain's top state schools. Properties within walking distance of England's 30 top performing secondaries are up to 149 per cent more expensive than the average house price across the county. It means those lucky enough to live near one of the country's best state schools can more than double the price of their home. Homeowners near Beaconsfield High School enjoy an average house price of 1,018,794, compared to the 408,908 average in the rest of Buckinghamshire. This figure means those wanting to buy a home within the school's catchment area would be expected to pay a premium of 609,887, the highest in England. Living near one of the country's best state schools can more than double the price of your home, figures have revealed Ten highest premiums paid by homeowners to live near top schools SCHOOL AV. HOUSE PRICE (in postcode) AV. HOUSE PRICE (county/local authority) PRICE INCREASE (compared to county) Beaconsfield High School, Buckinghamshire 1,018,794 408,908 609,887 (149%) Altrincham Grammar School, Cheshire 434,756 249,829 184,927 (74%) Loreto Grammar School, Cheshire 434,756 249,829 184,927 (74%) Henrietta Barnett School, Barnet 1,100,748 672,434 428,314 (64%) Dr Challoner's High School, Buckinghamshire 666,310 408,908 257,402 (63%) Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School, Kent 439,816 344,478 95,338 (28%) Tiffin Girls' School, Kingston Upon Thames 704,643 571,845 132,798 (23%) Newport Girls' High School, Shropshire 245,164 217,600 27,564 (13%) St Olave's and St Saviour's, Bromley 552,945 507,661 45,284 (9%) Nonsuch High School for Girls, Sutton 447,195 413,522 33,673 (8%) Also in Buckinghamshire is Dr Challoner's High School, which has the country's fifth highest added premium at 63 per cent. House prices near the school, where human rights lawyer Amal Clooney studied as a young girl, are 257,402 more expensive on average than those across the county. The data, compiled by Lloyds Bank, also shows how prices near the best state schools have grown almost twice as fast as the rest of the country since 2013. Properties within the catchment area of the 30 top secondaries have risen by 35 per cent, or 104,356, compared to the national average of 20 per cent, or 49,082. The figures mean the typical home found within those catchment areas is worth 400,850, which is an eye-watering 107,026 more than the English average in 2018. Those living near Latymer School in Enfield, north London have seen the biggest growth since 2013, with local prices rocketing by 59 per cent to 320,684. The figures means those wanting to buy a home within the school's catchment area would be expected to pay a premium of 609,887, the highest in England The Spinney (pictured) near Beaconsfield High School Parents are paying up to 600,000 more for a home within the catchment area of Britain's top state schools Willow Tree Road near Altrincham Grammar School (pictured), Cheshire Parents are paying up to 600,000 more for a home within the catchment area of Britain's top state schools Outside of London, homes near Southend High School in Essex that have seen the greatest increase in value over the last five years, rising 50 per cent to 251,461. Two-thirds of the top schools are in locations where average house prices have grown by at least 80,000 since 2013. The top 30 schools were rated as those with the highest percentage of GCSE pupils achieving five or more A* to C grades. Meanwhile, the average property prices in all counties was calculated using Land Registry figures relating to sales in the 12 months to May this year. A number of the top 30 schools are grammar schools which also require an exam to be passed to allow entry. The ten highest price increases near England's best state schools SCHOOL AV. HOUSE PRICE 2013 (in postcode) AV. HOUSE PRICE 2018 (in postcode) PRICE INCREASE (over five years) Latymer School, Enfield 202,095 320,684 59% Nonsuch High School for Girls, Sutton 284,928 447,195 57% Wilson's School, Sutton 251,848 384,694 53% Wallington County Grammar School, Sutton 251,848 384,694 53% St Olave's and St Saviour's Grammar School, Bromley 365,933 552,945 51% Southend High School for Girls, Essex 167,673 251,461 50% Townley Grammar School, Bexley 253,486 379,279 50% Kendrick School, Berkshire 200,469 293,874 47% Altrincham Grammar School for Girls, Cheshire 299,658 434,756 45% Loreto Grammar School, Cheshire 299,658 434,756 45% Pictured: Hartley Road in Altrincham, Loreto Grammar School, Cheshire Although the catchment area of a state school - comprehensive and grammar - can vary, schools usually have an 'oversubscription' criterion. This means that those living closest to the 'school door' will get priority if the number of successful applications exceeds the number of available places. Andrew Mason, Lloyds Bank mortgages director, said: 'Providing their children with a good education is a priority for most parents and is often on the list of key considerations for families looking to decide where to live. 'While there is most definitely a premium attached to some neighbourhoods surrounding the best state schools across the country, there are also many that come in under the county average, particularly outside of London and the South East where homes remain more affordable versus average earnings.' Pictured: North Square near Henrietta Barnett School, Barnet, north London Australia's most divisive right-wing politician, Fraser Anning, has denied claims his family boasted about enslaving young Aboriginal children on their North Queensland cattle property. 'Catchem young' was the phrase allegedly used by Senator Anning's great-grandfather in an unpublished memoir detailing how Aboriginal children would be captured and forced to work on the family's Reedy Springs cattle station near Richmond. Another ancestor of Senator Anning reportedly 'hunted blacks' during the early years of white settlement in the region. The alleged racist past of the Anning family emerged as the Senator was censured by Federal Parliament on Wednesday over 'pathetic and shameful' remarks, in which he blamed the Christchurch massacre committed by a white supremacist on high levels of Muslim immigration. Senator Anning told Daily Mail Australia the claims about his family were 'nonsense', and while acknowledging they had been printed in history books, he said: 'At no time did any of my ancestors force anyone to come on to their properties - the opposite is actually a fact'. He also said there was 'no way' they would have attacked Indigenous Australians. The former One Nation senator became a poster child for right-wing groups since referring to the 'final solution' a term used in Nazi Germany to describe the extermination of Jews - in his maiden speech to Parliament in 2018. Senator Anning used the term while calling for an end to Muslim immigration to Australia. Fraser Anning, pictured on Instagram in front of the cattle property where he grew up, has denied claims his ancestors 'hunted blacks' and captured Aboriginal children to use as free labour during their time as pastoralists in northern Queensland Pictured: Fraser Anning's father Bill (left) with his aunt Mary (centre) sit with grandfather Harry William Connolly, 17, smashed a raw egg on the back of Senator Anning's head in response to his inflammatory remarks about the Christchurch shooting Following his inflammatory Christchurch remarks, Senator Anning had a raw egg cracked over the back of his head by William Connolly, 17. He retaliated by turning and hitting the boy twice. Senator Anning has consistently denied accusations he is a racist and doubled down ahead of his censure motion in Parliament on the need to stop 'sinister' Muslim immigration to Australia, which he blames for increasing violence and terrorism. 'What is really being censured here is not me, it is the right of anyone to say something that those in power disagree with,' he said. Senator Anning is proud of his family's cattle farming history, and a picture from his Instagram page shows him happily posing in front of the property he grew up on at Wetherby, near Richmond. The Anning family took over a large section of farming land in north-west Queensland when they settled in Australia in 1861. They went on to own multiple cattle stations. But Senator Anning's happy snap from the front gate of his family farm may hide an ugly ancestral past, according to historians. A history book published in 1982, which focused on white settlement in the late 1800s, claims the Anning family would take young Indigenous people from their families and force them to work on their cattle station. Invasion and resistance, by historian Noel Loos, refers to excerpts of an unpublished memoir by Senator Anning's great-uncle Richard Anning, collated in a book titled: 'Sun on the Right'. In the memoir, Richard described how his father, Frank (Fraser's great-grandfather) had captured a young boy to work on his station at Reedy Springs, using the phrase: 'catchem young' in his explanation of events. The 69-year-old has been seen affiliating with right-wing extremists like Blair Cottrell (pictured right), and enjoys a huge wave of support from people who subscribe to far-right politics After settling in Australia in 1861, Anning's family took over a great deal of land in northern Queensland, which they developed into multiple cattle stations. Anning grew up at Wetherby Station (pictured) A history book alleges Senator Anning's ancestors 'hunted' Indigenous people and captured young Indigenous people so they would work on the family cattle stations, but the Queensland politician has firmly denied this ever happened (pictured: stock image of an Indigenous family in Queensland) Another relative of the Queensland senator is accused of attacking Indigenous people nearby his cattle station, with explorer and pastoralist Frank Hann writing in his memoirs in 1874 he met John Anning who had 'just come back from hunting blacks'. Excerpts from the memoirs were published in Aboriginal Family and the State, written by Sally Babidge, in 2010. Senator Anning told Daily Mail Australia there were no fights between the Anning family and local Indigenous people, and his ancestors worked hard to ensure a high standard of living for those in their employ. 'I was lucky enough to know my grandfather [Harry] - he was still alive at 93,' he said. 'When I was 22 or 23, I spoke at length to him about his life in the early days. I questioned him about wars with the Aboriginies, and he said that may have been the case in some other areas, but he was busy trying to run a cattle farm.' The former hotelier said there was no way his ancestors could have been 'hunting blacks', because they were simply too busy. 'When you're trying to run a thousand mile place with little help, you don't have time to go out hunting anyway - I'm not sure if it's happened, but it certainly never happened in our family,' he said. The Queensland Senator is regularly criticised for his hard-right views, and espouses conservative beliefs regarding topics like abortion (pictured is a flyer for his political party, Fraser Anning's Conservative Nationals) 'In the conversations I had with my grandfather, he just laughed at suggestions anyone had thought of doing that. The blacks and whites got on very well together and it was a great relationship.' Senator Anning also said Indigenous people would fight to get a job on one of his family's cattle stations because of the excellent conditions, and many took on the Anning name or the name of the station they were working on when the Federal Government ruled they needed to have last names. But the Australian Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies says 'surnames were often assigned by European employers, and Aboriginal people were sometimes given their employers surname'. Anning's extreme views on immigration could have been passed down from his family. In an article written in newspaper The Barrier Miner in September 1948 - the year before Anning was born - his grandfather W.H. Anning said he'd nominated an English family to emigrate to Australia who he'd never met and even built them a house 'because he wants to bring the right type of migrants to Australia'. Senator Anning, now 69, worked on Wetherby until he married his wife Fiona, and the pair moved into the hotel business, which they believed to be more profitable than cattle farming. He then worked in aircraft manufacturing before returning to the hotel business, and enjoyed a brief stint in construction at the gas plants in Gladstone before launching a career in politics. Senator Anning was sworn into federal Parliament as a Senator on a salary of $199,040 at the end of 2017, despite only securing 19 votes in the 2016 election. He replaced One Nation's Malcolm Roberts who was disqualified over dual citizenship, but the father-of-two announced almost immediately he was leaving One Nation to stand as an Independent. He joined Bob Katter's Australia Party shortly after, but was dumped after falling out with the outspoken Member for Kennedy. Mr Katter told Daily Mail Australia he had known Anning 'all his life', but was never close to him. While Katter stood by him after his controversial maiden speech, telling reporters it was 'solid gold', the veteran politician said he was unable to continue supporting Senator Anning after he made subsequent outlandish statements about immigration. 'Fraser gets started talking about Europeans and non-Europeans, and that's straight racial, and we're not a racist party,' he said, adding they were 'happier' without him. Senator Anning left the family farm at Wetherby Station after marrying wife Fiona (pictured), and the pair began working in the hotel business After famously leaving Pauline Hanson's One Nation party soon after he was propelled to a senate seat in place of Malcolm Roberts, Anning joined the Katter Australia Party (Bob Katter pictured left) Since joining Parliament, Senator Anning has attracted a far-right following, with United Patriot Front leader Blair Cottrell and fellow right-winger Nick Folkes associating with him at a rally against 'African gangs' held in St Kilda in January, which he charged taxpayers $2,800 to attend. Senator Anning justified the expense claim by saying he was there to 'represent the people of Queensland who had also been subjected to African gang violence recently'. 'I didn't see any people there who appeared to be radicals,' he said after the event. 'There were no skinheads, just ordinary working people who'd had enough.' Fraser Anning's Conservative National Party, which was registered by the Australian Electoral Commission on Tuesday, plans to run a senate candidate in every state. The party's official Facebook page already has 17,000 'likes' - which is a substantial increase in support on the 19 votes he received at the 2016 Federal Election. In his speeches to Parliament, Senator Anning has called for 'lethal force' to be used against 'Sudanese gangs' by civilians, a plebiscite on who can emigrate to Australia and shared his extreme opposition to abortion in all forms. The Senator came under fire following the Christchurch massacre when he released a statement asking: 'Does anyone still dispute the link between Muslim immigration and violence?' He was censured for his remarks on Wednesday by all parties besides Pauline Hanson's One Nation, which abstained. Senator Anning, pictured at the St Kilda rally, said he did not see any 'radicals' there, 'just ordinary working people who'd had enough' Senator Anning was expelled from Katter Australia Party because of his views on immigration. Anning believes only Europeans should be able to come to Australia, which Bob Katter claims is 'racist' Senator Anning was censured in Parliament on Wednesday following his remarks about the Christchurch terror attack, where a gunman with far-right views stormed a mosque, killing 50 Senator Anning said on social media: 'Does anyone still dispute the link between Muslim immigration and violence?' In one of the strongest and most emotional condemnations, Western Australian Senator and respected Indigenous leader Pat Dodson said Senator Anning, through his words and actions, had 'aligned himself with the most vicious form of ethnic and racial hatred'. 'He is exonerating the murderous actions of a deranged and hate-filled killer,' he said. 'Our First Nations peoples have carried the consequences of murderous prejudice throughout our entwined history. First Nations peoples in Australia know what it's like to be powerless in the face of hateful prejudice, fanned by the illusion of superiority and the false courage created by a weapon in the hand of the oppressors. 'The murder of 50 innocent people does not just happen. It arises from the fuelling of hatred, irresponsible language and the demonising of people of colour and difference. 'It is neither fair nor honourable for that senator from Queensland to shift the responsibility of that crime to the community who were the targets.' Before leaving the Senate on Wednesday, Senator Anning called the motion a 'blatant attack on free speech' and 'an exercise in left-wing virtue signalling of the worst sort'. 'The claim that this somehow blames the victims is absurd. My real crime, of course, is that I simply told the truth.' An expert welfare cheat who taught others to rort the system told her 'customers' to pretend their kids had ADHD and only visit certain doctors who 'didn't ask questions'. Rebecca Assie, 61, last week pleaded guilty in the NSW District Court to running the fraud syndicate - started by her late-husband Jamal Elali - from their housing commission home in Padstow, western Sydney. Assie - who was found with nearly $250,000 in cash in a safe when her house was raided by the Australian Federal Police in 2013 - admitted helping customers steal $137,397 worth of Centrelink payments between February 8, 2013 and September 3, 2015. But the welfare cheat's guidance came at a cost, with customers only helped after a cash deposit was paid to Assie - with cash often exchanged in a McDonald's toilet. Rebecca Assie (pictured) last week pleaded guilty to running a welfare cheating syndicate. In 2013 she was found to be hiding $250,000 in her housing commission home, which is believed to be proceeds of her crimes Court documents reveal how Assie - under the guidance of her husband - often filled out forms on behalf of customers and wrote down what to say to ensure their claims would be approved. HOW WELFARE CHEAT SCHOOLED OTHER TO RORT THE SYSTEM - Rebecca Assie and her late-husband Jamal Elali ran a systematic Centrelink scam - Mr Elali would often fill out forms for his clients to ensure their claims were approved - Assie told customers to say their children had conditions such as ADHD to get their welfare approved - She often called on behalf of her clients to make doctors appointments - Assie would accompany her clients to their appointments and often speak privately with doctors - If one doctor refused to sign forms, she would book in at another doctor until they were approved - Appointments were commonly made with doctors who 'didn't ask questions' - Assie used code words when talking to customers about money - 'One and a half kilo of grapes' meant her clients needed to pay $1500 - Transactions were always in cash and exchanges were made in public toilets away from prying eyes Advertisement One of the couple's major clients Joulan Obeid first approached them in 2012, asking for help to falsely claim carer's payments for her daughter. Assie instructed Obeid to visit her local Centrelink office and collect the necessary forms, before handing them and cash to the couple. who then filled them in for her. Within two months Obeid was approved to receive both carers allowance and carers payments. She continued to receive the false payments until May 2015, when Centrelink ordered a review of her entitlement. In order to help, the welfare cheating couple demanded Obeid pay $1500 in cash. She referred to payments by using code words like: 'One kilo and half of grapes for it.' On May 13, 2015, Obeid went to a doctor's appointment organised by Assied to get a series of medical report forms filled out. Assie is recorded in a phone call advising Obeid to tell the doctor her daughter has 'ADHD and behave [sic] bad (at home)'. When the first doctor refused to sign the form, Elali instructs the mother to go to see a different specialist. In a phone call recorded by the Australian Federal Police, Obeid is heard to ask Elali: 'Why don't you sort everything out like last time?' 'They changed the rules... Centrelink became tougher. It's not like before... and the doctor we used to deal with left, he's not here anymore,' Elali responded. Assie, 61, admitted helping customers steal $137,397 worth of Centrelink payments between February 8, 2013 and September 3, 2015 Assie would take cash payments in exchange for helping her 'customers' with their Centrelink applications. She often filled in forms for her clients, organised doctors appointments on their behalf and told them to say their children had ADHD to boost their chances of getting welfare Needing to have the forms filled out by the end of May, Assie called Centrelink and, pretending to be Obeid, asked for an extension. She then accompanied her to visit the doctor, but the meeting did not to go to plan and she was asked to leave just moments after introducing herself. Assie expressed her shock to her husband over the phone, telling him: 'I don't know who told the doctor we take money?' I don't know who told the doctor we take money? Rebecca Assie to Jamal Elali Elali: 'Who told him?' Assie: 'I don't know, one of your customers...' Elali: 'Hmmm... Why? What happened now?' Assie: 'He's not going to fill it out for her. He said to her: "I'm not doing anything that comes from Abu Ali and Um Ali... I don't take money. they take money".' 'He said someone told him.' Obeid's medical form was finally signed by a different doctor in late-May. When Elali died just a few weeks later, Assie was forced to contact former customers to ask for a copy of their forms so that she could see how the syndicate founder had filled them out. Jamal Elali (pictured) masterminded the Centrelink scam, before his wife took over when he died in 2015 Assie (pictured) had herself been claiming welfare payments since 1990 and received a total of $209,499.90 between then and 2011 Within weeks, she was back being paid by Centrelink. In total, Obeid fraudulently obtained $66,607.69 from 2013 up to September 2015. That same year, Assie and her late-husband also came to the aid of a mother-of-six who had her Centrelink payments cancelled after 11 years. The couple told Farah Dagher to collect certain forms from a Centrelink office and booked her a doctor's appointment. In 2015, the customer was told a review of her carer's allowance and carer's payment was being carried out, and she again sought help from Assie and Elali. They initially charged Dagher 'two sweets' - code for $2000 cash - but she ended up paying a total of more than $8000, which was exchanged at a McDonald's toilet and Chullora Marketplace. Assie told the mother-of-six to visit a certain doctor, but Dagher said she had already been 'kicked out a few times' by that GP. The welfare cheat then scheduled an appointment elsewhere with a doctor who did fill out the medical form without 'any questions about Dagher's children'. Dagher received a total of $66,647 in fraudulent payments from Centrelink. While Assie and Elali's customers were cashing in, they too received plenty of false financial help from Centrelink over the years. Assie would often meet up with her customers in the toilets at McDonald's restaurants (stock image pictured) to exchange documents and receive her cash payments The AFP raid on their home in 2013 uncovered $244,950 in cash, in 25 bundles of $50 notes. Despite the wads of cash found stored in their safe, the couple spent the past 15 years living in a housing commission home. The pair had themselves been receiving welfare since 1990, with Assie receiving a total of $209,499.90 between 1990 and 2011. The couple also reported no taxable income from July 2008 through to June 2014. Assie remains on bail and will return to court to be sentenced in July. Jack Renshaw (pictured) admitted purchasing a 19-inch replica Roman sword to assassinate Rosie Cooper, the MP for West Lancashire, after he was arrested on suspicion of child sex offences last year A neo-Nazi who plotted to kill a Labour MP with a machete is a convicted paedophile who was jailed last year for trying to groom two underage boys, it can be revealed today. Jack Renshaw admitted purchasing a 19-inch replica Roman sword to assassinate Rosie Cooper, the MP for West Lancashire, after he was arrested on suspicion of child sex offences last year. The 23-year-old, from Skelmersdale in Lancashire, also pleaded guilty to making a threat to kill detective Victoria Henderson, who was investigating him for grooming, but denied membership of National Action. Today a jury at his re-trial failed to reach a verdict on whether Renshaw remained a member of the far-right terrorist group after it was banned. But it can now be reported that the former BNP youth leader is a convicted paedophile who was jailed last June for 16 months after he groomed two underage boys - aged between 13 and 15 at time - using a fake Facebook profile. Jurors at Preston Crown Court found him guilty of four counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. He was jailed in June 2018 for 16 months for the grooming. Jack Renshaw (pictured above) had previously attended National Action rallies before plotting to kill an MP Jack Renshaw (left) had plotted to kill Labour MP Rosie Cooper (pictured right outside the Old Bailey last year) He also received a three-year prison sentence two months earlier when he was found guilty of stirring up racial hatred after he called for the genocide of Jewish people. National Action leader Christopher Lythgoe, 32, of Warrington, and his right-hand man Matthew Hankinson, 24, from Merseyside, who were present when Renshaw outlined his plans, were convicted of membership last year. The plan was scuppered by whistle-blower Robbie Mullen, who was at a meeting in a pub when Renshaw announced that he was going to kill Ms Cooper in July 2017. It came just a year after Labour MP Jo Cox was stabbed and shot by a fellow far-right extremist, Thomas Mair. National Action is the first extreme right-wing group to be proscribed by the Government since the Second World War. In December 2016, it was banned by the then home secretary Amber Rudd over its support for the murder of Batley and Spen MP Ms Cox. The North West contingent continued to meet in pubs and train together at a new mixed martial arts gym in Warrington, it was alleged. Picture above shows swords recovered by police from the ringleader of banned Neo Nazi terror group National Action Mrs Justice McGowan remanded Renshaw in custody ahead of sentence on a date to be fixed. Renshaw was arrested on 11 January 2017 for stirring up racial hatred in relation to two speeches he made, and as a part of the investigation his phone was examined. DC Henderson discovered evidence of Renshaw's perverted affairs with the underage boys and arrested him again on 19 May. Renshaw had told DC Henderson in interview that she was fabricating evidence for 'the two worst things anyone could be - a homosexual and a paedophile'. He was released on bail and began researching DC Henderson in preparation for the revenge attack. The paedophile was so determined to stop the detective revealing his paedophilia that he plotted to kill his local MP in a pub, take hostages and lure in Ms Henderson to silence her before committing 'suicide by cop'. Who is Jack Renshaw and what are his offences? 2010 Becomes involved with the EDL and joins the BNP aged 15 against his parents' wishes September 2013 Studies politics at Manchester Metropolitan University and becomes the face of the BNP Youth 2014 Declares in a blog that Jewish people are traitors and should be killed. He also appears in a video titled 'BNP Youth Fight Back' September 2015 Is forced to leave university after an investigation into his incitement of racial hatred April 2016 - He called for counter protesters at a rally in Blackpool to be put 'in the chambers' and called Nazism 'natures politics' Yorkshire Forum for Nationalists 2016 tells people that Hitler was wrong in showing Jewish people mercy November 2016 Faces criminal charges over incitement to racial hatred January 11 2017 - Arrested for hate crimes and terror offences after the arrest of National Action members across the UK January 19 May 2017 arrested for child grooming July 1 2017 tells friends he would murder Rosie Cooper and take hostages in a pub July 5 2017 charged by the CPS under pressure from the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism April 2018 found guilty of stirring up racial hatred after calling for the genocide of Jewish people June 2018 jailed for 16 months for grooming April 2 2019 - trial for membership of National Action where the jury was unable to reach a verdict Advertisement He told the Old Bailey he spent just under a month planning to kill Ms Cooper to 'send the state a message'. Renshaw had criticised Adolf Hitler for what he believed was showing Jewish people 'mercy'. Jurors heard a speech he delivered to the Yorkshire Forum for Nationalists in 2016 in which he said: 'I do actually have some problem with the statement 'Hitler was right' in many senses but you know where he was wrong? 'He showed mercy. He showed mercy to people who did not deserve mercy. 'As nationalists, we need to learn from the mistakes of the National Socialists and we need to realise that no, you do not show the Jew mercy.' Renshaw had planned to make a 'white jihad' video explaining his motives for the terror attack. But he was arrested on 5 July 2017. Renshaw was convicted of four counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, between February 2016 and January 2017, and two counts of inciting racial hatred. He had also conducted internet searches during May 2017 in relation to cutting of the jugular artery and how long it would take to die after suffering such a wound in preparation for his plan. The plan was foiled by whistle blower Robbie Mullen, who was at a meeting in a pub when Renshaw announced that he was going to kill Ms Cooper in July 2017. After the pub meeting, Mr Mullen, from Widnes, Cheshire, reported the threat to Hope Not Hate and Renshaw was arrested. Mr Mullen, who was granted immunity from prosecution, told jurors: 'He said he was going to kill his local MP, Rosie Cooper. I said 'Are you sure?' and he said 'Yeah'. 'He said he would kill her, then try to take some hostages to lure the police officer that was investigating him to try to kill her because she was the reason behind it all. 'He said his mind was made up. He had bought a machete.' Renshaw said he would wear a fake suicide vest so he would be killed by police, Mr Mullen added. The defendant declined to give evidence in his retrial, but in his first trial last year explained his reasons for targeting Ms Cooper. He said: 'I wanted to send a message to the state that if you beat a dog long enough it bites - she just happened to be my local MP.' Guy Ritchie is being forced to restore a 300-year-old outhouse on his 9m country estate to its former glory after building an al fresco dining area without permission, Mail Online can reveal. The film director converted the 18th century outbuilding in 2016 so that guests, such as Hollywood star Brad Pitt, staying at Ashcombe House in Wiltshire could enjoy outside dining around a wood burning stove. But a local resident spotted the renovations on a social media post and complained the Grade II listed building was protected by law. A subsequent investigation found he had not sought planning permission. Ritchie, 50, has now submitted a report to the council in which he promises to reverse many of the modifications and seeks retrospective planning permission for the rest, MailOnline can reveal. The cost is expected to run into the thousands. Guy Ritchie is being forced to restore a 300-year-old building on his 9 million country estate Ashcombe House to its former glory after building a southern facing al fresco dining area without permission (above) Ashcombe House, which set in more than 1,000 acres of the Wiltshire-Dorset border, has been owned by Ritchie since 2001 when he bought the property with his then wife Madonna for 9 million. The disputed Orangery lies behind the main house, at the top of the picture The film director converted the 18th century Orangery in 2016 so that guests could enjoy outside dining around a wood burning stove. A picture posted on social media (above) prompted a local resident to complain about the changes to the Grade II listed building The resident compared the social media post with a similar picture (above) and realised the Orangery had been significantly altered. A subsequent investigation by the planning authorities found no planning permission had been sought Ritchie, 50, (pictured with his second wife Jackie Ainsley) has now submitted a report to the council in which he pledges to reverse many of the modifications and seeks retrospective planning permission for the rest These changes include: - Reinstating a sloped, cobbled floor which had been replaced by a smoother, tiled floor. He will also remove double wooden doors which blocked two arched entrances leading into the building. - Removing a fabric awning that was attached over the southern entrance of the building. - Reinstating an original oval window that had been replaced by a square one on the north side of the building. - Removing an extension which held an en-suite bathroom for guests and replacing it with a 'more appropriate extension' built according to planning permission. However the film director intends to keep a wooden stove system that has been built on the southern side of the Orangery for outside heating and dining. Richie is also applying for retrospective planning permission to keep a new garage close to the Orangery which houses a laundry. Ritchie first bought Ashcombe House, which is set in more than 1,000 acres of the Wiltshire-Dorset border, in 2001 for 9 million during his marriage to Madonna. The Orangery is adjacent to the main house and Ritche has grassed over the driveway linking the two. Ritchie has grassed over the driveway which links the Orangery to the main house. As part of his new plans, he will remove a fabric awning that was attached over the south entrance of the building (above) and reinstate an original window. He wants to keep the wood burning stove He will also remove an 'incongruous' balcony (above) at the other end of the Orangery, restore an original window extension and apply for a more sympathetic extension for an en-suite bathroom for guests He has applied for a more modest extension to the building (far right) to replace the balcony Ritchie and first wife Madonna (above in 2008) revelled in their roles as the lord and lady of the manor when they first bought Ashcombe. Following their divorce in 2008 Ritchie kept the house as part of a 50 million settlement He and second wife Jackie Ainsley have since expanded and improved the estate and used the 1,134 acres as an international shooting venue. His most recent work includes converting disused stables into accommodation for guests and he has also added two lakes. Pictured: Brad Pitt in front of the Orangery Ritchie and Madonna revelled in their roles as the lord and lady of the manor with Madonna when they first bought Ashcombe. Following their divorce in 2008 Ritchie kept the house as part of a 50 million settlement. He has since expanded and improved the estate and used the 1,134 acres as an international shooting venue. His most recent work includes converting disused stables into accommodation for guests and he has also added two lakes. A successful microbrewery called Gritchie beer has been set up in old farm buildings with the addition of a gin distillery. Ritchie and his second wife former model Jacqui Ainsley divide their time between Ashcombe and a property in London. The alterations to the Orangery were first noticed by a local resident familiar with Ashcombe House in 2017 after they spotted a photo posted on Instagram by one of Ritchies staff. The photograph showed the new south facing outside dining area under a fabric awning with a wood burning stove and two chimneys. It also showed that the open passageway through the Orangery had been closed in with double doors. Part of a sloping cobblestone floor had been taken up and replaced with a smooth, level tiled floor. The alterations were first noticed by a local resident who spotted a photo posted on Instagram by one of Ritchies staff. The photograph showed the new south facing outside dining area under a fabric awning with a wood burning stove and two chimneys The resident contacted a preservation society called The Georgian Group. They informed local planning officers who visited the property in February 2018 and inspected the alterations made. Pictured: A young Cecil Beaton leaning against a wall at Ashcombe House Ritchie then commissioned a company specialising in heritage work to make good works undertaken in good faith but without the necessary consents of permissions After checking the local planning website the resident contacted a preservation society called The Georgian Group. They informed local planning officers who visited the property in February 2018 and inspected the alterations made without planning permission. According to Historic England, it is a criminal offence to carry out alterations to a building of special architectural or historic interest such as the Grade II-listed Orangery. It says consent must be sought for any demolition, alteration or extension. It is a criminal offence not to seek consent and you cannot claim you didn't know. Ritchie then commissioned a firm specialising in heritage work to restore the property back to its original condition and make good works undertaken in good faith but without the necessary consents of permissions. The firms 33-page report, which is publicly available, said a number of re-adjustments would 'reinstate the historic, architectural and aesthetic significance of the building'. Council chiefs will make a decision on the planning application later this month. The Georgian Society said it was pleased much of the work was being reversed but concerned that Ritchie intended to keep the wood burning stove. A spokeswoman said: The Georgian Group welcomes the majority of the proposals particularly the restoration of the carriage way, and notes that the while it is a shame that the driveway no longer follows its original route, it is a considerable improvement on the current state of affairs. The firms 33-page report, which is publicly available, said a number of re-adjustments would 'reinstate the historic, architectural and aesthetic significance of the building' Council chiefs will make a decision on the planning application (above) later this month. The Georgian Society said it was pleased the work was being reversed but concerned that Ritchie intended to keep the wood burning stove It is not the first time Ritchie has clashed with planners over Ashcombe House. Shortly after buying it the film director erected a 12ft security fence which he was later allowed to keep after saying it was to ensure his privacy In 2012 he had to apply for retrospective planning for unauthorised work carried out on the Orangery when he turned the building into accommodation for guests staying on the estate The presence of a stove in a carriageway is incongruous and would be in the way for any future attempts to put the driveway back to its original positioning.' It is not the first time Ritchie has clashed with planners over Ashcombe House. Shortly after buying it the film director erected a 12ft security fence which he was later allowed to keep after saying it was to ensure his privacy. And in 2012 he had to apply for retrospective planning for unauthorised work carried out on the Orangery when he turned the building into accommodation for guests staying on the estate. The director, close friends with David Beckham, is currently completing a new crime caper called Bush and starring Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey. Architect Tim Reeve declined to comment as did a spokesman for Ritchie. A man has been detained by police in north-east China for assaulting two young women after he was caught groping one of them. Shocking CCTV footage shows the 38-year-old man, surnamed Yang, walking past the woman and grabbing her backside at a convenience store in Changchun, Jilin province on Saturday night. The woman and her friend reacted immediately and called out the pervert, who flew into a rage, grabbed an empty beer bottle and started smashing it over their heads. Shocking CCTV footage shows the 38-year-old man, surnamed Yang, walking past the woman and grabbing her backside at a convenience store in Changchun, Jilin province on Saturday The woman and her friend reacted immediately and called out the pervert, who flew into a rage, grabbed an empty beer bottle and started smashing it over their heads The video shows the two women, aged 24 and 25, desperately covering their heads and trying to avoid the blows. The man fled the scene on a taxi following the assault and the women were rushed to hospital and treated for cuts all over their heads, according to Changchun police in a statement yesterday. The shocking incident came to light after one of the victims posted on social media to appeal for justice. She has also filed a police report and officers on Tuesday arrested Yang in Qingdao city, Shandong province, more than 1,500 kilometres (932 miles)away from Changchun. The video shows the two women, aged 24 and 25, desperately covering their heads and trying to avoid the blows. They were left with cuts all over their heads after the violent assault The woman, who is a student at Jilin University, said she and her friend are recovering from their injuries, according to an updated post on Tuesday on Chinese micro-blogging site Weibo The man admitted his crimes to police and is currently under criminal detention in Changchun amid investigations. The woman, who is a student at Jilin University, said she and her friend are recovering from their injuries, according to an updated post on Tuesday on Chinese micro-blogging site Weibo. The man's actions were heavily criticised on Weibo, where net users offered their sympathy and support to the victims. 'You can't speak up after getting sexually harassed. If you do, you get beaten up,' one user commented sarcastically. 'This man must be heavily punished!' another comment read. 'This is why all women should learn self defense and carry pepper spray on them,' another person said. An Air Force major based in San Antonio who is charged with evidence tampering related to his wife's disappearance in February has been released from jail. Andreen McDonald was last seen alive Feb. 28. Her husband, Andre McDonald, was arrested on the tampering charge in March after investigators discovered he had bought a shovel, an ax, gasoline and a burn barrel then tried to destroy the receipts. Investigators also found blood and hair in their bathroom, according to court records. Authorities believe the 29-year-old businesswoman is dead. Scroll down for video Andreen Nicole McDonald, 29, was reported missing last month after she didn't show up to the gym or to her workplace. Her husband, left, was taken into custody a day later At one point, police were considering the case to be a missing person's case, but they do not believe that Audreen Nicole is alive any longer The 40-year-old major was released from Bexar County Jail Tuesday after posting $300,000 bail, the San Antonio Express-News reported. Bail was originally set at $2 million. State District Judge Frank Castro placed Andre McDonald under full house arrest and ordered him to wear an electronic monitoring device. McDonald is also barred from visiting their home or contacting their 6-year-old daughter. Authorities have not found any substantive clues to Andreen McDonald's whereabouts after weeks of searching, including on Joint Base San Antonio-Camp Bullis, where they suspect Andre McDonald went after his wife disappeared. 'We found some things really quite disturbing,' Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said as police conducted a second search of the house. 'The evidence consisted of a shovel, an ax, some heavy duty trash bags, some work gloves, and two five-gallon containers of gasoline.' A portable burn barrel was also found. All the items that were found in the home led Salazar to believe that they were used to dispose of a body. Andre McDonald, right, is escorted Sunday, March 3, 2019 to the Bexar County Magistrate center where where Sheriff Javier Salazar says he will be charged with tampering with evidence Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said as police conducted a search of the house they came across some disturbing evidence including items that may have been used to murder A receipt was found in McDonald's home which showed how items had been bought earlier that day. 'There was quite a bit of effort that went into destroying that receipt to try to prevent us seeing where it was purchased and when it was purchased,' Salazar said. 'That led us to obtain a warrant of arrest for Andre McDonald for the charge of tampering with evidence. 'We believe that Andreen McDonald is no longer living,' Salazar said who went onto say that it was a missing person's case marked by 'very suspicious circumstances.' Salazar went on to say that 'it's pretty evident' that the couple's six-year-old daughter, who is on the autism spectrum and mostly nonverbal, witnessed her mother's death. An illegal immigrant who appeared in an award-winning film about migrants infiltrating a Florida detention facility, has been deported by ICE. Claudio Rojas, 53, was sent back to his native Argentina after being detained more than a month ago during a government-mandated visit, attorney Sandy Pineda said. Rojas believes that ICE deported her client in retaliation for appearing in the documentary The Infiltrators. The film won two awards at the Sundance Film Festival in February. It documents young immigrants being arrested by immigration officials on purpose in order to infiltrate a for-profit detention facility, trying to get Rojas and others out in 2012 when he was detained for overstaying his visa. This undated photo made available by Pueblo Sight & Sound shows immigrant activist Claudio Rojas. Rojas was the protagonist of an award -winning documentary that chronicles the plight of immigrants detained at a for-profit facility Producer Darren Dean, known for The Florida Project, posted on Facebook a recording of a phone call where Rojas thanks advocates and lawyers for their help. 'I wish I could have stayed with my family,' said Rojas. 'My family doesn't want to see me resist deportation and face federal charges.' Rojas' attorneys and other organizations filed a lawsuit last month to block his deportation, arguing that his First Amendment rights were violated and that he had a pending visa application. Rojas was the main source for a documentary film, The Infiltrators, which tells the story about a group of undocumented youths who purposely get arrested by Border Patrol in order to expose abuses at a Florida detention center A federal judge dismissed it for lack of jurisdiction. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said it could not comment on this case. 'This act is inhumane, cruel and seems politically motivated,' said Democratic U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell of south Florida, via Twitter. 'If this administration truly cared about enforcing our laws, they would allow Claudio to speak out against the labor trafficking crimes he suffered and not use deportation as retaliation for freely expressing and criticizing our government.' Rojas had a pending application for a T visa, which allows victims of human trafficking to live and work temporarily in the U.S. His attorney said he had been victimized by a former employer and was working with the Department of Labor in its investigation. The activist had lived in a Miami suburb for nearly two decades and had recently become a grandfather. Pineda said the Department of Labor would have to request for him to be paroled back into the country or else he would need to wait 10 years to try to get another visa to come into the country. An MMA fighter and his pregnant girlfriend have been indicted on capital murder charges in Texas in the killings of two people whose bodies were discovered in a shallow grave in Oklahoma. Bell County District Attorney Henry Garza announced the indictments against Cedric Marks, 44, and Maya Maxwell, 26, in Texas on Wednesday. The pair have been accused of killing Marks' ex-girlfriend, 28-year-old Jenna Scott, and her friend, 32-year-old Michael Swearingin, at a home in Killeen, Texas, in January. About a week after the victims went missing, their bodies were found buried 350 miles away in Clearview, Oklahoma. MMA fighter Cedric Marks (left) and his pregnant girlfriend Maya Maxwell (right) were indicted on capital murder charges in Texas on Wednesday. The pair have been implicated in the deaths of Jenna Scott, Marks' ex-girlfriend, and her friend Michael Swearingin The bodies of 28-year-old Scott (left) and 32-year-old Swearingin (right) were found buried in a shallow grave in Clearview, Oklahoma, on January 15, less than two weeks after the victims went missing 350 miles away in Temple, Texas Marks prompted a manhunt in February when he escaped from a private prison van that had stopped at a Texas McDonald's while transporting him from Michigan, where he was arrested. He was found nine hours later hiding in a trash can and taken to the Bell County jail. Video showed Marks shirtless and wearing orange prison-issued pants as he was escorted by plain-clothed deputies. Two days later, an affidavit revealed that it was Maxwell who led police in Temple, Texas, to where Scott and Swearingin were buried 350 miles away in Clearview, Oklahoma. The 26-year-old, who is around seven months pregnant, claimed to have watched as Marks killed the victims after a struggle at a home in Killeen on January 3. Swearingin - a friend of Scott's - was strangled and his death was ruled a homicide, according to an autopsy report released by Oklahoma's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner on Wednesday. Scott's autopsy has not been completed, but the indictment said she died from 'homicidal violence,' according to the Austin American-Statesman. Marks was captured after nine-hour manhunt that began when he escaped from a prisoner transport van in Conroe, Texas. Authorities say surveillance video helped police locate the MMA fighter facing murder charges Maxwell was initially jailed on an evidence tampering charge after she admitted to dumping Swearingin's car in Austin. Ginell McDonough, who is Marks' wife and the mother of two of his two children, is also jailed in Muskegon County, Michigan, on an obstruction of justice charge. She is accused of allowing Marks and Maxwell to stay in her home for a few days after the murders. Authorities say Scott met Marks on Tinder in 2015. In July, she applied for a protective order against him after he allegedly broke into her home and threatened her and her nine-year-old daughter. Marks' ex-partner April Pease (above) has been missing since 2009. She vanished while they fought over custody of their son and has never been found An affidavit for Marks' arrest on burglary charges claimed that he was angry at Scott for ending their relationship. Whenever she tried to break it off in the past, he 'choked' her and threatened her life, the affidavit said. Scott's request for a protective order was denied in September. Before he met Scott on Tinder, Marks dated April Pease, a Minnesota woman who has been missing since 2009. She disappeared while the pair were in the midst of a bitter custody battle over their son in Washington State. He was questioned over her disappearance in Minnesota but was never arrested. Marks remains a person of interest in her disappearance according to police in Bloomington. Marks compiled a record of 31-28-0 during his professional MMA career, which began in 1999, according to mixedmartialarts.com. His last fight was in September. Scott, pictured with her nine-year-old daughter Emerie, sought a permanent protective order to keep Marks away from her in September but it was turned down A pioneering charter has been created to show how tens of thousands more volunteers can be used to support the NHS. The agreement between NHS unions and the Daily Mail's charity partner Helpforce will give guidance about roles that volunteers can undertake. Health bosses hope the charter will allay any concerns that volunteers could undermine the work of salaried and trained employees. The guidance follows the Mail's Christmas campaign, which saw 33,000 readers pledge nearly 1.9million hours of support to the NHS. A charter has been created to set out guidelines for NHS volunteers (pictured). The agreement - between NHS unions and the Daily Mail's charity partner Helpforce - will provide guidance on how the roles volunteers can undertake Simon Stevens, the chief executive of NHS England, has promised to double its volunteer army over the next three years as part of its long-term plan, from about 78,000 volunteers now to 156,000. The charter aims to reassure staff and helpers by setting guidelines to develop roles that support the patient experience, without undermining paid staff. Trade unions, which represent staff across the NHS, say it will lead to more clearly defined roles for all. Sara Gorton, head of health at Unison, said: 'The number of volunteers in English hospitals is expected to double by 2023. 'That's why it's vital that staff, volunteers and their managers agree measures to protect themselves and the people who use the health service. 'The charter recognises the important contribution of those who give their time for free to an under-resourced NHS, as well as providing clarity for the way ahead. It also ensures unions are involved in making this work in local hospitals.' The charter aims to reassure staff and helpers by setting guidelines to develop roles that support the patient experience, without undermining paid staff. Volunteers (pictured) will be asked to wear uniforms and badges to distinguish them from staff and avoid any confusion Jon Skewes, from the Royal College of Midwives, said: 'This charter is welcome as it brings clarity to the role of volunteers about how they work with NHS staff and support the people they care for.' Under the terms of the agreement, volunteers will never be included in any counts of staffing levels. They will be asked to wear uniforms and badges that distinguish them from staff to avoid any confusion for patients and their families. Trade unions will help set out and monitor the way that volunteers are deployed at a local level. Helpforce will be able to assist NHS volunteer service managers and staff working alongside volunteers to understand the distinction between their roles and paid staff. The first batch of readers are edging closer to starting their placements with the initial intake of Helpforce volunteers at North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust. Thousands more should have received notification of their placements at hospitals or in the community Health trusts will be urged to adopt the principles, which have been widely consulted on. The first batch of readers are edging closer to starting their placements with the initial intake of Helpforce volunteers at North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust. And thousands more should have received notification of their placements at hospitals or in the community, depending on how quickly they said they would like to start the full application process. Sir Thomas Hughes-Hallett, the chairman and founder of Helpforce, said: 'We are proud to be working closely with health unions to deliver this important new charter and establish formal boundaries between the role of a volunteer and the role of staff in our health care.' A new book is bringing to light new anecdotes of the chaos and surprises of Washington in the Trump era, including the time the president challenged a Republican lawmaker by asking 'Who the f*** are you?' That confrontation came when Florida Republican Rep. Bill Posey, who was elected a decade ago, challenged Trump on the ultra-sensitive issue of his inaugural crowd size. The lawmaker urged Trump to stop the 'tweets and whining about crowd size,' according to an anecdote in 'The Hill to Die on,' a new book by the two authors of Politico's Playbook. Who the f*** are you? countered Trump. The president then repeated his inaccurate statement that his was the biggest inauguration ever.' Who the f*** are you?: President Trump challenged a Florida lawmaker who brought up his tweets and obsession with his inaugural crowd size Trump's debunked claim that his inaugural crowd was bigger than President Obama's set off one of the first controversies and media frenzies of his administration. In another scene in the book, which was obtained by the Washington Post, Trump appeared to be taking notes during a speech by his former economic advisor Gary Cohn. Cohn's talk was about infrastructure, then and now considered a top administration priority. Rep. Bill Posey of Florida reportedly challenged Trump on his tweets, in an episode in a new book. Trump wrote 'Sloppy Steve' on a note card while appearing to take notes during a presentation. It was a reference to his nickname for former chief strategist Steve Bannon In fact, he had written 'Sloppy Steve' at the top of a note card, along with 'copious notes' critical of his former chief White House strategist Steve Bannon. 'As Cohn had detailed his plans to rebuild Americas roads, the president was writing down how he wanted to trash Steve Bannon the next time someone asked him about it,' according to the book, by Jake Sherman and Anna Palmer. 'Sloppy Steve' is a nickname Trump would use publicly on Twitter after Bannon was quoted liberally in another tell-all book, 'Fire and Fury.' In another passage, Trump concocts a plan to assist Democrat Nancy Pelosi in gaining the speakership. He would ask the Freedom Caucus, the most conservative members of Congress and his staunchest allies, to do the unthinkable and vote for Pelosi,' according to the book. The president told the writers 'the most conservative members of Congress would do him a favor by voting for Pelosi.' It was an idea Trump publicly floated as Pelosi was methodically lining up support on her own and without his assistance to nail down support from her own caucus. Heidi Marie Verrett, 34, avoided jail time in a plea deal in Louisiana last month A substitute teacher has avoided jail time in a plea deal after having sex with three underage boys. Heidi Marie Verrett, 34, pleaded guilty on March 22 in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana to three misdemeanor counts of carnal knowledge of a juvenile and one count of contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile, according to court documents reported by Houma Today. Verrett had originally been charged in 2016 with three felony counts of carnal knowledge of juvenile and one count of indecent behavior with a juvenile. Following the plea, a judge sentenced Verrett to a suspended jail sentence of six months, two years of probation and a $900 fine. She will not have to register as a sex offender under the terms of the plea deal. Although the prohibition on her returning to teaching lasts only as long as her probation, local school officials say that Verrett will never work in the classroom again. It is not clear why she was offered such a lenient deal. Verrett's Houma attorney, Teresa King, told the newspaper that pleading to lesser charges helped her client resolve the matter without any jail time. 'I think that it was a good result considering the nature of the charges,' King said. 'She wanted to avoid the risk of jail time. If we had gone to trial, there's always that risk. So I think the deal was worked out in everyone's best interest.' Verrett was working as a substitute teacher and teacher's aid in the Terrebonne Parish school district when she was arrested in 2016. She was accused of having sex with three boys between the ages of 15 and 16 at her home. Police investigators also said that Verrett was having 'inappropriate' conversations with a 12-year-old boy through private messages on social media. The boys were all friends, and lived in the same neighborhood as Verrett, who is also a mother. At least one of the boys attended Ellender Memorial High School (above), though it's unknown whether Verrett ever taught there, as she worked across the school district It's not known whether she taught in the schools they attended, but police said all sexual activity took place in her home and not on any school properties. At least one of the boys attended Ellender Memorial High School. Locals said they had noticed her being unusually friendly with the boys, but assumed that because she worked as a substitute teacher, nothing untoward was happening. Verrett, who is married, was originally booked into jail under her maiden name Domangue. This sparked confusion with an art teacher in the same parish named Heidi Marie Domangue, who had to speak out on social media to defend her reputation. The situation was exacerbated when the New York-based gossip site Scalawag and Vagabond mistakenly posted photos of the art teacher with a story about Verrett's arrest. 'I've known my whole life there was another name exactly as mine in this parish as I would need records with hospitals and government stuff,' Domangue, the art teacher, wrote on Facebook at the time. 'I always thought it would be cool to actually meet her. Well not anymore.' Family first. That is how Rupert Murdoch designed his companies, making certain that he and his family always had control, meaning that his children and their children and their children to come would be taken care of financially for generations. The 88-year-old mogul was able to show that plan in work just last month, when upon the sale of Fox's film and television assets to Disney, each of his six kids pocketed approximately $2 billion. One thing Murdoch has not left his children with however is a plan for the future of his media empire, refusing to officially name an heir despite making no secret of his preferred child. It is not his oldest child Prudence or the next in line Elisabeth, who has found incredible success outside the family business in emerging media markets. It is not James, the son who has stood by his side for decades and weathered the fallout from the 2011 hacking scandal at News of the World and the 2016 sexual assault scandal at Fox News. It is Lachlan, Murdoch's oldest son, who is the 'golden child' according to multiple sources. And the empire looks to be his for the taking - but it is not clear if he is interested in the job. Scroll down for video Modern family: Rupert Murdoch, 88, looks to be slowly separating himself from his media empire after selling off Fox's film and TV assets to Disney (Georgia May Jagger, Lachlan Murdoch, Prudence Murdoch, James Jagger, Gabriel Jagger, Elizabeth Murdoch, James Murdoch and Lizzie Jagger; Murdoch and Jerry Hall; Chloe and Grace at Murdoch;s fourth wedding) The family company and its future were the focus of a New York Times piece on Wednesday that provided an in depth look at the mogul's two sons while completely ignoring the lives and accomplishments of his four daughters. By some accounts, Murdoch's heirs are now battling behind the scenes for control of the empire, with the two top contenders appearing to be his sons James and Lachlan. The brothers have had a tumultuous relationship over the years which had become more frayed than ever of recent after Lachlan was promoted over his younger brother by their father, despite James' loyalty to the family company. Others claim however that most of the children have soured on the notion of taking over for their father. The media mogul is the father of six children, who range in age from 61 to 16. The oldest is Prudence, who is Murdoch's only child with his first wife, Australian model Patricia Booker. She has held various positions in her father's companies but now lives in Australia where she is largely focused on raising her three children. Prue as she is called by her family, has made it clear that she is not interested in taking the reins and did not even attend college after graduating from Dalton in new York. That does not mean she would oppose seeing second husband, Alasdair MacLeod, did move up the ranks at News Corps despite her protests about him working with her dad, or her offspring -who are Murdoch's three oldest grandchildren - landing a nice role at the company. But as Vanity Fair reported back in 2008, Prue is the in many ways the one link that family has to reality. 'She gets away with saying what the others wont, even things that the others wont think, and she takes the various family members much less seriously than they do themselves,' reported the magazine. 'This involves, not least of all, seeing her three oldest half-siblingsElisabeth, Lachlan, and Jamesas, each in his or her way, master-race prototypes.' It is those three who have long seem poised to battle it out for their father's media empire - Elisabeth (50), Lachlan (47), and James (46). The heirs: Lachlan, James and Elisabeth grew up in New York (above in 1989 with Murdoch and second wife Anna) and watched their father's empire grow with the acquisition of Twentieth Century Fox in 1985 and HarperCollins four years later Sister, sister: Murdoch's youngest children are Grace (18) and Chloe (16), the New York-based daughters born to Murdoch's third wife Wendi Deng (above in 2016 at Murdoch's wedding to Hall) while Prudence (right) is the oldest All three work in media, with Elisabeth currently experiencing success with Vertical Networks, a startup that provides app-based series that are produced to be viewed in cellular devices. The relationship between Lachlan and his father has run hot and cold over the years, but that all changed back in 2014 when Murdoch's oldest son returned to New York to work for News Corp. Now, he is the Chairman and CEO of the Fox Corporation. James, the youngest of the three, was the most loyal, staying by his father's side and joining News Corp shortly after he dropped out of Harvard. That devotion was tested however when Murdoch elected to promote Lachlan over James reports the Times. The brothers already strained relationship only got worse when Lachlan informed James of this decision over lunch. James even briefly quit the company, but then ultimately decided to return just before his father's fall. He had seemed destined to control his father's empire for years, but things all changed with the return of Lachlan. Murdoch's youngest children are Grace (18) and Chloe (16), the New York-based daughters born to Murdoch's third wife Wendi Deng. Chloe is currently attending an Ivy League college while her sister attends private school in Manhattan. The ambitions of the two teenagers are unknown, but their fiercely intelligent mother has no doubt seen to it that the two get not one bit less than their older half-siblings. Best men, again: Murdoch has often said he loves all his children equally, but sources say that Lachlan has always been the 'golden child' in his father's eyes (Lachlan and James with dad at his fourth wedding) Murdoch frequently tells people he loved all his children, equally, but most point out that it was Lachlan who was his father's clear favorite. James meanwhile was dealt another difficult blow last year when he came to realize he would not be able to assume the position he had been eyeing at Disney during merger talks. He then did something unexpected according to three sources, and threw in the towel. This was no passing phase either, as evidenced by James' plan to seize control of who would step into their father's shoes. Over the summer, James reportedly approached Elizabeth and Prudence with a proposal that would put an end to the power struggle once and for all. The three all agreed that they would sell their voting interest in the company to Lachlan, giving him total control of the Fox Corporation and allowing them to pursue their own endeavors. Both agreed, and the three soon got their father on board, seeming to cement the deal. In a surprising twist however, it was Lachlan who rejected the offer. He did this despite his father expressing his excitement about the two taking control of the company. A spokesperson for Lachlan said that the proposal was not financially feasible, despite the windfall each child received in the Disney sale. James then began setting up his own business, where he would use the vast fortune he had amassed to invest in start-ups and give back. There was also the Quadrivium foundation he founded with his wife Kathryn, meant to neutralize the charged atmosphere created by outlets like the ones his father owns. Now, with a recent sale to Disney having stripped Murdoch of most of his media assets in the United States and made all six of his children billionaires, the family can focus on its most successful creation - Fox News. And as of now, it is Lachlan who is holding the reins to that polarizing entity, with no noticeable desire to change its course. How the family will deal with Lachlan wrestling control from them, should he win out in the end, remains to be seen. And the Times reports that past efforts have managed to quickly spin out of control. 'Murdoch tried to manage the tensions, arranging for group therapy with his children and their spouses with a counselor in London who specialized in working with dynastic families,' reveals the Times. 'There was even a therapeutic retreat to the Murdoch ranch in Australia. But these sessions provided just another forum for power games and manipulation.' A vegan activist who joined 100 protesters as they broke into a farm and grabbed piglets 'suckling from their mothers' has been blasted for her 'arrogance' in court. Leah Ava Whetton donned a 'Meat the Victims' t-shirt when she stormed the Glasshouse Country Farms in Queensland, in December last year. Police were able to identify her as taking part after the the group shared photographs of the incident to Facebook. Whetton had entered a 'reluctant' guilty plea in writing, Sunshine Coast Daily reported. Scroll down for video In February this year Whetton was fined after she unlawfully entered the same piggery in December 2017 Whetton was one of more than 100 vegan activists to storm a Queensland farm in December On Wednesday, Maroocydore Magistrates Court heard on how it was her fourth charge of unlawfully entering farming land in one year. Days before fronting court Whetton boasted about storming a cattle farm, much to the alarm of the local farmer and his family. 'What we 'vegans' do is simple - we think of how those individuals would have felt. The ones who were shot & those who witnessed their family being shot. How much sadness & fear they felt,' Whetton's Instagram post read. The magistrate said Whetton's letter to the court showed no remorse and claimed she was 'rescuing or saving animals from a bad situation' The incident took place last month, when more than 150 vegans stormed a Queensland cattle farm as part of their fight for 'animal liberation'. Shocking footage of the protest showed a distressed farmer look on as activists entered the property at Millmerran, 75 kilometres west of Toowoomba. Lot feeder David McNamee later told Daily Mail Australia the vegans' actions were distressing for his family and had put his livestock at risk. Last month more than 150 vegan activists trespassed onto a cattle farm in Queensland to fight for 'animal liberation' - wearing the same outfits as the December piggery protest The protesters donned white overalls covered in black shirts that read: 'Meat the Victims', similar outfits worn in the Glasshouse Country Farms protest from December. This week magistrate Matthew McLaughlin said he was not impressed with Whetton's attitude and said her letter to the court regarding the piggery protest showed no remorse. In the letter Whetton said she was 'rescuing or saving animals from a bad situation'. Magistrate McLaughlin also pointed out there was no evidence the business acted unlawfully, and that Whetton showed 'a real arrogance towards the law.' Farm owner David McNamee tried to get protesters to leave, before he was forced to call the police 'You're just a bunch of people deciding they will trespass onto land and stick their nose in somebody else's business,' he said. 'I accept you meant well... but that's not the point.' The magistrate suggested Whetton should get a job with the RSPCA, police or become an investigative journalist if she wanted to help animals. Wearing white coveralls covered in black shirts that read: 'Meat the Victims', the protesters cut across the Lemontree Feedlot land as the farmer chases after them She was fined $400 and a conviction was not recorded on this occasion. In February this year, the Caloundra Magistrates Court fined Whetton after she unlawfully entered the same piggery in December 2017. The ruling comes two weeks after Jamila Riley, 22, was given a slap on the wrist for taking part in the same protest as Whetton. Riley was charged with unlawfully entering farmland but didn't receive a conviction. She was fined $150 and given a stern warning by Magistrate Rod Madsen, also in Maroocydore Magistrates Court. Advertisement Visitors and locals turned out in their droves to marvel at Washington's famous cherry blossom trees which reached peak bloom on Monday. Favorable weather conditions since the weekend in D.C coincided with peak bloom, which means the flowers could be around for an extended period this year. This years April 1 peak bloom is close to the average date of March 31 over the past 30 years. Last year, peak bloom occurred on April 5 but the weather was wet and windy, meaning people couldn't take full of advantage of admiring the iconic cherry blossoms. A woman stands under cherry blossom trees and admires them as the sun rises at the Tidal Basin in Washington Wednesday Cherry blossoms are in full bloom along Tidal Basin as the Washington Monument looms in the distance in Washington D.C. The dome of Capitol Hill can be seen through stunning cherry blossoms and the white juxtaposes beautifully with the stunning pink color of the trees A photographer takes a photo of cherry blossoms with the Washington Monument in the background as the sun rises The annual blooming draws photographers and nature-lovers from all over the world, who claim the best spots to get the perfect shots. The 107-acre man-made reservoir borders the Jefferson Memorial and is home to the highest concentration of cherry blossom trees, which attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. Officials claimed earlier this week that Washington's iconic trees are under a looming threat that requires emergency action. Decades of wear and tear from foot traffic, combined with rising sea levels and a deteriorating sea wall, have created a chronic flooding problem in the Tidal Basin. The National Park Service, along with the Trust for the National Mall and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, is undertaking a campaign to save the Tidal Basin. People walk under cherry blossom trees and pose for photographs as the sun rises at the Tidal Basin in Washington Photographers wait for the sunrise as they take photos of the cherry blossoms at the Jefferson Memorial in Washington Maxar Technologies, a company that captures images of the Earth from satellites, found a good place to shoot the blossoms Maxar Technologies captured the cherry blossoms nearly 400 miles above the Earth and 800 miles east of the District In addition to rebuilding the battered sea wall and addressing the flooding problem, the groups want to improve walkways and update security systems. Teresa Durkin, senior project director of the Trust for the National Mall, said the higher silt concentration of the floodwaters is shortening the life span of the hundreds of cherry blossom trees that ring the basin. She said: 'The infrastructure is breaking down because of the daily flooding. The trees are being inundated with brackish water,' she said. 'People do love these trees and we keep having to replace them.' Temperatures lat the end of the week should climb well into the sixties in D.C, perhaps eclipsing 70 over the weekend. The weather this year could not be much better for a lengthy bloom period as warmer temperatures beyond what was seen in recent days wont cause the blossoms to wilt. The Washington monument is seen in glorious sunshine through cherry blossom trees at the tidal basin on April 1, 2019 The 107-acre man-made reservoir borders the Jefferson Memorial and is home to the highest concentration of cherry blossom trees, which attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year Cherry blossom trees are in full bloom in front of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial at the Tidal Basin on April 1 The National Park Service, along with the Trust for the National Mall and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, is undertaking a campaign to save the Tidal Basin. In addition to rebuilding the battered sea wall and addressing the flooding problem, the groups want to improve walkways and update security systems. A large stretch of sidewalk next to the Jefferson Memorial is submerged by the rising waters almost twice a day at high tide. During heavy rains that routinely occur in Washington, the floodwaters almost completely overflow the sea wall in multiple locations and soak the tree roots. Sean Kennealy, the chief of professional services for the National Mall and Memorial Parks division, said the original 1880s design of the Tidal Basin simply wasnt equipped to manage the crowds and traffic the area now gets. The traffic has increased as more monuments were added to the Tidal Basin area over the years. This includes a memorial to Franklin Roosevelt opened in 1997, and the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial which was inaugurated in 2011. He told The Washington Post: 'People have started making their own paths through the grass because the walkways are either not wide enough or underwater. The trees just arent being protected the way they should be.' Furious war veterans have slammed the decision to say a Muslim prayer during an Anzac Day dawn service to honour those who lost their lives in the Christchurch mass shooting. The Returned and Services Association (RSA) branch at Titahi Bay near Wellington in New Zealand has now chosen to include the prayer at the end of its two-hour 10am civic ceremony. However, the club originally chose to invite Newlands Mosque imam Mohamed Zewada to read a prayer from the Quran at the end of the dawn ceremony. The news quickly garnered negative attention from war veterans, with many claiming the club was disrespecting the legacy of Anzac Day. The Returned and Services Association (RSA) branch at Titahi Bay near Wellington in New Zealand has now chosen to include a Muslim prayer at the end of its two-hour 10am civic ceremony The club originally chose to invite Newlands Mosque imam Mohamed Zewada (pictured) to say a prayer at the dawn ceremony Vietnam veteran Dave Brown was one of many who protested the decision to have the Muslim cleric say a prayer at the dawn service. 'What took place in Christchurch was shocking and we all agree that it was completely out of order in every way,' Mr Brown said in an email to the Titahi Bay Club. 'Anzac Day came about to recognise all those who went overseas and served their country and returned, and those who never returned. That is the significance and the only justification for Anzac Day, and I feel it should stay that way.' Mr Brown told Daily Mail Australia the 6am dawn service is a military service and should have nothing political or religious involved. 'It's a remembrance service for those who left and those came home and of course, for the fallen,' he said. 'I just felt having to recognise what happened in Christchurch was not appropriate for the dawn service as it's a non-political, non-religious service. 'However, the civic service is completely different.' Afghanistan war veteran and organiser of the Titahi Bay service Simon Strombom told Daily Mail Australia the club had lots of discussion in regards to the parade since the Christchurch shooting. Afghanistan war veteran and organiser of the Titahi Bay service Simon Strombom (pictured left) said the club had lots of discussion in regards to the parade Furious war veterans have slammed the decision to say a Muslim prayer during an Anzac Day dawn service to honour those who lost their lives in the Christchurch mass shooting 'Originally the parade had a firing party with rifles, but as soon as it happened we thought that would be quite an untenable position, so out of respect we cancelled the firing party,' Mr Strombom said. 'We toyed with the idea of dawn service but we have now decided the dawn service is about our soldiers.' Mr Strombom said the parade this year is one of the biggest the club has ever done with 2,500 people expected to turn out, instead of the usual 300. 'The decision was made at the end of the civic ceremony, because our vigil in Porirua was cancelled and we haven't had a chance in our area to just to recognise Christchurch with a one minute prayer,' Mr Strombom said. Once the decision was announced to Facebook, many took to the comments in anger to slam the club. 'Who in hell proposed this hate speech to take place on ANZAC day?' one person wrote on Facebook. Mr Strombom said the backlash had been quite extreme with he himself being singled out as 'some sort of left-wing person who's radicalised'. 'I've received a couple of death threats today from some people. But the club has also had some extreme religious threats, retaliation, so we've had to get the police involved and we're going to have to heighten security at our Anzac Day,' the war veteran said. 'I think we're being very very naive when we can't even acknowledge one act of terrorism. 'I mean if it had been an act of terrorism on NZ soldiers and our country by an extremist what would we have done? Would we have included it in the service because they're soldiers? It's a very fine line.' Mr Strombom has moved the dawn service to Titahi Bay beach for the first time as he says it resembles Anzac Cove at Gallipolli, where 11,500 Anzacs died in 1915. 'Its a huge focus this year having it on the beach and theres a huge investment and time and we do not want anything to take away what the club is about to put on,' he said. Gangland widow Roberta Williams has taken to YouTube to post a Q&A about her 'normal' life. In a 42 minute video posted on Wednesday night, Williams relaxes on a couch cradling a fancy pillow with a framed Collingwood premiership tribute on the wall behind her. Among a series of revelations, the mother-of-five declares she and her ex-gangland killer husband Carl Williams were not bogans. Gangland widow Roberta Williams in her 42 minute Q&A video that has appeared on YouTube. In it, she answers a variety of questions from motherhood to her relationship with gangland killer Andrew Veniamin Carl Williams kisses his daughter Dhakota after being granted bail at the Melbourne Magistrate's Court in 2003. He only had seven years to live. Roberta Williams smiles in the background Carl Williams was sentenced to life in jail with a non-parole period of 35 years for ordering the murders of three people and conspiracy to kill a fourth person. He was beaten to death while in jail in 2010 with the stem of an exercise bike by another inmate, Matthew Charles Johnson. One Addressing questions from a series of curious people, Williams hit out at haters who commented on the spelling of her and Carl's daughter's name, Dhakota. 'We're not actually bogans, we put the H in because we wanted our kids' names to be spelled differently and we put a H in because it was different,' she said. The convicted drug trafficker said she had made the video in an effort to allow people to get to know the real her, and not some 'bullsh*t' version compiled by the media. 'Life for me is normal apart from the media attention I get and being the real me is, um, just me ... In the spotlight the media portrays you as they do and I'm portrayed differently on the tv and in the newspaper opposed to what I'm like at home,' she said. Andrew Veniamin (left) with Roberta Williams. She described the killer as her soulmate, but said he was like a brother to her. Veniamin was killed by Mick Gatto after he had a gun pulled on him Carl Williams, Dhakota, Andrew Veniamin and Carl's dad George. Everyone but Dhakota is now dead Gangland killer Andrew Veniamin and Dhakota Williams. Veniamin was treated as one of the family by the Williams clan before he met his demise at the hands of Mick Gatto Many of the questions fielded by Williams off her smart phone were related to the popular Underbelly television series, which she described as a 'pathetic cartoon'. She further labelled the 2008 series on Melbourne's gangland war as 'an absolute load of bullsh*t'. 'It was just a load of crap,' Williams said. 'Although people will still believe what they see and that's their choice but I can't change everyone's minds.' The series suggested Williams may have been more than just mates with Carl's good friend and fellow gangland killer Andrew 'Benji' Veniamin. Williams described 'Andrew' as her soulmate, but scoffed at suggestions she desired him in any sexual way. Mick Gatto on being cleared of the murder of Andrew Veniamin. Gatto shot the hitman dead after he pulled a gun on him. Roberta Williams says she wants nothing to do with Gatto Carl Williams during one of his many trips to court. Roberta Williams used to hate attending court and the waiting media packs, but now claims it doesn't bother her Williams claimed she loved the killer as a brother until the day he was shot dead by Melbourne identity Mick Gatto. Gatto was charged with murder but was acquitted on the grounds of self defence. Williams shuffled uncomfortably in her chair as she spoke about her and Carl's relationship with Gatto. 'I've spoken to him a couple of times but never, ever had anything to do with him and only spoke to him because I had to on a few occasions, ' she said. 'But apart from that, Carl had only seen him a couple of times in passing and once at a meeting which was all over the media... I don't know the bloke, I don't wanna know the bloke and he lives his life, I live mine.' Williams further explained why she attacked an A Current Affair journalist who 'tried to bag Carl'. The attack left Channel 9 reporter Reid Butler a bloody mess during a wild interview in February. 'Youre going to die, you dog,' she shouted him. Williams lunged at the reporter, slamming his body against the wall and repeatedly telling him he was going to die, and saying she would kill his family. 'That why i did go mad,' Williams said. 'It was seven f**king questions - excuse the language, but that's what I said. Seven f**king questions were all we agreed to and yes I have the email and the text messages and everything that it was just seven questions.' After the seven questions, she said the reporter began to 'bag' her killer ex-husband. 'It just got me really annoyed. Because they just went on from what was supposed to be to all their bullsh*t and it just wasn't fair and I didn't like what they were saying and I just got really pi**ed about it as you could see.' When not bagging out the media, Williams spent much of her video answering questions on parenting from her 'followers'. Williams provided advice on everything from dealing with an autistic child to addressing childhood boundaries. Roberta Williams and daughter Dhakota remain close. They attended court together last year in a bid to keep their Essendon home. It was eventually taken by the tax office over unpaid bills by Carl's dad George Williams Roberta Williams pushes a young Dhakota in a pram on one of her many trips to court. She said up to 50 cameras would follow her there She described herself as the kind of mum 'any kid would want'. 'I was and am a mum, one of those actual real mum's that a lot of kids dreamed to have - not bragging either,' she said. Williams goes on to reveal she is not afraid of 'idiots' who may hope to harm her. 'I know there are a lot of idiots out there but I have no fear of them. None at all,' she told Mr Didcock. Williams said it was not her choice to live in the media spotlight, but she no longer feared it. 'But I've been tossed into it and I have to deal with it the best way I can,' she said. 'I hate the way the media portrays me and my family because the real me is so totally different Williams said she carried herself on a day-to-day basis like any other normal mother. 'The media is a pain in the a**e and used to make me really nervous at the start. Attending Carl's court cases, you know, you'd know there would be 50 cameras in your face as soon as they spotted you and it used to make me really nervous,' she said. Carl Williams and daughter Dhakota in happier times. Carl Williams was brutally murdered inside Barwon prison after he turned rat on his gangland buddies 'But now nearly 20 years on I've been in the spotlight - for no fault of my own - I've been thrown in there and I just deal with it as best I can. and I'm just so used to it now that it really doesn't bother me.' Moving forward, Williams said she hoped to write another book and if she had it her way, would move to England. 'I absolutely love England. I've spent a lot of time over there and I really love it,' she said. Asked how she thought her life might be had Carl not been murdered, Williams - who was estranged from him when he died - provided a surprising answer. 'We would be amazingly happy and we would just live our life and live it happily ,' she said. More than 10,000 riot-trained police can be deployed within 24 hours if disorder breaks out over a no-deal Brexit, top officers say. Some 1,000 will be available in the first hour - more than were mobilised during the 2011 London riots - and specialist teams such as dog handlers, armed police and search-trained officers, can be called upon. So far 15 forces have placed restrictions on annual leave, and two have officially asked for mutual aid Kent, which covers the port of Dover, and Hampshire, which covers Portsmouth. Some 1,000 will be available in the first hour - more than were mobilised during the 2011 London riots (pictured) Currently 1,000 have received extra training so that they can be deployed to Northern Ireland if needed. The police there use armoured Land Rovers and water cannon, unlike their mainland counterparts. Forces are expected to cut down on 'peripheral police activity' like crime prevention work and to cancel training if needed. Local resilience forums, which include representatives from councils and the police, have carried out training exercises to deal with shortages, and police training has included dealing with disorder including looting. There are fears a no deal Brexit could spark riots in the streets, like those seen in August 2011 in London (pictured) Revealing the figures, Martin Hewitt, National Police Chiefs Council chairman, urged campaigners and politicians should watch their language to avoid inflaming the 'incredibly febrile' atmosphere around Brexit. He said that public figures should be wary of 'consequences that weren't intended' when speaking about the issue. Addressing journalists during a briefing at the National Police Co-ordination Centre, he said: 'This is highly emotive as an issue as we all know and clearly everyone will have their opinions. 'But I think there is a responsibility on those individuals that have a platform and have a voice, to communicate in a way that is temperate and is not in any way going to inflame people's views.' The figures were revealed by Martin Hewitt, (pictured) National Police Chiefs Council chairman It comes as MPs were warned they may have made an 'accidental No Deal' more likely after they demanded a further Brexit delay last night. The Commons hurried through a bill, which passed by just one vote, forcing the Prime Minister to seek an extension if she cannot agree a deal with Jeremy Corbyn. The backbench bill was meant to prevent a No Deal Brexit on April 12, but Brexit minister Robin Walker warned it could have the opposite effect. Last night's vote means that if the PM fails to make a deal with the Labour leader she will have to ask the EU for more time - which then has to be agreed by MPs with a vote. The PM would be expected to get an extension with the EU at a European Council meeting on April 10 and MPs would vote to support it the following day. However, Mr Walker warned that this would not leave enough time time to complete the necessary paperwork before the UK is scheduled to leave the EU on April 12. Speaking in the Commons last night Mr Walker said he feared an accidental No Deal on April 12 if there was not enough time to complete these extra steps. The Brexit minister said there is a 'real risk created by this bill that we could be timed out'. He said the Bill 'actually increases the likelihood of an accidental No Deal - an outcome which this House has repeatedly voted against'. The FBI has released 11 chilling portraits drawn by a man who claims to be the most prolific serial killer in U.S. history so they can try and identify some of his victims. Samuel Little, 78, has confessed to 90 murders committed between 1970 and 2005 across the entire country. Little, who is serving a life sentence for murder in a Texas prison, drew the sketches of his victims from memory in his jail cell. The 11 sketches released on Wednesday have been added to a collection of 16 others that Little drew back in February and the FBI has asked the public for help in identifying them. Some of those have since been matched to open cases. Samuel Little, 78, has confessed to 90 murders committed between 1970 and 2005 across the entire country. He is currently serving a life sentence for murder in a Texas prison The chilling drawings include details such as the color of a victim's eyes or hair, as well as jewelry she was wearing at the time she was killed. One of the sketches shows a white female, aged 45, who was killed in Kendall, Florida back in 1973. Another drawing depicts a 26-year-old white female killed in 1983 or 1984 in Atlanta, Georgia. Authorities are actively working to match Little's confessions with evidence from women who turned up dead in states from California to Florida over his 35 year killing spree. Law enforcement have so far been able to corroborate more than 40 of the 90 murders he has confessed to. Little, a 6ft 3in former boxer, mainly targeted drug addicts and prostitutes during his decades-long coast-to-coast murder spree and many of his victims were never identified. The FBI released 11 sketches on Wednesday of victims Little drew in his prison cell. Among them is: A black female age 23 killed in Savannah, Georgia in 1984 (left) and a white female, age 26, killed in 1983 or 1984 in Atlanta, Georgia (right) Pictured left is a black female, age 22, killed in 1971 in Miami, Florida - her name is possibly Linda. Pictured right is a white female age 45 killed in 1973 in Kendall, Florida - the victim is possibly called Sarah and could be from Massachusetts Pictured left: Black female, age 28, killed between 1977 and 1982 in Charleston, South Carolina. Pictured right: Black female, age 28, killed in 1971 or 1972 in Miami, Florida - victim possibly worked on Homestead Air Force Base Pictured left: White female killed in 1982 in New Orleans. Pictured right: Black female killed in 1974 in Cincinnati, Ohio Pictured left: Black female killed in 1992 or 1993 in North Little Rock, Arkansas. Pictured center: Black female between 22-23 years old killed in 1974 in Savannah, Georgia. Pictured right: Black female, whose name is likely Sarah, killed in 1973 in New Orleans He usually strangled his victims and many of the deaths were not investigated as homicides but were attributed to drug overdoses, accidents or natural causes. Little's run-in with the law date back to 1956 with a series of shoplifting, fraud, drug and breaking and entering charges. But authorities only recently began unraveling his serial killing spree after he was arrested at a homeless shelter in Kentucky in 2012 and extradited to California to face drug charges. When he was in custody, authorities found DNA evidence linked him to three cold case murders in Los Angeles between 1987 and 1989. The three women had all been beaten and strangled with their bodies dumped in an alley, a dumpster and a garage. Little was sentenced in 2014 to life in prison for the three murders. Meanwhile, the FBI had been working on a full background check of Little and found links to other murders that he may have committed. Pictured left: Black female between 35-40 years old killed in 1981 in Atlanta, Georgia. Pictured right: Black female between 35-45 years old killed in 1977 in Pascagoula, Mississippi - she worked at Ingalls Shipyard Pictured left: White female, possible named Ann, killed in 1997 in Phoenix, Arizona. Pictured right: Black female, age 24, killed between 1987 and the early 1990s in Monroe, Louisiana Pictured left: White female killed in 1984 in Covington, Kentucky. Little says he met the victim in Columbus, Ohio and disposed of her body in Northern Kentucky. Pictured right: Black male, age 18, killed in 1971 or 1972 in Miami. Victim possibly called Mary Ann or Marianne Pictured left: Black female killed in 1976 or 1977 in Wichita Falls, Texas. Body disposed of somewhere outside of Wichita Falls. Pictured right: Hispanic female in her 40s. Killed in 1988 or 1996. Victim possibly from Phoenix where she was killed Pictured left: Black female between 25-28 years old killed between 1976 and 1979 or in 1993 in Houston Texas. Pictured center: White female between 20-25 years old killed in 1972 in Prince Georges County, Maryland. Pictured right: Black female between 28-29 years old killed in 1984 in West Memphis, Arkansas They found a link to a murder in Odessa, Texas and had Texas Rangers come to California to interview him in May last year in prison. The FBI said Little was trying to get moved out his prison and agreed to talk if he could be relocated. He ended up being indicted in the Odessa murder and was extradited to Texas a few months later. He gave authorities of list of the 90 women and the name of the city in which he killed them. Little also started drawing his victims for authorities. The FBI said Little can recall his victims and the killings in great detail but he is hazy on the exact dates. Little grew up in Ohio, dropped out of high school and lived a 'nomadic life,' shoplifting or stealing to buy alcohol and drugs. He was accused of murdering women in Mississippi and Florida in the early 1980s but was not convicted. The FBI said Little is currently in poor health and will likely remain in the Texas prison where is now until he dies. They say they are working to identify his victims and provide closure and justice in unsolved cases. To report potential case links to Samuel Little, contact ViCAP at 800-634-4097. Little's run-in with the law date back to 1956 with a series of shoplifting, fraud, drug and breaking and entering charges. He was sentenced in 2014 for murder after DNA evidence linked him to three cold case murders in Los Angeles between 1987 and 1989 MPs have hit out at the 'unacceptably laissez-faire' attitude of ministers and rail bosses to the spiralling costs of London's delayed Crossrail project. The new Elizabeth Line across the capital was originally due to open four months ago but there are now doubts whether it will even be ready next year. Emergency loans from the Government have seen the cost of the underground scheme soar by 2.8billion to 17.6billion. In a scathing Commons report, the public accounts committee said passengers have still not been told the root causes for the route being delayed and over budget. MPs have hit out at the 'unacceptably laissez-faire' attitude of ministers and rail bosses to the spiralling costs of London's delayed Crossrail project. The new Elizabeth Line across was originally due to open four months ago but there are now doubts it will even be ready by 2020 Although Crossrail was also overseen by Transport for London, MPs said the Department for Transport headed by Chris Grayling is 'ultimately responsible for ensuring that the programme delivers value for money'. But it said 'despite acknowledging that there were major failings in the programme' the Department and Crossrail Ltd have been 'unwilling to accept their responsibilities for the significant delays and cost overruns'. It added: 'We are disappointed at [their] unacceptably laissez-faire attitude to costs potentially rising by nearly 3billion.' Once fully operational, the line will run from Reading and Heathrow in the west, to Shenfield in the east, through 13 miles of new tunnels. However MPs warned they were not convinced trains will begin running next year or that the 'additional 2.8billion of funding provided will be enough'. Crossrail's cost is being met by the Government, the Greater London Authority, including TfL, and London businesses. In a Commons report, the public accounts committee said passengers have still not been told the root causes for the route being delayed and over budget. MPs said the Department for Transport is 'ultimately responsible for ensuring that the programme delivers value for money' Labour MP Meg Hillier, who chairs the PAC, said passengers have been 'badly let down' and it is clear the planned opening date was 'unrealistic for some time'. In a damning indictment of the DfT's wider track record, the committee added that it was 'increasingly alarmed at the continual shortcomings' in its oversight of Britain's railways. A DfT spokesman hit back, describing the report's findings as 'deeply disappointing'. He said that it had 'consistently challenged the leadership of Crossrail Ltd on the delivery of this project'. Hospitals will be told to identify knife crime hotspots by recording every patient who shows up with a knife wound. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the NHS needed to do more to root out the terrible seeds of violence. Currently, hospitals only collect data on patients admitted onto wards with knife wounds or assaults with other sharp objects. Hospitals will be told to identify knife crime hotspots by recording every patient who shows up with a knife wound. Stock image of the entrance to a hospital accident and emergency department Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the NHS needed to do more to root out the terrible seeds of violence. These new proposals would require them to report those victims who were stitched up and sent home, with less serious injuries. The data - which will be anonymised - will be collected centrally to identify the areas of the country worst affected by knife crime. It will also be sent to police forces, who may decide to put more officers on patrol in particular hotspots. The moves are part of a wider strategy by the Government which will require doctors, teachers and the police to take more responsibility for preventing violence. It was unveiled jointly by Theresa May and Home Secretary Sajid Javid on Monday who said the the current epidemic of knife crime to be treated like a disease. Throughout the week the Prime Minister has been hosting a summit on youth violence which has included individual workshops chaired by cabinet ministers. Yesterday Matt Hancock held a roundtable in Downing Street to discuss the role the health sector could play in tackling the rising rates of knife wounds. He said: We all need to work to tackle the scourge of knife crime. Every part of government has a role to play, focusing on prevention first, learning from how we have successfully tackled contagious public health threats in the past. Were already pioneering work across the healthcare sector to stand up to knife crime, strengthening mental health support in the NHS Long Term Plan, and using the moment a young person arrives in hospital to intervene with support. But this isnt a job for the NHS alone - thats why we are taking a whole community approach to protect young people from knife crime. For this broad approach, we need to ensure different agencies can work together, so we must make the most of the information and technology that we have. That way public services will be better informed and better equipped to root out the terrible seeds of violence and ultimately save the lives of more young people. A report by the All Parliamentary Group on Knife Crime yesterday estimated that 21 youngsters a day were showing up in hospitals with knife wounds or similar injuries. Tellingly, it warned of huge gaps in the data as only 60 per cent of hospitals recorded data and it only included assaults by knifes or other weapons.. The new data collected by hospitals will be much more detailed specifying whether the injuries were caused by knives. A driver has been fined $337 and has lost two demerit points after he was caught travelling in the right-hand lane. The 25-year-old man was pulled over on the Hume Highway near Holbrook in southern New South Wales. In a post shared to Facebook on Tuesday, the NSW Police Traffic and Highway Patrol Command said he was seen driving in the right-hand lane for 6km. The 25-year-old man was pulled over on the Hume Highway (pictured) near Holbrook in southern New South Wales In a post shared to Facebook on Tuesday (pictured), the NSW Police Traffic and Highway Patrol Command said he was seen driving in the right-hand lane for 6km The man passed one 'keep left unless overtaking' sign but continued his journey on the right. He was pulled over and produced a NSW driver's licence, saying that he was not aware that driving in the right lane was an offence. Police fined the driver $337 and was docked two two demerit points. After a photo of the man's car was shared to social media, commenters praised the police for taking action. 'Half of Australia must be ''quite comfortable in the right-hand lane'' - such a frustrating lack of courtesy!' one person said. 'Move over you tools who sit in the right lanes for absolutely no reason,' another said. After a photo of the man's car was shared to social media, commenters praised the police for taking action One person suggested stronger punishments for those who choose to drive in the right-hand lane despite the left being free. 'If I could get into parliament I would change this rule to $3500 and nine points,' they said. 'About time they got pulled over,' another said. The hotel group owned by the Brunei sultan who supports stoning gay men to death has been ridiculed for saying it 'supports' diversity as it deleted its social media accounts. Celebrities including George Clooney, Elton John and Ellen DeGeneres have called for a boycott of the hotels owned by the tiny country across the globe in protest over the strict Sharia law. The new laws, which will also impose death by stoning for rape and amputations for theft, have been condemned by the United Nations. The Dorchester Collection, which owns and manages each of these hotels for the Brunei Investment Agency, said in a statement on Twitter that it 'does not tolerate any form of discrimination'. But social media users ridiculed the statement on Twitter, saying it seems 'hollow'. Peter McGuire asked: 'How can you say you don't tolerate any form of discrimination when your owner murders gay people by stoning? Is it fine for Brunei but not for the UK?' The hotel group owned by the Brunei sultan who supports stoning gay men to death, pictured, has been ridiculed for saying it 'supports' diversity as it deleted its social media accounts Celebrities including George Clooney, Elton John and Ellen DeGeneres have called for a boycott of the hotels owned by the tiny country in protest over the new laws The Dorchester Collection, which owns and manages each of these hotels for the Brunei Investment Agency, said in a statement on Twitter that it 'does not tolerate any form of discrimination' Seth Darby added: '"In light of recent events"? Honestly? You write this as if youve been the victim of a terrible injustice. 'Where are the public statements from your staff and management condemning your owner and his brutal regime? Not. Good. Enough.' Explaining that it had chosen to delete the accounts because of abuse directed at its employees, it went on to say that it 'strongly values people and cultural diversity amongst our guests and employees'. Another user said: 'No staff members should be abused, but have a think about what you said about inclusivity & diversity. 'Let's be clear, you are funded by a nation where children are whipped and gay people are now stoned to death. Inclusivity, respect, integrity...just keep the cash rolling in...' But Twitter users criticized the Dorchester Collection for their statement, calling it 'hollow' The social media pages for Coworth Park in Aston, among others, have been deleted. The Hotel Eden in Rome has made its Twitter account private Social media pages for The Dorchester and 45 Park Lane in London, Coworth Park in Aston, The Beverly Hills Hotel, Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles, Le Meurice and Hotel Plaza Athenee in Paris and the Hotel Principe di Savoia in Milan have all been deleted. The nine hotels owned by Brunei 1. The Dorchester, London 2. 45 Park Lane, London 3. Coworth Park, UK 4. The Beverly Hills Hotel, Beverly Hills 5. Hotel Bel-Air, Los Angeles 6. Le Meurice, Paris 7. Hotel Plaza Athenee, Paris 8. Hotel Eden, Rome 9. Hotel Principe di Savoia, Milan Advertisement The Hotel Eden in Rome has made its Twitter account private. Brunei first announced the measures in 2013, but implementation has been delayed in the face of opposition by rights groups, and as officials worked out the practical details. The new law stipulates the death penalty for a number of offences, including rape, adultery, sodomy, robbery and insulting or defaming the Prophet Mohammed. It also introduces public flogging as punishment for abortion, as well as amputation for theft, and criminalizes exposing Muslim children to the beliefs and practices of any religion besides Islam. Mr Clooney penned an opinion piece for Deadline calling for a boycott of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah's hotels earlier this week. Brunei first announced the measures in 2013, but implementation has been delayed in the face of opposition by rights groups. Pictured: The Dorchester in central London He said: 'They're nice hotels. The people who work there are kind and helpful and have no part in the ownership of these properties. 'But let's be clear, every single time we stay at or take meetings at or dine at any of these nine hotels we are putting money directly into the pockets of men who choose to stone and whip to death their own citizens for being gay or accused of adultery. He then listed the nine hotels owned by Brunei's sultan and said: 'It's up to each of us what we want to do.' UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet said in a statement that the country should maintain its long tradition of not applying the death penalty - which it has not imposed since 1957. 'I appeal to the government to stop the entry into force of this draconian new penal code, which would mark a serious setback for human rights protections for the people of Brunei if implemented,' Bachelet said. Bachelet also stressed that international law imposes very stringent restrictions on the use of the death penalty, which can only be applied for the crimes of murder and intentional killing, and only after all due process requirements have been met. A spokesperson for the Dorchester collection said: Although we believe in open and transparent communication, we have reluctantly deactivated our hotel social pages due to the personal abuse directed at our employees for whom we have a duty of care. Our corporate social media pages remain in place. The country's most senior judge warned yesterday that abolishing short jail sentences will worsen crime rates. Lord Burnett said government plans to end prison terms of fewer than six months would leave the courts with no effective penalties to deal with repeat offenders. Lord Burnett, the UK's most senior judge, warned abolishing short jail sentences will worsen crime rates. He said plans to end prison terms of fewer than six months would leave the courts with no effective penalties to deal with repeat offenders He said the change would be exploited by serial shoplifters as well as those who defy the courts and fail to carry out judicial orders. In a rebuke to Justice Secretary David Gauke, he said judges had no faith in the community punishments that ministers say should replace short jail terms. The broadside from the Lord Chief Justice, who leads the judiciary in England and Wales, is likely to deter ministers from any rapid legislation. Mr Gauke announced his intention to end short sentences in February, arguing they do nothing to reform offenders. He also said they destabilised the lives of criminals, adding: 'For [a] society which incurs a heavy financial and social cost, prison simply isn't working.' Lord Burnett expressed his doubts in an appearance before members of the Lords constitutional committee. He said he had discussed the plans with Mr Gauke, adding: 'My understanding is that it is fully accepted that there have to be exceptions to the general rule. 'Each of us might have our own list of those exceptions, but one or two of them that are perhaps obvious are the type of offence like taking contraband into prison. If everybody knows that they can take it in once and not get a custodial sentence, I rather suspect the problem would get worse rather than better.' He added: 'There is a real problem with multiple offenders so this is the shoplifter who has done it 24 times and nothing has worked, and offences against justice are other examples.' Offences against justice include contempt of court, perjury, bribing witnesses and failing to carry out probation or community orders. This comes after Justice Secretary David Gauke announced his intention to end short sentences in February, arguing they do nothing to reform offenders. He added: 'For [a] society which incurs a heavy financial and social cost, prison simply isn't working' Contempt of court, for example, can be punished with a short jail term, and short prison sentences are used to deal with criminals who fail to carry out community punishments. Among crimes for which six-month sentences are recommended by the Sentencing Council the statutory body that recommends punishment levels are being caught carrying a knife for a second time, or threatening someone with a weapon. Lord Burnett also said there was a problem with Mr Gauke's call for some prison terms to be replaced by 'robust community orders'. The Lord Chief Justice said: 'The problem is that sentencers lost a lot of faith in non-custodial sentences because of the failure for them to be monitored properly. 'There was a phenomenon of multiple breaches of community orders which were simply not being reported back to the courts so faith was lost in quite a lot of what was going on.' Lord Burnett also said there was a problem with Mr Gauke's call for some prison terms to be replaced by 'robust community orders'. He said: 'The problem is that sentencers lost a lot of faith in non-custodial sentences because of the failure for them to be monitored properly On Tuesday, MPs on the justice committee called for all prison sentences of less than a year to be abolished. However, Mr Gauke yesterday showed signs of backtracking on his own policy when questioned by MPs on the Commons justice committee. He said: 'No decisions as yet have been made, but I do worry about the impact short sentences can have. This is a complex matter. 'It is important not to think that addressing the issue of short sentences is a huge money-saving opportunity. 'In the long term it might be if it helps reduce reoffending but I completely agree that reducing short sentences needs to be viewed in the context of improving the alternatives. I don't think one can just, overnight, get rid of short sentences and hope for the best.' Flybe has been accused of keeping passengers in the dark about compensation after it cancelled flights because of pilot shortages. More than 2,000 customers received text messages and emails on Tuesday telling them they would not be able to fly the next day. More than two dozen flights were cancelled yesterday from airports including Birmingham, Southampton, Belfast, Newcastle, Aberdeen and Edinburgh. Passengers were told they could rebook on an alternative flight or apply for a full refund. But consumer groups pointed out that Flybe had not informed passengers they are also entitled under EU rules to compensation of 250 euros or 215 if a short-haul flight is cancelled with fewer than seven days of notice. Flybe cancelled more than two dozen flights from airports including Birmingham, Southampton, Belfast, Newcastle, Aberdeen and Edinburgh (file photo) Paloma Salmeron, from claims firm AirHelp, added: Although Flybe has claimed that all customers affected have been emailed and advised they can rebook for travel on an alternative flight, or apply for a full refund, what the airline has failed to mention is that passengers are also eligible to claim compensation. Rory Boland, of Which? Travel, said: The lack of clear information provided by Flybe was completely unacceptable. Furious passengers vented their frustration on social media, branding the airline a shambles and a joke. The struggling carrier was rescued from collapse last month by a consortium including Virgin Atlantic and the Stobart Group. Investors, including staff, were virtually wiped out by the deal, which valued the airline at just 1p a share. Disgruntled pilots and cabin crew are said to have deserted Flybe for other airlines, leaving it with staff shortages. Consumer groups pointed out that Flybe had not informed passengers they are also entitled under EU rules to compensation of 250 euros or 215 (file photo) Flybe apologised to customers for the cancellations and said 95 per cent of flights were operating as normal. A spokesman added: We are doing our best to mitigate the impact of the current situation that has arisen due to a combination of factors including seasonality, pilots end-of-year leave, Easter holidays, base restructuring and the shortage of pilots across the industry that Flybe has highlighted over recent months. The shambles comes after rival carrier Ryanair cancelled thousands of flights some of them last month after allowing too many of its pilots to take their holidays at the same time. An innocent man spent five months in a maximum security prison after his ex-girlfriend falsely accused him of rape and assault. Daniel Jones, 31, from Canberra, thought Sarah Jane Parkinson was the love of his life when they met at work in 2011. The couple became engaged after a few short months and Mr Jones even built a house so they could live together. But shortly after moving in, Mr Jones' life began to unravel. He was served with an AVO (apprehended violence order) after Parkinson told her colleagues at the Queanbeyan Police Station that he had abused her. Canberra man Daniel Jones thought Sarah Jane Parkinson (pictured) was the love of his life when they met in 2011 Mr Jones protested his innocence but police brought a string of charges against him anyway. 'I'd just built a house and she'd moved in with me, everything was going well,' he told 60 Minutes in an upcoming interview. 'I had everything going right, and in that instant, everything just went to s***.' 'She's a lying, vindictive, cancerous woman.' Parkinson's lies snowballed and in 2014 she claimed she had been raped. Mr Jones was arrested at the granny flat at her parents' house and taken to a police station. He would later learn that Parkinson had made an emergency call to police telling them she had been beaten and savagely raped that morning. Daniel Jones (pictured) spent five months in Goulburn maximum security jail after Parkinson falsely claimed she was raped Mr Jones was transferred to Goulburn maximum security prison for five months while police investigated multiple false allegations. But Parkinson's lies were about to catch up with her. Detective Leesa Alexander from the ACT criminal unit look on the investigation and found multiple inconsistencies in Parkinson's evidence. Parkinson was sentenced to three years and one month behind bars in Canberra magistrates' court in January for making a false rape claim. During sentencing magistrate Beth Campbell described as 'incomprehensible, wicked behaviour', The Australian reported. Her crime has also been described as a mockery of genuine domestic and sexual violence victims 60 Minutes airs this Sunday at 8.30pm on Channel 9. Tory politician Lord Tebbit is demanding the BBC ban comic Frankie Boyle after he made a joke about IRA bombs on his latest show. He hit out at the Scottish comedian for saying it may be a relief for Theresa May to resign after spending a weekend at Chequers with leading Brexiteers. Boyle, 46, said 'where the f*** are the IRA when you need them?' during his New World Order show on BBC Two. Lord Tebbit survived the 1984 IRA bombing of the Grand Brighton Hotel in the seaside resort but his wife was left paralysed. Tory peer Lord Tebbit (pictured) has called on the BBC to ban comedian Frankie Boyle after he made a joke about the IRA on his latest show Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, Lord Tebbit, 88, said: 'The man should be banned from broadcasting on the BBC. What he said was highly offensive. 'IRA terrorist attacks are no laughing matter and the BBC shouldn't have him on television.' On his show, Boyle said: 'Theresa May has offered to resign if she can get her deal through.It's probably a relief for her. 'I mean, she spent the weekend at Chequers with her worst enemies like Boris Johnson, Jacob Reese Mogg, Michael Gove, Iain Duncan Smith, all in one place. 'Where the f*** are the IRA when you need them? All these groups that keep getting back together. What about the guys that would really help us?' Lord Tebbit was pulled from rubble in the aftermath of the 1984 IRA bombing of the Grand Brighton Hotel in the seaside resort. Boyle (pictured), 46, joked 'where the f*** are the IRA when you need them?' during his New World Order show on BBC Two It targeted senior members of the Conservative government. The bomb aimed to kill Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher who narrowly escaped the blast which killed five and left 31 injured. A BBC spokesman said: 'Frankie Boyle's New World Order was shown after 10pm on BBC Two and its content is within audience expectations for a post-watershed, topical, satirical programme from a comedian whose style and tone are well-established. 'Within the same programme Frankie clearly acknowledges the brutality of the IRA's activities.' A man who says he was afflicted with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder after surviving the shooting massacre in Las Vegas has claimed in a lawsuit that his employer told him to 'suck it up.' Charles Giampaolo, 36, of Torrington, Connecticut was not injured but his father-in-law was among the 58 killed in the October 2017 shooting at the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival. Giampaolo says in his suit filed on Tuesday that Torrington-based Elevator Service Co. discriminated against him, subjected him to a hostile work environment, and retaliated against him, all in violation of state law, eventually prompting him to resign. The suit claims that in the weeks after Giampaolo returned from Las Vegas, company owners Steve and Linda Roth told him he had a 'bad attitude,' according to the Republican American. Charles Giampaolo, 36, (above) says his employers forced him out and taunted him to 'suck it up' after he returned from Las Vegas with PTSD from escaping the shooting Giampaolo is seeking unspecified damages from his former employers at Elevator Service Co. in Torrington, Connecticut, in the lawsuit filed there on Tuesday 'October has come and gone, you need to get over it,' the lawsuit claims Steve Roth told Giamapaolo. Steve Roth declined comment when reached at home by the Republican American. The lawsuit claims that while he was at a noisy and crowded event for housing professionals weeks after the shooting, Giampaolo suffered a panic attack and left early. The suit alleges that his employers told him he had a bad attitude, that coworkers criticized him for leaving early to attend therapy sessions, and that he was stripped of his core job duties and commissions as account executive and sales manager. Giampaolo's complaint says he finally left the company in April 2018 after being demoted and made 'miserable' by his employers. Giampaolo's father-in-law Kurt Von Tillow, a truck company owner from Northern California, took a fatal bullet while rushing other family members to cover People run from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after gun fire was heard on October 1, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Fifty-eight people were killed and hundreds injured He said he had been hired by the company in February 2015 and planned to devote the rest of his career to the company. Shooter Stephen Paddock took his own life after killing 58 at the music festival Giampaolo was on an annual vacation to Las Vegas along with his wife, in-laws, sister and niece when a gunman opened fire on the Route 91 Harvest Festival on October 1, 2017. His father-in-law Kurt Von Tillow, a truck company owner from Northern California, took a fatal bullet while rushing other family members to cover. Shooter Stephen Paddock killed himself in the Mandalay Bay hotel room that he used as a gunner's nest before police could close in on him, an investigation found. Giampaolo is seeking unspecified damages in the lawsuit, which was filed in Superior Court in Torrington. More people with dementia should be given music or dance therapy in a bid to prevent them being 'over-medicalised', the Health Secretary has said. Matt Hancock said that while guidance says local areas should consider music or dancing for people with dementia, such therapies have not been widely adopted across England. Speaking following a reception hosted by the Prince of Wales at Clarence House in support of 'social prescription' therapies, Mr Hancock said: 'Dementia can devastate the lives of people affected by it and although there is not yet a cure I believe we can do more to improve the lives of people with the condition. Health secretary Matt Hancock, pictured, said he wanted personalised care for people with dementia that did not focus on 'dishing out pills when it's not in the best interests of the patient' According to Mr Hancock: 'There is increasing evidence suggesting music can bring calm to people with dementia by reducing agitation and supporting those affected to cope better with symptoms' 'In particular, I want to combat over-medicalisation and dishing out pills when it's not in the best interests of the patient. 'There is increasing evidence suggesting music can bring calm to people with dementia by reducing agitation and supporting those affected to cope better with symptoms. 'This is the kind of personalised care that I fully endorse as a key part of our NHS long term plan.' Around 850,000 people in the UK have dementia and this is projected to rise to more than a million in under a decade. For two years, Alex Smith kept his talents a secret from his fellow soldiers in the Queen's Dragoon Guards. The 22-year-old trooper from South Wales, though skilled in military combat, was trained in an altogether different profession. But now for the first time since joining the Army, Smith will showcase his passion for dance on stage, in a show about soldiers. Alex Smith, of the Queen's Dragoon Guards, is on leave from the Army to perform in 10 Soldiers at the Birmingham Hippodrome Having studied ballet, tap, jazz and contemporary dance before deciding to join the Army three years ago, Smith thought he had 'closed that chapter' in his life. But after seeing a performance of dance show '5 Soldiers' online, he began to reconsider his previous calling. 'I saw 5 Soldiers (a previous production) live-streamed when I was just sat in my room, scrolling down Facebook,' said Smith. 'I thought, I've danced before and now I'm in the Army. What a perfect opportunity it would be to go back into dance. All the work I've done for all those years could count for something.' Having studied ballet, tap, jazz and contemporary dance before deciding to join the Army three years ago, Smith thought he had 'closed that chapter' in his life However before landing a role in the show, Smith had not revealed his hidden talents to his comrades. 'It was something I never talked about,' the 22-year-old told The Times. 'I thought it was a closed chapter in a book that Id never revisit. I just didnt think it needed to be mentioned.' But after taking the offer and deciding to tell them he was surprised at the level of support. 'When I did tell them, they said, "you should have just said sooner,' Smith said of his supportive colleagues 'When I did tell them, they said, "you should have just said sooner,' he said. After performing in the show and being cast in its follow-up, 10 Soldiers, Smith is now on secondment and is due to return to his regiment in June. The performance, choreographed by Rosie Kay, 'tells the stories of men and women serving on the front line' and opens at the Birmingham Hippodrome in May. But even for a soldier, Smith says that returning to being a dancer is physically arduous. Smith was the only boy at his local dance school after asking his parents for lessons at the age of four 'It's a different sort of strain on the body. You've got bruises on your back, your shoulders are hurting. It still hurts every day. It's physically taxing.' Smith was the only boy at his local dance school after asking his parents for lessons at the age of four. 'There were lots of girls, over 200 girls and I was the only boy,' he said. 'Now it's getting a bit easier. There are five or six boys in every class there now.' He said his dance background helped with being a soldier 'a lot' because 'I'd been doing classes every day, runs every day' with Northern Ballet. After performing in the show and being cast in its follow-up, 10 Soldiers, Smith is now on secondment and is due to return to his regiment in June 'I was naturally quite fit, which put me in a good place for training. 'And if I did leave the Army, eventually, I wouldn't struggle. I know how to communicate with people more, how to get about life and find different opportunities for myself.' He does not think he will inspire his fellow soldiers to try out any of his moves, saying it would be 'quite a big one to climb to get soldiers to dance'. 'There were lots of girls, over 200 girls and I was the only boy,' he said. 'Now it's getting a bit easier. There are five or six boys in every class there now' But some of his colleagues are attending his performances. When he told them about his background and that he was 'leaving for a few months' to take part in a dance production, 'the reaction was like, 'It's such an amazing opportunity to be able to do both''. Tickets for 10 Soldiers, which premieres at the Birmingham Hippodrome on May 21 can be found here. Tickets for 10 Soldiers, which premieres at the Birmingham Hippodrome on May 21 are on sale now Smith is also taking part in BBC Arts DancePassion, a live-streaming day featuring 11 hours of performance, rehearsals and behind-the-scenes glimpses from across the UK. The event on Friday can be seen at bbc.co.uk/dance. Two model cousins who ended their friendship after siding with their their tattooed boyfriends have squashed their beef after a bitter online war. Rikki Louise Jones and her cousin Allaina Vader became embroiled in an ugly public feud between their boyfriends, both former bikie enforcers, last year. The cousins fell out when ex-Bandidos president Brett 'Kaos' Pechey and former Hells Angels bikie Ben 'Notorious' Geppert used Instagram to take shots at each other and their partners. Two model cousins who ended their friendship after pledging allegiance to their tattooed boyfriends have squashed their beef, after a bitter online war (pictured: Rikki Louise Jones) Rikki Louise Jones and her cousin Allaina Vader (pictured) became embroiled in a public feud between their boyfriends, alleged former bikies, last year Geppert posted a photo on social media of Pechey's girlfriend Rikki with a pig's snout on her face, and placed two police emojis with the caption 'ONION' a derogatory term for a bikie's girlfriend. The cousins stood by their boyfriends and swore their relationship would never recover. But one year on, the cousins appear on track to fix their differences by sharing a catch-up to social media. Ms Vader posted a boomerang of Ms Jones on Wednesday enjoying an espresso martini with text 'bound to happen'. A following Instagram story showed Ms Jones had spilled a drink on her gym tights which she was trying to clean. 'I can't take you anywhere,' Ms Vader says in the video. Ms Vader posted a boomerang of cousin Ms Jones (pictured) on Wednesday enjoying an espresso martini with text 'bound to happen' Ms Vader then alluded to the end of the feud and her dating relationship in an update to her Instagram story on Thursday Ms Vader then alluded to the end of the feud and her dating relationship in an update to her Instagram story on Thursday. 'I might look silly but family is family at the end of the day,' she wrote. 'P.s I'll never date again.' Daily Mail Australia understands she has split with Geppert as pictures of the couple have been wiped from her social media. In April 2018, Ms Vader told The Courier-Mail she regretted her involvement in her boyfriend's feud but it had gone too far. The cousins fell out when ex-Bandidos boss Brett 'Kaos' Pechey (right) and former Hells Angels and Finks bikie gang member Ben 'Notorious' Geppert used Instagram to take shots at each other and their partners Daily Mail Australia understands Ms Vader has split with Geppert as pictures of the couple have been wiped from her social media 'I'll always love Rikki, I was her legal guardian once I turned 17 so yeah it hurts its gone this far,' she said. 'But I won't forgive her this time, it's gone too far.' Ms Vader said the girls' relationship fell apart when they took their respective partner's sides, a move she said she did not regret. At the time, Ms Jones refused to divulge any information as to why she didn't speak to her cousin anymore, but said 'the truth will come out in court at a later date'. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Ms Vader and Ms Jones for comment. Qantas has reportedly banned Fraser Anning from its exclusive Chairman's Lounge club over his Christchurch terror comments. The independent senator blamed the March 15 massacre, in which 50 people died, on Muslim immigration. The Chairman's Lounge can only be accessed through an invitation and is frequented by federal members of parliament and top business elites. Members are offered flight seat upgrades, an a la carte menu, a comfortable lounge and table service. The exclusive access has been around for almost 30 years but Qantas has remained secretive about how it selects people or how many members there are. Qantas has reportedly banned Fraser Anning (pictured on Thursday) from its exclusive Chairman's Lounge club over his Christchurch terror comments The independent politician blamed the March 15 massacre, which cost 50 lives, on Muslim immigration Qantas said last week the airline would review Mr Anning's access to the invitation-only lounge - and on Thursday banned him, according to The Australian. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Qantas for comment. Mr Anning was censured by parliament for his 'shameful and pathetic' comments on Wednesday. 'Senator Anning's comments were ugly and divisive. They were dangerous and unacceptable from anyone, let alone a member of this place,' government Senate leader Mathias Cormann told parliament. Labor's Senate leader Penny Wong said while scores of injured people were being treated for gunshot wounds, Senator Anning fanned the flames of division. 'How pathetic. How shameful. A shameful and pathetic attempt by a bloke who has never been elected to get attention by exploiting diversity as a fault line for political advantage,' she said, without mentioning Anning's name. The Government and the opposition joined together to a move a motion censuring Anning, following his statements about Christchurch. Cory Bernardi, the leader of the Australian Conservatives, opposed parts of the motion but agreed he should be banned from the Chairman's lounge. Senator Anning did not stay in the chamber for the vote. The Greens pushed for Senator Anning to be suspended from Senate but that motion was defeated 40-10. No senator voted against the part of the motion which censured Senator Anning. The Chairman's Lounge can only be accessed through an invitation and is frequented by federal members of Parliament and top business elites The Qantas Chairman's Lounge membership offers flight seat upgrades, an a la carte menu, a comfortable lounge and table service He originally stood for One nation and entered parliament after the party's Malcolm Roberts was disqualified for being a dual citizen in 2017. Senator Anning labelled the comments of Parliament as a 'witch hunt', which was a 'blatant attack on free speech'. 'This is exactly the kind of self-righteous, left-wing intolerance of alternative views that you would expect from an extremist party like the greens,' he said. Senator Anning also whacked the Australian teenager dubbed 'Egg Boy' twice in the face, after the 17-year-old slapped an egg on the politician's head, following his widely-condemned comments. Will Connolly was then punched in the face twice by Mr Anning before being tackled to the ground and put in a choke-hold by four of the Senator's supporters. Senator Anning labelled the comments of Parliament as a 'witch hunt', which was a 'blatant attack on free speech' A fish and chip shop owner claims fast food chains drove him out of business and lost him his $110,000 life savings. Terry Barlow shut down Pimpala Fish n Grill in Old Reynella, Adelaide, on the weekend after sales collapsed last year. The 65-year-old placed an extraordinarily blunt sign in his former shop's window bemoaning a 'lack of community support'. Terry Barlow, 65, placed an extraordinarily blunt sign in his former shop's window bemoaning a 'lack of community support' after its failure 'Due to the lack of local community support for this small business we will be closing the doors,' it read. 'We wish to thank our loyal customers for their past patronage. The shop may re-open if they can find someone else that (sic) wants to lose their life's savings.' Mr Barlow told Daily Mail Australia he worked 70-hour weeks in recent months trying to keep the shop afloat, pocketing as little as $20.80 a week for his family. He said in the past year 'lazy' customers were flocking to McDonald's and Hungry Jacks drive throughs on 'junk food corner' 500m away. 'I'll be completely dead and they'll have 20 cars in the drive through but no one inside. People are just lazy and don't want to leave their cars,' he said. 'People tell me if I put one in I'd do a roaring trade, but I can't really manage to do that.' He shut down Pimpala Fish n Grill in Old Reynella, Adelaide, on the weekend after sales collapsed last year Mr Barlow told Daily Mail Australia he worked 70-hour weeks in recent months trying to keep the shop afloat, pocketing as little as $20.80 a week for his family Mr Barlow started the shop in 2016 and built up a group of loyal regulars, but even they were coming in less often as times were tough. 'They don't have any expendable cash to buy takeaway with, they've cut down on eating out, they're struggling as well,' he said. Pimpala Fish lost $1,000 in sales a week from December as gas and electricity bills climbed, making the business no longer viable. Mr Barlow said he burned through his savings, sold cars and a motorbike, and borrowed $7,500 from his mother to put into the shop, to no avail. 'I've got nothing left to keep it going,' he said. Mr Barlow started the shop in 2016 and built up a group of loyal regulars, but even they were coming in less often as times were tough He said numerous other takeaway shops in the area had also gone bust, some after decades of operation, for the same reasons as his. 'There's a lot that's been destroying small business for a while,' he said. 'Small shops are closing everywhere.as no one supports them any more. People will realise when it's too late that they can no longer find a fish and chip shop.' The shop's Facebook page shows almost entirely positive reviews of the food and service, with many customers saddened by its closure. After closing the failed venture, Mr Barlow planned to move to Queensland where his mother lives, and apply for the age pension. Less than a year in the hot seat, Brigadier Peter Magosi has hit the ground running, trimming excess baggage and transforming the DIS into a well oiled and effective machine. Magosi has saved government millions by advocating for the law enforcement units to work in tandem rather than duplicating duties. He has also advocated for the auditing of the organ, amendment of the DIS Act and staff promotions which have not happened in the last five years. In his maiden interview with this publication, Magosi stated that he wants his organisation to be transparent. Asked this week how much progress has been made Magosi said his 32 years of service in the army has helped him to manage the transition. During that time I learnt firstly that government was overspending unnecessarily, secondly the service delivery was very slow because neither hand knew what the other was doing. Thirdly there was no interpersonal relationship between the leaders in different places and, or organs. He then met the leadership of secutity stakeholders and together came up with a more close working relationship and more effective and or improved coordination. Today there is no security organ which claims to be bigger than the other. We are all equals and our job is to serve the nation. I felt that we needed to break the existing silos and I believe we have successfully done that as a result today for the first time we are able to see all the security elements within the country working much closely together without anyone of them claiming the big brother mentality and wanting to perform certain duties over others. On transparency Magosi has insisted that the DIS must have respect, discipline and interpersonal relationship and support among the people within the organisation. I believe that these have been achieved, but we can never say it is enough as there is room for improvement. I must point out that we still have weaknesses here and there, but I believe they are manageable and we can move forward. DIS has also embarked on the amendment or revision of the Act after picking that there are issues that dont sit well with the public and politicians. One of the clauses Magosi singled out in the Act is the DIS Oversight Committee. We must make sure that this committee plays its role undisturbed. Currently my team is working on the Act as I want to make sure the oversight execute its mandate on us. DIS has also come up with an audit which was amongst the most controversial issues with the public. I have personally approached the Auditor General and asked them to come and audit us. They have since done that, but have not completed the audit as certain things still needed clarity from us. I am trying to get accountability of certain things as it is not easy to release them quickly in terms of getting credibility on them. But it is not unusual in that area as it can take some time to clarify issues because as long as we did not do the handover which is protracted, there will be these kinds of gaps and we will keep on going back and forth to try and get things in line. Magosi is also pushing government to enable him to promote members of the organisation in order to reward the good job that they are doing. The organisation has never had any promotions in the past five years. I feel this will bring some kind of incentive to the people, he said. Top of Magosis welfare conditions for staff is to improve accommodation both residential and offices. We have spent a substantial amount of money in rehabilitation of houses. We cannot do everything at a go, but we have done some that indicate we are moving somewhere. As for challenges, Magosi is held back by lack of finances. He wants to do lots of training in order to build different capabilities that will match the current national security calls. With 32 years of anti-poaching service, Magosi feels he is at home in this field and is not so bothered by incidents of elephants and rhino poaching intended to discredit his administration. I would like to assure the nation without hesitation that you will see a lot of improvement as time goes on but not long in terms of anti-poaching, he said. National threats As for external threats, Magosi said the major threat is terrorism and the fear that Botswana can ultimately be used or is already being used as platform for terrorism financing. Turning to internal threats, he cited drugs trafficking, Trust national organised crime, espionage, cybercrime, stock theft and corruption, the latter which he said is a serious threat that makes the country lose its identity. Thousands of people queued up for over an hour in the rain for free fast food given away by Deliveroo. The delivery giant is giving away 2,000 free burgers at Martin Place in the Sydney CBD from 12pm to 6pm but they will likely be finished long before then. Deliveroo gave away 700 burgers in the first hour as 50 bicycle delivery people raced to keep up with demand. People began queuing at 11am in a line that stretched back 500 metres from Martin Place Square all the way to Martin Place Station. Burger buddies: Julia (right) and Alina (middle) are Swiss exchange students at UTS. They waited half an hour in the rain for free burgers Worth the wait? Burger lovers waited up to over an hour in the rain at Martin Place in Sydney's CBD. Deliveroo gave out 700 burgers in the first hour Ten restaurants supplied burgers from cult favourites like Mary's and 8bit to chicken masters Belles and fast food giant KFC. Swiss exchange student Julia and her two friends waited half an hour in the rain for a burger found out 'It was definitely worth the wait,' she said. 'It's not a really beautiful burger, I have to say. But it's good.' Her friend Alina said: 'I love this event, we don't have this at home and we really appreciate it here.' Early bird gets the burger: Ryan Kirwin started lining up at 11:30am, half an hour before the event started. He said there was already a queue Aspiring exercise physiologist Ryan Kirwin, 28, lined up for an hour and a half for a burger. He arrived early at 11:30am when there were already people backed up over 500 metres into Martin Place Station and got his burger by 1pm. 'I'm not sure they'll make it to 6pm before they get rid of all the burgers but time will tell,' he said. 'I love my exercise so I know how to burn off these burgers, no worries.' The line snaked down into Martin Place Station from the square as office workers came out for a free lunch Gifti does not eat beef so he had to wait 15 minutes longer once he reached the front of the queue for a chicken burger Office worker Gifti follows Sikhism and waited for a chicken burger because he does not eat beef. 'I don't mind waiting in the rain, it's just fun,' he said. 'It's more about about enjoying the moment. It's just the vibe.' 'It's been going off on social media,' a Deliveroo spokeswoman said. But not everyone on social media agreed that they would wait in a long line A Deliveroo spokeswoman said they have been 'overwhelmed with the response'. 'We know people love free burgers but we never expected to go as massive as it has. It's just been insane,' she said. 'It's honestly amazing what people will go through for burgers. I would stick around in the rain for a free burger.' Deliveroo gave out their top 10 best selling burgers from 8bit, Burger Project, Belles Hot Chicken, Betty's Burgers, BL Burgers, Huxtaburger, Ribs & Burgers, Mary's, Ume Burger and KFC. The event was to celebrate the delivery giant selling five million burgers. Filming has begun in New York for the much-anticipated Sopranos film prequel called 'The Many Saints of Newark.' The cast and crew of the mafia flick were spotted on set in Brooklyn, New York which is 30 minutes away from Newark, where the film is set. The prequel to the iconic HBO series 'The Sopranos' focuses on the origins of a young Tony Soprano, who was played by the late actor James Gandolfini. The cast of the prequel includes Ray Liotta, Alessandro Nivola, Vera Farmiga and Gandolfini's son Michael, in the role made famous by his father. Filming has begun for the much-anticipated Sopranos film prequel called 'The Many Saints of Newark. Alessandro Nivola, (right) plays Dickie Moltisanti. He was the father of the character Christopher Moltisanti, played by the incomparable Michael Imperioli (left) in The Sopranos Iconic: The Sopranos was a first-of-its-kind cable drama for HBO and ran for six seasons from 1999-2007. The series starred James Gandolfini, (center), as its lead actor The story is set in New Jersey from the time of the Newark race riots during the sixties and seventies, when tensions erupted between African-American and Italian-American communities. Nivola, who starred in the film 'American Hustle,' plays Dickey Moltisanti, the father of Michael Imperiolis character Christopher Moltisanti in the original series. He was dressed in a sharp, shiny grey suit with an azure colored tie and slicked back hair. The actor was filmed as he stepped out of a restaurant onto a sun drenched Brooklyn street. James Gandolfini, (left), who played the character Tony Soprano will be portrayed by his real life son Michael, (right), in the Sopranos prequel Dickie was never seen during the drama's tenure on television but referenced several times as a mentor to Tony Soprano, who was famously played by James Gandolfini. Brooklyn appeared to have been transformed for the movie as a handful of extras were dressed like they stepped out of a time machine and 60s style cars littered the streets. Between scenes, a more relaxed version of the indie actor kept warm in an over coat and shared a laugh with his co-star Michela DeRossi. The brunette beauty's vintage costume was covered by a long red winter jacket but her raven locks were fluffed and curled in a retro style. DeRossi, 26, is a Rome Native who made her first trip to the U.S. to audition for a part in 'Many Saints of Newark.' Deadline reported that the nature of DeRossis part in the movie is unknown, but that she will play am ambitious Italian immigrant living in Newark. David Chase, the creator of The Sopranos, co-wrote the upcoming film adaptation which was originally titled The Many Saints of Newark. Made man: Actor Alessandro Nivola was seen for the first time as main character Dickie Moltisanti in the Sopranos prequel Sixties style: The character was dressed in a sharp, shiny grey suit with an azure colored tie with a tie bar and slicked back hair Die-hard Soprano vans may remember that Dickie is the cousin of Tony's wife Carmela (Edie Falco), however Tony refers to her second cousin Christopher (Imperioli) solely as his nephew. Dickie was at the center of a storyline in the show's season four opener, For All Debts Public and Private, as Tony led Christopher to retiring police Detective Lt. Barry Haydu (Tom Mason), who he claimed had been Dickie's killer. While Haydu denied involvement, Christopher shot him to death with Tony's implied orders in mind. The Sopranos series featured numerous 1960s flashbacks during its run, featuring Joseph Siravo as Tony Soprano's father Johnny Boy, Laila Robins as a younger incarnation of Tony's mother Livia Soprano, and Rocco Sisto as the younger Junior Soprano. Relaxed: Between scenes, a much more relaxed version of the indie actor kept warm in an over coat and shared a laugh with his co-star Michela De Rossi Vintage! The brunette beauty's vintage costume was covered by a long red winter jacket but her raven locks were fluffed and curled in a retro style The Sopranos centered around mob boss Tony Soprano and his dealings with his family and The Family while also seeking treatment for panic attacks. The hit show was one of the first of it's kind and ran for six seasons on HBO from 1999 to 2007. It made a star of actor James Gandolfini, who won numerous awards including Golden Globes, Emmys and SAG Awards, and is often credited for kicking off the stellar trend of television dramas in the 2000s and 2010s. Gandolfini died on June 19, 2013 in Rome, Italy from a heart attack while on vacation with his son, who was the one to find him fallen in his hotel room. Storyline: The plot of the mob prequel is set in the era of the Newark riots in the 1960s, when African-Americans and Italians in New Jersey embroiled in an often fatal feud Tributes poured in from all over Hollywood in the wake of his death, praising his talents and impact he left playing the anti-hero Tony Soprano. A year before his death, Gandolfini admitted to Vanity Fair that the show's unlikely ending to the series had him flummoxed - at first. 'When I first saw the ending, I said, "What the f***,"' he said. 'I mean, after all I went through, all this death, and then it's over like that? After I had a day to sleep, I just sat there and said: "That's perfect."' Revamp: Newark was originally titled The Many Saints of Newark but the name was shortened recently Coming soon: The film also stars Vera Farmiga, Ray Liotta, Jon Bernthal, Corey Stoll, Billy Magnussen, and John Magaro and will be out in theaters in 2020 The final scene saw Tony, played by the late James Gandolfini, at a diner with his family, convinced a rival gang are after him. A stranger walks in, it appears the end is coming - and the screen turns black for ten seconds, before the credits roll. Gandolfini's character Tony Soprano will be portrayed by his real life son Michael in the prequel. Earlier this month, Michael Gandolfini, 19, told TMZ that he was excited about playing his famous father's character as a young man in the prequel. 'Its a profound honor to continue my dads legacy while stepping into the shoes of a young Tony Soprano,' Gandolfini said in a statement. HBO hit: The Sopranos centered around mob boss Tony Soprano and his dealings with his family and The Family while also seeking treatment for panic attacks; Gandolfini pictured with actress Lorraine Bracco who played Dr. Melfi 'Im thrilled that I am going to have the opportunity to work with David Chase and the incredible company of talent he has assembled for The Many Saints of Newark.' Michael's previous credits include a role in Ocean's Eight and a recurring role on HBO's The Deuce as Joey Dwyer. Michael, whose mother Marcy Wudarski was married to James Gandolfini from 1999 thru 2002, was chosen after an extended casting process, insiders told Deadline. They claimed that his looks, mannerism and understanding of the character got him the coveted part in the film, which will be directed by Alan Taylor. Original cast members including Edie Falco, Jamie-Lynn Sigler and Robert Iler, reunited in January for the show's 20th anniversary He directed nine episodes of "The Sopranos" throughout its lifespan, in addition to seven episodes of "Game of Thrones," as well as feature films "Thor: The Dark World" and "Terminator Genisys." With a late September release date, Many Saints of Newark may be making an awards season run, capitalizing on the fan following and sustained critical acclaim for 'The Sopranos.' Back in January the Sopranos cast reunited on Wednesday to commemorate the show's 20th anniversary. In interviews, the show's creator David Chase admitted that he did have a death scene in mind for Tony Soprano, though he refuses to confirm that the mobster actually died during the controversial finale. Chase remained coy when asked by reporters if viewers would have been mistaken to believe Tony would have been killed in the scene, saying, 'Im not going to answer that question.' President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner has been revealed as the White House Official whose security clearance was initially denied over foreign influence concerns. Kushner was the individual identified as 'Senior White House Official 1' in a House Oversight Committee memo on Monday summarizing the testimony of an executive branch whistle-blower, sources told the Washington Post. The whistle-blower, Tricia Newbold, said that her denial of Kushner's clearance was overruled despite her concerns about 'foreign influence, outside activities... and personal conduct,' the memo stated. Though the memo didn't specify the nature of her concerns, foreign officials from Israel, China, the United Arab Emirates, and Mexico all discussed ways to gain leverage on Kushner, the Post reported last year. Kushner is spotted leaving his Washington DC home on Wednesday morning. He has been revealed as the official who was initially denied clearance over foreign influence concerns Foreign officials from Israel, China, the United Arab Emirates, and Mexico all reportedly discussed ways to gain leverage on Kushner, who is seen on Wednesday morning Kushner is seen in 2017 with then Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and UAE Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahayan According to the new report, Kushner was among 25 White House officials who were granted security clearances over Newbold's objections. Newbold, a career official who has worked for 18 years in the Executive Office of the President, said she came forward to Congress only after extensive efforts to resolve her concerns within the executive branch. She said that Carl Kline, who headed the White Houses personnel security office at the time, repeatedly overruled her denials of security clearances. The allegations were detailed in a letter and memo released by Rep. Elijah Cummings, a Maryland Democrat and chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee. The documents, which are based on Newbold's March 23 private committee interview, don't identify the officials on the list but say they include "two current senior White House officials, as well as contractors and individuals" in different parts of the Executive Office of the President. Tricia Newbold (above), a career official who has worked for 18 years in the Executive Office of the President, raised the concerns with Congress in an interview last month This section of the 10-page memo reportedly refers to Newbold's concerns with Kushner "According to Ms. Newbold, these individuals had a wide range of serious disqualifying issues involving foreign influence, conflicts of interest, concerning personal conduct, financial problems, drug use and criminal conduct," the memo says. The release of the documents sets up another fight between the White House and the Democratic-controlled House, and it immediately drew criticism from House Republicans who called the allegations overblown and "cherry-picked." Cummings' panel has been investigating security clearances issued to senior officials including Kushner, former national security adviser Michael Flynn and former White House aide Rob Porter. That probe has picked up steam after The New York Times reported that Trump ordered officials to grant Kushner a clearance over the objections of national security officials, and after Newbold spoke out to NBC News and other news outlets about her concerns. Virgin Australia has ended a deal with Royal Brunei Airlines over its new anti-gay laws while the Australian government is being urged to ban the airline completely. Brunei, a tiny nation on the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia, introduced the death penalty by stoning for gay sex and adultery on Wednesday. The tough new laws, which apply to Muslims, non-Muslims and foreigners, will even apply to anyone who is travelling on an aircraft registered in Brunei. Virgin Australia has ended a deal with Royal Brunei Airlines over its new anti-gay laws while the Australian government is being urged to ban the airline completely Brunei's sultan called for Islamic teachings in the country to be strengthened as strict new sharia punishments In light of the new anti-gay laws, Virgin Australia on Wednesday confirmed it had severed its staff travel deal with the sultanate's national carrier. A Virgin Australia spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia it has made the decision to end a Staff Leisure Travel agreement with Royal Brunei. 'The Staff Travel agreement was for the sole purpose of employee leisure travel benefits only,' the spokesperson said. Virgin Australia's move to immediately terminate the staff travel deal was announced to staff via email. The email stated the decision was made given the 'harsh (including death) penalties being introduced for activity that is legal and acceptable in Australia'. The spokesperson said a separate interline ticketing agreement that allows Royal Brunei to sell seats on Virgin flights had not been changed. Virgin doesn't sell seats on the Brunei airline. The federal government has also being urged to revoke Royal Brunei Airlines' right to land in Australia after the Asian nation introduced its new death penalty laws. The Victorian Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby has called on Canberra to ensure the safety of Australians is protected. The Australian department of foreign affairs website advises would-be tourists of the new code, warning some offences may result in a penalty of execution. Brunei (pictured), a tiny nation on the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia, introduced the death penalty by stoning for gay sex and adultery on Wednesday The tough new laws, which apply to Muslims, non-Muslims and foreigners, will even apply to anyone who is travelling on an aircraft registered in Brunei Experts, however, are doubtful that executions will actually be carried out. The Victorian lobby group believes the travel warning does not go far enough to protect the rights of LGBTIQ Australians. 'The penal code applies to all those who board a Brunei-registered aircraft even when in Australia,' the VGLRL said. '(It) will allow for inhumane and cruel punishments for queer people, such as death by stoning for consensual acts between same-sex adults.' The group also called on the only Australian airport with regular Royal Brunei flights - Melbourne Airport - to no longer accept flights from the carrier and for travel agents such as Flight Centre and STA Travel to immediately stop selling their flights. The Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque in Brunei (pictured) is considered one of the most beautiful mosques in Asia The revision of Brunei's penal code expands the crimes that can be punished by death to include rape, extramarital sex for Muslims, robbery, and insulting the Muslim prophet Mohammed. Foreign Minister Marise Payne said Australia has raised concerns with the Brunei government over the new penal code. 'We absolutely oppose the death penalty and are committed to the rights of LGBTI people. We will continue to advocate for human rights in the region and beyond,' she tweeted. In a later statement, she added it was a matter for individual travellers to pick which airline they use. Melbourne Airport chief executive Lyell Strambi said he found the new laws 'extremely confronting' but says aviation access rights are a matter for the federal government and the airport would follow its response. Travel agency Flight Centre said the company 'vehemently opposes' the application of Sharia law in Brunei. Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Virgin Australia and Qantas for comment. This is the shocking moment a bus driver in Connecticut brawls with a passenger after being hit in the face with a cane. The fight followed an argument which quickly turned ugly and led to driver Stefan Knox losing his job when he punched and kicked his attacker into submission. Video shows the driver Knox being brutally attacked by 65-year-old passenger William Horn. The fight followed an argument which quickly turned ugly and led to driver Stefan Knox losing his job. Video shows the driver Knox (left) being brutally attacked by 65-year-old passenger William Horn (right) Knox said he has a dent above his right eye, where Horn hit him with the walking stick Knox, who worked for CTtransit for 19 years, was at the end of the line when he said Horn refused to get off the bus The pair began brawling and Knox appeared to land a flurry of punches and kicks on Horn 'He took a couple of Derek Jeter swings and then he jumped on me. Everything was a blur. He hit me. I'm in survival mode,' Knox said to Eyewitness News on Tuesday. Knox said he has a dent above his right eye, where Horn hit him with the walking stick. Knox, who worked for CTtransit for 19 years, was at the end of the line when he said Horn refused to get off the bus. 'I told the guy this is the end of the line, I'm going to to the garage, he replied to me 'F-you, I'm going to blow up the world',' Knox said. Seconds later the man swings the cane at him and continues to attack, which Knox begins to fight back, unbuckling his seat belt and throwing a hail of punches in return. Another angle shows him kicking the attack and then again while off the bus. Horn was arrested and charged with third-degree assault and breach of peace. He said his union has filed a grievance appealing his termination. A man who allegedly bombed a car after a driver beeped at his girlfriend in a McDonald's car park has been refused bail in a NSW court. Ryan Sharp, 33, appeared at Wollongong Local Court on Thursday, two days after he was arrested over a lengthy intimidation campaign waged against a driver in the Illawarra region. Appearing via video link, the fridge repairman cried throughout the brief hearing and mouthed 'I'm sorry' to his mother and sister who were in the courtroom. Magistrate Michael Stoddart rejected Sharp's bail application due to the 'grave' nature of the crimes he is alleged to have committed - as well as the risk he could communicate with witnesses. NSW Police allege Sharp began harassing the driver and her partner after she beeped at Sharp's partner in a McDonald's car park at Warrawong on February 22. During the evening of February 23, Sharp allegedly smashed the window of the couple's car, before returning on March 5 to place an improvised explosive device under the car. If someone had been in the car the blast could have killed them, police said on Wednesday. In making a bail application, Sharp's defence lawyer said her client had been living with, and caring for, his grandmother since 2017. Family members were concerned the cancer survivor's health would deteriorate if Sharp was held in custody, she said. Ryan Sharp was arrested on Tuesday at a petrol station near Wollongong - south of Sydney - after allegedly blowing up a couple's car who honked at his partner He was charged with a range of offences, including two counts of use of carriage service to threaten serious harm, two counts of stalk/intimidate intend fear physical harm Sharp applied for bail, saying he had to take care of his sick grandmother but it was refused But police prosecutor Sergeant Tanya Pavlin said surveillance of Sharp in the lead-up to his arrest suggested this wasn't the case. 'He is not there 24/7, caring for his grandmother ... he was only there on a handful of occasions over a number of weeks,' she said. Sharp and his 31-year-old girlfriend are due to reappear at Wollongong Local Court on May 22. She was early was earlier granted strict conditional bail after being charged with stalking and being an accessory after the fact. Sharp's partner, aged 31, was also arrested on Tuesday at her Lake Heights home Scientific researchers are arguing that examination of skeletal remains and DNA testing has found that Revolutionary war hero Casimir Pulaski was in fact biologically female Scientific researchers are arguing that examination of skeletal remains and DNA testing has found that a Revolutionary war hero dubbed 'the father of the American cavalry' was in fact biologically female. Researchers from Georgia Southern University say they made the discovery about General Casimir Pulaski after years of research examining the general's remains. Their claims are laid out in a new documentary - The General Was Female? - on the Smithsonian Channel's America's Hidden Stories series, which airs next week. The documentary suggests that Pulaski had an intersex condition known as congenital adrenal hyperplasia. The condition results in genetic females producing excessive amounts of male steroid hormones that can lead to abnormal sexual development and make genitals appear more masculine. 'That's pretty much the only way to explain the combination of features that we see,' Virginia Hutton Estabrook of Georgia Southern University told the Chicago Tribune. In addition to the female-looking pelvis, researchers say the skeletal remains also had a more female facial structure and jaw. Researchers from Georgia Southern University say they made the discovery about General Casimir Pulaski after years of research examining the general's remains, which had been buried at a memorial dedicated to him in Savannah, Georgia Chatham County coroner Dr. James C. Metts Jr. holds the skull believed to be that of General Casimir Pulaski. Metts went to Pulaski's native Poland to collect DNA from a descendent to make a positive identification Backing up their claims, researchers said extensive DNA testing provided a match between the remains and Pulaski's grand-niece. They also said the skeleton showed evidence of horseback riding, that he was of a similar height and had a battle wound injury that Pulaski suffered. Pulaski, who was born in Poland in 1745, fought against Russia before later making his way to America to join the revolution and lead the charge against British forces. After fighting Russia, he was falsely accused of trying to assassinate the king of Poland, he went into exile in France, where he heard talk of revolution in America and met Benjamin Franklyn in Paris. Historians say Pulaski likely saved George Washington's life during one battle by stalling British forces. He died in 1779 at the age of 34 fighting a battle in Savannah. Pulaski was initially buried on a Savannah plantation before his remains were dug up and buried at a memorial dedicated to him in one of the city's squares in 1854. How a Polish commander became the 'father of the American cavalry' A 19th-century monument to Polish soldier and military commander Casimir Pulaski in Savannah, Georgia Casimir Pulaski was a Polish nobleman soldier and military commander who has been described as 'the father of the American cavalry' - alongside his Hungarian friend Michael Kovats de Fabriczy. Born in Warsaw in 1745, he was one of the leading Polish military commanders who fought against Russia as part of the Bar Confederation. After a recommendation by Benjamin Franklin, Pulaski emigrated to North America and joined the Revolutionary War. Pulaski was accepted into the Continental Army as a volunteer and rose to became a general. He created the Pulaski Cavalry Legion and revolutionized the way the American cavalry operated. During his distinguished service he even saved the life of George Washington. While leading a charge against British forces at the Battle of Savannah he was wounded and died. He was one of only eight people to be awarded honorary United States citizenship. Advertisement Forensic experts are pictured above in 1998 exhuming Casimir Pulaski's great grandniece in Poland so could make a DNA match to the remains found in Savannah, Georgia The Pulaski Skyway as seen on June 25, 2014 in Jersey City, New Jersey Brooklyn is one of many areas around the United States that had paid tribute to the general with a street named after him. Pictured above is an aerial view of Pulaski Street An aerial starboard bow view of the nuclear-powered strategic missile submarine USS Casimir Pulaski named after the famous revolutionary general The subject of his remains have been a mystery for more than 100 years with some speculating about whether the general was actually ever buried in Savannah or if he was laid to rest at sea. Permission was eventually granted in 1996 to study the remains buried in the Pulaski Monument. The initial findings confused scientists when further examination suggested the skeletal remains appeared to be biologically female. It fueled speculation that the remains did not actually belong to Pulaski. The research into the general's bone samples was dropped several years later due to lack of funding for additional DNA testing. It was taken back up again in 2015 by researchers at the Georgia Southern University and they were given funding by the Smithsonian Channel for the costly DNA lab work. The team's findings are currently being reviewed by the Journal of Forensic Anthropology. Pulaski never married or fathered any children but was engaged in a long correspondence with a female friend throughout a large part of his adult life. Pulaski Park and Fieldhouse in Chicago. An 18-mile street also bears his name in the city of Chicago The Pulaski Bridge in Brooklyn named after the famous Count General in February 2015 Men of a Rhode Island regiment pause during gun practice to pose for a picture near a gun emplacement and cannon at Fort Pulaski, Georgia, in 1862 Fort Pulaski National Monument on the site of the Battle of Fort Pulaski in Savannah, Georgia Like many foreign officers in the Continental Army, Pulaski caused animosity among his colleagues. He was said to have demanded that only high-ranking generals such as George Washington and Marquis de Lafayette were in higher positions and that he reported directly to Congress. Unable to speak much English, Pulaski only reluctantly took orders even from Washington and caused ructions with fellow officers in the revolutionary army. One rival was Anthony Wayne, who believed Pulaski looked down on the fighting ability of American soldiers. Pulaski also resented that American officers disliked taking orders from a foreigner. He also lodged court martial proceedings against one his own commanders, Stephen Moylan, for disobeying his orders and punching a fellow Polish soldier. After resigning his post as chief of cavalry in March 1778, Pulaski sought Congressional approval to raise his own cavalry made up of prisoners and deserters. Pulaski was mortally wounded during a brave but foolhardy cavalry charge at the Battle of Savannah in Georgia in 1779. It was said his enemies were so in awe of his bravery they allowed his body to taken from the battlefield and he died from a head wound on board the USS Wasp. A World War I Polish army recruitment poster depicting Casimir Pulaski and Thaddeus Kosciuszko (left) and a bust of the general (right) A family have appealed for information about a missing grandfather who hasn't been seen in five days. Tony Tsakis, 76, was last seen by in Carnegie in Melbourne's south-east on Saturday at about 6.30am. But his family grew concerned when Mr Tsakis failed to come home. 'He didn't take his medication with him and might be a bit disoriented and he doesn't like the cold,' his granddaughter told 9News. Tony Tsakis (pictured right) was last seen by his family in Carnegie in Melbourne's south-east on Saturday at about 6.30am The grandfather-of-three reportedly left his Neerim Road address without his wallet and dentures The grandfather-of-three left his Neerim Road address without his wallet and dentures, 7News reported. Mr Tsakis is described as having a slim build, with short grey hair. He speaks fluent Greek and has limited English. His family fear for his welfare because Mr Tsakis has a number of health conditions. Mr Tsakis regularly visits Duncan Mackinnon Reserve in Murrumbeena, which is about a half hour walk from his home. He also frequents the Carnegie area, including the suburb's library. 'I want to say Dad we love you and please give us a call. We would love to see you come through that front door,' Mr Tsakis' son-in-law said. The grandfather-of-three is described to have a slim build, with short grey hair. He speaks fluent Greek but has limited English enough to 'get by' Brenton Harrison Tarrant, 28, is due to appear in the High Court at Christchurch on Friday The man accused of shooting Muslim worshippers at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand has been charged with 50 counts of murder. Brenton Harrison Tarrant, 28, is due to appear in the High Court at Christchurch on Friday. The Australian-born man is accused of gunning down almost 100 people in a sickening attack on the Al Noor and Linwood mosques that was live-streamed and shared to Facebook on March 15. Tarrant, 28, will appear via audio-visual link from New Zealand's only maximum security prison in Paremoremo, Auckland, the New Zealand Herald reported. He has previously requested to represent himself in court, and in his last court appearance he smirked and gave a white supremacist sign with his hand. Accused Christchurch massacre gunman Brenton Harrison Tarrant (pictured) made a white power gesture from behind a glass window, during a brief earlier appearance in court Friday's hearing is expected to be mainly procedural with timetables and future dates being decided by the judge. Tarrant was being held on one count of murder but that has now been increased to 50, together with 39 charges of attempted murder. New Zealand Police announced the 50 murder charges against Tarrant in a tweet on Thursday. 'Other charges are still under consideration. As the case is before the court, [New Zealand] Police [are] not in a position to comment further,' they said. So far 50 people have been confirmed dead after the shootings. Police allege that after shooting inside the Al Noor mosque, Tarrant then drove to the Linwood mosque in another part of the city and continued his rampage. Tarrant was arrested on the sidewalk by two training police officers after he allegedly shot and killed 50 Muslim worshipers New Zealand Police Commissioner Mike Bush said after police received an emergency call at 1.42pm local time, it took 36 minutes for them to track down and detain Tarrant. 'That is an incredibly fast response time. You had a mobile offender across large metropolitan city. I am very happy with the response of our staff,' Mr Bush said. In his last appearance at court, Tarrant wore white prison overalls and had his hands chained to his waist. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern described the shootings as a 'terrorist attack', and said it was 'one of New Zealand's darkest days'. Tarrant posted a rambling 'manifesto' online before the attacks. He had worked as a personal trainer, and grew up in the New South Wales town of Grafton. Brenton Tarrant, 28, is due to appear in the High Court at Christchurch on Friday Australian-born man is accused of gunning down almost 100 people in attack Tarrant will appear in court via audio-visual link from maximum-security prison Brenton Harrison Tarrant, 28, is due to appear in the High Court at Christchurch on Friday The man accused of shooting Muslim worshippers at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand has been charged with 50 counts of murder. ADVERTISEMENT Brenton Harrison Tarrant, 28, is due to appear in the High Court at Christchurch on Friday. The Australian-born man is accused of gunning down almost 100 people in a sickening attack on the Al Noor and Linwood mosques that was live-streamed and shared to Facebook on March 15. Tarrant, 28, will appear via audio-visual link from New Zealand's only maximum security prison in Paremoremo, Auckland, the New Zealand Herald reported. He has previously requested to represent himself in court, and in his last court appearance he smirked and gave a white supremacist sign with his hand. Accused Christchurch massacre gunman Brenton Harrison Tarrant (pictured) made a white power gesture from behind a glass window, during a brief earlier appearance in court Friday's hearing is expected to be mainly procedural with timetables and future dates being decided by the judge. Tarrant was being held on one count of murder but that has now been increased to 50, together with 39 charges of attempted murder. New Zealand Police announced the 50 murder charges against Tarrant in a tweet on Thursday. Click here to resize this module 'Other charges are still under consideration. As the case is before the court, [New Zealand] Police [are] not in a position to comment further,' they said. So far 50 people have been confirmed dead after the shootings. Police allege that after shooting inside the Al Noor mosque, Tarrant then drove to the Linwood mosque in another part of the city and continued his rampage. Tarrant was arrested on the sidewalk by two training police officers after he allegedly shot and killed 50 Muslim worshipers New Zealand Police Commissioner Mike Bush said after police received an emergency call at 1.42pm local time, it took 36 minutes for them to track down and detain Tarrant. 'That is an incredibly fast response time. You had a mobile offender across large metropolitan city. I am very happy with the response of our staff,' Mr Bush said. ADVERTISEMENT In his last appearance at court, Tarrant wore white prison overalls and had his hands chained to his waist. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern described the shootings as a 'terrorist attack', and said it was 'one of New Zealand's darkest days'. Tarrant posted a rambling 'manifesto' online before the attacks. He had worked as a personal trainer, and grew up in the New South Wales town of Grafton. The recently released, Dear Upright African manifesto has clinched its first international accolade. The book authored by Botswanas award winning actor, producer and author Donald Molosi will this July be bestowed with an African Authors Award. MOLOSI IS THE FIRST MOTSWANA TO WIN THE AWARD The 2019 edition of the ceremony is pencilled to take place at the end of July in Melrose Arch, Johannesburg. News about the award come a month after the worldwide release of Molosis manifesto Dear Upright African. Confirming the news on social media, spokesperson for Africa Writers Awards, Anthea Ambursley wrote that, the African Authors Awards 2019 cannot wait to host and honour Molosi in July 2019. Molosi has been in Kenya for the last month on a pre-release promotion tour which included Molosis several meetings with celebrated Kenyan writer Ngugi wa Thiongo ahead of the release of the book. Dear Upright African bears a powerful foreword by acclaimed Zimbabwean writer Tsitsi Dangarembga, author of Nervous Conditions. Molosi previously won many awards for his first book, We Are All Blue which is currently being taught at universities around the world. He first shot to stardom with his Broadway debut in New York in 2007 and his film role opposite Matt Damon in the same year. He has since starred in A United Kingdom opposite Academy-Award nominee Rosamund Pike. Molosis next acting role is in the British film called 2064 set for release this year. In a statement regarding his upcoming honour, Molosi says in a statement, I am humbled and emboldened at once. I wrote Dear Upright African to be part of the change I desire as a self-loving decolonized Pan-African. So, I am elated that this conversation will now involve many more key voices, thanks to the African Authors Awards 2019. The African Authors Awards are an annual award ceremony held in Johannesburg. At the ceremony, authors from all over Africa are honoured and given awards by fellow African literati. I dedicate this specific honour to the memory of Dr. Kgalemang Tumediso Motsete who sought to decolonize the African classroom in as early as 1930 and built schools to that effect all over Africa. May we have the decolonized foresight to continue where we stopped, as a continent! Molosi said about the honour. In Dear Upright African, which was released in February 28, 2019 in New York City, Molosi shares his experiences attending school in Africa and calls for the decolonization of the African classroom. Three more women have come forward claiming they were touched inappropriately by former Vice President Joe Biden soon after he promised to be 'much more mindful' of respecting personal space. The women, Vail Kohnert-Yount, Sofie Karasek and Ally Coll, told the Washington Post late Wednesday about instances where they were made to feel uncomfortable when touched by Biden. It brings the total number of women who have spoken out publicly in recent days to seven. Just hours before the latest allegations surfaced, Biden acknowledged in a Twitter video that his tendency toward physical displays of affection and encouragement has made some women uncomfortable. Biden, who is mulling a White House run, vowed to be 'more mindful' in the future about respecting personal space. Three more women, including Sofie Karasek, came forward Wednesday saying Joe Biden had made them uncomfortable with inappropriate touching. Karasek said Biden pressed his forehead against hers at the 2016 Oscars (pictured above in a moment that has been widely shared) after she took to the stage as a sexual assault survivor Ally Coll (left) claims Biden squeezed her shoulders and held her for 'for a beat too long' at a 2008 election event where she was working as a Democratic staffer. Vail Kohnert-Yount (right) claimed Biden pushed their foreheads together when she was White House intern in 2013 Karasek, one of the women who came forward Wednesday, met Biden in 2016 at the Oscars when she was among 51 sexual assault victims who took to the stage with Lady Gaga. She said she was telling Biden about her friend who had died by suicide when he took her hands and pressed his forehead against hers. The moment was captured by cameras and was widely shared on social media. Karasek said that while she appreciated Biden's support, the encounter made her feel uncomfortable and that she didn't know how to respond at the time. Another woman, Kohnert-Yount, said she met Biden when she was a White House intern back in 2013. She said they shook hands before Biden allegedly put his hand on the back of her head and pressed their foreheads together as they spoke. 'I was so shocked that it was hard to focus on what he was saying. I remember he told me I was a 'pretty girl',' Kohnert-Yount said. She went on to say that believed Biden's intentions were good 'but it was the kind of inappropriate behavior that makes many women feel uncomfortable and unequal in the workplace'. Just hours before the latest allegations surfaced, Biden acknowledged in a Twitter video that his tendency toward physical displays of affection and encouragement has made some women uncomfortable Coll, the third woman, said she met Biden at a 2008 election event when she was working as a Democratic staffer. She said Biden squeezed her shoulders and held her for 'for a beat too long'. Coll, who now works for a non-profit that fights sexual harassment, said she brushed off feelings of discomfort at the time because she was nervous and excited to meet him. JOE BIDEN'S FULL STATEMENT: In the coming month I expect to be talking to you about a whole lot of issues and Ill always be direct with you but today I want to talk about gestures of support and encouragement that I have made to women and some men, and I've made them uncomfortable. And Im always trying to be, in my career, I have always tried to make a human connection. Thats my responsibility I think. I shake hands, I hug people, I grab men and women by the shoulders to say You can do this. Whether theyre women, men, young, old, its the way Ive always been and the way Ive tried to show I care about them and Im listening. Over the years, knowing the things that Ive been through and the things that Ive faced Ive found that scores, if not hundreds of people, come up to me, and reached out for solace and comfort, something, anything that may help them get through the tragedy theyre going through. So, its just who I am. And Ive never thought of politics as a cold and antiseptic. Ive always thought of it as about connecting people as Ive said, shaking hands, hands on the shoulder, a hug, encouragement. And now, now, its all about taking selfies together. You know social norms have begun to change, theyve shifted, and the boundaries of protecting personal space have been reset. I get it. I get it. I hear what theyre saying. I understand it and Ill be much more mindful. Thats my responsibility my responsibility and Ill meet it. But I always believe, governing, quite frankly, life for that matter is about connecting, connecting with people. That wont change but I will be more mindful and respectful of peoples personal space and thats a good thing a good thing. Ive worked my whole life to empower women. Ive worked my whole life to prevent abuse. Ive written, err, err, and so the idea that I cant adjust to the fact that personal space is important, more important than its ever been is just not there. I will. I will. Advertisement 'There's been a lack of understanding about the way that power can turn something that might seem innocuous into something that can make somebody feel uncomfortable,' she said. None of the women who have come forward have accused Biden of sexual harassment. Rather, they've described behavior that made them feel uncomfortable because it invaded their personal space, regardless of his intentions. Their stories were made public soon after Biden released a two-minute video addressing the claims of inappropriate touching years ago. 'I want to talk about gestures of support and encouragement that I've made to some women and some men and I've made them uncomfortable,' he said in the video. 'I always try to be in my career, always tried to make a human connection. That's my responsibility, I think. I shake hands, I hug people. I grab men and women by the shoulders and say you can do this, whether they're women, men, young, old. 'It's the way I've always been and tried to show that I care about them and I'm listening. In his video, Biden referred to his wife Neilia and daughter Naomi being killed in a car crash in December 1972 shortly after he was first elected to the Senate. His sons Beau and Hunter survived, but Beau died in May 2015 of brain cancer. 'Over the years knowing I've been through the things that I've faced, I found that scores, if not hundreds, of people have come up to me and reached out for solace and comfort. Something, anything that may help them get through the tragedy they're going through. So it's just who I am,' Biden said. The longtime Democratic senator from Delaware said he has 'never thought of politics as cold and antiseptic'. 'Now, it is all about taking selfies together. Social norms begin to change and they've shifted and the boundaries of protecting personal space have been re-set and I get it. I get it. I hear what they're saying,' he said. Biden promised to be more 'mindful and respectful' going forward. 'I understand it. And I'll be much more mindful. That is my responsibility. My responsibility and I'll meet it. But I'll always believe governing, quite frankly, and life for that matter is about connecting, about connecting with people. That won't change. I will be more mindful and respectful of people's personal space and that is a good thing. That is a good thing,' he said. He concluded by addressing his history as an advocate for women. 'I worked my life empower women. I worked my whole life to prevent abuse. So the idea that I can't adjust to the fact the personal space is important more important than it's ever been, is just not true. I will. I will,' he said. Biden's first accuser, former Nevada politician Lucy Flores, said she was 'mortified' when Biden planted a 'big, slow kiss' on the back of her head as she waited to take the stage at a campaign rally five years ago Amy Lappos said she felt uncomfortable when Joe Biden touched her at a 2009 political fundraiser. Caitlyn Caruso said Biden touched her thigh and gave her a long hug at an event devoted to sexual assault at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas Former Defense Secretary Ashton Carter's wife says this photo of Biden touching her shoulder was 'misleading' and that he was helping her get through the nervous occasion His defense comes five days after his first accuser, former Nevada politician Lucy Flores, said she was 'mortified' when Biden planted a 'big, slow kiss' on the back of her head as she waited to take the stage at a campaign rally five years ago. Amy Lappos told Connecticut's Hartford Courant newspaper about an incident at a 2009 political fundraiser which, she said, 'wasn't sexual, but he did grab me by the head.' Caitlyn Caruso, 22, said she met Biden at an event devoted to sexual assault at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas, where she studied as an undergrad. Caruso, who was 19 years old at the time, said that Biden placed his hand on her thigh while she squirmed in her seat to show how uncomfortable she was, according to The New York Times. She said Biden then gave her a hug and held it 'just a little bit too long'. D.J. Hill, 59, met Biden at a fundraiser in Minneapolis in 2012 with her husband. The couple were posing for a photo with Biden when she claims he put his hand on her shoulder and began to run it down her back. Biden came under criticism in 2015 for massaging the shoulders of Ash Carter's wife as her husband was sworn in as secretary of defense. Photographs of that incident have circulated online so frequently that Stephanie Carter posted a column on Sunday saying Biden was merely 'a close friend helping someone get through a big day, for which I will always be grateful'. President Donald Trump, who has been accused by multiple women of sexual misconduct (which he denies), was asked Wednesday whether Biden should apologize for the ways he has interacted with women. The president replied, 'No, he's going to make his own decisions. He's very capable of making a decision, I assume.' A day earlier, Trump taunted Biden at a National Republican Congressional Committee fundraiser, saying, 'Our former vice president, I was going to call him. I don't know him well. I was gonna say, 'Welcome to the world, Joe. You having a good time, Joe?'' A heavily tattooed and muscular One Nation candidate has proved he doesn't fit the bill of a stereotypical politician. Stuart Bonds, a 'proud' Australian farmer and coal miner, is running for the seat of Hunter, in New South Wales, for the impending federal election. But Mr Bonds, who is married to a Finnish tattoo artist and posed in underwear in his Twitter profile picture, is unlike other aspiring politicians in his electorate. The 33-year-old One Nation candidate has an anarchy tattoo etched across his chest but says he has no plan to overthrow government. Stuart Bonds, a 'proud' Australian farmer and coal miner, is running for the seat of Hunter, in New South Wales, for the impending federal election Mr Bonds, who is married to Finnish tattoo artist Sini (right), is unlike his competitors He is running on a platform to bring greater investment into rural areas, pushing for more infrastructure projects like dams, roads and bridges to 'link the city to the bush'. Mr Bonds, who has lived in the Hunter Valley for the past 15 years, met his Finnish tattoo artist wife Sini at a tattoo parlour in Thailand four years ago. The couple, whose 2016 marriage aired Channel 7's 'Australia's Cheapest Weddings', have one daughter called Penny. The couple revealed their ceremony cost just $300 while the reception was $400. In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Mr Bonds shared wholesome family pictures of his wife and daughter. 'People ask ''why are you doing this, you'll never change anything?''' he wrote with the pictures. Mr Bonds, who has lived in the Hunter Valley for the past 15 years, met his Finnish tattoo artist wife Sini at a tattoo parlour in Thailand four years ago Mr Bonds is running on a platform to bring greater investment into rural areas, pushing for more infrastructure projects like dams, roads and bridges to 'link the city to the bush' 'My response ''I have to, I'm doing it for them''.' Sini identifies as a international model and runs Singleton tattoo business Anarchy Ink Australia. In an blog post last year, Sini announced a plan to run for Finnish parliament - if she lived in Finland. In a detailed campaign summary, Sini wrote Finland should be removed from EU and called for better salaries in the health care sector. Sini also said the borders should be closed and recommended a trial period for refugees and immigrants. 'Finland belongs to Finns. We are a part of Europe but I don't believe that the EU has anything more to give that we couldn't get by without,' a section of the blog says. The couple, whose 2016 marriage aired Channel 7's 'Australia's Cheapest Weddings', have one daughter called Penny In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Mr Bonds shared wholesome family pictures of his wife and daughter (pictured) Sini identifies as a international model and runs Singleton tattoo business Anarchy Ink Australia 'Close the borders for a couple years and get our own matters sorted out first.' 'Finland is at the point where we need to take a time out. No more asylum seekers. We have given a helping hand.' Mr Bonds has described himself as a 'walking billboard' for the tattoo business and confirmed 'I'm not an anarchist', Newcastle Herald reported. The One Nation politician also commented on his Twitter cover photo which reads 'RULE NUMBER 1: F*** WHAT THEY THINK'. 'I am a little bit of an in-your-face person,' he said. In an blog post last year, Sini announced a plan to run for Finnish parliament - if she lived in Finland Mr Bonds has described himself as a 'walking billboard' for the tattoo business and confirmed 'I'm not an anarchist' 'I'm not the sort of average person who would be running, which is exactly what we need. We need a bit of varying, a bit of difference of opinions down there.' In one Facebook post, Mr Bonds reads his candidacy speech and speaks to Australia's immigration policy. 'We are being demographically replaced by people of the third world,' he said. 'We can shut those borders, we can stem the flow of people coming in.' To conclude the recital, Mr Bonds says he plans to attack corporations and politicians. 'This isn't a job that can be sub-contracted out, there is just nobody else in our area willing to stand up for us in the Hunter, so I decided I have to do it,' Mr Bonds said in a statement last week 'I intend to go to Canberra and attack the heart of the dragon the corrupt corporations and politicians that have sold this nation out,' he said. 'Beware of the wounded tiger.' In a One Nation statement released last week, Mr Bonds said he fits the job the region needs covered. 'This isn't a job that can be sub-contracted out, there is just nobody else in our area willing to stand up for us in the Hunter, so I decided I have to do it,' Mr Bonds said. A thug's vicious assault on a woman who tried to get him to stop harassing other women on the New York City subway has been caught on camera. The NYPD is seeking the man caught on video slugging a 52-year-old woman at the Church Avenue subway station in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn at around 7.15pm on March 21. The woman said the man became enraged on a 5 train when she asked him to stop harassing two other women who were riding in the same car. '(He was using) foul mouthed language to insult them and scream at them,' she told WABC-TV, asking that her name be withheld. 'Now I can hit you,' the attacker (in white) said the the woman before slugging her in the face at the Brooklyn subway station, breaking her nose When she got of the train, she says the brute followed her, unleashing a vile stream of insults and abuse as she tried to ignore him. The video shows the man walking up the steps of the Church Avenue station to the sidewalk and then turning and waiting for the woman. 'He turned around, and just said 'now I can hit you,' and that was the moment where I already felt him hitting me,' the woman recalled. Her nose was broken in the attack, but she refused treatment at the scene and made her way to a hospital on her own. The assailant socked the woman in the face, breaking her nose, after she had asked him to stop harassing two other women on the train 'I never felt like a victim for some reason. I just felt this was so bizarre to me - I did not expect it,' she said. Police describe the assailant as a black male between the ages of 20 and 30 with shoulder-length braids. He was last seen wearing a white hooded shirt and dark pants. Anyone with information about the attacker is urged to contact NYPD CrimeStoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS. A jealous godfather killed the mother of his godchild then took his own life after becoming infatuated with her, an inquest heard. Family friend Alex Chernoff, 43, was 'obsessed' with 35-year-old mother-of-two Maryna Kavaliauske and was increasingly abusive towards her, West Sussex Coroner's Court was told on Wednesday. Police launched an investigation into the suspected murder-suicide after the pair were found dead at her home in Broadwater, Worthing, on April 13 last year. Her husband Giedrius Kavaliauskas, a convicted drug dealer, had been on holiday visiting family with their children, aged nine and 12, at the time, the inquest in Crawley heard. Maryna Kavaliauske, pictured (left) with her husband Giedrius (also pictured, right, at yesterday's inquest), a convicted drug dealer Alex Chernoff was increasingly abusive towards Maryna Kavaliauske (pictured on social media) the inquest heard Murder victim Maryna Kavaliauske with her husband Giedrius, who was on holiday when she was killed by family friend Alex Chernoff Mrs Kavaliauske, a trainee mortgage adviser, had been strangled and both bodies were found hanged, the hearing was told. There were signs of a struggle, with injuries on Mrs Kavaliauske's face, arms and neck. In a statement read to the court on his behalf, Mr Kavaliauskas said: 'He was jealous of us. 'All she had done was try to help him.' Mr Kavaliauskas said he met his future wife after moving to England from Lithuania in 2001 while he was working as a flower picker at a West Sussex farm. Mrs Kavaliauske, whose maiden name was Zhytnyk, had also moved from her native Ukraine at a similar time. Marynamoved from the Ukraine to Britain in the early 2000s They married in 2003 and met Mr Chernoff in 2004, later making him their daughter's godfather. He moved in to their home in South Farm Road after his marriage to phlebotomist Svetlana Prtichard broke down and while Mr Kavaliauskas was in prison. In May 2009 Mr Kavaliauskas was one of five men jailed for his part in a conspiracy to smuggle pure cocaine into Britain across the English Channel using high-speed inflatable boats. He was handed an eight-year prison sentence after being found guilty at trial. He sat quietly listening to the evidence as his statement was read to the court. In it he said: 'We were very happy together. We had a perfect relationship. She was very kind and thoughtful. 'Maryna stood by me and visited me each week in prison.' He was unhappy Mr Chernoff, also known by several other names including Viasa, had moved in, but his wife needed help with the children. He added: 'She only saw him as a friend. She was only interested in family.' He told how Mr Chernoff's behaviour deteriorated, he had mental health problems and had become an alcoholic. Mr Chernoff continued to live with them after Mr Kavaliauskas left prison and worked as a lorry driver. But he then moved out when they bought a flat nearby in the seaside town which he rented. Mr Kavaliauskas said he seemed to be 'playing the system' as he was not working and claiming benefits. He started causing problems, becoming angry and aggressive, sending Mrs Kavaliauske abusive text messages and forcing her to change jobs several times to avoid him turning up at her work and shouting abuse, the court heard. Mr Chernoff also cut the phone lines in the house and cut up her clothes. The inquest heard she may have considered reporting him to the police, after a Sussex Police business card was found in her possession. Mr Kavaliauskas said: 'She was very forgiving and loving person who tried to give someone a chance.' She insisted he travel to Lithuania with the children as planned without her when she could not take time off work in her new job. They flew out on April 8 and he last spoke to her the night before she was found dead while she was happily preparing to collect her brother Vitalie Jitnic from the airport, the court heard. Mr Jitnic and family friend Ainious Greggaliulas discovered the bodies early the next morning after going in search of her when she failed to arrive at Gatwick. Detective Constable Dawn Robertson told the court officers could not find 'any hard evidence' the pair were having an affair. She said the police considered several theories about the deaths, including whether Mr Kavaliauskas had been involved after discovering the pair were together. But they were satisfied the evidence showed Mr Chernoff killed her and then himself, adding: 'We found that he was obsessed with Maryna. 'She spoke incredibly highly of her husband but never gave any indication that she was in a relationship with Alex. 'He (Alex) was in fact infatuated with Maryna. 'She wanted to look after him. She saw it as her role to look after him. 'She did have a close relationship with him, there's no denying it.' Mr Chernoff was in a 'dark place', Ms Robertson said. He had been drinking heavily and 'trying to pull her (Mrs Kavaliauske) down from her happy place'. A post-mortem found Mrs Kavaliauske died due to ligature compression and suspension. Ruling her death an unlawful killing, assistant coroner Joanne Andrews said: 'She sounded like a lovely person.' A toxicology report showed Mr Chernoff had alcohol and cocaine in his system when he died. He was being treated for depression, an obsessive-compulsive disorder, alcoholism and erectile dysfunction. The coroner ruled his death a suicide. 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. Schoolyard bullies allegedly orchestrated Cassidy Trevan's gang rape when she was just 13 years old The second heart-breaking letter a teenage girl wrote before she killed herself four years ago has been found by her mother. Schoolyard bullies allegedly orchestrated Cassidy Trevan's gang rape when she was just 13 years old. Two years later, in 2015, the then 15-year-old from Melbourne took her own life. Cassidy penned a letter in the days prior to her death sharing the torment she felt over the years following the alleged attack. A second letter has now been shared, detailing the abuse she received by schoolyard bullies, who she claims continued their relentless attacks well after she changed schools and homes in an attempt to escape them. She started the letter by saying she was 'doing this to be left alone.' 'I get people I've never met contacting me on Facebook calling me a sl*t. I've moved schools, I've moved house and I'm still being bullied,' the letter reads. Cassidy penned a letter in the days prior to her death sharing her torment in the years after the alleged attack (pictured) A second letter has now been reproduced, detailing the abuse she received by schoolyard bullies (pictured) 'I was raped. Just last night after one-and-a-half years I still have nightmares over what happened.' Victoria Police previously confirmed its Sexual Offence and Child Abuse Investigation Team had spoken with Cassidy at least 20 times. But Cassidy never filed an official statement to police, as she feared her bullies retaliation. Cassidy addressed her school's poor response to bullying after her and her mother reported the alleged rape to them, 9News reported. 'Wellington (Secondary College) says they have an anti bullying policy and a zero tolerance of bullying and yet the (school) did nothing,' she wrote. 'I never thought year seven, and [year] eight and nine at the time, school kids would be capable or EVER want to do such a thing,' Cassidy penned. Cassidy's distraught mother, Linda, left her daughter's room 'virtually untouched' in the years that passed. Cassidy (pictured) addressed her school's poor response to bullying after her and her mother reported the alleged rape to them Cassidy's distraught mother, Linda, (pictured) left her daughter's room 'virtually untouched' in the years that passed But in preparation for selling the home, she began sorting through her daughter's things and stumbled upon the letter. 'I hadn't really touched Cass's room until now but when I picked up a pile of papers on her desk this five-page hand written note, just on loose blank paper, was so noticeable that it stood out to me straight away so I read it,' she said. Ms Trevan said in the years since her daughter's death, she hadn't seen much improvement by way of putting an end to bullying. 'Have things improved regarding Bullying? I've shared so many Bullycides on my Facebook page since Cass died that sometimes I don't feel like I'm making a difference. 'My page has over 10,000 followers now, but that's only scratching the surface. Only a few days ago I shared yet another Bullycide story with my comment 'No, no, no. This just has to stop!,' she told the publication. Linda now runs a Facebook page called Bullying Killed My Daughter Cassidy Trevan, where she shares her daughter's story and fights bullying. If you or anyone you know needs help, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800, SANE Helpline 1800 18 72 63 or Beyond blue 1300 22 4636. A Republican senator has quipped that somebody may 'lose some teeth' if they behaved toward him the way in which Joe Biden is accused. 'I've said this before, just because you're accused of something doesn't mean you're guilty of it,' John Kennedy of Louisiana said in remarks to reporters on Tuesday in the Senate office building. 'This is America and you do have a right to due process. On the other hand, this is no country for creepy old men,' he continued, in video captured by CBS News. 'It needs to stop,' Kennedy said. 'Do I think it's inappropriate to smell someone's hair? Yes! I mean, duh. You know, if somebody gets close enough to smell my hair, they may, you know, get to smell my hair but they may lose some teeth.' "This is no country for creepy old men," Sen. John Kennedy says regarding allegations of inappropriate touching against Joe Biden WATCH: "This is no country for creepy old men," Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) says of allegations of inappropriate touching against former VP Joe Biden, adding, "leaning in and smelling a guys hair or a woman's hair is a little bit too close for my judgment." https://cbsn.ws/2FSY4pa Posted by CBS Evening News with Norah O'Donnell on Tuesday, April 2, 2019 John Kennedy of Louisiana quipped that it someone smells his hair 'they may lose some teeth' in remarks to reporters on Tuesday in the Senate office building Biden is seen with Stephanie Carter, wife of incoming Defense Secretary Ash Carter, right, during Carter's swearing in ceremony in 2015. She has defended his behavior as friendly Kennedy's remarks came as three more women came forward to share their stories of uncomfortable interactions with Biden, bringing the total to seven. The women, Vail Kohnert-Yount, Sofie Karasek and Ally Coll, told the Washington Post late Wednesday about instances where they were made to feel uncomfortable when touched by Biden. Just hours before the latest allegations surfaced, Biden acknowledged in a Twitter video that his tendency toward physical displays of affection and encouragement has made some women uncomfortable. Biden, who is mulling a White House run, vowed to be 'more mindful' in the future about respecting personal space. Karasek, one of the women who came forward Wednesday, met Biden in 2016 at the Oscars when she was among 51 sexual assault victims who took to the stage with Lady Gaga. She said she was telling Biden about her friend who had died by suicide when he took her hands and pressed his forehead against hers. The moment was captured by cameras and was widely shared on social media. Biden's first accuser, former Nevada politician Lucy Flores, said she was 'mortified' when Biden planted a 'big, slow kiss' on the back of her head as she waited to take the stage at a campaign rally five years ago Karasek said that while she appreciated Biden's support, the encounter made her feel uncomfortable and that she didn't know how to respond at the time. Another woman, Kohnert-Yount, said she met Biden when she was a White House intern back in 2013. She said they shook hands before Biden allegedly put his hand on the back of her head and pressed their foreheads together as they spoke. 'I was so shocked that it was hard to focus on what he was saying. I remember he told me I was a 'pretty girl',' Kohnert-Yount said. She went on to say that believed Biden's intentions were good 'but it was the kind of inappropriate behavior that makes many women feel uncomfortable and unequal in the workplace'. Coll, the third woman, said she met Biden at a 2008 election event when she was working as a Democratic staffer. She said Biden squeezed her shoulders and held her for 'for a beat too long'. Coll, who now works for a non-profit that fights sexual harassment, said she brushed off feelings of discomfort at the time because she was nervous and excited to meet him. The Royal family has hit back at claims the Queen 'banned' the Duchess of Sussex from wearing some of the priceless items from her own private collection. A palace insider reportedly claimed priceless items from Her Majesty's private collection, which are loaned at her discretion, 'would not be made available to Meghan.' But a Buckingham Palace insider rubbished the claims, telling MailOnline that the Queen still lends her jewellery to the Duchess of Sussex - including the headpiece she wore at her wedding in May. Meghan also wore a pair of pearl earrings gifted to her by the Queen during her first joint engagement with the monarch last June. The Queen, pictured with Meghan and Harry in June 2018, has reportedly banned Meghan from wearing certain items from the her personal collection On her wedding day, Meghan Markle wore a diamond tiara belonging to the Queen's grandmother Queen Mary (left). The Queen Mary's Diamond Bandeau was designer for Queen Mary (right). It was specifically made for the Queen's grandmother Queen Mary in 1932 to accommodate the detachable brooch, which was given to Mary as a wedding present in 1893 by the County of Lincoln. It is one of the items from the Queen's private collection The Duke and Duchess of Sussex after their wedding at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle on May 19, 2018 Left, Princess Diana wearing The Queen Mary Tiara in New Zealand during April 1983 and right, The Duchess of Cambridge wearing the tiara at Buckingham Palace in December 2018. The tiara is another of the items from the Queen's private collection The Royal Collection is held in trust by the Sovereign for her successors and the nation, and is not owned by The Queen as a private individual. But the Queen does own a number of items - including a glittering array of crowns, tiaras, necklaces and earrings - which remain her private property and are kept in her own collection. She loans them out to members of the royal family for formal occasions and state visits, at her own discretion. Buckingham Palace was reported to have applied the stringent new rules to Meghan in a bid to 'maintain order, hierarchy and precedence' within the Royal Family. The move reportedly came after the Queen was left 'unimpressed by Meghan's demanding behaviour' ahead of her marriage to Prince Harry last year - during which he is reported to have told staff, 'What Meghan wants Meghan gets.' But a source for Buckingham Palace told MailOnline: 'It is worth noting that the Queen lent Meghan a tiara for the wedding, gave her earrings for her first royal engagement, and had just agreed to partly fund her new household. 'The jewellery in question is only usually worn at extremely special functions or state occasions and there simply haven't been many of those since Meghan became a member of the Royal Family.' The palace said the Duchess of Sussex had not attended any major or state events recently, which warranted wearing such items. A 'royal insider' had told The Sun: 'It is true that Buckingham Palace did not want all the items in the Royal Collection to be opened up to Meghan at this time. 'Obviously Kate as the next Princess of Wales and a senior member of the family does have them made available to her. 'That's not to say items won't be loaned to Meghan in the future if situations change.' Items reportedly 'banned' include the Bahrain Pearl Drop earrings - one of the items from the It is one of the items from the Queen's private collection (worn by the Queen in 2015, left and the Duchess of Cambridge in 2016, right). The Queen was given seven of the pearls from the ruler of Bahrain in 1947 The Duchess wore a pair of pearl earrings gifted to her by Her Majesty during her first joint engagement with the monarch last June (pictured) Last month, The Mail on Sunday revealed the Prince of Wales told the Duchess of Sussex not to wear a tiara to her first overseas state dinner, fearing it might look 'extravagant'. The Duchess had hoped to borrow a jewelled tiara from the Royal Collection for the event, but she was advised by her father-in-law that such ostentation is avoided in parts of the Commonwealth where it can be seen as reminiscent of a bygone era or 'extravagant'. A source said: 'Meghan did not understand all of this because she was new to the role and so Prince Charles told her that it would not be appropriate. 'It was very kindly done.' The absence of a tiara drew attention when Meghan, wearing a blue full-length gown by Safiyaa, arrived for the dinner hosted by the president of Fiji Jioji Konrote not least because the Duchess of Cambridge wore a large diamond and pearl headpiece once owned by Princess Diana to a state banquet at Buckingham Palace on the same night. However Meghan did at the time wear a pair of diamond earrings that are thought to have been borrowed, possibly from the Royal Collection, which is the largest private collection of art in the world. Last year, Meghan and Harry's wedding preparations shaken by a dispute over another tiara. The former Suits actress had reportedly set her heart on an emerald encrusted headpiece, but her request was refused when the origin of the piece could not be established. When Harry heard this, he reportedly said, 'What Meghan wants, Meghan gets', prompting the Queen to intervene. At the time, a source was quoted as saying: 'There was a very heated exchange that prompted the Queen to speak to Harry. 'She said: 'Meghan cannot have whatever she wants. She gets what tiara she's given by me.' ' Left, The Queen wearing the Nizam of Hyderabad necklace - part of the Royal Collection - which was made by Cartier, the George IV State Diadem and the insignia of the Order of the Garter, circa 1953. Right, the Duchess of Cambridge wearing the necklace in 2014 Kate wore the Queen Mary Tiara for the annual Diplomatic Reception at Buckingham Palace in December 2016, left, and in 2015, right What is the Royal Collection and what items are in the Queen's personal collection? The Royal Collection is among the largest and most important art collections in the world, and one of the last great European royal collections to remain intact. It comprises almost all aspects of the fine and decorative arts, and is spread among some 15 royal residences and former residences across the UK, most of which are regularly open to the public. The Royal Collection is held in trust by the Sovereign for her successors and the nation, and is not owned by The Queen as a private individual. But the Queen does have her own personal collection - including a glittering array of crowns, tiaras, necklaces and earrings - which remain her private property. She loans them out to members of the royal family for formal occasions and state visits, at her own discretion. Here, we take a look at a few of the items in her personal collection. Kate wore the delicate Cartier 'Halo' tiara, loaned by the queen on her wedding day in 2011 They include the 'Lovers' Knot' tiara worn by the Duchess of Cambridge in 2018. Commissioned by Queen Mary in 1913, it has 19 diamond arches with pearls beneath them and has previously been worn by both the Queen and Princess Diana, who reportedly complained that its weight gave her a headache. It was given to Diana, Princess of Wales, by the Queen as a wedding gift in 1981 and she wore the piece often. The diamond and pearl-encrusted tiara was made in 1914 by Garrard and has a strong French influence with a neo-classical design of 19 diamond arches, each cradling an oriental pearl drop. It was designed by the Queen's grandmother Queen Mary and based on one owned by Mary's grandmother Princess Augusta who married the first Duke of Cambridge. The piece was composed of existing jewels Queen Mary had in her collection: the dismantled Some Ladies of England Tiara as well as some pearls from brooches belonging to Mary. After Mary died in 1953, the tiara passed to her granddaughter Queen Elizabeth, who wore it regularly in the 1950s but phased it out. While Princess Diana wore the piece regularly, she is said to have found it too heavy and gave her a headache. It was also a loan and not part of her personal property so it's back in the Queen's collection. The Cambridge Lover's Knot - part of the Queen's Collection - worn by Kate, left in 2018, and the late Princess Of Wales wearing it during a visit with Prince Charles at a British Embassy dinner in Washington with Vice President of the United States George Bush and his wife Barbara November in 1985 Diana Princess of Wales was given the Cambridge Lover's Knot tiara by the Queen in 1981 Other famous headpieces include the Queen Mother's Cartier Halo Scroll Tiara, which boasts 888 diamonds and was loaned to the Duchess of Cambridge for her wedding to Prince William in 2011. The 1000-piece diamond tiara was initially bought in 1936 as an anniversary gift from King George VI to his wife in 1936. It was then given to the Queen on her 18th birthday by the Queen mother. Over the years, it has been worn by Princess Margaret, as well as Princess Anne. The Queen Mother's Cartier Halo tiara , which boasts 888 diamonds and was loaned to the Duchess of Cambridge for her wedding to Prince William in 2011 Kate opted for the Cartier Halo Scroll Tiara on her wedding day in April 2011, left. The 1000-piece diamond tiara has previously also be worn by Princess Margaret, right Another item in the Queen's private Collection is the Nizam of Hyderabad necklace, originally created by Cartier in 1930s. It consists of a long chain of 38 diamonds (reduced from the original 46) with a diamond-encrusted snap. The centre of the necklace is pave-set with detachable double-drop pendant 13 emerald-cut diamonds and a pear-shaped drop. The original necklace consisted of eight double-drop and three triple-drop pendants. However, nine of the pendants (all eight double-drop and the larger of the triple-drop pendants) were later removed and sold separately. The necklace itself found its first owner in 1936 but Cartier repurchased it a year later. The Duchess of Cambridge wearing the Nizam of Hyderabad necklace in 2014 The Strathmore Rose Tiara belonged to the Queen Mother and was a present from her parents in 1923. This also remains in the Queen's private collection. It can be worn on top of the head or across the forehead as a bandeau - as the then Duchess of York chose to do in keeping with the fashion of the times. But the delicate floral design has not been worn in public for many years. Queen Alexandra's Russian Kokoshnik Tiara is formed of 61 platinum bars and bejewelled with 488 diamonds, it was a gift to Alexandra on her silver wedding anniversary in 1888 and is based on a Russian-style peasant girl's head wear which was in fashion at the time. Queen Alexandra's Russian Kokoshnik Tiara is formed of 61 platinum bars. The Queen has been pictured in the glistening creation on several occasions Queen Mary's Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara. One of the Queen's favourites, the tiara was given to Princess Mary of Teck from the 'Girls of Great Britain and Ireland' when she married the Duke of York, later King George V in May 1893. It was made by Garrard and has a scrolled and foliage-inspired form with diamonds pave-set in silver and gold. The magnificent piece also included 14 large oriental pearls and could be worn as a necklace or even dismantled and mounted on a smaller frame as a coronet. In 1914, Queen Mary had the tiara adapted to take 13 brilliant-cut diamonds to replace the pearls. For Princess Elizabeth's wedding to Prince Philip in 1947, Queen Mary gave her granddaughter the tiara and a bandeau base. This is the tiara most closely associated with the Queen as it is the piece she is wearing in banknotes and coinage. The pictures in the Queen Mary's Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara, during a reception with Barrack Obama in 2011. One of the Queen's favourites, the tiara was given to Princess Mary of Teck from the 'Girls of Great Britain and Ireland' when she married the Duke of York, later King George V in May 1893 Following the execution of Charles I in 1649, the greater part of the King's magnificent possessions was sold by order of Oliver Cromwell, and the Royal Collection has largely been formed since the Restoration of the Monarchy in 1660. The most important additions to the Royal Collection were made by Frederick, Prince of Wales; George III; George IV; Queen Victoria and Prince Albert; and Queen Mary, consort of King George V. The Collection is housed in 13 royal residences and former residences across the UK. These include Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace, the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Hampton Court, the Tower of London, Osborne House and the Royal Pavilion, Brighton, where works of art can be seen by the public in the historic settings for which they were originally commissioned or acquired. Source: Royal Collection Advertisement In the end, Meghan wore Queen Mary's diamond and platinum bandeau tiara from the Queen's private collection during the wedding ceremony at St George's Chapel in Windsor. Meghan picked the tiara from the Queen's collection during a visit to Buckingham Palace with Prince Harry, which she described as 'an incredibly surreal day'. Meghan and Prince Harry recorded their memories of the wedding for an audio commentary that is part of the 'Relive the Royal Wedding' exhibition at Windsor Castle. Speaking about the tiara she wore, Meghan said: 'When it came to the tiara on the day, I was very fortunate to be able to choose this gorgeous art deco style bandeau tiara. 'Harry and I had gone to Buckingham Palace to meet with Her Majesty The Queen to select one of the options that were there, which was an incredibly surreal day as you can imagine. 'And that was the one that, I think, as we tried them on, stood out.' Kensington Palace and Buckingham Palace have been approached for comment. More than 280 employees of a Texas tech company were arrested by federal immigration authorities in what officials say was the biggest single workplace raid in a decade. Workers at CVE Technology Group Inc. in Allen, north of Dallas, were arrested for reportedly working in the United States unlawfully. The raid formed part of a growing investigation into claims the company knowingly hired workers who are in the US without authorization, and that many readily use fake identification, Homeland Security said. More than 280 employees of a Texas company were arrested by federal immigration authorities in what officials say was the biggest single workplace raid in a decade. Workers at CVE Technology Group Inc. in Allen, north of Dallas, were arrested for reportedly working in the United States unlawfully The New Jersey-based company which repairs tech products has a large depot in North Texas, according to the company website. 'Our focus is the criminal investigation,' said Katrina W. Berger, a special agent in charge for ICE's Homeland Security Investigations in Dallas. 'As far as immigration-related arrests, this is the largest ICE worksite operation at one site in the last 10 years,' she said. The raid formed part of a growing investigation into claims the company knowingly hired workers who are in the US without authorization, and that many readily use fake identification, Homeland Security had said (workers are arrested at the Texas facility) Frightened relatives of the near-300 arrested rushed to the facility after the word of the operation spread, NBC Dallas-Fort Worth reported. Anel Perez, the daughter of a worker who was been detained, said, 'It's not fair. It's really sad and it makes a lot of people really angry and frustrated,' Berger meanwhile said she was unable discuss the details of that ongoing probe but that 'the numbers of the administrative arrests we made today hint at the significant scope of this investigation.' Frightened relatives of the near-300 arrested rushed to the facility after the word of the operation spread, NBC Dallas-Fort Worth reported (workers are arrested at the Texas facility) ICE said that all those detained would be interviewed 'to record any medical, sole-caregiver or other humanitarian situations,' and then be considered for humanitarian release (workers are detained at the Texas facility) ICE said that all those detained would be interviewed 'to record any medical, sole-caregiver or other humanitarian situations,' and then be considered for humanitarian release. The agency said in the statement: 'In all cases, all illegal aliens encountered will be fingerprinted and processed for removal from the United States.' ICE said search warrants were executed at CVE Technology Group Inc. and four of CVE's staffing companies. This is the terrifying moment a lion suddenly attacked a circus trainer in front of a large audience of children and parents in Ukraine. The crowd screamed in fear as well-known Hamada Kouta was overpowered by an irate big cat which sank its teeth into his arm and clawed him. A video shows how the 32-year-old was floored by the beast which suddenly turned aggressive in the ring. His arm, leg and back were mauled and clawed before he managed to fight the animal off. The lion can be seen mauling and clawing at Hamada Kouta, 32, as he lies on the ground at the circus in Lubansk, in rebel-held Ukraine Kouta starts backing off as the angry big cat comes after him as other circus workers watch on with concern The crowd are heard shrieking in the background as the lion overwhelms Kouta and takes him down Kouta admitted he was fortunate the beast had not gone for his neck otherwise things could have been far worse The lion pounces up on Kouta and wraps his arms around the trainer before overpowering him and hauling him to the floor The horrific attack was mid-act in a circus performance in Lugansk, a city in rebel-held eastern Ukraine. Kouta - from Egypt who has worked in Russian circuses for many years - fought off the lion which then retreated. He then faced up to it as the predator eyed him for a new attack. Finally, the big cat retreated and ran out of the ring to its cage. A mother watching with her two children said: 'My heart stopped when the lion pounced at the trainer.' Kouta was eventually able to fight the beast off and stand his ground as the animal backed off In the moments before the attack, he appeared to have the wild animal under control and the crowd were stunned by the turn of events The animal tamer can be seen using long rods to direct the lions around in the ring before things go rapidly south Kouta's arm is heavily lacerated and puncture wounds can be seen on his chest after the lion attacked A few seconds on the floor was all it took for the lion's huge claws to tear through Kouta's skin 'I called up one lion, and the second one attacked me from the front,' said Kouta afterwards as he showed his scratches. 'I stopped him in the middle of the ring calmed him down but he refused to return to his sitting position. I stepped backwards, there was a stand behind me, I hit it and fell. 'The lion jumped at me and bit me - but thank God not on my neck. He immediately let me go. My back, arm and leg were hurt. 'Scars from two claws and one tooth are on my leg, tooth marks on my arm, one 4 centimetres (one and a half inches) deep from three claws on my back.' He works with ten lions and all those in the ring returned to their cages immediately after the shocking attack, he said. 'I calmly called them back, because there were children in the audience. 'The most important thing for me is to see children in the audience. Of course, I was covered in blood, but I asked everybody to calm down, and started the performance all over again, from the beginning.' Kouta said the troupe of lions were unsettled because they were made to perform soon after arriving in a new location. Kouta performing with a lion and a tiger at another show - the Egyptian has worked in Russian circuses for years Kouta said his lions were like his children, he said: 'It will never end with death, because they are my children' 'They did not have time to adapt, because we arrived and immediately began to perform,' he said. Kouta demonstrates his fearlessness by putting his head into the lion's jaws 'They were in stress, so it led to attack.' He added: 'They can be moody, like people. For example, you can wake up in the morning in the bad mood. That's it, the whole day will be like this. They are just the same.' He has 'scars everywhere' on his body. He said: 'Every scar is an experience. I trust my predators more than people. People are the most dangerous creatures. 'You can talk to a person, be friends with him, and then you turn your back to him and he stabs you. 'Predators are different, they are serious, they never cheat. But there is a red line, if you step over - it may go wrong way. 'When an animal attacks a trainer, it is 99 per cent the trainer's mistake. Anyway, they are my children, so I know anything can happen. But it will never end with death, because they are my children. Kouta uses a large rod to help him tame the lion's but that wasn't much use when the massive beast pounced in Lubansk Kouta said he has scars covering his body from working with the dangerous animals for years 'I know them and I trust them more than I trust people. It was all right, I calmed down the spectators and we went on. Of course, I became lame, it hurts everywhere, because these are teeth. 'One tooth was inside the muscle, right there and it is serious, and down it is serious too, but it's okay.' Travelling circuses were recently banned in Ukrainian capital Kiev. But Lugansk is currently outside Kiev's rule. When Moudasser Taleb was arrested near the departure lounge at Sydney international airport with luggage including military clothing, he told police he was a tourist not a terrorist. But the 24-year-old has now been found guilty of preparing to travel to Syria - between early February and mid-June 2017 - for the purpose of engaging in hostile activities. A NSW Supreme Court jury deliberated for less than five hours on Thursday after Taleb pleaded not guilty. The jury rejected the defence claim that Taleb had no intention of engaging in warfare or was mentally ill at the time. Dressed in orange prison jumpsuit and dark green velcro sneakers, Taleb appeared to give the one-fingered ISIS salute when he was last seen leaving court in handcuffs last week. Moudasser Taleb (pictured) has been found guilty of preparing to go to Syria to fight for Islamic State. he giving a one fingered ISIS salute as he left court in handcuffs on March 27 Justice Peter Hamill will hear sentencing submissions on May 10. After an undercover police sting, Taleb was arrested at the airport on June 15, 2017, with a bag containing military clothing, a sleeping bag, tactical gloves, a solar charger and other gear. Prosecutor Sam Duggan cited material from 2015 and 2016 which he said showed Taleb was interested in ISIS, overseas battle and martyrdom well before an undercover operative became involved in March 2017. The operative made online contact stating 'I'm from the pest control service' and arranged the first of five meetings which were secretly recorded. Sydney man Moudasser Taleb (pictured last week) will be sentenced on May 10 The fact that Taleb met the operative in the first place showed it was something he wanted to do, Mr Duggan told the jury. 'He didn't have any contacts, he didn't have any means of knowing how to travel overseas. 'The Crown says that is why he met the undercover officer.' Moudasser Taleb has been behind bars since his arrest at Sydney International Airport in 2017 Taleb did various things the officer suggested including long-distance training wearing walking boots and carrying a backpack, purchasing the overseas gear and trying to send $300 to a person he believed was a contact in Syria to facilitate his travel there. Taleb also had well over 200 videos on his phone including some showing beheadings, people with ISIS flags and battlefields. His barrister, Michael Finnane QC, submitted his client was a stupid, deluded 'idiot' who had no intention of engaging in warfare, overthrowing a government or harming anyone. Taleb believed he had an electronic chip implanted in his brain and spent most of his days playing on his PlayStation and caring for his severely disabled mother who has multiple sclerosis, Mr Finnane said. Taleb gave evidence, telling the jury he knew he was not going to get beyond the airport The crown and defence psychiatrists agreed that after Taleb went into custody he was found to have schizophrenia, but they disagreed about whether he had the condition at the time of the alleged offences. Taleb gave evidence, telling the jury he knew he was not going to get beyond the airport. He said the undercover officer 'could read my thoughts anyway' and if Taleb played along 'I would be able to expose what was happening to me - and I did'. Authorities do not believe his family were involved or had any prior knowledge of his alleged attempt to flee the country. Tabel's mother Angel Merhab pictured leaving the NSW Supreme Court last month NSW Deputy Police Commissioner Dave Hudson said at the time Taleb radicalised himself online and had been engaging with people overseas. '(It's) very much a lone wolf factor - he's been radicalised online and we don't believe that he's been involved with any other people in NSW or Australia,' the commander of investigations and counter-terrorism said. His mother Angel Merhab has previously described Islamic State as 'ridiculous' and said people that tried to radicalise young Muslims were 'evil'. 'I was surprised because he wasn't brought up like that,' Ms Merhab told Channel 10 following her son's arrest. 'People that do that are definitely evil. 'I know he is a good boy, a very good boy. All I can say is I love him.' Great British Bake Off judge Prue Leith has slammed rival cookery shows for dragging on too slowly and admitted that she rarely watches them. Taking aim at broadcasting bosses who she claims are obsessed with ratings, the 79-year-old said that there are too many food programmes on TV. And when the South African chef does occasionally watch cooks on other shows, she reportedly finds herself thinking 'why doesn't he just get on with it?'. Prue Leith, 79, slammed rival cookery shows for dragging on too slowly and admitted that she rarely watches them 'My own opinion is there are too many cookery shows on telly. I don't watch cookery shows because for me they go too slowly', she told the Mirror. 'I think "I know what he's doing now, why doesn't he get on with it?"' Leith suggested that the reason for the crowded field is that TV chiefs are giving in to the public demand for cookery shows. The hit Channel 4 baking competition, which Leith fronts, competes with programmes such as Masterchef and Hells Kitchen which have similar formats. After eleven years on the BBC's Great British Menu, the restaurateur and writer moved to Channel 4 to host Bake Off alongside fellow judge and show veteran Paul Hollywood, comedian Noel Fielding and broadcaster Sandi Toksvig. The South African chef (second from right) joined show veteran Paul Hollywood (right), comedian Noel Fielding (left) and Sandi Toksvig as a Bake Off judge in 2017 And Leith said that she wants her career on the show will be a long one and hopes to surpass the seven-year record set by ex-judge Mary Berry. Last year, she said that she was 'very lucky' to find love at a late age after marrying 71-year-old fashion designer John Playfair. The most recent series of Bake Off saw Sheffield University researcher Rahul Mandal, from Rotherham, win the competition and the next series, the tenth installment of the show, has reportedly been confirmed by Toksvig. An evil mother caught on camera buying a Snickers bar as a last snack for her two young children before brutally murdering them has been jailed for 19 years. Instagram cosmetics queen Elena Karimova, 27, suffocated her daughter, Khadizha, four, and son Suleiman, two, in the back seat of her rented Kia Rio. Minutes earlier the glamorous Russian divorcee was seen by CCTV at a filling station buying the chocolate bar for her children to share - and barbecue lighter fuel which she later used to incinerate their bodies. Two passing hunters saw her burning what they believed were dolls. Chilling CCTV footage showed the mother-of-two buying a chocolate bar and lighter fuel on the day of the murders Elena Karimova, 27, wiped away a tear as she claimed she was innocent at the court in Nizhny Novgorod on the banks of the Volga Elena Karimova takes selfies with son Suleiman (left) and daughter Khadizha (right) They believed the 'strange woman' was a 'witch or psychic', said the judge in her murder trial. Karimova who had 27,000 subscribers for her online sales business, initially confessed to murdering her children. Later she claimed two mystery men from Azerbaijan had killed them because she would not reveal to them the location of her ex-husband. The court in Nizhny Novgorod dismissed her account as fantasy and she was jailed for 19 years as a cold-blooded killer. The mother was seen acting normally as she paid in advance for petrol plus the Snickers bar and barbecue lighter fuel. She then walked back to her hired car - inside which were her two 'beloved' children - and drove away towards woodland where she strangled the pair as they sat on her knee on the back seat of her 23-a-day rental car. Judge Alexey Zavarikhin told the court: 'Karimova covered her daughter's mouth with her hand. She suffocated her daughter until she stopped twitching and resisting. 'The son at that time was sitting and watching how she killed his sister.' After the murders, 'she searched for a place where she could burn the bodies'. Judge Alexey Zavarikhin told the court in Nizhny Novgorod, western Russia: 'She suffocated her daughter until she stopped twitching and resisting' After she murdered them, she took the bodies into woodland and used the lighter fuel to incinerate them The woman claimed she had trouble raising Khadizha and Suleiman (pictured) because of a divorce The hunters Alexander Voronnikov and Roman Melnikov who saw her make a fire - and mistook her for a witch - denied there were any men with her, said the judge. 'We thought that there dolls in the fire,' said Voronnikov. 'When we passed, the woman tried to hide her face.' The judge said that footprints in the snow and CCTV footage showed clearly that Karimova was alone with her children in her rental car and when she burned the bodies. Fearing the hunters suspected her, she loaded the charred corpses into her car and drove home. Next day she drove to an abandoned warehouse where she dumped the bodies and set the building on fire almost completely destroying the human remains. The murderer read out a prepared statement during the sentencing hearing in which she continued her wild claims that two Azerbaijanis had killed the children Karimova stands in the dock as she listens to the judge condemning her to 19 years in prison for the double murder Karimova who had 27,000 followers for her Instagram cosmetics business was detained on murder charges nine months ago When detained by police she initially confessed to the murders saying: 'I couldn't provide for my children.' In her first court appearance she said: 'I'm very sorry for what happened. I do not even know how I could go about this.' The divorcee had thousands of Instagram followers but claimed money problems Despite her financial problems, she spent 470 a month on car rentals and took foreign holidays. Shocked family members and friends said her action was 'totally out of character' and refused to believe she was capable of such barbarity. Her mother Natalia Testenkova said she was 'the most loving mum' adding: 'How could she kill her kids?' She underwent psychiatric tests and was found to be sane, say law enforcement officials. In her final address to the court before being sent to jail, Karimova said: 'I am accused of the most inhuman crime a woman can commit - the cruel murder of my children.' She stuck to her claim that she let 'the real killers escape and took the blame myself.' She told the court: 'Throughout April, when I was intimidated, threatened with murder, I thought that they were just scaring me to make me tell them where my ex-husband was.' If she had her time again, she would have called for help, she said. After she was seen buying Snickers at the filling station 'they killed my babies in front of my eyes'. Karimova would spend lavishly on foreign holidays and spent 470-a-month on car rental payments (pictured, her daughter Khadizha) She pleaded: 'If I could only return there, I would find a way to escape and hide from them and save my children. 'I would not keep silent about the death of my kids in front of my eyes.' Two weeks before the double murder the mother wrote on her daughter's fourth birthday card: 'You are my soul, my dearest little one, my long-awaited daughter. 'The one I live for. You are a copy of me.' Prosecutors had called for a 21 year sentence but the judge said she would be jailed until the year 2038. The family of Ralph Nader's niece have announced plans to sue Boeing over the Ehiopian Airlines flight on which she died. Samya Rose Stumo's relatives intend to file a wrongful-death lawsuit against both the aircraft manufacturer and the parts supplier over her death in the crash near Bishoftu, Ethiopia last month. Lawyers representing the 24-year-old's family said in a statement that they planned to file the suit on Thursday morning in Federal District Court in Chicago. Scroll down for video Samya Rose Stumo, 24, was killed in the horror Ethiopian Airlines crash last month in which 153 people perished Ms Stumo was the niece of former Presidential candidate and consumer rights activist Ralph Nader (pictured) Ms Stumo was the niece of Ralph Nader, the consumer rights advocate and former presidential candidate. In total, 153 people were killed on board the Ethiopian Airlines flight which officials said Wednesday was most likely caused when a bird struck a sensor on takeoff. The damaged sensor went on to trigger inaccurate data and resulted in the pilots turning the anti-stall software - known as MCAS - off, but it re-engaged and pushed the jet downwards, aviation sources close to the investigation said. The disaster followed another Boeing 737 Max 7 crash in October, this time a Lion Air flight that plummeted to earth in Indonesia - killing 189 people. In both cases a large number of the families of the victims are pursuing legal action against Boeing and Rosemount Aerospace, the manufacturer of the alleged faulty sensor. The doomed Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Max that crashed and killed 157 people last month reportedly had its angle-of-attack sensor damaged on takeoff from a foreign object or bird Ms Stumo's family released a statement this week saying they planned to file a lawsuit against Boeing and another manufacturer Boeing 737 Max's have been grounded around the world by international aviation authorities during investigations. But Boeing claims to have fixed the faulty sensor many believe to be responsible for the crash, with Dennis Muilenburg, Boeings chief executive saying on Wednesday. 'The software update worked as designed, and the pilots landed safely at Boeing Field,' Gordon Johndroe, vice president for communications at Boeing told the New York Times. 'Safety is our first priority, and we will take a thorough and disciplined approach to the development and testing of the update to ensure we take the time to get it right.' Advertisement Relatives of desperate youngsters of Victorian Britain who became the first children in care have been tracked down after a poignant search. In a time of widespread poverty, when vulnerable children slept in the streets and those from destitute families faced the much-feared workhouses, help eventually came for youngsters who were offered places in care homes. And a charity that set up the first homes released poignant images of some of the original children which it saved from 1869 up to 1919, to mark its 150th anniversary. The children featured were looked after in some of the country's first ever care homes, established by the National Children's Homes - now Action for Children - in the late 1800s. The charity has now been able to track down a handful of families of relatives who were cared for in their historic homes. These include Chris Barned, the great, great grandson of one of the first residents, George Oliver who was placed into care at the tender age of just 12 and labelled ''hot tempered, with learned swearing, but fairly truthful.' Chris Barned, left, is the great, great grandson of one of the first residents, George Oliver, right, who was placed into care at the tender age of just 12 The children's band and choir, pictured here sometime between 1882 and 1903 Jan Twynam, 69, from Chichester, is the great-grand-niece of Alice Ellen Elizabeth Valentine, right, who lived at the charity's Bonner Road Home in Bethnal Green, East London Among the first boys to be looked after at the charity's first home in Lambeth, South London, was George Oliver. His father, also named George, died when George Jr was eight. His mother, Mary Ann, a needlewoman earning just 6d a week, struggled to look after him and his three siblings. In 1871, when George was 12, he was listed an 'inmate' of the children's home, where staff noted he was 'hot tempered, has learned swearing, fairly truthful. Health and of good intellectual ability', records show. But George went on to marry, have three children and to work as a plumber. He lived to be 66. The charity has already tracked down a relative of George - his great, great grandson Chris Barned, 36, director of a social media and digital communications consultancy, from East London. On Monday, Mr Barned, who was previously unaware of George's tough start in life, said: 'I'm very proud to find out about his story, and to know that he went on to live a long and happy life. 'To see pictures of him as a child really has been amazing and there's a strong family resemblance between George and my dad which has been incredible to see.' Lance Richardson is the great nephew of eight year old Emily 'Emmie' Rhymes who was admitted to the Princess Alice Orphanage in Warwickshire in 1898 As well as Mr Barned, another is the family of eight year old Emily 'Emmie' Rhymes who was admitted to the Princess Alice Orphanage in Warwickshire in 1898, along with her sister Lillie, after the deaths of their parents. Lance Richardson, 60, from Coventry is Emmie's great nephew and has been thrilled to find out more of his family's history. He said: 'I knew quite a bit about my family but finding out more about my great aunt and great nan has been wonderful - my 82 year old father has really enjoyed seeing them too. 'To hear exactly when the girls arrived and left the home and the skills they learnt to help prepare them for life outside has been a real voyage of discovery. I can't wait to find out more details such as what daily life would have been like for them in the home and what impact that had on their personalities. All of their experiences ultimately helped to shape the destinies of their families and descendants, including me.' Jan Twynam, from Chichester, is the great grandniece of Alice Valentine, who was looked after in National Children's Homes in London and Yorkshire. Jan said: 'I've been researching my family tree for seven years and although I knew of Alice I had absolutely no idea she'd been in a children's home. 'It shocked me at first but then I was so happy to find out she'd stayed in the home for a number of years and that she lived a long life, dying at the age of 89. As far as I can tell she lived a happy life too. 'I was four when Alice died and as far as I know I never met her but I really wish I had. Getting involved with Action for Children's search has renewed my determination to find out even more about my other relatives from all those years ago.' 'It's also been so wonderful seeing photos that the charity had of Alice as a little girl and the notes written about her from the home. It's opened a whole new chapter up in terms of researching my family.' Left: Edward Maltby. Thirteen years old when admitted, father and mother dead. Left in the charge of a stepmother who constantly ill-treated him. He had slept on the streets for several nights. Went to Canada 15 May 1873, engaged by the Rev S Rose, to be employed in the Printing Office and board with Bob Self in the family, Mt Wilson fireman. Centre: Mary Ann Annett called 'Annie', admitted to Bonner Road, London, in 1871 Born 2 December 1863 an illegitimate child. Father's name William Sale, by occupation silk dyer, has gone to America. Mother died 28 March 1867. Went to America with father, 1875. Right: Mary Anne Leigh 1871-1880 Bonner Road, London Left and centre: Both unnamed, Birmingham 1882-1909. Right: Unnamed, Bonner Road, London The charity was established by Methodist minister Thomas Bowman Stephenson in 1869. His hope was to build a family-style system of childcare that would be disciplined but loving, in contrast to the workhouses. The creation of children's homes meant that they were fed, cared for, and had somewhere safe to sleep every night. As well as children that were sleeping rough, those taken into care included those whose parents had died or were living abject poverty and wanted to give their children a better life. The charity's work has widened over the years to include assisting children through fostering or adoption. It also helps to prevent neglect and abuse. Renamed Action For Children in 2008, it helped more than 300,000 babies, children and families last year. Left: Annie Augusta Barfield, called 'Augusta', admitted to Bonner Road, London on June 8 1871 aged 12 months, then Edgworth, Lancashire, in 1876. Up for adoption in Leicester on June 15 1881, returned because 'not suitable' 22 August 1881. Centre: Billy Buster, Harpenden, Harpenden, 1918 Carol Iddon, its managing director of services, said: 'This search is a reminder of how far we've come when it comes to helping the most vulnerable in society, but also how far we still have to go to make sure our children today have a safe and stable future. 'Every day we still see families under the threat of losing their home, living with problems like domestic violence or struggling to put food on the table. All the while, children's services are being stripped back due to lack of government funding. 'Our 150th anniversary is a time to remember that first children we cared for and to hear their stories. But it should also serve as a wake-up call to the work government and charities needs to do now to invest in our children today and give them the childhoods they deserve.' The full gallery of 30 images of some of the children who were cared for in the homes between 1869 and 1919 can be found online at www.actionforchildren.org.uk/archive A first-time mother was left feeling 'completely embarrassed' after she was told off by a male chef for breast-feeding her baby in a cafe. Prairie Zephaniah had been out for lunch with her three-month-old daughter and her mother-in-law at a cafe in Clacton, Essex. The trio had been dining at Caffe Dominic and Piccolo Deli in Essex when 23-year-old Prairie noticed that baby Dekota needed a feed. Dekota woke up and after breast-feeding her, Prairie passed her to her grandmother before finishing her drink. Prairie Zephaniah (left) was left feeling embarrassed and ashamed after being told off for feeding baby Dekota (right) She says it was then that a male chef approached her in front of everyone and told her she must not feed her baby in the cafe if she were to return. The barmaid from Clacton said she immediately felt embarrassed and quickly left after paying. 'I was absolutely fuming. It made me want to cry. 'I'm a first-time mum and I was completely embarrassed - it has really knocked my confidence.' The manager at Caffe Dominic and Piccolo Deli said they were 'completely unaware' of the issue Prairie gives Dekota on-demand feeding, which means whenever she signals that she is hungry she will feed her. She purposely tries to feed Dekota before leaving the house in order to avoid having to breast-feed in public, but has to do it whenever the baby is hungry. 'I think this is the reason that so many mothers purposely stay at home to feed', she said. WHY IS BREAST BEST, ACCORDING TO EXPERTS Mothers are urged to breastfeed, if possible, in order to give their infants the maximum dose of nutrients. Bottle-feeding can be costly for many parents struggling to cope with the financial burden of a new baby. Formula milk also has varying levels of nutrients, decided by the provider. And it is often not easy for babies to digest. However, babies who consume both breast milk and formula may not get enough vitamin D and still need drops or mothers who take supplements. Many women who breastfeed incorrectly believe that this gives babies all the nutrients they need, said Dr. Carol Wagner of the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. Advertisement It's sparked a huge debate online, with some saying they thought the way Prairie was treated was 'disgusting'. Despite Prairie's claims, the manager of the cafe said they had been 'completely unaware of the issue'. 'We have unsuitable access for both prams and highchairs, so we asked the woman to sit at the back of the cafe due to the limited space. 'We tried to help the woman when the baby started crying loudly, but we were powerless to do anything more. 'I can't be sure what the chef said, but we never meant to make her feel uncomfortable and we are sorry for any upset caused. 'We were completely unaware of the issue and I am deeply saddened that such an event can happen on social media and what a detrimental effect it will have.' The chef claimed he asked Prairie 'that if she were to return to the cafe if she could not feed her baby' but denied mentioning breast-feeding. The Equality Act 2010 states it is 'unlawful for a business to discriminate against a woman because she is breast-feeding a child'. It says a 'business may ask a breast-feeding woman to leave their premises if the reason for this request is not due to her breast-feeding'. It goes on to say 'However, if the woman later claims that discrimination occurred because she was breast-feeding, the business will have to prove that there was in fact no discrimination.' Advertisement Theresa May held an emergency Cabinet meeting this evening ahead of more Brexit talks with Labour tomorrow - as Philip Hammond left leavers apoplectic by saying a new public vote on leaving the EU would be 'perfectly credible'. Cabinet ministers arrived at Number 10 at around 5pm for the meeting about how to break the Brexit deadlock. The Cabinet is split over how long an extension to ask the EU for, and it is believed this was discussed earlier this evening. Shadow Brexit Secretary Sir Keir Starmer confirmed talks with Theresa May will include the possibility of calling a second referendum as the price of Jeremy Corbyn's support for any deal. Details of today's meeting emerging this evening revealed a 'confirmatory vote' and 'customs arrangements' were discussed. The Guardian reports the Labour leader sent a note to MPs saying: 'Agenda items were customs arrangements, single market alignment including rights and protections, agencies and programmes, internal security, legal underpinning to any agreements and confirmatory vote.' Mrs May may include a 'confirmatory vote' in a letter to Mr Corbyn which will set out their Brexit offer as early as tomorrow, according to reports. Today remainers claimed victory as Mr Hammond called a second referendum 'perfectly credible' and admitted a customs union compromise would be a price worth paying for a deal with Labour. No 10 then slapped down talk of a second referendum with the Prime Minister's Official spokesman saying: 'I read the Chancellor's comments as saying 'a credible proposition to be looked at by Parliament'. I'd point out Parliament has looked at this on a number of occasions and has rejected it'. Mr Hammond's words also widened the Brexit fissure in the Cabinet with Health Secretary Matt Hancock distancing himself from Mr Hammond assertion on a second referendum saying: 'Well, that's certainly not how I would describe it'. Sir Keir Starmer arrives at the Cabinet office for talks with the Tories and admits a second referendum is on the table Theresa May (pictured today) is holding more talks with Jeremy Corbyn which have sparked uproar among Tory MPs and pushed two ministers into resigning and 15 more said to be on the brink Mrs May is edging towards a softer Brexit agreement with the Labour Leader - despite warnings it would plunge the Tories into civil war - with negotiations continuing today. Last night Mr Hammond also risked a Tory backlash as he said a 'confirmatory referendum' - on Mrs May's deal versus Remain - was a 'perfectly credible proposition.' Spartan chief Steve Baker told MailOnline: 'The Chancellor has come up with about the stupidest suggestion I could imagine. Look at the rage and despair created by asking Parliament to choose between Brexit in name only or no Brexit, and then imagine the public reaction. Is he trying to destroy all faith in democracy?'. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT WITH BREXIT? WEDNESDAY APRIL 10: EU SUMMIT Another summit with EU leaders where May will ask for a new delay beyond April 12. May's new plan is to strike a cross-party consensus in London and persuade EU leaders it means the deal can be delivered in time for Brexit on May 22. She may have to accept a longer extension that means holding EU elections, as Brussels has made clear this is a red line - and will take a decision on delay without Britain and it must be unanimous. EU officials including Michel Barnier have warned that the risk of an accidental No Deal is increasing if May arrives with no plan. THURSDAY APRIL 11: PM'S FACES MPs Theresa May will return from Brussels with a likely nine to 12 month extension and will outline her plans in the the Commons in the wake of the EU summit. FRIDAY APRIL 12: BREXIT DAY Britain is due to leave the EU without a deal on this date if no delay is agreed. Advertisement Attorney General Geoffrey Cox has also made the case for a customs union compromise, insisting it was 'not some kind of sell-out'. Downing Street faced a growing revolt from senior Tories at the prospect of pushing through a soft Brexit deal with the help of Labour's 'Marxist' leader. After two ministers resigned up to 15 more - five in the cabinet - are said to be close to quitting with Dr Liam Fox said to be 'on the edge' having told Tory MPs 'none' of the party's manifesto promises should be axed. Eurosceptic Tory MPs also erupted last night after a Bill to delay Brexit and avoid No Deal was 'rammed through' the Commons in a single day by Labour remainer Yvette Cooper and Tory Sir Oliver Letwin by one vote, with 20 Tories helping it through by backing it or abstaining. 17 of those were ex-ministers. After the Bill passed Tory ERG stalwart Mark Francois yelled: 'The public won't be impressed by this. Forgive them Father for they know not what they do'. The PM's furious backbenchers are demanding a new vote to throw Mrs May out of No 10 - with up to 100 of her rank-and-file MPs said to be considering going on strike and abstaining in all Commons votes. And scores of grassroots Tory members have been cutting up their membership cards in protest at Mrs May's Brexit olive branch to Mr Corbyn - who himself is facing a rebellion in his own party because his MPs want a second referendum. Downing Street has denied as 'categorically untrue' a claim that there have been talks on creating a 'devolution lock' that would give Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast a veto on any future changes to the UK-EU relationship. Reports on BuzzFeed News say the idea is being examined. Last night Chancellor Philip Hammond said a 'confirmatory' referendum on a Brexit deal was a 'perfectly credible' idea. He told ITV's Peston: 'I have said it's a perfectly credible proposition. Some ideas have been put forward which are not deliverable, they are not negotiable. 'The confirmatory referendum idea, many people will disagree with it, I'm not sure there's a majority in Parliament for it, but it's a perfectly credible proposition and it deserves to be tested in Parliament.' In an interview with ITV's Peston, he said he was expecting Brussels to insist on a lengthy delay to Brexit but stressed that the Government wanted to ensure that any extension to the Article 50 process could be cut short if a deal was agreed by MPs. He said the Government wanted 'absolute clarity that as soon as we have done the deal we are able to bring that extension to an end'. Signalling that compromise would be required from both sides in the talks with Labour, Mr Hammond was asked whether a customs union was a price worth paying for a deal. 'If that's what we have to do then let's look at that,' he said. Any decision to sign up to customs union membership after Brexit will not amount to a 'permanent straitjacket' for the UK, Attorney General Geoffrey Cox has said. Mr Cox said that Britain could negotiate its way out of a customs union once its withdrawal from the EU is complete. Membership of a customs union is one of the demands being made by Jeremy Corbyn for Labour support of a Brexit deal. Speaking to BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg, Mr Cox said that, although he opposed customs union membership, his 'most important priority' was to take the UK out of the EU. 'To me, because I am completely convinced that we must leave and I have been now for a considerable time, leaving is the priority,' the Attorney General said. 'Other matters, important though they are, are of a lesser significance to the duty we have and the imperative we must fulfil of leaving the European Union.' Chancellor Philip Hammond has left Brexiteers apoplectic and was accused of 'going rogue' after he called a second referendum 'perfectly credible' said a customs union could be a price worth paying for a deal with Jeremy Corbyn. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said a No Deal Brexit is now 'very unlikely' as he suggested he could accept a customs union compromise. He said that, while he 'profoundly' disagreed with Jeremy Corbyn on economic and security matters, he believed the only remaining way to get Brexit through was by seeking Labour votes. And he told Today: 'I would much prefer the Prime Minister's deal to a customs union, to be frank. I want to deliver Brexit, I have spoken about the problems of a customs union and I don't think it's as good for the country. But I also want to deliver Brexit.' But Mr Hancock said he was 'very, very strongly against' a second referendum - despite Chancellor Philip Hammond describing it as a 'perfectly credible' proposal. Asked about Mr Hammond's choice of words he said: 'That's not how I'd describe it'. Talks between the Tory and Labour leaders will continue today but sources close to the negotiations are 'downbeat about chances of success'. Whitehall source told The Times: 'We don't expect this to work, though we are hopeful that if there are more indicative votes next week one option will get over the line so we can take it to the European Council on Wednesday.' Speaker John Bercow considers his options before he cast his deciding vote when MPs delivered a first tie in a Commons vote since 1993. He decided not to allow another round of indicative votes on Brexit alternatives In a sign that Mrs May is serious about the talks, her chief Brexit negotiator Olly Robbins was asked to attend to provide advice on options that would have a chance of success in Brussels. Fury as disgraced ex-Labour MP Fiona Onasanya helps Remainer rebels to victory by ONE VOTE on law to stop No Deal Brexit Disgraced MP Fiona Onasanya, pictured at a Tribunal yesterday, cast the deciding Commons vote that 'rammed through' a Bill on stopping No Deal and delaying Brexit A Bill to delay Brexit and take No Deal off the table was 'rammed through' the Commons by one vote - and only passed after it was backed by disgraced MP Fiona Onasanya, it was revealed today. The 35-year-old former Labour MP still represents Peterborough despite being sentenced to three months' jail in January for perverting the course of justice after repeatedly lying to police about a speeding offence. She was released early from HMP Bronzefield in Surrey, having served just 28 days and agreed to a curfew and an electronic tag, which allowed her to pass the crucial Brexit vote last night. Onasanya faces a by-election if at least 10 per cent of registered voters in the solicitor's Peterborough constituency - about 7,000 - sign the petition by May 1. Hours before last night's Commons vote she appeared at an employment tribunal where she is accused of discriminating against a disabled employee who was told to use the male toilet because she couldn't climb the stairs. Last night in Parliament, in an unusual step, Speaker John Bercow allowed Sir Oliver Letwin and Yvette Cooper to fast-track legislation through the Commons in only one day. Their Bill, which is being debated in the Lords today, compels Theresa May to ask Brussels for an extension to negotiations, in effect blocking No Deal. Peers approved the European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 5) Bill at second reading without a vote. It was approved by 313 to 312. 14 Tory MPs backed the Bill, all Remainers, including former Chancellor Ken Clarke, and Dominic Grieve QC. Six Tories abstained. Of the 20 rebels 17 were former ministers. Today Tory MP Derek Thomas apologised after he abstained from the Brexit delay bill in protest at John Bercow's decision to allow it through in a day. He has admitted he should have voted because it would have led to a tie. Mr Bercow would have had the deciding vote and would have been expected to kill the Bill because the Speaker tends to retain the status quo. Mr Thomas told Cornish Stuff: 'It was the wrong decision and in the light of day I should have stuck it out.' Advertisement Labour was split over Brexit last night after Emily Thornberry contradicted her leader by demanding a second referendum on any deal. Jeremy Corbyn's spokesman said yesterday that while he had called for a public vote on Theresa May's deal, he would not countenance one on any deal he put his name to. The Labour leader yesterday held talks with the Prime Minister to thrash out a jointly agreed deal to put to Parliament. Mr Corbyn said he had raised the issue of a second referendum, but made clear he was not in favour of one in all circumstances. But in an explosive intervention, his Shadow Foreign Secretary wrote to all Labour MPs demanding a ballot on whatever deal emerges. Miss Thornberry wrote: 'Any deal agreed by Parliament must be subject to a confirmatory public vote, and yes, the other option on the ballot must be Remain.' Two ministers resigned in protest at the decision to open talks with Mr Corbyn yesterday, and senior Tories warned that the PM could see an exodus of Brexiteer ministers. Former party leader Iain Duncan Smith said: 'The spectre of Corbyn lording it over us in a Prime ministerial way as he wrecks Brexit makes my blood run cold and fear for my party and my country.' Cabinet ministers believe at least eight members of Mrs May's top team could quit if the PM agrees to a formal customs union with the EU. One Cabinet source said: 'It can't be a permanent customs union because it's against the manifesto. If you do that then people will walk.' Yesterday a group of senior Brexiteers - four Cabinet ministers and 15 junior ministers - met in the office of Leader of the Commons Andrea Leadsom to discuss their next moves. As well as Miss Leadsom, the meeting was attended by Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt and Transport Secretary Chris Grayling as well as Treasury Chief Secretary Liz Truss. One MP who attended the meeting told the Mail: 'They are trying to come to a common view about when 'enough is enough'. 'But they disagree about when to quit. There is also the issue of whether you need to keep Brexit people in Cabinet.' But last night Mr Corbyn was also facing a growing Labour backlash over the talks, as sources indicated he would not insist on a second referendum as the price for a deal. Sources involved in the negotiations said the two sides were exploring whether they could reach agreement on a customs union and meet Labour's demand that the Government agrees to adopt new EU laws on workers' rights and environmental standards even after the UK has left. Both sides are ready to agree that free movement must end, although Labour wants to soften the Government's immigration plans. And Mr Corbyn appeared ready to drop the idea of a second referendum, with a spokesman saying it was only needed to stop a 'damaging Tory Brexit or a no deal'. The talks came as: Attorney General Geoffrey Cox led Cabinet efforts to make the case for a customs union compromise, insisting it was 'not some kind of sell-out'. Mrs May was hijacked at Prime Minister's Questions, with four Tory MPs asking why she was asking for help from Mr Corbyn after previously branding him 'unfit for office'. The blamed Eurosceptic hardliners for her decision to open talks with Mr Corbyn, saying that with some Tory MPs 'unwilling to support' her deal, it was the 'only way to deliver the smooth, orderly Brexit we promised.' MPs voted to change the law to force Mrs May to seek a Brexit delay after John Bercow allowed them to fast-track legislation. Downing Street prepared to fire the starting gun on next month's European parliament elections, but insisted they could be scrapped just 24 hours before they are due to take place on May 23 if Mrs May can agree a deal in time. Shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry, who is not part of Mr Corbyn's negotiating team, wrote to Labour MPs saying any deal 'must be subject to a confirmatory public vote', with the option to remain in the EU on the ballot paper. Furious Eurosceptic Tory MPs tried to hold an informal vote of no confidence in Mrs May, only to be told by party shop steward Sir Graham Brady that they could not try again until December following their botched coup last year. Brexit minister Chris Heaton-Harris, who resigned yesterday, said Britain was ready to leave with No Deal next week and accused officials of hiding the truth from the PM. The Prime Minister made the momentous decision to drop her Brexit red lines and open talks with Mr Corbyn following a fractious seven-hour Cabinet meeting on Tuesday. With her own deal defeated three times and, unwilling to risk the disruption of a no-deal, she said it was time to try and cut a deal with Labour. If successful, it could be put to a Commons vote on Monday and then presented to EU leaders at an emergency Brussels summit on Wednesday, when Mrs May will request a delay to the UK's April 12 departure date. Emerging from the talks in Mrs May's Commons office yesterday, Mr Corbyn said the discussions had gone 'very well'. But he later played down expectations of a breakthrough, saying: 'There hasn't been as much change as I expected but we will have further discussions tomorrow to explore technical issues.' Downing Street described the talks as 'constructive, with both sides showing flexibility to bring the current Brexit uncertainty to a close'. Tory party members up and down the UK have been destroying their membership cards and posting the pictures on social media in protest their leader's decision to call in Labour to get a Brexit deal Mrs May was accompanied by her deputy David Lidington in yesterday's talks, along with Mr Robbins, Mr Barclay and the chief whip Julian Smith. Mr Corbyn's team included shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer, shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey and Labour's chief whip Nick Brown. How can Tory MPs oust Theresa May? Westminster is rife with rumours Tory MPs are so angry with Theresa May's Brexit pivot they want a new vote to remove her. The Prime Minister fought and won a vote of no confidence in her party leadership in December - meaning she cannot be forced out by party rules. But demands are mounting this afternoon for the party's backbench 1922 Committee to call another vote anyway. The theory is a new secret ballot would allow ministers to join a revolt and produce a landslide vote against Mrs May's leadership. Success would be yet another political humiliation piled onto the ailing Prime Minister. But she has already suffered more indignities than any leader in living memory and carried on regardless - so the plotters cannot be sure it would work. Advertisement Technical talks will continue between the two sides today, although neither Mr Corbyn nor Mrs May will be involved directly. If the talks fail, No 10 has said it will try and agree a compromise deal with parliament next week through some form of 'run-off' with Mrs May's deal, although this is also likely to involve a customs union. Mrs May has repeatedly insisted that the UK must leave the customs union in order to take advantage of the opportunity to strike new trade deals. But Mr Cox, a prominent Brexiteer, yesterday said that a customs union would be an acceptable compromise. He told the BBC that it was 'not desirable', but added: 'Leaving is the priority'. He said the government's only option was to 'seek with Labour some common ground' for a 'swift exit'. And he argued that there was 'nothing to stop us' getting out of a customs union later on. Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay said a softer Brexit would be 'regrettable'. But he blamed hard line Eurosceptics for failing to support the deal, arguing the 'remorseless logic' of voting against it was 'either soft Brexit or no Brexit at all'. Scottish Secretary David Mundell also revealed he would be willing to now back a customs union, saying: 'I think obviously there is support in the House of Commons for a customs union, it is not my preferred option, but I think it is just very important now that we find the basis for leaving that can command majority support.' Yesterday morning, Wales Office minister Nigel Adams became the 35th minister to quit Mrs May's government since the election. In his letter to the PM he said Mrs May was 'failing' at both delivering Brexit and preventing the 'calamity' of a Corbyn government. Mr Adams, a close ally of Boris Johnson, said 'by legitimising and turning to Jeremy Corbyn to assist you at this crucial stage, rather than being bold, is a grave error. Ex-Tory Boles hits out at May's 'hard Brexiter' comms chief Gibb Nick Boles (left) laid into Mrs May's director of communications Robbie Gibb (right) in a Twitter outburst tonight, two days after the Grantham MP dramatically quit the Tories over Brexit Ex-Tory MP Nick Boles tonight blasted Theresa May's comms chief Robbie Gibb, claiming the ex-BBC journalist was 'a hard Brexiter' who wanted her 'search for a cross party compromise' to fail. The Grantham MP, who resigned the Conservative whip on Monday night over Brexit, said the Prime Minister should tell Mr Gibb, her director of communications, to 'get back in his box - or go back to the BBC'. His Twitter outburst came after Mrs May had met Labour's Jeremy Corbyn for 'constructive' talks on a soft Brexit compromise. Mr Boles, who dramatically announced he was quitting the Tories in the Commons after the party helped block his soft Brexit plan, which included a customs union, wrote: 'I am no longer a member of the Conservative Party. So I can be blunt where previously I might have been discreet. 'The PM's head of communications Robbie Gibb is a hard Brexiter who wants to destroy the PM's new search for a cross party compromise. 'The media should be honest about the briefings they receive from that quarter. And the Prime Minister would do well to tell Mr Gibb to get back in his box - or go back to the BBC.' Advertisement 'It is clear we will now end up in the customs union. This is not the Brexit my constituents were promised and it is contrary to the pledge we made in our manifesto.' But Tory grandee Sir Oliver Letwin described Mr Corbyn as 'someone we can do business with.' And fellow Tory Sir Gary Streeter said: 'Our Prime Minister has done the right thing in the national interest and I salute her. If the ERG had not voted down her very sensible deal we could have left by now. Let's all get behind this much needed new plan.' Hardline Brexiteers' bid to topple Theresa May following her agreement to work with Jeremy Corbyn on Brexit collapsed last night. At a stormy meeting of the backbench 1922 Committee, some of the 28 'Spartan' Tory MPs who refused to vote for Mrs May's Brexit deal attempted to orchestrate a secret vote of no confidence in the Prime Minister's leadership. But committee chairman Sir Graham Brady refused to allow it, warning it would be destabilising for the Conservative Party. After the meeting, one angry backbencher, James Duddridge, declared it was 'open season' on Mrs May and encouraged colleagues to put in letters to Sir Graham stating they had no confidence in her. However the plotters were quickly reminded that, following last year's failed coup, there is no official mechanism to unseat Mrs May until December. Other Tories poured scorn on their attempts, saying that the party should unite ahead of next month's local elections. Amid significant anger over Mrs May's willingness to talk to the Labour leader, Sir Graham said he would keep her 'informed' of the mood of the party. Yesterday, there were reports that some rank and file Tory members were cutting up their membership cards in protest at the move. At Prime Minister's Questions, Brexiteers ambushed Mrs May, with a number criticising her decision to meet Mr Corbyn. Lee Rowley said that last week she called the Labour leader 'the biggest threat to our standing in the world, to our defence, and to our economy' and asked: 'In her judgment what now qualifies him for involvement in Brexit?' Former Brexit minister David Jones asked: 'Does it remain the position of the Prime Minister that the leader of the opposition is not fit to govern?' Julian Lewis asked why, after talking about No Deal being better than a bad deal, Mrs May had approached Labour when most of her party wanted to leave without a deal. The usually loyal Caroline Johnson spoke against what she called 'the risk of letting down the country and ushering in a Marxist, anti-Semite-led government'. After the 1922 Committee meeting, Mr Duddridge said: 'In my view, two-thirds of the parliamentary party in a secret vote would vote against her.' Fellow Spartan Mark Francois said he would put in a letter of no confidence in the Prime Minister to Sir Graham today. Business minister Claire Perry said of Mr Francois: 'Mark has been very angry about Brexit for a very long time. 'Mark and his friends tried hard to defenestrate the Prime Minister a while ago and under the terms of our party there is not another opportunity to do so. 'The Prime Minister was very clear at the 1922 Committee last week that if people wanted her to go, she was prepared to resign after the first stage of this deal had been passed. 'That was not enough for some. When you see that you think, 'Well, look, there are some people for whom there is no compromise there for Brexit' so you have to focus on getting Brexit through.' Steve Baker, of the hardline European Research Group, told the New Statesman: 'I think we may be on the cusp of the destruction of both main parties.' Conservative members shared images of themselves on social media cutting up their party cards. Pub owner Adam Brooks from Essex, said the Labour leader 'has no right to be involved' in Brexit talks and Mrs May has 'killed' the Conservative Party. Lawrence Gartshore, 16, from Warwick, said: 'This emphatic capitulation by May was really the final straw.' JACK DOYLE: So what DOES Labour want from Theresa in return for their backing on Brexit? Customs Union Until now, Theresa May has said the UK will leave the European Union's customs union. The customs union eliminates duties or tariffs between member states, while EU countries impose a common external tariff on imports from non-members. But the customs union also allows the EU to strike trade deals on behalf of all its members. The Prime Minister made leaving the customs union a 'red line' in her negotiations due to her desire to strike independent trade deals with other countries such as the USA. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, pictured with his shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer, left and shadow business secretary, Rebecca Long-Bailey, right, discussed strategy ahead of the his meeting with the PM yesterday eremy Corbyn wants a permanent customs union. He says it will help protect existing trade between the UK and EU, in particular that of manufactured goods which relies on complex supply chains links which can break down if goods are delayed at the border Remaining in the union would stop this because the UK would be barred from reducing its tariffs on imported goods from other countries. They could only strike deals in the services sector however this does make up a vast part of the modern UK economy. Jeremy Corbyn wants a permanent customs union. He says it will help protect existing trade between the UK and EU, in particular that of manufactured goods which relies on complex supply chains links which can break down if goods are delayed at the border. Labour also says that remaining in the customs union will help keep trade flowing freely between Northern Ireland and the Republic without the need for the so-called 'backstop'. Mr Corbyn claims his proposal does include the UK having a say on future trade deals negotiated by the EU and affecting the UK. But this is something Brussels has apparently ruled out. Despite all this, senior Tory ministers were out in force yesterday preparing the ground for a customs union compromise. Attorney General Geoffrey Cox argued that the customs union might be needed to get out claiming the UK could leave at a later point and a customs union would not be a 'permanent straitjacket'. Employment rights Under Mrs May's deal, the UK agrees not to row back on existing EU rules on workers' rights such as the Working Time Directive which limits working hours after we leave. But Mr Corbyn wants to go further and is demanding 'dynamic alignment' meaning any future government would agree to accept any employment laws and trade union rules passed by the EU in future, regardless of Parliament's wishes. So what if the EU agreed to a four-day working week, or passed other regulations which would erode competitiveness? Mrs May claims to be a champion of workers' rights, so this is an area she could argue is consistent with her approach, even if it limits the UK's ability to set its own course in future because we are tied to Brussels diktats. Free movement In theory, the parties are not far apart on free movement one of the central issues of the referendum campaign. Vast numbers of Labour voters backed Leave because they oppose uncontrolled immigration. This was reflected in Labour's manifesto which said free movement will end after we leave. For Mrs May, ending free movement is her reddest of red lines. But Labour policy on what migration policy should replace free movement is significantly more liberal than Tory policy. In particular, the Opposition is against the proposed 30,000 minimum earnings requirement for post-Brexit working visas. Could Mr Corbyn demand this is scrapped and a lower earnings threshold imposed? For Mrs May, ending free movement is her reddest of red lines. But Labour policy on what migration policy should replace free movement is significantly more liberal than Tory policy Second referendum PUBLICLY, Downing Street officials have not ruled out agreeing to a second referendum. Yet if anything is a deal breaker, it is a demand for another Brexit vote. The whole point of the talks with Mr Corbyn and the reward for Mrs May enduring civil war in the Tory Party is that Brexit goes through in short order with Labour backing. But a second referendum, with Remain on the ballot paper, would require a Brexit delay of at least a year and the UK taking part in MEP elections next month both currently unacceptable to Mrs May. On Mr Corbyn's side, the second referendum is the issue which divides his Shadow Cabinet, MPs, activists and voters like no other. Agree to a deal without one and the Remainers in his party will be livid. If he wants to deliberately crash the talks, this is what Mr Corbyn demand Advertisement What happens now MPs have passed laws against No Deal Brexit... and have they accidentally made it more likely? Rebel MPs who seized control of the Commons agenda successfully rammed through laws designed to avoid No Deal last night - but were accused by the Government of making it more likely. After last night's knife-edge action in the Commons, attention turns to the Lords as Yvette Cooper's plan to require the Government to seek a delay to Brexit to avoid No Deal is considered by peers. The draft laws face a marathon day and staunch resistance from Brexiteers as debate cannot be timetabled - making a series of filibusters that will drag debate into the early hours of tomorrow inevitable. Most expect the plans will be made law in the end despite a warning by Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay they raise the risk of an accidental No Deal. The bill is now on its second reading in the House of Lords. To avoid the prospect of peers having to sit through the night, Chief Whip Lord Taylor of Holbeach announced a deal had been reached with Labour to hold the Bill's committee and report stages, and third reading, on Monday. Mr Barclay said the way Ms Cooper's Bill is drafted undermines Theresa May's ability to negotiate a new delay to Brexit at an emergency summit next week. Under the rebel law the Commons will set out demands for the length of the new Brexit. The Government says if the EU Council offers a different delay - whether in length or with conditions - the PM will not be able to agree it without a further vote in Parliament. If Parliament makes further demands instead of rubber stamping whatever comes from Brussels, there would need to be further talks among EU leader - effectively impossible when the second vote would be on April 11 and exit due the following day. Meanwhile, talks between the Government and Labour on a soft Brexit compromise are continuing in the Cabinet Office today. Senior figures on both sides are wrestling with whether there can be a joint plan on the final UK-EU relationship that will allow the divorce deal to go through in time for Brexit to happen in May before European Parliament elections. Talks broke up with no agreement last night. An 'intensive' new session convened at 11am today, Downing Street said. If the talks fail, Mrs May has promised to put options to Parliament and agreed to be bound by the result. In a second round of indicative votes on Monday night a customs union, Norway-style soft Brexit and second referendum were the leading options - but none got a majority of MPs. A new extension must be agreed with the EU at an emergency summit on Wednesday - with Britain's demands needing to be set out in a letter to EU Council President Donald Tusk early next week. EU leaders must agree the terms of any extension unanimously and Mrs May will get no say in what is actually decided after she has made her request. What happened last night? To the fury of Brexiteers, Remain rebels MPs led by Yvette Cooper and Oliver Letwin rushed laws aimed at avoiding No Deal through the Commons. They got their plans through by a single vote - 313 to 312. If it becomes law, the Government will be obliged to seek a delay to Brexit that avoids No Deal. A Commons motion would set out the sort of delay MPs want. How Theresa May has filled a number of vacancies in her cabinet after resignations over Brexit Theresa May has filled a number of vacancies in her Government caused by the recent rash of resignations over Brexit, including appointing a minister for disabled people. Justin Tomlinson has been promoted within the Department for Work and Pensions to become minister of state for disabled people, filling a gap left by Sarah Newton's resignation on March 13. His place as junior DWP minister is taken by Will Quince. Conservative deputy chairman James Cleverly becomes parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Department for Exiting the European Union, replacing Chris Heaton-Harris, who resigned on Wednesday. Mrs May's parliamentary private secretary Seema Kennedy takes the same rank at the Department of Health, replacing Steve Brine, who resigned on March 25. And Andrew Stephenson becomes parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, filling the gap left by Richard Harrington on March 25. Kevin Foster will be a junior minister at the Wales Office and assistant government whip, replacing Nigel Adams, who quit on Wednesday. He will also be an unpaid parliamentary secretary at the Cabinet Office while Chloe Smith is on maternity leave. Advertisement Will it become a law? Probably - but there is a massive battle in the House of Lords to get it through today. Brexiteer peers will run hours of filibusters - long speeches designed to obstruct the law by wasting time. Why do ministers say it risks an accidental No Deal? Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay said the way Ms Cooper's Bill is drafted undermines Mrs May's ability to negotiate a new delay to Brexit at an emergency summit next week. Under the rebel law the Commons will set out demands for the length of the new Brexit. The Government says if the EU Council offers a different delay - whether in length or with conditions - the PM will not be able to agree it without a further vote in Parliament. If Parliament makes further demands instead of rubber stamping whatever comes from Brussels, there would need to be further talks among EU leader - effectively impossible when the second vote would be on April 11 and exit due the following day. What is happening in the cross party talks? The Prime Minister has said the divorce deal could not be changed but announced on Tuesday she would seek a new consensus with Jeremy Corbyn on the political declaration about the final UK-EU agreement. Talks broke up with no agreement last night. An 'intensive' new session convened at 11am today, Downing Street said. If the talks fail, Mrs May has promised to put options to Parliament and agreed to be bound by the result. In a second round of indicative votes on Monday night a customs union, Norway-style soft Brexit and second referendum were the leading options - but none got a majority of MPs. What does Mrs May's shift mean? It suggests Mrs May has abandoned all hope of winning over remaining Tory Brexiteers and the DUP on the terms of her current deal. Striking a cross-party deal on the future relationship will require Mrs May to abandon many of her red lines - including potentially on free movement and striking trade deals. To get an agreement with Labour, Mrs May will need to agree the political declaration should spell out a much softer Brexit than her current plans do. This might mean a permanent UK-EU customs union or even staying in the EU Single Market. What if Mr Corbyn says No? Mrs May said if she cannot cut a deal with Corbyn, she would ask Parliament to come up with options - and promised to follow orders from MPs. In a second round of indicative votes on Monday night a customs union, Norway-style soft Brexit and second referendum were the leading options - but none got a majority of MPs. They would probably pass if the Tories whipped for them - but it would almost certainly mean ministers quitting the Government. When will Brexit be? It is hard to say - but it is unlikely to be next week on April 12. Mrs May said she would ask the EU for a new extension to Article 50 that is as 'short as possible' and ends when a deal is passed. The PM clearly still wants to get out of the EU before European Parliament elections have to be held on May 22 but this is ultimately up to Brussels. Will the EU agree to this? It is hard to say. The EU has said it is open to further extension if there is a clear purpose and plan. Open ended talks on the future framework are unlikely to qualify. A clear, negotiable goal for the future framework probably would do. The EU has always said it is open to Britain staying in the Single Market and Customs Union. When does it need to be sorted out? Mrs May must have a new plan in her pocket by the time she sees EU leaders next Wednesday. In practice, talks with Mr Corbyn must have concluded today or tomorrow to give time for MPs to have their say if she is to make demand to the EU ahead of next week's summit. What are rebel MPs doing today? Oliver Letwin secured control of the Commons agenda today, a third day after he staged indicative votes on Brexit yesterday and last Wednesday. Today the MPs have a different plan - to pass a draft law requiring the Government to seek a delay to Brexit if there is No Deal. How do they do it? Before they can use the time in the Commons they have secured, the MPs must win a vote on the rules known as a Business of the House motion. Today's motions says the principle of the new law would be debated until 7pm. After this there is until 10pm to debate any proposed amendments to the law before another vote to finalise it at 10pm. Is it allowed? Yes, in principle and if a majority of MPs vote for the Business of the House motion. Laws have been passed by the Government in a single day before though it remains unorthodox for backbench MPs to have control of the Commons at all. Can it be stopped? Yes, if opponents of the idea can win votes on the issue and block the Business of the House motion. This seems unlikely as Sir Oliver has won his previous votes with a majority of around 40. What will the Lords do? Unclear. Forcing the Bill through would require the cooperation of the Lords as there are no timetabling rules in the Upper House. Brexiteers would have a better chance of blocking it in the Lords. In practice, Labour signalled in January the Lords would be unlikely to outright block a draft law passed by MPs in the Commons. Will May resign? Nodbody knows for sure. Last week, Mrs May announced she would go if and when her divorce deal passed so a new Tory leader could take charge of the trade talks phase. In practice, it drained Mrs May of all remaining political capital. Most in Westminster think her Premiership is over within weeks at the latest. As her deal folded for a third time on Friday, she faced immediate calls from Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn so stand down with instant effect. What is clear is there is already a fight underway for the Tory leadership. Does is all mean there will be an election? Probably, at some point though the immediate chances probably fell slightly tonight. The Commons is deadlocked and the Government has no functional majority. While the Fixed Term Parliaments Act means the Government can stumble on, it will become increasingly powerless. Mrs May could try to call one herself or, assuming she stands down, her successor could do so. Would May lead the Tories into an early election? Unlikely. Having admitted to her party she would go if the deal passes, Mrs May's political career is doomed. While there is no procedural way to remove her, a withdrawal of political support from the Cabinet or Tory HQ would probably finish her even if she wanted to stay. How is an election called? When would it be? Because of the Fixed Term Parliaments Act passed by the coalition, the Prime Minister can no longer simply ask the Queen to dissolve the Commons and call an election. There are two procedures instead. First - and this is what happened in 2017 - the Government can table a motion in the Commons calling for an early election. Crucially, this can only pass with a two-thirds majority of MPs - meaning either of the main parties can block it. Second an election is called if the Government loses a vote of no confidence and no new administration can be built within 14 days. In practice, this is can only happen if Tory rebels vote with Mr Corbyn - a move that would end the career of any Conservative MP who took the step. An election takes a bare minimum of five weeks from start to finish and it would take a week or two to get to the shut down of Parliament, known as dissolution - putting the earliest possible polling day around mid to late May. If the Tories hold a leadership election first it probably pushes any election out to late June at the earliest. Why do people say there has to be an election? The question of whether to call an election finally reached the Cabinet last week. Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay warned the rejection of Mrs May's deal would set in train a series of events that will lead to a softer Brexit - meaning an election because so many MPs will have to break manifesto promises. MPs voting to seize control of Brexit from ministers has only fuelldd the demands. Labour has been calling for a new vote for months, insisting the Government has failed to deliver Brexit. Mr Corbyn called a vote of no confidence in the Government in January insisting the failure of the first meaningful vote showed Mrs May's administration was doomed. He lost but the calls did not go away. Brexiteers have joined the demands in recent days as Parliament wrestles with Brexit and amid fears among hardliners promises made by both main parties at the last election will be broken - specifically on leaving the Customs Union and Single Market. Tory MP Andrew Bridgen wants Mrs May replaced with a Brexiteer. He believes it would push Remain Tories out of the party and then allow a snap election with more Eurosceptic candidates wearing blue rosettes. What might happen? Both main parties will have to write a manifesto - including a position on Brexit. Both parties are deeply split - in many cases between individual MPs and their local activists. Under Mrs May, the Tories presumably try to start with the deal. But it is loathed by dozens of current Tory MPs who want a harder Brexit and hated even more by grassroots Tory members. Shifting Tory policy on Brexit to the right would alienate the majority of current MPs who voted to Remain. Labour has similar splits. Many of Labour's MPs and activists want Mr Corbyn to commit to putting Brexit to a second referendum - most with a view to cancelling it. Mr Corbyn is a veteran Eurosceptic and millions of people who voted Leave in 2016 backed Labour in 2017. The splits set the stage for a bitter and chaotic election. The outcome is highly unpredictable - the Tories start in front but are probably more divided on the main question facing the country. Labour is behind but knows it made dramatic gains in the polls in the last election with its promises of vastly higher public spending. Neither side can forecast what impact new political forces might wield over the election or how any public anger over the Brexit stalemate could play out. It could swing the result in favour of one of the main parties or a new force. Or an election campaign that takes months, costs millions of pounds could still end up in a hung Parliament and continued stalemate. This is the current forecast by polling expert Sir John Curtice. Advertisement A driver has died following an early-morning crash involving a lorry after wintry showers hits the west of Britain and heavy snow brought parts of Wales to a standstill. Emergency services were called to the A1 near Felton in Northumberland at around 1.30am after a BMW collided with the HGV, which was heading in the other direction. The car driver, 28, was taken to hospital, but died shortly after arrival, Northumbria Police said. In a statement, the force added that the stretch of road remains closed in both directions while inquiries are carried out and the vehicles are recovered. It came as Britain braces for more storms and hail, with unsettled conditions expected to carry on into next week. Motorists drive along the B4520 road through blizzard conditions on the Mynydd Epynt range between Builth Wells and Brecon in Powys as heavy snow hit much of Wales A council gritter truck makes its way along the B4520 road in Powys as heavy snow hit much of the region this morning Commuters faced disruption to their journeys with a yellow warning for snow over southern and central Wales in place until 11am, as one and two inches of snow fell. Rain and sleet also affected driving conditions, including in the West Midlands. The A 1 crash was one of a number to take place on North East roads on Thursday morning as the region was hit by icy weather. A total of seven cars had to be towed away following a multiple-vehicle collision on the A1 near Washington Services at around 6am, Northumbria Police said. A force spokeswoman said two people involved in the crash 'are believed to have suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries', and the stretch of road has now reopened. A yellow warning for snow in parts of southern and central Wales is in place until 11am, with between one and two inches of snow forecast The spokeswoman added that officers are looking into the possibility of the two incidents being directly related to the weather conditions. Overnight, temperatures plunged to as low as -2.9C in Santon Downham in Suffolk, while snow began falling on higher ground in places including Powys in Wales. The Met Office had urged drivers to take care on icy stretches of road as the ice cold conditions came a day after much of the country was hit by wintry showers. Earlier today Southeastern halted some trains completely and warned of disruption to others but commuters were scornful of journeys being affected by a 'tiny bit of ice'. The wintry scene in Cleehill, Shropshire this morning taken by a motorist inside his car orecasters previously said a deep area of low pressure is centered over the UK, bringing with it the potential to drive showers and produce long spells of wet and changeable weather Snow covered the area of Nenthead in Cumbria yesterday after temperatures dipped below freezing, with poor weather conditions set to continue Outside the Royal Exchange buildings in the City, a cafe with outdoor seating was left empty and a worker was left to get the chairs in after the snow and hail started Southeastern said on its website: 'Freezing weather overnight has left icy conditions on the third rail, which is making it difficult for trains to draw power. 'Services running across the Southeastern network this morning may be delayed, cancelled or revised.' But some people responded with frustration, with one telling the company 'you didn't prepare for a tiny bit of ice' and adding: 'Incompetence of the highest level!' Another commuter who was waiting for a train at Bromley South station, in south-east London, shared a picture of a departure board which showed delays to several services into London Victoria. Some police forces in England and Wales also said there had been several accidents and road closures caused by the weather conditions. Forecaster Simon Partridge said snow also fell in parts of Scotland, while areas in south and south-west England were mainly hit by heavy rain, but predicted conditions would improve. Photographer John Fatkin captured this image of a rainbow and ferry on the River Tyne. His pictures, taken on Tuesday show the King Seaways ferry at the mouth of the river in South Shields along with the iconic red-painted Herd Groyne Lighthouse The capital experienced a sudden rush of hail yesterday afternoon and people were forced to put up their umbrellas to shield them from the hail 'There will be gradual improvement for most places,' he said. 'It should be a much better picture (on Thursday afternoon) and things are also set to turn milder as we get to the next couple of days.' In County Durham, the fire service warned people of black ice and slush on the A1M near Chester-Le-Street, and said there had been several accidents. Central and southern parts of England could also see heavy thundery downpours throughout the day, while the best of the weather is likely to be across eastern England. Temperatures are predicted to struggle to get above 10C-11C (50F-51.8F) but could feel as low as 7C (44.6F)or 8C (48.2F) in the wind and rain. It comes as spring got off to a wintry start across many parts of the country this week, with hill snow, hail and sleet. Forecasters previously said a deep area of low pressure is centred over the UK, bringing with it the potential to drive showers and produce long spells of wet and changeable weather. A 'sudden microburst' of hail and snow caused a 24-car motorway pile-up, Lancashire Police said on Wednesday morning. The M55 was closed in both directions but no-one was seriously injured, the force said. Friday could see rain in the west and far north, with conditions being brighter elsewhere. The weekend will feature drizzle in the east, with brighter spells in other parts of the country and conditions becoming warmer away from the east coast. Heavy snow caused travel chaos across much of the UK yesterday, with drivers and commuters alike facing treacherous weather conditions. The snow and hail even hit the capital, which is usually unaffected by severe weather conditions felt across northern areas of the country. Several people tweeted about the unexpected snow in London, with some poking fun at the online reaction to the weather Yesterday Londoners took to social media to share photos and video of the rare snowfall, with one even joking that producers would one day make films about this day, as two flakes of snow were seen falling on one mans jacket. One man, James Whaling joked and tweeted: 'PICTURED: Two flakes of snow on my jacket. In London. In April. They'll make films about this.' This is while others cited the end of the world and some even jokingly blamed the Brexit chaos for the conditions. One brave man donned his cycle shorts and a lightweight jacket to tackle the roads in London yesterday as the hail started to come down Other shocked Londoners posted jokes and memes about the weather, including this user who jokingly labelled Wednesday 'Snowmageddon' In the London Bridge area yesterday, one man was clearly affected by the cold spate of weather and was pictured blowing his nose and trying to keep up his umbrella at the same time Yesterday's snow provoked a barrage of tweets from people confused by its presence, while others poked fun at the shock caused by the weather Andrew Duncan said: 'Snow and thunder in London as UK hit by spring chill. I blame Brexit.' Others took the opportunity to highlight the stark reality of climate change with one claiming the weather in London today was the 'ticking of the climate change clock'. One woman said she had been having a conversation with her sister when she noticed the poor weather conditions and questioned when spring was coming. This morning the M55 was home to a 24-car pile up after police responded to a number of crashes following a burst of hail and snow in Lancashire. People made the most of the weather and took their children out on sleds as Cumbria became blanketed in snow yesterday Yesterday authorities have urged drivers to slow down or in some cases even stay at home as parts of England and Scotland become caked in snow. Lancashire Roads Police said there had been no casualties but that the situation had been 'carnage'. In other parts of the country, those in North Wales were also hit by the snow and farmyard animals such as sheep were battling against the weather on a hill top. In Scotland roads were closed as whiteout conditions spread across the A9, which connects the central belt to Inverness and the Highlands. This is while blizzard conditions were reported in parts of Cumbria and Northumberland with some residents having to shovel snow in order to get their cars down the road. The iconic black cab was pictured in London driving through the snow yesterday which can be seen gathered on the windscreen of the taxi One cyclist battled the elements and had put his scarf around his face in order to protect himself from the cold burst All wrapped up! People were making sure they had their hoods up as they walked through the streets of London A red car off the A9 near Tomatin was pictured abandoned and covered in snow following heavy snow fall across the area A snowplough on the A938 near Carrbridge yesterday during snowy weather which hit the UK after temperatures dropped A car makes its way along a snow covered road in Allendale, as the Met Office issues a severe yellow weather warning for some parts of the country A man walking his dogs braves the cold weather conditions and even wraps the dogs up in all weather jackets for their morning stroll Like a scene from a postcard! The snow was captured falling heavily in Northumberland, with the classic red telephone box in shot An exodus of jihadist families and civilians from ISIS's subdued final territory is overwhelming eastern Syria's hospitals. A handful of health facilities in the Kurdish-administered northeast are seeing dozens of patients every day, often including young victims who are terribly disfigured, some allegedly by mortar fire. Most arrivals are women and children from Al-Hol, a camp which has largely surpassed its capacity to house more than 70,000 people during a months-long offensive against the last scrap of the jihadists' 'caliphate'. Iraqi girls receive treatment at a hospital in Syria's northeastern Hasakeh province on Tuesday A Russian girl receives treatment for wounds on her face and head while her mother sits beside her 'The situation here in the hospital is tragic,' said Aydin Sleiman Khalil, who manages the main health institution in Hasakeh, some 25 miles from Al-Hol. To cope with the influx, the semi-autonomous Kurdish region's hospitals are desperately seeking support from the international community and aid agencies. 'We lack equipment, medicine, finances and medical personnel,' Khalil said, urging humanitarian groups and the United Nations to help. 'We do what we can, but it's not enough. They need more care - more medicine, aesthetic surgery,' he added. Iraqi mother Badreya Kamel, 24, said she arrived a few days ago with her three children but one of them, two-year-old Rowayda, died at the hospital on Monday from severe burns. An Iraqi girl nursing severe facial burns stands next to a hospital bed in Syria's northeastern Hasakeh Mariam, five, sits stooped on a hospital bed, her blonde hair trimmed short, parts of her face burnt. Her skinny forearm is swaddled in bandages, as she clutches a pen and scribbles on a notepad A girl from Russia who was in the Al-Hol camp screams in pain as she receives treatment in a nearby hospital Kamel had spent the last five months at Al-Hol, after fleeing a village caught up in the fighting between ISIS and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), who are backed by a US-led coalition. She left her tent to look for breakfast one recent morning. During her brief absence, her children lit a gas stove, sparking a fire. Four-year-old Zobeida and 10-year-old Hafsa survived. The health institution in Hasakeh hosts around 25 in-patients who fled the collapsing ISIS 'caliphate', mainly via Al-Hol. Around 50 more arrive for out-patient appointments each day from the camp, including many who need dressings changed and wounds cleaned. In March alone, local hospitals were 'overwhelmed' by some 2,000 women and children from Al-Hol, mostly suffering from wounds or malnutrition, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) aid group said. An Iraqi girl is treated in hospital. In March alone, local hospitals were 'overwhelmed' by some 2,000 women and children from Al-Hol, mostly suffering from wounds or malnutrition, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) aid group said Youngsters rest on a hospital bed. The health institution in Hasakeh hosts around 25 in-patients who fled the collapsing ISIS 'caliphate', mainly via Al-Hol But two new field hospitals should open at the camp itself by the end of April, the aid group added, to fill what the United Nations stated as a pressing need. 'There is an urgent need for expanded health services in the camp itself,' said the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, or OCHA. Donors have disbursed $4.3million (3.2million) for Al-Hol, including to combat malnutrition and to provide emergency health care, it said. On March 23, the SDF proclaimed victory against ISIS, after dislodging the jihadists from all but a few tunnels on the edge of Baghouz, a village that served as their final Syrian redoubt. Over several weeks before that, the Kurdish-Arab alliance periodically had paused operations to allow civilians - including jihadists' families - and surrendering fighters to get out. A doctor changes the gauzes on a Russian girl at a hospital in Syria's northeastern Hasakeh province on Tuesday Among the 500 most recent arrivals to Al-Hol, a number of women and children were trucked in with burns and shrapnel wounds, the IRC confirmed Among the 500 most recent arrivals to Al-Hol, a number of women and children were trucked in with burns and shrapnel wounds, the IRC confirmed. Saniya Roustom arrived around three weeks ago at the hospital, where she shares a room with two other Russian women and their children, all burn cases. The 32-year-old had been trapped in Baghouz, where she sheltered against the gun battles, mortar fire and coalition air strikes in a trench covered by tarpaulin sheet. 'Many children were burnt. They needed help, good doctors... We were brought here,' Roustom said. Of her six children, only one is still alive. The others died during other bombardments, or from their burns. Five-year-old Mariam sat stooped on a hospital bed, her blonde hair trimmed short, parts of her face terribly burnt. Her skinny forearm swaddled in bandages, she clutched a pen and scribbled on a notepad. A daredevil free climber went up a 380 foot railway bridge through thick fog. Clambering up the wet and slippery structure in France, that shook every time a train thundered over, he used his bare hands. The amazing morning ascent was partially captured by filming with a selfie stick. The free climber scaled the wet and slippery bridge in France, and filmed his ascent with a device on the end of a selfie stick Incredible footage shows him risking life and limb to get up the slippery fog-shrouded overpass. At one moment, he walks along a thin beam with a sheer drop either side, balancing carefully using his arms and putting one foot in front of the other. At another, he wedges himself inside a metal beam and carefully steps upwards. Then he suddenly bursts through the dense fog and into the sunlight. After the ascent he gets up onto the safety beam and walks across it, admiring the view of forest-covered mountains. He clambered up the structure, which was wet and slippery from rain the night before, in dense fog When he got to the top, he filmed himself walking along the barrier at the edge of the railway line Posting the video online, he wrote: 'It was raining through the night with mist that morning. So... all the steel structure was completely wet and very very slippery!' 'The train ran several times on the railway and the bridge shook a bit... yet it was so beautiful. The structure being so huge and stunning. 'One of the most beautiful climbs!' He also said: 'The climb was dangerous and required a lot of focus. 'I would not encourage people to risk their lives. Some people could think they can do it easily, but I'm a well-trained climber.' The climber refused to identify where the bridge was because he said he wanted to protect the place. He also claimed the ascent, that he made in August last year, was illegal. Free-climbers scale structures, man-made or natural, without any equipment to help. There are more than 2,000 places to try the sport in France and neighbouring Corsica, according to climbingaway.fr. It highlights boulders, cliff faces and deep water solo's as places where the sport is possible. South Africa: Government applauds life sentence in Baby Daniel case Government has applauded and welcomed the life imprisonment sentence handed down to the man convicted of abusing and murdering his former girlfriend's son, Baby Daniel, in 2016. Government equally welcomed the 20-year sentence that has been imposed on the child's mother by the Gauteng High Court. As a nation, we have a right to be outraged by these kinds of barbaric acts of abuse against innocent children and government applauds the criminal justice system for ensuring that perpetrators of these heinous crimes receive harsh sentences, said government in a statement issued by Government Communication and Information System (GCIS). The two, Timothy Naidoo and his partner whose name has not been made known to protect her other children - were convicted of Daniel's murder in December last year in a barbaric act that sent shockwaves throughout the nation. Daniel suffered a broken elbow, broken femur, injured ribs and second degree burns to 60% of his body. Government takes the issue of child abuse and neglect very seriously and as such our country has put in place child protection mechanisms such as legislation and international instruments that South Africa has ratified as a commitment to the protection of childrens rights, the GCIS said. Key among these is Section 28 of the Constitution which specifically deals with and lays the foundation of childrens rights. This torture suffered by Baby Daniel is one amongst many ills against children, something that could indicate that as society we are failing to protect the most vulnerable, government said in the statement. Government called on communities to be vigilant and expose abusers as deafening silence could only serve to encourage these brutal acts against children. It is crucial that parents and society be cognisant of the roles that they need to play in protecting children and in exposing any suspected child abuse activities or child exploitation. Reporting abuse or neglect of a child can save a life, the statement read. Government urged communities to report any suspected child abuse, neglect or exploitation of children to any of the following hotlines: - SAPS Crime Stop: 08600 10 111 - SMS Crime Line: 32211 - The Department of Social Developments 24-hour toll free command centre: 0800 428 428 where callers can speak to a social worker for assistance and counselling. Callers can also request a social worker from the Command Centre to contact them by dialling *120*7867# (free) from any cell phone. - Child Welfare South Africa: 0861 424453 / 011 452-4110 / e-mail:info@childwelfaresa.org.za - Child Line: 08000 55 555 (tollfree) SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2019-04-04. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. (CNN) Many Netflix subscribers are about to get a bigger monthly bill. The streaming service sent emails this week to U.S. subscribers about a price increase that starts in their next billing cycle. It's an increase some Netflix customers have already seen. Netflix announced the price hikes in January, and said at the time that the increased revenue would help it add more television shows and movies. The company has been rolling out the price increases over the last few months, based on billing cycles. The email to subscribers is a reminder that each of Netflix's plans in the United States will increase between $1 to $2. The price of the basic plan will rise from $8 to $9 per month, the standard plan that includes HD streaming on two devices will go from $11 to $13 per month, and the price of its premium plan will increase from $14 to $16. Netflix has been investing heavily in original content. It budgeted $8 billion for new shows and movies in 2018, the company announced when it reported third quarter earnings in 2017. Its investments paid off in terms of awards. The streaming service took home three Academy Awards, including Best Director for its film "Roma" in February. Netflix also won 23 total Emmys for shows including "The Crown," "Stranger Things" and "GLOW" in 2018. Netflix tied for the most Emmy wins last year with HBO, which previously held the record. Investors initially rewarded the company for increasing prices. The stock jumped 6% after the January announcement and has been trading mostly higher ever since. Members who joined after the increase was revealed already have been paying the higher prices. Analysts told CNN Business that most existing customers are willing to pay more as long as Netflix continues to provide a wide range of popular content. Netflix will also face several new competitors in 2019. Apple recently unveiled TV+, its own streaming service that will feature original content, including two docu-series from Oprah Winfrey and a drama that stars Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston and Steve Carell. That service doesn't yet have a release date. Disney, NBCUniversal and WarnerMedia, CNN's parent company, all plan to launch streaming services this year, too. CNN Business' Jill Disis and Frank Pallotta contributed to this story. This story was first published on CNN.com, "Netflix prices are going up." This is the terrifying moment that a violent jet of smoke and flames bursts out of a shipping container. The deadly phenomenon, known as a backdraft, is a firefighter's worst nightmare and occurs when there is the sudden reintroduction of oxygen into an enclosed space containing a fire. YouTubers The Slow Mo Guys demonstrated it by filling a shipping container with furniture to recreate a house fire. A bulbous jet of smoke shoots out of the door of a shipping container which has been filled with furniture and set alight to recreate a house fire and demonstrate a deadly phenomenon known as a backdraft, which is caused by the sudden reintroduction of oxygen to a dying fire An intense rocket-like jet of flames follows the smoke and then bursts through it, reaching more than 40 feet. The experiment was set up by YouTubers the Slow Mo guys With the help of Travis County fire department, in Texas, they fill the container fitted with windows and doors with a sofa, wooden panelling and a Christmas tree. A Go Pro camera is placed in the corner of the space inside a fireproof housing. Outside and in line with the door are wooden markers topped with marshmallows to measure how far the backdraft reaches. After a few minutes of allowing a fire to develop, firefighters move to cut off oxygen to the space by closing the windows and the top and then the bottom part of the door. The fire gets so hot that the Go Pro camera stops recording, despite having the protection of its flame-proof enclosure. With the flames now mostly killed off, the top half of the door is opened again. Left: The container is fitted with a Go Pro camera sitting inside flameproof housing to capture the fire on film. Right: Firefighters from Travis County fire department, in Texas, seal off the fire by closing the windows and doors of the shipping container, starving it of oxygen This allows oxygen to rush back in to the container and at first, little happens, with only smoke pouring out. A firefighter moves towards the door just before the moment of explosion and he only just gets out of its path. It is caused by the new flood of oxygen into the room, with a violent jet of smoke and flames shooting 'at least 40ft' out of the door and singing the marshmallows. The Slow Mo guys explain that firefighters do everything they can to avoid the backdraft, which can develop when a fire's temperature exceeds 649C. A fire depletes all the oxgyen in a room and dies down so that there are only embers. When the doors and windows are opened again, oxygen is reintroduced to the fire and a firefighter is caught unawares by the sudden explosion of smoke and flames that shoot out of the door. The stunning moment is caught on an 80,000 slow-motion camera The jet starts as a bulbous head of smoke that gets bigger before the flames burst through it A window may then break or a door fly open, which 'causes a sudden rush of oxygen into the room.' 'Which then causes a very deadly explosion,' they add. The firefighters then create another backdraft by closing and then re-opening the windows and doors. Left: YouTubers Gavin Free (right) and Daniel Gruchy (left), who call themselves the Slow Mo guys, film the backdraft on a Phantom Flex 4k camera, which costs more than 80,000. Right: The heat of the shipping container is made clear when the pair throw eggs at it, both of which cook instantly The YouTubers' Phantom Flex 4k camera, which costs more than 80,000, captures the sight in slow-motion. This time, it is an even more violent explosion, with a bulbous jet of smoke shooting out of the door, expanding the further it goes. An intense rocket-like jet of flames follows the smoke and then bursts through it. 'It's like a dragon,' they exclaim. 'I can imagine a shuttle on the other end of it, except there is nothing there'. Four men have been charged after police raided an alleged drug syndicate accused of delivering $10,000 worth of cocaine to customers every day for six months. The men, aged 29, 35, 37 and 38 were arrested on Thursday after Strike Force Bayou detectives executed warrants at homes at Auburn, Merrylands, and Rhodes. Officers allege they seized more than 0.5kg of a white powder, believed to be cocaine, $5,000 cash, mobile phones, electronic devices, a Toyota Landcruiser, and drug paraphernalia during the raids. Four men have been charged after police busted an alleged drug syndicate that was delivering $100,000 worth of cocaine seven days a week for months on end (pictured) The men were arrested on Thursday after Strike Force Bayou detectives executed warrants at homes at Auburn, Merrylands, and Rhodes (pictured) Officers allege they seized more than 0.5kg of a white powder (pictured), believed to be cocaine, $5,000 cash, mobile phones, electronic devices, a Toyota Landcruiser, and drug paraphernalia during the raids The 37-year-old man was charged with supply prohibited drug (large commercial quantity), supply prohibited drugs on an ongoing basis, knowingly deal with proceeds of crime, and knowingly participate in criminal group assist crime. The 29-year-old Rhodes man was charged with supply prohibited drug (large commercial quantity), supply prohibited drugs on an ongoing basis, knowingly deal with proceeds of crime, and knowingly participate in criminal group assist crime. Both men were refused bail and are set to appear at Burwood Local Court on Friday. All four men had their bail denied and will appear in the Parramatta Local Court and the Burwood Local Court on Friday over serious drugs charges (pictured) Meanwhile, the 35-year-old Merrylands man was charged with supply prohibited drug (large commercial quantity), and knowingly participate in criminal group assist crime. The 38-year-old Merrylands man was charged with supply prohibited drug (large commercial quantity), supply prohibited drugs on an ongoing basis, and knowingly participate in criminal group assist crime. Both men were refused bail and will appear at Parramatta Local Court on Friday. Ethiopian Airlines' doomed 737 MAX jet hit excessive speed and was forced downwards by a wrongly-triggered automation system as pilots wrestled to regain control, a preliminary report into the crash that has shaken the aviation world showed on Thursday. Captain Yared Getachew cried 'pull up', before the Boeing Co plane plunged into a field six minutes after takeoff from Addis Ababa, killing all 157 passengers and crew, said the report by Ethiopian investigators. The March 10 disaster, and parallels with another 737 MAX crash in Indonesia last October in which 189 people died, has led to the worldwide grounding of Boeing's flagship model. It has also brought uncomfortable scrutiny over new software, pilot training and regulatory rigor. Captain Yared Getachew (above) cried 'pull up', before the Boeing Co plane plunged into a field six minutes after takeoff from Addis Ababa, the report said The crew aboard the doomed Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Max that crashed and killed 157 people last month 'repeatedly' tried to take control of the jet, the transport minister has said Investigators believe a faulty sensor may have triggered the plane's MCAS anti-stall system, pushing the nose of the plane down repeatedly as pilots struggled to regain control Investigators believe that a bird strike or other foreign object may have damaged one of the sensors that controlled the anti-stalling system, causing it to activate and push the nose of the plane down. The system is designed to kick in when the plane's 'angle of attack,' or the angle between the wind direction and wing lift surface, threatens to put the plane in a stall, or loss of lift. The report states that the plane's two external 'angle-of-attack' sensors gave dramatically different readings 74.5 degrees on the left, and 15.3 degrees on the right, according to the Washington Post. Both pilots called out 'left alpha vane' at one point, using another name for the sensor, according to the cockpit voice recorder. The report says that the crew of the doomed Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Max 'repeatedly' performed the recommended procedures but could not pull out the fatal dive. The Ethiopian minister of transport Dagmawit Moges told a press conference in Addis Ababa on Thursday: 'The crew performed all the procedures repeatedly provided by the manufacturer but was not able to control the aircraft.' She did not make specific reference to the automatic anti-stalling system (MCAS) which has been implicated in the crash, but did mention a 'repetitive nose down' movement of the aircraft. Ethiopian transport minister Dagmawit Moges addresses a news conference on the preliminary report to the Ethiopian Airlines plane crash in Addis Ababa on Thursday The head of Ethiopian investigators said their findings to date were based on flight and voice cockpit data and they were unable to say whether there was a structural problem with the Boeing. The transport minister said initial findings showed the plane was airworthy and that takeoff was initially 'normal.' She said the report recommends 'the aircraft flight control system shall be reviewed by the manufacturer.' Dagmawit added: 'Aviation authorities shall verify that the review of the aircraft flight control system has been adequately addressed by the manufacturer before the release of the aircraft for operations.' A statement from Ethiopian Airlines on their twitter said: 'Despite [the pilots'] hard work and full compliance with emergency procedures, it was very unfortunate that that could not recover from the persistence of nose diving.' The head of Ethiopian Airlines Tewolde GebreMariam: 'We are very proud of our pilots' compliances to follow the emergency procedures, and high level of professional performances in such extremely difficult situations.' He added, 'All of us at Ethiopian Airlines are still going through deep mourning for the loss of our loved ones, and we would like to express our deep sympathy and condolences for the families, relatives and friends of the victims.' Colonel Amdeye Fenta, chief of Ethiopian Accident Information Bureau told the press conference: 'We can confirm that we haven't found any foreign object damage.' It was previously reported that the jet's angle-of-attack sensor was damaged on takeoff from a foreign object or bird, which is said to have triggered inaccurate data prompting the pilots to take control. They reportedly switched off the anti-stall software - known as MCAS - but it re-engaged and pushed the jet downwards, aviation sources close to the investigation told ABC News. The pilots are said to have tried to manually bring the nose of the plane back up before restoring power but they were unable to regain control - ultimately resulting in the plane crashing to the ground. It was not immediately clear whether the crew intentionally re-deployed the MCAS system, which was designed to push the nose of the 737 MAX down to prevent a stall but which is suspected of exacerbating a different scenario linked to two recent crashes. A person with knowledge of the aircraft said the system cannot re-activate itself unless prompted by pilots. One possibility is that the crew may have re-activated MCAS in an attempt to reduce the forces on the control column, or because they were unable to adequately trim the plane manually. Boeing warned against speculation ahead of a preliminary report, while Ethiopian investigators could not be reached for comment. Boeing's anti-stall software is at the centre of investigations into last month's Ethiopian Airlines crash and a Lion Air accident in Indonesia in October. People close to the Ethiopian investigation have said the anti-stall software - which automatically pushes the aircraft's nose down to guard against a loss of lift - was activated by erroneous 'angle of attack' data from a single sensor. Boeing's anti-stall software is at the center of investigations into last month's Ethiopian Airlines crash. Pictured is rescuers working at the scene of the crash site Officials briefed on the matter said a key question is when did the pilots at the helm of the Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX disengage the MCAS system and did they do it too late to regain control of the airplane. Two people briefed on the matter said the system is not designed to resume operations unless the crew acts and the crew may have unintentionally re-engaged the system as it desperately tried to pull the plane out of its nose-down descent. They cautioned the data was still being reviewed and that the findings were preliminary. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board declined to comment. Boeing is working to submit an upgrade of the software to the U.S. regulators in a couple of weeks and adding extra training. Advertisement A Renaissance artist could not have captured the mood of exasperation and confusion better than a photo of the latest muddle in Parliament last night. Following the first tie in a Commons vote in a quarter of a century, Speaker John Bercow, his face a picture of befuddlement, presses his hand to his forehead as he tries to work out what to do next. Party whips, Commons clerks and vote counters crowd around him, many looking just as baffled as he. John Bercow sits, head in hand, at the centre of a confused huddle of MPs, Commons clerks and vote counters last night, after the latest vote in the Brexit muddle ended in a tie Who's who in the photo? 1. Speaker John Bercow, who is in charge of maintaining order in the House and seeing rules are respected. 2. Commons clerk, an expert on Parliamentary procedures who advises the Speaker. 3. Andrew Stephenson MP, who is Vice-Chamberlain, a government whip who overseas votes for the party. 4. Amanda Milling MP, an assistant whip who also helps organise her party's business in the Commons. 5. Kerry McCarthy MP, Labour member of parliament discussing the vote. 6. Julian Smith MP, Tory Chief Whip, who is in charge of maintaining party discipline. 7. Lucia Hodgson, an adviser to the Leader of the House, Andrea Leadsom, who organises government business in the Commons. 8. Deputy speaker Eleanor Laing MP, a Conservative MP who supports the Speaker. 9. Another Commons clerk 10. Tory MP John Wittingdale, who would have been voting on the proposed amendment. 11. Craig Whittaker MP, one of the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, another government whip who tries to get MPs to tow the government line. 12. Mark Spencer MP, who is Comptroller of the Household, an ancient role which has now become one of the government whips. 13. Mark Tami MP, a Labour whip who corrals the party's MPs. Parliament's latest shambles came about when 310 MPs voted for a motion to allow a third round of so-called 'indicative votes' on Brexit alternatives, and 310, exactly the same number, voted against it. It was the latest farce in weeks of debates on Brexit, which have created plenty of heat, but precious little light as to the way forward. The picture was taken by DUP MP Emma Little-Pengelly and she posted it on Twitter beneath the caption 'a house divided'. Some of her followers compared it to an 18th century oil painting. The delay in Parliament which it captures was broken only when it emerged that Mr Bercow himself could have the deciding vote. He voted no, meaning the amendment was defeated by 311 votes to 310. It is the first time that a Commons vote was tied since 1993, ironically when the House was voting on another Europe-related issue, the Maastricht Treaty Bill. In that case, then-Speaker Betty Boothroyd used her casting vote to support the Government, defeating a Social Chapter amendment. The picture was tweeted by DUP MP Emma Little-Pengelly. Her followers turned it into a work of art The picture fits the 'Fibonacci spiral', devised by the 11th century mathematician Leonardo Fibonacci, sometimes referred to as 'the golden spiral', which was often used by Renaissance artists when composing their works Bercow had to break the deadlock as MPs voted on whether to hold a third round of indicative votes on Brexit In another close vote last night, proposals to further delay the date of Brexit have moved closer to becoming law after they squeaked through the Commons by one vote. Tory Brexiteers strongly opposed the measures and, shortly before the final vote, they expressed their frustration at the Bill clearing all stages in the Commons in a matter of hours. Wellingborough MP Peter Bone urged Speaker to 'make this farce stop' and prevent further votes. The current deadlock over how to proceed with Brexit has led to desperate talks between Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn yesterday, to see if either will compromise on their plans for leaving the EU. The talks have split both parties, with Eurosceptics Tories angry that Mrs May could soften up Brexit, and many in Labour angry that Mr Corbyn may fail to demand a second referendum. Chancellor Philip Hammond this morning suggested the UK faces a potentially lengthy delay to Brexit, and a possible compromise on a customs union. Disgraced MP Fiona Onasanya, pictured at a Tribunal yesterday, cast the deciding Commons vote that rammed through a Bill on stopping No Deal and delaying Brexit A Bill to delay Brexit and take No Deal off the table was rammed through the Commons by one vote - and only passed after it was backed by disgraced MP Fiona Onasanya, it was revealed today. The 35-year-old former Labour MP still represents Peterborough despite being sentenced to three months jail in January for perverting the course of justice after repeatedly lying to police about a speeding offence. She was released early from HMP Bronzefield in Surrey, having served just 28 days and agreed to a curfew and an electronic tag, which allowed her to pass the crucial Brexit vote last night. Onasanya faces a by-election if at least 10 per cent of registered voters in the solicitors Peterborough constituency - about 7,000 - sign the petition by May 1. Hours before last night's Commons vote she appeared at an employment tribunal where she is accused of discriminating against a disabled employee who was told to use the male toilet because she couldnt climb the stairs. Last night in Parliament, in an unusual step, Speaker John Bercow allowed Sir Oliver Letwin and Yvette Cooper to fast-track legislation through the Commons in only one day. Their Bill, which is expected to be debated in the Lords today, compels Theresa May to ask Brussels for an extension to negotiations, in effect blocking No Deal. It was approved by 313 to 312. 14 Tory MPs backed the Bill, all Remainers, including former Chancellor Ken Clarke, and Dominic Grieve QC. Six Tories abstained. Of the 20 rebels 17 were former ministers. Onasanya tweeted last night that he voted to delay Brexit - but said it was to allow time for a compromise 14 Tories voted for the Bill to pass through the Commons last night These six Tories abstained. If they had voted against the Bill would have failed Usually legislation takes weeks or months to go through the Commons but MPs tore up the rules to ensure it passed ahead of next weeks Brexit deadline. If no delay is secured, the UK will leave without a deal next Thursday night. The Bill now goes to the Lords today where it will face further obstacles - including attempts by Eurosceptic Peers to delay its progress. European Research Group vice chairman Mark Francois said it was a constitutional outrage that the Bill had been rammed through in just four hours. He yelled:The public won't be impressed by this. Forgive them Father for they know not what they do. Eurosceptic Tory MP Peter Bone called on the Speaker to end the farce of passing a Bill in such a short period. Tory MP Charles Walker, the chairman of the Procedure Committee, also complained the Bill had been fast tracked. If the government tried to push through legislation in such a way the House would be rightly, deeply irritated, he argued. Labour MP Yvette Cooper, who drew up the Bill, said the vote showed the House opposed a chaotic and damaging no deal. She said the House would support the Prime Minister to ensure we dont end up with no deal on April 12. But Speaker Bercow said there was nothing disorderly about the procedure. Eurosceptic Tory MP Steve Baker suggested the Bill could be held up in the House of Lords. He said he was sure Peers would be examined for as long as they think necessary. A cross-party manoeuvre hatched by Tory Sir Oliver Letwin and Labour's Yvette Cooper to force a new law through the Commons succeeded after it was approved by 313 to 312 (pictured) DUP Emma Little-Pengelly of Speaker John Bercow as he cast his deciding vote when MPs delivered a first tie in a Commons vote since 1993 as a proposal to allow a third round of indicative votes on Brexit alternatives was rejected The rebels insisted on changing the law even though the Prime Minister had already pledged to delay the countrys departure from the EU beyond next Friday the day Britain is currently due to leave. Opponents warned last night that a dangerous precedent would be set by rushing the Bill through all its Commons stages in one day. The backbenchers tabled the legislation after wresting control of the parliamentary timetable from ministers. Sir Bill Cash, Tory chairman of the European scrutiny committee, said the move to pass the Bill in a day was reprehensible. It is a constitutional revolution and I also believe that it is a very, very undesirable precedent, he added. It is almost an unbelievable shambles this Bill and the reality is there is no excuse for it. Charles Walker, Tory chairman of the procedure committee, said: I think we will regret what we are doing today it does worry me. I fear that one day soon I hope it will not be the case we will be debating an expropriation of assets Bill in six hours. We would regret that bitterly. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said: If we legislate in haste, we will repent at leisure, and we do nothing in this place but repent at leisure again and again. We talk about sweeping away precedents because they are archaic and were around for 200 years or whatever, and that everything modern must be brilliant. I do not agree with that. Sometimes history teaches endless lessons. This place is at its best when it is arguing and debating, and taking its time to do so. Conservative MP Nadine Dorries said Parliament would rue the day if it backed the legislation. MPs passed the Bill at its second reading yesterday by 315 votes to 310. They were expected to give their final backing in a further set of votes late last night. Earlier, there were extraordinary scenes as one of the Brexit votes resulted in a tie the first time that has happened in almost 40 years. MPs voted 310 in favour and 310 against a plan put forward by Labour MP Hilary Benn to hold a third round of indicative votes next week on alternatives to the Prime Ministers deal, meaning Mr Bercow was given the deciding vote. The Speaker said his casting vote, in line with precedent, was with the Noes, so the amendment was defeated by 311 to 310. This means MPs will no longer have control of the Commons order paper. The last time there was thought to have been a tied vote was in July 1993 when MPs voted 317 for and 317 against an amendment relating to the Maastricht Treaty. The Speaker at the time, Betty Boothroyd, was given a casting vote, but the next day it was found there had been a counting error and the result had not actually been a tie. Before that, in January 1980, MPs were split 201 in favour and 201 against a motion on bringing TV cameras into the Commons. n MPs, campaigners and activists must tone down their rhetoric on Brexit or they could incite disorder, the leader of the National Police Chiefs Council suggested yesterday. Martin Hewitt spoke out as it was revealed that police are preparing to mobilise more than 10,000 officers in the event of riots and looting after Brexit. Mr Hewitt, a Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner, said: We are in an incredibly febrile atmosphere. There is a lot of angry talk across social media. He used his first speech as chairman of the NPCC to caution all groups, including MPs and public figures, to use moderation. If you are in a position where you know you are going to be listened to, you need to think very carefully about the language you are using so that it does not end up with consequences that were not intended. Nineteen firefighters and four residents have been injured in a huge blaze that has torn through a six-storey apartment block in New York and collapsed its roof. More than 100 firefighters attended the inferno which was sparked on the top floor of the Brooklyn building at 4.45pm Wednesday. Fire crews struggled to put out flames due to heavy winds and were still battling the blaze in the early hours of Thursday. Nineteen firefighters were injured trying to put out this raging apartment fire on the top floor of a six-storey building Thick black smoke billows from the property as the inferno tears a hole through the side of the building and collapses its roof Shocking video showed thick black smoke billowing from the sixth floor as flames scorched through a huge chunk of the wall. Injuries ranged from burns to sprains, fire officials said, but the fire caused the building's roof to collapse and destroy 54 apartments. Nina Flores told the New York Post she made her way through the haze and heat to try and save her family's two dogs, Sparky, 10, and Patagonia, 4. 'The firefighters wouldn't let me in,' she said. 'But I couldn't leave them. They're like my kids.' More than 100 firefighters struggled to control the fire due to heavy winds. Officials revealed 54 homes had been made 'uninhabitable' from the blaze The inferno was spared Wednesday evening and fire crews were still trying to get it under control in the early hours of Thursday Javier Zuniga, who was in his 4th floor apartment, told ABC7: 'I realized that the building was burning down. I went through the fire escape. 'It was really scary. I've been on my fire escape a few times but not actually walked down.' There is no word yet on how the fire started. Disgusting vandals have scribbled antisemitic graffiti on the election posters of Australia's most prominent Jewish politician. Several posters for federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg were defaced in Hawthorn in Melbourne's inner-east on Wednesday night, which is part of his electorate of Kooyong. Vandals armed with black textas scribbled a Hitler-esque moustache and devil horns to Mr Frydenberg's photo on several posters. 'Right-wing fascist' was scrawled on another picture. One of several election campaign posters for federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg that were defaced in Melbourne's inner-east on Wednesday night Mr Frydenberg hit back at the graffiti vandals on Thursday. 'Regardless of one's political persuasion, vandalism is unacceptable,' he said. 'It's one thing for these cowards to graffiti a sign, but it's another thing altogether to invoke the horrors of the Holocaust and the evils of Hitler and the Nazis. These people should be ashamed of themselves.' Anti-Defamation Commission chairman Dr Dvir Abramovich also released a statement condemning the 'sickening and chilling' attack. 'We decry in the strongest possible terms these actions for what they are: a cowardly and hateful attack on our democracy and on our values,' Dr Abramovich said. 'It is sickening and chilling that seven decades after the Holocaust Jewish members of our community continue to be targeted by vilification and Nazi imagery.' He stands firmly with Mr Frydenberg and hopes the perpetrators will soon be caught and brought to justice. Born to Jewish parents, the federal Treasurer has described the graffiti vandals as cowards 'We urge leaders across the political spectrum to voice their outrage at this vicious and obscene assault against an elected representative and to say that such abhorrent conduct will never find a home in our nation,' Dr Abramovich said. Mr Frydenberg was born to Jewish parents. His Hungarian mother, Erica Strausz, arrived in Australia in 1950 as a stateless child from a refugee camp after escaping from The Holocaust. His father, Harry, emigrated to Australia from Poland. Mr Frydenberg has held the Melbourne seat of Kooyong since 2010 and faces a challenge to retain his seat from Greens candidate, prominent Melbourne barrister Julian Burnside. 'It is sickening and chilling that seven decades after the Holocaust Jewish members of our community continue to be targeted by vilification and Nazi imagery,' Anti-Defamation Commission chairman Dr Dvir Abramovich (pictured) said Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Peter Wertheim said the vandalism spoke volumes about the perpetrators. 'This is hardly the usual post-budget political commentary. It was despicable for whoever did this to latch on to the happenstance that the Treasurer is Jewish,' Mr Wertheim said in a statement. 'The classical antisemitic stereotype of Jews with horns growing out of their heads has been combined with the contemporary far-left trope depicting Jews as Nazis in order to portray the Treasurer as a 'demonic Jew'. Bill Shorten's proposed Budget includes free cancer scans, tax cuts for low-income workers and 150,000 new apprenticeships. The Opposition Leader unveiled his new economic plan in Canberra on Thursday night. He promised the Labor party would offer the same tax cuts proposed by the Liberal party to middle-income earners. However, he also has promised those earning less than $40,000 a $350 tax rebate every year - $95 more than the Coalition has promised to deliver. During his budget-reply speech, Mr Shorten addressed policies on climate change, and vowed to invest $1 billion for TAFE and apprentices, ensuring 150,000 Australians will get an education with no upfront fees. Bill Shorten's proposed Budget, should he be elected, includes free cancer scans, tax cuts for low-income workers and 150,000 new apprenticeships The Labor Government also promised 'the biggest change to Medicare since it was introduced'. If elected, Mr Shorten has dedicated $2.3billion to cancer care, eliminating almost all out of pocket costs for scans, treatment and medication. The Labor leader promised six million free X-rays, mammograms, ultrasounds, and PET and CT scans. 'For so many people, cancer makes you sick and then paying for the treatment makes you poor,' Mr Shorten told parliament on Thursday night. 'If someone you love has cancer, you'd sell the roof over your head if it would help. 'You pay your taxes to Canberra. You pay your Medicare levy. If I am elected prime minister, I'm going to make sure the health care system is there for you when you need it most.' Mr Shorten went on to say he watched 'what cancer did' to his mother, who died in 2014 after a battle with breast cancer. 'Cancer is frightening, its isolating, its exhausting. And all too often it is impoverishing,' he said. The Labor leader's budget-reply speech included a promise for six million free X-rays, mammograms, ultrasounds, and PET and CT scans (stock image) Bill Shorten's pitch to be prime minister starts with billions of extra dollars for health and education, and bigger personal income tax cuts for workers 'If we win the election, not only will we provide new MRI machines to communities where they are needed most. 'But Labor will guarantee that every single MRI machine in Australia that meets a national quality standard is covered by Medicare for cancer scans.' The Coalition has criticised Labor's plan, saying it was lacking in details. Finance Minister Mathias Cormann said Labor's plan included '$200billion in higher taxes, $200billion a year taxes on retirees, on housing, income, investment, small and family business, on electricity, $200billion on higher taxes that would harm the economy, which would put jobs at risk'. '[Labor's plan includes] $200billion in higher taxes which would lead to a weaker economy, fewer jobs, higher unemployment, and on the back of higher unemployment, lower wages for people across Australia,' Mr Cormann told The Australian. 'You can't trust anything that Labor is saying because they are not giving you any details.' Labor vowed $433million to immediately cover specialist consultations for cancer patients. 'Over the next four years, this will mean an additional three million appointments are bulk-billed - with no out-of-pocket costs,' Mr Shorten said. In addition to his cancer care promises, Mr Shorten has sworn to reimburse 'every dollar in health care cut by the coalition'. Opposition leader Bill Shorten stands with his wife Chloe Shorten after delivering his budget reply speech Mr Shorten also made some big promises in relation to education and employment, usurping the Coalition's earlier guarantees. To begin with, alongside his decision to reinstate every dollar the Coalition took from healthcare, he said he will return the money that was taken from public schools. 'Investing in the future always begins with education this is where the difference between Labor and the Government could not be more stark,' Mr Shorten said. 'Nine out of ten new jobs created in the next four years will require either a university degree or a TAFE qualification and only a Labor government will be prepared to properly fund both. 'We will uncap university places, opening the doors of higher education to an additional 200,000 Australians. When it comes to vocational education, Labor is backing public TAFE all the way.' The party have promised a $1 billion boost for TAFE and apprentices, funding an additional 100,000 apprentices educations. The party have promised a $1 billion boost for TAFE and apprentices, funding an additional 100,000 apprentices educations The Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Treasurer Josh Frydenberg watch Opposition leader Bill Shorten deliver his budget reply speech 20,000 of the new spots at TAFE will be dedicated to a new generation of aged care and NDIS staffers, he said. 'If you vote Labor,' Mr Shorten said, 'we will guarantee universal access to preschool or kinder for every three-year-old and every four-year-old in Australia - 15 hours a week, 40 weeks a year. 'Two years of preschool is the best practice globally, so it's just good enough for our kids.' Within 100 days of the election, Mr Shorten also promises to reinstate Sunday and public holiday penalty rates for employees. 'We will reinvigorate jobs in the construction sector with our build-to-rent plan, targeting negative gearing to new housing, renovating the national energy group with new pipelines, interconnectors, hydro and storage, launching the biggest affordable housing program since the Second World War, building a quarter of a million new homes,' Mr Shorten said. The Coalition promised to create 80,000 apprenticeships to fill the skills shortage, but Mr Shorten will almost double that with a $1 billion promise. 'Australia now has 150,000 fewer apprentices and trainees than when Labor left government in 2013,' Mr Shorten said. 'This investment will provide 150,000 additional apprentice incentives in areas of skill shortages.' BILL SHORTEN'S KEY PROMISES $2.3 billion for cancer care, eliminating almost all out-of-pocket costs for cancer scans Three million cancer specialist consultations to be bulk-billed over four years Guarantee that all drugs recommended by independent experts for listing on the PBS will be listed $1 billion for TAFE and apprentices, ensuring 150,000 Australians will go to TAFE with no upfront fees, and an additional 100,000 apprenticeships will be made available Higher income tax breaks, than promised by the coalition, for those earning $45,000 and below Match coalition's income tax cuts for those earning $48,000 to $126,000, but not act on second and third tranches of the coalition's cuts Put back every public school and health dollar cut by the coalition Stronger surpluses Defence spending of two per cent of GDP Uncapped university places opening up extra 200,000 spots Guaranteed universal access to pre-school or kinder for every three and four year old for 15 hours a week, 40 weeks a year $2000 payment to families seeking to install a battery storage system $1.5 billion upgrade to Brisbane's Gateway Motorway from Bracken Ridge to Pine River and next stage of Bruce Highway from northern suburbs to Caboolture Advertisement The Coalition's cuts from the National Disability Insurance Scheme was one of the most hotly debated decisions from their Budget. Mr Shorten has assured the disability sector that he will continue to work toward establishing and refining the system. 'Do not tell me there is a lack of demand,' he said. 'I can give every Australian living with a disability and the people who love them this personal commitment - that if we are elected as the next government of Australia, we will lift the NDIA cap on staff numbers so we can get the support out the door, keep the promises made to people with disabilities and we will put people with disability at the centre of decision-making in the National Disability Insurance Scheme. 'We will get the NDIS back on track.' Mr Shorten (pictured) also promised to match the coalition's $1080 tax cut for 4.5 million middle income earners Mr Shorten appealed to a younger demographic, while assuring the older generation that negative gearing on properties would remain an option. 'But you cannot have property investors playing with loaded dice against our young people, generation Y and the millennials,' he said. 'Instead of patronising millions of young Australians with lectures about cutting back on smashed avo, why don't we tell them the truth - getting together a 20% deposit plus stamp duty is so much, much harder than it was 20 or 25 years ago.' The speech has taken on even greater relevance this year, as it comes just weeks out from an election which Labor is widely tipped to win. Mr Shorten also promised to match the coalition's $1,080 tax cut for 4.5 million middle income earners. But he's gone further for people earning below $45,000 a year, with the lowest income workers getting $350 a year compared to the coalition's $255. 'To give these workers the tax cut they deserve, Labor will increase the offset for low-income and part-time workers,' Mr Shorten said. Finally, Labor promised to act on climate change, a topic Mr Shorten said was ignored in the Coalition budget. 'Tonight let's deal in simple facts: Climate change is real,' he said. 'It is doing real damage to our economy and to our environment and we can measure the cost of inaction - bushfires, droughts, floods, extreme weather and damage to our farmland and our reef. 'For the sake of the Australia that we hand on to our children, a Labor government will reform, will not shirk the task of reform - it will take real action on climate change. Labor will provide a $2,000 payment to families who want to join the fight against climate change and the fight to lower power bills by installing a battery storage system. Labor will also provide $433 million to immediately cover specialist consultations for cancer patients The coalition has regularly attacked Labor after it stopped putting new medicines on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme when the budget fell into deficit. Mr Shorten has promised to guarantee that every drug recommended by the independent experts will be listed on the PBS. Ahead of the speech, Prime Minister Scott Morrison accused Labor of building an alternative budget on 'lies and higher taxes'. 'That's what Bill Shorten is about, telling lies about what the government has done, and funding anything he talks about with higher taxes,' he told reporters. The coalition has targeted income tax cuts as a key plank in its campaign to win a third election. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez mocked President Trump's response to a Congressional request to see his tax returns. The freshman lawmaker waded into the debate around the House Ways and Means Committee's formal request to the Internal Revenue Service for six years' worth of Trump's personal and business tax returns. Just hours after the subpoena was made to the IRS to release Trump's 2013 to 2018 tax returns, Rep. Ocasio-Cortez mocked the president's assertion he was 'not inclined' to release the documents. Trump was asked about the formal congressional request and he told reporters: 'Until such time as I'm not under audit, I would not be inclined to do it.' Ocasio-Cortez then tweeted in a parody of Trump's response, 'we didn't ask you'. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez mocked Trump's response to a Congressional request for six years' worth of his tax returns The congresswoman wrote on Twitter that 'we didn't ask you' in response to Trump saying he was 'not inclined' to release his tax returns Trump said that 'until such time as I'm not under audit, I would not be inclined to' release his tax returns, which had been requested from the IRS She wrote in a mock conversation: 'Congress: ''We're going to need a copy of the President's tax returns from 2013-2018.'' 45: ''No, I'm under audit.'' Congress: ''We didn't ask you.''' The post was signed off with an emojis of a letter and nail varnish being applied to some fingers. Ocasio-Cortez was responding to a tweet in which Trump said he's still under audit, with him adding, 'I'm always under audit it seems', and that he's 'not inclined' to release his tax returns. However it was pointed out that the Congressional request was made to the IRS and not the president. A letter read from House Ways and Means Committee chair Rep. Richard Neal, requesting the documents read: 'Under the Internal Revenue Manual, individual income tax returns of a President are subject to mandatory examination, but this practice is IRS policy and not codified in the Federal tax laws.' Neal said in a statement: 'It is critical to ensure the accountability of our government and elected officials. To maintain trust in our democracy, the American people must be assured that their government is operating properly, as laws intend.' The request, in a letter from Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal to IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig, is viewed by Democrats in the House of Representatives as a vital first step toward oversight of Trumps income taxes and business network Ocasio-Cortez at the US House Oversight and Reform Committee in Washington, DC on Tuesday Trump defied decades of precedent as a presidential candidate by refusing to release the tax documents and has continued to keep them under wraps as president, saying his returns were 'under audit' by the IRS. Trumps former personal lawyer Michael Cohen recently testified in Congress that he did not believe the president was being audited but may have used the audit claim to avoid scrutiny that could lead to an audit and IRS tax penalties. Congressional Republicans oppose Neals effort, saying such a move sets a dangerous precedent by turning the confidential tax documents of a U.S. citizen into a political weapon. A trophy hunter has been branded a 'xenophobic plonker' after ranting that unfamiliar writing he discovered in a recycled paper diary could be 'scary Arabic hate propaganda'. Landscaper Charlie Crane, thought to be in his early twenties, wrote to Tesco online on Tuesday after discovering the text - which is actually Sanskrit - printed in the spine of his 2019 diary. The notepad, which was ripped at the spine, appeared to have the leftovers of another recycled book or magazine still printed in it, and as he pulled it open the small colourful lettering was revealed. Charlie, who is seen posing with guns next to dead antelope and deer on social media, complained the diary was 'some old Arabic covered thing' and questioned whether it could even be an 'Eastern child's book'. Charlie Crane wrote to Tesco after discovering the text - which is actually Sanskrit - printed in the spine of his 2019 diary First he asked whether it was an 'eastern child's book' or 'some scary hate propaganda' Then he followed up by saying 'if I buy I book [sic] I expect it be [sic] what is says on the tin not some old Arabic covered thing' The Sanskrit writing actually says: 'An endless combination of health and taste' However he was eventually forced to delete his rant after being slammed as a 'plonker' by social media users who accused him of implying that any Eastern writing was linked to terrorism. The writing actually says: 'An endless combination of health and taste.' Despite deleting the post when his comments backfired, Charlie then claimed the comparisons had been a joke. One user, Alex McHugh, asked: 'What makes you think it's hate propaganda? Would you think the same if it was French writing?' While Anni Ruecroft said: 'Firstly it's upside down and I think it's Hindi (Indian). 'So don't jump on the 'OMG IT'S ISIS TERRORISM' bandwagon because you've got not only the wrong language but the wrong culture too.' Another customer Elizabeth McKenzie said: 'Are you afraid your book is spying on you and will attack you in your sleep...plonker.' Social media users were deeply unimpressed by the assumptions to which Mr Crane leapt Mr Crane, from Andover, has posted several photos with animals he appears to have killed Charlie, from Andover, Hampshire, said: 'People accused me of [xenophobia] which is completely irrational seeing as none of them know me or the extent of my friends around the globe. 'Scary hate propaganda' is completely the wrong point [to take] from that post as in the same sentence it says it could be a child's book. 'I simply asked Tesco why this was under my book cover - nothing less nothing [more]. The only story worth writing is how fast people are to act and judge. '[With] the difference of [a] child's book and hate propaganda surely someone can understand the joke there? 'If not there's a huge issue with certain people taking things far too literally and looking for the worst in everything.' 'The post wasn't a joke just the child's book hate propaganda part? [The] vast difference on comparison should of made that highly clear.' A Tesco spokesman said that while it appeared likely the writing was merely due to the diary using recycled paper, they were unable to formally comment without receiving the diary back. An RAF hero's heart-wrenching final letter to his wife - in which he told her 'cheerio darling' just days before his death - has come to light 75 years after it was penned. Flying Officer Walter 'Dan' Donovan crashed down to earth when a storm hit during a training exercise. He had flown in 34 bombing raids over the German industrial heartlands before his death in June 1944. Aged just 26, he left behind his widow Ada and one-year-old son, Dan. The airman wrote: 'Right now I can't think of anything else to say except that I love you. So cheerio darling, all my love, Dan.' Flying Officer Walter Donovan (left) told his wife 'cheerio' in his heartwrenching final letter to her (right) which is tipped to sell for thousands at auction Walter Donovan (pictured with wife Ada, left) told his partner how much he loved her in a touching note penned days before his death In another letter, written shortly after he met his wife in 1941, he told her: 'Have decided that you're an evil influence on the Air Force, for after seeing you, I can't keep my mind on my work.' The touching correspondence has been unearthed after Fly Off Donovan's bravery medals, including a prestigious Distinguished Flying Medal, emerged for sale with auction house Spink & Son, of London. It is tipped to sell for 2,500. Marcus Budgen, specialist at Spink & Son, said: 'The bravery shown by our servicemen though the ages is well-known, but it is the human stories of love and loss which really hit the hardest. Walter Donovan (pictured at the birth of his son, Dan) survived 34 daring raids before dying in a training exercise when a storm hit 'Flying Officer 'Dan' Donovan, Royal Air Force, was a decorated veteran of 34 raids over enemy territory but he made the ultimate sacrifice in June 1944, leaving behind a widow and one year old son. 'Reading the last letter, written to his widow a week before his death, it is impossible not to be moved. We have high hopes that his exceptional story will touch a nerve with collectors.' Fly Off Donovan was born at Menai Bridge in North Wales in 1918 and joined the RAF Volunteer Reserve in June 1938. He qualified as a pilot and was assigned to 61 Squadron in early 1941. Throughout the rest of the year, he took part in numerous raids on heavily defended targets on the German industrial heartlands of Kiel, Cologne, Hamburg and Dusseldorf. The RAF flyer died during a training exercise due to stormy weather after surviving more than 30 daring raids While flying sorties he survived several near misses, including one terrifying instance when his Hampden bomber was caught in a 'sea of searchlights' and attacked by German Me 110s. On another occasion, while returning from a raid on Rostock, Germany, both his engines cut out, forcing him to use all his skill to cruise back to Britain. His Distinguished Flying Medal citation, awarded at the end of 1941, read: 'This airman pilot has taken part in raids on Kiel, Cologne, Hamburg, Dusseldorf and Brest, and has pressed home his attacks with great determination and courage. Pictured: Walter Donovan during his time serving the RAF 'On several occasions he came down to low altitudes in bad weather to locate and bomb his target. 'Sergeant Donovan has set a fine example of keenness and devotion to duty.' He was subsequently 'rested' by the RAF and redeployed as a pilot instructor, while marrying Ada in March 1942. But he longed to return to the front line so he joined the 1655 Mosquito unit at RAF Warboys in Cambs in the summer of 1944. On June 27, 1944, his aircraft came down in a storm during a cross country exercise. It was seen to enter a steep dive from which it never recovered, crashing at Chesterton Farm, near Benwick, a village six miles north of Warboys. Both Fly Off Donovan and his navigator were killed instantly. A letter of condolence from Fly Off Donovan's commanding officer to Ada stated: 'He was always anxious to get back to operations against the enemy. The Royal Air Force have lost a fine pilot and a good officer.' Fly Off Donovan's medal group consists of a Distinguished Flying Medal; 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; Defence and War Medals. The sale takes place on April 10. A critically ill girl in China is trying to cope with the pain and disappointment after a potential bone marrow donor backed out at the last minute before a transplant. Six-year-old Ye Yuxin from Jiangxi province was diagnosed with severe thalassaemia - an inherited blood disorder - when she was just over two months old, and had been receiving regular blood transfusions every two weeks, Chinese media reported. A year and a half ago, Yuxin and her family were overjoyed to hear that there was a bone marrow match - the only possible cure for the disease. However, their hopes were dashed when the anonymous donor changed their mind five days before the lifesaving transplant. Heart-breaking video on Sunday shows little Ye Yuxin sitting on a hospital bed, tears streaming down her face as she struggles to accept the fact that her marrow donor has backed out Yuxin and her mother, Xu Lingyan, talk to her father Ye Dongyang on the phone at the hospital Heart-breaking footage on Sunday shows the little girl sitting on her hospital bed, tears streaming down her face as she struggles to accept the news. 'You just want to be happy and healthy, right...?' the girl's mother said in the clip, her voice breaking. The blood transfusions cost the Yuxin's father, the sole breadwinner of the family, several hundred yuan (dozens of pounds) every month, but he is determined to find a way to save his daughter. The girl has already undergone six days of chemotherapy in preparation of the transplant, causing another toll on her health. In a follow-up report on Wednesday, the family was given fresh hope after the China Marrow Donor Program was able to find a second donor What is thalassaemia? Thalassaemia is the name for a group of inherited conditions that affect a substance in the blood called haemoglobin. People with the condition produce either no or too little haemoglobin, which is used by red blood cells to carry oxygen around the body. This can make them very anaemic (tired, short of breath and pale). It mainly affects people of Mediterranean, South Asian, Southeast Asian and Middle Eastern origin. The main treatments for the disease are regular blood transfusions and chelation therapy - treatment with medications to remove the excess iron from the body that builds up as a result of having regular blood transfusions. The only possible cure for thalassaemia is a stem cell or bone marrow transplant. Source: NHS Advertisement 'We saw hope when the China Marrow Donor Program told us there was a match in October 2017,' Ye Dongyang told Southern Metropolis Daily. The family quickly raised money for the 400,000 yuan (45,000) operation from friends, relatives and a crowd-funding platform. They handed 300,000 yuan (34,000) to the hospital in Guangzhou for a deposit and the transplant was scheduled to take place this Tuesday. However, the girl's mother, Xu Lingyan, said she received a text message last Friday night: The doctor said the donor has withdrawn the offer of their marrow. The girl has already undergone six days of chemotherapy in preparation of the operation, causing another toll on her health. 'My child has suffered too much,' the girl's heartbroken father told reporters. In a follow-up report on Wednesday, the family was given fresh hope after the China Marrow Donor Program was able to find a second donor. Doctors and the family are coordinating to arrange for a transplant after Yuxin's recovers from her current condition. A historian has travelled the length and breadth of Britain to compile a list of its 'greatest' bridges. Joseph Rogers' selection of 40 structures includes the famous landmarks of Tower Bridge, the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol and Scotlands Forth Bridge. However, he has also made some more obscure choices in a bid to highlight the countrys lesser known gems. These include Skerne Bridge in Darlington, Gallon Bridge in Smethwick and Clachan Bridge in the Isle of Seil. The comprehensive list is published in his new book, Britains Greatest Bridges. Mr Rogers's list unsurprisingly features the Grade I listed Severn Bridge connecting England with south Wales. Also on it is the 7,220ft Humber Bridge near Kingston-upon-Hull which when it opened in 1981 was the longest suspension bridge in the world. One of the most idyllic listed is the 18th Century Pulteney Bridge in Bath whose design by architect Robert Adam was inspired by visits to Florence in Italy. As a result, he placed rows of shops along both sides of the structure. Mr Rogers has also chosen the Tarr Steps in Exmoor National Park which is formed by large flat slabs of stone. A Louisiana police officer who caused outrage after he shared a racist image on Facebook has been appointed his town's police chief. Back in 2017, Wayne Welsh, then assistant police chief of Estherwood, shared a meme depicting a white mother forcing a blond girl's head under water in a bathtub. The caption of the image read: 'When your daughter's first crush is a little n***o boy.' Scroll down for video Wayne Welsh has become the chief of police in Estherwood, Louisiana, despite being embroiled in the controversy two years ago Welsh during the swearing in ceremony as Estherwood's chief of police back in February this year Welsh was briefly suspended from his job after sharing it, and he later apologized. But when the spot for police chief opened up last year, he became the interim for nine months before running unopposed for the job last November. He shared a racist meme on his Facebook account When asked about his past controversy Welsh told CNN: 'What happen(ed) two years ago is behind me and my punishment was done to me and now I'm moving forward with my life and as the new chief of police.' At the time of the incident, however , a seemingly peeved Welsh explained that he saw the meme on his Facebook wall and decided to share it because he did not think it was racist. 'I just don't feel like I should have to resign on this because there is not a policy saying I can't do this on Facebook,' said Welsh. 'To me, I'm not racist and I knew it wasn't. It was picture that everybody shared and you can get on anybody and still see it. It's still there, but I was wrong for sharing it for being a police officer.' Welsh insisted that this incident does not reflect how he conducts himself in his professional capacity as a police officer. Initially Walsh defended his actions, claiming what he did was 'not against the law' in a separate Facebook post Video courtesy KADN 'I treat everybody the same and you can ask anybody in town, if you walk around. They all like me and I do my job right,' he said. Estherwood is a village in Acadia Parish with an overwhelmingly white population of fewer than 1,000 people. According to reporting by KATC, Welsh's now-defunct Facebook account included multiple pro-gun posts, positive news items about President Donald Trump and messages paying tribute to fallen officers, among them African-Americans. In the past, Welsh reportedly had shared a meme likening Muslim women dressed in black burkas to trash bags, poked fun at former First Lady Michelle Obama and other prominent female politicians, especially Democrats, and mocked women who receive child support. A Qantas flight attendant who drank a quarter of a bottle of vodka while working on a flight from Sydney to Johannesburg has been sacked. The flight attendant, who worked for Qantas for 31 years, was sacked in October after admitting to drinking a 250ml mix of vodka and soda water at the front of the plane while on a flight in July. She was removed from her duties during the flight and tested positive for alcohol once they landed in Johannesburg. The attendant appealed the decision to the Fair Work Commission, who this week dismissed her claims of unfair termination, the Brisbane Times reported. The flight attendant, who worked for Qantas for 31 years, was sacked in October after admitting to drinking a 250ml mix of vodka and soda water at the front of the plane while on a flight in July (stock) Deputy President Geoffrey Bull ruled her sacking was reasonable. The flight attendance argued that her decades of dedicated service should have been taken into account. Mr Bull disagreed and said her length of employment was the most compelling factors out of the evidence that was submitted. Mr Bull also argued that her job was: 'a safety sensitive position and for good reason was prohibited from consuming alcohol during a flight.' Laura Mulligan (pictured outside court), 28, from Urmston, Greater Manchester, has been disqualified from driving for 17 months after she was found twice the drink-drive limit and behind the wheel of her car A single mother caught crying behind the wheel in pyjamas while twice the drink-drive limit has been banned from driving. Laura Mulligan, 28, from Urmston, Greater Manchester, was caught trying to move her car from outside an apartment block following a fight at a party on October 28 last year Mulligan, who had been at a Halloween sleepover party in Bolton, was found sat in tears at 5.30am while dressed in pyjamas and one flip flop - and sporting a bloodied lip. She claims she had drunk two glasses of wine and four vodkas and had tried to move her vehicle away from the area after she was punched by one her best friends during a row. At Manchester magistrates court she begged not to be banned from driving due to 'exceptional circumstances' but was disqualified for 17 months. Describing that evening's events, she told the court: 'It was Halloween we all had our Halloween outfits on and I had gone back to my friends place and had a really good time - I was staying over because it was quite a way home. 'But when I went back to my friends, she attacked me, I had a punch to the face in the living room and I sort of just blacked out. 'I tried to defend myself but there was one of her friends who joined in so I had two of them beating me up so everything was just all over the place. 'I was then told if I didn't leave her flat that she would get a knife and hurt me. We weren't even in our pyjamas when the argument happened and I was made to leave.' Mulligan (right) had been at a Halloween sleepover party in Bolton (left in her Halloween outfit), before she was found sat in tears at 5.30am while dressed in pyjamas and one flip flop - and sporting a bloodied lip Mulligan claims her car was parked in an allocated space directly in front of the flat window - and was told to move it out of the area. She said: 'She said to me "move your car or else I'm going to stab you." I had nowhere to go and I had no charge on my phone. 'It was 5.30am there was nothing around for me to run to for safety I had a busted lip I was in agony covered in blood and I didn't know what to do. 'I knew that if I pulled onto the road it would look like I had gone and be at safety and I thought if I put my phone on charge I could ring the police or my mum or my dad for help. Can I sleep in my car while drunk? What the law says on when you're responsible for your vehicle You could be imprisoned, banned from driving and face a fine if youre found guilty of drink-driving. The actual penalty you get is up to the magistrates who hear your case, and depends on your offence. You do not need to be driving your vehicle in order to be prosecuted for drink-driving. Anyone found to be 'in charge of a vehicle while above the legal limit or unfit through drink' could find themselves in court. For this you might get: 3 months imprisonment up to 2,500 fine a possible driving ban Whereas, if you're found to be 'driving or attempting to drive while above the legal limit or unfit through drink' the penalties are harsher. These could include: 6 months imprisonment an unlimited fine a driving ban for at least 1 year (3 years if convicted twice in 10 years) Advertisement 'It was a stupid thing I had no intention what so ever to drive my car the only thing that went through my head was "if I don't get this car and move it away from the window anything could happen". 'I had just been beaten up by her I had been punched, my hair pulled all over the place, I couldn't sit there and think is she or isn't she going to come out here I couldn't take that chance.' Mulligan claims she was thinking about how she had just been 'punched in the face' and was desperate to move her car away from the area. She said: 'Nobody can predict what was going to happen she could have come out and started attacking me again. 'I was parked up on the side I couldn't see for long distances. When I left the apartment I only had one flip flop on and my pyjamas and I didn't have my glasses for driving. 'I have got a little boy who is six and I just thought of him. If the car was still outside the apartment, they might have come outside. 'I didn't see any other thing I could have possibly done. I understand how stupid it was to get in that vehicle with getting drunk - I was having a panic attack because I had just been beaten up by one of my best friends.' Citing how she has previously tried to live a lawful life, Mulligan claimed she had 'never been in a police cell before.' And had never 'even gone through a red light' and so was at first relieved to see the police arrive at the scene. She said: 'Seeing the police was quite a relief as I thought I am safe. It was hard to explain what I was doing in my car because I was having a panic attack. 'All that was going through my head was my little boy, I'm a single mum on my own - they wouldn't even let me charge my phone to ring my mum. They knew I would have to go outside to charge it up.' Mulligan (left and right) claims she was thinking about how she had just been 'punched in the face' and was desperate to move her car away from the area. But was later caught by police, with 89 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35mg Body cam footage of Mulligan's arrest showed her being asked to take a breathalyser whilst she was in tears as distressed. She is heard saying: 'She told me to leave, my friend told me to leave so I thought I can't drive so I thought I'll park there it might be alright, it will make her think that I've left - I don't know what is wrong with her. I said I can't drive I'm drunk but when she is drunk she acts nasty.' But Laura Keegan prosecuting said: 'The case law states that shortness of distance cannot amount to a special reason - you have to look at all the factors.' Tests showed Mulligan had 89 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35mg. Magistrates told her: 'With everything considered and evaluated we believe you did drive the vehicle further than you needed to - we feel you could have taken other action. 'You could have approached one of the neighbours in the vicinity. The amount of alcohol you consumed that night you put yourself at risk and others at risk.' Mulligan was also fined 350 plus 230 costs. As sentence was passed she said: 'I'm going to lose my job, I'm going to lose my house, I'm going to lose everything. I'm a single mother on my own I can't afford anything else I'm struggling I'm in debt.' Communities along the Darling River are on the verge of collapse as the long-term drought continues to dry up the waterway, which hasn't flowed for more than 200 days. Much of the New South Wales' river's tributaries have run dry and the main waterway is dangerously low and contaminated with blue-green algae. The algae has deteriorated the water quality so much large quantities of dead fish were discovered floating on the surface earlier this year because of the lack of oxygen. Families living in the area say they have been forced to bath in the green, murky water flowing from their taps. The conditions have created a dire situation for farmers, instigators and graziers who rely on water from the river to survive. Farmers Gabby and Stewart Le Lievres (pictured) live outside Bourke with their twin sons but are on the verge of disaster Much of the river's tributaries have run dry and the main waterway is dangerously low and contaminated with blue-green algae A Current Affair recently visited families from Bourke, a town nestled on the banks of the Darling River, to see just how dire things have become firsthand. Farmers Gabby and Stewart Le Lievres, who live outside Bourke with their twin sons, say they are on the verge of disaster if the drought continues and water allocations aren't changed. 'We are back to a third of what we normally carry and what we've got left is breeders. The bare breeders and that's everybody around in this community,' Mr Le Lievres said. He said bureaucrats have already warned the government that major issues will continue to arise if they don't make better decisions regarding drought assistance and water management. The algae has deteriorated the water quality so much large quantities of dead fish were discovered floating on the surface earlier this year because of the lack of oxygen Mrs Le Lievres described the current situation as 'heartbreaking' and feels the government doesn't have a true idea of the situation facing those reliant on the Darling River. 'People say the river has been dry before, this is nothing new, but it is because this is the health of the river now we are talking about.' The Darling River is the third largest river in Australia and covers a 1,400km stretch of land from New South Wales down to the Murray River. It's surface water is vital to agriculture, urban water supply, environmental needs and hydroelectric generation across the entire region. The flow on effect of a healthy Darling River contributes up to $24 billion annually into the economy. The Darling River is the third largest river in Australia and covers a 1,400km stretch of land from New South Wales down to the Murray River Director of environmental water policy at the Murray Darling Basin Authority echoed the sentiments of farmers that the government mismanaged its water protections. 'It was just really clear that the government wasn't interested in protecting environmental water,' she told news.com.au. 'Water that was purchased by the Commonwealth (at the expense of taxpayers) can be legally extracted by irrigators. That's a $3 billion portfolio that we've bought to put more water back in the river and it can be taken by irrigators.' 'After several years of pushing what I was supposed to be doing, which was my job to find policies to protect environmental water it was really clear that government didn't want that to happen.' Bourke resident Tony Thompson runs a water pumping station on the bank of the Darling River and said he has never seen it in such a state. He fears the river may never recover fully. 'That's sad, I mean it's a magnificent old river, we can't be the guardians of its demise,' he said. This year, an Australian National University also laid heavy blame on the Federal Government for allowing the situation to become so dire. Co-author Professor John Williams said the government was misinformed when it came to water management in the Darling River. Mrs Le Lievres described the current situation as 'heartbreaking' and feels the government doesn't have a true idea of the situation being faced by those reliant on the Darling River This year, an Australian National University also laid heavy blame on the Federal Government for allowing the situation to become so dire 'The Government thinks we've returned more water to the Murray-Darling than in fact we have,' Professor Williams told ABC News. 'It means that we've spent a lot of money on water use efficiency and have not got the flows back in the river that we need.' In early March, a confidential document reportedly revealed the NSW Government prevented any changes to water access rules for businesses along the river, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. According to the document, a five-year restriction was put on changing water access rules. A spokesperson for the Department of Industry Water denied the claims to the publication and said the minister could make changes at any time. 'Water-sharing plans are intended to achieve a balance between the environment and water users,' the spokesperson said. Experts said the only solution to the Darling River's contamination issues is a flowing river. A fraudster turned poker champ has been left empty-handed after he had his winnings seized by the taxman. Adam Lulat, of Preston, was jailed for 28 months in 2015 for his involvement in a 40m money laundering and VAT scam. When authorities tried to get back the money he made from the scam, he insisted he had no assets and only had to pay 1. But since being freed from prison, the 27-year-old has become a top poker player, winning tens of thousands of pounds at cards. HMRC investigators discovered his new-found wealth and have now seized nearly 100,000 from him. Adam Lulat, a convicted fraudster now winning thousands at poker, has had his winnings confiscated by the taxman Last August, they took 68,930 after he won the sum at a poker tournament in Manchester that March. And last month, Lulat was ordered to pay a further 30,200 of new prize money he won. A judge at Manchester Crown Court gave Lulat three months to pay or he will face an 18-month jail term. Lulat, pictured after his arrest Debbie Porter, Assistant Director at HMRC's Fraud Investigation Service, said: 'Lulat may have hoped that his win would go under the table, but once again we had an ace up our sleeve and it is HMRC cashing in his chips. 'This sends a clear message that HMRC will relentlessly pursue criminals for their ill-gotten gains.' Lulat's fraud gang was among a number that laundered 40 million of cash through multiple bank accounts in the UK and other countries between September 2010 and November 2011. They were also behind a separate VAT fraud and HMRC investigators tracked their activities across Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic. They fabricated businesses to make fraudulent VAT repayment claims against multiple EU member states using a complex web of transactions. European enforcement agencies helped to expose the gang's use of bank accounts and money service bureaux to launder the money across borders. Advertisement A British scientist's incredibly rare photo album of the controversial nuclear tests during the Cold War has come to light following his recent death. Stan Bowyer, a D-Day veteran who went on to work at the Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston, Berkshire, took his own pictures during the testing in the Indian Ocean in the late 1950s. One of Mr Bowyer's black and white photos was taken at ground level of one of the five huge thermonuclear blasts in the distance. Another taken from an aircraft shows the giant mushroom cloud from another explosion rising into the sky. And there are also pictures of British scientist Dr William Penney and American scientist Edward Teller, who was known as the 'father of the Hydrogen bomb'. One of Mr Bowyer's black and white photos was taken at ground level of one of the five huge thermonuclear blasts in the distance, on Christmas Island in the Pacific Ocean. Some 14,000 British and Australian servicemen took part in the testing program known as Operation Grapple, which saw the UK develop its first hydrogen bomb Another huge explosion captured by Mr Bowyer's camera on the Pacific Ocean. Mr Bowyer was one of the 14,000 British and Australian serviceman that took part in the operation. They were given sunglasses and told to turn their backs to protect themselves from the blasts but many later went on to develop cancers related to radiation exposure Some 14,000 British and Australian servicemen took part in the testing program known as Operation Grapple. They were given sunglasses and told to turn their backs to protect themselves from the blasts but many later went on to develop cancers related to radiation exposure. Their children and grandchildren also suffered birth abnormalities linked to the nuclear tests. The British Nuclear Test Veterans Association is today still fighting to get compensation for them. Mr Bowyer's photos were taken on Christmas Island in the Pacific Ocean in 1958. The mission was Britain's effort to keep up with America and the Soviet Union in nuclear armament but by that time US fears over Russia caused them to cooperate more with the British H-bomb effort. The collection features a picture of British boffin William George Penney who was part of the British team involved in the Manhattan Porject at Los Alamos in New Mexico in the US. Mr Bowyer's photos were taken on Christmas Island in the Pacific Ocean in 1958. This image was taken on a plane showing the landscape below. It was no tropical paradise. It was hot and exposed, with no source of food except coconuts and fish, and infested with flies and vicious land crabs. Everything had to be shipped or flown in, from food and water to heavy machinery In 1952 he directed the test explosion of Britain's first atomic bomb in the Monte Bello Islands off the northwest coast of Australia. Along side him is Edward Teller, often referred to as the 'father of the hydrogen bomb.' The Hungarian-born American theoretical physicist, who died in 2003, helped urge President Roosevelt to develop an atomic bomb program in the United States, joining the Los Alamos team in 1943. After the Soviet Union detonated its first atomic bomb in 1949, Teller worked to convince President Truman to develop a crash program for the hydrogen bomb. In 1950, Truman approved the hydrogen bomb program, and Teller returned to Los Alamos later that year to begin working on a design. The collection features a picture of British boffin William George Penney who was part of the British team involved in the Manhattan Project at Los Alamos in New Mexico in the US. He later went on to direct the test explosion of Britain's first atomic bomb in the Monte Bello Islands off the northwest coast of Australia in 1952. Along side him is Edward Teller, often referred to as the 'father of the hydrogen bomb' who helped urge President Roosevelt to develop an atomic bomb program in the United States One of the images was taken from an aircraft shows the giant mushroom cloud from another explosion rising into the sky. Last year documents emerged that revealed pilots were ordered to fly through radiation clouds during the testing, which left their families blighted by genetic defects, documents have revealed. Files uncovered last year revealed how the Ministry of Defence used British pilots as 'guinea pigs' in tests exploring ways to measure radiation Mr Bowyer did not appear to suffer any ill-effects from his involvement and died in February aged 94. His daughter is now selling the photo album at auction. Adam Inglut, of Special Auction Services of Newbury, Berkshire, said: 'The album belonged to Stan Bowyer who in the 1950s went out to the Christmas Islands as he was involved in the testing of the nuclear bomb. 'They are his own photographs and are a bit of a one off. 'I don't think that many people had access to such pictures, just a select few. The series of tests were the first of their kind and so this album documents a piece of history. Mr Bowyer (pictured left, as he served with the 49th Infantry Division known as the 'Polar Bears' due to their service in Iceland in 1942, and right) did not appear to suffer any ill-effects from his involvement and died in February aged 94. His daughter is now selling the photo album at auction Some of the 14,000 servicemen who took part in Operation Grapple in 1958. Adam Inglut, of Special Auction Services of Newbury, Berkshire, said: 'The album belonged to Stan Bowyer who in the 1950s went out to the Christmas Islands as he was involved in the testing of the nuclear bomb. 'They are his own photographs and are a bit of a one off' 'He kept the album all his life but has now passed away.' Mr Bowyer, from Basingstoke, served with the 49th Infantry Division known as the 'Polar Bears' due to their service in Iceland in 1942. He was part of the second wave that landed on Gold Beach at Normandy on June 6, 1944, and was a forward observer for the Royal Artillery. The men were involved in fierce fighting as the Allies pushed through France, Belgium and Holland, liberating the countries from the Nazis. In 2015 he was awarded the Legion d'honneur - France's highest honour - for his role in liberating France. His album is coming up for sale at SAS Auctions on April 9 for 100. In 2015 he was awarded the Legion d'honneur - France's highest honour - for his role in liberating France. His album is coming up for sale at SAS Auctions on April 9 for 100 The British Nuclear Test Veterans' Association to demand recognition, compensation and pensions for their widows of the men affected by the testing was set up in 1983. It has been a thorn in the side of the Ministry of Defence ever since. The official line remains resolutely unchanged - that safety precautions were taken, there was no evidence of radioactive contamination afterwards, and that the death rate among Christmas Island veterans is statistically normal. But last year documents emerged that revealed pilots were ordered to fly through radiation clouds during the testing, which left their families blighted by genetic defects, documents have revealed. Files uncovered last year revealed how the Ministry of Defence used British pilots as 'guinea pigs' in tests exploring ways to measure radiation. It comes after 60 years of official denial that the servicemen were tested on. Files showing how pilots were used as 'guinea pigs' in tests exploring ways to measure radiation were uncovered by Shirley Denson, 83, (left) the widow of Eric Denson who flew during Operation Grapple in 1958. She said: 'It killed a lot of men this business - young men. They weren't told of any danger, otherwise they wouldn't have gone.' 'He was a walking dead man' Pictured right: Scientists prepare for nuclear tests on Christmas Island in 1958 The new files were discovered by Shirley Denson, 83, the widow of a pilot who flew during Operation Grapple in 1958 Ms Denson, of Morden, south London, obtained the papers afters years of research into her husband Eric's service. She said: 'It killed a lot of men this business - young men. They weren't told of any danger, otherwise they wouldn't have gone.' 'He was a walking dead man.' She believes radiation is the cause of the birth defects like extra teeth in her family. One young relative was recently born with an extra urinary tract. Her husband had suffered such a high dose of radiation to his head he went on to have chronic headaches which led him to killed himself in 1976. RAF hero Eric was involved in early tests into the radiation caused by atomic and hydrogen bombs. The truth of whether British pilots were used in nuclear tests has been suppressed for 60 years. Pictured: Mechanics work on a Douglas Dakota aircraft of the RAF Transport Command on Christmas Island in reparation for Operation Grapple Eric was ordered to fly his Canberra B6 bomber through a cloud left in the wake of a 2.8 megaton nuclear explosion on April 28, 1958, documents reveal. X-ray badges were stuck to his seat to measure the barrage of radiation as he and two others entered the cloud. They were placed behind his head, on both armrests and by his groin. The documents reveal 'care was taken to ensure as little shielding effect as possible' was given to the X-ray badges. Of course, this meant Eric and his crew became vulnerable to the deadly radiation. The document was an Atomic Weapons Establishment paper looking at ways of testing the badges to make sure they were accurate. They detail the exact amount of radiation absorbed by the head, arms and groin and the bomber's pilot, navigator and wireless operator. They also note the time spent inside the cloud, the height of the plane and the time the bomber entered the cloud after the bomb detonated. The documents goes on to set out the pros and cons of the badges in measuring radiation. They also suggest re-running the experiment with more badges. When Eric's bomber touched down after the test he began to experience vomiting and developed a rash - common symptoms of radiation poisoning. The documents, written by scientists running the experiments, show that Eric, who was 24 at the time, had his head exposed to 65 years' worth of normal background radiation. Civil servants were offered counselling to help them cope with the stress of a no deal Brexit, it has emerged. Staff at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, were offered specialised support sessions in its 40,000 wellbeing drive. The surgeries in London, York and Bristol were provided mainly for anyone working on 'emergency preparedness in case of a no deal scenario.' The three-month contract was awarded to a Care First, an employee assistance firm based in Gloucester. Defra (pictured, one of the department's London offices) has one of the largest no-deal Brexit workloads. It has responsibility for food and water, animal movements and waste The BBC reports that it was aimed at supporting Defra's in-house mental health services as its own support programmes ended on January 31. Data firm Tussell is said to have alerted the BBC to the figures. A Defra spokesperson said the 'health, safety and wellbeing' of its staff is 'always a priority.' Staff in London, York and Bristol at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, headed by Environment Secretary Michael Gove (pictured today) were offered the support sessions Defra has one of the largest no-deal Brexit workloads. It has responsibility for food and water, animal movements and waste. More than 1,300 employees have been recruited to assist with its contingency preparations. Last year, the Civil Service announced it had trained 2,200 staff to be 'Mental Health First Aiders'. In February, analysis by Tussell, a firm which provides data and analysis on public procurement, found that Defra had awarded 19 Brexit-related contracts to professional services firms - the highest number among government departments, the BBC reports. With responsibility for food and water, animal movements and waste strategies, Defra is one of the Whitehall departments with the largest no-deal Brexit workload. A spokesman for Defra said: 'The health, safety and wellbeing of our staff is always a priority for Defra and we have a range of services on offer to support staff's mental health. 'This short-term contract expired at the end of January and bolstered our own wellbeing services for two months while we made changes to our existing employee support.' Timmothy Pitzen's family are eagerly awaiting the results of a police DNA test to confirm whether the 'frightened' teenager found wandering the streets of Kentucky yesterday is in fact their beloved boy who vanished eight years ago. Police say the 14-year-old told officers that he'd escaped two kidnappers in Cincinnati and ran across a bridge to Newport, Kentucky. He then told them his name was Timmothy Pitzen. Timmothy vanished on May 11 2011, after being taken out of school by his mother, Amy Fry-Pitzen. She took him on a three-day holiday before checking in alone to a motel and killing herself. She left a not saying her son was safe, but added: Youll never find him. Yesterday, authorities conducted a DNA test on the teen found by police in Newport to establish whether he really is Timmothy, or if it's part of an elaborate hoax. The results are expected to take at least 24 hours to come back, and could be released publicly as early as Thursday afternoon, according to the Aurora Police Department. Timmothy Pitzen's grandmother has said her family will 'do everything to get him back to a good life' after a teenager came forward claiming to be the missing youngster (pictured before disappearing in 2011) Residents who live near where the 14-year-old boy was found in Newport, Kentucky, have said the his face was bruised and was 'very scared and agitated' (pictured: a photo submitted to CBS Chicago allegedly depicts the boy who claims to be Pitzen) Timmothy's grandmother, Alana Anderson, sent a loving message to Timmothy after news broke that a boy had identified himself as her grandson. She told CBS: 'We never stopped looking for him, thinking about him and we love him, and we'll do everything to get him back to a good life.' Anderson said she was praying the boy was her missing grandson but admitted she didn't want to get her hopes up. She later described herself as 'Very cautiously hopeful' to Fox 19, adding that she hopes 'he is OK and hes been in a good place when he was gone.' Aurora police say they're remaining wary of the reports that the boy found in Kentucky is claiming to be Timmothy, as they've investigated several false sightings since his 2011 disappearance. 'I have been advised by our investigators that they plan to continue their investigation this morning, however, the details of that investigation remain confidential,' said Aurora Police Sgt. Bill Rowley. 'We still have no confirmation of the identity of the person located, but hope to have something later this afternoon or early this evening.' Alana Anderson (pictured), told her grandson the family 'never stopped looking for him, thinking about him' and loving him The grandmother (sitting on a memorial bench for the youngster) said she was praying the boy was missing Timmothy but admitted she didn't want to get her hopes up According to an officer's dispatch report, the boy told police he was born on October 18, 2004, the same day as Timmothy, and also gave his correct middle name of James. The report also says the boy claimed that he'd managed to flee 'from two kidnappers that have been holding him for seven years'. He said his abductors had most recently been keeping him in a Red Roof Inn, thought to be in Cincinnati, Ohio. When he saw his chance to escape he fled and 'kept running across a bridge' - the state line - and into Newport, Kentucky, police say. Locals who saw the 'fidgety' 14-year-old boy when he was found said that his face was bruised and he appeared to be 'very scared and agitated'. 'He walked up to my car and he went, "Can you help me? I just want to get home. Can you just please help me?'" a good Samaritan told a 911 dispatcher. 'And I asked him what was going on and he told me hes been kidnapped.' Timmothy vanished without a trace in 2011 following his mother Amy Fry-Pitzen's suicide (pictured together) His mother took Timmothy on a three-day holiday, visiting the zoo and several water-parks before she was found dead inside a Rockford motel room, having committed suicide One woman revealed to CBS Chicago that the boy told her he'd been running for two hours and that he had 'been passed around for seven years'. 'Really you felt bad for him, his face looked like hed been beat up,' she said. 'He had a really big bruise on his face. I was hurt for him' What happened to Timmothy Pitzen? On the morning of May 11, 2011, James Pitzen dropped his son off at Greenman Elementary School in Aurora. At 8:30am, Timmothy's mother, Amy Fry-Pitzen, appeared at the school telling educators that she needed to remove her son from class because of a 'family emergency'. Later that day, James returned to the school to pick Timmothy up, but was told Amy withdrew him from class hours earlier. For more than a day, he found no sign of Timmothy or Amy, until eventually she called James and his brother on May 12, telling them 'Timmothy is fine. Timmothy belongs to me. Timmothy and I will be fine. Timmothy is safe'. The last CCTV images of Amy and Timmothy alive together were captured on May 12 as they checked out from the Kalahari Resort, in Wisconsin Dells. The following day, Amy was spotted alone on CCTV 120 miles away in a supermarket near Rockford, having purchased a pen, paper and some envelopes. On May 14 she was found dead in her Rockford Inn motel room having committed suicide by slashing her wrists. A note found next to her body said that Timmothy was safe, and in the care of others, but added: 'You'll never find him'. Timmothy's identification card was found inside the room, but workers at the motel said Amy had checked-in alone. Police say they've investigated several false leads since Timmothy's disappearance in 2011. The last potential breakthrough came in 2014, when a woman said she saw a boy matching his description at her yard-sale. Police were never able to confirm the sighting. Advertisement Another resident told ABC7: "He looked like he had been beat up, punched in the face a couple of times. You could see the fear on him and how nervous he was and how he kept pacing. He just looked odd." The boy found on Wednesday gave police a detailed description of his alleged kidnappers, who he says have held him captive for more than seven years. 'Timmothy described the two kidnappers as two male, whites, body-builder type build,' the police report details. 'One had black curly hair, Mt. Dew shirt and jeans & has a spider web tattoo on his neck. The other was short in stature and had a snake tattoo on his arms.' He then described his captor's vehicle as a new white Ford SUV, with yellow transfer paint and a dent on the rear left bumper, registered to Wisconsin. Several police departments have been instructed to search Red Roof Inns in both Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, after the boy informed police of alleged escape. Workers at several of the hotels told WCPO that authorities have spoken to them and requested to access to their guest-lists, but failed to recall anyone matching the description. 'It's hard to remember people, to be honest, because of so many people coming in and out,' Kennedy Slusher, a worker at the Red Roof Inn Beechmont, told the news station. 'But to hear something like that, it's kind of mind-blowing. It's scary.' Timmothy disappeared on May 11, 2011, shortly after being dropped off at Greenman Elementary School, in Aurora, Illinois, by his father. The boy, just six-years-old at the time, was later picked-up by his mother, who told the school she needed to take her son home because of a family emergency. Fry-Pitzen, 43, then took her son on a three-day holiday, visiting the zoo and several water-parks across different state lines. The last known images of Timmothy and his mother together were captured on CCTV, checking out of the Kalahari Resort, in Wisconsin Dells on May 12. The last known images of Pitzen and his mother were captured on CCTV, checking out of the Kalahari Resort, in Wisconsin Dells The following day, Amy was spotted alone by a surveillance camera in a supermarket 120 miles away near Rockford, having purchased a pen, paper and some envelops. On May 14th she was found dead inside her Rockford Inn motel room, having committed suicide with a series of slashes to her wrists. She left behind a note that said her son was safe and in the care of others, but added: Youll never find him. 'I was in total shock at the time,' Timmothy's dad James Pitzen said to Crime Watch Daily, in 2017. 'They told me where she was found, in a cheap little motel. She had a razorblade knife and she cut herself. Timmothy's Identification card was found among Amy's possessions, but her son, the Spiderman backpack he'd been pictured leaving school with, and her cellphone were all missing. James said just hours before she committed suicide he received a call from Amy, telling him: 'Timmothy is fine. Timmothy belongs to me. Timmothy and I will be fine. Timmothy is safe. 'She was definitely wrestling with the demons,' He added. 'The demons were winning, and they eventually won.' The 43-year-old mother grappled with depression for the majority of her adult life and had attempted to commit suicide on more than one occasion. She had also disappeared for a series of days-on-end before, James admitted, but never with Timmothy. Timmothy (shown aged 6) vanished after his mother picked him up from Greenman Elementary School and took him on a three day holiday A report filed by the Sharonville Police Department on Wednesday details boy's claims to be Timmothy, and even describes his alleged kidnappers In an interview with People in 2015, Timmothy's father, James Pitzen (left), described his son as a 'little mini-me' and vowed to never give up searching for him Shortly before her daughter's suicide, Alana Anderson received a note from her daughter that read: 'I've taken him somewhere safe. He will be well cared for and he says that he loves you. Please know that there is nothing you could have said or done that would have changed my mind.' Aurora police launched an investigation spanning three states including Illinois and Wisconsin after Amy's death to find the person allegedly in possession of Timmothy. Police say they also explored the possibility Amy may her murdered her son in the midst of her turmoil and hidden the child's body somewhere. The razorblade-edged knife she used to cut her wrists with showed only traces of her blood. But three months after Timmothy's disappearance investigators found a concerning amount of blood in the back seat of Amys car. However, hope the six-year-old could still be alive was revived when the blood was later concluded to have come from a nosebleed suffered by the Timmothy several months earlier. Analyzing the exterior of Amys SUV, police were able to determine the vehicle had at one stage been parked in a grassy area, near a stream and a road treated with glass beads. They believed this could have been the location where Amy handed over Timothy to the mysterious third-party, but nothing further came from the evidence. James Pitzen has previously said he's never given up hope that his son is alive and will one day return home to him. 'I always wonder what she told Timmothy, Why hasnt he tried to call? We taught him how to dial 911. This is your number, this is your moms number, you know where you live, your address, all the stuff you do,' he told People in 2015. 'Maybe Ill see Tim in the morning,' James said he often tells himself. 'Maybe tomorrow theyll find him.' Amy was last sighted on surveillance footage at a food market near Rockford on May 13. Timmothy was nowhere to be seen Timmothy, originally from Aurora, Illinois, was last seen at a water park in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin in 2011. The teen told police he had been held by captors ever since and was most recently being held at a Red Roof Inn, thought to be in Cincinnati, Ohio, until he escaped and kept running until he crossed a bridge over the river which acts as a state line and passed into Newport, Kentucky. After the Kentucky boy claimed to be Timmothy, it gave the family new hope. Timmothy's maternal aunt Kara Jacobs told NBC Chicago: 'We hope its true. Whats hard is the story that he escaped from captors. And your mind goes in too many directions that you dont want to think about,' . 'And what Ive prayed about since hes been gone is that God will keep him close and take care of him, and that maybe by some stroke of luck, he was with people who would love him. And if thats not the case, it will be heartbreaking to get through.' The last breakthrough in the disappearance of Pitzen came in 2014, when a woman hosting a garage sale in northern Illinois dialed 911 to tell police a boy matching his description had been standing in the front-yard of her home. The call came shortly after police released an aged processing image, speculating what Pitzen may have looked like aged 9. Former Principal of Greenman Elementary School, Nick Baughman, said he hopes the results of the police's DNA test come back positive, giving the Pitzen family 'the peace and closure' they need to finally heal. 'It was just one of those moments where you maintain hope and be supportive and say a lot of prayers,' Baughman said Wednesday of Timmothy's disappearance. In an interview with Crime Watch Daily in 2017, James Pitzen described the fateful day he dropped his son off at school and never saw him again. 'I dropped Timmothy off at school and he hopped out of the back seat and ran off to school,' he recalled. 'And I said 'I love you buddy,' and he said 'I love you too, dad, and I'll see you later,' and I'm like 'OK.' And I watched him run off to class.' 'Every day I get up and check my phone and wait for the detectives to say 'Hey, we found Timmothy here,' he said. 'It's going to be a glorious day when he comes home. Just can't wait. It's going to be happy. I'm going to cry a lot. I'm going to cry a lot when he comes home.' Anyone with information is asked to call the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or Aurora Police at 630-256-5500. Brian Merchant-Jones is in custody on charges including murder and kidnapping. He is seen above in an undated mugshot A 20-year-old West Virginia man has been arrested for abducting a teenager, holding her hostage for a year, impregnating her and beating her so severely that she miscarried. Brian Merchant-Jones, from Fairmont, is in custody on charges including murder of the fetus and kidnapping. Court records say the juvenile girl had been a runaway since March 2018 and was found on March 27. She told authorities last week that she had been with Merchant-Jones the entire time. She said Jones assaulted her almost daily and limited her contact with the outside world. Court papers state that the girl 'believed severe physical harm would befall her if she attempted to leave'. She said any phone conversations she had were on speaker phone with Merchant-Jones listening. Sheriff Jimmy Riffle said: 'We received reports from a juvenile that Mr Merchant was abusive and had held her against her will and had kicked her in the stomach while she was pregnant with child, causing a miscarriage. 'They moved from residence to residence during that time frame.' Merchant-Jones has been charged with the murder of the fetus. He is pictured above in an undated mugshot Police say they moved around Fairmont, Barrackville and Mannington. She told police where she buried the stillborn fetus, and authorities found the remains at a home in Rivesville. She said she was also beaten 11 hours before her interview with authorities on March 28. The victim said the 20-year-old suspect 'beat the s*** out of her,' choked her inside a bathroom, dragged her about the house by her hair and punched her in the stomach. According to court documents, she also recalled one horrifying attack on her birthday on February 9, 2019, when she claims she was beaten until she urinated. 12WBOY reported that she said Merchant-Jones, who stands at 5 feet 7 inches and weighs around 130lbs, choked her until she fell unconscious and hit her on the head with a Hurricane 40-ounce beer bottle. Merchant-Jones had been arrested on September 8, 2018, by Fairmont Police after he allegedly attacked an a 19-year-old man, punching him in the face with a closed fist. His victim fell unconscious and he allegedly tried to stomp on his head several times as he lay on the ground. He was charged with malicious wounding. Merchant-Jones is pictured in a 2017 mugshot stemming from his arrest on charges of battery and receiving stolen goods Court documents state that while Merchant-Jones was in jail for 28 days, he had his associates check on the young woman to prevent her from leaving. In May 2017, the then-18-year-old Merchant-Jones was arrested on charges of battery and receiving stolen goods. He was arrested Tuesday at 1.30am and is being held at North Central Regional Jail without bail on the murder count. Bail for the other criminal counts against him totals $100,000. After its journey through bankruptcy, Sears is getting ready to open its first batch of smaller stores focusing on appliances, mattresses and home services. The first three stores called Sears Home & Life will open on Memorial Day weekend and are a fraction of the size of the company's traditional stores. Peter Boutros, chief brand officer for Sears and Kmart, declined to say how many of the stores are in the works but said locations have been identified. However, he said the new-format stores will not take the place of Sears' remaining 425 stores. The first three stores called Sears Home & Life will open on Memorial Day weekend and are a fraction of the size of the company's traditional stores The company also plans to ramp up TV advertising and is planning to extend its Kenmore brand beyond major appliances into kitchen accessories, plates and knives. The new smaller stores will be located in Overland Park, Kansas; Lafayette, Louisiana; and Anchorage, Alaska, Boutros said. They range in size from about 10,000 to 15,000 square feet (900 to 1,400 square meters). The average Sears is about 155,000 square feet (14,400 square meters). The moves come nearly two months after Sears Chairman Eddie Lampert bought the Hoffman Estates, Illinois-based company for $5.2 billion in a bankruptcy auction through an affiliate of his hedge fund. With the deal, Sears retained the Kenmore appliances and Diehard battery brands and continues to sell Craftsman tools through licensing partners. The company sold Craftsman tools to Black & Decker in 2017. Sears filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in October 2018. The moves come nearly two months after Sears Chairman Eddie Lampert bought the Hoffman Estates, Illinois-based company for $5.2 billion in a bankruptcy auction through an affiliate of his hedge fund (pictured in 2004) 'We need to instill confidence that we are open for business,' said Boutros in an interview with The Associated Press, declining to comment on recent sales trends. Lampert is restructuring the business, but Sears' long-term survival remains an open question. It has to contend with increasing competition from the likes of Best Buy, Home Depot and Walmart. Each of the new stores will sell both major and small kitchen appliances. Customers can meet with experts to explore how new appliances will look in their home. They will also have kiosks where shoppers can order items available online and in the regular stores and can have them be delivered to the store or delivered at home. Boutros declined to comment on sales projections for the new store formats. A great-grandmother has tasted pizza for the first time after boycotting Italian food for seven decades because her prisoner of war husband was starved by Mussolini's troops. Audrey Prudence ended her pizza abstinence and has now said she 'can't wait to try' other variations of one of the world's most popular foods. The 94-year-old made the pact with husband Jack after he was released from an Italian camp at the end of the war where he had been surviving on just a bowl of celery soup a day. He had joined the British Army aged 18 and the Desert Rat was captured by the Germans in North Africa in 1942. Audrey Prudence (pictured above) tried her first pizza and opted for one with a ham and pineapple topping Jack (left) and Audrey (right) had been married for 63-years when jack died ten years ago at the age of 89 Audrey Prudence pictured with a Hawaiian pizza at her home in Essex after abstaining from the treat The soldier was well treated at camps in Germany for two-and-a-half years before being transferred to Italy. But the wartime nurse and Jack, who were married for 63 years, still enjoyed German food such as apple strudel as they said the Germans were 'quite polite.' After Jack's death ten years ago aged 89, the retired dinner lady has slowly embraced Italian dished such as spaghetti bolognese. But after suffering a stroke in January, Audrey told her granddaughter from her hospital bed 'this is it now, I want it to end.' Audrey (left) and Jack (right) pictured in the war. The pair were married for 63-years before Jack died Audrey (left) had made a pact with her husband not to eat Italian food but after she suffered a stroke she decided to tuck into the treat (right) Audrey Prudence her late husband Jack and their son Robert (pictured together above). Rovert said his father was called up for service in 1939 After making a bucket list, eating pizza came top and her choice of a Hawaiian with its ham and pineapple topping proved irresistible as after one bite she admitted she 'could not wait to try another.' Mrs Prudence from Abridge in Essex who has three grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren enjoyed a whole two slices and described the eating experience as 'like a whole meal on a big bit of bread.' Their son retired bus driver Robert Prudence, 62, explained: 'My dad was called up to fight in 1939 but he wasn't captured until around 1942. 'He was captured in Northern Africa - him and a few other foot soldiers found themselves surrounded by the Germans and lots of tanks so they just surrendered. 'He was taken to Germany, then to Italy and was released at the end of the war.' What life was like inside Mussolini's prisoner of war camps During World War II over 100 concentration camps were built across Italy, as well as occupied territories such as Croatia. Between 1939 and 1943 the majority of camps held prisoners of war and political opponents, with many later becoming camps for Jews, Roma gypsies and homosexual men. Benito Mussolini (pictured above) was the founder of Fascism One of the most infamous camps is Fossoli, which is north of Modena and was established in 1942 as a prisoner of war camp for allied soldiers in North Africa. In 1943 the camp came under German control and now remains in a state of ruin. During the war Benito Mussolinis soldiers murdered thousands of civilians, bombed the Red Cross, starved infants and dropped poison gas. Mussolini was the leader of Italy from 1922 to 1943. He was the founder of Fascism and allied Italy with Nazi Germany and Japan in World War II. In 1943 he was overthrown and imprisoned by former colleagues from the fascist government. Soon after the German army began occupation of Italy and Mussolini was rescued by German commandos. He was installed as the leader of a new government but had little power and as the Allies travelled towards northern Italy he fled towards Switzerland, before being captured and shot in 1945. Advertisement 'They had been married 63 years when he died.' Granddaughter Emma Coates, 41, said that her grandfather had described the German troops as nice but would also highlight that they did like the Italians. 'He was a foot solider and he was 18 when he was captured by the Germans. 'He was there for two-and-a-half years before he was moved to Italy. 'His treatment in Germany was much better - they shared their rations out with him and they let him keep his jewellery.' She said when he was moved to Italy they took his jewellery and gave him hard labour. 'He was made to live on just celery soup once a day. 'He got very malnourished and that caused him a lot of health problems later in life. 'I have this story in my head that he used to tell me of him and his friends trying to escape before the end of the war.' She highlighted that her grandfather used to tell stories of terrible treatment while being a prisoner of war in Italy. 'They decided to boycott Italian food because my granddad was treated badly during his time in Italy but they didn't boycott German food. 'Because she was a nurse in the war herself, my nan said the Germans were actually quite polite because she had to attend to some of them in the war in the UK. 'She thinks the war was silly but she has not got any dislike for the Germans or the Italians now - she still eats German food and she enjoys an apple strudel.' Emma added that it was only when her grandfather died that her grandmother started to eat Italian food and had tried her first pizza after suffering a stroke. Describing their talks when she visited her grandmother in hospital, Emma said they made a bucket list of things to do. She added: 'We said there are lots of things you still need to live for and we said there must be things you want to do or try. 'Then she said 'actually, I have never eaten a pizza - in fact, I don't think I know what one is.' 'I said 'you've never eaten a pizza?' and she said it hadn't occurred to her as she thought it was something you would probably share. 'She loves cheese and when we got talking about it, she was quite excited to try it. 'When she saw it, she said 'it is like a whole meal on a big bit of bread.' Emma from Chigwell in Essex who now lives in Buckinghamshire witnessed her Nan's first bite and said she 'couldn't believe she had resisted for so long.' The office manager added: 'She loved her pizza and cannot wait to try another and she wants the same toppings as before. 'When my sister made it, she burnt the crusts and cut them off so my Nan wouldn't know. 'But she said it wasn't cheesy enough for her and that she wants 'more cheese next time.' For now, Mrs Prudence is going to stick to ham and pineapple, with a preference for plain foods. 'She might like to try a plain cheese pizza next but she said 'I don't think I'd like the pepperoni one.' 'She likes spaghetti bolognese, that was the first thing she tried after my granddad died. 'But her favourite food is still gammon. We take her to lunch every week and she always orders gammon and chips or just a bowl of chips on their own. 'Trying pizza was top of the bucket list. It has always been 'a claim to fame' which I suppose we can cross off after this. 'Also on her bucket list is to reach 100 to get a letter from the Queen - she adores the Royals.' Mum-of-one Audrey will also be ticking off another item from her wish list by celebrating her 95th birthday at a curry house with a spicy dish. She will be joined by her whole family including son Robert, granddaughters Emma, Susie and Charlotte, and great-grandchildren Robbie, Taylor, Jack, Lewis, Alfie, Riley, Harry, Albie and Mataya. Former doctor Ralph Harper has avoided jail despite having child abuse images on his computer A former doctor at Great Ormond Street children's hospital who downloaded videos of child sexual abuse has avoided going to prison. Ralph Harper, of east London, worked at the world famous hospital as a junior doctor from September 2016 to March 2017. He was working at the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health at the time of his arrest. Police raided his home in November last year and found a series of disturbing videos on his laptop, a court heard. Detectives uncovered more than 30 images and videos of child abuse on his computer, including 21 at the most serious category, The Evening Standard reported. A Crown Prosecution Service spokesman said today: 'The images found on Harpers personal laptop were of children aged between eight and 14 years old, and included 21 Category A moving images the most serious kind. There were also nine Category B moving images and six Category C moving images.' Harper admitted three counts of downloading indecent images but avoided jail on an eight-month suspended sentence. He will do 150 hours of community service will pay nearly 700 in fines and court costs. He is also receiving help from anti-child abuse charity, the Lucy Faithfull Foundation. Harper worked at London's Great Ormond Street hospital before his arrest At Snaresbrook Crown Court this week, Judge John Lafferty told Harper: 'The fact you were seeking a career in paediatrics is a very worrying aspect of this case.' A spokeswoman for Great Ormond Street Hospital said that Harper had passed all of their checks and no complaints had been made against him. He had no previous convictions before the case. Harper can no longer work as a doctor and a statement on the General Medical Council's website states: 'This person has been suspended from the Medical Register and may not practise as a doctor in the UK.' A full fitness to practice hearing to determine whether he is struck off is expected be arranged for a future date. Speaking after the court case, Olivia Ball, from the CPS, said: 'Ralph Harper broke the law by downloading illegal images of children. As a qualified junior doctor in the paediatric sphere his conduct was particularly worrying. 'He will now have to accept the consequences of his actions in regards to future employment in the medical profession. 'The CPS will continue to work with the police and other partners to prosecute those who fuel the sexual exploitation of children in this way.' A humanitarian vessel with 64 rescued migrants was left stuck in the Mediterranean after Italy's Matteo Salvini said it could 'go to Hamburg.' Malta refused the ship entry to their waters as it sailed close to the Italian island of Lampedusa on Thursday after the migrants were hauled from the sea on Wednesday. The Maltese and Italian refusal sets the stage for another Mediterranean stand-off that will only be resolved if European governments agree to accept the asylum-seekers. Italian Interior Minister Salvini stated on Wednesday the ship could head to Germany but Sea Eye's spokeswoman said that was 'out of the question.' Italian Interior Minister and Vice Premier Matteo Salvini adjusts his trousers as he gets out his Maserati for a G7 meeting in Paris on Thursday Sea-Eye's ship, the Alan Kurdi, in the waters off Libya on Wednesday - it had voyaged to the region to search for 50 migrants missing from Monday and another 40 from the week before Migrants packed onto a rubber dinghy are approached by Sea-Eye rescuers on Wednesday as 64 were saved from the Mediterranean Carlotta Weibl said 'it's a journey of 3-4 weeks. We don't have food and water.' Weibl said: 'Malta says we can't enter their waters and we are unlikely to get permission from Italy.' Sea-Eye's ship, the Alan Kurdi, rescued the migrants on Wednesday near Libya. It did so as it was looking for a boat with 50 migrants missing since Monday and 40 migrants missing since last week. 'The chances are low that they are alive,' Weibl said. Similar stand-offs in recent months involving rescue ships hoping to reach Italy and Malta were eventually resolved when other EU members agreed to take some of the migrants. However, many of those people still remain stuck in migrant centres in Malta and Lampedusa. The Alan Kurdi ship is named after a Kurdish boy who drowned in the sea at the age of three in 2015 as he and his family fled war in Syria. Women and children are wrapped in blankets after boarding the rescue ship off the coast of Libya on Wednesday A man prays on the deck of the Alan Kurdi after being rescued from the treacherous waters An image of his small lifeless body prompted an outpouring of sympathy for the plight of migrants. However, since then the mood in Europe has turned. Weibl said that at the moment, the Alan Kurdi is the only humanitarian ship operating in the Mediterranean because many governments have denied aid ships the permission to operate. Millions of Brits will be able to head to the Mediterranean for their summer holidays without needing a visa even if there is a No Deal Brexit. Euro-MPs in Brussels today ruled that anyone travelling to the border-free main part of the EU for less than 90 days will not need the costly travel document. This includes popular holiday destinations like Spain, Greece, Portugal, Italy, Malta and France which are visited by huge numbers of UK tourists every year. Implementation will depend on Britain granting EU citizens the same rights in return, but London has said it will do so and the principle of the law has broad support. The news is a welcome boost for British travellers after the EU yesterday made a swipe for home comfort foods like Cornish pasties and pork pies. Ham, sausages and cheese are among products that could be barred from being taken to the continent if the UK leaves without a deal under hardcore disease control rules. The European Parliament passed the new law governing British travellers in Europe by more than 400 votes in Brussels. But the law giving Britons 90 days of visa-free travel to countries like Spain, France and Greece also referred to Gibraltar as a colony, despite British anger A senior European Commissioner warned that luggage checks would come into force at all EU borders points immediately if the UK left without a deal at any time. If the rules were heavily policed it could mean travellers either leaving their beloved comfort snacks behind or find a way of smuggling them past border guards. 'You will have to pick and choose what you are bringing from the UK. Any animal based product you will not want to put into your luggage. No import of any ham, sausage or other delicacies. That's the end of that,' a Brussels official told the Telegraph. The visa law was passed by the European Parliament with a massive 502-81 but it is likely to spark some fury in Britain. EU member states - at Spain's urging - referred in a footnote to the draft to Gibraltar as a "colony of the British crown". The United Nations does legally list Gibraltar as a "non-self-governing territory", but Britain insists it is part of "the UK family" and that its citizens freely voted to remain British. The reference upset the UK and held up the bill, which had already been approved by the European Commission. Gibraltarians, whose economy depends on an open border with Spain, voted overwhelmingly to remain in the EU in Britain's 2016 referendum. Spain, which is holding national elections on April 28, sees Brexit as a chance to rally the rest of the EU behind its claim to the territory of 33,000 inhabitants. It has already secured a right of veto over whether future Brexit arrangements can apply to Gibraltar once Britain has left the EU. A gas station worker has been fired for a racist tirade at a customer who spoke Spanish after asking her to prove her U.S. citizenship. Grecya Moran filmed the shocking abuse on her phone at the Shell gas station in San Jose, California, after her conversation with a Spanish employee there was interrupted. She says the worker demanded the two speak English 'because this is America'. Grecya, who was holding her young son at the time of the incident, said she initially apologized, adding: 'I even went up to her and I apologized. 'I said, "Excuse me, I'm sorry. All she was saying is, she was greeting me in Spanish. How my day's going". 'And she said, "I don't care, you talk in English because this is America." 'She started saying something about, "Trump needs to hurry up and build the wall". The unnamed gas station worker has been fired for the racist tirade at customer who spoke Spanish. She asked Grecya Moran to prove her U.S. citizenship in an expletive-ridden rant The woman continues to swear and shout as she walks away from Moran in the shocking clip Grecya added: 'That's when I was like oh my God, she's being serious. I just got my phone, started videotaping her.' In the shocking clip the woman can be heard asking Moran to prove her U.S. citizenship in an expletive-ridden rant. She says: 'You can do whatever you want because you're not a United States citizen of the United States.' When Moran replies 'I was born here', she adds: 'Then prove it to me, motherf*****.' Moran adds: 'This is a free country, if I want to talk in Spanish I can talk in Spanish.' The woman then says: 'You know what, f*** you, I plan on quitting anyways.' 'I was born here, raised here, and I never thought in a million years it was going to happen to me,' Moran told ABC7, 'I hear stories, I see videos but I never thought it was going to happen to me.' Moran shared videos of the racist rant to Facebook, and theyve since been viewed and shared thousands of times. Grecya Moran, pictured, filmed the shocking abuse on her phone at the Shell gas station in San Jose, California while holding her young son A manager at the gas station confirmed to the network that the worker, who has not been named, was fired. Moran has since reported the disturbance to police as a possible hate crime, reports say. DailyMail.com has contacted San Jose police and Vintners Distributors, who run the garage, for comment. Rebecca Ruth Anderson turned herself into the Hood County Sheriff's Office on March 22 on a warrant of violating the rights of a person in custody A North Texas jailer has been detained for having an 'inappropriate relationship' with an inmate. The Hood County Sheriff's Office said 23-year-old Rebecca Ruth Anderson turned herself in on March 22 on a warrant of violating the rights of a person in custody. The state felony comes with a bond of $5,000, the sheriff's department shared in a Facebook post. Anderson was employed at the Hood County Sheriff's Office as a jailer from March 2017 until July 2018. She resigned soon after. Texas Rangers investigated the relationship between the woman and the inmate. It has not been disclosed the exact nature of the inappropriate relationship or whether the inmate was a man or woman. Sheriff Roger Deeds released a statement saying that he was 'disappointed over this situation' and that he expected more from his employees. 'I do not tolerate employees that break the law and requested the Texas Rangers investigate the allegation that was brought to my attention,' he added. Anderson was employed at the Hood County Sheriff's Office as a jailer from March 2017 until July 2018. She resigned soon after 'As an elected official, I try to be transparent as possible and let the public know what is going on at the Hood County Sheriff's Office.' Investigators had received multiple tips, including one from Anderson's boyfriend who was not in jail, FOX 4 reports. 'Something like that happens, it really does disgust me that it went on,' Deeds added. 'And I'm not going to tolerate that, so we turned it over and called in the Rangers right away on it.' Deeds shared that the inmate had 'trustee status' - meaning the prisoner would cook, serve, or clean in the jail. He said: 'I've got to serve and protect them, feed them 3 meals a day, take care of them and make sure no harm comes of them for any reason. So this should've never happened.' Anderson's attorney, Bill Walsh, feels the case has grown unfavorably and paints Anderson unfairly. 'She cooperated with the Texas Rangers coming in the minute she heard of some accusations,' Walsh added. 'She is innocent until proven guilty. I've got it going in, it's a constitutional right. Until there's some evidence presented that some jury would convict her beyond a reasonable doubt, she's innocent.' An explosion occurred last night at a chemical factory in east China's Jiangsu province, authorities said, the third blast in the province in two weeks as Beijing launches a nationwide safety probe. The accident at the plant owned by Zhongdan Group in Taixing city involved an explosion in the wastewater treatment facility that held volatile chemicals, according to the local government. No one was hurt. Yesterday's incident follows two deadly blasts on March 21 and 31 at chemical plants in the cities of Yancheng and Kunshan that killed 78 and seven people respectively. An explosion occurred last night at a chemical factory in Taixing city, east China's Jiangsu province, authorities said, the third blast in the province in two weeks Shocking video footage of the incident last night shows the structure erupting into a ball of fire just before 9pm in a blinding flash of light. Officials said no one was hurt in the accident Shocking video footage of the incident shows the structure erupting into a ball of fire just before 9pm in a blinding flash of light. Flames were seen engulfing the top of the chemical plant as other shots showed thick grey smoke billowing from the site. Aftermath footage and images show windows in buildings and houses blown out by the force of the explosion. Taixing officials said in a statement on Weibo that firefighters were on the scene at 9:05pm and the flames were put out in 20 minutes. The blast lit up the night sky at about 9pm yesterday. Firefighters arrived on the scene at 9:05pm and the flames were put out in 20 minutes, officials say Flames were seen engulfing the top of the chemical plant as other shots showed thick grey smoke billowing from the site Aftermath images show windows in buildings blown out by the force of the explosion Preliminary investigations suggest the explosion was caused by a mixture of toluene and raney nickel, a catalyst agent that caught fire in the storage tank, the statement said, adding no injuries were reported and investigations are ongoing. The plant manufactures dyes, pesticides, as well as creams and gels for medical use, according to reports. Authorities have sealed off rivers in order to prevent water contaminated with toxic chemicals from posing health risks to residents. Jiangsu Zhongdan Group was fined 420,000 RMB (47,490 GBP) in February 2018 after being found guilty of the improper transporting of waste product, according to Daily Economic News. The incident is likely to accelerate the authorities' ongoing campaign to tighten scrutiny over factory safety. Aerial view of the core area of Tianjiayi chemical plant at an industrial park of Xiangshui county after an explosion on March 21 in Yancheng, Jiangsu province Three employees at the facility who had 'significant responsibility' for the blast were detained The environmental protection bureau in the area said a plan to remove and treat toxic wastewater from a river close to the blast site was underway following the Yancheng blast The explosion at the Tianjiayi Chemical plant in Yancheng on March 21 was one of the worst industrial accidents in the country in recent years, razing an industrial park and damaging surrounding homes. Three employees at the facility who had 'significant responsibility' for the accident were detained on Wednesday. The company, with 195 employees, was established in 2007 and mainly produces raw chemical materials including anisole, a highly flammable compound. It has a history of violating environmental regulations, according to online records from Yancheng city's environment and ecology bureau. Meanwhile the blast 10 days later in Kunshan at a metal-molding plant owned by Waffer Technology was caused by a container of scrap metal bursting into flames and setting a workshop ablaze. The blast on March 31 in Kunshan city at a metal-molding plant owned by Waffer Technology was caused by a container of scrap metal bursting into flames and setting a workshop ablaze Beijing has announced that it will launch a month-long, nationwide inspection campaign into hazardous chemicals, mines, transportation and fire safety. Above, the Kunshan plant site The company was fined last May by the Kunshan environmental protection bureau for violating water pollution rules, according to state-owned newspaper Beijing News The company was fined last May by the Kunshan environmental protection bureau for violating water pollution rules, according to state-owned newspaper Beijing News. Beijing has announced that it will launch a month-long, nationwide inspection campaign into hazardous chemicals, mines, transportation and fire safety. Deadly industrial accidents are common in China, where safety regulations are often poorly enforced. In November, a gas leak at a plant in the northern Chinese city of Zhangjiakou - which will host the 2022 Winter Olympics - killed 24 people and injured 21 others. In 2015, China saw one of its worst industrial accidents when giant chemical blasts in the northern port city of Tianjin killed at least 165 people. An heiress to the Avon cosmetics fortune has been ordered to pay 1.3million to her ex-husband, once a penniless hotel concierge, following their divorce. Morgan McConnell, the great-granddaughter of Avon's American founder David H McConnell, met Anil Ipekci when he was working in a hotel in New York in 2003 and he had almost no money to his name. His bride by contrast was the beneficiary of trusts worth at least 49million. The couple signed a pre-nup agreement before their married, saying anything Mr Ipekci would get if they split would be limited a half share in any increase in the value of three properties his wife owned. But the properties failed to increase in value at all by the time the couple split in 2016 and a judge at London's High Court has now stepped has now ruled Mr Ipekci, who earns 35,000 working in a hotel, should get a seven-figure divorce payout. The judge said the husband, who is in debt following the split, has 'real needs' that his wife should cover. They include the cost of a new house and an allowance for the rest of his life. A judge at London's High Court has ruled an heiress to the Avon cosmetics fortune should pay her husband 1.3million following their divorce The judge told how in 1886, door-to-door salesman Mr McConnell had decided to sell perfumes rather than books to New York housewives. He said: 'From that decision, and from that modest origin, sprang the mighty Avon products business empire. 'It is now the fifth-largest beauty company and the second-largest direct-selling enterprise in the world. 'The wife, now aged 45, is the great-granddaughter of David H McConnell. Ms McConnell, is the great-granddaughter of Avon's American founder David H McConnell The judge said: 'The vast amount of money generated by the business for the McConnell family means that, along with other relatives, she is the beneficiary of trusts in the USA with an overall value of at least 65 million US dollars (49 million).' Mr Justice Mostyn said Mr Ipekci, who comes from Turkey, was head concierge at the London Hilton Metropole and earned about 35,000 a year. 'The parties met in New York in the autumn of 2003,' said the judge. 'At the time the husband was working as a concierge at Le Parker Meridien hotel in New York. 'He had no money beyond his earnings; indeed, I was told he had been made bankrupt. The wife was living in London.' Mr Justice Mostyn said they had begun living together in early 2005 and agreed to marry. The judge said, 'unsurprisingly, given that the wife was a wealthy American heiress', a prenuptial agreement had been suggested. Mr Ipekci is now head concierge at the Hilton Metropole hotel in London, the court heard What is the money for? The judge said he worked out the 1.3million payout sum by including. 750,000 to buy a house. 27,000 for stamp duty. 25,000 for furniture. 28,000 to pay of credit card debt. 99,000 for legal fees. 445,500 for an allowance for life. Advertisement Mr Ipekci had signed the pre-nup agreement about two weeks before they married in November 2005. Mr Justice Mostyn said under the agreement Mr Ipekci was to get a half share in any increase in the value of three properties his wife owned in the event of divorce. The judge said he had decided that it would be 'wholly unfair' to hold Mr Ipekci to that agreement. He said there had been no increase in the value of the three properties and therefore, under the agreement, Mr Ipekci would get nothing. Mr Justice Mostyn said he had instead made a decision about the size of a payout based on Mr Ipekci's needs. He said the couple had lived in London when married and enjoyed a 'reasonably high standard' of living. Mr Ipekci had worked throughout the marriage and following separation in late 2016 had moved to 'very modest rented accommodation'. The judge said he had decided to award Mr Ipekci a lump sum of a little over 1.3million. Troubled AFL legend Brian Lake's downward spiral has continued, with new charges of stalking, theft and criminal damage laid against him. The former three-time premiership defender spent Wednesday and Thursday night in custody and is due to appear in Melbourne's Sunshine Magistrates' Court on Friday. Victoria Police confirmed to Daily Mail Australia a Caroline Springs man, 37, was arrested and charged following an alleged incident at a house in Aintree, in the city's western outskirts, on Tuesday night. 'He has charged with offences including stalking, enter a place likely to cause breach of the peace, theft, criminal damage and commit an indictable offence while on bail,' the statement read. AFL legend Brian Lake, pictured with estranged wife Shannon in happier times At the time of his recent arrest, Lake had been out on bail on charges involving a separate alleged incident in Aintree on February 17, after which he was charged with burglary, unlawful assault, trespassing and property damage. The court heard he intended on pleading guilty to those charges. According to court documents, he allegedly stalked between February 15 and 17 this year, keeping a woman under video surveillance at her home address. It's understood the woman is his estranged wife Shannon, whom he separated from last year. She was in the home with her new lover, according to 9 News. Lake's manager, Marty Pask, told The Age at the time his client was being treated for mental health issues. 'Following the hearing (on Feb. 25) Brian returned voluntarily to a private clinic where he has been residing to receive treatment for ongoing mental health challenges,' Pask said in a statement. Brian Lake (pictured) has been embroiled in controversy since he retired from AFL in 2015 Brian Lake split with wife Shannon (pictured left) last year In October, the ex-Hawthorn and Western Bulldogs fullback admitted he needed professional help after he was pictured in a toilet at the Caufield Cup with lines of a white substance. He had told The Herald Sun a week earlier he was going through a hard time after his marriage ended following his return from competing on the reality TV series Survivor. 'It wasn't agreed upon beforehand, but it was obviously thought about,' Lake said of the split. 'Then it didn't really happen until probably a couple of days after I got back (from Survivor). She mentioned it's probably best if we just had a break for a while.' Brian Lake (pictured in 2014) won three premierships with the Hawthorn Hawks He also expressed hope of rekindling his marriage. 'There's a reason why you get married,' he said. 'You want to work on it. You've just gotta get yourself right. I'm not a person just to give up.' Lake spent six nights behind bars in Japan after a drunken scuffle at a bar last July. No charges were laid. He had been in Osaka playing for the Indonesian Volcanoes in the AFL Asia tournament. He played 251 AFL games, including 197 for the Western Bulldogs, before he moved to Hawthorn in 2013, where he won three successive premierships. He retired at the end of the 2015 season. He won the Norm Smith Medal for best on ground in the Hawks' 2013 grand final win against Fremantle. Stacey Abrams says she's still considering a presidential run and believes she can hold off on a decision until Labor Day or later. 'I don't think you actually have to make a decision about the White House before the fall,' she said Thursday on 'Morning Joe' to Mika Brzezinski. Taken aback, Brzezinski, told her, 'Oh! Okay.' And MSNBC's Willie Geist noted that nearly two dozen, other Democrats could be competing for the nomination by then. Three Democratic presidential debates will have taken place, as well, in June, July and August. A fourth debate is on the books for September. Stacey Abrams says she's still considering a presidential run and believes she can hold off on a decision until Labor Day or longer Chuck Schumer wants Abrams to run for the U.S. Senate but she has her sights on another office - the Oval Office - and could join the 20-odd Democrats competing for the nomination The first caucus, in Iowa, will be held four months later, at the beginning of February, with New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada going to the polls shortly after that. Nonetheless, Abrams told the 'Morning Joe' crew that she does not believe, as a former organizer, that there's an 'imperative' to get in the race until September. 'I think it's important that people are having these conversations now,' she said. 'But I'm not going to make a decision driven by other peoples' timelines.' Abrams is currently on a book tour and said that's slowed down her decision-making process on a presidential bid. She's also mulling a pleas from Chuck Schumer to run for the U.S. Senate. He tapped her this year to give the rebuttal to Donald Trump's joint address to Congress in an attempt to generate enthusiasm for a possible Senate run. But Abrams has her sights on another office - the Oval Office - and could join the 20-odd Democrats actively courting their party's early-state voters. Abrams indicated Wednesday at the National Action Network conference that the Rev. Al Sharpton holds annually in New York that she plans to run for federal office. She just hasn't decided which office she will go after next, following her failure to defeat Republican Brian Kemp in Georgia's gubernatorial race last year. Her grandmother's death also affected her, she told attendees of the civil rights advocacy conference. 'She did not live to see me take an oath of office,' Abrams, 45, said, before adding, 'Now I don't know which oath is coming up next.' Audience chants of 'Run, Stacey, Run' drowned out what she said next. Abrams indicated Wednesday at the National Action Network conference that the Rev. Al Sharpton holds annually in New York that she plans to run for federal office - she just didn't say which one Audience members chanted 'Run, Stacey, Run' after Abrams hinted at another political campaign Brzezinski on 'Morning Joe' asked her about the inaudible remarks. 'I said, "Stop talking, I gotta finish my speech," ' Abrams told the MSNBC host. Encouraging her, Brzezinski said 'You should jump in.' 'I am thinking about it. I truly I am,' Abrams said of the Democratic presidential contest. She said she wants to decide on the Senate race in Georgia first, 'Because I do think you cannot run for an office unless you know that's the job you want to do.' 'I don't think you use offices as stepping stones,' she said. 'And then the next conversation for me will be, if not the Senate then what else?' Brzezinski told her that time is running out, and Abrams said that her Senate decision is will be made in the next few weeks. She said intended to decide by March, but 'had to push it back,' because of her book tour and now plans to settle it this month. 'And then I don't think you actually have to make a decision about the White House before the fall,' she'd said. Abrams was the minority leader of in the Georgia House of Representatives from 2011 to 2017 and ran for governor of the state last year. She has never held federal office any kind. She does have experience as an organizer but not as the manager of or staffer for a nationwide campaign. She indicated on MSNBC that she's not scared off by that, or the size of the Democratic field. Abrams said effective competitors will amass a sizable amount of resources and deliver a credible message and that is what will make them stand out. 'I don't believe that there is an imperative to do so before September,' she insisted. 'I think that's the drop date. I don't think the drop date is earlier than that, because the average the voter's not paying attention until Labor Day.' She said she doesn't want to suggest that she's going to run until she's 'ready to win' and must first decide on the 'immediate question' before her on the U.S. Senate. Ex-Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill, who lost her re-election bid last fall, told her she appreciates her 'ambition' and thinks it's 'terrific' but cautioned her not to write off Schumer's invitation. 'I remember when I didn't want to run for the Senate, and you know, I was having Chuck Schumer calling me, and saying it's about America. And we took the Senate that year, and we took the Senate by three narrow races, in Virginia, Montana and Missouri, and that was in 2006,' she informed her. 'I think we could repeat that in 2020, but maybe not without you.' Abrams told her she wants to make sure it's the 'right time' and the 'right job for me to hold' before she decides whether to challenge sitting Republican Sen. David Perdue. Horrific footage of a pair of teens repeatedly bashing a kangaroo with a piece of wood while another laughs has left police shocked. Western Australia Police are searching for the three teens after the horrific footage, believed to have been taken at Kalamunda's Zig Zag trail, was posted to Snapchat earlier this week. The boys can be seen repeatedly bashing the kangaroo in the head while it is slumped on the ground. In one clip the terrified animal can be seen raising a paw in an attempt protect itself. WA Police described the attack as 'shocking, cowardly and cruel,' according to 7News Perth. RSPCA chief inspector Amanda Swift has asked anyone who recognises the people in the footage to contact police. 'It's just the most abhorrent cruelty again to an iconic animal,' she said. Gregory Frye was arrested over 13 attacks on 12 different women between 1995 and 2003 A suspected serial rapist has been arrested in South Carolina over 13 attacks on 12 women during an eight-year period. Gregory Frye was taken into custody over the more than a dozen attacks - the first being 24 years ago - after investigators linked DNA evidence to the suspect. The 52-year-old allegedly carried out the series of assaults between 1995 and 2003, with one woman targeted twice, police said. Spartanburg Police Department described the victims as white women between the ages of 14 and 51. All the 12 victims were attacked in upstate apartment complexes in Spartanburg County, according to police. Chuck Wright, the Spartanburg County Sheriff, said Frye had been 'going about his business like nothing happened'. Police fear there could be more victims as the suspect could potentially have carried on living his life undetected for over 20 years. A time line produced by Spartanburg Police Department showing the dates and locations of the attacks carried out in apartment blocks in Spartanburg County Wright said in a press conference on Tuesday, according to the Charlotte Observer: 'I can't imagine how some of the victims must have felt knowing that it took this long. 'Prayers have been answered, I just want you to know that. There's been a lot of people praying that we'd catch a break and we did. And not only did we catch a break, we ran with it.' Spartanburg Police Chief Alonzo Thompson told how one victim found a man standing over her bad in the early hours of the morning, the Spartanburg Herald-Journal reported. He said: 'A woman told investigators in the early morning of March 2, 1999, she found a man standing over her bed, according to an incident report. She said the man threatened her, attacked her and sexually assaulted her,' New technology in forensic testing led to DNA matches linking the suspect to the attacks, police said. Frye was charged with criminal sexual conduct, burglary and kidnapping with additional charges pending, according to police. President Donald Trump challenged Democrats on Thursday to shift their attention away from 'the Russian Collusion Hoax' and toward investigating corruption related to how the first Russia probe began. His tweeted demand came hours after the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee threatened to make as many as two dozen criminal referrals to Trump's Justice Department in connection with what a White House aide called 'the deep state launching pad that has given us so much grief.' 'There are people who definitely lied and misled Congress. If they dont go to prison, then we will have a two-tier justice Department in this country and it is not going to be good,' California Rep. Devin Nunes said Wednesday night in a Fox News Channel interview. President Donald Trump continued piling on House Democrats on Thursday Trump tweeted that Dems should be investigating how the Justice Department's broad Russia probe started, rather than retreading Special Counsel Robert Mueller's old ground California Rep. Devin Nunes, the ranking Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, said Wednesday night that he will sent up to two dozen criminal referrals to the Justice Department in coming days Trump wrote Thursday morning and '[a]ccording to polling, few people seem to care about the Russian Collusion Hoax,' , 'but some Democrats are fighting hard to keep the Witch Hunt alive.' 'They should focus on legislation or, even better, an investigation of how the ridiculous Collusion Delusion got started - so illegal!' He didn't cite any polls by name. Nunes didn't tell Fox News host Sean Hannity on Thursday exactly how many criminal referrals he plans to send to the DOJ, when they would be ready or who would be his targets. 'The American people need to have confidence in the FBI and the Department of Justice. We are working on the referrals,' Nunes said. 'There's going to be many of them.' 'There are going to probably at least be a dozen if not two dozen individuals,' he predicted, 'and as we continue to get more information and build these and build them out, we want to make sure that everything is finished before we turn them in.' Democrats at the helm of the Intelligence Committee have directed their firepower at Trump, retracing ground already trod by Special Counsel Robrt Mueller. They have shown no indication of focusing on current or former FBI and Justice Department officials tied to the earliest decisions to investigate the president and his 2016 campaign aides. Nunes, who led the panel until Democrats took over the House in January, proposed a likely dead-end desire in February for subpoenaing a dozen people. It's a near-certainty that Democratic chair Adam Schiff will ignore him. Instead Nunes changed tack, running his own parallel investigation with the goal of encouraging the Trump DOJ to take action on a series of recommendations of criminal prosecutions. A joint task force made up of House Judiciary and Oversight Committee members and the Oversight Committee grilled at least 15 witnesses in 2018. Some transcripts of those interviews are now in the public domain following their release by Judiciary Committee ranking Republican Doug Collins. Nunes (left) is crossing swords with Democratic Intelligence Committee chairman Adam Schiff (right) and has no practical opportunity to see a vote on new subpoenas of anti-Trupm players in the long Russia saga The transcripts released so far reflect the testimony of Justice Department official Bruce Ohr and his wife Nellie Ohr, former FBI lawyer Lisa Page, former Trump campaign aide George Papadopoulos, top FBI counterintelligence official Bill Priestap and Former FBI agent Peter Strzok. Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee approved a series of subpoenas on Wednesday and the Ways and means Committee demanded to see the president's last six IRS tax returns. 'There is nothing we can ever give to the Democrats that will make them happy,' Trump tweeted Thursday. 'This is the highest level of Presidential Harassment in the history of our Country!' A finance director who stole more than 34,000 from a medical supplies firm to fund her lavish lifestyle has been spared jail. Lynsay Railton began stealing in 'every way imaginable' from her new employers Universal Marine Medical within just three weeks of being hired, a court heard. The 40-year-old began using company credit cards to pay for personal items and bills and even changed her own tax code so she was paid more. Lynsay Railton stole more than 34,000 from her new employers Universal Marine Medical Railton (pictured here in a social media post), admitted three counts of fraud by false representation and two of theft The court heard her greed almost cost other employees their jobs at the company, which provides pharmaceutical and medical supplies. Railton plundered the company's finances to fund her lifestyle, spending 150 on a bottle of pink champagne. Judge Gary Burrell QC told Railton her actions were 'mean and unpleasant' as he handed her a two-year jail sentence, suspended for two years. Prosecutor James Kellam told Southampton Crown Court in Hampshire, that the finance director made a total of 90 different personal transactions on company credit cards. She began stealing three weeks after she was hired in August 2016 and her spending spree totalled 34,204. Mr Kellam said: 'She stole from her employer in every way imaginable. She even changed her tax code so that effectively she was paid more.' In a statement, read to the court, Universal Marine Medical's director of operations Colin Rees said: 'At first we thought we'd found a gem. But she totally betrayed our trust.' Railton, from Eastleigh in Hampshire, admitted three counts of fraud by false representation and two of theft. She has since found another job and so far repaid 14,000 of the money she stole. The 40-year-old began using company credit cards to pay for personal items and bills Universal Marine Medical, in Romsey supplies pharmaceutical and medical supplies to the global maritime industry Judge Burrell also ordered her to carry out 250 hours of unpaid work and repay the remaining 20,000 to her former firm within 42 days. He told her: 'What you did involved a significant breach of trust. You were a trusted financial controller who took money for yourself, knowing you were not entitled to do so. It was mean and unpleasant. 'I accept you are suffering from chronic anxiety and depression. I also accept you are remorseful and have no recent relevant convictions.' Representing Railton, Zoe Chapman told the court her client had 'long-standing mental health issues which she has begun to address.' Speaking after the case, Mr Rees said Railton had been 'extremely clever' in covering her tracks during the thefts between August 2016 and May 2017. He added: 'If the thefts hadn't been uncovered, the company would have had to reduce its costs and people would have lost their jobs.' The National Crime Agency (NCA) have arrested three Brits on suspicion of facilitating illegal immigration after eight migrants landed on the Kent coast today. The NCA have confirmed that three British people have been arrested in Folkestone, in Kent, shortly after a boat was recovered, and eight Iranian migrants have been detained after being found on a beach at Samphire Hoe, near Dover, in Kent. They are the latest group to arrive after hundreds of migrants have made the perilous trip from Calais to Dove since last November - with 40 trying to enter the UK in just a fortnight. An inflatable rib lies in the surf near Samphire Hoe in Dover, Kent, today. Police are also responding to another report of a boat on a beach in Folkestone A Border Force is seen near Samphire Hoe in Dover, Kent. Two separate incidents of migrants coming ashore have been reported along the Kent coast near Folkestone this morning Coastguard and Border Force officials drag an inflatable rib from the sea near Samphire Hoe in Dover, Kent Retired coastguard Andy Roberts said he was 'amazed' the migrants managed to cross. He said: 'Overnight conditions would have been very difficult for them to cross the Channel in. I'm amazed they have managed to it to be honest. 'It was very chilly. They would have been freezing cold. It would have been terrible conditions. 'The waves would have been very high and the boat they crossed in would have been full of water. 'Recently they have been arriving in much calmer conditions - but this would have been very different.' A spokesman for the NCA said: 'National Crime Agency officers are leading an investigation following the discovery of eight suspected illegal migrants on a beach at Samphire Hoe, near Dover at around 8am this morning. 'The migrants are being dealt with by the immigration authorities. A short time afterwards a boat was recovered in the Folkestone area and three men, all UK nationals, were arrested on suspicion of facilitating illegal immigration. 'They remain in custody and will be interviewed by NCA investigators. NCA officers are working in partnership with Kent Police, Immigration Enforcement and Border Force on this investigation.' An RNLI vessel makes it's way along the coastline near Samphire Hoe beach , near Dover, today It comes after 18 migrants arrived in two separate incidents off the Kent coast last Thursday - including a family with two young children. Two children with their parents were brought to shore by Border Force officials. A young girl, thought to be aged around two, was being carried by her mother and another young boy was with them while the father carried a plastic bag with their belongings after the second crossing. And a boat carrying 14 migrants - including two children - arrived off the Kent coast in the early hours of Wednesday March 28. The group, which included nine men, a woman and two children, were discovered and presented themselves as Iraqi nationals. Two other men presented themselves as Iranian. Doctors in Taiwan found four bees embedded in a woman's eye socket drinking her tears. The patient named as Ms He, who is in her 20s, was pulling weeds with a relative when the insects got into her eye. She went to Fooyin University Hospital in Taiwan's southern county of Pingtung where doctors found the parasites feeding under her swollen eyelids. Three of the tiny sweat bees can be seen under the microscope feeding from the woman's tear duct after she was taken to the Fooyin University Hospital in Taiwan Professor Hung Chi-ting checking Ms He's eye after she was admitted to the hospital complaining of irritation in her eye Ms He was left with cellulitis and keratitis - a bacterial infection - as a result of the insects feeding on her tears Dr Hung Chi-ting, the hospital's head of ophthalmology claims Ms He's case is a 'world's first.' 'They nest near graves and in fallen trees, so it's easy to come across them while hiking in mountains,' Dr Hung said. One of the little sweat bees is exposed under the microscope as it feasts on Ms He's eye Ms He, who is from the south-western port city of Kaohsiung, recalled: 'We were visiting and tidying a relative's grave, and I was squatted down pulling out weeds. 'I felt wind blowing into my face, then I felt something in my eye which I thought was sand or dirt. 'I cleaned my eye using water but it started hurting a lot at night, a sharp pain, and I was tearing up.' Dr Hung told a press conference that Ms He suffered cellulitis and keratitis - a bacterial skin infection and the inflammation of the cornea - as a result of the bees eating from her eye for four hours. After taking herself to hospital, Dr Hung inspected her eye and discovered the small insects, which are part of the family Halictidae, but whose exact species has yet to be confirmed. Dr Hung said: 'I saw something that appeared to be insect legs, so I pulled them out under a microscope one at a time without damaging their bodies. 'They were four sweat bees.' Ms He had been helping a relative pull weeds around a grave site when she felt a rush of wind into her and thought that dirt had got in, but it was actually bees Ms He's inflamed cornea after the parasites were removed by the doctor The insects were reportedly removed alive. Sweat bees, which live over 3,280 feet above sea level, are known to be attracted to perspiration and treat humans like a salt lick. Ms He was discharged from hospital and is expected to make a full recovery. Derek Lalchhanhima, 6, from India's Mizoram state melted hearts when this photo of him begging hospital staff to help the chick he ran over with his bike was posted on social media A six-year-old boy who begged hospital staff to save a chick he accidentally ran over with his bike has become a viral internet star in India. Derek C Lalchhanhima, from Sairang in the northeastern Indian state of Mizoram, was pictured holding the dead bird in one hand and a 10-rupee note - all the money he had - in the other. Family friends said the concerned youngster did not understand that the chicken was dead and begged his parents to take it to hospital. In the end, he took the limp body to doctors himself. On arrival, a nurse captured his forlorn expression in a photo which has since been shared thousands of times online. His school was so impressed with his compassion, that they handed him an award for his kindness. Family friend Sanga Says posted the photo on Facebook after Derek's father Dhiraj Chhetri, a police officer, showed it to him and told him the heartwarming story. 'I'm laughing and crying all at the same time,' he wrote. 'According to the father, the boy came home with the neighbour's chick that he had accidentally killed,' Mr Sanga told India's NDTV. 'He did not understand that the chick is dead and begged his parents to take it to the hospital,' he said. 'His father told him to go himself, which he did with ten rupees.' Six-year-old Derek Lalchhanhima receives an award from his school for his heartwarming bid to save a chick he ran over with his bike 'God bless his pure and honest little heart,' one person commented on the Facebook photo. 'This is heart-touching,' wrote another. 'He's always been a rather unique kid,' Derek's father said. After hospital staff told Derek there was no help for the poor bird, he returned home in tears But the boy was determined to go back and get help again, this time with 100 rupees in his hand. 'His parents finally had to explain to him that the chick is dead and that there's nothing they can do at the hospital,' Mr Sanga said. A Sydney mother is considering legal action after the changing table her two-year-old son was laying on suddenly crashed to the floor. In early March, Rene Cady was at the Woolwich Pier Hotel, in Sydney's north, with her son Louis, two, when she noticed his nappy needed to be changed. Mrs Cady claims her son was resting on top of the fold out changing table in the toilets when it suddenly broke off the wall and crashed onto the hard tile floor, 7 News reported. In early March, Rene Cady (pictured) was at the Woolwich Pier Hotel, in Sydney's north, with her son Louis, two, when she noticed his nappy needed to be changed Mrs Cady claims her son was resting on top of the fold out changing table in the toilets when it suddenly broke off the wall and crashed onto the hard tile floor (pictured) 'I found him face down, well down on his front, head to the side,' Mrs Cady said. Louis was rushed to the closest hospital, where doctors diagnosed him with a mild concussion. Mrs Cady said if Louis may not have been so lucky if he had been any younger or smaller. Louis only weighs 13.5kg, which puts him well under the weight limit for the changing table, which are typically designed to hold children under 22kg. Mrs Cady said she has since contemplated taking legal action, however, she will first have to find out who is liable. 'You have these venues 'family friendly?' No,' she said. The Woolwich Pier Hotel (pictured) said the contractors who installed the changing table were the ones liable for any safety issues The Woolwich Pier Hotel told the program the contractors who installed the changing table were liable for any safety issues. 'If the change table was correctly installed and correctly used the table should not fall from the wall,' a statement read. Those contractors, Davidson Washrooms, told 7 News the changing table was installed to specifications and was safe. A divorce court judge has ended the marriage of Prince Louis of Luxembourg and Princess Tessy after making rulings on a row over money. Mr Justice MacDonald pronounced a 'decree absolute' at a hearing in the Family Division of the High Court in London today. Four months ago he published a ruling on the division of money and property following a trial. Princess Tessy, who was at Thursday's hearing, had indicated she wanted to challenge that ruling, but the judge ended the marriage after being told she had changed her mind and no longer planned to appeal. Mr Justice MacDonald analysed arguments over money at a private trial in London in October and produced a ruling in December. The couple (pictured at the Notre Dame Cathedral in 2007) began a relationship in 2004, married in 2006 and had two children A close friend told MailOnline: 'I think their relationship became complicated when Tessy began studying. She was studying full time, taking care of her kids, managing the household and going to family functions. But Louis spent the year figuring out what he wanted to do' Princess Tessy and Prince Louis of Luxembourg with their sons Noah and Gabriel in 2014 (left) and when they got married in 2006 (right) He said Prince Louis and Princess Tessy, who are both in their early 30s, could be named in media coverage of the case, but placed limits on what could be reported. The prince is the third son of Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg and now lives in Paris. Princess Tessy, a former soldier and now a director at a non-governmental organisation she founded called Professors Without Borders, lives in London. Princess Tessy was serving for the UN when she met Prince Louis, who was visiting the troops in Kosovo. They got married in September 2006, six months after the birth of their son, Gabriel. Their second son Noah arrived within a year. But it was only two years later, that she was recognised as a member of the Royal family, which was granted by decree. Mr Justice MacDonald heard that the couple began a relationship in 2004, married in 2006 and had two children. Their marriage broke down during the summer of 2016 and another judge granted a divorce decree a decree nisi in February 2017. The pair are pictured here at the wedding of Prince Guillaume Of Luxembourg and Princess Stephanie of Luxembourg in 2012 At divorce proceedings earlier this year Prince Louis - whose full title is His Royal Highness, Prince Louis Xavier Marie Guillaume of Luxembourg, Prince of Nassau and Prince of Bourbon-Parma - had senior barrister James Ewins QC lead his legal team. The princess - whose full title is Her Royal Highness, Princess Tessy of Luxembourg, Princess of Nassau and Princess of Bourbon-Parma - represented herself. She was recognised as a member of the royal family and granted her title by royal decree, the judge was told. The couple's controversial marriage came to a bitter end just ten years after they married as love-struck teenagers. Prince Louis renounced his succession rights to the throne in 2006, a month after marrying Tessy - who was not born of royal blood - but to a modest family in the small town of Niederkorn. Their fairy tale romance captured hearts around the globe and sent shock waves through the royal family once again, when they announced they would divorce. After getting married, they lived in the US and London but their marriage broke down during the summer of 2016. Mr Justice MacDonald decided that Princess Tessy and the children could live in a property the couple had shared when married. He said the prince would pay the princess 'nominal' maintenance and pay child maintenance of 4,000 a year per child. The judge said he had examined 'the relatively complex financial arrangements' of the Luxembourg royal family during the trial. At the December hearing Louis was ordered to pay just 75-a-week to each of his two sons after a judge found his family's vast wealth could not be factored into a bitter divorce battle with his ex-wife. Prince Louis of Luxembourg said his estranged wife Princess Tessy (pictured together in 2012), had served Luxembourg's royal family well The Princess said the Prince's royal family would help him pay any amount a divorce judge awarded her, and originally asked for 1.5million to buy a new family home for her and sons Gabriel and Noah, who are 12 and 11. But judge Mr Justice MacDonald found 'it would be wrong in this case to conclude that the husband's family represent a financial resource on which this court can rely'. He ordered that Prince Louis, who had offered to pay 3,000 child maintenance for each child, should pay 4,000 for each child, per year. The judge also ordered the princess and children should be given a 'licence to occupy' the former family home in London 'until the youngest child finishes his first degree'. He said at its heart the dispute was 'simply a sad case' involving a couple who were determined to marry for love and had been happy before their 'fairytale' soured. Cardinal Robert Sarah, from Guinea, is the head of the Vatican's liturgy office An African cardinal has branded mass migration a 'new form of slavery'. Cardinal Robert Sarah, touted by many to succeed Pope Francis as the next pontiff, said in a new interview with French publication Valeurs Actuelles that the Church should oppose migration. 'It is a false exegesis to use the Word of God to promote migration. God never wanted these rifts,' Cardinal Robert Sarah said. 'All migrants who arrive in Europe are penniless, without work, without dignity...This is what the Church wants?' he asked. 'The Church can not cooperate with this new form of slavery that has become mass migration.' Sarah, from Guinea, who serves as the head of the Vatican's liturgy office, added that he believed 'Islam will invade the world' if migration is not controlled. Scroll down for video Robert Sarah, Archbishop of Conakry Guinea being made a cardinal by the Pope in November 2010 'If the West continues in this fatal way, there is a great risk that, due to a lack of birth, it will disappear, invaded by foreigners, just as Rome has been invaded by barbarians,' he added. Sarah added: 'My country is predominantly Muslim. I think I know what reality I'm talking about.' His comments put him in direct opposition to the Pope, who has previously emphasized the need for western nations to take on more migrants. Last week, Sarah spoke in Morocco, the main destination for sub-Saharan African migrants seeking to reach Europe via Spain, and frequently mentioned migration. 'The issue of migration will never be resolved by raising barriers, fomenting fear of others or denying assistance to those who legitimately aspire to a better life for themselves and their families,' Francis said. 'If Europe disappears, and with it the invaluable values of the old continent, Islam will invade the world,' Sarah said. 'And we will totally change culture, anthropology, and moral vision.' Members of an anti-hunting group have come under fire for posting a barrage of 'sick and twisted' comments about a father-of-three who died on a pigeon shooting trip. Marco Cavola, 42, was accidentally shot dead on March 25 when a hunting trip to Rossie Estate in Perthshire, Scotland, went badly wrong. But among the heartfelt tributes which have been pouring in for the Italian businessman, a collection of so-called 'hunt monitors' have let rip with a string of nasty comments, including suggestions that his death was 'karma'. Marco Cavola, 42, was accidentally shot dead on March 25 when a hunting trip to Rossie Estate in Perthshire The North East Hunt Monitors today posted a news article on their Facebook page relating to Mr Cavola's death, under the caption 'oh dear'. It attracted 130 comments within hours as trolls unloaded a torrent of messages celebrating the fatal accident which left three young children, aged 14, 12 and 7, fatherless and a wife widowed. Helen Louise Rowan wrote that she 'bloody love this. Hahaha' while Barbara Rehman commented: 'Karma is brilliant.' Sharon Dolittle Young mockingly wrote 'aww diddums' and Jamie Bennion even commented that it was 'vermin control'. Other comments included 'class', 'bravo', 'justice me thinks' and 'one less'. But the Italian businessman's death was trolled by anti-hunting campaigners who suggested the death was karma in a string of celebratory messages The 'sick and twisted' comments included posts such as 'one less' and other expressions of delight at the death of the hunter But the trolls have attracted a stinging backlash from who those who accuse the so-called hunt monitors of being 'sick'. Shane Sweeney wrote: 'All these comments just goes to show that the majority of hunt sabs are sick twisted individuals. 'A man dies and kids lose their father and you trolls think it's a good thing. You all deserve nothing but hardship for the rest of your days.' Jane King said: 'What a load of sick people you are, whatever the circumstances. Show some respect. children have lost their father and a wife now a widow Marco Cavola, a Juventus fan who lives in Lariano near Rome, had travelled to Scotland on March 24 and the following day set out hunting. North East Hunt Monitors had originally posted a link to a news article about Mr Cavola's death under the caption 'oh dear' The trolls were met with a stinging backlash from other appalled comments such as one from Jane King who branded them 'sick' Shortly before 11.30am, the experienced hunter was hit and fatally wounded by an accidental rifle shot. Emergency services were called but the construction firm owner and experienced hunter was confirmed dead shortly after. It is unclear how exactly the accident happened. Italian authorities were sent to Scotland to oversee the return of the businessman's body when it is released by local officials. Formal identification is yet to be carried out but his family have been informed. One man, who lives nearby and did not want to be named, said: 'I heard from a farmer friend that it was a group of Italians who were out shooting pigeons and a gun's gone off accidentally. 'You don't think things like that could happen up here, it's quite dramatic for the area, but it looks like it was just an accident.' A spokesperson from the North East Hunt Monitors told MailOnline that the comments had not been moderated and confirmed that the post has now been removed 'out of respect for the family'. They also claim that the comments were not made by their members but visitors to the page and fake Facebook accounts. But they added: 'Tensions are fraught on both sides of the hunting debate and you will find many similar comments made about sabs and monitors who die or get injured.' A scooter rider had a lucky escape after pulling out in front of another rider. The female biker was crossing a road in Nagercoil, part of Tamil Nadu state in southern India, when the other rider slammed straight into her. Miraculously both only needed two days in hospital before being discharged despite the crash, according to a local source. A female scooter rider was thrown from her bike in Nagercoil, part of Tamil Nadu state in southern India, after she was hit by another rider The biker was hit in the middle of the road, flinging her from her scooter Shocking video shows the scooter rider look in both directions twice before pulling out onto the road. As she gets to the middle another driver, who is zipping down the road, slams straight into her side hurling her from the scooter and into the hard tarmac ground. The other rider's bike is lifted completely off the ground before smashing down a short distance away. Shopping bags are also exploded by the force, and fling their contents across the highway. The woman lies on the ground motionless, her scooter lying on top of her, while the other rider gets up and stumbles to the side of the road clutching their head. Passersby, who have seen the crash, immediately rush forward to help the pair. As she was flung off the scooter her shopping bags exploded and spilled their contents across the road. The scooter then fell on top of her She had looked both ways before deciding to pull out into the road in Tamil Nadu state Amazingly, despite the shocking crash, she was discharged from hospital after two days according to a local source. A local source said: 'As soon as the bystanders saw the mishap unfold right in front of their eyes, they ran to their rescue. 'They ran towards the bikers as both of them lay injured on the street. 'Both were rushed to the nearby hospital and were admitted immediately by the doctors. 'They were then discharged after two days.' Detectives are said to have taken the man to the police station to be questioned 'I guess it escalated to a point where he got extremely angry', son Patrick says Her son said she had not mentioned any problems with her top floor neighbor She had alcohol in her system and police think drink may have played a role Police called to the Houston home where Angelina lived on the bottom floor She was 'stabbed in the chest in her own front yard' and later died in hospital A Texas mother has died after she was allegedly stabbed to death in her own front yard by her male neighbor who is said to have 'snapped' during a late night row. Angelina Gailey, 58, died on Wednesday evening following the altercation, her devastated family have said. She was stabbed in the chest in her own front yard and rushed to hospital where she later died, officers said. Police were called to a duplex in East Houston where Angelina had lived on the bottom floor for at least a year and a half. Tragic Angelina had alcohol in her system, police say. They think this may have played a role in the incident after bottles could be seen in an upstairs window of the home. Angelina's son, Patrick, told ABC13 and Click2Houston that his mom was never worried about her safety and had not mentioned any problems with her neighbor on the top floor - and had even given him food. Angelina Gailey, 58, died on Wednesday evening, her family have confirmed. She was 'stabbed in the chest in her own front yard' and later died in hospital, police say Police were called to a duplex in East Houston, pictured, on Wednesday evening where Angelina had lived on the bottom floor for at least a year and a half He said the man must have just 'snapped', the network reports, adding: 'I guess it escalated to a point where (the neighbor) got extremely angry and he came down and stabbed my mom twice. 'If she would have told me I would have stepped in, told the landlord or something, but no one ever told me anything. 'I was just with her yesterday to get her groceries. She never said anything. She was a real nice person. 'She was the life of the party. People loved being around her. She brought us all together. One day you're here, the next day she's gone. 'I rushed on down to the hospital, and thats when the doctor came on down and said she didn't make it.' Tragic Angelina had alcohol in her system, police say. They think this may have played a role in the incident after bottles could be seen in an upstairs window of the home Susan Delgado, Angelina's sister, left, paid tribute saying: 'She was really a beautiful person, never thought it would end this way. I thank God she was my sister'. A man was seen in the back of a police car following the altercation, right Angelina's sister, Susan Delgado, added: 'She was really a beautiful person, never thought it would end this way. I thank God she was my sister. 'I just don't know what we are going to do. I do know we love her and we are going to do everything for her. I am still in shock I want to break down in tears, but I am still in shock. 'I am so mad that this man took my sister's life the way he did, so violently. I just can't believe that she is dead.' Detectives are said to have taken the man to the police station to be questioned. DailyMail.com has contacted Houston police for comment who said a report will be filed. A judge has sentenced an Alabama man to die for his part in the drug-fueled torture and murder of a friend in 2015. Tuscaloosa County Circuit Judge Brad Almond imposed the death penalty on 34-year-old Michael Belcher during a hearing Wednesday. Belcher was convicted of capital murder last month after two hours of deliberations in the slaying of 29-year-old Samantha Payne, who authorities say was tortured to death and had her throat slit. Scroll down for video Off to death row: Michael Belcher, 34 (left and right), is pictured on Wednesday arriving in court to have the death penalty imposed on him for a gruesome 2015 murder Samantha Payne, 29, was beaten, tortured and knifed to death, then tied to a tree and left to rot in an Alabama forest Evidence showed Payne was beaten for hours in November 2015 by people she considered her friends. Her throat was cut and she was tied naked to a tree and left in the Talladega National Forest. Prosecutors say Belcher was the ringleader of a group of five people who killed Payne while they all were using methamphetamine. He is the only one who got the death penalty. In December 2018, Alyssa Watson, 25, and Marcus George, 38, were sentenced to 30 years in prison for their roles in Payne's death. Attorney Steve Money represented Watson and said that she and George were not present when Payne was killed and took no part in the kidnapping. A jury had found both guilty of kidnapping and murder. Both have appealed their convictions. Belcher (left)is the only one who got the death penalty. Chylii Bruce (right) received a 20-year sentence, with only five years to be served in prison Alyssa Watson, 25 (left), and Marcus George, 38 (right), were sentenced to 30 years in prison Defendant Chylii Bruce received a 20-year sentence, with only five years to be served in prison, in exchange for her testimony against the others. Steven George was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole. Belcher's defense team cried foul over what they characterized as a 'sentencing disparity' between the co-defendants, arguing that their client was no more culpable than the others, yet he was the only one being sentenced to die, reported Tuscaloosa News. Police in Alabama said in 2015 that Payne left her parents' home in Maplesville on October 30 - her birthday - and was never seen alive again. Court documents stated that she was brutally assaulted at the home of Belcher on Halloween weekend, WIAT reported at the time. Payne, 29, was allegedly killed after becoming angry at her friends for stealing her car while high on meth Investigators believe Payne was attacked after she became angry at her friends for stealing her car, which was later found burned. Payne was then tied up and taken into the forest, where she had her hair and nails ripped out, and several teeth knocked out. Hunters came upon Payne's disfigured and decomposing body in mid-November. During a sentencing hearing last month, Belcher's mother and his attorney begged the jury for mercy and showed pictures of the defendant as a child. They painted a picture of the convicted killer as a caring father to his 11-year-old daughter, an animal lover and a skilled mechanic who could have a positive impact on other inmates, if given a life sentence instead of the death penalty. 'Putting Michael Belcher to death is not going to bring Samantha Payne back to her family. Don't let the state of Alabama make you a killer,' defense attorney Nettie Blume said. 'Yall can give mercy. It cant be earned. It cant be begged for. It can only be granted.' But District Attorney Hays Webb argued that the defendants showed no mercy to Payne and reassured the jury the burden 'of destroying all the lives in the room' was not theirs to bear. 'He [Belcher] earned the death penalty,' the prosecutor stressed. Belcher (left) spoke in court of feeling 'sorrow and grief,' but Samantha's mother, Sue Payne, (right), said the killer has never shown remorse When given a chance to speak on Wednesday, Belcher, dressed in an orange prison garb, said: 'Words cant come close to expressing my sorrow and grief.' The victim's mother, Susi Payne, was unimpressed with Belcher's statement, saying that her daughter's killer has shown no remorse. She later told reporters of Belcher's death sentence: 'I dont really want to say it feels good, but justice is being served.' Speaking to CBS 42, Hays Webb, the prosecutor, expressed hope that the conclusion of the trial would bring Payne's family some closure. Belcher will become the 177th inmate on Alabamas death row. The last person to have been executed in Alabama was Domineque Ray, 42, who was given a lethal injection in February 2019. Unemployed people were happier under a basic income scheme but no more or less likely to get a job, a Finnish trial has revealed. The research uncovered that 2,000 participants paid 560 euros (490) in tax-free income a month were happier and less stressed than those who received the basic state benefits. The two year trial carried out by Helsinki-based institute Kela found that despite the feelings of well-being the test group were no more or less likely to find employment than the control group. Compared to those paid usual state unemployment benefits, those paid the monthly sum had fewer money worries and fewer health problems. Kela's research complex in Helsinki - the two-year trial involved 2,000 people being paid a 490 monthly tax-free income as compared to those who receive usual state benefits In addition they felt brighter about their future and their ability to influence societal problems. Researchers studied whether the no-strings-attached income could would act as more of an incentive for jobless people to find work than traditional unemployment benefits, which may be docked as soon as the recipient starts earning money. Although it was the widest such study to be conducted in recent years in Europe, the Finnish trial was limited to participants who were already unemployed. Proponents of a true 'universal income' call for a monthly payment, sometimes described as a citizens' wage, to be given to everyone regardless of their wealth, family or work situation. Finnish researchers believe their findings provide important insights for reforming the country's system of welfare payments. 'The recipients of a basic income had less stress symptoms as well as less difficulties to concentrate and less health problems than the control group,' Minna Ylikanno, lead researcher at Finland's welfare authority Kela, said in February. 'They were also more confident in their future and in their ability to influence societal issues.' Results at this stage are preliminary and relate only to the first year of the study, with the final report to be published next year. Lead researcher Minna Ylikanno - her study found greater happiness and feelings of well-being among those who were paid traditional state hand-outs 'The recipients of a basic income were no better or worse than the control group at finding employment in the open labour market', Ohto Kanninen, research coordinator at the Labour Institute for Economic Research, said in a statement. Finland's social affairs minister, Pirkko Mattila, said in February that the government has no plans to roll out the scheme across the whole country. 'Even though the basic income model developed for the experiment is not likely to be adopted as such for more extensive use, I think the experiment was very successful,' Mattila said in a statement. 'We can use the data from the experiment to redesign our social security system; that is going to be the next major reform.' Similar schemes have been trialled in Canada and Kenya. The experiment has not been without its detractors. Finnish trade unions have called instead for employers to pay living wages that do not need to be subsidised by benefits. The Paris-based Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has claimed that a basic income programme in Finland would not be economically viable and could leave significant numbers of people in worse poverty than now. In 2017, Swiss voters rejected a proposed universal income in a referendum after critics slammed the idea as rewarding the lazy and the feckless. A Utah mother faces charges of drinking alcohol with teenagers and performing lap dances for them during a birthday party at her home. The Deseret News reports that 40-year-old Rhianna Renae Nivens of Harrisville was charged Tuesday with four counts each of dealing in harmful materials to a minor, lewdness and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Charging documents say 12 teens between ages 14-17 attended the February 9 party and that Nivens drank booze with the teens, who also smoked weed. Rhianna Renae Nivens of Harrisville was charged Tuesday with four counts each of dealing in harmful materials to a minor, lewdness and contributing to the delinquency of a minor 'During this party, the minors drank alcohol and smoked marijuana and (Nivens) knew about this occurring in her home and even drank some alcohol with them,' the charging document states. According to the police report the parent went upstairs at one point to put on 'a risque outfit which they described as red and black lingerie'. The documents also say the outfit exposed her private parts. According to the children's account Nivens moved in a provocative way against several people who were under the age of consent. 'The minors stated that after (Nivens) came back downstairs in the lingerie she began to 'dance sexually' for approximately 10 minutes during which she gave several minors lap dances', the document continues. Rhianna Renae Nivens, 40, is accused of drinking alcohol with teenagers and performing lap dances for them at a party in her Harrisville home February 9. (File image above) The incident was reported to police in a phone call the following day. At least one child recorded the events that took place within the home using their cellphone. Nivens' 12 2nd District Court charges are a mix of third-degree felonies and class B misdemeanors. It was not clear whether Nivens had a defense attorney who could comment on the allegations. Harrisville Police Department did not immediately respond to the DailyMail.com's request for comment. The Commons was suspended this afternoon as water flooded into the chamber from the roof. MPs were forced to abandon a debate on the controversial Loan Charge as gallons of water cascaded into the press gallery above MPs. Deputy Speaker Lindsay Hoyle announced he was being forced to suspend the chamber as the sound of water dripping drowned Labour MP Justin Madders. Less than 30 minutes later the rest of the day's business was abandoned, suggesting the problem could not be easily fixed. Crucially it also means the Government cannot table any Brexit motions for debate and vote on Monday - something rumours suggested was being planned ahead of the emergency EU summit that same day. Any indicative votes will be held on Tuesday instead - pushing back the timetable for achieving a Brexit deal. It is the second bizarre interruption of the Commons this week after semi naked protesters staged a demonstration in the public gallery on Monday. The Commons was suspended this afternoon as water flooded into the chamber from the roof Tory MP Douglas Ross posted a picture of puzzled journalists rushing into the Press Gallery to see the bizarre scenes. He quipped: 'Not the first time there has been a leak in Parliament I'm sure' Deputy Speaker Lindsay Hoyle (pictured shutting down the Commons today) announced he was being forced to suspend the chamber as the sound of water dripping drowned Labour MP Justin Madders Tory MP Douglas Ross posted a picture of puzzled journalists rushing into the Press Gallery to see the bizarre scenes. He quipped: 'Not the first time there has been a leak in Parliament I'm sure'. After the sitting was suspended, Tory Neil O'Brien posted another picture of confused politicians studying their new 'water feature'. Mr Hoyle declared: 'The sitting is now suspended - and no photographs please.' He said: 'I've never been in a debate before where rain stopped play but it has happened now.' The water - which poured along the backwall of the chamber high above the Speaker's chair - soaked dozens of seats. The flood came through a restaurant kitchen on the third floor of the Palace of Westminster and is thought to have come from the outside roof. The House of Commons press office said: 'We are aware of a water leak on the estate and are taking urgent action to resolve it.' They added: 'The leak was urgently dealt with and has now been isolated. The House of Commons maintenance team is currently assessing the damage.' After the sitting was suspended, Tory Neil O'Brien posted another picture of confused politicians studying their new 'water feature' On Monday, several of the 'Extinction Rebellion' group glued themselves to the window dividing MPs from the watching public in the biggest Commons security breach since 2014. Labour MP Peter Kyle joked about the 'naked truth' as MPs' attention was distracted from his speech by the demonstration. Tory MP James Heappey defied Commons rules to photograph the dozen people, who had slogans including 'climate justice act now' and 'eco collapse' daubed on their backs. Semi-naked climate change protesters interrupted a Commons debate on Brexit on Monday as they stripped off in the public gallery Speaker John Bercow told MPs to ignore the demonstration and continue with the debate as they stood in a line with their backsides pressed against the security glass. Most were wearing only thong-style underwear which left little to the imagination. Shocked MPs including former Labour leader Ed Miliband glanced up at the group as they stripped off behind the glass screen that separate the chamber from the public gallery. Some of the protesters were singing Nelly the Elephant while under the gaze of Parliamentarians. The protesters were later named as including Oliver Baines, 68, former charity chief executive, Bell Selkie, 48, a counsellor, Isla Macleod, 34, a celebrant, Iggy Fox, 24, a wildlife biologist and William Cooke, 36, former teacher and Mark vland, 35. Multi-billion repairs are needed for the whole Palace of Westminster, which is riddled with asbestos, leaking ceilings, rodents and moths and was described as a 'death trap' by one close to the refurbishment plans. A lack of fire doors means that Palace of Westminster firemen have to patrol the building at night, turning off lights, computers and other electronic equipment to reduce the risks of a blaze. Multi-billion repairs are needed for the whole Palace of Westminster, which was described as a 'death trap' by one close to the refurbishment plans. There is already a massive project to renovate the Big Ben clock tower under way (pictured) Experts have said revamping the historic site could cost as much as 7billion and take 32 years to complete. In 2017 MPs voted in favour of moving out of Westminster entirely so Parliament can be renovated before a disastrous fire. The Commons voted 234 to 135, a majority of just 16, in favour of endorsing the work of a joint committee of MPs and Peers on what to do about the dilapidated state of the building. MPs and peers will move out of the Palace of Westminster but are yet to approve the cash or a schedule for works. Last year the scorching summer caused cracks to appear in the ailing roof walked under by hundreds of MPs every day. An area inside Portcullis House has been cordoned off and emergency work will be carried out on the glass above to stop it getting worse. The building next door to the Palace of Westminster was only opened 17 years ago and houses a third of all MPs, several of their coffee bars and restaurants as well as meeting rooms used by committees. But it has been plagued by faults caused by its design and saw water cascading in on several occasions after more cracks appeared in the roof. The orphaned children of notorious terrorist Khaled Sharrouf could be back on Australian soil in a matter of weeks. The home-grown terrorist's eldest daughter, 17-year-old Zaynab, is 33 weeks pregnant with her third child and is suffering from severe malnutrition. She remains in the Al-Hawl camp near the Syria-Iraqi border alongside her sister Hoda, 16, and their only surviving brother, eight-year-old Humzeh. But if the children are able to leave the camp and make their way to an Australian embassy, they may have a chance at receiving new passports and flying home immediately. Zaynab has two daughters; three-year-old Ayesha and two-year-old Fatima, and is believed to be seriously injured with shrapnel wounds that aren't healing in the camp, The Daily Telegraph reported. The orphaned children (pictured) of notorious terrorist Khaled Sharrouf could be back on Australian soil in a matter of weeks (Zaynab, top left; Hoda, top right; Humzeh, bottom centre; Abdullah, bottom right; Zarqawi, bottom left) She is also said to be severely dehydrated and malnourished in the camp, where they are among other foreign born fighting families who escaped Baghouz - ISIS last stronghold. She married her father's good friend and fellow Australian jihadi Mohamed Elomar aged just 13, but he died fighting shortly after. The teenager is preparing to give birth to her third child in the coming weeks, but her grandmother Karen Nettleton is working toward removing her and her siblings from the camp as soon as possible. The Australian woman, who's daughter Tara smuggled her five children out of Australia to follow her husband to Syria, died from medical complications 2015, is the legal guardian of the children. She moved her life from Australia to a private residence in Qamishli, Syria, to help bring the children home. Her two other brothers, Abdullah, 12, and Zarqawi, 11, were killed alongside Khaled in September 2017 in a US air strike on ISIS territory Zaynab (right) remains in the Al-Hawl camp near the Syria-Iraqi border alongside her sister Hoda, 16, (left) and their only surviving brother, Humzeh, 8 (centre) While the children are Australian citizens, it is not yet clear whether they still have valid passports. Scott Morrison and his party have previously expressed their desire to keep foreign fighters off Australian shores. The prime minister said he will not 'put one Australian life at risk' to bring home children of ISIS fighters, but will reportedly support the children's journey back to Australia should they arrive at an embassy and pass security checks. The children's two other brothers, Abdullah, 12, and Zarqawi, 11, were killed alongside Khaled in September 2017 in a US air strike on ISIS territory. They became infamous worldwide after Khaled distributed a picture of Abdullah holding a severed head. Advertisement Jeremy Corbyn has been told to ignore calls for a new referendum and 'go the extra step' to achieve a deal with Theresa May in a letter that will reignite Labour's bitter Brexit split. A group of 25 backbenchers from mostly Leave-voting areas have urged the Labour leader to make every effort to compromise with the Prime Minister if it would lead to an agreement that facilitated Brexit. The group, which includes Rosie Cooper, Caroline Flint and Kevin Barron, who all voted for the PM's Brexit deal last week, also claimed that a new public vote was not part of Labour policy, in the letter obtained by Reuters. This puts them on a collision path with Labour figures including shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry, who yesterday demanded it form part of any agreement done with Mrs May. Senior Labour figures led by Sir Keir Starmer held a second day of discussions with Tory figures at Downing Street today. 'Our policy, agreed by members, accepts that the public voted to leave the EU and seeks a deal that secure jobs and rights at work. It does not require a confirmatory ballot on any deal that meets those conditions,' the letter from the backbenchers said. They added that the talks 'represent a real opportunity' for Mr Corbyn to get a deal which would meet Labour's demands for a Brexit that protected workers' rights. It came as Number 10 denied a Buzzfeed report that an option being looked at by both sides ahead of the meeting was a 'devolution lock' giving power to national assemblies in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast. The website said the veto idea would prevent a future prime minister unpicking the agreement, with Labour especially worried about the possibility of a Brexiteer like Boris Johnson replacing Theresa May. But Downing Street denied this, saying it was is 'categorically untrue' the lock was discussed in cross party talks yesterday or is being considered anywhere on Whitehall. Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer was tight-lipped this afternoon as he left Cabinet Office talks with the Tories alongside shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey and Jeremy Corbyn's communications director Seumas Milne Jeremy Corbyn (pictured leaving his north London home today) is facing pressure from both the Leave and remain wings of his party over the need for a referendum to approve a Brexit deal The letter from 25 Labour backbenchers to Mr Corbyn says she should take extra steps to seek a compromise deal if one seems possible with Theresa May Lords may sit through the night in Brexit law steamroller bid Labour's Lady Hayter warned peers they might 'be here all night' as they attempt to get the Brexit law through in a day as she clashed with Tory former Cabinet minister Lord Forsyth Labour this afternoon won the first round of its controversial move to pass a Bill extending the Brexit process in a bid to avoid a no-deal in just one day's sitting of the Lords. As peers prepared for a possible all-night sitting on the European Union (Withdrawal) (No.5) Bill, a Tory backbench bid to block the move was defeated by 251 votes to 123, majority 128. The effective defeat for the Government, after the Bill squeaked through the Commons by just one vote late on Wednesday night, paves the way for the Opposition to press on with further debate on the legislation in the hope of it swiftly becoming law. The Bill would ensure there is a legal requirement on the Prime Minister to seek an extension to Article 50 to prevent a no-deal. Labour's Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town accused pro-Brexit Tories of trying to 'thwart' the will of the elected Commons and vowed to be in the chamber all night if necessary to see the legislation through. Lady Hayter said 'unconventional times' demand 'unconventional measures' as she called for the House to suspend its standing orders to deal with Labour MP Yvette Cooper's measure in one sitting. She accused 'a small group of unelected peers' of trying to stop the Lords from considering the measure and then 'trying to talk it out' through the night. But she warned: 'We will be here all night... if that's what it takes to do what the elected Commons has asked us to do.' Tory former Cabinet minister Lord Forsyth of Drumlean, opposing Labour's move, said, to jeers: 'This has got nothing to do with Brexit. This has to do with the procedures of the House.' Lord Forsyth said he was surprised and disappointed to see Labour joining with 'insurgents' in the Commons, who had sought to 'undermine the process and procedures' of the House. Advertisement In the letter the backbenchers reminded Mr Corbyn that he had told May Labour would support a 'sensible deal' that included 'a customs union and no hard border in Ireland', protected jobs and workers, environmental and consumer standards. 'We believe you are close to achieving that in the coming days,' said the letter whose signatories include Labour's schools spokesman Mike Kane . 'At the general election, we were clear about respecting the 2016 vote, and about securing those Labour goals. 'Therefore, we feel if compromise is necessary to achieve this deal and avoid fighting the European elections, we should go the extra step to secure this.' Ms Thornberry and other Labour frontbench Remainers Keir Starmer, Tom Watson, Diane Abbott are said to be pitted against Mr Corbyn and Brexit-leaning shadow ministers Ian Lavery, Jon Trickett, Rebecca Long-Bailey and Angela Rayner. The shadow Foreign Secretary wrote to MPs yesterday ahead of a meeting of Mr Corbyn's shadow cabinet. She said: '(I'm) assuming one of the main topics of discussion will be whether to insist that any planned compromise deal we agree to support will be subject to a confirmatory public vote, with 'Remain' as the other alternative. 'What I would have said is that if we look like reaching any other decision than a confirmatory vote, that would be in breach of the decision made unanimously by conference in Liverpool (last September) and overwhelmingly supported by our members, and it needs to be put to a vote by the shadow cabinet.' Labour this morning confirmed talks with Theresa May will include the possibility of calling a second referendum as the price of Jeremy Corbyn's support for any Brexit deal. Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer spoke out after Chancellor Philip Hammond was accused of 'going rogue' - and left Tory Brexiteers apoplectic - after admitting a new public vote on leaving the EU would be 'perfectly credible'. Theresa May is today continuing talks with Jeremy Corbyn to try and strike a Brexit deal before an EU summit next week, as Remain-leaning ministers in her Cabinet were out in force to prepare the ground for the possibility of a softer Brexit. Arriving for the Westminster summit Sir Keir said the idea of a second 'confirmatory' referendum would be raised, adding: 'We had discussions yesterday and we are going to continue them today'. When the meeting broke up shortly after 4pm, Sir Keir told reporters: 'We have had further discussions with the Government and discussions are now going to continue.' Talks between the Government and Labour to break the Brexit logjam were 'productive' and will continue on Friday, Downing Street later said. Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn's negotiating teams met for four-and-a-half hours in the Cabinet Office on Thursday for 'detailed' talks. David Lidington, effectively the deputy prime minister, led the Government's negotiating team with Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay, Chief Whip Julian Smith, Business Secretary Greg Clark and Theresa May's chief of staff Gavin Barwell. On the other side of the table were Sir Keir and shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey along with senior Labour officials. A Downing Street spokesman said the 'detailed and productive technical talks' were supported by civil servants. 'The Government and the Opposition hope to meet again tomorrow for further work to find a way forward to deliver on the referendum, mindful of the need to make progress ahead of the forthcoming European Council,' the spokesman said. Today Remainers claimed victory as the Chancellor called a second referendum 'perfectly credible' and admitted a customs union compromise would be a price worth paying for a deal with Labour. His words have widened the Brexit fissure in the Cabinet with Health Secretary Matt Hancock distancing himself from Mr Hammond assertion on a second referendum saying: 'Well, that's certainly not how I would describe it'. Mrs May is edging towards a softer Brexit agreement with the Labour Leader - despite warnings it would plunge the Tories into civil war - with negotiations set to continue today. Last night Mr Hammond also risked a Tory backlash as he said a 'confirmatory referendum' - on Mrs May's deal versus Remain - was a 'perfectly credible proposition.' Spartan chief Steve Baker told MailOnline: 'The Chancellor has come up with about the stupidest suggestion I could imagine. Look at the rage and despair created by asking Parliament to choose between Brexit in name only or no Brexit, and then imagine the public reaction. Is he trying to destroy all faith in democracy?'. Attorney General Geoffrey Cox has also made the case for a customs union compromise, insisting it was 'not some kind of sell-out'. Arriving for the Westminster summit today Sir Keir Starmer said the idea of a second 'confirmatory' referendum would be raised Theresa May (pictured today) is holding more talks with Jeremy Corbyn which have sparked uproar among Tory MPs and pushed two ministers into resigning and 15 more said to be on the brink Downing Street said talks on a possible deal with Mr Corbyn would continue today, despite a growing revolt from senior Tories at the prospect of pushing through a soft Brexit deal with the help of Labour's 'Marxist' leader. After two ministers resigned up to 15 more - five in the cabinet - are said to be close to quitting with Dr Liam Fox said to be 'on the edge' having told Tory MPs 'none' of the party's manifesto promises should be axed. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT WITH BREXIT? WEDNESDAY APRIL 10: EU SUMMIT Another summit with EU leaders where May will ask for a new delay beyond April 12. May's new plan is to strike a cross-party consensus in London and persuade EU leaders it means the deal can be delivered in time for Brexit on May 22. She may have to accept a longer extension that means holding EU elections, as Brussels has made clear this is a red line - and will take a decision on delay without Britain and it must be unanimous. EU officials including Michel Barnier have warned that the risk of an accidental No Deal is increasing if May arrives with no plan. THURSDAY APRIL 11: PM'S FACES MPs Theresa May will return from Brussels with a likely nine to 12 month extension and will outline her plans in the the Commons in the wake of the EU summit. FRIDAY APRIL 12: BREXIT DAY Britain is due to leave the EU without a deal on this date if no delay is agreed. Advertisement Eurosceptic Tory MPs also erupted last night after a Bill to delay Brexit and avoid No Deal was 'rammed through' the Commons in a single day by Labour remainer Yvette Cooper and Tory Sir Oliver Letwin by one vote, with 20 Tories helping it through by backing it or abstaining. 17 of those were ex-ministers. After the Bill passed Tory ERG stalwart Mark Francois yelled: 'The public won't be impressed by this. Forgive them Father for they know not what they do'. The PM's furious backbenchers are demanding a new vote to throw Mrs May out of No 10 - with up to 100 of her rank-and-file MPs said to be considering going on strike and abstaining in all Commons votes. And scores of grassroots Tory members have been cutting up their membership cards in protest at Mrs May's Brexit olive branch to Mr Corbyn - who himself is facing a rebellion in his own party because his MPs want a second referendum. Last night Chancellor Philip Hammond said a 'confirmatory' referendum on a Brexit deal was a 'perfectly credible' idea. He told ITV's Peston: 'I have said it's a perfectly credible proposition. Some ideas have been put forward which are not deliverable, they are not negotiable. 'The confirmatory referendum idea, many people will disagree with it, I'm not sure there's a majority in Parliament for it, but it's a perfectly credible proposition and it deserves to be tested in Parliament.' In an interview with ITV's Peston, he said he was expecting Brussels to insist on a lengthy delay to Brexit but stressed that the Government wanted to ensure that any extension to the Article 50 process could be cut short if a deal was agreed by MPs. He said the Government wanted 'absolute clarity that as soon as we have done the deal we are able to bring that extension to an end'. Signalling that compromise would be required from both sides in the talks with Labour, Mr Hammond was asked whether a customs union was a price worth paying for a deal. 'If that's what we have to do then let's look at that,' he said. Angela Merkel paid a visit to Dublin today to visit Prime Minister Leo Varadkar How most of Britain now wants a NO DEAL Brexit: Poll shows only London and Scotland want to Remain in the EU if a deal isn't agreed by April 12 as almost half of voters say Theresa May should resign Most of Britain still backs Brexit even if means leaving with No Deal, new polling has revealed. The figures show the north, midlands, Wales and the south outside London all back No Deal over Remain as Britain faces the Brexit endgame. Only Scotland and London would prefer to cancel Brexit and stay inside the EU if a deal cannot be finalised. The same YouGov polling reveals almost half of voters think it is time for Theresa May to resign - splitting 48 per cent to 31 per cent against the PM. The figures emerged today as Mrs May's ministers continued talks with Labour about a softer Brexit plan that could get her divorce deal through the Commons. Mrs May is in a race against time to build a case that will persuade the EU to grant a new extension to Brexit to avoid No Deal next Friday. Meanwhile the Lords is debating draft laws rammed through the Commons last night that seek to force the Government to stop a No Deal. A new poll shows the north, midlands, Wales and the south outside London all back No Deal over Remain as Britain faces the Brexit endgame. Only Scotland and London would prefer to cancel Brexit and stay inside the EU if a deal cannot be finalised The new finding correlate closely to the parts of Britain which voted Leave (left) and Remain (right) at the 2016 referendum Among Leave voters the divide over Mrs May's future is even starker, dividing 53 per cent to 33 per cent in favour of her quitting. Mrs May does slightly better among Remain voters, who say 44 per cent to 33 per cent that she should resign. Voters are heavily opposed to a general election to break the impasse. Half of all voters are against - compared to just 29 per cent of people being in favour. Among Leave voters, a huge 68 per cent are against an early election - with just one in five backing a new poll. Remain voters are divided 40 per cent to 39 per cent against. Unsurprisingly, there is a huge split between Leave and Remain voters on whether Britain should Leave with No Deal if Mrs May fails to find a breakthrough. 82 per cent of Leave voters would rather crash out - compared to 76 per cent of Remain voters who would rather cancel Brexit altogether. In a reflection of the national paralysis, the split across all voters is 44 per cent to 42 per cent in favour of No Deal. Few think a national government of Tory and Labour politicians working together - as suggested by ex-Prime Minister John Major - think would help. Fewer than one in three of all voters support the idea, with even less than half of Remain voters backing it. The picture of a divided nation comes as wider polls on whether Brexit is the right thing to do showing Remain generally having a small lead. The same YouGov polling reveals almost half of voters think it is time for Theresa May to resign - splitting 48 per cent to 31 per cent against the PM Voters are heavily opposed to a general election to break the impasse. Half of all voters are against - compared to just 29 per cent of people being in favour The polls come as Mrs May is today continuing talks with Jeremy Corbyn to try and strike a Brexit deal before an EU summit next week, as Remain-leaning ministers in her Cabinet were out in force to prepare the ground for the possibility of a softer Brexit. Chancellor Philip Hammond has left Brexiteers apoplectic and was accused of 'going rogue' after he called a second referendum 'perfectly credible' and said a customs union could be a price worth paying for a deal . Mrs May is edging towards a softer Brexit agreement with the Labour Leader - despite warnings it would plunge the Tories into civil war - with negotiations set to continue today. Last night Mr Hammond also risked a Tory backlash as he said a 'confirmatory referendum' - on Mrs May's deal versus Remain - was a 'perfectly credible proposition.' And her Attorney General Geoffrey Cox has also made the case for a customs union compromise, insisting it was 'not some kind of sell-out'. Downing Street said talks on a possible deal with Mr Corbyn would continue today, despite a growing revolt from senior Tories at the prospect of pushing through a soft Brexit deal with the help of Labour's 'Marxist' leader. After two ministers resigned up to 15 more - five in the cabinet - are said to be close to quitting with Dr Liam Fox said to be 'on the edge' having told Tory MPs 'none' of the party's manifesto promises should be axed. The picture of a divided nation comes as wider polls on whether Brexit is the right thing to do showing Remain generally having a small lead Eurosceptic Tory MPs also erupted last night after a Bill to delay Brexit and avoid No Deal was 'rammed through' the Commons in a single day by Labour remainer Yvette Cooper and Tory Sir Oliver Letwin by one vote, with 20 Tories helping it through by backing it or abstaining. 17 of those were ex-ministers. After the Bill passed Tory ERG stalwart Mark Francois yelled: 'The public won't be impressed by this. Forgive them Father for they know not what they do'. The PM's furious backbenchers are demanding a new vote to throw Mrs May out of No 10 - with up to 100 of her rank-and-file MPs said to be considering going on strike and abstaining in all Commons votes. And scores of grassroots Tory members have been cutting up their membership cards in protest at Mrs May's Brexit olive branch to Mr Corbyn - who himself is facing a rebellion in his own party because his MPs want a second referendum. Unsurprisingly, there is a huge split between Leave and Remain voters on whether Britain should Leave with No Deal if Mrs May fails to find a breakthrough. 82 per cent of Leave voters would rather crash out - compared to 76 per cent of Remain voters who would rather cancel Brexit altogether An ethics committee has recommended a three-month, unpaid suspension for a New Jersey judge who told a sexual assault victim to 'close your legs'. The committee released its recommendation to the state Supreme Court on Wednesday in the case of Superior Court Judge John Russo, who sits on the bench in Ocean County in southern New Jersey. Their recommendation comes just weeks after one of Russo's former law clerks accused him of sexual harassment. The sexual assault victim appeared before Russo in May 2016 to seek a restraining order against her attacker. When the woman described her encounter with the man, Russo asked her: 'Do you know how to stop somebody from having intercourse with you?' An ethics committee has recommended a three-month, unpaid suspension for Superior Court Judge John Russo after he told a sexual assault victim to 'close your legs' 'To run away or try to get away,' the woman responded, according to the transcript. 'Run away, get away. Anything else?' Russo asked. 'I - that's all I know,' the woman replied. 'Block your body parts? Close your legs? Call the police?' Russo pressed. 'Did you do any of those things?' The ethics committee found that Russo's conduct toward the woman demonstrated 'an emotional immaturity wholly unbefitting the judicial office and incompatible with the decorum expected of every jurist'. Russo's conduct 'was not only discourteous and inappropriate, but also egregious given the potential for those questions to re-victimize the plaintiff,' the panel wrote. Five members of the nine-member review panel recommended a three-month suspension for Russo, while four recommended that he be suspended for six months due to the 'severity of this misconduct,' according to NJ.com. In addition to the suspension, the panel recommended that Russo be required to attend training on 'appropriate courtroom demeanor.' The Supreme Court will make a final ruling on July 9. The ethics review panel also concluded that Russo violated rules of conduct on other occasions, including when he ruled on an alimony case in which he acknowledged he knew both parties. In that case, according to the complaint, Russo reversed an order by another judge who had issued a bench warrant for the man unless he paid $10,000 in back alimony. Russo ultimately reduced that to $300. Problems have continued to pile up for Russo after he was accused of sexual harassment last month by his former law clerk Valisha Desir, who began working for him in January 2017. Desir alleged that Russo regularly placed himself in 'unusually close proximity' to her and frequently invaded her personal space, according to the New Jersey Law Journal. In one such incident, Desir said Russo called her into his office while he was sitting with his legs 'spread wide open'. He repeatedly asked the clerk to come closer to him. When she refused, he told her to 'get out of here', according to Desir's lawsuit. On another occasion, Russo allegedly told Desir that his wife had complained the clerk was too attractive to work with him, so the judge gave his wife a pass to cheat on him. Desir, who is black and of Haitian descent, said Russo once asked her how it felt to be 'colonized' and questioned whether the children in her family all had the same father. Russo also repeatedly told Desir that he could ruin careers, including a former governor as well as his own ex-wife, the suit claims. The clerk told Orange County assignment judge Marlene Lynch Ford that she could no longer work for Russo in April 2017, the day after the judge allegedly threw a file at her. A month later Russo - who makes $165,000 a year - was placed on paid administrative leave, where he stayed until returning to the bench in December 2018. Harrowing footage shows the moment a woman was left with a knife lodged in her stomach after an argument in a California parking lot took a violent turn. Police released surveillance video of the stabbing at around 10.30pm on Tuesday in Huntington Beach. The woman, who has not been identified, can be seen kicking the passenger-side door of a white sedan before a man appears to stab her from inside the car while another man watches. The victim then staggers away from the car with what appears to be a knife handle protruding from her abdomen. Shocking surveillance footage captured the moment a woman was stabbed in the stomach during an argument with two men on Tuesday night in Huntington Beach, California The victim staggers away from the car with the knife handle protruding from her abdomen Multiple witnesses reported the incident to authorities, who arrived on the scene and found the woman with the knife still in her stomach. She was taken to a hospital and treated for non-life-threatening injuries. The car in the video was found near the scene of the stabbing soon after. Police identified the alleged attacker as 23-year-old Brandon Lebrun of Glendora. He has been booked for assault with a deadly weapon. Dominic Piraino, a 19-year-old from Covina who was allegedly driving the vehicle, was also arrested and booked for assault with a deadly weapon as well as attempted murder. Authorities said the official charges against both men will be determined by the district attorney's office. Several witnesses reported the incident to police, who are pictured at the scene. Officials identified the alleged attacker as 23-year-old Brandon Lebrun. He has been booked for assault with a deadly weapon. Dominic Piraino, a 19-year-old who was allegedly driving the car, was also arrested and booked for assault with a deadly weapon as well as attempted murder This is the moment a student says 'my mother is going to kill me' as he is snared by paedophile hunters. Alexander Stafford thought he had been chatting to a 15-year-old boy over dating site Grindr but had been duped by Guardians of the North, who had set up the fake profile. Newcastle Crown Court heard within three hours of the conversation starting, the 22-year-old, who was studying at Sunderland University, had arranged to meet the youth for sexual activity. But when Stafford turned up at his local Tesco to meet the boy, he was confronted by Guardians of the North, who were armed with a camera and had alerted the police. Stafford was caught out on video camera by paedophile hunters Guardians of the North Alexander Stafford thought he had been chatting to a 15-year-old boy over dating site Grindr But had been duped by Guardians of the North, who had set up the fake profile on the app When Stafford turned up at his local Tesco to meet the boy, he was confronted by Guardians of the North Judge Amanda Rippon deferred sentence for five months, to give Stafford a chance to find a psychiatrist who could set up a treatment plan abroad, as part of a sentence imposed in the UK Stafford, from Sunderland, was arrested and confessed to police he 'wasn't sure' if he posed a risk to real children. Prosecutor Paul Cleasby told the court: 'He went on to offer thanks to Guardians of the North for preventing him from committing a serious sexual offence.' Stafford, who had had already sought professional help to address his problems, pleaded guilty to attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming. The court heard Stafford had started chatting with who he thought was 'Richard', who he was told was 15, on a Sunday morning last September. Mr Cleasby added: 'The meeting was arranged for within three hours of the initial contact. 'The attempt to commit a sexual offence was within three hours of the first conversation with someone he believed to be a child.' Alexander Stafford (pictured) must sign the sex offenders register before he leaves the country. The court heard he is due to go back to Cyprus, where he lives with his mother The court heard Stafford, who has never been in trouble before, is now due to go back to Cyprus, where he lives with his mother. Judge Amanda Rippon deferred sentence for five months, to give Stafford a chance to find a psychiatrist who could set up a treatment plan abroad, as part of a sentence imposed in the UK. Judge Rippon said Stafford must sign the sex offenders register before he leaves the country. The judge added: 'I am doing the best I can for the wider public in the first instance, to try to ensure the risk that you pose is diminished.' Judge Rippon told Stafford: 'I think the risk you pose will be managed better if you can go home and into the support of your family. 'But please understand, I will not hesitate to lock you up, if I think that is the only course available to me.' Andrew Walker, defending, said Stafford will abide by any order imposed by the court and will co-operate with the authorities. A British father accused of terror offences after travelling to Syria and Iraq to fight against ISIS said he joined Kurdish forces as a 'last line of defence against scumbags' who threatened the UK. Aidan James, 28, allegedly trained and fought alongside Kurdish militias the PKK and YPG for four months in 2017. He is on trial at the Old Bailey accused of preparing acts of terror with the proscribed PKK. But the court heard James told police he wanted to fight ISIS because he 'could not sit at home and watch people getting f***ing butchered'. Aidan James, 28, is pictured in the UK shortly before leaving in 2017. He is on trial at the Old Bailey accused of preparing acts of terror with the proscribed PKK After being warned by police, he claimed he only wanted to 'provide humanitarian aid' in Syria. The Old Bailey was told James had been turned down by every branch of the armed forces for mental health reasons. The court also saw video clips of James in Iraq firing weapons, describing the heat and making 'peace' gestures with his fingers. Aidan James is pictured alongside two others in Rojava, Syria, wishing his friends and family Merry Christmas. James denies one charge of preparing acts of terrorism and two of attending terrorist training camps in Iraq and Syria Jurors today saw video clips of Aiden James, 28, in Iraq training with a Kurdish militia. He allegedly committed terror offences by training and fighting with proscribed group the PKK Jurors heard James told police he 'just wanted to provide humanitarian aid' but saw video footage of him firing weapons James also told police he wanted to fight alongside the Kurdish militia because they were the 'last line of defence' against ISIS 'scumbags who want to hurt us' Authorities became aware of his intentions to flee to Syria and arrested him in April 2017, months before his eventual departure. Jurors heard extracts from his police interview in which he described his arrest as 'ridiculous'. The police had been alerted to his plans by a Facebook post in which James said: 'Road to Rojava starts here,' referring to Kurdish territory in North Eastern Syria. He had added: 'Three weeks from now, we will be in Syria fighting side by side with the brothers in arms against the sick regime and ideologies of the so-called Daesh and other Islamic extremists. I don't care for people's opinions, this is what I want to do and need to do.' But when asked by police about the post, James said he meant he only wanted to 'support' those fighting ISIS. In the interview he said: 'When I say I'm going fighting, I mean going to support brothers in arms, not as in going fighting, as in brothers locked in arms, do you know what I mean? 'Being with someone, brothers and that, not as in brothers in arms, so you can see that difference.' He added he saw a unit of Kurdish fighters called the Rojava Lions, as 'soldiers' and 'warriors', adding: 'Should be proud of people like that, they're fighting for our freedom.' Aidan James, 28, pictured, spent four months fighting ISIS in Iraq and Syria in 2017 but is on trial for terror offences after training with proscribed organisation the Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) One journal entry, pictured, said James wanted to fight ISIS to 'make a difference' rather than feeling 'worthless' in the UK He complained of 'them scum bags coming over here and hurting us' and said the Kurds were the 'last line of defence against them people.' He said ISIS had 's*** ideologies' and added: 'They're not Islam, they f**king shame the Muslim creed. No Muslims, them.' 'If I don't do it, nobody will. People just sit at home and watch it on tele (sic), watching videos on Youtube, viewing atrocities and that. 'Just, like sitting on your a**e is not going change the world is it, do you know what I mean? 'These people are not going to stop anyone, it's not going to change anything, sitting here, sending off a tenner for charity and that, what's that going to do to help someone?' James added: 'You can't sit at home and watch people getting f***ing butchered because it's another country. They think, "It's OK, yeh, it's not in my country". They think, "It doesn't bother me". An IS flag (above) has a caption: "This is the evil flag of the world's enemy ISIS, Daesh. IS flag (took) from a window in Deir Ezzor by me. F*** Daesh!!" The court heard James finally returned to Liverpool John Lennon airport on February 14 last year on flights via Baghdad, Amman and Amsterdam 'It f***ing p****s me off, sorry for my language, but it does. I hate the fact that people just sit on their a**e and do nothing while all these atrocities is going off, do you know what I mean? It's not right. 'It's not what I want to do, I feel like I have to do, you know what I mean, it's not like a choice, I feel like I need to go there and help people.' James insisted that he was 'not going to be on the front line' and was not fighting, but added: 'Nothing will stop me going, even if you take my passport off me, I will still find a way to go. Nothing will stop me going over there to help people at all, but nothing.' On his attempts to get into the armed forces, he said: 'I applied for the Army, and the TA, the Navy and the RAF for years and years and years. Are you happy I'm not a f***ing terrorist now?' DC Steve Kilburn told him: 'The worrying thing is, from a safeguarding point of view, from us, we would very strongly advise you against travel or trying to travel. 'We do have genuine concerns for people who want to travel to a conflict zone, British citizens.' James, a father-of-one, pictured with an RPG, wrote a journal about his experiences using a variety of weapons and added that ISIS was the 'biggest threat to the world since Hitler' A trained negotiator tried to convince the 28-year-old to come back for his family. Pictured is James, of Merseyside, holding his plane tickets ahead of his journey James said he thought his arrest was 'ridiculous to be honest' adding: 'I just think it's stupid. There was no need to arrest me at all, it's not like I'm a Daesh [ISIS] sympathiser or anything like that.' He said he was going on a ten-day Thomson package holiday to Turkey to relax before going on to Syria to 'assist in humanitarian aid.' The court previously heard James kept a diary about his experiences in which he wrote about his joy at battling ISIS and when he shot a jihadi dead from 500 yards away he described himself as 'very happy to get rid of another rat' 'I've researched everything, I've learned Kurdish, I've read the Koran, I've gone into everything, all the conflict that's going on, political stuff, everything to do with it,' he added. James claimed he had been studying 'for years' and planned going over there for the past couple of years, adding: 'To help people, to help people. I won't emphasise that enough, to help people. ' He said he wanted to offer first aid to locals and help them learn English, adding that he had also trained as a firefighter. James was put in touch with a police officer from the Prevent deradicalisation programme, DCI John Ward, who visited him two days later and spoke to him in the back of a police car. DC Ward told the court that his job was to work with individuals in the 'pre-criminal space' who were showing interest in joining extremist or terrorist organisations. He said they tried to offer help with mental health, career opportunities, further education, and housing to try and 'steer them on a different path.' DC Ward met James four times in one month alone and helped him sort out housing. In July 2017, the decision was taken to that no further action would be taken against him and his passport was returned. Prosecutor Kelly Brocklehurst said: 'He indicated that perhaps he was starting to see things differently following his engagement with Prevent. He said he would not be going anywhere.' James is pictured here going through airport security and he was not stopped despite having been arrested by Prevent months earlier The officer gave him a letter warning of the dangers of travelling to Syria but the following month, James caught a flight to Iraq and crossed over the border. The letter was found in the back of his diary when he returned to Britain in February 2018. James denies one charge of preparing acts of terrorism and two of attending terrorist training camps in Iraq and Syria. James is pictured while fighting with the YPK. He was contacted by Prevent who urged him to return The court previously heard James kept a diary about his experiences in which he wrote about his joy at battling ISIS and when he shot a jihadi dead from 500 yards away he described himself as 'very happy to get rid of another rat'. He also wrote about ISIS being 'the biggest threat since Hitler' and that he drove around in armoured vehicles 'like Mad Max'. The court also heard extracts from conversations between James and the police while he was in Syria, with a trained negotiator used to try to convince him to come home. But James told the officer 'all I have is s*** at home' and that he wanted to 'make a difference' in Syria. In mid-December Jones began to write about returning to the UK: 'starting to think about going home because Daesh is nearly done.' By 27 December, Jones had expressed a desire to go home and began to write about his experience with the YGP in hindsight. He listed memories where he 'fought in front lines', 'killed Daesh soldiers', 'fought Assad's regime,' and 'been shot at many times by Daesh and our own guys.' The court heard he finally returned to Liverpool John Lennon airport on February 14 last year on flights via Baghdad, Amman and Amsterdam. James, from Formby, denies preparing for acts of terrorism and two counts of attending a place where instruction or training was provided for purposes connected to the commission or preparation of terrorism. His trial continues. A seven-year-old boy is fighting for his life after plummeting 88ft from the ninth floor of a Russian apartment block. The child, named as Aleksey, was waving goodbye to his mother as she set off to take his sister to kindergarten when he plunged to the ground in St Petersburg, Russia. The boy bent over the balcony railings but lost his balance and fell down from the ninth floor. After the fall, Aleksey got to his feet and walked away but soon after his condition worsened. The seven-year-old boy fell from a ninth floor apartment in Russia's second city St Petersburg Little Aleksey survived the drop after falling from the balcony in the city of St Petersburg in northwestern Russias Leningrad Oblast region. The boy told the doctors that he wanted to wave his mother, who was taking his younger sister to a kindergarten. To do so, he went to the balcony and bent over the railings waiting for his family to come into view. But at one point the child lost his balance and fell down from the ninth floor. Reports say Aleksey landed on the bushes growing in the block of flats yard which softened his fall. After the 88 feet drop, Aleksey managed to get back to his feet and soon was spotted wandering in the yard by neighbours. The witnesses, who called emergency services, said that the boy seemed to be disoriented and in a state of shock. Lyubov Sokolova, a neighbour who contacted the boys mother after he was spotted alone in the yard, said: 'He [Aleksey] told me that he fell from his balcony. I called his mother immediately and she rushed home. 'The boy did not have any blood on him or visible injuries except a scratch on one of his hands. 'Though he burst into tears from time to time. I think he was in a state of shock.' After the 88 feet drop, Aleksey managed to get back to his feet but was rushed to hospital soon after. Pictured: The spot where he hit the ground Aleksey was rushed to the Children Hospital and examined by doctors. Because the boy did not complain of pain the doctors decided he was fine and let him go home. Svetlana Vakhrusheva, the hospital spokeswoman, said: 'Regarding the height, you can say it was a miracle that the boy survived. The boy was discharged from the hospital right after medical examination.' But soon after being let go home, Aleksey felt bad and his condition started deteriorating. This time he was rushed in the intensive care unit and diagnosed with a brain concussion and abdominal trauma. Artem Katulin, a trauma doctor said to local media: 'It is most likely the boy was in a state of shock after the fall. 'He did not break any of his bones and just walk away. 'He did not have external injuries but could have the internal ones. The ultrasound should be performed in such cases.' The boy is in serious condition and is fighting for his life now. His desperate parents are in the hospital. They are praying for their beloved son. South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, a breakout candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, argued Thursday that the word socialist has 'lost all power - especially for my generation of power.' Buttigieg also is teasing a big announcement on April 14 in with a video on Twitter that jokes about how difficult it is to pronounce his last name, calling it the 'first hurdle' he had to overcome when he announced he was exploring a bid for the White House. The 37 year old is pushing himself as a candidate 'for a new era' as he undertakes a long shot bid for the presidency. And he's pushing back against party labels as Democrats face a battle between the liberal left and their more centrists wings. South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg is teasing a big announcement on April 14 EXCLUSIVE: Pete Buttigieg on whether "socialist" label could be liability for Democrats: "That trick has been tried so many times, I think it's losing all meaning." "The Affordable Care Act was a conservative idea...and they called that socialist." https://t.co/TXEqYC7Pl3 pic.twitter.com/NsYtZBSdXv ABC News (@ABC) April 4, 2019 'The president is adopting a tactic that takes us back to the darkest days of the '50s when you could use the word socialist to kill somebody's career or to kill an idea but that trick has been tried so many times that I think it's losing all meaning,' Buttigieg said on ABC's 'Good Morning America.' 'The Affordable Care Act was a conservative idea that Democrats borrowed and called that socialist so it's like the boy who cried wolf. It's lost all power - especially for my generation of voters. Folks want to know whether an idea is a good idea or not and slapping a label on it especially in a careless way that doesn't make any sense, I don't think it moves the debate,' he added. On January 23, Buttigieg declared he was looking at forming an exploratory committee to run for the Democratic presidential nomination. A town hall meeting at South by Southwest in March - where he called out Vice President Mike Pence, an evangelic Christian, for serving in the 'porn star presidency' - pushed him into the national spotlight. It's not the first time he was tough on Trump administration. When Buttigieg ran for Democratic National Committee chairman in 2017, he called Trump a 'draft-dodging chickenhawk.' 'I'll be damned if we're going to have a draft-dodging chickenhawk president of the United States - who thinks he's too smart to read his own intelligence briefings - ordering the people I served with back into another conflict because he can't be bothered to do his job properly,' he said at a forum in Baltimore. Buttigieg, who was deployed to Afghanistan while in the Navy Reserves, argued hypocrisy needs to be called out. Mayor Pete Buttigieg (right) is one of the latest Democrats to enter the 2020 presidential fray, but it's his husband Chasten Buttigieg who is leading the race in most popular candidate for 'First Gent' 'I worked hard to make sure when we oppose this president we're not emulating him. But we do need to call out hypocrisy when we see it and when we have people wrapping themselves in the flag who evidently faked a disability in order to get out of serving, when you have somebody seeming to want to impose his religion on others as the vice president has and at the same time teaming up with the presidency that seems to have no regard for at least what I would consider to be Christian values, I do think that hypocrisy needs to be called out forcefully but we need to be factual and we need to be honest and we do in resolving all of this disagreement need to be decent as well,' he said. Buttigieg, who is the first openly gay politician to run for president, staked out the middle ground in his morning show appearance. He said he supports 'Medicare for all' - a progressive idea - but described a new way to look at that healthcare option. 'I think the way to do it because any politician who lets the word medicare for all come out of their mouth ought to explain a pathway to get there. It is a public option. You might call it medicare for all who want it. Take a version of it, invite anyone who wants to buy in buy into it,' he said on 'GMA.' Buttigieg also said he's glad former Vice President Biden spoke out about the 'inappropriate touching' allegations against him but noted there's now a higher-standard for those in public life and those running need to accept that. 'What's happening is we are all in this moment where higher standards are being appropriately applied to people in public life and I think it's good that the vice president addressed it. I'll leave it to him to talk about that particular case. But I think anybody who wants to be considered for the highest office in the land needs to be able to really accept that higher standard,' he said. Buttigieg raised an impressive $7 million in the first quarter of fundraising. Warrington (pictured outside Oxford Magistrates' Court today) has been banned from a main road heading into Little Faringdon A man who left unwanted items at the home of supermodel Kate Moss was given a restraining order today. William Warrington was 'indefinitely' banned from a main road in Oxfordshire by way of a 'non-conviction restraining order'. The 37-year-old's actions 'caused distress to the celebrity in question and her family', prosecutor Richard Atkins told Oxford Magistrates' Court. Warrington, of Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire, is said to have left the items at her home in Little Faringdon between September 12 and October 13 last year. Mr Atkins said: 'Mr Warrington has no intention of ever contacting the lady in question. 'He has been advised on terms and scope of an order and consequences of him breaching it. This is a non-conviction restraining order.' Magistrate David Kinchin told Warrington: 'We are making this restraining order to protect Kate Moss, her family and employees. 'The order will prohibit you from contacting directly or indirectly Kate Moss. That includes any form of social media.' Warrington left unwanted items at the home of Kate Moss (pictured yesterday in West London) and caused distress to the supermodel Warrington, who was clean shaven and wore a suit, was told he cannot attend a main road into Little Faringdon.' Mr Kinchin added: 'This order is made for an indefinite period. If you do any of those things you commit a serious offence for which you could be sent to prison.' Donald Trump blasted The New York Times on Thursday over a story that suggested Special Counsel Robert Mueller's final report might be more damaging to the president than Attorney General William Barrr's four-page synopsis of its conclusions indicated nearly two weeks ago. The president directly attacked the newspaper's ethics, saying the story couldn't possibly be based on information from people with actual knowledge of what the report contains. The Times 'had no legitimate sources, which would be totally illegal,' he said, complaining about the kind of press leaks that have made large segments of his administration fertile hunting ground for journalists. 'In fact, they probably had no sources at all!' he said. A Times spokeswoman did not respond to a request for comment, but the paper's PR office tweeted a broadside back inthe direction of the Oval Office. 'False,' read the tweet. 'Our reporters interviewed multiple government officials and others to gather the facts for the story.' President Donald Trump lashed out at The New York Times on Thursday for claiming discontent among Speical Counsel Robret Mueller's team about how their final report was characterized by Attorney General William Barr Trump claimed on Twitter that it would be illegal for Justice Department officials to leak anything to the Times, meaning they 'probably had no sources at all' The Times fired back, saying reporters 'interviewed multiple government officials and others, but didn't say any of them had first-hand knowledge The article described conversations with 'government officials and others' who conveyed second- and third-hand information, including what some of Mueller's investigators reportedly 'told associates.' Its central conclusion was that some on Mueller's team thought Barr's March 24 letter to a quartet of congressional leaders understated the seriousness of evidence that Trump obstructed justice. The Washington Post, in its own story, reached some of the same decisions based on second-hand reporting about what 'members of Muellers team have complained to close associates' about. Both the Times and the Post reporter that that Mueller's team prepared its own report summaries with the expectation that they might be released to the public something Barr, a Trump appointee, pre-empted with his own summary. The Justice Department said Thursday, however, the final Mueller report was littered with warnings about 'protected' material that would need to be vetted before any public release.. 'Every page of the confidential report provided to Attorney General Barr on March 22, 2019 was marked may contain material protected under Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 6(e) a law that protects confidential grand jury information and therefore could not be publicly released,' according to a Justice Department statement Thursday. 'Given the extraordinary public interest in the matter, the attorney general decided to release the reports bottom-line findings and its conclusions immediately without attempting to summarize the report, with the understanding that the report itself would be released after the redaction process,' according to the statement. Members of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's (left) team are reportedly unhappy with Attorney General William Barr's (right) four-page summary of their investigation The statement reasserted what Barr wrote in his letter to Congress: 'He does not believe the report should be released in serial or piecemeal fashion.' It also said the department is 'continuing to work on redactions' a process that Barr has said should allow him to provide a redacted report to Congress within weeks. Trump has long complained about newspapers' unfavorable coverage of him, taking special aim at the use of unnamed sources to draw conclusions that impact elections and move markets. He tweeted Thursday that the Times is a 'Fake News paper' that has previously 'been forced to apologize for their incorrect and very bad reporting on me!' That's a recurring claim based on a Times editorial published days after the 2016 election in which the paper's publisher wrote about how his team would regroup after failing, like much of America's media industry, to understand the Trump phenomenon. 'We will rededicate ourselves to the fundamental mission of Times journalism. That is to report America and the world honestly, without fear or favor, striving always to understand and reflect all political perspectives and life experiences in the stories that we bring to you,' Arthur Sulzberger Jr. wrote, never directly apologizing to Trump or the paper's readers. The Times reported Wednesday that some members of Muellers team believe Barr should have included more of their material in the summary he released on March 24 of the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign. The Times said the officials and other sources declined to flesh out why some of the special counsels investigators viewed their findings as potentially more damaging for the president than Barr explained. It was also not clear how widespread among Muellers team, which included dozens of lawyers and investigators, are concerns about differences between Barrs summary and Muellers report, the Times said. Barr, a Trump appointee, said in the summary that Mueller did not establish that the Trump campaign conspired with Russia during the election. Barr also said the special counsel did not exonerate Trump on obstruction of justice. Barr himself subsequently concluded that Muellers inquiry had not found sufficient evidence to warrant criminal obstruction charges against Trump. Trump and the White House have hailed the conclusions as a victory for the president, who has denied conspiring with Russians or obstructing justice. The attorney general has pledged to release the nearly 400-page report by mid-April with certain portions blacked out for reasons such as protecting secret grand jury information and intelligence-gathering sources and methods. The New York Times reported on Wednesday that members of Mueller's team say Barr did not accurately describe the findings of their investigation, which are more damaging to President Trump (seen above at the White House on Wednesday) than originally thought The Democratic-led House of Representatives Judiciary Committee voted on Wednesday to enable its chairman, Jerrold Nadler, to subpoena the Justice Department to obtain Muellers unredacted report and all underlying evidence as well as documents and testimony from five former Trump aides, including political strategist Steve Bannon. Trump cheered the outcome of the Mueller report - or, at least, Barr's summary of it - but also laid bare his resentment after two years of investigations that have shadowed his administration. 'Its a shame that our country has had to go through this. To be honest, its 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 presidents attorney general hardly put him in the clear. READ IN FULL: Attorney General Barr's letter to Congress summarizing the Mueller investigation findings Advertisement Muellers 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 Departments 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 presidents 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 Trumps 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 Barrs 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 Trumps favor. The attorney general said he and Rosenstein had determined that Muellers 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. Firefighter Brian Hartzler is one of four men arrested in prostitution sting after he allegedly tried to solicit sex acts from an undercover officer while in uniform A Florida firefighter was one of four men arrested in a prostitution sting after he allegedly tried to solicit sex acts from an undercover officer while in uniform. Brian Hartzler, 46, has been charged with one count of soliciting another to commit prostitution. Hartzler, who was hired by Tampa Fire Rescue in December 2017, is said to have approached the undercover detective in his duty uniform. The fire service's spokesman Jason Penny told The Tampa Bay Times he still works for the agency but they will make a final decision regarding that once information from Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office has been reviewed. His arrest was part of 'a multi-faceted approach at combating human trafficking', police have said. Hartzler, who says he has been married since 1996 on Facebook, was booked into Hillsborough County Jail and released on $500 bond Thursday. Married Hartzler, who was hired by Tampa Fire Rescue in December 2017, is said to have approached the an undercover detective in his duty uniform Jawuan S. Hicks, 25; Curtis A. Hargrove, 30; Lucio Martinez, 44, (left to right) were all arrested in the sting involving undercover officers in the University Community area of Tampa Three other men, Jawuan Shaquille Hicks, 25, Lucio Martinez, 44 and 30-year-old Curtis Antoinne Hargrove, were also caught as part of the sting, according to reports. Sheriff Chad Chronister said: 'Today's arrests were just one prong in a multi-faceted approach at combating human trafficking. 'By attacking prostitution head on, we are trying to take away the financial incentive behind trafficking and hopefully it sends a message to others that this won't be tolerated in Hillsborough County.' A total of 17 men engaged with the undercover officers in the University Community area of Tampa. Four were then arrested Wednesday on charges of soliciting another to commit prostitution. House Judiciary Committee Jerry Nadler is demanding all communications between the Justice Department and the special counsel's office over the release of the Mueller report after leaks revealed prosecutors say the attorney general's own summary letter wasn't accurate. The powerful Judiciary chair is also demanding any summary materials drafted by Mueller's team following reports Barr chose not to release writings prosecutors drafted with the intention of having them be released to the public. Central to the battle for information has been a four-page letter by Barr that President Trump has used to claim complete exoneration after the two-year Russia probe, with Congress still yet to get a look at the report itself or even its summary materials. Members of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's (left) team are reportedly unhappy with Attorney General William Barr's (right) four-page summary of their investigation Nadler's request, in the form of a letter released Thursday afternoon, follows reports that Mueller's prosecutors produced their own summary material that could have been released to the public. Instead, Attorney General William Barr produced his own four-page letter on the Muller report which according to leaks Mueller's team believes is more generous to the president than the actual 400-page report. Among the latest revelations are reports of tension within Mueller's team on whether there was enough information to charge President Trump with obstruction . 'You have already provided an interpretation of the special counsel's conclusions in a fashion that appears to minimize the implications of the report as to the president,' Nadler wrote Barr in the letter. 'Releasing the summarieswithout delaywould begin to allow the American people to judge the facts for themselves.' House Judiciary Committee Jerry Nadler of New York is demanding all communications between the Justice Department and the special counsel's office over the release of the Mueller report Nadler referenced a Washington Post report that prosecutors were 'particularly disappointed' to see Barr did not release summary information that they had prepared with an eye toward disclosure, with minimal redactions needed. Nadler wrote that those summaries 'should be publicly released as soon as possible.' Nadler sent out the demand for information after Barr pushed back earlier Thursday after leaks claimed Mueller's report is more damaging to President Trump than the law officer's four-page summary letter implies. NBC News reported that there was a split among Mueller's team, and that the evidence Trump sought to impede the Russia probe was stronger that Barr's own letter suggested. Democrats have spent days blasting Barr's letter published two days after Mueller's report was finished, which said the special counsel had cleared Donald Trump of collusion, and that Barr himself was clearing the president of obstructing justice. But government officials have told the New York Times and Washington Post that Mueller's team have warned that the 400-page report contains findings more damaging to Trump than Barr's letter suggests. The reports say that Mueller's team drafted their own summaries, with the expectation that they might be released to the public something Barr, a Trump appointee, pre-empted with his own summary. But in a new Justice Department statement Thursday, Barr states that the entire report contained a warning that it may contain 'protected' material which presumably could not be released to the public. 'Every page of the confidential report provided to Attorney General Barr on March 22, 2019 was marked may contain material protected under Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 6(e) a law that protects confidential grand jury information and therefore could not be publicly released,' according to a Justice Department statement Thursday. 'Given the extraordinary public interest in the matter, the attorney general decided to release the report's bottom-line findings and its conclusions immediately without attempting to summarize the report, with the understanding that the report itself would be released after the redaction process,' according to the statement. The statement reasserted what Barr wrote in his letter to Congress: 'He does not believe the report should be released in serial or piecemeal fashion.' It also said the department is 'continuing to work on redactions' a process that Barr has said should allow him to provide a redacted report to Congress within weeks. Trump kicked off the push-back Thursday morning, tweeting that he experienced 'the highest level of Presidential Harassment in the history of our Country!' In another tweet he attacked the New York Times, which along with the Washington Post reported on the complaints from Mueller's team. 'The New York Times had no legitimate sources, which would be totally illegal, concerning the Mueller Report. In fact, they probably had no sources at all! They are a Fake News paper who have already been forced to apologize for their incorrect and very bad reporting on me!' Trump tweeted. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also weighed in on the topic Thursday: 'There's an easy answer to this. Release the Mueller report,' she said. The move comes as some of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigators have warned that the findings of their probe are much more damaging for President Trump than Attorney General William Barr indicated in his four-page summary, The New York Times reported on Wednesday. Citing government officials and others familiar with the situation, the Times said some members of Mueller's team believe Barr should have included more of their material in the summary he released on March 24 of the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign. The Times said the officials and other sources declined to flesh out why some of the special counsel's investigators viewed their findings as potentially more damaging for the president than Barr explained. It was also not clear how widespread among Mueller's team, which included dozens of lawyers and investigators, are concerns about differences between Barr's summary and Mueller's report, the Times said. Peter Carr, a spokesman for Mueller, declined to comment. The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Barr, a Trump appointee, said in the summary that Mueller did not establish that the Trump campaign conspired with Russia during the election. Barr also said the special counsel did not exonerate Trump on obstruction of justice. Barr himself subsequently concluded that Mueller's inquiry had not found sufficient evidence to warrant criminal obstruction charges against Trump. Trump and the White House have hailed the conclusions as a victory for the president, who has denied conspiring with Russians or obstructing justice. The attorney general has pledged to release the nearly 400-page report by mid-April with certain portions blacked out for reasons such as protecting secret grand jury information and intelligence-gathering sources and methods. The New York Times reported on Wednesday that members of Mueller's team say Barr did not accurately describe the findings of their investigation, which are more damaging to President Trump (seen above at the White House on Wednesday) than originally thought The Democratic-led House of Representatives Judiciary Committee voted on Wednesday to enable its chairman, Jerrold Nadler, to subpoena the Justice Department to obtain Mueller's unredacted report and all underlying evidence as well as documents and testimony from five former Trump aides, including political strategist Steve Bannon. Trump cheered the outcome of the Mueller report - or, at least, Barr's summary of it - 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. READ IN FULL: Attorney General Barr's letter to Congress summarizing the Mueller investigation findings Advertisement 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 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. Dana Abdullah, pictured, stabbed his estranged wife Avan Najmadeen, 32, some 50 times after she refused to support his asylum application A convicted paedophile and illegal immigrant who murdered his estranged wife after she refused to support his application to stay in the UK will serve a minimum of 18 years and eight months in prison. Iranian-born Dana Abdullah used a kitchen knife to inflict 50 wounds in a 'brutal and sustained attack' on mother-of-four Avan Najmadeen before covering her body in a white spirit on October 1 last year. The defendant, who had the same immigration lawyer as his wife, left the 32-year-old mother-of-four to die at her home in Glebedale Road, Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent. The court heard she had asked the lawyer not to co-operate with his application to remain in the country. In order to cover his tracks, Abdullah tried to create a fire or explosion in the kitchen and fled to Liverpool and then Glasgow by taxi. He eventually handed himself into a police station but only to admit being a 'failed asylum seeker', hoping to be deported and avoid prosecution for his wife's murder. Stafford Crown Court heard Abdullah had threatened to kill Ms Najmadeen before, claiming she had 'dishonoured' him after converting to Christianity. Abdullah, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to murder in February. Jailing the defendant for life on Thursday, Judge Michael Chambers QC said: 'This was, on any view, a planned and pre-meditated murder involving a brutal and sustained attack using a knife, knowing full well that it would deprive four children under the age of eight of their mother. Abdullah tried to cover up his involvement in the attack by pouring white spirits over his wife's body before trying to cause an explosion in the kitchen. Stafford Crown Court heard Abdullah had previously threatened to kill Avan Najmadeen, pictured, after she converted to Christianity in a move which he claimed dishonoured him 'It was motivated by you seeking retribution for her failure to support your immigration appeal against deportation as a failed asylum seeker. 'You entered the house and it is clear from the post-mortem and forensic evidence that you subjected her to a sustained and brutal attack.' The judge added: 'You left the premises but before doing so, took significant steps in order to conceal what you had done.' Speaking of Abdullah's previous conviction for a child sex offence, the judge said: 'It does show that you are not someone of good character and, having been deported for that matter, you chose to come back into this country illegally and have committed this very serious crime.' The 35-year-old claimed to have been tortured in Iraq after his deportation following the conviction for sexual assault on a girl under the age of 13 in 2013. Psychiatric reports suggested Abdullah, who was given a 15-month sentence for the earlier offence, suffered from PTSD due to his treatment in Iraq. Opening the facts of the case on Thursday, prosecutor Andrew Smith QC said: 'The prosecution case is that Dana Abdullah made a considered decision to murder his wife, in the context of the breakdown in their relationship and his refusal to support his visa application. 'He stabbed her to death and unsuccessfully tried to cover up that he killed her by trying to create a fire or explosion in the kitchen.' Ms Nammadiein's body was found at this house in Stoke-on-Trent following her murder in October 2018 Mr Smith then summarised a victim impact statement from Ms Najmadeem's sister Hevi, saying her death had had a 'profound emotional impact' on the family. A short extract from the statement read: 'When Dana killed my sister Avan, he killed all of us, my mother, my father and her children as well.' Abdullah's defence counsel, Charles Miskin QC, said the defendant had lived a transient, miserable and extremely difficult life and was very remorseful for what he had done. In a statement released on behalf of Ms Najmadeen's family after the hearing, they said: 'We the family of Avan Najmadiein are pleased with Dana Abdullah's guilty plea. 'For us no sentence would be long enough and will not bring Avan back to us. 'Her four boys miss her very much, all of our family do. 'We would like to thank Staffordshire Police for their help and support during the investigation.' Detective Chief Inspector Victoria Downing, of Staffordshire Police, said after the case: 'Abdullah was an arrogant and controlling man who resented the fact his wife had moved on and was refusing to help his immigration application to stay in the country. 'Avan had tried to end the relationship with Abdullah. On the day of her murder, he paid a taxi driver to take him to Avan's house, where he killed her. 'Avan suffered a total of 50 stab and slash wounds.' The House on Thursday voted to end American involvement in the Yemen war, rebuffing the Trump administration's support for the military campaign led by Saudi Arabia. The bill now heads to President Donald Trump, who is expected to veto it. The White House says the measure raises 'serious constitutional concerns,' and Congress lacks the votes to override him. By a 247-175 vote, Congress for the first time invoked the decades-old War Powers Resolution to try and stop a foreign conflict. The Senate vote was 54-46 on March 13. Congress passed a measure to end American involvement in the Yemen war, which President Trump has vowed to veto Yemeni pro-government forces take part in military operations in March 'The president will have to face the reality that Congress is no longer going to ignore its constitutional obligations when it comes to foreign policy,' said Democratic Rep. Eliot Engel of New York, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. He said the humanitarian crisis in Yemen triggered by the war 'demands moral leadership.' The war in Yemen is in its fifth year. Thousands of people have been killed and millions are on the brink of starvation. The United Nations has called the situation in Yemen the world's worst humanitarian crisis. The top Republican on the committee, Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas, acknowledged the dire situation in Yemen for civilians, but spoke out in opposition to the bill, saying it was an abuse of the War Powers Resolution. 'This radical interpretation has implications far beyond Saudi Arabia,' McCaul said. He warned that the measure could 'disrupt U.S. security cooperation agreements with more than 100 counties.' Democrats overcame a GOP attempt to divide the majority party through a procedural motion involving Israel just minutes before the Yemen vote. Republicans wanted to amend the Yemen bill with language condemning the international boycott movement and efforts to delegitimize Israel. Democrats argued the amendment would kill the Yemen resolution, and most of them voted against the Israel measure. Yemenis inspect debris of a building allegedly destroyed by a previous Saudi-led airstrike, on the fourth anniversary of the Saudi-led military campaign on Yemen, in Sana'a, Yemen on March 25 'This is about politics, this is about trying to drive a wedge into this caucus where it does not belong,' said Rep. Ted Deutch, D-Fla., said to applause from Democrats. Deutch described the boycott movement as 'economic warfare,' but called on lawmakers to vote against the amendment. 'The Jewish community also has a history of standing up against atrocities like the humanitarian crisis in Yemen. My colleagues are trying to block us from standing in support of human rights,' he said. Opposition to the Saudi-led war in Yemen gathered support last year in the aftermath of the killing of U.S.-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The Washington Post columnist was killed in October by agents of the kingdom, a close U.S. partner, while he was in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. U.S. intelligence agencies and lawmakers believe that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the murder of Khashoggi, who had written articles critical of the kingdom. Lawmakers from both parties have scrutinized U.S.-Saudi ties and criticized Trump for not condemning Saudi Arabia strongly enough. Two property developers who destroyed a home containing protected bats are facing an unlimited fine, a court had heard. Tina Kara, 34, and Jenna Kara, 29, directors of Landrose Developments Limited ordered the demolition of the home in Stanmore, north west London. The women took the approach rather than spend more time waiting for a license after soprano pipistrelle bats were found to be roosting in the roofspace. The firm was charged with destroying a breeding or resting place of an animal of a European protected species. Tina Kara, 34, and Jenna Kara, 29, admitted to 'damaging or destroying' the bat's habitat in the roof of the home in Stanmore, northwest London The two women admitted on behalf of the company to breaching Regulation 41(1)(d) and (8) of the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010. It is believed to be only the second such conviction in London under the regulations. Willesden Magistrates Court heard how the home in Dennis Lane, Stanmore contained soprano pipstrelle bats, protected since 1992. Landrose earmarked the bungalow for demolition in June 2016 and planned on building a two-storey detached property in its place. They could face an unlimited fine or even lose the property under the animal protection legislation. A report from 2014 revealed the existence of a 'day roost' suspected to contain the bats. And two years later, a pair of bats emerged from the roof tiles during a survey where four sightings took place. The property on Dennis Lane before developers knocked it down. A surveyor had given a 'low risk' warning due to the bats, but had requested a further two reports be made After Landrose requested the demolition of the site they were required to complete further surveys. When surveyor Craig Williams studied the site, he noted 'low-risk' for the bats but requested two further reports be made. Architect Dipesh Shah, 44, said: 'We had to prepare all of the relevant information to submit back to Harrow Council to discharge planning conditions. 'We had this done around September 2016. Assessors came back and saw there was no property there. 'The applicant read the original report and didn't see the importance because it said low risk.' In the reports bats were found and to continue, a European Protected Species License had to be granted by Natural England. But before the license could be granted, the house was demolished leaving inspectors to go to the council. Dectective Consable Gary Redshaw old the court: 'They went part way along the correct route. 'But then someone should have contacted Arbtech in order to prepare the licence. 'They would have to visit the site first in order to check nothing changed but the building was no longer present. 'The police were then notified and an investigation was launched. 'This was a suspected day roost. Surveys are required to determine the species of bats or to confirm a negative result beyond doubt. 'Based on the surveys conducted by Craig Williams, who works for Arbtech, there was a suspected day roost and it is illegal to destroy.' Prosecutor Andrew Herd said: 'The crown maintain that this act was carried out intentionally to avoid the process of delay. 'The roosts of two bats were destroyed - there is an unacceptable risk of harm to them. Other bats could have been using the roost at different times of the year.' Jenna Kara, from Hendon, north west London, and Tina Kara from Stanmore, admitted demolishing the building between September 21, 2016 and June 9, 2017. Defending, Vijesh Savjani said: 'There have been reports beforehand, I would call it negligent rather than deliberate. 'There was clear evidence that surveys were done before. There was a failure to take reasonable care. 'As a result of the conviction, they have been barred from certain sites, they stand at a net loss as a result of what happened.' Bat expert Jan Collins said: 'Each year we have found the vast majority of incidents with developers affect the roosts of bats. 'Historic studies have shown that its populations have been steadily decreasing since the 1980s. 'These bats have been protected since 1992.' Mr Shah and DS Squared Architects faced the same charge but were cleared following a trial. Sentencing is expected to take place on Friday, April 5. Anna Sorokin, the fake German heiress accused of lying about who she was to get multi-million dollar loans and hoodwink Manhattan's elite, wept in court again on Thursday as she faced fraud charges. Sorokin, 28, was dressed in an all-black outfit which appeared to have been put together by her stylist, unlike in previous days when she was unhappy with her outfit and forced to wear either her prison garb or a court-appointed ensemble. But the clothes, which have been a source of tension in the trial, did nothing to raise her mood. She wept at the defense table and had to be comforted by her lawyer Todd Spodek. Scroll down for video Anna Sorokin cries in court on Thursday after arriving in an all-black outfit the day after being told off by the judge for fussing about her wardrobe The 28-year-old wept behind her 'signature' Celine sunglasses as she listened to the proceedings Sorokn wore an all black outfit on Thursday which included a black blouse which appeared to have been selected for her by her stylist Sorokin is accused of using her alias, Anna Delvey, to try to swindle bankers out of $22million to fund a private arts club. She allegedly told them she had a $68million fortune and was a German heiress. She also allegedly skipped out on hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of hotel and restaurant bills before being arrested in 2018. Her trial has this week heard from one of the bankers she asked for a loan who sent her explicit text messages after their first meeting. On Wednesday, she delayed proceedings by refusing to come out because she was unhappy with her outfit. Her lawyer scrambled to find clothes in a bag for her then took the outfit to her holding cell but she was still unhappy with them. Eventually, she emerged wearing a white shirt and black pants which the court had ordered her to wear. The 28-year-old was solemn at other moments once she had gained her composure Later in the day, Sorokin appeared to be in a better mood Sorokin posed as a German heiress to allegedly dupe hotels, bankers, restaurants and socialites out of millions of dollars. She is on trial for fraud 'This is the last day we're playing with clothes,' a furious Judge Diane Kiesel said on Wednesday. When Sorokin emerged, she scolded her: 'Ive had a jury here since 9:30 this morning. Judge Diane Kiesel is unimpressed with Sorokin's antics 'This is unacceptable and inappropriate... This is not a fashion show .' It is not clear who is paying Walker but Sorokin's lawyer, Spodek, said making her come to court in ordinary clothes as opposed to prison clothes was crucial. He does not want the jury to think she looks 'guilty', he said. On Wednesday, she wore the same wrinkled white shirt and black pants as last week. Her 'signature' Celine glasses and a pair of black flats completed her look. Earlier in the trial, she has worn Yves Saint Lauren, Victoria Beckham and Michael Kors. On Monday, Sorokin's trial heard how the banker she approached for a loan sent her explicit text messages after they met. Sorokin cried in her crumpled shirt and had to be consoled by Spodek who offered her a glass of water and a tissue Dennis Onabajo, a banker at the private equity fund Fortress sent Sorokin 158 texts when she was trying to secure the loan. 'I'm forcing myself not to kiss you because you are insanely beautiful,' he is alleged to have texted her, according to the New York Post. The text was sent in March 2017 after Fortress rejected her $22 million loan. Makeover: Sorokin is seen in February last year after her arrest He is also allegedly texted her after a meeting at the SoHo hotel where she was staying - 11 Howard - and said: 'Let me come upstairs and say a proper good-bye'. Her attorney brought up the flirty texts when he was questioning the banker's boss Spencer Garfield on Monday. The judge refused to let the attorney question Garfield in detail about the texts after saying he was not aware of the exchanges. Onabajo left the company about two months after Sorokin's loan was rejected. Garfield testified that Sorokin's loan was rejected because she couldn't produce proof of her fortune. Her attorney argued that Sorokin couldn't be guilty of attempted grand larceny if she wasn't close to getting the loan in the first place. Another New York banker testified last week that Sorokin seemed to 'speak the language' of the financial world during her attempt to obtain a multimillion-dollar loan. A Vermont couple has been attacked by a rabid coyote, in what state wildlife officials are assuring the public is an 'extremely rare' case. George Gilman, 79, and his wife Priscilla Gilman, 76, were walking on their farm on Monday morning in the small town of Salisbury when the coyote appeared and launched its frenzied attack, officials with the Vermont Fish & Wildlife said. George suffered bites to his right leg and Priscilla suffered bites to her right forearm and left leg in the attack by the animal that weighed an estimated 40 pounds. Gilman was able to escape the fight with the wild animal, grab his shotgun from his home, and kill the coyote. Vermont couple George Gilman, 79, and his wife Priscilla Gilman, 76, were attacked by a rabid coyote as they were walking on their Salisbury farm on Monday morning. File image above Following the attack the the Gilmans were taken to a local hospital and treated for bite wounds on their arms and legs and they were also administered four rabies vaccines. Priscilla said the wild animal 'just came out of nowhere'. 'It attacked and kept going at both of us. My husband kicked him in the head, and the coyote would back up and lunge at us again,' she said to the Rutland Herald. 'He went for my husbands throat and bit me in my arm and leg. I was just trying to get away and keep him from killing us. My husband kicked it and said, "Head for the house." We took off, and my husband was behind me,' she added. She ran to the home and George headed back out with his shotgun. 'We have a horse and a barn cat we take care of and my husband wanted to make sure that coyote was dead so he wouldnt bite somebody else,' she said. The Vermont Fish & Wildlife confirmed that the coyote tested positive for rabies They stressed that finding rabid coyotes is extremely rare As George charged towards the coyote, the rabid beast ran right towards him. 'The coyote put his mouth right over the barrel of the gun and then let go and my husband just shot him, right there,' Priscilla said. That coyote was tested positive for rabies, the Vermont Fish & Wildlife confirmed on Wednesday on Facebook. Vermont Game Warden Dale Whitlock (above) said the beast smelled and could have been bitten by a rabid skunk 'The Department of Health has confirmed that the coyote did test positive for rabies. It's worth reiterating that these cases are extremely rare and that we don't have any concerns at this time about a rabies outbreak among Vermont's coyote population,' the organization posted. Vermont Game Warden Dale Whitlock rushed to the scene after hearing of the attack and said that the coyote had the 'faint odor of a skunk' to it and could've been bitten by a rabid skunk. Whitlock, who has worked as a warden for 23 years, says he's never heard of a wild coyote attack in Vermont and called the incident 'extremely unusual behavior'. Though shocked, George and Priscilla say they won't let the attack hinder them from exploring the great outdoors. 'Were not going to stay in the house and be scared. We walk a lot. I do a lot of hiking. I just hope we never run into something like this again,' she said. A toddler died because of five major blunders by hospital staff, including one which left her without essential medicine for 60 hours - after it was withdrawn by medics. Jorgie Stanton-Watts, 23 months old, died of multiple organ failure caused by sepsis and dehydration, following a string of errors at Kettering General Hospital in Northamptonshire. She was born with no pituitary gland, making her more susceptible to infection, and she was taken to hospital because of a minor infection on October 1, 2016. An inquest heard how basic medical care was not administered correctly to the toddler, and life-saving treatment was stopped for no apparent reason, which would have saved her life. Her face was noticeably puffy, which a doctor told the inquest meant that she suffered from metabolic acidosis - a condition that occurs when the body produces excess acid. Jorgie Stanton-Watts died at Kettering General hospital of multiple organ failure caused by sepsis and dehydration Information on the medicine that was withdrawn from Jorgie is available on 'every A&E ward in the country' and missing it was like 'going into a church and missing the bible', experts said. Observation notes about the toddler were made on pieces of scrap paper which led to inaccurate record keeping and also contributed to her death. Blood tests were also not carried out and expert advice was not sought, despite Jorgie being a 'high risk patient in a high risk situation'. Her grandmother Zena Stanton, 68, told the inquest: 'We put Jorgie into the hands of the people we trusted and one of our biggest fears now is if one of the other kids becomes unwell. Who do we trust?' An inquest heard how a series of failures meant basic medical care was not administered correctly to the toddler, leading to her death Delivering his verdict on Wednesday, Northamptonshire coroner Philip Barrow said: 'The hospital have openly accepted that there were various failings. 'In my judgement it's clear at least some of those contributed to the death of Jorgie. 'It means there was a gross failure to provide basic medical attention for someone in a dependent position who clearly needed it. 'I do find that neglect was made out. Jorgie died of the effects of dehydration and sepsis to which neglect contributed. ' Northampton County Hall was told how there was a five hour delay in weighing Jorgie's nappies, which meant that a fatal fluid imbalance was missed. The toddler died following a string of errors at Kettering General Hospital in Northamptonshire She was originally, and correctly, administered intravenous hydrocortisone - but this was stopped after the first three doses. Dr Richard Stanhope said Jorgie should have actually had the drug for four to five days, before it was gradually decreased over the next few days. He told the inquest this information was in the British National Formulary - a copy of which was in every A&E department and every ward in every hospital. Mr Stanhope, who has over 40 years' experience as a paediatric endocrinologist at Great Ormond Street Hospital, said: 'It's everywhere. 'You can't miss it. It's like going into the church and missing the bible.' Paediatric endocrinologist Jeremy Kirk, from Birmingham Children's Hospital said: 'The decision to stop hydrocortisone was inappropriate. 'There were 60 hours were Jorgie was off hydrocortisone.' Her face was noticeably puffy, which a doctor told the inquest meant that she suffered from metabolic acidosis - a condition that occurs when the body produces excess acid Jorgie collapsed on the evening of October 5 and was taken to Leicester Royal Infirmary but by then there was no effective treatment they could give to save her life. She died in her father Stephen's arms on October 8. During the inquest, medical and nursing staff took to the stand and admitted errors had been made which were 'unacceptable'. The failings that led to toddler Jorgie's death FAILING ONE: A decision by consultant paediatrician Dr Rao on October 2 to stop a hydrocortisone drip that was helping Jorgie fight infection. This should have been continued for four to five days. Two medical experts agreed this contributed to her death. FAILING TWO: A failure to notice Jorgie's negative fluid balance. Jorgie had more fluid going out than she was taking in. Nappies weren't weighed 'in a timely fashion' and the fluid balance discrepancy was 'not effectively actioned'. Medical expert Dr Stanhope said that if the fluid balance had been effectively treated, Jorgie would not have died. FAILING THREE: Blood tests were not carried out. A blood test ordered on the morning of October 5, the day of Jorgie's collapse, wasn't done until 6pm and by the time the results were back 'it was too late to do anything about it'. FAILING FOUR: Advice was not sought from specialists at Leicester Royal Infirmary until it was too late. FAILING FIVE: An inability to escalate Jorgie's Pews (Paediatric Early Warning System) Score. When Jorgie was found to have a high Pews score, her care should have been escalated and observations done more frequently. These weren't carried out. Advertisement Jorgie's grandmother Zena told the inquest: 'Now it is us, Jorgie's family's chance to say how we feel about what happened - how we have lived through a nightmare that will not go away. 'We feel throughout these investigations, one thing has been forgotten - our beautiful little sunshine died, and we watched her failing and no one was listening or acting on the clear visible signs of her failing. 'We are a strong, united family and what hurts one of us hurts us all. 'We are hoping by listening to us today and seeing our pain that this will have a bigger impact than any action plan that has been drawn up will do. 'We were ignored time and time again until we had to go above the staff on the ward to get action from someone we knew would listen and act. But by then we now know it was too late.' Mother Nicola Stanton said afterwards that the family was pleased that the coroner had recorded a neglect verdict. She added: 'This is what we wanted but there are no consequences for the medical staff who failed. I won't give up here. I'll continue to fight for Jorgie. 'We've had several other families in similar situations contact us already. We want to speak to them about their experiences.' Kettering General Hospital's Director of Nursing and Quality, Leanne Hackshall, said: 'Following today's conclusion by the coroner we would like to extend our sincere apologies to Jorgie's family for the points in time when we could have done more to support her. 'Jorgie was a regular inpatient at Kettering General Hospital and our paediatric team supported her needs on many occasions working closely with specialists from Leicester Royal Infirmary. Jorgie collapsed on the evening of October 5 and was taken to Leicester Royal Infirmary but by then there was no effective treatment they could give to save her life 'The events leading up to her death have been subject to extremely detailed reviews in order to identify what more the Trust could have done to support her treatment. 'Those reviews found there were aspects of her care and monitoring that could have been better and we fully accept that. 'As a result we have carried out significant extra training and reflection with our team to address all the issues raised and improve our processes for the close monitoring of children with complex conditions. 'We would like to emphasise that the Trust has worked very hard to learn all of the lessons that can be learned from Jorgie's tragic death. 'We would also like, once again, to offer our sincere condolences to her family.' A building management company has admitted to breaching health and safety laws after a 'popular, beautiful and ambitious' woman was killed by a wooden panel that fell from a shopping centre during Storm Doris. University worker Tahnie Martin, 29, was walking past a Starbucks when she was hit and killed by a water tank cover that fell from the roof of the Mander Centre in Wolverhampton during the storm on February 23, 2017. After today's hearing, where the building's managers admitted to breaching health and safety laws, Tahnie's parents Rosie and Jim said they had been 'shattered' by the loss of their daughter. An inquest had previously heard that the panel that killed the university worker, from a mothballed plant room, was rotten with corroded fixings and may not have been maintained for almost 20 years. 'Popular, beautiful and ambitious' university worker Tahnie Martin, 29, was walking past a Starbucks when Storm Doris blew a panel off a roof, which then struck her At a hearing today, Cushman and Wakefield Debenham Tie Leung Limited, the company responsible for managing the building, accepted that it had committed a health and safety offence, which eventually led to the 29-year-old's death. A further hearing will now take place at Wolverhampton Crown Court on May 8 before a sentence is passed. Speaking after the hearing, Richard Phillips, senior solicitor for City of Wolverhampton Council, said: 'She was a popular, beautiful and ambitious young woman who had a very bright future cruelly stolen from her in the most shocking of circumstances owing to the failings of the defendant, Cushman and Wakefield Debenham Tie Leung Limited. 'City of Wolverhampton Council's environmental health team carried out a comprehensive investigation, into the circumstances around Tahnie's death and their diligence has led to this successful criminal prosecution for breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act. Tahnie had a 'very bright future', according to her parents who added that they had been 'shattered' by her death 'We welcome the guilty plea of the defendant, made at the earliest opportunity, which means the family will not have to go through the stress of a trial.' He stressed that Tahnie's death was 'preventable' and 'simply should not have happened'. Mr Phillips said: 'Had the defendant fulfilled its legal duty to properly maintain the building structures above our main high street, she would still be with her family today. 'It is our hope that this case will highlight to all those responsible for the maintenance of buildings of the need to thoroughly understand what they are responsible for and that buildings are suitably maintained to ensure such a devastating incident never occurs again.' Cushman and Wakefield Debenham Tie Leung Limited has now admitted to a health and safety offence that led to the 29-year-old's death Ms Martin, from Stafford, was pronounced dead after suffering head injuries. She was engaged to be married and, after her death, her fiance Shaun Lee paid tribute to her. Quoting 'The Beautiful and the Damned', he said: 'It is difficult to find the words. 'She had so much to look forward to. Our lives will never be the same again. 'She was beautiful, but not like those girls in the magazines. She was beautiful, for the way she thought. She was beautiful, for the sparkle in her eyes when she talked about something she loved. She had originally wanted to become a war correspondent and studied American studies and journalism at Lincoln University (left) before deciding she wanted to move into marketing Ms Martin, from Stafford originally, was pronounced dead after suffering head injuries when the panel hit her 'She was beautiful, for her ability to make other people smile, even if she was sad. No, she wasn't beautiful for something as temporary as her looks. She was beautiful, deep down to her soul.' Tahnie and Shaun first met when they were both working at adhesives firm Bostik. They met on his first day when she was trying to fix a computer. They started dating shortly afterwards and became engaged in January 2017. In her last Valentine's Day card to him, Tahnie had written how she was so excited to spend the rest of her life with him and that 2017 was going to be 'their year'. Shaun said she had originally wanted to become a war correspondent and studied American studies and journalism at Lincoln University before deciding she wanted to move into marketing. DailyMail.com has uncovered a photo showing the terse exchange between Lachlan Murdoch, his sister-in-law Kathryn and a former speechwriter for Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton at this year's event. The New York Times reported on Tuesday that Pod Save America host Jon Lovett was at the annual party in Los Angeles when he began talking to Kathryn Murdoch, who is the wife of James. Kathryn, well aware of how Lovett felt about Fox News, offered to introduce him to Lachlan, and later that night followed through on that promise. Lachlan can be seen in the photo staring down Lovett while the media scion's wife Sarah stands nearby. The three are not the focus of the image and rather in the background of the shot, which shows Oscar winner Renee Zellweger posing with Lovett's longtime boyfriend Ronan Farrow. How to win friends and influence people: This is the terse conversation between speechwriter Jon Lovett and Lachlan Murdoch (above) that was detailed in The New York Times expose of the Murdochs Drawing an audience: That photo showed Lovett and Lachlan in the background of a shot that was taken of Lovett's boyfriend Ronan Farrow and Renee Zellweger (guests are seen on right staring on as conversation gets heated) Boys: Lovett (pictured) and Farrow have been together for years, with the journalist confirming their relationship last June in an interview with David Axelrod Lovett, a former speechwriter for Obama and Hillary Clinton, was reportedly less than thrilled when he arrived to the party and learned that he would be seated with a member of the Murdoch family according to a source. That all changed when he began to speak with Kathryn, who had supported his former boss in the 2016 election, prompting a text from her father-in-law early in the evening on election night that read: 'I think your girl's going to win.' Kathryn then offered to introduce Lovett to her brother-in-law later in the evening when the topic of Fox News came up at the table. 'I dont need to talk to this person. Its not going to be pleasant for anyone,' said Lovett. Nevertheless, she persisted. Lovett ultimately proved to be a man of his word, approaching Lachlan asking: 'Do you feel proud of whats happening between 8 and 11 every night?' Lachlan responded that he was, and said the show's primetime lineup of Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham were doing a 'great job.' He then asked Lovett if there were any conservatives he would be happy to see on the channel, at which point Kathryn reportedly began listing off a number of anti-Trump Republicans. At that point Lachlan reportedly turned away to join another conversation. The Murdochs were at the party for perhaps the last time, after selling off their film assets to Disney. Lovett meanwhile was with Farrow, who confirmed the pair's relationship last June in an interview with David Axelrod. MURDOCH MADE HIS SIX CHILDREN BILLIONAIRES, BUT REFUSES TO NAME AN HEIR TO HIS EMPIRE Murdoch's heirs are now battling behind the scenes for control of the empire, with the two top contenders appearing to be his sons James and Lachlan. The brothers have had a tumultuous relationship over the years which had become more frayed than ever of recent after Lachlan was promoted over his younger brother by their father, despite James' loyalty to the family company. The media mogul is the father of six children, who range in age from 61 to 16. The oldest is Prudence, who is Murdoch's only child with his first wife, Australian model Patricia Booker. She has held various positions in her father's companies but now lives in Sydney where she is largely focused on raising her thee children. Murdoch's youngest children are Grace (18) and Chloe (16), the New York-based daughters born to Murdoch's third wife Wendi Deng. Chloe is currently attending an Ivy League college while her sister attends private school in Manhattan. Then there are the three who are poised to take control of their father's media empire -Elisabeth (50), Lachlan (47), and James (46). All three work in media, with Elisabeth currently experiencing success with Vertical Networks, a startup that provides app-based series that are produced to be viewed in cellular devices. The relationship between Lachlan and his father has run hot and cold over the years, but that all changed back in 2014 when Murdoch's oldest son returned to New York to work for News Corp. Now, he is the Chairman and CEO of the Fox Corporation. James, the youngest of the three, was the most loyal, staying by his father's side and joining News Corp shortly after he dropped out of Harvard. That devotion was tested however when Murdoch elected to promote Lachlan over James reports the Times. The brothers already strained relationship only got worse when Lachlan informed James of this decision over lunch. James even briefly quit the company, but then ultimately decided to return just before his father's fall. Sister, sister: Murdoch's youngest children are Grace (18) and Chloe (16), the New York-based daughters born to Murdoch's third wife Wendi Deng (above in 2016 at Murdoch's wedding to Hall) while Prudence (right) is the oldest Third time not the charm: There was reportedly concern that Murdoch's third wife Wendi Deng (above in 2012) could be a spy for China according to a 2017 report FIRE AND ICE: HOW LACHLAN BEAT OUT HIS LOYAL BROTHER JAMES TO WIN CONTROL OF FOX NEWS, THEIR FATHER'S MOST VALUED ASSET This all came about in the wake of the $52.4 billion deal that Murdoch made with the Chairman and CEO of Disney, Bob Iger, just a few weeks before his fall. That deal stripped Murdoch's media empire of its film and television assets, including: 20th Century Fox, Fox Searchlight, FX Networks, National Geographic Partners and a 30 percent stake in Hulu. The Murdochs maintained control of Fox News and Fox Business Network on the news side and FS1, FS2 and Big Ten Network on the sports side. Twenty-eight Fox affiliates are also still part of the company, now knows as Fox Corporation. A bidding war with Comcast also manged to drive up the preliminary offer that Iger and Murdoch first agreed too, and Disney ultimately paid $71.3 billion in the deal. That deal was also a source of tension between James and Lachlan, with James being in support of the sale and Lachlan opposed to selling off the company's assets. Things got so heated, that Lachlan even threatened to stop speaking with his father if he went through with the deal, an ultimatum that Murdoch did not heed and Lachlan did not follow through on in the end. Lachlan also reportedly saw the sale as a failure brought about by his brother James' failure to negotiate a deal to takeover British Sky Broadcasting, which the family had owned a 39 percent stake in at that time. That stake was sold to Comcast for $15 billion following their losing bid for the Fox film and television assets. The inability of James to negotiate a takeover on two occasions would seem to have less to do with his abilities however and more to do with the fact that both attempts came during the two most disgraceful periods of Murdoch's reign. The initial attempt at a takeover was blown out of the water back in 2011 following the phone-hacking scandal at the now defunct News of the World. It was revealed that reporters at that paper and others in the News International family, which was a subsidiary of News Corp, had hacked into the voice mails of actors, models, royals and even a 13-year-old dead girl. James was more confident five years later as he prepared to present the possibility of a takeover the second time. The, the Roger Ailes scandal hit, becoming international news overnight. Not only did the Murdochs not secure a takeover, but regulators voted that no member of the family would ever be allowed to serve in any capacity at Sky moving forward. James was the chairman of Sky at the time. Gap: Murdoch was seen just a few weeks before the fall (left in London in December 2017) but did not emerge again in public for four months (right in April 2018) Last man standing: Lachlan (above in September with his father at the US Open) was given the chance to but out his three siblings and become the undisputed heir of the family's empire, but declined the offer for financial reasons LAST MAN STANDING: GOLDEN CHILD LACHLAN SECURES HIS PERCH WHILE DUTIFUL BROTHER JAMES FINALLY CUTS TIES James had seemed destined to control his father's empire for years, but things all changed with the return of Lachlan. Murdoch frequently told people he loved all his children, equally, but most point out that it was Lachlan who was his father's clear favorite. James meanwhile was dealt another difficult blow last year when he came to realize he would not be able to assume the position he had been eyeing at Disney during merger talks. He then did something unexpected according to three sources, and threw in the towel. This was no passing phase either, as evidenced by James' plan to seize control of who would step into their father's shoes. Over the summer, James reportedly approached Elizabeth and Prudence with a proposal that would put an end to the power struggle once and for all. The three all agreed that they would sell their voting interest in the company to Lachlan, giving him total control of the Fox Corporation and allowing them to pursue their own endeavors. Both agreed, and the three soon got their father on board, seeming to cement the deal. In a surprising twist however, it was Lachlan who rejected the offer. He did this despite his father expressing his excitement about the two taking control of the company. A spokesperson for Lachlan said that the proposal was not financially feasible, despite the windfall each child received in the Disney sale. James then began setting up his own business, where he would use the vast fortune he had amassed to invest in start-ups and give back. There was also the Quadrivium foundation he founded with his wife Kathryn, meant to neutralize the charged atmosphere created by outlets like the ones his father owns. Old oligarchs: Murdoch has a very small group of friends, with Patriots owner Robert Kraft one of the few confidants (pair above in 2005 with Vladimir Putin) White party: Ivanka Trump was one of the select guests who attended the Chloe and Grace's 2010 baptism ceremony in the River Jordan (front row l to r: Ava Jackman, Anneka Mudoch, Grace Murdoch, Chloe Murdoch, Rupert Murdoch. second row l to r: Deborah Lee Furness, Wendi Deng, Queen Rania of Jordan, Nicole Kidman. third row l to r: Bert Sugarman, Kathy Freston. fourth row l to r: Ivanka Trump, Hugh Jackman. fifth row l to r: Jared Kushner, Larry Page, Tom Freston) MEDIA MOGUL TO POLITICAL POWERHOUSE: HOW MURDOCH'S OUTLETS HELPED ELECT TWO NATIONAL LEADERS AND GAVE HIM ACCESS TO THE WHITE HOUSE At the same time, Murdoch's media companies have played major roles in the election of President Donald Trump in the United States and Prime Minister Tony Abbott in Australia. That is due in large part to the reactionary model he favors from his news stations and print outlets. Lachlan sides on his father in that regard while James is opposed, having twice been publicly humiliated by the actions of family-owned companies at critical times in the media empire's history. The election of President Trump has also given Murdoch a backstage pass to the wheelings and dealings going on at the White House. This is thanks to the almost advisory role his employees have been unofficially given by the commander-in-chief, who is more likely to speak with Sean Hannity or Judge Jeannine Pirro than members of his own administration on some issues. The sitting president also has a voracious appetite for the 24/7 news coverage that Murdoch ushered in with Fox News, and the network's largely favorable coverage has resulted in Trump almost exclusively sitting down for interviews with Fox News hosts. Now, with a recent sale to Disney having stripped Murdoch of most of his media assets in the United States and made all six of his children billionaires, the family can focus on its most successful creation - Fox News. And as of now, it is Lachlan who is holding the reins to that polarizing entity, with no noticeable desire to change its course. How the family will deal with Lachlan wrestling control from them, should he win out in the end, remains to be seen. And the Times reports that past efforts have managed to quickly spin out of control. 'Murdoch tried to manage the tensions, arranging for group therapy with his children and their spouses with a counselor in London who specialized in working with dynastic families,' reveals the Times. 'There was even a therapeutic retreat to the Murdoch ranch in Australia. But these sessions provided just another forum for power games and manipulation.' humiliated: James gave evidence during a probe into the New of the Wold hacking scandal (above) that killed the Murdochs first attempt at a Sky takeover Smack: Murdoch';s third wife Wendi launched into action at that hearing when a man threw pie in Murdoch's face (above) LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD: JAMES TRIES TO MITIGATE THE IMPACT OF FOX NEWS AFTER HIS SUGGESTIONS TO REVAMP NETWORK ARE SHOT DOWN There are many who feel that Fox News leans too far right and is too reactionary for a news network, a criticism that neither Murdoch or son Lachlan have ever paid much mind to over the years. That is still the case now as well, despite James launching an initiative with the aim of leveling the playing field. Once the Ailes scandal broke at Fox News, James immediately sprang into action with a list of ideas he felt could save the company. His biggest concern was the tone of the network, and he urged his father to keep the conservative voice that the brand had become known for while making sure to follow that other Fox News mantra - fair and balanced. The Ailes scandal was a difficult time for the company, but did succeed in bringing Lachlan and James together at the outset. That was thanks to the disdain the two men shared with Ailes, though for very different reasons. Sources claim that Lachlan had come to dislike Ailes after he learned that his father had told the disgraced executive 'don't worry about the boy' back more than a decade before the scandal. James on the other hand took issue with his professional manner, and suggested that maybe David Rhodes of CBS could take over the top spot. He also wanted to see the company focus more on digital and develop its website. Lachlan did not want to see any change at Fox News however, which was the same position as his father. Then, in January 2017, James and Lachlan again butted heads when the younger brother suggested that a statement be drafted to reassure the company's Muslim employees after President Trump announced his travel ban. The Times reports that Lachlan did not believe this was necessary. At that point, having seen the damage caused by Fox News, James decided to open up a new office in Greenwich Village and start forging ahead with charitable efforts. Best men, again: Murdoch has often said he loves all his children equally, but sources say that Lachlan has always been the 'golden child' in his father's eyes (Lachlan and James with dad at his fourth wedding) FAIRYTALE ENDING: JAMES TRIES TO SECURE TOP SPOT AT DISNEY WITHOUT ALERTING FAMILY James became a crucial player and negotiator for the company in the lead-up to the deal between Disney and Fox. He spent much time with Iger, and the CEO in turn kept James in the loop on most developments. There was initial concern about the money, and Murdoch had almost called off talks in the fall of 2017 when he felt that Iger was coming in too low with his proposal. A few months later, a handshake sealed the deal. James was not happy with just a financial windfall however, and since Lachlan had been given the position he thought would be his at Fox, the younger brother devised a plan. Sources claim that without the knowledge of his brother or his father, James tried to add a new clause to the agreement that would guarantee him Iger's job once the CEO stepped down from the company. Iger managed to stoke James' ego enough to make him believe the the job was potentially his without ever making a definitive statement about the subject. By that time, both Lachlan and Murdoch had learned of the plot and assured Disney executives that James' future employment was not a concern they needed to address as part of the deal. Having words: Lachlan and former Obama speechwriter Jon Lovett were spotted having a tense exchange at the Vanity Fair Oscar party (above) Charitable endeavor: In the lead-up to the election, Kathryn and James reached out to Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared to attend a salon they were hosting that featured an appearance by Adm. James Stavridis, who was being discussed as Clinton's possible pick for VP TAKING A STAND: JAMES' WIFE KATHRYN TAKES ON FOX NEWS AND TALKS BACK TO LACHLAN James' wife Kathryn Hufschmid does not share the same political beliefs as her in-laws, something that a former member of the Obama administration learned firsthand at the Academy Awards this year. The sale of Twentieth Century Fox and Fox Searchlight to Disney gave the Murdochs one final chance to attend the annual Vanity Fair party before cutting ties with Hollywood. Jon Lovett, a former speechwriter for Obama and Hillary Clinton, was reportedly less than thrilled when he arrived to the party and learned that he would be seated with a member of the Murdoch family according to a source. That all changed when he began to speak with Kathryn, who had supported his former boss in the 2016 election, prompting a text from her father-in-law early in the evening on election night that read: 'I think your girl's going to win.' Kathryn then offered to introduce Lovett to her brother-in-law later in the evening when the topic of Fox News came up at the table. 'I dont need to talk to this person. Its not going to be pleasant for anyone,' said Lovett. Nevertheless, she persisted, and brought Lovett over to meet Lachlan. Lovett, who host the anti-Trump podcast Pod Save America, proved to be a man of his word, asking: 'Do you feel proud of whats happening between 8 and 11 every night?' Lachlan responded that he was, and said the show's primetime lineup of Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham were doing a 'great job.' He then asked Lovett if there were any conservatives he would be happy to see on the channel, at which point Kathryn reportedly began listing off a number of anti-Trump Republicans. At that point Lachlan reportedly turned away to join another conversation. Kathryn also provided an olive branch to two members of the Trump administration - Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. In the lead-up to the election, Kathryn and James reached out to Ivanka and her husband to attend a salon they were hosting that featured an appearance by Adm. James Stavridis. At the time, he was being discussed as Clinton's possible pick for vice president in a race that few predicted would be won by Ivanka's father. It was the mistreatment and alienation that Kathryn and James had endured after the News of the World scandal that made her reach out, knowing firsthand how lonely it could be when former society friends turn their backs. The two also reassured the couple that they would be welcomed back into society once the election was over. Kathryn presumably had no idea at the time that President Trump would win the race and her guests that evening would become members of the administration. Modern family: Georgia May Jagger, Lachlan Murdoch, Prudence Murdoch, James Jagger, Gabriel Jagger, Elizabeth Murdoch, James Murdoch and Lizzie Jagger; Murdoch and Jerry Hall; Chloe and Grace FOX NEWS 2.0: LACHLAN DEVELOPING A MORE RIGHT WING AND REACTIONARY VERSION OF THE CABLE NEWS NETWORK DOWN UNDER Lachlan has also been developing Sky News After Dark in his father's native Australia. The project is an extension of his years spent at network Ten, where he began working in 2010 after purchasing a minority stake in the company. He tried to save the struggling network with a bit of controversy and nepotism, though neither approach was successful in the end. The dance show his wife Sarah created was not a hit while his hire of right-wing pundit Andrew Bolt drummed up controversy but not viewers. He eventually lost his entire investment in 2017 when Ten was auctioned off and CBS' bid was selected over the one submitted by Murdoch. Just prior to that, the Murdochs had won their bid for Sky News Australia, and so Lachlan moved Bolt over to his new network. Bolt, who had been charged with violating the countrys Racial Discrimination Act when he was hired at Ten, was given a nightly talk show. Caroline Marcus, a coal supporter of the burkini ban was also added to the lineup, as was Ross Cameron, who made headlines with his anti-gay, anti-Muslim comments. Cameron and his co-hosts branded themselves as 'Trump's Aussie mates,' though one was let go early into the show's run. Mark Latham was fired after making multiple offensive and homophobic remarks about a teenager after he participated in a video for International Womens Day at his high school. Home Secretary Sajid Javid has reportedly been branded 'Sajid Chavid' by his toff Tory colleagues because he prefers Star Trek to opera. As Conservative high-flyers start to tussle to replace Theresa May as party leader and Prime Minister he and a number of other possible front-runners have been given mocking nicknames. Mr Javid, the state-educated son of a Pakistani bus driver, attracted the name because he admitted to colleagues he had never seen an opera, the Spectator reported. A friend of the Home Secretary told MailOnline: 'The person who has described Saj as "Chavid" is right- he wasn't born with a silver spoon in his mouth and his success story epitomises the aspiration and hard work that the Tory party is all about.' Other nicknames reported by the magazine included 'Freakyboots' for Environment Secretary Michael Gove, 'Leaden Lump' for embattled Transport Secretary Chris Grayling and 'Pure plasticine' for Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt. Mr Javid has never hidden his humble origins, which are in short supply among his rivals for the leadership. When he became culture secretary in 2014 he gave a speech in which he said: 'I had a pretty mainstream cultural education. The kind millions of Britons will recognise. I like Star Trek. I like U2.' And while some of his colleagues regard his upbringing as a flaw, others regard it as a plus in a party often attacked for being out of touch. Mr Javid in Paris today attending a meeting of G7 interior ministers. Some of his more blue-lblooded colleagues are said to have coined an unpleasant nickname Mr Javid revealed that he was a fan of Star Trek - the sci-fi programme starring William Shatner (pictured) - when he became culture secretary in 2014 Last week MailOnline revealed that Mr Javid was floating the idea of a 'dream ticket' with Mr Gove as Chancellor that could see him become Prime Minister and would also shut Boris Johnson out of Downing Street. The pair are mulling whether Mr Hunt could be offered Home Secretary to drop his candidacy as part of the pact, while fellow Brexiteers Penny Mordaunt and Andrea Leadsom could also be handed promotions to fall into line, allies of Mr Javid have suggested. A senior Tory source described Mr Javid as PM and Gove as Chancellor as a 'grown up and sensible solution' that would match the current Environment Secretary's strategic thinking with the Home Secretary's public appeal and bring 'stability' at the top of the party. 'We know Michael Gove's limitations in terms of public appeal, Lynton Crosby made that very clear in 2014. He has some clear challenges to get over the line without many of the Brexit supporters who will never forgive what happened with Boris Johnson in 2016. 'Sajid Javid has broad support around the country, the polling evidence proves that. And the fact that he has a back story that no one else in the party has.' More than a dozen Tory MPs are poised to launch bids for the leadership after Theresa May announced she will quit if her Brexit deal is voted through. Love & Hip Hop star Mally Mall is being investigated after multiple sexual assault allegations brought against him. The rapper's home was raided on Wednesday as part of an investigation into human and exotic animal trafficking claims. The producer has already argued that one of his accuser's is attempting to extort him for money. Mall's San Fernando Valley home was raided following reports of 'multiple rapes and human sex trafficking, as well as firearms on the premises,' sources connected to the investigation explained to TMZ. Los Angeles authorities shared that the Wednesday raid on Mally Mall's home came from the investigation looking into human and exotic animal trafficking along with multiple sexual assault allegations Authorities blocked off the road outside of Mall's home during the raid. There had been reports of 'multiple rapes and human sex trafficking, as well as firearms on the premises.' Sources state that a woman came forward in January and claimed that she was flown out from Texas to visit Mall after he had seen her fitness videos on Instagram. The woman then claims that he then drugged her and raped her at his home, locking her in a room. Sources state that a woman came forward in January and claimed that she was flown out from Texas to visit Mall after he had seen her fitness videos on Instagram Feeling as if she had to be 'submissive,' the woman shared that she had sex with Mall on the second day that she was there. After developing a rash, the woman went to the hospital. A nurse called the hospital after witnessing that the woman had vaginal trauma. Those close to the producer are claiming that the relationship was consensual and that the pair were inseparable for the entire weekend. These sources also claimed that the woman wasn't in a rush to leave. They are also asserting that there are voicemails and texts that show that the woman was motivated by money. Authorities surrounded Mall's San Fernando Valley home located in the 4400 block of Grimes Place around 8am Wednesday morning and served him a search warrant. According to TMZ, there were allegations in Nevada that the Love & Hip Hop Hollywood star was involved in an escort service. The woman claimed that the producer raped and locked her in a room. She said that she had sex with him on the second day because she felt she had to be 'submissive' Those close to the producer are claiming that the relationship was consensual and that the pair were inseparable for the entire weekend Mall, whose real name is Jamal Rashid, is no stranger to having exotic animals. He is a well-known collector of animals and his house is home to pit bulls, snakes, turtles and other wild cats. Mall's attorney, Steve Sadow, has called the allegations bogus, telling TMZ: 'If they had real evidence they would have arrested him. They don't have evidence. It's bogus. Period.' Mall has at one time or another owned wolves as well and even gave Justin Bieber one of his monkeys and an ocelot. These sources also claimed that the woman wasn't in a rush to leave The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health launched an investigation against him after he brought his capuchin monkey, Lil Bubs, inside the Ace of Diamonds strip club in November 2016. In California, it is illegal to possess wild monkeys of any kind and keep them as pets. The club is located in West Hollywood, California. According to TMZ, Capt Patrick Foy of the California Department of Fish & Wildlife said authorities seized a cotton-top Tamarin monkey from Mall's home. Authorities surrounded Mall's San Fernando Valley home located in the 4400 block of Grimes Place around 8am Wednesday morning and served him a search warrant. They seized a cotton-top Tamarin monkey from Mall's home In a January 2018 video that Mall shared on his Instagram, rapper Swae Lee is seen holding a monkey. '2018 is ALREADY LOOKING FABULOUS!!' the caption reads. It's believed that the monkey (pictured) in the video is the same Tamarin that was seized during Wednesday's raid Their department started an investigation nearly nine months ago. Cotton-top Tamarin's are illegal to own and they are among the most endangered primates in the world with between 300 to 1000 left in the wild. In a January 2018 video that Mall shared on his Instagram, rapper Swae Lee is seen holding a monkey. '2018 is ALREADY LOOKING FABULOUS!!' the caption reads. It's believed that the monkey in the video is the same Tamarin that was seized during Wednesday's raid. It's unclear how many animals in total were seized from the home, but photos show several small animal carriers outside of the home An officer is seen toting an animal carrier to a nearby vehicle outside Mall's home Mall was arrested shortly after the Tamarin was seized. In 2017, Mall gifted Swae Lee with his own monkey, but it's unclear what species it is. It's unclear how many animals in total were seized from the home, but photos show several small animal carriers outside of the home. The director of the FBI said that white supremacy is a 'persistent' and 'pervasive' threat to America, distinguishing himself from President Donald Trump, who has largely avoided opportunities to condemn white nationalists. 'The danger. I think, of white supremacists, violent extremism or another kind of extremism is of course significant,' Christopher Wray said Thursday at a House hearing. 'We assess that it is a persistent, pervasive threat,' he added. 'We tackle it both through our joint terrorism task forces on the domestic terrorism side as well as through our civil rights program on the civil side through hate crime enforcement.' FBI Director Christopher Wray testifies before a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing on the bureau's budget, Thursday, April 4, 2019 in Washington DC This graph illustrates the rise in hate groups in America since 1999. Source: Southern Poverty Law Center Democrats in Congress asked Wray about what they described as an increase in hate crimes that have occurred since Trump took office, according to CNN. Wray, a Trump appointee, was cautious to note that there has been a 17 percent, year-on-year increase in the reporting of hate crimes in 2017, but that didn't necessarily mean more of those crimes were taking place. 'We are determined not to tolerate hate-filled violence in our communities, so we're going to aggressively investigate those cases,' he added. Wray's promises are not consistent with Trump's own take on white nationalists in America, which minimizes the negative impacts that the ideology may have on the nation. Trump said that some of the Nazi sympathizers who marched in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2017 were 'very fine people' after 32-year-old Heather Heyer was struck and killed when a white supremacist slammed his car into a crowd of anti-racism protesters. The president said at the time that there was blame on both sides for the violence that broke out that day. This map illustrates where every hate group in America was located (the white dots) in 2018, while also revealing where the highest concentration per capital of hate groups are located. The darker red shades indicate a denser cluster of hate groups per capita More recently, following the massacre of 50 people at a New Zealand Mosque in March, Trump said he doesn't believe white nationalism a global threat. 'I think it's a small group of people that have very, very serious problems,' he said. White House officials have repeatedly rejected any assertions that Trump sympathizes with racists. 'The president is not a white supremacists,' White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney said last month. Wray's comments come on the heels of a report by the Southern Poverty Law Center finding a record number of hate groups in America last year. Some 1,020 hate groups exist around the country, after falling to a recent low of 784 groups in 2014. President Donald Trump is not 'ready to close' the border after all. Trump told reporters Thursday that he's inclined to tariff cars coming over from Mexico first, and then close the border. He said the neighboring country should consider this a warning. 'Were going to give them a one-year warning and if the drugs dont stop or largely stop were going to put tariffs on Mexico and products, particularly cars. The whole ballgame is cars,' he said. 'And if that doesnt stop the drugs, we close the border.' It was a steep climb down from his repeated threats to close it the border as soon as this week. America's top CEOs warned him in a Wednesday letter that even threatening to do it hurts companies and their workers and he should rethink his decision. He signaled Thursday that their complaints had an impact, and he would not shut down the border, as planned. 'Frankly better but less drastic than closing the border is to tariff the cars coming in,' he told reporters. 'And I will do it. You know I will do it I dont play games. I will do it.' President Donald Trump is not 'ready to close' the border after all. He said he's giving Mexico a year stop illegal immigration - or he'll come back to the topic CEOs from America's leading companies told the Trump administration Wednesday that a border shutdown 'would severely damage the operations of American businesses and hurt American workers' and the president should not count it as an option. The heads of GM, JP Morgan Chase, Oracle, Johnson & Johnson, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Cisco, IBM, Marriott, AT&T, Citigroup, Coca-Cola, Comcast and dozens of American businesses sent the administration a letter via the Business Roundtable outlining the economic risks of Trump proposed port of entry closure. 'Closing the border would back up thousands of trucks, impact billions of dollars of goods each day, cripple supply chains and stall U.S. manufacturing and business activity,' they said in a letter to the president's economic advisers and members of his Cabinet. Trump said last week that he could close it all down within days if illegal immigration does not come to an immediate halt. 'I'm ready to close it, if I have to close it,' he insisted as he spoke to reporters on Tuesday. After he threatened a border closure again on Wednesday, fellow billionaires signaled they'd had enough. Administration officials were working behind the scenes, in the meantime, to limit disruptions to the economy and local businesses, in case Trump acted on his threat during a Friday visit to Calexico, California, to see newly-constructed areas of his border wall. Trump gave Mexico a lifeline on Thursday afternoon, pledging to hold off on a border closure while the work to reduce the number of immigrants illegally crossing the border and illicit drug sales. 'Mexico has been capturing people and bringing them back to their countries at their southern border. They keep people under their very powerful laws they have the right to do it and bringing them back to where they came from,' he said. 'Thats been about three days now, I guess, frankly since they thought I was going to close the border.' Economic adviser Larry Kudlow said Wednesday morning that the administration was looking at keeping freight lanes open if Trump shuts down the rest of the border Trump warned Congress again on Wednesday that he'll shutdown the border without immediate action In this photo taken on April 2, 2019 cars line up to cross to San Diego, US from Tijuana, Mexico at San Ysidro crossing port in Baja California state, Mexico National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow said Wednesday morning that the administration was looking at keeping freight lanes open if Trump shuts down the rest of the border. 'We're very integrated with the Mexican economy,' he acknowledged at a Christian Science Monitor breakfast. 'We certainly looking at it, we're certainly exploring it. We will do the best that we can in the event that that becomes necessary.' White House Director of Strategic Communication Mercedes Schlapp punted to the president's Council of Economic Advisers as she was cornered by reporters outside the building and questioned about a possible border closure's economic impacts. 'They're studying all options,' she said. 'They're looking ways to ensure that we're able to minimize any economic impact.' She said the Department of Homeland Security is working on alternatives to a closure, but the border crisis is at a 'breaking point' and it's a priority of the president to fix it. 'We're looking at all options. I think what we've already started to see is Secretary Nielsen has ordered the redeployment of resources from the ports of entry to other points along the border where we're seeing the surge of illegal immigrants coming through the border. So that's where we are at this point,' she said. DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen has established an inter-agency task force that's being led by border patrol veteran Manny Padilla. She reportedly said on a call that the administration is treating the border emergency like a Category 5 storm. 'We know that this is a crisis. It's a humanitarian crisis. We want to be able to manage this as we've seen the system is overwhelmed, and it's at a breaking point,' Schlapp said Wednesday. A DHS spokesman did not respond to a request from DailyMail.com for comment. Trump's acting chief of staff warned Sunday that the president isn't bluffing. Mick Mulvaney said it would take 'something dramatic' to change Trump's mind. Since then, the president altered his border closure threat numerous times. He suggested Thursday that he'd put new tariffs on cars that are built in Mexico. A trade agreement with the country that the nations have signed but have not ratified allows Trump to take that very action. The president seemed to be looking for a way out of his border shutdown threat. A shutdown would hamper tourism and trade on both sides of the border. Trucks delivering goods would be temporarily barred from traveling between the United States and Mexico. 'I don't think the car industry would be able to adjust to that very rapidly,' said the American Enterprise Institute's Stan Veuger. While it is impossible to estimate the total economic cost of a border closure, experts anticipate weekly losses in the billions. In 2017, the U.S. and Mexico did $615 billion in business with one another, according to the U.S. Trade Representative's office. That's roughly $1.7 billion a day. Mexico is the United States' third largest trading partner after Canada and China. Veuger said the United States' GDP would not immediately take a hit as a result of a total border closure, but after a couple of weeks, he said there are likely temporary layoffs in the automotive industry. The agricultural industry would also be effected because food products would expire and rot. Construction companies who rely on day laborers and retailers on both sides of the border would also be hurt, he said. 'I think the baseline assumption should be that its government by hissyfit,' he said of the potential carveouts for workers and commercial deliveries that have been floated. He said it would seem the Trump administration is trying to 'blackmail' legislators and Congress with a border closure will not solve the problems the president cited as reasons for taking unilateral action. If the U.S. shuts down legal ports of entry, the economic expert said, 'People will just say, "Ok. Fine. Then we'll just cross illegally." ' That makes their journey more dangerous, he said, and it won't necessarially cut down on the number of people crossing the border with claims that they deserve asylum. While the state of Texas would bear the brunt of a border closure, California, Arizona and New Mexico will also share in the pain. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey said Wednesday that he would be 'supportive of' the president if he shuts down the border but he would 'want it to be as short as possible' Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey said Wednesday that he would be 'supportive of' the president if he shuts down the border but he would 'want it to be as short as possible.' 'I don't see any reason why that would have to happen, when all Congress needs to do is act on something that I think everyone, Democrat and Republican, knows is a real issue,' he said. Trump claimed in a Friday tweet, that if his conditions were not met, 'I will be CLOSING the Border, or large sections of the Border, next week.' 'Well keep it closed for a long time. Im not playing games,' he told reporters later in the day. 'Mexico has to stop it.' His spokeswoman admitted Tuesday, as she spoke to reporters outside the White House, that Trump doesn't actually have a day in mind to shut the border down, though. 'The president's not working on a specific timeline,' White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said. 'He's working to look at all of the options on the table.' Trump has been claiming since October of last year that he will close the border if illegal immigrants continue to enter the U.S. at record rates. Nearly half a million people, 465,000, come through legal ports of entry each day. Sanders said Monday that problems at the border are already creating long lines 'and eventually maybe that it's the best decision that we close the border' because agents are spread too thin. 'This isn't our first choice,' she noted as she spoke to press after a television hit. 'We've already had to move roughly 750 personnel from ports of entry.' Asked about a date of closure, she admitted that Trump doesn't have one. 'We're hoping that Mexico will continue to step up like we've seen them them do over the last couple of weeks we hope that continues, and we can work with them so that we don't have to do that,' Sanders said. An Airbus jet operated by EgyptAir that crashed over the Mediterranean almost three years ago, killing all 66 people on board, should have been grounded because of a series of technical issues on previous flights, according to a French investigation. The report, ordered by the French judiciary, stops short of drawing firm conclusions about the precise cause of the disaster but makes clear a serious of previous issues with the plane should not have been ignored. Flight MS804, which was bound from Paris's Charles de Gaulle airport to Cairo, plunged into the sea between Crete and the northern coast of Egypt after disappearing from radars. All passengers and crew on board, including 40 Egyptians and 15 French citizens, lost their lives in the crash of the A320. An EgyptAir Airbus A320 with the registration SU-GCC in the air near Zaventem airport in Brussels The Egyptian authorities rapidly suggested that the crash was due to an attack, but French officials have always preferred the theory that it was caused by a technical problem. Three Paris judges investigating the case ordered two probes to reconstruct the sequence of events that led to the crash, with results from the first handed over to magistrates in June. In the document of 76 pages, first reported by the Le Parisien newspaper and seen by AFP, the two experts complain of 'the considerable lack of rigour on the part of crew and the technical services of EgyptAir' in processing the aircraft's technical documents. The report, by a technical expert and an aeronautic expert, says there were several incidents concerning the operation of the aircraft which were not reported by the pilots and thus not followed up by maintenance teams. Sebris that the search teams found in the sea after the EgyptAir Airbus A320 crashed in the Mediterranean An adult child's life jacket found among the wreckage of flight MS804 These faults 'were not signalled when the aircraft was at its principal base in Cairo, apparently so that it would not be grounded for repairs'. 'The examination has shown that this aircraft should have been subject to checks during its four previous flights and should not have taken off from Cairo after a sequence of recurring faults which were not signalled by successive crews.' But they stop short of drawing a conclusion on what caused the crash, saying the 'study of the elements' at their disposal 'does not allow to determine if the accident resulted from the different technical issues'. Yet they point to suspicions that one of the faults 'could have been the precursor of a major electrical failure'. Antoine Lachenaud, a lawyer for the family of Clement Daeschner-Cormary, a 26-year-old passenger who died, said the report showed that the crash was due to error and not chance. Part of the plane lays destroyed after being found in the wake of the fatal crash One of the two black boxes from EgyptAir Flight MS804, which crashed in May 2016 'When warnings are ignored in a systematic manner this results in a crash and it becomes impossible to maintain that this is due to chance,' he said. 'Based on this report and the investigations, there should be consequences over the responsibilities of those involved.' The report says the on-the-ground technician in Paris had no reason to stop the flight from taking off, since no alert of the plane's previous problems had been given. But it does highlight eventual shortcomings in the competence and accreditation of the technician responsible for checking the plane for the return flight while it was on the ground in Paris. Egyptian Prime Minister Sherif Ismail (R) speaks to reporters after arriving at airport to follow up the incident of the missing EgyptAir flight MS804, Cairo, Egypt on 19 May 2016 It also notes that the casing of the oxygen mask for the co-pilot was replaced for unknown reasons three days before the crash. 'The replacement of this equipment requires careful checking, given the danger of oxygen leaks,' the experts wrote. A report published last year by France's Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety (BEA) said its main hypothesis was that a fire erupted in the cockpit which rapidly got out of control. A second report requested by the French judges is expected to determine if smartphones and tablets left in the cockpit could have led to the fire. A source close to the case, who asked not to be identified, said French investigators had started to analyse a copy of one of the 'black box' voice recordings from the cockpit. They received the recordings after the Egyptian security authorities ended their investigation. In December 2016, Cairo officials said traces of explosives had been found on the remains of some victims, but French authorities were sceptical, as no organisation had claimed responsibility for any attack. Serial rapist Michael Lee Jones has been convicted of four rapes across Louisiana, Colorado and Florida between May 2003 and December 2005. In a new 20/20 documentary, investigators reveal that they finally identified Jones after he was seen in surveillance video struggling with a suitcase at a hotel on the night of one of the rapes A serial rapist linked to at least four brutal assaults across three states in a three-year period was finally brought to justice by investigators who latched onto one tiny detail: a struggle with a suitcase. The tireless hunt for Michael Lee Jones has been brought to light in a two-hour documentary by ABC's 20/20 airing Friday night. The program centers around the first victim linked to Jones, a blonde cruise ship worker from Ukraine whose was found raped and beaten within an inch of her life outside a Miami airport hotel in 2005. When Inna Budnytska woke up from the hospital after the attack she had almost zero memory of what had happened to her. Of the few details she did recall, most turned out to be unreliable. The scene where Budnyska was found also turned up very little evidence, leaving detectives largely reliant on information recorded by hotel security systems. For months Miami-Dade Police Detective Alan Foote poured over every clue he could find but kept coming up empty. A break finally came when private investigator Ken Brennan requested access to the case and became fascinated by one small detail in the surveillance video from the night of the attack. Roughly two hours after the last sighting of Budnytska, a man was seen yanking a suitcase out of the elevator. Brennan jumped to the conclusion that Budnytska must have been inside the suitcase. His hunch, while far-fetched, led investigators to Jones, who denied having committed the rape but agreed to do a DNA test. The suspect's DNA was found to be a match to not only Budnyska's case, but also two in New Orleans in May and June of 2003 and another in Colorado Springs in December 2005. Jones is now expected to spend the rest of his life in prison after having been convicted in all four cases. The 20/20 documentary airing Friday centers around Inna Budnytska (above), the first victim linked to Jones. The blonde cruise ship worker from Ukraine was found raped and beaten within an inch of her life outside a Miami airport hotel on February 21, 2005 Surveillance video showed Jones rolling a suitcase out of the Miami Airport Regency Hotel less than two hours after Budnytska was last seen on the night she was raped. Investigators concluded that the victim's body was likely inside Budnyska's badly beaten body was discovered hiding in the weeds near a vacant cul-de-sac by a utility worker on the morning of February 21, 2005. Police determined that she had likely been unconscious for 24 hours. The petite blonde had been stripped naked, leaving detectives with no means of identifying her. 'She was dumped out and left for dead,' Miami-Dade Police Det Alan Foote told 20/20. The then-21-year-old woke up in the hospital the following day, at which point detectives learned her name and that she was from Ukraine. Budnytska said she had gotten injured while working on a cruise ship and the company that operated the boat put her up in the Miami Airport Regency Hotel while she recovered. That hotel, located about 10 miles east of where she was found, soon became the focus of the police investigation. The building was equipped with a sophisticated security system with 16 motion-sensor cameras covering the entire perimeter of the hotel property. Foote collected all of the surveillance footage that could provide insight into what happened to Budnytska and began scanning it for clues. The two main investigators in the Budnytska case were Miami-Dade Police Detective Alan Foote (left) and private investigator Ken Brennan (right) The Miami Airport Regency Hotel where Jones and Budnytska were staying when the rape took place is pictured above. Investigators relied heavily on the hotel's surveillance videos The victim said on the night of the attack she had gone to dinner with a friend before returning to the hotel alone shortly after midnight. Security cameras showed her leaving the hotel again at 3.33am to buy a phone card to call her mother in Ukraine before returning seven minutes later. At 3.41am Budnytska was recorded walking to the elevators in the lobby to go upstairs, but the cameras never showed her coming back down. The next thing Budnytska remembered was waking up momentarily at the cul-de-sac after her body was dumped. 'It was very cold and dark,' she recalled. 'I couldn't stand up. I could not walk.' In the weeks after the attack, fragments of that night started coming back to Budnytska. 'I saw dreams, I saw nightmares,' she said. 'For me, it was very difficult to realize what was the reality, what was not the reality.' She told investigators that she believed her attackers were two white men, possibly with Spanish accents. 'I don't remember the faces. ... I remember, a person putting, like, a pillow or something,' Budnytska said. 'And then it's dark, you know. It's just like a feeling that you cannot breathe.' She claimed to remember being carried down a back staircase to a car, but the security footage didn't support that story. 'We reached a dead end on that point. It just didn't fit,' Foote said, adding that he suspected there was more to Budnytska's story than she was able, or willing, to tell. Brennan Foote described their tireless efforts to catch Budnytska's rapist in the documentary The case grew cold over the following months as investigators couldn't nail down a theory that fit. Budnytska went on to file a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against the hotel alleging that lax security was to blame for her attack. The hotel denied any wrongdoing and hired Ken Brennan, a former New York policeman turned private investigator, to look into Budnytska's claims. 'I knew there might be a little reluctance to share any information with me,' Brennan said of his early days on the case. He said he told Foote: 'I'm not going to mess this up on you - just let me run with it for you.' Foote agreed to let Brennan look over the security tapes from the hotel to see if he saw anything that other detectives had missed. 'I knew that the answer to the mystery had to be in those surveillance tapes somewhere,' Brennan said. 'You had to watch each and every frame on every video.' Brennan eventually zeroed in on a 'big, large, black man' who was seen getting on the elevator with Budnytska the final time she was seen on the tapes at 3.41am. He noticed that the same man was seen exiting the hotel at 5.28am with a large suitcase that he had to tug loose from a gap in the elevator as he left. 'I've done this, and you've done this countless times coming out of an elevator: Did you ever get it stuck so bad that you had to yank on it like that?' Brennan asked a 20/20 interviewer. 'A light bulb went off and I said: "This is the guy, and she's in that suitcase,"' he said. Jones appeared to struggle with the suitcase when it got stuck in a groove in the elevator, which led Brennan to believe that Budnytska's body must have been inside Brennan went on to look through other security tapes for clues about the man's identity and noticed that he was seen several times with another guest who had the word 'Verado' on the back of his shirt. That small detail led to the discovery that the suspect had been working for a company called Centerplate at the Miami Boat Show, which was held the week of the attack. Two weeks later investigators received a tip about a man matching the suspect's description who worked at a Centerplate location in New Orleans. The man's name was Michael Lee Jones. Hotel records confirmed that he was staying at the Miami Airport Regency Hotel on the night Budnytska was raped. Jones was no longer working at Centerplate, but Brennan was able to track him to another catering company called Ovations, which was based in Tampa, Florida. Foote was initially apprehensive about Brennan's hunch but agreed to interview Jones in April 2006, more than a year after the attack. Jones confirmed that he had worked the boat show but denied having sex with anyone during his stay at the Airport Regency. He agreed to provide a DNA sample to clear his name. When the test came back with a match for DNA at the crime scene, Jones was arrested on sexual battery and kidnapping. The suspect maintained his innocence as investigators struggled to build the strongest case they could against him given the scarce evidence. Though the DNA was a match, it could only prove that Jones had sex with Budnytska, not that he raped her. The suitcase he was accused of transporting Budnytska's body in was never recovered, and his hotel room and rental car had both been cleaned so many times at that point that no evidence would be detectable. 'We believe that they couldn't prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt,' Jones' defense attorney, C Michael Cornely, said in the documentary. Budnytska is seen recounting the night she was raped on the two-hour 20/20 documentary Meanwhile, Budnytska stuck with her original story that she had been raped by two white men. Brennan and Foote theorized that her memory had been compromised by the massive head trauma or that Jones could have drugged her. Jones ended up striking a deal with prosecutors under which he pleaded guilty to one count of sexual battery with a weapon and aggravated battery in Budnytskas case in exchange for having the more severe charges against him dropped. He was sentenced to only two years in prison. 'I was angry,' Budnytska said. 'I couldn't do anything. I'm not familiar with the justice system. But I was upset inside.' Brennan wasn't satisfied with the short sentence either, and suspected that Jones may have been involved in other prior crimes given how much he traveled for work. He convinced the Miami-Dade police to enter Jones' DNA into the national FBI database, Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), in late 2006. A DNA sample voluntarily submitted by Jones linked him to Budnytska's rape in late 2006 Within a few years, the sample was matched to three other cases, two of which took place in New Orleans more than two years before Budnytska was raped. In one case from May 2003, a woman identified only as 'Rachel' claimed to have been assaulted by a man who offered her a ride before driving her to a secluded area. That woman provided police with a composite sketch of her attacker which looks almost identical to Jones. The second New Orleans victim was Lorraine Gautreax, who raped in June 2003, also by a man who had offered her a ride. 'I [was] walking down the street, when he snatched me up and he put me in his car. He took me somewhere around City Park in New Orleans,' Gautreaux told 20/20. 'He had me pinned to where I couldnt even move At one point he put a knife to my throat, told me if Id go to the police, he would find me again one day and kill me. I was scared to death.' Gautreaux said she got the feeling that her attacker 'had done this before' given how 'calm, cool and collected' he was during the rape. Two of Jones' other victims were Lorraine Gautreax (left), who was raped in New Orleans, Louisiana, in June 2003, and Jennifer Roessler (right), who was raped in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in December 2005 The third cold case rape linked to Jones had taken place about nine months after Budnytska's in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Detective Terry Thrumston of the Colorado Springs Police Department's sex-crime unit appeared on the documentary and recounted the moment in 2007 when she received a call about a CODIS match linking Jones' DNA to a December 2005 case. Jennifer Roessler, 41, was walking home from a convenience store at around 2.30 in the morning when Jones offered her a ride home. 'She accepted a ride from a stranger, who took her back to her apartment,' Thrumston said. 'He asked for a drink of water; then she asked him to leave. He then sexually assaults her.' The case went cold as investigators were unable to prove that Roessler was raped given that she'd allowed the man into her apartment. It wasn't until July 2008, when he was released from jail following time served in the Budnytska case, that Jones was extradited to Colorado to stand trial for attacking Roessler. The victim died from natural causes unrelated to the rape before she was able to testify against Jones. Instead, prosecutors called Budnytska, Gaurtreax and 'Rachel' as witnesses. Jones was found guilty and sentenced to 24 years to life in prison in that case. In 2015, he pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the New Orleans rapes and was sentenced to 45 years in prison. President Donald Trump recommended Herman Cain for the Federal Reserve Board, calling him a 'terrific man' and 'outstanding person' even though the former Godfather's CEO had to leave the 2012 presidential race due to sexual harassment allegations. 'I've recommended Herman Cain. He's a very terrific man, a terrific person,' Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday. 'He's a friend of mine. I have recommended him highly for the Fed. I've told my folks that that's the man and he's doing some pre-checking now and I would imagine he would be in great shape. I find Herman to be an outstanding person. A truly outstanding individual. I would think he would do very well there.' 'He's a highly respected man, he's a friend of mine. He's someone who gets it, and I hope everything goes well, but Herman Cain is a very good guy,' he added. President Trump plans to nominate Herman Cain to the Federal Reserve Board President Trump holding off on a formal announcement until the background check is complete on the former CEO of Godfather's Pizza Cain is undergoing a background check ahead of a formal announcement. The president was said not to want to announce his nomination until that check was complete. 'He won't formally announce until the vet is completed ... But he likes Cain and wants to put him on there,' said a senior official told Axios on Thursday. Cain, who was a GOP presidential candidate in 2012, served as chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City from 1989 to 1991. His presidential dreams sank when allegations of sexual harassment - dating back to his tenure as head of the National Restaurant Association - came to light. Cain's 9-9-9 tax plan and strong debate performances had sprung him up the list of GOP contenders but eventually five women accused him of harassment - all denied by Cain - and it ended his bid. He has been one of Trump's biggest supporters. In January of this year, Cain formed a super PAC called America Fighting Back, which works to combat negative media coverage of the president. One possible reason for Trump's hesitation is his other nominee for the board, Stephen Moore, is dealing with questions about why he was held in contempt of court in 2012 for not paying his ex-wife more than $330,000 he owed her in alimony, child support and a divorce settlement. He also has a tax lien as he owes $75,000 in federal taxes, interest and penalties. But Moore told The New York Times this week he won't withdraw his name. 'It's full speed ahead,' he said, adding the White House was '100 percent' behind him. Neither issue came up in the administration's back ground check of Moore. Trump has been at odds with Jerome Powell, his head of the Federal Reserve, over a series of rate hikes, which the president believes could slow down economic growth. A strong economy would be one of his key reelection platforms. Cain, seen at a 2011 GOP presidential primary debate with Rick Perry, Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich, saw his White House dreams end with allegations of sexual harassment He was said to be mulling replacing him but Powell appears to be safe - for now. 'I guess I'm stuck with you,' he reportedly told Powell during a recent phone conversation. Powell said last month that the reserve was unlikely to again raise rates in 2019. Trump nominated Powell to the board but grew dissatisfied with his pick. Angela Merkel compared the hard border in Northern Ireland to living behind the Iron Curtain as she praised rebel MPs who passed a bill to stop No Deal Brexit today. After a summit with Irish premier Leo Varadkar in Dublin, the German chancellor said she was following the passage of the Cooper-Letwin backbench bill and said their actions may lead the way to an 'orderly' UK departure. Ms Merkel met with a panel of 15 people from Protestant and Catholic communities, both unionists and nationalists, from both sides of the border. Speaking in Dublin, she said: 'Today was a very important experience for me. I come from a country that for many, many years was divided by a wall. 'I lived behind the Iron Curtain so I know only too well what it means once borders vanish.' Angela Merkel compared the hard border in Northern Ireland to living behind the Iron Curtain as she praised rebel MPs who passed a bill to stop No Deal Brexit today Meeting Leo Vradkar in Dublin, Angela Merkel said: 'Until the very last hour - I can say this from the German side - we will do everything in order to prevent a no-deal Brexit' She added that 'everything needs to be done' to ensure a peaceful co-operation continues, saying 'after all, a heavy death toll has been taken here throughout the Troubles'. Ms Merkel travelled to Dublin on Thursday to meet with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in Dublin's Farmleigh House to discuss Brexit, and show solidarity with Ireland amid the Brexit negotiations. With just eight days to go until Britain possible leaves the EU without a deal, Taoiseach Mr Varadkar warned Westminster politicians to present 'a credible and realistic way forward' if they are to get another Brexit delay from EU leaders. An emergency European Council summit has been arranged for Wednesday, just two days before the potential Brexit day of April 12. The two leaders put on a show of soft strength, hinting that they would look favourably on a fresh british attempt to delay Brexit. Appearing with Mr Varadkar in Dublin Ms Merkel said: 'Until the very last hour - I can say this from the German side - we will do everything in order to prevent a no-deal Brexit; Britain crashing out of the European Union. 'But we have to do this together with Britain and with their position that they will present to us. 'We will simply have to be able to do this. We have to be successful and we hope for a solution that we can agree together with Britain.' Theresa May is currently trying to find a cross-party consensus through talks with Jeremy Corbyn. At the same time the Cooper-Letwin bill going through the Lords would ensure there is a legal requirement on the Prime Minister to seek an extension to Article 50 to prevent a no-deal. Afterwards Mr Varadkar warned: 'Any further extension must require and must have a credible and realistic way forward' It could become law early this week, ahead of the Wednesday summit. Earlier the Irish and German leaders spoke at an event with 15 people from Northern Ireland and the border area about the impact a no-deal scenario could have on their lives. They heard from some victims of violence, as well as farmers and business people. Afterwards Mr Varadkar said: 'Matters continue to play out in London and I think we need to be patient and understanding of the predicament that they are in. 'But of course, any further extension must require and must have a credible and realistic way forward.' Mr Varadkar restated that the EU was 'prepared to amend the Political Declaration' if the UK's red lines shifted. 'Both Ireland and Germany want to have a future relationship with the UK which is close and comprehensive and as deep as possible, and we would like to see the Withdrawal Agreement ratified so that we can begin the negotiations on a new economic and security partnership without further delay,' he said. But he added: 'There is very little time left and we have to prepare ourselves for all outcomes.' Jussie Smollett is set to be sued by the city of Chicago after refusing to pay more than $130,000 to cover the costs of the investigation into his allegedly staged racist, anti-gay attack. It was reported that Chicago officials will file a civil lawsuit against Smollett after the deadline passed for him to pay the charges associated with the controversial probe. A spokesman for the city told TMZ: 'Mr. Smollett has refused to reimburse the City of Chicago for the cost of police overtime spent investigating his false police report on January 29, 2019. 'The Law Department is now drafting a civil complaint that will be filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County. Jussie Smollett's deadline to pay the city of Chicago $130,106.15 to cover the costs of the investigation into his 'false hate crime report' is today On March 28 Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanuel's law chief sent the actor a letter demanding he cover the bill of the investigation, giving him a seven day deadline 'Once it is filed, the Law Department will send a courtesy copy of the complaint to Mr. Smollett's L.A. based legal team.' The spokesman told Fox 32's Rafer Weigel that the suit will be filed in the 'near future' and will seek full measure of damages allowed. Representatives for Smollett have not yet commented on the matter or whether Smollett intends to pay the investigative fees. Last week Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanuel's law chief sent the Empire actor a letter demanding he cover the probe costs after the 16 felony disorderly conduct charges against him were dropped. The letter, dated March 28, demanded the 36-year-old actor pay the $130,106.15 bill within seven days. On Thursday Ola Osundairo, one of the two brothers who claim they were paid by the Empire actor to attack him on January 29, broke cover for the first time since Smollett's charges were dropped. Ola Osundairo, one of the two brothers the Empire actor allegedly paid off in the staged attack broke his cover on Thursday (above), seen for the first time since Jussie Smollett's charges were dropped Osundairo made no comment on the Empire star's dropped charges or his payment deadline. Mayor Emmanuel was defiant after Smollett's charges were dropped and insisted that he cover the probe bill. 'Given that he doesn't feel any sense of contrition and remorse, my recommendation is that when he writes the check, in the memo section, he can put the words, "I'm accountable for the hoax,' Emmanuel said last week during a press conference. Nonpayment may prompt the city to sue Smollett, pursuing a charge of making a false statement to the city and launching a civil trial. 'Over two dozen detectives and police officers participated in the investigation, ultimately spending weeks investigating your false claims, including a substantial number of overtime hours,' the letter sent by Chicago's Department of Law states. 'Ultimately, the Chicago police investigation revealed that you knowingly filed a false police report and had in fact orchestrated your own attack. 'If the amount is not timely paid, the Department of Law may prosecute you for making a false statement to the City,' the letter continued. A violation of the false statement ordinance imposes a fine of at least $500.00 up to $1,000, plus up to three times the amount of damages Chicago sustains as a result of the violation. Smollett was arrested in February after he claimed he was beat up in a vicious racist, homophobic attack in downtown Chicago on January 29 that a police investigation later determined he set up, employing the help of brothers Abel and Ola Osundairo Rahm Emanuel condemned the outcome of the Jussie Smollett case and demanded he foot the investigation's bill 'This is a reasonable and legally justifiable amount to collect to help offset the cost of the investigation,' Department of Buildings spokesperson Bill McCaffrey said. Smollett was arrested in February after he claimed he was beat up in a vicious racist, homophobic attack in downtown Chicago on January 29 that a police investigation later determined he set up, employing the help of brothers Abel and Ola Osundairo. Smollett has denied faking the attack and last week the charges against him were dropped by First Assistant State's Attorney Joe Magats. His lawyers said that there was no doubt that the brothers, his friends and personal trainers, had attacked him, but the motive isn't clear. Smollett was charged with 16 counts of felony disordering conduct for lying about the allegedly staged attack, which cops say he orchestrated to boost his profile and because he was unhappy with his salary on Empire. The charges were dropped on March 26 in exchange for community service and the forfeiture of his $10,000 bond. Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot could reverse any legal action after she's sworn in on May 20. State representatives in Colorado are fighting to set a minimum legal age for marriage in the state where none currently exists, following the release of a troubling study. A review of marriage license applications filed in the state over the past two decades showed that an alarming number of minor applicants, some of whom were under the age of 13, according to a memo from research analyst Vanessa Conway. Under current law, there is no minimum age requirement for marriage, and someone 15 years old or younger can get married with approval by both a judge and a parent, while 16 year olds need only one or the other to approve a wedding. State representatives Chris Hansen and Lori Landgraf hope to change that moving forward, but so far efforts have stalled. Scroll down for video The chart above shows total marriage applications by minors per year in Colorado from 1990 to 2015, with specific ages defined by colors within each bar Colorado state representatives Chris Hansen (left) and Lori Landgraf (right) are fighting to set a minimum legal age for marriage in the state where none currently exists, following the release of a troubling study that showed 12-year-olds had applied for marriage licenses Since the year 2000, a total of 4,973 minors have requested a marriage license in Colorado. Out of those 4,900 applications, 127 of them included a bride or groom that was 15 years old or younger, and out of those 127, there were 10 applications involving a child under the age of 13. Hansen has said he will re-introduce a bill that would make marriage illegal for anyone 15 years old or younger. The new bill is also expected to take away the option of having a parent approve a union for someone under the age of 18, thus requiring a judge to sign off on the union. Since the year 2000, a total of 4,973 minors have requested a marriage license in Colorado. Out of those 4,900 applications, 127 of them included a bride or groom that was 15 years old or younger, and out of those 127, there were 10 applications involving a child under the age of 13 County clerks raised this particular issue, according to Hansen, who said the public servants across the state have become suspicious of parents approving marriages of 16-year-olds. 'I know this is happening all over the state, where they are noticing situations where 16, 17-year-old girls are being brought in -- sometimes with their mother or father -- and the situation doesn't seem quite right,' Hansen said. Hansen and Landgraf previously introduced a bill in the Colorado House of Representatives on March 18 that would have barred issuing marriage licenses to people under the age of 18, except for in special circumstances. Those special circumstances would have been limited to people who are at least 16 years and six months old, and who are legally emancipated from their parents. That bill, titled 'Age Of Marriage And Emancipation Procedure' (HB19-1251), was postponed indefinitely on March 28. The proposal for the new bill from Hansen is expected to be made public in the coming weeks. Other states which do not have a legal minimum age requirement for marriage with parent or judicial consent at this time include Arizona, California, Delaware, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Washington state and West Virginia. In Florida, Kentucky, Ohio, and Oklahoma, there is no minimum age requirement for marriage in instances involving pregnancy. Audrey Hepburn lived in fear that her mother's admiration for Adolf Hitler would become public and derail her Hollywood career, a new biography claims. The actress was terrified that her fans would discover that Ella van Heemstra met the tyrannical leader at his HQ in Munich and was 'over the moon' when he kissed her hand. After moving from Holland to America and starring in films like Breakfast at Tiffany's, Hepburn dodged questions about the Germans as it was 'too much of a risk to her career'. She did not want people to know that her mother was a 'lipstick Nazi' who dated a German officer and had been accused of having a flag with a Swastika in her apartment. Hepburn was also scared that people would discover that between 1942 and 1944 she had danced in ballets that probably had German soldiers in the audience. Author Robert Matzen writes in Dutch Girl: Audrey Hepburn and World War II that she took the truth 'to her grave' because she did want her family to be seen as Nazi sympathizers. The late Hollywood actress Audrey Hepburn feared that her career would be derailed if it become public that her mother Ella van Heemstra was a 'lipstick' Nazi, according to a new biography. The mother and daughter are pictured together in 1953 Hepburn's mother admired Adolf Hitler and he once kissed her hand during a private meeting. She feared the damage it could do to her Hollywood career if it became public. Pictured in 1955 What Hepburn spoke publicly about instead was nearly starving during the 'Hunger Winter' of 1944-45 and how she did performances in the Dutch town of Velp to raise money for the resistance. Dutch Girl gives new insight into how Hepburn massaged her own image and the complex relationship with her aristocrat mother, a woman who Matzen calls a 'benevolent dictator' that dominated her daughter's life. Hepburn was born in 1929 in Brussels and during the 1930s her parents spent a lot of time in London where they fell under the influence of British fascist Sir Oswald Mosley. The details of Hepburn and her mother's relationship are revealed in Dutch Girl: Audrey Hepburn and World War II by Robert Matzen out April 15 Matzen writes that Ella and Joseph Ruston were 'enthralled by him and Hitler, especially the concept of Nazism'. Van Heemstra wrote an essay for Mosley on the joys of fascism for his newspaper and he invited them to Munich in 1935 to meet the Fuhrer at his HQ Matzen writes that as she entered the room Ella gazed into Hitler's 'deep blue eyes' and admired his 'enigmatic smile, full of humility'. Even though Ruston was next to her she was swept up with the 'gallant and pleasant' Hitler who 'bowed and touched his lips to her skin.' Matzen writes that Ella was so happy about her trip that she wrote an article about it in Mosley's National Socialist newspaper, Action. In sickening prose she wrote: 'What struck me most forcibly among the million and one impressions I received there were: (a) the wonderful fitness of every man and woman one saw and (b) the refreshing atmosphere around one, the absolute freedom from any form of mental pressure. 'Well may Adolf Hitler be proud of the rebirth of this great country and of the rejuvenation of the German spirit. 'The Germany of today is a most pleasant country and the Germans, under Nazi rule, a splendid example to the white races of the world - a mighty people, upright and proud, as indeed, they have every right to be'. When they got back home to Brussels, Ruston walked out on them 'in horror' at their political views, although he would later spend WWII interned by the British for his support of fascism. Hepburn would later claim that the stress of it all turned her mother's hair gray and she became so depressed that friends feared she would kill herself. Hepburn, who was six at the time, would write that her mother 'cried day in, day out, I thought she would never stop'. The Breakfast at Tiffany's actress took the truth about her mother 'to her grave' because she did not want her family to be seen as Nazi sympathizers Hepburn was also fearful that people would discover that in her teen years, between 1942 and 1944, she danced in ballets where German soldiers were likely in the audience Hepburn's mother wrote an essay on the joys of fascism and was then invited with husband Joseph to Munich in 1935 to meet Hitler. The same year this photo was taken of the mother and daughter. Matzen writes that she admired his 'enigmatic smile, full of humility' The feeling of abandonment would stay with her for the rest of her life and color her own relationships, repeatedly returning to her feelings when she was, as she put it in one interview, 'dumped' by her parents. Hepburn was sent to a school in Britain and then moved to Arnhem in Holland to be with her mother. She wanted to become a ballerina and threw herself into practice every day at the Arnhemse Muziekschool, even after the city was invaded by the Germans in 1940. Matzen writes that Ella took the view that the best way to survive the Nazi occupation was to work with them, which is why she dated a German and directed a celebration of Mozart after the occupation began. Ella's view of the Nazis changed when they executed her brother Otto van Limburg Stirum in 1942 when he refused to cooperate with them. She moved the family to the town of Velp where Hepburn, who was 14 at the time, supported the resistance by staging secret performances to raise money for them. At the events, known as 'Black Evenings', they had to black out the windows and post guards out the front to make sure that the Nazis did not find them. In a 1951 interview Hepburn said that her work with the resistance included 'running around with food for the pilots' meaning Allied airmen who had been shot down. She also delivered an underground newspaper by stuffing it into her socks and getting on her bike to take it around the town. During one missions she was nearly killed on the spot by Nazis who asked her what she was doing. With quick-thinking she 'remained silent and sweetly presented her flowers to them' as a diversion. After a check of her identity card she was allowed to pass. In 1945 Holland was liberated by the Allies and Hepburn moved to the US where her big break was the film Roman Holiday in 1953, for which she won the Oscar for Best Actress, followed by Sabrina alongside Humphrey Bogart. She appeared on the front cover of TIME magazine and became one of the most famous women in the world. But all the time she 'feared Ella's Nazi past would kill her career but still, they remained close', Matzen writes. Ella's view of the Nazis changed when they executed her brother Otto van Limburg Stirum (pictured) in 1942 when he refused to cooperate with them Ella had been investigated by Dutch police who concluded that she had been 'unreliable' in her support for her country but did not punish her. Hepburn spoke none of this and interviewers often became frustrated by her unwillingness to talk about her personal life, one of the reasons she kept interviews to 30 minutes. Matzen writes that Hepburn kept her feelings about her mother 'locked away' even though she had never been pro-German. Matzen writes: 'She respected and loved her mother and for as long as Audrey lived she would never be able to come to grips with her mother's political beliefs before the war and during its early phase. 'It was part of Audrey's wounded self that she kept locked away during her years as a Hollywood star'. In the book Hepburn's son Luca Dotti said of his mother and grandmother: 'There was this big tension between the two - this big love and this big tension. 'Now I've come to understand that the underlying reason for all that was rooted in the political past of my grandmother. 'My mother had a very clear, black and white, good and bad notion about the whole Nazi era'. Her other son Sean Ferrer said his mother resented 'both her parents for their political and social views'. He said: 'But none of this resentment would be allowed for public consumption because of her (family's) mastery of self'. One of the few times Hepburn did open up was a screen test for Roman Holiday in which shows that she and her mother had by the early 1950s 'worked out what she could could not say about her life during the war years'. Yes she could talk about her raising money for the resistance, her private dance performances, famine, her illnesses and the deaths of her family. They could also talk about cousin, Ernestine Theodora Johanna who had become a hero during the war and survived clashes with the Gestapo. But Matzen writes that she was 'never' to talk about her performance in the Schouwburg theater in Arnhem between 1942 and 1944 even though they were the 'greatest accomplishments of her life' for a woman who longed to be a dancer, not an actress. He writes: 'The postwar world was black and white due to the Nazi atrocities. You were either for or against the Nazis. There were no shades of gray, and the post-war public would not understand how Audrey could have danced before audiences that included the German military. 'It didn't matter that Audrey had been a 12-year-old and then a teenager who despised the Nazis and all they represented. Nor did her need for self-expression matter. It was simply too much of a risk for Audrey's career'. The Academy Award winner died in 1993 in Switzerland at the age of 63 after battling colon cancer having spent the last years of her life as UNICEF ambassador Hepburn's other films included A Nun's Story, Breakfast At Tiffany's, Charade, My Fair Lady and Wait Until Dark. She died in 1993 in Switzerland at the age of 63 after battling colon cancer having spent the last years of her life as UNICEF ambassador. In Dutch Girl, Matzen also claims that surviving the Hunger Winter could have permanently left Hepburn with such a slim figure. The Hunger Winter was a period when the Nazis locked down Holland as the Allies moved ever closer, cutting off food supplies and causing at least 22,000 deaths. Hepburn was 16 at the time and when WWII ended she weight just 88lbs and suffered from conditions like anemia and jaundice. Matzen writes that being deprived of food at such an important time in her development could have permanently damaged her digestive system. It would also leave Hepburn with a strange relationship with food and in the 1950s she once admitted that after WWII she went on an 'eating binge' where she would empty a jam jar with a spoon. Hepburn admitted to one reporter that it was an attempt to 'overcompensate' for being denied food in the past. A rusty gun which is believed to have been used by legendary artist Vincent Van Gogh to kill himself is to be sold at auction for the first time. On July 27 1890 the Dutch painter was shot in the stomach in northern France and he died two days later. It is thought he was shot by himself or by an unknown enemy. The gun (pictured) that is believed to have prematurely ended the life of legendary artist Vincent Van Gogh is to be sold at auction for the first time The 7mm Lefaucheux revolver was found 75 years later in a field near the village of Auvers-sur-Oise where the artist was staying - and investigators believe it was the weapon used to shoot him. Drouot, the Paris auction house, are organising the sale in June and have estimated the rusting weapon's price at as up to around 50,000. Forensics investigators have proved the gun dates back to the 1890s and have described it as the 'most infamous gun in the history of art' - because Van Gogh was only 37 at the time, and could have carried on painting for years. The 7mm Lefaucheux revolver was found 75 years later in the same area of French countryside near Paris, leading to investigators concluding it was the Van Gogh weapon. A self potrait of Van Gogh is pictured which was painted in 1889, a year before his death AuctionArt, which is offering the revolver for sale, has described it as 'the most famous weapon in the history of art.' In a statement sent to CCN.com, the auction house said: 'Several pieces of evidence show it must be Van Gogh's suicide gun: it was discovered where Van Gogh shot it; its calibre is the same as the bullet retrieved from the artist's body as described by the doctor at the time; scientific studies demonstrate that the gun had stayed in the ground since the 1890s.' It also explained in the statement that the gun was a 'low power' weapon, possibly explaining why Van Gogh did not die instantly. The revolver going under the hammer in Paris was part of a 2016 exhibition at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam but this is the first time it's going under the hammer. There were no witnesses to the tragedy, which took place in a wheat field or a barn in the French village of Auvers-sur-Oise, 20 miles north of Paris. 'Sunflowers' is one of the many stunning paintings drawn by Van Gogh The single 7mm bullet did not hit any internal organs, and the artist was initially able to get back to his guest house, the Auberge Ravoux, where he smoked his pipe and chatted with his brother, Theo Van Gogh. But doctors were unable to remove the bullet, and Van Gogh's last words were: 'The sadness will last forever'. Van Gogh predicted he would have a longer life than he did despite his deteriorating mental health. The weapon was found by a farmer in fields that Van Gogh loved to paint. The fields were where he spent the last months of his life, and was displayed at the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam up until 2016. The farmer later gave the weapon to the owners of the Ravoux Inn in the village. A painting Van Gogh created of his bedroom in Arles, in the south of France 1889 The family who own the inn are now offering it for sale. It has belonged to the French family since its discovery. Van Gogh's death remains a matter of historical debate, with some arguing that he shot himself. In conflicting letters written just before his death he said: 'I am very well, I am working hard, have painted four studies and two drawings', but then said: 'I feel I have failed*And the prospect grows darker, I see no happy future at all.' Van Gogh, who severed his own ear with a razor in 1888, is buried in Auvers-sur-Oise, alongside his loyal brother, Theo. A book by Pulitzer-Prize winning authors has questioned that version of the painter's death, concluding that Van Gogh was shot by two teenagers. Martin Bailey, a Van Gogh expert, said he though that the revolver is 'very likely' the gun used by Van Gogh, but says he 'cannot be certain'. He added that he hopes it will be bought by somebody who is responsible and not be 'displayed as a gruesome relic'. According from an accounts from Adeline Ravoux, whose parents owned the Inn, Van Gogh went to the inn for breakfast and dinner after working in the fields. She said on the day that he was shot he returned to his room around 9pm clutching his stomach and told her father that 'he had tried to kill himself' when he asked him what was wrong. Convicted killer Drew Peterson said he is 'living the dream' ever since he was moved to a maximum security federal prison. Peterson has been behind bars for nearly 10 years after he was arrested for the murder of his third wife, Kathleen Savio. His fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, has been missing for 12 years. The former Illinois police sergeant was sentenced to 38 years in prison for Savio's murder and another 40 years in prison for plotting to kill James Glasgow, the prosecutor who helped put him behind bars. But Peterson was in high spirits during a recent telephone interview with WFLD, revealing his life has vastly improved since his prison transfer. Convicted wife killer Drew Peterson said he is 'living the dream' ever since he was moved to a maximum security federal prison Peterson, 65, was moved from a state prison in Menard to a federal prison in Terre Haute, Indiana in February 2017. Officials feared that, due to the hit he placed on Glasgow, Peterson could be a threat to prison security. But the convict couldn't be happier with the change. Peterson has been behind bars for nearly 10 years after he was arrested for the murder of his third wife, Kathleen Savio (pictured) 'It was dirty. The mattresses I had, the pillow I had, you wouldn't put your dog on it,' he said. 'It was terrible. Urine and defecation spread on the walls.' 'It was a horrible, horrible place. Then I come to the federal place and it's comparatively like a day care center.' Peterson also used the interview to maintain his innocence, claiming he wasn't behind Savio's murder or Stacy's disappearance. Stacy, 23, disappeared in 2007, four years after Savio, Peterson's third wife, was found dead in a bathtub. Savio, 40, had a 2-inch gash on the back of her head and the tub was dry. But police at the time deemed her death an accident, believing she had slipped and fallen. After Stacy disappeared, authorities became increasingly suspicious of Peterson. Peterson, 65, was moved from a state prison in Menard to a federal prison in Terre Haute, Indiana (pictured) in February 2017, after he was found guilty of trying to put a hit on the prosecutor who put him behind bars Peterson also used his new interview to maintain his innocence, claiming he wasn't behind Savio's murder or the disappearance of his fourth wife Stacy Peterson (pictured) Savio's body was exhumed and her death was reclassified as a homicide. Peterson was arrested in May 2009. During his trial, prosecutors claimed Peterson killed Savio because he feared their pending divorce settlement would wipe him out financially. A friend of the aspiring nurse testified that Savio told her Peterson once pointed a knife at her and said 'I could kill you and make it look like an accident'. Peterson, 23, (pictured) disappeared in 2007, four years after Peterson's third wife was found dead in a bathtub And a former co-worker of Peterson's claimed that the cop had offered him $25,000 to hire a hit man to kill Savio, although he had never followed through. Peterson was convicted in 2013 and due for parole in 2047 at age 93. But, following his additional sentence for the hit on Glasgow in 2016, Peterson is now all but guaranteed to die behind bars. Peterson has continued to claim that Stacy, whose body has never been recovered, ran off with another man and is still alive. 'I didn't murder Kathy and I didn't murder Stacy,' he said. 'There's been all kinds of cases of a woman coming back years after, as much as 10 or 12 years afterward.' Peterson is singing a far different tune about his current life than he did in 2013, when he was still in state prison and lived in fear of being killed behind bars. 'I'm in a cell the size of a broom closet, peeling paint, rusting fixtures, I have no TV or anything and I haven't been out since I got here,' he wrote to his former attorney Joel Brodsky in one letter. 'Prison is all the nightmarish things that one would think.' But now Peterson said he is spending his days watching sitcoms and movies and making $20 a month working in the prison laundry. Savio's body was exhumed and her death was reclassified as a homicide. Peterson was arrested for her murder in May 2009 Now Peterson said he is spending his days watching sitcoms and movies and making $20 a month working in the prison laundry He keeps up with his six children and follows politics. 'I like Don Trump,' he said. 'I think what happens is this country needed a businessman running it, they didn't need another politician doing political things.' What Peterson isn't doing is striking up a pen pal romance with women outside the prison, as many of his fellow inmates have done. 'I love women. I just don't have access to them here,' he said. 'If I get out there I'm going to be dating again, but with the sentences I got, I doubt I'm going to see daylight for awhile anyway.' But staying single suits Peterson just fine. In fact, it's something he wish he had done before he landed in the clink. 'I would have stayed a bachelor for sure,' he said. 'Every time I fell in love with somebody and tried to make a life with them, things didn't work out.' A teachers assistant at a school for children with disabilities was arrested on Thursday, after investigators say she indulged in an extended sexual relationship with a female student at the school. Aleida Rosario, 45, a Department of Education para-professional working at Manhattan High School, in New York City, was arrested on April 4 over the alleged relationship, which is also said to have occurred on school grounds. Rosario was charged with three counts of criminal sex acts, pleading not guilty to all of them. She has since been released from custody without bail. According to court documents, Rosarios believed victim enrolled at the high-school in 2014, having been referred to the facility at the beginning of her sophomore year because of behavioral problems. Aleida Rosario, 45, a Department of Education para-professional working at Manhattan High School (pictured) was arrested on Thursday after police say she engaged in a sexual relationship with a student, across a two-year period The girls grandmother told authorities that in the beginning Rosario acted as a mother figure to the then 16-year-old. But towards the summer of 2015, when the girl was 16, Rosario is said to have started flirting with the student, texting and calling her regularly as well as asking her questions about lesbian sex, court filings detail. The relationship went on for an extended period of time, a source told the New York Daily News. In June 2015, prosecutors say Rosario, who is married, invited the minor to stay with her overnight, picking her up from West Harlem and driving her to her home in Bogota, New Jersey. It was there that Rosario allegedly instructed her purported victim to pretend to call her grandmother for permission to say, so that the 45-year-olds husband wouldnt get annoyed. Later the same night, Rosario is accused of sleeping with in the guest room with the girl, kissing her and performing oral sex on her. To avert suspicion, the teachers aide is said to have told her husband she needed to be in the same room as the girl because was afraid of the dark. For the next two years police believe Rosario took advantage of the underage student, having sexual contact with her on a near daily basis throughout 2017. The indictment against Rosario alleges three specific instances where she either performed on or received oral sex from the student. In June 2015, prosecutors say Rosario, who is married, invited the minor to stay with her overnight, picking her up from West Harlem and driving her to her home in Bogota, New Jersey (pictured) One allegation, dated July 18, 2015, claims that Rosario received oral sex from the student in the back of a cosmetology classroom during school hours. 10 days later, Rosario is said to have performed oral sex again on the teen in celebration of her getting a call back to appear on the TV talent show, The Voice. The third count relates to a believed instance on September 10, 2015, where again Rosario is believed to have performed oral sex on the girl, in her car, but this time before school a few block away from campus. Doug Cohen, a Department of Education spokesperson, said Rosario was suspended in February, 2018, as soon as the allegations came to light The relationship was first reported to police in 2017, when the student is said to have come to a realization that the illicit arrangement was wrong. Even still, prosecutors say that Rosario continued to contact the girl, and later asked her to delete any messages that acted as an indication to their relationship. Prosecutors say they were able to recover some of the interactions on the students Google Drive account. Rosario has been working as a para-professional in Manhattan since 2001, but she was suspended in February 2018 shortly after the city learned of the allegations. There is absolutely no place in our schools for anyone who would engage in such despicable alleged behavior, Doug Cohen, a Department of Education spokesperson, said in a statement. We immediately suspended Ms. Rosario without pay in 2018 once we were made aware of this allegation. Kirsty Rosse-Emile, 24 (pictured), moved with her husband Nabil Kadmiry to Syria in 2014 and fled to a refugee camp in the northeast of the country weeks before the ISIS stronghold at Baghouz toppled last month The parents of a young, Australian mother have begged the government to let their pregnant daughter back into the country after she left to live overseas with Islamic State. Kirsty Rosse-Emile, 24, moved with her husband Nabil Kadmiry to Syria in 2014 and fled to a refugee camp in the northeast of the country weeks before the ISIS stronghold at Baghouz toppled last month. Her father Gus - who asked for his surname to not be published - insists his daughter is not a terrorist and that her husband was the reason behind the move. 'I wasnt on good terms with the bloke because the bloke had some funny ideas,' he told The Australian. 'He was lazy and he went to the (now-defunct Islamic centre) Al-Furqan and all that. Ms Rosse-Emile had travelled with her husband to Morocco in early 2014, to visit Mr Kadmiry's family farm before the pair moved to Syria. According to Gus, he had no idea of the move and believed Ms Rosse-Emile was 'taken' to the country because she was a trained nurse. Ms Rosse-Emile and her two-year-old daughter Amira are just two of the 70,000 people stuck in the Al-Hawl refugee camp (stock image) The anxious father said he only learned of his daughter's whereabouts three years later, and even then it was because Ms Rosse-Emile was asking him for help to come home. Ms Rosse-Emile's mother said her daughter would never have left for Syria on her own. Instead, she also believes Mr Kadmiry had 'taken' her to the country. Though a relative of Mr Kadmiry said they believed Ms Rosse-Emile and her partner had been radicalised sometime after their marriage six years ago. A Facebook profile was created under Ms Rosse-Emile's adopted Islamic name, Asmaa. In a July 21, 2012 post are pictures of terrorist figures such as Al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden with the words 'Lions of Islam'. Another image is of a poster with the slogan, 'Jihad. The only solution.' While Mr Kadmiry's relative agreed Ms Rosse-Emile and her partner had disappeared without telling anyone, they said Mr Kadmiry called his mother - who lives in Morroco - shortly after the move to update her on their location. The pleas from Ms Rosse-Emile's parents come as pressure mounts on the Australian government to bring home scores of Australian women living in refugee camps in northern Syria and Iraq. Ms Rosse-Emile and her two-year-old daughter Amira are just two of the 70,000 people stuck in the Al-Hawl refugee camp. Also living in the camp is Shayma Assaad, the pregnant wife of an Australian tradesman who turned into an ISIS recruit. Mrs Assaad was 15 when she moved to Syria from Australia with her parents, and she later married Mohammed Noor Masri, 26. Now aged 19, Mrs Assaad is living in the crowded Al-Hawl camp with 73,000 others near the border of Syria and Iraq. Her husband said he is being held by Kurdish forces at Baghouz in eastern Syria after surrendering about a month ago. Shayma Assaad (pictured) was 15 when she moved to Syria from Australia with her parents, and she later married Mohammed Noor Masri, 26 Mr Masri (pictured) said he wants to get his Australian pregnant wife Shayma Assaad and their three boys out of Syria Mrs Assaad has begged for her to be allowed to return to Australia with her three young boys. 'Everyone in life deserves a second chance so why can't we have a second chance?' she told The Age while wearing a niqab. 'We're human just the same way they're human and everybody makes mistakes. 'I think we deserve to go back home like everyone else would deserve to go back home.' Mr Masri said he wanted to get his pregnant wife and three children out of Syria. '[I feel] remorseful, regretful. I mean, people make mistakes. And you have to pay the price for your mistake,' he said. Mr Masri said he was prepared to face a lengthy jail term in Australia for his 'mistake' if allowed to return with his family. He said he would prefer to be prosecuted in Australia or under international law, which recognises such things as 'human rights'. The air conditioning service tradesman claimed he didn't fight for ISIS but rather worked in a hospital where he maintained refrigerators and air conditioning units. The orphaned children (pictured) of notorious terrorist Khaled Sharrouf could be back on Australian soil in a matter of weeks (Zaynab, top left; Hoda, top right; Humzeh, bottom centre; Abdullah, bottom right; Zarqawi, bottom left) Meanwhile, the orphaned children of notorious terrorist Khaled Sharrouf could be back on Australian soil in a matter of weeks. The home-grown terrorist's eldest daughter, 17-year-old Zaynab, is 33 weeks pregnant with her third child and is suffering from severe malnutrition. She is also living in the Al-Hawl camp alongside her sister Hoda, 16, and their only surviving brother, eight-year-old Humzeh. But if the children are able to leave the camp and make their way to an Australian embassy, they may have a chance at receiving new passports and flying home immediately. Zaynab has two daughters; three-year-old Ayesha and two-year-old Fatima, and is believed to be seriously injured with shrapnel wounds that aren't healing in the camp, The Daily Telegraph reported. Her two other brothers, Abdullah, 12, and Zarqawi, 11, were killed alongside Khaled in September 2017 in a US air strike on ISIS territory She is also said to be severely dehydrated and malnourished in the camp, where they are among other foreign born fighting families who escaped Baghouz - ISIS last stronghold. She married her father's good friend and fellow Australian jihadi Mohamed Elomar aged just 13, but he died fighting shortly after. The teenager is preparing to give birth to her third child in the coming weeks, but her grandmother Karen Nettleton is working toward removing her and her siblings from the camp as soon as possible. The Australian woman, who's daughter Tara smuggled her five children out of Australia to follow her husband to Syria, died from medical complications 2015, is the legal guardian of the children. She moved her life from Australia to a private residence in Qamishli, Syria, to help bring the children home. Australians begging to come home after fighting with ISIS Oliver Bridgeman, 21 Olive Bridgeman, 21, (pictured) claims he went to Syria to be a humanitarian worker. The 21-year-old from Toowoomba in Queensland's Darling Downs claimed he travelled to Syria to be a humanitarian worker. Queensland's Darling Downs claimed he travelled to Syria to be a humanitarian worker. He previously assured his mother and father he hadn't been fighting in the war-torn nation, where ISIS terrorists are battling for control. His passport has been cancelled by the Australian government and he has been stuck in the war-torn area since 2016. Mahir Absar Alam, 26, Mahir Absar Alam, 26, (pictured), was caught just outside Baghouz. Alam joined Islamic State just four weeks after it declared its so-called caliphate in 2014. He has allegedly expressed regret for joining. The 26-year-old faces spending time in a prison camp in Syria, and could be taken to Iraq for trial or possibly be deported back to Australia, where he could be prosecuted. Ahmed Merhi, 27 Ahmed Merhi, 27, (pictured) has begged Australia to help him escape. Sydney terrorist Ahmed Merhi has begged Australia to help him after he was sentenced to death by hanging in Iraq. The former Granville Boys High School student, from Sydney's west, travelled to Syria in 2014 or 2015. At the time, he claimed he was travelling to the war-torn region to perform aid work. Janai Safar, 24 Janai Safar, 24, (pictured), previously vowed never to return to Australia. Safar is living in a refugee camp in northern Syria after its defeat. She left Australia to allegedly join the jihadi terror group in 2015. She previously vowed she'd never return to Australia. '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. Zehra Duman, 24, Zehra Duman, 24, (pictured) hit headlines in Australia when she fled to Syria in 2014. Duman, from Melbourne, is believed to be held at the al-Hawl refugee camp in Syria with her two-year-old son and six-month-old daughter. She claims she has been trying to leave ISIS for two years. The 24-year-old said she knows Australians would be angry with her but insisted: 'My kids have a right to be treated like normal kids.' Khaled Sharrouf's children: Zaynab, 17, Hoda, 16, and Humzeh, eight Zaynab (top left), Hoda (top right), and Humzeh (bottom, middle) are in the al-Howl camp. The Australian terrorist's remaining three children have been held at the al-Hawl refugee camp in north-eastern Syria since mid-march. Their Sydney-based mother, Tara Nettleton, smuggled the children out of Australia after her husband left to join the caliphate. Nettleton is believed to have died in 2016, while Sharrouf and his two eldest sons were believed to have been killed in an airstrike in 2017. Advertisement While the children are Australian citizens, it is not yet clear whether they still have valid passports. Scott Morrison and his party have previously expressed their desire to keep foreign fighters off Australian shores. The prime minister said he will not 'put one Australian life at risk' to bring home children of ISIS fighters, but will reportedly support the children's journey back to Australia should they arrive at an embassy and pass security checks. The children's two other brothers, Abdullah, 12, and Zarqawi, 11, were killed alongside Khaled in September 2017 in a US air strike on ISIS territory. They became infamous worldwide after Khaled distributed a picture of Abdullah holding a severed head. The American woman kidnapped from a national park in southwest Uganda by four gunmen in military uniforms, who are now demanding a ransom of $500,000, has been pictured. Grandmother Kimberly Sue Endicott, who turns 57 on April 15, was on a game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park when her vehicle was ambushed on Tuesday evening, according to police. A friend said Thursday that Endicott had shared an image on Instagram of four armed guards before she suddenly stopped posting two days ago. Ugandan soldiers on Thursday expanded their hunt for the gunmen, who abducted the California woman and Wild Frontiers Safari driver Jean-Paul Mirenge Remezo, 48, around dusk on Tuesday. State-run Uganda Wildlife Authority said the Congolese father-of-two was driving without an armed guard despite advice to have one present. Scroll down for videos Kimberly Sue Endicott was kidnapped with Jean-Paul Mirenge Remezo, 48, in Uganda Tuesday A friend said Thursday that Endicott had shared an image on Instagram of four armed guards and had been posting about her trip 'I know she was planning this trip for a while, because its something that shes always wanted to do,' Endicott's client Pam Lopez told KTLA in a phone interview. 'This was always a big trip she wanted to take.' Lopez told the station that Endicott - who has a daughter and a granddaughter - has been sharing images on social media from her travels. Wild Frontiers Safari tour company driver is married father-of-two Jean-Paul Mirenge Remezo. The 48-year-old was born in Congo and grew up near Goma It was her lifelong dream to go there to see the gorillas. 'She had been posting pictures of her trip up until it looks like two days ago, which brings it to Tuesday, which I believe is the day she got kidnapped.' But Lopez admitted she wasn't sure if Endicott's loved ones even knew she had been kidnapped. She added about the Costa Mesa aesthetician: 'Honestly, I dont know what to think. Im still trying to process it.' Endicott works at Solutions Skincare Studio according to her Facebook profile. On Thursday teams 'widened the search area' to include the districts of Kanungu and Rukungiri, where approximately 500,000 people live. 'The operation to rescue the tourist is still ongoing,' Uganda's tourism minister, Godfrey Kiwanda, told AFP on Thursday morning. NTV reported Army spokesman Brigadier Richard Karemire added: 'Let the security forces do their work.' Between 5pm and 7pm on Tuesday, the tourist and her driver were taken, government spokesman Ofwono Opondo said Wednesday in a statement. The group was driving through Queen Elizabeth National Park without an armed guard, according to Uganda Wildlife Authority Martin Julius and his wife Barbel were said to be on a Wild Frontiers Safari tour and alerted a manager when they were abandoned in the ambush 'A joint operation by the Uganda police, Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) and Uganda Wildlife Authority Game Wardens is underway to locate and rescue them.' Canadian elderly couple Martin Julius and his wife Barbel were left behind on the Edward Track between Katoke Gate the wilderness camp, and reported the kidnapping to the camp manager who came to rescue them. Deputy Police spokesperson ACP Polly Namaye, said the captors took the keys the van the couple was left in. They were not abducted or physically harmed. Endecott and the couple entered Uganda on March 29 and flew the next day to the park in the country's southwest, a Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) spokesman said. The safari company's website says Remezo is married, was born in Congo and grew up in the area near Goma. He moved to Uganda in 1992 and joined the company with in 2007 with five years of experience in the tourism industry. He speaks English, Swahili and French. Police said the initial indications lead them to believe that the kidnapping was financially motivated. The group quickly made their demand for Shs1.8billion using Endecotts cellphone. 'We strongly believe this ransom is the reason behind this kidnap,' the police stated Wednesday. 'The Joint Security teams have cut off all exit areas on the border between Uganda and the DRC in search of the victims.' On Thursday police said the captors were still use devices from the kidnapped people to ask for ransom money. 'They (the abductors) continue to use cell phones of the victims to call the lodge they were staying asking for $500,000 ransom, which we will not offer,' Uganda Deputy Police Spokeswoman Namaye said. The state-run Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) said an armed ranger is supposed to be with tourists and their guides at all times. 'We have armed ranger guides, if you're going out on a drive in the park you're supposed to have one but these tourists went out on their own without a guard,' spokesman Bashir Hangi told Reuters. 'From their camp in the park, they just got into a vehicle and went out. They should have notified us and informed us that they're going out for a game drive and then we would have availed them a guard but they didn't do this.' Uganda Wildlife Authority spokesman Bashir Hangi (pictured) said: 'They should have notified us and informed us that they're going out for a game drive and then we would have availed them [an armed] guard but they didn't do this' Queen Elizabeth, in southwestern Uganda lies some 150 kilometers (90 miles) north of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, famous among tourists for gorilla trekking Law enforcement believe the group could still be within the park. Joint Security teams have cut off all exit areas on the border between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo Hangi added to ABC News on Thursday: 'This is a one-off incident, its an isolated incident. It is not something that we are known for. We call it an accident. Its very unfortunate, it is regrettable, but it happened. 'Our parks are very safe right now, tourists are in the parks as I speak. We are known to be a safe country for all visitors. We are known to be a country with people who are warmly welcoming those they dont know. Thats what we are known for and thats who we are, and thats who we are going to remain to be despite this incident.' But the US embassy in Kampala said to avoid the Ishasha area on Thursday. On Wednesday it said 'is aware of reports that an American citizen was kidnapped and warned to 'exercise caution when traveling to this area due to ongoing security activity'. The identity of the kidnappers was unclear. The Somali Islamist militant group al Shabaab has carried out attacks in Uganda in the past, but has never kidnapped anyone for ransom there. 'We are hopeful that our efforts will lead to their successful recovery,' police said, adding they have strengthened safety measures. 'We want to further reassure the public that this is the first incident of its kind registered in such a peaceful setting and those planning to visit the national park and its surrounding should not be discouraged.' Virunga suspended all tourism activities last year following the kidnapping of two British tourists, Bethan Davies and Robert Jesty, in May 2018 The Britons were freed two days after the attack and their 25-year-old Virunga Park Ranger Rachel Masika Baraka was killed Queen Elizabeth, in southwestern Uganda lies some 90 miles north of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, famous among tourists for gorilla trekking. In 1999, Rwandan rebels killed eight foreign tourists there, inflicting an enormous blow to Uganda's tourist industry. Queen Elizabeth National Park, one of the East African nation's most famous wildlife reserves, runs along the frontier with conflict-wracked regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It borders its famous Virunga national park, Africa's oldest national park. Virunga suspended all tourism activities last year following the kidnapping of two British tourists, Bethan Davies and Robert Jesty, in May 2018. The Britons were freed two days after the attack and their 25-year-old Virunga Park Ranger Rachel Masika Baraka was killed. Numerous militia groups and armed gangs roam eastern DR Congo. Now the life and times of the Osmonds is to become a West End musical. The project is the brainchild of middle Osmond brother Jay, who has relocated from America to Chester. He and second wife, Karen, moved to the UK to collaborate with a group of English scriptwriters. 'It will be part Bohemian Rhapsody, part Jersey Boys,' says Jay, 64, the group's drummer. 'Without the swearing, of course. 'The story as it's been told before has been too sugary. I wanted to tell how hard it was.' Called He's My Brother, the play is due to open next year in the West End. The life and times of the Osmonds is to become a West End musical. The project is the brainchild of middle Osmond brother Jay (right), who has relocated from America to Chester. (Left to right: Jimmy, Donny and Marie Osmond. Behind them: Alan, Wayne, Merrill and Jay) Jay says: 'I wanted to tell the true unvarnished story of how it really was growing up, the obstacles we faced, and how we stayed together through the journey of our showbusiness life. 'Some of the obstacles and opposition we faced within the industry itself, and some of the ways we were disciplined as a militaristic kind of family took a heavy toll. 'Our dad was an Army sergeant, so we were raised as soldiers basically. The attitude was all for one and one for all, where we had each other's backs.' The play will include a cast of famous faces who helped the Osmonds become the Osmonds, including Walt Disney, Andy Williams, Elvis and Jerry Lewis. The Osmonds were especially popular in Britain with a string of hit records and Donny Osmond, now 61, becoming a major teen idol. Youngest brother Jimmy, 55, who also had solo success with Long Haired Lover From Liverpool, is still recovering from a stroke he suffered in panto in Birmingham in December. Tatler girl Sabrina swears by sobriety Tatler cover girl Sabrina Percy continues to enjoy her teetotal lifestyle. 'I'm going to a lot of lectures at the moment because I have a thirst for knowledge,' the 28-year-old model tells me at a party at Raffles in Chelsea for The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.' Tatler cover girl Sabrina Percy continues to enjoy her teetotal lifestyle. 'I'm going to a lot of lectures at the moment because I have a thirst for knowledge,' the 28-year-old model said 'I haven't drunk since 2017 because I became intolerant to alcohol and it was leaving me drained. 'So now in the evenings instead of going out and drinking and being a part of the pub culture I always go to lectures on art and business. 'From not drinking I've got a new brain and I can retain so much more information, it's amazing.' I imagine it is . . . Luther star Idris Elba is often tipped to be the next Bond. But in reality he's far from a man of action and reveals he's actually a secret couch potato. Luther star Idris Elba is often tipped to be the next Bond. But in reality he's far from a man of action and reveals he's actually a secret couch potato. He said: 'I travel all over the world but I'm becoming more of a homebody' 'I travel all over the world but I'm becoming more of a homebody. I'm always in different hotels and beds so when I get home I just love my sofa, blanket and TV.' Licence to chill. His career began in Christies glass and ceramics department, before leading to appearances on Bargain Hunt and Flog It! But Charles Hanson is now heading for less salubrious territory a county court. It results from his dispute with former business associate Susan Haswell, 55, who claims he owes her 6,810 in relation to work for his eponymous auction house, Hansons. When I disclosed details of the spat earlier this year, 40-year-old Hansons spokesman said they were working hard to resolve the dispute. Alas, to no avail. The case will be heard either on Hansons home turf, Derby, or Haswells, Kingston-upon-Thames close to where she helped him establish his first London base last year. Police say a gunman suspected of fatally shooting a civilian and also striking two Georgia police officers is holed up in a house with a teenager who is considered a hostage. Negotiators have been speaking with the gunman to try and get him to release the 16-year-old, Henry County police Captain Joey Smith said at a Thursday afternoon news conference. 'There may be another victim in the home. There was some evidence of that when we arrived on scene,' Smith said. Authorities say both officers were in serious condition at an Atlanta hospital after being wounded by gunfire in Stockbridge, just south of Atlanta. Scroll down for video Police say a gunman suspected of fatally shooting a civilian and also striking two Georgia police officers is holed up in a house with a teenager who is considered a hostage in Stockbridge, about 20 miles south of Atlanta. The scene is shown Police were called to a home in the neighborhood about 20 miles south of Atlanta at around 10.45am on Thursday on a 'trouble unknown' call. It's believed a domestic disturbance may have occurred, before the suspected shooter took the teen hostage. Police do not believe the teen has been injured and are working to secure the youth's release. Police were called to a home in the Eagle Ridge subdivision of Stockbridge (shown), about 20 miles south of Atlanta, at around 10.45am on Thursday on a 'trouble unknown' call The suspected shooter has said he will release the teen, who authorities said may be related to him, but he has not yet done so. 'We can't get very close to the house,' Smith said, noting that the injured officers were shot after forcing their way into the home. Neighbors have been evacuated and people are being instructed to avoid the area surrounding the 300 block of Eagle Court in the Eagle Ridge subdivision of Stockbridge. One officer was shot in the hand; the other was shot in the torso and hip area, Smith said. At least one of the officers was airlifted to Grady Memorial Hospital after being shot, CBS reported. Both officers are in their 30s and members of the SWAT team, Smith said. This is the dramatic moment police tracked down a criminal who remained at large for a year after a violent burglary - before making shocking discoveries in his home. Footage from a new Channel 5 programme shows police confront the suspect, Irasto Yoxall, in his room while he stands in just his boxer shorts. Kent Police place the man under arrest after tracking him to an estate in Bethnal Green, east London after he was suspected of being involved in a violent raid where terrified victims were tied up, stabbed and pistol whipped in April 2016. Police found, as well as drugs, two firearms - the one on the left, plastic and the other is real After detaining the man, the 10-strong specialist tactical unit find a toy gun sprayed black before finding the real deal, a .32 Smith and Wesson double break revolver wrapped in cloth hidden at the back of a storage cupboard. The 32-year-old was suspected of using the firearm at the time of an aggravated burglary and was jailed for eight years in October 2018. The clip shows police continue to search the man's home before making more shocking discoveries in the shape of class A drugs. They found 73 bags of crack cocaine besides 40 wraps and a solid lump of heroin under a boiler stashed inside a pesto jar. The drugs had a combined street value of about 3,500. Some of the 10-strong specialist tactical unit from Kent Police detain a 32-year-old Yoxall Irasto Yoxall, was arrested in his room while he stood in his room after a year on the run Officers also found 73 bags of crack cocaine besides 40 wraps and a solid lump of heroin In Maidstone Crown Court, Yoxall pleaded guilty to possessing a class A drug with intent to supply and received a three year sentence which was to be served simultaneously with his larger sentence. 'This case sends out a very clear message if you are involved in criminality in Kent, Kent police has the resources and the ability to bring you to justice irrespective of where you live,' said Det Insp James Derham at the time. On last week's episode, Kevin Kennedy, 48, was arrested after he threw a piece of wood, a rock and another missile in chaotic scenes in Dover, Kent, in 2016 that saw dozens of people arrested. The father-of-three travelled 470 miles from his home in Edinburgh to take part in the violent march which featured protesters with Nazi-style flags and salutes. Kevin Kennedy (right) travels in a car with a police officer (left) after being arrested for throwing a piece of wood, a rock and another missile during a street battle in Dover in 2016 Channel 5 programme Manhunt: Catch Me If You Can has revealed the moment of his arrest Kennedy was later given a suspended sentence at court after admitting violent disorder Manhunt: Catch Me If You Can revealed the moment police arrested him before making the additional discoveries. An officer driving the car is filmed asking him: 'Do you like going on those demos? Have you always gone on them, for years? Is there a lot of right wing in Scotland?' Kennedy replies: 'Nah, not as much as there should be. I've been talking to them. They know, I've been telling people for years, there's going to be a holy war. 'Now some people are starting to listen, eh? The Poles are on our side. Nice big, hardy laddies. We call them the f***ing frontliners. Ha, I'm too old for it now, man.' Kennedy had already been arrested once and failed to appear in court, but was eventually brought back for another hearing and admitted violent disorder. Anti-fascist protesters broke through police lines as they clashed with right wing protesters in Dover in 2016 as both groups gathered for an afternoon of demonstrations over immigration Some 62 offenders received a total of 85 years in prison after the violent protests in Dover that saw bricks and stones launched into the air in January 2016 Anti-fascist protesters are held by police lines as they clash with far-Right protesters in 2016 Far-Right protestors shout at the rally in Dover in January 2016 which turned violent Kennedy was sentenced at Canterbury Crown Court in August 2017 to 12 months in jail, suspended for two years - and given a four-month overnight curfew. Some 62 offenders received a total of 85 years in prison after the violent protests in Dover that saw bricks and stones launched into the air in January 2016. The new series, which began last Thursday at 9pm, follows the work of Kent Police's specialist tactical unit as they track down suspects wanted for arrest. One officer told the documentary of the protests in Dover three years ago: 'Both the left and right wing, in my opinion, had become lawless that day. 'People have got a right to have lawful protests, but you haven't got a right to start smashing the windows of businesses and smashing each other's faces in.' Sergeant Iain Cameron, PC Ben Redpath, PC Sacha 'Az' Azizi, PC Jai Shoker and PC Mark Beaumont from the Kent Police Specialist Tactical Unit appear in the new documentary Manhunt: Catch Me If You Can begins on Channel 5 tonight and continues next Thursday Manhunt: Catch Me If You Can is on Channel 5 and continues next Thursday Quirky thing the British constitution. It is a creaking system of laws and provisions, cobbled together over hundreds of years of precedent. Doubtless many of its statutes, to the naked eye, appear rather archaic. But tinker with it at your peril. Start chipping away and over time the damage becomes very hard to stop. Pretty soon, people begin to wonder why we bother with procedure at all. Herein lies the route to anarchy. This was the argument put forward by peers in the House of Lords yesterday in a bid to thwart a bill passing through the upper chamber stopping us leaving the EU without a deal. Peers in the House of Lords were trying to thwart a bill passing through the upper chamber stopping us leaving the EU without a deal The bill, brought by Yvette Cooper (Lab, Pontefract), squeaked through the House of Commons late on Wednesday night by a single vote. Members were required to cast their vote after a short debate with speeches limited to just two minutes. Constitutional practice was told to go hang. The verdict of a number of wise old owls on the red benches: Rummy. The upper chamber was packed deep by 11.30am to assess the bill. Standing room only for latecomers. Clearly Yvettes legislature had got peers riled. Either that or the Lords dining room serves up a particularly toothsome treacle tart on Thursdays. All around, faces from yesteryear. Lords Blunkett, Lansley, Hain. This is where ex-ministers get put out to pasture. Up first was Labours Baroness Hayter, tip-to-toe in luminescent pink, who defended the rushed nature of passing it into law. She argued that unconventional times demanded unconventional measures. So goes the reasoning of despots. She also complained unelected peers were attempting to block the legislation. This from someone whos barely been so much as elected to a knitting circle. Roly-poly Tory grandee Lord Strathclydes attempts to intervene were met with a volley of boos. The Baroness refused, huffing it was her decision on whether to give way and she had decided not to. Scowling Lord Foulkes of Labour growled at Strathclyde incoherently. Rab C Nesbitt sans humour. Baroness Hayter (left) and Lord Forsyth both made contributions during the debate on Brexit Lord Forsyth (Tory) said the bill would make the Prime Ministers task of negotiating with the EU more difficult. He also pointed out it had only passed by one vote and that came from someone wearing a tag on release from prison a reference to jailbird Fiona Onasanya (Lab, Peterborough). Wails of For goodness sake! from Labour peers. Lord Owen then rose. The former Europhile, coiffed and perfumed as though hed just vacated the barbers chair at Trumpers of St Jamess, proceeded to make an uninterrupted speech which trickled with honeyed eloquence. The Lords were debating a bill from Labour's Yvette Cooper This type of legislation, he opined, should never be presented either to the House or to the country again. Do not think that we are in a little bubble here which has no implications for anything else, he warned. Moreover, he added, the country voted on a referendum in favour of leaving the European Union and now both Houses were blocking their decision. Shame on you if you do anything to let that happen, he hollered. It was belting stuff. Lord Lawson announced he had served Parliament for 45 years and had never seen constitutional violence on such a scale. Lord Howard said MPs had set a precedent that would have a much more dire effect on our liberties than the issues which we are debating and discussing today. The House of Lords is in dire need of a decent clear-out, but these codgers earned their attendance fee yesterday. At the very least, an extra serving of treacle tart. Speeches threatened to drag on long into the night. Labour accused Tory peers of filibustering the act of wrecking the bill by drawing out the debate and delaying it passing into law so that it would not tie Mrs Mays hands ahead of her meeting with the EU to request an extension on Article 50 next Wednesday. Baroness Hayter pointed out the Lords canteen opened at 7am and she was happy to start breakfast orders. I should say her colleagues looked rather less enthusiastic about pulling an all-nighter than she did. Back in the Commons there was minor drama to while away the tedium. The Press gallery roof sprang a heavy leak during the afternoon which led Deputy Speaker Lindsay Hoyle to suspend proceedings for the rest of the day. Be in no doubt Parliament is literally coming apart at the seams. Sandwiched between a Starbucks and a pub, it looks like any unremarkable office block. But the rooms behind the non-descript black door have been the London home of Britain's eavesdropping agency GCHQ for more than 65 years. Unbeknown to the public, intelligence officers have worked to protect national security from the drab-looking building since 1953. The former offices of GCHQ in Palmer Street in Westminster have been unmasked after 65 years Unbeknown to the public, intelligence officers have been based at the site since 1953 protecting national security Now the site, on Palmer Street, opposite St James's Park Tube station in Westminster, has finally been unmasked. The organisation known as Britain's listening post has only now been able to confirm the location after it moved out of the base. GCHQ director Jeremy Fleming said: 'As we depart our Palmer Street site after 66 years, we look back on a history full of amazing intelligence, world-leading innovation, and the ingenious people who passed through those secret doors. 'Then, as now, it's a history defined by the belief that with the right mix of minds, anything is possible.' Photographs reveal the rooms where Britain's top spies have worked to disrupt terrorist attacks and hunt smuggling gangs. GCHQ has only now confirmed the location of the site, situated between a pub and a Starbucks The organisation known as Britain's listening post has only now been able to confirm the location after it moved out of the base In these rooms, Britain's top spies have worked to disrupt terrorist attacks and hunt smuggling gangs The agency said: 'The Palmer Street hub has played its part in significant events over the years, such as the 2012 London Olympics, working with our partners, MI6, MI5 and the Metropolitan Police to counter terrorist activities and serious and organised crime whilst keeping ministers up to date with security briefings.' GCHQ was established on November 1 1919 as a peacetime 'cryptanalytic' unit made up from staff from the Admiralty's Room 40 and the War Office's MI1(b). During the Second World War, GCHQ personnel moved to Bletchley Park where they decrypted German messages, most famously by breaking Enigma communications. In the early 1950s, the service moved its headquarters from the London suburbs of Eastcote to Cheltenham, meaning a suitable location was needed in the centre of the capital for the handling of secret paperwork and as a regular base for its director. After a search, the Ministry of Works provided a newly built, Government-leased building on Palmer Street. The Palmer Street hub has played its part in significant events in the UK in recent decades, such as the 2012 London Olympics The future plans for the building, which has been sold privately, are not yet known GCHQ was established on November 1 1919 as a peacetime 'cryptanalytic' unit made up from staff from the Admiralty's Room 40 and the War Office's MI1(b) As well as GCHQ's Cheltenham headquarters (pictured), the agency has offices in Bude in Cornwall, Scarborough, Lincolnshire and Harrogate GCHQ moved into its secret London home in the spring of 1953, housing a range of different teams there over the following decades. The future plans for the building, which has been sold privately, are not known. While no longer operating from the Palmer Street site, GCHQ will maintain a London presence. As well as its Cheltenham HQ, the agency has offices in Bude in Cornwall, Scarborough, Lincolnshire and Harrogate. Later this year, it will open a new secure facility in Manchester. The agency is marking its centenary throughout this year. A captivating encounter that I shall never forget deepened my fascination with giraffes, those special creatures of majesty and grace. About ten years ago, I was on a TV documentary assignment with a production crew at the Shamwari Game Reserve in South Africa, filming from an open-top Jeep. We stopped to take some footage of a herd of giraffes quietly browsing on nearby trees. And to our delight, one female strolled across and leant right over us, her elegant neck so close I could practically stroke it. Giraffes, record-breakers of the animal kingdom, are amazing in other ways too. They are by far the tallest creatures on land, with males on average reaching five and a half metres (18ft) in height, females four metres (13ft) Her beautiful spotted hide was just inches from my face, its brown-and-white pattern unique to her, just as all humans have their own unique fingerprints. I could see the black tufts of hair on the tips of her ossicones, the two small horns on top of a giraffes head. Indeed, the black ossicone hair was how we knew she was female, as adult males tend to have bald tips, the result of repeated sparring with rivals. Soon this female lost interest in us and wandered off to resume her browsing. It was intriguing to see at close range how giraffes eat, skilfully using their long, prehensile tongues to manoeuvre between the thorns of the acacia trees and grab the leaves. But our show was not over. This magnificent creatures decline is mankinds responsibility. It is up to all governments to face that fact and do all they can to help preserve the species. A giraffe wounded by a poacher's snare is helped by a unit from Kenya Wildlife Services The females place was taken by one of the youngest members of the herd. Full of curiosity, the calf came right up to the Jeep, appraising us with mesmerising liquid brown eyes, their appeal accentuated by the long lashes and black contours round their rims, almost like eyeliner. Then suddenly this tranquil scene dissolved as two male members of the herd began a fight, smashing their necks together and jabbing each other with their ossicones. The ferocity of the struggle not only belied the gentle image of giraffes but startled the calf. Fortunately, its mother was at its side in seconds to usher it away from the Jeep to our relief, for a protective giraffe mother can have a powerful kick if she feels her offspring are threatened. It was a truly memorable experience. Giraffes are highly social, although little research has been conducted on how they communicate. A lot less vocal than other large creatures, they nevertheless emit grunts, coughs, hisses and even flute-like noises No one who has witnessed these animals at close quarters in the wild, as we did, could fail to be moved by the experience. But the tragedy is that giraffes are under threat as never before because of loss of habitat, poaching and environmental change. Today, the spectacular documentary Our Planet, narrated by Sir David Attenborough and celebrated by the Mail in a series of pullouts this week, is released on Netflix. As its eight epic programmes call on humans to cease our destruction of the natural world and recognise our place within the global ecosystem, the hard-fought campaign to save vital animals, including giraffes, could scarcely be more timely. It is estimated that during the past 30 years, the worlds giraffe population has fallen by about 40 per cent, from 157,000 to 97,000. Of nine recognised sub-species, five are in decline. Last month, concern about declining giraffe numbers prompted a cross-party group of MPs to write to Environment Secretary Michael Gove. They urged him to support proposals from several African nations to step up protection efforts, through measures such as restrictions on the trade in giraffe products and the creation of larger reserves. I remember, as a child growing up in Tanzania, my first exhilarating sight of a herd of giraffes galloping across the savannah, their front legs thrust out, necks upright, back legs acting as counterweights. I have loved them ever since, and welcome any step that could help to conserve them. The Humane Society of the United States recently stated that 40,000 giraffe products were imported to the U.S. between 2006 and 2015. Among them were boots, custom-made jackets, gun covers, furniture and even the stuffed body of a juvenile giraffe Despite their height and size, giraffes are capable of tremendous speed once they gain momentum, reaching over 35mph for long distances far faster than Usain Bolt yet they move with remarkable fluidity and poise, almost as if they were floating forward in slow motion. Giraffes, record-breakers of the animal kingdom, are amazing in other ways too. They are by far the tallest creatures on land, with males on average reaching five and a half metres (18ft) in height, females four metres (13ft). They have the longest necks and legs, at roughly two metres on average, and also the largest hearts of any land animal, more than half a metre across and weighing 11kg (24lb). Those colossal dimensions are needed for their hearts to pump oxygen up to their brains, a process assisted by a series of one-way valves in their necks to keep the blood flowing in defiance of gravity. Giraffes also have huge lungs, capable of holding 55 litres of air (human lungs can hold just six litres). They also have remarkable eyesight, a vital attribute for scanning the horizon to spot predators. Another surprising fact about giraffes is that they hardly sleep at all. Studies have shown they close their eyes for less than five minutes at a time, sleeping for a maximum of 30 minutes in an entire night far less than any other land mammal. Giraffes are highly social, although little research has been conducted on how they communicate. A lot less vocal than other large creatures, they nevertheless emit grunts, coughs, hisses and even flute-like noises. It is possible that they also use low-frequency infra sounds, outside the range of the human ear. And they are certainly intelligent, sensitive animals, as indicated by mounting evidence that giraffe mothers go into mourning if their calves die. Further studies are needed into their lives but more urgent is the imperative to protect them. Their alarming decline is caused by several factors, including human conflicts that destroy their living environment and climate change that leads to droughts and loss of vegetation. Their alarming decline is caused by several factors, including human conflicts that destroy their living environment and climate change that leads to droughts and loss of vegetation Just as worrying is poaching and the trade in bushmeat and products made from giraffes, including trophies and charms. The hair from giraffes long tails is especially sought-after in Africa for making good-luck talismans, sewing thread and strings of beads. But this commerce is not confined to the African continent. The Humane Society of the United States recently stated that 40,000 giraffe products were imported to the U.S. between 2006 and 2015. Among them were boots, custom-made jackets, gun covers, furniture and even the stuffed body of a juvenile giraffe. No civilised society should endorse such a repugnant trade and all governments, including ours, should crack down on it, while the drive against poaching in Africa must be stepped up. But even that will not address the biggest factor in declining giraffe numbers: the loss of habitat through relentless deforestation, human population growth and the intensification of agriculture. Giraffes are victims of industrialisation. Because of their extraordinary bodies, they need to eat at least 30 kilos (66lb) of vegetation a day. And that requires a great deal of land, for two reasons. First, their favoured acacia trees have a sophisticated defence mechanism by which the leaves, when targeted for consumption, release tannin, which quickly makes them unpalatable. Giraffes are victims of industrialisation. Because of their extraordinary bodies, they need to eat at least 30 kilos (66lb) of vegetation a day This tannin is also spread by the wind, making other acacia trees in the vicinity equally unpleasant to eat before the giraffes have even reached them. In practice, giraffes can have only a few bites of acacia leaves before they must move on to uncontaminated trees. The second reason is that they are kept moving by the continual, lifelong threat from predators it is estimated that between a quarter and half of all calves die before they reach adulthood. To give giraffes the wide spaces they need, we must create more reserves in Africa, linked by corridors that enable them to move from one area to another. Such work will require further funding and international co-operation. The giraffes freedom and hence their survival should not be inhibited by national boundaries or financial selfishness. This magnificent creatures decline is mankinds responsibility. It is up to all governments to face that fact and do all they can to help preserve the species. And a central part of forcing them to accept their responsibility is to raise awareness of the urgent plight of the giraffe. That can be done through campaigns, actions such as the MPs cross-party initiative, and by raising the official risk level of giraffes vulnerability as assessed by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, which compiles the Red List of Threatened Species. There is no creature on earth like the giraffe. And by protecting this noble animal, we will be helping the rest of our natural heritage to survive. Hey kids. So what's the narrative on the Harry-Meghan axis? The theme, the zeitgeisty gist, the Major Issue that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are tackling next? Hang on to your mouse mat, because the royal Batman and his feisty Robinette are fighting the big one this week; the evils of the internet. 'Growing up in today's world, social media is more addictive than drugs and alcohol,' said Prince Harry on Wednesday, with his usual flair for talking urgent nonsense. It was a particularly ridiculous thing to say, given that the Sussexes have just launched their own social media account on Instagram, which has already attracted 3.6 million followers and counting. 'It's not hypocritical,' insisted their official spokesman, but many of us would beg to differ. Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex visited the YMCA South Ealing, where he spoke about the effects of social media on mental health Increasingly, he seems to think there is one set of rules for him and his wife, while everyone else must abide by a completely different moral code. More stringent for a start. Let them eat Meghan's special recipe austerity soup, they silently cry, while we live like well, royalty, amid the lush and plush of our Soho House set. In the past, Harry has shot water buffalo, game birds and other hapless critters while campaigning for animal conservationism. Yet we have forgiven him for most of his youthful idiocies. Recently and more damningly, he encouraged youngsters to act on climate change and environmental issues, while he and Meghan fly around in private jets and helicopters should the opportunity arise. And now this. At a YMCA centre in West London promoting the Heads Together mental health charity, the Prince claimed online games such as Fortnite were more addictive than booze or drugs. The Sussexes have just launched their own social media account on Instagram, which has already attracted 3.6 million followers and counting It is true that the violent natures of such games are reprehensible, but his theory doesn't even make sense. To an addict, a substance or a habit is either addictive or it is not. You'd think someone who is always banging on about eradicating public stigma over mental health issues (What stigma, I always ask myself?) would know that, but there is never any joined up thinking where Prince Harry is concerned. He says it, therefore it is. According to Harry this week, we are in an exciting time, but we are also in a mind-altering time. We are in good times, but we are also in bad times. We are up and we are down. That is because we are a royal mass of contradictions, aren't we? 'Kids need a human connection,' he said, digging out his prompt sheet, which was surely handwritten in beautiful flowing calligraphy and scented with crushed macaroons. Instagram is now the go-to for lovely, exclusive pictures of Meghan and Harry doing their good deeds For when Harry speaks these days, all I hear is the avocado mulch of Meghan's impeccable socially liberal concerns, filtered through the obliging vassal of her husband. The concern this week seems to be in urging parents to get children off social media where they might be bullied or have issues. Yet it didn't seem to cross his princely mind that the place where they have most issues is on Instagram, where his new Sussexroyal account is attracting much attention. Instagram is a photo-based platform associated with high levels of anxiety, depression and bullying in the young. It is infamous for fostering feelings of inadequacy and depression in millions of kids. A survey by the Royal Society for Public Health (ironic) found it had the worst scores of all social media platforms when it came to body image and anxiety, especially among girls. In its way, it probably does as much damage as Fortnite, but who cares? Certainly not Prince H. For Instagram is now the go-to for lovely, exclusive pictures of Meghan and Harry doing their good deeds; a safe space (for them) which is free from criticism or wry judgments about their ocean-going insincerity. Harry and Meghan fly around in private jets and helicopters, and could chart their trips on their new Instagram With all this, plus his dutiful trips to a herbal wellness centre and his exhortations to millennials to find their true north star, Prince Harry is fast becoming the woke dope royal and I rather wish he was not. Behind the scenes he still leads a life of unthinkable luxury and entitlement. Yet in public he wants to sound good, he wants to do good and he wants to look good. They may see themselves as caped crusaders, but people would love Harry and Meghan more if they set an example, rather than just kept telling us all what we should be doing and feeling and thinking. The problem with Prince Harry is that he has become more Soho House than House of Windsor, and that is not good. No man has a right to sex Just when you thought wed left Gilead and the Handmaids Tale for good, a judge has spoken out about the fundamental human right of a man to have sex with his wife. The remark was made by Mr Justice Hayden, who has been asked to consider imposing a court order preventing a man from having sex with his wife of 20 years because she may no longer be able to give her consent. Local social services believe the woman, who has learning difficulties, may lack the mental capacity to make her own decision. Lawyers have suggested that a judge might have to bar the husband from continuing to have sex with his wife in order to ensure that the woman is not raped. He has offered to give an undertaking not to have sex with his wife. I cannot think of any more obviously fundamental human right than the right of a man to have sex with his wife and the right of the state to monitor that, he said. I think he is entitled to have it properly argued. It is a sad and complicated case. However, I do hope we have reached a point in this country where no man has a legal right to insist upon sex with his wife or any other woman. The Daily Mail has long been campaigning for regulators to have a close look at sharp practices in the funeral industry. Now the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) are on the case. Good. The thought that the bereaved are regularly being ripped off is too much to bear, especially when they are at their most vulnerable and racked by grief. Not all funeral directors are charlatans, but the CMA has already warned rogue firms who may be taking advantage of distressed customers that they are on notice. Meanwhile, the rising costs of funerals about 4,000 on average causes some families real hardship. Is that because of keen pricing in the funeral industry? Or is the me-generation pushing funerals down the same route as weddings into an unaffordable extravagance when something simpler would do? I adore Aintrees exuberant fillies It is Ladies Day at Aintree today, which made yesterday The Day Before Ladies Day, but it was still a fashion eye-opener. Some like to mock these peacocking racegoers, but I absolutely love these women. They look like they are having a ball, which in these ghastly times is a tiny triumph of its own. Yes, some of the outfits are side-splitting literally. Yet there is something about the cheery ostentation that is just so uplifting. And also the hope over experience that is so killing. Look at these women! They have planned a sunny weather wardrobe, but were greeted with freezing spring temperatures. Yet there were no cosy cardigans nor comfortable footwear in this exotic paddock of pain. The only ladies I saw wearing smart suits and hats with a darling chequered trim were called policewomen. Each year Aintree officials say they are going to impose a more demure dress code but, thank goodness, they never do. Ra-ra skirts, plunge front dresses, nightclub curves plus racy underwear? All present and correct. And theyre off! J.K. Rowling has won her case against the personal assistant who fraudulently obtained 18,734 from her accounts. Amanda Donaldson spent the money on toiletries, coffees from Costa and Cafe Nero and stationery from Paper Tiger. She also took nearly 8,000 in foreign currency and 2,000 in cash. Considering that Rowling is worth over 500 million, her thievery was meek, unimaginative and crushingly sad. J.K. Rowling had every right to drag her through the courts, but one wonders why she didnt report it to the police instead. The publicity that has resulted means that Miss Donaldsons life and career prospects are in ruins. Yet she must blame herself for that and not her merciless employer. Spare us the shades of grey Forget the pink and the blue and the colourful mobiles, grey is now the most popular colour in baby nursery home decor. What more proof do you need that its all about the selfish parents, not about the welfare of the little children? Poor little grubs, growing up in a monochrome prison of dreary asphalt and elephant paint shades. Their little buggy eyes must yearn for something bright to alight upon, but they have to realise mummy and daddys good taste must come first. John Lewis has reported that the paint trends for the nursery of 2019 finds parents opting for neutral shades in grey and cream. Naturally, Harry and Meghan (them again) are bang on trend. They are using expensive Auro paints to decorate the nursery at Frogmore. A ten-litre pot of the German brand paint costs 120 several times the price of Dulux. However, it doesnt smell, isnt toxic and it breaks down pollutants, too. Even the names of the colours are marvellous. Have the royals gone for Wood Spurge, Constance Spry, Meconopsis or Yorkshire Fog Grass? How about Mind Your Own Business? Not being rude, its another paint name, for a lovely pastel brown. Will Barbara be a born again star? Before there was Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, there was Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson. They starred in the 1976 version of A Star Is Born, which was also a huge hit. In that version, Esther (Barbra) told self-destructive John (Kris) that: You can trash your own life, but you are not going to trash mine. In similar scenes, a rather more conciliatory Ally (Gaga) told Jack (Bradley): Next time you can clean up your own mess. Do we live in kinder times? And is a resurrection planned? Under a photo of her and Kris, Barbra told fans to stay tuned. Like a rose under the April snow, she was always certain that love would grow. Is it about to bloom again? Be still my hopeful heart. Advertisement Theresa May is poised to formally request a fresh delay to Brexit today to prevent Britain leaving the EU without a deal next week - but Brussels will demand a year-long 'flextension'. The Prime Minister will write to EU Council President Donald Tusk to request an extension to Article 50 that will delay the UKs departure beyond April 12, Government sources said. Mrs May will seek a termination clause, which would allow the UK to leave on May 22 the day before European elections if a deal can be pushed through the UK Parliament. But if this fails, the delay is likely to extend until at least the end of the year. Attorney General Geoffrey Cox last night warned that Britain would be stuck in the EU for at least another year unless the Government cuts a soft Brexit deal with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. He said it was now the only way in which Britain was likely to leave the EU next month. Several Brexiteer ministers are pushing Mrs May to rule out a long delay, with a handful even urging her to take Britain out of the EU without a deal next Friday if Parliament continues to refuse to pass her plan. Mr Cox told the BBC that unless a deal can be cut with Labour the delay would be a long one... longer than just a few weeks or months. Theresa May will write to EU Council President Donald Tusk to request an extension to Article 50 that will delay the UKs departure beyond April 12, Government sources said Fury as disgraced ex-Labour MP Fiona Onasanya helps Remainer rebels to victory by ONE VOTE on law to stop No Deal Brexit The Commons voted to rule out a No Deal Brexit thanks to the support of disgraced MP Fiona Onasanya. The politician is wearing an electronic tag after being sentenced to three months jail in January for perverting the course of justice after repeatedly lying to police about a speeding offence. On Wednesday night MPs voted by a majority of only one to support a Bill to further delay the date of Brexit to avoid No Deal. Former Labour MP Miss Onasanya, 35, who is facing the prospect of being expelled by her constituents in Peterborough, was one of those to vote in favour of the legislation. Had she not turned up in the Commons, the vote would have been tied and the Speaker would have been expected to reject the Bill. Tory MP Christopher Davies, who admitted submitting false expenses last month and is awaiting sentence, also went to the Commons for Wednesdays vote. He opposed the measure. Hours earlier Miss Onasanya had appeared at an employment tribunal, where she is accused of discriminating against a disabled employee who was told to use the male toilet because she couldnt climb the stairs. Last month the MP was released early from prison in Surrey having served only 28 days behind bars and agreed to a curfew and an electronic tag. The solicitor faces a by-election if at least 10 per cent of registered voters in her constituency about 7,000 people sign the petition by May 1. Yesterday a peer said it was an outrage that the Bill had gone through only thanks to an MP wearing a tag. Tory former Cabinet minister Lord Forsyth said the fact the legislation had been fast tracked could lead to tyranny. The Bill was passed by one vote, he said in the Lords. And that one vote came from someone wearing a tag because they were released from prison. This is a major constitutional matter. It was passed by one vote. The speeches were limited to two minutes in the other place [the Commons]. All that lies between us and tyranny is that we respect the conventions of both houses. MPs backed the Bill to delay the date of Brexit, tabled by Labours Yvette Cooper, during the late-night sitting on Wednesday by 313 votes to 312. Some 14 Tory MPs backed the Bill. They were all Remainers, including Ken Clarke and Dominic Grieve. Six Tories abstained. Of the 20 rebels, some 17 were former ministers. The legislation requires Theresa May to table a motion seeking MPs approval for an extension to Article 50 the formal process for leaving the EU beyond April 12 to a date of her choosing. It is part of a Parliamentary bid to prevent a No Deal departure from the EU. In an unusual step, Speaker John Bercow allowed the Bill to be fast-tracked through the Commons in a single day. Advertisement Last night the delay had not been signed off by the Cabinet, which is deeply split over how long to ask for. The move came amid signs that ministers are closing in on a deal with Labour that is likely to involve some form of customs union and guarantees on workers rights and environmental standards. After two days of intensive talks, officials were last night working on a formal letter to Labour setting out the broad scope of a possible deal. Sources played down reports that the package would include a second referendum although they pointed out there would be nothing to stop Parliament attempting to attach one to the deal. But both sides described talks, which will continue today, as constructive. One Tory source said: There has been a bit of capitulation on both sides. Everyone is looking to have something imposed on them get a deal done and blame the other side for the bits they dont like. It could all come crashing down, but at the moment its in play. Mrs May launched formal talks with Labour on Wednesday after MPs rejected her deal three times. The decision has prompted a furious Tory backlash, with Eurosceptic MPs threatening to go on strike and up to 15 ministers saying they will quit if the deal includes a customs union. But in an interview with the BBCs Political Thinking podcast, Mr Cox said the Government had no choice but to agree a compromise if Britain was still to leave the EU. He warned that with Parliament now legislating to force the Government to seek a delay to avoid a No Deal Brexit next week, Mrs May would have little choice but to accept the extension that shes offered. Asked if Mr Corbyn could become the midwife of Brexit, he replied: So be it. What matters is this is born. The Cabinet is split over how long an extension to ask the EU for. At a seven-hour Cabinet showdown on Tuesday, up to 14 ministers voiced doubts about a long extension that would delay Brexit beyond the European Parliament elections on May 23. Just ten Cabinet ministers backed a long delay to give time to negotiate a new deal. Downing Street yesterday confirmed that preparations for the elections are likely to go ahead, but insisted the 100million exercise could be called off as late as the day before if the Government is able to get a Brexit deal through Parliament. Members of the Pizza Club of pro-Brexit Tory MPs met on Wednesday night in the office of Commons leader Andrea Leadsom. In attendance were several Cabinet ministers including Penny Mordaunt, Jeremy Hunt and Chris Grayling. One minister told the Daily Mail: Ministers were saying, It is miserable, but we need an alternative. We fear Brexit isnt going to happen in the next 18 months. Senior ministers clashed yesterday over whether the Government should contemplate agreeing a second referendum, which Mr Corbyn is under pressure from Labour activists to demand. Chancellor Philip Hammond described the idea as a perfectly credible option. But Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: Thats certainly not how I would describe it. Mr Corbyn is under intense pressure from MPs and activists to demand a referendum as the price of any deal. After two days of intensive talks, officials were last night working on a formal letter to Labour setting out the broad scope of a possible deal Tory party members up and down the UK have been destroying their membership cards and posting the pictures on social media in protest their leader's decision to call in Labour to get a Brexit deal But the Labour leader has indicated he believes a second vote is only needed to stop a damaging Tory Brexit or a No Deal. Spartan chief Steve Baker told MailOnline: 'The Chancellor has come up with about the stupidest suggestion I could imagine. Look at the rage and despair created by asking Parliament to choose between Brexit in name only or no Brexit, and then imagine the public reaction. Is he trying to destroy all faith in democracy?'. There were reportedly talks on creating a 'devolution lock' that would give Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast a veto on any future changes to the UK-EU relationship, according to BuzzFeed News. Downing Street denied this as 'categorically untrue'. Yesterday 25 Labour MPs, mainly from Leave-supporting areas, urged Mr Corbyn to press ahead without another referendum. The letter warned that a second referendum would be exploited by the far-Right, damage the trust of many core Labour voters and reduce our chances of winning a General Election. It comes after Mr Corbyn's Shadow Foreign Secretary wrote to all Labour MPs demanding a ballot on whatever deal emerges. Miss Thornberry wrote: 'Any deal agreed by Parliament must be subject to a confirmatory public vote, and yes, the other option on the ballot must be Remain.' Attorney General defends inviting Jeremy Corbyn into Brexit talks saying 'we must use any lawful means' to ensure UK leaves the EU Attorney General Geoffrey Cox has defended inviting Jeremy Corbyn to Brexit talks, saying 'we must use any lawful means' to ensure the UK leaves the EU. Mr Cox said that if Government discussions with Labour fail to deliver an agreement the UK faced a long extension to Article 50. The Attorney General suggested that in such circumstances Prime Minister Theresa May would have little choice but to accept what the EU offered her. Welcoming the cross-party talks, Mr Cox told BBC Radio 4's Political Thinking with Nick Robinson podcast: 'I say we must use any means to secure the ends, any lawful means. 'We are assisting at the birth of something new. Births are not always easy and we must take the necessary steps to achieve our departure.' Attorney General Geoffrey Cox, pictured yesterday, has defended inviting Jeremy Corbyn to Brexit talks, saying 'we must use any lawful means' to ensure the UK leaves the EU Asked if that meant Mr Corbyn would be the midwife, the Attorney General replied: 'So be it. What matters is this is born.' What happens next with Brexit? FRIDAY: DECISION TIME Time is running desperately short for May to decide an alternative before the EU summit on 10 April. The government must brief EU governments on what to expect so preparations for the summit can be made. WEDNESDAY APRIL 10: EU SUMMIT Another summit with EU leaders where May will ask for a new delay beyond April 12. May's new plan is to strike a cross-party consensus in London and persuade EU leaders it means the deal can be delivered in time for Brexit on May 22. She may have to accept a longer extension that means holding EU elections, as Brussels has made clear this is a red line - and will take a decision on delay without Britain and it must be unanimous. EU officials including Michel Barnier have warned that the risk of an accidental No Deal is increasing if May arrives with no plan. FRIDAY APRIL 12: BREXIT DAY Britain is due to leave the EU without a deal on this date if no delay is agreed. Advertisement The Attorney General said failure to reach agreement with Labour would have repercussions. Mr Cox said: 'The problem, then, would be that we would be in an extension. It's likely to be a long one, by which I mean longer than just a few weeks or months.' He added: 'We will no doubt be offered an extension with a date on it and the Prime Minister will be required to accept or reject it.' Mr Cox said the backbench Bill brought forward by Labour's Yvette Cooper and others, which forces the Government to seek an extension if no deal has been agreed by April 12, would leave the PM with little room to manoeuvre. Referring to the Bill's impact on a no deal option, the Attorney General said: 'It rules it out... the Prime Minister would have little choice but to accept the extension that she's offered.' Mr Cox was cool on the prospect of another Brexit referendum. He said: 'I think a good deal of persuasion might be needed to satisfy the Government that a second referendum would be appropriate. But of course we will consider any suggestion that's made.' The Attorney General said Mr Corbyn was not fit to be PM. He said: 'The opposition is simply not fit to govern. The leader of the opposition is simply not fit to be Prime Minister of this country. 'It is vital that the Conservative Party sustains itself in office and sustains its unity.' Welcoming the cross-party talks, Mr Cox said: 'I say we must use any means to secure the ends, any lawful means.' Pictured: Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer after today's talks JACK DOYLE: So what DOES Labour want from Theresa in return for their backing on Brexit? Customs Union Until now, Theresa May has said the UK will leave the European Union's customs union. The customs union eliminates duties or tariffs between member states, while EU countries impose a common external tariff on imports from non-members. But the customs union also allows the EU to strike trade deals on behalf of all its members. The Prime Minister made leaving the customs union a 'red line' in her negotiations due to her desire to strike independent trade deals with other countries such as the USA. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, pictured with his shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer, left and shadow business secretary, Rebecca Long-Bailey, right, discussed strategy ahead of the his meeting with the PM yesterday eremy Corbyn wants a permanent customs union. He says it will help protect existing trade between the UK and EU, in particular that of manufactured goods which relies on complex supply chains links which can break down if goods are delayed at the border Remaining in the union would stop this because the UK would be barred from reducing its tariffs on imported goods from other countries. They could only strike deals in the services sector however this does make up a vast part of the modern UK economy. Jeremy Corbyn wants a permanent customs union. He says it will help protect existing trade between the UK and EU, in particular that of manufactured goods which relies on complex supply chains links which can break down if goods are delayed at the border. Labour also says that remaining in the customs union will help keep trade flowing freely between Northern Ireland and the Republic without the need for the so-called 'backstop'. Mr Corbyn claims his proposal does include the UK having a say on future trade deals negotiated by the EU and affecting the UK. But this is something Brussels has apparently ruled out. Despite all this, senior Tory ministers were out in force yesterday preparing the ground for a customs union compromise. Attorney General Geoffrey Cox argued that the customs union might be needed to get out claiming the UK could leave at a later point and a customs union would not be a 'permanent straitjacket'. Employment rights Under Mrs May's deal, the UK agrees not to row back on existing EU rules on workers' rights such as the Working Time Directive which limits working hours after we leave. But Mr Corbyn wants to go further and is demanding 'dynamic alignment' meaning any future government would agree to accept any employment laws and trade union rules passed by the EU in future, regardless of Parliament's wishes. So what if the EU agreed to a four-day working week, or passed other regulations which would erode competitiveness? Mrs May claims to be a champion of workers' rights, so this is an area she could argue is consistent with her approach, even if it limits the UK's ability to set its own course in future because we are tied to Brussels diktats. Free movement In theory, the parties are not far apart on free movement one of the central issues of the referendum campaign. Vast numbers of Labour voters backed Leave because they oppose uncontrolled immigration. This was reflected in Labour's manifesto which said free movement will end after we leave. For Mrs May, ending free movement is her reddest of red lines. But Labour policy on what migration policy should replace free movement is significantly more liberal than Tory policy. In particular, the Opposition is against the proposed 30,000 minimum earnings requirement for post-Brexit working visas. Could Mr Corbyn demand this is scrapped and a lower earnings threshold imposed? For Mrs May, ending free movement is her reddest of red lines. But Labour policy on what migration policy should replace free movement is significantly more liberal than Tory policy Second referendum Publicly, Downing Street officials have not ruled out agreeing to a second referendum. Yet if anything is a deal breaker, it is a demand for another Brexit vote. The whole point of the talks with Mr Corbyn and the reward for Mrs May enduring civil war in the Tory Party is that Brexit goes through in short order with Labour backing. But a second referendum, with Remain on the ballot paper, would require a Brexit delay of at least a year and the UK taking part in MEP elections next month both currently unacceptable to Mrs May. On Mr Corbyn's side, the second referendum is the issue which divides his Shadow Cabinet, MPs, activists and voters like no other. Agree to a deal without one and the Remainers in his party will be livid. If he wants to deliberately crash the talks, this is what Mr Corbyn demand Advertisement What happens now MPs have passed laws against No Deal Brexit... and have they accidentally made it more likely? How Theresa May has filled a number of vacancies in her cabinet after resignations over Brexit Theresa May has filled a number of vacancies in her Government caused by the recent rash of resignations over Brexit, including appointing a minister for disabled people. Justin Tomlinson has been promoted within the Department for Work and Pensions to become minister of state for disabled people, filling a gap left by Sarah Newton's resignation on March 13. His place as junior DWP minister is taken by Will Quince. Conservative deputy chairman James Cleverly becomes parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Department for Exiting the European Union, replacing Chris Heaton-Harris, who resigned on Wednesday. Mrs May's parliamentary private secretary Seema Kennedy takes the same rank at the Department of Health, replacing Steve Brine, who resigned on March 25. And Andrew Stephenson becomes parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, filling the gap left by Richard Harrington on March 25. Kevin Foster will be a junior minister at the Wales Office and assistant government whip, replacing Nigel Adams, who quit on Wednesday. He will also be an unpaid parliamentary secretary at the Cabinet Office while Chloe Smith is on maternity leave. Advertisement Rebel MPs who seized control of the Commons agenda successfully rammed through laws designed to avoid No Deal last night - but were accused by the Government of making it more likely. After passing through the commons by just one vote on Wednesday night, the European Union (Withdrawal) (No.5) Bill was sent over to the House of Lords on Thursday. Chief Whip Lord Taylor of Holbeach announced a deal had been reached with Labour after seven hours of procedural wrangling on whether it should be pushed through in just one sitting. Under the agreement, the Bill completed the second reading stage in the Lords on Thursday night. But its detailed committee and report stages, and third reading, will be taken on Monday, sparing weary peers the prospect of votes through the night. Most expect the plans will be made law in the end despite a warning by Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay they raise the risk of an accidental No Deal. Mr Barclay said the way Ms Cooper's Bill is drafted undermines Theresa May's ability to negotiate a new delay to Brexit at an emergency summit next week. Under the rebel law the Commons will set out demands for the length of the new Brexit. The Government says if the EU Council offers a different delay - whether in length or with conditions - the PM will not be able to agree it without a further vote in Parliament. If Parliament makes further demands instead of rubber stamping whatever comes from Brussels, there would need to be further talks among EU leader - effectively impossible when the second vote would be on April 11 and exit due the following day. Fury at Gibraltar's 'colony' ruling by the European Parliament The European Parliament provoked anger yesterday by voting to recognise Gibraltar as a colony of Britain. The centuries-old dispute over the Rock, a contentious issue throughout Brexit talks, flared up again as Spain was accused of bullying to pass the legislation. Shortly after the vote the EU Commission stoked tensions further by saying it found the language acceptable. Spains European affairs minister also hailed the votes very political and symbolic nature. But Downing Street said the language was completely inappropriate. A spokesman said: Gibraltar is a full part of the UK family. This will not change due to our exit from the EU. Gibraltar has been British since 1713. The vote was final and means the word colony will now enter into European law. Gibraltars chief minister Fabian Picardo called the word provocative and pejorative and accused Madrid of trying to bully the people of the British Overseas Territory. In a statement Gibraltars government said: Extreme pressure exerted by Spain and the bullying tactics of Spanish MEPs, on purely nationalistic grounds, has led to the acceptance of the colony language in relation to Gibraltar. MEPs were voting to accept Brussels proposals to allow British nationals visa-free travel throughout the EU after Brexit and vice-versa even in the event of No Deal. A reference to Gibraltar being a colony of the British Crown was inserted as a footnote at Spains behest. Labour MEP Claude Moraes, chairman of the European Parliaments justice committee, suggested Britain could take legal action, calling Spains move a glaring legal deceit. The nine-year-old Georgia girl who was seen in dramatic surveillance video getting struck by a hit and-run driver is speaking out to thank God and her supporters for her miraculous survival. LaDerihanna Holmes sat down with NBC Nightly News correspondent Kerry Sanders Thursday for an exclusive interview to talk about the heart-stopping accident that nearly cost the child her life last week. The grade-schooler from Lithonia, Georgia, sustained a skull fracture with laceration and a broken pelvic bone in three places as a result of the accident that took place on Friday and was recorded on video. Scroll down for video Survivor speaks: LaDerihanna Holmes gave an exclusive interview to NBC Nightly News about her miraculous survival following a shocking hit-and-run crash the nine-year-old was interviewed by NBC's Kerry Sanders for an episode airing Thursday On Tuesday, the suspect in the crash, 28-year-old Gabriel Fordham, turned himself in but claimed that he was fighting off an armed carjacker inside the car when he slammed into LaDerihanna as she was playing with a friend in her familys yard. Sporting a red T-shirt and sparkly lip gloss, LaDerihanna told NBCs Sanders of her lucky escape: we do thank god a lot for miracles that happen.' Sanders noted that LaDerihanna is a miracle herself. When asked about her goals, the little girl replied: 'my goal is to get better with the help of everybody in the world.' Gabriel Fordham turned himself in on Tuesday but claims he was fighting off an armed carjacker when the incident occurred. He has since been charged with failure to maintain lane, failure to stop at a stop sign, reckless driving, hit and run and serious injury by vehicle LaDerihanna was previously described by her mother to NBC News as a straight-A student who loves school, reading and cheerleading. Will we see you out there cheerleading soon?' Sanders inquired of LaDerihanna, to which she replied with confidence: Most definitely. Sanders full interview with the pint-sized crash survivor airs tonight on NBC Nightly News. LaDerihanna was outside her home in Lithonia with another girl around 7pm on Friday when the car careered straight toward them. Distressing video shows the second girl running off in one direction after looking back and seeing the oncoming vehicle. LaDerihanna runs in the other direction, but the black sedan blows past a stop sign and jumps the curb before running her over and slamming into her home. WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT Surveillance footage captured the horrific moment the driver plowed into LaDerihanna Surveillance footage captured one of the two suspects fleeing from the scene, exiting from the car's passenger side and running across the front lawn as LaDerihanna's family rushed over to help her. Fordham has since been charged with failure to maintain lane, failure to stop at a stop sign, reckless driving, hit and run and serious injury by vehicle. LaDerihanna (pictured in the hospital after the crash) sustained a skull fracture with laceration and a broken pelvic bone in three places His attorney says he is 'apologetic and he wants to help this family get closure to this issue'. The lawyer, Ryan Williams, also said: 'Someone jumped in his vehicle with a pistol, put the gun to his face, made him drive, and the whole time my client was driving, he was kind of directing the path.' Fordham has faced previous charges including aggravated battery, aggravated assault, burglary, forgery and probation violation, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. LaDerihanna was taken to the hospital in critical condition with a leaking heart valve, according to the family's GoFundMe page. Chris Stewart's, the family's lawyer, said it is a miracle she survived. 'There is no explanation on how my client is alive,' he wrote on social media. 'I sat with her and can't believe me eyes. Though her road to health will be long, she's alive.' The black sedan blows past a stop sign and jumps the curb before running her over and slamming into her home Surveillance footage captured one of the two suspects fleeing from the scene, exiting from the car's passenger side and running across the front lawn The other girl who was playing in the front lawn with LaDerihanna was not seriously injured. Authorities had said that the owner of the vehicle told investigators she was at work at the time of the crash and had given the car to her boyfriend. The suspect and his girlfriend are since said to have contacted police following the crash and have been negotiating a surrender ever since. In the shocking clip the person in the white pants is the the robber who attacked Fordham, his attorney claims. Williams added: 'My client tried to take the gun from him, the guy hits him in the face, my client blacks out, and that's why you see the full fledge force of them going through a stop sign.' Fordham only fled the scene when he saw someone come out of the house with a gun and making threats, Williams argues. He said: 'With emotions rising, he had no opportunity to stay there, without possibly being harmed. He has not been trying to hide in the shadows.' LaDerihanna's family then rushed out of the home and ran to help her following the crash Charlette Bolton, LaDerihanna's mother, had issued a plea directly to the driver. 'You know what you did. You didn't try to help my baby,' she said. 'You almost killed my baby and I hope you do the right thing and turn yourself in.' Bolton said she is trying to stay 'strong' for her daughter. 'I just want everybody to pray for LaDerihanna,' she said. 'The community loves her, her school loves her, her friends love her. I just want the people involved to be caught.' Chris Stewart's, the family's attorney, posted a photo of LaDerihanna smiling with him from her hospital bed on Monday morning LaDerihanna's family shared the security footage with the hope that the driver would come forward and turn themselves in Charlette Bolton, LaDerihanna's mother,issued a plea directly to the driver. 'You know what you did. You didn't try to help my baby,' she said 'She's strong, and I know she'll bounce back from this. It's just going to take awhile.' Stewart said footage of the horrific crash is proof that miracles do exist. 'I was shocked,' he said. 'I deal with wrongful death all the time, and I cannot believe she survived it. When I went to see her in the room, she does not have a mark on her face.' 'The video is really hard to watch, but she survived somehow. You gotta believe in God after seeing this.' Mark Zuckerberg and other social media bosses could be hit with huge personal fines if their websites do not remove harmful content, leaked government plans have revealed. The online harm white paper, which is expected to be released by UK ministers on Monday, will impose a duty of care on social media companies, to be monitored by an independent regulator. This regulator will be able to impose huge fines on companies who breach the duty of care and will even be able to hold executives, like Zuckerberg, personally liable. The move follows the public outcry over cases such as that of Molly Russell, the 14-year-old who took her life in 2017 after viewing self-harm images on Instagram and other sites. The online harm white paper could force social media executives like Mark Zuckerberg to pay fines for harmful content The legislation will be wide-ranging and will also apply to search engines, online messaging services and websites that host files. This would mean newspaper websites and services such as Mumsnet and TripAdvisor would be forced to sign up to the regulator. The home secretary, Sajid Javid, and the secretary of state for culture, media and sport, Jeremy Wright, both write in the foreword and say that 'it is time to move beyond self-regulation and set clear standards, backed up by enforcement powers'. Several other proposals are also believed to be included in the new legislation. Molly Russell, 14, from Harrow in north-west London, took her own life in 2017 after viewing content on social media platforms that promoted self-harm They include the ability of the government to intervene and dictate to the regulator on issues like terrorism or child sexual abuse. Social media companies will also be required to produce transparency reports once a year, which reveal the amount of harmful content on their sites, as well as the measures they have taken to fight against it. Police and other agencies will also be able to work with social media companies to tackle illegal activities. More generally, companies will have to follow a code of practice and also show that they are making their platform safer. They must also have a clear policy for users who have suffered any kind of harm on their platforms. The home secretary, Sajid Javid, wrote in the foreword that 'it is time to move beyond self-regulation and set clear standards, backed up by enforcement powers' The white paper also looks at the 'fake news phenomena' and any code of practice is also likely to tackle that. Social media companies will be required to use fact-checking services, particularly during election periods, and also make political advertising more obvious. The plans have been delayed on several occasions and have come under criticism. The Adam Smith Institute think-tank warned that such rules would threaten Britain's status as a free society. Head of research Matthew Lesh said: 'These proposals are a historic attack on freedom of speech and the free press, the very core of Britain's liberal democratic foundations. 'At a time when Britain is criticising violations of freedom of expression in states like Iran, China and Russia, we should not be undermining our freedom at home.' Advertisement Russia has installed an advanced missile defence system into an arctic base on Kotelny Island in the centre of the region's main shipping route. Some 250 military personnel are responsible for anti-aircraft and anti-ship weapons at the base which sits between the Laptev Sea and Eastern Siberian sea. Such is the remote nature of the base, it has enough supplies to remain self-sufficient for 12 months. This Russian solder stands guard near a Pansyr-S1 air defense system, known to NATO as the SA-22 Greyhound. It features both surface to air missiles and a 30mm cannon for close range targets Russia has deployed Bastion missile launchers to the Severny Klever military base following the facility's recommissioning The base is strategically situated near some of the region's main shipping routes and has been heavily fortified Commanding officer at the facility Lt Colonel Vladimir Pasechnik said: 'Our task is to monitor the airspace and the northern sea route. We have all we need for our service and comfortable living.' Russia is not alone in trying to assert jurisdiction over parts of the Arctic, as shrinking polar ice opens fresh opportunities for resource exploration and new shipping lanes. The United States, Canada, Denmark and Norway are jostling for position, as well, and China also has shown an increasing interest in the polar region. But while U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has seen the Arctic through the lens of security and economic competition with Russia and China, it has yet to demonstrate that the region is a significant priority in its overall foreign policy. The post of special U.S. representative for the Arctic has remained vacant since Trump assumed office. Russia, however, has made reaffirming its presence in the Arctic a top goal, not the least because the region is believed to hold up to one-quarter of the Earth's undiscovered oil and gas. Russian President Vladimir Putin has cited estimates that put the value of Arctic mineral riches at $30 trillion. The move has alarmed Russia's neighbors, analysts say. 'In Russia, the Northern sea route has been described as a bonanza with lots of potential of economic development,' said Flemming Splidsboel Hansen of the Danish Institute for International Studies. 'And that's why there is a need for military capacity in the area. It is likely meant as defensive, but it is being interpreted by the West as offensive.' Kristian Soeby Kristensen, a researcher at Copenhagen University in Denmark, said the problem of Russian hegemony in the Arctic was most obvious to Norway. 'Norway is a small country, whose next-door neighbor is mighty Russia, which has placed the bulk of its military capacity right next to them,' Soeby Kristensen said. 'Norway is extraordinarily worried.' In 2015, Russia submitted to the United Nations a revised bid for vast territories in the Arctic. It claimed 1.2 million square kilometers (over 463,000 square miles) of Arctic sea shelf, extending more than 350 nautical miles (about 650 kilometers) from the shore. Russia abandoned the base following the collapse of the Soviet Union, however, they have been modernising the facilities which are on the region's main shipping route. The Russian military is deploying some of its most modern hardware to the area The base now completes radar coverage of the entire Russian 14,000 mile Arctic coastline - alerting fighter aircraft if they spot intruders The Russians have deployed several Bastion K-300P missile launchers to the base. The weapon system, known in the west as the SS-C-5 Stooge fires a solid fuel rocket with a range of up to 200 miles against ships As part of a multi-pronged effort to stake Russia's claims on the Arctic region, the Kremlin has poured massive resources into modernizing Soviet-era installations there. The military outpost on Kotelny Island fell into neglect after the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, but a massive effort to build a new base began in 2014 and took several years. A group of reporters brought to the island by the Russian Defense Ministry on Wednesday were shown Bastion anti-ship missile launchers positioned for a drill near the shore and Pantsyr-S1 air defense systems firing shots at a practice target. The Russian military has kept Western media from visiting its Arctic facilities, so the trip offered a unique opportunity to watch the Russian expansion up close. The Russian military invited a group of journalists to the base so they could witness a training mission Russia is active in the area as it is believed the region contains one-quarter of the planet's undiscovered oil and gas reserves The base is home to 250 soliders, who have been given new living accommodation featuring gyms and saunas A big radar dome looms on a hill overlooking the coast, underlining the base's main mission of monitoring the strategic area. In contrast with drab, Soviet-era facilities, the pristine new base features spacious living quarters, a gym and a sauna. Putin's words about the importance of the Arctic for Russia dot the base's walls and a symbolic border post sits in a hallway. Soldiers at the base say they are proud of their mission despite the challenging Arctic environment. 'Proving to myself that I can do it raises my self-esteem,' said one of the soldiers, Sergei Belogov. 'Weather is our enemy here, so we need to protect ourselves from it to serve the Motherland.' Extreme cold and fierce winds often make it hard to venture outside, and even winterized vehicles may have trouble operating when temperatures plunge to extreme lows and even special lubricants freeze. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reported to Putin in December that the military has rebuilt or expanded numerous facilities across the polar region, revamping runways and deploying air defense assets. He said renovation works were conducted on a long string of Arctic territories. The expanded infrastructure has allowed the Russian military to restore full radar coverage of the nation's 14,000-mile Arctic frontier and deploy fighter jets to protect its airspace. The military also has undertaken a cleanup effort across the region, working to remove tens of thousands of tons of waste from the Arctic territories, most of it rusty fuel tanks left behind by the Soviet military. The Russian soldiers share the island with polar bears, arctic foxes and wolves. Soldiers on the base have to be wary of polar bears and Arctic foxes. Men stationed at the facility get one period of leave a year Officers said that, soon after the base opened, curious bears regularly prowled near its walls, sometimes even peering into its windows. On some occasions, soldiers had to use a truck to spook away a particularly curious bear wandering nearby. Soldiers interviewed at the base said they marveled at the area's wildlife and its majestic Arctic landscapes. 'The nature here is extremely beautiful,' said Navy Lt. Umar Erkenov, who came from southern Russia. 'Meeting a polar bear is an experience that fills you with emotions. We have established friendly ties with them from the start. We don't touch them, they don't touch us.' He said he's missing his wife and daughter, whom he can only see during his leave period once a year, but is proud of his mission. 'Few people do their job under such conditions,' he said. 'I feel proud that I'm here with my unit, doing my duty and protecting the Motherland.' A hero tradesman has been caught on camera confronting a Christian preacher for telling a man in a wheelchair he was 'too bitter' to be healed by God. The man was speaking with a florist in Sydney's Martin Place on Monday when he was targeted by American evangelist Philip Blair. 'You're in a wheelchair. God can touch you but you're too bitter to ask,' Blair shouted. 'He can't walk, alright?' You keep yelling and screaming for no reason - no one cares!' the florist shot back while crowds continued to walk past the preacher. 'There is a reason, people are going to hell!' the preacher shouted. Watching on from a distance, a tradesman appeared to hesitate before deciding to challenge Blair over his controversial comments. Scroll down for video Phillip Blair, an American evangelist, was seen preaching in Martin Place on Monday In video of his sermon, where he told Sydneysiders they were going to hell, he admonished a man in a wheelchair for being 'too bitter' to ask God for help (pictured) 'You've just slated the man for being in the wheelchair, and you're talking about people going to hell?' he said. 'Yes,' the American responded. 'Well you're going to hell for saying that about him,' the tradesman said. Blair confidently responded: 'No I'm not - I'm here because I love you man.' Frustrated, the tradesman gave up. 'No you don't, you don't know me... idiot,' he said before turning away. Blair was then scolded by a tradie, who told him off for being a hypocrite and said he was the one going to hell Blair has been in Australia since March 27, and regularly uploads videos of his public preaching to social media. He has spoken against evolution and abortion, and one woman responded by calling him a 'terrorist'. One video shows the devout preacher bothering commuters on a busy train, until he is scolded by a man who says: 'All I want you to do is shut up and leave me alone'. When Blair is then asked why he won't keep his opinion to himself he responds, 'because I care about your soul. I love you,' Mr Blair said. 'It's a selfish world and you need to repent.' Who's the selfish one here mate?' the passenger said. 'Who's the one who won't shut up with their opinion? How selfish is that?' ' The train then erupted with cheering. The Morrison government has slammed Bill Shorten's proposed Budget, saying it will mean higher taxes and 'harm the economy'. Mr Shorten's proposed Budget includes free cancer scans, tax cuts for low-income workers and 150,000 new apprenticeships. The Opposition Leader unveiled his new economic plan in Canberra on Thursday night. Finance Minister Mathias Cormann said Labor's budget would lead to 'a weaker economy, fewer jobs, higher unemployment and lower wages'. Finance Minister Mathias Cormann (pictured) said Labor's budget would lead to 'a weaker economy, fewer jobs, higher unemployment and lower wages' Mr Shorten gave his reply after Prime Minister Scott Morrison (pictured) and the Coalition unveiled their budget Mr Shorten's pitch to be prime minister starts with billions of extra dollars for health and education, and bigger personal income tax cuts for workers '[Labor's budget includes] $200billion in higher taxes, $200billion a year taxes on retirees, on housing, income, investment, small and family business, on electricity, $200billion on higher taxes that would harm the economy, which would put jobs at risk,' he told The Australian. 'You can't trust anything that Labor is saying because they are not giving you any details. 'The truth is Labor does not know how to manage money. That is why they are coming after yours.' Mr Shorten promised the Labor party would offer the same tax cuts proposed by the Liberal party to middle-income earners. However, he also has promised those earning less than $40,000 a $350 tax rebate every year - $95 more than the Coalition has promised to deliver. During his budget-reply speech, Mr Shorten addressed policies on climate change, and vowed to invest $1 billion for TAFE and apprentices, ensuring 150,000 Australians will get an education with no upfront fees. The Labor Government also promised 'the biggest change to Medicare since it was introduced'. If elected, Mr Shorten has dedicated $2.3billion to cancer care, eliminating almost all out of pocket costs for scans, treatment and medication. The Labor leader promised six million free X-rays, mammograms, ultrasounds, and PET and CT scans. 'For so many people, cancer makes you sick and then paying for the treatment makes you poor,' Mr Shorten told parliament on Thursday night. 'If someone you love has cancer, you'd sell the roof over your head if it would help. You pay your taxes to Canberra. You pay your Medicare levy. If I am elected prime minister, I'm going to make sure the health care system is there for you when you need it most. Mr Shorten went on to say he watched 'what cancer did' to his mother, who died in 2014 after a battle with breast cancer. 'Cancer is frightening, it's isolating, it's exhausting. And all too often it is impoverishing,' he said. 'If we win the election, not only will we provide new MRI machines to communities where they are needed most. 'But Labor will guarantee that every single MRI machine in Australia that meets a national quality standard is covered by Medicare for cancer scans.' The Coalition has criticised Labor's plan, saying it was lacking in details. Labor vowed $433million to immediately cover specialist consultations for cancer patients. Bill Shorten's (pictured with wife Chloe) proposed Budget, should he be elected, includes free cancer scans, tax cuts for low-income workers and 150,000 new apprenticeships 'Over the next four years, this will mean an additional three million appointments are bulk-billed - with no out-of-pocket costs,' Mr Shorten said. In addition to his cancer care promises, Mr Shorten has sworn to reimburse 'every dollar in health care cut by the coalition'. Mr Shorten also made some big promises in relation to education and employment, usurping the Coalition's earlier guarantees. To begin with, alongside his decision to reinstate every dollar the Coalition took from healthcare, he said he will return the money that was taken from public schools. 'Investing in the future always begins with education this is where the difference between Labor and the Government could not be more stark,' Mr Shorten said. 'Nine out of ten new jobs created in the next four years will require either a university degree or a TAFE qualification and only a Labor government will be prepared to properly fund both. 'We will uncap university places, opening the doors of higher education to an additional 200,000 Australians. When it comes to vocational education, Labor is backing public TAFE all the way.' The party have promised a $1 billion boost for TAFE and apprentices, funding an additional 100,000 apprentices educations. The Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Treasurer Josh Frydenberg watch Opposition leader Bill Shorten deliver his budget reply speech 20,000 of the new spots at TAFE will be dedicated to a new generation of aged care and NDIS staffers, he said. 'If you vote Labor,' Mr Shorten said, 'we will guarantee universal access to preschool or kinder for every three-year-old and every four-year-old in Australia - 15 hours a week, 40 weeks a year. 'Two years of preschool is the best practice globally, so it's just good enough for our kids.' Within 100 days of the election, Mr Shorten also promises to reinstate Sunday and public holiday penalty rates for employees. 'We will reinvigorate jobs in the construction sector with our build-to-rent plan, targeting negative gearing to new housing, renovating the national energy group with new pipelines, interconnectors, hydro and storage, launching the biggest affordable housing program since the Second World War, building a quarter of a million new homes,' Mr Shorten said. The Coalition promised to create 80,000 apprenticeships to fill the skills shortage, but Mr Shorten will almost double that with a $1 billion promise. 'Australia now has 150,000 fewer apprentices and trainees than when Labor left government in 2013,' Mr Shorten said. 'This investment will provide 150,000 additional apprentice incentives in areas of skill shortages.' BILL SHORTEN'S KEY PROMISES $2.3 billion for cancer care, eliminating almost all out-of-pocket costs for cancer scans Three million cancer specialist consultations to be bulk-billed over four years Guarantee that all drugs recommended by independent experts for listing on the PBS will be listed $1 billion for TAFE and apprentices, ensuring 150,000 Australians will go to TAFE with no upfront fees, and an additional 100,000 apprenticeships will be made available Higher income tax breaks, than promised by the coalition, for those earning $45,000 and below Match coalition's income tax cuts for those earning $48,000 to $126,000, but not act on second and third tranches of the coalition's cuts Put back every public school and health dollar cut by the coalition Stronger surpluses Defence spending of two per cent of GDP Uncapped university places opening up extra 200,000 spots Guaranteed universal access to pre-school or kinder for every three and four year old for 15 hours a week, 40 weeks a year $2000 payment to families seeking to install a battery storage system $1.5 billion upgrade to Brisbane's Gateway Motorway from Bracken Ridge to Pine River and next stage of Bruce Highway from northern suburbs to Caboolture Advertisement The Coalition's cuts from the National Disability Insurance Scheme was one of the most hotly debated decisions from their Budget. Mr Shorten has assured the disability sector that he will continue to work toward establishing and refining the system. 'Do not tell me there is a lack of demand,' he said. 'I can give every Australian living with a disability and the people who love them this personal commitment - that if we are elected as the next government of Australia, we will lift the NDIA cap on staff numbers so we can get the support out the door, keep the promises made to people with disabilities and we will put people with disability at the centre of decision-making in the National Disability Insurance Scheme. 'We will get the NDIS back on track.' Mr Shorten appealed to a younger demographic, while assuring the older generation that negative gearing on properties would remain an option. 'But you cannot have property investors playing with loaded dice against our young people, generation Y and the millennials,' he said. 'Instead of patronising millions of young Australians with lectures about cutting back on smashed avo, why don't we tell them the truth - getting together a 20% deposit plus stamp duty is so much, much harder than it was 20 or 25 years ago.' The speech has taken on even greater relevance this year, as it comes just weeks out from an election which Labor is widely tipped to win. Mr Shorten also promised to match the coalition's $1,080 tax cut for 4.5 million middle income earners. But he's gone further for people earning below $45,000 a year, with the lowest income workers getting $350 a year compared to the coalition's $255. 'To give these workers the tax cut they deserve, Labor will increase the offset for low-income and part-time workers,' Mr Shorten said. Finally, Labor promised to act on climate change, a topic Mr Shorten said was ignored in the Coalition budget. 'Tonight let's deal in simple facts: Climate change is real,' he said. 'It is doing real damage to our economy and to our environment and we can measure the cost of inaction - bushfires, droughts, floods, extreme weather and damage to our farmland and our reef. 'For the sake of the Australia that we hand on to our children, a Labor government will reform, will not shirk the task of reform - it will take real action on climate change. Labor will provide a $2,000 payment to families who want to join the fight against climate change and the fight to lower power bills by installing a battery storage system. The coalition has regularly attacked Labor after it stopped putting new medicines on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme when the budget fell into deficit. Mr Shorten has promised to guarantee that every drug recommended by the independent experts will be listed on the PBS. Ahead of the speech, Prime Minister Scott Morrison accused Labor of building an alternative budget on 'lies and higher taxes'. 'That's what Bill Shorten is about, telling lies about what the government has done, and funding anything he talks about with higher taxes,' he told reporters. The coalition has targeted income tax cuts as a key plank in its campaign to win a third election. Schoolyard bullies allegedly orchestrated Cassidy Trevan's gang rape when she was just 13 years old The mother of a 15-year-old girl who killed herself after relentless bullying has opened up four years on about the pain of losing her. Cassidy Trevan took her own life in 2015, two years after bullies at her Melbourne school allegedly organised for her to be gang raped aged just 13. Friday would have been Cassidy's 19th birthday and her mother Linda Trevan said she cried herself to sleep thinking of the pain the teenager suffered. 'My sweet, gentle, fragile teen-angel... you didn't even make it to 16,' she wrote in an emotional Facebook post early on Friday morning. 'I cried myself to sleep last night thinking of all you went through, how much pain you endured, and how painful it is for me to have to go on without you. 'I'm never going to get used to life without you, and I'll miss you every minute of every day, until I take my last breath. 'You are gone, but you used to be mine, and it was an absolute privilege to be your Mum. I love you so much my Forever 15.' Ms Trevan earlier found two handwritten letters Cassidy wrote before she killed herself, sharing the torment she felt over the years following the alleged attack. Friday would have been Cassidy's 19th birthday and her mother Linda Trevan said she cried herself to sleep thinking of the pain the teenager suffered Cassidy's distraught mother, Linda, (pictured) left her daughter's room 'virtually untouched' in the years that passed The second letter detailed the abuse she received by schoolyard bullies, who she claimed continued their relentless attacks well after she changed schools and homes to escape them. She started the letter by saying she was 'doing this to be left alone.' 'I get people I've never met contacting me on Facebook calling me a sl*t. I've moved schools, I've moved house and I'm still being bullied,' the letter reads. 'I was raped. Just last night after one-and-a-half years I still have nightmares over what happened.' Victoria Police previously confirmed its Sexual Offence and Child Abuse Investigation Team had spoken with Cassidy at least 20 times. But Cassidy never filed an official statement to police, as she feared her bullies' retaliation. Cassidy penned a letter in the days prior to her death sharing her torment in the years after the alleged attack (pictured) A second letter has now been reproduced, detailing the abuse she received by schoolyard bullies (pictured) Cassidy addressed her school's poor response to bullying after her and her mother reported the alleged rape to them, 9News reported. 'Wellington (Secondary College) says they have an anti bullying policy and a zero tolerance of bullying and yet the (school) did nothing,' she wrote. 'I never thought year seven, and [year] eight and nine at the time, school kids would be capable or EVER want to do such a thing,' Cassidy penned. Cassidy's distraught mother, Linda, left her daughter's room 'virtually untouched' in the years that passed. But in preparation for selling the home, she began sorting through her daughter's things and stumbled upon the letter. 'I hadn't really touched Cass's room until now but when I picked up a pile of papers on her desk this five-page hand written note, just on loose blank paper, was so noticeable that it stood out to me straight away so I read it,' she said. Cassidy (pictured) addressed her school's poor response to bullying after her and her mother reported the alleged rape to them Linda now runs a Facebook page called Bullying Killed My Daughter Cassidy Trevan , where she shares her daughter's story and fights bullying Ms Trevan said in the years since her daughter's death, she hadn't seen much improvement by way of putting an end to bullying. 'Have things improved regarding Bullying? I've shared so many Bullycides on my Facebook page since Cass died that sometimes I don't feel like I'm making a difference. 'My page has over 10,000 followers now, but that's only scratching the surface. Only a few days ago I shared yet another Bullycide story with my comment 'No, no, no. This just has to stop!,' she told the publication. Linda now runs a Facebook page called Bullying Killed My Daughter Cassidy Trevan, where she shares her daughter's story and fights bullying. If you or anyone you know needs help, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800, SANE Helpline 1800 18 72 63 or Beyond blue 1300 22 4636. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) For most Filipino brands, an ideal long-term goal is to introduce their products overseas. But with the tight competition posed by more established brands, going global often remains as a dream. There are few ones, however, that succeed in doing so. One of which is a home-grown snack brand "Oh So Healthy!. Established in 2017, the brand seeks to change the way people enjoy snacks by offering healthier and innovative choices. The company currently offers chips made from natural ingredients that come in different healthy flavors. "We hope to create a new market space by introducing something healthy. We are passionate about the product we have innovated. Our intent is to provide convenience to the Gen Z market without sacrificing on the taste and still maintaining the benefits," Oh So Healthy's founder Almay Gaw-See said. Oh So Healthy's business doesn't end in making profits. The company also has initiatives aimed at supporting Filipino farmers. "We aim to protect the Philippine local farmers by committing to buy certain root crops directly from them. We aim to create a sustainable livelihood for them over time," Gaw-See said. "To support our Filipino farmers, eliminate poverty and provide security would be our long term objective," she added. In the same year it was introduced, Oh So Healthy began wooing the global market by exporting its products to China. Since then, the brand has jumped into different countries such as Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, Australia, Qatar, Guam, U. S., and U.K. "For startup brand, we did not expect to be received as positively. We're humbled by the reception of the product," Gaw-See said. Aside from the products' health benefits, Almay Gaw-See believes that innovative packaging plays a huge role in its success overseas. "Packaging is key to make it stand out and compete internationally. Our product offers a unique value to consumers, its healthy and yummy. This gives it an edge," she said. The product's colorful packaging is created by Innovative Packaging Industry Corporation which also serves established firms such as Nestle, Unilever, and Del Monte. The manufacturing site boasts of world-class systems that are in line with global standards. In the future, Oh So Healthy seeks to further introduce its products to the mainstream global market and make them a staple among consumers. "Oh So Healthy! plans to join significant international fairs to build brand recognition. Focus on the uniqueness of the product against the established brands," Gaw-See said. Gas canisters have been sent shooting into the air as explosions rip through a chemical factory in Melbourne. Residents have been warned to stay indoors as the plumes of black toxic smoke billow from the out-of-control fire in the city's north. The fire broke out at the industrial building on Thornycroft Street in Campbellfield, in the city's north, early on Friday morning. Emergency services were called to the scene after explosions were heard and plumes of smoke were spotted at about 6.40am. Footage from the fire shows the moment a gas canister is launched into the sky by the exploding blaze before plummeting towards nearby buildings. Gas canisters have been sent shooting into the air as explosions rip through a chemical factory in Melbourne The fire broke out an industrial building on Thornycroft Street in Campbellfield, in the city's north, early on Friday morning Metropolitan Fire Brigade said there are 100 firefighters battling the blaze. Thirty workers escaped the fire before crews arrived at the scene. Alexander Powell, a factory worker from a premises next door, told Today they evacuated at about 6.45am after they saw the roof on fire. 'We didn't realise the magnitude of this fire until there was a large explosion, probably 40 storeys high,' he said. Mr Powell said he was wearing ear plugs but the magnitude of the explosion was 'deafening'. He then moved about five buildings down but didn't realise how 'dangerous' the fire was until he saw barrels fly in the air. Emergency services were called to the scene after explosions were heard and plumes of smoke were spotted at about 6.40am Vic Emergency warned the fire was spreading a large volume of black smoke towards the city Alexander Powell, a factory worker from a premises next door, told Today they evacuated at about 6.45am after they saw the roof on fire 'We've seen very toxic black smoke blowing towards Melbourne. We are lucky that we weren't down stream breathing this in,' he said. 'I'm thinking of all of the people in homes breathing in this very toxic smoke. I think everyone in the local vicinity has evacuated. It's really the citizens at home I'm worried about right now.' Vic Emergency warned the fire was spreading a large volume of black smoke towards the city. The factory is on the same street as Bradbury Industrial Services which 'collects, stores and transports industrial hazardous waste'. The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) suspended the Campbellfield company licence on March 21 2019 after they conducted a search at the premises and found 'the company is storing more waste than permitted under its EPA licence'. Dan Stephens, the MFB chief officer, said the factory was known to the WorkSafe, EPA and the fire authority Metropolitan Fire Brigade said there are almost 100 firefighters battling the blaze 'As Bradbury has not satisfied us that it can show cause as to why it should not have its licence suspended EPA has taken the next step of suspension,' said EPA CEO Dr Cathy Wilkinson last month. Dan Stephens, the MFB chief officer, told reporters the factory was known to the WorkSafe, EPA and the fire authority. 'Let me be clear, all smoke is toxic. We have issued a number of community warnings,' he said. The fire has been compared to a similar factory blaze at West Footscray last year. 'It took us the best part of a day to get that fire under control,' Mr Stephens said. Dan Stephens, the MFB chief officer, said the factory was known to the WorkSafe, EPA and the fire authority While the fire is not yet controlled, Mr Stephens said he was confident with the 'tactical plan' in place The factory is on the same street as Bradbury Industrial Services which 'collects, stores and transports industrial hazardous waste' While the fire is not yet controlled, Mr Stephens said he was confident with the 'tactical plan' in place. 'We've managed to prevent any significant spread,' he said. Fire crews were concerned about hazardous LPG gas at a factory next door and worked to ensure the fire did not reach the property. A 'watch and act' warning has been issued for the area, with residents in Broadmeadows, Pascoe Vale, Coburg told to take take shelter indoors immediately. Paramedics treated one man at the scene for an eye injury. He has since been taken to Royal Eye and Ear Hospital in a stable condition. Metropolitan Fire Brigade said there are 100 firefighters battling the blaze Firefighters are seen at the scene of the factory fire on Friday morning Holy Child Primary School, in Dallas, confirmed the school would close on Friday due to the toxic smoke. 'The cause of the fire has yet to be established and MFB Fire Investigators are on scene,' MFB said in a statement. 'Emergency services are expected to be conducting their operations for some time and community members are advised to avoid the area if possible. 'If affected by smoke, close windows and doors, turn off heating and cooling and seek medical advice.' Drivers have been urged to avoid the area. Brenton Harrison Tarrant, 28, is due to appear in the High Court at Christchurch on Friday Families of victims of the Christchurch mosque shootings have gathered in court to see the Australian man accused of the attack. Brenton Harrison Tarrant is facing 50 murder charges and 39 attempted murder charges. Police have said there were other charges being considered. Tarrant, 28, appeared via audio-visual link at the High Court at Christchurch on Friday - his second court appearance since the shooting on March 15. He appeared emotionless and on mute throughout the half-hour hearing. The courtroom's public gallery was packed by about 50 friends and families of the victims, some staring quietly at the defendant throughout. Tarrant's first court appearance, the day after the shooting, was closed to the general public and Friday's hearing was the first chance for many to catch a glimpse of the accused. Accused Christchurch massacre gunman Brenton Harrison Tarrant (pictured) made a white power gesture from behind a glass window, during his first court appearance in March 'I didn't see any emotion on his face,' Tofazzal Alam, who survived the attack on the Linwood mosques told reporters afterwards. 'I feel sorry for myself, for my friends who have been killed and for him.' While upset after the court appearance, Alam said he was no longer afraid. 'I needed to see how he feels,' he said. 'It's my second life. I don't feel fear.' Yama Nabi, whose father 71-year-old father, Haji Daoud Nabi, was killed at Al Noor Mosque, had come to spare others from having to attend. 'It's not going to ring our loved ones back ... I tried to stand strong, to come here, because I don't want my mum to come here ... to see what he has to say,' Nabi said. Asked what he thought of the accused, Nabi replied: 'Coward. No heart.' The main purpose of Friday's hearing was to find out if Tarrant had appointed a lawyer. Tarrant earlier sacked his lawyer with the intention of representing himself however, he has since appointed barristers Shane Tait and Jonathan Hudson as defence lawyers. Mr Tait said he planned to seek a psychiatric assessment for Tarrant, which could take up to three months, Stuff reported. 'I can appreciate the court's concern of delay, but there are more pressing concerns of fair trial.' Justice Cameron Mander ordered Tarrant undergo two assessments to determine whether he is mentally fit to stand trial. His court appearance comes as German police allege Tarrant sent money to a French far-right group. Barristers Shane Tait (right) and Jonathan Hudson (left) have been appointed to act as defence lawyers t on Tarrant's behalf The Federal Criminal Police Office confirmed that it briefed German lawmakers Wednesday on its investigation into ties Tarrant had to Germany. The closed-door briefing included information German police had about money that Tarrant transferred to the Generation Identity group in France. The far-right group which espouses a white nationalist ideology has spread to other European countries since its founding in 2012. Federal police declined to elaborate, but the German news agency dpa reported that Tarrant transferred 2,200 euros ($2,470) in September 2017. Austrian authorities have already said Tarrant donated 1,500 euros ($1,680) to Generation Identity's sister organization, the Identitarian Movement of Austria. The group's head, Martin Sellner, has confirmed he exchanged emails with Tarrant but denies involvement in the attack. Tarrant is being held in isolation in a high-security area at Auckland Prison. His next court appearance is scheduled for June 14. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the cast of Queer Eye have created quite a buzz after they were spotted holding hands and strolling through Capitol Hill. The Democratic Congresswoman met with four of the five stars from the Netflix show on Thursday and personally gave them a tour of Congress. The Queer Eye cast were in Washington D.C. to promote the Equality Act - legislation that would protect people nationwide from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Scroll down for video Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Queer Eye's Jonathan Van Ness strolled the halls of Congress on Thursday while holding hands and dressed in pink Their meeting caused a frenzy, both in the halls of Congress and on social media, when Ocasio-Cortez and the cast members were spotted together. Fans lined the halls with their phones out as they tried to catch a glimpse of them all. At one point, Ocasio-Cortez and Jonathan Van Ness - who were both dressed in pink - were photographed holding hands as they walked together. Ocasio-Cortez led the group - known as the 'Fab Five' - directly to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office where they discussed the Equality Act. The New York Congresswoman and the Queer Eye cast later shared a number of photos and videos of them all together. Van Ness and the rest of the cast used their meeting with Ocasio-Cortez to heavily push the Equality Act on social media. Their meeting caused a frenzy, both in the halls of Congress and on social media, when Ocasio-Cortez and the cast members were spotted together The Queer Eye cast, including Tan France (left) and Bobby Berk (right), shared videos on their Instagram stories of them meeting AOC and heaping praise on her Antoni Porowski, Tan France, AOC, Nancy Pelosi, Jonathan Van Ness and Bobby Berk posed for a photo in the House Speaker's office on Thursday. Only Queer Eye's Karamo Brown was missing Tan France posted this selfie of AOC and Pelosi after they spoke in the House Speaker's office about the Equality Act The New York Congresswoman and the Queer Eye cast later shared a number of photos and videos of them all together 'We have the most diverse American congress ever, Im lifted up in seeing that a United States that values Equality & protection for all is currently fighting for that. Were making it rain pantsuits & equality in 2020,' Van Ness tweeted. The cast also heaped praise and admiration on Ocasio-Cortez during their visit. 'On Capitol Hill we wear pink. Thank you for visiting + helping us push for the #EqualityAct, & be there to watch Congress pass the Violence Against Women Act & War Powers Resolution to end U.S. involvement in Yemen. Justice happens together,' Ocasio-Cortez tweeted. Pelosi also chimed in on Twitter when she shared a selfie of them altogether, writing: '@QueerEye: feel free to let us know when you want @RepAOC & me to fill in next. #Fab5.' Ocasio-Cortez started interacting with Bobby Berk on Twitter earlier this week when he offered to help her redecorate her office. Bobby Berk, Tan France, Jonathan Van Ness and Antoni Porowski are seen in Capitol Hill after meeting Pelosi and AOC on Thursday The Queer Eye cast were in Washington D.C. to promote the Equality Act - legislation that would protect people nationwide from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity Jonathan Van Ness waves to fans alongside co-star Bobby Berk as they leave Pelosi's office Advertisement A ultra-modern laser display by an 'artivist' has brought the northern lights down south. Although not quite the real thing, the installation by artist Dan Acher saw the skies over the Tower of London lit with the famous enchanting glow of the phenomenon more likely to be seen in Iceland or Norway. He used high-powered laser beams and particle clouds to create London's very own version of the Northern Lights. The installation by artist Dan Acher saw the skies over Tower of London lit with the famous glow of the arora borealis The show debuted tonight for a small crowd but a free two-day event is open from tomorrow at 8pm for anyone wishing to catch a glimpse without having to catch a flight. Dan Archer's installation was in partnership with Huawei to showcase the capabilities of the latest P30 Series phone, which features technology that will allow users to capture detail and vibrant colours, even in low-light conditions. Pictures captured at the scene show exactly that, with the luminous colours dancing above one of the capital's most historic landmarks. He used high-powered laser beams and particle clouds to create London's very own version. Oliver Proudlock (pictured) attended Huawei's official event to launch new phone Vogue Williams and Oliver Proudlock attended Huawei's London Lights event to mark the launch of the new Huawei P30 Pro Made In Chelsea star Oliver Proudlock is one of many Brits who has a visit to the arora borealis pencilled in on their bucket list. He tweeted: 'The Northern Lights have always been on my bucket list. Never thought Id see it in London!' Another person who noticed the display at the Tower of London tonight tweeted their disbelief. Oliver Proudlock tweeted: 'The Northern Lights have always been on my bucket list' They said: 'Omg the Northern Lights are in London.' Another person, Andrew Bloch, said the artist 'made the impossible possible.' The installation has already travelled to other cities in Japan, Switzerland and Australia. One of Britains top insurers yesterday signalled the end of the loyalty rip-off. In a move which sent shockwaves through the stock market, Saga admitted customers who do not shop around were paying more and more each year. The over-50s specialist said it would now offer policies with fixed prices for three years. Saga chief executive Lance Batchelor admitted that the most loyal customers who do not switch were being penalised so that his firm and others could fight for new custom on price comparison websites [File photo] Most insurers lure new customers with annual deals that initially offer low premiums. These are then bumped up when the time comes to renew a practice which the Mail has long campaigned against. Sagas announcement saw its shares crash by 37 per cent to wipe 444million off the value of the company. In a sign of how much money there is to be made through the stealth price hikes, Saga said the change would result in a 310million hit to its insurance business and a steep fall in profits. However, other insurers are now widely expected to follow suit with similar schemes of their own. The insurance industry has been accused of preying on loyal customers by offering an ultra-cheap initial rate and then hiking prices sharply in later years [File photo] Saga chief executive Lance Batchelor admitted that the most loyal customers who do not switch were being penalised so that his firm and others could fight for new custom on price comparison websites. Watchdogs have long complained that this penalises busy families and the elderly who may not have the time or ability to shop around, and so face higher bills when their policies renew automatically. The scandal has been highlighted by the Daily Mail, which has campaigned for fairer pricing by insurers and in other businesses such as mortgage lenders and broadband providers. From now on Sagas main policies will run for three years. The first year will be more expensive but prices will not go up in subsequent years as they currently do. The plan was welcomed by campaigners, but led to profit warnings and hit the companys 180,000 small investors. Mr Batchelor told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: Its a painful day for shareholders but a good day for consumers. In a sign of how much money there is to be made through the stealth price hikes, Saga said the change would result in a 310million hit to its insurance business and a steep fall in profits [File photo] The UK insurance industry has operated this deal-pricing mechanism whereby consumers have come in at knockdown discount prices and then paid more and more as the years have gone by. Talking to customers thats not what they want, and were going to change it. The news sent Saga shares crashing by 37 per cent to a record low as the firm took a 310million hit for its change of direction and said its profits will be a third lower next year. Saga, which has a million insurance customers, will still offer annual cover, but said in trials more than 60 per cent of opted for the new product. The insurance industry has been accused of preying on loyal customers by offering an ultra-cheap initial rate and then hiking prices sharply in later years. Citizens Advice found that a typical consumer who did not switch their home insurance for five years would see their annual premiums rise by 110. And someone who stays with the same car insurance provider for eight years will be paying 131 more than a new buyer, the Financial Conduct Authority found. The FCA is also investigating the general insurance market and could impose stiff restrictions on the industry. Justin Modray, of consumer group Candid Money, said: Insurance has been unfair to customers for many years, and its good theres a lot more pressure on insurers to deal with this. I would like to think they will play a lot fairer in the future, although Im sure theyll try to do it without profits being hit. Switch saved me 60 on insurance bill The 67-year-old had built up 11 years of no claims bonuses and wanted cover for 10,000 miles a year on his Seat Alhambra after reducing this from 13,000 Pat McLaughlin saved 60 on his insurance after shopping around when his previous provider said it would not cover him. The 67-year-old had built up 11 years of no claims bonuses and wanted cover for 10,000 miles a year on his Seat Alhambra after reducing this from 13,000. When his insurer Direct Line turned him down, he was amazed to discover how much cheaper other quotes were. Mr McLaughlin, from Ringwood, Hampshire, who is retired after running an exhibitions company, asked Direct Line for an explanation but was told the companys underwriters dont like it, the Mail on Sunday reported. He switched to rival company A-Plan and then moved his home insurance as well when it came up for renewal. Mr McLaughlin said: Now my wife and I have car and home insurance which costs us 60 a year less than last year. Advertisement Growing anger at rip-off prices has seen a number of insurers change the way they do business. Last year Aviva introduced a pay-as-you-go product and pledged there would be no automatic annual price hikes. Other major players such as Direct Line are thought to be watching developments closely. Despite the plunge in Sagas share price, City analysts said it deserved credit for confronting its problems. Russ Mould, of stockbroker AJ Bell, said: It takes a brave person to recognise that the plan isnt working and to put up their hand and admit theyve failed. To Sagas credit, admitting and hopefully correcting its mistakes could make the management look stronger. nCar insurance premiums have fallen by an average 100 after a law was introduced to clamp down on false whiplash claims. The law does not come into effect until April next year, yet it has led to a fall in the number of ambulance chasers, with the average premium down from 790 in December to 690 in February, Comparethemarket found. VICTORIA BISCHOFF: The insurance loyalty rip-off has been one of the greatest consumer cons of modern times Who should be more upset with Saga investors who saw the value of their shares plummet by a third yesterday, or long-standing customers who have just discovered their insurer knowingly fleeced them for years? The personal finance giants announcement that it will launch a three-year fixed price deal for car and home insurance customers should have been cheered from the rooftops. Instead chief executive Lance Batchelor may wish he had never opened his mouth, after bumbling into an admission on Radio 4s Today that the most loyal customers had been getting a terrible deal for years. For years, Money Mail has exposed the so-called loyalty rip-off, whereby insurers lure customers in with cheap deals only to then quietly hike their premiums at renewal time in the hope they will not notice [File photo] Weve made the decision to fundamentally change the way we sell insurance, he said, before adding: Its a painful day for shareholders but a good day for consumers. For years, Money Mail has exposed the so-called loyalty rip-off, whereby insurers lure customers in with cheap deals only to then quietly hike their premiums at renewal time in the hope they will not notice. This strategy can be beaten by those of us who have the time to shop around each year as we can usually switch to a better deal. But anyone who lacks the internet know-how or is too busy to do the leg-work will end up paying over the odds for everything from car and home insurance to breakdown cover. Indeed, it is fair to say that milking your loyal customer base is one of the biggest rip-offs perpetrated on consumers. The Competition and Markets Authority believes that if broadband, mobile phone and energy firms are also included, the loyalty penalty collectively costs us more than 4billion a year. By changing its policy, Saga for years a trusted British brand has tacitly admitted that the game might well be up. In fact, its famously loyal customers have proved to be such a cash cow that Sagas decision to offer them a fairer deal meant Mr Batchelor had to issue a profit warning and sent the share price tumbling. Yesterday some City observers drew comparisons with the infamous day jeweller Gerald Ratner told the world he sold total crap. His reputation never recovered and if I was a Saga customer, I would be furious. Instead chief executive Lance Batchelor (above) may wish he had never opened his mouth, after bumbling into an admission on Radio 4s Today that the most loyal customers had been getting a terrible deal for years What is most disappointing is that Saga is supposed to be looking after the elderly, who are most vulnerable to being ripped off and less able to find better deals online. And we cant even really credit Saga with finally coming clean of its own accord because the decision follows the Financial Conduct Authority last year unveiling an probe into insurance pricing practices. The crackdown means announcements by other firms are likely to start coming thick and fast. Aviva has already announced a pay-as-you-go style insurance that guarantees policyholders will not pay more at renewal than new customers. However, do not assume these new deals will always be the best option. Customers are still likely to find a cheaper policy by shopping around each year. Yet for anyone who does not want the hassle of switching so regularly, yesterday heralds a small step forward in ensuring a fairer deal for all. Ravi Katharkamar, pictured, was stabbed to death as he opened up Marsh Food and Wine in Pinner, north west London on March 24 A 31-year-old man will appear in court tomorrow morning charged on suspicion of the murder of shopkeeper Ravi Katharkamar. The 54-year-old father-of-two was killed in Pinner on the early hours of Sunday, March 24. Police arrested 31-year-old Alexander Stephen Gun last month and charged him on suspicion of burglary, theft from a motor vehicle, possession of an offensive weapon and driving while disqualified. He will reappear at Willesden Magistrates' Court tomorrow morning where he will be charged with Mr Katharkamar's murder. Mr Katharkamar was opening up Marsh Food and Wine on Marsh Road, Pinner, north West London when he was attacked. A passerby called police and an ambulance. He was declared dead at the scene some 45 minutes later. The arrest follows an investigation by the Homicide and Major Crime Command. Mr Katharkamar was opening up the store at 6am when he was stabbed and later died Advertisement The ambassador for Ecuador today insisted there is 'no change' in Julian Assange's position and it is an 'offence' to the country to suggest he will be expelled from it embassy. Jaime Marchan spoke briefly to reporters as he left the building in Knightsbridge, west London at 2pm after it was claimed the whistleblower was set to be kicked out and arrested with 'hours or days'. Wikileaks made the claims in a series of Tweets last night citing unnamed sources in the Ecuadorean authorities as confirming Mr Assange's seven-year stay would end imminently. Armed police were also outside the west London embassy as protestors began arriving at the building early this morning following online calls for people to 'protect' the controversial whistleblower. Mr Marchan was not recognised by members of the British press but was chased down the street by a freelance journalist from Chilean newspaper El Ciudadano Chile, Patricio Mery. In the brief encounter he said: 'Ambassador, what is the position of the Ecuadorean government in relation to the WikiLeaks tip?' Armed police arrive outside the Ecuadorian Embassy this morning, where Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has been holed up since 2012 Mr Marchan said: 'There is no change in the Senor Julian Assange's situation. To say we are going to take him out the embassy is an offence to Ecuador.' Asked: 'Is he going to be released in the next couple of hours?' The ambassador replied: 'We are definitely not going to comment on that.' Later on Twitter Ecuador's minister of foreign affairs Jose Valencia insisted the claims were 'unfounded'. He tweeted: 'The rumours of the imminent exit of Assange come from months ago. 'The govt will not be giving a running commentary about unfounded current rumours that furthermore are insulting. 'Ecuador takes its decisions in a sovereign manner independent of other countries. 'Diplomatic asylum is a sovereign power of a state which has the right to grant or withdraw it unilaterally when it considers it justified.' Supporters continue to gather outside the embassy and news cameras still line the street opposite. They erected tents outside the door and continued to arrive throughout the day, some holding posters and banners calling for him to be allowed to leave without fear of being arrested by police. Protesters erected tents outside the embassy overnight and used battery-powered tealights to spell out 'NO EXPULSION' as news spread that Julian Assange may be kicked out imminently The scene outside the Ecuadorian embassy this morning, as tents erected late last night remain on the pavement outside Julian Assange, pictured on the balcony of the Ecuadorean embassy in London in 2017, is to be 'kicked out' according to Wikileaks, the group he founded in a tweet (right). Assange has been in the embassy since 2012 after Swedish authorities announced they wished to interview in connection with a rape allegation Shortly before 7.30am today a member of staff inside the six-storey building, where the Australian has been holed up since 2012, declined to speak about the claims when asked over the intercom. A van later arrived at the building bearing a billboard in support of Mr Assange, and parked in a space reserved for diplomats. It was moved on at 10am after armed police officer told the organiser of the demonstration they had received a call from the embassy. The man who arranged the board and gave his name as Fethi said: 'I'm here to support Julian Assange. We just wonder if the police will take him away.' Fethi, who briefly went into the embassy before he was escorted out by officials, said he does not believe Mr Assange will be expelled. 'We're going to be staying here until we see what's going on,' he said. A picture on the billboard showed Mr Assange gagged by an American flag with the message #FreeSpeech. Demonstrators, including one wearing a mask used by the Anonymous group, later unfurled a banner saying 'The truth will set you free! Free Julian Assange!' Three people, including the masked supporter, held the banner as they posed for photographs in front of a large gathering of media crews. The pavement opposite was lined with more than 20 members of the world's media, many with TV cameras, after the reports emerged. A van later arrived at the building bearing a billboard in support of Mr Assange, and parked in a space reserved for diplomats Two armed officers were seen outside the building after a van arrived bearing a billboard in support of Mr Assange, and parked in a space reserved for diplomats Assange supporter Emmy Butlin, who was part of a 'solidarity vigil' outside the embassy, said she has been demonstrating since he was first granted refuge. She said Ecuador has changed its position since a change of government, adding: 'They have now become unwilling to protect Julian Assange, the publisher of WikiLeaks.' 'It's very clear that the negotiations of various parties - the United States with Ecuador and with the UK - to hand in this man to be tried and charged in America for espionage is well under way,' she said. 'We believe that the UK Government, which is our government, should stop cooperating with the United States, the Trump administration. They should stand by free speech, by human rights and by international law.' Mr Assange claimed political asylum in the embassy in June 2012 after he was accused of rape and sexual assault against women in Sweden, and has been there ever since. However earlier this week reports surfaced that the South American nation was tiring of his presence and claimed he had 'repeatedly violated' the terms of his asylum. Following the announcement calls were made on Twitter to fill the streets outside the building to protect Mr Assange. As of 2am protesters were seen setting up orange tents outside the embassy In their Tweets, WikiLeaks wrote: 'A high level source within the Ecuadorean state has told that Julian Assange will be expelled within 'hours to days' using the offshore scandal as a pretext--and that it already has an agreement with the UK for his arrest.' Two hours later they added they have 'secondary confirmation from another high-level source within the Ecuadorian state' that Assange is to be booted out imminently. Ecuador's government said they never commented on 'rumours'. By 8.30am there was on demonstrator outside the embassy, but he said he expected more supporters of Mr Assange to arrive. Ciaron O'Reilly, 59, who is originally from Australia, said he has been sleeping rough outside the building for 130 days and claimed he previously worked on anti-war campaigns with the WikiLeaks founder. Mr O'Reilly, who has set up a makeshift shelter in a street beside the embassy, said he believes reports that Mr Assange will be expelled, adding that Ecuador 'wants to deliver the head of Julian Assange'. Following the announcement calls were made on Twitter to fill the streets outside the building to protect Mr Assange. As of 2am protesters were seen setting up orange tents outside the embassy A single police squad car maintained a watch over the Ecuadorean embassy in west London early today (pictured) as news began to spread of the threat to expel Julian Assange from the building Mr Assange's supporters claim the sex assault charges are a ruse to allow him to be detained so America can extradite him to face trial for revealing highly sensitive government information on his website. Shortly after 2am this morning, protesters did begin arriving on the west London streets that houses the embassy. Two cars pulled up and activists erected seven tents on the pavement for the protesters to use. Following the announcement calls were made on Twitter to fill the streets outside the building to protect Mr Assange. As of 2am protesters were seen setting up orange tents outside the embassy The activists, promoted by a tweet from WikiLeaks, began their vigil although nobody had heard from Julian Assange himself. One activist spent 20 minutes with multi-coloured battery-powered tealights spelling out 'no expulsion' on the pavement outside the embassy. A single Metropolitan Police squad car kept watch over the slowly growing group, while a CCTV camera panned from left to right surveying the crowd. The London force has rented an apartment overlooking the Embassy's front door to keep the building under constant surveillance. The news of his possible imminent expulsion from the embassy comes after Ecuadorean President Lenin Moreno said on Tuesday that Assange has 'repeatedly violated' the terms of his asylum in the Andean nation's London embassy. Moreno told Ecuadorean broadcasters that 'Assange cannot lie or, much less, hack into private accounts or private phones' under the terms of his asylum. The president said that photos of his bedroom, what he eats and how his wife and friends dance had been shared on social media. But he did not accuse WikiLeaks of circulating hacked photos of his family and wiretapping his phone calls and private conversation. The president said: 'We should ensure Mr Assange's life is not at risk but he's violated the agreement we have with him so many times'. Following the announcement calls were made on Twitter to fill the streets outside the building to protect Assange But the Ecuadorean government has previously said it believes WikiLeaks of sharing the photos, some of which show photos which date back several years to when Moreno and his family live in Geneva. Moreno said the terms restrict him from 'intervening in the politics of countries, or worse friendly countries'. The Ecuadorean government has directly referred to WikiLeaks in a complaint to a special rapporteur for the right to privacy. On Tuesday WikiLeaks tweeted that Moreno would take a decision about Mr Assange's fate 'in the short term' after it reported on an 'offshore corruption scandal wracking his government'. Mr Assange still fears extradition to the US due to his involvement in the leaking of a huge cache of classified documents in 2010. He says Ecuador is seeking to end his asylum and is putting pressure on him by isolating him from visitors and spying on him. Ecuador has said its treatment of Mr Assange was in line with international law, but that his situation 'cannot be extended indefinitely.' In February Assange was issued with a new Australian passport clearing the way for him to leave the Ecuadorian Embassy. Julian Assange's long legal battle 2006 Assange creates Wikileaks with a group of like-minded activists and IT experts to provide a secure way for whistleblowers to leak information. He quickly becomes its figurehead and a lightning rod for criticism. 2010 March: U.S. authorities allege Assange engaged in a conspiracy to hack a classified U.S. government computer with former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning. July: Wikileaks starts releasing tens of thousands of top secrets documents, including a video of U.S. helicopter pilots gunning down 12 civilians in Baghdad in 2007. What followed was the release of more than 90,000 classified US military files from the Afghan war and 400,000 from Iraq that included the names of informants. August: Two Swedish women claim that they each had consensual sex with Assange in separate instances when he was on a 10-day trip to Stockholm. They allege the sex became non-consensual when Assange refused to wear a condom. First woman claims Assange was staying at her apartment in Stockholm when he ripped off her clothes. She told police that when she realized Assange was trying to have unprotected sex with her, she demanded he use a condom. She claims he ripped the condom before having sex. Second Swedish woman claims she had sex with Assange at her apartment in Stockholm and she made him wear a condom. She alleges that she later woke up to find Assange having unprotected sex with her. He was questioned by police in Stockholm and denied the allegations. Assange was granted permission by Swedish authorities to fly back to the U.K. November: A Swedish court ruled that the investigation should be reopened and Assange should be detained for questioning on suspicion of rape, sexual molestation and unlawful coercion. An international arrest warrant is issued by Swedish police through Interpol. Wikileaks releases its cache of more than 250,000 U.S. diplomatic cables. December: Assange presents himself to London police and appears at an extradition hearing where he is remanded in custody. Assange is granted conditional bail at the High Court in London after his supporters pay 240,000 in cash and sureties. 2011 February: A British judge rules Assange should be extradited to Sweden but Wikileaks found vows to fight the decision. April: A cache of classified U.S. military documents is released by Wikileaks, including intelligence assessments on nearly all of the 779 people who are detained at the Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba. November: Assange loses High Court appeal against the decision to extradite him. 2012 June: Assange enters the Ecuadorian embassy in London requesting political asylum. August: Assange is granted political asylum by Ecuador. 2013 June: Assange tells a group of journalists he will not leave the embassy even if sex charges against him are dropped out of fear he will be extradited to the U.S. 2015 August: Swedish prosecutors drop investigation into some of the sex allegations against Assange due to time restrictions. The investigation into suspected rape remains active. 2016 July: Wikileaks begins leaking emails U.S. Democratic Party officials favoring Hillary Clinton. November: Assange is questioned over the sex allegation at the Ecuadorian Embassy in the presence of Sweden's assistant prosecutor Ingrid Isgren and police inspector Cecilia Redell. The interview spans two days. 2017 January: Barack Obama agrees to free whistleblower Chelsea Manning from prison. Her pending release prompts speculation Assange will end his self-imposed exile after Wikileaks tweeted he would agree to U.S. extradition. April: Lenin Moreno becomes the new president of Ecuador who was known to want to improve diplomatic relations between his country and the U.S. May: An investigation into a sex allegation against Assange is suddenly dropped by Swedish prosecutors. 2018 January: Ecuador confirms it has granted citizenship to Assange following his request. February: Assange is visited by Pamela Anderson and Nobel Peace Prize winner Adolfo Perez Esquivel. March: The Ecuadorian Embassy suspends Assange's internet access because he wasn't complying with a promise he made the previous year to 'not send messages which entailed interference in relation to other states'. August: U.S. Senate committee asks to interview Assange as part of their investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election. September: Assange steps down as editor of WikiLeaks. October: Assange reveals he will launch legal action against the government of Ecuador, accusing it of violating his 'fundamental rights and freedoms'. November: U.S. Justice Department inadvertently names Assange in a court document that says he has been charged in secret. 2019 January: Assange's lawyers say they are taking action to make President Trump's administration reveal charges 'secretly filed' against him. April 6: WikiLeaks tweets that a high level Ecuadorian source has told them Assange will be expelled from the embassy within 'hours or days'. But a senior Ecuadorian official says no decision has been made to remove him from the London building. April 11: Assange has his diplomatic asylum revoked by Ecuador and he is arrested by the Metropolitan Police; he is remanded in custody by a judge at Westminster Magistrates Court. April 12: He is found guilty of breaching his bail terms. May 1: Sentenced to 11 months in jail. May 2: Court hearing takes place over Assange's proposed extradition to the U.S. He tells a court he does not consent to the extradition and the case is adjourned until May 30. May 13: Swedish prosecutors reopen rape case saying they still want to question Assange. June 3: Swedish court rules against detaining him in absentia, setting back the extradition case. June 12 Home Secretary Sajid Javid signs an extradition request from the US. June 13 A hearing sets out the date for Assange's full extradition hearing - February next year. November Swedish prosecutors stop investigation into an allegation of rape against Mr Assange November 25 - Medics say without correct medical care Assange 'could die' in Belmarsh December 13 - Hearing in London hears he is being blocked from seeing key evidence in case December 19 - Appears at Westminster Magistrates' Court via video-link where his lawyer claims US bid to extradite him is 'political'. 2020 June: Assange failed to appear via video link for his most recent court matter in London's Westminster Magistrates' Court Advertisement The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has severed ties with Huawei and ZTE as U.S. authorities investigate the Chinese firms for alleged sanctions violations. MIT is the latest top educational institution to unplug telecom equipment made by Huawei and other Chinese companies to avoid losing federal funding. The university said it chose to suspend ties with the companies following a review of projects that posed an 'elevated risk.' As part of the move, MIT will also apply added scrutiny to collaborations with China, Russia and Saudi Arabia, said Maria Zuber, MIT's vice president for research. Scroll down for video The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (pictured) has severed ties with Huawei and ZTE as U.S. authorities investigate the Chinese firms for alleged sanctions violations In addition to MIT, U.S. academic institutions including Stanford University, the University of California, Berkeley and the University of Minnesota have also suspended ties with Huawei and ZTE. 'MIT is not accepting new engagements or renewing existing ones with Huawei and ZTE or their respective subsidiaries due to federal investigations regarding violations of sanction restrictions,' Zuber said. 'The institute will revisit collaborations with these entities as circumstances dictate,' she said. Britain's Oxford University stopped accepting funding from Huawei this year. 'We're disappointed by MIT's decision, but we understand the pressure they're under at the moment,' Huawei said on Thursday. The company denies the allegations of the U.S. government. 'We trust the U.S. judicial system will ultimately reach the right conclusion,' Huawei said. ZTE did not respond to a Reuters request for comment. Representatives for Zuber and Richard Lester, an associate provost at MIT who also signed the letter, referred questions about details such as how much research was likely to be affected to MIT spokespeople, who did not immediately respond. MIT is the latest top educational institution to unplug telecom equipment made by Huawei and other Chinese companies to avoid losing federal funding In a letter to MIT faculty at the start of the current school year, Lester wrote that in cases where U.S. and Chinese interests are in direct conflict, MIT would prioritize its home country. Meng Wanzhou, Huawei's chief financial officer and daughter of its founder Ren Zhengfei, was arrested in Canada in December at the request of the United States on charges of bank and wire fraud in violation of U.S. sanctions against Iran. She denies wrongdoing. U.S. sanctions forced ZTE to stop most business between April and July last year after Commerce Department officials said it broke a pact and was caught illegally shipping U.S.-origin goods to Iran and North Korea. The sanctions were lifted after ZTE paid $1.4 billion in penalties. In Beijing, the Foreign Ministry referred questions to the two companies, but said Chinese firms were required to abide by local laws. 'At the same time, we ask that governments in countries where they are based provide a just, fair, and nondiscriminatory environment,' its spokesman, Geng Shuang, told a news briefing on Thursday. Chinese telecoms equipment makers have also been facing mounting scrutiny, led by the United States, amid worries Beijing could use their equipment for spying. The companies, however, have said the concerns are unfounded. Advertisement NASA's Parker Solar Probe will plunge into the sun's corona later today making history as it continues its fiery descent towards our star. The probe, roughly the size of a family hatchback, has already come closer to the sun than any other man-made object and is now just 15 million miles (24 million km) away from its surface. It will enter into its second of 24 solar encounters at approximately 11.40pm BST (6.40pm EDT) today and contend with extreme cosmic radiation - 500 times more intense than on Earth - and temperatures of 1,300C (2,400F). Current estimates predict it will be travelling at 213,200 mph (343,000 kph) - fast enough to fly between New York and London 39 times in one hour. The probe entered the sun's orbit in November and has been approaching steadily closer ever since. Its final pass in 2024 will be just 3.8 million miles (6.1m km) from its surface, when it will burn up. Scroll down for video NASAs Parker Solar Probe has begun its second orbit of the sun. The craft blasted off in August on a historic mission to get closer to our star than any spacecraft ever has. An artist's impression is pictured The Parker probe, roughly the size of a family hatchback, has already come closer to the sun than any other man-made object and is now just 15 million miles (24 million km) away from its surface. It will enter into its second of 24 solar encounters at approximately 11.40pm BST (6.40pm EDT) today HOW BIG IS THE PARKER SOLAR PROBE? Launch mass -1,510 lb (685 kg) Dry mass - 1,224 lb (555 kg) Payload mass - 110 lb (50 kg) Dimensions - 3.3 ft 9.8 ft 7.5 ft) (1.0 m 3.0 m 2.3 m) Advertisement NASA designed the probe to protect its fragile internal instruments from the harsh conditions and deflect most of the sun's heat. The US space agency hopes to maintain an internal temperature of 29C (84F) and take vital measurements of the corona to unpick the mystique surrounding our closest star. For example, scientists are expecting to receive vital data to help explain a long-standing mystery among physicists - why the corona is 300 hotter than the sun's surface. Our star still poses many unanswered questions, chief among them how it is capable of producing such violent plumes of material, known as solar flares or coronal mass ejections. These ions - charged particles - travel at extraordinary speeds, up to half the speed of light, before swamping all objects in the solar system and dousing them in potentially fatal radiation. Earth is protected by these by our planet's thick atmosphere and strong magnetic field and, for the most part, they only manifest themselves as auroras at the north and south poles. Stronger events are capable of affecting electronics on Earth, with GPS and other satellite-reliant services affected. 'Parker Solar Probe is providing us with the measurements essential to understanding solar phenomena that have been puzzling us for decades,' said Nour Raouafi, Parker Solar Probe project scientist at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab in Maryland. 'To close the link, local sampling of the solar corona and the young solar wind is needed and Parker Solar Probe is doing just that.' This cosmic meeting between mankind and the stars will last until April 10 and NASA will lose contact with the spacecraft during this time. It will be completing its orbit and focusing its resources on maintaining its heat shield in the direction of the sun's unrelenting assault of heat and charged particles. A mission to the depths of the sun required materials capable of withstanding conditions unlike anything humankind has ever experienced. Meeting the astounding astrophysical challenges required NASA to create new materials with remarkable thermal properties. A carbon-composite shell 4.5 inches (11.5cm) thick was developed which is fitted to the probe and provides it with the bulk of its protection. NASA expects to start receiving a gentle trickle of data from the pass over a prolonged period of several weeks later this spring. 'The probe is designed to cope with intense temperatures and radiation, and although 24 million kilometers sounds like a long way from the sun, it is only just over 17 sun-widths away,' said Dr Emily Brunsden, director of the University of York's astrocampus at the department of physics, told MailOnline. 'We owe life on Earth to our closest star, the Sun, and it is easy to forget what an awesome and dynamic object it is. There are solar storms, enormous energy outbursts and twists and changes in the magnetic fields. 'We see the effects of energetic phenomena directly on Earth as charged particles, which interact with our atmosphere to create aurorae. We can therefore consider ourselves to live inside the atmosphere of the Sun - known as the solar wind. 'Understanding the structure and dynamics of the magnetic fields, the energy flows and particles being accelerated at the sources of the solar wind help us to understand our local environment in space. 'This is what the Parker Solar probe will give us valuable data on.' The Parker Solar Probe will ultimately complete a total of 24 planned orbits over the next seven years, bringing it closer and closer to the surface. The probe's position, speed and round-trip light time as of Jan. 28, 2019 is illustrated in the graphic above Parker became the closest object made by humans to orbit the sun in October when it surpassed the previous best effort of the Helios 2 probe. It reached 26.55 million miles (42.7 million km) from the star in 1976 and the record stood for more than 60 years until Parker sailed past this mark with ease and is now 15 million miles (24 million km) from the sun. The closest it will ever get to the sun will be on Christmas Eve 2024, where it is expected to clock a proximity of just 3.9 million miles (6.3 million km) away from the surface, more than seven times further than Helios 2 reached and only four per cent of the distance between the sun and Earth. Parker's final approach in five years time will be a kamikaze mission and result in the probe's destruction. At this point in its life-cycle it will be too short on fuel to control its orientation with enough precision to angle its shield towards the heat and will eventually be unable to protect itself and be incinerated. The $1.5billion (1.17billion) Parker Probe blasted off atop one of the most powerful rockets in the world, and will eventually hit record-breaking speeds of up to 430,000 miles per hour as it completes its orbits. Achieving this proximity to the sun required NASA to get creative with the projected obit of Parker and the engineers found a way to manipulate the orbit of Venus to slingshot them ever-closer to the sun. The craft is named for Dr Eugene Parker, who first predicted the existence of solar wind back in 1958, and is the only living person to have ever had a NASA mission named for them. Man-made climate change could turn Antarctica green as ice sheets shrink and plants begin to colonise the land underneath once again, scientists have warned. Current levels of carbon dioxide (CO) in the atmosphere could lead to conditions comparable with the Pliocene period three million years ago, experts say. The last time levels of the atmosphere were as high as today - at around 400 parts per million (ppm) - was during this geological epoch. Studying evidence from this era may provide clues about the future of the planet and help humans understand the pressures they may face, researchers believe. Scroll down for video Man-made climate change could make Antarctica go green as ice sheets shrink and plants colonise the land again, scientists have said. Experts say level of carbon dioxide in atmosphere could lead to conditions comparable with three million years ago The Royal Meteorological Society and the Grantham Institute for Climate Change are holding a meeting on Wednesday to discuss the topic. CO levels in the atmosphere reached 400 ppm on average for the first time in 2015, World Meteorological Organisation figures show. However, there is likely to be a 'lag' before the true effects of hitting this threshold are felt, according to Professor Martin Siegert, co-director of the Grantham Institute, Imperial College. In the meantime, looking to the Pliocene era could offer clues as to how humans might deal with the challenges this creates, he said. During this period, sea levels were around 15 metres higher and temperature estimated to be between 2C and 3.5C warmer than now. '(If) you put your oven on at home, and set it to 200C, the temperature doesn't get to that immediately,' he told reporters ahead of the meeting. 'It takes a bit of time, and it's the same with the climate.' Professor Dame Jane Francis, director of the British Antarctic Survey, said remnants of the forests of Antarctica have been found, which are probably dated to the Pliocene age. 'The really important significance of this is that we've got 400 ppm now, and if we had 400 ppm in the past, this is maybe where we are going back to,' she said. 'Which is the ice sheets are going to shrink at times, not all the time but at times... which may allow plants to colonise in Antarctic land again.' Before the industrial revolution in 1850 carbon dioxide levels were about 280 ppm and since then the temperature has increased globally by around 1C, Proessor of Siegert said. The last time carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere were as high as today - at around 400 parts per million (ppm) - was during this Pliocene period. Experts believe that looking at this era could provide clues about the future of the planet 'What it means is that by the end of this century, we might expect another 1C,' he added. If carbon dioxide emissions continue at current rates, levels could soar to 1000 ppm by 2100, he suggested. This is the same as estimated levels around 100 million years ago, when dinosaurs roamed the earth and Antarctica was warmer and much greener. 'If our mission was to put that carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere and recreate the Cretaceous period, 100 million years ago - if that was our mission, we are doing a pretty good job,' Professor Siegert said. He called for global action to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. 'The consequences of what we have done over 150 years will continue into the future, so it's up to us to do something,' he said. 'We will be judged in history on how well we respond to this issue, and at the moment we're not doing a very good job.' Campus News Climate change and Africa focus of Des Forges symposium By ELLEN DUSSOURD Human beings originated in Africa about 100,000 years ago and have developed societies during the past 200 years that have contributed to climate change, which risks making the globe uninhabitable for our species and many others. To enhance our understanding of the impacts of climate change on Africa and efforts to mitigate those consequences, experts from universities and non-governmental organizations will gather at UB on April 10 for a daylong symposium, Climate Change and Africa: Impacts and Responses. The free, public event will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in 107 Capen Hall, North Campus. It will be followed by a scholarship fund dinner in Buffalo that benefits students interested in human rights. The symposium will examine manifestations of global warming in Africa, its differential impacts on African populations, and the successes and failures of African and international institutions as they attempt to mitigate the climate change process, develop sustainable economies and ensure social resilience. Presenters will range from Jesse Ribot, professor of environmental politics, School of International Service, American University, to Marcos A. Orellana, director of the Environment and Human Rights Division, Human Rights Watch. Both the symposium and dinner honor the memory of Alison L. Des Forges, a member of the UB community who fought to call the worlds attention to another great humanitarian crisis: the genocide in Rwanda. An internationally known historian and Buffalo native, Des Forges was an adjunct member of the UB history faculty during the 1990s and received an SUNY honorary doctorate during UBs commencement ceremony in 2001. She was one of the worlds leading experts on Rwanda, serving as an expert witness in 11 trials at the United Nations International Criminal Court for Rwanda. Her award-winning book, Leave None to Tell the Story: Genocide in Rwanda, was a landmark account of the 1994 genocide, and her tireless efforts to awaken the international community to the horrors that occurred earned her a MacArthur Fellowship in 1999. The symposium will open with registration and welcoming remarks at 9 a.m., followed by panels focusing on Human Impacts of Climate Change, Poverty and Politics: Energy and Food Resources, and Human Rights Implications. The Human Impacts of Climate Change panel, which runs from 9:30-11:45 a.m., includes the following presentations: Insecurity and Climate Change in Dryland West Africa: Disentangling the Dynamics in the Countryside, Leif V. Brottem, assistant professor of global development studies, Grinnell College. Protected forest areas have played an important yet overlooked role in the insurgencies that have destabilized large parts of West Africa over the past 10 years. Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and especially Nigeria have experienced violence perpetuated by groups that use forests as places to hide and organize. At the same time, growing resource scarcity is causing pastoralists groups who raise livestock for a living to rely on the same forests to provide water and pasture for their animals. This presentation will work toward disentangling this relationship in the context of weak, but often oppressive state institutions. Xenophobia under a Changing Sky: Emigration from the Sahel to Europe, Jesse Ribot, professor of environmental politics, School of International Service, American University. Senegalese farmers are crossing the Sahara on their way to Europe. Along the way, many are taken captive and robbed, sold as slave labor, held for ransom and beaten. Many die in the desert or drown at sea. Yet, knowing the dangers, they choose to go. The media is depicting them as climate refugees, but these young men and their families rarely mention the weather as a cause of their plight at home or their decisions to leave. Casting them as climate refugees occludes the multiple forces that move them, and denies the colonial and post-colonial histories of cause, deepening the crisis. Niger Delta, Climate Change and Trauma of the Future Cajetan Iheka, assistant professor of English, University of Alabama. Mineral extraction in Africa has exacerbated social conflict and ecological degradation across the continent. This talk focuses specifically on the Niger Delta scene of oil exploration as presented in Michael Watts and Ed Kashis multimedia project, Curse of the Black Gold, and analyzes the photographs as an ecology of suffering and as a site of trauma. The Poverty and Politics: Energy and Food Resources panel, which runs from 1-2:30 p.m., includes the following presentations: Re-greening: Recent Progress in Africa and Opportunities to Improve Crop Production and Restore Resilience to Climate Change, Robert Winterbottom, EverGreening Global Alliance. Climate change is global, but some people are more severely impacted and less able to adapt than others. Smallholder farmers are taking steps to re-green by protecting and managing the regeneration of trees and shrubs on cropland. Proven re-greening practices are being scaled up to have significant positive impacts on crop production, water supplies and poverty reduction, and in helping rural communities in Africa to become more resilient in the face of climate change. Cultural Politics of Energy and Unity in Post-Genocide Rwanda: Methane Extraction on Lake Kivu, Kristin Doughty, associate professor of anthropology and director of the Susan B. Anthony Institute for Gender, Sexuality and Womens Studies, University of Rochester. Across much of the African continent, water is at the center of concerns about changing climates, whether through renewed risks of droughts, floods, access to clean water, or declining fishing stocks. Lake Kivu on the Rwanda-Democratic Republic of Congo border is not yet showing these impacts of climate change, but it holds another hidden danger: dissolved methane in its deepest layers that, if disturbed, could explode and devastate the 2 million people living in the lakes basin. This presentation focuses on newly installed methane-extraction plants, asking questions about the relationships between international scientific and corporate efforts to promote sustainable energy and reduce risk in the face of climate change and broader human rights concerns. The Human Rights Implications panel, which runs from 2:30-4 p.m., includes the following presentations: Climate Change and Security: Displacement, Scarcity and Increasing Competition for Natural Resources, Marcos A. Orellana, director of the Environment and Human Rights Division, Human Rights Watch. This talk looks at how climate change acts as a threat multiplier of conflict. Climate change increases human displacement and reduces access to natural resources. It also exacerbates stresses on fragile geopolitical systems and disproportionately hurts vulnerable populations. Two case studies will examine these factors at play: the Horn of Africa and the Lake Chad Basin. Kenya: Mega Infrastructure Projects, Environmental Concerns and Threats to Activists, Otsieno Namwaya, Kenya researcher, Human Rights Watch. This talk focuses on the ambitious regional project LAPSSET, the Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport corridor project, which is the largest infrastructure project in East and Central Africa. It envisions a 32-berth seaport, three international airports, road and railway network, three resort cities and other projects such as a coal-fired power plant. Activists and community residents on the coast have become increasingly vocal about the potential adverse health and environmental impacts of the project, but they have faced obstacles. Kenyan security forces have broken up protests, restricted public meetings and threatened, arrested and prosecuted activists on various charges. Sponsors of the symposium include the Alison Des Forges Memorial Committee and the Baldy Center for Law and Social Policy; Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering; Department of Comparative Literature; Department of History; Gender Institute; Humanities Institute; James Agee Chair in American Culture; RENEW Institute; Department of Political Science; UB Sustainability; and the Office of the Vice Provost for International Education, all at UB. Scholarship dinner A scholarship dinner and discussion after the symposium will support an endowment that funds Alison L. Des Forges Memorial scholarships for graduates from the Buffalo Public Schools demonstrating a strong interest in pursuing studies at UB related to human rights and social justice. The dinner, which costs $100 per seat, takes place from 6:30-9:30 p.m. April 10 at the Jacobs Executive Development Center, 672 Delaware Ave., Buffalo. Reservations are required, and guests may RSVP by contacting Kathleen Curtis at 716-645-2077 or curtiskl@buffalo.edu. Scientists have created an infrared body-scanner to help tackle surging violent crime rates. It combines a standard camera with infra-red technology to detect concealed blades from up to 20ft (6 metres) away and works through heavy clothing and even belts. The potentially life-saving technology's developers in the UK say it could one day be fitted to handheld cameras and even mobile phones. If it proves to be a viable option to law enforcement, it may be expanded to include other 'geometrically similar' objects with a similar heat signature, such as stowed handguns. A proof of concept is expected in six months and if it is successful, has the potential to be implemented across the UK and around the world. It will focus on scanning large amounts of people at crowded places, including streets, railway stations and major events. Experts at Nottingham Trent University and Loughborough University who developed the technique say it does all this without exposing an individual's private regions. Scroll down for video The recently-funded infrared technology builds on ordinary cameras - such as those built into smartphones - to reveal hidden blades (pictured left and right), even when such weapons have been concealed under heavy clothing and belts Professor Amin Al-Habaibeh at Nottingham Trent University told MailOnline: 'We have tested it on ceramic and metal knives and it works very well. 'It may be applied to items that have a specific geometry and unique IR signature to be spotted by our AI algorithm. For that, guns would be relevant. 'We are developing the technology and the know-how and the rest of it becomes a decision for notional and global police forces as it is tested in the field.' The researchers are adapting cameras to detect infrared electromagnetic waves and feed their images into a special computer algorithm that can highlight the presence of weapons hidden underneath clothing. The software is still in testing but has so far yielded positive results and an differentiate between weapons and harmless metallic items such as coins and keys. This, the developers say, will save invaluable police time by reducing the need for them to conduct throughout searches. 'This technology will enable police to spot concealed weapons from a distance which are hidden under clothing, allowing officers to apprehend those who may be about to commit a serious offence,' said Profssor Al-Habaibeh. 'At the same time by providing police with improved intelligence it will reduce the number of unnecessary stop and searches which take place, allowing innocent people to go freely about their business.' Such searches - which the government recently empowered more police officers to authorise - have proved controversial with the public. Initial tests of the scanner show that the technology can detect blades concealed within clothing from a distance of up to six metres away. 'More people have started to carry knives without thinking of the consequences,' added Loughborough University engineer Ashraf El-Hamalawi. 'This technology may act as a deterrent and aid with knife crime detection, and maybe it has the potential to save lives.' 'Our design is extremely cost-effective as it is based on existing technologies and ultimately could be made available through everyday mobile phones,' added Professor Al-Habaibeh. It is one of six projects to have received a share of more than 460,000 funding from the Home Office and Department for Transport, provided through a Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) competition. Each winner has six months to design a proof-of-concept, which they are expected to demonstrate this summer. Approaches being explored by the other funding recipients include the application of radar technology and acoustic sensors to detect hidden knives. This scheme is being accelerated in the wake of bloodbath Britain and the tragic loss of life up and don the nation. Researchers are adapting cameras to detect infrared electromagnetic waves and feed their images into special computer algorithm that can highlight the presence of weapons hidden underneath clothing Professor Amin Al-Habaibeh (pictured), an expert in intelligent engineering systems from Nottingham Trent University who helped develop the project. His colleagues at Loughborough University formed one of six groups which received a slice of a 460,000 in Government funding to fast-track innovative technologies to help police identify individuals carrying concealed blades in public It comes just days after Prime Minister Theresa May hosted the Serious Youth Violence summit at Downing Street, which was also attended by Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick and Home Secretary Sajid Javid. At the summit May announced a controversial plan to implement a Glasgow-style approach to combat knife crime. This initiative is designed to place responsibility on nurses, police officers and teachers to spot the warning signs of violence crime among the young. Her proposal drew criticism from professional unions. 'Recent senseless killings that have snatched young lives away have shocked people across the UK,' said Minister for Crime, Safeguarding and Vulnerability, Victoria Atkins on Monday. 'We are determined to protect families from these devastating crimes and new technology must play a key role in this, together with effective early intervention work and strong law enforcement.' The last known victim of the transatlantic slave trade has been identified. Redoshi was abducted from her home in modern-day Benin at the age of 12, sold as a child bride and forced to work as a slave on an Alabama plantation. She received the name Sally Smith when enslaved in the US after arriving there in 1860 and stayed on the same plantation until her death in 1937. Redoshi was one of 116 West Africans transported to the United States aboard the Clotilda on this trip. This was to be the last voyage of the slave trade, ending 240 years of the barbaric exploitation and heinous treatment of African natives. Slavery had been outlawed in 1807 by Thomas Jefferson but the trade continued underground until it was abolished completely in 1863 and 1865 in the north and south, respectively. Scroll down for video Redoshi (pictured, left, with her husband Billy, right, who was kidnapped alongside her) was one of 116 West Africans transported to the United States aboard the Clotilda. This was to be the last voyage of the now dwindling slave trade, ending 240 years of the barbaric exploitation and treatment of African natives Plantation owner Washington Smith purchased Redoshi (pictured here in the film 'The Negro Farmer: Extension Work for Better Farming and Better Living' released in 1938) upon her arrival in the United States, and she was a slave at the Bogue Chitto plantation in Dallas County, Alabama, for nearly five years in both the fields and the house Both Redoshi was smuggled into the US on the Clotilda, a slave boat which would later become notorious as the last slave ship to ever dock in the country. The ship was believed to be 23 feet wide and 86 feet long and was burned after this final voyage The last surviving victim of the transatlantic slave trade was previously believed to be Oluale Kossola, who was also known as Cudjo Lewis and died in 1935. Cudjo Kazoola Lewis - born as Kossola - was nearly 90 years old and living in Plateau, Alabama when he died. He was thought to be the last African man alive who had been kidnapped from his village in West Africa in 1859 and forced into slavery in America aged 19. Both Redoshi and Lewis were smuggled into the US on the Clotilda, a boat which would later become notorious as the last slave ship to ever dock in the country. The ship was believed to be 23 feet wide and 86 feet long and was burned after this final voyage. Painstaking research from Dr Hannah Durkin at Newcastle University pieced together the history of Redoshi's life from a variety of different sources. She first appeared in works from author author Zora Neale Hurston and later in a memoir by the civil rights leader Amelia Boynton Robinson. Redoshi also featured in a film released a year after her death by the Department of Agriculture called 'The Negro Farmer: Extension Work for Better Farming and Better Living'. 'These materials add hugely to our understanding of transatlantic slavery as a lived experience,' says Dr Hannah Durkin, at Newcastle University, who led the research, published in the journal Slavery and Abolition,. 'Now we know that its horrors endured in living memory until 1937, and they allow us to meaningfully consider slavery from a West African woman's perspective for the first time. 'The only other documents we have of African women's experiences of transatlantic slavery are fleeting allusions that were typically recorded by slave owners, so it is incredible to be able to tell Redoshi's life story. 'Rarely do we get to hear the story of an individual woman, let alone see what she looked like, how she dressed and where she lived.' Dr Durkin never intended to study Redoshi directly, and instead stumbled across her remarkable story after she was mentioned in other records. Plantation owner Washington Smith purchased Redoshi upon her arrival in the United States as a child bride, and she was a slave at the Bogue Chitto plantation in Dallas County, Alabama, for nearly five years in both the fields and the house. Her husband, who was known as William or Billy, was kidnapped with her and died in the 1910s or 1920s. Slavery had been made illegal in 1807 but some illegally smuggled in slaves from West Africa until it was formally abolished - in the North in 1863 and in the South in 1865. The Clotilda (artist's impression, pictured) was the last ship to ever bring slaves to the states and Redoshi was on-board The last surviving victim of the transatlantic slave trade was previously believed to be Oluale Kossola, who was also known as Cudjo Lewis and died in 1935 (pictured) Famed Harlem Renaissance author Zora Neale Hurston in 1928 met Cudjo Kazoola Lewis (pictured). Lewis, who was born as Kossola, was nearly 90 years old and living in Plateau, Alabama. He was thought to be the last African man alive who had been kidnapped from his village in West Africa in 1859 and forced into slavery in America aged 19 'I was 12 years old and he was a man from another tribe who had a family in Africa,' Redoshi is quoted as saying to Mrs Boynton Robinson. 'I couldn't understand his talk and he couldn't understand me. They put us on block together and sold us for man and wife.' She continued to live on the plantation with her daughter after emancipation and died there more than 70 years later. Her exact birth date is unknown, but it is believed she lived until the age of 89 or 90. Redoshi is now regarded to be the last living person who came from Africa and entered the slave trade, but other slaves may have lived later - such as those who were born into slavery. Dr Durkin says she offered some resilience to the brutal regime and passed on some of her original culture and language to her children. 'Although this is just a snapshot of a life, you do get a sense of who Redoshi was,' she says. 'She lived through tremendous trauma and separation, but there is also a sense of pride in these texts. 'Her resistance, either through her effort to own her own land in America or in smaller acts like keeping her West African beliefs alive, taking care in her appearance and her home and the joy she took in meeting a fellow African in the 1930s, help to show who she was.' The mystery of the Terracotta Army's shiny swords and spears has been solved, according to British scientists. The world famous Terracotta Army of Xi'an consists of thousands of life-sized ceramic figures representing warriors. Chrome plating on thousands of their bronze weapons was thought to be the earliest form of anti-rust technology - thousands of years before it arrived in the West. But the steely grey metal formed by chance through a chemical reaction between a decorative and the low organic content of surrounding soil, the research claims. The lacquer was used to treat wooden parts of the weapons - such as shafts, grips and scabbards. Scroll down for video The mystery of the Terracotta Army's shiny swords and spears has been solved by British scientists. Chrome plating on thousands of bronze weapons was thought to be the earliest form of anti-rust technology. Detail from the grip and blade from one of the Terracotta Army swords is pictured The findings may answer a riddle that has baffled experts for decades. It challenges a long-standing claim that the craftspeople had developed a chromium anti-rust system - more than 2,000 years ago. Lead author Professor Marcos Martinon-Torres, an archaeologist at the University of Cambridge, said: 'The terracotta warriors and most organic materials of the mausoleum were coated with protective layers of lacquer before being painted with pigments - but interestingly, not the bronze weapons. 'We found a substantial chromium content in the lacquer, but only a trace of chromium in the nearby pigments and soil - possibly contamination. 'The highest traces of chromium found on bronzes are always on weapon parts directly associated to now-decayed organic elements, such as lance shafts and sword grips made of wood and bamboo, which would also have had a lacquer coating. 'Clearly, the lacquer is the unintended source of the chromium on the bronzes - and not an ancient anti-rust treatment.' They were stationed in three large pits within the mausoleum of Qin Shihuang. He lived between 259 and 210 BC and was the first emperor of a unified China. These warriors were armed with fully functional bronze weapons. Dozens of spears, lances, hooks, swords, crossbow triggers and as many as 40,000 arrow heads have all been recovered. Although the original organic components of the weapons such as the wooden shafts, quivers and scabbards have mostly decayed over the past 2,000 years, the bronze components remain in remarkably good condition. View of Pit 1 of the Terracotta Army showing the hundreds of warriors once armed with bronze weapons. In most of the swords analysed, the highest concentrations of chromium are detected in the guard and other fittings Since the first excavations of the Terracotta Army in the 1970s, researchers have suggested that the impeccable state of preservation seen on the bronze weapons must be from the makers developing a unique method of preventing metal corrosion. To get to the bottom of the debate Prof Martinon-Torres' team, which included colleagues at the Terracotta Army Museum, examined 464 weapons from the site. Chromium was found on only 37 - which was due to contamination from lacquer used by the Qin craftspeople, say the researchers. The hard metal was detected on 88 percent of weapon parts near fittings - such as handles, grips or scabbards - but on fewer than two percent of arrow heads or sword blades. The pattern of distribution is believed to have depended on their proximity to the lacquer on the wooden elements of the weapons, which have since decayed. Other factors that contributed to the preservation of the weapons included the high tin content of some of the bronze and the soil composition of the site, they said. Bronzes buried in Xi'an soil remained almost pristine after four months of extreme temperature and humidity, in contrast to the severe corrosion of the bronzes buried for comparison in British soil. Co-author Prof Andrew Bevan, also from UCL's Institute of Archaeology, said: 'It is striking how many important, detailed insights can be recovered via the evidence of both the natural materials and complex artificial recipes found across the mausoleum complex - bronze, clay, wood, lacquer and pigments to name but a few. 'These materials provide complementary storylines in a bigger tale of craft production strategies at the dawn of China's first empire.' The report published in the journal Scientific Reports. A pilot-less 'flying taxi' which costs 257,000 ($336,000) demonstrated its first tesflight in Vienna for the first time in Europe today. Austrian aerospace company FACC and its Chinese partner AVIC flew their drone above the pitch at Vienna's Generali Arena. The EHang 216, which circled in the air briefly and came down within a few minutes, is ready for mass production, according to Derrick Xiong, co-founder of EHang. It aims to offer short-haul services for passengers, industrial equipment and urgent medical deliveries. The company claim that it has been tested comprehensively and that several thousand orders. Scroll down for video As carmakers push ahead with self-driving vehicles, an Austrian aerospace company and its Chinese partner showed off their pilot-less 'flying taxi' for the first time in Europe on Thursday. The drone's 16 propellers rose above the pitch at Vienna's Generali Arena Joining the race for new autonomous aircraft services that do not require runways, EHang entered a strategic partnership with Austria's FACC, owned by Chinese aerospace group AVIC last year. The plane has the capacity to seat two passengers and weighs up to 340 kg (750 pounds) and can fly up to 150 km per hour (90 mph) for 'almost half an hour'. It can travel between 50 and 70 kilometres depending on the payload, according to FACC Chief Executive Officer Robert Machtlinger. The passenger cabin is small, with leg room that taller passengers might find less-than adequate, an Austrian photographer who took part in a demonstration flight told Reuters. FACC claims it has already received several thousand orders for the drone, with the highest demand in China. Competitors working toward offering autonomous flying cars early in the next decade range from aerospace giant Airbus to Uber. EHang entered a strategic partnership with Austria's FACC, owned by Chinese aerospace group AVIC last year. The company claim that it has been tested comprehensively and that several thousand orders. Pictured here, Derrick Xiong, Co founder of EHang The passenger cabin is small, with leg room that taller passengers might find less-than adequate, an Austrian photographer who took part in a demonstration flight told Reuters 'Technically urban mobility, flying without a pilot is possible, it's not a dream, it's existing,' said Mr Machtlinger. He said that the only thing that is hindering them to produce larger volumes is regulation. 'A future legal framework for autonomous flying vehicles should regulate communication with other planes and helicopters and provide traffic rules,' he said. Austria supports international efforts to quickly establish the necessary regulation, said the country's transport minister Norbert Hofer. 'I hope that Austria will be the place where thousands of these drones, of these air taxis will be built and I hope that very soon we will see a lot of these air taxis in the air,' Mr Hofer said. The drone aims to offer short-haul services for passengers, industrial equipment and urgent medical deliveries. The company claim that it has been tested comprehensively and that several thousand orders Advertisement Elon Musk's Starship prototype has roared to life for the first time, as SpaceX completed a successful test firing of the 60-foot-tall stainless steel rocket ship's powerful Raptor engine, causing it to lift briefly off of the launch pad. Clouds of smoke and a blaze of fire could be seen erupting from the prototype vehicle, called Starhopper, during the static fire at SpaceX's South Texas test site late Wednesday evening. The momentary liftoff occurred at about 8:56p.m. (ET) yesterday and generated a deafening roar that was so loud it rattled the windows of nearby homes. 'Starhopper completed tethered hop,' Musk confirmed in a tweet on Wednesday. 'All systems green.' While the action didn't last very long, the test hop serves as an important baby step toward Musk's wider plan to send humans on a mission to the moon. Scroll down for video SpaceX has completed its first successful test of the Starhopper (pictured). The momentary liftoff occurred at about 8:56p.m. (ET) yesterday and generated a deafening roar that was so loud it rattled the windows of nearby homes WHAT IS A 'HOP' TEST? SpaceX's Starship prototype, called the Starhopper, will undergo several tests to make sure its systems work properly. The first of these tests, called a 'hop' test, is simply a short static fire test. During a hop test, the Starhopper's single Raptor engine will be fired up. However, spectators won't be able to see much, if any, of the action. The hop involves a 'really short' low-altitude hovering demonstration, wherein the craft lifts just a few feet off the ground. Elon Musk's rocket firm will also conduct ground systems testing and load it with propellants. Advertisement SpaceX will now continue to conduct further testing on the Starhopper prototype at its facility near Brownsville, Texas. The firm is expected to attach two additional Raptor engines onto the craft in the coming months, which will enable the prototype vehicle to do significantly higher hops. Tests will be conducted in a similar fashion as when SpaceX trialed a test version of its Falcon 9 rocket, called the Grasshopper, in 2012 and 2013. Once that is completed, it's likely that SpaceX will attempt more test hops to make sure the engines operate like they're supposed to. The Raptor engine is a critical piece of hardware that will be used to power the Starship, which once it has seven engines installed, will be capable of producing a whopping 3 million pounds of thrust. As SpaceX continues work on the Starship, it's also preparing to test fire another rocket. The firm is slated to conduct a test fire of the Falcon Heavy's Block 5 booster later today, with a launch window scheduled between 6pm and midnight (ET). Clouds of smoke and a blaze of fire could be seen erupting from the prototype vehicle, called Starhopper, during the static fire at SpaceX's South Texas test site late Wednesday evening. Pictured is the Starhopper on the launch pad yesterday Pictured is a map of SpaceX's Boca Chica test site, not far from Brownsville, Texas. Inset is a graphic detailing the various checkpoints on Brazos Island, where SpaceX's launch site for the Starhopper prototype vehicle is located The Block 5 booster is intended to replace the original Falcon 9 rocket and is meant to be reused several times. Should the test fire go smoothly, SpaceX will blast off the Falcon Heavy - essentially three Falcon 9 rockets strapped together - from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Atop the rocket will be the Arabsat 6A, a communication satellite for Saudi Arabia-based Riyahd, which will provide television, internet and phone services to the Middle East, Africa and Europe. Prior to the static fire on Wednesday, SpaceX had been building Starhopper at its Texas test site, installing its single Raptor engine and loading liquid oxygen and liquid methane fuel tanks onto the vehicle. Not long after, SpaceX employees began the process of moving Starhopper to the launch pad in preparation for test hops. The test site had been swarming with activity as engineers moved the gleaming spacecraft to the launch pad and installed its sole Raptor engine that packs twice the firing power of SpaceX's older Merlin engines. A set of aerial images showed off SpaceX's progress in preparation for the suborbital hop tests, which were slated to take place last month, but were later postponed following several days of bad weather. Leading up to the test, the Federal Aviation Administration alerted to flight restrictions in the area between 10:00a.m. (ET) and 7:00p.m. (ET) on March 25th, 26th and 27th. In preparation for the potential test fire, SpaceX had moved the Starhopper suborbital vehicle to a launch pad. However, spectators both on the ground and from afar couldn't see much, if any, of the action during the hop test. SpaceX employees move the 60-foot-tall Starhopper prototype to the launch pad at its Boca Chica, Texas test site on March 8th. The firm has been conducting tests and fitted the vehicle with a single Raptor engine over the past several weeks A new set of aerial images show off SpaceX's progress in preparation for the suborbital hop tests. The tests took place late Wednesday night and mark the first of what will likely involve several test hops for its three Raptor engines SpaceX spokesman James Gleeson confirmed to the Brownsville Herald that Starhopper had been moved to the launch pad in preparation for tests. 'SpaceX will conduct checkouts of the newly installed ground systems and perform a short static fire test in the days ahead,' Gleeson told the Brownsville Herald. 'Although the prototype is designed to perform suborbital flights, or hops, powered by the SpaceX Raptor engine, the vehicle will be tethered during initial testing and hops will not be visible from offsite.' During tests, Starhopper will be pumped with liquid methane and oxygen propellant and will use one of SpaceX's powerful Raptor engines. The prototype is expected to only lift a few feet off the ground, meaning it won't be a true liftoff, but rather a brief hover. A livestream has been set up by SPadre.com showing a view of the Starhopper prototype at the Boca Chica site. The Brownsville Herald also reported that State Highway 4, which leads to Boca Chica Beach, is currently closed to the public in anticipation of the planned tests later today. News of the hopper tests come after Musk tweeted earlier this week that Starhopper tests would 'hopefully' be held in the coming days. If the hop tests go according to plan, it will serve as an important baby step toward Musk's wider plan to send humans on a mission to the moon. However, spectators both on the ground and from afar won't be able to see much of the action Pictured is a separate component from the Starhopper prototype and what appears to be sections of a nosecone that could be installed on the Starship. Musk said the firm won't install a new nosecone on the hopper following an earlier incident Plans for the tests were first spotted in a SpaceX flyer posted on Reddit. When asked whether the tests would begin this week, Musk replied in a tweet: 'Hopefully. Always many issues integrating engine & stage. First hops will lift off, but only barely.' Musk's tweet seemed to suggest that the firm is currently working to integrate the Starhopper and its redesigned Raptor engine, which SpaceX unveiled for the first time in February. The Starhopper test vehicle will feature one Raptor engine vs. the final Starship version, which is set to be packed with three powerful Raptor engines. As part of its first test 'hops,' SpaceX will ensure that the Starship prototype and its Raptor engine can takeoff and land without any issues. Musk added in a later tweet that the firm won't build a new nosecone for Starhopper, after the device was damaged by a series of strong wind gusts at its Texas test site in January. 'Don't need it,' Musk wrote. 'What you see being built is the orbital Starship vehicle.' Meanwhile, residents near SpaceX's test site in Brownsville, Texas have been seeing flyers posted by the company alerting them to upcoming tests. The flyer states that Starhopper tests could begin as soon as this week. 'During those tests, SpaceX will establish a safety zone perimeter in coordination with local law enforcement,' the flyer notes. 'Signage will be in place prior to testing to alert the community of any temporary closures of Highway 4 and Boca Chica Beach.' Starhopper will be pumped with liquid methane and oxygen propellant and will use one of SpaceX's powerful Raptor engines. The site is seen above on Thursday Elon Musk said SpaceX chose to omit a nosecone from the Starhopper prototype (pictured Wednesday) after it was toppled off of the spacecraft as a result of strong wind gusts earlier this year Additionally, Musk showed off what will be a crucial element of the Starship rocket. The SpaceX CEO posted a video demonstrating tests of the rocket's heat shield, which will prevent it from burning up upon re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere. In doing so, the rocket is better equipped for immediate re-use. 'Starship needs to be ready to fly again immediately after landing,' Musk said in a tweet. 'Zero refurbishment.' The heat shield is made up of hexagonal-shaped tiles that are designed to keep out hot gas as the rocket returns to Earth's surface. Musk said the 'white-hot' sections reached a maximum temperature of 1650 Kelvin or 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit. The tiles will be installed on the rocket's 'windward side' and there's 'no shield needed on the leeward side,' Musk added. Plans for the tests were first spotted in a SpaceX flyer posted on Reddit (pictured). The flyer says the firm could begin tests of its Starhopper prototype rocket as soon as this week The Raptor engine is a critical piece of hardware that will be used to power the Starship, which once it has seven engines installed, will be capable of producing a whopping 3 million pounds of thrust. Pictured is an artist's impression of Starship In January, the company revealed images of its fully-assembled Starship hopper test rocket. 'This is for suborbital VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) tests,' Musk said in a tweet last month. 'Orbital version is taller, has thicker skins (won't wrinkle) & a smoothly curving nose section.' The model he shared is expected to be used for testing short launches and landings. Musk hopes to conduct a manned mission with tourists to the moon by 2024. Completing a successful mission to the moon would mark an incremental step in Musk's other vision of traveling to Mars. An ancient four-legged whale that lived more than 40 million years ago has been discovered giving new insight into how the first whales spread around the planet. It is believed to be first ancestor of whales and dolphins to reach the Pacific Ocean after crossing the Atlantic. Scientists found that the amphibious species was 13 feet (four metres) long, had hoofed feet and otter-like features. Its fossil, which was found in marine sediments along the coast of Peru in 2011, suggests that it had adapted to an amphibious lifestyle. Scroll down for video This illustration shows an artistic reconstruction of two individuals of Peregocetus, one standing along the rocky shore of nowadays Peru and the other preying upon sparid fish. The presence of a tail fluke remains hypothetical. Here, an artist's impression Scientists have known since Darwin's time that whales, dolphins and porpoises are descended from four-legged hoofed mammals. It had been thought that whales first made the transition from land to water in Asia some 50 million years ago, as the earliest whale fossils have been found in India and Pakistan. Palaeontologists have named the new Peregocetus Pacificus, which is latin for the travelling whale that reached the Pacific Ocean. Experts say there are many gaps in the fossil record of whales from the time they travelled along the northern coast of Africa and on to North America. The whale's hooves suggest it could walk on land - but also had webbed digits and a powerful tail like an otter making it a strong swimmer. Other anatomical features, including a powerful tail and webbed feet similar to an otter, which leads scientists to believe that it was a strong swimmer. Study author Doctor Olivier Lambert, of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, said: 'This is the first indisputable record of a quadrupedal whale skeleton for the whole Pacific Ocean, probably the oldest for the Americas, and the most complete outside India and Pakistan. 'It is the most complete skeleton of a quadrupedal (non-pelagicete) cetacean outside Indo-Pakistan,' he said. Cetaceans - whales and dolphins - all evolved from a small, four-legged, hoofed ancestor that lived in south Asia more than 50 million years ago. Previous fossil records showed the amphibious mammals crossed the Atlantic from western Africa - at a time the Atlantic was half as wide as it is now. The specimen proves that early whales could swim for days or possibly weeks at a time while retaining the ability to walk on land. He said: 'All these shared features suggest similar terrestrial locomotion abilities for this younger protocetid from the Pacific Ocean, with the hind limbs capable of bearing the weight of the body on land. 'In addition, the presence of large pes (rear feet) with elongated fingers and the dorso-plantar flattening of the phalanges with conspicuous lateral flanges indicating webbed pes suggest that hind limbs were actively used for swimming. Scientists have found that the amphibious species was 13 feet (four metres) long and had hoofed feet and otter-like features. This figure shows the bones of Peregocetus, including the mandible with teeth, scapula, vertebrae, sternum elements, pelvis, and fore- and hind limbs Its sharp teeth and long snout suggest the early whales may have eaten fish or crustaceans. 'The moderately elongated snout bearing robust anterior teeth with markedly ornamented enamel and shearing molars suggests that it was capable of preying upon relatively large prey,' Doctor Lambert said. The team used microfossils in the sediment layers to date the skeleton precisely to the middle Eocene, 42.6 million years ago. 'The whales would have been assisted in their travel by westward surface currents and by the fact that, at the time, the distance between the two continents was half what it is today,' Dr Lambert said. The international team continues to study the remains of other whales and dolphins from Peru. The team plan to keep searching in localities with layers even more ancient, than the ones of Playa Media Luna, so older amphibious cetaceans may be discovered. The findings were reported in the journal Current Biology. NASA hopes to put man on Mars within 15 years after being given an order by Donald Trump to speed up their space operations. Jim Bridenstine, NASAs Administrator, said Mr Trumps desire to put humans back on the Moon by the year 2024 would provide an opportunity to test its technology and capabilities before carrying out a mission to land on Mars by 2033. However, Mr Bridenstine admitted that the agency was working on an amendment to its budget request to deal with the accelerated shift towards the Moon. Jim Bridenstine (left), NASAs Administrator, said Mr Trumps desire to put humans back on the Moon by the year 2024 would provide an opportunity to test its technology and capabilities before carrying out a mission to land on Mars by 2033 We want to achieve a Mars landing in 2033, but in order to do that we have to accelerate other parts of the programme, the Moon is a big piece of that, the administrator told the congressional Science, Space and Technology Committee. By moving up the Moon landing four years... we can move up the Mars landing. Last week, US vice president Mike Pence told Nasa he wanted the US to return to the Moon within five years, specifically the lunar south pole, which holds great scientific, economic and strategic value. America will once again astonish the world with the heights we reach and the wonders we achieve, and we will lead the world in human space exploration once again, he said at a meeting of the National Space Council in Huntsville, Alabama. Mr Bridenstine said there was a very new direction for the countrys approach to space exploration, adding: This time, when we go were going to go to stay. Asked whether he thought the space agency could achieve the new goal, he said it was in the realms of possibility. The last manned Moon landing happened in 1972, as part of the Apollo 17 mission. There have only been six times that astronauts have walked on the Moon, all of which were carried out by NASA as part of its Apollo programme. President Donald Trump pledged to revive the US space program in 2018, including a return to the moon and eventually a manned mission that would reach Mars President Donald Trump announced on June 18, 2018, that he was directing the Pentagon to create a new 'Space Force' as an independent service branch aimed at ensuring American dominance in space. Trump envisioned a bright future for the US space program, pledging to revive the country's flagging efforts, return to the moon and eventually send a manned mission that would reach Mars. The president framed space as a national security issue, saying he does not want 'China and Russia and other countries leading us'. Trump had previously suggested the possibility of creating a space unit that would include portions equivalent to parts of the Air Force, Army and Navy. Australian actress Claire Holt, 30, has revealed she is grateful for her newborn son after previously suffering a miscarriage. During her pregnancy, The Vampire Diaries star told Mini Magazine that the miscarriage she experienced last year was 'the most difficult thing [she] had ever faced'. 'But it brought my husband and I so much closer and we have really grown as a result of it... We are also so much more grateful for the little boy we are about to welcome into our lives,' the new mother told the publication. 'I experienced such intense grief': New mother Claire Holt (pictured) , 30, has said she feels 'so grateful' for her newborn son after previously suffering a miscarriage last year. Pictured in November, 2018, pregnant with her now newborn son James Claire revealed that after the miscarriage, she felt 'broken and ashamed'. 'Because I experienced such intense grief, I found it very difficult to process things and move on,' The Originals star said. Claire announced last Friday that she and her husband Andrew Joblon, 35, have welcomed their bundle of joy, a baby boy named James. Tragic: Claire told Mini Magazine that the miscarriage she experienced last year was 'the most difficult thing [she] had ever faced'. Pictured with husband Andrew Joblon, 35 (R) Taking to Instagram to share a snap of the adorable bub, Claire gushed: 'James Holt Joblon. Everything they say is true. There is no love like it.' It comes after Claire suffered a devastating miscarriage last year. Claire took to Instagram in March, telling her followers she tragically lost her baby. New parents: 'But it brought my husband and I so much closer and we have really grown as a result of it... We are also so much more grateful for the little boy we are about to welcome into our lives,' she told the publication. Pictured with husband Andrew (R) She captioned a pictured of herself in hospital: 'I took this photo 10 days ago, as I waited for surgery after my sweet little baby lost its heartbeat. I sent it to my fiance in the waiting room to show him that I was OK. I wasn't. I've never felt more broken in my life.' 'I debated sharing this so soon and I'm still frightened about making such a private struggle public, but I'm doing it anyway because it's important.' Claire married Andrew on August 18, eight months after their engagement. She was previously married to Matthew Kaplan, who filed for divorce in April 2017, a day before to their one-year anniversary. Amanda Stanton of The Bachelor fame is 'taking space' from her non-reality-show boyfriend Bobby Jacobs - but this is not a breakup. 'They are still technically together as a couple and recently moved in together, but Bobby isn't staying at their new shared home right now,' a source told E! News. Amanda's plan was reportedly for her boyfriend 'to slowly move in so her daughters could get used to it,' with the result that 'He had been gradually moving his stuff into the new place and wasn't fully moved in yet.' The look of love: Amanda Stanton of The Bachelor fame is 'taking space' from her non-reality-show boyfriend Bobby Jacobs - but this is not a breakup Her daughters Charlie, five, and Kinsley, seven, were fathered by Amanda's hunky ex-husband Nick Buonfiglio, who had an Instagram spat with Bobby this January. A fan inquired whether Bobby and Nick ever met, and Bobby replied on his Insta Story that 'I have not,' noting that 'I realized at a very young age that there are people in this world who will benefit your life and those who will not.' 'I find it amusing you even have to answer a question about me on your thread. #Insecurity [sic],' Nick wrote shortly thereafter on his own Insta Stories. Amanda and Bobby's romance hit the headlines last September 10 when the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department arrested her for domestic violence. Details: 'They are still technically together as a couple and recently moved in together, but Bobby isn't staying at their new shared home right now,' a source told E! News She was in town for a bachelorette party with a guest list including Lauren Bushnell, who beat her on The Bachelor, when the incident occurred. 'That evening she had a few drinks at a bachelorette party and when hotel security asked her and Bobby to quiet down, she got a bit rambunctious,' a representative for Amanda explained to Us Weekly after the arrest. 'Amanda gave Bobby what she thought was a playful shove; hotel security did their job and reported the incident to the police, who in turn did their job.' Family mattters: Her daughters Charlie, five, and Kinsley, seven, were fathered by Amanda's hunky ex-husband Nick Buonfiglio, who had an Instagram spat with Bobby this January The rep added: 'Despite Bobby explaining this was not an ill-intended shove, the police still had to do their job which Amanda completely respects and understands.' On season 20 of The Bachelor, Amanda vied unsuccessfully for software salesman Ben Higgins, who eventually got engaged to Lauren for a little over a year. Amanda, who was married to Nick from 2012 until 2015, also appeared on two seasons of Bachelor In Paradise before she started dating Bobby. Her Married At First Sight co-star Jules Robinson has accused her of 'faking' her relationship with partner Dan Webb. But Jessika Power has maintained her love for the 35-year-old is very much genuine - saying the couple plan on being together for the long haul. Jessika, 27, said her family 'can see how happy' she is with Dan, adding that the pair were 'working towards a bright future' in an interview with Who magazine on Thursday. Real love: Jessika Power and her partner Dan Webb have maintained their love is very much genuine - while saying they plan on being together for the long haul 'My Dad rang me recently and mentioned I had a sparkle in my eye since being with Dan,' she said. Gold Coast car broker Dan, meanwhile, said he was optimistic about the future of their relationship. 'I haven't felt strongly about a girl since my split with my ex. I'm excited to see where Jess and I go,' he said. The administrative assistant's scandalous affair with Dan caused a stir with their cast-mates when they came clean last month. They were sensationally allowed to stay in the experiment, but Jessika admitted it didn't go down well with her family, who she said were mortified by her on-screen behaviour. 'My family come from a very Christian background and they were watching it back just going, "Jess, come on, this is not you",' the model told Today Extra last month. In a separate interview with Who magazine on Thursday, Jules and her fiance Cameron Merchant accused Jessika of faking a pregnancy to make headlines. Allegation: Jessika was accused of faking her pregnancy by co-star Jules Robinson after she posted a picture on Snapchat of herself with a 'bump' last month before quickly deleting it 'She's drumming it up,' Cameron, 34, said of the controversial blonde while Jules (left and right) added 'Some people would have done anything to get to the end of that show' 'She's drumming it up,' Cameron, 34, said of the controversial blonde. Insisting that Jessika is 'absolutely not' pregnant, Jules added: 'Some people will do anything to get in the magazine.' Last week, Jules told E! News she thought Jessika chose Dan simply because she wanted to get to the end of the show. 'I'm sorry Jess, but if it wasn't Nic [Jovanovic] it was going to be someone else. He denied you, so you moved on. That's the bottom line. Maybe [Jess and Daniel] do like each other, who are we to know.' It comes after Jessika shared a photo of herself to Snapchat recently, which showed her posing in a skintight dress with a noticeable 'bump'. 'Well I'm clearly NOT': The aspiring model took to her Instagram Stories to clear the air not long after the photo surfaced, writing: 'Well, I'm clearly NOT pregnant.' She swiftly deleted the image, but it was visible long enough for her fans to take screenshots and share them. Hours later, the aspiring model took to her Instagram Stories to clear the air, writing: 'Well, I'm clearly NOT pregnant.' 'The reality to those who are asking 'If you're pregnant why are you drinking?' the stunner wrote, before confirming that she's not expecting. Being in the moment with her beau: Jessika added that she is focusing on being in the 'present' moment with co-star Dan Webb, 35 Jessika added that she is focusing on being in the 'present' moment with Dan. 'As much as I love Dan, we are happy being present in the moment and focusing on us. We love anyone following our journey though and can't wait to share any sort of news with you all,' she said. Married At First Sight's final dinner party airs Sunday 7pm and Monday 7.30pm on Nine. Dutch boiler manufacturer Intergas has completed its renovation of its new training centre and invited Mark Garnier, MP for Wyre Forest, to officially open the centre. Garniers visit followed on from the publication of a new report from the Committee on Climate Change, UK housing: Fit for the future?, that warns the UKs legally-binding climate change targets will not be met without the near-complete elimination of greenhouse gas emissions reductions from our homes, and that our homes currently account for 14% of total UK emissions. While this may be a sad indictment on energy efficiency measures, Intergas had positive news. Its pioneering R&D team at its head office in Coevorden has created the lowest NOx boilers in the world, the Xtreme and the Xclusive, and both emit as little as 17.06mg/kWh. The Xtreme also has a built-in passive flue gas heat recovery unit to further reduce emissions of CO2. Both boiler models are available in the UK now. Garnier said: I had no idea of the design technology that goes into creating a boiler and these new low NOx models are a feat of engineering. Its great to see a business actively engaged in helping people to reduce their emissions too. Consumers are increasingly conscious of both their carbon footprint and the value for money they get, and these boilers will help on both fronts. Bethenny Frankel opens up about the culpability she feels in the purported overdose death of her ex-boyfriend Dennis Shields in a preview clip for The Real Housewives of New York City Wednesday. The 48-year-old reality star, speaking to a therapist on the Bravo series, said she was planning to part ways with her then-beau ahead of his August 10, 2018 death at his Trump Tower apartment in New York City. 'I mean, it's really brutal - he was really someone that I went to for everything,' the Skinnygirl stunner explained. 'So him being gone is a massive void and I really can't believe he's gone. Scroll below for video Tough time: Bethenny Frankel, 48, opens up about the culpability she feels in the overdose death of her ex-boyfriend Dennis Shields in a preview clip for The Real Housewives of New York City Wednesday 'He had such a powerful force in my life, and [was] such a loving person, and my daughter [Bryn, eight] loved him, that it was like this whole thing that was hard to extricate myself from.' The couple, who had known one another for nearly three decades, first began dating three years ago amid his parting from ex-wife Jill Schwartzberg. Frankel said she never gave the banker a clear answer when he proposed to her a year ago with a sparkler, hoping certain aspects of the relationship would be addressed and improved if the two were to walk down the aisle. Frankel said that despite the close ties, the pair shared 'not even close to a perfect relationship,' and she had plans on the horizon to call things off. 'I had just said that week - I had just said the Saturday before - I have to exit this dynamic,' she said. 'There was a lot in my mind about him dying right after that. I could not get off the ride. Out and about: The couple was snapped after a meal in NYC in June of 2016 Revelation: Nearly a year after his death, Bethenny said she's still coming to grips with the sad truth, saying, 'Him being gone is a massive void and I really can't believe he's gone' Twists and turns: Frankel said that despite their close ties, she and Dennis shared 'not even close to a perfect relationship' 'I feel guilty that the only way I got off the ride is that he's dead ... but I hope I didn't have anything to do with him dying.' In a testimonial interview, Frankel revealed that Shields had placed his last hopes for love into their union. 'Dennis told me if we didn't work out, he was never going to be in a relationship again,' she said. 'He was going to be alone for the rest of his life; it was a tremendous pressure, and it kept me in. 'I don't know what happened that night and I will always have to live with that for whatever that means.' Jarring: In a testimonial interview, Frankel revealed that Shields had placed his last hopes for love into their union, saying, 'Dennis told me if we didn't work out, he was never going to be in a relationship again' Bethenny told the therapist that she feels better, and carries a sense of guilt because of that. Amid previous reports linking Shields to a drug overdose - the New York Post reported he'd told authorities of consuming multiple opiates and a sleeping pill that day - a 'religious objection' from his family sidelined the officials from performing an official autopsy on Shields, whose cause of death was ruled 'undetermined' as such. The Real Housewives of New York City airs on Bravo Wednesday at 9/8c. She's ringing in her 21st birthday today. And Paris Jackson celebrated her new legal age with her 3.5 million fans, lighting up a joint over on her social media. The daughter of the late Michael Jackson appeared in good spirits smoking while sharing the joint with her boyfriend Gabriel Glenn and a pal. Scroll down for video Legal and loving it! Paris Jackson lit up a 'birthday doobie' on Wednesday as she rung in her 21st with her boyfriend Gabriel Glenn and another pal on social media 'Birthdays are good for you. Statistics show that the people who have the most live the longest,' she captioned on the video. She also added the tag: 'birthday doobie.' Paris' post saw her use the stickers '21' and a few love hearts while adding an animal filter to further accentuate her look. The beauty opted for a casual ensemble and styled her hair out naturally despite the big celebratory day. In a happy place: 'Birthdays are good for you. Statistics show that the people who have the most live the longest,' she captioned on the video Love: At the end of the clip, Paris was seen giving her beau a kiss on the lips It's been a busy few days for Paris, seen playing a concert with her boyfriend Gabriel as part of their band The Soundflowers with much support from her family. The model's estranged mother Debbie Rowe, as well as her elder brother Prince, 22, was at the show. Their younger brother Blanket was not in attendance, likely because he's just 17-years-old. Additionally, Paris' close friend and godfather Macaulay Culkin and his girlfriend Brenda Song were in the crowd. The show came just weeks after Paris was hospitalized after a friend called police for what was said, at the time, to be a suicide attempt. Musician: It's been a busy few days for Paris, seen playing a concert with her boyfriend Gabriel as part of their band The Soundflowers with much support from her family Support: The model's estranged mother Debbie Rowe (pictured), as well as her elder brother Prince, 22, was at the show She denied that she had attempted to take her own life, shutting down the reports as erroneous. Sources later confirmed to DailyMail.com that the King of Pop's daughter had been 'partying' very hard and cut herself with kitchen scissors after she had gotten out of control. The insiders claimed that Jackson continued to act wild once in the hospital and doctors wanted to hold her but her family agreed to send her to rehab in order to secure her release. Paris, however, told friends that she didn't think she needed any sort of treatment. The star's hospitalization followed the release of HBO's two-part documentary Leaving Neverland which accused her late father of the repeated molestation James Safechuck and Wade Robson. He is one of Hollywood's busiest leading men who finds himself marred in a courtroom battle over a parking spot fisticuffs as well as a public disagreement with his brother. But Alec Baldwin still managed to find some time to celebrate his birthday with his family, even if the occasion took place in the less-than-usual confines of a Tonight Show dressing room. In an image posted by his wife Hilaria, the now 61-year-old actor found himself surrounded by the 35-year-old yoga guru and their four children: Carmen, 5; Rafael, 3; Leonardo, 2; and Romeo, 10-months. Celebrations: Alec Baldwin still managed to find some time to celebrate his birthday with his family, even if the occasion took place in less-than-usual confines In the photo, Alec is seated in a chair dressed in a tuxedo with Carmen on one knee and Leonardo on the other. Hilaria donned all black for the picture and held baby Romeo in one arm, while placing her other hand on Rafael's head. A lit blue sign reading, 'The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,' hung on the wall behind them. 'The only time we could have a little birthday celebration today for daddys birthday today was to visit him at work @jimmyfallon ! So we made a party in his dressing room! Thank you @shumcake for the yummy cake...and for giving us superpowers,' wrote Hilaria in the post's caption. Adorable: Earlier in the day, Alec shared a sweet video of Leonardo wishing his father a happy birthday Alec is set to appear couch-side on The Tonight Show on Wednesday, while Kelly Clarkson is set to perform. Earlier in the day, Alec shared a sweet video of Leonardo wishing his father a happy birthday. In the clip, the moist-nosed blond toddler looks in the camera with his big blue yes and says, 'Happy birthday dada,' after the Working Girl actor requests him to do so. He then says, 'I love you dada.' 'Notice he gets the lollipop bribe AFTER the birthday wishes to the old man...,' noted Alec' caption. Coming soon: On Friday, his new movie, The Public, will hit cinemas across the United States With a slew of projects completed or in post-production, Alec is set to have one of his busiest years yet. On Friday, his new movie, The Public, will hit cinemas across the United States. Earlier this year, he starred in Before You Know It, which premiered during the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. The flick Drunk Parents, which finds Alec starring alongside Salma Hayek, Bridget Moynahan, Joe Manganiello, and a host of other stars, will hit limited theaters on April 19, and is currently available on DirecTV Cinema. He is also one of a number of stars set to appear in the cinematic adaption of Jonathan Lethem's novel Motherless Brooklyn, which is currently scheduled to hit theaters on November 1. At the movies: With a slew of projects completed or in post-production, Alec is set to have one of his busiest years yet Outside of the screen and his birthday well-wishes, Alec is still in a dispute coming from an altercation involving a parking spot altercation that occurred last fall. The incident, which saw the The Departed actor strike a man, Wojciech Cieszkowski, in the face, found the Uncle-in-law of Justin Bieber plead guilty to a second-degree harassment violation in January. He also agreed to take an anger management class, which he was required to finish by March, and pay a $120 fine. At the end of March, the same man filed a lawsuit against Alec in New York Supreme Court, seeking unspecified damages for assault and battery as well as slander. Shots fired: Stephen Baldwin, meanwhile, has gone after his brother Alec on Twitter for standing against a controversial anti-abortion law in Georgia Stephen Baldwin, meanwhile, has gone after his brother Alec on Twitter for standing against a controversial anti-abortion law in Georgia. Alec and more than 50 Hollywood stars have signed a letter threatening Governor Brian Kemp with a filming boycott of the state if he signs the 'heartbeat' bill into law. The new law would prevent abortions from when a fetal heartbeat can be detected - as early as the sixth week of pregnancy. Stephen - who is the father of Justin Bieber's wife, Hailey - said he had avoided tweets like this in the past, 'but for so long Ive sat back & trusted God as my own family members have perpetrated the spirit of hate ... through abortion Mockery & blindness #sad #Alec #hates #pray.' Prior to this tweet, Stephen wrote: '#Hollywood #sad #goingtohell #pray.' On the attack: Stephen - who is the father of Justin Bieber's wife, Hailey - said he had avoided tweets like this in the past, 'but for so long Ive sat back & trusted God as my own family members have perpetrated the spirit of hate ... through abortion Mockery & blindness #sad #Alec #hates #pray' She recently shared her secret heartache that she hosted The One Show one hour after finding out she had suffered a miscarriage in 2017. And Alex Jones was back to the daily grind when she was seen leaving The One Show, in London on Wednesday. The pregnant star, 42, displayed her growing baby bump in a grey figure-hugging dress which clung to her maternal curves. Bumping along: Alex Jones displayed her baby bump in a fitted dress, in London on Wednesday after revealing she hosted The One Show one HOUR after miscarriage news in 2017 The mother brought a touch of glam to her appearance as she topped up her features with make-up and she styled her caramel-shade locks in crinkled waves. Alex held her mobile phone between her ear and her shoulder to chat on the phone while she went about her duties behind-the-scenes at The One Show. Her appearance comes shortly after she revealed she had hosted show one hour following news she had miscarried in 2017. Juggling! Alex held her mobile phone between her ear and her shoulder to chat on the phone while she went about her duties behind-the-scenes at The One Show In late March, Alex explained she discovered she was expecting a child while in New Zealand but was given the devastating news the baby had 'stopping developing'. The mother revealed she found out when she underwent a private ultrasound scan after returning to the UK. She recalled in an interview with The Telegraph: 'The baby had stopped developing at about nine weeks. That was really hard. It hit us like a ton of bricks. 'We learnt the baby didn't have a heartbeat. I was around 14 weeks, which is a decent amount of time. So chic: The mother brought a touch of glam to her appearance as she topped up her features with make-up and she styled her caramel-shade locks in crinkled waves 'It's really odd. You're in that room looking for answers that you're never going to get. You're thinking, Have I done something wrong? What did I do differently? Was it because we flew a long way? Was I too stressed? Was I putting too much pressure on myself?' Alex brings up her two-year-old son Teddy with her husband Charlie Thomson. For support with the loss of a child contact The Miscarriage Association on 01924 200 799 or www.miscarriageassociation.org.uk. Family first: Alex, who shares son Teddy, two, with husband Charlie Thomson (pictured), is seven months pregnant with her second child Will Smith has immersed himself into Indian culture as he prepares to check off an item from his bucket list - dancing in a Bollywood film In the actor's Facebook series, Will Smith's Bucket List, Will travels across India meeting Bollywood legends and learning about the importance of spirituality in film as he prepares for the final act, a dance in a Bollywood film, Student of the Year 2. Will, 50, meets the likes of Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh and filmmaker Karan Johar as he educates himself on the nuances of Indian dancing, film, and storytelling. Let's do this! Will Smith danced in a Bollywood film on the latest episode of his Facebook series, Will Smith's Bucket List First Will meets Ranveer, who teaches him a few basic Bollywood moves and the importance of spirituality in films. Next, Will travels to Haridwar, where he takes part in an ancient ritual called the Ganga Aarti. 'Tonight I'm taking part in an ancient ritual called the Ganga Arte that pays tribute to Ganga, the goddess of the river Ganges, where Hindus from around the world come to purify themselves of sin and reflect on their spirituality,' he explains. After taking part in the special ceremony, he returns to Mumbai, where he meets Karan. Center stage: Smith was surrounded by backup dancers wearing school uniforms I like to move it! The actor couldn't have looked happier dancing alongside the crowd Class act: The hit-maker was dancing for the Bollywood film, Student Of The Year 2 Speaking about incorporating spirituality and religion into their films, Karan explains to Will: 'Cinema is a dramatization of reality, and the reality of our nation is that we are very traditional, very true to our culture, and exceptionally religious country. Invariably those aspects come into your narrative, because it's something that everyone resonates with.' On the night before his big dance show, Will admitted something that may seriously hinder his performance. The ordinarily cool and confident star confessed: 'I can't dance. And I've somehow by creating dance records created some weird illusion that I can dance, but I really can't. It actually always makes me nervous.' Oh yeah! The dancers raised their arms into the air as Smith joyfully danced along 'I was such a mess!' After the dance, the actor confessed his dancing was initially 'a mess' On the day of his big show, Will was taught the choreography alongside his backup dancers wearing school uniforms. Though the dance style was much different than what he was used to, Will was determined to master the routine. The entire cast and crew were cheering Will on once the time had come for his big moment on stage. Let's go girls! Smith moved it alongside Indian actresses Ananya Panday and Tara Sutaria Heading onto the stage, Will reflected on his journey to get to this exact moment: 'I feel I got a real good sense of what makes Bollywood tick, because it's what makes me tick. 'People go to the movies because they want to have fun, they want to feel good, but then by opening themselves to this collective emotional experience, an opportunity is presented where we can actually learn something about life. 'At it's best, cinema brings joy, inspires, and instructs.' Round of applause! Smith clapped enthusiastically alongside his fellow co-stars Just dance! The star moved happily alongside his co-stars Spiritual: Smith also traveled to Haridwar, where he took part in an ancient ritual called the Ganga Aarti The routine begins, and Will parts the crowd of his backup dancers while wearing an all-black look. The fun routine saw Will grooving alongside dancers wearing school uniforms. Though he had expressed jitters about his dancing ability, the actor appeared happy and upbeat while sharing the spotlight with Bollywood stars Tiger Shroff, Ananya Panday, and Tara Sutaria. Afterwards, Will mused: 'It was spectacular! In the beginning, I came, I was such a mess! It was a whole lot harder than I thought it was going to be. But it was absolutely a bucket list moment! Man, I've been in this business for over 30 years, and this moment right here is reconnecting me back to why I do this.' Breaking it down: First Will met Ranveer, who taught him a few basic Bollywood moves and the importance of spirituality in films American Horror Story actress Emma Roberts opted for a leggy look while attending the Elle-sponsored celebration of her Tous SS19 'Stay Tender' campaign at Palacio Santa Barbara in Madrid. The 28-year-old niece of Julia Roberts recently signed on as brand ambassador of the Spanish, hundred-year-old jewelry brand (pronounced 'toes'). The LA native flashed her boyshorts beneath a black short-sleeved vintage dress and matching peep-toe Louboutins selected by stylist duo Brit + Kara Elkin. Hola! American Horror Story actress Emma Roberts opted for a leggy look while attending the Elle-sponsored celebration of her Tous SS19 'Stay Tender' campaign at Palacio Santa Barbara in Madrid 'So excited to show you guys the first photo!' The 28-year-old niece of Julia Roberts signed on as brand ambassador of the Spanish, hundred-year-old jewelry brand (pronounced 'toes') Naturally, Emma accessorized with a red-sequin Tous bag as well as a colorful-stoned Tous necklace and earrings she co-designed. Hairstylist Rebekah Forecast coiffed Roberts partial top bun and make-up artist Lisa Eldridge applied her emerald eye shadow. 'Hey guys, I just want to say thank you to Tous and Elle,' the Sarah Lawrence drop-out told the crowd. 'I'm so excited to be in Madrid, and so even more excited to show you the new Tous campaign. So here it is!' Glam: The LA native flashed her boyshorts beneath a black short-sleeved vintage dress and matching peep-toe Louboutins selected by stylist duo Brit + Kara Elkin Representing: Naturally, Emma accessorized with a red-sequin Tous bag as well as a colorful-stoned Tous necklace and earrings she co-designed Side view: When Emma arrived, she signed autographs for fans Sparkling: Hairstylist Rebekah Forecast coiffed Roberts partial top bun and make-up artist Lisa Eldridge applied her emerald eye shadow The Sarah Lawrence drop-out told the crowd: 'Hey guys, I just want to say thank you to Tous and Elle. I'm so excited to be in Madrid, and so even more excited to show you the new Tous campaign. So here it is!' Bosses: The Bellatrist co-curator made sure to pose with her collaborators (from L-R) - Rosa Tous, Rosa Oriol, and Salvador Tous - while attending the overseas fashion festivities The Bellatrist co-curator made sure to pose with her collaborators - Rosa Tous, Rosa Oriol, and Salvador Tous - while attending the overseas fashion festivities. Emma's Spain sighting came three days after she romantically held hands with Triple Frontier heartthrob Garrett Hedlund on the streets of Manhattan. Roberts has thus ended her seven-year relationship with on/off fiance and frequent castmate, Evan Peters, for the third time. New beau: Emma's Spain sighting came three days after she romantically held hands with Triple Frontier heartthrob Garrett Hedlund on the streets of Manhattan (pictured March 9) It's over: Roberts has thus ended her seven-year relationship with on/off fiance and frequent castmate, Evan Peters, for the third time (pictured June 17) CG flick: The Billionaire Boys Club star will next voice the character of Uglyville's newest citizen Wedgehead in UglyDolls, which hits US theaters May 3 and UK theaters August 16 The Billionaire Boys Club star was once arrested for domestic violence during a 2013 Montreal quarrel with the 32-year-old Pose star, but he declined to press charges. The Nice for What video vixen will next voice the character of Uglyville's newest citizen Wedgehead in UglyDolls, which hits US theaters May 3 and UK theaters August 16. Kelly Asbury's CG musical comedy also features Kelly Clarkson, Nick Jonas, Janelle Monae, Blake Shelton, Pitbull, Wanda Sykes, Gabriel Iglesias, Bebe Rexha, Charli XCX, and Lizzo. Tickled: The Spaniards attending were very stylish including Pequenas coincidencias actress Marta Hazas (L) and artist Lulu 'Lulumai' Figueroa (R) in eccentric pink dresses Leggy: Bajo el mismo techo actress Aida 'Dulceida' Domenech bared a shoulder and a lot of leg in a white asymmetric, long-sleeved mini-dress and nude pumps Lovely ladies: Lo'Ne Jewelry designer Eugenia Osborne (L) wore a chic Macaw-print dress with blue pumps as socialite Ana Cristina Portillo (R) wore a blue belted sweetheart mini-dress from The 2nd Skin Co. The Spaniards attending were very stylish including Pequenas coincidencias actress Marta Hazas and artist Lulu 'Lulumai' Figueroa in eccentric pink dresses. Bajo el mismo techo actress Aida 'Dulceida' Domenech bared a shoulder and a lot of leg in a white asymmetric, long-sleeved mini-dress and nude pumps. Lo'Ne Jewelry designer Eugenia Osborne wore a chic Macaw-print dress with blue pumps as socialite Ana Cristina Portillo wore a blue belted sweetheart mini-dress from The 2nd Skin Co. Beige beauty: La caza Monteperdido actress Megan Montaner covered up in a champagne-shaded trench over a white-ribbed turtleneck dress Paging Dynasty! Both Cuatro meteorologist Flora Gonzalez Lopez (L) and LIAJeans designer Silvia 'LadyAddict' Zamora (R) wearing Fernando Claro chose eighties retro dresses featuring puffed sleeves Senor: El secreto de Puente Viejo actor Ivan Montes looked dapper in his double-breasted vest over a white top and black pants with matching quilted loafers La caza Monteperdido actress Megan Montaner covered up in a champagne-shaded trench over a white-ribbed turtleneck dress. Both Cuatro meteorologist Flora Gonzalez Lopez and LIAJeans designer Silvia 'LadyAddict' Zamora wearing Fernando Claro chose eighties retro dresses featuring massive puffed sleeves. And El secreto de Puente Viejo actor Ivan Montes looked dapper in his double-breasted vest over a white top and black pants with matching quilted loafers. She's expecting baby number three with husband Jionni LaValle, 32. And Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi seems to be soaking in every last second with her family of four, taking them to Disneyland for a fun-filled West Cost adventure on Monday and Tuesday. The 31-year-old reality took to social media to share the two-day family babymoon with her 12.2 million fans and based on the many photos, appeared to have had an amazing time. Last minute family time: Snooki enjoyed a Disneyland babymoon with her family on Monday and Tuesday 'DISNEY 2019 #DisneyFam #myworld,' she captioned one of the shots. Making it a family affair, Snooki, Jionni and their kids Lorenzo Dominic, six, and Giovanna Marie, four, all sported matching black Disney shirts. Snooki teamed her look with a pair of white shorts and some sneakers. The reality star had her brunette tresses styled out and straight underneath a cap for the day out. And despite all the excitement at the happiest place on Earth, Snooki still ensured she found a moment to pose for a selfie in the colorful bathrooms. 'Day #2 going strong,' she updated her fans. Always time to pout: And despite all the excitement at the happiest place on Earth, Snooki still ensured she found a moment to pose for a selfie in the colorful bathrooms Looks like a blast! The 31-year-old reality took to social media to share the two-day family babymoon with her 12.2 million fans and based on the many photos, appeared to have had an amazing time The second day saw the Jersey Shore alum sport a pair of denim shorts with a grey Mickey Mouse T-shirt. She added a white cap to her look gave the camera a duck face pout as she took the mirror shot. And seemingly dealing with many hormones at the moment, Snooki confessed to her legions of followers that the night show made her cry not once, but twice. 'I cried twice during Happily Every After. #Magical,' she shared. Snooki was seen with her two children sitting outside the magic castle as it lit up the night sky. The petite 4'8" star's family trip comes as she revealed last week that she won't be able to have any maternity leave with her third child, a son. A beautiful sight: And seemingly dealing with many hormones at the moment, Snooki confessed to her legions of followers that the night show made her cry not once, but twice A pirate and a princess! Snooki's kids Lorenzo Dominic, six, and Giovanna Marie, four, looked the part as they dressed up for the family adventure She said that after the arrival she will likely just 'take a couple of days off.' The pregnant mother of two went on to explain that, since she works for herself, she doesn't feel right when she's taking a break from building her brand. 'That's not a thing,' she told People of maternity leave. 'I'm probably gonna take a couple of days off but my mental state is always thinking about work and my brand, and expanding it and improving it and making it better.' She added that taking time off: 'stresses me out, actually.' No time to stop: The petite 4'8" star's family trip comes as she revealed last week that she won't be able to have any maternity leave with her third child, a son The MTV star had been trying for a third with husband Jionni LaValle and announced on Thanksgiving that they were cooking up more than turkey. This time round however has been a struggle for Snooki, feeling the pregnancy more than before. 'I'm more tired than ever. I actually just got over morning sickness.' she admitted. 'I was so nervous that I was getting depressed and sick.' Snooki will welcome her bundle of joy in early June. She's was announced as Australia's new Bachelorette last week. And a nervous Angie Kent has revealed that the Network Ten show is still on the hunt for contestants, just weeks before filming commences. On Thursday, a clip shared by the official Instagram page for The Bachelorette Australia showed the former Gogglebox star, 29, urging hunky males to apply for the dating series. 'It would be embarrassing if nobody turns up!': On Thursday, Angie Kent revealed The Bachelorette producers are still searching for male contestants just weeks ahead of filming 'Hello I'm Angie and I'm your new Bachelorette. This isn't a joke and I'm actually really serious about looking for love,' she says in the video. 'This isn't a joke and I'm actually really serious about looking for love.' The blonde beauty also reveals what she is looking for in a partner, detailing a few top qualities she admires. 'This isn't a joke and I'm actually really serious about looking for love': The former Gogglebox star, 29, urged hunky males to apply for the dating series in this video 'What I am hoping to find in a partner is somebody that's just super funny, super down-to-earth and doesn't take life too seriously,' she gushes. 'They have to be passionate about something, 'cause if you're passionate about something, you wanna get up, you're happy, it just makes life easier... doesn't it?' she adds. 'Let's face it, it would be so embarrassing if I have to turn up on the night all dressed up, heaps of roses to give out and nobody turns up. Let's not do that to me!' 'Let's face it, it would be so embarrassing if I have to turn up on the night all dressed up, heaps of roses to give out and nobody turns up. Let's not do that to me!' she says in the video Angie recently revealed she's not only been single for the past eight years, but that she's never been in love either. The stunner told The Sydney Morning Herald on Monday that she has gone solo by choice since she was 21, focusing instead on herself. She went on to say that while she has had boyfriends in the past, she was not in love with them. 'I've never been in love!' Angie recently revealed she's not only been single for the past eight years, but that she's never been in love either 'I had three boyfriends early in my life. I don't think I was in love because I was so young, but I adored them,' the reality star admitted. Angie hopes she might find a spark with someone on the show and is now ready to let her guard down. 'I have never given love a go and I figured that this is the perfect opportunity to explore that and hopefully find a very decent fella,' she said. She plays the statuesque warrior Brienne of Tarth on HBO's Game Of Thrones. But on Wednesday night, at the premiere for the eighth and final season of the fantasy series, Gwendoline Christie looked more like a goddess. The British actress, 40, stunned on the red carpet in an Iris van Herpen gown from the designer's Shift Souls Spring 2019 couture collection. Stunning: She plays warrior Brienne of Tarth on HBO's Game Of Thrones. But Wednesday night, at the show's season 8 premiere, Gwendoline Christie looked more like a goddess The fabulous dress featured voluminous layering and vibrant patterns created with organza and silk. As she posed with her arms up, Christie resembled a glorious butterfly with gossamer wings. The six-foot, three-and-a-half-inch star pulled off the look with ease. Magnificent: The British actress, 40, commanded attention on the red carpet in NYC in an Iris van Herpen gown from the designer's Shift Souls Spring 2019 couture collection Dramatic: As she posed with her arms up, Christie resembled a glorious butterfly with gossamer wings Couture: The fabulous dress featured voluminous layering and vibrant patterns created with organza and silk The narrow cut-out neckline allowed Christie to flash a hint of cleavage. Meanwhile Gwendoline's blonde locks were tousled into a voluminous style by celebrity hairstylist John D , who built body for the 'do by blow drying the actress's tresses with the Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer Professional Edition, before adding TRESemme dry shampoo to the roots to add even more volume. Once curled, John D used TRESemme Compressed Micro Mist Level 3 Hair Spray and Kristin Ess Sea Salt Spray on the hair, before rough drying the locks once again with the Dyson dryer to 'create a piece-y effect'. She completed her look with pointed toe gold shoes. Gorgeous: The narrow cut-out neckline allowed Christie to flash a hint of cleavage. Her blonde hair was styled in teased out ringlets for a tousled look and swept up high from her forehead Perfect: She completed her look with pointed toe gold shoes Christie was cast in Game Of Thrones in 2011 and made her debut in season two. Speaking recently to Australia's Sunday Telegraph, she explained that she found adopting the character of Brienne of Tarth scary at first. The role required her 'to cut my hair, to gain muscle, to walk in another way, to accept my androgyny, my natural strength.' And in February, she promised fans that they'd need 'therapy' after the final season is over. 'I think just the show ending is going to send all of the world into professional help,' she told E! News. 'We're all emotional about the fact that this is the end, and this is the end of something incredibly significant for all of us, and it's been a truly incredible thing to be a part of,' Christie added. Ning Surasiang and her three children were forced to flee their Townsville home in January when Far North Queensland's worst floods in decades ripped through the region. Making matters worse, the 33-year-old was forced to deal with the natural disaster just weeks after being left heartbroken in the Married At First Sight finale. Reflecting on that difficult time, Ning told 9Honey on Thursday that she 'felt helpless and trapped' while waiting for the Army to evacuate her family from their submerged property. 'I felt trapped': Married At First Sight's Ning Surasiang (pictured) was left homeless for months after the Townsville floods destroyed her property earlier this year Natural disaster: Ning's family home (circled in red) in Townsville was one of many submerged in metre-deep waters for nearly a week in January More than a year's worth of rain fell on Townsville in a matter of days, with the resulting water damage affecting more than 1,800 homes. Ning said she didn't think the flooding would be as widespread or as serious as it became, and was shocked when she found herself trapped in her home. 'When the Army arrived, we put life jackets on the kids and got on a boat that was like Noah's Ark. It was crowded with people and all these animals,' she said of the rescue operation. Ordeal: Ning (pictured with her children) told 9Honey of the rescue operation: 'When the Army arrived, we put life jackets on the kids and got on a boat that was like Noah's Ark. It was crowded with people and all these animals' Damage: Reflecting on the damage to her home, Ning added: 'It was completely flooded, and the smell was awful. All the rainwater, river water and sewage water filled the house' After the floods, Ning and her family were among thousands of locals placed in temporary accommodation for two weeks as the water receded. Reflecting on the damage to her home and neighbourhood, she said: 'It was completely flooded, and the smell was awful. All the rainwater, river water and sewage water filled the house.' Ning added that she's since found another home to live in after being left homeless and living 'nomadically' for three months with her children. Homeless: After the floods, Ning and her family were among thousands of locals placed in temporary accommodation for two weeks as the water receded. Pictured on the Today show Not so happily ever after! Just weeks before the devastating floods, Ning had split with her 'husband' Mark Scrivens during their final vows on Married At First Sight Just weeks before the devastating floods, Ning had split with her 'husband' Mark Scrivens during their final vows on Married At First Sight. The heartbreaking episode was filmed in late December but did not air on television until earlier this week. Married At First Sight continues Sunday at 7pm on Channel Nine Bachelor star Brittney Weldon starred in two episodes of the show, gaining attention for her love of a good conga line. But on Thursday, the fun-loving brunette revealed that she also received plenty of unwanted attention after her brief stint on the program. Appearing in a Q&A on Instagram for Bachelor in Paradise on Friday, Brittney revealed a 'married couple' slid into her DMs with an indecent proposal. Unwanted attention? Bachelor star Brittney Weldon, 26, (pictured) has revealed she turned down a very risque offer from a married couple after she appeared on the show Answering a number of questions ahead of her appearance in Fiji, the reality star explained the 'weird' offer from the couple. 'The most interesting DM I've received would be a married couple asking me to go out with them,' she said sheepishly. The starlet, however, appeared to take it all in good humour and admitted to turning down the offer from the adventurous pair. Game plan! It comes ahead of Brittney starring on Bachelor in Paradise, with the brunette saying that she plans to get 'the ugliest guy so no one would choose him' 'It was definitely weird and I said no,' she added. Ahead of appearing on the reality show, Brittney said she had a game plan firmly in place for how to outlast the other lovelorn singles. '[My game plan] was getting the ugliest guy so no one would choose him.' The brunette also confirmed she would try and put on a conga line where possible for her fellow co-stars and they try to find love in Fiji. 'I wanted to get lit': Brittney revealed she wanted to party a little too hard in the Bachelor mansion, but her producer encouraged her to slow down Brittney, who appeared as an intruder in Nick 'Honey Badger' Cummins' season of the show, is set to be a wildcard in the tropical paradise. On the show, Nick labelled Brittney a 'ball of energy' due to her abundance of uncomfortable laughs and awkward dancing. Following her appearance on the show, Brittney revealed to The Gold Coast Bulletin that she was cut off from drinking by producers. 'I wanted to get lit, but they cut me off,' she said. Bachelor in Paradise premieres Tuesday, April 9 at 7:30pm on Channel 10 She's revealed her desire to promote environmental awareness on Instagram more than using the platform to show off her 'boobs and butt.' But as she poses for the latest issue of Australian Women's Health, Elyse Knowles flaunts her incredible figure in skimpy activewear. The Myer ambassador, 26 puts her washboard stomach on display in a snakeskin effect black crop top with keyhole cut-out detail. Abs-olutely ripped! Elyse Knowles flaunts her washboard stomach and jaw-dropping physique in skimpy activewear for a new Women's Health fitness photo shoot Pairing the look with grey bottoms, Elyse also shows off her impressive hip to waist radio. In a subsequent image, the former Block star - who recently made the move to Byron Bay with partner Josh Barker - stuns in a black crop top and matching high-waisted bottoms. With her locks scraped back, Elyse wears a collection of eye-catching accessories, including a chunky white watch and silver pendant necklace. Envy-inducing: The former Block star - who recently made the move to Byron Bay with partner Josh Barker - also stuns in a black crop top and matching high-waisted bottoms In an accompanying interview with Australian Women's Health, the keen environmentalist appeals to her Instagram followers to: 'Stop looking at my body and care about the environment'. Elyse says she hopes to use social media to 'educate' people about sustainability, in addition to sharing bikini photos. 'Some people would rather see boobs and butt [on my Instagram],' the beauty tells the magazine. 'Some people would rather see my boobs': In an accompanying interview with Australian Women's Health , the keen environmentalist appeals to her Instagram followers to: 'Stop looking at my body and care about the environment' Elyse boasts nearly a million followers on Instagram. And while she often posts photos of herself in bikinis, she also shares updates about her skin battles and environmental issues. 'I'd rather relate to the people who love me for who I am,' Elyse adds in her interview with the magazine. 'I'd rather those people follow me than the people who want to see girls in bikinis all the time.' Multi-faceted: While Elyse (pictured in 2016) often posts photos of herself in bikinis, she also updates her fans about her skin battles and environmental issues When it comes to her social media philosophy, the model explains that she hopes to 'set an example' for her followers by leading a sustainable life. 'I really want to use [Instagram] to educate people on how they can make small changes to make big difference,' she says. 'I've never been so motivated to live that sustainable, eco-friendly life and share that with others.' Game of Thrones alum Jason Momoa affectionately rested his head on his wife Lisa Bonet at the final premiere of the HBO hit series (resuming April 14) at Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan on Wednesday. At 51, the Cosby Show alum is 12 years older (and more than a foot shorter) than the Aquaman action star, whom she first met at a 2004 Mickey Champion blues concert. As the biracial bohemian couple made their way to the venue on the bustling New York streets, a fan shouted at them: 'Your wife is beautiful!' Resumes April 14! Game of Thrones alum Jason Momoa affectionately rested his head on his wife Lisa Bonet at the final premiere of the HBO hit series in Manhattan on Wednesday Still going strong! At 51, the Cosby Show alum is 12 years older (and more than a foot shorter) than the Aquaman action star, whom she first met at a 2004 Mickey Champion blues concert 'I know! I f***ing know! Yeaaahooo!' Momoa shouted back in a video he posted on Insta-story. 'Wow, you look gorgeous. I love you.' Lisa - now legally known as Lilakoi Moon - arrived wearing a white cashmere Loewe cape over a Motherpeace Tarot-inspired vintage Dior fringed gown selected by stylist Jeanne Yang. Rather than a traditional suit, Yang dressed Jason's muscular 6ft4in form in a peach Tom Ford jacket over a black Valentino top, Tom Ford pants, and patent leather Fendi shoes. As the biracial bohemian couple made their way to the venue on the bustling New York streets, a fan shouted at them: 'Your wife is beautiful!' Momoa shouted back in a video he posted on Insta-story: 'I know! I f***ing know! Yeaaahooo!' He then turned to Lisa and gushed: 'Wow, you look gorgeous. I love you' Now known as Lilakoi Moon: Lisa arrived wearing a white cashmere Loewe cape over a Motherpeace Tarot-inspired vintage Dior fringed gown selected by stylist Jeanne Yang Hot: Rather than a traditional suit, Yang dressed Jason's muscular 6ft4in form in a peach Tom Ford jacket over a black Valentino top, Tom Ford pants, and patent leather Fendi shoes 'It's so beautiful out!' The Honolulu-born, Iowa-raised father-of-two (born Joseph) sported his signature beard and wavy locks The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part funnyman gushed to People back in December: 'We are a perfect fit. My wife is amazing. Her ultimate art form is being a phenomenal mother' The Honolulu-born, Iowa-raised father-of-two (born Joseph) sported his signature beard and wavy locks. 'We are a perfect fit,' the Lego Movie 2: The Second Part funnyman gushed to People back in December. 'My wife and I love to go to flea markets. We like getting little trinkets and shopping for antiques...My wife is amazing. Her ultimate art form is being a phenomenal mother.' Missing from Jason and Lisa's side at the R-rated affair were their 10-year-old son Nakoa-Wolf Manakauapo Namakaeha and 11-year-old daughter Lola Iolani. December 12 family portrait: Missing from Jason and Lisa's side at the R-rated affair were their 10-year-old son Nakoa-Wolf Manakauapo Namakaeha and 11-year-old daughter Lola Iolani Eldest: Momoa is also stepfather to Bonet's 30-year-old daughter Zoe Isabella (L) from her six-year marriage to four-time Grammy winner Lenny Kravitz (R, pictured February 13) Momoa is also stepfather to Bonet's 30-year-old daughter Zoe Isabella from her six-year marriage to four-time Grammy winner Lenny Kravitz. The SAG Award nominee beamed as he reunited with Game of Thrones co-creators D. B. Weiss and David Benioff. 'HOLY S*** I saw Game of Thrones mind blown,' the Colorado State University grad - who boasts 11.1M followers - wrote on Instagram. 'The greatest ever. Love [you] Dan and David. Aloha!' 'Love [you] Dan and David!' The SAG Award nominee beamed as he reunited with Game of Thrones co- creators D. B. Weiss (M) and David Benioff (R) The Colorado State University grad wrote on Instagram: 'HOLY S*** I saw Game of Thrones mind blown. The greatest ever' (pictured with Kit Harrington) Played Khal Drogo in season one: Jason flew to Beflast last June to shoot the top-secret reunion special for the upcoming ultimate DVD box set containing all eight seasons Jason - who played Khal Drogo in season one - flew to Beflast last June to shoot the top-secret reunion special for the upcoming ultimate DVD box set containing all eight seasons, according to EW. Fans can next catch Momoa attending Wizard World convention this Sunday at America's Center in St. Louis where tickets range $125-$429 for an autograph or VIP meet-and-greet photo. As for the Emmy nominee, her most recent acting gigs were The Fifth Sense's short film JellyWolf in 2017 and a recurring part in Showtime's Ray Donovan in 2016. This Sunday! Fans can next catch Momoa attending Wizard World convention at America's Center in St. Louis where tickets range $125-$429 for an autograph or meet-and-greet photo Paris Jackson toted red roses and kissed her boyfriend Gabriel Glenn on her Wednesday as the pair celebrated her turning 21 in their native Los Angeles, California. The Gringo star was clad in a boho-inspired ensemble of purple and maroon overalls, accessorizing with multiple beaded necklaces and bracelets and a pair of earrings as she left a grocery store with her musician beau. Paris carried a purse over her shoulder as she wore light beige moccasin boots, toting a blue and red knit sweater just in case it got chilly on the daytime excursion. Scroll below for video And many more! Paris Jackson toted red roses and kissed her boyfriend Gabriel Glenn on her Wednesday as the pair celebrated her turning 21 in their native Los Angeles, California Glenn, who is a bandmate to Paris in The Soundflowers, wore a red plaid zip-up sweatshirt with matching red sneakers, and a pair of black sweatpants with colorful graphics running up the leg. The musician kept a pair of sunglasses over his long brown mane. The pair was seen earlier walking their dogs, with Glenn wearing a multicolored sweater and black print pants. The sister of Prince, 22, and Blanket, 17, earlier took to Instagram Stories on Wednesday, broadcasting a marijuana smoking session with her boyfriend and a friend, tagging the post, 'birthday doobie' with the number 21, signifying her new age, juxtaposed next to an animated heart. 'Birthdays are good for you. Statistics show that the people who have the most live the longest,' Paris added in a humorous caption to the post. Stylish: Jackson was clad in a boho-inspired ensemble of purple and maroon overalls, accessorizing with multiple beaded necklaces and bracelets Stocked up: The couple looked to be in good spirits as they headed away from the market Musical mates: Paris and Gabriel are in a band called The Soundflowers Paris was active on social media earlier in the day, retweeting a message from the Jackson family account with the message, 'We would like to wish our beautiful, smart and inspiring niece @ParisJackson the happiest of birthdays today May 21 bring you all the success and blessings in the world, you deserve it.' Paris responded, 'Thank you I love you guys!!' It's been a tumultuous time for Paris in the wake of a March 16 TMZ report claiming the second-generation star had been on a temporary 5150 hold amid a suicide attempt. Catching up: Paris took a call on her phone as Gabriel loaded up their vehicle Busy: The pair was seen earlier walking their dogs, with Glenn wearing a multicolored sweater and black print pants Los Angeles Police Department public information officer Tony Im, speaking with People, said that 'at about 7:28 a.m., officers responded to the 7200 block of Hillside for an ambulance attempt suicide,' and that 'the victim was transported to a local hospital.' Paris subsequently wrote to TMZ, 'f*** you you f***ing liars,' in a tweet thread linking to the story. She had already been in the headlines amid the fallout of Leaving Neverland, the HBO documentary featuring two men claiming they were sexually molested as kids by Michael Jackson, who died in June of 2009 at the age of 50. Paris later linked the documentary to the suicide story in a tweet, writing, 'They didn't get the crazy reaction they wanted from the doc, and a chill, mellow reaction doesn't sell stories so why not lie and create a story that does sell? Pathetic.' Moving forward: Paris looks to be shrugging off a difficult period with support from her beau Focused: Paris walked with her dog on a leash as Gabriel looked to be in a good mood on the trek doing the same She is the age-defying former Neighbours star who recently opened up about the mental struggles she suffered last year. But on Thursday, Natalie Bassingthwaighte looked a picture of confidence as she stepped out at the Sony Foundation River4Ward fundraiser in Melbourne. Natalie, 43, wore an elegant light blue dress for the event at the exclusive Crown Aviary venue on the city's Southbank. Gorgeous: On Thursday, Natalie Bassingthwaighte (pictured) looked a picture of confidence as she stepped out at the Sony Foundation River4Ward fundraiser in Melbourne Her striking attire, cut slightly above the knee, complemented a sleek pair of two-toned high heels. The look was accentuated by ruched detailing on her left sleeve and a striking silver clutch seen dangling from her right arm. Natalie completed the look with a two-tone hairstyle, keeping her blonde tresses behind her ear on one side while letting it flow off the shoulder on the other. Not feeling the blues! Natalie, 43, wore an elegant light blue dress for the event at the exclusive Crown Aviary venue on the city's Southbank The television star flaunted her ageless figure on the event's red carpet alongside some of Australia's most celebrated chart-toppers. Domestic music icons The Veronicsas, Delta Goodrem, Guy Sebastian and David Campbell were all due to perform at the star-studded event. Natalie's appearance follows disappointment for her TV career. Ageless beauty: Her striking attire, cut slightly above the knee, complemented a sleek pair of two-toned high heels The 43-year-old was announced as the host of rebooted renovation show Changing Rooms last year, only for Network Ten to pull the plug at the end of February. The home makeover program averaged just 204,000 metro viewers in its primetime Wednesday timeslot. And after the program was quickly moved to Friday and Saturday nights, its audience numbers fell even further, drawing metro audiences of 196,000 and 135,000 respectively. If you've got it! The television star flaunted her ageless figure on the event's red carpet alongside some of Australia's most celebrated chart-toppers The ex-soap opera star revealed in February she suffered a 'terrifying' breakdown at the beginning of 2018. She admitted that she would cry in front of her children - daughter Harper, eight, and son Hendrix, five - but doesn't regret it as her display of emotion taught them that 'it's OK to feel stuff'. In better news for Natalie, she landed the iconic role of Roxanne 'Roxie' Hart in the Australian production of Chicago last month. Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, Natalie said the coveted role of Roxi - which was famously played by US actress Renee Zellweger in the musical's 2002 film adaptation - has been '20 years in the making.' She is one of television's biggest stars. But Ariel Winter managed to find some time in her busy schedule to meet up with her boyfriend Levi Meaden. The 21-year-old actress was spotted smooching with the 31-year-old Canadian actor while out in Los Angeles. Smooching: Ariel Winter managed to find some time in her busy schedule to meet up with her boyfriend Levi Meaden Ariel cut a casual figure as she headed out on what turned out to be a temperate day in the City of Angels. The Modern Family star sported ripped blue along with a simple white t-shirt and paired them with white shoes. She pulled her long dark tresses into a messy bun that she piled at the back of her head and opted to go almost makeup free for her outing. Out and about: The 21-year-old actress was spotted smooching with the 31-year-old Canadian actor while out in Los Angeles Casual: Ariel cut a casual figure as she headed out on what turned out to be a temperate day in the City of Angels Sunny days: She pulled her long dark tresses into a messy bun that she piled at the back of her head and opted to go almost makeup free for her outing Adding a pop of color were her bright red nails. Levi also opted for a casual look as he stepped out into the Southern California sun. He sported straight-leg blue jeans with a navy blue shirt and paired them with black vans. Stepping out: Levi also opted for a casual look as he stepped out into the Southern California sun Leaning in: He sported straight-leg blue jeans with a navy blue shirt and paired them with black vans Chatting: The War for the Planet of the Apes actor had his blond locks combed back as he headed down the side walk The War for the Planet of the Apes actor had his blond locks combed back as he headed down the side walk. Ariel and Levi were first spotted together as a couple when they appeared on YouTuber Jack Griffo's Instagram Story. Prior to their relationship, Ariel had just split from long-term boyfriend Laurent Gaudette, whom she dated from 2013 until summer 2016. Looking back: Ariel and Levi were first spotted together as a couple when they appeared on YouTuber Jack Griffo's Instagram Story They've become the best of friends since starring on Married At First Sight together. And Martha Kalifatidis, 30, was spotted enjoying a relaxing pamper session with Ines Basic, 27, during a fun-filled girl's trip to the Gold Coast on Tuesday. Clad in a white T-shirt and yellow G-string bikini bottoms, makeup artist Martha was spotted showing Ines how to apply a face mask as they basked by the pool. What are friends for? Martha Kalifatidis, 30, showed fellow MAFS 'villain' Ines Basic, 27, how to apply a face mask during a poolside pamper session on the Gold Coast this Tuesday The Kim Kardashian mega-fan beamed behind her own white mask as she gently applied the lotion to her bronzed friend's visage. Martha's love of DIY beauty treatments is well-documented thanks to her infamous on-screen altercation with MAFS rival Cyrell Paule. During the unforgettable scene, Martha was seen relaxing in a bathrobe and face mask before violently clashing with Cyrell over rumours about her husband Nic Jovanovic. That looks familiar! Martha's love of DIY beauty treatments is well-documented thanks to her infamous on-screen altercation with MAFS rival Cyrell Paule Don't touch the face! During the unforgettable scene, Martha was seen relaxing in a bathrobe and face mask before violently clashing with Cyrell over rumours about her husband Nic Jovanovic Meanwhile, during Thursday's Gold Coast pamper session, Ines showed off her slender physique in a skimpy green bikini. Looking relaxed and jovial, the Bosnian legal assistant was seen sipping an iced latte in between puffs of her cigarette. Like Ines, Martha was also spotted smoking like a chimney as she relaxed on the sunlit balcony. Bosom buddies! With the stress of MAFS behind them, the girls looked happy and carefree as they sipped iced lattes and smoked together on the balcony this Tuesday At one stage, the reality TV villains giggled uncontrollably while hunched over an iPhone. Earlier this week, Ines finally broke her silence on her controversial kiss with Martha back in February during an interview with The Kyle And Jackie O Show. 'Yeah, we made out. You're not best friends until you make out with each other!' she mused, before confirming the pair did nothing more than kiss. What's so interesting? The reality TV villains paused their puffing and huddled over an iPhone 'It was my birthday and we were just having a really good time and we hooked up!' Kyle and Jackie O weren't shy to probe Ines on whether she would consider dating women following her catastrophic on-screen romances. 'I could never date a chick. Um, no I like men too much,' Ines responded. Heath Ledger fans were left devastated in January 28 when the Australian actor was found dead from a prescription drug overdose. And on the would have been his 40th birthday on Thursday, fans took to Twitter and Instagram in droves to pay tribute to the late star. Commemorating The Dark Knight actor, social media users wished him a happy birthday and wrote about how much they missed the actor. 'He was a true artist and creative spirit': Fans pay tribute to late Australian actor Heath Ledger on what would have been his 40th birthday Pictured: Heath in New York City, November 2006 'Hard to believe it would be #HeathLedger's 40th birthday and thinking of him today. He was a true artist and creative spirit and he loved being a dad,' Tweeted Australian journalist Jenny Cooney. 'So proud @australiansfilm have continued his legacy with Heath Ledger Scholarship.' Also taking to Twitter, one fan wrote: 'RIP Heath ledger. May ur soul soar in the heavens peacefully. ' Meanwhile, another fan simply wrote: 'Happy Birthday, Heath! We miss u!' 'Hard to believe it would be #HeathLedger's 40th birthday and thinking of him today': Australian journalist Jenny Cooney remembered his 'creative spirit' and that 'he loved being a dad' Tribute: One fan wrote 'May your soul soar in the heavens peacefully' Others confessed they still weren't over Heath's death, despite the 10 Things I Hate About You star passing away more than a decade ago. 'Happy Birthday #HeathLedger. You are sorely missed, 11 years later,' one fan mournfully penned. A further tribute Tweet read: 'I think I will miss you forever. Happy birthday, wish you were here.' 'Wish you were here': Other fans Tweeted that they still missed Heath more than a decade on from his death Talented actor: Heath was an acclaimed actor throughout his life, starring in films such as The Dark Knight (pictured), 10 Things I Hate About You and Brokeback Mountain Heath was 28-years-old when he passed away after from a cardiac arrest brought on by a prescription drug overdose. The Oscar award-winner left behind daughter Matilda, two-years-old at the time, who he shared with former partner, actress Michelle Williams. Gone too soon: Heath was just 28 years old when his life was tragically cut short when he died from an accidental prescription drug overdose in January 2008 Pictured: Heath in one of his last roles in film The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus, released in 2009 Last year in an interview with Nova's Addicted podcast, Heath's father Kim Ledger spoke about how he found out his son's death when a business partner called to ask how the family was. Confused by the phone call, Kim said he turned on the TV and was confronted with the devastating footage of a stretcher carrying a body bag being carted out of his son's New York residence and to the ambulance. 'That's the vision that will always stay with me. I couldn't believe it,' Kim recalled of the gut-wrenching moment. He added: 'We kind of felt like we were the last to know.' 'That's the vision that will always stay with me': Heath's father Kim has previously spoken candidly about seeing vision of his son in a body bag on TV Pictured: Kim Ledger at the 2018 G'Day USA Black Tie gala Former Bride and Prejudice star, Dylan Fragomeni, recently underwent surgery to remove excess skin on her arms after losing 36kgs three years ago. But on Thursday, the 31-year-old shared a series of clips to Instagram while revealing she discovered an infection in her arm. Dylan was alerted to the grim discovery after noticing a strange 'smell in the shower.' Painful: Dylan Fragomeni recently discovered an infection in her arm (right) after having surgery 'I had a shower and I noticed that my left arm smelled a little different than my right arm, which is one thing I was told to look out for,' she explained. 'Something didn't feel right, so the doctor took off the dressing and yes, there is an infection.' The FIFO worker revealed doctors said she had to 'isolate' herself and refrain from any physical activity for 'four to six weeks.' 'I can't make a sandwich, or a cup of coffee, they're serious!' she shared. Progress: The 31-year-old has documented the progress of her surgery on social media, beginning with a pre-surgery shot of the excess skin on her arms Dylan's revelation is a setback in her astonishing weight loss journey which begun with gastric sleeve three years ago. Detailing her journey on social media since having her excess skin procedure, the reality star took to Instagram to on Wednesday to share gory images of the 'horrible incisions' left from the surgery. Last year, Dylan told New Idea magazine that she shed 36kg through a sleeve gastrectomy, otherwise known as a gastric sleeve. Before and after: Dylan shed 36kg through a sleeve gastrectomy, otherwise known as a gastric sleeve. Pictured before (left) and after (right) the procedure The procedure involves drastically decreasing the size of a patient's stomach so they're unable to eat as much food as before. Dylan starred on the second season of Channel Seven's Bride and Prejudice with her partner Ange Taylor. Throughout the series, the couple faced resistance from Ange's religious father John, who didn't approve of their same-sex relationship. The pair are still together and currently have their own YouTube channel. Married At First Sight fans are eagerly awaiting the finale on Sunday. And now a Sydney cinema is screening the finale for free, for those who want to watch it on the big screen. According to the Wollondilly Advertiser, Event Cinemas at Campbelltown will be airing the two-part finale on Sunday and Monday night. Say what? A cinema in Sydney's West will air the MAFS finale for free (pictured is Martha Kalifatidis being seen in a trailer for the show, dumping a glass of red wine over Cyrell Paule's head) There will also be a DJ and giveaways at the screening. Plenty of drama is set to take place at the reunion, with Martha Kalifatidis being seen in a trailer for the show, dumping a glass of red wine over Cyrell Paule's head. Cyrell then furiously charged at Martha before being physically restrained by her male co-stars. Plenty of drama! Cyrell (pictured) then furiously charged at Martha before being physically restrained by her male co-stars 'Go do it,' Ines Basic said, egging on Martha before the incident. Cyrell, who was sitting down chatting to a co-star when she was attacked, quickly sprang out of her seat and tossed her own glass of red wine at Martha in retaliation. Sam Ball and Mike Gunner tried to hold Cyrell back as Martha ran away. Martha and Cyrell had a heated exchange moments before the incident. Scandalous! 'Go do it,' Ines Basic (L) said, egging on Martha before the incident Action-packed: Pictured is MAFS star Jessika Power 'I'm just going to say it now, you're as fake as your nose, lips and boob job,' Cyrell sniped. 'It's a shame you can't find a plastic surgeon to fix your personality, because that's what is the fakest the most, honey.' Martha and Cyrell first clashed earlier in the series, over rumours about Cyrell's partner at the time, Nic Jovanovic. During their initial fight, producers had to drag Cyrell from Martha. Cyrell then hurled a ceramic fruit bowl at Martha before making a dramatic exit. He's currently performing on his Assassination Vacation tour and musician Drake headed out after a gig at London's o2 arena on Wednesday night. The 32-year-old, who has a net worth of $100million was dressed to impress and was wearing a Graff diamond watch which required its own security detail. While the cost of this watch has not yet been disclosed, the brand famously created another timepiece, the Hallucinations watch, which costs $55million. Hotline bling: Drake flashed his diamond Graff watch when he headed to London restaurant Park Chinois on Wednesday as he headed to dinner after his o2 arena gig Pricey: While the cost of this watch has not yet been disclosed, the brand famously created another timepiece, the Hallucinations watch, which costs $55million It's not the first time Drake's been seen out wearing an expensive watch. Back in October, he was pictured wearing a $750,000 erotic Richard Mille watch while out in Vegas. He also showed off his outfit, valued at almost $1million, during a video from the YouTube series, How Much Is Your Outfit? The Toronto-born star wore a $979,000 outfit including a custom Brioni jacket valued at $11,000. Then there were $15,000 Tom Ford crocodile shoes, a $200,000 chain, and that expensive Richard Mille watch. Following Thursday's night on the town, a few days later the rapper headed to Annabel's on Saturday night for a mid-tour private party for himself and his VIP guests. Here come the boys! Following Thursday's night on the town, a few days later the rapper headed to Annabel's on Saturday night for a mid-tour private party for himself and his VIP guests The boys: His fellow partygoers drank the first releases of Mod Selection champagne - a luxury champagne launched earlier this year to the public by Drake, costing approximately $400 (305) per bottle His fellow partygoers drank the first releases of Mod Selection champagne - a luxury champagne launched earlier this year to the public by Drake, costing approximately $400 (305) per bottle. Alongside the legendary rapper was Ferris Rafauli, luxury interiors designer who is currently crafting Drake's multi-million dollar, 35,000 square foot, three-storey French-style mansion. Drake will be performing at London's O2 arena until April 11 and from there, he will be heading to Belgium, Amsterdam and then Las Vegas. London's O2 venue altered their sign from The O2 to The O3 for the Canadian rapper's April residency. The change was to honour his single Gods Plan, which spent nine weeks at number one last year where Drake raps: 'And you know me/Turn The O2 into The O3.' Doing his thing: The 32-year-old is currently on his Assassination Vacation tour and will be performing in London until April 11 Not his first Rodeo: Drake previously shared a picture of his $750l Richard Mille watch on social media It's been a tough time for Drake, who this week, lost his friend Nipsey Hussle, who was fatally shot at the age of 33 in front of his South Los Angeles store on Sunday. The In My Feelings performer had spoken about mhis relationship with Hussle - who he had past collaborated with on Nipsey's 2010 track Killer. He wrote on Instagram: 'F***. My whole energy is just at a low right now hearing this. 'We just linked for the first time in years and said we were gonna do a new song this summer cause it had been too long. 'You were having the best run and I was so happy watching from distance fam nobody ever talks down on your name you were a real one to your people and to the rest of us. 'Im only doing this here cause I want the world to know I saw you as a man of respect and a don. Rest easy my g.' Dani Dyer and Jack Fincham's untimely split has shocked the showbiz world to its core, yet questions are being asked about when they actually broke up. On Wednesday evening, the Love Island victor and former stationery salesman, 26, made the announcement via Instagram as he told his 2.5million followers they had parted ways despite having battled for their romance. While the announcement seems sudden, many factors seem to allude to the fact the couple split some time ago - after Dani's comments about Jack moving out, his drug scandal and the release of her book made for a timely announcement. The truth? Dani Dyer and Jack Fincham's untimely split has shocked the showbiz world to its core, yet questions are being asked about when they actually broke up Dani and Jack won the hearts of the nation during last summer's Love Island and appeared to be one of the sturdiest couples in the show's history. Their romance was rocked to its core however when the duo announced they had split in December just five months after leaving the villa. The couple reunited shortly after and revealed they had in fact been arguing and Dani made the brash decision to announce the split - despite the fact it was fleeting. While their latest split has been shocking, things don't appear to have been too sudden for the duo as a number of factors have counted towards the timing of the announcement - including the fact she has a book coming out. Gone: On Wednesday evening, the Love Island victor and former stationery salesman, 26, made the announcement via Instagram as he told his 2.5million followers they had parted ways despite having battled for their romance Dani is blazing the promo trail with her debut book, What Would Dani Do?: My Guide to Living Your Best Life, which came out this week meaning her firm placement in the spotlight at such a time is a welcome arrangement. The couple have not been pictured on Instagram together for a fortnight, with Jack last appearing on March 13 and Dani appearing on his Instagram on March 23. MailOnline has contacted representatives for Jack and Dani for comment. Over the weekend, Dani also insisted that she was still in a relationship with Jack on The Jonathan Ross Show and revealed that she called time on things in December due to his 'lack of respect' around the house. The final post: The couple have not been pictured on Instagram for a fortnight Dani appearing on his Instagram on March 23 [pictured] The last one: Dani's last post featuring Jack came on March 13 [pictured] Talking about her romance with Jack and how much their relationship has grown since living separately, they recently had a romantic getaway to Thailand in March, she said: 'Me and Jack are absolutely fine we love each other. 'We are trying to build a relationship from a show where we met which is so bizarre and you have so much attention from it, and you have so many opinions and people go "Its all money, its all for fame." 'Its just like, "Relax, chill, we are just trying to be happy." Life is tough so were just trying to make it work, that's all we're trying to do. We are together, we are soooo together, we are fine.' The big reveal: Dani is blazing the promo trail with her debut book, What Would Dani Do?: My Guide to Living Your Best Life, which came out this week meaning her firm placement in the spotlight at such a time is a welcome arrangement She added: 'When we first came out of Love Island, we moved into a flat together and we started filming [our own] show. 'It was sort of way too much and our flat became a work home. It was really hard because we werent having those exciting times where you miss each other 'The things I like about [living apart] is that when I come home, I know itll be clean. With Jack, I didnt know what was going to have happened. I rang his mum and I said, "I dont know how youve dealt with him..." 'He'll drink a can of coke and then leave it in the fridge... then I would get so upset about it and wed be rowing over a towel, the row would be over a towel because Id be like, "Where is your respect for me?" It's always over something silly.' Gone: Talking about her romance with Jack and how much their relationship has grown since living separately, they recently had a romantic getaway to Thailand in March, she said: 'Me and Jack are absolutely fine we love each other' In February, the couple reportedly moved out of the luxury flat they had been sharing after Jack admitted to abusing cocaine. Jack said that he caved to peer pressure after finding himself on nights out where the drinks are free and everyone is trying to be his friend. He told The Sun: 'I'm in a new world of partying and stuff, and being in circles that I would never normally have been in. Open and honest: She went on: 'The things I like about [living apart] is that when I come home, I know itll be clean. With Jack, I didnt know what was going to have happened. I rang his mum and I said, "I dont know how youve dealt with him' 'I'd never normally be in these situations but, yes, since winning the show I have been offered cocaine a lot.' He confessed that after a long night of drinking he got carried away and made a mistake which he now massively regrets. Jack claimed that taking drugs isn't a regular thing for him and he insisted that it isn't something he will be making a habit of and will never be doing again. Jack and Dani's love: A Timeline July: Champions July: Champions The couple won the hearts of the nation when they stole the show on Love Island after weeks of beloved fan reaction. They were the only duo to stay consistent throughout and also the only pair to refrain from having sex while in the villa - in what she branded a mark of respect to her famous dad Danny. October: 'Engagement' October: 'Engagement' Dani stunned fans when she announced she was engaged to her boyfriend of five months. Taking to Instagram, she shared a snap of her hands with a dazzling engagement ring in place. The aspiring actress added a caption reading: 'I said YES! My soulmate with a see-no-evil style monkey emoji. Later in the day, she confirmed it was a prank orchestrated by Capital FM breakfast show host Roman Kemp leaving fans rolling their eyes after believing the news. December: The 'SPLIT' December: The 'SPLIT' The superstar offspring sent fans wild when she again returned to Instagram to post a statement which announced her split from her beau. The announcement read: 'Jack & I have sadly decided to part ways. It's been an incredible six months, and we will always have a place in our hearts for each other, but sadly we've come to the realisation that it's not meant to be long-term'. February: Break-up denial and drug scandal February: Break-up denial In February, it was widely reported that the couple had parted ways after Jack admitted to taking cocaine. They were said to have moved out of the luxury flat they had been sharing yet both parties determinedly shot down break-up claims. Dani's denial read: 'I cant believe Im commenting on a paper but when my family are constantly brought up I cant bare it. MY family have done nothing but always love and support jack through good times and bad. So dont send me messages and judge something you know nothing about!' While Jack responded: 'Please dont read everything you read , I love Dani and her family and me and Dani are fine we love each other , its a shame that this has been written as its so untrue'. March: The final posts, a make-or-break Thai holiday and the moving out reveal March: The final posts, a make-or-break Thai holiday and the moving out reveal Jack and Dani's final posts featuring one another featured on social media cropped up last month, shortly after their return from Thailand. Speaking on The Jonathan Ross Show when she returned about her romance with Jack revealed he had left their home as she could no longer cope with his mess - which she deemed a mark of disrespect. April: The split April: The split Jack took the front seat in announcing their split as he took to Instagram to share a statement. On Wednesday evening, the Love Island victor and former stationery salesman, 26, made the announcement via Instagram as he told his 2.5million followers they had parted ways despite having battled for their romance Advertisement Where it all began: Dani and Jack won the hearts of the nation during last summer's Love Island and appeared to be one of the sturdiest couples in the show's history In her first split announcement, Dani penned on Instagram: 'Jack & I have sadly decided to part ways. It's been an incredible six months, and we will always have a place in our hearts for each other, but sadly we've come to the realisation that it's not meant to be long-term.' She continued in her statement: 'We both plan to stay friends. I hope you'll all understand. Love Dani x.' Yet just days later, the couple insisted they were back together again as Dani put their split down to 'being in the public eye' as she told fans she was just 'a normal girl trying to grow into a woman'. In a candid post, she wrote: 'Just want to put all comments to bed. All I can say is Im still 22 trying to get my s*** together and grow into a woman but doing it in the public eye is sometimes hard and scary. She's preparing to release her new studio album Norman F*****g Rockwell later this year. And Lana Del Rey took some time out from her busy schedule to attend Justin Bieber's home church service on Wednesday evening in Los Angeles. The Born To Die hitmaker, 33, cut a casual figure for the service, donning a white jumper and blue slim-fitting jeans. Out and about: Lana Del Rey took some time out from her busy schedule to attend Justin Bieber's home church service on Wednesday evening Sporting a pair of red flats, she let her brunette locks hang loose down her shoulders and completed her look with a pair of hoop earrings. Justin is a member of the christian megachurch Hillsong which Lana has been spotted leaving in the past while Church Home is a similar group based in Los Angeles and Seattle. Other well-known stars who have frequented the church include Vanessa Hudgens and Chris Pratt. Style: The Born To Die hitmaker, 33, cut a casual figure for the service, donning a white jumper and blue slim-fitting jeans Fashion: Sporting a pair of red flats, she let her brunette locks hang loose down her shoulders and completed her look with a pair of hoop earrings On the personal front, the Grammy-nominated star split from rapper boyfriend G-Eazy (real name Gerald Gillum) in 2017, after a short-lived relationship. Lana also previously dated Italian-born director Francesco Carrozzini, before they parted ways in 2015. Lana's Born To Die album, released in 2012, was successful around the world and reached the top spot on the charts of eleven different countries. Service: Justin is a member of the christian megachurch Hillsong which Lana has been spotted leaving in the past Speaking previously to Harper's Bazaar, Lana admitted she didn't think people would still be listening to her music all these years later. She said: 'For people to still be listening and to have gone on different tours was not something I thought I would be doing into my thirties. That is really awesome for me. 'I always try to keep [my record releases] as quiet as possible and barely promote my stuff, just because that's the way I like it [laughs].' She plays a therapist whose life falls apart in spectacular fashion. And Nicole Kidman seemed to be filming a harrowing scene for upcoming miniseries The Undoing as she looked distraught on set. The 51-year-old actress seemed out of sorts in the scene, cowering and fighting back tears as the cameras rolled in downtown Manhattan on Wednesday. Distressed: Nicole Kidman seemed to be filming a harrowing scene for upcoming miniseries The Undoing as she looked distraught on set on Wednesday Nicole went back to her roots for the role, sporting radiant red locks with corkscrew curls that complemented her porcelain complexion. She was layered up in a moss green coat, whilst a paisley print scarf and maroon leather gloves injected a subtle splash of colour. Nicole finished off the look by donning a pair of grey suede boots with a chunky heel that boosted her model frame. Upset: The 51-year-old actress seemed out of sorts in the scene, cowering and fighting back tears as the cameras rolled in downtown Manhattan on Wednesday One to watch: Nicole plays a therapist whose life falls apart in spectacular fashion in the upcoming miniseries - the release date has yet to be announced David E. Kelley of Big Little Lies fame wrote the drama miniseries with Nicole taking on executive producing credits. Nicole plays successful therapist Grace Sachs in The Undoing whose world in upended when husband Jonathan, played by Hugh Grant, goes missing right before she's about to publish her first book. Faced with a series of horrible and shocking revelations, she must dismantle her life and begin a new one with her son. Radiant redhead: Nicole went back to her roots for the role, sporting radiant red locks with corkscrew curls that complemented her porcelain complexion Glam in green: She was layered up in a moss green coat, whilst a paisley print scarf and maroon leather gloves injected a subtle splash of colour Well heeled: Nicole finished off the look by donning a pair of grey suede boots with a chunky heel that boosted her model frame Directed by Bird Box's Susanne Bier, the drama also stars Donald Sutherland, Noah Jupe, Fala Chen, Edgar Ramirez and Lily Rabe. The premium cable project is based on the novel You Should Have Known by Jean Hanff Korelitz and has yet to receive a release date. Nicole will next be seen in The Goldfinch which follows the tale of a boy who survives a terrorist attack and goes on to become involved in art forgeries. The Goldfinch - which also stars Sarah Paulson and Ansel Elgot - is slated for release in September. Talented: David E. Kelley of Big Little Lies fame wrote the drama miniseries with Nicole taking on executive producing credits Drama: Nicole plays successful therapist Grace Sachs in The Undoing whose world in upended when husband Jonathan, played by Hugh Grant, goes missing Whilst Nicole has been kept busy professionally, her personal life has also been making headlines of late. Last week, it was reported that the actress had been banned from attending her son's wedding by ex-husband Tom Cruise. Connor Cruise, 24, a Scientologist like his movie star dad, will soon be marrying his Italian girlfriend Silvia - but it's been alleged that Nicole won't be welcome at the wedding. 'Tom is behind this and what he wants is as good as law,' a source reportedly told RadarOnline.com. 'Tom made the call and Connor followed.' Star-studded: Directed by Bird Box's Susanne Bier, the drama also stars Donald Sutherland, Noah Jupe, Fala Chen, Edgar Ramirez and Lily Rabe Hopefully coming soon: The premium cable project is based on the novel You Should Have Known by Jean Hanff Korelitz and has yet to receive a release date Connor, a former DJ who is now into deep sea fishing, 'worships the ground his father walks on' the source added, claiming he would never disobey the 56-year-old actor. Connor's fiancee is apparently dubbed a 'Scientology Princess' as she also follows the religion along with her family who moved to Florida from Italy. Insiders say Tom 'adores' his future daughter-in-law and is happy his son is settling down with a fellow Scientologist. Perhaps it's not surprising that Nicole reportedly won't be invited to the nuptials as there have been rumors of a rift for years between the Australian actress and her two adopted children with Tom. Changing things up: Nicole also donned a scarlet coat to film scenes and was seen cowering on the ground as the cameras rolled After their split in 2001 Tom retained custody of their two children. At the time, their kids who had been raised in the Church of Scientology chose to stay with their father. The Big Little Lies star has refused to talk about the religion or her family ties in recent years and she is said to have been absent from many of her children's life events including Isabella's wedding to Max Parker at the Dorchester hotel in London in September 2015. It was one of the most memorable deaths to take place in Game Of Thrones history. And Pedro Pascal made fun of Oberyn Martell's gruesome demise while at the New York premiere for the show's final season at Radio City Music Hall on Wednesday. The actor, 44, posed with his thumbs over his eyes to reenact the Dorne Prince's shocking death at the hands of Ser Gregor Clegane, aka The Mountain, in the HBO hit's fourth season. Hilarious: Game Of Thrones star Pedro Pascal poked fun at his character Oberyn Martell's gruesome death as he arrived at the show's New York premiere on Wednesday Oberyn quickly became a fan favourite during his time on the show, after he arrived in King's Landing as a representative of House Martell at King Joffrey's wedding. While coming to the city under the pretence of the nuptials, it soon became clear he was actually seeking revenge against The Mountain for the rape and murder of his sister Elia, and for killing her two children Rhaenys and Aegon Targaryen. He is given his chance when he serves as Tyrion Lannister's champion for a trial by combat against the bannerman, after the dwarf was unjustly accused of killing the young king on his wedding day. Brutal: The actor posed with his thumbs over his eyes to reenact the Dorne Prince's shocking death at the hands of Ser Gregor Clegane, aka The Mountain, in the HBO hit's fourth season Animated display: Pedro reunited with his on-screen adversary Hafthor Julius Bjornsson, and Pedro pretended to wrap his hands around the other's neck and choke him Fan Favourite: Oberyn sought revenge against The Mountain for the rape and murder of his sister Elia, and for killing her children Rhaenys and Aegon Targaryen Fight to the death: Oberyn was given his chance when he acted as Tyrion Lannister's champion for a trial by combat, after the dwarf was unjustly accused of killing King Joffrey But while the fight first appears to be going Oberyn's way, he gets pulled to the ground by The Mountain who gouges out his eyes and crushes his skull, all while confessing to his heinous crimes against the Red Viper's sister. Pedro reunited with his on-screen adversary Hafthor Julius Bjornsson at the event, and the pair put on an animated display as the Chilean-American actor pretended to wrap his hands around the other's neck and choke him. But the actors proved there were no hard feelings between them, as they gave each other a hug after joking around on the red carpet. Pals: The actors proved there were no hard feelings between them, as they gave each other a hug after joking around on the red carpet Reunited: The Narcos star was also joined on the red carpet by Indira Varma, who played Oberyn's lover, and mother to a number of his children, Ellaria Sand Sweet: Putting on a smitten display to emulate the love their characters shared with each other, Pedro wrapped his arms around her torso and gave her a peck on the cheek The Narcos star was also joined on the red carpet by Indira Varma, who played Oberyn's lover, and mother to a number of his children, Ellaria Sand. Putting on a smitten display to emulate the love their characters shared with each other, Pedro kissed Indira's hand as she swooned in delight. Wrapping his arms around her torso, the actor then gave her a quick peck on the cheek as the Luther star laughed. The eighth and final season of Game Of Thrones airs on April 14, 2019. Power couple: Oberyn and Ellaria were a force to be reckoned with during the fourth season Their burgeoning romance - the start of which played out on reality TV - was hit by claims he called the show's runner-up to express his regret at not picking her. But The Bachelor UK's Alex Marks And Alicia Oates appeared stronger than ever as they attended the Beasts of London event at the Museum of London on Wednesday. The personal trainer, 31, and the events co-ordinator, 26, put on a cosy display as they posed arm-in-arm, with glamorous Alicia brushing off claims Alex had contacted Charlotte Tyler as she hugged him. What drama? The Bachelor UK's Alex Marks And Alicia Oates appeared stronger than ever as they attended the Beasts of London event at the Museum of London on Wednesday Essex beauty Alicia slipped her toned frame into a racy black lace dress with sheer panels. A sheer panel over the bust teased her cleavage while the star also revealed her taut midriff. Alicia's tanned legs were also on full display with the star boosting her height with black peeptoe heels. Her caramel tresses were styled in loose waves while her pretty features were enhanced with a rich palette of make-up. Strong: The personal trainer, 31, and the events co-ordinator, 26, put on a cosy display as they posed arm-in-arm Hunky Alex looked dapper in a crisp white shirt, black cardigan and matching trousers, teamed with a white pinstripe blazer. The couple's united front comes days after Alex was accused of trying to woo the show's runner-up behind his girlfriend's back. According to The Sun, the hunk has been texting and calling Charlotte Tyler after seeing her at the dating show's launch party in March, admitting that he 'dreams of her every night'. Oh no! The couple's united front comes days after Alex was accused of trying to woo the show's runner-up Charlotte Tyler behind his girlfriend's back Difficult decision: According to The Sun, the hunk has been texting and calling Charlotte Tyler after seeing her at the dating show's launch party in March, admitting that he 'dreams of her every night' It has also been claimed that he has told the brunette he regrets choosing Alicia as his girlfriend and only picked her because he was 'up to his eyeballs in rum.' The publication reveals that Alex's lust after Charlotte soared once again after he saw her at the launch party for the first time since he picked Alicia on the finale. It was revealed by an insider: 'A few days later Alex called Charlotte and said hed made a huge mistake, had picked the wrong girl and regretted his decision he wanted a second chance with her. 'He said he thought about Charlotte every day, had been dreaming about her and stalked her Instagram whenever he could.' Alex and Alicia did break-up briefly in January but Alex won her over once again after their love story played out on screen. However speaking of their split, the insider continued: 'Alex told her hed broken up with Alicia because his heart wasnt in it and claimed they only got back together for publicity.' Charlotte has even gone as far as reportedly admitting that Alex feels like he is still on The Bachelor and has dubbed him a 'massive player'. The Bachelor UK was hosted by former TOWIE star Mark Wright, and followed an large group of ladies battling it out for the affections of Alex. Megan McKenna was spotted heading to a recording studio in Nashville on Wednesday as she immerses herself in work after her ex Mike Thalassitis' death. The 25-year-old reality star appeared sombre as she walked alongside her guitarist just hours after jetting out of London's Heathrow Airport amid her heartache. Last month, the Love Island star was found hanged in a woodland near his Edmonton home aged 26, with his management and Met Police confirming his passing. Tough times: Megan McKenna was spotted heading to a recording studio in Nashville on Wednesday as she immerses herself in work after her ex Mike Thalassitis' death Megan spoke about her planned trip to Nashville in an interview with new! magazine before Christmas, in which she said she would be recording new music. The star released a statement on Twitter to offer condolences to Mike's family, two days after his death. She wrote at the time: 'Sorry I haven't been on social media but I'm in complete shock and trying to come to terms with this. 'I can't believe I'm even writing this post. My thoughts and prayers are with Mike's family. Rest in peace Mike x' Mike and Megan dated on and off throughout 2018, but ended their relationship for good last August. Ready: The 25-year-old reality star appeared sombre as she walked alongside her guitarist just hours after jetting out of London's Heathrow Airport amid her heartache Way back when: Mike and Megan dated on and off throughout 2018, but ended their relationship for good last August (pictured in May last year) In depth: She was engrossed in chat as she made her casual arrival Megan previously defended the reality star, insisting that he was not a 'nasty' person and there was no other explanation for their break-up than being at 'different points in their lives.' Just weeks before his passing, Megan became emotional when speaking about her relationship with Mike, while looking for love on Celebs Go Dating. In an episode of the E4 dating show that aired in February, the former TOWIE star began to cry before saying she did not want to discuss it further. Megan said: 'I think my last relationship, I was kind of... I definitely fell in love. I don't really want to talk about it, sorry. But I feel that's all I want, I want that love back.' Tough: Megan previously defended the reality star, insisting that he was not a 'nasty' person and there was no other explanation for their break-up than being at 'different points in their lives Pained: Mike and Megan dated for seven months on and off but ultimately confirmed their separation seven months ago (pictured in June) Mike and Megan dated for seven months on and off but ultimately confirmed their separation seven months ago. They were first romantically linked in February 2018 when they jetted off to spend Valentine's Day together in Amsterdam. On why they ended things, Megan previously said: 'We just feel like we're both at different point in our lives. We both respect each other and we didn't want it to get nasty or messy. 'There is only so much you can do in a relationship and when it's not working you've got to take separate routes.' Solemn: They were first romantically linked in February 2018 when they jetted off to spend Valentine's Day together in Amsterdam Late star: Last month, the Love Island star was found hanged in a woodland near his Edmonton home aged 26, with his management and Met Police confirming his passing Low-key: Megan was cutting a low-key figure as she opted for comfort ahead of a no doubt manic day in the studio She recently claimed that her critics are 'bitter' because they have to 'work to pay bills' whilst she enjoys the spoils of an influencer lifestyle. And Katie Salmon unapologetically made the most of living the high life as she enjoyed a lavish holiday in Cape Verde. Hitting the beach with her friend India Jennings, the 23-year-old glamour model seemed in high spirits as she frolicked on the sand. Living the dream: atie Salmon unapologetically made the most of living the high life as she enjoyed a lavish holiday in Cape Verde Showcasing her sensational figure, Katie donned a scanty tiger print swimsuit with racy a cut out beneath her chest. The garment's scooped neckline showcased her ample cleavage, whilst the high cut offered a glimpse at her perky posterior. Katie matched her accessories to the one-piece, donning a tiger print hairband over her raven locks - which had been styled in tight braids. Fun in the sun: Hitting the beach, the 23-year-old glamour model seemed in high spirits as she frolicked on the sand Moving on from the drama: Katie's holiday came after she branded people who have to work to pay their bills 'bitter' in a shocking rant She completed the look with tinted purple sunglasses and a delicate silver bangle. Katie's holiday came after she branded people who have to work to pay their bills 'bitter' in a shocking rant. The former Love Island star was responding to a message on Twitter which read: 'I really don't understand why people are so offended by influencers, it's actually mad.' Swim-suits you! Showcasing her sensational figure, Katie donned a scanty tiger print swimsuit with racy a cut out beneath her chest Cheeky: The garment's scooped neckline showcased her ample cleavage, whilst the high cut offered a glimpse at her perky posterior Wild thing! Katie matched her accessories to the one-piece, donning a tiger print hairband over her raven locks - which had been styled in tight braids All about the accessories: Katie completed the look with tinted purple sunglasses and a delicate silver bangle In response, the 2016 Love Island hopeful told her 117,000 Twitter followers that resentment towards influencers is 'because most people work so many hours' and are 'depressed/tired' of paying 'bills to live in a house [they don't own]'. She added: 'We get paid to live life to a degree. Bitter, unhappy people don't like to see people live that good life #unfortunately'. Meanwhile, Katie recently spoke out about the downside of fame following the death of Mike Thalassitis who was found hanged last month. Two's company: Katie was joined by her friend India Jennings, with the pair ensuring the other looked their best for their day at the beach Fun in the sun: Katie and India seemed in high spirits as they chatted with one another Taking to Instagram, Katie wrote: 'Speechless R.I.P Mike... Everybody suffers with some sort of mental health issues and we are by no means more important then any other human... [sic] 'Never know what someone is going through. This is the exact reason I have been working on my own mental health charity. And I will not stop till everyone is aware of the truth behind mental health for not just celebs but everyone'. The brunette added: 'Be kind, you never know what some is going through!!! Pray for him... for peace... to be out of pain... and to fly high. because he was a beautiful sweet kind man and he had so much coming believe me. gone too soon!' [sic] Life's a beach! The pair seemed to be comparing swimwear as they showed off their phenomenal figures in the sexy suits Working it: The pair treated the sea bed like a runway as they strutted their stuff in the shore Bum's the word: India's swimsuit was also thong style in design just like her pal's Helping hand: Katie enlisted India to help her adjust her swimwear and get into the spirit of things on the beach break Dazzling duo: Katie and India ensured all eyes would be on them as they hit the beach in their sexy and scanty swimweae Hitting out at Love Island for its lack of support once contestants leave the villa, Katie went on: 'Maybe ITV might give him a 2 second tribute like they did Soph. When in reality Love Island would not be the same or where it is now without these 2 cast members fact. Where is there support? [sic] 'Help after your life changing over night. the check up call. why was more not done when we lost one? 'Why did the producers not look at this and think wow they can't just walk back into the normal world now. help. people have been calling out and asking for so long.' [sic] Beach bum: Katie's hourglass curves were on full display in the barely-there swimsuit Tanned and toned: India showcased her phenomenal physique in a canary yellow two-piece She pleaded: 'please please do something to support the new class of love island this year. better yet, consider it... really consider going on these shows. you all think it's highs, when in real reality, nobody has a clue. [sic] 'Sweetest guy. I am truly thinking of his friends family and loved ones at this time. I wish I could do something to help everyone and take the pain that this will leave forever. Pray for him and his loved ones. He's in a much better world, fly high angel'. The Love Island finalist later insisted she doesn't 'put all the blame' on the show: 'I am not blaiming ITV at all. [sic] 'You can't put all the blame on that one thing of course. Mental health can be a problem from a young age, but you're subjecting yourself to more hate. [There's] criticism and ups and downs when you enter these things. People should be fully aware of the changes before entering these shows', she ended her post. Kendall Jenner is certainly making the most of her time in Sydney. Just hours after jetting to Australia on Thursday morning, the 23-year-old Keeping Up With the Kardashians star was spotted shopping at Sydney's Crown Street. Accompanied by a minder, Kendall was seen emerging from one of the many vintage stores which line the street. Bold ensemble: Kendall Jenner was spotted shopping at Sydney's Crown Street on Thursday, just hours after jetting in from the US The leggy supermodel stepped out in an animal print ensemble, wearing snakeskin pants and a matching coat with bright orange lining. She appeared to have been wearing a cropped white T-shirt underneath, and rounded out her outfit with white sneakers. Kendall wore her long, raven-coloured hair parted in the middle and tucked behind her ears. Off-duty chic! The leggy supermodel stepped out in an animal print ensemble, wearing snakeskin pants and a matching coat with bright orange lining She appeared fresh-faced on the outing, showing off her flawless complexion, and hid her jet-lagged eyes behind a pair of slim black sunglasses. Kendall is in Sydney for the opening of the new Tiffany & Co. flagship store on Thursday. She made a very low-key arrival in Australia that same day, landing at Sydney airport early in the morning via a commercial flight. Taking care of business: Kendall is in Sydney for the opening of the new Tiffany & Co. flagship store Dressed for comfort, Kendall stepped off the plane in black tracksuit pants, an oversized white jumper and grey sneakers. After signing autographs and posing for selfies with fans at the airport, who had eagerly awaited her arrival, Kendall then made her way over to her inner-city hotel. Clearly happy to be in Australia, the smiling star was later seen posing for a series of selfies on the balcony of her hotel room. He is set to return as the remorseless killing machine John Wick. And Keanu Reeves offered an insight into his intense training ahead of the hotly-anticipated third instalment of the neo-noir action thriller franchise. The 54-year-old actor revealed that the ripped physique he requires for the role is thanks to a gruelling Navy SEAL training regime, which produces some of the fittest officers in the world. Action: Keanu Reeves offered an insight into his intense training ahead of the hotly-anticipated third instalment of the neo-noir action thriller franchise Keanu joined former Navy SEAL Shawn Ryan who owns Vigilance Elite for a training session, which included showing him the ropes on skills such as gun-handling. Fans were given an insight into what sort of stunts Keanu will be pulling in the next film after the training company uploaded a clip of him to their YouTube channel. The darkly lit, action packed trailer for the film dropped earlier this year ahead of the May 17, 2019 release of the film. Working out: The 54-year-old actor revealed that the ripped physique he requires for the role is thanks to a gruelling Navy SEAL training regime, which produces some of the fittest officers in the world Training: Keanu joined former Navy SEAL Shawn Ryan who owns Vigilance Elite for a training session, which included showing him the ropes on skills such as gun-handling Assassin John Wick battles dozens of ninjas in the teaser and showcases his impressive knife skills, hurling several of the sharp objects at his foes. The trailer stuns with dimly lit sets, ballerinas, crushed glass flying every which way and even a sword fight ... on motorcycles. In John Wick 3, the title character is still on the run following his assassination of Santino D'Antonio in The Continental. Tick, Tock Mr. Wick: The trailer for John Wick 3: Parabellum dropped earlier this year and is promising a high-octane flick for the thrilling franchise starring Keanu Reeves John, played for the third time by Keanu, has a $14 million global contract on him and is banned from every Continental service. This forces him to fight his way out of New York City with the help of a hitwoman (Halle Berry) who still trusts him. In the trailer, Halle appears both beautiful and terrifying as she agrees to help John, fulfilling a previous debt with the assassin. Coming soon: Keanu, who plays John, says in the trailer that he needs 'a lot' of guns Puppy love! As with all of the John Wick films, dogs featured prominently in the trailer Attack! A group of German shepherds play the role of attack dogs for new character Halle Berry Icon! Halle Berry is joining the franchise for the third installment and plays a mysterious hit woman who has a long history with Wick Her character has a support staff of attack dogs who appear to do her bidding in dramatic jaw-snapping fashion in snippets of the clip. Along with John and Halle, the thriller stars Laurence Fishburne, Mark Dacascos, Asia Kate Dillon, Lance Reddick, Said Taghmaoui, Jerome Flynn, Tobias Segal, Boban Marjanovic, Anjelica Huston and Ian McShane. The film promises and endless amount of high-octane action scenes with Keanu, who does his own stunts, impressively battling ninjas. Artillery: Actor Ian McShane outfits John Wick with an arsenal Assassin: John Wick battles dozens of ninjas in the teaser and showcases his impressive knife skills, hurling several of the sharp objects at his foes Wow: Reeves does his own stunts in the film In an interview with Collider, Keanu said that the team got to 'build cool new sets' for the flick. 'I think the set design is really great,' he gushed. 'So, I think the film is really easy to watch. Its beautiful. Theres a character that we root for, hopefully. Hes fighting for his life.' The first film in the franchise debuted to both critical and commercial success, telling the riveting story of a retired hitman seeking revenge after someone killed his puppy. 'I think the set design is really great,' Keanu said in a recent interview They are leading lights in the Hollywood film industry, known for their enviable sense of style. And Emma Stone, Alicia Vikander and Lea Seydoux looked breathtaking as they joined forces for a new Louis Vuitton campaign showcasing the Houses 'New Classics' bags. Oscar-winner Emma, 30, flashed her taut midriff and toned legs in a black crop-top paired with a matching mini skirt as she modelled the fashion house's scarlet Capucines bag. Wow: Emma Stone (above) joined Alicia Vikander and Lea Seydoux for a new Louis Vuitton campaign showcasing the Houses ' New Classics' bags. Chic: The Danish Girl actress Alicia, 30, put on a racy display in a miniscule bralet which teased her cleavage as she sultrily posed with the silver 'The Twist' chain bag The beauty completed the ensemble with a tailored black blazer. Making for an ethereal look, The Favourite actress wore her flame-red locks sleek and straight while her pretty features were enhanced with smoky shadow. Most recently Stone wrapped filming on the upcoming post-apocalyptic comedy, Zombieland: Double Tap, alongside Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg and Abigail Breslin. She has also been confirmed to play an 80s punk-version of Disney's Cruella de Vill in the live-action film, Cruella. Elegance: Oscar-winner Emma, 30, flashed her taut midriff and toned legs in a black crop-top paired with a matching mini skirt as she modelled the fashion house's scarlet Capucines bag Fire: The black bralet showcased the star's toned abs and enviable legs, with Alicia completing the ensemble with a black mini skirt and slate grey cropped jacket The Danish Girl actress Alicia, 30, put on a racy display in a miniscule bralet which teased her cleavage as she sultrily posed with the silver 'The Twist' chain bag. The black bralet showcased the star's toned abs and enviable legs, with Alicia completing the ensemble with a black mini skirt and slate grey cropped jacket. The Tomb Raider star kept her look stripped back, with her brunette locks swept back from her face, and a touch of bronze shadow and coral gloss accentuating her features. They were joined by actress Lea Seydoux, who will next appear in the as-yet untitled Bond 25. Glow: They were joined by actress Lea Seydoux, who will next appear in the as-yet untitled Bond 25 Blue Is The Warmest Colour star Lea, 33, looked incredible as she modelled the brand's iconic Dauphine bag. She slipped into a black boilersuit, with gold embellishments, with a leather harness style-belt cinching in at her slender waist. Her brunette locks were styled in loose waves while her beautiful features were enhanced with a glowing palette of make-up. She has let her 17-year-old daughter Kaia take over the reigns on the catwalk. But Cindy Crawford looked every inch of her supermodel status as she attended Cosentino's Los Angeles opening on Wednesday night. The 53-year-old cut a glamorous figure as she slipped into a plunging black suit for the grand unveiling. She's still got it! Cindy Crawford looked every inch of her supermodel as she attended the Cosentino Los Angeles opening on Wednesday night Cindy flashed a hint of cleavage as she layered the tailored blazer atop of a silk shirt, which have a deep v neckline. The matching flared trousers skimmed over her lean limbs, while the point court shoes added a boost to her statuesque frame. The American beauty wore her brunette locks in voluminous waves and accentuated her bronzed glow with a polished make-up look. Striking: The 53-year-old cut a glamorous figure as she slipped into a plunging black suit for the grand unveiling Plunging: Cindy flashed a hint of cleavage as she layered the tailored blazer atop of a silk shirt, which have a deep v neckline Glamorous: The American beauty wore her brunette locks in voluminous waves and accentuated her bronzed glow with a polished make-up look Star of the show: Crawford cut the official red ribbon and beamed as she chatted to creator of the kitchen and bathroom brand, Eduardo Cosentino Gorgeous: Cindy added a touch of sparkle to her outfit with a pair of drop diamond earrings and appeared in her element as she posed with Eduardo and Jessica Kantor Cindy, who is the face of their Silestone kitchen and bathroom campaign, added a touch of sparkle to her outfit with a pair of drop diamond earrings and appeared in her element as she worked the cameras while posing against a backboard. The star cut the official red ribbon and beamed as she chatted to creator of the brand, Eduardo Cosentino and Jessica Kantor. Cindy grew up in DeKalb, a small town in Illinois, before making it big as a model and actress. Excited: The mother-of-two appeared in high spirits as she took to the red carpet for the grand opening Supermodel: Cindy cut a striking figure as she posed with Jessica at the launch The bombshell launched her huge modeling career during her junior year, after a local photographer photographed her for the town's newspaper, DeKalb Nite Weekly. That incident is what encouraged Cindy to actually pursue modeling, as she then entered the Elite Model Management's Look of the Year contest at 17 and was named runner-up. The mother to Kaia and Presley Gerber, 19, has strut her stuff on the runway for a ton of huge designers, including Christian Dior, Chanel, Versace and dozens more. She also made a name for herself as an actress, appearing in Fair Game and According to Jim. The beauty is married to Rande Gerber, 56, after previously being married to Richard Gere, 69, from 1991-1995. Today, Cindy runs a successful makeup line called Meaningful Beauty and also launched a line of furniture and home goods, Cindy Crawford Home Collection. She announced she was expecting her first child with husband Andy Allen in December. And Beth Tweddle looked radiant as she attended the first day of the 2019 Grand National Meeting at the Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool with her other half. The retired gymnast, 34, cut a stylish figure in a bright red midi dress with a bird detail throughout, with her baby bump visible. At the races: Beth Tweddle looked radiant as she attended the first day of the 2019 Grand National Meeting at the Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool with her husband Andy Allen She paired it with a white blazer and an off-white, beaded clutch bag while Andy sported a blue suit. Also out enjoying the races was field hockey player Sam Quek and classical singer Laura Wright. Beth and Andy, who are expecting their baby in May, tied the knot in a stunning ceremony in Cheshire in June. Describing the day as 'magical', Beth told Hello! magazine her wedding had been particularly special, as it marked the end of a traumatic time in her life. Fashion: The gymnast, 34, cut a stylish figure in a bright red midi dress with a bird detail throughout, with her baby bump visible Speaking to the magazine after the ceremony, the athlete revealed she has only just started to recover from the horrific injury she attained during her time on The Jump in 2016. Beth went crashing into barrier after one of her jumps, leaving her with two broken vertebrae in her neck - and unable to walk, dress or shower for many months. Revealing she is still not back to full health after two years of treatment, she said: 'There are still moments where Ill do something and it hits home that it happened. Im not 100 per cent better yet, physically or mentally.' Her new husband, however, has been instrumental in helping nurse her back to health. Style: She paired it with a white blazer and an off-white, beaded clutch bag while Andy sported a blue suit Couple: Beth and Andy tied the knot in a stunning ceremony in Cheshire in June Romance: The pair became engaged in Brazil during the 2016 Rio Olympics, after two years of dating She said: 'He is the one waking me up and seeing me sobbing my heart out. My parents and friends have been there for me but Andy is the one who sees me at night when I am really struggling.' She also said marriage marked a new, much more positive chapter of her life - helping her look forward to the future, despite her injury. 'Its like were opening up a new book. Were excited about the future and have loads to look forward to,' she said. 'Were ambitious, love to travel and were still bedding into our new house and wed love a family so who knows. Watch this space!' The pair became engaged in Brazil during the 2016 Rio Olympics, after two years of dating. Radiant: Sam Quek looked stunning in a navy short-sleeved dress and a floral necklace Lydia Bright has revealed that the thugs who mugged two of her younger foster brothers on Tuesday have been caught. The former TOWIE star, 29, revealed that after an appeal for information by herself and mother Debbie, the suspects had been apprehended. Taking to Instagram on Thursday, Lydia thanked fans for their help as she reasoned that if just one knife had been taken off the streets as a result then that was an achievement in itself. Justice: Lydia Bright has revealed that the thugs who mugged two of her younger foster brothers on Tuesday have been caught Lydia penned: 'Firstly I would like to thank the public who have shown overwhelming support in helping to stop knife crime in our community. 'The messages we have received have been so sad, stories of similar attacks - some resulting in families losing loved ones. 'I would like to thank Highams Park School who acted swiftly ensuring that the identities of these boys were revealed and the metropolitan police, who although overstretched have worked in partnership with all parties to bring justice. 'If we can take one knife off our streets and make others aware that this behaviour will not be tolerated, then we have all achieved something. [sic]' Great efforts: The former TOWIE star, 29, revealed that after an appeal for information by herself and mother Debbie, the suspects had been apprehended Debbie added: 'The messages we have received have been so sad, some loosing their love ones to knife crime. I would also like to thank Highams Park School who have acted swiftly ensuring that the identities of these boys happens quickly to ensure the safety of our community is secured. 'The metropolitan police who are so overstretched at the moment have worked in partnership with all parties involved, so again, Thank you. If we can take one knife off our streets then we have all achieved goodness. [sic]' A Metropolitan Police spokesman told MailOnline: 'Police have arrested a male in connection with a knife point robbery of a bicycle in Woodford Green. 'The incident occurred on Tuesday, 2 April in High Road at approximately 14:45hrs. 'The victim, a teenage boy, reported that a group of males approached him and demanded his bicycle. One male assaulted him while another threatened him with a knife. Great news: Taking to Instagram on Thursday, Lydia thanked fans for their help as she reasoned that if just one knife had been taken off the streets hen that was an achievement 'The males took the bicycle and made off. The victim was not seriously injured. A 15-year-old male was arrested on 3 April on suspicion of robbery - he was taken to an east London police station and has been released under investigation. 'The bicycle has been recovered. 'Enquiries into the incident continue. Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 or tweet @MetCC and quote CAD5596/2Apr. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.' Lydia has not identified which of her younger foster siblings were mugged, but revealed that the attack took place over a bike at a bus stop outside Miller & Carter steak house, in Woodford Green, Essex at 4.45pm on Tuesday. She told her 997k followers: 'Absolutely heartbroken. My two, young teenage foster brothers where mugged today at knife point.' Thanks: Debbie also thanked the police force and the public for their help solving the crime The reality star bemoaned the 'trauma' was 'unbearable' for her siblings as she reassured her fans the police had been called regarding the incident. With a huge following just shy of a million on social media, Lydia urged anyone to come forward with any more information. She went on: 'The trauma this will cause them after they have already experienced so much grief is unbearable and all over a bike. What happened: The former TOWIE star, 29, said the attack took place over a bike at a bus stop outside Miller & Carter steak house, in Woodford Green, Essex at 4.45pm 'The police have been called and whilst I would like to leave them to do there jobs. I just cant sit here and do nothing especially knowing I can reach so many. 'If anyone has any information please DM me and I can forward it to the right people.' (sic) Lydia said her younger brothers were left 'shaken up' by the incident but they were not physically hurt. Heartbreaking: The reality star bemoaned the 'trauma' was 'unbearable' for her siblings as she reassured her fans the police had been called regarding the incident (London, Feb 2019) A MET spokesperson confirmed the incident: 'Police were called at approximately 14:45hrs on Tuesday, 2 April to reports of a teenage boy robbed in High Road, Woodford Green. 'The victim reported that a group of males approached him and demanded his bicycle. One male assaulted him while another threatened him with a knife. 'The males took the bicycle and made off. The victim was not seriously injured. Officers attended the scene but the suspects could not be traced. 'No arrests; enquiries continue.' History: The former TV star's mum Debbie Douglas (London, May 2018) has fostered more than 200 children in the last 25 years while bringing up her four biological kids including Lydia Lydia's mum Debbie has fostered more than 200 children in the last 25 years while bringing up her four biological kids including Lydia. Lydia admitted her childhood was 'very chaotic' while her parents did a lot of short term fostering which saw a lot of kids move into their family home temporarily. She told The Sun's Fabulous magazine: 'My mum has bundles of energy and shes very passionate about children. 'She thrives in organised chaos, she wouldnt be able to live a normal life. She likes business and craziness, she likes having so much on her plate. 'My childhood was very chaotic, we always had a very busy household.' She's known for her impeccable fashion sense. And E! Australia host, Ksenija Lukich, looked simply sensational while attending the Tiffany and Co. store launch in Sydney on Thursday. The 29-year-old showed off her phenomenal figure in a figure-hugging maroon Bec and Bridge dress, which featured a daring thigh-high split. Daring: Ksenija Lukich flaunted her trim pins in this daring gown at the Tiffany and Co store launch in Sydney on Thursday Sporting a pair of vintage silver stilettos, Ksenija flaunted her long, slim legs while posing against a media wall upon her arrival. The television presenter accessorised with a pair of elegant hoop earrings and a frosting of silver bracelets on her wrists, all designed by the luxury jewellery brand. She left her makeup soft and dewy adding a pink eye shadow to compliment her outfit and a maroon smoky-eye. Strike a pose! Sporting a pair of vintage silver stilettos, Ksenija flaunted her long, slim legs while posing against a media wall upon her arrival She wore her long locks out and over her shoulders in loose tousled curls and flicked to the side. She joined the likes of Lara Worthington, Jesinta Franklin, Samantha Harris and Victoria Lee who also attended the VIP bash. The guest of honour at the unveiling of the new flagship store was Kendall Jenner, who turned heads in a bubblegum pink frock. Flawless: She left her makeup soft and dewy adding a pink eye shadow to compliment her outfit and a maroon smoky-eye The 23-year-old American model, who has walked for the likes of Victoria's Secret, put her trim pins on display in the quirky feathered minidress. Kendall's frock featured a strapless design and billowing layered sleeves. She added height to her statuesque frame wearing white pointed heels. All eyes on her! The guest of honour at the unveiling of the new flagship store was Kendall Jenner, who turned heads in a bubblegum pink frock They recently returned from a sunkissed holiday in Tenerife, after rekindling their romance yet again. And Gemma Collins and James Argent proved their love is stronger than ever as she shared a series of loved-up snaps aboard a luxury yacht on Friday. The TOWIE stars looked to be revelling in their time off as they soaked up the sun on a scenic day at sea, posing with friends and enjoying a lavish brunch. Sizzling: Gemma Collins and James Argent proved their love is stronger than ever as she shared a series of loved-up snaps aboard a luxury yacht on Friday Throwback: The TOWIE stars looked to be revelling in their time off as they soaked up the sun on a scenic day at sea, posing with friends and enjoying a lavish brunch The GC, 38, flaunted her sizzling curvaceous frame in a busty floral swimsuit paired with a pastel pink sun hat as she smiled for the cameras aboard the yacht, with a shirtless Arg checking his phone in the foreground. A second snap saw the pair enjoying an decadent brunch at sea, with strawberries, watermelon, and croissants perched on the table in front of Gemma. The blonde beauty slipped a sheer white shirt dress over her stunning swimsuit while her platinum bob was styled sleek and straight. The star showed off a glowing tan while her pretty features were enhanced with smoky eye make-up. Wow factor: The GC, 38, flaunted her sizzling curvaceous frame in a busty floral swimsuit paired with a pastel pink sun hat as she smiled for the cameras Arg, 31, matched his love's floral vibe in a blue and fuchshia patterned number teamed with black shorts as he posed with Gemma. The pair had a brief split last month after he shared a 'humiliating' video of her snoring which later led to him cruelly fat-shaming her in a row. Recently, James appeared on breakfast television and publicly apologised to his girlfriend for fat-shaming her during an argument earlier this month. The TOWIE star had said to Gemma: 'You are a fat joke of a woman. An absolute car crash! Who the f*** do you think you are? Youve got more rolls than Greggs.' Arg later told Good Morning Britain that him saying that it was like 'pot kettle black' and he admitted he is 'childish and hypocritical. Playful: The blonde beauty slipped a sheer white shirt dress over her stunning swimsuit while her platinum bob was styled sleek and straight Look of love: Gemma and Arg were seen sharing a special moment aboard the yacht He said: 'Im the biggest [weight] Ive ever been. We were both cussing each other and it was very school ground.' Gemma and Arg have had a seven-year on-off relationship and the former TOWIE star revealed that his relationship with her is back on track following their recent woes. He said: 'Were okay, were fine, weve had a bit of a tough time recently.' The TOWIE stars had recently split after James shared an Instagram clip of Gemma snoring which later led to Arg fat-shaming her in a row. He said: 'She was furious. I was kicked out of the flat.' James said hed been inspired by seeing Joe Swash sharing a photo of Stacey Solomon asleep. He said: 'I thought maybe Id do something similar'. His action backfired though. He elaborated: 'My bags were chucked out, and we did get a bit personal. Things are definitely better [now]'. James was asked whether he could see marriage on the cards. 'Ive never proposed to Gemma,' he said. 'If we remain stable and were in a healthy place then its definitely something I would consider. I love Gemma to bits. Weve had a thing going for years. I do apologise for anything I said, it was just a cuss.' Boat trip: Arg was seen having a go at steering the boat in one fun snap His character Billy Mayhew kissed Paul Forman in Coronation Street earlier this year, leaving fans ecstatic as they named the pair their favourite soap couple. But Daniel Brocklebank has also had to confront homophobic criticism from some viewers, which he spoke about more during Thursday's edition of Loose Women. Discussing the time he hit back at a homophobic Twitter troll, the 39-year-old actor explained: 'I do highlight it, not all of it, but I think it's important to let people know it's still going on. Important: Coronation Street star Daniel Brocklebank said on Thursday's Loose Women that he feels compelled to 'highlight' homophobic criticism to his on-screen kiss with Peter Ash 'The UK is a very accepting country, we're very lucky here, when you consider what's happening in Brunei today, but then of course we've got arguments happening of whether LGBT [studies] should be discussed in schools and things like that. Daniel continued: 'Section 28 [which called for a ban on promoting homosexuality or teaching students it's an acceptable relationship in schools] was repealed in 2003 so it's surprising that 16 years later we're still having those sorts of discussions. 'If children are being taught about families then in my opinion they need to be taught about all families, it's not about sex education it's about life education.' In love: His character Billy Mayhew kissed Paul Forman in Coronation Street earlier this year, leaving fans ecstatic as they named the pair their favourite soap couple Teach the children: Daniel said, 'If children are being taught about families then in my opinion they need to be taught about all families, it's not about sex education it's about life education' The soap star went on: 'There is a responsibility, I'm a gay man myself, my voice reaches further than others and I do feel there is a level of responsibility to highlight this is going on. 'What we can do with these storylines is encourage people to have conversations about subjects people might feel a little bit difficult bringing up themselves.' When his character's kiss with Paul first aired, Daniel's co-star Peter Ash slammed the 'homophobic idiots' who criticised the scene. He said: 'I know how it works online, I was expecting more to be honest, you know what it's like with those [homophobic Twitter trolls] idiots online. Necessary: Daniel continued, 'My voice reaches further than others and I do feel there is a level of responsibility to highlight this is going on' 'It's sad but unfortunately that's just part of it these days, you've just got to expect it.' Peter also praised co-star Daniel for hitting back at some of the trolls on social media, as he said it was 'sad' that someone would have to learn that 'relationships come in all shapes and sizes from the television.' Peter added: 'Dan shut that down pretty quickly; hes very good with that.' According to The Sun, the troll asked why ITV did not include a warning that the same-sex kiss was about to air. Hitting back: When his character's kiss with Paul first aired, Daniel's co-star Peter Ash slammed the 'homophobic idiots' who criticised the scene The tweet allegedly read: 'Sorry but NO... I'm no prude but I'm not too keen watching a blokes tongue being used to floss another bloke....what next a**l ?? Our 10 yr old G'daughter asked why ?? 'At this time . Out of the mouths of babes & we hear WARNINGS about swearing but NOT 2 BLOKES SNOGGING.' Reposting the tweet, Daniel furiously hit back by saying: 'Would you have the same opinion if it were a man & a woman kissing? 'How sad that a 10 year old had to learn that relationships can come in many varieties from television. (sic)' Opinionated: Reposting from the account - which has now been suspended according to The Sun - Daniel furiously lambasted the troll Daniel was immediately backed by several of his Corrie co-stars who also lambasted the vile tweet, with one of them being Tracy Barlow actress Kate Ford. She wrote: 'It's simple really. I would tell you ten year old it's because they are in love. I told my son this when he was three years old. It's all good, don't dress yourself.' Also no stranger to sharing her outspoken views was Nicole Thorp - who played Nicola Rubinstein until her departure in May of last year. Championing Daniel's response she wrote: 'Here's ma boi, putting homophobes in their place on the regs. I wish he didn't have to.' She was announced as the face of Tiffany & Co back in 2017. And Lara Worthington (nee Bingle) dutifully attended the VIP opening of Tiffany & Co's flagship store in Sydney on Thursday. The 31-year-old took a fashion risk in black leather culottes paired with a white singlet and black pointed-toe heels. Unique style: Lara Bingle took a fashion risk in black leather culottes paired with a white singlet and black pointed-toe heels The edgy look showcased her slender pins and toned arms. She also flashed a hint of cleavage in the low-cut tank top. Lara's cropped locks were slicked back, highlighting her flawlessly made-up visage. Unique: The edgy look showcased her slender pins and toned arms. She also flashed a hint of cleavage in the low-cut tank top. Lara's cropped locks were slicked back, highlighting her flawlessly made-up visage The self-tanner entrepreneur looked relaxed as she posed for snaps on the black carpet. She was among stars like Kendall Jenner and Jesinta Franklin, who also attended the invite-only event. Her husband, Hollywood actor, Sam Worthington, 42, did not attend and is believed to be back in the US with the couple's two children, Rocket, four, and Racer, two. Poser: The self-tanner entrepreneur looked relaxed as she posed for snaps on the black carpet VIP: She was among stars like Kendall Jenner and Jesinta Franklin, who also attended the invite-only event Last year, Lara revealed that motherhood forced her to grow up quickly after previously living a life that revolved around 'parties' in her twenties. 'As a mum, you can doubt yourself, so it's good to talk to others going through the same thing,' she told Harper's BAZAAR Australia. 'But it's also important to step out of the mum bubble and have other friends to talk to, just to get a different perspective on things.' 'My twenties were about travel, parties, exploring, less responsibility. My thirties feel more about routine and are more grounded. We travel a lot - we will always be a nomadic family, which I like.' Audrey Hepburn was the princess of Hollywood thanks to such hits as Roman Holiday, Sabrina and Breakfast At Tiffany's. But before the beauty rolled west, she had harrowing experiences in Nazi occupied Holland during World War II. And in the new book Dutch Girl: Audrey Hepburn And World War II - which shared an excerpt in People this week - historian and biographer Robert Matzen wrote about how she helped the resistance in her native country. Tough childhood: Audrey Hepburn had harrowing experiences in Nazi occupied Holland during World War II. Seen in 1952 She was gold: She was the princess of Hollywood thanks to such hits as Roman Holiday, Sabrina and Breakfast At Tiffany's (pictured) after surviving the war Powerful: In the new book Dutch Girl: Audrey Hepburn And World War II - which shared an excerpt in People this week - historian and biographer Robert Matzen wrote about how she helped the resistance in her native country 'When my mother told us about her life, she never talked about Hollywood or her films,' said her son Luca Dotti, 49. 'She would tell us stories about the war. And she spoke about good and evil.' And recalling the horrific experience of war-torn Holland run by Nazis obviously shook the former ballet dancer. 'I knew from her eyes, her expressions, and her shaky hands that there was more to the story,' added her son. At one point she came face to face with Nazis who could have killed her on the spot. A troubling start to life: Hepburn as a teenager with her mother, Dutch baroness Ella Van Heemstra in 1946 She loved to dance: The star with dancer Babs Johnston as they got ready to audition for music impresario Jack Hylton, for his new musical High Button Shoes, circa 1948 But the brunette, born born Audrey Kathleen Ruston, kept her cool by picking wildflowers. 'When the Germansreached her she remained silent and sweetly presented her flowers to them,' said the author. 'After a check of her identity card, she was allowed to pass.' The war was very personal for the screen idol as it claimed the live of her uncle Otto van Limburg Stirum, who was executed by the Nazis when he refused to support them in 1942. Early fame: She was cast in the 1953 film Roman Holiday with Gregory Peck. Her looks and personality were an instant hit and she won an Oscar Dotti wrote the forward to Dutch Girl. 'It's a good time to tell my mother's story and to know her as more than just an icon of beauty and style,' he said. 'There were times reading this book that I was crying. I imagine how brave she was, working for the Resistance and also how easily she could have died from lack of food, or from a bomb or a bullet. Love came: In 1954 she fell for William Holden on the set of her classic Sabrina She had the look: She played the driver's daughter to a wealthy family who got a makeover in Paris and won the attention of two rich sons 'To imagine my mother in these conditions was a shock. You can feel her trauma but also her strength. 'My mother always said that there is no greater evil than war because it affects the children.' It's been 26 years Audrey died from cancer. But she is still one of the most beloved Hollywood icons thanks to her screen work. She also volunteered for UNICEF. Holland was occupied for five years under the Nazis and Audrey struggled to survive with constant threats, one of the worst being starvation. Mega fame: In 1961 Hepburn starred as a call girl in NYC with George Peppard in Breakfast At Tiffany's But the young Audrey still worked for the Dutch Resistance to help fight the Nazis. According to Matzen, she was only 14-years-old when she let a helping hand. 'Audrey once said that one of her jobs was "running around with food for the pilots," he said. Those pilots were the American and British fly boys who ended up on Holland soil after being gunned down by the Germans. 'As a fluent English speaker, she could communicate with the pilots, tell them where to go and who would help them,' he said. Hepburn also was asked to deliver the local Resistance newspaper, a forbidden publication in Nazi occupied Holland, People reported after reading the book. According to Matzen, she talking about having to 'step in and deliver our tiny underground newspaper. I stuffed them in my woolen socks in my wooden shoes, got on my bike, and delivered them.' What a life: She died in 1993 in Switzerland at the age of 63 after battling colon cancer. Seen in 1955 She danced in 'black evenings,' which were illegal performance nights. They had to cover the windows so the Germans could not see in. The money that was collected was given to the Dutch Underground, the author said. 'Guards were posted outside to let us know when Germans approached,' Audrey once said. 'The best audiences I ever had made not a single sound at the end of the performance.' Those early days of performing gave her a love for being on stage. After the war she studied ballet with Sonia Gaskell in Amsterdam before moving to London in 1948. There she continued her ballet training with Marie Rambert, and then performing as a chorus girl in West End musical theatre productions. Following minor appearances in several films, Hepburn starred in the 1951 Broadway play Gigi, after being spotted by French novelist Colette, on whose work the play was based. She was then cast in the 1953 film Roman Holiday with Gregory Peck. Her looks and personality were an instant hit and she won an Oscar. Next came Sabrina, A Nun's Story, Breakfast At Tiffany's, Charade, My Fair Lady and Wait Until Dark. She died in 1993 in Switzerland at the age of 63 after battling colon cancer. She's the New York-based Victoria Secret model who jetted back home to Australia on Wednesday. And Victoria Lee looked every inch the VS angel as she walked the red carpet for the Tiffany & Co. store launch in Sydney on Thursday. The 28-year-old showed off her trim pins in high-waisted pink shorts and a matching blazer. Taking the plunge! Model Victoria Lee wore a pink blazer and tiny shorts at Tiffany and Co. Sydney store launch on Thursday The Australian-born beauty wore the blazer with nothing underneath and it featured a cut-out at the back. Showing off her blemish-free complexion, she kept her makeup palette soft and dewy, adding pink lipstick and a winged eyeliner. Victoria kept her blonde locks pulled back in a low ponytail and left it parted in the middle. Complexion perfection: Showing off her blemish-free complexion, she kept her makeup palette soft and dewy, adding pink lipstick and a winged eyeliner She was joined by the likes of Lara Worthington, Jesinta Franklin, Samantha Harris and Jessica Mauboy who also attended the VIP bash. Victoria looked happy to be back on home turf. It's not surprising to see Victoria's happy demeanor, with the model having told the paper last month that working in Australia keeps her 'grounded'. All smiles: Victoria looked happy to be back on home turf and it's not surprising after she told The Daily Telegraph last month that working in Australia keep her 'grounded' It's not surprising to see Victoria's happy demeanor, with the model having told the paper last month that working in Australia keeps her 'grounded'. 'It reminds me that I still am a country girl,' added Victoria, who comes from the town of Narrandera in rural New South Wales. There are just 3,746 people living in the town, which is adjacent to the Murrumbidgee River, according to the last census. 'It reminds me that I still am a country girl,' added Victoria, who comes from the town of Narrandera in rural New South Wales. (Pictured: Walking the runway at the 2017 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show at Mercedes-Benz Arena on November 20, 2017) Victoria emerged in the spotlight after walking for lingerie giant Victoria's Secret at the 2017 Shanghai Fashion Show. Soon after starring, she was announced as an ambassador for David Jones, following in the footsteps of Megan Gale and Miranda Kerr. One of the cameroonian scammers arrested in the U S Screen capture A group of Cameroonian scammers in the US, led by 24-year-old Adrin Fon Fomukong, popular known as Albanky, have been arrested in the US. Fomukong is said to have passed for a rich media guru, mean while along with collaborators, ran a destructive series of email frauds that earned them millions, and pushed their victims to near financial ruin. They are said to operate from Greenbelt, College Park, and Bowie, to South Africa, West Africa and Europe. They usually travelled to Texas and Louisiana to withdraw cash from banks, which rather helped US prosecutors to detect and stop the fraud. One of the Cameroonian scammers arrested this week in the US (c) Twitter Between February 2016 and in or about July 2017, Fomukong and his co-conspirators gained access to email accounts associated with the victims and sent false wiring instructions, causing the victims financial institutions. Victims, dropped millions of dollars into drop accounts set up by the defendants, the Maryland District of the U.S. Attorneys office announced in written statement in 2018. Court documents outline an operation backed by a skilled group of South Africa-based hackers who are experts in a common and dangerous online fraud tactic called spearfishing." The tactic involves breaking into email accounts by baiting users to click into convincing-looking links that secretly download coded instructions that allow the hackers to monitor the mail, collect critical information and then launch a highly-targeted, convincing fraudulent attack. But the collaborators overseas needed a crew in the U.S. to set up legitimate-looking accounts to launder and send stolen money offshore quickly. Thats where Fomukong and his collaborators in the U.S. came in. Often the group of young scammers in the U.S. would set up small companies that appeared to be vendors or real estate concerns with legitimate bank accounts, which they could clean out and send overseas in a matter of hours. A collaborator who resides in Massachusetts, 23 year old Carlson Cho, also known as Uncle Tiga2, still with Cameroonian roots is said to have posted photos of himself, in the U.S Marine Uniform, meanwhile he was also a young Bank of America employee. His crucial position at the bank allowed him to fraudulently authorize large wire transactions to launder (or attempt to launder) victim funds to bank accounts outside the United States, including South Africa, Cameroon, the Czech Republic and Poland. The scam deals cost 13 victims across the US over $4.2 million. The mother if Fomunkong, who lives in Cameroon, is said to have received over $300,000, transferred by the scammers. In all they are Aldrin Fon Fomukon, Carlson Chi, Ixou Ere Digifa, Yanick Eyong, the oldest amongst them is 31 year old Ishmail Ganda. Another collaborator, Nkeng Amin, has already been sentenced by the US District Judge Paul W. Grimm, to 87 months in prison, followed by three years to supervised release. Kendall Jenner was the star of the show at Tiffany and Co.'s flagship store opening in Sydney on Thursday, stunning in a feathered pink mini dress. And the Victoria's Secret model earned a whopping $500,000 (US$355,800) for her whirlwind 24-hour trip to Australia, reports The Daily Telegraph. If this estimate is correct, Kendall received around $21,000 an hour, or $350 a minute, during her brief visit Down Under. No wonder she's smiling! Kendall Jenner earned a whopping $500,000 for her whirlwind 24-hour trip to Sydney for jewellers Tiffany and Co. (pictured at the event) The Keeping Up with the Kardashians star, 23, jetted into Sydney on Thursday morning and is reportedly flying back to the U.S. on Friday. A fashion insider told The Daily Telegraph that the $500,000 figure for the Tiffany & Co. appearance is likely an 'an under-estimate'. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Kendall's representatives for comment. Star attraction: At the event on Thursday, Kendall led celebrity arrivals alongside the likes of Lara Bingle, Jesinta Campbell and Victoria Lee At the event on Thursday, Kendall led the celebrity arrivals alongside the likes of Lara Bingle, Jesinta Campbell and Victoria Lee. She turned heads in a quirky feathered minidress by INGIE Paris, which featured ruffled sleeves and a strapless design. According to News.com.au, a number of questions were off-limits to journalists hoping to speak to Kendall, including the controversial Fyre Festival. Speaking to The New York Times last month, Kendall said of her involvement: 'You get reached out to by people to, whether it be to promote or help or whatever, and you never know how these things are going to turn out, sometimes it's a risk.' No comment! According to News.com.au, a number of questions were off-limits to journalists hoping to speak to Kendall, including the controversial Fyre Festival Pout it out! Kendall appeared in high spirits at the event, smiling and even blowing a kiss to photographers She admitted that she didn't know much about the doomed event, despite being paid a reported $250,000 (US) for a promotional post. 'I definitely do as much research as I can, but sometimes there isn't much research you can do because it's a starting brand and you kind of have to have faith in it and hope it will work out the way people say it will.' Kendall frequently uses her massive social media following as a platform to collaborate with businesses and brands. She recently furiously hit back at social media trolls, after they called her 'plastic'. But Georgia Kousoulou looked quite literally words away from the drama in a futuristic ensemble as she filmed scenes for TOWIE with pal Chloe Sims on Thursday. The reality star, 27, commanded attention as she strolled the streets of Essex on Thursday, wearing a busty sequined bra and very cropped hooded jacket. Futuristic: Georgia Kousoulou looked quite literally words away from the drama in a dazzling puristic ensemble as she filmed scenes for TOWIE with pal Chloe Sims She teamed her eye-catching look with a pair of high-waisted matching trousers, which were cinched around her waist with a perspex belt. Georgia flashed her honed midriff in the blinding co-ords, while adding extra inches to her frame with a pair of metallic silver stilettos. The Essex native worked her tumbling blonde locks up into a sleek top knot, while leaving the rest of her wavy locks to cascade down her chest. Dazzling: Chloe took a leaf out of Georgia's book and also rocked a cutting edge look, focusing around a pair of daring holographic trousers which certainly caught the eye Neon: The mother-of-one, who is currently thought to be dating co-star Dan Edgar, teamed her jazzy trousers with an off-the-shoulder neon green top Chloe took a leaf out of Georgia's book and also rocked a cutting edge look, focusing around a pair of daring holographic trousers which certainly caught the eye. The mother-of-one, who is currently thought to be dating co-star Dan Edgar, teamed her jazzy trousers with an off-the-shoulder neon green top. Chloe accessorised her look with a pair of purple perspex heels with a neon block heel and a pair of sequin statement drop earrings. Sequined sensation: The reality star, 27, commanded attention as she strolled the streets of Essex on Thursday, wearing a busty sequined bra and very cropped hooded jacket All eyes on me! She teamed her eye-catching look with a pair of high-waisted matching trousers, which were cinched around her waist with a perspex belt Chloe piled her blonde locks on top of her head in a sleek high ponytail, while sporting a signature coat of glamorous make-up including a vibrant smokey-eye. TOWIE beauty Georgia recently furiously hit back at social media trolls, after they called her 'plastic' and 'a bad role model.' Taking to Instagram Stories, she ranted that she and her co-stars never set out to be role models on the show, as she warned her fans need to be more appreciated of each other. Georgia has spoken openly about her struggles with trolls in the past, and in an exclusive interview with MailOnline admitted she's been reduced to tears by some of the comments. Bright: The mother-of-one, who is currently thought to be dating co-star Dan Edgar, teamed her jazzy trousers with an off-the-shoulder neon green top In her lengthy rant, Georgia detailed a social media discussion she saw between two trolls, as they both criticised her and other girls of TOWIE. She explained: 'Quick little rant, so there's this woman on Twitter who's s******g us all off for being plastic and all this. 'You've got to laugh. She goes on, talks about fillers and all this s**t and then someone gets involved and they're having this whole conversation about role models and how bad is society these days that we're role models.' Georgia berated the troll for making such horrific comments about her and the TOWIE cast. Statement look: Chloe accessorised her look with a pair of purple perspex heels with a neon block heel and a pair of sequin statement drop earrings 'Firstly we are NOT claiming to be role models but I'm sorry if I was claiming to be a role model I know that I and all my other friends on TOWIE are better role models than two bitter women sitting on their little laptop trolling young girls just trying to make a living and a life for themselves,' she continued. 'So before you tweet me abuse please look at yourself in your bio you've got ''Mum of two loving life.'' Do I say more?' 'I just cant get my head around it imagine my mum in her bio and then they've got the audacity to troll girls on TV like I'd be so embarrassed if my mum started trolling other girls.. Pose: Georgia was joined on set by her pal and new co-star Chloe Ross who dazzled in a pink ensemble 'Can you imagine if someone started trolling their kids, what would they say then? Who are these people like oh god aaah this is what I have to deal with, yes all the people who say ''great life you have,'' I love my life, but can I just say, these are the people, these weird freaks, sometimes you've got to laugh or scream.' Georgia admitted she tends to take out her troll-based anger on her pet dog Monkey, who runs off in bewilderment. She added: 'Poor monkey gets it all every day, he runs away most of the time it's sending me insane who are these people? Strut: Chloe rocked a pair of pink sequined trousers and a matching bra with a shaggy jacket 'Lucky for them I just laugh because I think it's funny although it is weird, sometimes I have to rant on here guys, but I love all my followers. 'I'm really lucky let's just appreciate, I appreciate all my lovely followers that are here to big up the people lets all be them girls in toilets who say ''I love your dress.'' The star then concluded: 'Come on guys let's just be nice! To be fair most of my followers are really nice I have like 1% of people just to write weird stuff to be honest. Rant over I'm over it now.' Elizabeth Hurley frequently honours her son Damian on social media. Yet Thursday was a special day for the actress, 53, as she took to Instagram to pay tribute to her beloved boy on his 17th birthday, while her dazzling roster of celebrity pals - including Elton John and Joan Collins - were quick to echo the message. In her stunning messaged for her son, she shared a trio of images from throughout his life with the added caption: 'Happy 17th Birthday to my heavenly @damianhurley1 . No one could have brought me more joy. You have made me a very proud mama'. Twins! Elizabeth Hurley and her son Damian look almost identical as they both appear to wear the same camo shirt Having a giggle: Elizabeth Hurley frequently honours her son Damian on social media Elizabeth shares Damian with her ex, American businessman Steve Bing, who initially denied paternity of their child as he claimed he had a 'brief, non-exclusive relationship' with Elizabeth in 2001 however a DNA test proved he was the dad. She is famously close to her son and the duo are practically inseparable, with Damian scooping a role on Elizabeth's show The Royals. In the most recent snap in her collage, the duo looked incredibly sweet as they posed for a selfie while putting on giddy expressions. In the older snaps, Elizabeth looked incredibly ageless as she cradled the tot while making their firm bond plain to see. Happy days: Yet Thursday was a special day for the actress, 53, as she took to Instagram to pay tribute to her beloved boy on his 17th birthday, while her dazzling roster of celebrity pals - including Elton John and Joan Collins - were quick to echo the message The whole gang! A slew of stars were quick to honour the teen on his birthday Damian, who has six godfathers including actor Hugh Grant and Sir Elton John and his partner David Furnish, is often rubbing shoulders with his mum's celebrity pals, as she insists she has an 'open house' policy in order for her son to meet her friends. Naturally the comments section was flooded with well wishes, including messages from Elton, David and Joan Collins. Damian took the time to individually reply to his nearest-and-dearest, as he professed his love for all his A-list correspondents. Fans meanwhile responded with a shock at their likeness Proud mama: In her stunning tribute to her son, she shared a trio of images from throughout his life with the added caption: 'Happy 17th Birthday to my heavenly @damianhurley1 . No one could have brought me more joy. You have made me a very proud mama' Way back when: Elizabeth shares Damian with her ex, American businessman Steve Bing (pictured in 2006), who initially denied paternity of the tot as he claimed they had a 'brief, non-exclusive relationship' however a DNA test proved he was the dad Elizabeth has previously confessed that she often ropes Damian into taking photographs of her - including her bikini-clad snaps she posts to social media. Following the confession, she ridiculed claims made suggesting she takes him on holiday to purposely play photographer. On their relationship, she told You: 'Damian is a great photographer, and he instinctively knows what younger people want to see, but thats all... 'Our downtime together is usually spent watching something scary on Netflix or Vikings on Amazon Prime. By default we spend a lot of time together and we are utterly comfortable in each other's company.' Her biggest fan! Elizabeth has previously confessed that she often ropes Damian into taking photographs of her - including her bikini-clad snaps she posts to social media She recently returned from a girls' holiday to Oman - and Lisa Armstrong was treating herself to a spot of pampering on Thursday. The 42-year-old make-up was pictured leaving her local hairdressers after a quick trim and blow-dry. She was dressed for comfort wearing a black onesie under a leopard print coat and slipped her feet into a pair of fluffy-lined grey Ugg boots. Pampering session: Lisa Armstrong was pictured leaving a hair salon in London on Thursday wearing a comfortable onesie after returning from a girls' holiday to Oman With her newly tended blonde locks slicked back, Lisa, who was previously married to TV presenter Ant McPartlin wore a pair of chic sunglasses. After her appointment, she picked up a spot of lunch and a coffee. The day before, Lisa thanked a fan who had commented on one of her holiday snaps, writing: 'Glad to see you so happy, the break you deserved. X' Cosy: She was dressed for comfort wearing the onesie under a leopard print coat and she slipped her feet into a pair of fluffy-lined grey Ugg boots Details: With her newly tended blonde locks slicked back, Lisa, who was previously married to TV presenter Ant McPartlin wore a pair of chic sunglasses Beautiful picture: The day before, Lisa thanked a fan who had commented on one of her holiday snaps, writing: 'Glad to see you so happy, the break you deserved. X' Lisa appeared to have had an exciting trip, as she shared snaps from a trip to Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in Muscat, wearing patterned head scarves and shades. Lisa's trip proved she was very much removed from the Britain's Got Talent premiere this weekend. As she took some time off, her ex-husband Ant McPartlin prepared to launch the show alongside his best fried Declan Donnelly. Tough time: Lisa and Ant parted ways in January of last year following 11 years of marriage and were granted a decree nisi in October with Ant moving on to new girlfriend Anne-Marie Corbett Lisa and Ant parted ways in January of last year following 11 years of marriage and were granted a decree nisi in October with Ant moving on to new girlfriend Anne-Marie Corbett. Lisa was reportedly axed as a make-up artist for Britain's Got Talent after ten years working on the show. It was reported that bossed thought it would be 'untenable' for Ant and Lisa to work in such close quarters again, given that they are no longer on speaking terms. Getting on with it: Lisa has kept a dignified silence since the split but it's fair to see through some of the tweets that she has liked, that it's been a heartbreaking time for her She's long been regarded as one of Hollywood's most beautiful actresses. And Uma Thurman's natural beauty shone through on Thursday, when the actress stepped out makeup free in New York City. The 48-year-old Pulp Fiction star was bundled up beneath multiple layers as she left the Le Bilboquet French restaurant. No makeup no worries: Uma Thurman's natural beauty shone through on Thursday, when the actress stepped out makeup free in New York City The mother-of-three kissed a male friend on the cheek before walking down the street to her waiting vehicle. The Gattaca actress wore a heavy black and blue coat over a black blouse and green camouflage leggings. Around her neck hung two scarves and Uma wore black flat-soled shoes on her feet. The Kill Bill star juggled multiple bags, plus an iPhone. Her trademark blonde tresses were held back in a messy bun. Sweet goodbye: The mother-of-three kissed a male friend on the cheek before walking down the street to her waiting vehicle The Gattaca actress wore a heavy black and blue coat over a black blouse and green camouflage leggings 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. Uma was one of many actresses who spoke out against film producer Harvey Weinstein in the wake of numerous sexual assault allegations. Perspective: Uma was previously married to French financier Arpad Busson, and the pair welcomed daughter Luna in 2012 before their split in April 2014. Uma seen here in a Wednesday Instagram post Sister, sister: Uma [far left] seen here with sister Taya [center] and friend Jill Blakely 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. There's no one I wish to get due process more than him.' The blonde 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.' She previously sported a head of glossy brunette locks. But Holly Ramsay has recently dramatically switched up her look, as she debuted her new bubblegum pink transformation on her Instagram page. The daughter of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay posted a selection of shots, unveiling her new look to her 200,000 strong following on the social media site. Pretty in pink! Holly Ramsay has recently dramatically switched up her look, as she debuted her new bubblegum pink transformation on her Instagram page The 19-year-old captioned the first series of snaps: 'She's pink! @grahamnation thank you thank you thank you', as she credited her hairdresser for her new look. Holly's pals, including Brooklyn Beckham, were quick to show their appreciation for her new hair style by liking and commenting on the snap. They told her they were 'obsessed' with her new look and told her it looked 'so pretty', as they gushed over the vibrant pink colour. Family snap: The daughter of Gordon Ramsay previously sported a head of glossy brunette locks (pictured in January 2019) She's pink! The 19-year-old captioned the first series of snaps: 'She's pink! @grahamnation thank you thank you thank you', as she credited her hairdresser for her new look Following the first string of pictures, Holly treated her followers to another new picture as she posed wearing a slogan T-shirt in her dad's kitchen. Holly's new hair comes as her parents Gordon and Tana welcomed their fifth child together, a little boy named Oscar James on, on Thursday afternoon. Gordon announced the news with an adorable baby snap of himself and Tana holding the newborn, which he posted on Instagram. Baby joy! Holly's new hair comes as her parents Gordon and Tana welcomed their fifth child together, a little boy named Oscar James on, on Thursday afternoon Alongside the image, he penned: 'After 3 baftas and one Emmy... finally we have won an Oscar, please welcome Oscar James Ramsay, who touched down at 12:58 today for some lunch ! Xxx.' The news comes just three months after Tana confirmed her pregnancy. The 44-year old broke the news in a celebratory Instagram video posted from the family home in south London on New Year's Day. Tana, already a parent to children Megan, 21, Matilda, 17, and fraternal twins Jack and Holly, with the celebrity chef. Anya Taylor-Joy has hit back at claims she's 'difficult' due to her outspoken nature, as she graced the cover of Marie Claire magazine for their May issue. The Hollywood star, 22, told the publication she's 'not a d**k' because she's never been afraid to speak out about her painful experiences in the film industry, after rising to fame with a starring role in The Witch. In the candid chat, Anya also spoke about her tomboy dress sense despite regularly sporting glamorous red carpet gowns, and taking over the role of Emma from Oscar-winner Gwyneth Paltow. Defiant: Anya Taylor-Joy has hit back at claims she's 'difficult' due to her outspoken nature, as she graced the cover of Marie Claire magazine for their May issue Anya told the publication she's always been open about her painful experiences in the film industry, but insists that being 'difficult' should not be a bad thing. She explained: 'It's not all been smooth sailing, but the uncomfortable or painful experiences I've had have shaped me to be someone who is starting to understand their worth. 'You have to set your own boundaries, and I think we're coming into a [time] where women feel more comfortable finding that voice. 'It's fun to be difficult sometimes. And, by the way, being difficult does not mean being a d**k, it means saying, 'I'm sorry, I'm not comfortable with this, so I will not be doing it''.' Feisty: The Hollywood star, 22, told the publication she's 'not a d**k' because she's never been afraid to speak out about her painful experiences in the film industry Glamorous: She said: 'You have to set your own boundaries, and I think we're coming into a [time] where women feel more comfortable finding that voice' Feisty: Anya then admitted she's never had an issue with being defined as 'weird,' confessing throughout her childhood people repeatedly said that she was less than normal On the idea that she is 'difficult,' Anya added: 'I don't think I'm a difficult person. I'm very easy to work with and I work hard. I'm kind to people, but don't b******t me because I will call you out on it. 'I just read this incredible book called In Praise Of Difficult Women by Karen Karbo [about how] the term ''difficult'' has been used to brand women when really they just know what they want.' Anya then admitted she's never had an issue with being defined as 'weird,' confessing throughout her childhood people repeatedly said that she was less than normal. 'I'm quite ''extra'' as a person. I spent so much of my childhood trying to be normal and dampen down all [my] craziness,' she said. Fashion star: Anya first rose to fame in a 2016 as a star of the period horror The Witch, but has since revealed she also landed several stints as a model Vintage: Her shoot with Marie Claire oozed rustic chic, as she posed in a slew of looks adorned with lace and ruffles Quirky: 'I'm quite ''extra'' as a person. I spent so much of my childhood trying to be normal and dampen down all [my] craziness,' she said 'Then, last year, I just thought, ''I'm done.'' I'm gonna be myself and do weird things with my hands and sing at inappropriate moments. 'The other day my sister said, ''You do realise that since you've stopped trying to be normal, you've actually become normal, because you're not behaving in the way you think you should behave.'' Anya first rose to fame in a 2016 as a star of the period horror The Witch, but has since revealed she also landed several stints as a model. Big part: Anya's next big role is set to be as the literary icon Emma in another adaptation of the classic Jane Austen novel Screen siren: But the star admitted she's nervously excited about the prospect of landing such an iconic role, as it was previously played by Gwyneth Paltrow Recalling the moment she was scouted by Sarah Doukas, who also discovered Kate Moss, she said: 'From the second I walked into Storm, I thought, ''I want to be an actor.'' I didn't think I could be a model. 'I grew up as a tomboy and never saw myself as pretty. I met [Downton Abbey star] Allen Leech on my third ever [modelling] job and he took my name and number. 'A couple of weeks later, I got a call from his (and my now) agent. Allen jokes that he should be getting commission from all my movies. I'm like, 'Dude, you're not wrong!' To read the feature in full, see the May issue of Marie Claire, out today Anya's next big role is set to be as the literary icon Emma in another adaptation of the classic Jane Austen novel. But the star admitted she's nervously excited about the prospect of landing such an iconic role, as it was previously played by Gwyneth Paltrow. She said: 'No. I want my own Emma. I'm quite excited to bring a more eccentric version to the screen. I'd like to create a very real person with very real insecurities. 'That's not a comment on Gwyneth's performance, because I haven't seen the film. It says a lot about the character that Austen says [at the beginning of the book] that she's written a character who nobody other than her will like. I love that.' To read the feature in full, see the May issue of Marie Claire, out today. She has been a hit from the moment she took to the airwaves as a breakfast host on Heart radio. And Kelly Brook nodded to brighter springtime weather with her choice of outfit on Thursday morning in the capital. The presenter, 39, looked sensational as she slipped her famous curves into a silky lemon yellow slip skirt which she paired with a chunky black roll neck jumper. Glowing: Kelly Brook, 39, looked like she was ready to for spring as she nodded to brighter weather with her choice of outfit on Thursday morning in the capital. Keeping it chic, she paired the look with bright white trainers and shielded her eyes in a pair of large statement sunglasses by Versace. The brunette star slung a small quilted box bag across her body as she smiled upon entering her workplace. Kelly showed off her heart-shaped face by pulling her hair into a sleek low ponytail and adorned her ears with gold hoop earrings. Fashion-forward: The beauty looked sensational as she slipped her famous curves into a silky lemon yellow slip skirt which she paired with a chunky black roll neck jumper The appearance comes shortly after she celebrated her four year anniversary with her beau Jeremy Parisi, a French-Italian martial arts instructor. The lovebirds celebrated their anniversary with drinking Aperol Spritz during their recent sojourn in Portugal. In the past, Kelly revealed she that she initially feared she was being 'catfished' by the hunk until they came face-to-face in real life. Speaking as she co-hosted Heart Drivetime, the radio presenter said: 'I met him on Instagram! It's the way forward. I saw a video of him and I thought, "Oh I wonder if hes on Instagram". Stunning: The personality paired the look with box fresh white trainers and shielded her eyes in a pair of large statement sunglasses by Versace Going strong: The radio host recently celebrated her four year anniversary with her beau Jeremy Parisi, a French-Italian martial arts instructor 'Obviously he was, as everyone is, and I started following him and I saw he followed me back, so I just slipped in to the DMs and I was like, "Ohhh thank you for the follow".' Kelly reportedly 'proved seriously popular' when she made her debut on the radio airwaves at the end of 2018. She recently said that life is more settled now that she has a permanent job and steady boyfriend. Eva Longoria touched down in Toronto on Thursday to get back to work on directing the upcoming pilot Glamorous. The 44-year-old busy mom was spotted with her adorable nine-month-old son Santiago at the airport. Longoria looked as comfortable as ever in her travel clothes that consisted of a matching black velour sweatsuit and a thick black scarf. Momma's boy! Eva Longoria was spotted looking casual as she touched down in Toronto, Canada on Thursday with her nine-month-old son Santiago The Desperate Housewives star rocked a pair of aviator sunglasses over a bare face and had her chestnut locks swept back in a messy bun. Eva carried her baby body in her arms, who was dressed in a blue and grey onesie with whales printed on it. The proud mama managed to take a minute for some much needed snuggles with her little one. She was spotted getting Santi, as he is affectionately called, to giggle by holding him up in the air and planting a big kiss on his face. Snuggles! The 44-year-old stopped for some much needed snuggles with her little one befor heading back to work on her latest project Working mom: Eva has been in Toronto frequently as she makes her directorial debut on the pilot for the drama Glamorous starring Brooke Shields Santiago has been his A-list moms sidekick as she makes her directorial debut on the one hour drama Glamorous. Glamorous stars actress Brooke Shields and Peyton List, with Damon Wayans Jr. serving as executive producer alongside Jordon Nardino. Eva was back on the west coast this week for a brief visit to promote her newest acting gig. La La Land: Longoria praised the 'blue skies' and said she missed the sun as she touched down in Los Angeles for a brief trip Jet setter: The actress was off again shortly after to Las Vegas with Eugenio Derbez New flick: The pair were headed to CinemaCon to promote Dora and the Lost City of Gold The star shared a quick social media video to her millions of followers as she touched down in Los Angeles, praising the sunshine. Longoria then jetted off to Las Vegas for CinemaCon to promote Dora and the Lost City of Gold. She shared a few fun selfie videos with co-star Eugenio Derbez as they boarded a plane to Sin City. BTS: Eva pulled back the curtain on social media about what it is really like to go to a red carpet event as an A-lister and it's not as glamorous as one would think Hysterical: The star revealed that she was laying flat in the back seat as to not wrinkle her pants before being photographed Later, Eva gave a hysterical look at what it is like behind the scenes for stars on their way to red carpet events. With pins in her hair, the Texas born beauty was laid supine in the backseat of an SUV in a very awkward position in an attempt not to wrinkle her pants. From the backseat her good friend and famed hair stylist Ken Paves admonished her for wrinkling her hair instead. Not having it: From the backseat her good friend and famed hair stylist Ken Paves admonished her for wrinkling her hair instead Good fun: Eva took the razzing from her team with a grain of salt and a laugh Eva playfully rolled her eyes and was then scolded by another member of her team about her makeup. The poor thing seemed to be in quite the pickle in an effort to maintain the integrity of the look her glamsquad put together but took it all in good fun. Paramount Pictures recently released the first trailer for Dora and the Lost City of Gold, a live-action adaptation of the hit animated series Dora the Explorer. Coming soon! Paramount Pictures recently released the first trailer for Dora and the Lost City of Gold, a live-action adaptation of the hit animated series Dora the Explorer The cast! Stars Isabela Moner (Dora), Michael Pena (Dora's Father), Eva Longoria (Dora's mother) and Eugenio Derbez (Alejandro Guttierez) star in the film Stars Isabela Moner (Dora), Michael Pena (Dora's Father), Eva Longoria (Dora's mother) and Eugenio Derbez (Alejandro Guttierez) are all starring in the live-action film. It was also announced that Danny Trejo will provide the voice of Dora's best friend, a monkey named Boots. Dora and the Lost City of Gold premieres August 2. They recently took the next step in their relationship by moving out of his parents' house and into their new home in February. And Camilla Thurlow, 29, and Jamie Jewitt, 28, looked the epitome of happiness as they took to the red carpet for Netflix's Our Planet at the Natural History Museum in London on Thursday. Despite being windswept, the couple giggled together as they posed for snaps outside the venue. Loved-up: Camilla Thurlow, 29, and Jamie Jewitt, 28, looked the epitome of happiness as they took to the red carpet for Netflix's Our Planet at the Natural History Museum on Thursday Camilla, who met her boyfriend on the 2017 series of Love Island, selected a lavender dress for the evening that featured a cupped bodice that framed her enviable assets and flashed her pins below the dipped hem. Boosting her height, she selected a pair of silver heeled sandals with large embellishments that danced down her feet. Adding more glitz to her ensemble, the humanitarian adorned her hair with a diamante headband. She get her brunette tresses styled in a straight style and enhanced her natural beauty with perfectly applied make-up. Cute: Camilla selected a lavender dress for the evening that featured a cupped bodice that framed her enviable assets and flashed her pins below the dipped hem Statuesque Jamie kept it classic in a black suit with a white crisp shirt and a dapper bow-tie. The couple were in fantastic company at the premier which is being attended by Ellie Goulding, David Beckham and Prince William and Harry. Our Planet, available on streaming service Netflix from April 5, is an eight-part wildlife documentary series which follows on from the success of Blue Planet and Planet Earth. National treasure Sir David Attenborough revealed the documentary series addresses important issues facing nature conservation which urges people to consider the balance between humans and nature. Bling: Adding more glitz to her ensemble, the humanitarian adorned her hair with a diamante headband Camilla recently shared an offering on Instagram showing her beaming with delight as her beau lovingly carried her in his arms while they settled into their fresh abode. Appearing in high spirits, Camilla captioned the image: 'And we are in! Having such a fun day with @jamiejewitt_ picking up the keys for the house we have found to rent! 'Cant wait to get it all sorted and move in properly with our two little puppies Audrey and Gus', she added. Meanwhile, the former Miss Edinburgh's new documentary What Camilla Did Next gave fans a peek at her busy life as she balanced her romance with Jamie, celebrity status and hard work abroad. She was the star of one of the most popular reality shows on TV but Camilla returned to her humanitarian roots on the show as she visited Cambodia to revisit her previous career in mine disposal with the HALO trust. Meanwhile, Camilla hinted at wedding bells with her Love Island co-star as she revealed the secret to their 'lucky' long-lasting romance. In a recent interview with MailOnline, the TV personality said: 'We havent said if it's on or off the cards so were just seeing how were getting on. Well see whats happening. Camilla added that she and Jamie love hearing about other Love Island marriages after series two runners up Olivia Buckland and Alex Bowen tied the knot in September, followed by Jess Shears and Dom Lever from her season in October. Future plans: The star recently hinted at wedding bells with her Love Island co-star as she revealed the secret to their 'lucky' long-lasting romance She said: 'Its about being in the right place at the right time.' Camilla was initially unlucky-in-love during her stint on Love Island, but things turned around towards the end of the series when she met former Calvin Klein hunk Jamie, with the pair finishing in second place behind Amber Davies and Kem Cetinay. The brunette beauty admitted she feels very lucky to have met her long-term love on the show. She told MailOnline: 'We were quite fortunate in that we met and had this amazing time on the show which was three weeks from the end, so we had this incredible experience on Love Island. I was just really lucky. Incendie a l'hopital de district de Kumba Archives The Director of the Kumba District Hospital, Dr. Sandrine Emmanuelle Mve Biwole has in a communique announced the functioning of the hospitals theatres, both minor and major after the arson attack that burnt the theatres and other segments of the hospital to ashes. The Director of the Kumba District Hospital wishes to announce to the public that the District Hospital Kumba is still functioning despite the destructive fire incident. The hospital is therefore happy to inform the public that the operating theatre (minor and major) will be operational next week, the communique read in part. The communique dated March 14, also disclosed that the first caesarean operation (C/S) was carried out successfully at the maternity theatre. Also, we wish to inform our patients in the communities that the theatre of the maternity is already operational and the first C/S was done on the 13th of March, 2019 successfully, Dr. Sandrine Emmanuelle Mve Biwole said in a statement. The Director through the radio announcement further assured the population of Kumba and beyond that the hospital will continue to provide quality health care. It should be recalled that the Kumba District Hospital was attacked by unidentified armed men on the night of Sunday February 10, 2019. They would later burn portions of the medical facility including the theatre, nurses quarters, male and female surgical wards, and gen room. It equally led to four deaths and the destruction of vehicles. A video circulating on social media revealed how patients and health practitioners were left stranded. The United States embassy in Yaounde in a statement condemned as atrocious the arson on the hospital. They wrote: The United States condemns the arson attack on Kumba District Hospital, in South West Region. The fire is reported to have resulted in the deaths of several patients and caused considerable damage during the early morning hours of February 11. We express our deepest condolences to the victims families and our admiration for the courageous medical staff. We call on the Cameroonian government to conduct a transparent investigation into this crime, to ensure the courts hold the perpetrators accountable, and to make the Cameroonian people aware of its findings. We urge both sides in the Northwest and Southwest Regions of Cameroon to allow unfettered access to humanitarian and healthcare workers, and never to attack hospitals or health centers. We appeal to both sides of the Anglophone conflict to forswear further violence and enter into a broad-based dialogue without pre-conditions. Taraji P. Henson has revealed that Jussie Smollett will return to their Fox series Empire after his much talked about controversy. The 48-year-old actress appeared on The View on Thursday as she made the revelation about her 36-year-old co-star's future on the drama. She was asked by host Joy Behar if Smollett is still going to be on the show to which Taraji replied: 'Yes, I haven't heard anything else. I haven't heard anything.' Scroll down for video Interesting: Taraji P. Henson has revealed that Jussie Smollett will return to their Fox series Empire after his much talked about controversy Revelation: The 48-year-old actress appeared on The View on Thursday as she made the revelation about her 36-year-old co-star's future on the drama The Oscar-nominated actress reveals that she still consistently talks to her on-screen son despite his much-talked about brouhaha. Taraji said: 'Yeah I talk to Jussie all the time. He's doing well, we are all doing well, the show is doing well. 'We are on hiatus right now, the writers are trying to figure out what the next season is going to look like, what our storyline is going to be. They are trying to drum up some really good juicy stuff for you guys so that's where we are right now.' Reveal: She was asked by host Joy Behar if Smollett is still going to be on the show to which Taraji replied: 'Yes, I haven't heard anything else. I haven't heard anything' 'He's doing well': The Oscar-nominated actress reveals that she still consistently talks to her on-screen son despite his much-talked about brouhaha It is interesting for Henson to talk about the future of the show as the show has yet to be officially renewed for a sixth season. It seems as controversy does not always create buzz as just last week Empire ratings dropped to an all time low after fans boycotted it due to the outrage. Last Wednesday, 3.97million viewers tuned in to watch the 20th Century Fox show, the lowest in its history. Glitz and glamour: It is interesting for Henson to talk about the future of the show as the show has yet to be officially renewed for a sixth season Ouch: Last Wednesday, 3.97million viewers tuned in to watch the 20th Century Fox show, the lowest in its history The show returned to TV after a mid-season hiatus on March 13 but the scandal has done nothing to boost its ratings. In February it was announced that Smollett's character had been cut from the final two episodes of its fifth season which were being filmed at the time. They are currently on hiatus. Last week a felony case accusing Smollett of staging the hoax hate crime was dropped last Tuesday. Moving on? Last week a felony case accusing Smollett of staging the hoax hate crime was dropped last Tuesday, he is pictured at court in Chicago last month The actor walked out of court a free man after secretly completing 16 hours of community service and forfeiting $10,000 in bond. The Illinois Assistant State's Attorney's sudden decision not to pursue charges was met with widespread condemnation from critics including the furious Chicago police chief and Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who believe Smollett should be punished for his alleged lies. Showing off: Taraji wore two different outfits while arriving for and leaving the television appearance Strike a pose: The stunner proudly posed for photographers and her fans on the outing Vibes: She rocked a stylish patterned monochrome minidress Proud: She proudly opened up her trench coat to show off her leopard print lining Stunning: Taraji's locks were worn down into waves which hung down just above her shoulders Star: She happily waved to fans on the outing They rarely make public appearances together. Yet Konnie Huq and her husband Charlie Brooker enjoyed a date night at the London premiere of David Attenborough's latest project Netflix's Our Planet. The former Blue Peter star, 43, and Black Mirror creator, 48, appeared in good spirits as they cosied up on the red carpet. Date night: Konnie Huq and her husband Charlie Brooker enjoyed a date night at the London premiere of David Attenborough's latest project Netflix's Our Planet Konnie cut a glamorous figure in a grey linen top with a gold sequinned butterfly on it, she teamed the item of clothing with a pair of black trousers. The presenter accessorised her ensemble with a detailed gold arm cuff, dangly earrings and platform heels. Konnie styled her raven locks into a sleek blow-dried hairdo, which she swept to one side and she added a slick of make-up. Meanwhile, Charlie looked dapper in a tailored grey suit, white shirt and a black tie for the star-studded event. Smitten: The former Blue Peter star, 43, and Black Mirror creator, 48, appeared in good spirits as they cosied up on the red carpet Loved-up: Konnie cut a glamorous figure in a grey linen top with a gold sequinned butterfly on it, she teamed the item of clothing with a pair of black trousers Also attending the premiere were David Attenborough, the Prince of Wales and his sons William and Harry. Konnie became a firm on-screen favourite when she appeared as a Blue Peter presenter between December 1997 and January 2008. She married Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker in 2010 after nine months of dating. They are now parents to sons Covey, seven, and Huxley, five, - and Charlie recently paid tribute to the TV star and their children, revealing how his whirlwind romance and becoming a parent changed him for the better. Power couple: Meanwhile, Charlie looked dapper in a tailored grey suit, white shirt and a black tie for the star-studded event Star-studded: Also attending the premiere were David Attenborough, the Prince of Wales and his sons William and Harry The writer told BBC4's Desert Island Discs that marrying Konnie in a Las Vegas ceremony and deciding to become a father were 'the best decisions' he ever made. Of the loved-up pair's marriage he said: 'That was absolutely the right time. It was weird because, for years, I'd not known if I'd wanted kids or a family... 'That seemed like something that other people did, I couldn't perceive of that as a future. Family: She married Black Mirror creator Charlie in 2010 after nine months of dating, they are now parents to sons Covey, seven, and Huxley, five (pictured recently at the Missing Link screening) 'And then Konnie came along and quite early on she said "I want kids and a family" and this sort of thing, and I heard myself going "OK", and sort of thought, "Oh, right, why have I said that?" 'It was the best decision I ever made.' Our Planet has been produced by the team behind the BBC nature series Planet Earth and will feature eight parts. It will be available on Netflix on Friday. Catherine Tyldesley, 35, looked content as she stepped out for a date night with her personal trainer husband Tom Pitfield, 32, on Thursday evening. The former-Coronation Street starlet glided along, hand-in-hand with Tom, as they enjoyed a night off from caring for their four-year-old son, Alfie. She wore a satin wraparound dress, adorned with a leafy floral pattern. Gliding along: Catherine Tyldesley, 35, looked content as she stepped out for a date night with her personal trainer husband Tom Pitfield, 32, on Thursday evening The cream dress featured puffed sleeves and was nipped in at the waist. She offset the look with a salmon purse and matching heels. She wore her brunette locks loosely around her shoulders and wore a neutral palette of make-up on her complexion, slicking a nude gloss on her lips and sweeping a smokey bronze shade above her eyes. Serene: She wore a satin wraparound dress, adorned with a leafy floral pattern. The cream dress featured puffed sleeves and was nipped in at the waist Tom wore an open collar shirt, smart jeans, a blazer and brown loafers for the night out in Manchester. The couple celebrated Alfie's fourth birthday recently, and Catherine revealed why she 'never takes chances' with her health now she's a mother. The actor admitted she 'needs to ensure she's on the planet for as long as possible' to be there for her little boy in a chat with MailOnline. Health: Catherine reealed why she 'never takes chances' with her health now she's a mother to son Alfie, four She said: 'It's no longer just about me. I need to ensure that I am on this planet for as long as possible. 'I've always been quite in tune with my body but certainly since Alfie arrived I have got so much to live for. 'And I want to make sure I am in the best health I can be and have loads of energy because he's just an absolute fountain of energy. It's a lot of coffee!' The actress, who is supporting the charity Ovacome during Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, said being in 'the best health' often means learning to trust your own instincts when it comes to your body. Motherhood: The former Coronation Street star, four, admitted she 'needs to ensure she's on the planet for as long as possible' to be there for her little boy (pictured in March 2017) She said: 'We had a family friend. She had ovarian cancer in her family and the doctors kept saying to her "Oh you're fine it's probably just IBS." 'By the time they actually listened to her it was too late' After the death of her friend, Catherine says she's never taken any chances with her own health checks. And when she faced a health scare of her own a couple of years ago over a troublesome smear test, she didn't hesitate to seek a second medical opinion. 'Basically I knew something wasn't right. My doctor was like, "Oh you're fine you're not due for another smear test" but it was really niggling me. And I thought "Do you know what? For the sake of 120 I am going to go private." She said: 'It's no longer just about me. I need to ensure that I am on this planet for as long as possible' (pictured with Alfie as a baby and husband Tom Pitfield) 'I was fortunate enough to be able to afford to do that. I've said to my girlfriends if you've got a spare 120 lying around try to go once a year as opposed to once every three years. That new pair of shoes can wait. 'Its very hard to diagnose ovarian cancer so its even more important to be aware of the signs. I'm adamant with things like that. We know our bodies better than anybody.' And the actress, who is the star of new Channel 5 drama 15 Days, also revealed she is 'very active' with Alfie, and tries her best to eat healthily at home. She said: 'I love to bake and I find it really therapeutic. We try to do healthy versions of different cake which is really cool. Smile: The actress said being in 'the best health' often means learning to trust your own instincts when it comes to your body Family affair: And the actress, who is the star of new Channel 5 drama 15 Days, also revealed she is 'very active' with Alfie, and tries her best to eat healthily at home 'The boys love it and obviously I'm getting extra veg into Alfie. There's no refined sugars in there. It's still a treat. There's still natural sugar in there but they love it. 'I do a lot of my own recipes. I like to switch off by just experimenting in the kitchen. Sometimes it goes really wrong and sometimes we hit gold.' She added: 'We love to do a lot of walking and we're very active with Alfie. We love the Lake District but if we want somewhere a bit closer we head up to Rivington in Lancashire. It's our go-to.' Catherine, who has created a charity dress for Ovacome, said she hopes to get rid of the 'ridiculous stigma' and embarrassment around women getting their ovaries checked. Taking time off: Catherine has been focusing on herself and her family - including toddler son Alife - since she decided to leave Coronation Street last year She said: 'I think women are often very embarrassed to even talk things like having your ovaries checked. I really want to get rid of that ridiculous stigma. 'I think its really important to listen to your body and not to be embarrassed. We've all got these bits and pieces. All women have the same thing. The doctor has seen things a million times. 'It's about totally getting rid of that embarrassment for people.' Catherine has been focusing on herself and her family - including toddler son Alfie - since she decided to leave Coronation Street last year. Travel plans: The star recently laid out her plans to travel as a family with her husband and her young son While she admitted she may make a return to the cobbles, the star recently laid out her plans to travel as a family with her husband and her young son. She told Manchester Evening News: 'The timing seemed right. My son Alfie doesnt start at school for another two years so as a family we wanted the chance to travel. 'I have relatives in Australia, but we didnt want to go for just a couple of weeks, wed like to go over there and spend six weeks or more over there and then visit as many countries as possible. 'Tom and I had always talked about travelling and we are keen for Alfie to visit different cultures.' She added: 'In between there will hopefully be some exciting projects for me as well.' If you are concerned about ovarian cancer, contact Ovacomes Freephone support line on 0800 008 7054, or contact www.ovacome.org.uk She recently revealed her secret heartache that she hosted The One Show just one hour after discovering she had a miscarriage back in 2017. And pregnant Alex Jones was all smiles as she displayed her blossoming baby bump after arriving at the BBC studios to film the topical programme on Thursday. The mum-to-be, 42, looked radiant in a chic mustard coat, layered over a black, white and yellow patterned dress which perfectly hugged her growing curves. Glowing: Alex Jones, 42, was all smiles as she displayed her blossoming baby bump after arriving at the BBC studios to film The One Show on Thursday Alex, who is mum to two-year-old son Teddy with husband Charlie Thompson, added a pair of black tights and black ankle boots to her stylish look. The star accessorised with a black embellished handbag, which she had slung over her shoulder as she made her way into the building to commence filming. Former Strictly Come Dancing contestant Alex left her brunette tresses loose on her shoulders, while she emphasised her features with subtle make-up. Alex appeared in a cheery mood as she beamed to the camera ahead of joining co-star Matt Baker in the studio. The presenter's appearance comes just days after she revealed she hosted The One Show just one hours after learning she suffered a devastating miscarriage back in 2017. Blossoming: The mum-to-be looked radiant in a chic mustard coat, layered over a black, white and yellow patterned dress which perfectly hugged her growing curves Chic: Alex, who is mum to two-year-old son Teddy with husband Charlie Thompson, added a pair of black tights and black ankle boots to her stylish look She opened up to The Telegraph where she recalled that she learnt she was pregnant in New Zealand two years ago, but was later told the baby 'stopped developing' as she underwent a private ultrasound scan after returning to the UK. The Welsh host, who is currently seven months pregnant with her second child, said: 'The baby had stopped developing at about nine weeks. That was really hard. It hit us like a ton of bricks.' The BBC star elaborated: 'We learnt the baby didn't have a heartbeat. I was around 14 weeks, which is a decent amount of time. 'It's really odd. You're in that room looking for answers that you're never going to get. You're thinking, Have I done something wrong? What did I do differently? Was it because we flew a long way? Was I too stressed? Was I putting too much pressure on myself?' At work: The star accessorised with a black embellished handbag, which she had slung over her shoulder as she made her way into the building to commence filming Brave: The presenter's appearance comes just days after she revealed she hosted The One Show just one hours after learning she suffered a devastating miscarriage back in 2017 Alex recalled that she told her boss, who told her to take time off but she insisted on going back on air that evening. She added: 'I said, "What else am I going to do?" It's a horrible feeling because it is so empty. There's nothing to say. It's done.' Six months after her miscarriage, the Welsh presenter fell pregnant again but she admitted she 'couldn't enjoy' it for a long time and hasn't been able to 'relax' in case something goes wrong again. He revealed earlier this year that he cheated on his ex-wife Una Healy during their six-year marriage. And Ben Foden has now reportedly moved on with another Irish beauty, Miriam Murphy, even 'flying her over to New York', where he is currently based with Rugby United. It has been claimed that the rugby player, 33, and the glamorous gymgoer 'have grown very close' after meeting through mutual friends. Moving on: Ben Foden has now reportedly moved on with another Irish beauty, Miriam Murphy, even 'flying her over to New York', where he is currently based with Rugby United A source told The Sun: 'They have been able to get to know each other in New York away from prying eyes and have enjoyed going to bars, playing beer pong and doing workouts together at the gym. 'Miriam even cheered Ben on at one of his rugby matches. 'Ben has always said he wanted to have a bit of fun after his divorce and hes definitely been doing that in New York.' Split: It has been claimed that the rugby player, 33, and the glamorous gymgoer 'have grown very close' after meeting through mutual friends following his split from wife Una Healy (pictured together in 2017) Ben's representative declined to comment to MailOnline when approached for comment. Meanwhile, Ben's ex Una Healy has moved on from the breakdown of their marriage and is currently loved-up with her new boyfriend, Irish hurler, David Breen, 33. The reports come after the release of her latest single Strangers, in which she appears to hit out at her former husband. In the ballad, the Irish beauty sings: 'You made me feel like I was going crazy, believing all those lies that you fed me. New man: Meanwhile, Ben's ex Una Healy has moved on from the breakdown of their marriage and is currently loved-up with her new boyfriend, Irish hurler, David Breen, 33 'Every word you said to me was empty, broken every promise that you made me, no we cant save this.' She continued: 'Did I ever really get to know you, did you really care for me like youre supposed to. 'So save your breath, theres nothing left worth keeping anyway, we are so much better off, to go our separate ways.' Amid the track's release, Una told her followers on Instagram: 'This is the most honest track Ive ever written and I really hope you all enjoy.' Following the split, Rugby play Ben, who now lives alone on America's east coast, insisted he isn't entirely to blame for the end of their marriage. Cryptic lyrics?: The reports come after the release of her latest single Strangers, in which she appears to hit out at her former husband Anger: In the ballad, the Irish beauty sings: 'You made me feel like I was going crazy, believing all those lies that you fed me.' (pictured in May 2018) He told The Guardian: 'At the moment anything thats published about me is never very good and pretty rightly so because I was the one who committed adultery. 'At the same time, it wasnt the only reason for our divorce to go through. Its not ideal, but were very amicable, were getting through it, were not the first people in the world to get divorced. Weve got two little kids we adore.' However, Ben confessed one of the big drawbacks of being in the United States was being away from his children daughter Aoife, seven, and four-year old son Tadhg. He said: 'Its hard because Im away from my son and daughter. But I know theyre in a great and loving environment with Una, because shes a great mum. We never argue about that.' Liv Phyland was apparently caught sending photos of engagement rings to her 'boyfriend' at a Tiffany & Co event in Sydney on Thursday night. The Loop host, who was recently linked to Bondi Vet star Dr Chris Brown, was seen 'excitedly' taking snaps of the diamonds, according to several onlookers. A source told Daily Mail Australia that Liv, 28, said to a friend at the store opening: 'I'm not engaged but I'm still sending photos of rings to my boyfriend!' Something to tell us? Liv Phyland (pictured) was apparently caught sending photos of engagement rings to her 'boyfriend' at a Tiffany & Co event in Sydney on Thursday night A spokesperson downplayed the accounts, however, insisting that Liv was simply enjoying a night out with her friends. They said: 'Liv was having a beautiful time with her girlfriends, loving taking photos of much of the jewellery on display and that's about it.' It comes after the blonde was romantically linked to Dr Chris, 40, last November, following his split from Channel Nine producer Kendall Bora. Hmm! Liv, who was recently linked to Bondi Vet star Dr Chris Brown (pictured together), was seen 'excitedly' taking snaps of the diamonds, according to several onlookers Despite being photographed on several dates together, neither Chris nor Liv ever publicly confirmed their romance. Liv was recently forced to shut down bizarre rumours they had 'secretly married' in South Africa over the summer. 'No, I'm not married,' she told The Daily Telegraph in February. Rumour has it! A source told Daily Mail Australia that Liv, 28, said to a friend at the Tiffany & Co. store opening: 'I'm not engaged but I'm still sending photos of rings to my boyfriend!' Chris, who has long been called 'TV's most eligible bachelor', recently said that his travel and work schedule makes it difficult to find a long-term partner. Speaking to Stellar magazine earlier this year, he hinted that he was back on the market following his fling with Liv. 'I am looking for The One,' he said. 'I don't want to be this person with a history of short to medium length relationships.' 'I've probably prioritised work more than I potentially should have over the past 10 years to the detriment of my personal life.' Advertisement She has been enjoying a lavish beach vacation in Mexico. And Behati Prinsloo didn't look like she was leaving any time soon as she sauntered across the sand in Cabo San Lucas again on Thursday. The 30-year-old model flaunted her her incredible figure in a tiny bikini while outside her villa. Beach daze: Behati Prinsloo looked like she was enjoying her holiday as she sauntered across the sand in Cabo San Lucas again on Thursday Behati opted for a mismatched two-piece swimsuit made up of a leather thong and a black bandeau-style top. The Namibian model kept sun protection in mind as she covered her head with a large straw hat and shaded her eyes with dark sunglasses. She donned a long gold necklace and her recently pink-dyed locks tumbled in sea-filled waves across her shoulders. Catching some shade: The 30-year-old model flaunted her her incredible figure in a tiny bikini while stepping out of her villa It was a solo trip onto the beach for for Behati as she did not look to be accompanied by her husband Adam Levine, 40, and her children weren't anywhere in sight. On Tuesday, the couple were spotted at enjoying the sunshine at the villa with Channing Tatum. The Victoria's Secret Angel doesn't seem ready to leave her vacation paradise anytime soon as evidenced by a photo she shared to her Instagram Stories. 'Not kidding. Never Leaving,' she wrote across a picture of herself lying in a leopard-print bikini top. Sun drenched: Behati opted for a mismatched two-piece swimsuit made up of a leather thong and a black bandeau-style top Despite the solo beach trek, Behati might be looking to add another member to her and Adam's family. Last month, the model revealed she was open to having a third child, after welcoming their second daughter just a year ago Asked in an interview with People if she wanted to give daughters Dusty Rose, two, and Gio Grace, one, another sibling, she replied: 'I think so. It's not out of the question.' 'I grew up an only child, so I always wanted a big family,' she explained. As successful actresses and producers, they're three of the smartest players in Hollywood. And Charlize Theron, Halle Berry and Eva Longoria showed they've got beauty to match their brains on Thursday, when the three multi-hyphenates hit the red carpet at CinemaCon in Las Vegas. Academy Award winner Theron took the plunge in an orange mini-dress that showed off her cleavage and legs. Flawless: [L-R] Charlize Theron, Halle Berry and Eva Longoria showed they've got beauty to match their brains on Thursday, when the three multi-hyphenates hit the red carpet at CinemaCon in Las Vegas The statuesque Monster star added inches to her frame with a pair of black heels and her tresses had been lopped into a bob and dyed black. Her impeccably manicured fingers and toenails all bore matte white nail polish. The mother-of-two has a busy 2019 ahead of her, with movies Long Shot, The Addams Family, and her Untitled Roger Ailes Project all slated for release. Orange you glad you came? Academy Award winner Theron took the plunge in an orange mini-dress that showed off her cleavage and legs. Fellow Oscar winning actress Halle Berry also turned plenty of heads on the red carpet. The 52-year-old X-Men star shone in a silver dress that showed off the starlet's perfect pins. Halle continued the theme with a pair of silver Stella Luna pumps on her feet. Co-stars: Long Shot actors Seth Rogen and Theron paired up to promote their forthcoming comedy All that glitters: Fellow Oscar winner Halle Berry also turned plenty of heads on the red carpet with her silver dress and Stella Luna shoes, which she accessorized with Vita Fede rings And 44-year-old Desperate Housewives alum Eva Longoria was a vision in blue at the all star promotional event. The actress, who only gave birth to her first child in June last year, boasted a flawless figure in a royal blue blouse with matching pants. Eva will next appear in the highly-anticipated Dora and the Lost City Of Gold as Dora The Explorer's mom Elena. Hi there! And 44-year-old Desperate Housewives alum Eva Longoria was a vision in blue at the all star promotional event Mother and (on-screen) daughter: Dora stars Isabela Moner and Longoria joined forces at the event White on! Halloween star and horror icon Jamie Lee Curtis donned radiant white for the event They're back! Terminator 2 stars Linda Hamilton and Arnold Schwarzenegger reunited on stage to promote Terminator: Dark Fate Dapper gent: John Cena looked dapper in his vest and tie as he graced the stage Pretty as a petal: Olivia Wilde dared to impress in a floral jacket and matching pants Stunner: Elizabeth Banks rocked a cold-shoulder top bursting with ruffles Heavy metal: Halle Berry sparkled in a silver metallic wrap dress Frustrated teachers and public sector workers will walk off the job in Hobart and Launceston amid a worsening wages dispute with the state government. Unions expect thousands of public staff to take part in stop-work meetings on Wednesday. The two-day strikes began in the northwest on Tuesday, where teachers left work early and forced more than 30 schools to close. "We understand that it is a disruption for parents, but the parents who take their children into school every day see the work their teachers and support staff are doing," Australian Education Union (AEU) state manager Roz Madsen said. Public bus drivers in the northwest also took industrial action, affecting about 50 services around Burnie. Stop-work meetings will be held in Launceston in the morning and Hobart in the afternoon. About 100 schools are expected to be affected across Tasmania. Public sector workers have been at loggerheads with the Liberal government for the best part of a year over pay and conditions. The AEU Tasmania branch on Monday rejected the government's pay offer of seven per cent over three years. The AEU wants a pay rise of three per cent per year. The government's latest pay offer is 0.25 per cent higher than its previous offer. Tax cuts for low- and middle-income earners would pass parliament with Labor's support but the coalition isn't willing to put them to a vote. Last year's $530 tax offset for low- and middle-income earners has been doubled to $1080 for more than 10 million taxpayers earning up to $126,000 a year. About 4.5 million Australian workers will get the full amount, starting from next year, should the coalition government be returned. Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen has promised to match the tax cuts that begin on July 1 for low and middle income workers, if Labor wins the next election. "This is essentially a copy of what we proposed last year, and they are simply catching up to us," he said on Tuesday night. "But the Liberals are so out of touch that they've given a much smaller tax cut to two million Australians earning less than $40,000. Labor will fix this and give these working people the tax relief they deserve." But Finance Minister Mathias Cormann ruled out negotiating with Labor. "We are just not prepared to haggle with the Senate in the remaining 24 hours," Senator Cormann told reporters. Mr Bowen said the budget was lacking in key areas. "There is no plan for wages, no plan to tackle power prices, no plan to address climate change, and no plan for the future," he said. Labor also said the government's promise to pay off net debt by 2030 was "laughable" because debt had doubled on the coalition's watch. Paul Atanga Nji Minat The Minister of Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji, has presented the first report of the government humanitarian emergency plan, by announcing some 75,000 families have been reached. He was talking during a press briefing in Yaounde, where he revealed that the department of civil protection has made more than 60 trips to the field to distribute material to Internally Displaced Persons. He said the other displaced persons, have been clearly identified and humanitarian assistance would reach them. Minister Atanga Nji further condemned a recent report on human rights violations in the North West and South West regions where the Human Rights Watch(HRW), stated that at least 400,000 persona are displaced because of the unrest in the Anglophone regions. MINAT boss condemned the figure, saying as fake news meant to discredit the sovereignty of Cameroon. His voice against the Human Rights Watch, comes two days after the Minister of Communication, Rene Emmanuel Sadi, condemned the allegations raised by the rights group on human rights violations in the Anglophone regions. However, some Internally Displaced persons in most French speaking towns have been shying award from most government led missions on their status. In some cases, many of them refuse to receive government assistance ,when ever opportunity shows up. Talking to some of them, they expressed fears that government could use the opportunity to spy on them. Millions of Australians are in line for a tax cut regardless of what political party is leading the nation after the upcoming federal election. But Scott Morrison's government is hoping voters will trust them to deliver on the income tax relief promised in its latest federal budget, over Labor leader Bill Shorten. Finance Minister Mathias Cormann says the coalition has the track record required to have won Australians trust. "Do they trust us, who have done it before, to do it should we be successful at the next election?" Senator Cormann told reporters in Canberra on Tuesday. "Or would they trust somebody who has a demonstrated track record of pushing higher taxes to chase ever-higher levels of expenditure?" The government has promised to more than double a tax offset for Australians earning up to $126,000, with a single-income family expected to keep an extra $1000 from tax time this year. It also wants to lower the 32.5 per cent tax rate to 30 per cent from mid-2024. That comes as it is expecting a $7.1 billion surplus at the end of 2019/20, marking a significant boost from its December forecast for a surplus of $4.1 billion. "The budget is back in the black and Australia is back on track," Mr Frydenberg told parliament. The improvement comes as the government is expecting to earn $1.2 billion more in tax revenue than it had forecast in 2018/19, with strong commodity prices helping it to rake in more of company earnings. But things weren't all good news, with the budget paring back expectations for economic and wages growth, while acknowledging challenges facing the nation's economy. Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen said the budget was an "election con" that did not put forward plans to deal with trends such as sluggish wage growth. Labor has also pledged to improve upon the coalition's offering, matching its bigger offset for giving extra relief to lower-income earners. Business groups haven't seen things like the opposition, and are embracing the budget's tax cuts in hopes they will stimulate the slowing economy. They're also pleased with the extra tax relief for small businesses, including raising the threshold of the government's instant asset write-off from $25,000 to $30,000. Tax partner at accounting firm BDO, Mark Molesworth, says the tax plan indicates stability. "The endless changes to the tax system seemed to have stopped here," Mr Molesworth said. Welfare recipients will soon be forced to automatically report their employment incomes, saving the public billions of dollars. Meanwhile, critics have rounded on the federal budget's silence on raising the stubbornly low Newstart rate. In the budget's single biggest savings measure, the government expects to bank $2.1 billion over five years by "simplifying and automating" the social security reporting system. From July 1, people who receive Centrelink payments and are also employed will automatically input their fortnightly income, rather than calculating and reporting their earnings. Government officials expect the measure will "greatly reduce" the likelihood of welfare recipients being overpaid, and subsequently being chased for the money. Another major savings measure is expected to reap $78 million over four years by "better targeting" employment support for refugees. Newly-arrived refugees will only be required to enter into employment services once they have been receiving income support for 12 months, rather than the current requirement of six months. This measure is supposed to allow refugees to focus on settlement and language services during their first year in Australia. Cashless welfare card trials are also being extended for another year to June 2021, at a cost of almost $129 million. The budget locks in one-off energy assistance payments for pension and welfare recipients of $75 for singles and $125 for couples, to help pay for power bills. But Ian Yates, from the Council of The Ageing, said almost 350,000 people older than 45 had been left out of the cold by excluding Newstart recipients from the rebate. "There are more unemployed workers between 55 and 64 than any other group of Australians and they receive Newstart income support payments longer than any other group as well," he said. "Older workers face chronic age discrimination in the our workforce, which means finding work after 50 far more difficult, particularly in industries where workforce needs have changed over the decades." Mr Yates is pleased work test requirements for older Australians contributing to their super are being relaxed, but is disappointed the budget lacks a comprehensive retirement income policy. "There are some good measures in this budget but there are gaping holes - major initiatives missing in action," he said. Economists and welfare advocates are bitterly disappointed the fiscal document is silent on raising the rate of Newstart. Critics are furious the "unnecessarily cruel" unemployment allowance has not lifted in real terms for more than 25 years. Cassandra Goldie, from the Australian Council of Social Services, is urging parliament to block income tax cuts unless the jobless payment is raised. "We urge the parliament to block any attempt to rush through the tax cuts in the final days before we go to an election, and instead commit to urgently increasing Newstart and Youth Allowance," she said. Liberal senator Arthur Sinodinos has broken with government ranks to join calls for an increase. Newstart recipients are given $538.80 per fortnight, while aged pensioners take home $834.40. The Morrison government is set to get parliament's support for a $284 million package to help 3.9 million Australians with power bills, as the last major act before an election. But the rest of Tuesday's federal budget - including income tax cuts - will have wait until after the May poll. With Wednesday being the last day the lower house and Senate are expected to sit before the election, the government will get Labor's support to wave through payments of $75 for singles and $125 for couples for social security recipients to cover rising electricity costs. However, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg says there's no time to progress $158 billion in tax relief for low and middle-income earners and instead he will seek a mandate from Australians at the polls. This pits his first budget against Labor's promise if elected, to roll out a much bigger tax cut package. He also wants voters to look to the future, pledging a personal tax rate of 30 per cent, down from 32.5 per cent, by mid-2024. Mr Frydenberg is hoping voters mark up the government for forecasting the first budget surplus in 12 years, as well as delivering a $100 billion 10-year road and rail plan to cut city congestion and boost regional development. Labor argues the budget fails to reverse cuts to schools and hospitals, doesn't properly deal with skills or apprenticeships and promises a surplus subsidised by an underspend on the National Disability Insurance Scheme. "There is no plan for wages, no plan to tackle power prices, no plan to address climate change, and no plan for the future," shadow treasurer Chris Bowen says. The budget papers show unemployment flatlining at five per cent over the next four years, despite the government promising 1.25 million jobs over five years. Wage growth is expected to lift from 2.5 per cent in 2018/19 to 3.5 per cent in 2021/22, but economists are skeptical about the figures. Budget deficits totalling $45 billion are expected over the next four years, starting with a $7.1 billion surplus in 2019/20. The budget avoided the controversial cuts of the past, with Finance Minister Mathias Cormann telling reporters the coalition had already secured $62 billion of savings since the 2016 election. Labor leader Bill Shorten is scheduled to deliver his budget reply speech on Thursday. The grieving family of a Sydney apprentice crushed to death by scaffolding want the government to ensure stringent safety measures are implemented at construction sites. Christopher Cassaniti was crushed to death on Monday after 15-metre high scaffolding collapsed on him and a co-worker at a construction site in Macquarie Park. His family said they didn't want the young tradesman's death to be "just another statistic". "We ask that the government step in and take immediate action and implement stringent measures regarding safety on construction sites," his uncle Joe Cassaniti said on Tuesday. "Crucial safety checks and procedures need to be front and centre of every construction site." He said the family was awaiting answers on what went wrong on Monday. "We will miss him dearly. Christopher was the jewel of our family. "One dead is too many." Paramedics were initially unable to reach the formworker who was trapped under rubble and was pronounced dead at the scene a few hours after the incident. Video from the scene showed workers confronting police who refused to let them search the tangled metal at the apartment complex site. "You're wasting time," one worker yells. "If you move anything more, it could collapse," an officer responds, saying other emergency crews are needed to stabilise the site. Mr Cassaniti turned 18 last Wednesday and hosted a birthday party on Saturday. The circumstances of his death are being investigated by SafeWork NSW and police. Some 35 workers died on NSW construction sites in the two years to June 2017, according to the State Insurance Regulatory Authority. Construction is also one of the most common industries for major workplace injuries with one in every 67 workers injured in the year to June 2017. A man has been charged following a stabbing in Sydney's south-west which left another man hospitalised and needing surgery. Emergency services were called to an incident at Miller Road near Gurney Road, Chester Hill at around 4.30am on Tuesday. There they found a 44-year-old man suffering from a stab wound to his stomach. He was taken to Liverpool hospital after treatment by paramedics and remains in a stable condition. Police arrested a 45-year-old man at the scene, who they will allege stabbed the younger man following an argument. The man was taken to Bankstown Police Station where he was charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. He was refused bail to appear at Bankstown Local Court on Wednesday The $2 billion Melbourne to Geelong fast rail project included in Tuesday's federal budget is an election eve "fantasy" with no money available for two years, the Victorian government says. Treasurer Tim Pallas says no funds will flow for two years, despite Victorians being told building will begin in 18 months. Only $50 million has been put aside in forward estimates for the project, which is in the Geelong region, where the Liberals hold ultra marginal seat Corangamite. Overall, Tuesday's budget allocates $6.2 billion for new infrastructure projects in Victoria. It also includes $1.1 billion for suburban roads upgrades, $700 million to duplicate rail tracks from South Geelong to Waurn Ponds. But Mr Pallas says Victoria was denied its fair share of infrastructure funds, with a 17.7 per cent share over the next five years, despite having more than 26 per cent of the population. He accused the Morrison government of continuing to hold onto $3 billion, originally earmarked for the dumped East West Link project. The state government also says the budget confirms kinder funds will be cut from 2021 and has let hospital patients down with cuts to health. The insurance industry body has accused the federal government of failing to do enough to support millions of people living in disaster-prone parts of Australia. The Insurance Council of Australia said a significant part of the $3.9 billion Treasurer Josh Frydenberg promised to the natural disaster Emergency Response Fund should have been spent on infrastructure projects geared towards solving the problem of natural disasters. The ICA said only three per cent of disaster funding is spent on prevention, with 97 per cent going on "continually patching up communities and people in the aftermath". The Treasurer also promised $232 million for flood-affected Queenslanders, an additional $8 billion in infrastructure spending, and up to $300 million in grants to flood-hit farmers. "None of this money appears to be directed towards preventing natural disasters or making homes and businesses more capable of withstanding the impact of floods or cyclones," the ICA said in a statement. "The coalition has ignored the Productivity Commission, which recommended the Commonwealth invest at least $200 million a year in mitigation and resilience projects (matched by state and territory governments)." The ICA, whose members are forced to make huge payouts for events such as last month's cyclones and February's north Queensland floods, last month used the government's own data to identify the 20 most flood-prone federal electorates. It said 16 were in Queensland, some in marginal seats. "The coalition has again failed to provide a vision or a sustainable solution for millions of Australians who live in disaster-prone regions," the ICA said. Insurance losses from the Queensland floods topped $1 billion, taking the total cost of three recent extreme weather events to $2.2 billion even before cyclones Trevor and Veronica are taken into account. Australia's highest ranking Catholics will travel to the Vatican to meet with the Pope for the first time in eight years. Bishops from around the country are scheduled to meet with Pope Francis and Holy See representatives in June to report on the work of their dioceses and discuss the church more broadly. The Ad Limina Apostolorum pilgrimage normally takes place every five years, but Australian bishops haven't had the opportunity since 2011. Archbishop of Sydney Anthony Fisher said it will be the first chance for many Australian bishops to meet the Pope. "It is a unique opportunity for bishops to report on every aspect of their dioceses and to meet with representatives from the different Vatican departments," he said in a statement on Wednesday. Child sexual abuse within the church is likely to be a topic of discussion, after Pope Francis last week made it compulsory to report the sexual abuse of children within the Vatican and in its diplomatic missions worldwide. In February, the Pope hosted a landmark meeting at the Vatican on combating the scourge of clergy abusing children. Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge attended the summit, admitting afterwards there was no quick fix but was hopeful of positive change. It comes after Cardinal George Pell was in March sentenced to a maximum six years in prison after a jury found him guilty of orally raping a boy and molesting another when he was the newly-installed Archbishop of Melbourne at St Patrick's Cathedral in 1996. Pell denies the crimes and has lodged an appeal. Scott Morrison has been accused of acting like a teenager who downed too many Red Bulls over his response to a question on the environment. The prime minister rolled out an impression of fictional Kazakh reporter Borat Sagdiyev, created by comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, in parliament on Wednesday when posed a question by independent MP Kerry Phelps. But the Wilderness Society was not amused with the PMs antics. "Kerryn Phelps asked a question of the prime minister, it was a quite serious and sober question about environmental collapse and what he's going to do about it," the group's federal policy director, Tim Beshara, told reporters on Thursday. "The way that he responded was to make a Borat joke," Mr Beshara said. "More like a teenager that had too many Red Bulls to drink and was up until three in the morning watching Borat videos." Mr Morrison mocked Labor's new climate change policy, coining the moniker 'Borat Tax' to describe the oppositions' proposal to borrow the government's existing safeguard mechanism as part of its plan to make big industry cut pollution. "I know what Borat would think of the Labor Party's thoughts on carbon trading policies," he said, giving a thumbs up as he aped the obtuse and often politically incorrect character. "Very nice, very nice!" If Labor wins the May election, it will extend the safeguard to include the nation's 250 biggest polluters while renewing their access to international carbon markets to buy offset credits. "They want carbon credits from Kazakhstan," Mr Morrison said, as the house erupted in jeers and laughter. "Some may call this is a carbon tax, I call it the Borat tax, with carbon credits for Kazakhstan." The government has come under fire after it was revealed a $2 billion injection for the Climate Solutions Fund, which the prime minister described as a 10-year plan, would be stretched across 15 years. Immigration Minister David Coleman's marginal Sydney seat is in the sights of Australia's peak union body with hundreds of doorknockers and campaigners set to hit the streets. Mr Coleman - the only Liberal MP to win Banks - is the first NSW member targeted by the Australian Council of Trade Unions, which is pushing for a change of laws around wages and penalty rates. About 300 volunteers are expected to kick-off the campaign in Revesby on Thursday night. "We'll have even more people out on the streets protesting, giving out leaflets, knocking on doors and making sure the electorate of Banks knows how important it is to change the government," ACTU president Michele O'Neil told AAP. Banks, which includes the suburbs of South Hurstville, Revesby, Padstow and East Hills, was retained by Mr Coleman in 2016 on a margin of just 1.4 per cent. Labor is a $1.65 favourite to win the seat in May, according to bookmaker Sportsbet. The immigration minister is at $2.10. The ACTU says lessons from the recent NSW election included that voters are concerned about insecure work. "People understand that the rules that affect how much you earn and your wages are federal rules," Ms O'Neil said. "These are issues (Prime Minister) Scott Morrison and his government are in denial about." Mr Coleman's office has been contacted for comment. PAUL BIYA archives Following an interview conducted by The Guardian Post newspaper, with the US Embassy Spokesperson in Yaounde, Lee McManis, said the USA hasnt imposed sanctions on Cameroonian military and government officials for committing crimes in the Anglophone regions, and the arrest of opposition party leader, Maurice Kamto. Mr. Lee McManis, dismissed reports that some 27 Cameroonian personalities have been sanctioned by the US government in relation to rights abuses in the North West and South Wes regions. He said the US has no plans of imposing sanctions on Cameroonian military and government officials. At this time, the United States does not envision imposing sanctions on any Cameroonian officials. The US government strives to advance peace and security in the region, and Cameroon is a key partner in this effort, McManis said. He further agreed that the US had played a big role in the fight against extremist, Boko Haram and in ensuring security in the Gulf of Guinea, as well as providing troops to the Multilateral Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Central African Republic, but stated that the respect of human rights and rule of law has always been fundamental for peace and security. Media reports few weeks ago, claimed that some 100 top Cameroonian officials were restricted from going to the US. Some quoted reports from a US nonprofit public policy organisation based in Washington DC, Brooklings Institution, which allegedly revealed that 27 military personnel, civilian actors and government ministers in Cameroon were banned from entering the US. Last February, another report suggested that the United States was cutting about $17 million in military aid to Cameroon, over alleged human rights violations, carried out by its army in the North West and South West regions. However, after holding talks with the Minister of Communication, Rene Emmanuel Sadi in Yaounde, US Ambassador to Cameroon, Peter Henry Barlerin said the US was not going to stop security cooperation with Cameroon. "Relations between Cameroon and the United States are excellent and longstanding "Barlerin had said, "and we aim to continue that relationship." The Cameroon government, through the Ministry of External Relations, had denied allegations that its army is using US military assistance to carry out human rights violations. When Moudasser Taleb was arrested near the departure lounge at Sydney international airport with luggage including military clothing, he told police he was a tourist not a terrorist. But the 24-year-old has now been found guilty of preparing to travel to Syria - between early February and mid-June 2017 - for the purpose of engaging in hostile activities. A NSW Supreme Court jury deliberated for less than five hours on Thursday before rejecting the defence claim that Taleb had no intention of engaging in warfare or was mentally ill at the time. After an undercover police sting, Taleb was arrested at the airport on June 15, 2017, with a bag containing military clothing, a sleeping bag, tactical gloves, a solar charger and other gear. Prosecutor Sam Duggan cited material from 2015 and 2016 which he said showed Taleb was interested in ISIS, overseas battle and martyrdom well before an undercover operative became involved in March 2017. The operative made online contact stating "I'm from the pest control service" and arranged the first of five meetings which were secretly recorded. The fact that Taleb met the operative in the first place showed it was something he wanted to do, Mr Duggan told the jury. "He didn't have any contacts, he didn't have any means of knowing how to travel overseas. "The Crown says that is why he met the undercover officer." Taleb did various things the officer suggested including long-distance training wearing walking boots and carrying a backpack, purchasing the overseas gear and trying to send $300 to a person he believed was a contact in Syria to facilitate his travel there. Taleb also had well over 200 videos on his phone including some showing beheadings, people with ISIS flags and battlefields. His barrister, Michael Finnane QC, submitted his client was a stupid, deluded "idiot" who had no intention of engaging in warfare, overthrowing a government or harming anyone. Taleb believed he had an electronic chip implanted in his brain and spent most of his days playing on his PlayStation and caring for his severely disabled mother who has multiple sclerosis, Mr Finnane said. The crown and defence psychiatrists agreed that after Taleb went into custody he was found to have schizophrenia, but they disagreed about whether he had the condition at the time of the alleged offences. Taleb gave evidence, telling the jury he knew he was not going to get beyond the airport. He said the undercover officer "could read my thoughts anyway" and if Taleb played along "I would be able to expose what was happening to me - and I did". Justice Peter Hamill will hear sentencing submissions on May 10. Thirty people in the past 100 days have been diagnosed with measles in NSW, with the latest becoming exposed to the highly contagious disease in a GP waiting room. The young woman likely acquired the infection while at an Eastwood medical practice in mid-March, when an infectious patient who caught measles in Thailand was also present. The case, confirmed on Thursday, means the rate of diagnosis since Christmas Day has averaged more than two a week. Earlier this week, two babies too young to be vaccinated were confirmed to have caught the disease in Sydney. "We eliminated measles in 2014 but over the years we do have a few outbreaks," NSW Health's communicable diseases director Dr Vicky Sheppeard told AAP on Thursday. "And the most common place to spread measles is in a hospital emergency department or a GP waiting room. "A person with measles is coughing the virus into the air and in the close quarters of a GP or hospital waiting room, large numbers of people are exposed." Dr Sheppeard urged people who feel ill and show symptoms of measles, such as a cough and a rash, to call ahead to their GP. "That way, when you arrive, you can be put into a room away from other people. "In GP practices, we have infants and people with poor immune systems so it is a high-risk place." NSW Health warns the woman diagnosed in the latest case visited several areas between March 28 and April 1, including Epping, Redfern, Alexandria and Auburn. Those who may have crossed paths should monitor themselves for symptoms until April 19. US President Donald Trump with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the White House. Trump has long complained about NATO, accusing Western allies of being freeloaders that do not pull their weight on military spending. President Donald Trump said Tuesday he has strengthened NATO by insisting on a "rocket" like increase in military spending by allies that he says used to take advantage of US largesse. "Tremendous progress has been made and NATO's much stronger," Trump told reporters at a White House meeting with NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg ahead of the alliance's 70th anniversary celebrations in Washington. "It's a rocket ship up," he said of the spending increase, which he said before his presidency had been on a downward "rollercoaster." "People are paying and I'm very happy," he said. Trump has long complained about NATO, accusing Western allies of being freeloaders that do not pull their weight on military spending, taking for granted that they can rely on the US defensive shield. The Trump administration has been especially incensed with Germany, Europe's largest economy, which is not on track to meet a 2014 pledge by NATO members to spend two percent of GDP on defense. Stoltenberg, a former Norwegian prime minister, has stood behind Trump on the spending goals and credited his blunt approach with pushing members. Between 2016 and the end of next year, the 28 NATO members other than the United States will have boosted military spending "another $100 billion more by 2020 or a little bit into 2020," Trump confirmed Tuesday. "NATO is a strong alliance, but to remain a strong alliance we have to be fair. And therefore allies have to invest more in defense. You're having a strong message on that and your message has been having an impact," Stoltenberg said in reply. - Anniversary speech - The White House visit comes on the eve of a speech by Stoltenberg to a joint session of Congress, an honor demonstrating legislators' strong support for NATO, despite Trump's skepticism. To celebrate the 70th anniversary of the alliance, which was founded in Washington on April 4, 1949, foreign ministers from the 29 members are due for two days of talks. A full leaders-level summit will only take place in December in London. Since the end of World War II, NATO has cemented Europe and the United States in a partnership fusing military strength with shared democratic values, principally in a nuclear standoff with the Soviet Union. Trump hosts NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg ahead of alliance's 70th anniversary Today, NATO once again sees a more assertive Russia as a threat, though Trump is rather emphasizing the need to improve ties with Moscow. "I hope we have a good relationship with Russia," Trump said. "I think we'll get along." On Thursday, ministers will return to Trump's favorite topic, a State Department official said: the "importance of fair burden-sharing." - Further steps on Ukraine - If spending questions are dividing NATO, most alliance members share concerns about Russia which backs separatists in a low-intensity war in Ukraine from which it seized the Crimean peninsula in 2014. If spending questions are dividing NATO, most alliance members share concerns about Russia which backs separatists in a low-intensity war in Ukraine "We will be looking at ways to do more in the whole Black Sea region. We will be doing more surveillance, there will be more ships in the Black Sea from NATO countries, and there are sanctions that have already been imposed" over actions against Ukraine, Hutchison said. Stoltenberg said the foreign ministers would likely agree to step up support to Ukraine as well as Georgia, including through training maritime forces and coast guards and further port visits and exercises. He said NATO will also discuss further steps after the collapse of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty, with the United States and its allies saying that a Russian missile system has negated the key Cold War pact. An Afghan orthopaedic technician makes artificial limbs in a workshop at the International Committee of the Red Cross hospital for war victims and the disabled in Kabul At a rehabilitation centre in Afghanistan, Imran Gul clasped two parallel bars, cautiously easing his weight onto his new leg. The 25-year-old nomad had been driving a tractor on hilly farmland when a landmine exploded, making him the latest victim of a scourge that has worsened in recent years as fighting intensifies between the government and the Taliban. "I did not hear the sound of the bomb," Gul told AFP as he tried out his prosthetic limb. "I touched my leg and saw there was no leg, and there were pieces of shrapnel in my eyes. My hands were soaked in blood," he added. An Afghan mine-clearing expert working in the Deh Sabz district of Kabul The blast in the eastern province of Ghazni also took two of Gul's fingers. According to the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), casualties from landmines and so-called "explosive remnants of war" have soared five-fold between 2012 and 2017, the last year full data was available. Casualties have increased as a result of the intensifying fight between the Afghan government and the Taliban, especially since 2014. Battlefields have been left strewn with landmines, unexploded mortars, rockets and homemade bombs -- many of them picked up by curious children. "We are struggling to handle significant increases in the number of minefields in Afghanistan," said Patrick Fruchet, the UNMAS programme manager in Kabul. The Afghanistan government has signed an international anti-landmine treaty, but the Taliban and other militants are bound by no such rules. An Afghan mine-clearing expert walks on a hillside on the outskirts of Kabul. According to the United Nations Mine Action Service, casualties from landmines and so-called "explosive remnants of war" have soared five-fold between 2012 and 2017 The UN hopes to raise attention to the issue Thursday, the annual International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action. "In 2012, we were down to about 36 casualties (killed and wounded) per month in Afghanistan -- which is still enormous," said Fruchet. But those numbers have jumped. In 2017, there were more than 150 casualties a month. In addition to the new explosive detritus, Afghanistan is still grappling with the legacy of mines from the Afghan-Soviet war in the 1980s and the civil war in the 1990s. - Lack of funds - Mohammad Jamshidi, UNMAS deputy programme manager, told AFP that a lack of funds means the country will probably miss the UN goal of being mine-free by 2023. The "deadline seems to be difficult to achieve because all these new contaminations and the lack of sufficient funding for the mine action", he said. Afghan refugees are shown examples of bombs and mines, at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees camp on the outskirts of Kabul In an effort to prevent further tragedies, various organisations hold information sessions to warn civilians, including children. Hashmatullah Yadgari, who works for the Danish Refugee Council, said many Afghans -- particularly returning former refugees -- have no idea what landmines and other explosives even look like. People "do not have any information about it", Yadgari said. In a tent inside a refugee camp on the outskirts of Kabul, a family was recently shown the various types of explosive device they may well encounter. "We had no knowledge and awareness about the landmines," said Sakina Habibi, a mother of three who has just returned to Afghanistan after nearly 30 years in Pakistan and Iran. Many survivors of blasts go to one of seven orthopaedic rehabilitation hospitals funded by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). - 'Lucky to be alive' - At the same rehab centre where Gul, the nomad who lost a leg, was being treated, other patients tried out their new prosthetics. Afghan men wearing prosthetics after losing their legs in landmine explosions wait at the International Committee of the Red Cross hospital in Kabul Abdul, an Afghan mine clearer who only gave his first name, stood unsupported for the first time since getting fitted with two legs. He was disarming mines hidden in a house recaptured from the Taliban five months ago when the blast happened. "I de-activated five pressure mines. The sixth was designed to explode when exposed to light. When I moved my lamp closer -- boom," Abdul said. "I did my job, I prevented people from being killed by these mines. Even though I lost my legs, I'm lucky to still be alive," he added. The resilient father of two wants to keep his job, "to again save lives", he said, mimicking holding a mine detector in one hand and a walking stick in the other. An Afghan man walks with prosthetics after losing his legs in a landmine explosion Of the 12,000 new patients received annually by the ICRC, between 1,500 and 2,000 are casualties of war, some four-fifths of whom are wounded by landmines, said Najmudin Helal, head of the Kabul centre. Aside from physical rehab, the centre works with patients to help them find a new place in society. Nearly half of the 300 staff at the Kabul hospital are disabled. "They learn easily and they can teach the new disabled easily. It's a hope (for new patients) to see that life carries on," Helal said. Chicago mayoral candidate Lori Lightfoot greets a supporter as she arrives outside of the polling place at the Saint Richard Catholic Church in Chicago, Illinois on April 2, 2019 Chicago residents went to the polls Tuesday to elect the US city's first black female mayor -- and potentially its first openly gay mayor -- in a historic vote centered on issues of economic equality, race and gun violence. Lori Lightfoot and Toni Preckwinkle, both African-American women, are competing for the top elected post in the city -- the former casting herself as an outsider and reformer, and the latter as an experienced, steady hand. The election is an inflection point in America's third largest city. Since 1837, voters have elected only one black mayor and one female mayor. If Lightfoot wins, she would also become the city's first openly gay chief executive. Analysts said voters were looking to shake up city politics -- fed up with gun violence that claims more lives than in other major American cities, and years of political corruption in the Democratic stronghold. "This is one of the most significant elections in Chicago history," Evan McKenzie, political science professor at the University of Illinois in Chicago, told AFP. "Chicago voters seem to be in a 'throw the bums out' frame of mind," he said. The initial field consisted of 14 contenders, but most moderates and establishment figures were sidelined in a February vote. The two highest vote-getters are competing in Tuesday's run-off and are running as progressive reformers, promising to clean up city government and reduce economic inequality. While the two are alike in their political leanings and policy ideas, they have sought to differentiate themselves with their backgrounds. Lightfoot, who has never held elected office, is a former federal prosecutor who headed a panel investigating the city's policing problems. Preckwinkle is currently the chief executive of Cook County in which Chicago is located, and has held elected office in the city for decades. Local media reported that Lightfoot appeared to have more support in pre-election polling. Both candidates engaged in last-minute campaigning, shaking hands at commuter stations and outside voting locations. "People (are) hoping for something different to come along. To be the vessel for that is overwhelming," Lightfoot told reporters Tuesday. In the final hours, Preckwinkle expressed optimism and stressed the need to address the city's violence problem with a mix of social services. "The response can't be solely a police response," she said. - 'New ideas' - Chicago mayoral candidate Toni Preckwinkle is a veteran of city politics and currently serves as chief executive of Cook County Voters have left little doubt they want the eventual victor to tackle the major issues vexing the city of 2.7 million people -- including economic disparities and gun violence. "The message is that (voters) want new ideas and cleaner government," McKenzie said. Community groups have for years complained about disparities in living conditions among the sprawling city's diverse communities. Gun violence, fueled by gangs and the drug trade, plagues economically-depressed neighborhoods in the south and west, which are majority African-American. The downtown business district, and areas to the north and along the city's famed lake shore, have enjoyed an economic boom even as more than 550 people were murdered last year alone. Reforming the police department, which has a sordid history of abusive tactics, and city hall, which is mired in a federal corruption probe of one of its members, are also top of mind, McKenzie said. "(Voters) are tired of corruption, federal investigations of city officials, police misconduct, and a budget crisis," he said. - The Laquan McDonald case - Once a rising star in national Democratic politics, departing Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel was hurt by police abuse scandals and surging gang violence on his watch The two candidates are vying to replace outgoing mayor Rahm Emanuel -- once a rising star in the Democratic Party and former president Barack Obama's first White House chief of staff. Emanuel sustained political damage for his handling of the Laquan McDonald case and declined to run for a third term. McDonald was a 17-year-old black teenager shot dead by police in a 2014 encounter caught on police dash cam video. The video -- showing officer Jason Van Dyke firing 16 bullets into the knife-wielding teen even after he fell to the ground -- was not released for more than a year. Emanuel faced accusations of an attempted cover-up. He fired the police chief and brought in a reformer who has instituted changes, worked to rebuild public trust, and reduced gun violence. But as Van Dyke was about to go on trial for murder in September, Emanuel announced he would not run for re-election. Van Dyke was convicted and sentenced to nearly seven years in prison. Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has faced calls to step down from armed forces chief of staff Ahmed Gaid Salah Ailing Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika submitted his resignation with immediate effect on Tuesday after unprecedented protests and a call from the army chief for impeachment. His departure, reported by state media, spells the end of two decades in power that saw him cling on through ill health at the top of Algeria's notoriously opaque ruling elite. Here are the main players in the political drama: - Bouteflika and his inner circle - Bouteflika, 82, has ruled over Algeria since 1999 with support from his faithful backers, but a string of them deserted him under pressure from the massive street protests since February. One of the first to abandon him was army chief General Ahmed Gaid Salah who on Tuesday upped the pressure with a demand for Bouteflika, rarely seen in public since suffering a stroke in 2013, to be impeached. The leader's key ally has long been his younger brother and special adviser Said Bouteflika, 21 years his junior, who was frequently cited as a likely successor to the president. Discreet and rarely seen in public, Said Bouteflika has exerted increasing influence behind the scenes as his brother's health woes worsened, but the president's resignation could take away much of his power. - The army - After coming to power with the army's backing, Bouteflika gradually shook off the influence of the military top brass. Gaid Salah was promoted to the post of army forces chief in 2004 just as he was about to be sent into retirement after a reported power struggle between Bouteflika and his predecessor. He has been a loyal supporter who helped Bouteflika dismantle the powerful DRS intelligence agency which was considered by many as a "state within a state". Over the years the armed forces chief became one of the regime's most powerful figures, giving clout to his calls for Bouteflika to go. A military intervention to put an end to street protests, which have been peaceful, has not looked likely. The army has not seemed to be keen on being dragged into a conflict like the civil war that blighted most of the 1990s. - Placeholder replacement - According to Algeria's constitution the speaker of the upper house of parliament Abdelkader Bensalah should now take over as interim leader for up to 90 days during which a presidential election must be organised. A seasoned establishment insider Bensalah, 77, has held the speaker position for almost 17 years and has stood in for Bouteflika at numerous events both at home and abroad since the leader's stroke. Another veteran of the independence struggle, he has served as a lawmaker, ambassador, civil servant and senator during a long career that now sees him propelled from the shadows into the top post. In 2015 Algerian daily El Watan wrote that "making himself useful at the right time is what he knows how to do, he who rarely speaks on issues related to the management of state affairs". - Political parties - Algeria's political parties, including opposition movements, have been marginalised by the massive protests that erupted in February after Bouteflika announced a bid for a fifth term in office. Protesters have lashed out against both Bouteflika's the National Liberation Front (FLN) party and its key coalition ally the National Rally for Democracy (RND) as part of demands for an overhaul of the political system in the country. Under pressure, the RND and some members of the FLN have deserted the president but failed to win hearts among demonstrators who kept on calling for "change" during near-daily protests. Opposition parties have not fared much better as protesters accuse some members of failing to stand up to the establishment during Bouteflika's 20-year rule and playing roles within the political system. Among those they have chastised are Ali Benflis, a former Bouteflika premier who has become one of the president's key rivals, and Abderrazak Makri of the moderate Islamist Movement for the Society of Peace. - The street movement - The protests, largely led by social media savvy young people and including lawyers and other professionals, have piled on the pressure with a succession of massive Friday rallies. Over the weeks their demands have been met by gestures from the government, including Bouteflika's announced departure, but it is unclear if the protest movement will stop. The demonstrators have no official spokesperson, although figures such as prominent rights activist Mustapha Bouchachi or opposition politician Karim Tabbou have emerged as possible representatives. No caption Macky Sall on Tuesday embarked on his second term as Senegal's president pledging "constructive" dialogue with the opposition and reforms to spur development. Sall urged optimism as "it seems new economic perspectives are opening up for our country," a reference to Senegal's plans to enter the hydrocarbons sector in 2021-22 via two ambitious oil and gas developments. Clad in a navy blue suit, the trained geologist swore "before God and before the nation" to serve the people as several visiting African leaders looked on. Also present was Mark Green, administrator of the US development agency USAID. Sall, 57 and a self-declared "social liberal", chose the new city of Diamniadio, some 32 kilometres (20 miles) from Dakar a product of his Emerging Senegal Plan (PSE) launched in 2014, to make his address. Sall vowed to represent all strata of society -- but the opposition so far appear in no mood to accept olive branches after several candidates were disqualified from the presidential poll "In vesting their confidence in you once again your fellow citizens have validated your record and backed your social project, to say the least," said Constitutional Court president Pape Oumar Sakho. Sall garnered a 58 percent vote share, well clear of former prime minister Idrissa Seck on 20 percent, with the rest of the pack left trailing to win easily in a single round on February 24. - Nod to youth, women - Helping to clear Sall's path to victory was the authorities' invalidation of several opposition candidacies including those of Karim Wade, the son of presidential predecessor Abdoulaye Wade (2000-12), as well as popular Dakar mayor Khalifa Sall. Both were disqualified over convictions for misuse of public funds. The election sidelined the Socialist Party and the Senegalese Democratic Party which have dominated politics since independence from France in 1960. Although the disqualifications outraged the opposition, Sall insisted he would rule "for all Senegalese, hence "I renew my call for... a constructive dialogue open to all political, economic and social forces." Self-declared "social liberal" Sall has vowed to energise the nation, notably with ambitious oil and gas projects due to come on stream in the next three years The opposition has so far shown no sign of wanting to grasp any olive branch Sall might extend since he was officially proclaimed as poll winner on March 5. Sall, who left the ceremony for the presidential palace in an open-topped saloon with his wife, also said he would particularly look to aid the young, pursuing employment and training policies promoting "the entrepreneurial spirit and new technologies." He added he would commit to "public policies favouring women and girls," ensure "decent housing" for all and "safeguard the environment". Fire and smoke billow above buildings in Gaza City March 25, 2019 as Israel's military launched strikes on Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip hours after a rocket from the Palestinian enclave hit a house and wounded seven Israelis Hamas leader Ismail Haniya said Tuesday the rocket from Gaza that hit a house in Israel last week launched due to a technical error, his first official statement on the strike. The rocket that was fired from the Gaza Strip on March 25 destroyed a house north of Tel Aviv and injured seven Israelis. Israel responded by striking a series of Hamas targets in the Palestinian enclave, including flattening Haniya's office, before Egypt brokered a ceasefire that prevented a full conflict. In his comments on Tuesday, Haniya said the rocket was "due to a technical defect, but was a mini demonstration if (Israel) thought to commit folly against the Palestinian people." The statement from his office said he made the remarks during a meeting with political analysts. He did not provide further details on what type of technical defect could have caused the launch. Previously only unnamed officials from Hamas, the Islamist movement that rules Gaza, have said the rocket was fired due to a technical error. Following the latest ceasefire, Hamas said Egypt had brokered a truce that would see Israel ease its crippling blockade of the enclave in exchange for calm. Israel has not publicly commented on the reported agreement. On Monday, Israel expanded the fishing zone around Gaza, increasing it in one area to the largest distance in years, in what Hamas officials said was the first step. An Egyptian security delegation visited Gaza late Monday and met with Hamas. Haniya said the delegation brought a timetable from the Israeli side for implementing the agreements. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in the middle of a gruelling election campaign and faces a strong challenge from centrist former military chief Benny Gantz. Israel and Hamas have fought three wars since 2008. The UN says floods have swept across 14 camps for the displaced in northwestern Syria affecting more than 40,000 people More than 40,000 displaced people in northwestern Syria have seen their camps flooded by heavy rains in the past three days, a United Nations spokesman said Tuesday. Around 14 camps were affected in the northwestern province of Idlib, David Swanson of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs told AFP. The Idlib region, controlled by Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate, is home to more than 3 million people -- more than half of them displaced by the country's eight-year war. Civil defence workers known as the White Helmets have been working to save people and their scant belongings from the rising muddy waters. "For the second day in a row, White Helmets... continue to respond to the catastrophic situation in the northern Syria camps," they said on Twitter late Monday. One video posted by the group on Sunday showed brown water cascading out of a flooded tent. In another published the same day, civil defence workers clung on to a rope as they waded through a brown torrent above knee level. The downpour has affected tens of thousands of civilians, displaced persons, crops and livestock in Idlib, as well as in the Aleppo and Hasakeh provinces since Saturday, Swanson said. In Aleppo province, tents were destroyed in several camps for the displaced and a hospital in the countryside had to shut down due to the flooding. 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. Tens of thousands of displaced Syrians in the north of the country depend on handouts from humanitarian aid groups, including food, blankets and heating fuel for the winter months. Islamic State group jihadists raise their weapons at an undisclosed location in the Iraqi province of Anbar, in this file image taken from an IS propaganda video released on March 17, 2014 Iraq will try 12 French nationals accused of fighting for the Islamic State group, who were caught by US-backed fighters in neighbouring Syria and transferred to Baghdad in February. No court date has been set, but the suspects will be tried according to Iraq's counterterrorism law -- which can dole out the death penalty to anyone who joined a "terrorist" group, even if they were not explicitly fighting. Below are profiles of the 12 detainees, according to an Iraqi security official, the French Terrorism Analysis Center (CAT) and other sources compiled by AFP. - Leonard Lopez - Even before IS, 32-year-old Leonard Lopez was known to French authorities for his activity on Francophone jihadist website Ansar al-Haqq in the 2000s. In July 2015, the native Parisian travelled with his wife and two children to IS-held Mosul in northern Iraq before entering Syria, according to French investigators. Lopez, known as Abu Ibrahim al-Andalusi after joining IS, was sentenced in absentia in 2018 for his involvement in Ansar al-Haqq but is also wanted on other charges. - Kevin Gonot - Kevin Gonot, 32, entered Syria through Turkey to join IS rival and former Al-Qaeda branch Al-Nusra Front, according to a "confession" published by Iraq's judiciary. He then pledged allegiance to IS, fighting under the name Abu Sufyan, before being arrested in Syria with his mother, wife, and half-brother Thomas Collange, 31. He said his father was killed in IS's de facto Syrian capital, Raqa. French courts have already sentenced Gonot in absentia to nine years in prison, according to CAT. - Fodil Tahar Aouidate - Fodil Tahar Aouidate, 32, made a first trip to Syria in 2013 and returned in 2014 to join IS, according to the French judiciary. After 130 people were killed in IS's 2015 Paris attacks, Aouidate appeared in a video saying it was his "great pleasure and joy to see these unbelievers suffer as we suffer here." Authorities also linked him to Belgium's Salafist movement, including the Paris attacks mastermind Abdelhamid Abaaoud. France convicted two of Aouidate's sisters for "financing terrorism" for sending 15,000 euros to relatives in Syria. - Mustapha Merzoughi - A former French army soldier, Mustapha Merzoughi told Iraqi interrogators he joined IS after "research on social media and websites by IS and Al-Nusra Front". He travelled to Aleppo in northern Syria for "religious and military training" then pledged allegiance to IS in Mosul. Merzoughi, who is of Tunisian origin, hails from Toulouse -- also the hometown of Fabien and Jean-Michel Clain, who notoriously claimed the Paris attacks and were killed in Baghouz, IS's last bastion in east Syria. - Yassin Sakkam - Yassin Sakkam, 29, left France in late 2014 to fight with IS, posting online pictures of himself carrying arms and speaking to multiple media outlets about IS. France has been seeking his arrest since 2016 and Kurdish authorities detained him in Syria in 2017. His brother Karim committed a suicide attack at the Iraqi-Jordanian border in 2015, according to CAT. - Karam el-Harchaoui - Karam el-Harchaoui, 32, left for Syria in 2014 from Belgium. According to Belgian daily HLN, his younger brother and their Belgian wives were also IS members. - Salim Machou - At 41, Salim Machou was a member of the infamous Tariq ibn Ziyad brigade, "a European foreign terrorist fighter cell" that carried out attacks in Iraq and Syria and planned the Paris and Brussels attacks, according to US officials. - Vianney Ouraghi - Vianney Ouraghi, 28, left France for Syria in 2013 and joined Al-Nusra, before jumping to IS when the latter declared its "caliphate" in 2014, according to CAT. Of Algerian origin, Ouraghi told his Iraqi interrogators that he had abandoned studies in psychology in France after "having been persuaded to join IS through social media". He admitted undergoing religious and military training and was also present at "a foreign fighter shelter in Mosul". - Brahim Nejara - Brahim Nejara, 33, was involved in IS's foreign fighter operations, according to CAT. He helped foreign fighters join IS in Syria, persuaded one of his brothers to commit an attack in France, and was associated with Foued Mohamed-Aggad, one of the suicide bombers at the Bataclan theatre in the 2015 Paris attacks. - Bilel Kabaoui - This 32-year-old hails from Sevres, around Paris, and travelled to IS territory in the summer of 2014, said CAT. - Mohammed Berriri - At 24, Mohammed Berriri worked with IS across various Syrian provinces, according to CAT, who did not specify whether he had spent time in Iraq with the group. Iraq's prime minister, Adel Abdel Mahdi, has hinted that Baghdad may try foreigners who have never fought in Iraq, saying his authorities had been pursuing some who "provided logistical support to those in Iraq, because as you know the battlefields became one." - Mourad Delhomme - Mourad Delhomme, 40, is of Algerian origin and was arrested around a year ago in Syria's eastern Deir Ezzor, according to the CAT. CAT describes him as a "jihadist veteran who worked as a judge" in IS courts, which regularly doled out harsh punishments including death sentences and lashings to anyone who violated the group's ultra-conservative rules. al-kmo-emd-sbh/mjg/dv Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 4) A church official, who has repeatedly been at the receiving end of the President's expletives, denied that he has ever attacked the President from his pulpit. "He called me a son of a whore for allegedly attacking him from the Church pulpit-which I have never ever done. The pulpit is never for that purpose," Caloocan Bishop Pablo David said in a Facebook post Wednesday. However, he admitted he has criticized the Duterte administration for its bloody anti-drug war. "Unless, of course, he thinks that calling for an end to violence and extrajudicial killing in my diocese is tantamount to attacking him," he added. President Rodrigo Duterte slammed David anew in a speech Tuesday for allegedly using the Catholic religion to attack him. He challenged the clergyman to face him head on instead of hiding from his pulpit. "Hoy, David makinig kang p**** i** ka --- lumabas ka sa pulpito mo. Huwag mong gamitin ang relihiyon. Dito ka, diyan sa simbahan, aatakehin mo ako. 'Pag resbak ko, tatamaan ito. Dito ka dapat (steps away from podium)," Duterte said. David also defended his mother's memory after Duterte called him a "son of a whore." "Our family does not expect anyone in government to give her recognition for her immense contribution in nation-building. But we do not expect anyone either, to insult her memory and call her a whore. SHE DOES NOT DESERVE IT," David said. This is not the first time the President blasted the bishop in his speeches. Previously, Duterte accused David for allegedly pocketing donations and for being involved in illegal drugs. He had also repeated these claims in his recent speech. David had previously denied the allegations and surmised that the President was ill, reasoning that Duterte didn't know what he was saying because he was sick. The bishop also confirmed he had been receiving death threats since February. David has been a vocal critic of Duterte's war on drugs. He was among those who raised an outcry to the murder of teenager Kian delos Santos during an anti-drug operation in Caloocan City in 2017. Delos Santos's death sparked public outrage and cast doubt on the administration's war on drugs. Three police officers linked to Delos Santos' murder were meted a guilty verdict and 40-year sentence without parole. Davide welcomed the verdict. Children buy ice cream from a shop in a market at Al-Hol camp for displaced people in northeastern Syria The International Red Cross wants hundreds of children of foreign fighters from the Islamic State group in Syria to be allowed to return to their countries of origin and possibly be reunited with family there, the ICRC president said Tuesday. The children are living without their parents at the Al-Hol camp in northeastern Syria that holds between 80,000 and 100,000 people displaced in the assault by US-backed forces against the last IS holdout. About 10,000 foreign women and children with ties to IS foreign fighters are held in a separate area of the camp, with children under 12 accounting for two-thirds of this group. "Our priority is to proactively look to bring kids back to their country of origin where there are hopefully still family if there are unaccompanied," Peter Maurer, president of the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC), told reporters. Foreigners at Al-Hol camp are from some 30 to 40 countries. Once the identity of the children is established, the Red Cross will notify governments and see if there is family in those countries "to which we can send the kids back", Maurer told reporters. He did not have a specific figure for the number of children without their parents at Al-Hol camp, but estimated that there were "certainly hundreds, maybe more." With the collapse of the last IS bastion in Syria last month, several governments have been grappling with the problem of what to do with captured jihadist fighters from their country, the women who married them and their children. The ICRC president complained that governments were showing little interest in tackling the problem of foreign nationals linked to IS, limiting their response to offering emergency assistance. "That's not really the big issue," said Maurer. "The big issue will be: how do we find a system which deals with the different categories of people, which tries to identify who is a victim, to look at individual cases," he said. France last month took in five orphans, but it has a case-by-case approach to the return of the children. Jared Kushner, a senior White House adviser and President Donald Trump's son-in-law, is under scrutiny over his security clearance Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner faced little scrutiny on his way to becoming one of America's most powerful people. But now a row over White House security clearances is pushing the president's publicity-shy favorite into unwelcome limelight. Unlike his can't-get-enough-exposure father-in-law, Kushner is a discreet presence. He's virtually a ghost on social media, where he has 77,000 Twitter followers but doesn't tweet. And in the White House, he may be a fixture at high-level meetings, but he'll rarely speak if the press corps is present, waiting until journalists leave the room. So it was a measure of the White House's need for damage control that Kushner went on the Trump go-to channel Fox News late Monday to dismiss concerns over his security access. "Ive been accused of all different types of things, and all of those things have turned out to be false. Weve had a lot of crazy accusations," Kushner said on Fox's "The Ingraham Angle." Controversy over Kushner's access to top secrets has been brewing since the start of the Trump presidency. After all, he was a relatively unknown quantity in Washington -- a man with no political or diplomatic experience, or previous vetting, but a ton of potentially tangled business dealings at home and abroad. This week the issue blew up when a veteran White House bureaucrat told Congress that her department had been overruled by higher-ups to grant passes to 25 people initially rejected due to worries over conflicts of interest, foreign influence and personal problems. Among the names that the Democrat-led congressional committee investigating the issue suggests may be on that list: Kushner and his wife Ivanka Trump. - Riches to power - Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner are among the president's closest advisers Kushner was just another privileged New York business scion until his father-in-law and fellow real estate dealer unexpectedly won the presidency in 2016. The change of address to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in 2017 catapulted him into the smallest of presidential inner circles. Kushner's title in the Trump administration is a vague "senior advisor." In reality, the youthful-looking 38-year-old, who married Ivanka Trump in 2009, has the president's ear on everything from US drug addiction to selling Saudi Arabia weapons. An Orthodox Jew who is part of what Trump proudly calls the "most pro-Israeli" US government in history, Kushner is also tasked with presenting a new Israeli-Palestinian peace plan. Generations of seasoned US diplomats have already failed there and expectations are low that Kushner's as yet hidden plan will do better. With Ivanka Trump also tagged as an adviser to her father, critics say the White House has sunken into the kind of nepotism few would have thought possible anymore. "Not since JFK -- more than 50 years ago -- have family members of the president served in policy positions," Mark Carl Rom, associate politics professor at Georgetown University, said. "The Trump presidency is a throwback: he is making America 18th century again." - Everything 'turned to gold' - Naturally, Trump does not see things that way. He seems not only to rely heavily on Kushner but genuinely to like and appreciate him. At a big event Monday celebrating prison reform -- an issue Kushner says he was inspired to work on due to seeing his own father serve 14 months behind bars for financial crimes -- Trump singled out his son-in-law for lavish praise. "You know," Trump told the audience in the ornate East Room, "Jared has had a very easy life. He was doing phenomenally in New York and everything he touched has turned to gold." Jared Kushner (C) is leading an administration effort to come up with a new Israeli-Palestinian peace plan "Then, one day, he said,'I want to come down and I want to have peace in the Middle East. And I want to do criminal justice reform. And I want to do all these wonderful things.'" Finally, the punchline: "And his life became extremely complex." In a presidency defined by all-out fights with the opposition Democrats, accusations of administrative chaos, and the morass of the Russia collusion investigation, Trump is believed to value Kushner and his daughter as among the few people he knows he can always rely on. That's understandable but will depending on family bring Trump more trouble down the road? "The question is: Is their primary loyalty to the constitution of the United States of America, or to their father?" Rom asked. Border closure threat: motorists wait in line to cross the border into California from Mexicali, Mexico The Trump administration stepped up its threat to close down the US-Mexico border on Tuesday, warning both Congress and Central American governments to take action to stem the flow of migrants into the country. "The president's not threatening. He's taking his job as the commander in chief very seriously in terms of protecting the American people," White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said. Closing the border is "not our first choice," she said. However, she added, "Maybe that it's the best decision." Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen cut short an official trip to Europe to return for meetings early Tuesday on the border crisis. And DHS officials said border crossing times were already lengthening as they divert staff to areas between official ports to deal with tens of thousands of migrant families crossing illegally into the country. A senior Homeland Security official, who declined to be named, told reporters that a definitive solution on border closures had not been made yet. "The bottom line is all options are on the table right now," he said. "We are in a full blown emergency," he said. "The volume of vulnerable populations that's arriving is unsustainable.... The humanitarian situation cannot be ignored and the security situation cannot be ignored." On Saturday Trump said in a tweet that he was prepared to shut border crossings to force Mexico to halt the flood of migrants fleeing poverty and violence in Central America. Officials said the number being detained for crossing the border illegally has reached near 100,000 a month, mostly from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador. "Mexico must use its very strong immigration laws to stop the many thousands of people trying to get into the USA. Our detention areas are maxed out & we will take no more illegals. Next step is to close the Border!" The warning stirred fears across border populations who cross legally daily for business, family visits and other reasons. But it also shook US and Mexican industry, who depend heavily on the open border for trade in everything from farm goods to auto parts. Delays for incoming traffic at key ports mounted Monday, hitting three hours at Brownsville, Texas, as port staff were diverted to dealing with migrants. DHS says that besides getting Mexico to block the transit of migrant caravans to the border, Congress should take immediate action to give border officials the power to forcibly repatriate Central American illegal immigrants, including children who arrived alone, back to their countries. Natural Atlantic salmon typically reach maturity after 30 months while the GM version can be fully grown in just over half that time Canada's first commercial farm for genetically-modified salmon received environmental approval on Tuesday -- the final hurdle in a decades-long push to bring the fast-growing fish to market, amid strong opposition. US-based biotech firm AquaBounty said it would begin stocking its Rollo Bay facility in the eastern province of Prince Edward Island, capable of producing up to 250 metric tons (550,000 pounds) of fish a year, "as soon as possible." The first commercial harvest, it said, is expected at the end of 2020, around the same time as another at the company's facility in Albany, Indiana. The genetically-modified salmon has a gene that enables it to grow more rapidly than conventional salmon, and can reach adult size in 16 to 18 months, compared with 30 months for natural Atlantic salmon. The company will be raising them in contained, land-based hatcheries. The US and Canada found in 2015 and 2016, respectively, that the fish was safe to eat, clearing the way for it to become the first transgenic animal destined for North American dinner tables. Environmentalists and consumer groups, however, continue to raise concerns that it could be dangerous to human health and may pose risks to wild fish if it were to escape into the environment. "This decision means more Canadians will be eating GM salmon without knowing," said Lucy Sharratt of the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network, citing a lack of mandatory labeling of genetically-modified foods in Canada. Argentina, Brazil and China have also granted environmental approvals for genetically-modified fish farming trials, the company said. Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has faced weeks of massive protests Algeria's veteran President Abdelaziz Bouteflika informed the Constitutional Council that he is resigning in a move that is to take effect on Tuesday, state television said, after the military called for his impeachment. Bouteflika "officially advised the Constitutional Council of the end of his term of office as President of the Republic" from Tuesday, said a news ticker on the television. The report came hours after armed forces chief Ahmed Gaid Salah demanded the immediate launch of impeachment proceedings against Bouteflika as the military dismissed an announcement he would resign before his mandate expires at the end of the month. In power for two decades, Bouteflika has come under mounting pressure to step down since his decision to seek a fifth term despite rarely being seen in public after suffering a stroke in 2013. The 82-year-old, who uses a wheelchair, said last month he would pull out of the bid for another term, and on Monday his office said he would resign before his mandate expires on April 28. The moves failed to quell public ire, with hundreds of students taking to the streets again earlier on Tuesday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented supporter Giora Ezra, who posts online as "Captain George", to the press to counter accusations over fake online backers An Israeli real estate agent shot to sudden notoriety when Benjamin Netanyahu presented him as a typical supporter, but scrutiny of his abusive online posts has caused discomfort for the premier ahead of polls. The veteran prime minister brought Giora Ezra, 63, to a press briefing Monday in a bid to dismiss accusations his Likud party has deployed an army of internet bots to help get him reelected. "Say, Giora, are you a real person? Are you a robot?" Netanyahu asked with a smile. "Giora says what he thinks, nobody is operating him, it's one huge lie." The publicity stunt came after an Israeli cyber watchdog reported a network of fake online accounts backing Netanyahu and slandering opponents ahead of next week's general election. "I woke up this morning and discovered that I'm a robot," Ezra said as Netanyahu chuckled. "I write what I write from my heart," he said. But the premier's attempt to present living evidence of his popular support after widespread coverage of the allegations soon appeared to backfire as a spotlight was shone on Ezra's online activities. It turned out Ezra, who writes on Twitter under the handle "Captain George", has a rich history of abusive posts against Netanyahu's opponents and journalists, including homophobic slurs. -'A mistake'- Soon after his internet personality was unveiled, it became apparent Ezra was much more than just a vociferous Netanyahu supporter. Benny Gantz, Netanyahu's main challenger, needed "to see a psychiatrist", Ezra had tweeted. "Captain George" insinuated that there was embarrassing sexual content on Gantz's phone, which was hacked last year. Rabbi Meir Kahane, founder of a racist party that was banned from Israeli politics but still inspired extremists decades after his assassination was "right all the way", he also posted. And in addition Ezra employed a series of homophobic slurs in his tweets. Netanyahu's opponents were quick to play up what many saw as odious online statements. Zvi Hauser, a member of Gantz's Blue and White alliance, asked on Twitter if "sewage workers" got to visit prime ministers in other country's in a joke about his perceived foulest opinions. A spokesman for the Likud did not respond to AFP queries on Ezra. But party member Yoav Kisch said it should have checked out "Captain George" and his history of tweets before presenting him to the public. "It was a mistake," Kisch told army radio. Yuval Karni, a political reporter for Yediot Aharonot, one of the first outlets to publish the report on fake online accounts, had another take on "Captain George". "It would have been better if he were a bot," Karni wrote on Twitter. Malawian Barnard Hamis nurses his injuries sustained during last week's attacks in Durban which have prompted dozens of compatriots to seek repatriation Dozens of Malawians have opted to be repatriated following attacks on foreigners last week in Durban, officials from Malawi and South Africa said Tuesday. Some 300 Malawians were displaced following the spate of deadly violence, which prompted condemnation by South Africa's government and raised fears of a resurgence of xenophobic bloodshed. Around a third of those driven from their homes have opted to leave the country, the officials said. "At the moment 105 (have) requested voluntary repatriation -- only 85 presented for interviews and processing," Malcolm Canham, the senior coordinator for disaster management in Durban told AFP. The UN International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the Malawi embassy and South African immigration officials were processing the applicants, he said. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday had "condemned violence against foreign nationals" and called on police to identify those responsible and bring them to justice. The assaults prompted emergency talks between Foreign Minister Lindiwe Sisulu and Police Minister Bheki Cele, and diplomats of African countries. Three South Africans were killed during the unrest in the southeastern KwaZulu-Natal province last week when protests targetting foreign-owned shops spilled into violence. Police said the owner of one shop attacked by a mob opened fire, killing two of them. A third person, a woman, died after she fell off a roof while fleeing protesters. A representative of the displaced group, Wrightwell Saka, told AFP many of those wanting to return to Malawi were too scared to stay. "The situation was bad... they attacked us during the night, it was midnight, we (were not) ready for anything," said Saka. "Luckily most of us escaped, we escaped unhurt" but they had "never experienced something like this. That's why they have chosen to be repatriated back to Malawi." Another Malawian, Alfred Chirwa, said his compatriots were attacked because "they say we are coming here to steal their jobs," adding some South Africans had threatened further assaults. Such attacks have become increasingly common in recent years in South Africa, the most developed sub-Saharan economy, as immigrants bear the brunt of anger resulting from chronic unemployment and limited progress made by many poor black people since white-minority rule ended in 1994. The country hosts millions of foreigners, most from African countries and many of them undocumented. Malawi's Information Minister Henry Mussa said his government was doing everything "possible to secure the safety and welfare" of its citizens. burs-sn/cw/klm A lawsuit alleges that the CIA maintains unconstitutional powers to censor books by former intelligence officers The US Central Intelligence Agency was sued Tuesday for maintaining an "arbitrary" right to censor the writings of former intelligence agents, which is delaying books under the claim of protecting national security. Five former intelligence officials, including a cybersecurity expert and a former Marine writing about sexual violence in the military, filed the suit against the CIA, the Office of the Director of National Security, the Defense Department and the National Security Agency, arguing that the right the claim to "pre-publication review" of works by ex-employees is a violation of free speech rights under the constitution. The lawsuit said that millions of former intelligence employees and military personnel are exposed to possible sanction "if they write or speak about their government service without first obtaining the government's approval." Although the agencies have legitimate concerns about possibly revealing secrets, the suit said, the rule is applied excessively to people without access to sensitive information, policies are vague and overly broad, manuscripts are held for months, and decisions go unexplained. Meanwhile, it said "favored officials are sometimes afforded special treatment, with their manuscripts fast-tracked and reviewed more sympathetically." The suit said that the problem has always existed, and was challenged by one ex-CIA officer in the 1970s. The Supreme Court dismissed his suit. However, it notes, today 17 agencies maintain the policy and the number of works forced to undergo review has soared, some 3,400 manuscripts and another 5,000 other works for the CIA alone in 2015. The lawsuit said the prepublication review policy effectively prevents many potential authors from writing, becoming an effective censorship mechanism. And for other, including Mark Fallon, who is one of the five filing the suit, it has been more of a direct censorship mechanism. The former Navy criminal investigator wrote a book critical of the torture policies of the George W. Bush administration, and the book was held by reviewers for eight months. When returned, it had 113 redactions which the suit claims were often arbitrary and yet reduced the impact of the book. Ernest Bai Koroma was president of Sierra Leone from 2007 to 2018 An audit released by Sierra Leone's finance ministry has accused the administration of former president Ernest Bai Koroma of siphoning off more than $1 billion, officials said Tuesday. Finance Minister Jacob Jusu Saffa vowed to "recover all stolen monies to provide basic amenities for our people" after the audit found the hole in public finances during Koroma's decade in office from September 2007 to April 2018. "The audit uncovered grave violations of procurement process in awarding of contracts in energy, roads, and pension and telecom sectors amounting to $1.036bn," the minister said. In all, 50 auditors from Tanzania, Kenya, Ghana and Sierra Leone conducted the technical audit with funding from UK Aid to investigate widespread corruption in Sierra Leone's public sectors between 2015 and 2018. More than $500 million was unaccounted for in the awards of road contracts by the Sierra Leone Roads Authority, the report said. Julius Maada Bio took over as president last year following a tumultuous campaign in which he vowed to clamp down on corruption. "People found wanting in the audit report are to repay the monies before end of June 2019 or face the law," Jusu Saffa said. "The money is three times more than health and five times greater than education funding," Abubakr Kamara, coordinator of a local NGO Budget Advocacy Network, told AFP. "Government should utilise recovered monies from corrupt officials to improve health, water and education funding," Kamara said. AFP contacted several of the individuals named in the report but they denied any wrongdoing and refused to comment further. A commission of inquiry began work in February after the earlier publication of a damning report which alleged that "rampant corruption" under the Koroma administration had led to the "near collapse" of the West African nation's economy. Although Sierra Leone boasts huge mineral and diamond deposits, the former British colony remains one of the world's poorest nations and is only gradually recovering from a 1991-2000 civil war which left some 120,000 dead. A 2014-2016 outbreak of Ebola and falls in the price of raw materials also dealt the country further major blows. US national security adviser John Bolton, seen here in January 2019, has emphasized the US commitment to the Taiwan Relations Act, which obliged Washington to provide the self-governing island with the means of self-defense The United States on Tuesday warned Beijing against the use of "force or coercion" on Taiwan after the self-ruling island said that two Chinese fighter jets crossed a traditionally respected maritime line dividing the two sides. "The United States opposes unilateral actions by any party that are aimed at altering the status quo, including anything related to force or coercion," State Department spokesman Robert Palladino told reporters. "Beijing should stop its coercive efforts and resume dialogue with the democratically elected administration" in Taipei, he said. Beijing -- which considers Taiwan part of its territory awaiting reunification -- has stepped up its jet and warship crossings near the island since the 2016 election of Beijing-skeptic President Tsai Ing-wen. But going a step further, Taiwan's defense ministry said that two Chinese J-11 fighter jets took the highly unusual step Sunday of crossing the median line in the Taiwan Strait that divides the mainland from the island. Taiwan scrambled its own aircraft and protested the "intentional, reckless and provocative action." The United States, like the vast majority of countries, recognizes only Beijing, but it maintains a close relationship with Taiwan. Under the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act passed by the US Congress, Washington is legally obliged to provide the island with the means to defend itself. National security advisor John Bolton stressed US commitment for the Taiwan Relations Act in a tweet on Monday amid events to mark the law's 40th anniversary. "Chinese military provocations won't win any hearts or minds in Taiwan, but they will strengthen the resolve of people everywhere who value democracy. The Taiwan Relations Act and our commitment are clear," he wrote. The Air Force chose Boeing to build the tanker over Airbus in 2011 after a furious battle between the two companies over the massive contract More bad news for US aviation giant Boeing: the US Air Force said Tuesday it had halted for a second time the acceptance of new KC-46 tankers due to ongoing quality issues. Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson revealed the March 23 decision -- another setback in the already delayed air tanker program -- during a budget hearing in Congress. "The Air Force again halted acceptance of new KC-46 tanker aircraft as we continue to work with Boeing to ensure that every aircraft delivered meets the highest quality and safety standards," Wilson told the panel. She said that Air Force inspectors had discovered "foreign object debris" in the new planes that should not have been there as well as other areas "where Boeing did not meet quality standards." The problems were "unrelated to design or engineering specifications," she noted. But it was the second time this year Boeing faced the same criticism. The Air Force took its first KC-46 in January, more than one year late. Currently they have seven KC-46 aircraft in service. The Air Force plans to buy 179 KC-46s over the course of the program. Based on the airframe of the Boeing 767, the aerial refueller is to replace the Air Force's aging line of KC-10 and KC-135 tankers, many of which were manufactured during the Cold War. The Air Force chose Boeing to build the tanker over Airbus in 2011 after a furious battle between the two companies over the massive contract. Rapper Nipsey Hussle's shock death sparked an outpouring of grief and tributes from hip hop royalty Los Angeles police said Tuesday they had arrested the man suspected of murdering rapper Nipsey Hussle, ending a two-day manhunt following the Grammy-nominated artist's shock death. The LAPD said the suspect, Eric Holder, was in police custody in connection with the fatal shooting, which authorities say was not gang-related. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who had blamed "senseless gun violence" for the death of 33-year-old Hussle, voiced hope for "justice that Nipsey's family and community deserve" as the arrest was announced. The killing in broad daylight triggered an outpouring of grief in LA and among Hussle's superstar peers, who hailed both his musical talents and tireless community organizing. Earlier Tuesday, LA police chief Michel Moore said 29-year-old Holder had verbally sparred with Hussle in front of the rapper's clothing store in south Los Angeles on Sunday. "Holder walked up on multiple occasions and engaged in conversations" with Hussle, the police chief told journalists. The suspect then "came back armed with a handgun" and fired several times at close range, hitting Hussle in the head and body. Two other men who were standing next to Hussle were also wounded. Moore said the shooting did not appear to be linked to any gang rivalry or feud. - Personal dispute - Eric Holder is wanted for homicide over Hussle's shooting "We believe this to be a dispute between Mr Hussle and Mr Holder," Moore said. "I'm not going to go into the conversations, but it appears to be a personal matter between the two of them." A massive manhunt was launched after the shooting with police asking for the public's help in locating Holder and his getaway car driven by a woman. The Los Angeles Times reported that the unidentified woman had surrendered to police on Tuesday and Holder was subsequently arrested. Both Moore and Garcetti lamented a recent uptick in violence in south Los Angeles, with the police chief saying: "Nipsey Hussle represents the enormity of the lives we have lost." Authorities urged the community to come together and avoid any further violence. "We have a reason to feel hopeful, even in the moments of our most extreme pain," Garcetti said. "And that's by turning to each other. "The absolute worst way to pay back Nipsey's loss -- somebody we lost at the hands of violence -- is with more violence," he added. Garcetti hailed Hussle's legacy of peace, urging the city to come together and continue the rapper's community building efforts. "This is about young people of color being able to have opportunity in their lives," he said. Late Monday, a candlelight vigil for Hussle outside of the clothing store where he was gunned down turned to mayhem when a stampede led to several injuries. Moore said the event was peaceful until someone brandished a gun, prompting people to flee in panic. The Los Angeles Fire Department said some 19 people were injured in the stampede, including two with critical injuries. One of those critically injured was reportedly hit by a car. Hussle, born Ermias Asghedom, has been praised by officials in Los Angeles and by his peers for transforming himself from being a gang member to a successful rapper and community organizer who fought for the black and Latino residents of Hyde Park, the south LA neighborhood where he grew up. He was set to meet with local authorities on Monday to discuss ways to end gang violence. US Navy personnel walk past a MH-60 helicopter after the USS Blue Ridge docks in Manila Bay in March 2019 The United States said Tuesday it had approved the sale of 24 MH-60R helicopters to India, significantly boosting its emerging ally's firepower to target submarines as China expands in the Indian Ocean. In a quick reply to an Indian request submitted late last year, the State Department said it was informing the US Congress as legally required that it was giving the green light for India to buy the 24 helicopters worth a total of $2.6 billion. Nicknamed the Romeo, the MH-60R helicopters manufactured by Lockheed Martin are designed for hunting submarines as well as knocking out ships and conducting search-and-rescue operations at sea. "This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to strengthen the US-Indian strategic relationship and to improve the security of a major defensive partner," the State Department said in a statement. It called India "a major defensive partner which continues to be an important force for political stability, peace and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific and South Asia region." India, which had estranged relations with the United States since the Cold War, has emerged as one of its leading defense partner with the interests of the world's two largest democracies largely overlapping amid their concerns over a rising China and Islamist extremism. India has been alarmed by China's growing interest in the Indian Ocean as it becomes a global naval power. In a strategy dubbed by Indian and US observers as the "string of pearls," China has made use of a growing number of naval bases in the Indian Ocean, most notably the Gwadar port it is developing in India's historic rival Pakistan. Indian naval planners have responded with a doctrine to ensure freedom of movement throughout the Indian Ocean, stretching from the Strait of Hormuz to the Strait of Malacca. The Romeos would replenish India's aging fleet of British-made Sea King helicopters. Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan says he is 'confident' that NATO ally Turkey will drop its plans to buy a Russian missile defense system US Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said Tuesday he was confident that Turkey would drop its plan to purchase the Russian S-400 missile defense system and buy the US Patriot system instead. A day after Washington put a freeze on its joint F-35 fighter jet program with Turkey in protest to the S-400 deal, Shanahan said he expects Ankara to opt for the Patriot missiles. That would then allow the F-35 program to continue, he confirmed. "I've had a number of conversations with Defense Minister (Hulusi) Akar and I really think we'll resolve this situation with our strategic partners," he said. "I am very confident in the Patriot proposal that we've delivered to Turkey, its availability, its pricing, and very importantly, the industrial participation that comes along with the Patriot system." Asked if that meant he expects Turkey will buy the Patriot system, Shanahan replied: "I expect we'll solve the problem so that they have the right defense equipment in terms of Patriots and F-35s." As for the F-35s planned for Turkey, he said: "I expect them to be delivered." On Monday, the Pentagon said it was halting all deliveries and joint work with Turkey on the F-35 if Ankara insisted on buying the S-400 system from Russia, a move which has alarmed Turkey's NATO allies. The tough step came after months of warnings from Washington that Turkey's adoption of Russian missile technology alongside US fighter jets would pose a threat to the F-35 technology and endanger Western defenses. "Pending an unequivocal Turkish decision to forgo delivery of the S-400, deliveries and activities associated with the stand-up of Turkey's F-35 operational capability have been suspended while our dialogue on this important matter continues with Turkey," the Pentagon said in a statement. - 'Incompatible systems' - A Russian S-400 Triumph air defence missile system parades through Red Square on May 6, 2018 Later, Marine Corps General Joe Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, reiterated that the US had made Turkey a "very good offer" on the Patriot system. "The S-400 and the F-35, we've made it very clear those are incompatible systems," Dunford said. "But we're still working our way through this. And I hope we can come up with an arrangement with Turkey." "So we haven't given up yet is the bottom line." The purchase of a Russian system is highly unusual for a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the Western alliance forged to counter the Soviet Union. But Dunford maintained that the US-Turkey relationship is solid. "I have every confidence and I spent a lot of time, as you know, with our Turkish allies, and I have every confidence that our areas of convergence are far more than any areas of divergence in the Turkish relationship," he said. The US suspension announcement came two days before foreign ministers from NATO's 29 members were due in Washington to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the alliance. Last week, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu met in Turkey with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, and insisted that the S-400 purchase would go ahead. Former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn could be spending more time in a Tokyo detention centre Japanese prosecutors Thursday re-arrested Carlos Ghosn on fresh allegations of financial misconduct, as the former auto tycoon slammed an "outrageous and arbitrary" detention and vowed he would "not be broken." In the early hours, officials raided a central Tokyo apartment the 65-year-old Ghosn has called home since winning bail last month after more than 100 days in detention. It was the latest twist in a rollercoaster drama that has gripped Japan and the rest of the world since his shock arrest at a Tokyo airport on November 19. Prosecutors said Ghosn had been detained over transfers of Nissan funds totalling $15 million between late 2015 and the middle of 2018. They suspect Ghosn used $5 million of that for personal expenditure. "The suspect... was responsible for overseeing the whole of Nissan's operations and performing his duty loyally so as not to cause losses to Nissan, but he betrayed that duty in order to benefit himself," they said in a statement. Ghosn released a statement through his representatives attacking what he called the "outrageous and arbitrary" detention. Factfile on the arrest and charges against former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn "Why arrest me except to try to break me? I will not be broken," said the former high-flying executive. He has denied any wrongdoing and took to Twitter for the first time Wednesday to announce plans to "tell the truth" at an April 11 news conference that now looks unlikely. Prosecutors can hold Ghosn for up to 22 days while they investigate the new claims and may re-arrest him again or seek to hold him in pre-trial detention. Deputy chief prosecutor Shin Kukimoto justified the arrest by saying they judged there was a "risk of destruction of evidence". But Ghosn's lawyer Junichiro Hironaka, known as the "Razor" for his mental sharpness, told reporters the fresh arrest was "against the spirit of the law" and "should not be tolerated in a civilised nation." He added his client had expected prosecutors would re-arrest him and had therefore prepared a video, without specifying the contents or exactly when it would be released. Visibly angry, he vowed to fight likely attempts by the prosecutor to extend the detention, claiming the arrest was "not necessary" and designed merely to pile pressure on Ghosn. He added prosecutors had confiscated not only diaries and documents belonging to Ghosn, but also the passport and phone of his wife Carole. She was questioned "without her attorney present, even though she is not targeted in this investigation," the family's French lawyer, Jessica Finelle, told French network BFMTV. - 'I have names' - Carlos Ghosn is widely credited with creating the three-way Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance, which is one of the world's top-selling auto groups Ghosn already faces three separate charges. The first two relate to the alleged deferring of around $80 million in income and concealing this in official documents to shareholders. The third, more complex, charge is that he attempted to transfer personal losses to Nissan and paid a Saudi contact who provided collateral from the company funds. In an interview with French broadcasters TF1 and LCI, Ghosn reiterated he was "combative and innocent" but acknowledged "it's hard." Ghosn, who holds French, Brazilian and Lebanese nationalities, appealed to the French government to "defend" him and his "rights as a citizen." Asked if he would provide evidence that could clear his name, Ghosn said: "Everything needs to be put on the table. Of course, I have names." But he admitted his lawyers have "doubts about how this trial is going to play out." Thursday's arrest came after French car firm Renault, which Ghosn also once headed, handed French prosecutors documents showing the auto tycoon had authorised suspicious transfers worth millions of euros. A Nissan spokesman said the firm's own internal probe had uncovered "substantial evidence of blatantly unethical conduct" and that their focus was on "addressing weaknesses in governance that enabled this misconduct." - 'Tell the truth' - Junichiro Hironaka, lawyer for former Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn, is known as the "razor" for his mental sharpness Ghosn had maintained his silence since paying around $9 million to win bail on March 6 when he walked out of his detention centre dressed in a workman's uniform in a bizarre attempt to evade the world's media. When reports emerged early Wednesday that prosecutors were considering further charges against him, Ghosn suddenly popped up on Twitter to announce he would "tell the truth" about his case. His tweet, which his representatives confirmed was authentic, sparked questions about his bail conditions, which were thought to include a ban on internet use. However, Hironaka insisted his client was acting within his rights, and Kukimoto said the arrest had nothing to do with the tweet. Ghosn was largely credited with saving Nissan from the brink of bankruptcy by tying its fortunes to Mitsubishi Motors and Renault. A car beleived to be carrying former Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn arrives at the Tokyo Detention House on April 4, 2019 He has frequently denounced his downfall as a "plot" by Nissan insiders worried he planned to push them into a full partnership with the French firm. "I pushed hard to make this alliance successful, but never by doing anything illegal," he told French TV. Lori Lightfoot's election as Chicago mayor heralds a new era for a police department with a history of documented civil rights abuses and slow to change -- even as it tackles a gun violence epidemic that has cost hundreds of lives each year Police officers in Chicago -- struggling to hold the line in America's most violent major city -- now have a new boss who has openly criticized them for racial bias. Lori Lightfoot -- a former federal prosecutor -- will take office next month with a list of reforms for the Chicago Police Department (CPD). The political outsider's election heralded a new era for a department with a history of documented civil rights abuses and slow to change -- even as it tackles a gun violence epidemic that has cost hundreds of lives each year. The openly-gay African American has called some officers racist and said police tactics have left minority communities feeling as if officers are "an occupying force." Lightfoot, 56, won the mayoral race Tuesday with a stunning 3-to-1 margin, in no small part due to her record of tough police criticism and a promise to shake up the establishment. In 2016, Lightfoot headed a task force that put out a scathing report of the CPD's tactics and recommended wide-ranging reforms. "The Task Force heard over and over again from a range of voices, particularly from African-Americans, that some CPD officers are racist," Lightfoot wrote. "CPD is not doing enough to combat racial bias," she concluded. Lightfoot called for a number of changes, including a new civilian oversight office to keep track of police, teaching beat officers how to interact with traumatized minority youth, and ending a culture of "tolerance of lying" among officers. - 'Race does matter' - More than 550 people were murdered last year -- a reduction from an alarming spike two years earlier when it was more than 750, but still more than in the more populous cities of New York and Los Angeles Scrutiny of the police comes at a time when Chicago is struggling with a gun violence epidemic. More than 550 people were murdered last year -- a reduction from an alarming spike two years earlier when it was more than 750, but still more than in the more populous cities of New York and Los Angeles. Much of the bloodshed is related to gangs and the drug trade, and concentrated in predominantly African-American neighborhoods in the South and West. But Lightfoot does not want police to simply crack down even harder to reduce crime. Such tactics led to the types of abuses that left "many people feeling like the police are an illegitimate occupying force and we've got to change that around, because literally lives depend on it," Lightfoot told NPR on Wednesday. Lightfoot wants to reduce the distrust that has developed between police and minority communities over well-documented cases such as the killing of black teen Laquan McDonald Residents in historically-segregated neighborhoods have long complained of economic decay that contrasts with a boom in the downtown area and other wealthy communities. "The nature of policing has not adequately taken into account the segregation in our city and that race does matter," Lightfoot told NPR. Lightfoot has promised more economic investment to reduce the draw of crime for young people and a more informed police force that better understands the needs of minority communities. - Documented abuses - On Wednesday, the mayor-elect was non-committal about the future employment of the city's current police chief Eddie Johnson, who is African American and has overseen the reduction in crime She also wants to reduce the distrust between police and minority communities that has developed over decades of well-documented abuses. Judges in Chicago courts have exonerated numerous convicts -- sometimes multiple people at a time -- who were framed by crooked officers, tortured to extract confessions, or otherwise unjustly convicted. "The city is now paying for it, both in terms of settlements to people who were wrongly incarcerated, but also in terms of mistrust of the police force," Jim Bray, spokesman for the non-profit reform group Illinois Justice Project, told AFP. Reforming police tactics could be a major shift for the department. It has made some changes thanks to a consent decree -- an agreement between the state of Illinois and the city's police department to implement reforms, which was the result of a recent federal investigation which found civil rights abuses. The department has improved transparency and increased community engagement. But it has otherwise focused on reducing crime by employing new technologies and increasing the size of the force. On Wednesday, the mayor-elect was non-committal about the future employment of the city's current police chief Eddie Johnson, who is African American and has overseen the reduction in crime. She promised to assess Johnson's job performance after the summer. "We have a lot of challenges to face, and he's very well aware of it," Lightfoot told CNN. People walk by the new arts center the Shed in Manhattan's Hudson Yards development A sparkling new addition to New York's cultural offerings will open Friday, a highly anticipated interdisciplinary complex aiming to be an everyman's art space in the upscale Hudson Yards real estate development. The futuristic Shed institution, constructed on a 20,000-square-foot, city-owned lot, is intended as the "cultural beating heart" of the controversial Hudson Yards, whose sea of corporate offices, high-end stores and pricey restaurants has been criticized as a playground for the rich. The much-hyped arts complex -- which resembles something of a giant box nestled in a shimmering silver puffer jacket -- will debut this week with a celebration of African American music directed by British Oscar winner Steve McQueen, and a set of theatrical concerts from the eclectic Icelandic performer Bjork next month. Members of the Soundtrack of America band rehearse ahead of their show to inaugurate Manhattan's new cultural center the Shed "We're not retro-fitting," said Alex Poots, the Shed's founding artistic director. "We're trying to purposely create a program that really represents a wide spectrum of artists and society." As its inaugural season of nearly all newly commissioned work rolls out, the Shed appears intent on offering an antidote to criticism of the Dubai-esque Hudson Yards, where some apartments will go for $30 million. "We try to make a place that has more equity than had ever been previously," said the Scotsman, who previously served as artistic directors of the Manchester International Festival and New York's Park Avenue Armory. - Artistic toolbox - While catering to everyone from public housing residents to the city's glitterati is the goal, ensuring equal access in exorbitant Manhattan is a tall order. Alex Poots, the founding chief executive and artistic director of the Shed, vows the institution will bring people from all backgrounds together Poots said all art gallery exhibits will be $10 and free for kids, while shows -- including top billings like the Bjork -- will see 10 percent of attendees pay just $10 for spots throughout the space. "Not only are you creating access, but you're creating meeting points for people of different backgrounds," Poots said at a Shed preview Wednesday. The Shed's name embodies its ethos, its mastermind Dan Doctoroff said, acting as an artistic toolbox of sorts, or as he puts it, a "Swiss army knife for culture." Dancers of the Dragon Spring Phoenix Rise attend a rehearsal at the Tisch Skylights inside the new Shed arts center The eight-floor complex features two sprawling column-free galleries, a 500-seat theater that can be divided in two, a creative lab and rehearsal space and a 17,000-square-foot hall for large-scale performances, which can be covered by a telescopic shell that can also nest over the building to open a plaza for outdoor events. The Shed is largely the brainchild of its now-chairman and president Doctoroff, a businessman who served as deputy mayor under New York's Michael Bloomberg administration and 23 years ago kicked off a bold plan to rebuild the city's West side in pursuit of an Olympic bid. That effort failed, but the area of midtown Manhattan's rail yard already re-zoned for development would become Hudson Yards -- and blueprints included plans for an arts institution that then lacked vision. - Cultural 'start-up' - Elizabeth Diller, the building's chief architect, recalls that in 2008, the project was but "a dotted line with a question mark" labeled "cultural facility" -- just as the city faced the height of the recession "and the project seemed improbable." "As we all know, art is the first to get cut when there is an economic crisis." Architect Elizabeth Diller (R) and Shed mastermind Dan Doctoroff at the new arts center But Doctoroff's bold dream got a kickstart from Bloomberg, whose administration -- which made funding the arts a cornerstone of his tenure, in a city eager to revive its global powerhouse image in the post-September 11 years -- appropriated an initial $75 million in public funds to the arts organization as he left office six years ago. In 2017, the billionaire dropped another $75 million, this time of his own money, which snagged him the building naming rights. "It was an opportunity to do a building from scratch... a start-up if you will," architect Diller told AFP of what some are calling the city's greatest cultural structure since the Lincoln Center complex that opened in the 1960s. - Leading edge - People pass by the new arts center, the Shed, opening in Manhattan's Hudson Yards Fundraising has covered the building's initial costs, which have crawled towards $500 million. Doctoroff owed the hefty gifts supporting the building to the Shed's mission to "be different" in a city already rife with cultural institutions. The complex has the ability to "change over time and keep New York on the leading edge," he said, calling that cultural prowess "essential to New York's competitive position." Part of that means searching from within, said civic programming head Tamara McCaw, who has led the Shed's Open Call program to support emerging artists in the city who might not have the economic resources to get going, including recruiting among its public housing residents. "The context of New York City -- it's what drives us to make sure this space belongs to everybody," she said. "That gets reflected in who works here, what's the program, who gets to curate." For Doctoroff, it's an "obligation" to "let people know that not only are they welcome, but they're going to play an important part in helping us to define who we are." Five-year-old Mariam, who suffered facial burns, is one of the many young children being treated at a hospital in Syria's northeastern Hasakeh province Young children nursing severe facial burns, others suffering from malnutrition -- an exodus of jihadist families and civilians from the Islamic State group's vanquished final enclave is overwhelming eastern Syria's hospitals. A handful of health facilities in the Kurdish-administered northeast receive dozens of patients every day, often including young victims who are terribly disfigured, some allegedly by mortar fire. Most arrivals are women and children from Al-Hol, a camp for the displaced that has swelled far beyond its capacity to house more than 70,000 people during a months-long offensive against the last scrap of the jihadists' "caliphate". "The situation here in the hospital is tragic," said Aydin Sleiman Khalil, who manages the main health institution in Hasakeh, some 40 kilometres (25 miles) from Al-Hol. To cope with the influx, the semi-autonomous Kurdish region's hospitals are desperately seeking support from the international community and aid agencies. To care for the influx of patients in eastern Syria, hospitals are desperately seeking support from the international community and aid agencies "We lack equipment, medicine, finances and medical personnel," Khalil said, urging humanitarian groups and the United Nations to help. Lit by neon strips, long and clean corridors led to a succession of hushed rooms inhabited by women clad in black from head-to-toe, caring for their sick and wounded offspring. In one room, several women slept on iron beds, their newborn babies in nearby cots, wrapped in thick blankets. On another floor, Iraqi mother Badreya Kamel said she arrived a few days ago with her three children. One of them, Rowayda, died at the hospital on Monday from severe burns. "She was two years old," said the 24-year-old, her voice barely audible behind her face veil, long black robes draped over her frail figure. - 'Urgent need' - Kamel had spent the last five months at Al-Hol, after fleeing a village caught up in the fighting between IS and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), who are backed by a US-led coalition. She left her tent to look for breakfast one recent morning. During her brief absence, her children lit a gas stove, sparking a fire. A doctor changes the gauzes on a Russian girl at a hospital in Syria's northeastern Hasakeh province on April 2, 2019 Four-year-old Zobeida and 10-year-old Hafsa survived. In their hospital room, both children sat in silence, moving their heads only rarely, a thick cream smeared over the raw, red wounds disfiguring their faces. "We do what we can, but it's not enough," said Khalil, referring to the two girls and a clutch of other very young burn patients. "They need more care -- more medicine, aesthetic surgery." His hospital hosts around 25 in-patients who fled the collapsing IS "caliphate", mainly via Al-Hol. Around 50 more arrive for out-patient appointments each day from the camp, including many who need dressings changed and wounds cleaned. In March alone, local hospitals were "overwhelmed" by some 2,000 women and children from Al-Hol, mostly suffering from wounds or malnutrition, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) aid group says. But two new field hospitals should open at the camp itself by the end of April, the aid group says, to fill what the United Nations says is a pressing need. "There is an urgent need for expanded health services in the camp itself," said the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, or OCHA. Donors have disbursed 4.3 million dollars (3.8 million euros) for Al-Hol, including to combat malnutrition and to provide emergency health care, it said. - 'Many children burnt' - Only a handful of health facilities in the Kurdish-administered northeast of Syria receive dozens of patients every day, often including young victims who are terribly disfigured On March 23, the SDF proclaimed victory against IS, after dislodging the jihadists from all but a few tunnels on the edge of Baghouz, a village that served as their final Syrian redoubt. Over several weeks before that, the Kurdish-Arab alliance periodically had paused operations to allow out civilians -- including jihadists' families -- and surrendering fighters. Among the 500 most recent arrivals to Al-Hol, a number of women and children were trucked in with burns and shrapnel wounds, the IRC confirmed. Saniya Roustom arrived around three weeks ago at the hospital, where she shares a room with two other Russian women and their children, all burn cases. The 32-year-old had been trapped in Baghouz, where she sheltered against the gun battles, mortar fire and coalition air strikes in a trench covered by tarpaulin sheet. That sheet was ignited by a mortar round, she said. "Many children were burnt. They needed help, good doctors... We were brought here," Roustom said in hesitant Arabic. Of her six children, only one is still alive. The others died during other bombardments, or from their burns. Five-year-old Mariam sat stooped on a hospital bed, her blonde hair trimmed short, parts of her face terribly burnt. Her skinny forearm swaddled in bandages, she clutched a pen and scribbled on a notepad. Prince Charles bids Hong Kong farewell during the 1997 handover of the city to China Across much of Britain's former Asian colonies, many are greeting the UK's impending departure from the European Union with a mixture of bafflement, apathy, amusement -- and a touch of schadenfreude. Britain long justified imperial subjugation by arguing Rule Britannia brought order, stability and shared prosperity -- even after its retreat from colonialism birthed a host of troubled new nations still saddled with historical grievances and legacies to this day. Now Brits face a chaos and internal division of their own making, alongside potential isolation and years of economic hardship -- particularly if the UK crashes out with no deal on April 12. "I was born and brought up in this British colony called Hong Kong and used to think that the Brits were a very sensible people," remarked Claudia Mo, a pro-democracy lawmaker in the financial hub. "I've been watching Brexit process as a former colonial person and it's almost like a farce, it's sadly funny, sadly amusing. I'm baffled as to why and how things got to where they are now. To outsiders it's almost unthinkable," she told AFP. Mo, 62, came of age politically during a turbulent period for her birthplace sparked by Britain's colonial legacy -- the 1997 handover of Hong Kong to China. Unlike Brexit, Hong Kongers had no say in their future and many were desperate to obtain British passports in case the handover unleashed chaos. Many youngsters, Mo said, are still looking for opportunities overseas given Beijing's increasingly authoritarian grip, but they may be less inclined to opt for Britain. "I think their first choices here are more likely Australia and Canada," she remarked. - 'Sinking ship' - In India, Sreeram Chaulia, dean of the Jindal School of International Affairs, said many regard Brexit as the latest chapter in what has been a "sharp decline in the place Britain commands as a great power". "They are not a gold standard to look up to," he said. "We get a feeling of a sinking ship and everybody wants to leave a sinking ship." India's economy is set to overtake the UK's later this year. "The UK will then become a middle power. It is like a reversal of scale," he noted. Unlike Brexit, Hong Kongers had no say in their future and many were desperate to obtain British passports in case the handover unleashed chaos Students at Bangladesh's Dhaka University offered mixed views on what Brexit might mean. Syed Tahsin said he hoped the relationship between the two countries might be "more positive than ever before" given Britain has vowed to strengthen bridges with Commonwealth countries. But others fretted that the anti-immigrant sentiment which fuelled the leave vote would make Britain less welcoming to overseas visitors and the Bangladeshi community already there. "Brexit itself is a policy of white supremacists," lamented student Aishwarya Proma, adding she feared it will "just push more... immigrants (to) go back to their countries." While Brits and Europeans may have been engrossed by the unceasing weekly drama of Brexit, many further afield admitted that they were more preoccupied by local issues. "The Brexit issue and the wider conversations about democracy seem far removed from daily life in Sri Lanka, where we are all consumed with our own dysfunctional politics," Dharisha Bastians, chief editor of the Sunday Observer newspaper, told AFP. Nationalist Sri Lankan legislator Udaya Gammanpila regarded that disinterest as a good sign. "We are no longer preoccupied with British politics. We are slowly getting over our colonial mentality," he said. - 'Brexit yoga' - Given its cultural and linguistic links, Australians have followed the Brexit drama perhaps more closely than any other former colony. Nick Miller, Europe correspondent for the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age newspapers, noted there was "immediate interest" from readers. "The sight of a country deliberately throwing away a close, mutually beneficial partnership, wilfully damaging its economy and influence on a point of cultural principle, was a surprise," he wrote. Though he noted Britain hardly had a monopoly on political dysfunction. "We've changed prime ministers six times in the past 11 years, only twice as the result of an election," he wrote. Others have opted for humour. A "Brexit Yoga" video by Australian comic Sammy J -- featuring postures such as "Rising Nationalism", "Instant Regret" and "Downward Facing Economy" -- went viral last month on Facebook racking up some 5.4 million views. Singaporean economics student Linus Yeo said he was keen to look for silver linings. "Feels like the perfect time to take a holiday in the UK," he told AFP. "The pound is probably going into freefall." Meanwhile Tanmay, a freelance cameraman in New Delhi, joked Brexiters could learn some patience from India. "I am not surprised Brexit is taking a long time," he said. "The British took ages to leave here too." A US court will hear arguments Thursday on whether Tesla CEO Elon Musk should be held in contempt for violating a settlement with securities regulators Elon Musk's messy Twitter habit will get a once-over on Thursday when a federal court weighs whether the controversial Tesla chief executive should be held in contempt of court. His attorneys and the US Securities and Exchange Commission are scheduled to appear before US District Judge Alison Nathan, who will hear arguments on the agency's request to crack down on Musk for allegedly violating the terms of a settlement Nathan approved in October. Musk's removal as CEO is not seen as a very likely result of the latest fight, although a finding of contempt could make such an outcome more likely down the road, analysts said. A negative ruling could also increase investor pressure on Musk to appoint a chief operating officer to share responsibility for managing a company that has suffered from near-constant turnover. Tesla representatives did not respond to queries on whether Musk would attend the hearing, which comes as shares of the electric car marker plummeted following disappointing first-quarter deliveries. The October agreement required Musk to step down as chairman and pay $20 million to settle charges he defrauded investors with false claims on Twitter in August about a possible go-private transaction that was quickly aborted. Tesla was also fined $20 million. The settlement, which allowed Musk to remain as CEO, required the CEO and other senior officers to obtain pre-approval from Tesla counsel before making written communications "that contain, or reasonably could contain, information material to Tesla or its stockholders." - 'Nobody's perfect' - The hearing is the latest event in Musk's running battle with the SEC, which he derided on Twitter as the "Shortseller Enrichment Commission" on October 4, days after the SEC settlement was signed but before it was finalized in court. Analysts note Elon Musk owns a large stake in Tesla, which would likely make him a presence in the company even if he were barred as CEO Musk also blasted the agency in a December "60 Minutes" interview where he acknowledged his tweets were not being reviewed. "I guess we might make some mistakes. Who knows?" Musk said. "Nobody's perfect." "I want to be clear. I do not respect the SEC," he said. "I do not respect them." The agency took action after Musk tweeted on February 19 that Tesla would make 500,000 cars in 2019 -- up from the 400,000 that the company had estimated until then, an apparent increase on a benchmark tied to profitability. Musk corrected himself four hours later, saying that Tesla would indeed produce about 400,000 cars this year: "Meant to say annualized production rate at end of 2019 probably around 500k." Six days later, the SEC asked Nathan to hold Musk in contempt for violating the settlement, arguing that Musk had not made "a diligent or good-faith effort" to honor the commitment to seek review for a statement that could be "material," or consequential to investors. Musk "once again published inaccurate and material information about Tesla to his over 24 million Twitter followers, including members of the press, and made this inaccurate information available to anyone with Internet access," the agency said. In response, Musk's lawyers argued that the production figures were not material and that Musk had shown "diligence" in following the order, cutting his average monthly Tesla-related tweets "nearly in half." Musk's attorneys also accused the SEC of an "unconstitutional power grab" that flouted Musk's free speech rights and "smacks of retaliation and censorship" over the executive's remarks on "60 Minutes." Legal experts described the case against Musk as solid but note that the SEC did not ask the court for a specific punishment, such as removing him as CEO. - Overpromising? - The hearing comes on a bruising day for Tesla shares, which plunged 8.8 percent to $266.10 after the company said it delivered 63,000 vehicles to customers in the first quarter, 31 percent less than the previous quarter and below the 76,000 units expected by analysts surveyed by FactSet. A note from JPMorgan Chase said the report was "substantially worse than expected" and that it undermined Musk's defense in the SEC matter, which holds that Musk's February 19 tweet on production numbers was not material in light of other company statements. The JPMorgan note also pointed to a "clear incongruence" between Tesla's official forecasts and Musk's statements, pointing to company's January 30 earnings report that projected 360,000 to 400,000 deliveries in 2019, a figure reaffirmed Wednesday. However, Musk in the January 30 conference call discussed Model 3 deliveries of between 350,000 and 500,000, implying much higher overall deliveries. Musk explained that the gap was due to uncertainty about the progress of a new Shanghai plant that is being built. But the JPMorgan note said the "choppiness and inconsistency" of the figures are "eroding investor confidence and potentially placing additional pressure on the shares." Thursday, April 4, 2019 at 5:32PM Embed from Getty Images Late last year, Netflix announced that it was making a live-action version of the anime Cowboy Bebop. They were bringing on the animes director Shinichiro Watanabe as a consultant. Now, the streaming service announced some of the actors who will be joining the show. John Cho will be taking the lead role of bounty hunter Spike Spiegel. He will be joined by Luke Cage star Mustafa Shakir as Spiegels partner Jet Black. The Originals Daniella Pineda will play the amnesia-stricken Faye Valentine. And British stage actor Alex Hassell will play notorious hitman and Spiegels rival, Vicious. The show has an initial 10-episode run and its first episode is said to be written by Thor: The Dark World and Thor: Ragnarok screenwriter Christopher Yost. Source: Engadget For those dreading military service, the shrine of Ya Nak in Bangkok has become a popular pilgrimage A slim young recruit wearing make-up, new fathers, nervous lovers holding hands -- diverse groups of Thais flocked to a famed Bangkok shrine this week offering prayers to avoid military conscription. Every male citizen aged 21 in Thailand must participate in the country's massive annual draft, which starts in April and sees an estimated 100,000 enlisted for up to two years. It is a sensitive subject in military-run Thailand, and politicians opposing the junta in last month's election suggested ending the mandatory practice. While some draftees volunteer, others enter a lottery system where young men pluck coloured cards out of a box and wait nervously as a soldier reveals either a red slip -- meaning they have been drafted -- or the coveted black. For young men dreading military service, the shrine of Ya Nak ("Grandmother Nak") in the capital's Wat Mahabut temple has become a popular pilgrimage. Represented by a golden statue of a woman with long black hair sitting cross-legged with a baby, Ya Nak is surrounded by gifts of flowers, toy cars, and traditional Thai clothing. Father-of-one Thawatchi Saisawang is the family's sole breadwinner and is praying to be exempted from the draft Legend has it that while her husband was away in military service she died alone during childbirth, a story turned into a hit Thai movie. Like many Thais who grew up knowing the folklore, university student Pasakorn Raksri travelled five hours from Kanchanaburi province to pray to Ya Nak. The 21-year-old, who presents herself as a woman and has shoulder-length hair and wears make-up, does not want to be enlisted. "One of my concerns is my sexual appearance as it is not exactly what the army is looking for," Pasakorn told AFP. Thais who have transitioned are exempt from conscription but those who have not undergone surgery have been subjected to harassment when they are drafted into the military, rights groups say. Others pray to Ya Nak because they have financial commitments and are the sole breadwinner. "I am the only one who works in the family," said Thawatchai Saisawang, a father of one young girl. Transgender youth Pasakorn Raksri travelled five hours from Kanchanaburi province to pray at the shrine Factory worker Utain Kamrit was returning to the shrine with gratitude. The 22-year-old had prayed to Ya Nak and said there was a single black card remaining in a box of reds during his enlistment. "I was thinking about her, asking her to help me," he said, recalling the moments before he pulled the black card. These tension-filled sessions often leave young men bursting into tears of relief when they get an exemption, while some faint from the stress. "First thing that came into my mind was, I have to return here to fulfill my promise (to give thanks)," Utain told AFP. The plane crashed near Bishoftu, some 60 kilometres southeast of Addis Ababa, killing all 157 people onboard The crew of the Ethiopian Airlines plane that crashed last month, killing 157 people, repeatedly followed procedures recommended by Boeing, but were unable to regain control of the jet, the investigators' report showed Thursday. The initial probe appears to confirm concerns about the flight control system on the Boeing 737 MAX 8 model, with data echoing that from the crash of the Indonesian Lion Air 737 MAX 8 flight in October last year which killed 189 people. The full report has not been publicly released, but according to a draft copy seen by AFP, shortly after take-off a sensor recording the level of the plane began transmitting faulty data, prompting the autopilot system to point the nose downwards. "The crew performed all the procedures repeatedly provided by the manufacturer, but was not able to control the aircraft," said Ethiopian Transport Minister Dagmawit Moges, unveiling results of the preliminary probe into the crash. The report recommends "the aircraft flight control system shall be reviewed by the manufacturer," Dagmawit said. "Aviation authorities shall verify that the review of the aircraft flight control system has been adequately addressed by the manufacturer before the release of the aircraft for operations," she added. The release of the report came after the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced a review of the certification of the automated flight control system on the 737 MAX. Boeing is reviewing the report. The Ethiopian Airlines flight was headed to Nairobi on a clear morning on March 10 when so-called Angle of Attack sensors on either side of the nose of the plane began sending conflicting information to the auto pilot system shortly after take-off. According to report AFP saw, the nose of the plane pointed down four times without pilot input. The autopilot was switched off at some point and the captain called out "pull up" three times to his first officer as the pair battled to gain control. Three minutes after take off and three minutes before the crash, the captain asked the first officer to try the manual trim system, which changes the level of the plane. He replied that it was not working. They asked to turn back, but it was too late. The plane pitched down at a 40-degree angle, smashing into a field outside Addis Ababa at about 500 knots (1,000 kilometres per hour). Both engines were buried at a depth of 10 metres, in a crater 28 metres wide and 40 metres long, with fragments of debris found within a radius of about 300 metres. "This accident was not survivable," said the report. Citizens from over 30 countries were on board. - Anti-stall system - The report ratchets up pressure on Boeing to fix the flight control system on the MAX 8, which has been grounded worldwide. Boeing's MCAS anti-stall system Shortly after the Lion Air crash last year, Boeing issued a bulletin reminding operators of emergency guidelines to override the anti-stall system, amid indications it had received erroneous information from Angle of Attack (AoA) sensors during that disaster. The Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) is designed to automatically lower the aircraft's nose if it detects a stall or loss of airspeed. It was developed specifically for the MAX 8 -- whose larger engines placed higher on the plane can tip the nose up which can lead to the aircraft stalling. However in the case of both crashes, faulty data appears to have led the anti-stall system to kick in and point the plane downwards at a dangerous angle. The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that pilots had shut off the anti-stall system, but switched it back on because they could not regain control, citing people briefed on the preliminary findings. The head of the accident investigation bureau Amdiye Ayalew said the full probe would take six months to a year, but that there had been no sign of "foreign object damage" to the aircraft. "Within this one year we'll analyse whether other problems are existing on this aircraft," he said. - 'Proud' of pilots - The head of Ethiopian Airlines Tewolde GebreMariam said he was proud of the efforts of the pilots in trying to stop their jet from crashing. "We are very proud of our pilots' compliances to follow the emergency procedures, and high level of professional performances in such extremely difficult situations," he said in a statement. Loss: A memorial service for Kenyan victims of the disaster Boeing last week gathered hundreds of pilots and reporters for a presentation on proposed MCAS changes -- including the system no longer repeatedly making corrections when pilots try to regain control. The company is anxious to win approval for a remedy that could get the planes back in the air. The FAA said Monday that Boeing needed to undertake more work on the proposed fix before it could be submitted for review. Tiananmen Square was the site of the brutal 1989 crackdown on anti-government protestors, which Beijing now supresses all reference to Four activists in southwestern China have been handed prison sentences over liquor labels commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen massacre -- two months before the crackdown's 30th anniversary, said rights groups and relatives. China forbids public discussion of the military's brutal suppression of the demonstrations, often detaining those who attempt to raise it. The four men were arrested nearly three years ago for advertising and selling alcohol with labels that said "Always remember June 4th, 1989", using a play on words and numbers to represent the banned date. The label also showed an illustrated rendition of "Tank Man", a renowned photograph of a single individual facing down a column of armoured vehicles in 1989. Three of the men -- Fu Hailu, Zhang Juanyong, and Luo Fuyu -- were sentenced earlier this week at a Chengdu court to three years in prison, including time already served for "picking quarrels and provoking trouble", according to human rights groups and relatives. They were also handed suspended jail sentences of between four and five years. The fourth, Chen Bing, was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison Thursday and is expected to have eight months left to serve, according to Amnesty International, citing his lawyer. The Chengdu court did not respond to requests for comment. "I have no choice but to accept it, even though I know he is innocent," Gao Yan, Luo's wife, told AFP. "We probably won't appeal, because it's useless," she added. The first three have already served the bulk of their three-year prison sentences, and Fu has already returned home according to his wife. But Human Rights Watch China researcher Yaqiu Wang told AFP that the addition of a suspended jail sentence means continued surveillance. "The activists will continue to be heavily monitored and have their movement restricted," Wang said, adding that the verdicts could be a "warning" from Chinese authorities to deter others from recognising the anniversary. Doriane Lau, China researcher at Amnesty International, said Beijing has been "consistent" in punishing those who memorialise the Tiananmen Square crackdown. Academics, activists, and dissidents were detained in 2014 for attending a private seminar in Beijing that marked the 25th anniversary of the protests. One of the activists at the seminar, Hu Shigen, had previously spent 16 years in prison for trying to organise memorials for the Tiananmen massacre. Young people enjoy the night life at the Fuschia Bar in Rwanda's capital Kigali. Many youths feel the absence of close kin they could never know, cut down in the three-month genocide Every April 7, Rwanda recalls the hundreds of thousands of people who perished in the 1994 genocide -- an occasion that for many survivors triggers terrifying memories. But for the two-thirds of the population born in the aftermath of the slaughter, the trauma is of a different kind. They face burdens of their own, having grown up in the shadow of unspeakable atrocities while carrying the crushing weight of expectations of a brighter future. Some Rwandan youth feel a heavy responsibility to ensure the country never again suffers a cataclysm like the one that lasted for three months in 1994, until the rebel Rwandan Patriotic Front seized Kigali and came to power "For us, people who grew up after the events, one would tend to think that it doesn't affect us directly," said Bruce Muringira, aged 24. "But I would say it does... it takes a toll on us too." Muringira works for an advertising agency in Rwanda's capital Kigali. He was born a year after the mass killings, in which Hutu extremists and soldiers mainly targeted the Tutsi minority for three months. In Aptil last year, workers opened up a pit that was found to be a mass grave at Kaguba in the outskirts of Kigali "It is a painful memory, and for a lot of families, they have found the best way to cope is to try and put it in the past," said Muringira. "But it's not an easy thing to do. So every April, when it comes, you see people changing. You see people withdrawing into themselves more and more." Young people feel the absence of those they never even knew; grandparents, even their own parents. The gaps in family are constant reminders of those who were lost. Trauma lingers in the succeeding generation as well. Youths speak of their responsibility to ensure that the horrors of 1994 will never happen again. - National unity - The Rwandan genocide Learning about his family history was painful, said Muringira. "I went through a lot of moments of insecurity, confusion and questioning," he said. It is a feeling echoed by others. Jean-Paul Haguma, now 26, was a one-year-old baby when the killing began. He does not want to talk about the details of what happened to his family. "It is a difficult time," Haguma said. "But it is the history. It happened, it became part of our life." Many of the young regret that the image of Rwanda abroad today is still all too often only that of the story of the genocide. Dance practice for some members of the Abatanguha troupe, which organises youth community events around a nation looking to its future Supporters of the government praise the advances Rwanda has made in term of peace and reconciliation, and speak of its economic success. Young people echo the rhetoric of Rwanda's tough government in supporting development for the small, densely populated nation of hills. "The youth should support the development... to implement, with all our energy and will, the government programmes," said Diane Mushimiyimana, a 23-year-old student. Those who grew up after the genocide were taught the core concept of Rwandan unity, and how splits between the different groups paved the way for the massacres of at least 800,000 people. - 'Part of our history' - The Ntarama Genocide Memorial in Kigali is part of Rwanda's peace and reconciliation effort "My dream for Rwanda is, first and foremost, to be able to move past what happened," said Muringira. "I'm not talking about forgetting it, because when you forget your own history, there's a risk of repeating it...My hope is that we might be able to see ourselves, more than anything, as Rwandans - not as one tribe or another, not as victims or perpetrators." Emmanuel Habumugisha was born in May 1994, in the middle of the genocide. His father was killed. From the pain and loss, he hopes there is a lesson for the future. There is a benefit in reading the history of Rwanda's genocide, and of other countries that have seen such suffering, he said. For Bruce Muringira (unseen), born a year after the slaughter, "it is a defining feature of who we are as a country - but also who we are as individuals" "Then they will know the value of a person, know how to relate to each other," Habumugisha said. "Then they will come together to help each other to develop - instead of fighting." Every person deals with the legacy of genocide in their own way. Some try to remember. Others do everything to forget. Some, like Muringira, see the act of remembrance as a way to build a more positive future. "As much as we were not there, it is part of our history too. It is a defining feature of who we are as a country - but also who we are as individuals," Muringira said. "Those of us who understand that, we are trying our best to make our communities and our country a better place." Muslim majority Malaysia has banned the Shia sect and also forbids preaching conversions by Christians Families of a missing Malaysian Shiite Muslim activist and Christian pastor called Thursday for a new investigation into their disappearances after a bombshell inquiry concluded they were abducted by police. Activist Amri Che Mat, the founder of a social welfare NGO, vanished in northern Perlis state in November 2016, while Pastor Raymond Koh disappeared three months later outside Kuala Lumpur. While their cases are not linked, the families of the missing men have co-operated with the official Human Rights Commission of Malaysia, known as Suhakam, in a bid to get to the bottom of the matter. Eyewitnesses reportedly claimed to have seen both men being abducted after the vehicles they were driving were boxed in by other cars. Their cases have long captivated Malaysia, a multi-ethnic country with a Sunni Muslim majority, amid suspicions the state may have been involved in kidnapping them as they had clashed with powerful Islamic authorities. On Wednesday a long-running inquiry by Suhakam concluded both men were snatched by the police's intelligence unit, and called for a taskforce to be set up to probe the cases. "Hands of the state are involved in these forced abductions," inquiry head Mah Weng Kwai told AFP. The police have not responded to the inquiry's findings. Amri's wife, Norhayati Mohamad Arifin, said her husband was the victim of a "heinous crime". "I want a fresh investigation and a search launched to find my husband," she said. Koh's wife Susana Liew added: "There is no justification for such abduction. We want the culprits to be brought to justice." The commission has no real powers and can only make recommendations, which the government is not obliged to follow. Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad described the probe's findings as "merely hearsay", the official news agency Bernama reported, adding: "I think they must produce some evidence." The commission pointed to similarities between the cases. Both men were investigated by authorities -- Amri was suspected of spreading Shiite teachings while Koh was accused of seeking to convert Muslims -- while the same model of car was seen in the area before they disappeared. The Shiite branch of Islam is banned in Malaysia and followers of the sect complain of being repressed, while seeking to convert Muslims to other religions is forbidden. Critics point to growing Islamic conservatism in the country of 32 million people in recent years which they say has chipped away at a traditionally tolerant form of Islam. Israeli settlers carry the Jewish Power party's Itamar Ben-Gvir in the flashpoint city of Hebron, in the occupied West Bank, on March 21, 2019 The bespectacled man was given a hero's welcome when he arrived for the party on the recent Jewish holiday of Purim, with teenagers singing and applauding around him. Itamar Ben-Gvir was on the streets of Hebron, a flashpoint city in the occupied West Bank, among Israeli settlers revelling while disguised and masked according to Jewish tradition. The support for him there was a sign of why he may soon become a member of Israel's parliament as part of an extreme-right party many view as racist -- helped along by a deal brokered by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "No way -- there's no way that they're racist," said Yehudit Katz, a resident of another West Bank settlement who came to celebrate for Purim in Hebron. Several hundred Israeli settlers live in Hebron under heavy military guard -- including Ben-Gvir -- amidst around 200,000 Palestinians. "The solution that they have is to keep the people that are not Jewish -- the Arabs, whoever -- that are loyal to the state of Israel as a Jewish homeland, and there are many Arabs like that," said Katz. "We don't want terrorists. Terrorists can go live somewhere else," she added. Ben-Gvir, a 42-year-old lawyer, said "God willing" Jewish Power will make it into the parliament. It is a prospect that has touched off one of the most intense debates in the campaign ahead of April 9 elections. Jewish Power's leaders are followers of an assassinated racist rabbi whose group was labelled a terrorist organisation by the United States, the European Union and Israel itself. Netanyahu's deal that saw Jewish Power join two other far-right parties to run on the same electoral list drew disgust at home and among Jewish communities abroad, particularly in the United States. - 'Enemies of Israel' - For Netanyahu, the deal ahead of what is expected to be a close election was pure politics. He defended it by saying he does not want any right-wing votes to go to waste as he eyes his next coalition. Running alone, Jewish Power was unlikely to pass the 3.25 percent electoral threshold. But all has not gone smoothly for Jewish Power, whose leader Michael Ben-Ari was also running but has been disqualified by the supreme court for statements it ruled were incitement to racism. An Israeli man walks past an electoral billboard bearing portraits of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu flanked by extreme right politicians Itamar Ben-Gvir, Bezalel Smotrich and Michael Ben-Ari Ben-Gvir's candidacy was also challenged at the court, but he was allowed to stand, making him the only Jewish Power representative with a chance to make it into parliament. Jewish Power are followers of late racist rabbi Meir Kahane, whose Kach movement wanted to chase Arabs from Israel. The ideology of Kahane, assassinated in New York in 1990, also inspired Baruch Goldstein, who carried out a massacre of 29 Palestinian worshippers in Hebron in 1994. Ben-Gvir acknowledges having a picture of Goldstein in his living room, but has reportedly said it is because he was a medical doctor who rescued Jews targeted in Palestinian attacks. For Adalah, a rights group for Arab Israelis, Ben-Gvir belongs to a "racist movement recognised as a terrorist organisation". Jewish Power strongly disputes the characterisation, with Ben-Gvir telling the supreme court it is only against "enemies of Israel" and not Arabs in general. Opinion polls show the list that Jewish Power is part of winning between five and seven seats in the 120-seat parliament. Ben-Gvir is seventh on the list. - 'We'll get to him' - Jewish Power advocates removing "Israel's enemies from our land," a reference to Palestinians and Arab Israelis who carry out attacks or who they see as not accepting the Jewish state they envision. It also calls for Israel annexing the West Bank, where more than 2.5 million Palestinians live. The Jewish Power's Itamar Ben-Gvir (L) argues with Israeli Arab candidate Ata Abu Medeghem of Raam Balad after a hearing at the Israeli Supreme Court on March 17, 2019 Ben-Ari was previously a member of parliament as part of a different right-wing list between 2009 and 2013, but Jewish Power has never passed the electoral threshold. Ben-Gvir has long been an outspoken member of the far-right. Indicted 53 times since his youth, he boasts of having been cleared in 46 cases. He decided to study law on the recommendation of judges so he could defend himself. He defends settlers accused of violence, including those allegedly responsible for an arson attack that killed an 18-month-old boy and his parents in 2015 in the West Bank, an incident that drew widespread revulsion. In 1995, when only 19 and in a time of turmoil following the Oslo accords with the Palestinians, he appeared on television with what he said was the stolen emblem from then prime minister Yitzhak Rabin's Cadillac. Rabin was assassinated by an Israeli opposed to the Oslo accords later that year. "We got to this symbol. We'll get to him," Ben-Gvir said at the time. Protesters in Paris accuse France of 'complicity and lies' over the Rwanda genocide on the 25th anniversary When a smattering of leaders gather this weekend in Kigali to mark the 25th anniversary of Rwanda's genocide there will be one conspicuous absence: French President Emmanuel Macron. Several African leaders and Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel are expected at events commemorating the 1994 massacre of an estimated 800,000 Rwandans, mostly minority Tutsis slayed in a dark chapter of Africa's post-colonial history. Macron too was invited, a move which had been hailed as sign of a fresh start in relations after two decades of turmoil over Rwanda's claims that France was complicit in the genocide. Forty-one-year-old Macron has presented himself as the face of a new generation of French politician unburdened by the country's murky past in Africa. But he turned down the invitation from President Paul Kagame, disappointing those hoping for a grand gesture of reconciliation on the French side. "He did not have the courage to see the process through," Francois Gaulme, researcher at the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI) told AFP. Several African leaders and Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel are expected at events commemorating the 1994 massacre of an estimated 800,000 Rwandans Had he accepted Macron would have been only the second French president to visit Rwanda since the genocide, which has cast a long shadow over Franco-Rwandan relations. Kagame, who led the Tutsi rebel force that overthrow the genocidal Hutu regime, accuses France of having supported the ethnic Hutu forces behind most of the slaughter and of helping some of the perpetrators to escape. Then French president Francois Mitterrand had backed the Hutu-led government in francophone Rwanda -- a former Belgian colony -- to counter the influence of neighbouring anglophone Uganda, home of exiled Rwandan Tutsi rebels. France has always denied being complicit in the genocide, saying that UN-mandated French soldiers deployed in Rwanda in the final weeks of the genocide did their best under difficult circumstances and saved thousands of lives. During a visit to Kigali in 2010, former president Nicolas Sarkozy broke new ground by admitting Paris had made "serious errors of judgement" in Rwanda. The French presidency has cited scheduling problems to explain Emmanuel Macron's absence from events marking the 25th anniversary of the Rwanda genocide in Kigali While falling short of an apology, the admission was seen as a breakthrough, prompting Kagame, who had at one point broken off ties, to visit the French capital a year later. - 'Neo-colonialist past' - The relationship hit turbulence again however under Socialist president Francois Hollande, but Macron's election set the stage for a new chapter. During a visit to Paris last year Kagame appeared impressed by the young Frenchman, later praising him for taking a "fresher" less paternalistic approach to Africa than his predecessors. "It's a change from the neo-colonial positions of the past," he told Jeune Afrique magazine. Macron himself pledged a more "pragmatic" approach to Rwanda and threw his weight behind Rwanda's candidate for the head of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), who went on to clinch the post. Analysts attributed Macron's decision not to travel to Kigali to divisions in France over whether Paris really has a case to answer in the genocide But faced with the invitation to Kigali his presidency cited scheduling problems and said Herve Berville, a young MP of Rwandan origin who was orphaned during the genocide and adopted by a French family, would represent France instead. Macron, meanwhile, will meet Friday with representatives of Ibuka, an association of genocide survivors -- the first such meeting between the group and a French leader. - Kagame unfazed - Analysts attributed his decision not to travel to Kigali to ongoing divisions in France over whether Paris really has a case to answer over the genocide. "It would have been hard for him to go to the 25th anniversary without presenting France's apologies," Antoine Glaser, former editor of a French newsletter on Africa, La Lettre du Continent, told AFP. But to do so "would have wrong-footed a whole section of the French army which considers that it did an OK job, that it was alone down there in a complex situation," he added. Helene Dumas, a historian specialising in the Rwandan genocide at the French National Centre for Scientific Research, expressed disappointment. "We hoped that President Macron would deliver a speech of truth from which there would be no turning back," she said. "We're back to where we started, it's a pity." Alain Gauthier, president of an association that has spent nearly two decades hunting down people living in France suspected of involvement in the genocide, called Macron's absence "almost indecent". Glaser and Gaulme said they did not expect Macron's no-show to threaten the fragile rapprochement between Paris and Kigali, however. "Macron is interested in seeing Rwanda shine," Gaulme said, referring to the spectacular economic recovery under Kagame -- progress clouded by allegations of authoritarianism. Quick to lash out at France over perceived snubs, Kagame did not appear to take umbrage at Macron's absence. "We have always demanded that our partners... allow us to decide freely how we act. It is only normal therefore that they too be free to make their own decisions," he told the Jeune Afrique. The terminal is an essential facility for supplies to neighbouring landlocked Ethiopia A London-based international court has ordered Djibouti to pay $385 million in compensation to UAE global ports operator DP World over a breach of contract, the Dubai government said on Thursday. The London Court of International Arbitration also ordered the African nation to pay interest for unilaterally scrapping a 50-year concession contract with state-owned DP World to manage and develop Doraleh Container Terminal, a statement said. The ruling gave DP World the right to claim further possible damages if Djibouti goes ahead with plans to develop the container port with any other operator, the statement said. The Horn of African nation, which controlled a two-thirds stake in Doraleh, nationalised the joint venture in September after scrapping the concession agreement, claiming that the terminal had effectively come under the control of DP World. The terminal is an essential facility for supplies to neighbouring landlocked Ethiopia. It had been run by DP World since 2006, but in late February Djibouti cancelled the contract, saying its national sovereignty was being compromised. Currently, Hong Kong-based China Merchants Port Holdings Company owns a 23.5-percent stake in the facility. DP World operates some 80 terminals and logistics centres in around 40 countries and is involved in scores of terminal development projects. The Dubai government said DP World is engaged in another legal battle with Djibouti over a free trade zone in the same area. It said that China Merchants Co. operates the $3.5 billion free trade zone that DP World had developed under an agreement with Djibouti. Netanyahu is visiting Putin five days before he is to seek a fifth term in office in a difficult election The body of an Israeli soldier missing since the 1982 Lebanon War was found by the Russian and Syrian armies and returned, President Vladimir Putin said Thursday. Sergeant First Class Zachary Baumel had been listed as missing along with two other Israeli soldiers after a deadly battle with Syrian forces in a Lebanese village. Russia said it handed over the remains to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is visiting Putin five days before he is to seek a fifth term in office in a difficult election. Baumel was buried later Thursday at a military cemetery in Jerusalem. Netanyahu, 69, is running in the April 9 vote despite facing potential corruption charges and experts said he hoped the Moscow visit will increase his chances of success on election day. "Our military together with Syrian partners found the place of his burial," Putin said of Baumel. "We are very happy that he will be able to receive the right military honours in his homeland. Netanyahu added that Baumel's father was no longer alive. "His mother is around 100-years-old. Zachary also has a sister." Neither Russia nor Israel have given details on how or where the remains were found. Syrian state news agency SANA said Damascus had no details on the discovery of the corpse. Putin said only that Syria -- with which Israel has technically been at war -- participated in the operation. The return of the remains of soldiers missing in action is a highly important issue in Israel, which has fought repeated wars with its Arab neighbours since the state of Israel was established in 1948. - 'Risking their lives' - The Russian defence ministry said it handed over Baumel's remains to Netanyahu in a ceremony at its headquarters. A video released by the ministry showed the Israeli prime minister and Russian armed forces chief Valery Gerasimov laying flowers on a casket covered with an Israeli flag. "I would like to thank you, on behalf of the people of Israel, on behalf of the soldiers of the IDF (Israel Defence Forces), and on behalf of the mothers and fathers of all our soldiers," Netanyahu said at the ceremony in remarks released by his office. He also praised Russia's "enormous sacrifice" during World War II, including in "saving the Jewish people from the Nazi monster". Putin said "it was not easy" for Russian special forces to find the remains, adding that "all the necessary genetic tests have been completed". Putin said he valued Netanyahu's "attitude to the memory of Red Army soldiers", adding that Baumel shared the same fate as thousands of Soviet soldiers who went missing during World War II. - 'We will not forget' - Baumel, who was born in the US in 1960 but immigrated to Israel, had been missing since what is known as the Battle of Sultan Yacoub in a Lebanese village of the same name near the Syrian border. Some 20 Israeli soldiers were killed. Tank driver Baumel and two other soldiers, Zvi Feldman and Yehuda Katz, had been listed as missing and presumed dead. The other two remain missing. Netanyahu said he asked Putin two years ago to help in the search for the remains of the missing men. "You personally responded and gave the order to help in this holy deed," he said, thanking the Russian leader. "We will not forget this act, it will go down in history." NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance is stepping up efforts in the black Sea region NATO said Thursday it was taking new action to counter Russia's "aggression," finding a united message amid other differences within the Western alliance on its 70th anniversary. Closing two days of talks in Washington, foreign ministers from the 29-nation alliance said in a joint statement that they face "an unpredictable and challenging security situation" that includes "a more aggressive Russia." NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance approved new surveillance measures and naval exercises in the Black Sea to back Ukraine and Georgia, aspiring members of NATO that are facing Russian-backed separatist forces. Stoltenberg urged Russia to return three Ukrainian navy vessels and its sailors which it seized in November near Crimea -- the peninsula that Moscow annexed in 2014, in a move not recognized internationally. "We are stepping up our efforts in the Black Sea region," Stoltenberg told reporters. NATO and Georgian forces take part in joint exercises at the Vaziani training center near Tbilisi in August 2018 US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that NATO members agreed to study strategies to face non-traditional warfare from Russia, which is accused of meddling in a series of Western elections. "Vladimir Putin harbors dark dreams of imperialism. This is evident from his invasions of Georgia and Ukraine, his meddling in Syria and now in Venezuela. He wants to split our alliance and weaken our democratic resolve," Pompeo said. - 'The Eastern threat' - Women in Crimea wave Russian flags to celebrate the fifth anniversary of Moscow's annexation of the peninsula Russian President Vladimir Putin counters that NATO has posed a threat by its eastward expansion into the former Soviet bloc and accuses the United States of plotting a coup with its bid to oust Venezuela's leftist leader Nicolas Maduro. Russia criticized the Black Sea plan and, in a statement for the NATO anniversary, voiced regret that the alliance "has no intention to renounce its political and military confrontation with Russia." "It is time to stop bringing back the 'Eastern threat.' In the interest of peace, the world needs a de-escalation of military and political tensions," the foreign ministry said. Stoltenberg, asked by a reporter if NATO was provoking Russia by considering membership for Ukraine and Georgia, said that "big powers" cannot dictate terms to others. "As soon as you accept that that's a provocation against Russia, then you accept that Russia has the right to decide what neighbors can do," he said. The renewed worries about Russia come after a decade in which NATO's focus has shifted well beyond Europe, with the alliance engaged for nearly 18 years in Afghanistan. Pompeo briefed the allies on US efforts to broker a solution with Taliban militants to end the war triggered by the September 11, 2001 attacks. - Internal divisions - US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said NATO needed to confront "Russian aggression" but also "emerging threats" including the rise of China as well as Iran He said that NATO needed to confront "Russian aggression" but also "emerging threats" including the rise of China as well as Iran. The United States has enjoyed less support over those two issues, with all of its NATO allies backing an international accord on ending Iran's nuclear program from which President Donald Trump withdrew. Pompeo has also been seeking with limited success to persuade US allies not to choose Chinese telecom giant Huawei for their fifth-generation networks, warning that the company poses risks to security and personal privacy. The Trump administration has been livid at Germany, Europe's largest economy, for its budgetary plans that do not come close to the NATO goal of spending two percent on defense spending. "Now is not the time to repeat tired excuses that our citizens don't support increased defense or security spending. Each nation has the duty to make the case to our people," Pompeo said. NATO allies have also seen rising friction with Turkey, which has been clamping down on dissent and has defiantly insisted on buying a major missile defense system from Russia, even after the United States suspended its participation in the F-35 fighter-jet program. But the NATO meeting witnessed the end to one long-running standoff with the participation of the foreign minister of North Macedonia. North Atlantic Treaty Organization The former Yugoslav republic had been in limbo for years, with Greece objecting to the name of Macedonia, which is historically tied to Hellenic rather than Slavic civilization. Greece's left-wing prime minister, Alexis Tsipras, brokered a deal to welcome the country after it changed its name to North Macedonia and it is expected to enter NATO as its 30th member later this year. Greek Foreign Minister Georgios Katrougalos said the deal can offer a "blueprint" for resolving conflicts as leaders need not see "history as a prison." Haftar's forces have seized much of Libya's south including the city of Sebha since January Forces loyal to Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar reached a security barrier within 30 kilometres (19 miles) from the capital Tripoli late Thursday, an AFP journalist saw, as world powers warned of consequences for military action. General Abdessalem al-Hassi, head of operations for Haftar's self-proclaimed Libyan National Army (LNA) in the eastern region, said his forces had seized the roadblock without any fighting. Haftar's forces announced Wednesday they were gearing up for an offensive in the west of the country to purge it of "terrorists and mercenaries", having seized key areas of the country's south since the start of the year. Dozens of uniformed men and a least 15 trucks carrying anti-aircraft guns took up positions at the control point known as "Bridge 27", just 27 kilometres (17 miles) from Tripoli, the seat of the internationally-recognised unity government. Meanwhile, fighters from the Tripoli Protection Force, an alliance of militias from the capital city, announced on Facebook that they had launched an operation to stop the LNA advance, without giving details. Unity government chief Fayez al-Sarraj earlier condemned Haftar's "escalation" and said he had ordered loyalist forces to prepare to "face all threats". - 'At the gates' - "The time has come," Haftar said in an audio message released Thursday by his self-proclaimed Libyan National Army, pledging to spare civilians and "state institutions". Map of northern Libya Dozens of militias have fought for control of the North African country since a NATO-backed uprising toppled and killed longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011. Haftar's forces have emerged as a key player, opposing the government in Tripoli and backing a parallel administration in the east. On Thursday evening LNA spokesman Ahmed Mesmari announced that the force was "at the gates of the capital". Unity government chief Fayez al-Sarraj earlier condemned Haftar's "escalation" and said he had ordered loyalist forces to prepare to "face all threats". His interior ministry announced a "state of maximum alert" and powerful armed groups from Libya's western city of Misrata said they were ready to halt Haftar's advance. A convoy of vehicles from Haftar's forces on Thursday pushed towards the city of Gharyan, some 100 kilometres (60 miles) from Tripoli, witnesses and military sources said. Commander Abdessalem Al-Hassi told AFP Thursday that his forces had entered into the city without a fight. But at least four sources in the city denied this, and a Gharyan official said there were "ongoing efforts to avoid a confrontation" between rival fighters who divide the city. - Risk of 'chaos' - Haftar has repeatedly expressed his intention to march on Tripoli. His forces in January launched an offensive from his eastern strongholds into oil-rich southern Libya, ostensibly aimed at wiping out "terrorists" and criminal groups. The latest rise in tensions came as United Nations chief Antonio Guterres visited Tripoli ahead of a planned conference later this month to hammer out a roadmap for delayed parliamentary and presidential elections. Haftar's forces already control much of eastern Libya "I am deeply concerned by the military movement taking place in Libya and the risk of confrontation," Guterres tweeted. The United States and its allies issued a joint statement urging "all parties to immediately de-escalate tensions". "Our governments oppose any military action in Libya and will hold accountable any Libyan faction that precipitates further civil conflict," said the US, France, Britain, Italy and the United Arab Emirates. "At this sensitive moment in Libya's transition, military posturing and threats of unilateral action only risk propelling Libya back toward chaos." The European Union warned that the "military buildup underway in Libya and the escalatory rhetoric... seriously risks leading to an uncontrollable confrontation". The UN Security Council will meet behind closed doors on Friday to discuss Libya, at Britain's request, diplomats said. Russia, which has courted Haftar, meanwhile called for a solution to Libya's problems through "political-diplomatic" means. - Tripoli battle 'possible' - Rival Libyan leaders had agreed in Paris last year to hold elections before the end of the year, but that vote never materialised as Haftar's forces and the Tripoli government grappled for power. The UN said Haftar and Sarraj agreed at a meeting in Abu Dhabi last month to make a new attempt to organise the elections. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres met unity government chief Fayez al-Sarraj in Tripoli as fears of a confrontation rose Libyan unity government Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj (R) shakes hands with United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres at his office in the Libyan capital Tripoli on April 4, 2019. Libyan analyst Emad Badi said factions in western Libya were angling for a joint front against the strongman, but "whatever the result ... Haftar will benefit from it militarily or politically". "His progress can enhance his position in the negotiations" if the UN-backed conference set for this month goes ahead, Badi added. Jalel Harchaoui, a researcher at the Clingendael Institute in The Hague, said that "taking Tripoli is certainly not an easy or risk-free task, but it's still a possibility." "The risk of conflagration has increased," he said. In early 2018, President Donald Trump launched a trade war with China, seeking to slash that country's soaring trade surplus with the US, end alleged unfair trade practices such as the theft of American technology and China's massive state intervention in markets President Donald Trump on Thursday said the United States and China were a month from a potentially "epic" trade agreement. But, nine months into the two countries' trade war, the announcement was anti-climactic, as the White House had earlier stoked anticipation that Trump could announce a date for a summit to clinch a final deal with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. Global markets had also rallied in recent days, roused by the hope that an end to the skirmish between the world's two top economies was at last at hand. "We will probably know over the next four weeks. It may take two weeks after that," Trump told reporters following a meeting with Beijing's trade envoy Liu He. "It's looking very good." The talks are due to continue for a third day on Friday. Trump had said as far back as February that a summit could occur within a month. Despite Trump's rosy gloss on the talks on Thursday, US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer told reporters that major issues were left to be resolved. Both US and Chinese officials have projected cautious optimism for months, but the last mile is proving to be the hardest, with the two sides reportedly tussling over whether and when Washington should remove the punishing tariffs it imposed last year on Chinese goods. Trump in early 2018 launched a trade war with China, seeking to slash that country's soaring trade surplus with the United States, end alleged unfair trade practices such as the theft of American technology and China's massive state intervention in markets. Washington and Beijing since last year have imposed tariffs on more than $360 billion in two-way trade, biting into their manufacturing sectors as the world economy slows. China has floated offers to make sizable purchases of US commodities and taken steps to show it will protect foreign intellectual property. But Democrats have warned of the temptation to accept a superficial deal that does not extract profound changes to the Chinese industrial policies American officials have long denounced. Trump reiterated Thursday however that, "if it's not a great deal, we're not doing it." Chinese state media later carried a report which said Xi has called for the talks to conclude as soon as possible. "I hope the two sides of the economic and trade teams will continue to resolve both sides' issues of concern in the spirit of mutual respect, equality, and mutual benefit, and finish negotiations on the China-US economic and trade agreement document as soon as possible," Xinhua quoted Liu as saying, as he conveyed a message from Xi to Trump. - A tariff compromise? - A final sticking point appears to be when and how Washington will agree to lift the steep tariffs it has placed on more than $250 billion in Chinese imports. Last month, Trump said the tariffs would stay in place for "a substantial period," although whether this would apply to both tranches of goods subjected to the new duties was unclear. US officials demand that any agreement have teeth and Lighthizer, the US trade representative, has said tariffs offer crucial leverage should Beijing backslide on its commitments. Gary Clyde Hufbauer, a former US trade official and senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, said lifting the tariffs too early could encourage criticism from Democrats that he had gone soft in the negotiations. "The White House response to this drama is to keep the tariffs and only to slowly lower the rate as the Chinese fulfill their commitments," Hufbauer told AFP. "The Chinese strategy is to have them get rid of it," he said. "My guess is that something in between will be in the compromise." Analysts say any agreement is likely to include banner announcements that China has agreed to increase purchases of American commodities like soybeans and fuel. This could perversely serve to give Chinese state enterprises a greater market role while making US exporters more reliant on the Chinese government's purchasing decisions -- both possibly contrary to US objectives and interests. William Reinsch, a trade expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and former Commerce Department official for exports, pointed to Beijing's boycott of US soybean exports last year. American producers could struggle to fill major new orders announced by Beijing, he said. "The only way they can buy every bean is if we stop selling to everybody else and that puts us in an enormous position of vulnerability," he said. A Yemeni boy waters plants and cleans tombstones in a cemetery in the capital Sanaa on March 25, 2019 US lawmakers voted Thursday to end military support for the bloody Saudi-led war in Yemen, dealing a harsh bipartisan rebuke to Donald Trump and taking the historic step of curtailing a president's war-making powers. The House of Representatives voted 247 to 175, with one congressman voting present, to approve a resolution that directs the president "to remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities in or affecting the Republic of Yemen" within 30 days. The text cleared the Senate last month and now heads to Trump, who is expected to veto the legislation. The White House has called the measure "flawed" and warned it would harm bilateral relations in the region, including with Saudi Arabia. But the passage through Congress marked a historic milestone, as it was the first time in history that a measure invoking the 1973 War Powers Resolution will reach the president's desk. Democrats have argued that US involvement in the Saudi-led coalition -- mainly through weapons and refueling of aircraft -- is unconstitutional without congressional authority. Several lawmakers, like liberal Senator Bernie Sanders, have sought for years to reclaim US lawmakers' powers over matters of war and peace. "Today the Congress says we are taking that responsibility back, not just for Yemen but in the future as well," Sanders, a lead author of the Yemen resolution and a 2020 presidential candidate, said after the House vote. "The president will have to face the reality that Congress is no longer going to ignore its constitutional obligations with regard to foreign policy," added House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Eliot Engel. - 'Food not bombs' - US Senator Bernie Sanders co-authored a resolution ending US military involvement in the war in Yemen, and after passage in the US House on April 4, 2019 it goes to President Donald Trump, who is expected to veto the measure Sixteen House Republicans joined Democrats in defying Trump on Yemen, including some top Trump allies in Congress, conservatives Jim Jordan and Mark Meadows. Critics of the intervention warn that Saudi forces are likely using US weapons to commit atrocities in the four-year war. "Nearly all the bombs that have fallen say the same thing: Made in the United States of America," said House Democrat Jim McGovern. The war in Yemen is the world's worst humanitarian crisis, with an estimated 14 million people at risk of famine. The World Health Organization says about 10,000 people have been killed in the war between forces loyal to the Yemeni government, backed by the Saudi-led coalition, and the Iran-aligned Huthi rebels. Rights groups say the death toll is far higher. Sanders and others say Washington should shift its focus from military intervention to humanitarian assistance for Yemen. "If we do not act decisively in helping them to rebuild their economy, provide them with humanitarian aid -- provide food not bombs -- the situation could become even worse," Sanders said. The resolution is a reminder that Congress has the legal ability to compel the removal of US military forces, absent a formal declaration of war. It is also likely to trigger the second veto of Trump's presidency. Last month he overrode a congressional resolution that aimed to reverse the border emergency he declared in order to secure more funding for his wall between the United States and Mexico. The Yemen vote, and the rare bipartisanship at the heart of it, came as US lawmakers have escalated their opposition to Saudi Arabia after the October murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul. Republicans and Democrats alike have bristled over the White House's apparent embrace of the kingdom and its leadership. Some members of Congress have publicly stated that they suspect that powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was directly responsible for Khashoggi's killing, based on the CIA's conclusions. But congressman Michael McCaul, the top foreign affairs Republican, warned the resolution does "nothing" to address Yemen's humanitarian crisis or deliver justice to Khashoggi's family. The non-profit International Crisis Group applauded the move by Congress and said that, given Trump's veto threat, it should follow up by inserting a provision for pulling back US support into must-pass legislation such as a defense authorization bill. "Neither the administration nor America's Gulf partners should mistake the message conveyed by Congress' unprecedented vote," said ICG president Rob Malley. "The United States' patience for the Yemen war is coming to a rapid end. So too should the war itself." A new tough penal code in the tiny country on tropical Borneo island -- ruled by the all-powerful Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah -- came fully into force after several years of delay The British government on Thursday said Brunei's introduction of harsh new sharia laws, including death by stoning for adultery and gay sex, was "a backward step" for the southeast Asian country. "The imposition of a sharia penal code in this way is a backward step as far as Brunei is concerned," junior foreign office minister Mark Field told parliament. "If implemented we believe these extreme punishments would contravene Brunei's international commitments to respect human rights and individual freedoms." The tough penal code in the tiny country on tropical Borneo island -- ruled by the all-powerful Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah -- came fully into force on Wednesday after several years of delay. It has sparked a storm of global criticism from politicians, celebrities and rights groups, with actor George Clooney and pop star Elton John calling for Brunei-owned hotels to be boycotted. The newly-enforced sharia laws -- the first at the national level in the region and more commonly found in Middle Eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia -- include the amputation of hands and feet for thieves. Rape and robbery are also punishable by death under the code and many of the new laws, such as capital punishment for insulting the Prophet Mohammed, apply to non-Muslims as well as Muslims. However, rulers in the country -- a former British protectorate which still houses a UK military garrison -- have been "surprised" by the international backlash, according to Field. He added London had updated its travel advice on the new laws and was "negotiating a range of safeguards" for British nationals there, including serving military personnel and their families. "We have the necessary protections in place with the government of Brunei," he told MPs who raised concerns about British soldiers' exposure to the penal code. Field faced calls from some lawmakers for the Commonwealth, a bloc of former British colonies, to consider expelling Brunei over the code. But the junior minister pushed back against the suggestion. "Rather than making threats... a more positive way is to try to hold them close, recognise that there are very some strong connections there," he said. Field noted of the 53 Commonwealth members, 35 criminalise consensual same-sex relations while 30 still have the death penalty on their statute books. "(That is) primarily as a result of colonial-era legislation," he added. Libyan military leader Khalifa Haftar has ordered his forces to advance on Tripoli, seat of the internationally-recognised unity government The UN Security Council will meet behind closed doors on Friday to discuss the situation in Libya after the leader of eastern forces in the war-scarred north African country ordered his troops to advance on Tripoli. Britain requested the urgent meeting on Thursday, diplomats said, following the order from Khalifa Haftar, a key player opposed to the government in the capital. Haftar's forces announced Wednesday they were gearing up for an offensive in the west of the country to purge it of "terrorists and mercenaries," having seized key areas of the country's south since the start of the year. "The time has come," Haftar said in an audio message released Thursday by his self-proclaimed Libyan National Army, pledging to spare civilians and "state institutions." The meeting is scheduled for 3:00 pm (1900 GMT). The spike in tensions came as Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was making his first visit as UN chief to Libya ahead of a planned conference later this month aimed at charting a course toward elections. "I am deeply concerned by the military movement taking place in Libya and the risk of confrontation," Guterres tweeted. The United States and its allies issued a joint statement urging "all parties to immediately de-escalate tensions." "Our governments oppose any military action in Libya and will hold accountable any Libyan faction that precipitates further civil conflict," said the US, France, Britain, Italy and the United Arab Emirates. Elections in Libya are meant to turn the page on years of chaos following the 2011 overthrow of Moamer Kadhafi that has seen a bitter rivalry emerge between two governments scrambling for control in the oil-rich country. PRESCOTT, Ark. (AP) - In a story April 1 about a shooting at an Arkansas school, The Associated Press misidentified the school. The shooting occurred at Prescott High School, not Prescott Junior High School, although it involved two students from the junior high. A corrected version of the story is below: Student, 14, shoots fellow eighth-grader at Arkansas school Officials say a 14-year-old student opened fire inside an Arkansas school, shooting and wounding a fellow eighth-grader in what appeared to be 'a premeditated attack' PRESCOTT, Ark. (AP) - A 14-year-old student opened fire inside an Arkansas school on Monday, shooting and wounding a fellow eighth-grader in what appeared to be "a premeditated attack," officials said. The shooting happened about 9:15 a.m. at Prescott High School in Prescott, Arkansas, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) northeast of Texarkana, Arkansas. Police Chief Joseph Beavers said the suspect came to school with a concealed handgun, shot the other 14-year-old student in a school hallway, dropped the weapon and fled. He said the teen was quickly apprehended by school resource officers who responded within seconds. "It appears this was a premeditated attack specifically targeting the injured student," the Prescott School District said in a statement. Beavers said the two students had argued over the weekend, but details about what led to that weren't immediately clear. The student who was shot was airlifted to a Little Rock hospital, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) to the northeast, in stable condition, the chief said. No other injuries were reported. A spokeswoman for Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock confirmed that the hospital received a patient from the Monday morning shooting but said she could not release further details. Prescott is a town of about 3,000 residents. The junior high reports an enrollment of 321 students in the fifth through eighth grades. WASHINGTON (AP) - A career official in the White House security office says dozens of people in President Donald Trump's administration were granted security clearances despite "disqualifying issues" in their backgrounds, including concerns about foreign influence, drug use and criminal conduct. Tricia Newbold, an 18-year government employee who oversaw the issuance of clearances for some senior White House aides, says she compiled a list of at least 25 officials who were initially denied security clearances last year, but senior officials overruled those denials. The allegations were detailed in a letter and memo released Monday by Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee. The documents, which are based on Newbold's March 23 private committee interview, don't identify the officials on the list but say they include "two current senior White House officials, as well as contractors and individuals" in different parts of the Executive Office of the President. "According to Ms. Newbold, these individuals had a wide range of serious disqualifying issues involving foreign influence, conflicts of interest, concerning personal conduct, financial problems, drug use and criminal conduct," the memo says. The release of the documents sets up another fight between the White House and the Democratic-controlled House, and it immediately drew criticism from House Republicans who called the allegations overblown and "cherry-picked." Cummings' panel has been investigating security clearances issued to senior officials including Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner, former national security adviser Michael Flynn and former White House aide Rob Porter. That probe has picked up steam after The New York Times reported that Trump ordered officials to grant Kushner a clearance over the objections of national security officials, and after Newbold spoke out to NBC News and other news outlets about her concerns. In this March 24, 2019 photo, The White House is seen behind security barriers in Washington. A White House official turned whistleblower says dozens of people in President Donald Trump's administration were granted access to classified information despite "disqualifying issues" in their backgrounds including concerns about foreign influence, drug use and criminal conduct. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen) On Monday, Cummings said he will move this week to authorize his first subpoena in the probe. The subpoena will be for the deposition of Carl Kline, who served as the White House personnel security director and supervised Newbold. He has since left the White House for the Defense Department. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said on Fox News on Tuesday that she could not talk about individual security clearances, but asserted that Democrats were "acting in bad faith" because they are asking for personal, confidential information "they know they have absolutely no right to see." "Let's not forget 3 million Americans have security clearances that work for the government. By exploiting one, you're exploiting all of their personal information," Sanders said. Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, the committee's ranking Republican, said in a statement that Cummings' probe is a "partisan attack" and an "excuse to go fishing" through personnel files. He also said that one person on Newbold's list is a GSA custodian. Also, in a response memo circulated to Republican members, Jordan's staff cast Newbold as a disgruntled employee who had only limited knowledge of the reasons security clearances were granted. The Republican document also suggests Newbold's concerns were "overblown," saying that four or five of the clearance denials for "very serious reasons" were a small fraction of about 5,000 employees who work in the Executive Office of the President. According to Democrat Cummings' memo, though, Newbold considered the decisions to be part of a "systematic" problem within her office where the decisions of security clearance reviewers were "continuously" overridden. Newbold said she raised her concerns up the chain of command in the White House to no avail. Instead, she said, the White House retaliated, suspending her in January for 14 days without pay for not following a new policy requiring that documents be scanned as separate PDF files rather than one single PDF file. Newbold said that when she returned to work in February, she was cut out of the security clearance process. The office also announced a plan to "restructure" that would remove her from a supervisory role, she said. In response to Newbold's interview, Cummings is asking the White House to turn over the list she created as well as documents related to the handling of security clearances for several senior officials including Flynn, Kushner and Porter. Flynn maintained his clearance even after the White House learned that he lied to the FBI about his conversations with Russia's ambassador and that he was under investigation by the Justice Department for his previous foreign work. Kushner failed to initially disclose numerous foreign meetings on security clearance forms, and, according to the Times, career officials recommended against granting him a clearance before Trump personally overruled them. Porter had high-level access with an interim security clearance even though the FBI repeatedly told the White House of past allegations of domestic violence lodged against him by two ex-wives. Porter resigned after the allegations becoming public. ___ Associated Press writer Zeke Miller contributed to this report. ___ Read the documents: http://apne.ws/NuF4iSJ ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Alaska's governor has asked President Donald Trump for permission to extend an Alaska rail line into Canada, according to officials. Gov. Mike Dunleavy requested a presidential permit to extend the Alberta to Alaska Railroad in a Feb. 13 letter to Trump, the Anchorage Daily News reported Sunday. Presidential permits are needed for cross-border infrastructure projects and are granted when the projects are determined to be in the national interest. The rail extension would reduce travel time by at least two days for Canadian and Lower 48 trains with cargo bound for the Far East, according to supporters of the initiative. Railcars would carry passengers and freight, including bitumen, a semi-solid, tar-like form of crude oil, potash used in fertilizer, and ore from mines. The Alberta to Alaska Railway Development Corp. plans to fund the $17 billion project without using state money, according to company officials. The railway development company intends to build 1,700 miles (2,736 kilometers) of rail to tar-sands oil fields in Alberta, Canada, including 200 miles (322 kilometers) within Alaska, extending the rail system at North Pole. "We see it in the geopolitical interest of both the United States and Canada to have the basic permission for this project to move forward," Dunleavy, a Republican, wrote in his letter to Trump. The company has spent $35 million on engineering and other studies and has offered ownership to tribes, Native corporations and First Nations along the route, according to the newspaper, which reports that railcars would carry passengers and freight to Cook Inlet. "A2A will make Alaska's ports the closest to Asia in North America," said Mead Treadwell, a former Alaska lieutenant governor and consultant to the Canadian company. Alaska would benefit by renting right of way to the company and through tariffs paid for railcars traveling through the state, Treadwell said. ___ Information from: Anchorage Daily News, http://www.adn.com TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran's foreign minister says sanctions imposed by the Trump administration last year have hampered rescue efforts in flood-stricken areas of the country, where nearly 60 people have died since mid-March, while the U.S. blamed the disaster on the Iranian government's own "mismanagement." Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted late Monday that America's "maximum pressure" policy on Iran "is impeding aid efforts by #IranianRedCrescent to all communities devastated by unprecedented floods." He said the sanctions have prevented Iran from acquiring badly needed equipment, including relief helicopters. "This isn't just economic warfare; it's economic TERRORISM," he tweeted. U.S. President Donald Trump restored crippling sanctions on Iran last year after withdrawing from Tehran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. The sanctions have worsened an economic crisis that has ignited sporadic anti-government protests over the past year. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Tuesday the floods show the "level of Iranian regime mismanagement in urban planning and in emergency preparedness." "The regime blames outside entities when, in fact, it is their mismanagement that has led to this disaster," he said. "The United States stands ready to assist and contribute to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, which would then direct the money through the Iranian Red Crescent for relief." In this Monday, April 1, 2019 photo, a man watches as floodwaters hit the city of Khorramabad in the western province of Lorestan, Iran. Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted late on Monday that U.S. sanctions imposed on Tehran by the Trump administration last year have hampered successful rescue efforts for flood-stricken areas of the country where 45 people have died so far. Iran has been facing major flooding for the past two weeks. (AP Photo/Erfan Keshvari/ISNA) In a tweet late Tuesday, Zarif called Pompeo's remarks "fake news" and urged the U.S. to accept responsibility for economic pressures on Iranians. Iran has seen major flooding for the past two weeks in hundreds of villages, towns and cities in the western half of the country, where in some places an emergency situation has been declared. The spokesman for the emergency department said 57 people have died in the flooding since mid-March. Mojtaba Khaledi was quoted by the state-run IRNA news agency on Tuesday as saying another 478 have been injured, with 19 still hospitalized. Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi told IRNA that because of the U.S. sanctions, all foreign bank accounts of the Iranian Red Crescent are closed and no foreign-based entity is able to transfer funds for those suffering from the floods. Local authorities in the stricken areas have repeatedly asked for more helicopters to reach remote locations. Iranian state media said Tuesday that dozens of military and Iranian Red Crescent helicopters are taking part in the relief operation. Britain and Germany have offered to send help, including boats and safety equipment. Iranian media say the floods have cut off some 80 intercity roads, as well as roads to nearly 2,200 villages, and that electricity and communications with many places have been cut. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei held an emergency meeting Tuesday on the flood response with top officials and army commanders, state TV reported. Authorities have already issued evacuation warnings and ordered emergency discharges from reservoirs. Emergency services are advising people to postpone travel to western and southern Iran, including the oil-rich Khuzestan province, which is expecting heavy flooding in the coming days from overflowing rivers that flow down to the province. Provincial Gov. Gholamreza Shariati told the semi-official Tasnim news agency that at least three towns with nearly 140,000 residents are on evacuation alert. Last year, at least 30 people were killed by flash floods in Iran's East Azerbaijan province. In this Monday, April 1, 2019 photo, houses are covered by floodwaters in the town of Mamoulan, in the western province of Lorestan, Iran. Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted late on Monday that U.S. sanctions imposed on Tehran by the Trump administration last year have hampered successful rescue efforts for flood-stricken areas of the country where 45 people have died so far. Iran has been facing major flooding for the past two weeks. (AP Photo/Bayat Azadbakht/ISNA) VATICAN CITY (AP) - Pope Francis said in a document released Tuesday that women have "legitimate claims" to seek more equality in the Catholic Church, but he stopped short of endorsing recent calls from his own bishops to give women leadership roles. In the text, Francis also told young adults they should try to help priests at risk for sexually abusing minors in what a Vatican official said was a great act of trust the pope has for today's youth to help "priests in difficulty." Francis issued the document, known as an apostolic exhortation, in response to an October 2018 meeting of the world's bishops on better ministering to today's young Catholics. The synod took place against the Church's clergy sex abuse crisis and included demands for greater women's rights. The bishops' final recommendations called the need for women to hold positions of responsibility and decision-making in the church "a duty of justice." In the new document reflecting at length on the October meeting, Francis did not echo that sweeping conclusion. Instead, he wrote that a church that listens to young people must be attentive to women's "legitimate claims" for equality and justice, as well as better train both men and women with leadership potential. "A living church can look back on history and acknowledge a fair share of male authoritarianism, domination, various forms of enslavement, abuse and sexist violence," Francis said. FILE - In this Friday, March 29, 2019 file photo, Pope Francis attends an audience with participants of a course on the Internal Forum promoted by the Apostolic Penitentiary Court, in the Pope Paul VI hall, at the Vatican. Pope Francis said on Tuesday April 2, 2019, women have "legitimate claims" to seek more justice and equality in the Catholic Church, but has stopped short of endorsing more sweeping calls from his own bishops to give women decision-making roles. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, File) He continued: "With this outlook, she can support the call to respect women's rights, and offer convinced support for greater reciprocity between males and females, while not agreeing with everything some feminist groups propose." An organizer of last year's synod, Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri, was asked at a news conference Tuesday about Francis' lack of reference to women in leadership positions and the need to welcome gay Catholics. Baldisseri replied that Francis couldn't rewrite everything from the final synod recommendations. Francis' new document, a 299-paragraph booklet entitled "Christ is Alive," covers a wide range of issues confronting young people today. In it, he notes that many feel alienated from the church because of its sexual and financial scandals, and are suffering themselves from untold forms of exploitation, conflict and despair. A hefty chunk of the document focuses on both the promises and perils of the digital world and dedicates ample space to the plight of migrants. It uses millennial lingo, calling the Virgin Mary an "influencer" and describing relations with God in computing terms: "hard disk," ''archive" and "deleting." Francis wrote that he was inspired by all the reflections from the bishops' synod and refers readers to the 2018 recommendations. He said he wanted to use his new text to "summarize those proposals I considered most significant." Throughout, he urges young people to be protagonists in rejuvenating the church. On the topic of child sex abuse and cover-ups in the church, the pope called for the "eradication" of traditions that allowed child sex abuse to take place and for a challenge to how church leaders handled cases with "irresponsibility and lack of transparency." He urged young people to call out a priest who seems at risk of seeking affection from children and youth, "and remind him of his commitment to God and his people." Asked if that message wasn't putting young people in potentially dangerous positions with potential predators, another synod organizer, Monsignor Fabio Fabene, said it was the contrary. The pope's words showed Francis wanted to entrust youth with "showing closeness to priests experiencing difficulty" in their missions and for young people to help "rejuvenate the heart of a priest who is in difficulty." Such terms have long been used by church officials to minimize the criminality of priests and bishops who rape and molest children. Asked why there was no reference to Francis' frequent call for "zero tolerance" for abuse, Baldisseri said the pope doesn't need to repeat the phrase in every document. "You don't need to say 'zero tolerance' every time you go to lunch and dinner," he said. The document acknowledges the importance of sexuality in the development of young people. As with the roles of women in the Catholic Church, Francis did not repeat the bishops' wording in recommendations for deeper anthropological, theological and pastoral study on sexuality and sexual inclinations. The term "homosexuality" appears once in Francis' text. Women have often complained they have second-class status in the church. History's first Latin American pope has vowed to change that, but he has done little that is concrete and counts no women among his own advisers. Just last week, the founder of the Vatican's women's magazine resigned with members of the editorial board, citing what she said was a climate of distrust and de-legitimization in the Vatican. The editor of the newspaper that distributes the magazine denied efforts to undermine the women. Nine nuns were invited to participate at the October synod on Catholic youth, alongside 267 cardinals, bishops and priests. None of the women had the right to vote on the final recommendations. The nuns publicly made clear their displeasure before, during and after the meeting. The recommendations advocated making women a greater presence in church structures at all levels while respecting church doctrine that the priesthood remains for men only. The Women's Ordination Conference, which advocates for a female priesthood, blasted the pope's document for ignoring the synod's recommendation to make the whole church aware of the "urgency of an inescapable change" to put women in decision-making roles. The document, the group said in a statement, "offers only lip service to the movement for women's equality in the Roman Catholic Church." Pope Francis is helped wear his garments as he celebrates a penitential liturgy in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Friday, March 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, Pool) Pope Francis celebrates a penitential liturgy in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Friday, March 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) - Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika stepped down on Tuesday after 20 years in office, and six weeks of massive nationwide protests aimed at pushing him and his much-criticized inner circle from power to create a real democracy in the gas-rich nation. The announcement followed soon after a sternly-worded call from the powerful army chief for Bouteflika, 82 and ailing, to "immediately" bow out. Crowds celebrated peacefully in the capital Algiers soon after his announcement. Honking car horns, singing songs and waving Algerian flags, hundreds gathered Tuesday night at the central post office - a plaza that has become a symbol of the protest movement. Police watched from the sidelines. The Constitutional Council was expected to convene Wednesday to formalize his departure. Under the constitution, the president of the upper house, the Council of Nations, steps in as interim leader for a maximum of 90 days so that elections can be organized. The current upper house president is Abdelkader Bensalah, a Bouteflika ally - and it's unclear whether protesters will abandon their fight for an overhaul of the entire power structure. An official in the president's office told The Associated Press that Bouteflika had resigned, and the official APS news agency said in a full-page headline that Bouteflika had notified the Constitutional Council of his decision. FILE - In this April 28, 2014 file photo, Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika sits on a wheelchair after taking oath as President, in Algiers. Embattled Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika says he will step down before his fourth term ends on April 28. In a short statement issued on Monday April 1, 2019, the president's office said Bouteflika would take "important steps to ensure the continuity of the functioning of state institutions" during a transition period following his departure from the post he's held since 1999. (AP Photo/Sidali Djarboub, File) The move came a day after Bouteflika's office said he would leave by April 28, the official end of his fourth mandate - but only after "important" changes were made to ensure institutional continuity. That gave rise to fears that his entourage would do all to preserve the interests of those who profited from his time in office. There was no word about what would happen to the presidential entourage, including younger brother Said Bouteflika, a top counselor blamed by protesters for widespread corruption in the North African country with a high unemployment rate and drastic gap between the rich and poor. Earlier Tuesday, military chief of staff Gen. Ahmed Gaid Salah convened a meeting of the top military hierarchy. That made clear that the army chief's call for Bouteflika to desist had the backing of the military - among the most important on the African continent. In a communique, the Defense Ministry referred to Bouteflika's entourage as a "gang" and said it had made "fraud, embezzlement and duplicity its vocation." Bouteflika has rarely been seen in public since a 2013 stroke. His resignation caps six weeks of peaceful marches by protesters who wanted not just Bouteflika but the entire system to make an exit. As the protests escalated, Bouteflika announced two new governments and army chief Gaid Salah urged Bouteflika to submit to Article 102 of the Constitution, which would declare him unfit for office. Gaid Salah also called for the application of two more articles championed by protesters, notably Article 7, which stipulates that "the people are the source of power." Tensions had been mounting in recent days between the army chief and the president's entourage - along with suspicions of a potential military coup. The Defense Ministry statement Tuesday appeared to be a final warning, and the catalyst for Bouteflika's resignation. Bouteflika was an independence fighter during Algeria's war against colonizer France in the 1950s and 1960s, and then went on to defend Third World interests at the height of the Cold War as Algeria's foreign minister. Bouteflika came to the presidency after Algeria's darkest period, the 1990s Islamic insurgency that left around 200,000 people dead. After taking power in 1999, Bouteflika managed to bring back stability to a country devastated by killings and distrust. The insurgency then linked up with al-Qaida and metastasized into a Sahara-wide extremist movement. As president, however, age and illness took its toll, and corruption scandals dogged Bouteflika and associates. Bouteflika also failed to create an economy that could offer enough jobs for Algeria's growing youth population despite the nation's vast oil and gas wealth. In a country where secrecy surrounds the leadership, it has never been clear whether Bouteflika was fully in charge or whether the powerful army was pulling the strings. ___ Elaine Ganley reported from Paris. Thomas Adamson contributed from Paris. Algerian demonstrators stage a protest in Algiers, Algeria, April 2, 2019. Algerian protesters and political leaders are expressing concerns that ailing President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's departure will leave the country's secretive, distrusted power structure in place. (AP Photo/Anis Belghoul) FILE - In this March 27, 2009 file photo Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika salutes the crowd while dressed in a traditional "Burnous" robe from the Kabyle ethnic minority in Tizi Ouzou, Algeria. Embattled Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika says he will step down before his fourth term ends on April 28. In a short statement issued on Monday April 1, 2019, the president's office said Bouteflika would take "important steps to ensure the continuity of the functioning of state institutions" during a transition period following his departure from the post he's held since 1999. ( AP Photo/Alfred de Montesquieu, file) Algerian students march during a protest in Algiers, Algeria, Tuesday, April 2, 2019. Algerian protesters and political leaders are expressing concerns that ailing President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's departure will leave the country's secretive, distrusted power structure in place. Placard, center, reads, "when the system fails we have to make justice by ourselves". (AP Photo/Anis Belghoul) LONDON (AP) - With Britain racing toward a chaotic exit from the European Union within days, Prime Minister Theresa May veered away from the cliff-edge Tuesday, saying she would seek another Brexit delay and hold talks with the opposition to seek a compromise. May made the announcement after the EU's chief negotiator warned that a disruptive and costly Brexit was likely unless Britain broke the impasse that has paralyzed the government and Parliament. After failing repeatedly to win Parliament's backing for her Brexit blueprint, May said the country needed "national unity to deliver the national interest." Following the defeat of the government's plan and a range of lawmaker-written alternatives, May said Britain would need a further delay to its EU departure, currently scheduled for April 12. She offered to hold talks with opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn in an attempt to find a compromise solution. "This debate, this division, cannot drag on much longer," May said in a televised statement from 10 Downing St. after an all-day Cabinet meeting. European Council President Donald Tusk gave a cautious welcome to May's change of course. Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May gives a press conference outside Downing Street, in London, Tuesday, April 2, 2019. May said Tuesday that she will seek to further delay Britain's exit from the European Union and seek to make an accord with the political opposition in a bid to break the Brexit impasse. May made the announcement after the EU's chief negotiator warned that a chaotic and costly Brexit was likely in just 10 days unless Britain snapped out of the political crisis that has paralyzed the government and Parliament. (Jack Taylor/Pool Photo via AP) "Even if, after today, we don't know what the end result will be, let us be patient," he tweeted - a suggestion the EU would wait for Britain to present a clear plan. Earlier, EU negotiator Michel Barnier offered a downbeat assessment of the situation. "As things stand now, the no-deal option looks likely. I have to tell you the truth," Barnier said in Brussels. Barnier said "we can still hope to avoid it" if London produced a breakthrough before an April 10 EU summit. The leaders of the EU's 27 remaining countries have given the U.K. until April 12 to leave the bloc or to come up with a new plan, after British lawmakers thrice rejected an agreement struck between the bloc and May late last year. The House of Commons has also failed to find a majority for any alternative plan in two days of voting on multiple options. May's statement came after a seven-hour meeting of her fractious Cabinet, which is split between supporters of a "soft Brexit" that keeps close economic ties with the EU, and Brexiteers who believe a no-deal exit is better than compromising. May's words seemed to indicate that she was veering away from the possibility of a no-deal Brexit - but also that she has not given up on her own unloved withdrawal agreement. Her plan is to seek approval for the legally binding agreement - which sets out in detail the terms of Britain's departure from the EU - after securing cross-party political support for a vision of future ties between the U.K. and the bloc. If she and Corbyn fail to reach agreement, May said Parliament would get to vote on a range of options - and the government would be bound by the result. It is the first time she has committed to following the instruction of lawmakers. May didn't indicate how long an extension she would seek from the EU, though she said she hoped Britain could pass the agreement by May 22, in time to avoid participating in elections for the European Parliament. Corbyn said he would be "very happy" to sit down with May, even though "so far she hasn't shown much sign of compromise." Corbyn said Labour would present May with its conditions for Brexit, which include a close economic relationship with the bloc through a customs union, maintaining high environmental standards and protecting workers' rights. May's move infuriated pro-Brexit politicians, who say Britain must cut ties to the EU in order to forge an independent economic policy. "I think people will feel very short-changed," said former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, a prominent pro-Brexit voice in Parliament. But May's words brought relief for those who fear the effects of a no-deal Brexit, which would complicate trade and travel, with new checks on borders and new regulations on dealings between the EU and Britain. Businesses have warned that the economic impact in Britain could be devastating. Ford of Europe Chairman Steven Armstrong said "a no-deal Brexit would be a disaster for the automotive industry in the U.K." Edwin Morgan, interim director general of business group the Institute of Directors, said May's statement was "a welcome step towards compromise," though there remained obstacles ahead. "We urge the leader of the opposition to work with the prime minister to find a solution," he said. "Both sides must play ball." Britain's political paralysis - and May's failure to get Parliament's approval for the withdrawal agreement she negotiated - have exasperated EU leaders. French President Emmanuel Macron said that if Britain's politicians could not agree on a way forward, "they will de facto have chosen for themselves to leave without a deal." "We cannot avoid failure for them," Macron said before a meeting in Paris with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar. But Varadkar stressed "there's still time" for May to come to the April 10 summit with "credible" proposals. Meanwhile, British lawmakers intent on avoiding a no-deal Brexit have drawn up plans to prevent Britain crashing out of the bloc, by accident or design. "We are now in a really dangerous situation with a serious and growing risk of no deal," Labour Party legislator Yvette Cooper said. Cooper introduced legislation, which Parliament is set to consider, this week, that would compel May to seek to extend the Brexit process beyond April 12 in order to prevent a no-deal departure. ___ Raf Casert reported from Brussels. Mike Corder in Halfweg, Netherlands, contributed to this story. ___ Follow AP's full coverage of Brexit at: https://www.apnews.com/Brexit Britain's Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn poses for the media with the Political Declaration setting out the framework for the future UK-EU relationship, in his office in the Houses of Parliament in London, Tuesday, April 2, 2019. Opposition leader Corbyn says he is happy to sit down with Prime Minister Theresa May to work on a Brexit deal, even though "so far she hasn't shown much sign of compromise." The leader of the left-of-center Labour Party says "we recognize that she has made a move" and is willing to hold talks with May. (Stefan Rousseau/Pool Photo via AP) European Union chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier talks to journalists at European Parliament in Brussels, Tuesday, April 2, 2019. EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier said on Tuesday that a no-deal exit of Britain becomes day after day more likely after the UK parliament again rejected alternatives to the government's unpopular European Union divorce deal. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May gives a press conference outside Downing Street, in London, Tuesday, April 2, 2019. May said Tuesday that she will seek to further delay Britain's exit from the European Union and seek to make an accord with the political opposition in a bid to break the Brexit impasse. May made the announcement after the EU's chief negotiator warned that a chaotic and costly Brexit was likely in just 10 days unless Britain snapped out of the political crisis that has paralyzed the government and Parliament. (Jack Taylor/Pool Photo via AP) Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May walks to give a press conference outside Downing Street, in London, Tuesday, April 2, 2019. May said Tuesday that she will seek to further delay Britain's exit from the European Union and seek to make an accord with the political opposition in a bid to break the Brexit impasse. May made the announcement after the EU's chief negotiator warned that a chaotic and costly Brexit was likely in just 10 days unless Britain snapped out of the political crisis that has paralyzed the government and Parliament. (Jack Taylor/Pool Photo via AP) European Union chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier arrives for a session at European Parliament in Brussels, Tuesday, April 2, 2019. Barnier said on Tuesday that a no-deal exit of Britain becomes day after day more likely after the UK parliament again rejected alternatives to the government's unpopular European Union divorce deal. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) European Union chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier puts on his glasses as he speaks during a session at European Parliament in Brussels, Tuesday, April 2, 2019. EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier said on Tuesday that a no-deal exit of Britain becomes day after day more likely after the UK parliament again rejected alternatives to the government's unpopular European Union divorce deal. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) European Union chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier arrives for a session at European Parliament in Brussels, Tuesday, April 2, 2019. EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier said on Tuesday that a no-deal exit of Britain becomes day after day more likely after the UK parliament again rejected alternatives to the government's unpopular European Union divorce deal. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) European Union chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier, right, talks to legislators during a session at European Parliament in Brussels, Tuesday, April 2, 2019. Barnier said on Tuesday that a no-deal exit of Britain becomes day after day more likely after the UK parliament again rejected alternatives to the government's unpopular European Union divorce deal. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) Anti-Brexit demonstrators near College Green at the Houses of Parliament in London, Monday, April 1, 2019. Britain's Parliament gets another chance Monday to offer a way forward on Britain's stalled divorce from the European Union, holding a series of votes on Brexit alternatives in an attempt to find the elusive idea that can command a majority. (Jonathan Brady/PA via AP) WASHINGTON (AP) - Senate Democrats blocked a Republican disaster aid bill, saying more money is needed to help hurricane-torn Puerto Rico. But President Donald Trump opposes additional funding and says the U.S. territory is getting more disaster money than some states. The move tossed long-sought relief for victims of hurricanes, floods and Western wildfires into limbo and escalated a fight between Democrats and Trump, who said Tuesday that he is the "best thing" that ever happened to Puerto Rico. Trump claimed additional funding would come at the expense of U.S. farmers and states, and attacked the island's political leaders, alleging they "only take from USA." Puerto Rico's residents are U.S. citizens. White House spokesman Hogan Gidley said it was "ridiculous" to question Trump's commitment to the people of Puerto Rico, but called the island "that country" in an interview with MSNBC. Gidley claimed the error was "a mistake." Monday's 44-49 vote fell short of a majority, much less the 60 votes required to overcome a Democratic filibuster, sending GOP leaders back to the drawing board and seeming unlikely to kill disaster aid efforts outright, since there is much political support to send aid to Southern farmers, wildfire-ravaged California towns and Midwestern flood victims. "Our work on this subject is far from finished," Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said on Tuesday. FILE - In this Sept. 8, 2018, file photo, Ramon Alicea Burgos walks past his palm tree, with its top broken off one year ago by Hurricane Maria one outside his partially rebuilt home in the mountain town of Barranquitas, Puerto Rico. A fight between President Donald Trump and Democrats over hurricane relief for Puerto Rico is imperiling a widely backed disaster aid bill that is a top priority for some of Trump's southern GOP allies. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa, File) Trump allies such as Sens. David Perdue, R-Ga., and Rick Scott, R-Fla., are among the strongest backers of the legislation. "We will get this done eventually," Perdue said, promising relief to struggling farmers in his state. The path forward is unclear, but a leading option is for the Senate to pass a more narrowly drawn bill simply to get the issue into a House-Senate conference committee. House Democrats insist the talks must produce a final measure with help for Puerto Rico. Democrats say Trump has been slow to release already appropriated funding for Puerto Rico and has shown little urgency in helping the island. Trump criticized the island's government at a meeting with Senate Republicans last week and suggested Puerto Rico has gotten too much disaster help compared with states such as Texas, using inflated numbers to make his case. "Just as we leave no soldier behind on the battlefield, we help our fellow Americans when there's a disaster, wherever the disaster strikes. We do not abandon them. Period," said Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. Trump complained in a pair of tweets Tuesday about the island's leadership and said $91 billion destined for Puerto Rico is "more money than has ever been gotten for a hurricane before, & all their local politicians do is complain & ask for more money." He said the politicians there are "grossly incompetent, spend the money foolishly or corruptly, & only take from USA." "The best thing that ever happened to Puerto Rico is President Donald J. Trump," the president continued. "So many wonderful people, but with such bad Island leadership and with so much money wasted. Cannot continue to hurt our Farmers and States with these massive payments, and so little appreciation!" Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello responded with his own tweets, stating in part, "Mr. President, this 'place' you refer to, #PuertoRico, is home to over three million proud Americans that are still recovering from the storm and in need of federal assistance. We are not your adversaries, we are your citizens." Rossello also asked that all senators approve the disaster aid bill and disputed Trump's numbers, claiming that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved only $300 million in permanent work projects, not $91 billion. The $13.5 billion Senate measure mostly mirrors a $14.2 billion measure the House passed in January, combining aid to Southern farmers, California communities devastated by last summer's wildfire, and hurricane-hit states such as Florida, Georgia and North Carolina. Hurricane-damaged military bases in Florida and North Carolina would receive rebuilding funds. Democrats want to add almost $700 million more to unlock further disaster aid for Puerto Rico and several states, including help to rebuild badly damaged water systems. Democrats are also trying to force the administration to release billions of dollars in rebuilding funds that have already been approved. McConnell said the Senate measure is the fastest way to get aid to the South and the Midwest, along with nutrition aid to Puerto Rico, where food stamp benefits have already been cut. "It is the only bill on the table with any provision for the Midwest flooding," McConnell said. "And it's the only bill on the table that could earn a presidential signature in time to deliver urgent relief on the nutrition assistance in Puerto Rico." Political momentum for the measure - strongly backed by Trump's allies in Georgia, Florida and North Carolina, among other states - has only been heightened by massive flooding in Midwestern states such as Nebraska and Iowa, whose nominating caucuses are the first test for Democrats hoping to challenge Trump next year. The GOP measure would make Midwestern states eligible for more aid, and by blocking the bill, Democratic presidential contenders in the Senate are likely to face criticism. Trump has yet to veto a spending bill despite some tough talk, and he has signed off on $600 million to ease food stamp cuts in Puerto Rico. Trump's $91 billion estimate, said a White House spokesman, includes about $50 billion in expected future disaster disbursements, along with $41 million already approved. Actual aid to Puerto Rico has flowed slowly from federal coffers. ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - Baltimore's acting mayor told legislators Tuesday that the city "is in good hands" until the mayor decides whether to return after abruptly announcing a leave of absence to "focus on her health" amid a political scandal about "self-dealing" book sales. Mayor Catherine Pugh stepped away Monday, the same day Maryland's Republican governor asked the state prosecutor to investigate her no-bid book deals, including $500,000 in sales to the University of Maryland Medical System. After meeting with the city's state Senate delegation and House delegation chair in Annapolis, acting Mayor Jack Young emphasized that he would act only as a "placeholder" for the embattled mayor and plans to run for City Council president again. "You know, I've been doing this for the last 21 years, making the wheels turn, and it's going to continue to turn," he said. Sen. Antonio Hayes, a Baltimore Democrat, described the circumstances as "frustrating as hell" in the last week of the state's legislative session, as Baltimore officials often have to overcome tough images and a negative narrative attached to Maryland's largest city, which struggles with violent crime. "I hope that she's doing some real soul searching," fellow Democratic Sen. Bill Ferguson said of Pugh. "This is such a distraction from where we need to be and the issues that we should be focused on." Acting Baltimore Mayor Jack Young talks to reporters after meeting with state senators who represent Baltimore on Tuesday, April 2, 2019 in Annapolis. Young has become acting mayor after Catherine Pugh abruptly announced Monday that she's taking a leave of absence to "focus on her health" amid a political scandal about involving book sales. (AP Photo/Brian Witte) The Baltimore Sun reports Pugh repeatedly sponsored legislation during her time as a Maryland state senator that would've benefited the University of Maryland Medical System, which paid Pugh $500,000 for 100,000 copies of her self-published "Healthy Holly" children's books. Between 2011 and 2016, Pugh sponsored and co-sponsored several bills that would've benefited the system where she was a board member. In eight bills, Pugh sought to make suing doctors and hospitals for big judgments through malpractice claims harder and to reduce the financial impact of malpractice lawsuits. Those measures - and bills she sponsored to expand the kinds of bonuses insurers can pay health care professionals - were not successful. But the legislature did pass three of Pugh's bills that allowed telemedicine expansion, a potentially lucrative change. "It is a clear conflict of interest," Joanne Antoine, of the government watchdog organization Common Cause, said of Pugh's legislative proposals while being paid by the system. "This does call into question all of the decisions she made during her term as senator." Pugh, her spokesman and her lawyer did not respond to requests for comment on the issue, but last month the mayor noted her legislative proposals applied generally to the hospital industry, not just the University of Medical System. "I didn't carry legislation for UMMS," Pugh said. There was no contract behind UMMS' book deal with Pugh, and the hospital network - one of Maryland's largest private employers - described some of the purchases as "grants" in federal filings. Pugh, who once sat on a state Senate committee that funded the major health network before becoming mayor, has served on the system's board since 2001. One-third of UMMS board members received compensation through the medical system's arrangements with their businesses. Legislation is pending in Maryland's capital focusing on board governance. Since the arrangement with UMMS came to light last month, Pugh has stepped down from the volunteer board and returned her most recent payment of $100,000 for the books. Health care provider Kaiser Permanente also spent $100,000 on Pugh's books after she became mayor, when the company was seeking a contract with the city. The Baltimore Sun also reported that CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, another city health provider, effectively bought Pugh's roughly 20-page illustrated books for $14,500 in 2011 and 2014. In a subsequent email, a CareFirst spokesman said it made contributions to Associated Black Charities, a nonprofit that manages the city's Children and Youth Fund, to fund its purchase and distribution of books. Associated Black Charities said in a statement that between 2011 and 2016, five organizations donated $87,180 to pay for the books, of which ABC kept $9,552 to use as "general support." Pugh's announcement that she would take leave from her post as mayor came Monday, the same day Republican Gov. Larry Hogan asked the state prosecutor to investigate. Attorney Steve Silverman said the mayor looked "forward to cooperating with the state prosecutor and providing as much information as possible to put this matter to rest." ___ Information from: The Baltimore Sun, http://www.baltimoresun.com FILE - In this June 8, 2018 file photo, Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh addresses a gathering during the annual meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Boston. Baltimore's mayor says a lucrative arrangement to sell her self-published children's books to a health care system was a "regrettable mistake." In a Thursday, March 28, 2019 press conference, Mayor Catherine Pugh provided four pages of paperwork that she says details production of thousands of her "Healthy Holly" illustrated books and deliveries to Baltimore's school system. Since 2011, Pugh received $500,000 selling her illustrated books to the University of Maryland Medical System. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File) This March 2019 photo taken in Baltimore, shows copies of Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh's self-published "Healthy Holly" illustrated paperbacks for children. Baltimore's embattled mayor announced Monday, April 1 that she is taking an indefinite leave of absence, just as a political scandal intensifies over what critics call a "self-dealing" book-sales arrangement that threatens her political career. The various officials' calls came shortly after Kaiser Permanente disclosed that it paid $114,000, between 2015 and 2018, for roughly 20,000 copies of Pugh's children's books. And it came about two weeks after news broke that since 2011, Pugh has received $500,000 selling her books to the University of Maryland Medical System, a $4 billion hospital network that's one of the largest private employers in the state. (Jerry Jackson/The Baltimore Sun via AP) NEW YORK (AP) - One morning last fall, 4-year-old Joey Wilcox woke up with the left side of his face drooping. It was the first sign of an unfolding nightmare. Three days later, Joey was in a hospital intensive care unit, unable to move his arms or legs or sit up. Spinal taps and other tests failed to find a cause. Doctors worried he was about to lose the ability to breathe. "It's devastating," said his father, Jeremy Wilcox, of Herndon, Virginia. "Your healthy child can catch a cold - and then become paralyzed." Joey, who survived but still suffers some of the effects, was one of 228 confirmed victims in the U.S. last year of acute flaccid myelitis, or AFM, a rare, mysterious and sometimes deadly paralyzing illness that seems to ebb and flow on an every-other-year cycle and is beginning to alarm public health officials because it is striking more and more children. Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said it may bear similarities to polio, which smoldered among humans for centuries before it exploded into fearsome epidemics in the 19th and 20th centuries. Braden Scott gives a thumbs up as he pauses while practicing on the piano in Tomball, Texas on Friday, March 29, 2019. Braden was diagnosed with the mysterious syndrome called acute flaccid myelitis, or AFM, in 2016 and was paralyzed almost completely. But since then he has recovered much of his muscle function. His parents believe a lot of it has to do with thousands of hours of physical therapy. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) Fauci, who published a report about the disease Tuesday in the medical journal mBio, said it is unlikely AFM will become as bad as polio, which struck tens of thousands of U.S. children annually before a vaccine became available in the 1950s. But he warned: "Don't assume that it's going to stay at a couple of hundred cases every other year." While other countries have reported cases, including Canada, France, Britain and Norway, the size and pattern of the U.S. outbreaks have been more pronounced. More than 550 Americans have been struck this decade. The oldest was 32. More than 90% were children, most around 4, 5 or 6 years old. Most had a cold-like illness and fever, seemed to get over it, then descended into paralysis. In some cases it started in small ways - for example, a thumb that suddenly wouldn't move. Some went on to lose the ability to eat or draw breath. Many families say their children have regained at least some movement in affected limbs, but stories of complete recovery are unusual. Health officials cannot say how many recovered completely, partly or not at all, or how many have died, though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says deaths are rare. Scientists suspect the illness is being caused chiefly by a certain virus that was identified more than 55 years ago and may have mutated to become more dangerous. But they have yet to prove that. And while doctors have deployed a number of treatments singly or in combination - steroids, antiviral medications, antibiotics, a blood-cleansing process - the CDC says there is no clear evidence they work. Many parents say that when they first brought their child to the emergency room, they quickly realized to their horror that the doctors were at sea, too. "Everyone is desperate for some magical thing," said Rachel Scott, a Tomball, Texas, woman whose son Braden developed AFM in 2016 and has recovered somewhat after intensive physical therapy but still cannot move his right arm and has trouble swallowing and moving his neck. A growing number of experts agree that physical therapy makes a difference. "These kids can continue to recover very slowly, year over year. ... It's driven by how much therapy they do," said Dr. Benjamin Greenberg of UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, one of the nation's foremost experts on the condition. Wilcox, Joey's father, said his son made huge improvements that way. Joey can run and use his arms. Still, muscle tone is weak in his right leg and shoulder, and he still has left-side facial paralysis. "He can't completely smile," his dad said. Other stories are more tragic. Katie Bustamante's son Alex developed AFM in 2016. The suburban Sacramento, California, mother realized something was wrong when she asked the boy, then 5, why he wasn't eating his yogurt. Alex replied that his thumb had stopped working and he couldn't hold his spoon. That morning was the start of 17 months of hospital stays, surgeries, therapy, and struggles with doctors and insurers to find a way to restore his ability to breathe. It ended one morning last May, when Alex died of complications. Government officials need to step up, Bustamante said. "I want them to research it and find the cause, and I want them to find a way to prevent it," she said. "This is growing. This shouldn't be happening." More and more experts feel certain the main culprit is an enterovirus called EV-D68, based on the way waves of AFM have coincided with spikes of respiratory illnesses caused by EV-D68. Enteroviruses are a large family of viruses, some of which, such as polio, can damage the central nervous system, while many others cause mild symptoms or none at all. In the U.S., doctors began reporting respiratory illnesses tied to EV-D68 in 1987, though usually no more than a dozen in any given year. Then, in what may have been one of the first signs of the AFM waves to come, a 5-year-old boy in New Hampshire died in 2008 after developing neck tenderness and fever, then weakened arms and deadened legs. The boy had EV-D68, and in a report published in an obscure medical journal, researchers attributed his death to the virus. The first real burst of AFM cases hit in 2014, when 120 were confirmed, with the largest concentrations in California and Colorado. What ensued was an even-year, odd-year pattern: Cases dropped to 22 in 2015, jumped to 149 in 2016, and fell again, to 35 in 2017. Last year they reached 228, a number that may grow because scores of illnesses are still being investigated. In keeping with the cyclical pattern, just four cases have been confirmed this year so far. CDC officials consider an illness AFM based on scans and other evidence showing a certain kind of damage to the spinal cord. Proof of an enterovirus infection is not required for a case to be counted, mainly because such evidence has been hard to come by. So far, CDC investigators have been able to find evidence of enteroviruses in the spinal fluid of only four of 558 confirmed cases. Scientists are using more sensitive spinal-fluid tests in hopes of establishing the connection between AFM and EV-D68 more firmly. That, in turn, could spur more focused work on treatments and maybe even a vaccine. Meanwhile, Fauci's agency has put out a call for researchers to apply for federal funds, and is tapping a University of Alabama-anchored network of pediatric research centers to work on the illness. The CDC is pledging a greater focus, too. Parents have accused the agency of doing little more than counting cases and have complained that when they tried to contact CDC, they encountered only automated phone trees and form responses. CDC officials have begun holding meetings and calls with families, set up a scientific task force and working to monitor cases more closely. Fauci suggested it would be a mistake to assume that surges will take place every other year forever. The next one "may be in 2019, for all we know," he said. ___ The Associated Press Health & Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. ___ This version corrects the spelling of Tomball, Texas, and corrects some references to the virus to make it EV-D68. Rachel Scott, right, helps suction the mouth of her son, Braden, in Tomball, Texas on Friday, March 29, 2019. He was 7 on July 4, 2016, when he uncharacteristically decided he didn't want to go swimming. He had trouble swallowing and felt tired and weak. His parents took him to an urgent care center, then to a hospital. Within days he could only move one hand. Late one night his father and a nurse were sitting beside Braden in the hospital when they noticed he had just stopped breathing. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) Braden Scott uses a device to support his left arm as he practices on the piano in Tomball, Texas on Friday, March 29, 2019. Braden was diagnosed with the syndrome called acute flaccid myelitis, or AFM, in 2016 and was paralyzed almost completely. The rare but mysterious illness seems to ebb and flow every other year and is beginning to alarm public health officials. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) Rachel Scott, left, talks with her son, Braden, in Tomball, Texas on Friday, March 29, 2019. "Everyone is desperate for some magical thing" to cure the kids, said Rachel. Braden developed acute flaccid myelitis, or AFM, in 2016. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Democratic presidential candidate Julian Castro on Tuesday called for the U.S. to end criminalizing illegal border crossings under an immigration plan that marks the first policy rollout of his 2020 campaign. The former San Antonio mayor unveiled his proposals at a time when President Donald Trump is threatening to shut down the southern border with Mexico. Castro, who is still searching for a toehold in a crowded Democratic field, is also now going further on immigration than his 2020 rivals who have all widely condemned Trump's border crackdowns and rhetoric. "The truth is, immigrants seeking refuge in our country aren't a threat to national security. Migration shouldn't be a criminal justice issue," Castro wrote in a blog post laying out his plan. Castro is the grandson of a Mexican immigrant and the only Latino candidate in the field . He has made reversing Trump's hardline approach to immigration a central part of his campaign since entering the race in January, and like other candidates, has called for pathways to citizenship and stopping construction on a U.S.-Mexico border wall. But his new immigration platform now includes specifics that would include making being in the U.S. illegally a civil, and not criminal penalty. Trump's "zero tolerance" policy on illegal border crossings called for prosecuting every adult, even if it meant splitting families. Castro is also calling for reconstituting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement by splitting the agency in half and putting enforcement duties elsewhere. Other candidates have been less detailed about their plans for ICE, which some in the party's liberal flank have called to abolish. Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary and Democratic presidential candidate Julian Castro speaks during the We the People Membership Summit, featuring the 2020 Democratic presidential candidates, at the Warner Theater, in Washington, Monday, April 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) Castro announced a rally in his hometown of San Antonio later this month at the same time Trump is expected to make a fundraising swing through Texas. ___ Follow Paul J. Weber on Twitter: https://twitter.com/pauljweber SEATTLE (AP) - When Washington and Colorado launched their pioneering marijuana industries in the face of U.S. government prohibition, they imposed strict rules in hopes of keeping the U.S. Justice Department at bay. Businesses would need to track plants and products with bar codes. Regulators would have to approve money invested to ensure it was not tied to criminals. Owners of pot operations would have to live in-state and pass background checks. Five years later, federal authorities have stayed away, but the industry says it has been stifled by over-regulation. Lawmakers in both states have heard the complaints and are moving to ease the rules. "There's a saying in the business world: 'Pioneers get slaughtered, and settlers get fat,'" said Greg James, publisher of industry magazine Marijuana Venture , based near Seattle. "These rules have made the entire industry very inefficient. We're going to get left in the dust unless we change some things pretty quickly." Since Colorado and Washington became the first states to legalize the recreational use of marijuana, eight others have joined them. California, Nevada, Oregon and Michigan are among the legal states that have taken a more permissive approach to out-of-state ownership and investment. In Colorado, which already loosened its rules to allow licensed businesses to have up to 15 out-of-state owners, lawmakers from both parties want to further open the industry to include ownership by publicly traded companies and to limit background-check requirements. A similar measure was vetoed by former Gov. John Hickenlooper last year, but his replacement, Gov. Jared Polis, has indicated support. In this photo taken Thursday, March 28, 2019, employees Dan Giroux, left, and Dustin Barrington ring up sales for customers at a marijuana shop in Seattle. When Washington and Colorado launched their pioneering marijuana industries in the face of U.S. government prohibition, they imposed strict rules in hopes of keeping the U.S. Justice Department at bay. Five years later, federal authorities have stayed away, but the industry says it has been stifled by over-regulation. Lawmakers in both states have heard the complaints and are moving to ease the rules. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson) Washington lawmakers are considering a dual approach: easing financial restrictions while taking a more lenient view of rules violations, making it less likely businesses will lose their licenses for things like sloppy record-keeping. Three dozen have had their licenses canceled since 2015, while 32 more face revocation notices, according to the state Liquor and Cannabis Board. One measure pending in the Democratic-led Legislature would open the industry to out-of-state ownership and allow businesses to become bigger, with a caveat: Any licensees hoping to take advantage would have to agree to let their workforce unionize. Those that do could have up to 40% of their ownership held outside of Washington. They would also be able to obtain two additional marijuana licenses, allowing them to have up to seven retail shops or up to five growing and processing licenses, said the main sponsor, Sen. Rebecca Saldana. Investors could hold up to 10% of the business without undergoing background checks, though their names would still need to be disclosed. "Banks don't give lines of credit in our space, so we're limited to private investors in the state of Washington," said Ryan Kunkel, chief executive of Have A Heart, a chain of marijuana stores that has agreed to let its workers unionize. "It's a tiny pool of investors, and it's stifling our ability to expand. Meanwhile, there's a massive industry expansion taking place in every other state." Another proposal , a wide-ranging overhaul of Washington's regulatory enforcement, is a compromise between industry groups, including the Washington CannaBusiness Association , and the Liquor and Cannabis Board. The association has lobbied hard for the changes, arguing that the board's enforcement has been aggressive and uneven. Its director, Vicki Christophersen, went as far as helping organize an unsuccessful effort by lawmakers to have Russ Hauge, a former prosecutor, removed as one of the board's three members because he was seen as unfriendly to the industry. "The industry overall has made long strides in being a safe and fully regulated marketplace," Christophersen said. "The legislation stems out of several years of frustration, of folks feeling like they want to be regulated, they want to be taxed, they want to do the right thing, but they feel they're still being treated as criminal enterprises." The legislation would create a program where businesses could seek the board's advice on compliance issues without risking penalties, and it would require inspectors to give licensees time to fix a problem before issuing a citation, unless the violations concern public safety, sale to a minor or repeat offenses. Businesses could face cancellation if they accumulate multiple violations for certain offenses, such as failing to properly tag plants, over two years, rather than the current window of three years - giving them a clean slate sooner. And the measure would make another crucial change: "True party of interest" rules, which require transparency in who owns, controls and profits from licensed marijuana businesses, would no longer come with automatic license cancellation. The rules have been a backbone of Washington's marijuana regulations and a key way for officials to ensure criminal organizations don't have a hand in the legal market, but even the board has acknowledged they're overly strict. In some cases, marijuana business owners struggling to make payroll infused personal money or investment from others into their business without having it vetted by the board, said Rick Garza, the board's director. That can lead to automatic cancellation, even if the money came from a clean source, Garza said. When the board asked the businesses why they did it without notifying regulators, they said they didn't have time to wait months for the board to approve the money, he said. "We want to make sure the enforcement structure is fair," Garza said. "We started off really conservative, and you can see that over time that's made it difficult for some." ___ Gene Johnson is a member of AP's marijuana beat team. Follow him at https://twitter.com/GeneAPseattle . Find complete AP marijuana coverage at http://apnews.com/tag/LegalMarijuana . ___ This version corrects the name of the magazine, Marijuana Venture, not Marijuana Ventures. In this photo taken Thursday, March 28, 2019, a highly stylized rendering of the city's skyline, including an oversized pot blunt, greets customers entering a marijuana shop in Seattle. When Washington and Colorado launched their pioneering marijuana industries in the face of U.S. government prohibition, they imposed strict rules in hopes of keeping the U.S. Justice Department at bay. Five years later, federal authorities have stayed away, but the industry says it has been stifled by over-regulation. Lawmakers in both states have heard the complaints and are moving to ease the rules. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson) In this photo taken Thursday, March 28, 2019, marijuana products line a locked cabinet at a marijuana shop in Seattle. When Washington and Colorado launched their pioneering marijuana industries in the face of U.S. government prohibition, they imposed strict rules in hopes of keeping the U.S. Justice Department at bay. Five years later, federal authorities have stayed away, but the industry says it has been stifled by over-regulation. Lawmakers in both states have heard the complaints and are moving to ease the rules. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson) In this photo taken Thursday, March 28, 2019, pot products line a display case at a marijuana shop in Seattle. When Washington and Colorado launched their pioneering marijuana industries in the face of U.S. government prohibition, they imposed strict rules in hopes of keeping the U.S. Justice Department at bay. Five years later, federal authorities have stayed away, but the industry says it has been stifled by over-regulation. Lawmakers in both states have heard the complaints and are moving to ease the rules. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson) In this photo taken Thursday, March 28, 2019, store employee Adam Peckels retrieves products for customers at a marijuana shop in Seattle. When Washington and Colorado launched their pioneering marijuana industries in the face of U.S. government prohibition, they imposed strict rules in hopes of keeping the U.S. Justice Department at bay. Five years later, federal authorities have stayed away, but the industry says it has been stifled by over-regulation. Lawmakers in both states have heard the complaints and are moving to ease the rules. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson) In this photo taken Thursday, March 28, 2019, a store employee assists customers at a marijuana shop in Seattle. When Washington and Colorado launched their pioneering marijuana industries in the face of U.S. government prohibition, they imposed strict rules in hopes of keeping the U.S. Justice Department at bay. Five years later, federal authorities have stayed away, but the industry says it has been stifled by over-regulation. Lawmakers in both states have heard the complaints and are moving to ease the rules. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson) ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - The remains of a New York airman whose trove of 200-plus wartime letters inspired a California museum's popular World War II exhibit have been identified 75 years after he died in a crash off a Pacific island. The Pentagon's Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced on its website that the remains of Army Air Forces Staff Sgt. Vincent J. Rogers Jr. were accounted for on March 21. He was from Snyder, a hamlet outside Buffalo. Rogers was a 21-year-old radio operator aboard a B-24 bomber that crashed shortly after taking off from an airfield on the Tarawa atoll in the Gilbert Islands, now the Republic of Kiribati, on Jan. 21, 1944, the agency said. Rogers' plane, nicknamed "Miss Bee Haven," had just taken off on a nighttime bombing mission against a Japanese-held island when it crashed into the atoll's lagoon and burst into flames. Seven of the 10 crewmembers were killed, including Rogers and another Buffalo-area airman, Staff Sgt. Jack Busch, of Kenmore. The remains of the seven were initially buried in a Tarawa cemetery containing the bodies of some of the hundreds of Marines killed during the amphibious assault on the atoll in November 1943. The remains of Busch and two other crewmembers were later exhumed and sent home for burial. Rogers's remains and those of the other three crewmembers were lost on Tarawa. Officially listed as MIA, their remains weren't discovered until 2017, when members of History Flight, a private WWII research group, found them along with those of several Marines in graves under a house built after the war. In this 1944 photo provided by the U.S. Army, a member of the military stands near a B-24 bomber that crashed shortly after take-off from an airfield on the Tarawa atoll in the Gilbert Islands in the Pacific Ocean during World War II. U.S. military officials say the remains of Army Air Forces Staff Sgt. Vincent J. Rogers Jr., who was the radio operator on the aircraft, have been identified. Rogers was from Snyder, N.Y., outside of Buffalo. (U.S. Army via AP) The other three crewmembers were previously identified and returned to the U.S. for burial. Mark Noah, History Flight's founder, told The Associated Press Tuesday that Rogers was the 100th person listed as MIA on Tarawa who was identified after being found by his group. More have been uncovered but have yet to be identified, he said. DNA analysis was used to identify Rogers' remains, Pentagon officials said Tuesday. DPAA officials said Rogers' family has been notified. Reburial details haven't been released. Rogers is the focus of an exhibit at March Field Air Museum in Riverside, California, where his bomber unit was based before being sent off to war. According to museum director Jeff Houlihan, several years ago a relative of Rogers' who lived nearby dropped off a cardboard box containing 237 of the airman's handwritten letters. Known to his family as Vince, the young airman wrote home from the time of his induction in 1942 to Jan. 14, 1944, when he said he longed to see snow again, Houlihan said. The museum created an exhibit based on the letters, which provide firsthand accounts of a typical citizen soldier's view of life in the U.S. military during WWII, from basic training to first combat missions. The exhibit also includes the Western Union telegram the Pentagon sent to his mother notifying her that her son had been killed in action. "Vince takes you through all this stuff and teaches you the cost of war," Houlihan said. "It costs people." The museum will update the exhibit with the identification of his remains, Houlihan said. ___ This story has been corrected to say that History Flight is located in Virginia, not Florida. This undated photo provided by the March Field Air Museum in April 2019 shows Army Air Forces Staff Sgt. Vincent J. Rogers Jr. at his home in Snyder, N.Y. U.S. military officials say the remains of the western New York airman killed in a plane crash in the Pacific during World War II have been identified. (March Field Air Museum via the AP) NEW YORK (AP) - American Express and Delta Air Lines extended their credit card partnership through 2029, the companies jointly announced Tuesday, a significant extension of one of the larger financial partnerships between a major U.S. airline and a credit card company. Separately, Delta raised its forecast of first-quarter profit, citing higher demand from business travelers. Delta shares rose and helped lift other airline stocks in afternoon trading. American Express will pay Delta more per year for the partnership, up to nearly $7 billion annually by 2023 from $3.4 billion paid in 2018. Joseph DeNardi, an airline analyst for Stifel, said the announcement was sooner than anticipated "and the improvement in revenue and economics are significantly better than we were expecting." DeNardi said the deal's long duration makes it more likely that Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway will buy Delta. Berkshire Hathaway is Delta's biggest shareholder. It recently increased its stake to 10.4%, and those shares were worth $3.7 billion at Delta's stock price on Tuesday afternoon. The possibility of Buffett buying an airline has been the subject of much speculation in recent months, with most of the attention focused on Delta and Southwest. FILE - In this Dec. 14, 2007 file photo, a traveler uses a Delta SkyMiles credit card to buy an airline e-ticket at the Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, Calif. American Express and Delta Airlines extended their credit card partnership through 2029, the companies jointly announced Tuesday, April 2, 2019, a significant extension of one of the larger financial partnerships between a major U.S. airline and a credit card company. Delta also raised its outlook for first-quarter profit, helping to lift its shares and the shares of other airlines. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File) American Express and Delta previously extended their partnership in 2014 for five years, at a time when AmEx was still recovering from the loss of its partnership with Costco. AmEx has partnered with Delta since 1996, and it's considered one of AmEx's more valued co-brand partnerships. The partnership means AmEx will continue to exclusively issue Delta credit cards. Certain AmEx card members will get access to Delta's network of airport lounges and be able to transfer points from AmEx's Membership Rewards program to Delta's SkyMiles program. Despite the increased payout to Delta, AmEx said the extension of its partnership with the airline remains economically attractive. AmEx reaffirmed its previous 2019 earnings guidance, saying it expects to make $7.85 to $8.35 a share this year. Also Tuesday, Delta reported traffic figures for March and raised its forecast of first-quarter earnings to between 85 cents and 95 cents per share, up from 70 cents to 90 cents per share. Analysts were expecting 81 cents per share, according to a survey by FactSet. The Atlanta company pointed to better terms of the AmEx deal and said that a key measure, revenue for every seat flown one mile, rose more than expected in the just-ended quarter, mostly due to strong corporate-travel demand. Shares of Delta Air Lines Inc. gained $3.15, or 6%, to $55.33. Shares of the next five largest U.S. airlines rose by smaller percentages. Shares of American Express fell 0.6% to $111. Berkshire Hathaway is also the biggest shareholder in AmEx. ___ Koenig reported from Dallas. WASHINGTON (AP) - Several Democratic presidential candidates have released fundraising totals for the first quarter of 2019, offering an early measure of how they're faring on the campaign circuit. Full details won't be available until campaigns file detailed disclosures with the Federal Election Commission ahead of the April 15 deadline. Here are some developments so far: BERNIE SANDERS Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders says his campaign has raised $18.2 million in the 41 days since he launched his Democratic presidential bid - without holding any conventional fundraising events. He has $28 million cash on hand, picking up where he left off four years ago in his ultimately unsuccessful bid for the party's presidential nomination. Sanders' total could ultimately top all Democratic candidates, and it shows that the senator maintains a wide base following his 2016 bid. His campaign says he has about 525,000 individual donors who chipped in 900,000 contributions, with 88% of his total haul coming from small donors who gave $200 or less. Presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, speaks during the We the People Membership Summit, featuring the 2020 Democratic presidential candidates, at the Warner Theater, in Washington, Monday, April 1, 2019. Sanders says his campaign has raised $18.2 million in the 41 days since he launched his Democratic presidential bid. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) Campaign manager Faiz Shakir said the average contribution was $20 and that about 20% of the donors are new. Some other key measures the campaign offered: Sanders' donor list includes nearly 100,000 registered independents and 20,000 registered Republicans; a majority of donors are under 40 years old. And perhaps the most glaring number for Sanders' opponents: 99.99% of his contributors have not given the maximum $2,800 - meaning they can contribute again. KAMALA HARRIS The California senator's campaign says it collected $12 million from more than 218,000 individual contributions. Harris is running both an aggressive digital fundraising campaign targeting smaller donors, but also is sticking the tried-and-true fundraising circuit in which she collects larger checks from donors. The Harris campaign said 98% of her contributions were under $100. They've not yet detailed what percentage of her overall collections came from those smaller donors. PETE BUTTIGIEG Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Indiana, can't match Sanders or Harris, but his $7 million haul may be the most impressive of anyone. And he hasn't even officially announced his candidacy, instead raising money for his exploratory committee. It shows that the 37-year-old longshot is resonating as he travels to early nominating states. It also essentially guarantees that he will qualify for the Democratic National Committee's June and July debates. For the first time, party officials have set grassroots fundraising thresholds as part of the qualifications for the initial debate stages. The debates will be a prime opportunity for underdogs like Buttigieg to gain name recognition and stature alongside perceived front-runners like Sanders, Harris and others. Buttigieg said the first quarter results were "way ahead" of the campaign's original goals or what people thought he could do. He said 158,550 donors contributed to the effort, with an average contribution of about $36. Of the $7 million raised, 64% came from people donating $200 or less. "This is a great look for our first quarter," he told supporters at a Monday event. ---- Barrow reported from Atlanta. Associated Press reporter Sara Burnett contributed from Chicago. ---- Follow the reporters on Twitter at https://twitter.com/jmsummers and https://twitter.com/BillBarrowAP . U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, a candidate for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, addresses labor leaders at the California Labor Federal and State Building and Construction Trades Council Legislative Conference Dinner, Monday, April 1, 2019, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - A federal jury on Tuesday convicted a former Oklahoma gubernatorial candidate and zookeeper in an attempted murder-for-hire plot. Jurors returned the guilty verdict following six days of testimony in the trial of Joseph Allen Maldonado-Passage, 56, who was accused of trying to arrange the killing of Florida animal sanctuary founder Carole Baskin, who criticized his treatment of animals. Baskin wasn't harmed. Maldonado-Passage, known as "Joe Exotic," was also found guilty in the deaths of five tigers, and selling and offering to sell tiger cubs in violation of the Endangered Species Act. U.S. District Judge Scott Palk did not set a sentencing date for Maldonado-Passage, who could face more than 20 years in prison. Maldonado-Passage testified in his own defense on Monday that although disagreements with Baskin spilled over into his social media posts, he never truly wanted her dead. Prosecutors say Maldonado-Passage offered $10,000 to an undercover FBI agent to kill Baskin during a December 2017 meeting that was recorded and played for the jury last week. In the recording, he told the agent, "Just like follow her into a mall parking lot and just cap her and drive off." FILE - This file photo provided by the Santa Rose County Jail in Milton, Fla., shows Joseph Maldonado-Passage. Prosecutors say Maldonado-Passage, also known as "Joe Exotic, tried to arrange the killing of Carole Baskin, the founder of Big Cat Rescue. Lurors were shown a Facebook video Tuesday, March 26, 2019, that depicts Maldonado-Passage shooting a blow-up "Carole" doll in the head. Other videos show him pretending to dig a grave for Baskin and threatening to mail her rattlesnakes. (Santa Rosa County Jail via AP, File) Maldonado-Passage's attorneys have said their client, who used to operate a zoo in Wynnewood, Oklahoma, wasn't being serious. Known for his blonde mullet and expletive-laden rants on YouTube, Maldonado-Passage finished third in a three-way Libertarian primary in 2018. Maldonado-Passage also appeared on John Oliver's "Last Week Tonight" when he was a 2016 write-in candidate for president. MANDAN, N.D. (AP) - The Latest on bodies found at a business in Mandan, North Dakota (all times local): 12:30 p.m. Some clients of a North Dakota property management company owner who was killed along with three employees say he was kind and hard-working. Police say 52-year-old Robert Fakler owned RJR Maintenance and Management Company in Mandan. He was killed along with fellow employees 42-year-old Adam Fuehrer, 45-year-old Lois Cobb and her husband, 50-year-old Bill Cobb. Ann Farrell, of Bismarck, fought backs tears as she talked about a conversation she had with Fakler the night before he was found dead. She said he was "very cheerful, very much in a good mood." Farrell's brother, Rolf Eggers, says Fakler was "kind and cheerful" and he wishes he could turn back time and warn him. Mandan, N.D. Police Deputy Chief Lori Flaten, left, and other law enforcement personnel stand outside the scene on the south side the RJR Maintenance and Management property in Mandan, N.D., Monday, April 1, 2019. (Mike McCleary/The Bismarck Tribune via AP) Police have not identified a suspect or a motive. They also have not said how the victims died. ____ 11:50 a.m. The owner of a property management company was among four people found slain at a property management company in the North Dakota city of Mandan. Police said 52-year-old Robert Fakler owned RJR Maintenance and Management Company. The other victims were identified Tuesday as 42-year-old Adam Fuehrer, 45-year-old Lois Cobb and her husband, 50-year-old Bill Cobb. They were all company employees. Police have not identified a suspect or a motive or how the victims died. No weapons have been recovered. Authorities say the causes of death will be released by a medical examiner. Police say the killings were specific to the people who died and there's no reason to believe the public is in danger. ___ This item has been corrected to reflect that Fuehrer's first name is Adam, not Robert. ___ 11 a.m. A married couple who had recently bought their dream home were among the four people found slain at a property management company in the North Dakota city of Mandan. Briann Miller of Girard, Illinois, tells The Associated Press that her 45-year-old mother, Lois Cobb, and 50-year-old stepdad, Bill Cobb, were killed. Police haven't released the names of the victims found Monday at RJR Maintenance and Management. Bill Cobb was a maintenance supervisor and Lois was an account specialist. Miller says police didn't give her any details about how they died. Miller says the Cobbs came to North Dakota from Illinois about six years ago. She says they never gave any indication to her of any problems at work. Police on Monday said they hadn't identified a motive. Police plan to hold a midday news conference Tuesday to release more details. ___ 9:30 a.m. Police in North Dakota are planning to release more information in the deaths of four people whose bodies were found Monday at a property management company in Mandan. Authorities called a midday news conference to discuss the slaying of three men and one woman whose bodies were found at RJR Maintenance and Management. Police haven't identified the victims or said how they were killed. Chief Jason Ziegler says police don't have a motive and the killer is not among the dead. But he's also said police believe the public isn't in danger. The business was quiet Tuesday morning, with only one officer visibly on scene and a few people showing up to pay rent. Apartment renter Henry Wilson says he's saddened by what happened. ____ This version has been changed to correct name of victim from Robert Fuehrer to Adam Fuehrer. Gina Kessel, center, comforts her son Mitchell outside of RJR Maintenance and Management, a property management company, Monday, April 1, 2019, Mandan, N.D. Authorities say police responding to a medical call at the North Dakota business have found "several" bodies. The Mandan Police Department issued a three-sentence news release confirming that officers had found "several people who were deceased inside" the business in the city of about 22,000 just across the Missouri River west of Bismarck. (AP Photo/Blake Nicholson) Police vehicles are seen in the backside of RJR Maintenance and Management, a property management company, Monday, April 1, 2019, Mandan, N.D. Authorities say police responding to a medical call at the North Dakota business have found "several" bodies. The Mandan Police Department issued a three-sentence news release confirming that officers had found "several people who were deceased inside" the business in the city of about 22,000 just across the Missouri River west of Bismarck. (AP Photo/Blake Nicholson) Cars are parked outside RJR Maintenance and Management in Mandan, N.D., on Monday, April 1, 2019. Police in North Dakota say "several" bodies have been found inside the business in suburban Bismarck. (Mike McCleary/The Bismarck Tribune via AP) Family and friends console each other at the scene near the south side of the RJR Maintenance and Management building in Mandan, N.D., Monday, April 1, 2019. (Mike McCleary/The Bismarck Tribune via AP) CHICAGO (AP) - A judge said Tuesday that it will be several weeks before he decides whether to make public the court file in the Jussie Smollett case, delaying the possibility for media organizations to read it for clues about why prosecutors, without explanation, announced the decision last week to dismiss the charges against the "Empire" actor. During a brief hearing, Cook County Judge Steven Watkins said he didn't agree with attorneys representing media organizations, including The Associated Press, that the public's right to see the file represented an emergency. Watkins set a schedule for motions and arguments that he said would result in his written decision in late May. Smollett did not attend the hearing but his attorney said there was no emergency that would warrant an immediate decision. The judge's decision keeps the public in the dark about what prompted the Cook County State's Attorney to drop the charges just days after securing a 16-count indictment against Smollett that alleged he staged an attack by two men who hurled racist and homophobic slurs at him before beating him and looping a noose around his neck. City officials, including Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson, blasted the decision to strike a deal with the actor without any explanation. Johnson said that Smollett had chosen to "hide behind secrecy and broker a deal to circumvent the judicial system." The decision has sparked outrage in the city and across the country. According to the filing by the media organizations, it also "put Chicago's government and our criminal justice system squarely in the spotlight." Actor Jussie Smollett leaves Cook County Court after his charges were dropped, Tuesday, March 26, 2019, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty) In an op-ed last week for the Chicago Tribune , Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx said while her office's decision to drop the charges does not exonerate Smollett, as the actor has claimed, she indicated that some of the evidence made getting a conviction "uncertain." Police maintain Smollett staged the attack to promote his career, and Chicago officials have ordered him to pay more than $130,000 to cover the cost of the investigation. Media organizations said in their filing that because there was no clear explanation why prosecutors dropped the charges, even a temporary delay of the press's First Amendment rights is harmful, and that "delaying access stifles the flow of information to the public." UNITED NATIONS (AP) - France, Germany and Britain expressed concern in a letter released Tuesday that Iran's latest ballistic missile activities are part of increasing actions to develop missiles capable of delivering a nuclear weapon. Ambassadors from the three U.N. Security Council nations said in a letter to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres that Iran's latest development and launching of ballistic missiles is having a destabilizing effect in the Middle East and increasing existing tensions. The Western allies also said Iran's activities are "inconsistent" with a 2015 U.N. resolution calling on Iran not to undertake any activity involving such missiles. The resolution was adopted unanimously to support the 2015 deal between Iran and six major powers including the United States to rein in Tehran's nuclear program. Last year, President Donald Trump announced the U.S. withdrawal from the pact but France, Germany and Britain, also signatories, still support the nuclear agreement. In their letter, the three European allies pointed to the Feb. 6 launch of a Dousti satellite, saying its Safir space launch vehicle is capable of delivering nuclear weapons. They also cited Iran's unveiling of a Dezful surface-to-surface ballistic missile on Feb. 7 saying it is "highly likely" to meet the criteria to deliver a nuclear weapon, and Tehran's public display on Feb. 4 of a variation of the Khorramshahr ballistic missile, calling it "potentially" a nuclear-capable intermediate-range ballistic missile. France's U.N. Ambassador Francois Delattre, Germany's U.N. Ambassador Christoph Heusgen and Britain's U.N. Ambassador Karen Pierce asked Guterres to report "fully and thoroughly on Iranian ballistic missile activity inconsistent" with the 2015 resolution in his next report to the Security Council. The ambassadors' latest letter is a follow-up to previous letters in November, December and February on Iranian missile activity "inconsistent" with the resolution. In early March, the United States urged the Security Council to impose new sanctions on Iran, saying its recent missile-related launches could be capable of delivering nuclear weapons and risk a regional arms race. Acting U.S. ambassador Jonathan Cohen condemned "Iran's destabilizing activities" in a letter to Guterres and called on Tehran "to cease immediately all activities related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons." The Trump administration re-imposed U.S. sanctions on Iran in November, including those targeting its vital oil sector, after it pulled the United States out of the nuclear deal. On March 22, the U.S. hit Iran with additional sanctions, targeting 31 Iranian scientists, technicians and companies which had been at the forefront of the country's former nuclear weapons program. The European ambassadors' letter made no mention of sanctions. Under the nuclear agreement, many U.N. sanctions on Iran were lifted. PRESCOTT, Ark. (AP) - A 14-year-old middle school student who police say was shot by a classmate at an Arkansas school was recovering Tuesday from a gunshot wound to his chest. Prescott Police Chief Joseph Beavers said the injured student was in good spirits at Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) northeast of Prescott, where the shooting happened. He was expected to make a full recovery, Beavers said. "Nothing vital was struck," Beavers said. Authorities say the shooting started as a dispute between the two students over the weekend and carried over to school on Monday. Police did not release the name of either student. The shooting took place in a hallway in Prescott High School, Beavers said, though both students are in junior high. The high school and junior high school share a campus, and some junior high students take classes at the high school, Beavers said. Cynthia Webb, whose sons are classmates of both boys, told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette she was in the high school office when the child who was shot walked in. She said she tried to calm the boy down while others tried to stop the bleeding. "I went and followed the victim when he ran into the office and I could see the blood," Webb said. Authorities say they received an emergency call at about 9:15 a.m. Monday but that two school resource officers who were on campus were able to contain the situation quickly. Beavers said he arrived at the school within two minutes of the emergency call. Authorities have said one student brought a concealed handgun onto campus and shot the other student one time in the chest, then fled. He was apprehended off campus, and no other injuries were reported. Officers later found a small caliber handgun in a bush outside the high school. Beavers would not say where the suspect was being held, but he said minors typically are taken to a juvenile facility in Batesville, Arkansas. Nevada County prosecutor Christi McQueen said she's waiting on the state police investigation before she makes a determination on whether to file charges, and whether the student would be charged as a juvenile or as an adult. INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - The Indiana Senate approved legislation Tuesday aimed at getting Indiana off a list of five states without a hate crimes law, and Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb promised to sign the bill as soon as it reaches his desk. The Republican-dominated chamber voted 34-14 Tuesday to approve the bill's bias crimes language after several Democratic senators urged its defeat, saying it falls short of what's needed because its language does not explicitly cover age, sex or gender identity. Holcomb, who had pushed for more comprehensive legislation with an enumerated list of traits that include gender and gender identity, said he'll sign the measure, which would allow judges to impose longer sentences for crimes motivated by bias. "Criminals who attempt to instill fear by attacking others based, for example, on who someone loves, who they are, how they identify, how they pray, should know their sentences can, and I believe should, be enhanced to the fullest extent of the law," he said in a statement. Holcomb and other Republicans argue that the bill covers all 6.6 million Hoosiers because it covers all characteristics and traits, whether expressly listed or not. The law's language refers to Indiana's bias crimes reporting statute that mentions color, creed, disability, national origin, race, religion and sexual orientation, but doesn't explicitly cover age, sex or gender identity. However, the bill says bias can also be considered due to the "victim's or the group's real or perceived characteristic, trait, belief, practice, association, or other attribute." FILE - In this Jan. 15, 2019, file photo, Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb speaks at the Statehouse in Indianapolis. The Indiana Senate is moving toward a vote on legislation aimed at getting Indiana off a list of five states without a hate crimes law, even as the bill's critics contend that it falls short of that goal. Senate Republicans decided in a private meeting Monday April 1, 2019, to put the bill up for a final concurrence vote as early as Tuesday. Republican Gov. Holcomb, supports it. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File) A Senate committee had passed another hate crimes bill in February, but a few days later the state Senate stripped out a list of specific protected traits , including sexual orientation, gender identity and race. Members of the House voted 57-39 last week to advance the current bias crimes legislation after the new language was amended into an unrelated bill. Democratic Sen. Karen Tallian of Portage said during Tuesday's debate on the bill that while the original bias crimes bill went through an open legislative process that included debates and amendments, the measure that emerged from the House came from a process she called "obnoxious, cowardly and a disrespectful misuse of the system." She said the way it was handled was a failure of House leadership. "It could have been taken from the playbook on how to minimize debate," she said. "There was no committee hearing, there was no committee debate. Instead it was slipped in a second reading amendment like a thief in the night. Throw it in there, vote right now ... This was a total shirking of duty." Senate Democratic Leader Tim Lanane of Anderson said in a statement that he's "deeply disturbed that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle saw this language and thought that leaving out age, sex and gender identity from the list of protected classes was good enough." "The Republican supermajority showed their true colors this session in regards to their feelings towards our minority communities in this state. It is cowardly to not specify an all-inclusive list," he said. Holcomb has pushed for comprehensive hate crimes largely because the Anti-Defamation League lists Indiana as one of only five states, along with Georgia, South Carolina, Wyoming and Arkansas, without hate crimes protections. The Anti-Defamation League said Friday that it was "deeply disappointed" by the legislation, saying in a statement that the current bill is too vague and "does not meet our standard for a real and effective hate crimes bill in 2019." House Speaker Brian Bosma said Tuesday that the legislation "meets or exceeds" bias crimes statutes on the books in 21 other states "and all of those states are off the list of states without a bias crimes law." "There's no reasonable assertion as to why this all-inclusive measure doesn't take Indiana off the list," he said in a statement. The Indiana Chamber of Commerce's CEO, Kevin Brinegar, urged Holcomb to sign the bill, calling it "a big step in the right direction." "Though the list is not as comprehensive as we had advocated for, what the Legislature has passed is still a meaningful hate crimes bill," he said in a statement. "... To those wanting a perfect bias crimes bill that spells out everything, we hear you and we understand; that was our shared goal. While that's ideal, it was not politically realistic at this time. In 2015, then-Gov. Mike Pence signed a religious protections law that critics widely panned as sanctioning of discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. After the state faced boycott threats, lawmakers made changes to the law to prevent it from being used to justify discrimination against LGBT people in the state. BALTIMORE (AP) - The Latest on the Baltimore mayor's deals to sell her self-published children's books (all times local): 1 p.m. A nonprofit group says it is returning nearly $10,000 it received for its role in buying and distributing copies of children's books self-published by embattled Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh. Associated Black Charities said in a statement Monday that five organizations donated $87,180 between 2011 and 2016 to ABC to pay for Pugh's "Healthy Holly" books. ABC says it kept $9,552 of that money for "general support." But the nonprofit's board of directors voted on March 26 to return or donate its share of the money. The board also passed a resolution barring ABC from entering into business arrangements with elected officials. Pugh announced Monday that she is taking an indefinite leave of absence, citing her health. She made the announcement on the same day that Maryland's Republican governor asked the state prosecutor to investigate her alleged self-dealing book sales. FILE - In this June 8, 2018 file photo, Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh addresses a gathering during the annual meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Boston. Baltimore's mayor says a lucrative arrangement to sell her self-published children's books to a health care system was a "regrettable mistake." In a Thursday, March 28, 2019 press conference, Mayor Catherine Pugh provided four pages of paperwork that she says details production of thousands of her "Healthy Holly" illustrated books and deliveries to Baltimore's school system. Since 2011, Pugh received $500,000 selling her illustrated books to the University of Maryland Medical System. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File) __ 12:30 p.m. The Maryland House of Delegates has advanced a measure to reform the University of Maryland Medical System's board in response to a scandal involving self-dealing book sales that has engulfed Baltimore's mayor. The House gave the bill preliminary approval Tuesday. The measure would require an independent audit and bar board members or businesses affiliated with them from getting contracts without a competitive bidding process. The bill would end the terms of all 30 board members, who could reapply but would need Senate confirmation. Each board member would have to submit financial disclosure forms, and the board would be required to adopt a policy on conflicts of interest. Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh has taken a leave of absence after UMMS paid her $500,000 for 100,000 copies of her books. ___ Baltimore school officials say they've pieced together more details about copies of the embattled mayor's "Healthy Holly" children's books they received. Baltimore City Public Schools released a statement Tuesday detailing efforts to find out what happened to the books, noting that many records before 2015-2016 have been destroyed. The system says staffers have a "high degree of confidence" that "Exercising Is Fun" was delivered in 2011 and remember it being distributed in 2011 and 2012, but no documentation about its distribution or copies were found. Officials say FedEx receipts show they received "A Healthy Start for Herbie" in 2013 and "Fruits Come in Colors Like a Rainbow" in 2015. Only 8,700 copies of the 19,500 copies of the latter that were mentioned in a document were found. Officials say Pugh staffers retrieved books from the warehouse several times, but there's no documentation of when or how many. ___ 9 a.m. Baltimore's mayor repeatedly sponsored legislation as a Maryland state senator that would've benefited a hospital system that bought her self-published "Healthy Holly" children's books in a seemingly symbiotic deal. The Baltimore Sun reports Catherine Pugh sponsored and co-sponsored bills between 2011 and 2016 that would've benefited the University of Maryland Medical System, which was paying her hundreds of thousands of dollars through a no-bid book deal. Eight bills sought to lessen the financial impact of malpractice lawsuits. Health care provider Kaiser Permanente also spent $100,000 on Pugh's books after she became mayor, when the company was seeking a contract with the city. Pugh's office says she's now on an indefinite leave of absence due to deteriorating health. Republican Gov. Larry Hogan has asked the state prosecutor to investigate. ___ Information from: The Baltimore Sun, http://www.baltimoresun.com WASHINGTON (AP) - Republicans started a long-shot drive Tuesday to force a House vote on a measure that could imprison doctors for five years if they don't try saving the lives of infants born during attempted abortions. Their effort seems likely to fail in the Democratic-controlled House, where Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has refused to allow a vote on the bill. Republicans hope it will be politically damaging for Democrats from moderate districts who oppose the GOP move and see it as a way to energize conservative anti-abortion voters. "How can you have a leader in Congress say that they think it's OK to murder a baby once it's born outside the womb?" No. 2 House GOP leader Steve Scalise, R-La., who's pushing the effort with Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Mo., said of Pelosi's blockage of the measure. Asked about the remark, Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill called the GOP measure "yet another front in the Republican war on health care." He called it "a blatant attempt to criminalize doctors" and said it will fail. Dr. Daniel Grossman, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of California at San Francisco, said it's inaccurate to suggest that it's legal to kill a newborn baby. "Any infant born alive during an abortion or otherwise needs to be treated as any live human," Grossman said. Opponents of the GOP measure say births during attempted abortions are extremely rare, generally occurring when doctors determine that a child won't survive and parents opt to spend time with him or her before death. Rep. Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., center, together with Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, left, and Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wa., right, and other Republican members of Congress speaks to reporters outside the West Wing of the White House following a meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington, Tuesday, March 26, 2019. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) Jacqueline Ayers, a vice president for Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said Republicans were "shaming women and criminalizing doctors for a practice that doesn't exist in reality." National Right to Life President Carol Tobias said Democrats opposing the measure "believe abortion is such an absolute 'right' that it protects what amounts to infanticide." Republicans have pushed the issue since it arose earlier this year in two states. Democratic Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, a pediatric neurologist, spoke favorably in January about state legislation to ease restrictions on late-term abortions. He said "a discussion would ensue" between doctors and the family over the next steps if an infant is born who is badly deformed or incapable of living. President Donald Trump has criticized a new abortion law in New York that permits abortions of a viable fetus after 24 weeks of pregnancy if the mother's life is in danger - codifying conditions specified by U.S. Supreme Court rulings. House Republicans are utilizing a seldom used procedure that forces a vote on a measure once 218 lawmakers, a majority, sign a petition. Aides say all 197 Republicans are expected to sign. Republicans seem likely to fall well short of the 21 Democrats needed to succeed. By Tuesday evening, the petition had more than 190 signatures, including two Democrats: Daniel Lipinski of Illinois and Ben McAdams of Utah. Senate Democrats blocked a GOP effort in February to force debate on a similar bill. An Ohio man serving life in prison for aggravated murder was sentenced to 86 years more for a guard's stabbing last year and a 2017 stabbing that wounded four prisoners who were handcuffed to a table and unable to defend themselves, prosecutors said. Greg Reinke, 39, changed his plea to guilty last week on charges including attempted murder for the attacks at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility in Lucasville, the Scioto County prosecutor's office said. A message seeking comment was left Tuesday for his lawyer. In a statement, county Prosecutor Shane Tieman's office said what the stabbing victims experienced was life-changing and horrifying and that it is Tieman's hope the cases "shed light on issues that need to be addressed in our penal system to better protect the personnel and inmates in our institutions." Reinke was sentenced to 54 years for using a homemade knife to repeatedly stab handcuffed prisoners after slipping his own handcuffs - a bloody attack recorded on video that was obtained by The Associated Press. One of the injured inmates alleged it was a setup by guards. Reinke has said officers didn't arrange it but condoned it. FILE - This undated file photo provided by the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction shows Greg Reinke. Reinke, who is serving life in prison for aggravated murder has been sentenced to 86 years more for a guard's stabbing last year and a 2017 stabbing that wounded four prisoners who were handcuffed to a table and unable to defend themselves. The Scioto County prosecutor's office says Reinke changed his plea to guilty last week of March 25, 2019, on charges including attempted murder for the attacks at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility in Lucasville. (Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction via AP, File) Tieman said he found no evidence of a setup. No guards involved in the incident were disciplined. Reinke was sentenced to an additional 32 years behind bars for an attack about eight months later on a corrections officer. Prosecutors allege Reinke and inmate Casey Pigge stabbed the officer 32 times. Pigge pleaded not guilty, and his case is pending. Pigge previously was convicted of three separate killings, including strangling a fellow inmate on a medical transport bus. Reinke was serving a life sentence for aggravated murder for a 2004 shooting in Cleveland. Both inmates have since been moved to the Ohio State Penitentiary, the supermax prison in Youngstown. In a phone call from the prison in January, Reinke told the AP that guards there beat him. He also alleged that prison staff mistreated him and Pigge. Prisons spokeswoman JoEllen Smith has said there was no evidence of that. She said because of the "serious, violent" allegations against the two inmates, prisons staff were using extra security protocols with them, including searching their cells daily for weapons or contraband. OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected an appeal from an Oklahoma death row inmate who argued that a racist juror tainted the outcome of his trial. The high court on Monday declined without comment to hear Julius Jones' case, The Oklahoman reported. Jones, who is black, was convicted of first-degree murder in the 1999 shooting death of Paul Howell, a 45-year-old Edmond man who was white. Jones argued that his case should be reviewed because a juror referred to him by a racial epithet. "Obviously, we are disappointed by the decision," said Dale Baich, a public defender in Arizona who represented Jones. "The systemic racial bias and the racist slur by a juror in this case led to a wrongful conviction. We will continue to investigate this and other issues as well." Jones sought the appeal after Victoria Armstrong, a juror in the 2002 trial, told Jones' lawyers in 2017 that another juror commented that the trial proceedings were "a waste of time." Armstrong said the juror used a racist slur to describe Jones and said authorities should "shoot him behind the jail." The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals rejected his appeal last year, saying similar claims had been reviewed and rejected. This Feb. 5, 2018, photo provided by the Oklahoma Department of Corrections shows Julius Jones. The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected an appeal from the Oklahoma death row inmate who argued a juror during his trial harbored racial animosity toward him. The Oklahoman reports that the high court on Monday, April 1, 2019, declined without comment to hear Jones' case. Jones was sentenced to die for the July 1999 slaying of Paul Howell. (Oklahoma Department of Corrections via AP) The U.S. Supreme Court in January rejected another appeal Jones filed that argued that people of color are more likely to be sentenced to death in Oklahoma when the victim is white. Jones has now exhausted his appeals and could receive an execution date once the state resumes executions. Oklahoma last executed an inmate in 2015. It put the process on hold after abandoning lethal injections to explore the use of nitrogen gas for executions. ___ Information from: The Oklahoman, http://www.newsok.com GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) - Two doctoral students are suing a Michigan State University professor who they say used his authority as an academic adviser to force them to work long hours at his engineering company for little or no pay. The lawsuit filed last month alleges that Parviz Soroushian exploited doctoral students Talal Salem and Salina Ramli at his Lansing lab, Metna Co., the Lansing State Journal reported. The lawsuit says university officials have known about the allegations against Soroushian since 2011. Soroushian denied the claims in the lawsuit. He's been on paid leave since July, when the university launched an investigation into his conduct. University spokeswoman Heather Young declined to comment on the lawsuit. Talal Salem started working as a research assistant at Metna after joining the university's doctoral program in 2017. Soroushian told him he would pay $300 a month for a few hours' work, but later required Salem to work full time, up to seven days a week. Salem was paid just a few hundred dollars more per month for the work, according to the lawsuit. Salem alleges that Soroushian wouldn't let him take time off to study for exams and made him do heavy manual labor, such as milling, mixing and casting concrete. Salem needed surgery after suffering multiple shoulder dislocations from the labor. Salina Ramli was on a Malaysian-government funded scholarship at the university and agreed to work at Metna on the days she didn't have class. But Ramli claims in the lawsuit that Soroushian later forbade her from taking off her class days and would yell at her when the research didn't produce the results he desired. Both Ramli and Salem's doctoral progress relied on a favorable evaluation from Soroushian, according to the court documents. The lawsuit argues that Michigan State officials knew of the allegations because in 2011 the school prohibited Soroushian from enriching himself at the expense of university students. They also agreed to a conflict of interest management plan over his Okemos-based company, Technova, and later updated the plan to include Metna. ___ Information from: Lansing State Journal, http://www.lansingstatejournal.com EL PASO, Texas (AP) - The surge of migrant families arriving at the southern border has led the Trump administration to dramatically expand a practice President Donald Trump has long mocked as "catch and release." With immigrant processing and holding centers overwhelmed, the administration is busing people hundreds of miles inland and releasing them at Greyhound stations and churches in cities like Albuquerque, San Antonio and Phoenix because towns close to the border already have more than they can handle. Relief organizations in some cities are struggling to feed and house the migrants and warning that a public health crisis is taking shape, especially with sick infants and children among the many immigrant families who need medical attention. "We're asking volunteer doctors and nurses and community members to step up and do what the government should be doing. If this was a hurricane, FEMA would be on the ground helping," said Jim Gannon, CEO and executive director of Catholic Charities in Albuquerque, New Mexico. For many years, families arriving at the border were typically released from U.S. custody immediately and allowed to settle in this country with family or friends while their cases wound their way through the courts, a process that often takes years. Trump has railed against the practice, tweeting in November that it was over: "Catch and Release is an obsolete term. It is now Catch and Detain. Illegal Immigrants trying to come into the U.S.A., often proudly flying the flag of their nation as they ask for U.S. Asylum, will be detained or turned away." Immigrants from Central America seeking asylum board a bus, Tuesday, April 2, 2019, in downtown San Antonio. The surge of migrants arriving at the southern border has led the Trump administration to dramatically expand a practice it has long mocked as "catch and release." (AP Photo/Eric Gay) But in recent months, the number of families crossing into the U.S. has climbed to record highs, pushing the system to the breaking point. As a result, the government is releasing families faster, in greater numbers and at points farther removed from the border. Since Dec. 21, Immigration and Customs Enforcement has set free more than 125,000 people who came into the U.S. as families. Customs and Border Protection is also overloaded, and instead of holding families for up to 72 hours before turning them over to ICE, it has started releasing them directly into the U.S. "The numbers are overwhelming right now," said Gregory Archambault, ICE director of enforcement and removal operations in San Diego. "Everybody is stressed. The agency is stressed, the (local governments) are stressed, the law enforcement agencies. Everybody is stressed because there are these mass numbers of people." ICE has been releasing asylum-seeking families so quickly that they don't even have time to make travel arrangements. Families are given court dates, a head of household is often fitted with an ankle monitor, and they are dropped off at a charity-run shelter or bus station. San Antonio received part of that surge in recent days, forcing the city to open a help center with food for migrants. In El Paso, where shelters and churches are at capacity and seats on buses headed out of the city are getting harder to find, authorities briefly resorted to holding migrants in a pen lined with concertina wire under the shade of a bridge that connects the American city to Juarez, Mexico. They closed the makeshift holding area over the weekend and moved the migrants to a place with more shelter. "They treated us like animals," said Herling Jerlyn, a teenager from Guatemala. Eduardo De Jesus Bermudez Florez waited for a Greyhound bus Tuesday to take him to Arlington, Texas, after spending time held under the bridge, where he said women cried through the night in cold temperatures. The immigrant from El Salvador himself teared up as he described his ordeal. He became separated from his wife and their 10-year-old daughter in Mexico before crossing the border, and he still doesn't know where they are. As De Jesus cried waiting for a bus, his 13-year-old son held the charger for his ankle monitor battery. "He'd say 'dad, I want to leave this place,'" said De Jesus, whose wife was once attacked with machetes by gang members. "I just told him that from here we can't go back. Your future is here. Our country is too violent." In Albuquerque, nearly 280 miles from the border, faith-based organizations have helped roughly 1,000 migrants since mid-February. The groups were small at first, but they have been growing and the arrivals have become more frequent. San Diego County recently opened a shuttered downtown courthouse slated for demolition to house up to 150 asylum seekers. A coalition of religious and civic groups that manages the shelter said it has helped more than 11,000 members of asylum-seeking families since authorities began large-scale releases in late October. About 22,000 immigrants have been released in Arizona in the past three months. In the Phoenix area, the nonprofit organizations and churches taking them in have a capacity of only 700 a week, said Connie Phillips, president and CEO of Lutheran Social Services in the Southwest. That means immigration authorities have to drop off families by the busload at places not designed to take them in, like the Greyhound station in Phoenix. The bus company is no longer allowing anyone without a ticket to wait inside, so immigrant families, including little children, stand outside until a volunteer can get them in touch with a relative to buy them a ticket. That sometimes takes hours. "The federal government is saying, 'This is not our responsibility,'" Phillips said. "And the cities and states have not stepped up to provide any kind of emergency funding." She added: "This is going to be a public health disaster. These are small children, these are families, these are babies, and we cannot have people just out in the heat." Authorities said family arrivals along the U.S.-Mexico border reached an all-time high in February of 45,827 arrests or denials of entry. "We didn't have family groups for years and years, like we have now," ICE's Archambault said. "Our facilities are not made for this. We have diapers and baby formula and all this stuff, like a nursery." In another sign of how U.S. authorities are being tested as rarely before, figures released Tuesday show a significant drop in prosecutions for illegal entry, even as arrests have climbed sharply. The numbers are at odds with Trump's vow to prosecute everyone who enters the country illegally. In February, Customs and Border Protection referred 8,998 illegal-entry cases to prosecutors along the border, a drop of 12% from January and 23% from October, according to Syracuse University's Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse. ___ Galvan reported from Phoenix. Associated Press writers Elliot Spagat in San Diego; Nomaan Merchant in Houston; Colleen Long in Washington; and Susan Montoya Bryan in Albuquerque, New Mexico, contributed to this story. Immigrants from Central America seeking asylum board a bus, Tuesday, April 2, 2019, in downtown San Antonio. The surge of migrants arriving at the southern border has led the Trump administration to dramatically expand a practice it has long mocked as "catch and release." (AP Photo/Eric Gay) Immigrants from Central America seeking asylum board a bus, Tuesday, April 2, 2019, in downtown San Antonio. The surge of migrants arriving at the southern border has led the Trump administration to dramatically expand a practice it has long mocked as "catch and release." (AP Photo/Eric Gay) Immigrants from Central America seeking asylum board a bus, Tuesday, April 2, 2019, in downtown San Antonio. The surge of migrants arriving at the southern border has led the Trump administration to dramatically expand a practice it has long mocked as "catch and release." (AP Photo/Eric Gay) A volunteer helps a young immigrant from Central America traveling with family seeking asylum move to a makeshift resource center, Tuesday, April 2, 2019, in downtown San Antonio. The surge of migrants arriving at the southern border has led the Trump administration to dramatically expand a practice it has long mocked as "catch and release." (AP Photo/Eric Gay) Immigrants from Central America seeking asylum board a bus, Tuesday, April 2, 2019, in downtown San Antonio. The surge of migrants arriving at the southern border has led the Trump administration to dramatically expand a practice it has long mocked as "catch and release." (AP Photo/Eric Gay) Volunteers help immigrants from Central America seeking asylum move to a makeshift resource center, Tuesday, April 2, 2019, in downtown San Antonio. The surge of migrants arriving at the southern border has led the Trump administration to dramatically expand a practice it has long mocked as "catch and release." (AP Photo/Eric Gay) Immigrants from Central America seeking asylum board a bus, Tuesday, April 2, 2019, in downtown San Antonio. The surge of migrants arriving at the southern border has led the Trump administration to dramatically expand a practice it has long mocked as "catch and release." (AP Photo/Eric Gay) An immigrant seeking asylum peers out the door at a makeshift resource center, Tuesday, April 2, 2019, in downtown San Antonio. The surge of migrants arriving at the southern border has led the Trump administration to dramatically expand a practice it has long mocked as "catch and release." (AP Photo/Eric Gay) NEW YORK (AP) - David Blaine denies sexual assault allegations under investigation in New York City and intends to cooperate with authorities, his publicist said in a statement Tuesday. New York police confirmed Monday that the magician is under investigation, following a Daily Beast report that the department had taken statements from two women accusing Blaine of sexual assault. Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea, speaking at an unrelated news conference, declined to discuss any details about Blaine's case and wouldn't say whether police had sought to interview him. "David denies the accusations that have been reported and he takes these allegations seriously," the statement from Blaine's publicist said. "He intends to cooperate with any investigation." The Daily Beast, citing unnamed sources, said one of Blaine's accusers alleges he attacked her inside his Manhattan apartment in 1998, which may fall outside the statute of limitations. The Daily Beast had previously reported that a former model alleged Blaine raped her in London in 2004, an allegation he denied. Scotland Yard detectives later declined to take further action after investigating her claim, the news website said. FILE - This May 17, 2016 file photo shows David Blaine at the ABC 2016 Network Upfront Presentation in New York. The New York Police Department is investigating sexual assault allegations against magician Blaine, authorities confirmed on Monday, April 1, 2019. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File) Blaine, 45, is known for stunts like being buried underground for a week without food or water in New York in 1999. He also lived in a plexiglass case suspended 30 feet (9 meters) above the Thames River in London for more than 40 days in 2003. Blaine is scheduled to start a tour of the United Kingdom and Ireland in June, according to his website. In a separate statement about the New York City case, the NYPD said Monday it "takes sexual assault and rape cases extremely seriously, and urges anyone who has been a victim to file a report so we can perform a comprehensive investigation, and offer support and services to survivors." WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on President Donald Trump and the Affordable Care Act (all times local): 2:55 p.m. President Donald Trump is back to promising a "great health care package" to replace the Affordable Care Act. This time, he's emphasizing that it will come after the 2020 election. Trump unexpectedly pivoted to the health care issue last week and claimed the GOP would be the party of health care. He listed a handful of GOP senators who would help craft the Republican health care proposal. On Tuesday, he said, "I wanted to put it after the election because we don't have the House." President Donald Trump speaks as he meets with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in the Oval Office of the White House, Tuesday, April 2, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Trump spoke to reporters during an Oval Office meeting with NATO's secretary general. The issue of health care, especially protections for people with pre-existing conditions, resonates with voters and helped Democrats in the November elections. Trump is predicting that Republicans will take back the House and keep the Senate in 2020. ___ 1:50 p.m. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer says President Donald Trump's pull back from producing a health care overhaul plan until after the election means he will "hold Americans hostage through 2020" on an issue that affects millions of people. The New York Democrat says that when Trump "insists he has a magic plan that we can see if only the American people re-elect him," it isn't true. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California says Democrats' health care battle with Trump is "a values fight." Democrats have introduced non-binding legislation telling the administration to halt its effort in federal courts to have President Barack Obama's health care law declared unconstitutional. Schumer and Pelosi spoke in front of the Supreme Court and were joined by two dozen Democratic lawmakers. ___ 7:45 a.m. President Donald Trump is suggesting he will defer until after 2020 his push for a Republican health care plan to replace the Affordable Care Act. Trump tweeted late Monday that Congress will vote on a GOP plan after the elections, "when Republicans hold the Senate & win back the House." Republicans were cool after Trump surprised them last week with an unexpected pivot to the issue and claims the GOP will be the party of health care. Republicans lost control of the House partly because of the health care issue, and they don't yet have a comprehensive plan to replace the law known as "Obamacare." In tweets, Trump claimed Republicans are developing a plan with cheaper premiums and deductibles that "will be truly great HealthCare that will work for America." House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York; Rep. Colin Allred, D-Texas; House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland; Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas; and other Democrat leaders, speaks outside the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, Tuesday, April 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) In this March 28, 2019 photo, President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally in Grand Rapids, Mich. Trump is suggesting he will defer until after 2020 his push for a Republican health care plan to replace the Affordable Care Act. Trump tweeted late Monday that Congress will vote on a GOP plan after the elections, "when Republicans hold the Senate & win back the House." (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California leaves a news conference outside the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, Tuesday, April 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California leaves a news conference outside the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, Tuesday, April 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) - The Latest on political upheaval in Algeria (all times local): 9:40 p.m. A crowd of Algerians is celebrating President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's resignation after 20 years in power and weeks of mass protests. Several hundred people gathered in front of the central post office in downtown Algiers, the capital, on Tuesday night after his announcement. The crowd was peaceful, singing songs and waving Algerian flags while drivers passing by honked horns in celebration. An official in Bouteflika's office told The Associated Press that the leader resigned, a few weeks before the end of his fourth term. The move came after six weeks of mass protests and soon after the army chief urged him to step down immediately. Algerian demonstrators stage a protest in Algiers, Algeria, April 2, 2019. Algerian protesters and political leaders are expressing concerns that ailing President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's departure will leave the country's secretive, distrusted power structure in place. (AP Photo/Anis Belghoul) The Constitutional Council is expected to meet Wednesday to confirm the resignation and declare the president of the upper house of parliament as interim leader for 90 days until presidential elections are held. ___ 8:10 p.m. Algeria's state news agency APS is reporting that embattled President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has quit, informing the country's constitutional council of his decision to stand down. The news came shortly after the Algerian Defense Ministry aggressively called Tuesday for Bouteflika to quit "immediately." The ministry, which controls the army, had said "there is no more time to waste" after six weeks of nationwide protests against the chief of state and his inner circle. The 82-year-old Bouteflika has been in office for 20 years. He suffered a stroke in 2013 and has been rarely seen in public since then. On Monday, he said he would resign by the end of his fourth term on April 28, capitulating to growing calls for his resignation. ___ 6:45 p.m. Algerian Defense Ministry has called for President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to quit "immediately" after two decades in office. In a statement sent Tuesday, the Defense Ministry said "there is no more time to waste" on the constitutional process to have Bouteflika declared unfit for office and to give Algeria's people a voice. The 82-year-old president said Monday that he would resign by the official end of his fourth term, April 28. Protests calling for Bouteflika to resign have intensified since February. He first was elected in 1999 and planned to seek a fifth term next month. He postponed the election in response to the protests and said he would not run for re-election. ___ 10:40 a.m. Algerian protesters and opposition leaders say President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's long-awaited announcement of his departure has fallen flat. Protesters and opposition figures say it doesn't go far enough to satisfy demands for dramatic change to the country's secretive power structure. Former Prime Minister Ali Benflis and a moderate Islamist movement are among leading voices criticizing the move because it would leave the country's secretive, distrusted power structure in place. A standoff is also intensifying between Bouteflika's entourage and that of the powerful army chief, who turned against the president amid mass protests over Bouteflika's 20-year rule. Bouteflika bowed to mounting pressure Monday and announced he will step down by the end of his term April 28, according to his office. Protesters fear it will pave the way for a hand-picked successor instead of a truly democratic change of power. FILE - In this April 28, 2014 file photo, Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika sits on a wheelchair after taking oath as President, in Algiers. Embattled Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika says he will step down before his fourth term ends on April 28. In a short statement issued on Monday April 1, 2019, the president's office said Bouteflika would take "important steps to ensure the continuity of the functioning of state institutions" during a transition period following his departure from the post he's held since 1999. (AP Photo/Sidali Djarboub, File) FILE - In this March 27, 2009 file photo Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika salutes the crowd while dressed in a traditional "Burnous" robe from the Kabyle ethnic minority in Tizi Ouzou, Algeria. Embattled Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika says he will step down before his fourth term ends on April 28. In a short statement issued on Monday April 1, 2019, the president's office said Bouteflika would take "important steps to ensure the continuity of the functioning of state institutions" during a transition period following his departure from the post he's held since 1999. ( AP Photo/Alfred de Montesquieu, file) Algerian students march during a protest in Algiers, Algeria, Tuesday, April 2, 2019. Algerian protesters and political leaders are expressing concerns that ailing President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's departure will leave the country's secretive, distrusted power structure in place. Placard, center, reads, "when the system fails we have to make justice by ourselves". (AP Photo/Anis Belghoul) WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump on Tuesday praised NATO countries for increasing their financial contributions to the Western alliance, but he hounded them to pay even more, saying America still shoulders a disproportionate share of the cost of protecting Europe. The president met with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, who was in Washington to mark the 70th anniversary of the organization formed to counter Russian aggression. The two leaders had kind words for one another. But in the past, Trump has called NATO "obsolete" and suggested he might pull the U.S. out of the alliance if member nations didn't significantly boost their defense spending. "We've worked together on getting some of our allies to pay their fair share," Trump told reporters. "At some point, it's going to have to go higher." Trump took credit for the increased spending. However, spending by the 29 NATO countries, which dropped after the end of the Cold War, has actually been rising since 2014 - before Trump took office. "Prior to our getting here, NATO's spending was going way, way down," he said. "It was just a one-way road down. And since I became president ... it's been a rocket ship up, and we have to keep it that way." President Donald Trump listens as acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan speaks during an expanded bilateral meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in the Cabinet Room of the White House, Tuesday, April 2, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) After Russia's 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula, member countries agreed to boost defense budgets and "move toward" spending 2% of their gross domestic product on defense by 2024. The U.S. spends about 3.4% of its GDP on defense. Since Trump took office, European allies and Canada have added $41 billion to their defense budgets. By the end of next year, this will rise to $100 billion, Stoltenberg said. Germany, however, remains the main target of Trump's ire because it now plans to spend 1.5% by 2024, which is lower than the 2% guideline. "Germany is not paying their fair share," Trump said. "I have a great feeling for Germany, but they're not paying what they should be paying. We're paying for a big proportion of NATO, which is basically protecting Europe." Stoltenberg has said that the 2% guideline was not invented by the United States and was a target the 29 allies set in 2014 before Trump took office. But he thanked Trump for his "strong commitment to NATO" and for his leadership in getting member nations to increase their commitments. "The allies are really stepping up," Stoltenberg said in an interview later with The Associated Press. "The clear message from President Trump has helped - is having a real impact. And this is about doing what NATO allies have pledged to do. We still have a long way to go - much to do - but we have really seen very strong progress in defense spending from NATO allies." At times, Stoltenberg has served as a buffer between Trump and some European allies that he has angered. Trump, who ran on an "America First" platform, slapped tariffs on the European Union, and pulled the U.S. out of the landmark Paris Climate Accord and the Iran nuclear deal. Trump's eagerness to get along with Russian leader Vladimir Putin - in spite of Russia's meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and numerous other aggressive moves in recent years -has alarmed those who view Russia as a growing threat. "NATO's single greatest challenge is the absence of strong, principled American presidential leadership for the first time in its history," two former U.S. envoys to NATO, Nicholas Burns and Douglas Lute, wrote in a report on the 70th birthday for the Harvard Kennedy School's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. Lute and Burns said NATO leaders considered not holding a 2019 summit to mark the 70th anniversary at all because they feared Trump would "blow up a meeting in controversy as he has done each time he has met with NATO leaders during the past two years." The alliance plans a scaled-down summit of leaders in December that Trump is expected to attend. Allies see Trump as NATO's "most urgent, and often most difficult, problem," they wrote in their report. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo defended Trump, saying their conclusion was "just simply wrong" and adding that the administration has worked hard to make NATO stronger. Stoltenberg is slated to address Congress on Wednesday - a first for a NATO secretary-general. The NATO foreign ministers' first session Thursday will focus on Russia. The ministers are expected to endorse a package of measures to improve NATO's defenses in the Black Sea. Other topics will be NATO's mission in Afghanistan and Turkey's announced decision to buy a Russian surface-to-air missile system. Turkey is a NATO ally, but the Russian system is not compatible with NATO systems and is considered a threat to U.S. F-35 aircraft. They also will talk about U.S. and Russian plans to withdraw this summer from a 1987 landmark arms control treaty. The U.S. accuses Russia of violating the treaty; Moscow says the U.S. is not in compliance. If the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty is scrapped, neither Washington nor Moscow would face legal constraints on deploying land-based cruise or ballistic missiles with ranges between 500 and 5,500 kilometers (310 to 3,410 miles). Defense officials say the Pentagon plans to begin flight tests later this year of two types of missiles that have been banned by the treaty for more than 30 years. "Russia is deploying more and more of these weapons and therefore we call on Russia to come back into compliance with this treaty," Stoltenberg said. ___ Associated Press writer Lorne Cook in Brussels contributed to this report. President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in the Oval Office of the White House, Tuesday, April 2, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) CHICAGO (AP) - The Art Institute of Chicago has indefinitely postponed a major pottery exhibit just weeks before it was due to open, citing concerns that the culture and voices of indigenous peoples aren't adequately represented. Native American scholars against the scheduled opening said that much of the Mimbres pottery pledged to the Art Institute by one Chicago collector had come from ancestral gravesites. "It's not art," said Patty Loew, director of Northwestern University's Center for Native American and Indigenous Research. "If someone dug up your great-grandmother's grave and pulled out a wedding ring or something that had been buried with her, would you feel comfortable having that item on display?" "Worlds Within: Mimbres Pottery of the Ancient Southwest" was scheduled to begin May 26. The exhibit displays roughly 70 pieces of pottery from the Mimbres people. The pottery was created around A.D. 1100 in present-day southwestern New Mexico. James Rondeau, the Art Institute's president and director, said that as the show's opening neared, it became obvious that more work needed to be done to include native voices in the project. "The principal thing that we have not accomplished is to have an aligned indigenous perspective, scholarly and curatorial, with the project," he said. "And I think that ultimately for us has been the crucial realization that our ability to reflect back what we were learning needed to be done in multiple voices, not just our voice." In this July 10, 2012 photo, a visitor poses by one of the lion statues outside the Art Institute of Chicago. The Art Institute of Chicago has indefinitely postponed a major exhibit weeks before it was due to open, citing concerns that the culture and voices of indigenous peoples are not adequately represented. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune via AP) Kati Murphy, the museum's executive director of public affairs, said the delay came after officials conducted a Native American scholar's day meeting in December. The scholars gave the museum feedback about the need to collaborate with "Native American nations who hold connections to the Mimbres people, including Pueblo leadership," Murphy said. The present-day Pueblos are the people believed to include descendants of the Mimbres. The meeting was the first official discussion that included the scholars and "was part of (the) larger process that led to our decision," she said. Heather Miller, Chicago's American Indian Center executive, said she advised the museum that this issue touches a nerve and that the museum's decision to delay the opening is wonderful. "Members of the (scholar's day group) were very adamant that this was not a good idea for them to move forward with," said Miller, one of the scholars. "Now I feel great that our concerns and our issues were actually addressed by this institution." The postponement of the exhibit comes after the museum revamped displays of African Art in February. ___ This story has been corrected to show that a Chicago collector was not personally involved in the removal of artifacts from ancestral gravesites. COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - A bill has been introduced in the South Carolina Legislature to require Uber and Lyft drivers to have illuminated signs days after police say a college student mistakenly got into the wrong car and was kidnapped and killed. House Speaker Jay Lucas immediately put the bill on the calendar for Wednesday to be debated. Rep. Seth Rose said the bill was in response to the Friday killing of 21-year-old University of South Carolina student Samantha Josephson. Police say Josephson had ordered an Uber ride early Friday, but mistakenly got into a similar car driven by 24-year-old Nathaniel David Rowland. Police say he killed Josephson with a sharp object and dumped her body. Rowland skipped a first court appearance, and records do not show if he has a lawyer. MOSCOW (AP) - An executive at a Russian state-owned company says it will finish building a facility for repair and maintenance of Russian helicopters in Venezuela by the end of the year. Igor Chechikov, deputy chief executive at Russian Helicopters, told Russian news agencies on Tuesday that all the necessary equipment has been delivered to Venezuela and that the construction should be completed this year. Russia has been a major backer of embattled Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, supplying his government with weapons and providing loans. Russia last week inaugurated a training center for Venezuelan pilots who fly Russian aircraft. RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - The Latest on charges filed against the North Carolina Republican Party chairman and a big-time donor (all times local): 2:40 p.m. The North Carolina elected official who helped a criminal probe that led to charges against the state Republican Party chairman and a big-time donor says he acted at the direction of federal investigators. Republican state Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey talked to The Associated Press on Tuesday, shortly after a federal grand jury's indictment against four people was made public. The indictment describes Causey as being involved in conversations and meetings with investment firm founder Greg Lindberg, Lindberg's associates and state GOP Chairman Robin Hayes. Prosecutors said they promised Causey campaign dollars in exchange for things Lindberg wanted. Causey wasn't charged. He says he's not the target of any investigation. He says he had contacted federal investigators because his agency was having issues with Lindberg's insurance-related firms. FILE - In this June 3, 2017 file photo North Carolina Republican Party Chairman Robin Hayes speaks during the North Carolina Republican Party State Convention at the Wilmington Convention Center in Wilmington, N.C. Hayes won't seek re-election to the post after all, the former congressman announced Monday, April 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Mike Spencer, File) Causey previously returned a donation from Lindberg. Causey took other donations from the state GOP, which had connections to Lindberg, and gave them to the federal government. ___ 12:25 p.m. The chairman of North Carolina's Republican Party and a secretive big-money donor are facing federal bribery and wire fraud charges. They're accused of trying to sway an insurance regulator's decisions in favor of the donor's insurance companies. State GOP Chairman Robin Hayes and investment firm founder Greg Lindberg are among four people charged in federal indictments unsealed Tuesday. Hayes and a Lindberg spokesman didn't immediately respond to requests for comment. Federal prosecutors said Hayes, Lindberg and two Lindberg associates promised or gave Republican Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey millions of campaign dollars to do things Lindberg wanted, such as seeking the removal of a deputy insurance commissioner responsible for examining Lindberg's Durham-based business. Lindberg has given more than $5 million to North Carolina candidates, party committees and independent expenditure groups. UNION CITY, Ga. (AP) - Georgia authorities are investigating after a city police officer was wounded by gunfire and a man he was chasing was fatally shot. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said in a Tuesday news release that Union City police officer Jerome Turner Jr. responded to a report of a fight just before 6 p.m. Monday. He notified 911 dispatch that he was chasing a man who had brandished a gun. The man was later identified as 19-year-old Veltavious Griggs. Dispatch lost contact with Turner and additional officers were sent. The GBI says that when those officers arrived, they found both Turner and Griggs had been shot. Griggs died at the scene. Turner was shot several times but was alert and talking. He underwent surgery and was in stable condition. NEW YORK (AP) - News industry leaders are fighting back against the charge by President Donald Trump and his supporters that the administration's summation of special counsel Robert Mueller's report proved that journalists were "so wrong for so long" in their coverage of the Russia investigation. The latest to weigh in was Steve Coll, dean of Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism, who wrote in a New Yorker magazine essay this week that it's wrong to conclude journalism failed because Mueller did not charge Trump with conspiring with Russians to influence the 2016 election. The New York Times and The Washington Post shared a Pulitzer Prize, awarded by Columbia in 2018, for their reporting on the issue, a prize Trump says should be taken away. Complicating the issue is the broad definition of the news media circa 2019, encompassing everything from painstakingly sourced investigative stories to overheated tweets to opinionated pundits. "It's premature to pronounce this coverage as some kind of epic press failure," said Nancy Gibbs, former Time magazine editor and a Harvard University professor of press, politics and public policy. People angered by the press' role in investigating the president will use Mueller's findings as a lever in any way they can, she said. "That doesn't mean that they're right," Gibbs said. The phrase "so wrong for so long" was used by White House Acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney during a CNN appearance on Sunday. He said "we need to figure out" what happened with reporting on the story. Sean Davis, co-founder of the Federalist online magazine, said the same thing in the lead of a Wall Street Journal editorial earlier in the week that argued "America's blue-chip journalists botched the entire story." The president retweeted his story. President Donald Trump listens as he meets with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in the Oval Office of the White House, Tuesday, April 2, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) "I'm not sure what you're saying the media got wrong," replied CNN's Jake Tapper. "The media reported the investigation was ongoing. Other than the people in the media on the left, not on this network, I don't know anybody who got anything wrong. We didn't say there was conspiracy. We said that Mueller was investigating conspiracy." Mulvaney, without offering specifics, said to Tapper that "if that's your recollection of history, that's great. "Face it, the media got this wrong," he said. "It's OK, people get stuff wrong all the time. Just not at this level." There were obviously disputed individual stories along the way. ABC suspended Brian Ross for a story wrongly alleging that Trump had asked former national security adviser Michael Flynn to discuss foreign policy with the Russians before he was elected. Three CNN journalists resigned over a story falsely linking a Trump aide to a Russian investment fund. The special counsel's office denied a Buzzfeed report that it had evidence Trump had directed lawyer Michael Cohen to lie to Congress over a Moscow office project. Yet much of what the public learned over the past two years on the story was the result of relentless digging by reporters. In tweets over the past week, Trump repeated his contention that the mainstream media is the enemy of the people, and said the Times' and Post's Pulitzers should be stripped. The Times, in response, tweeted a picture of its Pulitzer winners and noted that every story cited in their prize-winning entry has been proven correct. Top editors at the Times and Post, Dean Baquet and Marty Baron, and CNN chief Jeff Zucker offered similar statements noting it was their organizations' job to show what people in power are doing, and prosecutors' responsibility to determine what is legal or illegal. "A sitting president's own Justice Department investigated his campaign for collusion with a hostile nation," Zucker said. "That's not enormous because the media says so. That's enormous because it's unprecedented." Not every top news executive was eager to get involved; representatives for news presidents at ABC, CBS and NBC either turned down or didn't reply to interview requests. "We're going to keep doing our job," MSNBC President Phil Griffin said in a statement. "The coverage of the investigation did include embarrassments - specious chyrons, tendentious talking heads and retracted scoops, among them," Columbia's Coll wrote. "Yet it does not follow that American journalism failed because the best-resourced newsrooms in the nation chose to report assiduously on the Mueller investigation and its subjects, only to learn that Mueller did not prove that Trump had conspired with Russia." If there's any media soul-searching to be done, it may involve cable news. In the Trump era, Fox News and MSNBC are frequently the most-watched cable networks in general, both appealing to different camps. Fox News Channel's Sean Hannity has been Trump's biggest advocate on cable news, making him a target for the president's opponents. Yet MSNBC's Rachel Maddow was criticized this week by Slate's Willa Paskin, who said turning on her show "was like discovering a Facebook friend is on the verge of a nervous breakdown." She said that while Maddow's audience was not as malignant as Hannity's, "more than one cable news host can disservice their audience at the same time." Harvard's Gibbs recalls watching reporters and pundits sitting side-by-side on cable panels, with roles confused when pundits were asked what they were hearing and reporters questioned about what they thought. Journalists have long believed that readers and viewers understand the difference between reporting and commentary, Coll said. "It would be unrealistic to expect them to make such a distinction now," he said. WASHINGTON (AP) - Vice President Mike Pence called on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to immediately release six American oil executives who have been jailed for more than a year without trial, but he acknowledged, practically in the same breath, that their freedom will be slow to come as long as Maduro remains in power. The U.S. is among scores of countries that contend Maduro's election last year was illegitimate and that support opposition leader Juan Guaido's claim to the presidency. The U.S. has imposed economic sanctions on Venezuela in an attempt to force Maduro to step down, but he so far has maintained his hold on power while accusing the U.S. of attempting to overthrow him. "The United States today calls for the immediate release of these six individuals," Pence said at a White House meeting with relatives of those who have been held for nearly 18 months while the Venezuelan government has postponed multiple court hearings in the case. "Of course, we recognize that none of that will happen so long as Nicolas Maduro remains in power," the vice president added. Pence said the five American citizens and one legal permanent U.S. resident, all with roots in Texas and Louisiana, are being "illegally detained." The men, all employees of Houston-based Citgo, a longtime U.S. subsidiary of the Venezuelan oil giant PDVSA, were summoned to Caracas in November 2017 for a last-minute budget meeting but were arrested and charged with embezzlement stemming from a never-executed proposal to refinance some $4 billion in Citgo bonds. Vice President Mike Pence, center, sitting next to Carlos Anez, left, and Veronica Vadell Weggeman, right, listens during a meeting in the Vice President's Ceremonial Office on the White House complex in Washington, with family members of the six Citgo executives currently detained in Venezuela, Tuesday, April 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) Their families claim the charges are bogus and complain that their loved ones are kept in inhumane conditions in basement cells in a military counterintelligence prison with limited access to food and medicine. One relative told Pence she worries about her father's health and safety. It's been about a month since her last contact with him, she said. Another relative expressed confidence in the Trump administration's record in winning freedom for Americans detained abroad. Pence assured the group that "we're with you, and we're going to stand with you until your loved ones are free and until Venezuela is free." ___ Follow Darlene Superville on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/dsupervillap Vice President Mike Pence listens in the Vice President's Ceremonial Office on the White House complex in Washington, during a meeting with family members of the six Citgo executives currently detained in Venezuela, Tuesday, April 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) QUITO, Ecuador (AP) - Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno is blaming WikiLeaks for recent allegations of corruption in local outlets and the publication of family photos to social media. In a speech to the Ecuadorian Broadcasting Association on Tuesday, Moreno accused WikiLeaks of intercepting phone calls and private conversations as well as "photos of my bedroom, what I eat, and how my wife and daughters and friends dance." Moreno provided no evidence, but the speech reflected ongoing tension between WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and his hosts at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. WikiLeaks in a statement called Moreno's charges "completely bogus," saying it reported on the accusations of corruption against the president only after Ecuador's legislature investigated the issue. "If President Moreno wants to illegally terminate a refugee publisher's asylum to cover up an offshore corruption scandal, history will not be kind," WikiLeaks said in a statement. Assange's defense team suggested on Twitter that Moreno was trying to use the scandal to pressure the WikiLeaks founder. NEW YORK (AP) - The U.S. government has returned a painting stolen by the Nazis during World War II to the heirs of a renowned Jewish art collector. U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman announced Tuesday that the 1639 work by Salomon Koninck was returned to two heirs of Jewish art collector Adolphe Schloss. The painting titled "A Scholar Sharpening His Quill" was stolen by the Nazis in France and taken to Adolph Hitler's personal headquarters in Munich. Authorities say the painting resurfaced in November 2017 when a Chilean art dealer tried to sell it through a New York-based auction house. The FBI seized it until a judge authorized its release. Berman says returning the painting restores a part of lost heritage, plundered by Nazis in a "sadistic and unjust" campaign. WASHINGTON (AP) - A Senate committee says it's investigating whistleblower complaints about the training and credentials of federal inspectors who evaluated a Boeing jet involved in two deadly crashes. Commerce Committee Chairman Roger Wicker asked the Federal Aviation Administration on Tuesday for documents and other information. Wicker says multiple whistleblowers say "numerous" FAA inspectors who evaluated the Boeing 737 Max jet lacked sufficient training and valid certifications, and some might have developed pilot-training requirements for the plane. In its response, the FAA noted that acting Administrator Daniel Elwell told senators last week the agency welcomes outside review of its systems, processes and recommendations. Crashes of Max jets in Indonesia and Ethiopia killed 346 people. Investigators are examining the role of an anti-stall system on the plane that pilots say they weren't told about. SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - It appears the shipment of high-capacity ammunition magazines into California has started for the first time in nearly two decades after a judge tossed out a ban on sales and purchases of the items, the state attorney general said Tuesday. Attorney General Xavier Becerra asked a federal judge to delay implementing the ruling while he appeals it. U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez in San Diego said Friday that a law that bans possessing, buying or selling any magazines holding more than 10 bullets infringes on the Second Amendment right to bear arms. With the ban lifted, even temporarily, Becerra said in a court filing that "there is evidence that sales have begun already." His office cited a Facebook ad from an out-of-state, online dealer saying it will ship the large-capacity magazines to California. The ad urged buyers to be patient because of an expected increase in orders. "We are getting prepared to send a whole lot of freedom to our friends in California," reads the post from South Carolina-based Palmetto State Armory. The company did not immediately respond to telephone and email messages. FILE -- In this June 27, 2017 photo, a semi-automatic rifle is displayed with a 25 shot magazine, left, and a 10 shot magazine, right, at a gun store in Elk Grove, Calif. San Diego-based U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez declared, Friday March 29, 2019, unconstitutional the law banning possession of magazines containing more than 10 bullets. California law has prohibited buying or selling the magazines since 2000, but has allowed those who had them to keep them. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File) Chuck Michel, an attorney for the NRA and the California Rifle & Pistol Association who filed the lawsuit that led to the ruling, agreed with Becerra that it allows individuals to legally acquire high-capacity magazines. "There's dealers advertising them now and there are chat rooms where people are discussing buying them and we're getting calls from dealers asking what's legal to acquire," Michel said. "The gray area is, what will the status of these magazines acquired during this window be if the stay is reinstated?" Michel said. If the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reinstates the ban and a 2016 law outlawing possession, Michel said, buyers could be legally required to give up their newly acquired high-capacity magazines. However, Becerra warned in his court filing that it would be difficult for the state to remove the magazines, even if the ban is reinstated. Becerra said in a statement that California leads the nation when it comes to gun safety and refuses to go backward. The state has prohibited such magazines since 2000, though people who had such magazines before then were allowed to keep them. Benitez threw out both the 2000 law and then 2016 law and ballot measure banning possession. WASHINGTON (AP) - A Democratic-controlled House panel voted Tuesday to subpoena documents and a witness related to the Trump administration's decision to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census. The vote was 23-14, with Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan being the only Republican to join with Democratic lawmakers in the vote. Democrats say they want specific documents that will determine why Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross decided to add the question. They say the Trump administration has declined to provide those documents despite repeated requests. The vote is the latest example of the ways Democratic lawmakers are using their majority to aggressively investigate the inner workings of President Donald Trump's administration. Ross said the decision in March 2018 to add the question was based on a Justice Department request to help it enforce the Voting Rights Act. In response to Tuesday's vote, he said his department "has been nothing but cooperative with the committee's expansive and detailed requests for records." Ross said the department has turned over 11,500 pages of documents and noted that he testified at a recent hearing. But Democrats countered that many of the pages were so heavily redacted that they provided little or no useful information. House Oversight and Reform Committee Chair Elijah Cummings, D-Md., leads a meeting to call for subpoenas after a career official in the White House security office says dozens of people in President Donald Trump's administration were granted security clearances despite "disqualifying issues" in their backgrounds, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, April 2, 2019. The issue sets the stage for another fight between the White House and the Democratic-controlled House, with Rep. Jim Jordan, the committee's ranking Republican, saying in a statement that Cummings' probe is a "partisan attack." (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) "We don't want thousands of pieces of paper. We want the specific priority documents we asked for - unredacted and in full," said Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland, the panel's Democratic chairman. Democratic lawmakers said Ross considered adding the citizenship question from his first days in the administration. They fear it will reduce census participation in immigrant-heavy communities, harming representation and access to federal dollars. They want more information about the back-and-forth between administration officials before the decision was made. Trump recently tweeted the census will "be meaningless" without the citizenship question. Republicans said the census investigation is an example of "partisan oversight of the Trump administration." "Why don't Democrats want to know whether you are a citizen or not?" asked Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, the top Republican on the panel. Two federal judges have already ruled against the question and the Supreme Court is expected to rule on the issue before survey forms are printed. It would be the first time since 1950 that the full, once-a-decade census asked people about their citizenship. RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - The chairman of North Carolina's Republican Party, an insurance magnate and two of his associates are facing federal charges for a plan to shower the state's top insurance regulator with campaign contributions to ensure special business treatment, a criminal indictment unsealed Tuesday said. State GOP Chairman Robin Hayes and insurance and investment firm founder Greg Lindberg were among those charged with bribery, conspiracy and other crimes. The four defendants appeared Tuesday before a federal magistrate. Hayes also was charged with lying to the FBI. The 73-year-old former congressman announced Monday that he wouldn't seek re-election as party chairman, citing health problems. Hayes "steadfastly denies the allegations made against him" and is eager to clear his name, his attorney, Kearns Davis, said in a statement. Lindberg - largely unknown politically until his contributions started flowing heavily in 2017 - has given more than $5 million to North Carolina candidates, party committees and independent expenditure groups. FILE - In this June 3, 2017 file photo North Carolina Republican Party Chairman Robin Hayes speaks during the North Carolina Republican Party State Convention at the Wilmington Convention Center in Wilmington, N.C. Hayes won't seek re-election to the post after all, the former congressman announced Monday, April 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Mike Spencer, File) Federal prosecutors allege that between April 2017 and August, Lindberg sought to shower Republican state Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey with contributions through the state GOP and an independent committee in exchange for actions helping Lindberg's businesses. Lindberg sought, among other things, the removal of a Causey deputy responsible for examining Lindberg's Durham-based Global Bankers Insurance Group. The unidentified deputy commissioner was "deliberately and intentionally and maliciously hurting my reputation with other regulators," the indictment quoted Lindberg as saying to Causey. Lindberg, political consultant John Gray, and John Palermo - a former county Republican chairman who was working for Lindberg's investment company Eli Global LLC - met with Causey at least five times in the winter and spring of 2018 to discuss favors and money, prosecutors said. Lindberg's team urged Causey to hire Palermo to replace the deputy commissioner or become her boss, prosecutors said. Causey eventually refused, fearing Palermo's ties to Lindberg's company would be discovered by journalists, the indictment said. Lindberg then proposed "we recruit someone brand new to the Department with the same skill set," the indictment said. Palermo then created an independent expenditure committee with limited public disclosure and the ability to spend unlimited amounts on political campaigns that was funded with $1.5 million of Lindberg's money, prosecutors said. In all, Lindberg and his associates promised Causey $2 million in donations. Lindberg asked Hayes to direct $250,000 to Causey's re-election campaign; Hayes initially protested, saying transferring so much money would attract attention, but he went along, prosecutors said. "Whatever you all want to do, we'll do," Hayes said, according to the indictment. "Alright, I'll get 'er done." In October, as the investigation was building steam, Causey turned over $250,000 in donations from the state GOP to U.S. Marshals. The commissioner also returned $5,000 that Lindberg had donated directly to Causey's campaign. Causey - first elected to a four-year term in 2016 - was not charged in the indictment. Prosecutors said in a news release that he voluntarily reported the scheme. "Everything I did was in cooperation and with direction of the federal investigators," Causey said in a phone interview. Causey said he was sorry to hear about the indictments, "but everybody makes their own decisions." The case also threatens to embroil an unidentified official who prosecutors described as speaking to Causey several times on Lindberg's behalf. Lindberg made a $150,000 contribution to a political committee backing "Public Official A" on the same February 2018 date he learned the politician was willing to help sway Causey, prosecutors said. Federal Election Commission records show Lindberg made a contribution in that amount to Republican U.S. Rep. Mark Walker's "Mark Walker Victory Committee" around the same time. It's the only $150,000 contribution by Lindberg listed in 2018 on the FEC website. Walker's spokesman, Jack Minor, said he couldn't confirm if Walker was "Public Official A," adding that the February 2018 contribution eventually went to the Republican National Committee and wasn't used for Walker's campaign. "Walker is not and never has been a target of this investigation, and has committed no wrongdoing," Minor said in a statement, adding that Walker has assisted federal investigators. Palermo, 63, of Pittsboro, didn't return calls seeking comment. A published number for Gray, 68, of Chapel Hill, was disconnected. The state GOP cooperated with the investigation, including turning over requested documents, attorney Josh Howard said in a statement. "Greg Lindberg is innocent of the charges in the indictment and we look forward to demonstrating this when we get our day in court," his attorney, Anne Tompkins, said in a statement. A spokesman for Global Bankers and Eli Global noted the companies were not charged. Global Bankers has cooperated with federal prosecutors and will continue doing so, spokesman Steven Goldberg said. Lindberg's contributions included at least $250,000 to the state Democratic Party. He's also given in the past to outside groups that have supported then-Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin, who's now chairman of the state Democratic Party, and Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Forest, who is running for governor in 2020. ___ Follow Emery P. Dalesio on Twitter at http://twitter.com/emerydalesio . His work can be found at https://apnews.com/search/emery%20dalesio . ___ Associated Press writer Jonathan Drew in Raleigh, North Carolina, contributed to this report. BOSTON (AP) - Massachusetts authorities created a false picture of the Sackler family's role in promoting OxyContin, the Sacklers said Tuesday in their first court response to allegations that individual family members - not just their company, Purdue Pharma - helped fuel the deadly opioid epidemic. The Sackler family says a lawsuit filed by Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey that accuses Connecticut-based Purdue Pharma and the family of hiding the risks of opioids from doctors and patients is riddled with inaccurate and misleading statements. The Sacklers are accusing Healey of cherry picking from hundreds of internal documents in an attempt to wrongly vilify the family for the public health crisis. "We are confident the court will look past the inflammatory media coverage generated by the misleading complaint and apply the law fairly by dismissing all of these claims," they attorneys said in a statement. Among the statements the family says were misconstrued is Richard Sackler's remark that the 1996 OxyContin launch party would be "followed by a blizzard of prescriptions that will bury the competition." Attorneys for the family say Richard Sackler was alluding to the fact he was late for the event because of a blizzard. The Massachusetts lawsuit is one of some 2,000 filed in the past few years seeking to hold the drug industry responsible for a deadly national opioid crisis. Opioids, including illicit drugs such as heroin and fentanyl, were involved in a record 48,000 deaths in 2017, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That's more than the number of people killed in car crashes. Massachusetts' lawsuit accuses Purdue and the Sacklers of pushing to keep patients on the drug longer despite evidence that it was contributing to the opioid crisis in order to rake in billions of dollars in profits. Healey vowed Tuesday to continue working to "expose the conduct that hurt so many families in Massachusetts." FILE - This Feb. 19, 2013, file photo shows OxyContin pills arranged for a photo at a pharmacy, in Montpelier, Vt. The wealthy family who owns the company that makes OxyContin says Massachusetts got the facts wrong in a lawsuit. Legal papers made public Tuesday, April 2, 2019, represent the first time the Sackler family, who owns the Connecticut-based Purdue Pharma, has responded in court to allegations about its role in the opioid crisis. (AP Photo/Toby Talbot, File) "Our complaint makes clear the role that Purdue's executives and directors played in creating and profiting from the opioid crisis. Their motions are an attempt to avoid accountability," she said in a statement. Richard Sackler's comment about the "blizzard of prescriptions" was made public in legal documents filed in January by Healey's office, and since then in other filings including one made last week by the state attorney general in New York, to show that the family was pushing for big sales of OxyContin even though it knew the drug could pose an addiction danger. Massachusetts, the family says, "mischaracterizes and selectively quotes from the hundreds of documents it cites to create the false impression" that the Sacklers and others who have been on the board "micromanaged every aspect of Purdue's marketing strategy." The claim that Richard Sackler accompanied sales representatives pitching OxyContin to doctors, for instance, was untrue, the Sacklers say. The Sacklers also try to distance themselves from the workings of the company it owns, saying family members were being informed of Purdue Pharma's issues rather than controlling every detail of operations. For instance, Healey's lawsuit said the family considered a plan called Project Tango to get into the business of selling anti-addiction drugs as a way to further profit off a crisis it helped spark. The idea, the family said, was pitched by an outside investment firm encouraging Purdue to buy a company that already made the anti-addiction drug. The purchase of the company never happened. The lawyers say the directors were repeatedly told Purdue was fully complying with legal requirements. The family, one of the nation's wealthiest, argues that Massachusetts' claims should be dismissed because the facts don't support them. "Mischaracterizing facts does not change them," the attorneys wrote. Both the Massachusetts complaint and the family's response rely on documents that have not been made public. The family filing is also heavily redacted at the behest of court orders obtained by Purdue. Last week, the Sackler family agreed to pay $75 million over five years as part of Purdue's settlement with the state of Oklahoma, even though family members were not named in the suit. Days later, the New York attorney general added the family to its lawsuit , asserting that some of the family's payments from the company - at least $4 billion from 2007 through last year - were fraudulent because Purdue knew about the potentially costly lawsuits it was facing. Purdue officials have considered bankruptcy as the potential liabilities from the lawsuits have grown. The public pressure on the Sacklers has mounted in other ways. Britain's Tate museums and New York's Guggenheim Museum, where the family has been major donors, announced they would stop taking gifts from the family. And Tufts University, which has a graduate school of biomedical sciences named for the family, said it was evaluating the relationship. ___ Mulvihill reported from New Jersey. Follow Alanna Durkin Richer at http://www.twitter.com/aedurkinricher and Geoff Mulvihill at http://www.twitter.com/geoffmulvihill TORONTO (AP) - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ousted Canada's former attorney general and another ex-minister from the Liberal party caucus Tuesday amid a scandal that has rocked his government in an election year. Trudeau cited repeated questioning of his leadership as well as the fact that former attorney general Jody Wilson-Raybould publicized a secretly recorded conversation she had with Michael Wernick, Canada's top civil servant. Trudeau called that "unconscionable." Trudeau also ousted Jane Philpott, a former Cabinet minister who stepped down from her role after she said she lost confidence in how the government has handled the affair. Both Wilson-Raybould and Philpott had remained as members of Trudeau's party in Parliament after resigning from Cabinet but kept making remarks that damaged the prime minister and the party. The two were two high-profile women ministers in Trudeau's Cabinet, half of which are women. Wilson-Raybould was Canada's first indigenous justice minister. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during a news conference in Ottawa, Ontario, Tuesday, April 2, 2019. Trudeau says former Cabinet minister Jane Philpott has also been kicked out of the Liberal Party caucus. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP) Trudeau and Liberal lawmakers met Tuesday evening to discuss Wilson-Raybould and Philpott. Wilson-Raybould tweeted that Trudeau had removed her and she will not be a Liberal candidate in the fall election. "What I can say is that I hold my head high & that I can look myself in the mirror knowing I did what I was required to do and what needed to be done based on principles & values that must always transcend party," she tweeted. "I have no regrets. I spoke truth as I will continue to do." Wilson-Raybould believes she was demoted from her role as attorney general and justice minister to veterans' affairs minister in January because she didn't give in to pressure to enter into a remediation agreement with a Canadian company accused of bribing officials in Libya. That potential solution would avoid a potential criminal conviction that would bar engineering giant SNC-Lavalin from receiving any federal government business for a decade. The company is a major employer with 9,000 employees in Canada and more than 50,000 worldwide. The scandal has led to multiple resignations, including Gerry Butts, Trudeau's top aide and best friend. And it has damaged the party for eight weeks. In a letter released earlier Tuesday, Wilson-Raybould pleaded with her colleagues to remain and acknowledged they are enraged but said she was "trying to help protect the Prime Minister and the government from a horrible mess." "Now I know many of you are angry, hurt, and frustrated. And frankly so am I, and I can only speak for myself. I am angry, hurt, and frustrated because I feel and believe I was upholding the values that we all committed to," Wilson-Raybould wrote to colleagues earlier Tuesday. Trudeau has been on the defensive since the Globe and Mail newspaper reported Feb. 7 via sources that Trudeau's staff put pressure on Wilson-Raybould. She denied she was the source of the story, writing "I am not the one who made it public." The secret recording Wilson-Raybould made public shows Wernick telling Wilson-Raybould that Trudeau "is determined, quite firm" in finding a way to avoid a prosecution that could put 9,000 jobs at risk. It also reveals Wilson-Raybould saying she regards the pressure as "inappropriate." Philpott said neither she nor Wilson-Raybould initiated the crisis now facing Trudeau and the party. "Rather than acknowledge the obvious - that a range of individuals had inappropriately attempted to pressure the former Attorney General in relation to a prosecutorial decision - and apologize for what occurred, a decision was made to attempt to deny the obvious - to attack Jody Wilson-Raybould's credibility and attempt to blame her," Philpott said in posting on social media. "That approach now appears to be focused on whether Jody Wilson-Raybould should have audiotaped the Clerk instead of the circumstances that prompted Jody Wilson-Raybould to feel compelled to do so." Wilson-Raybould has refused to express support for Trudeau for weeks, a demand many Liberal lawmakers said was necessary if she was to remain in Parliament as part of the party caucus Trudeau said past civil wars within the Liberal party damaged the party. "The team has to trust each other. With Jody Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott that trust has been broken. Our political opponents win when Liberals are divided," Trudeau said to a loud ovation in caucus. Nelson Wiseman, a political science professor at the University of Toronto, said Wilson-Raybould is angling to eventually replace Trudeau. "Her letter, I believe, sets the stage for her run at the Liberal leadership if the Liberals lose in October and Justin Trudeau steps down," Wiseman said. "She is a victim of the parliamentary system which in Canada imposes sturdier party discipline than in any of the other Westminster parliamentary systems. The letter reveals her naivete, as a rookie Member of Parliament, about how the system works." RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - The Latest on sexual assault allegations made by two women against Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax: 3:15 p.m. House Republicans say they tried and failed to broker a deal with Democrats that would allow for a bipartisan public hearing in which two women who accuse Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax of sexual assault could testify under oath. Republican Speaker Kirk Cox issued a statement Tuesday blaming Democrats for refusing to participate and blocking a bipartisan hearing. Vanessa Tyson and Meredith Watson leveled their accusations against Fairfax in February. Their allegations have received new attention after televised interviews this week with CBS News in which they tearfully described their experience. Both women have said they want to testify in front of the General Assembly but want a bipartisan process. FILE - In this Feb. 22, 2019 file photo, Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax presides over the Senate session at the Capitol in Richmond, Va. One of the two women accusing Fairfax of sexual assault says his response has been "disgraceful, irresponsible and manipulative." In an interview aired Monday, April 1 with CBS News, Vanessa Tyson criticized Fairfax for comparing himself to lynching victims when he defended himself in a speech on the state Senate floor in February. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File) Fairfax has said his encounters with both women were consensual. House Democrats say a legislative hearing would inevitably become a partisan brawl. ___ 9 a.m. The second of two women to accuse Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax of sexual assault says she has nothing to gain by going public with her allegation. Meredith Watson said in an interview aired Tuesday with CBS that she's been subjected to intense scrutiny since accusing Fairfax of raping her when both were students at Duke University in 2000. She said she's faced particular criticism as a black woman because her accusations have tarred the reputation of Fairfax, who also is black. Fairfax says his encounters with both Watson and his initial accuser, Vanessa Tyson, were consensual, and he says a polygraph test proved it. Watson said Tuesday that Fairfax held her down during the attack and that "if you have to hold someone down, it's not consensual." SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) - Authorities in North Macedonia say a small private plane has crashed into a mountain in a central region of the country and all four Bulgarian nationals on board are feared dead. National Commission for Air Accidents head Zoran Ilievski told The Associated Press police helicopters have located the plane's wreckage and bodies in unapproachable snow-covered terrain near the 2,500-meter (8,200-foot) summit of Mount Jakupica. Civil aviation official Nikolce Taseski said the Cessna aircraft was traveling from North Macedonia's town of Ohrid to the Bulgarian capital Sofia. It went missing from radar systems at 4:16 p.m. local time (1416 GMT) Tuesday. He said the pilot initially sought permission to land at Skopje's airport, reporting strong turbulence, but later asked to continue to Sofia. Rescuers will try to approach the location Wednesday. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - Arkansas lawmakers voted Tuesday to keep the state's Medicaid expansion another year, days after a court decision blocking the state from enforcing a work requirement put the program's future in limbo. The majority-Republican House voted 75-18 for the budget for Medicaid and the expansion program, sending the legislation to GOP Gov. Asa Hutchinson. The Senate-backed bill on Friday fell short nearly two dozen votes of the 75 needed in the 100-member House to win final approval. The vote comes nearly a week after a federal judge blocked Medicaid work requirements in Arkansas and Kentucky. Hutchinson has urged the federal government to appeal the decision and said he wanted lawmakers to maintain the expansion program, which covers 235,000 people. "This is a key part of my budget and provides essential funding for health care needs of those Arkansans who are struggling financially," Hutchinson said in a statement. "This appropriation also allows us to continue the fight for reform, such as the work requirement." Arkansas' work requirement applied only to the expansion program, not traditional Medicaid. More than 18,000 people lost coverage last year because of the requirement, but were eligible to re-enroll in January. Hutchinson has said 2,000 have done so. Democratic lawmakers proposed legislation this week that would immediately reinstate those who have lost coverage. Arkansas' expansion program, which uses federal and state funds to purchase private insurance for low-income residents, has sharply divided the majority-Republican Legislature since it was created in 2013. Last week's ruling prompted some GOP lawmakers to urge a delay in considering the budget bill or to take up the expansion's budget separately. Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson speaks at a news conference about a ruling against the state's work requirement for its Medicaid expansion program at the state Capitol in Little Rock, Ark., Thursday, March 28, 2019. (AP Photo/Andrew DeMillo) But the only lawmaker to speak against the measure Tuesday focused on concerns about the overall cost of the Medicaid budget rather than the ruling. "We're on a road that we cannot pay for," GOP Rep. Mary Bentley said. Hutchinson has said defunding the expansion would have meant giving up the fight over the work requirement, an argument he continued making to lawmakers leading up to Tuesday's vote. Republican Rep. Joe Cloud, who supported the budget measure Tuesday after opposing it last week, said he was swayed by Hutchinson meeting with lawmakers to reassure them he's committed to the work requirement and was urging an appeal. "That was very important for me personally," Cloud said after the vote. ___ Follow Andrew DeMillo on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ademillo SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) - Nearly two years after a deadly hurricane season, tourists are visiting Puerto Rico in record numbers as the U.S. territory continues to rebuild from Hurricane Maria. A record 1.7 million cruise ship passengers are expected to visit this fiscal year, new hotels have opened, additional flights have been added and the smaller of the island's two international airports saw a record 54,000 passengers in February. A handful of hotels remain closed since the Category 4 storm hit in September 2017 and caused more than an estimated $100 billion in damage, but resorts including the Ritz and the Caribe Hilton are slated to open in upcoming months. Overall, life in the capital of San Juan and surrounding areas is back to normal for tourists, although those who venture outside the metropolitan area will likely encounter a smattering of blue roofs, the occasional wayward light post and debris that still hasn't been collected. Brief power outages still hit occasionally as the government prepares to privatize an aging and poorly maintained grid that was destroyed by the hurricane, and water shortages have hit parts of Puerto Rico's north coast since 30 percent of the island is experiencing a moderate drought that is affecting 791,000 of its 3.2 million inhabitants. All beaches are open to visitors, and most trails at the tropical forest of El Yunque are open as well, although some popular sites remain temporarily closed to the public as crews continue to clear debris. Some areas that are worth a day trip include El Yunque and the nearby coastal town of Luquillo in northeast Puerto Rico, topped off by a night visit to a nearby bioluminescent bay where visitors can paddle around in a kayak. Also worth visiting are Cueva del Indio and Cueva Ventana on Puerto Rico's north coast: one offers a seaside glimpse into petroglyphs carved into stone by Taino Indians and the other a sweeping view of the island's northern karst region. FILE - In this Nov. 6, 2018 file photo, Puerto Rican parrots huddle in a flight cage at the Iguaca Aviary in El Yunque, Puerto Rico. Nearly two years after a deadly hurricane season, tourists are visiting Puerto Rico in record numbers as the U.S. territory continues to rebuild from Hurricane Maria. All beaches are open to visitors, and most trails at the tropical forest of El Yunque are open as well. (AP Photo/Carlos Giusti, File) Make sure to leave enough time to follow the lechonera route in Guavate and eat pork in the island's central mountains, topped off by fritters such as alcapurrias and empanadillas and a shot of chichaito - anise and rum. WASHINGTON (AP) - In President Donald Trump's estimation, the 2020 census will be pointless unless a question is added that asks people if they are citizens. That opinion makes him a distinct outlier in government, business and society, where the big census conducted every 10 years produces a gold mine of information on how people live and, of course, how many there are. TRUMP: "Can you believe that the Radical Left Democrats want to do our new and very important Census Report without the all important Citizenship Question. Report would be meaningless and a waste of the $Billions (ridiculous) that it costs to put together!" - tweet Monday. THE FACTS: Trump's disdain for conducting the once-a-decade census without a citizenship question is not shared by his own Census Bureau researchers. Nor is it consistent with the many operations of government and business that make billions of dollars in spending decisions as well as policy decisions based on the most accurate possible count of the U.S. population. According to January 2018 calculations by the Census Bureau, adding a citizenship question to the decennial census form would cause lower response rates among noncitizens, leading to an increased cost to the government of at least $27.5 million for additional phone calls, visits to the home and other follow-up efforts to reach them. The Constitution requires a count every 10 years of "the whole number of persons in each state," long understood to include all residents of the U.S. The count goes to the heart of the U.S. political system. It's used to determine the number of seats each state has in the House and how the electoral votes that decide presidential elections are distributed. President Donald Trump speaks as he meets with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in the Oval Office of the White House, Tuesday, April 2, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) It also shapes how 300 federal programs distribute more than $800 billion a year to local communities, according to an analysis by the GW Institute of Public Policy at George Washington University. Communities and businesses depend on it, as well, in deciding where to build schools, hospitals, job training centers, grocery stores and more. The GW institute's analysis of the effects of an undercount on five programs administered by the Health and Human Services Department, for instance, found that 37 states lost a median of $1,091 in the 2015 budget year for each person missed in the 2010 census. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross has argued that a citizenship question is needed - or is "very important," as Trump puts it - to help the government better comply with the Voting Rights Act. But the Justice Department has been enforcing the 1965 law, which was passed to help protect minority groups' political rights, with citizenship data already available from other government surveys. Meantime, civil rights groups and states with higher shares of immigrant populations such as California and New York cite a greater harm to the political rights of minority groups if a citizenship question in the decennial census dissuades immigrants from participating, resulting in diminished representation in the U.S. House. Not since 1950 has the census collected citizenship data from the whole population. The Supreme Court this month is hearing the Trump administration's appeal of a federal judge's ruling in New York that Ross, whose department oversees the census, violated federal law by making an "arbitrary and capricious" decision that twisted contrary evidence. A judge in California also has ruled that a citizenship question would violate the Constitution's requirement to count the population. ___ Find AP Fact Checks at http://apne.ws/2kbx8bd Follow @APFactCheck on Twitter: https://twitter.com/APFactCheck BOSTON (AP) - The Latest on hearings in Massachusetts on sexual misconduct allegations at Wynn Resorts (all times local): 3:45 p.m. Steve Wynn is again denying accusations of sexual misconduct after gambling regulators in Massachusetts released a report on how his former company responded to the allegations. The casino mogul wasn't in attendance Tuesday when the state's gaming commission opened a series of hearings into the response. Lawyer Brian Kelly says in a statement his client denies all allegations of nonconsensual sex. He also stressed that Steve Wynn isn't the focus of the hearings. Regulators aren't focused on the truth of the allegations but rather how long company officials were aware of them and how they responded. FILE - In this Jan. 2, 2019, file photo, construction continues on the Encore Boston Harbor luxury resort and casino in Everett, Mass. Massachusetts gambling regulators are scheduled to hold hearings Tuesday, April 2 in Boston, and open a long-awaited report into how Wynn Resorts handled allegations of sexual misconduct against company founder Steve Wynn. The hearing has implications for the Las Vegas company's Massachusetts casino license and the $2.6 billion Encore Boston Harbor luxury resort and casino, slated to open in June. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File) The hearings have implications for the company's Massachusetts casino license and Encore Boston Harbor, the $2.6 billion resort it plans to open in June. ___ 11:30 a.m. A report by Massachusetts casino regulators has found that Wynn Resorts executives concealed for years allegations of sexual misconduct against company founder Steve Wynn. The report by the state Gaming Commission's investigative team doesn't make a recommendation to regulators but concludes saying the five-member panel should evaluate the company's recent reforms in the context of the report's findings. The report was released Tuesday as the commission opened a series of hearings on whether Wynn officials knowingly hid information about the allegations, which Steve Wynn has denied, when it sought a casino license in 2013. The hearings have implications for Encore Boston Harbor, the $2.6 billion Boston-area resort the company plans to open in June. Wynn Resorts didn't dispute the facts of the nearly 200-page report and said it represents a "complete review." ---- 1:18 a.m. Massachusetts gambling regulators are holding hearings and releasing a long-awaited report into how Wynn Resorts handled allegations of sexual misconduct against company founder Steve Wynn. The state Gaming Commission has been investigating, in part, whether company officials knowingly hid information about the allegations when the state was considering its application for a license in 2014. The series of hearings opening Tuesday in Boston have implications for the Las Vegas company's Massachusetts casino license and Encore Boston Harbor, the $2.6 billion resort in Everett it plans to open in June. Wynn Resorts recently went through a similar review in Nevada where it was handed down a record $20 million fine but allowed to keep its casino license. Steve Wynn has denied the claims but resigned as CEO last year. OROVILLE, Calif. (AP) - An epic winter of rain and snow has refilled California's reservoirs and pressed into service a spillway at the nation's tallest dam Tuesday, a $1 billion structure that drained excess water for the first time since it crumbled two years ago and drove hundreds of thousands to flee the threat of catastrophic flooding. Water flowed down the spillway and into the Feather River as storms this week and melting snowpack are expected to swell the lake behind Oroville Dam in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, said Molly White, principal engineer with the California Department of Water Resources. The spring storms follow a winter that coated the mountains with thick snowpack, which state experts measured Tuesday to determine the outlook for California's water supplies. It was 162% of average after heavy winter rain and snow left the state drought-free for the first time since December 2011. "We're going from flood to drought and drought to flood with very little normal in between," said Kris Tjernell, deputy director of the water resources department. The measurement on a snowy day at Phillips Station near Lake Tahoe found a snow depth of 106.5 inches (287 centimeters) and a snow water equivalent of 51 inches (129.5 centimeters), which is the depth of water that theoretically would result if the entire snowpack melted instantaneously. Just four years ago, then-Gov. Jerry Brown found a field at Phillips Station barren of any measureable snow amid a historic drought. Water flows down the Oroville Dam spillway in Oroville, Calif., Tuesday, April 2, 2019. California officials opened the flood-control spillway at the nation's tallest dam for the first time since it was rebuilt after it crumbled during heavy rains two years ago.(AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) With the increased rain and a snowpack not seen in years, water managers are beginning to discuss how best to manage and operate reservoirs, said John Paasch, chief of the department's hydrology and flood office. "It's been a great winter, but it's not all fun and games," he said. Officials opened Oroville Dam's main spillway because of the growing snowpack that will melt into California's waterways and storms expected this week, including one forecast to arrive Thursday, White said. The original spillway on the 770-foot-high (235-meter) dam, which is 150 miles (241 kilometers) northeast of San Francisco, was built in the 1960s. In early 2017, storms drenched the state and the massive spillway broke apart as it carried heavy flows. Dam operators reduced the flow and allowed water to run down an emergency spillway - essentially a low area on the reservoir's rim - but the flow began eroding the earthen embankment that had never been used. Authorities suddenly had to order an evacuation of nearly 200,000 people living in communities downstream. The threat of a dam collapse that would unleash a torrent of water did not happen, however, and people were allowed to go home days later. In January 2018, an independent panel of dam safety experts released a nearly 600-page report that blamed the crisis on "long-term and systemic failures" by California dam managers and regulators to recognize inherent construction and design flaws in the dam. The new spillway "was designed and constructed using 21st century engineering practices and under the oversight and guidance from state and federal regulators and independent experts," said Joel Ledesma, deputy director of the water resources department's State Water Project. Repairs have cost $1.1 billion. California requested about $639 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for the fixes, but the federal government has rejected $306 million of those reimbursements. U.S. officials say the dam's upper gated spillway was damaged prior to the heavy rain two years ago. Local water agencies are already paying some of the repair costs, and they would cover anything not paid by the federal government. ___ Rodriguez reported from San Francisco. Department of Water Resources Engineer John King, center, thrusts a snow survey tube into the snowpack while conducting the April, 2019 snow survey at the Phillips Station near Echo Summit, Calif., Tuesday, April 2, 2019. The survey found the snowpack at 106.5 inches deep with a snow water equivalent of 51 inches at this location at this time of year. (AP Photo/Randall Benton) Water flows down the Oroville Dam spillway in Oroville, Calif., Tuesday, April 2, 2019. California officials opened the flood-control spillway at the nation's tallest dam for the first time since it was rebuilt after it crumbled during heavy rains two years ago.(AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) Department of Water Resources Engineer John King, left, and Kris Tjernell measure the depth of the snow survey tube in the snowpack while conducting the April, 2019 snow survey at the Phillips Station near Echo Summit, Calif., Tuesday, April 2, 2019. The survey found the snowpack at 106.5 inches deep with a snow water equivalent of 51 inches at this location at this time of year. (AP Photo/Randall Benton) Culvin May takes a photo of the water flowing down the Oroville Dam Spillway in Oroville, Calif., Tuesday, April 2, 2019. California officials opened the flood-control spillway at the nation's tallest dam for the first time since it was rebuilt after it crumbled during heavy rains two years ago. May helped rebuild the spillway as a carpenter for Kiewit Construction Company that did the work on the project. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) Zack Rodriquez runs up a hill across from the Oroville Dam Spillway before water began flowing down the repaired structure, in Oroville, Calif., Tuesday, April 2, 2019. California officials opened the flood-control spillway at the nation's tallest dam for the first time since it was rebuilt after it crumbled during heavy rains two years ago. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) Water flows down the Oroville Dam spillway in Oroville, Calif., Tuesday, April 2, 2019. California officials opened the flood-control spillway at the nation's tallest dam for the first time since it was rebuilt after it crumbled during heavy rains two years ago.(AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) Department of Water Resources Engineer John King measures the depth of the snow survey tube in the snowpack while conducting the April, 2019 snow survey at the Phillips Station near Echo Summit, Calif., Tuesday, April 2, 2019. The survey found the snowpack at 106.5 inches deep with a snow water equivalent of 51 inches at this location at this time of year. (AP Photo/Randall Benton) Department of Water Resources Engineer John King, center, prepares to measure the depth of the snowpack while conducting the April, 2019 snow survey at the Phillips Station near Echo Summit, Calif., Tuesday, April 2, 2019. The survey found the snowpack at 106.5 inches deep with a snow water equivalent of 51 inches at this location at this time of year. (AP Photo/Randall Benton) OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - The Latest on the trial of a former Oklahoma gubernatorial candidate accused in a murder-for-hire plot (all times local): 2:55 p.m. A federal jury has convicted a former Oklahoma gubernatorial candidate and zookeeper in an attempted murder-for-hire plot. Jurors returned the guilty verdict Tuesday in the trial of 56-year-old Joseph Allen Maldonado-Passage. He was accused of trying to arrange the killing of Florida animal sanctuary founder Carole Baskin, who criticized his treatment of animals. Baskin wasn't harmed. Maldonado-Passage, known as "Joe Exotic," was also accused of killing five tigers, and selling and offering to sell tiger cubs. He faces more than 20 years in prison. Maldonado-Passage testified Monday that although disagreements with Baskin spilled over into his social media posts, he never truly wanted her dead. FILE - This file photo provided by the Santa Rose County Jail in Milton, Fla., shows Joseph Maldonado-Passage. Prosecutors say Maldonado-Passage, also known as "Joe Exotic, tried to arrange the killing of Carole Baskin, the founder of Big Cat Rescue. Lurors were shown a Facebook video Tuesday, March 26, 2019, that depicts Maldonado-Passage shooting a blow-up "Carole" doll in the head. Other videos show him pretending to dig a grave for Baskin and threatening to mail her rattlesnakes. (Santa Rosa County Jail via AP, File) As well as running unsuccessfully for Oklahoma governor last year as a Libertarian, Maldonado-Passage also operated a zoo in Wynnewood, Oklahoma. ___ 11:30 a.m. A jury on Tuesday began deliberating the case of an ex-Oklahoma zookeeper and former candidate for governor accused in an attempted murder-for-hire plot. Joseph Allen Maldonado-Passage, better known as "Joe Exotic," is accused of trying to arrange the killing of Carole Baskin, founder of a Florida animal sanctuary who criticized his treatment of animals. Baskin wasn't harmed. He's also accused of killing five tigers in October 2017 and selling and offering to sell tiger cubs. The 56-year-old Maldonado-Passage has pleaded not guilty and testified Monday that although disagreements with Baskin spilled over into his social media posts, he never wanted her dead. Maldonado-Passage used to operate a zoo in Wynnewood, Oklahoma. Known for his blonde mullet and expletive-laden rants on YouTube, Maldonado-Passage finished third in a three-way Libertarian primary in 2018. Maldonado-Passage also appeared on John Oliver's "Last Week Tonight" when he was a 2016 write-in candidate for president. WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump is distorting reality when it comes to disaster aid for hurricane-stricken Puerto Rico. In a flurry of angry tweets Tuesday, he argues the U.S. territory has gotten more than its fair share of money to rebuild after Hurricane Maria devastated the island in September 2017. He asserts the territory had already received $91 billion in aid, which is flat wrong, and readers of his tweets would not know from them that Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens. TRUMP: "Puerto Rico got 91 Billion Dollars for the hurricane, more money than has ever been gotten for a hurricane before." HOGAN GIDLEY, White House spokesman: "The fact is, they have received more money than any state or territory in history for a rebuild." - interview Tuesday with MSNBC. THE FACTS: The money Puerto Rico has received for hurricane relief is nowhere close to $91 billion. Nor is the amount provided greater than for any other hurricane that has struck the U.S. President Donald Trump departs following the 2019 Prison Reform Summit and First Step Act Celebration in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Monday, April 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) According to the White House, Trump's $91 billion estimate includes about $50 billion in expected future disaster disbursements that could span decades, along with $41 billion already approved. But actual aid to Puerto Rico has flowed more slowly from federal coffers, about $11 billion so far. Even if the $91 billion figure eventually comes to fruition, it would not be the most ever provided for hurricane rebuilding efforts. Hurricane Katrina, which hit Louisiana and other Gulf Coast states in 2005, has cost the U.S government more than $120 billion. ___ TRUMP: "The pols are grossly incompetent, spend the money foolishly or corruptly, & only take from USA." - tweet Tuesday. THE FACTS: Trump appears to suggest Puerto Rico is not part of the U.S. as he criticizes its territorial government for taking "from USA." He does not criticize other Americans for taking "from USA." Gidley, speaking on MSNBC, called the notion that Trump was referring to Puerto Ricans as noncitizens "absolutely ridiculous." But in the same interview Gidley had referred to Puerto Rico as "that country." When pressed about his wording, Gidley said it was a mistake and he meant to say "territory." Puerto Ricans are Americans. ___ Find AP Fact Checks at http://apne.ws/2kbx8bd Follow @APFactCheck on Twitter: https://twitter.com/APFactCheck BOSTON (AP) - A group representing supermarkets and other food stores offered its conditional support Tuesday to a bill that if approved would make Massachusetts the latest U.S. state to outlaw single-use plastic shopping bags viewed by environmentalists as a major source of pollution and a grave threat to marine wildlife. The proposal would prohibit retailers from providing customers with single-use carryout bags at the point of purchase. Stores would be required to make recyclable paper bags available to customers for a charge of 10 cents, and food stores would have the option of making reusable grocery bags available for 10 cents or more. Nearly 100 cities and towns, including Boston, already have local plastic bag ordinances in place, though the specifics of those bans vary among communities. In testimony prepared for the Legislature's Natural Resources, Environment and Agriculture Committee, the Massachusetts Food Association said it could support a statewide ban on plastic bags to replace the patchwork of local rules and create an "even playing field" for supermarkets and grocery stores. The organization, however, is asking lawmakers for a lengthier phase-in period than the Aug. 1 implementation date in the bill . "Consumers must be educated over time to replace their plastic bags with reusable bags and not just switch to plastic bags, which have their own environmental issues and concerns," said Brian Houghton, senior vice president for governmental affairs and communications for the association. Another group, the Retailers Association of Massachusetts, said it "wholeheartedly" supported the goal of reducing the amount of plastic in the environment and acknowledged the need for a statewide standard, but was skeptical of the approach taken in the bill. A joint legislative committee of state lawmakers is considering the bill. The group, which represents thousands of stores from so-called "ma and pa" operations to big box retailers, said many stores already provide customers with a choice of paper, plastic or reusable bags. It also cited benefits of plastic carryout bags, noting they were lightweight, water resistant and strong enough to carry heavy items without need for double bagging. California was the first state to approve a ban in 2016, and Hawaii has a de facto statewide prohibition since all of its counties ban single-use plastic carryout bags. Lawmakers in New York included a plastic bag ban as part of a recent state budget agreement . The ban would take effect on March 1, 2020 and give counties the option of a 5 cent charge for paper bags. Momentum also appears to be growing in other Northeast states. The Vermont Senate gave initial approval last week to legislation that includes a ban on single-use plastic bags. Bills are under consideration in Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. Overseas, the European Union Parliament voted last week to ban a variety of single-use plastic items, starting in 2021. The World Wildlife Foundation said Monday that a 26-foot (8-meter) female sperm whale found dead along the Mediterranean Sea in Sardinia had 48.5 pounds (22 kilograms) of plastic in its stomach, including shopping bags, plastic plates and a washing detergent package. Democratic Rep. Lori Ehrlich, of Marblehead, the lead House sponsor of the Massachusetts bill, cited that and other recent worldwide incidents along with figures showing the state's consumers use 2 billion pounds of plastic each year, much of it discarded rather than recycled, littering parks and playgrounds and causing potentially devastating impacts for wildlife that can mistake plastic items for food. "We managed just fine before plastic bags were available, let's do it again," Ehrlich told the legislative panel. BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) - Authorities in Colombia are warning of potential unrest at a border crossing with Venezuela after droves of migrants broke through a blockade erected amid mounting hostilities between the two countries. President Nicolas Maduro in February closed Venezuela's border with Colombia in a bid to stop a U.S.-backed plan to deliver humanitarian aid. Since then, the thousands of migrants who cross daily into Colombia looking for food and medicine have relied on sometimes dangerous dirt paths between both countries. But the Tachira River separating both countries swelled Tuesday after heavy rainfall. That led the migrants to break a Venezuelan police blockade at the Simon Bolivar bridge and climb atop shipping containers placed there by Maduro to block the delivery of aid. Colombia's migration agency head warned of possible disturbances. SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - A federal judge said Tuesday he will closely monitor Pacific Gas & Electric's tree-trimming this year and barred the utility from paying out dividends to shareholders as part of a new, court-ordered wildfire prevention plan. U.S. District Judge William Alsup ordered the new plan during a hearing in San Francisco to consider terms of the utility's felony probation for a deadly natural gas explosion. The judge stopped short of adopting more stringent conditions initially proposed, including ordering PG&E to inspect every inch of its power grid. Alsup modified the terms as part of an effort to cut down on wildfires started by the company's equipment, mostly by trees falling onto power lines. Alsup called the utility's efforts to prevent trees from hitting power lines dismal while it was paying dividends to shareholders. PG&E suspended dividend payments in late 2017 and said it will not do so at least until it emerges from bankruptcy. Nonetheless, Alsup barred it from restarting dividend payments without court order. The company sought bankruptcy protection in January in the face of billions of dollars in potential liability from recent wildfires. "A lot of money went out in dividends that should have went into tree trimming," Alsup told PG&E acting chief executive John Simon during the hearing. "PG&E pumped out $4.5 billion in dividends and let the tree budget wither. So a lot of trees should've been taken down that were not." FILE - In this Jan. 8, 2017 file photo, a Pacific Gas and Electric Company worker cuts back branches from a tree that fell across power lines in Felton, Calif. A federal judge said Tuesday, April 2, 2019, that he will closely monitor PG&E's tree-trimming in 2019 and barred the utility from paying out dividends to shareholders as part of a new, court-ordered wildfire prevention plan. (Kevin Johnson/The Santa Cruz Sentinel via AP, File) Alsup is still considering ordering further prevention steps, including requiring PG&E to shut power more often during high winds. "We share the court's commitment to safety and understand that we must play a leading role in reducing the risk of wildfire throughout Northern and Central California," the company said in a prepared statement after the hearing. Company spokesman James Noonan said PG&E is awaiting regulatory approval of its tree-trimming plan and other wildfire prevention efforts. The company also plans to start inspecting its equipment in remote Northern California forests by helicopter, he said. MEXICO CITY (AP) - Rights groups are demanding justice for a missing persons activist who was gunned down at his home by unidentified assailants in Mexico's Gulf coast state of Veracruz. Abiram Hernandez worked for years with relatives - mainly mothers - of those who have been kidnapped or disappeared. He was killed on March 29. The Colectivo Solecito group called for an investigation into the case Tuesday and said Hernandez' family members and colleagues should receive protection. The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights' office has also called on authorities to punish those responsible. Mexican cartels frequently use clandestine pits to dispose of victims. Because of police inefficiency, groups known as "colectivos" often search for burial sites on their own. The commissioner's office says 9 activists have been killed in Mexico in 2019. NEW YORK (AP) - Stocks that moved substantially or traded heavily on Tuesday: Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc., down $8.13 to $55.36 The pharmacy operator slashed its 2019 earnings forecast after falling short of second-quarter expectations. AngioDynamics Inc., down 32 cents to $24.69 The medical device maker's fourth-quarter profit and revenue fell short of Wall Street forecasts. Senior Housing Properties Trust, down $1.84 to $10.12 The owner of senior living communities is increasing its stake in financially troubled Five Star Senior Living Inc. UGI Corp., down $4.07 to $51.32 The energy company is spending $2.44 billion for AmeriGas Partners and cut its forecast for the year. Delta Airlines Inc., up $3.15 to $55.33 The airline raised its profit forecast for the year, surpassing Wall Street expectations. Ameriprise Financial Inc., up $3.44 to $136.12 The financial services company is selling its auto and home business to American Family Insurance for just over $1 billion. CVS Health Corp., down $2.06 to $52.13 The pharmacy operator's key rival Walgreens warned investors that lower drug prices and reimbursement pressure will cut into 2019 results. Tanger Factory Outlet Centers Inc., down 24 cents to $20.11 The shopping center operator is selling four of its properties for $130.5 million. HOUSTON (AP) - A second ex-aide to disgraced former Texas Congressman Steve Stockman is following his boss to prison over a scam to spend charitable donations on personal and campaign costs. Federal prosecutors in Houston say Jason Posey of Tupelo, Mississippi, was sentenced Tuesday to 18 months and ordered to repay more than $720,000. Posey in 2017 pleaded guilty to mail fraud, wire fraud and money laundering for helping the GOP lawmaker scheme to misuse charitable funds. Stockman, who's from the Houston area, was convicted on 23 counts including fraud, conspiracy and money laundering. He was sentenced in November to 10 years in prison and ordered to repay $1 million. Another ex-assistant, Thomas Dodd of Houston, was sentenced last year to 18 months in prison on fraud-related conspiracy convictions. Dodd must repay $800,000. HARTFORD CITY, Ind. (AP) - An Indiana woman whose 15-year-old son took a handgun to school has been sentenced to four years in prison. The 40-year-old Hartford City woman was sentenced Tuesday after pleading guilty last month to dangerous control of a child. The charge refers to cases where a parent or guardian permits a child to possess a firearm. The Star Press in Muncie reports she acknowledged to investigators she was aware her son had a firearm, but never discussed the matter with him. The boy had been in trouble related to guns before. He took the weapon to Blackford High School on Oct. 30, resulting in a lockdown and a delay in dismissal of students. The Associated Press isn't identifying the woman to avoid identifying her son. ___ Information from: The Star Press, http://www.thestarpress.com NEW YORK (AP) - Pharmaceutical honcho Martin Shkreli has been banished to solitary confinement amid allegations he was running his drug company from federal prison using a contraband smartphone, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. Shkreli was moved to solitary confinement at the Fort Dix, New Jersey, facility on March 7 and is likely to remain there while his alleged conduct is being investigated, the person said. The person wasn't authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. The U.S. Bureau of Prisons told the AP on March 8 that it was investigating whether Shkreli, known as the "Pharma Bro," violated prison rules forbidding inmates from conducting business and possessing cellphones. That inquiry hasn't resulted in any charges within the agency's inmate discipline program, the person said, indicating that the matter may have been referred to federal prosecutors for potential criminal prosecution. Shkreli's lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, declined to comment. The Bureau of Prisons said it does not release information on an individual inmate's conditions of confinement. FILE - In this Dec. 17, 2015, file photo, Martin Shkreli, the former hedge fund manager under fire for buying a pharmaceutical company and ratcheting up the price of a life-saving drug, is escorted by law enforcement agents in New York, after being taken into custody following a securities probe. Pharmaceutical honcho Shkreli has been banished to solitary confinement amid allegations he was running his drug company from federal prison using a contraband smartphone, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle, File) "The matter you reference is under investigation," the agency said in a statement. "When there are allegations of misconduct, they are thoroughly investigated and appropriate action is taken if allegations are sustained." The U.S. Attorney's Office in Brooklyn, which prosecuted Shkreli's securities fraud case, declined to comment. The U.S. Attorney's Office in New Jersey also declined to comment. Shkreli's move to solitary confinement was first reported by Forbes . Shkreli, 36, is serving a seven-year sentence at a low-security prison complex about 40 miles (65 kilometers) from Philadelphia. He was convicted in August 2017 of lying to investors in two failed hedge funds and cheating them out of millions. The Wall Street Journal reported last month that Shkreli has used a cellphone to call the shots at his drug company, Phoenixus AG, posting regularly to social media and even firing the company's chief executive. The punishment for inmates caught with cell phones depends on how the case is handled. If it's prosecuted in court, a conviction could tack on up to an extra year of prison time. Within the inmate discipline program, having a cellphone is considered a "greatest severity level" offense and carries sanctions ranging from loss to privileges to up to a year in solitary confinement. In Shkreli's case, he could face more punishment if he's also found to have conducted business while locked up. Other than the alleged cellphone flap, Shkreli has been pretty well behaved. His only other violations were for refusing an order and being absent from an assignment in May 2018, inmate disciplinary records show. Shkreli's securities fraud case stemmed from his role managing MSMB Capital Management and MSMB Healthcare between 2009 and 2014. It was unrelated to the 2015 furor he caused when he raised the price by more than 5,000% of a drug used to treat an infection that occurs in some AIDS, malaria and cancer patients. ___ Follow Sisak at twitter.com/mikesisak and Mustian at twitter.com/jimmustian INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - The Latest on hate crimes legislation that's before the Indiana General Assembly (all times local): 5:10 p.m. The Indiana Senate has approved legislation that's aimed at getting Indiana off a list of five states without a hate crimes law. The Republican-dominated chamber voted 34-14 Tuesday to approve the bill's bias crimes language after several Democratic senators urged its defeat, saying it falls short of what's needed. The bill heads to Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb, who says he'll sign the measure, which would allow judges to impose longer sentences for crimes motivated by bias. It refers to Indiana's bias crimes reporting statute that mentions color, creed, disability, national origin, race, religion and sexual orientation, but doesn't explicitly cover age, sex or gender identity. But it says bias can also be considered due to the "victim's or the group's real or perceived characteristic, trait, belief, practice, association, or other attribute." __ 10:38 a.m. The Indiana Senate is moving toward a vote on legislation aimed at getting Indiana off a list of five states without a hate crimes law. Senate Republicans decided privately Monday to put the bill up for a final concurrence vote as early as Tuesday. If 26 senators approve the bill's new bias crimes language , it heads to Gov. Eric Holcomb's desk. That language would allow judges to impose longer sentences for crimes motivated by bias. It refers to Indiana's bias crimes reporting statute that mentions color, creed, disability, national origin, race, religion and sexual orientation, but doesn't explicitly cover age, sex or gender identity. The bill says bias can also be considered due to the "victim's or the group's real or perceived characteristic, trait, belief, practice, association, or other attribute." NEW YORK (AP) - New York City is set to become the first American metropolis that seeks to ease traffic congestion, cut pollution and boost mass transit by charging motorists a hefty toll for the privilege of driving into its most crammed areas. So can it work? If the experience of other cities around the world that have tried it is any indication, the answer appears to be yes. London, Singapore and Stockholm have all reported that "congestion pricing" systems similar to the one now being planned for Manhattan led to initial reductions in traffic and improvements in air quality, while creating a steady stream of revenue to support public transit and other infrastructure. "New York is a prime example of cities where it tends to work, which is very high density, with relatively good public transportation" or at least the skeleton of a good system, said John Rennie Short, professor of public policy at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. But critical questions still to be resolved that could determine what the experiment ultimately looks like and whether it is successful, experts said. New York has to work out details of the plan, which would use a network of license plate readers to bill vehicles for using surface roads anywhere in Manhattan south of Central Park. That includes the cost of the toll, which is likely to be more than $10. Will the tolls raise enough money to make the city's strained mass transit system reliable? Is there enough alternative transportation for commuters who decide to give up their cars? How will the tolling system affect the delivery trucks, taxis and ride-hail vehicles that now comprise a big proportion of Manhattan traffic? And will so many vehicles be made exempt from the tolls that the effect on travel patterns is minimal? Motorists roll south on 7th Avenue in Times Square, Friday, March 29, 2019, in New York. Long ringed by some of the most expensive toll roads in the U.S., New York City is poised to take things even further with a plan to use automated license plate readers to charge drivers who motor into the most congested parts of Manhattan during times when crosstown traffic is at its worst.(AP Photo/Julie Jacobson) Mitchell Moss, director of the Rudin Center for Transportation Policy and Management at New York University, predicted that in the end the city might see only a modest decline in traffic, as people either absorb the cost and keep driving, or switch to services like Uber and Lyft. "We're not going to see people abandon their cars to get into the subway," he said. Primarily, he said, the system is likely to benefit the public transportation system, which now has a new source of revenue for much-needed repairs and upgrades. "This is a terrific victory ... for the mass transit ridership and for New York's capacity to respond to the crisis of its mass transit system," he said. New York state legislators approved a conceptual plan Monday for the tolling system, which would supplement an existing network of bridge and tunnel tolls that charge $9.50 to $15 for vehicles coming into Manhattan via seven of the 20 bridges and tunnels leading onto the island. A panel will now be convened to set the toll prices - one recent proposal suggested around $12 for passenger vehicles - and create possible exemptions or credits for some drivers. That could include discounts for motorists already paying a toll enter Manhattan. The earliest the tolls could begin is Dec. 31, 2020. One model for the system has existed since 2003 in London, which offers evidence that the system could work - and a cautionary note for how it may need to adapt over time. Initially, London charged drivers 5 pounds, or about $6.50, to come into the central part of the city during the workweek. The toll initially had a considerable effect. In its first year, congestion dropped 30%, buses got 6% faster and there was a 12% reduction in emissions. In recent years, however, congestion has dramatically worsened, despite the fee rising to 11.50 pounds, about $15, per day. Officials say that was due in large part to the flood of app-based for-hire vehicles like Uber, which were initially exempt from the tolls. As a result, the city is lifting the exemption starting April 8. In Stockholm, a pilot program that was put in place with less-than-enthusiastic public support in 2006 became much more popular as people saw immediate drops in congestion and air pollution, so much so that residents voted to make it permanent in 2007. Singapore's system has been around since the 1970s. About 717,000 vehicles a day enter the Manhattan zone considered for the program, a recent city study said. One estimate said a congestion pricing plan with an $11.52 toll could reduce traffic by 13 percent and raise gross revenues of $1.1 billion per year, much of which would go to support trains and buses after expenses. "Even a small reduction in traffic can have a substantial impact on the larger traffic network," said Kate Slevin, senior vice president of state programs and advocacy at Regional Plan Association, an advocacy organization that supports the congestion toll. Asked about concerns over whether such a beleaguered transit system could even handle more riders if people decided not to drive into Manhattan, Slevin pointed out that transit officials have almost two years to take steps that will help, like redoing bus routes. "The good news is there's going to be a couple of years before the congestion toll is turned on," she said. ___ Associated Press Writer David Klepper in Albany contributed to this report. Motorists cross over the Brooklyn Bridge heading west into Manhattan, Friday, March 29, 2019, in New York. Long ringed by some of the most expensive toll roads in the U.S., New York City is poised to take things even further with a plan to use automated license plate readers to charge drivers who motor into the most congested parts of Manhattan during times when crosstown traffic is at its worst.(AP Photo/Julie Jacobson) In this May 28, 2019 photo, a police officer directs rush hour traffic on Canal Street in New York. Long ringed by some of the most expensive toll roads in the U.S., New York City is poised to take things even further with a plan to use automated license plate readers to charge drivers who motor into the most congested parts of Manhattan during times when crosstown traffic is at its worst. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) In this March 28, 2019 photo, pedestrians cross Delancey Street as traffic is seen making its way into Manhattan from Brooklyn over the Williamsburg Bridge, in New York. Long ringed by some of the most expensive toll roads in the U.S., New York City is poised to take things even further with a plan to use automated license plate readers to charge drivers who motor into the most congested parts of Manhattan during times when crosstown traffic is at its worst. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) In this March 28, 2019 photo, a police officer directs rush hour traffic on Canal Street in New York. Long ringed by some of the most expensive toll roads in the U.S., New York City is poised to take things even further with a plan to use automated license plate readers to charge drivers who motor into the most congested parts of Manhattan during times when crosstown traffic is at its worst. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) In this March 28, 2019 photo, a police officer directs rush hour traffic on Canal Street in New York. Long ringed by some of the most expensive toll roads in the U.S., New York City is poised to take things even further with a plan to use automated license plate readers to charge drivers who motor into the most congested parts of Manhattan during times when crosstown traffic is at its worst. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 4) The Labor department and the Immigration bureau admitted that some Chinese laborers spotted at a construction site in Manila are working illegally, only possessing special working permits which do not allow them to do construction work. "For this particular incident, we were able to find that some of them are actually construction workers, but they are not holders of alien employment permits (AEP)," Labor Assistant Secretary Benjo Benavidez told CNN Philippines' The Source on Thursday. "What we found out is that they are workers of special working permit (SWP)." An AEP allows foreigners to work in the Philippines from one to three years, while an SWP allows them to work here for three to six months. However, both permits would not allow them to work as construction workers. "According to our guidelines for the issuance of permits, manual labor and other kinds of blue collar work are not allowed," Immigration bureau spokesperson Dana Sandoval told The Source. The Immigration department's supplemental guidelines for SWP and provisional work permit state that special and provisional work permits will not be granted to foreigners who are seeking work as construction workers, cashiers, waiters, janitors, household help, carpenters, garbage collectors, security guards, warehouse caretakers and other jobs involving manual non-technical labor. Foreigners who are seeking to work in a profession regulated by the Professional Regulation Commission would also not be granted special work permits, unless the regulatory body issues them a special temporary permit. Easier to get SWPs The Labor department said it has referred the case to the Immigration bureau, which said that it is still looking into the case, particularly on why the Chinese workers were issued SWPs in the first place. Sandoval said it is possible that the workers "misrepresented" themselves. This act and their violation of the Philippines' labor and immigration laws may get them deported and blacklisted, she said. Despite already flagging a violation, the Labor department admits that it can only impose a 10,000 fine as the power to arrest and deport illegal foreign workers rest on the Immigration bureau. Chinese envoy to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua called on Philippine officials to deal with illegal Chinese workers "professionally" and "humanely," saying their "humanitarian needs" should also be considered, just like what China is doing to illegal Filipino workers there. SWPs have been blamed for the apparent influx of Chinese workers in the Philippines, with some senators wanting to strip the Immigration bureau the power to issue these permits. Benavidez explained that this power of the Immigration bureau stemmed from a 2005 memorandum that allowed it to issue work permits for foreigners who intend to work in the Philippines for less than six months. But the requirements for an SWP are less stringent than what is needed for an AEP. For one, there is no need for foreign workers to have their application published to get an SWP, but this is needed to obtain an AEP. SWPs can be issued in just three days. Application fees for SWPs are also cheaper compared to AEPs. Benavidez said the Labor department is already reviewing its guidelines on the issuance of AEPs and is coming up with new guidelines on the issuance of SWPs with the Immigration department. The Labor department said it will issue new guidelines for foreign workers soon. UNITED NATIONS (AP) - A humanitarian emergency is unfolding in the camp in northeast Syria overwhelmed with people who fled the last battlefields of Islamic State extremists - and a top priority is helping hundreds of unaccompanied children return home, the head of the international Red Cross said Tuesday. Peter Maurer, who visited the al-Hol camp in Hassakeh province on March 21, told a small group of reporters that it was established in the 1990s to accommodate about 5,000 Iraqi refugees and is now overcrowded with between 80,000 and 100,000 people. "Given the numbers, the Kurdish authorities and International Committee of the Red Cross are just overwhelmed in terms of registering and finding out who is coming," he said. Maurer, the ICRC president, explained that Kurdish local authorities who control the area separate out fleeing Islamic State fighters and boys between the ages of 12 and 18, whom they believe were most likely fighters, and put them in detention. Women and children are sent to al-Hol, which is roughly two-thirds kids and one-third mothers, he said. The estimates are that about 35,000 people in al-Hol are Syrians, around 35,000-40,000 are Iraqis, and the rest, probably around 10,000, are from 30-40 nationalities worldwide, Maurer said. "Our top priority at the present moment is to identify the unaccompanied children, to notify the governments that we have found children without parents, and to see whether somewhere from China to Argentina there is family of unaccompanied children to which we can send the kids back," he said. Asked how many unaccompanied children were in al-Hol and several smaller camps, Maurer replied: "Certainly hundreds, maybe more." To complicate things further, he said that during the last few days "we have seen in those camps there are not only families of foreign fighters but we see also victims of Islamic State aggressions in the past." Maurer said during his visit, "we found Yazidi women who have been abducted by Islamic State into Baghouz, who have been enslaved in Baghouz, who managed to get out" of Baghouz, the last IS stronghold. "Because they can't prove who they are they are basically put in detention-like facility in camps," he said. 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 captured thousands of women and girls from the Yazidi religious minority and forced them into sexual slavery. Many remain missing to this day. Maurer said the ICRC's first priority is the return of unaccompanied children "and second we try to see whether women with their children who wish to return can be returned." He said some countries will accept them, and will even accept fighters who are put into either detention or reintegration and de-radicalization programs. But some countries object to taking their people back, he said, citing Britain, Europe overall, and others. "We are just looking at a pretty stark picture of a highly complex situation in which we see that nobody is particularly interested to put structures, processers in place, to deal with the issue beyond emergency assistance," Maurer said. He said "the big issue" is to find a system to deal with the different categories of people and identify who's a victim, who's been involved in criminal activity, who remains highly radicalized - and then determine what to do with them. "Even for me, it was quite an experience to talk to those women who are extremely radical in their approach and think Islamic State will be back, and it's just a temporary displacement," Maurer said. "They think nothing bad has happened." SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) - Government officials, aid workers and activists in Central America are mystified by U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to cut off nearly $500 million in aid to Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador in response to what he calls an immigration crisis. Over time, they say, it will only worsen the problem. At risk of falling on the chopping block are development programs that work to tackle the root causes driving migration: poverty, inequality, violence and corruption. These include outreach to at-risk youth to combat forced gang recruitment as well as programs to address gender-based violence and support education, workforce development and the uphill fight to root out endemic graft. "It's illogical and it's irresponsible. ... You're talking about long-term challenges that are going to require long-term, sustainable solutions," said Adriana Beltran, a Central America specialist at the Washington Office on Latin America. "So rather than helping to stabilize the situation and try to address these long-term challenges, the cut in assistance will only make the situation worse." "Gutting important programs," she added, "will eventually lead to more migration, more insecurity, more corruption, more impunity in these countries." It's still not clear exactly what, when or how much could be cut. Trump said last week that "we were paying them tremendous amounts of money and we're not paying them anymore because they haven't done a thing for us," and mentioned a figure of $500 million. FILE - In this Nov. 25, 2018 file photo, a migrant woman helps carry a handmade U.S. flag up the riverbank at the Mexico-U.S. border after getting past Mexican police at the Chaparral border crossing in Tijuana, Mexico, as a group of migrants tries to reach the U.S. Activists, officials and social workers in Central America were staggered by the idea that U.S. President Donald Trump thinks he will help reduce immigration, by cutting off nearly $500 million in aid to Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador; exactly the opposite will happen, they say. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa, File) State Department spokesman Robert Palladino said Tuesday that the amount affected by any aid cut would be $450 million from fiscal year 2018 as well as an as yet undetermined amount from 2017. "The president has made clear that the decision is aimed at securing the United States borders and protecting American citizens," Palladino said. "These programs have not effectively prevented illegal immigration from coming to the United States, and they've not achieved the desired results." The aid is meant to promote democracy-building, good governance, trade, agriculture, education, health, public safety and law enforcement. Experts say all of those areas play a direct role in whether people feel they can get by or even survive in their home countries. Reaction from the three governments has been muted so far, perhaps for fear of angering Trump. Both Honduras and El Salvador pointedly said they had not been formally notified of any specific cuts in U.S. aid. Honduran Defense Minister Fredy Diaz said cooperation with the United States on security is "unchanged," while the Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the relationship has been "solid, close and positive." Salvadoran Vice President Oscar Ortiz said Tuesday that an aid cut would not solve the migration problem but have the opposite effect. "The best way to tackle the issue of migration ... is not with this type of decision," he said. "The best way to tackle the issue is to keep working together." Guatemala, the source of much of the recent migration from the region, was particularly circumspect, with presidential spokesman Alfredo Brito saying simply that the official response was not to comment for the time being. But those carrying out the boots-on-the-ground work are concerned. Rick Jones, who works in El Salvador as the youth and migration policy adviser for Catholic Relief Services, counsels young people to keep them out of gangs and help them get jobs. He also runs behavioral therapy for inmates to deter them from returning to crime - all things that have "a positive impact to help guys think about and change their behavior," he said. It's seen as unglamorous but badly needed work, especially in a place like El Salvador, which has a homicide rate that is among the world's highest at more than 50 per 100,000 people last year. But all $38 million that Catholic Relief Services gets from U.S. government agencies to run programs in the three countries - including ones on education and jobs - could disappear if the cutoff goes through. If that happens, "it will be sending the message, 'Help is not on the way ... and you're going to be left on your own,'" Jones said. "And basically people left on their own are going to be more desperate and more people are going to leave." Likewise, Vicki Gass, Oxfam America senior policy adviser for Central America and Mexico, said that axing funding for programs that have been running for years, would, in many cases, "waste U.S. taxpayer dollars that have already been invested" and "foster the same instability that is making people flee in the first place." Some government programs aimed at persuading Central Americans not to emigrate have been put in place, in part in response to Trump's earlier criticism about the migrant caravans that brought thousands trekking toward the U.S. border, and the threatened aid cutoff does not take that into account, officials say. "This goes against what we have seen in reports that show there have really been some decreases in migration, and that they are the result of the efforts being made on this issue," said lawmaker Yanci Urbina of the left-leaning FMLN party in El Salvador, the least populated of the three countries and a distant third in terms of how many migrants are heading for the U.S. Salvadoran Treasury Minister Nelson Fuentes said U.S. aid in his country includes $20 million in technical and fiscal funding over five years, and the government has not gotten word of any cuts. Another $200 million to spur growth and employment is managed in tandem with the World Bank, and it remains to be seen whether this will be reduced. Finally there are direct donations from Washington to the Salvadoran government and private organizations. Fuentes said aid for security and migration could be affected, but that actively funded contracts should not be. In Guatemala, the most significant aid comes in security assistance to fight drug trafficking - and that has already come under scrutiny recently over questionable use of armored vehicles donated by Washington. Other funds through USAID go to help programs on things like agriculture and education in poor rural communities, plus training for prosecutors, who have waged a high-profile fight against corruption in recent years, or for judges. Honduran political analyst Omar Garcia called U.S. aid to his country "vital" and said the threatened cuts show that Washington is "an unreliable ally for Honduras." Like Guatemala, Honduras has backed the Trump administration on key issues such as recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital and on the political crisis in Venezuela. It remains to be seen whether such support could waver. "A sense of nationalism is surging in this country ... and that could be a good thing," Garcia said. Beltran noted that most of the assistance now in jeopardy does not go directly to the three countries' governments but to agencies, NGOs, church groups and others. She predicted that an attempt to cut aid could face pushback in Congress if funds are reprogrammed without lawmakers' consent. Particularly in the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives, members and committees could try to place holds on money in the next funding bill, she said. "It is going to ensue into a battle," Beltran said, "because it is Congress that at the end of the day has the power of the purse." ___ Associated Press writers Sonia Perez D. in Guatemala City, Freddy Cuevas in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Matthew Lee in Washington and Mark Stevenson and Peter Orsi in Mexico City contributed to this report. ___ This story has been corrected to fix misattributed quotes which came from Honduran political analyst Omar Garcia. FILE - In this June 16, 2016 file photo, inmates ride in a bus out of the Cojutepeque prison in El Salvador. El Salvador had a homicide rate of 50.3 per 100,000 people in 2018. President Donald Trump said that he is cutting off nearly $500 million in aid to Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador help reduce immigration. The aid is meant to promote democracy-building, good governance, trade, agriculture, education, health and public safety and law enforcement. Experts say all of those areas play a direct role in whether people feel they can survive in their home country.(AP Photo/Salvador Melendez, File) FILE - In this Aug. 20, 2018 file photo, forensic investigators examine the crime scene where a man was executed while driving his car, in San Salvador, El Salvador. President Donald Trump said that he is cutting off nearly $500 million in aid to Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador help reduce immigration. The aid is meant to promote democracy-building, good governance, trade, agriculture, education, health and public safety and law enforcement. Experts say all of those areas play a direct role in whether people feel they can survive in their home country. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell, File) FILE - In this Oct. 27, 2018 file photo, members of a US-bound migrant caravan stand on a road after federal police briefly blocked their way outside the town of Arriaga, Mexico. Activists, officials and social workers in Central America were staggered by the idea that U.S. President Donald Trump thinks he will help reduce immigration by cutting off nearly $500 million in aid to Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador; exactly the opposite will happen, they say. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File) MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - The Latest on the trial of a former Minneapolis police officer who fatally shot an unarmed Australian woman in 2017 (all times local): 4:35 p.m. Six potential jurors have been excused from hearing the trial of a former Minneapolis police officer who fatally shot an unarmed Australian woman who called 911 to report a possible assault. Mohamed Noor is charged with murder in the July 2017 death of Justine Ruszczyk Damond. Attorneys and the judge said Tuesday that they've examined the questionnaires filled out by roughly half of the potential 75 jurors. They excused six of them based on their written answers. One excused juror wrote that he or she has negative feelings toward Somalis and believed Noor was a fast-track police hire. Noor is Somali American. FILE - In this May 8, 2018, file photo, Mohamed Noor arrives at the Hennepin County Government Center for a hearing in Minneapolis. Jury selection is scheduled to begin, Monday, April 1, 2019, in the trial of the former Minneapolis police officer who fatally shot an unarmed Australian woman after she called 911 to report a possible sexual assault behind her home. Noor is charged with murder in the July 2017 death of Justine Ruszczyk Damond - a case that drew international attention and led to changes at the city's police department. He has pleaded not guilty. (AP Photo/Jim Mone, File) Another potential juror said he had already decided that Noor is innocent. ___ 12:30 a.m. Attorneys will argue Tuesday whether jurors at a former Minneapolis police officer's murder trial should see a "fly through" exhibit of the shooting scene. The prosecution wants to introduce a 3D scan of the neighborhood where Mohamed Noor fatally shot 40-year-old Justine Ruszczyk Damond in July 2017 after she called 911 to report a possible sexual assault behind her home. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension used the scanner to document the scene. In a motion, the prosecution says one of the videos shows where Noor's squad car was in relation to Damond's body. The BCA also inserted lines showing potential bullet trajectories. But Noor's attorneys contend the video is inadmissible because it "inaccurately and prejudicially depicts what a person would actually see." Jury selection began Monday and resumes Wednesday. FILE - In this Dec. 21, 2017 file photo, John Ruszczyk makes a statement in Sydney, demanding a more rigorous probe into the fatal shooting of his daughter, Justine Ruszczyk Damond, by Minneapolis police. Jury selection is scheduled to begin, Monday, April 1, 2019, in the trial of a former Minneapolis police officer who fatally shot the unarmed Australian woman after she called 911 to report a possible sexual assault behind her home. Mohamed Noor is charged with murder in the July 2017 death of Justine Ruszczyk Damond - a case that drew international attention and led to changes at the city's police department. He has pleaded not guilty. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft, File) FILE - In this Aug. 11, 2017, file photo, Johanna Morrow plays the didgeridoo during a memorial service for Justine Ruszczyk Damond at Lake Harriet in Minneapolis. Jury selection is scheduled to begin, Monday, April 1, 2019, in the trial of a former Minneapolis police officer who fatally shot the unarmed Australian woman after she called 911 to report a possible sexual assault behind her home. Mohamed Noor is charged with murder in the July 2017 death of Damond - a case that drew international attention and led to changes at the city's police department. He has pleaded not guilty. (Aaron Lavinsky/Star Tribune via AP, File) This courtroom sketch depicts jury selection Monday, April 1, 2019, in Minneapolis in the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor, second from right, who fatally shot an unarmed Australian woman after she called 911 to report a possible sexual assault behind her home. Noor is charged in the July 2017 death of Justine Ruszczyk Damond in a case that drew international attention, cost the police chief her job and forced major revisions to the Police Department's policy on body cameras. (Cedric Hohnstadt via AP) Former Minneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor, left, and his attorneys Peter Wold, center, and Thomas Plunkett, right, made their way out of court at the Hennepin County Government Center, Monday, April 1, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minn. (Elizabeth Flores/Star Tribune via AP) Former Minneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor leaves the Hennepin County Government Center after the first day of trial in Minneapolis on Monday, April 1, 2019. Noor is charged in the July 2017 death of Justine Ruszczyk Damond, who was killed after she called 911 to report a possible sexual assault behind her home. (Evan Frost/Minnesota Public Radio via AP) Securities regulators will let Exxon Mobil block shareholders from voting on a proposal that the company disclose goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Activist investors led by the New York state comptroller pushed the proposal, which urges Exxon to set annual targets in line with goals set by the 2015 Paris climate agreement. Exxon asked the Securities and Exchange Commission in January for permission to bar the resolution. On Tuesday, the SEC's corporate-finance division notified both sides that it would not recommend enforcement action against Exxon if the company keeps the item off its annual shareholder meeting, which is usually held in late May - in effect, a green light for Exxon to drop the matter. An SEC lawyer says the measure would "micromanage" the company and supplant the judgment of Exxon managers and directors. A spokesman for Irving, Texas-based Exxon declined to comment on the ruling. New York Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli argues that a low-carbon global economy is a significant risk for Exxon and the company isn't prepared. He called the SEC ruling "a bump in the road" but vowed to keep pressing Exxon on the issue. In recent years, Exxon has faced a bevy of shareholder resolutions about climate change and other environmental issues. In 2017, shareholders disregarded opposition from Exxon's board and approved a measure urging the company to explain how climate-change policies could affect the its business. TORONTO (AP) - The Latest on Canada's ex-attorney general (all times local): 6:15 p.m. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says former Cabinet minister Jane Philpott has also been kicked out of the Liberal Party caucus. Trudeau cited repeated questioning of his leadership as well as the fact that former attorney general Jody Wilson-Raybould publicized a secretly recorded conversation she had with Michael Wernick, Canada's top civil servant. The scandal has rocked Trudeau's government in an election year. Wilson-Raybould believes she was demoted from her role as attorney general and justice minister to minister of veterans' affairs because she didn't give in to pressure to enter into a remediation agreement with a Canadian company so that it would avoid a potentially crippling criminal prosecution. The scandal has led to multiple resignations and damaged the party for eight weeks. In a letter released before she was removed, Wilson-Raybould acknowledged her colleagues are enraged but said she was "trying to help protect the Prime Minister and the government from a horrible mess." ___ 5:55 p.m. Canada's former attorney general says Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has told her she's been removed from the Liberal party caucus amid a scandal that has rocked Trudeau's government in an election year. Jody Wilson-Raybould tweeted Tuesday that Trudeau removed her and will not be a Liberal candidate in the fall election. Truderau and Liberal lawmakers were meeting Tuesday evening to discuss Wilson-Raybould after she publicized a secretly recorded conversation she had with Michael Wernick, Canada's top civil servant. Wilson-Raybould believes she was demoted from her role as attorney general and justice minister to minister of veterans' affairs because she didn't give in to pressure to enter into a remediation agreement with a Canadian company so that it would avoid a potentially crippling criminal prosecution. The scandal has led to multiple resignations and damaged the party for eight weeks. In a letter, Wilson-Raybould acknowledged her colleagues are enraged but said she was "trying to help protect the Prime Minister and the government from a horrible mess." ___ 4 p.m. Canada's former attorney general pleaded with her colleagues Tuesday to let her remain in the Liberal party caucus amid a scandal that has rocked Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government in an election year. Liberal lawmakers are expected to vote as soon as Tuesday evening to oust Jody Wilson-Raybould after she publicized a secretly recorded conversation she had with Michael Wernick, Canada's top civil servant. Trudeau is meeting with Liberal lawmakers and will make remarks to the media after. Wilson-Raybould believes she was demoted from her role as attorney general and justice minister to minister of veterans' affairs because she didn't give in to pressure to enter into a remediation agreement with a Canadian company so that it would avoid a potentially crippling criminal prosecution. The scandal has led to multiple resignations and damaged the party for eight weeks. In a letter, Wilson-Raybould acknowledged her colleagues are enraged but said she was "trying to help protect the Prime Minister and the government from a horrible mess." "Now I know many of you are angry, hurt, and frustrated. And frankly so am I, and I can only speak for myself. I am angry, hurt, and frustrated because I feel and believe I was upholding the values that we all committed to," Wilson-Raybould wrote to colleagues. "Ultimately the choice that is before you is about what kind of party you want to be a part of, what values it will uphold, the vision that animates it, and indeed the type of people it will attract and make it up." Trudeau has been on the defensive since the Globe and Mail newspaper reported Feb. 7 via sources that Trudeau's staff put pressure on Wilson-Raybould. She denied she was the source of the story, writing "I am not the one who tried to interfere in sensitive proceedings, I am not the one who made it public, and I am not the one who publicly denied what happened." The secret recording Wilson-Raybould made public shows Wernick telling Wilson-Raybould that Trudeau "is determined, quite firm" in finding a way to avoid a prosecution that could put 9,000 jobs at risk. It also reveals Wilson-Raybould saying she regards the pressure as "inappropriate." Wilson-Raybould has refused to express support for Trudeau, a demand many Liberal lawmakers say is necessary if she is to remain in Parliament as part of the party caucus. Nelson Wiseman, a political science professor at the University of Toronto, said he expected Wilson-Raybould to be expelled. "Her letter, I believe, sets the stage for her run at the Liberal leadership if the Liberals lose in October and Justin Trudeau steps down," Wiseman said. "She is a victim of the parliamentary system which in Canada imposes sturdier party discipline than in any of the other Westminster parliamentary systems. The letter reveals her naivete, as a rookie Member of Parliament, about how the system works." The Liberal caucus could also vote to remove Jane Philpott, a former Cabinet minister who stepped from her role after she said she lost confidence in how the government has handled the affair. SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Google said Tuesday it will require staffing companies it works with to pay workers at least $15 an hour and give them health benefits. The company has faced pushback from employees and contract workers for paying contractors less than full-time employees. Google did not say how many contractors and temporary workers it has, but reports say it is many thousands of people. Staffing companies will have until January 2020 to implement the minimum wage requirement, and January 2022 for the health care requirement. Google's new rules will require contractors, who are usually employed by third-party companies, to also get 12 weeks of paid parental leave and a $5,000 tuition reimbursement each year for classes to learn new skills. Contract workforces are common in the tech industry and often get paid less and have fewer perks than full-time employees working for tech giants. Microsoft also implemented a requirement for contractors to get paid parental leave last year. Many Google employees have banded together in the past year and demanded the company change various policies, prompting Google to examine issues from its handling of sexual misconduct claims to a military contract. RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) - Gun makers and military industry companies from all over the world gathered in Rio de Janeiro for Latin America's largest defense and security fair Tuesday, hoping to benefit from Brazil's new far-right administration and President Jair Bolsonaro's vow to loosen gun laws. Brazil, whose gun market remains mostly closed to foreign firms, was expecting some 450 companies and nearly 200 delegations from 80 countries during the four-day expo, organizers said. "This industry is very relevant for our economic growth," Brazilian defense minister Fernando Azevedo e Silva said in his opening speech. Brazil is the world's third-largest gun manufacturer after the United States and China, according to Brazilian think tank Igarape. The current administration has sent positive signals to both domestic and foreign companies. In January, soon after being sworn into office, Bolsonaro signed a decree, making it easier for many Brazilians to buy firearms. His party also plans to put forward new legislation that would loosen restrictions on carrying firearms and the number and type of guns civilians can own. Bolsonaro made public security a centerpiece of his campaign, saying police officers who kill criminals should be decorated, not prosecuted, and promising to overhaul gun laws in the world's murder capital. A man tries a multi shot riot gun displayed at the LAAD Defense and Security International Exhibition in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, April 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) Rio de Janeiro state Gov. Wilson Witzel adopted a similar stance. In an interview on Sunday Witzel said he had already met one of his flagship campaign promises: using sharpshooters to target criminals seen carrying large firearms. For weapon and ammunition companies this intense focus on public security could represent a significant opportunity. Brazil's state-run Industria de Material Belico do Brasil (IMBEL), linked to the Defense Ministry, says demand shot up 20 percent following the decree. "We are seeing various foreign companies, new brands, coming to Brazil," said Marcel Muniz Costa, the firm's head of communications told the Associated Press. Switzerland's defense technology firm Ruag is one of them. "We are very hopeful with this new administration", said Ruag Ammotec's senior vice president, Martin Neujahr. The company has recently decided to make Brazil their new Latin America headquarters. The company believes the market for small calibers and ammunitions in Brazil to be worth $50 million "or more than all other Latin American countries combined," Neujahr said. A representative for a foreign company at the fair, who asked to remain anonymous as to not compromise ongoing negotiation efforts with Brazil, said their prices were four to five time lower than its Brazilian competitors. "We're seeing a lot of interest from the police and the army," the representative told The Associated Press. But for this to happen, observers and market participants say Brazil must go further and put an end to the near-monopolies domestic companies have benefited from. "National politicians, lobbyists and weapons manufacturers have also benefited handsomely from subsidies and tax breaks. As a result, Taurus, the country's largest firearms maker, has enjoyed a virtual monopoly on the production of handguns and rifles," Robert Muggah, Igarape's research director, said in a statement. A historic tie between domestic companies such as Taurus and the army, who must approve the arrival of any outside competitor in Brazil, has not helped the cause of foreign firms. And while President Bolsonaro is clear on wanting to widen access to guns in the country, he sends a dual message on foreign competition, says Brazilian institute Sou da Paz. "He has traditional links with the army, a very nationalistic institution, which protects this idea that the defense industry is strategic", said Felipe Angeli, advocacy coordinator at Sou da Paz. Switzerland's Ruag for instance has been trying to enter the Brazilian market for several years. Plans to open a new ammunition factory in the country was canceled in 2018, due to intense lobbying in Brazil and a concern in Switzerland that selling ammunitions in an already hyper-violent country could damage the company's image, two sources told the Associated Press. High-ranking officials including Brazil's vice-president, defense and justice ministers were at Tuesday's event. A man tries a revolver displayed at the LAAD Defense and Security International Exhibition in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, April 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) A woman looks at a picture that she took of a pistol displayed at the LAAD Defense and Security International Exhibition in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, April 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) DIXON, Calif. (AP) - The Latest on two teenagers who were fatally electrocuted in an irrigation canal (all times local): 3:25 p.m. The mother of one of two teenagers electrocuted when they went into a Northern California irrigation canal to save a dog says there should have been signs warning of the danger. Candy Carrillo told The Sacramento Bee on Tuesday that her 17-year-old son, Jacob Hourmouzus, was riding four-wheel vehicles with friends near an orchard in Dixon, California, on Monday when he and another teen tried to save the dog. She says a strong current began to pull them downstream. They reached out to grab a bridge or gate, not knowing that for some reason it was electrified. Both were pronounced dead at the scene. The other boy's name has not been released. Carrillo, fighting back tears, said there should have been warning signs posted. ___ Authorities in California say two teenage boys were electrocuted while trying to rescue a dog from an irrigation canal at an orchard. KTXL-TV reports the Solano County sheriff's office says that when they walked into a canal Monday in Dixon to save the dog, one of the boys touched a nearby electrified gate. The California Highway Patrol says first responders found the teens in a nearby field. It is unclear who pulled them from the water. The boys were taken to a hospital where they died. Their names have not been released. Dixon High School Principal Stephanie Marquez says they were students of the school and that counseling services will be available for their classmates Tuesday. The sheriff's office says the dog survived. ___ Information from: The Sacramento Bee, http://www.sacbee.com AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - The Texas Senate has approved a resolution supporting President Donald Trump's assertion that there is an immigration "crisis" on the U.S.-Mexico border. The non-binding language was introduced on the floor by Houston Republican Sen. Paul Bettencourt on Tuesday. Outnumbered Democrats said they were blindsided and complained bitterly during hours of heated debate - but they didn't have the votes to stop it. The purely ceremonial resolution stated that the "Texas Senate supports the president in his efforts to move forward with emergency action" on the border. Still, lawmakers had previously largely avoided thorny immigration debates, despite Texas' 1,200-mile border with Mexico. The U.S. House and Senate voted against Trump's use of emergency power to build a border wall, but he vetoed the resolution and Congress was unable to override him TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - Top Republican lawmakers in Kansas appear skittish about being able to block Medicaid expansion, offering political cover to moderate GOP colleagues if they back off their push for an expansion this year. State Senate President Susan Wagle told reporters Tuesday that GOP leaders plan to have a legislative committee study Medicaid expansion this summer and fall. She said the panel would review proposals that could generate broader support among Republicans, such as a work requirement or drug testing for people receiving the expanded coverage. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly has made expanding Medicaid health coverage for as many as 150,000 additional Kansas residents one of her top priorities after her Republican predecessors thwarted it. Expansion has bipartisan support, but conservative Republicans who oppose it hold key positions in the GOP-controlled Legislature. Expansion opponents prevented even a legislative committee vote on a plan until supporters forced a debate in the House two weeks ago and passed a modified version of Kelly's plan. The Senate has yet to take up the bill, and expansion supporters are trying to pressure that chamber's GOP leaders into allowing a vote while working on ways to maneuver around them. "If it passes, it will be a plan that's affordable for Kansas and it will be catered to our needs," said Wagle, a conservative Wichita Republican who's been a strong expansion opponent. "We're willing and open to discuss it, but we want to do the right thing." GOP leaders have argued that Medicaid expansion will be too expensive for Kansas, even with the 2010 federal Affordable Care Act's promise that the federal government will cover most of the cost. Wagle also argued that state lawmakers should wait to see whether Congress overhauls health care again, but President Donald Trump on Tuesday deferred his push for a GOP alternative until after the 2020 election. Kansas Senate President Susan Wagle, R-Wichita, makes a point about Medicaid expansion during a news conference, Tuesday, April 2, 2019, at the Statehouse in Topeka, Kansas. Wagle has opposed expansion but says GOP leaders are planning to have the issue studied further this summer and fall so that they consider alternatives to a plan from Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly. (AP Photo/John Hanna) Thirty-six states have expanded Medicaid or have seen voters approve ballot initiatives. The federal government would cover 90 percent of the cost for Kansas. State Rep. Susan Concannon, a moderate western Kansas Republican who supports Medicaid expansion, said GOP leaders are "feeling the heat" of popular support for it and further study is a "stall tactic" to get them through this year. "I have a feeling their districts are starting to show their support for Medicaid expansion as well, and this is their effort to respond," said Sen. Randall Hardy, another GOP moderate from central Kansas. Kelly called on legislators to pass an expansion bill this week. Lawmakers are scheduled to begin an annual spring break Saturday and reconvene May 1 to wrap up business for the year. "Enough is enough," Kelly told reporters during a news conference. "No more stall tactics. No more bait and switch. No more excuses." Kelly's administration estimates that the net cost of an expansion to Kansas would be $34 million during its first full year. Republican leaders believe the figure is far too low. Wagle said legislators need months to review what other states have done, study what limits the Trump administration might allow and examine alternatives to Kelly's plan. "We want to put caveats in," Wagle said. "We want time to look at those." But expansion supporters said an expansion plan will pass the Senate this year if backers can engineer a vote. Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, a Topeka Democrat, dismissed Wagle's arguments for further study. "It's a position of weakness," he said. ___ Follow John Hanna on Twitter: https://twitter.com/apjdhanna . MEXICO CITY (AP) - The Mexican government said Tuesday there are significant slowdowns at U.S. border crossings, particularly at three of the eight between Ciudad Juarez and El Paso, Texas. The slowdowns have been caused by a U.S. decision to re-assign some 2,000 border officers who normally check vehicles at border crossings to deal with growing crowds of migrants. But the slowdowns caused huge backups of trucks and cars, threatening to strangle the movement of goods and people. "If we don't get this back to normal very soon, it is going to have an economic cost for both countries," warned Foreign Relations Secretary Marcelo Ebrard. The city government of Ciudad Juarez said so many trucks were backed up at border freight crossing there that they began to crowd some of the city's main boulevards, "causing losses for shopkeepers and creating traffic problems." City police organized long single-file lines of trucks on some less-used freeways along the city's edges. The border slowdown also created long lines of cars. Ebrard said the United States "does really have a problem" with a spike in the number of migrants, but that it wasn't because Mexico wasn't doing its job. Ebrard said that some new mechanisms, possibly bus services, were being used to shuttle migrants to the U.S. border. "We think the flow is being organized in some other way," Ebrard said. "It's no longer necessarily caravans, it is no longer necessarily what we had been seeing, no longer the train, it may be that they are arriving in passenger buses." But Ebrard expressed confidence that "no closure is foreseen" at the border. ATLANTA (AP) - Actress Alyssa Milano has joined several Georgia-based TV and film industry workers in protesting a "heartbeat" abortion ban awaiting Republican Gov. Brian Kemp's signature. Milano delivered a letter signed by other prominent Hollywood actors to Kemp's office Tuesday before speaking against the bill. Republican Rep. Dominic LaRiccia confronted Milano in a packed reception area in front of Kemp's office and asked her which Georgia district she votes in. Milano replied that she was currently working in Georgia, but did not live in the state. She said other film workers with her did. Backed by Kemp, the legislation would ban almost all abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected. That can be as early as six weeks, before many women know they are pregnant. Kemp's office declined to comment. Actress Alyssa Milano, front right, poses with film industry workers and pro-abortion rights supporters after delivering a letter to Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp's office detailing her opposition to HB 481 at the State Capitol, Tuesday, April 2, 2019, in Atlanta. HB 481 would ban almost all abortions after a fetal heartbeat can be detected. (AP Photo/John Bazemore) Actress Alyssa Milano, left, delivers a letter to Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp's office detailing her opposition to HB 481 at the State Capitol Tuesday, April 2, 2019, in Atlanta. HB 481 would ban almost all abortions after a fetal heartbeat can be detected. (AP Photo/John Bazemore) Actress Alyssa Milano hugs a woman after delivering a letter to Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp's office detailing her opposition to HB 481 at the State Capitol, Tuesday, April 2, 2019, in Atlanta. HB 481 would ban almost all abortions after a fetal heartbeat can be detected. (AP Photo/John Bazemore) PHOENIX (AP) - A former U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer in Arizona was sentenced to a year of probation after pleading guilty to lying about his citizenship on a passport application. Marco Antonio De La Garza Campos has acknowledged telling authorities that he was born in Texas, when he was actually born in Mexico. De La Garza, who was sentenced Thursday in Tucson, had worked for the federal agency for six years and had been stationed at the border city of Douglas. He previously served five years in the U.S. Navy. Over the years, the federal government has been criticized for not performing adequate background checks on people seeking jobs as border officers. The issue usually crops up when the government considers adding a large number of officers at the border. In pleading guilty, De La Garza acknowledged that he lied in 2017 on a passport application by saying he was born in Brownsville, Texas, when he was actually born in the northeastern Mexican state of Tamaulipas. Investigators said De La Garza used a false Texas birth certificate to enter the United States. In a letter to the sentencing judge, De La Garza said he was sorry for his crime and accepted responsibility for his actions. He said he lived with his mother in Mexico until he was 19 and that his parents told him when he was growing up that he was a U.S. citizen. "I should have pushed my parents more for information instead of dismissing it," De La Garza wrote, adding that he would like to legalize his immigration status in the future. De La Garza's current immigration status is unclear. His attorney, Matthew Green, said in court records that De La Garza will be eligible to apply for naturalization one year after the date of his conviction. Green wrote that if his client is allowed to remain in the United States, he'll serve as a stay-at-home father for his two young children, in an effort to reduce family expenses. When they are old enough to go to school, he'll seek a job, Green wrote. ___ Follow Jacques Billeaud at twitter.com/jacquesbilleaud. After many dangers, toils and snares, the long-lost Aretha Franklin concert film "Amazing Grace" has finally seen the light, and good Lord is it good. Filmed over two sessions in January 1972 at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in the Watts section of Los Angeles, it captures Franklin at the absolute apex of her power. The colossal accompanying double LP, which didn't suffer the same fate as the footage, is already justly revered and remains the best-selling gospel record of all time. But to see it is to believe. This is gospel ecstasy. For a long time, "Amazing Grace" was one of the great unseen white whales of cinema. The film - shot with 16mm cameras by a then up-and-coming director named Sydney Pollack - sat for decades in studio vaults because Pollack forgot to slate his footage, leaving the sound and pictures unsynchronized. He left the mess behind and moved on to make "The Way We Were." After Pollack died in 2008, Alan Elliott took over the film, had it synced, and had David Arnold edit it. (Elliott is credited for having produced and "realized" the film.) But efforts to release the documentary were stymied by Franklin who sued the filmmakers to prevent festival screenings in 2015 and 2016. It finally premiered three months after Franklin's death last year, with her estate's blessing. It's now arriving in theaters, 47 years later. The great concert films are often elevated by concept ("Stop Making Sense") or occasion ("The Last Waltz"). But "Amazing Grace" is lifted not by the production, which is a little shambling; or the staging, which is an afterthought. No, "Amazing Grace" is sent heavenward almost entirely by Franklin's soul-shattering voice and the frenzy worked up by the Southern California Community Choir, Rev. James Cleveland (a legend, himself, who presided over the performance), the limber choir director Rev. Alexander Hamilton, and a small (largely unseen) rhythm section of top-flight R&B players. It's overwhelming. Singing from the pulpit, Franklin's supreme virtuosity takes on biblical proportions. So glorious is she, then 29 and already in such staggering command of her instrument, that "Amazing Grace" - if you weren't dancing and hollering - would be hard to watch standing. Aretha will knock you flat. This image released by Neon shows Aretha Franklin in a scene from the film, "Amazing Grace." (Neon via AP) Part of the fun of "Amazing Grace" is watching not just those in the thrall of Franklin (Mick Jagger can be seen bopping in the back of the church) but witnessing the awe Franklin evokes. Members of the choir stand countless times to spur her on: "Sing it!" Franklin's father, a blue-suited Rev. C.L. Franklin, addresses the congregation (where Clara Ward sits in the front pew) to try, with halting eloquence, to measure his daughter's great talent. "Aretha is just a stone sing-ah," he says. At one point, an overcome Cleveland, sitting down in exhaustion and dabbing his forehead, exasperatedly tosses his handkerchief - a white flag of surrender - at Franklin in mid-song. It lands on the camera. An inexperienced documentarian, Pollack isn't as perceptive as, say D.A. Pennebaker was in "Monterey Pop." But he has the good sense to push in close on Franklin. "Amazing Grace" is best when her face, sweaty and blissful in song, fills the frame. She nearly glows. The concerts were a return to gospel roots for Franklin after a string of hits for Atlantic Records. Her father, one of the most prominent black preachers of his day and a close friend of Martin Luther King Jr., had raised her preaching both of God and black pride. So when Franklin here performs "Never Grow Old," she's singing one of the first songs she ever recorded, at age 15. Secular numbers ("You've Got a Friend") are mixed in with gospel staples like an exhilarating "Mary Don't You Weep" and a majestic, 10-minutes-long "Amazing Grace." Blues and gospel merge euphorically. It's easy to wonder while watching "Amazing Grace" what Franklin ever objected to. Did she simply resent that the filmmakers bungled its making? There remains some mystery around Franklin in the film, a shadow of sorrow seen only when she isn't singing. Franklin says virtually nothing throughout, appearing preternaturally calm in between songs. Is that simply out of respect for the setting? Was she somehow not at ease during the film's making, at least when the music wasn't playing? Or is it more like what John Updike said about Ted Williams not doffing his cap to fans after a home run? Just as gods do not answer letters, queens don't curtsy. "Amazing Grace," a Neon release, is rated G by the Motion Picture Association of America. Running time: 87 minutes. Three and a half stars out of four. ___ Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP NEW YORK (AP) - A New York City man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for trying to aid the Islamic State group by helping a co-conspirator travel abroad to fight for the militant group in 2015. Saddam Mohamed Raishani was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams. He had pleaded guilty in November to conspiring to provide support to the group. U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman says Raishani left his wife and child in the U.S. as he sought to travel to the Middle East in June 2017 so he could train and fight for the Islamic State. He was apprehended by law enforcement. Berman said Raishani tried to show support for the organization by helping another person make the trip in October 2015 before going himself. UNITED NATIONS (AP) - France and Germany announced the launch Tuesday of an Alliance for Multilateralism to promote global cooperation at a time of rising nationalism in Europe, the United States and elsewhere. France's Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told a joint news conference with Germany's Foreign Minister Heiko Maas that their first objective is to show that states that "support multilateralism and support the United Nations remain the majority in the world." The second objective, he said, is to create a network of countries ready to support multilateralism and cooperate including to fight inequality, tackle climate change and address the consequences of new technologies. Le Drian said the alliance also wants "to show the world what could be the consequences of unilateralism and isolationism enabling nationalism and extremist speeches to flourish." He said the alliance is a response to the risk of shattering the post-World War II world order that established the United Nations and other international institutions. U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres opened last September's annual gathering of world leaders at the General Assembly declaring that global cooperation is the world's best hope and warning that "multilateralism is under fire precisely when we need it most." U.S. President Donald Trump's speech, soon after Guterres', poured scorn on multilateralism, touted his "America First" policy, and rejected "the ideology of globalism." Nonetheless, General Assembly President Maria Espinosa Garces said at the end of the week-long meeting during which all 193 U.N. member nations spoke that one of its major achievements was strong global backing for the U.N. and multilateralism. Le Drian said cooperation is never easy but it is key to security "because there is security only if it is collective, and it is the best guarantee for long-lasting peace." He said France and Germany will pursue the initiative in the coming months and try to convince as many countries as possible to join before leaders gather this September. Le Drian noted that he and Maas discussed the alliance with Canada and Japan, but he made no mention of the United States. Asked about possible support from the Trump administration, and whether it had been contacted, Le Drian said: "Whoever wants to join us can join us - it is against nobody." Maas said he hasn't talked to Trump about it yet. "This alliance is an inclusive alliance," he said. "So we don't want a situation where countries are left out. We don't lock out anyone. But, of course, we see multilateralism is under threat ... and all of those who want to join such an initiative (should) also declare themselves to be multilateralists." "We would be happy, of course, if the United States were to join such an initiative, but this initiative has the aim to promote and strengthen the rules-based order and strengthen the international order," Maas said. "In the end, everyone will have to decide on which side they're on." LONDON (AP) - Prince Harry and his wife Meghan the Duchess of Sussex are planning to write to the family of an elderly war widow who was among his biggest fans before she died in Australia. The royal couple is described as deeply saddened by the death of Daphne Dunne. She was 99. Her family said on social media on Tuesday that their mother and grandmother "passed away peacefully" on Monday. "She was a truly special lady who will be greatly missed by so many," the family said. "The simple act of stopping Daphne in the street and holding her hand meant more to Daphne than anyone could ever imagine," it added. The Australian press reported that she died after being hospitalized with pneumonia. She had met Harry three times during his visits to Sydney, Australia, and had recently received a letter from Harry and Meghan on her birthday. Harry had introduced Dunne to Meghan on his most recent visit. Dunne said afterward that "it was lovely to meet the duchess, Meghan. Harry is a wonderful man and I'm so happy he had found happiness." WILMINGTON, N.C. (AP) - Possible electrical fumes in the cockpit spurred an American Airlines flight to make an emergency landing in North Carolina. Authorities tell news outlets that American flight 809 from Philadelphia to Orlando landed Tuesday afternoon at Wilmington International Airport. Deputy Airport Director Gary Broughton said the flight crew detected the odor in the cockpit of the Airbus A321 and deployed oxygen masks before asking to be diverted to Wilmington. The aircraft had 178 passengers and a crew of six on board. The plane taxied to the gate and passengers were allowed to leave the aircraft through the jet bridge. Emergency personnel were deployed but no injuries were reported. An American Airlines maintenance crew was inspecting the aircraft Tuesday afternoon. TOKYO (AP) - The Latest on the criminal case against Nissan's former chairman, Carlos Ghosn (all times local): 5:40 a.m. Friday Carlos Ghosn predicted his latest arrest in a French television interview filmed hours before prosecutors descended on his Tokyo apartment. The former star boss of carmakers Nissan and Renault told TF1 television that he faced "very probable arrest" but said he didn't know what the charges would be. The interview was filmed Wednesday and aired in full Thursday evening. Ghosn denied ever being "above the law" though acknowledged "pushing things to the limit" to improve Nissan and Renault. He suggested that the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance he helped create is now under threat. He alleged a complex plot against him starting in May 2018 by those at Nissan threatened by his strategy for the alliance. In this April 3, 2019 photo, former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn in a car leaves his lawyer's office in Tokyo. Japanese prosecutors took Ghosn for questioning Thursday, April 4, 2019, barely a month after he was released on bail ahead of his trial on financial misconduct charges. (Takuya Inaba/Kyodo News via AP) Ghosn has been charged in Japan with under-reporting his compensation and breach of trust. He was arrested Thursday on new allegations involving funds sent to an overseas dealership. ___ 10:55 p.m. A lawyer for Carlos Ghosn's family is accusing Japanese prosecutors of unfairly targeting his wife and seizing her computer, phone and passport during Ghosn's latest arrest. Lawyer Jessica Finelle told The Associated Press in Paris that the family is "extremely shocked" that Tokyo prosecutors arrested Ghosn for a fourth time Thursday. He denies wrongdoing. Finelle accused Japanese authorities of trying to "shut him up," because Ghosn was arrested just after he announced plans for a news conference next week. She said the new arrest was "pure harassment." The lawyer said the Japanese authorities searched his wife Carole and took her computer, cellphone and passport, as well as confidential exchanges with lawyers. Carole Ghosn has not been charged in the Japanese investigation, and Japanese prosecutors didn't comment Thursday on why they seized the wife's belongings. The prosecutors said the new arrest was based on a new suspected crime. Ghosn headed Japan's Nissan and France's Renault before his first arrest in November. ___ 6:30 p.m. A Tokyo prosecutor has defended the re-arrest and detention of Nissan's former chairman Carlos Ghosn. Shin Kukimoto, deputy chief prosecutor at Tokyo District Prosecutors' Office, said Thursday that the allegations behind the arrest, the fourth since Nov. 19, are a new, separate case involving different motives and people. He said Ghosn had to be arrested because of flight risk and concerns about he might destroy evidence on the new allegations. Kukimoto said Ghosn's release on bail March 6 was for his earlier charges and does not cover the latest allegations of breach of trust involving different people and companies. He refused to identify three companies allegedly involved in suspect payments. He also refused to confirm whether prosecutors had confiscated a cellphone and other items from Ghosn's wife. ___ 5:15 p.m. Troubled auto executive Carlos Ghosn is asking the French government to help defend him amid accusations of financial wrongdoing he denounces as "lies." Ghosn gave an interview to France's TFI television on Wednesday - before he was arrested again Thursday in Tokyo by prosecutors investigating him for alleged financial misconduct. Ghosn led Japan's Nissan and France's Renault before his first arrest in November. In the interview, which aired Thursday, he insisted "I am innocent" and said "I am calling on the French government to defend me and preserve my rights" as a French citizen facing legal trouble abroad. French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire called Ghosn a citizen like any other who "benefits from the presumption of innocence ... and consular protection." But Le Maire, speaking Thursday on BFM television, called for further investigation into how things were run at Renault under Ghosn's watch. The French government is a key Renault shareholder. ___ 3:30 p.m. The lawyer for former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn has slammed his latest arrest as "hostage justice" and stressed that Ghosn met the conditions for release on bail from detention. Ghosn was arrested first in November and was released last month after a Tokyo court found he was not a flight risk and would not tamper with evidence in his financial misconduct case. Lawyer Junichiro Hironaka said the latest arrest on Thursday was motivated by a desire to pressure Ghosn and would hurt the legal team's effort to prepare for the trial. Hironakatold the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan that "This goes against what is defined by law. This should never be allowed." He referred to the multiple arrests as "hostage justice," a term often used by critics of the tactic that prolongs pretrial detentions. The lawyer also said prosecutors had prevented Ghosn from speaking at a news conference next week and instead would release a video soon. ___ 1 p.m. A Tokyo detention center has confirmed that former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn has been already detained inside the facility following arrest over his latest allegations. Tokyo Detention House official Takao Sekihara confirmed Ghosn was inside Thursday afternoon. Tokyo prosecutors said Ghosn's latest arrest was based on suspicion he diverted $5 million from funds that were being relayed from a Nissan subsidiary to a dealership abroad. The arrest comes barely a month after Ghosn's release on bail from the earlier arrests related to alleged financial misconduct while he led the Japanese automaker. An investigation by Nissan Motor Co.'s French alliance partner Renault has centered on payments to a dealership in Oman in which some of the money is suspected of having been channeled for Ghosn's personal use. Ghosn insisted on his innocence in a statement. ___ 11:30 a.m. Tokyo prosecutors say the latest arrest of former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn was based on suspicion he diverted $5 million from funds that were being relayed from a Nissan subsidiary to an overseas dealership. TV footage Thursday morning showed officials entering Ghosn's apartment, and a car later going to the prosecutors' office, barely a month after Ghosn was released on bail from the earlier arrests related to alleged financial misconduct while he led the Japanese automaker. In a statement Ghosn strongly declared his innocence. He was first arrested in November on charges of under-reporting his compensation. The prosecutors said the diverted money is suspected of going to a company Ghosn virtually ran. The statement issued Thursday did not mention Oman. But an investigation by Nissan Motor Co.'s French alliance partner Renault has centered on payments to a dealership in Oman in which some of the money is suspected of having been channeled for Ghosn's personal use. ___ 10 a.m. Nissan's former Chairman Carlos Ghosn says he has been arrested a fourth time by Tokyo prosecutors investigating him for alleged financial misconduct. The prosecutors said they will issue a statement soon but declined immediate comment. Japanese TV footage showed officials entering Ghosn's apartment in Tokyo on Thursday morning, and a car later going to the prosecutors' office. Ghosn declared his innocence and had strong words about his detention in a statement issued by his family's spokesman. The spokesman would not be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter. It said: "My arrest this morning is outrageous and arbitrary. It is part of another attempt by some individuals at Nissan to silence me by misleading the prosecutors. Why arrest me except to try to break me? I will not be broken. I am innocent of the groundless charges and accusations against me." Ghosn was first arrested in November and twice in December, each one prolonging his pretrial detention. ___ 7:20 a.m. Japanese prosecutors have taken Nissan's former Chairman Carlos Ghosn for questioning barely a month after he was released on bail ahead of his trial on financial misconduct charges. Japanese TV footage showed officials entering Ghosn's apartment in Tokyo Thursday, and a car later going to the prosecutors' office. He may face what will be his fourth arrest under Japanese law. He was first arrested in November on charges of under-reporting his compensation. He was re-arrested twice in December, including on breach of trust charges. The arrests prolong detentions without trial. The latest charge appears to be related to the investigation by Nissan Motor Co.'s French alliance partner Renault about payments in Oman to a major dealership, some of which is suspected of having been channeled for Ghosn's personal use. Junichiro Hironaka, the lawyer of former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn speaks during a press conference Thursday, April 4, 2019, in Tokyo. Nissan's former Chairman Ghosn was arrested Thursday for a fourth time by Tokyo prosecutors investigating him for alleged financial misconduct.(AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) In this April 3, 2019, photo, former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn, center, mobbed by journalists leaves his lawyer's office in Tokyo. Japanese prosecutors took Ghosn for questioning Thursday, April 4, 2019, barely a month after he was released on bail ahead of his trial on financial misconduct charges. (Sadayuki Goto/Kyodo News via AP) A car which is believed to be carrying Nissan former Chairman Carlos Ghosn leaves an apartment building early Thursday, April 4, 2019 in Tokyo. Japanese prosecutors took Nissan's former Chairman Ghosn for questioning Thursday, barely a month after he was released on bail ahead of his trial on financial misconduct charges.(Takuya Inaba/Kyodo News via AP) A car which is believed to be carrying Nissan former Chairman Carlos Ghosn leaves an apartment building early Thursday, April 4, 2019 in Tokyo. Japanese prosecutors took Nissan's former Chairman Ghosn for questioning Thursday, barely a month after he was released on bail ahead of his trial on financial misconduct charges.(Takuya Inaba/Kyodo News via AP)/Kyodo News via AP) Former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn, center, leaves his lawyer's office in Tokyo, Wednesday, April 3, 2019. Ghosn, facing financial misconduct charges in Japan, says he will hold a news conference on April 11. (Sadayuki Goto/Kyodo News via AP) In this April 3, 2019, file photo, former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn, center, leaves his lawyer's office in Tokyo. Japanese prosecutors took Nissan's former Chairman Ghosn for questioning Thursday, April 4, barely a month after he was released on bail ahead of his trial on financial misconduct charges. (Sadayuki Goto/Kyodo News via AP, File) In this April 3, 2019, photo, former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn returns to his residence in Tokyo. Japanese prosecutors took Ghosn for questioning Thursday, April 4, 2019, barely a month after he was released on bail ahead of his trial on financial misconduct charges. (Mizuki Ikari/Kyodo News via AP) HAGATNA, Guam (AP) - Guam has experienced significant delays in autopsies and post-mortem examinations since the retirement of the island's chief medical examiner at the end of January, officials say. The result has been delays in criminal cases and exams of people who died from natural causes, the Pacific Daily News reported Wednesday. Post-mortem exams and autopsies must be performed on those who die within 24 hours of a hospital admission and on bodies that are to be transported off the island or cremated, officials said. Grieving families can be left waiting while post-mortem exams are done by a Saipan-based pathologist who travels 136 miles (219 kilometers) to Guam and stays for only a few days at a time. "Instead of the morgue releasing the body in two or three days, sometimes it's 10 days to two weeks," said Phil Flores of Our Lady of Peace funeral home. The Commission on Post-Mortem Examinations recently contracted two forensic pathologists from Hawaii to perform autopsies, according to the newspaper, but the work is for "mainly homicides and similar crimes" as needed. Explaining the delay to families is now part of the job for some funeral home representatives. "It's just become a battle between how quickly can we all get this done and work with each other to make sure it's all taken care of," said Faithe Escalona of San Agustin Funeral Home. FBI rejects young man's claim to be long-missing boy CINCINNATI (AP) - A young man's claim to be an Illinois boy who disappeared under tragic circumstances eight years ago was disproved by DNA tests and pronounced a hoax Thursday, dashing hopes that the baffling case had finally been solved. For a day and a half, a breakthrough seemed to be at hand when a young man found wandering the streets of Newport, Kentucky, on Wednesday identified himself as 14-year-old Timmothy Pitzen and told police he had just escaped from two men who had held him captive for seven years. Timmothy disappeared in 2011 at age 6, and a note left behind by his mother before she took her own life said he was being cared for and would never be found. Timmothy's family was cautiously hopeful over Wednesday's news, as were neighbors and others who have long wondered whether he is dead or alive. But the FBI said Thursday afternoon that DNA tests determined the young man was not Timmothy. Newport Police Chief Tom Collins identified him to ABC as Brian Rini of Medina, Ohio, a 23-year-old ex-convict. He was released from an Ohio prison less than a month ago after serving more than a year for burglary and vandalism. ___ Barr defends handling of Mueller's Russia report WASHINGTON (AP) - Attorney General William Barr on Thursday defended his handling of special counsel Robert Mueller's report on the Russia investigation, saying the confidential document contains sensitive grand jury material that prevented it from being immediately released to the public. The statement came as Barr confronts concerns that his four-page letter summarizing Mueller's conclusions unduly sanitized the full report in President Donald Trump's favor, including on the key question of whether the president obstructed justice. House Democrats on Wednesday approved subpoenas for Mueller's entire report and any exhibits and other underlying evidence that the Justice Department might withhold. The disparity in length between Barr's letter and Mueller's full report, which totals nearly 400 pages, raises the likelihood of additional significant information that was put forward by the special counsel's office but not immediately shared by the attorney general. In Thursday's statement, Barr defended the decision to release a brief summary letter two days after receiving the report on March 22. He has previously said he did not believe it would be in the public's interest to release the full document in piecemeal or gradual fashion, and that he did not intend for his letter summarizing Mueller's "principal conclusions" to be an "exhaustive recounting" of the special counsel's investigation. Barr is now expected to release the entire report, with redactions, by mid-April. ___ Chicago to sue Jussie Smollett for costs of investigation CHICAGO (AP) - Jussie Smollett has refused to pay more than $130,000 to reimburse Chicago investigative costs and the city said Thursday it will sue the "Empire" actor for money spent investigating what officials say was a phony racist, anti-gay attack that Smollett staged. Mayor Rahm Emanuel's law chief sent Smollett a March 28 letter demanding he pay $130,106 - plus 15 cents - for overtime worked by detectives and officers in looking into his claims. It set Thursday as the deadline to pay. The City Law Department said in a Thursday evening statement that it was already drafting a lawsuit in response and would file it "in the near future." Smollett, who is black and gay, maintains he told the truth in reporting that two masked men assaulted him in downtown Chicago on Jan. 29, shouting slurs and wrapping a rope around his neck. He said his attackers also yelled, "This is MAGA country," a reference to President Donald Trump's campaign slogan, "Make America Great Again." The lawsuit could lead to a civil trial, where jurors would have to answer the question of whether Smollett orchestrated the attack. ___ Judge orders mental health tests for accused mosque shooter CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand (AP) - A New Zealand judge on Friday ordered that the man accused of killing 50 people at two Christchurch mosques undergo two mental health assessments to determine if he's fit to stand trial. High Court judge Cameron Mander made the order during a hearing in which 28-year-old Australian Brenton Harrison Tarrant appeared via video link from a small room at the maximum security Paremoremo prison in Auckland. Tarrant was wearing handcuffs and a gray-colored sweater when he appeared on a large screen inside the Christchurch courtroom, which was packed with family members and victims of the shooting, some in wheelchairs and hospital gowns and still recovering from gunshot wounds. Tarrant had stubble and close-cropped hair. He showed no emotion during the hearing. At times he looked around the room or cocked his head, seemingly to better hear what was being said. The judge explained that from his end, Tarrant could see the judge and lawyers but not those in the public gallery. Tarrant spoke only once to confirm to the judge he was seated, although his voice didn't come through because the sound was muted. It wasn't immediately clear if his link had been deliberately or inadvertently muted. ___ White House pushes back on request for Trump tax forms WASHINGTON (AP) - The White House said Thursday that Democratic efforts to obtain President Donald Trump's tax records are "political games." A House committee chairman formally asked the IRS Wednesday to provide six years of Trump's personal tax returns and the returns for some of his businesses as Democrats try to shed light on his complex financial dealings and potential conflicts of interest. The request by Massachusetts Rep. Richard Neal, who heads the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, is the first such demand for a sitting president's tax information in 45 years. The unprecedented move is likely to set off a huge legal battle between Democrats controlling the House and the Trump administration. Neal made the request Wednesday in a letter to IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig, asking for Trump's personal and business returns for 2013 through 2018. He asked for the documents in seven days, setting an April 10 deadline. Trump told reporters Wednesday he "would not be inclined" to provide his tax returns to the committee. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said Thursday morning that the White House "is not interested in playing a bunch of political games like the Democrats in Congress clearly want to spend their time doing." ___ Trump backs off border shutdown but threatens auto tariffs WASHINGTON (AP) - Abandoning his threat to immediately seal the southern border, President Donald Trump warned instead on Thursday that he'd slap tariffs on cars coming to the U.S. from Mexico unless the Mexicans do more to stop the flow of migrants and drugs to the U.S. In his latest backtrack in recent days, Trump told reporters he would try the "less drastic measure" before resorting to his standing border-closure threat. "Mexico understands that we're going to close the border or I'm going to tariff the cars. I'll do one or the other. And probably start off with the tariffs," Trump said. He added later: "I don't think we'll ever have to close the border because the penalty of tariffs on cars coming into the United States from Mexico, at 25 percent, will be massive." It was the latest, seemingly sudden attempt at new leverage by a president struggling to solve what his administration has called a border "crisis." And it was a dramatic departure for Trump, who last week tweeted that he would close the border or large swaths of it this week unless Mexico immediately halted "ALL illegal immigration coming into the United States" - a seemingly impossible task. Trump said at the time that he was "not kidding around," and his acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney said in a television interview Sunday that it would take "something dramatic" for Trump not to close down the crossings. ___ Suspect held in 4 slayings at North Dakota business MANDAN, N.D. (AP) - A 44-year-old man was arrested Thursday in the slayings of four people who were shot or stabbed earlier this week at a property management business, police said. Chief Jason Ziegler said surveillance video identified a vehicle of interest and helped lead them to the suspect, who lived in the small town of Washburn about 35 miles (56 kilometers) north of Mandan. Ziegler said a motive for the killings wasn't yet known. He said the suspect lived in a mobile home park owned by the business, RJR Maintenance and Management. He was arrested without incident. The man was being held on four counts of felony murder, Ziegler said, with a court appearance likely Friday. Deputy Chief Lori Flaten confirmed earlier Thursday that a search conducted Wednesday in a field about half a mile from the business was related to the investigation. She said state and local police at the scene were "looking for potential evidence," but she didn't elaborate. ___ Jurors hear final arguments in opioid bribe scheme case BOSTON (AP) - In a scheme to get doctors to write prescriptions in exchange for cash, a wealthy drug company founder put patients at risk to guarantee his business' success, a federal prosecutor told jurors Thursday in his closing arguments in the closely-watched trial. Meanwhile, an attorney for Insys Therapeutics Founder John Kapoor sought to poke holes in the government's case, calling its two star witnesses liars with conflicting stories and accusing prosecutors of targeting Kapoor so just so they can tout a high-profile conviction. "The story cannot be true and they don't care because they have had their eye on this man, and these people for years," Attorney Beth Wilkinson said. "They want to show that they can take the guy at the top ... and they don't care if the other guys make up their story," she said. Kapoor and four other former executives of the Chandler, Arizona-based company are charged with conspiring to pay doctors millions of dollars in the form of fees for sham speaking events about the drug - a highly addictive fentanyl spray meant for patients with severe cancer pain. Prosecutors said Insys staffers also misled insurers about patients' medical conditions and posed as doctors' office employees in order to get payment approved for the costly opioid. ___ Fed's report condemning Alabama prisons: State vows action MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - Alabama authorities vowed Thursday to begin the monumental task of fixing their troubling prison problems, responding to a U.S. Department of Justice report that condemned excessive violence, inmate deaths and a critical staffing shortage in the state correctional system. The Justice Department on Wednesday gave the state 49 days to respond with a remedial plan or face a federal lawsuit for conditions so bad the department believes they violate the prohibition on cruel and usual punishment. "I think it's an enormous task we have in front of us," said state Sen. Cam Ward, head of a legislative prison oversight committee. He called the findings "deeply humiliating" for Alabama. "It's disgusting. I mean, it is." The federal report released Wednesday reeled off a chilling litany of examples of violence: An inmate died after being stabbed while other prisoners banged on a locked door for help. Another prisoner was strangled, left face down so long that "his face was flattened" by the time his body was discovered. Another prisoner told of being tied up and tortured for two days by fellow inmates in retaliation for reporting a sexual assault. The Department of Justice wrote that overcrowding, understaffing, excessive violence, a failure to stop sexual assaults, poor facilities and the indifference of officials were among the factors creating what it called inhumane conditions in Alabama's prisons. ___ Mormons ease opposition to same-sex couples and their kids SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Thursday repealed rules that banned baptisms for children of gay parents and that labeled same-sex couples as sinners eligible for expulsion - marking a reversal of policies condemned as jarring detours from a push by the faith to be more compassionate about LGBTQ issues. LGBTQ church members and groups that support them expressed relief about what they called an important step forward for the faith. However, they also said they were angry about the harm the 2015 policies had caused and the lack of an apology by church leaders. In a statement posted online, church leaders described the changes as "very positive policies" that should help "affected families." The faith's highest leadership group, known as the First Presidency, made the decision after "fervent, united prayer to understand the will of the Lord on these matters," the statement said. The faith widely known as the Mormon church said it is not changing its doctrinal opposition to gay marriage and still considers same-sex relationships to be a "serious transgression." "We want to reduce the hate and contention so common today," the statement said. KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) - Malaysia's human rights commission has urged the government to reinvestigate the disappearances of a Christian pastor and a Muslim activist after a public inquiry concluded they were abducted by the police special branch for alleged proselytizing of Muslims. Amri Che Mat, who ran a charity group, disappeared after leaving his home on Nov. 24, 2016. Pastor Raymond Koh disappeared in central Selangor state on Feb. 13, 2017, while being investigated over alleged proselytization. The National Human Rights Commission concluded Wednesday after a two-year public investigation that direct and circumstantial evidence showed the men were victims of "enforced disappearance by state agents" involving the special branch. It said the men were targeted by religious authorities and police and had been abducted in similar ways: Their cars were blocked by several four-wheel drive vehicles before they were swiftly seized by men in black wearing ski masks. It said Amri was under the watch of Perlis religious authorities for allegedly spreading Shiite teachings. The government recognizes only the Sunni branch of Islam and prohibits all others including Shiites, the world's second-largest Islamic group. The findings have stunned Malaysians and prompted calls by rights groups, lawmakers and a Christian organization for a new investigation to find the truth and punish the perpetrators. The inquiry cannot take action and can only make recommendations to the government. "After the (commission's) damning conclusion, the government can no longer bury its head in the sand. An independent and impartial investigation into the special branch's involvement ... must be immediately undertaken in order to determine (Amri and Koh's) fate or whereabouts," said Sevan Doraisamy, executive director of rights group SUARAM. In this photo taken Wednesday, April 3, 2019, Norhayati Mohd Arifin, sitting at left, wife of Amri Che Mat and Susanna Liew Sow Yoke, sitting at right, wife of Pastor Raymond Koh react during the announce the findings of the Public Inquiry into the disappearances of Pastor Raymond Koh and Amri Che Mat at National Human Rights Commission office in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Malaysia's government was urged Thursday to reinvestigate the disappearances of a Christian pastor and a Muslim activist after a public inquiry concluded the duo were abducted by the police special branch over matters against Islam. (AP Photo) The National Evangelical Christian Fellowship said the government must reopen the investigation into the "heinous injustice" against the two men and that police cannot be allowed to violate the rule of law. In addition to Koh, Muslims-turned-Christian preachers Joshua Hilmi and his wife Ruth Hilmi disappeared mysteriously six days after Amri in 2016. The commission said it hopes to conduct a public inquiry into the Hilmis' case too. "These kidnapping have raised fears of religious vigilantism in the country," said lawmaker Charles Santiago, who described the commission's findings as "chilling." Santiago and another lawmaker, Ram Karpal, called for the suspension of national police chief Mohamad Fuzi Harun, who was head of the special branch at the time. Other civic organizations and a group of former civil servants demanded that the government set up an oversight body to ensure that police are accountable and to regain public trust. Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad told reporters late Wednesday that the government will reinvestigate the disappearances if the rights commission has evidence to back up its findings, not just hearsay. He noted that the disappearances occurred under the previous long-ruling coalition that was defeated in last May's election. Mah Weng Kwai, a retired judge who headed the inquiry, said Thursday that the government must prove that police were not involved. He said the inquiry was handicapped by police reluctance to cooperate, but that circumstantial evidence in both cases strongly pointed to police involvement, which he described as "heinous and despicable." Mah said his three-member panel had done "sufficient fact-finding" to warrant a further government investigation. Mahathir has said that Fuzi, who is due for retirement soon, will be allowed to do so and that a new police chief could investigate him later. Fuzi has declined to comment. The former home minister in charge of police, Zahid Hamidi, denied ordering police to abduct the men. Former national police chief Khalid Abu Bakar denied that the special branch was involved. AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - In the growing Democratic presidential field, they seem like a study in opposites. One's 77, a democratic socialist from the U.S.-Canada border state of Vermont, who exudes a curmudgeonly grumpiness and bursts with detailed policy proposals. The other's a boyish 46-year-old native of the U.S.-Mexico border city of El Paso, Texas, who livestreams his skateboarding prowess and offers hopeful but vague paeans to tolerance and cooperation. Bernie Sanders and Beto O'Rourke may represent different poles among the dozen-plus Democrats vying for the White House, but they have key commonalities that now inject special tension into their rivalry as they ramp up their campaigns. Both lead the pack in fundraising and have built substantial campaign treasuries on thousands of small donors nationwide rather than using the more traditional model of a small core of major financial backers. They also strike chords with the same part of the electorate. In their last races, each rose on a strong appeal to young voters. Now, though, it's not clear both can exploit their strengths while going head-to-head. Democratic presidential candidate and former Texas congressman Beto O'Rourke leaves the stage after speaking during the National Action Network Convention in New York, Wednesday, April 3, 2019. On the surface, Sanders and Beto O'Rourke don't have much in common. But they could square off for the same kind of voter during the 2020 Democratic presidential primary. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) Already, they find themselves recruiting some of the same campaign talent, with a few veterans of Sanders' 2016 presidential bid having signed on this time with O'Rourke. While other candidates in the 2020 race have natural connections to other parts of the Democratic voting base, Sanders, a U.S. senator, and O'Rourke, a former congressman, could find themselves in more of a zero-sum contest for the same turf. Both will be in Iowa this weekend campaigning for the upper hand. "If Bernie begins to surge, the Beto people will largely go there. The opposite's true, too," said Jim Hightower a former Texas agriculture commissioner who was a top state Sanders supporter in 2016 but also among the first to counsel O'Rourke on his near-upset in November of Sen. Ted Cruz. This week, Sanders announced that he raised $18.2 million in 41 days of campaigning through March 31. O'Rourke countered that he'd collected $9.4 million in an 18-day period, or $520,000-plus daily. Matt Bennett, co-founder of the Third Way, a centrist Washington think tank, said Sanders finds himself more hemmed in than when he ran a surprisingly tight race in 2016 against Hillary Clinton. "He has plenty of competition in the authenticity category now," including from Sen. Kamala Harris of California and Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Indiana, who also have attracted strong online fundraising. Still, Bennett said, O'Rourke may prove the stiffest test to Sanders given that his donor base is so similar - a key metric for campaign strength so early in the electoral cycle. "What you're going to see is there is not a clean ideological explanation for where people end up," Bennett said. "It's going to be who speaks to me, who inspires me with their rhetoric, with their persona, with their passion." Other major candidates in the Democratic presidential field - which includes two African Americans, a half dozen women, a Latino and a gay candidate - have obvious inroads with key ethnic, racial and demographic groups that lean Democratic. But Sanders and O'Rourke have shown they can consistently draw throngs of young voters to their rallies. Sanders' crusty passion - and willingness to fight for policy ideas that seemed far-fetched, even if it wreaked havoc on both parties - appealed to 2016 voters who were sometimes less than a third his age. O'Rourke, who was still in high school when Sanders entered Congress in 1991, has whipped up enthusiasm by preaching optimistic bipartisanship to meet challenges like climate change. Texas' 2018 midterms - which included O'Rourke's Senate race - drew nearly 1.1 million voters between ages 18 and 29, or 235% more than the state's midterms in 2014, in no small part due to his campaign. As the nation's population gets older, young voters are seen as increasingly important to Democratic candidates. "The Democratic Party's age profile is really defying the aging pattern of the country overall," said Alec Tyson of the Pew Research Center, which specializes in election analysis. "They're about as young as they were 10 years ago, which is remarkable because the country's not." Pew data indicates that millennial voters born between 1981 and 1996 have had a Democratic tilt since reaching adulthood. In the early weeks of his campaign, O'Rourke has prioritized visiting colleges. He's impressed some previous Sanders supporters with the 30-year gap between them. "I think it's really important to get people excited, and I think that's what Beto does, and I'm not sure Bernie does anymore," said Meaghan O'Connor, 21, a Sanders voter in 2016 who attended an O'Rourke campus rally at Penn State University last month. Both Sanders and O'Rourke have worked to reach other demographic groups. Sanders has recalled his days as a civil rights activist at the University of Chicago, and O'Rourke has made three visits since 2017 to historically black Texas Southern University in Houston. Despite having overlapping strengths, O'Rourke and Sanders are different politically. O'Rourke is more establishment-minded, promising to work with Republicans and appeal to past Donald Trump supporters. His message that relies more on optimism than specifics reminds some of Barack Obama's 2008 pitch. Sanders specializes in specificity, best illustrated by his "Medicare for All" health care plan, calls for $15 hourly minimum wage and proposals to shrink large investment banks. "Blindly following Beto for his personality is a bad thing," said Travis Clark, a 23-year-old University of Texas student who saw O'Rourke at a recent Austin rally but remains undecided. "You have to vote for the candidate for the right reasons, not just because you like them." ___ Associated Press writers Marc Levy in State College, Pa., and Clarice Silber in Austin, Texas, contributed to this report. CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - When the sun goes down in Venezuela's capital of Caracas, the once-thriving metropolis empties under darkness. Many street lights don't work. Residents avoid stepping outside their homes due to crime - or for lack of anything to spend - as a creeping economic collapse has accelerated amid a political battle between socialist President Nicolas Maduro and his foes at home and abroad. A string of devastating nationwide blackouts last month dramatized the decay. Even under the light of day, billboards often have nothing to promote, their skeletal framework bare long after the wind has ripped away old advertising. As dusk falls, many storefronts are just graffiti-scrawled security doors chained shut. Often just a single business along a city block is able to stay open, awaiting sparse customers. Others close earlier, like a beauty salon, its few remaining clients forced to decide between the simple luxury of haircut or buying food. Caracas' La Mercedes neighborhood, famous for its upscale shopping and nightlife, hasn't been spared. Many of its pubs and fancy restaurants are devoid of waiters and customers. A shopping mall keeps it lights on, but the doors lock hours earlier than they did before, when they teemed with life. High-rise buildings stand unfinished, the workers having long ago abandoned their jobs. Windows are covered over with cardboard rather than finished with glass. A billboard stands empty above a highway with no traffic as the sun sets in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, March 18, 2019. When the sun goes down in Venezuela's capital, the once-thriving metropolis empties under darkness. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) Residents desperate for cash transform patches of sidewalk into their impromptu shops, laying out old shoes or second-hand shirts as merchandise. The poor and hungry scour through household trash, scattering it across street corners before it's collected, grabbing anything they can use or eat. President Nicolas Maduro blames his domestic political opponents and the increasing grip of U.S. economic sanctions he says are part of a coup aimed at toppling his socialist government. The opposition, led by lawmaker Juan Guaido, blames years of corrupt leadership, lack of investment and economic bungling that has left the country dependent on a collapsing oil sector and on remittances sent home by the millions who have fled the growing hardship. Surrounded by shuttered shops, Rosa Luque hangs a list of her menu's offerings: beef, pork, liver, chicken and meatballs, as she opens her restaurant in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, March 25, 2019. The sign reads in Spanish: "Yes there's lunch," and lists prices around a dollar. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) An ice-cream shop sits empty in the La Mercedes neighborhood of Caracas, Venezuela, early evening Tuesday, March 19, 2019. Often just a single business along a city block is able to stay open in Caracas, awaiting sparse customers. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) The Spanish words "It rotted" covers a closed shop in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, March 18, 2019. Many storefronts in Caracas are graffiti-scrawled security doors chained shut. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) Garbage lays scattered on the pavement in Caracas, Venezuela, early Monday, March 25, 2019. The poor and hungry scour through household trash, scattering it across street corners before it's collected, grabbing anything they can use or eat. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) A food vendor waits for customers in Caracas, Venezuela, early evening Tuesday, March 19, 2019. Residents avoid stepping outside their homes due to crime, or for lack of anything to spend, as a creeping economic collapse has accelerated amid a political battle between Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his foes at home and abroad. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) Used shoes and cell phones fill a wall at a market set up by residents under a road bridge in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, March 20, 2019. Residents desperate for cash transform patches of sidewalk into their impromptu shops, laying out old shoes or second-hand shirts as merchandise. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) A woman walks through a small shopping center where almost all the shops are shuttered in Caracas, Venezuela, early evening Monday, March 18, 2019. Some shopping malls keeps their lights on, but the doors locked hours earlier than they did in the past, when they teemed with life. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) A billboard featuring Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro is seen through an empty one in Caracas, Venezuela, Tuesday, March 19, 2019. Billboards often have nothing to promote, their skeletal framework bare long after the wind has ripped away old advertising. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) Used clothing hangs for sale at a market set up by residents under a road bridge in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, March 20, 2019. The country depends on a collapsing oil sector and on remittances sent home by the millions who have fled Venezuela's growing hardship. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) Food vendors wait for customers on a darkened street in Caracas, Venezuela, late Thursday, March 21, 2019. Many street lights don't work after a string of devastating nationwide blackouts last month. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) Used shoes for sale are displayed on the sidewalk of a graffiti-filled street in Caracas, Venezuela, early Monday, March 25, 2019. Residents desperate for cash transform patches of sidewalk into their impromptu shops, laying out old items as merchandise. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) Surrounded by shuttered storefronts, Junior Carmona works inside his leather repair shop in Caracas, Venezuela, early evening Monday, March 18, 2019. A creeping economic collapse has accelerated amid a political battle between socialist President Nicolas Maduro and his foes at home and abroad. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) The moon rises at sunset in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, March 18, 2019. When the sun goes down in Venezuela's capital, the once-thriving metropolis empties under darkness. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) A man lines up used batteries in an attempt to sell them, at a market under a road bridge in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, March 20, 2019. Desperate for cash, residents organized themselves about eight months ago to sell used items under the bridge. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) A man walks past shuttered stores in Caracas, Venezuela, early evening Monday, March 18, 2019. The opposition blames Venezuela's economic crisis on years of corrupt leadership, lack of investment and economic bungling that has left the country dependent on a collapsing oil sector and on remittances sent home by the millions who have fled the growing hardship. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) Images of President Nicolas Maduro, right, and his predecessor, late President Hugo Chavez, cover a building in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, March 18, 2019. Maduro blames Venezuela's declining economy on his domestic political opponents and the increasing grip of U.S. economic sanctions he says are part of a coup aimed at toppling his socialist government. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - A detained Spanish-language reporter facing deportation after he was arrested while covering an immigration rally in Tennessee is seeking release from custody. Lawyers for Manuel Duran said Thursday that they have filed a petition seeking his release from the Etowah County Detention Center in Alabama. He was transferred there after being held in Louisiana following his arrest one year ago. Duran has been in custody since he was arrested while covering an April 3, 2018, rally protesting immigration policies in Memphis. Charges related to the protest were subsequently dropped, but he was picked up by immigration agents after he was released from jail and detained. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has said Duran was taken into custody because he had a pending deportation order from 2007 after failing to appear for a court hearing. Duran has said he did not receive a notice to appear in court with a time and date on it. Duran sits in federal custody as the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta reviews his case for asylum. Duran's lawyers claim conditions have worsened for journalists in El Salvador and he could be in danger if he returns. The appeals court has granted Duran an indefinite stay from deportation and sent his case back to the Board of Immigration Appeals for further review. Previous efforts by his lawyers at the Southern Poverty Law Center to have him released as his case proceeds have been denied. FILE - In this April 3, 2018 file photo, Memphis police arrest Spanish-language reporter Manuel Duran during an immigration protest in Memphis, Tenn. The detained reporter who is facing deportation after he was arrested while covering the immigration rally in Tennessee is seeking release from custody. Lawyers for Duran said Thursday, April 4, 2019, they filed a petition seeking his release from the Etowah County Detention Center in Alabama. (Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal via AP, File) Duran's attorneys argue that his detention violates current immigration law. Duran is from El Salvador and he has lived in Memphis for years. He ran the Memphis Noticias online news outlet and reported on the effects of U.S. immigration policies on the Hispanic community. Duran's lawyers have said he came to the United States without permission in 2006 after receiving death threats related to reporting on corruption in El Salvador. DENVER (AP) - Colorado officials are warning legal immigrants that working in the state's marijuana industry could jeopardize their legal status, after two people said they were denied U.S. citizenship because of their jobs. Although 10 states broadly allow its use and sale, federal law still bans marijuana and immigration authorities say they are bound to follow that prohibition when reviewing citizenship applications. Attorneys representing the two legal immigrants from Colorado, and Denver officials, accused the Trump administration of quietly targeting immigrants seeking to work in the expanding field. Immigration advocates said Thursday they have seen others denied citizenship based on past or ongoing work in cannabis-related jobs, but it is not clear how many cases exist. Oswaldo Barrientos, one of those denied citizenship, said he began working in the industry in 2014. He was inspired by the research he had done into medical products after his mother was diagnosed with skin cancer. Barrientos, 30, said he was brought to the U.S. from El Salvador as an infant and was granted a green card when he was 13. He said he didn't anticipate any problems with his citizenship application. He is fluent in English and said he has no criminal history, pays taxes and graduated high school. But during an interview in November, the immigration official focused on Barrientos' job with a state-licensed company that grows marijuana, he said. Oswaldo Barrientos sits for an interview in Denver on Wednesday, April 3, 2019. He said U.S. immigration officials blocked his application for citizenship because he works in the marijuana industry. Barrientos, who was brought to the U.S. from El Salvador illegally as a child, said he plans to appeal the denial of his application. His attorneys also are considering his options in federal court. (AP Photo/Thomas Peipert) Weeks later, he received a letter from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services denying him because of his job, his lawyers said. "I was shocked, appalled, sad," Barrientos said. "It was a mixture of emotions. I had no idea I was going to be in this situation." Barrientos' attorneys Aaron Elinoff and Bryce Downer, who specialize in immigration law in Colorado, said they also represent a woman whose citizenship application was denied because of a previous job at a marijuana dispensary. She asked not to be named publicly because of a new job in the medical field, they said. "Frankly, these are the people we want to be citizens," Elinoff said. "And the U.S. government is telling them no. We don't know how many people have been denied on the same issue." Kathy Brady, a senior staff attorney with the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, said legal immigrants have reported similar denials in Colorado and Washington state, where marijuana also is legal. Brady said she doesn't know how many people have been denied citizenship for their work in the marijuana industry. She advises people without U.S. citizenship to find work elsewhere unless federal law changes. "Even if you have had a green card for 20 years, you had better not work in any aspect of this industry and you better not use marijuana," Brady said. Deborah Cannon, a spokeswoman for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, said the agency does not comment on individual cases. She defended denials based on involvement with marijuana, saying the agency must follow federal law that prevents its use or sale. "Despite state law that may allow medical marijuana use, the Supreme Court has held that Congress' authority under the Commerce Clause empowers it to prohibit drug distribution and possession, even if the prohibited activities are not also illegal under state law," she said. "When adjudicating applicants for citizenship, the agency is required to apply federal law." The use and sale of marijuana for adults is broadly permitted in 10 states. More than 30 states allow a variety of marijuana-based products for medical purposes. Advocates have warned immigrants of the peril that using state-permitted marijuana could do to their legal status for years and are expanding that message to include employment by marijuana businesses. The Immigrant Legal Resource Center began working with California's employment agency to answer workers' questions this year. On Wednesday, the Denver agency that regulates marijuana businesses told companies to warn new employees that their work could block citizenship applications. Denver Mayor Michael Hancock met with Barrientos and others this week before calling on U.S. Attorney General William Barr to issue formal guidance on the issue. "Denver understands the need for federal laws and regulations regarding citizenship and immigration, but we are seeing the heartbreaking effects that those federal laws and regulations are having on our residents," Hancock wrote to Barr. Barrientos said he plans to appeal the denial of his application. His attorneys are also considering his options in federal court. In the meantime, he is following their advice not to leave the country and risk being barred from re-entering. He plans to keep his job and calls the government's denial of his application "downright wrong." "I'm trying to help people," he said. "We want to work hard to live the American dream. That's all I've ever wanted." ___ Kathleen Foody is a member of AP's marijuana beat team. Follow her at twitter.com/katiefoody. Find complete AP marijuana coverage here: apnews.com/tag/Marijuana. Oswaldo Barrientos picks dead leaves from marijuana plants at the grow facility where he works near downtown Denver on Wednesday, April 3, 2019. He said U.S. immigration officials blocked his application for citizenship because he works in the marijuana industry. Barrientos was brought to the U.S. from El Salvador illegally as a child and started working in the industry in 2014. (AP Photo/Thomas Peipert) Oswaldo Barrientos stands in the doorway of a grow room at the marijuana facility where he works near downtown Denver on Wednesday, April 3, 2019. He said U.S. immigration officials blocked his application for citizenship because he works in the marijuana industry. Barrientos was brought to the U.S. from El Salvador illegally as a child and started working in the industry in 2014. (AP Photo/Thomas Peipert) Oswaldo Barrientos walks among marijuana plants at the grow facility where he works near downtown Denver on Wednesday, April 3, 2019. He said U.S. immigration officials blocked his application for citizenship because he works in the marijuana industry. Barrientos was brought to the U.S. from El Salvador illegally as a child and started working in the industry in 2014. (AP Photo/Thomas Peipert) Attorney Aaron Elinoff, who specializes in immigration law, is interviewed with his client, Oswaldo Barrientos, right, in Denver on Wednesday, April 3, 2019. Barrientos said U.S. immigration officials blocked his application for citizenship because he works in the marijuana industry. Barrientos, who was brought to the U.S. from El Salvador illegally as a child, said he plans to appeal the denial of his application. Elinoff also is considering his options in federal court. (AP Photo/Thomas Peipert) A Cambodian cannabis worker trims marijuana flowers at Loving Kindness Farms in Gardena, Calif., Thursday, April 4, 2019. Colorado officials are warning legal immigrants that working in the state's marijuana industry could jeopardize their legal status, after two people said they were denied U.S. citizenship because of their jobs. Although legal in 10 states including California, federal law bans the use or sale of marijuana. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel) A Cambodian cannabis worker trims marijuana flowers at Loving Kindness Farms in Gardena, Calif., Thursday, April 4, 2019. Colorado officials are warning legal immigrants that working in the state's marijuana industry could jeopardize their legal status, after two people said they were denied U.S. citizenship because of their jobs. Although legal in 10 states including California, federal law bans the use or sale of marijuana. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel) A Cambodian cannabis worker trims a marijuana flower at Loving Kindness Farms in Gardena, Calif., Thursday, April 4, 2019. Colorado officials are warning legal immigrants that working in the state's marijuana industry could jeopardize their legal status, after two people said they were denied U.S. citizenship because of their jobs. Although legal in 10 states including California, federal law bans the use or sale of marijuana. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel) A Cambodian cannabis worker trims marijuana flowers at Loving Kindness Farms in Gardena, Calif., Thursday, April 4, 2019. Colorado officials are warning legal immigrants that working in the state's marijuana industry could jeopardize their legal status, after two people said they were denied U.S. citizenship because of their jobs. Although legal in 10 states including California, federal law bans the use or sale of marijuana. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel) JERUSALEM (AP) - As Israel prepares to hold a national election next week, experts say it is vulnerable to the kind of foreign hacks and cyber campaigns that have disrupted the political process in other countries. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says there is "no country better prepared" to combat election interference. But despite Israel's thriving tech sector and vaunted security capabilities, experts say its laws are outdated and that Netanyahu's government hasn't made cyber threats a priority. Campaigning had just started to ramp up in January when the director of the Shin Bet, Israel's internal security agency, told a closed audience that a world power had tried to disrupt the April 9 vote. Suspicion fell on Russian operatives, now infamous for their alleged cyber meddling in America's 2016 presidential race and the Brexit referendum. Soon after, news erupted that Iranian agents had hacked the cellphone of Benny Gantz, a former general who is the main challenger to Netanyahu. Although the breach occurred months before Gantz joined the race, the scandal threatened to derail his campaign, which is largely based on his security credentials. Boaz Dolev, the CEO of ClearSky, a cyber security firm, said Iranian operatives have honed their phone-hacking skills over the past five years and targeted nearly all of Israel's senior army officials. He said Israel is also a target for hackers who support the Palestinian-led boycott movement, and who launch an annual wave of attacks that this year will coincide with the vote. But many experts say the greatest threat comes from within. FILE - In this Tuesday, April 2, 2019 file photo, Israeli border police officers stand guard next to posters depicting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Ha'tikva market in Tel Aviv, Israel. As Israel prepares to hold a national election next week, experts say it is vulnerable to the kind of foreign hacks and cyber campaigns that have disrupted the political process in other countries. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty, File) Karine Nahon, president of the Israel Internet Association, says the main danger comes from Israeli politicians and their supporters spreading disinformation on social media. She said there is little in the way of legislation to prevent such activities as laws on political propaganda were written before the digital age and are poorly enforced. On Monday, an Israeli group known as the Big Bots Project revealed what it said was a sprawling network of fake and automated social media accounts, some operated by real people, that circulated posts supporting Netanyahu and smearing his opponents, particularly Gantz. Noam Rotem, one of the researchers, said the legion of accounts pumping fake news into democratic debate poses "the biggest and most sophisticated threat we've seen yet" to Israel's electoral integrity. The researchers said they found no direct link between the network and Netanyahu or his Likud party. But Netanyahu's son Yair, who has run into trouble in the past for controversial social media activity, has frequently liked posts by the network's accounts. At a press conference, the prime minister dismissed the report as a "fake investigation," saying almost all of the accounts in question turned out to be operated by real people. But critics say the government has failed to take necessary precautions, even as concern over cyber meddling in elections has grown in recent years. Election systems in Israel are not formally designated as "critical infrastructure," a move that would expand the mandate of security agencies to protect them. The main law regulating political campaigns was passed in 1959 and tailored for TV and radio. Last fall, legislators introduced an amendment that would subject online political ads to its requirements. The bill seemed guaranteed to pass, but at the 11th hour, Netanyahu's Likud shot it down. The Shin Bet and the Cyber Directorate, the main bodies tasked with overseeing election security, both report to the prime minister, something Rotem views as a "conflict of interest" during a hard-fought election campaign. The Cyber Directorate declined to comment on its efforts to secure the election, referring questions to the Central Elections Committee, a monitoring panel made up of parliamentarians from different political parties. In a statement, the committee said it has a "plan of action" that includes "increased alertness and awareness," but that its actions "cannot be publicized" because of their sensitive nature. It pointed out that Israel still uses paper ballots, enhancing security on election day. But the vote count is digitized, which means that "in the last and most critical stage of the voting process, our database is vulnerable," said Lotem Finkelstein, head of the threat intelligence team at Check Point, a cybersecurity firm. In its only public step so far, the elections panel issued a decree March 1 banning anonymous election ads from social media platforms in Israel. But Finkelstein called the measure "deficient." "I haven't seen anyone reprimanded by the elections committee," he said. "It just issues recommendations." Rotem said cybersecurity firms have identified efforts by Iran, Saudi Arabia and Turkey to breach party databases, troves of sensitive voter information he says is "just circulating on the internet." Social media networks themselves have recently stepped up efforts to combat fake news and election meddling. Facebook says it has shut down thousands of Iranian pages and accounts aimed at sowing doubt about the legitimacy of Israel's elections, and that worldwide it is purging a million fake accounts every day. Twitter says it took action against fabricated accounts after the Big Bots Project report, without elaborating. The report authors say Twitter removed half of the bot accounts they identified. "Looking back to 2016, we were slow to act on misinformation, but we've made massive strides," Sean Evins, Facebook director of politics and government outreach for Europe and the Middle East, told The Associated Press. He said the company struggles to "walk a fine line between security and free participation in political debate." Following pressure from the Central Elections Committee and other Israeli officials, Facebook rolled out Israel-specific measures one month before elections: an authorization process for buyers of political ads and third-party fact checking that demotes unverifiable posts in newsfeeds. But Nahon, of the Israel Internet Association, said those measures were not enough to combat systemic threats from bots, hackers and proxy accounts that are difficult to trace. "The last word has not been said on these threats," she said. "We're expecting much more." Israel Electric Corporation employee works next to election campaign billboards showing Israeli Prime Minister and head of the Likud party Benjamin Netanyahu, left, alongside the Blue and White party leaders, from left to right, Moshe Yaalon, Benny Gantz, Yair Lapid, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Wednesday, April 3, 2019. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty) Israel Electric Corporation employees work next to election campaign billboards showing Israeli Prime Minister and head of the Likud party Benjamin Netanyahu, left, alongside the Blue and White party leaders, from left to right, Moshe Yaalon, Benny Gantz, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Wednesday, April 3, 2019. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty) PARIS (AP) - Two key American officials - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen - are skipping meetings in France this week as the Group of Seven countries gather to try to find solutions to world security challenges. The move raises questions about the G-7's effectiveness at solving some of the international issues it has deemed crucial, including fighting terrorism and human trafficking. A lunch focusing on migration issues and human trafficking kicked off the G-7 interior ministers' meetings Thursday in Paris. France, which took over the G-7's presidency in January, is hosting the two-day meeting, which overlaps with a summit of G-7 foreign ministers Friday and Saturday in the French Atlantic resort of Dinard. U.S. President Donald Trump has made no secret of his disdain for the G-7, especially since Russia was pushed out of the gathering of major world economies after its annexation of Crimea in 2014. In addition to the U.S., the G-7 includes France, Canada, Japan, Germany, Italy and the U.K. Pompeo is in Washington this week, far from French shores, hosting NATO's foreign ministers to mark the alliance's 70th anniversary. Nielsen is staying behind to deal with domestic border issues. Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland, meanwhile, announced she is attending both the NATO meeting in Washington and the G-7 summit in Dinard. U.S. Homeland Security official Claire Grady, left, is welcomed by French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner for a G7 meeting at ministerial level in Paris, Thursday April 4, 2019. Foreign and interior ministers from the Group of Seven are gathering in France this week to try to find ambitious solutions to world security challenges. Putting a dampener on that are two glaring American absences: U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen. (AP Photo/Michel Euler) Still, alliances are fraying everywhere, even at NATO as Pompeo shines a spotlight on America's involvement in the military alliance. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg acknowledged internal NATO disagreements this week on trade, climate change and the Iran nuclear deal, but insisted the 29 allies are united in their commitment to defend each other. U.S. Homeland Security official Claire Grady is standing in for Nielsen at the interior ministers' meetings and Deputy Secretary of State John J. Sullivan will stand in for Pompeo. Sullivan will discuss "a broad range of issues, including the deteriorating situation in Venezuela, destabilizing Iranian behavior in the Middle East, the responsible conduct of states in cyberspace, and the final denuclearization of North Korea," the State Department said. It said these conversations will "set the stage" for the August 25-27 G-7 summit that France will host in the southwestern city of Biarritz. Last June, Trump roiled the G-7 meeting in Canada by first agreeing to a group statement on trade only to withdraw from it while complaining that he had been blindsided by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's criticism of Trump's tariff threats. In an extraordinary set of tweets, Trump threw the G-7 summit into disarray. France's Foreign Ministry listed the main issues under discussion this week as cybersecurity, the trafficking of drugs, arms and migrants in Africa's troubled Sahel region, and fighting gender inequality. That includes ways to prevent rape and violence against women, especially in Africa. Thursday's discussions focused on how to deal with citizens who have joined Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq, as well as their wives and children. Many IS fighters have been captured and imprisoned in those countries. The problem has grown more urgent since Trump announced his intention to reduce the U.S. military presence in Syria. The U.S. has called for countries to take back their citizens and put them on trial, if necessary, but Western countries have largely refused to do so. France says French fighters must be tried wherever they committed their crimes. The G-7 interior ministers also discussed ways to fight terrorism and extremism on the internet - possibly by imposing more regulations on internet giants- in the presence of representatives of Facebook, Twitter, Google and Microsoft. "The most important advance is that we are working even more closely together in fighting international terrorism," said German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer. "The second is that we need to have a robust set of rules on migration flows, for they will continue to concern us for years to come." Matteo Salvini, Italy's hard-line interior minister, said Italy and France were seeking an agreement on protecting Europe's external borders. He also said Europe needs to review trade agreements with African countries that do not cooperate in controlling migrant flows or repatriating migrants from those countries. "If the Italy-France, Rome-Paris axis moves together, it will be a positive and absolute novelty," he said. But Salvini, leader of Italy's anti-migrant League party, still showed that he had sharp differences with centrist French President Emmanuel Macron's migration policies. He said the two countries should be able to work more closely together on migration issues after the EU Parliament elections in May, where Salvini backs Macron's far-right rival, Marine Le Pen. ___ Matthew Lee in Washington and Vanessa Gera in Warsaw, Poland contributed. U.S. Homeland Security official Claire Grady, left, is welcomed by French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner for a G7 meeting at ministerial level in Paris, Thursday April 4, 2019. Foreign and interior ministers from the Group of Seven are gathering in France this week to try to find ambitious solutions to world security challenges. Putting a dampener on that are two glaring American absences: U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen. (AP Photo/Michel Euler) Japan's Deputy Commissisioner General Mitsuhiro Matsumoto, left, is welcomed by French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner for a G7 meeting at ministerial level in Paris, Thursday April 4, 2019. Foreign and interior ministers from the Group of Seven are gathering in France this week to try to find ambitious solutions to world security challenges. Putting a dampener on that are two glaring American absences: U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen. (AP Photo/Michel Euler) JERUSALEM (AP) - Israelis head to the polls on Tuesday to vote in the country's 21st parliamentary elections. Over 6.3 million eligible voters will cast ballots in an election largely seen as a referendum on long-seated Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Here is a closer look at what to expect: CHASING HISTORY Netanyahu is seeking his fourth consecutive term and fifth overall, including an earlier stint in the 1990s. With another victory, Netanyahu will secure a place in history later this year as the longest-serving prime minister, surpassing Israel's founding father David Ben-Gurion. He faces tough opposition from his former army chief of staff, Benny Gantz, whose new Blue and White party seeks to replace Netanyahu's long-dominant Likud. ___ 'CORRUPTION' VS. 'INEXPERIENCE' People walk by election campaign billboards showing Israeli Prime Minister and head of the Likud party Benjamin Netanyahu, left, alongside the Blue and White party leaders, from left to right, Moshe Yaalon, Benny Gantz, Yair Lapid and Gabi Ashkenazi, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Wednesday, April 3, 2019. Hebrew on billboards reads, left "Strong Likud strong Israel" on the right "Every vote matters, win Blue and White". (AP Photo/Oded Balilty) The three-month campaign has focused much more on personalities than issues. Netanyahu has tried to portray his opponent as weak and inexperienced. Gantz has tried to capitalize on a series of corruption investigations. The attorney general has recommended bribery and breach of trust charges against Netanyahu, who has denied any wrongdoing. ___ WIDE RANGE OF PARTIES All 120 seats in the Knesset, Israel's parliament, are up for grabs. A total of over 40 parties will compete, including large front-runners, ultra-Orthodox religious parties, Arab factions and fringe movements like the Pirate and Simply Love parties. Only a handful are expected to garner the 3.25% of the vote necessary to break the electoral threshold and earn the minimum four seats in parliament. Ten parties made up the last Knesset. ___ HIGH TURNOUT Israeli elections tend to have robust turnout. Election day is a national holiday, a measure aimed at encouraging participation. The last elections, in 2015, saw a 72% voter turnout, the highest percentage since 1999, but below the 77% average since Israel first went to the polls in 1949, a year after independence. Arab voters, who make up 20 percent of the electorate, are threatening to boycott the election, accusing Netanyahu of inciting against them. That could have the unintended effect of helping the prime minister win a new term. ___ WINNER TAKE ... MAYBE NOTHING No Israeli party has ever won an outright majority, which forces the larger parties to form blocs with smaller allies. After the election, Israel's president will meet with party heads and select the party he believes is most capable of forming a coalition. That party, usually but not always the largest faction, then has four weeks to form a coalition. A new government will be given a four-year term, but disagreements between coalition parties often result in early elections. Should neither a right-wing nor left-wing bloc be able to form a coalition, Israel could face the prospect of a second election in November. ___ Follow Ilan Ben Zion on Twitter: https://twitter.com/IlanBenZion Israel Electric Corporation employees work next to election campaign billboards showing Israeli Prime Minister and head of the Likud party Benjamin Netanyahu, left, alongside the Blue and White party leaders, from left to right, Moshe Yaalon, Benny Gantz, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Wednesday, April 3, 2019. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty) MANILA, Philippines (AP) - The Philippine government protested on Thursday the presence of large numbers of Chinese vessels near islands and islets occupied by the Philippines in the disputed South China Sea as illegal and vowed to take "appropriate action." The Department of Foreign Affairs issued the rare public rebuke of the Chinese presence after the Philippine military monitored more than 200 Chinese vessels from January to March in a disputed area named Sandy Cay near a Philippine-occupied island called Pag-asa by Filipinos. "The presence of Chinese vessels near and around Pag-asa and other maritime features ... is illegal," the department said in a statement. "Such actions are a clear violation of Philippine sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction as defined under international law." The department said it has lodged diplomatic protests and raised concerns in meetings with Chinese officials, and that the presence of Chinese military, fishing or other vessels in the area would "continue to be the subject of appropriate action by the Philippines." The Philippines regards a chain of islands and islets, nine of which it occupies, in a contested region named the Spratlys in the South China Sea as a municipality it calls Kalayaan under its western province of Palawan. That claim conflicts with the larger territorial claims of China, Vietnam, and three other governments in a long-simmering Asian dispute. A 2002 accord between China and the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations aims to prevent armed confrontation in the busy waterway, where much of Asia's oil and trade transits. In this photo taken March 29, 2014, a Chinese Coast Guard ship attempts to block a Philippine government vessel as the latter tries to enter Second Thomas Shoal to relieve Philippine troops and resupply provisions. The Philippine government publicly protested on Thursday the swarming of Chinese flotillas near islands and islets occupied by Filipinos in the disputed South China Sea as illegal and vowed to continue confronting such actions by China's fishermen or military with "appropriate action." (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez, File) "We call on concerned parties to desist from any action and activity that contravenes the ASEAN-China Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea as these generate tension, mistrust and uncertainty, and threaten regional peace and stability," the Philippine statement said. Chinese boats have swarmed around Sandy Cay, a chain of three sandbars that naturally emerged in recent years, since 2017. The sandbars lie between Pag-asa, which is internationally called Thitu, and a Chinese man-made island called Subi. The Philippines tried to occupy the largest sandbar, about 2.5 nautical miles (4.6 kilometers) from Thitu, in 2017 but China strongly protested. Shortly after, Chinese navy, coast guard and fishing vessels converged at the sandbars, and the Philippines halted planned construction and withdrew on the orders of President Rodrigo Duterte, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said at the time. The Philippines delivered a protest note to the Chinese Embassy in Manila last Friday. Philippine officials again raised strong concern over the Chinese vessels near Sandy Cay and Thitu, along with two other Philippine-occupied islets, in a meeting with Chinese counterparts on Wednesday in Manila, a Philippine official said. In Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Chinese and Philippine officials on Wednesday discussed problems in the South China Sea constructively in the latest in a series of meetings that began in 2017. "The two sides discussed the ways to handle problems with a cooperative attitude and reiterated that they will continue cooperation and discuss measures to promote trust," he said when asked about the Philippines' concern. Duterte has taken a nonconfrontational approach to the territorial disputes with China as he seeks trade, investment and infrastructure funding. He has so far refused to take up with China a ruling by a U.N.-linked tribunal that invalidated Beijing's sprawling claims in the South China Sea, sparking criticism from nationalist and left-wing groups, which wanted him to demand immediate Chinese compliance with the landmark decision. China did not participate in the international arbitration and has defied its ruling. Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed in a statement last November to exercise self-restraint to prevent an escalation of the territorial disputes. "We call on the Chinese government to adhere to this consensus reached at the highest levels, down to its agencies and its military," the Philippine foreign affairs department said. ___ Associated Press writer Christopher Bodeen in Beijing contributed to this report. LONDON (AP) - The British government and senior opposition figures tried Thursday to overcome intractable differences and forge a new plan for departing the European Union, as the bloc warned of dire consequences if the U.K. leaves the EU without an agreement next week. Prime Minister Theresa May was trying to avert a chaotic "no-deal" Brexit - and also tamp down divisions within her Conservative Party inflamed by her shift toward compromise. May faced fury from anti-EU Conservatives after she agreed to talks with Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, who favors a softer form of Brexit than the plan advocated by the government. Two junior ministers have resigned, and more could follow. Senior government and Labour officials held four and a half hours of talks Thursday, after an initial two-hour session between May and Corbyn the day before. Both sides gave little away about what progress was made, but said the talks would continue Friday. Treasury chief Philip Hammond said both parties needed to be flexible to break the Brexit impasse. A pro EU protestor holds flags opposite the Houses of Parliament in London, Thursday, April 4, 2019. The British government and senior opposition figures were meeting Thursday in search of a new plan on how the country leaves the European Union as Prime Minister Theresa May tried to stop her shift toward compromise from splitting her Conservative Party. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein) "When you enter into a negotiation like this to find a compromise way forward, both parties have to give something up," he told broadcaster ITV. "There is going to be pain on both sides." The political paralysis over Brexit has left Britain facing a possible chaotic departure from the EU in just over a week. After U.K. lawmakers three times rejected May's agreement with the bloc that was struck late last year, the EU gave Britain until April 12 to approve a withdrawal plan, change course and seek a further delay to Brexit, or crash out of the EU with no deal to cushion the shock. Economists and business leaders warn that a no-deal Brexit would lead to huge disruptions in trade and travel, with tariffs and customs checks causing gridlock at British ports and possible shortages of goods. "Let there be no doubt whatsoever: A no-deal scenario would be extremely costly and disruptive," said European Commission Vice President Jyrki Katainen, who warned "a no-deal scenario is highly likely." Worries about a no-deal Brexit are especially acute in Ireland, the only EU member state to share a land border with the U.K. Any customs checks or other obstacles along the currently invisible frontier would hammer the Irish economy, and could undermine Northern Ireland's peace process. Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar visited the border area Thursday with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, meeting residents and businesses who would face disruption from the return of a hard border. They also met victims of Northern Ireland's decades of violence. Speaking later in Dublin, Varadkar said the EU was determined to prevent the return of a hard border in the event of a disorderly Brexit. But he acknowledged that because of all the uncertainty, "it's not possible, quite frankly, to have a clear plan." Merkel added: "I'll simply say we have to succeed. Where there's a will, there's a way." It was unclear whether the cross-party talks in London would produce a breakthrough. They are risky for both the Conservatives and Labour, with each party split down the middle over Brexit. Labour is formally committed to enacting the voters' decision to leave the EU, but many of its lawmakers want a new referendum that could keep Britain in the bloc. They will be angry if the party actively helps bring about the U.K.'s departure. Others in the party - especially those from areas that voted strongly to leave the EU - are adamant Brexit must not be halted. Pro-Brexit Conservatives, meanwhile, are angry at the prospect of a softer Brexit that keeps Britain bound closely to EU trade rules and standards. Meanwhile, British lawmakers desperate to avoid a chaotic exit have seized control of the parliamentary agenda to pass a hastily drafted bill that compels May to ask for an extension to the Brexit deadline if a no-deal departure is looming. The bill was approved by the House of Commons late Wednesday by a single vote and moved Thursday to Parliament's upper chamber, the House of Lords, where anti-EU politicians tried to use delaying tactics to slow its progress. Despite the opposition, most members of the Lords are pro-EU. It's likely they will approve the bill and it will become law by early next week. May will then have to go to a special EU Brexit summit in Brussels on April 10 to seek a delay. The EU is not compelled to agree. Leaders of the bloc, exasperated by the chaos in London, say they will only grant a delay if Britain comes up with a workable plan. French President Emmanuel Macron, one of the leaders most resistant to a further Brexit extension, has warned that the bloc can't be held "hostage" to Britain's crisis. With British passions running high both inside and outside Parliament, police warned politicians to tone down their rhetoric. Martin Hewitt, chairman of the National Police Chiefs' Council, said the mood was "incredibly febrile." He said individuals with a public platform had a responsibility to speak in a way "that is temperate and is not in any way going to inflame people's views." The crisis has produced a week of high - and sometimes surreal - drama in Parliament. On Monday, climate change protesters stripped almost naked in the public gallery as lawmakers debated Brexit. On Wednesday, a vote in the House of Commons ended in a tie, for the first time in a quarter of a century. And on Thursday, debate in the Commons was suspended after water from a leak began pouring through the ceiling into the chamber below. Lawmakers were later sent home for the day as maintenance staff assessed the damage. ___ Associated Press writers Gregory Katz in London, Frank Jordans in Berlin and Lorne Cook in Brussels contributed. ___ Follow AP's full coverage of Brexit at: https://www.apnews.com/Brexit A man shelters with an umbrella as he walks by Pro EU protestors holding flags opposite the Houses of Parliament in London, Thursday, April 4, 2019. The British government and senior opposition figures were meeting Thursday in search of a new plan on how the country leaves the European Union as Prime Minister Theresa May tried to stop her shift toward compromise from splitting her Conservative Party. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein) FILE - In this Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018 file photo, Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May, front right, and Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, front left, attend the Remembrance Sunday ceremony at the Cenotaph in London. May and Corbyn have met to discuss ways to break the Brexit logjam. Their negotiating teams met again Thursday, April 4, 2019. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant/File) Sweden's Speaker of Parliament Andeas Norlen, left, welcomes European Union chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier during a visit to the Swedish Parliament in Stockholm, Thursday April 4, 2019. (Claudio Bresciani/TT via AP) Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar looks at German Chancellor Angela Merkel as they pose at the entrance Farmleigh House for the media in Dublin, Ireland, Thursday, April 4, 2019. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison) Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar in background walks past German Chancellor Angela Merkel as they begin a press following their meeting at Farmleigh House in Dublin, Ireland, Thursday, April 4, 2019. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison) Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar greets German Chancellor Angela Merkel at Farmleigh House in Dublin, Ireland, Thursday, April 4, 2019. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison) Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar looks the media while German Chancellor Angela Merkel adjusts her hair as they pose at the entrance Farmleigh House for the media in Dublin, Ireland, Thursday, April 4, 2019. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison) Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar and German Chancellor Angela Merkel smile at the waiting media outside Farmleigh House in Dublin, Ireland, Thursday, April 4, 2019. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison) BENGHAZI, Libya (AP) - Libyan army commander Khalifa Hifter on Thursday ordered his forces to march on Tripoli, the capital of the U.N.-backed government, sparking fears of a major showdown with rival militias. The order to his Libya National Army posted in an audio recording online came as U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres visited the North African country and issued "a very strong appeal ... for all military movements to stop." Hifter also put at risk upcoming peace talks between Libyan rivals brokered by the U.N. aimed at drawing a roadmap for new elections. The U.N. Security Council scheduled an emergency closed-door meeting Friday afternoon at Britain's request to discuss the unfolding developments. The 2011 NATO-supported uprising that toppled and later killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi led to chaos in Libya. The country has been split between rival governments in the east and west and an array of militias fighting over power and oil fields. Hifter is allied with the east-based administration at odds with the U.N.-backed government based in Tripoli. Alongside the two rival administrations, mostly Islamic militias wield considerable influence and control large swathes of territory in the vast North African nation. FILE - In this Aug. 14, 2017 file photo, Libyan militia commander General Khalifa Hifter meets with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, Russia. The U.N. chief says he's worried about a major armed showdown in Libya and is urging warring factions to instead turn to dialogue. Forces loyal to Hifter, who commands the self-styled Libya National Army that's based in the country's east, took control overnight Wednesday April 3, 2019, of the town of Gharyan, 50 kilometers (31 miles) from Tripoli, without major clashes. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev, File) Hifter described his forces' move as a "victorious march" to "shake the lands under the feet of the unjust bunch." "We are coming Tripoli, we are coming," he said. Hifter urged his forces to enter the city peacefully and only raise their weapons "in the face of those who seek injustice and prefer confrontation and fighting." He also urged his forces not to open fire on any civilians or those who are unarmed. "Those who lay down their weapons are safe, and those who raise the white banner are safe," he said. Secretary-General Guterres not only urged a halt to military movements but appealed for "containment, calm" and "military and political and verbal de-escalation - and the recognition that ... there is no military solution for the problems in Libya." He told a news conference in Tripoli shortly after Hifter announced the Tripoli offensive that a resumption of dialogue is essential, stressing that "the solution must be political." Hifter's message, which was posted on the Facebook page of the army's media office, comes a day after his forces edged closer to Tripoli and took over the town of Gharyan, 50 kilometers (31 miles) from Tripoli without much fighting. "I am sipping coffee now in Gharyan," Hifter's top aide Abdel-Salam al-Hassi told The Associated Press over the phone. "God willing, we will enter the rest of the cities without clashes." Skirmishes were reported overnight in the mountain district of al-Assabaah, near Gharyan, in which two people - a resident and a militiaman - were killed, according to the media office of Hifter's forces. The announcement of Hifter's intention to march on Tripoli comes days before the April 14-16 U.N.-brokered conference aimed at bridging the gap among Libya's factions and draw a road map for new elections and end the country's split. Guterres is scheduled to meet Hifter in Benghazi on Friday and said his message will include that everyone in Libya must recognize the need for a political solution. "And it is clear for me that we absolutely need to avoid the drama of what would be a major confrontation - namely a major confrontation in Tripoli," he said. When the secretary-general was asked about postponing the national conference he said the U.N. wants to make sure the military movements end and calm is re-established, which will be important for the meetings to be successful. "It is difficult to have a National Conference in an environment of global confrontation, so it is very important to de-escalate and to have a situation of restraint and calm." Guterres is the second U.N. chief to visit Libya since the 2011 uprising that toppled Gadhafi. Ban Ki-moon visited in October 2014. Libya, the oil-rich North African country, fell in series of civil wars in different towns and cities, where heavily armed militias fought over power and oil. Hifter's spokesman, Ahmed al-Mesmari, said LNA forces will give the militiamen in control of the capital the option of surrendering or staying home. "You choose between staying home, handing over your weapons, or raising the white banner," he said, addressing the militias in control of Tripoli. He said there will be no dialogue with the militias, whom he described as "terrorists," adding that the "game is over" and the "rifle, the artillery, and the jet are the ones speaking now." He also vowed to protect the upcoming peace conference saying the military movement is a separate track from politics. "The army has nothing to do with politics or with political movement by the United Nations," he said. The European Union's mission to Libya on Thursday also expressed concern over "the military buildup underway in Libya and the escalatory rhetoric which seriously risks leading to an uncontrollable confrontation." Hifter's army has spread its footprint from eastern Libya where it first battled mostly Islamic militias and Islamist groups, starting in 2014. The campaign then extended southward as Hifter's forces took control of key towns and border crossings earlier this year and now is pushing west, toward Tripoli. Hifter, who is backed by Egypt and Gulf Arab nations such as the United Arab Emirates, has labeled his rivals as "terrorists" and said in more than one occasion that "liberating" Tripoli is his ultimate goal. Since Gadhafi's ouster and killing, Libya has descended into chaos, with two rival administrations and an array of militias fighting over power and oil fields. ___ Associated Press writers Maggie Michael in Cairo and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report. Press writer Maggie Michael in Cairo contributed to this report. ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) - The pilots of a doomed Ethiopian Airlines jet followed all of Boeing's recommended procedures when the plane started to nose dive but still couldn't save it, according to findings from a preliminary report released Thursday by the Ethiopian government. The plane crashed just six minutes after taking off from Addis Ababa, killing all 157 people on board. The report, based on flight data and cockpit voice recorders on the Boeing 737 Max 8, was not released in full. Boeing declined to comment pending its review of the report on the March 10 crash. The Max 8 has been under scrutiny since a Lion Air flight crashed off the coast of Indonesia under similar circumstances in October. Thursday's revelations raise questions about repeated assertions by Boeing and U.S. regulators that pilots could regain control in some emergencies by following steps that include turning off an anti-stall system designed specifically for the Max, known by its acronym, MCAS. Investigators are looking into the role of MCAS, which under some circumstances can automatically lower the plane's nose to prevent an aerodynamic stall. The Max has been grounded worldwide pending a software fix that Boeing is rolling out, which still needs to be approved by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and other regulators. Ethiopian investigators did not specifically mention the MCAS, but recommended that Boeing review "the aircraft flight control system related to the flight controllability." They also recommended that aviation officials verify that issues have been adequately addressed before allowing the planes to fly again. Boeing is the focus of investigations by the U.S. Justice Department, the Transportation Department's inspector general, and congressional committees. Investigations are also looking at the role of the Federal Aviation Administration in the U.S., which certified the Max in 2017, declined to ground it after the first deadly crash in October. The agency was also reluctant to ground the planes after the Ethiopian Airlines crash and was among the last agencies to do so. FILE - In this Wednesday March 13, 2019 file photo, a grieving relative who lost his wife in the plane crash is helped by a member of security forces and others near Bishoftu, in Ethiopia, at the scene where the Ethiopian Airlines jet crashed just after taking off from Addis Ababa on March 10, killing all 157 on board. A preliminary report finds that the crew of the Ethiopian Airlines jet that crashed last month performed all the procedures recommended by Boeing but could not control the plane. (AP Photo/Mulugeta Ayene, File) The FAA, which must certify the 737 Max is safe before it can go back into the air, said in a statement that the investigation is still in its early stages. "As we learn more about the accident and findings become available, we will take appropriate action," the agency said. The statement did not say if the FAA would review the Max's flight control system as recommended by Ethiopian investigators, and FAA spokesman Greg Martin would not comment beyond the statement. Boeing is working on improvements to the MCAS software that would make it less aggressive in pointing the nose down and easier for pilots to disable. The FAA has said it will review the software before allowing the Max to fly again. The agency said Monday that it anticipates Boeing's final software improvements for 737 Max airliners "in the coming weeks." But it wasn't clear whether the Ethiopians are seeking just that or a broader update in the Max's flight controls. What also isn't clear is whether the Ethiopian pilots followed Boeing's recommendations to the letter in dealing with the system repeatedly pointing the nose down. The pilots initially followed Boeing's emergency steps by disconnecting the MCAS system, but for an unknown reason, they turned the system back on, an official familiar with the crash investigation told The Associated Press on Wednesday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because at the time, Ethiopian investigators had not released their preliminary report. Boeing's procedures instruct pilots to leave the MCAS system disconnected and continue flying manually for the rest of the flight. Ethiopian investigators did not address that issue at its press conference, saying only that the pilots had done what they were supposed to. "The crew performed all the procedures repeatedly provided by the manufacturer but was not able to control the aircraft," said Minister of Transport Dagmawit Moges. However, Moges told The New York Times after the press conference that the pilots turned MCAS on and off, but she couldn't say how many times. That will be addressed in the final report, she said. In a statement Thursday, Ethiopian Airlines said its pilots followed Boeing instructions. "Despite their hard work and full compliance with the emergency procedures, it was very unfortunate that they could not recover the airplane from the persistence of nose diving," the airline said. The Ethiopian officials did not say whether the MCAS system activated because of a faulty sensor that measures the plane's angle relative to the wind. One of the sensors, called Angle of Attack, malfunctioned in the Lion Air crash, triggering the MCAS system. David Hasse, an aviation analyst and editor of industry publication airliners.de in Berlin, says it is significant that the report found that the pilots followed the proper procedures, because that links the case more closely to the Lion Air crash. "What is special about this case is that two crashes seem to have a very, very similar reason. This is something that is very rare in aviation. The question is whether the Boeing 737 Max should have been grounded after the Lion Air crash and before the Ethiopian Airlines crash," said Hasse. He noted that crash reports are not meant to assign legal blame and that it is too soon to know what the legal implications might be for Boeing, but it clearly raises the pressure on the company. "If pilots sit there and follow the rules that have been given to them by the manufacturer, then they should be able to rely on the fact that they are correct," Hasse said. But John Hansman, an aeronautics professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said turning the MCAS system back on after disabling it would be a logical step for the pilots to take. If pilots find that the plane is repeatedly pointing the nose down, Boeing procedures say they should flip two switches to the left of their knees that would cut electrical power to motors that control a horizontal stabilizer on the tail. MCAS points the nose down by moving the stabilizer with the motors. After disabling the stabilizer, the pilots would have had to control it by turning a wheel manually to point the nose up. Turning the wheel is slower than the electric motors, so the pilots could have turned MCAS back on in hopes of using the electric motors to quickly point the nose up, he theorized. Hansman said it's key to know if the angle of attack sensor malfunctioned, and how long after takeoff it took for the pilots to diagnose the problem and shut off MCAS. The later they shut it off, the less time they had to recover, he said. He also would like to know at what point the MCAS system was turned back on and if it was too late to prevent the crash. ___ Associated Press Writers Carlo Piovano and Tom Krisher contributed to this report. FILE - In this Wednesday March 13, 2019 file photo, relatives react at the scene where the Ethiopian Airlines jet crashed near Bishoftu, in Ethiopia, just after taking off from Addis Ababa on March 10, killing all 157 on board. A preliminary report finds that the crew of the Ethiopian Airlines jet that crashed last month performed all the procedures recommended by Boeing but could not control the plane. (AP Photo/Mulugeta Ayene, File) FILE - In this Thursday March 14, 2019 file photo, Ethiopian relatives of crash victims mourn at the scene where the Ethiopian Airlines jet crashed near Bishoftu, in Ethiopia, just after taking off from Addis Ababa on March 10, killing all 157 on board. A preliminary report finds that the crew of the Ethiopian Airlines jet that crashed last month performed all the procedures recommended by Boeing but could not control the plane. (AP Photo/Mulugeta Ayene, File) FILE - In this Monday March 11, 2019 file photo, rescuers work at the scene of an Ethiopian Airlines flight crash near Bishoftu, or Debre Zeit, south of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Ethiopian Airlines jet crashed just after taking off from Addis Ababa on March 10, killing all 157 on board. A preliminary report finds that the crew of the Ethiopian Airlines jet that crashed last month performed all the procedures recommended by Boeing but could not control the plane. (AP Photo/Mulugeta Ayene, File) FILE - In this March 11, 2019, file photo, wreckage is piled at the crash scene of an Ethiopian Airlines flight crash near Bishoftu, Ethiopia. A published report says pilots of an Ethiopian airliner that crashed followed Boeing's emergency steps for dealing with a sudden nose-down turn but couldn't regain control. (AP Photo/Mulugeta Ayene, File) FILE - In this March 11, 2019, file photo, rescuers work at the scene of an Ethiopian Airlines flight crash near Bishoftu, Ethiopia. A published report says pilots of an Ethiopian airliner that crashed followed Boeing's emergency steps for dealing with a sudden nose-down turn but couldn't regain control. (AP Photo/Mulugeta Ayene, File) FILE - In this March 14, 2019, file photo, workers walk next to a Boeing 737 MAX 8 airplane parked at Boeing Field, in Seattle. A published report says pilots of an Ethiopian airliner that crashed followed Boeing's emergency steps for dealing with a sudden nose-down turn but couldn't regain control. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File) FILE - In this March 27, 2019, file photo, a worker enters a Boeing 737 MAX 8 airplane during a brief media tour of Boeing's 737 assembly facility in Renton, Wash. A published report says pilots of an Ethiopian airliner that crashed followed Boeing's emergency steps for dealing with a sudden nose-down turn but couldn't regain control. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File) FILE - In this Sunday March 10, 2019 file photo, family members of the victims involved in a plane crash react at Addis Ababa international airport. The Ethiopian Airlines jet crashed just after taking off from Addis Ababa on March 10, killing all 157 on board. A preliminary report finds that the crew of the Ethiopian Airlines jet that crashed last month performed all the procedures recommended by Boeing but could not control the plane. (AP Photo/Mulugeta Ayene, File) ROME (AP) - A humanitarian aid ship carrying 64 rescued migrants was stuck in the Mediterranean Sea on Thursday as both Italy and Malta refused it safe harbor, leaving the migrants sleeping in cramped conditions on deck as a storm approached. Their refusal sets the stage for another Mediterranean migrant standoff that can only be resolved if some European Union members agree to accept the asylum-seekers. Carlotta Weibl, spokeswoman for the German humanitarian organization Sea-Eye, said the ship was near the Italian island of Lampedusa on Thursday. "We have no idea yet where we can disembark," Weibl told The Associated Press. "Malta says we can't enter their waters and we are unlikely to get permission from Italy." Sea-Eye's ship, the Alan Kurdi, rescued the migrants Wednesday near Libya after Libyan authorities could not be reached. It did so as it was looking for another smuggling boat with 50 migrants that has been missing since Monday and 40 other migrants missing at sea since last week. "The chances are low that they are alive," Weibl said. FILE - In this April 3, 2019 file photo, migrants on a rubber dinghy are approached by the Sea-Eye rescue ship in the waters off Libya. The humanitarian ship Sea-Eye with 64 rescued migrants aboard was stuck at sea on Thursday as Italy and Malta refuse it safe harbor as their refusal set the stage for another Mediterranean standoff that can only be resolved if European governments agree to accept the asylum-seekers. (Fabian Heinz/Sea-eye.org via AP) The 64 migrants picked up included an infant and a child, the group said. But Weibl said the ship is far too small for so many people and that people were sleeping outdoors on deck as it began to rain. Matteo Salvini, Italy's hard-line interior minister, said that his ministry sent a formal letter on Thursday to the German government telling them the ship cannot dock in Italy and asking them to intervene. He said he also delivered that message in person to a German government minister at a G-7 meeting in France. He said that "since the ship is German, with a German flag and a German crew ... let them solve the problem." He repeated his assertion that the ship should be allowed to dock in Hamburg. Weibl said that suggestion was ridiculous. The German city of Hamburg is not even located on the Mediterranean Sea but on a river leading to the North Sea. "It's a journey of three to four weeks (to Hamburg). We don't have food and water, so it's completely out of the question," she said. Similar standoffs in recent months involving rescue ships hoping to reach Italy and Malta were eventually resolved when other EU members agreed to take some of the migrants. However, many of those people remain stuck in migrant centers in Malta and Italy. The Alan Kurdi ship is named after a 3-year-old Kurdish boy who drowned in the sea in 2015 as he and his family fled war in Syria. The image of his small, lifeless body washed ashore prompted an outpouring of sympathy for the plight of migrants. However, the mood in Europe has turned against those making the dangerous journey even as the number of migrants making the dangerous sea crossing to Europe has dropped substantially since then. Weibl said the Alan Kurdi is currently the only humanitarian ship operating in the Mediterranean because many governments have denied aid ships permission to operate. ____ Gera reported from Warsaw, Poland. ___ This story has been corrected to reflect that there was one child, not five children, among the 64 rescued people. SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - South Korea said Thursday it is considering dispatching a special envoy to North Korea as part of its efforts to get stalled nuclear talks back on track. Negotiations over North Korea's nuclear program have remained stalemated since a summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Vietnam last month ended without agreement. South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who facilitated U.S.-North Korean talks last year, is to travel to Washington next week to discuss the nuclear diplomacy with Trump. Moon's national security adviser, Chung Eui-yong, told lawmakers on Thursday that his government is also considering sending a special envoy to North Korea. He didn't elaborate. In March 2018, Moon sent a delegation led by Chung to Pyongyang, North Korea's capital. Chung's delegation met Kim and quoted him as saying he was willing to deal away his advancing nuclear arsenal. Moon met Kim three times later in 2018. Kim's first summit with Trump in Singapore last May ended with a vaguely worded commitment to denuclearization that lacked any roadmap or timing. South Korean National Security Director Chung Eui-yong, left, speaks to lawmakers at the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, April 4, 2019. Chung says his government is considering dispatching a special envoy to North Korea in an apparent effort to revive stalled nuclear talks. (Lee Jin-wook/Yonhap via AP) Moon's government wants reconciliation with North Korea and a negotiated solution of the nuclear dispute. ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) - A judge has delayed sentencing for an ex-CIA officer accused of spying for China. A jury convicted Kevin Mallory of Leesburg, Virginia, last year for providing top secret information to Chinese handlers in exchange for $25,000. He was arrested in 2017 after he was discovered with more than $16,000 in undeclared cash on a return flight from Shanghai. He was scheduled for sentencing Thursday afternoon in Alexandria. After holding a closed hearing, the judge rescheduled sentencing for April 26. Prosecutors and defense attorneys differ markedly on the severity of Mallory's misconduct. Defense attorneys argue the information Mallory provided was practically worthless and his actions stemmed from financial desperation. They seek a term no longer than 10 years. Prosecutors want a life sentence, saying Mallory intentionally put human assets at risk. Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today: 1. CREW OF DOOMED ETHIOPIA JET FOLLOWED PROCEDURES Data from the recorders of the Boeing 737 Max 8 found that the crew of the Ethiopian Airlines jetliner could not control the plane after it started to nose dive. 2. FORMER NISSAN CHAIR ARRESTED AGAIN Carlos Ghosn is apprehended for a fourth time by Tokyo prosecutors investigating him for alleged financial misconduct while leading the Japanese automaker. 3. MOSQUE MASSACRE SUSPECT FACING 89 CHARGES Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu greet each other during their meeting in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, April 4, 2019. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, Pool) Brenton Harrison Tarrant, the Australian accused of carrying out the New Zealand mosque attacks, will face 50 murder charges and 39 attempted murder charges. 4. WHAT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ON DEMOCRATS' RADAR None of the Democrats running for the White House in 2020 has made specific pitches on transforming the nation's criminal justice system. 5. EXPERTS WARN OF CYBER THREATS AHEAD OF ISRAEL'S ELECTION Israel is vulnerable to the kind of foreign hacks and cyber campaigns that have disrupted the political process in other countries. 6. CHINA'S CONSTRUCTION BINGE SPREADS TO THE AMERICAS Beijing's expansion in Latin America to build ports and other trade-related facilities is stirring anxiety in Washington. 7. WHO MIGHT BE COURTING THE SAME DEMOGRAPHIC Democratic presidential primary candidates Bernie Sanders and Beto O'Rourke both strike a chord with the same part of the electorate: young voters. 8. 'YABBA-DABBA-DON'T' The posh San Francisco suburb of Hillsborough is saying no to a life-size Flintstones house and characters dotting the yard. 9. DISNEY PRESENTS UNITED FRONT WITH FOX AT CINEMACON "Avatar," ''Deadpool," ''Toy Story" and "The Avengers" all made their way into the same montage, demonstrating that all the brands are now under one umbrella. 10. NCAA PRESIDENT SPEAKS OUT ON STUDENT-ATHLETES Mark Emmert tells the AP that a judge's recent ruling in a federal antitrust lawsuit reinforces that college athletes should be treated as students, not employees. A car believed to be carrying Nissan former Chairman Carlos Ghosn enters Tokyo Detention Center in Tokyo Thursday, April 4, 2019. Japanese prosecutors took Ghosn for questioning Thursday morning, barely a month after he was released on bail ahead of his trial on financial misconduct charges. (Yuta Omori/Kyodo News via AP) MANDAN, N.D. (AP) - Police following evidence from surveillance video arrested a 44-year-old man Thursday in the slayings of four people at a property management business, just days after the discovery of their bodies shook a North Dakota town. Mandan Police Chief Jason Ziegler announced the arrest at a news conference Thursday night, saying police don't yet have a motive but noting that the suspect lived on property managed by the company, RJR Maintenance and Management. Ziegler said the suspect lived in Washburn, a town about 35 miles (56 kilometers) north of Mandan, and was arrested without incident. He had not been formally charged but was being held on suspicion of four counts of felony murder. "Evidence discovered on (the suspect) and in the vehicle provided probable cause to place (him) under arrest for the murders," Ziegler said. He did not elaborate on the evidence. The dead were identified earlier this week as RJR co-owner Robert Fakler, 52, and employees Adam Fuehrer, 42; Lois Cobb, 45; and William Cobb, 50. The Cobbs were married. Ziegler also revealed Thursday night that the four had been shot or stabbed. Mandan Police Chief Jason Ziegler announces an arrest in a quadruple homicide at a press conference Thursday night, April 4, 2019, in Mandan, N.D. In back are Deputy Police Chief Lori Flaten, left, and Mandan Mayor Tim Helbling. Police in North Dakota say they've arrested a 44-year-old man in the slayings of four people earlier this week at a business in Mandan. Ziegler says surveillance video identified a vehicle of interest and helped lead them to the suspect, who lived in the small town of Washburn about 35 miles (56 kilometers) north of Mandan. (Tom Stromme/The Bismarck Tribune via AP) Police had released little information about their investigation in the days following the discovery of the bodies after authorities responded to a medical call Monday. Homicides are unusual in Mandan, a town of about 22,000 just across the Missouri River from the state capital of Bismarck that hadn't had a slaying since 2016 - and had only three in the past six years. "It's been a difficult week for everyone involved," Mayor Tim Helbling said. A court appearance was likely Friday. Felony murder carries a maximum punishment of life in prison without parole. North Dakota does not have the death penalty. The suspect had no criminal history immediately evident in state or federal court in North Dakota. Ziegler said police are not looking for anyone else and were focusing on "putting everything together so we can get prosecution on this and bring (the suspect) to justice." He added: "Just because we've got him ... this is far from over. Now comes the long process of prosecution." It wasn't immediately clear if the man had an attorney representing him. Police had said the attack "was specific to the victims," and they didn't feel the public was in danger. Ziegler declined to say whether all four were targeted. Earlier Thursday, police declined to release details of a 911 call that alerted authorities to the slayings. The Associated Press and other media outlets asked for audio and a transcript of the 911 call, but police denied the requests, citing a provision of the state's open records law that allows authorities to withhold such information during an active investigation. The company's website says it has handled commercial and residential properties in the area for more than 20 years. Its services include collecting rent for landlords, paying mortgages, re-renting apartments, building and grounds maintenance, lawn care and snow removal. It also rents out storage units. The RJR building is somewhat isolated despite its location in a business district near a busy main road known as The Strip. A large empty lot sits in the front, a golf course in back and a soccer complex to one side. A combined memorial service for the victims was planned for Tuesday at Bismarck Community Church, according to Eastgate Funeral and Cremation Service. ___ Follow Blake Nicholson on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/NicholsonBlake In this Wednesday, April 3, 2019 photo, state and local police search a field in Manton, N.D., about half a mile from a business where an owner and three employees were found dead. Authorities on Thursday said they were looking for "potential evidence" related to the deaths discovered Monday at RJR Maintenance and Management in Mandan, a city just outside Bismarck. Police haven't yet identified a suspect. (AP Photo/ Blake Nicholson) Mandan, N.D. Police Deputy Chief Lori Flaten, left, and other law enforcement personnel stand outside the scene on the south side the RJR Maintenance and Management property in Mandan, N.D., Monday, April 1, 2019. (Mike McCleary/The Bismarck Tribune via AP) Family and friends console each other at the scene near the south side of the RJR Maintenance and Management building in Mandan, N.D., Monday, April 1, 2019. (Mike McCleary/The Bismarck Tribune via AP) Cars are parked outside RJR Maintenance and Management in Mandan, N.D., on Monday, April 1, 2019. Police in North Dakota say "several" bodies have been found inside the business in suburban Bismarck. (Mike McCleary/The Bismarck Tribune via AP) DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) - Syria's foreign minister said Thursday that the Trump administration "lies" all the time about withdrawing its troops from the country, and that its decision to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights increases America's isolation, "even among its closest allies." Walid al-Moallem pledged to recover "every inch" of Syria's territory, including the Golan, saying all options were on the table. Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war and annexed it in 1981, a move that was never international recognized. U.S. President Donald Trump recognized the annexation last month in a move that has been condemned by the Arab League and U.N. Security Council countries. "Trump's attempts to give Israel sovereignty over the Golan have only one effect ... which is to increase America's isolation even from its closest allies," al-Moallem said. He spoke at a joint press conference in Damascus with Venezuela's Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza, who lauded what he described as Syria's victory over "terrorism" in the country's eight-year war and said both countries were victims of a U.S. conspiracy. Venezuela's government has traditionally had warm relations with Syrian President Bashar Assad's government. Arreaza met with Assad later Thursday, after which he said both Syria and Venezuela "face the same enemy and resist with the same popular will." In this photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, Syrian President Bashar Assad, right, meets with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza, in Damascus, Syria, Thursday, April 4, 2019. Syria's Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem said U.S. President Donald Trump's administration "lies" all the time about withdrawing its troops from the country. Al-Moallem also said Trump's decision to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights only serves to increase America's isolation in the world "even among its closest allies." (SANA via AP) "The two Syrian and Venezuelan peoples fight against U.S. conspiracies and imperialism and the two will emerge victorious," Arreaza said. He said that there is a consensus in Latin America on rejecting the militarization of the crisis in Venezuela, adding that his country has a military cooperation agreement with Russia which supplies it with defensive, not offensive, weapons. He said the government still hopes to resolve Venezuela's crisis through dialogue. The country has been rocked by protests and social unrest fueled by a severe economic crisis. Al-Moallem, at the press conference, also vowed to liberate the northwestern province of Idlib, the last major rebel stronghold in the country. "Our patience has its limits. We must liberate this land," he said, accusing Turkey of repeatedly violating a cease-fire agreement there. He accused the Trump administration of going back and forth and lying about its intention to withdraw the 2,500 troops the U.S. maintains in northern Syria. "It is clear for everyone that this administration lies," he said. NEW YORK (AP) - Target is raising the minimum hourly wage for its workers for the third time in less than two years. The discounter said Thursday it plans to raise the hourly starting wage to $13 from $12 in June. The Minneapolis-based retailer announced in 2017 a plan to raise its starting hourly wages for workers to $15 by the end of 2020 and raised its starting hourly wage to $11. In March 2018, it boosted hourly wages to $12 after seeing a bigger and better pool of candidates. With unemployment near rock bottom, retailers are under pressure to find qualified workers. In October, Amazon announced a minimum hourly wage of $15 for its U.S. employees. Walmart raised its starting pay to $11 an hour in early 2018. FILE- In this Nov. 16, 2018, file photo Target employee Lindsay Walker scans an item as she collects merchandise from shelves to prep them for an online order at a Target store in Edison, N.J. Target is raising the minimum hourly wage for its workers for the third time in less than two years. The discounter said Thursday, April 4, 2019, that it plans to raise the hourly starting wage to $13 from $12 in June. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File) FILE- In this Nov. 16, 2018, photo an assembly line worker packages items from an online order to be shipped out of a Target store in Edison, N.J. Target is raising the minimum hourly wage for its workers for the third time in less than two years. The discounter said Thursday, April 4, 2019, that it plans to raise the hourly starting wage to $13 from $12 in June. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File) FILE- In this March 5, 2019, file photo Brian Cornell, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Target, speaks at a financial community meeting in New York. Target is raising the minimum hourly wage for its workers for the third time in less than two years. The discounter said Thursday, April 4, 2019, that it plans to raise the hourly starting wage to $13 from $12 in June. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File) ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) - Algerian protesters who succeeded in pushing out longtime President Abdelaziz Bouteflika now want other key officials to leave too. Demonstrators are planning new nationwide protests Friday to call for the departure of the men who head Algeria's government, legislature and constitutional court. They're dubbed "the three Bs" - Prime Minister Noureddine Bedoui, Constitutional Council President Tayeb Belaiz, and upper house of parliament president Abdelkader Bensalah. But constitutional experts warn that forcing the three men out would leave a power vacuum. The protest movement hasn't unified around a single alternative plan to govern Africa's largest country and replace a leadership seen as corrupt and repressive. Bouteflika resigned this week under pressure from protesters and the powerful army chief. Ally Bensalah is expected to take over as interim leader. Calls for protests Friday have been issued under the slogan "they will all leave". A man reads a newspaper headlining Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's resignation, Wednesday April 3, 2019 in Algiers. Algeria's Constitutional Council met Wednesday to confirm President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's resignation, as rattled international partners watch closely to see what's next for this gas-rich country and key player in the global fight against terrorism. (AP Photo/Anis Belghoul) Mohamed Saidj, professor of political science in Algiers, said many Algerians wouldn't trust leadership by Bouteflika's allies even for a transition period. He stressed that Bedoui "used to be the interior minister who organized electoral fraud in 2012", when Bouteflika has last been re-elected, and that he ordered police to prevent protests at the time. "And everybody knows that Belaiz in one of Bouteflika's men" who accepted his candidacy for a fifth term, Saidj added. Ailing Bouteflika, 82, was first elected in 1999 and planned to seek a fifth term next month, a decision which prompted the first protests in February. Lawyer Mustapha Bouchachi, a key figure of the protest movement, wrote on his Facebook page that "Algerians won't accept the system's figures to be the ones who organize the next presidential elections and supervise the transition period." Bouchachi called for "popular and pacifist protests to continue in order to get the whole system's departure." Under the constitution, the president of the upper house, the Council of Nations, steps in as interim leader for a maximum of 90 days so that elections can be organized. In this image from state TV broadcaster ENTV, Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, sitting in wheelchair, centre, presents his resignation to president of Constitutional Council Tayeb Belaiz, right, with Abdelkader Bensalah, Algerian upper house speaker looking on, during a meeting Tuesday April 2, 2019. Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika stepped down on Tuesday after 20 years in office, following six weeks of massive nationwide public protests aimed at pushing him and his much-criticized inner circle from power in the gas-rich nation. (ENTV via AP) FILE - In this March 31, 2019 file photo, Algerian Senate Speaker Abdelkader Bensalah attends the opening session of the 30th Arab Summit in Tunis, Tunisia. Algeria's Constitution says that when a president dies or resigns, the Constitutional Council confirms the leader's absence and both houses of parliament convene. The president of the upper house is named as interim leader for 90 days while a presidential election is organized. (Fethi Belaid/ Pool photo via AP, File) LONDON (AP) - The Latest on Britain's exit from the European Union (all times local): 6:20 p.m. Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar says the European Union is determined to avoid the return of a hard border with Northern Ireland in the event of a disorderly Brexit. But he acknowledged it is unclear how that can be achieved. Varadkar says that because of all the uncertainty, "it's not possible, quite frankly, to have a clear plan." He spoke in Dublin Thursday after meeting German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The two leaders visited the currently invisible border to meet people whose lives and livelihoods would be disrupted by the return of customs posts and other obstacles. Merkel said "we simply have to be successful" in keeping the border open, and "where there's a will there's a way." Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar looks the media while German Chancellor Angela Merkel adjusts her hair as they pose at the entrance Farmleigh House for the media in Dublin, Ireland, Thursday, April 4, 2019. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison) The two leaders said they hoped cross-party talks in London aimed at finding a compromise Brexit deal would succeed. Merkel said "we are following this with great interest." ___ 4:45 p.m. Debate in Britain's House of Commons has been suspended after water began pouring through a ceiling into the chamber below. Lawmakers were ordered out of the chamber Thursday as a torrent cascaded onto the press gallery, where journalists sit to watch Commons business. Experts have warned for years that the Parliament building, one of London's most famous landmarks, needs urgent repairs. Pipes frequently burst, brickwork is crumbling and the building is riddled with asbestos. The leak is the latest unexpected event in a week that has seen a series of dramatic votes on Brexit. On Wednesday, for the first time in a quarter of a century, a vote by lawmakers ended in a tie. On Monday, a dozen environmental activists stripped off in the public gallery to protest climate change. ___ 1:20 p.m. A leading official in the European Union says he cannot rule out the prospect of customs points being built on the Irish border with Northern Ireland in the event Britain crashes out of the bloc in eight days without a deal. Top members of the EU's executive commission have repeatedly warned that a 'no-deal' scenario is likely given doubts over whether the U.K. parliament will endorse the Brexit agreement by April 12. Commission Vice-President Jyrki Katainen said "a hard Brexit is increasingly possible." Asked whether border posts would be needed between EU state Ireland and the U.K.'s Northern Ireland, he said the aim is ensure that checks are done "away from the border, if at all possible." Currently there is no infrastructure, and goods, livestock and people move freely across the border. ___ 9:10 a.m. Meetings are planned Thursday between the British government and the opposition Labour Party in an urgent search for a compromise Brexit solution. The upper House of Lords is also set to consider legislation that would force Prime Minister Theresa May to seek a Brexit delay from the European Union. The bill is aimed at preventing a no-deal Brexit on April 12. British police are warning politicians to tone down their Brexit rhetoric amid concerns about the volatile public mood as the future of Brexit is debated. British officials hope to agree on a Brexit plan that can be presented to EU officials ahead of an April 10 summit that will determine if the scheduled exit date can be delayed. Business leaders warn a "no-deal" Brexit would badly hurt commerce. ___ Follow AP's full coverage of Brexit at: https://www.apnews.com/Brexit Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar in background walks past German Chancellor Angela Merkel as they begin a press following their meeting at Farmleigh House in Dublin, Ireland, Thursday, April 4, 2019. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison) In this photo provided by the UK Parliament, Britain's Speaker John Bercow addresses MP's in the Palace of Westminster in London, Wednesday, April 3, 2019. A Brexit-related vote in Britain's House of Commons on Wednesday ended in a tie, the first time that has happened in a quarter-century. Under Parliament's rules, the speaker of the House has tie-breaking power. Speaker John Bercow cast his vote with the noes. He said that was in keeping with the principle that "it is not for the chair to create a majority that otherwise doesn't exist." (Mark Duffy/UK Parliament via AP) In this photo provided by the UK Parliament, Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May, center, in the Palace of Westminster in London, Wednesday, April 3, 2019. A Brexit-related vote in Britain's House of Commons on Wednesday ended in a tie, the first time that has happened in a quarter-century. Under Parliament's rules, the speaker of the House has tie-breaking power. Speaker John Bercow cast his vote with the noes. He said that was in keeping with the principle that "it is not for the chair to create a majority that otherwise doesn't exist." (Mark Duffy/UK Parliament via AP) In this photo provided by the UK Parliament, Britain's Speaker John Bercow addresses MP's in the Palace of Westminster in London, Wednesday, April 3, 2019. A Brexit-related vote in Britain's House of Commons on Wednesday ended in a tie, the first time that has happened in a quarter-century. Under Parliament's rules, the speaker of the House has tie-breaking power. Speaker John Bercow cast his vote with the noes. He said that was in keeping with the principle that "it is not for the chair to create a majority that otherwise doesn't exist." (Mark Duffy/UK Parliament via AP) Sweden's Speaker of Parliament Andeas Norlen, left, welcomes European Union chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier during a visit to the Swedish Parliament in Stockholm, Thursday April 4, 2019. (Claudio Bresciani/TT via AP) A pro Brexit placard placed on the ground as a pedestrian walks past the Houses of Parliament in London, Wednesday, April 3, 2019. With Britain racing toward a chaotic exit from the European Union within days, Theresa May veered away from the cliff-edge Tuesday, saying she would seek another Brexit delay and hold talks with the opposition to seek a compromise.(AP Photo/Alastair Grant) Anti Brexit demonstrators hold up their flags opposite the Houses of Parliament in London, Wednesday, April 3, 2019. With Britain racing toward a chaotic exit from the European Union within days, Theresa May veered away from the cliff-edge Tuesday, saying she would seek another Brexit delay and hold talks with the opposition to seek a compromise.(AP Photo/Alastair Grant) A man shelters with an umbrella as he walks by Pro EU protestors holding flags opposite the Houses of Parliament in London, Thursday, April 4, 2019. The British government and senior opposition figures were meeting Thursday in search of a new plan on how the country leaves the European Union as Prime Minister Theresa May tried to stop her shift toward compromise from splitting her Conservative Party. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein) A pro EU protestor holds flags opposite the Houses of Parliament in London, Thursday, April 4, 2019. The British government and senior opposition figures were meeting Thursday in search of a new plan on how the country leaves the European Union as Prime Minister Theresa May tried to stop her shift toward compromise from splitting her Conservative Party. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein) WASHINGTON (AP) - NATO foreign ministers approved a series of measures Thursday aimed at countering Russia in the Black Sea region, an agreement that comes amid public rifts between the United States and several of the other 28 members on security and trade issues. In a meeting in Washington to mark the 70th anniversary of NATO, the ministers agreed to provide Georgia and Ukraine with increased maritime cooperation, patrols and port visits. Both countries have faced Russian aggression and have aspirations to join the alliance. The NATO ministers also renewed demands for Russia to end its annexation of Crimea, release Ukrainian sailors and ships it seized in a confrontation last year in the Sea of Azov and respect the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. The U.S. announced it will withdraw from the 1987 treaty in August unless Russia returns to compliance. But a deepening dispute between the U.S. and Turkey over the Turks' planned purchase of a Russian air defense system, U.S. demands for allies, particularly Germany, to boost defense spending, and a row with Canada over tariffs hung over the commemoration ceremony at the State Department. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo appealed for the allies to stand together to confront "great power" challenges from Russia, China and Iran. He hailed NATO's deterrence of the Soviet Union during the Cold War and said the alliance was well positioned to move forward as it confronts new and evolving challenges. "We have rightly sought peace through strength here at NATO," Pompeo said. "We must continue to do so, especially in this new era of great power competition from Russia, from China, and the Islamic Republic of Iran." NATO's Secretary General Jen Stoltenberg, center, looks on as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo makes opening remarks at the Meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Foreign Ministers' Session 1 at the US State Department in Washington, Thursday, April 4, 2019. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) Addressing those challenges and others such as terrorism, cybercrime, uncontrolled migration, threats to energy security and new technologies will require enhanced resources, he said. He also renewed a warning that the U.S. might have to curtail intelligence cooperation with countries that rely on Chinese communications technology. Pompeo said every NATO member had an obligation to explain to its citizens the need to increase their defense budgets and rejected what he called "tired excuses" about public opposition to such spending. "We're very hopeful that they will get it right, that they will understand that it is important for our collective defense," he told reporters later, referring specifically to Germany. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, in an address to Congress on Wednesday and again on Thursday, acknowledged serious divisions within the alliance and called for bigger defense budgets. President Donald Trump has questioned the value of the alliance and criticized some members for not spending enough on defense. Pompeo did not address the spat with Turkey in his remarks, but in a Wednesday meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu he had made clear Washington's displeasure with Ankara for insisting it would go ahead with plans to buy Russia's advanced S-400 system instead of the American Patriot system. In a sign of rising tensions between the two capitals, Turkey's foreign ministry disputed the State Department's account of the meeting, which said Pompeo had warned of "potentially devastating consequences" of unilateral Turkish military action in northern Syria as well as consequences for buying the S-400. The ministry said the account failed to accurately reflect the content of the discussion and added that "our alliance naturally requires that such statements are prepared with greater care." Asked about the Turkish complaint, Pompeo said he had re-read the account and it was "spot on." ''I stand by every word of it," he said, adding that his meeting with Cavusoglu had been "good" and "long" and that the Turks were well aware of the U.S. position. The Trump administration is threatening to stop delivery to Turkey of the newest U.S. fighter jet, the F-35, if the S-400 purchase is completed. Vice President Mike Pence had delivered the same warning, noting that the U.S. and other NATO members had grave concerns about the S-400 as it is not interoperable with alliance systems. "Turkey must choose," Pence said Wednesday. "Does it want to remain a critical partner in the most successful military alliance in the history of the world or does it want to risk the security of that partnership by making reckless decisions that undermine our alliance?" Cavusoglu and other Turkish officials say they are proceeding with the deal because the need is urgent and the Patriots could not be delivered for another decade. They have also said the S-400 is not intended to work with NATO systems and will be a purely stand-alone defensive mechanism. Stoltenberg acknowledged that the matter was a point of severe contention between the U.S. and Turkey and expressed hope that a resolution was possible. "We fully realize that this is now a challenge," he said. Meanwhile, Canada's Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland took the opportunity of the NATO meeting to register Ottawa's displeasure with being labeled a potential national security threat by the U.S. in relation to steel production. She called the designation, which has led to the imposition of tariffs on Canadian steel, "absurd" and pointed to her presence at the NATO meeting as proof that Canada is not a threat to the U.S. "We really think this is groundless," she told reporters. NATO's Secretary General Jen Stoltenberg, right, looks on as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, left, makes opening remarks at the Meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Foreign Ministers' Session 1 at the U.S. State Department in Washington, Thursday, April 4, 2019. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, center, looks over to Britain's Ambassador to NATO Sarah MacIntosh, left, after NATO's Secretary General Jen Stoltenberg's, far right, during opening remarks at the Meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Foreign Ministers' Session 1 at the U.S. State Department in Washington, Thursday, April 4, 2019. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, third from the left, makes opening remarks at the Meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Foreign Ministers' Session 1 at the US State Department in Washington, Thursday, April 4, 2019. Sitting with him are from l-r, Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, Britain's Ambassador to NATO Sarah MacIntosh, NATO's Secretary General Jen Stoltenberg, Deputy Secretary General of NATO Rose Gottemoeller, Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security Policy (ASGPASP) Alejandro Alvargonzalez and Jorgen Christian Jorgensen, Secretary of the North Atlantic Council. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) US Ambassador to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison, right, talks with another guest as she arrives at the Meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Foreign Ministers' Session 1 at the U.S. State Department in Washington, Thursday, April 4, 2019. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) Bulgarian Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva, left, and Croatian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Marija Pejcinovic Buric, right, smile as they take their seats at the Meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Foreign Ministers' Session 1 at the U.S. State Department in Washington, Thursday, April 4, 2019. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland, right, looks over her paperwork as she take her seat next to Bulgarian Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva, left, at the Meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Foreign Ministers' Session 1 at the U.S. State Department in Washington, Thursday, April 4, 2019. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) NATO's Secretary General Jen Stoltenberg, right, talks with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, center, at the Meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Foreign Ministers' Session 2 at the US State Department in Washington, Thursday, April 4, 2019. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) WARSAW, Poland (AP) - Police in southern Poland say they are investigating four English-speaking tourists spotted last week in the historic city of Krakow wearing only mankinis. The four men were caught on CCTV and by an Associated Press photographer Friday as they walked in the picturesque Renaissance Market Square and got into a horse cab. They were wearing lime green mankinis, as worn by Borat, the fictional Kazakh alter ego of comic actor Sacha Baron Cohen. Krakow province police spokesman Sebastian Glen said Thursday police are investigating the "indecent antics." If convicted, the men could face up to 30 days in custody or fines of 5,000 zlotys ($1,300) each. Glen said that foreign tourists, especially British ones, who come for stag parties sometimes cause disturbance in the historic city, especially after drinking alcohol. BRUSSELS (AP) - Just eight days before Britain is to leave the European Union, senior EU officials still cannot rule out the possibility that customs checkpoints might have to be rebuilt along the volatile Irish border should the U.K. crash out of the bloc without a divorce deal. In recent days, EU executive commission members have repeatedly warned that a no-deal exit for Britain is now likely, given doubts over whether the U.K. parliament will endorse the Brexit agreement by the EU-imposed deadline of April 12. "A no-deal scenario is highly likely. Let there be no doubt whatsoever, a no-deal scenario would be extremely costly and disruptive," commission Vice-President Jyrki Katainen told reporters Thursday. Should that happen, the largely unpoliced, invisible land border between the U.K.'s Northern Ireland and EU member country Ireland would instantly become a new boundary, raising vexing questions about how to run trade and customs checks. Until Northern Ireland's violent sectarian Troubles era ended in 1998 with a peace deal, that border had checkpoints which were routinely attacked by armed militants. Asked whether border posts would be built there in the case of a no-deal scenario, Katainen said "we have to make sure that products entering to the EU territory are safe and they comply with our quality standards." European Commissioner for Jobs, Growth and Investment Jyrki Katainen speaks during a media conference regarding contingency planning for public health and food safety in the event of no-deal Brexit at EU headquarters in Brussels, Thursday, April 4, 2019. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo) Checks would be done, he said, "in the least possible disruptive manner and, when possible, as much away from the border as is practically useful." Some officials have suggested that certain checks could be done at ports or warehouses and high-tech equipment could focus on risky consignments. The dividing line between Ireland and Northern Ireland stretches for 500 kilometers (312 miles) and is dotted with over 250 official road crossings, more than on Europe's entire eastern flank. Commercial vehicles cross the border on average 13,000 times each day. Animals and farm products would require frequent checks. Around 3,000 loads carrying beef, lamb, pork, poultry, eggs or dairy products might have to be stopped each day. Each check might take 10 minutes if things go smoothly, according to Northern Irish food transport experts. Katainen said EU officials are working closely with the Irish authorities "to clarify the situation." He said the EU would provide Ireland with additional resources; "technical and financial, to address any additional challenges." Both Britain and the EU say it's paramount to uphold the 1998 Good Friday Agreement that helped dismantle the once militarized Irish border and end a conflict that claimed around 3,700 lives. "The Good Friday agreement will continue to apply in all circumstances. For us, it is a major political principle. Peace there is absolutely key. The U.K. will remain co-guarantor of that agreement and is expected to uphold it in spirit and in letter," Economy Commissioner Pierre Moscovici said. "There will be (border) checks, let's not be mistaken about that," Moscovici warned, but they will take place "in the least disruptive manner possible and as much as possible away from the border." ___ Follow AP's full coverage of Brexit at: https://www.apnews.com/Brexit Window cleaners work on a building at the European Union headquarters area in Brussels, Thursday, April 4, 2019. The U.K. has just nine days, until April 12, to approve a divorce deal, come up with a new plan or crash out of the 28-nation bloc without a deal, causing huge disruption for people and businesses in Britain and the EU. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) People are reflected in the glass as they wait outside EU headquarters in the EU district of Brussels, Thursday, April 4, 2019. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo) BERLIN (AP) - German lawmakers rejected Thursday for the third time the far-right Alternative for Germany's proposed candidate for deputy speaker of parliament, a posting that would have bolstered its influence and respectability. It is customary for each party in the Bundestag to have a deputy alongside speaker Wolfgang Schaeuble, a veteran conservative lawmaker. Alternative for Germany, which is known by its German acronym of AfD, has insisted it has the right to name a deputy since it's the biggest opposition party in the current parliament. The party's candidate, Mariana Harder-Kuehnel, received 199 votes in favor and 423 votes against in a secret ballot. The 44-year-old would have required only a simple majority, following two previous rounds of voting in which an absolute majority of the 709 lawmakers in parliament was necessary. "It's obviously not possible to work in a consensual fashion in this parliament," AfD's co-leader Alexander Gauland told reporters after the vote. "Rather, there's an effort to exclude us and prevent us from participating in all democratic processes." Several prominent lawmakers from other parties had said ahead of the vote that they planned to back her, arguing that AfD shouldn't be given the chance to portray themselves as martyrs. In spite of her defeat, Harder-Kuehnel received more than twice the number of votes as her party has lawmakers in parliament. Her colleague Albrecht Glaser, who was first nominated by AfD in 2017, was also rejected three times after suggesting that freedom of religion shouldn't apply to Islam. Lawmaker Armin-Paul Hampel, right, comforts Mariana Harder-Kuehnel during a meeting of the German federal parliament, Bundestag, at the Reichstag building in Berlin, Germany, April 4, 2019. German lawmakers have rejected the far-right Alternative for Germany party's proposed candidate for deputy speaker of parliament, Mariana Harder-Kuehnel, for the third time. (Kay Nietfeld/dpa via AP) Ahead of the vote, Harder-Kuehnel had sought to present herself as a moderate voice in her party. A lawyer by training, she has advocated conservative Christian family values. However, Hamburg-based weekly Der Spiegel has reported that Harder-Kuehnel also has ties to an ultranationalist wing of her party that has caught the attention of security agencies. AfD has come under increasing scrutiny from the country's domestic intelligence agency. Several of its members, including former leader Frauke Petry, have left the party claiming it is drifting toward the extreme right. Gauland, AfD's co-leader, said Thursday's vote to a "declaration of war" against his party. "It certainly wasn't a peace offering," he said, comparing it instead to the post-World War I Treaty of Versailles that was decried by German nationalists at the time. MOSCOW (AP) - An unmanned Russian spacecraft carrying more than three tons of cargo has set a record time for a trip to the International Space Station, docking with the orbiting outpost in three hours and 21 minutes. The Progress freighter blasted off Thursday from the Russian launch facility in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, and docked with the station after two orbits. It was 19 minutes faster than the previous record set by another Progress ship in July, according to the Russian space agency Roscosmos. The cargo ship is carrying fuel, food, water, oxygen and other supplies for the space station, which currently has three Americans, two Russians and one Canadian astronaut on aboard. College tuition was less than what today's students pay for textbooks when Caron and Jack Knopoff attended Chicago's Wright Junior College in the mid-1960s. Tuition at what is now Wilbur Wright College was $24 per credit hour, Caron Knopoff says. To cover this cost, the couple, who were dating at the time, lived with their own parents and worked - Caron at an insurance agency and Jack at an accounting firm. Caron later transferred to Northeastern Illinois University to complete her bachelor's degree in primary education. There, she says tuition was around $200 a year. Jack completed a degree in accounting at Roosevelt University, paying $40 per credit hour. "I thought it was so much compared to what we had paid before and we were so worried about it," Caron says. Graduating from college debt-free is uncommon today: Two-thirds of the class of 2017 graduated with student loans averaging $28,650, according to The Institute for College Access and Success. Before the 1960s, student loans didn't exist. Federal loans for students with financial need started with the Higher Education Act of 1965, then opened to all students in 1978. FILE- In this March 14, 2019, file photo students walk on the Stanford University campus in Santa Clara, Calif. Before student loans, people who couldn't afford to go to college usually didn't. Even though tuition was cheaper, it was still cost-prohibitive for many, who turned to solutions such as working through school, getting help from their parents or finding scholarships. (AP Photo/Ben Margot, File) Here's what paying for college looked like back in the day, and what today's students can learn. COLLEGE COST A LOT LESS The average cost of tuition, fees, room and board for 1963-64 was $1,248, or $10,040 in 2017-18 dollars. By contrast, the average cost in 2017-18 was $23,835, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. "The cost of college then was significantly easier to pay for," says Victoria Yuen, a policy analyst for postsecondary education at the Center for American Progress, an independent policy research organization. "Now, even with scholarships and grant support, it's become very difficult for middle-class families to pay for college." But half a century ago, college wasn't affordable for everyone. Those who couldn't pay out-of-pocket didn't go, says John Thelin, a University of Kentucky professor and author of "Going to College in the Sixties." FEWER PEOPLE ATTENDED COLLEGE Before student loans, fewer people enrolled in college because a degree wasn't as necessary to compete in the workforce. Less than half of high school graduates enrolled in college in 1960, compared with nearly 70% in 2017, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Back then, high school graduates could get jobs that supported a middle-class lifestyle. That's much more difficult now, says Sandy Baum, a nonresident fellow at the Center on Education Data and Policy at the Urban Institute, a nonprofit research organization. "It wasn't perceived as a national mission for people to go to college," Baum says. STUDENT JOBS HELPED COVER EXPENSES Students often used a mix of sources to foot the bill. Many had family support, worked or got scholarships from local organizations or their colleges. That's how Caroline Pickens of McLean, Virginia, met college costs when she enrolled in 1958. Growing up in a middle-class family in Wichita, Kansas, the most affordable option was Kansas State University, which she remembers was around $100 per semester for tuition, room and board. "I worked in a bank every summer at minimum wage, which was $1 an hour," says Pickens, who received a bachelor's degree in history and secondary education and a master's in European history at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. "I needed to do that in order to pay." In those days, colleges also offered "bursar jobs," which were similar to the current federal work-study awards. "It was possible to meet a lot of your annual college expenses with a summer job or working on campus during your academic year," Thelin says. PARENTS PAID, TOO In the early 1960s - in the beginning stages of the federal student loan program - colleges started offering need-based scholarships, grants, work-study and their own loans to attract top high school students, Thelin says. But many students still required financial support from their families. Dian Olson Belanger, a writer and historian in Rockville, Maryland, got a scholarship to attend a community college in her home state of Minnesota before transferring to University of Minnesota Duluth. In 1962, she finished her bachelor's degree early to marry her high-school sweetheart, who was attending the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, California. Both relied on their parents to cover costs, though Belanger says it was a stretch for her family. "My father was a locomotive engineer on a railroad and my mother was a housewife," Belanger says. "I come from modest means, but they paid for it." COMMUNITY COLLEGE AS A MONEY-SAVER Attending community college before transferring to a four-year school helped Shirley Breeze of St. Louis and her four siblings curb college costs. They attended Centralia Community College, now known as Kaskaskia College, in Centralia, Illinois, for two years. In 1958, Breeze transferred to Southern Illinois University Carbondale for her bachelor's and master's degrees. A scholarship paid for her credit hours, which she says were about $15 each. She also received a loan from her parents. To fill in the gaps, Breeze worked in a drugstore during the holidays, as a student secretary at the college and found other ways to earn money. "I addressed Christmas cards, clerked at a jewelry store - every little bit helped," Breeze says. WHAT STUDENTS CAN DO TODAY To limit college debt, students can do what people did 50 years ago: find scholarships, work part time or attend a community college before transferring to a university. Graduating completely debt-free may not be realistic, but students can reduce the amount they borrow by: - Applying for federal financial aid annually with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Accept grants, scholarships and work-study before considering loans. - Choosing federal student loans, which have income-driven repayment and loan forgiveness. - Limiting borrowing so that future monthly payments don't consume over 10% of take-home pay. Compare the loan debt of graduates with the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard . _________________________________________ This article was provided to The Associated Press by the personal finance website NerdWallet. Anna Helhoski is a writer at NerdWallet. Email: anna@nerdwallet.com. Twitter @annahelhoski. RELATED LINKS: NerdWallet: Your Guide to Financial Aid http://bit.ly/nerdwallet-guide-financial-aid U.S. Department of Education: College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov SEVERNY KLEVER MILITARY BASE, Russia (AP) - Missile launchers ply icy roads and air defense systems point menacingly into the sky at this Arctic military outpost, a key vantage point for Russia to project its power over the resource-rich polar region. The base, dubbed Severny Klever (Northern Clover) for its trefoil shape, is painted in the white, blue and red colors of the Russian national flag. It has been designed so soldiers can reach all of its sprawling facilities without venturing outdoors - a useful precaution in an area where temperatures often plunge to minus 50 Celsius (minus 58 Fahrenheit) during the winter, and even in the short Arctic summer are often freezing at night. It's strategically located on Kotelny Island, between the Laptev Sea and the East Siberian Sea on the Arctic shipping route, and permanently houses up to 250 military personnel responsible for maintaining air and sea surveillance facilities and coastal defenses like anti-ship missiles. The Russian base has enough supplies to remain fully autonomous for more than a year. "Our task is to monitor the airspace and the northern sea route," said base commander Lt. Col. Vladimir Pasechnik. "We have all we need for our service and comfortable living." Russia is not alone in trying to assert jurisdiction over parts of the Arctic, as shrinking polar ice opens fresh opportunities for resource exploration and new shipping lanes. The United States, Canada, Denmark and Norway are jostling for position, as well, and China also has shown an increasing interest in the polar region. In this photo taken on Wednesday, April 3, 2019, a Russian solder stands guard as Pansyr-S1 air defense system on the Kotelny Island, part of the New Siberian Islands archipelago located between the Laptev Sea and the East Siberian Sea, Russia. Russia has made reaffirming its military presence in the Arctic the top priority amid an intensifying international rivalry over the region that is believed to hold up to one-quarter of the planet's undiscovered oil and gas. (AP Photo/Vladimir Isachenkov) But while U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has seen the Arctic through the lens of security and economic competition with Russia and China, it has yet to demonstrate that the region is a significant priority in its overall foreign policy. The post of special U.S. representative for the Arctic has remained vacant since Trump assumed office. Russia, however, has made reaffirming its presence in the Arctic a top goal, not the least because the region is believed to hold up to one-quarter of the Earth's undiscovered oil and gas. Russian President Vladimir Putin has cited estimates that put the value of Arctic mineral riches at $30 trillion. The move has alarmed Russia's neighbors, analysts say. "In Russia, the Northern sea route has been described as a bonanza with lots of potential of economic development," said Flemming Splidsboel Hansen of the Danish Institute for International Studies. "And that's why there is a need for military capacity in the area. It is likely meant as defensive, but it is being interpreted by the West as offensive." Kristian Soeby Kristensen, a researcher at Copenhagen University in Denmark, said the problem of Russian hegemony in the Arctic was most obvious to Norway. "Norway is a small country, whose next-door neighbor is mighty Russia, which has placed the bulk of its military capacity right next to them," Soeby Kristensen said. "Norway is extraordinarily worried." In 2015, Russia submitted to the United Nations a revised bid for vast territories in the Arctic. It claimed 1.2 million square kilometers (over 463,000 square miles) of Arctic sea shelf, extending more than 350 nautical miles (about 650 kilometers) from the shore. As part of a multi-pronged effort to stake Russia's claims on the Arctic region, the Kremlin has poured massive resources into modernizing Soviet-era installations there. The military outpost on Kotelny Island fell into neglect after the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, but a massive effort to build a new base began in 2014 and took several years. A group of reporters brought to the island by the Russian Defense Ministry on Wednesday were shown Bastion anti-ship missile launchers positioned for a drill near the shore and Pantsyr-S1 air defense systems firing shots at a practice target. The Russian military has kept Western media from visiting its Arctic facilities, so the trip offered a unique opportunity to watch the Russian expansion up close. A big radar dome looms on a hill overlooking the coast, underlining the base's main mission of monitoring the strategic area. In contrast with drab, Soviet-era facilities, the pristine new base features spacious living quarters, a gym and a sauna. Putin's words about the importance of the Arctic for Russia dot the base's walls and a symbolic border post sits in a hallway. Soldiers at the base say they are proud of their mission despite the challenging Arctic environment. "Proving to myself that I can do it raises my self-esteem," said one of the soldiers, Sergei Belogov. "Weather is our enemy here, so we need to protect ourselves from it to serve the Motherland." Extreme cold and fierce winds often make it hard to venture outside, and even winterized vehicles may have trouble operating when temperatures plunge to extreme lows and even special lubricants freeze. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reported to Putin in December that the military has rebuilt or expanded numerous facilities across the polar region, revamping runways and deploying air defense assets. He said renovation works were conducted on a long string of Arctic territories. The expanded infrastructure has allowed the Russian military to restore full radar coverage of the nation's 22,600-kilometer (14,000-mile) Arctic frontier and deploy fighter jets to protect its airspace. The military also has undertaken a cleanup effort across the region, working to remove tens of thousands of tons of waste from the Arctic territories, most of it rusty fuel tanks left behind by the Soviet military. The Russian soldiers share the island with polar bears, arctic foxes and wolves. Officers said that, soon after the base opened, curious bears regularly prowled near its walls, sometimes even peering into its windows. On some occasions, soldiers had to use a truck to spook away a particularly curious bear wandering nearby. Soldiers interviewed at the base said they marveled at the area's wildlife and its majestic Arctic landscapes. "The nature here is extremely beautiful," said Navy Lt. Umar Erkenov, who came from southern Russia. "Meeting a polar bear is an experience that fills you with emotions. We have established friendly ties with them from the start. We don't touch them, they don't touch us." He said he's missing his wife and daughter, whom he can only see during his leave period once a year, but is proud of his mission. "Few people do their job under such conditions," he said. "I feel proud that I'm here with my unit, doing my duty and protecting the Motherland." ___ Matthew Lee in Washington, D.C. and Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen, Denmark contributed to this report. In this photo taken on Wednesday, April 3, 2019, Russian military's Bastion missile launchers are seen moving toward the Severny Klever (Northern Clover) Russian military base on Kotelny Island, part of the New Siberian Islands archipelago located between the Laptev Sea and the East Siberian Sea, Russia. Missile launchers ply icy roads and air defense systems point menacingly into the sky at this Arctic military outpost _ a key vantage point for Russia to project power to the resource-rich polar region. Russia, has made reaffirming its presence in the Arctic the top goal. The region is believed to hold up to one-quarter of the planet's undiscovered oil and gas. (AP Photo/Vladimir Isachenkov) In this photo taken on Wednesday, April 3, 2019, Russian solders stand as Pansyr-S1 air defense system is seen in the background on the Kotelny Island, part of the New Siberian Islands archipelago located between the Laptev Sea and the East Siberian Sea, Russia. Russia has made reaffirming its military presence in the Arctic the top priority amid an intensifying international rivalry over the region that is believed to hold up to one-quarter of the planet's undiscovered oil and gas. (AP Photo/Vladimir Isachenkov) This photo taken on Wednesday, April 3, 2019, shows a radar facility on Kotelny Island, part of the New Siberian Islands archipelago located between the Laptev Sea and the East Siberian Sea, Russia. Russia has made reaffirming its presence in the Arctic the top goal amid an intensifying international rivalry over the region that is believed to hold up to one-quarter of the planet's undiscovered oil and gas. (AP Photo/Vladimir Isachenkov) In this photo taken on Wednesday, April 3, 2019, Russian troops conduct training with a Bastion missile launcher on Kotelny Island, part of the New Siberian Islands archipelago located between the Laptev Sea and the East Siberian Sea, Russia. Missile launchers ply icy roads and air defense systems point menacingly into the sky at this Arctic military outpost _ a key vantage point for Russia to project power to the resource-rich polar region. Russia, has made reaffirming its presence in the Arctic the top goal. The region is believed to hold up to one-quarter of the planet's undiscovered oil and gas. (AP Photo/Vladimir Isachenkov) In this photo taken on Wednesday, April 3, 2019, a Russian solder stands guard as Pansyr-S1 air defense system, right, is parked on Kotelny Island, part of the New Siberian Islands archipelago located between the Laptev Sea and the East Siberian Sea, Russia. Missile launchers ply icy roads and air defense systems point menacingly into the sky at this Arctic military outpost _ a key vantage point for Russia to project power to the resource-rich polar region. Russia, has made reaffirming its presence in the Arctic the top goal. The region is believed to hold up to one-quarter of the planet's undiscovered oil and gas. (AP Photo/Vladimir Isachenkov) In this photo taken on Wednesday, April 3, 2019, Russian troops conduct training with a Bastion missile launcher on Kotelny Island, part of the New Siberian Islands archipelago located between the Laptev Sea and the East Siberian Sea, Russia. Russia has made reaffirming its presence in the Arctic the top goal amid an intensifying international rivalry over the region that is believed to hold up to one-quarter of the planet's undiscovered oil and gas. (AP Photo/Vladimir Isachenkov) In this photo taken on Wednesday, April 3, 2019, a Russian military's Pansyr-S1 air defense system fires at a practice target during a military drill on Kotelny Island, part of the New Siberian Islands archipelago located between the Laptev Sea and the East Siberian Sea, Russia. Missile launchers ply icy roads and air defense systems point menacingly into the sky at this Arctic military outpost _ a key vantage point for Russia to project power to the resource-rich polar region. Russia, has made reaffirming its presence in the Arctic the top goal. The region is believed to hold up to one-quarter of the planet's undiscovered oil and gas. (AP Photo/Vladimir Isachenkov) In this photo taken on Wednesday, April 3, 2019, a Russian military's Pansyr-S1 air defense system leaves a garage during a military drill on Kotelny Island, part of the New Siberian Islands archipelago located between the Laptev Sea and the East Siberian Sea, Russia. Missile launchers ply icy roads and air defense systems point menacingly into the sky at this Arctic military outpost _ a key vantage point for Russia to project power to the resource-rich polar region. Russia, has made reaffirming its presence in the Arctic the top goal. The region is believed to hold up to one-quarter of the planet's undiscovered oil and gas. (AP Photo/Vladimir Isachenkov) In this photo taken on Wednesday, April 3, 2019, a Russian soldier conducts training on Kotelny Island, part of the New Siberian Islands archipelago located between the Laptev Sea and the East Siberian Sea, Russia. Missile launchers ply icy roads and air defense systems point menacingly into the sky at this Arctic military outpost _ a key vantage point for Russia to project power to the resource-rich polar region. Russia, has made reaffirming its presence in the Arctic the top goal. The region is believed to hold up to one-quarter of the planet's undiscovered oil and gas. (AP Photo/Vladimir Isachenkov) In this photo taken on Wednesday, April 3, 2019, a Russian military snowmobile moves on Kotelny Island , part of the New Siberian Islands archipelago located between the Laptev Sea and the East Siberian Sea, Russia. Missile launchers ply icy roads and air defense systems point menacingly into the sky at this Arctic military outpost _ a key vantage point for Russia to project power to the resource-rich polar region. Russia, has made reaffirming its presence in the Arctic the top goal. The region is believed to hold up to one-quarter of the planet's undiscovered oil and gas. (AP Photo/Vladimir Isachenkov) In this photo taken on Wednesday, April 3, 2019, Russian troops with a Bastion missile launcher, right, conduct training on Kotelny Island, part of the New Siberian Islands archipelago located between the Laptev Sea and the East Siberian Sea, Russia. Missile launchers ply icy roads and air defense systems point menacingly into the sky at this Arctic military outpost _ a key vantage point for Russia to project power to the resource-rich polar region. Russia, has made reaffirming its presence in the Arctic the top goal. The region is believed to hold up to one-quarter of the planet's undiscovered oil and gas. (AP Photo/Vladimir Isachenkov) MANDAN, N.D. (AP) - The Latest on bodies found at a business in Mandan, North Dakota (all times local): 9:25 p.m. Police in North Dakota say they've arrested a 44-year-old man in the slayings of four people earlier this week at a business in Mandan, near the capital city of Bismarck. Mandan Police Chief Jason Ziegler says surveillance video identified a vehicle of interest and helped lead them to the suspect, who lived in the small town of Washburn about 35 miles (56 kilometers) north of Mandan. Ziegler also revealed for the first time that the victims had been stabbed or shot. Ziegler says a motive for the killings isn't yet known. He says the suspect lived in a trailer park managed by the business, RJR Maintenance and Management. Mandan, N.D. Police Deputy Chief Lori Flaten, left, and other law enforcement personnel stand outside the scene on the south side the RJR Maintenance and Management property in Mandan, N.D., Monday, April 1, 2019. (Mike McCleary/The Bismarck Tribune via AP) Ziegler says the man is being held on four counts of felony murder. ___ This update has been corrected to show that police say the suspect lived in a trailer park managed by RJR Maintenance and Management, not owned by the company. ___ 6:55 p.m. Police say they have detained a person of interest in the investigation into the killings of four people at a North Dakota business. Mandan police said in a release Thursday evening that investigators are following up on a tip that led them to Washburn, about 35 miles (56 kilometers) north of Mandan. Police released no further information and say it's an ongoing investigation. The bodies of an owner and three employees were found early Monday at RJR Maintenance and Management in Mandan, just outside Bismarck. Police haven't said how they were killed or suggested a possible motive. The North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation and McLean County Sheriff's Office are also investigating the case. ___ 10 a.m. Police have declined to release details of a 911 call that alerted authorities to the killings of four people at a North Dakota business. The bodies of an owner and three employees were found early Monday at RJR Maintenance and Management in Mandan, just outside Bismarck. Police haven't said how they were killed or suggested a possible motive. They said they haven't identified any suspects. The Associated Press requested audio and a transcript of the 911 call, but police denied the request Thursday, citing a provision of the state's open records law that allows authorities to withhold such information during an active investigation. Police did confirm that a Wednesday search in a field about half a mile from the business was related to the investigation. They also created a 24-hour public tip phone line. ___ 6:40 a.m. A combined memorial service will be held for a North Dakota business owner and three employees found slain earlier this week. The service for Robert Fakler, William and Lois Cobb, and Adam Fuehrer will be held Tuesday morning at Bismarck Community Church. Their bodies were discovered early Monday at RJR Maintenance and Management in Mandan, a city just across the Missouri River from Bismarck. Police have classified the case as a "multiple homicide," but investigators haven't said how the four died or identified the suspect. Fakler co-owned the business, while the Cobbs and Fuehrer were employees. Eastgate Funeral and Cremation Service director Bob Eastgate tells the Bismarck Tribune the families decided to have a combined service because the four were good friends. The memorial service is open to the public. Mandan Police Chief Jason Ziegler speaks at a news conference in Mandan, N.D., Monday, April 1, 2019. Several people were found dead Monday in what police called a "multiple homicide" at a North Dakota property-management business. (AP Photo/Blake Nicholson) Family and friends console each other at the scene near the south side of the RJR Maintenance and Management building in Mandan, N.D., Monday, April 1, 2019. (Mike McCleary/The Bismarck Tribune via AP) Gina Kessel, center, comforts her son Mitchell outside of RJR Maintenance and Management, a property management company, Monday, April 1, 2019, Mandan, N.D. Authorities say police responding to a medical call at the North Dakota business have found "several" bodies. The Mandan Police Department issued a three-sentence news release confirming that officers had found "several people who were deceased inside" the business in the city of about 22,000 just across the Missouri River west of Bismarck. (AP Photo/Blake Nicholson) Cars are parked outside RJR Maintenance and Management in Mandan, N.D., on Monday, April 1, 2019. Police in North Dakota say "several" bodies have been found inside the business in suburban Bismarck. (Mike McCleary/The Bismarck Tribune via AP) COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan jumped into the 2020 presidential race on Thursday, portraying himself as a candidate who can bridge Democrats' progressive and working class wings to win the White House. Ryan, 45, announced his primary bid on ABC's "The View." He plans a kickoff rally on Saturday in downtown Youngstown, where a big turnout by organized labor is expected. The congressman resisted being labeled a political centrist by the talk show's hosts, who pointed out that he's a recreational hunter with past backing from the National Rifle Association. In 2015, he reversed his past opposition to abortion in favor of abortion rights. "I'm a progressive who knows how to talk to working class people, and I know how to get elected in working class districts, because, at the end of the day, the progressive agenda is what's best for working families," Ryan said. During an unsuccessful bid to replace Nancy Pelosi as House Democratic leader in 2016, Ryan criticized the party for supporting leadership that represents the U.S. coasts at the expense of the middle of the country. Ryan represents the district formerly held by the late Democratic Rep. Jim Traficant, for whom he worked. The blue collar area swung strongly for Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton in 2016. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, speaks at the Heartland Forum on the campus of Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa, Saturday, March 30, 2019. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik) Bringing those voters back into the fold will be critical in 2020, said Mahoning County Democratic Chairman David Betras. He said that Trump's victory hinged on 77,000 working class votes in four states and that he had a "news flash" for the Democratic National Committee: "I'm willing to bet we're going to win California and New York (with our current strategy), but can we win Michigan, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Wisconsin and Ohio? I'm not so sure," he said. The president of the Mahoning-Trumbull AFL-CIO Labor Council, Bill Padisak, said many of the lifelong Democratic voters in the area who defected to vote for Trump, a Republican, would return to the Democratic Party for the right candidate. "It seemed more like an anti-Hillary vote (in 2016)," he said. "But based on the president's performance, a lot of people regret it. They're like, 'No, this wasn't what I wanted in a president.'" Though the Iowa caucuses are still nine months away, Ryan is getting a late start on the grassroots fundraising that is necessary to qualify for the summer debate stages. The Democratic National Committee is limiting those first two debates to 20 slots. To qualify, candidates must reach 1% support in at least three reputable early state or national polls or collect contributions from at least 65,000 donors, with a minimum of 200 each in 20 states. Some Democratic donors are contributing to multiple candidates to help them make sure they don't miss out on the debates. But that threshold is no guarantee in such a wide field. Missing the debate stage - and the opportunity to notch a standout moment or two alongside better-known candidates - would almost certainly doom a longshot candidacy for someone like Ryan. Ryan has served in Congress since 2003. Before that, he spent two years in the state Senate. Republican National Committee spokesman Michael Ahrens said Ryan can't win. "You can just add him to the long list of liberal candidates demanding government-run health care, and it underscores how radical and out of touch this Democratic field truly is," he said. ___ AP writer Bill Barrow contributed to this report from Atlanta. HOUSTON (AP) - A judge has ruled that an animal shelter can keep a tiger that was rescued from an abandoned Houston home. The Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch in Murchison has looked after the tiger since February, when some people entered the house to smoke marijuana and found the big cat . Authorities say the 350 pound (160 kilogram) tiger was improperly secured in a small cage, and was sitting on hay and its own waste. Houston police believe Brittany Garza is the tiger's owner and have filed a civil lawsuit accusing her of animal cruelty. She refuses to explain how she obtained the tiger. The Houston Chronicle reports that the judge ordered Garza to pay about $11,600 to cover the cost of the tiger's care. Garza's lawyer declined comment. ROME (AP) - The Latest on migrants and asylum-seekers in Europe (all times local): 5:25 p.m. Hundreds of migrants are gathering outside a camp near the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki, planning a long trek through heavily guarded Balkan borders to seek asylum in Europe's prosperous heartland. Police said more than 500 people, including families with small children, gathered Thursday in a cornfield outside the Diavata migrant camp, some 10 kilometers (6 miles) west of Thessaloniki, some setting up tents. Dozens more were approaching on foot. Migrants said they were responding to an anonymous call on social media to go to Greece's border with North Macedonia 60 kilometers (38 miles) away and push through, reviving a migration route that was firmly shut down in 2016. The United Nations refugee agency has warned migrants against the social media calls, saying irregular border crossings are "risky and dangerous." Migrants on a rubber dinghy are approached by Sea-Watch rescue ship's staffers in the waters off Libya Wednesday, April 3, 2019. The German humanitarian group Sea-Watch says the ship it operates in the central Mediterranean Sea has rescued 64 migrants in waters off Libya. Sea-Watch wrote Wednesday on Twitter that the people brought to safety from a rubber dinghy included 10 women, five children and a newborn baby. The group said it carried out the rescue off the coast of Zuwarah after Libyan authorities couldn't be reached. Sea-Watch is asking Italy or Malta to open a port to the rescue ship, the Alan Kurdi. (Fabian Heinz/Sea-eye.org via AP) ___ 12 noon A humanitarian ship with 64 rescued migrants aboard is stuck at sea as Italy and Malta refuse it safe harbor. Their refusal sets the stage for another Mediterranean standoff that can only be resolved if European governments agree to accept the asylum-seekers. Carlotta Weibl, spokeswoman for the German humanitarian organization Sea-Eye, said Thursday that the ship was near the Italian island of Lampedusa: "Malta says we can't enter their waters and we are unlikely to get permission from Italy." Sea-Eye's ship, the Alan Kurdi, rescued the migrants on Wednesday near Libya. Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said the German ship should "go to Hamburg." But Weibl said "it's a journey of 3-4 weeks. We don't have food and water, so it's completely out of question." A man is carried on the dock of the Sea-Watch rescue ship in the waters off Libya Wednesday, April 3, 2019. The German humanitarian group Sea-Watch says the ship it operates in the central Mediterranean Sea has rescued 64 migrants in waters off Libya. Sea-Watch wrote Wednesday on Twitter that the people brought to safety from a rubber dinghy included 10 women, five children and a newborn baby. The group said it carried out the rescue off the coast of Zuwarah after Libyan authorities couldn't be reached. Sea-Watch is asking Italy or Malta to open a port to the rescue ship, the Alan Kurdi. (Fabian Heinz/Sea-eye.org via AP) Migrants stand on the dock of the Sea-Watch rescue ship after being rescued in the waters off Libya Wednesday, April 3, 2019. The German humanitarian group Sea-Watch says the ship it operates in the central Mediterranean Sea has rescued 64 migrants in waters off Libya. Sea-Watch wrote Wednesday on Twitter that the people brought to safety from a rubber dinghy included 10 women, five children and a newborn baby. The group said it carried out the rescue off the coast of Zuwarah after Libyan authorities couldn't be reached. Sea-Watch is asking Italy or Malta to open a port to the rescue ship, the Alan Kurdi. (Fabian Heinz/Sea-eye.org via AP) The Sea-Watch rescue ship sails in the waters off Libya Wednesday, April 3, 2019. The German humanitarian group Sea-Watch says the ship it operates in the central Mediterranean Sea has rescued 64 migrants in waters off Libya. Sea-Watch wrote Wednesday on Twitter that the people brought to safety from a rubber dinghy included 10 women, five children and a newborn baby. The group said it carried out the rescue off the coast of Zuwarah after Libyan authorities couldn't be reached. Sea-Watch is asking Italy or Malta to open a port to the rescue ship, the Alan Kurdi. (Fabian Heinz/Sea-eye.org via AP) A man prays on the dock of the Sea-Watch rescue ship Wednesday, April 3, 2019. The German humanitarian group Sea-Watch says the ship it operates in the central Mediterranean Sea has rescued 64 migrants in waters off Libya. Sea-Watch wrote Wednesday on Twitter that the people brought to safety from a rubber dinghy included 10 women, five children and a newborn baby. The group said it carried out the rescue off the coast of Zuwarah after Libyan authorities couldn't be reached. Sea-Watch is asking Italy or Malta to open a port to the rescue ship, the Alan Kurdi. (Fabian Heinz/Sea-eye.org via AP) Migrants on a rubber dinghy are approached by Sea-Watch rescue ship's staffers in the waters off Libya Wednesday, April 3, 2019. The German humanitarian group Sea-Watch says the ship it operates in the central Mediterranean Sea has rescued 64 migrants in waters off Libya. Sea-Watch wrote Wednesday on Twitter that the people brought to safety from a rubber dinghy included 10 women, five children and a newborn baby. The group said it carried out the rescue off the coast of Zuwarah after Libyan authorities couldn't be reached. Sea-Watch is asking Italy or Malta to open a port to the rescue ship, the Alan Kurdi. (Fabian Heinz/Sea-eye.org via AP) BOSTON (AP) - The fate of Wynn Resorts' $2.6 billion Encore Boston Harbor resort is now in the hands of Massachusetts gambling regulators after they wrapped up a series of public hearings into what company officials knew about allegations of sexual misconduct against company founder Steve Wynn on Thursday. Massachusetts Gaming Commission Chairwoman Cathy Judd-Stein said at the close of the three-day inquiry that the panel will now deliberate privately and "take our time" making a decision on whether the Las Vegas company is still suitable to hold a state casino license. Wynn Resorts hopes to open their nearly complete resort on the Everett waterfront in June. The inquiry opened Tuesday after the commission released a more than 200-page report from its investigative unit that concluded company executives concealed and failed to take action on allegations against Steve Wynn for years. The five-member panel then questioned company leaders and outside experts over the course of two days. On Thursday, company co-founder Elaine Wynn defended her decision not to disclose to Massachusetts regulators a $7.5 million settlement her ex-husband Steve Wynn made to a former employee who accused him of rape. Steve Wynn has denied the sexual misconduct allegations, which were made over the years by several former casino workers. He told investigators in a statement that his "multiple relationships" with company employees were all consensual. FILE - In this March 15, 2016 file photo, casino mogul Steve Wynn gestures during a a news conference in Medford, Mass., regarding his proposed casino complex. Women's rights advocates and business experts said Wynn Resorts has taken laudable steps to transform a workplace culture that allowed sexual misconduct complaints against Wynn, its founder, to remain hidden for decades, but still has room for improvement. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission will holding public hearings the first week of April 2019 on whether the company is still suitable to hold a casino license for the multi-billion dollar Encore Boston Harbor, slated to open in June 2019 in Everett, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File) Elaine Wynn, who co-founded Wynn Resorts and is now the company's largest shareholder, told regulators she relied on the company's lawyers to decide what should be disclosed as the company sought a casino license in 2013. She maintained that she told the company's lawyer about the 2005 settlement in 2009 and had not been aware until recently about some of the other settlements her husband privately made, such as a $700,000 payment to a cocktail waitress in 2008. Matthew Maddox, the company's new CEO and close confidante of Steve Wynn, told regulators he also did not know about the specifics of some private settlements his former boss reached with former casino employees who had accused him of sexual misconduct until those details became public years later. Maddox took over after Wynn resigned last year following a Wall Street Journal story detailing the allegations. But he's been with the company since its founding and was best man in one of Steve Wynn's weddings. He said Wednesday he had been aware of the 2008 settlement as the company's then-chief financial officer. But he maintained he was told the payment was to help a financially struggling employee and was on behalf of both Steve and Elaine Wynn. Maddox said he was also made aware of at least one of a number of complaints made by spa workers at Wynn Las Vegas about Steve Wynn's conduct during massages. Maddox, who was company president at the time, said he told the then-president of the casino to tell Steve Wynn to discontinue the behavior. Maddox acknowledged he should have informed regulators about the allegations in 2018 because he and other company officials were aware of The Wall Street Journal's reporting weeks prior to publication. Company board members testifying Wednesday acknowledged they failed to investigate after learning in 2016 about a $7.5 million settlement Steve Wynn had paid to a former employee in 2005. Board member Patricia Mulroy said the settlement first came to the board's attention in 2016 during a lawsuit brought by Elaine Wynn, who was then in a bitter feud with Steve Wynn and the company board. Mulroy said the company's then-legal counsel assured them the incident was an "outlier" and that Wynn had personally paid the settlement with no liability to the company. She also maintained the company's legal counsel never told board members the allegation, from a former casino manicurist, involved a rape claim, and that company officials never made the board aware of other settlements. "The word 'rape' was never said," Mulroy said. MILAN (AP) - Italian explorer Alex Bellini plans to travel down the world's 10 most polluted rivers on makeshift rafts, tracing the routes of plastics that pollute the world's oceans. Bellini said Thursday that he was inspired by a 2018 study by a German scientist that found 80% of plastic in the world's oceans arrives from just 10 rivers. He began with a voyage down the Ganges River in India on a raft built from garbage last month and intends to complete journeys on all 10 on similarly constructed rafts by 2021, including the Yangtze, the Niger and the Mekong. His final stop will be the Great Pacific Ocean garbage patch. The 40-year-old spoke to The Associated Press on the sidelines of a One Oceans forum. Bellini, who has rowed solo across two oceans for more than 35,000 kilometers (nearly 22,000 miles), said he became aware of pollution in the ocean while rowing from Peru to Australia in 2008. But he said he was surprised to learn that most plastics in the seas arrive by rivers and not from coastal areas. His new journeys are aimed at raising awareness about the source of ocean plastic, which according to the U.N. environment assembly is accumulating in oceans at a rate of 8 million tons a year. FILE - In this Sunday, Dec. 14, 2008 file photo, Italian solo rower Alex Bellini arrives at the Opera House in Sydney, Australia. Italian explorer Alex Bellini plans to travel down the world's 10 most polluted rivers on make-shift rafts, tracing the routes of plastics that pollute the world's oceans. Bellini said Thursday April 4, 2019 that he was inspired by a 2018 study by a German scientist that found 80% of plastic in the oceans arrives from just 10 rivers. (AP Photo/Rob Griffith, File) The damage to wildlife of ocean plastic was made clear with the death last month of a whale that beached on the northern coast of Sardinia in Italy with 22 kilograms (48.5 pounds) of plastic in its belly. "The ocean is a no-man's land, meaning what is found in the ocean belongs to no one, therefore it is no one's responsibility to go take away that stuff," Bellini said. "But research brings the problem closer to us, in the rivers. So everyone needs to take his own responsibility." Bellini is supported by the One Ocean Foundation, founded by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda in Sardinia, with a mission to safeguard the seas. Closer to home, the foundation has issued a call to clean plastics and other trash that a recent drought has revealed in the Po River, Italy's longest, which empties into the Adriatic Sea. This photo taken on Saturday March 30, 2019 provided by SEAME Sardinia Onlus, shows plastic recovered from the belly of a whale, in Porto Cervo, Sardinia island, Italy. The World Wildlife Foundation is sounding the alarm over plastics in the Mediterranean Sea after an 8-meter-long sperm whale was found dead off Sardinia with 22 kilograms (48.5 pounds) of plastic found in its belly. The environmental organization said Monday that the garbage recovered in the sperm whale's stomach included a corrugated tube for electrical works, plastic plates, shopping bags, tangled fishing lines and a washing detergent package with the brand and bar code still legible. The female whale beached off the northern coast of Sardinia last week. (SEAME Sardinia Onlus via AP) In this photo taken on Thursday, March 28, 2019 and provided by SEAME Sardinia Onlus, a dead whale lies in the water in Porto Cervo, Sardinia island, Italy. The World Wildlife Foundation is sounding the alarm over plastics in the Mediterranean Sea after an 8-meter-long sperm whale was found dead off Sardinia with 22 kilograms (48.5 pounds) of plastic found in its belly. The environmental organization said Monday that the garbage recovered in the sperm whale's stomach included a corrugated tube for electrical works, plastic plates, shopping bags, tangled fishing lines and a washing detergent package with the brand and bar code still legible. The female whale beached off the northern coast of Sardinia last week. (SEAME Sardinia Onlus via AP) In this photo taken on Friday, March 29, 2019 and provided by SEAME Sardinia Onlus, a whale is lifted up onto a truck after being recovered off Sardinia island, Italy. The World Wildlife Foundation is sounding the alarm over plastics in the Mediterranean Sea after an 8-meter-long sperm whale was found dead off Sardinia with 22 kilograms (48.5 pounds) of plastic found in its belly. The environmental organization said Monday that the garbage recovered in the sperm whale's stomach included a corrugated tube for electrical works, plastic plates, shopping bags, tangled fishing lines and a washing detergent package with the brand and bar code still legible. The female whale beached off the northern coast of Sardinia last week. (SEAME Sardinia Onlus via AP) This photo taken on Saturday March 30, 2019 provided by SEAME Sardinia Onlus, shows plastic recovered from the belly of a whale, in Porto Cervo, Sardinia island, Italy. The World Wildlife Foundation is sounding the alarm over plastics in the Mediterranean Sea after an 8-meter-long sperm whale was found dead off Sardinia with 22 kilograms (48.5 pounds) of plastic found in its belly. The environmental organization said Monday that the garbage recovered in the sperm whale's stomach included a corrugated tube for electrical works, plastic plates, shopping bags, tangled fishing lines and a washing detergent package with the brand and bar code still legible. The female whale beached off the northern coast of Sardinia last week. (SEAME Sardinia Onlus via AP) This photo taken on Saturday March 30, 2019 provided by SEAME Sardinia Onlus, shows plastic recovered from the belly of a whale, in Porto Cervo, Sardinia island, Italy. The World Wildlife Foundation is sounding the alarm over plastics in the Mediterranean Sea after an 8-meter-long sperm whale was found dead off Sardinia with 22 kilograms (48.5 pounds) of plastic found in its belly. The environmental organization said Monday that the garbage recovered in the sperm whale's stomach included a corrugated tube for electrical works, plastic plates, shopping bags, tangled fishing lines and a washing detergent package with the brand and bar code still legible. The female whale beached off the northern coast of Sardinia last week. (SEAME Sardinia Onlus via AP) In this photo taken on Saturday March 30, 2019 provided by SEAME Sardinia Onlus, plastic is recovered from the belly of a whale, in Porto Cervo, Sardinia island, Italy. The World Wildlife Foundation is sounding the alarm over plastics in the Mediterranean Sea after an 8-meter-long sperm whale was found dead off Sardinia with 22 kilograms (48.5 pounds) of plastic found in its belly. The environmental organization said Monday that the garbage recovered in the sperm whale's stomach included a corrugated tube for electrical works, plastic plates, shopping bags, tangled fishing lines and a washing detergent package with the brand and bar code still legible. The female whale beached off the northern coast of Sardinia last week. (SEAME Sardinia Onlus via AP) WASHINGTON (AP) - The House voted Thursday to reauthorize a 25-year-old law that helps victims of domestic and sexual violence, despite complaints by Republicans that Democrats were politicizing the popular law by expanding gun control. The bill to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act includes a provision making it easier to take away guns from violent offenders even if they are not a spouse or domestic partner. The amendment closes the so-called "boyfriend loophole" by barring those convicted of abusing, assaulting or stalking a current or former dating partner from buying or owning a firearm. Supporters said the measure was crucial to protect women in the United States, who die from gun violence at rates far higher than other high-income countries. But the National Rifle Association and some Republicans called the measure a political trap intended to portray gun-rights supporters as anti-women. The House approved the bill, 263-158, sending it to the Senate. Thirty-three Republicans joined with Democrats to support the bill. Rep. Collin Peterson of Minnesota was the only Democrat to oppose it. Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise, the second-ranking House Republican, accused Speaker Nancy Pelosi of intentionally allowing the domestic violence law to expire in February despite bipartisan support for extending it. "Nancy Pelosi forced it to expire so she could use women as part of some political leverage," Scalise said at a news conference Thursday. He accused Pelosi, D-Calif., of trying to "use different groups of people as pawns in her political game." Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., speaks as Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., left, and Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, second from right, listen at a news conference after the House voted to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, Thursday, April 4, 2019, on Capitol Hill in Washington. At right is Rep. Deb Haaland, D-N.M. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) Pelosi said the gun-control provisions were "common-sense reforms that will save lives and that no one should object to." Noting past Republican support for the law, Pelosi said, "There should be nothing partisan or political about ending the scourge of domestic violence and sexual assault, which one in three women faces today." A spokeswoman for the NRA said the group "opposes domestic violence and all violent crime" and spends millions of dollars every year teaching Americans how to safely use firearms for self-defense. "The gun control lobby and anti-gun politicians are intentionally politicizing the Violence Against Women Act as a smoke screen to push their gun control agenda," said NRA spokeswoman Jennifer Baker, who called the actions of Democratic leaders "appalling." The NRA feels so strongly about the gun-control provision that it is evaluating the domestic violence law as a "key vote" that will help determine whether it will back a member a Congress for re-election. Robin Lloyd, managing director of a gun-control group founded by former Rep. Gabby Giffords, said up to half of all domestic violence victims are abused by a dating partner, rather than a spouse or live-in boyfriend. Lloyd called the gun-control amendment "truly a life-saving provision," adding that gaps in federal law allowing abusers and stalkers to obtain guns are "a key driver of the staggering levels of lethal violence against women in the U.S." An estimated 4.5 million women have been threatened with a gun by an intimate partner, and nearly 1 million women alive today have been shot, or shot at, by an intimate partner, Lloyd said. Under current federal law, those convicted of domestic abuse can lose their guns if they are currently or formerly married to their victim, live with the victim, have a child together or are a victim's parent or guardian. The proposed amendment would extend the provision to stalkers and current or former dating partners. If lawmakers are trying to save lives, "Why would you not close a simple loophole that says if someone has been convicted of domestic violence or stalking that they not have access to a gun?" asked Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich. Dingell, who recalls hiding in a closet from her gun-wielding, mentally ill father, said she knows what it's like to live in a home where someone "can snap at a minute's notice and suddenly the gun is pointed at your mother or pointed at you." She disputed claims that the amendment was intended to embarrass or "trap" gun-rights supporters or portray them as anti-women. "Sometimes things are as simple as this: I know that fear. I know that terror, and I just want to save another family from going though that terror," she said. Democrats defeated a proposal by Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., to extend the current law for a year. "Ending violence against women should not be partisan, but unfortunately House Democrats have politicized it," Stefanik said as House Republicans cheered. "Scoring political points" should not be prioritized over saving the lives of women and children, she said. Republicans also contended that the proposed law could force prisons to house some male prisoners with women if the offender identifies as a woman and force domestic-abuse shelters to house transgender women alongside female victims. "These policies are nuts!" said Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Ala. Democrats defeated a proposal by Rep. Debbie Lesko, R-Ariz., a domestic violence survivor, to ensure that access to prisons and shelters corresponds with biological sex assigned at birth. House Judiciary Committee Chair Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., center, attends a news conference alongside Rep. Deb Haaland, D-N.M., left, after the House voted to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, Thursday, April 4, 2019, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) CHICAGO (AP) - The Latest on developments in the Jussie Smollett case (all times local): 5:55 p.m. The City of Chicago says Jussie Smollett has refused to pay more than $130,000 to reimburse costs of investigating what authorities say was a staged racist, anti-gay attack. The city's law department also says in a statement Thursday that it would be drafting a lawsuit in response and would sue the "Empire" actor in Cook County Civil Court. The city "will file the suit in the near future." Mayor Rahm Emanuel's law chief sent Smollett a March 28 letter demanding the "Empire" actor pay $130,106 -plus 15 cents- within seven days. A suit could lead to a drawn out battle in civil court that could end in a trial focused on the question of whether Smollett did or didn't orchestrate the Jan. 29 attack. FILE - In this March 26, 2019, file photo, actor Jussie Smollett smiles and waves to supporters before leaving Cook County Court after his charges were dropped in Chicago. A deadline is looming for Smollett to pay over $130,000 to Chicago to cover part of the costs of an investigation into his report of a racist, anti-gay attack or risk getting slapped with a civil lawsuit. Thursday, April 4, is seven days since Mayor Rahm Emanuel's law department sent the "Empire" a March 28 letter demanding he writes them a money order or cashier's check for $130,106, plus 15 cents. It said he had seven days. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty, File) Smollett, who is black and gay, maintains he has told the truth since reporting to police that two masked men assaulted him, shouting slurs and wrapping a rope around his neck. ___ 3:30 p.m. A group of suburban Chicago police chiefs are calling on Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx to resign in the wake of her office's decision to drop charges against Jussie Smollett that accused him of staging a racist, anti-gay attack. Some 30 police chiefs attended a joint news conference Thursday with the Chicago police union president, Kevin Graham, to support that call. Steven Stelter, of the West Suburban Chiefs of Police Association, told reporters it wasn't only about her handling of Smollett's case. He also pointed to broader Foxx policies to not prosecute many lower-level felonies. He said residents needed to know Foxx "is letting them down." Asked why there were no African-American police chiefs at the event, Graham said only that all county police chiefs had been invited. The county includes Chicago and more than 130 other communities. Foxx's office told WLS-TV earlier that the chiefs' criticism was "an excuse to justify" resistance to reform. ___ 11:30 a.m. Suburban Chicago police associations have added their criticism to how the Cook County state's attorney handled charges against "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett that accused him of staging a racist, anti-gay attack. Chicago's WLS-TV reports three groups representing police chiefs voted to express "no confidence" in Kim Foxx. Several police chiefs were set to attend a joint news conference with Chicago police union leaders later Thursday. Foxx recused herself before Smollett was charged. But she defended a decision by her office last week to drop all 16 felony counts against Smollett, saying money was better spent on more serious crimes. WLS cited a letter from the North Suburban Chiefs of Police saying Foxx displayed a tendency to not pursue prosecutions of lower-level felonies. Foxx's office told WLS the criticism was "an excuse to justify" wider resistance to "prioritizing resources to increase public safety and reduce harm." ___ 12:01 a.m. A deadline is looming for Jussie Smollett to pay more than $130,000 to Chicago for investigative costs into what city authorities say was a staged racist, anti-gay attack or risk getting slapped with a civil lawsuit. Thursday is seven days since Mayor Rahm Emanuel's law chief sent the "Empire" actor a letter demanding the payment. The March 28 letter said he must pay within seven days but didn't specify a response if he didn't. Nonpayment will likely prompt the city to sue Smollett, prompting a civil trial where standards for proving he staged the incident will be lower than in criminal court. Chicago sent the letter after state prosecutors dropped criminal charges accusing Smollett of orchestrating the attack. Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot could reverse any legal action after she's sworn in May 20. ___ Check out the AP's complete coverage of the Jussie Smollett case. WASHINGTON (AP) - Abandoning his threat to immediately seal the southern border, President Donald Trump warned instead on Thursday that he'd slap tariffs on cars coming to the U.S. from Mexico unless the Mexicans do more to stop the flow of migrants and drugs to the U.S. In his latest backtrack in recent days, Trump told reporters he would try the "less drastic measure" before resorting to his standing border-closure threat. "Mexico understands that we're going to close the border or I'm going to tariff the cars. I'll do one or the other. And probably start off with the tariffs," Trump said. He added later: "I don't think we'll ever have to close the border because the penalty of tariffs on cars coming into the United States from Mexico, at 25 percent, will be massive." It was the latest, seemingly sudden attempt at new leverage by a president struggling to solve what his administration has called a border "crisis." And it was a dramatic departure for Trump, who last week tweeted that he would close the border or large swaths of it this week unless Mexico immediately halted "ALL illegal immigration coming into the United States" - a seemingly impossible task. Trump said at the time that he was "not kidding around," and his acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney said in a television interview Sunday that it would take "something dramatic" for Trump not to close down the crossings. Since then, however, White House advisers, border city leaders and U.S. economists have warned that such a move would have enormous economic consequences on both sides of the border, interrupting supply chains and boosting U.S. consumer prices on everything from avocadoes to autos. President Donald Trump speaks during the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House, Thursday, April 4, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Trump in recent days has also backtracked on his push for Republicans to again take on health care and surprised his own education secretary by reversing a plan to ax federal aid for the Special Olympics. Those actions have only added to longstanding concerns about whether Trump's words can be trusted. Trump, who has long said his unpredictability is one of his greatest negotiating assets, has also followed through with some of his most bombastic threats, including forcing the country's longest-ever government shutdown over border funding. Trump had already appeared to be easing off his border threat earlier this week. Though he said Tuesday all options remained on the table, he shifted his goal posts, calling on Congress to pass immigration legislation to avert a closure and praising the Mexican government for doing more to apprehend migrants traveling through the country from Central America - though it's unclear anything has changed. Marcelo Ebrard, Mexico's foreign relations secretary, said Tuesday his government had not changed its policies. And on Thursday, Mexico's ambassador to the U.S. Martha Barcena told The Associated Press the country was working to make its own border "more orderly" but "migration will never be stopped." Jesus Seade, the Mexican undersecretary for North America, also brushed off the threat of new tariffs, saying officials were "not concerned" and noting the tariffs are not part of the United States-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement that the countries have agreed to but not yet ratified. On Thursday, Trump also threatened tariffs if Mexico doesn't halt the flow of illegal drugs across the border, saying he'd give the country "a one year warning" to comply. "But if in a year from now drugs continue to pour in we're going to put tariffs on," he said, adding: "I don't play games." As for concerns his actions might interfere with the trade deal he fought for, Trump said the border was "more important to me than the USMCA." Trump has wide-ranging power to impose tariffs on national security grounds, which he has repeatedly used as leverage against other countries. But the USMCA was worded to protect Mexico against auto tariffs based on national security concerns, and trade lawyer Daniel D. Ujczo said those provisions are already in effect under a side letter. "In short, this is the exact scenario that the Mexican negotiating team predicted and secured protections from in the USMCA," he said. "Mexico 'Trump-and-Tweet-proofed' its auto sector," and the White House "would need to get very creative to impose auto tariffs on Mexico." In addition, despite what Trump suggests, Mexico, China and other American trading partners don't pay U.S. tariffs directly. American importers pay the tariffs at the border and then must decide how much of the higher cost they can pass along to U.S. customers. Tariffs do squeeze the manufacturers who export to the U.S. from foreign countries by making their products more expensive in the United States. But there again, that can hit U.S. companies, such as General Motors, which is a major car-maker in Mexico. Trump has been increasingly exasperated at his inability to halt the swelling number of migrants entering the U.S., including thousands who have being released after arriving because border officials have no space for them. Arrests along the southern border have skyrocketed in recent months and border agents were on track to make 100,000 arrests or denials of entry in March, a 12-year high. More than half of those are families with children, who require extra care. The president's "pretty frustrated," said Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, who spoke with Trump this week and offered to work with the administration "to try to come up with some more targeted ideas," including changes for remittances to Mexico. Trump suggested he work with the Treasury secretary on the idea, Cornyn said. Trump has invoked other executive powers, including declaring a national emergency in an effort to secure more money for his long-promised border wall. Congress voted to block the emergency declaration, but Trump vetoed that measure. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday that Democrats would file a lawsuit aimed at preventing Trump from "stealing" billions from federal programs and diverting the money to building barriers along the border. Administration officials had been studying ways to minimize the economic impact of a potential border closure in case Trump went through with his threat, including keeping trucking lanes open or closing only certain ports. But even absent that extraordinary step, delays at border stations have been mounting after some 2,000 border officers were reassigned from checking vehicles to deal with migrant crowds. ___ Associated Press writers Paul Wiseman, Darlene Superville and Luis Alonso Lugo in Washington and Peter Orsi in Mexico City contributed to this report. President Donald Trump speaks during the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House, Thursday, April 4, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) - The Latest on the reactions to the preliminary report issued by the Ethiopian government on the March 10 crash of the Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 jet shortly after takeoff which killed all 157 people on board. (all times local): ___ 11:45 p.m. Boeing's stock rose Thursday despite the release of a preliminary report that highlighted the role of an automated anti-stall system on its best-selling plane in two deadly crashes. The shares gained 70 cents, or 1.3 percent, to close at $53.51. Key findings of the Ethiopian report had already leaked, so investors may have been prepared for more bad news around Boeing's 737 Max jet. FILE - In this Wednesday March 13, 2019 file photo, a family member reacts at the scene where the Ethiopian Airlines jet crashed near Bishoftu, in Ethiopia, just after taking off from Addis Ababa on March 10, killing all 157 on board. A preliminary report finds that the crew of the Ethiopian Airlines jet that crashed last month performed all the procedures recommended by Boeing but could not control the plane. (AP Photo/Mulugeta Ayene, File) They might also have been encouraged when Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg tweeted late Wednesday about being on a test flight during which a software upgrade to the anti-stall and flight-control system on the plane was tested successfully. That system is believed to have played a key role in a crash off the coast of Indonesia in October and another March 10 in Ethiopia. CFRA Research analyst Jim Corridore said the software test flight made it more likely that Boeing could get the grounded Max planes back in the air relatively soon, within several weeks. "We expect extreme regulatory scrutiny around the safety of the 737-MAX fleet, but do expect these planes to resume flying eventually," the analyst said in a note to clients. ___ 10 p.m. The two pilots of the Ethiopian Airlines plane that crashed last month had just 159 hours of flying time on the Boeing 737 Max between them. The captain, Yared Getachew, was just 29 but had accumulated more than 8,000 hours of flying since completing work at the airline's flight academy in 2010, according to a preliminary accident report released Thursday by the Ethiopian government. Getachew was licensed by the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority to fly the 737 and several larger Boeing jets, the 767, 777 and 787. In 2017, he was permitted to command flights on 737s, and that was expanded in 2018 to include the Max, Boeing's newest version of its workhorse single-aisle jetliner. The captain flew more than 1,400 hours on 737s, but just 103 hours on the Max, of which Ethiopian Airlines had just five, including the one that crashed on March 10. The co-pilot, Ahmed Nur Mohammod Nur, was only 25 and was licensed to fly the 737, including the Max, on Dec. 12 of last year. He logged just 361 flight hours - not enough to be hired as a pilot at a U.S. airline. He flew 207 of those hours on 737s, including 56 hours on Max jets. A preliminary report released Thursday by the Ethiopian government found that the two pilots followed Boeing's recommended procedures when their plane started to nose dive but could not avoid crashing. ___ 9:15 p.m. Boeing is reiterating its sympathies to the families of victims who died in a March 10 crash of an Ethiopian Airlines jet and emphasizing that it is making fixes to an anti-stall system that is suspected of also playing a role in a second crash. The system, known by its acronym MCAS and designed specifically for the 737 Max, can automatically lower the plane's nose to prevent an aerodynamic stall in certain circumstances. Investigators are looking into whether MCAS contributed to the Ethiopian Airlines crash as well as a Lion Air jet crash off of Indonesia in October. "To ensure unintended MCAS activation will not occur again, Boeing has developed and is planning to release a software update to MCAS and an associated comprehensive pilot training and supplementary education program for the 737 MAX," the company said in its statement. Boeing said the software update "adds additional layers of protection and will prevent erroneous data from causing MCAS activation. Flight crews will always have the ability to override MCAS and manually control the airplane." The company says it cannot comment on a preliminary report released by the Ethiopian government Thursday pending an investigation. The Max has been grounded worldwide until Boeing completes the software update, which still needs to be approved by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and other regulators. ___ 8:03 p.m. A doomed Ethiopian Airlines jet suffered from faulty readings by a key sensor, and pilots followed Boeing's recommended procedures when the plane started to nose dive but could not avoid crashing, according to a preliminary report released Thursday by the Ethiopian government. The findings including the faulty sensor data drew the strongest link yet between the March 10 crash in Ethiopia and an October crash off the coast of Indonesia, which both involved Boeing 737 Max 8 jetliners. All 346 people on the two planes were killed. Both planes had an automated system that pushed the nose down when sensors readings detected the danger of an aerodynamic stall, but it now appears that sensors malfunctioned on both planes. In a statement, Boeing repeats that it is working on a software update to prevent the automated system from activating when it should not. ___ 7:50 p.m. The family of a 24-year-old American passenger on the Ethiopian jet has sued Boeing in Chicago. The complaint, which also names Ethiopian Airlines and parts maker Rosemount Aerospace as defendants, is alleging negligence and civil conspiracy among other charges. The American who was killed in the March 10 crash in Ethiopia, Samya Stumo, is the great niece of consumer advocate and former presidential candidate Ralph Nader. "Blinded by its greed, Boeing haphazardly rushed the 737 MAX8 to market" and "actively concealed the nature of the automated system defects," the lawsuit alleges, demonstrating a "conscious disregard for the lives of others." "You've let us down. You've killed people when you've let us down," said Adnaan Stumo, the victim's brother, addressing Boeing during a press conference in Chicago. Boeing is facing several other suits, including seven filed in Chicago earlier by one law firm alone claiming the flight-control system was defective and that Boeing failed to warn airlines about it or fully train pilots. The Max 8 has been under scrutiny since a Lion Air flight crashed off the coast of Indonesia under similar circumstances in October. ___ 7:45 p.m. A sister of one of the crash victims of the Ethiopian Airlines flight said her whole family is grieving the death of her brother again amid the release of a preliminary report Thursday that said pilots followed Boeing's recommended procedures when the plane started to nose dive but could not avoid crashing. Konjit Shafi, who lost her younger brother Sintayehu Shafi in the crash, told The Associated Press that her family is unsettled by the news reports that are coming out all day. "Today's preliminary report suggests Boeing could have done better in notifying the problem with the aircraft system early on," she said, surrounded by her family members in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa. "This is causing us a great deal of pain. It is so sad to learn that our loved ones would have been spared if this problem was detected on time." Konjit said her family has not yet decided to hire a legal team and is waiting for the full report to come out. "We will do what we got to do when it's the right time for us," she stated. "But we want justice . not a delayed justice but a quick one. I heard the full report may take one year. But that's too long." The late Sintayehu, a senior mechanic with a Toyota dealership in Ethiopia, was travelling to Kenya to attend a training workshop. "My late brother was the one who used to drive me back home every day after work," she said tearfully. "Now I have to walk all the way from the main road to my home. And that's become a long walk." ___ 11:30 a.m. The pilots of a doomed Ethiopian Airlines jet followed all of Boeing's recommended procedures when the plane started to nose dive but still couldn't save it, according to findings from a preliminary report released Thursday by the Ethiopian government. The plane crashed just six minutes after taking off from Addis Ababa, killing all 157 people on board. The report, based on flight data and cockpit voice recorders on the Boeing 737 Max 8, was not released in full. Boeing declined to comment pending its review of the report on the March 10 crash. The Max 8 has been under scrutiny since a Lion Air flight crashed off the coast of Indonesia under similar circumstances in October. Thursday's revelations raise questions about repeated assertions by Boeing and U.S. regulators that pilots could regain control in some emergencies by following steps that include turning off an anti-stall system designed specifically for the Max, known by its acronym, MCAS. FILE - In this Wednesday March 13, 2019 file photo, a grieving relative who lost his wife in the plane crash is helped by a member of security forces and others near Bishoftu, in Ethiopia, at the scene where the Ethiopian Airlines jet crashed just after taking off from Addis Ababa on March 10, killing all 157 on board. A preliminary report finds that the crew of the Ethiopian Airlines jet that crashed last month performed all the procedures recommended by Boeing but could not control the plane. (AP Photo/Mulugeta Ayene, File) FILE - In this Wednesday March 13, 2019 file photo, relatives react at the scene where the Ethiopian Airlines jet crashed near Bishoftu, in Ethiopia, just after taking off from Addis Ababa on March 10, killing all 157 on board. A preliminary report finds that the crew of the Ethiopian Airlines jet that crashed last month performed all the procedures recommended by Boeing but could not control the plane. (AP Photo/Mulugeta Ayene, File) FILE - In this Thursday March 14, 2019 file photo, Ethiopian relatives of crash victims mourn at the scene where the Ethiopian Airlines jet crashed near Bishoftu, in Ethiopia, just after taking off from Addis Ababa on March 10, killing all 157 on board. A preliminary report finds that the crew of the Ethiopian Airlines jet that crashed last month performed all the procedures recommended by Boeing but could not control the plane. (AP Photo/Mulugeta Ayene, File) FILE - In this Monday March 11, 2019 file photo, rescuers work at the scene of an Ethiopian Airlines flight crash near Bishoftu, or Debre Zeit, south of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Ethiopian Airlines jet crashed just after taking off from Addis Ababa on March 10, killing all 157 on board. A preliminary report finds that the crew of the Ethiopian Airlines jet that crashed last month performed all the procedures recommended by Boeing but could not control the plane. (AP Photo/Mulugeta Ayene, File) FILE - In this March 11, 2019, file photo, wreckage is piled at the crash scene of an Ethiopian Airlines flight crash near Bishoftu, Ethiopia. A published report says pilots of an Ethiopian airliner that crashed followed Boeing's emergency steps for dealing with a sudden nose-down turn but couldn't regain control. (AP Photo/Mulugeta Ayene, File) FILE - In this March 11, 2019, file photo, rescuers work at the scene of an Ethiopian Airlines flight crash near Bishoftu, Ethiopia. A published report says pilots of an Ethiopian airliner that crashed followed Boeing's emergency steps for dealing with a sudden nose-down turn but couldn't regain control. (AP Photo/Mulugeta Ayene, File) FILE - In this March 14, 2019, file photo, workers walk next to a Boeing 737 MAX 8 airplane parked at Boeing Field, in Seattle. A published report says pilots of an Ethiopian airliner that crashed followed Boeing's emergency steps for dealing with a sudden nose-down turn but couldn't regain control. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File) FILE - In this March 27, 2019, file photo, a worker enters a Boeing 737 MAX 8 airplane during a brief media tour of Boeing's 737 assembly facility in Renton, Wash. A published report says pilots of an Ethiopian airliner that crashed followed Boeing's emergency steps for dealing with a sudden nose-down turn but couldn't regain control. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File) DIAVATA, Greece (AP) - Clashes broke out Thursday between migrants and Greek police outside a camp in northern Greece, where hundreds gathered in the hope of reviving a route that saw hundreds of thousands enter more prosperous countries in Europe. In the wake of anonymous calls on social media for a long trek through heavily guarded Balkan borders, police said more than 500 people, including families with small children, assembled in a cornfield outside the Diavata migrant camp, which is around 10 kilometers (6 miles) west of the city of Thessaloniki. Some set up tents as dozens more approached on foot. Later, about 200 clashed with riot police after trying to break through a cordon. They threw stones at police who responded with tear gas and stun grenades. No injuries or arrests were reported. Migrants, most of whom have already requested asylum in Greece, said they planned to go to the fenced-off border with North Macedonia 60 kilometers (38 miles) away and try to push through. In early 2016, a similar route was firmly shut down after more than a million people flowed through Greece and the Balkans to Germany and other countries. Riot police detain a protesting migrant during a rally outside a refugee camp in the village of Diavata, west of Thessaloniki, northern Greece, Thursday, April 4, 2019. Clashes broke out between migrants and Greek police outside a camp in northern Greece, where hundreds gathered following anonymous social media calls for a long trek through heavily guarded Balkan borders to seek asylum in Europe's prosperous heartland. (AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos) The United Nations refugee agency has denounced the social media calls, stressing that irregular border crossings are "risky and dangerous." In a statement warning of "false information and social media rumors," UNHCR said it does not encourage or support "irregular movements," and noted that states have the right to manage their borders. "In addition to potential unwanted legal consequences, participants in these movements may end up in dire humanitarian conditions, including being left without adequate shelter, food and other basic services," UNHCR said. "Please do not endanger your lives and the lives of your family members and children." But people gathering outside the congested Diavata camp said they would try their luck at the border. "We face very many problems in Greece," Iraqi Kurd Darya Wus, 35, told The Associated Press. "They give us very little money. We have no future (in Greece). My asylum hearing has been set for 2021." He said migrants would try to get through the border with North Macedonia, despite likely opposition by police in both countries. "We will try to talk them into letting us go on to Europe," he said. Sajjad Hamid, 27, an Iraqi from Baghdad who has been in Greece for 15 months after entering illegally from Turkey, was planning to spend the night in a tent with his four young children. They had travelled north by bus from the central town of Halkida, where they lived in a hotel room provided by an NGO. "We refugees are tired," he said. "We want to leave. There is nothing for us to do here." More than 70,000 asylum-seekers have been trapped in Greece since the 2016 border closures and a deal between the European Union and Turkey intended to stem migration flows. ___ Follow Kantouris at http://www.twitter.com/CostasKantouris Riot police detain a protesting migrant during a rally outside a refugee camp in the village of Diavata, west of Thessaloniki, northern Greece, Thursday, April 4, 2019. Clashes broke out between migrants and Greek police outside a camp in northern Greece, where hundreds gathered following anonymous social media calls for a long trek through heavily guarded Balkan borders to seek asylum in Europe's prosperous heartland. (AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos) Riot police sprays tear gas toward protesting migrants during a rally outside a refugee camp in the village of Diavata, west of Thessaloniki, northern Greece, Thursday, April 4, 2019. Clashes broke out between migrants and Greek police outside a camp in northern Greece, where hundreds gathered following anonymous social media calls for a long trek through heavily guarded Balkan borders to seek asylum in Europe's prosperous heartland. (AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos) A migrant clashes with riot police during a rally outside a refugee camp in the village of Diavata, west of Thessaloniki, northern Greece, Thursday, April 4, 2019. Clashes broke out between migrants and Greek police outside a camp in northern Greece, where hundreds gathered following anonymous social media calls for a long trek through heavily guarded Balkan borders to seek asylum in Europe's prosperous heartland. (AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos) Protesting migrants gather as riot police guard a refugee camp in the village of Diavata, west of Thessaloniki, northern Greece, Thursday, April 4, 2019. About 300 migrants from various parts of Greece gathered outside the Diavata camp, in response to an anonymous posting on social media that urged migrants trapped in Greece to go to the border with North Macedonia and try to push their way through _ with a view to crossing a series of sealed Balkan borders and reaching Europe's prosperous heartland. (AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos) Migrants gather during a rally outside a refugee camp in the village of Diavata, west of Thessaloniki, northern Greece, Thursday, April 4, 2019. About 300 migrants from various parts of Greece gathered outside the Diavata camp, in response to an anonymous posting on social media that urged migrants trapped in Greece to go to the border with North Macedonia and try to push their way through _ with a view to crossing a series of sealed Balkan borders and reaching Europe's prosperous heartland. (AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos) A migrant holds a baby during a rally outside refugee camp in the village of Diavata, west of Thessaloniki, northern Greece, Thursday, April 4, 2019. About 300 migrants from various parts of Greece gathered outside the Diavata camp, in response to an anonymous posting on social media that urged migrants trapped in Greece to go to the border with North Macedonia and try to push their way through _ with a view to crossing a series of sealed Balkan borders and reaching Europe's prosperous heartland. (AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos) Migrants gather during a rally outside a refugee camp in the village of Diavata, west of Thessaloniki, northern Greece, Thursday, April 4, 2019. About 300 migrants from various parts of Greece gathered outside the Diavata camp, in response to an anonymous posting on social media that urged migrants trapped in Greece to go to the border with North Macedonia and try to push their way through _ with a view to crossing a series of sealed Balkan borders and reaching Europe's prosperous heartland. (AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos) A migrant stands behind fence at a refugee camp in the village of Diavata, west of Thessaloniki, northern Greece, Thursday, April 4, 2019. About 300 migrants from various parts of Greece gathered outside the Diavata camp, in response to an anonymous posting on social media that urged migrants trapped in Greece to go to the border with North Macedonia and try to push their way through _ with a view to crossing a series of sealed Balkan borders and reaching Europe's prosperous heartland. (AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos) A migrant stands behind a fence at a refugee camp in the village of Diavata, west of Thessaloniki, northern Greece, Thursday, April 4, 2019. About 300 migrants from various parts of Greece gathered outside the Diavata camp, in response to an anonymous posting on social media that urged migrants trapped in Greece to go to the border with North Macedonia and try to push their way through _ with a view to crossing a series of sealed Balkan borders and reaching Europe's prosperous heartland. (AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos) Children of migrants offer flowers to riot police during a rally outside a refugee camp in the village of Diavata, west of Thessaloniki, northern Greece, Thursday, April 4, 2019. About 300 migrants from various parts of Greece gathered outside the Diavata camp, in response to an anonymous posting on social media that urged migrants trapped in Greece to go to the border with North Macedonia and try to push their way through _ with a view to crossing a series of sealed Balkan borders and reaching Europe's prosperous heartland. (AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos) A boy stands over a baby during a rally outside a refugee camp in the village of Diavata, west of Thessaloniki, northern Greece, Thursday, April 4, 2019. About 300 migrants from various parts of Greece gathered outside the Diavata camp, in response to an anonymous posting on social media that urged migrants trapped in Greece to go to the border with North Macedonia and try to push their way through _ with a view to crossing a series of sealed Balkan borders and reaching Europe's prosperous heartland. (AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos) WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump is well on his way to raising the $1 billion his campaign believes it will take for him to win another term in the White House, building a fundraising machine that will prove difficult for Democrats to match. Trump's bring-it-on fundraising approach - which will be on display during a stop in Los Angeles on Friday - is a far cry from his stance in 2015, when the billionaire reality TV star and developer launched his first bid for president promising to use his own money to finance his campaign. It's also an indication of how he has made his political apparatus more professional for Round 2. For all presidents, incumbency has its advantages. Trump, who formalized his re-election effort the day after he took office, moved especially early to leverage his incumbency for 2020. As Trump brings in millions, his would-be opponents are scrambling to raise enough money to earn themselves a spot on the primary debate stages. And the Democratic National Committee remains in debt from previous campaigns. "Whoever the Democratic nominee is, they'll be depleted, and they'll have to start from zero - well under zero, the DNC has a debt," said Michael Glassner, the Trump campaign's chief operating officer. He called Trump's decision to keep the campaign in operation during his first two years in office the "new model" for future presidents. Through the end of 2018, the last date for which figures are publicly available, the Trump campaign had brought in more than $129 million. President Barack Obama, by comparison, didn't even begin his 2012 re-election campaign until 2011. The Trump camp is scheduled to release its first quarter fundraising results later this month, so far only teasing that the campaign's cash on hand this period will be "far beyond" the more than $19 million in the bank it reported at the end of 2018. The RNC, for its part, is promising to report a first quarter record for a nonpresidential year. President Donald Trump speaks during the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House, Thursday, April 4, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Trump is traveling to Los Angeles on Friday to raise money for his campaign and the Republican National Committee. Dinner tickets run $15,000 - or $50,000 for a photo with the president and $150,000 to participate in a roundtable with the president. The RNC says 170 people are expected to attend. Trump's fundraising is divided between two entities: Trump Victory, the joint account used for high-dollar gifts, and Trump Make America Great Again Committee, the low-dollar digital fundraising operation known internally as "T-Magic." The campaign is set to launch a traditional "bundling" program - which it lacked in 2016 - in the coming weeks. Bundlers are mid-tier donors who bring in contributions from their associates. Republicans have trailed Democrats in online fundraising ever since the medium was invented roughly two decades ago. But Trump has closed the gap, driving small-dollar donors who make recurring donations to the GOP like the party has never seen before. It's a phenomenon the party is moving quickly to try to take advantage of, as it prepares to roll out "Patriot Pass," its competitor to the Democratic fundraising website ActBlue. In 2015, Trump swore off outside funding, declaring in his opening speech: "I'm using my own money. I'm not using the lobbyists'. I'm not using donors'. I don't care. I'm really rich." He quickly reversed course on high-dollar donations after he won the GOP nomination, bowing to the financial pressures of running a general election campaign, and he'd already raised millions online through the sale of merchandise like his signature red Make America Great Again hats. Trump gave or loaned $66 million to his 2016 campaign and often flashed frustration if he felt his money wasn't being put to good use. Trump advisers and allies explained that the president, who largely kept out of the particulars of the campaign's field, data and advertising efforts, didn't fully appreciate the need to raise heavily for his campaign and the RNC until his victory on election night. That secured his early buy-in for their more expensive 2020 plans, they said. Still, Trump hasn't put any money into the 2020 effort so far, and aides don't expect that to change. Since his inauguration, though, he's participated in 55 high-dollar donor events, according to the RNC. The campaign has benefited from continuous operation since 2015, said RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, giving fundraisers time to "integrate and fine-tune our operations." The timing also has allowed the campaign to continue prospecting for new donors and maintain its existing roster by fundraising off big events such as the contentious Supreme Court nomination hearings for Brett Kavanaugh and passage of the tax reform bill. McDaniel said there have been more than 1.1 million new donors since Election Day, and 100,000 just in January. She added that there have been at least seven days with seven-figure small-dollar hauls so far this year. "The cohesive and coordinated effort between the campaign and the RNC is something that hasn't happened this seamlessly since at least Bush '04," said RNC senior adviser Katie Walsh, a former deputy chief of staff at the White House. Trump plans to continue his fundraising push in Texas next week, with stops in San Antonio and Houston. Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale has predicted the campaign will spend $1 billion in 2020, about three times what it spent electing Trump in 2016. Comparing Trump's 2016 and 2020 fundraising efforts, GOP fundraiser and Trump donor Dan Eberhart said it was "completely different." The oil industry executive noted that Trump was on the outside last time, competing with a host of candidates, whereas this time "the vast, vast majority of Republican donors are rowing in the same direction." "It's understood we either win with him or we won't win," Eberhart said. "Nearly everyone is on board." Rakesh Kapoor is celebrating his final year as Reckitt Benckiser boss by counting the near 100 million he has collected in pay since 2011, after new figures showed he pocketed 15.2 million last year. Mr Kapoor saw his pay increase by around 70% from just under 9 million in 2017, according to Reckitts annual report, after reaping the rewards of a bumper bonus. His 945,209 base salary was dwarfed by a 3.4 million annual bonus and a 10.5 million long-term incentive plan award linked to the Dettol owners performance. Mr Kapoor, who is set to retire at the end of 2019 after 32 years with the group, is one of the highest paid bosses in the FTSE 100. His latest pay cheque means he has been paid 97.5 million since taking the helm in 2011. The Indians payouts have sparked investor anger over the years, with nearly a quarter of shareholders opposing his 25.5 million award in 2015. Mr Kapoor joined Reckitt in 1987, becoming senior vice-president of home care in 1999 and working his way up the ranks before being promoted to chief executive in 2011. He is widely credited with turning around the companys fortunes. During his tenure, Mr Kapoor has seen Reckitts share price nearly double from 33 to more than 64. Chief executive Rakesh Kapoor said the group needs to increase the number of female leaders (PA) Separately, the Cillit Bang owner revealed its female staff are paid 4.5% more than men, but admitted much more needs to be done to increase women in management roles. In its report ahead of the UK gender pay gap reporting deadline on Thursday, Reckitt said the median figure, the midpoint in the ranges of women and mens pay, had improved from 0.1% in favour of men in 2017. But calculated using the mean average, the group said men are paid 7.9% more than women as it said the data was skewed by some highly paid male outliers. The group added that women hold 25% of senior management roles worldwide, leading to a 25.3% gap in bonus payments in favour of male staff. In the UK, the figures are more encouraging, with 36% of senior management roles held by women, up from 28% in 2017. Overall, the firm has 3,656 active staff in the UK, of which 41% are women. Reckitt announced a target to increase the proportion of senior management jobs held globally by women to 40% by 2022 in an effort to address the imbalance. It also plans to roll out gender pay gap reporting to its top five markets around the world, representing nearly 50% of its global workforce based in the US, the UK, China, India and Mexico. A cross-party group of senior MPs has launched a bid to force Theresa May to stop no-deal Brexit by tabling a bill requiring the Prime Minister to extend the negotiation process beyond April 12. Following the failure of MPs to unite behind an alternative to Mrs Mays plan on Monday, the group, including Conservative grandee Sir Oliver Letwin and Labours Yvette Cooper, aims to pass the bill through the Commons in a single day on Wednesday. The move was announced as Mrs May and her senior ministers were locked in a mammoth Cabinet session lasting more than seven hours at 10 Downing Street to try to break the Brexit deadlock. Number 10 made clear on Tuesday that exit without agreement in 10 days time remains the legal default unless MPs approve a deal. And EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier said a no-deal departure was becoming day after day more likely. French President Emmanuel Macron warned that an extension to the Article 50 negotiation process cannot be taken for granted, and that the UK would have to present a credible alternative plan backed by a majority at next weeks summit in order to secure it. Speaking alongside Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar before talks in Paris, Mr Macron said: Should the United Kingdom be unable three years after the referendum to propose a solution backed by a majority, they will de facto have chosen for themselves to leave without a deal. We cannot avoid failure for them. The EU could not become the hostage to the solution to a political crisis in the UK, said the French president. A leaked letter from cabinet secretary Sir Mark Sedwill, obtained by the Daily Mail, showed that the UKs top civil servant has warned of 10% food price hikes, economic recession and disruption to security if Britain crashes out without a deal. The front page of the cross-party bill to block no-deal (PA Wire/PA Images) Instead of initiating a third round of indicative votes on Wednesday, when Parliament once more has control over the Commons timetable, Sir Oliver will table a paving motion to allow debate and votes on Ms Coopers bill. An amendment to his motion would set aside April 8 for indicative votes. The single-clause Cooper bill requires the Prime Minister to table her own motion seeking MPs approval for an extension to the Article 50 process of Brexit talks to a date of her choosing. The group behind the bill, which also includes former Tory chair Dame Caroline Spelman, Commons Brexit Committee chair Hilary Benn, former attorney general Dominic Grieve and Liberal Democrat Norman Lamb, hopes once it has passed the Commons it could be approved by the House of Lords and granted Royal Assent in time for the emergency EU summit on April 10. Ms Cooper said: We are now in a really dangerous situation with a serious and growing risk of no-deal in 10 days time. The Prime Minister has a responsibility to prevent that happening. She needs to put forward a proposal, including saying how long an extension she thinks we need to sort things out. If the Government wont act urgently, then Parliament has a responsibility to try to ensure that happens even though we are right up against the deadline. Sir Oliver added: This is a last-ditch attempt to prevent our country being exposed to the risks inherent in a no-deal exit. We realise this is difficult. But it is definitely worth trying. MPs rejected a call for a customs union with the EU by just three votes on Monday, while a demand for a second referendum was defeated by 12 and a Common Market 2.0 deal by 21. Number 10 officials are understood to have indicated that if the Prime Minister could not get her Withdrawal Agreement through on a fourth vote then she would seek a longer extension to the Brexit process possibly until the end of the year. But she is believed to favour a no-deal Brexit rather than the possibility of revoking Article 50 if the choice came to it. PA Graphics Tory sources believe that winning over Labour MPs to back the deal may be a more likely prospect than persuading the DUP to change position, something which may make adding a customs union a more attractive prospect as it would meet one of Jeremy Corbyns key aims. But such a move would cause deep splits within the Cabinet, with Brexiteer ministers strongly opposed to anything which would prevent the UK being able to strike free trade deals. Tuesdays Cabinet meeting began with a political session in the absence of civil servants, which one Government source said was aimed at finding which option could the party stomach and which option could the country stomach. Chancellor Philip Hammond is understood to be urging colleagues to accept a compromise which prevents either a no-deal scenario or no Brexit at all. That could include either a customs union or a second referendum the two most popular options in the indicative votes process. Mr Barnier said that unless MPs vote for the Withdrawal Agreement within the next few days, the only remaining options for the UK are to quit the EU without a deal or seek an extension to Article 50. A no-deal Brexit was never our desired or intended scenario but becomes day after day more likely, he said. Speaking in Brussels, Mr Barnier said: An extension would carry significant risks for the EU. Therefore a strong justification would be needed. While the Withdrawal Agreement would not be reopened, Brussels is ready to rework the UK/EU Political Declaration on the future relationship, he said. Mr Barnier warned that a no-deal Brexit would not end wrangles over the Irish border, citizens rights and the UKs financial liabilities, which would be reignited within months in a more difficult atmosphere. If there is no deal and the UK wants to discuss trade or other subjects, we will put the same subjects back on the table, he told MEPs on the European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs. If there is no deal, the atmosphere will be different. The lack of a deal means a lack of faith, a lack of deal means a rupture in confidence between us, he added. We are now in dangerous situation. Risk of damaging No Deal on 12 April rising fast. Whatever is/isnt agreed this wk, PM must put forward plan for extension to avert No Deal on April 12. For sake of jobs, families & security, this cross party bill aims to ensure that happens pic.twitter.com/6tQTL45txl Yvette Cooper (@YvetteCooperMP) April 2, 2019 In his letter to ministers, obtained by the Daily Mail, Sir Mark Sedwill warned of likely consequences of a no-deal Brexit, including: A UK-only recession, meaning that the expected fall in the value of the pound will be more harmful than during the 2008 global crisis; A 10% spike in food prices; The collapse of some businesses that trade with the EU, with pressure on Government to bail companies out; Disruption to national security and reduced law and order capabilities; Reintroduction of direct rule in Northern Ireland for the first time since 2007. The number of deaths at Scottish jails are nothing short of a massacre, according to the parents of a student who took her own life while behind bars. Katie Allan, who was jailed in March 2018 aged 20 for a hit-and-run while drunk, killed herself at HMYOI Polmont after being tormented by other inmates, her parents said. After investigating deaths inside Scottish prisons, Katies parents have said the country effectively has a death penalty due to the lack of mental health support and inaction to protect prisoners. Speaking at the Scottish Parliament a year after their late daughter was jailed, Linda and Stuart Allan called for action to tackle what she described as a genocide behind the doors of the cells. The family, with the help of Glasgow University, where Mrs Allan is an honorary clinical professor, studied prison deaths from 2008 up to December 2018. Mrs Allan, who worked as a nurse registrar in the NHS before her daughters death, said: Our campaign attempts to present to government ministers, academics and society the stark reality of what is going on in the halls of our prisons no gloss over, no excuses, no spin, no soundbites and ask for honest consideration. What we have discovered is that Scotland has a death penalty it is no longer a jostling public spectacle around the gallows, it is a hidden and visible genocide behind the doors of the cells of our prison estate. Stuart Allan speaking at a press conference and a cross-party briefing of MSPs at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh (Andrew Milligan/PA) Mr Allan, a data inputter at a telecommunications company, described the horrific statistics they found by looking into the 258 prisoner deaths over the last decade as nothing short of a massacre. He said: In 2008, 35% of prisoner deaths were from suicides but in 2016, 2017 and 2018 this has rocketed to over 50%, with the volume of prison deaths increasing in that time. Forty per cent so thats 32 of the 82 deaths in prison who have taken their own life were under the age of 30. Twelve of those 32 had taken their own life within one week of being in prison. He added: Sixty-seven families await a fatal accident inquiry (FAI) to be completed on their loved one some of those are going back as far as prisoner deaths from 2014. The familys lawyer Aamer Anwar said the Allans had lost faith in the Scottish Prison Service, which appears more interested in spin and cover-ups. They believe an FAI system held on average now two years after a suicide is not fit for purpose, it is set up to fail families and hide what is truly happening, he said. The SPS treats prison suicides as hidden dirty secrets but there is nothing inevitable about suicides. Over half of those imprisoned today in Scotlands prisons have definable mental health problems and prison is not fit for purpose for dealing with them. Katie Allan and many others were failed by a system which keeps repeating the same mistakes. Former Glasgow University student Katie Allan, who took her own life in prison After listening to Mr and Mrs Allan, Labours shadow justice minister Pauline McNeil said: What I heard this morning was that the Scottish Government needs to take urgent action around young offenders and mental health in prisons. And to hear that 67 grieving families still dont know how their loved one died what sort of country are we living in? It cant continue like this. Lib Dem justice spokesman Liam McArthur said: The justice system has failed family after family. It has been two years since the Scottish Government accepted Scottish Liberal Democrat proposals to expand the mental health workforce in prisons. However, so far there are just two new staff across Scotlands 15 prisons. Calling for an independent review into the bureaucratic and broken FAI system, Mr McArthur added: No more families should have to face agonising waits of up to a decade for answers about their loved ones deaths or be asked to make a financial contribution towards this process. Families cant have closure and the justice system cant learn lessons, putting more lives in danger. A Scottish Prison Service spokesman said its thoughts were with the friends and family of Miss Allan. He said it is awaiting the FAI into her death and a report from the Chief Inspector of Prisons with any recommendations for changes to be made. A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: Our thoughts continue to be with the family and friends of Katie Allan and William Lindsay (who also took his own life at Polmont). The mental and emotional well-being of prisoners is taken very seriously by the Scottish Government and Scottish Prison Service and we are increasing mental health support for those detained in prison. Frontline prison and healthcare staff are crucial to managing suicide risk and we recognise the hard work they do every day to support young people in custody in what can be distressing circumstances. She added: Clearly any death is a tragedy and lessons that need to be should be learned and acted upon. Nonetheless, the most recent independent annual HM Inspector report made clear that Scotlands prisons are generally stable and secure environments. The investigations, and the timing for initiating a fatal accident inquiry, are matters entirely for the Lord Advocate, operating independently of Government. A man hurt while being arrested waited eight hours for treatment despite custody staff being told 20 times of his injury, the police watchdog found. The 41-year-old fractured his kneecap during a struggle with officers at Falkirk police station on April 28 last year. He had gone to the station after an incident at a pub in the town centre. During his arrest he was taken to the ground by an officer, who took hold of his arm and swept his legs away. The case was referred to the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (Pirc), who found the man was given a wheelchair and crutches to help him get around but was not examined by a custody nurse. He and the arresting officer made custody staff aware of the injury at least 20 times during the eight hours he spent in detention, Pirc said. A man had to wait eight hours for treatment after he was injured during his arrest (Anthony Devlin/PA) It was only on his release he went to hospital, where it was found he had a fractured kneecap. Pirc said the record of the mans time in custody was not accurately kept. The report said: As there was no CCTV footage of the entire incident and there are inconsistencies in the police witness statements, together with the fact that the man himself cannot provide a clear recollection of events, it cannot be confirmed if the level of force used by the arresting officer was proportionate or justified. The commissioner recommended Police Scotland remind custody officers that in such cases detainees should be examined by medical staff as soon as possible. They should also accurately record all interactions with people in police custody, including complaints of injuries and any medication provided to them. Police Scotland said it accepted the findings and would respond to the recommendations made. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have set up their own official Instagram account. Harry and Meghan, who are expecting a baby this month, said @SussexRoyal would be used to share the work that drives them, and important announcements. The move comes as the duke and duchess are splitting their household from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, whose Instagram account is @KensingtonRoyal. Meghan and Harrys new household will be based at Buckingham Palace, while William a future King and Kate will remain at Kensington Palace. In a message on their first post, Harry and Meghan thanked people for their support, saying: Welcome to our official Instagram; we look forward to sharing the work that drives us, the causes we support, important announcements, and the opportunity to shine a light on key issues. We thank you for your support, and welcome you to @sussexroyal.- Harry & Meghan. One of the gallery of pictures Harry and Meghan shared on Instagram (SussexRoyal/Instagram/PA) It was accompanied by an image bearing a white version of couples royal cypher the entwined initials H and M below a coronet on a navy background. Kensington Palaces Twitter feed introduced the new account, saying: Welcome to Instagram, SussexRoyal! Welcome to Instagram, SussexRoyal! Follow for more on the work of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex https://t.co/qN4RncphDl pic.twitter.com/HpPdVNznrF The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) April 2, 2019 Harry and Meghans first post also included a gallery of photos of them on engagements around the world, including on trips to Australia and Fiji. Former actress Meghan revealed only last month that she does not read newspapers or engage with Twitter to avoid getting muddled by the noise, whether positive or negative. The duchesss admission came when she joined a panel of feminists and national figures to mark International Womens Day. Model Adwoa Aboah, the Duchess of Sussex and former Australian prime minister Julia Gillard during a panel discussion on International Womens Day (Daniel Leal-Olivas/AFP/PA) She told the audience: Its our responsibility to make a choice on what we click on, we make a choice of what we read, we make a choice of what we engage in, thats our personal decision to not be there for negativity, to be more positive and action-based. And for me thats a tricky one because Im not part of any of that. Ex-Suits star Meghan used to have her own personal Twitter and Instagram accounts, as well as a lifestyle website thetig.com, but closed them down ahead of her wedding to Harry. The Sussexes new Instagram account has been introduced less than a month after the royal family published new guidelines for members of the public interacting with them on social media. One of the gallery of pictures Harry and Meghan shared on Instagram (SussexRoyal/Instagram/PA) It warned that trolls who post offensive or abusive messages on official royal channels will be blocked, and may even be reported to the police. This followed news that Kensington Palace staff were spending hours each week moderating online abuse aimed at Kate and pregnant Meghan. Some of the worst, hate-filled personal abuse is said to be between rival fans of the duchesses. Today we have published guidelines for interacting with The Royal Family, @ClarenceHouse and @KensingtonRoyal social media channels. Read in full here: https://t.co/b57TjSn09d The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) March 4, 2019 The royal familys website said the guidelines were introduced to try to maintain a safe environment on channels run by the three households, and it called for users to show courtesy, kindness and respect. Harry warned against the perils of social media at the WE Day UK event in March. He told schoolchildren and students at the SSE Arena in Wembley, London: If we look at the world were living in, I know it can feel challenging sometimes, but your role is to shine the light. Harry and Meghan during WE Day UK at the SSE Arena in Wembley, London (Jonathan Brady/PA) Every day you are inundated with an over-exposure of advertising and mainstream media, social media and endless comparisons, distorting the truth, and trying to manipulate the power of positive thinking. But you dont let them sway you. At the moment, Harry and Meghan do not have a separate Twitter account, but their names have been removed from the @KensingtonRoyal Twitter account bio, which now reads: The official account of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Royal Foundation, based at Kensington Palace. @Sussexroyal on Twitter is not associated with the royal family, and is used by a Kevin Keiley, who currently has 26 followers and whose bio reads simply Sussex. This is now likely to receive scores of notifications thanks to Harry and Meghans new identical Instagram handle. The new @SussexRoyal Instagram account notched up nearly 300,000 followers within an hour of launching including Meghans best friend Jessica Mulroney and celebrities David Beckham and Gwyneth Paltrow. Princess Eugenie posted a picture of Harry and Meghan on her own account with the message Welcome cousins. @sussexroyal. The French president has said the EU cannot be held hostage to the UK political crisis. Irish Premier Leo Varadkar travelled to Paris to meet with Emmanuel Macron, where he thanked France for its ongoing solidarity with Ireland in the difficult Brexit period. Im fully aware of the tremendous difficulties such a situation would bring about for Ireland, said the French president. Good to return to the Elysee Palace today to meet @EmmanuelMacron for discussions on #Brexit and the #futureofeurope pic.twitter.com/nUAqfdA05c Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) April 2, 2019 We will never abandon Ireland or the Irish people, no matter what happens, because this solidarity is the very purpose of the European project. Our priority shall be the good functioning of the EU and the single market. The EU cannot sustainably be the hostage to the solution to a political crisis in the UK. Mr Macron said that credible justifications for an Article 50 extension for the UK could include an election, second referendum or alternative proposals for the future relationship, such as a customs union. The EU would be open to such proposals, but it was for London to put them forward, he said. A long extension involving the participation of the UK in European elections and European institutions is far from evident and certainly not (to be taken) for granted. He added: We cannot spend the coming months sorting out yet again the terms of our divorce and dealing with the past. Mr Varadkar said although Brexit would be the main topic of conversation, the EU should not let itself be consumed by the issue. Emmanuel Macron with Leo Varadkar at the Elysee Palace in Paris (Christophe Ena/AP) The UK is being consumed by Brexit, but Ireland and France and the European Union shouldnt be consumed by Brexit, we have a positive agenda for the EU which we want to deliver, he said. At the last European Council meeting, we gave the UK some time and space to come up with a way forward, as it stands they will leave the EU on April 12 without a deal. However, there is still time for the Prime Minister to come to the council with proposals proposals that are credible and have a clear pathway to success and we need to be open to any proposals she might bring forward to us. Id like to talk about what we can do to assist the Prime Minister to secure the ratification of the Withdrawal Agreement including the backstop, Mr Varadkar told the media in Paris. Recognising that the Withdrawal Agreement cannot be opened but if the UK changes its red lines, we could make changes to the declaration on the future relationship. Also, well need to consider how we may respond to any request for a long extension, and we want to avoid a rolling extension, so any extension must have a clear purpose and plan. Well need to talk about what we will do in the event of a no deal, which will be particularly difficult for Ireland, and from our point of view, well want to pursue our twin objectives, to protect the Good Friday Agreement on which peace in Northern Ireland is based, and protect the integrity of the single market and customs union, (on) which Irelands economic model has been based for decades. Speaking ahead of the talks, Mr Macron said the remaining 27 EU nations will continue to show unity and solidarity with Ireland. White-tailed eagles are set to soar over the Isle of Wight for the first time in hundreds of years after reintroduction plans were given the go-ahead. The birds, known as flying barn doors because of their eight foot wing span, were once widespread across southern Britain until the 18th century, when persecution led to them being wiped out in the region. Now Government conservation agency Natural England has granted a licence to the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation and Forestry England for a five-year reintroduction scheme. Up to 12 birds could be released each year, with as many as 60 reintroduced in total. The first release is set to take place this summer. Young birds will be released on the Isle of Wight in the scheme (Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation/PA) The birds will be brought under licence from nests in Scotland and raised for release in woodland on the Isle of Wight. It was chosen for its central location along the south coast, which provides a good habitat for the coast-favouring birds. The experts behind the release said breeding is not expected to start until 2024, with the eagles closely monitored using satellite tracking. The scheme signals the return of white-tailed eagles to a region from which they have been absent for almost 240 years, with the last known breeding place recorded at Culver Cliff on the Isle of Wight in 1780. By the early 20th century white-tailed eagles, Britains biggest bird of prey, were extinct across the UK, but over the past 40 years have been successfully reintroduced to Scotland and Ireland. It is hoped the new project could boost the local economy after a similar scheme on the Isle of Mull was found to contribute up to 5 million a year from ecotourism. Reintroductions of white-tailed eagles have faced controversy over concerns they could prey on lambs, and the National Sheep Association has criticised the decision. Its chief executive Phil Stocker said the plan included no agreement over legally binding actions or compensation to people whose livelihoods are affected by the eagles. Make no mistake these birds are a top of the food chain predator whose behaviour will adapt relating to food needs and availability, he said. With wingspans reaching six feet, we will see them taking livestock and other domestic animals and we will have consciously taken a decision that contradicts our interests in improving animal welfare and avoiding suffering. But Natural Englands director of operations James Diamond said: There is no evidence of this becoming a problem where the eagles live alongside lowland sheep farming in Europe. We are delighted to have received notification from @NaturalEngland this afternoon that we have been granted a licence to begin an English White-tailed Eagle reintroduction, in partnership with @ForestryEngland, based on the Isle of Wight. More here: https://t.co/HYUtyngsTz pic.twitter.com/XRTL9zvJE1 Roy Dennis Foundation (@RoyDennisWF) April 2, 2019 However, we will ensure that the applicant puts in place clear routes to identify and manage any unexpected issues that might arise. Roy Dennis, founder of The Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation said: White-tailed eagles were once a common sight in England and southern Europe but were lost centuries ago. I can remember as a lad walking along Culver Cliffs to see where the eagles had once lived. It is incredible now to be able to play a part in returning these birds back to their home. Bruce Rothnie, South Forest management director at Forestry England, said: Our woodlands provide a haven for wildlife and we hope that they will become home to these incredible birds on the Isle of Wight. A man has suffered a broken jaw in an unprovoked street attack by two men. The 31-year-old was assaulted as he walked along Stock Street in Paisley, Renfrewshire, on Sunday afternoon. No weapons were used in the attack at around 4.15pm, said police, who are trying to establish a motive. Detectives are also appealing for information after a 41-year-old man was seriously assaulted in Govan, Glasgow, at around 6pm on Sunday. It is understood neither attack is being linked to the Old Firm clash at Celtic Park on Sunday, though police are not ruling it out as a line of inquiry. In the Govan attack, the victim and his partner were waiting for a taxi on Langlands Road at the Drumoyne Drive junction when they were approached by a man. Police have appealed for witnesses after separate attacks in Paisley and Glasgow on Sunday (David Cheskin/PA) He spoke to the couple and, as they walked away to meet a taxi, he punched the man, causing him to fall and hit his head on the pavement. The victim was treated at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital for serious injuries to his head and face. Detective Constable Paul MacDonald said: A number of members of the public stopped to assist the victim and I would appeal to them to contact us so we can gather more information regarding this incident. A third attack on Sunday saw the 23-year-old victim treated for a fractured eye socket. The man was walking to the shops at West Doura Court in Kilwinning, North Ayrshire, at around 8.10pm when he was verbally abused by two men and punched to the ground. Police appealed for witnesses. An extraordinary trove of letters written more than 175 years ago by Isambard Kingdom Brunel have been discovered hidden amongst some old maps and charts. Experts say the remarkable and extremely rare find one of the largest collections of Brunels writings to be uncovered in recent years provides significant new insights into the life of Britains greatest engineer, during the most prolific years of his life. A total of 15 documents authored by Brunel from 1832 to 1846, found tucked into an old yellowing folder at Bristol Port by a book researcher, give a new perspective on the period in which he was appointed engineer to Clifton Suspension Bridge, launched the SS Great Britain, and completed the Great Western Railway. Isambard Kingdom Brunels recently discovered letters will be put on public display (Bristol Port/PA). Amongst the revelations are surprising reflections from Brunel about his concerns for the environmental impact of the Industrial Revolution, and typical examples of his perfectionism as he attacked a series of entirely useless efforts undertaken against his counsel. Bristol Port has donated the entire collection to the SS Great Britain Trust and Brunel Institute, where they are being transcribed and prepared for display to the public. Nick Booth, head of collections at the SS Great Britain Trust, said: The documents provide a remarkable and unique insight into Brunel in his formative years. It is extremely rare to receive a single letter or report written by Brunel, so we are enormously grateful to receive such a generous donation of a whole collection. It will allow us to tell the story of Brunel in Bristol, right next to the floating harbour which he wrote about over 175 years ago. The letters have been donated to the SS Great Britain Trust and Brunel Institute (Bristol Port/PA). Most of the correspondence is from Brunel to the directors of the Bristol Dock Company and addresses the problem of the citys floating harbour becoming laden with mud, causing large vessels to run aground. There are four letters from 1833 to 1846 and five reports from 1832 to 1842, as well as quotes from Brunel for completing work on the Southern Entrance dock. The discovery was made by Roger Henley, a retired engineer, who was sifting through papers in the archive room at Bristol Port Companys St Andrews House in Avonmouth as part of his research for a new book about the Port. Mr Henley said: There are thousands of rolls of historic papers in the archive room and as I was going through them, I found a yellowing folder, inside of which were a stack of carefully penned, hand written documents. They didnt stand out until I got to the bottom of the first letter and to my amazement realised it was signed I.K. Brunel. I didnt need an introduction to that name! It was an incredible moment and a surreal feeling to realise I had in my hands original letters penned by the worlds greatest engineer. Roger Henley found the letters and documents while researching for a book (Bristol Port/PA). Terence Mordaunt, the co-owner of Bristol Port Company, officially handed over the collection. The history and heritage of Bristol docks has always been extremely important to us and to make this discovery of Brunel writing to our predecessors at the Port 175 years ago was extraordinary, he said. We are delighted they will now be made available to the public to read and enjoy. The SS Great Britain Collection forms part of the worlds finest collection of original source Brunel materials at the Brunel Institute. The Ports gift of the letters is one of the largest individual donations in recent history. A suspected knifeman has been arrested over a series of unprovoked stabbings after a fifth victim was attacked just yards from a manned police cordon. Video footage obtained by the Press Association shows the suspect, who is in his 30s, being detained outside a supermarket in Edmonton, north London, on Tuesday morning on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm. Hours earlier, a man, who is also in his 30s, was left in a critical condition after suffering life-threatening injuries when he was stabbed in Fairfield Road, Edmonton, at around 5am yards from the scene of an earlier attack. Scotland Yard said the victim staggered to a police cordon in Aberdeen Road, which was still manned by at least one officer, to get help. Investigators believe the latest stabbing is linked to four others that took place over the weekend. Speaking outside Edmonton police station on Tuesday afternoon, Enfield and Harringay Commander Helen Millichap said: Because of the way the suspect acted, the geographical location of the areas and the description of the suspect, its likely they are linked. She added: However, until these investigations have developed further and we are in a position to speak with certainty about this, I have a duty to ask the public to remain vigilant and to continue to report anything suspicious to us. North Area BCU Commander Chief Superintendent Helen Millichap speaking to the media (Rebecca Brown/PA) Ms Millichap would not comment about the significance of Tuesdays arrest outside Lidl in Edmonton Green at around 10am on Tuesday. But witnesses said the man matched the police description of the suspect a skinny black man who is approximately 6ft 3ins tall and wearing dark clothes. Shop worker Fatma Oruc, 17, said he seemed calm as he was detained, adding: There were police officers surrounding a man and he was black. He was wearing a hoodie. They stayed for five to 10 minutes and handcuffed him and he was taken away. Employees at furniture store Dogtas said the man arrested was tall, black and skinny, wearing a green hoodie with a grey sweatshirt underneath, dirty blue jeans, and blue trainers. He did not appear to say anything or make any effort to get away from officers. The latest stabbing follows attacks on four people in the Edmonton area over the weekend that left two critically hurt and one with potentially life-changing injuries. Police said in all five cases the victims appear to have been approached from behind in unprovoked attacks. (PA Graphics) Residents told of their fear after the latest stabbing, while the Times reported that local schools had banned children from leaving the grounds during their break time as a safety measure. Ms Millichap sought to reassure locals, telling reporters: My message to the public here in Edmonton is that the police are here, the police are out and about. We have made arrests in relation to this investigation, but as I mentioned before, until we can unequivocally say that these linked and we know that we have our suspect in custody, we want the public to stay alert, I do want people to report anything suspicious to us, but I also do want them to feel as safe as they can. We are not advising people to stay indoors. One man who was previously arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm has been released on bail, while investigators have until Wednesday morning to interview a second man arrested on suspicion of the same offence. A 45-year-old woman became the first victim when she was stabbed once in her back at about 7pm on Saturday in Aberdeen Road, and left in a critical condition. Then at 12.15am, police were called to Park Avenue where a 52-year-old man had been injured with a knife. He has since been discharged from hospital. The third attack was on a 23-year-old man just before 4am near Seven Sisters Tube station. He is in a critical but stable condition. The fourth attack occurred at about 9.40am on Sunday in Brettenham Road where officers found a 29-year-old man with a stab injury to the back. More than 400 people gathered on cliffs near Brighton to send an SOS signal across the English Channel in protest against Brexit. The protesters used mirrors and other reflective objects to send the signal in the direction of continental Europe. The stunt was a large scale, pro-EU, human artwork, according to a statement issued by the organiser, Bristol-based artist Dunkan McKellar. The stunt was a "symbolic" protest over Brexit, according to the organiser. (duncanmckellarsunshine on Instagram/PA) The group successfully created a symbolic SOS call to the rest of Europe, to show the strength of the British pro-EU community in the face of Brexit chaos, the statement added. The protest took place on Saturday on the cliffs at Saltdean on the south coast. The crowd spread out to form a long line along the coast, facing out across the sea. Mirrors and other reflective materials were used to send the signal across the English Channel. (duncanmckellarsunshine on Instagram/PA) Last year Mr McKellar worked on another artwork which saw people line a 1km stretch of the border between Mexico and the US. Participants wore a mirrored mask which reflected the suns rays. The masks caught the sun and together they created a dazzling ray of hope crossing the border wall, the statement added. Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg has assured senior Irish politicians he will work with governments to establish new policies in a bid to regulate social media. The Facebook boss met with Hildegarde Naughton, James Lawless and Eamon Ryan three members of the International Grand Committee on Disinformation and Fake News at a hotel in Dublin to discuss plans on how to regulate the internet. The firms founder and chief executive told the politicians that issues around child protection and age verification are of huge concern to him. He also visited the technology giants offices as part of his visit to the Republic. Facebooks European headquarters is in the Irish capital. We'd a constructive meeting with Mark Zuckerberg. I made the case for independent regulation & the need for a change in social media business models, so we can support local content creators & give citizens real control over their own personal data. #DigitalRights @europeangreens pic.twitter.com/YDeas0l4LT Eamon Ryan (@EamonRyan) April 2, 2019 Mr Zuckerberg refused to answer questions from the media about online child safety as he left the Merrion Hotel. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg leaving The Merrion Hotel in Dublin with Nick Clegg (right) after a meeting with politicians to discuss regulation of social media and harmful content (Niall Carson/PA) But according to the Irish Times, Mr Zuckerberg praised Europes introduction of General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which tightened up rules regarding data privacy. The social network founder said GDPR was a good foundation that encoded a lot of important values around people being able to choose how their data is used, and at the same time making sure that companies have the ability to use information for safety purposes. He added that it was almost inevitable that every country was going to want comprehensive privacy legislation. Ms Naughton described the meeting as positive and constructive. We went through a number of issues including child protection and the need for a robust age verification system, she said. He said it was an area of huge concern to him and that he is looking forward to working with law enforcement agencies and legislators in relation to that. We have to balance the state of privacy of users as well as safety. He stated he had a lot more work to do. Our committee is working on a number of pieces of legislation including an online safety commissioner as well as looking at and protecting democracy. I mentioned the importance around age verification because you have right now paedophiles online lying about their age and preying on young children and grooming them. This is something he acknowledged, he knew it was a problem and he stated that he wanted to work with law enforcement agencies and policy makers to make more robust laws. The International Grand Committee on Disinformation and Fake News is made up of international parliamentarians and investigates issues like data privacy, safety, security and sharing. The three TDs, who are also members of the Oireachtas Committee on Communications, have been vocal in demanding the regulation of social media platforms in recent years. Irelands Data Protection Commissioner Helen Dixon has a number of inquiries ongoing into Facebook and associated organisations. The TDs, who described Mr Zuckerberg as quiet, unassuming, pleasant and smart, held an hour-long meeting with him days after he called for increased government oversight of the internet in areas like harmful content, election integrity, privacy and data portability. Mr Lawless said: Our focus was also on electoral integrity and what has been happening around the world on the rules in managing election campaigns. He agreed legislation is needed, he is working on those internationally to be able to see who is running campaigns, who is paying for campaigns and who is being targeted. It shouldnt be about the private companies dictating what goes online when it comes to democracy and child protection and safety, we as legislators have responsibilities to put in place rules that we think should be followed and dictating to companies about how behaviours are conducted online. Mr Ryan said: I pressed him about the article he wrote on regulation and I made the point that it cant be self-regulation it has to be European regulation and that has to include funding journalism and having a courts procedure rather than a self-appointed board to look at difficult decisions. A new 50 note should feature someone from a more diverse background, an MP has said, amid fears of a disproportionate number of historic white men on banknotes. Tory MP Helen Grant (Maidstone and The Weald) said it is disappointing and very surprising that the Bank of England has so far failed to recognise the ethnic diversity of our population on our national currency. She said 14% of the UKs population are from a black, Asian, or minority-ethnic background, and that the national currency should do a better job of reflecting that diversity. Speaking in the House of Commons, she said all but three of the notable individuals featured on banknotes had been historic white men and that there had so far been no-one from a minority background. She added that choosing who to portray on a new 50 note is a wonderful opportunity to send a message about modern Britain. Mrs Grant said the UKs diverse communities had made a seismic contribution to the country, citing Mary Seacole, a British-Jamaican nurse who tended soldiers during the Crimean War alongside Florence Nightingale, as an example. The 50 banknote featuring 18th century business partnership of entrepreneur Matthew Boulton and engineer James Watt (Bank of England/PA) She also referenced war hero Noor Inayat Khan, Suffragette Sophia Duleep Singh, and Sir Charles Kao, who pioneered the use of fibre-optic communications, as deserving candidates to be included on a banknote. Mrs Grant said: I believe the Governor of the Bank of England now has a unique opportunity to address an archaic stereotype, one that completely undermines the credible efforts towards diversity and inclusion that are indeed taking place at the Old Lady of Threadneedle Street. The 2011 UK census showed that 14% of the UK population were from a black, Asian, or minority-ethnic background. And like everywhere else around the globe and around the UK, the population will become even more diverse in the coming decades. She said people and communities need to see their stake in Britains past, present and future is universally recognised. Mrs Grant added that including a person of diversity on our banknotes would be a fundamental shift from a national stereotype. Such positive action would underline the pride we have in this countrys great multi-culture. It would also help to defeat the despicable influence of hatred and division that seek to destroy our libertarian way of life. The Banknote Diversity Bill will be brought back for a second reading on April 5. Jacob Rees-Mogg has warned the Prime Minister people did not vote for a Corbyn-May coalition. European Research Group (ERG) chairman Mr Rees-Mogg criticised the Prime Minister for planning to collaborate with a known Marxist in Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. The Conservative MP for North East Somerset said the move would lose Tory votes, and warned history did not show success for political leaders who tried to get policy through the Commons on the back of Opposition votes. Speaking after a meeting about Theresa Mays latest statement, Mr Rees-Mogg said: I think getting the support of a known Marxist is not likely to instil confidence in Conservatives. This approach to Government is an unsuccessful one and it also lacks democratic legitimacy. People did not vote for a Corbyn-May coalition Government they voted for a Conservative Government, which became a confidence and supply with the DUP. This is a deeply unsatisfactory approach its not in the interests of the country, it fails to deliver on the referendum result and history doesnt bode well for it. Mr Rees-Mogg cited the examples of former prime ministers Robert Peel, who was forced to resign and split the Tory party, and Ramsay MacDonald. who was forced to resign after including opposition leaders in a cross-party national government. However, he claimed to still support Mrs May as leader and, although he didnt whoop and holler with delight, neither did he expect a glorious outcome from the Prime Ministers statement. Eurosceptic Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg speaks in the House of Commons during a Brexit debate ahead of a second round of votes on alternative proposals to the governments Brexit deal (PA) The Conservative MP for North East Somerset said he had been willing to accept a second-rate Brexit rather than to hold out for something perfect and end up with no Brexit. When asked if he could back a deal struck with Jeremy Corbyn, he told journalists Well, I wouldnt hold your breath Im not a Marxist in case you hadnt noticed. He added: What was announced today was an attempt to overturn the referendum that wanted a clear Brexit, to do a deal with a socialist who doesnt want Brexit and is not in line with the Conservative Partys manifesto commitments or with the referendum. This is all about getting further and further away from the Brexit people voted for, which is very serious. ERG member Andrew Rosindell said he was shocked and dismayed as he left the meeting. Another ERG member, Simon Clarke, retweeted former foreign secretary Boris Johnson and commented This is absolutely right from Boris Johnson. Tonights statement is incredible. This is absolutely right from @BorisJohnson. Tonights statement is incredible. https://t.co/rDqJxlqEp6 Simon Clarke MP (@SimonClarkeMP) April 2, 2019 Mr Johnson had tweeted: It is very disappointing that the cabinet has decided to entrust the final handling of Brexit to Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour Party. It now seems all too likely that British trade policy and key law making powers will be handed over to Brussels with no say for the UK. As it is, we now face the ridiculous possibility of being forced to contest the European elections more than three years after leaving the EU and having to agree to exit terms that in no way resemble what the people were promised when they voted to leave. The PM and cabinet have concluded that any deal is better than no deal, and this is truly a very bad deal indeed - one that leaves us being run by the EU. I can under no circumstances vote for a deal involving a customs union as I believe that does not deliver on the referendum Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) April 2, 2019 The MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip added under no circumstances would he vote for a deal involving a customs union. He tweeted: The PM and cabinet have concluded that any deal is better than no deal, and this is truly a very bad deal indeed one that leaves us being run by the EU. I can under no circumstances vote for a deal involving a customs union as I believe that does not deliver on the referendum. People with autism, as well as charities and advocates, have been spreading support and awareness of the condition using the hashtag #WorldAutismAwarenessDay. Observed on April 2, World Autism Awareness Day falls close to the beginning of World Autism Awareness Week (April 1-7). The National Autistic Society marked the day by releasing a video explaining the condition and the symptoms that autistic people may have. World #AutismAwarenessWeek 2019 is here! And to mark it, we are releasing our brand new film, 'What is Autism?' narrated by our ambassador, @autisticgardner - can you spot him in the film?https://t.co/sd8DhzgYGz National Autistic Society (@Autism) April 1, 2019 People on the autistic spectrum also took to Twitter and Instagram to raise awareness of the day. Greta Thunberg, the 16-year-old climate activist who started the first popular school strike for climate in August 2018, posted about her experiences to mark the day. She said: Proud to be on the spectrum! (ThitareeSarmkasat/Getty Images) Without my diagnosis, I would never have started school striking. Because then I would have been like everyone else. Our societies need to change, and we need people who think outside the box and we need to start taking care of each other. And embrace our differences. Happy #WorldAutismAwarenessDay everyone. I'm autistic myself & I can say that my condition makes a lot of things in life challenging/hard to cope with, but at the same time, I wouldn't change who I am for anybody. #Me #Selfie #Neilfie #AutisticGirl #Yahoo #Autism pic.twitter.com/EF4QHLiajC Rosie Tennant Doran (@RLeBonTennant) April 2, 2019 Rosie, a 22-year-old autistic woman, said: I can say that my condition makes a lot of things in life challenging/hard to cope with, but at the same time, I wouldnt change who I am for anybody. Science fiction author Elizabeth May used the day as an opportunity to answer questions from people who are unfamiliar with autism. She said: I am not a burden. I dont like when people who are neurotypical tell me about my own disability. I am also not a missing puzzle piece, nor is my disability a superpower, or intended to be inspiring for people. May, who lives in Edinburgh, told Press Association: Im tweeting about World Autism Awareness Day because I think its important for people who are autistic to make their voices heard. Theres so much misinformation about autism, and a lot of literature and articles are written either by groups who speak about autistic people in dehumanising terms, or by the parents of autistic children. Where are the autistic people speaking for themselves? If theres anything I want people to know, its that autism is a spectrum, and in that spectrum comes a wide range of experiences and different types of people. For more information about autism, the best place to go to is the autistic community. Were out here living our lives. She also explained on Twitter that bringing along a trusted person or removing yourself from a stressful environment can be helpful for alleviating symptoms such as over-stimulation. The National Autistic Society estimates that around 700,000 people are on the autism spectrum in the UK. May explained that one of the ways young people with autism can cope with their diagnosis is through reaching out to the community. She said: Our culture is still struggling with autism acceptance People look at you differently after finding out, and sometimes they say rude things, and all of that can feel isolating. Becoming part of the autistic community can help with that feeling of isolation, and it helps with learning to advocate for yourself and your needs. Mauricio Pochettino believes Tottenhams move into their new stadium means they now have to behave like a big club in other areas. In the shape of their impeccable new 62,062-seater home and their superb training ground, Spurs infrastructure is among the best in Europe, but that is not matched by their investment in their playing squad. While they have had a 1billion stadium to pay for, they have gone through the last two transfer windows without making a signing and their wage bill is nothing like their other top-four rivals. On the eve of Spurs return home, Pochettino delivered a message for chairman Daniel Levy that echoed the one he made at the end of last season, when he told the club to be brave and take risks. He spoke of how it was time for a new chapter, having done good on his original brief of being an established member of the Premier League top four by the time their new stadium was built. If we want to challenge the big clubs in Europe because now it looks like when you arrive at the stadium it looks like a big club, Pochettino said. Before you could say, Yeah, but the stadium only holds 36,000. But now, when you arrive here there is no point in thinking like a small club. Tottenham face Crystal Palace in the first game at their new stadium on Wednesday (Ian Walton/PA) You must think like a big club, to be close to the big clubs, the way that the big clubs think. If you want to compare to Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Juventus or Real Madrid, you cant think you are Tottenham with 36,000. We need to think like a big club and that is the most important step that we need to make. Of course, you say to me, With you? Without you?, I dont know. That is about Daniel. But I think my responsibility, like it was five years ago, is to tell the club, Now, weve finished the new stadium, we are going to think like a big club. What does it mean to think like a big club? That is what we have to discuss about the project. Its normal, isnt it? Nothing wrong, its just describing the situation in terms of what has happened. Pochettino used Tottenhams most recent opponents Liverpool, who they lost 2-1 to on Sunday, as an example to highlight what he thinks Spurs need to do. He said: I was talking with Daniel after the Liverpool game and sometimes people compare us with Liverpool. (Virgil) Van Dijk was 75million 18 months ago. The keeper (Allison) was 70million. They had two midfielders on the bench who they spent more than 100m on in the summer. Daniel Levy has been urged to recruit (Peter Byrne/PA) The people sometimes say an opinion of Tottenham is like Liverpool. In what? Yes, now we are going to be better than Liverpool because we have a better stadium and better training ground. Yes but now is another thing to compete as we need to operate maybe similar to them in the future or not. We will see which is the project. In the last game we deserved much more against a team that is building and competing to win the Champions League and Premier League, but with pressure as they invest a lot in the last four to five years. And we are there. We must be clever in how we are going to start and project and the vision for the future of the club. Because when we arrive at the stadium we can say, Now we are in a massive club but after now we need to behave like a big club in every single aspect and every single department. Mauricio Pochettino thinks Tottenham should think big (John Walton/PA) That is only my point when I talk with Daniel. But I feel more than proud sitting with you after five years to say, job done, we are here, we are in the Champions League, we are in the top four, when no one believed that five years ago when it was only to reduce the gap with the big clubs. No one believed when we explained five years ago that we are going to do this and that and be contenders and we are going to compete. I think that the people start to write that this guy what does he smoke and what pills does he take. Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has stepped down after 20 years in office and weeks of massive nationwide protests aimed at pushing him out of power. The announcement followed a call from the powerful army chief for the ailing president, 82, to immediately take up his proposal to bow out while respecting the constitution. The official APS news agency said that Bouteflika had notified the Constitutional Council of his decision to end his mandate. There was no immediate word on who would take over. Abdelaziz Bouteflika, pictured in 2008, has stepped down from power (AP Photo/Mikhail Metzel) Under the constitution, the president of the upper house, the Council of Nations, steps in as interim leader for a maximum of 90 days so that elections can be organised. Army chief Ahmed Gaid Salah had earlier in the day convened a meeting of the top military hierarchy, making clear that the call for Bouteflika to step down had the backing of the military. The Defence Ministry communique referred to Bouteflikas entourage as a gang and said it had made fraud, embezzlement and duplicity its vocation. He has rarely been seen in public since a 2013 stroke. His resignation caps six weeks of peaceful protest marches calling for him to make an exit. It was preceded by calls for him to submit to Article 102 of the Constitution that would declare him unfit for office. The Defence Ministry statement Tuesday appeared to be a final warning. Bouteflika came to the presidency after its darkest period, the 1990s Islamic insurgency. After taking power in 1999, he managed to bring back stability to a country devastated by killings and distrust. As president, age and illness took its toll, and corruption scandals dogged him and associates. Bouteflika is accused of failing to create an economy that could offer enough jobs, despite the nations vast oil and gas wealth. In a country where secrecy surrounds the leadership, it has never been clear whether Bouteflika was fully in charge or whether the powerful army was pulling the strings. The Democratic Unionists have accused Theresa May of sub-contracting out the future of Brexit to the Labour Party. The party said Mrs Mays lamentable handling of the Brexit negotiations was to blame for her failure to deliver a sensible Brexit deal. The Prime Minister said she would seek an extension beyond the current April 12 Brexit day to allow talks with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn aimed at ensuring the UK leaves the European Union in a timely and orderly way. DUP statement "The Prime Ministers lamentable handling of the negotiations with the EU means she has failed to deliver a sensible Brexit deal that works for all parts of the UK." Full statement & get involved @ https://t.co/EvnIayoCXB pic.twitter.com/4DlJSPy20O DUP (@duponline) April 2, 2019 She said the offer to the Labour leader was an attempt to break the logjam after MPs rejected her Withdrawal Agreement three times, and failed to back any of the alternative proposals considered so far. In a statement, the DUP said: The Prime Ministers lamentable handling of the negotiations with the EU means she has failed to deliver a sensible Brexit deal that works for all parts of the United Kingdom. That is why she has not been able to get it through Parliament. Her announcement therefore tonight comes as little surprise. Though it remains to be seen if sub-contracting out the future of Brexit to Jeremy Corbyn, someone whom the Conservatives have demonised for four years, will end happily. DUP leader Arlene Foster (Liam McBurney/PA Wire) We want the result of the referendum respected, and just as we joined the Common Market as one country we must leave the EU as one country. We will continue to use our position within Parliament and with the Government to argue strongly the case for Northern Ireland and the integrity of the United Kingdom. We remain consistent in judging all Brexit outcomes against our clear unionist principles. Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg has admitted that there is a lot more the social network can do to regulate social media content that is harmful to children. Mr Zuckerberg denied that his recent call for governments to take a more active role in regulating the internet was an effort by the company to absolve itself of responsibility. The firms founder and chief executive was in Dublin on Tuesday to visit the technology giants offices. Facebooks European headquarters is in the Irish capital. We'd a constructive meeting with Mark Zuckerberg. I made the case for independent regulation & the need for a change in social media business models, so we can support local content creators & give citizens real control over their own personal data. #DigitalRights @europeangreens pic.twitter.com/YDeas0l4LT Eamon Ryan (@EamonRyan) April 2, 2019 Either way were going to have responsivity for making sure that we can police harmful content and gets it off our services, Mr Zuckerberg told RTE News. I think these days a lot of people dont want tech companies or any private companies to be making so many decisions about what speech is acceptable and what this harmful content that needs to be gets taken down. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg leaving The Merrion Hotel in Dublin (Niall Carson/PA) So I think there is a role for a broader public debate here and I think some of these things would benefit from a more democratic process and a more active government role. The Facebook boss said he could not guarantee that the social media giant would be able to stop its platforms being used by malicious actors trying to influence the outcome of the European Elections. Weve certainly made a lot of progress in building defences to protect the integrity of elections, he said. But no, I dont think anyone can guarantee in a world where you have nation states [that] are trying to interfere in elections there is no single thing that we can do, and say okay, we have now solved the issue. This is an ongoing arms race. Mark Zuckerberg has said he cannot give a guarantee that Facebook will be able to stop its platforms being used by malicious actors trying to influence the outcome of the European Elections. | https://t.co/19SBgASq5C pic.twitter.com/2Wf92vYrO0 RTE News (@rtenews) April 2, 2019 Mr Zuckerberg met with senior Irish politicians during his visit to the Republic and assured them that he would work with governments to establish new policies in a bid to regulate social media. He discussed his plans to regulate the internet with Hildegarde Naughton, James Lawless and Eamon Ryan three members of the International Grand Committee on Disinformation and Fake News at a hotel in Dublin. Mr Zuckerberg told the politicians that issues around child protection and age verification are of huge concern to him. He refused to answer questions from the media about online child safety as he left the Merrion Hotel. Ms Naughton described the meeting as positive and constructive. We went through a number of issues including child protection and the need for a robust age verification system, she said. He said it was an area of huge concern to him and that he is looking forward to working with law enforcement agencies and legislators in relation to that. We have to balance the state of privacy of users as well as safety. He stated he had a lot more work to do. Our committee is working on a number of pieces of legislation including an online safety commissioner as well as looking at and protecting democracy. I mentioned the importance around age verification because you have right now paedophiles online lying about their age and preying on young children and grooming them. This is something he acknowledged, he knew it was a problem and he stated that he wanted to work with law enforcement agencies and policy makers to make more robust laws. The International Grand Committee on Disinformation and Fake News is made up of international parliamentarians and investigates issues like data privacy, safety, security and sharing. The three TDs, who are also members of the Oireachtas Committee on Communications, have been vocal in demanding the regulation of social media platforms in recent years. Irelands Data Protection Commissioner Helen Dixon has a number of inquiries ongoing into Facebook and associated organisations. The TDs, who described Mr Zuckerberg as quiet, unassuming, pleasant and smart, held an hour-long meeting with him days after he called for increased government oversight of the internet in areas like harmful content, election integrity, privacy and data portability. Mr Lawless said: Our focus was also on electoral integrity and what has been happening around the world on the rules in managing election campaigns. He agreed legislation is needed, he is working on those internationally to be able to see who is running campaigns, who is paying for campaigns and who is being targeted. It shouldnt be about the private companies dictating what goes online when it comes to democracy and child protection and safety, we as legislators have responsibilities to put in place rules that we think should be followed and dictating to companies about how behaviours are conducted online. Mr Ryan said: I pressed him about the article he wrote on regulation and I made the point that it cant be self-regulation it has to be European regulation and that has to include funding journalism and having a courts procedure rather than a self-appointed board to look at difficult decisions. The decision to arrest two Belfast reporters should send a chilling message to investigative journalists, it has been claimed. Trevor Birney and Barry McCaffrey were arrested last August by officers from Durham Constabulary over the alleged theft of confidential material from the offices of the Police Ombudsman, Dr Michael Maguire. The material relates to a police investigation into the murder of six men in Loughinisland. Patsy OHare, Barney Green, Adrian Rogan, (bottom row left to right) Eamon Byrne, Daniel McCreanor and Malcom Jenkinson, who were killed in the tiny Heights Bar in Loughinisland, Co Down by UVF gunmen (PA) A 2016 report from the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland found that there had been collusion between the Royal Ulster Constabulary and the Ulster Volunteer Force killers. The 2017 film, No Stone Unturned directed by Oscar-winning film-maker Alex Gibney explored the unsolved killings and police investigation in detail, and named one of the alleged killers. Speaking at Amnestys Media Awards ceremony in London on Wednesday, Mr Birney is expected to warn that the decision to arrest him and Mr McCaffrey was a deliberate decision designed to protect state secrets and send a chilling message to investigative journalists. Journalists Barry McCaffrey (right) and Trevor Birney (second left) with their solicitors Niall Murphy (left) and John Finucane arrive at Musgrave police station in Belfast (Brian Lawless/PA wire) None of the paramilitaries who shot dead six men and injured five others in June 1994 have ever been charged or convicted. Today the case is still demanding significant police resources, he is expected to say. However, rather than pursuing those who carried out the massacre, detectives have been directed to go after us the journalists who exposed the story of the collusion between police and the killers. Mr McCaffrey described press freedom as a human right. Its a principle that has to be protected at all costs. This is a battle that human rights defenders cannot afford to lose. Make no mistake, every journalist and their ability to hold government to account is under threat, he is expected to say. Patrick Corrigan, Amnesty Internationals Northern Ireland programme director, added: Amnesty is deeply concerned at the arrests of two of the most widely-respected journalists in Northern Ireland, and the seizure of documents and computer equipment. The arrest has sent a shiver of fear through media across Northern Ireland and we are in no doubt that press freedom is now at grave risk. A new project will assess how best to care for the thousands of people in Scotland with both dementia and sight loss. The charity Royal Blind has received funding to research what activities those living in care homes find most rewarding and how they can be tailored to their needs. Royal Blind said people with dementia enjoy reminiscing through photographs or watching films, which can be challenging for people without full sight. Instead, the charity organises tasting activities so residents can reminisce through sampling traditional local foods. Mental Health Minister Clare Haughey will officially launch the project on Wednesday at Jennys Well in Paisley, Renfrewshire. It is one of Scotlands two specialist care homes for sight loss run by Royal Blind, with the other in Edinburgh. Ina Franklin, a resident at Jennys Well Care Home in Paisley, has dementia and sight loss (Royal Blind/PA) The research comes after the charity was awarded 20,000 by the Life Changes Trust, with funding from the National Lottery Community Fund over two years. It plans to develop learning resources for other care providers who support people living with sight loss and dementia. Royal Blind estimates there are at least 12,500 people living with dementia and sight loss in Scotland. Chief executive Mark ODonnell said: Around 80% of residents at Jennys Well live with both dementia and sight loss. Over the coming years, an increasing number of people in Scotland with dementia will also have sight loss, particularly as vision impairment can be a symptom of a number of different forms of dementia. Sight loss and dementia both require tailored approaches to care to ensure people living with the conditions receive the support they need. We want to develop our understanding and share learning through this project about how we provide that care and meaningful activities. Anna Buchanan, chief executive of the Life Changes Trust, said: The project is one of several that the Trust is funding, looking at how rights can be made real for people with dementia living in care homes. We hope it will help us better understand the ways in which human rights can be secured and retained by people living with dementia and sight loss. Ms Haughey said: The Scottish Governments See Hear strategy sets out recommendations and areas for action to better meet the needs of people with a sensory impairment. This year we are also increasing our package of investment in social care and integration to exceed 700 million, underlining our commitment to support older people and disabled people. A Scottish woman saved many Jews from the Holocaust by helping them to emigrate to the UK, a new book has revealed. Jane Haining assisted Hungarian women in securing jobs as domestic servants for five years before she was taken to Auschwitz, where she died in 1944. She was arrested by the Gestapo on eight charges including working among Jews in her care at the Scottish Mission School in Budapest, Hungary. A new book by Mary Miller reflects the ordinary, yet extraordinary life of the woman from Dunscore, Dumfries and Galloway, and casts fresh light on her work at the school from 1932 until her death. Jane Haining insisted the Jewish and Christian girls in her care needed her in `days of darkness (Church of Scotland/PA) In it, Miller writes: Jewish refugees from countries swallowed up by the Nazis were pouring into Budapest, still believing the situation of Jews to be less life-threatening in Hungary than in the surrounding countries. They believed the only way to save the Jews was through emigration, and by February 1939 the Mission was putting on courses in farming, cattle breeding and other subjects to help refugees to get jobs abroad. Jane Haining taught domestic management and gave lectures on social life in Britain. (Rev) George Knight commented that Jane Haining was an able teacher, many a housewife in Britain can testify who received into her home a refugee domestic servant from Hungary. She refused to come back home after war broke out 1939 and insisted the Jewish and Christian girls in her care needed her in the days of darkness. After being arrested by German officers in April 1944, she never returned to the Scottish Mission and died at the camp branded prisoner 79467 aged 47. She is officially recognised at Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Centre in Israel, and received a British Hero of Holocaust medal from the UK Government. The book, Jane Haining A Life of Love and Courage, also discusses the objective of the school, which had around 400 pupils, most of them Jews. Miller writes the school aimed to educate Jews and Christians together in order to fight the anti-Semitism that was endemic. She added: (Jane) did not compromise and in our own difficult times there is a challenge there for all ordinary people tempted to look away from evil and find reasons to say there is nothing we can do. Jane Haining reminds us that there is always something we can do. A portrait of former rugby star Doddie Weir has been auctioned for almost 100,000 at a fundraising dinner in Hong Kong, with Sir Billy Connolly among the guests. The life-size portrait by Gerard M Burns was sold to raise money for the My Name5 Doddie Foundation, which raises funds for research into motor neurone disease (MND) and supports those affected by it. Rugby stars including Gavin and Scott Hastings, George Gregan and Brian ODriscoll were among those who attended The Greatest Rugby Dinner Ever at the Grand Hyatt Hotel. The Doddie Weir portrait (Veronica Sanchis/PA) The artwork will return to Scotland, where it will be hung in the Scottish Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh. Weir said: It is an odd experience to be confronted by a life-sized portrait of yourself. Its certainly very striking. I feel immensely honoured to learn that the painting will find a final resting place in the Scottish Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh with a plaque acknowledging everyone who contributed to the painting. I am really very touched by this. Many thanks to Gerard and everyone who made a contribution. The artwork will have an accompanying plaque naming all those who made contributions during the auction of the painting, which was sold in crowd-funding style to raise as much money as possible. So far the auction of the painting has raised 80,000 and contributions will continue to be taken until Sunday evening, with organisers expecting it to raise around 100,000 by then. Mr Burns said painting the portrait was a nerve-wracking experience. He said: It is always a real stomach churner for me to see how a sitter will react when they see their own portrait. It has been a real privilege to work with Doddie. I am thrilled with the portrait and I sincerely hope I have done him justice. I think he liked it. He is an exceptional man in so many ways and I am delighted to be gift the painting to then help raise 80,000 so far, for Doddies charity. From a purely selfish point of view, it is really just such a pleasure to work with a true sporting legend. The dinner, attended by around 500 guests, was organised by the Scottish business community based in Hong Kong as a precursor to the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens on April 5-7. More than 300,000 was raised in total by the event. Weir was diagnosed with MND in 2017 and went on to found the My Name5 Doddie Foundation. He began his rugby career at Melrose RFC before going on to play for Scotland and Newcastle Falcons. A teenager has come forward to US authorities to claim he is a boy who went missing after his mother killed herself at a hotel eight years ago. In 2011, six-year-old Timmothy Pitzens mother picked him up at school in Illinois, took him to a zoo and a water park, and then killed herself, leaving a note in which she said her son was fine but no one would ever find him. On Wednesday, a teenager came forward to tell authorities he is Timmothy, now 14, and authorities from his home town of Aurora, Illinois, are checking out the story. The boy claimed he had escaped from two kidnappers in the Cincinnati area and then fled across a bridge into Kentucky. Aurora Police Sergeant Bill Rowley said: Weve probably had thousands of tips of him popping up in different areas. We have no idea what were driving down there for. It could be Pitzen. It could be a hoax. Timmothys grandmother Alana Anderson told WISN-TV that authorities have told the family very little. Timmothy Pitzen (Aurora Police Department/AP) We just know a 14-year-old boy was found and went to the police, she said. We dont want to get our hopes up and our familys hopes up until we know something. We just dont want to get our hopes up. Weve had false reports and false hopes before. Police in the Cincinnati suburb of Sharonville wrote in a short incident report that the boy said he had just escaped from two kidnappers he described as white men with body builder-type physiques. They were in a Ford SUV with Wisconsin licence plates and had been staying at a Red Roof Inn, he said. Sharonville police said the information about the boys reported escape was received by police in Campbell County, Kentucky. The City of Sharonville Police Department, like every other police agency in the greater Cincinnati area, was requested to check their Red Roof Inn hotels regarding this incident, the post read. To the best of our knowledge, we have no information indicating that the missing juvenile was ever in the city of Sharonville. The FBI said in a statement that its offices in Cincinnati and in Louisville, Kentucky, were working on a missing child investigation with Aurora police and departments in Cincinnati and Newport, Kentucky, and Hamilton County Sheriffs Office in Ohio. The body of 43-year-old Amy Fry-Pitzen was found on May 15 2011 with slashed wrists. Police believe she killed herself at a hotel in Rockford, Illinois, after taking Timmothy to a zoo and a Wisconsin water park. Police investigating her death said she took steps that suggest she might have left her son with a friend. At the time, police searched for Timmothy in Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa. The Dalai Lama has praised New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern for her compassionate handling of a recent attack on two mosques by a gunman that left 50 Muslim worshippers dead in Christchurch. The Tibetan spiritual leader said others could learn from her. I really admire the New Zealand prime minister. She is wonderful, he told reporters in the Indian capital, New Delhi, where he addressed a conference of educators and students. He said the killing of worshippers in New Zealand was an example of what hatred can do to people. She really tried to tackle this problem through nonviolence, through compassion and through mutual respect. I really admire her. I think thats one living example. The Dalai Lama also answered question related to Tibets future with China. He reiterated that he is not seeking independence for Tibet, but would prefer a reunion with China under mutually acceptable terms. I prefer Tibet remain within the zone of China. Some kind of reunion, he said. New Zealands PM Jacinda Ardern embraces a member of the Muslim community following the national remembrance service for the victims of the March 15 mosques terrorist attack (Mark Tantrum/AP) He added that Chinese and Tibetans could live side-by-side, with China helping Tibetans economically and gaining from their knowledge. The 83-year-old Dalai Lama has been living in exile in India since a failed 1959 uprising in Tibet. China claims Tibet has been part of its territory for more than seven centuries. Many Tibetans insist they were essentially independent for most of that time and have protested against what they regard as Chinas heavy-handed rule imposed after the Peoples Liberation Armys battled its way into the Himalayan region in 1950. The Dalai Lama said he developed direct contact with the Chinese leadership in 1979, but little progress has been made since because China still thinks he is seeking independence for the region. The daughter of the man behind some of Britains most famous Second World War Army recruitment posters has said she doubts he would be very impressed with the armed forces latest campaign. Abram Games designed a series of modern posters encouraging men and women to sign up during the war. His most famous posters encouraged women to join the Auxiliary Territorial Service, asked people in Britain to grow their own food and use spades, not ships, and warned soldiers: Your talk may kill your comrades. He designed more than 100 posters throughout the course of the war to display to troops and British civilians. We've been hard at work setting up The art of persuasion: Wartime posters by Abram Games. Nearly there... Join us from Saturday at our exhibition featuring over 100 Second World War posters, designed to recruit, educate and influence soldiers and civilians alike. #AbramGames pic.twitter.com/y5b8bqpmWy National Army Museum (@NAM_London) April 3, 2019 He is also credited with inspiring subsequent Army recruitment campaigns. The British Armys latest campaign features a series of posters encouraging snowflakes, me me me millennials and selfie addicts to sign up. Speaking to the Press Association, Mr Gamess daughter Naomi said: I dont think he would be very impressed with what they produced. His motto was maximum meaning, minimum means, and everything had to be very simple. I think he felt that everybody over-complicated everything, and he got the message across really quickly. One of the posters targets `snowflakes (MoD/PA) But I think the Army have to do what they have to do, and whos to interfere with that? The latest posters were controversial when they were released in January. But the Army said figures released in February showed the poster campaign had been a resounding success. In the first three weeks of January, applications to join rose to 9,700 a five-year high. An exhibition of Mr Gamess posters, called The Art Of Persuasion, runs from April 6 to November 24 at the National Army Museum in London. The first police officers at a deadly crush in Cookstown acted in good faith, a chief constable said. Lauren Bullock, 17, Morgan Barnard, 17, and 16-year-old Connor Currie died near the Greenvale Hotel in Cookstown, Co Tyrone, on St Patricks Night last month. Police arrived at the Greenvale Hotel grounds shortly after receiving a 999 report. Following their initial assessment they made attempts to establish more detail and information about what was happening and withdrew to await further support, police have disclosed. Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Chief Constable George Hamilton said the initial officers were brave but there are some questions to answer. I think that delay and the justification for it deserves some answers and some accountability. That is without prejudice to the officers, who it seems to me acted in good faith. The actions of four officers are being investigated by the independent Police Ombudsman, Mr Hamilton said. He said investigators had done a good job as he discussed the probe more generally. The organisation I am responsible for, as far as I am concerned, is competent in this matter. The investigation team and local police have done a good job, not to be self-congratulatory in such tragic circumstances. It is a human endeavour and sometimes judgments are not quite right. Mr Hamilton addressed his Policing Board scrutiny committee in Belfast. Greenvale hotel owner Michael McElhatton was arrested following the deaths (Liam McBurney/PA) The owner of the Greenvale, Michael McElhatton, identified himself as one of those arrested and later released on suspicion of manslaughter. He accused police of trying to blacken his name over swiftly dispelled drugs suspicions after officers searched his home and found unidentified powder. Mr Hamilton acknowledged the episode did not look good. He said: It is regrettable that it took the attention away from the investigation for a few days. For me, that distraction regarding the drugs arrest and de-arrest was exactly that. The officers who carried out the arrest did so on the basis of having the reasonable suspicion required. That was all done appropriately and we certainly would not have been putting out the identity of anyone arrested prior to charge in the courts. Police launch investigation following the deaths of 3 teens at St Patricks Day event in Cookstown. ACC Mark Hamilton said: "It is heart-breaking an event which should have been fun should end in such a terrible tragedy."https://t.co/4KBKoul03J Police Service NI (@PoliceServiceNI) March 18, 2019 Police have identified hundreds of witnesses to the teenagers deaths. The area outside the hotel was packed with young people dropped off by buses just before the popular nightspot opened. Investigators said teenagers were trodden underfoot during the crush near the entrance to the disco. The head of the Catholic Church in Ireland said the area had become a valley of tears following the tragedies. Three back-to-back funerals were held in the Dungannon area and were attended by large numbers of mourners. Nato foreign ministers are meeting in Washington to celebrate the alliances 70th anniversary amid rifts between members over security and trade issues. US secretary of state Mike Pompeo opened the meeting with an appeal for unity to confront great power challenges from Russia, China and Iran. He said the alliance was well positioned to move forward. Twelve Allies founded #NATO in 1949. Today we are 29. Join us in celebrating the 70th Anniversary of our Alliance.#WeAreNATO pic.twitter.com/Kta46HfIRK NATO (@NATO) April 1, 2019 But a deepening dispute with Turkey over its planned purchase of a Russian air defence system and US demands for allies, particularly Germany, to boost their defence spending threatened to overshadow the proceedings. Mr Pompeo said every Nato member had an obligation to explain to its citizens the need to increase their defence budgets. 70 years ago, #NATOs founding treaty was signed here in this room. It has stood the test of time: we remain united around our core commitment to protect & defend one another. One for all & all for one. pic.twitter.com/HccYD15GCl Jens Stoltenberg (@jensstoltenberg) April 4, 2019 He rejected what he called tired arguments about public opposition to such spending. Each nation has the duty to make the case to our people about why these resources are important to keep not only our own countries, but our alliance, strong, Mr Pompeo said. Nato secretary general Jen Stoltenberg, right, makes opening remarks (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP) In an address to Congress on Wednesday, Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg acknowledged serious divisions within the alliance and called for bigger defence budgets to cope with global challenges such as Russian assertiveness, the core reason Nato was created in Washington 70 years ago this week. President Donald Trump has questioned the value of the alliance and suggested that some members are freeloaders. The Trump administration is threatening to stop delivery to Turkey of the newest US fighter jet, the F-35, if the Turks go through with their plan to buy Russias advanced S-400 system instead of the American Patriot system. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has arrived in Dublin for Brexit talks with Irish premier Leo Varadkar. Ms Merkel was greeted by Mr Varadkar at Farmleigh House in the capital on Thursday afternoon. Her visit is viewed as a sign of her solidarity with Ireland as the Brexit saga rumbles on. Their discussions are set to focus on the latest developments ahead of the special European Council meeting next week. Its a real privilege to welcome Chancellor Angela Merkel to Ireland today. Were meeting people from Ireland North and South to hear why we must avoid the return of any hard border and secure an orderly #Brexit pic.twitter.com/22HrwvUpIP Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) April 4, 2019 Prior to their sit-down, the two leaders will take part in a round-table discussion with 15 people from Northern Ireland and the border area about the impact a no-deal scenario could have on their lives. They will hear from some victims of violence, as well as farmers and business people. It comes as efforts intensify to find a way through the Brexit impasse. The UK Government and the Labour Partys negotiating teams are locked in intensive talks in the hope of agreeing a position which could win a majority in the House of Commons in the coming days to allow Theresa May to request a short delay to Article 50. Mr Varadkar held talks with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Tuesday. Ahead of Ms Merkels visit, an Irish Government spokesman said the German Chancellor had been a strong and unwavering ally of Ireland as the country responds to the challenges posed by Brexit. He said: Ahead of their formal meeting, the Taoiseach and Chancellor will participate in a round-table discussion with people from Northern Ireland and the border area, who will share their personal experience and perspectives on the impact any return to a hard border would have on border communities and businesses. These are people for whom the border is a very real issue people from communities along the border, from business, and with direct personal experience of conflict before the Good Friday Agreement. It is important to hear their voices as we work together to deal with the challenges that Brexit presents. Earlier this week, Mr Varadkar met French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris (Christophe Ena/AP) The spokesman said the meeting is also an opportunity for the two leaders to consider other issues on the EUs agenda, and reflect on how Ireland and Germany can strengthen their already excellent relations. Speaking in the Irish Parliament on Wednesday, the Taoiseach said he hoped Mr Corbyn would show leadership and come up with a compromise plan with Mrs May. Mr Varadkar also said the growing frustration among a number of EU countries over the Brexit process is worrying for Ireland. Discussing his meeting with Mr Macron, Mr Varadkar said he was really heartened by the enormous support that France continued to demonstrate towards Ireland, and by Mr Macrons statement that Ireland would never be abandoned by France or by the EU. Whatever issues arise, if there is no deal, they are very much seen as shared problems, ones that Ireland will try to resolve with our partners in France and the European Commission, he added. Its not a questions of a big stick or us being put under undue pressure, but there are reasonable questions being asked as to how we will protect the integrity of the single market and the single union. The number of passengers claiming refunds for delayed ScotRail trains has risen sharply in the last nine months, according to Scottish Labour. Its figures show 110,661 claims were made in the first three quarters of the present financial year, up from 72,984 for the full 2017-18 period. As well as this 52% rise, Labour said there were more refund claims in a two-month period last year than in the whole of 2015-16. Passengers who have been delayed by 30 minutes or more can claim some or all or their fare back under ScotRails Delay Repay scheme. The number of claims has increased from 23,816 in 2015-16 to 110,661 in 2018-19, with figures from the first 12 weeks of 2019 yet to come. Scottish Labours transport spokesman Colin Smyth said: These figures underline the chaos and misery faced by rail passengers across the country. The number of refund claims made for delayed ScotRail services has risen sharply (Ross Brownlee/PA) Behind these thousands of claims are individuals having to miss job interviews, medical appointments and time with their family after a hard days work. Scottish Labour says enough is enough. He added: The Transport Secretary must finally listen to the public and strip Abellio of the contract at the earliest opportunity and bring our railways in public ownership. If he refuses to do so then the next Labour government will ensure passengers get a rail system that they can rely on. Rail passengers made over 110,000 compensation claims because of severe delays on our railways between April and December last year. Scottish Labour says enough is enough, its time to bring our railways into public ownership. pic.twitter.com/1sJtzapAh6 Scottish Labour (@ScottishLabour) April 4, 2019 A Transport Scotland spokesman said: It is only right that passengers are compensated when their rail journey is delayed. As part of the franchise agreement, we secured a clear and straightforward Delay Repay process, whereby passengers can claim compensation in the event that their service is subject to any delay lasting over 30 minutes. Ministers fully expect performance to improve at the earliest opportunity to meet franchise and regulatory targets, and that can only be achieved by delivering strong performance now. He added: ScotRail has been made aware of the necessity for them to meet these expectations. If ScotRail does not deliver its contractual commitments in the remedial agreement, it runs the risk of the franchise being terminated early. ScotRail recently committed an extra 18 million to improve improvements for customers to tackle train crew and train fleet challenges, along with initiatives to support performance improvement. A ScotRail spokesman said: We are absolutely committed to providing the best possible service for our customers and our Delay Repay guarantee is at heart of that approach. We know how much of an inconvenience it is to customers when things dont go to plan and it is only right that they are compensated when that happens. The Delay Repay system is easy to use and we regularly remind our customers to claim for compensation if their journey is delayed by 30 minutes or more. While it has been a challenging time for Scotlands railway, things are improving and more trains are arriving on time than ever before. Everyone at the ScotRail Alliance is working flat out to provide customers with the service they expect and deserve. Sinn Fein have told the Prime Minister that she must deliver on promises she made to protect the Good Friday Agreement. Speaking after a phone call with Theresa May on Thursday, the partys leader Mary Lou McDonald said she made it clear that any decisions taken on the UKs departure from the EU must protect citizen rights and avoid a hard border. We had a phone call with Mrs May around lunchtime, it was quite a detailed conversation, where we set out for her the consequences of a crash Brexit, Ms McDonald said. "The idea of reinstating any form of the border on the island of Ireland is almost like suggesting we rebuild the Berlin wall, from a political point of view. It is imperative that we protect political progress." - @MaryLouMcDonald pic.twitter.com/bdkKGMOmzH Sinn Fein (@sinnfeinireland) April 4, 2019 She informs us that efforts are underway to secure some level of agreement in Westminster and she states that it is not her intention or preference to exit without a deal. However the reality is, that as we speak, that is still a very live possibility. Weve put it to the Prime Minister that at the beginning of this Brexit debacle commitments were given to protect the Good Friday Agreement in all its parts, to prevent any hardening of the border and to ensure the protection of citizens rights. Sinn Fein President Mary Lou McDonald does not want a hard Irish border post-Brexit (Liam McBurney/PA) She didnt give us any assurances as to how this would be achieved in the absence of any agreement. I think its important we understand that Irish prosperity, in addition to being linked to single market is also linked to the all-island economy. Its not just about the economy and trade, its not a technical dilemma, its a political question and the idea of reinstating the border on the island of Ireland is almost like suggesting we rebuild the Berlin wall. We have to be very, very clear that we must protect political progress and we set all of that out for Mrs May this morning. Ms McDonald says she believes that the Prime Minister is dedicated to leaving the EU with a deal, however she is unsure how Mrs May will proceed as Westminster remains deadlocked. I have the clear sense that reaching a deal is her first preference, and that is the course of action she has set out, Ms McDonald said. I cant guess where this will land and I suspect she might be in the same position which is cause for concern for all of us. Theres no use saying you support the Good Friday Agreement, we need actions. We told her in no uncertain terms that the commitments given in the beginning must be honoured. The call comes as efforts intensify to find a way through the Brexit impasse. The UK Government and the Labour Partys negotiating teams are locked in intensive talks in the hope of agreeing a position which could win a majority in the House of Commons in the coming days, allowing Theresa May to request a short delay to Article 50. Congressman Tim Ryan has become the latest Democrat to announce he is running for president. The 45-year-old from Ohio announced his 2020 Democratic primary bid on Thursday on ABCs The View. He plans an official kick-off rally in Youngstown on Saturday, where a big turnout by trade unions is expected. Mr Ryan, a political moderate from Niles, made an unsuccessful bid to replace Nancy Pelosi as House Democratic leader in 2016. Since Day 1, the Trump Administration has been taking deliberate action to sabotage our health care system. House Democrats are fighting back #ForThePeople to ensure every American has access to affordable and quality health care. #ProtectOurCare Congressman Tim Ryan (@RepTimRyan) April 2, 2019 Mr Ryan represents the district formerly held by the late Democratic Representative Jim Traficant, for whom he worked. The blue-collar area swung strongly for Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton in 2016. The White House, Washington DC (Andrew Parsons/PA) He has served in Congress since 2003 and, before that, spent two years in the Ohio Senate. He joins an already crowded field of Democratic White House candidates. The owners of an adventurous Irish dog who took a solo train ride to Dublin have been found. Irish Rail announced the happy ending to a shaggy dogs story that has captivated pet lovers across the island. The canine commuter boarded the 0846 in Sallins, Co Kildare on Wednesday morning and joined bemused passengers on a 30 minute journey into Dublins Heuston Station. Hamish update! His owners have been found! His real name is Tyson! Hes getting chipped by @MyLovelyHorseR so if he goes a wandering again, he can be found Family reunion TBC The movie rights are exorbitant! Thank you to everyone for spreading the word! pic.twitter.com/Bt4pJAY7hr Iarnrod Eireann #StaySafe (@IrishRail) April 4, 2019 Irish Rails efforts to track down his owners proved a hit on social media, with its Twitter appeal shared and liked thousands of times, as fans christened the train-loving terrier Hamish. But it turns out his real name is Tyson, and Irish Rail said a reunion with his owners was now planned. Announcing the news on Twitter on Thursday afternoon, the operator joked: The movie rights are exorbitant. Ted Maher with Tyson at Dublins Heuston Station (David Young/PA) Thank you to everyone for spreading the word. Ted Maher, who works for Irish Rail but also volunteers at an animal sanctuary My Lovely Horse Rescue, looked after Tyson overnight on Wednesday. The dog has now been electronically tagged by the sanctuary to help keep track of him if he embarks on any future trips. Irish Rail later highlighted that both Hamish and Tyson were trending on social media, generating more tweets between them than German chancellor Angela Merkels visit to Dublin for Brexit talks. The operator tweeted #SorryAngela. Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said he has launched a crusade to stop women, children and men being used as weapons of war in conflicts across the world. It comes as he announced the creation of a centre of excellence for human security, which will deliver training for military personnel on areas such as women, children and armed conflict, human trafficking and sexual exploitation. Mr Williamson confirmed the move on Salisbury Plain after watching troops from 4 Scots, armoured vehicles and Apache attack helicopters carry out an exercise which showed how civilians were protected in a conflict zone. With 2 million a year set to be ploughed into the new centre, with its location yet to be decided, Mr Williamson said on Thursday he hopes it will prevent such heinous crime seen so often in the past. Members of 4 Scots showed their infantry skills in front of Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson (Steve Parsons/PA) We have to see this as a crusade, our mission to change not just the attitudes of our allies, but nations right across the world, he said. Make everyone understand that sexual violence is not something that can be used as a weapon of war. He added that rape and kidnapping were being used systematically as a tactic to spread terror, particularly in places like Iraq and Nigeria, adding it was imperative we act to stop this. The Ministry of Defence said the UK was the first military in the world to have a dedicated policy on human security launched in January with Mr Williamson highlighting how he is proud Britains armed forces are leading the way. He added that all parts of the military were now duty bound to understand the dangers to men, women and children in conflict. Lieutenant Colonel Rachel Grimes said British personnel need to be taught how to react and deal with these issues so the skills can be passed on to other nations. She said human security was a relatively new concept, but it meant that soldiers were being taught to look out for children in conflict, rape survivors both male and female as well as the protection of civilians. Three women are led to safety during the demonstration in Copehill Down Village (Steve Parsons/PA) Spending nine-and-a-half months in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) herself, she said: It is about getting people to think more broadly about security, not just someone shooting at them. The Defence Secretary said he remembers the reports of the abduction of the schoolgirls in Chibok, Nigeria, and realised as a politician you want to do something to make a difference, make a change and to reduce the chance of it happening again. If we are not the ones pushing on this, if we are not the ones saying it has got to end these are the ways of doing it who else is going to? he told reporters. Asked if he wants the centre and the issue to be his legacy, Mr Williamson added: If this is something I can be remembered for, Id love to be remembered for it. He added: It is far too easy when youre involved with the armed forces to talk about tanks, ships and aeroplanes but the reason we are involved in conflicts is to protect people and to protect those most vulnerable. The MoD said military human security advisers have deployed to the DRC on UN peacekeeping missions since 2014, and have provided training for peacekeepers in Kenya, Malawi and Nigeria on preventing and responding to sexual violence in conflict. But as Mr Williamson championed human rights, there were questions over the defence-related ties between Britain and Brunei which recently announced new Islamic criminal laws punishing gay sex by stoning offenders to death. Asked about the close relationship and the potential risk of hypocrisy in the wake of his announcement and their new law, he said it is something that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office are taking up immediately with Brunei. He added: It is not something that, obviously, as Britain, we want to see and thats why theyre taking those discussions to the very highest level. By Ben Blanchard and Robin Emmott BEIJING/BRUSSELS, April 4 (Reuters) - China is struggling to ease worries about President Xi Jinping's signature plan to build a new Silk Road as it readies for a major summit in late April, especially among Western nations wary about debt, transparency and Chinese influence. While China gained a major victory by convincing Italy to become the first G7 nation to formally sign on to the plan last month during Xi's visit to Rome, others in the West have been less keen to jump onboard, though many have kept an open mind. The Belt and Road Initiative, as it is formally called, is aimed at building a vast network of infrastructure connecting China to Central Asia, Southeast Asia, Europe and beyond, much like the ancient Silk Road. Following the first Belt and Road summit two years ago, in a luxuriously appointed convention centre in hills north of Beijing, the second one is scheduled for the same location in late April. China is billing it as the country's most important diplomatic event of the year. The country's top diplomat, Yang Jiechi, said on Saturday that almost 40 foreign leaders would come, and also took a swipe at "prejudiced" critics of the programme who seek to besmirch it with concerns like "debt traps". "The Belt and Road is open, inclusive and transparent. It does not play little geopolitical games," Yang, who runs the ruling Communist Party's foreign affairs committee, told the official People's Daily. The United States, locked in a bitter trade war with China, has been a particular critic of the Belt and Road, calling it an "infrastructure vanity project" when Italy signed on. Jonathan Cohen, acting permanent representative of the United States at the United Nations, last month slammed China's attempt to get Belt and Road language into a resolution on Afghanistan, saying it had "known problems with corruption, debt distress, environmental damage, and lack of transparency". Wu Haitao, charge d'affaires of China's Permanent Mission to the United Nations, said the rebuke was "contrary to the facts and fraught with prejudice". In 2017, the United States sent White House National Security Council senior director for Asian affairs Matt Pottinger to the summit. This time, Washington said it will not dispatch high-level officials due to its concerns about the project. Lower-level staffers, possibly from the U.S. embassy in Beijing, might go to the summit to observe and take notes, sources familiar with the matter said, though a final decision has yet to be made. China says it always welcomes "like-minded countries" to take part in the project. It has not disclosed a full list of the leaders planning to attend the event. But some of Beijing's closest friends have confirmed they will go, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan. EU WARINESS The European Union, China's largest trading partner, has also been in a bind about how to respond. Last week, Europe's top leaders told Xi they wanted a fairer trading relationship with China, signalling an openness to engage with the project if it meant more access to the Chinese market. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, speaking at the EU summit in March, grumbled about Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte's decision to join the project, although she said Germany will play in active role in the Belt and Road and called for reciprocity. Conte is due to attend the summit. Rome says signing onto the Belt and Road will bring much-needed investment and boost trade and has pointed to the fact that a dozen EU countries have already signed memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with China, including Hungary, Poland, Greece and Portugal. SAFEGUARDING INTERESTS The EU last year proposed its own infrastructure scheme, but it has denied it is trying to counter China's ambitions. "For China it is a question of power projection. China is corrupting what should be a level playing field by offering loans that send country debts soaring and create a culture of economic dependency on Beijing," one EU official said. German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier, a Merkel confidant, is attending the summit, along with French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, with Altmaier saying they wanted to "safeguard European interests in co-operation with China there". Several EU officials said the European Commission was still looking at who to send as a replacement for Vice President Jyrki Katainen, who attended 2017's Belt and Road summit and has cited a calendar clash with the EU-Japan summit for not being able to go this time. China has been on a push to show that the Belt and Road remains popular, despite cooling enthusiasm from governments including in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and the Maldives, where new administrations are wary of deals struck with China by their predecessors. The Chinese government's top diplomat, State Councillor Wang Yi, who ranks below Yang, last month touted the success of the $57-billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a major Belt and Road scheme. Wang said after meeting Pakistan's foreign minister that less than 20 percent of funding for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor came from Chinese loans, with the rest made up of direct Chinese investment and free grants. The corridor focuses on the interests of ordinary people, Wang said, citing as an example women truck drivers trained to work at a coal mine connected to the project, which he described as a "touching story". Wang told reporters at March's annual meeting of parliament that the Belt and Road was about high quality, sustainable, green development. "As President Xi has said, the Belt and Road initiative comes from China, but the achievements belong to the world," Wang said. (Additional reporting by Michael Martina in Beijing, Andreas Rinke and Michael Nienaber in Berlin, Richard Lough in Paris, David Brunnstrom in Washington and Michelle Nichols at the United Nations; editing by Neil Fullick) PARIS, April 4 (Reuters) - France's CRE energy market regulator will publish its recommendations for the 600 megawatt (MW) Dunkirk offshore wind farm tender in early May, and it expects the price to be reasonable, the head of the regulatory body said on Thursday. "We will get reasonable prices for the Dunkirk offshore tender," Jean-Francois Carenco told a French parliamentary commission hearing on the renewables energy sector. The CRE makes its recommendations to the government, which will announce the final decision based on the regulator's advice. The Dunkirk tender has attracted interests from several international and French energy companies. These include French state-controlled utility EDF, in partnership with Germany's Innogy and Canada's Enbridge, as well as one from Engie which has teamed up with Portugal's EDPR. Oil major Total has also partnered up with Denmark's Orsted and renewable energy producer Elicio for the tender. (Reporting by Bate Felix; Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta) BRUSSELS, April 4 (Reuters) - European Union governments condemned on Thursday a measure by Venezuela's Constituent Assembly that allows for the trial of opposition leader Juan Guaido, considered by many Western nations as the de facto head of state. "The EU rejects the decision taken by the non-recognised National Constituent Assembly to lift Juan Guaido's parliamentary immunity. This decision constitutes a serious violation of the Venezuelan constitution, as well as of the rule of law and separation of power," the EU said in a statement. "These acts undermine a political way out of the crisis and only lead to further polarisation and escalation of tensions in the country," the statement said. (Reporting by Robin Emmott Editing by Gareth Jones) COPENHAGEN, April 4 (Reuters) - The collapse of budget airline WOW Air last month will dent Iceland's economic growth this year and cause some losses in the banking system, the country's central bank said in a Financial Stability report on Thursday. WOW Air, which had 1,000 employees, halted operations and cancelled all future flights on March 28 after efforts to raise more funds had failed. It was the latest budget airline to collapse as the European airline sector grapples with over-capacity and high fuel costs. Recent failures include Britain's Flybmi, Nordic budget airline Primera Air and Cypriot counterpart Cobalt. Iceland's central bank said that although WOW Air's collapse would cause some losses in the banking system the direct impact on the country's systemically important banks would be limited. "The shocks that have struck recently are highly unlikely under current conditions to jeopardise the stability of the financial system," it said. It said that the collapse of the budget airline and a failure of the vital capelin fish catch had made it clear that economic growth would be weaker than the 1.8 percent it had forecasted in February. It did not provide a new forecast. Credit rating agency Moody's said in a statement on Wednesday that Wow Air's collapse posed downside risks for Iceland's 2019 economic growth, and is credit negative for the country. (Reporting by Teis Jensen; Editing by Kirsten Donovan and Emelia Sithole-Matarise) By Stanis Bujakera KINSHASA, April 4 (Reuters) - A Congolese rebel leader accused of orchestrating mass rapes and other atrocities has been caught, Democratic Republic of Congo's army said on Thursday. Masudi Alimasi Kokodiko, leader of the widely feared Raia Mutomboki militia, was captured on Tuesday in South Kivu's Shabunda territory after being wounded in a firefight, army spokesman Dieudonne Kasereka said. Raia Mutomboki was formed in 2005 to fight Rwandan Hutu militias active in eastern Congo and became one of the most powerful of the dozens of armed groups active in the mineral-rich area bordering Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi. A report by a U.N. Security Council panel of experts last year said Kokodikos forces had gang-raped at least 17 women in the town of Lubila last September. The panel also accused the group of using child soldiers. In 2012, a U.N.-led investigation found that Raia Mutomboki and two other militias were responsible for the deaths of more than 260 civilians in a wave of tit-for-tat ethnic massacres in North Kivu province. Congo's new president, Felix Tshisekedi, who took office in January, has pledged to address the militia violence that plagues the east, where millions died in a civil war in 1998-2003. Christoph Vogel, a researcher who previously advised the United Nations, said Kokodiko's arrest "coincides with the new government announcing a more deliberate agenda to disarm militia, yet it remains to be seen if it comes as part of broader change". Another of Congo's most infamous warlords, Ntabo Ntaberi Sheka, went on trial last year accused of rapes and other atrocities. Victim testimony in that trial began last month. (Additional reporting and writing by Giulia Paravicini; Editing by Sofia Christensen Kevin Liffey) Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 4) A bill waiving fees on government documents for first-time job seekers has landed on President Rodrigo Duterte's table for his approval. If signed into law, documents like birth and marriage certificates, tax identification numbers, Unified Multi-Purpose ID cards, clearance from the National Bureau of Investigation, the police and the barangay, and medical certificates from government clinics and hospitals will be obtained for free by those who are looking for jobs for the first time. Senate Labor committee chair Joel Villanueva said the First-time Jobseekers bill will help around 1.3 million people annually, including those who had just graduated from college. "Kapag pinagsama-sama po ang gastos para sa mga pre-employment document, mahina po ang 2,000 at mabigat po 'yan para po sa isang fresh graduate," Villanueva said in a statement. [Translation: If we put together all the expenses for pre-employment documents, this would cost at least 2,000 and this is a lot for a fresh graduate.] However, first-time jobseekers can only avail of the exemption once. Concerned government agencies will maintain an annual roster of people who have been issued documents under the proposed law. They will submit this to the Department of Information and Communications Technology which will create a database of beneficiaries. Government agencies that fail to comply with the proposed law may be slapped with administrative charges. "We are hopeful that the President will be supportive of our bill that will greatly benefit our young individuals as they enter our country's workforce," Villanueva said. As is customary for political manifestoes to do, the Congress' manifesto on March 2 promised the voters a slew of populist schemes and sops in what the party says would be its final assault on poverty. 'The final assault on poverty' Congress leadersSonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Manmohan Singh with the manifesto. (Source: Pankaj Nagia/India Today) A key component of the manifesto that, however, escaped relative scrutiny was the promises made with regard to the security and humanitarian crisis facing the state of Jammu and Kashmir in general and the Valley in particular. The Congress has promised two significant things when it comes to the security situation in the Valley. However, a closer look at both points makes it clear there is absolutely nothing significant about it: Review deployment of forces The Congress manifesto reads: Congress promises to review the deployment of armed forces, move more troops to the border to stop infiltration completely, reduce the presence of the Army and Central Armed Police Forces in the Kashmir Valley, and entrust more responsibility to the J&K police for maintaining law and order. With rising extremism in Kashmir, the Congress fails to explain how it plans to tackle the situation by deployment of police forces. The police force in no part of India is equipped or trained to deal with militancy. It is the army and the paramilitary which is trained to do the job. By saying that it plans to deploy more police personnel for maintaining law and order, the Congress makes it known that it considers the violent militancy issue a 'law and order' problem. This is a rather naive view of the situation in the Valley. AFSPA to be reviewed By talking about reviewing the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) at a time when the security situation in the Valley is so fragile, the Congress is only demotivating the security forces. Several videos in the recent past have shown stone pelters targeting convoys of security forces at a time like this, diluting the powers of the armed forces would only worsen the security situation. AFSPA was first implemented in Kashmir in 1990, at the height of militancy. It was also needed by security forces to launch search operations in villages where militants took refuge. Terrorists from across the border also use the houses of local Kashmiris to hide mostly forcibly. The sad reality is that militancy in Kashmir is again rising. The Congress manifesto suggests the party wants to fall back on its dialogue option to tackle the situation. The document reads: Congress promises the people of J&K talks without pre-conditions. We will appoint 3 interlocutors drawn from civil society to facilitate such talks. This promise cannot be read in isolation. We must revisit the last instance when the Congress appointed interlocutors exactly three as part of its reach-out plan for Kashmir after the 2010 unrest which left 120 people dead. In 2010, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, led by Manmohan Singh, appointed the journalist Dileep Padgaonkar, the academic Radha Kumar and professor MM Ansari as interlocutors. Was the govt even hearing them? The Centre's interlocutors on Kashmir, Dilip Padgaonkar (centre), Radha Kumar (R), MM Ansari (L). (Source: PTI) The report submitted by the J&K interlocutors was ignored by the very same government that sent the three to Kashmir to prepare the report. Padgaonkar went on record to explain what happened with the report, By and large the report was ignored by the UPA. I had been assured that the report would be tabled on the floor of the House and that there would be a debate on it and all the parties would be allowed enough space to deliberate on the recommendations, but that was not done. So, the UPA basically sent the three people to talk to people, recommend solutions, navigate an extremely difficult situation and then do absolutely nothing about it. About nine years since that exercise, the Congress is promising an encore of the interlocutor tour of Kashmir. The party that Congress can probably have a dialogue with assuming it comes to power is Pakistan. If there is one country on the face of the earth which has shown contempt for dialogue though, it is Pakistan. But the Congress is promising voters the same fallback option of talks with Pakistan. The one significant promise that the Congress has made in the manifesto is the promise of free and fair elections in the Valley. The Congress itself stands often accused of helping with rigging the 1987 elections in favour of Farooq Abdullah and his party, the National Conference. Many believe that these elections were a turning point in the history of Kashmir pushing youths towards militancy. Many parties like the Jamaat-e-Islami, the People's Conference and the Ittihad-ul-Muslimeen, which were on the losing side became part of the main separatist alliance, the All Party Hurriyat Conference, calling for self-determination. The promises in the Congress manifesto vis-a-vis Kashmir need to be questioned, because we cannot afford to lose more lives to the flawed policies of governments in power. Or, further cynical manipulations. Also read: Why the Congress manifesto could be taken with a pinch of salt! 1 hour ago Dipped into Your Retirement Account in 2021? Here's What Happens Next If you pulled money from your account in 2021, what does that mean for you? Congress allowed retirement savers to take out as much as $100,000 from individual retirement accounts by the end of December 2020 without the 10% early withdrawal penalty (for those younger than age 59). Read Article Nabors Industries Ltd. engages in the provision of platform work over and drilling rigs. 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Ltd., Continental vyroba pneumatik s.r.o., Contitech Argentina S.R.L., Contitech Botswana (Pty) Ltd, Contitech do Brasil Produtos Automotivos e Industriais Ltda., Contitrade Espana S.A.U., Contitrade Holding, Contitread Renovado Morelia S.A. de C.V., Correx Handelsgesellschaft fur Kautschukprodukte mbH, Custom Machining Services Inc., DRUST, Dekkmann A/S, Dunlop Oil & Marine Ltd., DynaGen Inc., EPD Holdings Inc., Eddelbuttel + Schneider GmbH, Elektrobit, Elektrobit Austria GmbH, Elektrobit Automotive Americas Inc., Elektrobit Automotive Finland Oy, Elektrobit Automotive GmbH, Elektrobit Automotive Korea Limited, Elektrobit Automotive Romania SRL, Elektrobit Automotive Software (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Elektrobit France SAS, Elektrobit India Private Ltd., Elektrobit Nippon K.K., Emitec Denmark A/S, Emitec France SAS, Eu-Retec (Private) Ltd., FSC Franchising Service Company S.p.A., Formpolster GmbH, General Tire International Company, Granite Investments Limited, Holding ContiTech SAS, Hoosier Racing Tire Corp., Hornschuch (Shanghai) Surface Technology Co. Ltd., Hornschuch Consulting GmbH, Hornschuch Group GmbH, Hornschuch Italia S.r.l., Hornschuch Stolzenau GmbH, Hornschuch UK Ltd., Hornschuch-Markt GmbH, INTECH Thuringen GmbH, Kathrein Automotive, Kathrein Automotive Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Kathrein Automotive North America Inc., Kathrein Automotive Portugal Sociedade Unipessoal Lda., Kim Holdings Scotland Limited, Kolubara-Univerzal D.O.O., Konrad Hornschuch AG, Konrad Hornschuch International GmbH, Legg Company Inc., Libra Associates (Properties) Limited, MISA GmbH & Co. KG, MISA-Beteiligungs GmbH, Merlett Belgie B.V.B.A, Merlett Benelux B.V., Merlett Deutschland GmbH, Merlett France SAS, Merlett Group, Merlett Iberica 2016 S.L., Merlett Norway As, Merlett Plastics UK Ltd., Merlett Polska Sp. Z o.o., Merlett RUS LLC, Merlett Tecnoplastic S.p.a., Noviteck SA, O'Sullivan Films Inc., OOO "ContiTech Rus", OOO "Continental Automotive RUS", OOO "Continental Automotive Systems RUS", OOO "Continental Kaluga", OOO "Continental Tires RUS", OOO Hornschuch RUS, OTA Grundstucks- und Beteiligungsverwaltung GmbH, OTA keys, OTA keys S.A., Omitec Group, Otomotiv Lastikleri Tevzi AS (OLTAS), POWERTRAIN MAQUILA MEXICO S. DE R.L. DE C.V., PT Continental Tyre Indonesia, PT Quantum Inventions Indonesia, Parkpocket, Phoenix Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Phoenix Compounding Technology GmbH, Phoenix Conveyor Belt India Private Ltd., Phoenix Conveyor Belt Solutions Inc., Phoenix Conveyor Belt Systems GmbH, Phoenix Fluid Handling Industry GmbH, Phoenix Oil & Marine Ltd., Phoenix Service GmbH & Co. KG, Phoenix Shanxi Conveyor Belt Co. Ltd., Phoenix Vermogensverwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, Pneu Egger AG, Profi Reifen- und Autoservice Gesellschaft mbH, Prazisionstechnik Geithain GmbH, QUANTUM INVENTIONS SDN. BHD., Quantum Inventions, Quantum Inventions Private Limited, R & J Strang Tyre Services Limited, REG Reifen-Entsorgungsgesellschaft mbH, REPARATION PNEUMATIQUES DU SUD EST (REPNEU) SAS, ROSEA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. Objekt Hannover-Stocken KG, Reifen Apel GmbH, Reifen Kauffmann GmbH, Reifen-John GmbH & Co KG, Reifen-Service Clemens & Hegel GmbH, Rengasmaailma Oy, Road-Broad Automotive Electronics (Qufu) Co. Ltd., Rundpneu Beteiligungsges. mbH, S.C. ContiTech Fluid Automotive Romania S.R.L., S.C. ContiTech Romania S.R.L., S.C. Continental Automotive Products SRL, SAS CONTITRADE FRANCE, STEINEBRONN BETEILIGUNGS-GMBH, Semperit (Ireland) Ltd., Semperit (UK) Ltd., Semperit Reifen Gesellschaft mbH, Senior Experts Services GmbH, Siemens VDO Automotive S.p.A., Specialised Belting Supplies Ltd., Specialty Fabrics & Converting Inc., Specialty Yarn & Converting Inc., Stable One Insurance Company LLC, Synerject Taiwan Co. Ltd., Syrma A.E., TON Tyres Over Night Trading GmbH, TOO "Continental Matador KZ", Temic Automotive (Phils.) Inc., Tikka Spikes Oy, Tyre Maintenance Limited, Tyre Reinsurance (Ireland) DAC, Tyre and Auto Pty Ltd, UMG Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Union-Mittelland-Gummi-GmbH & Co. Grundbesitz KG, Unterstutzungskasse mbH der Goppinger Kaliko- und Kunstleder-Werke GmbH, VIVAX Trading GmbH, Vanvulc Tyres Limited, Vaysse SAS, Vergolst GmbH, Veyance Distribuidora de Produtos de Engenharia Ltda., Veyance Hong Kong Co. Ltd., Veyance Industrial Services Inc., Veyance Qingdao Engineered Elastomers Company Ltd., Veyance Technologies, Veyance Technologies Australia Pty. Ltd., Veyance Technologies Canada (NS) ULC, Veyance Technologies Hong Kong Co. Ltd., Veyance Technologies Zambia Ltd., Viking Tyres (UK) Ltd., Vitesco Technologies (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Vitesco Technologies 1. Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, Vitesco Technologies 1. Verwaltungs GmbH, Vitesco Technologies 2. Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, Vitesco Technologies 2. Verwaltungs GmbH, Vitesco Technologies Automotive Cuautla S.A. de C.V., Vitesco Technologies Canada ULC, Vitesco Technologies Czech Republic s.r.o., Vitesco Technologies Delavan LLC, Vitesco Technologies Eisenach Verwaltungs GmbH, Vitesco Technologies Emitec GmbH, Vitesco Technologies Engineering Romania SRL, Vitesco Technologies France S.A.S., Vitesco Technologies GDL S. de R.L. de C.V., Vitesco Technologies Germany GmbH, Vitesco Technologies GmbH, Vitesco Technologies Group Aktiengesellschaft, Vitesco Technologies Holding 1 Canada Inc., Vitesco Technologies Holding 2 Canada Inc., Vitesco Technologies Holding China Co. Ltd., Vitesco Technologies Holding Netherlands B.V., Vitesco Technologies Hungary Kft., Vitesco Technologies India Private Limited, Vitesco Technologies Italy S.R.L., Vitesco Technologies Japan K.K., Vitesco Technologies Korea, Vitesco Technologies Lohmar Verwaltungs GmbH, Vitesco Technologies Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Vitesco Technologies Roding GmbH, Vitesco Technologies Romania SRL, Vitesco Technologies Singapore Pte. Ltd., Vitesco Technologies UK Ltd., Vitesco Technologies USA LLC, Vitesco Tecnologia Brasil Automotiva Ltda., Vogtlandische Reifenwerke Sitz Bad Nauheim GmbH, Vulcanite Holdings Pty Ltd, Vulcanite Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Vulcanite Pty Ltd, Wohlfahrtseinrichtung fur die Arbeiter und Angestellten der Semperit Reifen AG GmbH, Zonar, Zonar Systems Inc., Zytek Automotive, Zytek Automotive Ltd., Zytek Group Ltd., balance GmbH Handel und Beratungsservice im Gesundheitswesen, co-pace GmbH, inotec Innovative Technologie GmbH, and kek-Kaschierungen GmbH. 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). Invesco China Technology ETF's stock was trading at $51.99 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, CQQQ stock has increased by 23.4% and is now trading at $64.15. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. Nuveen Enhanced AMT-Free Municipal Credit Opportunities Fund operates as a closed-end investment fund/investment trust. Its investment objective is to provide current income exempt from regular federal income tax and to enhance portfolio value relative to the municipal bond market by investing in tax-exempt municipal bonds that the fund's investment adviser believes are underrated or undervalued or that represent municipal market sectors that are undervalued. The company was founded on July 12, 1999 and is headquartered in Chicago, IL. Read More There is not enough analysis data for POET Technologies. 4.8 Community Rank Outperform Votes POET Technologies has received 184 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes POET Technologies has received 69 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment POET Technologies has received 72.73% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about POET Technologies and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe POETF will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe POETF will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days. Previous Next The following companies are subsidiares of Lennar: 360 Developers LLC, Alliance Financial Services Inc., Ann Arundel Farms Ltd., Aquaterra Utilities Inc., Arbor Mill Veteran Project 2018 LLC, Asbury Woods L.L.C., Astoria Options LLC, Autumn Creek Development Ltd., Aylon LLC, Azusa Associates LLC, B2 Milpitas LLC, BB Investment Holdings LLC, BCI Properties LLC, BMR Communities LLC, BMR Construction Inc., BMTD LLC, BPH I LLC, Bainebridge 249 LLC, Bay Colony Expansion 369 Ltd., Bellagio Lennar LLC, Belle Meade LEN Holdings LLC, Belle Meade Partners LLC, Black Mountain Ranch LLC, Blue Horizons Estates LLC, Bonterra Lennar LLC, Bramalea California Inc., Bressi Gardenlane LLC, Breton Park Lennar LLC, CAP IL 1 LLC, CL Ventures LLC, CML INACTIVE LLC, CML-MO HAF LLC, CML-MO HAF PARKING LLC, CP Block 6aS LLC, CP Block 8aS LLC, CP Block 9aS LLC, CP Center Apartments LLC, CP Center Garage LLC, CP Red Oak Partners Ltd., CP Vertical Development Co. 1 LLC, CP/HPS Development Co. GP LLC, CP/HPS Development Co.-C LLC, CPFE LLC, CPHP Development LLC, CalAtlantic Financial Services Inc., CalAtlantic Group, CalAtlantic Group Inc., CalAtlantic Homes of Arizona Inc., CalAtlantic Homes of Georgia Inc., CalAtlantic Homes of Texas Inc., CalAtlantic Homes of Washington Inc., CalAtlantic Mortgage Inc., CalAtlantic National Title Solutions LLC, CalAtlantic Title Agency LLC, CalAtlantic Title Group LLC, CalAtlantic Title Inc., CalAtlantic Title LLC, CalAtlantic Title of Maryland Inc., Camarillo Village Park LLC, Cambria L.L.C., Candlestick Retail Member LLC, Cardiovascular Medical Specialists LLC, Carolina Blue LLC, Carson 175 LLC, Cary Woods LLC, Casa Marina Development LLC, Central Park West Holdings LLC, Cherrytree II LLC, Club Bonterra Lennar LLC, Coco Palm 82 LLC, Colonial Heritage LLC, Columbia National Risk Retention Group Inc., Commonwealth Incentive Fee LLC, Concord Station LLP, Coventry L.L.C., Creekside Crossing L.L.C., Crest at Fondren Investor LLC, DBJ Holdings LLC, DCA Financial LLC, DTC Holdings of Florida LLC, Darcy-Joliet L.L.C., Durrell 33 LLC, EL Ventures LLC, EV LLC, Eagle Bend Commercial LLC, Eagle Home Mortgage LLC, Estates Seven LLC, Evergreen Village LLC, F&R QVI Home Investments USA LLC, FLORDADE LLC, Faria Preserve LLC, Fidelity Guaranty and Acceptance Corp., Fidelity Land LLC, Fox-Maple Associates LLC, Friendswood Development Company LLC, GDI MANAGER LLC, Garco Investments LLC, Greystone Construction Inc., Greystone Homes of Nevada Inc., Greystone Nevada Holdings LLC, Greystone Nevada LLC, Greywall Club L.L.C., HCC Investors LLC, HPS Development Co. LP, HPS Vertical Development Co. LLC, HPS Vertical Development Co.-B LP, HPS Vertical Development Co.-D/E LLC, HPS1 Block 1 LLC, HPS1 Block 48-1A LLC, HPS1 Block 48-1B LLC, HPS1 Block 48-2A LLC, HPS1 Block 48-2B LLC, HPS1 Block 48-3A LLC, HPS1 Block 48-3B LLC, HPS1 Block 50 LLC, HPS1 Block 51 LLC, HPS1 Block 52 LLC, HPS1 Block 53 LLC, HPS1 Block 54 LLC, HPS1 Block 55 LLC, HPS1 Block 56/57 LLC, HSP Arizona Inc., HTC Golf Club LLC, Hammocks Lennar LLC, Harbor Highlands Group LLC, Harveston LLC, Haverton L.L.C., Heathcote Commons LLC, Heritage Pkwy East Holdings LLC, Heritage of Auburn Hills L.L.C., Hewitts Landing Trustee LLC, Hingham Properties LLC, Huntley Venture L.L.C., Inactive Companies LLC, Independence L.L.C., Independence Orlando LLC, Isles at Bayshore Club LLC, KMC Real Estate Investors LLC, Kendall Hammocks Commercial LLC, Kentuckiana Medical Center LLC, Kingman Lennar LLC, LB/L Duc III Antioch 330 LLC, LCD Asante LLC, LCI Downtown Doral Investor LLC, LCI North DeKalb Investor GP LLC, LCI North DeKalb Investor LP LLC, LEN - Belle Meade LLC, LEN - OBS Windemere LLC, LEN - Palm Vista LLC, LEN BPT Investor LLC, LEN Mirada Investor LLC, LEN Notarize Investor LLC, LEN OT Holdings LLC, LEN Paradise Cable LLC, LEN Paradise Operating LLC, LEN-CG South LLC, LEN-Cypress Mill LLC, LEN-Ryan 1 LLC, LEN-Touchstone LLC, LENH I LLC, LENNAR HOMES OF TENNESSEE LLC, LFS Holding Company LLC, LH Eastwind LLC, LHI Renaissance LLC, LMC 10th & Acoma Holdings LP, LMC 144th and Grant Investor LLC, LMC 2401 Blake Street Holdings LLC, LMC 2401 Blake Street Investor LLC, LMC 360 Acoma Holdings LP, LMC 410 S Wabash Holdings LLC, LMC 808 Gateway Holdings LLC, LMC 808 Gateway Investor LLC, LMC 8th Avenue Apartment Investor LLC, LMC 990 Bannock Holdings LLC, LMC Axis Westminster Holdings LLC, LMC Axis Westminster Investor LLC, LMC Berry Hill Lofts Holdings LLC, LMC Berry Hill Lofts Investor LLC, LMC Block 42 Holdings LLC, LMC Build to Core III Investor LLC, LMC Build to Core III LLC, LMC Burnside Holdings LLC, LMC Burnside Investor LLC, LMC Chandler and McClintock Holdings LLC, LMC Charlestowne Holdings LLC, LMC Charlotte Ballpark Developer LLC, LMC Cityville Oak Park Holdings LLC, LMC Cityville Oak Park Investor LLC, LMC Cobalt Holdings LLC, LMC Costa Mesa Holdings LP, LMC Crest at Park West Holdings LP, LMC Denver Gateway I Investor LLC, LMC Denver Gateway II Holdings LLC, LMC Development LLC, LMC Downtown Doral South Holdings LLC, LMC Durham Gateway Holdings LP, LMC Evans School Holdings LLC, LMC Gateway Investor LLC, LMC Gateway Venture LLC, LMC Gilman Square Investor LLC, LMC Horton Street Holdings LLC, LMC Huntington Crossing Holdings LLC, LMC Inactive Companies LLC, LMC Lakeside Holdings LP, LMC Leya Holdings LLC, LMC Living Illinois LLC, LMC Living Inc., LMC Living LLC, LMC Living TRS LP, LMC Millenia Investor II LLC, LMC NE Minneapolis Lot 2 Holdings LLC, LMC New Bern Investor LLC, LMC North Park Holdings LP, LMC Parkfield Holdings LLC, LMC Parkfield Investor LLC, LMC Righters Ferry Holdings LLC, LMC River North Holdings LLC, LMC Spring Street Investor LLC, LMC Stonewall Station Investor LLC, LMC Triangle Square Investor LLC, LMC Venture Developer LLC, LMC Verbena Holdings LLC, LMC West Loop Investor LLC, LMCFX Investor LLC, LMCPNW Marymoor Holdings LLC, LMI - Jacksonville Investor LLC, LMI - South Kings Development Investor LLC, LMI - West Seattle Holdings LLC, LMI - West Seattle Investor LLC, LMI - West Seattle LLC, LMI Cell Tower Investors LLC, LMI City Walk Investor LLC, LMI Collegedale Investor LLC, LMI Collegedale LLC, LMI Contractors LLC, LMI Glencoe Dallas Investor LLC, LMI Lakes West Covina Investor LLC, LMI Largo Park Investor LLC, LMI Las Colinas Station LLC, LMI Naperville Investor LLC, LMI Pacific Tower LLC, LMI Park Central Two LLC, LMI Peachtree Corners Investor LLC, LMI Peachtree Corners LLC, LMI-JC Developer LLC, LMI-JC LLC, LMV 1640 Broadway REIT-DC LP, LMV 1701 Ballard REIT-DC LP, LMV 19H REIT-DC LP, LMV 2026 Madison REIT-DC LP, LMV 85 South Union REIT-DC LP, LMV ATown REIT-DC LP, LMV Annapolis REIT-DC LP, LMV Apache Terrace REIT-DC LP, LMV Block 42 REIT-DC LP, LMV Bloomington REIT-DC LP, LMV Bolingbrook REIT-DC LP (DE), LMV Central at McDowell REIT-DC LP, LMV East Village I REIT-DC LP, LMV Edina REIT-DC LP, LMV Fremont WS I REIT-DC LP, LMV Glisan REIT-DC LP, LMV Grand Bay REIT-DC LP, LMV II Grand Bay Pod V Holdings LP, LMV II Kierland Holdings LP, LMV II NoMo Holdings LP, LMV II Venture Developer LLC, LMV II Wynwood Holdings LP, LMV Kirkland REIT-DC LP, LMV Little Italy REIT-DC LP, LMV M Tower REIT-DC LP, LMV Millenia II REIT-DC LP, LMV Milpitas REIT-DC LP, LMV NE Minneapolis REIT-DC LP, LMV Oak Park REIT-DC LP, LMV One20Fourth REIT-DC LP, LMV QR Build to Core Manager LLC, LMV Rio Bravo REIT-DC LP, LMV Scottsdale Quarter REIT-DC LP, LMV Tysons REIT-DC LP, LMV Vallagio III REIT-DC LP, LMV Victory Block G REIT-DC LP, LMV Warren Street REIT-DC LP, LNC Communities II LLC, LNC Communities IV LLC, LNC Communities V LLC, LNC Communities VI LLC, LNC Communities VII LLC, LNC Communities VIII LLC, LNC Pennsylvania Realty Inc., LNC at Meadowbrook LLC, LNC at Ravenna LLC, LS College Park LLC, LS Terracina LLC, LV Opendoor Investor LLC, LV Opendoor JV LLC, LW D'Andrea LLC, Lagoon Valley Residential LLC, Lakelands at Easton L.L.C., Legends Club LLC, Legends Golf Club LLC, Len - Little Harbor LLC, Len FW Investor LLC, Len Paradise LLC, Len-Angeline LLC, Len-Hawks Point LLC, Len-Land LLC, Len-Land West LLC, Len-MN LLC, Len-Verandahs LLP, LenCom LLC, LenFive LLC, LenFive Opco GP LLC, LenFive Sub III LLC, LenFive Sub LLC, LenFive Sub Opco GP LLC, Lenalto CMBS LLC, Lencraft LLC, Lennar Aircraft I LLC, Lennar Arizona Construction Inc., Lennar Arizona Inc., Lennar Associates Management Holding Company, Lennar Associates Management LLC, Lennar Avenue One LLC, Lennar Berkeley LLC, Lennar Bevard LLC, Lennar Bridges LLC, Lennar Buffington Colorado Crossing L.P., Lennar Buffington Zachary Scott L.P., Lennar Carolinas LLC, Lennar Central Park LLC, Lennar Central Region Sweep Inc., Lennar Chicago Inc., Lennar Cobra LLC, Lennar Colgate Urban Renewal Development LLC, Lennar Colorado LLC, Lennar Colorado Minerals LLC, Lennar Commercial LLC, Lennar Communities Development Inc., Lennar Communities Inc., Lennar Communities Nevada LLC, Lennar Communities of Chicago L.L.C., Lennar Concord LLC, Lennar Construction Inc., Lennar Cory Road LLC, Lennar Courts LLC, Lennar Developers Inc., Lennar Ewing LLC, Lennar Financial Services LLC, Lennar Flamingo LLC, Lennar Fresno Inc., Lennar Gardens LLC, Lennar Georgia Inc., Lennar Greer Ranch Venture LLC, Lennar Heritage Fields LLC, Lennar Hingham Holdings LLC, Lennar Hingham JV LLC, Lennar Homes Holding LLC, Lennar Homes LLC, Lennar Homes NJ LLC, Lennar Homes of Arizona Inc., Lennar Homes of California Inc., Lennar Homes of Indiana Inc., Lennar Homes of Texas Land and Construction Ltd., Lennar Homes of Texas Sales and Marketing Ltd., Lennar Homes of Utah Inc., Lennar International Holding LLC, Lennar International LLC, Lennar Lakeside Investor LLC, Lennar Layton LLC, Lennar Living LLC, Lennar Lytle LLC, Lennar MF Holdings LLC, Lennar MPA LLC, Lennar MPA WIP LLC, Lennar Mare Island LLC, Lennar Marina A Funding LLC, Lennar Massachusetts Properties Inc., Lennar Middletown LLC, Lennar Monmouth Redevelopers LLC, Lennar Multifamily BTC Venture GP LLC, Lennar Multifamily BTC Venture GP Subsidiary LLC, Lennar Multifamily BTC Venture GP Victory Block G Mezz LLC, Lennar Multifamily BTC Venture II GP LLC, Lennar Multifamily BTC Venture II GP Subsidiary LLC, Lennar Multifamily BTC Venture II LP LLC, Lennar Multifamily BTC Venture II Manager LLC, Lennar Multifamily BTC Venture LP LLC, Lennar Multifamily BTC Venture Manager LLC, Lennar Multifamily Builders LLC, Lennar Multifamily Communities LLC, Lennar Multifamily Venture DC LP, Lennar New Jersey Holdings LLC, Lennar New Jersey Properties Inc., Lennar New York LLC, Lennar Northeast Properties LLC, Lennar Northwest Inc., Lennar OHB LLC, Lennar PI Acquisition LLC, Lennar PI Property Acquisition LLC, Lennar PIS Management Company LLC, Lennar Pacific Inc., Lennar Pacific Properties Inc., Lennar Pacific Properties Management Inc., Lennar Plumsted Urban Renewal LLC, Lennar Point LLC, Lennar QR Build to Core GP LLC, Lennar QR Build to Core LP LLC, Lennar Realty Inc., Lennar Reno LLC, Lennar Riverwalk LLC, Lennar Sacramento Inc., Lennar Sales Corp., Lennar Sierra Sunrise LLC, Lennar Spencer's Crossing LLC, Lennar Sun Ridge LLC, Lennar Texas Holding LLC, Lennar Ventures LLC, Lennar West Valley LLC, Lennar Winncrest LLC, Lennar at Franklin LLC, Lennar at Jackson LLC, Lennar at Marlboro 79 LLC, Lennar at Monroe LLC, Lennar.com Inc., Longleaf Acquisition LLC, Lori Gardens Associates II LLC, Lori Gardens Associates III LLC, Lori Gardens Associates L.L.C., Lorton Station LLC, Lyons Lennar Farms LLC, Madrona Ridge L.L.C., Madrona Village L.L.C., Madrona Village Mews L.L.C., Majestic Woods LLC, Maple and Broadway Holdings LLC, Menifee Development LLC, Mid-County Utilities Inc., Miralago West Lennar LLC, Mission Viejo 12S Venture LP, Mission Viejo Holdings Inc., Motomic Diagnostics LLC, Multibank 2009-1 CML-ADC Venture LLC, Multibank 2009-1 RES-ADC Venture LLC, NC Properties I LLC, NC Properties II LLC, North American Asset Development LLC, Northbridge L.L.C., OHC/Ascot Belle Meade LLC, One SR L.P., PD-Len Boca Raton LLC, PG Properties Holding LLC, POMAC LLC, PT Metro LLC, Pace Drive Holdings LLC, Palm Gardens At Doral Clubhouse LLC, Palm Gardens at Doral LLC, Palm Springs Classic LLC, Palm Vista Preserve LLC, Patuxent Infrastructure Inc., Pioneer Meadows Development LLC, Pioneer Meadows Investments LLC, Plaza Condominium Ventures LLC, Portside Marina Developers L.L.C., Portside SM Associates L.L.C., Portside SM Holdings L.L.C., Portside Shipyard Developers L.L.C., Prestonfield L.L.C., Quail Roost Lennar LLC, RCCF GP II LLC, RCCF GP III LLC, RCCF GP IV LLC, RCCF GP LLC, RES-FL EIGHT LLC, RES-FL SEVEN LLC, RES-FL VISION ONE LLC, RES-FL VISION TWO LLC, RES-GA CASCADE LLC, RES-GA DIAMOND MEADOWS LLC, RES-GA KAP LLC, RES-GA SOUTHERN PLANTATION LLC, RES-GA THIRTEEN LLC, RES-GA TWELVE LLC, RES-GA WEST LLC, RES-IL ONE LLC, RES-NC ONE LLC, RES-PA LSJ LLC, RES-PA POM LLC, RES-TX BOULEVARD LLC, RH Insurance Company Inc., RH MOA BBCMS 2017-C1 LLC, RH MOA CF 2017-C8 LLC, RH MOA LLC, RH MOA U 2017-C4 LLC, RH MOA U 2017-C6 LLC, RIAL 2014-LT5 CLASS B LLC, RIAL 2014-LT5 LLC, RL BB FINANCIAL LLC, RL BB INACTIVE LLC, RL BB-AL LLC, RL BB-FL ALHI LLC, RL BB-GA LLC, RL BB-GA RMH LLC, RL BB-IL LLC, RL BB-IN AA LLC, RL BB-IN KRE LLC, RL BB-IN KRE OP LLC, RL BB-IN KRE RE LLC, RL BB-MS LLC, RL BB-NC LLC, RL BB-OH LLC, RL BB-SC BROOKSA LLC, RL BB-SC CLR II LLC, RL BB-SC CLR III LLC, RL BB-SC CLR IV LLC, RL BB-SC CLR LLC, RL BB-SC CRRC LLC, RL BB-SC RACEDAY LLC, RL BB-TN BRISTOL LLC, RL BB-TN LLC, RL BB-TN RACEDAY TOWER LLC, RL BB-TX LLC, RL BB-WV LLC, RL CMBS Holdings LLC, RL CML 2009-1 Investments LLC, RL REGI ARKANSAS LLC, RL REGI Alabama LLC, RL REGI FINANCIAL LLC, RL REGI Florida LLC, RL REGI GEORGIA LLC, RL REGI INACTIVE LLC, RL REGI KANSAS LLC, RL REGI MISSISSIPPI LLC, RL REGI MISSOURI LLC, RL REGI NORTH CAROLINA LLC, RL REGI SOUTH CAROLINA LLC, RL REGI TENNESSEE LLC, RL REGI VIRGINIA LLC, RL REGI-AL HP LLC, RL REGI-AL VRC LLC, RL REGI-FL CRC LLC, RL REGI-FL ESH LLC, RL REGI-FL FT. PIERCE LLC, RL REGI-FL GDL LLC, RL REGI-FL ITALIA LLC, RL REGI-FL MRED LLC, RL REGI-FL RDI LLC, RL REGI-FL SARASOTA LLC, RL REGI-FL TPL LLC, RL REGI-FL VARC LLC, RL REGI-GA DRAD LLC, RL REGI-GA HAY DB LLC, RL REGI-GA MHU LLC, RL REGI-GA MPD LLC, RL REGI-GA RLR LLC, RL REGI-MO GMB LLC, RL REGI-MO MOSCOW MILLS LLC, RL REGI-MS Double H LLC, RL REGI-MS OCEAN SPRINGS LLC, RL REGI-NC CIL LLC, RL REGI-NC LITTLE WING LLC, RL REGI-NC MLD LLC, RL REGI-NC Mland LLC, RL REGI-NC RALEIGH LLC, RL REGI-NC SUGARM LLC, RL REGI-NM LLC, RL REGI-SC CTL LLC, RL REGI-SC LAKE E LLC, RL REGI-SC TDG LLC, RL REGI-SC TIG LLC, RL REGI-TN OAK LLC, RL REGI-TN SEVIERVILLE LLC, RL RES 2009-1 Investments LLC, RMF Alliance LLC, RMF Commercial LLC, RMF PR New York LLC, RMF Partner LLC, RMF SUB 1 LLC, RMF SUB 2 LLC, RMF SUB 3 LLC, RMF SUB 4 LLC, RMF SUB 5 LLC, RMV LLC, Raintree Village II L.L.C., Raintree Village L.L.C., Ral-Len BM LLC, Ral-Len LLC, Rannel Capital WeWork Series D LLC, Rannel Holdings LLC, Rannel Interests LLC, Rannel Investments LLC, Rannel Mortgage Investments LLC, Rannel Proprietary Investments LLC, Renaissance Joint Venture, Reserve @ Pleasant Grove II LLC, Reserve @ Pleasant Grove LLC, Reserve at River Park LLC, Reserve at South Harrison LLC, Rialto Commercial Mortgage Securities LLC, Rialto Credit Partnership GP LLC, Rialto Mezz Partners GP LLC, Rialto Mortgage Finance LLC, Rialto Partners GP II LLC, Rialto Partners GP III - Debt LLC, Rialto Partners GP III - Property LLC, Rialto Partners GP LLC, Rialto RSSF GP LLC, Riverwalk at Lago Mar LLC, Rocking Horse Minerals LLC, Rutenberg Homes Inc. (Florida), Rutenberg Homes of Texas Inc., Rye Hill Company LLC, Ryland Homes Nevada Holdings LLC, Ryland Homes Nevada LLC, Ryland Homes of California Inc., S. Florida Construction II LLC, S. Florida Construction III LLC, S. Florida Construction LLC, SC 521 Indian Land Reserve LLC, SC 521 Indian Land Reserve South LLC, SPIC CPCO Inc., SPIC CPDB Inc., SPIC CPRB Inc., SPIC Del Sur LLC, SPIC Dublin LLC, SPIC Mesa LLC, SPIC NC Fremont LLC, SPIC Otay LLC, SPIC Springs LLC, San Felipe Indemnity Co. Ltd., San Lucia LLC, San Simeon Lennar LLC, Schulz Ranch Developers LLC, Seminole/70th LLC, Siena at Old Orchard L.L.C., Sierra Vista Communities LLC, Silver Springs Lennar LLC, South Development LLC, Southbank Holding LLC, Spanish Springs Development LLC, St. Charles Active Adult Community LLC, St. Charles Community LLC, Standard Pacific 1 Inc., Standard Pacific Investment Corp., Standard Pacific of Colorado Inc., Standard Pacific of Florida, Standard Pacific of Florida GP Inc., Standard Pacific of Las Vegas Inc., Standard Pacific of Orange County Inc., Standard Pacific of Tampa GP, Standard Pacific of Tampa GP Inc., Standard Pacific of Tonner Hills LLC, Standard Pacific of Walnut Hills Inc., Standard Pacific of the Carolinas LLC, Stoney Holdings LLC, Storey Lake Club LLC, Storey Park Club LLC, Strategic Holdings Inc., Strategic Technologies LLC, Summerfield Venture L.L.C., SunStreet Energy Group LLC, SunStreet Manager LLC, TCO QVI LLC, TICD Hold Co. LLC, TIH Hold Co. LLC, Talega Associates LLC, Temecula Valley LLC, Terra Division LLC, Terra/Winding Creek LLC, The Baywinds Land Trust, The Bridges Club at Rancho Santa Fe Inc., The Bridges at Rancho Santa Fe Sales Company Inc., The LNC Northeast Group Inc., The Oasis Club at LEN-CG South LLC, The Preserve at Coconut Creek LLC, The Vistas Club at LEN-CG South LLC, Titlezoom Company, Treasure Island Holdings LLC, Treasure Island Member LLC, Treviso Holding LLC, Two Lakes Lennar LLC, U.S. Home Corporation, U.S. Home Realty Inc., U.S. Home of Arizona Construction Co., U.S. Insurors Inc., U.S.H. Realty Inc., UAMC Holding Company LLC, UB 2018C14 MOA LLC, USH - Flag LLC, USH Equity Corporation, USH LEE LLC, USH Leasing II LLC, USH Leasing LLC, UST Lennar HW Scala SF Joint Venture, VII Crown Farm Investor LLC, Venetian Lennar LLC, Vineyard Land LLC, Vineyard Point 2009 LLC, Vista Palms Clubhouse LLC, WCI Communities, WCI Communities Inc., WCI Communities LLC, WCI Towers Northeast USA Inc., WCI Westshore LLC, WCP LLC, WIP Lennar OHB LLC, Waterview at Hanover LLC, West Lake Village LLC, West Seattle Project X LLC, West Van Buren L.L.C., Westchase Inc., Westchase Ltd., Westfield Homes USA Inc., White Course Lennar LLC, Wild Plum JV LLC, Willowbrook Investors LLC, Winncrest Natomas LLC, Woodbridge Multifamily Developer I LLC, Wright Farm L.L.C., and YLRichards4Acres 2015 LLC. The following companies are subsidiares of Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft: 87 Leonard Development LLC, ABFS I Incorporated, ABS MB Ltd., Acacia (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., Accounting Solutions Holding Company Inc, Alex. Brown Financial Services Incorporated, Alex. Brown Investments Incorporated, Alfred Herrhausen Gesellschaft mbH, Amber Investments S.a r.l., Ambidexter GmbH, Ambidexter GmbH i.L., Argent Incorporated, BHW - Gesellschaft fur Wohnungswirtschaft mbH, BHW Bausparkasse Aktiengesellschaft, BHW Holding GmbH, BHW Kreditservice GmbH, BNA Nominees Pty Limited, BT Globenet Nominees Limited, BTAS Cayman GP, BTD Nominees Pty Limited, Baincor Nominees Pty Limited, Bainpro Nominees Pty Ltd, Baldur Mortgages Limited, Bankers Trust Investments Limited, Barkly Investments Ltd., Bayan Delinquent Loan Recovery 1 (SPV-AMC) Inc, Bayan Delinquent Loan Recovery 1 (SPV-AMC) Inc., Berkshire Mortgage Finance, Betriebs-Center fur Banken AG, Biomass Holdings S.a r.l., Birch (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., Blue Cork Inc, Blue Cork Inc., Borfield Sociedad Anonima, Breaking Wave DB Limited, Cape Acquisition Corp., CapeSuccess Inc., CapeSuccess LLC, Cardales UK Limited, Cardea Real Estate S.r.l., Career Blazers LLC, Career Blazers Management Company Inc, Career Blazers Management Company Inc., Career Blazers Personnel Services Inc, Career Blazers Personnel Services Inc., Career Blazers Personnel Services of Washington D.C. Inc. Washington D.C., Caribbean Resort Holdings Inc, Caribbean Resort Holdings Inc., Carpathian Investments Designated Activity Company, Cathay Advisory (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Cathay Advisory (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Cathay Asset Management Company Limited, Cathay Capital Company (No 2) Limited, Cedar (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., Centennial River 2 Inc., Centennial River Corporation, Chapel Funding, Charlton (Delaware) Inc, China Recovery Fund LLC, China Recovery Fund LLC, Cinda - DB NPL Securitization Trust 2003-1, City Leasing (Thameside) Limited, City Leasing Limited, Consumo S.p.A., Consumo Srl in Liquidazione, Cyrus J. Lawrence Capital Holdings Inc., Cyrus J. Lawrence Capital Holdings Inc., D B Investments (GB) Limited, D&M Turnaround Partners Godo Kaisha, D.B. International Delaware Inc., D.B. International Delaware Inc., DAHOC (UK) Limited (in members' voluntary liquidation), DAHOC Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, DB (Barbados) SRL, DB (Malaysia) Nominee (Asing) Sdn. Bhd., DB (Malaysia) Nominee (Tempatan) Sendirian Berhad, DB (Pacific) Limited, DB (Pacific) Limited New York, DB (Pacific) Limited New York, DB Abalone LLC, DB Alex. Brown Holdings Incorporated, DB Alps Corporation, DB Aotearoa Investments Limited, DB Asia Pacific Holdings Limited (in voluntary liquidation), DB Asset Finance I S.a r.l., DB Asset Finance II S.a r.l., DB Aster II LLC, DB Aster III LLC, DB Aster Inc., DB Aster LLC, DB Beteiligungs-Holding GmbH, DB Boracay LLC, DB Capital Investments Sarl, DB Capital Markets (Deutschland) GmbH, DB Capital Partners Inc., DB Capital Partners Inc., DB Cartera de Inmuebles 1 S.A.U., DB Cartera de Inmuebles 1 S.A.U., DB Chestnut Holdings Limited, DB Commodity Services LLC, DB Consorzio S. Cons. a r. l., DB Corporate Advisory (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., DB Covered Bond S.r.l., DB Credit Investments S.a r.l., DB Delaware Holdings (Europe) Limited, DB Direkt GmbH, DB Elara LLC, DB Energy Commodities Limited (in members' voluntary liquidation), DB Energy Trading LLC, DB Enfield Infrastructure Holdings Limited, DB Equipment Leasing Inc., DB Equipment Leasing Inc., DB Equity Limited, DB Finance (Delaware) LLC, DB Finance (Delaware) LLC, DB Finance International GmbH, DB Ganymede 2006 L.P., DB Global Markets Multi-Strategy Fund I Ltd., DB Global Technology Inc., DB Global Technology Inc., DB Global Technology SRL, DB Group Services (UK) Limited, DB HR Solutions GmbH, DB Holding Fundo de Investimento Multimercado Investimento no Exterior Credito Privado, DB Holdings (New York) Inc., DB Holdings (New York) Inc., DB Holdings (South America) Limited, DB IROC Leasing Corp., DB Immobilienfonds 1 Wieland KG, DB Immobilienfonds 2 KG i.L., DB Immobilienfonds 4 KG i.L., DB Immobilienfonds 5 Wieland KG, DB Impact Investment (GP) Limited, DB Impact Investment Fund I L.P., DB Impact Investment Fund I L.P., DB Industrial Holdings Beteiligungs GmbH & Co. KG, DB Industrial Holdings GmbH, DB Intermezzo LLC, DB International (Asia) Limited, DB International Investments Limited, DB International Trust (Singapore) Limited, DB Investment Managers Inc., DB Investment Managers Inc., DB Investment Partners Inc., DB Investment Partners Inc., DB Investment Resources (US) Corporation, DB Investment Resources Holdings Corp., DB Investment Services GmbH, DB Io LP, DB Litigation Fee LLC, DB London (Investor Services) Nominees Limited, DB Management Support GmbH, DB Managers LLC, DB Municipal Holdings LLC, DB Nexus American Investments (UK) Limited (in members'voluntary liquidation), DB Nexus Investments (UK) Limited (in members' voluntary liquidation), DB Nominees (Hong Kong) Limited, DB Nominees (Singapore) Pte Ltd, DB Omega BTV S.C.S., DB Omega Holdings LLC, DB Omega Ltd., DB Omega S.C.S., DB Operaciones y Servicios Interactivos Agrupacion de Interes Economico, DB Overseas Finance Delaware Inc., DB Overseas Finance Delaware Inc., DB Overseas Holdings Limited, DB PWM, DB Portfolio Southwest Inc., DB Print GmbH, DB Privat- und Firmenkundenbank AG, DB Private Clients Corp., DB Private Wealth Mortgage Ltd., DB RC Holdings LLC, DB Re S.A., DB Service Centre Limited, DB Service Uruguay S.A., DB Services Americas Inc., DB Services Americas Inc., DB Servizi Amministrativi S.r.l., DB Strategic Advisors Inc., DB Strategic Advisors Inc., DB Structured Derivative Products LLC, DB Structured Derivative Products LLC, DB Structured Finance 1 Designated Activity Company, DB Structured Finance 2 Designated Activity Company, DB Structured Holdings Luxembourg S.a r.l., DB Structured Products Inc., DB Structured Products Inc., DB Trustee Services Limited, DB Trustees (Hong Kong) Limited, DB U.S. Financial Markets Holding Corporation, DB UK Bank Limited, DB UK Holdings Limited, DB UK PCAM Holdings Limited, DB USA Core Corporation, DB USA Corporation, DB Valoren S.a r.l., DB Value S.a r.l., DB VersicherungsManager GmbH, DB Vita S.A., DBAB Wall Street LLC, DBAH Capital LLC, DBAH Capital LLC, DBCIBZ1, DBCIBZ2, DBFIC Inc., DBFIC Inc., DBNZ Overseas Investments (No.1) Limited, DBOI Global Services (UK) Limited, DBOI Global Services Private Limited, DBR Investments Co. Limited, DBRE Global Real Estate Management IA Ltd., DBRE Global Real Estate Management IB Ltd., DBRE Global Real Estate Management IB Ltd., DBRE Global Real Estate Management US IB L.L.C., DBRMS4, DBRMSGP1, DBUK PCAM Limited, DBUKH No. 2 Limited, DBUSBZ1 LLC, DBUSBZ1 LLC, DBUSBZ2 S.a r.l., DBUSBZ2 S.a r.l., DBX Advisors LLC, DBX ETF Trust, DBX Strategic Advisors LLC, DBO Vermogensverwertung GmbH, DEBEKO Immobilien GmbH & Co Grundbesitz OHG, DEE Deutsche Erneuerbare Energien GmbH, DEUFRAN Beteiligungs GmbH, DEUKONA Versicherungs-Vermittlungs-GmbH, DEUTSCHE BANK A.S., DG China Clean Tech Partners, DI Deutsche Immobilien Treuhandgesellschaft mbH, DIB-Consult Deutsche Immobilien- und BeteiligungsBeratungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., DISCA Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, DNU Nominees Pty Limited, DSL Portfolio GmbH & Co. KG, DSL Portfolio Verwaltungs GmbH, DTS Nominees Pty Limited, DWS Alternatives France, DWS Alternatives Global Limited, DWS Alternatives GmbH, DWS Asset Management (Korea) Company Limited, DWS Beteiligungs GmbH, DWS CH AG, DWS Distributors Inc., DWS Distributors Inc., DWS Far Eastern Investments Limited, DWS Group GmbH & Co. KGaA, DWS Group Services UK Limited, DWS Grundbesitz GmbH, DWS International GmbH, DWS Investment GmbH, DWS Investment Management Americas Inc., DWS Investment Management Americas Inc., DWS Investment S.A., DWS Investments Australia Limited, DWS Investments Hong Kong Limited, DWS Investments Japan Limited, DWS Investments Shanghai Limited, DWS Investments Singapore Limited, DWS Investments UK Limited, DWS Management GmbH, DWS Real Estate GmbH, DWS Service Company, DWS Trust Company, DWS USA Corporation, De Heng Asset Management Company Limited, De Meng Innovative (Beijing) Consulting Company Limited, DeAM Infrastructure Limited, Deloraine Spain S.L., Delowrezham de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Deposit Solutions, Deutsche (Aotearoa) Capital Holdings New Zealand, Deutsche (Aotearoa) Foreign Investments New Zealand, Deutsche (Mauritius) Limited Port, Deutsche (New Munster) Holdings New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Access Investments Limited, Deutsche Aeolia Power Production Societe Anonyme, Deutsche Alt-A Securities Inc., Deutsche Alt-A Securities Inc., Deutsche Alternative Asset Management (France) SAS, Deutsche Alternative Asset Management (UK) Limited, Deutsche Asia Pacific Holdings Pte Ltd, Deutsche Asset Management (India) Private Limited, Deutsche Asset Management (Japan) Limited, Deutsche Asset Management (Korea) Company Limited, Deutsche Asset Management S.A., Deutsche Asset Management S.G.I.I.C. S.A., Deutsche Australia Limited, Deutsche Bank (Cayman) Limited, Deutsche Bank (Chile), Deutsche Bank (China) Co. Ltd., Deutsche Bank (China) Co. Ltd., Deutsche Bank (Malaysia) Berhad, Deutsche Bank (Suisse) SA, Deutsche Bank (Uruguay) Sociedad Anonima Institucion Financiera Externa, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft, Deutsche Bank Americas Holding Corp., Deutsche Bank Bauspar-Aktiengesellschaft, Deutsche Bank Capital Finance LLC I, Deutsche Bank Capital Finance Trust I, Deutsche Bank Europe GmbH, Deutsche Bank Financial Company, Deutsche Bank Holdings Inc., Deutsche Bank Holdings Inc., Deutsche Bank Insurance Agency Incorporated, Deutsche Bank Insurance Agency of Delaware, Deutsche Bank International Limited, Deutsche Bank Investments (Guernsey) Limited, Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A., Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A. - Fiduciary Deposits, Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A. - Fiduciary Note Programme, Deutsche Bank Mutui S.p.A., Deutsche Bank Mexico S.A. Institucion de Banca Multiple, Deutsche Bank Mexico S.A. Institucion de Banca Multiple, Deutsche Bank National Trust Company, Deutsche Bank National Trust Company Los, Deutsche Bank Nominees (Guernsey) Limited, Deutsche Bank Nominees (Jersey) Limited, Deutsche Bank Polska Spolka Akcyjna, Deutsche Bank Representative Office Nigeria Limited, Deutsche Bank S.A. - Banco Alemao, Deutsche Bank S.A. - Banco Alemao Sao, Deutsche Bank SPEARs/LIFERs Series DBE-8011 Trust, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Deutsche Bank Securities Limited, Deutsche Bank Services (Jersey) Limited, Deutsche Bank Sociedad Anonima Espanola, Deutsche Bank Sociedad Anonima Espanola, Deutsche Bank Societa per Azioni, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Delaware, Deutsche Bank Trust Company National Association, Deutsche Bank Trust Company National Association, Deutsche Bank Trust Corporation, Deutsche CIB Centre Private Limited, Deutsche Capital Finance (2000) Limited, Deutsche Capital Hong Kong Limited, Deutsche Capital Management Limited, Deutsche Capital Markets Australia Limited, Deutsche Capital Partners China Limited, Deutsche Cayman Ltd., Deutsche Colombia S.A.S., Deutsche Custody N.V., Deutsche Domus New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Equities India Private Limited, Deutsche Finance Co 1 Pty Limited, Deutsche Finance Co 2 Pty Limited, Deutsche Finance Co 3 Pty Limited, Deutsche Finance Co 4 Pty Limited, Deutsche Finance No. 2 Limited, Deutsche Foras New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Immobilien-Leasing mit beschrankter Haftung, Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Immobilien-Leasing mit beschrankterHaftung, Deutsche Global Markets Limited, Deutsche Group Holdings (SA) Proprietary Limited, Deutsche Group Services Pty Limited, Deutsche Grundbesitz Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Deutsche Grundbesitz Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., Deutsche Grundbesitz-Anlagegesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Deutsche Holdings (BTI) Limited, Deutsche Holdings (Grand Duchy), Deutsche Holdings (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., Deutsche Holdings (Malta) Ltd., Deutsche Holdings Limited, Deutsche Holdings No. 2 Limited, Deutsche Holdings No. 3 Limited, Deutsche Holdings No. 4 Limited, Deutsche Immobilien Leasing GmbH, Deutsche India Holdings Private Limited, Deutsche International Corporate Services (Ireland) Limited, Deutsche International Corporate Services Limited, Deutsche International Custodial Services Limited, Deutsche Inversiones Dos S.A., Deutsche Inversiones Limitada, Deutsche Investments (Netherlands) N.V., Deutsche Investments India Private Limited, Deutsche Investor Services Private Limited, Deutsche Knowledge Services Pte. Ltd., Deutsche Leasing New York Corp., Deutsche Mandatos S.A., Deutsche Master Funding Corporation, Deutsche Mexico Holdings S.a r.l., Deutsche Morgan Grenfell Group Limited, Deutsche Morgan Grenfell Group Public Limited Company, Deutsche Mortgage & Asset Receiving Corporation, Deutsche Mortgage Securities Inc., Deutsche Mortgage Securities Inc., Deutsche Nederland N.V., Deutsche New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Nominees Limited, Deutsche Oppenheim Family Office AG, Deutsche Overseas Issuance New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Postbank, Deutsche Postbank Finance Center Objekt GmbH, Deutsche Postbank Funding LLC I, Deutsche Postbank Funding LLC II, Deutsche Postbank Funding LLC III, Deutsche Private Asset Management Limited, Deutsche Securities (India) Private Limited, Deutsche Securities (Proprietary) Limited, Deutsche Securities (SA) (Proprietary) Limited, Deutsche Securities Asia Limited, Deutsche Securities Australia Limited, Deutsche Securities Inc., Deutsche Securities Israel Ltd., Deutsche Securities Korea Co., Deutsche Securities Mauritius Limited, Deutsche Securities Menkul Degerler A.S., Deutsche Securities S.A., Deutsche Securities S.A. de C.V. Casa de Bolsa, Deutsche Securities S.A. de C.V. Casa de Bolsa, Deutsche Securities Saudi Arabia, Deutsche Securities SpA, Deutsche Securities Venezuela S.A., Deutsche Securitisation Australia Pty Limited, Deutsche Services Polska Sp. z o.o., Deutsche StiftungsTrust GmbH, Deutsche Strategic Investment Holdings Yugen Kaisha, Deutsche Trust Company Limited Japan, Deutsche Trustee Company Limited, Deutsche Trustee Services (India) Private Limited, Deutsche Trustees Malaysia Berhad, Deutsche Wealth Management S.G.I.I.C. S.A., Deutsches Institut fur Altersvorsorge GmbH, Durian (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., EC EUROPA IMMOBILIEN FONDS NR. 3 GmbH & CO. KG i.I., Elba Finance GmbH, Elizabethan Holdings Limited, Elizabethan Management Limited, Emerald Asset Repackaging Designated Activity Company, Erste Frankfurter Hoist GmbH, European Value Added I (Alternate G.P.) LLP, Exinor SA, FARAMIR Beteiligungs- und Verwaltungs GmbH, FRANKFURT CONSULT GmbH, Fiduciaria Sant' Andrea S.r.L., Finanzberatungsgesellschaft mbH der Deutschen Bank, Franz Urbig- und Oscar Schlitter-Stiftung Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-037, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-039, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-040, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-041, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-043, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-044, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-047, Funfte SAB Treuhand und Verwaltung GmbH & Co. Suhl "Rimbachzentrum" KG, G Finance Holding Corp., G.O. IB-US Management L.L.C., G918 Corp., GAC-HEL Inc., GWC-GAC Corp., Galene S.a r.l., Gemini Technology Services Inc., German American Capital, German American Capital Corporation, Gladyr Spain S.L., Global Markets Fundo de Investimento Multimercado, Global Markets III Fundo de Investimento Multimercado - Credito, Greenwood Properties Corp., Grundstucksgesellschaft Frankfurt Bockenheimer Landstrae GbR, Grundstucksgesellschaft Kerpen-Sindorf Vogelrutherfeld GbR, Grundstucksgesellschaft Leipzig Petersstrae GbR, Grundstucksgesellschaft Wiesbaden Luisenstrae/Kirchgasse GbR, HTB Spezial GmbH & Co. KG, Hollandsche Bank-Unie, IOS Finance EFC S.A., ISTRON Beteiligungs- und Verwaltungs-GmbH, IVAF I Manager S.a r.l., IVAF I Manager S.a r.l., Immobilienfonds Buro-Center Erfurt am Flughafen Bindersleben I GbR, Immobilienfonds Buro-Center Erfurt am Flughafen Bindersleben II GbR, Immobilienfonds Mietwohnhauser Quadrath-Ichendorf GbR, Immobilienfonds Wohn- und Geschaftshaus Koln-Blumenberg V GbR, J R Nominees (Pty) Ltd, Joint Stock Company Deutsche Bank DBU, Jyogashima Godo Kaisha, KEBA Gesellschaft fur interne Services mbH, Kidson Pte Ltd, Konsul Inkasso GmbH, Kradavimd UK Lease Holdings Limited, LA Water Holdings Limited, LAWL Pte. Ltd., Latitude Australia Secured Personal Loans Trust, Leasing Verwaltungsgesellschaft Waltersdorf mbH, Leonardo III Initial GP Limited, Lindsell Finance Limited, London Industrial Leasing Limited, MEF I Manager S. a r.l., MEF I Manager S. a r.l., MHL Reinsurance Ltd., MIT Holdings Inc., MIT Holdings Inc., MPP Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Maher Terminals Holdings (Toronto) Limited, Morgan Grenfell & Company, MortgageIT, MortgageIT Inc., MortgageIT Inc., MortgageIT Securities Corp., Motion Picture Productions One GmbH & Co. KG, NCW Holding Inc., Navegator - SGFTC S.A., Navegator - SGFTC S.A., New 87 Leonard LLC, Nordwestdeutscher Wohnungsbautrager Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, OOO "Deutsche Bank TechCentre", OOO "Deutsche Bank", OPB Verwaltungs- und Beteiligungs-GmbH, OPB Verwaltungs- und Treuhand GmbH, OPB-Holding GmbH, OPB-Nona GmbH, OPB-Oktava GmbH, OPB-Quarta GmbH, OPB-Quinta GmbH, OPB-Septima GmbH, OPPENHEIM Capital Advisory GmbH, OPPENHEIM Flottenfonds V GmbH & Co. KG, OPPENHEIM PRIVATE EQUITY Manager GmbH, OPPENHEIM PRIVATE EQUITY Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, OPS Nominees Pty Limited, OVT Trust 1 GmbH, OVV Beteiligungs GmbH, Opal Funds (Ireland) Public Limited Company, PADUS Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, PARTS Funding LLC., PB Factoring GmbH, PB Firmenkunden AG, PB International S.A., PB Spezial-Investmentaktiengesellschaft mit Teilgesellschaftsvermogen, PBC Banking Services GmbH, PCC Services GmbH der Deutschen Bank, PT Deutsche Sekuritas Indonesia, PT. Deutsche Verdhana Sekuritas Indonesia, Pan Australian Nominees Pty Ltd, Peruda Leasing Limited, Plantation Bay Inc., Plantation Bay Inc., Postbank Akademie und Service GmbH, Postbank Beteiligungen GmbH, Postbank Direkt GmbH, Postbank Filialvertrieb AG, Postbank Finanzberatung AG, Postbank Immobilien GmbH, Postbank Immobilien und Baumanagement GmbH, Postbank Immobilien und Baumanagement GmbH & Co. Objekt Leipzig KG, Postbank Leasing GmbH, Postbank Service GmbH, Postbank Systems AG, QR Tower 2 LLC, Quantiguous, R.B.M. Nominees Pty Ltd, REO Properties Corporation, RREEF, RREEF America L.L.C., RREEF China REIT Management Limited, RREEF European Value Added I (G.P.) Limited, RREEF Fund Holding Co., RREEF India Advisors Private Limited, RREEF Management L.L.C., RTS Nominees Pty Limited, Reference Capital Investments Limited, RoPro U.S. Holding Inc., RoPro U.S. Holding Inc., Route 28 Receivables LLC, Route 28 Receivables LLC, SAB Real Estate Verwaltungs GmbH, SAGITA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, SAPIO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, SCUDO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., SEDO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., SENA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. Objekt Kamenz KG, SIFA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, SOLIDO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, SP Mortgage Trust, SPINO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., SPV I Sociedad Anonima Cerrada, SPV II Sociedad Anonima Cerrada, STATOR Heizkraftwerk Frankfurt (Oder) Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Sal. Oppenheim, Sal. Oppenheim Alternative Investments GmbH, Sal. Oppenheim jr. & Cie. AG & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft auf Aktien, Sal. Oppenheim jr. & Cie. Beteiligungs GmbH, Sal. Oppenheim jr. & Cie. Komplementar AG, Sechste Salomon Beteiligungs- und Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, Sechste Salomon Beteiligungs- und Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., Service Company Four Limited, Sharps SP I LLC, Singer Island Tower Suite LLC, Somkid Immobiliare S.r.l., Stelvio Immobiliare S.r.l., Structured Finance Americas LLC, Structured Finance Americas LLC, Swabia 1. Vermogensbesitz-GmbH, Suddeutsche Vermogensverwaltung Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, TAKIR Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, TELO Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, TEMATIS Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., TERRUS Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., TESATUR Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. Objekt Halle I KG i.L., TESATUR Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. Objekt Nordhausen I KG i.L., TOSSA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, TRIPLA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, TRS Aria LLC, TRS Leda LLC, TRS Maple II LTD, TRS Oak II LTD, TRS SVCO LLC, TRS Scorpio LLC, TRS Tupelo II LTD, TRS Venor LLC, TRS Walnut II LTD, Tagus - Sociedade de Titularizacao de Creditos S.A., Tasfiye Halinde Deutsche Securities Menkul Degerler A.S., Tempurrite Leasing Limited, Thai Asset Enforcement and Recovery Asset Management Company Limited, Tianjin Deutsche AM Fund Management Co. Ltd., Treuinvest Service GmbH, Triplereason Limited, UKE Beteiligungs-GmbH, UKE Grundstucksgesellschaft mbH, UKE s.r.o., Ullmann - Esch Grundstucksgesellschaft Kirchnerstrae GbR, Ullmann - Esch Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Disternich GbR, Ullmann Ullmann Krockow Krockow Esch GbR, VCJ Lease S.a r.l., Vesta Real Estate S.r.l., VOB-ZVD Processing GmbH, WEPLA Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, WEPLABeteiligungsgesellschaftmbH, Wealthspur Investment Ltd., Whale Holdings S.a r.l., World Trading (Delaware) Inc., World Trading(Delaware)Inc., Zumirez Drive LLC, db PBC, and norisbank GmbH. Spirax-Sarco Engineering plc provides engineered solutions for the users of industrial and commercial steam systems, electrical heating and temperature management systems, and pumps and fluid path technologies. It offers industrial and commercial steam systems, including condensate management, controls, and thermal energy management products and solutions for heating and curing, cleaning and sterilizing, hot water generation, space heating, and humidification; electrical process heating and temperature management solutions, such as industrial heaters and systems, heat tracing, and various component technologies for industrial processes, heaters, and systems; and peristaltic and niche pumps and associated fluid path technologies, including pumps, tubing, and specialty filling systems and products for single-use applications. The company serves food, beverage, pharmaceutical and biotechnology, oil, gas, chemical, healthcare, power generation, buildings, mining and precious metal processing, water and wastewater, and pulp and paper, as well as original equipment manufacturers. The company sells its products directly, as well as through distributors. It operates in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa; the Asia Pacific; and the Americas. Spirax-Sarco Engineering plc was founded in 1888 and is headquartered in Cheltenham, the United Kingdom. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Exxon Mobil: AKG Marketing Company Limited, Aera Energy LLC, Al-Jubail Petrochemical Company, Ampolex (Cepu) Pte Ltd, Ancon Insurance Company Inc., Barnett Gathering LLC, Barzan Gas Company Limited, Caspian Pipeline Consortium, Celtic Exploration Ltd., Coral FLNG S.A., Cross Timbers Energy LLC, Ellora Energy Inc., Esmeroon Oil Transporta Imperial Oil Limited, Esso (Thailand) Public Company Limited, Esso Australia Resources Pty Ltd, Esso Deutschland GmbH, Esso Erdgas Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Esso Exploration Angola (Block 15) Limited, Esso Exploration Angola (Block 17) Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Angola (Overseas) Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Chad Inc., Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria (Deepwater) Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria (Offshore East) Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited, Esso Exploration and Production UK Limited, Esso Global Investments Ltd., Esso Italiana S.r.l., Esso Nederland B.V., Esso Norge AS, Esso Petroleum Company Limited, Esso Raffinage, Esso Societe Anonyme Francaise, Exxo Holdings Inc., Exxon Azerbaijan Limited, Exxon Chemical Arabia Inc., Exxon International Finance Company, Exxon Luxembourg Holdings LLC, Exxon Mobile Bay Limited Partnership, Exxon Neftegas Limited, Exxon Overseas Corporation, Exxon Overseas Investment Corporation, ExxonMobil (China) Investment Co. Ltd., ExxonMobil (Taicang) Petroleum Co. Ltd., ExxonMobil Abu Dhabi Offshore Petroleum Company Limited, ExxonMobil Alaska Production Inc., ExxonMobil Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., ExxonMobil Australia Pty Ltd, ExxonMobil B Resources Company, ExxonMobil Capital Finance Company, ExxonMobil Capital Netherlands B.V., ExxonMobil Central Europe Holding GmbH, ExxonMobil Cepu Limited, ExxonMobil Chemical France, ExxonMobil Chemical Gulf Coast Investments LLC, ExxonMobil Chemical Holland B.V., ExxonMobil Chemical Services (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ExxonMobil China Petroleum & Petrochemical Company Limited, ExxonMobil Development Africa B.V., ExxonMobil Development Company, ExxonMobil Egypt (S.A.E.), ExxonMobil Exploracao Brasil Ltda., ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Malaysia Inc., ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Norway AS, ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Romania Limited, ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Tanzania Limited, ExxonMobil Finance Company Limited, ExxonMobil Financial Investment Company Limited, ExxonMobil France Holding SAS, ExxonMobil Gas Marketing Europe Limited, ExxonMobil General Finance Company, ExxonMobil Global Services Company, ExxonMobil Golden Pass Surety LLC, ExxonMobil Holding Company Holland LLC, ExxonMobil Holding Norway AS, ExxonMobil Hong Kong Limited, ExxonMobil International Services SARL, ExxonMobil Iraq Limited, ExxonMobil Italiana Gas S.r.l., ExxonMobil Kazakhstan Inc., ExxonMobil Kazakhstan Ventures Inc., ExxonMobil LNG Services B.V., ExxonMobil Lubricants Trading Company, ExxonMobil Oil Corporation, ExxonMobil PNG Limited, ExxonMobil Petroleum & Chemical BVBA, ExxonMobil Petroleum & Chemical Holdings Inc., ExxonMobil Pipeline Company, ExxonMobil Production Deutschland GmbH, ExxonMobil Production Norway Inc., ExxonMobil Qatargas (II) Limited, ExxonMobil Qatargas Inc., ExxonMobil Ras Laffan (III) Limited, ExxonMobil Rasgas Inc., ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company, ExxonMobil Russia Kara Sea Holdings B.V., ExxonMobil Sales and Supply LLC, ExxonMobil Technology Finance Company, ExxonMobil Ventures Finance Company, ExxonMobil Ventures Funding Ltd., Fujian Refining & Petrochemical Co. Ltd., Golden Pass LNG Terminal Investments LLC, Golden Pass LNG Terminal LLC, Gulf Coast Growth Ventures LLC, Imperial Oil Limited, Imperial Oil Resources Limited, Imperial Oil Resources N.W.T. Limited, Imperial Oil/Petroliere Imperiale, Infineum Italia s.r.I., Infineum Singapore Pte. Ltd., InterOil Corporation, Jurong Aromatics Corporation Pte Ltd, MPM Lubricants, Marine Well Containment Company LLC, Mobil Australia Resources Company Pty Limited, Mobil California Exploration & Producing Asset Company, Mobil Caspian Pipeline Company, Mobil Chemical Products International Inc., Mobil Corporation, Mobil Equatorial Guinea Inc., Mobil Erdgas Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, Mobil Exploration & Producing Australia Pty Ltd, Mobil International Petroleum Corporation, Mobil Oil Australia Pty Ltd, Mobil Oil Exploration & Producing Southeast Inc., Mobil Oil New Zealand Limited, Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, Mobil Producing Texas & New Mexico Inc., Mobil SerLimited, Mobil Venezolana De Petroleos Inc., Mobil Yanbu Petrochemical Company Inc., Mobil Yanbu Refining Company Inc., Mountain Gathering LLC, Mozambique Rovuma Venture S.p.A., Palmetto Transoceanic LLC, Papua New Guinea Liquefied Natural Gas Global Company LDC, Permian Express Partners LLC, Phillips Exploration LLC, Qatar Liquefied Gas Company Limited, Ras Laffan Liquefied Natural Gas Company Limited, Ras Laffan Liquefied Natural Gas Company Limited (II), SPI Limited, Saudi Aramco Mobil Refinery Company Ltd., Saudi Yanbu Petrochemical Co., SeaRiver Maritime Inc., South Hook LNG Terminal Company Limited, Tengizchevroil LLP, Terminale GNL Adriatico S.r.l, Trend Gathering & Treating LLC, Wolverine Pipe Line Company, XH LLC, XTO Delaware Basin LLC, XTO ENERGY, XTO Energy Canada, and XTO Holdings LLC. Photo: The Canadian Press The last seven days have not been like any that I have experienced in my time on Parliament Hill. The release of an audio recording of a conversation between the former Justice Minister and the former Clerk of the Privy Council is unprecedented. The content of this recorded conversation was also disturbing as it verified and confirmed that indeed the former Justice Minister was being pressured to authorize a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) to SNC Lavalin. This pressure was being applied despite the fact that an independent prosecutorial decision had already been decided that SNC Lavalin did not meet the criteria for using a DPA. The recorded conversation also confirmed that the Prime Minister was "going to find a way to get it done, one way or another." The release of this recording led to a series of events that ultimately resulted in Mr. Trudeau removing Jody Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott from the Liberal caucus. Ms. Wilson-Raybould has also been denied the right to run again as a Liberal Party candidate. This decision by Mr. Trudeau has outraged many Canadians including First Nation leaders such as Grand Chief Stewart Phillip who has called this Liberal caucus expulsion of these two women a witch-hunt. My thoughts? To me this issue is about credibility. Throughout this entire situation, the details provided by Ms. Wilson-Raybould have been verified as being factual and accurate. In contrast, Mr. Trudeau first denied that this situation even occurred and has since provided differing versions of events, many of which do not reconcile. Although the Prime Minister did issue a waiver, it has a restriction that prevents the former Justice Minister from discussing meetings that occurred after she was Justice Minister. To this day, it remains unknown if Mr. Trudeau's newly appointed Justice Minister and Attorney General David Lametti will grant a DPA to SNC Lavalin or not. Here in B.C., Louis De Jaeger, vice-president of the Chilliwack-Hope federal Liberal riding association. has resigned in support of Ms. Wilson-Raybould and Dr. Philpott. I have also heard many expressions of disbelief and anger over this cabinet expulsion from a wide variety of citizens. Mr. Trudeau insists this decision was made because trust had been broken and as a result these two individuals could no longer remain as members of the Liberal caucus team. My question this week: Photo: CTV News A groundbreaking report penned by a group of Indigenous women makes 200 recommendations while detailing the challenges they face living in Vancouvers Downtown Eastside. CTV News reports Red Women Rising includes stories from 113 Indigenous women and 15 non-Indigenous women. I think this report is very important, contributor Sophie Merasty told CTV. It may be an eye-opener for a lot of people because we are actually hearing the voices of women... Many of the women have experienced all kinds of oppression by the systems that are in place. Merastys sister, Rose, was killed in 1981. The man charged in the death had a manslaughter count reduced to aggravated assault and eventually pleaded guilty to assault causing bodily harm, serving just 30 days. My sisters life was not valued in life or in death. She was seen as a drunk, addict and all these other victim-blaming stereotypes, Merasty wrote in the report. Included in the report's 200 recommendations are 35 key changes the authors would like to see happen immediately. They include more Indigenous women in government, resource funding in the Downtown Eastside and free post-secondary education for Indigenous women and girls. with files from CTV Vancouver Photo: CTV eTalk Hollywood actress Katie Holmes has shared her love for B.C.'s capital. Holmes kept a low profile during filming for her new movie Brahms: The Boy II in February, but says she loved Victoria in an interview with CTV's eTalk at CinemaCon in Las Vegas, Tuesday. I love Victoria, I love it so much. The crew was absolutely incredible. I really miss it, Holmes told eTalk following a screening of the film at CinemaCon. Holmes stars in the horror movie coming out this summer. It was filmed on Vancouver Island, including scenes at Victoria's Craigdarroch Castle. She praised local hospitality saying: The kindness of everybody was really wonderful," and described a February snow storm as "magical." with files from CTV Vancouver Island Photo: Facebook Barry Christian has been reunited with his beloved dog, Winnie. CORRECTION The Rusty Spur has not been approached to donate food for a year to Barry Christians as previously reported by Castanet News. Castanet apologizes for any confusion the error may have caused. The Village of Lumby is rejoicing that Barry Christian has his best friend back. It was an emotional reunion for Christian and his dog, Winnie, who was allegedly stolen in late March. The pair were reunited at the Kelowna SPCA on Tuesday. When Winnie went missing, social media went into overdrive trying to find the German shepherd puppy. There was an outpouring of online support for Christian when his beloved dog went missing, following by an outpouring of joy when Winnie was found. All the ladies at the SPCA hugged Barry after they seen Winnie run so hard to get to him, said Shirley Fraser on the Around the Block Lumby Facebook page. It is a great town we live in, said Fraser. Winnie has also now been certified as a service dog in training. Photo: CTV News Police cruiser outside North Vancouver hospital. Police have identified the victim of a shooting in North Vancouver on Tuesday, and say the woman has "non-survivable injuries." The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team is asking for the public's help to track down the shooter, who opened fire on Lonsdale Avenue about 10:45 a.m. Ngoc Mai (Anita) Nguyen, 32, was rushed to hospital, where she remains on life support. Investigators believe the shooting was a targeted incident and are working to determine motive. We will be continuing our co-ordinated canvass of the neighbourhood where the shooting took place for video surveillance footage and witnesses, Cpl. Frank Jang said in a press release. Our detectives will continue to follow-up on several leads, and we urge anyone with information about what happened to Anita Nguyen to contact IHIT immediately. Anyone with information is asked to call IHIT at 1-877-551-IHIT (4448), email at [email protected] or contact CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or www.solvecrime.ca. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 4) The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the filing of murder charges against a Manila police officer for an anti-drug operation that killed a 23-year-old epileptic. In a resolution released Thursday, Ombudsman Samuel Martires approved the dismissal from service and filing of murder raps against PChief Master Sgt. Gerry Genalope, accused of killing drug suspect Djastin Lopez. The resolution, penned by Maria Crisanta Cudiamat-Reyes, graft investigation and prosecution officer on August 13, 2018, resolves the complaint filed by Lopez's mother, Normita. Witnesses said at least one police officer shot the young man to death at the Hermosa-Pilar rail tracks in Tondo on May 18, 2017. Lopez succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds. Witnesses said he even had a seizure when he was pushed to the ground by the police officers. Police said they seized firearms, ammunition, and shabu from Lopez but her mother said these were all planted. The police officers denied the charges, saying they only conducted a follow-up operation against Lopez, a murder suspect supposedly peddling drugs. Police said it was another case of "nanlaban," or violently resisting arrest. Genalope said Lopez took the first shot, prompting him to fire back in self-defense. But according to the Ombudsman resolution: "By invoking self-defense, he (Genalope) admitted inflicting the fatal injuries that caused the death of Djastin." It added the burden now lies with Genalope to prove and justify why he should not be held criminally liable. "While Djastin was lying on the ground and not in the position to defend himself, PO3 Genalope fired at him and inflicted upon him five fatal gunshot wounds on his chest and abdomen," the Ombudsman order read. The Ombudsman also found Genalope guilty of grave misconduct, resulting in his dismissal from service, forfeiture of retirement benefits and perpetual disqualification form public office. Meanwhile, the administrative and criminal charges against his co-accused were dismissed for insufficiency of evidence, but without prejudice as the Ombudsman also directed a fact-finding investigation team to determine whether the May 2017 police operation was legitimate and if violations were committed. Brutal drug war killings prompted President Rodrigo Duterte to suspend Oplan Tokhang, or anti-drug campaign. These include the killing of 17-year-old Kian delos Santos. A Manila court on November 18 handed down a murder verdict against three police officers involved. The government's anti-drug campaign has left over 5,000 suspects dead in legitimate operations, according to government data. Local and international human rights groups said Duterte's policies and public pronouncements resulted in thousands more extrajudicial killings. Malacanang has repeatedly denied the claims. Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthamans father retired Air Marshal Simhakutty Varthaman, who was briefly in Pakistans custody said the laser-guided smart bombs (SPICE-2000) used to attack the terror camp at Jaish terror camp in Balakot could have killed 250 to 300 terrorists. Simhakutty Varthaman, while addressing the students of defence studies at IIT-Madras on Wednesday about the February 22 air strikes on the Jaish-e-Mohammed terror main training camp at Balakot in Pakistan occupied Kashmir, he said, "The Indian Air Force strike happened when the maximum targets were inside the camp. The structural damage might be limited, but the fuse of the bomb is delayed to ensure maximum casualties." Stressing on Pakistans F-16s and AMRAAM missiles, Varthaman said they were the real threat to us. We had to first get F-16s off our back by making sure they were headed to some other direction when we were going to Balakot. So we did a lot of deception," reported TOI. "Basically, we launched seven aircraft towards Bahawalpur, which is the headquarters of JeM. Pakistan thought we were on the way to attack Bahawalpur and sent F-16s to engage with our fighter aircraft. Simultaneously, we launched aircraft to attack Balakot. In a nutshell, the Pakistan Air Force was deceived completely," he explained. "Pakistan was in a total state of alert, they knew an attack from India was imminent. However, they did not realise that we got into their territory," he added. The decorated air marshal, however, added that this was his reading of the events, which may not be the absolute truth. "The exact details may come out months later," he said. The IAF airstrike on Balakot, followed by the Pulwama attack, was the first time IAF aircraft had crossed the Indian airspace since the 1971 war with Pakistan, air marshal Vardhaman said. "When fighter aircraft fly 10km within the border, radars alert us to turn back. If a pilot goes within 8km of the border, he faces a lot of questions and inquiry. During the aerial fight with PAF jets, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman safely ejected on Pakistans soil after his jet was shot down. He was successfully brought his home back within 60 hours from Pakistans custody. He was mentally harassed following which he underwent medical treatment. Rajiv Kumar, Corporate Vice President (Experiences & Devices Group) at Microsoft, said Kaizala is a perfect fit for Indian Railways. New Delhi: Tech giant Microsoft on Thursday said Indian Railways will use its 'Kaizala' solution to connect employees across the country with quality healthcare facilities. Microsoft had launched Kaizala - a productivity app - designed for the Indian market to enable large group communications and work management. "Microsoft Kaizala app will enable serving and retired railway employees to avail healthcare services of 125 railway and 133 private recognised hospitals. The Kaizala group, managed by doctors from South Central Railways will be complemented with focused groups of doctors, paramedical staff and nurses," Microsoft said in a statement. Rajiv Kumar, Corporate Vice President (Experiences & Devices Group) at Microsoft, said Kaizala is a perfect fit for Indian Railways. "We are optimistic that our experience of working with large scale customers across private and government sectors will help us serve millions of railway employees effectively," he added. On registering for the healthcare services, Indian Railways employees will be able to search on Kaizala, nearest hospitals and doctors, list of empanelled diagnostic centres and health units. Employees will also be able to book doctor appointments, share diagnostic lab reports directly with their doctors and save digital records in 'Me Chat' option in Kaizala. "As one of the largest employers in India, we are committed towards providing rich experience to our employees. Ensuring quality medical care facilities for our employees is one of key focus areas, integrating it with Microsoft Kaizala will help us take this vision with ease to all our employees, including those situated in remote locations in India," Vinod Kumar Yadav, Chairman Railway Board, Indian Railways, said. Mumbai: Governor Shaktikanta Das on Thursday said the Reserve Bank goes with the official statistics while making its assessments on the economy and formulation its policy responses. A group of over 100 economists had gone public with their reservations on the GDP and other key data points last month in the light of the frequent revisions in the way the numbers are computed. Das, the bureaucrat-turned-central banker, told reporters that the RBI goes with the official statistics prepared by the Central Statistics Office (CSO). When asked about his meeting with finance minister Arun Jaitley ahead of the policy, Das said there is nothing "unusual" about such a move. It can be noted that his predecessor Urjit Patel, along with his five-member Monetary Policy Committee, had once declined to meet the finance minister earlier. Das said such meetings have been on either physically or otherwise, even after the move to MPC-led rate setting. The central bank is monitoring the fiscal situation and will continue to watch the space closely, Shaktikanta Das said. Meanwhile, to a specific question on the delay in the Bimal Jalan committee report on the economic capital framework for the central bank, which will define how much the idle capital the RBI can keep with itself and how much of it can be parted with, Das said the panel requires a few more days to come out with its recommendations. RBI keeps a capital buffer of over Rs 9.4 lakh crore now, which a section in the government feels is too high and thus should be parted with for better productive deployment like funding the cash-starved state-run banks or cash-crunched power distribution companies. And many of them feel that RBI can easily share at least Rs 1.7 lakh crore to Rs 3 lakh crore with the government. "Jalan and I had some discussions. Their deliberations are at an advanced stage and require a few days more days to finalise," he said. Das said even though some banks have cut rates recently, more needs to be done for effective transmission of rates to the end-borrowers. He also said the RBI has infused liquidity into the system through various instruments and affirmed to use every instrument available with it in the future as well. At the first bi-monthly policy review for fiscal 2020, the monetary policy committee voted for a 0.25 per cent rate cut, its second such action in consecutive policies since Das took over last December. Following the SC order, Trai issued the new direction to telecom operators directing them to submit before it details of rates. New Delhi: Telecom regulator Trai on Wednesday directed operators to submit before it all tariff plans that they offer to select segments of customers at the end of every month. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) had issued a similar order in October 2018 but the same was set aside by the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT). The new order for segmented tariff disclosures comes after the Supreme Court on January 21 held that "there will be no stay on the impugned judgment (of TDSAT) except to the extent of remand". Following the SC order, Trai issued the new direction to telecom operators directing them to submit before it details of rates, terms and conditions of scheme, quantum of service that customers will get, name of the plan, validity period of subscription and benefits available to the subscriber under the plan in which segment offer has been given. Trai directed telecom service providers to share with it number of subscribers at the end of each month who have availed the segmented offer. The regulator has asked telecom operators to submit declaration that the benefits of segment offers have been made available to all existing customers with the particular segment without any discrimination. "Therefore, for each month from April 2019...details of segmented offer may be submitted to Trai within 10 working days from the last day of the month," the regulator said. In a separate direction, Trai withdrew its direction mandating telecom operators to publish tariff details along with contact details of customers care centre in newspapers. However, telecom operators will have to share tariff details across all of their retail outlets, point of sales and on their website. Mumbai: With the Supreme Court quashing the Reserve Bank of Indias February 12, 2018 circular on resolution of stressed assets as ultra vires, the central bank would be coming out with a revised circular on resolution of stressed assets. Speaking to reporters at the first bi-monthly monetary policy review of this fiscal on Thursday, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said the central bank will issue a fresh circular to banks on how to deal with non-performing assets (NPAs). Das said that the Supreme Court order struck down the February 12 circular regarding resolution of stressed assets but the validity of section 35AA of the Banking Regulation Act remains intact. He said that the Supreme Courts order did not cast any doubt on the powers of the RBI either under section 35AA of the Banking Regulation Act or under any other section. What the Supreme Court has said was that power of RBI under Section 35AA has to be exercised in certain manner. The validity of section 35AA of the Banking Regulation Act 1949 stands and henceforth we have to comply with the direction of Supreme Court and act accordingly, Das said. In the light of the Supreme Court order, the RBI will take necessary steps, including issuance of revised circular as may be necessary for expeditious and effective resolution of stressed assets, he added. The RBI Governor also said that the regulator stood committed to maintaining and enhancing the momentum of resolution of stressed assets and adherence of credit discipline in the economy. We are considering a revised circular as may be necessary. I will not elaborate further. There will not be any undue delay. The Feb 12 circular had directed lenders to refer loan accounts over Rs 2,000 crore under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) if they were not resolved within 180 days of default. Banks had to treat a company as a defaulter even if it missed the repayment schedule by a day. Section 35AA and Section 35AB of the Banking & Regulation Act were introduced in May 2017 to add more teeth to the RBI's fight to tackle the issue of bad loans in the system. Section 35AA authorises the RBI to issue directions on initiation of insolvency in case of a default while section 35AB deals with RBI's powers with respect to the issue of resolution of stressed assets. The RBIs 12 February 2018 circular, asking banks to take such a step after giving 180 days for putting in place a corporate turnaround plan, was issued taking powers from this section. Mumbai: Troubles for PM Narendra Modi dont seem to end as a Special Leave Petition (SLP) has been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the Bombay High Courts recent order in the PIL seeking stay on the release of the film. The SLP challenges the Bombay HC order of April 1 which had disposed off the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed to stay the films release. The SLP has sought a stay on the release of the movie owing to the upcoming elections. According to the petitioner lawyer Tausif Sheikh, the matter will be mentioned in the court tomorrow for an urgent hearing as the film is scheduled to release on April 5. The SLP demands an immediate stay on the release as an ad interim relief to the petitioners. The petition mentions that high court has not taken all the aspects of the petition into consideration before rejecting the plea. It also states that the film may influence the voters to vote in favour of a certain individual and that is a violation of the model code of conduct. On Monday, the Bombay High Court disposed of the PIL seeking a stay on the films release. The court noted that the Election Commission (EC) has already issued a notice to the makers of the film 'PM Narendra Modi' over allegations of breach of the Model Code of Conduct in view of the Lok Sabha elections. The Court disposed of a PIL filed by Satish Gaikwad, a resident of Pune, who said the film if it is permitted to be released for public viewing, would violate the Model Code of Conduct imposed by the EC. The plea also questioned the timing of the film's release and claimed that if released, it was likely to earn Prime Minister Modi electoral mileage. The petitioner also demanded that the trailer of the film should either be removed or deleted from all social media sites. "We have conveyed the urgency in front of the Chief Justice that the film would be released on April 5. EC's standing counsel is of the view that we have not got the notice up till now," the petitioner had said. The EC, however, told the court that it had already sought replies from the makers. The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) told the court, through its lawyer Advait Sethna, that it had already granted requisite certificates for the trailer on March 20. The film depicts the journey of Modi from his humble beginnings to his years as a chief minister and finally his landmark election as the Prime Minister. Vivek Oberoi is essaying the role of Modi. Mumbai: Five years ago today, Tiger Shroff and Kriti Sanon had unveiled the trailer of their first film Heropanti. Completing just half a decade in the industry and these two actors have already made their mark in their acting careers and give credit to their producer and mentor Sajid Nadiadwala. Talking about the journey so far Tiger Shroff shares, "Its been overwhelming and Ive been so grateful that I got a mentor and a father figure in the Industry as Sajid Sir. I cant say enough for him and just thank him for giving me a new life and helping me stand on my two feet in this big Bollywood Industry." On coming back together with Tiger Shroff in future Kriti Sanon said, "I dont really know when were going to collaborate but I would love to work with him again. Its been a long time since weve worked together and weve both sort of grown in our separate journeys as actors and itll be amazing to come back together in a film again." As Tiger Shroff is doing his fourth film under Nadiadwala banner Tiger feels extremely proud about it and shared, "I feel its too less I hope I can do way more films with him and I have a higher success rate with him in the future. He is always the first person who comes to my mind for anything, be it on the personal or professional front. I think I cant express my feelings through words." Considering Sajid Nadiadwala as his mentor Tiger Shroff shares a bond beyond the professional level. "I think whenever I need to make decisions I need to first consult with Sajid Sir as nothing is just business between us and he treats me like family. I am blessed to have somebody who is as experienced and talented and so powerful in the industry backing me." Tiger Shroff shared. On the work front, Tiger Shroff is all set for his upcoming film Student of The Year 2 alongside shooting for YRFs Hrithik v/s Tiger. Kriti Sanon will next be seen in Kalank in which she has a special number apart from her interesting line up of films like Arjun Patiala, Housefull 4 and Panipat. We had revealed already that Shruti Haasan (who did not have a single release in 2018 and her last in Tamil was S3 in 2017 with Suriya) will be romancing the happening star Vijay Sethupathi in Jananathans untitled film. Sources now confirm she would sign on the dotted line in a couple of days. And needless to say that Janas female leads will not be mere glam girls and will have a lot of bearing on the script. Accordingly, Shrutis will also be a meaty role, the source adds. Shruti Haasan Recently, at an interaction, the ravishing actress had reportedly said she will be signing films in Tamil and Telugu soon. Reacting to yet another question if she would join her dad Kamal Haasans one-year-old political party Makkal Neethi Maiam, the actress said she has no interest in politics as of now. But the Puli actress asserted that her father would definitely work hard for the betterment of the people. Kannada actress and former airhostess Shirin Kanchwala is making her Tamil debut with a Sivakarthikeyan production. Titled Nenjamundu Nermaiundu Odu Raja, the film has popular Vijay TV anchor Rio Raj as the male lead. Shirin shares her experiences working in NNOR I am really excited foraying in to Tamil industry. Though I was getting offers from Tamil, I was waiting for the right project. And when this came from Siva sir's banner, known for making quality films, I didn't want to let go of my hand. Shirin is said to have done an audition and look test before coming on board. Though I am not familiar with the Tamil language, I was confident that I would pull it off during the audition. I loved the script when my director Karthik Venugopalan narrated it. On her role she says, I play a media news reporter named Nisha who does a bit of investigative journalism. It is very strong character. I had lot of lengthy dialogues and I was very nervous initially. But I took it as a challenge and rehearsed my portions many times before even coming to Chennai. Also, I wrote all the dialogues in English and asked Karthik sir the meaning of each and everything on the sets. By now, I know all the lines by heart. It was fun working in the film. Rio was very simple and supportive. On producer Sivakarthikeyan, she says, I met him twice, during the launch of the film and once he came to the sets when an important scene was being shot. After the shot he has told my director that I had done a good job. It was a big moment for me. I am looking forward to it. While director Puri Jagannath is known to complete his films very quickly, his upcoming film iSmart Shankar starring Ram Pothineni is also making rapid progress. The unit recently returned to Hyderabad from Goa after a hectic schedule. Now, the makers have erected a huge set in Hyderabad to shoot for a massy song. The lyrics of the song will be in the Telangana dialect, reveals a unit source. Ram Pothineni, who is a good dancer, will showcase his skills once again with this song. This is the actors first outing with Puri in which he will be seen in a new avatar. Puris good friend Charmme is co-producer and they are planning to release the film this summer. Nidhhi Agerwal and Nabha Natesh are the female leads. A huge set has been erected in the city to shoot for the dance number The Rhythm Section explores the sources of the genres powerful rhythms, with accented backbeats created using a drum set and electric bass guitar. (Photo: AP) New York: In Play It Loud, an exuberant show that can be heard as well as seen, the Metropolitan Museum of Art takes on the history of rock n roll through iconic instruments on loan from some of rocks biggest names. There are flamboyant costumes worn by Prince and Jimmy Page, videotaped interviews with guitar gods, even shattered guitars. The show will run from April 8 through Oct. 1 before travelling to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, in Cleveland, where it will be on view from Nov. 20, 2019 through Sept. 13, 2020. Were looking at rock n roll instruments as an art. They serve as muses, tools and visual icons, and many of them are hand-painted and lovingly designed, says Jayson Kerr Dobney, curator in charge of the department of musical instruments at the Met. He organised Play It Loud: Instruments of Rock and Roll, with Craig J. Inciardi, curator and director of acquisitions at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. For anyone who ever dreamed of climbing onstage at a rock concert for a closer look, this may be your best shot. Instruments are some of the most personal objects connected to musicians, but as audience members we are primarily used to seeing them from far away, up on a stage in performance. This exhibition will provide a rare opportunity to examine some of rock n rolls most iconic objects up close, says Dobney. Highlights include Chuck Berrys ES-350T guitar (at the entrance to the exhibit), John Lennons 12-string Rickenbacker 325, an electric 500/1 violin bass on loan from Paul McCartney, Keith Moons drum set, and the white Stratocaster played at Woodstock by Jimi Hendrix. Interviewed by The Associated Press on Monday, Page, the guitarist and founder of Led Zeppelin, said that when curators approached him and explained their vision of the exhibit you approach it through the Greco-Roman art galleries and then suddenly come upon Berrys guitar he was all in. My guitar was confiscated if I took it to the school field to play, he says. Thats the kind of respect given to guitars in those days. So to see guitars from people I listen to. Its absolutely phenomenal. Its humbling. Over 130 instruments are featured in the show, including ones played and beloved by the Beatles, Elvis Presley, Bruce Springsteen, The Rolling Stones, The Grateful Dead, Lady Gaga, Joan Jett, Metallica, Steve Miller, Page and other rock n roll greats. The collection spans 1939 to 2017. All the instruments are on loan, most by the musicians themselves, although Miller has promised to donate to the Met his 1961 Les Paul TV Special guitar, painted by surfboard artist Bob Cantrell. The show features its own rock n roll soundtrack and is organized in thematic sections. Setting the Stage explores rocks early days in the American South of the late 1940s and early 1950s, when pianos, saxophones and acoustic guitars were among the instruments of choice. Soon, Berry helped revolutionise the sound, establishing the electric guitar as the genres primary voice and visual icon. Also featured is a setup like that used by the Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964. After that performance, thousands of rock bands were formed using that same lineup: two guitars, a bass and a drum set, says Dobney. The Guitar Gods section traces that phrase to Eric Claptons stardom and a piece of 1966 graffiti in London proclaiming, Clapton is God. Others dubbed guitar gods included Page, Jeff Beck, Pete Townsend and Hendrix. All exemplified virtuoso musicianship and awe-inspiring swagger. By the 1970s, women, too, were fronting bands and finding platforms for their own personae and skills, Dobney says. The Rhythm Section explores the sources of the genres powerful rhythms, with accented backbeats created using a drum set and electric bass guitar. Seeking to turn the heat on the Congress over its poll promise of reviewing the AFSPA, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said the assurance "toys with national security" and termed the opposition party's manifesto a "document of Pakistan's conspiracies". Addressing a rally in the city ahead of next week's polling, he accused the Congress of hatching a conspiracy to destabilise the country and "demoralise" its soldiers. PM Modi termed the coming together of opposition parties against the ruling BJP and its allies "maha milavat" (grand adulteration) and said it would boost Naxal activities if they came to power as he blasted the Congress over its promise to scrap the sedition law. The prime minister also asked Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar, a former defence minister, if he agreed with the Congress's manifesto, particularly on the issue of reviewing the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), which gives sweeping powers to security forces in troubled areas. Without naming anyone, PM Modi alleged that NCP leaders "were unable to sleep" as their "sleep was jailed in Delhi's Tihar". He, however, did not elaborate. "You can see the Congress hatching a conspiracy to destabilise the country. They have a habit, either they grab everything or create confusion," PM Modi told the rally. "Their manifesto toys with national security. The Congress's manifesto is a document of Pakistan''s conspiracies. It is a conspiracy to demoralise the soldiers." "The Congress's manifesto is a document of conspiracy by those who gave the slogan of ''Bharat tere tukde honge'' (calling for India's dismemberment)," he added. The Prime Minister said the security forces were "relentlessly" combating Naxalism and the days of Maoists, who had spread violence in Maharashtra, were "numbered". Naxalism would get a boost if those engaged in "maha milavat" came back to power, he warned. He also said the Maharashtra government had acted against "Urban Naxals". Referring to the Congress's poll assurance of repealing the sedition law, Modi said the opposition party had promised that "there will be no sedition case if any urban Naxalite is caught in anti-national activities". "Tell me if the Congress and the NCP are doing the right thing. Should the sedition law go? Should those who want to disintegrate (the country) get a free licence?," he asked the crowd. Attacking the NCP, PM Modi said its leaders were "unable to sleep these days". Because their sleep is there inside Delhi's Tihar Jail. They are afraid that the one who is inside may reveal something. They are worried. And that day is not far when everything will come out in the open." Though the prime minister did not name anyone, it is believed that he was referring to corporate lobbyist Deepak Talwar's arrest earlier this year for his alleged involvement in several aviation deals. -PTI Instruments used by members of The Beatles at display at the exhibit "Play It Loud: Instruments of Rock & Roll" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. (Photo: AP) New York: Museum exhibits tend to be quiet. Not this one. In Play It Loud, an exuberant show that can be heard as well as seen, the Metropolitan Museum of Art takes on the history of rock n roll through iconic instruments on loan from some of rocks biggest names. There are flamboyant costumes worn by Prince and Jimmy Page, videotaped interviews with guitar gods, even shattered guitars. The show runs here from April 8 through Oct 1 before travelling to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, in Cleveland, where it will be on view from Nov 20, 2019 through Sept 13, 2020. Were looking at rock n roll instruments as an art. They serve as muses, tools and visual icons and many of them are hand-painted and lovingly designed, says Jayson Kerr Dobney, curator in charge of the department of musical instruments at the Met. He organised Play It Loud: Instruments of Rock and Roll, with Craig J Inciardi, curator and director of acquisitions at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. For anyone who ever dreamed of climbing onstage at a rock concert for a closer look, this may be your best shot. Instruments are some of the most personal objects connected to musicians, but as audience members we are primarily used to seeing them from far away, up on a stage in performance. This exhibition will provide a rare opportunity to examine some of rock n rolls most iconic objects up close, says Dobney. A guitar made and played by Eddie Van Halen of Van Halen is displayed at the exhibit. (Photo: AP) Highlights include Chuck Berrys ES-350T guitar (at the entrance to the exhibit), John Lennons 12-string Rickenbacker 325, an electric 500/1 violin bass on loan from Paul McCartney, Keith Moons drum set and the white Stratocaster played at Woodstock by Jimi Hendrix. Interviewed by The Associated Press on Monday, Page, the guitarist and founder of Led Zeppelin, said that when curators approached him and explained their vision of the exhibit, you approach it through the Greco-Roman art galleries and then suddenly come upon Berrys guitar, he was all in. My guitar was confiscated if I took it to the school field to play, he says. Thats the kind of respect given to guitars in those days. So to see guitars from people I listen to, its absolutely phenomenal. Its humbling, he added. Over 130 instruments are featured in the show, including ones played and beloved by the Beatles, Elvis Presley, Bruce Springsteen, The Rolling Stones, The Grateful Dead, Lady Gaga, Joan Jett, Metallica, Steve Miller, Page and other rock n roll greats. The collection spans from 1939 to 2017. All the instruments are on loan, most by the musicians themselves, although Miller has promised to donate to the Met his 1961 Les Paul TV Special guitar, painted by surfboard artist Bob Cantrell. The show features its own rock n roll soundtrack and is organised in thematic sections. Guitars used by Jimi Hendrix (L) and Eric Clapton are displayed with concert posters at the exhibit. (Photo: AP) Setting the Stage explores rocks early days in the American South of the late 1940s and early 1950s, when pianos, saxophones and acoustic guitars were among the instruments of choice. Soon, Berry helped revolutionise the sound, establishing the electric guitar as the genres primary voice and visual icon. Also featured is a setup like that used by the Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964. After that performance, thousands of rock bands were formed using that same lineup of two guitars, a bass and a drum set, says Dobney. The Rhythm Section explores the sources of the genres powerful rhythms, with accented backbeats created using a drum set and electric bass guitar. The Guitar Gods section traces that phrase to Eric Claptons stardom and a piece of 1966 graffiti in London proclaiming, Clapton is God. Others dubbed guitar gods included Page, Jeff Beck, Pete Townsend and Hendrix. All exemplified virtuoso musicianship and awe-inspiring swagger. By the 1970s, women, too, were fronting bands and finding platforms for their own personae and skills, Dobney says. Even as guitars were lovingly painted and sometimes even built by the musicians who played them (like Eddie Van Halens red and white Frankenstein guitar, featuring a Fender-style body and neck with Gibson electronics), instruments were also famously destroyed by rock stars as part of their act. It may be the only musical genre where destruction of instruments became a part of the performance, Dobney says. Featured is a fragment of a Hendrix guitar that he set on fire and smashed onstage at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967 and a Gibson SG Special guitar destroyed by Townsend during a photo shoot with Annie Leibovitz for Rolling Stone (and preserved in Lucite). Expanding the Band explores the way the classic four-piece rock band was augmented by instruments like dulcimers, sitars and a range of experimental keyboards to expand the sound. Creating an Image opens with an enormous, jagged electric piano housed in acrylic with built-in lights, owned by Lady Gaga. That section also includes Princes Love Symbol guitar and a dragon-embroidered outfit once worn by Page. A wall image of Springsteen taken from behind with his guitar over his shoulder illustrates how for some stars, the guitar became almost an extension of their body. Creating a Sound explores the technical side of rock music, with the amps, guitars and rigs used by Page, Keith Richards, Van Halen and Tom Morello. Each of the four rigs is accompanied by a videotaped interview with the artist explaining how they created their unique sound. The show ends with footage of some of rocks most iconic moments, along with decades of posters advertising groundbreaking concerts. New Delhi: Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama Thursday praised New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern for taking a compassionate approach in dealing with the aftermath of the recent terror attack in her country and said 21st century should be the century of peace and non-violence. At a press conference in New Delhi, he said that New Zealand serves as a "living example" for others, as to how to respond with calmness and compassion in the wake of such incidents. New Zealand is one example where a country's leader tried to deal with a "very sad situation" through compassion, he said when asked about the incidents of violence in the last few years in many countries, stemming from hatred. "She tried to tackle the problem through non-violence, compassion and respect for others. So, there are methods to deal with violence. And, although what happened was a very sad incident, there was no further increase in violence," the Dalai Lama told reporters. "I really admire the New Zealand prime minister, that lady. She is wonderful. So, that is a living example and everyone can learn from that," he said. At least 50 people were killed and several others wounded in a hate-filled terror attack by a shooter, targeting two mosques in the New Zealand city of Christchurch in March. The attack sparked global outrage, drawing condemnation from leaders and institutions around the world. After the attack, Ardern's humane approach in consoling a grieving nation and dealing with its aftermath, including meeting the Muslim community members, was widely praised. "We saw so much violence in the 20th century, two world wars and so much more. Hence, we must deal with our problems now through dialogues and non-violent measures. And, through peace we can achieve it all," he said. Dalai Lama also lamented that most of the problems the world faces currently are "our own creations". "Even the killings we are seeing today around the world, doings of humans only. Our education today is only teaching us to be materialistic and not seek happiness. So, in education, that horizon of emotion is necessary and compassion in heart is required to achieve happiness," he said. The Dalai Lama also asserted that India is a country based on secular philosophy at the press conference. He said that India had the "potential to help humanity" by combining modern education with the ancient wisdom of the country. The Dalai Lama also answered a question related to Tibet s future with China . He reiterated that he is not seeking independence for Tibet , but would prefer a reunion with China under mutually acceptable terms. I prefer Tibet remain within the zone of China. Some kind of reunion, he said. He added that Chinese and Tibetans could live side-by-side, with China helping Tibetans economically and gaining from their knowledge. The 83-year-old Dalai Lama has been living in exile in India since a failed 1959 uprising in Tibet. China claims Tibet has been part of its territory for more than seven centuries. Many Tibetans insist they were essentially independent for most of that time. They have protested against what they regard as Chinas heavy-handed rule imposed after the Peoples Liberation Armys battled its way into the Himalayan region in 1950. The Dalai Lama said he developed direct contact with the Chinese leadership in 1979, but little progress has been made since because China still thinks he is seeking independence for the region. Greece: Santorinis grubby little secret has been ousted by In Their Hooves campaign, and other activists, working in collaboration with the cruise-line industry. For several years now, donkeys have been used to ferry tourists up and down the 520 cobbled steps in Santorini. The donkeys are made to take four or five return journeys in a day in the scorching Greek sun. The plight of the donkeys have been long ignored, and thus there has been a rise in spinal injuries, saddle sores and exhaustion, reported the DailyMail. The campaign is about to start, Nikos Zorzos, the islands mayor told The Guardian. Representatives from the campaign have promised to raise awareness and from our side we will be distributing information leaflets. Our mules and donkeys are part of our tradition. Younger owners, especially, have understood that they need to be looked after, he said. The animals were used to take travellers from the port in Santorini to the main settlement. But when cable cars were introduced to the island, the use of donkeys decreased. But the demands increased again when a nearby volcano started attracting hoards of tourists. The donkeys have a less than ideal working condition. The animals walk up till the summit, drop off riders and immediately begin their descent, often bumping into walkers near steep drops. The Greek government, in response to an online petition signed deploring the 'mindless and unnecessary torture [of equines], passed legislation. It stated that it was illegal to burden the donkeys with 'any load exceeding 100kg (15st), or one-fifth of [their] body weight.' In Their Hooves campaign, launched by The Donkey Sanctuary, is taking efforts to make tourists aware of the plight of the animals. The campaign aims to encourage tourists to stop and think before using donkey taxis to climb the steep steps at Fira port,' said Catherine Rice, PR officer at The Donkey Sanctuary. In solidarity with the campaign, several cruise liners signed up for it. They will be screening an animated video on board, made by the British animal welfare charity. Asking our guests to put themselves 'In their Hooves' is an important part of our destination sustainability plan for the island, said Maria Deligianni, representative of the Cruise Lines International Association. Jacinda Ardern had her a daughter Neve last June, becoming only the second prime minister in the world to give birth while in office. (Photo: AFP) Wellington: New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern confirmed Thursday she paid for a harried mother's groceries in a gesture sure to enhance a reputation already soaring because of her response to the Christchurch mosque attacks. Ardern was reluctant to discuss the incident, revealed on social media, involving a mother-of-two who was ahead of the prime minister at a supermarket checkout when she realised she did not have her purse. "(Ardern) paid for my friends' shopping in the supermarket the other day when she had forgotten her purse and had two screaming kids in tow," Twitter user Helen Burness posted, adding: "like we didn't love her enough". Ardern swiftly wrapped up a media appearance Thursday when asked why she had helped the woman, replying only, "because she was a mum". The 38-year-old had her own daughter Neve last June, becoming only the second prime minister in the world to give birth while in office and later taking the infant onto the floor of the UN Assembly in New York. She has won widespread praise for her response to the March 15 Christchurch attacks in which a white supremacist gunman is accused of killing 50 Muslims in an atrocity that shook the normally peaceful nation. The New Zealand Herald has described her actions as a mix of "solace and steel" after she donned the hijab while comforting devastated families and also moved swiftly to tighten gun laws. A junior research fellow working at the DRDO, stalking a minor girl and had appointed detectives to enquire into her activities, was arrested by Chaitanyapuri police on Wednesday. (Representational image) Hyderabad: A junior research fellow working at the DRDO, stalking a minor girl and had appointed detectives to enquire into her activities, was arrested by Chaitanyapuri police on Wednesday. Police arrested the alleged stalker Devanga Mahesh Kumar, 23, as well as ex-serviceman Chikka Kiran Kumar, 39, who runs the Scout Detective Agency illegally along with his female employee, Bathula Suhasini. Three days ago, Chaitanyapuri police received a complaint from a city resident that some unidentified persons had gone to his daughters college and enquired about her personal details. They gave their mobile number to the college authorities to give them information about the girl. The college principal called the girls mother and informed her that a couple had inquired about her daughter, a resident of Chaitanyapuri and an Intermediate II student. Police registered a case under IPC Section 509 (act intended to outrage the modesty of a woman) read with 109, and Sections 12 read with 17 of the Pocso Act for investigation. During inquiry, police identified the pair as detective agency owner Kiran Kumar, hailing from Nalgonda district and resident of Kothapet, and Suhasini, 33, a native of Khammam and resident of Saroornagar. On being questioned, they said that they were hired by Mahesh Kumar who paid them Rs 17,000 to extract details of the girl. Mahesh Kumar was then arrested. Rachakonda police commissioner Mahesh Bhagwat said that Mahesh has been working as a Junior Research Fellow at DRDO RCI at Hyderabad and lives at Thriveninagar in Balapur. He used to follow the girl on her way back home from college at Balapur crossroads. He tried contacting her but she did not respond. He said that Mahesh found the detective agency on the internet and paid them Rs 17,000 to observe the movements of the girl and get her contact details and social media profiles along with photographs and videos. A few girls approached the She team personnel and said that K. Ramana Murthy (26), a secondary-grade teacher had been abusive towards them. Hyderabad: A government teacher working at the Mandal Parishad Primary School at Edulabad village in Ghatkesar was arrested for sexual abuse of girl children at the school. Malkajgiri She team personnel conducted an awareness programme for children at MPPS, Edulabad about good touch and bad touch on Wednesday. After completion of the program, a few girls approached the She team personnel and said that K. Ramana Murthy (26), a secondary-grade teacher had been abusive towards them. They said that he touches the girls inappropriately and when they protested, he used to beat them mercilessly, citing some reason. Rachakonda police said, The teacher took pictures of the girls while they were doing yoga. Though he was warned about it by his colleagues and superiors, he did not change his attitude and continued harassing the girls. A case has been registered against him under Sections 354 of the IPC, Sections 8 and 12 of the Pocso Act, Section 75 of JJ Act and Section 3 (1) (w) of the SC & ST Act and he was arrested, said police. Rachakonda police commissioner Mahesh Bhagwat said that women and girls can inform police through Dial 100 or by sending a message to 9490617111. A student, who had passed out from Class IX, was found dead at a residential school in Payakaraopeta. He reportedly committed suicide by hanging himself from the ceiling fan in the hostel. (Representational Images) Vishakhapatnam: A student, who had passed out from Class IX, was found dead at a residential school in Payakaraopeta. He reportedly committed suicide by hanging himself from the ceiling fan in the hostel. However, the family members alleged that it was a murder and that the school management has been trying to hide the facts. According to the cousins of the deceased who gave a complaint to the police, Subham Raj, 15, was a native of Samastipur in Bihar and was studying at Sri Prakash Vidya Niketan at Payakaraopeta. The school authority had informed his mother over phone that he had committed suicide on March 30 evening, during study hour. Immediately after knowing this, a relative of the deceased Santosh Kumar Yadav from Dhenkanal in Odisha went to the school and observed that it was a case of murder. There were different versions of the story from the fellow students. They had chang-ed the spot of death from one fan to another while narrating the incident, he said. We have several doubts over the death. The school management is trying to get away from the case as their reputation is at stake. But, we have complained to the police, expecting justice. The criminal responsible for this must be punished severely, said Sudheer Kumar, another cousin of the deceased. Mr Sudheer Kumar informed that a suicide note was found in the pocket of the deceased which says about theft of money. Venkatesh and his four accomplices allegedly barged into Yasmeens house, threatened her and her 16-year-old daughter and demanded monthly mamool. (Representational Image) Hyderabad: A rowdy-sheeter who used to harass transgenders and was involved in 10 cases including the murder of a transgender, was arrested by the Banjara Hills police on Tuesday. Based on a complaint from Yasmeen, 28, a transgender, police nabbed K. Venkatesh, alias Granite Venkat, 28, after tracking him for six months. DCP, West, A.R. Srinivas, said Venkatesh was married to one Anitha. When she went to her mothers home for delivery, he started a live-in relationship with a transgender Divya in 2009. When he got to know that he had twins, he dumped Divya. Divya went to his native place in Anantapur district and staged a protest in front his residence after which his wife left him. This made him hold a grudge against the transgender community. Venkatesh and his four accomplices allegedly barged into Yasmeens house, threatened her and her 16-year-old daughter and demanded monthly mamool. He abused her physically, snatched the keys of the almirah and took 50 grams of gold ornaments and Rs 2 lakh cash. According to police, Venkatesh was roaming around the country to escape from the police and was arrested on Thursday. His associates M. Kalyan Kumar, K. Vikesh, N. Anil Kumar and M. Sai Kumar were arrested long ago. Venkat is said to be involved in more than 10 cases including the murder of a transgender, Pravalika and was out on bail. Lawrence Jesudas, transgender and human rights activist said, Transgenders are humiliated, harassed and even sexually molested. Venkat is supported by some political parties and hence he easily gets bail. Hyderabad: MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi took strong exception to the doubts that the Congress and the BJP expressed about his patriotism and the allegation that he does not believe in the Constitution. In an exclusive interview with Deccan Chronicle, held amid his hectic campaign for the April 11 elections, Mr Owaisi said he firmly believed in the Constitution because it mandated that the state must be religion-neutral. Why must Muslims be secular? The Constitution allows people to practice their religion and live in harmony. This in itself is a clear indication that the people have to live together. During the election season we see that there are people who are calling out to Muslims to be secular. Why must these calls be made? What is the reason for it? Referring to the instances of Modi bhakts branding everyone who spoke against Mr Modi as anti-national, he said the label was suffocating. It was pinned on everyone, irrespective of whether the person was a Hindu or a Muslim. He felt that the anti-national tag was not what Mahatma Gandhi and Babasaheb Ambedkar had fought for. The Constitution that protects Indians has to be protected, Mr Owaisi said. He said people were fed up of being called anti-national, and instances of mob lynching was a cause for concern. To add to this is the state of the Indian economy, rising unemployment and the growing inequalities which are casting a shadow on India. Answering questions about the expansion of his party, detaching from the Congress and extending strong support to Chief Minister Chandrasekhar Rao and the TRS, Mr Owaisi said that a non-Congress non-BJP government can be a reality. He said this was an open election as there is no wave for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He made it clear he did not accept the brand of secularism that the Congress portrayed. The community had got very little benefit from the Congress, he said. He had associated with the Congress for eight years during the UPA-I and UPA-II governments but he left the Congress after a bitter experience. He said the five years of the Chandrasekhar Rao government had fostered confidence in him. In KCRs lifetime, my association with the Congress would not be possible, he said. MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi is seeking a fourth term in the Lok Sabha from the Hyderabad constituency, where his grip appears unshakeable. Despite his popularity, and the fact that his Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen has won all seven Assembly seats, he still believes that he must walk the bylanes of his constituency in the heat and meet the voters. Mr Owaisi believes that to win an election it is important to be seen and be present with the people who are going to vote you back. His padayatra, holding a mike and someone holding the loudspeaker, may sound old-fashioned for many but for Mr Owaisi that is the basic which must be followed. The results of this policy are seen on results day. The padayatras are held in the morning and the evening with local leaders in tow. In the midst of his energetic campaign on a warm day, Mr Owaisi made time for an exclusive interview with Deccan Chronicle. If the campaign involves more bread and butter issues, and people speaking of local problems, Mr Owaisi speaks of larger concerns over spreading incidents of communalism, political alliances, the Congress narrative, the mood of the nation and more. A highly popular member of Parliament why are you confining yourself to the Hyderabad parliamentary seat? Why is the MIM contesting only three seats in the Lok Sabha elections? When I am contesting only from two additional seats outside my state I am being called a B team. I want to expand but it has to be a well-planned move. There are many people who are coming to me and saying that they want to contest from my party. But I need to understand the people and they need to understand me and my style of functioning. It is important to have an organisational set-up for long-term survival. I am ready for a long innings as I am not in the political evening of my life. For this reason, in Seemanchal and Aurangabad. we are having party workers who have been working for quite some time. In Aurangabad we have corporators and an MLA, hence we have formed a base there. We will also see a new set of young leaders from the Learn Project and we will be working with them on various platforms and they will represent the party on various fora. In Telangana you have one seat and you have shown great faith in Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao. Are are very confident that Mr Rao will not join the BJP? Is there any confidence that the Congress will cross 100 seats? What is this whole thing about the Congress? They have not come from the God Almighty, it is merely a political party. I dont believe that the Congress has done something great. In fact, it is more responsible for Muslim backwardness in the country. Why is everyone not asking whether the Congress will cross 100 seats? Why is everyone not raising the issue of whether or not the Congress will be able to form government? Aap ham pe hi kyun dal rahe hai ke aap kya karenge (Why are you asking only me what I plan to do?) KCR has never looked at any issue presented to him either as that of a Muslim or a Hindu. He has carried out work in the Old City areas which were pending since 2012. We are now going to have the two-bedroom houses, widening of two major nalas and the development of Metro Rail in the Old City. Malakpet and Chaderghat are parts of the Old City and Metro Rail is over there. The allegation that there is no Metro Rail in Old City is wrong. Whatever issues we have represented to him, they have been solved. Development is an issue and I do see that there is a need for more funds to be sanctioned to carry out improvement works. The five years of his rule have ensured that there were no communal incidents and he has been instrumental in ensuring that the BJP does not gain a foothold in the state. The recent Assembly elections are a strong indicator of his style of functioning as all the BJP leaders in the state lost their deposits. The 2023 Assembly elections are going to be a fight between the TRS and the MIM against the BJP only in Telangana. What is the reason for your aversion to the Congress? You had been associated with them for a long time. The association with the Congress was for eight long years and we have realised that there is not much difference between the Congress and the BJP. The support was provided to the Congress but they play the same games all the time. They have never lived up to their word for the development of the constituency and for solving the problems of the minorities. After the death of YSR there has not been the kind of commitment that was seen earlier. At the Centre, the Congress is talking about bringing an Act against sedition but the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act was brought by the Congress. This has been used against Muslims and Adivasis and now they are talking about bringing a Bill against sedition. The UAPA is worse than sedition. These are the issues of the Congress. Rahul Gandhi is now openly practising Hindutva and as a Muslim where do I fit in? If Rahul Gandhi says his party has the DNA of Brahmins then what about my DNA? Should I get it checked? I dont even contest seats in other states yet I am being called B and C team. What is the message you are sending to the people of Hyderabad and those who support the MIM? Rahul Gandhi toured in the Assembly constituencies and particularly targeted and branded us the results are there to see that it does not work. Do you now think that there has been a shift in the Muslim vote bank and that they are looking at other options? There is nothing like a Muslim vote bank. This was a myth which got busted in the 2014 elections. There is a consolidation of votes now and that is being seen in a majority of the people and that could be the majority vote bank. Just like the onus of secularism is not on the Muslims. Why must Muslims be secular? The Constitution of India allows people to practise their religion and live in harmony. This in itself is a clear indication and that the people have to live together. But during the election season we see that there are people who are calling to the Muslims to be secular. Why must these calls be made? What is the reason for it? For me, secularism means believe in the Constitution and follow it. The Constitution states that the State is neutral and they have to follow that. What are we seeing in the country in the name of the State? The brand of secularism is being used only by the political parties for their gains. The need is to implement the Constitution in the right spirit and that is what the country requires. Do you think in these elections the people are looking up to the Constitution? There are many out there who know that the things in the country are not going in the right direction and I can only hope that the people restore their faith in the Constitution. You have been saying that there is no wave of Prime Minister Narendra Modi but there are many supporters who will want to see him back in power. You have been very critical of his policies and also targeted him openly. There is no wave this time as was seen in 2014. This is an open election and the numbers are not going to add up in the states as was in 2014. It is going to be a different election with emergence of different forces from different sectors. We are undermining the effects on economy, demonetisation, unemployment and the propaganda of anti-national that we are facing. These will have a severe impact on the voting pattern. It is not possible for the BJP to sweep Uttar Pradesh and Bihar and nor will they get enough seats in Odisa, West Bengal and the northeastern states. In South India, in Telangana state and Andhra Pradesh they will lose and in Tamil Nadu too the chances are slim. These calculations show that there is no Modi wave in 2019. How is the anti-national tag affecting India? You too have been tagged from time to time. The anti-national tag is suffocating for every Indian. Once you speak against the supreme power Narendra Modi the anti-national term is christened. In these there is no division of Hindu or Muslim. This is not the India Mahatma Gandhi and Babasaheb Ambedkar fought for. This is going to play a major role in these elections as people are going to remember when they were called these terms in their social groups. Many of them are not putting forth their views for the sheer reason that they will be called anti-national. Will you go to Andhra Pradesh to campaign for YSRC president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy? Yes, if my friend Jagan Mohan Reddy wants me to come to Andhra Pradesh I will go there. The victory of YSRC in 20-plus Lok Sabha seats is certain and the 17 seats from Telangana of TRS and MIM will play a crucial role in the formation of the government at the Centre. The hatred that is being spewed around is becoming a concern for many. How can this hatred be dealt with? This has to come down and we as a nation have to become mature to work against it. Earlier it was said that these are fringe elements. But these are no longer fringe elements and they have become major players. There is a strong requirement to control them and for this the law must be used and not favouritism. The law must be allowed to act against such elements in the country. Is that happening? What are we witnessing is a reverse of the system and it is being targeted only at a section of society which is not right. Do you look at a Muslim-Dalit alliance across the country? There is a churning from the ground level and we are working towards it. Prakash Ambedkar is now the undisputed leader of the Dalit community. The Tibetan spiritual leader said, both sides can mutually benefit each other harnessing their old links, and while China can help Tibet economically, Tibet can offer its knowledge to China. (Image:File) New Delhi: Spiritual leader the Dalai Lama Thursday said people from Tibet have been seeking a mutually acceptable solution to the Tibetan issue with China since 1974 but Beijing considers him a "splittist" though he isn't one. The Tibetan spiritual leader, in response to questions during a press conference here, also said, the Tibetans were "open" to such a solution, while reiterating that he was not seeking Tibet's independence from China. "In 1974, we decided to not seek independence and seek a mutually acceptable solution. And, in 1979, we established a direct contact with the Chinese government. So basically, our side is open," the Dalai Lama said. "I am not a splittist, but Chinese government considers me a splittist," he said. So, the Chinese government "wants me to fight for Tibet's independence", he added in a lighter vein, drawing laughter from the audience. "Splittist" is a person who advocates separation from a larger body. He said he preferred Tibet remaining with China, with "some kind of a reunion". The Tibetan spiritual leader said, both sides can mutually benefit each other harnessing their old links, and while China can help Tibet economically, Tibet can offer its knowledge to China. "China and Tibet have century-old ties, and through marriage also have very old links. The Dalai Lama also said he admired the "spirit of the European Union". "France and Germany were arch-enemies during World War II, but after the war, common interests were put above individual interests... The creation of the EU was wonderful," he said. Pawan Kalyan said both Congress and BJP have gone back on their promises. (Photo: File) Vijayawada: Jana Sena Party (JSP) leader Pawan Kalyan lashed out at both the Congress and the BJP for "ditching" the people on the special category status to Andhra Pradesh. Pawan Kalyan said both Congress and BJP have gone back on their promises. He recalled that Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an election rally for 2014 Lok Sabha election had told him that people of Andhra Pradesh would get ''ladoo'' after the polls in the form of special status. "But he (Prime Minister) had given a stale ladoo instead," Pawan Kalyan said. "When Congress wanted to give special status for five years, the then BJP leaders asked for 10 years. Both the parties have ditched the people of Andhra Pradesh," he added. Pawan Kalyan also criticised Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and said that the latter keeps changing his stand on decisions according to different situations. Best Club Award to Faculty and Student Members presented by Dr.G. Viswanathan, Founder & Chancellor, VIT, and Chief Guest Mr. Robert G. Burgess, Consul General, U.S. Consul, Chennai. (Image DC) Chennai: The University Day of VIT Chennai was celebrated on Tuesday with the US Consul General Robert Burgess as chief guest and Dr G. Viswanathan, Founder and Chancellor, VIT, presiding. Mr Burgess said he was delighted him to see so many achievements of very high calibre both from students and professors. He appreciated the way in which Dr. G. Viswanathan bridges the gap between cultural and business ties. He applauded him for being the President of Friends of United States, who believed in people to people relationship. "VIT has many tie-ups with the U.S. Consul in way of entrepreneurships, hosting cybersecurity hackathons and organising talks on intellectual property rights leading to several panel discussions. He asked the students and faculty to make use of several scholarships and US sponsorships and one such was Fullbright Scholarship," he said. Dr Viswanathan appreciated the fact that the US is the leader in higher education. He said availability, affordability and quality are the three important factors to be taken into consideration in higher education. The guest of honour Mr. Abhaya Srisrimal Jain, Chairman, LifeCell International was glad to see VIT focussing on research. He emphasised three points: believe in oneself and be committed, give back to society and focus on creativity. Mr. G.V. Selvam, Vice President, stated that VIT puts its students always at the centre of all its academic and extracurricular activities. The skirmish took place around noon in a dense forest near Mahla village in Kanker district when a joint team of BSF's 114th battalion and the District Force was out on a search operation, police said. Bhopal: Maoists on Thursday ambushed a search party of Border Security Force (BSF) personnel in Chhattisgarhs north Bastar district of Kanker killing four troopers including an assistant-sub inspector and injuring two others. The skirmish took place around noon in a dense forest near Mahla village in Kanker district when a joint team of BSF's 114th battalion and the District Force was out on a search operation, police said. According to Bastar range inspector general of police Vivekanand Sinha, Maoists attacked a combing party comprising personnel of 114 Battalion of BSF near Mahala village under Pakhanjur block in Kanker district in the morning, leading to a fierce gun battle between them. Four BSF personnel including an ASI were killed and two others injured in the incident. The deceased were identified as BSF's assistant sub- inspector Boro, and constables Ramkrishnan, Someshwar and Ishrar Khan, he said. Assistant commandant Gopu Ram and inspector Gopal Ram were injured in the exchange of fire, he said. Soon after being alerted, reinforcement was rushed to the spot, he said, adding that a search operation was underway in the area. Security forces also inflicted injuries to some ultras in the incident. But, the rebels managed to escape. Kanker (ST) is going to Lok Sabha elections along with Mahasamund constituency in the second phase polls in Chhattisgarh on April 11. Eleven LS constituencies in Chhattisgarh are going to polls in three phases during April 11- April 23. New Delhi: Continuing its attack on the Congress' 2019 election manifesto, the BJP on Thursday said that the suggestions in the poll document regarding strengthening the media will only end up demolishing the otherwise current structure of independent media in the country and reminded the Opposition party that it was its stalwart and the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi who had revoked the Press Council Act and abolished the Press Council by an Ordinance. Union finance minister and senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley said that the suggestions in the Congress manifesto will regulate and restrict free journalism and otherwise multiplicity of Indian media, which is "anachronic." The ruling BJP had termed the Congress manifesto, which was released earlier this week, as "liberal towards terrorists, criminals and insurgents." In a blogpost, Mr Jaitley wrote that the promise of a legislation to curb monopolies and to bar cross media holdings of the different segments of the media to restrict the ownership of media by group doing other business, will be nothing but the "culmination of both the anti-media and the 'large is evil' conventional ideology of the Congress." A convergence of both left and dictatorial attitudes," wrote the senior leader. Taking an apparent dig at senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram, who was the chairman of the manifesto committee, Union minister Arun Jaitley said the "gentleman who drafted the manifesto is the same who had drafted the ill-fated Defamation Bill, 1988," which provided for enhanced punishment for defamation and while in the Opposition now "he wants to decriminalise defamation." "Ultimately, the enormity of the size of Indian media balances things out. Why is then a parliamentary legislation required? Such a parliamentary legislation is ill advised," said Mr Jaitley. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. Bhopal: Actor Salman Khans upcoming movie Dabangg 3, currently being shot in some locations in Madhya Pradesh, has landed in controversy. The films set at Maheshwar Ghat in Indore district on Thursday drew ire of the saffron leaders who demanded an FIR against the Bollywood superstar for hurting sentiments of Hindus. Wooden scaffolding was built over an ancient Shiva linga at Maheshwar Ghat to shoot a song in the film featuring Mr Khan. Crew members of the movie were seen climbing over the scaffolding to film the picturisation of the song which hurt the sentiments of Hindus, BJP MLA Rameswar Sharma told reporters. He demanded that chief minister Kamal Nath order the local police to register an FIR against the actor. Mr Sharma also sought action against local administration officers concerned for lapses in the matter. Earlier, the actor clarified that he had absolutely no intention to hurt sentiments of any section of society. I am a devotee of Lord Shiva, he said. He said it was decided to shoot the movie in MP following a request by Mr Nath, who had asked him to shoot the film in MP. New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to list on April 8 a writ petition filed by Aman Panwar, national media panellist of the Indian National Congress for a direction to stop the release of the movie PM Narendra Modi in 23 different languages across India before the general elections. It was scheduled for release on April 5, but there are reports that the release date has been postponed to April 12. According to the petitioner, when it was announced in February that a film on Mr Modi would be released, it became inescapably clear in the days that followed that the movie was little more than a propaganda vehicle being timed to release in coordination with the elections. The singular and blatant motive that emerged was clear and the movie was driven by little to no artistic inspiration and was instead designed to manipulate, influence and impress viewers and voters in the upcoming elections, it claimed. The petitioner said there are several facts, which demonstrated that the movie was not an innocuous work of art, despite the repeated statements of the producers, the director and the lead actor to the contrary. The petitioner pointed out that the Chief Minister of the State of Maharashtra released the first poster. National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said that since there are no alternate routes the road closure will shut all the access to the Valley. SRINAGAR: There has been strong reaction by political parties and also online in Jammu and Kashmir to the State governments decision to ban civilian traffic on vital Baramulla-Jammu highway twice weekly to facilitate movement of security forces convoy. An official spokesman in winter capital Jammu said, No civilian traffic movement will be allowed along the highway on Sundays and Wednesdays between 4 am and 5 pm. He said that the decision has been taken Keeping in view the large movement of security forces on the national highway during the Parliamentary elections and associated possibility of fidayeen terror attack on security forces convoys. The restrictions would remain in force till May 31. Elaborating, the spokesman said that there would be a complete ban on civilian traffic on the stretch of the 350-km highway on these two days from Baramulla through Srinagar, Qazigund, Jawahar Tunnel, Banihal and Ramban up to Udhampur. The decision has been taken in the backdrop of the February 14 terror attack on a CRPF convoy at Lethapora (Pulwama) along the highway which left as many as 49 security personnel dead and several others wounded. The spokesman said that another possible fidayeen attack on another security force convoy at Banihal took place on March 30. Reacting to the move, former chief minister and president of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mehbooba Mufti tweeted, Last I checked, we were a democracy. But this sounds like a diktat of Martial Law. After bringing Kashmir to the brink, the administration is adamant on ensuring collective punishment for Kashmiris. National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said that since there are no alternate routes the road closure will shut all the access to the Valley. Taking to Twitter, he said if the Baramulla-Jammu highway is closed everything will shut down in the Valley. Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Naths son Nakul and AICC legal cell chairman Vivek Tankha were among 12 Congress candidates cleared by the party on Thursday to contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections in Madhya Pradesh. The party in the afternoon released the second list of 12 candidates for MP. A fortnight ago, Congress had released its first list of nine candidates for the ensuing Lok Sabha polls in MP. Interestingly, the party was yet to declare candidates for high-profile seats of Guna, currently represented by Jyotiraditya Scindia; Gwalior, considered a fortress of Scindia family; Indore and Vidisha. Mr Scindia has already begun his campaign in Guna, while he was said to belobbying for party ticket for his wife riyadarshini for Gwalior. Similarly, Congress was reportedly waiting for BJP to declare itscandidates for Indore and Vidisha before announcing its nominees for the two seats. Nakul has been given ticket by the party for Chhindwara, currently represented by his father. Mr Nath represented Chhindwara ten times and his wife Alka represented the seat once in 1996. The chief minister has vacated the seat for his son since he needed to contest a byelection from the Chhindwara Asse-mbly seat to enter the state Assembly. Mr Tankha has been nominated by the party for the Jabalpur seat where state BJP president Rakesh Singh was seeking re-election. Veteran Congress leader and former chief minister Digvijay Singh was among nine Congress candidates cleared by the party a fortnight ago. He was fielded in the Bhopal seat. The Congress had secured two out of total 29 seats in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, leaving the remaining 27 seats to BJP. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. VIJAYAWADA: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) fined the Andhra Pradesh government of Rs 100 crore for the illegal digging of sand from the Krishna river. The well-known farmers leader of the Amaravati capital region, Anumolu Gandhi, and water conservationist Rajendra Singh (popularly known as the Waterman of India), had filed a public interest litigation in the NGT objecting to the heedless digging of sand from the Krishna river as it is dangerous to the environment. Most of the sand mining on the banks of the Krishna takes place at Venkatapalem, near the residence of the Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, and in adjacent areas and riverbed villages. Mr Rajendra Singh had visited the Amaravati capital region last year and observed the sand digging. In March 2018, he and Mr Anumolu Gandhi filed a public interest litigation to stop this illegal and harmful activity. Mr Gandhi told Deccan Chronicle that hundreds of trucks transport the sand from the banks of the Krishna, which endangers the riverbed and the environment generally. A majority of Amaravatis roads have been eroded by the sand trucks plying on them. Responding to the PIL, the NGT appointed a committee to look into the matter. The committee's report was duly submitted to the NGT, which imposed the Rs 100 crore fine. The Tribunal took serious exception on using the heavy machinery for excavating sand from the river though there was prohibition on using the heavy machinery like dredgers and proclaines which would cause severe damage to the course of the river. The petitioners alleged that the state government was excavating the sand in the name of dredging of the river. Welcoming the verdict, Mr Gandhi sought immediate stopping of illegal sand digging. THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday rejected the amicus curiae report on floods saying it was being misused by certain sections against the government on the eve of Lok Sabha polls. The chief minister said there was an attempt to deride the humongous rescue operations carried out during floods which had been applauded globally. Certain sections are making attempts to use it against the LDF government. The allegations about lapses during the floods including unscientific dam management had been raised earlier as well. However, the government had had explained its position in various fora including the Assembly and press conferences. He said the attempts being made to deride the highly applauded rescue and relief operations, required to be countered effectively by people. The state had witnessed the worst floods of this century. People cutting across religion, caste, creed and all other differences rose up to the occasion and carried out massive rescue and relief operations. The united efforts of the Malayalis received applause from various international agencies including the United Nations. The Chief Minister said the government was now fully engaged in implementing rehabilitation programmes. It was in the midst of these works that a writ petition was filed in the High Court and on the basis of which the amicus curiae was appointed. The amicus curiae report is not final. He said the amicus curiae appointed on the entry of young women in Sabarimala temple had given diverse report. But the Supreme Court verdict was totally different. The Chief Minister said since the print and electronic media gave wide coverage when amicus curiae submitted the report in court. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. New Delhi: President Ram Nath Kovind has sent a report regarding Rajasthan governor Kalyan Singh to the home ministry after the Election Commission (EC) wrote to the President on a possible for violation of model code of conduct by Mr Singh. Mr Singh had apparently said that since we are BJP workers we would want BJP to win the Lok Sabha election and ensure that Modiji once again becomes Prime Minister on May 23. Sources said the poll panel wrote to the President on April 1 as it was of the opinion that Mr Singhs remarks on re-election of Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister were in violation of the model code of conduct. In its communication, the EC had stated that the remarks made by the governor were in violation of the neutral post he holds. Even Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot had raised objections to the comment describing them as unfortunate. Mr Gehlot had also said that the post of a state governor should be non-partisan and that it does not suit the dignity of his post. Home ministry sources said the ministry was yet to examine the communication received from the President. Congress president Rahul Gandhi files nomination papers for the Wayanad constituency with chief electoral officer A.R. Ajayakumar, who is also Wayanad district collector, at Kalpetta on Thursday. AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Malappuram DCC president V.V. Prakash are also seen (Photo: DC) WAYANAD: Thursday became historic for Wayanad when Congress president Rahul Gandhi and AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra along with other Congress and UDF leaders undertook a massive road show after the Congress president filed his nomination papers. The streets of Kalpetta were jampacked with Congress and Muslim League supporters for the show which stretched over a km from SKMJ high school ground to the collectorate. From early morning, people had started flowing to Kalpetta from far flung zones of Wayanad, neighbouring districts and even from Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. They included students, women and children representing the constituency which crisscrosses three districts nestled on the Western Ghats. A large number of tribals were also seen in the crowd. The two legislative constituencies of Wayanad district are reserved for scheduled tribes. Congress workers from various parts of Malabar region, including Kozhikode, Kannur and Malappuram also joined the crowd. Rahul and Priyanka, who reached SKMJ school ground at 11.15 a.m. along with Congress leaders Mullappalli Ramacha-ndran and Ramesh Chennithala, travelled in an open vehicle to the collectorate for filing the nominations, waving at the waiting crowd. Though a large posse of media crew was waiting at the main gate, the SPG insisted on them entering through the second gate. It took about 25 minutes to complete the formalities. After filing the nominations, both Rahul and Priyanka, who wore a mustard and red border saree, came out to the waiting crowd in the open vehicle, waving at the crowd who were shouting slogans against Narendra Modi and also the popular Azadi slogans. As the vehicle inched forward, Mr Gandhi shook hands with many supporters. Workers also hailed his kisan scheme to give a due share for the farmers. Midway when the vehicle of journalists met with a minor accident and two journalists fell down, Rahul jumped down from the vehicle and ensured that the two were sent to hospital in the ambulance in his cavalcade. When the road show ended at the SKMJ school ground, Rahul and Priyanka interacted with the crowd putting the SPG sleuths in a fix. The crowd remained in the streets till the chopper carrying the Congress president disappeared in the sky. Two namesakes and a Gandhi too in fray Two namesakes of Rahul Gandhi have filed nominations at the Wayanad Lok Sabha Constituency when the time for filing nominations ended on Thursday. One is Rahul Gandhi K.E. and the second one is Raghul Gandhi K, a native of Tamil Nadu representing Akhila India Makkal Kazhakam. In total 23 candidates submitted nominations. One KM Sivaprasad Gandhi is also in the fray. Nine nominations were filed on Thursday alone. The last date for withdrawing the nominations is April 8. Solar-scam accused Sarita S. Nair also submitted nomination. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. Nellore: YSRC president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy assured the people that his governance would be better than that of his father, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy. My father made an indelible mark in your heart when you gave him a chance in 2004 and he is still alive in your hearts. I will do still better and my photo will find place next to my father after my death, Mr Reddy said while addressing a large gathering at Stonehousepeta in Nellore on Thursday. Mr Reddy is expected to release the partys poll manifesto on April 6, Ugadi. He may release it in Vijayawada. The Congress, BJP and the Jana Sena have released their manifestoes but the main parties in AP have not, worried that their manifesto would be copied. Ending the waiting game with hardly five days left for the campaign, Mr Reddy appears to have decided to release the manifesto. He may hike the benefit to farmers under the Annadhatha Sukhibhava and give it a new name, YSR Rythu Bharosa. In Hyderabad, Mr Reddy released a book, Adugaduguna Antharangam written by Pudi Sreehari, depicting his political career till the completion of the Praja Sankalpa Yatra, at his Lotus Pond residence. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. The Kollam land board had given direction to acquire the disputed land back after it was reclassified as government property. (Representational image) Kollam: Over 35 tribal families under Adivasi Dalit Munnetta Samithi (ADMS) have encroached and set up shacks in the revenue land at Malapathur in Veliyam in the wee hours of Wednesday. The revenue authorities including the police later shifted the protesters, mostly women, to the Kottarakkara police station where a meeting with the Kollam district collector has been scheduled. They have been pacified assuring that the issue would be addressed after the elections. The land was allegedly grabbed by a quarry mafia and the local residents have been protesting there for the past several years. Meanwhile, the environmentalists allege the move to be in favour of the quarry lobby. The Kollam land board had given direction to acquire the disputed land back after it was reclassified as government property. However, no action has been taken by the authorities apparently supporting the mafia, they allege. The FIR was registered by the Kollam vigilance regarding the land grab in November 2017 but has not yet been submitted before the court. The protesters raised their demand to cancel the permits sanctioned to the quarry unit functioning in Veliyam panchayat claiming it as a threat to environment and human life. A commission appointed by the High Court had also found the industry using a road which is just 4.5 meters in width, against the mandate as per the Hazard Occupancy Law. The tipper lorries plying through the road is a potential threat to the school children who have to share the same narrow road, it is alleged. The area was also a natural habitat of peacocks which has been swept away with the functioning of the quarry. The one-month discount offer, provided on the occasion of extending usage of the card to private bus platform, ended on April three. Kochi: Kochi1 card, the country's first inter-modal transit card, is finally finding favour among the passengers. The daily sales of the pre-paid smart card has risen by eight times in the last one month when the Axis Bank, which tied up with the Kochi Metro Rail Ltd to roll out the open loop card, provided 100 per cent discount on the card fee. "There has been a substantial increase in the Kochi1 card sales, with the per day average card sales increasing by eight times during the period," Sanjeev Moghe, Head-Cards & Payments, Axis Bank, told DC. The one-month discount offer, provided on the occasion of extending usage of the card to private bus platform, ended on April three. The total sales of the cards touched the 30, 000-mark from 26, 000 a month ago. The country's third largest private sector bank now intends to take the momentum forward by making the cards easily available. "To increase accessibility, the cards will be made available across all Axis Bank branches and also through various retail outlets across the city. Customers will also be able to recharge the cards at these locations. We're also setting up issuance kiosks at various events and corporates in Kochi," the senior official said. The bus operators too are providing five percent discount on the tickets to boost the usage of the cards. This is in addition to 20 per cent discount on metro rides and 33 per cent discount on metro trip passes. Commuters also benefit from various discount offers from a range of merchants across the city. The cards can be used currently in 50 buses and another 100 buses will soon accept the smart cards soon. Meanwhile, the Axis Bank is in talks with autorickshaw drivers over extending the card usage. "We've had initial discussion with autorickshaws. We'll work with them to come up on a user friendly and scalable solution," Sanjeev Moghe said. The channel was launched on March 31 and was promoted by the BJP as well as the related accounts. (Photo: Twitter | Narendra Modi) New Delhi: DTH service provider Tata Sky on Thursday clarified that NaMo TV is not a Hindi news service but a special service via internet that doesnt need a government license. Harit Nagpal, CEO of Tata Sky said, NaMo TV is not a Hindi News service. If someone in the frontline at Tata Sky has tweeted or said that it is a news service, it is a mistake. Nagpal said the channel does not fall into any genre and the feed is coming from the BJP via Internet. Earlier, Tata Sky had tweeted that the channel is a Hindi news service which provides the latest breaking news on national politics. Tata Sky also revealed that the channel is added to all subscribers as a launch offer and there is no option to delete the individual channel. Channel no 512 is NAMO TV, it is a Hindi news service which provides the latest breaking news on national politics ^Rudra Tata Sky (@TataSky) March 28, 2019 Amid opposition allegations that BJP has violated the model code of conduct, the Election Commission has asked for a report on the channel from the Information and Broadcasting Ministry. NaMo TV has PMs initials and his image as its logo is available on various DTH and cable TV platforms. It has been airing PM Modis speeches and interviews of BJP leaders. However, it is not clear who owns the channel or how it is funded. The channel was launched on March 31 and was promoted by the BJP as well as the related accounts. After the launch, PM Modi tweeted urging the citizens to watch his interaction with other leaders live on the channel. The day we were most looking forward to is here! At 5 PM, lakhs of Chowkidars from different parts of India will interact in the historic #MainBhiChowkidar programme. This is an interaction you must not miss. Watch it live on the NaMoApp or NaMo TV. pic.twitter.com/XXKkLUuE7X Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 31, 2019 Top sources in Information and Broadcasting ministry said that the channel is an advertising platform that doesnt need the governments approval for telecast. DTH service provider Tata Sky tweets contradict the claim. Sources also said NaMo TV "is not a normal channel" and does not figure in the official list of approved channels of the ministry. Questioning about NaMo TV, Union Finance Minister Arun jaitley said that let the appropriate authorities answer. Let the Information and Broadcasting and EC (Election Commission) comment on it. You and I should not get into it," Jaitley added. Both the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have complained to the Election Commission against the channel. The model code of conduct came into effect on March 10 after the Election Commission announced seven-phase elections from April 11 to May 19. Counting of votes will take place on May 23. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. Chennai: Contending that the DMKs past deeds exposed its hidden agenda of obstructing development, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami said the DMK was against pro-people initiatives and urged the voters to send the DMK packing home. Campaigning at Thirubuvanam for ally BJPs candidate for Sivaganga H. Raja and AIADMK candidate for Manamadurai Assembly by-election Nagarajan, on Wednesday Palaniswami said the DMK had opposed the distribution of the Pongal gift of Rs 1,000 to the poor and also the State governments cash dole of Rs 2,000 to all the BPL families in TN, under the pretext of opposing the AIADMK. But this only exposed the DMKs true intention of being anti development and against the well-being of the people, he said. Did we announce the pro-people schemes only to extend aid to our party members? Have we not attempted to distribute the cash doles to people irrespective of their party affiliations? But the DMK finds a reason to oppose the implementation of people-friendly programmes. Do we need such a party in our State? he asked and called upon the people to send the DMK packing home this Lok Sabha election. Also, Palaniswami accused the DMK of striking an opportunistic alliance and as a result that party had lost the peoples faith, he said. His AIADMK on the other hand forged an alliance with the BJP and other parties to do good to the people and to serve them. Pitching for a second term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the CM who is AIADMK joint coordinator, said the country needs a strong, efficient and determined leader like Modi to handle issues like terrorism. We have forged (such an) alliance to ensure he returns to power at the Centre again, he added. Kozhikode: Congress president Rahul Gandhi was given a rousing welcome by UDF supporters when he arrived at Karipur airport at 9 15 pm on Wednesday. He later reached Vikram Maidan at West Hill by helicopter and stayed at the government rest house. His sister and AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi stayed at Kadavu Resorts, sources said. Rahul and his team will reach Wayanad by a chopper by 9.30 a.m. on Thursday to file his nomination. A road show will be staged up to 200 metres from the collectorate in tune with election commission rules. Apart from Priyanka Gandhi, Wayanad election committee chairman Mullappally Ramachandran, AICC general secretary K.C. Venugopal, party leaders Mukul Wasnik and four staff members of Rahul Gandhi, among others, would accompany him to Wayanad. Rahul will file three sets of nominations before district collector A.R. Ajayakumar, chief electoral officer, at 11.30 a.m. Though a leaders meet was planned, it was cancelled as the SPG officials disallowed it citing the narrow road to the DCC office at Kalpetta. After the roadshow, he will leave around 12 noon, it is learnt. Wayanad district is under full security cover. Traffic restrictions will be in force in Kalpetta town from morning. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. Singh is a former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh and was in power in the state when the 16th century Babri mosque was demolished in December 1992. (Photo: ANI | Twitter) New Delhi: Ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh may face action for campaigning for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. After the Election Commission said Kalyan Singh had violated the rules of his constitutional post, President Ram Nath Kovind has sent file to the government for necessary action. President forwarded the letter to the Home Ministry after returning from an international visit. Kalyan Singh said, We're BJP workers and want BJP to emerge victorious. We want that once again Modi ji should become PM on 23rd May." Last month, Kalyan Singh had called for PM Modi's re-election "for the sake of the country". Singh is a former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh and was in power in the state when the 16th century Babri mosque was demolished in December 1992. He had quit the BJP in 1999 and returned in 2004. In 2014, soon after the BJP came to power, Kalyan Singh was appointed Governor. Congress president Rahul Gandhi filed his nomination from the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat on Thursday. (Photo: Twitter/ANI) Wayanad: After filling nomination, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said his aim is to send a message that India is one, be it North, South, East or West. He said, "I understand that my brothers and sisters in CPM will now speak against me and attack me, but I am not going to say a word against the CPM in my entire campaign." He also said that there is a feeling in South India that the way Centre, Modi ji and RSS are working its like an assault on culture and languages in South. Rahul Gandhi filed his nomination from the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat on Thursday morning. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra accompanied him during the documentation at the district collectorate. The brother sister duo took a helicopter to fly to Kalpetta in Wayanad. #WATCH Congress President Rahul Gandhi and General Secretary UP-East Priyanka Gandhi Vadra arrive at Wayanad, Kerala. pic.twitter.com/Xqcskiaoaj ANI (@ANI) April 4, 2019 Congress held a road show to mark the beginning of the party president's campaign at Wayanad, Kerala after the nomination. #WATCH Congress President Rahul Gandhi holds a roadshow in Wayanad after filing nomination. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Ramesh Chennithala also present. #Kerala pic.twitter.com/lVxKhDxGrZ ANI (@ANI) April 4, 2019 Three journalists sustained minor injuries after a barricade in Rahul Gandhi's roadshow broke. The injured were helped to the ambulance by Rahul Gandhi. Wayanad: Three journalists, including ANI reporter, sustained minor injuries after a barricade in Rahul Gandhi's roadshow broke. The injured were helped to the ambulance by Rahul Gandhi. #Kerala pic.twitter.com/JviwAgWX5h ANI (@ANI) April 4, 2019 The AICC chief, along with the state leaders including former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly Ramesh Chennithala, came out in an open vehicle after Gandhi completed the nomination procedure at the district collectorate here. As a massive crowd of supporters gathered on both sides of the road, security personnel had a tough time controlling the workers to clear the way for the vehicle. Gandhi and Priyanka, attired in a mustard and red saree, waved to the crowd. As the vehicle inched forward, Gandhi was seen shaking hands with many elated supporters. People were seen clicking photos on their mobile phones and waving flags of the Congress party and its ally Indian Union Muslim League (IUML). Earlier, Gandhi filed nomination before the district collector A R Ajayakumar here. Heavy security was in place in and around the collectorate ahead of the high profile visit of the Congress chief. While leaving the guest house in Kozhikode, the Congress chief and his sister were greeted by a huge crowd. He stopped his car and stepped out to greet party workers, who were standing there for hours. Three-year-old Zoya, who was among the people waiting to get a glimpse of the Gandhi siblings, was greeted by Rahul. "We were waiting since 8 am. Last night also we waited so long, but couldn't meet him. We are so happy that we could meet him," Zoya's mother told reporters. Rahul also shook hands with some party workers before he moved on. He later flew to Nagpur in Maharashtra to address a rally. The state party unit had requested Gandhi to contest from the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency which fell vacant following the death of Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) working president M I Shanavas last year. Shanavas was elected to Lok Sabha for consecutive two terms - 2009 and 2014 -- from the Wayanad seat which came into existence in 2009. Apart from Wayanad, Gandhi will also be contesting from the Congress stronghold of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh where he will face Union Minister Smriti Irani. Congress is contesting on 16 out of the 20 Lok Sabha seats in Kerala leaving four seats for its allies two for Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and one each for Kerala Congress (Mani) and Socialist Party (RSP). Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. Coimbatore: Election flying squad officials lodged a complaint with the Pollachi east wing police station, after fake currency notes were allegedly distributed as cash tokens during a campaign by deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam at Pollachi. According to sources, deputy chief minister O. Panneerselvam was campaigning near Pollachi town Girls Higher Secondary School on Tuesday night, in support of the AIADMK Pollachi constituency candidate, Mahendran. Hundreds of cadres from Pollachi and Valparai had assembled at the campaign spot. Flying squad officials received a secret tip off that money was being distributed to women party cadres who attended the campaign. Officials rushed to the spot on ABT road near the government middle school. On spotting the flying squad officials, a huge crowd of women started dispersing from the spot. Officials seized a few colour xerox fake currency notes of Rs 200, Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 from a few women, allegedly used as tokens for money distribution. During an enquiry, a woman told the officials that a former woman councillor of the AIADMK had brought them to the campaign area during the visit of Deputy Chief Minister OPS and distributed fake currency notes in advance, as tokens to exchange into authentic Rs 500 currency notes, at the end of the campaign. Flying squad official, Dinesh Kumar, lodged a complaint at the Pollachi east wing police station about money distribution by the ruling party, added the source. Vijayawada: After sharing power for four years, TD supremo and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu called Prime Minister Narendra Modi a maniac and alleged that the Centre had watched his house to see who was meeting him. He said Modiism had became a mania. He said he was the first person in the country to revolt against the against the atrocities and depravity of Mr Modi, criticising his former partners. The increasingly bitter attacks against Mr Modi has marked his speeches of late. Speaking to a group of Christian pastors on Thursday, Mr Naidu said YSRC chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy supported the Modi government that had attacked Christians and Muslims. He alleged that Mr Reddy was acting on the directions of the RSS and that he had met with representatives of the Hindutva organisation at his Lotus Pond residence recently. They have kept surveillance on a Chief Ministers residence. Modi has turned a hardcore maniac and Jagan has become a psycho. Will they get votes if they attack Muslims and Christians? Who are they to decide on what we eat and what we talk, he said. God is there and He will take care of me. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. BJP national president Amit Shah waves during his road show as part of the election campaign for party candidate for the Vizag Lok Sabha seat, Daggubati Purandeswari near Kancharapalem in Visakhapatnam on Thursday. (DC) VIJAYAWADA: At a public meeting in Narasaraopeta on Thursday, BJP national president Amit Shah declared that the doors of the National Democratic Alliance were permanently shut for Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. Almost his entire speech was a diatribe against Mr Naidu and had little to do with what the BJP was offering as an alternative. He said he wont be surprised if the TD makes an attempt to get back into the NDA fold. I want to make one thing clear, Mr Chandrababu Naidu, that there is no question of allowing you back into the NDA. The doors are permanently shut for you, he said. Mr Shah said the TD came to power in AP on the back of the Modi wave in 2014, and alleged that Last year, sensing that he was facing strong anti-incumbency, Naidu once again enacted a new drama and came out of the NDA to fool Andhra people. There was no bigger opportunist than Mr Naidu who would change colours as and when it suited him, Mr Shah alleged. He said that the NDA government had extended massive financial assistance to AP in the last five years and implemented a majority of the promises made in the AP Reorganisation Act. He asked how Mr Naidu could have implemented a single project in his state without Mr Modis support. He alleged that the Chief Minister had done nothing for the Andhra people and state and had only promoted his son N. Lokesh as his heir apparent. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. Hyderabad: Jana Sena president Pawan Kalyan on Wednesday asked Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao not to support YSRC president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy or he would start an agitation by taking inspiration from the Telangana agitation for social justice. "I may not become a good politician, but I am a fighter and if the support of KCR continues to Jagan I will leave politics and start an agitation seeking justice for the people," Mr Kalyan said. He asked Mr Rao to allow the people of AP to live peacefully. Mr Kalyan recalled that when Mr Rao had launched the statehood agitation, then Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy had humiliated him by asking how he would achieve Telangana when not even 10 people were supporting him. He reminded that when YSRC president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had started Odarpu yatra after the death of Dr Rajasekhar Reddy, the people of Telangana had attacked him and prevented him from touring the region. Stating that Mr Rao supported people who had openly abused him, Mr Kalyan alleged that Mr Rao was not serving social justice. Maintaining that Telangana had taught him political wisdom and Karimnagar had given him re-birth, Mr Kalyan said though a new state had been created the people were not liberated from exploitation of and suppression by the upper castes. He said the dream of the Telangana people of having a Dalit Chief Minister not fulfilled and he did not want to go into the reasons why Mr Rao had not kept his promise. While praising BSP chief Mayawati, an alliance partner of the Jana Sena, he said she was not Ms Kavitha, the daughter of Mr Rao but the daughter of a postal clerk and had risen to the position by hard work. He appealed the Jana Sena and BSP workers to work to make Ms Mayawati the Prime Minister. Ms Mayawati said the population of the community which Mr Rao belonged was less than two per cent in Telangana, whereas the SC, ST and OBC population was more than 70 per cent. She appealed to the SC, ST, BC and minority communities to united and make use of the political platform provided by the late Kanshi Ram to help the BSP to gain political power. Visakhapatnam: BJP national president Amit Shah left the party cadre in Visakhapatnam disappointed on Thursday by not speaking a word. The road show lasted for 45 minutes but Shah did not utter a single word. The road show began from Urvasi Junction and ended at Kancharpalem after which Mr Amit Shah rushed to the airport and left for Assam. BJP candidate for Visakhapatnam Lok Sabha seat Daggubati Purandeswari, state party president Kanna Lakshminarayana, BJP MLA P. Vishnu Kumar Raju, MLC P.V.N. Madhav and party candidates for the Assembly participated in the show along with Amit Shah. The crowd was very thin and there is no enthusiasm among the party workers during the rally. However, the party workers expected that Amit Shah would address them in the public meeting. But soon after the road show concluded, he joined the convoy and left the venue. 900 million voters across the country get ready to vote in the forthcoming general election. (Representational Image) Lets face it. Everyone in this country of 1.3 billion doesnt speak with an equally loud voice. Whose voices matter? Whose voices will get drowned in the din? Whose concerns will be centrestaged? The questions swirl around, as 900 million voters across the country get ready to vote in the forthcoming general election. Campaign time in India is also the peak season of punditry. Going by political pundits, and the chatter in the social media, the BJP will continue to harp on national security as the big issue, positioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the supreme leader who can take care of the country, allay Hindu fears, avenge historical wrongs, put Pakistan in its place, make India a space leader and just about everything else that one can imagine. The ruling party and its supporters will also continue to unapologetically raise the spectre of Hindu anger. In the wake of the February 14 terrorist strike in Pulwama, and Indias retaliatory attack on Balakot in Pakistan, the conventional narrative has tended to predict a second innings for Mr Modi. The Congress manifesto, released earlier this week, seeks to counter this narrative with promises of a kinder and gentler nation with a Right to Health Care Act, an expanded safety net and a lot more. Then, there are the powerful regional parties who are coming together and who resonate strongly in many parts of India. Anyone who follows current affairs will not be really surprised by any of this. We are now in the middle of the battle of the hashtags in the social media. In this fluid and fast-changing scenario, can one definitively predict poll outcomes? Is there really any one issue that unites voters in the north, south, east and west in this vast and diverse country? Travelling around a little in the neighbourhood past week, my sense is that for very many Indians, the big issue is the still the daily struggle to put food on the table, and the quest for basic amenities, amid agrarian distress. On National Highway 1, near Panipat, I met two people who were studies in contrast. Uday Vir, an agarbatti seller, was an avid supporter of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. and thrilled that the government had taken revenge on Pakistan. He was also convinced that Pakistan is now frightened and will not dare to hit back. A few feet away from Uday Vir, stood a sceptical Saroj Devi, who sold rajma-chawal and parathas on a cycle cart. Saroj, who was listening to our conversation, waded in. Was Pakistan pressured into submission after Indias 2016 surgical strike? I also watch news. Ever since her husband died, Saroj has been the sole breadwinner of her family. Every day, she stands in the blazing sun for nearly eight hours, hawking her wares to passers-by like me. Saroj, who hails from Panipats Siwah village, is trying her best to support her 17-year-old son who wishes to appear for the civil services examination. Saroj said she had not yet benefited from the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, which provides free LPG connections to all poor households. She had heard of the Congress proposed minimum income scheme, Nyuntam Aay Yojana (Nyay). She had a cryptic response. A scheme is good only if it benefits me. Otherwise, why do I need to care? I have to work for a living. Neither the Congress nor the BJP is going to feed me. It is not that development has not happened but benefits of many of the Modi governments much-publicised welfare schemes have not percolated down to all thosein need. Take Nuh, also in Haryana, and earlier called Mewat. Nuh has a new-look bus stand. It was inaugurated in 2016. It has a night shelter and a toilet complex run by the non-profit Sulabh Shauchalaya. The caretaker was a fan of Prime Minister Modi and said everything around was just fine; those who complained had only themselves to blame. Nuhs bus stand is impressive but villages in the interior are still dotted with dirt tracks and cow-dung patties; they tell another story. Here, one of the biggest issues is the severe scarcity of drinking water. In 2018, Nuh was identified by the Niti Aayog as the most backward district in India on many parameters. Glitzy Gurgaon is barely 60 km away. It is hard to believe that the millennial city of multinationals and multiplexes and Nuh are part of the same parliamentary constituency. In Nuhs Adbar village, Aaisa, a Class 10 student in a government school, was keen to talk. Her father was a labourer. Her mother, a home maker, was out collecting firewood. Aaisa said her family had not yet benefited from the government's Swacch Bharat Abhiyan and was keen to know if I could help. The family had spent their own money constructing a toilet in the house. Aaisas family does not have any access to piped water like many in Adbar village. Aaisa is good in studies and is spared the chore of fetching water from wells afar. Her teenaged sister, Saina, is not so lucky. Saina walks long distances with a matka on her head to fetch water. She dropped out of school. In Nuh town, I met two young Muslim women who worked part-time. One of them rode a scooter. Both were first-time voters; both had fought social barriers to study, and take up work. One young woman, Hanifa, a college student, told me the little money that she earned was helping to educate her two younger brothers. Hanifa is enrolled in a correspondence course in social work at the Indira Gandhi National Open University (Ignou) in New Delhi and determined to bust stereotypes about Mewats Muslim women. She covers her head with a scarf and smiles insouciantly as I take a photo of her, riding her scooter. One of Indias 15 million first-time voters, she believes that education should be the top political priority, and education alone can equip one to make informed choices. The voices I heard were disparate, diverse. Like India itself. Whose voices will matter eventually? The jury is out. BELL bottoms were in vogue, and many young men tended to wear their hair long, at the beginning of Pakistans first experiment with popular and arguably populist democracy. In the dying days of 1971, following the fall of Dhaka, the military high command had summoned Zulfikar Ali Bhutto home from New York, where he had been dramatically representing the nation at the United Nations as its interim foreign minister, and installed him as president and chief martial law administrator. It was a new start for a seemingly very different Pakistan from the one that had existed before. Notwithstanding the bloodbath that had sealed the nations fate as an entity with two distant and disparate wings, it was possible to hope that the enthusiasm that had driven the grassroots rebellion of 1968-69 would at last bear fruit. Less than six years later, though, the same forces that had thwarted the initial prospect of democracy with ruthless killings decided that the experiment was out of control and must be halted. In due course it was determined that it wasnt enough to dethrone the countrys first popularly elected prime minister. Any prospect of his return to power had to be written off in absolute terms. Thus it was that 40 years ago tonight Bhutto was carted off from his death cell in Rawalpindi to the gallows, and life was decisively and irrevocably snuffed out of him. His wife and elder daughter were denied the opportunity to attend his burial. Many among those of us who lived through those times may not clearly recall the trauma exacerbated by the rejoicing in some quarters but it lingers on, at least subconsciously. For the Bhuttos there were many more tragedies to follow. Its ill-fortune is sometimes compared to a Shakespearean tragedy, but even the Bard might have restrained himself from choosing such a bleak end for so many members of a single family. And one can only wonder how ZAB himself might have reappraised his political career had he even an inkling of what lay ahead for three quarters of his progeny. He could not, of course, possibly have known any of this as a young man insinuating himself into the portals of power under Iskander Mirza, then shifting his loyalty to Pakistans first military dictator, Ayub Khan, and egging him on towards a pointless war with India. Soon afterwards he reinvented himself as the leading figure in the resistance against the Ayub dictatorship, in the process attracting a considerable proportion of progressive forces, young and old, towards the Pakistan Peoples Party he formed in 1967. Within a decade, most of the left-wing party stalwarts had been sidelined, expelled, in some cases imprisoned, or drifted away from the PPP, replaced in many cases by the kind of feudals who sense which way the wind is blowing before they pledge their allegiance, and whose loyalty is inevitably ephemeral. By 1977, even the mild-mannered Dr Mubashir Hasan, in whose Lahore house the PPP had been founded, had dissociated himself from the ruling clique. Sycophancy had undoubtedly played a key role in ZABs elevation from a clearly clever and charming nonentity to a prominent political figure. Despite that experience, he tended to prefer sycophants to those who might critique his wayward tendencies or wackier policies. It turned out to be a fatal flaw in the case of the seemingly dim-witted man he elevated to the post of armed forces chief. There can be little doubt that the manner in which the PPP approached the 1977 election was profoundly problematic. And the irony is that it would, in most estimates, have easily acquired a safe parliamentary majority without resorting to the kind of shenanigans it did. The governments response to the protests that followed was appallingly misguided, as were its concessions to the Islamists who tended to dominate the hastily cobbled-together Pakistan National Alliance. Nonetheless, an agreement of sorts was eventually hammered out with the opposition. Before it could be announced, Ziaul Haq made his move. In the end, the Federal Security Force, the personal militia that Bhutto had injudiciously set up, proved worse than useless it helped pave his path to the gallows. The early years of the Bhutto regime were replete with opportunities that were repeatedly squandered, not least the chance to confine the army forces to the barracks. Long before ZAB experimented with martial law in key cities in 1977, he opened up a free-fire range for the military in Balochistan. In a sense, his rule (and, broadly speaking, Pakistan in general) never quite recovered from that monumental folly. The PPP, still feudal to its core, occasionally dredged up the roti, kapra aur makan slogan. But it survives chiefly as a testament to an era when it seemed remotely possible. And as a reminder of a tragically lost leader. By arrangement with Dawn If you and I were conscientious chowkidars not by grabbing power to presumably protect others, but by guarding our senses, cultivating a spiritual sense of security, defending the weak and protecting mother earth, what a wonderful world wed have! There would be no need of guns and chowkidars. Wed feel supremely secure in God alone. A chowkidar-recruit was posted at the bank entrance to shoot anyone who dared enter at night. All went well till he spied the towns wealthiest businessman trying to break-in one night with his burly bodyguard. Bowing before the businessman, he said politely, Excuse me, saheb, Im new to this job whom should I shoot? You or your bodyguard? Nowadays, chai-gallas and chowks are agog with chowkidar conversations ups and downs, joys and sorrows and qualifications and disqualifications. While its socio-political and economic nuances have been discussed threadbare, its subtler scriptural and spiritual lights have been eclipsed and could be reflected upon. Devoid of electricity and security systems, the image of a guard or a watchman was important in the ancient world, with the Bible having over 180 references. Chowkidars protected rulers and elders, as well as their possessions and documents. Egyptian pharaohs, Babylonian kings and Indian rajas have been served by conscientious chowkidars. Guards also watched over prisoners. Thus, in a positive perspective, the chowkidar symbolises power, protection, security and watchfulness. Societies with a high number of chowkidars and security-men are presumably more corrupt and dangerous; for there wouldnt be a need for chowkidars if there werent cheats and robbers active in them. Moreover, a deeply spiritual person wouldnt need protection; for, St Paul writes: I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that God is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him. In direct contrast to the honest chowkidar, theres the wicked watchman ever watchful for indulging in devious deeds. The eye of the adulterer watches for dusk, and the murderer watches in secret for his victims. Not surprisingly, Judas who betrayed Jesus watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to his torturers. Jesus often warns about the careless chowkidar who allows thieves to break in at night due to drowsiness or drunkenness, and the crafty chowkidar who does not raise an alarm in danger simply because he is an accomplice: a partner in crime. Over and above the abovementioned references to chowkidars, two are most crucial: God is a chowkidar since God watches over us and will neither slumber nor sleep. Indeed, the eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good. Besides Gods watchfulness and protection, you and I are called to be chowkidars guarding ourselves from the wiles of the world through a deep awareness of what goes on within and without. If you and I were conscientious chowkidars not by grabbing power to presumably protect others, but by guarding our senses, cultivating a spiritual sense of security, defending the weak and protecting mother earth, what a wonderful world wed have! There would be no need of guns and chowkidars. Wed feel supremely secure in God alone. The Narendra Modi government has to stop using Pakistan as an electoral game-changer to score poll points, and step away from the ultra-nationalist rhetoric and truly put India first. The day that Pakistans President Pervez Musharraf drove into his official residence, set in the barricaded General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, from a road bound on one side by a row of horse-drawn tongas and the chatter of roadside vendors who miss nothing, no one expected a bomb to go off. It blew up the bridge the presidential motorcade had just passed through, leaving a huge crater in its wake, imperilling the life of Pakistans head of state. That was in December 2003. Two previous attempts against the President had similarly failed. He would be the target of one more. Shockingly, the very same general who brought Pakistan to the brink of war with India in a bid to prove that he was more Pakistani than Mohajir with the 1999 Kargil misadventure (his ancestral roots lie in Old Delhi), and then saw the rug pulled from under his feet by the obstreperous Lal Krishna Advani playing the spoiler at the Agra Summit in June 2001, was the target. Was Gen. Musharraf paying the price for reaching out to India? Or was it for trying and failing to cut the establishments militant arm, the Jaish-e-Mohammed and others of its ilk, down to size. Gen. Musharraf admitted as much in a revealing interview months ago, where he said he was unable to act against terror groups like the Jaish when he was President as they were under the protection of the Pakistan Army, that ironically he headed. Clearly, just as he had once been backed by a secret coterie within the armed forces and the intelligence community, the so-called Deep State that gave him carte blanche to move against Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto, his civilian bete noires, Gen. Musharraf was now at the receiving end of their ire. He was seen as eminently dispensable, and it wasnt just for the Indian outreach he had embarked on, without their blessings. In retrospect, ill-advisedly, he may have planned to present the keepers of the faith with a fait accompli. Ailing and in poor health now, after he was forced to step down after a decidedly unusual lawyers movement led by the then Chief Justice himself, and accused of treason by a Nawaz Sharif government that was seeking to settle old scores, he was allowed to take refuge in the United Arab Emirates. Nawaz Sharif, incidentally, is refusing to take that route to redemption. Either way, the salutary lesson is this that anyone who messes with the two no-nos held sacred by the Pakistani State seeking to change the status of India as the eternal enemy and the jihadis as patriots would be drummed out of office. Across the border, in this andher nagri, a Delhi under Atal Behari Vajpayee had given way to a Manmohan Singh-led Congress, that not only found its hands tied by a vocal Opposition in the form of the BJP that blocked any and every move to open dialogue with the western neighbour, but also was being blamed for a policy paralysis on Pakistan. And yet, the next government that came in, headed by the hawkish Prime Minister Narendra Modi, did just that. Not only did the BJP leader not think through on the ramifications of his overture to a Pakistani civilian by the name of Mian Mohammed Nawaz Sharif, who had begun to believe in his own invincibility after he had won elections and had become Prime Minister for the third time, the question that struck one at that time as it all went south, within minutes of the Narendra Modi-Nawaz Sharif meeting in New Delhi at Mr Modis swearing-in, was this did Mr Modis advisers not factor in that any India-Pakistan bonhomie would only spell finis for Mr Sharif, as it would for any politician who did not dance to the tune of the unseen Pakistani puppeteer? Was this the sum and substance of Indias Pakistan policy? An invitation to a swearing-in? Followed by an inexplicable public dressing down of an India-leaning Pakistani leader by a low-level government official, and months later by the decidedly odd, unannounced visit to Mr Sharifs grand-daughters wedding in Lahore. An Uri and a Pathankot could have been predicted by any Pakistan watcher. In todays Naya Pakistan, the names of personalities who sit at the high table may have changed. But neither the personable Imran Khan as Prime Minister nor Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa, the peacenik military chief, will cross the unwritten, unspoken line on India. Both men have made all the right noises. First, with the Kartarpur Corridor and now Sharda Peeth. But these grand photo-ops do nothing to erase the central premise that eats away at the India-Pakistan narrative. Neither Imran Khan nor Gen. Bajwas public disavowals of terrorism and the Pakistani nation being victims of terror garner sympathy internationally, when the world knows that there is a standing army of jihadis, well-armed and trained, a call away from war. Pulwama, which the Jaish-e-Mohammed took responsibility for, only hardened the perception that unlike the fiction of the Pakistani military not being involved in 26/11 in the 72-hour siege of Mumbai, the story that the men behind Pulwama too were non-state actors simply didnt wash. Except, could they have been acting on their own? As Prime Minister Narendra Modi shifts his own narrative to suit his election campaign that papers over the domestic to project himself as the last man standing between him and the enemy at the gates, he must realise that the Pakistan we see today cannot be tamed by surgical strikes, by a Balakot and a Balasore. Drumming up support against Islamabads army of the pure requires a far savvier Delhi to go public with no, not the details of Balakot but the danger of a Pakistani state within a state that marches to its own drummer and harbours militant organisations that no longer operate under its control. Pakistan must be forced to purge its military and bureaucracy of the jihadist sympathisers that hold the state, and the entire South Asian region, to ransom. More important, the Narendra Modi government has to stop using Pakistan as an electoral game-changer to score poll points, and step away from the ultra-nationalist rhetoric and truly put India first. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a bacterium that causes infection in various parts of the body, is often called a superbug thanks to its ability to dodge many common antibiotics. (Photo: Pixabay) Boston: Exposing superbugs to blue light can render them defenseless against even mild antiseptics, according to a study that may help leverage the fight against the growing global threat of drug-resistant bacteria. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a bacterium that causes infection in various parts of the body, is often called a superbug thanks to its ability to dodge many common antibiotics. Although most MRSA infections are not serious, some can be life-threatening, sometimes resulting in amputation of the infected appendage, researchers said in a statement. Rather than trying multi-drug combinations or wasting precious time determining which medicine to prescribe, doctors could soon use light therapy for disarming the superbugs, according to a study published in the journal Advanced Science. Researchers at Purdue University and Boston University have discovered that exposing the bug to blue light can render it defenseless against antiseptics like hydrogen peroxide. This new tool can treat any superficial wo-und infected with MRSA, which are typically very difficult to treat, said Mohamed Seleem, a professor of microbiology at Purdue University. The device itself is very small and easy to use. Were hoping that in the next few years, anyone could carry it around in their purse, said Seleem. Some bacteria, including certain strains of staph, produce pigments, associated with the organism's ability to damage the host. If the pigment is reduced, the organisms activity in the body may also be curbed. This practice is known as photobleaching, researchers said. When you bleach something in washing machine, youre extracting the colour using chemicals. What were doing here is similar, but were using blue light, he said. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. She initially said that she wanted to use the pool, but later claimed she was there to attend a non-existent UN Friendship Event. A Chinese woman has been charged with allegedly carrying a thumb drive loaded with malware to Mar-a-Lago resort, which is owned by US President Donald Trump. According to Engadget, the woman, Yujing Zhang, has been charged with making false statements to a federal officer and entering the restricted property after she visited the resort on March 30 with the malware-ridden USB drive. She initially said that she wanted to use the pool, but later claimed she was there to attend a non-existent UN Friendship Event and wanted to speak to a member of the Presidents family about Chinas economic relationship with the US. In addition to the USB drive, she was also carrying four cellphones, a laptop, an external hard drive, and two Republic of China passports. It is not clear what her true intentions were as Trump was also staying at the resort at the time. However, the malware and the pattern of behaviour including lying about her purpose of visit, the unusual gear, and timing of the visit raise concerns about it being an attempt to compromise systems. If there was any malicious intent, Zhang could have swiped sensitive information. She was caught by the receptionist after she talked about attending the false event and wasnt on the propertys access list either. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. SK Telecom and two smaller carriers had planned to initially launch 5G in South Korea on Friday with Samsung Electronics new 5G-enabled smartphone Galaxy S10. South Koreas three mobile carriers and top US telco Verizon Communications commercially launched 5G services on Wednesday, ahead of their initial schedules, as they rushed for the first spot in the race to roll out the latest wireless technology. SK Telecom and two smaller carriers had planned to initially launch 5G in South Korea on Friday with Samsung Electronics new 5G-enabled smartphone Galaxy S10. Verizon was due to roll out the technology in Chicago and Minneapolis on April 11 and said last month customers could use 5G on Motorolas Z3 and a Moto Mod, a physical magnet-like attachment for the phone. Countries including South Korea, the United States, China and Japan are racing to market 5G, hoping the technology will spur breakthrough in fields such as smart cities and autonomous cars. The technology can offer 20-times faster data speeds than 4G long-term evolution (LTE) networks and better support for artificial intelligence and virtual reality with low latency. Sometimes it can offer 100-times faster speeds. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Trump said that the Hanoi summit ended without any deal due to disagreements over the scope of North Korea's denuclearisation and sanctions relief from the US. (Photo: ANI) Washington: United States President Donald Trump said that the last meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ended abruptly without reaching an agreement as Pyongyang was not "ready for a deal." Yonhap news agency quoted the US President while addressing the National Republican Congressional Committee on Tuesday, saying, "We had a walk. He wasn't ready for a deal. That's OK. Because we get along great." "He wasn't ready. I told him, 'You're not ready for a deal.' That's the first time anybody has ever told him that and left. Never happened to him before," Trump continued while adding, "Nobody's ever left, but I said, 'You're not ready for a deal, but we'll make a deal.' We have a good relationship." Trump said that the Hanoi summit ended without any deal due to disagreements over the scope of North Korea's denuclearisation and sanctions relief from the US During their first summit in Singapore in June 2018, both Trump and Kim had agreed to "work towards" complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula in exchange for the US security guarantees. In order to break the impasse between North Korea and the US, South Korean President Moon Jae-in has offered to travel to Washington next week and hold talks with Trump on April 11. Despite the breakdown of the second USA-North Korea summit, Trump had maintained that the relationship with the elusive state continues to be "good". On March 23, Trump removed additional "large-scale" US Treasury sanctions on North Korea in a bid to keep denuclearisation talks with North Korea on track. Washington: India is one of the highest taxing nations in the world, US President Donald Trump has alleged as he again slammed the country for imposing 100 per cent tariffs on American products, including the iconic Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Such a high tariff is not fair, Trump said Tuesday during National Republican Congressional Committee Annual Spring Dinner here. Early this year, at a White House event to announce his support for reciprocal tax, Trump had said he was satisfied with the Indian decision to reduce the import tariff on Harley-Davidson motorcycles from 100 per cent to 50 per cent. "Even this is not enough, this is okay," he said at that time. Trump has repeatedly claimed that India is a "tariff king" and imposes "tremendously high" tariffs on American products. "I got a call from Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi of India. They're one of the highest taxing nations in the world. They taxed us 100 per cent," Trump said reiterating his often-heard remarks on Indian tariff structure. "They charge us 100 per cent tariffs on goods. So they send a motorcycle--and they make a lot of them--Indian cycles. They send them to our country, we charge them nothing. We send a Harley Davidson to India and they charge us 100 per cent. Not fair, okay. Not reciprocal. It's not fair," Trump said. During his address to the National Republican Congressional Committee Annual Spring Dinner, Trump explained how his trade policies are successfully addressing the balance of trade issue with other countries. Trade talks with China are going on very well, he said. The world's two largest economies are locked in a trade war since Trump imposed heavy tariffs on imported steel and aluminium items from China in March last year, a move that sparked fears of a global trade war. Trump imposed tariff hikes of up to 25 per cent on USD 250 billion of Chinese goods. In response, China, the world's second largest economy after the US, imposed tit-for-tat tariffs on USD 110 billion of American goods. Top trade officials from America and China are holding talks to negotiate a comprehensive trade deal. "I think we're doing very well. They need the deal more than we do. They need the deal. And they getting hurt badly with they're paying 25 per cent on USD 50 billion worth of technology stuff and they were going to pay 25 per cent on another USD 200 billion," he said. Trump said his administration is fixing broken trade deals to protect the American workers. "We are standing up to China's chronic trading abuses and theft of intellectual properties and so many other things that they've done to us," he said. "I don't know how you people allowed this to happen for so many years. You've been here longer than me. But they really have, they've taken advantage of our country. And you know what? I respect them for it. I say it. We should have been doing that to them, he said. Trump described Chinese President Xi Jinping as a king. "I was in China making a speech," Trump recounted. "President Xi, who is a strong man, I call him 'king.' He said, 'But I am not king, I am president'. I said, 'No, you are president for life, and therefore you are king.' He said, 'Huh. Huh.' He liked that. I call him 'king.' I get along with him great," he said. "So I call him King. I get along with them great. But I was really hitting him hard about how they've hurt our country. And I had 5,000 Chinese people, I'm China, I'm in Beijing doing this, can you believe it? And I'm looking down, he's getting angrier and angrier. And then I saved it. I said, "You know, I don't blame you. I blame the leaders of our country for allowing it to happen." And it's really true. We should never have allowed that to happen, Trump said. New York: Its simply a human touch. Hes a warm, affectionate person. 'He hugs everybody. In the days since allegations surfaced of uninvited touching on the part of Joe Biden, several women in politics and beyond have been coming to his defense, vouching for his character and saying it was merely his old-fashioned tactile style at issue nothing intentional, and certainly nothing sexual. But the nature of the defense, coming frequently but not exclusively from older women, as well as Bidens own assertion that he never felt he was acting inappropriately, raises some uncomfortable questions. Chief among them: If Biden really had no idea what he was doing, is he simply too out of step to be his partys standard-bearer in the #MeToo era? Theres a bit of not getting it when it comes to the gender story here, said Debbie Walsh, director of the Centre for American Women and Politics. To me, theres been a patronising quality to this, an alpha male asserting himself physically, that I think is problematic for him. Neither Lucy Flores, the former Nevada politician who described an uncomfortable kiss on the back of her head, nor the other four women who came forward with their own stories before Wednesday have accused the former vice-president of sexual harassment. On Wednesday night, The Washington Post reported that three more women had recounted uncomfortable encounters with Biden. One of them, Vail Kohnert-Yount, said she was a White House intern in the spring of 2013 when she met Biden in the West Wing and that, as they chatted, he put his hand on the back of her head and pressed his forehead to hers and called her a pretty girl. London: British Prime Minister Theresa Mays offer to work with the Opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn in order to deliver a Brexit deal has not gone down well within her party. She has been cautioned that it could destroy the Conservative party. Eurosceptic MPs have been horrified with her offer. A string of Tory MPs directly challenged her opening the door to a softer Brexit, which could involve tearing up a manifesto commitment not to pursue a customs union. The PM wrote to all Conservative MPs on Wednesday morning explaining her decision, blaming the failure of the Democratic Unionist party and leave-supporting backbenchers to support her deal. The question is how can we get parliament to ratify the deal? The government would have preferred to do so based on Conservative and DUP votes. But, having tried three times, it is clear that is unlikely to happen, she said. She added: I realise some of you will be concerned about the government discussing the way forward with the Opposition. However, with some colleagues unwilling to support the government in the division lobbies, this is the only way to deliver the smooth, orderly Brexit that we promised and for which the British people voted. May and Corbyn were due to hold talks later on Wednesday with the possibility of hammering out a common position by the end of the week. Any deal would then be presented to the EU at a summit next week with the aim of leaving on May 22 and avoiding European parliamentary elections. If that fails, No 10 will move to holding a series of votes in parliament on options, including a runoff between her deal and alternatives such as a customs union, while agreeing to abide by the results. Corbyn said he was very happy to talk to May about Labours vision for Brexit, which would include a permanent customs union and stronger workers rights protections. However, he will face a dilemma over whether to push for any deal to be put to a public vote through a second referendum, a key demand of many senior figures in his party and many of its members. Steve Barclay, the Brexit secretary, did not rule out giving in to demands for a second referendum, telling MPs: I dont think we should have a second referendum because it takes us back to square one, is my personal view, but the PM will have discussions and we will see where they lead. However, he also suggested there may be limited appetite for a compromise on the Conservative side, while insisting the talks were being pursued in good faith. I personally think a customs union is highly undesirable. Were not setting preconditions, but nor is this a blank cheque, he told BBC Radio 4s Today. Eurosceptics appeared to be deeply shocked by Mays move, as many of them had been holding out hope that she would pivot towards a no-deal Brexit after her withdrawal agreement failed to get through the House of Commons three times. Stewart Jackson, a former Tory MP and Brexit adviser, suggested a fresh move be made against May. Isnt it time Graham Brady and the executive committee of the 1922 reviewed the rules and instigated a fresh leadership ballot? May has no mandate to pursue the Corbyn pact, she said. In a hard-hitting speech, regional PDP president and former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday said India troops will be considered as occupational forces in the state, the day New Delhi revokes Article 370. Amit Shah sahab, Mehbooba Mufti aap se keh rahi hai, jis din aap 370 ko khatam karoge, you will be an occupational force in Jammu & Kashmir, jis tarah Palestine pe Israel ka kabza hai usi tarah Jammu &Kashmir main Hindustan ka kabza hoga, agar aapne 370 ko khatam kiya. (Amit Shah sir, Mehbooba Mufti is telling you that the day you scrap Article 370,) you will be an occupational force in Jammu & Kashmir, like Israel is an occupational force in Palestine, the firebrand PDP chief said while reacting to BJP national president Amit Shahs recent assertions on Article 370. Addressing a poll rally in Pattan area of north Kashmirs Baramulla district, Mehbooba warned that if Article 370 is abolished, then India will have no claim over Jammu and Kashmir. Shah had recently said that that removing Article 35-A has been in the BJP manifesto since 1950 and it will happen by 2020. It has not happened till now as we do not have a majority in Rajya Sabha, but I believe it will happen by 2020. Removing Article 35A has been in our manifesto since 1950, it is our commitment to the people of the country, Shah said. However, Mehbooba warned that youth of the Kashmir would give every drop of its blood to fight for their constitutional right. Article 370 grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir, while Article 35A empowers the state legislature to define the states "permanent residents" and their special rights and privileges. Reacting to Amit Shahs statement that the BJP ended its alliance with the PDP in Jammu and Kashmir (in June 2018) when the later pressurized the former to repeal AFSPA, the PDP chief reminded Shah why did he forget that the BJP leaders touched feet of (late) Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and pleaded to form the government with them and accepted all the conditions Dialogue with Hurriyat, revocation of AFSPA, safeguard of Article 370, talks with Pakistan and separatists and return of power projects. You accepted and signed all these conditions, she said while referring to Agenda of Alliance document signed by the two parties before forming a coalition government in the restive state in March 2015. Indian Army has recovered the wreckage of a US Air Force's World War-II aircraft that was buried deep under the snow in a remote corner of Arunachal Pradesh. The plane may be one of the nearly 400 aircraft that went missing in the China-Burma-India theatre of operations during the World-War-II while crossing the notorious Himalayan Hump. It took a 12-member Indian Army team to trek for 8 days to reach the wreckage site at Roing district from where the remains were recovered on March 30. The region had seldom been ventured by anyone in the past and is even obscured from the air due to thick foliage. The patrol located the aircraft debris covered by thick undergrowth and buried under five feet of snow, an Indian Army spokesperson said in a statement. Based on the information received from local trekkers of Lower Dibang district through the police, a special patrol of Army was sent to locate the wreckage in a remote location, 30 km from Roing. The patrol moved cross country for 30 kilometre in thick jungles and snow covered areas for eight days to trace out the wreckage, he added. The Army team was assisted by one policeman. In the past, wreckages of WW-II aircraft were recovered from North East India. One of the recent discoveries was the human remains from the wreckage of a B24 bomber, nicknamed Hot as Hell that crashed in a remote corner of Arunachal Pradesh in January 1944. While the site was identified in 2006, the human remains were recovered only in 2016. Despite the risks, flying over the Hump was necessary during the WW-II as the Allied Forces were building an aero-bridge to maintain the supply line for the Chinese war effort of Chiang Kai-shek and the units of the United States Army Air Forces based in China. According to one estimate, more than 1,300 US veterans were lost in the China-Burma-India theatre. In recent years, several crash sites were located in Assam, Nagaland, and Tripura. The discovery of the vintage aircraft and other warlike stores will definitely lead to the revelation of some historical inputs, said the Army spokesperson. RIDLEY TOWNSHIP An investigation spurred by a township fathers Facebook post resulted in the arrest of a Prospect Park man and former Megans Law registrant for luring and related offenses. Arrested Tuesday night, David Fetter, 54, of the 700 block of Lincoln Avenue, was preliminarily arraigned Wednesday on charges of luring a child into a motor vehicle or structure, a first-degree misdemeanor offense, and harassment and disorderly conduct, both summary offenses. Fetter whose criminal history includes stalking, harassment, DUI and drug possession in Delaware and Chester counties, according to authorities and online records was the same man who was previously charged with summary harassment and fined regarding an incident involving the same family back in the summer of 2017, township Police Capt. Scott Willoughby said. It is very concerning to me that this involved another member of the same family, Willoughby said. I just find it odd it doesnt seem possible to be random. The recent incident took place at Dale and Secane roads on March 30 as a 17-year-old girl was standing outside her residence in the townships Secane section waiting for an ice cream truck, according to Willoughby. A gold sedan operated by a white male approached the teen as she was standing by the side of the road. Hey you, come here, the then-unidentified driver reportedly said to the teen, while motioning with his finger, according to an online police release. According to Willoughby, the victim recognized the vehicle from the previous incident involving another member of her family and immediately ran safely back to her house and notified her parents. The incident was captured on surveillance video and subsequently posted by the teens father on Facebook, accompanied by a warning to others about the incident. We were made aware of the video, Willoughby said, adding that an investigation immediately commenced. According to Willoughby, a family member of the defendant recognized the vehicle in the video as belonging to Fetter and notified police. He has a problem, the relative allegedly told police. Willoughby said Fetter was arrested Tuesday night at his apartment without incident. According to Willoughby, Fetter was previously listed as a Tier 1 sexual offender under Megans Law, but his current inactive status no longer requires him to register with Pennsylvania State Police as a sexual offender, nor is community notification required. Back in 2009, according to Daily Times archives, authorities in Chester County Upper arrested Fetter for stalking, harassment and related offense after calling an Upper Uwchlan woman to quiz her about her feet. The woman hung up, but police were able to trace to call to Fetter using phone records. In an interview with police, Fetter admitted making the call to fulfill his fetish. At the time, police said records indicated that Fetter had made 126 calls to women within a 90-minute period, all of them an attempt by Fetter to engage women in conversations about their feet. Fetter pleaded guilty to harassment by repeated communication in an anonymous manner and was sentenced to 14 to 29 days confinement followed by probation, according to online records. In 2006, Fetter was charged with stalking and harassment following an incident at an Upper Darby gas station where he kneeled on the ground in front of the female, removed her shoe and began to massage her foot, police said at the time, adding that Fetter subsequently admitted his fetish. Subsequently, Fetter pleaded guilty to harassment as was sentenced to a maximum of one year probation, 32 hours of community service, and was required to undergo a psychosexual evaluation, according to online records. According to Willoughby, Fetter did not make any reference to the teens feet during the March 30 incident, though he did make reference to her sisters feet in the incident back in 2017. Fetter is currently being held at the county prison after failing to post bail, which was set at 10 percent of $50,000, in the luring case, according to online court records. A preliminary hearing is listed for April 15 before Magisterial District Judge Philip S. Turner. It was not immediately known if Fetter had retained an attorney in that case. Meanwhile, Fetter is facing trial in Media for DUI and related motor vehicle violations following an arrest by Pennsylvania State Police on July 15, 2018. A pre-trial conference is scheduled for April 8. His attorney in that case was not immediately available after business hours Wednesday. RIDLEY PARK Two borough police officers, an off-duty Boeing firefighter and a passing civilian motorist were all being hailed as heroes for assisting a man trapped in this third-floor apartment after a fast-moving fire broke out Wednesday afternoon. According to borough Police Chief Robert Frazier, borough officers Michael Hanly and Jason Golden were among rescuers who responded to the three-alarm blaze in the 100 block of West Ridley Avenue about 3:30 p.m. The century-old building is subdivided into six apartments; four were occupied when the fire ignited, the chief said. Describing the man as being semi-trapped on the third floor due to mobility issues, Frazier said Hanly and Golden used the rear fire escape to reach him, and Hanly used his body to help brace the man as he climbed down to safety. That man, along with three female occupants who managed to flee the building on their own, all suffered smoke inhalation and were being treated at Crozer-Chester Medical Center Wednesday night. Hanly suffered minor burns and smoke inhalation and was also treated at Crozer, the chief said. According to Frazier, John Byrne, an off-duty Boeing firefighter who was on his way home from the gym when he heard the call, also provided assistance at the scene, along with a passing motorist. The cause of the blaze, which Frazier said destroyed the building, remains under investigation by the Ridley Park fire marshal, Pennsylvania State Police and the Delaware County Criminal Investigation Division. Friends and co-workers of the officers turned to Facebook to laud their actions, and offer prayers for a speedy recovery. ROSE QUINN A tragic murder at a Radnor Wawa March 28 is precisely the sort of situation state Sen. Tom Killion, R-9 of Middletown, sought to prevent with legislation he authored last year to remove weapons from the subjects of protection from abuse orders. Had a PFA been in place and it was after April 11 he wouldnt have his guns, Killion said. They would have been confiscated within 24 hours. Brian Kennedy, 34, of the Devon section of Tredyffrin Township, is facing first-degree murder and related charges for allegedly walking into the Wawa with an AR-15 style rifle and shooting his 37-year-old ex-wife, Stephanie Miller. A protection from abuse order Miller had obtained against Kennedy in Delaware County expired in September and Miller did not seek to renew it, according to authorities and her boyfriend. Delaware County District Attorney Katayoun Copeland said Kennedy legally purchased the firearm March 16. He passed a background check that showed he had no convictions legally preventing him from obtaining the weapon, Copeland said. Killion was the prime sponsor of Senate Bill 501, which passed with broad support last March and went on to the state House. State Rep. Marguerite Quinn, R-143 of Doylestown, adopted the language of Killions bill into her own, House Bill 2060, which was later also adopted by the Senate and signed into law by Gov. Tom Wolf. The law, which goes into effect April 11, requires individuals subject to a protection from abuse order to surrender all firearms in their possession to a law enforcement agency, federally licensed firearms dealer or their lawyer within 48 hours and makes them ineligible to purchase a new firearm. The law drastically amends a previous timeframe of 60 days to turn over weapons and eliminates the ability to hand the firearms over to a third party such as a relative or neighbor. Killion said Wednesday that if the bill had been in place when Miller obtained her PFA, Kennedy would have been relieved of any guns in his possession at that time and his name would have been added to a registry barring him from purchasing any new weapons. Delaware County District Attorney Katayoun Copeland said at a press conference March 29 that the PFA was issued following a 2016 incident at the same Wawa store, during which police allege Kennedy threatened to kill Miller. Millers boyfriend, Michael DArco, told NBC-10 that the PFA hadnt been renewed because of the cost. Copeland said that while people often retain legal counsel in custody and divorce proceedings, there are at least three agencies locally that will help to file PFAs free of charge the Domestic Abuse Project of Delaware County, Women Against Rape and Crime Victim Services. I would like to get word out that theres free legal help for women or men that feel like they need to get in front of a judge for a protection from abuse order, said Killion. Killion is also working on gaining support for a red flag bill in the Senate that would allow for the temporary removal of guns from individuals deemed dangerous by a court. He said there would be a press conference Monday on Senate Bill 90, which is modeled after a similar proposal offered in the House by state Rep. Todd Stephens, R-151 of Montgomery County. Stephens is expected to join Copeland, activists and state Rep. Jennifer OMara, D-165 of Springfield, at an event this morning at the Media Courthouse in support of that bill. Killion said that while the red flag bill could be an effective deterrent to mass shootings, it is really aimed more at reducing gun-related suicides, which account for 68 percent of all suicides in Pennsylvania. The bill would allow for the removal of guns for three months to a year, he said. Its a tragedy where you have someone who has an issue and decides to take a weapon to solve that, and its just too easy, Killion said. Thats why we introduced the bill that if you have a final PFA, which means that youve been in front of a judge and a judge has recognized that this is a bad situation, we can get the guns out of their hands within 24 hours and, most importantly, they go to where they cant get them back. The first time I ever heard rapper Nipsey Hussle's name, it was a news story about his murder a few days ago. The second story was more interesting and complicated. His life reminds me that goodness comes in many forms and we should all leave something worth praising behind when we go. Among the people lauding Hussle and mourning his passing was Los Angeles County supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas. CNN said he called Hussle an "inspiration to many." The LA police department tweeted that "we understand the community is mourning and we feel your loss." And LA Police Commissioner Steve Soboroff tweeted he was supposed to meet with Hussle this week at the rapper's request to "talk about ways he could help stop gang violence and help us help kids." That's especially interesting because Hussle, who was born Ermias Asghedom, grew up in a rundown neighborhood in south central Los Angeles and had himself joined a street gang as a youth: the Rollin 60s Neighborhood Crips. The New York Times couched his gang affiliation this way: "... which he chalked up to history, circumstance and survival." NBC News quoted an earlier interview: 'Im not promoting it. Im just speaking on it,' he said in a 2010 interview with Complex. 'Im more focused on giving solutions and inspiration more than anything.' That juxtaposition of earlier gang affiliation and police and other officials' admiration sent me on a search to learn more about the man. What I found reminds me that goodness can be both choice and circumstance. One's early history helps shape the future, but that doesn't mean there's a single road that one must take. For the millions who followed him on social media but never met him, Hussle is apt to be a footnote over time, a rapper who never reached his full musical potential. But in his Crenshaw District neighborhood, I suspect he's more like a seed that was planted and likely will bloom in different, more enduring ways. He didn't use the success he achieved to escape his roots in a rundown place where violence and poverty are incredibly common and seemingly intractable. He stayed and built and dreamed of a better future for those around him. One of the most interesting ways he invested in his community was a project called Vector90, billed on its website as "coworking space, cultural hub and incubator." For a fairly low fee that varies depending on whether one is young, in college or just someone who comes from the neighborhood, one can rent a spot to access high-speed internet, use conference rooms and printers and other business trappings and get to know others who want to succeed. Hussle's stated hope was encouraging entrepreneurship. He wanted to boost access to and proficiency in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) so that young people could build futures with solid footing and leave poverty behind. Many stories of his death quoted a Los Angeles Times interview last year: In our culture, theres a narrative that says, Follow the athletes, follow the entertainers,' he said. And thats cool, but there should be something that says, Follow Elon Musk, follow (Mark) Zuckerberg." I think you could follow Nipsey Hussle, who was actively working to create jobs and opportunities in his distressed, depressed neighborhood. He brought in businesses and was planning affordable housing. His neighbors, many of them strangers, said he was doing good things to build before he was torn down. I suspect I'm going to leave this life as an always-law-abiding citizen. I'm certainly going to try. I'll follow the rules and love the people I know and try not to be destructive. But I'm not sure I'll be a builder or a dream-maker or a catalyst for change. I don't predict anyone will suggest putting "inspiration" on my grave. A man I might have judged harshly for his past choices proved to be all of that and more. That's something I'll try never to forget. SALT LAKE CITY Utah's Republican senators urged the Defense Department on Wednesday to reject shifting money away from military construction projects in the state to build President Donald Trump's border wall. Sen. Mike Lee and Mitt Romney expressed "significant concerns" about diverting funds from "critical" military projects in Utah as a result of Trump's national emergency declaration, "which we believe would undermine military capabilities that are essential to our national security strategy." "We urge you not to move forward with proposed Utah delays," they wrote in a letter to Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan and Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson. Both Lee and Romney voted last month to block Trump's emergency declaration, though they both say they support building a barrier on the border. On the House side, Democratic Rep. Ben McAdams was the only Utah member who voted to disapprove the declaration. More than $129 million in construction associated with Hill Air Force Base is on a Pentagon list of projects that could be delayed in order to build a wall on the southern border with Mexico. Lee and Romney asked for an "immediate" briefing on any decision made to divert money from those projects. The Utah Test and Training Range Consolidated Mission Control Center, which provides real-time air and ground monitoring and test functions for the nation'snewest aircraft, is on the list. The mission control center is housed in two decaying 74-year-old converted warehouses, and its air traffic control and monitoring equipment is nearly obsolete, "which is why it was selected to receive military construction funds in the first place," Lee and Romney wrote. "Diverting funds from this necessary upgrade will have a severe and unacceptable impact on our military readiness, at a time when the U.S. faces increased threats around the world," according to the senators' letter. The center's shortcomings have already resulted in shutdowns during routine maintenance and software upgrades. Exercises at the test and training range, including weapons systems testing and fighter pilot training, are often delayed or even canceled due to system workarounds, they wrote. Lee and Romney said that without the new control center, the test and training range would be unable to support modern weapons system testing that ensures pilot proficiency. "The (control center) is critical to maintaining fighter pilot combat readiness, sustaining 5th generation aircraft, and preparing our Air Force to face any threat against the United States," they wrote. The Pentagon last month identified 400 projects, totalling $13 billion, which could be shelved to free up $3.6 billion sought under Trump's emergency declaration. Other projects on the list tied to Hill AFB are: $55 million for a "D5 Missile Motor Receipt/Storage Fac." $28 million for a Utah Test and Training Range "Consolidated Mission Control Center." $26 million for a "Composite Aircraft Antenna Calibration Fac." Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, who sits on the Armed Services Committee and in whose district Hill Air Force Base is located, released a statement last Friday blaming the Senate for putting the projects at Hill and around the world in jeopardy of delay. Majorities in the House and Senate had agreed in December to fund the government and border security, but the possibility of a filibuster by Democrats in the Senate stalled the measures, he said. "Due to the looming filibuster threat and new leadership in the House, the bill wasnt reintroduced in January," Bishop said, contributing to 35-day government shutdown over funding Trump's border wall. Sixteen states have filed a lawsuit challenging Trump's national emergency declaration. Utah is not among them. SALT LAKE CITY Talk about a technicolor dream coat. What happened: Photos taken of a Malabar giant squirrel in India are going viral this week because of the animals multicolored coat, according to multiple reports. Captured by photographer Kaushik Vijayan, 39, the squirrel can be seen sitting in and nibbling on a tree, its fur a kaleidoscope of purples, yellows and oranges. Vijayan told CBS News, "I felt so amazed by how drop-dead gorgeous it looked. Incredible #pictures of giant multi-coloured squirrels set #social media alight!#Photographer Kaushik Vijayan snapped the animals in their native habit. The Malabar Giant #squirrel - double the size of their grey relatives - live deep in the #forests of #India. pic.twitter.com/BLFRZf6VHy SWNS.com (@SWNS) April 2, 2019 Vijayan initially posted photographs of the squirrel on Instagram. The photos were picked up by global media distributor SWNS, according to CBS, and have since caught the attention and adoration of the web. How have I never heard of these beautiful creatures before? Malabar giant squirrels pic.twitter.com/YQR3lBPUxo Lisa Lisa (@sumairajade) April 2, 2019 Can we splice giant Malabar squirrel genes into humans, so I can stop paying to turn my hair these colors? https://t.co/QD3hbyGKeu Seanan McGuire (@seananmcguire) April 2, 2019 About the squirrel: Malabar squirrels can grow up to 3 feet long and jump 20 feet between trees, according to The Independent. Malabar giant squirrels are primarily solitary animals that live deep in the woods and are difficult to spot in the wild, according to Animal Spot. John Koprowski, professor and associate director of the School of Natural Resources and the Environment at the University of Arizona, told The Dodo, In the shaded understory of a dense forest, the patchy colors and dark hues are a great adaptation to avoiding detection. Koprowski added, When you see these in the sunlight, they show their 'true colors' and beautiful pelage [fur]. Vijayan told CBS hes been overwhelmed by the response hes gotten to the photos. "I feel overwhelmed by all these responses I'm getting, Vijayan said. All these responses are one of my main driving force[s]. SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City police officer Alen Gibic said ever since he was a child, he knew he wanted to be a police officer. When he turned 21, that dream came true. Gibic has since spent 13 years serving the Salt Lake City Police Department an agency he holds very close to his heart. "It's where I made my dumbest mistakes and earned my greatest achievements," he said. "I am a Salt Lake City police officer. It's who I am." And yet Gibic told the Salt Lake City Council on Tuesday night that he's applied to another Wasatch Front police agency in search of a salary that will keep up with cost of living. "Every year I stay here, my paychecks are worth less money," he said, noting every year he's had to increase his family's grocery budget. "I believe Salt Lake City officers are the best of the best," Gibic said. "Yet a lot of us feel like we're on a sinking ship. Please save us." Gibic and other Salt Lake police officers came before the City Council to urge city leaders to increase officers' pay to a more competitive wage. For too long, salaries for officers in Utah's capital have been neglected, they said. "For years and years now, we continue to struggle with pay inequity here in Salt Lake City," said detective Steven Winters, the president of the Salt Lake Police Association. Winters, who sent a letter to the City Council last week amid wage negotiations with city leaders, urging the council to prioritize police wage increases as the city prepares for budget season. Winters said the Salt Lake Police Department ranks ninth along the Wasatch Front in police wages, and yet the department's calls for services are higher than any other agency in the state. "This pay inequity simply cannot continue," he said. "The pressures on police have never been more difficult than they are today." Winters urged council members to remember "we're human" as well, with families to support. And as the city prepares to host the 2019 United Nations conference and possibly another Olympics, "How do we continue to ignore the growing problem of pay inequity?" he asked. Officer John Fitisemanu, who has served Salt Lake City for more than five years, pointed out the Salt Lake City Council voted to increase their own paychecks just last year. "While you're able to vote your own raises, we at the police department are unable to do so, or else we would have by now," He said. "Police officers in this department are frustrated, angry, confused at the lack of cooperation and concern from Salt Lake City." Fitisemanu said Salt Lake police officers are "underpaid, understaffed and overworked on a consistent basis." He pointed out that even though Salt Lake City recently offered 23 experienced officers positions, only five accepted. "We're the capital of the state of Utah, we should be the pinnacle that other agencies emulate," he said. "Instead, our wage and our benefits package looks like a 2-year-old wrote it with crayon. That needs to be fixed." Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski is slated to present her proposed budget in early May. After her proposal, the City Council will weigh in on the budget. Last year, as part of a sales tax hike to pay for streets, transit, affordable housing and public safety, Biskupski proposed spending nearly $2.6 million for an overall police salary and benefit increase. The adopted budget included pay raises for city employees, including police officers, but that wasn't enough, according to the Salt Lake Police Association. Council members did not weigh in on the issue Tuesday night after the public comment portion of the meeting. But council Chairman Charlie Luke told the Deseret News on Wednesday the council "supports" all public safety personnel but can't meet with union representatives outside of the annual budget process. Luke said the council has a long-standing agreement with the mayor's office not to be involved in negotiations or separate conversations with union representatives during the budget process, and so the council "doesn't want to take any action that could undermine a fair negotiating process." "Once negotiations are complete, once the mayor submits her budget, then we can jump right back into having some of those discussions," he said. Biskupski's spokesman, Matthew Rojas, said Wednesday negotiations are ongoing. "We will have a better sense once the budget is announced in early May," he said. SALT LAKE CITY Police arrested a driver who they say hit and critically injured a man standing in the road at Main Street in Salt Lake City on Wednesday. Todd Smith, 49, was arrested for investigation of hit-and-run and driving under the influence, according to Salt Lake police. According to Salt Lake police detective Michael Ruff, the vehicle fled after the crash near 100 S. Main. The accident occurred about 3:45 p.m. Witnesses told police the man who was hit had been standing in the street, Ruff said. "In this case, we had somebody standing in the roadway. Obviously not a real safe idea. You're going to lose against a car. So we urge pedestrians to make sure they stay out of the roadway, use crosswalks, watch for cars," Ruff said. "And then obviously we ask drivers to make sure that they're paying attention and looking in the crosswalks, and stopping for people if they are there." The man who was hit went to a local hospital with critical injuries that weren't considered life-threatening, according to police. Late Wednesday evening, Salt Lake police originally tweeted that they arrested a different man. They later corrected that tweet and said they had arrested Smith. Salt Lake police also arrested another man Wednesday in connection to a separate hit-and-run in March. Glenn Terrell Reedy was arrested for investigation of failure to remain at an accident involving serious injury, according to court documents. On March 2, police said Reedy struck a man who was walking in a lit crosswalk. When police later found Reedy, he told them he "believed the (pedestrian) had hit him with something, cracking his window," according to an affidavit filed in support of his arrest. The pedestrian was taken to a hospital with serious injuries, including a broken foot, collapsed lung and broken ribs, police said. Correction: A previous version incorrectly reported Glenn Reedy, 55, was arrested for investigation of hit-and-run in connection to Wednesday's incident. Reedy was actually arrested Wednesday for a hit-and-run incident on March 2. Todd Smith, 49, was arrested in connection to Wednesday's hit-and-run. SALT LAKE CITY In the wake of the sudden closing of 13 Firestone service centers in the Salt Lake Valley, a couple of businesses are stepping up to make sure Utahns' tire needs are met as well as holding job fairs for affected workers. Bridgestone Retail Operations on Tuesday announced the closure of 13 Firestone Complete Auto Care store locations in the Salt Lake City metro area. Customers are being referred to the Firestone Complete Auto Care store in West Jordan or one of the 150 Bridgestone affiliated dealers statewide as an alternative, a news release stated. Utah-based Burt Brothers Tire & Service said the company will honor service agreements and warranties for Firestone customers. We will make this a seamless transition for customers, said owner Jeremy Burt. We will honor all Firestone warranties and take care of all tire rotations and balances, flat repairs and other needs. The Firestone credit card will also be accepted, he added. Burt Brothers will be conducting a job fair for former Firestone workers on Friday starting at 8 a.m. at 737 N. 400 W. in North Salt Lake. Burt said that his company is also looking for opportunities to reopen the Firestone shops under the Burt Brothers name. Meanwhile, Mark Miller Subaru announced an expedited interview process for the Firestone employees impacted by the closures. To help alleviate stress in this challenging time, (the company) would like to extend a special invitation to anyone impacted by this closure, said Joshua Goldsmith, culture director for Mark Miller Subaru. Prospective employees can send an email to jgoldsmith@markmiller.com with Firestone in the subject line to arrange an interview, he said. GRANTSVILLE Months after former city employees accused Grantsville Mayor Brent Marshall of fostering a demeaning and intimidating work environment, a heavily redacted report detailing the findings of an investigation into the accusations has come to public light. In the 16-page report, Marshall admitted to putting zip tie "handcuffs" around the wrists of a city employee, putting his arms on a resident, and raising his voice at another former city employee but he didn't admit to any wrongdoing, calling himself a "touchy person." Though women who experienced this behavior from the recently re-elected mayor said his behavior left them feeling intimidated and ultimately led them to leave their jobs, Marshall told the investigator hired by Grantsville that he didn't mean to offend. When he zip-tied the wrists of Shauna Kertamus, Grantsville's former planning and zoning administrator, Marshall told the investigator, "It was all in fun, she wanted it done." Marshall admitted he placed his arms on the shoulders of Susan Johnsen, a Grantsville resident who fought a city proposal to turn part of the J. Reuben Clark Historic Farm into a cemetery, but he chalked that up to his personality. "I'm a touchy person, but I didn't realize that I was offensive to a lot of people," he said. And when he raised his voice at former Grantsville Recorder Rachel Reid Wright, he did it only because she was "yelling at me." Though Wright accused the mayor of grabbing her by the shoulders and shoving her into a chair to stop her from walking out of his office, Marshall said that isn't how he saw it. "I didn't push her back into the chair; I was trying to get her to sit down and keep talking about the issue with me," the mayor told the investigator. When asked whether he felt his actions were appropriate, the mayor said, "I probably shouldn't have touched her, but I've been that way all my life." The investigation into Marshall was commissioned over a year ago by the Grantsville City Council after the Deseret News and Salt Lake Tribune reported allegations against Marshall. The investigative report first came to light after the Salt Lake Tribune won an appeal last week following a monthslong dispute over whether the city was required to release the report under Utah's open records laws. The State Records Committee last month ordered the document to be released after Grantsville unsuccessfully argued the entire report was protected under attorney-client privilege. Still, the report is heavily redacted. Of 25 interviews, most names were redacted except those already identified in newspaper articles. Johnsen told the investigator she found Marshall to be consistently "rude and a bully." One unnamed witness said she had not had any experiences when the mayor treated her inappropriately, but she confirmed she had heard Marshall "raise his voice at others" and that his behavior "puts everyone on edge." Another unnamed witness said the mayor "does get close to people" and "gets into their personal space," confirming that Marshall "could be boisterous if he's upset about something," but he denied experiencing or witnessing behavior that he felt was "troubling." Tooele County Commissioner Shawn Milne told the investigator he's personally experienced "verbal aggression and bullying" from Marshall and he's concerned about the mayor's "arrogance and flippancy." Milne also said he's seen the mayor "put his hands on ladies' (shoulders)" and that he often assumes a "'folksy, small town' persona in an effort to excuse his behavior," according to the report. Another unnamed witness said Marshall "simply does not respect others and that he repeatedly engages in behavior that blatantly demonstrates his lack of respect," the investigator wrote. The witness "believes that if any other city employee engaged in the same behavior as Mayor Marshall, that employee would be terminated from employment," the report states. The investigator's conclusions in the report are completely redacted. It's unclear what actions were recommended as part of the investigator's findings. In the months since the completion of the investigation, little to no action has been taken, other than an update to the city's employee handbook and training to ensure employees know how to file complaints. Marshall did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday. Johnsen said she's been "disappointed" that there has been no apology or public acknowledgment from Marshall that his behavior was inappropriate, but at least the public is now aware of what was happening. "I think it's important for all of us to understand everybody needs to act in a professional manner in their job," Johnsen said. "I think it's important for elected officials to at least be held to the same standard." City Councilman Neil Critchlow said the City Council discussed the accusations in closed meetings but can't discuss the specifics of the situation because it's a personnel matter, but added, "We can't throw him out of office" because he's an elected official. Under state law, elected officials can only be removed from office if they commit high crimes or misdemeanors. Yet at the same time, "people need to know what's happening," Critchlow said. "Certain actions illegal or not are inappropriate, and they need to be held accountable," he said. Asked if Marshall's behavior has changed since the accusations against him were made public, Critchlow said, "He's quieter, how's that?" SALT LAKE CITY Gov. Gary Herbert wrapped up signing bills passed during this year's legislative session Wednesday, vetoing a budget item that would have provided for the construction of a sound barrier along Mountain View Corridor. The line item in SB3 which was added late in the legislative session would have allowed the Utah Department of Transportation to use $800,000 from the state transportation fund to build a sound barrier along Mountain View Corridor at 8157 S. Mapleleaf Way, West Jordan. The governor vetoed the item because the address "does not exist along Mountain View Corridor." The address actually borders Bangerter Highway. Developers from Garbett Homes previously asked UDOT to build the wall, the Salt Lake Tribune reported last week. When UDOT declined because undeveloped property usually does not qualify for sound barriers, Garbett Homes approached members of the Executive Appropriations Committee. UDOT did not have a position on the line item, spokesman John Gleason told the Deseret News. SALT LAKE CITY The composer for When Calls the Heart is spending a little time in Egypt. John Sereda, who composes the music for the Hallmark Channel show, recently appeared in a YouTube video in which he greets fans all the way from Egypt, according to Kurt Manwaring, who uploaded the video. I cant tell you how much Im enjoying it, he said in the video. I hope youre enjoying the latest season of When Calls the Heart. Im very, very proud of the music and everybody, the cast, the crew, the producers, everyone. God bless you all. Sereda has produced music for three seasons of When Calls the Heart, including the shows opening theme. He has also composed music for a number of films, including Hallmark films Christmas Cookies, Once Upon a Holiday and Christmas Comes Home to Canaan, among several others, which you can read about at Seredas website. Bigger picture: Seredas message comes amid cast and crew updates about When Calls the Heart, including showrunner Alfonso Moreno, executive producer Brian Birdand actors Jack Wagner and Pascale Hutton. The updates come on the heels of the Lori Loughlin scandal, which put the show on a creative hiatus. SALT LAKE CITY Children of parents who identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender may now be blessed as infants and later baptized as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, according to updates announced Thursday to November 2015 church policies intended at the time to maintain family harmony but perceived as painful by some supporters of the LGBT community. The church also will update its handbook of instructions for leaders to remove the label of apostasy for homosexual behavior that was applied beginning in November 2015, said President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, who announced the changes on behalf of the First Presidency on Thursday morning during the leadership session of the churchs 189th Annual General Conference. Thursday's news marked the first time the church had released information from a leadership session for general authorities and area seventies leading into a general conference, underscoring the importance of the changes that brought swift reaction locally and across the nation and world. "The very positive policies announced this morning should help affected families, President Oaks said. "In addition, our members' efforts to show more understanding, compassion and love should increase respect and understanding among all people of good will. We want to reduce the hate and contention so common today. We are optimistic that a majority of people whatever their beliefs and orientations long for better understanding and less contentious communications. That is surely our desire, and we seek the help of our members and others to attain it." In a news release, the First Presidency said the changes were the result of extended counseling with the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and "fervent, united prayer to understand the will of the Lord on these matters." Positive step Reaction Thursday included surprise, gratitude and joy and was followed in the nation's major news outlets as a significant moment in relations between the church and the LGBTQ community. "I see this as an encouraging, positive step forward," said Troy Williams, executive director of Equality Utah, who pulled off the freeway in Price, Utah to respond to a call. "We've seen such great compassion and warmth and love from members of the church, who have become allies. So, this to me is a realignment of the very best of Mormon people." Tom Christofferson, who describes himself as a gay, single, active member of the church in good standing, was preparing to board a plane to Utah, where he will deliver a devotional at the Utah Valley Latter-day Saint Institute in Orem on Friday. He said he was thrilled the announcement would lift a worry for gay parents who want to support their children in the church. "The big message to me is that this continues to be something that the brethren are seeking further light and knowledge on, and I'm really grateful for that," added Christofferson, author of "That We May Be One: A Gay Mormon's Perspective On Faith and Family." He said his mind was on friends and others who stopped associating with the church after November 2015. "I'm thinking of them today and hoping that they will feel that this removed the impediment that they had seen to their continued engagement," he said. "I hope many will want to come back and worship with us again." NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young woke up in Hawaii to a phone choked with messages about the policy changes. Last week he joined his wife, Barb, and other members of the board of Encircle as they made a presentation to the church's Public Affairs Committee. Encircle operates programs in Salt Lake and Utah counties that seek to deepen and enrich conversations in families and between faith communities and LGBTQ+ people. "We've all been looking for things to get better for our LGBT brothers and sisters, and the policy rescission is a tremendous step forward," Young said. "To have that go away allows for some really productive conversations to take place inside of families, and to try and keep families together and create space for people." Developing policy In November 2015, the church's previous First Presidency led by the late President Thomas S. Monson issued new policies and handbook instructions that children living with a same-gender couple could not receive baby blessings or baptism and that entering a same-sex marriage was apostasy requiring a church disciplinary council. Disciplinary councils can lead to excommunication. At the time, church leaders said the policies were intended to avoid confusion and conflict in families headed by same-sex couples. Throughout 2015, LGBT church members and supporters had expressed public gratitude for developments in the church, including the launch of its mormonandgay.lds.org website and its fairness-for-all approach, which undergirded the Utah Compromise. That compromise became national news when it became a law in Utah that provided legal protection for LGBT people in housing and employment while strengthening religious freedom protections. In March 2015, Equality Utah's Williams stood together with Latter-day Saint apostles while Utah's governor signed the Utah Compromise into law. "We were making progress together," Williams said, "but sometimes progress doesn't go in a straight line. Sometimes it swerves a little bit. ... I see (Thursday's announcement) as really realigning the best values of the faith, which is compassion and kindness and bearing one another's burdens." At the time they announced the November 2015 policies, church leaders reaffirmed their longstanding position that church members should not exclude or be disrespectful to those who choose a different lifestyle. They also said church members could express political support for same-sex marriage without consequence to their church membership. Still, some said the policies were painful for them and critics launched petitions calling on guest performers to cancel appearances with the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square and to boycott games against Brigham Young University, the church's flagship school. "When the November policy was announced, I was in Chicago and I just walked outside into the rain just cried because I knew the harmful impact it would have on Latter-day Saint families like mine," said Equality Utah's Williams, a gay man who grew up in the church and said LGBT issues had been a wedge between him and his parents. Revelation's role As church leaders shared the changes Thursday, they said they were focused on treating all people with love, kindness and civility. They make clear distinctions between church doctrine and church policies and said Thursday's changes are limited to policies. "These changes do not represent a shift in church doctrine related to marriage or the commandments of God in regard to chastity and morality," the release said. "The doctrine of the Plan of Salvation and the importance of chastity will not change." President Russell M. Nelson, who succeeded President Monson as church president, was president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 2015. He said in early 2016 that the November 2015 policies were the result of revelation. Latter-day Saints believe their church is the restored church of Jesus Christ and that God directs the church through ongoing revelation through a living prophet, the church president. President Nelson, who became the church president in January 2018, reiterated in his talk to general and area authorities from around the world during Thursday morning's meeting that a flurry of policy changes over the past year were inspired by revelation. President Henry B. Eyring, second counselor in the First Presidency, said the church needs God's direction to meet changing circumstances and he has guided changes in the church's practices and policies throughout its history. Christofferson, a brother of Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, welcomed church leaders' statements that the updated policies are the result of inspiration. "One, I think this is a recognition of the prayers of so many people that there could be a way to have a more welcoming place in the church for LGBTQ people," he said. "And simultaneously it is, in my mind, an indication of that continued wrestle that prophets have to know what God would have them do in this time, today, and with the increased understanding we have about the nature of what it means to be gay, that we don't have all the answers that we would want. But what this clearly says to me is that there's an opportunity to continue to be more welcoming to people wherever they are in their lives." Three changes President Oaks said the faith's leaders cannot change God's doctrine, but he made it clear they want church members and church policies to be considerate. Richard Ostler, who became an LGBT ally within the church while serving as bishop of a Young Single Adult ward said the updated policies accomplish that. "Our LGBTQ members have a difficult road," Ostler said, "and I feel these adjustments help us better mourn, comfort and bear their burdens as they make their way forward." News of the three policy updates announced Thursday are being sent to priesthood leaders around the world and will be included in online updates to "Handbook 1: Stake Presidents and Bishops," according to the news release. All parents, including those outside the church or LGBT, now may request a blessing for a baby by a worthy, authorized priesthood holder, President Oaks said. Local church leaders should instruct the parent or parents that the blessing, an ordinance that places the child's name on formal church records and triggers a lifelong series of church contact, would mean congregation members will contact them periodically and propose baptism when the child turns eight years old. Beginning immediately, children eight and older whose parents identify themselves as LGBT may be baptized without First Presidency approval, President Oaks said. Latter-day Saints baptize by immersion, and baptism and confirmation give a person membership in the church. President Oaks said local church leaders should obtain permission from custodial parents for a child's baptism and ensure that they understand the doctrine church members will teach a baptized child and that he or she is making a covenant to live the principles of the gospel as taught by the church. President Oaks said same-gender marriage by a church member still is considered a serious transgression. However, it no longer will be treated as apostasy for purposes of church discipline. The church now will respond to violations to its doctrine of the law of chastity the same way whether they occur in heterosexual or homosexual relationships. The doctrine teaches that sexual relations are proper only between a man and a woman when they are legally and lawfully wedded as husband and wife. The First Presidency also issued a joint message with the release on Thursday. "We pray these teachings will be received in the same spirit we received them from the Lord and have shared them with our leaders as positive and inspiring instruction that will bless many lives," The First Presidency said. "With gratitude we acknowledge God's continuing guidance and love for all his children and invite our members to renew their commitment to follow the teachings of the Savior, Jesus Christ to love God and to love one another." The church does not consider it a sin to feel attraction to another person of the same sex. Faithful members with those attractions serve Latter-day Saint missions, hold church positions and worship in Latter-day Saint temples. History of change Throughout the churchs history, Latter-day Saint leaders have instructed church members that current revelation overtakes past teachings. For example, after the 1978 revelation that extended the priesthood to members of African descent, the late apostle Elder Bruce R. McConkie said faithful people would get in line with a modern, living prophet and forget everything Elder McConkie and other leaders had said about blacks and the priesthood "with limited understanding and without the light and knowledge that now has come into the world." "It is a new day and a new arrangement," he said. In fact, President Oaks said last June that he was among white American church members "who felt the pain of black brothers and sisters and longed for their relief" before the priesthood restriction was lifted after 126 years. Some church policies have changed quickly. For example, the church dropped Jesus Christ from its name in 1834, then restored it in 1838. Church leaders also changed the length of missions for men from 24 months to 18 months in April 1982. The First Presidency reinstituted 24-month missions in November 1984. Additional reaction Taylor and Adam Cash served Latter-day Saint missions but were excommunicated, as they expected, by a local church disciplinary council in January, two months after the two men were married. But a photo of a Latter-day Saint temple hangs in their Lehi, Utah, home and they say they and their foster children are welcomed in their Latter-day Saint congregation. "Hearing today that our church and our ward are on the same page is a relief," Taylor said. Thursday's news came a day after they learned that a birth mother had selected them to adopt her child this summer. "The first thing I thought this morning was that someone can give our baby a blessing," Taylor said. "Our baby can grow up in the church. We both grew up in the church and that's what we want for our kids." Adam said the couple believe children are blessed by the values and morals taught by the church and he wants his children to have the same experiences he did growing up. "I feel like I still have a testimony the church is true," Taylor said. "I think things have happened for a reason. We think we can have a happy life together and have the church be a part of it." Many others also reacted to the news on Thursday. "In this reversal, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has taken an important step forward," Chad Griffin, president of the Human Rights Campaign, said in a statement. "There's still work to do but this policy reversal is a very welcome change that moves the church closer to a day where LGBTQ Mormons can see themselves affirmed and included within their faith community." Affirmation, a support group for Latter-day Saint LGBTQ people, applauded the end to restrictions on children of same-sex couples but said "there is still much work to be done to make the chapels of the church and homes of families within the church safe and welcoming spaces for LGBTQ persons." The statement said the fact legally married same-sex couples are still considered in serious transgression within the church leaves painful choices for lesbian and gay members and that unresolved issues remain for transgender members. An official at the Trevor Project, which supports suicide prevention efforts for LGBTQ youth, also embraced the news. The Trevor Project welcomes any faith group's public commitment to treat the LGBTQ community fairly and equally, and this statement by the LDS Church to change course is a move in the right direction that will make a real difference in the lives of LGBTQ Mormons," said Sam Brinton, head of advocacy and govermental affairs. "We hear from LGBTQ young people in crisis every day who struggle to reconcile being part of both the LGBTQ and faith communities, and decisions to end policies of exclusion can help LGBTQ youth feel seen, loved and less alone." KSL-TV's Sam Penrod contributed to this story. WEST VALLEY CITY The parents of a man charged with holding his wife hostage for six days and assaulting her are now in jail. Ghulam Sediky, 89, and Fauzia Sediky, 66, of West Valley City, were arrested Tuesday for investigation of harboring a fugitive. On Monday, the Sedikys' son, listed in court documents as Feroz Sediqi, 33, of West Valley City, was charged in 3rd District Court with attempted murder and aggravated kidnapping, first-degree felonies; aggravated assault, a second-degree felony; and violation of a pretrial protective order, a third-degree felony. Police say Sediqi got into an argument with his wife on March 8 and then threatened to kill her and himself, according to charging documents. Sediqi choked the woman twice until she became unconscious, the charges state. At one point, Sediqi allegedly took his wife's cellphone and car keys and "had his family watch her when he went to work to make sure she didn't leave," according to the charging documents. Six days later, on March 14, when she was finally left alone in the residence, police say the woman ran from the house and sought help. But when police went back to the residence, the Sediky family told investigators that their son was not there. "Ghulam has lied to U.S. marshals and stated he has not helped Feroz or aided him avoid arrest. There is evidence that the marshals have showing Ghulam actively aiding Feroz's flight. US marshals have electronic evidence of this. There is phone evidence in the hands of US Marshal's also showing Ghulam has been in communication with Feroz," according to a Salt Lake County Jail booking report. Fauzia Sediky further told investigators that "no individuals besides her husband and her have been at her residence" since March 31, and "that she had no contact with the wanted party, her son for over a week," according to a second jail report. When marshals checked her phone, however, they allegedly found that "contact was made multiple times with the wanted fugitive" on March 31. Whether the Sedikys will face any additional charges in connection to the alleged kidnapping was still being investigated on Thursday. Prosecutors note in the charges that Sediqi is currently facing a felony domestic violence charge in King County, Washington, and was served with a pretrial protective order in November prohibiting him from contacting or harming his estranged wife. Help for people in abusive relationships can be found by contacting the YWCA's Women in Jeopardy program at 801-537-8600, or the confidential statewide Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-897-LINK (5465). Resources are also available online at udvc.org. SALT LAKE CITY The point man involved in "jackpotting" a number of ATMs in Utah and Washington to the tune of more than $300,000 is headed to federal prison. Josshua Perez Rivas, 39, played a significant role in organizing what was a sophisticated international conspiracy to steal from U.S. banks, according to a sentencing memorandum in U.S. District Court. Perez Rivas is among seven men all Venezuelan nationals charged in the theft of $306,200 from five ATMs in Washington and one in Sandy in 2017 and 2018. They also tried to "jackpot" two additional ATMs in Salt Lake City before being arrested during the Sandy crime. The men used software and equipment to reprogram ATM computers to direct the machines to dispense cash until empty a scheme sometimes called jackpotting. "The plot is remarkable for its technological sophistication and for the number of participants recruited to help ensure its success. It is a plot that requires significant planning and expertise, according to federal prosecutors. Perez Rivas compromised the ATM computers and installed the software in almost every instance. He appears to have been the point person for communications between the team on the ground and those who developed the malware, prosecutors said. The men had false identifications and stolen credit card numbers to allow them to rent hotel rooms and vehicles without leaving a record of their identities, according to prosecutors. Computer files with approximately 600 credit card numbers that appear to have been stolen were found on data storage devices in the suitcases of one of the men. Perez Rivas was sentenced to 42 months in federal prison in late February after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit bank theft in December. Another man pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank theft and was sentenced to one year in prison. Three others have entered guilty pleas and will be sentenced in May. Cases are pending for two others charged in the scheme. SALT LAKE CITY Its a bean-filled pillow of warmth and goodness, and today, chains across the nation are celebrating it with discounts and deals. Heres where you can score some good deals on National Burrito Day You will want to check with your local restaurant to ensure Burrito Day deals apply. Cafe Rio Cafe Rio is offering four times the reward points on dine-in or to go orders of burritos on Thursday, April 4. This offer will only be valid when using My Rio Rewards. Chipotle Participating Chipotle restaurants are offering free delivery on April 4 on orders of $10 or more placed via the chains website or DoorDash. Chipotle is also offering a new burrito on their digital menu from now until Sunday called the Dobrik Burrito. Learn more here. We're offering free delivery on orders over $10 when you order on our site, through the app or DoorDash. -Alex Chipotle (@ChipotleTweets) April 4, 2019 Del Taco Del Taco is offering a free half-pound bean and cheese burrito on April 4 with every order of $5 or more made on the Del Taco app. Tomorrow is #NationalBurritoDay! Get a FREE lb. Bean & Cheese Burrito on 4/4/19 when you download the Del App.* Are you Team Red or Team Green? *$5 min. purchase required. pic.twitter.com/7JMLpuA247 Del Taco Restaurants (@DelTaco) April 4, 2019 El Pollo Loco Show this coupon to a cashier at El Pollo Loco on April 4 to get a free burrito with a regularly priced purchase of any equal or greater value burrito. QDOBA Mexican Eats Sign up ASAP to be a rewards member at QDOBA Mexican Eats (its free) and youll receive triple the rewards points on QDOBA purchases. Moes Southwest Grill Moes is selling $5 burritos on April 4. SALT LAKE CITY A man who police accused of hitting a pedestrian while driving drunk was arrested just one day after he was charged with DUI in another case, according to court records. Todd R. Smith, 49, of Salt Lake City, was arrested Wednesday for investigation of DUI with serious injury, failing to remain at the scene of an accident and having an open container in a vehicle. About 3:45 p.m. Wednesday, Salt Lake police say Smith hit a man who was not in a crosswalk near 100 S. Main and kept driving. Witnesses told officers the victim had been standing in the street. The man was taken to a local hospital with critical injuries and was placed in a medically induced coma, according to a Salt Lake County Jail report. Smith, who lives nearby, continued to his apartment complex where he "created a scene with management," according to police. Salt Lake police detective Greg Wilking said Smith was arguing about his lease, and the "scene" he created was possibly due to his level of intoxication. When detectives caught up with Smith and interviewed him, he "admitted to striking the pedestrian, stating he thought he had just grazed him," according to the report. Smith was given field sobriety tests, which he failed, the report states. Inside his car, police reported finding "open containers and a 44 oz. soda cup in the center console was mixed with alcohol." The crash occurred one day after Smith was charged in Grantsville Justice Court with DUI, a class B misdemeanor. After Smith was pulled over on March 28, he was observed by officers pacing around the back of his SUV, and had an "excited utterance, foam developing at the mouth, pinpoint pupils and wasn't able to keep his balance," according to a Tooele County Jail report. "As we were talking with him, he told us that he was driving his vehicle and a 'Mexican criminal' struck the side of his vehicle and pointed a gun at him. Officer Watkins asked him where the individual ran away and he said that it happened in Mexico." Smith failed his field sobriety tests and was taken to the Grantsville Police Department for more tests, where a Breathalyzer measured his blood alcohol level at 0.135 percent, the report states. Smith also pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of alcohol/drug-related reckless driving in 2013 and was placed on probation, according to court records. Smith's arrest is the latest in a recent series of auto-pedestrian accidents in Utah: Also Wednesday, Salt Lake police arrested Glenn Terrell Reedy, 55, for investigation of failing to remain at an accident involving serious injury. Reedy is accused of hitting a pedestrian in a crosswalk and driving off. The victim suffered a broken foot, collapsed lung and broken ribs, according to a police affidavit. On Tuesday, South Salt Lake police announced the arrest of a man who allegedly ran over two men, killing one and critically injuring another, and then drove off. Ryan Conrad Kidrick, 40, was booked into jail for investigation of failing to remain at the scene of an accident involving death, and failing to remain at the scene of an accident involving serious injury in connection with the March 9 incident. Sunday, a juvenile was hit by a car while crossing 2100 South at 900 East. He was taken to a local hospital with injuries not considered to be life-threatening. A 6-year-old girl was killed after riding her scooter into the path of an SUV in Vineyard on March 27. The driver was unable to avoid the collision, according to police. A second fatal crash on March 9 happened near 3300 South and West Temple. Police say a man was reported wandering in the road and not dressed for the weather when he was struck by an SUV. The driver stopped and cooperated with police. The driver was not impaired, police said. SALT LAKE CITY A U.S. judge issued a stern warning to the parents included in the college admissions scandal on Wednesday: Dont obstruct justice. Dozens of parents, including celebrities Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin, have been accused of paying bribes so that their children could be accepted into elite universities. On Wednesday, a number of parents appeared in court to face these charges, according to The Associated Press. U.S. Magistrate Judge M. Page Kelley imposed conditions on the defendants bail. The defendants were asked to fork over their passports and to remove any firearms from their home, BBC News reports. Prosecutors demanded that the accused not be allowed to discuss these charges with their children. "The kids in these cases are witnesses and this could raise obstruction of justice issues," prosecutor Eric Rosen said, according to BBC News. But Kelley said, I just dont think thats realistic. Kelly said not discussing the cases with the family could be potentially unhealthy, NBC News reports. She recommended that parents seek any legal advice about having family discussions to risk the children interfering in the case. FARMINGTON An Ogden man is accused of engaging in sexually explicit conversations with an 11-year-old girl, according to court documents. Brycen Gibbon Hall, 20, was charged Thursday in 2nd District Court with enticing a minor and obstructing justice, both second-degree felonies. The investigation began when concerned friends of an 11-year-old girl spoke up, according to the charges. "Students from a Davis County elementary school informed their assistant principal that child ... made some concerning statements about her relationship with an older male," the charges state. The girl was initially "reluctant to disclose the details of her relationship" with Hall, according to the charges, but conceded that he "texted her to request sexual acts and inappropriate photographs of her," according to charging documents. Investigators then went through the text messages on the girl's phone. In one conversation, "(Hall) told (the girl) that she will not get pregnant because he has condoms," the charges state. Detectives also looked at Hall's phone but discovered he "had recently deleted most of the contents off of his phone," the charges state. Hall told investigators he and the girl "had sexual intercourse," according to charging documents. It was not immediately known Thursday if additional charges were pending. SALT LAKE CITY Utah's senior Republican senator and the state's freshman Democratic congressman came down on the same side of ending U.S. support to the Saudi-led bloody civil war in Yemen. Rep. Ben McAdams, D-Utah, joined majority Democrats in voting for the resolution calling on President Donald Trump to remove U.S. forces from hostilities in Yemen. Trump is expected to veto the measure that passed 247-175, with 16 Republicans none from Utah voting in favor. After the House vote, Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and other lawmakers urged Trump in a letter to sign the bill to end the "unconstitutional" war. McAdams said he has serious concerns with the humanitarian crisis in Yemen. "Congress has the responsibility to declare war. Until Congress gives that authority, I do not believe U.S. service members should be involved in this conflict, unless they are involved in operations directed at (al-Qaida) or associated forces," he said in a statement. GOP Utah Reps. Rob Bishop, John Curtis and Chris Stewart voted against the bill. "The U.S. military is not involved in active combat operations in Yemen. The only role they play is intelligence and targeting with the goal of reducing civilian casualties. I think thats a goal worth supporting," Stewart said. The Saudi-led bombing campaign has killed or injured an estimated 17,729 civilians, a quarter of whom are women and children, as of last month, according to the Yemen Data Project Lee voted for the resolution in the Senate last month, while Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, voted against it. Lee was among seven Republicans who joined all Senate Democrats in backing the bill. Lee joined Sens. Bernie Sanders, D-Vt., and Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., in a letter asking Trump to sign the resolution. "We believe signing this bill into law would send a powerful signal to the Saudi-led coalition to bring the 4-year-old war to a close, thereby ending the world's worst humanitarian crisis, which has pushed 10 million Yemenis to the brink of famine," the letter reads. Lee said it's long past time to end U.S. involvement in "this unauthorized, unjustified and immoral war that has caused immense human suffering." The power to declare war, he said, rests squarely on Congress. "With passage of this resolution, we have reasserted Congress constitutional role over declaring war and over putting American blood and treasure on the line," Lee said. Lee has long called for the end of U.S. involvement in the war, saying in a speech last year that continuing to support the Saudis, especially in light of the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, is "bad diplomacy." Curtis said as a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee he has traveled around the world and witnessed firsthand the importance of supporting U.S. allies. He said he believes everything possible should be done to end the war in Yemen. "However, I have grave concerns about the precedent this resolution would set. By using war powers tools to remove aid, instead of other legislative vehicles, we risk disrupting over 100 critical security partnerships around the world relying on those same powers," he said in a statement. Curtis said there could be unintended impacts on non-U.S. military operations by other countries. He said those supporting the resolution should consider the wider impact. House Democrats made the issue a top priority after taking control in January amid a worsening humanitarian crisis in Yemen, where Iran-backed Houthi rebels have sought to overthrow the countrys government. The resolution also reflects broad dissatisfaction with Trumps foreign policy, particularly his stance on Saudi Arabia after Khashoggi's murder. Its passage marks the first time in history that a War Powers resolution will reach the president's desk, according to Politico. WEST VALLEY CITY Charges have been filed or are being screened against 11 people in connection with the theft of large cellphone batteries across the Wasatch Front since 2017, resulting in $1 million in losses and creating a danger to 911 emergency service. "These thefts posed a direct threat to the safety of the public. If power goes out, they ensure the public can still call 911 in case of an emergency. Without the batteries in place, people may not be able to reach first responders in a time of need," said West Valley police spokeswoman Roxeanne Vainuku. On Thursday, West Valley police announced the culmination of a monthslong investigation that also included Unified police and the U.S. Marshals Service. Beginning in 2017, Comcast alpha-cell batteries began disappearing across the Wasatch Front, including Salt Lake, Davis and Summit counties. "The heavy industrial batteries provide backup power for cable, broadband and 911 phone service during power outages and are valued at approximately $180 each. The stolen batteries can be sold to metal recyclers for lead and other metals," West Valley police said in a prepared statement. "The batteries are housed in secured steel utility boxes, but thieves had successfully been able to break into the vaults containing the batteries, cut wires connecting the batteries and then haul the batteries away to be sold for scrap." The batteries are about 70 pounds each. The first reported theft was July 31 at 4174 S. 2000 East, according to charging documents, The big break came shortly after that theft when an alert citizen was able to take a picture of a person stealing batteries from a utility box in Holladay. West Valley police detectives were able to find that man, make an arrest, and based on that arrest, "were able to develop extensive information about suspects and suspect vehicles." In August, investigators placed batteries with GPS tracking devices at various locations across Utah. "The GPS trackers on the batteries allowed Comcast personnel to identify when a battery was being removed from its power source, as well as provide the ability to follow the batterys physical location," police said. As U.S. marshals followed the GPS batteries, it resulted in the recovery of some of the stolen batteries and the discovery of where batteries were being sold as scrap metal, according to court documents. In November, Mark Hasselblad, 40, was charged in 3rd District Court with engaging in a pattern of unlawful activity and money laundering, theft, and three counts of criminal mischief, all second-degree felonies. Similar charges were pending against 10 others, Vainuku said. Google's human-sounding Duplex AI enables one to use Google Assistant to call and book appointments with businesses. Highlights: Google Duplex being rolled out for more Android and iOS users. Android 5.0 and above phones and iPhones with the Google Assistant installed will get to use the feature. Duplex can call and book appointments on a users behalf. Google rolled out its human-resembling AI based calling service Duplex to its Pixel phones late last year. Now, it is being rolled out to all iPhones that have the Google Assistant app installed and more Android phones in the US. Google confirmed broader rollout of Duplex to The Verge and said that it will be available on all iPhones that have the Google Assistant app installed and all devices running on Android 5.0 or higher versions. Using Google Duplex, one can ask the Google Assistant to call and complete some tasks for the user, like making reservations at a restaurant, or booking an appointment at a barbershop. The Google Duplex service could be rolled out in stages and might not be available for all users right away. It is currently limited to the English language and is available in 43 US states. Its not confirmed whether the feature will be made available in other countries and in other languages. Google unveiled Duplex at its I/O 2018 event with a rather impressive demonstration, which left viewers both concerned and in awe. Google used Duplex to call and book a table at a restaurant and the person on the other end didnt realise they were talking to a robot. Google didn't initiate the conversation by saying that its a software that's on the call and many concerns were raised that the service could be easily misused. Google had reportedly been readying Duplex for being tested with a limited group of users. A previous report tipped that when the service rolls out for everyone, it would start small by first placing calls for enquiring about the opening and closing times of a place. This would supposedly be followed by more complex routines like making restaurant reservations and haircut appointments. Using Deep Minds Wavenet AI, Google generates a voice for Google Assistant that sounds quite realistic. It is trained further to speak naturally and can emphasise phrases based on the context, adjust the pitch and tone of its voice, and switch between seven voices. Related Reads: Google's human-sounding Duplex AI is finally rolling out to real-world Pixel users Google I/O 2018: Here's what you didn't know about Google Duplex and Assistant calling Hyundai will demonstrate its BlueLink tech on April 9. Highlights: Hyundai to unveil BlueLink tech for future models It has features similar to MG Motor's iSMART Next Gen BlueLink to be featured first on upcoming Hyundai Venue subcompact SUV Just a couple of days ago, MG Motor unveiled iSMART Next Gen in India, an internet-based connectivity solution for its upcoming car, the MG Hector. In what seems like a move very similar to this, Hyundai India has sent out media invites for a demonstration of its own car connectivity solution, Hyundai BlueLink. The demonstration is scheduled to happen on April 9 in Faridabad. Hyundais BlueLink tech is expected to debut in India on the upcoming Hyundai Venue subcompact SUV. Introduced globally in 2012, Hyundai BlueLink can be described as a connected vehicle system with embedded telematics. It delivers information about the connected car such as monthly vehicle reports and car crash alerts on the owners smartphone. Its also capable of controlling some of the cars features remotely. For example, the user should be able to turn the cars air conditioner on remotely using their smartphone minutes before getting in. The version introduced in India is reported to have India-specific features, including a Vodafone Idea-powered eSIM for connecting to the internet. From a recent report by The Hindu, we learn that the BlueLink technology will also enable a driver to speak to their car. BlueLink is Hyundais global technology which will be introduced in the Indian market with 33 features, of which 10 would be India-specific features such as a panic button, for most practical and holistic connectivity, said Ji Hong Baek, Managing Director of Hyundai Motor India Engineering, to The Hindu. Hyundai plans to introduce BlueLink on the Venue and include it in future cars in India. From what weve learnt so far, the Venue is a subcompact SUV from Hyundai that will sit in the market along with the likes of the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Ford Ecosport, and Tata Nexon. According to numerous reports, Hyundai will launch the Venue on May 21. The car is expected to come with petrol and diesel engine options (both 1.4 litres). The gearbox options will include a manual and a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic. We should get a better idea about Hyundai BlueLink when its demonstrated next week. Related Read: MG Motor unveils iSMART Next Gen for upcoming MG Hector, an internet-based connectivity solution Subscriber content preview By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER Associated Press BOSTON A packaged-food entrepreneur accused of paying $15,000 to rig his daughter's college entrance exam became on Wednesday the first of the 33 parents charged in the college bribery scandal to agree to plead guilty. Peter Jan Sartorio, 63, of Menlo Park, California, disclosed the plea agreement in court documents just before he was scheduled to join Hollywood actresses Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin and other wealthy parents in federal court to face charges in the scam. . . . (CNN) Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Lightfoot made holding abusive officers accountable for their actions a bedrock of her campaign. In the wake of the Laquan McDonald scandal, Lightfoot, elected Tuesday to be the first African-American woman to be mayor of Chicago, was appointed by outgoing Mayor Rahm Emanuel to head the newly created police accountability task force. Many of the panel's recommendations were similar to the findings in the U.S. Justice Department report that found serious problems with the police department's handling of racism within its ranks. Under Lightfoot, the city replaced its widely criticized police oversight agency with a civilian body designed to have much more oversight over officers and their supervisors. With many of the mayoral candidates promising they would fire current Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson after taking office, Lightfoot claims such a move might do more harm than good as the city approaches the summer months, when hotter weather traditionally brings spikes in violence. In the month of January, the city recorded the fewest number of murders in nine years, with 20 people killed, according to Anthony Guglielmi, chief communications officer for the Chicago Police Department. Lightfoot, 56, grew up in Ohio and went to college at the University of Michigan. Then after two years as a legislative aide in Washington she went to law school at the University of Chicago. She has lived in the city for all but one year since 1986. Lightfoot describes herself as "an out and proud black lesbian." When she is sworn in, she will be the first mayor in the Windy City who identifies as a lesbian. She and her spouse, Amy Eshleman, have a 10-year-old daughter. Lightfoot also was a senior equity partner at a private law firm, was interim first deputy of the city's procurement department, was chief of staff and general counsel for the emergency management office and was chief administrator of the office of professional standards. This would be her first time to hold an elected office. This story was first published on CNN.com "She's been a political appointee several times. Now Lori Lightfoot will be running the third-largest city in the US" How the shift toward energy-efficient, sustainable buildings is changing our world In the last two decades, green building has advanced from being a barely recognized movement to prominent status. By ANNA KUCIRKOVA Special to the Journal Kucirkova Nearly 50 years ago, representatives from multiple governments met in Stockholm to discuss issues affecting the global environment. Many recognize the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment of 1972 as the official launch of the international environmental movement. As awareness has grown about the effect of any human activity on our amazing ecosystem, there's been ever-increasing interest in the use of practices that minimize harm done to the environment, as well as lowering the cost and amount of energy use. Green building practices developed out of this worldwide desire to put aside harmful practices and create a sustainable building model. Nearly every country currently recognizes it's crucial to minimize energy use and eliminate the waste of valuable resources. In the last two decades, green building has advanced from being a barely recognized movement to prominent status. Mainstream demand for sustainable construction, along with healthier work and living places, springs from two main sources: government agencies and individual clients. Sustainable development goals adopted by the United Nations in 2016 include various aspects of climate protection, water management, and recycling or repurposing materials, as well as supporting innovations to produce clean energy. The UN's overarching goal is to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. When you consider the huge amount of energy (mostly electricity) used for the construction and maintenance of buildings, the volume of water that buildings require, carbon emissions created, and the amount of landfill waste created by demolition of buildings, it's easy to acknowledge that a shift toward energy-efficient and sustainable buildings is imperative. Aside from a lower impact on the environment, green buildings also create healthier, more comfortable indoor environments for the people who use them. Protecting the planet and promoting the physical well-being of the occupants are equally significant. What is green building? The Environmental Protection Agency describes green building as the practice of creating structures and using processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's life-cycle: from siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation and deconstruction. In other words, it's the whole package from the first planning stages to construction and throughout the entire lifespan of the building. Reducing the consumption of energy and cutting back on the use of water are two chief resource aims of green building. Structures that create just as much energy as they use, mainly through solar, wind or geothermal sources, are quickly gaining in popularity. An exciting recent development is buildings that create even more energy than they consume, feeding excess electricity back into the grid. Imagine the possibilities of other eco-friendly solutions that weren't envisioned a decade or two ago. But energy-efficiency and fabrication aren't the only concerns behind green building practices. The human health factor is high on the list of desirable features, too. Indoor air quality is significantly better in green buildings, and these buildings play a part in securing better mental and emotional health for occupants. Unlike their ancestors, human beings in industrialized areas spend most of their time in buildings throughout the day and night. Contaminants from many of the synthetic building products developed in the last century expose us to various types of chemical and biological pollution. Dust, fiberglass, gases, asbestos and formaldehyde are just a few of the problematic materials that have been used traditionally in constructing homes and other buildings. Eliminating volatile organic compounds in building materials is the healthiest practice. Off-gassing from carpet, paint and glue, for instance, can cause headaches, coughs, asthma and eye irritation. These fumes have even been connected to serious bouts with fatigue, memory loss or depression. Construction methods and materials used in green buildings strive to eliminate this harm, along with preventing or minimizing further depletion of the natural resources in our environment. Modern building materials that are considered green now comprise quite a lengthy list. Desirable materials No doubt you've heard many concerns about the destruction of countless acres of forest land. That's just one reason that popular materials for sustainable construction include renewable plant materials. Sourcing lumber only from well-managed and certified forests that meet third-party sustainability standards is the preferable green practice. Bamboo continues to grow in popularity because it's fast-growing, sustainable and versatile. Recycled metal, concrete and stone are common materials for green structures. Paper and cardboard can be fashioned into wood-type products that are very sturdy. Glass can be recycled into the shape of bricks. Up-to-date methods of fabricating adobe, clay, compressed earth block, rammed earth or baked earth into building components utilize older forms of architecture in new ways. These materials are safe for humans and cause less depletion of the ecosystem. Many other non-toxic, reusable or recyclable products broaden the choices. Even materials like flax, wool, linen, sisal, cork and coconut have been added to the list of potential building resources. Moving away from synthetics (which are mostly plastics) to the use of natural fibers instead reduces the presence of chemicals in everyday life. The merits of green building are much broader than the reduction of poor indoor air quality that leads to lung and breathing problems. Aside from the obvious physical need for decreasing pollutants, there's a growing emphasis on structures adding comfort and beauty. Going green doesn't mean boring, unattractive structures. The eco-friendly building involves better lighting, especially the introduction or increase of natural light. The addition of greenery and beautiful interior design along with pleasant views for the occupants create a sense of well-being. There are even commercial green buildings that adjust indoor oxygen levels when necessary to keep occupants more alert. Students and office workers in particular benefit from this innovation. Popular green techniques Green building used to be equated with luxury home construction but that's no longer the case. Builders and investors are now finding that many green products and techniques are competitively priced, and homeowners benefit from lower energy costs throughout the lifetime of their home. The process springs from good planning and design, well before any materials are chosen. Careful site location and consideration of the sun's orientation to the structure will cut down on energy and heating needs. Some homes can be partially built into a slope or hillside to provide a buffer and conserve energy. Heating and cooling are responsible for up to half of a home's energy use. Using high R-value insulation (that meets green standards) inside the walls and sealing any places prone to drafts prevents air leaks and leads to lower operating costs for homeowners. High-efficiency windows block out heat in the summer and prevent warm air from escaping in the winter. Design elements such as placing windows on all sides permit cross-ventilation of the interior. Light tubes and skylights add brightness to darker interior areas so that less artificial light needs to be used. Awnings or overhangs protect the home from the sun when it's high in the summer sky, but allow natural light and warmth to penetrate in the winter when the sun is lower. There also has been a move toward using panels or pre-made trusses. This mode of construction can be more energy efficient than doing all of the building on site. Many of these prefab systems require less labor and earn points toward gaining green certification. There's less waste material left onsite, too. Well-executed landscaping, such as deciduous trees or vines on the south side of buildings, provide shade for the structure during hot summer days but allow the entrance of natural heat and sunshine during colder winter months. Using only native plants reduces the need for water or chemical fertilizers. A green roof (which is a roof literally covered in sustainable plants) lowers cooling costs, adds oxygen to the atmosphere and reduces stormwater runoff. Many of these unexpected gardens are being added to urban and suburban areas. Getting to certified green Green building product standards were first seen in the marketplace in the 1980s. Many of these were the result of concerns about toxic materials and their potential impact on either children's health or general indoor air quality. Later the emphasis grew to include concerns about global warming and using fewer resources. Hundreds of green product certifications are in use around the world. It can be tough to wade through which standards apply to a specific building project. The benefit of meeting certifications is threefold: to have buildings that cost less to operate, that have optimal energy performance and can be promoted to the public as environmentally friendly. Studies show that occupants typically have high satisfaction rates with these buildings. One of the best-known green building/rating certifications is called LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. The managing organization for LEED is the U.S. Green Building Council, which ensures independent third-party verification for both new construction and remodeling of existing structures. LEED certification focuses on finding sustainable sites, ensuring good practices for energy use and a clean atmosphere, water efficiency, materials and resources that are sustainable, and indoor environmental quality. The number of other green certifications is growing yearly supportive programs that help to cut down on energy usage and lower costs while providing healthier living spaces to protect the environment. With the advances of the past 50 years as a foundation and all the progress that still lies ahead, green building practices promise to be of great benefit to the billions of people populating our precious planet. This article originally appeared in Dakota Safety. Anna Kucirkova has been a copywriter for over four years. She speaks three languages, loves traveling and has a passion for kids and writing. Previous columns: Subscriber content preview SEATTLE (AP) Federal officials say they may restrict salmon fishing off the West Coast to help the Pacific Northwest's critically endangered killer whales, but two environmental groups are suing anyway to ensure it happens. The Center for Biological Diversity and the Wild Fish Conservancy asked the U.S. District Court in Seattle on Wednesday to order officials to reconsider a 2009 finding that commercial and recreational fisheries were not likely to contribute to the orcas' extinction. . . . UK's House of Commons approves legislation on delayed Brexit The House of Commons of the Lower House of the British Parliament on Wednesday approved a legislation under which Prime Minister Theresa May will seek a delay in Britains exit from the European Union (EU) to prevent a crash-out on 12 April. The bill proposes that May ask the European Union for an extension to the Brexit date beyond 12 April so that the exit wont come without a deal. Parliament will decide on the quantum of the delay. The development comes amid negotiations between May and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to end the deadlock on the matter. The bill is subject to an approval from the House of Lords and needs the European Unions permission for an extension on the United Kingdoms exit from the bloc. The legislation, tabled by opposition Labour lawmaker Yvette Cooper, was rushed through all of its stages in the House in less than six hours. It was approved at the final stage by 313 votes to 312. May had earlier said she would seek another short extension to Brexit beyond the 12 April deadline and try to work with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to get her Brexit deal approved in Parliament The Bill requires May to get Parliament's approval for the detail of any delay and allows lawmakers to propose a different length of extension. The legislation, according to Cooper, was needed to set out a clear process for how decisions are taken over the length of any extension. Perhaps crucially it would demonstrate to the EU parliamentary support for what the Prime Minister is asking for, she told Parliament during the debate on the legislation. May must now present a summit of EU leaders next Wednesday to win approval in Parliament for the Withdrawal Agreement that she negotiated with Brussels. May has said that if she cannot agree for a unified approach with Corbyn, the government would come up with options on the future relationship with the EU and put them to Parliament in a series of votes. Pro-Brexit Conservative lawmaker Bill Cash described it as a constitutional revolution. This is a grave moment in our constitutional history. I think the Bill is reprehensible ... I think it is a disgrace that it was brought in, he told Parliament ahead of the votes. Conservative lawmaker Oliver Letwin, who was also involved in putting forward the legislation, said on Wednesday there was overwhelming support in the House of Lords for it and he anticipated it would pass through the Lords rapidly. The House of Lords has in fact already passed a motion which provides for the expeditious consideration of exactly this form of bill, he said. UAE honours PM Narendra Modi with the `Order of Zayed' Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been conferred with the United Arab Emiratess highest civilian decoration, the Order of Zayed, in recognition of the "pivotal role" he played in strengthening ties between the two nations. UAEs highest civilian decoration, the Order of Zayed, is awarded to those who contribute to international leadership in strengthening relations with the country. We have historical and comprehensive strategic ties with India, reinforced by the pivotal role of my dear friend, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who gave these relations a big boost. In appreciation of his efforts, the UAE President grants him the Zayed Medal, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and deputy supreme commander of the UAE Armed Forces, announced on Twitter. As an International statesman, he (PM Modi) has given a new direction to this (ties with the UAE) relation and today Indias relations with whole Islamic world is at its best, a statement said. Expressing her gratitude, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj said that UAE has not only honoured the Prime Minister but also the country and its people. I am extremely happy to welcome the announcement of Order of Zayed for a great son of India Prime Minister @narendramodi by His Highness @MohamedBinZayed. "This is in recognition of Prime Ministers stellar role in ushering in a new era of strategic partnership with UAE and the best ever relations with the Islamic world," she tweeted. On behalf of the people of India, I express our deep sense of gratitude to His Highness the President, His Highness the Crown Prince of UAE for this great honour. With this, you have honoured India and the people of India. /3 @MohamedBinZayed @narendramodi. India and the UAE share warm relations that received impetus after Prime Minister Modi paid a visit to the nation in 2015, according to the ministry of external affairs. The Crown Prince visited India in 2017 as the Chief Guest for Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi, while UAE is one of the few countries Prime Minister Modi has visited twice. "The State visit of the Prime Minister (Modi) to UAE on February 10-11, 2018, helped in sustaining the momentum generated by earlier visits of Crown Prince in 2017 and 2016 and that of PM in 2015," MEA stated. "India-UAE commercial relations are anchored by energy cooperation, trade, investments by UAE in India and investments & businesses driven by Indian expatriates in UAE," the ministry added. UAE accounts for 8 per cent of India's oil imports and is the fifth largest supplier of crude oil to India. The country is also a part of the International Solar Alliance (ISA), which is headquartered in Gurugram, India. India-UAE trade stood at about $50 billion in 2017, making India the second largest trading partner of UAE, while UAE is India's third largest trading partner (after China and the US). UAE is also India's second largest export destination, accounting for over $31 billion for the year 2016-17. Among the past recipients of this award are Russian president Vladimir Putin, former US president George W Bush, French leader Nicolas Sarkozy and German politician Angela Merkel. A four-man gang who were caught while tooled up to go on a burglary spree in Donegal and other parts of the west of Ireland, have been given seven days to leave the country, at Donegal Circuit Criminal Court. The court heard the gang had details on businesses in Dungloe, Gortahork, Belmullet, Co Mayo and Turloughmore, Co Galway when their car was stopped at Tullyearl, Laghey on January 6. Judge John Aylmer jailed Marian Bucar, 29, George Panait, 27, Stefan Serbu, 45, and Lulan Vlad, 24, with an address at 60 Auburn Drive, Castleknock for a year, back-dated to when they went into custody on January 6. He suspended the balance of the sentence provided they left the jurisdiction within seven days and ordered all four to enter into a bond to keep the peace and be of good behaviour for a period of a year. The judge jailed George Panait for two months concurrently for driving with no insurance and banned him from driving for two years. The court was told that Marian Bukar was serving another sentence arising out of the matter before the court. His release date was September 18 and the judge ordered that he leave the country seven days after that date. The case was adjourned until this morning to allow the other three defendants to make arrangements to leave. Excellent police work In passing sentence Judge John Aylmer said it was excellent police work that detected the defendants. They were ready to commit a very professional burglary and the list of four commercial premises made it plain what this criminal gang was about. All four pleaded guilty to charges that in a vehicle at Tullyearl, Laghey, County Donegal, having a sledgehammer, one nail bar, three pairs of gloves, three beany hats, two walkie talkies, two pencil torches, one piece of rope, a roll of refuse bags, three large screwdrivers, and a socket set with the intention that it be used in the course of or in connection with the theft/burglary/an offence under Section 6 or Seven of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001 at Donegal Town Garda Station on January 6. Detective Garda Mark Deavin told the court he stopped a Black Audi that was driving at speed on January 6 and Gardai initially carried out a suspected drugs check. This proved negative and all four were brought to Donegal town Garda station. Three of them were wearing double-layered clothing and the stated items were found. Businesses Lulan Vlad had details of businesses in Dungloe, Gortahork, Belmullet and Turloughmore, the court heard. When questioned the defendants said they were going to Derry looking for work. When the address given in Dublin was checked it was found to be an address of convenience for Romanian criminals and the four defendants were not living there. They had only been in the country for around a week. Counsel for the four defendants, Damian Crawford, Peter Nolan, Keith OGrady and Sean McGee told the court that all four had been co-operative had no previous convictions and the guilty pleas had spared the State a long and complex trial. It was submitted that the court had the option of an exclusion order for all four defendants. The judge said the defendants had no previous convictions and the State would have had great difficulty in proving their intent had the matter gone to trial. Each of them had made a valuable plea of guilty. Plans are underway to bring whiskey distilling back to Donegal for the first time in almost two centuries. Sliabh Liag Distillers, producers of An Dulaman Irish Maritime Gin and The Legendary Silkie Irish Whiskey, has acquired the Show Field in Ardara, and a planning application has been submitted to Donegal County Council (DCC). Whiskey Distillery Led by company directors, James and Moira Doherty and James Keith, construction for the whiskey distillery is scheduled to start later this year, subject to planning approval, with distilling operations commencing in 2020. The new building has been carefully designed by Corner Stone Architecture to complement the village and its natural surroundings. Employment The new 6m distillery aims to employ at least forty people and will have the capacity to produce 400,000 litres of pure alcohol per annum, which equates to approximately 1700 filled casks, and over 1.2m bottles of whiskey when the spirit is finally sold. As well as producing whiskey, the companys An Dulaman gin still will be moved from its current location in Carrick to the new building and a visitor centre is also planned. Museum The visitor centre will include a poitin museum, exhibition space, tasting bar and shop and will be an additional reason for tourists on the Wild Atlantic Way to stop in Ardara. There will be no cafe or restaurant, with visitors encouraged to make use of the village's many offerings. The company plans to create a number of brands, including the Ardara and Sliabh Liag single malt and pot still whiskeys, heavily peated and authentic to the style of 19th century whiskeys from the county. Complement James Doherty, managing Director of Sliabh Liag Distillers, said: "The design of the development is a mix of contemporary and traditional finishes which complement the village of Ardara. We have put considerable thought into the visitor experience and aim to create an opportunity for visitors to park in the village, walk along the Owentocker river, across a new footbridge and into the Show Field. It is important to us that local businesses benefit from the foot fall, and if we can get visitors walking in the village, increasing their dwell time, then so much the better for the entire community. Enhancing Ardaras offering to its community and visitors has been a major consideration throughout the design process. We intend to conserve the portion of the land nearest to the village as an open green space, with walk ways and ponds providing a beautifully landscaped area to be enjoyed by everybody." Architecture Gavin Shovelin of Corner Stone Architecture, said: "We have really enjoyed working on this exciting project and designing such a major landmark for what is my home town. We see spin offs for all aspects of the community and have designed a building that we think is truly unique but will look very much part of the town." A public consultation took place in Ardara on April 2 at The Nesbitt Arms Hotel. The Planning Application is being submitted on April 4. A Donegal woman who started a petition to have a wheelchair accessible bus added to a Donegal route has achieved her aim. Vicky Matthew from Ballyshannon has campaigned for a low suspension wheelchair accessible bus to be added to Bus Eireanns route 480 which runs between Derry, Donegal, Ballyshannon and Sligo. Ms Matthew began the campaign after she realised the bus service does not have a wheelchair accessible bus. She made the discovery when making plans to continue her studies at Sligo IT. She has gathered over 8,500 signatures in her campaign. The issue was raised with Minister for Transport Shane Ross in the Dail last week. Ms Matthew has since received confirmation that a low suspension wheelchair accessible bus has been confirmed for the route from August. Bus Eireann is taking delivering of 40 new wheelchair accessible buses. The company has written to Ms Matthew to tell her the first of the vehicles will be allocated to route 480. I've got the bus for the whole northwest. I am so happy. I am just overwhelmed," she said. "The 40 new low suspension buses will be rolled out throughout the country. They have not told me where the rest are going but 480 will get first one. This bus will take in 28 stops from Derry to Sligo and people in those communities will have now have wheelchair accessible low suspension buses. Its amazing. I will be able to go to college now. Next week I'll be going to the Dail to hand in the petition. I am still asking people to sign the petition because it is for all the routes in Ireland. It is positive and I will continue to raise my voice for accessibility for the full country. Budding entrepreneurs from Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair and Gairmscoil Chu Uladh competed strongly in the Udaras na Gaeltachta Clar na gComhlachtai 2019 National Final which was held in Galway this week. 'Number Ninjas,' a mini company from Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair, scooped the finance and marketing award in the national final. Liam Mac Phaidin, Cian Mac Aoidh, Dean O Domhnaill, Padraig O Fearraigh, Eoghan O Neill, Cathal O Catha, Stephen Mac Phaidin and Ciaran O Rabhartaigh were all on a team under the stewardship of teacher Emmet MacAoidh. They published a handbook written by students to help students who have difficulties with mathematics. Toin The Theolai from Gairmscoil Chu Uladh also made their mark on the final with their innovative briquettes made of recycled materials they collected from around their school. They were under the mentorship of teacher Seamus Ferry. The team comprised of Ciara Nic Eiteagain, Eibhlin Ni Bhaoill, Amy Nic Suibhne and Michaela Ni Mhonagail. Emerging from a very competitive Donegal regional final, Number Ninjas and Toin The Theolai represented their schools and region with great distinction at the national final. Edging out competition from around the country however 'Save the Seas' from Colaiste Cholmcille, Indreabhan, County Galway was the winning company who will now represent Ireland at the European JA Company of the Year Competition in Lille, France in July. More than 750 Transition Year students from Gaeltacht regions enjoyed unique hands-on learning experiences and started their own businesses this year. After regional finals in Donegal, Kerry, Mayo and Galway eight teams were ultimately selected to proceed to the national final. Mark de Faoite, Director of Enterprise and Employment, Udaras na Gaeltachta, said: "It was inspiring to witness such enterprising young people at the Udaras na Gaeltachta Clar na gComhlachtai 2019 National Final. "Their knowledge and enthusiasm for their business ideas indicates that enterprise in the Gaeltacht areas is in safe hands. Udaras na Gaeltachta are proud to help promote student entrepreneurship in partnership with 'Junior Achievement Ireland' and Im sure we will be seeing more of these young entrepreneurs in the future. Helen Raftery, CEO, Junior Achievement Ireland said: "The support of Udaras na Gaeltachta has enabled more than 750 senior cycle students to take part in meaningful real-to-life entrepreneurial experiences across the Gaeltacht areas through clar na gcomhlachtai this year. "We wish to extend a special thank you to teachers and business mentors for their dedication in supporting and developing the entrepreneurial talent of these students who have also gained confidence in many skills, such as, team-working, negotiation and public speaking, skills which will be invaluable as they progress into the world of work. Congratulations to all the teams that won the right to compete at the regional and national finals." Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider subscribing to our ePaper and/or free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. These Aussie start up founders share their thoughts on the Federal Budget reveal earlier this week, giving us an insight into how SMEs are going to be affected the positives and the negatives. Carl Hartmann, Co-founder at ShortLyster The part of Mr Frydenbergs speech most relevant to the startup sector was his announcement to increase the Export Market Development Grant (EMDG) by $60 million. The EMDG grant is a really important mechanism that helps support Australian companies export their IP to the rest of the world. It has been essential to achieving the first wave of global expansion for local exporting businesses. The $60M will certainly help drive successful outcomes for Australian companies. On the flipside, if we keep companies here, we need to ensure they have the resources they need to build products locally. Therefore, we still need to make sure we have sufficient skilled migration policies to meet the demand for jobs that remain on Australian soil. With regard to increasing support for female entrepreneurs, anything that promotes diversity in this space is welcomed by the startup community. As entrepreneurship comes from all people regardless of gender or race, investing in a policy that promotes inclusiveness is great. Overall, while the EMDG grant is welcomed, if core issues facing startups (such as attracting local talent, and ensuring local funding is available) remain unaddressed, then more work still needs to be done. If the government intends on investing in technology, innovation, and future of work, then we need to double down on initiatives actually supporting this vision. Gareth Gumbley, CEO of Frollo It is great to see additional funding announced for the EMDG as the initiative is successful in helping startups like Frollo expand overseas. It allows Australian companies to raise awareness and get traction in a very crowded and competitive global market for their unique value propositions. The adoption of 76 reforms post the Banking Royal Commission is also a step in the right direction. While its fantastic that over $500M has been allocated to enforcement and supervision via ASIC and APRA, it is also essential to note that central to the reforms is increased competition which can be achieved through adopting open banking without further delays. The government needs to ensure a phased rollout without being slowed down by big banks. It also needs to support regional and tier 2 banks, as well as fintechs, to compete and get Australians a better deal. The treasurer rightly said that small businesses are the engine room of the economy, but that more fuel is needed to propel those engines to move faster and be more competitive on a local and global scale. This comes back to offering incentives to help start-ups flourish, especially in the early stages of business development. Were all incredibly proud of success stories such as Canva and Atlassian, but need to remember they were small start-ups once too. If we want to foster and nurture the next generation of Australian success stories, we need to invest in them starting today. Dipra Ray, Managing Director and CEO at mPort It was a pleasure to see a positive and supportive Budget from the Government today. It provides targeted tax relief to the mass market which should go a long way to boosting consumer confidence. As a startup that aims to take our technology offshore, Im delighted to see increased support for the EMDG grant which had been hamstrung in the past. It was also great to see a focus on investing in education which is key to any business being able to continue hiring talented staff. Lastly, its great to see the Budget back in surplus which goes a long way to providing fiscal stability for the economy. Dr Silvia Pfeiffer, CEO of Coviu While Im pleased to hear that the government has announced more funding for mental health, and better access to rural GPs, much of this support already exists. I would have liked to see a more specific focus on modernising Australias health care sector. What the government hasnt yet realised is that change and innovation in healthcare will actually come from digital health and Telehealth. Its the only way to scale our future healthcare needs in an increasingly aging and digitally enabled population. What the government should have included in its Budget is broader reimbursements for Telehealth and digital health, including video consultations. I do commend the government for committing to further funding to increase participation for women and girls in STEM. This is an extremely important and worthwhile initiative. Anastasia Volkova, CEO of FluroSat The agricultural measures announced in the budget will certainly help struggling farmers in the short term. Whats important is that we see investment in the technology that will make farmers more prepared for hardship, and more efficient with resources, so they can be independent of government emergency funding. Its only through technology innovation that farmers will be able to meet not only the current challenges they face, but the even more critical challenge of meeting increased demand for food and clothing over the next few decades. Dr Elliot Smith, CEO of Maxwell Plus This year the government has doubled down on healthcare as part of its budget. I think this is an extremely critical issue, and its pleasing to see it take the spotlight. Australia has a strong history of health innovation, and I think this is set to continue with the ongoing support for lab science and crucially its commercialisation in todays budget. It is through this process that we will see the growth of new, innovative businesses here in Australia that will have global impact. Having increased support for big issues like TB and brain injury, as well as diseases like Prostate Cancer, will lead to better patient outcomes for millions of Australians. Im certainly proud to be part of the Australian healthcare ecosystem, and am excited to see what the future holds. Yohan Ramasundara, President, ACS Technology jobs are the jobs of the future. Many of the high paying jobs of the next decade are going to be technology jobs, and a large proportion of the funds allotted to skills have been targeted not at technology jobs but at trade skills. Much more investment should be made to improve the technology skills of the Australian workforce. ACSs Australias Digital Pulse 2018 revealed that Australia will need 100,000 new technology professionals over the next five years just to keep up with current demand. This skills package should help deliver those jobs, and were pleased to see that the government has been listening to the calls for workforce reform, but what is in this budget is inadequate for that purpose. Its no secret that the technology industry has a significant gender imbalance. Females make up on 28% of the ICT workforce, compared to 45% of the workforce as a whole. Addressing that imbalance is a key issue that we have needed to address in Australia for some time, however $850k per year wont go too far in narrowing the gap. The governments commitment to the cyber uplift for federal government systems for the 2019 federal election is commendable. It has been clear that foreign actors including governments are now more than happy to interfere in elections, and the government should be doing everything it can to ensure that Australian elections remain safe and fair. Bruce Mackenzie, Founder & Chief Executive at Humanforce Todays budget from the coalition is slim pickings for high-growth businesses. The lack of R&D and tech growth funding is a glaring omission, given the Treasurers statements on the need to build a better, more skilled workforce for Australia. Josh Frydenburg called out bricklayers, carpenters and plumbers as the areas with skills shortages to be supported with the new apprenticeship program. I feel that these are odd examples to use, given these are some of the oldest vocations in history. While I completely understand the need to urgently address skill shortages in the trades, I was hoping for equal recognition of future employment opportunities in the technology sector, and more support for startups that are all currently fighting over a limited tech talent pool. I believe that we need to see more of a focus on STEM jobs, with specific policies that support our nations tech sector. With the right support, Australia will continue to lead the world with innovative ideas, and ensure a successful and prosperous nation for the next generation. INSERT PAINFUL EYEROLL HERE The Republican Speaker of the House in Michigans legislature is Lee Chatfield, a 30-year old father of five and graduate of Jerry Falwells Liberty University who attempted to bring a loaded handgun onto a commercial flight last summer. In a recent interview, Chatfield characterized Attorney General Dana Nessel and Governor Gretchen Whitmer as driven purely by emotion in their decision to shut down the dangerous Line 5 tunnel plan rammed through the lame duck session late last year: House Speaker Lee Chatfield is facing a backlash after suggesting Attorney General Dana Nessel and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer are driven by emotion on the Enbridge Line 5 tunnel issue. Critics said Wednesday that Chatfield, without any basis, drew on a stereotype about women that is used to undermine female political leaders. Chatfield rejected the criticism, through a spokesman. In a Monday radio interview on the Frank Beckmann Show on Detroits WJR-AM (760), Chatfield, R-Levering, said we all want to protect the Great Lakes, but we also have to use sound science when were trying to do that, Frank, and we cant be driven purely by emotion. The Detroit Free Press article quoted here goes on to highlight analysis from experts of this TOTALLY NOT SEXIST AT ALL! stereotyping of Michigans two most powerful women. They explain in detail why characterizing women as emotional is a demeaning tactic that goes back to the first time a women had the audacity to run for a leadership position of any kind. But, lets be honest: We dont need historians and university professors to explain this to us. Women face this sort of sexist BS every day of their lives and in nearly every element of their lives. Comedians and comedy shows use it as a gag line. Women are denied well-deserved promotions because of it. Female candidates could become non-emotional automatons and theyd still hear it. Chatfield claims that his comment was TOTALLY NOT SEXIST AT ALL! and his spokesperson WHO IS NOT DRIVEN PURELY BY EMOTION BECAUSE HES A MAN said that reading into his statement any more than [looking for ways to protect the Great Lakes and still deliver necessary energy resources] is even more political than the original decision itself. Right. Got it. See? TOTALLY NOT SEXIST AT ALL! The best smackdown came from Michigan Democratic Party Chair, Lavora Barnes: Mr. Chatfield should choose his words more carefully rather than let his emotions like feeling intimidated by powerful women get in the way. If he wants to use science as the excuse for his sexist comments, we would welcome all Republicans finally adopting the same position when it comes to the Great Lakes, as well as womens healthcare, climate change, and a host of other areas where facts and figures should guide our decisions rather than emotion or dogma. No word yet on whether Mr. Chatfield thinks Ms. Barnes is being too emotional. Stumos familys lawsuit is one of several filed by relatives of passengers killed in the Ethiopian Airlines and Lion Air crashes. All those families have such huge holes because of the aircrafts problems, said Nadia Milleron, Stumos mother, who said she had met others who lost loved ones in Ethiopia. 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The no-meat treat emerged onto the food scene in 2016, when it debuted at restaurants in Manhattan, Los Angeles and San Francisco. "I think the natural assumption people make is that because we've basically made a food that looks and tastes and cooks and smells just like meat from a cow that there must be some kind of sketchy business going on," said Pat Brown, CEO and founder of Impossible Foods, which makes the Impossible Burger. "But, in fact, there was a lot of work that went into figuring out in detail what it took to make something that delivered all the sensory pleasures of meat using plant ingredients." Recently welcomed onto the menus of Chef Brad Farmerie's Michelin-starred restaurants Public and Saxon + Parole, the Impossible Burger has solidified its place at the cutting edge of both gastronomy and sustainability. At a panel hosted at Public, Farmerie described the Burger as a "gateway drug" into alternative protein, offering his patrons the chance to enjoy a new treat that represents an "incredible flip on what we can do for our world." The Impossible Burger. Impossible Foods Impossible Foods is developing the whole gamut of traditionally animal-sourced meats, from fish to bacon. Brown said the decision to start with a plant-based burger was a no-brainer. The burger is an iconic American food and beef production has the biggest environmental impact of the foods we eat. The all-plant patty sends a clear message, he said, that "the best meats in the world don't have to come from animals." Our food choices have a huge environmental impact. Livestock production accounts for a third of global cropland, pollutes water and air, and almost 15 percent of man-made greenhouse gases. Among farm animals, cattle are the biggest culprits, accounting for the large majority of livestock-related greenhouse gas emissions. Demand for meat and dairy is set to skyrocket in the years to come. Experts disagree on the best approach to shrinking the environmental impact of food production. Agricultural purists are deploying low-impact farming practices that reduce pollution, build healthy soils, and scrub carbon from the atmosphere. Agri-tech companies, on the other hand, are using advanced tools to increase yield crops and convert livestock waste to biogas. Some are even feeding seaweed to cows so that they burp less methane. Many environmental advocates say we should look beyond the farm and try to change the way we eatconsuming more plants and less meatas a way to combat climate change. The Impossible Burger at Saxon and Parole. Lauren Wolahan Asking people to change how they eat is a thorny subject. There are personal and cultural barriers to eating less meat. But Brown says we can protect the planet without asking people to sacrifice a beloved food by developing tasty, plant-based alternatives to meat. The Impossible Burger requires using 95 percent less land and generates 87 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than a beef patty. "Because we're constantly improving it, we're discovering fundamental things about how to make delicious meat flavor from simple plant ingredients and discovering new ways to make it better and better and better all the time," said Brown. "This is how I know that we are going to succeed in our mission," he added. "As soon as we're kind of running even with the cow, the race is over, because the cow's not going to get any faster and we areevery single day." (Image: SBC website) The biggest U.S. Protestant group is preparing to meet in Columbus, Ohio but it has reported its largest annual decline in more than 130 years - a loss of 236,467 members. With just under 15.5 million members, the Southern Baptist Convention remains the largest Protestant group in the United States. But it has lost about 800,000 members since 2003, when membership peaked at about 16.3 million, Christianity Today reported. The number of SBC baptisms has declined in eight of the past 10 years, according to the denomination, The Associated Press reported. In 2014, baptisms declined by more than 5,000 to just over 305,000. This past year, however, the number of SBC churches grew by 1 percent to 46,449, Christianity Today reported. That's in part due to church planting efforts, aimed at starting new churches. Southern Baptists started 985 new churches in 2014, up 5 percent from the previous year. Yet a new major survey from the Pew Research Center shows a similar decline for the SBC. In 2007, Pew found that about 6.7 percent of Americans claimed to be Southern Baptists. In 2014, 5.3 percent of Americans were Southern Baptists. Pew also found Southern Baptists are aging, with the median age rising from 49 in 2007 to 54 in 2014. That makes them older than Nazarenes, "nones," and non-denominational Christians, but younger than Presbyterians, Episcopalians, and Methodists. Frank S. Page, president of the SBC's Nashville-based executive committee, said that the numbers were disappointing. "The truth is, we have less people in our churches who are giving less money because we are winning less people to Christ, and we are not training them in the spiritual disciplines of our Lord," he told Baptist Press. Mark Woods wrote in the UK publication Christian Today, "With all due respect to Thom Rainer and Frank Page, it doesn't seem likely that the decline is down to a lack of prayer or effort. "It may be something rather more fundamental: that the SBC label is associated with a kind of Christianity which is not attractive in the kind of country America is becoming, which is far more socially liberal than many evangelicals are comfortable with." Ina piece headlined, Is the Southern Baptist Convention in terminal decline? Woods wrote, "The SBC still has a lot going for it, and while it might be argued that a softening of its line in certain areas would make evangelistic sense, it is likely to remain a power in the land for years to come." (Photo: Richard E Settle/WCC)Bishop Mary Ann Swenson, vice-moderator of the World Council of Churches main governing body and the WCC general secretary Rev. Olav Fykse Tveit in Hollywood "What's love got to do with it?" may be associated with the biographical Hollywood film based on the life of rock star Tina Turner. However, Rev. Olav Fyske Tveit the head of the World Council of used the title the Inaugural Michael Huffington Lecture at Los Angeles' Loyola Marymount University. Tveit visiting Los Angeles this week from March 30 to April 4, preaching at the Hollywood United Methodist Church, before delivering the Loyola Marymount University lecture, and meeting with ecumenical organizations and groups. In Los Angeles on April 1, the WCC's general secretaryTveit spoke on "Christ's love moves the world to reconciliation and unity." That is to be theme of the WCC 11th Assembly in 2021 in Karlsruhe, Germany. The world needs love, the kind of lifesaving love that is a profound source of unity, Tveit said. "We are neither called to promote, nor to be a source of conflict and polarization," he said. "That means that we cannot ignore tribalism, racism, nationalism, or any other form of exclusivism if we are to be the followers of Christ in this world." Reconciliation and unity occur between people face-to-face, Tveit said. "Justice is needed to be able to proceed, but the guilty should not be brought to justice by making everybody guilty, collectively," he said. "That is not justice." Not moving to reconciliation and unity The world is not moving in love towards reconciliation and unity, Tveit rued. "Even the communities of Christian faith are sometimes quite self-centerd and themselves a source of division and even conflict with a negative effect far beyond their own circles.," he said. "In fact, now is actually a time when religion is one of the dividing factors in the world, or at least used and misused to divide, for other purposes than the strictly religious motivation." It is time to go back to basics, Tveit urged. "The message of Jesus Christ is exclusive in the sense that in a Christian church nothing else can define what the church is," he said. "The ecumenical movement itself, its institutions and organizations, might provide a temptation to serve the interest of one's own community and church, or even one's own personal interests." Tveit said that for the first time in the WCC's history, the term "love" will be included in a theme for an assembly, which is the highest governing body of the grouping of more than half a billion Christians worldwide. "The church is called to be the expression of this love in a broken and sinful world," Tveit reflected. "How could the ecumenical movement, trying to unite the churches in this call and to bring forth the signs of the reign of God that is, justice, peace and joy into this world how could this movement be something other than a movement of love?" Speaking truth to power The WCC speaks truth to power, Tveit concluded: "We do so driven by love for all, and particularly for those suffering, occupied, colonized, excluded, non-privileged, marginalized, discriminated against." Tveit also asked: "What does it mean to be a 'World Council of Churches?' "We sometimes hear criticism from both sides. Some would ask how the WCC can be relevant to the real lives of people in the world today. Others might say that we are busier with the "world" than with the church or with faith in Christ as such." He said both challenges help the WCC to be objective about itself. "But how could we think that we do not have a calling to contribute to positive movements in the world - as it is, in real time? "We are not intending by this theme to be exaggerating or boosting our self-image, but we have to reflect on the biblical mandate that the church is called by Jesus Christ to do its mission in the whole world, and to share that God loved and loves the world." During his visit Tveit met with Fr. Alexei Smith, director of Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs at the Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles; Bishop Mary Ann Swenson, vice-moderator of the WCC Central Committee; and Catholic Archbishop Jose Gomez. He also met with the Southern California Christian Forum. Seventeen months ago, and eight months after I became the secretary of education in Puerto Rico, the worst hurricane in over a century decimated much of the island, dislocating thousands of families and bringing daily life here to a halt. Our school buildings were no exception; those that werent destroyed suffered damage ranging from power outages to missing roofs. We continue to wait for approval from FEMA to address most of our physical infrastructure needs and are hopeful that the federal government will honor its promise to ensure all students have access to a safe, healthy, and engaging learning environment. The storm created an opportunity for the world to see the challenges confronting Puerto Ricos schools. Hurricane Maria and its economic repercussions exposed the negative impacts of poor decision-making and the politicization of the public education system. The operation of the public schools was largely ineffective and inefficient and characterized by a mass exodus of students and teachers. Over the years, the system neglected to prioritize the provision of basic resources, such as books and technology, or allow for the development of innovative and more effective instructional practices. Since then, Puerto Rico has made dramatic improvements in the quality of its public education system. Dedicated families, communities, teachers, and students have made it possible for great things to take place since the hurricane left our shores. The storm created an opportunity for the world to see the challenges confronting Puerto Rico's schools." The challenges forced us to make hard decisions to allocate scarce resources as efficiently as possible. We consolidated underutilized schools to free up resources for classrooms and implemented new standards to measure the success of our schools and their leaders. Since the storm, we have placed over 1 million books, designed 28 new STEM labs, and created librariesboth physical and virtualacross the island. We have begun distributing 150,000 new computers and tablets and upgrading bandwidth in all schools. We also created a new ecosystem of support that addresses the socio-emotional factors that impact our teachers and students. Health therapists trained to support adults are helping our educators overcome post-Maria personal challenges. Nurses are now in all of our schools conducting trauma screenings with a battalion of school counselors, psychologists, and social workers. Our transformation continues as we implement landmark legislation that overhauls the education system, gives parents new school options, and decentralizes the bureaucracy. Today, our overworked and underpaid teachers are benefiting from their first salary increases in a decade, and we are investing in a human-capital management strategy to ensure our teachers are prepared to teach new classes in math, science, technology, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy. Teachers are now getting the resources and training to cultivate students interests and help them become problem-solvers. However, there are many areas where we still face enormous challenges. Even though we were able to dedicate more than $140 million to rehabilitate school buildings across the island and received approval for an additional $289 million from FEMA for temporary repairs, we are still awaiting approval of at least $5 billion for permanent repairs and work over the next five to 10 years to address storm damage. To help reduce high youth unemployment and facilitate their transition into the workforce, we are preparing students to graduate this year and next with marketable skills, experience, and certification in construction and other trades, and have enlisted hundreds of local businesses to the cause. But this is just a drop in the bucket. There is so much more work to do to connect schools and employers to prepare students for real-world careers that also benefit the islands recovery. When I began my position as secretary of education, one of my priorities was to transform the culture within the department and our entire education system, so that professionalism, transparency, and accountability would become our guiding principles. We have taken positive steps, including shifting hiring to prioritize qualifications over political appointments; using technology to make it easier for parents and teachers to get their needs met; and crafting a new normal budget with a careful analysis of what education really costs and a realistic assessment of what our students, teachers, principals, and schools need. But we still lack a sense of urgency when it comes to responding to family and school requests and needs. Today is a pivotal moment for public education in Puerto Rico and the island itself. Weve made meaningful progress, but we will only succeed in ensuring all Puerto Rican students have equal access to a high-quality public education if those on the mainland in a position to help lend not only their funding, but also their collaboration, know-how, and energy. Due to the historic underinvestment in talent management, many Puerto Rico teachers need exposure to innovative practices to ensure our students will have the skills that they will need for success in the 21st century. We need the help of mainland educators and other professionals willing to come to Puerto Rico, work alongside teachers in our schools, and provide training on new skills and best practices. We need the help of education nonprofits to train our staff on supporting the myriad of challenges that our students bring into the classrooms every day. And we need philanthropic support to fund these types of programs and the continued support of the federal government to rebuild and transform our physical infrastructure. Puerto Ricos schoolsand most importantly its youthstand at a crossroads. Our journey from recovery to rebirth can succeed, but only if the rest of the country comes to our support. We place our trust in Washington, and our hopes in talented educators, dedicated nonprofits and philanthropic donors to grant us the opportunity to improve the education our children receive. "We have to get people demanding that research be supported and demanding to the hospitals that they push to have the replacements available as quickly as possible." New York, Apr 3 (efe-epa).- A building on wheels called "The Shed," the latest novelty in New York, is the home of an art institute into which $500 million has been invested and with which the city intends to remain in the vanguard of culture. Designed to host all kinds of events such as concerts, plays, exhibitions and conferences on its eight floors and its 18,500 sq. meters (198,871 sq. feet) of floor space, The Shed has presented itself to the world as a venue that will welcome a new generation of artists from all fields. The architects opted for an innovative approach and placed part of the building on giant railway wheels that allow it to move and create a multifunctional space, expanding or contracting itself depending on the circumstance. The building is a huge "shell" that measures 37 meters (121 feet) high, made with translucent materials in silvery colors that cover part of the construction like a wrapper protecting its fragile contents. The Shed's chief architect, Elizabeth Diller, said that the building sits on six axles with eight railway wheels almost two meters in diameter that allow the structure to move forward and double the size of its main area called "The McCourt." The McCourt, named after entrepreneur Frank McCourt who donated $45 million to the project, can extend to 1,600 sq. meters (17,000 sq, feet) of soundproof climate-controlled space with a total capacity for 1,250 people seated or 2,000 standing. The deck moves on rails, a detail that pays homage to the location's history as an old trainyard, which was radically transformed this year to become one of Manhattan's attractions. The new building requires 12 motors that together have just 180 horsepower - a Toyota Prius has a 134-horsepower engine - and it can be fully deployed in five minutes, according to the institution. The Shed is the latest building in the colossal Hudson Yards real estate project, described as the "new neighborhood" to the west of Manhattan, which includes a shopping mall of 90,000 sq. meters (970,000 sq. feet), six skyscrapers, a school and several landscaped areas. The building also has two floors of galleries with 2,300 sq. meters (25,000 sq. feet) of space, a 500-seat theater that can be divided in two and 1,300 sq. meters (14,000 sq. feet) of outdoor space for artistic gatherings. On Friday, The Shed will kick off its program with a five-night "Soundtrack of America" concert series, an event created by British film director Steve McQueen, to celebrate the impact and history of African-American music in the United States. Fundraising campaign for new CT scanners Two of the islands health charities hope to raise 1.5m for new CT scanners at Noble's Hospital. Manx Breast Cancer Support and Mannin Cancers want to raise funds to replace both scanners at the hospital. The project would reduce current waiting lists and cut the number of patient transfers to the UK for treatment. As Nash points out, to catch each coffee at its best, precision is paramount. The water temperature (around 200 degrees) and amount of coffee grounds (10.5 grams) need to be uniform for consistency. Once the brewing begins, coffee goes through stages of development, from bloom (formation of foam from gases released 30 seconds into brewing) to a full extraction (about 4 minutes). Nash encourages cuppers to stop to smell and taste throughout the process to capture how smells and tastes change and mature. Amid Brexit row 2nd minister quits in 1 day Brexit Minister Chris Heaton-Harris leaves May's government, defending a no-deal Brexit. Britains Brexit minister has resigned from the government, bringing the number of resignations on Wednesday to two after the fallout over Prime Minister Theresa Mays decision to request another extension from the EU for next steps in Brexit. "WE MUST PREVENT THE CALAMITY OF A CORBYN GOVERNMENT" After much contemplation, I have decided to leave Theresa May's Government, Chris Heaton-Harris said in his resignation letter, defending a no-deal Brexit. He said that he thought the UK should have left the EU on March 29, as planned, and so that he cannot support any further extension. Earlier on Wednesday, Minister of Wales Nigel Adams resigned from the government after failing to agree with Mays latest Brexit strategy. We must deliver the Brexit people voted for, Adams said, criticizing Mays decision to start talks with main opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn to find a way forward in the Brexit impasse. And we must prevent the calamity of a Corbyn government, he said in his resignation letter, criticizing Mays decision to hold talks with Corbyn. Late Tuesday, May said after a seven-hour-long cabinet meeting that she will start talks with Corbyn to seek a way forward to break the Brexit deadlock. With the first extended Brexit deadline looming on April 12, May also said that the UK needs an additional short extension from the EU. So today I am taking action to break the logjam: I am offering to sit down with the Leader of the Opposition and to try to agree to a plan that we would both stick to ensure that we leave the European Union and that we do so with a deal. May said, we need to focus on our future relationship with the EU. The ideal outcome of this process would be to agree an approach on a Future Relationship that delivers on the result of the Referendum, that both the Leader of the opposition and I could put to the House for approval, and which I could then take to next weeks European Council, set for April 10. May added that if a single unified approach cannot be reached, then we would instead agree a number of options for the future relationship that we could put to the House in a series of votes to determine which course to pursue. ECHR rejects appeals against Turkish counter-terror curfews Rights court turns back the challenge to curfews in 2015-2016 meant to protect civilians during counter-terror operations. The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on Thursday turned back legal challenges to counter-terrorist curfews imposed in Turkey's southeast in late 2015 and early 2016. OBJECTION FROM ECHR The curfews were meant as an aid to fight the terrorist PKK in southern cities such as Silopi, Cizre, and Sur where the group declared self-rule and dug trenches for guerrilla warfare. The terrorist PKK broke a cease-fire in July 2015, followed by the self-rule declarations, which led to Turkish counter-terrorist operations against the group. During these operations, security forces imposed a curfew to protect the safety of people's lives and property. A total of 34 appeals went to the ECHR, claiming that Turkey abused human rights during curfew. The court decided to examine two applications primarily and rejected them as inadmissible on Jan. 29. Referring to its previous decision, the court rejected all of the remaining appeals to challenge the curfew, ruling them as inadmissible on Thursday. In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK has been responsible for the deaths of nearly 40,000 people, including many women and children. No turning back from S-400 deal: Turkey Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Ankara does not have to choose between Russia and other countries, amid plans to purchase Moscow's S-400 system and F-35 fighter jets from the US. "We are not choosing between Russia and any other allies," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said at a NATO event in Washington hosted by the Atlantic Council think tank. "WE ARE NOT CHOOSING BETWEEN RUSSIA AND ANY OTHER ALLIES" "We don't see our relations with Russia as an alternative to our relations with others. And nobody, neither West nor Russia, should or can ask us to choose between," Cavusoglu said Cavusoglu is in Washington for the Meetings of NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs, which brings top diplomats from NATO countries to Washington. He arrived the same week the US announced it would suspend all "deliveries and activities" related to Turkey's procurement of F-35 jets because of Ankara's plans to purchase Russias S-400 surface-to-air missile system. Turkey decided in 2017 to purchase the S-400 system following protracted efforts to purchase air defense systems from the US with no success. Cavusoglu contends Turkey urgently needs an air defense system because of the "threat in the neighborhood" and said NATO is not yet capable enough to cover the country's airspace. Washington has repeatedly cautioned Turkey against the purchase of the S-400 system, warning it might be used to covertly obtain critical information on the F-35, including its detection range, which could then be relayed to Russia. In responding to remarks that the S-400 missile system is incompatible with NATO military equipment, Cavusoglu said the system would be for Turkey's own use. "It doesnt have to be integrated to the NATO system, and this is not our aim. It is for our own use, this is a defense system," he said. TURKEY'S PROPOSAL "This system will not see any NATO system, including F-35s," the Turkish minister added. "Therefore we propose United States establish a technical working group to make sure that this system will not be a threat to F-35s nor NATO systems." Turkey's foreign minister said the plans to purchase the S-400 system is "a done deal" and Donald Trump said he would take care of the F-35 deal. "Trump himself admitted on the phone that the US made the mistake not to sell Patriots to Turkey and he promised Erdogan that he will take care of this issue," Cavusoglu said. Turkey joined the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program in 2002 and has invested more than $1.25 billion. It also manufactures various aircraft parts for all F-35 variants and customers. Turkish firms supply the F-35 program with key components, including airframe structures and assemblies and the center fuselages. Two F-35s already delivered to Turkey are currently at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona, where Turkish pilots are being trained. These jets were scheduled to be transferred to Turkey in November. A Pentagon official told Anadolu Agency on Tuesday that Turkish pilots will continue to train with F-35 fighter jets in Arizona. Ankara is planning to purchase 100 F-35 fighter jets from the US Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan said he expects that they will be delivered. Palestinians decry Netanyahu remarks on Gaza Israeli PM says Israel could reoccupy Gaza or hand it over to another country. The Palestinian presidency on Thursday decried remarks made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the blockaded Gaza Strip. "DEAL OF THE CENTURY" Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a spokesman for President Mahmoud Abbas, said Netanyahus comments in which he floated the possibility of handing over responsibility for the strip to an Arab country reveal the magnitude of the conspiracy referred to as the Deal of the Century'" The so-called Deal of the Century is a backchannel Mideast peace plan currently being formulated by the US administration, details of which have yet to be publicized. If implemented, Abu Rudeineh asserted, the US peace plan will be as much a conspiracy against the Arab countries as it is against Palestine. President Abbas has consistently warned against this, he added, hence his refusal to relinquish Jerusalem, which is the cornerstone that will safeguard Palestinian and Arab national interests. Abu Rudeineh went on to urge Hamas, which has governed the Gaza Strip since 2007, to fully comprehend what is being planned for it. The US peace plan, he warned, will lead to the Judaization of Jerusalem, the termination of the Palestinian cause and the loss of freedom and independence. The spokesman added: The position of the Palestinian leadership has always been that there will not be a state in Gaza nor a state without Gaza and no state without Jerusalem. Speaking to The Jerusalem Post earlier Thursday, Netanyahu warned that Israel could reoccupy Gaza from which it withdrew in 2005 as a last option. All the options are still on the table, including entering Gaza and occupying it, he was quoted as saying. Another option, Netanyahu said, would be to hand responsibility for the blockaded enclave along with its roughly two million inhabitants over to another country. I have spoken with many Arab leaders about this possibility but no one wanted to do this, he was quoted as saying. Saudi Arabia opens consulate in Baghdad After being suspended in 1990, Iraq-Saudi ties have picked up in recent years. Saudi Arabia opened a consulate in the Iraqi capital on Thursday in a ceremony attended by Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohamed Ali al-Hakim. FOREIGN MINISTER ATTENDED THE CEREMONY The foreign minister attended the opening ceremony for the kingdoms new consulate in Baghdad, the ministry said in a statement. Iraq-Saudi relations were suspended following Iraqs invasion of Kuwait in 1990. They were restored after the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, but Baghdads continued close ties with Iran Riyadhs arch-rival in the region served to keep relations frosty. Iraq-Saudi relations picked up, however, during Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadis period in office from 2014 to 2018. Turkey fulfills obligations under S-400 deal Turkey is committed to its deal with Moscow to purchase S-400 missile defense system, a senior Russian official said Wednesday. Ankara has "distinctly" fulfilled its obligations undertaken under the contract, Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov told reporters in the capital Moscow. Dismissing the possibility that Turkey may backtrack on the sale due to US pressure, Borisov said: "We have no concerns." Turkey decided in 2017 to purchase the S-400 system following protracted efforts to purchase air defense systems from the US with no success. US EXPECTS TO RESOLVE THE DISPUTE The US announced Monday that it would be suspending all "deliveries and activities" related to Turkey's procurement of the F-35 stealth fighter jet over Ankara's plans to purchase Russias S-400 system. US officials have suggested that Turkey should buy US Patriot missiles rather than the Russian system, arguing the S-400 is incompatible with NATO systems. US Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said Tuesday he expects to resolve the dispute between the US and Turkey over the S-400s. Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said in Washington that plans to purchase the missiles were a "done deal", and US President Donald Trump had said previously that he would "take care" of the F-35 deal. Turkey first joined the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program in 2002 and has invested more than $1.25 billion. It also manufactures various aircraft parts for all F-35 variants and customers. The two F-35s already delivered to Turkey are currently at Luke Air Force Base, where Turkish pilots are being trained. The jets were scheduled to be transferred to Turkey in November this year. Shanahan said he expects that they will be delivered. Turkeys S-400 purchase is a national decision, says NATO chief Turkey's procurement of an advanced Russian surface-to-air missile defense system is a "national decision," NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday. Stoltenberg was addressing reporters as the transatlantic alliance marks its 70th anniversary in the US capital. "NATO PROVIDES A PLATFORM FOR ALLIES" Turkey's decision to procure the Russian S-400 system has led to significantly strained ties with Washington, which earlier this week suspended delivery of parts and services necessary to Turkey's receipt of the F-35 stealth fighter jet. US officials have suggested Turkey buy the US Patriot missile system rather than the Russian S-400 system, arguing it is incompatible with NATO systems and exposes the F-35 to possible Russian subterfuge, including covert efforts to obtain critical information on the jet, which could then be relayed to Russia. The NATO chief said the matter is not on the meeting's agenda, but he expects it to be addressed on the sidelines of Thursday's talks. "We see that this is an issue which has created disagreement between allies, and NATO provides a platform for allies to address issues like this," Stoltenberg said. "NATO provides support that augments the air defenses of Turkey already," he added. Turkish jets hit PKK terrorist targets in northern Iraq Weapon emplacements, shelters and ammunition depots of terror group destroyed, Turkeys Defense Ministry says. Turkish fighter jets on Thursday hit PKK terrorist targets in northern Iraq, Turkey's Defense Ministry said. The Turkish jets attacked and destroyed PKK weapon emplacements, shelters, and ammunition depots in the Metina and Zap regions, the ministry said in a statement. In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US and the EU have been responsible for the deaths of nearly 40,000 people, including many women and children. Turkish minister urges Kosovo to remove FETO barrier We must get rid of this immediately, says Turkeys visiting defense chief Hulusi Akar. Turkey's visiting defense minister called on Kosovo on Thursday to remove the barrier created by FETO, a terror group behind the 2016 defeated coup in Turkey, between the two countries. HE UNDERLINED THE STRONG TIES Hulusi Akars remarks came following his meeting with Kosovar counterpart Rrustem Berisha as part of his official visit to to the capital Pristina. FETO and its US-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured. Ankara also accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary. The two officials co-chaired a meeting between delegations after a one-on-one meeting. Addressing a joint news conference, Akar underlined the strong ties between Turkey and Kosovo. "Let us quickly remove the FETO barrier between us. We must get rid of this immediately," said Akar. In 2018, Turkish intelligence officers, in cooperation with Kosovar intelligence, brought six alleged senior FETO members back to Turkey following operations against the terror groups branch in the Balkans. UK Parliament approves Labour legislation to delay Brexit The delay, passed by MPs by 313-312, must now be approved by the House of Lords and the European Union. British lawmakers passed a bill late Wednesday forcing Prime Minister Theresa May to seek a further delay to the UKs departure from the European Union in order to avoid a no-deal scenario. THE DEAL NEEDS TO PASS BY THE HOUSE OF LORDS The legislation -- also known as the Cooper Bill because it was proposed by Labour MP Yvette Cooper -- passed in a 313 to 312 vote. The bill was rushed through all its stages in about six hours. It will need to be passed by the House of Lords, however, and the extension would also have to be approved by the EU next week. Labour MP Yvette Cooper The move came on the same day that May and Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn met to discuss ideas to break the Brexit impasse. The two leaders will resume Brexit talks on Thursday after both Downing Street and the Labour Party described initial talks as constructive. "We have agreed with a programme of work between our teams to explore the scope for agreement. I put forward Labours alternative plan and raised the option of a public vote to prevent No Deal or leaving on a bad deal, Corbyn said on Twitter. There wasnt as much change in her position as I expected, but we'll have further discussions tomorrow, he added. However, Corbyn also came under pressure from his own party to raise with May a confirmatory public vote on any deal they might agree on. Mays talks with Corbyn received a reaction from her own Conservative MPs, who defended an immediate leave without a deal instead of a softer version of Brexit. Two junior ministers resigned from the government Wednesday in reaction to Mays latest strategy. Mestan: Its a way for us to push out the message that a lot of women work in beer, and that includes many working at the highest levels. There are far more women in the industry than there ever have been, and thats partially because of the camaraderie and support of other women. We want to raise awareness for the women who want to be in the industry, for those who say, I want to do that. Jin Yun Helen Chen, MS, CGC was presented with the ACMG Foundation Carolyn Mills Lovell Genetic Counselor Award at the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) Genetic Counselor's Luncheon, during the 2019 Annual Clinical Genetics Meeting in Seattle, Washington. Ms. Chen, MS, CGC was selected to receive the award for her platform presentation, "Phenotype Genotype Variability among Sibships with Spinal Muscular Atrophy: Implications for Newborn Screening and Early Treatment Intervention." Ms. Chen is a certified genetic counselor working with Dr. Kathryn Swoboda in the Neurogenetics Unit, Department of Neurology at the Massachusetts General Hospital. She specializes in providing genetic counseling services to patients and families with neuromuscular and neurodegenerative conditions. She is also a member of Medical Advisory Council for the CURE SMA. Before joining the Massachusetts General Hospital, she was a laboratory genetic counselor in the Division of Genomic Diagnostic at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, where she gained expertise in variants analysis and report interpretation for both sequence variants and copy number alterations. She received her master's degree in Genetic Counseling from Brandeis University and bachelor's degree in Biochemistry from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The Carolyn Mills Lovell Award was made possible by a generous donation by former ACMG Medical Director, David Flannery, MD, FAAP, FACMG to honor genetic counselor Carolyn Mills Lovell, MAT, MS, CGC. A genetic counselor who continues to provide exemplary service and care to patients and their families at Augusta University, previously known as the Medical College of Georgia (MCG). Dr. Flannery worked with Carolyn Mills Lovell for over 15 years while he was at MCG. Through this award he also wanted to recognize the contributions and accomplishments of genetic counselors around the world. The award includes a cash prize of $1,000 and is presented to one recipient annually through 2025. The recipient is chosen based on the highest rated abstract submitted by a Genetic Counselor to the ACMG Annual Meeting. ACMG Foundation President Bruce R. Korf, MD, PhD, FACMG said, "We are pleased to recognize the critical contribution of genetic counselors as part of the genetic and genomic medicine workforce." "I am extremely honored and humbled to be the recipient of this year's Carolyn Mill Lovell Award. This demonstrates the importance of our work to delineate the implications of modifier genes on SMA disease severity and age of onset in order to better understand the condition and provide optimal care to patients and families. I would also like to acknowledge the hard work from our team members, collaborators and study subjects. Without their efforts and contribution, this project would not be possible," said Ms. Chen. "Congratulations to Ms. Chen on winning the 5th Carolyn Mills Lovell Award. This Award was established to recognize the important role of Genetic Counselors in the ACMG. Her study is a valuable contribution to clinical genetics and to newborn screening. It demonstrates the value of disease registries and also the important role Genetic Counselors play in research and clinical care," said David Flannery, MD, FAAP, FACMG. The ACMG Foundation for Genetic and Genomic Medicine (ACMGF) is a community of supporters and contributors who understand the importance of medical genetics and genomics in healthcare. A non-profit organization established in 1992, the Foundation supports the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) mission to "translate genes into health"; to foster charitable giving, promote training opportunities to attract future medical geneticist and genetic counselors, to share information about medical genetics, to sponsor important research and much more. ### To learn more and support the ACMGF mission to create "Better Health through Genetics", please contact Nicole O. Bell, ACMG Foundation Manager, at nbell@acmg.net or 301-718-9604 or visit acmgfoundation.org. Note to editors: To arrange interviews with experts in medical genetics, contact Kathy Moran, MBA, ACMG Senior Director of Public Relations at Kmoran@acmg.net or 301-238-4582. ARLINGTON, Va., April 4, 2019 -- The newest study of America's radiation oncology workforce finds that gender and race gaps have narrowed slightly, although persistent and growing geographic disparities point to a need for more equity in access to radiation therapy care. The survey, which drew responses from more than 1,100 physicians across the country, finds that fewer radiation oncologists are practicing in rural communities and that these doctors are more likely to retire in the coming years. Results of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) 2017 Radiation Oncologist Workforce Study are published in the March issue of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology * Biology * Physics (Red Journal), and an infographic summarizing the results is also available. Key takeaways from the study include: (1) Shift from rural to suburban and urban locations: Nearly nine in 10 radiation oncologists work in urban or suburban communities (47% and 41%, respectively). Since the previous workforce survey in 2012, the proportion of rural radiation oncologists declined from 16 to 13 percent, indicating that rural access to radiation therapy services may be under threat. The trend may be exacerbated by disproportionately more physicians leaving the rural workforce and fewer new physicians taking positions in these communities. Nearly 30 percent of radiation oncologists in rural communities plan to retire or reduce hours in the next five years, compared to 18 percent of urban/suburban physicians. Moreover, surveys of recent radiation oncology graduates point to growing demand for jobs in major cities coupled with waning demand for those in smaller cities. In response to this trend, ASTRO launched an initiative in early 2019 focusing on rural access to radiation oncology care. A group of physicians led by former ASTRO Chair David Beyer, MD, FASTRO, will explore factors behind the shift, as well as strategies to protect and bolster access. "One in five Americans - about 60 million people - live in rural communities, and most of these people want their medical care close to home. For many patients, access is the difference between being treated or not being treated, and so we are trying to understand - what are the obstacles that keep a lack of access from being their reality?" said Dr. Beyer. "Unfortunately, this trend is not unique to radiation oncology and is a problem across health care. In the rural Arizona community where I practice, for example, there is a shortage of primary care physicians. There is a shortage of surgeons. There are many shortages." (2) Movement toward gender equity: The number of female radiation oncologists edged up 3 percent from the previous survey, from 26 to 29 percent. Women also are more common in newer cohorts within the workforce; female physicians were 33 percent of radiation oncologists under age 40, 30 percent of those in their 40s and 50s, and 22 percent of those age 60 and up (3) Shift from private practice to academic hubs: Radiation oncologists also are shifting from working primarily in private practice to treating patients at academic centers and hospitals. The 2017 survey marks the first time that fewer than half of these doctors work in private practice (38%), with 41 percent practicing at academic/university centers and 17 percent at non-academic hospitals. (4) Widespread adoption of new technology: 95 percent of practices offer shortened, or hypofractionated, radiation therapy, providing their patients a more convenient treatment option without increasing the risk of side effects or the cancer returning. The most common tumors for hypofractionation include breast tumors (94% of practices), bone metastases (92%) and brain metastases (74%). Clinics also increased adoption of advanced technologies and techniques for providing radiation therapy treatments, such as stereotactic radiation and real-time image guidance. "In some ways, the radiation oncology workforce is changing to look more like the patients we treat. The modest but noticeable increases in the number of women and racial/ethnic minorities, for example, indicate that our field is moving toward more equity," said Claire Y. Fung, MD, Chair of the ASTRO Workforce Subcommittee, which conducted the study, and a radiation oncologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. "The shifts in employment patterns and the movement from rural practices to urban hubs, however, point to possible areas of disparity in access to care. Studies such as this one help ASTRO and other health care groups recognize these threats and address them proactively." ASTRO conducts workforce studies to identify trends in provider demographics, employment and technology use, and to assess the profession's ability to meet patient needs. The 2017 survey was conducted online, and findings reflect responses from 1,174 radiation oncologists representing 726 practices (31% response rate). Article Details The American Society for Radiation Oncology 2017 Radiation Oncologist Workforce Study Claire Y. Fung, MD, Erli Chen, MS, Neha Vapiwala, MD, Surjeet Pohar, MD, Daniel Trifiletti, MD, Minh-Tam Truong, MD, George Uschold, EdD, Jessica Schuster, MD, Akshar Patel, MD, Ashesh Jani, MD, Pranshu Mohindra, MD, Tim Sanders, BS, Liz Gardner, PhD, Anna Arnone, Trevor Royce, MD, MPH International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics, Volume 103, Issue 3, Pages 547-556 https://www.redjournal.org/article/S0360-3016(18)33907-5/, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrobp.2018.10.020 ABOUT ASTRO The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) is the world's largest radiation oncology society, with more than 10,000 members who are physicians, nurses, biologists, physicists, radiation therapists, dosimetrists and other health care professionals who specialize in treating patients with radiation therapies. The Society is dedicated to improving patient care through professional education and training, support for clinical practice and health policy standards, advancement of science and research, and advocacy. ASTRO publishes three peer-reviewed journals, the International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics (redjournal.org), Practical Radiation Oncology (practicalradonc.org) and Advances in Radiation Oncology (advancesradonc.org); developed and maintains an extensive patient website, RT Answers (rtanswers.org); and created the Radiation Oncology Institute (roinstitute.org), a nonprofit foundation to support research and education efforts around the world that enhance and confirm the critical role of radiation therapy in improving cancer treatment. To learn more about ASTRO, visit http://www.astro.org, sign up to receive our news and follow us on our blog, Facebook and Twitter. ### Arizona State University researchers are set to receive a $3.6 million award from the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office to advance solar energy's role in strengthening reliability and resiliency of the nation's electricity grid. The research project, which is funded by the Advanced Systems Integration for Solar Technologies (ASSIST) program, will focus on building enhanced grid models and control technologies for increasing the amount of renewable power operating in the distribution system. "The present distribution grid has not been designed to handle very high levels of solar energy," says Raja Ayyanar, who is the lead principal investigator on the project and a professor of electrical engineering in ASU's Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering. "As solar is a clean and increasingly cost-effective energy resource, photovoltaic inverters have great potential to enhance grid resilience and performance while ensuring reliable power to critical infrastructures." Ayyanar's team at the university consists of Ira A. Fulton Chair Professor Vijay Vittal, Assistant Professor Qin Lei and Assistant Professor Yang Weng, who are all faculty members in the School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering, one of the six Fulton Schools. Collaborators from Iowa State University, the Arizona Public Service Company, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Hitachi America Ltd. and Poundra, a local company working actively in the area of solar integration, round out the research team. "The efforts of our faculty in electric power and energy to assemble a collaboration among academic, industry and government to address grid reliability is impressive," says Stephen Phillips, professor and director of the School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering. "An electric power grid that can incorporate increasing amounts of solar energy with high reliability is critical for national security, economic efficiency and reducing carbon emissions." Since the distribution grid has a difficult time managing high levels of solar energy, it can result in reverse power flow conditions, overvoltages and decreased power quality and reliability. Ayyanar says grid operators have little to no situational awareness about these issues. Further, solar inverters -- which convert solar energy to a form that can be used by electrical grids -- are not coordinated and do not utilize robust cybersecurity measures, making the nation's electricity grid potentially vulnerable to system instability and cyberattacks. The research team will produce multiple technologies, including an end-to-end solar energy optimization platform, that enable large-scale integration of distributed solar energy resources in the delivery of electric power while simultaneously enhancing grid reliability, resiliency and power quality. The technologies will combine advanced power system models, data analytics, inverter control and complete situational awareness for grid operators through cybersecure two-way communications. "We propose deep learning methods, which in conjunction with new, integrated transmission and distribution models will determine the absolute maximum possible solar that can be integrated at a particular point in the grid," says Ayyanar. "Our proposed technology on an end-to-end solar energy optimization platform will enhance grid situational awareness and provide a stage for coordinated control and data-driven decision-making by grid operators." The team's approach relies on a vast network of intelligent edge devices and local control supported by data analytics from the end-to-end solar energy optimization platform. The intelligent edge reduces network bandwidth and enables fully coordinated control of distributed energy resources even at extreme solar penetration levels, also known as the percentage of total load powered by solar. Additionally, the team will develop systematic models and designs of data security rules and secure access controls to enable cybersecure interoperability across all distributed solar, storage, edge intelligent devices and communication networks. ASU's proposal was selected as part of an effort by the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office to invest in new projects that enable grid operators to rapidly detect physical and cyber-based abnormalities in the power system and utilize solar generation to recover quickly from power outages. "I have no higher priority than to support the security of the country's critical energy infrastructure," said U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry. "These projects will work to give solar technologies greater resiliency as they are integrated into our electric grid. A reliable electricity grid is essential to our national and economic security and the everyday lives of American people." Ayyanar's project is among the first 10 projects selected nationwide through ASSIST to develop grid management tools and models that show how solar situational awareness will enhance power system resilience, especially at critical infrastructure sites. "Successful completion of the research will produce technologies that enable very-large scale integration of distributed solar, which is not possible with state-of-the-art technologies, and help drive the continued growth of the solar industry," says Ayyanar. "It can help utilities meet the ambitious renewable energy mandates set by several states. It can streamline the planning, approval and commissioning of distributed solar PV significantly reducing the interconnection costs." ### About the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering The Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University, with more than 22,000 enrolled students, is the largest engineering school in the United States, offering 44 graduate and 25 undergraduate degree programs across six schools of academic focus. With students, faculty and researchers representing all 50 states and 135 countries, the Fulton Schools of Engineering is creating an inclusive environment for engineering excellence by advancing research and innovation at scale, revolutionizing engineering education and expanding global outreach and partner engagement. The Fulton Schools of Engineerings research expenditures totaled $104 million for the 2017-2018 academic year. Learn more about the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at engineering.asu.edu. About Arizona State University Recognized as the country's "Most Innovative School" for three years in succession by U.S. News & World Report, Arizona State University is the largest public research university in the United States under a single administration. ASU is creating a new model for American higher education, an unprecedented combination of academic excellence, entrepreneurial energy and broad access. This New American University is a single, unified institution comprising five differentiated campuses positively impacting the economic, social, cultural and environmental health of the communities it serves. Its research is inspired by real-world application, blurring the boundaries that traditionally separate academic disciplines. ASU champions intellectual and cultural diversity, and welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 120 nations. About the Solar Energy Technologies Office The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office supports early-stage research and development to improve the affordability, reliability, and performance of solar technologies on the grid. Learn more at energy.gov/solar-office. Not usual route for this potentially fatal infection, which can also be passed on to people Veterinary professionals have sounded the alarm in this week's Vet Record after treating the first UK case of a dog with the potentially fatal infection, leishmaniosis, that is thought to have been passed on by another dog, rather than by travel to an area where the infection is endemic. Canine leishmaniosis is caused by the parasite Leishmania infantum, carried by the female sand fly and transmitted in its bite. It is zoonotic, so can be passed on to people. Dogs have been known to pick up the infection after being bitten or wounded by another infected dog. But up to now, this has not been reported in the UK, where cases to date have been associated with blood transfusion, breeding programmes, or overseas travel. But a 3 year old neutered male shih tzu cross, which had been with its owner since a puppy and had none of the known risk factors for infection, was nevertheless diagnosed with leishmaniosis in Hertfordshire. Dog to dog transmission is the most likely explanation, suggest the authors, because another dog in the household that had been imported from Spain, had had to be put down six months earlier after developing severe leishmaniosis. "To the authors' knowledge, this is the first reported case of leishmaniosis in the UK in a dog without a history of travel to an endemic area," they write, adding that extra vigilance is now needed to guard against the spread of the infection. "In an era of increased foreign travel of dogs and increased importation of dogs to the UK, it is likely that the number of dogs seropositive for L infantum will continue to increase," they warn. "Leishmania-infected dogs may present an infection risk to other dogs, even in the absence of natural vectors, as direct transmission between dogs is possible," they add. A second case of canine leishmaniosis in a dog with no obvious risk factors has now also come to light in a different part of the UK. In a recently published letter in Vet Record, vets describe the case of a 3-year-old fully vaccinated male neutered English pointer that was eventually diagnosed with leishmaniosis. The dog had never travelled outside of the UK, or beyond the borders of Essex, where it lived. But its owners had lived in Spain and travelled to the Jalon Valley (between Alicante and Valencia) without their pet in the summer of 2018. Unlike the first case, this dog was not living, or in regular contact with another infected dog, and it may be that infected sand flies were inadvertently brought back in the owners' transport, luggage, or clothing, suggest the authors. "However, the increased importation of infected dogs into the UK also makes incidental socialising with infected dogs increasingly likely," they point out. The case also "serves as a reminder that we should not be complacent about the risk of Leishmania infantum establishing in the UK, even in the current absence of the sand fly vector," they warn. Junior Vice President of the British Veterinary Association (BVA), Daniella Dos Santos, comments: "The increase in cases of non-endemic diseases such as leishmaniasis is extremely concerning, with more than a quarter of vets surveyed by BVA last year mentioning seeing cases of this rare disease in practice. "Leishmaniasis is mainly associated with pets who have recently travelled outside of the UK or 'trojan' rescue dogs from abroad with unknown health histories, which is why we have called on the government to strengthen existing pet travel legislation and its enforcement for the sake of animal and human health in the UK." She advises pet owners planning on overseas travel with their dog to seek advice from a vet first, while those who already own an imported rescue dog, should contact their local vet for advice on testing and treatment for any underlying conditions. "Anyone looking to get a dog should consider adopting from a UK rehoming charity or welfare organisation instead of rescuing from abroad," she recommends, "as the unintended consequences from trojan dogs can be severe for the health and welfare of UK's pets and, in some cases, humans too." ### Routine vaccination of girls aged 12 or 13 years with the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in Scotland has led to a dramatic reduction in cervical disease in later life, finds a study published by The BMJ today. Unvaccinated women also showed a reduction in disease, possibly due to herd protection, say the researchers. HPV is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections and many countries, including the UK, offer vaccination to girls to protect them against cervical cancer, and other related cancers, in later life. Previous studies suggest that vaccination protects against the most carcinogenic HPV types 16 and 18, which are responsible for 70% of cervical cancer cases globally, but population data on the effect of routine vaccination on disease are lacking. Scotland has an established national cervical screening programme and in 2008 introduced a national HPV immunisation programme for girls aged 12 and 13, with a catch-up programme up to age 18. So a team led by Tim Palmer at the University of Edinburgh decided to use this data to measure the impact of routine vaccination of girls with the bivalent HPV vaccine (which targets HPV types 16 and 18) on levels of abnormal cells and cervical lesions (known as cervical intraepithelial neoplasia or CIN). CIN is divided into grades; CIN1, 2+ or 3+. The higher the number, the higher the risk is of developing invasive cancer. They analysed vaccination and screening records for 138,692 women born between 1988 and 1996 who had a screening test result recorded at age 20 (the age of invitation to first cervical screening in Scotland until mid 2016, when the starting age was raised to 25 years). Data included unvaccinated women (born 1988-90; first screened 2008-10), women eligible for catch-up vaccination at age 14-17 (born 1991-94; first screened 2011-14), and women routinely vaccinated at age 12-13 (born 1995-96; first screened 2015-16). After taking account of other factors that might be important, they found that compared with unvaccinated women born in 1988, vaccinated women born in 1995 and 1996 showed an 89% reduction in CIN grade 3 or worse, an 88% reduction in CIN grade 2 or worse, and a 79% reduction in CIN grade 1. Younger age at vaccination was associated with increasing vaccine effectiveness (86% for CIN grade 3 or worse for women vaccinated at age 12-13 compared with 51% for women vaccinated at age 17). Unvaccinated women also showed a reduction in disease, suggesting that interruption of HPV transmission in Scotland has created substantial herd protection. The researchers point to some limitations. For example, the analysis was confined to women who attended cervical screening at age 20 (51% for vaccinated women and 23% for unvaccinated women), possibly leading to over-estimation of vaccine effectiveness. However, the high uptake of vaccination, similarity in distribution of HPV type in attenders and non-attenders, and the appearance of herd protection "give reassurance that the observations can be extrapolated to the general population," they write. They say this study demonstrates that routine immunisation with the bivalent HPV vaccine is highly effective against high grade cervical disease, and they call for reappraisal of screening and referral services to reflect this evidence. "The findings emphasise the credibility of using high risk HPV infection as an early marker of the effectiveness and success of the vaccine and underpin the recent call for global action on cervical cancer from the World Health Organization," they conclude. In a linked editorial, Julia Brotherton, Medical Director at VCS Foundation in Australia, says the findings are "dramatic and document a considerable reduction in high grade cervical disease over time." This study also highlights the value of integrated registries "that can systematically collect and use high-quality data from screening and vaccination programmes," she adds. We must work towards a world in which all girls and their families are offered, and the majority accept, HPV vaccination, wherever they live," she writes. "We must also actively develop, resource, and scale-up more effective, feasible and culturally acceptable strategies for cervical screening, such as self-collection of specimens, if we are ever to effectively reduce the global burden of cervical cancer." ### Airplane toilets are loud. For some, they are downright terrifying. But chin up, frequent flyers, because a group of Brigham Young University physicists have figured out how to make them quieter. After two years of trial and error, three academic publications and thousands of flushes, the BYU researchers have invented a vacuum-assisted toilet that is about half as loud as the regular airplane commode. "People have told us they don't want their kids to be scared to use the bathroom on a flight," said lead researcher Kent Gee, BYU professor of physics. "So, we've used good physics to solve the problem." It's been a really hard problem to solve, given the industry hasn't been able to improve vacuum-assisted toilets over the last 25 years. That's because getting airplane toilets to flush with very little water requires a partial vacuum, which at 38,000 feet, pulls air at nearly half the speed of sound. (According to research done in Gee and Scott Sommerfeldt's lab, an air-water mix in vacuum-assisted toilets travels more than 300 miles per hour.) When things move at that speed, any disturbance at all to the flow -- like the bend of a pipe or a valve -- generates significant noise. And now that newer airplanes come with much quieter interiors, toilet flushes reverberate much more throughout the cabin. It can make for very patchy sleep on a red-eye flight on a plane like the Airbus A380 that can have as many as 20 toilets. "Airline companies have always had standards for the toilet noise, but they've never met those and there has never been much pressure to do so," Sommerfeldt said. "Now with the reduced cabin sound levels, the sound of the toilet flushing is more noticeable and customers are pushing back." To solve the problem, the BYU team focused on three valve conditions during the flush cycle: the initial noise level peak associated with the flush valve opening, an intermediate noise level plateau associated with the valve being fully opened and the final noise level peak associated with the flush valve closing. The researchers added additional piping to increase the distance between the toilet bowl and the flush valve and made the pipe attachment at the bowl more of a gradual bend as opposed to a sharp 90-degree angle. Tests of the new contraption show aeroacoustically-generated noise dropped up to 16 decibels during the flush valve opening and about 5 to 10 decibels when the valve is fully opened. "It's a great mix between physics and engineering," said grad student Michael Rose, lead author on the team's most recent vacuum-assisted tech publication in Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics. "The toilet is much quieter and now kids won't think they're going to get sucked out." Along with Scott Thomson, professor of mechanical engineering, the researchers have already filed three patents on the new toilet and are now working with an industry partner to bring it to market. Part of the lure of the BYU invention is that it works with existing airplane toilets -- only the elbow need be removed during a retrofit, while the valve and the bowl stay where they are. The vacuum-assisted tech could also be used for toilets on cruise ships and trains and even in some new green building projects where housing units are looking at more and more ways to reduce water usage. "At the end of the day, this is about using science to improve a user experience," Gee said. "It's an important part of making flights more comfortable for customers." ### Cetaceans, the group including whales and dolphins, originated in south Asia more than 50 million years ago from a small, four-legged, hoofed ancestor. Now, researchers reporting the discovery of an ancient four-legged whale--found in 42.6-million-year-old marine sediments along the coast of Peru--have new insight into whales' evolution and their dispersal to other parts of the world. The findings are reported in the journal Current Biology on April 4. The presence of small hooves at the tip of the whale's fingers and toes and its hip and limbs morphology all suggest that this whale could walk on land, according to the researchers. On the other hand, they say, anatomical features of the tail and feet, including long, likely webbed appendages, similar to an otter, indicate that it was a good swimmer too. "This is the first indisputable record of a quadrupedal whale skeleton for the whole Pacific Ocean, probably the oldest for the Americas, and the most complete outside India and Pakistan," says Olivier Lambert of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences. Some years ago, study co-author Mario Urbina of Museo de Historia Natural-UNMSM, Peru, discovered a promising area for digging fossils in the coastal desert of southern Peru, named Playa Media Luna. In 2011, an international team, including members from Peru, France, Italy, the Netherlands, and Belgium, organized a field expedition, during which they excavated the remains of an ancient whale they've since named Peregocetus pacificus. It means "the traveling whale that reached the Pacific." "When digging around the outcropping bones, we quickly realized that this was the skeleton of a quadrupedal whale, with both forelimbs and hind limbs," Lambert says. With the help of microfossils, the sediment layers where the skeleton was positioned were precisely dated to the middle Eocene, 42.6 million years ago. Anatomical details of the skeleton allowed them to infer that the animal was capable of maneuvering its large body (up to 4 meters long, tail included), both on land and in the water. For instance, features of the caudal vertebrae (in the tail) are reminiscent of those of beavers and otters, suggesting a significant contribution of the tail during swimming. The geological age of the new four-limbed whale and its presence along the western coast of South America strongly support the hypothesis that early cetaceans reached the New World across the South Atlantic, from the western coast of Africa to South America, the researchers report. The whales would have been assisted in their travel by westward surface currents and by the fact that, at the time, the distance between the two continents was half what it is today. The researchers suggest that, only after having reached South America, the amphibious whales migrated northward, finally reaching North America. The international team continues to study the remains of other whales and dolphins from Peru. "We will keep searching in localities with layers as ancient, and even more ancient, than the ones of Playa Media Luna, so older amphibious cetaceans may be discovered in the future," Lambert says. ### This work was supported by the Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, and the Italian Ministero dell'Istruzione dell'Universita e della Ricerca. Current Biology, Lambert et al.: "An amphibious whale from the middle Eocene of Peru reveals early South Pacific dispersal of quadrupedal cetaceans" https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(19)30220-9 Current Biology (@CurrentBiology), published by Cell Press, is a bimonthly journal that features papers across all areas of biology. Current Biology strives to foster communication across fields of biology, both by publishing important findings of general interest and through highly accessible front matter for non-specialists. Visit: http://www.cell.com/current-biology. To receive Cell Press media alerts, contact press@cell.com. Computer scientist Prof. Dr. Katharina Anna Zweig is the winner of this year's Communicator Award, conferred by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) and the Stifterverband. The researcher from the University of Kaiserslautern will be presented with the 50,000 prize for her dedicated and wide-ranging communication on the ethical, political and social implications of algorithms and their application. With this prize, the DFG and the Stifterverband seek to strengthen the dialogue between science and the humanities and the general public. In announcing their decision, the jury for the Communicator Award praised the critical and network-based approach of Katharina Anna Zweig's science communication. Through a well-designed communication strategy and a diverse range of formats and channels, Zweig has engaged very different audiences with this complex and socially relevant topic. As well as giving people insight into the way algorithms are developed and used, she has also stimulated a nuanced debate on their application. The jury noted how Zweig pursued her various activities with tremendous dedication, to promote a dialogue in the media and among the general public on the digital transformation and its implications for society. After studying biochemistry and bioinformatics in Tubingen and completing postdoctoral studies on the analysis of complex networks in Budapest and Heidelberg, in 2012 she was appointed head of the Algorithm Accountability Lab in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Kaiserslautern. Here she established Germany's first course of study on socioinformatics, which examines the impacts of digitisation, specifically algorithms, on individuals, organisations and society as a whole. She also believes in the importance of integrating science communication into teaching and encourages her students to consider ways of engaging in dialogue with different social groups. In 2017, the innovative course won the Ars Legendi faculty prize in the engineering and computer science category. As a computer scientist, Zweig has made a name for herself through interdisciplinary and publicly funded research projects. Since 2014 she has also been a project leader in the DFG Priority Programme "Algorithms for Big Data". Through both her research and public communication of science, she has become a pioneer of knowledge-based and critical dialogue on algorithms, software and social change. Many of Zweig's research topics are highly relevant both socially and politically, for example in relation to debates surrounding fake news and the current dispute regarding copyright reform in Europe. In her communication work, Zweig uses a combination of traditional and new media formats including interviews and articles in print media and on TV and radio; social media activity, especially on Twitter; teaching materials; and involvement in exhibitions, such as Ohne Schlussel und Schloss? Chancen und Risiken von Big Data (Without Lock and Key? Opportunities and Risks of Big Data), Kaiserslautern 2018). Together with journalists, she launched Algorithm Watch (https://algorithmwatch.org), a citizens' initiative and platform designed to increase public awareness on how algorithms work, encourage people to keep a watchful eye on them, and get the public involved in the appropriate regulation of algorithmic decision-making systems. The project and its initiators won the Theodor Heuss Medal in 2018. In addition to her media work and numerous talks and presentations, Zweig contributes her expertise to panels, committees and organisations, including the German Bundestag's Study Commission on Artificial Intelligence, the ITA (Innovation and Technology Analysis) Advisory Group of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research and, as an expert adviser, the Intermediaries working group of the German Federal-State Commission on Media Convergence. She herself regards her research and communication work as a form of civic engagement, one of her aims being to actively integrate the public, be they journalists, citizens or schoolchildren. The 'Communicator Award - Science Award of the Stifterverband' has been awarded each year since 2000 and is Germany's most important prize for science communication. It is presented to researchers who communicate their own and their peers' research in a particularly varied, original and lasting way to the media and the general public outside scientific circles. Through this award, the DFG and the Stifterverband also aim to promote science communication within the research community itself. This year, the jury of science journalists and communication and PR experts chaired by DFG Vice President Prof. Dr. Julika Griem selected the prizewinner from 40 applications and nominations in a multi-stage selection process. The 2019 Communicator Award will be presented during the DFG's Annual Meeting on 1 July 2019 in Rostock by Prof. Dr. Peter Strohschneider, President of the DFG, and Prof. Dr. Dr. Andreas Barner, President of the Stifterverband. Like all previous Communicator Award winners, Katharina Anna Zweig will receive a hologram created by Cologne-based artist Michael Bleyenberg, symbolising the importance of transparency in science and the humanities. ### Further Information Information about the Communicator Award can be found at: http://www.dfg.de/en/funded_projects/prizewinners/communicator_award Media contacts: Dr. Jutta Rateike, DFG Press and Public Relations, Head of Public Relations, jutta.rateike@dfg.de, Tel. +49 228 885-2665 Moritz Kralemann, Stifterverband, Head of Communication, moritz.kralemann@stifterverband.de, Tel. +49 30 322982-527 Media contact regarding the award winner and requests for photographic and film material: Katrin Muller, Head of University Communication at TU Kaiserslautern, katrin.mueller@verw.uni-kl.de, Tel. +49 631 205-4367 But a lot of the throwaway lines and casual interactions among the staff, at work or in bed, feel authentic and true to the period. Silver makes the very most of everything. The shot I always remembered from my first encounter with Between the Lines, at 16, was the shot of the easily threatened staff writer, played by Heard, on assignment in a strip club with his sometime photographer lover, played by Crouse. Hes watching the stripper hes about to interview; shes played by Marilu Henner, in her first movie role. Crouse watches him, looking at her. The women may be sidelined by the men in the script, but Silver made sure they werent marginalized on screen. As climate change proceeds, businesses and communities are wondering how to adapt and prepare. However, they're finding it's not always easy to translate broad-scale climate science into local solutions, or even to figure out which data to rely on and how to apply it. That's why a federal advisory committee appointed by President Obama started meeting in 2016 to explore how to make the National Climate Assessment (NCA) more usable for communities who want to take action. President Trump dismissed the panel in 2017. But with support from the Earth Institute at Columbia University, New York State and the American Meteorological Society, the committee reconvened as the Independent Advisory Committee on Applied Climate Assessment. Today, the committee's findings and recommendations are published in Weather, Climate and Society, a journal of the American Meteorological Society. The report calls for the creation of a new network to provide guidance to state, local, and tribal governments on how to use the NCA and other sources of science to get things done in their communities. This network, launched today as the Science to Climate Action Network (SCAN), is independent of the federal government and comprised of experts from civil society and state, local, and tribal settings. By providing hubs for businesses, communities and academics to work together on practical challenges, the network is designed to produce guidance for using science to update infrastructure and building codes, reduce wildfire risk, manage flooding, cut carbon emissions and more. "The point is to take what we know, make it usable for the communities, and increase their confidence in weighing the tradeoffs and opportunities that come with different strategies for adaptation and mitigation," said Richard Moss, a visiting senior research scientist at Columbia's Earth Institute and chairman of the Independent Advisory Committee. Daniel Zarrilli, New York City's chief climate policy advisor, said such a collaboration is needed. "We live in an era of climate change and yet many of our systems, codes and standards have not caught up. Integrating climate science into everyday decisions is not just smart planning, it's an urgent necessity," he said. Zarilli noted that New York City has its own climate science panel, but most cities don't have the same resources. While partnerships to apply climate science in specific cities and communities have already started to take form, Moss said the Science to Climate Action Network will bring projects working on similar challenges together to share ideas, evaluate best practices, develop authoritative data, and then share this information on a national scale. The consortium would help communities evaluate which climate datasets to rely on for specific decisions and actions. It would focus on practical challenges such as improving engineering designs to be more resilient and establishing new methods to assess returns on investment and weigh the costs and benefits of different strategies. In the long term, said Moss, the knowledge developed could inform the training and certification of professionals who specialize in applying climate science to support decision-making. The Independent Advisory Committee is not the first to suggest such a consortium, but the new report is "much more specific about how to do this than in the past," said Moss. "Many of the ideas come from decision-makers, community-based organizations, and climate experts who help users apply knowledge. We're trying to produce something that adds value for those on the front lines of preparing their communities for climate change." The Science to Climate Action Network has already started collaborating with a number of regional research networks, university groups and organizations such as U.S. Climate Alliance and the Urban Sustainability Directors Network. Moss says the consortium's next steps will be to engage additional partners, attract funding and decide which projects to tackle first. "We want to get started right away. With climate impacts becoming more problematic and efforts to limit climate change falling further behind, we can't afford to wait," he said. ### Backlinks: https://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2018/01/03/national-climate-assessment-advisory-committee/ https://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2018/05/01/international-advisory-committee-meeting/ https://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2018/12/14/national-climate-assessment-adaptation/ Contact: Richard Moss rmoss@climateassessment.org 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. Compared to the human eye, a spectrometer can be certainly regarded as a scientific instrument. Production and marketing of scientific equipment have now become a rather profitable industry. Some 100-150 years ago chemists performed most of the solution analyses by the naked eye. The colour of the solution and its intensity indicated the proportion of the substance in the solution. It took another twenty years to invent the first optical spectrometer and the chromatograph/mass spectrometer (the most important tool of a today's natural scientist) is a recent invention. Compared to the human eye, a spectrometer can be certainly regarded as a scientific instrument. Production and marketing of scientific equipment have now become a rather profitable industry. Nowadays, a simpler spectrometer used only for laboratory measurements costs 10 000-15 000 euros and it is recommended to be updated almost every year. Equipment manufacturers fascinate researchers with numerous new and more attractive models. But does such an action prove to be justified? After all, the technology used for standard chemical measurements has often remained unchanged for decades and the emergence of new instruments on the market does not necessarily mean a significant quality leap in measurement. A Lead Research Scientist of the School of Science, Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Mihkel Koel, says, "Being green chemists, we are battling to reduce the ecological footprint of chemical measurements. Measurement results of the same quality can often be obtained faster by e.g. a 500 euro cell phone. In the outdoor environment and in the circumstances requiring a rapid result we can obtain a completely reliable result by using a free mobile application rather than expensive instruments." It is the fundamental principle of green chemistry - to obtain a measurement result (which usually means the content of a substance relevant to the environment or human health in a measured object) quickly and as easily as possible by practising green and sustainable methods. Professor Emeritus of the School of Science Mihkel Kaljurand says that it is obvious that the industrial enterprises have no particular interest to provide less costly alternatives. "Why should they do that? It is easier and more profitable to go along with the increasing consumer frenzy and encourage consumerism also when acquiring scientific equipment," Kaljurand says. It is usually claimed that an ordinary person does not believe a simple and handy analysis; a time-consuming analysis performed with expensive instrumentation is more convincing. According to the scientists, most basic chemical analysis could be carried out by using simpler tools, especially in medical institutions and research centres, where the costs often exceed the actual needs. The ultimate goal of green analytical chemistry, however, is to develop chemical measurements to such a level that anyone can perform analysis that is of interest to him/her by using an inexpensive sensor integrated e.g. into a user's cell phone. Examples of instances where the consumer can check the quality of food in a store can already be found in professional literature. Professor Miguel de la Guardia from the University of Valencia refers to this development as democratization of analytical chemistry. The chemists Koel and Kaljurand have been engaged in the research of the greenness of scientific equipment and chemical analysis already from 2006. The topic was discussed in detail in the book Green Analytical Chemistry written by the scientists and published in 2010 by the Royal Society of Chemistry. The book was so popular that the publisher ordered a revised edition from the scientists, which reached readers in April 2019. In the revised edition, in addition, miniaturization and use of modern smart materials in today's chemical analysis are discussed. ### Additional information: Lead Research Scientist of the School of Science, Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Mihkel Koel, mihkel.koel@taltech.ee; Professor Emeritus of the School of Science Mihkel Kaljurand, mihkel.kaljurand@taltech.ee Green Analytical Chemistry https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/ebook/978-1-78801-486-1 Whether it is bats, wildebeest or whales, millions of mammals move over thousands of kilometres each year. How they navigate during migration remains remarkably understudied compared to birds or sea turtles, however. A team of scientists led by the Leibniz-IZW in Berlin now combined a mirror experiment simulating a different direction of the setting sun and a new test procedure to measure orientation behaviour in bats to understand the role of the sun's position in the animals' navigation system. The results demonstrate for the first time that a migratory mammal species uses the sunset direction to calibrate their compass system. Furthermore the experiment, which is published in Current Biology, indicates that this capacity is not inherited and first-time migrating young bats need to learn the importance of the solar disc at dusk for nightly orientation. The experiment that scientists Oliver Lindecke and Christian Voigt from the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW) designed and conducted together with colleagues from Latvia and the United Kingdom was based on two steps: First, several Soprano pipistrelle bats (Pipistrellus pygmaeus) were randomly assigned into two groups. At nightfall during their migration period, one group could watch the natural sunset at the Latvian Baltic Sea shore. The other group however watched the sun going down via a large mirror which was reversing the direction of the natural sunset exactly 180. For the latter animals, the real sunset was blocked from vision by the taped sidewall of their holding cages. Later at night, animals of both groups were transported inland, away from the beach of the Baltic Sea, for the second step of the experiment: On a forest meadow, one bat after the other got released remotely from a specially designed circular release box. By the help of this box, the very direction an animal took when it left it, could be recorded. Prior studies showed that take-off orientations could be used as a proxy for departure flight orientation in these bats. "The new orientation assay, the circular release box for bats, ruled out any visual influence at takeoff and allowed us to compare the directions bats of both groups where taking", explains Lindecke. "The results show two fundamental aspects in bat navigation: Firstly, the setting sun's direction plays a crucial role because there is a significant difference in the bats' orientation with the group which experienced the mirrored sunset departing in opposite direction compared to the control group. And secondly, only adult bats showed directional preferences", Lindecke summarizes the results. "Subadults displayed random orientation in both groups, which suggests to us that young bats need to learn long-distance navigation during migration from older conspecifics", concludes Christian Voigt, senior author and head of the Department of Evolutionary Ecology at the Leibniz-IZW. How this learning process works and which social factors and practices contribute to it remains unknown and needs further investigation. Mammals remain remarkably understudied with regard to navigation during migration. One of the reasons I a lack of experimental assays that measure a correlate of migratory orientation such as those that exist in birds and sea turtles. The larger migratory mammals, for example wildebeest or whales, are challenging to handle for any experimental work. Bats could fill this void as they have emerged as an important study model in movement ecology. They combine high ecophysiological diversity with a variety of movement behaviours. Bat eyes evolved to sense a wide range of light and a broad spectrum of wavelengths. Presumably, insectivorous bats rely heavily on vision like fruitbats when orienting over long distances since echolocation and path integration are ineffective and error-prone at distances larger than a few dozen meters. The results of this study are the first empirical evidence for the specific cues and mechanisms a migratory mammal uses for navigation. ### A project conducted by researchers in Brazil and the US investigated bacteria living in symbiosis with insects as a source for novel drugs. Antimicrobial and antifungal resistance, which describe the ability of bacteria and other pathogens to resist the effects of drugs to which they were once sensitive, is a major public health problem worldwide. A studyrecently in the journalsuggests that the solution may come from the tiny bodies of insects, or more accurately, from the microbiota that they host. This innovative hypothesis was first proposed by Brazilian and US researchers as part of a collaborative project begun in 2014 with support from FAPESP and the US National Institutes of Health (NIH). The idea was to isolate bacteria that live in symbiosis with leafcutting ants of the genus Atta and to look for natural compounds with the potential to yield new drugs (read more at: agencia.fapesp.br/19498). By pursuing this strategy, a research group led by Monica Tallarico Pupo, Professor of Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Sao Paulos Ribeirao Preto School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (FCFRP-USP), and Jon Clardy, Professor of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology at Harvard Medical School in the US, discovered cyphomycin, which, when tested in vitro and in vivo, was shown to be capable of killing fungi that cause diseases in humans and are resistant to currently available drugs. It was an exciting discovery because it confirmed our hypothesis that the insect microbiota is a promising source for the isolation of compounds with antibacterial and antifungal activity. Of course, its too soon to know whether cyphomycin will become a drug, but weve made sufficient progress to apply for a patent, Pupo told Agencia FAPESP. Many antibiotics, she added, originate from compounds produced by bacteria found in soil. Most of these bacteria belong to the genus Streptomyces. The researchers decided to investigate this same group of filamentous bacteria in insect bodies. Their hypothesis was that if the bacteria help insects defend against pathogens, they might play the same role in humans. Soil was thoroughly explored at the time the first antibiotics were discovered and produced, Pupo said. We wanted to find a new ecological niche. We set out to confirm whether evolutionary pressure made the bacteria hosted by insects even more effective against pathogens. Broad sample Specimens were collected by collaborators from the US, Costa Rica and Panama. In addition to leafcutting ants of the tribe Attini, butterflies, wasps, bees and moths were included, for a total of 1,400 insects. In Brazil, more than 300 ant colonies were collected in the Cerrado [Brazilian savanna], Atlantic Rainforest and Amazon biomes. Cyphomycin was isolated in one specimen of the genus Cyphomyrmex collected on the University of Sao Paulos Ribeirao Preto campus, Pupo said. After the insects were collected, the bacteria found in their bodies were isolated, purified in the laboratory, and tested in vitro against microorganisms that act as pathogens in humans. The species that proved most effective against these pathogens were selected for metabolomic analysis to characterize the metabolites they produce and identify the most active of these and for phylogenetic studies, in which gene sequencing indicated to what extent the insect-associated bacteria resembled the strains of Streptomyces that live in soil. We combined chemometrics and liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry to profile the compounds produced by the insect microbiota. The aim was to identify the Streptomyces strains that produce a distinctive chemistry in other words, to find compounds quite different from those synthesized by soil bacteria. In this way, we increased the likelihood of finding a genuinely innovative molecule, Pupo explained. The compounds shown to be most effective by these rigorous methods were tested again, in vitro and in mice, against pathogens resistant to the drugs used in clinical practice. According to Pupo, cyphomycin was not effective against bacteria but proved capable of combating infection by Aspergillus fumigatus, the fungus most frequently found in hospital-acquired infections and the cause of aspergillosis, a disease with an attributable mortality as high as 85% even after antifungal treatment. When administered to laboratory animals, cyphomycin also combated infection by Candida glabrata and C. auris, fungi that cause candidiasis in humans and are resistant to existing drugs. Cyphomycin wasnt the first compound with antimicrobial action identified in our project, but no others displayed this level of activity, Pupo said. The part of the study that developed the chemical profile of the bacterial compounds was performed during the PhD research of Humberto Enrique Ortega Dominguez with FAPESPs support and supervision by Pupo at FCFRP-USP. During a postdoctoral research internship at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the US, with supervision by Tim Bugni and a scholarship from FAPESP, Dominguez focused on metabolomic studies and isolated cyphomycin, finalizing its structural determination after his return to Brazil. The trials with mice were conducted by David Andes and his group at UW-Madison. Weilan Gomes da Paixao Melo, a postdoctoral researcher with a scholarship from FAPESP, participated in insect collection and in microbiota isolation and identification. She also performed phylogenetic studies during a research internship in Cameron Curries laboratory at UW-Madison. The article The antimicrobial potential of Streptomyces from insect microbiomes, by Marc G. Chevrette et al., can be read at: www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-08438-0. A pilot study identifies a safe, effective strategy to help women with HIV have children in low-resource countries ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Women with HIV were once advised against having children for fear that the infection could be passed on to their babies. But medical advancements are not only allowing people with HIV to live longer and fuller lives -- but to grow their families, too. Timed vaginal insemination is a safe, effective way to help HIV-affected couples conceive, finds a new pilot study in Kenya led by a Michigan Medicine researcher and published in the PLOS ONE. Among 23 couples, in which the woman was HIV-positive and the man was not, timed vaginal insemination led to six live births without a case of HIV transmission. "People who are living with a stable HIV infection are focused on fully integrating into their communities and living productive lives," says lead author Okeoma Mmeje, M.D., assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Michigan Medicine. Mmeje conducted the study while at the University of California, San Francisco. "HIV does not change an individual's desire to have children," she says. "Our study describes a feasible, safe and effective method for women living with HIV to achieve pregnancy." HIV-serodiscordant In sub-Saharan Africa, women disproportionately represent the majority of new HIV infections. An estimated 44 percent of couples in Kenya are HIV-serodiscordant, in which one partner is infected by HIV and the other is not. But about 20 to 50 percent of HIV-infected people still want to have children, according to previous research. Current guidelines recommend antiretroviral treatment in HIV-serodiscordant couples -- the therapy helps keep HIV at low levels, keeping people healthy for longer and reducing the risk of spreading HIV to others. But the effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy may not be routinely assessed or guaranteed with an undetectable HIV viral load, authors say. "We know there's a strong desire among many HIV-affected couples to have children but that current strategies to suppress the virus may be inadequate," says Mmeje, who is also a member of the U-M Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation. "More options to support safely becoming pregnant should be offered to these couples and integrated into HIV prevention programs," she says. Mmeje says health care providers caring for HIV-serodiscordant couples should also consider offering them a fertility evaluation before attempting to conceive or after several unsuccessful attempts. Study participants were recruited from eight HIV care and treatment clinics in the Kisumu area of Western Kenya and included women ages 18 to 34. Instructional aids were used for the procedures, education and counseling sessions. Couples were observed for two months before timed vaginal insemination and were tested and treated for sexually transmitted infections. Timed vaginal insemination was performed for up to six menstrual cycles, and a fertility evaluation was offered to couples who did not become pregnant. Mmeje notes that the method and best practices described in the pilot study could be implemented by HIV prevention programs globally. "Our findings are applicable to low-resource environments throughout the world," she says. "This strategy could have high impact on empowering HIV-affected women with an affordable and readily accessible reproductive option that supports their desire to have children." ### The Nuffield Council on Bioethics has published a briefing note outlining the factors that can contribute to disagreements between parents and healthcare staff about the care and treatment of critically ill babies and young children. It concludes that the Government and NHS leaders could do more to foster good, collaborative relationships between parents and healthcare staff across the UK. The care and treatment of critically ill children often involves complexity and uncertainty. Disagreements can arise between parents and healthcare staff about the best course of action, and sometimes these become entrenched. Recent high-profile court cases in the UK have highlighted the damaging effects that these kinds of disagreements can have on everyone involved. The reasons why disagreements develop are wide ranging, but include poor communication - such as conflicting messages being given to families by different members of staff, or the use of insensitive language - and delays in seeking resolution interventions, such as mediation. The Nuffield Council has highlighted areas of action for healthcare policy-makers and NHS leaders that could help to prevent prolonged and damaging disagreements developing in future, or to resolve them more quickly. Overall, the aim should be: good communication between families and staff and an understanding of differing perspectives appropriate involvement of parents in discussions and decisions about the care and treatment of their child timely use of resolution interventions, such as mediation, in cases of disagreement attention to the profound psychological effects that disagreements can have for families and staff. Professor Ann Gallagher, member of the Nuffield Council on Bioethics, and Professor of Ethics and Care at the University of Surrey says: "Disagreements about the care and treatment of critically ill children can be extremely distressing for parents and for everybody involved, particularly if the case is referred to the courts. Every situation is different, but we have tried to understand some of the common causes of disagreements by talking to parents, healthcare staff and range of other people with expertise in this area. "We heard that problems can start early, with poor communication leading to a breakdown of trust, or parents feeling they are excluded from medical conversations about their child. Healthcare staff can feel they are not adequately supported to deal with conflict. "Although there is a lot of good practice already out there, we think more could be done at a national level to support good, collaborative relationships between families and healthcare staff leading to shared decision-making. We want to prompt policy makers and NHS leaders to think carefully about how the damaging and protracted disagreements that we have seen in recent years can be avoided in future." Areas of action The Council suggests that, amongst other measures, those responsible for national policy making in relation to healthcare practice should consider: supporting hospital trusts across the UK to develop processes for recognising and managing disagreements between parents and healthcare staff, such as introducing conflict management frameworks and increasing timely access to resolution interventions making ethics, communication and conflict management training for paediatric healthcare staff more widely available, or even compulsory improving access to and awareness of children's palliative care services. Amongst other measures, those involved in leading NHS trusts and hospitals should consider: providing parents with a trusted and appropriately trained healthcare professional as a central point of communication exploring ways in which those parents who want to can be more involved in discussions and decisions about their critically ill child, including having access to their child's medical records ensuring healthcare staff involved in disagreements are better supported by, for example, developing conflict management frameworks, providing more psychological support, and protecting them from abuse and intimidation. ### Notes to editors When Simone Di Matteo first saw the patterns in his data, it seemed too good to be true. "It's too perfect!" Di Matteo, a space physics Ph.D. student at the University of L'Aquila in Italy, recalled thinking. "It can't be real." And it wasn't, he'd soon find out. Di Matteo was looking for long trains of massive blobs -- like a lava lamp's otherworldly bubbles, but anywhere from 50 to 500 times the size of Earth -- in the solar wind. The solar wind, whose origins aren't yet fully understood, is the stream of charged particles that blows constantly from the Sun. Earth's magnetic field, called the magnetosphere, shields our planet from the brunt of its radiation. But when giant blobs of solar wind collide with the magnetosphere, they can trigger disturbances there that interfere with satellites and everyday communications signals. In his search, Di Matteo was re-examining archival data from the two German-NASA Helios spacecraft, which launched in 1974 and 1976 to study the Sun. But this was 45-year-old data he'd never worked with before. The flawless, wave-like patterns he initially found hinted that something was leading him astray. It wasn't until uncovering and removing those false patterns that Di Matteo found exactly what he was looking for: dotted trails of blobs that oozed from the Sun every 90 minutes or so. The scientists published their findings in JGR Space Physics on Feb. 21, 2019. They think the blobs could shed light on the solar wind's beginnings. Whatever process sends the solar wind out from the Sun must leave signatures on the blobs themselves. Making Way for New Science Di Matteo's research was the start of a project NASA scientists undertook in anticipation of the first data from NASA's Parker Solar Probe mission, which launched in 2018. Over the next seven years, Parker will fly through unexplored territory, soaring as close as 4 million miles from the Sun. Before Parker, the Helios 2 satellite held the record for the closest approach to the Sun at 27 million miles, and scientists thought it might give them an idea of what to expect. "When a mission like Parker is going to see things no one has seen before, just a hint of what could be observed is really helpful," Di Matteo said. The problem with studying the solar wind from Earth is distance. In the time it takes the solar wind to race across the 93 million miles between us and the Sun, important clues to the wind's origins -- like temperature and density -- fade. "You're constantly asking yourself, 'How much of what I'm seeing here is because of evolution over four days in transit, and how much came straight from the Sun?'" said solar scientist Nicholeen Viall, who advised Di Matteo during his research at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Helios data -- some of which was collected at just one-third the distance between the Sun and Earth -- could help them begin to answer these questions. Modeling Blobs The first step was tracing Helios' measurements of the blobs to their source on the Sun. "You can look at spacecraft data all you want, but if you can connect it back to where it came from on the Sun, it tells a more complete story," said Samantha Wallace, one of the study collaborators and a physics Ph.D. student at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. Wallace used an advanced solar wind model to link magnetic maps of the solar surface to Helios' observations, a tricky task since computer languages and data conventions have changed greatly since Helios' days. Now, the researchers could see what sorts of regions on the Sun were likely to bud into blobs of solar wind. Sifting the Evidence Then, Di Matteo searched the data for specific wave patterns. They expected conditions to alternate -- hot and dense, then cold and tenuous -- as individual blobs engulfed the spacecraft and moved on, in a long line. The picture-perfect patterns Di Matteo first found worried him. "That was a red flag," Viall said. "The actual solar wind doesn't have such precise, clean periodicities. Usually when you get such a precise frequency, it means some instrument effect is going on." Maybe there was some element of the instrument design they weren't considering, and it was imparting effects that had to be separated from true solar wind patterns. Di Matteo needed more information on the Helios instruments. But most researchers who worked on the mission have long since retired. He did what anyone else would do, and turned to the internet. Many Google searches and a weekend of online translators later, Di Matteo unearthed a German instruction manual that describes the instruments dedicated to the mission's solar wind experiment. Decades ago, when Helios was merely a blueprint and before anyone ever launched a spacecraft to the Sun, scientists didn't know how best to measure the solar wind. To prepare themselves for different scenarios, Di Matteo learned, they equipped the probes with two different instruments that would each measure certain solar wind properties in their own way. This was the culprit responsible for Di Matteo's perfect waves: the spacecraft itself, as it alternated between two instruments. After they removed segments of data taken during routine instrument-switching, the researchers looked again for the blobs. This time, they found them. The team describes five instances that Helios happened to catch trains of blobs. While scientists have spotted these blobs from Earth before, this is the first time they've studied them this close to the Sun, and with this level of detail. They outline the first conclusive evidence that the blobs are hotter and denser than the typical solar wind. The Return of the Blobs Whether blob trains bubble in 90-minute intervals continuously or in spurts, and how much they vary between themselves, is still a mystery. "This is one of those studies that brought up more questions than we answered, but that's perfect for Parker Solar Probe," Viall said. Parker Solar Probe aims to study the Sun up close, seeking answers to basic questions about the solar wind. "This is going to be very helpful," said Aleida Higginson, the mission's deputy project scientist at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland. "If you want to even begin to understand things you've never seen before, you need to know what we've measured before and have a solid scientific interpretation for it." Parker Solar Probe performs its second solar flyby on April 4, which brings it 15 million miles from the Sun -- already cutting Helios 2's record distance in half. The researchers are eager to see if blobs show up in Parker's observations. Eventually, the spacecraft will get so close it could catch blobs right after they've formed, fresh out of the Sun. ### New York, NY (April 4, 2019) -- ALS researchers at the New York Genome Center (NYGC) have utilized new technologies for mapping gene expression in spinal cord samples that provide new insights into the mechanisms that contribute to disease onset and progression in ALS patients. In a global collaboration that included scientists at the Simons Foundation's Flatiron Institute in New York, the Science for Life Laboratory and KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden, and New York University, researchers at the NYGC's Center for Genomics of Neurodegenerative Disease (CGND) used spatial transcriptomics, combined with a novel computational approach, to obtain gene expression measurements over time and space for close to 12,000 genes in the spinal cord. The result is a new, multidimensional gene expression atlas, providing unparalleled detail and scale and offering a previously unavailable view of disease progression in ALS. In a new study in Science, the researchers describe how the spatiotemporal gene expression atlas uncovers early changes in ALS disease not observable using traditional sequencing methods. The scientists also developed novel computational approaches that reveal disease-driven changes in the activity of many signaling pathways across all cell types in the central nervous system, which may reveal novel targets for designing therapeutics and diagnostics. What makes this study unique from previous transcriptome profiling research is the method used by the scientists, Spatial Transcriptomics, which generates RNAseq profiles at many locations in a tissue section simultaneously. Thus, the team was able to record precisely where in the tissue virtually every gene is expressed. The researchers examined four time points during disease progression, from earliest adulthood to end stage in a mouse model of ALS. In addition, postmortem spinal cord samples from ALS patients were examined. "Spatial Transcriptomics allows us, for the first time, to gain important insights into gene expression in individual cell types while in their natural multicellular context," explained Hemali Phatnani, PhD, Director of NYGC's CGND, senior author of the study. "It enables unprecedented interrogation of cell-to-cell interactions so that we can now examine and explore specific pathways in ALS where things are going wrong, where and in which cell types dysfunction is first seen, and how this spreads through the spinal cord." The scientists have made this multidimensional gene expression atlas available as a resource to the research community via the interactive data exploration portal. They believe that the study can provide a framework for further mapping of the central nervous system and its modes of dysfunction, to aid research into not just ALS but also other neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and Huntington's disease. The ongoing insights to be gleaned from this comprehensive, spatiotemporal, transcriptome-wide gene expression dataset will be crucial to advancing understanding of ALS, a complex neurodegenerative disease with no clear cause or known cure. More than 200,000 people worldwide are living with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, which typically manifests at first in distal muscles of a single limb, and then spreads throughout the body, leading to total paralysis and death. The average life expectancy of a person with ALS is about two to five years from the time of diagnosis. In their paper, "Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Molecular Pathology in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis," the team collected 76,136 spatial gene expression measurements (SGEMs) from 1,165 mouse tissue sections and 61,031 SGEMs from 80 human tissue sections (for context, the next largest comparable spatially resolved transcriptomics studies considered only about a dozen tissue sections at a single time point). By combining the data from many tissue sections, the researchers were able to detect the expression of close to 12,000 genes simultaneously across the tissue region under examination. This is the first time that such a spatially resolved approach has been used to study ALS at this depth and scale. "Even though it is the motor neurons that are most vulnerable in ALS, the neighboring cells that surround the motor neurons also play a role in the disease," said co-first author, Silas Maniatis, PhD, Staff Scientist at NYGC's CGND. "Our research focuses on understanding how disease-causing mutations disrupt the function of both neuronal and non-neuronal cells, and how disrupted interactions between the various cell types of the nervous system drive motor neuron loss in ALS. Spatial Transcriptomics and the associated computational tools we developed in this study give us a superb view of these processes. Perhaps more importantly, this combination of technologies and experimental approaches provide a framework for understanding other diseases of the nervous system." Corresponding authors on the study include: Joakim Lundeberg, PhD, whose lab developed the Spatial Transcriptomics method, and is head of the department of Gene Technology at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology, and Director of the Genomics platform at SciLifeLab, an institution for the advancement of molecular biosciences in Sweden; and Richard Bonneau, PhD, Professor of Biology, Computer Science, and Data Science, New York University, and Group Leader for Systems Biology at the Center for Computational Biology at the Simons Foundation's Flatiron Institute, who led the team in devising novel computational methods for analysis of atlas data. "The study is a beautiful example that 'geography' matters, i.e., being able to spatially position subtle gene activity changes and linking these to initial steps in the disease. An added benefit is that information is indeed provided in a data-driven manner using the wealth of information provided by transcriptome-wide technologies in situ," said Dr. Lundeberg. "The synergy of this global collaboration has resulted in the development of a powerful new genomic tool that provides researchers with a wealth of information in a data-driven manner," said Dr. Bonneau. ### Co-first authors of the study include Tarmo Aijo, PhD, Research Scientist, Systems Biology, Center for Computational Biology at the Simon Foundation's Flatiron Institute, and Sanja Vickovic, PhD, of NYGC's CGND, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, and KTH Royal Institute of Technology. About the New York Genome Center The New York Genome Center (NYGC) is an independent, nonprofit academic research institution focused on furthering genomic research that leads to scientific advances and new insights and therapies for patients with neurodegenerative disease, neuropsychiatric disease, and cancer. Leveraging our strengths in whole genome sequencing, genomic analysis, and development of new genomic tools, the NYGC serves as a nexus for collaboration in disease-focused genomic research for the New York community and beyond. NYGC harnesses the expertise and builds on the combined strengths of our faculty, staff scientists, member institutions, scientific working groups, affiliate members, and industry partners to advance genomic discovery. Central to our scientific mission is an outstanding faculty who are leading independent research labs based at the NYGC and one of our member institutions, bringing a multidisciplinary and in-depth approach to the field of genomics. Member institutions include: Albert Einstein College of Medicine, American Museum of Natural History, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Columbia University, Hospital for Special Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, The Jackson Laboratory, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, The New York Stem Cell Foundation, New York University, Northwell Health, Princeton University, The Rockefeller University, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Stony Brook University, and Weill Cornell Medicine. For more information on the NYGC, please visit: http://www.nygenome.org. MEDIA CONTACT: Karen Zipern, kzipern@nygenome.org Director, Communications o: 646-977-7065 c: 917-415-8134 FOR A COPY OF THE PAPER, PLEASE EMAIL SCIPAK@AAAS.ORG OR CALL 202-326-6440 COLUMBUS, Ohio - New research is detailing how environmental stressors, including heavy metals, brought on by human activity are harming coastal green sea turtle populations - work that researchers hope will inform conservation efforts going forward. In a study that appears in the journal Science of the Total Environment, a multidisciplinary group of researchers set about evaluating turtle health, water quality and other factors in the aftermath of a catastrophic mass death of green turtles in Australia. "We found evidence of heavy metals - particularly cobalt - in sea turtle populations where we also saw signs of illness," said lead author Mark Flint, program head of Zoo and Wildlife Conservation Medicine and Ecosystem Health in the College of Veterinary Medicine at The Ohio State University. "Though we can't be sure what caused this, there were cyclones and major flooding in this part of Australia two years prior to the start of our study, and that could have drawn out sediment rich in heavy metals that had been lying in rivers and streams benign for the past 50 years," Flint said. Green turtles, Chelonia mydas, are an endangered species, and one of the largest sea turtles, weighing in at as much as 400 pounds in adulthood. Green turtles are named for the greenish color of their fat, not their shells, and are found mainly in tropical and subtropical waters, according to the World Wide Fund for Nature-Australia (WWF). The WWF provided funding for this research, and led the Rivers to Reef to Turtles project under which it was conducted. Large populations live, feed and nest on Australia's Great Barrier Reef, favoring the bays and protected shores near the coast and around islands. The Rivers to Reef to Turtles project, which ran from 2014 to 2017, examined health of green turtles at two northern Queensland bays - Cleveland and Upstart - known to be impacted by urban and agricultural human activities and at a third remote "pristine" area, the Howick Group of islands. Following up on a high number of turtle deaths in 2012 and 2013 that conservationists were attributing to a "whole kit and caboodle of reasons" including runoff from agriculture, industrial toxins and climate change, the team conducted physical exams and tested the turtles' blood over time, looking for signs of contaminants and illness, Flint said. They also counted barnacles on the turtles. Flint's previous work has shown that high barnacle counts on turtles' undersides correspond to poor health. The theory behind that? When healthy and feeding normally, a turtle's trips to the sea floor for seagrass meals effectively scrape away barnacles. When the green turtles aren't eating well, the barnacles build up. "An unhealthy turtle often has trapped air in its shell and is buoyant, meaning it can't dive down for food. It's almost like a balloon," Flint said. "Also, a turtle that can't dive sits on the surface of the water where algae and barnacles can grow better." In cases where the researchers found dead turtles, they conducted in-depth necropsies. The research team found elevated levels of an enzyme called creatinine kinase in turtles at Cleveland Bay. That enzyme typically increases after muscle injury or illness. And they found elevated white cell counts in turtles at Upstart Bay. White cells proliferate when an animal is fighting infection. One in five of the juveniles examined at Cleveland Bay had high barnacle levels (16 or more) and one in 10 of the young turtles at Upstart Bay had excessive barnacle growth. This level of barnacle growth was not seen in any of the turtles at the "pristine" control site. By the end of the study, the researchers saw some evidence that the population in Cleveland Bay was returning to normal, but the problem still remains for turtles in Upstart Bay. This multidisciplinary approach is the first effort to look with this depth at this population of turtles and the potential links between environmental toxins and their well-being, Flint said. The researchers suspect that the unhealthy measures seen in the turtles that live in areas affected by urbanization, farming and industry are connected to contaminants in their ecosystem. In particular, the study team found evidence of heavy metals, primarily cobalt, in the turtles' blood. Green turtles migrate long distances between feeding grounds and from the beaches on which they hatched. The reptiles are threatened by overharvesting of their eggs, hunting of adults, being caught in fishing gear and loss of nesting beach sites, according to the WWF. The green turtle is the only "vegetarian" sea turtle, eating mostly seagrass and algae, which relates to its ecological importance. When green turtles graze on seagrass beds, that vegetation remains productive - something the WWF compares to mowing the lawn. The turtles also recycle nutrients they digest, making them available to other animals and plants, which ultimately is important for the survival of invertebrates and fish, some of which people eat. The monitoring of sea turtle health also is important because with their long lifespans and tendency to stay in one place, they can potentially serve as proxies for the broader environment, Flint said. The trouble is, their physical responses to environmental assaults and disease are slow-moving, complicating conservationists' ability to draw connections between the environment and sickness and death. This research gives conservationists and marine biologists a baseline understanding of sea turtle health and response to environmental stressors, he said, which will better enable them to assess turtle health after an insult and over time. It will also provide tools to help decision makers develop environmental mitigation strategies, Flint said. ### Other researchers who worked on the study were Ian Bell of the Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage Protection, Anne-Fleur Brand of Utrecht University and the University of Queensland and Christine Madden Hof of the WWF. CONTACT: Mark Flint, 614-292-6166; Flint.71@osu.edu Written by Misti Crane, 614-292-5220; Crane.11@osu.edu Blood pressure and stroke risk increase steadily with increasing alcohol intake, and previous claims that 1-2 alcoholic drinks a day might protect against stroke are dismissed by new evidence from a genetic study involving 160,000 adults Blood pressure and stroke risk increase steadily with increasing alcohol intake, and previous claims that 1-2 alcoholic drinks a day might protect against stroke are dismissed by new evidence from a genetic study involving 160,000 adults. Studies of East Asian genes that strongly affect how much alcohol people choose to drink show that alcohol itself directly increases blood pressure and the chances of having a stroke, according to a new study published in The Lancet. It was known that stroke rates were increased by heavy drinking, but it wasn't known whether they were increased or decreased by moderate drinking. Although people who have one or two alcoholic drinks a day had previously been observed to have a slightly lower risk of stroke and heart attack than non-drinkers, it was not known whether this was because moderate drinking was slightly protective, or whether it was because non-drinkers had other underlying health problems (eg, being former drinkers who had stopped because of illness). At least for stroke, the genetic evidence now refutes the claim that moderate drinking is protective. In East Asian populations, there are common genetic variants that greatly reduce alcohol tolerability, because they cause an extremely unpleasant flushing reaction after drinking alcohol. Although these genetic variants greatly reduce the amount people drink, they are unrelated to other lifestyle factors such as smoking. Therefore, they can be used to study the causal effects of alcohol intake. As the genetic factors that strongly affect drinking patterns are allocated randomly at conception and persist lifelong, this study is the genetic equivalent of a large randomised trial, and can therefore sort out cause-and-effect relationships reliably - a method called "Mendelian randomisation." Lead author Dr Iona Millwood, from the Medical Research Council Population Health Research Unit at the University of Oxford, UK, says: "Using genetics is a novel way to assess the health effects of alcohol, and to sort out whether moderate drinking really is protective, or whether it's slightly harmful. Our genetic analyses have helped us understand the cause-and-effect relationships." [1] Researchers from Oxford University, Peking University, and the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences led a large collaborative study of over 500,000 men and women in China who were asked about their alcohol intake and followed for ten years. In over 160,000 of these adults the researchers measured two genetic variants (rs671 and rs1229984) that substantially reduce alcohol intake. Among men, these genetic variants caused a 50-fold difference in average alcohol intake, from near zero to about four units (drinks) per day. The genetic variants that decreased alcohol intake also decreased blood pressure and stroke risk. From this evidence, the authors conclude that alcohol increases the risk of having a stroke by about one-third (35%) for every four additional drinks per day (280 g of alcohol a week), with no protective effects of light or moderate drinking. Professor Zhengming Chen, co-author from the Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, says: "There are no protective effects of moderate alcohol intake against stroke. Even moderate alcohol consumption increases the chances of having a stroke. The findings for heart attack were less clear-cut, so we plan to collect more evidence." [1] Of the men with genetic measurements, about 10,000 had a stroke and 2,000 had a heart attack during about ten years of follow-up, so more information is needed on heart attacks. Few women in China drink alcohol (less than 2% of women in the study drank in most weeks, and when they did drink they consumed less than men), and the genetic variants that cause alcohol intolerance had little effect on blood pressure or stroke risk. Women in this study therefore provide a useful control group, which helps confirm that the effects of these genetic variants on stroke risk in men were caused by drinking alcohol, not by some other mechanism. The authors highlight that it would be impossible to do such a study in Western populations, where almost nobody has the relevant genetic variants. However, these findings about the effects of alcohol in Asia should be applicable worldwide. Because the study was conducted in China, the alcohol consumed was mainly spirits, but they expect the findings to apply to alcohol in other drinks. In China, more years of life are lost to stroke than to any other disease. This study estimates that, among Chinese men, alcohol is a cause of 8% of all strokes from a blood clot in the brain and 16% of all strokes from bleeding into the brain. Co-author Professor Liming Li, from Peking University, says: "Stroke is a major cause of death and disability. This large collaborative study has shown that stroke rates are increased by alcohol. This should help inform personal choices and public health strategies." [1] Writing in a linked Comment, Professor Tai-Hing Lam and Dr Au Yeung, from the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China, call for a WHO Framework Convention for Alcohol Control (FCAC), similar to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC): "Alcohol control is complex and stronger policies are required. The alcohol industry is thriving and should be regulated in a similar way to the tobacco industry." ### NOTES TO EDITORS: Funding for this study was provided by the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, Kadoorie Charitable Foundation, National Natural Science Foundation of China, British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK, GlaxoSmithKline, Medical Research Council, and the Wellcome Trust. [1] Quotes direct from authors and cannot be found in the text of the Article IF YOU WISH TO PROVIDE A LINK FOR YOUR READERS, PLEASE USE THE FOLLOWING, WHICH WILL GO LIVE AT THE TIME THE EMBARGO LIFTS: http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(18)31772-0/fulltext In purely cinematic terms "Storm Boy" has all the ingredients for commercial success. How well it performs will depend at least partly on public response to controversy surrounding top-billed star Geoffrey Rush , also one of the film's executive producers. Australia's Federal Court : is scheduled to soon deliver a decision on the defamation case brought by Rush against Nationwide News, a News Ltd. subsidiary and publisher of Sydney newspaper The Daily Telegraph. The case involving allegations of inappropriate behavior during a theater production has attracted headlines for several months, and its outcome will doubtless influence the ticket-buying choices of some viewers. The chrome plating on the Terracotta Army bronze weapons - once thought to be the earliest form of anti-rust technology - derives from a decorative varnish rather than a preservation technique, finds a new study co-led by UCL and Terracotta Army Museum researchers. The study, published today in Scientific Reports, reveals that the chemical composition and characteristics of the surrounding soil, rather than chromium, may be responsible for the weapons' famous preservation power. Lead author Professor Marcos Martinon-Torres (University of Cambridge and formerly of UCL Institute of Archaeology), commented: "The terracotta warriors and most organic materials of the mausoleum were coated with protective layers of lacquer before being painted with pigments - but interestingly, not the bronze weapons." "We found a substantial chromium content in the lacquer, but only a trace of chromium in the nearby pigments and soil - possibly contamination. The highest traces of chromium found on bronzes are always on weapon parts directly associated to now-decayed organic elements, such as lance shafts and sword grips made of wood and bamboo, which would also have had a lacquer coating. Clearly, the lacquer is the unintended source of the chromium on the bronzes - and not an ancient anti-rust treatment." The world-famous Terracotta Army of Xi'an consists of thousands of life-sized ceramic figures representing warriors, stationed in three large pits within the mausoleum of Qin Shihuang (259-210 BC), the first emperor of a unified China. These warriors were armed with fully functional bronze weapons; dozens of spears, lances, hooks, swords, crossbow triggers and as many as 40,000 arrow heads have all been recovered. Although the original organic components of the weapons such as the wooden shafts, quivers and scabbards have mostly decayed over the past 2,000 years, the bronze components remain in remarkably good condition. Since the first excavations of the Terracotta Army in the 1970s, researchers have suggested that the impeccable state of preservation seen on the bronze weapons must be as a result of the Qin weapon makers developing a unique method of preventing metal corrosion. Traces of chromium detected on the surface of the bronze weapons gave rise to the belief that Qin craftspeople invented a precedent to the chromate conversion coating technology, a technique only patented in the early 20th century and still in use today. The story has been cited in some books and media. Now an international team of researchers show that the chromium found on the bronze surfaces is simply contamination from lacquer present in adjacent objects, and not the result of an ancient technology. The researchers also suggest that the excellent preservation of the bronze weapons may have been helped by the moderately alkaline pH, small particle size and low organic content of the surrounding soil. Dr Xiuzhen Li (UCL Institute of Archaeology and Terracotta Army Museum), co-author of the study, said: "Some of the bronze weapons, particular swords, lances and halberds, display shiny almost pristine surfaces and sharp blades after 2,000 years buried with the Terracotta Army. One hypothesis for this was that Qin weapon-makers could have utilised some kind of anti-rust technology due to chromium detected on the surface of the weapons. However, the preservation of the weapons has continued to perplex scientists for more than forty years. "The high-tin composition of the bronze, quenching technique, and the particular nature of the local soil go some way to explain their remarkable preservation but it is still possible that the Qin Dynasty developed a mysterious technological process and this deserves further investigation." By analysing hundreds of artefacts, researchers also found that many of the best preserved bronze weapons did not have any surface chromium. To investigate the reasons for their still-excellent preservation, they simulated the weathering of replica bronzes in an environmental chamber. Bronzes buried in Xi'an soil remained almost pristine after four months of extreme temperature and humidity, in contrast to the severe corrosion of the bronzes buried for comparison in British soil. "It is striking how many important, detailed insights can be recovered via the evidence of both the natural materials and complex artificial recipes found across the mausoleum complex --bronze, clay, wood, lacquer and pigments to name but a few. These materials provide complementary storylines in a bigger tale of craft production strategies at the dawn of China's first empire," said co-author, Professor Andrew Bevan (UCL Institute of Archaeology). Professor Thilo Rehren (The Cyprus Institute and UCL Institute of Archaeology), stressed the importance of long-term collaboration. "We started this research more than 10 years ago between UCL and the museum. Only through the persistence, trusting cooperation and out-of-the-box thinking of colleagues in China and Britain were we able to solve this decade-old mystery." ### Notes to Editors For more information or to speak to the researchers involved, please contact: Natasha Downes, UCL Media Relations. T: +44 (0)20 3108 3844, E: n.downes@ucl.ac.uk Surface chromium on Terracotta Army bronze weapons is neither an ancient anti-rust treatment nor the reason for their good preservation is published in Scientific Reports. 'The Terracotta Army Museum-UCL Cooperative Project: The Making of the Terracotta Army' is a British Academy Research Project part of the collaboration between the UCL Institute of Archaeology and the Emperor Qin Shihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum. Some of the team members have since moved to the University of Cambridge and the Cyprus Institute, but continue to discuss the further cooperation. The research was funded by the British Academy and The Institute for Archaeo-Metallurgical Studies. Additional material Images are available via the link below. Please ensure images are credited appropriately as per the file. https://www.dropbox.com/sh/hqmbopow8ql0rpu/AAAaT7tpMpNLBa4xdGKU3-sHa?dl=0 About UCL (University College London) UCL was founded in 1826. We were the first English university established after Oxford and Cambridge, the first to open up university education to those previously excluded from it, and the first to provide systematic teaching of law, architecture and medicine. We are among the world's top universities, as reflected by performance in a range of international rankings and tables. UCL currently has over 41,500 students from 150 countries and over 12,500 staff. http://www.ucl.ac.uk | Follow us on Twitter @uclnews | Watch our YouTube channel YouTube.com/UCLTV About the University of Cambridge The mission of the University of Cambridge is to contribute to society through the pursuit of education, learning and research at the highest international levels of excellence. To date, 98 affiliates of the University have won the Nobel Prize. Founded in 1209, the University comprises 31 autonomous Colleges, which admit undergraduate and postgraduate students and provide small-group tuition, and 150 departments, faculties and institutions. Cambridge is a global university. Its 19,000-student body includes 3,700 international students from 120 countries. Cambridge researchers collaborate with colleagues worldwide, and the University has established larger-scale partnerships in Asia, Africa and America. The University sits at the heart of one of the world's largest technology clusters. The 'Cambridge Phenomenon' has created 1,500 hi-tech companies, 14 of them valued at over US$1 billion and two at over US$10 billion. Cambridge promotes the interface between academia and business, and has a global reputation for innovation. https://www.cam.ac.uk/ The Cyprus Institute The Cyprus Institute (CyI) is a world-class, non-profit research and educational institution with a strong scientific and technological orientation. It is a regional Center of Excellence, comprised of three specialized multidisciplinary research centers developed in partnership with leading international institutions in their respective thematic areas, in order to address issues of regional interest but of global significance, with an emphasis on cross-disciplinary research and international collaborations." Immunotherapy drugs known as checkpoint inhibitors have revolutionized cancer treatment: many patients with malignancies that until recently would have been considered untreatable are experiencing long-term remissions. But the majority of patients don't respond to these drugs, and they work far better in some cancers than others, for reasons that have befuddled scientists. Now, UC San Francisco researchers have identified a surprising phenomenon that may explain why many cancers don't respond to these drugs, and hints at new strategies to unleash the immune system against disease. "In the best-case scenarios, like melanoma, only 20 to 30 percent of patients respond to immune checkpoint inhibitors, while in other cases, like prostate cancer, there is only a single-digit response rate," said Robert Blelloch, MD, PhD, professor of urology at UCSF and senior author of the new study, published April 4 in Cell. "That means a majority of patients are not responding. We wanted to know why." In malignant tissue, a protein called PD-L1 functions as an "invisibility cloak": by displaying PD-L1 on their surfaces, cancer cells protect themselves from attacks by the immune system. Some of the most successful immunotherapies work by interfering with PD-L1 or with its receptor, PD-1, which resides on immune cells. When the interaction between PD-L1 and PD-1 is blocked, tumors lose their ability to hide from the immune system and become vulnerable to anti-cancer immune attacks. One reason that some tumors may be resistant to these treatments is that they do not produce PD-L1, meaning that there is nowhere for existing checkpoint inhibitors to act -- that is, they may avoid the immune system using other checkpoint proteins yet to be discovered. Scientists have previously shown the PD-L1 protein to be present at low levels, or completely absent, in tumor cells of prostate cancer patients, potentially explaining their resistance to the therapy. But in their new paper Blelloch's group is suggesting a very different answer to this puzzle: PD-L1 is being mass-produced by these tumors, they found, but instead of displaying the protein on their surface, cancer cells export PD-L1 in molecular freighters known as exosomes. These PD-L1-packed exosomes sprout from cancer cells and travel through the lymphatic system or bloodstream to lymph nodes, the sites where immune cells are activated to protect the body. There, the PD-L1 proteins act as itinerant molecular saboteurs, remotely disarming immune cells and preventing them from locating tumors to mount an anti-cancer offensive. So rather than shutting down the immune response at the tumor surface, exosomal PD-L1 can inhibit immune cells before they even arrive there. And unlike PD-L1 found on the tumor's surface, exosomal PD-L1, for unclear reasons, is resistant to existing checkpoint inhibitors. "The standard model says that PD-L1 acts on immune cells that travel to the tumor niche, where they encounter this immune-suppressing protein," Blelloch said. "Our data suggests that this isn't true for many immunotherapy-resistant tumors. These tumors evade the immune system by delivering exosomal PD-L1 to lymph nodes, where they inhibit the activation of immune cells remotely. These findings represent a break from dogma." Blelloch's group decided to explore exosomes when they noticed something strange that suggested the standard model of PD-L1 presentation was flawed. Like scientists that came before, they found low levels of PD-L1 protein in resistant cancers. But when they looked at messenger RNA (mRNA), the molecular precursor of all proteins, they observed an odd discrepancy: there was far too much PD-L1 mRNA for the scant amount of PD-L1 protein that they measured in the cells. "We saw the difference between mRNA and protein levels and wanted to figure what was happening," Blelloch said. "Our experiments also showed that the protein was in fact being made at some point, and that it wasn't being degraded. That's when we looked at exosomes and found the missing PD-L1." Exosomal PD-L1 Hampers Immune Response, Promotes Cancer Growth To show that exosomal PD-L1 was responsible for imparting immune invisibility, the researchers turned to a mouse prostate cancer model that's resistant to checkpoint inhibitors. When they transplanted these cancer cells into healthy mice, tumors rapidly sprouted. But when the scientists used the gene-editing tool CRISPR to delete two genes required for exosome production, the edited cancer cells were unable to form tumors in genetically identical mice. Though both edited and unedited cells were producing PD-L1, only those unable to create exosomes were visible and vulnerable to the immune system when PD-L1 was blocked. "The importance of this discovery was immediately evident," said postdoctoral fellow Mauro Poggio, PhD, lead author of the new study. "Currently in the clinic, there are no drugs available that are capable of counteracting the destructive power of exosomal PD-L1, so understanding the biology of exosomal PD-L1 is the first fundamental step that might lead to novel therapeutic approaches for patients." In a complementary experiment, the same CRISPR-edited cancer cells were transplanted into healthy mice, immediately followed by a series of injections of exosomes carrying PD-L1. Unable to produce exosomes, the CRISPR-edited cancer cells should have fallen victim to the immune system. Instead, the injected exosomes were able to neutralize the immune response on behalf of the cancer, which allowed the exosome-deficient cancer cells to form tumors. To figure out how exosomal PD-L1 was interfering with the immune system, the researchers inspected the lymph nodes of mice that received either CRISPR-edited or unadulterated cancer cells. Mice that received the edited cells showed increased immune cell proliferation and had higher numbers of activated immune cells in their lymph nodes, the central command hubs of the immune system. In a separate mouse model -- a colorectal cancer that's only partially responsive to immunotherapy -- the researchers identified two distinct pools of PD-L1: one on the surface of tumor cells that's sensitive to PD-L1 inhibitors, and another in exosomes that's resistant. When they treated the cancer with a combination therapy that involved both preventing exosome formation and administering PD-L1 inhibitors, the mice survived longer than those treated with either approach alone. "These data from two very different cancer models suggest a novel therapeutic approach, where suppressing the release of PD-L1 in exosomes, either alone or in combination with current checkpoint inhibitors, could overcome resistance in a large fraction of patients currently resistant to treatment with checkpoint inhibitors alone," Blelloch said. Exosome-Deficient Tumor Cells Can Act as 'Vaccine' Against Immune Resistance In a surprising result from the new paper, the researchers found that they could use CRISPR-edited, exosome-deficient cancer cells to induce an anti-cancer immune response that targeted tumors that normally resist immune attack. The researchers first transplanted CRISPR-edited cancer cells unable to produce exosomes into normal mice and waited 90 days. They then transplanted unedited -- and presumably immune-evading -- cancer cells into the same mice. After having exposed the immune system to the CRISPR-edited, exosome-deficient cancer cells, the unedited cells were no longer invisible. Instead of ignoring these cells, the immune system mounted a vigorous response that targeted these formerly immune-evading cancer cells and prevented them from proliferating. "The immune system develops an anti-tumor memory after being exposed to cancer cells that can't produce exosomal PD-L1. Once the immune system has developed memory, it is no longer sensitive to this form of PD-L1 and thus targets exosomal PD-L1-producing cancer cells as well," Blelloch said. Another surprising result was achieved when both unedited and CRISPR-edited, exosome-deficient cancer cells were simultaneously transplanted into opposite sides of the same mouse. Though they were introduced at the same time, the CRISPR-edited cells proved dominant -- they were able to activate the immune system, which then launched an attack that destroyed the unedited, supposedly immune-resistant tumors growing on the other side. These results suggest that even the temporary inhibition of the release of PD-L1 in exosomes could lead to long-term, body-wide suppression of tumor growth. Furthermore, they hint at the possibility of a new kind of immunotherapy, one in which a patient's cancer cells can be edited and reintroduced in order to activate the immune system and goad it into attacking immune-resistant cancers. Suppressing the release of PD-L1 in exosomes or the introduction of the "tumor cell vaccine" devised by the Blelloch team may one day offer hope to patients whose tumors don't respond to today's treatment options. "Much more needs to be uncovered about PD-L1's function in cancer," Poggio said. "We are just scratching the surface of what could be a new mechanism that, if blocked, has the potential to suppress many aggressive tumors that don't currently respond to treatment." ### Authors: Additional authors on the paper include TJ Hu, Chien-Chun Pai, Brandon Chu, Cassandra D. Belair, Anthony Chang, Ursula E. Lang, Qi Fu, and Lawrence Fong of UCSF; Elizabeth Montabana of UC Berkeley. Funding: Research was supported by the National Institutes of Health Common Fund Extracellular RNA Consortium, the George and Judy Marcus Innovation Fund, and an NIH training grant. Conflicts: The authors declare no competing financial interests. About UCSF: UC San Francisco (UCSF) is a leading university dedicated to promoting health worldwide through advanced biomedical research, graduate-level education in the life sciences and health professions, and excellence in patient care. It includes top-ranked graduate schools of dentistry, medicine, nursing and pharmacy; a graduate division with nationally renowned programs in basic, biomedical, translational and population sciences; and a preeminent biomedical research enterprise. It also includes UCSF Health, which comprises three top-ranked hospitals - UCSF Medical Center and UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals in San Francisco and Oakland - as well as Langley Porter Psychiatric Hospital and Clinics, UCSF Benioff Children's Physicians and the UCSF Faculty Practice. UCSF Health has affiliations with hospitals and health organizations throughout the Bay Area. UCSF faculty also provide all physician care at the public Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, and the SF VA Medical Center. The UCSF Fresno Medical Education Program is a major branch of the University of California, San Francisco's School of Medicine. Please visit http://www.ucsf.edu/news. Birds, fish and bacteria often gather into groups or swarms. This so-called collective behaviour requires all group members to continuously and reciprocally adapt their movements. It can be a challenging task, however, for researchers to ascertain the specific environmental stimuli that individuals respond to within the context of their group; in addition to optical and acoustic information, flow resistances or chemical messengers can also play a role. By designing experiments with artificial microswimmers, physicists at the University of Konstanz were able to show that the formation of stable groups requires only few skills: forward visual perception over large distances and regulation of the speed according to the number of perceived individuals. In addition to providing more insight into collective phenomena, their findings can also be used for research on autonomous systems. The results of their study were published in the current issue of the journal Science. The ability to gather into compact swarms or groups is an effective skill that allows individuals to evade predators, find food or efficiently travel long distances. To begin to understand how swarms form, the following questions must be answered: What information does an individual perceive within its environment? And how does this individual then adapt its movement in response to such environmental stimuli? The so-called Vicsek model proposes that individual group members adjust their movement direction to that of the surrounding individuals. Additionally, there must be an attraction between the group members. If one of these two conditions (orientation or attraction) is not met, the swarm becomes unstable and disperses. A more simple and robust rule As a result of their recent experiments, Clemens Bechinger, professor at the Department of Physics at the University of Konstanz, and his colleagues have discovered a much simpler and remarkably robust rule with which individuals spontaneously form a stable group: It only requires that individuals have a forward and long range vision, a basic ability of many living organisms. Each individual determines the number of peers visible in its own filed of view. If this number reaches a certain threshold value, the particle begins to swim forward; otherwise its movements are entirely random. Here, it is not necessary for the individual to identify the exact locations of its neighbours. It must simply perceive them within its field of vision. Instead of working with living organisms, the physicists use artificial microswimmers suspended in a liquid. These consist of glass beads with diameters of a few micrometers coated on one side with a thin layer of carbon. By illuminating them with a focused laser spot, the carbon absorbs the light, causing the beads to heat up unevenly. The temperature gradient generates a fluid flow at the surface of the bead, which starts swimming like a bacterium. This situation is comparable to a rotating ship propeller, which pushes water away, thus moving the vessel forwards. To equip these microswimmers with a field of vision, the researchers use a trick: With the help of a computer, the positions and orientations of all glass particles are continuously monitored. This allows the researchers to determine the number of a particle's neighbours within a fixed angular range, which corresponds to the particle's field of vision. If this number exceeds a prescribed threshold value, a focused laser beam briefly illuminates the respective particle, causing it to perform a swimming motion. If, however, the number of particles remains below the threshold value, the corresponding particle is not illuminated by a laser beam, allowing the particle to undergo undirected and diffusive movements. Since this process is carried out several times a second, each microswimmer is induced to dynamically and continuously react to the slightest changes in its environment, just like a fish within its school. Using this procedure, the researchers observed that the particles spontaneously formed an artificial swarm. Perceived information can be controlled in a precise manner By adapting these "artificial organisms" for their research purposes, the physicists are not only able to precisely determine the information that individual group members perceive within their environment, they can also observe how changes in perception affect their collective behaviour. Modifying either their field of vision or perception threshold changes the respective level of group formation and cohesion. The physicists thus created particles with the broad field of view of herbivores and found that they stay together only by lowering their threshold of reaction. On other words, herbivores need to keep a close eye at each other in order to stay within their protective group. With their simple model, it is also explained how the narrow vision of predators is an advantage to detect the presence of preys over long distances. Another important research finding is that gregarious individuals, in principle, do not have to adapt their velocity direction or gather information about the speed of their neighbours. From a control system point of view, this is extremely advantageous since minimal sensory and cognitive resources are required for such behaviour. This aspect might also prove useful for future applications, where, for example, millions of autonomous microrobots with limited computing capacity are expected to perform complex tasks. To ensure that such tasks are successfully carried out, they must be able to organise themselves and coordinate their behaviour. These abilities will also ensure that groups can master unforeseen situations, such as when schools of fish successfully evade an attacker. ### Clemens Bechinger' s research is funded by an Advanced Grant of the European Research Council. The physicist is also a principal investigator within the Cluster of Excellence "Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour", which receives funding through the German Excellence Strategy. Facts: Original publication: F.A. Lavergne, H. Wendehenne, T. Bauerle, C. Bechinger, Group formation and cohesion of active particles with visual perception-dependent motility, Science 5 April 2019. Experiments show: To form a stable group, it is sufficient for individuals to estimate the number of other group members within their own field of vision and over large distances. Research funding is provided through an ERC Advanced Grant from the European Research Council. The research is being carried out in the context of the Cluster of Excellence "Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour", which receives funding through the German Excellence Strategy. Note to editors: You can download a photo and a video here: Figure: https://cms.uni-konstanz.de/fileadmin/pi/fileserver/2019/Bilder/Bechinger_Schwaerme.png Caption: Schematic of the experimental setup: Depending on whether the coated glass beads have many or few neighbours within their field of vision (red), they are either illuminated by a laser beam or not. Researchers can use such an experiment to investigate the effects of visual information on the collective behaviour and swarming of swimming microparticles. Photo: Noemi Furlani https://youtu.be/cvfoeQxyXyU Video: Hugo Wendehenne Contact University of Konstanz Communications and Marketing Phone: + 49 7531 88-3603 E-Mail: kum@uni-konstanz.de PITTSBURGH, April 4, 2019 - In the years following bariatric surgery, a person's overall eating behaviors and the amount of time spent watching television, playing video games and using a computer for recreation are a better indication of long-term weight loss success than specific weight control practices like counting calories. Those findings by the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, published today in the Annals of Surgery, also indicate that, despite the thorough psychological evaluation often required in preparation for bariatric surgery, mental health and eating habits prior to surgery were not useful in predicting which patients would struggle most with keeping the weight off after surgery. It is the largest long-term study to examine patient behaviors and characteristics associated with post-bariatric surgery weight regain. "Bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment for severe obesity. It results in sustained weight reduction and remission of diabetes and other health problems in the majority of patients," said lead author Wendy King, Ph.D., associate professor in Pitt Public Health's Department of Epidemiology. "However, as with all types of weight loss interventions, patients usually regain at least some of the weight they initially lose." King's previous work, which quantified the tremendous variation among patients in the timing and amount of weight regained following maximum weight loss from bariatric surgery, highlighted the need for this study to identify behaviors related to weight regain and patients at risk for regaining the most weight. "This study is important for prevention and early intervention efforts," she said. King and her colleagues followed 1,278 adults who underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery and had their weight measured an average of 8.3 times over a period that averaged 6.6 years. The participants were enrolled in the National Institutes of Health-funded Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery-2 (LABS-2), a prospective, observational study of patients undergoing weight-loss surgery at one of 10 hospitals across the United States. Reducing sedentary behavior; avoiding fast food; addressing problematic eating behaviors--including eating continuously, eating when full, loss of control and binge eating; and promoting self-weighing at least weekly were all behavioral targets the research team identified that patients should strive for and doctors should promote as part of post-surgical patient care. In addition to evaluating behaviors, the scientists also identified patient characteristics related to higher weight regain. Younger patients and those with venous edema with ulcerations, which is a disease of the veins accompanied by sores on the skin; difficulty with daily physical function, such as bathing, dressing and walking; or depressive symptoms post-surgery gained more weight, suggesting they may warrant enhanced monitoring. "This may sound like common sense," said King. "But several behaviors and characteristics that clinicians hypothesized to matter were not related to weight regain. For example, while frequency of fast food consumption was associated with greater weight regain, frequency of meals or eating at restaurants were not." This study also demonstrated the difficulty of predicting outcomes of bariatric surgery based on pre-surgery status. For example, while depressive symptoms during the post-surgery period were related to weight regain, pre-surgery depressive symptoms were not. Likewise, pre-surgery eating behaviors were not useful for determining the risk of weight regain. Anita Courcoulas, M.D., senior author of the study and chief of minimally invasive bariatric surgery at UPMC, said the research builds on the team's previous analyses indicating the importance of longer-term, close follow-up of patients to help maximize weight and health results following bariatric surgery. "As clinicians, we know that weight maintenance is the most important, yet challenging, aspect of long-term post-bariatric surgery care," she said. "Because we found that most individual patient characteristics at the time of surgery do not clearly identify those most at risk for poor weight loss maintenance after surgery, it is especially important that clinicians and programs engage with patients early and often after surgery about behaviors that can aid in limiting weight regain." ### Additional authors on this study are Steven H. Belle, Ph.D., and Amanda S. Hinerman, M.P.H., both of Pitt; James E. Mitchell, M.D., of the Neuropsychiatric Research Institute in Fargo, N.D.; and Kristine J. Steffen, Pharm.D., Ph.D., of North Dakota State University. This clinical study was a cooperative agreement funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Grant numbers are: Data Coordinating Center - U01 DK066557; Columbia-Presbyterian - U01-DK66667 (in collaboration with Cornell University Medical Center CTSC, grant UL1-RR024996); University of Washington - U01-DK66568 (in collaboration with CTRC, grant M01RR-00037); Neuropsychiatric Research Institute - U01-DK66471; East Carolina University - U01-DK66526; UPMC - U01-DK66585 (in collaboration with CTRC, grant UL1-RR024153); and Oregon Health & Science University - U01-DK66555. To read this release online or share it, visit http://www.upmc.com/media/news/040419-king-courcoulas-regain [when embargo lifts]. About the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health The University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, founded in 1948 and now one of the top-ranked schools of public health in the United States, conducts research on public health and medical care that improves the lives of millions of people around the world. Pitt Public Health is a leader in devising new methods to prevent and treat cardiovascular diseases, HIV/AIDS, cancer and other important public health problems. For more information about Pitt Public Health, visit the school's Web site at http://www.publichealth.pitt.edu. About UPMC A $19 billion world-renowned health care provider and insurer, Pittsburgh-based UPMC is inventing new models of patient-centered, cost-effective, accountable care. UPMC provides more than $900 million a year in benefits to its communities, including more care to the region's most vulnerable citizens than any other health care institution. The largest nongovernmental employer in Pennsylvania, UPMC integrates 87,000 employees, 40 hospitals, 700 doctors' offices and outpatient sites, and a 3.5 million-member Insurance Services Division, the largest medical insurer in western Pennsylvania. As UPMC works in close collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences, U.S. News & World Report consistently ranks UPMC Presbyterian Shadyside on its annual Honor Roll of America's Best Hospitals. UPMC Enterprises functions as the innovation and commercialization arm of UPMC, and UPMC International provides hands-on health care and management services with partners around the world. For more information, go to UPMC.com. http://www.upmc.com/media Contact: Allison Hydzik Office: 412-647-9975 Mobile: 412-559-2431 E-mail: HydzikAM@upmc.edu Contact: Madison Brunner Office: 412-578-9193 Mobile: 412-432-8390 E-mail: BrunnerM@upmc.edu New research on the X chromosome from the School of Veterinary Medicine points to an abnormality in the immune system's T cells as a possible factor in lupus and other autoimmune diseases. The autoimmune disease lupus, which can cause fatigue, a facial rash, and joint pain, strikes females far more often than males. Eight-five percent of people with lupus are female, and their second X chromosome seems partly to blame. According to a new study by Penn researchers, females with lupus don't fully "silence" their second X chromosome in the immune system's T cells, leading to abnormal expression of genes linked to that chromosome. The work, led by Montserrat Anguera of the School of Veterinary Medicine and published in the journal JCI Insight, is the first to connect disruptions in maintaining X chromosome inactivation in T cells to lupus. It also suggests that changes to the nuclear structure in the inactive X chromosome of T cells may play a part in the genetic missteps that can arise in lupus--the first time that nuclear organization has been noted as a feature of this disease. "In normal circumstances, the inactive X should be silenced, and what we show is, in lupus, it's not," says Anguera, a biologist at Penn Vet. "And it's ultimately affecting gene expression." Anguera's lab has paid close attention to the link between X chromosome inactivation, an epigenetic process that balances gene expression between males and females, and autoimmune disease. In earlier studies, the team found that, in females, both T cells and B cells have incomplete inactivation of the second X chromosome due to changes in the patterns of Xist, an RNA molecule that is necessary for X inactivation. In the new work, Anguera and colleagues wanted to more closely examine this process in T cells and specifically in the context of an autoimmune disease, in this case, lupus. They first tracked the process of X inactivation in T cells from healthy mice. Their observations revealed that, as T cells develop, Xist temporarily diffuses away from the inactive X chromosome. But when a T cell is activated, as it would be upon encountering a potential pathogen, for example, then Xist RNA returns to this chromosome. To see what happens in autoimmune disease, the researchers used a mouse model that spontaneously develops lupus in a female-biased manner, similar to the human disease. All female mice of this strain develop the disease, while only 40 percent of males do. Examining the animals' T cells, the researchers discovered that those at early stages of disease resembled healthy controls in their patterns of Xist localization. But those in the later stages of disease had a dramatically different pattern. "The only differences we detected happened at late stages of disease," Anguera says. "What this means is that abnormal X inactivation is a consequence of the disease; it's not predisposing the animal to develop the disease." Interestingly, when the researchers looked at T cells from pediatric lupus patients, provided by study co-author Edward M. Behrens of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, they found the same mislocalization of Xist that they had seen in the mice with lupus, even though the children were in remission from their disease. Even stimulating those patients' cells in vitro wasn't enough to coax Xist into the normal pattern. "Even though they don't have active disease, there's something missing that's preventing the RNA from staying targeted at that inactive X chromosome," Anguera says. As a next step, the scientists wanted to drill deeper into which genes might be altered in expression from the X chromosome of lupus patients. Comparing additional data from female and male lupus patients with either severe or mild disease, as well as healthy controls, they found a subset of genes altered only in the females with lupus, but not in the healthy females or the males with lupus. And while roughly a quarter of genes from the inactive X chromosome escape inactivation even in healthy individuals, the research team found that a subset of the altered genes in the lupus patients belonged to regions of the X chromosome that didn't normally escape inactivation. Of this smaller group of genes, they determined that some that were lower in expression in lupus patients are involved in controlling nuclear organization and structure. "What we think is happening is that in lupus, this Xist RNA is diffusing all over the place, these chromosomal proteins are changing their expression, and nuclear organization in the territory of the inactive X is changing," Anguera says. "And that may also be contributing to the relaxed silencing of the inactive X and the changes in gene expression that we're seeing." No one has yet attributed changes in nuclear structure to lupus or other autoimmune diseases, and Anguera and her team hope to dig further into the causes and consequences of the altered nuclear DNA organization. "This is taking our research and the field into a whole new direction for understanding the female bias with lupus disease," she says. In the future, the researchers plan to use single-cell sequencing technology to probe questions about the maintenance and disruption of X inactivation. And though the research is in early days, Anguera is hopeful that further work will lead to new approaches for treating autoimmune diseases such as lupus. "I think it's really promising," she says. "If you can get Xist RNA to look like it should, then perhaps you can fix the aberrant X-linked gene expression." Exploring the role of RNA binding proteins, which help to tether Xist to the X chromosome and keep it in place, she says, may be a fruitful area for further study. ### Anguera and Behrens's co-authors on the paper were lead author Camille M. Syrett, as well as Bam Paneru, Donavon Sandoval-Heglund, Jianle Wang, Sarmistha Banerjee, Vishal Sindhava, and Michael Atchison, all from Penn Vet. Support for the study came from the University Research Foundation, the American Chemical Society, the McCabe Foundation, and the National Institutes of Health (grants AI124084, HD085848-03, GM007229, HD083185, GM123604, AI079002, and GM111384). Montserrat Anguera is an assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences in the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. Chlamydia is the main cause of venereal diseases in Germany. These sexually transmitted bacteria can cause inflammations in the urogenital tract. If they are detected at an early stage, the pathogens can be combated well with antibiotics. If the infection is not treated, it can cause infertility in women. In pregnant women the pathogen may be transferred to the child. More than 131 million people worldwide are infected with Chlamydia. The biggest problem here is that the infection usually progresses without noticeable symptoms. It therefore very often goes unnoticed - this facilitates the further spread of the pathogen and may lead to severe or chronic disease courses such as cervical and ovarian cancer. How can the pathogen escape the human immune system and thus suppress the symptoms of the infection? The Wurzburg-based Chlamydia expert Professor Thomas Rudel and his team have discovered this. Rudel has held the Chair of Microbiology at the Biocenter of Julius-Maximilians-Universitat Wurzburg (JMU) in Bavaria, Germany, since 2008. Pathogens hide in immune cells Chlamydia specifically switch off a special group of immune cells in the human body, the so-called polymorphic nuclear leukocytes (PMN). This makes these immune cells virtually "blind" to Chlamydia. In addition, they also become insensitive to other stimuli. This in turn increases the probability that other infectious pathogens have an easier game to play. "The Chlamydia secrete an enzyme that paralyses the immune cells," says Professor Rudel. "In addition, they penetrate the immune cells and multiply there. How they reprogramme these normally short-lived cells into host cells for their long-term purposes is still completely unclear," Rudel states. Focus on new therapeutic approaches Rudel now wants to get to the basis of the mechanism of this reprogramming with millions in funding: The European Research Council (ERC) has awarded him one of the prestigious Advanced Grants. The award comes with prize money of 2.5 million euros. Ideally, the project will lead to new therapeutic approaches for freeing the immune system from its "Chlamydia blindness". The ERC project "Neutrophil - Chlamydia Interactions at the Crossroad of Adaptation and Defence" is scheduled to run for five years. The prize money will be used, among other things, to finance five positions for postdocs, doctoral students and technical staff. ERC Advanced Grants Advanced Grants are awarded by the European Research Council to scientists who have established themselves at the top of the research community with outstanding achievements. With the prize money, they can drive innovative projects forward. A total of 2,052 Advanced Grant projects were submitted to the ERC in the current application round. Eleven percent of these were approved, as announced by the Research Council at the end of March 2019. This time, most of the grants (47) went to Great Britain, followed by Germany with 32 in second place and France with 31 in third place. Career of Thomas Rudel Thomas Rudel, born 1962 in Winnenden, Germany, has held the Chair of Microbiology at JMU since 2008. He studied biology at the University of Tubingen and did his doctoral thesis at the Max Planck Institute of Biology in Tubingen in 1994. After a postdoctoral stay at the Scripps Research Institute in San Diego, USA, Rudel joined the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology in Berlin in 1997 as group leader. He habilitated at Freie Universitat Berlin in 2001 and became professor two years later. Until he moved to Wurzburg, he researched and taught in Berlin at the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology and the Freie Universitat. ### A fragment of a planet that has survived the death of its star has been discovered by University of Warwick astronomers in a disc of debris formed from destroyed planets, which the star ultimately consumes Planetary fragment identified in a disc of debris circling a dead star 400 light years away Thought to be rich in heavy metals iron and nickel which helped it survive destruction of its planetary system Astronomers from University of Warwick detected the small body orbiting a white dwarf 'closer than we would expect to find anything still alive' Planetesimal orbits with a 'comet-like tail' of gas, creating a ring within the debris disc Offers a hint as to the future of our Solar System, 6 billion years from now A fragment of a planet that has survived the death of its star has been discovered by University of Warwick astronomers in a disc of debris formed from destroyed planets, which the star ultimately consumes. The iron and nickel rich planetesimal survived a system-wide cataclysm that followed the death of its host star, SDSS J122859.93+104032.9. Believed to have once been part of a larger planet, its survival is all the more astonishing as it orbits closer to its star than previously thought possible, going around it once every two hours. The discovery, reported in the journal Science, is the first time that scientists have used spectroscopy to discover a solid body in orbit around a white dwarf, using subtle variations in the emitted light to identify additional gas that the planetesimal is generating. Using the Gran Telescopio Canarias in La Palma, the scientists studied a debris disc orbiting a white dwarf 410 light years away, formed by the disruption of rocky bodies composed of elements such as iron, magnesium, silicon, and oxygen - the four key building blocks of the Earth and most rocky bodies. Within that disc they discovered a ring of gas streaming from a solid body, like a comet's tail. This gas could either be generated by the body itself or by evaporating dust as it collides with small debris within the disc. The astronomers estimate that this body has to be at least a kilometre in size, but could be as large as a few hundred kilometres in diameter, comparable to the largest asteroids known in our Solar System. White dwarfs are the remains of stars like our sun that have burnt all their fuel and shed their outer layers, leaving behind a dense core which slowly cools over time. This particular star has shrunk so dramatically that the planetesimal orbits within its sun's original radius. Evidence suggests that it was once part of a larger body further out in its solar system and is likely to have been a planet torn apart as the star began its cooling process. Lead author Dr Christopher Manser, a Research Fellow in the Department of Physics, said: "The star would have originally been about two solar masses, but now the white dwarf is only 70% of the mass of our Sun. It is also very small - roughly the size of the Earth - and this makes the star, and in general all white dwarfs, extremely dense. "The white dwarf's gravity is so strong - about 100,000 times that of the Earth's - that a typical asteroid will be ripped apart by gravitational forces if it passes too close to the white dwarf." Professor Boris Gaensicke, co-author from the Department of Physics, adds: "The planetesimal we have discovered is deep into the gravitational well of the white dwarf, much closer to it than we would expect to find anything still alive. That is only possible because it must be very dense and/or very likely to have internal strength that holds it together, so we propose that it is composed largely of iron and nickel. "If it was pure iron it could survive where it lives now, but equally it could be a body that is rich in iron but with internal strength to hold it together, which is consistent with the planetesimal being a fairly massive fragment of a planet core. If correct, the original body was at least hundreds of kilometres in diameter because it is only at that point planets begin to differentiate - like oil on water - and have heavier elements sink to form a metallic core." The discovery offers a hint as to what planets may reside in other solar systems, and a glimpse into the future of our own. Dr Christopher Manser said: "As stars age they grow into red giants, which 'clean out' much of the inner part of their planetary system. In our Solar System, the Sun will expand up to where the Earth currently orbits, and will wipe out Earth, Mercury, and Venus. Mars and beyond will survive and will move further out. "The general consensus is that 5-6 billion years from now, our Solar System will be a white dwarf in place of the Sun, orbited by Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, the outer planets, as well as asteroids and comets. Gravitational interactions are likely to happen in such remnants of planetary systems, meaning the bigger planets can easily nudge the smaller bodies onto an orbit that takes them close to the white dwarf, where they get shredded by its enormous gravity. "Learning about the masses of asteroids, or planetary fragments that can reach a white dwarf can tell us something about the planets that we know must be further out in this system, but we currently have no way to detect. "Our discovery is only the second solid planetesimal found in a tight orbit around a white dwarf, with the previous one found because debris passing in front of the star blocked some of its light - that is the "transit method'' widely used to discover exoplanets around Sun-like stars. To find such transits, the geometry under which we view them has to be very finely tuned, which means that each system observed for several hours mostly leads to nothing. The spectroscopic method we developed in this research can detect close-in planetesimals without the need for a specific alignment. We already know of several other systems with debris discs very similar to SDSS J122859.93+104032.9, which we will study next. We are confident that we will discover additional planetesimals orbiting white dwarfs, which will then allow us to learn more about their general properties." ### Dr Manser and Professor Gaensicke were supported by the European Research Council (ERC) under the EU's research and innovation programme (grant agreement 320964). 'A planetesimal orbiting within the debris disc around a white dwarf star' published in Science, DOI: 10.1126/science.aat5330 Notes to editors: Artist's impression available at the link below. This image is free for use if used in direct connection with this story but image copyright and credit must be University of Warwick/Mark Garlick: A planetary fragment orbits the star SDSS J122859.93+104032.9, leaving a tail of gas in its wake. Credit: University of Warwick/Mark Garlick: https://warwick.ac.uk/services/communications/medialibrary/images/march2019/disintegrating_planet.jpg For interviews and to request a copy of the paper contact: Peter Thorley Media Relations Manager (Warwick Medical School and Department of Physics) | Press & Media Relations | University of Warwick Email: peter.thorley@warwick.ac.uk Tel: +44 (0)24 761 50868 | Mob: +44 (0) 7824 540863 | The European Research Council, set up by the European Union in 2007, is the premiere European funding organisation for excellent frontier research. Every year, it selects and funds the very best, creative researchers of any nationality and age, to run projects based in Europe. It offers four core grant schemes: Starting, Consolidator, Advanced and Synergy Grants. With its additional Proof of Concept grant scheme, the ERC helps grantees to bridge the gap between grantees' pioneering research and early phases of its commercialisation. To date, the ERC has funded some 9,000 top researchers at various stages of their careers, and over 50,000 postdocs, PhD students and other staff working in their research teams. The ERC strives to attract top researchers from anywhere in the world to come to Europe. Key global research funding bodies, in the United States, China, Japan, Brazil and other countries, have concluded special agreements to provide their researchers with opportunities to temporarily join ERC grantees' teams. The ERC is led by an independent governing body, the Scientific Council. The ERC President is Professor Jean-Pierre Bourguignon. The overall ERC budget from 2014 to 2020 is more than 13 billion, as part of the Horizon 2020 programme, for which European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science Carlos Moedas is responsible. DALLAS - April 4, 2019 - Researchers at the Children's Medical Center Research Institute at UT Southwestern (CRI) have identified genetic mutations that accumulate in the adult liver that can promote regeneration in the context of chronic liver damage. Watch video: Researchers show that mutations in human livers can promote tissue regeneration The widespread use of genome sequencing has led to the realization that normal tissues in healthy people accumulate spontaneous changes in DNA, known as somatic mutations, over time. This process has been well characterized in the blood-forming system, but it is unknown to what extent somatic mutations accumulate with age in most solid organs or what effect this buildup might have on organ regeneration. "Mutations that arise in normal cells are most often viewed through the lens of cancer. While certain mutations can represent steps toward the development of cancer, other mutations may actually promote tissue healing without causing cancer," said Dr. Hao Zhu, an Associate Professor at CRI and of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at UT Southwestern. Dr. Zhu, a corresponding author of the study published today in Cell, is also an attending physician in the Multidisciplinary Liver Cancer Clinic at Parkland Hospital. The researchers used a variety of genetic techniques to identify mutated genes in patients with chronic liver disease and to evaluate whether the mutations affected liver cell function. Because the study of somatic mutations in normal tissues is still a relatively new field, Dr. Zhu and his collaborators needed to first develop some of the genetic techniques used to make these discoveries. "Cancer sequencing has been performed for a long time, but normal tissue sequencing is still new to many researchers. Since there is no set method for identifying mutations in normal tissues, we had to develop our own," said co-corresponding author Dr. Tao Wang, an Assistant Professor of Population and Data Sciences and in the Center for the Genetics of Host Defense at UT Southwestern. Dr. Wang, a member of the University's Quantitative Biomedical Research Center, along with graduate student Tianshi Lu, developed computational methods to analyze the sequencing data generated in this study. These approaches allowed researchers to find hundreds of mutations in liver samples obtained from patients at Parkland Hospital by co-authors Drs. Adam Yopp, Associate Professor of Surgery at UTSW, and Amit Singal, Associate Professor of Internal Medicine and Population and Data Sciences at UTSW. The researchers then used a new CRISPR genetic screening method on mouse livers to test the functional consequences of the mutations for liver regeneration. This search led to the identification of a handful of mutations that had pronounced effects on liver regeneration. "The CRISPR screening method developed by Joyce Jia, a graduate student in my lab, was a critical piece of the study that allowed us to pinpoint important genes among a large number of candidates. Not only has this approach allowed us to examine the impact of somatic mutations found in people, we hope to use it to find new drugs to increase organ regeneration in humans," Dr. Zhu said. Next, Dr. Min Zhu, one of the co-first authors of the study, deleted those top-ranked genes in the livers of mice to mimic the effects of mutations seen in human liver samples. Researchers found that these genetically altered livers were more regenerative after liver damage. "We discovered that many mutations provided liver cells with fitness advantages, giving them an edge over nonmutated cells in terms of growth and survival after environmental insults," Dr. Hao Zhu said. "However, the most remarkable finding from our study was that some mutated genes with strong influences on regeneration are unlikely to promote cancer because they are rarely found to be mutated in liver cancer samples. This finding suggests that certain mutations are selected for in regenerating tissues during chronic injury that promote tissue fitness or regeneration without promoting the development of cancer." This outcome is surprising, given that chronic tissue damage promotes the development of cancer, particularly in the liver, he added. These results have implications for patients with chronic liver disease. Currently, these patients have limited treatment options and are at risk for developing liver cancer, one of the fastest growing causes of cancer death in the U.S. Understanding whether the frequency and types of mutations can predict cancer risk could someday allow doctors to identify patients with a higher risk for liver cancer and stimulate more efforts toward cancer detection or prevention. In addition, a better understanding of how mutated genes promote tissue growth and regeneration, without promoting cancer, could enable scientists to develop therapies to safely prevent the progression of liver disease. ### Funding for this study was provided by the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT), Stand Up To Cancer, the Pollock Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, and other donors to the Children's Medical Center Foundation. Co-authors from UT Southwestern Medical Center included Dr. Xin Luo, Data Scientist; Dr. Purva Gopal, Assistant Professor, Pathology; Lin Li, Senior Research Scientist, CRI; Mobolaji Odewole, Research Study Coordinator, Internal Medicine; Veronica Renteria, Research Study Coordinator, Internal Medicine; Dr. Sam Wang, Assistant Professor, Surgery; Mahsa Sorouri, Graduate Student; Dr. Justin Parekh, Assistant Professor, Surgery; and Dr. Malcolm MacConmara, Assistant Professor, Surgery. Dr. Singal holds the David Bruton, Jr. Professorship in Clinical Cancer Research and is a Dedman Family Scholar in Clinical Care. Other contributors were Dr. Kai Ge and Dr. Younghoon Jang from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. About CRI Children's Medical Center Research Institute at UT Southwestern (CRI) is a joint venture of UT Southwestern Medical Center and Children's Medical Center Dallas, the flagship hospital of Children's Health. CRI's mission is to perform transformative biomedical research to better understand the biological basis of disease. Located in Dallas, Texas, CRI is home to interdisciplinary groups of scientists and physicians pursuing research at the interface of regenerative medicine, cancer biology, and metabolism. For more information, visit: cri.utsw.edu. To support CRI, visit: cri.utsw.edu/support/. About UT Southwestern Medical Center UT Southwestern, one of the premier academic medical centers in the nation, integrates pioneering biomedical research with exceptional clinical care and education. The institution's faculty has received six Nobel Prizes, and includes 22 members of the National Academy of Sciences, 17 members of the National Academy of Medicine, and 15 Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigators. The full-time faculty of more than 2,500 is responsible for groundbreaking medical advances and is committed to translating science-driven research quickly to new clinical treatments. UT Southwestern physicians provide care in about 80 specialties to more than 105,000 hospitalized patients, nearly 370,000 emergency room cases, and oversee approximately 3 million outpatient visits a year. this news is not available Fans have taken to Twitter to celebrate Chennai's impressive start to the season, making it the most talked about team in the first week of the IPL Defending champions Chennai Super Kings have been in fine form on the field. They've played three matches and come out on top in all of them. The IPL happens on Twitter, and the impact of Chennai's wins have been felt on the platform. Fans have taken to Twitter to celebrate Chennai's impressive start to the season, making it the most talked about team in the first week of the IPL. Most mentioned teams from March 23 to April 31, 2019 are Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore. CSK's skipper MS Dhoni has led the conversation on Twitter, not just for his captaincy but also for his batting. His unbeaten 75 off 46 balls vs Rajasthan Royals, ensured the fans rallied around him on Twitter. Most mentioned players are MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, and Yuvraj Singh. Another proof of CSK's dominance on Twitter is the fact that their fans have been loudest on the platform. #WhistlePodu was the top trending hashtag through the first week of the IPL. Top trended hashtags: LOVE U KKR ... #KKRHaiTaiyaar KKR. LOVE U TEAM KKR . pic.twitter.com/S1DXXZI0qa Sourav Nandi (@loganluckyman) 2 April 2019 While Chennai has dominated a bulk of the conversation, the controversial no ball that impacted RCB negatively was the most talked about moment. That being said, Chennai still did make it to the top three of this list. Most Tweeted about moments: 1. The last ball finish and no-ball controversy when Mumbai Indians beat Royal Challengers Bangalore by 6 runs #RCBvMI 2. 100s for Bairstow and Warner #SRHvMI 3. Match winning innings of 75 runs from 46 balls by Thala MS Dhoni #CSKvRR when Chennai Super Kings won by 8 runs Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India) Henson seizes on every opportunity to boss her scenes in The Best of Enemies. But there are also moments here and there when she gives a look or a line reading exactly as much as is needed, as opposed to slightly more than that. I like this movie, especially now, because it puts a premium (despite one too many montages replacing actual discussion of the issues) on finding compromise and resolution the hard way: by getting to know your ideological adversary, and then doing something about what needs doing. Bissell has a few things to learn, both as a writer and a director, but already he has a knack for drawing honest performances from excellent actors. And thats a fine place to start a directing career. EUR/USD UPDATE: Following Thursday's disappointing German factory orders print which saw the Euro to US Dollar exchange rate slide, Friday saw the single currency recouping losses following an above-forecast German industrial production release. Registering a 0.7% monthly increase in the total inflation-adjusted value of output produced by manufacturers, mines, and utilities, the Destatis release represented the first uptick in output in 5-months. Focus for Friday's session will be the latest US labour market statistics. Senior FX strategist at IG Securities, Junichi Ishikawa, wrote "In particular, the focus is how strong the earnings component of the jobs report turns out to be. A strong wages outcome would underline robust private consumption and hasten the rebound in Treasury yields..." Median forecasts expect average hourly earnings to remain positive, however the pace of growth is expected to moderate with a median forecast of 0.3%, down from the previous 0.4% print. On the Euro-to-Dollar, senior Danske Bank analyst, Kristoffer Kjr Lomholt, expects that while a US-China trade resolution should weigh in favour of the single currency, near-term the jobs report could lend support to the Greenback. Lomholt wrote, "If we are right in our call for another solid US labour market report today, the market will likely be inclined to further price out Fed cuts, which should give some short-term support to USD." Euro US Dollar (EUR/USD) Exchange Rate Dips on Disappointing German Factory Orders The Euro US Dollar (EUR/USD) exchange rate slipped after disappointing German data and the pairing is currently trading at an inter-bank rate of $1.1226. Data released this morning revealed that German factory orders had slumped for the fourth consecutive month. Februarys shock contraction of 4.2% reinforced that Europes largest economy is struggling, as this was the most severe monthly drop in factory orders in two years. Year-on-year orders fell by 8.4% which likely further dampened sentiment in the single currency. Commenting on the data release, Carsten Brzeski of Dutch bank ING, said: Devastating new orders data just undermined any hopes for an industrial rebound. While it looked as if the trend of order book deflation in the German industry had come to a halt at the end of last year, it now looks as if the halt was simply a mere pause before the next landslide. Safe-Haven US Dollar (USD) Edges Higher despite Increased Risk-Appetite On Wednesday trade talks between the US and China continued in Washington which saw the Euro (EUR) rise against the US Dollar (USD). Reports emerged stating that the US President Donald Trump and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He will meet at the White House on Thursday. This sparked further speculation that negotiations between the US and China are entering the final stages before a summit between President Trump and President Xi Jinping. However, despite the increase in risk-appetite the Greenback was able to make tentative gains against the Euro on Thursday. US Dollar (USD) Edges Higher despite Lower-than-Forecast ISM Non-Manufacturing PMI The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) released its non-manufacturing PMI which fell to a lower-than-forecast 56.1 in March. However, the data indicated that the non-manufacturing sector continued to grow in March, making this the 110th consecutive month of growth. Meanwhile, the US Markit services PMI found a solid upturn in activity in March, but business expectations dropped to its lowest since December 2017. The services PMI slipped from 56 to 55.3, and the PMI composite fell from 55.5 to 54.6. Commenting on the data, Chief Business Economist Chris Williamson said: Dig deeper and the picture darkens. Inflows of new work have moderated markedly compared to this time last year as manufacturing weakness and growing concerns about the economic outlook have increasingly spread to the service sector. Business optimism about the year ahead is now the lowest for two and a half years, posing downside risks to growth in coming months. Euro US Dollar Outlook: Will the EUR/USD Exchange Rate Slide on Disappointing German Industrial Production? Looking ahead to the start of Fridays session, it is likely the Euro (EUR) will continue to slide against the US Dollar (USD) following the release of Germanys industrial production data. If Februarys industrial production follows the lead of todays factory orders and provides further indication that the German economy is slowing, it may dampen sentiment in the single currency. The Greenback could rise following the release of the US non-farm payrolls data for March. If payrolls rises by 180,000 as forecast or higher it could offset Februarys disappointing reading and the Euro US Dollar (EUR/USD) exchange rate may slide. GBP/AUD UPDATE: After slumping to the AU$1.834 level, the Pound Sterling Australian Dollar exchange rate remained capped below AU$1.842 in early Friday trading. Recent session have seen risk-appetite support commodity-coupled currencies on a wave of positive news-flow around US-China trade talks. Thursday's session saw President Trump tout further progress, stating that "a lot of the most difficult points" had been negotiated leaving investors to expect an imminent deal-signing. Chief FX strategist at SMBC Nikko Securities, Makoto Noji, commented on the risk-on sentiment sweeping markets. Noji wrote "Hopes for a trade resolution have further boosted stock prices, but their gains now look too stretched, adding he risk on phase could be reaching a climax, and even if the United States and China do reach a trade agreement, that could trigger sell the fact moves. Friday is a data-sparse session for the cross with news-flow, both on Brexit and US-China trade, likely to be the key drivers of price action to see out the weekly session. GBP AUD Exchange Rate Falls as US-China Trade Talks Continue The Pound Australian Dollar (GBP/AUD) exchange rate fell today and is currently trading around AU$1.8471 on the inter-bank market. The Australian Dollar (AUD) gained against the Pound (GBP) today as US-China trade talks continue to edge closer towards a conclusion. However, since there has been no forthcoming progress some Aussie traders have remained cautious. Vishnu Varathan, the Head of Economics at Mizuho Bank, summarised the situation, saying: News that a US-China trade agreement is virtually a done deal has fuelled optimism But markets may be converging too quickly on the done before the deal. News that a deal could be imminent has buoyed market optimism in the Aussie today, with the Australian economy particularly reliant on China as its closest trading partner. US President Trump is due to meet the Chinese Vice Premier Liu He in Washington today to push for finality in the deal. Tai Hui, a Chief Market Strategist at JP Morgan in Hong Kong, remained optimistic however, saying: Both sides do want an agreement but they want to make sure its the right deal for their respective domestic audience. Today, meanwhile, will see the publication of the Australian AiG Performance of Construction Index figures for March, and with any signs of improvement this could buoy the AUD/GBP exchange rate. Pound Sterling Sinks as Brexit No-Deal Fears Linger The Pound, meanwhile, fell against the Aussie today following last nights parliamentary votes which saw a bill to block a no-deal Brexit pass by just a single vote. However, as a deal still rests upon Prime Minister Theresa May securing a parliamentary majority for her Brexit deal, this is still leaving many Pound traders to remain cautious. The official leaving date for the UK still remains 12 April, and with days ticking down and still no signs of a Parliamentary consensus emerging, many traders are focusing instead on cross-party talks between the leader of the Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, and Theresa May. Jean Claude-Juncker, the President of the European Commission, also warned the UK yesterday, saying that if a deal wasnt forthcoming by the 12 April a delay to Brexit would not be possible. Juncker concluded gloomily: A no-deal at midnight on the 12th of April is now a very likely scenario. It is not the outcome I want. But it is an outcome for which I have made sure the EU is ready. GBP/AUD Exchange Rate Forecast: Sterling Could Rise on Cross-Party Brexit Consensus Aussie traders will be paying close attention to any developments surrounding the US-China trade talks for the rest of this week, with the no further significant data releases due until next week. Tomorrow will see Chinese banks closed for the Ching Ming Festival bank holiday, so many Australian Dollar traders will be focusing on global economic news instead. The GBP/AUD exchange rate will remain directed by Brexit developments, and with any indications that Theresa May, with the help of Jeremy Corbyn, can secure a consensus that could pass through Parliament, Sterling could rise. PM Mays Cross-Party Gambit Boosts Probability of 'Softer' Brexit Deal Into Thursday's session, the Pound Sterling remained relatively firm in early trading before drifting towards flat against a basket of peers. Overall, the GBP remained up on the week amid growing expectations of a 'softer' Brexit deal or extended delay as May and Corbyn continue efforts towards a cross-party EU withdrawal agreement. While optimism that a deal which avoids the UK crashing out of the EU can be reached has risen over recent sessions, several potential options remain on the table. Berenberg economists, Kallum Pickering and Holger Schmieding assessed the probability of the options remaining to the UK government with the polar extremes - in terms of the manner in which the UK withdraws from the EU, i.e., a softer deal or no-deal - both rising. Above: Brexit Scenario Probabilities According to the Berenberg economists, recent developments have increased the probability of the UK withdrawing from the EU with some form of post-Brexit UK wide customs union in place while the odds of MPs backing May's deal have dropped to an almost negligible 5%. A softening by the government - unsurprising given the plan now appears to be to win over labour support following three months of failed efforts by May to win over support from rebel Tories - is also seen as having increased the chances of a second EU referendum with Berenberg economists attributing a 30% probability to such a scenario. With labour expected to be averse to a Norway plus model - which would see the UK remain part of the European Economic Area - given concerns within northern (Labour) constituencies over migrants taking local jobs should borders remain open, the odds of such a scenario have dropped in Berenberg's estimations. Senior economist, Kallum Pickering, wrote "We thus reduce the probability of the Norway plus option to 10% from 15%. We also lower the chance of no Brexit to 20% from 25%. This implies a 30% likelihood of a new referendum which would probably, but not surely, revoke Brexit." Wednesday's session saw Chancellor of the Exchequer, Phillip Hammond, state that a second, 'confirmatory', vote was a "perfectly credible proposition," adding that it should be put to a vote in the House of Commons. However, government officials were quick to downplay the potential for a second referendum with Health Secretary, Matt Hancock telling the BBC that "The point here is to respect the result of the referendum, not to challenge the result of the referendum in another referendum," while Brexit Minister Robin Walker confirmed on Thursday a second vote is not government policy. While overall, the most likely outcome appears to be one that isn't no-deal Brexit, Berenberg economists highlighted the risks ahead given several options. They wrote "As long as MPs believe that their own preferred option is still possible, they are less inclined to compromise and vote for their second or third choice," adding "While May has not fully abandoned her own deal yet, her initiative could finally reduce the number of potential options if and this is a very big if she can agree with Corbyn on one or a limited range of options." Recent developments are also thought o have weakened the Prime Minister's bargaining position with the EU and Labour leader Corbyn now in positions from which they may somewhat dictate terms. On Corbyn, Pickering wrote "Corbyn could refuse to offer a compromise acceptable to moderate Conservatives and/or insist on a confirmatory referendum in the hope of fracturing the Conservative party and trigger a snap election," leading to a 20% probability of a Corbyn-led government coming to the fore. Given the EU's stance on extending Brexit, the risk of a refusal remains low but present with Berenberg economists citing an increased probability of a no-deal Brexit should cross-party talks fail to yield a deal. They wrote "If May is unable to present the EU with a credible plan on 10 April, the EU may refuse her request for a further delay. We thus raise the risk of a hard Brexit to 20% from 15% that could come as soon as 12 April." For the GBP, which - if any - of these scenarios comes to the fore over forthcoming sessions could be crucial in determining the British 's market value with softer options generally expected to support Sterling gains while current optimistic pricing leaves risks skewed to the downside should chaotic politicking continue to fail to deliver progress. Lloyds Commercial Banking strategist, Gajan Mahadevan, wrote that current GBP pricing indicated "the market has reduced the implied likelihood of no deal. GBPUSD and GBPEUR have both traced higher since May reached out to find a cross-party consensus, GBPUSD implied volatility has fallen and the risk reversal has shifted in favour of GBP strength (compared to the start of the week). Even so, all Brexit outcomes remain possible." The latest Lloyds FX forecasts expect the GBP to range against both the EUR and USD until further Brexit clarity emerges while the underlying technical setup remains constructive for the Sterling. ING global strategist, Chris Turner, wrote "Latest positioning data suggests speculators are close to flat on GBP/$. But there is certainly a shift towards a softer Brexit underway & we think a consensus will build around a customs union over coming days. The FX option market is starting to price a further 1.30-33 range trade. We favour the upside." I'm Australian, currently in France on a student visa. I still have my VLS-TS, no carte de sejour yet. I've made a rdv at the prefecture to extend my titre de sejour because i've signed up for more study, but the first available date was 1 month after the expiration of my initial VLS-TS (all the rdv's were booked out 5 months in advance!). I went to the prefecture and asked about this, so they gave me an attestation de regularite de sejour to cover me during this period. My problem is that now i'd like to leave the EU for a couple of weeks during this period (ie. after the VLS-TS expiration and before the rdv). I have the attestation from the prefecture mentioned above, but i get the impression now that it's mainly for social purposes, like getting the CAF. I hadn't planned on traveling initially or i'd have asked at the prefecture, and i haven't been able to get through to someone on their phone number. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? I know the standard wisdom is to just stay put, but i wondered if it's possible, given that i don't need a visa to enter the EU. Thanks for reading! Legalized discrimination in the name of religious belief is an ancient license for bigotry that has led to horrible wars and human rights abuses. If the Legislature approves any of the 18 theocratic bills that bless maltreatment of LGBT people, fundamentalists not only will ruin lives, they will severely damage the states economy. We know discrimination when we see it, said Phillip Jones, CEO of Visit Dallas, the citys convention and visitors bureau. We know its bad for Texas communities, and we know its bad for the Texas economy. More than 50 companies, chambers of commerce, professional associations and visitors bureaus held a news conference at the Capitol last week and called on lawmakers to reject discriminatory legislation. Among them were Amazon, Apple, Fidelity, PepsiCo and Unilever. Republican leaders promised this legislation was dead, but the culture warriors have found a new rallying cry to punish and humiliate people for their nonheterosexual orientation or nonconforming gender identity. Discrimination is fine and dandy as long as you cloak it in religious liberty. Hogwash. America has been down this road. White Southerners argued that the Bible encourages racial segregation and said equal treatment of African-Americans was a violation of their religious liberty. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled against them. Every American school child knows that your liberty extends only so far as another persons civil rights. Lubbocks state Sen. Charles Perry and Sen. Paul Bettencourt of Houston didnt learn this basic civics lesson. They are behind SB 17, the bigot bill that would allow state-licensed professionals to invoke their religious beliefs to deny services and discriminate. Doctors, counselors, plumbers, hairstylists and 61 other licensed professionals could use religious beliefs to escape penalty for biased or hostile behavior while on the job. State agencies only would require emergency medical personnel and law enforcement officers to respect Texans civil rights. Most Texans oppose the bigot bills. Recent polling shows that 66 percent of Texans favor nondiscrimination protections for LGBT people, said Jessica Shortall, executive director of Texas Competes, a business alliance opposed to the legislation. Texans want LGBTQ people to have the same opportunities to live and work, the same access to services and to contribute to their communities as everyone else, and to be free from fear of discrimination, she added. A majority of people in every age group, every ethnic group, every faith group and every political persuasion feel this way. Even after a hearing before the Senate State Affairs Committee, where most people testified against the bill, eight Republicans and one Democrat recommended it to the full Senate. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who says he is a Christian above all, brought the bill up for a vote Tuesday, and the Republican-majority passed it. Patrick may think legalizing bigotry will make Texas a better place, but most Americans disapprove of state-sponsored discrimination, said Michelle Crowley, vice president for global growth at the international Professional Convention Management Association. Organizations will not bring events to Texas if discriminatory bills become law, and most convention contracts allow organizers to cancel if such laws take effect. Boards of organizations and corporations of all kinds are watching this legislative session and will cancel their meetings, she said. When an association comes to a city, it needs to be sure that their entire membership base is protected and that they feel welcome. Merely talking about these laws makes it harder to attract top workers, said Jackie Padgett, communications manager at Silicon Labs, an Austin-based semiconductor company. Talented workers have concerns about moving to, or staying in, a state that pursues discriminatory policies, she said. In addition to SB 17, there are 17 other bigot bills. They include SB 1009, SB 1978, HB 2109, HB 3172 and HB 4512 which would allow discrimination around marriage. SB 85, SB 1107, HB 2892, HB 4357 would allow discrimination in health care and counseling services. Government officials would be allowed to discriminate under SB 2013 HB 1035 and HB 4041. While SB 880 and SB 2325 would allow discrimination in higher education. Lastly, many observers believe the revised version of SB 15, which would ban local governments from imposing ordinances related to wages and benefits, also would strike down nondiscrimination ordinances that protect LGBT people. Gov. Greg Abbott and Speaker Dennis Bonnen should know that discriminating against someone for how they were born is unacceptable in the public square. More importantly, they should know the Texas economy depends on upholding this fundamental freedom and kill these bills. Tomlinson writes commentary about business, economics and policy. chris.tomlinson@chron.com twitter.com/cltomlinson Many will want to highlight the juicier moments of "The Brink," such as Bannon texting New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman a link to the trailer for his self-labeled propaganda film "Trump @ War," or Sam Nunberg claiming the border wall was his idea. But the most fascinating moments in "The Brink" are when the filmmaking apparatus is most apparent. Klayman often queries Bannon from offscreen, pushing back on his oft-repeated rhetoric. And there are times when the subjects become highly aware of the camera, such as when billionaire Blackwater founder Erik Prince bites his tongue while joking about Hillary Clinton, or members of the French National Rally party banish the camera while they hash out the financial details for Bannon's consulting. Even better are the moments when they're unaware, especially during a contentious interview with a Guardian reporter. Candidates for the Harlandale Independent School District board are running for election May 4 with an unusual threat hanging over them. All hope to dissuade the state of Texas from taking over the district. The Texas Education Agency recommended that move when it concluded a year-long investigation in November. If it happens, Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath would handpick community members to serve on a board of managers, but the TEA has been silent on the recommendation in the months since. Harlandale trustees have challenged the findings in an appeal. Some candidates believe Morath is waiting until after the election to make a decision on whether to replace locally-elected trustees. The agency will say only that the appeal is still being reviewed. The TEA has not publicly released its report, considered preliminary until the appeal is decided. According to a copy obtained by the Express-News, it called Harlandales governance dysfunctional, criticized the districts financial practices, recommended lowering its accreditation and said some current and past board members could face criminal charges regarding contracts and open meetings law violations. On ExpressNews.com: TEA report slams Harlandale ISD leaders The three open races in Harlandale attracted a mix of incumbents, past trustees and new challengers. Early voting runs from April 22 to April 30. Place 5 Candidate Tomas Uresti, a former state representative and former Harlandale trustee, believes Texas education officials are watching his race against newcomer Elaine Anaya-Ortiz. I think this race will have the biggest bearing on TEAs decision, Uresti said. If TEA sees Im on the board, hopefully that will keep them from dismantling the board and taking away the accreditation of the district. Though some of the problems detailed by TEA investigators are said to have taken place while Uresti was on the board, he maintains he was one of the good guys. Uresti said he knows more than he can publicly talk about because the entire report came across his desk when he was a legislator. Uresti, 58, said he told the TEA he planned to run for the school board but the agency made him no promises. Anaya-Ortiz, a graduate of the district with three sons who have attended its schools, said she decided to run when the TEA report was becoming news. The threat to the districts accreditation concerned her, as a parent, she said. She has not spoken to TEA about her campaign. I keep hearing over and over again that TEA is going to appoint a board and that they are reaching out to people in the community to see if there would be any interest. I dont know if thats true or not. I just have to keep working, Anaya-Ortiz, 54, said. An administrative support specialist with the federal government, Anaya-Ortiz said she is active in the community and hopes the TEA will see a team of trustees who work well together after the election. The board seat is held by Jesus Tejeda, who filled the remainder of Urestis term when Uresti was elected to the Texas House. Tejeda said he decided not to run but would express interest if the TEA seeks managers to appoint. On ExpressNews.com: Harlandale ISD board votes to extend superintendents contract In a January vote, Tejeda was the only current trustee who opposed extending the contract of Superintendent Rey Madrigal, who was heavily criticized in the TEAs preliminary findings. Place 6 In a joint interview, the three candidates for Place 6 expressed respect for each other and a shared goal to renew the board. Jesse Diaz, 47, a technology trainer and talent management system leader for the Alamo Colleges District, Lorenzo Gonzalez, 31, an insurance broker, and Elizabeth Limon, 58, a substitute teacher in the district who ran unsuccessfully for the board in 2015, seek to replace Carlos Quezada, who resigned in December after being elected to a judgeship. Limon patted Diazs back when a coughing fit interrupted his answer to an interview question. Limon and Gonzalez, who live a few houses apart on the same street, joked that they divide up the turf when they block walk. We just have a love for our district, Diaz said of himself and his opponents. Gonzalez thinks the best possible scenario would be for the state to appoint a conservator to work with the elected board, rather than taking over the board completely. A conservator watches the board and can veto its decisions. The TEA can appoint a conservator, a monitor, a management team or a board of managers. I think that will actually help Harlandale because it will give immediate access to some of those tools that the state has that the school board might not know about and it gives that eighth person to help guide the decisions, Gonzalez said. I wholeheartedly believe in democracy and if we have bad board members, the solution is to vote them out, not to have bureaucrats come in and replace them. Harlandale is a small, tight-knit community where generations of families know each other. The candidates, as have some voters, expressed hope that the malfeasance alleged in the TEA report might have been done in ignorance rather than greed or corruption. We just hope and pray that (allegations against Madrigal) are not true. He was born and raised in our district, said Limon, a substitute teacher at Rayburn Elementary and a school parent. But its hard to support him in some occasions. In January, Limon spoke out against the boards decision to extend Madrigals contract and give him a raise. Diaz, whose work at Alamo Colleges is in educational and performance leadership, calls himself a fixer. He said the TEA report was a wakeup call for transparency but also said he hoped any wrongdoing had occurred maybe in ignorance to some of the procedures and policies that are in place that you should be following as a school board. But if they were not, whatever board is there, is going to have to deal swiftly with the mechanisms that are in place to make sure that the board is beyond reproach, he said. Unless the TEA removes Madrigal, the board will have to work with him, Diaz said. But wheres the mechanism that shows us he deserved the raise and these are the reasons why? Diaz asked. I havent seen an explanation that Im satisfied with by the existing board that tells me this is why they did it. Place 7 The youngest candidate in the race for Place 7 considers youth his strength. Lee Martinez Jr., 24, a student at Texas A&M University San Antonio, isnt tied to any of the allegations in TEAs report. He pointed out that one of his opponents, Jesse Jay Alaniz, was on the board during the earliest years covered by the TEA investigation while the incumbent, Ricardo Moreno, elected in 2015, also served during a period covered by the reports allegations. Martinez graduated from the district in 2014 and worked for two years as a dispatcher for the Harlandale ISD police. Now a 911 call taker for the San Antonio Police Department, Martinez said he brings perspective from being a recent student and employee. Not having any past or present relations with any bad contracts or agreements or anything thats been going on in the district puts me above my other two candidates, Martinez said. My determination is to make things right ... My passion for the district is beyond any personal agenda. But experience and know-how matter, countered Moreno, 33, a middle school teacher in the Northside Independent School District. He obtained a certification to be a principal and has a masters degree in special education. With all due respect, I dont see anybody much more credible in terms of being able to understand the nuances that come with education, whether its finance, budgeting or anything of that nature, Moreno said. He maintains the worst allegations in the TEA report are for things that happened before he got on the board, and that trustees in recent years have tried to move out from under that stigma. To re-elect the old regime might sway the TEA toward a takeover, Moreno said in a reference to Alaniz, whom he unseated in the 2015 election. There may be more of an incentive, perhaps, if certain individuals were to be given that opportunity, that privilege, to represent our community again, Moreno said. Alaniz, 65, a retiree, had been on the board eight years before losing the 2015 race. He said the TEA report prompted him to run again and noted that its allegations extended to 2018. Anybodys got an opinion but according to TEA the past two years has been very difficult for this administration. The administration has not been able to do their jobs. Were not supposed to micromanage, Alaniz said. When he was on the board, he refrained from micromanaging, Alaniz said. Alaniz was criticized when a popular Harlandale superintendent, Robert Jaklich, left the district in 2012 after a rocky relationship with much of the board. Leaked copies of their confidential evaluations of the superintendent showed he and another trustee had given Jaklich the lowest rating possible in every category of performance goals, an Express-News story reported at the time. I did not evaluate him and caught a lot of flak for it, Alaniz said of the episode. We didnt fire him or ask him to leave. He left on his own. Moreno voted in January to extend Madrigals contract, but he was the only trustee who opposed giving Madrigal a raise when the board took that vote in June. Staff researcher Misty Harris contributed to this report. krista.torralva@express-news.net Democrat Sri Kulkarni, an ex-foreign service officer who last year came within five points of unseating U.S. Rep. Pete Olson, announced Thursday he is challenging the Sugar Land Republican anew in Texas 22nd Congressional District. Making his first run for office in 2018, Kulkarni drew attention by repeatedly out fundraising Olson and forming a multilingual campaign team to take aim at the districts highly diverse population. He ultimately lost by more than 14,000 votes, or about 4.9 percentage points. To bridge the gap, Kulkarni said his efforts will largely revolve around registering new voters in the district, where he has identified roughly 70,000 unregistered residents who are eligible to vote. Kulkarni also intends to reach more low-propensity voters this cycle, he said, and harness lingering energy from his prior campaign by jumping in only five months after the November midterms. We have people who are pumped up to come out and knock on doors right now, and we're a year and a half away from the election, Kulkarni said. People wanted change in this district, and since we've built all that infrastructure, it would be a waste to start from scratch. Before he can set his sights on Olson, however, Kulkarni must first get past the Democratic primary, where he already faces an opponent. Nyanza Moore, a Fox 26 political commentator, is also seeking the Democratic nomination. Whoever emerges to face the Republican nominee will likely begin with better odds than Kulkarni did in 2018. Viewed for years as a longshot for Democrats, the district has made it onto the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committees 2020 battleground map, an early indication that national Democrats are willing to put resources into flipping the seat. Though the once bright-red 22nd Congressional District takes in parts of Brazoria and Harris counties, its core is Fort Bend, where an influx of immigrants has spiked the countys population and made it one of the most diverse in the nation. Olsons win here in 2018 ultimately was decisive, but it marked the first time he won a general election by fewer than 19 percentage points. The interesting thing is, even though we have all this diversity, all of these people coming from different backgrounds, sometimes coming from other parts of Texas, or the country or even the world the issues are still the same, Kulkarni said. People still need health care. The 2018 race at times grew hostile, with Olson at one point referring to Kulkarni whose father is an immigrant from India as an Indo-American carpetbagger. Months later, Kulkarni still references the incident. Olson, a former Navy pilot, would vie for a seventh term if he seeks re-election. As part of his 2020 launch, Kulkarni also is rolling out a list of early endorsements, including U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, former state Sen. Wendy Davis, former Houston Mayor Annise Parker and Harris County Commissioner Adrian Garcia. Former U.S. Rep. Nick Lampson, a Democrat who represented the district before losing to Olson in 2008, also is backing Kulkarni. Like most first-time candidates, Kulkarni emphasized his backstory on the campaign trail in 2018, and he appears likely to do so again this cycle. He grew up in Sharpstown, dropped out of college to care for his father who was diagnosed with leukemia then joined the State Department after returning to and graduating from college. He served in the department for 14 years. Kulkarni speaks six languages: English, Hebrew, Hindi, Mandarin, Spanish and Russian. Before running for Congress, Kulkarni also served as a foreign policy adviser to U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., and received a degree in public administration at Harvard Kennedy School. Editor's note: An earlier version of this story said state Rep. Jon Rosenthal, D-Houston, had endorsed Kulkarni. Rosenthal is not endorsing Kulkarni at this time. jasper.scherer@chron.com twitter.com/jaspscherer Not so picture perfect Charlie Wheeler and Nichol Olsen came from different worlds. He was raised amid comfort, horses and Christian faith. Her past was marked by loss and hardship. They met on Instagram and seemed meant for each other. Then tragedy struck. Not so picture perfect Charlie Wheeler and Nichol Olsen came from different worlds. He was raised amid comfort, horses and Christian faith. Her past was marked by loss and hardship. They met on Instagram and seemed meant for each other. Then tragedy struck. April 4, 2019 Nichol Leila Olsen took pride in her appearance. Her dark hair cascaded past her shoulders and was always meticulously styled. She wore outfits that highlighted her petite figure. She had warm brown eyes, an electric smile and a personality that drew others to her. Her humor was contagious if she was particularly amused, she would crinkle her nose and tilt her head as she laughed. The 37-year-old single mother doted on her daughters, leaving work by 2:30 p.m. every day to pick them up from school. She kept an immaculate home. She worked hard as a hairstylist, double- and triple-booking appointments with clients at a North Side salon. She was resolutely upbeat, having survived a string of hardships in her younger years. 2021 UPDATE: Two years later, sheriff sends case back to investigators for more scrutiny Charles Edward Wheeler spotted Olsen on Instagram and was so taken with her that he reached out with a private message. Soon after meeting, they were romantically involved. About This Story To develop a picture of the lives of Nichol Olsen and Charles Wheeler, Express-News reporter Peggy O'Hare conducted dozens of interviews and examined police, court, school and property records in Bexar, Gillespie, Kendall and Brazoria counties. News archives yielded information about Wheeler's and his father's rodeo careers and the family's involvement in the oil and gas business. Records of Olsen's two divorces and three child custody cases shed light on her life before she met Wheeler in 2016. O'Hare interviewed friends and family members of both Wheeler and Olsen, including Olsen's brother and cousin and Wheeler's mother. O'Hare also attended the visitation and funeral services for Olsen and her two daughters. Charles Wheeler did not respond to a request for an interview. Wheeler, 31, was an avid hunter and a former rodeo competitor turned successful businessman. A lifelong bachelor, he lived comfortably in a $1 million home in the gated Anaqua Springs Ranch subdivision near Leon Springs on Bexar Countys far Northwest Side. He had a Maserati and a Range Rover. Though he came from money, Wheeler aimed to make it on his own. He used his winnings from the rodeo circuit to start a security-gate company, which he sold when he was 24. He went on to establish an oil field services business. Olsen and Wheeler appeared happy and enamored with one another. They seemed to be the perfect couple. Rigid to the touch On the morning of Jan. 10, Wheeler called 911. He told the dispatcher there had been a suicide at his home. A Bexar County sheriffs deputy arrived to find Wheeler on the ground, crying, in his front yard. Bexar County sheriffs personnel went to the Anaqua Springs home of Charlie Wheeler on the morning of Jan. 10, after Wheeler called 911 to report a suicide. Inside, deputies found the bodies of Nichol Olsen and her two daughters. All three were cold and rigid to the touch, according to the sheriffs incident summary. Photo: Court Documents Inside, deputies confronted a scene of horror. Olsen had been shot dead along with her two daughters: Alexa Denice Montez, 16, and London Sophia Bribiescas, 10. Alexa was a sophomore at Clark High School and a cheerleader. London was in the fifth grade at Leon Springs Elementary School. All three were lying close together in an upstairs hallway. Blood was everywhere. The bodies were cold and rigid. A handgun was found near Olsen. UPDATE: Father of Anaqua Springs shooting victim loses patience Wheeler told investigators he found the bodies when he returned home that morning. He said hed left about 10 the previous night after arguing with Olsen and had spent the night at a relatives house. Autopsies found that Olsen and Alexa had each been shot once in the head. London suffered a gunshot wound to her head and neck. Within days, the Bexar County Medical Examiners office declared Olsens death a suicide. The younger girls deaths were ruled homicides. Nearly three months later, the killings are still under investigation by the sheriffs office and the FBI. No suspect has been identified, nor any arrests made. Sheriff Javier Salazar said Wheeler remains a person of interest, but not a suspect. At this point, were not ready to clear anybody of anything, the sheriff said. Until we are done following every possible lead, were not willing to shut the door on this case just yet. Salazar was noncommittal as to whether he believes Olsens death was a suicide. I dont have any direct evidence that would refute the medical examiners initial ruling, he said. By that same token, we dont have all the evidence back from the FBI yet. He said Wheeler has cooperated throughout the investigation and that authorities may want to talk with him again. The medical examiners office declined to make public the full autopsy reports or results of toxicology tests on the victims remains after the sheriffs office said releasing the information could interfere with the investigation and the prosecution of anyone ultimately charged. UPDATE: Anaqua Springs aunt: A plea for red flag laws Authorities have also declined to release a recording of Wheelers 911 call or records of previous calls to the sheriffs office from his home. The question of who is responsible for the shootings has sharply divided those who knew Olsen and Wheeler. Olsens family and friends reject the idea that she committed suicide or killed her children. Wheelers defenders say they cant conceive he would ever shoot Olsen or her daughters. Wheelers mother said the family is grieving. 'He loved Nichol. And he loved those girls.' Theres no way that we even saw this coming at all, Cynthia Stein Wheeler, 61, of Fredericksburg, said in an interview. My son is heartbroken. And he cant even mourn. He cant do anything because theres a target on his back." Charlie Wheeler didnt respond to requests for an interview. Patrick Hancock, one of three criminal defense attorneys representing him, declined to comment. Some of those in mourning say they doubt theyll ever learn the truth. No ones ever going to know what happened that night, besides the individuals that were there, said Justin Olsen, 30, Nichols brother. A difficult childhood Olsen and Wheeler met in person for the first time at La Cantera Resort. It was the summer of 2016. She had a business meeting at the resort, and she had invited Wheeler after he reached out to her on Instagram. Vanessa Turney, Olsens friend and business partner, was there, too. Turney recalled Wheeler, who was six years younger than Olsen, as courteous, respectful and self-assured. He definitely chased her down, Turney remembered. He made it very clear that he was very interested in her. Olsen had three children and had been divorced twice. She had just broken up with a man she had lived with for several years. Her romance with Wheeler took off quickly. Early on, the couple was featured in a promotional video and photo shoots for KeVa Col, a wristwatch and jewelry business that Olsen co-owned with Turney and another friend, Kelly Myrick. In the video, Olsen and Wheeler looked every bit the giddy couple, cuddling and smiling while gazing into each other's eyes. Yet they came from starkly different worlds. Olsen lost both of her parents when she was young. Her father, who worked for H.B. Zachry Company, a San Antonio construction business, died of a heroin overdose two days before Christmas in 1988. Olsen was just 7. His death was devastating to Nichol because she said she was a daddys girl, a social worker wrote in a 2009 report related to one of Olsens divorces. Nichol said her childhood memories revolve around her dad, not her mom. Olsen described her mother as a functional alcoholic who drank to quell her grief over her husbands death, the report said. Olsen became a mother herself at 15, when she gave birth to a son, Skylar Nobles, in 1996. She quit high school during her junior year, according to North East Independent School District records. She later obtained a GED, friends said. She married her sons father, James W. Nobles II, in 1998 when she was 16. They divorced a year later. In 2001, on the day after Christmas, Olsens mother died unexpectedly. The cause was heart disease. Olsen, then 20, became a parental figure to her younger brother, who was just 13. She didnt have it the easiest, said friend Roni Garza, 39, who lived with Olsen for three months in 2014. She was a survivor. She picked herself up, she dusted herself off and she kept going no matter what life threw at her. After her first divorce, Olsen worked at a series of low-paying jobs at places like Las Palapas and had trouble keeping up with child support for her son, who at times lived with his father, court records show. Court orders issued in 2000 and 2001 required her employers to withhold part of her wages to fulfill those obligations. Her sons father later claimed Olsen failed to make nearly $24,000 in payments. Its unclear how the matter was resolved. Olsen remarried in 2001. Her new husband was Carlos Montez Jr., a U.S. Marine. Their daughter, Alexa, was born in 2002. The family lived in Hawaii where Montez was stationed. They divorced in 2006. Olsen returned to San Antonio, where she met and became engaged to Hector Bribiescas, who worked at his fathers 18-wheeler dealership. Their daughter, London, was born in 2008. The couple never married but shared custody of the girl after breaking up. Olsen seemed to find her footing professionally when she became a licensed hairstylist in 2006. She was 25 and worked at several salons over the years, most recently Salons By JC on East Sonterra Boulevard. She also appeared to mature as a mother. The social worker who wrote the 2009 report sought to determine whether Olsens son, Skylar, then 12, should live with his mom or dad. The report concluded the parents should have joint custody, but noted that Olsen appeared to provide the more stable living arrangement. Nichol Leila Olsen is shown in a booking mugshot taken when she was arrested March 10, 2014 on a charge of misdemeanor assault after she was accused of hitting her then-boyfriend with an open hand. | Bexar County Central Magistrate "During interviews with Nichol, she admitted that she 'was not a very good mother' to Skylar when he was young because she was young and immature herself," the social worker wrote. "Nichol said she is now a good mother, that the children 'are all she has in the world' and that she 'cannot imagine' not having them in her life." Benessa Russell, a cousin of Olsens, described her as having transcended her hard-knocks upbringing. Nichol was the epitome of class, grace, elegance, beauty, love, she said. Yet relationships were troublesome. In March 2014, while living with a boyfriend in an upscale home near The Dominion, Olsen was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor assault. Olsen told a deputy that she and her 39-year-old boyfriend had been fighting and that he dragged me out of the house, a sheriffs report shows. She appeared very intoxicated, but spoke softly and politely, the deputy wrote. Olsen said she was mad because she had called her boyfriend for a ride, but he didnt answer. When she arrived home, she saw something on his phone about another woman. She then struck him in the face with an open hand, according to the sheriffs report. Yes, I admit, I did hit him first, she told the deputy. The boyfriend had a bruise on his left eye and an abrasion on his knee, the report states. He told the deputy he took Olsen to the ground during the altercation because she was hitting me. The assault charge against Olsen was dismissed nearly a year later because of the boyfriends lack of cooperation, records show. Rodeo and oil Wheeler was raised from age 10 in a rural area of Fredericksburg, in a home that embraced God, horses and ranching. His parents celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary last summer. Wheeler went to Fredericksburg High School through his sophomore year and was home-schooled by his mother after that. He later attended Schreiner University in Kerrville for less than a year. Wheelers parents have long been active in rodeo events. His father, Forrest Wheeler, 60, was a team roper. His mother is a talented horse trainer and barrel racer. Charlie followed his father into team roping. He competed professionally on the rodeo circuit for three years, beginning when he was 18, according to a 2014 article in Shale magazine, which covers the oil and gas industry. He later carved out a successful career in the oil industry, using his rodeo earnings to start On the Go, a security gate company servicing the Eagle Ford Shale area, Shale reported. When he was 24, he sold the company. In 2011, Wheeler launched OTG Services, an oil field services company based in Fort Stockton that provided safety restraints, roustabouts, plant maintenance, equipment hauling and other services to customers in the Eagle Ford and Permian shales in Texas and the Haynesville Shale in Louisiana. By May 2014, the company had 140 employees. He built this company himself from the ground up, said Joyce Adams, who interviewed Wheeler and wrote the article for Shale. By late 2016, OTG Services had ceased operations. This was around the time that oil prices bottomed out in Texas. Cynthia Wheeler said her son then worked with his father in Fredericksburg on ranching, oil and gas endeavors. The younger Wheelers image as a resourceful entrepreneur belied a turbulent personal life. On Oct. 12, 2008, Wheeler, then 21, was arrested for public intoxication at a country and western nightclub near Angleton during the Brazoria County Fair. Wheeler, still working the rodeo circuit, was dressed in a cowboy hat, a white metal necklace, a pink shirt, blue jeans, blue boots and a pair of spurs, records show. He pleaded guilty and was fined $300. A little over a year later, Wheeler was arrested by Fredericksburg police for driving while intoxicated. An officer reported seeing Wheeler in a black 2008 Chevrolet Silverado pickup driving erratically in a restaurant parking lot at 2:20 a.m. on Dec. 27, 2009. When the officer shined a flashlight at the drivers side window, Wheeler made an obscene gesture and drove past, a police report states. The officer sprinted after Wheeler, yelling at him to stop. When Wheeler finally pulled over, the officer smelled a strong odor of alcohol and noted that Wheelers eyes were bloodshot, the police report states. The officer gave Wheeler a series of field sobriety tests, at one point asking him to count backward from 31 to 10. Instead, Wheeler counted backward from 31 to zero and told the officer he did so to prove a point, the report says. Wheeler declined to give a breath sample to determine his level of intoxication, the report states. The DWI charge was dismissed seven months later. On April 13, 2013, San Antonio police arrested Wheeler, then 25, at a downtown hotel bar. An off-duty officer reported Wheeler had been cut off from buying more drinks after he became loud and caused problems. The officer said Wheelers girlfriend bought a beverage, which Wheeler began to drink, so he was ejected from the bar. Wheeler started to yell and was asked to leave the hotel. He was arrested and taken to a detoxification facility. No charges were filed. Wheeler also had been drinking when he called San Antonio police on Nov. 27, 2013, to report his vehicle stolen from a mens club called Perfect 10 at 111 Northwest Loop 410, another police report shows. OnStar, a vehicle locator service, found Wheelers truck at a shopping mall at La Cantera, 12 miles away. He declined to file a theft report. Wheeler also racked up speeding tickets in San Antonio and Boerne, municipal court records show. Boerne police cited Wheeler for speeding four times between July 2015 and August 2016, court records show. Wheeler was driving a 2015 Maserati GranTurismo when Boerne police stopped him for two of those offenses, including going 74 mph in a 45-mph zone. A Boerne police officers report on a June 2016 traffic stop described Wheeler as a habitual speed violator. Turbulent relationship About a year after Olsen and Wheeler began dating in 2016, she moved out of her apartment into his house. Olsen brought her two daughters with her. I think more than anything she was looking to have some stability, a stable relationship, something long term, said Turney, Olsens friend and business partner. Those are things that you look for as youre older. Olsens older daughter, Alexa, lived with her mother at Wheelers home on weekdays, then stayed with her father, Montez, the Marine veteran, or his family. After high school, Alexa planned to enroll at Texas A&M University with the goal of becoming an obstetrician. She attended Kingsborough Ridge Baptist Church, where she participated in the puppet ministry and volunteered in the nursery. Olsens younger daughter, London, also split time between her parents, staying with her mother Mondays through Thursday mornings, custody papers show. She loved monkeys, singing, painting and theater, her obituary said. There was plenty of room for Olsen and the girls at Wheelers house. Olsens son had reached his early 20s and lived elsewhere. The home, which Wheeler bought in April 2017, spanned 4,500 square feet, on a lot of nearly 3 acres. There were five bedrooms, four and a half bathrooms and a wine cellar, real estate listings show. A swimming pool and a hot tub sat in the backyard. The house was tucked inside a gated community that had 24-hour video surveillance and a security guard monitoring the entrance. After moving in, Olsen continued working as a hairstylist. She and her daughters occasionally saw Wheelers family, and went to his parents home for holidays and Bible study. We let her in our hearts and our home, Wheelers mother said. There were signs of discord in Olsen's relationship with Wheeler. One day in May 2017, Olsen showed up for a video shoot for KeVa Col, the jewelry business she co-owned. She had a bruised eye and began applying makeup to conceal the injury, Turney said. Olsen insisted she was fine. She said she and Wheeler had argued but wouldnt go into detail, Turney recalled. In January 2018, Olsen and Turney went to a Spurs game. As they drove to the arena, Wheeler called Olsens phone and asked to speak with Turney. Vanessa Turney, one of Nicol Olsens friends and business partners, said she will never believe Olsen killed herself or her children. (Photo: William Luther, San Antonio Express-News) Hes like Youre really lucky that Im letting her go with you. I would trust you, Turney said, recalling Wheelers words. I played along because I was just glad to have my friend there. Olsen was humiliated by the call, Turney said. After the Spurs game, the friends went to Jazz Texas, a music club and restaurant at the Pearl. Wheeler began calling Olsens phone repeatedly, Turney said. The more he called, the more upset Olsen became. He knew that her location had changed and he wanted her home right now, Turney said. Olsen had ordered a drink, but didnt get to finish it. We actually at that moment, before she walked out that door, had a conversation in Jazz Texas, and (I) said, You know, this is emotional abuse. He is controlling everything youre doing. You know this, right? Turney said. Olsen left and went home. She was just very concerned to get out because (Wheeler) was blowing up her phone, Turney said. And she needed to go. Turney, 45, who owns a brand development agency in San Antonio, described her uneasiness during her one and only visit to Wheelers house last summer. I think it was there that I got a sense of how the lay of the land was, Turney said. He dictated the rules. And I was very uncomfortable. As Olsen and Turney sat in the hot tub outside, Wheeler became upset because someone had dropped pepperoni from a pizza on the kitchen floor, Turney said. He told Olsen that her daughters had probably dropped it. Then he ordered Olsen to pick it up, Turney said. Wheeler also became upset when the sound system briefly wouldnt work and blamed it on Olsens daughters, though she insisted they werent responsible, Turney said. After two hours, Turney was ready to go. Olsen walked her outside. I told her, I dont like him, Turney recalled. I said, What are you doing? She added that Olsen appeared to be a guest in the house. Olsen didnt disagree. She said, I am a guest in this house. This is Charlies home. This is not my home, Turney said. Despite the tension, Olsen assured Turney that all was well and she shouldnt worry. That was the only time I was there and honestly just didnt really care to go back, ever, Turney said. As Olsens relationship with Wheeler continued, she became more withdrawn and quiet traits at odds with her normal gregariousness. Her core group saw much less of her, Turney said. For someone who was as social as Nichol ... its a little odd, you know. Its not normal for her to just be shut in like that. Monica Patel, another friend of Olsens and a cardiologist at a Houston-area hospital, recalled a visit Olsen made to her home in July 2017. Olsen and Wheeler had been in Galveston celebrating their anniversary when they started arguing. Wheeler was asked to leave the hotel where the couple was staying, Olsen later told Patel. Wheeler argued with the security officers, who escorted him back to the couples room to collect his things, Olsen told her friend. Patel said Olsen told her that Wheeler took all of the couples belongings, including Olsens phone, and left her stranded at the hotel. Olsen took a taxi to Patels house. They stayed up and talked for 17 hours straight. Patel said she urged Olsen to get out of the relationship. She told me that theyve had lots of fights. And this time that she was done because he was really embarrassing and he left her in a whole different city. He left her stranded, said Patel, 42, who noted she never met Wheeler. She was shaking, she was crying, she was terrified about everything. It was supposed to be a good moment for them they were supposed to be celebrating their anniversary. We went over it all, and shes like, No, youre right, youre right, Im leaving. We just stayed up the whole night talking about this. The next day, Olsen flew home to San Antonio after a friend bought a plane ticket for her. Patel soon learned from mutual friends that Olsen immediately reunited with Wheeler. You cant help but feel like you just wasted your time, like you were speaking to a wall or something, Patel said. And I hate to say it like that. But I was drained. I was emotionally drained with her I stayed up the whole night, I was crying, I was horrified with her for 17 hours. Patel said Olsen texted her after returning home to express thanks for her help. Patel told her to reach out again if she ever needed anything. The two women never spoke again. He loved Nichol While Olsen has her defenders, so does Wheeler. His mother and several friends say Wheeler is a good-hearted man and nothing like the person depicted by Olsens friends. Cynthia Wheeler said her son and Olsen quarreled at times, but she observed nothing between them that isnt typical in relationships. I just know that Charlie could never do anything like that, Cynthia Wheeler said of the shootings. I just know. Because he loved those girls. And he loved Nichol. Did they have problems? Absolutely. Who doesnt? That doesnt mean that you go out there and shoot yourself and shoot your girls. Wheelers parents have been accused online of protecting him and not expressing public condolences for Olsens and her daughters deaths. Cynthia Wheeler said she and her husband havent spoken publicly before now because Charlies attorneys instructed them to remain silent. Its so hard for me to stand back and not be able to speak out and try to defend what were fighting for, his life, she said. My son is suffering, too. He still has a life that hes got to try to put back together. And, honestly, it isnt going to be easy. Several friends of the Wheelers described them as a family steeped in Christian faith, love of horses and hard work. Some asked that their names not be published to protect their own families from the public rancor surrounding the case. Its a horrible, horrible situation, what happened in his home, one friend said. But I dont feel like any of them deserve whats being said ... especially from people who have no idea who he is. Another friend, Justin Davis, 36, of Madisonville, described Wheeler as a good guy willing to go out of his way for anyone. If Charlie dated this woman for three years and allowed her kids to live in the house with him I know Charlie just would absolutely adore and love those kids, Davis said, who also hasnt seen Wheeler in a couple of years. To me, it would be impossible for him to do what they say hes done. London Sophia Bribiescas, 10, the youngest daughter of Nichol Olsen, was found dead near the bodies of her mother and older sister. She was a fifth-grader at Leon Springs Elementary School and was described as a fun-loving child who was fond of singing. less London Sophia Bribiescas, 10, the youngest daughter of Nichol Olsen, was found dead near the bodies of her mother and older sister. She was a fifth-grader at Leon Springs Elementary School and was described as ... more Photo: Elma Flores /Courtesy Of The Bribiescas Family Photo: Elma Flores /Courtesy Of The Bribiescas Family Image 1 of / 12 Caption Close A single mother, her millionaire boyfriend and how their storybook romance ended in horror 1 / 12 Back to Gallery She protected those girls Sheriffs officials havent yet determined who shot Olsens daughters one of the main questions Salazar hopes to answer. Olsens family and friends have remained adamant that she wouldnt harm her children or kill herself. 'I will never believe that it was a suicide and I will never believe that she killed her children.' She was very strong and she protected those girls with her life ... So, in my opinion, there is a lot of room for questioning the entire situation, Turney said. Kelly Myrick, another friend and business partner, said memories of Olsen surround her constantly. There will never be anyone else like her. Its ironic how she didnt like being the center of attention or even posing for pictures, and yet here we are, she said. Alexas family is relying on their faith to carry them through the ordeal, said their attorney, Paul Torres. The lives of many are forever changed by the loss of Alexa, and theres not anyone in the family who hasnt been deeply impacted by it, Torres said. The lack of any substantive answers and lingering uncertainties is perhaps the most challenging part of the ongoing investigation. Londons father, Hector Bribiescas, said his life will never be the same. She was my world, my best friend, Bribiescas said of his daughter. Every decision I made revolved around her. Wheeler and his family didnt attend the visitation or memorial service for Olsen and her daughters. Alexas family sent a letter asking the Wheelers to stay away from all services, according to one of Charlie Wheelers attorneys. During the visitation, Olsen and Alexa lay in closed caskets in the same room at Mission Park Funeral Chapels Stone Oak location. In a nearby room, London was in an open casket lined with purple trim. The lid was inscribed on the inside with the word Princess and displayed three pink hearts. Benessa Russell, Olsens cousin, walked up to see the young girl. Then she sat down on a couch, rocking back and forth, wrapping her arms around herself. So sad, Russell whispered tearfully. Thats my baby. She was going to be somebody, just like her mama. Nearly every seat was full for the memorial service the next day at Place For Life, a church on the Northwest Side. At the end, the crowd stood as the three caskets were taken slowly out of the chapel one by one. Sobs, then loud wailing, filled the room sounds of grief drowned out only occasionally by heartwrenching music. Hundreds of mourners walked outside and filled the parking lot to watch as Olsen and her daughters were placed in three separate hearses. A harrowing silence fell over the crowd. Then the hearses drove away. Peggy O'Hare has been a reporter for 25 years, covering crime, courts, health care and other subjects. She joined the San Antonio Express-News in 2013. Her recent work has focused on the Iconic Village apartment fire in San Marcos and its aftermath. Five young people died in the blaze. O'Hare holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Texas A&M University. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | pohare@express-news.net | Twitter: @Peggy_OHare Design by Joy-Marie Scott | Twitter: @joymariescott A version of this article appeared in print on April 7, 2019, on Page A1 of the San Antonio Express-News. | Today's Paper Subscribe Real news. Real trust. Real community. Subscribe to the San Antonio Express-News to support quality local journalism. Its a wide-open field in District 4, where five candidates are vying to replace City Councilman Rey Saldana, who has reached his eight-year term limit. Three are women, one of whom would make history if elected because men always have held the District 4 seat. The district runs south of U.S. 90 and Texas 151 and cuts through Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland and its field training area, Medina Annex. Its southeastern boundary begins just west of Pleasanton Road. A considerable part of it is low-income. One in three children in four of the districts 11 ZIP codes lived below the federal poverty line in 2015, according to census survey data. Roughly one in three households in five of the ZIP codes were eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. Retired retail supervisor Johnny Arredondo, 63, is trying again to join the council after losing to Saldana in 2017 because, he said, I felt like they werent paying attention to us and were spending our money without asking us. Taxes are rising, he said, and no one is being held accountable. The biggest issue is property taxes, our appraisals, which are completely out of control, he said, adding that while the Bexar Appraisal District and the Legislature must address the matter, the city has got this mentality, as I see it as a regular, everyday citizen, that they have a blank check and theyre not doing enough to help us keep our property taxes down. District 4 candidates Johnny Arredondo Age: 63 Occupation: Retired retail supervisor Family: Married 40 years with three grown children Education: Bachelor's degree in criminal justice from UTSA In his own words: "I got tired of them not listening to us and that they were spending our money without asking us so I decided I would go ahead and get into the race because as a regular citizen I know what it's like to go unheard." Adriana Rocha Garcia Age: 39 Occupation: Assistant marketing professor, Our Lady of the Lake University Family: Her son, Steve; father, Valeriano and mother, Petra Rocha Education: Bachelor's degree from the University of the Incarnate Word; master's from the University of the Incarnate Word, and a Ph.D. in advertising from the University of Texas, Austin In her own words: "I've called District 4 home for the past 35 years, and ten years ago, when it was time to buy my first home, I chose to stay in District 4, and to raise my son, as a single-mom in District 4. My vision for District 4 is to continue its momentum and prepare for its growth." Joel Mendoza Age: 32 Occupation: State Farm insurance sales agent Family: Single Education: Bachelor's degree in communications from University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley In his own words: "I'm running in this race to pretty much just be the voice for the folks that have been left behind on the South Side." Samantha 'Sami' Sanchez Age: 30 Occupation: Former data management specialist for Chenega Corp. Family: Husband, Michael Sanchez, and two daughters, Bella Sanchez and Ava Sanchez Education: Bachelor's degree in marketing management; three courses shy from receiving MBA in IT Project Management In her own words: "I have a passion for empowering my community in any way that I can. I want to collaborate with others on a larger scale to provide an inclusive environment that will elevate individuals' quality of life." Genevieve Trinidad Age: 59 Occupation: Retired educator and school aide Family: Divorced, with three children and seven grandchildren Education: Two years' college In her own words: "Our biggest challenge in District 4 is to continue improving our community not only in infrastructure but in new technology and development." See More Collapse Arredondo ran unsuccessfully as a Republican last year for Texas House District 124. He opposes the ConnectSA transportation plan, saying no one has explained how it would work or the cost of implementation. Mayor Ron Nirenberg has described it as a cost-effective, flexible, future-proof transit plan for the city of San Antonio and has said the initial phase of it, and a funding mechanism, will go before voters. Arredondo also was critical of the citys negotiations with the San Antonio firefighters union, saying former City Manager Sheryl Sculley made it personal and that both sides probably approached it a little bit aggressive. The city ought to make a good-faith effort to work out a deal, he said. Arredondo is against the citys paid sick leave ordinance, arguing that it puts an undue burden on businesses. And he opposes changes envisioned for the Alamo closing the plaza to traffic, converting it into an outdoor interpretive space and moving the 1930s-era Cenotaph monument under a master plan developed by the Texas General Land Office, the city and the nonprofit Alamo Endowment. They ought to leave everything where its at, he said. Adriana Rocha Garcia has called District 4 home for 35 of her 39 years and as a single mom raised her now-adult son Steve there. I grew up in one of the most economically disadvantaged areas of our city, and I currently work in the most distressed ZIP code in San Antonio, Garcia said. An assistant professor of marketing at Our Lady of the Lake University and former vice president of communications for the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, she loaned herself $20,000 for the campaign and had raised $2,250 and spent $74 as of January, according to her campaign finance report. As of this week, none of the other candidates in the race had filed the finance report for their campaigns due Jan. 15. Garcia said shed bring neighbors to work together and intends to welcome folks who have not traditionally had a seat at the table to work with community and business leaders. A stroll through parts of her district highlights public safety issues people there face fences, watchdogs and locked gates are features in one part of the district, while elsewhere there are illegally parked cars, a need for stop signs or residents with too many animals, she said. Asked about the Alamo plan, the environment and other issues, Garcia called for bringing people from stakeholder groups to do thorough and thoughtful research, and most importantly, to foster meaningful dialogue to develop policies. Garcia also didnt take a yes-or-no position on ConnectSA, saying we must continue to revisit the transportation plan as the citys population grows, and find creative ways to fund a transportation system that accounts for future growth before the traffic nightmares begin. She also thinks more dialogue is needed between firefighters and the city, saying both need to come to the table and work together on reaching a plan that will not have a negative impact on the overall services that our city provides. A top priority for Samantha Sami Sanchez is education, which she called the principal contributor to overcoming counterproductive behavior and/or obstacles that can be limiting. I've been successful in developing and implementing youth programming for over 2,000 kids throughout the city of San Antonio, she said. I specialized in bringing science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) after-school programming to areas where access was limited or nonexistent. Sanchez, 30, worked until recently as a quality data management specialist for Chenega Corp. which supports contractors for the U.S. military and Department of Homeland Security. She said she backs the citys proposed climate action plan and initiatives supporting the use of renewable energy, reducing energy consumption and increasing the use of electric vehicles, carpooling and public transportation. On the firefighters unions negotiations with the city, Sanchez declined to rate how the city has handled the dispute but said an end to it is possible if everyone recognizes that both parties have something the other wants. She said she could help analyze the needs, resources and expectations of both. Sanchez supports paid sick leave, affordable housing and the Alamo transformation plan. She called the mayors transportation proposal responsive to our current needs but would like to see it also include rail options, which the plan left out as too expensive and politically difficult. Transportation, the environment, public safety and the deteriorating state of some homes in parts of District 4 are high on the mind of Genevieve Trinidad, at 59 a retired school aide who said shes learned a lot from block walking across the Southwest Side. Some people in the Palo Alto area feel neglected, she said, and stray animals, yards with overgrown grass and weeds, dilapidated homes and cracked sidewalks are a cause for concern. A lot of TLC needs to be done there, Trinidad said. A divorced mother of three children, with seven grandchildren, she called herself an environmentalist, concerned not only with climate change but other issues associated with it, including overpopulation and a rising demand for food, land and housing. People have to do their part to recycle, to be responsible with plastic, Trinidad said. As Texas booms, she hopes San Antonio, too, will grow but worries that the influx of people and businesses will worsen traffic. She is not sure if she supports the ConnectSA transportation plan, saying, I would really have to look into it. Trinidad also cant say if she agrees with the way the city has handled the firefighters contract. She favors lowering property taxes. Trinidad had no position on paid sick leave Im not for it or against it, Im just in the middle. I need more detail on that, she said. And she called the Alamo redesign very personal and hard to decide, repeating, Im stuck in the middle. A State Farm insurance agent, Joel Mendoza called crime in the district a major issue. He said District 4 is stigmatized by it and argued for more police in the area. Theft is a problem, as is a homeless camp nearby residents have complained about, saying it made them feel unsafe, Mendoza said. He said traffic is among the citys most contentious problems and he wants all VIA bus stops to have covers to shield riders from rain and cold weather. Mendoza supports the ConnectSA plan but pointed to the DART rail system in Dallas-Fort Worth in wondering why something like it cant also happen here. Asked about the citys negotiations with the firefighters union, he said San Antonio ought to pay a living wage but stressed the council would have to look striking a balance between firefighters needs and the municipal budget. I dont want what happened in Houston to their firefighters the city voted to give all firefighters raises, including back pay, and therefore they caused firefighters to be let go, Mendoza said. We do not want that to happen in San Antonio. The council, though, should hold the line on taxes and spending in a city thats becoming unaffordable for some, he said. Mendoza favors paid sick leave. He would leave the Alamo alone, he said, adding Everything needs to stay as it is. Sig Christenson covers the military and veterans in San Antonio, Bexar County and the nation. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | sigc@express-news.net | Twitter: @saddamscribe A Bexar County grand jury has indicted three people in connection with the death of King Jay Davila, an 8-month-old San Antonio boy whose body was found in a backpack in a field in January. Christopher Davila, 34, was indicted on a raft of charges, including injury to a child causing severe bodily injury, a first-degree felony, the Bexar County District Attorneys Office said in a statement released Wednesday. Davila, his cousin, Angie Torres, 45, and his mother, Beatrice Sampayo, 64, were indicted on a charge of tampering with evidence for what authorities say were their roles in covering up the babys death with a fake kidnapping three months ago. Besides the injury and evidence tampering charges, the indictment charged Davila with possession of a controlled substance and being a felon in possession of a firearm. On ExpressNews.com: Im so hurt by my actions: King Jays father speaks from jail Torres was arrested Jan. 7 on an unrelated charge. Davila and Sampayo were arrested Jan. 10. All were previously charged with the offenses listed in Wednesdays indictments, but the grand jury did not indict Davila on a child endangerment charge leveled at him when he was arrested, according to the District Attorneys office statement. And it added a new one: tampering with evidence by concealing a human corpse, a second-degree felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison. It alleges Davila knew a missing person investigation was in progress and intentionally concealed the childs body with the intent to impair the investigation. All three are awaiting arraignment. On ExpressNews.com: Thats my blood: Man who says he is King Jays dad Copies of the indictments were not available for release Wednesday. The District Attorneys office statement said one of them alleges Davila had assumed care, custody and control of the child when he struck the baby with an unknown object, struck the baby against an unknown object, or by an unknown manner, and that Davila failed to seek medical treatment for the baby. Bexar County medical examiners in February ruled that King Jay died from a blunt force trauma injury and ruled his death a homicide. Sampayo has been out on bond, while Torres remains in jail on a $250,000 bond, online records show. The evidence tampering charges are third-degree felonies punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Police reports indicate Davila called police Jan. 4 to say his car had been stolen from a convenience store in the 300 block of Enrique Barrera on the far West Side. He told authorities he left the car running with the child inside while he went into the store, police said. Meanwhile, investigators said, Davilas cousin, later identified as Torres, was dropped off at a nearby street at the same time Davila arrived at the gas station. Video surveillance showed the woman entered the car and drove off. Investigators said Torres drove the car to an intersection near Rodriguez Park, where she walked away with a car seat, leaving the vehicle behind. A week later, amid a public outcry and extensive search efforts, Davila led police after his arrest to the childs body, left in a backpack in a Northeast Side field. Davila remains in the Bexar County jail, his bail set at $1.25 million. On ExpressNews.com: King Jays death is tearing us apart, his great-uncle says In a letter sent to the Express-News in mid-February, Davila said he left the child unsupervised in an unbuckled car seat on the edge of a bed while he smoked marijuana in his garage for back pain. He stated his son died accidentally after Davila lay back on the bed and the child fell from it. Davila was engaged to Jasmine Gonzales, 24, the childs mother. Last month, Martin Gonzales III, a San Antonio man who is serving a four-year prison term at a Northeast Texas prison, said he believes he is the childs father and was shocked to learn that his estranged wife, Jasmine Gonzales, sought to divorce him and declare Davila, her fiance, as the boys father. If convicted of the child injury charge, Davila faces up to life in prison. Elizabeth Zavala covers county and state courts in San Antonio. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | ezavala@express-news.net | Twitter: @elizabeth2863 As the Aspen Institute announced that Palo Alto College had won its Rising Star Award this week, the expression on President Robert Garzas face reflected not only PAC pride but an irrepressible personality. He leaned into the camera with the award in hand as if to reach out to the people watching the ceremonies from a campus auditorium. Selected in 2018 to guide the South Side institution to its future, Garza was no stranger to it. He spent 16 years at PAC before becoming president of Mountain View College in Dallas. So he knows the place and its goals, but his advantage is that he was once like most of its students. He attended a community college in the Rio Grande Valley in an area much like the South Side. A few weeks before news broke that PAC was named one of the top five community colleges in the nation, and receiving a $100,000 prize, Garza was in his office, fresh from spring break, talking about some of his immediate and long-range objectives. Theyre expansive not only from an academic standpoint but on the community front, where he wants to make an even bigger impact on getting neighborhood families to see PAC as theirs. A first-generation college student, Garza first stepped onto a college campus when he was getting ready to graduate from high school. I want to change it so its no longer, Ive never been on a college campus to Ive been going to Palo Alto all my life. He means that hyper-literally, so hes working on a project to welcome newborns and their parents to campus, he says. A new director of community collaborations will lead PACs baby initiative launching this fall or next spring. PAC will partner with a local hospital, so every young family receives a congratulatory letter and not-so-subtle hint: a bib that says, Future PAC Student. Garza also has tasked the colleges arts faculty with composing a lullaby, so parents can sing to their child about going to college in English and in Spanish. College starts at birth, he says. Garza likes to say hes really a first multigenerational college student, because several members of his family started college together. Their story was recorded in the Brownsville Herald on Nov. 17, 1991. The page, framed and hanging in his office, shows his maternal grandfather, his father, two sisters and Garza in his high school letter jacket. During that period, he first stepped onto a college campus, Texas A&M-College Station, where a friend had been accepted. I didnt know places like that existed, says Garza, who had yet to visit his local junior college, Texas Southmost College, where he wrapped up two years of classes in three semesters, including a summer session. Then he got to College Station. Garza often tells audiences that Texas Southmost gave him hope. He says its the right time for new approaches on the community college level, especially as the Alamo Colleges launches Alamo Promise. The initiative announced in February could provide free community college tuition to any graduating high school senior in Bexar County. Its a notion being discussed nationwide with an exalted goal to expand college access and economic development at a level where it most counts, in individuals. Garza has a lot more in the works, including museum-like experiences for children on campus, including archaeological digs, a Monarch butterfly substation and a campus museum that celebrates mariachi music heritage. In congratulating Garza and PACs team of professionals and students who helped achieve the Aspen prize, Alamo Colleges President Mike Flores reminded San Antonio that PAC has been on this trajectory for a long time and had to overcome all of its detractors. It was never supposed to succeed, Flores says. It was never supposed to have any students. Its enrollment stands at about 11,000. Guy Bailey, president of the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley, says Garza is already a superstar, but the best is yet to come. Garza is excited about PACs next neighborhood event: Its first-ever Eggstravaganza, an Easter egg hunt for kids 12 and under, their parents and grandparents. He has a new idea. While in Dallas, Garza block-walked like politicians to promote community college. He has taken along a group of mariachis to welcome potential PAC students to campus. But hes thinking that a marching band would get more attention. Elaine Ayala is a columnist covering San Antonio and Bexar County. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | eayala@express-news.net | Twitter: @ElaineAyala AUSTIN Retired Texas teachers are poised to get a bonus check, as state lawmakers prepare to pump millions of dollars into shoring up the pension system that covers more than 420,000 former school district employees. Though the size of the so-called 13th check and the pension funding plan are still up for debate, proposals in the Texas House and Senate have widespread support among Republican leaders. There is virtually unanimous support in both chambers to get this done, said Rep. Greg Bonnen, R-Friendswood, who authored one of the bills known as House Bill 9. The bill is one of many this session seeking to boost pay and benefits for Texas educators. State lawmakers are also aiming to pour billions of dollars into public schools and raise teacher pay. The average salary for a Texas teacher is $54,122 roughly $6,000 below the national average, according to the Texas Education Agency. Texas Take: Get the latest news on Texas politics sent directly to your inbox every weekday The Teacher Retirement System of Texas, one of the largest public pension plans in the country, has an unfunded liability of $46.2 billion. While not an issue right now, it means the fund doesnt have enough money set aside to pay the pensions it has promised current employees. Meanwhile, retired educators who receive pension checks that average roughly $2,000 a month havent received a cost of living increase in over a decade. The bills address both issues. Bonnens proposal would shore up the pension fund by raising the states contribution and would give retirees a one-time check of up to $2,400. The Senate plan which already cleared the chamber unanimously would give retirees a smaller check of up to $500, while boosting pension contributions by the state, active teachers and some school districts. Neither would offer a permanent cost of living increase, but retired teachers groups praise the plan. The trust fund is going to have to get some earnings built up... so over the next couple years we could be meeting or exceeding the investment projections, said Tim Lee, Executive Director of the Texas Retired Teachers Association. If thats the case, the leadership will have more options when we come back next time. For subscribers: Texas hits 5-year high in number of teachers faulted for leaving mid-year Jerrie Dooley, who retired 13 years ago from Fredericksburg ISD, said her pension benefits have remained flat while her health care costs have tripled. Last session, lawmakers made changes to help plug a shortfall in the state-subsidized health care plan that led to steep premium hikes for retired teachers. Dooley worries the financial crunches might dissuade young people from taking jobs in the classroom. The health insurance is so high and the pay is so little, she said. Without doing something, theres a huge teacher shortage looming. Changes to the teacher pension plan come with a hefty price tag. Bonnens bill would gradually raise the states contribution to the Teacher Retirement System from 6.8 to 8.8 percent of active teacher payroll, which would cost an estimated $765.7 million in the 2022-2023 state budget, according to the bills fiscal note. Meanwhile the Senate Bill 12 by Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, would raise the states contribution to 8.25 percent, while also bumping up teachers contribution to 8.25 percent of their salaries. Her proposal would cost the state roughly $555.1 million in the 2020-2021 budget, between the increased state contributions and the one-time check, the fiscal note said. Huffman declined to be interviewed about the bill, but said in a statement she believes the intent of both chambers is to pass a long-term, cost-efficient plan that fits within the confines of the state budget and works towards eliminating the $47 billion in unfunded liability. I am already working with Dr. Bonnen and, even though our bills differ in a few areas, I am confident that we will be able to bring more financial stability to one of the largest pension funds in the world, while also securing the future for public educators and providing retired teachers with additional money in their pockets, she said. Allie Morris covers politics and policy in Austin. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | amorris@express-news.net | Twitter: @MorrisReports Every year, the city of San Antonio through its SASpeakUp program surveys its residents to find out their top budget priorities. Year after year, thousands of residents ask us to invest more in streets, sidewalks and public safety. Yet, the state of Texas is still threatening to cap cities ability to protect public safety and other critical and basic needs. The proposals outlined in the Legislatures House Bill 2 and Senate Bill 2 impose arbitrary revenue caps that would cost the city of San Antonio millions per year, while saving the average homeowner just a few dollars per month. Revenue caps severely limit what cities can spend on police, firefighters, streets, economic development and other quality-of-life needs that residents demand and that attract both the employers and workers at the heart of the Texas Miracle. Like all of us, legislators are concerned about property taxes, and the city of San Antonio has been committed to supporting meaningful property tax relief for our residents. Our states inadequate funding system for public schools creates an unsustainable financial strain on local taxpayers. Thats why it is imperative for Texas leadership and Legislature to increase education funding and create real property tax savings for homeowners. Revenue caps will not result in meaningful property tax relief. Instead, provisions of House Bill 2 and Senate Bill 2 impose a 2.5 percent cap on what cities can raise from property taxes. This cap would make it impossible for cities to maintain existing services. It will put more pressure on our existing resources, which are already stretched thin to provide for a growing city. If the Legislature insists on imposing revenue caps, it must allow exemptions for public safety, streets and other basic priorities that the city and state share. HB2 and SB2 have no such exclusions. Instead, just in San Antonio, had these bills been in place for the past decade, it would have resulted in the loss of more than $303 million in cumulative revenue. This years general fund budget would be $80 million less than it is today. When it comes to vital city services, $80 million amounts to 800 police officers or three-quarters of the citys street maintenance budget. For context, nearly two-thirds of the general fund is dedicated to public safety. In fiscal year 2019, the city of San Antonio will spend $794 million on public safety (police, fire/EMS, parks police), but collect only $362 million in property taxes and even less under the proposed laws. In other words, the city of San Antonios entire property tax collection doesnt even cover half the cost of providing public safety. In average years, such low caps would trigger budget crises. But even in relatively good years, the most fiscally conservative city leaders would feel pressured to raise taxes in ways that create a cushion to protect residents in less-prosperous times. Even worse, to negate the damage that caps cause, Texans in every community would have to go to the polls year after year, jurisdiction by jurisdiction, just to protect their own communities. Such election schemes create tremendous uncertainty for San Antonio. They undermine our credit rating by making it impossible to make long-term commitments. San Antonio will welcome 1 million more residents to the area by 2040. Cities like San Antonio propel the states economy. State leaders often talk about the people and companies moving to Texas cities and counties provide the basic services that allow for that growth. Through targeted investments in our citys infrastructure and public safety resources, weve created a safer city with a better quality of life for all residents and a place we are all proud to call home. HB2 and SB2 would endanger all of that. Revenue caps will negatively affect our residents, especially without exemptions for public safety and other necessities. Contact your legislators and state leaders tell them public safety and basic needs must be protected. Councilman Rey Saldana is chairman of the San Antonio City Council Intergovernmental Relations Committee. MILFORD A former West Haven police sergeant accused of faking supervisors signatures on overtime request forms wont have a criminal record if he does 100 hours of community service and writes letters of apology to the city and police department. State police charged David Tammaro, 50, with 87 counts of second-degree forgery last October after an eight-month investigation prompted by a letter from a retired captain alleged Tammaro falsified hours on overtime slips. But a prosecutor said in court Thursday that an investigation concluded Tammaro didnt get paid for work he didnt do. Overtime requests require signatures from either the chief or the deputy chief, Assistant States Attorney Matt Kalthoff said. The allegation here is that those signatures were routinely forged by Mr. Tammaro. To be clear, however, there is no indication in this case nor is there an allegation by the state that there was any theft here. The indication is that Mr. Tammaro was in fact working the overtime that had been requested, the prosecutor said. Tammaro was in court after applying for accelerated rehabilitation, a diversionary program in which charges against defendants are dismissed if they complete a term of unsupervised probation. Neither the city nor the police department objected to Tammaros participation in the program, but through a lawyer asked Judge Donna Wilkerson Brillant to make him write letters of apology. Tammaros lawyer, William Dow, said his client was a family man who served the city for 28 years, and submitted supportive letters from fellow officers, friends and people he had helped during his career as a cop. Tammaro retired from the department last year. Over the years he has been someone who has made contributions to the city of West Haven, Dow said in court, characterizing the alleged overtime fraud as arising from a tension within the department in terms of overtime that gave some impetus to the claims made. No monies were received improperly, it had to do with confusion as to how the overtime was registered, he said. After reading several of the letters submitted on Tammaros behalf, the judge granted his application for accelerated rehabilitation. Its obvious that you are well-liked in the community and youve been an upstanding citizen, aside from the issues you had to face with this matter, the judge said. Youve helped a tremendous amount of people. She continued the case for a year, at which point the charges will be dismissed as long as Tammaro doesnt get arrested again, does 100 hours of community service, and writes letters of apology to the city and police department. Outside the courtroom, Dow said the forgery charges were defensible, but best resolved through this process. He gave 28 years of service to West Haven as a police officer, he said. Unfortunately, the internal squabbles and tensions inside the department resulted in misunderstandings about processing overtime. The citys police commission promoted the departments deputy chief to the position of interim chief Tuesday. Chief John Karajanis has been away from the department on medical leave for months, opening the position for Joseph Pernos appointment as interim chief. ethan.fry@hearstmediact.com GREENWICH It wasnt the start of a wacky fashion trend it was just a day of fun and fundraising as students, teachers and staff at Glenville School came decked out in mismatched pairs of shoes on Thursday. The Mismatched Shoe Day was held to support research into Vanishing White Matter disease, a rare neurological condition that erodes myelin, the brains white matter. FAIRFIELD Bridget Paulmann and Max Pfleghar, both 18-year-old high school seniors at Ludlowe, have been learning Spanish since elementary school. On April 4, they, along with nearly 50 other Spanish students at Ludlowe, took the first half of the Standards-based Measurement of Proficiency Test, a way of earning the states Seal of Biliteracy on their high school diplomas and transcripts. I feel like (Eileen Frankel) has prepared us, Paulmann said. One of the things we were focusing on were all aspects of the test like speaking, writing, listening and reading. That helps you identify your own weaknesses and strengths. Frankel, the Advanced Placement Spanish teacher at Ludlowe for more than 10 years, has refocused the curriculum to encourage students to use their Spanish skills to engage with others, regardless of small or minor errors. For Frankel, its more about expressing oneself rather than memorization. Thats one of the most important things, said Frankel, who speaks Spanish with a Castilian accent. To speak, speak, speak. You need to know how to use vocabulary and words. The Connecticut State Seal of Biliteracy, signed into law in June of 2017 by then-Gov. Dan Malloy, aims to recognize students academic and bilingual efforts and English learners for developing English and maintaining their primary language. More Information For FAQ on the Biliteracy Seal, visit: http://www.ctcolt.org/pdfs/SEALBiliteracyFAQs.pdf For a list of tests eligible to qualify high school students for a Biliteracy Seal, visit page 5 on this PDF: http://www.ctcolt.org/pdfs/seal_of_biliteracy_guidelines.pdf See More Collapse Students must fulfill two requirements for recognition: complete all English language studies for graduation and a minimum score on one of many different language examinations. For the STAMP test, students must obtain an Intermediate Mid score to demonstrate their foreign language proficiency. Pfleghar is considering engineering studies and the Coast Guard Academy. He said a family relative, also an engineer, engages with clients all over the world and that knowing another language would be a huge factor. (The Biliteracy Seal) is going to be a useful tool for juniors as theyre applying to school and it looks good on a college application, Pfleghar said. Paulmann is, for now, set on pursuing international economics and is definitely looking to study abroad while in college. Spanish is a necessity for that, Paulmann said, referring to her prospective field of interest. Itll help me a lot. Though a score of 3 or higher on language AP exams are validated toward the biliteracy seal, exam scores will not be received until after graduation, Frankel said. Thats why students taking the STAMP test this week will be eligible to obtain the biliteracy mark once scores are received in approximately a months time. The AP test will feel pretty similar to STAMP, said Paulmann, who is taking the AP exam in May. This is definitely something that is a big deal and the structures are similar. Students enrolled in Italian, Latin, Mandarin Chinese and French will also be eligible to obtain biliteracy recognition. humberto.juarez@hearstmediact.com FAIRFIELD In a meeting with occasional political jostling between Democrats and Republicans, the Board of Finance approved a budget that lowered a tax hike and held a $700,000 request reduction on schools. It now heads to the Representative Town Meeting for a vote scheduled for May 6. A $618,282 cut in expenditures and $335,000 increase in revenues brought down an originally proposed 2.4 percent tax hike to 1.9 percent, amounting to a mill rate of 26.86 for next fiscal year. With the adjustments amounting to nearly $1 million, the entire budget town and schools now comes in at a lower figure of $316,941,739, according to Budget Director Linda Gardiner. This represents a combined increase of 3.85 percent over the current fiscal year. The Board of Education with most of its members present at the April 3 meeting is still impacted by a $700,000 reduction to its original $182.3 million ask, or 5 percent increase, from the current fiscal year. Republican finance board member Jim Walsh questioned First Selectman Mike Tetreaus proposal and reasoning regarding the schools budget cut. Democrats countered, noting the Board of Selectmen as a whole two of three selectmen are Republican had unanimously approved the budget with the reductions. Board of Finance members Sheila Marmion and John Mitola each proposed amendments seeking to restore $700,000 and $350,000 to the schools budget, respectively, but such efforts did not pass. Ultimately, the board unanimously approved the education budget as passed by the Board of Selectmen, coming in at $181.7 million, or a 4.6 percent increase over last year. Im happy that we were not further reduced, Board of Education Chairman Christine Vitale said after the vote. I do not know where the cuts will come from. Im hoping the RTM will not further reduce it. Once we set the table, well see where we are and see what our needs are at that time and take it to the Board (of Education). During the finance meeting, Superintendent Toni Jones advocated for the $700,000 to be returned to the schools in a budget driven by maintenance and contract agreements. Fairfield Public Schools is grateful for our elected officials supporting a 4.6 percent increase to cover primarily fixed costs, maintenance projects and utilities increases. Next will be RTM meeting, Jones tweeted following the vote. Tetreau, who was not present at the April 3 meeting, has said his budget would allocate more funds $2.7 million currently toward paving next fiscal year. Back in the 2018 budget season, half a million dollars was taken out for asphalt paving and $20,000 for sidewalk maintenance, in what was then an effort to accommodate a burgeoning education budget. This paving number has gone completely awry over the years, Walsh said Wednesday. Until we get some type of better presentation and plan together, I think we need to stick with the $2 million. At first, Walsh proposed a $700,000 cut from Public Works meant for paving, bringing the total down to $2 million. After a change, the amount was instead reduced to $2.5 million but with $500,000 in contingency, pending a presentation from Public Works and Tetreau on a paving plan. The amendment was approved. The finance board also allocated $25,000 in funds to Parks and Recreation for investments in the marina waterfront. This item passed 6-2. There was no public comment session at the Wednesday evening meeting. The RTM is scheduled for meetings with department heads on April 9-10. A vote is expected May 6, followed by the establishment of the mill rate on May 9. humberto.juarez@hearstmediact.com COLUMBUS The USDAs Natural Resources Conservation Service is currently accepting applications for several programs that protect wetlands, agricultural lands and grasslands. The Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) focuses on restoring and protecting wetlands as well as conserving productive agricultural lands and grasslands. Landowners are compensated for enrolling their land in easements. Applications for ACEP are taken on a continuous basis, but the ranking and funding deadline for this year is April 19. Wetland reserve easements Through ACEP wetland reserve easements, NRCS helps landowners restore and protect wetland ecosystems. Landowners can choose either a permanent or 30-year wetland conservation easement. Eligible lands include farmed or converted wetlands that can successfully be restored, croplands or grasslands subject to flooding, previously restored wetlands and riparian areas that link protected wetland areas. As part of the easement, NRCS and the landowner work together to develop a plan for the restoration and maintenance of the wetland. Agricultural land easements Through ACEP agricultural land easements, NRCS provides funds to conservation partners to purchase conservation easements on private working lands. Partners include state or local agencies, nonprofits, and tribes. Landowners continue to own their property but voluntarily enter into a legal agreement with a cooperating entity to purchase an easement. The cooperating entity applies for matching funds from NRCS for the purchase of an easement from the landowner, permanently protecting its agricultural use and conservation values. Landowners do not apply directly to NRCS for funding under this program, and easements are permanent. Eligible lands include privately owned cropland, grassland, pastures, and woodlands. Contact your local USDA Service Center for information on any of these programs. CHAGRIN FALLS, Ohio The bulk of the labor at Maplestar Farms in Geauga County is done in the fields and greenhouses where the Trethewey family grows their crops, including about six acres of specialty crops. But important work is also done sitting around the dining room table, and at dinner tables and restaurants across northeast Ohio. Thats where ideas are shared, conversations are had and lessons are learned. Probably the majority of what weve learned to be successful is sitting down and having a cup of coffee and a box of ice cream with other growers, said Jake Trethewey, 65, who farms with his father, John, who is 89. The Tretheweys have lived and farmed in the same area since 1940, when Johns parents, George and Ada, moved to the area and operated a dairy and crop farm. They milked a herd of Guernseys and Holsteins until 1973, while also operating a grain farm and renting additional farms. In 2004, Jake and his wife, Dawn, came back to the farm and began an organic produce operation known as Maplestar Farm a name they formed from their time living and farming in Canada (maple leaf on the flag) and the U.S. (stars). Meeting consumers All along, the Tretheweys have embraced the opportunity to engage with the public and share ideas and have hired a number of farm workers over the years, who were simply passing by or stopped to visit. Located about 40 minutes from Cleveland, the Trethewey farm has seen an increase in the number of neighbors in recent years, and an increase in road traffic and new roadways. Urban sprawl has been a blessing, and also a challenge. The family still has about 120 acres, but has lost multiple properties over the years to development. On the plus side, the farm gets a lot more public exposure, and greater opportunity to interact with urban customers and residents. The bad news is the city moved in and took up a lot of good farm ground, Jake Trethewey said. The good news is, the city moved in and so for an operation to grow vegetables and direct market, we have a lot more customers. The Tretheweys sell produce in season from their roadside stand, along East Washington Street, in Auburn Township. They also operate their own Community Supported Agriculture program, where they provide weekly fresh produce allowances for registered customers, and they sell to a chain of restaurants in Cleveland, owned by The Driftwood Group. Public outreach A number of tours for consumers and other vegetable growers have been held at the farm over the years, and the farm also holds its own farm-to-table dinner event, which serves as a dining opportunity and also a fundraiser. Proceeds from this years dinner will go to the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary and is also the organic certifier that certified the farm. Maplestar Farm makes the most of the growing season, relying on six movable greenhouses, in addition to a greenhouse where seedlings are started, and some additional space where micro-greens are grown under fluorescent lighting. In a good year, the Tretheweys can grow and harvest three crops. While the focus today is on specialty crop production, the Tretheweys are no strangers to conventional crops and larger acreages. In 1997, after completing more than 20 years in the Navy, Jake and his wife bought a 150-acre farm in Ontario, Canada, which they farmed for a couple years, before returning to his fathers farm. In addition to the dairy, theyve raised beef, hogs and chickens over the years, but they like specialty crops because they can sell what they grow directly to consumers, and there are more opportunities for farmer-consumer engagement. One of the main things that we all like about it is kind of building the community, Jake said. Getting friends and the community involved making the connection between the farm and what goes on peoples plates. Most of the farm work is still done by hand and using low-power, specialty crop tractors, including a Farmall 140 and Farmall Super A. During the summer, the Tretheweys also employ a half-dozen local workers, with most coming from area universities. Jake and his father are not exactly sure what the future of the farm will become, but they hope it can continue. Jake has one son, whose name is also John, but he said his son is less than interested in working in the dirt, on his hands and knees. Nevertheless, the Tretheweys believe the fertile, sandy loam soils make for an ideal specialty crop operation, and theyre hopeful that a younger generation will eventually take it over. The family uses a 10-acre spring fed lake for irrigation, and the potential for growth is real, Jake said. As an organic grower, Jake has heard a lot of talk about the sustainable agriculture movement, but what hes striving for is something even better than sustainable. By using conservation practices like grassed waterways and crop rotation, hes hoping to make the farm even better for the next operator. Were not doing sustainable agriculture here, he said. Were improving were not treading water. When I check out, sometime in the future, I want this place to be better than it was when we took it over. Maj. Mark Stepuk, of Canfield, Ohio, took Farm and Dairy to the Helmand Province of Afghanistan for nine months. Mark was deployed with the 38th Infantry Division, United States Army, as a combat engineer training adviser for the Afghanistan National Army. This picture was taken last summer when the temperature was 107 degrees! Thank you for your service, Mark! STAY INFORMED. SIGN UP! Up-to-date agriculture news in your inbox! Having to get to the elevator, wait for the other people to get off the elevator, and then have to maneuver to let other people get in and out of the elevator that is a hassle but its also time-consuming. This puts you at a much greater likelihood of being late for your flight, she said. Bryan, Rachel, Henry and Ruby Hays, of Kensington, Ohio, went to Kentucky to visit friends and attend the National Farm Machinery Show Feb. 14. While in Kentucky, they also visited the Bluegrass Stockyards. STAY INFORMED. SIGN UP! Up-to-date agriculture news in your inbox! Welsh farmers have accused Telecom giants for following 'grossly unfair' practices as landowners with masts on their land see compensation cuts. As the government pushes for 5G across the UK there are potentially expensive side effects for farmers who host masts on their land. The revised Electronic Communication Code means that Telecom operators have been able to cut rents paid. Now the Farmers Union of Wales (FUW) is calling for action to redress cash shortfalls, which in some cases, according to the union, run into thousands of pounds. It seems grossly unfair that the big Telecom giants, who already make vast profits, should be selling landowners short, said Tudur Parry, FUW Land Use Committee chairman. So, for example, a telecoms company looking at rural sites interpret they can offer pro-rata agricultural rates. Therefore if market rent for farm land is 150 a year per acre, this means that a mast compound may only equate to 3.70 a year in rent. He added: Worse still, if the farmer refuses, under the new act the company can seek to impose rights through the Upper Tribunal. He said that theoretically speaking there could be a situation where a farmer has bought land on mortgage, but then forced to accept a mast site at a very low rent and also be deprived of the use of that land for agricultural purposes. Eifion Bibby, of Davies Meade Property Consultants, points to a recent case where a client was being offered 4,650 a year on a 10 telecom mast in 2017. After the new ECC regulations the company withdrew and renewed their offer to just 32 for the full 10 year period, he said. A campaign with a focus on the safe handling of livestock has been launched just days after two separate accidents involving cattle on UK farms. The second phase of a major farm safety campaign has been launched this week, spearheaded by the Farm Safety Partnership (FSP) and NFU. The campaign, launched in January, aims to reduce on-farm deaths and injuries by 50 percent by 2023. The farming industry will now be joining the FSP on social media to promote good practice when it comes to handling livestock, and share how they have made their workplace safer. It follows two separate incidents involving livestock within days of each other, further highlighting the safety precautions farmers should take when tending to animals. Perthshire farmer Murray Alexander was airlifted to hospital with serious injuries on Sunday (31 March) after he was injured by a cow. Meanwhile, emergency services were called to a farm in Bletchingly, Surrey last week after a farmer was injured by a cow she had been helping to give birth to a calf. Looking to reduce such accidents, the FSP will be urging all farmers and farm workers to ensure proper livestock handling technique, such as removing aggressive animals from the herd and separating livestock from the public wherever possible. The partnership is also encouraging farmers to select, use and maintain well-designed handling facilities, and to be cautious when entering a cattle enclosure. NFU Vice President and FSP chairman Stuart Roberts said: A lot of it is common sense which can be easily overlooked when youre busy or tired; taking extra precautions when a cow is with a calf, maintaining handling facilities so they are fully fit for purpose, not simply selling on an aggressive animal to another farmer. If we can take a second to identify where the risks are, we can actually take those risks away. NFU livestock board chairman, Richard Findlay added that livestock farmers must remember that cattle can be unpredictable. We must show ourselves the same duty of care that we show our animals, and ensure that we have the right facilities and processes in place to minimise any dangers when handling them. Be vigilant, be aware, and stay safe, Mr Findlay said. The Scottish government has refused to give a date for farming legislation after Britain leaves the EU during portfolio questions at Holyrood. Rural economy secretary, Fergus Ewing was pressed on the need for farmers to get certainty on when and how they will receive payments after Brexit. In response to questions over when Scotland would have its own bill, Mr Ewing would only say the bill would cause no difficulty to farmers and crofters. He stated: We will bring it forward as necessary and in due course. The UK government offered to include Scotland in a schedule of its forthcoming national agriculture bill, which was declined by the SNP-led government while Wales administration accepted the same offer. However, the Scottish government heavily criticised the bill, saying it 'completely fails' in meeting 'key tests' for Scottish agriculture. And last year, legislation to protect devolved powers was passed overwhelmingly by the Scottish government in a bid to stop a Westminster 'power grab' after Brexit. But Scottish Conservative MSP, Peter Chapman said the ensuing lack of certainty is 'damaging' for farmers. He said: An agricultural bill is essential for this government to continue making support payments to our farmers post-Brexit. Last years farm business income figures showed over 60 per cent of farms were making a loss, with the average business making a loss of 7,400 without additional support. He added: More worryingly, LFA (less favourable area) sheep farmers were making a loss of 27,400 so these figures show how vital support payments are. The British pig sector has expressed frustration at the latest fall in the Standard Pig Price (SPP) at a time when markets are buoyant on the back of increased demand from China. After a few weeks of small increases, the EU-spec SPP recorded a week-on-week decline of 0.23p, to stand at 137.73p/kg last week. The measure remains well below year earlier levels. AHDB said the disappointing prices might be linked in part to uncertainty over Brexit. Last week, it cited industry reports suggesting processors have been stockpiling product in cold stores in order to prepare for Brexit, which is having a negative effect on demand. This weeks AHDB report said estimated slaughterings were up on the previous week to 176,000 head. A rise was expected after reports of an issue at one processor last week, causing pigs to be rolled into this week. Carcase weights increased to average 85.22 kg which could also be reflective of pigs being rolled. The EU-spec APP, reflecting recent trends in the SPP, increased by 0.39p to 143.16p/kg in the week ending March 23. Nonetheless the fall in the SPP comes as a disappointment at a time when the EU market is on the up due to additional demand from China, reeling from the impact of its African swine fever outbreak. After a mushrooming boost in demand for pork imports into China, the pig market is booming throughout Europe, an update from the European Pig Producers (EPP) email update stated. A number of EU member states are recording clear increases, including Belgium, Germany, in the Netherlands, and Austria, which all recorded increases of around 10-11 eurocents/kg. More moderate, but still significant increases were seen in France, in Denmark, and Spain. The National Pig Association's (NPA) chief executive, Zoe Davie said the fall in price is 'very disappointing' at a time when all the indicators appear to be supporting a price rise and every other market appears to be heading in that direction. She said: We will be looking closely, with AHDB, into the reasons why this has happened. During this difficult period, with the outlook still uncertain, we expect pork processors to be supporting British pig production we have already picked up a lot of anger among our membership that this appears not to be the case. Scottish suckler beef support payments totalling 40m have begun making its way to the bank accounts of around 7,000 farmers. The support scheme props up specialist producers breeding beef calves from suckler cows in Scotland. These payments aim to boost businesses' cash flow and provide aid to the rural economy while also helping to support farmers who are producing beef. The 2018 payment rates are 110.80 (98.92) per animal for farmers on the mainland and 161.60 (144.27) per animal for farmers on the islands. In 2017, the payment rates were 111.20 (99.49) and 161.20 (144.22) per animal for mainland and island respectively. Scotland's Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing said suckler herds 'form the backbone of quality beef production in Scotland'. I can confirm that the first tranche of the 2018 Scottish Suckler Beef Support Scheme payments is due to begin shortly, he said. With further payments being made in the coming weeks, I am confident that the majority of awards will be made by the end of the payment window. Mr Ewing added: However, with Brexit continuing to present the biggest threat to the industry, the Scottish government continues to work with others to further extend Article 50 to avoid a catastrophic no deal outcome and allow time for a second referendum on EU membership. 2020 was a year marked by hardships and challenges, but the Fauquier community has proven resilient. The Fauquier Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you for your continued support, wed like to offer all our subscribers -- new or returning -- 4 WEEKS FREE DIGITAL AND PRINT ACCESS. We understand the importance of working to keep our community strong and connected. As we move forward together into 2021, it will take commitment, communication, creativity, and a strong connection with those who are most affected by the stories we cover. We are dedicated to providing the reliable, local journalism you have come to expect. We are committed to serving you with renewed energy and growing resources. Let the Fauquier Times be your community companion throughout 2021, and for many years to come. I expect her to be pretty strong, Waguespack said. I hope she will be. I think she can talk to the South Side and West Side aldermen this way: Look, your communities have been neglected. And they need to understand that it will restrict our ability to push funding opportunities and job opportunities out to other parts of the city. Category Select Category Apparel/Garments Textiles Fashion Technical Textiles Information Technology E-commerce Retail Corporate Association Press Release SubCategory Select Sub-Category Great pairings always pique audience interest. Whether it's Shah Rukh Khan-Kajol, Ranbir Kapoor- Deepika Padukone... such pairs always make viewers wait in anticipation. And the latest onscreen couple, that everyone is waiting to watch is Kartik Aaryan And Sara Ali Khan. Ever since Sara confessed her crush for Kartik, neither the media nor the netizens have left them alone. They are constantly linked together. Now with both of them doing a film, the coffee is brewing stronger than before. Kartik And Sara will be seen in Imtiaz Alis next Aaj Kal. The latest we hear is that the actor will romance not one but three heroines in the film. According to sources, Kartiks characters journey will move from when he was 18 to 30. In these different phases of his life, he will encounter three different women. While Sara will play a major chunk in the film, the other two actresses are yet to be finalised. Now thats some exciting news for Kartik Aaryans fans. The actor has recently moved from his image from being a bromantic hero to a romantic hero. And now with him romancing three heroines, were sure hes going to cement his place as the ultimate romantic hero at the movies. Kartik and Sara together, have been given the name Sartik on social media. And people constantly post videos and pictures from Delhi, where the two have been shooting at various locations. Now we just cant wait for this 2020 Valentines Day release to come soon. We Wonder Why Malaika Is So Skeptical? According to insiders, Malaika has already faced enough of trolling and has been slut-shamed owing to her affair with Arjun Kapoor. While Arbaaz and Georgia are easily accepted by their fans, sadly, the same is not applicable to Malaika and Arjun! Arjun Wants To Take Things Slowly Our source also informs us that Arjun is quite serious about Malaika and unlike the 'rumours', there's no infatuation between them. He genuinely likes Malaika a lot and finds solace in her company but owing to Malaika's failed marriage, Arjun is taking things slowly and also making sure that Malaika doesn't say 'yes' to marriage while carrying the baggage of the past! Is Salman One Of The Reasons Behind Their Silence? It's known to all that Salman never approved Arjun-Malaika's relationship. In fact, he had allegedly warned Arjun Kapoor to stay away from Malaika and his family. But as they say, 'Honi ko kaun taal sakta?' soon, Malaika and Arbaaz headed for divorce and Salman somewhere blames Arjun for the same! In fact, at Sonam Kapoor's reception party, Salman Khan made his hatred towards Arjun very obvious, when he royally ignored Arjun in front of the entire media and greeted only Boney Kapoor! Currently, Salman and Arjun don't see each other eye to eye! Arjun & Malaika Holidaying Together But Not Posting Pics Together Recently, Malaika Arora shared a few lovely pictures from her Maldives vacation and everyone thought she had gone there with her friends. Interesting, just after a day, Arjun also shared a shirtless selfie from the same place and made pretty obvious that he's with holidaying along with Malaika! But again.. both Arjun & Malaika refrained from sharing a picture together on their social media handles! Will They Marry Or Not? Now, the million bucks question, that everyone has on their mind is whether the duo will tie the knot or not! If rumours are to be believed, the reason behind Malaika's sudden visit to Maldives was not just 'chilling and holidaying' but was her 'bachelorette party'. It seems only time will tell whether Malaika and Arjun will walk the aisle or carry on their 'Hide and seek' game with media and as well as their fans! After a long wait, Dimple Kapadia's nephew and Twinkle Khanna's cousin Karan Kapadia is all set to make his Bollywood debut with Behzad Khambata's upcoming film 'Blank' which also stars Sunny Deol. For those who ain't aware, Karan is the son of late actress Simple Kapadia who starred in films like 'Anurodh', 'Jeevan Dhara' and others. This afternoon, the makers unveiled the official trailer of the film. Dimple's son-in-law, actor Akshay Kumar took to his Twitter handle to share the trailer link and wrote, "Have watched him grow up from a lanky little kid to this fine young man. Extremely happy to share the #BlankTrailer introducing @KapadiaKaran! @iamsunnydeol @behzu @carnivalpicturs @TonyDsouza_" Have a look at the trailer here. The video begins with Sunny Deol's voice saying, "Terrorism ka koi chehra nahi hota, uska dharam sirf paisa hota hai. Aur humara, duty." Minutes into the trailer and we realize that the actor plays an intelligence officer who is out to nab a terrorist group after arresting a suicide bomber (played by Karan Kapadia) working for it. The catch is Karan's character has lost his memory and has a bomb attached to his chest. The rest of the plot revolves around how Sunny manages to nab the terror outfit. High on action and thrills, Black also stars Ishita Dutta and is slated to hit the theatrical screens on May 3. Rohit Shetty-Farah Khan's Upcoming Action-Comedy To Be A Remake Of This Popular Bollywood Film? A person sought help Wednesday in Kentucky, near Cincinnati, claiming to be Timmothy Pitzen, an Aurora boy who disappeared almost eight years ago. He told police he had run away from people who had been holding him. The FBI determined Thursday that the man is not Timmothy. The man, identified as Brian Rini, has now been charged in federal court and had twice before fraudulently portrayed himself as a juvenile sex-trafficking victim, according to the FBI. Salman Khan is accused of killing two blackbucks during the shoot of Hum Saath Saath Hain in 1998 and it's been more than two decades of legal battles at the courts but the final verdict is not settled yet. The actor was convicted in 2018 by the Sessions Court and sentenced him to five years in prison and slapped a fine of Rs 10,000. The Bharat actor spent the weekend in prison and appealed against the hearing at the Rajasthan High Court and was granted bail the very next day with a bond of Rs 50,000 and was given permission to travel outside India. The proceedings were supposed to be heard today at the Jodhpur High Court and since Salman Khan is busy shooting for Dabangg 3, he skipped the hearings and now the court has adjourned the next session to July 4, 2019. Also, the co-accused in the Blackbuck Poaching Case - Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Neelam and Sonali Bendre were acquitted by the court last year. Salman Khan is charged under Section 51 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act. Last year when the punishment was announced, Salman Khan's lawyer Anand Desai said in a statement, "ln the present case the Hon'ble Court has acquitted all the 5 co-accused which would imply that Salman was out hunting alone in the middle of the night in a remote area outside Jodhpur. We have preferred an appeal to the Hon'ble Sessions Court and applied for an urgent hearing today." A Fan Threw Her Bra At Nick Jonas In Front Of Priyanka Chopra & Her Reaction Is UNEXPECTED! Vikrant Massey, who is all set to star opposite Deepika Padukone in Chhapaak, says with popularity there is a new sense of purpose - he wants to remove the "curtain of pretence" from the characters he plays. "Those who talk to themselves are the truest actors. There is a fabrication in us. I want my characters to be wholesome and who are made out of life's experiences so that the audience can see themselves in them." "These are the people who say that the character on stage is me and I want to remove the curtain of pretence from everyone's life. I want to remove the curtain of pretence from all of my characters," told Vikrant, while speaking to media agency. Vikrant has a slew of projects lined up - Seema Pahwa's directorial debut Pind Daan, Cargo produced by Anurag Kashyap and Shloka Sharma and Alankrita Shrivastava's next, Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitare. He is currently shooting for Meghna Gulzar's Chhapaak in Delhi! Varun Dhawan Reacts To REPLACING Shahrukh Khan In Kalank! Vikrant's next major role is in the upcoming Hotstar Special, Criminal Justice where he plays Aditya, a taxi driver who is accused in a murder case. Also starring Jackie Shroff, Pankaj Tripathi and Mita Vashishth, Criminal Justice starts streaming Friday. Last year, it was announced that the Hatrick Hero Shivrajkumar would next appear in Kavacha, which is a remake of the Malayalam film Oppam. Initially, there was a lot of buzz surrounding the film, and it was expected to release in February, 2019. After a long wait, Shivanna's film is finally hitting the screens tomorrow. Not only is it the first remake film he's featuring in 14 years years, also for the first time ever, he's playing the role of a visually-challenged person. Fans have been eagerly waiting to watch their favourite star in this character. Here are a few interesting facts about the film you ought to know! # Hatrick Hero Shivarjkumar's portrayal of a visually-challenged man is the highlight of the film. # Storyline appreciated for unexpected twists. The movie connects with the fans at an emotional level. # Exceptional acting by Baby Meenakshi. Chemistry between her character and Shivrajkumar's steals the limelight. # Fans highly impressed with the Background Music Score and direction. Being called the best crime thriller of 2019! The Script Has Been Altered Though the movie is a remake of Malayalam film Oppam, nearly 50 % of the script has been altered to meet the needs of the Kannada audience. Talking about the same director Vasu told in an interview, "Malayalam and Kannada audiences are different, which is why I took my time with altering the script. Since I had a ready script, I could look at what worked and didn't with the original, and alter it accordingly." Dr Raj's Track Used In Kavacha For Kavacha, Shivarajkumar used one of Dr Rajkumar's iconic tracks. The remix of the song Hosa Belaku was out last week. Arjun Janya has composed the music for the song and it is sung by none other than the singing sensation Vijay Prakash. Action Scenes Enhanced GR Vasu said, "Action and thriller elements are enhanced in Kavacha, as are emotions. But none of this was done with the intention of introducing a change; the change in genre was simply an outcome." Appu Review Shivanna's Film Shivanna's younger brother Puneeth Rajkumar is all praise for Kavacha. He reviewed the film saying, "Speaking as his fan and not just his brother, Shivanna's performance is so beautiful that it brings tears to your eyes." Will Kavacha Boost Shivrajkumar's Career After The Villain's Let Down? Here's What You Can Expect KGF Chapter 1 was a life turner for Rocking Star Yash. Though, he had already established himself as a successful actor in Sandalwood, KGF helped him gain recognition at a national and international level. The actor and the entire team worked really hard to make it a super hit and there's no doubt about it. Recently, during Zee Kannada Awards, Yash took a moment to thank his wife Radhika Pandit for supporting him and being by his side during KGF promotions, when she was pregnant with their first child. When the actor took to stage to receive the Hemmeya Kannadiga award, he said that he's grateful to his team, family and friends for making KGF a super hit. He went on to say that he couldn't spend much time with Radhika Pandit when she was close to delivering their daughter as he was busy travelling for the film's promotion. He used the opportunity to thank his lovely wife and even dedicated his award to her! Yash REVEALS That His & Radhika's Daughter Will Be Named After This! 'We Will Have A Big Ceremony' Radhika and Yash dated for a few years before deciding to get married. There are one of the most adored couples of Sandalwood and have always set major relationship goals through their social media posts. The star couple welcomed their baby daughter last December. They are yet to release their child's picture. Fans are also eagerly waiting to know what they would be naming her! HONG KONG, Apr 4, 2019 - (ACN Newswire) - According to South China Morning Post, in announcing its annual results for 2018, Legend Holdings Corporation, the parent company of Chinese PC and smartphone maker Lenovo, has two reasons to be noticed. First, is an impressive set of results that confirm consistent revenue growth from a diverse range of businesses that are clear evidence of successful investment strategies. The other is that this year marks the company's 35th anniversary, a good opportunity not just to reflect on the journey to date, but to look forward with confidence to the next exciting chapter. "In 2018, there were certain challenges in the external environment, but through the vigorous efforts of the management team we achieved our strategic goals and made a number of breakthroughs in terms of overall performance," says Liu Chuanzhi, chairman of Legend Holdings. "This allowed us to safeguard the healthy growth of the company." The main strategic investments are grouped together in five key areas: information technology; financial services, innovative consumption and services, agriculture and food, and advanced manufacturing and professional services. In addition, there are major financial investments that enable us to find synergies and develop new opportunities using what we refer to in-house as our "two-wheel-drive" business model that balances strategic investments with financial ones. Thanks to this, the company realised total revenue of 358.920 billion yuan (HK$418.21 billion) for full-year 2018, representing a 13 per cent increase when compared with the previous year. Notable highlights were 330.78 billion yuan revenue from IT, a 10 per cent increase on the corresponding period in 2017. Financial services booked revenue of 6.962 billion yuan, a 91 per cent rise from the previous 12 months. Meanwhile, agriculture and food revenue jumped 161 per cent from a year earlier to 12.94 billion yuan. The net profit attributable to equity holders amounted to 4.36 billion yuan, a decrease of 14 per cent from the previous year-end figures. This change was caused in large part by a slide in the net profit contribution from our financial investments segment, which itself was the result of a decrease in the fair value of the financial assets invested. However, that was offset to a certain extent by the increased profitability of Lenovo's intelligent devices group and growth in the data centre business, as well as by an increased profit contribution from the acquisition of Banque Internationale a Luxembourg SA, which was completed last July. Legend now views the bank as a pillar asset, and the deal marked the first time a mainland-based non-financial enterprise had acquired such an important institution supervised by the European Central Bank. The general plan now is to make the acquired bank more intelligent in the IT sense and more international in scope to enhance its core competitive advantages. Another stand-out event in the past year saw Legend Holdings become the first pilot enterprise for the "H-Share Full Circulation Project". That meant relevant domestic shares in China were converted to H-shares and listed accordingly in Hong Kong. In the broader context, this is seen as an important step in China's capital market reforms, besides giving a boost to the company's own business development. Taking everything into account, Liu and the board of directors believe that the achievements of 2018 represent a "brilliant outcome" and that the overall prospects look bright. "By using our 'capital + experience' model, we will be able to incubate more outstanding enterprises and maximise returns for shareholders and benefits for society at large," Liu says. "[Forward planning] and persistence have been two of our key corporate strengths over the past 35 years. The company keeps its finger on the pulse and has been actively revamping its strategies to achieve new targets and precise objectives." Because of that, all the operating businesses in the five sectors achieved growth, and all five sectors were profitable in the same year for the first time. Most noteworthy was the turnaround in IT services, which went from a loss of 670 million yuan in 2017 to a net profit of 3.787billion yuan in 2018, with the help of a 10 per cent increase in revenue to 330.78 billion. The financial services segment grew continuously, its revenue up to 6.962 billion yuan representing an increase of 91-per cent year-on-year with net profits attributable to parent company coming in at 2.567 billion yuan, or 56 per cent growth year-on-year. The innovative consumption and services segment also reversed losses incurred from the previous year. Elsewhere, within the agriculture and food segment, our fruit business benefited from the rapid expansion of the upmarket retail industry in China. And the revenue of the advanced manufacturing and professional services segment received a particular boost from subsidiaries producing polymer materials and special chemicals and handling aviation logistics. "In 2019, our strategic investment will focus on three aspects, including: fundamentally strengthening the capability in post-investment management and services, effectively promoting capital operation, and giving full play to the advantages of two-wheel drive, for the purpose of creating new profit pillars." said Mr. Zhu Linan, president of Legend Holdings. Copyright 2019 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de Second European delivery boosts global sales closer to goal of 2.5 billion yen by March 2021 Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (TOKYO: 6503) announced today that it has been awarded a contract by the "Romanian Air Traffic Services Administration (ROMATSA)," the national air traffic and aviation meteorology service provider in Romania, to supply a terminal Doppler lidar system (DIABREZZA A Series) for use at Henri Coanda International Airport in Bucharest, Romania's busiest international airport. The system will be delivered in 2020 by Mitsubishi Electric under an order received from systems integrator "Centrul Pentru Servicii De Radiocomunicatii SRL (CSR)." Mitsubishi Electric was previously awarded a terminal Doppler lidar contract for Nice Cote d'Azur Airport, making the Henri Coanda supply contract the company's second in Europe and 10th worldwide. The company is expanding its weather radar and lidar business in global markets, aiming at net sales of about 2.5 billion yen by the fiscal year ending in March 2021. Terminal Doppler weather radar systems measure precipitation movements using microwaves to effectively detect wind shear around airports in wet-weather conditions. For maximum safety, however, detection is required under all conditions, not just during precipitation, which is why the integration of radar and lidar is crucial. This is true not only at large airports but also at midsize airports handling jet aircraft and where severe wind conditions occur. For the full text, please visit: www.MitsubishiElectric.com/news/ View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190403005457/en/ Contacts: Customer Inquiries Sensing Systems Department A Integrated Sensing Systems Div. Mitsubishi Electric Corporation Tel: +81-3-3218-9492 www.MitsubishiElectric.com/bu/lidar Media Inquiries Takeyoshi Komatsu Public Relations Division Mitsubishi Electric Corporation Tel: +81-3-3218-2346 prd.gnews@nk.MitsubishiElectric.co.jp www.MitsubishiElectric.com/news A successful year reporting 53.5 million EBITDA for 42,114 tonnes of copper NICOSIA, CYPRUS / ACCESSWIRE / April 4, 2019 / Atalaya Mining Plc (AIM: ATYM; TSX: AYM) is pleased to announce its audited consolidated results for the year ended 31 December 2018. The full audited report, including the consolidated Financial Statements is also available under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on Atalaya's website at www.atalayamining.com Financial Highlights Year Ended 31 December 2018 2017 % Revenues from operations k 189,476 160,537 18.0% Operating costs k (128,898) (114,687) 12.4% EBITDA k 53,542 41,347 29.5% Profit for the year k 34,441 18,211 89.1% Earning per shares cents/share 25.4 15.5 63.9% Cash flows from operating activities k 55,333 30,500 81.4% Cash flows used in investing activities k (65,712) (22,678) 189.8% Cash flows from financing activities k 593 33,899 (98.3)% Working capital surplus k 8,435 22,137 (61.9)% Average realised copper price $/lb 2.95 2.66 10.9% Cu concentrate produced (tonnes) 180,661 165,965 8.9% Cu production (tonnes) 42,114 37,164 13.3% Cash costs $/lb payable 1.94 1.91 1.6% All-In Sustaining Cost $/lb payable 2.26 2.30 (1.7)% Revenues amounted to 189.5 million during 2018 (2017: 160.5 million) as a result of 183,368 tonnes of concentrates sold in the period (2017: 158,591 tonnes). As at 31 December 2018, Atalaya had 4,667 tonnes of copper concentrate in inventories (2017: 7,274 tonnes), which were shipped during Q1 2019. Group operating costs and corporate costs amounted to 128.9 million and 5.9 million, respectively (2017: 114.7 million and 4.5 million, respectively), providing an EBITDA of 53.5 million for the twelve months ended 31 December 2018 (2017: 41.3 million). Cash costs for 2018 were US$1.94/lb of payable copper (2017: US$1.91/lb), below the revised guidance of US$1.95/lb, providing healthy margins and positive cash flows at average realised copper prices of $2.95/lb during the year. AISC averaged $2.26/lb of payable copper for the year, within the revised guidance of US$2.25-2.40/lb. Group net income of 34.4 million (or 25.4 cents per outstanding share) (2017: 18.2 million or 15.5 cents per outstanding share). Net assets totalled 286.4 million (2017: 246.9 million), comprising non-current assets of 337.5 million, non-current liabilities of 59.6 million and working capital of 8.4 million. Long term liabilities include the Deferred Consideration to Astor amounting to 53 million. Working capital includes 33.1 million of cash and cash equivalents. Positive cash flows from operating activities for the twelve months ended 31 December 2018 amounted to 55.3 million (2017: 30.5 million). Cash invested during the period amounted to 65.7 million (2017: 22.7 million), mainly for the expansion of Proyecto Riotinto and deferred mining costs. Operating Highlights Proyecto Riotinto - operating ahead of expectations 11.4% increase in tonnes of ore processed to 9.8 million tonnes ("Mt") (2017: 8.8 Mt) with stable operations quarter-on-quarter during the second full year of commercial production. 13.3% year on year increase in copper production to 42,114 tonnes (2017: 37,164 tonnes), above the revised 2018 high-end guidance of 41,000 tonnes. Copper grade consistent with estimates averaging 0.49% for 2018. Year on year increase in recovery rate to 88.30% (2017: 85.45%), which was above revised increased high-end guidance for the year. On 9 July 2018, Atalaya announced the completion of a NI 43-101 report on an updated resources and reserves estimate for Proyecto Riotinto. The main features of the reports, based on the position as at 31 December 2017, are: Updated open pit proven and probable reserves estimate report a 29% increase in mineral reserves up to 197 million tonnes grading 0.42% of copper. Reduced operating cash cost and All-in Sustaining costs of $2.10/lb and $2.22/lb of payable copper, respectively. Life of mine of 13.8 years including ramp up production to 11 million tonnes in 2019 and 15 million tonnes from 2020. Reduced strip ratio, waste to ore, of 1.43:1 Expansion of Proyecto Riotinto - remains on track for mechanical completion at the end of Q2 2019 The 15Mtpa Expansion Project progressed according to schedule during the year with an overall progress completion at the end of December 2018 of over 80%. All efforts are now concentrated around site construction activities: Earthworks were completed and civil engineering works are being finalised. Installation of mechanical equipment was completed in the flotation and concentrate handling areas. Structural steel works have been finalised in the flotation area with piping installation under way. Piping was completed in the concentrate handling area with electrical installation well advanced. Proyecto Touro During the second quarter of 2018, the Company announced the completion of a pre-feasibility study ("PFS") for the proposed open pit mine and concentrator at Proyecto Touro, prepared using the headings of, and guidance set out in the NI 43-101 report. Highlights of the PFS report are: 392,000 tonnes of contained copper in Proven and Probable reserves; Average yearly production of 30,000 tonnes of copper and 70,000 ounces of silver in concentrate; Pre-production capital expenditure of $165 million; All-in sustaining costs of US$1.85/lb of payable Cu net of silver credits; and NPV of $180 million post-tax at 8% discount rate using long term copper price of US3.00/lb. The environmental impact assessment process was completed during Q4 2018 and since the filing, a number of queries have been addressed and cleared as part of the consulting and permitting process. Atalaya is looking forward to the evaluation of the project from a regulatory perspective which is the next step in the permitting process. Outlook for 2019 2019 production guidance estimated within 45,000 to 46,500 tonnes of copper, including the impact of the extra capacity from the expansion towards the end of the year. Cash costs and AISC 2019 guidance to range from US$1.95/lb to US$2.15/lb and from US$2.25/lb to US$2.45/lb, respectively. Operating Highlights Ruling of AAU On 26 September 2018, Atalaya received notice from the Tribunal Superior de Justicia de Andalucia ruling in favour of certain claims made by environmental group Ecologistas en Accion ("EeA") against the government of Andalucia ("Junta de Andalucia" or "JdA") and Atalaya, as co-defendant in the case. In July 2014, EeA had filed a legal claim to JdA with a request to declare null the Unified Environmental declaration (in Spanish, Authorization Ambiental Unificada, or "AAU") granted to Atalaya Riotinto Minera, S.L.U. dated 27 March 2014, which was required in order to secure the required mining permits for Proyecto Riotinto. The judgment, in spite of annulling the AAU on procedural grounds, made very clear that the AAU was correct and therefore, rejected the issues raised by EeA and confirmed the decision of JdA not to suspend the AAU. The JdA filed for appeal to the Supreme Court. Although the claim was against the JdA, Atalaya, being an interested party in the process, voluntarily joined as co-defendant to ask for permission to appeal to the Supreme Court in Spain. On 29 March 2019, Atalaya announced the receipt of notification from the Supreme Court in Spain stating that it does not have jurisdiction over the appeal made by the Junta de Andalucia and the Company, which voluntary joined the appeal as con-defendant. The main legal consequence of the Supreme Court rejection is the ruling of the Junta de Andalucia dated 26 September 2018 is now final and enforceable and the environmental authority must repair the faultiness in the process. The Company is currently in discussions to the Junta de Andalucia to resolve the formal defects identifiedw by the Tribunal Superior de Justicia de Andalucia. The Company continues operating the mine normally as the ruling does not state the operation at Proyecto Riotinto Astor On 1 November 2018, the Company announced that a judgment had been handed down in the Astor Case at the Court of Appeal. The Court of Appeal confirmed the ruling from the High Court made on 6 March 2017, and consequently, the Company recorded a liability for 53 million to be paid from the excess cash generated by Atalaya Riotinto Minera, S.L.U. ("ARM"). As of 31 December 2018, no consideration has been paid. Alberto Lavandeira, CEO commented: "These results demonstrate once again that the team at Atalaya delivers. Our second year of production has successfully built on our first, with incremental growth quarter on quarter. We are delighted to have delivered ahead of or in line with expectations across the majority of our core key performance indicators, which has had a positive impact on our financials and bottom line. We have achieved all this while also progressing the expansion of Riotinto, and the rate at which this programme is advancing means that we look forward to 2019 with confidence. Riotinto's additional exploration potential, combined with Proyecto Touro and our ongoing efforts to seek new opportunities, provides the pathway via which management can realise its ambition to grow the company." About Atalaya Mining Plc Atalaya is an AIM and TSX-listed mining and development group which produces copper concentrates and silver by-product at its wholly owned Proyecto Riotinto site in southwest Spain. In addition, the Group has a phased, earn-in agreement for up to 80% ownership of Proyecto Touro, a brownfield copper project in the northwest of Spain which is currently in the permitting stage. For further information, visit www.atalayamining.com This announcement contains information which, prior to its publication constituted inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014. Contacts: Newgate Communications Elisabeth Cowell / Adam Lloyd / Tom Carnegie + 44 20 3757 6880 4C Communications Carina Corbett +44 20 3170 7973 Canaccord Genuity (NOMAD and Joint Broker) Martin Davison / Henry Fitzgerald-O'Connor / James Asensio +44 20 7523 8000 BMO Capital Markets (Joint Broker) Jeffrey Couch / Tom Rider / Michael Rechsteiner +44 20 7236 1010 Years Ended 31 December 2018 and 2017 The Group The Company The Group The Company (Euro 000's) Note 2018 2018 2017 2017 Revenue 5 189,476 1,323 160,537 1,015 Operating costs and mine site administrative expenses (128,707) - (114,687) - Mine site depreciation and amortization 13,14 (13,430) - (16,664) - Gross profit 47,339 1,323 29,186 1,015 Administration and other expenses (5,867) (4,370) (4,356) (4,001) Corporate depreciation - - (7) (7) Share based benefits 24 (216) (10) (152) (34) Care and maintenance expenditure (281) - - - Exploration expenses (1,021) - - - Operating profit/(loss) 7 39,954 (3,057) 24,671 (3,027) Other income 6 158 117 5 1 Net foreign exchange gain/(loss) 4 1,613 40 (2,212) 264 Interest income form financial assets at fair value 9 - 13,615 - - Interest income form financial assets at amortised cost 9 71 2,569 22 1,635 Finance costs 10 (253) - (579) - Profit/(loss) before tax 41,543 13,284 21,907 (1,127) Tax 11 (7,102) (1,524) (3,696) - Profit / (loss) for the year 34,441 11,760 18,211 (1,127) Profit / (loss) for the year attributable to: Owners of the parent 34,715 11,760 18,239 (1,127) Non-controlling interests (274) - (28) - 34,441 11,760 18,211 (1,127) Earnings per share from operations attributable to equity holders of the parent during the year: Basic earnings per share (EUR cents per share) 12 25.4 15.5 Fully diluted earnings per share (EUR cents per share) 12 25.1 15.3 Profit / (loss) for the year 34,441 11,760 18,211 (1,127) Other comprehensive income: Change in fair value of financial assets through other comprehensive income "OCI' 21 (58) (58) - - Change in value of available-for-sale investments 20 - - (132) (132) Total comprehensive profit /(loss) for the year 34,383 11,702 18,079 (1,259) Total comprehensive profit for the year attributable to: Owners of the parent 34,657 11,702 18,107 (1,259) Non-controlling interests (274) - (28) - 34,383 11,702 18,079 (1,259) The notes on pages 7 to 59 are an integral part of these consolidated and Company financial statements. As at 31 December 2018 and 2017 As at 31 December As at 31 December (Euro 000's) Note The Group 2018 The Company 2018 The Group 2017 The Company 2017 Assets Non-current assets Property, plant and equipment 13 257,376 - 199,458 - Intangible assets 14 71,951 - 73,700 - Investment in subsidiaries 15 - 3,899 - 3,693 Trade and other receivables 19 249 290,104 212 - Deferred tax asset 17 7,927 - 10,130 - 337,503 294,003 283,500 3,693 Current assets Inventories 18 10,822 - 13,674 - Trade and other receivables 19 23,688 6,689 34,213 242,824 Available-for-sale investments 20 - - 129 129 Other financial assets 21 71 71 - - Cash and cash equivalents 22 33,070 826 42,856 34,410 67,651 7,586 90,872 277,363 Total assets 405,154 301,589 374,372 281,056 Equity and liabilities Equity attributable to owners of the parent Share capital 23 13,372 13,372 13,192 13,192 Share premium 23 314,319 314,319 309,577 309,577 Other reserves 24 12,791 5,845 6,137 5,687 Accumulated losses (58,308) (50,657) (86,527) (62,417) 282,174 282,879 242,379 266,039 Non-controlling interests 25 4,200 - 4,474 - Total equity 286,374 282,879 246,853 266,039 Liabilities Non-current liabilities Trade and other payables 26 45 - 74 - Provisions 27 6,519 - 5,727 - Deferred consideration 28 53,000 9,117 52,983 9,100 59,564 9,117 58,784 9,100 Current liabilities Trade and other payables 26 57,271 8,069 67,983 5,917 Current tax liabilities 11 1,945 1,524 752 - 59,216 9,593 68,735 5,917 Total liabilities 118,780 18,710 127,519 15,017 Total equity and liabilities 405,154 301,589 374,372 281,056 The notes on pages 7 to 59 are an integral part of these consolidated and company financial statements. The consolidated and company financial statements were authorised for issue by the Board of Directors on 3 April and were signed on its behalf. Roger Davey Alberto Lavandeira Chairman Managing Director Years Ended 31 December 2018 and 2017 Attributable to owners of the parent (Euro 000's) Note Share capital Share Premium (2) Other reserves(1) Accumulated losses Total Non- controlling interest Total equity At 1 January 2017 11,632 277,238 5,667 (104,316) 190,221 - 190,221 Profit for the year - - - 18,239 18,239 (28) 18,211 Change in value of available-for-sale investments 20 - - (132) - (132) - (132) Total comprehensive income - - (132) 18,239 18,107 (28) 18,079 Transactions with owners Issue of share capital 23 1,560 33,182 - - 34,742 - 34,742 Share issue costs 23 - (843) - - (843) - (843) Depletion factor 24 - - 450 (450) - - - Recognition of share-based payments - - 152 - 152 - 152 Non-controlling interests - - - - - 4,502 4,502 At 31 December 2017/ 1 January 2018 13,192 309,577 6,137 (86,527) 242,379 4,474 246,853 Profit for the year - - - 34,715 34,715 (274) 34,441 Change in fair value of financial assets through OCI 21 - - (58) - (58) - (58) Total comprehensive income - - (58) 34,715 34,657 (274) 34,383 Transactions with owners Issue of share capital 23 180 4,747 - - 4,927 - 4,927 Share issue costs 23 - (5) - - (5) - (5) Depletion factor 24 - - 5,050 (5,050) - - - Recognition of share-based payments - - 216 - 216 - 216 Recognition of non-distributable reserve 24 - - 1,446 (1,446) - - - At 31 December 2018 13,372 314,319 12,791 (58,308) 282,174 4,200 286,374 (1) Refer to Note 24 (2) The share premium reserve is not available for distribution. The notes on pages 7 to 59 are an integral part of these consolidated and company financial statements. Years Ended 31 December 2018 and 2017 (Euro 000's) Note Share capital Share premium(2) Other reserves(1) Accumulated losses Total At 1 January 2017 11,632 277,238 5,667 (61,290) 233,247 Loss for the year - - - (1,127) (1,127) Change in value of available-for-sale investments 20 - - (132) - (132) Total comprehensive income - - (132) (1,127) (1,259) Issue of share capital 23 1,560 33,182 - - 34,742 Share issue costs 23 - (843) - - (843) Recognition of share-based payments - - 152 - 152 At 31 December 2017/1 January 2018 13,192 309,577 5,687 (62,417) 266,039 Profit for the year - - - 11,760 11,760 Change in fair value of financial assets through OCI 21 - - (58) - (58) Total comprehensive income - - (58) 11,760 11,702 Issue of share capital 23 180 4,747 - - 4,927 Share issue costs 23 - (5) - - (5) Recognition of share-based payments - - 216 - 216 At 31 December 2018 13,372 314,319 5,845 (50,657) 282,879 (1) Refer to Note 24 (2) The share premium reserve is not available for distribution. Companies which do not distribute 70% of their profits after tax, as defined by the relevant tax law, within two years after the end of the relevant tax year, will be deemed to have distributed as dividends 70% of these profits. Special contribution for defence at 17% will be payable on such deemed dividends to the extent that the ultimate shareholders are both Cyprus tax resident and Cyprus domiciled. The amount of deemed distribution is reduced by any actual dividends paid out of the profits of the relevant year at any time. This special contribution for defence is payable by the Company for the account of the shareholders. The notes on pages 7 to 59 are an integral part of these consolidated and company financial statements. Years Ended 31 December 2018 and 2017 (Euro 000's) Note 2018 2017 Cash flows from operating activities Profit before tax 41,543 21,907 Adjustments for: Depreciation of property, plant and equipment 13 10,143 12,540 Amortisation of intangible assets 14 3,287 4,131 Recognition of share-based payments 24 216 152 Hedging income 10 - (205) Interest income 9 (71) (22) Interest expense 10 214 671 Unwinding of discounting 10 39 113 Legal provisions 27 (86) 213 Release of prior year provision 6 (117) - Gain on disposal of associate 6 - (49) Loss on disposal of intangibles 955 - Impairment on available-for-sale investment 20 - 49 Unrealised foreign exchange loss on financing activities 179 11 Cash inflows from operating activities before working capital changes 56,302 39,511 Changes in working capital: Inventories 18 2,852 (7,479) Trade and other receivables 19 11,697 (2,653) Trade and other payables (10,334) 5,350 Derivative instruments - (215) Deferred consideration 17 - Provisions 27 - (733) Cash flows from operations 60,534 33,781 Interest paid (214) (671) Tax paid (4,987) (2,610) Net cash from operating activities 55,333 30,500 Cash flows from investing activities Purchases of property, plant and equipment 13 (63,216) (20,220) Purchases of intangible assets 14 (2,492) (2,694) Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment - 9 Disposal of subsidiary 15 (75) - Purchase of other financial assets 21 - - Hedging income 10 - 205 Interest received 9 71 22 Net cash used ininvesting activities (65,712) (22,678) Cash flows from financing activities Proceeds from issue of share capital 598 34,742 Listing and issue costs 23 (5) (843) Net cash from financing activities 593 33,899 Net (decrease) / increase in cash and cash equivalents (9,786) 41,721 Cash and cash equivalents: At beginning of the year 22 42,856 1,135 At end of the year 22 33,070 42,856 The notes on pages 7 to 59 are an integral part of these consolidated and company financial statements. Years Ended 31 December 2018 and 2017 (Euro 000's) Note 2018 2017 Cash flows from operating activities Profit/(loss) before tax 13,284 (1,127) Adjustments for: Depreciation of property, plant and equipment 13 - 7 Share-based payments 7 10 34 Interest income 9 (63) - Interest income from interest-bearing intercompany loans 9 (16,121) (1,635) Loss on available-for-sale investment 6 - 49 Release of prior year provision 6 (117) - Gain on disposal of associate 6 - (45) Unrealised foreign exchange loss on financing activities 209 (3) Cash inflows used in operating activities before working capital changes (2,798) (2,720) Changes in working capital: Increase in trade and other receivables 19 (53,969) (2,579) Increase in trade and other payables 26 2,077 3,846 Cash flows used in operations (54,690) (1,453) Interest paid - - Net cash used in operating activities (54,690) (1,453) Cash flows from investing activities Proceeds from disposal of property, plant and equipment - 9 Interest received 9 63 - Interest income from interest-bearing intercompany loans 9 16,121 1,635 Net cash from investing activities 16,184 1,644 Cash flows from financing activities Proceeds from issue of share capital 23 4,927 34,742 Listing and issue costs 23 (5) (843) Net cash from financing activities 4,922 33,899 Net (decrease)/increasein cash and cash equivalents (33,584) 34,090 Cash and cash equivalents: At beginning of the year 22 34,410 320 At end of the year 22 826 34,410 The notes on pages 7 to 59 are an integral part of these consolidated and company financial statements 1. Incorporation and summary of business Country of incorporation Atalaya Mining Plc (the "Company") was incorporated in Cyprus on 17 September 2004 as a private company with limited liability under the Companies Law, Cap. 113 and was converted to a public limited liability company on 26 January 2005. Its registered office is at 1 Lampousa Street, Nicosia, Cyprus. The Company was listed on AIM of the London Stock Exchange in May 2005 under the symbol ATYM and on the TSX on 20 December 2010 under the symbol AYM. The Company continued to be listed on AIM and the TSX as at 31 December 2018. Additional information about Atalaya Mining Plc is available at www.atalayamining.com as per requirement of AIM rule 26. Changed on name and share consolidation Following the Company's EGM on 13 October 2015, the change of the name EMED Mining Public Limited to Atalaya Mining Plc became effective on 21 October 2015. On the same day, the consolidation of ordinary shares came into effect, whereby all shareholders received one new ordinary share of nominal value 0.075 for every 30 existing ordinary shares of nominal value of 0.0025. Principal activities The Company owns and operates through a wholly-owned subsidiary, "The Riotinto Project", an open-pit copper mine located in the Pyritic belt, in the Andalusia region of Spain, approximately 65 km northwest of Seville. In addition, the Company has a phased earn-in agreement up to 80% ownership of "The Touro Project", a brownfield copper project in northwest Spain, which is currently at the permitting stage. The Company's and its subsidiaries' activity is to explore for and develop metals production operations in Europe, with an initial focus on copper. The strategy is to evaluate and prioritise metal production opportunities in several jurisdictions throughout the well-known belts of base and precious metal mineralisation in Spain and the Eastern European region. 2. Summary of significant accounting policies The principal accounting policies applied in the preparation of these consolidated and company financial statements (hereinafter "financial statements") are set out below. These policies have been consistently applied to all the years presented, unless otherwise stated. 2.1 Basis of preparation (a) Overview The financial statements of Atalaya Mining Plc have been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS"). IFRS comprise the standards issued by the International Accounting Standards Board ("IASB") and IFRS Interpretations Committee ("IFRICs") as issued by the IASB. Additionally, the financial statements have also been prepared in accordance with the IFRS as adopted by the European Union and the requirements of the Cyprus Companies Law, Cap.113. For the year ending 31 December 2018, the standards applicable for IFRS's as adopted by the EU are aligned with the IFRS's as issued by the IASB. The consolidated financial statements have been prepared on a historical cost basis except for the revaluation of certain financial instruments that are measured at fair value at the end of each reporting period, as explained below. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with IFRS requires the use of certain critical accounting estimates. It also requires management to exercise its judgment in the process of applying the Group's accounting policies. The areas involving a higher degree of judgement or complexity, or areas where assumptions and estimates are significant to the financial statements are disclosed in Note 3.4. 2. Summary of significant accounting policies (continued) (b) Going concern These financial statements have been prepared on the basis of accounting principles applicable to a going concern which assumes that the Group and the Company will realise its assets and discharge its liabilities in the normal course of business. Management has carried out an assessment of the going concern assumption and has concluded that the Group and the Company will generate sufficient cash and cash equivalents to continue operating for the next twelve months. 2.2 Changes in accounting policy and disclosures 2.2.1 New and amended standards and interpretations During the current year the Group and the Company adopted all the new and revised International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) that are relevant to its operations and are effective for accounting periods beginning on 1 January 2018. The Group and the Company applied IFRS 9 and IFRS 15 for the first time from 1 January 2018. The nature and effect of the changes as a result of adoption of these new accounting standards are described below. Several other amendments and interpretations apply for the first time in 2018, but do not have a significant impact on the consolidated financial statements of the Group. The Group has not early adopted any standards, interpretations or amendments that have been issued but are not yet effective. IFRS 9 Financial Instruments IFRS 9 Financial Instruments addresses the classification, measurement, and derecognition of financial assets and financial liabilities, introduces new rules for hedge accounting and a new impairment model for financial assets. Based on the assessment performed, the new guidance has the following impacts on the classification and measurement of its financial instruments. Classification and measurement of the embedded derivatives arising from sales: The financial assets and liabilities arising from the revaluation of provisional priced contracts were previously disclosed separately in the balance sheet as part of "Other financial assets/liabilities". Under IFRS 9, the embedded derivative is no longer separated from the host contract and therefore the revaluation of provisionally priced contract is disclosed within the receivable of the host contract in "Trade and other receivables" and classified as fair value through profit and loss. An embedded derivative will often make a financial asset fail the SPPI test thereby requiring the instrument to be measured at fair value through profit or loss in its entirety. This is applicable to the Group's trade receivables (subject to provisional pricing). No significant impact on measurement on transition to IFRS 9. Classification and measurement of the Parent Company participative loan: The Participative loan was previously classified at amortised cost. Under IFRS 9 the classification of financial assets at initial recognition depends on the financial asset's contractual cash flow characteristics and the Company's business model for managing them. In order for a financial asset to be classified and measured at amortised cost or fair value through OCI, it needs to give rise to cash flows that are "solely payments of principal and interest (SPPI)' on the principal amount outstanding. The Participative loan is now classified as fair value through profit and loss. No significant impact on measurement on transition to IFRS 9. Financial assets at fair value through Other Comprehensive Income ("OCI"): The equity instruments that were classified as available-for-sale financial assets satisfy the conditions for classification as at fair value through other comprehensive income (FVOCI) and therefore there is no impact in classification. Gains and losses accumulated in other comprehensive income are not recycled to the income statement. Furthermore, under IFRS 9 there is no exception to carry investments in entities at costs less any recognised impairment and therefore, fair value will need to be calculated. There are no other significant changes to the accounting treatment of these assets. Impairment: The new impairment model requires the recognition of impairment provisions based on expected credit losses (ECL) rather than only incurred credit losses as is the case under IAS 39. The Group applies the simplified approach and records lifetime expected losses on all trade receivables. However, given the short term nature of the Group's receivables, there is not a significant impact in the financial statements. For the Parent Company, current and non-current receivables (except for non-current assets at fair value through profit and loss) are stated at amortised cost. A provision for impairment of receivables is established using the expected credit loss impairment model according IFRS 9. 2. Summary of significant accounting policies (cont.) 2.2 Changes in accounting policy and disclosures (cont.) 2.2.1 New and amended standards and interpretations (cont.) The amount of the provision is the difference between the carrying amount and the recoverable amount and this difference is recognised in the income statement. Disclosures: The standard introduces expanded disclosure requirements and changes in presentation included in this report. The Group also assessed other changes introduced by IFRS 9 that have no impact on the financial statements as explained below: There is no impact on the accounting for financial liabilities, as the new requirements of IFRS 9 only affect the accounting for financial liabilities that are designated at fair value through profit or loss and the Group does not have any such liabilities. No impacts in relation to derecognition of financial instruments as the same rules have been transferred from IAS39 Financial Instruments: Recognition and Measurement IFRS 15 Revenue from Contracts with Customers The IASB has issued a new standard for the recognition of revenue arising from contracts with customers. The new revenue standard supersedes all current revenue recognition requirements under IFRS. The new standard is based on the principle that revenue is recognised when control of a good or service transfers to a customer. The Group evaluates recognition and measurement of revenue based on the five-step model in IFRS 15 and has not identified significant financial impacts, hence no adjustments were recorded derived from the adoption of IFRS 15 other than certain reclassifications as explained below. The Group adopted the new standard from 1 January 2018 applying the simplified transition method and modified retrospective approach. Certain disclosures changed as a result of the requirements of IFRS 15. The key issues identified, and the Group's views and perspective are set below: The revaluation of provisionally priced contracts is recorded as an adjustment to revenue. IFRS 15 does not change the assessment of the provisional price adjustment, but they are not considered within the scope of IFRS 15, and consequently have to be disclosed separately (refer to Note 5). Impact of shipping terms: The group sells a very small portion of its products on CIF Incoterms and therefore the Group is responsible for shipping services after the date at which control of the copper passes to the customer. Under IAS 18, these shipping services were not considered to be part of the revenue transaction and thus the Group disclosed them as selling expenses. However, under IFRS 15, the Group reclassified the portion of these selling expenses relating to transport of copper from the Group's production plants to the ports and to the customers, and reclassify those costs to cost of sales. The shipping services reclassified for the period ending 31 December 2018 amounted to 1.0 million. The Group assessed the amount of costs related to shipping services which are considered a separate performance obligation under IFRS 15 and therefore, a portion of the revenue currently recognised when the title has passed to the customer will need to be deferred and recognised as the shipping services are subsequently provided. Under IFRS 15 the costs related to shipping services are considered a separate performance obligation and therefore they should be deferred and recognised as the shipping services are subsequently provided. Based on the Group's assessment, the shipping services being provided at the beginning and end of the reporting period are immaterial and therefore these have not been deferred. The total shipping services recognised during the year as a separate performance obligation under IFRS 15 amounts to 1.0 million and have been disclosed in Note 5. IFRS 2: Classification and Measurement of Share based Payment Transactions (Amendments) The Amendments are effective for annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2018 with earlier application permitted. The Amendments provide requirements on the accounting for the effects of vesting and non-vesting conditions on the measurement of cash-settled share-based payments, for share-based payment transactions with a net settlement feature for withholding tax obligations and for modifications to the terms and conditions of a share-based payment that changes the classification of the transaction from cash-settled to equity-settled. As the Company does not have cash settled awards, the amendments to IFRS 2 do not impact the Consolidated and Company's financial statements 2. Summary of significant accounting policies (cont.) 2.2 Changes in accounting policy and disclosures (cont.) 2.2.2 Standards issued but not yet effective The new and amended standards and interpretations that are issued, but not yet effective, up to the date of issuance of the financial statements are disclosed below. Some of them were adopted by the European Union and others not yet. The Group and the Company intend to adopt these new and amended standards and interpretations, if applicable, when they become effective. IFRS 16 - Leases The new standard on leases that replaces IAS 17, IFRIC 4, SIC-15 and SIC-27. Under the provisions of the standard most leases, including the majority of those previously classified as operating leases, will be brought onto the statement of financial position, as both a right-of-use asset and a largely offsetting lease liability. The right-of-use asset and lease liability are both based on the present value of lease payments due over the term of the lease, with the asset being depreciated in accordance with IAS 16 "Property, Plant and Equipment' and the liability increased for the accretion of interest and reduced by lease payments. Atalaya has completed an initial assessment of the potential impact of IFRS 16 on its consolidated financial statements but has not yet completed its detailed assessment. The actual impact of applying IFRS 16 on the consolidated financial statements in the period of initial application will depend on future economic conditions, including the Group's borrowing rate at 1 January 2019, the composition of Atalaya's borrowing rate at 1 January 2019, the composition of Atalaya's portfolio at that date, its latest assessment of whether it will exercise any lease renewal options, and the extent to which Atalaya chooses to use practical expedients and recognition exemptions. The directors continue to consider the potential effects on the Group's financial statements and do not currently expect that there will be a material impact, given the current market and internal conditions. IFRS 9: Prepayment features with negative compensation (Amendment) These Amendments should be applied retrospectively and are effective from 1 January 2019, with earlier application permitted, These Amendments have no impact on the consolidated financial statements of the Group.. Amendment in IFRS 10 Consolidated Financial Statements and IAS 28 Investments in Associates and Joint Ventures: Sale or Contribution of Assets between an Investor and its Associate or Joint Venture. The amendments address an acknowledged inconsistency between the requirements in IFRS 10 and those in IAS 28, in dealing with the sale or contribution of assets between an investor and its associate or joint venture. The main consequence of the amendments is that a full gain or loss is recognized when a transaction involves a business (whether it is housed in a subsidiary or not). A partial gain or loss is recognized when a transaction involves assets that do not constitute a business, even if these assets are housed in a subsidiary. In December 2015 the IASB postponed the effective date of this amendment indefinitely, but an entity that early adopts the amendments must apply them prospectively. The Group will apply these amendments when they become effective. IFRS 17 Insurance Contracts In May 2017, the IASB issued IFRS 17 Insurance Contracts (IFRS 17), a comprehensive new accounting standard for insurance contracts covering recognition and measurement, presentation and disclosure. Once effective, IFRS 17 will replace IFRS 4 Insurance Contracts (IFRS 4) that was issued in 2005. IFRS 17 applies to all types of insurance contracts (i.e., life, non-life, direct insurance and re-insurance), regardless of the type of entities that issue them, as well as to certain guarantees and financial instruments with discretionary participation features. A few scope exceptions will apply. The overall objective of IFRS 17 is to provide an accounting model for insurance contracts that is more useful and consistent for insurers. In contrast to the requirements in IFRS 4, which are largely based on grandfathering previous local accounting policies, IFRS 17 provides a comprehensive model for insurance contracts, covering all relevant accounting aspects. The core of IFRS 17 is the general model, supplemented by: A specific adaptation for contracts with direct participation features (the variable fee approach) A simplified approach (the premium allocation approach) mainly for short-duration contracts IFRS 17 is effective for reporting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2021, with comparative figures required. Early application is permitted, provided the entity also applies IFRS 9 and IFRS 15 on or before the date it first applies IFRS 17. This standard is not applicable to the Group. Click on, or paste the following link into your web browser, to view the associated PDF document. http://www.rns-pdf.londonstockexchange.com/rns/0677V_1-2019-4-3.pdf 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: Atalaya Mining PLC View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/541000/Atalaya-Mining-PLC-Announces-Results-for-the-year-ended-31-December-2018 VIENNA, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Vienna-based fintech Bitpanda received a payment service provider license issued by the Austrian financial market authority (FMA) in accordance with European law (PSD2). Bitpanda, the Viennese fintech with around 1 million users and more than 100 employees is expanding its business model. The Austrian financial market authority has granted Bitpanda Payments GmbH, the payment service provider license (PSD2) in accordance with European law after less than 5 months. It is a significant milestone for the Bitpanda group and will allow it to launch exciting features and products in the coming months. "Our goal is to bridge the gap between the modern and traditional financial world. The payment service provider license will allow us to tear barriers down,' says Philipp Bohrn, one of the two managing directors of Bitpanda Payments GmbH. Prior to joining Bitpanda, Philipp Bohrn was the managing director of the Association of Financial Service Providers in Austria's chamber of commerce for 9 years. Lukas Enzersdorfer-Konrad, former Head of Department Digitalisation and Innovation at Austria's leading banking group Raiffeisen and second managing director, agrees: "We want to act as the missing link to make digital assets spendable anywhere our users want. With the license, we are a first mover in Europe to offer convenient and innovative features and services." "We are very happy that Bitpanda is one of the few European cryptocurrency fintechs to receive such a license. It's a big step towards our vision to create an open, innovative investment-platform," says Bitpanda CEO Eric Demuth. Bitpanda's vision is to provide easy-to-use, convenient access to a vast array of digital assets, and it is currently expanding its trading platform to other asset classes beyond cryptocurrencies. About Bitpanda Bitpanda is a fintech based in Vienna, Austria and was founded in 2014. The company has since grown into Europe's leading trading platform for buying and selling digital assets like Bitcoin. Bitpanda has around 1 million users and more than 100 team members. The company is a firm believer in the innovative power of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology. Their mission is to be the key driving force in the ongoing fintech revolution by providing easy-to-use, safe and trustworthy access to any digital asset for both new and experienced users. Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/829258/Bitpanda_Logo.jpg Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/845490/Bitpanda.jpg Markforged will look to hire 100 new employees in Dublin WATERTOWN, Mass. and DUBLIN, Ireland, April 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Markforged, a leading manufacturer of industrial 3D printers, today announced the opening of its first official European headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, part of the company's planned global expansion for 2019. Markforged is opening its new European headquarters with the support of the Irish Government through IDA Ireland. Founded in 2013 and based just outside of Boston, MA, the Dublin office will be the first international office for Markforged and will serve as the base of its operations in Europe to meet the rapidly growing demand for affordable machines that print high-strength materials, such as carbon fiber and MIM metals. Over the next three years, Markforged intends to hire 100 new employees, across all functions, to staff the new HQ. To learn more about open positions, please visit: https://markforged.com/jobs Just a short flight from the company's US headquarters in Boston, Dublin boasts superior technical talent while acting as a gateway to better serving the EMEA region. The new office is the first phase of the global expansion that Markforged cited in its recent news regarding raising $82 million USD in a Series D round in late March. "Launching our Dublin operations is a huge milestone for Markforged as we look to strengthen our business overseas," said Darcey Harrison, Global VP Sales, Services, and Partnerships at Markforged. "Our experience working with IDA Ireland has been nothing but exceptional - we're thrilled to be joining such a thriving tech community with such support." Heather Humphreys TD, Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation said, "I am delighted that Markforged has chosen Dublin as its new European HQ. We all know the strong potential of 3D printing and I warmly welcome their presence in Ireland and the creation of 100 highly skilled jobs. We already have a strong footprint of High-Tech companies in Dublin and we are very keen to expand that by attracting a wider range of specialist companies such as Markforged." Welcoming today's announcement, Martin Shanahan, CEO, IDA Ireland said, "The decision by Markforged to locate their European headquarters in Dublin again confirms Ireland's reputation as the premier location for fast-growing, innovative companies to build and support their future international growth. I wish Markforged every success and offer the continued support of IDA Ireland." Markforged has been gradually expanding its international operations for the last two years, developing a global partner network in 50 countries, in addition to staffing local application engineers and business development leaders across the world. Stephen Barbuto, EMEA Director of Commercial Sales, will lead the opening team who will look to hire 100 new employees over the next 3 years. Since its founding in 2013, Markforged has quickly become a leader in 3D printing. Deloitte named Markforged the 10th fastest growing technology company in North America, while Forbes named the company to its Next Billion Dollar Startup list. The company has amassed a large installed base among leading manufacturers and other types of businesses that benefit from additive capabilities. Markforged shipped more than 2,500 industrial printers in 2018 alone, making it one of the largest additive manufacturing companies in the industry. About Markforged Markforged transforms manufacturing with the most affordable 3D printers capable of producing parts tough enough for the factory floor. Engineers, designers, and manufacturing professionals all over the world rely on Markforged metal and composite printers for tooling, fixtures, functional prototyping, and high-value end-use production. Founded in 2013 and based in Watertown, MA, Markforged has over 250 employees globally, with $137 million in both strategic and venture capital. To learn more about Markforged, please visit https://markforged.com Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 4, 2019) - Fremont Gold Ltd. (TSXV: FRE) (FSE: FR2) (OTC Pink: USTDF) ("Fremont" or the "Company") is pleased to announce its plans to drill the Gold Canyon project this spring and the North Carlin project this summer. Drilling at Gold Canyon, adjacent to McEwen Mining Inc.'s ("McEwen") Gold Bar project, will target several geochemical anomalies recently identified by Fremont (see news release dated December 18, 2018). Drilling at North Carlin, located at the northern end of the Carlin Trend, will target a coincident gold and mercury soil anomaly situated on the flank of a magnetic high (see news release dated October 11, 2018). About Gold Canyon Fremont's Gold Canyon is a former gold mine in the Gold Bar district in Eureka County, Nevada, an active mining area within the Battle Mountain-Eureka Trend. Gold Canyon produced approximately 41,000 ounces gold from 1990-19941 and is less than ~1-km northwest of McEwen's Gold Ridge Pit, one of four deposits that comprise McEwen's Gold Bar project (see Figure 1). Rock chip samples taken by past operators defined the Northwest Gold Ridge and South French Trail targets. Based on the previous work, Fremont conducted a soil sampling program and identified three significant soil anomalies which the Company plans to drill test in May (see Figure 2). Exploration highlights: The anomalies occur in areas underlain by lower plate Upper Denay Limestone carbonate rocks and the Roberts Mountain thrust, both known to host gold deposits in the district. Geochemical sampling has defined coincident gold, arsenic, antimony, silver, mercury and thallium soil anomalies bordered by barium and copper anomalies. The largest anomaly, approximately 400 metres x 350 metres in size, is located southwest of the Northwest Gold Ridge target (see Figure 2). The anomaly patterns suggest the intersection of a NNW-SSE structure with the important NE-SW fault, which is known to have controlled gold mineralization at the Gold Canyon mine (see Figure 2). Figure 1: Location of Fremont's Gold Canyon Project To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3169/43872_9495d4c464bae895_002full.jpg Figure 2: Gold, Arsenic, Barium and Copper Soil Anomalies Northeast and North of the Gold Canyon Mine To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3169/43872_9495d4c464bae895_003full.jpg About North Carlin The North Carlin project is located at the northern end of the Carlin Trend, Nevada, and is comprised of three claim blocks, Alkali, Coyote, and Rossi. North Carlin is more than 42 square kilometres in size and the Rossi claim adjoins the Rossi mine, recognized as the most northerly deposit along the Carlin Trend (see Figure 3). Since staking Alkali and Coyote in 2017, Fremont has conducted soil sampling and mag surveys at both claim blocks and has outlined a number of drill targets. A recently completed soil sampling program at Alkali identified coincident gold and mercury geochemical anomalies associated with a conspicuous magnetic anomaly which the Company plans to drill test (see Figures 4 and 5). Together, the data suggests the presence of gold mineralization beneath alluvial cover and represents an exciting drill target within Nevada's most prolific gold belt. At Coyote, Fremont has identified a large arsenic anomaly coincident with mag lows in the centre of the claim block (see Figure 6). Based on the exploration work that the Company has completed, and the periodicity of deposit locations along the northern part of the Carlin trend, Fremont believes that Coyote is an attractive setting for the discovery of a Carlin deposit. Alkali and Coyote exploration highlights: Geochemical sampling has defined coincident gold and mercury soil anomalies, approximately 2 x 1 km in size, in the northeastern portion of Alkali (see Figure 5). Mercury is one of the important pathfinders for gold in both Carlin-type and low sulfidation epithermal-style deposits; The gold and mercury anomalies occur on the northeastern boundary of a 1.5 x 2 km magnetic high located in the centre of the claim area (see Figure 4), which indicates a possible intrusive body at depth. Magnetic highs representing intrusive bodies contemporaneous with Carlin-type deposits are recognized at the Railroad-Pinion district in the Carlin Trend, and are also known to be associated with epithermal vein deposits at the nearby Hollister deposit and the Tuscarora deposit, 27 km to the northeast; Alkali is located at the intersection of the northern extension of the Carlin Trend and on a northeast-trending lineament, which hosts the nearby Hollister and Tuscarora mines, and farther along strike, the Jarbidge and Goldbanks mines. These current and historic epithermal deposits occur in a permissive structural corridor, which includes the Alkali NE fault (Figures 3, 4, and 5) that cuts directly through the magnetic high and soil geochemical anomaly at Alkali. Carlin deposits to the south of Coyote display a regular spacing of approximately 3 kilometres between deposits, which would make Coyote the "next bead on the string" in terms of periodicity and alignment (see Figure 3). This observed periodicity, along with pathfinder element geochemical anomalies associated with subtle magnetic lows, makes Coyote an attractive exploration target. Figure 3: The Carlin Trend To view an enhanced version of Figure 3, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3169/43872_9495d4c464bae895_004full.jpg Figure 4: Magnetic anomaly - Alkali To view an enhanced version of Figure 4, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3169/43872_9495d4c464bae895_005full.jpg Figure 5: Gold in soils anomaly - Alkali To view an enhanced version of Figure 5, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3169/43872_9495d4c464bae895_006full.jpg Figure 6: Arsenic anomaly, coincident mag lows-Coyote To view an enhanced version of Figure 6, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3169/43872_9495d4c464bae895_007full.jpg Gold Bar drill results Fremont completed three reverse circulation drill holes at the Gold Bar project, located in the Gold Bar District, Eureka County, Nevada (see News Release dated February 6). One drill hole was designed to test a geochemical anomaly to the southeast of the historic Gold Bar mine, which may have represented a possible extension to the historic mine. The hole was terminated at 305 metres without intersecting bedrock. The other two holes, drilled on the southwest side of the Gold Bar pit, were designed to test for a possible feeder system at depth. Fremont targeted two mineralized faults, that had been mined higher in the section, that were thought to be dipping towards each other to test for a possible feeder system. The first hole intersected large void spaces along the first fault at 100 metres and was terminated. The second hole, offset 10 metres from the first hole and drilled at a steeper angle, successfully drilled through the first fault and intersected the second fault at 150 metres, about 60 metres below the level of the pit floor, but again encountered open fractures, resulting in lost circulation and little to no sampling. The hole was terminated at 190 metres. Samples returned around the missing intervals had weak gold mineralization, slightly above 100 ppb gold. The two holes drilled at the southwest side of the Gold Bar pit confirmed the existence and geometry of the faults at depth but did not return strong enough values to warrant further drilling. The Gold Bar project contains the Gold Bar mine, which produced 286,354 ounces of gold from 1986 to 1994 (1), and the Millsite deposit, which hosts a historic resource of 147,000 ounces of gold (1.62 Mt @ 2.57 g/t gold) (1,2). Qualified Person The content of this news release was reviewed by Maury C. Newton, III, Fremont's V.P. Exploration, a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. About Fremont Gold Fremont's mine-finding management team has assembled a portfolio of high-quality gold projects in Nevada with the goal of making a new discovery. Fremont's Gold Bar and Gold Canyon are past producing gold mines adjacent to McEwen Mining's Gold Bar project, where mine construction is underway. Other projects include Goldrun, Hurricane, North Carlin, and Roberts Creek. We are aligned with our shareholders: Insiders own ~20% of Fremont. On behalf of the Board of Directors, "Blaine Monaghan" CEO Telephone: +1 604-676-5664 Email: blaine@fremontgold.net www.fremontgold.net ____________________ 1 Internal report, Atlas Precious Metals, Mines, December 13, 1995, prepared by Pincock, Allen & Holt. 2 The Company has not verified these historical resources and is not treating these historical estimates as current mineral resources. 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. Forward looking statements Certain statements and information contained in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable U.S. securities laws and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws, which are referred to collectively as "forward-looking statements". The United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe harbor" for certain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements and information regarding possible events, conditions or results of operations that are based upon assumptions about future economic conditions and courses of action. All statements and information other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking statements. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "seek", "expect", "anticipate", "budget", "plan", "estimate", "continue", "forecast", "intend", "believe", "predict", "potential", "target", "may", "could", "would", "might", "will" and similar words or phrases (including negative variations) suggesting future outcomes or statements regarding an outlook. Forward-looking statements in this and other press releases include but are not limited to statements and information regarding: The planned drill program at Gold Canyon in the spring and North Carlin in the summer. Such forward-looking statements are based on a number of material factors and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Fremont undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements included in this press release if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as otherwise required by applicable law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/43872 Lightfoot hasnt yet taken office, but its unlikely she will at any point need to worry about being publicly called a wacko, as another 1979 article called Byrne. The sitting mayor also was warned by one articles author that she shouldnt be quite so cocky. VIENNA, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- What makes people travelling along migration routes to Europe vulnerable to human trafficking and other abuses? The International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) has launched a major research study: The Strength to Carry On: Resilience and Vulnerability to Trafficking and Other Abuses among People Travelling along Migration Routes to Europe. The study, funded by the U.S. Department of State's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, answers the question above through an analysis of human trafficking among people travelling along the Eastern Mediterranean, Balkan and Central Mediterranean migration routes to Europe over the last four years. The research identifies factors of resilience and vulnerability to human trafficking and other abuses before, during and after the migration journey. The field research was conducted in 2018 in seven countries: Greece, Bulgaria, North Macedonia,Serbia, Hungary,Germanyand Italy. Ninety-one people from over twenty different countries who travelled the routes were interviewed for the research. Over 240 people working at NGOs, government agencies and international organisations in these seven countries were also interviewed. The research identified three key findings: Few of the human trafficking cases described in the research were officially identified , leaving victims without protection and resulting in impunity for traffickers. The study identified 69 potential human trafficking cases including sex trafficking and forced labour. The research shows that teenage boys on the move are often the least likely to be identified, but are particularly vulnerable to human trafficking. , leaving victims without protection and resulting in impunity for traffickers. The study identified 69 potential human trafficking cases including The research shows that teenage boys on the move are often the least likely to be identified, but are particularly vulnerable to human trafficking. The study revealed human trafficking and other abuses on the migration routes are almost always related to migrant smuggling , either because people are susceptible to exploitation due to debts owed to smugglers, or because smugglers directly exploit or abuse them. , either because people are susceptible to exploitation due to debts owed to smugglers, or because smugglers directly exploit or abuse them. The research findings also show that refugees' and migrants' experiences are determined by the geography of the migration routes, the duration of their journeys, the obstacles they encounter along the way, and the policies and practices applied by government authorities. According to the author of the study, Dr Claire Healy: "The Strength to Carry Onmarks the first time that we at ICMPD conducted research on resilience to human trafficking. This study gives us an insight into how we can protect people from becoming victims of human trafficking or from being abused while making these dangerous journeys. By building upon people's own sources of resilience, such as psychological strength, access to information, family support and the desire to swiftly enter the labour market, we can not only prevent human trafficking and abuse but also improve these peoples' situations in general." Over 70 government representatives, NGOs, regional and international organisations, and researchers from across Europe discussed the study's findings and recommendations last month at an international conference in Athens, Greece. They used this significant evidence base to talk about the real situations on the ground, about ways of preventing human trafficking and other abuses and how to improve victim identification and protection, as well as strategies to bring traffickers to justice. Opening remarks were given at the conference by the ICMPD Director General, Dr Michael Spindelegger, the Deputy Chief of Mission of the US Embassy in Athens, Ms Kate Byrnes, and the Secretary General for Human Rights at the Greek Ministry of Justice, Transparency, and Human Rights, Ms Maria Giannakaki. The full research study is available to download at: www.icmpd.org/news-centre/news-detail/project-news-new-study-on-resilience-and-vulnerability-to-trafficking-and-other-abuses-among-peopl/ Requests for interviews and additional information can be addressed to the study author: Dr. Claire Healy - claire.healy@icmpd.org For more information, please contact: Anti-trafficking Programme, ICMPD Claire Healy Tel: +43-676-715-7005 Fax: +43-1-504-4677-2375 Claire.Healy@icmpd.org www.icmpd.org ICMPD - Communication and Media Coordinator Bernhard Schragl Tel: +43-1-504-4677-2444 Fax: +43-1-504-4677-2375 media@icmpd.org www.icmpd.org About The International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) The International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) is an international organisation with 17 Member States and about 300 staff members. Active in more than 90 countries worldwide, it takes a regional approach in its work to create efficient cooperation and partnerships along migration routes. Priority regions include Africa, Central and South Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Its three-pillar approach to migration management - structurally linking research, migration dialogues and capacity building - contributes to better migration policy development worldwide. The Vienna-based organisation has a mission in Brussels, a regional office in Malta and project offices in several countries. ICMPD receives funding from its Member States, the European Commission, the UN and other multilateral institutions, as well as bilateral donors. Founded in 1993, ICMPD holds UN observer status and cooperates with more than 200 partners including EU institutions and UN agencies. For more information about ICMPD visit: www.icmpd.org Follow ICMPD online: Facebook Twitter YouTube ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- In September 2011, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly issued a Political Declaration recognizing four major Non-Communicable Diseases/NCDs (cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and chronic respiratory disease) as the greatest killers of adults and children. On December 13, 2017, a new report from WHO and the World bank revealed that approximately half of the world's population, including children, do not have access to essential health services and that 800 million people spend at minimum 10 percent of their household income on health-related care. Sadly, childhood cancer continues to be the leading cause of non-communicable related death in children throughout the world. Globally, more than 300,000 children are diagnosed with cancer each year. Approximately 80 percent of our world's children with cancer live in low- middle-income countries, where more than 80 percent of these children die of their disease, while in developed countries like the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Japan and others, more than 80 percent of children survive cancer with hope to live productive and meaningful lives. Actions to increase childhood cancer survival today, represent effective and tangible steps as part of the broader fight against non-communicable diseases and steps that will catalyze global efforts to transform childhood cancer outcomes and ultimately save many more lives of children, now and for years to come. Under the patronage of H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan - Advisor for the President of the United Arab Emirates - The Chief Patron of His Highness Sheikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan Humanitarian & Scientific Foundation, over 300 international delegates and 92 experts from 26 countries will convene in Abu Dhabi the capital of the United Arab Emirates, between 03rd and 06thApril 2019, to discuss and debate improving and optimizing treatments throughout the world, during the SIOP Asia 2019 congress, under the theme 'No child should die of cancer.' "All children in the world deserve hope for a cure - no matter where they live. Children's vitality is the heartbeat of our world and its future depends on it," said Dr. Eman Taryam, President of SIOP Asia 2019. "The SIOP report 2018 promptly emphasizes that childhood cancer organizations know only too well that the associated cost to treat a child with cancer can be a burden that too many families simply can't overcome. Therefore, we support the need for universal access to essential medicines and healthcare for all children in the world diagnosed with cancer," Dr. Eman said. "Childhood cancers are often curable but too many children and adolescents have no hope to overcome their disease simply because they were born in a country entrenched in poverty resulting in late diagnosis, lack of access to life-saving essential medicines and appropriate treatment," Dr. Eman added. The WHO Global Childhood Cancer Initiative target is to achieve at least 60% survival for all children with cancer by 2030. This represents an approximate doubling of the current cure rate and will save an additional one million children's lives over the next decade. In order for this to happen, the International Society of Paediatric Oncology (SIOP) together with Childhood Cancer International (CCI) agree that making childhood cancer a national and global child health priority is a critical first step towards increasing access to treatment and reducing childhood cancer mortality. All members of Childhood Cancer International and SIOP stand united to make childhood cancer a national and global child health priority to ensure there are adequate resources to meet the basic rights of children with cancer with those basic rights to include: The right to early and proper diagnosis; The right to access life-saving essential medicines; The right to appropriate and quality medical treatments, and; The right to have access to sufficient palliative care; The right to follow up care, services and sustainable livelihood opportunities for survivors. Childhood Cancer International and SIOP are not alone in recognizing the devastating impact of childhood cancer on children and families around the globe. About the International Society of Paediatric Oncology (SIOP) Established in 1969, the International Society of Paediatric Oncology (SIOP), with over 1500 healthcare professional members, is the lead organization concerned with the issues of treating children and young people who have cancer. SIOP is committed to improve childhood cancer care globally through education, supporting and improving clinical and basic research and advocating for childhood cancer on a global level. Both societies share a long and fruitful synergistic cooperation. The society envisions that 'no child should die of cancer.' To realize this vision, SIOP's mission are to: ensure that each child and young adult with cancer has access to state-of-the-art treatment and care; ensure that all involved in childhood cancer worldwide, have access to the latest progress through meetings, networking, and continuing professional development; support those caring for children and young adults with cancer to provide the best curative and palliative therapies; and advocate for appropriate long-term follow-up for children and young adults after treatment for cancer. About Childhood Cancer International (CCI) Childhood Cancer International (CCI), is a global network of 188-member organizations in 96 countries. Childhood Cancer International is committed to advancing cures, transforming care, and instilling hope for all children and adolescents diagnosed with cancer in the world, wherever they may live. Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/846849/Dr_Eman_Al_Shamsy_Taryam.jpg LONDON, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- China introduced its new subsidy policy for electric vehicle sales in 2019 last week. While many in the market were expecting a drop year-on-year of around 40%, the announced scheme is lower than expected, with EV subsidies declining by 50-55% in 2019 on average. In this Insight we explore the subsidies in detail and look at what has changed since last year. We assess how the subsidies would work in practice and consider how battery metals will be affected. This year's Chinese subsidies are more aggressive against low-quality, low-range vehicles which make up the bulk of Chinese EV sales at present. Vehicles will now need to have a range of more than 250km and a minimum energy density of 125Wh/kg to qualify for subsidies, making much of the current market now exempt from subsidies. CRU calculates that China was responsible for 65.2% of global BEV sales in 2018, meaning that changes to Chinese EV subsidy policy has a marked effect on the BEV market as a whole. Current subsidies continue to favour vehicles with large ranges and high-performance batteries, both of which result in larger batteries and more demand for nickel and cobalt. However, this might be balanced out by a slowdown in Chinese EV sales growth, caused by issues with credit and consumer spending as Chinese economy growth continues to slow down in 2019. How have these subsidies changed from last year? The Chinese EV subsidy policy remains complex in 2019. Similar to recent years it calculates the subsidy per vehicle based on a number of factors including vehicle range, battery energy density, battery size (in kWh) and energy consumption in kWh/100km. For PHEVs, this is further complicated by laws around energy efficiency when the vehicle is operating in fully-discharged hybrid mode. Changes to the subsidies from 2018 will vary depending on the specifications of different vehicles - but on average, they have declined by around 50-55%. However, the starkest difference will be felt by purchasers of cheaper, low-end vehicles. China has raised its minimum energy density requirements from 105Wh/kg in 2018 to 125Wh/kg. This makes vehicles made with lower-quality battery chemistries like LMO and NMC 111 exempt from subsidies. China has also raised its minimum range requirement from 150km to 250km, which will cut off a substantial portion of the Chinese domestic market from accessing subsidies. Read the full story: https://www.crugroup.com/knowledge-and-insights/insights/2019/china-ev-subsidies-face-major-decline-in-2019/ Read more about CRU: http://bit.ly/About_CRU About CRU CRU offers unrivalled business intelligence on the global metals, mining and fertilizer industries through market analysis, price assessments, consultancy and events. Since our foundation by Robert Perlman in 1969, we have consistently invested in primary research and robust methodologies, and developed expert teams in key locations worldwide, including in hard-to-reach markets such as China. CRU employs over 280 experts and has more than 11 offices around the world, in Europe, the Americas, China, Asia and Australia - our office in Beijing opened in 2004 and Singapore in 2018. When facing critical business decisions, you can rely on our first-hand knowledge to give you a complete view of a commodity market. And you can engage with our experts directly, for the full picture and a personalised response. CRU - big enough to deliver a high-quality service, small enough to care about all of our customers. Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/846209/CRU_EV.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/648443/CRU_Logo.jpg LONDON, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Atlantis Healthcare, a global leader in delivering unique solutions to improve personal health, announced the appointment of Jonny Duder as Chief Executive Officer, the hiring of Amy Parke as US Country Manager, appointment of Connor Holmes as Australia Country Manager and placement of Nathan O'Donnell as New Zealand Country Manager. Duder's vision is to expand the company's award-winning approach for effective and scalable personalised interventions in healthcare, including innovative offerings in digital health, for pharma/biotech brands, payers and healthcare systems. Parke will lead business growth and development for US-based regional and global programs. Holmes moves into his leadership role after 18 months as Atlantis Australia 's Director of Strategy. O'Donnell recently returned to New Zealand from Atlantis UK where he was responsible for development and delivery of global and European patient solutions. "For more than 20 years, the focus of our business was, and still is, grounded in empowering people to improve their health," said Duder, one of the company's original founders. "We've always been inspired by the uniqueness of individuals, and how their values, challenges, and circumstances impact their health. In fact, we pioneered the use of health psychology to identify and address the role of individual beliefs in health behaviours. That remains core to our DNA as we look to the future." Understanding the Why According to Duder, the business will remain focused on the use of health psychology to understand the "why" behind behaviours, a key point of difference for Atlantis Healthcare worldwide. "Many brands and healthcare systems have sets of data that define a problem, but miss the critical insight about what's driving that problem. Why aren't people talking to or visiting their doctor? Why aren't they taking their medication? Our health psychology experts understand how to identify and address the drivers behind behaviour to create programs that positively impact personal health." The company plans to forge new ground in applying data-driven behavioural science to improve health outcomes, including the use of scalable technologies such as chatbot, voice and artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance behavioural prediction and personalisation, all informed by their vast database of real-world insights and data. "We design interventions for thousands of people every day across a wide range of health-related needs and in different parts of the world. Over decades, we've built an unparalleled library of learnings and use those to inform our work to create relevant, person-centric, scalable programs that help people take control of their health." AH Leadership During his tenure with Atlantis Healthcare, Duder has worked in senior leadership roles to design, launch and manage global, regional and local patient support programs, primarily in Europe and the Southern Hemisphere. Parke brings more than 15 years of diverse experience in healthcare communications, with a focus on patient and HCP strategy and education. Most recently, she was at Ashfield Healthcare Communications where she launched their Global Patient Center of Excellence. Holmes has over 20 years pharmaceutical commercial and marketing experience. Prior to Atlantis, Holmes held various senior commercial roles with Sanofi and AbbVie, including successfully designing and delivering large-scale patient programs. O'Donnell has been with Atlantis for over 8 years leading the design and delivery of a wide range of innovative patient solutions in the UK and EU. "I'm excited to advance our vision to touch more people around the world with solutions that will improve their personal journeys and quality of life," said Duder. About Atlantis Healthcare Atlantis Healthcare leverages the latest health psychology and behavioural science to develop and deliver personalised, cost-effective solutions for healthcare customers and consumers to improve outcomes and experiences. They work with leading pharmaceutical/biotech brands, payers and healthcare institutions on regional and global programs from hubs in US, UK, Germany, Australia and New Zealand. https://atlantishealthcare.com/en-us/ Media Contact: Fran Kelly Fran.kelly@atlantishealthcare.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/369636/Atlantis_Healthcare_Group_Logo.jpg GUANGZHOU, China, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- On April 3, the 2019 Guangzhou Annual Investment Conference, China was held at the Baiyun International Convention Center. The annual meeting focused on the new actions and new responsibilities of Guangzhou in the new era through the plenary session, 22 featured sub-forums, "Guangzhou Night" and Guangzhou Science and Technology Innovation Achievement Exhibition, to continuously release attractiveness of the Greater Bay Area to the world. At the meeting on April 3, King Cheung, Chairman of the Board of Cedar Holdings, delivered a keynote speech on the theme of "Capturing the historical opportunities of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area to promote the high-quality development of the modern supply chain industry", and shared the stories of the growth of Cedar Holdings along with the development of Guangzhou city. He said that as the commerce and trade capital for thousand years, Guangzhou, an "old city" with a strong historical heritage, has turned to become the world's first-tier city and national central city in the new era and shown a strong "new vitality". Today, with the favorable conditions for the bay area construction, Guangzhou has ushered in a historic strategic opportunity to develop and leap forward, and shouldered the glorious mission of building a world-class bay area. Cheung believes that the current global commodity market is showing three major trends. First, the focus of global trade is shifting from commodities to services. The growth of service trade is not only faster than commodity trade, but also creates higher value. Second, the growth rate of the global trade value has slowed down. On the contrary, the proportion of intra-regional trade has increased. It shows that the emerging economies such as China has improved significantly in industrial maturity, with increasingly mature supply chain systems. The intra-region has seen stronger ability in industrial cooperation, resource allocation, and self-production and sales. Third, the status of the modern supply chain in the global trading system is becoming more and more important. Looking at these trends, Cheung came to a conclusion, "If manufacturing is the backbone of national strength, then modern supply chain is the cornerstone and blood of manufacturing, an important indicator of national competitiveness, and the key for competition among the world-class bay areas. Observing the rise of the three major Bay Areas of New York, San Francisco and Tokyo, we can find a common feature that the supply chain industry has played a vital role in industrial synergy and vertical integration in the Bay Area, successfully boosting the economic takeoff of the bay areas. Cheung said that at present, the best region for China to develop a modern supply chain industry is in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, just in Guangzhou. On the one hand, the Greater Bay Area, especially Guangzhou, has the most unique soil for industrial development. "The Greater Bay Area has gathered 80 percent of China's supply chain enterprises and boasted more than 300 unique industrial clusters, with the developed logistics and transportation systems, and the great potential for economic development and consumption. It provides an excellent industrial foundation and vast hinterland for development of the supply chain industry. Specifically, Guangzhou has the incomparably comprehensive resources such as education, culture, health care, clothing, food, shelter and transportation in the Greater Bay Area and even the whole country. It is the most attractive central city with the strongest comprehensive strength in the Greater Bay Area. Guangzhou has comprehensively strengthened the urban planning as an international commercial center and comprehensive transportation hub, which is precisely aligned with the policy environment required for the development of the supply chain industry." On the other hand, the high-quality development of the modern supply chain industry will become the core driving factor for the Greater Bay Area to realize "curve overtaking" in the competition among the world-class bay areas. "Currently, the Greater Bay Area is in an important period of accelerated transformation and upgrading of traditional industries and accelerated innovation and development of emerging industries. Issues in the Greater Bay Area such as factor circulation, industrial synergy and social division of labor in major cities need to be resolved. It is worth noting that the modern supply chain will make a difference here. Its basic industrial service capabilities can effectively promote the distribution of core resources and accurate matching of supply and demand in urban agglomerations and industrial clusters, further accelerate industrial integration, promote integrated innovation, and enhance the overall efficiency of the industrial chain, which can help the Greater Bay Area cultivate a modern industrial system with international competitiveness and consolidate the cornerstone for the industry take-off," Cheung said. How to view that China has lifted the modern supply chain to an unprecedented national strategic height as a new growth point and new driving force? "In our view, developing the modern supply chain in Guangzhou and the Greater Bay Area not only enjoys a vast market space, but also reflects the responsibility and mission of the enterprises to serve the national strategy. At present, under the development idea of taking root in Guangzhou and expanding across the world, Cedar Holdings has established branches in more than 10 major commodity countries and regions such as Switzerland, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Australia, etc., and is actively building a global supply chain," said Cheung, adding that Cedar Holdings has determined to build the world's top comprehensive conglomerate in Guangzhou, to become China's answer to Glencore and the cornerstone and blood of serving the "Made in China". Cheung thinks that under the dual historical opportunities of China's reform and opening-up and the Greater Bay Area construction, Guangzhou has entered a golden period of strategic opportunity. It is the best time for Guangzhou, and also the best time for investment, endeavor and taking root in uangzhou. "We believe that the big era gives birth to Great Guangzhou, and the Great Guangzhou breeds the big enterprises. Guangzhou has created Cedar Holdings, the Fortune Global 500, and will surely create more Fortune Global 500 companies in the future." On the same day, as an important part of the annual conference, the "Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Modern Supply Chain Development Forum" hosted by Cedar Holdings attracted more than 300 participants from the supply chain industries at home and abroad. Experts and scholars from institutions such as Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, China Minmetals, Ouyeel.com, OneConnect Financial Technology jointly discussed the opportunities for the development of modern supply chain industry. Participants said that the Greater Bay Area, especially Guangzhou, is the best region for China to develop the modern supply chain industry, with an extremely broad market space. The high-quality development of the modern supply chain industry will also help promote the Greater Bay Area into a world-class Bay Area and a world-class city cluster. Fan Jiayu, Chairman of Cedar Holdings, said at the forum that at present, Cedar Holdings has opened up the entire industrial chain of the commodity supply chain and achieved full coverage of non-ferrous metals, ferrous metals, chemicals, energy and other commodities, which enables it to provide all-round services covering all aspects of the supply chain to the customers, after one-time customer connection. At the same time, Cedar Holdings has improved the overall efficiency of the industry chain by providing accurate and efficient supply chain financial services to reduce costs and increase efficiency for customers. Company is developing a novel transcatheter valve replacement technology for mitral and tricuspid applications CAMPBELL, California, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Tioga Medical, a newly formed Shifamed portfolio company, announced today the closing of its Series A preferred stock financing, raising a total of $15M. Tioga Medical was founded to provide physicians and patients with an elegant transcatheter valve replacement experience that is procedurally simpler and less invasive than current mitral or tricuspid approaches, many of which require transapical access, intricate device sizing regimens, and/or excessive bulk in the ventricles. The financing was led by The Capital Partnership (TCP), with significant participation from Cormorant Healthcare Fund, AMED Ventures, and Shangbay Capital. The funds will be used to advance Tioga Medical's pre-clinical and clinical development programs. "We are extremely pleased to close this round of financing with such strong support from our investors," stated Mike Dineen, President and CEO of Tioga Medical. "This round allows us to build out a world class team and dramatically accelerate the progress of our novel mitral valve and delivery system before we leverage the technology for the tricuspid application." Mitral valve disease is the company's initial focus and is the largest structural heart valve problem, roughly four times more common than aortic stenosis. Current surgical approaches are invasive and not widely utilized, leaving many patients with mitral valve disease undertreated. Similar to the recent adoption for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), there is a significant clinical need for less invasive, transcatheter approaches for mitral valve replacement. "The proprietary Tioga technology represents a truly innovative solution to a difficult clinical problem in the structural heart space," stated Casey Gordon, Head of Private Investments at TCP. "TCP is excited to partner with a team with a strong track record of innovative medtech solutions. We believe this combination positions Tioga as an important, up-and-coming player in the mitral and tricuspid valve markets." About Tioga Medical, Inc. Tioga Medical, a privately held portfolio company of Shifamed LLC, is focused on providing elegant valve replacement solutions for mitral and tricuspid applications that are procedurally simpler and use a less invasive, transcatheter approach. About Shifamed, LLC. Founded by serial entrepreneur Amr Salahieh, Shifamed LLC is a highly-specialized medical innovation hub focused on developing advanced solutions that accelerate time to market, reduce risk, increase impact, and forge a path toward a world where patients are able to lead longer, healthier lives. To learn more about Shifamed, please visit www.shifamed.com. MEDIA CONTACT: Katie Arnold SPRIG Consulting LLC +1 (408) 805-0520 katie@sprigconsulting.com - Pharma company visits African nation as part of UAE delegation - 'Healthcare system in critical state' says company's Director - Africa Region - Meetings held with Country's president and local companies - Visit in wake of Cyclone Idai devastation RAS AL KHAIMAH, UAE, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Julphar, one of the largest pharmaceutical manufacturers in the Middle East and Africa, has pledged its support to the Zimbabwean government to help boost the country's healthcare sector, days after a devastating tropical storm battered the country. The announcement was made during a visit by the UAE pharmaceutical company to the African nation as part of a UAE delegation last month. Accompanied by representatives from Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA), the delegation toured Harare and met with Zimbabwe president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, as well as the country's Health and Childcare Minister, Obadiah Moyo. Meetings were also held with representatives from local pharmaceutical companies NatPharm and CAPs during which Julphar made a commitment to support the local pharmaceutical market and offered to supply medicines and support local production. The trip took place just a week after Cyclone Idai made landfall in southern Africa - one of the most devastating storms to hit the continent in decades. Zimbabwe's health delivery system has faced challenges in the past two decades, largely due to an economic crisis, and the country is in need of critical health services and medicines. Dr Jacques Safarian, Julphar's Director - Africa Region, said the company hoped to leverage its already strong presence in Africa by forging new relationships that added value and helped provide affordable healthcare solutions to families across Zimbabwe. "Zimbabwe's healthcare system in a critical state and is in need of urgent support, especially with the supply of medicines," said Dr Safarian. "As one of the largest pharmaceutical manufacturers in the region, we are already very active in Africa and we are well positioned to support the Zimbabwean government by providing access to lifesaving medicines at affordable prices. We see numerous opportunities in distribution and local production and hope to finalize agreements with NatPharm for importation and CAPs for local production very soon," he added. About Julphar Julphar is one of the largest pharmaceutical manufacturers in the Middle East and Africa and for almost four decades, the company has been delivering high quality, innovative and affordable healthcare solutions to families across the globe. Established under the guidance of His Highness Sheikh Saqr Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi in 1980, Julphar employs more than 5,000 people and distributes pharmaceutical products to 50 countries on five continents. Julphar's business is centered on three core business units - Julphar Diabetes Solutions, General Medicines and its consumer division, Julphar Life - which target major therapeutic segments including Gastrology, Pain Management, Wound Care, Antibiotics and Cardio-metabolism. Julphar has 16 internationally accredited facilities in Africa, Middle East and Asia that produce more than a million boxes of medicine a day. In 2012, Julphar became one of the largest producers of insulin in the world. For more information, visit http://www.julphar.net For media enquiries, please contact: Chris Goward Julphar Corporate Communications T +971-7-246-1461 | M +971-58-263-3997 Email: chris.goward@julphar.net LISBON, Portugal, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- EDX Biomed (EDX) and Preze Unipessoal Lda (Preze) have announced a definitive partnership agreement to form PrezEDX. The group plans to fund a new 10-hectare facility capable of producing over 100 tonnes of GMP compliant medical cannabis annually. Preze was the first Portuguese-based medical cannabis company with a licence to import, cultivate and export cannabis products. Limited licences have been allocated by INFARMED, the Portuguese pharmaceutical regulator, since medical cannabis was ratified by President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa in July 2018. PrezEDX has already established an extensive European distribution network with agreements to supply over 40,000 pharmacies across Germany and the UK. With domestic regulation pending, PrezEDX will be applying for a distribution licence in Portugal and will soon announce a partnership with an established local pharmaceutical distributor. The proposed 10-hectare licensed greenhouse facility aims to provide the lowest cost per gram for cannabis production in Europe while achieving the highest standards of Pharmaceutical manufacturing through EU-GMP certification. Construction of the new facility will be conducted in three phases, with the first phase expected to be completed before the end of Q3 2019. Upon completion, the first phase of the facility is expected to have a production capacity of approximately 10 tonnes per annum, growing to 100 tonnes per annum upon completion of the third phase and the necessary expansion licensing in Q2 2021. The facility will service the growing demand of the European market, initially focusing on the supply of pharmaceutical grade cannabis to German, British and Portuguese patients. Led by highly-qualified health, pharmaceutical, biotech and wellness executives, the international team behind PrezEDX has extensive experience in building successful businesses across multiple sectors. "Portugal is one of the most sought-after medical cannabis markets in Europe for cultivation purposes, offering 3000+ hours of sunshine per annum, favourable land and labour and an increasingly supportive government body," said Henrique Sardinha, Chief Executive Officer. Commenting on the deal, he explained: "The merger allows us to utilise a great pool of resources, expertise and talent to push forward the Portuguese medical cannabis industry whilst producing high-quality pharmaceutical-grade cannabis at a larger scale. The move ultimately means that we can provide European patients with affordable, accessible and safe medical cannabis products." About Us Preze was the first 100% Portuguese company licensed to cultivate cannabis in Portugal. PrezEDX formed after Preze and EDX Biomed merged in March 2019, combining leading expertise and resources across the pharmaceutical and medical cannabis industries. Our aim is to provide high-quality, low-cost medical cannabis products in Portugal and across Europe. We are a team of experienced pharmaceutical, horticultural and biotechnology executives who will supply safe, reliable and GMP-certified cannabis to pharmacies across the continent, ensuring patients have access to the medicine they need. PrezEDX will be one of the first companies in Europe to cultivate and export medical cannabis across Europe. PrezEDX has also established an R&D project with one of the leading universities in Portugal. LONDON, UK / ACCESSWIRE / April 4, 2019 / LinkReservations Inc. (OTC PINK: LRSV): LRSV provides cannabidiol (CBD) products for dogs, cats, and horses CBD is known for helping treat a host of medical problems including anxiety and inflammation Pet owners spent an estimated $72.13bn in 2018, with vet care and supplies/OTC medicine making up 46.8 percent of that expenditure Ever thought of giving pot to your dog? Well, that is how LinkResPet, the brand under UK-based company LinkReservations Inc (OTC PINK: LRSV), wants to make your ailing pets feel better: through specialized cannabidiol (CBD) products tailored for animals. CBD, the non-psychoactive component of cannabis, is most commonly used to help treat a host of medical problems and it is making headway into the pet care industry. The global pet care market has grown exponentially in the past few years. Which is unsurprising given how pets are now like children, and in some cases, they are actually replacing them. A 2016 Mintel study showed how millennials are more likely to have a pet than to have a car, a house, and even a child. In fact, pets are very popular in the US; not only do 68 percent of American households (about 84.6 million homes) own a pet, but they also spent an estimated $72.13 billion on them in 2018. With a flourishing market, it is no surprise that people are starting to treat their pet's health as they do theirs. Mirroring the growing trend of natural and alternative therapies in humans, the pet care industry has taken the same holistic approach on board. It is now easy to find pet owners treating their furry friends with homeopathy, acupuncture, and most recently CBD. In fact, since passing the 2018 US farm bill legalizing hemp, there has been a huge CBD boom in human products. This is now being replicated in the pet care industry, fuelling conversation and usage among pet owners. LinkResPet CBD products are specially tailored for cats, dogs, and horses and are designed to treat their health issues and promote homeostasis. CBD, unlike tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), is non-lethal to animals and can help treat a variety of aches and conditions including arthritis, hip, and joint mobility, stress and anxiety, convulsions, nausea, allergies, and swelling. This is due to its anti-inflammatory, anticonvulsant and antiemetic properties that help boost the animal's immune system, reduce pain and anxiety as well as lower both severity and frequency of epileptic attacks. Most importantly, CBD provides a natural alternative to strong medicines with various long-lasting side effects which can put animals in more even discomfort. "Our mission is to provide the best quality CBD solutions for pets, targeted at treating dogs, cats, and horses. We are always on the look for the best way to treat animals and have found that the holistic approach, beyond becoming increasingly popular amongst pet owners, provides a side-effect free solution to their problems and concerns. We are at the forefront of reimagining the way we treat our pets, targeting their health issues in a positive and natural way", explained Rene Lauritsen, CEO at Linkreservations Inc. LRSV launched their newest LinkResPet product last week, a CBD solution for horses. The new line targets issues such as arthritis and anxiety and is designed to deliver efficacious dosages for the large animals they - most CBD pet products are made with small animals in mind. The LinkResPet Horse product is expected to be available for sale in the next few weeks. To learn more about LinkResPet please visit: www.linkrespet.com. CONTACT: LinkReservations Inc. 400 Thames Valley Park Drive Reading Berkshire RG6 1 PT United Kingdom Phone: UK: +44 330 808 0897 SOURCE: Linkreservations Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/540961/LinkReservations-Inc-LRSV-Aids-Ailing-Pets-with-Advanced-CBD-Products Niagara Falls, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 4, 2019) - EnerDynamic Hybrid Technologies Corp. (TSXV: EHT) ("EHT") is pleased to announce that they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding ("MOU") with Growratio Inc. ("Growratio") based in Toronto. Growratio is a provider of intelligent software and hardware for precision indoor agriculture, including advanced control systems, rich sensor networks, energy efficient lighting, and operational support tools powered by a highly scalable and robust cloud platform. The MOU between EHT and Growratio states that over the next 10 days they will work to form a joint company that will utilize EHT's Enertec Wall Panels, Lightweight Solar and off grid technology in an Agricultural Grow Unit with Growratio's superior cultivation technologies. "Growratio's vision is to utilize advanced technology to help vertically integrated cultivators achieve more with less," says Paolo Pincente, CEO of Growratio Inc. "It's no secret that sprawling controlled environment agriculture operations use massive amounts of energy both in Canada and abroad. Given the recent news that Canada's climate is warming at twice the global rate, integrating renewables not only makes good business sense by reducing costs, but is critical to our future." John Gamble, CEO of EHT, commented "The combination of our two technologies into one unit is truly unique in the marketplace, the possibilities for cultivators are endless." About EnerDynamic Hybrid Technologies EHT delivers proprietary, turn-key energy solutions which are intelligent, bankable and sustainable. EHT's expertise includes the development of its ENERTEC module structures with full integration of smart energy solutions. Using a proprietary skin and foam core that is stronger than traditional wood or steel structural insulated panels, EHT provides exceptional thermal energy efficiency in modular homes, cold storage facilities, residential/commercial out buildings and emergency/temporary shelters. EHT works with its partners worldwide to erect the buildings on-site utilizing EHT staff and local crews. In addition to traditional support to established electrical networks, ENERTEC buildings excel where no electrical grid exists. About ENERTEC The EHT advanced ENERTEC Modular Wall and Roof System uses a proprietary skin and foam core that is stronger and more energy efficient than traditional wood or steel structures providing the highest ratings for energy efficiency. EHT works with its partners worldwide to erect the buildings on-site utilizing EHT staff and local crews. After installation, each structure can be furnished and finished to meet the customer's requirements including siding, tile, kitchens and bathrooms or segregated commercial rooms. The finished wall product can be shipped on pallets and delivered via rail, truck or water in standard formats. At the core of the ENERTEC product line is the ENERTEC Embedded Solar Roof Module. Solar cells can be embedded in a proprietary fire proof skin resulting in substantial cost savings by eliminating heavy glass panels and aluminum racking required for traditional solar panels. Two barriers to greater adoption of solar energy are weight limitations of the roof on which solar panels could be deployed and onerous shipping and labour costs. A lighter product at a better price point will open a larger market for solar due to the faster return of capital investment especially for rural and remote users looking to go off-grid. Furthermore, the entire EHT embedded solar roof becomes a massive solar panel capable of producing significantly more energy than the home requires, allowing the structure to then become an important source of power for the local micro grid or large battery storage systems. About Growratio Inc. Growratio develops technology-focused solutions for vertically integrated cultivation operations, utilizing patented hardware and software, proprietary processes, and innovative business models to deliver significant advancements in controlled environment agriculture. Growratio is situated in the heart of the MaRS Discovery District in downtown Toronto, where it operates the first laboratory in the MaRS complex authorized by Health Canada to perform activities with Cannabis. 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. The statements herein that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information relating to sales of the products (the "Opportunities") involves risk, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects, for the Opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Although EHT believes that the assumptions used in preparing the forward-looking information on the Opportunities outlined 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. EHT disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by applicable securities laws. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: John Gamble Director (289) 488-1699 jgamble@ehthybrid.com info@ehthybrid.com Website: www.ehthybrid.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/43878 Mohammed said he had served as a Cook County prosecutor from November 2014 until last month, when he left to start his own practice. He initially did not pay much attention to Smollett's charges, but comments on social media after last week's abrupt dismissal caught his eye, he said, so he began to dig into the facts of the hot-button case. Testing Confirms the Small Size of CBD Delivery Nanoparticles Allows for Higher Bioavailability and Higher Absorption Rates in LALPINA CBD PLAYA VISTA, CA / ACCESSWIRE / April 4, 2019 / American Premium Water Corporation (OTC PINK: HIPH) ('APWC') announces that the initial testing of its proprietary hydro- nano formulation used in LALPINA CBD reveals their nanotechnology synthesis reduces the size of the majority of the CBD molecules encapsulated in the water to one nanometer or less in diameter. To provide context, a strand of human DNA is two nanometers wide. A full copy of the report has been posted on the Company's disclosure section on OTC Market (https://www.otcmarkets.com/stock/HIPH/disclosure) The analysis was performed by Applied Nanosolutions LLC in Carpinteria, CA. CEO American Premium Water Corporation, Ryan Fishoff commented, 'I am happy to announce the results of the preliminary testing of the Company's hydro nanoformulations. The technology is powerful that reduces the size of the delivery particles transporting the CBD molecules to allow for greater bioavailability leading to higher absorption rates into the body. We had always been confident in the effectiveness of the formulation but now the Company has experimental scientific data to validate. The Company has been focusing on creating products using cutting edge technology; while continuing to develop these technologies we are going to be creating marketing campaigns that will educate consumers about the advantages of technology. Science will become synonymous with our brands. This is a very exciting time for the Company as we continue to focus on increasing distribution; this technology will further distinguish the Company's product and brand from the competition.' The technical analysis, performed by Applied Nanosolutions (http://www.nanosolu.com/) was done using an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). The equipment utilized was similar to the AFM the Company acquired earlier this year to conduct their own testing to ensure that hydro nanoformulations can be produced to scale with the same level of precision. From the test results, 80% of particles tested had an average diameter of one nanometer with a standard deviation of under one nanometer. 'These results validate the Company's commitment to science with the investment in the technology required to continue these advancements and the production of a first-rate product. Most commercially available CBD products do not employ a nanotechnology designed delivery system, resulting in over 80% of CBD on those products not being absorbed by the body, instead of being flushed out. The Company's unique delivery nanoparticles in its hydro-nano technology maximize adsorption because of their unique size that makes the CBD highly available for adsorption. This formulation is not limited to LALPINA CBD or the potential to be utilized in other beverages; (water, coffee, tea, juice, etc.) it can be applied to cosmetics and topicals, and the Company is currently working on ways to utilize it for other applications, including in our recent acquisition of plant + body and in the Canyon Create portfolio of products. We will also begin to utilize the formulation in the production of a THC version for sale in California later this year. I look forward to updating shareholders and investors as we make progress on both these fronts.' concluded Mr. Fishoff. LALPINA CBD's new website (www.lalpinahydrocbd.com) is now live and taking product orders. About American Premium Water Corp. American Premium Water (OTC Pink: HIPH) is a diversified luxury consumer products company focused on businesses in the health and beauty and biotech sectors. The company is focused on harnessing the powers of hydrogen and Nanotechnologies paired with cannabidiol (CBD) to treat health disorders and enhance the quality of life. This business model aims to market emerging fashion brands by leveraging classic retail partners and incorporating disruptive blockchain technologies to expand the retail footprint. The company's portfolio includes the LALPINA Hydro and LALPINA Hydro CBD brands (www.LalpinaInc.com), Vanexxe (www.vanexxe.com) LALPINA Productions, LALPINA Records, Gents (www.gentsco.com), Worthy, and blockchain platform FashionCoinX (www.FashionCoinX.com). Safe Harbor Notice Certain statements contained herein are 'forward-looking statements' (as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). American Premium Water Corporation cautions that statements made in this news release constitute forward-looking statements and makes no guarantee of future performance. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and opinions of management at the time statements are made. These statements may address issues that involve significant risks, uncertainties, estimates, and assumptions made by management. Actual results could differ materially from current projections or implied results. American Premium Water Corporation undertakes no obligation to revise these statements following the date of this news release. Additional details of the Company's business can be found in its public disclosures as a reporting issuer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission's ("SEC") EDGAR database. This press release is issued on behalf of the Board of Directors of American Premium Water Corporation. Contact Information: Media Contact Email: info@americanpremiumwater.com +1(888) 983-0054 SOURCE: American Premium Water Corp. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/540983/American-Premium-Water-Corp-OTC-HIPH-Announces-Scientific-Testing-Reveals-CBD-Delivery-of-Companys-Hydro-Nano-Formulation-Nanoparticles-Smaller-Than-1-Nanometer Atos and Google Cloud inaugurate unique artificial intelligence lab in France Paris,April 4, 2019 - Atos, global leader in digital transformation, and Google Cloud today inaugurated a joint artificial intelligence (AI) laboratory in the presence of Bruno Le Maire, French Minister of Economy and Finance. Set up as part of the global partnership between Atos and Google Cloud, this laboratory, which is unique in France, enables clients, businesses and public organizations to identify practical cases, for which AI could provide innovative and effective solutions. Through this laboratory, Atos is helping AI solutions to be adopted in Europe. In its cloud and hybrid cloud datacenters it ensures the security of both the data and the processing of it, as well as compliance with the European regulation on the protection of personal data. A real space for teaching and experimentation, the laboratory welcomes French and European clients to define concrete use cases where AI algorithms can provide high-performance solutions, via co-creation and solution prototyping workshops. Bruno Le Maire, French Minister of Economy and Finance, Thierry Breton, Chairman and CEO of Atos, Arnaud Bazin, Senator of Val d'Oise, Benjamin Chkroun, Regional Councillor of d'Ile-de-France, Jean-Yves Latournerie, Prefect of Ile de France Thierry Breton, Chairman and CEO of Atos, said: "In order for France to continue to play a key role in the information space, it has to invest heavily in artificial intelligence and new technologies. Beyond economic development, being able to offer technological excellence while protecting European data is a matter of sovereignty. With this joint laboratory between Atos and Google Cloud, we are enabling the adoption of artificial intelligence by our clients by offering them the best technologies and the highest level of security for their data processing, all within a clearly defined European regulatory framework. As such, Atos combines economic and technological development with sovereignty, compliance and security and helps to design a secure and valued European information space." Eric Haddad, France's Managing Director of Google Cloud: "Our technologies enable our partners and their customers get the best value out of their data securely. This laboratory is a concrete example of the close collaboration between the Atos and Google Cloud teams, as well as our commitment to help French and European businesses define new business models based on artificial intelligence". In April 2018, Atos entered into a unique global partnership with Google Cloud to accelerate the creation of secure hybrid cloud solutions, data analysis and machine learning, as well as the connected work environment. The partnership includes the opening of three AI laboratories around the world - in London, Dallas and the Paris region. *** About Atos Atos is a global leader in digital transformation with 120,000 employees in 73 countries and annual revenue of over 12 billion. European number one in Cloud, Cybersecurity and High-Performance Computing, the Group provides end-to-end Orchestrated Hybrid Cloud, Big Data, Business Applications and Digital Workplace solutions through its Digital Transformation Factory, as well as transactional services through Worldline, the European leader in the payment industry. With its cutting-edge technologies and industry knowledge, Atos supports the digital transformation of its clients across all business sectors. The Group is the Worldwide Information Technology Partner for the Olympic & Paralympic Games and operates under the brands Atos, Atos Syntel, Unify and Worldline. Atos is listed on the CAC40 Paris stock index. Press contact: Sylvie Raybaud - sylvie.raybaud@atos.net - +33 6 95 91 96 71 - @Sylvie_Raybaud Attachment 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. MONTREAL, April 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LGC Capital Ltd. (TSXV: LG, OTCQB: LGGCF) ("LGC") is pleased to announce that is has been advised that Global Canna Labs has now received their formal approvals late in March from the Jamaican Cannabis Licensing Agency (CLA) to commence commercial medical cannabis sales domestically to licensed dispensaries. As of today, Global Canna Labs has now sold a total of 46.5 kilograms of dried medical cannabis products in to the local dispensaries. It is now receiving regular domestic sales inquiries and demand for Global Canna Labs' products is expected to accelerate from here. LGC also advises that Global Canna Labs has now planted out the majority of its 6.2 acre site in Montego Bay and expects to commence harvesting, under CLA supervision, two sectional harvests per months from various phases of crop growth and various Cannabis strains, with the first of these bi-monthly harvests scheduled for April 10. Global Canna Labs is one of the very few Tier-3 licences in Jamaica for the cultivation and production of medical cannabis (licensed to cultivate and produce over 5 acres), after formally receiving its full approval for a Tier-3 cultivation license from the Jamaican Cannabis Licensing Agency ("CLA") in July 2018. This license allows GCL to cultivate medical cannabis at its 6.23 acres site in Montego Bay in Jamaica. GCL is planning on opening 2 Dispensaries and an Extraction facility in the very near future. Mazen Haddad, Co-Chairman and CEO of LGC Capital, stated: "This is a tremendous achievement for the team in Jamaica. We have seen many achievements within Global Canna Labs since LGC became a cornerstone funder of this exciting company. We see them continuing to expand and grow at their facility in Montego Bay, as the market demand grows. Senior LGC management recently toured the Montego Bay facility to witness operations almost at full planting capacity and witnessed the results of the first harvests. There is still scope to infill sections of the 6.2 acre site before looking to expand beyond the existing secured growing areas. We see Jamaica as a very key growth market in the area and can see considerable expansion opportunities for Global Canna Labs as a Jamaican leader in their field, as the domestic and internal markets for Jamaica's special brand of organic sativa strains and find their place in the market." LGC has a secured debenture, convertible into a 30% strategic interest in Global Canna Labs and a 5% royalty on Global Canna Labs' net sales. About LGC Capital: Through its partners and assuming pending transactions under review by the TSXV are approved, LGC presently will have interests in over 450,000 square feet of planted cannabis in Jamaica, Switzerland, Italy, and Australia. That is expected to increase to over 2,100,000 square feet by 2021, as its portfolio companies execute their expansion plans, in addition to the anticipated licensing of Tricho-Med's operations in Quebec, Canada. LGC partners currently sell cannabis products in over 1,000 points of sale across Switzerland and Italy under the ONE Premium Cannabis and EasyJoint brands as well as medical cannabis oils in Australia under the Little Green Pharma brand. LGC's partners' branded products are available in a variety of formats including dry cannabis flower, tinctures, oils, seeds, and beverages. For further information please contact: John McMullen, President LGC Capital Ltd, +1-416-803-0698, john@lgc-capital.com Investor Relations, Dave Burwell, +1-403-221-0915, dave@howardgroupinc.com Notice Regarding Forward Looking Statements This press release may contain forward-looking statements with respect to LGC Capital Ltd. ("LGC") and their respective operations, strategy, investments, financial performance and condition. These statements can generally be identified by use of forward- looking words such as "may", "will", "expect", "estimate", "anticipate", "intends", "believe" or "continue" or the negative thereof or similar variations. The actual results and performance of LGC and Global Canna Labs ("GCL") could differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Such statements are qualified in their entirety by the inherent risks and uncertainties surrounding future expectations. Some important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations include, among other things, general economic and market factors, competition, government regulation and the factors described under "Risk Factors and Risk Management" in LGC's Management's Discussion and Analysis for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2018, as filed on SEDAR (www.sedar.com). The cautionary statements qualify all forward-looking statements attributable to LGC and persons acting on its behalf. Unless otherwise stated, all forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release and neither LGC nor GCL has any obligation to update such statements, except to the extent required by applicable securities laws. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Caution Regarding Press Releases Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Photos accompanying this announcement are available at: http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5646c79f-02c0-4883-a31f-b35c1d999815 http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/18ea8e15-e0d7-4070-b91c-5a362f94aec4 New York, New York and Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 4, 2019) - NexTech AR Solutions (OTCQB: NEXCF) (CSE: NTAR) (FSE: N29) (the "Company" or "NexTech") is pleased to announce that it has entered into agreement with Block Scientific, a leading clinical laboratory equipment company, to provide 3D product models through its AR eCommerce platform. NexTech is currently completing 2D to 3D conversion of Block Scientific's initial three laboratory products which include Medica Corporation's EasyRA, a fully automated clinical chemistry analyzer; Thermo Scientific Indiko Plus Clinical and Specialty Chemistry System; and Siemens Dimension EXL 200, an integrated clinical chemistry and immunoassay analyzer. Following the conversion, customers will be able to view these three products in full 3D on the Block Scientific website, with 360-degree rotation, and to "place" the products in their facility to understand size and fit before purchase. "Virtual and augmented reality are set to disrupt the medical products industry in a host of ways, including education, surgical visualizations, and 3D product visualizations. NexTech is very excited to be a part of the transformation happening in the healthcare industry by bringing our web-enabled AR 'Place It' technology into the medical products segment of healthcare with an industry leader like Block Scientific," said Evan Gappelberg, CEO of NexTech. "Medical lab equipment is expensive, big, and bulky so to be able to have an AR-3D digital twin for our medical sales reps to bring into doctor's offices or for trade shows is a big benefit for companies like ours," said Jeremy Lindner, President of Block Scientific. "We're also excited to show our lab equipment in AR-3D on our website for new and existing customers to preview." For almost 40 years Block Scientific has been offering a comprehensive array of analyzers, LC-MS solvents, and reagents made by the leading manufacturers of clinical laboratory equipment in the world including; Abbott Diagnostics, Beckman Coulter, Siemens Healthineers, Thermo Scientific and others. Block's clients include Agilent Technologies, Bristol-Myers-Squibb, GlaxoSmithKline, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Johnson & Johnson and many others. Gartner reports 100 million consumers will shop in augmented reality online and in-store by 2020. NexTech is building out its AR and AI eCommerce offerings, which include using AI to create a guided and knowledgeable curator that can be programed to be used for eCommerce or for education in the medical device market. About NexTech AR Solutions Corp. NexTech is bringing a next generation web enabled augmented reality (AR) platform with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and analytics to the Cannabis industry, eCommerce, education, training, healthcare and video conferencing. Having integrated with Shopify, Magento and Wordpress its technology offers eCommerce sites a universal 3D shopping solution. With just a few lines of embed code, the company's patent-pending platform offers the most technologically advanced 3D-AR, AI technology anywhere. Online retailers can subscribe to NexTech's state of the art, 3D-AR/AI solution for $79/mo. The company has created the AR industry's first end-to-end affordable, intelligent, frictionless, scalable platform. To learn more, please follow us on Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook, or visit our website: https://www.nextechar.com. On behalf of the Board of NexTech AR Solutions Corp. "Evan Gappelberg" CEO and Director For further information, please contact: Evan Gappelberg Chief Executive Officer info@nextechar.com Media contact: Erin Hadden FischTank Marketing and PR ehadden@fischtankpr.com The CSE has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Certain information contained herein may constitute "forward-looking information" under Canadian securities legislation. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as, "will be", "looking forward" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "will" occur. Forward-looking statements regarding the Company increasing investors awareness are based on the Company's estimates and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements of NexTech to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, including capital expenditures and other costs. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. NexTech will not update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that are incorporated by reference herein, except as required by applicable securities laws. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/43869 - Those with no previous experience of colonoscopy were considerably more nervous about the procedure than those who had already undergone colonoscopy (74% vs 49%) - Current lack of public understanding around colonoscopy may be negatively impacting on number of eligible people attending their colonoscopy appointment - Less than half (45%) of those who had not had the procedure knew that a colonoscopy could prevent colorectal cancer AMSTERDAM, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- NORGINE B.V. (Norgine) today published the findings of a public survey at the European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) Days in Prague as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first colonoscopy. [1],[2],[3] This important study highlights the need to increase public understanding of the important role of colonoscopy in the prevention and diagnosis of gastrointestinal diseases including colorectal cancer. The survey was conducted across five major European countries and included both people who had undergone a colonoscopy and those who have no previous experience with the procedure. To view the Multimedia News Release, please click: https://www.multivu.com/players/uk/8523451-norgine-new-study-role-of-colonoscopy/ The study findings highlighted the misconceptions and strong negative associations about colonoscopy amongst those who have had no previous experience with the procedure. Those with no previous experience of colonoscopy were considerably more nervous about the procedure than those who had already undergone colonoscopy (74% vs 49%). This may be one of the reasons why many eligible people do not attend their colonoscopy appointments each year [4] - a vital procedure for the prevention and diagnosis of gastrointestinal diseases, including colorectal cancer. The target population for colorectal cancer screening in the EU is close to 69,000,000, but only 14% of the target population is currently being screened.[4] This study has highlighted the benefit of public education to increase understanding of the importance of the colonoscopy procedure, and particularly its important role in preventing colorectal cancer. Less than half (45%) of those who had not had the procedure knew that a colonoscopy could prevent colorectal cancer. Other findings suggested the need to improve patient experience of the procedure, including bowel preparation and the provision of relevant information. This may provide an opportunity for healthcare professionals to further support their patients. "This survey highlights the lack of information about colonoscopy in public domain. Clinicians need to provide easily accessible and clear information about colonoscopy to improve the uptake of bowel cancer screening program in our fight against colorectal cancer," said Professor Pradeep Bhandari, Consultant Gastroenterologist, QA Hospital, Portsmouth. In the 50 years since the first colonoscopy, the procedure has become a crucial tool in the prevention and detection of gastrointestinal disorders, including colorectal cancer. Despite significant advances, however, the variation in uptake across Europe continues to prevent the potential of colonoscopy being fully realised for patients and health systems. The survey asked 500 and 2500 people with and without colonoscopy experience across five main EU countries (UK, Germany, France, Spain and Italy) about their experience and understanding of colonoscopy.[1],[2],[3] www.norgine.com Follow us @norgine Notes to Editors: Key findings of the survey include: [1],[2],[3] - Addressing the impact of the public's negative associations to colonoscopy: Those who had previously undergone a colonoscopy tend to be less negative towards the procedure than those with no personal experience. More specifically: More specifically: They would be less nervous to have a colonoscopy (49% vs. 74%) to have a colonoscopy (49% vs. 74%) They would be less embarrassed (43% vs. 59%) (43% vs. 59%) Fewer think having a colonoscopy is painful (25% vs. 40%) (25% vs. 40%) Fewer would be worried about a colonoscopy being painful (37% vs. 59%) about a colonoscopy being painful (37% vs. 59%) People who had a colonoscopy were often positively surprised about the experience with the majority (59%) felt it was better than expected There is room for improvement on the colonoscopy experience to encourage its uptake across Europe : Bowel preparation: There is a gap between patient expectations and clinical reality in the amount of bowel preparation liquid volume patients had to consume [5] There is a gap between patient expectations and clinical reality in the amount of bowel preparation liquid volume patients had to consume Unmet need for information: There is a need to further support the dialogue between healthcare professionals and patients and also improve the availability of public information resources to increase understanding of the procedure on both diagnosis and prevention. In patients who had never undergone a colonoscopy: There is a need to further support the dialogue between healthcare professionals and patients and also improve the availability of public information resources to increase understanding of the procedure on both diagnosis and prevention. In patients who had never undergone a colonoscopy: less than 4 in 10 believe colonoscopy is used for removal of unusual growth (35%) 45% knew a colonoscopy could be used for preventing bowel cancer About the survey A quantitative study in the UK, Germany, France, Spain and Italy to compare selected attitudes in the population who never had a colonoscopy versus people who have had a colonoscopy in the recent past. Participants included adults who had never had a colonoscopy (n=500 per country) and those who had a colonoscopy in the last five years (n=100 per country). The methodology used online interviews with closed questions only. The study was conducted by GfK and supported by Norgine. [1],[2],[3] About Colorectal Cancer and colonoscopy Colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer-related mortality world-wide.[6] Colorectal cancer is largely preventable, with early detection being associated with a 90% with a 90% 5-year survival rate.[7] Colonoscopy is an effective method for colorectal cancer screening and has been shown to reduce both the incidence and mortality of colorectal cancer when applied in the general population. Inadequate pre-colonoscopy bowel cleansing reduces the diagnostic accuracy of colonoscopy, particularly for the detection of smaller lesions and sessile (slightly flattened) polyps. This may result in repeated procedures, thereby potentially increasing patient burden, resource requirement and costs and can possibly delay the initiation of treatment.[8],[9],[10] About Norgine Norgine is a leading European specialist pharmaceutical company with a direct commercial presence in all major European markets. Norgine specialises in gastroenterology, hepatology, cancer and supportive care. In 2017, Norgine's total net product sales were EUR 345 million, up 17 per cent. Norgine employs over 1,000 people across its commercial, development and manufacturing operations and manages all aspects of product development, production, marketing, sale and supply. In 2012, Norgine established a complementary business, Norgine Ventures, supporting innovative healthcare companies through the provision of debt-like financing in Europe and the US. For more information, please visit www.norgineventures.com NORGINE and the sail logo are trademarks of the Norgine group of companies. References [1] Bhandari P, Amlani B, Radaelli F. ePP31 Public attitudes to colonoscopy: The purpose of colonoscopy. Presented at ESGE 2019, Prague. https://www.professionalabstracts.com/esge2019/iplanner/#/presentation/336 Last accessed April 2019 [2] Amlani B, Bhandari P, Radaelli F. ePP92 Public attitudes to colonoscopy: Experience of colonoscopy. Presented at ESGE 2019, Prague. https://www.professionalabstracts.com/esge2019/iplanner/#/presentation/409 Last accessed April 2019 [3] Bhandari P, Amlani B, Radaelli F. OP362 Public attitudes to colonoscopy: Embarrassment levels and colonoscopy. Presented at ESGE 2019, Prague. https://www.professionalabstracts.com/esge2019/iplanner/#/presentation/890 Last accessed April 2019 [4] European Commission, Cancer Screening in the European Union, Report on the implementation of the Council recommendation on cancer screening, 2017. https://ec.europa.eu/health/sites/health/files/major_chronic_diseases/docs/2017_cancerscreening_2ndreportimplementation_en.pdf Last accessed April 2019 [5] Amlani B, Radaelli F, Bhandari P. P0460. Public attitudes to colonoscopy: How much bowel preparation liquid must be drunk before a colonoscopy? Presented at United European Gastroenterology (ESGE) Week 2018 in Vienna, Austria [6] World Health Organisation. Cancer Fact Sheet https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cancer Last accessed April 2019 [7] American Cancer Society. Can Colorectal Polyps and Cancer Found Early? https://www.cancer.org/cancer/colon-rectal-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/detection.html Last accessed April 2019 [8] Bechtold ML, Mir F, Puli SR et al. Optimizing bowel preparation for colonoscopy: a guide to enhance quality of visualization. Ann Gastroenterol 2016; 29: 137 - 146 [9] Brenner H, Stock C, Hoffmeister M. Effect of screening sigmoidoscopy and screening colonoscopy on colorectal cancer incidence and mortality: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials and observational studies. BMJ 2014; 348: g2467 [10] Baxter NN, Warren JL, Barrett MJ et al. Association between colonoscopy and colorectal cancer mortality in a US cohort according to site of cancer and colonoscopist specialty. J Clin Oncol 2012; 30: 2664 - 2669 GL/COR/0419/0185, Date of preparation April 2019 Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/597589/Norgine_Logo.jpg Video: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/846937/Norgine_Dr_Marcello_Maida.mp4 VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- MYM Nutraceuticals Inc., (CSE: MYM) (OTCBB: MYMMF) ("MYM" or "The Company") is pleased to announce it has updated its 2019 strategic plan. The updated plan can be found at the Company's website, mym.ca, under the "Investors" tab. Highlights include MYM plans for global cultivation, extraction, distribution, and the creation of unique brands. MYM is positioning itself to become a global leader in cannabis, hemp, and seed cultivation through a variety of global partnerships in agricultural friendly zones around the world. We bring to each partnership our expertise in cultivation (indoor, outdoor & greenhouse), and extraction combined with global distribution and unique brands allowing us to leverage our knowledge worldwide. By creating strategic geographic partnerships around the world, MYM is in a prime position to take advantage of cultivating in low cost regions while distributing in high revenue regions thereby maximizing profits. In addition to information indicated in the plan, we are in the midst of negotiating a number of agreements for cannabis and hemp production and distribution in North America, South America and the South Pacific. The Company anticipates these will be announced shortly. "Key additions to senior management offer an opportunity to focus the Company's efforts on new projects around the globe," said Howard Steinberg, CEO of MYM. "Our updated plan includes a targeted focus on low-cost cannabis and hemp production sites across the globe while distributing into countries with high revenue potential thereby maximizing profits." About MYM Nutraceuticals Inc. MYM Nutraceuticals Inc. is an innovative company focused on the global growth of Cannabis and hemp. To ensure a strong presence and growth potential within the industry, MYM is actively looking to acquire complementary businesses and assets in the technology, nutraceuticals and CBD sectors. MYM shares trade in Canada, Germany and the USA under the following symbols: (CSE:MYM) (OTC:MYMMF) (FRA:0MY) (DEU:0MY) (MUN:0MY) (STU:0MY). ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD Howard Steinberg, CEO MYM Nutraceuticals Inc. www.mym.ca Keep up to date with MYM on our social media channels: Twitter: @mymnutra Facebook: @mymnutra Instagram: @mymnutra This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on assumptions and judgments of management regarding future events or results. Such statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements. The company disclaims any intention or obligation to revise or update such statements. For a description of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company and its business and affairs, readers should refer to the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis and other disclosure filings with Canadian securities regulators, which are posted on www.sedar.com. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE or CNSX Markets), nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the CSE), accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein in the United States. The securities described herein have not been registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any state securities law and may not be offered or sold in the "United States", as such term is defined in Regulation S promulgated under the U.S. Securities Act, unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration requirements is available. Investor Relations: Billy Casselman 778-522-2261 investors@mym.ca CHICAGO, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the new market research report "Hydraulic Workover Unit Market by Application (Onshore, And Offshore), Service (Workover, and Snubbing), Installation (Skid Mount and Trail Mount), Capacity (0 to 50, 50 to 150, and Above 150) and Region - Global Trends and Forecast to 2024", published by MarketsandMarkets, the Hydraulic Workover Unit Market is expected to grow from USD 9.8 million in 2019 to USD 12.0 million by 2024, at a CAGR of 3.97% during the forecast period. The major factors driving the Hydraulic Workover Unit Market include upsurge in oil and gas production after decline in oil prices and growing shale gas production. Ask for PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=207073031 The onshore segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR in the Hydraulic Workover Unit Market during the forecast period The onshore segment is the fastest growing segment in the Hydraulic Workover Unit Market. North America, followed by the Asia Pacific and the Middle East region, is expected to be the most attractive in this segment, because of the increasing oil and gas activities during the forecast period. Major contractors include Halliburton, NOV, Nabors, and Superior. Browse in-depth TOC on "Hydraulic Workover Unit Market" 101 - Tables 37 - Figures 138 - Pages View detailed Table of Content here: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/hydraulic-workover-unit-market-207073031.html The trailer mount segment is expected to hold the largest market share during the forecast period Trailer mount being the most common type of hydraulic workover is expected to hold the largest market share during the forecast period. North America, followed by Asia Pacific and the Middle East, is expected to be the most attractive region in this segment, during the forecast period. North America is expected to hold the largest market size in the hydraulic workover market during the forecast period North America is expected to have the highest growth rate during the forecast period, due to growing shale gas production activities. The Hydraulic Workover Unit Market is driven by the growth in unconventional resources in the US and Canada and demand from the onshore & offshore fields in the Gulf of Mexico. The Gulf of Mexico is one of the major sources of conventional oil & gas in the North American region. Moreover, North America has one of the biggest advantages with 14% of the world's crude oil and 6% of natural gas reserves. All these factors are expected to drive the Hydraulic Workover Unit Market during the forecast period Request Sample pages of the Report: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=207073031 Major vendors in the Hydraulic Workover Unit Market include NOV (US), Halliburton (US), Nabors (Bermuda), Superior Energy (US), Archer (Norway), Basic Energy (US), CEEM (UAE), and CUDD (US). About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve. MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledge Store" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. Contact: Mr. Shelly Singh MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/hydraulic-workover-unit-market.asp Visit Our Website: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com PALM BEACH, Florida, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- A recent report from an independent, technology-driven analytics company specializing in the cannabis industry stated that: " the global hemp industry reached $3.7 billion USD in retail sales in 2018, with an annual growth rate of 15% driven by continued strength in Chinese textiles, European industrials, Canadian foods, and the U.S. hemp-derived CBD market. China led all countries with nearly $1.2 billion USD in hemp sales in 2018, followed by the United States ($1.0 billion), Europe ($980 million) and South and Central America ($220 million). The U.S. market is positioned to grow under the 2018 Farm Bill, with an estimated $2.6 billion projected in sales by 2022, with $1.3 billion in sales estimated for hemp-derived CBD products by 2022. "As regulatory barriers diminish in the months and years ahead, businesses will continue to expand the ways in which hemp is utilized, especially across medicinal and industrial applications," said (the author). "This report is the first in-depth, quantitative and fact-based analysis of the global hemp industry since the United States' 2018 Farm Bill and Canada's Cannabis Act passed; two groundbreaking changes in North America that dramatically re-shaped the entire hemp industry." By 2020, (the report data says) estimates the global market will reach $5.7 billion USD across all markets, representing a three-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.5%. Active Companies from around the market with current developments this week include: MYM Nutraceuticals Inc. (CSE: MYM) (OTC: MYMMF), Aphria Inc. (NYSE: APHA) (TSX: APHA), Liberty Health Sciences Inc. (CSE: LHS.CN) (OTCQX: LHSIF), Trulieve Cannabis Corp. (CSE: TRUL) (OTCPK: TCNNF), Emerald Health Therapeutics, Inc. (TSX-V: EMH) (OTCQX: EMHTF). The report concluded: "The U.S. hemp industry is set to boom under the 2018 Farm Bill. American farmers have a new crop, and consumers are seeing an explosion of new and innovative products. Hemp: the ultimate triple bottom line crop for people, planet and profits," However a research report by a relied upon industry source, (The Brightfield Group) has previously projected that the: "Hemp CBD Market to Reach $22 Billion By 2022: Outpacing the Rest of the Cannabis Market Combined", so while the projections may differ they agree that the future revenues will rise substantially in the next few years. MYM Nutraceuticals Inc. (CSE: MYM) (OTCQB: MYMMF) BREAKING NEWS: MYM Nutraceuticals is pleased to announce it has updated its 2019 strategic plan. The updated plan can be found at the Company's website, mym.ca, under the "Investors" tab. Highlights include MYM plans for global cultivation, extraction, distribution, and the creation of unique brands. MYM is positioning itself to become a global leader in cannabis, hemp, and seed cultivation through a variety of global partnerships in agricultural friendly zones around the world. We bring to each partnership our expertise in cultivation (indoor, outdoor & greenhouse), and extraction combined with global distribution and unique brands allowing us to leverage our knowledge worldwide. By creating strategic geographic partnerships around the world, MYM is in a prime position to take advantage of cultivating in low cost regions while distributing in high revenue regions thereby maximizing profits. In addition to information indicated in the plan, we are in the midst of negotiating a number of agreements for cannabis and hemp production and distribution in North America, South America and the South Pacific. The Company anticipates these will be announced shortly. "Key additions to senior management offer an opportunity to focus the Company's efforts on new projects around the globe," said Howard Steinberg, CEO of MYM. "Our updated plan includes a targeted focus on low-cost cannabis and hemp production sites across the globe while distributing into countries with high revenue potential thereby maximizing profits." Read this and more news for MYM Nutraceuticalsat:https://www.financialnewsmedia.com/news-mym/ In the industry developments and happenings in the market this week include: Aphria Inc. (NYSE: APHA) (TSX: APHA) recently said that Aphria Deutschland GmbH subsidiary introduced its first CBD-based nutraceutical and cosmetics line in Germany. The newly-launched brand, called CannRelief, is made of CBD derived from hemp. It is being produced in the European Union and will be distributed by Aphria subsidiary CC Pharma, which serves more than 13,000 pharmacies throughout Germany. "We are excited to introduce our first brand of CBD products for the German nutraceutical and cosmetics market," Aphria President Jakob Ripshtein said in prepared remarks. "Supported by our extensive distribution network through CC Pharma, CannRelief provides a natural extension to Aphria's growing business opportunities in the German medical cannabis market. Liberty Health Sciences Inc. (CSE: LHS.CN) (OTCQX: LHSIF) continues to expand rapidly throughout the state. On April 1 st the Company also received approval form the Florida Department of Health (DOH) for an additional use of 80,000 square feet of enclosed greenhouse space at the Liberty 360 Innovation campus in Gainesville . This brings the Company to a total of 228,880 square feet of cultivation space in the Gainesville area. This comes on the heels of the Company receiving approval last week to become one of the first companies to provide pre-roll and whole flower smokable products to patients as a result of Governor Ron DeSantis signing a bill (SB 182) into law revoking a ban on smokable medical marijuana. Trulieve Cannabis Corp. (CSE: TRUL) (OTCPK: TCNNF) Florida's largest medical cannabis licensee, has recently settled their challenge with the Florida Department of Health. Trulieve's 14 dispensaries that were established before the statewide cap was enacted are now excluded from the statutory cap. Trulieve and the Florida Department of Health reached a mutual settlement which specifies that only dispensaries approved after the statewide cap was enacted are counted in the cap calculation for Trulieve. Presently, the law limits the number of dispensaries a medical marijuana treatment center ("MMTC") is allowed to open based on the number of active patients on the medical marijuana registry. These caps are in place until April 2020 . Under this settlement Trulieve will be entitled to 14 dispensaries in addition to the authorized cap amount for as long as the cap remains in place. "This is not a victory for Trulieve - it's a victory for Florida's patients. Our suit was first and foremost about patient access; working around the caps meant we had to build up a distribution model based on the statutorily-mandated geographic distribution instead of where patients live, effectively driving up costs and restricting patient access to the relief they need," said Trulieve CEO Kim Rivers . Emerald Health Therapeutics, Inc. (TSX-V: EMH) (OTCQX: EMHTF) recently announced that it has signed a letter of intent to supply cannabis to the Societe Quebecoise du Cannabis (SQDC), Quebec's sole legal distributor of recreational cannabis. Under the agreement, Emerald will supply cannabis to the SQDC from its Quebec-based Saint-Eustache facility, Verdelite, as well as from its 50%-owned joint venture, Pure Sunfarms, in Delta, BC. Emerald will fulfill its first supply order in Q2 2019. "Quebec's population of 8.4 million is a sizable market and we are pleased to be able to offer locally-grown, quality cannabis products to the adult-use consumers throughout the province," said Dr. Avtar Dhillon, President and Executive Chairman of Emerald. "Verdelite is now near completion of the build-out of its 88,000 square foot indoor cultivation facility and has been scaling up production in licensed areas of the operation. We expect to be in full production and to also have nationwide distribution for the recreational market in the months ahead." DISCLAIMER: FN Media Group LLC (FNM), which owns and operates Financialnewsmedia.com and MarketNewsUpdates.com, is a third party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. FNM is NOT affiliated in any manner with any company mentioned herein. FNM and its affiliated companies are a news dissemination solutions provider and are NOT a registered broker/dealer/analyst/adviser, holds no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security. FNM's market updates, news alerts and corporate profiles are NOT a solicitation or recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities. The material in this release is intended to be strictly informational and is NEVER to be construed or interpreted as research material. 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Media Contact email: editor@financialnewsmedia.com +1(561)325-8757 Allergan's latest hyaluronic acid injectable gel uses the patented VYCROSS technology and is specifically formulated to restore and create volume(1) Juvederm VOLUX allows practitioners to sculpt the chin and jaw area,(2) giving facial definition that can last for up to 18-24 months(3)* According to research 51% (n=1,707) of people want to reshape their chin or jawline(4)** MONACO, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Allergan plc (NYSE: AGN) -- today launched Juvederm VOLUX at the 17th Aesthetic & Anti-Aging World Congress (AMWC) in Monaco. Juvederm VOLUX represents the latest innovation in Allergan's extensive range of Juvederm facial fillers. Juvederm VOLUX contains hyaluronic acid (HA) and uses the unique patented VYCROSS technology.1,2 The product has been specially formulated to restore and create volume in the chin and jaw area2 for up to 18-24 months.3* As we get older, several factors can contribute to how the lower face ages including genetics,5 soft tissue and bone structure changes,6 repetitive facial expressions7 and environmental elements.5 Many people start to lose definition around the chin, neck and jawline area,8 often changing the shape of the face.8 Interestingly, Allergan research shows that 51% (n = 870) of people want to change their lower face shape.4** In other research, women report the ideal lower face shape is a symmetrical, 'oval' shape with good proporation, which provides a defined jaw line with clear definition between the neck and chin area.9 "Our face shape changes as we age: skin begins to thin and lose its plumpness, while drooping soft tissue can lead to the appearance of jowls," comments leading dermatologist Patricia Ogilvie, Germany. "Until now, non-invasive treatment options for the lower face have been limited. Juvederm VOLUX is the perfect solution for my patients who want a more defined look around the lower face without having to resort to surgery - the gel enables us to restore volume so that the jawline appears tauter and more defined." The importance of facial definition Consumer research shows that 7 in 10 (70% / n = 17,929)pof people care about the way their face looks,10 and according to many experts the appearance of the lower face can play an important role in our perceived facial attractiveness.11 Beauty is often described using three key tenets: symmetry, balance and harmony.12 Some women describe the ideal lower face shape as a defined jawline and a firm, toned chin.9 Juvederm VOLUX, a structural gel, now provides a treatment option for those want to define the chin and jawline areas.1,2 Results with Juvederm VOLUX In a trial Juvederm VOLUX delivered high satisfaction with 95% of patients (n = 85) reporting they were satisfied with the results three months after treatment.13 The setup of this study was unique as the primary goal was to evaluate the mean change in facial angle from baseline compared with a control group. At 18 months, 62% of patients (n = 79) still felt their results were positive.13 Like many other facial filler products within the Juvederm range, Juvederm VOLUX contains lidocaine for a more comfortable treatment experience.1 Marc Princen, Executive Vice President & President, International Commercial for Allergan, says: "Juvederm has been answering the needs of consumers for well over a decade, helping them to achieve their desired look. As the Global leader in medical aesthetics we're constantly looking to evolve our portfolio of products and technologies, and now, with Juvederm VOLUX, men and women around the world can achieve the defined and contoured lower face that they're looking for - allowing them to Sculpt it!" Allergan is strongly committed to the health, safety and well-being of patients who are treated with our products. As part of the Company's ongoing commitment to medical education, Allergan is now offering training programs through its Allergan Medical Institute for healthcare professionals on the safe and effective use of this new treatment to ensure optimal patient satisfaction and outcomes. For more information visit www.Allergan.com. Notes to Editors About Juvederm Juvederm is the world's leading brand of hyaluronic acid facial fillers.14 The fillers work by restoring lost volume15,16 in the face, filling lines and wrinkles17 and hydrating skin18,19 - with results that can last from 9-24 months,20 depending on the treatment chosen. HA is an ingredient known to moisture the skin,21 helping return its elasticity and tone to produce natural, healthy-looking skin.21 Juvederm VOLUX is the latest addition to Allergan's range of VYCROSS facial fillers: Juvederm VOLITE,19 Juvederm VOLBELLA with lidocaine,17Juvederm VOLIFT with lidocaine16 and Juvederm VOLUMA with lidocaine.15 Juvederm VOLUX is a brand of CE marked medical approved to restore and create volume in the chin and jaw area.1,2 About Allergan Allergan plc (NYSE:AGN), headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, is a bold, global pharmaceutical company and a leader in a new industry model - Growth Pharma.?Allergan is focused on developing, manufacturing and commercialising branded pharmaceutical, device, biologic, surgical and regenerative medicine products for patients around the world. Allergan markets a portfolio of leading brands and best-in-class products for the central nervous system, eye care, medical aesthetics and dermatology, gastroenterology, women's health, urology and anti-infective?therapeutic categories. Allergan is an industry leader in Open Science,?a model of research and development, which defines our approach to identifying and developing game-changing ideas and innovation for better patient care. With this approach, Allergan has built one of the broadest development pipelines in the pharmaceutical industry with 55+ mid-to-late stage pipeline programmes currently in development. Allergan's success is powered by our 18,000+ global colleagues' commitment to being Bold for Life. Together, we build bridges, power ideas, act fast and drive results for our customers and patients around the world by always doing what is right. With commercial operations in approximately 100 countries, Allergan is committed to working with physicians, healthcare providers and patients to deliver innovative and meaningful treatments that help people around the world live longer, healthier lives every day. For more information, visit Allergan's website at? www.Allergan.com *(Based on comparative preclinical in vitro testing and results from repeat treatment data, added to Juvederm VOLUX clinical study showing duration beyond 18 months after initial treatment or initial + top-up treatment in the chin and jaw, as well as clinical results for predicate device Juvederm VOLUMA with lidocaine showing 24 month duration in the mid-face established Juvederm VOLUX as having an in situ duration of 18-24 months.).2 **Results based on market research funded by Allergan in June 2013. A total of 1,707 web-based interviews of approximately 30 minutes were conducted among dermal filler users and dermal filler considerers from the United States (n=206), Brazil (n=203), United Kingdom (n=200), France (n=201), Italy (n=200), Germany (n=202), South Korea (n=255) and Australia (n=240).4 Based on HCP tracking market research from over 1000 HCPs in the largest 13 aesthetic markets worldwide p This consumer research was carried out on 17,929 consumers from 12 countries. It was completed in March 2018.9 *** A total of 42 consumers from Brazil (n=10), Canada (n=12), Italy (n=10), Turkey (n=10) were interviewed between August - October 2016. All were women who were dissatisfied with their face shape due to enlarged masseter muscle. Research was funded by Allergan.10 References Juvederm VOLUX Directions for Use. 72778JR10. Revision 2018-07-26 Allergan. Data on File. INT/0654/2018. Juvederm VOLUX final clinical study report & clinical evaluation report - efficacy and duration data. Oct 2018 . Allergan. Data on File. INT/0074/2019.Juvederm VOLUX Final Clinical Evaluation Report. Jan 2019 Allergan Inc. Unpublished Data. Global dermal filler new concept research (chin and jawline), 2013. INT/0342/2018. June 2018 . Hartstein ME et al. Midfacial Rejuvenation. Springer 2012. ISBN 978146141007-2_2 Mendelson B, Wong CH. Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2012;36:753-60. Trojahn C et al. Biomed Res Int. 2015;2015. Article ID 318586. Coleman SR, Grover R. Aesthet Surg J. 2006;26:S4-S9. Allergan unpublished data. INT/0372/2018. Ideal lower face shape as reported by consumers. June 2018 . Unpublished data. INT/0162/ 2018b . The importance of Trust in Beauty survey - Additional consumer data April 2018 . Naini FB. Chapter 20. The Chin. In: Naini FB, et al. Facial Aesthetics: Concepts & Clinical Diagnosis. 2013. Blackwell Publishing. ISBN: 9781118786567; Swift A, Remington, K. A Global Approach to Facial Beauty. Clin Plstic Surg 28 (2011:347-377. Ogilvie P et al. Poster Presentation at Aesthetic & Anti-Aging Medicine World Congress (AMWC), Monte Carlo ; 2019. VYC-25L Hyaluronic Acid for Chin and Jaw Restoration: 18-Month Safety and Effectiveness Results. Allergan. Unpublished Data. INT/0771/2016(2). JUVEDERM, the world's leading brand of hyaluronic acid facial fillers. Feb 2019 Juvederm VOLUMA with Lidocaine DFU (72475JR13); Revision: 2017-07-19 Juvederm VOLIFT with Lidocaine DFU (72383JR14); Revision: 2017-07-19 Juvederm VOLBELLA with lidocaine DFU. 72525JR12. Revision 2017-07-19 Juvederm VOLITE. DFU. 73140JR11Revision 2017-0-19. Niforos F, et al. Safety and Effectiveness of VYC-12 Injectable Gel for Treatment of Facial Fine Lines: 9-Month Results From a Prospective Study. Poster presented at the Beauty Through Science Congress, June 1-3, 2017 , Stockholm, Sweden . Raspaldo H. Volumizing effect of a new hyaluronic acid sub-dermal facial filler: A retrospective analysis based on 102 cases. Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy. 2008;10:134-142 CONTACTS: Allergan: Mark Marmer Mark.Marmur@Allergan.com Media: Karen Dennehy Dennehy_Karen@Allergan.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/222796/allergan_plc_logo.jpg Their mother, Crystal Ward, says she favored a deal instead of a trial because she didn't want "any chance" for Sawyer to be acquitted. Prosecutor Joe Kosman says the deal means the family won't have to "relive that awful day" in court. With its iconic T5 Business Phone Series with full-screen audio & video, Yealink changes the rules of how the world communicates in the enterprise office environment XIAMEN, China, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Yealink embarks on a global roadshow in 7 countries, showcasing the state-of-the-art New T5 Business Phone Series. The T5 Business Phone Series offers a breakthrough IP desktop phone portfolio, making smart desktop collaboration for enterprise offices, easier than ever before. The huge success of Yealink's T2 and T4 series resulted in Yealink ranking No. 1 in the global SIP phone shipments market. Considering the rapidly changing trends in the business communications industry, and to address the growing collaboration needs of its customers, Yealink introduced the T5 Business Phone Series. The series has seven distinctive phone models with an ergonomic design, intuitive feature key layout and intelligent features like the Yealink Acoustic Shield. The T5 Business Phone Series offers perfect desktop collaboration solutions for businesses of all sizes During the global roadshow, Yealink will present the T5 Business Phone Series in the following countries: USA, Germany, Australia, Canada, England, France, and the Netherlands. According to Leo Huang, Yealink's VP of Sales, the T5 Business Phone Series offers a future-proof solution with the latest features of Yealink's cutting-edge technology. Unified communication and collaboration are no longer a niche requirement - every single enterprise office relies on them to thrive in the industry. As a leading global provider of enterprise communication and collaboration solutions, Yealink is committed to bringing worldwide customers with the best IP endpoints that deliver superior use experience and believes that the introduction of T5 Business Phone Series will offer the best personalized collaboration experience and enhance productivity and team performance With its enriched features, the T5 Business Phone Series is instantly recognizable as a sharp new version of the Yealink's popular SIP phone series. Yealink's Acoustic Shield Technology enables the T5 Business Phone Series to deliver distraction-free voice clarity by suppressing the background noise. It is ideal for busy workspaces, especially for an open office environment. This massively increases the productivity of remote meetings. enables the T5 Business Phone Series to deliver distraction-free voice clarity by suppressing the background noise. It is ideal for busy workspaces, especially for an open office environment. This massively increases the productivity of remote meetings. Equipped with all-inclusive features, large color touchscreen and intuitive hard keys layout , the T5 Business Phone Series allows quick discussions and fast decision making. All in all, this means more versatility for an enterprise environment. , the T5 Business Phone Series allows quick discussions and fast decision making. All in all, this means more versatility for an enterprise environment. Having an adjustable HD camera , the T5 Business Phone Series provides business-quality, affordable HD video conferencing solutions to busy professionals. The smart video phone VP59 has a 1080p full HD camera while the smart business phone T58A supports 720p HD video with an optional Yealink USB camera CAM50. , the T5 Business Phone Series provides business-quality, affordable HD video conferencing solutions to busy professionals. The smart video phone VP59 has a 1080p full HD camera while the smart business phone T58A supports 720p HD video with an optional Yealink USB camera CAM50. The T5 Business Phone Series supports seamless call switch over between desktop phone and the cordless DECT handset. This provides limitless flexibility and scalability. over between desktop phone and the cordless DECT handset. This provides limitless flexibility and scalability. Built-in 2.4G/5G Wi-Fi, frees busy professionals from restricting to an inconvenient location. While the built-in Bluetooth 4.2 for mobile phone connection and wireless headset helps to save battery life. These improved features dramatically increase connectivity options at the workplace. Yealink's Product Director Lee says, "Yealink's global roadshow aims to provide a unique platform to businesses. It is an opportunity to understand how the T5 Business Phone Series can serve as a powerful communications solution to enhance key business relationships." About Yealink: Founded in 2001, Yealink (Stock Code: 300628) is a leading global provider of enterprise communication and collaboration solutions, offering video conferencing service to worldwide enterprises. Focusing on research and development, Yealink also insists on innovation and creation. With the outstanding technical patents of cloud computing, audio, video and image processing technology, Yealink has built up a panoramic collaboration solution of audio and video conferencing by merging its cloud services with a series of endpoints products. As one of the best providers in more than 140 countries and regions including the US, the UK and Australia, Yealink ranks No.1 in the global market share of SIP phone shipments (Global IP Desktop Phone Growth Excellence Leadership Award Report, Frost & Sullivan, 2018). For more information, please visit: www.yealink.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/846758/Yealink_T5_business_phones.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/846760/Yealink_T5_Business_phone_series.jpg Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 4, 2019) - First Vanadium Corp. (TSXV: FVAN) (OTCQX: FVANF) (FSE: 1PY) ("First Vanadium" or the "Company") reports metallurgical test work results for nine variability composite samples from its high-grade Carlin Vanadium deposit. Preliminary test results are consistently showing high vanadium extraction rates, between 92% and 98%, for both oxidized and unoxidized mineralized material of low, average and high vanadium grades. "The Company is very pleased with the consistent variability testing results that demonstrate excellent vanadium extraction rates across the deposit, achieving another significant objective in our test work", says Paul Cowley, President & CEO. The Company commenced acid leach and pressure oxidation test procedures on a single composite sample from the deposit in April 2018. In June 2018, the reported test work indicated 95.5% vanadium extraction into solution. Subsequently, over a number of months the extraction process has been further refined and the Company has progressed to the stage of variability test work. Variability test work typically uses multiple samples of differing grade and ore type from across a deposit to determine the processing consistency for a given procedure. Nine composite samples from drill holes across the Carlin Vanadium deposit tested two different ore type (oxidized and unoxidized shale) of varying vanadium grades (low 0.39-0.54% V 2 O 5 , average 0.62-0.69% V 2 O 5 , and high 0.93-1.02% V 2 O 5 ) through an acid leach and pressure oxidation procedure. The composite sample descriptions and preliminary extraction results are shown in the following table. Test results are consistently high vanadium extractions into solution, between 92% and 98%, demonstrating a tight range of high vanadium extractions across the deposit regardless of grade or whether oxidized or unoxidized material. The test work was conducted by Sherritt Technologies, a leader in the development and commercialization of pressure hydrometallurgical processes. Metallurgical HoleID Depth (m) Calculated Grade Sample Vanadium Sample ID From To % V2O5 Description Extraction (%) MT1A DDC18-011 36 58.5 0.68 Unoxidized shale 94.1 MT2 DDC18-016 37 79.86 0.69 Unoxidized shale 93.1 MT3 DDC18-014 44.5 56.5 0.64 Unoxidized shale 97.8 MT4 DDC18-018 51 90 1.02 Unoxidized shale 95.3 MT5 DDC18-010 16.5 46.5 0.39 Unoxidized shale 92.1 MT6A DDC18-016 8.5 31 0.62 Oxidized shale 92.4 MT7 DDC18-017 43.5 62.64 0.54 Oxidized shale 93.9 MT8 DDC18-004 0 11.5 0.93 Oxidized shale 95.3 MT9 DDC18-020 19.5 30 0.42 Oxidized shale 96.0 *The composite samples were taken over the mineralized intervals indicated by downhole to and from depths in the table above. The variability test work results provide further input for the advancement of a process flow sheet that requires a downstream solvent extraction step. The solvent extraction test work in progress at SGS Canada, is aimed at producing ammonium metavanadate and a final vanadium pentoxide product. The Company continues to look at other metallurgical opportunities to benefit the project. About First Vanadium Corp. First Vanadium has an option to earn a 100% interest in the Carlin Vanadium Project, located in Elko County, 6 miles south from the town of Carlin, Nevada on Highway I-80. The Carlin Vanadium Project hosts the Carlin Vanadium deposit, which is flat to shallow dipping and at shallow depths with strike length of approximately 1,800 metres, width averaging 600 metres and thickness ranging from 15 metres to 50 metres. The Company announced its maiden resource February 27, 2019. ON BEHALF OF FIRST VANADIUM CORP. per: "Paul Cowley" CEO & President (778) 655-4311 pcowley@firstvanadium.com www.firstvanadium.com Technical disclosure in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Paul Cowley, P.Geo., a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, and President and CEO of the Company. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-looking information Certain statements in this news release constitute "forward-looking" statements. These statements relate to future events or the Company's future performance and include the Company's ability to meet its obligations under the Access and Mineral Lease Agreement and the conditions required to exercise in full its option to acquire the Carlin Vanadium project. All such statements involve substantial known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results to vary from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties, they should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results, and they will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether or not such results will be achieved. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes are reasonable assumptions on the date of this news release, the Company cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof and the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required under applicable securities regulations. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/43874 Las Vegas, Nevada--(Newsfile Corp. - April 4, 2019) - Since acquiring Oasis Cannabis Dispensary in Las Vegas, Nevada, CLS Holdings USA, Inc. (OTCQB: CLSH) (CSE: CLSH.U) has been working to elevate the entire customer experience behind cannabis. The catchphrase "New Oasis, Same Faces" assures customers that they will still receive the same care and attention they've come to expect from Oasis Cannabis, only now in a totally redesigned, modern, and fresh facility. The new space is more accessible, inviting and vibrant, with the same friendly and knowledgeable staff. Over the past few months, walls have been torn down and the color scheme have been modernized from lime green to bright white with blue accents, evoking a vibrant and calming feel. LED lit display cases are purposefully and openly situated, allowing customers ample room to explore products. The large white bud bar hosts the budtender, who is able to curate a better user experience through education and a diverse product selection. At the heart of the renovation is improving customer experience - but the company's dedication to education, compassionate care, and community enrichment remain the same. All are welcome to join the Oasis Cannabis Grand Reopening Party, which will take place at the dispensary on Saturday April 6th 2019 from 12:00pm - 10:00pm. The event will feature vendors on-site, live art, live music, food trucks, and special prices. The dispensary is located at 1800 Industrial Rd #180, Las Vegas, NV 89102. About Oasis Cannabis Oasis Cannabis has operated a cannabis dispensary in the Las Vegas market since dispensaries first opened in Nevada in 2015 and has been recognized as one of the top marijuana retailers in the state. Its location within walking distance to the Las Vegas Strip and Downtown Las Vegas in combination with its delivery service to residents allows it to efficiently serve both locals and tourists in the Las Vegas area. In February 2019, it was named "Best Dispensary for Pot Pros" by Desert Companion Magazine. In August 2017, the company commenced wholesale offerings of cannabis in Nevada with the launch of its City Trees brand of cannabis concentrates and cannabis-infused products. http://oasiscannabis.com About City Trees Founded in 2017, City Trees is a Nevada based cannabis cultivation, production and distribution company. Offering a wide variety of products with consistent results, City Trees is one the fastest growing wholesale companies in the industry. Its products are now available at 40 dispensaries. https://citytrees.com About CLS Holdings USA, Inc. CLS Holdings USA, Inc. (OTCQB: CLSH) (CSE: CLSH), is a diversified cannabis company that acts as an integrated cannabis producer and retailer through its Oasis Cannabis subsidiaries in Nevada, and plans to expand to other states. CLS stands for "Cannabis Life Sciences," in recognition of the Company's patented proprietary method of extracting various cannabinoids from the marijuana plant and converting them into products with a higher level of quality and consistency. The Company's business model includes licensing operations, processing operations, processing facilities, sale of products, brand creation and consulting services. http://www.clsholdingsinc.com Twitter: @CLSHusa Forward Looking Statements This press release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and "forward-looking statements" as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (collectively, the "forward-looking statements"). These statements relate to anticipated future events, future results of operations or future financial performance, and anticipated growth. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "may," "might," "will," "should," "intends," "expects," "plans," "goals," "projects," "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "predicts," "potential," or "continue" or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements are only predictions, are uncertain and involve substantial known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, levels of activity or performance to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity or performance expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. We cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity or performance and we cannot guaranty that the proposed transactions described in this press release will occur. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date that they were made. These cautionary statements should be considered together with any written or oral forward-looking statements that we may issue in the future. Except as required by applicable law, we do not intend to update any of the forward-looking statements to conform these statements to reflect actual results, later events or circumstances or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. See CLS Holdings USA filings with the SEC and on its SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com for additional details. Contact Information Corporate: Chairman and CEO Jeff Binder jeff@clsholdingsinc.com 888-438-9132 Investors: Adelaide Capital Markets Jackie Kelly Jackie@adelaidecapital.ca 416-301-2949 To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/43881 Established Financial Expert and Founder of Financial Fiduciaries, LLC, Thomas Batterman is Committed to Ensuring that Deserving Students in the Field of Finance are Supported with the Necessary Financial Assistance to Attend a Post-secondary Institution WAUSAU, WI / ACCESSWIRE / April 4, 2019 / Thomas Batterman and Financial Fiduciaries, LLC, are proud to announce two academic scholarships with the value of $500 USD each for individuals seeking a post-secondary education in the field of finance. The scholarships are available to students in the United States who are enrolled in an accredited post-secondary institution, candidates must fill out the application accompanied by a 500-word essay. The essay must detail why the candidate is interested in a career in finance, what you hope to accomplish with the scholarship, and your future career goals. To apply for the scholarships, candidates must submit their applications no later than June 20, 2019. Additionally, candidates must submit proof of their acceptance letter from the academic institute they plan on attending, or proof of enrolment at your current post-secondary institute. Full Scholarship Details Two scholarships for $500 USD For students in finance Offered exclusively to American students To apply: Write a 500-word essay explaining why you are interested in a career in finance, what you hope to accomplish with it, and what your career goals are for the future Scholarship deadline: June 20, 2019 About Financial Fiduciaries, LLC and Thomas Batterman Financial Fiduciaries, LLC is a fee-only investment advisory firm, registered with the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA), offering planning and investment services to individuals and mutual insurance companies throughout Wisconsin. Thomas Batterman and Financial Fiduciaries, LLC are dedicated to managing your financial situation with the necessary time, attention and expertise required to help you achieve your goals. Thomas Batterman is a graduate of the UW-Madison School of Law, which provided him with detailed knowledge regarding lawful investing and fiduciary services. Thomas Batterman recognized a growing need for fiduciary services, which is why he founded Financial Fiduciaries, LLC in 2010. For more information regarding the application, please visit: http://financialfiduciariesscholarship.com/ info@financialfiduciariesscholarship.com SOURCE: Thomas Batterman and Financial Fiduciaries, LLC View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/541051/Financial-Fiduciaries-LLC-and-Thomas-Batterman-Offer-Scholarship-for-Students-Seeking-a-Post-Secondary-Education-in-the-Field-of-Finance Beter Bed Holding presented the new strategy at the Capital Markets Day on 26 October 2018. Five consumer trends have been identified that give direction to this strategy. These trends are of fundamental importance to the company's long-term vision. Sustainability is one of these trends. As market leader in a number of different markets, Beter Bed Holding believes it is vitally important that it accepts its responsibility and plays a pioneering role in the field of sustainability. Beter Bed is taking the lead by being the first player in the market to introduce a completely circular box spring: Element. The Element box spring has been developed in a completely modular fashion in close collaboration with the supplier. The box spring is easy to disassemble and all the materials are recyclable. All the parts can also be replaced separately. They are all made of mono-materials rather than mixed raw materials, which means they are completely recyclable. Beter Bed engaged the services of TNO - the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research - in order to demonstrate the circularity of this Element box spring versus box springs produced in the standard way. TNO uses its unique IMPACT (Integrated Method of sustainable Product Assessment for Circular Transition) method to measure the effects on aspects such as resources, people & planet and the economy. This renders the product's circularity score or 'green score'. The results of the research carried out by TNO provide, in addition to a sustainability score for Element, insights into the further development possibilities in the field of sustainable products in the assortment. Customers have the option of leasing Element at Beter Bed, which means they can sleep on an Element box spring starting at 1.43 a night. After the end of the lease term, the customer can once again lease a new Element box spring. Element box springs that are returned are processed and recycled in a responsible manner in collaboration with the suppliers. Element is the first collection being presented under the Beter Bed Green sleeping label. Green sleeping stands for a good night's sleep on products for which sustainability aspects have been expressly taken into account during their development. Element is the box spring collection being carried under this label and will be available in 16 Beter Bed stores in the Netherlands starting this Easter. Profile Beter Bed Holding is a European retail organisation that offers its customers the best quality rest at affordable prices. The organisation will do this through its international retail brands Matratzen Concord, Beter Bed, Beddenreus, Sangjatten and own wholesaler operation DBC International. All brands provide the best advice to their customers on all relevant channels including online. In 2018, the company achieved 396.3 million sales with a total of 1,009 stores and an increasingly relevant share of online sales. For more information John Kruijssen CEO +31 (0)413 338819 +31 (0)6 13211011 john.kruijssen@beterbed.nl (mailto:john.kruijssen@beterbed.nl) Hugo van den Ochtend CFO +31 (0)413 338819 +31 (0)6 25746309 hugo.vandenochtend@beterbed.nl (mailto:hugo.vandenochtend@beterbed.nl) Click on the link below for the PDF of the press release. Attachment SHENZHEN, China, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Last week, Gearbest wrapped up the 5th anniversary celebration with millions of Gearbest fans. As one of the major highlights, Gearbest invited 8 influential YouTubers from Spain, the U.S., Germany, Israel, and Czech Republic to Gearbest headquarters in Shenzhen to broadcast the party and signature product reviews. Gearbest Interviewed Popular YouTubers about Being on YouTube and Gearbest On March 21, Gearbest held an online party with 8 popular YouTubers, celebrating the anniversary and broadcasting live reviews about Gearbest products. From smart phones, to drones, to bicycles, the broadcast covered several star products on Gearbest, especially Chinese alternatives compared with famous global brands. YouTuber Christopher (YouTube channel TechTablets) was amazed by how modern Shenzhen is becoming during the trip around the city. He said he has known about Gearbest since 2014 and compared to then, Shenzhen now is full of electric buses and taxis. For his YouTube channels, he said honesty is the best policy. "You need to really think genuinely for the consumers, think about what they really need and help them to make better decisions as needed," Christopher said. YouTuber and media practitioner Ronny Frey (YouTube channel NerdsHeaven) from Germany, has cooperated with Gearbest since 2015. He shared some of his experience in producing his YouTube channel. "I am not trying to be an expert in front of my audience, I am just a normal person who everyone can relate to. I will not try to be excited in front of the camera when I actually feel tired. My personality is my advantage," he said. Carlos (YouTube channel Topesdegama) from Spain, has worked with Gearbest for 5 years. His millions of followers made him a superstar for Chinese 3C brands, and YouTube changed his life totally. "When I started my YouTube channel, it was very hard. Every single negative comment made me frustrated. But I have to say that my YouTube channel opened up a brand new world where I can meet many great friends and new opportunities. I realize my potential to do a lot more things that I never thought I could have done before." When it comes to suggestions for YouTube newcomers, Chris and Carlos could not stress enough the word "passion". Chris added, "With so many competitors now on YouTube, anyone who wants to make a serious business by becoming a YouTuber should think clearly before about the strategy and unique advantages that you have." Not long after Gearbest's upgrade on brand image, "fun" from Gearbest's new slogan "Quality, affordable, fun" was well portrayed throughout the celebration. During the 5th anniversary, Gearbest daily sales' peak grew 45% compared to that of last year, and the sales growth rate of electric bicycles from FIIDO reached 225%. In total, Gearbest has reached an audience of over 10 million and close to 1 million visits have come from the live broadcasting party with YouTubers. About Gearbest Founded in 2014, GearBest is a leading global e-commerce platform that is committed to providing Affordable, Quality and Fun shopping experience and happiness for global consumers. Five years of growth and development enabled Gearbest to have close partnerships with world-famous brands, having a wide selection of products and over one thousand new arrivals on a daily basis. In 2018, Gearbest was ranked 22nd in Top 50 Chinese Export Global Brand Builders by BrandZ, the world's largest brand equity database. Website: www.gearbest.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/846867/Gearbest_5th_anniversary.jpg SUNNYVALE, California, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Plug and Play announced today the 150 startups participating in their Summer 2019 accelerator batches. Entrepreneurs from each startup will take part in one of the following programs: Enterprise 2.0 , Health , Insurtech , Internet of Things , Mobility , Real Estate & Construction , Travel & Hospitality . The full list of accepted startups can be viewed on Plug and Play's website: bit.ly/pnpsummer2019 "We strive to bring new ideas into industries in need of innovation," says Saeed Amidi, Founder and CEO of Plug and Play. "This batch of startups will help create new revenue streams for our partners, increase customer satisfaction, and really move these markets forward for the better." The selected startups will participate in Plug and Play's three-month business development program and have the chance to meet with their network of over 280 corporate partners. This program will give startups the opportunity to collaborate one-on-one with corporations, VCs, and other startups in exclusive networking events, private dealflow sessions, and more. Last year, Plug and Play remained the most active Silicon Valley venture capital firm, investing in over 220 companies globally. The full company performance report, including information on their accelerator programs, investments, and corporate partners, can be viewed here. Plug and Play does not take equity from startups for program participation. Graduation for these batches will commence June 11-13th at Summer Summit. About Plug and Play Plug and Play is a global innovation platform. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, we have built accelerator programs, corporate innovation services and an in-house VC to make technological advancement progress faster than ever before. Since inception in 2006, our programs have expanded worldwide to include a presence in over 20 locations globally giving startups the necessary resources to succeed in Silicon Valley and beyond. With over 10,000 startups and 280 official corporate partners, we have created the ultimate startup ecosystem in many industries. We provide active investments with 200 leading Silicon Valley VCs, and host more than 700 networking events per year. Companies in our community have raised over $7 billion in funding, with successful portfolio exits including Danger, Dropbox, Lending Club and PayPal. For more information, visit www.plugandplaytechcenter.com . Media Contact Allison Romero allison@pnptc.com (408)524-1457 Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/843798/PLUG_AND_PLAY___Summer_Startups_2019.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/835431/PNP_Logo.jpg Company to Develop a Suite of Products Aimed at Enhancing First Nations Technological Infrastructure VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 4, 2019 / Cryptanite Blockchain Technologies Corp. ("Cryptanite") (CSE: NITE) (OTCQB: CRBTF) (FRA: 98AA), a blockchain technology company headquartered in Vancouver Canada, is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with One Feather Mobile Technologies Ltd ("OneFeather"), a British Columbia-based technology and consulting service provider focused on First Nations communities, to develop a comprehensive suite of blockchain-based software products including Smart Status Cards, vote management systems, member registrar management systems, digital wallets, and financial management and accounting solutions. This consists of a digital solution for First Nation sovereign identity and status card renewal, a government requirement that often remains incomplete due to the nature of the current renewal process. Cryptanite, is providing a development solution utilizing blockchain technologies to enable more efficient status card renewal and status verification. Cryptanite will develop and deploy OneFeather's Smart Status Cards. These cards will bring a number of banking benefits to users. Deriving revenue from monthly client card fees and typical banking transaction fees, this technological innovation addresses a market of more than $500 million. Additionally, Cryptanite will create OneFeather's digital wallet, a solution designed to address a number of issues faced by First Nations communities in Canada. Users will be able to register their sovereign identity on the wallet and easily integrate their Smart Status Card. Product features include full support of an inaugural First Nation cryptocurrency and token rewards, along with the ability to verify claims and transactions, issue GST rebate entitlements, and even allow for peer-to-peer transfers with other First Nations. Furthermore, Cryptanite has been contracted to further develop existing financial management and accounting software for OneFeather. This easy-to-use, cloud-based software is being designed specifically for Canadian First Nations. Featuring Smart Status Card and digital wallet integration, the suite will intend to produce an integrated API compatible with the Canadian Federal Government, allowing for streamlined reporting, auditing, and money transfers. Lawrence Lewis ("Klah-Lees"), founder of OneFeather, stated, "OneFeather is very excited to be working with Cryptanite. Together we are building and deploying new innovative software leveraging block-chain technologies to be better serve our 120+ First Nation clients across Canada. OneFeather is leading disruption of "Indian Act" governance, reporting and administration through a First Nation vision of modern systems that better represent and respect Aboriginal sovereignty, values and principles. OneFeather's purpose is ultimately to return resources and wealth presently being drained by antiquated systems and regimes directly back to First Nations and their members. OneFeather is a First Nation technology company, and the only company building these new modern solutions for First Nation in Canada." Keith Turner, President of Cryptanite commented, "I am pleased that One Feather has chosen us to join them on this exciting journey, and I am similarly delighted that because of this unique and innovative partnership, Cryptanite gets to flex its muscles in the arena of enterprise blockchain, one of our core values, products and mission statements. I believe we are one of the very few North American blockchain companies actually delivering and executing on enterprise blockchain. I am also pleased to say that because of work progressing in the back channel for the past several months, we have already delivered the first MVP (Minimum Viable Product) and we are working on the next aspects with One Feather." About Cryptanite Blockchain Technologies Corp. Cryptanite Blockchain Technologies Corp. (CSE: NITE) (OTCQB: CRBTF) (FRA: 98AA) harnesses blockchain technology to provide secure transfer of digital assets peer-to-peer. Cryptanite's growing product line includes a decentralized exchange platform and professional development services. CBT Corp is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada with offices in California, Colorado and Malta. For more information, visit www.cryptanite.com. About OneFeather Since 2015, OneFeather has on-boarded more than 120 First Nations groups that actively participate in electronic voting, vote management and its member registrar suite of service technologies. OneFeather has more than 100,000 First Nations peoples within its database of users and growing month over month. For more info, visit www.onefeather.ca. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS CRYPTANITE BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGIES CORP. "Keith Turner" Keith Turner President To contact Cryptanite: Via their website: Cryptanite.com Via phone: +1-303-997-1114 Via email: support@cryptanite.com The CSE does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities legislation (collectively "forward-looking statements"). The use of any of the word "will" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. 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 forward-looking statements should not be unduly relied upon. Actual results achieved may vary from the information provided herein as a result of numerous known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors. The Company believes the expectations reflected in those forward-looking statements are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct. The Company does not undertake to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law. SOURCE: Cryptanite Blockchain Technologies Corp. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/540917/Cryptanite-Enters-Agreement-with-OneFeather-to-Create-Blockchain-Based-Products-for-First-Nations-Communities-in-Canada Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 4, 2019) - Bold Ventures Inc. (TSXV: BOL) (the "Company" or "Bold") is pleased to welcome Ms. Jennifer Nemis to the Company's Advisory Board. Jennifer received a B.A from York University in 1996. Ms. Nemis is co-founder of Horizons West and Discover Okanagan Tours, a successful tour and hospitality businesses with locations and services in Western Canada. Ms. Nemis has had significant experience in marketing and social media with an emphasis on guest services, relationship building and brand recognition. The Company also wishes to advise that the private placement Offering of up to 20,000,000 working capital units (the "WC Units") of the Company at a price of $0.025 per WC Unit for up to $500,000 (the "WC Offering") announced on February 19, 2019 will be extended for thirty (30) days. The WC Offering will be available to the existing shareholders of the Company resident in Canada (the "Existing Shareholder Offering") (collectively with the WC Offering, the "Offering") and to accredited investors. The Company will be proceeding with the debt settlement announced on February 19, 2019 to settle an aggregate of $38,500 of debt owed to certain insiders of the Company in consideration for the issuance of 770,000 common shares of the Company at a deemed price of $0.05 per share (the "Debt Settlement"). Particulars of the Offering Each WC Unit comprises one (1) common share of the Company priced at $0.025 and one (1) common share purchase warrant (each a "WC Warrant"), with each WC Warrant entitling the holder to acquire one (1) common share at a price of $0.05 until two (2) years following the Closing of the Offering. The Company has agreed to pay a finder's fee of 7% cash on the sale of WC Units sold to accredited investors and issue broker warrants ("Broker Warrants") equal to 7% of the number of WC Units sold to accredited investors under the Offering to eligible finders. Each Broker Warrant comprises a broker unit ("Broker Unit") entitling the holder to acquire one (1) common share and one (1) WC Warrant for two (2) years from Closing at a price of $0.05 per Broker Unit. A fee may be paid to an investment dealer in relation to a placement to an existing shareholder. Waiver The Offering is proceeding pursuant to an application by the Company to the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV") for a waiver from the minimum $0.05 price for private placements pursuant to the TSXV Bulletin dated April 7, 2014 (the "Bulletin"). The waiver has been granted by TSXV and is conditional upon the closing of at least $200,000 in working capital funds which will provide the Company with sufficient working capital to meet the Continued Listing Requirements ("CLR") of the TSXV after giving effect to the Debt Settlement referred to above. As one of the conditions of granting a waiver set out in the Bulletin, the Company is proceeding with the Existing Shareholder Offering to allow existing shareholders resident in Canada to participate in the Offering. Minimum Offering The Company plans to have a first closing of the Offering when it has received subscriptions for $200,000 of WC Units (the "First Closing"). Proceeds from the First Closing will provide sufficient funds for the Company to meet the CLR of the TSXV. The $200,000 in gross proceeds from the sale of the minimum number of WC Units will be allocated as follows: (a) Payment of current Accounts Payable -$3,000 (net of existing cash and cash equivalent assets and net of the insider debt settlement and the forgiveness of debt referred to below); (b) General and Administrative Expenses for the next 6 months - $106,400 (including management fees of no more than 25% of the WC Units proceeds); (c) Costs of the private placement (finder's fees, filing fees and legal expense) - $33,000; (d) Cash option payments relating to the Stover Property, the Wilcorp Property and the J&B Property totaling $29,000 and $17,000 in expenditures on the J&B Property to maintain these properties in good standing; and (e) Excess working capital - $11,300. If funds are received from the Existing Shareholder Offering in conjunction with funds from accredited investors in time to allow the Company to close on at least $200,000 of WC Units to meet CLR, the Company will close on the funds received from existing shareholders (the "Early ESE Closing") so that it meets CLR and the funds received will be allocated as set out above. Existing Shareholder Offering The Company is undertaking the Offering which will be open to participation by existing shareholders (the "Existing Shareholder Offering") resident in Canada as of the record date of February 15, 2019 (the "Record Date"). The Existing Shareholder Offering will be open until May 3, 2019 (the "Expiry Date"). The minimum Offering is $200,000 of WC Units. The funds from the Minimum Offering will be allocated as set out above and existing shareholders may participate in the Early ESE Closing. All securities issued pursuant to the Existing Shareholder Offering are subject to a statutory four-month hold period and regulatory approval. The particulars of the WC Units are set out above. Assuming the $200,000 of WC Units have been sold pursuant to the First Closing, the Company intends to use the remaining proceeds raised under the WC Offering and the Existing Shareholder Offering of up to $300,000 of WC Units as follows: (a) property expenditures of up to $225,000 - up to $200,000 on the Stover Gold Property and up to $25,000 on the J&B Lithium Project; and (b) to provide the Company with working capital to maintain its existing operations, activities and assets of up to $75,000. No more than 25% of the proceeds of this Existing Shareholder Offering will be allocated to the payment of management fees. The use of proceeds set out above will be adjusted pro rata subject to the funds raised on the Existing Shareholder Offering and the remainder of the WC Offering. The Existing Shareholder Offering is open to all existing shareholders of the Company resident in Canada until the Expiry Date. Shareholders interested in participating in the Existing Shareholder Offering should contact, or have their registered broker contact, Bill Johnstone, Corporate Secretary of the Company, at bjohnstone@grllp.com or (416) 865-6605 to obtain a copy of the subscription agreement for the subscription of WC Units by existing shareholders. Requests should be received by no later than April 29, 2019 so that subscription agreements can be signed and funds can be received by the Company by no later than May 1, 2019. In the existing shareholder subscription agreements, subscribers will be required to represent that they held common shares of Bold on the Record Date and will continue to hold common shares on closing, indicate the total number of WC Units they wish to subscribe for at the price of $0.025 per WC Unit and provide funds (certified cheque or wire transfer) for the purchase of the WC Units. The Existing Shareholder Offering is being allocated to existing shareholder subscribers on a "first come, first served" basis wherein the existing shareholder subscribers who are first to submit a completed subscription agreement and pay the corresponding subscription proceeds will be accepted up until the earlier of the Expiry Date and the date that the maximum amount of the Offering is reached. As noted above, the Company may have an Early ESE Closing of the Existing Shareholder Offering to facilitate meeting CLR when an aggregate of $200,000 has been received from the sale of WC Units to existing shareholders and accredited investors. The sale of the balance of any WC Units will remain open until May 3, 2019. In the event that there is an over-subscription for WC Units as at May 1, 2019, subscriptions will be adjusted pro rata (in proportion to the aggregate amount of cleared funds received) to reduce the Offering to a maximum of $500,000 for WC Units. Priority will be given to existing shareholders such that all existing shareholder subscriptions will be accepted (subject to an over subscription resulting from existing shareholders alone in which case adjustments will be made pro rata among existing shareholders) and if the remaining accredited investor subscriptions result in exceeding the maximum Offering, accredited investor subscriptions will be reduced pro rata. The minimum Offering amount is $200,000 of WC Units. Although the Existing Shareholder Offering is not being offered pro rata, all shareholders of the Company effective as of the Record Date will be treated equally. However, the Company reserves the right not to accept subscription amounts of less than $500 (20,000 WC Units) in respect of WC Units to avoid disproportionate administrative costs. The Company may use other available exemptions to place the balance of the WC Units, if any, remaining on May 1, 2019 with a closing on or before May 3, 2019. The Existing Shareholder Offering is being made under Ontario Securities Commission Rule 45-501 Ontario Prospectus and Registration Exemptions relating to distributions to existing security holders and under Multilateral CSA Notice 45-313-Prospectus Exemption for Distributions to Existing Security Holders and the legislation adopted pursuant thereto in other jurisdictions in Canada, as well as under other applicable exemptions without issuing a prospectus.The existing shareholder exemption limits a shareholder to a maximum investment of $15,000 in a 12-month period for all investments made under this exemption unless the shareholder has obtained advice regarding the suitability of the investment from a person registered as an investment dealer, in which case the investment can exceed $15,000. All securities issued pursuant to the Debt Settlement and the Offering are subject to a statutory four-month hold period and regulatory approval. For additional information about Bold Ventures and our projects please visit www.boldventuresinc.com or contact Bold Ventures Inc. at 416-864-1456. "David B Graham" David Graham President and CEO Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This Press Release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made. When used in this document, the words "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are subject to such risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause our actual results to differ materially from the statements made, including those factors discussed in filings made by us with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties, such actual results of current exploration programs, the general risks associated with the mining industry, the price of gold and other metals, currency and interest rate fluctuations, increased competition and general economic and market factors, occur or should assumptions underlying the forward looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, or expected. We do not intend and do not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law. Shareholders are cautioned not to put undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Not for distribution to U.S. Newswire Services or for dissemination in the United States To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/43887 Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - April 4, 2019) - High Mountain Capital Corporation (TSXV: BUZD.P) (the "Corporation") is pleased to announce details concerning its proposed arm's length qualifying transaction (the "Transaction") involving a proposed business combination with Facedrive Inc. ("Facedrive"), a private company incorporated under the laws of the Province of Ontario. Facedrive is a unique people and planet first ridesharing platform committed to equitable and green transportation solutions for drivers and riders. A percentage of the rider fare offsets green vehicle emissions, and CO2 emission monetary equivalents are invested into green initiatives. Facedrive currently has 18,360,256 common shares consisting of 12,236,846 Class A common shares and 6,123,410 Class B common shares ("Facedrive Common Shares") issued and outstanding as of the date hereof. Facedrive has agreed to issue options (the "Options") to acquire 104,589 Facedrive Common Shares at $1.915 per share, the remaining terms of which are to be agreed upon. In addition, Facedrive has issued 265,548 restricted Facedrive Common Shares ("Restricted Shares") to two employees, 69,726 of which shares vest over two years, commencing in January 2019, and 195,822 of which vest over three years, commencing in March 2019. It is anticipated that, prior to closing of the Transaction, additional shares of Facedrive may be issuable upon the exercise of the Options and other Facedrive options, warrants, restricted stock, preferred stock or other stock-based incentive compensation (collectively, the "Facedrive Dilutive Instruments"). The Corporation has entered into a non-binding letter of intent with Facedrive dated April 2, 2019 (the "LOI") pursuant to which the Corporation and Facedrive intend to complete a share purchase, plan of arrangement, amalgamation, three-cornered amalgamation or alternate structure to be determined, having regard to relevant tax, securities and other factors and potentially including a pre-closing reorganization of Facedrive, to form a new company ("Newco") called "Facedrive Inc.". Pursuant to the proposed Transaction, each issued and outstanding Facedrive Common Share will be exchanged into one common share of Newco ("Newco Common Share") on an approximately 0.473538:1 basis (after giving effect to the Share Consolidation (as defined below)) so that all of the issued and outstanding Facedrive Common Shares and any and all Facedrive Dilutive Instruments (other than the Options and Restricted Shares which are not exercised or vested, as applicable, prior to the closing of the Transaction) will be exchanged for 8,694,271 Newco Common Shares (after giving effect to the Share Consolidation) plus that number of Newco Common Shares equal to 0.473538 times the number of Facedrive Common Shares issued upon exercise of Options and vesting of Restricted Shares between the date hereof and the closing of the Transaction, and each unexercised Option and unvested Restricted Share shall be exchanged for a replacement stock option or restricted share issued by Newco with the same terms as the respective Option or unvested Restricted Share, as applicable. If requested by Facedrive, the Corporation shall take all action necessary to effect a continuance of the Corporation from Alberta to Ontario. In addition, the Corporation shall take all action necessary to effect a 1-for-50 consolidation of the Common Shares (the "Share Consolidation"). It is intended that the Transaction, when completed, will constitute the Corporation's "Qualifying Transaction" in accordance with Policy 2.4 of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange"). A more comprehensive news release will be issued by the Corporation disclosing details of the Transaction, including financial information respecting Facedrive, the names and backgrounds of all persons who will constitute insiders of Newco, and information respecting sponsorship, once an agreement has been finalized and certain conditions have been met, including: i) approval of the Transaction by the board of directors of the Corporation; ii) satisfactory completion of due diligence; and iii) execution of the definitive agreement. Shareholder approval is not required with respect to the Transaction under the rules of the Exchange. However, the structure of the Transaction has not yet been finalized so shareholder approval under corporate law may be required. In the event a final agreement is not reached, the Corporation will notify shareholders. Trading in the common shares of the Corporation has been halted and is not expected to resume trading until the Transaction is completed or until the Exchange receives the requisite documentation to resume trading. If the Transaction is completed the Corporation expects to be listed on the Exchange as a technology issuer. For further information, please contact: High Mountain Capital Corporation Bill Kanters - President, Chief Executive Officer, and Director Phone: (403) 619-7118 Forward-Looking Information Cautionary Statement Statements in this press release regarding the Corporation's business which are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties, such as terms and completion of the proposed transaction. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature, they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results in each case could differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. Completion of the Transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to, execution of a binding definitive agreement relating to the Transaction, Exchange acceptance and if applicable pursuant to Exchange requirements, majority of the minority shareholder approval. Where applicable, the Transaction cannot close until the required shareholder approval is obtained. There can be no assurance that the Transaction will be completed as proposed or at all. Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the management information circular or filing statement to be prepared in connection with the Transaction, any information released or received with respect to the Transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of a capital pool company should be considered highly speculative. The TSX Venture Exchange Inc. has in no way passed upon the merits of the proposed Transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO THE U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/43888 I was elected by the people of Cook County to pursue community safety, prevent harm, and uphold the values of fairness and equal justice, Foxx said in the statement. Im proud of my record in doing that, and I plan to do so through the end of my term and, if the people so will it, into the future. Company's global expansion now reaches more than 750MW NEC Energy Solutions (NEC ES), through its exclusive distributor in China, Puxing Energy, continues to increase its market penetration with the commissioning of two 9MW projects for Ray Power. The energy storage systems, owned and operated by Ray Power, are providing frequency regulation for the Hang-Jin and Feng-Run power plants located in Ordos City, Neimongol Province and Tanshan City, Hebei Province respectively. Additionally, NEC has also been awarded a 6MW project by Ray Power that is currently under construction and located in Puzhou City, Shanxi Province. The recently commissioned Hang-Jin and Feng-Run projects are performing frequency regulation, following an automatic generation control (AGC) signal to provide high performance grid balancing services for the grid. The installations are far faster and more effective at frequency regulation than coal-fired power plants, which are slow and typically provide inadequate service to the grid. By adding energy storage, these power plants are now able to provide superior frequency regulation and improve power plant economics. The 6MW project in Puzhou City, Shanxi Province, will be providing frequency regulation and is expected to be completed by the middle of 2019. "Puxing Energy collaborated closely with NEC Energy Solutions to deliver excellent energy storage solutions to Ray Power. The commissioning and commercial operations of these projects have demonstrated once again the safety and reliability of NEC ES's systems that customers have come to expect," said Junyong Wei, CEO of Puxing Energy. "We are happy to continue working together with NEC ES to implement energy storage across China." "Since China has one of the fastest growing renewables and energy storage markets in the world, our global expansion has been accelerated across the country," said Steve Fludder, CEO of NEC Energy Solutions. "Our collaboration with Puxing Energy has been instrumental in our success with Ray Power, a leader of frequency regulation services in the market, since we first started working together in 2012. They are an excellent customer and we look forward to working with them in the future as the market continues to grow." About Puxing Energy Puxing Energy is affiliated with Wanxiang Company and is a platform for clean energy investment operation. It owns 7 gas-turbine power plants and 3 wind power stations with total capacity installation of 1GW. Puxing Energy is also the exclusive distributor of NEC Energy Solutions for energy solutions in China. About Ray Power Ray Power Systems Co., Ltd. was founded in 2011 and has always been dedicated to developing, investing, installing and operating valuable combined frequency regulation ESS stations. Ray Power is known as the global pioneer of combining coal-fired units and ESS to perform frequency regulation service for the power grid covering with more than 30 patents. In 2013, the first combined frequency regulation ESS pilot project in the world was successfully built and put into commercial operation by Ray Power in Shijingshan power plant of Beijing Energy Holding Co. Ltd. The project was awarded the scientific award by Beijing government. Currently, Ray Power owns 77MW of frequency regulation ESS stations in operation or under construction. The total installed ESS assets owned by Ray Power will reach 300MW by the end of 2020. About NEC Energy Solutions NEC Energy Solutions designs, manufactures, and integrates smart energy storage solutions for the electric grid, behind the meter, and critical power applications. Its scalable distributed energy storage and control systems provide greater grid stability and flexibility to the benefit of both providers and users of electricity. In telecom, datacenter, and other industrial applications, its high performance lithium-ion battery systems provide better value than traditional lead-acid batteries in tough, critical power applications. Learn more at www.neces.com. NEC is a registered trademark of NEC Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Other product or service marks mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners. 2019 NEC Corporation View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190404005443/en/ Contacts: Roger Lin NEC Energy Solutions rlin@neces.com +1 (508) 497-7261 POLYTECH Health & Aesthetics GmbH, an international leader in Breast Aesthetics, released today its official response following the ANSM decision to ban several textured implants and polyurethane implants from the French market DIEBURG, Germany, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- POLYTECH Health & Aesthetics, an international leader in breast aesthetics and the only German manufacturer of breast implants, released today its official response following the French Agence Nationale de Securite du Medicament (ANSM) recent decision to ban what it considers macro-textured implants and polyurethane-coated implants from the French market. The decision is based on a possible association between textured breast implants and the development of BIA-ALCL (breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma).1 The new directive indicates that moving forward, smooth implants and those implants that according to the ANSM's own classification are micro-textured - to which POLYTECH's MESMOsensitive counts - is approved for use in France.2 The company will continue to sell their POLYsmoooth and MESMOsensitive surfaces in France. POLYTECH has officially expressed its objections to the conclusions of the ANSM despite the fact that microtextured and smooth implants are an integral part of the company's portfolio. The ANSM decision is not based on any scientific proof and surgeons and their patients in France will now be offered very limited options, that may not allow them to achieve a safe and optimal surgical result. The company does completely agree with the findings and statements of more than 22 international Plastic & Aesthetic European Societies in more than 20 countries. POLYTECH has recently broadened its product range and now offers the BLite lightweight implant with a smooth surface, as a unique and excellent alternative for surgeons and patients. The company will also continue to offer their textured and PU coated implants, which according to numerous scientifically valid clinical studies are safe, and allow for lower rates of the most common complications. "As a leading manufacturer of breast implants, it is our obligation to educate both surgeons and patients on the subject of BIA-ALCL, with evidence-based information, recent medical publications and our gathered knowledge," stated Wolfgang Steimel, POLYTECH's CEO, at the official ANSM hearing. "Even as it is a very rare complication, we take the appearance of BIA-ALCL very seriously. However, we believe that a ban of textured and polyurethane-coated implants is a false decision in terms of the overall patient safety, when it is based on the currently available facts" Mr. Steimel adds. POLYTECH also had the opportunity to present its position through the official industry representative of the Federal Association of Medical Technology e.V. Germany (BvMed), Mrs. Elke Vogt. "As we review the information gathered to date, there is no clear scientific evidence of an association between BIA-ALCL and a specific implant surface", Mr. Steimel continues. "According to the available information, it is impossible to rule out any implant type, including smooth implants, from a possible association with the occurrence of BIA-ALCL". This is confirmed by a recent update from the FDA dated February 6, 2019, that recorded a number of BIA-ALCL cases with smooth only implants. 3 According to the FDA, there are approximately 660 recorded cases of BIA-ALCL, with a seemingly higher occurrence in textured implants. However, in thirty percent of the recorded cases there is no information on the type of implant concerned.4 A study by Loch Wilkinson et al. is often quoted as reporting fifteen cases of BIA-ALCL with polyurethane implants.5 However, these cases occurred with polyurethane-implants manufactured by a different manufacturer, that lost its CE mark in 2015. While the current BIA-ALCL risk is calculated by the FDA as between 1:3,000 and 1:30,000 6 the risk with POLYTECH implants is of 3:1,100,000 implants sold, and the specific risk related to Microthane is less than 1:160,000. The overall data on BIA-ALCL to date, is based on the reported cases and not on prospective, controlled trials, as required by evidence-based medicine. "The ban on textured implants will, in our view, lead to a significant increase in the number of reoperations due to higher capsular contracture rates. Even though the French authority does not recommend, nor even suggest the explantation of the banned implants, patients may feel compelled to undergo reoperation and exchange their textured implants with smooth implants for fear of potential consequences - for which there is no scientific proof. The risks implied by a re-operation, or by anaesthesia, are per se higher than the BIA-ALCL risk according to published data." Mr. Steimel added. "We believe that patient education should be transparent, not only in regards to BIA-ALCL, but for all possible complications. Patients education will enable them to make informed choices about their procedure and implant type" Mr. Steimel concluded. "The different European authorities expressed their expectation that patient education and transparent information regarding BIA-ALCL and other possible complications, will become a priority primarily for the surgeons, but also for manufacturers. We are already taking steps to make evidence-based information available to the public." About the POLYTECH Portfolio The POLYTECH breast implant portfolio includes a wide variety of shapes and sizes, in four different surfaces: smooth, two different types of textures and implants coated with polyurethane-foam (PU): marketed since the beginning of the 1970's, the PU-foam that coats the implant is a three-dimensional matrix that has a different mechanical and biological interaction with the surrounding tissue compared with textured implants. Historically, textured implants were developed in the 1980's to mimic the shape and benefits of PU-coated implants. It is a very common conceptual error to consider PU-coated implants as textured implants. The mechanisms related to tissue adhesion and fibrous capsule formation are fundamentally different from textured implants: this tissue interaction with the polyurethane fibres is key to the low rates of capsular contracture.7 About POLYTECH With a global footprint in over 75 countries, POLYTECH Health & Aesthetics GmbH is an international leader in the development and production of silicone implants. Founded in 1986 in Dieburg, Germany, the company focuses on breast implants, used in both reconstructive and aesthetic plastic surgery. POLYTECH is the only German manufacturer of soft tissue implants. All products are developed exclusively at the company headquarters in Germany, and are manufactured under clean room conditions. The company employs over 250 people. For more information visit https://polytechhealth.com/en * POLYTECH products are not sold in the US. Sources: 1. https://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/ProductsandMedicalProcedures/ImplantsandProsthetics/BreastImplants/ucm239995.htm 2.https://www.ansm.sante.fr/S-informer/Actualite/L-ANSM-decide-par-mesure-de-precaution-de-retirer-du-marche-des-implants-mammaires-macrotextures-et-des-implants-mammaires-a-surface-recouverte-de-polyurethane-L-ANSM-ne-recommande-pas-d-explantation-preventive-pour-les-femmes-porteuses-de-ces-implants-Communique 3.https://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/Safety/LetterstoHealthCareProviders/ucm630863.htm 4. https://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/ProductsandMedicalProcedures/ImplantsandProsthetics/BreastImplants/ucm481899.htm 5. Loch Wilkinson et al., "Breast Implant-Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma in Australia and New Zealand: High-Surface-Area Textured Implants Are Associated with Increased Risk", Plastic Reconstructive Surgery, 2017 Oct;140(4):645-654. 6. https://www.fda.gov/medicaldevices/productsandmedicalprocedures/implantsandprosthetics/breastimplants/ucm239995.htm 7. Szycher M. 1991 "Polyurethane-Covered Mammary Prostheses: A Nine-Year Postimplant Assessment", Journal of Biomaterials Applications, 5(4):282-322 Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/847144/Polytech_Health_Logo.jpg Novartis International AG / Novartis updates on the migraine collaboration with Amgen . Processed and transmitted by West Corporation. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Basel, April 4, 2019 - Novartis announced today that there is a legal dispute with Amgen regarding the collaboration agreements in the field of migraine. On April 2, 2019, Amgen issued a notice of termination of its migraine collaboration agreements with Novartis based on an alleged material breach of the collaboration agreements. Novartis disputes the notice vigorously. In order to prevent an unjustifiable attempt by Amgen to end the collaboration, Novartis has filed a lawsuit asking the court to confirm that Amgen has no right to terminate the agreements. The agreements will remain in force unless and until a final and binding court decision is pronounced that terminates the agreements. Novartis has brought a unique and established neuroscience footprint and expertise to the collaboration and has also made significant financial investments in the development and worldwide commercialization of Aimovig (erenumab), a preventive treatment for migraine. Novartis considers the notice of termination unjustified and without legal merit. The dispute does not affect the Novartis vision and commitment to help people suffering from migraine worldwide. Disclaimer This Statement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by words such as "in order to prevent," "asking," "will," "unless and until," "vision," "commitment," or similar terms, or by express or implied discussions regarding the ultimate outcome of the dispute between Amgen and Novartis. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on our current beliefs and expectations regarding future events, and are subject to significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. There can be no guarantee as to the ultimate outcome of the dispute between Amgen and Novartis. In particular, our expectations regarding this matter could be affected by, among other things, the uncertainties inherent in legal matters and litigation, and other risks and factors referred to in Novartis AG's current Form 20-F on file with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Novartis is providing the information in this press release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this Statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. About Novartis Novartis is reimagining medicine to improve and extend people's lives. As a leading global medicines company, we use innovative science and digital technologies to create transformative treatments in areas of great medical need. In our quest to find new medicines, we consistently rank among the world's top companies investing in research and development. Novartis products reach more than 800 million people globally and we are finding innovative ways to expand access to our latest treatments. About 130,000 people of more than 145 nationalities work at Novartis around the world. Find out more at www.novartis.com (http://www.novartis.com). Novartis is on Twitter. Sign up to follow @Novartis at http://twitter.com/novartis (http://twitter.com/novartis) For Novartis multimedia content, please visit www.novartis.com/news/media-library (http://www.novartis.com/news/media-library) For questions about the site or required registration, please contact media.relations@novartis.com (mailto:media.relations@novartis.com) # # # Novartis Media Relations Central media line: +41 61 324 2200 E-mail: media.relations@novartis.com (mailto:media.relations@novartis.com) Eric Althoff Novartis Global Media Relations +41 61 324 7999 (direct) +41 79 593 4202 (mobile) eric.althoff@novartis.com (mailto:eric.althoff@novartis.com) Novartis Investor Relations Central investor relations line: +41 61 324 7944 E-mail: investor.relations@novartis.com (mailto:investor.relations@novartis.com) Central North America Samir Shah +41 61 324 7944 Richard Pulik +1 212 830 2448 Pierre-Michel Bringer +41 61 324 1065 Cory Twining +1 212 830 2417 Thomas Hungerbuehler +41 61 324 8425 Isabella Zinck +41 61 324 7188 Media release (PDF) (http://hugin.info/134323/R/2240821/883600.pdf) Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 4, 2019) - Mesa Exploration Corp. (TSXV: MSA) (OTC: MSAJF) (the "Company" or "Mesa") announces it has entered into an agreement for a loan of $250,000 (the "Loan") from an arm's length party (the "Lender"). The Loan is to be secured by a debenture, has a term of one year, accrues simple interest at ten per cent per annum payable on the last day of the term. Also on the closing of the Loan, the Lender shall have the right to nominate one person to Mesa's board of directors or to appoint an observer to the board. The use of proceeds of the Loan is for general corporate purposes and in connection with the identification and completion of a suitable acquisition or business combination with an arm's length party. Mesa and the Lender are in discussions whereby Mesa would spin out all its mineral exploration assets to a wholly owned subsidiary of Mesa and distribute the securities of the subsidiary to Mesa's existing shareholders. Mesa intends to acquire assets in another industry in which the Lender may already have an interest. Mesa anticipates that it will enter into discussions with arm's length parties concerning any such acquisitions, although no acquisition has yet been identified and no agreement has yet been reached and there is no assurance that such an agreement can be reached. Mesa's shareholders would ultimately be asked to consider, and if thought appropriate, approve a change of business, a reverse takeover or similar business combination, a financing or financings, a share consolidation, a name change, a new board of directors which may or may not include the Lender's nominee, a delisting from the TSX Venture Exchange, and a new listing on another Canadian stock exchange, and the spin out of mineral assets into a newly created corporation as described above. Various legal and exchange approvals would be required for this series of possible transactions. There are considerable risks in such a strategy, which risks cannot be meaningfully identified or quantified until Mesa has agreed to acquire assets or a business in another industry. The risks will be fully described in the disclosure documents at the appropriate time. "The mineral exploration sector continues to be depressed, the lackluster commodity markets, and the severe challenge of raising further capital all contributed to this decision" said Foster Wilson, Mesa's CEO. "We believe Mesa's shareholders will be better served in a growth industry other than junior exploration." ABOUT MESA EXPLORATION - Mesa is a publicly traded mineral exploration company with roughly 17,453,000 shares outstanding. On behalf of the board of directors, Mesa Exploration Corp. "Foster Wilson" President and CEO +1 775-771-5219 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 of accuracy of this release. This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein, including statements regarding the anticipated content, commencement, duration and cost of exploration programs, anticipated exploration program results, the discovery and delineation of mineral deposits/resources/reserves, the timing of the receipt of assay results, and business and financing plans and trends, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, postulate and similar expressions or are those which, by their nature, refer to future events. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements by the Company are not guarantees of future performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include those related to weather, equipment and staff availability; performance of third parties; risks related to the exploration stage of the Company's projects; market fluctuations in prices for securities of exploration stage companies and in commodity prices; and uncertainties about the availability of additional financing; risks related to the Company's ability to identify one or more economic deposits on the properties, and variations in the nature, quality and quantity of any mineral deposits that may be located on the properties; risks related to the Company's ability to obtain any necessary permits, consents or authorizations required for its activities on the properties; and risks related to the Company's ability to produce minerals from the properties successfully or profitably. Trading in the securities of the Company should be considered highly speculative. All of the Company's public disclosure filings may be accessed via www.sedar.com and readers are urged to review these materials, including the latest technical reports filed with respect to the Company's mineral properties. This press release is not, and is not to be construed in any way as, an offer to buy or sell securities in the United States. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/43895 NEW YORK, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Care.com, Inc. ("Care.com" or the "Company") (NYSE: CRCM). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at rswilloughby@pomlaw.com or 888-476-6529, ext. 9980. The investigation concerns whether Care.com and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices. [Click here to join a class action] On March 8, 2019, The Wall Street Journal published an article entitled "Care.com Puts Onus on Families to Check Caregivers' Backgrounds-With Sometimes Tragic Outcomes." The article described how caregivers "who had police records were listed on Care.com and later were accused of committing crimes while caring for customers' children or elderly relatives." These alleged crimes included theft, child abuse, sexual assault and murder. On this news, Care.com's stock price fell $2.93 per share, or 12.52%, to close at $20.48 per share on March 11, 2019. Then, on March 31, 2019, The Wall Street Journal reported that "hundreds of daycare centers" listed as "state licensed" on the Care.com website did not, in fact, appear to be state licensed, and that tens of thousands of unverified day-care center listings had been scrubbed from the Care.com website shortly before publication of the March 8, 2019Wall Street Journal article. On this news, Care.com's stock price fell $1.31 per share, or 6.63%, to close at $18.45 per share on April 1, 2019. The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Paris, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com. CONTACT: Robert S. Willoughby Pomerantz LLP rswilloughby@pomlaw.com Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 4, 2019) - Hydro66 Holdings Corp. (CSE: SIX) (the "Company" or "Hydro66") announces that today it has requested and received additional advances of USD$525,000 and CDN$150,000 pursuant to a secured convertible loan agreement with certain shareholders and directors of the Company dated December 19, 2018 (the "Loan Agreement"). In connection with the initial advances made pursuant to the Loan Agreement the Company issued secured convertible promissory notes in favour of each lender (the "Notes"). The maturity date of the principal amount, interest and any fees under the Notes is seven years from the date of the initial advances and the rate of interest is 10% per annum. The interest for the initial two (2) years under the Notes shall not be payable until such time as the principal is repaid in full. For further details on the terms of the Notes please see the Company's news release dated December 19, 2018. The Company will use the proceeds from the advances for ongoing sales and marketing investment of the current colocation and hosting capacity. About Hydro66 Hydro66 owns and operates a colocation data center in Sweden specializing in Enterprise and HPC hosting. The Company hosts third party IT infrastructure, utilizing 100% green power, at some of the EU's lowest power prices and within an ISO27001 accredited facility. The Company provides 100% green power at a leading price, purpose-built space and cooling, telecoms, IT support services and 24/7 physical security in their facility in Boden, Sweden. For more information please visit: www.hydro66.com FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Paul Morrison Chief Commercial Officer of Hydro66 UK Limited Tel: (+44) 7789 915 147 or Jason Atkinson Jason.atkinson@hydro66.com 647-938-5266 Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "would", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. These statements are only predictions. Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the information is provided, and is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. For a description of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company and its business and affairs, readers should refer to the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change, unless required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Not for distribution to U.S. Newswire Services or for dissemination in the United States. Any failure to comply with this restriction may constitute a violation of U.S. Securities laws. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/43891 The trust deficit has increased in regard to the administration of the GST, former governor YV Reddy said Ahmedabad: Former Reserve Bank Governor Y V Reddy said Wednesday that the Union government would gain more from Goods and Services Tax (GST) than the states in the longer run. During an interaction with students at the Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad here, Reddy also opined that "trust deficit" has increased with regard to administration of the GST. Reddy, who has also served as chairman of the fourteenth finance commission, was here to launch his book Indian Fiscal Federalism, co-authored by G R Reddy. "My sense about the GST is that Centre will gain more than the states," said Reddy to a question by Gujarat Chief Secretary J N Singh, one of the invitees at the book launch. "The way GST has been implemented, it does not command trust of the states....The trust deficit has increased in regard to the administration of the GST," said Reddy. On relevance and importance of the finance commission, Reddy said the problem is outside the commission. "Everyone is trying to find problems in finance commission. But problem is not with the commission. Problem is outside the commission....allow the commission to do its work," he said. Jet Airways is set to undergo a debt resolution whereby lenders will take control and also infuse funds worth Rs 1,500 crore New Delhi: Jet Airways promoter and former chairman Naresh Goyal Wednesday said he has agreed to every term and condition laid down by lenders to ensure timely release of funds for the airline. The crisis-hit carrier is set to undergo a debt resolution whereby lenders will take control and also infuse funds worth Rs 1,500 crore. Against the backdrop of persisting concerns over the future of the ailing airline, Goyal said he has conscientiously taken some hard, personal decisions in extending cooperation to the consortium of Indian lenders. "... I have agreed to each and every term and condition laid down by them in a timely manner. I have given all facilitation for implementation of the 'Resolution Plan' and signed on the dotted line as required to ensure release of the much needed funds committed by the lenders, in order to secure a sustainable future for Jet Airways," Goyal said in a statement. The statement also comes a day after the airline disclosed grounding of 15 more planes due to non-payment of lease rentals. Under the debt resolution plan, approved by the airline's board on March 25, there would be fund infusion of up to Rs 1,500 crore by lenders as well as conversion of debt into equity. Besides, Goyal and his wife Anita Goyal exited the board. Post-rejig, Goyal's stake will come down to 25 percent while that of Etihad Airways would reduce to 12 percent. One can find fault in the way the airline was managed, but as a brand Jet Airways is known abroad to be one of the finest Indian carrier and has a reputation which is still keeping the planes full. A couple of days ago, Jet Airways informed the exchanges of another 15 Jet Airways aircraft being grounded on account of the lessors not receiving any payments from the airline. There was a lot of commotion about what would be the final operational count of aircraft for the airline at the moment. The National Civil Aviation Policy 2016 states that all airlines can commence international operations provided that they deploy 20 aircraft or 20 percent of total capacity (in term of average number of seats on all departures put together), whichever is higher for domestic operations. However, the policy foresees nothing and does not talk about any situation where the State will withdraw the permission to fly abroad. In the case of Jet Airways, there are about 28 aircraft flying now, as per the latest data that LiveFromALounge.com tracked, including nine 737 aircraft and 7 ATR aircraft. The rest of the aircraft operating are all wide-bodies, primarily used to fly abroad. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCAs statement that they need to examine the permission for Jet Airways to fly international at the moment. Jet Airways is now the smallest scheduled airline operating pan-India. When the last Board meeting of Jet Airways was held on 25 March, 2019, the airline effectively made a barter, where in exchange for the Chairman stepping down, it was to receive an emergency funding of Rs 1,500 crore from the banks, who would effectively become a 50.5 percent plus owner of the airline when the restructuring goes through. The money never came. Jet Airways had to ground another 15 aircraft, and bought some time with the pilots who were threatening to go on a strike with effect from 1 April for non-payment of dues. And while the law will take its course, there are some good reasons from a passenger perspective to look at why the international flights of Jet Airways are the last bastion, which should be taken into consideration before the government takes a decision. A look at the DGCA data for the quarter October-December 2018 shows that Jet Airways had roughly about a 12 percent share of Indias international traffic, including passengers that flew out of India and those that flew into India. Jet Airways eight Boeing 777 aircraft and their Airbus 330 aircraft, most of which they own, have a large part to play in Indias international foray, and have been built over the years, not overnight. Jet Airways flies to London, Paris and Amsterdam from various points in India. With the upcoming vacations, the plans of a lot of Indian travelers would go for a toss if these routes were withdrawn from service at a short notice. The chaos that one witnessed in the domestic airline scenario would be repeated again. One must not forget the Commercial Pact that Jet Airways has with KLM/Air France, and their tie-up with Delta, which allows for Jet Airways to bring in passengers into Europe at London, Amsterdam or Paris, and KLM/Air France/Delta/Virgin Atlantic flying them over to many destinations in the USA. Effectively, after Air Indias direct flights from India to the USA, Jet Airways is the only other carrier which can fly to long-haul destinations at the moment, and provides an Indian option to the passengers. So, there are no other alternatives if Jet Airways international operations are asked to close down right now. Another big reason to take some time to make this decision is to see the preparedness of other operators to step into this situation. While it is easier to mount flights inside India when one carrier withdraws service since there is only one regulator to please, international services are a whole different ball game. An airline needs to have the right equipment to fly those segments, the right crew trained to provide safety and service on board those aircraft, the slots at international airports and the permission of the other regulator to fly. And all of that is before you start international operations to a new station. There needs to be the marketing of those routes and then over years, people start flying the route. Jet Airways has the long-haul network established right now, and if it is taken away from them, it would set us back by many years since another carrier wont be able to immediately step in. And if you closely examine the order books of Indian carriers, the only other Indian carrier which would be able to step in would be Vistara, which again has their 787 aircraft on order, but wont receive them before early next year. Air India, Indias national carrier, also does not have spare planes to launch flights to step in for Jet Airways. Another thing to note is that for the moment the 777s of Jet Airways are owned by the airline and they have 346 seats per aircraft which is double the capacity or even more than that of a 737 aircraft. These aircraft are designed for long-haul flights. If the regulator asks Jet Airways to substitute their domestic flights which were to be operated by 737s and operate them with 777 aircraft day in day out, that would be a huge mistake since on a domestic route network passengers dont want bigger planes but more frequencies. The international operations of Jet Airways have been their primary revenue earner for a very long time. A look at Jet Airways 9-month published financials ending December 2018 would show that Jet Airways receives 55 percent of their revenue from flying abroad. These are routes that are not price-sensitive and hence the airline does not have to keep downing prices every day to fill up the planes, unlike the domestic situation. The share would have definitely gone down in the last quarter since the airline also stopped flying to a lot of international destinations such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong and so on temporarily due to their situation. But if the government makes it permanent, there would be no coming back from this. The bilateral agreements which govern flying rights to other countries are already full to a large extent, and they are renegotiated only when both countries fill up about 80 percent of the seats. In this case, if Jet Airways is taken out of the picture, while the overseas carriers have exhausted their rights, the Indian bilateral will not be filled up and hence no renegotiation would happen. So, it is not like the international carriers would be handed over more traffic rights and they can fly more from India. But yes, we would be giving them away market share on a platter. After all, the DGCAs ability to request airlines to not raise prices does not work very well on international carriers who operate as per a demand and supply situation. So even as the government frets at international carriers such as Emirates taking a lions share from India, they would be handing it over on a platter if they allow Jet to fail on these routes. And last but not the least, Jet Airways has been a showcase of Indian hospitality abroad. One can find fault in the way the airline was managed, but as a brand, Jet Airways is known abroad to be one of the finest Indian carriers and has a reputation which is still keeping their planes full. (The writer is a business travel and aviation journalist based in Mumbai, and the founder of the Indian frequent-traveller website Live From A Lounge, www.livefromalounge.com. He tweets at @LiveFromALounge) Mallya on Wednesday faced yet another legal battle to prevent a consortium of Indian banks led by State Bank of India (SBI) getting access to nearly 2,60,000 pounds Embattled liquor tycoon Vijay Mallya is reportedly living off his partner, his personal assistant, a business acquaintance and his adult children, the London high court was told on Wednesday. According to The Times of India, the court was told that Mallyas has just Rs 2,956 crore left in personal assets, all of which he has put towards his settlement offer in the Karnataka high court. Mallya on Wednesday faced yet another legal battle to prevent a consortium of Indian banks led by State Bank of India (SBI) getting access to nearly 2,60,000 pounds in a UK bank account. The 62-year-old is contesting an interim debt order obtained by the Indian banks in January this year, which relates to funds in the former Kingfisher Airlines boss' current account with ICICI Bank in London. Mallyas lawyers told SBI that their client is willing to cut his spending to 29,500 pounds a month, Mint reported. Mallya is currently spending about 18,300 pounds a week. At a hearing before Master David Cook at the Queen's Bench Division of the court, Mallya's legal team sought a dismissal of the interim order. A judgment in the case is expected at a later date. "The hearing concerns an interim third-party debt order obtained by the banks in January and relates to funds worth just short of 2,60,000 pounds in Dr Mallya's current account with ICICI Bank in London," said a spokesperson for TLT LLP, the law firm representing the Indian banks. "This is part of the banks' ongoing efforts to enforce the [Indian] Debt Recovery Tribunal judgment against Dr Mallya in the UK. Dr Mallya is opposing the application and asking that the court discharges the interim order. If it is made final, the funds will be released to the banks," the spokesperson explained. The case is part of wider efforts by SBI and 12 other Indian banks Bank of Baroda, Corporation bank, Federal Bank Ltd, IDBI Bank, Indian Overseas Bank, Jammu & Kashmir Bank, Punjab & Sind Bank, Punjab National Bank, State Bank of Mysore, UCO Bank, United Bank of India and JM Financial Asset Reconstruction Co Pvt Ltd to recover some of the funds owed to them as a result of unpaid loans by Mallya's now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines. In a ruling in May last year, a UK High Court judge had refused to overturn a worldwide order freezing Mallya's assets and upheld an Indian court's ruling that the consortium of 13 Indian banks was entitled to recover funds amounting to nearly 1.145 billion pounds. TLT LLP has been representing the banks in their efforts to recover their dues as part of the worldwide freezing order, including a bankruptcy petition aimed at seizing his assets to recover dues filed at the end of last year. Mallya had been granted 20,000 pounds in weekly allowance as a result of the worldwide freeze order after his legal team made representations to the court to hike the initial 5,000 pounds weekly allowance. Mallya, meanwhile, remains on bail after his extradition was ordered by Westminster Magistrates' Court in London in December last year and signed off by UK home secretary Sajid Javid in February. He has since filed an application in the UK High Court seeking leave to appeal against that order, with the papers now awaiting a judge's ruling on whether it should be rejected or can move to a hearing stage. The skyline is brighter and more intense than the stars so they are attracted by it, said Douglas Stotz, a senior conservation ecologist with the Field Museums Keller Science Action Center. Its the same basic idea when you see moths at your back light. They get attracted by the light, they get disoriented by the light, and they dont understand windows. That combination is what puts them at risk. The Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) is expected to release the Bihar Board Matric result 2019 this week. Candidates who had appeared for the examination can access their Bihar Board 10th Result 2019 at bsebinteredu.in. The examination was held from 21 February with the English Paper and ended on 28 February, with the Optional Subject Paper. Bihar board result 2019 | The Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) is expected to release the Bihar Board Matric result 2019 this week. Candidates who had appeared for the examination can access their Bihar Board 10th Result 2019 at bsebinteredu.in. The examination was held from 21 February with the English Paper and ended on 28 February, with the Optional Subject Paper. Here is how to check your result for BSEB Intermediate result 2019: Step 1 Log onto the website bsebinteredu.in Step 2 Click on the link that says BSEB 10th (Matric) Results on the homepage Step 3 Click on the link and fill up all the details to get your BSEB 10th examinations Step 4 Your result will appear on the screen. Download it and keep a print out of it for future reference. Students may note that these downloaded/printed copies of the BSEB Matric Result 2019 can be used as provisional results until the official mark sheets are issued by the Board. You can also get the Bihar Board Class 10th Results 2019 via SMS: SMS - BSEBROLLNUMBER - Send it to 56263 Meanwhile, the scrutiny process for the BSEB Class 12 intermediate examination has started from 3 April. The online portal to apply for the scrutiny process will be closed on 12 April. Students will have to submit a fee of Rs 120 and apply for the same at the official website of the board biharboardonline.bihar.gov.in. A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi Wednesday said it will hear the pleas challenging the validity of the Centre's decision on issuance of electoral bonds for political funding on 5 April. New Delhi: The Centre Wednesday opposed in the Supreme Court the concerns raised by the Election Commission on issuing electoral bonds and justified the changes in law saying it was "a pioneer step" to bring poll reforms "ensuring transparency" and "accountability" in political funding. The government in its fresh affidavit said that the massive amount of political donations were earlier made in cash by individuals or corporates using "illicit means of funding" under the old system and unaccounted black money was pumped in for financing elections. The Centre's stand is significant as the poll panel in its affidavit said that the changes made in several laws by the central government will have "serious repercussions" on transparency. A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi Wednesday said it will hear the pleas challenging the validity of the Centre's decision on issuance of electoral bonds for political funding on 5 April. It told advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for one of the petitioners, Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), an NGO, that the matter would be heard by an appropriate bench on Friday. In its affidavit, the Centre has said the electoral bonds "attempt at bringing greater transparency, ensuring KYC compliance and keeping an audit trail in comparison to the earlier opaque system of cash donations. "Accordingly, the concern of the Election Commission of India that electoral bonds will enable foreign companies to influence Indian policies is without any legal or factual merit," it said. The government said there was unregulated flow of Black money under the old system and "the unaccounted-for monies received by political parties were also spent without being accounted for, thus creating/enabling a parallel economy, as it were, through the use of unaccounted for cash". "It is submitted that contrary to the concerns raised by the Election Commission of India, the amendments in the respective legislatures have been made and the Electoral Bond Scheme has been introduced, as a pioneer step in bringing electoral reforms, to ensure that the spirit of transparency and accountability in political funding is maintained," it said. The affidavit said that considering the need to impart greater accountability in funding of political parties as well as to maintain the anonymity of the donor, a mechanism of political funding by way of electoral bonds was introduced. "Under the present system, electoral bonds can be issued only by an authorized bank, being the State Bank of India. All payments made for the issuance of the electoral bonds are accepted only by means of a demand draft, cheque or through the Electronic Clearing System or direct debit to the buyers' account. No Black money can, therefore, be used for the purchase of these bonds," it said. The government said under the new system, the political party must now disclose the receipt of money through electoral bonds and must account for the same. "The Electoral Bonds is a positive step in the right direction to ensure accountability and transparency in conducting elections. The need to bring about such a change was felt as the measures that existed on the book were either not enough or were proving to be ineffective/insufficient in dealing with the menace of corruption in Elections," it said. The government said that it had notified the scheme after due consultations with concerned stakeholders and even the poll panel was also briefed on Electoral Bonds by the Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs in September of 2017. The BJP-led NDA government had announced electoral bonds in the earlier budget, claiming that the scheme would clean up political funding. The government's move was resisted by opposition parties. The BJP on Wednesday targeted Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, alleging that he is leading a good life and taking foreign holidays without any substantial source of income by making 'sweetheart deals' with fly-by-night operators New Delhi: The BJP on Wednesday targeted Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, alleging that he is leading a good life and taking foreign holidays without any substantial source of income by making "sweetheart deals" with fly-by-night operators. Addressing a press conference at the party office in New Delhi, senior BJP leader and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said in the past few days, some media organisations have reported some stories about the Congress president. "I have myself studied them personally and it is necessary to make the analysis public. This person (Rahul Gandhi) has not done any business in his life. But, he has been leading a good life, taking foreign holidays, etc." He further said a media expose has revealed that the family owned a farm house in South Delhi which is now owned by the brother and sister of current generation of the family. "Periodically tenancies are created in favour of persons many of whom needed help when the Congress-led UPA was in power. Amongst the names of the tenants, the critical person is Jignesh Shah of FTIL and real estate developer Sanjay Chandra of Unitech builder," Jaitley alleged, adding both of whom are accused in different economic offences. He further asked, "Who else would enter into such sweetheart deals' except the fly-by-night operators who needed state patronage." Hitting out at the Congress, Jaitley suggested that the party had launched a "capital creation programme" for the Gandhi family. Rentals were paid by obliging tenants in advance. It is unlikely that the tenants ever needed to live in Delhi because they have had no business operation in Delhi. Later in a blog, referring to Rahul, Jaitley said this man makes reckless allegations without any basis. It was no rocket science for him to know who were conferring him the largesse. Click here to read latest updates on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 "He aspires to be a Prime Minister. Such aspirants, like Caesar's wife, must be beyond suspicion. They must be unsuspectable. With tainted hands, he must at least remember that 'people in glass houses do not throw stones'. The 'chowkidar' has finally caught a 'chor'," Jaitley wrote. Today's top stories: Rahul Gandhi will file his nomination papers from Wayanad in Kerala; BJP leader Smriti Irani will campaign in Amethi; former Jet Airways chairman Naresh Goyal says he has agreed to lenders' every demand; and more. Rahul to file nomination papers from Wayanad Congress chief Rahul Gandhi is expected to file his nomination from the Wayanad seat in Kerala on Thursday in the presence of his sister and party general secretary for Uttar Pradesh East Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. He will lead a roadshow before filing the papers around 10.30 am. This comes on a day when Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Smriti Irani is scheduled to campaign in Rahul's home constituency of Amethi. Irani is expected to speak at the BJP's Kisan Morcha Sammelan around 11 am. Rahul is also scheduled to address a rally in Nagpur around 5 pm. Meanwhile, BJP president Amit Shah is scheduled to address public meetings in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. He will first speak at Karimnagar (11.45 am) and Warangal (1.30 pm) in Telangana and then address rallies at Narasaraopet (3.30 pm) and Visakhapatnam (6 pm) in Andhra Pradesh. Also, Congress candidates for Mumbai are expected to release their manifesto for the city on Thursday. All party candidates, including Milind Deora, Priya Dutt, Urmila Matondkar and Sanjay Nirupam are expected to be present at the 12 pm event. EC issues notice to Adityanath over 'Modi ki Sena' remark The Election Commission has issued a notice to Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath over his "Modi ji ki Sena" (Prime Minister Narendra Modi's army) remark. The commission has asked him to file a reply by Friday. While addressing a public rally in Ghaziabad on 1 April, Adityanath had referred to the Indian Army as "Modi ji ki Sena" while drawing a comparison between the steps taken by the BJP-led Central government against terrorism and those taken by the previous Congress government. Things that were impossible for the SP-BSP are now possible; they are possible because Modi is here. Congress used to feed biryani to terrorists, but Modi ji ki Sena gives them only golis and golas (bullets and bombs). That is the difference, the chief minister had said. Modi, Mamata exchange barbs at Bengal rallies Modi and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday went for each other's jugular in battleground West Bengal, with the prime minister castigating "speed-breaker Didi" for allegedly stalling the state's development and the TMC chief hitting back with a warning that he will face a "voter strike". Modi, who kicked off his Lok Sabha campaign in West Bengal with back-to-back rallies in Siliguri and Kolkata on Wednesday, hit out at Banerjee over a host of issues, including alleged lack of development, perpetuating family rule and for seeking proof of the Indian Air Force's retributive strike on terror camps in Pakistan to avenge the Pulwama killing of 42 CRPF troopers. Not one to take things lying down, the West Bengal chief minister mounted a blistering counter-offensive, mocking Modi's "56-inch chest" and claiming his government did nothing to save the lives of the CRPF jawans despite having "information" about the impending terror attack. "We are nationalists, not fascists," she asserted. Naresh Goyal says he agreed to every condition by lenders Naresh Goyal, promoter and former chairman of Jet Airways, on Wednesday said he had agreed to every term and condition laid down by lenders to ensure timely release of funds for the airline. The crisis-hit carrier is set to undergo a debt resolution, whereby lenders will take control and also infuse funds worth Rs 1,500 crore into the company. Against the backdrop of persisting concerns over the future of ailing Jet Airways, Goyal said he had conscientiously made some hard, personal decisions in extending cooperation to the consortium of Indian lenders. "... I have agreed to each and every term and condition laid down by them in a timely manner... I have given all facilitation for the implementation of the 'Resolution Plan' and signed on the dotted line as required to ensure release of the much-needed funds committed by the lenders to secure a sustainable future for Jet Airways," Goyal said in a statement. RBI's first monetary policy of current fiscal expected today The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will unveil on Thursday its first bi-monthly monetary policy decision of this new fiscal. "The resolution of the Monetary Policy Committee will be placed on the website at 11.45 am on 4 April, 2019," the Central bank said. The industry and experts are expecting the banking sector regulator to cut the key lending rate at which it lends to commercial banks by 0.25 percent in a bid to boost economic activities as fears loom large about a global economic slowdown affecting India's growth prospects. Sunrisers Hyderabad to face Kagiso Rabada test in Delhi Capitals High-flying Sunrisers Hyderabad's opening pair David Warner and Jonny Bairstow, who forged 100-run stand in each of the three games they have played in the Indian Premier League so far, will be up against the Kagiso Rabada-led bowling attack when they take on Delhi Capitals on Thursday at Feroz Shah Kotla. The Shreyas Iyer-led side will be looking to bounce back after suffering a 14-run defeat against Kings XI Punjab, which saw them lose seven wickets for eight runs while chasing. Facebook asking new users for email passwords Facebook is now being accused of asking new users to hand over the password of their email account as a way to verify their identity. The social media giant has argued that the only users who were asked this are those who listed an e-mail address that did not use the secure 'OAuth protocol' a third-party system Facebook uses to identify a user and has said they will stop the practice. Joaquin Phoenix's Joker to release in India on 4 October Warner Bros on Wednesday announced that its upcoming feature Joker will release in India on 4 October. The film, featuring Joaquin Phoenix as the iconic DC comics antagonist The Joker, is directed by Todd Phillips. The film is an "exploration of a man disregarded by society that is not only a gritty character study, but also a broader cautionary tale," the studio said in a statement. The Dalai Lama also said New Zealand serves as a living example for others as to how to respond with calmness and compassion in the wake of such incidents. New Delhi: Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama Thursday praised New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern for taking a compassionate approach in dealing with the aftermath of the recent terror attack in her country in which 50 worshippers were killed. Responding to a question at a press conference, he also said New Zealand serves as a "living example" for others as to how to respond with calmness and compassion in the wake of such incidents. He also asserted that the 21th century should be the "century of peace and non-violence". New Zealand is one example where a country's leader tried to deal with a "very sad situation" through compassion, he said when asked about the incidents of violence in the last few years in many countries, stemming from hatred. "She tried to tackle the problem through non-violence, compassion and mutual respect. So, there are methods (to deal with violence). And, although what happened was a very sad incident, there was no further increase in violence," the Dalai Lama told reporters. "I really admire the New Zealand prime minister, that lady. She is wonderful. So that is a living example and everyone can learn from that," he said. At least 50 people were killed and several others injured in a hate-filled terror attack by a shooter, targeting two mosques in the New Zealand city of Christchurch in March. The attack sparked global outrage drawing condemnation from leaders and institutions around the world. After the attack, Ardern's humane approach in consoling a grieving nation and dealing with its aftermath, including meeting the Muslim community members, was widely praised. The interaction was held to announce the global launch in Delhi Friday of a SEE (social, emotional and ethical) learning programme, hosted by the Emory University in the US in partnership with The Dalai Lama Trust and Vana Foundation of India. "We saw so much violence in the 20th century, two world wars, and so we must deal with our problems now with dialogues and non-violent measures. And, through peace we can achieve it," he said. The Dalai Lama lamented that most of the problems the world is facing today is "our own creations". "Even the killings we are seeing today around the world, doings of humans only...Our education today is only teaching to be materialistic and not seek happiness. So in education, that horizon of emotion is necessary and compassion in heart to achieve happiness," he said. The Tibetan spiritual leader said the world must think to build a more peaceful, more compassionate 21st century. He also asserted that India is a country that is based on secular philosophy and ethics, and the country has the "potential to help humanity" by combining modern education with the ancient wisdom of the country. Asked about several youth resorting to drugs or getting addicted on social media seeking happiness, he said, "It all happens because those youth lack inner peace. And they do not know how to find it, hence, do such things...Our modern education is just making people more materialistic." SEE learning provides educators with a comprehensive framework for cultivation of social, emotional and ethical competencies that can be used in K-12 education as well as higher education and professional education, the university officials said. "The programme also includes a segment on building resilience in the face of trauma or violence, and how to deal with it in a calm way so that students do not suffer emotional breakdown or negative impact on their psyche," said, Brendan Ozawa-de Silva, Associate Director for SEE learning at the Emory University. Four Border Security Forces (BSF) jawans were killed on Thursday during an encounter between security forces and Maoists in Kanker district of Chhattisgarh. Four Border Security Forces (BSF) jawans were killed on Thursday during an encounter between security forces and Maoists in Kanker district of Chhattisgarh. Two BSF personnel were also injured in the encounter. Earlier ANI quoted DIGP Anti Naxal Operation P Sundarraj as saying, "One jawan of the 114 battalion of BSF died while two others sustained injuries in an encounter that broke out between the security forces and Naxals." #UPDATE : 4 BSF jawans have lost their lives in an encounter with Maoists in Kanker, Chhattisgarh https://t.co/zs8K25iF87 ANI (@ANI) April 4, 2019 Further details of the ongoing encounter are awaited. On 21 March, Maoists blew up a civilian vehicle using an improvised explosive device (IED) in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district, injuring nine people. The incident had occurred when the victims were headed towards Dantewada district in an SUV to visit a fair. Police said the Maoists may have mistakenly attacked the civilian vehicle even as they were planning to target security forces. In a Maoist attack on 18 March, a CRPF jawan was killed and six others were injured in Dantewada district. The attack had taken place at around 5 pm when a team of CRPF's 231st battalion were on an area domination operation from its Kamal post towards Kondapara village under the Aranapur police station area. Deputy Inspector General (anti-Naxal operations) Sundarraj P had told PTI, "When the patrolling team was advancing through the forest just 200 metres away from the post, a group of armed rebels triggered an IED blast and opened indiscriminate firing on them, setting off a gun-battle. "However, the Naxals fled when CRPF jawans launched a fierce retaliatory action," the IPS officer said. With inputs from PTI Closing the Jammu-Srinagar highway to civilian traffic puts at stake the business interests of hundreds of traders who travel to and fro from Jammu to Kashmir and vice versa. The national highway from Baramulla to Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir has been made out of bounds for civilian traffic on Sundays and Wednesdays from 4 am to 5 pm till 31 May to facilitate unhindered movement of security forces' convoys. The move was introduced to eliminate the possibility of a Pulwama-like fidayeen terror attack during the ongoing poll process. According to the new order, the prohibition will apply from Baramulla through Srinagar, Qazigund, the Jawahar-Tunnel Banihal and Ramban to Udhampur. However, what it inadvertently entails is inconvenience for the residents of the Kashmir Valley, for whom this is the only all-weather motorable road that connects them to the rest of the India. At stake is the business interests of hundreds of traders who travel to and fro from Jammu to Kashmir and vice versa. The move evoked a strong response from local leaders who paralleled the decision to government's failure. National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah on Wednesday called the decision to close Jammu-Srinagar national highway for civilian traffic proof of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's failure to manage the internal security of Jammu and Kashmir. "Another first for the Modi government after the first ever delayed Assembly election. Now this shocker never before, in 30 years, has the national highway been closed for civilian traffic like this," the former chief minister tweeted. "Patients will not be able to reach hospitals; students will be deprived access to schools; employees won't be able to reach work; and the list goes on and on. There has to be a better, less people-unfriendly way of protecting forces using the highway," Abdullah said in another tweet. Instead, security forces should be facilitated to travel in special trains, he suggested. "I've made this suggestion before, and in light of today's highway closure order, I feel the need to repeat it why can't the forces travel between Banihal and Baramulla by special trains? Quicker, safer and more comfortable for the security forces," he said. Former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ally, Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference chairman Sajad Gani Lone also hit out at the government. "In the civilised world, military needs will and always be subservient to civil needs. This certainly will be a first of its kind and will have disastrous social, political and economic consequences. The government should not carve a military identity for itself," Lone wrote on his Twitter handle. "The order issued by the government today on vehicular movement is too bad to be true. Can't believe they actually issued such an order. Makes a mockery of liberties and restricts even the right to move," he added. Meanwhile, Peoples Democratic Party president and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti compared the decision to martial law. "The last I checked, we were a democracy. But this sounds like a diktat of martial Law. After bringing Kashmir to the brink, the administration is adamant on ensuring collective punishment for Kashmiris," she said. Even BJP leaders were not happy with the announcement. According to the Hindustan Times, BJP state spokesperson Altaf Thakur said the order was against civilians. "This is a completely unjustified order aimed at creating problems for civilians and should be revoked. Stopping movement of civilian traffic on the national highway is unthinkable and should be revoked." It is true there are security concerns, but they should not be addressed at the cost of civilians, he emphasised. Local residents, too, decried the move, pointing out the inconvenience they will have to suffer because of the move. As if already imposed bans weren't enough! this authoritarian government imposed a ban even on general traffic/masses on Jammu-srinagar highway. I can relate to what orwellian govt. looks like in Orwell's "1984". If not resolved, everyone of us will be in room no. 101 soon. Omar Zaki. (@Soprukk) April 4, 2019 No civilian traffic movement on Srinagar Jammu highway for 2 days every week. Holiday for all employee who have to cross these https://t.co/WAbiauBVnU day for all students .No exams on Wednesday.That is the fun of living under dictatorship#kashmir#FreeKashmir The Reallysion (@ShahKhalidahmad) April 4, 2019 Closing the Jammu Srinagar highway is the worst anti-People move I've seen in 30 years of militancy. Hundreds of schools and hospitals can only be accessed via this crucial road. Stark admission that the mighty Sec forces can only rule through force. Expect further alienation Harinder Baweja (@shammybaweja) April 4, 2019 Another aspect of the order is that it bars vehicular movement in prime Kashmiri cities, which are land-locked and completely dependent on the highway to commute. But life wasn't easy even before the diktat was introduced. Between the harsh winter months of November to February, the highway remains prone to blockages due to heavy snowfall and landslides. Several spells of snow and heavy constant traffic on the lone motorable road connecting Kashmir to the rest of India ensures that people often get stranded. In the last spell of snow this year in January, the highway was shut for six straight days. The traffic menace is another aspect locals have to deal with. The ongoing road widening and halting trucks between Banihal and Ramban on the highway usually cause long blockades. In winters, the widening work often trigger landslides and spraying of stones, causing traffic authorities to stop vehicles for hours at a stretch. Furthermore, the meandering course of the highway because of the geography of the region creates several bottlenecks between Jammu and Srinagar, creating long traffic blocks. Abdur Rasheed, who drives a passenger vehicle, said he has never seen such bad traffic in his 60 years, blaming traffic authorities for the mess. "Hardly any traffic policemen are at the bottlenecks of the highway," he told Greater Kashmir. Although the traffic department announces traffic schedules regularly through the media and repeatedly urges people to contact traffic control rooms before embarking on a journey along the highway, traffic management remains a major challenge. With inputs from agencies The RSS, apart from organising programs for their national leaders like Golwalkar, was mainly strategising on expansion. They hardly had any direct involvement in the freedom struggle. Some RSS leaders and cadre in the region participated individually. Under the leadership of RSS Mangalore head HV Sheshadri, his recruits started setting up shakhas in urban Mangalore and smaller towns like Udupi, Puttur and Karkala. Editor's note: This is the fourth reported piece in an 18-part series on the contemporary history of Hindutva in coastal Karnataka. The series features interviews, videos, archival material and oral histories gathered over a period of four months. Read other articles of the series here *** In 1933, RG Bhide, the chief editor of Kesari (the RSS mouthpiece) and the general secretary of the Akhila Bharatha Hindu Mahasabha delivered an incendiary speech at Mundajje village, 70 km from Mangalore. To this day, his words echo in the speeches of Sangh leaders in the region such as Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat, MB Puranikand and Jagadish Sheneva. In the speech, Bhide criticised the demand for Pakistan, the Khilafat movement and called Muslims "born soldiers of their faith". He said they could never be part of 'Hindu Rashtra' as they were deshdrohis (anti-national). It was the first time that an anti-Muslim position was articulated in a big way in coastal Karnataka. Present day Dakshin Kannada and Udupi (which previously was the united South Kanara) has a well-oiled network of on-ground and virtual activists who take it upon themselves to keep their circles informed about everything the Sangh wants in the public domain. Social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, have various troll groups promoting the Sangh ideology, which according to Facebook Audience Insights, are the most viewed in the region. Their presence in colleges, among working professionals, the police force and even the media ensures that whatever the Sangh wants to be circulated reaches almost every individual in the district. Back in 1933, Bhide's speech was like any other political manifesto which was on offer in this part of the British Madras Presidency. At the time, the Mahasabha's anti-Muslim discourse was popular mainly in North India. The Mahasabha went about its business along coastal Karnataka with single-minded focus. They organised several meetings to talk about atrocities allegedly committed by Muslims against Hindus and their motives to divide the nation. Religious spaces were common spots. On 10 April 1941, during the festival of the Rajarajeshwari Temple in Polali, 20 km from Mangalore, the Mahasabha's leaders took centre-stage. In their speeches, they talked about the Muslim League's demand for a separate Pakistan, even though the local Muslim population had never identified with the League, which was partly because the Muslim League didn't have a branch in these areas. Nevertheless, they passed a resolution to organise mass protests against the Muslim support for the creation of Pakistan. Coastal Karnataka, however, wasn't affected by the Partition as much as the rest of the country, even though it had a Muslim population of nearly 20 percent. In fact, when the narrative completely shifted from conversions by Christian missionaries to the alleged anti-Hindu activities of the Muslim community, it didn't immediately set the region on fire. These provocations didn't lead to clashes between the communities. The leaders of the Sabha, however, trudged on and organised meetings with an anti-Muslim theme at regular intervals. In January 1946, a public meeting was organised in Karkala where advocate E Ramamurthy and Keshavaramachandra Shenoy spoke about the atrocities committed by Muslims on Hindus of Bengal. In 1948, a public shuddhi (purification) ceremony was organised in Kinnigoli to convert a Muslim family to Hinduism. When the RSS arrived in 1941, it followed the same template as the Mahasabha but ended up being far more successful in the long run. The Mahasabha died out across the country after the Partition. Initially, the RSS in Mangalore was confined to Gaud Saraswat Brahmins strongholds such as Pentlendpet, Dongarakerry and Car Street, the same neighbourhoods that birthed the Arya Samaj and the Brahmo Samaj. Public meetings of the RSS were held at its birthplace, the Canara High School in Mangalore. The institution was a Sangh stronghold then and it continues to be so even today. The school was started in 1893 by the founder of the Gaud Saraswat Brahman Parishad, Ammembal Subba Rao Pai. He also founded the Canara Hindu Permanent Fund in Dongarakery, three months after Canara Banking Corporation Fund was founded in Udupi by a leading Muslim merchant and landlord Haji Abdullah in 1906. The financial institution, started by Pai, is known today as the Canara Bank and the one started by Abdullah is known as the Corporation Bank. MS Golwalkar's hopes from the unit started in South Kanara can be gauged from his regular visits to Mangalore after the organisation was formed in 1941. All his visits started with a visit to the Venkatramana Temple on Car Street, the main centre of the Gaud Saraswat Brahmin community's faith. During this period, non-Brahmins weren't allowed into the temple. This, however, changed a few decades ago. On the other side of the political debate, organisations such as the Jaathiytha Virodha Sanyuktha Sangha, Anti-Communalist United Front and the Anti-Fascists United League were formed and were led by a diverse set of civil society leaders such as B Shankar Bhat, M Ramappa, DMA Rafiq and KMR Shetty. They countered the progress of the RSS by organising counter rallies and used terms such as 'casteist' and 'communal' to describe the Sangh. They also blamed the Congress high command of being soft towards the RSS. In one instance, the Rashtriya Seva Dal organised a program, which was close to where RSS meeting was held with Golwalkar in attendance, urging people not to take part in it. There was very little political space at the time for the RSS to grow as Mangalore was a Congress stronghold, and leadership of the party was shared among others, by Gaud Saraswat Brahmins and the Bearys. This political alliance between the Gaud Saraswat Brahmins and Bearys, otherwise rivals in every sphere, emerged in the Congress as a result of the visit of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and Moulana Shaukat Ali in 1920. Some of the earliest Muslim political leaders, including Kunhamma Haji of Mangalore and Hussain Wodeyar of Farangipete, extended support to Mahatma Gandhi when he visited and later became a staunch Indian National Congress supporters. Dr MM Salih, Kunhamma Saheb, Dr MB Mohammed, Matada Mame, Yousuf Saheb and Athoor Halyara Ibrahim Haji were popular Congress leaders who mobilised Muslims from the region for the freedom struggle. As Golwalkar struggled to find non-Brahmin takers for his organisation in the coast, there was nothing much he could do till much after the Independence. When five lakh Dalits were converted to Buddhism under the leadership of Dr BR Ambedkar in 1956, conversion as a means to escape caste inequalities inherent to Hinduism resurfaced as a strategy. Hindu nationalists tried various attempts to salvage the situation. One such attempt was the formation of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad in 1964. Golwalkar was averse to political participation or methods which evoked the model of social work. Instead, he envisioned a mega national project to enlist religious heads to action. Sanjeev Kelkar, in his book, The Lost Years, wrote: "Golwalkar had recognised the power of the sectarian chiefs-the Mathadheeshas. He levelled down their egos and their ideas of self-prestige, and yoked them to social causes, especially the removal of untouchability, something they had not contributed towards for over a millennium." In coastal Karnataka, Golwalkar recruited Vishvesha Teertha, a powerful young man who started an expansive program aimed at gaining support from the lowered castes. Teertha the seer of the Pejavara Adokshaja Mutt or simply known as the Udupi Krishna Mutt became Golwalkar's star pupil. The Krishna mutt is the most powerful of the eight such monasteries in the temple town of Udupi which has drawn Brahmin pilgrims from across the country for centuries. Now 87, Teertha rose to become a key player from the South in the Ram Janmabhoomi campaign. In the late 1940s and 50s, Teertha worked steadily towards building an opinion against religious conversions of lowered caste Hindus. He started a movement to enter Dalit neighbourhoods that were considered impure by ritualistic Hindus. Teertha travelled the country in those years of his political career, advocating internal Hindu reform and not a conversion, as a solution to caste discrimination. "He didn't have a lot of takers from within the Brahmin circles, including the mutt's," his nephew and Professor Rajaram Tholpady told Firstpost when the team him to understand more about the seer. Tholpady, a supporter of the seer during his early days, eventually fell out with him after his active participation in the demolition of the Babri Masjid. But it had a profound impact on the lowered castes that a Brahmin of his stature was intermingling with them. Ironically, to this day, Dalits and other non-Brahmin castes are not allowed into the sanctum sanctorum and the dining area of the Pejavara seer's (Vishvesha Teertha) own monastery. A measure of the local Brahmin community's rigidity can be gauged from the fact that the Krishna Mutt has a powerful anti-caste legend set in the medieval era. Even in those days, lowered castes couldn't enter the temple and were only allowed to take a peek at the deity from a little hole in the wall behind the idol. But when Kanakadasa, a lowered caste saint and one of Krishna's greatest devotees, was prevented from entering the temple from the front entrance, the Krishna idol is believed to have spun around to face the hole in the wall. To this day, the statue has its back to the main door but the lowered caste devotees still can't enter the temple. Even though he didn't transform his own community's view on caste discrimination, Teertha soon emerged as the region's high-priest on matters of Hinduism and Hindutva. Theertha's programs, however, became popular among the lowered castes only from the 1960s onwards (almost two decades later). When in 1981, more than 1,000 Dalits converted to Islam in the temple town of Meenakshipuram, Teertha led a slew of damage-control programs on behalf of the Sangh. M Devadas, a senior leader of the Dalit Sangarsha Samiti (DSS), however, tells a different story. A tuition teacher, Devadas told Firstpost what he knew about the seer, who was portrayed as a revolutionary among the lowered castes, especially Dalits. Devadas agrees that Theertha was revered by many, and was regularly invited to functions. He recollected how his father invited Theertha in 1962 for the inauguration of a community hall in Bajpe. The program consisted of felicitating achievers of the year where the women would spread out their pallus (loose end of a sari) in front of the Swamy and he would drop the awards from above without touching the awardees. "Most Dalits would invite him for our programs as he was known as the 'liberal Swamy' but this kind of contradiction was visible too." The 1920s, as we have seen, belonged entirely to Gandhi and the Congress. Between 1921 and 1935, Gandhi visited Mangalore thrice; the region was bristling with anti-British nationalist fervour. Ninety-two-years-old Tulu author and Sangh ideologue Aerya Laxminarayan Alva was a Congressman when he first heard Gandhi speak at Bantwal in 1935. "The urban educated classes and the peasantry were in his thrall. Campaigns of the Congress like 'uuluavane holadodeya' (land to the tiller) gathered support from a large section of agrarian peasant communities which troubled landed communities," says Alva, who eventually switched sides and served as the state president of Vishwa Hindu Parishad from 1979, for a period of twenty years. In line with their national leadership, which in the 1940s sided with the British, the coastal leaders of the Hindu-right, too, stayed out of the freedom struggle as well as the other movements such as land reforms and tenancy rights that were mustering support for the Congress. Meanwhile, the RSS, apart from organising programs for their national leaders like Golwalkar, was mainly strategising on expansion. They hardly had any direct involvement in the freedom struggle. Some RSS leaders and cadre in the region participated individually. Under the leadership of RSS Mangalore head HV Sheshadri, his recruits started setting up shakhas in urban Mangalore and smaller towns like Udupi, Puttur and Karkala. In the bordering town of Puttur, the credit of expanding the RSS shakha network goes to the areca nut-farming community of the Havyak Brahmins. Urimajalu Ram Bhat, 92, is one of the tallest leaders from the community today and despite his age a regular in the elders' gallery at all important Sangh events even today. In a conversation spanning five hours, Bhat recalled his entry into the RSS. "I attended a shakha for the first time in 1942, when I was in Class 8. I didn't have any inclination towards it initially. There's an interesting story behind it." "There was a mountain near my house and I desperately wanted to climb it but none of the elders would take me. My school senior, Narayan Bhat, promised that he would help me climb the mountain if I joined his RSS shakha. This was the first time I heard what the RSS worldview was and I was drawn to it instantly," recollects Bhat. After finishing his schooling, Bhat moved to Mangalore for further studies where he was groomed at the Vidyaranya shakha in Police Lanes. It was run by the then district president of the RSS Karkala Sadashiva Rao. Bhat says he also regularly attended RSS meetings organised at the Venkatramana Temple hall. He recounts attending the first RSS statewide youth camp in Bangalore in 1948. "The Chief Minister of Mysore Presidency K Chengalaraya Reddy attended the camp and stayed with us. There were more than 5,000 of us from all parts of the state. Every division displayed their drills with drums, flutes and lathis. This was the first time I was meeting so many RSS workers, it felt like my organisation was at its strongest." This surge quickly vanished in the months following the killing of Gandhi by Nathuram Godse a Hindu extremist. The RSS was banned even though they said that Godse had quit the organisation before the assassination. "We organised protests every day led by our head Venkatramana Bhat," says Ram Bhat. Soon, Ram Bhat and his RSS cohorts were arrested. He shudders to this day while recollecting those events. "One day, as we were marching from Car Street to Bunder, we were beaten up badly by the police and dragged to a police station where they tortured us. My father cried when he saw the state I was in." Bhat, Karkala Sadashiva Rao and 45 other RSS workers were arrested from across Dakshin Kannada during the RSS ban. When the ban was lifted in July 1949, despite huge resistance Golwalker came back to Mangalore and hoisted the National Flag at 'Sanghniketan', the RSS headquarters at Pentlendpet. Stones were thrown and numerous attempts were made to disrupt the gathering. Incidentally, during one of his visits in 1924, Gandhi had stayed and conducted meetings just a few blocks away from where Sanghaniketan stands today. Gandhi had stayed at Saraswati Nivas', the residence of Nagar Ramanath Shenoy, a local Gaud Saraswat Brahmin businessman. Sudha Rao gets a call during Gandhi Jayanti every year and she recounts the same story. "Pentlendpet was renamed Gandhinagar as a tribute to Gandhiji and the Gandhi Park was built opposite our house," says Rao, the daughter-in-law of late Ramanath Shenoy. Pentlendpet, a Gaud Saraswat Brahmin neighbourhood, was the centre of all political activity during that time and so it is only natural that Gandhi stayed here. Though natural, what is ironical is that a few decades later, the RSS started its headquarters in the same neighbourhood that once served as a refuge for Congressmen and leaders of the freedom struggle. Historys rhythmic drumbeats echo loudly in the Indus valley, and in how the British transformed a community-based rural economy (one that was arguably ill-equipped to make that transition) to a market-based economy, and left it vulnerable to external shocks. The British transformation of the Punjab disruption and imbalance In column one of this series, we looked at how water shaped the Indus Valley Civilisation, and inspired the Vedic inhabitants. Moving forward by a few millennia, we come to the British, who, with the defeat of the Sikh empire, annexed the Punjab to their Empire. Historys rhythmic drumbeats echo loudly in the valley, and in how the British transformed a community-based rural economy to a market-based economy, one that was (arguably) ill-equipped mentally to make that transition, leaving it vulnerable to external shocks. Since this is key to understanding the question we asked: Can the tap (of the Indus flow) be turned off?, let us delve in by dissecting the transformation in four different ways: philosophy, markets, impact on local resilience, and geopolitical considerations. Philosophy and Infrastructure Control, Profit and Colonise To the Rig Vedic denizens of the Indus Valley, control of Nature would have been unthinkable they marvelled at the unrestrained nature of the Indus. To the British, however, the capricious tyrant of a river was a threat, an impediment, which properly harnessed became a revenue-generating asset. Same river system, two vastly different philosophies. To effect this, the British surveyed the land, its inhabitants, and then transformed the Indus river system through their canals, and the spirit of community through land reform. The focus, you see, was on maximising extraction, not adapting to what was. Its useful to think of canal infrastructure as a physical manifestation of a particular philosophy. Seen that way, the canal colonies represented the ultimate subjugation of Nature to serve the will of Man, as Ian Talbot writes: The transformation of six million acres of desert into one of the richest agricultural regions in Asian was a stupendous engineering feat that was seen as the colonial states greatest achievement. The canals cemented the British control of a region, provided immense profits and secured for the British, the loyalty of their subjects. Let us visit each in turn. Control First, the canal system functions as a unit, with some canal colonies dependent on water from another. For instance, The Lower Bari Doab Canal, part of the Triple Canal Project, diverted water from the Jhelum to the Chenab, and from the Chenab to the Ravi an early ancestor of the River Linking Scheme, if you will. The local communitys control was ceded, structurally, to a non-local distant power. The canal systems depended on a single controlling unit to decide water allocation, release and timing setting the stage for an upstream controller potentially turning off the tap. Was this threat always part of the design? After all, this way the farmers needed to remain in the gora sahibs good books, because he, the sahib, had his hand on the figurative button which delivered water to a dry land. Profit Second, for all the paternalistic or civilising spin around the canals, they represented a hard-nosed, highly profitable, revenue-generating investment for the Raj: A few figures will show what a wonderful success the Chenab canal has proved financially, wrote CH Buck gleefully, in 1906. irrigates annually about 2,000,000 acres, while there is a net profit to the State of 450,000, which gives a return of 23 percent on the capital cost. The Raj profited in other ways as well. The freight alone on carrying away the goods of wheat, cotton, other food grains and oil seeds amounted to an additional 450,000. A handsome investment indeed. An important point to consider is that the profit was possible only because so much new revenue came out of those lands. This largesse that the canals provided went almost entirely to Pakistan upon Partition something that was a sore point, which we will consider in a later piece. Colonise Third, the canals were a key weapon in the colonisation armoury, by securing the devotion of those militarily loyal to the Raj. How? The canals converted dry land, which received little rainfall, into irrigated land capable of producing one or two crops per year. The land became valuable only because of the non-local rainfall that was brought by the canals. This now-valuable land became a powerful new resource for the Raj, which could be given as largesse to loyalists. For example, Baba Sir Khem Singh Bedi, received about 7800 acres from the Lower Sona Parag Colony. Bedi was a great catch, he was a direct descendant of Guru Nanak, so had spiritual street cred. He also supported the British militarily in the first war of Indian Independence (also called as the Indian or Sepoy Mutiny) in 1857. Initially, the land was granted to primarily to peasant cultivars, but not the landless labourers: well-to-do yeomen of the best class of agriculturists, who will cultivate their own holdings. Land was also given to government pensioners and retired soldiers (if their service was held to be good enough) and to others the Raj believed it should reward. As time went on, the later canal colonies acquired more of a distinctly military character, with land grants based on horse breeding, and reward for good army service. It also translated into the Punjabisation of the army: in 1929, 62 percent of the British Indian Army was Punjabi. This is an important historical relic that influences decision making today. While post-Partition, the Indian army began to geographically diversify their recruitment, the Pakistan army continued with its Punjabi tilt (in 2001, 71 percent of the Pakistan army was Punjabi). The result of which is, Punjabis call the shots (and the water) in Pakistan. The physical infrastructure ushered in a different psychological regime: of market over community. Ushering in a Market Economy Arguably, the most profound change came by replacing community-rooted and managed farming, with a quasi-market (after all, the British called the shots) approach to farming. Earlier, during Sikh rule, as the indefatigable pen of Septimus Thorburn, a British settlement officer of the Raj, writes, There being little money in circulation, most payments, including land-revenue, were made in kind. The revenue demand, therefore, corresponded with each season's yield. The British changed this with the summary settlement, where based on the speedy judgement of a few survey officers, community ownership of land was sundered, and land titles were conveyed to those found cultivating the land. Importantly, however, the peasants had only occupancy rights and not proprietary rights over their land. This ensured their good behaviour towards their imperial landlord. But, as Thornburn writes, The result is a sort of elaborate Doomsday Book, which permanently fixes individual rights in land and water But the most profound change was converting a variable tax, based on the actual yield, to a fixed tax based on an assessment of the productive capacity of the land and historical yields. Thornburn notes: Without doubt a grave error was made upon annexation, in suddenly substituting for an elastic kind of assessment a fixed cash assessment. This asked a farmer, who had never handled coin in his life beforeto pay to his Government twice a year a fixed sum of money crop or no crop. At a time of drought, he would now need to borrow to pay the tax. This is where the summary settlement played its part: individual ownership came with important new collateral, which could be leveraged to raise credit. The combination of a fixed tax and a new source of collateral to a population unused to credit was explosive. At the same time converted collective into individual ownership of landwe made an unconditional gift of a valuable estate to every peasant proprietor in the Punjab, and raised his credit from the former limit of the surplus of an occasional good crop, to the market-value of the proprietary right conferred. This created the ascendancy of the money lender, which had profound implications for Partition (the Congress, for instance, was seen as the urban party) and Indian agriculture of the future. But this particular community-to-individual and local-to-non-local had one more implication. Undermining local resilience Because the emphasis shifted to water from elsewhere, and on a fixed tax, many farmers shifted to cash crops like cotton. Combined with the fact that community began to recede in importance, community-driven activities such as small-scale irrigation began to be neglected. As Mike Davis writes in Late Victorian Holocausts, In the Late Victorian Punjab, as Singh has shown, the neglect of small-scale irrigation improvements in the noncanal districts brought about increased dependence upon rainfall and thus greater vulnerability to drought. This is not unique to the Punjab. We have seen this same pattern repeat in the neglect of the cascading tank system around Madurai. There was also a widespread change of the microclimate of the area by decimating forests. Thorborn writes in his Musalman and Money-lenders, Villages were therefore few in number, and much of the best arable land in the country-particularly in the broad valleys of the Punjab river beds was jungle. Entire forests, thousands of trees, were cleared to provide timber to underlay the new railway tracks that would carry the freshly harvested wheat and cotton to the port to feed the British machine. Others write of this widespread, brutal transformation of a landscape. Pallavi Das quotes from the Public Works Department Proceedings of 1861: It is found that the deodar timber is admirably adapted for railway sleepers, and every region in the hills, from the Indus to the Sutlej, is ransacked to provide the requisite supply. The resources of the Jhelum and Chenab are almost exhausted, and hitherto the forests on the Sutlej have been entirely neglected ... The forests close to the water edge have long since been cleared away, and it is only at a distance of a mile or more from the river base that trees are found. Thus we see the transformation of Punjab left it vulnerable to external shocks. But for the British to extract from the Punjab, to subjugate the Punjab and to secure the Punjab was key. Was there another reason? Geopolitical compulsions the Russians The 19th century witnessed a security and strategic threat the Russian threat to North-Western India. The Russian Empire expanded in Central Asia, and, by 1850, it was about a thousand miles from the British Indian Empire. Some believe that the militarisation of the canal colonies, and securely bringing them under British control, were in some part motivated by strengthening the frontier against potential Russian action. If so, it only shows how ironically history rhymes, because a century later, this was a similar motivation that drove American actions in the Indus Valley which is what we explore next. Read the third column in this series on Firstpost. The writer is the founder of the Sundaram Climate Institute, cleantech angel investor and author of The Climate Solution India's Climate Crisis and What We Can Do About It published by Hachette. Follow her work on her website; on Twitter; or write to her at cc@climaction.net. The Jammu-Kashmir highway was not closed even during the Kargil war, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah said, a day after the government decided to block the road lifeline for two days a week Srinagar: The Jammu-Kashmir highway was not closed even during the Kargil war when intelligence reports suggested suicide attackers were at large, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah said on Thursday, a day after the government decided to block the road lifeline for two days a week. "What is happening for god's sake. Are you trying to make Kashmir a colony of the British?" an anguished Abdullah asked and termed the Governor Satya Pal Malik led administration's decision interference with a citizen's fundamental rights. According to the order issued on Wednesday by state Home Secretary Shaleen Kabra, no civilian traffic will be allowed to move from Baramulla in north Kashmir to Udhampur in Jammu region on Sundays and Wednesdays till 31 May. The restrictions on civilian traffic on the 271-km highway will remain in force from 4 am to 5 pm, said the order, which follows the suicide attack on a CRPF convoy in Pulwama. The highway passes through important towns such as Anantnag, Awantipora, Pampore, Srinagar, Pattan and Baramulla. "The fundamental rights of people are being tampered with," Abdullah told PTI. Such a decision flies in the face of the BJP-led Central government's assertion that the security situation in the state had improved, he said. "We brought the state from the 1989 turmoil to 2014 when tourism was booming the state and separatists had become redundant. Look where we are now?" asked the National Conference patron, who is contesting the Lok Sabha elections from Srinagar. "We have never seen such a situation. Even during Kargil war when intelligence reports suggested suicide attackers were roaming, such a decision was never taken," he added. Those who had passed such orders were acting as a rubber stamp for Delhi and only worsening the life of the people in the state, Abdullah alleged. "The national highway is the lifeline of people. Patients pass (through the highway), marriages take place, tourists come... Those passing such orders must have surrendered their ability to think before acting," he said. The decision to block the highway for two days has been taken to facilitate the unhindered movement of security forces' convoys to eliminate the possibility of fidayeen terror attacks during the ongoing poll process, the notification said. In case of an emergency requiring the passage of a civilian vehicle, police and administrative officials will take appropriate decisions in line with the provisions for movement of civilian traffic during curfews, it added. Officials said the notification took the state police by surprise and, till the last, it was being argued that the decision would not be beneficial for the state. During his visit to Kashmir after the Pulwama terror attack that left 40 security personnel dead, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh announced that no civilian traffic would be allowed during the movement of paramilitary forces. Fania Morrow, who knew her for the past two decades, said Colemans parents died when she was just a child. As a result, her neighbors quickly grew to become her family instead, affectionately nicknaming her Brit Brat, Morrow said in an email. Under Section 21 and 22 of the Representation of People Act 1951 the Election Commission of India appoints the returning officer and assistant returning officer for a constituency in consultation with the state governments/ Union Territories as the case may be When we talk about elections and its management in India, one term which draws our attention is 'returning officer'. Most recently, the term was in headlines when three BJP candidates won in Arunachal Pradesh even without their constituencies going to the poll as the returning officer rejected the nominations of the other contesting candidates citing discrepancies in their nomination papers. Given the fact that India has at least 15 million first time voters, this article aims to make the voters aware about one of the most important officials in the election machinery. The post of the 'returning officer' derives its name from their key responsibility, that is to conduct the election in a constituency and return an elected candidate. The returning officer is responsible for overseeing the election in one/two constituency/ies as directed by the Election Commission of India. Under Section 21 and 22 of the Representation of People Act 1951 the Election Commission of India appoints the returning officer and assistant returning officer for a constituency in consultation with the state governments/ Union Territories as the case may be. Every constituency in the country has its own returning officer and the territorial extent of the constituency over which he/she exerts jurisdiction is clearly defined by the Election Commission. A returning officer is responsible for every aspect of election in a constituency. Their foremost responsibility, as mandated by the Representation of People Act 1951, is to ensure free and fair elections in the constituency. This means that from filing of nominations by the candidates to counting of votes should be managed in an unbiased and unprejudiced way. He/she is also vested with the responsibility of training the polling personnel in all aspects including the use of EVMs with the Voters Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPATs). The returning officer is also entrusted with the task of allotting symbols to the contesting candidates, preparing the list of candidates, preparing the EVMs and VVPATs for the election as well as appointing the polling staff and defining the work. Apart from this there are various other managerial tasks which are handled by the returning officer to ensure a smooth and fair election process. However, such responsibility also comes with its drawbacks. Many a times questions have been raised on the conduct of the returning officers and their credentials, especially when we talk about their role in scrutinising the nomination forms. One such recent case took place in 2017 in Tamil Nadu where a by-election was to be conducted in the RK Nagar constituency. Vishal an actor by profession had filed his nomination from RK Nagar( Tamil Nadu) constituency, the seat left vacant after the death of former state chief minister Jayalalitha. The returning officer, while scrutinizing the nomination papers under Chapter I Section 36 of the Representation of People Act 1951 rejected the nomination. According to the provisions of the Act the candidature of an Independent candidate must be proposed by 10 persons residing in the constituency from where the candidate is filling the nomination papers. Valusamy, the returning officer while scrutinising the nomination found out that two signatures were forged, thus he rejected the nomination leading to a major controversy with the returning officer even being called the agent of the ruling party. However, the issue was later resolved and actor Vishal's nomination was accepted when the matter was investigated further. However this is only one such incident in the string of incidents as in every major election questions are raised on the process of scrutiny. Initially, returning officer was the final authority on deciding whether the nomination will be accepted or not as per Section 33(4) of Chapter I of Representation of Peoples Act 1951. Only a special tribunal had the power to overrule his decision and to hear the appeal of a candidate as mandated under A 329(b), which was also reiterated by the Madras High Court in Poonuswami case (1952), a landmark judgment which was even used by the Supreme Court on various occasions. However, after the case of Vishnu Kamath vs Ahmed Isheque, another landmark case in which the Supreme Court held that A 329(b) of the Indian Constitution, which provided that election petitions can only be heard by special tribunals only. And once the proceedings were initiated the requirements of the A 329(b) were met and trial by the election tribunal was subject to general law under which the petition could be taken up by the higher authority in the hierarchy of jurisprudence. However, in order to avoid dual jurisdiction the Election Commission recommended that high courts should be given the direct authority to adjudicate upon these matters. Eventually, Section 80-A was incorporated by an amendment into the Representation of People Act by the Parliament in 1966 which established high courts as the authority for deciding upon election petitions. The returning officers are also often blamed when there are technical and managerial problems during elections. Recently, a controversy broke out in Madhya Pradesh over late arrival of EVMs to the collection centre in Sagar; the polling machines were delayed by as many as two days after the polling ended. The Opposition led a protest against the ruling BJP and EC officials, demanding an investigation into the delay. The opposition blamed the BJP for the act and accused it of manipulating the results. However the Chief Electoral Commissioner of Madhya Pradesh later came out and told that these were the reserved machines which were to be used only in case of a technical snag. Notwithstanding this, the Election Commission responded strictly on the matter and removed the Returning Officer of the Khurai Assembly seat of Madhya Pradesh. Thus the Returning Officer has one of the most prominent roles in elections. He/she is the one who, by ensuring fairness and impartiality of polls, keeps faith of the people in the democratic process. He/she is also duty bound under the Representation of People Act to think of innovative ways to make the whole process of election management even more democratic and fair. So find out who is the Returning Officer of your constituency and what is he/she doing for making the election more transparent and just in your constituency. EPIC has largely been successful in identifying genuine voters in India. Starting from 11 April, India will go to polls in seven phases to elect its 17th Lok Sabha. Elections conclude on 19 May and counting of votes will take place on 23 May. Over 90 crore Indians will exercise their right to vote. At least 1.5 crore voters will be voting for the very first time in the upcoming elections. One of the most essential documents that establishes the identity of a voter is the EPIC (Electors Photo Identity Card). But the identity card has an interesting history, deeply intertwined with the progression of our democracy. First issued in 1993 In August 1993, the Election Commission of India, under erstwhile Chief Election Commissioner TN Seshan, issued the order to issue EPICs to all enrolled voters. The decision was taken in order to improve the accuracy of the electoral rolls and prevent impersonation of electors. A similar attempt had also been made in 1978, ahead of the Legislative elections in the North Eastern state of Sikkim. EPIC serves as an identity proof for a voter at the polling station during the municipal, state and national elections. An elector is required to show the card to the polling booth staff, who would ascertain the details before allowing him or her to vote. In terms of size, EPIC is only a little larger than a usual ATM card. On the front side, it contains the electors full name, fathers/husbad's name, gender, date of birth and, more importantly, the EPIC number. The electors photograph is on the right side of the voter ID card. The full residential address of the elector, date of issuance as well as the signature of the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) of the particular Assembly Constituency can be found on the rear side. Moreover, information on both sides of the card is printed in English and the official language of the particular state. How to procure an EPIC Voter ID Any citizen who has completed 18 years of age is eligible to register as a general voter in the electoral rolls of the Assembly Constituency. In order to enrol as a voter, an applicant can go on to the National Voters Service Portal website and fill Form 6. Alternatively, he or she can visit the office of Electoral Registration Officer to fill the form. While filing the form, an applicant needs to attach an address proof as well as proof of birth with Form 6. Any of the following documents can ascertain his or her residential status: Income Tax Assessments, Ration Card, Passport, Drivers Licence or latest rent agreement. On the other hand, birth certificate from the municipal authorities, Standard X marksheet (if it contains date of birth), passport or drivers licence can serve as a proof of birth. An applicant also needs to paste a passport-size colour photograph of specification (3.5 x3.5 centimetres) in the space provided for this purpose in the form. This photograph is used to print the applicant's image in the EPIC. According to the Election Commission, the photograph needs to show a close-up of the applicant's head and the top of the shoulders, with the face taking at least 75 percent of the vertical dimension of the picture. EPIC establishes the identity of those citizens whose names are present in the electoral list. While holding the card makes the process of voting smoother, it does not directly guarantee the right to vote. The right to vote is available only for those citizens whose names can be found in electoral roll. More importantly, only general electors and not service and overseas electors are provided with EPICs. EPIC can be rectified for errors According to the Election Commission, an applicant can fill Form 8 to rectify any errors in the card. The Electoral Registration Officer will issue a new EPIC, with the same number, after making the necessary corrections. Meanwhile, if a citizen has moved to a new residence within the same Assembly constituency, he or she needs to fill Form 8 A. However, if a citizen moves to a new Assembly constituency, he or she needs to apply for a new EPIC by filling Form 6. Nevertheless, despite the change in residential address, the EPIC number may remain the same. If a citizen loses their EPIC, a new one can be obtained by lodging an FIR reporting the loss of the card with the Police. The citizen can then submit a nominal fees of Rs 25 along with the copy of the police complaint. However, the Election Commission has also made it clear that no fee will be charged if the EPIC is lost for reason beyond the control of the elector like flood, fire, or other natural disasters. How to vote without EPIC EPIC has largely been successful in identifying genuine voters in India. Yet, many do not hold the identification document or misplace it after receiving it. The Election Commission has ensured every genuine voter, whose name is present in the electoral roll, is able to vote in elections. In February 2019, the apex election body approved the0 following documents as valid identification documents for voters: Passport, Driving License, Service Identity Cards with photograph issued to employees by Central/State Govt./PSUs/Public Limited Companies, Passbooks with photograph issued by Bank/Post Office, PAN Card, Smart Card issued by the Registrar General of India under National Population Register, MNREGA Job Card, Health Insurance Smart Card issued under the scheme of Ministry of Labour, Pension document with photograph, Official identity cards issued to MPs/MLAs/MLCs, and Aadhaar Card. The trans community in India which leads a life of discrimination, neglect and isolation has only just started to engage in electoral activism. 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 *** Kolkata: Every day, Mithu (27), a transwoman, heads to the lakeside park in Southern Avenue opposite Menoka cinemas to earn a living. She and a few other transwomen approach the people relaxing or strolling in the park and beg for money. At the end of the day, they hand over their earnings to their guru, who takes a cut and returns the rest. The trans community in India which leads a life of discrimination, neglect and isolation in the fringes of the society has only just started to engage in electoral activism and a good many factors have come together to bring about this change. This is only the second general election in which transgender people are recognised as a separate sex in the electoral rolls and the Election Commission is also focusing on encouraging them to get out and vote. The past term has been a roller coaster ride for the community while the long-overdue repeal of Section 377 was welcomed, the passing of the heavily-derided Transgender Bill in the Lok Sabha has put them on the defensive. Apart from this, transgender people were overwhelmingly affected by demonetisation. Put together, these developments seem to have pushed transpersons across the country to think seriously about their electoral participation. Take the case of Nitai Giri (46), a transgender sex worker and dancer, living in the northern part of the city. Most of these big dance assignments are either in Bihar or other parts of Bengal. She makes good money from these gigs. In November 2016, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes to flush out black money, people like Mithu and Giri were hit hard. There were exceptions Sandy lucked out, as the highest currency denomination shes usually had on her is Rs 100, which she shows us. For her, the move did not make much of a difference, aside from some inconvenience. But Giri faced a lot of harassment. I earned well at weddings and birthdays, but most payments came in the form of the demonetised notes, she says. Giri lives in a two-room rented accommodation with a shared bathroom near Sealdah. After demonetisation, she was unable to pay rent for a year. The rent is Rs 250. Along with electricity and cable TV, my total monthly expenditure comes to Rs 1,500, she says, adding that with Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes taken out of the equation, it became a bigger struggle to pay the amount. Because I have been a tenant for a long time, the landlord gave me some leeway, but he was understandably upset, she recounts, saying that she had to borrow money to pay the utility bills. The demon in demonetisation Following the Supreme Court verdict on the unprecedented National Legal Services Authority Vs Union of India in the 2014 judgment, commonly known as the NALSA judgment, the Reserve Bank of India, in its circular dated July 2015, mandated the inclusion of the third gender in all applications and forms issued by banks in India. However, the trans community continues to face challenges when it comes to financial inclusion. Many in the community didnt have an affidavit attesting their transgender identity. Lower income group (LIG) community members dont even have a bank account, says Ranjita Sinha, transgender activist and secretary of Association of Transgender/Hijras in West Bengal. Overnight, they had to account for their income and were unable to. When I tried helping them, questions were raised on my organisations accountability. Most transgenders cannot open bank accounts because their existing identity documents dont reflect their gender. This can lead to interrogation and harassment. Anuradha Sarkar (20), a transwoman and danseuse from the Sunderbans, says a lot of her friends opened their bank accounts before beginning their physical transformation. Hence, when they went to exchange the notes, the bank couldnt identify them from the original documents. As a result, they lost a lot of money, she adds. While Giri had to turn down a lot of lucrative assignments following demonetisation, Sinha too faced harassment while queuing up at a State Bank of India branch. I was told there are no separate lines for transgenders and turned away, she says. She lodged a police complaint in protest. Excluded left, right, and centre More than two years on, we ask them how would they like to respond to the move of demonetisation in the upcoming elections. Sinha says she votes but feels that the elections dont benefit the community. We have been deprived of all the progress made by the central and state governments. We still dont figure in the census. Neither the state nor the central government has been able to provide us with health, education or livelihood. Giri fumes: The politicians court us before the elections and later shoo us away. Do you think they care about us? Sintu Bagui, trans activist and secretary of Anandam, a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Kothi and Hijra (LGBTQKH) organisation that fights for social and political change to enhance the rights, dignity, and quality of life of LGBTKH* people in Kolkata, says the community had supported the Bill introduced by Tiruchi Siva, a DMK Rajya Sabha MP; it was in line with the demands of the community and the NALSA judgment. The government rejected it and introduced the Transgender (Rights and Protection) Bill 2016, which doesnt talk about our protection at all, she says. Despite our opposition to it, the Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha and all the amendments wed asked for ignored. Playing gender politics? The Transgender (Protection and Rights) Bill 2018 has come under fire from the community as it believes that the legislation only serves to undermine their right to life and livelihood. According to the Bill, an individual has to submit an application to the district magistrate, requesting a certificate of identity as a trans person. The application will then be referred to the District Screening Committee comprising the chief medical officer, district social welfare officer, a psychologist or a psychiatrist, a transgender representative, and a government official. Based on the recommendations of the committee, the district magistrate may issue a certificate attesting to the individuals identity as a trans person. The Bill also dictates that those wishing to identify as transgender male or female have to undergo a sex reassignment surgery, which is in direct contravention to the NALSA judgment. Gender identity is psychological and has nothing to do with ones physical appearance, says Sandeepta Das, an activist and entrepreneur. Screening our body to determine our gender identity is unethical and against human rights. Sarkar says, When the NALSA judgment has clearly said a person will decide how s/he chooses to identify himself/herself, how can the government go above and beyond the law in this Bill? Why should we be subjected to an examination to determine whether we are male, female or intersex? Sinha, however, has a different take. She is not completely against the Bill but believes certain aspects need to be carefully mulled over. In a developing country like India, people may pose as hijras to earn some money. I believe a transgender representative should be included on it. I am hopeful of amendments to the Bill. Backed into a corner The Bill also criminalises begging by the community. Most community members dont have access to jobs and education. Hijras and kinnars within the trans community rely on traditional ceremonies, like weddings, birthdays, and baby showers, for income. Others like Sandy resort to begging. This clause will impact them financially. Moreover, according to the Bill, punishment for verbally, physically, economically, emotionally, and sexually abusing a trans person carries up to two years of imprisonment. Ankan Biswas, Indias first third gender lawyer, practising in the Calcutta High Court, feels that this is belittling the community when sexual crimes against female-bodied persons carry a minimum of seven to ten years imprisonment. Are transgender people so expendable? he asks. Another controversial and potentially dangerous clause is compelling trans people to either live with their family or be sent to a rehab centre. Biswas wonders what qualifies as a rehab. Is it going to be some psychiatric institution to cure trans people? he asks. He also finds the thought of forcing a child to live with a family that refuses to acknowledge his/her chosen gender disturbing. Family is often a set-up wherein many trans people face violence. Corrective rape is a common tactic used against transmen to cure them. A lot of trans people escape their abusive families and joins trans communities, like hijra akkharas for safety and acceptance. In 2008, Kolkata-based People Like Us (PLUS) started Prothoma, Asias first shelter for trans people. However, due to financial constraints, Prothoma had to cut back on their operations, says Pradip Ghosh, associate director, PLUS Kolkata, and core member of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights. Shelter and counselling facilities are available, but we are not able to provide Rs 150 for daily expenses and short-term courses like tailoring and salon training. High time for a trans representative this election? The Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal, in 2015, had set up the Transgender Development Board. The trans community had hoped that it would help to integrate its members into the mainstream and address their socio-economic issues. However, members of the board have alleged that it has failed to act on its promises and hasnt helped the community in any way. The biggest problem with the board was that it was set up by a few people and not elected by the community, says Biswas. Embracing trans people in rituals during festivities is a good move, but that should not be all. Till date, we dont have a transgender ward in any hospital or toilets for the community. Gendered school uniforms is still a practice in schools. The little progress made by the community since 2014 is solely owing to the efforts of some individuals and community-based organisations, adds Biswas, citing the construction of a few transgender-friendly toilets in Kolkata and nearby. Despite attempts to contact her, Dr Shashi Panja, minister of state for women and child development and social welfare and board chairperson, remained unavailable for comment. The absence of transgender candidates in the election is a major bother for the community. Only a transgender person will understand where I am coming from. Unless we have trans* representatives in politics, how can we ever hope to have our issues addressed? asks Giri. Bagui says she has seriously started thinking of organising community-building initiatives before elections. In Mumbai, a transwoman (Sneha Kale) is contesting the election as an Independent. A trans activist has been made chief ambassador by the state chief electoral officer in Maharashtra. This is cause for celebration, she says, rueing that West Bengal hasnt taken similar steps, which, she adds, are necessary to bridge the gap between the privileged and LIG transgender population. The Election Commission in West Bengal is yet to decide on roles for trans* people during elections. Mithu, however, sums it up in the simplest way: Only when I see transgender toilets as ubiquitous as male/female toilets will I believe they [politicians] did something for us. (The author is a Kolkata-based freelance writer and a member of 101Reporters) A picture of Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra wearing a cross across her neck during a public rally had gone viral recently, with many social media users calling her out for 'hypocrisy' for bearing a Christian symbol while being a Hindu by birth. However, after doing a reverse Google image search, various fact-checking websites fond out the image to be morphed. Lok Sabha Election 2019 Fact-checker: Claim: A picture showed Priyanka Gandhi Vadra wearing a cross pendant around her neck. Fact: FAKE. The image has been digitally manipulated to morph the cross over the white pendant Priyanka was wearing during one of her rallies in Uttar Pradesh's Raebareli in 2017. *** A picture of Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra wearing a cross across her neck during a public rally had gone viral recently, with many social media users calling her out for 'hypocrisy' for wearing a Christian symbol while being a Hindu by birth. However, after doing a reverse Google image search, various fact-checking websites found the image to be morphed. Gandhi family is a bunch of chameleons . They change colour as per the situation. Become Hindu when meeting with Hindus and become Muslim when meeting with Muslims. Cross is their main religion anyways. @priyankagandhi @RahulGandhi https://t.co/sfbK3sFfkP #Chowkidarsamchaba (@samchaba9) April 1, 2019 The original picture is credited to Getty Images and AFP and shows Priyanka wearing a normal pendant and not the cross, as depicted in the fake picture. An apex body of major civil societies and student associations in Mizoram, which had earlier sought to boycott the Lok Sabha election, reversed its decision on Thursday following an internal meeting of the organisation's top hierarchy Aizawl: An apex body of major civil societies and student associations in Mizoram, which had earlier sought to boycott the Lok Sabha election, reversed its decision on Thursday following an internal meeting of the organisation's top hierarchy. Election to the state's lone Lok sabha seat and by-election to Aizawl West-I assembly constituency will be held simultaneously on 11 April. The NGO Coordination Committee had called for an indefinite strike from April 8 in protest against the decision of the Election Commission(EC) to set up exclusive polling booths at Kanhmun village, on the Mizoram-Tripura border, for the Bru voters lodged in six relief camps of Tripura. A statement issued by the committee claimed that the boycott was called off after the state government promised to end the Bru imbroglio by undertaking the last and final repatriation process this year. Lalhmachhuana, the secretary of the committee, said the decision was reversed as the organization did not want to inconvenience common people. Thousands of Bru refugees fled to Tripura from Mizoram during an ethnic violence in 1997. The Centre, in association with the governments of Mizoram and Tripura, have been trying to repatriate the displaced Brus in phases. Several refugees have returned to Mizoram over the years, but many refused to leave Tripura citing security reasons and inadequate rehabilitation packages. The state election office has set up 15 polling booths at Kanhmun village for 12,081 Bru voters, in accordance with the instruction of the Election Commission. LOK SABHA ELECTION 2019 CAMPAIGNS: CLICK HERE FOR LIVE UPDATES UAE accounts for eight percent of Indias oil imports and is the fifth largest supplier of crude oil to India. The country is also a part of the International Solar Alliance (ISA), which is headquartered in Gurugram, India. Abu Dhabi: The United Arab Emirates on Thursday bestowed Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the 'Order of Zayed', country's highest civilian order, in appreciation for his efforts to boost bilateral ties with the nation. "We have historical and comprehensive strategic ties with India, reinforced by the pivotal role of my dear friend, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who gave these relations a big boost. In appreciation of his efforts, the UAE President grants him the Zayed Medal," the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan tweeted. Some of the other recipients of 'Order of Zayed' are Russian President Vladimir Putin, former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and Queen Elizabeth II. India and the UAE share warm relations that received impetus after Modi paid a visit to the nation in 2015, according to the Ministry of External Affairs. The Crown Prince visited India in 2017 as the Chief Guest for Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi, while UAE is one of the few countries that Modi has visited twice. "The State visit of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to UAE on 10-11 February, 2018 helped in sustaining the momentum generated by earlier visits of Crown Prince in 2017 and 2016 and that of the prime minister in 2015," MEA stated. "India-UAE commercial relations are anchored by energy cooperation, trade, investments by UAE in India and investments and businesses driven by Indian expatriates in UAE," the ministry added. UAE accounts for eight percent of Indias oil imports and is the fifth largest supplier of crude oil to India. The country is also a part of the International Solar Alliance (ISA), which is headquartered in Gurugram, India. India-UAE trade stood at about $50 billion in 2017, making India the second largest trading partner of UAE, while UAE is Indias third largest trading partner (after China and the United States). Moreover, UAE is India's second largest export destination, accounting for over $31 billion for the year 2016-2017. A woman was killed and nearly 6,000 people were rendered homeless in Tripura after a nor'wester ripped through the state for two consecutive days Agartala: A woman was killed and nearly 6,000 people were rendered homeless in Tripura after a nor'wester ripped through the state for two consecutive days, damaging hutments and croplands and uprooting trees and electric posts, a government official said Thursday. A tribal woman, who was on her way home from work, was struck by lightning Wednesday night, resulting in her immediate death, Sarat K Das, the project officer of the state's disaster management department, said. Of the eight districts in the state, West Tripura suffered the maximum damage, he said. The NDRF and paramilitary forces have been put on standby for relief operations, with the Met department predicting more rain in the next 24 hours, Das stated. "A total of 5,894 people have lost homes in the storm and the subsequent downpour. They have been shifted to 48 relief camps, set up in Khowai and West Tripura districts," he said, adding that water level in River Howrah, Khowai, Gomati and Katakhal canal have exceeded safety limits. Subhasish Bandopaddhyay, the sub-divisional magistrate of Jirania in West Tripura district, said all affected families have been provided with food, water and clothes. The process for assessment of damages have already begun, he maintained. The director of regional metrological centre, Dilip Saha, said the state might experience more rainfall, but its intensity is expected to take a dip in next 24 hours. While the deal for India to procure 24 MH-60 Romeo Seahawks from the US is an attempt to curb China's military expansion in the Indian Ocean, Beijing is also likely to keep a close eye on the latest defence agreement. The United States has approved the sale of 24 submarine-hunting helicopters to India for around $2.6 billion. Manufactured by Lockheed Martin, these MH-60 Romeo Seahawks were much-needed to upgrade the Indian Navy's arsenal and will replace India's half-a-century-old fleet of British-made Sea King helicopters. The multi-mission choppers are considered the most advanced maritime helicopters available today. Besides hunting submarines, they can also be deployed to target ships and conduct search-and-rescue operations at sea, can be operated from frigates, destroyers, cruisers and aircraft carriers, and can be equipped with weapons such as Hellfire missiles, Raytheon MK 54 torpedoes, laser-guided rockets, machine guns, night vision devices and transponders. This India-US defence deal is the need of the hour, given China's aggressive maritime operations and expansion of its navy in the Indian Ocean and South China Sea. "India will use the enhanced capability as a deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen its homeland defence," the US government said in a statement on the helicopter agreement, though it added for the sake of diplomacy that "this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region". China has significantly increased its naval presence both under water and above in the Indian Ocean region, which necessitated having India boost its own naval arsenal to avoid being caught unawares in its own waters. Such has been China's naval expansion that the US has called for a water territory code of conduct to be signed to prevent any untoward situation from arising. In October 2018, China is believed to have deployed a submarine in the Indian Ocean after a gap of over a year. The People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy deployed a Type O39A Yuan class SSK (diesel-electric attack submarine) along with submarine rescue vessel 'Hai Yangdao' in the Indian Ocean, the eighth such deployment by China in the region, India Today reported. This development came days after the Indian Navy had announced that it had acquired its first submarine rescue vessel, and defence officials don't believe it was a coincidence. "The PLA Navy clearly wants to demonstrate that it can also be a net provider of submarine rescue in the Indian Ocean region," the officials said. While Beijing dubbed this maritime deployment "anti-piracy patrol", it has both the US and India alarmed about the country's expanding military strength. In February, Beijing-based naval expert Li Jie said predicted that Washington would encourage its allies in the region to upgrade their submarine forces and combat ability, a prediction that came true with the latest deal with India. Another military expert, Hong Kong-based Song Zhongping, was quoted as saying by the South China Morning Post: "Washington sees a great threat from the PLA Navy, whose anti-aircraft carrier technology has become more powerful today. Only its nuclear attack submarines technology still holds an 'asymmetric advantage' over the PLA." In January, the Ministry of Defence of India approved a project worth $5.6 billion for six advanced submarines to be built to bolster the country's undersea forces, the Hindustan Times reported, adding that the project will help the Indian Navy counter the swift expansion of China's submarine fleet in the Indian Ocean region. India and the US have had similar concerns over a strengthening China, even more so now with Beijing's growing interest in the Indian Ocean. China's naval expansion in the region includes making use of a growing number of naval bases in the Indian Ocean most notably the Gwadar Port it is developing in Pakistan in operations that Indian and US observers have dubbed the "string of pearls". While on one hand, the deal for New Delhi to procure 24 MH-60 Romeo Seahawks from Washington is an attempt to curb this Chinese military expansion, Beijing, too, is likely to keep a close eye on the latest defence pact. Rahul, accompanied by his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and senior Congress leaders including KC Venugopal and Mukul Wasnik, submitted the nomination papers before the District Collector AR Ajayakumar at the district headquarters in Kalpetta. After filing his nomination papers in Kerala's Wayanad on Thursday, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi said he wanted to send a message that "India is one" and lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP for "attacking the idea of India" "South India, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka have been feeling that the way Modi has been speaking and acting, there is an assault happening on their culture," Rahul said, adding that he will not say a word against the Communist Party of India (Marxist). "I understand that the CPM has to attack the Congress. I will happily absorb the attack, but won't say anything against them." Rahul, accompanied by his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and senior Congress leaders including KC Venugopal and Mukul Wasnik, submitted the nomination papers before the District Collector AR Ajayakumar at the district headquarters in Kalpetta. Tweeting shortly after Rahul filed his nomination papers, Priyanka said her brother was the "most courageous man" she knows. She asked Wayanad to "take care of him" because "he will not let them down." The 48-year-old Congress chief is contesting from Kerala in addition to his traditional stronghold Amethi, where he is pitted against the Union Textile Minister Smriti Irani. Rahul filed his nomination papers on the same day that Irani campaigned in Rahul's home constituency. Irani landed at the Chowdhury Charan Singh airport and visited the RSS office in Rajendra Nagar before proceeding to the Lok Sabha constituency. Addressing the BJP's Kisan Sammelan in Amethi's Salon, Irani called Rahul a "missing MP". "For 15 days you (Rahul) couldn't do anything in Amethi and now you've gone to Kerala," she said. She added that the Congress deliberately denied development to the constituency so that its farmers remain poor and subservient to generations of Congress leaders. Irani also alleged that Rahul has been asked by his party karyakartas to leave Amethi. Irani also called Rahul's decision to contest from the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat in Kerala an "insult" to the people of Amethi. Irani earlier tweeted that Rahul is off supporting 'anti-national forces'. This will be the second attempt by Irani to wrest Amethi from the Congress. In 2014, she lost the seat to Rahul by a margin of over one lakh votes. Rahul reached Wayanad on Thursday morning in a helicopter from Kozhikode, where he was staying at a guest house after arriving in Kerala on Wednesday. The Congress chief and his sister were greeted by a huge crowd. Before filing his nomination papers, Rahul accompanied by Priyanka and other senior Congress leaders participated in a roadshow across the Wayanad on an open bus. The roads from the Collectorate were filled with enthusiastic Congress supporters. With inputs from PTI The release of PM Narendra Modi, a biopic on the Prime Minister, has been postponed till further notice Mumbai: The release of "PM Narendra Modi", a biopic on the prime minister, has been pushed indefinitely, its producer Sandip Ssingh said on Thursday, a day before the film was scheduled to be screened in theatres across the country. Sources in the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) said the film is yet to get a clearance. The film was originally set to release on 12 April 12 but producers had advanced it by a week, claiming "public demand". "This is to confirm, our film 'PM Narendra Modi' is not releasing on 5 April. Will update soon," Ssingh posted on Twitter on Thursday. This is to confirm, our film 'PM Narendra Modi' is not releasing on 5th April. Will update soon. Sandip Ssingh (@sandip_Ssingh) April 4, 2019 Though he did not clarify further, censor board sources said the process of getting CBFC certification is still underway. "The film has not been granted certification. It is still under process," a source from the censor board told PTI. The film, fronted by Vivek Oberoi and directed by "Mary Kom" maker Omung Kumar, was in the news with various political parties saying that releasing it less than a week before the general elections begin is a violation of the model code of conduct. The Congress made a formal complaint to the Election Commission over the release of the film. Sources in the poll panel said on Wednesday that it is unlikely to prevent the release of the film and may leave it to the CBFC to take a call on the issue. Opposition parties, including the Congress, said the film would give undue advantage to the BJP in electioneering and its release should be deferred till the elections are over. The Congress on Wednesday said it has complained to the Election Commission about the release of the biopic ahead of the polls, saying it was an example of absolute desperation and is based on a "flop person" who has proved to be a "zero". Party spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said it should be ascertained whether black money was used for producing the film. The project is also facing legal hurdles with a Congress leader filing a PIL in the Supreme Court, seeking a stay on its release. The court will hear the plea on Monday. The biopic ran into trouble over credits as well. Lyricists Javed Akhtar and Sameer said they were credited without contributing to the project. The producer, however, countered their claims, saying their old songs were reworked so they gave credit where due. The seven-phase Lok Sabha polls begin on 11 April and end on 19 May. The model code of conduct, which among other things, calls for an even-playing field for all parties and candidates, came into force on 10 March when the elections were announced. Students are really concerned about whats going to happen as we enter the final weeks of the semester; and how this will affect us personally, our grades, and how we view our relationships with both the administration and our graduate assistants and teaching assistants, Bowens said. I think I speak for the majority of students that we really need the administration and the GEO to come to a compromise in the negotiation process. While one can be critical of such manifest notions of hierarchy, the fact remains that with each order like the one passed by Allahabad High Court registry, it gets more entrenched. The Allahabad High Court registry passed an order on 3 April that read: It is, directed that the officers/officials while passing through the galleries meant for the movement of the Honble Judges shall stop whenever they see that the Honble Judges are passing through the galleries and pay highest respect to Their Lordships. Any deviation in this regard shall be viewed seriously. On June 7, 1949, during a Constituent Assembly debate, one of its prominent members Mahavir Tyagi commented that the seats they occupy are the seats of gods, while referring to the judges and the higher judiciary. His observations were dismissed by BR Ambedkar as mere feelings which were perhaps of lesser significance for the Assembly that was debating the constitutional edifice of the country. Ambedkars rebuke to Tyagi was important for the fact that judges should not be elevated to the stature of God: as it runs a risk that they might assume morality other than the one dictated by Constitution; that they tend to uphold. However, an office order issued by the registry of Allahabad High Court seems to be more in consonance with what Tyagi felt about Milords than what Ambedkar felt. In the name of Milords, the registry passed an order for the lesser mortals to behave with respect and reverence when they are in the vicinity of Honble Judges. The order passed on April 3, read, It has often been noticed that while Honble Judges pass through the galleries for sitting in Court and also retiring to Their Lordships Chambers, the officials/officers passing in the way do no stop to wait for the Honble Judges to cross them, which is clearly an act of disrespect. It added, It is, therefore, directed that the officers/officials while passing through the galleries meant for the movement of the Honble Judges shall stop whenever they see that the Honble Judges are passing through the galleries and pay highest respect to Their Lordships. Any deviation in this regard shall be viewed seriously. While such medieval notions of hierarchy and its manifestations might surprise many, those with a ringside view of the functioning of the court system in India might brush it off with whats new? Eminent jurist Fali Nariman in an interview said, I have seen chief justices of the high court referring to SC judges as Milord, will you have tea and all that. In England they call each other by first their names. But here everyone understands that if you dont address them (SC judges) as Your Lordships, you will not be elevated. This sort of inflated ego exists. The bungalows and all that paraphernalia adds to it. There are numerous instances where Milords' decision to uphold and entrench this hierarchy have caused humour and criticism in equal measure. Nariman in the interview pointed out that how a former Supreme Court judge once told him that one of the chief justices after assuming the charge, got five big chairs placed, and asked all the most senior judges to sit as per their seniority. There are numerous instances to highlight this hierarchy: From when a chief justice of the high court preferred to be referred as chief to the police jumping to stop the traffic as the lordships car left court. While one can be critical of such manifest notions of hierarchy, the fact remains that with each order like the one passed by Allahabad High Court registry, it gets more entrenched. And no one can do much apart from expressing mildly-worded anguish. The court has also prohibited the media from broadcasting videos made on the application. Update: TikTok has given out a statement regarding the Madras HC ban. "At TikTok, we are committed to abiding by local laws and regulations. We fully comply with the Information Technology (Intermediaries Guidelines) Rules, 2011. We are currently awaiting the official order by the Honourable High Court of Madras and once received, we will review and take appropriate action regarding this matter. Maintaining a safe and positive in-app environment at TikTok is our priority. We have robust measures to protect users against misuse, protect their privacy and digital wellbeing. This includes easy reporting mechanisms that enable users and law enforcement to report content that violates our terms of use and comprehensive Community Guidelines. In order to better coordinate with law enforcement agencies, we have appointed a Chief Nodal Officer based out of India." The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has passed an interim order directed to the Center that prohibits the use of the TikTok app. The court has also prohibited the media from telecasting videos made from the mobile app. A report by Bar & Bench also reveals that, according to the order, the government has to answer "whether the Union of India will enact a statute, like the Childrens Online Privacy Protection Act, enacted by the United States, to prevent the children becoming cyber/online victims". The future of youngsters and mindset of children are spoiled", Madras HC directs ban on mobile app TikTok@tiktok_us @TikTokIndia #TikTokhttps://t.co/nnEMQRIp7J Bar & Bench (@barandbench) April 3, 2019 This order follows a petition in the court that sought a ban on the mobile app owing to the alleged 'inappropriate content' including pornography, that it carries, which is available for access to children. The petitioner said children who used the app would become vulnerable and exposed to sexual predators. Majority of the teens are playing pranks, gaffing around with duet videos sharing with split screen to the strangers. The children who use the said application are vulnerable and may expose them to sexual predators . Without understanding the dangers involved in these kinds of Mobile Apps., it is unfortunate that our children are testing with these Apps," the court said according to a report by Bar & Bench. Owing to such concerns, the app has also been banned in certain foreign countries such as Indonesia and Bangladesh, notes the order. The government has a social responsibility to prevent these kinds of applications and also take action against the persons who are making use of it, The Scroll reports the court as saying. The matter will next be heard on 16 April. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has cast doubts on whether the Congress had incorporated in its election manifesto the suggestions on national security put forth by Lieutenant General Deependra Singh Hooda, the architect of the 2016 surgical strikes. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has cast doubts on whether the Congress had incorporated in its election manifesto the suggestions on national security put forth by Lieutenant General Deependra Singh Hooda, the architect of the 2016 surgical strikes. When Firstpost reached out to the former Northern Army commander, he made a rather cryptic comment: "It is the Congress manifesto. Why don't you ask the Congress party instead?" The general declined to comment further. In the 55-page manifesto, the Congress asserted that the whole of Jammu and Kashmir is part of India. "We also acknowledge the unique history of the state and the unique circumstances under which the state acceded to India, which led to the inclusion of Article 370 in the Constitution of India," the party wrote in its poll document. On the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), the Congress promised to make suitable changes to the text of the law to balance the requirements of security and protection of human rights. On this, the finance minister questioned whether the party had taken any of Hooda's recommendations or was the committee it had set "only for optics". Lt. General D.S. Hooda submitted his report to the Congress President on 31st March, 2019. Had any of the objected suggestions on National Security been suggested in the Hooda Report? It appears that committee was only for optics. Chowkidar Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) April 3, 2019 In a Facebook blog post in February, the finance minister had described the appointment of the retired general to Congress panel on national security as "intriguing", saying it showed that the party needed lessons on national security despite being ruling India for half a century. He had also called it a "belated and grudging recognition and acceptance of the surgical strikes of 2016". On 29 September, 2016, the Indian Army had carried out surgical strikes on seven terrorist launchpads across the Line of Control (LoC) in Pakistan in retaliation to an attack on its base in Uri in Jammu and Kashmir earlier that month. Hooda submitted a "comprehensive report" on national security to Congress chief Rahul Gandhi before the manifesto was released. According to reports, the submissions the lieutenant general made were more on the lines of strategic reforms, such as restructuring the armed forces, asserting diplomatic pressure on Pakistan and utilising unilateral military action when necessary. But what the Congress states in its manifesto is reviewing AFSPA and initiating dialogue with separatist Hurriyat leaders in Jammu and Kashmir. One assumption doing the rounds within the army is that there was no time to deliberate on the recommendations Hooda submitted in his report on 31 March as the party released the manifesto just two days later. The day the surgical strikes architect handed over the "national security document" to Rahul, the party tweeted: Lt. General (Retd.) D S Hooda has prepared a comprehensive report on India's National Security that he presented to Congress President @RahulGandhi today. pic.twitter.com/ofleWN7Vud Congress (@INCIndia) March 31, 2019 Meanwhile, the BJP came down heavily on the Congress' stand on reviewing AFSPA. "Why should it be presumed that the powers of security forces are against human rights? Because of this, the armed forces will lose their morale," Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, adding that without AFSPA, there is a risk of militants seeking refuge in contiguous areas. Last April, the Ministry of Home Affairs completely withdrew the law from Meghalaya, and last month, it diluted AFSPA in Arunachal Pradesh. But such decisions are made taking the state of insurgency into consideration as well as improved law and order. "AFSPA was totally withdrawn from all areas of Meghalaya from 1 April. In Arunachal Pradesh, it was brought down from (the jurisdictions of ) 16 police stations to eight," an official said. Till September 2017, 40 percent of Meghalaya was under AFSPA. But after recent review, carried out in consultation with the state government, AFSPA was completely revoked from Meghalaya. In an interview to The Hindu, the lieutenant general had said he had suggested five pillars for a new national security strategy India's place in national affairs; how Indian should maintain relations with major powers; ensuring security in the region; dealing with Pakistan and China; resolving internal conflicts and "protecting the people". A neck-and-neck electoral battle is on the cards in the assembly constituency of Pakke-Kesang, the newly created district in Arunachal Pradesh, where candidates of both the ruling BJP and the Congress claim to enjoy equal popularity Itanagar: A neck-and-neck electoral battle is on the cards in the assembly constituency of Pakke-Kesang, the newly created district in Arunachal Pradesh, where candidates of both the ruling BJP and the Congress claim to enjoy equal popularity. BJP contestant BR Waghe and Congress nominee Atum Welly will vie for the seat, which was earlier a part of the East Kameng district. Simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly polls are going to be held in the state on April 11. The Pakke-Kesang constituency was in the news after the 2014 assembly polls, as former deputy chief minister Kameng Dolo, who won as a Congress nominee, had to give up the seat following a Gauhati High Court order that declared his election null and void. Atum Welly, who had contested the election as a BJP nominee, filed a petition against Dolo in the high court claiming that a fraudulent move threw him out of the race as the Election Commission accepted a forged letter declaring withdrawal of his nomination. He alleged that his signature was forged in the withdrawal letter by Dolo. In the by-election that followed on December 21, 2017, BJP candidate Waghe bagged the seat, defeating his lone rival Dolo of the Congress by a margin of 475 votes. In 2019, the contest would be a tough one as both the candidates are equally popular among the 7,000 odd voters in the constituency, according to poll observers. Welly, who quit the BJP to join the Congress last year, stressed on the possibility of rigging during the April 11 polls, while sitting MLA Waghe alleged that the Congress candidate has been resorting to 'cash for vote' tactics. "The Congress candidate is alluring voters by paying them huge sum of money," Waghe alleged. Welly denied the charge, saying, "He (Waghe) is from the ruling party and everything is possible in the state for the BJP, not the Congress." Jimmy Chiram, the superintendent of police of Pakke-Kessang district, contended that the administration has taken adequate measures to thwart any untoward incident. "We have deployed two companies of central armed police forces and one company of Indian Reserve Battalion, along with civil police, to ensure violence-free polling in 26 booths, five of which are critical," Chiram added. Deputy Commissioner T Messar said all arrangements have been made, including uploading of postal ballots on the Election Commission (EC) website. "The nakas (check point) have been set up and patrolling intensified in all the vulnerable areas of the district. While videography will be in place to record the polling process in the critical booths, the EC has also appointed flying squad and static surveillance teams to check the flow of cash during elections," the DC maintained. This time, Waghe has chosen infrastructure development as his main poll plank, while Welly is attaching priority to issues of unemployment and road connectivity. "My main priority will be to establish a state-of-the -art district secretariat and declare the Pakke-Paga festival a state festival. I also plan to commission a hydro project at Palin and ensure sustainable economic development for the unemployed youths," Waghe said. "During my stint as the representative of the seat, I was able to give Pakke-Kessang the status of a 'district' and bring mobile connectivity to the region," he claimed. Welly insisted that he would improve facilities in the health and education sectors, if voted to power. According to poll analysts, Waghe has an edge over his rival as Dolo, along with his supporters, has recently quit the Congress to join the saffron party. The BJP announced the names of 11 Assembly election candidates from Odisha, apart from three Lok Sabha candidates New Delhi: The BJP Monday announced the names of three more Lok Sabha candidates from Odisha. With this, the party has announced the names of 374 candidates. The party has also released the names of 11 more candidates for the Odisha state assembly polls, which will be held in four phases starting from 11 April and ending on 29 April. The BJP has so far announced candidates for all the Lok Sabha seats which will go to polls in the first four phases of the seven-phased election. The general elections and Assembly polls will begin from 11 April and continue till 19 May. The counting of votes will be held on 23 May. The BJP had earlier nominated Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Varanasi and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh from Lucknow. Party chief Amit Shah will contest from Gandhinagar, where L K Advani is the sitting MP. Odisha has 21 Lok Sabha and 147 Assembly seats. Kirit Somaiya may have expected to be nominated by the BJP at the very last moment for re-election from his Mumbai North East seat and kept his counsel, which is very unlike him Kirit Somaiya may have expected to be nominated by the BJP at the very last moment for re-election from his Mumbai North East seat and kept his counsel, which is very unlike him. He did not show any irk, bravado, or even complain. He sought out Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' help to mediate between the top brass of both parties. Nothing worked and the Shiv Sena prevailed. And therein lies a story waiting to unravel over time, perhaps during the election to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. For the uninitiated, why a man who won with a substantive margin in the 2014 Lok Sabha election, got dropped to keep the local party unit (including at the constituency level) on tenterhooks, is a classic case of a national party capitulating to a smaller one because this round of elections is now more important than the one held five years ago. Given the stance of speeches by Narendra Modi and Amit Shah, every seat is important, and one gets the impression that they'd be happy to squeak through. So, what's the sacrifice of a loyalist when in many seats the BJP has and will deploy imports from other parties with sacrosanct ideologies quite diametrical to its own? The thinking could be that Somaiya could be easily accommodated in the next Rajya Sabha seat that falls vacant. Despite his abrasive, ambitious political personality and beaming smile, Somaiya is a useful person for the party. The Shiv Sena, that broke from the BJP after the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, is already in the driver's seat for the Assembly polls, and has made a series of U-turns since it hitched its wagon to the BJP again, has not just scented blood but tasted it. The BJP, in its anxieties with tallies to be secured in the current polls, has given away much more than is healthy for its political future in the state. Both have been expedient, but the BJP pays the price. The Sena after the foxtrot of seeking the Opposition benches after the previous Assembly elections, changing its mind to get a share on the treasury benches has been a difficult partner, and in contradistinction from being a responsible ally, wants the upper hand in Maharashtra. Almost as if it was still the same alliance that was in place till since the late 1980s. The likely scenarios are many. For one, the BJP has always had a better hit rate in the elections compared to the Sena, even if contested fewer seats than its ally and secured more Assembly seats. Should the BJP win more seats to the Lok Sabha this time than the Shiv Sena does, it may try to stare it down in the negotiations for the Assembly seats for contests. Second, should the Sena do better than the BJP, which is possible unless the cadre does not ensure transfer of votes in the constituencies contested by the BJP, the equations would remain to the advantage of the regional party. It would cock a snook and turn upside down the old principle that had earlier, but for a very long time, that the BJP should engage at the national level and leave primacy in Maharashtra to the Sena. Third, more than the Sena, the BJP has a stake in winning every seat for itself and also ensuring that the allies also get past the post in all Lok Sabha seats contested. It cannot have the luxury of taking a single chance. And not taking a single chance is manifest in the manner in which Somaiya was dropped. Simply because Somaiya had accused the Thackeray family of taking the cream from the civic coffers. That was a personal attack on the Thackerays and the BJP pandered. In so far as the BJP is concerned, it is walking on eggshells while seeking to dance the tango with the Sena. Poonam Mahajan, a sitting MP, had to rush to the Thackeray residence to explain a 'mistake' which it could have been of not having Aditya Thackeray's face on her election posters. Aditya is yet to prove himself a vote-puller unlike his father in the 2014 Assembly polls but the Sena's youth wing took umbrage. As it stands, the BJP is letting the regional party call the shots. The reason why BJP succeeded in hijacking the Congress narrative was because it launched a fierce attack from different parts of the country through the powerful oratory of Narendra Modi and other senior leaders The first words on the Congress manifesto spoken by Randeep Singh Surjewala, who said this will write a new history in India" were all about raising the hype surrounding the event. Speaker after speaker, including party chief Rahul Gandhi propagated the "historic" theme. From the Congress perspective it indeed was a historic event: Sonia and Rahul were at the dais and Priyanka, recently appointed general secretary, was seated in the front row of the audience, along with other distinguished Congress leaders. The Congress' Nyuntam Aay Yojana (NYAY) scheme was also referred to as historic. The Congress believes its vow to pay Rs 72,000 to five crore poor families is "game changing". Rahul even came out with a new slogan: Garibi par waar, 72 hazar. Extending his hand, the Congress president said the manifesto like his fingers had five prominent items and asserted that it would set the narrative for the 2019 polls. However, within hours of the launch, the BJP called on its vast network of workers and sympathisers to take the narrative to a different pitch. The BJP pushed the theme that the Congress manifesto was pro-terrorist and pro-separatist, the promises made were dangerous to countrys integrity, it was agenda for Balkanisation, it was anti-Indian Army and anti-security forces. The top guns began firing back at the Congress, with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley holding a media briefing at party headquarters in New Delhi on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi talking about it in series of his public rallies in Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal on Tuesday and Wednesday, BJP president Amit Shah attacking Congress in his public rallies in other parts of the country, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman holding a press briefing on Wednesday at party headquarters and claiming that the Congress manifesto would "demoralise" the armed forces fighting day in and day out in Jammu and Kashmir. The BJP said that the promises made by the Congress (amendments in AFSA and repeal of sedition law) if implemented, would favour terrorists and secessionists, encourage subversive activities and leave security forces in a most vulnerable situation by tying their hands. The BJP said the Congress was also for unconditional talks with separatists, who are now facing brunt of law enforcement agencies. Other BJP leaders, ministers, chief ministers, star campaigners, office bearers, candidates across the country and foot soldiers also slammed the manifesto. In the past 24 hours, the BJP had some success setting the counter-narrative. The BJP's pitch was so loud that Congress chatter about NYAY, their supposed ticket to grab power at the Centre, was drowned out. The Congress poll promise bail a norm and jail an exception was also dubbed a security issue. The BJP said the manifesto showed that the Congress intended to handle with kid gloves terrorists, secessionists, scam artists, and criminals. They also stated that Rahul, Sonia and other several senior Congress leaders were out on bail. The Congress' problem was further compounded by the fact that its top leadership has been demanding proof of airstrike and surgical strikes conducted by Indian Air Force and Indian Army on terror camps deep inside Pakistani territory in retaliation for Pakistan-sponsored terror strikes in Pulwama and Pathankot. The Congress is still not satisfied with the information provided by the government and their questioning the veracity of the airstrike has made headlines in Pakistan. The BJP also made much of Rahul's previous appearance at JNU a day after the arrest of Kanhaiya Kumar in a sedition case to express his solidarity with left-wing students and teachers to claim Rahul was supportive of the radical Left and secessionists. The BJP also said that while the Congress manifesto focussed on Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), repeal of sedition law, curbing powers of the district administration to suspend the use of social media (particularly WhatsApp) when stone-pelters target security forces, the Grand Old Party remained completely silent on the rights and rehabilitation of the Kashmiri Pandits, and the status of Central Paramilitary Forces killed by terrorists, something it had been targetting the Modi government over post the Pulwama terror strike. At his rallies, Modi, in his characteristic style, spoke at length about how the Congress was sympathetic to "anti-national" forces. The Congress has made a scheme for violence by secessionists, for those who abuse country, for those who burn tricolour, for those who dont say jai Hind, for those who chant Bharat tere tukde hoonge, for those who deface Ambedkars statue. The Congress has sympathy for such people. The chowkidar (Modi) is standing with brave sons of soil the Congress has become ideologically bankrupt. Jaitley charged that the Congress, under its present day leadership, was siding with Maoists and separatists. While BJP put all its might to push out a counter-narrative, the Congress was content with a press conference by P Chidambaram. The reason why BJP succeeded in hijacking the Congress narrative was not because the Grand Old party erred in listing out issues on national security, but because the BJP launched a fierce attack from different parts of the country through the powerful oratory of Modi and other senior leaders. In contrast, the Congress was content to languish in the air-conditioned AICC headquarters. In a country which does not have any data about the income of its population, the biggest question about this scheme is the identification of its beneficiaries -- how will Congress identify the poorest 20 percent families of India? In his press conference on 25 March 2019, Rahul Gandhi stated that Congress has decided on a minimum income line of Rs 12,000 per month, and the amount that it will provide under the NYAY scheme will help families reach this minimum income line. However, there is no rationale or basis given for fixing this new poverty line, a concept which India no longer follows for identifying beneficiaries of schemes. More importantly, even Congress NYAY scheme cannot ensure a minimum income of Rs 12,000 every month. According to the provisional data of the Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) which was conducted in 2011, there are about 13.4 crore rural households in which the main earning member of the family made less than Rs 5,000 per month. Even if only 5 crore of these households were to get an amount of Rs 6,000 every month, their monthly income will still not reach the so-called minimum income line of Rs 12,000. These are just the figures for rural areas -- the scheme is ambitious enough to want to identify the poor from urban areas as well. Who are the 20 percent poorest families of the country, and what is so special about them? In a country which does not have any data about the income of its population, the biggest question about this scheme is the identification of its beneficiaries -- how will Congress identify the poorest 20 percent families of India? Even using poverty as a criterion comes with its own set of problems. Does India have any criteria to identify someone as being poor? How many poor families are there in India? From where did Congress conjure the number of 5 crore families being equal to 20 percent of Indias poorest families? Does this mean that the poorest families in India amount to a total of 25 crore families? Yet, Congress has come up with the magical number of 25 crore, which makes the scheme strangely discriminatory in its approach. Why should the remaining poor people, other than the 25 crore, not be entitled to this benefit? One must remember that in any scheme in our country, there is bound to be a shortfall in the number of beneficiaries who are the intended target of the scheme. This scheme hinges on the success of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, as the amount is to be transferred to the bank account of a woman of the family, which is supposed to be some sort of spin on financial empowerment for women. But this is based on the presumption that the poorest 20 percent families of India will be having a bank account. If Congress targets only 20 percent of the poor, will its scheme be able to even benefit all of them? Does covering less than 20 percent of the countrys poor amount to an assault on poverty? With every passing announcement that the Congress makes about the scheme, it makes its unconditional promise of transferring Rs 72,000 to every account even more conditional, adding new riders every time. In Congress first press conference on this scheme, Rahul said that the government will essentially match a familys existing income to the minimum guaranteed income of Rs 12,000 per month, by giving a top-up for the remaining gap. However, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala emphatically clarified in his press conference on 26 March 2019, that this is not going to be a top-up scheme, and every family will get Rs 72,000 every year. The Congress itself is not too clear on the modalities of the scheme. While discussing the scheme, former Union finance minister P Chidambaram, who is supposed to be one of the main thinkers behind this scheme, said that the scheme will be implemented in phases, after an initial pilot scheme is implemented. He even said that an expert committee will be consulted at every stage of the scheme. Can such a promise be made to the countrys poor, if its yet to undergo a pilot test? What if the scheme is found to be unviable after its pilot test? From increasing the fiscal deficit from the current 3.5 percent to anywhere between 5.1 percent to 6.8 percent, and to eating up almost 13 percent of the estimated budget for next year, there is no doubt that the scheme will wreak havoc upon Indias economy. The Congress has also insisted repeatedly that they will not touch any other subsidy or welfare scheme to implement their NYAY scheme. Chidambaram has even gone to the extent of saying that Indias growing GDP and tax collections will ensure that this scheme is implementable. This comes at a time when Congress has repeatedly slammed BJP for not implementing GST properly, and for bringing about a fall in the GDP growth rate of the country. On the other hand, the BJP seems to have already played a better hand with the PM-KISAN scheme. Under the scheme, the government has claimed that about 4.74 crore farmers will receive two of the promised three installments of Rs 2,000 before the end of March 2019. This means that BJP would have transferred Rs 4,000 to the accounts of 4.74 crore farmers before the elections -- an achievement not very far from Congress mere promise of transferring Rs 6,000 every month to the accounts of 5 crore families. The author is a lawyer and ex-LAMP fellow. The outcome of the electoral contest for Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat will go a long way in determining the political future in the hills which has been framed by the Gorkhaland issue for more than three decades Having been in suspended animation since the June-September 2017 statehood agitation, the murmurings of the Gorkhaland theme have slowly seeped back into local discourse in West Bengals hill districts of Darjeeling and Kalimpong, re-configuring the pre-poll scenario in the region ahead of the election for the Darjeeling Lok Sabha constituency on 18 April. These whispers of dissatisfaction also have the potential of leaving an imprint on the larger political landscape subsequently. Against such a backdrop, there was feverish anticipation Thursday in the foothills of the arrival of the statehood campaigns chief architect, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) leader Bimal Gurung, following official statements from senior party associates that he was scheduled to reach Bagdogra airport (the local airport) from the capital in the afternoon. There was, however, a last-minute change in plans, apprehending his arrest on arrival. Gurung has stayed away from West Bengal since a slew of charges were registered against him by the state police in connection with the 2017 unrest. The speculation surrounding his arrival came a day after the Supreme Court, while disposing a petition of his and an associate for anticipatory bail to enable them to participate in election campaigning, asked them to move Calcutta High Court on the matter within four days. More crucially perhaps, the apex court directed not just that there be no coercive action against the two till then, but also that the Calcutta High Court take up the matter expeditiously. It had been stated by his party spokesperson later on Wednesday that, in deference to the Supreme Court ruling, Gurung and his associate will file their appeal for anticipatory bail at the Jalpaiguri circuit bench of the Calcutta High Court in north Bengal. They could not, however, move the circuit bench on Thursday fearing arrest on arrival at the Bagdogra airport. The emotionally-charged question of identity underpins the statehood campaign and not surprisingly Prime Minister Narendra Modi seized on this while addressing an election rally at Siliguri in the Darjeeling constituency on Wednesday, even though he skirted the larger issue of Gorkhaland, presumably because of the divisive nature of the theme and the antipathy towards it among most voters in the plains areas of the Lok Sabha seat. Dispelling fears among the hill communities that the National Register of Citizens (NRC) would affect them if the exercise were to be carried out in West Bengal should the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance be returned to power at the Centre, Modi said: "I am assuring all Gorkhas none of you will suffer because of NRC." The congregation included a substantial section of Gorkhas many of whom had come down from the hills and were holding GJM banners embossed with images of Gurung. The implications the NRC might have on the Gorkhas if it were implemented in West Bengal has been a matter of concern among residents in the hills, in particular, as a large majority of them do not have land rights. This anxiety has been stoked by those in the region opposed to the BJP with claims that 1950 the year of the signing of the India-Nepal Friendship Treaty could be determined as the cut-off year. The potency of the identity issue in the hills has not been lost on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee either who, keen to steal a march on the BJP on this score, had told a rally in Darjeeling in January that her government was committed to safeguarding the identity of the Gorkhas. She had, however, on earlier occasions equivocally red-lined the Statehood demand. At an election rally on Thursday in Mathabhanga in north Bengals Cooch Behar district, Banerjee also took a swipe at BJP for trying to foment unrest in the Darjeeling hills. The electoral contest for the parliamentary seat is mainly confined to the BJP and the Trinamool Congress with the latter desperate to wrest the seat from the former, thus vindicating Banerjees claim that her government has been able to restore lasting stability in the hills after intermittent spells of unrest over the Gorkhaland demand. But, it could be argued, what is actually playing out in there is a tussle for supremacy between the two factions of the GJM, indisputably the principal political force in the hills, with both the camps claiming to be the official standard-bearer of the GJM. One faction is led by Gurung, the other by Binay Tamang who enjoys close proximity to Banerjee and is at the helm of the board of administrators of the regional administrative body the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA). It will be for the first time since the split within the GJM that the contending factions will be going to the voter to seek legitimacy. The fate of the Darjeeling seat hinges largely on the outcome of this factional feud. Whichever way the die is cast, there is no denying that the coming election promises to be the apotheosis of what began as a proxy war between the BJP and the Trinamool Congress with the two parties propping their respective camps within the GJM in the aftermath of the 2017 statehood agitation. Gurung, on whose popularity the BJP is pinning its hopes to muster enough votes in the hills to retain the seat, has lost nothing of his assertiveness and high-octane rhetoric even during more than a year-and-a-half in absentia. Elusive though he might be since August 2017 when charges including those under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) by the state police were slapped on him, he remains a thorn in the flesh for Banerjees acolytes in the hills, exhortations of vote for Gorkhaland being posted by his camp in social media. Crucially for the BJP, Gurung has found an electoral ally in the Gorkha National Liberation front (GNLF), a hill political grouping which Banerjee had wooed in recent electoral ventures to bolster her political standing in the region. It was the GNLF, then led by Subash Ghisingh, that had first imparted political potency to the statehood demand when it was raised in the mid-1980s a watershed period in hill politics. Gurung broke away from the GNLF to form the GJM in 2007 following differences with his one-time mentor Ghisingh. Today, the two parties are allies again in their common fight against Banerjee and the Tamang-led ruling dispensation in the hills. Whatever the outcome in the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat be, it will go a long way in determining the political future in the hills which has for more than three decades now been framed by the Gorkhaland issue. The demand might have been used as a bargaining chip by regional groupings in the past for either aggrandisement or greater political leverage, but the emotive potential and the overwhelming support it enjoys among the hill people can hardly be overestimated. The worst attack on security personnel in decades, on 14 February at Pulwama, ended up not just opening up a fresh soft spot for the army in the minds of everyday television-consuming Indians but also setting the tone of the electoral campaigns in the Lok Sabha election. With a little under a week remaining for Lok Sabha election, all political parties are searching for ways to keep the atmosphere heated. But even then, one has to admit that the question of national security and the army is milked more frequently in battle 2019, than in any recent electoral exercises. In the last 24 hours, two cabinet ministers, the prime minister, the head of a ruling party, the head of an Opposition party and a former finance minister have all spoken on the armed forces. If mentions in speeches of politicians could reap real-life dividends then it would not be a leap to say that the nearly 15 lakh people in the armed forces could be looking for huge benefits from whoever would come to power. Yet that is hardly ever the case, so why does the army return to everyday discourse every time there is a particular electoral test? The year 2019 is particularly amenable to bringing up the security forces. The worst attack on security personnel in decades, on 14 February at Pulwama, ended up not just opening up a fresh soft spot for the army in the minds of the people but also setting the tone of the electoral campaigns in the Lok Sabha election. The Pulwama attack also ended up in India "exacting revenge" on Pakistan through the controversial Balakot attack. This strike, the toll of which has been questioned as part of the Opposition's offensive against the BJP, has now become the Bharatiya Janata Party's favourite refrain in the campaign circuit. Narendra Modi himself has perfected a line from having used it in every speech, "We entered their houses and exacted revenge for our soldiers, and they question our army?" "We do not question the army," the Opposition is quick to correct, "but the government's account." The army is apparently unassailable by parties on either end of the political spectrum, so ahead of the 2019 polls, the scurry for each party to establish itself as the custodian of the army's best interests is a mad one. The Election Commission even had to categorically mention that the armed forces cannot be used as election propaganda. No surprise then that it has found mention in the Congress's manifesto, in the backlash to the manifesto and the rebuttals to the backlash to the manifesto. The Congress has not only proposed to reduce the presence of the Indian Army and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) in the Kashmir Valley in its manifesto for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, it has also said that the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act will be looked into once again. While these have pleased a section of people, the BJP has been quick to slam the entire manifesto in general and the parts pertaining to the armed forces in particular. While Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has called it "dangerous", a true mark of how dangerous its suggestions might have been is perhaps in the fact that the Defence Minister herself was compelled to sit in a press conference to address the points of the manifesto pertaining to the army and its personnel. "Something very insidious is going on here," Nirmala Sitharaman said on Wednesday, referring to the Congress's decision to take another look at AFSPA. And yet, the government on Wednesday itself withdrew AFSPA from four areas of Arunachal Pradesh, while extending it to three others in the state, proving at least that in some situations a relook is indeed merited. But it is easy to drive the discourse towards more emotive issues like hypernationalism, when facts on ground about basic lifestyle index throw a worrying picture. It would not be incorrect to state that the more the poverty grows, jobs decrease, economy suffers and education opportunities dry up, the more a nation's pride hinges on its army. No wonder, then, that Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath referred to the Indian Army as "Modi ji ki sena" and no wonder that Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee then went on to scold Adityanath for "such blatant personalisation and usurping of our beloved Indian Army". In India especially, the places where the army and paramilitary are active to the point of affecting the daily lives of the people are sufficiently remote. It may fire pellets and injure people in Jammu and Kashmir, subjugate tribals in the name of capturing Maoists and physically and sexually harm people living in the border and remote areas, but so huge and self-important is the Indian hinterland that these human interest issues scarce develop into ones meriting Parliament time, let alone election planks. What makes news is the nationalism plank. So solid is the army's reputation that it is now beneficial for any government or political party to allege that questions on the army's performance are equal to siding with Pakistan. In the warm afterglow that cascaded upon the BJP government in the days following the 2016 surgical strike on Pakistan after the Uri attack, leaders of the party, including those serving in the government, wasted no time in establishing that they were one with the Army. The Congress may have not ridden an entire poll wave based on the army's performance like the BJP is doing now, but it has been no better in trying to garner the support of the army's ranks at a crucial time in its own story the 2014 polls. In the interim budget before the polls, then finance minister P Chidambaram had allocated Rs 500 crore to the Defence Pension Account for implementation of the One Rank One Pension scheme for the defence forces of the country. "It is an emotive issue, it has legal implications, and it has to be handled with great sensitivity," Chidambaram had said in Parliament. Shortly after the session, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi held a press conference, notes LiveMint, where they highlighted that this was "a historic and necessary" step. "The armed forces personnel should feel that the country is backing them," Rahul had said. OROP found its way into the 2019 budget announcement by acting finance minister Piyush Goyal too. This time, Goyal saw fit to mention that the UPA had only brought the scheme after having stayed in power for 10 years but it was his government that led to scheme coming to fruition. Gregory headed the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops when it adopted a "zero-tolerance" abuse policy in 2002 to respond to the first wave of the scandal. He has run the Atlanta Archdiocese since 2005 and is seen as a pastor very much in line with Francis' progressive vision of the church. A native of Chicago, Gregory is a protege of the late Chicago Cardinal Joseph Bernardin, who consecrated him as a bishop in 1983. Gregory was bishop of Belleville, Ill., from 1994 until his installation in Atlanta in 2005. Former aide of veteran BJP leader LK Advani, Sudheendra Kulkarni, on Thursday praised the senior politician, and said that he has emerged as a 'respected margdarshak' (guide) for the whole nation. Sudheendra Kulkarni, a former aide of veteran BJP leader LK Advani on Thursday praised the senior politician and said he has emerged as a "respected margdarshak" (guide) for the nation. Lashing out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kulkarni said that Congress president Rahul Gandhi was Advani's true follower, and not the "divisive Modi". Today Shri #LKAdvani ji has emerged as a RESPECTED MARGDARSHAK for the whole nation. In our conception of Indian nationalism, we have never regarded those who disagree with us politically as 'ANTI-NATIONAL'. His true follower today is @RahulGandhi, and not divisive #Modi 1/n pic.twitter.com/E5Xi0Phbgv Sudheendra Kulkarni (@SudheenKulkarni) April 4, 2019 Kulkarni's comments came soon after Advani published a blog post ahead of the BJP's foundation day on 6 April. "Right from its inception, the BJP has never regarded those who disagree with us politically as our 'enemies', but only as our adversaries. Similarly, in our conception of Indian nationalism, we have never regarded those who disagree with us politically as 'anti-national'. The party has been committed to freedom of choice of every citizen at personal as well as political level," the 91-year-old wrote. Kulkarni also told CNBC-TV that Advani's blog post was "the most important intervention for the BJP in 2019 election campaign". Advani was recently replaced by BJP chief Amit Shah as the party candidate for the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat. NDTV quoted Kulkari as saying that Modi not meeting Advani after he was denied a BJP ticket was "disgraceful". Modi reacted to the blog post, saying that Advani perfectly summed up BJP's "true essence". Advani Ji perfectly sums up the true essence of BJP, most notably the guiding Mantra of Nation First, Party Next, Self Last. Proud to be a BJP Karyakarta and proud that greats like LK Advani Ji have strengthened it. https://t.co/xScWuuDuMq Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 4, 2019 Advani is one of the BJP founders and its longest-serving president. He has been elected from Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat six times since 1991. With inputs from PTI BJP and IPFT remain allies in the newly formed NDA government but will be contesting against each other in the Lok Sabha elections in Tripura. Agartala: They remain partners in the newly formed BJP-led government but will be contesting against each other in the Lok Sabha polls. It is a friendly fight between an elder and younger brother without any rancour between the two, said BJPs Tripura unit general secretary Pratima Bhowmik about its coalition partner, the Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT), which has been campaigning for a separate Twipraland comprising the tribal-dominated districts in the state. The IPFT, with eight MLAs in the 44-member ruling alliance, also played down any talk of moving out of the NDA alliance. Ideological differences with the BJP are there, admitted Mevar Kumar Jamatia, the tribal welfare minister in BJP chief minister Biplab Kumar Debs cabinet and IPFTs general secretary. Being a regional party, our focus is on regional issues such as the demand for a separate Twipraland in the scheduled areas. We could not arrive at an understanding on seat-sharing, so the IPFT had to go it alone." Facing a resurgent Congress, the impact of the IPFTs decision on the crucial tribal votes is not yet clear. But Tripura Pradesh Congress Committees newly-appointed president Pradyot Kishore Manikya earlier its working president, he was appointed a month ago after falling out with outgoing president Birajit Sinha alleged that the BJP and IPFT are contesting the two Lok Sabha seats with the sole purpose of dividing tribal votes. This is an allegation that seems to have some substance, given Jamatias statement that IPFT still supports the NDA government despite these issues and is very much a part of NDA. He had added that many BJP allies are contesting against the saffron party in several states across the North East. But the IPFT does have some serious issues with the BJP, such as the injuries to some of its supporters in police firing on 8 January while protesting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill as part of the bandh called by Northeast Students Organisation (NESO). Also, the high-level monitoring committee constituted by the home ministry should have submitted its report on the socio-economic and political issues faced by the indigenous people in Tripura two months ago but has not done so even after four months, said Jamatia. Not surprisingly, the state Congress unit has been trying to exploit these differences. Tripura Pradesh Congress Committee president, along with Indigenous Nationalist Party of Twipra supremo Bijoy Kumar Hrangkhawl, visited my house without any prior information on late night of 27 March with the proposal to support the Congress candidates by withdrawing our two candidates, said IPFT president Narendra Chandra Debbarma, also Tripuras revenue and fisheries minister. "They approached us at the eleventh hour after our party had settled everything for contesting the two seats, added Debbarma. The IPFT had formed a coalition with the BJP since the last Assembly elections. But even after a series of dialogues between IPFT and BJP in Delhi and Agartala, we could not come to a decision on seat-sharing, said Debbarma. So, we decided to contest both Tripura seats on our own. It will be a friendly fight between the two parties." Unlike in Assam and Meghalaya, where BJP and its regional allies could agree on seat-sharing, in Tripura, the sticking point was the IPTFs demand for the separate state of Twipraland. "BJP stands for a unified Tripura, said BJP's Tripura media in-charge Victor Shome. But the IPFT has to cater to its core constituency by keeping its demand for a separate tribal state alive, which is fine with us." Cautioning Opposition parties not to get overexcited by this turn of events, Shome pointed out that IPFT had told the Congress that it was not quitting the government and was only contesting the polls to show that it still stands for its core demand of a separate state. The two seats, Tripura East, a reserved constituency where IPFT supremo Debbarma is pitched against Pradyot's elder sister Pragya Deb Burman of a resurgent Congress and CPMs sitting MP Jitendra Choudhury, and Tripura West, where the Congress has fielded Subal Bhowmik, who returned to the party after spending five years in the BJP, promise an interesting four-cornered contest. The vote share of the BJP was only 1.7 percent when I joined the party, said Bhowmik. Party general secretary Ram Madhav told me that the CM was against my getting the party ticket. I did not want to be a burden to the BJP, so I choose other options." Bhowmik has been attacked several times during his campaign with the Tripura Pradesh Congress accusing Tripura's chief electoral officer Sriram Taranikanti of being indifferent to their complaints. Taranikanti, however, denied the allegations, saying all possible steps have been taken to curb these incidents. "We have not received any specific complaint, added Taranikanti. The Congress was complaining of police inaction in areas in which some incidents had taken place. We have taken measures to ensure the people involved are arrested. We have also put in place a robust system to monitor the activities of the police as well." The author is an Imphal-based freelance writer and a member of 101Reporters This election, the Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha constituency in Odisha is witnessing a tug of war. Bhubaneswar: This election, the Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha constituency in Odisha is witnessing a tug of war; but its not your usual run-of-the-mill political fight. This one is between a former IAS officer and a former IPS officer. While the BJP has nominated former IAS officer Aparajita Sarangi, Odishas ruling party Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has fielded former Mumbai Police commissioner Arup Patnaik, ignoring its veteran five-time MP Prasanna Patasani, for the Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha seat, which will go to polls on 23 April. Meet the candidates Arup is a 1979-batch IPS officer of the Maharashtra cadre who joined BJD in April 2018 after his retirement in 2015. Sarangi, on the other hand, is a 1994-batch IAS officer of the Odisha cadre who took voluntary retirement while serving as a joint secretary in the Narendra Modi government and joined the saffron party last November. Interestingly, both former officers-turned-politicians are testing the waters of electoral politics for the first time, and such a battle between ex-bureaucrats is a first for Odisha as well. Besides the reputation that comes with winning the mandate in the countrys leading Smart City, these contestants have made the election battle interesting for political pundits. It was learnt that the BJP leadership had given a clear brief to Sarangi about her role in Odisha politics, unlike to many local leaders. Hence, she jumped into the electoral fray way before others started chalking out their campaign plans. Sarangi started her campaigning soon after joining the BJP, as did Arup, even as many within the BJD wondered who will get the party ticket; after all, the regional partys president, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, is a master at keeping his cards close to his chest, even from his own party members. Now, the campaigning has reached a fever pitch, and both candidates are going all out to woo voters. Past experience to serve Sarangi well Sarangi is unlikely to find it difficult to convey her message to the people and deal with local issues because she has already served as commissioner of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation and district collector of Khurda, under which this Lok Sabha seat falls. She is known in Bhubaneswar as well as the whole of Odisha for her bold decisions, such as introducing a uniform dress code for teachers, during her tenure as the municipal commissioner and Odisha school and mass education secretary. I am my biggest opponent. I am getting a lot of support from people wherever I go, which is a very positive sign. Everyone wants parivartan (change), said Sarangi. In a Twitter post, she wrote, People in Begunia (an assembly segment under Bhubaneswar LS seat) are rooting for change in Odisha this time. 19 years of neglect, corruption and goonda raj has resulted in stagnant socio-economic levels, lack of employment opportunities and farmer distress in this region. Begunia is ready for #ParivartanInOdisha (sic). Just like her career as an administrator, the BJP leader is trying her best to bloom the lotus in her Lok Sabha segment, campaigning from dawn till dusk. If Sarangi wins, she will create history as the BJP hasnt won this parliamentary seat till date. Ex-top cop banking on popular chief minister The former Mumbai top cop, hailing from Puri districts Delanga block, has also been campaigning vociferously. He served in many positions in Maharashtra during his 36-year-long career as a police officer. His role in the infamous Lokhandwala shootout and the handling of the 1992-93 riots in Mumbai won him accolades from several quarters. He was also the investigating officer in the 1993 Bombay serial blasts case. Arup has exuded confidence that the chief ministers popularity coupled with peoples faith in BJD will help him sail through. As always, my main objective will be public service. During my time as a cop, I did just that; now, I look forward to taking on the huge responsibility of representing the people of this constituency, he said. Who are the other contenders? Other former bureaucrats, including Prakash Mishra (ex-Odisha DGP), Nalini Kanta Pradhan (ex-works secretary of Odisha), and Sarmistha Sethi (ex-Odisha administrative service officer) are also in the fray. Mishra is contesting for Cuttack Lok Sabha seat from the BJP, while BJD's Pradhan and Sethi are contesting for Sambalpur and Jajpur parliamentary segments, respectively. Congress, another principal party in Odisha, is counting on its pre-poll alliance to take on the BJD and BJP; to that end, it has left the seat for CPM, which has nominated its veteran leader Janardhan Pati. How has the seat fared so far? The Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha constituency (number 18) is one of the 21 in Odisha consisting of 16,00,900 voters 8,64,256 men, 7,36,263 women, and 381 transgender, as per the Election Commission of India 2019 draft electoral roll data. There are seven Assembly segments under it Jayadev, Bhubaneswar Central, Bhubaneswar North, Ekamra-Bhubaneswar, Jatni, Begunia, and Khurda. Prior to delimitation (2008), the Assembly segments under it were Bhubaneswar, Jatni, Khurda, Begunia, Nayagarh, Khandapara, and Daspalla. It was earlier known as the Khurda Lok Sabha segment, and Congress Pandit Lingraj Mishra was elected as its first MP in 1952. The BJD has controlled the seat since 1998, with Patasani (popularly called Baba) getting elected to the Lok Sabha five times in a row 1998, 1999, 2004, 2009, and 2014. Late CPM leader Sivaji Patnaik was elected from the seat thrice (1977, 1989, and 1991), while Congress candidates managed to bag it in the rest of the elections. During the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, Patasani got 4,39,252 votes (49.25 percent) and BJPs Prithiviraj Harichandan 2,49,775 (28 percent). Congress Bijay Mohanty came third with 1,45,783 votes (16.34 percent). Of the total voters, only 4,83,992 (57.9 percent) men and 4,07,830 (58.94 percent) women cast their vote in the last general elections. (Author is Bhubaneswar-based freelance writer and a member of 101Reporters.com.) Lok Sabha Election 2019 LIVE updates: In a blog post titled Nation First, Party Next, Self Last', senior BJP leader LK Advani backed his party on various issues, days after being dropped as the candidate for the Gandhinagar seat. 'Right from its inception, the BJP has never regarded those who disagree with us politically as our enemies, but only as our adversaries,' he said. Auto refresh feeds Congress chief Rahul Gandhi is expected to file his nomination from the Wayanad seat in Kerala on Thursday in the presence of his sister and party general secretary for Uttar Pradesh East Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. He will lead a roadshow before filing the papers around 10.30 am. Rahul will file his nomination papers on a day when Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Smriti Irani is scheduled to campaign in Rahul's home constituency of Amethi. Irani is expected to speak at the BJP's Kisan Morcha Sammelan around 11 am. Nair, who had accused several high profile Congress leaders in the state of sexual harassment and rape, has decided to take on the Gandhi scion to as a mark of her protest "for not responding to her letters that sought action against the party leaders facing charges". Saritha S Nair, the prime accused in multi-crore solar scandal, will be fighting as an Independent candidate against Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, in Kerala's Wayanad constituency, reported News18 . The new entrant has chosen Ernakulam as her second seat. BJP president Amit Shah is scheduled to address public meetings in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. He will first speak at Karimnagar (11.45 am) and Warangal (1.30 pm) in Telangana and then address rallies at Narasaraopet (3.30 pm) and Visakhapatnam (6 pm) in Andhra Pradesh. Congress president Rahul Gandhi was received by a huge crowd of supporters as he arrived at Calicut, late on Wednesday, to file his nomination for the Lok Sabha elections from the Wayanad constituency Life of Adivasis has reached a dead end. Alienation from their land, a dearth of safe housing, lack of clean drinking water, insufficient food, lack of proper healthcare, inefficient education system, and the list goes on. Wayanad is the largest tribal settlement in Kerala. In Wayanad, Rahul will be greeted not just by the ecstatic mob of Congressmen alone, but a motley crowd of grim-faced farmers and Adivasis as well. Farmers and Adivasis, the two major segments of Wayanad population, are the most worried groups even though they together form a formidable 40 percent of voter base in the constituency. Farmers are the hapless victims of climate change attaining monstrous forms, blood sucking public and private money lenders, free fall of produces' price, straying wild beasts and a slew of other problems. Not one to take things lying down, the West Bengal chief minister mounted a blistering counter-offensive, mocking Modi's "56-inch chest" and claiming his government did nothing to save the lives of the CRPF jawans despite having "information" about the impending terror attack. "We are nationalists, not fascists," she asserted. Modi, who kicked off his Lok Sabha campaign in West Bengal with back-to-back rallies in Siliguri and Kolkata on Wednesday, hit out at Banerjee over a host of issues, including alleged lack of development, perpetuating family rule and for seeking proof of the Indian Air Force's retributive strike on terror camps in Pakistan to avenge the Pulwama killing of 42 CRPF troopers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday went for each other's jugular in battleground West Bengal, with the prime minister castigating "speed-breaker Didi" for allegedly stalling the state's development and the TMC chief hitting back with a warning that he will face a "voter strike". Reacting to a media report of a farm house owned by Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, which was rented out to what he called tainted businessmen, Jaitley said people in glass houses should not throw stones. Finance minister Arun Jaitley attacked Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday for what he called sweetheart deals with fly-by-night operators that included receiving inflated rent payments, saying he must remember to explain his affairs before levelling allegations, reported Times of India . Congress workers have also told News18 correspondents that this enthusiasm is one they wish will spiral across the south. Wayanad is an agrarian constituency and located close to Tamil Nadu and Karnataka too. Congress workers have gathered in large numbers at Wayanad to welcome Rahul. Amidst concerns over whether Rahul's move to contest from Wayanad will alienate the CPM from the party, the consensus is largely one of jubilation in Kerala. Congress leader Sanjay Jha called Prime Minister Narendra Modi a "terrible disaster," an "embarrassment" and "a joke" and called for his "crazy bakwas" to come to an end. Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi have arrived at Wayanad via chopper. The Congress chief was greeted effusively by Congress and UDF leaders. The roadway from the Wayanad school grounds to the Collectorate's office is reportedly filled with Congress workers. Rahul Gandhi has reached the Collectorate in Wayanad and is currently filing the papers. The Congress chief is seated opposite to the returning officer. The process of filing nomination papers is a long one, involving several steps and declarations. Rahul Gandhi has finished filing his nomination papers at the Wayanad Collectorate and is now going to be leading a roadshow across the district headquarters town on an open bus, along with sister Priyanka Gandhi and senior Congress leaders. Congress president Rahul Gandhi is now holding a roadshow in Wayanad after filing the nomination papers. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Ramesh Chennithala are also present on his open topped bus. Former Rajya Sabha MP Ananda Bhaskar Rapolu has joined BJP. He made the move in the presence of Union health minister JP Nadda in Delhi. He had resigned from Congress party last month. CPM leader Sujan Chakraborty has tweeted that his party's leaders, including candidate Dr Fuad Halim, have been surrounded by Trinamool Congress "goons" at Diamond Harbour in Bengal. She also said that Vijay Kishore Tiwari, who was a BSP candidate in the Gauriganj assembly elections in 2017, would be joining the BJP. Smriti had earlier alleged that Rahul has insulted the people of Amethi by also contesting from Wayanad. Smriti Irani, who is in Rahul Gandhi's home constituency of Amethi, tweeted while the Congress chief's Wayanad roadshow was on, saying, that Rahul is off supporting 'anti-national forces'. "South India, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, have been feeling that the way Narendra Modi has been speaking and acting, there is an assault happening on their culture," he added. "I wanted to give a message that India is one. There is an assault and attack taking place on the idea of India by Narendra Modi and the BJP," Rahul Gandhi said after filing his nomination papers at Wayanad on Thursday. "I want to make it clear that I will not say a word against the CPM and I understand that the CPM has to attack the Congress. I will happily absorb the attack but won't say anything against them," Rahul said Rahul Gandhi significantly said he would not target any of the vitriol against the CPM in Kerala. "In Wayanad, Rahul Gandhi had to ask the activists of his special ally, Muslim League in Kerala, to not to come to the rally with the party's green flag, as UP voters would be outraged," the Uttar Pradesh chief minister wrote on Twitter, ostensibly making a point that because this was the Muslim League, Rahul's secular ideologies had been compromised. Yogi Adityanath has questioned the presence of workers of the Indian Union Muslim League at Rahul Gandhi's roadshow at Wayanad in Kerala. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has tweeted that her brother, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, is the "most courageous man" she knows. She wrote an impassioned line to Wayanad itself, asking the constituency to "take care of him" because "he will not let them down." "For 15 days you (Rahul Gandhi) couldn't do anything in Amethi and now you've gone to Kerala," she said. She referred to Rahul as the 'missing MP' and said the Congress has deliberately denied development to the constituency so that its farmers remain poor and subservient to generations of Congress leaders. But while the event will keep the focus on a core demand of Hindu nationalists, it will not overtly be part of the BJP's election campaign, signalling a softer approach by the ruling party, multiple sources familiar with discussions said. Hardline Hindu groups, allied to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), say that they will mobilise more than 10 million people on 6 April the start of the Hindu New Year to shore up support for the contentious plan to build the temple in Ayodhya. Millions of Hindus will wake up at the crack of dawn this Saturday, five days before the start of Lok Sabha election, and march to nearby temples to chant a sacred hymn and renew a pledge to build a Ram temple on the ruins of the 16th-Century Babri mosque. Mehbooba Mufti addressed BJP chief Amit Shah on Thursday and said that the second the Article 370 is abolished, the Indian government will become an "occupational force in Jammu and Kashmir". She also likened the situation to that of the Israeli occupation of Palestine. If Article 370 is abolished, then India will be to Kashmir what Israel is to Palestine, says Mehbooba Mufti "Someboy who has been told by his local karyakartas to leave, must be feeling quite unsafe," Smriti Irani told News18 after her Salon rally in Amethi, when asked about whether Congress chief Rahul Gandhi was considering Wayanad a "safe seat for himself". Chief minister Kamal Nath's son Nakul will contest from Chhindwara, Ajay Singh Rahul will contest from Sidhi and Arun Yadav is set to contest from Khandwa. Congress has announced a list of candidates to be fielded by the party from some of the Madhya Pradesh Lok Sabha constituencies. She also claimed, "We have seen those times in India when people used to vote for Sonias children; now they want to vote for their children" Defending Narendra Modi's decision to contest from two seats in the 2014 election, she said that Rahul was a three-time MP from Amethi as opposed to Modi who was seeking an entry into the Lok Sabha for the first time. Union minister Smriti Irani, who is seeking a Lok Sabha ticket from Amethi constituency. told CNN-News18, "He (Rahul Gandhi) is a neta who will be available once in five years only to take votes. That is the reality which even Rahul can't turn away from because people in Amethi are witnesses to that reality." "Is Jaitley supporting 'enforced disappearance, sexual violence and torture'? We say that in these three cases there should be no immunity under AFSPA. What does Jaitley say," Chidambaram asked. Jaitley had said on Tuesday that the Congress manifesto seemed to have been drafted by Rahul Gandhi's friends in the "tukde-tukde" gang where the manifesto deals with Jammu and Kashmir and the national security. Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram lashed out at Finance Minister Arun Jaitley over his "tukde tukde gang" remark against the party. "There is no tukde tukde gang in the Congress. There is only a flip flop gang in the BJP," he wrote on Twitter. "The manifesto is liberal towards terrorists, criminals and insurgents. But it demolishes otherwise the current structure of independent media in India," he wrote. "History has witnessed, both in the case of fake news and paid news, as also resistance to political and governmental pressures, professionally managed large organisation are less vulnerable. They have a muscle to resist. Why does the Congress want to unscramble a scrambled egg? This move will meet the fate of the 1988 Defamation Bill." In a Facebook post, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley claimed that the Congress manifesto is promises changes which will regulate and restrict free journalism. Congress workers created ruckus at the party office in Patna over denial of ticket to former party MP Nikhil Kumar from Aurangabad parliamentary constituency. The grand alliance has fielded Upendra Prasad of Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) as its candidate from the seat. The clash took place soon after BJP candidate Darshana Jardosh and Congress nominee Ashok Adhewada reached outside the collector's office along with their supporters to file their nomination papers, she said. However, the police managed to disperse the angry workers without using any force and quickly brought the situation under control, she said. Some persons from both the sides received minor injuries in the incident, Deputy Commissioner of Police Vidhi Chaudhary said, adding that no FIR was Congress and BJP workers clashed outside the collector's office in Surat in Gujarat on Thursday when candidates of both the parties arrived to file their nominations for the Surat Lok Sabha seat, police said. According to ANI, President Ram Nath Kovind forwarded the report on Rajasthan governor Kalyan Singh to the home ministry. The Election Commission had written to the president against him for violation of model code of conduct. Singh had said "We're BJP workers and want BJP to emerge victorious. We want that once again Modi ji should become the prime minister on 23 May." "And with whose support they want to win elections in Kerala. Congress is fighting in alliance with (Indian Union) Muslim League in Kerala, the same Muslim League that became the reason of country's partition. Addressing a rally in Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath said, "Congress president Rahul Gandhi has filed nomination from a Lok Sabha constituency of Kerala. You all know, he is an MP from Amethi, he knows defeat is confirmed, that's why he ran away to Kerala. Hours after the Samajwadi Party MP from Gorakhpur Praveen Kumar Nishad joined the BJP on Thursday, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav termed it as a 'ghaatey ka sauda' (loss-making deal) for the saffron party and also alleged that money changed hands. "This is BJP's loss making deal as people had voted for the grand alliance in the previous election and not the parliamentarian," Akhilesh Yadav said in a tweet. Producer of Vivek Oberoi-starrer PM Narendra Modi said in a tweet that the biopic will not be releasing on 5 April. However, he did not mention another release date for the film. Calcutta High Court ordered Mamata Banerjee's nephew Abhishek Banerjees wife to appear before Kolkata customs office on 8 April, ANI reported. It also said customs can't take any coercive step. She was held at Kolkata airport on 15 March for allegedly carrying gold without declaration and was later let off following police intervention. Dhanshri Patil wife of BJP candidate from Ahmednagar LS Constituency, Sujay Vikhe Patil has also filed nomination from the constituency. His office called the step a "precautionary measure if any technical objection comes" in her husband's nomination. The Prime Minister, Amit Shah and other leaders held an emergency meeting on Thursday morning and discussed manifesto and other issues, party general secretary P Muralidhar Rao said. BJP president Amit Shah has cancelled his visit to Telangana, where he was scheduled to address two public rallies Thursday, as he had to attend an "emergency meeting" on the partys manifesto and poll-related issues, a top leader said. Shah was slated to address public meetings in Karimnagar and Warangal. ANI quoted director Omung Kumar B as saying, "Suspense! The film isn't releasing tomorrow, not on 5 April. But it'll be done soon, you'll get to know. We don't want to tell you the date now. Opposition had come forward, tried things. It's late but we know what date to release it on." Unverified reports have said the film is yet to receive a CBFC certificate. Speaking at a poll rally in Gondia on Wednesday, Modi had alleged Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leaders "were unable to sleep" as their "sleep was jailed in Delhi's Tihar". At another public meeting at Wardha on Monday, the prime minister had attacked Pawar, saying the veteran leader has lost grip over his party and that a "family feud" had struck it. Pawar also accused Modi of seeking political mileage out of the valour shown by security forces post the Pulwama terror attack as the recrimination between the two leaders continued in the amidst of Lok Sabha election campaign marked by bitterness and acrimony. In a veiled attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Thursday said he does not mess with anyone on his own, but "shows the place" to someone who does so. In a blog post titled Nation First, Party Next, Self Last', senior BJP leader LK Advani backed his party on various issues, days after being dropped as the candidate for the Gandhinagar seat. "Right from its inception, the BJP has never regarded those who disagree with us politically as our enemies, but only as our adversaries. Similarly, in our conception of Indian nationalism, we have never regarded those who disagree with us politically as anti-national. The party has been committed to freedom of choice of every citizen at personal as well as political level," he said. Nation First, Party Next, Self Last,' says LK Advani days after being dropped from Gandhinagar seat "I also want to wish the journalists injured in a mishap during our road show a speedy recovery," he also said. The journalists, covering Gandhi's road show after he filed his nomination papers, allegedly fell off an open vehicle after a barricade broke and collapsed, eyewitnesses said. Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra extended a helping hand the injured journalists. "I am overwhelmed by the love and affection of the people of Wayanad in Kerala, where I filed my nomination today for the Lok Sabha. Thank you for your support and warm welcome," he said on Twitter. Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday thanked the people of Wayanad for their support after he filed his nomination papers for the Lok Sabha seat in Kerala and said he was overwhelmed by their love and affection. Apart from senior CPI leader Atul Kumar Anjan who will fight in Ghosi Lok Sabha seat, the party has fielded candidates in Robertsganj, Khiri, Banda, Bareilly, Ballia, Shahjahanpur, Lalganj and Gorakhpur. "Since none of the political parties gave us any concrete assurance, we had to field as many as nine candidates in the state. The party will field two to three more candidates," he said. CPI's Uttar Pradesh unit Secretary Girish said, "At the commencement of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, our leaders approached all the secular parties including the Congress, and the SP-BSP-RLD alliance, since our only target is to defeat the BJP." On the other hand, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has made it clear that it will not field any candidate in Uttar Pradesh, and will instead extend support to the SP-BSP-RLD alliance in the state. The Communist Party of India has fielded nine candidates for the Lok Sabha polls in Uttar Pradesh and has plans to nominate candidates in a couple of more seats in the state, a party leader said Thursday. "To start with, we are dumbfounded to come across the information that NaMo TV, which advertises for 'Real time coverage of PM Modi's exciting election campaign and a lot more fascinating content', has been on air for over a week now and it does not even have a broadcast license. Alleging that a series of violations by the ruling BJP "severely constrain" the level-playing field for all the political parties and candidates contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha election, Basu demanded action from the poll body. CPM politburo member Nilotpal Basu wrote to the Election Commission (EC) on Thursday against the launch of Namo TV, alleging that it was a "brazen violation" of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). The Election Commission said on Thursday that it will take a final call in PM Narendra Modi's biopic release on Friday. Earlier today, Omung Kumar B has told ANI that the fiml won't be releasing on 5 April as planned. "We don't want to tell you the date now. Opposition had come forward, tried things. It's late but we know what date to release it on," he said. According to the EC, one of the advertisements did not pass muster as it featured a disabled person. "Six of our election advertisements were rejected by the EC on different grounds. There was nothing objectionable in these campaign teasers and it looks like there is Centre's pressure on the EC," said Shobha Oza, state Congress media cell chief. The party, while seeking a review of the decision, alleged that the poll body was acting under the Union government's pressure. The Election Commission has refused permission for circulation to six campaign videos submitted by the Congress in Madhya Pradesh, Speaking at a poll rally in Gondia on Wednesday, Modi had alleged Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leaders "were unable to sleep" as their "sleep was jailed in Delhi's Tihar". At another public meeting at Wardha on Monday, the prime minister had attacked Pawar, saying the veteran leader has lost grip over his party and that a "family feud" had struck it. Pawar also accused Modi of seeking political mileage out of the valour shown by security forces post the Pulwama terror attack as the recrimination between the two leaders continued in the amidst of Lok Sabha election campaign marked by bitterness and acrimony. In a veiled attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Thursday said he does not mess with anyone on his own, but "shows the place" to someone who does so. In a blog post titled Nation First, Party Next, Self Last', senior BJP leader LK Advani backed his party on various issues, days after being dropped as the candidate for the Gandhinagar seat. "Right from its inception, the BJP has never regarded those who disagree with us politically as our enemies, but only as our adversaries. Similarly, in our conception of Indian nationalism, we have never regarded those who disagree with us politically as anti-national. The party has been committed to freedom of choice of every citizen at personal as well as political level," he said. Nation First, Party Next, Self Last,' says LK Advani days after being dropped from Gandhinagar seat "I also want to wish the journalists injured in a mishap during our road show a speedy recovery," he also said. The journalists, covering Gandhi's road show after he filed his nomination papers, allegedly fell off an open vehicle after a barricade broke and collapsed, eyewitnesses said. Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra extended a helping hand the injured journalists. "I am overwhelmed by the love and affection of the people of Wayanad in Kerala, where I filed my nomination today for the Lok Sabha. Thank you for your support and warm welcome," he said on Twitter. Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday thanked the people of Wayanad for their support after he filed his nomination papers for the Lok Sabha seat in Kerala and said he was overwhelmed by their love and affection. Congress president Rahul Gandhi clarified on Thursday that the Nyuntam Aay Yojana (NYAY) will not have any 'adverse' impact on the Indian economy. He said, 'Nyay scheme will be implemented without adversely impacting economy," he said. Apart from senior CPI leader Atul Kumar Anjan who will fight in Ghosi Lok Sabha seat, the party has fielded candidates in Robertsganj, Khiri, Banda, Bareilly, Ballia, Shahjahanpur, Lalganj and Gorakhpur. "Since none of the political parties gave us any concrete assurance, we had to field as many as nine candidates in the state. The party will field two to three more candidates," he said. CPI's Uttar Pradesh unit Secretary Girish said, "At the commencement of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, our leaders approached all the secular parties including the Congress, and the SP-BSP-RLD alliance, since our only target is to defeat the BJP." On the other hand, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has made it clear that it will not field any candidate in Uttar Pradesh, and will instead extend support to the SP-BSP-RLD alliance in the state. The Communist Party of India has fielded nine candidates for the Lok Sabha polls in Uttar Pradesh and has plans to nominate candidates in a couple of more seats in the state, a party leader said Thursday. MP CM on his nephew Ratul Puri called by ED to join AgustaWestland money laundering probe: He's independent, he has nothing to do with politics & I have nothing to do with his business. Whatever there is, it must be investigated but how these issues come up during elections only? pic.twitter.com/qAMVJ7l0Wh "He's independent, he has nothing to do with politics. I have nothing to do with his business. Whatever there is, it must be investigated but how these issues come up during elections only?" the Congress leader said, accordign to ANI. Madhya Pradesh chief minister and Congress leader Kamal Nath denied any involvements with the business dealings of his newphoew Ratal Puri, who was called by the ED to join the AgustaWestland money laundering probe. Have nothing to do with Ratal Puri's business: Kamal Nath on nephew being called for AugustaWestland probe "To start with, we are dumbfounded to come across the information that NaMo TV, which advertises for 'Real time coverage of PM Modi's exciting election campaign and a lot more fascinating content', has been on air for over a week now and it does not even have a broadcast license. Alleging that a series of violations by the ruling BJP "severely constrain" the level-playing field for all the political parties and candidates contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha election, Basu demanded action from the poll body. CPM politburo member Nilotpal Basu wrote to the Election Commission (EC) on Thursday against the launch of Namo TV, alleging that it was a "brazen violation" of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). The Election Commission said on Thursday that it will take a final call in PM Narendra Modi's biopic release on Friday. Earlier today, Omung Kumar B has told ANI that the fiml won't be releasing on 5 April as planned. "We don't want to tell you the date now. Opposition had come forward, tried things. It's late but we know what date to release it on," he said. Many BJP leaders have also often used terms like "anti-national" to target Opposition leaders. "The essence of Indian democracy is respect for diversity and freedom of expression. Right from its inception, the BJP has never regarded those who disagree with us politically as our 'enemies', but only as our adversaries," the 91-year-old leader wrote in a blog ahead of the BJP's foundation day on 6 April. LK Advani's views assume significance at a time when the BJP under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah have made the issue of national security a key plank for the general elections and have often accused its political rivals of speaking the language of India's enemies like Pakistan. According to the EC, one of the advertisements did not pass muster as it featured a disabled person. "Six of our election advertisements were rejected by the EC on different grounds. There was nothing objectionable in these campaign teasers and it looks like there is Centre's pressure on the EC," said Shobha Oza, state Congress media cell chief. The party, while seeking a review of the decision, alleged that the poll body was acting under the Union government's pressure. The Election Commission has refused permission for circulation to six campaign videos submitted by the Congress in Madhya Pradesh, Lok Sabha Election 2019 LATEST updates: The Election Commission said on Thursday that it will take final call in PM Narendra Modi's biopic release on Friday. Earlier, the film producer had said that the film, which was scheduled to be released on Friday, has been postponed indefinitely. The news has come even as senior BJP leader LK Advani, in a blog post titled Nation First, Party Next, Self Last', backed his party on various issues, days after being dropped as the candidate for the Gandhinagar seat. "Right from its inception, the BJP has never regarded those who disagree with us politically as our enemies, but only as our adversaries. Similarly, in our conception of Indian nationalism, we have never regarded those who disagree with us politically as anti-national. The party has been committed to freedom of choice of every citizen at personal as well as political level," he said. BJP president Amit Shah has cancelled his visit to Telangana, where he was scheduled to address two public rallies Thursday, as he had to attend an "emergency meeting" on the partys manifesto and poll-related issues, a top leader said. Shah was slated to address public meetings in Karimnagar and Warangal. Dhanshri Patil wife of BJP candidate from Ahmednagar LS Constituency, Sujay Vikhe Patil has also filed nomination from the constituency. His office called the step a "precautionary measure if any technical objection comes" in her husband's nomination. Producer of Vivek Oberoi-starrer PM Narendra Modi said in a tweet that the biopic will not be releasing on 5 April. However, he did not mention another release date for the film. The Election Commission had earlier given its approval for the release of the biopic, and had said that it was upto the Central Board of Film Certification to decide on on whether to allow the release of the film. President Ram Nath Kovind has forwarded the report on Rajasthan governor Kalyan Singh to the home ministry. The Election Commission had written to the president against him for violation of the Model Code of Conduct. Singh had said "We're BJP workers and want BJP to emerge victorious. We want that once again Modi ji should become the prime minister on 23 May." In a Facebook post, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley claimed that the Congress manifesto promises changes which will regulate and restrict free journalism. "Congress manifesto contains suggestions on media, each one of which, will regulate, restrict free journalism and otherwise multiplicity of Indian media," he wrote. Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram lashed out at Finance Minister Arun Jaitley over his "tukde tukde gang" remark against the party. "There is no tukhde tukhde gang in the Congress. There is only a flip flop gang in the BJP," he wrote on Twitter. Congress has announced a list of candidates to be fielded by the party from some of the Madhya Pradesh Lok Sabha constituencies. Chief minister Kamal Nath's son Nakul will contest from Chhindwara, Ajay Singh Rahul will contest from Sidhi and Arun Yadav is set to contest from Khandwa. PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti addressed BJP chief Amit Shah on Thursday and said that the second the Article 370 is abolished, the Indian government will become an "occupational force in Jammu and Kashmir". She said Shah will not be allowed to set foot in Jammu and Kashmir if the Article is abrogated. She also likened the situation to that of the Israeli occupation of Palestine. BJP's candidate for Amethi, Smriti Irani, said at a rally in Salon that Rahul as a "missing MP" and said the Congress has deliberately denied development to the constituency so that its farmers remain poor and subservient to generations of Congress leaders. "For 15 days you (Rahul Gandhi) couldn't do anything in Amethi and now you've gone to Kerala," she said. Shortly after Rahul Gandhi filed nomination papers from Wayanad, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has tweeted that her brother was the "most courageous man" she knows. She wrote an impassioned line to Wayanad itself, asking the constituency to "take care of him" because "he will not let them down." Narendra Modi has failed farmers and those looking for jobs, Rahul Gandhi said after filing his nomination papers at Wayanad. "I wanted to give a message that India is one, and deal a blow to the divisive forces of the BJP and the RSS," the Congress chief added. He said that he wanted to make it clear that he will not say a word against the CPM and that he fully understood that the CPM had to attack the Congress. Nishad Party leader and Gorakhpur MP Praveen Nishad has joined the BJP, a party that the Nishad Party has announced that it will support in Uttar Pradesh for the upcoming Lok Sabha election. NP leaving the side of Samajwadi Party and joining the BJP is being seen as a huge boost to the saffron party as the former, though formed in 2015, is an umbrella organisation of many downtrodden and backward classes. Smriti Irani, who is in Rahul Gandhi's home constituency of Amethi, tweeted while the Congress chief's Wayanad roadshow was on, saying, that while Rahul is off supporting 'anti-national forces', Vijay Kishore Tiwari, who was a BSP candidate in the Gauriganj assembly elections in 2017, would be joining the BJP family. Smriti had earlier alleged that Rahul has insulted the people of Amethi by also contesting from Wayanad. Finance minister Arun Jaitley has written a new blog post on Facebook, this time asking why Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who is leading a roadshow through Wayanad after filing his nomination papers from there, has not worked for a day in his life. Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi has finished filing his nomination papers at the Wayanad Collectorate and is participating in a roadshow across the district headquarters town on an open bus. He is accompanied by sister Priyanka Gandhi and senior Congress leaders. The roads from the Collectorate are chockablock with Congress supporters who have been enthusiastic in attendance. Rahul Gandhi has reached the Collectorate in Wayanad and is currently filing the papers. The Congress chief is seated opposite to the returning officer. The process of filing nomination papers is a long one, involving several steps and declarations. The Election Commission has taken note of Dalit leader Prakash Ambedkar's controversial remarks on "jailing EC officials" for at least two days if he is elected. The poll panel has asked for a report in this regard. Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi have arrived at Wayanad via chopper. The Congress chief was greeted effusively by Congress and UDF leaders. The roadway from the Wayanad school grounds to the Collectorate's office is reportedly filled with Congress workers. Congress leader Sanjay Jha called Prime Minister Narendra Modi a "terrible disaster," an "embarrassment" and "a joke" and called for his "crazy bakwas" to come to an end. Rahul Gandhi is set to arrive at Wayanad with sister Priyanka Gandhi, from Kozhikode in about 20 minutes, reported News18. The two leaders are headed there in a chopper. He is now headed to the Collector's office to file his nomination papers. The two leaders will embark on a roadshow following the nomination filing. Rahul Gandhi contesting from Wayanad in Kerala has been hailed by Congress workers in the state who have shown unprecedented levels of excitement in welcoming the leader. The BJP, however, has said Rahul is aiming to garner the minority vote of the region, to which Congress has alleged that the south has been ignored by the BJP government at the Centre and this is the first time that a leader of national prominence has put it under the spotlight. Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) leader Prakash Ambedkar, reported News18, has threatened to jail 'Election Commission officials' for a at least two days if he comes to power. The Dalit leader, speaking at a rally at Yavatmal in Maharashtra, slammed the Election Commission for having said that political parties should not talk about Pulwama, something Ambedkar felt was his 'basic Constitutional right'. He then went on to threaten Election Commission officials with jail. Rahul Gandhi will file his nomination papers on a day when Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Smriti Irani is scheduled to campaign in Rahul's home constituency of Amethi. Irani is expected to speak at the BJP's Kisan Morcha Sammelan around 11 am. "A person who has been in Amethi for 15 years has decided to give up on his supporters. Come elections, he has chosen to file nominations from another constituency," Smriti said. As campaign heats up for the Lok Sabha election, the focus shifts from north India to the south with Congress chief Rahul Gandhi expected to file his nomination on Thursday from the Wayanad seat in Kerala in the presence of his sister and party general secretary for Uttar Pradesh East Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. He will also lead a roadshow before filing the papers around 10.30 am. Notably, Rahul has a new opponent in the Wayanad seat where he is already set to go head-to-head with NDA candidate Thushar Vellapally Saritha S Nair, the prime accused in the multi-crore solar scandal. This comes on a day when Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Smriti Irani is scheduled to campaign in Rahul's home constituency of Amethi. Irani is expected to speak at the BJP's Kisan Morcha Sammelan around 11 am. Rahul is also scheduled to address a rally in Nagpur around 5 pm. Meanwhile, BJP president Amit Shah is scheduled to address public meetings in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. He will first speak at Karimnagar (11.45 am) and Warangal (1.30 pm) in Telangana and then address rallies at Narasaraopet (3.30 pm) and Visakhapatnam (6 pm) in Andhra Pradesh. Shah has maintained a punishing schedule ahead of the election, but his remarks on doing away with Article 370, which promises special status to Jammu and Kashmir, have met with severe criticism from the state's mainstream parties in the past few days. The BJP finds itself in sticky waters as the Election Commission has now issued a notice to Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath over his "Modi ji ki sena" (Prime Minister Narendra Modi's army) remark at a rally. The commission has asked him to file a reply by Friday. Congress candidates for Mumbai are expected to release a separate manifesto for the city on Thursday. All party candidates, including Milind Deora, Priya Dutt, Urmila Matondkar and Sanjay Nirupam are expected to be present at the 12 pm event. The city-specific manifesto is likely to echo the broad themes of the party's much-discussed election manifesto which was released on Tuesday. The biggest takeaway from the unprecedented reception that Congress president Rahul Gandhi received in Wayanad on Thursday where he submitted his nomination papers for the Lok Sabha elections is that the minorities, particularly the Muslims, are going to firmly back the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF). The biggest takeaway from the unprecedented reception that Congress president Rahul Gandhi received in Wayanad on Thursday where he submitted his nomination papers for the Lok Sabha elections is that the minorities, particularly the Muslims, are going to firmly back the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF). Kerala has never witnessed such scenes of exultation that accompanied Rahul's visit and all Malayalam TV channels, except the party outfits of the CPM and the BJP, kept telecasting them live for hours on end. In fact, Rahul's visit eclipsed everything else in the media space today. What was most conspicuous was that it was not only the Congress workers or the general public that wanted to have a glimpse of the party chief and be part of the jubilation, but also the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) who wanted to show their solidarity. IUML is a long-lasting partner of the Congress within the UDF, but this time, they literally owned Rahul. They were unfettered in their enthusiasm. They travelled from far away places, even from outside the district, and exclaimed that it was their "good luck" that Rahul chose to contest from this part of the country. The Muslim population in the constituency is remarkably higher than the state average of 27 percent (some computing it at about 48 percent, higher than even the share of the Hindu voters and obviously the show of strength that the constituency witnessed was a statement of their solidarity and resistance. Right from the beginning, it has been the Muslim League that wanted Rahul as the UDF candidate in Wayanad, as much as the Congress did. In fact, they were a little disappointed when a few disgruntled Congress leaders from Kerala tried to sabotage the move in Delhi for settling personal scores and the announcement of his candidature was delayed. If the obvious message from the Muslims is that Rahul is their icon, its an indication that they consider him as the pivot of their resistance against the BJP at the national level. The rival CPM has been campaigning that Rahul's choosing Wayanad was a clear sign that he is not serious about the BJP, an opportunistic political pitch obviously aimed at polarising the minority votes. But by rallying behind him, the Muslims showed that they think exactly the opposite and its a shot in the arm for the UDF. The CPM's contention that Rahul is being serious about the BJP was a bogus argument to skew the political narrative and to make the minorities suspicious of his intent. CPM has been working hard, mostly through realpolitik, at wooing the minorities, namely the Muslims and the Christians, but with very limited success. The party had been able to bring down the vote-share of the UDF (Congress) candidate in Wayanad in 2014 compared to 2009, but in the Muslim and Christian belt, UDF still rules the roost. The CPM's ploy of disrupting this was to outsource the candidature in key locations to people with influence in the community based on completely non-political considerations. In the recent past, it had fielded a movie actor, a TV news-presenter and businessmen accused of land-grabs and environment law violations and had even managed to break in. It has repeated the same strategy this time, as well. However, with Rahul fighting from the state, emerging as the bulwark against the BJP across India and hence energising the minorities, this strategy will face a serious threat. Besides the support of the minorities, another factor that would influence voter-preference this time will be the undercurrent generated by the Sabarimala issue. Early opinion surveys claim that Sabarimala indeed will be an issue and that the BJP will harness the believer-sentiments to raise its vote-share by a few percentage points. The general belief or narrative in the state is that if the BJP gets Hindu votes, the most affected will the Congress and the UDF. In fact, it happened to be true in the last elections because wherever the Congress and the UDF lost their strongholds or lost by small margins, the BJP had eaten into their vote-base. If the BJP raises its vote-share further, it cannot be only at the cost of the UDF any more, but also of that of the CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) because it has more Hindu voters than the UDF. The evidence from the violent protests in Sabarimala has shown that it was not only the upper-caste Hindus who were incensed by the ruling LDF government's enthusiasm in letting young women enter the hill-shrine, but also members of other castes who are numerically more. In fact, there were more non-upper-caste protesters in Sabarimala. So, if Sabarimala indeed is an undercurrent and the BJPs vote-share rises by 5-6 percentage points as has been predicted by opinion polls, the LDF will have to certainly lose some of its Hindu votes. This is where the backing of minorities will help the UDF. Rahul's presence in Kerala and the enthusiastic support of the Muslims is a message that seems to have made a solid impression. If the Rahul-wave that the Wayanad saw today spreads across the state which the Congress, the IUML and others in the UDF believe will do the CPM and the LDF will be in trouble. They may even lose ground in their pocket-boroughs and in places where they have succeeded in the communal outsourcing of candidates. In fact, a third opinion survey in the state by the Malayala Manorama group (after Asianet News and Times Now) also seem to point to such an outcome. On Monday, they announced the results to half the constituencies in the state and said seven out of 10 will go with the UDF. But that was pre-Rahul. If one adds the Rahul factor, a clean sweep for the UDF cannot be ruled out because in the post-emergency elections, when the entire country was opposed to the Congress and Indira Gandhi, Kerala posted a 100 percent victory for the Congress-led front. Will history repeat itself? The CPM seems to be desperate. After terming Rahuls candidature as a sign of his turning away from the BJP, the party-paper editorially ridiculed him as "Pappu", a pejorative term that the BJP had invented. VS Achuthanandan, former chief minister and veteran CPM leader called him 'Amul Baby'. But in response, Rahul said that he will absorb all the tarts of the CPM, but will not utter a single word against them. That was another disarming, or rather a charming move. LOK SABHA ELECTION 2019 CAMPAIGNS: CLICK HERE FOR LIVE UPDATES The Congress is banking on the sons of two veteran leaders to defeat BJP heavyweights in Jodhpur and Barmer. Jaipur: A resurgent Congress wresting power from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2018 Assembly polls in Rajasthan paved the way for young dynasts to don the mantle of their elders to carry forward their legacy. The Grand Old Party, for a long time, didnt show much interest in the sons of its leaders in Rajasthan and the Deputy Chief Minister, Sachin Pilot son of the late Union minister Rajesh Pilot continued to be the only young scion of a political family on top. However, as Lok Sabha elections draw closer, the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee is banking on sons of two veteran leaders Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot and former Union minister Jaswant Singh to defeat BJP heavyweights in Jodhpur and Barmer. The success of Vaibhav Gehlot in Jodhpur and Manvendra Singh in Barmer will strengthen the Congress' position. Ashok Gehlot hands over bastion Vaibhav Gehlot, 39, is all set to make his election debut from Jodhpur against senior BJP leader Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister of State for Agriculture. In the past 30 years Vaibhavs father has won the Jodhpur parliamentary seat five times: In 1980, 84, 91, 96 and 98. Now, he has handed over his citadel to his son. In the 2018 Assembly elections, Congress won six out of eight seats in Jodhpur constituency, slated to go for polls on 29 April. 'Won't be easy' The soft-spoken Vaibhav seems aware that winning his debut match on his fathers political turf wont be a cakewalk, but sounds optimistic. I know its not going to be that easy, but I am determined to win my maiden battle with the support of my party workers, he said. Vaibhav said Congress workers and party leadership have reposed faith in him and he wont disappoint them. Vaibhav accused his opponent Shekhawat of not living up to the expectations of the public during the past five years. After winning the election, my first priority will be to expedite the development work in Jodhpur constituency. The present MP couldnt do much and left the people in lurch, he claimed. Uphill task for Manvendra Manvendra Singh son of the former Union minister and BJP leader Jaswant Singh a new entrant to the Congress, is in the fray from the Barmer-Jaisalmer seat. Manvendra has fought three elections: Twice on BJP ticket and once as Congress candidate. He won the Barmer-Jaisalmer parliamentary seat on a BJP ticket in 2004, but in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls he was defeated by the Congress candidate Sona Ram. Manvendra contested the 2013 Assembly polls in Rajasthan again on the BJP ticket and won. However, he left the BJP in October 2018 and joined the Congress. Manvendra contested the 2018 Assembly elections on Congress ticket against the former Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje but lost. Manvendra needs a win to establish himself among the second generation of leaders in the Rajasthan Congress. Manvendra's father Jaswant Singh quit the BJP in 2014 after being denied a ticket to contest the Lok Sabha polls. Jaswant contested as an Independent but failed to win the Barmer-Jaisalmer seat. Jaswant, considered a close aide of the late prime minister Atal Bihar Vajpayee, suffered a serious head injury after a fall at his residence in August 2014. He has since been in a coma. Barmer-Jaisalmer was considered Jaswant's fortress. Jawant enjoyed the supports of Rajput, Muslim and Dalit voters. Senior journalist and political commentator Narayan Bareth claimed both Vaibhav and Manvendra are likely to benefit due to their father's legacies and support base. Bareth said Manvendra must win in order to emerge as the representative of Rajput community in the Grand Old Party, which has been on song in Rajasthan after winning the last Assembly elections. This will consolidate his position, Bareth opined. 'Rahul encouraging young faces' Qazi Nizamuddin, secretary of the All India Congress Committee and former co-in charge of the Rajasthan Congress, claimed that since Rahul has taken over as AICC president, young faces in all the states are being brought to the forefront. Workers or office bearers who have performed well are being given a chance to prove their mettle, he added. Nizamuddin said that Vaibhav worked hard as general secretary of Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee. We are hopeful about him making a place in the heart of the people and winning the elections, he said, adding that Vaibhav's father enjoys mass support in Jodhpur constituency. Role model Sachin Pilot has emerged as a role model for young leaders in Rajasthan. His late father Rajesh Pilot was one of the Congress' most dynamic leaders. Sachin has carried forward his father's legacy and emerged in his own right as one of the most powerful leaders in Rajasthan. Sachin was handed over the reins of the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee (RPCC) after the partys debacle in 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Under his leadership, the Congress has seen a resurrection and return to power. After Congress won the 2018 Assembly polls in Rajasthan, Sachin emerged as a top contender for the chief ministers post. But the Congress high command chose the old hand Ashok Gehlot. Sachin expressed dismay over the decision, following which his supporters hit the streets. He was reportedly pacified by top Congress leaders and was awarded with the post of deputy chief minister. Sachin has no equal among second generation leaders. While Vaibhav has been an active member of Congress for the past 15 years and held important positions, when it comes to campaigning he is still finding his footing. Victories by Vaibhav and Manvedra will allow the Rajasthan Congress to add to their tally of young turks. The author is Dehradun-based freelance writer and a member of 101Reporters.com While Maneka Gandhi will contest from Sultanpur on BJP ticket, her son, Varun Gandhi, will be in the fray from Pilibhit. Sultanpur (Uttar Pradesh): Union Minister and BJP candidate from Sultanpur Lok Sabha constituency Maneka Gandhi has accused Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati of selling party tickets for Rs 15-20 crore each. "Everybody knows Mayawati sells party tickets and even her party members take pride in telling this. She has 77 houses and residents of those houses say with pride that Mayawati takes Rs 15-20 crore either in diamonds or in cash," she told a public gathering on Wednesday. Maneka also alleged that BSP members who bought party tickets, are "musclemen" and they would eventually extract the money from the common people. "I ask these armed men that from where they get Rs 15-20 crore for giving it to Mayawati? They would eventually extract Rs 15-20 crore from the common people," she said. Polling in Uttar Pradesh will be held in all the seven phases of the Lok Sabha elections from 11 April to 19 May. Counting of votes will take place on 23 May. While Maneka Gandhi will contest from Sultanpur on BJP ticket, her son, Varun Gandhi, will be in the fray from Pilibhit. LOK SABHA ELECTION 2019 CAMPAIGNS: CLICK HERE FOR LIVE UPDATES The crowd at Narendra Modi's rally at Kolkata must have the BJP mighty pleased as its strength matched that of public rallies held by former West Bengal chief minister Jyoti Basu, or even the incumbent, Mamata Banerjee. The crowd at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally at Kolkata's historical Brigade Maidan on Wednesday must have warmed the cockles of the BJP's heart as its strength matched that of public rallies held by former West Bengal chief minister Jyoti Basu, or even the incumbent, Mamata Banerjee. This is unprecedented for a state that has for long steered clear of the ideology that forms the core of the saffron front. What does the crowd at Modi's Kolkata rally indicate? Did most of the people turn out to "see and hear" the prime minister, or is there an underlying message that analysts will have to take into account when discussing the political atmosphere in West Bengal? Is the BJP really gaining ground in a state where it currently has minuscule influence and faces ideological resistance from the masses? At present, the party has only two MPs from West Bengal and is aiming for 22 in this Lok Sabha election. The highly populous state sends 42 members to the Lower House. Commenting on Modi's rally in Kolkata, Anirban Ganguly, director of New Delhi-based think tank Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation, said: "Modi was certainly a major attraction because of which Brigade Maidan saw such a huge gathering. But it's also an expression of the frustration of the people of Bengal against the oppressive politics of Mamata Banerjee, the existing extortion racket and syndicate and against the 'pishi-bhaipo' (aunt-nephew) government that does not believe in our Constitutional framework." At his campaign rally, Modi also made an aunt-nephew jibe, referring Mamata and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee. He appealed to the gathering to end the "dynastic politics" of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in Bengal. If the crowd turned up at Modi's Kolkata rally not merely to catch a glimpse of the country's prime minister but, in fact, for its interest in the BJP, then the party may have finally found a foot inside the Bengal door that it so badly needs. The saffron front is clearly beginning to spread its wings in the eastern state. If it was at the expense of the Left initially, the TMC may now be contributing towards this. In 2011, Mamata had issued a clarion call of "Paribartan Chai" (we want change) with the support of the West Bengal intelligentsia to topple the Left government from the state after its 34-year rule. The Bengal intelligentsia, comprising eminent writers, painters, theatre personalities and academicians, lent their support to the TMC, but many of them later withdrew their backing due to "ideological differences". So what did lead to the BJP's rise in West Bengal? The party's biggest weapon is Mamata's appeasement policy. This apparently earned her undivided support from Bengal's Muslim community, which constitutes 27 percent of the population. Her blatant attempts to appease minority communities with freebies, such as scholarships and stipends, clubbed with the deteriorating law and order situation in the state forced the largely secular urban Bengali voter to reconsider their unstinted support to the TMC. Furthermore, Bengal has become a fertile ground for overt Hindutva groups to take root in its soil because of the unchecked cross-border infiltration that has occurred over the decades. Over the years, illegal migration of people from Bangladesh has disturbed the homogeneity of the population in border districts, causing a demographic imbalance and giving rise to social problems. "The people of Bengal are visibly angry over this appeasement policy. The Left Front government had initiated it, and now, the TMC has taken it to another level. Towns and villages in the border districts of West Bengal, which have a large Muslim population, are facing the heat of this policy," said a Kolkata-based functionary of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. "Whether it's a Durga Puja procession or Saraswati Puja, Hindus are living in fear. They can't blow a conch or hold processions as they used to earlier. A large number of Bengali Muslims from across the border have also occupied space, and the original settlers, comprising both Hindus and Muslims who lived together for decades, are being cornered. This is a major cause of anger," the RSS worker told Firstpost. Besides, the BJP always had the support of a pocket of the trader community, but now, there is growing support from a new middle-class Bengali. It seems that the BJP president Amit Shah's tagline "Ebar Bangla" (this time, Bengal) has slowly, but steadily, gained ground. RSS workers have backed his campaign at the grassroots. LOK SABHA ELECTION 2019 CAMPAIGNS: CLICK HERE FOR LIVE UPDATES Although many in West Bengal consider Shah's target for the BJP to win 22 of Bengal's 42 parliamentary seats a hyperbole, the party has surely made its presence felt across the state ahead of the Lok Sabha election. Moreover, there is little doubt that Mamata nowadays views the BJP as a greater political threat than either the Congress, which has 42 seats in the Assembly against the TMC's 213 in the 295-member House, or the Left, which has 32. The BJP, in contrast, has three. The rise in the BJP's vote share from 6.2 percent in the 2009 Lok Sabha election to 16.8 percent in 2014 motivated the saffron party. Also, BJPs resounding victory in the elections in the North East conclusively broke one of the most resistant stereotypes that of the party being a "Hindi heartland" unit especially after wresting power from the Communist Party of India (Marxist), which ruled Tripura for 25 years. "By winning Tripura, the BJP made the impossible feat possible Now, we have to end the bomb-and-gun culture of the TMC in Bengal," Modi said at his Kolkata rally. What clearly has the Bengal chief minister worried is the jump in the BJP's vote share from three per cent in 2013 to 23 percent in a by-election this year, where it secured second place, relegating the Congress-Left combine to the third spot. Unlike the erstwhile ruling Left Front or present TMC government, the BJP is a rank outsider in Bengal and is also considered a 'North Indian party'. The strength of the gathering at Brigade Maidan for Modi's rally definitely begs a question. Invoking luminaries of Bengal from Kazi Nazrul Islam, Lalan Fakir, Swami Vivekananda, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee and Rabindranath Tagore to freedom fighters such as Khudiram Bose, Surya Sen, Aurobindo Ghose and Subhas Chandra Bose, Modi said Bengal represented a fusion of "revolution and poetry" (krantikarita aur kavita), which he said would serve as the driving force to realise "our dream of a New India". The NC vice-president was reacting to BJP president Amit Shah's claim that his party ended the alliance with PDP in Jammu and Kashmir last year due to PDP's demand for revocation of the AFSPA. Srinagar: National Conference leader Omar Abdullah Thursday rejected BJP chief Amit Shah's claim that his party ended coalition with the PDP after it was pressured to dilute the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act. He also accused Mehbooba Mufti's Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Shah of "lying" about the controversial Act which gives special powers to the armed forces. "Why are @AmitShah & the PDP lying to people about AFSPA? PDP has no intention of doing anything with AFSPA & BJP didn't break the coalition because of AFSPA. This is from Ms Mufti's Assembly speech as CM in February 2018," Abdullah said in a tweet. The NC vice-president was reacting to BJP president Amit Shah's claim that his party ended the alliance with PDP in Jammu and Kashmir last year due to PDP's demand for revocation of the AFSPA. At an election rally Wednesday, the BJP chief said the party brought down its government in Jammu and Kashmir when the pressure came on it to dilute the AFSPA. "We kicked the chair. We left the government on the AFSPA. The Congress and its leaders should be ashamed of what they have announced, " he said. Abdullah shared a link to a media report about Mufti's speech in the Assembly on the issue of AFSPA revocation. Mufti, while replying to a debate in the state assembly on the AFSPA, had ruled out revoking the controversial Act in the state "due to the prevailing situation". She also said the Indian Army's footprint in the Valley had increased due to the deteriorating security situation. "The Indian Army is the most disciplined force in the world. It was instrumental in bettering the security situation... that is the reason we are here today... They have made huge sacrifices," she had then said. This proposed data transfer has raised significant concerns about the Administration's intent with respect to leveraging data, in the name of the constitutionally-mandated decennial census, to target immigrants as part of its broader attacks on this community. It has already exacerbated a climate of fear among immigrants, regardless of their legal status, which we fear will result in lower response rates among foreign-born U.S. residents and undermine the integrity and accuracy of the census, the letter states A case was registered against Bharip Bahujan Mahasangh president Prakash Ambedkar on Thursday for allegedly making objectionable remarks against the Election Commission (EC) Mumbai: A case was registered against Bharip Bahujan Mahasangh president Prakash Ambedkar on Thursday for allegedly making objectionable remarks against the Election Commission (EC), police said. Earlier in the day, addressing an election rally at Digras in Maharashtra's Yavatmal district, Ambedkar said he would jail the EC for two days if voted to power. The Yavatmal district collector lodged a complaint against Ambedkar at the Digras police station and a case under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 503 (criminal intimidation), 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) and 189 (threat of injury to public servant) was registered. Ambedkar has formed the "Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi", an alliance with the Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. The State Election Commission had sought a report from the local poll officials on Ambedkar's speech, Additional Chief Electoral Officer Dilip Shinde told PTI. Ambedkar, the grandson of BR Ambedkar, is himself contesting the Lok Sabha election from Solapur and Akola in Maharashtra. "We lost 40 soldiers (in Pulwama), but we are still sitting quiet. We have been asked not to speak on the Pulwama attack. How can the EC gag us? Our Constitution has given us the right to speak. I am not the BJP. If voted to power, we will jail the EC for two days," Ambedkar told the rally. Asked about his remarks, he said he had made a "general" statement. "I said it in a general sense, but my comment on the EC was singled out," Ambedkar told PTI. Rahuls presence in Amethi could not boost the Congress prospects in adjoining constituencies. Whether Wayanad will be any different is something that the election result will tell. Ever since it became clear that Rahul Gandhi would contest from Wayanad (where minorities together account for over 50 percent of the population) as his second Lok Sabha seat, Congress strategists have been trying to give the move an interesting spin. They have argued that this would galvanise the party's prospects in the five southern states. The Congress' spin doctors have made two more arguments for Rahul contesting from Wayanad first, that he is following in the footsteps of his mother Sonia Gandhi by contesting from a seat in the South, and second, that Narendra Modi also contested from two seats in 2014 Vadodara and Varanasi. The Congress' contention must be judged on the basis of facts and contemporary political history. Let us first compare Rahul's decision to contest from two seats in 2019 with that of Modi in 2014. Five years ago, when Modi was leading the BJPs campaign as its prime ministerial candidate, the Congress and the BJP's other opponents considered him to be a "regional" leader. By deciding to fight from Varanasi, a place in north India associated with rich historical and cultural traditions, he was sending out the message that his appeal was national. He sought to emphasise that he had a support base across the country, at least in the whole of the North and the West. When he filed his nomination on 24 April, 2014, it was a mega political event, something that India had not seen before. While the Congress tried to organise a major event around Rahul filing his nomination papers from Wayanad, the event was nowhere close to what Modi organised in Varanasi in 2014. When Modi contested from Varanasi, he had famously said that he had been called by Maa Ganga. Although the BJP maintained that his presence in Varanasi would impact the party's prospects in some seats in eastern Uttar Pradesh and the border areas of Bihar, it did not claim that it would impact the whole of Uttar Pradesh, or the northern region. The Congress claims that Rahul has filed his nomination papers from Wayanad to honour the sentiments of party workers and leaders from Kerala." Riding on Modi's popularity, the BJP had swept the 2014 election in western and northern India, while the Congress was routed across the country. In the upcoming election, Rahul faces a tough challenge from the BJP's Smriti Irani in his familys bastion of Amethi. On Thursday, Irani, to make a point with the electorate, travelled to Amethi when Rahul filed his nomination from Wayanad. Secondly, the Congress claims that Rahul's candidature from Wayanad would swing the partys prospects in 130 seats of five south Indian states, helping the Congress emerge as the single largest party, and enabling Rahul to take up the prime minister's post. Except for Karnataka, the BJPs presence in south India is only marginal. For the past few elections, the party has been trying to open its account in Kerala. In Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, the Congress is thus fighting the elections against regional parties such as the YSRCP, TRS, AIADMK and its allies, and the Left Front. All these regional parties have grown at the expense of the Congress. In the last parliamentary election, the Congress drew a blank in Andhra Pradesh out of a total of 25 seats, and in Tamil Nadu out of 39 seats. It won two out of 17 seats in Telangana and 9 out of 28 seats in Karnataka. In 2009, when the Congress had won a high tally of 206 seats, it won around 60 seats from south India Andhra Pradesh under the leadership of the late YSR Reddy making a major contribution with 33 seats. The Congress could become the single largest party because it got good numbers in north, west and northeastern India Maharashtra (17), Madhya Pradesh (12), Rajasthan (20), Uttar Pradesh (21), Gujarat (11), Uttarakhand (all 5), Haryana (9), Punjab (8), Orissa (6) and so on. Unlike 2009, the Congress' prospects in all these regions are grim. The Congress is now on the margins in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, is contesting 20 seats in Karnataka in alliance with the JD(S), nine in alliance with the DMK in Tamil Nadu, and is expected to yield some seats in Kerala to its UDF allies. In effect, it is contesting only about half of the 130 seats spread over the five south Indian states. It would be unrealistic to claim that Rahuls candidature from Wayanad would help the Congress sweep polls in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Thirdly, the Congress is conveniently twisting the facts related to Indira Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi having contested from Karnataka, and making it a template for Rahul. Indira Gandhi had contested a by-election from Chikmagalur in Karnataka in October 1978 after she suffered an ignominious defeat in Rae Bareli at the hands of Raj Narain in the 1977 election, which was held in the immediate aftermath of the lifting of the Emergency. Sonia Gandhi had filed her nomination from Bellary in Karnataka amid high drama and suspense in 1999 because the Congress leadership was apprehensive that the BJP might come up with some mischief in Rae Bareli on account of her entry into electoral politics. Rahul, responding to a query on his presence impacting the Congresss prospects in the South, said that he has come to Wayanad to send a message that he is standing for south India, and to counter Narendra Modis alleged neglect and hostility towards the entire region. However, in response, CPI leader D Raja, the Congress' friend and ally of many seasons, shot back asking what message the Congress president was trying to send by picking up a fight with the Left. Rahuls presence in Amethi over the past three terms could not boost the Congress prospects in constituencies in its immediate vicinity. Whether Wayanad will be any different is something that the election result will tell. Saritha scam prime accused, Saritha S Nair, Wednesday announced she will contest elections against Rahul Gandhi from the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency in Kerala Solar scam prime accused, Saritha S Nair, announced that she will contest elections against Rahul Gandhi from the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency in Kerala. Nair, who has accused several top Congress leaders of sexual misconduct, said on Wednesday she will contest the polls as an Independent candidate as her repeated pleas to Rahul to take action against these leaders went unheard. Nair is contesting the polls against Rahul as a mark of protest, she said. She is also fighting in Ernakulam against Hibi Eden of the Congress, whom she had accused of molestation. Nair had told The Indian Express, that she was not contesting the elections to win a seat, neither does she have any desire to become an MP. She said she was contesting to unmask the hypocrisy of political parties when it comes to women's issues. "Im not contesting to become an MP or sit in the Lok Sabha. Im fighting the elections to mock and shame those who have criminal charges levelled against them. I have always been labelled as a cheater. But how are these leaders, who have committed crimes against women, which are far serious than financial crimes, allowed to contest elections?" she said. Nair claimed that she approached Rahul several times and wrote many letters requesting him to drop the leaders in his party who are accused of sexual misconduct. "As the man wanting to become the prime minister of the country," she said, "he should have responded to a womans grievances." Nair is named in 30 odd cases of cheating in the solar scam. The solar scam case surfaced when Nair and her live-in partner Biju Radhakrishnan were arrested in 2013 on charges of cheating numerous investors who paid money for solar panels. Over 30 cases of cheating against Nair and Radhakrishnan are registered in various courts. Police estimate that they cheated investors to the tune of over Rs 6 crore. Nair later revealed that she was sexually abused by Congress leaders in the garb of helping her with her business. Congress denied the charges and called the charges politically motivated and baseless. In 2017, a judicial commission which probed the scam submitted a report saying that top Congress leaders in the state purchased contracts and gave out subsidies to Nairs firm in return for bribes and sexual favours. Former chief minister Oommen Chandy has also been named in the report. PP Suneer of Communist Party of India and Thushar Vellappally, president of BJP-ally Bharat Dharma Jana Sena (BJDS) are the other key candidates from Wayanad. Click here to read latest updates on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 Irani also alleged that Rahul's decided to fight from Wayanad seat because the Congress workers knew that he does not have any support in Amethi. Lucknow: Union Minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani Thursday attacked Congress president Rahul Gandhi, saying his decision to contest from the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat in Kerala was an "insult" to the people of Amethi. The 48-year-old Congress chief is contesting from Kerala in addition to his traditional stronghold Amethi, where he is pitted against the Union textile minister. This will be the second attempt by Irani to wrest Amethi from the Congress. In 2014, she lost the seat by a margin of over one lakh votes to Rahul. Referring to Rahul, Irani said: "A person who has been in Amethi for the past 15 years, has decided to leave his supporters and chosen to file nominations from another constituency." "He is filing his papers from another Lok Sabha seat. This is an insult to Amethi and a betrayal with its people," she told reporters in Lucknow, hours before Rahul filed his nomination papers in Wayanad. "Rahul Gandhi's decision to fight from Wayanad is because the Congress workers know he does not have support in Amethi," Irani alleged. "People of Amethi had to bear with the missing MP for 15 years. A person, who rode on the shoulder of Amethi and enjoyed power for the past 15 years, has decided to leave his supporters and chosen to file nominations from another constituency because Congress workers know he does not have support," she said. Irani also tweeted, "While Rahul is taking support of 'desh virodhi' (anti-India) forces, BSP candidate from Gauriganj assembly constituency Vijay Kishore Tiwari is joining the BJP with a strong determination to empower the country." The Union minister, who is on a two day-visit to Amethi, landed at the Chowdhury Charan Singh airport here this morning and visited the RSS office in Rajendra Nagar before proceeding to the Lok Sabha constituency. During her visit, Irani will address a Kisan Rally in Parshedpur under the Amethi parliamentary constituency. LOK SABHA ELECTION 2019 CAMPAIGNS: CLICK HERE FOR LIVE UPDATES Reuters Australia will fine social media and web hosting companies up to 10 percent of their annual global turnover and imprison executives for up to three years if violent content is not removed expeditiously under a new law. The new law passed by parliament on Thursday is in response to a lone gunman attack on two mosques in Christchurch on 15 March which killed 50 people as they attended Friday prayers. The gunman broadcasted his attack live on Facebook and it was widely shared for over an hour before being removed, a timeframe Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison described as unacceptable. Australian Brenton Tarrant, 28, a suspected white supremacist, was charged with one murder following the attack and was remanded without a plea. New Zealand police said on Thursday that Tarrant will face a total of 50 murder charges and 39 attempted murder charges when he appears in court on Friday. Under the new laws, it is now an offence in Australia for companies, such as Facebook and Alphabets Google, which owns YouTube, not to remove any videos or photographs that show murder, torture or rape without delay. Companies must also inform Australian police within a reasonable timeframe. It is important that we make a very clear statement to social media companies that we expect their behavior to change, Australian Minister for Communications and the Arts Mitch Fifield told reporters in Canberra. Australian Attorney-General Christian Porter described the laws as a world first in terms of legislating the conduct of social media and online platforms. Juries will decide whether companies have complied with the timetable, heightening the risk of high-profile convictions. Whenever there are juries involved, they can get it wrong but when you add into the mix technology - which is complex - the risk is heightened, Jason Bosland, professor of media law, University of Melbourne told Reuters. Technology firms said they are already working on the issue. We have zero tolerance for terrorist content on our platforms, said a spokesperson for Google in an emailed statement. We are committed to leading the way in developing new technologies and standards for identifying and removing terrorist content. A spokeswoman for Facebook was not immediately available for comment. Facebook said last week it was exploring restrictions on who can access their live video-streaming service, depending on factors such as previous violations of the sites community standards. Digital Industry Group Inc (DIGI) - of which Facebook, Apple, Google, Amazon and Twitter are members - said the laws fail to understand the complexity of removing violent content. With the vast volumes of content uploaded to the internet every second, this is a highly complex problem, said Sunita Bose, Managing Director of DIGI. Australias opposition Labor party backed the legislation, but said it will consult with the technology industry over possible amendments if it wins power at an election due in May. Reuters By Brendan Pierson and Jonathan Stempel NEW YORK (Reuters) - Lawyers for Tesla Inc Chief Executive Elon Musk will argue on Thursday that he did not violate a fraud settlement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and should not be held in contempt, the latest twist in a high-profile battle between the billionaire and the government. Musk's fight with the SEC, to play out in a Manhattan federal court hearing, has raised investor worries that it could lead to restrictions on his activities or even his removal from Tesla, while distracting him at a pivotal point in the electric car maker's expansion. Tesla, which built its reputation on luxury cars, has faced several production challenges with its Model 3 sedan, which it is counting on to reach the mass market, recently offering a version starting at $35,000. The SEC on Feb. 25 accused Musk of violating his Oct. 2018 settlement by posting material information about Tesla on Twitter six days earlier, without first seeking approval from company lawyers. Musk has countered that the information was not material, and did not need to be vetted. The battle concerns a tweet that Musk sent to his more than 24 million Twitter followers: Tesla made 0 cars in 2011, but will make around 500k in 2019," meaning 500,000 vehicles. Four hours later, Musk corrected himself, saying annualized production would probably be around 500,000 by year end, with full-year deliveries totaling 400,000. The SEC said the earlier tweet contrasted with Tesla's Jan. 30 forecast that it would deliver about 400,000 vehicles this year. Musk's lawyers countered that the earlier tweet merely restated a forecast he had given on Jan. 30, when he said Model 3 production could total 350,000 to 500,000 vehicles. They have also said the SEC had conceded during settlement talks that Musk did not need pre-approval for all tweets about his Palo Alto, California-based company. It is rare for the SEC to seek a contempt finding, though some legal experts said the regulator has a strong case over Musk's earlier tweet. "It seems pretty clear that this particular tweet was not run through the scrubbing system that Tesla was supposed to have in place," said Stephen Diamond, who teaches securities law at Santa Clara University School of Law. MUSK SAYS SEC 'BROKEN' A contempt finding by U.S. District Judge Alison Nathan could subject Musk to new sanctions such as a higher fine or removal from Tesla's board or as chief executive, legal experts said. James Cox, a Duke University law professor, said Nathan was unlikely to impose a severe penalty such as giving up control over Tesla. "We have to understand that Tesla is at a very important point in its history, and I don't think any judge would want to be viewed in hindsight as the cause of the demise of Tesla," he said. "She could give him a good tongue-lashing, and tell him this is it, and next time she's not going to be so nice," Cox added. The settlement resolved an SEC lawsuit that accused Musk of violating securities laws by tweeting last Aug. 7 that he had "funding secured" to take Tesla private at $420 per share. That tweet sent Tesla's share price up as much as 13.3 percent. Musk's privatization plan was at best in an early stage, however, and financing was not in place. In settling, Musk agreed to step down as Tesla's chairman, and the company said it would adopt procedures to oversee all of Musk's communications, regardless of format, and pre-approve written communications that could be material to the company. Tesla and Musk also agreed to each pay $20 million civil fines. The legal battle, which began in September, has not stopped Musk from being an outspoken critic of the SEC. He has since labeled the SEC the Shortseller Enrichment Commission," recalling his attacks against hedge funds and other investors who sell Tesla stock short, hoping it will fall. In a December interview with CBSs 60 Minutes, Musk said he did not have respect for the SEC. He also said his tweets had not been reviewed in advance since the settlement. And in the early morning of Feb. 26, after the SEC filed its contempt motion, Musk tweeted: Something is broken with SEC oversight. (Reporting by Brendan Pierson and Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Noeleen Walder and Lisa Shumaker) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. tech2 News Staff In yet another blow to Facebook's data privacy concerns, researchers have indicated that the Facebook app developers left hundreds of millions of user records visible to anyone on public cloud servers. Australian cybersecurity startup company UpGuard has detailed that two third-party developed Facebook app datasets have been found exposed to the internet. The first one originates from a Mexico-based media company called Cultura Colectiva which had 146 GB dataset containing over 540 million records which detailed on things like reactions, comments, likes, IDs and more. The second dataset was from a Facebook-integrated app titled At the Pool which happened to be exposed to the public via an Amazon S3 bucket. An Amazon S3 bucket happens to be a public cloud storage resource available in Amazon Web Services' (AWS). As of right now, the report has not made it clear how long the data was available for the public to view freely. A Facebook spokesperson said to The Verge, that "Once alerted to the issue, we worked with Amazon to take down the databases. We are committed to working with the developers on our platform to protect peoples data." The report by UpGuard says "The data exposed in each of these sets would not exist without Facebook, yet these data sets are no longer under Facebooks control. In each case, the Facebook platform facilitated the collection of data about individuals and its transfer to third parties, who became responsible for its security." It is not clear also if the data was misused by any party as we had seen in the Cambridge Analytica data breach scandal. Although it appears that the data was made available by mistake, it still raises troubling questions about Facebook's data privacy policy which states that storing data on a public server is banned. tech2 News Staff Update: TikTok has given out a statement regarding the Madras HC ban. "At TikTok, we are committed to abiding by local laws and regulations. We fully comply with the Information Technology (Intermediaries Guidelines) Rules, 2011. We are currently awaiting the official order by the Honourable High Court of Madras and once received, we will review and take appropriate action regarding this matter. Maintaining a safe and positive in-app environment at TikTok is our priority. We have robust measures to protect users against misuse, protect their privacy and digital wellbeing. This includes easy reporting mechanisms that enable users and law enforcement to report content that violates our terms of use and comprehensive Community Guidelines. In order to better coordinate with law enforcement agencies, we have appointed a Chief Nodal Officer based out of India." The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has passed an interim order directed to the Center that prohibits the use of the TikTok app. The court has also prohibited the media from telecasting videos made from the mobile app. A report by Bar & Bench also reveals that, according to the order, the government has to answer "whether the Union of India will enact a statute, like the Childrens Online Privacy Protection Act, enacted by the United States, to prevent the children becoming cyber/online victims". The future of youngsters and mindset of children are spoiled", Madras HC directs ban on mobile app TikTok@tiktok_us @TikTokIndia #TikTokhttps://t.co/nnEMQRIp7J Bar & Bench (@barandbench) April 3, 2019 This order follows a petition in the court that sought a ban on the mobile app owing to the alleged 'inappropriate content' including pornography, that it carries, which is available for access to children. The petitioner said children who used the app would become vulnerable and exposed to sexual predators. Majority of the teens are playing pranks, gaffing around with duet videos sharing with split screen to the strangers. The children who use the said application are vulnerable and may expose them to sexual predators . Without understanding the dangers involved in these kinds of Mobile Apps., it is unfortunate that our children are testing with these Apps," the court said according to a report by Bar & Bench. Owing to such concerns, the app has also been banned in certain foreign countries such as Indonesia and Bangladesh, notes the order. The government has a social responsibility to prevent these kinds of applications and also take action against the persons who are making use of it, The Scroll reports the court as saying. The matter will next be heard on 16 April. tech2 News Staff After pretty much dominating the Indian smartphone market the budget and mid-budget segment at least Xiaomi recently also dipped its toes in the digital payments services in India with the launch of Mi Pay. In 2018, it also entered in partnership with KreditBee and ZestMoney to launch Mi Credit a marketplace for instant credit. Now, according to a fresh new report, Xiaomi may be preparing to enter the playing field with an online video streaming service that will compete with the likes of Netflix and Amazon Prime video. Xiaomi India Managing Director Manu Kumar Jain said that the company is looking to earn revenue from the streaming of movies and music, digital payments and wallets, and is willing to invest a 'significant portion' of the recent investment of Rs 3,500 crore for the same, according to a report by The Economic Times. "Xiaomi globally made less than 1 percent profit margin from hardware or device sales in 2018, and we have stated that will never make more than 5 percent profit margin on hardware. It is the internet services that will make money for us," Jain told the publication. Further, the company will apparently be monetising streaming content from Mi Music and Mi Video. Separately, the Xiaomi MD also said that the hefty investment will also be used to expand the company's offline presence in the Indian market. India Science Wire An international research team including Dr Surhud More and Dr Anupreeta More from Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), Pune has ruled out the possibility of primordial black holes being a major constituent of dark matter. This finding disproves a theoretical claim made by Professor Stephen Hawking. Dark matter In the solar system, Mercury, the planet closest to the Sun, takes just 88 days to make one revolution around the sun, while Neptune, the farthest one, takes 165 years to make one round. In like manner, laws of gravity expect us to see stars closer to the centre of galaxies rotating faster than the stars on the edge. However, in most galaxies, the stars closer to the centre and the stars at the edge of the galaxies take almost the same time to make one revolution. This implied that something invisible and enveloping the galaxies was giving an extra push to the outer stars, speeding them up. This entity has remained as one of the central unresolved puzzles in cosmology since the 1930s. It is, no wonder, named 'dark matter'. The material is considered to be a matter since it appears to have gravitational attraction and it is dark because it does not seem to interact with light (or for that matter any part of the electromagnetic spectrum). Detailed surveys of the cosmos indicate that almost 85 percent of the total mass of the Universe is composed of dark matter. Thus, stars, galaxies, and atoms that we see all around are just the tip of the iceberg and the elusive dark matter makes up the bulk of the Universe. Primordial black holes Cosmologists have come up with various hypothesis and theories to explain the dark matter. Some postulate it to be composed of neutrinos, which are particles that have no charge but have tiny mass and, therefore, do not have interact with electromagnetic spectrum, but are gravitationally interacting. Some others have postulated they may be some new kind of elementary particles - `weakly-interacting massive particles (WIMPs), or `gravitationally-interacting massive particles (GIMPs), which are yet to be detected. When the big bang hypothesis was proposed, two Soviet physicists, Yakov Borisovich Zel'dovich and Igor Dmitriyevich Novikov, showed that at the initial instant of the big bang, the densities would have been very high at many points, resulting in the formation of small black holes. They were named `primordial black holes. Stephen Hawking investigated them in 1971. He computed that the mass of the primordial black holes could range from as low as one-hundredth of a milligram to as high as more than the mass of a thousand Suns. Gravitational lensing Black holes are not radiant and will not be visible through any telescope. However, as first suggested by Albert Einstein, if by chance, a tiny primordial black hole eclipses a distant star, light rays of the star will bend around the black hole due to gravitational effect, resulting in the star appearing to be brighter than it originally is for a short while. Called 'gravitational lensing', this rare phenomena can occur only when the star, the black hole and the observer on the Earth are aligned in a straight line. The research team, which was led by Masahiro Takada, Hiroko Niikura and Naoki Yasuda from Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe used the Hyper Suprime-Cam on the Japanese Subaru Telescope located in Hawaii to look for any tell-tale evidence of primordial black holes between Earth and Andromeda galaxy using gravitational lensing technique. Looking for the flash It would be absurd- like searching for a needle in haystack, if we keep looking at one star and hope some time or other an invisible primordial black hole will eclipse it. The research team, consequently, kept observing the entire disk of the Andromeda galaxy consisting of lakhs of stars. Now, there is a chance for some primordial black holes, if they do exist in sufficient numbers, eclipsing any of these stars becomes significant. The investigation is delicate and tricky. The eclipsed star may brighten up for a period of a few minutes or a few hours due to gravitational lensing, requiring the team to take multiple images to catch the flicker, if any says Dr Anupreeta More, a member of the team. For a whole night, the research team took 190 consecutive images of Andromeda galaxy. If the Universe is filled with invisible teeny weeny primordial black holes, with masses lighter than the moon, as postulated by Stephen Hawking, then we should have seen at least 1,000 gravitational lensing events. We saw at most one such candidate event, if not none. This implies Prof Stephen Hawkings theory that such black holes make up all of dark matter is wrong, says Dr Anupreeta. "Previous studies had already ruled out the existence of large numbers of primordial black holes that could range in size from the mass of the Moon to about 10 solar masses. The present study rules out the presence of primordial black holes with masses comparable to the moon and sizes of about 0.1 millimetre too. This implies that at best the lunar mass primordial black holes can contribute 0.1 percent of all dark matter mass" says Dr Surhud More, another member of the research team. A report on the work has been published in Nature Astronomy. For churches and other schools, getting an exemption now requires action by state legislators and the governor, which can be a lengthy and difficult process, according to Ald. Walter Burnett Jr., 27th. The state reps, when you call them up, theyre on board, but as I said, some people just dont want to take the time, spend the money to have the lawyer go down (to Springfield) to do it for them, Burnett said. The Conversation As measles outbreaks spread in the US and worldwide, our look at how information about vaccine safety and reliability spreads online suggests that the tide may be turning against the anti-vaccination movement. Between 1 January and 28 March, 387 people contracted measles in 15 US states. Mumps is also coming back, with 151 infections in just the first two months of 2019. Both of these dangerous and deadly diseases can be prevented by getting the MMR vaccine, which is so safe and effective, and so widely used, that measles was declared eliminated from the US in 2000. But more recently, new outbreaks have struck areas with large pockets of unvaccinated people. Many states allow parents not to vaccinate their children if they have religious or philosophical beliefs against immunizations. Online disinformation campaigns are spreading false claims about vaccine dangers, boosting the numbers of people seeking those exemptions and inviting disease into their homes and communities. Our research lab has spent years tracking the spread of misinformation on social media, including about vaccine safety and effectiveness. Our most recent update of the data has found that pro-vax information and activity is beginning to push back against, and even overtake, anti-vax disinformation. Mapping the spread of vaccine (mis)information In 2016, we mapped the online debate around a 2015 California bill that eliminated the personal-belief exemption to mandatory vaccination rules. We found that several of the most-retweeted accounts using the bills main hashtag #SB277 were highly automated, appearing to come from bots. Two years later, other researchers revealed that some of those accounts belonged to the same Russian trolls that influenced the 2016 US presidential election. Those now-suspended accounts tweeted both pro- and anti-vaccine messages to stoke discord. We recently updated this work, looking at vaccine-related Twitter hashtags between September 2016 and September 2018, to see how the vaccine debate continues to play out. We took a random sampling of 10 percent of the public tweets during that time period. We identified 41,998 posts containing the most popular pro- and anti-vax hashtags. We then classified the 27,590 accounts that generated those tweets as pro-vax (blue) or anti-vax (green) based on whether each one used more hashtags from one side or the other. We used retweets to visualize the diffusion of vaccine information. A node represents a Twitter account; a link from @alice to @bob indicates one or more vaccine-related retweets of @alice by @bob. We then mapped the largest network of connected accounts for each of four six-month intervals. The two communities of pro- and anti-vax information are quite segregated in the network, indicating that the accounts in one group do not generally retweet messages from the other. In the last year, however, we observe some blue nodes connected to the green clusters, suggesting that pro-vax information is beginning to penetrate the anti-vax community. Accounts likely controlled by bots are depicted as red nodes in the network. They are prominent on both sides of the online discussion: Consistent with prior research findings, bots share both pro- and anti-vax content. Our analysis reveals the most influential accounts on each side the accounts whose tweets are retweeted the most. On the pro-vax side are organizations like @WHO, @UNICEF and @gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, as well as celebrity advocate @ChelseaClinton and pediatrician @luciapediatra. On the anti-vax side, one account dominates all the others: @LotusOak, which gave as its full name Vira Burnayeva. That account was suspended by Twitter in late 2018 or early 2019. Interestingly, another account @ViraBurnayeva (full name LotusOak) that posts similar anti-vax misinformation and propaganda is currently among the most influential anti-vax nodes. The names suggest this account is controlled by the same source, illustrating how easy it can be to circumvent social media companies efforts to curb vaccine misinformation. We have found some possible signs of good news: Initially, most of the information on Twitter was dominated by people who opposed vaccinations. But in 2017, the scenario appears to have reversed: Anti-vaccine content is now shared only by a minority of users. If that preliminary finding is confirmed by other research, it could provide evidence that the combined efforts of social media platforms, health organizations, public policy campaigns, and grassroots advocacy may eventually overcome anti-vax junk science. Who profits from vaccine opposition? The modern anti-vax movement is still around, at least in part, because it makes money. It originated from a disproven, false claim about a link between vaccines and autism in a fraudulent, retracted 1998 paper by British gastroenterologist Andrew Wakefield. Reportedly driven by financial profit motives, Wakefield falsified data and allegedly abused developmentally delayed children. His UK medical license was revoked in 2010 for unethical behavior, misconduct and dishonesty. But he continues to oppose state bills against vaccine exemptions and profit from promoting anti-vax disinformation, including through his propaganda film "Vaxxed," which is available on popular streaming platforms. Others profit from spreading this misinformation, too. For example, InfoWars and Natural News discredit medical science while earning money from the sale of alternative medicine products. The disinformation spreads quickly on social media through a well-connected network of activists and concerned parents. When enough parents in a specific local community are misled into forgoing vaccination of their children, that areas vaccination rate falls below the level necessary to confer what is called "herd immunity" on the entire population. For measles, 96 percent or more of a population need to be vaccinated to protect everyone. Communities with lower vaccination rates are where outbreaks happen. For example, the 2017 measles outbreak in Minnesota followed an anti-vax disinformation campaign targeting Somali immigrants. The current outbreak in Washington affects mostly Slavic immigrants. Some of the parents may be making their decisions based on what they learn online about vaccination. On the legislative agenda Much of this online activity appears to relate to debate in the real world. For instance, many of the tweets refer to legislation or other policy discussions. And there is a fair amount of disagreement in the political world. At the moment, almost all states grant religious exemptions and 17 states allow parents to refuse vaccinations on philosophical grounds. Congress is studying the issue. Some states, like Arizona, are working to expand those exemptions, although the states governor has vowed to veto such bills. Other states are pushing in the opposite direction: Mississippi doesnt have a religious exemption and has rejected attempts to create one. Washington is considering a bill that would grant exemptions only to parents of children with religious or medical reasons to refuse immunizations, much like Californias SB277 did. Rockland County, New York, has banned unvaccinated minors from public places to curtail the spread of disease. This may be a legislative reflection of the same trend our research has observed online where pro-vax information is beginning to push back effectively against the anti-vax movement. Childrens lives are at risk. Filippo Menczer, Professor of Informatics and Computer Science, Indiana University and Pik-Mai Hui, Ph.D. Student in Informatics and Network Science, Indiana University This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. tech2 News Staff India's year in space began with two surveillance satellites being launched for the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The first was MicroSAT launched in January, which reportedly served as target practice for DRDO's controversial anti-satellite test conducted on 27 March. The second was EMISAT, an electronic intelligence satellite for DRDO that was launched on the PSLV-C45 mission on 1 April. This appears to be only the start of a fairly military-dominated launch roster for ISRO over 2019, a report in the Times of India says. The slew of advanced military satellites coming up will "enhance surveillance capabilities" of the country's security forces and boost "strategic assets" in space, the report goes on to say. ISRO has the launch of four new RISAT satellites planned this year, along with an advanced Cartosat-3 satellite. ISRO's RISAT series and RISAT-3 Radar Imaging Satellite (RISAT) is a series of remote sensing satellites built and operated by ISRO. The launch of RISAT-1 came many years after the launch of its planned successor, RISAT-2, which had enhanced remote sensing capabilities courtesy of an Israeli-built X-band radar. The RISAT-2 mission and launch were prioritised over RISAT-1 after the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which delayed RISAT-1's launch by several years to 2012. RISAT-1 made a name for itself after images taken by the satellite were used to carry out the surgical strikes after the Uri attack in 2016 and, more recently, air strikes on the Jaish camp in Pakistan. Now, ISRO is building RISAT-2B, to be launched on the PSLV-C46 rocket in May, followed by the RISAT-2BR1 in July, RISAT-2BR2 in October and RISAT-1A in November this year. CartoSAT-3 CartoSAT-3 is third in a series of earth observation satellites built by ISRO. It is, however, a variant of its predecessors, built specifically for defence capabilities with advanced remote sensing tools. CartoSAT-3 will be a leap of advancement over CartoSAT-2, with far better spatial range and resolution, according to a report in The Hindu. CartoSAT-3 is one of the most advanced imaging satellites ever built by ISRO, capable of producing images considered the most high-resolution in the world. It will have powerful capabilities in multiple different spectra: panchromatic (captures all visible colours of light), multispectral (captures light within specific ranges in the electromagnetic spectrum) and hyperspectral (captures light from across the electromagnetic spectrum) earth observation mission, the Hindu report says. CartoSAT-3 will be launched in the PSLV-C47 mission this May. The speedy launch of five new satellite missions in the short span of one year hasn't been done before, and is part of a boost to defence assets amid heightened tensions along the Pakistan border and increased naval activity by China in the Indian Ocean, ToI reported. ISRO's new GISAT series Also planned for later in the year is the construction and launch of a brand new series of remote-sensing satellites, the Geo-Imaging Satellite (GISAT) series. GISAT carries imaging and radar tools to map land area in multiple wavelengths of light and resolutions. GISAT could be useful for purposes both military and civilian. Whereas so far, land mapping satellites could survey a specific area only once in 22 days, GISAT will speed that up monumentally by scanning and mapping any specified area every alternate day. It will provide live, real-time images of large areas of India if conditions are not cloudy. Other (non-military) ISRO missions planned this year are the Chandrayaan-2 launch and the first test demonstration of a new series of launch vehicles, a mini-PSLV rocket called the Small Sattelite Launch Vehicle (SSLV). Agence France-Presse A Japanese probe began descending towards an asteroid on Thursday on a mission to blast a crater into its surface and collect material that could shed light on the solar system's evolution. The mission will be the latest in a series of explorations carried out by the Japanese space agency's Hayabusa2 probe and could reveal more about the origin of life on Earth. But the task scheduled for Friday will be the riskiest yet of Hayabusa2's investigations, and involves the release of a device filled with explosives. The so-called "small carry-on impactor", a cone-shaped device capped with a copper bottom, will emerge from Hayabusa2 on Friday, after the probe has arrived just 500 metres above the asteroid Ryugu. The probe will then depart the area, and the impactor is programmed to explode 40 minutes later, propelling the copper bottom towards Ryugu, where it should gouge a crater into the surface of the asteroid that sits 300 million kilometres from Earth. Hayabusa2 will move away from the area to avoid being damaged by debris from the explosion or the collision with Ryugu. As it does so it will release a camera slightly above the site of the detonation that should be able to capture images of the event. The camera should be able to transmit those images, but it is unclear when the first confirmation of the mission's success will come. It will take two weeks for the probe itself to return to its "home position" near Ryugu after the detonation and impact. "We are thrilled to see what will happen when the impactor collides with the asteroid," Takashi Kubota, engineering researcher at the Japanese space agency (JAXA), told reporters earlier this week. The crater could be as large as 10 metres in diameter if the surface is sandy, but a smaller three metres across if it is rocky, according to JAXA scientists. Dragon Palace NASA's Deep Impact project succeeded in creating an artificial crater on a comet in 2005, but only for observation purposes. The aim of the crater on Ryugu is to throw up "fresh" material from under the asteroid's surface that could shed light on the early days of the solar system. In February, Hayabusa2 touched down briefly on Ryugu and fired a bullet into the surface to puff up dust for collection, before blasting back to its holding position. The asteroid is thought to contain relatively large amounts of organic matter and water from some 4.6 billion years ago when the solar system was born. The Hayabusa2 mission, with a price tag of around 30 billion yen ($270 million), was launched in December 2014 and is scheduled to return to Earth with its samples in 2020. Photos of Ryugu which means "Dragon Palace" in Japanese and refers to a castle at the bottom of the ocean in an ancient Japanese tale show the asteroid has a rough surface full of boulders. Hayabusa2 observes the surface of the asteroid with its camera and sensing equipment but has also dispatched two tiny MINERVA-II rover robots as well as the French-German robot MASCOT to help surface observation. At about the size of a large fridge, Hayabusa2 is equipped with solar panels and is the successor to JAXA's first asteroid explorer, Hayabusa Japanese for falcon. That probe returned with dust samples from a smaller, potato-shaped asteroid in 2010, despite various setbacks during its epic seven-year odyssey and was hailed as a scientific triumph. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has landed in Moscow for talks with Russian president Vladimir Putin, just days before parliamentary elections at home. Jerusalem: Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has landed in Moscow for talks with Russian president Vladimir Putin, just days before parliamentary elections at home. The Moscow meeting on Thursday comes just five days before Israelis vote in an election largely seen as a referendum on Netanyahu, who has campaigned on his foreign policy prowess and relations with world leaders. The prime minister said before departing from Israel that he and Putin will "discuss events in Syria", including the "special coordination between our militaries". The Kremlin said earlier this week the two would "compare notes" during Netanyahu's brief meeting with Putin, their third in recent months. Israel and Russia have a military hotline to coordinate air force operations over neighbouring Syria. Netanyahu is seeking a fifth term in the elections next Tuesday. German Chancellor Angela Merkel pledged Wednesday to work until the last hour to prevent a no-deal Brexit and warned of the security impact on Ireland and Northern Ireland. Berlin: German Chancellor Angela Merkel pledged Wednesday to work "until the last hour" to prevent a no-deal Brexit and warned of the security impact on Ireland and Northern Ireland. "I've always said I'm going to fight until the last hour... so we can see an orderly exit," she said on the eve of an Ireland visit, warning that avoiding a hard border was a matter of preserving the peace. Speaking at a Berlin press conference, Merkel said that an orderly Brexit would be "in interest of Britain but also in our interest". She said that, because of the related issue of avoiding a new "hard border" between British Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, it would also affect "peace in Ireland". Therefore it was "a question of violence or no violence and here we naturally want to make a contribution," Merkel said. She stressed that ultimately "the solution has to be found by Great Britain itself" and expressed hope that Prime Minister Theresa May "will be successful". The two Russian Tupolev Tu-160 long range bombers flew in international airspace off Britains northeastern coast. London: Britain said on Wednesday it had scrambled Typhoon jets to monitor two Russian Blackjack bombers which approached the United Kingdoms airspace. The two Russian Tupolev Tu-160 long range bombers flew in international airspace off Britains northeastern coast. We can confirm that RAF quick reaction alert Typhoon aircraft from RAF Lossiemouth scrambled to monitor two Blackjack bombers while they were in the UK area of interest, a Royal Air Force spokesman said. At no point did the Russian aircraft enter UK territorial airspace, the spokesman said. China on Wednesday hit out at the US for threatening to use 'all available resources' to designate Pakistan-based JeM chief Masood Azhar as a 'global terrorist', saying Washington's move is complicating the issue and not conducive to peace and stability in South Asia. Beijing: China on Wednesday hit out at the US for threatening to use "all available resources" to designate Pakistan-based JeM chief Masood Azhar as a 'global terrorist', saying Washington's move is complicating the issue and not conducive to peace and stability in South Asia. After China put a hold on a French proposal to list Azhar under the 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the Council, the US on 27 March circulated a draft resolution to the powerful 15-nation Council to blacklist Azhar and subject him to a travel ban, an assets freeze and an arms embargo. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a media briefing here that China is adopting a constructive and reasonable stand on the issue to resolve it properly. He was responding to a question about State Department spokesman's assertions that the US will use all "available resources" to blacklist Azhar. The US on Tuesday reportedly said it will utilise all available resources to ensure Jaish-e-Mohammad founder Azhar, was held accountable. The State Department was responding to China criticising the US, France and the United Kingdom for moving a draft resolution at the UNSC as not a constructive move and that it set a bad example. China, on Monday, criticised the US for directly taking the issue of listing Azhar as global terrorists to UN Security Council after it had put a technical hold on the US, the UK and French resolution earlier to declare him a global terrorist in the UN's 1267 Sanctions Committee dealing with counter-terrorism issues. On Monday, Geng claimed, "positive progress" has been made to resolve the vexed issue and accused the US of scuttling its efforts. China has so far blocked the move to designate Azhar as a 'global terrorist' four times in recent years. On Wednesday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said a vast majority of the UNSC members believe that efforts should be made under the 1267 Sanctions Committee to solve this designation through dialogue and consultation instead of pushing the draft resolution at the UNSC. Also, China has been working hard with relevant sides and is making positive results. The US knows that very well. Under such circumstances the US still insists on pushing the draft resolution, doesn't make any sense," he reiterated. He said the US' action is not consistent with the UN rules and customary practice and sets a bad precedent. It is only complicating the issue and not conducive to peace and stability in South Asia," he said. China will continue to adopt a constructive and responsible attitude to participate in discussions and deliberations on the designation issue," he said. We hope this issue will finally be resolved properly, he said. To another question that no evidence has come about the involvement of JeM in the terror attack in Pulwama and the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, Geng said, On the recent incident in Kashmir, China has stated its position. We hope South Asia could maintain peace and stability and we hope India and Pakistan will engage in dialogue and through dialogue and consultation resolve outstanding issues." India handed over a dossier to Pakistan on 27 February with specific details of Pakistan-based terror group JeM's complicity in the Pulwama attack that killed 40 CRPF personnel on February 14 and the presence of JeM terror camps and its leadership in Pakistan. Pakistan has already said that it has not found any link between the JeM and the Pulwama terror attack and demanded more information/evidence from India. Brenton Tarrant, accused in Christchurch mosque shootings, was previously charged with one murder as a holding measure, but police said Thursday that all the deaths and injuries in the 15 March attacks will be reflected in upgraded charges during his next appearance. Christchurch (New Zealand): The man accused of attacking two mosques in Christchurch in February will face 50 murder charges when he appears in court on Friday, New Zealand police said. Australian Brenton Tarrant was previously charged with one murder as a holding measure, but police said Thursday that all the deaths and injuries in the 15 March attacks will be reflected in upgraded charges during his next appearance. "The man arrested in relation to the Christchurch terror attacks will face 50 murder and 39 attempted murder charges when he appears in the High Court in Christchurch on Friday," they said in a brief statement. Tarrant, 28, will appear via video link in the Christchurch court from a maximum-security prison in Auckland. A note from the court this week said the appearance was likely to be brief and would "ascertain the defendant's position regarding legal representation" and other procedural matters. Tarrant sacked a court-appointed lawyer after his first court appearance on 16 March, raising fears he wanted to represent himself and attempt to use any trial as a propaganda platform. The court said Tarrant would not be required to enter a plea during Friday's hearing. It has now barred media from filming or photographing the accused. Police said further charges were being considered against Tarrant - a self-avowed white supremacist - but did not specify what they were. They may relate to whether the court deems the attack a terrorist act, something Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has repeatedly labelled the atrocity. However, New Zealand's Terrorism Suppression Act, introduced after the 9/11 attacks, is little used and could complicate the prosecution. Criminal charges, such as murder and attempted murder are easier to pursue, although prosecutors may want the accused tried as a terrorist to make the point that right-wing extremism is just as dangerous as its Islamic counterpart. New Zealand's Corrections Department revealed in February that Tarrant was segregated from other prisoners and able to be observed constantly, either directly by staff via CCTV camera. It said he had no access to television, radio or newspapers and no visitors. Local media have reported that if convicted, he will likely face long-term isolation to prevent him being targeted by the largely Polynesian prison population over his white supremacist views. New Zealand is in the process of tightening its gun laws after the attack and the government has also said it will review laws dealing with hate speech. Ardern has called for action by social media giants after the alleged gunman livestreamed the attacks online. The latest update from health authorities earlier this week said 24 people remained in hospital after the attacks, four of them critical, including a four-year-old girl. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Some of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigators have told associates that the findings of their probe are more damaging for President Donald Trump than Attorney General William Barr indicated in his four-page summary, the New York Times reported on Wednesday. Citing government officials and others familiar with the situation, the Times said some members of Mueller's team believe Barr should have included more of their material in the summary he released on March 24 of the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Some of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigators have told associates that the findings of their probe are more damaging for President Donald Trump than Attorney General William Barr indicated in his four-page summary, the New York Times reported on Wednesday. Citing government officials and others familiar with the situation, the Times said some members of Mueller's team believe Barr should have included more of their material in the summary he released on March 24 of the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign. The Times said the officials and other sources declined to flesh out why some of the special counsel's investigators viewed their findings as potentially more damaging for the president than Barr explained. It was also not clear how widespread among Mueller's team, which included dozens of lawyers and investigators, are concerns about differences between Barr's summary and Mueller's report, the Times said. Peter Carr, a spokesman for Mueller, declined to comment. The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Barr, a Trump appointee, said in the summary that Mueller did not establish that the Trump campaign conspired with Russia during the election. Barr also said the special counsel did not exonerate Trump on obstruction of justice. Barr himself subsequently concluded that Mueller's inquiry had not found sufficient evidence to warrant criminal obstruction charges against Trump. Trump and the White House have hailed the conclusions as a victory for the president, who has denied conspiring with Russians or obstructing justice. The attorney general has pledged to release the nearly 400-page report by mid-April with certain portions blacked out for reasons such as protecting secret grand jury information and intelligence-gathering sources and methods. The Democratic-led House of Representatives Judiciary Committee voted on Wednesday to enable its chairman, Jerrold Nadler, to subpoena the Justice Department to obtain Mueller's unredacted report and all underlying evidence as well as documents and testimony from five former Trump aides, including political strategist Steve Bannon. (Reporting by Eric Beech; additional reporting by Karen Freifeld and Mohammad Zargham; Editing by Leslie Adler) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. The war in Yemen is in its fifth year. Thousands of people have been killed and millions are on the brink of starvation. Washington: The House on Thursday voted to end American involvement in the Yemen war, rebuffing the Trump administration's support for the military campaign led by Saudi Arabia. The bill now heads to President Donald Trump, who is expected to veto it. The White House says the measure raises "serious constitutional concerns," and Congress lacks the votes to override him. By a 247-175 vote, Congress for the first time invoked the decades-old War Powers Resolution to try and stop a foreign conflict. The Senate vote was 54-46 on 13 March. "The president will have to face the reality that Congress is no longer going to ignore its constitutional obligations when it comes to foreign policy," said Democratic Rep Eliot Engel of New York, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. He said the humanitarian crisis in Yemen triggered by the war "demands moral leadership." The war in Yemen is in its fifth year. Thousands of people have been killed and millions are on the brink of starvation. The United Nations has called the situation in Yemen the world's worst humanitarian crisis. The top Republican on the committee, Rep Michael McCaul of Texas, acknowledged the dire situation in Yemen for civilians, but spoke out in opposition to the bill, saying it was an abuse of the War Powers Resolution. "This radical interpretation has implications far beyond Saudi Arabia," McCaul said. He warned that the measure could "disrupt US security cooperation agreements with more than 100 counties." Democrats overcame a GOP attempt to divide the majority party through a procedural motion involving Israel just minutes before the Yemen vote. Republicans wanted to amend the Yemen bill with language condemning the international boycott movement and efforts to delegitimize Israel. Democrats argued the amendment would kill the Yemen resolution, and most of them voted against the Israel measure. "This is about politics, this is about trying to drive a wedge into this caucus where it does not belong," said Rep Ted Deutch, D-Fla., said to applause from Democrats. Deutch described the boycott movement as "economic warfare," but called on lawmakers to vote against the amendment. "The Jewish community also has a history of standing up against atrocities like the humanitarian crisis in Yemen. My colleagues are trying to block us from standing in support of human rights," he said. Opposition to the Saudi-led war in Yemen gathered support last year in the aftermath of the killing of US-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The Washington Post columnist was killed in October by agents of the kingdom, a close US partner, while he was in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. US intelligence agencies and lawmakers believe that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the murder of Khashoggi, who had written articles critical of the kingdom. Lawmakers from both parties have scrutinized U.S.-Saudi ties and criticized Trump for not condemning Saudi Arabia strongly enough. Chauncey Owens, whom police were searching for in the raid, was eventually arrested in a second-floor unit of the duplex where the girl and her family lived. Owens was later convicted of murder in the death of 17-year-old Je'rean Blake, who was fatally shot outside a convenience store days before the raid. The girl's father, Charles Jones, was convicted of second-degree murder for providing the gun used to kill Blake. Maria Higginbotham of Wauna, Washington, just outside Seattle, told Human Rights Watch that she'd undergone 12 operations to prevent the collapse of her spine. These surgeries left her with an incredibly painful condition called adhesive arachnoiditis. She was responding well to opioids, yet Higginbotham's provider was in the process of cutting her dose by 70 percent, fearful that he could be held liable for prescribing over the CDC-recommended dose. As a result, "I cannot hold my 15-month-old grandson," Higginbotham said. "I cannot hold my beloved dogs; I can't bend over to touch them." With her medication reduced, she needs help just to go to the toilet. Most Americans are exhausted with partisanship and want government that works and that displays a willingness to compromise. But those without a strong attachment to a political party tend not to vote regularly, contributing to greater polarization. Americans might vote in presidential elections, when about 60 percent of eligible Americans vote. Yet fewer than half vote in midterm elections, and very few vote in local elections arguably the elections with the most direct impact on our lives. Only about a third of Chicago voters cast a ballot in Tuesdays municipal election. Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 was amongst the best selling devices launched in 2017 in India, despite launching in 2017 it was launched with Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) and was updated to Android 7.0 (Nougat) in August 2017. Redmi Note 4 is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 mobile platform, the same processor that powers Mi A1 which received Android 9.0 (Pie) update along with Dual 4G VoLTE support couple of months ago. Xiaomi has already announced the list of smartphones eligible for Android Oreo/Pie update, but Xiaomis best-seller from 2017 is not included in the list and now we can assume that Redmi Note 4 will not receive any Android update. In case you wish to enjoy the latest version of Android on your Redmi Note 4, you can use custom ROM on your device. Earlier, we tried Arrow OS, crDroid ROM and Oxygen OS Port on Redmi Note 4 which were based on Android Pie. Pixel Experience is another custom ROM development project that aims towards bringing Pixel like clean Android experience to the devices. We tried CAF based Pixel Experience on our Redmi Note 4 and here are our impressions. Performance and Benchmarks: Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 is almost three years old now, we obtained AnTuTu score of 79995 which is lesser as compared to 81212 on Arrow OS. We experienced a decent and reliable day to day performance, we tried PUBG on Pixel Experience ROM and it runs just fine without much issues. Software, UI, and Apps: As the name suggests, the Pixel Experience ROM aims towards providing a Pixel-like bloat-free experience on the device. This ROM is based on latest Android Pie 9.0 and comes with March security patch. There is no bloatware pre-installed with the ROM and there are only a few Google apps preinstalled. Out of 32 GB internal storage, 8.35 GB is occupied by the system and users get around 23 GB of free storage. The ROM isnt feature-rich like MIUI but there are some customization options available, users can set the device theme as per their preferences under display section. Apart from this, features such as double tap to wake the device, ambient display and now playing that automatically identifies songs playing nearby are also available. Double tap and long press hardware buttons can be assigned to different shortcuts, hardware capacitive keys can also be disabled in favor of on-screen navigation buttons. Users can also enable pill based Android Pie navigation gestures options under gestures settings. Pixel Experience ROM also offer Digital Wellbeing that helps us understand our phone usage better, app usage timers so that we can limit the usage, Do Not Disturb mode for preventing interruptions, and a new Wind Down feature for encouraging us to disconnect at night. Fingerprint Sensor: The fingerprint works flawlessly on this ROM, the fingerprint unlock animation is a little slow as compared to stock MIUI Global ROM but during our usage, it was accurate and reliable. Similar to crDroid ROM, we encountered an issue while deregistering fingerprints and were unable to delete a registered fingerprint but on this ROM we were able to register four fingerprints. Camera: The inbuilt camera app has a very clean and minimal UI with limited options and filters. Camera2API is also enabled on the ROM by default, to get the most out of camera users can use ported GCam which can be downloaded from here. Portrait mode and Night sight work flawlessly on GCam, for more ported GCam apks users can visit this website. Battery Life: The battery performance on this ROM is similar to stock MIUI ROM, it lasts for a whole day with heavy usage. It also offers battery manager similar to what you get on any Stock Android phone running Android Pie, a battery saver mode is available on ROM and users can also restrict apps from using battery for the background activities to save power. The phone also shows charging information on the lock screen while charging. Conclusion: If youre using Redmi Note 4 (Mido) and want to stay updated with the latest and clean Android, Pixel Experience ROM is worth consideration. The ROM is stable, offers decent battery life and can be used as a daily driver. Pros System-wide dark theme Bloat-free Cam2API enabled by default Decent performance Battery life Payment apps can be used after flashing Magisk OTA update support Cons Lacks customization Slow Fingerprint response Requirements Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 with an unlocked bootloader To Unlock the bootloader of your device, apply here. Pixel Experience ROM Download the latest ROM ZIP file from here. Redwolf TWRP for Redmi Note 4 You can download the recovery file from here. ADB software (For Windows) / Android zip file (For Mac) If you are on a Mac you need to Extract the Android zip and place the folder on your Desktop. Open Terminal Type cd Desktop/Android Enter ./ADB-Install-Mac.sh Follow the procedure mentioned below to flash the ROM on the device, Switch off the phone and boot it into Fastboot mode by long pressing Power and Volume down buttons simultaneously. Connect your phone to PC by a USB cable, open command prompt on your PC and navigate to the folder where you have downloaded Redwolf TWRP Recovery ZIP. Type fastboot devices in command prompt and check if the device is detected by the system. If the system detects the phone, type fastboot flash recovery redwolf_twrp_filename.zip and hit enter, the process will be completed in seconds. Now long press the Volume up and Power Button to boot the phone in recovery mode. It will ask to allow modifications, Slide towards the right to allow Modifications. Select Wipe, and choose Advanced Wipe, tick on Dalvik / ART Cache, System. Data, Cache and then swipe towards the right to Wipe. Go back and click on Install, navigate to the location where you have stored ROM file, its better to keep ROM file on SD Card or USB OTG drives. Select the ROM file and swipe towards the right to flash. Click on Reboot and then System, within 10 minutes device will boot with Pixel Experience ROM. Warning disclaimer: Bootloader unlocking and flashing ROM may void the warranty of Xiaomi devices, FoneArena is not responsible for any damage or loss caused to your device. Credits for Pixel Experience ROM, Redwolf Recovery and Magisk go to their respective developers. Update April 5, 2019: Xiaomi has updated the list to clarify that it is the Redmi Note 4 MediaTek version that was launched in China and the Redmi, so the Indian Snapdragon variant that is called Redmi Note 4X in China will likely get updates. The Redmi 4 that has been dropped is also the Chinese version, so the India version was launched as Redmi 4X in China will likely get updates. At the MIUI 9 Global launch, Xiaomi highlighted the fact that even 5-year-old phones including Mi 2/2S will be supported for MIUI 9 Global Stable update but lately things are changing, probably due to too many devices launched in past couple of years. Back in 2017, it dropped software support for some devices that were launched in 2015 or before and towards the end of 2018 company announced its plan to drop MIUI support for various devices including Mi 4, Mi 5 and Redmi Note 3 Pro (called Redmi Note 3 in India). Last month, the company shared that it has decided to drop MIUI support for Mi Max and Mi Max Prime. Redmi Note 4 will no longer receive MIUI Beta updates! Xiaomi recently announced that Redmi will operate as a separate brand in China, and in the past couple of years, Xiaomi has launched lots of devices under Redmi series. Now as per a post by Mi Community admin, Redmi has decided to drop MIUI Beta ROM development with immediate effects for various devices including Redmi 3S, Redmi 4 series, Redmi Note 4 and Redmi 4A. These devices will not receive MIUI Global Beta ROM updates, the devices affected by the decision are Redmi Note 4 (MTK Version (nikel_global)) Redmi 3S / 3S Prime / 3X (3S+) (land_global) Redmi 4 (China and other markets except India (prada_global)) Redmi 4A (rolex_global) Redmi Note 3 Special Edition (Redmi Note 3 MTK Version (kate_global)) Redmi Pro (omega_global) Post from Mi Community admin says, Starting from April 4th, the Redmi team will stop providing updates to the developer ROM for Redmi series, including: Redmi 3S/3X/3SP, Redmi Note 3 SE, Redmi Pro, Redmi 4 series, Redmi Note 4 (MTK Version), Redmi 4A. The normal upgrade for other devices will not be affected for the time being. If there are any changes for other devices, we will keep users informed. It is recommended to upgrade to the latest stable ROM if you are using the developer ROM for the above devices. For Mi Fans who have a strong desire to test new MIUI features, we will have a program in the future, allowing users to beta test the stable version before its full release. More information on this program will be available closer to date. Redmi Note 4, Redmi 4 and Redmi 4A were released in first half of 2017 and are barely 2 years old, Xiaomi had released last Global Beta update for Redmi Note 4 in December 2018. Xiaomi has only announced that the aforementioned devices will not receive MIUI Global Beta updates and has promised that normal updates for the devices will not be affected for the time being, but we will have to wait for few months to see if that actually happens. That said, chances for these devices to receive upcoming MIUI 11 are little, Xiaomi CEO has already confirmed that MIUI 11 will get rid of ads that affect user experience and it is also expected to bring system-wide dark mode. Source 1, 2 What happened Shares of Canada Goose ( GOOS -3.40% ) lost altitude in March as investor skepticism continued to build toward the fashionable parka retailer. Following a strong third-quarter earnings report in February, the stock nonetheless sold off, a sign that investor optimism may have peaked. In March, that momentum seemed to build on brand concerns and criticism of the company despite little direct news out on the stock. According to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence, the stock gave up 16% last month. As you can see from the chart below, the stock's slide came in two spurts in the beginning and end of the month. So what One incident that may have caused Canada Goose's sell-off in the beginning of the month was a rant by comedian Bill Maher for PETA, in which he said Canada Goose products were for "douches" and railed against the company's abuse of coyotes and geese that it uses to stuff and line its jackets. While the clip didn't air on his show, it did make some rounds on social media, and underscored a challenge the brand faces as others have criticized the company for its treatment of animals. Canada Goose stock fell 7.6% in the first two sessions of March on high-volume trading, which could have been a response to the Maher clip. As a fashion brand, Canada Goose is particularly vulnerable to consumer perception, and a reputation for animal abuse could hurt the company if the accusations gain credibility. On March 25, the stock fell 4% as PETA attacked the company again, promising a protest at a Chicago store the next day that would include protesters nearly naked and "bloody" to attract attention to the company's treatment of animals. Now what There's no question Canada Goose's financial performance has been impressive. In its most recent quarter, during the key winter and holiday season, revenue jumped 50% and earnings per share rose 66%. The company also raised its outlook for the fiscal year, calling for revenue growth in the mid-to-high 30% range. However, the stock trades at a premium to other retailers, and it could be risky if brand sentiment shifts. Canada Goose investors should keep an eye out for other celebrities coming out against the company, which could certainly damage the brand. We understand the momentum behind the idea. CPS is in trouble, begging for more taxpayer dollars and shedding students by the thousands each year. It has grown increasingly difficult to defend the current mayor-appointed school board model, given CPS rocky finances, reckless borrowing, a bribery scandal and questionable student outcomes. The corruption conviction of former CPS CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett, who reported to federal prison in 2017 to serve a 4-year sentence, certainly serves as justification to switch up the current model. Byrd-Bennett went to prison for scheming to collect bribes from a former employer whom she slid into a lucrative CPS contract. The seven members of the appointed school board approved the deal with few, if any, questions asked. They dropped the ball. Some of the newcomers have no clue that you just dont find that money sitting on the table, and you cant do all these progressive ideas or things you can bring that to the City Council, but that doesnt mean anything if theres no money there and theres no way to do your thing. It's an interesting moment, Jordan JT Turner, director of the Gender and Sexuality Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago, said in an emailed response to questions. We are hearing multiple reactions. Some connect to the symbolism of her being elected as the first Black Lesbian mayor which speaks to the importance of visibility in public service. At the same time there is a concern about police accountability and criminal justice reform. . As a center we stay committed to creating space to discuss these complicated issues. Theres still much more work to do and the dialogue in many ways is just beginning. HomeSmart Expands Corporate Brokerage Locations into Florida The Nations Largest 100% Brokerage Now Open in The Sunshine State April 04, 2019 // Franchising.com // FLORIDA - Fast-growing real estate brokerage, HomeSmart LLC., announced its entry into Florida. This will be HomeSmarts twenty-ninth state in which it operates, and the fourth state in which the brokerage operates company-owned locations, including California, Colorado and Arizona where it holds the No. 1 market share. Florida will be HomeSmarts first virtual platform state, which means agents will be empowered to work anywhere while supported by the companys robust tech offerings. Using RealSmart Agent, a proprietary technology platform developed by HomeSmart, agents are able to manage every aspect of their brand and business via mobile and desktop applications. Agents will also have access to 76 statewide office workspaces, business growth tools, a marketing design center, training and readily accessible broker support. The combination of our proprietary technology and our 100-percent commission offering is ideal for the Florida market, said HomeSmart Founder and CEO Matt Widdows. The HomeSmart model provides agents more time and money to focus on developing their business by equipping them with technology tools and support. We are excited to serve Florida agents. A shifting market makes now the ideal time for agents to evaluate their brokerage affiliation and align their business and brand with a company like HomeSmart that can guide them through a changing business climate, said HomeSmart COO Wendy Forsythe. Expanding HomeSmarts footprint across the country is a top priority. Led by Vice President and Broker Freddy Rodriguez, the Florida location will aggressively grow to serve agents and consumers across the state. To learn more visit www.homesmart.com/florida. About HomeSmart, LLC Ranked in the top five real estate brokerages in the United States and the number one brokerage firm in Phoenix, Colorado and Palm Springs, HomeSmart is one of the fastest growing real estate brokerages in the country. HomeSmart provides real estate agents the training, tools, technology and support necessary to grow and scale a successful real estate business. Today, the brokerage has 38 locations and more than 9,800 agents across Phoenix, Colorado, Palm Springs and Florida. For more information on HomeSmart, visit http://www.homesmart.com/. Media Contact: Tori Sokol Phone: (602) 889-2239 Email: tsokol@hsmove.com SOURCE HomeSmart, LLC ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus 24/7 Tempo has identified the 45 best Christmas movies ever made based on critics and audiences movie ratings on Rotten Tomatoes and user rating on Internet Movie Database . For similar lists visit 24/7 Wall St. This column will not be popular. It may even disqualify me as a progressive. But I rise today to defend Joe Biden . I think he's getting a raw deal -- from his accusers, from the media, and from some of his potential 2020 opponents. But let me make a couple of things clear. I do not support Joe Biden for president. I don't care if he runs or not. Yes, I proudly endorsed Bernie Sanders in the 2016 Democratic primary, but I'm not supporting anybody yet for 2020. I want to see how they do in the debates and how they stack up against Donald Trump . I also believe Lucy Flores and Amy Lappos. I believe Joe Biden did what they say he did, and I believe it was inappropriate behavior. But here's where I part company. I also believe that in no way, as they assert, does his behavior disqualify Biden from running for president. Let's face it. Biden's accused -- of what, exactly? That's part of the problem. Unlike Harvey Weinstein, Charlie Rose, Bill O'Reilly or Matt Lauer, he's not accused of sexual assault, exposing himself or forcing himself on women. Unlike Roger Ailes or Les Moonves, he's not accused of demanding sexual favors in return for job promotions. Nor, unlike Donald Trump, is he accused of grabbing women by the crotch and sticking his tongue in their mouth, and then bragging about getting away with it. Far from it. Both Flores and Lappos, in fact, are careful to clear Biden of any suggestion of sexual harassment or assault. Instead, both accuse him of making them feel "uncomfortable." For Flores, by placing his hands, not on her breast or genitals, but on her shoulders, while standing behind her -- and planting a kiss, not on her lips or any other body part, but on the back of her head, while they were backstage at a campaign rally, surrounded by dozens of other people. For Lappos, by leaning into her at another campaign rally, so close she thought he was going to kiss her. Notice: she "thought" he was going to kiss her, but he did not. Nonetheless, Flores told CNN that Biden's action alone is "disqualifying" for a presidential candidate. Lappos said Democrats should support one of the women candidates, instead. Flores went on to suggest that, were he to become the nominee, Democrats would have difficulty distinguishing Joe Biden's behavior from Donald Trump's. Oh, please. Give me a break. Flores might have a hard time making that distinction, but nobody else does. Everybody knows that one's a serial sexual predator and one's not. Don't get me wrong. I believe the first rule of the #MeToo Movement is: Believe the Woman. Again, I believe Lucy Flores and Amy Lappos. I believe Biden did what they say he did, I believe it made them uncomfortable, and that's wrong. No man or woman should have to experience being made uncomfortable by anybody else. In particular, no man should touch any woman unless invited to. But I think we also have to acknowledge that nothing Joe Biden did had any sexual connotation. I know Biden well. He's a warm, caring, affection, touching, human being. He's a hugger. As senator, he'd come to my small hometown of Delaware City, Delaware, and wouldn't leave till he'd hugged every one of the 1,200 residents. That's who he is. Yes, it's "old school." But he didn't mean anything wrong by it. To his credit, even Joe Biden now recognizes that. A quick apology would have served him better, but after five days of stumbling around, Biden finally got around to accepting today's reality: "Social norms have begun to change, they've shifted, and the boundaries of protecting personal space have been reset and I get it. I get it." Moving forward, two things have to happen. First, leaders of the #MeToo Movement have to distinguish different levels of improper behavior. If "he groped me" and "I thought he was going to kiss me" are condemned the same, nobody's going to take the #MeToo movement seriously anymore. Second, men have to learn that what may have been laughed at or tolerated at one time is simply no longer acceptable -- and adjust their behavior accordingly. Speaker Nancy Pelosi offered the easiest solution to Biden: just pretend you have a cold, so you don't want to touch or be touched. Meanwhile, nothing Joe Biden's accused of should prevent his running for president. Joe Biden's no Donald Trump. Not even close. ( Bill Press is host of a nationally-syndicated radio show, CNN political analyst and the author of the new book, "Trump Must Go: The 100 Top Reasons to Dump Trump (And One to Keep Him)," which is available in bookstores now. You can hear "The Bill Press Show" at his website: billpressshow.com. His email address is: bill@billpress.com. Readers may also follow him on Twitter at @bpshow.) (c) 2019 Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Story Highlights Customers want new and better products To encourage innovation, leaders need to create the right workplace culture People need the right resources to be innovative and agile Agility is about speed and efficiency in process for product -- the product that your customers want now and that people will want in the future. Innovation is at the core of an agile workplace culture. Customer-centric products result from a mindset that can visualize -- and better, anticipate -- the groundbreaking, market-seizing products that disrupt markets, create new economic energy and make companies successful. But in the workplace, innovation isn't limited to designing cutting-edge inventions -- it includes new ideas that accelerate processes and optimize workflow. And best of all, anyone in your organization can contribute. So, Gallup's finding that many German employees feel encouraged to innovate is very good news indeed. A focus on innovation is one of the eight factors that drive a culture of agility in the workplace. In Germany, 41% of employees strongly agree with the statement: "I feel encouraged to come up with new and better ways of doing things," seven percentage points higher than the country's average in 2012 (34%). Echoing Gallup's findings, the number of patent applications filed in Germany was higher in 2017 than it was in 2012. Though these measures have improved over the past several years, when just four in 10 employees agree that they feel encouraged to contribute to the conversation there is still much room for further growth. And in other countries, the outlook is not any better. In 2018, 36% of employees in the UK strongly agreed with that statement, followed by 30% in France and the U.S., and 20% in Spain. These findings are from a series of interviews Gallup conducted in late 2017 and early 2018 with 80 business leaders and managers in the U.S. and EU about their experiences with agility in their organizations. Gallup followed up that research by conducting interviews with more than 5,500 U.S. and 4,000 European workers regarding perceptions of their company's agility. Gallup has found that a focus on innovation is one of the eight factors that drive a culture of agility in the workplace -- and most businesses lack all of them. As a result, employees' innovative ideas don't see the light of day, customers look elsewhere and the business falls behind. Inspire an Innovative Mindset to Achieve Agility Innovative cultures prize a mindset that conceives of new ideas and further, these workplace cultures encourage employees to share and develop them. Unfortunately, only about one in four workers feel their opinions count at work. They may worry they're not entitled enough, competent enough or valued enough to suggest a fresh look at an old "certainty" or process or product or service. Or they may fear consequences if an idea fails. Here are four actions leaders can take to intentionally encourage innovation in the workplace to become more agile: 1. Establish trust. A psychologically safe environment is built on people-to-people relationships, this is especially true of the worker-manager relationship. And trust is the foundation of every relationship. Cultivating it requires respectful interactions that occur in an open and trusting environment. Leaders must help managers create workplace conditions that demonstrate management can be trusted. Creativity makes people feel vulnerable, and it takes courage to offer a new idea. It's easier for workers to find that courage if they know supervisors are open to criticism and feedback about how things are handled. Managers who support "thinking out loud" stimulate such innovation. 2. Use collective brainstorming. Conversations -- especially in different employee constellations -- can inspire fresh thinking and bring new perspectives. Brainstorming also provides a platform for critical examination, which is necessary for developing an innovative idea. Supervisors are more effective when they role model what they want from teams. Managers should question routines and be willing to try new, experimental processes. This will feed employee creativity and prove that managers genuinely value their contributions. 3. Consider the multisolution solution. Challenge employees to develop many solutions for a single problem. It compels them to look at a problem from different angles in different ways to find various solutions and neutralizes blind spots. Contests can inject energy in the process, but great solutions tend to arise from trust-filled teams who feel empowered to explore beyond the standard quick fix. Employees will need feedback on their ideas. Supervisors who serve as a sounding board provide an important service -- by asking questions and requesting elaboration, they push ideas toward customer-centric solutions. And it's an affirmation of sorts because it proves that innovative ideas are taken seriously. Some of the feedback employees receive may be critical, of course, and some ideas will be rejected. Neither outcome is pleasant, but a supervisor's interest communicates that innovation is important and welcome. No response at all points to indifference; employees who feel like their ideas are not being heard will eventually give up and stop participating. 4. Apply 3P design thinking, but differently. The "3Ps" are people, place, and process. People are the multidisciplinary teams with the ability to conceive of diverse ideas through the creative process. Place means an open and flexible work environment with plenty of space to visualize ideas. Process is an iterative, trial-and-error innovation model that puts the user or customer in focus. Managers should defend this process relentlessly. A challenge to one aspect of it is a threat to them all. Equip workers to get the most from one another -- a strengths focus will help -- and remove useless barriers. Most teams don't have that advantage: only 54% of German workers in 2014 said they knew their own strengths and far fewer, 29%, could name the strengths and talents of their colleagues. The 3Ps require certain resources. Some resources are budget items -- such as tech, analytics, and time -- while others are psychological, like implicit encouragement and intellectual elbow room. of the absence of resources can be a great barrier when it comes to converting ideas into reality. And turning ideas into products fast is the whole point of being agile. That's how leaders meet the needs of the customers they have and the people who will become customers in the future. Strengthening the spirit of innovation starts with leaders. They can create an atmosphere in which employees feel free to openly discuss their ideas without being disabled by hierarchy or fear. The next great idea, obviously big or seemingly small, can come from anyone. So, it's a very good sign that Germany's workers feel freer now to talk about their innovative ideas. It puts their organizations one step closer to the eight elements of an agile workplace culture -- and a lot closer to their next customer. News centerpiece featured Area emergency rooms struggling with increased demand STUART VILLANUEVA/The Daily News Registered nurse Kelly Land treats Maria Cruz-Gonzalez in the emergency room at the University of Texas Medical Branch Clear Lake Campus on Wednesday, April 3, 2019. STUART VILLANUEVA/The Daily News Signage points the way to the recently opened emergency room at the University of Texas Medical Branch Clear Lake Campus on Wednesday, April 3, 2019. STUART VILLANUEVA/The Daily News Registered nurse Pam Lumpkins fills out paperwork in the emergency room at the University of Texas Medical Branch Clear Lake Campus on Wednesday, April 3, 2019. WEBSTER Maria Calderon, 44, and her mother, Maria Cruz-Gonzalez, 77, arrived at a local emergency room seeking treatment for Cruz-Gonzalezs flu symptoms Sunday morning and stayed until being discharged without a room Monday, she said. Now, after a second, two-hour wait Wednesday, they finally found a room at the University of Texas Medical Branchs new facility in Webster, Calderon said. Their experience isnt unusual local emergency service providers increasingly must wait several hours for space to open at one of the mainland emergency rooms, a development that has caused headaches for departments, said Gerald Grimm, chief of the La Marque Fire Department. If the emergency rooms dont have beds for us to bring patients in, then it requires us to stay with them until theyre safe, Grimm said. That takes units out of service, meaning they cant respond to other problems. More and more visitors each year to emergency rooms across the country are straining the system and causing administrators to examine how such services are offered. It also is one of the many reasons the medical branch saw opportunity knocking when it came to opening the Webster facility, said Katrina Lambrecht, vice president for health system operations and regional hospitals. There are always going to be environmental factors, ebbs and flows in terms of value, Lambrecht said. But much like with inpatient beds, we feel there is additional need for emergency rooms. Crowding, delays and diversions at emergency rooms have become a problem across the country as the number of people visiting them have increased about 44 percent between 1990 and 2009, from 88 million to 127 million, according to a report from the American Clinical and Climatological Association. While experiences like Calderons show the problem is definitely happening, the specific reason behind the trend is harder to identify. One of things that sends people to emergency rooms is a federal law requires emergency departments to stabilize and treat someone regardless of whether they have insurance or the ability to pay. Officials with HCA Houston Healthcare Clear Lake, however, attributed much of the recent crowding to a particularly bad flu and allergy breakout. HCA Houston Healthcare Clear Lake used to be called Clear Lake Regional Medical Center. HCA Healthcare, which is one of the largest health care providers in the United States, also operates HCA Houston Mainland, previously called Mainland Medical Center. Flu season peaked in late February, and while the 2019 flu season overall has been relatively mild, this March has been the worst for flu in many years, said Todd Caliva, CEO of the facility. In Houston, were also seeing some of the highest rates of pollen in the country, which can exacerbate allergies, asthma and other conditions. The population growth of the northern part of Galveston County, such as in League City, also contributes to a rising demand for emergency services, Caliva said. But Nichol Green, EMS coordinator for La Marque Fire Department, said there are more structural issues behind some of the backups. Its my understanding that staffing shortages are behind some of it, she said. Texas is facing a shortage of nurses in the next 15 years. In 2016, the Texas Center for Nursing and Workforce Studies released a report that said Texas will face a shortage of all types of nurses by 2030. The anticipated shortages included a projected deficit of nearly 60,000 registered nurses, according to the report. Furthermore, operating an emergency room often is the most costly part of a hospital, Lambrecht said. Any operation that is 24/7, because of the need for staffing, lends itself to being more expensive, she said. You cant predict when a patient is going to walk in. And educating the workforce necessary to staff an emergency room also is expensive, said Annette Macias-Hoag, vice president of health system and service line operations at the medical branch. The medical branch opened its emergency room at the University of Texas Medical Branch Clear Lake campus on Saturday, in the building that contained the former Bay Area Regional Medical Center, which closed abruptly last year, Lambrecht said. The emergency room officially opened at about 7 a.m., but already had received its first patient by about 6:55 a.m., Lambrecht said. The 23-bed facility had received 112 patients at the emergency room by later Wednesday morning, Lambrecht said. 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. Qvevri-shaped hotel complex to be built in Telavi - GeorgianJournal South Africa: Condolences to Minister Mokonyane President Cyril Ramaphosa has extended his condolences to Environmental Affairs Minister Nomvula Mokonyane following the passing away of her husband. Serge Mokonyane passed away this morning following an extended illness. President Ramaphosa said the Mokonyane family is in his thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. The Minister and family have request privacy at this moment of grief. The family will in due course communicate details pertaining to the funeral and any other memorial events and services. - SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2019-04-04. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. To see how Christmas has changed over the last century, Stacker explored how popular traditions, like food and decorations, emerged and evolved from 1920 to 2020 in the U.S. and around the world. Stacker also found when some of the most popular Christmas songs, movies, and books entered the canon of the holiday season and gifts that topped many Christmas lists over the years. Read on to discover how Christmas has evolved over the past century. Visit thestacker.com for similar lists and stories. Huawei P30 Pro and P30 Lite launching in India on 9th of April 2019 News oi-Vivek Huawei P30 Pro has a quad-camera setup Huawei has finally finalized the launch date for the Huawei P30 Pro and the Huawei P30 Lite in India. The Chinese smartphone giant is all set to unveil the latest camera-centric flagship smartphone on the 9th of April in India, and these smartphones will be available exclusively on Amazon India. It looks like, just like the Huawei Mate series, the company might not release the standard Huawei P30 in India, which comes with a headphone jack and a triple camera setup. The wait is finally over! The #HuaweiP30 Pro | Lite is launching on 09.04.2019. Are you as excited as we are? #RewriteTheRules Know more: https://t.co/OUaAGL7Fdh pic.twitter.com/cT9bty4wJw Huawei India (@HuaweiIndia) April 3, 2019 Huawei P30 Lite specs recap The Huawei P30 Lite is a mid-tier smartphone from the company with a 6.15-inch FHD+ display, protected by 2.5D curved tempered glass. Unlike the more premium P30 Pro, the Lite moniker runs on the HiSilicon Kirin 710 SoC with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal storage. Though the P30 Lite is a mid-tier smartphone, it still boasts a triple camera setup with 24 MP primary sensor, a 2 MP depth sensor, and an 8 MP super wide angle lens. On the front, the device has a 32 MP high-resolution selfie camera. The P30 Lite runs on Android 9 Pie with custom EMUI skin on top. Huawei P30 Pro quick specs The Huawei P30 Pro is probably the best camera smartphone in the world, with the highest rating on DxO camera benchmark platform. The Huawei P30 Pro has a superior OLED display with 2340 x 1080p resolution, with an in-display fingerprint sensor. The HiSilicon Kirin 980 SoC powers the Huawei P30 Pro with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal storage. The smartphone does feature dual SIM card slot with support for 4G LTE and VoLTE on both the slots. The Huawei P30 Pro is also one of the first modern smartphones in the world with a 40 MP primary camera, which uses pixel binning technology to capture 10 MP camera, a 20 MP super wide angle lens, and an 8 MP telephoto lens with support for 5x optical zooming and 50x digital zooming capability. Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications Full Specifications 6.4 inches Dynamic AMOLED display (1440 x 3040 pixels) Corning Gorilla Glass 6 HDR10+, Always-on display Ultrasonic fingerprint sensor Android 9.0 (Pie); One UI Bixby voice assistant Octa-core Exynos 9820 processor Mali-G76 8GB/12GB RAM 128GB/256GB/1TB internal storage 12MP + 12MP + 16MP triple rear camera 10MP + 8MP front facing camera 4100mAh Li-ion battery Design The year 2019 witnessed the launch of many smartphones sporting fancy dual color tones, but Samsung thankfully restrained itself from the bizarre trend and brought a pearlescent finish that has a depth and luster. The Galaxy S10+ has a glass sandwich design with an aluminum strip running along the edges which have become thinner in contrast to the Galaxy S9. On the front sits a 6.4-inch display which is protected by a Corning Gorilla Glass 6. On the sides, you get volume rockers, power key, and the Bixby button. Samsung has managed to keep the 3.5mm alive through all its devices and the Galaxy S10+ was no exception. While OEMs are cutting ties with audio jacks to place more components, Samsung wants to make it easy for the users to use a wide range of third-party hands-free products. The rear panel houses a triple camera set up along with an LED flash. Overall, the Galaxy S10+ is by far the most aesthetically pleasing smartphone the company has ever produced. It fits perfectly in your palms and doesn't feel too big for one hand usage. Not to mention, anything above 5-inches isn't meant for people with small palms. Display Samsung always scores brownie points for its smartphone displays, however, the Galaxy S10+ takes the standards a notch higher. The Galaxy S10+ flaunts the first ever display to support HDR10+ content. It uses an Infinity-O panel that has a resolution of 1440 x 3040 pixels. The bezels have been squared-off this time similar to what we saw on the Galaxy Note 9. With the bezels extended to the corners, the risk of accidental touches increases. Although the company added a feature to avoid accidental touches, it doesn't really come in handy. Also, there's no HDR10+ content available for phones, so the ultra-high resolution isn't much of use right now. What makes the display even more futuristic are the laser-cut punch hole and the in-screen ultrasonic fingerprint sensor. The Galaxy S10+ is the company's first phone to house a punch hole display which has placed with precision and complements the overall design of the phone. You might be thinking that the front camera will come in your way while watching videos, but honestly, that's isn't really the case. The front shooter also shows a cool graphic when in use, which means that the company is embracing the camera cutout. Streaming video content on the Galaxy S10+ makes for an unparalleled viewing experience. The screen makes every scene look vivid and vibrant with its deep blacks and brilliant color reproduction. Camera Samsung came out all guns blazing with its camera setup. The Galaxy S10+ comes with a triple camera comprising a standard 12MP lens with a variable f/1.5 to f/2.4 aperture is paired with a 12MP telephoto lens with an f/2.4 aperture and a 16MP ultra-wide-angle lens with an f/2.2 aperture. Samsung claims to have used AI and an NPU (Neural Processing Unit) that is meant to enhance the image quality. And, it works like a charm creating some stunning photos. The photos come out really good and capture images really fast in all situations. The camera app interface is easy and the dynamic range and color reproduction are brilliant. The transition between various modes is snappy and fluid as well. Daylight shots Pictures taken in well-lit condition were as good as any other flagship smartphone camera. Ultra wide angle lens The wide-angle lens on the Galaxy S10+ works perfectly and lets you capture more in one frame. You might find distortion or lack of detail in a few images, but it works fine most of the time. The image is taken at 0.5x. Wide angle shot This image has been captured at x1.0 and the detailing seems to be fine. Zoomed shots This image was taken at x2.0 and there's no pixelation in sight. The bokeh effect Mostly the feature works well, but we did notice the edge detection falling apart. The conditions should be really favorable to get a good bokeh effect shot. Scene Optimizer This feature uses AI to automatically detect scenes like sunsets or people and adjust the colors best suited for the scene. For some shots, the feature brings out the perfect balance, however, a few shots looked oversaturated. No dedicated Night Mode The photos clicked in low-light surroundings had some noise. We've seen phones like the Google Pixel 3 and Huawei Mate 20 Pro perform better in such lighting conditions. The Galaxy S10 also smoothens the skin tone in order to reduce noise during low-light shots, making the image look weird at times. Besides, there's no dedicated Night Mode on the Galaxy S10+' camera, which is a letdown. Instagram mode If you are an avid Instagramer, this is the feature you were looking for. Samsung has worked closely with the popular photo-sharing platform and introduced a dedicated mode wherein users can click an image and share it on Instagram without having to leave the camera app. Performance The Samsung Galaxy S10+ has an Exynos 9820 processor at its heart, paired with 8GB of RAM. And, it's an absolute beast of a device. It also has a 12GB RAM variant, but for us, 8GB did more than enough without breaking a sweat. We had absolutely no issues with the app launch time or navigating through the apps. In fact, gaming on the Galaxy S10+ is a treat. We fired some top-end games and pushed the device to its limits. The device gets a bit toasty while using heavy applications but that didn't hamper the blazingly fast performance. The device also uses a novel cooling system, which we also saw on the Note 9. The vapor chamber is ideal for long gaming sessions, and it's something you won't find on the Galaxy S10 or 10e. Moreover, the audio quality on the phone is brilliant, thanks to the two front-firing speakers. You get clear audio which doesn't get muffled by your hands. Samsung also revamped its One UI which is wrapped around Android 9 Pie, and it lands really hard. The new UI brings an edge to the already zippy experience on the Galaxy S10+. the interface brings a subtle layout with new fonts and a convenient one hand usage mode. I personally loved the smart pop-up notifications which show selected app alerts in Facebook-like bubble on the screen style. However, some might get irritated by the process of dismissing these notifications. Speaking of the in-display fingerprint sensor, the feature was touted to set a new benchmark for biometric authentication. The sensor uses sound waves to read the ridges of the user's fingers, so it should work with wet or sweaty fingers and it does. But, not every time and we feel more optimization is required to make it seamless. During our test, we found the OnePlus 6T to faster in terms of unlocking. With few more software updates, the ultrasonic fingerprint reader on the Galaxy S10+ could perform better. Battery The smartphone is juiced by a 4100mAh battery which keeps the device running for a very long time. During our time with the device, we pushed the Galaxy S10+ to its limits and used the device heavily throughout the day. Our usage included social media browsing, calling, video chats, gaming, and web browsing. But, still, we managed to have around 20% battery in the reservoir. In case you drain the whole battery, the fast charging tech has you covered. It takes a little over one hour to fully charge up the device. Samsung has also added a unique reverse wireless charging where you can charge a device that supports wireless charging just by placing them on top Galaxy S10+' rear panel. The feature really came in handy when we wanted to charge our Galaxy Buds. Verdict Overall, the Samsung Galaxy S10+ is everything you would expect from a top-of-the-line flagship. It's definitely not the last in the series but is probably the last major design change we'll witness for good. Samsung has yet again produced a smartphone that sets the benchmark for its Android counterparts. It has the best-in-class display, a great design, the company's best ever user interface, and a bumped battery life. Like every other flagship, the Galaxy S10+ also has its flaws, but none of them would be dealbreakers. There's no doubt that the Galaxy S10+ is priced heftily, but as they say "good things come at a price," you will have to shell out the sum. If you are someone who's looking for a snappy smartphone with a brilliant design and don't mind using big screens, then look no further - the Samsung Galaxy S10+ is what you seek. India refuses to comment on NASA's assessment of recent A-SAT missile test News oi-Vishal Kawadkar India claimed to have violated no international norms or laws of security. The Indian government has refused to comment on NASA's assessment of India's A-SAT missile test. The US space agency said that the anti-satellite test created 400 pieces of debris in the lower orbit and has put the International Space Station (ISS) at risk. The spokesperson of the Ministry of Defence declined to comment. On March 27, India became only the fourth country to successfully conduct an anti-satellite missile test, making the country a space power. Only the US, Russia, and China have achieved this feat previously, but none have used it for actual military purposes. NASA chief administrator, Jim Bridenstine said that India's A-SAT missile test to destroy its own satellites is a "terrible thing." The event has led to 400 pieces of orbital debris and might be dangerous for astronauts aboard on the International Space Station (ISS). "That is a terrible, terrible thing to create an event that sends debris and an apogee that goes above the international space station. That kind of activity is not compatible with the future of human spaceflight that we need to see have happened," Bridenstine said. "What we are tracking right now, objects big enough to track - we're talking about 10 centimetres (six inches) or bigger - about 60 pieces have been tracked," he added. The US military constantly tracks space objects to prevent the ISS from a potential collision. They are currently tracking around 23,000 objects which are bigger than 10 centimetres. These objects include nearly 10,000 pieces of space debris, of which 3,000 are the result of the Chinese anti-satellite test in 2007 at 530 miles above Earth's surface. After "Mission Shakti," India's A-SAT missile test, the risk of collision with the ISS has increased by 44 per cent within 10 days. However, the debris will decrease by burning up as it enters the atmosphere. Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications Ive been working on this for many years, and Im looking forward to serving the residents of Arlington Heights, said Schwingbeck, president of RNM and Associates, a sales, metallurgical engineering and consulting company. He has served on the villages zoning board the last four years. The most important thing well be faced with, unless something miraculous happens, the 425 project is coming up very soon. I think everyone is hopeful its going to go through. Attorney General Tim Fox encourages anyone who has a Shopko gift card to use it as soon as possible, as Shopko will only be accepting gift cards as a method of payment until April 20. Shopko announced on March 18 the company will be closing all r... President Trump signed a new order March 29, issuing a new permit for the Keystone XL Pipeline. The permit would allow construction work in northeastern Montana even while the case on whether or not construction will continue is pending in the 9th... Lithuania Sentences Russian-Born Sailor To Seven Years For Spying For Moscow April 03, 2019 A Lithuanian court has sentenced a Russian-born sailor to seven years in prison on charges of spying for Moscow, the latest in a series of espionage-related cases between the two neighboring countries. The Klaipeda court on April 3 said the Lithuanian citizen gave Russian intelligence classified information about the city's sea terminal and other infrastructure in 2015-17. The man was identified in local media as sailor mechanic Roman Sesel. The Russian Embassy's spokesman declined to comment. Relations between Lithuania, along with fellow Baltic states Estonia and Latvia, remain tense with Russia. In March 1990, Lithuania became the first of the 15 Soviet republics to declare independence. It joined the European Union and NATO in 2004, as did Latvia and Estonia. In March, Russia's Foreign Ministry accused Lithuania of "unfriendly and provocative" actions after a Vilnius court found a former Soviet military chief and a senior KGB officer guilty of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity. The two were sentenced in absentia. They were the most prominent of 67 defendants in the trial over the momentous events that unfolded in Vilnius in January 1991, when the Soviet government tried to halt the Lithuanian move toward independence. The other defendants -- all citizens of Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine -- were handed prison terms ranging from four to 12 years. Only two of them were present in the courtroom. In a high-profile 2017 case, a Lithuanian court sentenced Russian citizen Nikolai Filipchenko, identified as an employee of Russia's Federal Security Service, to 10 years in prison for spying. Based on reporting by AFP and The Baltic Times Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/lithuania- sentences-russian-born-sailor-to-seven-years-for- spying-for-moscow/29859515.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address April 2, 2019 News Defense.gov DOD Hosts Dialogue With the Czech Republic WASHINGTON -- The Czech Republic is committed to NATO, and that is reflected in the strategic impact the nation has in Europe and elsewhere, a senior Pentagon official said today. Kathryn Wheelbarger, acting assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs and Andrew Winternitz, acting deputy assistant secretary of defense for Europe and NATO policy, welcomed Jakub Landovsky, the Czech Republic deputy defense minister and head of the Ministry of Defense's Defense Policy and Strategy Division, to the U.S.-Czech Republic High Level Defense Group meeting in the Pentagon today. The two sides also discussed cooperation on cyber defense, with Winternitz highlighting the leadership of the Czech Republic in identifying threats from China to information security in Europe as well as Prague hosting a conference next month on cyber issues. Last month, Czech Republic Prime Minister Andrej Babis met with President Donald J. Trump in the White House. The HLDG followed up on the White House meeting by discussing shared security issues, from great power competition and defeating terrorism to regional topics including, Afghanistan and Syria, DOD officials said. "The Czech people are fully supportive of NATO and defense cooperation with the United States," Landovsky said. "The United States and the Czech Republic both share strategic concerns such as transnational terrorism," he added. Czech soldiers stand shoulder to shoulder with the United States and partner nations in Afghanistan, Kosovo, NATO's enhanced Forward Presence in Poland and the Baltic countries, and elsewhere, Landovsky noted. He added that the Czech Republic intends to contribute its fair share to NATO, as it realizes the alliance's value to collective defense. Ms. Wheelbarger expressed appreciation for the Czech Republic's contributions to ongoing missions and welcomed the country's commitment to meet its pledge to spend two percent of GDP on defense by 2024. Last month marked the twentieth year since the Czech Republic joined NATO, Winternitz remarked. He and Landovsky said they look forward to welcoming more countries into the alliance in the future, particularly from the Balkans. Winternitz said DOD looks forward to further visits from Czech leaders, such as the one that took place March 8, when Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick M. Shanahan and Prime Minister Babis participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Pentagon 9/11 Memorial. National Guard leaders from Texas and Nebraska also attended today's meeting. The Texas and Nebraska National Guards have been working with the Czech Armed Forces as part of the National Guard's State Partnership Program for over 25 years. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NETT Marines bridging the gap between the past and future of amphibious combat US Marine Corps News By Ashley Calingo, PEO Land Systems Public Affairs | Marine Corps Systems Command | April 2, 2019 At its core, any Marine Corps New Equipment Training Team is responsible foras the name suggestsarming Marines with the knowledge and skills they need to operate and maintain new equipment to ensure Marines' future success on the battlefield. When new equipment is fielded, the NETT provide the initial training to experienced legacy system operators and maintainers to help get them acquainted with the new system in the shortest time possible. When the new system is the Amphibious Combat Vehiclegame-changing not only in the amphibious capabilities it provides to Marines, but also in that it's replacing a nearly 50-year-old legacy systemthe NETT are in a unique position to bridge the gap between the past and future of amphibious combat in the Corps. Currently, most new equipment training teams are comprised of civilian subject matter experts from Industry, the ACV NETT is comprised primarily of amphibious assault Marines who are able to apply their experience and expertise in operating and maintaining the legacy vehicle to operating and maintaining the new one. "It's pretty much 100 percent preparation for the next evolution," said Staff Sgt. Kevin Wheeler, lead operational instructor on the NETT, of his team's role. "All of us here on the NETT have years of experience operating the legacy [Assault Amphibious Vehicle]. I think that our collective experience and influence is important, especially in informing the future of our community. That's our number one job." Though the NETT falls under the Virginia-based Advanced Amphibious Assault program office at Program Executive Officer Land Systems, the office responsible for acquiring and fielding the system, the team itself is housed at the Amphibious Vehicle Test Branch at Camp Pendleton, Calif., maximizing the team's ability to spend time on and become proficient with operating and maintaining the vehicle. To aid Marines' transition from the legacy to the new platform, the NETT faces the challenge of infusing old practices into new Standard Operating Procedures and Tactics, Techniques and Procedures for the ACV. "During the operational assessment, we realized that some of the tactics we're used to with the AAV don't work with the ACV," said Wheeler. "We're taking into account our old doctrine with the AAV, and seeing how some of those tactics, TTPs and SOPs can translate to the ACV [to make the transition easier for Marines]." On the vehicular maintenance side, NETT Marines also help design the maintenance course. Currently, the team is busy helping the program office prepare for a four-month logistics demonstrationa comprehensive event evaluating the maintainability and sustainability of the vehiclescheduled for this fall. "One of the ways we're verifying the Technical Manual for the ACV is by having the maintenance team complete over 1,400 maintenance tasks using the TM as a guide," said Staff Sgt. Justin Hanush, maintenance lead instructor for the ACV. "This will help us when preparing the maintenance course. Ultimately, we want to ensure that Marines are successful when the vehicle hits the fleet." While the NETT's main role is training Marines on maintaining and operating the ACV, the team also licenses drivers and, as operators of the vehicle, are integral participants in the rigorous operational, logistical and evaluative vehicle tests initiated by PM AAA. Having experienced amphibious assault Marines on the NETT has been extremely beneficial to the program office, particularly during operational assessments and testing. "The Marines have assisted us greatly with understanding how the amphibious community operates, especially on water," said James Aurilio, Manpower, Personnel and Training lead for PM AAA. "Operating a land vehicle in water is a unique experience, and they brought that experience with them. There's a lot about doing that that, those of us who don't do it would never understand or wouldn't think to ask [during testing]. They've been stellar and have helped us out a lot." The NETT will start training Marines from Delta Company, 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Division, in January 2020. Delta Company will be the first amphibious assault crews to be trained on the new vehicle. Upon completion of training, the NETT will help guide the Delta Company Marines as they participate in tests assessing the effectiveness of the first set of low-rate initial production ACVs. PM AAA anticipates receiving the first set of low-rate production vehicles this summer. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Remarks by President Trump and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg Before Bilateral Meeting April 2, 2019 Oval Office 1:53 P.M. EDT PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you very much. It's a great honor to have Secretary General Stoltenberg of NATO with us. We have developed a very great relationship, and I'm very happy to say the Secretary General will be with us for quite a long time because he was just extended. So congratulations on that. SECRETARY GENERAL STOLTENBERG: Thank you very much. PRESIDENT TRUMP: That's a big thing. And I was with you 100 percent. But you know that. I felt very strongly about that. We've worked together on getting some of our allies to pay their fair share. It's called burden sharing. And as you know, when I came, it wasn't so good, and now it's they're catching up. We have 7 of the 28 countries are currently current and the rest are trying to catch up, and they will catch up. And some of them have no problems because they haven't been paying and they're very rich. But we're looking at the 2 percent of GDP level. And at some point, I think it's going to have to go higher than that. I think probably it should be higher. But we're at a level of 7 out of the 28. The United States pays for a very big share of NATO a disproportionate share. But the relationship with NATO has been very good. The relationship with the Secretary General has been outstanding. And I think tremendous progress has been made. If you look in fact, you showed me this originally, yourself if you look at the charts and the different things, if you go back 10 and 15 years, and it's a roller coaster ride down, in terms of payment. And since I came to office, it's a rocket ship up. We've picked up over $140 billion of additional money, and we look like we're going to have at least another $100 billion more in spending by the nations the 28 nations. We're going to have and that's exclusive of the United States. We'll have another $100 billion more by 2020 or a little bit into 2020. So tremendous progress has been made, and NATO is much stronger because of that progress. And, Mr. Secretary General, it's a great to honor to have you with us at the White House. Thank you. Thank you very much. SECRETARY GENERAL STOLTENBERG: Thank you so much, Mr. President. And once again, thank you for hosting me and my delegation, once again, in the White House. And it's great to be back, great to see you. And thank you for your strong commitment to NATO, to our alliance, and to our transatlantic bond, and especially for your very strong leadership on burden sharing. Because as you just mentioned, after years of cutting defense budgets, NATO Allies have now started to invest more. And by the end of next year, they will have added $100 billion more into their defense budgets since you took office. And that helps and it proves also that NATO is a strong alliance. We have increased the readiness of forces. We have stepped up in our joint fight against terrorism. And we are investing more. So, actually, North America, United States, and Europe, we are doing more together now than have done for many, many years. And that shows the strength of this alliance. In the year, we actually are celebrating the 70th anniversary of NATO. So it's great to see you. I look forward to our meeting. And thank you for your support. PRESIDENT TRUMP: Well, thank you. And it has been an honor. And we're very proud of what's happened over the last couple of years with respect to the relationship and to NATO. A lot of the media doesn't understand what took place, but a tremendous amount of additional money was invested by other nations, which was a fair thing from the United States you know, from our standpoint, the standpoint of the United States. And a lot more money will be invested. But we've been picking up a tremendous and disproportionate share, and we just want fairness. I have to have fairness for our taxpayer too. And I think that's what's happening, and I very much appreciate it. Thank you very much. Thank you all very much. Q Mr. President, is your intention, sir, to close the border this weekend? What would it take to not close the border? PRESIDENT TRUMP: Well, I haven't made that intention known. And I'm ready to close it, if I have to close it. Mexico, as you know, as of yesterday, has been starting to apprehend a lot of people at their southern border coming in from Honduras and Guatemala and El Salvador. And they've they're really apprehending thousands of people. And it's the first time, really, in decades that this has taken place. And it should have taken place a long time ago. You know, Mexico has the strongest immigration laws in the world. There's nobody who has stronger. I guess some have the same, but you can't get any stronger than what Mexico has. And we don't want people coming up making that very dangerous journey and coming in. Our system is absolutely maxed out. And Border Patrol has done an incredible job, but the system is absolutely maxed out. And it's a very unfair thing. So Mexico has, as of yesterday, made a big difference. You'll see that because few people, if any, are coming up. And they say they're going to stop them. Let's see. They have the power to stop them. They have the laws to stop them. And what we have to do is Congress has to meet quickly and make a deal. I could do it in 45 minutes. We need to get rid of chain migration. We need to get rid of catch and release and visa lottery. And we have to do something about asylum. And to be honest with you, you have to get rid of judges. Every time and you won't even believe this, Mr. Secretary General you catch somebody that's coming illegally into your country, and they bring them to a court. But we can't bring them to a court because you could never have that many judges. So they take their name, they take their information, and they release them. Now, we don't release too many. We keep them. It's called "catch and keep." But you don't have facilities for that. But you have to bring them through a court system. If they touch your land one foot on your land: "Welcome to being Perry Mason. You now have a big trial." So what they've done over the years is they release them into the United States and they say, "Come back in four years for a trial." And nobody comes back. I guess 1 percent 1 to 2 percent, on average, come back. And nobody can understand why they come back. They're the only ones that come back. It is the worst, dumbest immigration system in the world. The Democrats could change it with one meeting. Everybody would agree. But they don't want to change it because they don't want to give the Republicans a victory. They don't want to change it because they want open borders, which means crimes and lots of other things coming in, including drugs. So we'll see what happens. I think the Democrats today, I spoke to a couple of them and they all of a sudden, they're changing because they're seeing it really is a crisis. It is a national emergency on the border. And let's see if they can do it. But I want to thank it's a very short period of time, because for years this should have been done. But Mexico is now stopping people coming very easy for them to do stopping people coming in through Mexico. Let's see if they keep it done, if if they keep doing that. Now, if they don't, or if we don't make a deal with Congress, the border is going to be closed, 100 percent. And this should have been done by other Presidents. So many things should have been done by other Presidents. But if we don't make a deal with Congress, or if Mexico and probably you can say "and/or" if Mexico doesn't do what they should be doing they shouldn't have people coming into their country either; this is their southern border that they have to protect then we're going to close the border. That's going to be it. Or we're going to close large sections of the border. Maybe not all of it. But it's the only way we're getting a response, and I'm totally ready to do it. And I will say this: Many people want me to do it, because we're being abused by a bad legal system that was put in by Democrats. And that has to be changed. And it can be changed in 45 minutes, if they want to change it. Let's see what they do. Yes, Steve. Q Do you worry about the impact on the U.S. economy by closing the border? THE PRESIDENT: Sure. It's going to be have a negative impact on the economy. It's one of the biggest trade deals in the world that we've just done with the USMCA. It's a very big trading partner. But to me, trading is very important, the borders are very important, but security is what is most important to me. I have to have security. This is what this gentleman is all about to my right. And we're going to have security in this country. That's more important than trade. Hey, all you hear me talking about is trade. But let me just give you a little secret: Security is more important to me than trade. So we're going to have a strong border, or we're going to have a closed border. And you know, when we close that border, we will stop hundreds of millions of dollars of drugs from coming in, because tremendous amounts of drugs come through our southern border. And so that's one of the benefits. So I'm totally prepared to do it. We're going to see what happens over the next few days. Q It sounds like Mexico is doing enough to keep you from immediately closing the border, though, from all their apprehensions (inaudible). THE PRESIDENT: Well, they made a big step over the last two days. Look, they are apprehending people. You see how many there are. A lot. It's a lot of people. And the fact that they're doing that means fewer people are going to come. But, you know, we pay hundreds of millions of dollars to Honduras and Guatemala and El Salvador as a combination. And what do they do? They don't do anything for us. You know, it's supposed be money well spent. I understand the reason for it, but that money doesn't get there. So we're giving hundreds of millions of dollars to these three countries, and the money is not going to where it's supposed to be going, number one. Number two, they're taking advantage of the United States, and they have been for many years. So I cut off the payments yesterday. I know what the payments are supposed to be for; they're supposed to be to help so that they don't have this problem. But they don't do that. The money is gone. It's not spent properly. And they arrange I mean, the thing that bothers me more than anything: They arrange these caravans and they don't put their best people in those caravans. They put people in there that you don't want to have in the United States. And we're not going to have them in the United States. It's very simple. It's very, very simple. Q Are you happy with Stoltenberg as leader of NATO? THE PRESIDENT: Say it? Q Why are you happy with Stoltenberg as the leader of NATO? THE PRESIDENT: I think he's been a terrific leader. And I can just say, during my time so it's already amazing, two and half years but we get along really well. And he made his first statement was we had our first meeting, and I think I got them to put up the other countries, respectfully 27 countries; put up the other 27 $64 billion. Sixty-four billion. That's a lot of money. And he went out and he said what a great job he did. A lot of people don't like giving credit. Like the media never gives me credit, but he gave me credit. Now we're up to way over a $100 billion, and it's going to be a lot higher than that by the end of 2020. But I appreciate the job he's done. He's done an excellent job. And when it came time to renew because a lot of people wanted that job; that's a great job. I mean, it really is. But a lot of people wanted it. But I had no doubt in my mind who I wanted. Q Have you ever contemplated moving the U.S. out of NATO? THE PRESIDENT: People are paying, and I'm very happy with the fact that they're paying. Yeah? Q What kind of security threat do you think Russia poses to NATO? THE PRESIDENT: I hope that it's not going to be a security threat. I hope we have a good relationship with Russia and with, by the way, China and everybody else. But I think the fact that we have NATO and NATO is a lot stronger since I've been President, would you say that's correct? We've taken a lot more money and SECRETARY GENERAL STOLTENBERG: Allies are investing more, and that provides some new capabilities. We need to maintain credible defense and defense for all NATO countries. THE PRESIDENT: But I think we'll get along with Russia. I do I do believe that. Q Mr. President, on healthcare, why are you pushing a vote on a healthcare replacement until after the 2020 election? THE PRESIDENT: Because I think we're going to have a great healthcare package. I think the Republican Party will become the party of healthcare. I see what the Democrats are doing; it's a disaster what they're planning and everyone knows it. You're going to lose 180 million people under private insurance. And I think, really, very important, Obamacare has been such a catastrophe because it's far too expensive. It costs the people so much; they can't afford it. And, of course, the premiums are very high: seven to eight thousand dollars on average. So you have to spend over $8,000 before you even hit. So, Obamacare has been bad. So if we get back the House, and on the assumption we keep the Senate and we keep the presidency which I hope are two good assumptions we're going to have a phenomenal healthcare. Q Did Mitch McConnell ask you to delay this? THE PRESIDENT: No, I wanted to delay it myself. I want to put it after the election because we don't have the House. So even though the healthcare is good, really good it's much better than when the plan comes out, which we'll be showing you at the appropriate time, it's much better than Obamacare. So when the plan comes out, you'll see it. It's possible the Democrats would want to do it. I mean, it's much better for the people, but I'm assuming they won't because the Democrats never do anything that necessarily is going to be anything other than political. So what happens is we'll go through the election, we have a very good chance at retaking the House, and we have a very good chance of keeping the Senate. And I think we will keep the Senate. And I think we're going to keep the presidency and we'll vote in the best healthcare package we've ever had. Q Mr. President, what do you think that NATO has accomplished in 70 years? THE PRESIDENT: I think many things they've accomplished, but I think they also really stand for a signal of truth and of strength. And we have a great leader. Q Are you going to talk about Germany today? The news from THE PRESIDENT: I'll be talking about Germany. I always talk about Germany. I mean, Germany, honestly, is not paying their fair share. I have great respect for Angela and I have great respect for their country. My father is German. Right? Was German. And born in a very wonderful place in Germany, and so I have a great feeling for Germany. But they're not paying what they should be paying. They're paying close to 1 percent, and they're supposed to be paying 2 percent. And the United States, over the years, got to a point where it's paying 4.3 percent, which is very unfair. And the U.S. GDP, especially under me because the GDP has gone up so much, because it's 4.3 of a much larger GDP. So we're paying for a big proportion of NATO, which basically is protecting Europe. So we're protecting Europe. At the same time, they've taken advantage of us on trade. So we have the best of all worlds: We're protecting countries that have taken advantage of the United States on trade. But it's all changing. It'll take a little while, but it's all changing. Q Mr. President, there is going to be a vote in the House Judiciary Committee tomorrow whether or not to authorize subpoenas to demand an unredacted version of the Mueller report and all of the background materials. If they do vote out the authority for subpoenas, will the White House fight those? THE PRESIDENT: Well, I think it's ridiculous. We went through two years of the Mueller investigation. We have I mean, not only that. You read the wording. It was proven. Who could go through that and get wording where it was no collusion, no nothing? So there's no collusion. The Attorney General now, and the Deputy Attorney General, ruled no obstruction. They said no obstruction. And so there's no collusion. There's no obstruction. And now we're going to start this process all over again? I think it's a disgrace. These are just Democrats that want to try and demean this country. And it shouldn't be allowed. And I'll totally live by what the Attorney General I have great respect for the Attorney General. I'll live by what he said. But I will tell you this: Nothing you give them, whether it's Shifty Schiff or Jerry Nadler, who I've known he's been fighting me for half of my life, in Manhattan, and I was very successful, thank you. But Nadler has been fighting me for years and years in Manhattan not successfully. I will tell you: Anything we give them will never be enough. We could give them it's a 400-page report, right? We could give them 800 pages and it wouldn't be enough. They'll always come back and say, "It's not enough. It's not enough." This thing has gone on for two years. And, really, it started long before that. It practically started from the time I came down the escalator, because this was a whole this was a whole plot, whether you want to use the insurance policy as a timeframe. This was an insurance policy just in case she Hillary Clinton loses. Well, she lost and she lost big. This has been going on for years. Now they want to keep it going on? We had the most they spent over $30 million on an investigation. They found no collusion which, by the way, was the most ridiculous premise I've ever heard of anyway, and you understand exactly what I mean. No collusion. There was no collusion. There never was. After $30 million, we're going to start this process again because Jerry Nadler wants to start it or because Schiff wants to start it? I'll rely on the Attorney General to make decisions, but I will tell you: Anything that's given to them will never be good enough. You could give them more documents than they've ever seen and it would never be good enough. So I think it's somewhat of a waste of time. This is just politics at a very low level. Q What about the fact that Congressman Nadler opposed the release of the Starr report in 1998? THE PRESIDENT: Well, that's a good thing. That's very nice that you bring that up. The fact is that Jerry Nadler was on the opposite side of this. And he thought it was a disgusting, terrible thing to even think about giving the Starr report but now we should give the Mueller report. And actually, the Mueller report is actually much tighter because the Starr report went to Congress. The Mueller report goes to the Attorney General. So there's a big difference. They made that because the Starr report got out of control with respect to going to Congress, because I guess lots of people had it that maybe shouldn't have had it and did bad things with it. So now they limited it to the Attorney General and they did that specifically for that reason. So Jerry Nadler thought the concept of giving the Starr report was absolutely something you could never do. But when it comes to the Mueller report, which is different on our side, that would be something that he should get. It's hypocrisy and it's a disgrace. I will say this: Look, there was no collusion. There was no obstruction. They were very disappointed. I don't know what they were thinking, because they all know. I guarantee you, they go into a room between Nadler, Schiff, and the group and they laugh like hell at how they've kept this thing going for two years. They laugh like hell. And I hope that this investigation now, which is finished it's totally finished. No collusion. No obstruction. I hope they now go and take a look at the oringes [origins] the origins of the investigation, the beginnings of that investigation. If you look at the origin of the investigation where it started; how it started; who started it, whether it's McCabe or Comey or a lot of them; where does it go; how high up in the White House did it go you will all get Pulitzer Prizes, okay? You'd all get Pulitzer Prizes. You should have looked at it a long time ago. And that's the only thing that's disappointing to me about the Mueller report. The Mueller report, I wish, covered the oringes [origins] of how it started the beginnings of the investigation and how it started. It didn't cover that. And for some reason, none of that was discussed. Now, if you look at the IG report, it's very serious. Now, we have another IG report coming out, hopefully, very soon. And I think you're going to learn a lot. But you should look at the beginnings and where it started the whole situation. Because this has been a very, very bad thing for our country. The question was asked before about Russia, about Germany, about all of the different things that you and I discuss so often. This has been a very bad thing for the United States. It's been a total waste of time. But what hasn't been a waste of time is some very bad people started something that should have never been started. And I hope that's going to continue forward because people did things that were very, very bad for our country and very, very illegal and, you could even say, "treasonous." Okay? Thank you very much everybody. END 2:16 P.M. EDT NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address April 3, 2019 News By Jim Garamone Defense.gov Secretary General Touts NATO's Benefits at Joint Session of Congress WASHINGTON -- The North Atlantic Treaty Organization not only is the longest-lived alliance in history, but also is the most successful, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told a joint session of the U.S. Congress here today. Stoltenberg, whose term as NATO's civilian leader was extended through 2022, marked 70 years of the defensive alliance. The Washington Treaty, which established the alliance, was signed April 4, 1949. The secretary general's most repeated message in his address was "It's good to have friends." He was interrupted many times by applause from the members of Congress, members of the Cabinet and members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He received many standing ovations during his speech. Stoltenberg detailed the history of the alliance and the changes it has made to stay strong and relevant for 70 years. The alliance was formed in response to the millions of deaths in two world wars and the increasing danger the Soviet Union posed in 1949. The 12 nations that formed NATO did so "with a clear purpose: to preserve peace and to safeguard freedom, with an ironclad commitment by all members of the alliance to protect each other," he said. "They made a solemn promise: One for all, and all for one." Unprecedented Period of Peace And it has worked. In 70 years, through the waxing and waning of Soviet might, peace has been preserved and freedom maintained, Stoltenberg said. "The Cold War ended without a shot being fired in Europe, and we have experienced an unprecedented period of peace," the secretary general added. And this is in the best interests of all allies, on both sides of the Atlantic, he said. "Ever since the founding of our alliance in 1949, every Congress, every American president, your men and women in uniform, and the people of the United States of America, have been staunch supporters of NATO," Stoltenberg said. "America has been the backbone of our alliance. It has been fundamental to European security and for our freedom. We would not have the peaceful and prosperous Europe we see today without the sacrifice and commitment of the United States. For your enduring support, I thank you all today." NATO has been good for Europe, but it has also been good for the United States. "The strength of a nation is not only measured by the size of its economy or the number of its soldiers, but also by the number of its friends," he said. The United States is the preferred ally in the world, Stoltenberg said, adding that no other nation could have put together the defeat-ISIS coalition. It all started in 1949 with NATO, he said. "Through NATO, the United States has more friends and allies than any other power," Stoltenberg said. "This has made the United States stronger, safer, and more secure." Stoltenberg turned to Vice President Mike Pence and House Speaker Nancy Pekosi who were seated behind him as he faced the House chamber to deliver his address and said, "Madam Speaker, Mr. Vice President, it's good to have friends." But NATO is not a monolithic organization like the former Warsaw Pact that slavishly agreed with anything proposed by the apparatchik in Moscow, Stoltenberg said. "We are an alliance of many different nations, with different geography, history and political parties," he said. "This is democracy. Open discussion and different views are not a sign of weakness. It is a sign of strength." There are disagreements among the NATO allies, he acknowledged. "The strength of NATO is that despite our differences, we have always been able to unite around our core task: to defend each other, protect each other, and to keep our people safe," he said. "We have overcome our disagreements in the past, and we must overcome our differences now, because we will need our alliance even more in the future." Great Power Competition Russia and China are great power competitors. The struggle against terrorism is a generational fight, he said. "We have only just seen the beginning of the threats in cyber space," the secretary general added. The alliance is being more assertive with Russia, Stoltenberg said, responded to Russia provocations with the largest reinforcement of collective defense in decades. "For the first time, we have combat-ready troops deployed in the east of our alliance," he said. "We have increased the readiness of our forces, tripled the size of the NATO Response Force, modernized our command structure, bolstered our cyber defenses, and we have stepped up support for our close partners, Georgia and Ukraine, sovereign nations with the sovereign right to choose their own path." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address April 3, 2019 News By David Vergun Defense.gov U.S. Seeks Stronger Defense Relationship With Vietnam WASHINGTON -- "Our defense relationship [with Vietnam] is strong and represents one of the strongest pillars in our multifaceted bilateral relationship," the assistant defense secretary for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs said today. Randall G. Schriver told an audience at the Center for Strategic and International Studies that the defense relationship with Vietnam has been strengthened even more over the last two years, and plans are to strengthen it even more based on a foundation of common and shared interests. Strong Military Ties The U.S. seeks enhanced military ties with Vietnam, he said. For instance, the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson visited Da Nang last year, the first such visit since the Vietnam War, with discussions about having another visit this year. In 2017, the U.S. transferred a major piece of defense equipment to Vietnam the Coast Guard's Hamilton-class cutter USCGC Morgenthau. That ship is now very active in maritime security missions for Vietnam, Schriver said. "We're hoping there will be a second such cutter available." He said the U.S. will continue to help enhance Vietnam's military capabilities and pursue opportunities for military training and cooperation, concentrating on: Vietnam's security and regional stability Maritime security and maritime domain awareness Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief Professional military education, including English language training Military medicine Search and rescue Peacekeeping operations Regarding peacekeeping, Schriver noted that a Vietnamese peacekeeping unit deployed to South Sudan, with some supporting assistance from the U.S. and other partners. In addition to all of that, he said, "we've upgraded the level of our annual defense talks and we've had an unprecedented level of senior engagement, not only the president's two visits to Vietnam since he's been president, but last year alone two visits from [former] Secretary of Defense [James] Mattis." On a different type of cooperation, Schriver said he's appreciative of Vietnam's willingness to allow access by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency Research and Investigation team for recovery operations of persons missing during the Vietnam War. Reasons for Strong Relationship Schriver said the U.S. and Vietnam share a common interest "in promoting a rules-based order, protection of sovereignty, individual rights of countries, no matter their size and our shared concern that there's a potential erosion of a rules-based order, one that has allowed all nations in the Indo-Pacific to rise and prosper. "We share a view that for the Indo-Pacific to continue to flourish, each nation in the region must be free to determine its own course within a system of values that ensures opportunities for even the smallest countries to thrive and be free from the predations of strong countries," he continued. "In short, for Vietnam, what we want is a strong, prosperous, independent Vietnam, nothing else." The predation to which Schriver referred is by China. "The region is increasingly confronted with a more assertive, confident China that is willing to accept friction in the pursuit of its interests," he said, citing China's militarization of islands in the South China Sea as an example. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address April 3, 2019 News By Jim Garamone Defense.gov Award to Korean Minister Highlights Strength of U.S.-South Korean Alliance FORT MYER, Va. -- The U.S.-South Korea alliance is strong, but defense officials will continue to work together to make it stronger yet, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said at an awards ceremony here yesterday. Marine Corps Gen. Joe Dunford presented the Legion of Merit to South Korean Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo and spoke with reporters about the crucial alliance. Before he became defense minister, Jeong was Dunford's counterpart, and the award the highest award the United States gives to foreign military leaders recognized his contributions in that position. Striking a Balance Jeong was chairman during a crucial time, as North Korea was testing nuclear weapons and developing the rockets needed to deliver those weapons. On the military side, the two allies had to "balance activity in the North and as we began to make some adjustments in support of the diplomatic initiatives to denuclearize the peninsula," Dunford said. Jeong is in Washington for talks with U.S. defense leaders. The key issues are preparing for operational control transfer to South Korea. The leaders are also discussing readiness, command and control improvements and assessing the threat from North Korea. Dunford said that both nations are comfortable with the readiness of the alliance to "fight tonight." Jeong thanked Dunford for the award, saying he was honored to receive it from an old friend. "Even as we speak right now, we have service members from the Korean military, as well as the United States Forces Korea, serving on the peninsula on the land, sea and air and making sure they keep the alliance strong and making sure they keep a robust defense posture on the peninsula," Jeong said through an interpreter. Exercises The alliance has shifted the exercise program and there has been concern over the readiness of forces on the peninsula. The first iteration of the new program has finished and Dunford said the results have been encouraging. "In all sincerity, we do not have any readiness concerns," the chairman said. "We are still focused on proficiency in the mission essential tasks associated with combined command and control." He noted that combined arms training at the unit level has remained unaffected. Dunford has a long history with Korea, first going to the nation for Exercise Team Spirit in 1980. The interoperability of forces, the advances made in working together and the agreement at policy levels "are all reflective of a very, very healthy alliance," the chairman said. Resilient Relationship There will always be "perturbations" on the political side of any alliance, he said. "But the military-to-military relationship I describe as a shock absorber, and it is remarkably resilient," Dunford said. South Korean and American forces are working together to modernize not only equipment, but procedures, doctrine and tactics. The two defense leaders look at the relationship long term. "It's important to look at our presence in Korea not just as a response to the DPRK, but our presence there is also supportive of the broader free and open Indo-Pacific," Dunford said. "Our alliance shares many more objectives than just defending South Korea from North Korean aggression." South Korea and the United States are nations with the same values and interests, and the alliance today -- while concentrating rightly on the North Korean threat is a foundation for that long-term relationship, the chairman said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NATO: good for Europe and good for America NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Address to the United States Congress by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg 03 Apr. 2019 (As delivered) Madam Speaker, Mr Vice President, Honourable members of the United States Congress, Ladies and gentlemen. I am really truly honoured and grateful for the privilege of addressing you all today. And to represent the 29 members of the NATO Alliance. 70 years ago, tomorrow, NATO's founding treaty was signed in this great city. On that day, President Truman said, "We hope to create a shield against aggression and the fear of aggression; a bulwark which will permit us to get on with the real business of government and society; the business of achieving a fuller and happier life for all our citizens." Our Alliance was created by people who had lived through two devastating world wars. They knew only too well the horror, the suffering, and the human and material cost of war. They were determined that this should never happen again. And they were also determined to stand up to the expansion of the Soviet Union. Which was taking control of its neighbours. Crushing democracies. And oppressing their people. So, they founded NATO. With a clear purpose. To preserve peace and to safeguard freedom. With an iron-clad commitment by all members of the Alliance to protect each other. They made a solemn promise. One for all and all for one. This commitment has served us well. Peace has been preserved. Freedom maintained. Yes, Allies have been involved in conflicts in different parts of the world. And Allies have suffered the pain of terrorist attacks. But no NATO Ally has been attacked by another country. The Cold War ended without a shot being fired in Europe. And we have experienced an unprecedented period of peace. So, the NATO alliance is not only the longest lasting alliance in history. It is the most successful alliance in history. Ever since the founding of our Alliance in 1949, every Congress, every American president, your men and women in uniform, and the people of the United States of America, have been staunch supporters of NATO. America has been the backbone of our Alliance. It has been fundamental to European security and for our freedom. We would not have the peaceful and prosperous Europe we see today without the sacrifice and commitment of the United States. For your enduring support, I thank you all today. So NATO has been good for Europe. And NATO has been good for the United States. The strength of a nation is not only measured by the size of its economy. Or the number of its soldiers. But also by the number of its friends. And through NATO, the United States has more friends and allies than any other power. This has made the United States stronger, safer, and more secure. Madam Speaker, Mr. Vice-President, It's good to have friends. Yesterday as I flew over the Atlantic, I looked out of my window at the ocean below. The great ocean that lies between our two continents. The Atlantic does not divide us. It unites us. It binds us together. And for Norwegians like me, the Atlantic Ocean defines who we are. Indeed, it was a Norseman, Leif Eriksen, who was the first European to reach American shores, almost a thousand years ago. A fact that more people would know if he had not left so quickly! And decided not to tell anyone about it! For adventurers like Leif Eriksen, the Atlantic Ocean was never a barrier. Rather, it was a great blue bridge to new lands and new possibilities. For millions of Europeans, it has been a bridge to freedom, sanctuary, and hope. My grandparents were among them. My mother was born in Patterson, New Jersey. And I lived part of my childhood in San Francisco. This has given me a deep sense of kinship with this wonderful country. A kinship that has only grown throughout my life. I remember well, during the Cold War, when I was a young conscript in the Norwegian army. Our forces were trained and equipped to hold the line. And Norway is actually bordering the Soviet Union in the Cold War. We knew that we could not take on the might of the Soviet Union alone. But we also knew that we were not alone. We knew that, if needed, our NATO Allies, led by the United States, would soon be there with us. We enjoyed a level of security that only our transatlantic Alliance could provide. So, thanks to NATO, as a young man during the Cold War I felt safe. And that says something about the strength of our Alliance. Madam Speaker, Mr Vice President, Members of Congress, At the entrance to the NATO headquarters in Belgium, there are two monuments. One, a piece of the Berlin Wall. Designed to keep people in and ideas out. It failed. It failed because the ideas and the values of those who built it were less compelling and less powerful than ours. Because we, as NATO, were resolute. We stood together and would not back down. The other monument is a twisted steel beam from the North Tower of the World Trade Centre. A memorial to the ordinary people going about their business on an ordinary day when the unthinkable happened. A memorial to the 2,977 people who lost their lives on 9/11. A reminder of how all NATO Allies stood with the United States in its hour of need. One monument is a symbol of freedom. The other a symbol of solidarity. Both are symbols of NATO. Who we are and what we stand for. What so many of our brave men and women have fought and sometimes died for. But not in vain. And not alone. The men and women of our armed forces have served together over the decades. This includes actually also many of you in this room, in this Congress, and in my delegation. I pay tribute to you and to all those who serve in the defence of freedom. There is no higher cause than freedom. And in these two monuments we see the challenges we have overcome as an Alliance. We deterred the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Stopped wars and atrocities in the Balkans. Fought terrorism from Afghanistan to the Middle East. Welcomed the newly free nations of Central and Eastern Europe into our Alliance - helping to spread democracy, peace and prosperity. And NATO's door remains open. This year the Republic of North Macedonia signed the accession protocol. And with your support, North Macedonia will soon become the thirtieth member of our Alliance. So, what started in 1949 with 12 members, has proven a powerful force for peace. An Alliance that others strive to join. Showing the historic success of NATO. But as you know, success in the past is not a guarantee of success in the future. We have to be frank Questions are being asked on both sides of the Atlantic about the strength of our partnership. And yes, there are differences. We are an Alliance of many different nations. With different geography, history and political parties. Republicans and Democrats. Conservatives and Labour. Independents, greens and many more. This is democracy. Open discussion and different views are not a sign of weakness. It is a sign of strength. So, we should not be surprised when we see differences between our countries. Today there are disagreements on issues such as trade, energy, climate change, and the Iran nuclear deal. These are serious issues and serious disagreements. But we should remember that we've had our disagreements before. The Suez Crisis in 1956. The French withdrawal from military cooperation in NATO in 1966. And the Iraq War in 2003, Which was strongly supported by some Allies. And equally strongly opposed by others. The strength of NATO is that despite our differences, we have always been able to unite around our core task. To defend each other. Protect each other. And to keep our people safe. We have overcome our disagreements in the past. And we must overcome our differences now. Because we will need our Alliance even more in the future. We face unprecedented challenges, challenges no one nation can face alone The global balance of power is shifting. The fight against terrorism is a generational fight. We have only just seen the beginning of the threats in cyber space. Artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and big data could change the nature of conflict more fundamentally than the Industrial Revolution. And we will need to continue to deal with a more assertive Russia. In 2014, Russia illegally annexed Crimea. The first time in Europe that one country had taken part of another by force since World War Two. We see a pattern of Russian behaviour. Including a massive military build-up from the Arctic to the Mediterranean and from the Black Sea to the Baltic. The use of a military-grade nerve agent in the United Kingdom. Support for Assad's murderous regime in Syria. Consistent cyber-attacks on NATO Allies and partners, targeting everything from Parliaments to power grids. Sophisticated disinformation campaigns. And attempts to interfere in democracy itself. NATO has responded with the biggest reinforcement of our collective defence in decades. For the first time, we have combat-ready troops deployed in the east of our Alliance. We have increased the readiness of our forces. Tripled the size of the NATO Response Force. Modernized our command structure. Bolstered our cyber defences. And we have stepped up support for our close partners, Georgia and Ukraine, sovereign nations with the sovereign right to choose their own path. We do all of this not to provoke a conflict. But to prevent a conflict. And to preserve the peace. Not to fight, but to deter. Not to attack, but to defend. There is no contradiction between deterrence, defence and dialogue. We do not want to isolate Russia. We strive for a better relationship with Russia. But even without a better relationship, we still need to manage a difficult one. So, we need to talk. And we do talk. To reduce risks, to avoid incidents, accidents and miscalculations. We also need dialogue in order to work for arms control. My generation was shaped by the deployment of thousands of nuclear missiles in Europe in the 1980s. Missiles capable of destroying our cities and killing millions of people in moments. Thanks to the vision and leadership of President Reagan and Premier Gorbachov, the INF Treaty put an end to all these weapons. But today, they are back. Russia has deployed new missiles in Europe. They are mobile. Hard to detect. Nuclear capable. Cut the warning time to just minutes. And reduce the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons in an armed conflict. NATO's position is united and clear Russia is in violation of the INF Treaty. There are no new American missiles in Europe. But there are new Russian missiles. I continue to call on Russia to return to compliance with the INF Treaty. But so far Russia has taken no steps to do so. And time is running out. We do not want a new arms race. We do not want a new Cold War. But we must not be naive. An agreement that is only respected by one side will not keep us safe. So we must also prepare for a world without the INF Treaty. We will be measured and coordinated. We will not mirror what Russia is doing. NATO has no intention of deploying land-based nuclear missiles in Europe. But NATO will always take the necessary steps to provide credible and effective deterrence. Madam Speaker, Mr Vice President, The fight against terrorism also demands our collective effort. The attacks on 9/11 made that clear. NATO's response to those attacks was swift. Within 24 hours, and for the first and only time in our history, we invoked Article 5 of the Washington Treaty. The collective defence clause, which states "an armed attack against one shall be considered an attack against them all". So, 9/11 was not only an attack against the United States. But against all NATO Allies. Within days, NATO aircraft were patrolling American skies. And in the wake of 9/11, NATO soldiers went to fight side-by-side in Afghanistan. To prevent that country from ever again becoming a safe haven for terrorists, who could attack us here at home. Over the years, hundreds of thousands of troops from Europe and Canada have served in Afghanistan. Over a thousand have paid the ultimate price. And many more have been seriously wounded. We honour their service and their sacrifice. NATO remains in Afghanistan today. To fight terrorism and to train Afghan forces. Our goal is not to stay there forever. We should not stay any longer than is necessary. We went in together. We will decide on our future presence together. And when the time comes, we will leave together. NATO fully supports the peace process. It must pave the way for Afghan reconciliation. There can only be peace, if Afghanistan stays free from international terrorists. And for peace to be sustainable it must build on our achievements. NATO has created the conditions for social and economic progress. Bringing education and human rights to women and girls. Their rights must be preserved. NATO is not only fighting terrorism in Afghanistan. We are also part of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS. The Coalition has made remarkable progress Once, ISIS controlled an area roughly the size of Virginia. And imposed their twisted ideology on millions. They beheaded people. Burned people alive. And traded women as sex slaves. We should never forget their brutality And thanks to American leadership and our collective efforts, we have stopped this brutality, and millions of people have been liberated. But our work is not done. That is why NATO is stepping up our training of Iraqi forces. So, they can better defend their country. And make sure that ISIS can never return. That is also why NATO supports our partners in the Middle East and North Africa. Helping them to build-up their intelligence services, border security, cyber security and special-operations forces. Training local forces and building local capacity are among the best weapons we have in the fight against terrorism. Prevention is better than intervention. Madam Speaker, Mr Vice-President, Some of you here today will have been directly affected by terrorism. You may have lost friends and loved ones. You know the reality of terrorism. I know it too. I was Prime Minister of Norway on the 22nd of July 2011. A date that will live in infamy in the history of my country. That day a terrorist detonated a bomb outside my office. Killing eight people and injuring many more. He then went to the island of Utya. Where young people were enjoying a summer camp. He killed a further 69 people. Most of them teenagers with their whole lives ahead of them. It was the darkest day in Norway since the Second World War. It was the darkest day of my life. Terrorism comes in many forms. Some perpetrators misuse religion. Others misuse political ideology. They claim to be different from each other, fighting for different causes. But they are all the same. They believe in hatred, violence, and killing innocent men, women and children. They are nothing more than cowards. Terrorists attack our freedom, our values and our way of life. Our answer must be more openness and more democracy. Our values will prevail. Freedom will prevail over oppression. Tolerance over intolerance. And love will always prevail over hate. I see this in the flowers laid outside the mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. I see this in the lives led by the young survivors of the attacks in Norway. And I see this in New York and Washington Two indomitable cities. Cities that were not intimidated. Not defeated. But which rose stronger than ever from the horror of that September morning. Madam Speaker, Mr Vice-President, NATO is a strong alliance. But to remain a strong alliance, NATO must be a fair alliance. In an ideal world, we would not need to spend any money on defence. But we do not live in an ideal world. Freedom has enemies, and they need to be deterred. And if deterrence fails, we need to fight. Hitler could not have been stopped with peaceful protest. Stalin could not have been deterred with words. ISIS could not have been defeated with dialogue. Future enemies of freedom may choose violence again. Our desire for a peaceful world is simply not enough. We must act and invest to make it so. NATO Allies must spend more on defence. This has been the clear message from President Trump. And this message is having a real impact. After years of reducing defence budgets. All Allies have stopped the cuts. And all Allies have increased their defence spending. Before they were cutting billions. Now they are adding billions. In just the last two years, European Allies and Canada have spent an additional 41 billion dollars on defence. By the end of next year, that figure will rise to one hundred billion. This is making NATO stronger. That money allows us to invest in the new capabilities our armed forces need. Including advanced fighter aircraft, attack helicopters, missile defence and surveillance drones. This is good for Europe, and it is good for America. America's NATO Allies provide important capabilities. Including tens of thousands of intelligence personnel and cyber experts. Giving the United States better eyes and ears where you need them, from tracking submarines in the Arctic to taking down the cyber network of ISIS. And Europe provides the US with a platform to project power around the world. Last year, I was in Fort Worth, Texas. I saw how industries from many NATO allies are working together to produce next generation strike-fighter aircraft. NATO has always had a technological edge. To keep that edge, we must innovate and capitalize on the ingenuity of our industries and our best minds. On both sides of the Atlantic. This will continue to provide us with advanced capabilities. And create jobs in the United States, Canada and Europe. So our transatlantic bond is not just about security. It is also about prosperity. It is not by chance that Article 2 of the Washington Treaty encourages economic collaboration between our nations. Europe and America have long been, by far, each other's largest trading partners. Creating millions of jobs on both sides of the Atlantic. Generating more than three billion dollars a day in trade. Injecting trillions of dollars into our economies. There is more wealth, greater health, better education and more happiness, thanks to the bond between our two continents. Madam Speaker, Mr. Vice-President, The ultimate expression of burden sharing is that we stand together. Fight together. And, sometimes, die together. I have visited Arlington National Cemetery to pay tribute to all those American soldiers who have given their lives. Many of them in defence of Europe. Two World Wars and the Cold War made it clear how important America is to the security of Europe. And equally, that peace and stability in Europe is important to the United States. Our Alliance has not lasted for seventy years out of a sense of nostalgia. Or of sentiment. NATO lasts because it is in the national interest of each and every one of our nations. Together, we represent almost one billion people. We are half of the world's economic might. And half of the world's military might. When we stand together, we are stronger than any potential challenger economically, politically and militarily. We need this collective strength. Because we will face new threats. And we have seen so many times before how difficult it is to predict the future. We were not able to predict the fall of the Berlin Wall. The 9/11 attacks. Or the rise of ISIS. Or Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea. Since we cannot foresee the future, we have to be prepared for the unforeseen. We need a strategy to deal with uncertainty. We have one. That strategy is NATO. A strong and agile NATO reduces risks. And enables us to deal with surprises when they happen. And they will happen. NATO is the most successful Alliance in history because we have always been able to change as the world changes. And because, despite our differences, we are united in our commitment to each other. NATO is an alliance of sovereign nations. United by democracy, liberty and the rule of law. By a person's right to live their life in the pursuit of happiness. Free from oppression. Values that lie at the heart of the United States. And at the heart of NATO. As President Eisenhower, NATO's first Supreme Allied Commander, said, "We are concerned not only with the protection of territory but with the defence of a way of life." Europe and North America are not separated by the Atlantic Ocean. We are united by it. And just like the Atlantic, NATO unites our continents. Our nations. And our people. It has done so for 70 years. And today we must do everything in our power to maintain that unity for future generations. Because come what may, We are stronger and safer when we stand together. Madam Speaker, Mr. Vice President, It is good to have friends. Thank you. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NATO Engages: the Alliance at 70 NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation 03 Apr. 2019 On the eve of the meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers in Washington D.C., a "NATO Engages" conference took place on Wednesday (3 April 2019) to discuss "the Alliance at 70". Addressing the conference, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg pointed to a "paradox": while questions are being asked about the strength of the transatlantic bond, Europe and North America are actually doing "more together than in many decades". Pointing to the "historic success" and enduring value of NATO, Mr. Stoltenberg also stressed the importance of Allied unity in addressing security challenges ranging from terrorism to a more assertive Russia. US Vice President Mike Pence provided a keynote address earlier in the day, and Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller opened the conference, pointing to the evolution and increased diversity of the Alliance over time. "NATO is evolving and NATO is adapting. And NATO looks a little bit different than it did on April 4th of 1949," she said. The "NATO Engages" format was launched during NATO's Brussels Summit in July 2018, and also featured at the Munich Security Conference in February 2019. It is the result of a successful partnership with the Atlantic Council, the German Marshall Fund, the Munich Security Conference, and other partners, to reach out to new audiences particularly women and young people. NATO's Foreign Ministers are meeting in Washington on Wednesday and Thursday (3-4 April 2019) to celebrate 70 years since the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty, and to ensure that NATO remains a modern Alliance fit for modern challenges. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump keeps pressing NATO members on defense spending People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 10:30, April 03, 2019 WASHINGTON, April 2 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump held talks with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the White House on Tuesday, during which he continued urging his European allies to increase military expenditure. Claiming that the United States is paying a "very big" and "disproportionate share," Trump told reporters during the meeting that the other NATO members are paying more on defense expenses but still not enough. "We've worked together on getting some of our allies to pay their fair share. It's called burden sharing ... they're catching up," said Trump. The U.S. president singled out Germany for not keeping up the pace. "They're not paying what they should be paying," he said. Trump also suggested NATO raise its 2-percent military expenditure benchmark to a higher standard. "At some point, I think it's going to have to go higher than that," he said. Stoltenberg, acknowledging Trump's "very strong leadership on burden sharing," pointed out that by the end of 2020, the 28 NATO members, apart from the United States, will have added 100 billion U.S. dollars into their defense budgets since Trump took office. Trump and Stoltenberg also discussed anti-terrorism, Russia and cyber threats during their talks, according to a statement released by the White House. Stoltenberg was in Washington to attend the two-day foreign ministerial talks to mark the security bloc's 70th anniversary. He was expected to address a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress on Wednesday. Trump has long been blaming the NATO countries that they have not met the 2-percent benchmark on military spending. NATO's European allies spent more on defense for a second consecutive year in 2017, but the majority of them still failed to meet the target of spending 2 percent of their GDP on defense. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 'In Guaido prosecution, Venezuela sitting on the fence' Iran Press TV Wed Apr 3, 2019 12:53PM The Venezuelan government faces the dilemma of prosecuting opposition leader Juan Guaido, who "essentially" serves as a symbol of US power in the Latin American country, says a commentator. In a ruling issued on Monday, Venezuela's Supreme Court Justice Maikel Moreno asked lawmakers to revoke the immunity that Guaido holds as a member of the National Assembly. Jason Unruhe, political commentator based in Ontario, told Press TV on Wednesday, that the government in Caracas had a hard time deciding whether to prosecute Guaido. "If they (Venezuelan authorities) do prosecute him, there will certainly be a significant amount of unrest," Unruhe said. "However, if they don't prosecute, they leave themselves open for more coup attempts in the future. They continue to let him be a symbol of essentially US power inside the country." In January, Guaido abruptly declared himself "interim president," disputing the outcome of the May 2018 election, which President Nicolas Maduro won. He has been accusing Maduro of "usurping power" and calling on him to step down. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address It was a bizarre twist to a story that has bubbled since May 2011, when the body of Timmothys mother, Amy Fry-Pitzen, was found in a Rockford motel. She had committed suicide, and her 6-year-old son, whom she had taken out of school three days earlier for a spree of zoo and water park visits, was nowhere to be found. Malaysia's ex-PM pleads not guilty as graft trial begins Iran Press TV Wed Apr 3, 2019 10:06AM Malaysia's former prime minister Najib Razak has pleaded not guilty to all charges against him at the first main hearing in a trial over an economic scandal that brought down his government last year. Najib pleaded not guilty to seven charges of corruption and money-laundering after arriving at the High Court in the capital, Kuala Lumpur, on Wednesday. The 65-year-old former leader is accused of having pocketed a staggering 681 million dollars from the sovereign wealth fund 1 Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), which he set up in 2009 to allegedly develop the country's economy. The hearing on Wednesday centered on charges related to three electronic transfers amounting to 10 million dollars from SRC International a former unit of the state fund 1MDB into Najib's personal bank account. According to the prosecutors' charge-sheet, Najib had "secured protection from disciplinary, civil or criminal action related to 1MDB" by directing for an audit report of the fund to be amended before it was finalized. "The accused is not above the law, and his prosecution and this trial should serve as precedents," said Attorney General Tommy Thomas. Najib, who is free on bail, has consistently denied any wrongdoing, describing the charges as politically motivated. 1MDB is the subject of money-laundering investigations in at least six countries, including the United States, Switzerland, and Singapore. Civil lawsuits have been filed by the US, saying billions of dollars were diverted from 1MDB by high-level officials of the fund and their associates. Najib was cleared of all wrongdoing while he was prime minister. But he and his wife, Rosmah Mansor, came under intense scrutiny in May 2018, when he was ousted from office in elections and when his 93-year-old former mentor, Mahathir Mohamad, was elected prime minister. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Venezuela's Guaido stripped of immunity, cleared for prosecution Iran Press TV Wed Apr 3, 2019 05:17AM Venezuela's opposition figure Juan Guaido has been stripped of his parliamentary immunity, in a move that paves the way for the government to arrest and prosecute him for declaring himself "interim president" of the country even though an elected government is in place. The National Constituent Assembly voted unanimously on Tuesday to approve a measure that strips Guaido of his immunity and authorizes the Supreme Court to criminally prosecute him for proclaiming himself the leader of the country. Guaido also violated a travel ban and could be prosecuted for that violation as well. "This formally authorizes the continuation of the trial (of Guaido)," said Constituent Assembly Chief Diosdado Cabello, referring to the measure. "Justice is necessary for the guarantee of peace." Guaido had parliamentary immunity as a member of the National Assembly, even though the opposition-held body was earlier dissolved. He plunged the country into political turmoil in January, when he suddenly declared himself "interim president," rejecting the outcome of the May 2018 election, which Maduro won. He has been accusing Maduro of "usurping power" and calling on him to step down. The assembly revoked Guaido's immunity a day after the Supreme Court called on the lawmakers to take action against him. Reacting in defiance, Guaido said on Tuesday that he would not back down from his attempt to overthrow Maduro's "cowardly, miserable and murderous" government. "We are not going to evade our responsibility," he said after the vote at the Constituent Assembly. "They thought this would be easy. But it won't be. If they want to move forward, they will have to assume the consequences." The administration of US President Donald Trump, which has recognized Guaido's self-proclamation as "interim president," has threatened Caracas with a strong response in an event of his arrest. Before the vote against Guaido was announced, US Republican Senator Marco Rubio accused the Venezuelan government of plotting a coup d'etat and trying to "abduct" Guaido. This is while Maduro assumed office after winning the presidential election. Guaido was unheard of until he unilaterally declared himself leader of Venezuela. Maduro has accused Washington of attempting a coup to overthrow his elected government and install its own "puppet" regime in the oil-rich Latin American country. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Left Out: Afghanistan Watches Its Own Peace Process From The Sidelines By Frud Bezhan April 03, 2019 When the United States' special representative for Afghan reconciliation arrived in Kabul this week amid ongoing peace talks with the Taliban, the country's national-unity government was in disarray. Zalmay Khalilzad met with the leaders of the government, President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, separately on April 1: Ghani with his running mate in the upcoming elections; and Abdullah, the de facto prime minister, with the country's foreign minister, an electoral ally. Meanwhile, Ghani's national-security adviser -- who is overseeing Kabul's ongoing war effort and recently had a much-publicized falling out with Washington -- was not in Kabul at all, but in the remote province of Nuristan. The developments, analysts say, highlighted stark divisions within the government in Kabul that have been laid bare as the United States and the Taliban carry on negotiations aimed at ending the nearly 18-year war. The Afghan government, with no seat at the table, has essentially been shut out of its own peace process, relegated to lame-duck status as Washington talks of a military withdrawal and presidential elections approach in September. Peace Requires Broader 'Buy-In' The Taliban has refused to negotiate with Ghani's administration, calling it a U.S. "puppet." Adding to the ignominy of being left out of the U.S.-Taliban negotiations in Qatar, some of the president's rivals held high-profile meetings with Taliban negotiators in Moscow in February. Those talks marked the most significant contact between senior Afghan political figures and the militant group since the U.S.-led invasion in 2001. The sides are expected to meet again this month. Meanwhile, Ghani has alienated much of the country's political elite, including influential ex-President Hamid Karzai and former warlords who attended the Moscow meeting, by failing to consult with them over the government's national peace plan and denying them a spot on the government's negotiating team. "The current isolation of the Afghan government from the peace process is the result of its own failed policies and internal divisions," says Haroun Mir, a Kabul-based political analyst. Ghani is expected to convene a consultative Loya Jirga, a traditional assembly of tribal, ethnic, and religious leaders, in the coming weeks to reach national consensus on peace talks with the Taliban. But is unclear who will be invited and whether he will actually carry out the gathering's suggestions. "Peace cannot be concluded by the executive office of the president or his appointees," says Barnett Rubin, a former U.S. State Department official and leading expert on Afghanistan. "It requires much broader participation and buy-in." His administration already considered by many Afghans to be weak and ineffective, Ghani's position and leverage have been further eroded as the clock winds down on his first term in office. While he will run in the upcoming elections -- postponed until September -- he is not expected to win. And there is a possibility that the vote could be canceled altogether in the event of a peace settlement and the formation of an interim government that the Taliban would join. The idea has been floated by Khalilzad and has been supported by the Taliban and Afghan opposition figures, although Ghani has rejected it. 'No Negotiations At All' The United States long refused to hold direct talks with the Taliban unless the Afghan government was involved. But that changed under President Donald Trump, who has expressed a desire to end the war and withdraw U.S. troops. One of the Taliban's conditions for negotiations was that the Afghan government not be involved, and while NATO has said it is "no way possible" to have a lasting peace without the full involvement of the Afghan government, the United States has been less declarative. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has stressed the need for the government to be involved, while Khalilzad has suggested that a formula for bringing the government into an Afghan-owned peace process was still being developed. "The choice the U.S. faced was between direct negotiations with the Taliban and no negotiations at all," Rubin says. "I am sure that the U.S. government would have much preferred direct Taliban-government talks or a trilateral format, but the Taliban refused." Khalilzad has held several rounds of talks with the Taliban, culminating in a draft agreement on two of the four core components of a settlement: a Taliban guarantee to prevent international terrorist groups from basing themselves in Afghanistan, and conditions for the withdrawal of U.S. forces. A cease-fire and intra-Afghan talks over a political settlement with the Taliban, which will likely be part of a new government, would involve the Afghan government, Khalilzad said. Significantly, Washington appears to view the Kabul government as one of three Afghan stakeholders in any political settlement, not the central player. Pompeo suggested as much when he said in February that the "Afghan government, other Afghan leaders, and the Taliban" needed "to sit together and negotiate a political settlement." Deal That 'Doesn't End In Peace' The Ghani administration's simmering anger at being left out the peace negotiations boiled over on March 14, when his national-security adviser, Hambullah Mohib, launched a blistering attack on Khalilzad. In remarks that stunned U.S. officials, Mohib said the U.S.-Taliban talks were "decreasing the legitimacy of the Afghan government" and suggested that Khalilzad had sidelined Afghan leaders because of his ambitions to be a "viceroy" in an interim government if the negotiations succeed. Reports in the U.S. media said U.S. officials had since ended contacts with Mohib, jeopardizing a key relationship at a time when Kabul is running out of time and friends. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/left-out- afghanistan-watches-its-own-peace-process -from-the-sidelines/29859400.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address In Speech To U.S. Congress, NATO Chief Criticizes Russia, Says Alliance Wants 'Effective Relations' By RFE/RL April 03, 2019 NATO's chief says the alliance faces threats from a "more assertive Russia," but also that the alliance is not seeking to isolate Moscow. Jens Stoltenberg made the comments on April 3 in a speech before a joint meeting of Congress -- the first time a NATO secretary-general has addressed the U.S. legislative body. In his speech, Stoltenberg criticized what he called a "more assertive Russia," and he called on Moscow to return to compliance with key Cold War-era arms-control treaties. "We do not want to isolate Russia, we strive for effective relations with Russia," he said. The treaty in question -- the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty -- is on the verge of collapse, after Washington earlier this year declared it was suspending compliance. The move followed years of U.S. accusations that Moscow had violated the treaty by testing, and later deploying, a missile that was prohibited under its restrictions. Moscow has denied the missile in question violates the treaty. "NATO has no intention of deploying land-based nuclear missiles in Europe. But NATO will always take the necessary steps to provide credible and effective deterrence," Stoltenberg said. "We do not want a new arms race. We do not want a new Cold War. But we must not be naive. An agreement that is only respected by one side will not keep us safe," he said. Stoltenberg's visit comes as foreign ministers from the alliance's 29 member countries are gathering in Washington to mark its 70th anniversary and discuss security threats, including Russia and Afghanistan. The gathering also comes amid persistent tensions with President Donald Trump about the how the alliance is funded. Trump has regularly complained that members are not sharing the alliance's financial burden fairly, something he raised again in a White House meeting with Stoltenberg a day earlier. "We are protecting countries that have taken advantage of the United States," Trump said. "The United States pays for a disproportionate share of NATO," he added. "We just want fairness." Stoltenberg appeared to support that argument, which is shared by some Republicans in Congress. "NATO is a strong alliance. But to remain a strong alliance, NATO must be a fair alliance," he said. "In an ideal world, we would not need to spend any money on defense. But we do not live in an ideal world." "Allies must spend more on defense. This has been the clear message from President Trump. And this message is having a real impact," he said. The United States is by far the largest contributor of funding to NATO, followed by Germany, Britain, and France. Spending by the 29 NATO countries, which dropped after the end of the Cold War, has in fact been on the rise since 2014 -- before Trump took office. After Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014, allies agreed to boost defense spending and "move toward" spending 2 percent of their GDP on defense by 2024. The United States spends 3.4 percent of its GDP on defense. Trump has singled out Germany, which recently announced plans to increase defense spending to 1.25 percent of its GDP by 2023 -- a revision of Chancellor Angela Merkel's pledge last year to hit 1.5 percent by 2024. Trump has also openly questioned the most important aspect of the alliance: that an attack on one member is considered an attack on all members. In his speech, Stoltenberg hailed what he said was the U.S. commitment to the alliance, saying it was indicative of the warm relations that Washington has historically had with European partners. "We have experienced an unprecedented period of peace. So the NATO alliance is not only the longest-lasting alliance in history, it is the most successful alliance in history," he said. "The strength of a nation is not only measured by the size of its economy or the number of its soldiers but also by the number of its friends," he said. NATO foreign ministers are scheduled to hold meetings at the State Department on April 4, with a first session focusing on Russia. They are expected to endorse a set of measures in the Black Sea to improve NATO's defenses in the region. The situation in Afghanistan as well as the demise of a landmark arms-control treaty that the United States and Russia signed in the last years of the Cold War, and NATO-member Turkey's decision to buy a Russian surface-to-air missile system, will also be on the agenda. The Russian system is not compatible with NATO systems and is considered a threat to U.S. F-35 aircraft. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/in-speech-to-us- congress-nato-chief-criticizes-russia-says-alliance- wants-effective-relations-/29859302.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN Court Denies Last-Ditch Appeal By Former Bosnian Serb Leader Karadzic April 03, 2019 A UN war crimes court in The Hague has denied a last-ditch appeal by former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic and said its ruling was final, likely closing the books on the decades-old case stemming from the 1990s Bosnian civil war. Tribunal judges on April 3 said that "there is no legal basis...for Karadzic to appeal the appeal," a ruling last month that upheld his 2016 conviction for genocide in the Srebrenica massacre and other atrocities during the civil war. On March 20, the court ruled against the 73-year-old Karadzic's appeals against his convictions of genocide and war crimes in Bosnia-Herzegovina during the 1990s. It also extended his 40-year sentence to life in prison and, at the time, said its ruling was final. Karadzic's lawyer then filed a last-ditch attempt to overturn his client's sentencing, arguing that Karadzic's latest effort "may be distinguishable since he seeks to appeal only his sentence" -- and not the verdict. The original case centered on Karadzic's role in the 1995 Srebrenica massacre, his orchestration of a nearly four-year siege of Sarajevo, and war crimes committed in 20 Bosnian municipalities for which Karadzic was convicted in 2016. The ruling was handed down by the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, a UN court that is dealing with cases left over from the now-defunct trial court, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. Based on reporting by AFP and TASS Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/un-court-denies -last-ditch-appeal-by-former-bosnian-serb- leader-karadzic/29859295.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.S. House Panel Votes To Subpoena Full Mueller Report, Additional Evidence April 03, 2019 The Democrat-controlled House Judiciary Committee has approved subpoenas to get the full, unedited report and other evidence related to Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russia's role in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. The committee voted 24-17 along party lines on April 3 to authorize Chairman Jerrold Nadler to issue subpoenas to the Justice Department for the final report. Included in the subpoenas would be any underlying evidence or materials prepared for the investigation by the special counsel. The action also authorized Nadler to subpoena documents and testimony from five former Trump aides, including ex-political adviser Steve Bannon and former White House Counsel Donald McGahn. Democrats in the House had given Attorney General William Barr until April 2 to provide the full report to Congress. The Justice Department did not meet the deadline. Barr told Nadler that an edited version of the 300-page report would be provided in mid-April, "if not sooner." Democrats have expressed concerns that Barr, recently appointed by President Donald Trump, would use redactions to cover up any evidence of wrongdoing by the president. "The Trump administration has an idea. They want to redact the Mueller report before they provide it to Congress," Nadler said. Mueller officially closed his investigation when he submitted the report on March 22. Barr then sent a four-page letter to Congress, detailing Mueller's "principal conclusions." Barr wrote that the special counsel did not find that the Trump presidential campaign coordinated or conspired with Russia to win the election and did not reach a conclusion on whether Trump obstructed justice. Based on reporting by AP and Reuters Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/us-house-panel -votes-to-subpoena-full-mueller-report- additional-evidence/29859444.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Venezuela's Opposition Leader Stripped Of Immunity, Could Face Prosecution April 03, 2019 Lawmakers loyal to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro have lifted opposition leader Juan Guaido's immunity and authorized his criminal prosecution by the Supreme Court. The move by the National Constituent Assembly paves the way for Guaido's potential arrest for allegedly violating the constitution when he declared himself interim president. Critics of the controversial two-year-old constituent assembly say it was created to rubber-stamp Maduro's decisions and sideline the Guaido-controlled National Assembly. The court requested that the rival assembly lift Guaido's immunity for usurping Maduro's powers after he declared himself interim president on January 23 -- a move which has been recognized by over 50 countries. Guaido had earlier voiced fears of being abducted by government agents following the court's request. The April 2 court ruling cited Guaido's violation of a ban on his travel outside Venezuela when he visited neighboring countries last month. Besides the political battle, Venezuela has been affected by three major blackouts in March, worsening already dire living and economic conditions in the country. Maduro's government has blamed "terrorists" for the alleged attacks that have damaged the country's main hydroelectric power plant. On March 31, Maduro announced 30 days of electricity rationing after his government said it was shortening the workday and keeping schools closed due to blackouts. Based on reporting by Reuters, AP, and AFP Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/venezuela-s- opposition-leader-stripped-of-immunity-could- face-prosecution/29858289.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address EU Warns Romania Over Rule-Of-Law Failures, Urges Reform By Rikard Jozwiak April 03, 2019 BRUSSELS -- A top European Commission official has warned Romania over problems with its judicial system and adherence to the rule of law while making clear that Brussels will act swiftly if Bucharest does not take real action toward reform. European Commission First Vice President Frans Timmermans said on April 3 that "Romania urgently needs to put the reform process back on track -- this means going forward, not backwards, and refraining from any steps which reverse the progress accomplished over the past years." He added: "I want to warn against any governmental action that would disrupt the Romanian judicial system by creating a systemic, de facto impunity for high office holders who were sentenced for corruption. Such a move would compel the commission to act swiftly." Timmermans noted he had spoken several times with Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila in the past two months and that the commission had handed more than 40 issues to her, warning that the EU needed results "urgently." "But I've always made clear that talking for the sake of talking will not be enough and concrete actions from the Romanian side will be needed and will be needed sooner rather than later," he said. Although not saying what steps Brussels was considering if Bucharest failed to act, a senior EU official confirmed to RFE/RL under condition of anonymity that "all options are on the table," including "infringement procedures" and launching Article 7 procedures similar to those leveled against Hungary and Poland -- a process that could lead to a country losing its voting rights in the bloc's council. The criticism from Brussels comes only a week after the commission spoke out against Bucharest's move to indict former anticorruption prosecutor Laura Koevesi on corruption charges, which prohibits her from traveling abroad without consent or working in her post at the Prosecutor-General's Office. It also bans her from speaking to the media. Koevesi, who is the front-runner to become the EU's first-ever antifraud prosecutor, ran Romania's anticorruption agency, known as DNA, until she was dismissed last year by the new leftist government for alleged abuse of power. Timmermans confirmed that he had raised the commission's concerns regarding Koevesi to Romanian officials. European Parliament President Antonio Tajani also stated in parliament on April 3 that Romanian officials should not "put in place obstacles" to Koevesi's candidacy for the position of EU chief prosecutor and that Koevesi "remains our candidate and continues to enjoy our respect and our support." Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/eu-warns -romania-over-rule-of-law-failures -urges-reform/29859111.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Kyrgyz President's Brother Quits Atambaev's Party Amid Split By RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service April 03, 2019 BISHKEK -- Asylbek Jeenbekov, a Kyrgyz lawmaker and brother of President Sooronbai Jeenbekov, has quit the Social Democratic Party (SDPK) chaired by former President Almazbek Atambaev. Jeenbekov announced his decision in parliament on April 3, saying the SDPK had turned into a party in which "one person's dictatorship is prevailing," a clear reference to Atambaev. "Today, the SDPK is failing to implement its mission because of internal intrigues. And there are attempts to get me involved in those intrigues. But I will not be involved in them," Jeenbekov said. Also on April 3, some 300 activists who created a splinter group within the party called SDPK Without Atambaev, held a gathering in Bishkek, which they called the SDPK's 8th Congress, at which they elected Sagynbek Abdrakhmanov as party leader. Meanwhile, the Atambaev-led SDPK announced earlier that the party's 8th Congress will be held on April 6. On March 18, Atambaev's SDPK announced it would join the opposition. The SDPK is the largest political party within the Central Asian nation's ruling coalition, which also comprises the Kyrgyzstan Party, Ata-Meken (Fatherland), and Onuguu-Progress. The party has been in crisis for a year after party members launched the SDPK Without Atambaev campaign in the wake of a rift between Atambaev and Sooronbai Jeenbekov, who was elected in October 2017 as an SDPK candidate. According to law, Sooronbai Jeenbekov suspended his membership in the SDPK after he was sworn in as president. On March 17, Atambaev issued a public apology for helping to bring Jeenbekov to power, likening his one-time ally to an autocrat. The SDPK deputy chairwoman, lawmaker Irina Karamushkina, said in February that Atambaev will lead the party's list of candidates for next year's parliamentary elections. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/kyrgyz- president-brother-jeenbekov-quits- atambaev-party-/29858798.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN chief pays tribute to Egypt's role in avoiding 'dramatic' escalation in conflict across the Gaza-Israel border 3 April 2019 - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has paid tribute to the role played by Egypt in helping to avoid a "dramatic" escalation of violence in Gaza over recent months, as tensions grew over Palestinian protests at the border, Hamas rocket attacks, and reprisal airstrikes by Israel. At a press conference held in Cairo on Wednesday, Mr. Guterres said that Egypt was a "fundamental partner for the UN in relation to peace and security in the region," and described the UN's cooperation with Egypt as an essential aspect of the Organization's work. As well as avoiding escalation in the Gaza Strip, Mr. Guterres said that Egypt's commitment has created the conditions for more effective humanitarian aid to the region, and is playing an 'integral part" in forging unity between the two main Palestinian factions the extremist group Hamas, which controls Gaza, and Fatah, which runs the Palestinian National Authority, in the occupied West Bank. Last week, as Palestinian protesters prepared to mark the anniversary of the "Great March of Return" demonstrations along the border fence with Israel, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Nickolay Mladenov, updated the Security Council on the UN's efforts along with Egypt, to mediate between Hamas and Israel in order to quell rocket attacks and airstrikes. The UN chief who arrived in the region at the weekend, addressing the Arab League in Tunis - said that everything must be done to guarantee that there will be two States side-by-side, Palestine and Israel, living together in peace and security, adding that Egypt and the UN see "eye to eye" on this issue, and that the UN will continue working with Egypt to achieve that objective. Mr. Guterres also discussed the situation in war-ridden Yemen and Syria with members of the Government during his visit to Egypt, and he said that he believed both parties agree on what needs to be done for a lasting political solution to the conflicts in both countries. UN chief arrives in Libya, in pursuit of peace, stability The Secretary-General travelled from Egypt to Libya, where he will lend support to "a Libyan-led political process" and the creation of the conditions to stabilize the situation in the country, whose institutions (the Libyan National Parliament, the Presidential Council, the Government and the National Security Council) must, said Mr. Guterres, be unified. Recent talks between the Prime Minister of the Libyan Unity Government, Faiez Serraj, and the de-facto ruler of eastern Libya Khalifa Haftar, Commander of the Libyan National Army, could pave the way to the country becoming a full partner in the international community, said the UN chief, with "normal institutions, and with its economy flourishing again, and with the international cooperation to benefit the whole region." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Kokoraleis took a bus and train to get from Illinois River Correctional Center in Canton to Chicago early Friday morning, traveling with only a small bag of personal items, including a sleep apnea machine, and $15 in his pocket. His brother Nicky, who had not corresponded with him in the entire 36 years of his incarceration, he says, picked him up. And he used a cellphone for the first time to talk to his sister, now living in Tennessee, who had corresponded with him on and off while he was in prison. UN chief commends Algerians for 'mature and calm' demonstrations for change, leading up to presidential resignation 3 April 2019 - In the wake of the resignation in Algeria of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, the UN Secretary-General on Wednesday saluted "the mature and calm nature" of protests involving hundreds of thousands of citizens who took to the streets peacefully in recent weeks, to express "their desire for change." In a statement issued by his Spokesperson, Antonio Guterres took note of the 82-year-old president's decision to resign, after 20 years in power. Mr. Bouteflika announced in late February, that he would seek a fifth term in office, despite rarely being seen in public since suffering a stroke, in 2013. Several days ago, the wheelchair-bound leader reportedly reversed his decision, after weeks of peaceful protests in which hundreds-of-thousands of Algerians took to the streets, calling for him to go, and for others in the political elite to step down. "The Secretary-General salutes the mature and calm nature in which the Algerian people have been expressing their desire for change", said the statement from Mr. Guterres. "He looks forward to a peaceful and democratic transition process that reflects the wishes of the Algerian people." National elections are sheduled for the end of this month. In the capital, Algiers, on Tuesday night, tens-of-thousands took to the streets in celebration at the news, which Mr. Bouteflika delivered to the nation, via a live television broadcast. A few hours earlier, the chief of the Algeria's armed forces, had called on him to leave office immediately, declaring him incapable of carrying out his duties, according to news reports. "The Secretary-General reiterates the United Nations' continued commitment to supporting Algeria in its process of democratic transition", the statement concluded. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Haiti stands 'at the crossroads' between peacekeeping, development Bachelet urges strengthened 'human rights protection' 3 April 2019 - With the end of the UN's peacekeeping presence in Haiti in sight, the UN's human rights chief told the Security Council on Wednesday that the country now stands "at the crossroads between peacekeeping and development", urging all concerned parties to continue building on progress made, or "risk losing it" altogether. While encouraged by civil society's engagement in promoting and protecting human rights, along with the victims of human rights violations, Michelle Bachelet acknowledged that "it has not been able to fully assumea monitoring and advocacy role." She noted that some civil society organizations continue to be targeted by acts of intimidation saying that it "must stop", urging everyone with a stake in the Caribbean nation's future, "to work together to strengthen the human rights protection system". Calling Haiti's return to constitutional order, following presidential, legislative and local elections in 2017, "a significant achievement", Ms. Bachelet added that standing "at the crossroads" between peacekeeping and development, "we must recognize the progress accomplished", and "also continue building on it, or risk losing it". The High Commissioner encouraged the Council to provide Haitians with "the necessary support to strengthen institutions, fight against impunity and promote and protect human rights as a foundation to stability and development". She said that February's protests - "the longest and most violent" in years, had "almost entirely paralysed the country", despite significant improvements in the professionalism of the UN-supported National Police, incidents of serious human rights violations, including cases of summary executions, continue to be reported, with limited accountability. "Perpetrators are consequently emboldened and silenced victims may develop grievances," she added. The weakness of the judicial system also has a negative impact on the prisons system she noted, with over 75 per cent of inmates estimated to be in a pre-trial detention on average for 1,100 days well over the limit set by national law." She also informed the Chamber that after the current Mission for Justice Support, MINUJUSTH concludes, her office intends to pursue its work in the country, and eventually, with the support of the Council and Member States, "a stand-alone presence". "We want to remain engaged and to support Haiti's commitment to achieving democratic and economic development so that the rights of all people in Haiti are upheld", stressed the High Commissioner. UN-Haiti partnership 'must evolve' says Peacekeeping chief As the second leg of the March-April "joint presidencies" of France and Germany continues, Security Council President and Germany's Ambassador Christoph Heusgen, invited the UN peacekeeping chief to take the floor. Jean Pierre Lacroix, pointed out that no violent demonstrations have occurred since "the ten days of unrest" from 7 to 15 February, when 41 people were killed, another 100 injured, and human rights largely abused. Noting that repeated calls by opposition groups demanding that President Jovenel Moise resign has "gained little traction", he observed nevertheless that "rival gang clashes, potentially mirroring conflicting interests linked to criminality", continued to disrupt life in southern neighborhoods of the capital Port-au-Prince and produce isolated incidents in the North and Artibonite regions. The peacekeeping chief "strongly" condemned an armed attack just last week against the Chilean Ambassador's convoy, while he visited the Croix de Bouquets NGO project just outside the capital, that left one dead and three injured but assured the Council that the National Police "continued to demonstrate its capacity to handle security threats in the country". "The strategic five-year development plan for the Haitian National Police for 2017-2021 is on track" he said, adding that his department supported "the desire of Haitian leaders to put an end to peacekeeping in Haiti and have the MINUJUSTH mandate end in October of this year". "Partnership between the UN and Haiti must evolve" and "remain strong and rooted in our ongoing commitment towards achieving democratic progress", he concluded. Women and girls challenge development Loune Viaud, Executive Director of NGO Zanmi Lasante, Partners in Health's sister organization in Haiti and a recipient of a "Women of the Year" award from Ms. Magazine, also briefed the Council. She spoke of gender-based violence and the lack of access to women's health care as "one of the country's greatest challenges to development", encouraging the Council to view it as part of "reinforcing the relationship between sustainable development and peace and security". Moreover, Ms. Viaud urged the Council during the UN's Mission reconfiguration, to support "the urgent humanitarian needs of women and girls"; and call for Haiti to create "greater legal protection" for them, including "a comprehensive law on gender-based violence". NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Air Force Reserve expands hiring authority to recruit, maintain readiness (Infographic courtesy of Direct Hiring Authority) (Infographic courtesy of Direct Hiring Authority) By Tyler Grimes, Air Force Reserve Command Public Affairs / Published April 03, 2019 ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. (AFNS) -- To meet the needs of America's national security requirements, the Air Force Reserve Command is expanding the direct hiring authority to recruit Air Reserve Technician maintenance personnel when and where they are needed. "Direct Hire Authority enables DoD to recruit and appoint qualified persons directly without applying competitive rating and ranking procedures," states a Nov. 27, 2018, Department of Defense letter. Lisa Armes, AFRC's Directorate of Manpower, Personnel and Services, chief affirmative employment staffing, known as A1, explains that DHA makes filling open positions faster and easier. "Feedback from our units indicates there are traditional Reservists interested in applying for ART positions, but might not make the referral certificate due to lack of deployment or other experience-based issues," Armes said. "DHA allows the hiring official to make selections without the need of a referral certificate and thus opens up the ART opportunities to qualified traditional Reservists more easily." With approximately 1,600 vacancies across the maintenance career fields, using DHA is a great way to reduce that large number, according to Armes. Additionally, Armes said it takes between 160 to 200 days on average to fill an ART position. However, DHA enables hiring officials to bring someone on board in a much shorter time period. "One unit submitted their first DHA package and their applicant received a tentative job offer within 14 days," she said. "Another unit's submission had a tentative job offer in six business days. If units are hiring their experienced traditional Reservists, this is happening in 60 to 80 days as compared to the previous 160 to 200 days." In order for the Air Force Personnel Center to adjust to the new DHA workload, units were selected to have DHA priority until April 30. The list consists of maintenance units at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, Nellis AFB, Nevada, Naval Air Station Joint Base Fort Worth, Texas, Hill AFB, Utah, Homestead Air Reserve Base, Florida, Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, Pittsburgh Air Reserve Station, Pennsylvania, Beale AFB, California, Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, March ARB, California and Grissom ARB, Indiana. These units were selected based on a combination of factors, including manning rates. After April 30, all units will have equal priority in submitting and processing their packages through the hiring system. This priority only applies to maintenance DHA. It does not apply to ART officer recruitment or ART enlisted recruitment that is not covered by the maintenance DHA. Maj. Monica Lombardo, AFRC's Directorate of Logistics, Engineering and Force Protection chief of maintenance force management, known as A4, says the new DHA flexibility is not just good for the maintenance but also good for the entire Reserve enterprise and the mission. "Really, this policy is not just a good thing for A4, since hiring more maintainers enables increased aircraft availability and mission capable rates," Lombardo said. "More flyable aircraft translates to more pilot training and combat readiness on the operational side." Lombardo said the feedback from the Reserve units has been very positive about DHA. One reason the DHA implementation has been so successful, she says, is unit leadership involvement and collaboration with AFRC A1. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NATO Chief Warns US Congress of 'More Assertive Russia' By Ken Bredemeier April 03, 2019 WASHINGTONNATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg warned the U.S. Congress Wednesday of the threat of a "more assertive Russia," saying that the West's key military alliance is not looking to start a new Cold War with Moscow but needs to deter its military aggression. In an unprecedented address to a joint session of Congress on the 70th anniversary of NATO's creation at the end of World War II, Stoltenberg also said the 29-nation North Atlantic Treaty Organization "has no intention of deploying land-based nuclear missiles in Europe." He accused Russia of violating the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, which the U.S. says it is leaving because of Russian violations - a claim Russia has denied. "We do not want to isolate Russia. We strive for a better relationship with Russia," Stoltenberg said. "But even with a better relationship, we still need to manage a difficult one." He said, "NATO will always take the necessary steps to provide credible and effective deterrence." Stoltenberg called on NATO allies to spend more on defense, to meet the Western alliance's goal of each country spending at least 2 percent of the size of its national economy on defense by 2024, a standard only eight NATO countries currently meet. Stoltenberg credited U.S. President Donald Trump, who once called NATO "obsolete," with pushing NATO countries to increase their defense spending and said, "It has had a real impact." A two-time Norwegian prime minister, Stoltenberg acknowledged differences among the NATO countries on trade, energy, climate change and other issues, but said, "This is democracy. It's not a sign of weakness. It is a sign of strength." House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell invited the NATO leader to speak to members of the Democratic-controlled House and the Republican-controlled Senate to show bipartisan support from lawmakers in spite of Trump's ongoing criticism of NATO. 'Far from obsolete' As foreign ministers of NATO gather in Washington, foreign policy analysts - and Stoltenberg in his address to Congress - are emphasizing it is one of the most successful military alliances in history and still relevant. "NATO is adapting and allies are spending more on defense," Mark Simakovsky of the Atlantic Council told VOA. "And I think this (Trump) administration is understanding more and more how critical NATO is to some of the challenges that it faces, including China. So, in many ways, NATO is far from obsolete." Trump's criticism that NATO members aren't spending the required 2 percent target, as well as political upheaval in Europe - including the impending British exit from the European Union - and calls by some to kick Turkey out of NATO, can leave the impression, however, that the defense alliance is fracturing. "I don't think that's the case. The alliance is strong," Estonian Defense Minister Juri Luik told VOA, pointing to increased political dialogues and military exercises among NATO's members, as well as more U.S. military equipment and troops being brought to Europe. "You're not giving the money to somebody else. You're not putting it into a NATO budget somewhere; you're spending it on yourselves," says McCain Institute executive director Kurt Volker, who formerly served as U.S. ambassador to NATO. "But it is a demonstration of your commitment to your own security, which then gives NATO the confidence that this is a country that we can help defend as well, because they are committed to defense of their own territory." Trump took credit Tuesday for pushing other NATO countries to spend more on defense, but criticized Germany, Europe's biggest economic power, for not doing more. Berlin now plans to spend 1.5 percent by 2024, missing the 2 percent NATO target. Damaged trust Others agree that defense spending is important, but they say the alliance is fundamentally about the members' ability to trust each other, and that Trump has damaged that trust. "When an American president questions the value of the alliance, our enemies in Moscow and Beijing are now questioning whether or not NATO would come to the defense of some smaller NATO nations that the president has criticized as maybe not worthy of NATO's defense," says Simakovsky, a former Europe/NATO chief of staff in the policy office of the U.S. secretary of defense. "But I don't think at this summit the administration is going to be announcing any departure of the United States." Brooking Institution's Robert Kagan is expressing concern that Trump's attitude toward the European Union and expressed hostility toward the defense alliance could bring more chaos to the continent. "Think of Europe today as an unexploded bomb, its detonator intact and functional, its explosives still live. If this is an apt analogy, then Trump is a child with a hammer, gleefully and heedlessly pounding away. What could go wrong?" writes Kagan in a coming issue of Foreign Affairs magazine. Steve Herman, Cindy Saine and Valeria Jegisman contributed to this report. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Senate Drafts Plan to Help Restore Democracy to Venezuela By VOA News April 03, 2019 The U.S. Senate has drafted a plan aimed at helping bring back democracy to Venezuela through economic aid and pushing U.S. allies to impose sanctions on the Maduro regime. Eight Republicans and seven Democrats are co-sponsors of the Verdad Act Venezuela Emergency Relief Democracy and Development. Democrat Bob Menendez of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said the proposal is a bipartisan effort "to put teeth behind our support for the Venezuelan people as they seek to restore democracy and prosperity ... and end the nightmare that has been the Maduro reign of terror." The act calls for a "peaceful diplomatic solution" in Venezuela while authorizing the Trump administration to spend another $400 million in humanitarian aid. It also requires the State Department to work with Latin and European allies to impose their own sanctions on the Maduro regime. The U.S. would lift sanctions against Venezuelan officials not accused of human rights abuses if they recognize opposition leader Juan Guaido as interim president. The U.S. would then work with global financial institutions to rebuild the Venezuelan economy after the Maduro regime falls. Other co-sponsors of the act call Maduro's government "Illegitimate" and a "gang of narco-terrorist thugs holding the Venezuelan people hostage." The Trump administration announced its own plans for revitalizing the disastrous Venezuelan economy once Maduro is gone, including cash contributions to citizens and food. Earlier Wednesday, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza accused Guaido of violating the country's constitution and called on the judiciary to take action. It was Guaido who said, as leader of the Venezuelan National Assembly, he has the constitutional authority to declare Maduro's presidency illegitimate, claiming he won a second term in December through a rigged election. Lawmakers loyal to Maduro have stripped Guaido of the immunity from prosecution he enjoyed as a member of parliament, putting him at the risk of arrest. The chief justice of the Venezuelan Supreme Court has said Guaido should be jailed for violating a court-imposed ban on leaving the country. Guaido visited several South American countries last month to seek support for his efforts to force Maduro to step down. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Mozambique's Cyclone Survivors Face Rising Threat of Cholera By Mohammed Yusuf April 03, 2019 Mozambique health officials are in a rush to stop the spread of the cholera, which has claimed the lives of at least two people in the port city of Beira and made more than 1,000 others ill. Marcelo Sangolane, 40, is one of the hundreds of Mozambicans who lined up Wednesday to get a cholera vaccination in Beira. He said what he knows about cholera is that it's a deadly disease. If it spreads, it kills many people. "I have to be here in line to prevent myself from getting cholera," Marcelo told VOA. Mozambican officials and relief agencies have launched a seven-day campaign in four districts in the country's center to combat the spread of cholera. The bacterial disease broke out after the cyclone's heavy winds and rains flooded sewers, spreading dirty water. Cyclone survivor Aida Franciso is leaving nothing to chance. She said she was in line because she fears cholera is a disease that kills within 24 hours. That's why she's was to get the vaccination, Franciso told VOA. Lucia Luis Francisco, a displaced mother in her 50s, was also lined-up for one of 900,000 cholera vaccine doses sent to Mozambique. She said she wants to be clean and healthy because cholera kills people. According to Maria Matsine, Mozambique's deputy health director, the government, with the help of medical aid agencies, has also set up centers to treat and isolate those infected. "We will stop the outbreak, we will save lives, we will save people from getting sick, and we believe that if they don't become sick, they will have good health. So, it will help them, and they will be able to continue doing reconstruction," Matsine said. Cholera causes severe diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration and death if left untreated. For survivors of Cyclone Idai it's yet another challenge to face before relief can turn to recovery. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Solomon Islands Head to Polls By Phil Mercer April 03, 2019 Solomon Islanders are heading to the polls Wednesday surrounded by tight security amid fears of electoral interference. The Melanesian archipelago was part of an 'arc of insecurity' around northeastern Australia following ethnic violence, rampant crime and failing government in the early 2000s. In 2003, Australia led a multinational peacekeeping effort that restored democracy to the Solomon Islands. The mission officially ended in 2017, and Australia has sent troops to monitor Wednesday's poll. In a land of rugged mountains and active volcanoes, the Solomon Islands election is a huge logistical challenge. Australian military helicopters have delivered ballot papers to remote parts of the South Pacific archipelago. There are concerns over alleged vote buying on so-called Devil's Night that falls the day before the election. Anti-corruption group Transparency Solomon Islands said that vote buying had "now become a common aspect of elections" in the Solomon Islands. Solomon Islands' police commissioner Matthew Varley is urging voters to respect democracy. "People talk about Devil's Night. My question is 'how much is your vote worth, how much is your voice worth?' Because this is what a person's vote is it is their right to choose the leaders of this nation, and if we are going to sell our vote for $200 or a bag of rice then I think we can do better than that," he said. International diplomacy is also a feature of the election. The Solomon Islands is Taiwan's biggest ally in the South Pacific, but the caretaker Prime Minister, Rick Hou, has promised to review diplomatic ties with Taipei if re-elected, while downplaying fears it would mean a switch to China. There is, however, speculation that the Solomon Islands could affirm its diplomatic allegiance to China, which is a key trading partner, although such a move is denied by the archipelago's leading political parties. Fifteen parties are contesting the election. More than 330 candidates are competing for 50 seats in parliament. National issues, such as health care and infrastructure, will dominate the poll. This voter is supporting her local lawmaker. "I mean in our constituency he has helped. For example, lots of old people,people have engines, he has helped build main roads, trucks. He is the one who has helped people," she said. The Solomon Islands is an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean that lies to the north-east of Australia. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Remarks by Vice President Pence at NATO Engages: The Alliance at 70 April 3, 2019 The Anthem Washington, D.C. 1:43 P.M. EDT THE VICE PRESIDENT: Well, thank you all. Thank you for that warm welcome. And Ambassador Kay Bailey Hutchison has been saying "yes" to America for a long time. Would you join me in thanking the permanent representative to NATO for her extraordinary service to the United States of America and those overly generous words? (Applause.) To the Ambassador, to General Jones, your excellences, to all of you who support and uphold the transatlantic alliance every day. It's a great privilege for me to be here on behalf of the 45th President of the United States of America, President Donald Trump, to join the Atlantic Council, the German Marshall Fund, and the Munich Security Conference as we mark the 70th anniversary of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The alliance at 70 has never been stronger. (Applause.) We gather today at a historic time. Tomorrow marks 70 years since the United States and 11 of our allies, in this very city, signed the North Atlantic Treaty and committed ourselves to "safeguard the freedom, common heritage and civilisation of [our] peoples." A heritage "founded on the principles of democracy, individual liberty and the rule of law." In the 70 years since, the United States has kept our commitments and we've urged European allies to do the same all along the way. And as President Trump said yesterday when he met Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in the Oval Office, in the last two years, in his words, "Tremendous progress has been made, and NATO is much stronger" because of the progress we have made together. (Applause.) With the support of strong bipartisan majorities in the United States Congress, President Trump has taken decisive action to make the strongest military in the history of the world stronger still. We've enacted the largest investment in our national defense since the days of Ronald Reagan. We released a National Security Strategy advancing peace through strength. At the President's direction, we initiated the modernization of our nuclear arsenal and, in January of this year, unveiled our nation's new strategy for missile defense. A strong military, of course, depends on a strong economy in all the nations of this alliance. And under this President, in the United States we've taken decisive action to strengthen the American economy. We've enacted the largest tax cuts and tax reform in American history, rolled back regulation at a record pace, forged reciprocal trade deals, and unleashed American energy as never before. The results in our country have truly been remarkable. In just two years, I'm proud to report, the United States has seen businesses large and small create 5.3 million new jobs. Our unemployment rate has reached its lowest level in nearly 50 years. Our stock market is soaring. We're the largest producer of oil and natural gas in the world. And there's more Americans working today than ever before in our nation's history. With that renewed American strength, our transatlantic alliance is being defended and being renewed every day. (Applause.) Together with our NATO partners, we created the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force to prepare combat-ready battlegroups to be able to move into the Baltics and Poland within days. We began the Four Thirties initiative, which, by 2020, aims to ready 30 mechanized battalions, 30 air squadrons, 30 warships for deployment within 30 days. To ensure the swift movement of our troops, we are creating new NATO commands in Virginia and Ulm, Germany. And Norfolk, Virginia, is the proud new home of NATO's focus on the future, the Allied Command Transformation Center, which is tasked with assessing the latest global trends and devising the ability to meet them and match them. And just last fall, NATO conducted its biggest joint exercise since the end of the Cold War: Trident Juncture. You know, NATO is stronger today because of the support of all of our allies. As he was leaving the podium just a few short minutes ago, Secretary General Stoltenberg reached up to me at the end of his speech, took my hand, and said, "I said NATO was stronger." And I said, "Yes, you did." And the truth is, NATO today because of the commitment of our allies but also because of the resolute American leadership of President Donald Trump and our transatlantic alliance has made remarkable progress for our collective security under that leadership. Think about it: We've taken the fight to radical Islamist terrorists on our terms, on their soil. In Iraq and Syria, President Trump gave American commanders in the field the authority they needed to hit ISIS and drive them back. And thanks to the courage of our armed forces and the efforts of our 78 coalition partners, the ISIS caliphate is no more. (Applause.) Beyond the Middle East, in the fall of 2017, President Trump announced our South Asia strategy. And with a renewed commitment of United States Armed Forces and our NATO Allies, we've taken the fight with renewed vigor to the Taliban, al Qaeda, ISIS Khorasan, and other Islamist extremist groups in Afghanistan. And thanks to their courageous efforts and sacrifice, we are now talking to the Taliban about a future settlement that will ensure that Afghanistan is never again used by terrorists to launch an attack against the United States, our allies, or any sovereign nation in the world. Under President Donald Trump, I promise you, the United States will seize every opportunity to achieve peace. But we will approach every challenge to our transatlantic alliance with strength. Under President Trump's leadership, we've been holding Russia accountable for its attempts to redraw international borders by force, approving the largest provision of defense weapons to Ukraine in years. The United States also expelled 60 diplomats following a chemical weapons attack on a Russian exile on British soil, and most of our allies did the same in a clear statement of resolve against such violence. And after years of Russian violations of our decades-old treaty, the United States, with the unanimous support of our NATO Allies, announced plans to withdraw from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. Last December, NATO declared that Russia had developed and fielded a missile system that poses significant risks to NATO members and was in direct violation of its commitments under the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. At the urging of our NATO Allies, America remained open to an ongoing dialogue with Russia in the hopes that she could see her way clear to full INF compliance. But Russia refused to live up to its own treaty obligations refused to respond to the concerns of the United States and our Allies in NATO. And today, Russia continues to refuse to dismantle its non-compliant new missile systems. In response to Russia's material breach, President Trump made the decision in fact, had no choice but to provide the requisite six-month written notice to treaty parties of our intention to withdraw under Article XV of the INF Treaty. The United States was forced to take this action due to the significant risk posed to NATO member states by Russia's covert testing, production, and deployment of non-INF compliant ground-launched cruise missile systems. Unless Russia honors its INF Treaty obligations and agrees to the verifiable destruction of all the violating missile systems, Russia will bear the sole responsibility for America's withdrawal within the next six months. (Applause.) Now, while President Trump remains open to effective international arms control, disarmament, non-proliferation, the United States will no longer agree to any measure or any treaties that force unilateral disarmament on us or our allies. (Applause.) Now, the United States is grateful for NATO's readiness to take all necessary steps to ensure the credibility and effectiveness of our great alliance's deterrence and defense posture. And so we've been making historic investments in our national defense and in NATO. The truth is, America is leading on the world stage once again. But, you know, part of leadership is being as good as your word and holding your friends to their word. In 2014, at the NATO summit in Wales, all of our allies agreed, of their own accord, to spend at least 2 percent of their GDP on defense. The United States has done all that and more well more than our fair share. We make up more than two-thirds of NATO members' combined defense budgets. In 2017, at the NATO Summit, President Trump was very direct with members of our alliance when he called on NATO members to, in his words, "contribute their fair share and meet their financial obligations." He pointed out, at the time, that "23 of the 28 member nations [were] still not paying what they should be paying and what they're supposed to be paying for [our common] defense." As the President said then, this is not fair to the American people or the United States of America. In fact, President Trump was hardly the first American President to make this point. In 1963, President John F. Kennedy said, and I quote, "We cannot continue to pay for the military protection of Europe while NATO states are not paying their fair share." President Kennedy went on to say, "We have been very generous to Europe and it is now time for us to look out for ourselves." Now, we're aware that the President's strong leadership has caused consternation among some in our alliance. I recall meeting with the prime minister of one of our member nations, during our first year in office. He expressed his concern, and he told me how important it was that America remained the leader of the free world. And I told him what I tell you now: That when President Donald Trump calls on our NATO Allies to live up to their word, to live up to the commitments that they've made to our common defense, that's what we call being "leader of the free world." (Applause.) Even two of NATO's strongest defenders both former ambassadors to NATO under the last two administrations wrote in today's Washington Post, and I quote, "Low European defense spending is indeed a problem for NATO's future." And they're right. The good news is, at President Trump's urging, our NATO Allies have stepped up, have already promised $100 billion more in additional defense spending, and more of our NATO Allies are meeting the 2 percent commitment. The majority of NATO members now have plans in place to meet their financial obligations by 2024. As the Secretary General said just hours ago before Congress, President Trump's leadership on burden sharing is "having a real impact" to the benefit of NATO and the free world. (Applause.) And so, more of our allies are now meeting their commitments, but still too many others are falling short. And as we all acknowledge, Germany is chief among them. Germany is Europe's largest and healthiest economy. It's a leading global exporter and has benefitted from U.S. protection of Europe for generations. But last year's annual report to parliament on the state of the German armed forces revealed glaring deficiencies in Germany's military readiness. And yet, as we stand here today, Germany still refuses to make the necessary investment of 2 percent of its GDP to our common defense. After great prodding, it agreed to spend only 1.5 percent of its GDP on defense by 2024. But the draft budget for 2019 just presented to the German parliament actually falls short of even that commitment, promising only 1.3 percent. Germany must do more. And we cannot ensure the defense of the West if our allies grow dependent on the Russia. If Germany persists in building the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, as President Trump has said, it could turn Germany's economy into literally a "captive of Russia." It is simply unacceptable for Europe's largest economy to continue to ignore the threat of Russian aggression and neglect its own self-defense and our common defense at such a level. And it's also wrong for Germany to allow itself to become energy dependent on Russia. NATO is a mutual defense pact, not a unilateral security agreement. We need all allies to contribute to this joint endeavor, and we honor their commitments and we'll keep ours. The United States expects every NATO member to fulfill their own commitments and to meet the 2 percent threshold no later than 2024. And we expect all our allies to invest 20 percent of defense spending on major new equipment. And we're greatly encouraged at the progress that's being made among many of our allies to do just that. We've also made it clear that we'll not stand idly by while NATO Allies purchase weapons from our adversaries weapons that threaten the very cohesion of this alliance. Turkey's purchase of a $2.5 billion S-400 anti-aircraft missile system from Russia poses great danger to NATO and to the strength of this alliance. The fact that Turkey is moving ahead with these plans even after the United States has made available the Patriot air defense system is deeply troubling. The Pentagon made clear, earlier this week, and I repeat today: If Turkey completes its purchase of the Russian S-400 missile system, Turkey risks expulsion from the joint F-35 program, which will harm not just Turkey's defense capacity, but it may cripple many of the Turkish component manufacturers that supply that program. In the meantime, this week we formally notified the Turkish government that the United States is immediately suspending shipments of all F-35 Joint Strike Fighter related equipment and materiel to Turkey. Turkey must choose: Does it want to remain a critical partner in the most successful military alliance in history of the world? Or does it want to risk the security of that partnership by making reckless decisions that undermine our alliance? Perhaps the greatest challenge NATO will face in the coming decades is how we must all adjust to the rise of the People's Republic of China. And adjust we must. For determining how to meet the challenge of Chinese 5G technology, meet the challenge of the easy money offered by China's Belt and Road Initiative, is a challenge European allies must contend with every day. Whether we like it or not, the implications of China's rise will profoundly affect the choices NATO members will face, individually and collectively. China's expanding influence will necessarily demand more of America's attention and resources. And as we meet that challenge, our European allies must do more to maintain the strength and deterrence of our transatlantic alliance with their resources. Toward that end, we are grateful that NATO members are opening their own diplomatic dialogues with like-minded Indo-Pacific countries like Australia, Japan, Singapore, and Korea. And we welcome recent steps by NATO partners, France and Great Britain, to increase freedom-of-navigation and overflight operations in the Indo-Pacific. By working together, we can maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific where independent nations boldly pursue their own interests; respect their neighbors as equals; and where societies, beliefs, and traditions flourish side by side; and where all their citizens are able to exercise their God-given liberties and pursue their dreams. NATO's 29 member states encompass almost a billion people, who together produce almost half of the world's GDP. This extraordinary alliance is facing the next 70 years with 70 years of hard-won experience, success, and strong relationships. And so while the challenges before us loom large, with renewed American leadership on the world stage, together we're demonstrating every day that we can make the future of the free world brighter than ever before. And as we rise to meet these challenges in the days ahead, we should never underestimate our power to change the world for the better. It's what we've proven over the last 70 years, and what I believe with all my heart we'll prove for the next 70. When we're strong, when we're united, we've proven there's nothing that freedom-loving nations can't achieve. Our strength, and that of this alliance, is derived not solely from a strength of arms, though. It is ultimately born of our shared principles, the principles and ideals that we cherish: freedom, democracy, justice, and the rule of law. Every member nation understands these are the wellsprings of our strength and they are the wellspring of theirs. And they come from that timeless notion of unalienable rights, of life and liberty, and a notion that they're not granted to us by sovereigns or governments or kings, but they are, as the America's Founders observed, endowed by our Creator. Marshaling the will to confront the challenges of the 21st century will require faith in these timeless ideals. This then is our cause. It's why NATO exists. It's why, after so many centuries of strife and division, Europe is whole and free. For seven decades, the United States has stood with our European allies to defend our way of life against an array of threats large and small. When the ravages of war left a continent in ruins, we worked together to rebuild Europe. When the specter of communism was at Europe's door, we stood arm-in-arm against the Soviet menace. When the Berlin Wall fell and the old Soviet empire crumbled, we welcomed new democracies of Eastern Europe into our ranks. And of the eight countries that once made up the Warsaw Pact, seven now belong to NATO. And the eighth, the Soviet Union, doesn't even exist. Over the past five centuries, it's extraordinary to think that the average alliance among nations lasted no more than 15 years. But for 40 years, NATO stood strong against the communist threat of the Soviet Union. And through the strength of our resolve and by the grace of God, we prevailed against it through those 40, and now we stand for freedom to tomorrow's day of 70. The United States has been faithful to Europe for generations, and we'll keep the faith. We'll keep the faith that drove our forefathers to sacrifice so much in the defense of freedom. We share a past. We built it together. And we share a future. Today, tomorrow, and every day, you can be confident the United States of America is now and will always be Europe's greatest ally. (Applause.) As President Trump said in Poland two years ago, in his words, "Our freedom, our civilization, and our survival depend on these bonds of history, culture, and memory." And they also depend on a foundation of faith. And on that faith, I know, as the President said that day, "The West will never ever be broken. Our values will prevail. Our people will thrive. And our civilization will triumph." I have faith in our people and in freedom-loving people everywhere. And I also have faith that, as we advance the principles of freedom, as freedom takes hold, that where the spirit of the Lord is, there's liberty. That means freedom always wins. So thank you. Thank you for the honor of joining you on the eve of this extraordinary anniversary. God bless you all. God bless all of our allies. And may God bless the United States of America. (Applause.) END 2:08 P.M. EDT NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Missouri Man Pleads Guilty to Providing Material Support to Terrorists FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, April 3, 2019 Ramiz Zijad Hodzic, 44, of St. Louis County, Missouri, pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiring to provide material support to terrorists and one count of providing material support to terrorists. Hodzic appeared today before Judge Catherine D. Perry who accepted his plea and set his sentencing for June 18, 2019. Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney Jeffrey B. Jensen for the Eastern District of Missouri and Special Agent in Charge Richard Quinn of the FBI's St. Louis Division made the announcement. Charged in the indictment are: Ramiz Zijad Hodzic, his wife Sedina Unkic Hodzic, and Armin Harcevic, all of St. Louis County, Missouri, Nihad Rosic, of Utica, New York, and Mediha Medy Salkicevic, of Schiller Park, Illinois. All defendants are charged with conspiring to provide material support and resources to terrorists, and with providing material support to terrorists. Ramiz Zijad Hodzic and Nihad Rosic are also charged with conspiring to murder and maim persons in a foreign country. Armin Harcevic, pleaded guilty on Feb. 25, 2019, and Mediha Medy Salkicevic pleaded guilty on March 21, 2019. The remaining defendants have pleaded not guilty. As is always the case, charges set forth in the indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. This case was investigated by the St. Louis FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Postal Inspection Service, St. Louis Metropolitan and St. Louis County Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Drake, Howard Marcus and Kenneth Tihen of the Eastern District of Missouri and Trial Attorney Joshua Champagne of the Department of Justice's Counterterrorism Section. Topic(s): Counterterrorism National Security Component(s): National Security Division (NSD) USAO - Missouri, Eastern Press Release Number: 19-315 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hong Kong launches new extradition laws with mainland China Iran Press TV Wed Apr 3, 2019 08:34AM Hong Kong has introduced to the parliament new extradition laws under which people wanted in mainland China would be sent there for trial, despite protests against the move. The laws, presented to the Legislative Council on Wednesday, give the right to Hong Kong's Chief Executive Carrie Lam to order the extradition of wanted offenders to China as well as other countries not covered by the city's current extradition treaties. Lam said her government would make no further amendments before introducing the laws to the parliament. The extradition order, however, could be challenged and appealed against through courts, officials said. The laws will be debated by a council committee and are expected to be passed later this year. Former British colony Hong Kong was returned to China after about a century in 1979. Its legislative, executive, and judicial bodies are already separate from and independent of China, and Beijing only maintains authority in defense, foreign affairs, and constitutional disputes. The change in extradition laws has sparked protests in the city, with opponents arguing that the laws may be abused to extradite alleged political dissidents to China. On Saturday, a demonstration was held in Hong Kong to protest the move. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The allegations that Mr. Bush decided to leave the Courthouse just prior to a jury returning a guilty verdict are outrageous, States Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement released Wednesday. His alleged actions, coupled with the fact that Mr. Bush was out on bond while his case was pending demonstrate this defendants complete disregard for the rule of law. Iran: EU trio seeking to appease Trump rather than defy US 'economic terrorism' Iran Press TV Wed Apr 3, 2019 07:38PM The Iranian foreign minister has hit out at the three European powers for failing to counter the US "economic terrorism" against Tehran, saying they are instead turning the spotlight on the Islamic Republic's missile program to appease Washington. In a tweet on Wednesday, Mohammad Javad Zarif pointed to the US withdrawal from the nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, and lamented the EU trio's failure to show a political will against Washington's pressures. "A year after US' unlawful abrogation of JCPOA, Europe can't muster political will to defy US' #EconomicTERRORISM. Not even by setting up a single banking channel for humanitarian aid," said the tweet. US President Donald Trump announced in May last year that he was quitting the JCPOA because of what he claimed was Iran's constant violations. He also announced the reimposition of sanctions that has been lifted against Iran under the JCPOA. Zarif said the UK, France and Germany would rather seek to appease Trump by pressuring the UN to provide a report on Iran's missile activities than defy Washington's measures. "E3 are instead busy appeasing @realDonaldTrump by pressuring UN over our defensive capabilities," the tweet added. Britain, France and Germany are calling for a full UN report on Iran's missile program, claiming the country's missile activities violate UN Security Council Resolution 2231 that supports the Iran nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The European trio said in a letter sent to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday that Iran's launch of a space vehicle and the unveiling of two new missiles in February were "inconsistent" with the resolution. The three countries, which are signatories to the JCPOA along with the US and China, asked Guterres to "report fully and thoroughly on Iranian ballistic missile activity" in his next report, which is expected in June. Iran says neither its space program nor its missile launches are banned under Resolution 2231. The resolution, adopted in July 2015, terminated the provisions of previous UNSC resolutions against Iran, some of which had imposed restrictions on Iranian missile activities. Such activities are not prohibited under Resolution 2231, which merely calls on Iran "to refrain from any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons." The US asked for the inclusion of Iran's missile program in any deal over Tehran's nuclear program both during the course of negotiations that culminated in the JCPOA and after its conclusion. However, Iran has stressed that its missile program is non-negotiable as it is part of the country's deterrence. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iranian Officials Criticized As Severe Flooding Wreaks Havoc By RFE/RL's Radio Farda April 03, 2019 Heavy flooding in western and southwestern Iran that has killed dozens of people and forced thousands from their homes in recent weeks has resulted in strong criticism of the government's relief response to the crisis. The severe floods -- caused by weeks of heavy rain -- have swept through hundreds of towns and villages in 20 regions. The mountainous Lorestan Province and the oil-producing Khuzestan Province have been especially hard hit, with forced evacuations of dozens of towns and villages and massive damage to homes and infrastructure. At least 60 people have died in recent weeks due to the floods. Many others are reported missing. Sarem Razaee, the head of Iran's Red Crescent relief organization, said the town of Pol-e Dokhtar, in Lorestan Province, was in a "super-crisis" situation. All communication with the town, at least two-thirds of which was underwater, was cut off on April 1. At least 60 villages in Lorestan were reportedly underwater. Iranian emergency services have brought four helicopters to Pol-e Dokhtar because several land routes to the city have been cut off. Many people have been housed in tents and some food supplies have been brought to the area. But Mahmud Sadeqi, a parliament member, warned President Hassan Rohani that Lorestan Province was "facing a tragedy" and that people urgently needed food, drinking water, and medicine. He added that the "lack of order and planning is widespread." Thousands of people are sheltering in the open with little food or warm clothes in often rainy weather. The relief effort was seen by many as inadequate, and the government as well as aid agencies came under severe criticism for the aid effort being too small in scale and unable to cope with the acute needs of tens of thousands of people affected by the floods. Mohammad Pakpur, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) ground forces, said there had been "no management" of the rescue or aid operations in Pol-e Dokhtar and that government officials would not "dare" to go the area because the "people are in a rebellious mood." He added that citizens evacuated from the area "are in a sorry state and conditions are bad." Parliament deputy Hamidreza Kazemi, who was in Pol-e Dokhtar, said many people "have spent two nights in the open, having fled to the mountains and have nothing," Fars news agency reported. He urged the government and aid organizations to send food and warm clothes. Lorestan Governor Seyyed Musa Khademi warned of critical humanitarian needs in his province that were not being met. A representative of the governor's office in the town of Mamoolan criticized the Iranian Red Crescent for a lack of action in the region. Mohsen Rezaee, a senior politician and former IRGC commander, warned that the Karkheh Dam in Khuzestan was facing a critical situation and had to release more water. Kermanshah Province Governor Asadollah Razani said on April 2 that the floods had caused large-scale damage of more than $60 million to roads and canals in his region, IRNA reported. He added that some 70,000 hectares of farmland had also been destroyed. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on April 2 blamed the Iranian government for the shortcomings in aid relief, one day after Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in a tweet that "economic terrorism" by Washington was responsible for the shortage of rescue helicopters. "These floods once again show the level of Iranian regime mismanagement in urban planning and in emergency preparedness," Pompeo said. "The regime blames outside entities when, in fact, it is their mismanagement that has led to this disaster." He said the United States was "ready to assist and contribute to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies" in an effort to help Iranians caught in the floodwaters. Zarif called Washington's offer "fake news." Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iranian-officials -criticized-as-severe-flooding- wreaks-havoc/29859256.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iraqi military planes drop $25-million reward leaflets for Daesh head Iran Press TV Wed Apr 3, 2019 04:09PM Iraqi military aircraft have dropped leaflets over desert areas in the country's western province of Anbar, offering a reward of millions of dollars for intelligence that would lead to the capture of the leader of the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group, Ibrahim al-Samarrai aka Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. The planes dropped the leaflets over Upper Euphrates towns, bedouin encampments, and villages adjacent to the borders with Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia on Wednesday morning. "The leader of Daesh and his fighters stole your land and killed your people, and now he is hiding in safety away from the death and destruction that he planted. With your intelligence reports, you can avenge," the leaflets read. They carried pictures of Baghdadi and a promise of a reward of 25 million US dollars for anyone, who provides information leading to the arrest of Baghdadi. The leaflets also provided two hot lines on WhatsApp messenger. On February 28, Iraqi legislator Hassan Salem said in a statement that "Baghdadi is in the Anbar desert, which he is using as a safe haven." "He is being provided with US support at Anbar's Ayn al-Assad military base and is traveling freely between Iraq and Syria," Salem noted. The Iraqi lawmaker went on to say that the US is helping the Daesh leader as Iraq's parliament is set to vote on a bill on a complete US troop withdrawal from the country. The United States supports Baghdadi "out of concerns over possible endorsement of [a] bill on expelling US troops from Iraq," he noted. Former Iraqi prime minister, Haider al-Abadi, declared the end of military operations against Daesh in the country on December 9, 2017. On July 10 that year, he had formally declared victory over Daesh in the strategic northern city of Mosul, which served as the terrorists' main urban stronghold in Iraq. In the run-up to Mosul's liberation, Iraqi army soldiers and voluntary fighters from the pro-government Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) better known by the Arabic name Hashd al-Sha'abi had made sweeping gains against Daesh. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Seoul impounds South Korean ship for violation of sanctions on North: Report Iran Press TV Wed Apr 3, 2019 07:11AM Seoul has reportedly impounded a South Korean vessel for the first time on the suspicion that it violated United Nations economic sanctions on North Korea. The South Korean vessel was impounded along with three other ships, AFP reported on Wednesday. "This is the first time a South Korean vessel has been detained for allegedly violating UN sanctions," a South Korean Foreign Ministry official told the news agency. The ship the 5,160-ton P-PIONEER has been banned from leaving the southern port of Busan since last October because it is suspected of carrying out an illicit ship-to-ship transfer of oil to a North Korean tanker, according to the South's Yonhap News Agency. It is unclear why the seizure of the ship was not publicized at the time. The ship would be blacklisted by the UN if it is confirmed to have made the transfer. Ships confirmed to be "smuggling" basic goods to sanctions-hit North Korea will be denied access to the ports of any UN member country. The UN Security Council has imposed a series of economic sanctions against Pyongyang over its nuclear and missile programs. The US, which has been the main sponsor of the international sanctions, formed a coalition of seven countries last year to expand the surveillance of ships allegedly transferring fuel to North Korea. Pyongyang has been involved in negotiations with Washington but that diplomacy has almost ground to a halt as the US refuses to offer any sanctions relief in exchange for the multiple measures already taken by North Korea to slow down its nuclear and missile programs. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Poll: Majority Of Russians Support Crimea Annexation, But Worry About Economic Effects By Mike Eckel April 03, 2019 A new poll shows that a majority of Russians still support the Kremlin's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea Peninsula, but far fewer back any similar move toward the parts of the war-torn eastern Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk held by Russia-backed separatists. The survey, conducted jointly by Moscow's Levada Center and the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and released on April 3, also shows a clear majority of Russians saying that Moscow's international policies have worsened the country's economy and standards of living. Since the 2014 seizure of Crimea, Russians have largely been supportive of President Vladimir Putin's decision, support that's been bolstered in part by state TV propaganda. But that backing has slipped as Russia's economy has faltered, and the costs of Crimea's integration into Russia have climbed. The Levada-Chicago Council report found that in March 2015 -- a year after the annexation -- around 70 percent of Russians polled thought the annexation was a positive thing for the country. That figure slipped to 59 percent by August 2015, as world oil prices dropped precipitously and the effects of Western economic sanctions began to be felt, putting a brake on Russia's economy. Support rebounded by March 2018 to levels comparable to three years earlier, but then slipped in February 2019 to 62 percent, according to the poll. The survey also asked Russians whether they supported a similar annexation of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, where Russia-backed fighters have been battling Ukrainian forces since April 2014 and now hold parts of both provinces, including their administrative centers. More than 13,000 people have died in the fighting, and more than 1 million have been displaced. A overwhelming majority said that the separatist-held areas should not be part of Ukraine: 29 percent supported annexation, and 46 percent said they should be independent states. Just 13 percent said they should remain part of Ukraine. Though Russia's relations with the West had been worsening for some years prior, the Crimea annexation tipped relations into near outright hostility. The Levada-Chicago Council poll found that a clear majority of Russians, 58 percent, thought Kremlin foreign policy had worsened the state of the economy, and 64 percent said it worsened living standards. Strong majorities, however, said those policies had improved the state of Russia's armed forces and international influence, while just a small plurality, 44 percent, said they had improved Russia's international image. The survey, conducted between February 14 and 20, polled 1,613 Russians 18 years and older, in face-to-face interviews in eight regions of the country. The poll's margin of error is 3.4 percentage points. A similar survey conducted last month by the state-funded Public Opinion Foundation (FOM) found that a majority of Russians thought Crimea's annexation was either wholly good or both good and bad for Russia. However, the poll also found that younger Russians -- between the age of 18 and 30 -- were decidedly less sanguine about the benefits. One of Russia's only independent polling organizations, Levada has in recent years come under increasing pressure from authorities unhappy with its closely watched surveys. In 2016, the center was labeled a "foreign agent" under a law aimed at reducing what the Kremlin considers to be foreign influence on Russian public lift. The Justice Ministry announcement said the move was made because Levada had received some financial support from a U.S. university. https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-levada-center-us-funding-foreign-agent/27970319.html Levada and the Chicago Council also published joint polls that surveyed Russians and Americans on their views of each other's country. Large majorities of Russians and Americans said they believed the United States and Russia were more rivals than partners, but in the United States, the number of Americans who said Russia was a threat to U.S. security has doubled in 2017, from 18 percent to 39 percent. The poll also found that the number of Americans who felt Russia tried to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election had risen only slightly since 2017, from 61 percent to 66 percent. That portion of the poll was taken prior to the release of a four-page summary of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's two-year investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 campaign. Congressional Democrats are fighting to get a hold of the entire 400-page report that Mueller submitted to the Justice Department. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/poll-majority-of- russians-support-crimea-annexation-but-worry-about- economic-effects/29859570.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ingush Activists Under Pressure After Protests Over Chechnya Border Deal By RFE/RL's North Caucasus Service April 03, 2019 MAGAS, Russia -- Police and security forces in Russia's North Caucasus region of Ingushetia have searched homes of five activists days after mass rallies against a controversial border deal with neighboring Chechnya. Journalist Izabella Yevloyeva told RFE/RL that the homes of members of the NGO called the Ingush Congress of National Unity -- Akhmed Pogorov, Barakh Chemurziyev, Musa Malsagov, Bagaudin Khautiyev, and Zarifa Sautiyeva -- were searched on April 3. Activist Anzhela Matiyeva said to RFE/RL that police took Pogorov and Chemurziyev with them after the searches. MBKh Media reported that at least four activists were sentenced to 10 days in jail and at least one was fined, on April 3, on charges of holding or taking part in an unsanctioned rally last week. On April 2, five participants in unsanctioned rallies last week were sentenced to 10 days in jail each, and two activists were fined. Meanwhile, Internet access was not available on mobile devices across Ingushetia on April 3. On March 27, police forcibly dispersed hundreds of demonstrators in Ingushetia's capital, Magas, where they staged an unsanctioned protest against the border deal with Chechnya. The clashes came a day after thousands attended a protest approved by the authorities against land swaps with Chechnya, where demonstrators called for Ingushetia's head, Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, to step down. Several protesters and police officers suffered injuries in the ensuing melee. Demonstrators left the site after the authorities promised to allow them to hold another rally in five days. Also on March 27, thousands of protesters blocked a major highway near Ingushetia's largest city, Nazran, also demanding Yevkurov's resignation and the cancelation of the land swap deal with Chechnya. Large protests were held in Ingushetia in September after Yevkurov and the leader of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, signed the deal behind closed doors. Yevkurov and Kadyrov said the agreement was approved by the parliaments of both republics several days later, despite protests against what some see as the illegal handing out of territory to Chechnya, Ingushetia's larger neighbor to the east. Protesters have called for a referendum on the deal. On October 30, Ingushetia's Constitutional Court ruled that the agreement was illegal because "it changes the territory of the Republic of Ingushetia," something it said requires approval by referendum. But Yevkurov took the issue to the Russian Constitutional Court in Moscow with a request for support of the agreement, which the court did in December. The issue has raised concerns about the possibility of a regional conflict in Russia, which is home to a large number of ethnic groups. Chechnya was the site of two devastating separatist wars from 1994 to 2001, and an Islamist insurgency rooted in those wars spread to Ingushetia and other mostly Muslim regions in the North Caucasus. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ingush-activists -under-pressure-after-protests-over- chechnya-border-deal/29858984.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Blast At Russian Military Academy Investigated As Attempted Murder By RFE/RL April 03, 2019 An explosion at a military academy in St. Petersburg that injured four students is being investigated as an attempted murder. The Investigative Committee said on April 2, hours after the explosion at the Mozhaisky Academy, that the blast was being investigated as "an attempted premeditated murder of two or more persons using a...dangerous method." The statement said the blast occurred when an "unidentified coverless object" -- apparently not a grenade or hard-shelled bomb -- exploded. It did not name any potential suspect. The Interfax news agency cited an unidentified official close to the investigation as saying the authorities believe that a cadet. a teacher, or a staff member with access to the building could have been behind the blast. With reporting by Interfax Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russian- military-academy-blast-investigated-attempted- murder-petersburg/29858717.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.S. Vice President Warns Turkey, Germany Over Dealings With Russia By RFE/RL April 03, 2019 U.S. Vice President Mike Pence has warned Turkey and Germany about their dealings with Russia, telling Ankara it is "reckless" and warning Berlin it risks becoming a "captive" of Moscow. Pence's comments came on April 3 in Washington as part of events marking the 70th anniversary of the founding of NATO, of which Turkey and Germany are long-standing members. Pence voiced U.S. opposition to Turkey's purchase of a Russian air-defense system, saying Ankara must decide between remaining a key NATO partner or risk endangering the military alliance with the deal, which he said "poses great danger to NATO." "Turkey must choose. Does it want to remain a critical partner in the most successful military alliance in history or does it want to risk the security of that partnership by making such reckless decisions that undermine our alliance?" Pence said. The United States and other NATO countries have demanded that Ankara call of its deal with Russia to purchase the S-400, which is not compatible with NATO systems and is considered a threat to U.S. F-35 fighters. Washington has said it is halting deliveries to Turkey related to the F-35 program in response to Ankara's purchase of the Russian missile system. A senior State Department also said this week in a briefing that Ankara could face U.S. sanctions if it goes ahead with the S-400 deal. Ankara has refused to back down on its planned purchase, with Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu telling the NATO gathering that "the S-400 deal is a done deal and we will not step back from this." Another Turkish leader, Vice President Fuat Oktay, lashed back at Pence's remarks -- saying it was Washington that must decide whether it wants to remain an ally of Ankara. "The United States must choose. Does it want to remain Turkey's ally or risk our friendship by joining forces with terrorists to undermine its NATO ally's defense against its enemies?" Oktay wrote on Twitter. Meanwhile, Pence told Germany it risked being a "captive of Russia" if it proceeds with the Nord Stream 2 project with Moscow. "If Germany persists in building the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, as President Trump said, it could turn Germany's economy into literally a captive of Russia," Pence said. Nord Stream 2, scheduled to be completed in 2019, will run directly from Russia to Germany under the Baltic Sea, bypassing several European transit countries including Ukraine, helping Moscow avoid the transit-fee disputes and other nettlesome politics that have plagued its existing pipeline network. Washington and some European leaders fear that without legal changes, the pipeline will deepen the continent's dependence on Russian gas and give Moscow more negotiating leverage over unrelated political issues. With reporting by Reuters, AP, AFP, and dpa Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/u-s-vice- president-warns-turkey-germany- over-dealings-with-russia/29859577.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address First satellite images of Saudi nuclear plant show completion Iran Press TV Wed Apr 3, 2019 09:41PM New satellite images show that Saudi Arabia has almost completed the building of its first nuclear reactor, according to a report by Bloomberg written based on the images by Google Earth. The report, published on Wednesday, noted that the construction of the facility, which is located in the southwest corner of the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology in Riyadh, is alarming, because the country has not accepted the international rules and frameworks needed to ensure that civilian atomic programs aren't used to build weapons. "There's a very high probability these images show the country's first nuclear facility," former International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) director Robert Kelley told Bloomberg. "It means that Saudi Arabia has to get its safeguards in order." Meanwhile, Bloomberg quoted the Saudi energy ministry as saying in a statement that the facility is being built with transparency and is in full compliance with the international agreements. Saudi Arabia has signed the IAEA's so-called Small Quantities Protocol, but it hasn't adopted the rules and procedures that would allow nuclear inspectors to access potential sites of interest. This comes as a bipartisan group of American lawmakers have raised concerns about Washington's nuclear dealings with Saudi Arabia. In a letter drafted to US Energy Secretary Rick Perry on Tuesday, Senators Robert Menendez, the senior Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Republican committee member Marco Rubio questioned the recent approvals for American companies to share nuclear energy information with Saudi Arabia. The senators specifically pointed to Riyadh's insistence on forgoing Washington's so-called 123 agreement, a set of nonproliferation standards required by Section 123 of the US Atomic Energy Act of 1954. The 123 agreement, often referred to as Washington's "gold standard" for foreign civil nuclear cooperation, prevents the foreign entity from enriching uranium or reprocessing plutonium made in reactors - two routes to making nuclear weapons. Negotiations between the US and Saudi Arabia for nuclear cooperation came to a halt under the administration of former President Barack Obama, after Riyadh refused to accept Washington's proposed standards. In its never ending quest for more money, the administration of President Donald Trump resumed the talks and is reportedly considering a deal that would allow Riyadh to enrich and reprocess uranium and pave the way for American companies to build nuclear reactors in the kingdom. In February, a report by a congressional committee revealed that the Trump administration was trying to bypass Congress to transfer sensitive nuclear power technology to Saudi Arabia. Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif at the time decried the US "hypocrisy" over the planned nuclear sale to the Saudi regime. In March 2018, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said that the kingdom would be quick to develop nuclear weapons if Iran which Riyadh views as its arch rival in the region did so. Iran does not pursue nuclear weapons, and under a 2015 international deal, it has placed its entire nuclear program under enhanced 24/7 monitoring by the United Nations' atomic watchdog, which has repeatedly confirmed the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.S. confirms active military personnel posted at AIT since 2005 ROC Central News Agency 2019/04/03 18:39:14 Taipei, April 3 (CNA) The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) on Wednesday confirmed for the first time that active U.S. military personnel have been posted at its Taipei office since 2005, and those deployments will continue after it relocates to its new office in Neihu on May 6. The de facto embassy of the United States in Taiwan announced the date of its official move to the new compound in a 30-second video clip posted on its Facebook page. The address of the new compound is No.100, Jinhu Road in Taipei's Neihu District, according to the clip, which features AIT Taipei director Brent Christensen, his deputy Raymond Greene, AIT spokesperson Amanda Mansour and Taiwan's Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (). Media reports previously said the U.S. had already informed Taiwan's national security officials that a small contingent of U.S. Marines would be posted at AIT's new compound in Neihu. The reports followed a statement in 2017 by ex-AIT Director Stephen Young that contained similar information. AIT has never publicly confirmed such military postings, saying only there was "a small number of U.S. personnel at the current AIT office on Xinyi Road who were coordinating with Taiwanese security staff and that the situation would continue in Neihu." However, when asked by CNA to comment on possible marine postings on Wednesday following the announcement of the opening date of the new compound, Mansour confirmed the long-circulating rumor. "Since 2005, U.S. government personnel detailed to AIT have included active duty military, including service members from the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines." The spokesperson said these military personnel do not wear uniforms and she would not disclose how many are currently or will in future be posted at the new AIT compound. Asked to comment on the significance of the confirmation, National Chengchi University Institute of International Relations professor Arthur Ding () told CNA the postings were common knowledge, but suggested AIT's official confirmation was a healthy sign, indicating the continued warming of Taiwan-U.S. relations. U.S. marines are posted at U.S. overseas missions around the world to protect the diplomatic facilities and the personnel stationed there. A marine house is built to accommodate marine guards posted at U.S. overseas missions. A de facto embassy in nature, AIT is a private entity established in 1979 to manage U.S. relations with Taiwan in the absence of formal diplomatic ties. To meet growing demand, AIT rented a site in Neihu from Taipei City government for 99 years in 2004. The new office compound is on a 6.5-hectare hillside site within walking distance of the Neihu stop on Taipei MRT's Brown Line. A dedication ceremony was held June 12, 2018 to unveil the nearly completed 14,934-square-meter, five-story complex, though AIT is still operating out of its office on Xinyi Rd. that has been in use for nearly 40 years. According to AIT, the new complex cost US$250 million and will unify its four current existing locations in Taipei under one roof. From noon on May 1, all of its current facilities, including the AIT Main Office and Consular Section on Xinyi Road, the Commercial Section and the American Center at the International Trade Center, and the Agricultural Trade Office at Anhe Road, will be closed to the public in preparation for the grand opening of the new facility on May 6. (By Joseph Yeh) Enditem/AW NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address I appreciate and credit my classmates who pushed me when I needed it, Ferrill said of the nearly three months it took to conceive, design, and develop a prototype. The assignment called for a product that could ultimately be manufactured and marketed. U.S. warns China against use of force against Taiwan ROC Central News Agency 2019/04/03 12:18:13 Taipei, April 3 (CNA) The United States on Tuesday warned China against the use of force against Taiwan after Beijing had two of its fighter jets cross the median line of the Taiwan Strait on Sunday, an action Taiwan blasted as "provocative." "The United States opposes unilateral actions by any party that are aimed at altering the status quo, including anything related to force or coercion," State Department spokesman Robert Palladino told reporters. "Beijing should stop its coercive efforts and resume dialogue with the democratically elected administration" in Taipei, he urged. Since President Tsai Ing-wen () of the pro-Taiwan independence Democratic Progressive Party assumed office in May 2016, Beijing has stepped up its saber rattling against Taiwan by sending jet fighters and naval ships to operate near the island. Sunday's crossing of the median line by Chinese military aircraft, China's first intentional breach of the median line since 1999, according to Taiwan's Defense Ministry, was the latest move in Beijing's intimidation campaign. Taiwan scrambled five jet fighters to expel the two Chinese J-11s and blasted Beijing for what it described as its "intentional" and "provocative" intimidation. It triggered a stern protest Monday from Tsai, who warned Beijing not to attempt to unilaterally alter the status quo across the strait. Also on Monday, U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton tweeted that "Chinese military provocations won't win any hearts or minds in Taiwan, but they will strengthen the resolve of people everywhere who value democracy. The Taiwan Relations Act and our commitment are clear." The U.S. Department of State and Department of Defense also issued statements opposing any unilateral change of the cross-strait status quo in any form, including the use of coercive force, that could pose a threat to peace and stability in the region. (By Flor Wang) Enditem/ls NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Taiwan 'unlikely' to be invited to World Health Assembly: MOFA ROC Central News Agency 2019/04/03 13:22:13 Taipei, April 3 (CNA) Taiwan is "unlikely" to be invited to the annual World Health Assembly (WHA) in May due to China's obstruction, but it will continue to do its best to rally international support, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) official said Wednesday. The WHA, the decision-making body of the WHO, is scheduled to hold its 71st session from May 20 to 28 in Geneva. According to the ministry's "latest evaluation," Taiwan once again may not be invited to the annual WHA, said Bob Chen (), director-general of MOFA's Department of International Organizations. It was a rare on-the-record admission by the ministry that Taiwan's chances of attending the meeting were bleak. Chen said the ministry has expressed its grave concern and protest to the WHO via different channels after a local media was told by a WHO spokesman last month that an "understanding" between Taipei and Beijing was a prerequisite for Taiwan to attend the annual meeting. "Previous invitations to the WHA have been issued on the basis of a 'cross-strait understanding.' In the absence of such an understanding, invitations have not been issued," WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier said in an email published by the Apple Daily. "If there is no 'cross-strait understanding' this year, it is not expected that an invitation to the WHA will be issued," he said. Following the Apple Daily report, Chen said the ministry has expressed its discontent toward the WHO for being "overly obedient" to Beijing. In response, the WHO said it understood Taiwan's stance but reiterated its own stance on the matter, Chen said. Despite the bleak outlook, Chen said the government is still doing whatever it can to make Taiwan's inclusion possible. Taiwan is seeking the support of its diplomatic allies and other friendly countries to obtain an invitation to this year's WHA, and some allies, friendly countries, and medical groups have sent letters to WHO to support Taiwan's inclusion, according to Chen. The MOFA official also said the ministry is happy to see many countries voicing their support for Taiwan, including expressions of support issued by the U.S. and Japan. Despite similar actions in 2017 and 2018, Taiwan failed to secure an invitation to the WHA those two years. Chen said that even if Taiwan again does not receive an invitation, it will send a delegation to be headed by Health Minister Chen Shih-chung () to Geneva to meet with officials from countries participating in the WHA and to protest Taiwan's exclusion, as it did last year. A source familiar with the matter said Taiwan is taking all options into consideration in pushing its bid to join the WHA this year, but it also has to make sure the efforts won't obstruct the WHA meetings, as feared by some. Taiwan participated in the WHA as an observer under the name Chinese Taipei from 2009 to 2016 amid better relations with China during the then Kuomintang administration, which prioritized reducing tensions and building friendly ties with Beijing. Since 2017, however, China has persuaded the WHO not to invite Taiwan, in line with Beijing's hardline stance on cross-Taiwan Strait relations after President Tsai Ing-wen () of the Democratic Progressive Party took office in May 2016. Tsai has refused to accept China's condition for continuing good relations -- acknowledging the "1992 consensus," a tacit agreement between the Taiwanese and Chinese governments in 1992 that the two sides are part of one China, with the KMT saying each side can define what that China means. Tsai insists the agreement only means what Beijing wants it to mean -- that the China was the People's Republic of China, with Taiwan as a part of it. (By Joseph Yeh) Enditem/ls NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China's Jets that Crossed into Taiwan Airspace: Not a First; Maybe not the Last By Ralph Jennings April 03, 2019 Two Chinese fighter planes that crossed into the airspace of political rival Taiwan this week extended a series of breaches over the past two decades and herald more, further straining already tense relations, defense analysts say. The two J-11 planes crossed 43 nautical miles over a median line south of the Taiwan Strait Sunday morning until the Taiwanese air force pressured them to leave, the Ministry of National Defense in Taipei said. The incident quickly touched off a round of venting by Taiwanese government officials against China and sparked a rebuke against Beijing in Washington. Although the planes stayed in Taiwan's airspace for 12 minutes, longer than usual, they have crossed the median line before at least since 1999, defense experts believe. Some cases are accidental and the Chinese aircraft leave without incident. Now analysts expect to see more planes on Taiwan's side of the line as pressure on Taiwan. China/Taiwan relations have soured since 2016, pushing Taiwan closer to its powerful, informal ally the United States and angering Beijing further. "If there's once, there's a second time and if a second time there's a third. So I hope the Taiwan government, the Taiwan Ministry of National Defense, can be very resolute and determined," said Michael Tsai, chairman of the Institute for Taiwan Defense and Strategic Studies in Taiwan. Median line A U.S. military official established the median line in 1955 in the ocean strait between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan and both sides normally honor it even during the coolest of political relations. After a series of air battles in the strait, in 1958 China and Taiwan reached a "tacit agreement" to observe the line, Taiwan's government-run Taiwan Today news website says. China's keeping to its side of the line assures the militarily weaker Taiwan that the People's Liberation Army air force isn't about to attack the democratically ruled island that's just 160 kilometers across at its narrowest point. Beijing's Communist leadership has claimed sovereignty over self-ruled Taiwan since the Chinese civil war of the 1940s and threatened to take it by force if needed. After President Tsai Ing-wen took office in Taipei almost three years ago, Beijing dropped dialogue with Taiwan because Tsai does not see both sides as part of a single China. Crossovers logged since 1999 Chinese planes crossed the line in 1999 after ex-president Lee Teng-hui enraged China by suggesting "special state-to-state relations," according to local media reports. The comment went against Beijing's pursuit of unification. Since 1999, Chinese jets have "occasionally tried to penetrate" the line to gauge Taiwan's response, said Andrew Yang, secretary-general of the think tank Chinese Council of Advanced Policy Studies in Taiwan. Some aircraft cross the median line by accident, especially during harsh weather, Michael Tsai said. He cited one case that caused concern in 2001, when Taiwan's anti-China ex-president Chen Shui-bian was starting his first term in office. Normally the two sides communicate "internationally" if a plane is about to cross, he said. "It happened before but the Sunday incident, because they stayed there for over 10 minutes, that's really unusual," Yang said. State-run media in China said Monday the median line crossover was a caution to the United States. The U.S. government, China's former Cold War foe and a staunch informal backer of Taiwan, regularly passes naval ships through the Taiwan Strait. More crossovers expected Analysts and some in government caution of more flights over the median line as long as China is trying to pressure Taiwan into political unification. Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated that call on January 2 in a speech in Beijing. "What I expect is they will do even more in the future and try to exhaust our air force," Yang said. Taiwan's air force will not be exhausted but must "keep a very close eye" on their Chinese counterparts, he said. Chen Ming-tong, minister of the government's Mainland Affairs Council, linked the Sunday incident to the Chinese President's broader push for unification. The Council said in January more than 80 percent of Taiwanese oppose unification. "He has his own political agenda. He's going to push it forward step by step," Chen told reporters on Monday. "He's got his own design. No matter who's in charge in Taiwan in the future, he's got the resolve to unify with Taiwan. I don't rule out that (provocations) will become a standing thing. It's of course attracting international attention and they'll think he's altering the status quo. They will think he's a provoker." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US expects Turkey to buy Patriot system instead of Russia's S-400: Pentagon Iran Press TV Wed Apr 3, 2019 03:58AM The United States expects Turkey will buy its Patriot missile systems instead of the Russian S-400 missile defense system, the Pentagon says. On Tuesday, US Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said he was confident that Turkey would cancel its plan to purchase the Russian system. "I've had a number of conversations with Defense Minister (Hulusi) Akar and I really think we'll resolve this situation with our strategic partners," Shanahan told reporters. "I am very confident in the Patriot proposal that we've delivered to Turkey, its availability, its pricing, and very importantly, the industrial participation that comes along with the Patriot system." Asked whether that meant he expects Turkey will buy the Patriot system, Shanahan said: "I expect we'll solve the problem so that they have the right defense equipment in terms of Patriots and F-35s." Meanwhile, Turkey has said the S-400 will be delivered by Russia despite the US pressure on the NATO member. According to multiple reports, the production has been estimated to be completed in May for subsequent delivery to Turkey in July. This comes after the US said Monday it had stopped shipment of equipment for F-35 equipment to Turkey over the country's defensive cooperation with Russia. Reuters cited two unnamed sources in a report, suggesting that the Turkish officials had been notified about the matter by their American counterparts "in recent days." "The next shipment of training equipment, and all subsequent shipments of F-35 related material, have been canceled," read the report citing sources speaking on condition of anonymity. Also, the Pentagon said in a statement, "Pending an unequivocal Turkish decision to forgo delivery of the S-400, deliveries and activities associated with the stand-up of Turkey's F-35 operational capability have been suspended while our dialogue on this important matter continues with Turkey." Shanahan was also asked Monday about whether the US will deliver the F-35s planned for Turkey, and he replied, "I expect them to be delivered." The row over the F-35 and the S-400 is the latest in a series of diplomatic disputes between Ankara and Washington. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Istanbul's Opposition Mayoral Candidate Demands to be Declared Election Winner By VOA News April 03, 2019 Istanbul's opposition mayoral candidate urged Turkey's elections board Wednesday to confirm his narrow victory after it launched a partial recount of votes in eight of the city's 39 districts. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was dealt a political blow in Sunday's elections, as early results show the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) narrowly defeating Erdogan's ruling AK Party in Istanbul and Ankara, Turkey's two largest cities. In Istanbul, the AK Party (AKP) candidate, former prime minister Binali Yildirim, was narrowly defeated by opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) mayoral candidate Ekrem Imamoglu. Erdogan's AK Party filed appeals Tuesday to contest the outcomes in Istanbul, demanding a correction of alleged irregularities and that votes determined to be invalid be recounted. After considering the appeals, the Supreme Electoral Board (YSK) ordered a recount in eight districts in Istanbul. Imamoglu urged the YSK to "do its job" and declare him the winner of Istanbul's mayoral race. "We want justice," he told reporters, and added, "The world is watching us." AKP Deputy Chairman Ali Ihsan Yavuz defended his party, maintaining it is not conducting any illegal acts and noting the vote difference between Imamoglu and Yildirim had narrowed to less than 20,000 votes. "We believe the reality will emerge tonight and we will all accept the results. Both Ekrem Imamoglu and the AK Party will have to accept the outcome," he said at a news conference. If the opposition party's preliminary victors are confirmed, the CHP will assume control of Istanbul, Turkey's commercial hub, and Ankara, Turkey's capital. Erdogan, who campaigned hard for the AKP, would likely lose some control over local contracts in the two cities, possibly impeding his efforts to lift Turkey's economy out of recession. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address EU rejects further delay to Brexit, US advises clean break Iran Press TV Wed Apr 3, 2019 04:45PM The European Union has told Britain that another short delay to the deadline imposed on the country for leaving the bloc would not be possible as US authorities keep recommending a clean break on April 12 that would help spur trade talks between London and Washington. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said on Wednesday that the EU will not extend Brexit negotiations for a second time unless lawmakers in the country's parliament ratify a divorce agreement that has already been voted down for three times. "The 12th of April is the ultimate deadline for approval of the Withdrawal Agreement by the House of Commons," said Juncker, adding, "The best way forward is the ratification of the Withdrawal Agreement. If it has not done so by then, no further short extension will be possible." Juncker's remarks came hours after British Prime Minister Theresa May announced that she would seek a second Brexit delay beyond the current departure date of April 12 in a bid to avoid a disorderly withdrawal from the EU. Juncker admitted that the threat of a no-deal Brexit, a situation under which businesses and industries in Britain and in the EU could hugely suffer, was looming large. "A 'no-deal' at midnight on the 12th of April is now a very likely scenario. It is not the outcome I want. But it is an outcome for which I have made sure the EU is ready," said the EU official. May said in her statement on Tuesday that she would sit down with opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn to find a way of going through the Commons with her controversial Brexit deal. That has angered fierce pro-Brexit politicians who believe a no-deal exit would be much better for Britain than agreeing to the terms of Labour for opening up to closer trade relations with the EU after Brexit. A senior advisor to the White House also threw his weight behind a no-deal Brexit on Wednesday, saying that a clean break from the EU would speed up talks between London and Washington for reaching a comprehensive trade agreement after Brexit. Larry Kudlow, who serves as an economic adviser to the US presidency, said the US and the UK will not need to wait for two years to start their trade talks if London crashed out of the EU without an agreement. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UK-led high-readiness force to deploy to the Baltic Sea Nearly 2,000 UK Armed Forces personnel will deploy to the Baltic Sea for a series of multinational exercises in support of European security. Published 3 April 2019 Sailors and marines from all nations of the UK-led high-readiness Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) will take part in the deployment, due to take place in May, which will underline the importance of protecting Europe at a time of increased threat. This week, Defence Ministers and representatives from JEF countries will come together at the Ministry of Defence to discuss the deployment and test the mechanisms for mobilising the JEF, laying the foundation for the start of Baltic Protector. A total of 3,000 military personnel from all JEF nations will be involved in the Baltic Protector deployment, which draws in around 20 naval vessels, including a number of Royal Navy ships. They will test themselves with maritime tactical exercises, amphibious drills, amphibious raiding practice, shore landings and naval manoeuvres. This is the first ever JEF maritime deployment of this scale, and demonstrates its ability to provide reassurance in the region. The joint force, now fully operational, is spearheaded by the UK and includes eight other likeminded nations Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden. The JEF builds on many years of experience between the UK and these countries. At full strength, the joint force has the capability to mobilise over 10,000 personnel in support of a variety of missions to deliver rapid and far-reaching effect. And while Baltic Protector is maritime-focused, personnel from the British Army and Royal Air Force will also take part. Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said: "As Britain prepares to leave the EU, our unwavering commitment to European security and stability is more important than ever." "Deploying our world class sailors and marines to the Baltic Sea, alongside our international allies, firmly underlines Britain's leading role in Europe." Baltic Protector, the first deployment of the JEF Maritime Task Group, will be made up of three major exercises and is aimed at integrating UK and partner nations to test their ability to operate together. JEF personnel and ships will also work alongside NATO allies during the deployment, further underlining the versatility of the joint force, and the commitment to supporting European security. Commodore James Parkin, Commander of the Task Group, said: "It is a huge privilege to command the Baltic Protector deployment, and I am greatly looking forward to working with our close friends and partners from the other eight Joint Expeditionary Force partner nations." "Together, this UK-led Maritime Task Group will conduct a series of demanding amphibious exercises and maritime security patrols across the Baltic Sea that will serve to improve the way we operate together and our readiness to respond to crisis." The JEF, which was established at the 2014 NATO Summit and launched a year later, became fully operational with the signing of a comprehensive Memorandum of Understanding in June 2018. As an adaptable high-readiness force that can be stood up anywhere, at any time and in any environment, the JEF can cover a range of tasks, including combat operations, deterrence, or humanitarian support. The JEF has the ability to operate independently or in support of multinational organisations, including NATO, UN, EU and Northern Group. The joint force is a clear example of collective strength between partner nations, and this joint working has been seen previously. This has included during the Ebola outbreak as part of the response, the UK, the Netherlands and Norway combined resources on land, at sea and in the air. This demonstrates the kind of integrated mission the JEF could be mobilised to support. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UK Ambassador: Don't Mistake Brexit Uncertainty for Weakness By Natalie Liu April 03, 2019 As the British parliament ties itself in knots over how to exit from the European Union, that nation's senior diplomat in Washington is cautioning U.S. opinion leaders not to mistake the debates in London for signs of weakness either in the economic or security domain. Above all, he cautions, the world should not underestimate Britain's determination to sustain itself as a global power backed by capabilities. Kim Darroch, the British ambassador to the United States, did his best on Tuesday to deliver an optimistic note about the convulsive Brexit deliberations to an uncertain audience at the Council on Foreign Relations. Darroch reminded the audience that Britain's economy has shown much more resilience than many had expected during the "inevitable period of uncertainty" since the British public voted narrowly in June 2016 to leave the European Union. Britain has seen "nine years of uninterrupted economic growth," he noted, adding that the International Monetary Fund (IMF)'s projection for British economic growth in 2019 surpasses that of either Germany or Japan. Reason for concern The ambassador's upbeat prognosis was challenged by former State Department chief economist Heidi Crebo-Rediker, who pointed out that Britain has seen a 25 percent drop in foreign direct investment (FDI) since the Brexit referendum. Darroch acknowledged that FDI "may have taken a hit in 2018," but argued that in 2017, immediately after the Brexit vote, Britain's FDI figures "held up strikingly well." Crebo-Rediker acknowledged that Britain's economy has demonstrated "macro resilience," but countered that forecasts for the financial future of post-Brexit Britain were, in her view, rather poor. She citied estimates that 10 percent of banking assets have already been moved out of the country. Darroch insisted that overall, his country's economy "is doing pretty well" and contains "a lot of soundness and strength." As evidence, he listed a low unemployment rate of about four percent and a current budget deficit of around 1.1 percent of GDP a figure "many around the world would envy." Britain committed The ambassador, a former national security adviser, also stressed Britain's commitment to what he described as "our contribution to international security and defense." Britain's current defense spending is 2.1 percent of GDP, second only to the United States among NATO members. "We're investing tens of billions in upgrading our defense capabilities over the next decade or so," he said. Darroch emphasized that Britain's primary security interest will remain with NATO, but did not rule out other initiatives. Suggesting greater freedom of action post-Brexit, he said, "As an independent, sovereign country, we can choose to cooperate in anything that happens around the world where we think our involvement serves our national security interest." Ultimately, Darroch said, Britain's objective and intention is to "remain as a major global player, arguably even more so in future." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian State Media Mocks Ukraine's Election As 'Dirty And Dishonest' By Matthew Luxmoore April 01, 2019 MOSCOW -- As Ukrainians voted for a new president, Russians keeping track of the election on state TV were bombarded with coverage of Ukraine's failures as an independent state and reports of alleged electoral fraud. "It's unclear how one can accept the results of such an election," presenter Dmitry Kiselyov said as the results came in, echoing a sentiment advanced on other state channels. "The election campaign itself was the dirtiest in Ukraine's history, and the violations even before the vote were brazen." With Russian monitors and state media journalists banned from Ukraine, Kiselyov's Vesti Nedeli and other programs on state television made do by splicing together coverage on Ukrainian channels and adding a Russian translation. "Ukrainian police has recorded more than 2,000 falsifications," flagship news channel Rossia-24 said. "Foreign monitors are severely criticizing how the elections were organized." By 7 p.m. local time, Ukraine's Interior Ministry had recorded 1,768 complaints regarding the electoral process, it said in a Twitter post. A Facebook Live post by Claude Begle, a member of the Swiss parliament who monitored the election, was presented by Rossia-24 as evidence of irregularities during morning voting in the Odesa region town of Izmayil. The device used to count votes was broken, Begle was shown saying. Ukraine's Interior Ministry confirmed at 11 a.m. that the polling station had not yet opened, and reports on local media suggested it began operating in the afternoon. The snippet used by Rossia-24 left out Begle's comment that the issue with the machine was "much more of a technical problem than a case of fraud." 'Mass Fraud And Falsifications' "The vote was disorderly," Russia's government newspaper Rossiiskaya Gazeta concluded, citing "signs of mass fraud and falsifications." "The dirtiest and most dishonest in Ukraine's history, according to every monitor and every participant in the process." That take stood in contrast to comments made on April 1 by the special coordinator of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). "The election day was assessed positively overall and paves the way to the second round," the coordinator, Finnish lawmaker Illka Kanerva, said at a Kyiv news conference. "Fundamental freedoms were generally respected and candidates could campaign freely," he said, while acknowledging that "numerous and credible indications of misuse of state resources and vote buying undermined the credibility of the process." Assessments by other monitoring groups -- which including the OSCE's contingent used some 2,300 official observers from 17 countries according to the Central Election Commission (CEC) -- had not yet been released. Coverage by Dozhd TV, an independent channel that reports critically of the Kremlin, was picked up by Russian state news wires after one of its reporters was threatened and attacked by a Ukrainian man he tried to interview outside the CEC building in Kyiv. Despite the active interest in the vote from TV channels, Russian analysts suggested that Moscow did not have major expectations whatever the outcome. "The trend in relations between Russia and Ukraine has already been set, and it's unlikely anything fundamental will change regardless of who wins," Yevgeny Minchenko, an expert on Ukraine at the International Institute for Political Expertise, told the newspaper Vedomosti. Aleksei Makarkin, deputy head of Moscow's Center for Political Technologies, suggested that a victory by comedian Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the expected winner of the vote's first round, would be preferable to Moscow. Zelenskyy would be a "weak president," Makarkin told Vedomosti, with little experience in politics and no team behind him. Incumbent President Petro Poroshenko, who has consistently played on the threat from Russia to rally his supporters, was not a popular choice in Moscow. "The nation is against Poroshenko -- that's the essence of the second round," Aleksei Pushkov, chairman of the information committee at Russia's Federation Council, tweeted as it emerged that the election would go to a run-off later this month. "As a result Poroshenko should lose badly. That will show the country's attitude toward his agenda." Some close to Russian power appeared to be sitting this one out, with the decisive second round yet to come. On election day, RT editor Margarita Simonyan appeared to sum up the mood in Moscow in a Twitter post: "Since it's totally unimportant who wins in Ukraine, I'm browsing some old photos," she wrote in a tweet, accompanied by a photo of herself on a beach at the age of 21. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russian-state- media-highlights-the-negative-in-ukrainian- presidential-vote/29854841.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukrainian Diaspora Voters Show Starkly Different Political Preferences for Kyiv By Bogdan Tsioupine April 03, 2019 LONDON - Ukrainians who live abroad strongly prefer sitting President Petro Poroshenko to other candidates in last weekend's first-round presidential election, contradicting the choice of voters who reside within the eastern European nation. According to official tallies of votes cast in Ukraine, comedian-turned-actor Volodymyr Zelenskiy was the preferred choice of 30 percent of the electorate, giving the novice politician a commanding lead over the incumbent Poroshenko, who came in a distant second with roughly 16 percent of the vote. According to official tallies from Ukraine's 101 foreign polling stations, however, the majority of Ukraine's 20 million-strong expat community -- less than a half-million of whom are registered to vote -- gave Poroshenko 38.9 percent of their estimated 55,000 ballots, leaving Zelenskiy with 26.1 percent, and the difference split among the first round's other 37 candidates. Geographic voter preferences Like their Ukraine-based counterparts, who handed victory to Zelenskiy in 20 of 25 reporting oblasts -- the five outliers located the country's far east and west respectively -- voter preference among members of the country's global diaspora also tended to be geographically clustered. Poroshenko, for example, was the clear favorite among Ukrainians based the United States, where he garnered 56 percent of the vote. He enjoyed similarly strong showings in Canada (49.9 percent), the United Kingdom (52 percent), France (46 percent) and Germany (42 percent). He also claimed landslides (between 53 and 59 percent) in Ireland, Switzerland, Norway, Montenegro, Thailand and Australia. Zelenskiy had a significantly stronger showing throughout Central and Eastern European countries such as Latvia (43 percent), Belarus (41 percent), Slovakia (40 percent), Hungary (32 percent), along with victories in Armenia, Czech Republic and Georgia. Zelenskiy also captured 38 percent of Poland's Ukrainian diaspora. Overall, Poroshenko claimed victory in 53 of the 71 foreign nations where Ukrainian expats are eligible to vote; Zelenskiy triumphed in 16 of them, whereas pro-Russian Ukrainian politician Yuri Boyko won in Estonia and Moldova with 35 and 33 percent respectively. The breakdown suggests that Western-based Ukrainian voters tended to vote more conservatively than their Central- and Eastern-European counterparts, who appeared more amenable to voting for a newcomer. Poroshenko, a 53-year-old confectionary magnate before he was elected five years ago, saw his approval ratings slip amid Ukraine's economic turbulence during the first part of his term. Although real wages have ultimately increased and the economy is growing, ongoing dissatisfaction with cronyism and demands for more effective actions against corruption prompted him to build a re-election campaign that vows to defeat the Russian-backed separatists in the east and to wrest back control of Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula that Russia annexed in 2014. Zelenskiy, 41, who plays a schoolteacher-turned-president infuriated by corruption in a popular television sitcom, made fighting corruption a focus of his actual candidacy, in which he proposed a lifetime ban on holding public office for anyone convicted of graft. He also called for new direct negotiations with Russia on ending the conflict in eastern Ukraine, although he has yet to provide a detailed plan of action. Boyko, 60, the Russian-friendly candidate who performed well in Estonia and Moldova, claimed 11.6 percent of votes cast on Ukrainian soil, where campaign vows to represent Ukraine's "Russian-speaking population" notched victories in the ethnic-Russian strongholds of Luhansk and Donbass in Ukraine's war-torn eastern flank. Ukrainian officials refused to recognize votes cast by Ukrainians living in Russia, citing an inability to guarantee that a country with whom it is at war would conduct fair and transparent polling procedures. Although wire news outlets reported that some Russia-based Ukrainians did cast ballots from authorized polling stations in Finland and Belarus, data recorded in previous years show that Russia-based Ukrainians aren't particularly engaged in domestic Ukrainian affairs. This year's foreign turnout cast 18,000 fewer votes than in 2014, when about 73,000 members of the Ukrainian diaspora helped push Poroshenko into office. Long treks to the polls In the United States, some diaspora members drove hundreds of miles to cast their votes. "We drove about 15 hours yesterday," Yaroslav Kuznetsov of Tampa, Florida, told VOA Ukrainian, explaining that Ukrainian voting laws required expats to vote at their nearest consulate. For Kuznetsov, that entailed a trek to Washington, D.C., but one that he didn't mind making. "Its very important for the country for Ukraine for our future," he said. Ukrainian-American Andriy Nemchenko flew to the nation's capital from Dallas, Texas. "It's most important elections because it is a chance for Ukraine to finally cut off ties with Russia," he told VOA. In Ukraine, police officials said they had received more than 2,100 complaints of violations on voting day alone, in addition to hundreds of earlier voting fraud claims, including bribery attempts and removing ballots from polling stations. But election monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe hailed Sunday's election as competitive and free, even though it criticized procedural violations and said there were indications that state resources were misused in the vote. Zelenskiy and Poroshenko have advanced to a runoff on April 21. This story originated in VOA's Ukrainian Service. Pete Cobus contributed to this report. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address My favorite part about competing in Milan was knowing that we were not just representing Teams Elite, but that we were representing the United States of America, said Swanson, who is a sophomore at Shepard High School in Palos Heights. Something that I will never forget was when the national anthem was played and our flag was raised. Washington, D.C., April 03, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The National Hydropower Association (NHA) and Chelan County Public Utility District (Chelan PUD) today released a new report looking at public policy areas that can unleash the capabilities of hydropower for the next 30 years. Entitled Reinvigorating Hydropower: A cornerstone of our clean, affordable, reliable electric future the report describes the value hydropower provides the grid and the recommended governmental and industry policies necessary to fully realize hydropowers value. Hydropower has and will continue to play a critical role in states meeting clean energy goals. From providing reliably and resiliency to enabling other renewables onto the grid, hydropower is the backbone of the nations electricity system, said Linda Church Ciocci, Executive Director of the National Hydropower Association. However, for it to flourish, policymakers must breathe new life into the polices that are holding it back, and it starts with recognizing the true value of hydropower. This report is a call to action to begin that important discussion. With the adoption of equitable and smart policies, hydropower provides the best generation pathway to an affordable, reliable and clean electric power system necessary to accomplish deep, economy-wide decarbonization, said Steve Wright, General Manager, Chelan PUD. The paper makes a call to action, identifying six recommendations, covering a range of issues including market design, public policy and regulatory processes. Design Markets that Value Hydropower Services Hydropower is such a multi-purpose performer that it would be highly successful in a resource-neutral market. To be sustainable over the long term, an equitable market must send appropriate price signals to hydropower owners and operators. Markets fail when they only value some attributes (such as energy) while transferring the benefit of others (such as associated grid services). Regulators should re-examine all existing market design rules, practices and resource procurement programs to incentivize the generating attributes needed to achieve carbon reduction and reliability at low cost. Choose Technology Neutral Policies for Carbon Reduction Goals Public policy should focus on the best societal outcomes that allow alternative solutions to compete. Renewable energy portfolios (RPSs) and tax incentives began as a means to kick-start nascent technologies, such as wind and solar. As these technologies have matured, policies have not treated hydropower equitably. Going forward, public policy should provide a more equitable, technology-neutral market signal for any generating resources that meet emission goals. Allow Reinvestment in Existing Hydropower to Meet Additionality Criteria To achieve low levels of carbon emissions on the grid, renewable energy purchasers and those setting portfolio policies should view reinvestment in hydropower as meeting additionality requirements. Limiting the markets in which hydropower can compete reduces the value of all types of hydropower investment. Improve the Hydropower Licensing Process Hydropower has the longest, most complex development timeline of any renewable energy technology. The licensing process can cost millions of dollars and take 10 years or longer even for projects being relicensed. Recent changes to license term policy may unleash investments at existing projects if properly implemented. However, more action will be needed to streamline and improve overall licensing outcomes. Improve Project Performance Given its aging infrastructure and contributions to grid resiliency and reliability, hydropower deserves more focus in the nations research portfolio. There are opportunities to increase hydropower system output through new sensor technologies, combined with mega-data analysis. Federal and state governments should support such efforts by finding room in their budgets to support R&D in the hydropower industry. Improve Contracting and Quality Control Practices Hydropower owners and vendors should work together so that equipment is resilient, easy to maintain and achieves its life expectancy. Collaborative arrangements between owners and vendors that lead to longer term warranties and increased operational data sharing can enhance quality in a manner that ensures actual life matches planned investment life. Click here to access: Reinvigorating Hydropower: A cornerstone of our clean, affordable, reliable electric future The National Hydropower Association (NHA) is a nonprofit association dedicated exclusively to promoting the growth of clean, renewable hydropower and marine energy. Attachment English Lithuanian On 2 April 2019 the Board of Telia Lietuva, AB (hereinafter Telia Lietuva or the Company) decided: - To approve the draft of the audited annual consolidated and separate financial statements of the Company for the year 2018, prepared according to the International Financial Reporting Standards, and to propose to the Companys Annual General Meeting of Shareholders to approve the draft of the Companys annual consolidated and separate financial statements for the year 2018. The audited results of Telia Lietuva Group for the year 2018 are the same as the results for the twelve months of 2018 that were announced on 25 January 2019: the audited consolidated Telia Lietuva Group revenue for the year 2018 amounted to EUR 376,494 thousand and profit for the period amounted to EUR 54,700 thousand. EBITDA excluding non-recurring items for the year 2018 was EUR 128,730 thousand. - To approve the Companys Consolidated Annual Report for the year 2018, prepared by the Company and assessed by the auditors, and to present the Companys Consolidated Annual Report for information to the Companys Annual General Meeting of Shareholders. - To approve the draft of the Companys profit allocation for the year 2018 and to propose for the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders to allocate the profit according to the draft of profit allocation: allocate from the Companys distributable profit of EUR 131,617 thousand EUR 46,609 thousand for the payment of dividends for the year 2018, i.e. EUR 0.08 dividend per share, and carry forward to the next financial year an amount of EUR 85,008 thousand as retained earnings (undistributed profit). For two independent members to the Board Tomas Balzekas and Mindaugas Glodas as tantiems (annual payment) for the year 2018 to allocate in total an amount of EUR 31,280, or EUR 15,640 each. - To convoke the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders in a new headquarters of Telia Lietuva, Saltoniskiu str. 7, Vilnius, Lithuania, at 13.00 on 26 April 2019, and to propose to the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders the following draft agenda: 1. Presentation by the Companys auditor. 2. Approval of the annual consolidated and separate financial statements of the Company for the year 2018 and presentation of the consolidated annual report of the Company for the year 2018. 3. Allocation of the profit of the Company of 2018. 4. Regarding the Companys registered office address. 5. Regarding the approval of preparation of reorganisation terms. 6. Election of the Companys Board members. 7. Regarding the implementation of decisions. As from 1 April 2019 the Company has moved to a new headquarters at Saltoniskiu str. 7 in Vilnius, the Board proposes to the General Meeting to change the registered office of the Company to Saltoniskiu str. 7, LT- 08105 Vilnius, Lithuania, accordingly. To streamline Telia Lietuva Group structure, the Board proposes to approve the preparation of reorganisation terms, under which Telia Customer Service LT, AB would be merged into Telia Lietuva, AB. The Contact Centers of Telia Customer Service LT, a subsidiary of Telia Lietuva, from 1 February 2017 are taking care of solely Telia Lietuva customers and are not providing services to external customers except Directory Inquiry service 118. In April 2019, Telia Customer Service LT, UAB changed its legal form from closed joint-stock company into joint-stock company. After change of legal form, the company operates as Telia Customer Service LT, AB. Telia Lietuva owns a 100 per cent stake in Telia Customer Service LT, AB. Taking into consideration that the two-years term of the Board terminates on 27 April 2019, Telia Company AB, as a shareholder of the Company holding 88.15 per cent of shares and votes, proposes to the Annual General Meeting to re-elect the current member of the Board for a new two-years term of the Board. Currently the members of the Board of the Company are as follows: (Per) Emil Nilsson Chair of the Board, member of the Board from 9 November 2018, Agneta (Magdalena) Wallmark member of the Board from 25 April 2018, Claes (Johan Ingemar) Nycander member of the Board from 29 April 2014, Hannu-Matti Makinen member of the Board from 25 April 2018, Tomas Balzekas independent member of the Board from 25 April 2018, Mindaugas Glodas independent member of the Board from 25 April 2018. ENCL.: - Drafts of Telia Lietuva, AB Consolidated and Separate Financial Statements, Consolidated Annual Report and Independent Auditors Report for the year ended 31 December 2018. - Presentation of Telia Lietuva Group results for the year 2018. Darius Dziaugys, Head of Investor Relations, tel. +370 5 236 7878, e-mail: darius.dziaugys@telia.lt Attachments Dutch English REGULATED INFORMATION Successfully raised 27.5 million in an Initial Public Offering on Euronext Brussels Clear progress on plans to make the alfapump and alfapump DSR available to a broader patient group, addressing large and growing markets with unmet medical needs Sequana Medical NV (the Company) will host a conference call with live webcast presentation today at 14:00 CET / 08:00 ET. Details provided below. Ghent, BELGIUM 4 April 2019 Sequana Medical NV (Euronext Brussels: SEQUA), a commercial stage medical device company focused on innovative treatment solutions for the management of liver disease, heart failure, malignant ascites and other fluid imbalance disorders, today announces its business highlights and financial results for the year ended 31 December 2018, prepared in accordance with IFRS as endorsed by the European Union, as well as post-period highlights and an outlook for the remainder of the year. 2018 Highlights Inclusion of the alfa pump in the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) clinical practice guidelines for decompensated cirrhosis. pump in the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) clinical practice guidelines for decompensated cirrhosis. Recommendation by the U.K. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for use of the alfa pump for treatment of refractory ascites caused by cirrhosis under special arrangements. pump for treatment of refractory ascites caused by cirrhosis under special arrangements. Two peer-reviewed alfa pump publications highlighting the improvement in patient quality of life (QoL) compared to standard of care in the European Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) and the improvement in clinical outcomes in routine clinical practice from the use of the new peritoneal catheter. pump publications highlighting the improvement in patient quality of life (QoL) compared to standard of care in the European Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) and the improvement in clinical outcomes in routine clinical practice from the use of the new peritoneal catheter. Presentation of the North American MOSAIC alfa pump feasibility study demonstrating a significant reduction in large volume paracentesis (LVP) as well as improved nutritional status and QoL of the patient during at least one year follow-up. pump feasibility study demonstrating a significant reduction in large volume paracentesis (LVP) as well as improved nutritional status and QoL of the patient during at least one year follow-up. Presentation of the retrospective Malignant Ascites study demonstrating that the alfa pump was effective in treating palliative patients and improving their QoL. pump was effective in treating palliative patients and improving their QoL. Enrolled first patient in TOPMOST European registry study in cirrhosis patients implanted with the alfa pump for the management of refractory liver ascites. pump for the management of refractory liver ascites. Maintained clear improvement in clinical outcomes with average duration of alfa pump therapy exceeding 450 days. pump therapy exceeding 450 days. Presentation of the pre-clinical proof-of-concept data for Direct Sodium Removal (DSR) therapy in the management of volume overload due to heart failure demonstrating the removal of clinically relevant amounts of sodium and fluid. First-in-human single dose DSR study commenced at Yale University, U.S. Established new corporate headquarters in Ghent, Belgium. Raised 8.5 million in private financing rounds from leading Belgian investors including Newton Biocapital, PMV and SFPI-FPIM, as well as existing shareholders. Appointed Kirsten Van Bockstaele as Chief Financial Officer and Lies Vanneste as Director, Investor Relations. Post-period events Raised 27.5 million in a successful Initial Public Offering (IPO) on Euronext Brussels. Appointed Pierre Chauvineau as Independent Chairman and Wim Ottevaere as an Independent Non-Executive Director. Received Breakthrough Device Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the alfapump for the treatment of recurrent or refractory liver ascites, demonstrating the potential to bring much-needed improvement to the treatment of this important medical condition. Outlook for the remainder of 2019 The North American POSEIDON pivotal study in recurrent or refractory liver ascites to support approval of the alfapump in the U.S. and Canada is planned to begin in the second half of 2019. Filing of the clinical trial application with the FDA and Health Canada is planned for later this month. The Company expects to start two prospective alfapump clinical studies in the second quarter of 2019, i) a study in malignant ascites patients and ii) a study in refractory liver ascites patients to evaluate the impact of albumin replacement therapy. Furthermore, in the second half of 2019, the Company expects to receive reimbursement of the alfapump in the Netherlands. Interim results from the single dose first-in-human DSR therapy study are expected to be reported during the second quarter of 2019. Final results from this study are expected in the second half of 2019. The repeated dose first-in-human study of alfapump DSR in patients with volume overload due to heart failure is planned to begin in the second half of this year, with initial results expected by the year-end. The Company expects the results of the investments in the European commercial team to result in growth of revenues versus 2018. Ian Crosbie, Chief Executive Officer at Sequana Medical, commented: We are very excited about our progress in 2018 and our plans for 2019 and beyond. Our successful IPO on Euronext Brussels has provided the funds to progress our growth strategy across the three pillars of our business. 2018 built upon the successes from previous years, marked by improved clinical outcomes, additional clinical evidence and third party clinical endorsement. In addition, it was the year that we expanded beyond liver disease and cancer to deliver pre-clinical proof-of-concept for our breakthrough DSR therapy in heart failure. So far in 2019, as well as completing the IPO, the alfapump has received Breakthrough Device designation from the FDA for the treatment of recurrent or refractory liver ascites in a further recognition of the potential of the alfapump. Detailed operational review alfapump proven step change in the management of ascites in liver disease and cancer Since April 2018 , the alfapump has been included in the EASL clinical practice guidelines for the management of patients with decompensated cirrhosis. The Company considers this a key step in the potential widespread commercial acceptance of the alfapump. To support French reimbursement of the alfapump, a study in patients with refractory liver ascites (the ARIA pump study) was initiated in 2018. This study is funded by the French government and is being conducted and sponsored by leading clinicians in France. In June 2018, results from the multicentre RCT of the alfapump in 58 patients with refractory liver ascites were published in Quality of Life Research , demonstrating an improved patient QoL in the alfapump group compared to the standard of care group. In September 2018, results from the retrospective study of the alfapump in 21 patients with refractory liver ascites in a real-world setting at Hannover Medical School were published in the European Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology . Also in September 2018, results from the retrospective Malignant Ascites study of the alfapump in 17 patients with malignant ascites were presented at the International Gynaecologic Cancer Society congress in Kyoto and the Pelvic Surgeons Annual Meeting in Romania, by Principal Investigator Prof. Dr. Fotopoulou from Imperial College in London. The study demonstrated that the alfapump was effective in treating palliative patients with malignant ascites and improving their QoL. In November 2018, results from the North American MOSAIC study, an IDE (Investigational Device Exemption) feasibility study, of the alfapump in 30 patients with recurrent or refractory liver ascites were presented at the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease (AASLD) by Principal Investigator Prof. Wong from the University of Toronto. Results demonstrated a significant reduction in LVP, the current standard of care, as well as improved nutritional status and patient QoL during at least one year follow-up. Furthermore, in November 2018 , the U.K. NICE recommended use of the alfapump for the treatment of refractory ascites caused by liver cirrhosis under special arrangements. This improved guidance is important to support market adoption of the alfapump in the U.K. In December 2018, the first patient was enrolled in the TOPMOST registry, a European registry to collect data from prospectively enrolled alfapump patients with refractory liver ascites. These real-world data will be important for healthcare providers and payers, and to increase awareness of the alfapump. By the end of 2018, the average duration of alfapump therapy exceeded 450 days. This is the result of continuous work to further improve the design and use of the alfapump including pre- and post- implant care based on feedback from Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) and clinical experience. alfapump DSR potential breakthrough treatment of volume overload in patients with heart failure Direct Sodium Removal (DSR) is Sequana Medicals proprietary therapy for the management of volume overload in heart failure patients. The Company has leveraged its alfapump experience and is developing alfapump DSR, a fully implanted system to deliver a commercially attractive approach to implement DSR therapy. In September 2018 , results from the DSR pre-clinical proof-of-concept study in 15 healthy and 5 experimentally induced heart failure pigs were presented at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA) by Principal Investigator Dr. Testani from Yale University. These data demonstrated that DSR therapy resulted in the removal of clinically relevant amounts of sodium and fluid in the studied pigs. The stable serum sodium concentration is an encouraging signal for the safety of DSR therapy. By the end of 2018, the first patient was enrolled in the first-in-human Single Dose DSR study to demonstrate the safety, tolerability and efficacy of a single dose of DSR therapy in approximately 20 human subjects. Interim results are expected to be reported in the second quarter of 2019 and full results in the second half of 2019. Detailed financial review in Thousand Euros FY 2018 FY 2017 Variance Revenue 1,029 1,304 -21% Cost of goods sold (158) (212) -25% Gross margin 871 1,092 -20% Sales & Marketing (2,445) (1,506) +62% Clinical (1,671) (1,749) -4% Quality & Regulatory (1,372) (1,225) +12% Supply Chain (964) (1,041) -7% Engineering (1,808) (1,004) +80% General & Administration (5,761) (1,988) +190% Other income 74 4 N.A. Total operating expenses (13,948) (8,510) +64% Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) (13,077) (7,418) +76% Finance income 309 107 +189% Finance cost (1,192) (895) +33% Total net finance expense (883) (788) +12% Income tax expense (24) (18) +33% Net loss for the period (13,983) (8,225) +70% Basic LPS* (1.40) (0.88) +59% Cash position** at 31 December 1,318 1,684 -22% * Losses per share ** Cash position only includes highly liquid cash and cash equivalents. Consolidated statements of profit and loss Revenue Total revenues decreased by 21% to 1.03 million (2017: 1.30 million), mainly as a result of a strategic decision to focus principally on Sequana Medicals focus markets in Europe (Switzerland, Germany, France and the U.K.). Cost of goods sold Cost of goods sold decreased from 0.21 million to 0.16 million in line with the decrease in revenue. Operating expenses Total operating expenses increased to 13.95 million (2017: 8.51 million). Sales and marketing expenses increased from 1.51 million to 2.45 million mainly as a result of the expansion of the commercial team and increased marketing activities. Clinical expenses decreased from 1.75 million to 1.67 million principally as a result of lower expenses for the MOSAIC (North American IDE feasibility) study in 2018 versus 2017, due to completion of the study, partly offset by higher expenses for the DSR proof-of-concept animal studies. Quality and regulatory expenses increased from 1.23 million to 1.37 million, principally as a result of external advice regarding the POSEIDON (North American pivotal) study and the preparation for the new Medical Devices Regulation (Regulation 2017/745). Supply chain expenses decreased from 1.04 million to 0.96 million, mainly as a result of the decrease in revenue. Engineering expenses increased from 1.00 million to 1.81 million largely as a result of the costs related to the further development of the alfapump and costs related to the preparation for the new Medical Device Regulation. General and administration expenses increased from 1.99 million to 5.76 million mainly as a result of the costs related to the preparation of the Initial Public Offering (IPO) and relocation to Belgium. EBIT As a result of the above, earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) increased from a loss of 7.42 million in 2017 to a loss of 13.08 million in 2018 largely due to costs related to the preparation of the IPO and relocation to Belgium, increased marketing activities and a lower gross profit due to a decrease in sales (partially offset by lower expenses in clinical affairs). Total net finance expenses Net finance cost increased from 0.79 million to 0.88 million mainly as a result of the interest expense related to the convertible loans received in 2018. The remainder of the costs relate to the Bootstrap loan. Income tax expense Income tax expense was 0.02 million for 2018 and was broadly flat compared to 2017. These expenses largely reflect taxes payable in Germany. Net loss for the period As a result of the above, the net loss increased from 8.23 million in 2017 to 13.98 million in 2018. Basic losses per share (LPS) Basic losses per share for 2018 amounted to 1.40, compared to 0.88 in 2017. Consolidated balance sheet Net debt Net debt1 at December 31, 2018 amounted to 13.34 million, compared to 2.89 million in 2017, as a result of several new convertible loan agreements2 entered into in 2018. Working Capital Working capital3 from 2017 to 2018 decreased with 3.73 million, which was a result of an increase in trade payables and accrued liabilities. Consolidated statements of cash flows Net cash outflow from operating activities was 9.88 million compared to a net outflow of 8.38 million in 2017. The difference mainly relates to a general increase in the net loss partly offset by the decrease in working capital. Cash flow from investing activities resulted in a net outflow of 0.05 million compared to a net outflow of 0.01 million in 2017. The net cash outflow mainly relates to the down payment for the new office lease in Ghent, Belgium. Cash flow from financing activities remained broadly flat. In 2018, cash inflow amounted to 9.47 million, as a result of the proceeds of several convertible loans, compared to a net inflow of 9.50 million in 2017, resulting from the issuance of shares in 2017. The Company ended the period with a total liquidity position of 1.32 million (2017: 1.68 million) which consists fully of highly liquid cash and cash equivalents. Conference Call and Webcast Sequana Medical will host a conference call with live webcast presentation today at 14:00 CET / 8:00 ET. The webcast can be accessed by clicking here . To participate in the Q&A, please dial one of the numbers below ten minutes in advance, using confirmation code 5731205. The webcast and conference call will be conducted in English and a replay will be available on Sequana Medicals website shortly after. Belgium: +32 2 789 8603 The Netherlands: +31 20 794 8426 Switzerland: +41 43 456 9986 U.K.: +44 20 3003 2666 U.S.: +1 866 966 5335 Financial calendar 23 April 2019 Online publication annual report 2018 23 May 2019 Annual General Meeting 2019 4 September 2019 Publication half year results 2019 For more information, please contact: Sequana Medical Lies Vanneste Director IR Tel: +32 (0) 498 05 35 79 Email: IR@sequanamedical.com Consilium Strategic Communications Alexandra Harrison, Marieke Vermeersch, Sukaina Virji Tel: +44 (0) 203 709 5000 Email: sequanamedical@consilium-comms.com About Sequana Medical Sequana Medical is a commercial stage medical device company focused on innovative treatment solutions for the management of liver disease, heart failure, malignant ascites and other fluid imbalance disorders. Sequana Medical's technology is based on its proprietary alfapump platform, a fully implantable, programmable, wirelessly-charged, battery-powered system for automatic and continuous removal of fluid from the abdomen, which is applicable across multiple life-threatening disorders. The alfapump is being commercialised in Europe for the management of refractory ascites (chronic fluid build-up in the abdomen) due to liver cirrhosis and malignant ascites. The number of patients with refractory liver ascites is forecast to increase dramatically due to the growing prevalence of NASH (Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis). Over 700 alfapump systems have been implanted to date and since April 2018, the alfapump has been included in the EASL (European Association for the Study of the Liver) clinical practice guidelines for decompensated cirrhosis. In January 2019, the FDA has granted Breakthrough Device designation for the alfapump for the treatment of recurrent or refractory liver ascites. The alfapump has not yet received regulatory approval in the U.S. and Canada and the Company expects to start POSEIDON, the North American pivotal study in in the second half of 2019 to support approval of the alfapump in recurrent or refractory liver ascites. The alfapump is one of the first safe and effective, long-term alternatives to large-volume paracentesis (LVP) for the management of ascites, offering major advantages to patients, clinicians and healthcare systems. By automatically and continuously moving ascites to the bladder, where the body eliminates it naturally through urination, the alfapump prevents fluid build-up and its possible complications, improving patient quality of life and nutrition, and potentially reducing hospital visits and healthcare costs. The alfapump DirectLink technology allows clinicians to receive pump performance information and more effectively manage patients treated by the alfapump. Sequana Medical is developing the alfapump DSR, built upon the proven alfapump platform, to deliver a convenient and fully implanted system for Direct Sodium Removal (DSR) therapy, a novel and proprietary approach for the management of volume overload in heart failure. A first-in-human study for DSR therapy is ongoing. Treatment of volume overload in diuretic-resistant heart failure patients is a major clinical challenge. There are an estimated one million hospitalisations due to heart failure in the U.S. each year, of which 90% are due to symptoms of volume overload. The estimated cost of heart failure-related hospitalisations in the U.S. is $13 billion a year. Sequana Medical is headquartered in Ghent, Belgium. For further information, please visit www.sequanamedical.com . Important Regulatory Disclaimer Any statement in this press release about safety and efficacy of the alfapump does not apply to the U.S. and Canada because the device is currently undergoing clinical investigation in these territories. Disclaimer This press release may contain predictions, estimates or other information that might be considered forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. These forward-looking statements represent the current judgment of Sequana Medical on what the future holds, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. Sequana Medical expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements in this press release, except if specifically required to do so by law or regulation. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which reflect the opinions of Sequana Medical only as of the date of this press release. Certain monetary amounts and other figures included in this press release have been subject to rounding adjustments. Accordingly, any discrepancies in any tables between the totals and the sums of amounts listed are due to rounding. Financial information The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with IFRS, as adopted by the EU. The financial information included in this press release is an extract from the full IFRS consolidated financial statements which will be published on 23 April 2019. As of the date of this press release, the statutory auditor, PricewaterhouseCoopers Bedrijfsrevisoren BV CVBA, with registered office at Woluwedal 18, 1932 Sint-Stevens-Woluwe, Belgium , represented by Peter Dhondt, auditor , has not yet completed his audit procedures on the IFRS consolidated statements as of and for the year ended 31 December 2018. The statutory auditor has confirmed that the audit, which is substantially complete, has not to date revealed any material misstatement in the draft consolidated accounts, and that the accounting data reported in the press release is consistent, in all material respects, with the draft accounts from which it has been derived. Consolidated statements of profit and loss in Thousand Euros (if not stated otherwise) Year ended 31 December 2018 2017 Revenue 1,029 1,304 Cost of goods sold (158) (212) Gross margin 871 1,092 Sales & Marketing (2,445) (1,506) Clinical (1,671) (1,749) Quality & Regulatory (1,372) (1,225) Supply Chain (964) (1,041) Engineering (1,808) (1,004) General & Administration (5,761) (1,988) Other income 74 4 Total operating expenses (13,948) (8,510) Earnings before interests and taxes (EBIT) (13,077) (7,418) Finance income 309 107 Finance cost (1,192) (895) Total net finance expense (883) (788) Income tax expense (24) (18) Net loss for the period (13,983) (8,225) Basic losses per share (in Euro) (1.40) (0.88) Consolidated balance sheet in Thousand Euros As at 31 December 2018 2017 ASSETS Property, plant and equipment 184 206 Laboratory 6 10 Information Technology 138 186 R&D tools 7 10 Assets under construction 32 - Financial Assets Financial assets rental deposits 58 42 Loans to related parties - - Total non-current assets 242 248 Trade and other receivables 546 317 Inventory 1,235 1,271 Cash and cash equivalents 1,318 1,684 Total current assets 3,099 3,272 Total assets 3,341 3,519 EQUITY AND LIABILITIES Share capital 888 955 Other equity 184 - Own shares - (193) Share premium 64,963 65,157 Reserves (452) (183) Loss brought forward (85,003) (71,082) Cumulative translation adjustment 659 736 Total equity (18,760) (4,611) Long term financial debts 2,582 1,757 Retirement benefit obligation 792 819 Total non-current liabilities 3,374 2,576 Short term financial debts 12,073 2,820 Trade and other payables 3,848 2,283 Accrued liabilities 2,806 451 Total current liabilities 18,727 5,554 Total equity and liabilities 3,341 3,519 Consolidated statement of cash flows in Thousand Euros Year ended 31 December 2018 2017 Net loss for the period (13,983) (8,225) Income tax expense 24 18 Financial result 883 788 Depreciation 81 78 Change in defined benefit plan 43 64 Share-based compensation 241 23 Changes in trade and other receivables (77) 146 Changes in inventories 80 556 Changes in trade and other payables/provisions 2,839 (1,807) Taxes paid (5) (18) Cash flow used in operating activities (9,875) (8,378) Investments in tangible fixed assets (39) (7) Investments in financial assets (16) (4) Cash flow used in investing activities (55) (10) Proceeds from capital increase 2 9,815 Proceeds from financial debts 9,583 - Interest paid (115) (314) Cash flow from financing activities 9,469 9,500 Net change in cash and cash equivalents (461) 1,112 Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the period 1,684 797 Net effect of currency translation on cash and cash equivalents 95 (226) Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the period 1,318 1,684 Consolidated statement of changes in equity in Thousand Euros Share capital Other equity Own shares Share premium Reserves Loss brought forward Currency translation differences Total shareholder equity Balance at 31 December 2016 860 - - 55,438 (335) (62,857) 226 (6,668) Net loss (8,225) (8,225) Other comprehensive income 129 510 639 Capital increase (net of costs) 95 9,719 9,813 Acquisition of own shares (non-cash transaction) (193) (193) Share-based compensation 23 23 Balance at 31 December 2017 955 - (193) 65,157 (183) (71,082) 736 (4,611) Net loss (13,983) (13,983) Other comprehensive income 102 (76) 26 Capital increase (net of costs) 2 2 Liquidation own shares 193 (193) - Conversion share capital into EUR (68) (68) Transaction costs for equity instruments (612) (612) Conversion rights on convertible loans 184 184 Share-based compensation 241 62 302 Balance at 31 December 2018 888 184 - 64,963 (452) (85,003) 659 (18,760) 1 Net debt is calculated by adding short-term and long-term financial debt and deducting cash and cash equivalents. 2 The following conversion option was foreseen in the convertible loan agreements, in the event of an IPO: There will be a mandatory conversion where the entire outstanding convertible loan amounts shall automatically be converted into shares of the Company in the event of, and simultaneously with the initial closing of, the next increase of the Companys share capital . 3 The components of working capital are inventories plus trade receivables and other receivables minus trade payables (including contract liabilities) and other payables, and accrued liabilities. The shareholders in American Shipping Company ASA are invited to attend the companys annual general meeting to be held on Wednesday 25 April 2019 at 10 a.m. (CET) at Advokatfirmaet BAHR AS, Tjuvholmen Alle 16, 0252 Oslo, Norway. Please find attached the following documents: Notice of the annual general meeting Form for notice of attendance/proxy The Board of Directors proposed resolutions The statement from the Board of Directors regarding determination of salary and other remuneration to the Senior Management The proposals from the Nomination Committee The 2018 Annual Report The attachments will also be made available on the companys website at www.americanshippingco.com. *** This information is subject of the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act. Attachments FRANKLIN, Ind., April 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IBC Advanced Alloys Corp. (TSX-V: IB; OTCQB: IAALF) (IBC or the Company) a leading beryllium and copper advanced alloys company, has received notice of a decision by the U.S. District Court in the District of Massachusetts affirming a September 9, 2017 arbitration award made in favor of Gerald R. Hoolahan, the former co-owner of Beralcast Corporation, which IBC purchased in 2010. The arbitration award resulted from an alleged breach of contract relating to the sale and totals $1,395,434 plus accrued interest from the date of the arbitration decision. IBC vigorously disputes the allegations and reserves its right to appeal the District Court decision. As has been disclosed in previous public filings, the Company has already reserved the full amount of the potential award as a contingent liability on its books. On Behalf of the Board of Directors: "Mark A. Smith Mark A. Smith, Board Chairman Contact: Mark A. Smith, Board Chairman Jim Sims, Investor and Public Relations IBC Advanced Alloys Corp. +1 (303) 503-6203 Email: jim.sims@ibcadvancedalloys.com Website: www.ibcadvancedalloys.com @IBCAdvanced $IB $IAALF About IBC Advanced Alloys Corp. IBC is a leading beryllium and copper advanced alloys company serving a variety of industries such as defense, aerospace, automotive, telecommunications, precision manufacturing, and others. IBC's Copper Division manufactures and distributes a variety of copper alloys as castings and forgings, including beryllium copper, chrome copper, and aluminum bronze. IBC's Engineered Materials Division makes the Beralcast family of alloys, which can be precision cast and are used in an increasing number of defense, aerospace, and other systems, including the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. IBC's has production facilities in Indiana, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Missouri. The Company's common shares are traded on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "IB" and the OTCQB under the symbol "IAALF". CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy of this communication. This disclosure contains certain forward-looking statements about the Company, including, but not limited to, the Companys current intention to pursue an appeal of the decision of the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts. These forward-looking statements involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the Company's control. All statements included in this press release that address activities, events or developments that the Company expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on the Companys assessment of the information currently available to it and legal advice that has been provided to it to date. Accordingly, the Company cannot guarantee that any forward-looking statement will materialize and cautions you against relying on any of these forward-looking statements. IBC makes no commitment to revise or update any forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or circumstances after the date any such statement is made, except as required by applicable law. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties is contained in IBCs filings at www.sedar.com. Nogales, Ariz., April 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Alpha Pro Tech, Ltd. (NYSE American: APT), a leading manufacturer of products designed to protect people, products and environments, including disposable protective apparel and building products, today announced the launch of new building supply products: TECHNO SB 25 and TECHNO SB ULTRA synthetic roof underlayment, as well as REXTREME Premium window and door flashing. The two new TECHNO family products are expected to significantly expand the Companys opportunity to gain market share in the synthetic roof underlayment market, and the products round out the Companys portfolio in this market, which has shifted to spunbond based (SB) products. The REXTREME Premium Window and Door Flashing adds a completely new potential revenue stream for the Company, which is expected to drive incremental revenue on top of the Companys housewrap sales. REXTREME allows the Company to offer a complete sidewall weatherization system to builders, which system will include an industry-leading Limited Lifetime Product and Labor Warranty. Lloyd Hoffman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Alpha Pro Tech, commented, We continue to innovate and develop new product offerings to address market trends and to take advantage of opportunities to expand our product portfolio. Due to the shift in the synthetic roof underlayment market, in which non-woven spunbond layered products have outpaced the traditional synthetic woven underlayment, we have launched two new product offerings, TECHNO SB 25 and TECHNO SB ULTRA. TECHNO SB 25 will target the economy end of the market, which accounts for a significant portion of the market, with TECHNO SB ULTRA addressing the premium end of the market. TECHNO SB 25 offers a 25 year warranty, and TECHNO SB ULTRA comes with a lifetime warranty. We believe that Alpha Pro Tech is now positioned to address all segments of the spunbond synthetic roof underlayment market, significantly expanding our market opportunity in this product category. These products will launch early in the second quarter of 2019, and we have already had encouraging initial customer interest. Mr. Hoffman continued, Our new REXTREME Premium Window and Door Flashing will be a critical component to Alpha Pro Techs housewrap systems and the warranties that we offer. Installers will be required to use our REXTREME product in conjunction with our housewrap products in order to be eligible for our full, industry leading warranty programs, which will drive market opportunities and encourage higher quality installs. REXTREME will be available for distribution by mid-second quarter of 2019. We now have a complete sidewall weatherization system and, as a result, anticipate a material increase in housewrap system sales. About Alpha Pro Tech, Ltd. Alpha Pro Tech, Ltd. is the parent company of Alpha Pro Tech, Inc. and Alpha ProTech Engineered Products, Inc. Alpha Pro Tech, Inc. develops, manufactures and markets innovative disposable and limited-use protective apparel products for the industrial, clean room, medical and dental markets. Alpha ProTech Engineered Products, Inc. manufactures and markets a line of construction weatherization products, including building wrap and roof underlayment. The Company has manufacturing facilities in Salt Lake City, Utah; Nogales, Arizona; Valdosta, Georgia; and a joint venture in India. For more information and copies of all news releases and financials, visit Alpha Pro Tech's website at http://www.alphaprotech.com. Certain statements made in this press release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include any statement that may predict, forecast, indicate or imply future results, performance or achievements instead of historical facts and may be identified generally by the use of forward-looking terminology and words such as expects, anticipates, estimates, believes, predicts, intends, plans, potentially, may, continue, should, will and words of similar meaning. Without limiting the generality of the preceding statement, all statements in this press release relating to estimated and projected earnings, margins, costs, expenditures, cash flows, sources of capital, growth rates, new or expanded products or product lines and the success of such products or product lines, and future financial and operating results are forward-looking statements. We caution investors that any such forward-looking statements are only estimates based on current information and involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from the results contained in the forward-looking statements. We cannot give assurances that any such statements will prove to be correct. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those estimated by us include the risks, uncertainties and assumptions described from time to time in our public releases and reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K. We also caution investors that the forward-looking information described herein represents our outlook only as of this date, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events or developments after the date of this press release. Given these uncertainties, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results. OTTAWA, April 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On the International Day of Pink, April 10th, the Canadian Centre for Gender & Sexual Diversity (CCGSD) will launch Our History an education initiative to provide a stronger voice for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and spread awareness amongst Canadians. Anticipating the launch of Canadas first dedicated 2SLGBTQIA+ museum scheduled to open in Ottawa in 2021, Our History is part of CCGSDs mission to curate and share stories from the community and to provide a platform to redress ignorance and intolerance. Our History is both a campaign and a mini-museum project opening in seven schools across Canada on April 10th. Celebrities, activists and local politicians like Olympian Mark Tewksbury, Canadas first elected gay politician Svend Robinson and CCGSD founder Jeremy Dias will be unveiling their personal unique Trailblazers Exhibitions in participating schools in North Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Toronto and Cape Breton. These mini-exhibitions are designed to share their unique history and culture while enhancing existing educational programming. The International Day of Pink, where one in three Canadians wear pink has been very successful but wearing pink doesnt stop bullying aloneeducation does. Were seeking additional ways to help educate Canadians and to raise awareness, says Jeremy Dias, Executive Director at the CCGSD. Most Canadians dont know the history of our 2SLGBTQIA+ community, so this will help bring that history to life and help guide young people away from the ignorance and intolerance brought about by basic lack of information. Dias adds, The Our History program represents a huge shift in advocacy efforts to engage with Canadians in an inclusive manner in communities across the country. Along with the photo exhibits in schools and sharing the stories of Canadas 2SLGBTQIA+ community across the country, CCGSD has also created a study guide that highlights 22 remarkable stories. The study guide will help educators get their students more involved in learning more about Canadas 2SLGBTQIA+ history. Dias says, This study guide teaches and preserves our history, furthering the advocacy of gender and sexual diversity for generations to come. The Our History initiative was created along with Saatchi & Saatchi Toronto. CCGSD will also be partnering with ZED, a Generation Z-run agency recently launched by Republic, and leveraging their national network of 16 to 24 year-olds to share the content through their own personal channels, seeking to increase accessibility to the audience CCGSD strives to reach. The campaign will live across various platforms over the course of the campaign. From print newspaper ads disguised as crossword puzzles to sponsored content on YouTube and Instagram as well as native postings and stories on the CCGSDs Instagram account, the content aims to get the community involved in creating awareness and advocacy. The campaign coincides with the CCGSDs major fundraising drive to secure $20,000,000 to build the museum, a 26,000 square foot centre for gender and sexual diversitythe first of its kind in the world. With the recent Ontario government cuts to program funding, the CCGSD seeks the support of Canadians ensuring the 2021 museum can be a beacon for the communitys rights and advocacy in the future. With a financial boost from Canadians, CCGSD can continue advocating for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community for years to come. To support the organization, donations can be made at http://ccgsd-ccdgs.com/donate . #OurHistory #CCGSD #DayofPink About the CCGSD The Canadian Centre for Gender and Sexual Diversity (CCGSD) intersectionally promotes diversity in gender identity, gender expression, and romantic and/or sexual orientation in all its forms on a national level through services in the areas of arts, heritage, history, education, health, and advocacy. Our resources and programming can be used to uplift gender and sexual minorities, as well as give the tools to wider populations in building allyship. As a leader in anti-discrimination work, CCGSD runs programming all over Canada and the United States. Because of hundreds of volunteers, CCGSD is able to reach over 250,000 people annually. The organization is also a proud leader in the International Day of Pink (DayOfPink.org), engaging millions of people in wearing pink and to run programs that stand up to bullying. Find out more about CCGSD & the International Day of Pink, and get involved in making your community a safer and more diverse place at http://ccgsd-ccdgs.org/ . About Saatchi Saatchi & Saatchi has grown from a start-up advertising agency in London in 1970 to a global creative communications company headquartered in New York with 130 offices in 70 countries and over 6500 employees. Saatchi & Saatchi is part of the Publicis Groupe, the worlds third largest communications group. Saatchi & Saatchi is a full service, integrated communications network working with 6 of the top 10 and over half of the top 50 global advertisers. Saatchi & Saatchi is in the business of getting people to fall in love with its clients products and services. Through creative ideas across all media and all disciplines, they set out to turn brands into Lovemarks which, unlike brands, generate loyalty beyond reason. Saatchi & Saatchi believe passionately in the power of ideas to differentiate and motivate. And to change the world for the better. About ZED A subsidiary of empathy marketing agency, Republic, ZED is a Generation Z agency. Led by members of Generation Z, this agency is focused on connecting brands and companies with this rapidly growing generation. In addition to our ZED team, the agency consists of a network of Generation Z across Canada who can join and contribute to the strategy, creation and evaluation of client work. Charity contact (CCGSD): Jeremy Dias info@ccgsd-ccdgs.org 613-858-3427 Media contact (Republic, Canada): Rob Mabee rob@republicstory.com 403-512-3069 List of events and locations open to the media & media contacts: Toronto: Queen Alexandra Middle School (181 Broadview Ave, Toronto, ON M4M 2G3) Starts at: 11am (EST) Board Media contact : Shari.Schwartz-maltz@tdsb.on.ca & 416-518-5551 Principal: Mervi.Salo@tdsb.on.ca & 416-393-9535 Featuring: Mayor John Tory; Media Contact: Lawvin Hadisi: lawvin.hadisi@toronto.ca & 647-460-7507 & 647-460-7507 Featuring Director of the School Board, John Malloy; Media Contact: Schwartz-Maltz, Shari; Shari.Schwartz-maltz@tdsb.on.ca & 416-518-5551 & 416-518-5551 Featuring Chair of the Board, Robin Pilkey; Media Contact: Schwartz-Maltz, Shari; Shari.Schwartz-maltz@tdsb.on.ca & 416-518-5551 & 416-518-5551 Featuring Mark Tewksbury: rob@republicstory.com & 403-512-3069 CCGSD Media contact: Cameron Aitken: community@ccgsd-ccdgs.org & 613-606-4656 Ottawa: Cedarview Middle School (2750 Cedarview Rd, Nepean, ON K2J 4J2) Starts: 9:30am (EST) Principal: Alain Brule: alain.brule@ocdsb.ca & 613-825-2185 Featuring Jeremy Dias: info@ccgsd-ccdgs.org & 613-858-3427 CCGSD Media contact: Calla Barnett: calla@ccgsd-ccdgs.org & 613-293-4457 North Vancouver: Seycove Secondary School (1204 Caledonia Ave, North Vancouver, BC V7G 2A6) Starts: 10am (PDT) School contact: Andrea Yeo: ayeo@sd44.ca & 604-903-3666 Featuring: Mayor Linda Buchanan; Media Contact: Ann Gordon-Tighe, Executive Assistant, Office of the Mayor: agordontighe@cnv.org & 604.998.3280 Executive Assistant, Office of the Mayor: & 604.998.3280 Featuring: Svend Robinson: sjr99@hotmail.com & 604-618-2722 Featuring: MLA Jane Thornthwaite : Jane.Thornthwaite.MLA@leg.bc.ca & 604.983.9852 Featuring: Libby Davies: libbydavies@gmail.com CCGSD Media Contact: Jeremy Dias: info@ccgsd-ccdgs.org & 613-858-3427 Cape Breton: Glace Bay Elementary School: 135 Brookside St, Glace Bay, NS B1A 1K8 Starts: 1:30pm (ADT) Las Vegas, NV, April 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Earth Gen-BioFuel Inc.(OTC:EGBB), EarthGen or the Company announces the granting of an Exclusive Product Distribution and Sales Agreement with Tiny Houses USA LLC., a Boston based real estate focused project development and marketing group. Tiny Homes USA LLC is exclusively promoting EarthGens products in the New England territory and assisting EarthGen with promotional activities and brand development. Tiny Homes USA is proceeding to introduce EarthGens housing units to developers of resort communities along New Englands shore line and ski resorts as well as working with developers of retirement centers, medical rehabilitation centers, and veteran housing communities. Tiny Homes USA desires to be an integral part of New Englands focus on providing affordable housing opportunities to the growing number of young people looking to move into the New England area. Tiny Homes USA is also focusing its marketing on the broad segment of current home owners who are making the choice to buy a Park Model Tiny Home, which generally has 600 to 800 sq. ft. plus of living space. These home buyers are looking for a path to a smaller environmental footprint, greater financial freedom, and ultimately a self-sufficient lifestyle allowing them more time to enjoy lifes adventures. Mr. Robert Hayes, President & CEO stated, We are excited to partner with Tiny Homes USA in the New England states. They are based in the Boston area and are the perfect partner as they bring extensive knowledge of real estate project development in New England. Tiny Homes USA will have a major impact on our potential sales by assisting EarthGen with their presence in the market and by making our products available to an important segment of the East Coast market. The New England area represents a large market for our products because of the diversity of the market and the demand for urban housing, recreation vacation homes, and for home buyers looking for communities that support the desire of people looking to downsize their lifestyle. EarthGens management is focusing on the next generation of Park Model Tiny Homes and our MicroHab towable tiny homes. We will be delivering homes and leisure buildings designed with advanced technology systems built upon trailers, fixed base land units and custom platforms. The Company will apply production techniques to produce panel build units for ease of transportation, fold up units, 3D printed and molded components to reduce the production time and reduce construction costs. In addition to our Park Model Homes we have developed the MicroHab Tiny House concept, which represents the fusion of the log cabin appeal of these mobile living units with recreational vehicle conveniences. EarthGen is utilizing advanced technology to provide unique consumer features and product condition awareness to support living comfort and sustained use. About Earth Gen-BioFuel Inc. Earth Gen-Biofuel Inc. plans on basing its manufacturing facilities in the U.S. and addressing domestic needs for affordable living housing units. The Companys goal is to deliver high quality low cost dwelling units that employ technology that works for owners of our homes and meets the requirements of sustainability for our environment and the locations where our homes form new communities. Please visit our introductory web site at www.egbb.world. Forward-Looking Statement This press release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In accordance with the safe harbor provisions of this Act, statements contained herein that look forward in time that include everything other than historical information, involve risks and uncertainties that may affect the Companys actual results. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and there are a number of important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made by the Company, including, but not limited to, plans and objectives of management for future operations or products, the market acceptance or future success of our products, and our future financial performance. Further caution is given as the Company is not current with its public disclosures and limited information about the Companys financial condition or operations is available to investors adding additional risk to potential investors. Finnish English EFECTE PLC -- COMPANY ANNOUNCEMENT -- 4 April 2019 at 15:45 Efecte Plc: Decisions by the Annual General Meeting 2019 Efecte Plc held the Annual General Meeting on 4 April 2019 at Innopoli 1, Tekniikantie 12, Espoo, Finland. Approximately 49 percent of Efecte's shares were represented at the Meeting. The Meeting decided adopted the financial statements for 1.1.-31.12.2018 and discharged the members of the Board of Directors and the CEO from liability. The Meeting decided that no dividend is distributed for the financial year 2018. BOARD OF DIRECTORS Pertti Ervi, Turkka Keskinen, Kari J. Makela, Paivi Rekonen and Hannu Vaajoensuu were re-elected to the Board. The Meeting decided that the fees for the members of the Board of Directors remain unchanged. The members will be paid the following fees for their term of office: the Chairman of the Board be paid EUR 3,000 per month and the other members of the Board of Directors be paid EUR 1,500 per month each. Approximately 40 per cent of the remuneration be paid in Efecte Plcs shares and approximately 60 per cent be paid in cash. The part of the remuneration paid in shares will be paid by issuing new shares and/or transferring companys own shares to the Board members within four weeks from the release of the business review for 1 January - 31 March 2019 or, if this is not possible taking insider rules into account, as soon as possible thereafter. A member of the Board of Directors is not entitled to sell or transfer the shares received as Board remuneration during three years following the payment of the remuneration. In addition, the Chairman of the Board and the other members of the Board of Directors be compensated for reasonable travelling costs for attending the Board meetings. AUDITOR The authorised public accountants Ernst & Young Oy was re-elected as the auditor of the company, Juha Hilmola, APA, as the auditor in charge. the remuneration of the auditor will be paid against an invoice approved by the company. AUTHORISATIONS FOR THE BOARD The Meeting authorised the Board of Directors to resolve to repurchase a maximum of 450,000 shares of the company in one or several instalments by using funds in the unrestricted shareholders equity. The maximum number of shares corresponds to approximately 7.7 per cent of all shares in the company. The shares may be repurchased in order to improve the capital structure of the company, to carry out acquisitions or other arrangements related to the companys business, to be transferred or cancelled for other purposes, to be used in the companys incentive plans, or if the Board of Directors otherwise deems it to be in the interest of shareholders. The price paid for the shares repurchased under the authorisation shall be based on the market price of the companys share in public trading. The minimum price to be paid shall be the lowest market price of the share quoted in public trading during the authorisation period and the maximum price the highest market price quoted during the authorisation period. The companys own shares may be repurchased otherwise than in proportion to the shareholdings of the shareholders (directed repurchase. The authorisation is effective until the next Annual General Meeting, however, at the latest until 30 June 2020. The authorisation revokes the repurchase authorisation granted by the Annual General Meeting on 5 April 2018. The Meeting authorised the Board of Directors to decide to offer a maximum of 1,000,000 new shares, option rights and other special rights entitling to shares referred to in Chapter 10 Section 1 of the Finnish Companies Act. The Board may decide to issue new shares or shares held by the company. The maximum number of shares included in the proposed authorisation accounts for approximately 17.2 per cent of the companys shares. The authorisation includes the right to issue shares, option rights and/or other special rights entitling to shares through private offering, in other words, to deviate from the shareholders pre-emptive right, if there is a weighty financial reason for doing so from the companys point of view, such as using them as consideration to carry out acquisitions or other arrangements or investments related to the companys business, and/or as part of the remuneration of the Board members paid in shares as resolved by the Annual General Meeting. The authorisation also includes the right to issue shares, option rights and/or other special rights entitling to shares against payment or without charge. Issuance without charge requires that there is an especially weighty financial reason for doing so from the companys point of view and taking the interests of the companys all shareholders into consideration. Under the authorisation, the Board of Directors will be entitled to decide on any terms and conditions of the issuance of shares, option rights and other special rights entitling to shares, including the recipients and the compensation to be paid. The authorisation is effective until the next Annual General Meeting, however, at the latest until 30 June 2020. The authorisation revokes the share issue authorisations granted by the Annual General Meeting on 5 April 2018. ORGANISATION OF THE BOARD The Board of Directors held the organisation meeting after the Annual General Meeting and Pertti Ervi was elected Chairman of the Board. Further enquiries: CEO Niilo Fredrikson, +358 50 356 7177 CFO Hannu Nyman, +358 50 306 9913 Certified Adviser: Evli Bank Plc, tel +358 40 579 6210 Efecte Plc Efecte is a Finnish software company offering cloud-based Service Management solutions and related supportive professional services. With Efectes software, organizations can flexibly manage all internal and external services, for example, an IT, HR or finance departments services, customer service and access rights. Efecte is one of the leading software vendors in its field for medium-sized and public organizations in Finland and the Nordic countries. The company was established in 1998 and is listed on the Nasdaq First North Helsinki marketplace. Efecte operates in Finland, Sweden, Germany, and Denmark. www.efecte.com Vegas, Nevada, April 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Natural Health Farm Holdings, Inc (OTCQB: NHEL) (the Company or NHF Holdings), a nutraceutical biotechnology company, is pleased to announce that Mr. Kevin Cranfield has accepted an appointment to the Companys Board of Directors and as Chairman of the NHEL Audit Committee. Vernon Tee, President of NHF Holdings, commented, We are honoured to have Mr. Cranfield join our team as an independent member of the NHEL Board of Directors and as Chairman of the NHEL Audit Committee. His trusted reputation and his vast experience in audit, taxation, accounting, and strategic business planning in Australia make him ideal to fill these important corporate governance positions. Kevin Cranfield is Managing Director of Bentleys (NSW) Pty. Ltd., a mid-tier accounting, audit and advisory practice located in Sydney, Australia, and is one of the firms four founding directors; he leads his business advisory services team and is also involved as a second director of the audit and assurance practice. Kevin Cranfield is also the Sydney member on the Bentleys Australia Board. With over 25 years in the profession, Kevin has acted as professional advisor to a diverse range of high-net-worth individuals and businesses in the small to medium enterprises (SME) market, including those in education, agribusiness and primary production, manufacturing, property development, and IT and communications. Kevin provides his clients with strategic and commercial advice on all aspects of taxation, accounting, and advisory services. He has assisted clients with business performance reviews, mergers and acquisitions, business sales, planning and restructuring advice, and outsourced CFO services. As a passionate philanthropist, Kevin is involved with a large number of not-for-profit and charity organisations, including indigenous corporations, a womens hospital in Africa, a charity preserving Australias arctic heritage, a large community college, and other registered charities. Kevin is also proud to sit on the audit committee for Anglicare in NSW. Mr. Cranfield is a graduate of University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, receiving a Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) - Accounting degree in 1990. Kevin went on to earn Master of Business Administration degree from Macquarie University in 2001. He is a Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand member. Kevin Cranfield, NHF Holdings board member, stated, Working with NHF Holdings as an independent member of their Board of Directors and as Audit Committee chairman will enable me to utilize my skill sets to offer practical business strategy and financial advice, and to provide corporate governance guidance as the Company executes its expansion strategy. I look forward to contributing to their growth and success. About Natural Health Farm Holdings Inc. Natural Health Farm Holdings, Inc. (OTCQB: NHEL) is a Nevada-based fully integrated nutraceutical biotechnology company offering clinically researched naturopathic products and related services through healthcare practitioners and direct-to-consumers. Since 2017, the Company has developed and commercialized a proprietary web-based Naturopathic Learning Management System that enables consumers and distributors to be educated on health-related aspects of various diseases. For further information, please visit www.nhf-holdings.com Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this news release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of Rule 175 under the Securities Act of 1933, are subject to Rule 3b-6 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and are subject to the safe harbors created by those rules. All statements, other than statements of fact, included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding potential future plans and objectives of the company, are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and other results and further events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Future events and actual results could differ materially from those set forth in, contemplated by, or underlying the forward-looking statements. In discussing the process of interviewing and evaluating possible trustee candidates for the new political party, Pekau said he had not been looking for people who would vote in lockstep with him on each issue, but rather people that dont have a political agenda. CINCINNATI, April 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Human Capital Management (HCM) company Paycor today announced its collaboration with Associated Bank (NYSE: ASB), a leading Midwest banking franchise. Associated Bank business customers now have access to Paycors award-winning unified HCM solutions for recruiting, onboarding, HR, benefits administration, learning management, time and attendance, payroll, and reporting and analytics. Known for its strong relationships with the customers and communities it serves, Associated offers a full range of financial products and services to more than one million customers. It serves more than 230 banking locations and more than 110 communities throughout Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota, and offers commercial financial services in Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio and Texas. Paycor offers solutions and expertise that strengthen the relationship between banks and their customers. With todays announcement, Paycor extends its trusted relationships in the banking industry into the upper Midwest, helping Associated Bank serve its business and customers with value-added services and technology that help them stay efficient, organized, and compliant. In addition, when customers fund their payroll with an Associated Bank business account, they will receive preferred pricing. Supporting Quotes: Part of Paycors success as a company can be directly tied to our bank relationships, said Chad Gunerra, Vice President of Bank Channel at Paycor. Were thrilled to have earned the trust of a premier Midwest financial services company, and are excited by the opportunity to provide our best-in-class technology to Associated Banks customers. Supporting Resources About Associated Banc-Corp Associated Banc-Corp (NYSE: ASB) has total assets of nearly $34 billion and is one of the top 50 publicly traded U.S. bank holding companies. Headquartered in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Associated is a leading Midwest banking franchise, offering a full range of financial products and services from more than 230 banking locations serving more than 110 communities throughout Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota, and commercial financial services in Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio and Texas. Associated Bank, N.A. is an Equal Housing Lender, Equal Opportunity Lender and Member FDIC. More information about Associated Banc-Corp is available at www.associatedbank.com. About Paycor More than 30,000 medium and small businesses nationwide trust Paycor to help them engage, manage and develop their people. Paycor is known for delivering the best unified HCM platform for the SMB market, but what makes us legendary is the total client experience we provide, from responsive service and user-friendly design to expert partnership and thought leadership. Our unique combination of technology and expertise helps clients streamline every aspect of people management so they can focus on what they know besttheir business and their mission. To learn how Paycor can help you make a difference, visit www.paycor.com . FOR MORE INFORMATION Katy Bunn Kbunn@paycor.com (513) 307-6392 Portland, OR, April 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to the report published by Allied Market Research, the global food traceability market is expected to garner $22.27 billion by 2025, from $10.96 billion in 2017, registering a CAGR of 9.3% from 2018 to 2025. The report provides an extensive analysis of key segments, market size & forecasts, top winning strategies, key market players, and competitive landscape. Request Report Sample at: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/105 Growth Drivers and Industry Trends Supportive legislative frameworks, ability to trace contamination & assist product calls, and certifications & standardizations drive the growth in the market. However, lack of strict laws in developing economies, privacy issues related to data sharing, and changing needs for different products restrain the market growth. On the other hand, growing demand for tracking technologies from developing countries create new pathways in the industry. Segmentation Analysis of the Industry Based on equipment, the 2D & 1D scanners segment accounted for nearly one-third of the total market share in 2017 and is expected maintain its lead status by 2023. This is due to rise in demand for traceable solutions across various industries and mandatory usage of barcodes, QR codes, data-matrix codes, and dot codes for packaging in food & beverages, personal care, pharmaceutical, and other industries. However, the sensors segment is expected to register the largest growth rate with a CAGR of 10.9% during the forecast period, 20182025. This is due to its usage for tracking the details of the food conditions at different stages of the supply chain and reliability in difficult environmental conditions. The research also analyzes PDA with GPS, thermal printers, tags & labels, and others. Asia-Pacific is estimated to register the largest growth rate with a CAGR of 14.9% from 2018 to 2025, owing to growth in application industries such as fresh produce & seeds, fisheries, and meat & livestock along with expansion of leading players in China, India, and other emerging economies. However, North America contributed to nearly two-fifths of the total share in 2017, and will maintain its dominant position during the forecast period. This is due to supportive government initiatives for exploring and evaluating the methods and technologies for fast and efficient tracking & tracing of foods. Do Purchase Enquiry at: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/105 Industry Key Players Leading market players analyzed in the research are C.H. Robinson Inc., Honeywell International Inc., Intermec Inc., DuPont Nutrition & Health, Cognex Corporation, Motorola solutions, Inc., Bio-Rad Laboratories, MASS Group, IBM Corp, and Zebra Technologies. About Us: Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business -consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain. We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry. CHICAGO, April 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GATX Corporation (NYSE:GATX) announced that it will report results for the 2019 first quarter prior to market open on Wednesday, April 24, 2019. GATX will hold a conference call to review the results later that morning. Investors may listen to the call via telephone or over the Internet as follows: Live Teleconference Date: Wednesday, April 24, 2019 Time: 11:00 AM (Eastern Time) Domestic Dial-In: 1-800-667-5617 International Dial-In: 1-334-323-0509 Live Webcast: www.gatx.com To participate by phone, please dial in approximately 15 minutes prior to the start time and reference the GATX conference call. To listen via webcast, click the link on GATXs homepage, www.gatx.com. Replay Information Time: Starting at 2:00 PM (Eastern Time), April 24, 2019 Domestic Dial-In: 1-888-203-1112 International Dial-In: 1-719-457-0820 Access Code: 3700627 Web Access: The replay will also be available at www.gatx.com COMPANY DESCRIPTION GATX Corporation (NYSE:GATX) strives to be recognized as the finest railcar leasing company in the world by our customers, our shareholders, our employees and the communities where we operate. As the leading global railcar lessor, GATX has been providing quality railcars and services to its customers for more than 120 years. GATX has been headquartered in Chicago, Illinois since its founding in 1898. For more information, please visit the Companys website at www.gatx.com. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer McManus Senior Director, Investor Relations GATX Corporation 312-621-6409 jennifer.mcmanus@gatx.com Investor, corporate, financial, historical financial, and news release information may be found at www.gatx.com. SAN JUAN, Costa Rica, April 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Two Universal Aviation Costa Rica locations - San Juan (MROC) and Liberia (MRLB) have become the latest Universal Aviation ground handling offices to earn accreditation under the International Standard for Business Aircraft Handling (IS-BAH) program. Universal Aviation, the worldwide ground support division of Universal Weather and Aviation, Inc., has more than 50 locations in more than 20 countries. The two Costa Rica locations join Singapore (WSSL) and London Stansted (EGSS) as the third and fourth Universal Aviation locations to become IS-BAH accredited. IS-BAH accreditation is a mark of distinction in our industry and sends a message to our customers that we are committed to the highest levels of safety, systems, training, and security, said Delmark Muir, Managing Director, Universal Aviation Costa Rica. We are proud that both of our locations in Costa Rica earned accreditation and look forward to continuing to ensure our clients mission success. IS-BAH is a set of global industry best practices for business aviation ground handlers, which features at its core a fully documented and implemented safety management system (SMS). The IS-BAH protocol follows the same basic structure as the International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO) Program and incorporates the NATA Safety 1st Ground Audit Program. IS-BAH is the global industry standard for handlers and operators around the world to meet the coming SMS requirements from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). About Universal Weather and Aviation, Inc. You're counted on to make every trip a success, but you dont have to do it alone. Reduce your operating risk and stress by accessing a global community of resources dedicated to helping you prepare for unforeseen events, navigate the ever-changing regulatory environment, and manage your stakeholders expectations. Keep your organization moving and ensure mission success with complete and customized trip management services coordinated through your dedicated trip support team, or online and on your Apple iPad via uvGO. For more information, contact worldwide sales at +1 (800) 231-5600 ext. 3300 (North America) or +1 (713) 944-1622 ext. 3300 (Worldwide). Apple and iPad are registered trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Universal Weather and Aviation, Inc. is not endorsed, sponsored, affiliated with or otherwise authorized by Apple Inc. Media Contact: Louis Smyth +1 (713) 306-3269 lsmyth@univ-wea.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4f4e6747-e1dd-44b9-9a12-08a297d769aa Orlando, Fla., April 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A growing body of research suggests that heart transplantation from donors with active Hepatitis C (HCV) is safe and that the virus successfully responds to treatment post-transplant. In the largest single study of its kind, researchers from Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn., studied 74 patients who underwent a heart transplant from HCV-exposed donors over two and a half years, finding that transplant patients who developed donor-derived HCV responded well to a standard course of therapy with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). These findings confirm the initial small study of 13 patients that Vanderbilt previously reported. The research was presented today by Kelly Schlendorf, M.D., Medical Director of Vanderbilts Adult Heart Transplant Orogram, at the 39th Annual Meeting of the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation in Orlando. Additional studies evaluating other aspects of care in these patients were presented by Sandip Zalawadiya, MD. Utilization of HCV-exposed donors is already having a significant impact in expanding the donor pool for patients awaiting transplant at our center and elsewhere, said Schlendorf. For many patients, this may translate into reduced morbidity and mortality. A lot remains to be learned, but so far what weve learned is exciting. Opioids and Heart Transplants Two drivers have triggered scientific interest in the viability of using HCV donors: advances in the cure for HCV and the growing number of young people in the U.S. who are dying of opioid overdoses, many of whom contracted HCV while alive. According to the Center for Disease Control, more than 47,000 people died in the U.S. of an opioid overdose in 2017. Meanwhile, the number of donations available per year remains about 50 percent of those in need of a heart, according to the United Network for Donor Sharing. The shortage of suitable donors contributes to wait-list mortality and increased reliance on mechanical circulatory support. 74 Patients Who May Not Have Received a Heart Between September 2016 and March 2019, 74 patients underwent a heart transplant from HCV-exposed donors at Vanderbilt. All patients were treated with standard immunosuppression and, for those who developed donor-derived HCV infection, with a course of DAAs, a relatively new class of medications that act to target specific steps in the HCV viral life cycle and with significant success. The HCV treatments used prior to the advent of DAAs couldnt be used in transplant recipients because they were poorly tolerated and associated with multiple drug interactions, organ rejection, and increased mortality. In Vanderbilts study, patients tolerated treatment well and achieved SVR12 that is, undetectable viral levels 12 weeks or more after the end of treatment. Other Hep-C Studies Presented at ISHLT2019 A study at New York Universitys Langone Medical Center compared 12 patients who received hearts from HCV donors to 13 with virus-free donor hearts over a 10-month period in 2018. Researchers found there were no differences in early rejection rates and no significant abnormalities of liver functioning in patients with HCV-positive donor hearts. All patients who received hearts from HCV-positive donors contracted the virus, usually within a week of the transplant. However, with treatment the virus cleared, on average, in less than three weeks. At Boston University, researchers looked at 111 cardiac transplants over a three-year period, with 23 coming from HCV-positive donors. Researchers compared baseline donor characteristics between HCV-positive and HCV-negative donors, and found short-term outcomes favorable., concluding that acceptance of HCV-positive donor hearts represents a potential approach to safely expand the available donor pool. The research was presented by K.J. Gaj, at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts USA. In another study, and the first of its kind, researchers observed that patients who received an HCV-positive heart and post-transplant anti-virus treatments did not experience a higher risk for renal impairment. An integral component of anti-HCV direct-acting antivirals has been linked to RI but, until now, no study has assessed whether the risk for renal impairment was higher in post-transplant patients. The study was presented by S. Zalawadiva, M.S., from the Heart Failure and Transplantation at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee USA. ### About ISHLT The International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation is a not-for-profit, multidisciplinary professional organization dedicated to improving the care of patients with advanced heart or lung disease through transplantation, mechanical support and innovative therapies. With more than 3,800 members in more than 45 countries, ISHLT is the worlds largest organization dedicated to the research, education and advocacy of end-stage heart and lung disease. ISHLT members represent more than 15 different professional disciplines. For more information, visit www.ishlt.org. MIAMI, April 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Watsco, Inc. (NYSE:WSO) announced today that it has completed the acquisition of DASCO Supply, a distributor of air conditioning and heating products based in Whippany, New Jersey. Founded in 1974, DASCO Supply operates seven locations in New Jersey, New York and Connecticut. They serve more than 2,500 air conditioning and heating contractors and offer approximately 15,000 SKUs of air conditioning and heating products for both residential and commercial use. DASCO had revenues of approximately $56 million in 2018. Albert Nahmad, Watsco's Chairman and CEO, commented: "DASCO has a wonderful legacy and is a force in its markets. Their exceptional team of employees have been together a long time and we are honored to become part of their family. We recognize that their success over the last 45 years is based on the strong relationships along with great service and a broad range of products from convenient locations. To provide on-going continuity, DASCO will operate as a subsidiary of Watsco under its present name and leadership team, and we will provide the resources and technology where needed to assist in achieving their growth plans." About Watsco Watsco is the largest distribution network for heating, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC/R) products with locations in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico, and on an export basis to Latin America and the Caribbean. Watsco estimates that over 300,000 contractors and technicians visit or call one of its 571 locations each year to get information, obtain technical support and buy products. HVAC/R products provide comfort to homes and businesses regardless of the outdoor climate. Older systems often operate below todays government mandated energy efficiency and environmental standards. Watsco has an opportunity to accelerate the replacement of these systems at a scale greater than its competitors as the movement toward reducing energy consumption and its environmental impact continues. This is especially important since heating and cooling accounts for approximately half of the energy consumed in a typical U.S. home. Additional information about Watsco may be found at http://www.watsco.com . Barry S. Logan Senior Vice President (305) 714-4102 e-mail: blogan@watsco.com CONTACT - Media: CONTACT - Investor Relations: Amsterdam +31.20.721.4488 Brussels +32.2.620.15.50 +33.1.70.48.24.17 Dublin Paris +353.1.617.4266 +33.1.70.48.24.45 Lisbon +351.210.600.614 CONVENING OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS OF EURONEXT N.V. Amsterdam, Brussels, Dublin, Lisbon, London and Paris 4 April 2019 Euronext today announced that its Annual General Meeting (AGM) will take place on Thursday 16 May 2019 at 10.30 CET, at Beursplein 5, 1012 JW Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The agenda for the meeting is as follows: 1. Opening 2. Presentation of the Chief Executive Officer (discussion item) 3. Annual report 2018 a. Explanation of the implementation of the remuneration policy (discussion item) b. Explanation of the policy on additions to reserves and dividends (discussion item) c. Proposal to adopt the 2018 financial statements (voting item 1) d. Proposal to adopt a dividend of EUR 1.54 per ordinary share (voting item 2) e. Proposal to discharge the members of the Managing Board in respect of their duties performed during the year 2018 (voting item 3) f. Proposal to discharge the members of the Supervisory Board in respect of their duties performed during the year 2018 (voting item 4) 4. Composition of the Supervisory Board a. Re-appointment of Ramon Fernandez as a member of the Supervisory Board (voting item 5) b. Re-appointment of Jim Gollan as a member of the Supervisory Board (voting item 6) 5. Composition of the Managing Board a. Re-appointment of Maurice van Tilburg as a member of the Managing Board (voting item 7) b. Appointment of Isabel Ucha as a member of the Managing Board (voting item 8) 6. Proposal to approve the acquisition by Euronext N.V. of up to 100% of the issued share capital of Oslo Brs VPS Holding ASA (voting item 9) 7. Proposal to appoint the external auditor (voting item 10) 8. Proposal to designate the Managing Board as the competent body: a. to issue ordinary shares (voting item 11); and b. to restrict or exclude the pre-emptive rights of shareholders (voting item 12) 9. Proposal to authorise the Managing Board to acquire ordinary shares in the share capital of the company on behalf of the company (voting item 13) 10. Any other business 11. Close The AGM will be conducted in English. Registration date AGM Pursuant to Dutch law and Euronext N.V.s Articles of Association, the persons who will be considered as entitled to attend and vote at the AGM are those persons who are registered as such in the administrations held by their financial intermediaries (the "Shareholders") on Thursday 18 April 2019, after processing of all settlements on that date (the Registration Date). Registration Shareholders holding their shares through Euroclear France S.A. (i.e. the public) who wish to attend the AGM, provide instructions or grant a power of attorney to vote on their behalf, must complete the form (voting form / attendance card request) provided for this purpose by their financial intermediary or by Euronext Securities Department BNP PARIBAS Securities Services. The Shareholders should be aware that these documents must be received, no later than on Tuesday 7 May 2019 by their financial intermediary for receipt no later than on Thursday 9 May 2019 by BNP Paribas Securities Service CTS Assemblees Generales, 9 rue du Debarcadere 93761 Pantin Cedex, France. The financial intermediary should deliver to the Shareholder a certificate of holding containing: name and city of residence of the Shareholder; number of shares; name and city of residence of the attendee (if different from the Shareholder) and declaration that the shares were in custody with the Euroclear France admitted institution on the Registration Date. This certificate will serve as the admission certificate for the AGM for the Shareholder. Shareholders holding their shares through Interbolsa in Portugal who wish to attend the AGM, provide instructions or grant a power of attorney to vote on their behalf, must complete the form (voting form / attendance card request) provided for this purpose by Euronext Securities Department BNP PARIBAS Securities Services. The Shareholders should be aware that these documents must be received, no later than on Tuesday 7 May 2019 by their financial intermediary for receipt no later than on Thursday 9 May 2019 by BNP Paribas Securities Services, PT Local Team, Edificio ARTS Av. D. Joao II Lote 1.18.01, Bloco B, 1998-028 Lisboa, Portugal. The financial intermediary should deliver to the Shareholder a certificate of holding containing: name and city of residence of the Shareholder; number of shares on the Registration Date; name and city of residence of the attendee (if different from the Shareholder). This certificate will serve as admission certificate for the AGM for the Shareholder. We advise Shareholders to make contact with their financial intermediary for any questions. Persons without a valid admission certificate will not be given access to the meeting. Attendants may be asked for identification prior to being admitted. At the time of the publication of this convening notice, Euronexts total issued share capital in number of issued shares and in voting rights is published on Euronexts website: https://www.euronext.com/investors/share/capital-shareholding AGM DOCUMENTATION The AGM Documentation (i.e. this convening notice, the agenda and the explanatory notes thereto including the information on the person to be appointed to the Managing Board in accordance with article 2:142 paragraph 3 of the Dutch Civil Code, as well as the Annual Report 2018) is available: at the registered office of Euronext N.V.: Beursplein 5, 1012 JW Amsterdam, The Netherlands at the following addresses: in Belgium: Euronext, Rue du Marquis, 1 / Markiesstraat 1, 1000 Bruxelles / 1000 Brussel, Belgium in France: Euronext, 14, place des Reflets, 92054 Paris La Defense, France in Ireland: Euronext, 28 Anglesea Street, Dublin 2, Ireland in Portugal: Euronext, Av. da Liberdade, n. 196 - 7, 1250-147 Lisboa, Portugal in the United Kingdom: Euronext, 10th floor, 110 Cannon Street, London EC4N 6EU, United Kingdom on Euronexts website https://www.euronext.com/investors/general-meetings at BNP PARIBAS Securities Services CTS Assemblees Generales 9 rue du Debarcadere 93761 Pantin Cedex, France - + 33 1 57 43 02 30 Managing Board and Supervisory Board of Euronext N.V. Beursplein 5, 1012 JW Amsterdam, The Netherlands Registered at the Dutch Chamber of Commerce, under number 60234520 CONTACTS - Media Pauline Bucaille: +33 1 70 48 24 41 ; media@euronext.com Analysts & investors Aurelie Cohen: +33 1 70 48 24 17 ; ir@euronext.com About Euronext Euronext is the leading pan-European exchange in the Eurozone, covering Belgium, France, Ireland, The Netherlands, Portugal and the UK. With 1,300 listed issuers worth 3.4 trillion in market capitalisation as of end December 2018, Euronext is an unmatched blue chip franchise that has 24 issuers in the Morningstar Eurozone 50 Index and a strong diverse domestic and international client base. Euronext operates regulated and transparent equity and derivatives markets and is the largest centre for debt and funds listings in the world. Its total product offering includes Equities, Exchange Traded Funds, Warrants & Certificates, Bonds, Derivatives, Commodities and Indices. Euronext also leverages its expertise in running markets by providing technology and managed services to third parties. In addition to its main regulated market, Euronext also operates Euronext GrowthTM and Euronext AccessTM, simplifying access to listing for SMEs. Disclaimer This press release is for information purposes only and is not a recommendation to engage in investment activities. This press release is provided as is without representation or warranty of any kind. While all reasonable care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the content, Euronext does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness. Euronext will not be held liable for any loss or damages of any nature ensuing from using, trusting or acting on information provided. No information set out or referred to in this publication may be regarded as creating any right or obligation. The creation of rights and obligations in respect of financial products that are traded on the exchanges operated by Euronexts subsidiaries shall depend solely on the applicable rules of the market operator. All proprietary rights and interest in or connected with this publication shall vest in Euronext. This press release speaks only as of this date. Euronext refers to Euronext N.V. and its affiliates. Information regarding trademarks and intellectual property rights of Euronext is located at www.euronext.com/terms-use. 2019, Euronext N.V. - All rights reserved. The Euronext Group processes your personal data in order to provide you with information about Euronext (the "Purpose"). With regard to the processing of these personal data, Euronext will comply with its obligations under the Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 (General Data Protection Regulation, GDPR), and any applicable national laws, rules and regulations implementing the GDPR as provided in its privacy statement available at: https://www.euronext.com/en/privacy-policy . In accordance with the applicable legislation you have rights as regard to the processing of your personal data: for more information on your rights, please refer to: https://www.euronext.com/data_subjects_rights_request_information , , for any request regarding the processing of your data or if you want to unsubscribe to this press release, please use our data subject request form https://connect2.euronext.com/form/data-subjects-rights-request or email our Data Protection Officer at dpo@euronext.com . Attachment MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, April 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Prophix Software, a global leader in Corporate Performance Management (CPM) software, today announced it had secured $10 million Canadian in debt financing to support its accelerated growth strategy in a rapidly evolving marketplace. Funding was provided by BDC Capital and CIBC Innovation Banking. Prophix has grown rapidly since our launch some 20 years ago, driven entirely by our success in gaining new customers and delivering ongoing innovation to meet their changing needs, said Paul Barber, Prophix CEO and co-founder. As corporate performance management has evolved and become more critical to organizations, Prophix is well-positioned to take advantage of the opportunity to continue quickly capturing broader market share with the large and important mid-market segment. This debt financing will enable us to more quickly scale our organization and invest in key innovations and technologies such as artificial intelligence, that provide more value to our customers and further differentiate Prophix from others like Anaplan and Adaptive. We appreciate the confidence shown in our business plan and track record by our financial partners, BDC Capital and CIBC Innovation Banking. Prophix completed a strong year of growth in fiscal 2018, with a 42% increase in Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR). The company has established a goal of achieving ARR of $100 million. Prophix is holding its annual User Conference , entitled, Reframe the Usual," in Nashville, Tennessee, from April 14-17, 2019. About Prophix Your business is evolving. And the way you plan and report on your business should evolve too. Prophix helps midmarket companies achieve their goals more successfully with its innovative Corporate Performance Management (CPM) software. With Prophix, finance leaders improve profitability and minimize risk by automating budgeting, planning and reporting and puts the focus back on what matters most uncovering business opportunities and driving competitive advantage. Whether in the cloud or on-premise, Prophix supports your future with a platform that flexes to suit your strategic realities, today and tomorrow. About BDC Capital BDC Capital is the investment arm of BDC- Canadas only bank devoted exclusively to entrepreneurs. With $3 billion under management, BDC Capital serves as a strategic partner to the countrys most innovative firms. It offers a full spectrum of risk capital, from seed investments to transition capital, supporting Canadian entrepreneurs who wish to scale their businesses into global champions. Visit bdc.ca/capital . About CIBC Innovation Banking With offices in Denver, Menlo Park, Montreal, Reston, Toronto and Vancouver, CIBC Innovation Banking is a full-service business that delivers strategic advice and funding to North American technology and life science clients at each stage of their business cycle, from start up to IPO and beyond. CIBC Innovation Banking brings extensive experience and a strong, collaborative team that extends across commercial banking and capital markets in Canada and the U.S. Contact: Rachel Douglas Prophix +1 (905) 279-8711 Ext: 502 rdouglas@prophix.com Derek Delano Tier One Partners +1 (617) 335-9516 ddelano@tieronepr.com CALGARY, Alberta, April 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CU Inc. (TSX: CIU.PR.A, CIU.PR.C) The Board of Directors of CU Inc. has declared the following Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Share dividends: Shares TSX Stock Symbol Dividend Per Share ($) Record Date (2019) Payment Date (2019) Series 1 4.60% CIU.PR.A 0.2875 09-May 01-Jun Series 4 2.243% CIU.PR.C 0.1401875 09-May 01-Jun These dividends are eligible dividends within the meaning of the Income Tax Act (Canada). CU Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Canadian Utilities Limited, an ATCO company. CU Inc. is an Alberta-based corporation with approximately 3,500 employees and assets of $16 billion; comprised of rate-regulated utility operations in natural gas and electricity transmission and distribution. More information about CU Inc. can be found on the Canadian Utilities Limited website at www.canadianutilities.com . Media & Investor Inquiries: D. A. (Dennis) DeChamplain Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer 403 292 7502 Forward-Looking Information: Certain statements contained in this news release may constitute forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as anticipate, plan, estimate, expect, may, will, intend, should, and similar expressions. Forward-looking information involves 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 information. The Companys actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in this forward-looking information as a result of regulatory decisions, competitive factors in the industries in which the Company operates, prevailing economic conditions, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. The Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking information should not be unduly relied upon. Any forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the Companys expectations as of the date hereof and is subject to change after such date. 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, except as required by applicable securities legislation. PDF available: http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/d7f74a1e-cd5c-4efa-a397-6646ec98c0d5 Washington, DC, April 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The en banc Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals declined to rehear Americans for Prosperity Foundation v. Becerra late last week, dismissing one of the most important legacies of the Civil Rights Movement in the process. In October 2018, the New Civil Liberties Alliance (NCLA) filed a brief as amicus curiae in AFPF v. Becerra, asking the entire Ninth Circuit to rehear the case to vindicate civil liberties protected by the First Amendment, including the freedom of association. The Ninth Circuit denied rehearing, though the dissenting judges agreed with much of NCLAs argument. NCLAs brief asserted that the California Attorney Generals demand for disclosure of nonprofit donor lists is unconstitutional under the controlling precedent set by the Supreme Courts unanimous 1958 NAACP v. Alabama decision. That is the famous case in which the Supreme Court rejected the Attorney General of Alabamas demand for the NAACPs membership list. NCLA argued that the NAACP Court applied a straightforward and rigorous test that simply asks whether an organizations members have previously encountered public hostility when their membership has been revealed . . . . If so, then the state must show that disclosure has a substantial bearing on the states asserted interest in obtaining the list of names. This heightened scrutiny for compelled membership disclosure is essential to protecting liberty because, as the NAACP Court said, the [i]nviolability of privacy in group association may in many circumstances be indispensable to preservation of freedom of association, particularly where a group espouses dissident beliefs. The AFPF dissenters took up this theme, explaining that [c]ontroversial groups often face threats, public hostility, and economic reprisals if the government compels the organization to disclose its member and contributor list. Thus, [t]he Supreme Court has long recognized this danger and held that such compelled disclosures can violate the First Amendment right to association. The dissent called for application of the Supreme Courts clear [NAACP] test for cases like this one. Instead of applying NAACPs heightened scrutiny, the Ninth Circuit panel denied rehearing because it incorrectly applied a lesser standard. In so doing, the dissent concluded that the panels watered-down standard has the practical effect of allowing the government to put the First Amendment associational rights of members and contributors at risk for a list of names it does not need, so long as it promises to do better in the future to avoid public disclosure of the names. This decision is a travesty of justice and marks a dark day for civil rights in modern America. Attorney General Becerrajust like the Attorney General of Alabama in the 1950shas no legitimate need for the donor lists of every nonprofit organization. He is creating a problem, not solving one. By condoning Becerras fishing expedition, the Ninth Circuit has turned back the clock to the pre-civil rights era when dissident organizations labored at the mercy and sufferance of hostile state attorneys-general. This poorly reasoned decision has set the standard for protecting Americans freedom of association so low that any state attorney general can simply offer self-serving assertions about the needs of law enforcement to nullify citizens demonstrable concerns regarding the threats and reprisals they face for expressing their unpopular beliefs. Mark Chenoweth, NCLA Executive Director and General Counsel ABOUT NCLA NCLA is a nonprofit civil rights organization founded by prominent legal scholar Philip Hamburger to protect constitutional freedoms from violations by the administrative state. NCLAs public-interest litigation and other pro bono advocacy strive to tame the unchecked power of state and federal agencies and to foster a new civil liberties movement that will help restore Americans fundamental rights. For more information visit us online: NCLAlegal.org. The union rejected this proposal on Dec. 10 and made three alternative counter-proposals, each of which involved more money for the employees, Melody said. The library evaluated the unions three counter-proposals and determined that they could not afford any of them. In addition, it was determined that layoffs would probably be necessary even if we agreed to the package that we presented. After the hearing officer put on the record his determination that the objection signature was not that of the person who had appeared and represented himself as the objector, Marcus Hampton, the hearing officer further stated that he was inclined to grant the candidates motion to dismiss based upon a fraud being perpetrated upon the process, the electoral board wrote in its decision. Core Gold has identified disclosure and misinformation issues by its former CEO to the TSX Venture Exchange and the British Columbia Securities Commission, including his recent press release on April 1, 2019 which constitutes unlawful disclosure of confidential corporate information Disgruntled former CEO's alarming self-interested actions include: Repeatedly breaching his duty of confidence Acting without Board authority to negotiate two non-binding letters of intent which would breach Core Gold's contractual agreement with Titan Minerals Ltd. Unilateral and unlawful disclosure of Core Gold's confidential information Misappropriation of corporate funds Former CEO's conduct appears to be driven solely by a desire to regain and entrench his position as CEO and to prevent the Titan transaction at any cost which would conveniently leave him as Core Gold's CEO while leaving Core Gold shareholders to receive no value Former CEO is simply lying about a so-called competing proposal, which was highly conditional and non-binding, and at no time was actionable by Core Gold, or superior, or even comparable, to the Titan transaction; no subscription agreement was ever executed The Core Gold Board continues to support the Titan transaction as the best value-creator for Core Gold shareholders and believes that the former CEO's press releases are self-serving, distractive and potentially harmful to Core Gold and its shareholders VANCOUVER, April 3, 2019 - Core Gold Inc. ("Core Gold" or the "Company") (TSXV: CGLD, OTCQX: CGLDF) is issuing this press release to correct self-serving, false, misleading, defamatory and inaccurate disclosures made by its terminated former CEO, Mr. Keith Piggott, in a press release issued on April 1, 2019. Mr. Piggott was terminated for cause by Core Gold in March, 2019. Mr. Piggott remains a director of Core Gold. Mr. Piggott's press release misrepresents and omits many significant and important facts and was issued for entirely self-serving purposes. Rather than identify some nefarious action by the Core Gold board of directors (the "Board"), his press release only serves to show that Core Gold and its Board have acted with the best interests of its shareholders in mind, while at all times being mindful of its contractual obligations and its obligations under securities and other laws, all of which Mr. Piggott continues to misunderstand, ignore and breach. Mr. Piggott, through his press release, continues to provide the corroborating evidence that justifies his termination for cause by Core Gold. Core Gold therefore wishes to correct the misleading statements and also to provide additional information which Mr. Piggott has selectively omitted from his press release. 1. Mr. Piggott's Press Release is a Clear Breach of his Duty of Confidence as a Director of Core Gold and a Misuse of Corporate Information solely for his own Personal Interest Mr. Piggott does not understand even the basic legal requirements of being a director of a corporation, and most certainly does not understand that his press release is a breach of his duties as a director under Section 142 of the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia). As a director, he owes Core Gold a duty of confidence and he must protect Core Gold's corporate information, which he is not to use for his own personal interest and gain. His press release of April 1, 2019 is completely at odds with this requirement as he is now divulging confidential corporate information about a possible transaction and discussions that are not his to divulge unilaterally. This is consistent with his prior actions as CEO where it is known that he "tipped" numerous Core Gold shareholders to internal Core Gold discussions, which is contrary to securities laws and which has been notified to the British Columbia Securities Commission. Mr. Piggott seems to believe that he does not have to abide by any corporate or securities law, or any duty owed at law or otherwise. 2. Mr. Piggott's Purported Transaction with a Chinese Mining Company would Deliver no Value direct to Core Gold Shareholders but would have Preserved Mr. Piggott as CEO Core Gold did authorize a $4 million private placement at C$0.45 per share from a Chinese mining company. However, the Chinese structure would have kept Mr. Piggott as CEO (which the Titan transaction does not), and so clearly Mr. Piggott's own personal interest is skewing his perception of a transaction which was non-binding, highly conditional, subject to lengthy and uncertain due diligence, required much further negotiation, and would not deliver value direct to Core Gold shareholders. Leaving aside the non-binding and highly conditional nature of the Chinese mining company's letters of intent, that purported transaction would not have delivered value directly to Core Gold's shareholders as does the agreement with Titan Minerals Ltd. ("Titan"). Rather, it would have provided new cash into Core Gold (which the Titan transaction also does) but would not provide a value uplift associated with the exchange of shares for shares in a larger consolidated Titan and Core Gold merged group. 3. The Core Gold Board has Authorized an Additional Private Placement but there is No Signed Subscription Agreement nor Funds Received from the Chinese Mining Company Under the terms of the Titan Arrangement Agreement, up to a US$8 million private placement into Core Gold is permitted under an exemption and as such, a C$4 million investment was authorized by the Core Gold Board to proceed. However, the Chinese mining company has neither provided the subscription funds to the account notified to them nor have they delivered an executed subscription agreement, which was also provided to them. Mr. Piggott's assertion that there is a "subscription" is therefore false, misleading and inaccurate. If the Chinese mining company executed the provided subscription agreement, the Core Gold Board would consider accepting this subscription, but to date, and contrary to Mr. Piggott's assertions, there is no subscription to accept. Mr. Piggott has also asserted that the Chinese mining company "commit[ted]" to invest in excess of US$100 million. This is a patently false and misleading statement. There is, and was, no commitment for even C$4 million let alone any higher amount. There were only extremely brief non-binding letters of intent, which had subscription amounts (if ever actually agreed in definitive documentation), would have barely exceeded US$12 million (approximately C$16 million). 4. Mr. Piggott's Purported Transaction with a Chinese Mining Company was Non-Binding, Highly Conditional, Subject to Due Diligence, only an Option, Required Significant Further Negotiation on Key Commercial Terms, and could not have been considered "Superior" to the Titan Transaction Under the Arrangement Agreement with Titan, Core Gold had the ability to consider a private placement equivalent to US$14 million to be a "superior proposal" that would permit Core Gold to terminate that agreement. However, the purported transaction brought forth by the Chinese mining company fell short in size of placement and could not therefore be considered "superior" leaving all of the many other factors concerning the non-binding letters of intent aside. As such, Core Gold could not pursue this transaction without breaching the Arrangement Agreement with Titan. This was explained to Mr. Piggott by Core Gold's legal counsel at the Board meeting of March 9, 2019 and documented in an email to the directors, including Mr. Piggott. Mr. Piggott either did not understand the contractual arrangements that Core Gold had entered into (and that he voted in favour of), or chose to simply ignore them. As well, the non-binding letters of intent were subject to 45 days of due diligence, were structured as an "option" for the Chinese mining company to increase its interest (meaning it was their choice whether to proceed and they would not have been obliged to further subscribe), required negotiation of the significant terms (including a full joint venture, rights of board representation, project cooperation including in management, design, construction, and finance, and a pre-emptive right and standstill obligations) and would only have led to a further non-binding letter of intent. The Titan transaction is a legally agreed and binding agreement, which had no due diligence condition, and already in progress. The fact is the proposed investment from the Chinese mining company was only a non-binding and highly conditional expression of interest that could not have been actioned by Core Gold without absorbing vastly more risk of non-completion than the Titan transaction provides. 5. Mr. Piggott Negotiated Non-Binding Letters of Intent without Board Authority Mr. Piggott, acting without Board authority, negotiated two non-binding letters of intent with the previously mentioned Chinese mining company. These were negotiated with only limited notification to the Board and without any oversight from the Board or its special committee of independent directors, and were only ever seen by the Board in executed form. Mr. Piggott gave the Board and its special committee no opportunity to review what he was negotiating. The resulting non-binding letters of intent paid no regard to Core Gold's contractual agreement with Titan, which Mr. Piggott had originally approved and pre-dated these negotiations. As well, Mr. Piggott determined to negotiate these non-binding letters of intent without the benefit of any legal advice, or financial analysis, or assistance from Core Gold's management or its special committee of independent directors and its advisors. It was a Keith Piggott one-man effort with no regard for proper Board governance, process, legal requirements, financial analysis or the best interest of any other stakeholder, other than Mr. Piggott. 6. Mr. Piggott Negotiated the Purported Transaction with the Chinese Mining Company with No Regard for Core Gold's Contractual Arrangements The due diligence proposed to be undertaken (including drilling activities) was not permitted under the Arrangement Agreement with Titan, and was not even notified to the Board of Core Gold. It should be noted that the Chinese mining company had the opportunity to conduct due diligence on Core Gold's Dynasty Goldfields project in the autumn of 2018, and to review all the data at that time. What Mr. Piggott purportedly authorized was a 30 person, 3 drill rig exploration program, which was far from a due diligence twin hole confirmation, which no company would authorize as part of a due diligence investigation even if it was able to do so. Furthermore, Mr. Piggott went to China to negotiate the letters of intent and invited no director or member of management of Core Gold to these negotiations; only a shareholder that was not an elected director; not an officer; not an employee and not even a consultant. Unfortunately, the Chinese mining company was also the innocent recipient of another misrepresentation by Mr. Piggott as he clearly misrepresented the due diligence that Core Gold was permitted to grant, likely as a result of both his misunderstanding of the terms of the agreement with Titan that he had voted in favour of, and simply ignoring those requirements. Accordingly, Core Gold did not, at its March 9, 2019 Board meeting, permit the due diligence to proceed because it was not permitted under the Arrangement Agreement with Titan. Core Gold honored its contractual commitments, something Mr. Piggott seems incapable of doing. This is another example of Mr. Piggott being of the view that he has the unilateral ability to do what he pleases without regard for his statutory duties as a director, the limits of his authority as CEO (who reports to the Board), securities laws, and Core Gold's contractual relations. Accordingly, Mr. Piggott, in order to serve his own personal interest in trying to remain as CEO, took actions that exposed the corporation to potential contractual breaches, "tipped" persons contrary to securities laws, and were undertaken without any approval from the Core Gold Board or its special committee of independent directors. 7. Mr. Piggott's Termination for Cause was Unrelated to the Chinese Mining Company's Purported Non-Binding, Highly Conditional Letters of Intent Core Gold's news release of March 19, 2019 clarified the circumstances of Mr. Piggott's termination for cause. Mr. Piggott's press release of April 1, 2019 continues to establish that Core Gold was justified in its action and provides further ample evidence that Mr. Piggott breached his fiduciary duties, acted outside of his legal authority, exposed Core Gold to contractual breaches, misled third parties, took no legal or financial advice, breached securities laws, and acted in a manner contrary to Core Gold's contractual arrangements. 8. Mr. Piggott was not Threatened in any Manner by Core Gold, its Directors, its Management or its Advisors Mr. Piggott's press release states: "At the board meeting held March 9, 2019 directors and advisors of Core Gold explicitly threatened to terminate me for cause unless I voted for the Titan amended proposal and agreed to vote all my shares in favour of the Titan merger. I refused," said Mr. Piggott. This statement is false, defamatory and fanciful to a degree that it hardly merits a response, but it does. At the Board meeting on March 9, 2019, Mr. Piggott was notified that he was being terminated for cause and that the Core Gold Board was prepared to deliver that notice immediately. Mr. Piggott was advised by Core Gold's remaining directors and legal counsel that the Board had already made this decision and that he was now merely being notified of that unilateral determination taken by the other Core Gold directors following his being put on notice in November, 2018. However, given the lengthy relationship between Mr. Piggott and Core Gold and his prior approval of the Titan transaction, Mr. Piggott was also presented with a mutual termination process whereby he would step down as CEO and a director, and not be terminated for cause, and as a condition, he would also enter into a voting support agreement (as each other director and member of senior management had agreed to do). Mr. Piggott was not required to agree to this but he was provided with the option. He was also given the opportunity to have his personal legal counsel review the terms of the mutual termination, but as he did not respond with the timeframe provided, the Core Gold Board provided notice of termination for cause under his consulting agreement. Mr. Piggott was not, in any way, terminated because he did not support the Titan transaction. He was terminated for the numerous, and now well documented, breaches, circumstances and events stated earlier and described in Core Gold's news release of March 19, 2019. The causal link that Mr. Piggott suggests simply does not exist. Had he agreed to the mutual termination process, and agreed to sign a voting support agreement, he would still not be CEO of Core Gold today. About Core Gold Inc. The Company is a Canadian based mining company involved in the mining, exploration and development of mineral properties in Ecuador. The Company is currently focused on gold production at its wholly-owned Dynasty Goldfield project. Mineral is treated at the Company's wholly-owned Portovelo treatment plant. The Company also owns other significant gold exploration projects including the Linderos and Copper Duke area in southern Ecuador all of which are on the main Peruvian Andean gold-copper belt extending into Ecuador. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE Core Gold Inc. Vancouver, April 4, 2019 - Guyana Goldstrike Inc. (the "Company" or "Guyana Goldstrike") (TSXV: GYA, OTC: GYNAF, FSE:1ZT) is pleased to announce that it has closed an initial tranche of its previously announced non-brokered private placement. In connection with closing of this initial tranche, the Company has issued 5,192,500 units (each, a "Unit"), at a price of $0.20 per Unit, for gross proceeds of $1,038,500. Each "Unit" consists of one common share of the Company, and one common share purchase warrant exercisable to acquire an additional common share at a price of $0.30 per share for a period of thirty-six months. The Company intends to complete a further tranche of the placement and will provide additional details as soon as they are available. Completion of an additional tranche of the placement remains subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. All securities issued in connection with closing of the placement are subject to a four-month-and-one-day statutory hold period in accordance with applicable securities laws. About the Marudi Gold Project The Company is developing the Marudi Gold Project located in Guyana, South America. The project has 18-year mining license in good standing, all-season road access, infrastructure in place, with an established camp serviced by employees, service buildings, and a full-time camp manager. The Property has three known gold bearing areas: the alluvial areas, the saprolite, and the underlying hard-rock. There has been 42,000 metres of historic diamond drilling (141 holes) completed on the project by prior operators that have delineated two zones of mineralization: Mazoa Hill and Marudi North zones. The Company has recently completed a mineral resource estimate on the Mazoa Hill zone containing 259,100 indicated gold ounces within 4,428,000 tonnes grading 1.80 g/t and 86,200 inferred gold ounces within 1,653,000 tonnes grading 1.60 g/t. The Company has recently discovered a third mineralized zone: Toucan Ridge. This zone is the current focus of the Company's 2018 trenching program. There exists excellent exploration upside for the further discovery of mineralized zones through the development of previously and newly identified mineralized bedrock targets on the project. For information concerning the mineral resource estimate and the project, readers are encouraged to review "Technical Report: Marudi Property Mazoa Hill Mineral Resource Estimate", a technical report prepared for the Company by Global Mineral Resource Services and is available at http://www.guyanagoldstrike.com/images/pdf/43101_Report_Guyana_Goldstrike_Mazoa_Hill_Zone_Jan_2018.pdf and under the Company's profile on SEDAR www.sedar.com. About Guyana The Republic of Guyana is located in South America adjacent to Suriname. The country is English speaking and under British Common Law with a democratically-elected government. It has an established mining act and a rich history of gold production. In 2016, 690,000 ounces of gold was produced by operators mining in the country. The Fraser Institute's 2016 Annual Survey of Mining listed Guyana as the third best mining jurisdiction with regards to investment attractiveness in the Latin America and Caribbean Basin sub-group. The Guiana Shield is the geographic gold-hosting region, and is world-recognized as a premier gold region that is highly prospective, under-explored and has geological continuity with West Africa.* In 2016, two mines in Guyana declared the commencement of commercial production: the Aurora deposit (Guyana Goldfields) and the Karouni deposit (Troy Resources). * Independent Technical and Environmental Review Karouni Gold Project - Guyana, Behre Dolbear Australia Pty Ltd, April 29, 2016 On behalf of the Board of Directors of Guyana Goldstrike Inc. Peter Berdusco President and Chief Executive Officer Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain certain "Forward-Looking Statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. When used in this news release, the words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "target, "plan", "forecast", "may", "schedule" and other similar words or expressions identify forward-looking statements or information. These forward-looking statements or information may relate to future prices of commodities, accuracy of mineral or resource exploration activity, reserves or resources, regulatory or government requirements or approvals, the reliability of third party information, continued access to mineral properties or infrastructure, fluctuations in the market for gold, changes in exploration costs and government regulation in Guyana, status of artisanal mining activities and associated rights, and other factors or information. Such statements represent the Company's current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social risks, contingencies and uncertainties. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements or information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affections such statements and information other than as required by applicable laws, rules and regulations. Copyright (c) 2019 TheNewswire - All rights reserved. Vandenberg had organized Concerned Citizens and previously served as party chairman, and was elected trustee on the ticket in the spring of 2015, along with Pannitto and Brian Younker, defeating a slate of incumbent trustees backed by then-Mayor Ed Zabrocki. He headed the ticket two years ago to win the mayors race, with Glotz and Thirion also winning election on the slate. Visits to parolees and probationers by their case officers have been part of the fabric of the justice system for more than a century. The logic and assumptions have seemed clear: Visits maintain public safety and promote rehabilitation. It's important to see if clients comply with supervision requirements and if their living conditions will help keep them out of trouble. The unproductive hours parole officers spend driving to see rural clients, the stress and safety risks for officers, and the disruption to clients who have to take time off from work to meet a probation officer -- well, all that's worth it, right?The truth is, we don't really know. There has been precious little research and thus hardly any evidence to show that visits work or which visit components succeed, fail or, even worse, are counterproductive. Are unscheduled or scheduled visits better? Should the visits be at home or in the workplace? As bipartisan prison reform efforts reduce mass incarceration and funnel more people into supervised release, already-large caseloads could explode. It is both critical and urgent to get answers to these questions. A recent study we did for the National Institute of Justice was one of the first efforts to look at home visits, quantitatively and qualitatively, to gauge their effectiveness. The evaluation included data analysis, reviews of officer-visit checklists, interviews, and focus-group discussions. The results are promising but quite preliminary. And they raise as many questions as they answer. That's partly because the interaction between the officer and the client is a key factor in the value of a visit, and that interaction is hard to observe and evaluate. Aggravating matters, there's no consensus definition of a field contact and what it entails. And results varied widely among jurisdictions. Was that because of the different contexts, different practices or a combination of the two?To try to pierce through this fog, we partnered with the American Probation and Parole Association and community supervision authorities in Ohio and Minnesota. We also sent an online survey to corrections departments in all 50 states. The good news is that, overall, field visits did seem to reduce recidivism. In Ohio, individuals who received at least one field contact had a 47 percent reduction in the odds of returning to prison within two years and a 54 percent reduction in the odds of ever returning.But we still don't know why. Compliance due to deterrence? Rehabilitation because of referral to services? Catching violations that endanger the community? The answers to these questions could help determine new policies and initiatives. Other findings from our research were contradictory, raising new questions to explore: In Ohio, 54 percent of attempts to make contact were successful, while the figure in Minnesota was 64.8 percent. Why the difference? How many contacts are needed? Is there a law of diminishing returns after some number of contacts? In Ohio, 15 percent of attempts yielded "collateral" contact -- with friends and family, not the client. Officers found such meetings productive because they could build rapport with the family and neighbors and get a fuller picture of how the clients were faring. Yet regular contact with family members correlated withrecidivism. Is this seemingly good practice backfiring, or are family members and neighbors sharing information about a client's new criminal activity with officers? Officers prefer field contacts at the home so they can understand the client's environment. But they also like visits at places of employment. That ensures compliance with work requirements and avoids forcing a client to take time off from work. So which is better? Is the cost of missing work or the chance to take a child to school or day care worth the benefit of seeing the home environment? In Ohio, unscheduled and scheduled visits were equally effective, while in Minnesota unscheduled visits led to significant reductions in recidivism. In Ohio, evidence-based practices such as motivational interviewing during field contacts were important in reducing recidivism, but they had no impact in Minnesota.Beyond these issues, we need to address probation and parole in a larger context. As the nation shifts away from mass incarceration, we need more rigorous research about what works to help probationers and parolees while protecting the public. We now know some of the questions. We need to move quickly to get some answers. A group of states, led by New York, sued the Trump administration over changes school lunch nutrition standards on Wednesday.Six states and the District of Columbia charge President Trump's Department of Agriculture weakened nutritional standards in school breakfasts and lunches when it relaxed the requirements limiting salt and refined grains in 2018.The plaintiffs in the suit, which was filed in Manhattan federal court and also names Department of Agriculture Sonny Purdue as a defendant, argue the changes to school breakfast and lunch standards were executed without required public input and in violation of nutrition requirements previously established by Congress.New York State Attorney General Letitia James announced the litigation with a press conference at Public School 67 in Brooklyn.She said the changes to school food guidelines are bad news for kids."Simply put, the Trump administration is putting our children in harm's way," said James. "Rather than protect and support our most vulnerable children, and maintain nutritional standards for the most vulnerable, the Trump administration is actively working to harm them even more."James and the other plaintiffs argue that the changes to federal school lunch guidelines imperil school kids by allowing substandard food on campus.But when the changes were first announced in 2017, Department of Agriculture officials said the move was not intended to diminish nutritional standards.Federal oversight of school food is minimal. Local districts execute student meals with some federal money. But federal funds account for only about 10% of local school district budgets.Department of Agriculture officials declined to comment on the suit, citing the ongoing litigation. SUPREME COURT The race for state Supreme Court that could weigh heavily on the future of the state's judiciary was too close to call and possibly headed for a recount Tuesday night.The results, reminiscent of the razor-thin margins of the 2018 governor's race and the 2011 Supreme Court race that ended in a recount, show the conservative-backed Appeals Court Judge Brian Hagedorn with a lead of 50.24 percent to 49.76 percent over the liberal-backed Wisconsin Chief Appeals Court Judge Lisa Neubauer, with 99 percent of precincts reporting.Conservative-backed Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Bradley told attendees at Hagedorn's watch party that victory was imminent.3,589 of 3,600 precincts..........99%Lisa Neubauer, 595,206..........50%Brian Hagedorn, 601,007..........50%Meanwhile, Neubauer's campaign manager, Tyler Hendricks, said in a statement the campaign is likely to request a recount."This race is too close to call," Hendricks said. "We are almost assuredly headed to a recount. We are going to make sure every vote is counted. Wisconsinites deserve to know we have had a fair election and that every vote is counted."A recount is not off the table. The loser must be within one percentage point of the winner to request a recount. If the loser is within 0.25 percentage points of the winner, that candidate may request a recount at no cost.In 2011, the liberal-backed JoAnne Kloppenburg conceded defeat to conservative incumbent Justice David Prosser after a recount showed his lead stood at 7,004 votes, or just 0.46 percent of the votes cast.Kloppenberg actually declared victory the day after the election after preliminary results suggested she won by about 200 votes.At stake in the race is control of the court in 2020. If Neubauer were to replace retiring liberal-backed Justice Shirley Abrahamson for a seat on the court, liberals would only have to defeat conservative-backed Supreme Court Justice Daniel Kelly in 2020 to seize control of the seven-seat body.The race for the state's highest court is officially nonpartisan, but partisan groups on either end of the political spectrum have lined up in typical fashion to support their favored candidate.Outside electioneering groups have spent about $2.8 million in the race, according to the nonpartisan Wisconsin Democracy Campaign. Six mostly liberal groups have spent about $1.6 million backing Neubauer while five mostly conservative groups have spent about $1.2 million supporting Hagedorn.Conservative groups in the final week leading up to the election made a last-minute push for Hagedorn, one of which paid for a seven-figure media campaign slamming Neubauer.The outside spending is in addition to the money candidates raised themselves. Over the complete course of the campaign, Neubauer has raised about $1.7 million and Hagedorn brought in about $1.3 million.Voters Tuesday had a choice between two different approaches to the law. Neubauer portrayed herself as a time-tested legal mind who would bring an impartial and independent view to the law, while Hagedorn said he would work to extinguish partisanship on the court and take a modest approach that would prevent the court from becoming another type of Legislature.But political partisans see the stakes even higher. Conservatives view a Neubauer victory as a way to allow liberal special interests to invade the court, while liberals say Hagedorn, whose views on LGBT issues and work for former Gov. Scott Walker have stoked criticism, would usher in a disrespect for rights that the court should protect.For liberals, quashing the court's conservative majority would mean eliminating the same court that upheld some of the most controversial laws of the past decade, notably Walker's signature Act 10 law, which limited the power of public sector labor unions.Flipping the court could have major implications for the issues of partisan gerrymandering and voter rights.Each judge's political connections run deep. Hagedorn served as Walker's chief legal counsel, where he had a role in drafting parts of Act 10, which limited the power of public sector labor unions.Hagedorn espoused views against gay marriage and several other issues in a personal blog he kept more than a decade ago. In it he argued a U.S. Supreme Court ruling striking down a Texas anti-sodomy law could lead to the legalization of bestiality.He continues to be a board member of an academy in Waukesha County that employs a code of personal conduct that lists "immoral sexual activity" by teachers, staff, board members, students or their parents as grounds for dismissal. It defines immoral sexual activity as "any form of touching or nudity for the purpose of evoking sexual arousal apart from the context of marriage between one man and one woman."Hagedorn also received more than $3,000 over three years from Alliance Defending Freedom, a legal organization that has supported criminalizing sodomy and sterilizing transgender people.Hagedorn's views on LGBT issues prompted the Wisconsin Realtors Association, an organization that represents the real estate industry and an influential underwriter of conservative-backed Supreme Court candidates, to withdraw its endorsement of Hagedorn and request its $18,000 donation back.Meanwhile, Neubauer is married to the former chairman of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, and has donated to Democrats, including former Gov. Jim Doyle. Her daughter serves as a Democratic state representative, and they have appeared together at a People's Climate March, a protest against President Donald Trump's environmental policies. San Diego County sued the Trump administration Wednesday, challenging in federal court its decision to end the so-called "safe release" policy for asylum seekers last October.Under "safe release" or "coordinated release" Immigration and Customs Enforcement helped people seeking asylum to connect with sponsors around the country and to reach their final destinations, where they would wait for the legal asylum process to play out.The Trump administration abruptly ended "safe release" in late October, leaving thousands of migrants all but stranded in San Diego County. ICE said at the time that the growing numbers of families arriving along the southwest border rendered them unable to maintain the program.The county filed suit in federal court against the administration and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, alleging they violated the federal Administrative Procedure Act by abruptly ending "safe release" without proper notice. The lawsuit said the government "failed to articulate a reasonable explanation for their actions."The suit also claims that the action violated the Fifth Amendment by forcing San Diego County to spend money to deal with the ramifications of the program's end. And the suit requests an injunction to require the federal government to resume safe release.Dianne Jacob, chairwoman of the Board of Supervisors said in a statement that the county has already spent more than $1.3 million addressing health and safety issues related to assisting asylum-seekers."That figure is ballooning by the day," she said." We are asking the court to require the feds to reinstate the Safe Release program and not leave local governments, non-profits and taxpayers holding the bag."She said the lawsuit isn't about broad immigration issues or border security.After safe release ended, a coalition of groups called the San Diego Rapid Response Network set up a shelter to temporarily house asylum-seeking families while helping them get to their destination.The shelter was forced to change locations several times but in January the county allowed them to use an old vacant courthouse downtown as a shelter until the end of the year. The county has also provided staff to conduct health screening assessments at the shelter in effort to protect public health.Michael Hopkins of Jewish Family Service, one of the lead organizations with the network, recently said the shelter has helped more than 11,000 migrants who have been released into the U.S.The lawsuit seeks the federal government to reimburse the county for its expenses and to restore the services provided under safe release."The prior policy treated asylum seekers with care and dignity and helped to prevent a dramatic increase in the county's homeless population and accompanying public health concerns and related costs and expenditures," the suit states. "With the sudden and unlawful change or end to the policy, the county ... was left to respond to the immediate and continuing fallout of Defendants' arbitrary and capricious actions."Supervisor Nathan Fletcher said in a statement that he hopes other jurisdictions will join the lawsuit.The county board of supervisors voted 4-1 in February to pursue legal action with Supervisor Kristin Gaspar casting the lone vote against. About the owner: Spiro Kokkinos has worked in the restaurant business since he was 14 and worked as a soda jerk in his parents former Mount Prospect restaurant, Artemis. They still own and operate Jimmys Charhouse in Libertyville. He opened Cafe Mistiko 13 years ago. My uncle runs a breakfast place, my parents run a dinner place, he said. It was time to branch out on my own and do something different. Since Detroit entered into the nations largest municipal bankruptcy back in 2013, the city has been heralded as an unexpected comeback story, attracting billions of dollars worth of investment. But nearly all of that money and development has been concentrated in and around downtown. Thats left residents who occupy more than 100 square miles in the rest of the city wondering when it will be their turn for a comeback.Mayor Mike Duggan says that day is near. Last year, he pledged to spend $130 million over the next five years on parks, streetscapes and development in 60 different neighborhoods. He got a big boost in December, when seven companies pledged $5 million each to the citys strategic neighborhood fund. Were starting to see development through the corridor of all these different areas, Duggan said.The citys neighborhoods can use a lot of help. Detroits median income remains half that of Michigan as a whole. More than a third of the citys residents -- and more than half of its children -- live in poverty. Its been estimated that Detroit is pocked by 30,000 abandoned homes and as many as 90,000 vacant lots. One project meant to be a showcase for neighborhood revitalization, a pledge to rehab or build more than 200 homes in the Fitzgerald area in the citys northwest, fell 12 months behind schedule barely a year after it was announced. City officials say theres a learning curve involved in making development happen in areas that havent seen much investment for decades.One problem, as is so often the case, is financing. The few homes in Fitzgerald on which work was completed cost far more to rehab than their ultimate selling price. The city had to make up shortfalls left under federal grant programs. The fact that the mayor is raising money from private companies to shore up his neighborhood fund is problematic, says Sarah Reckhow, a political scientist at Michigan State University. It was one thing for philanthropic groups to play a major role in the grand bargain that staved off deep pension cuts and a fire sale of masterpieces from the Detroit Institute of Arts. Reclaiming neighborhoods is a more complex and more difficult task, not a one-off crisis remedy. If we cant pay for infrastructure with tax dollars, Reckhow says, maybe we need to look at the tax structure.Thats a fair point. But Duggan recognizes that for Detroit to be able to rebuild its tax base, it has to invest in itself. His effort to extend investment beyond downtown is clearly going to run into some bumps. Still, its an important attempt to find an antidote for areas in despair. When a historically destructive wildfire burned down most of Paradise, Calif., in November, the startup ProudCity built the town a website dedicated to the recovery effort in three days Now, the company is using that experience as well as its similar work for other fire-devastated local governments like Santa Rosa, Calif. to offer other communities the same services. ProudCity Recovers, announced April 3, is a package for local governments going through disasters to swiftly set up an online presence from which to disseminate information and services.The website theme, which ProudCity demonstrates here , includes a mobile-responsive design, a news section, event calendar, social media feed, search functionality and content sections for several common concerns in a disaster shelter locations, information about animals, evacuation routes, financial assistance and more.The company also offers a governance template, suggesting how a local government might manage their recovery website."As disasters become more routine, digital response and recovery preparedness is critical," wrote CEO Luke Fretwell in a blog post . "Governments can no longer build these operations reactively while simultaneously responding to an active natural disaster and expect to effectively serve their communities at the height of a crisis." Remix, a GovTech 100 company that designs and manages online platforms for municipal transit agencies, has brought on former Boston CIO Jascha Franklin-Hodge as a policy advisor.The San Francisco-based company announced Franklin-Hodges appointment in a press release Wednesday In addition to Franklin-Hodge, the company has appointed Meera Joshi, the former leader of the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission, to the same position. Both appointees will advise Remix in its ongoing work with city governments and their transit partners. Remixs transportation platform is currently used in more than 350 cities across the globe.Both Franklin-Hodge and Joshi bring a wealth of policy experience that will be invaluable in such a rapidly changing environment, the company said in its release.Franklin-Hodge left Boston in early 2018 after serving as the citys tech leader since mid-2014. During his time with the city, Franklin-Hodge helped to create its digital team, establish the internal use of data and analytics, and build integral platforms such as Boston.gov and the BOS:311 mobile app. Digital equity and citywide broadband access were also focuses during his tenure.Remix has been in the gov tech news cycle quite a bit during this young calendar year, namely for raising $15 million in investments and for spreading its deployment to cities like Honolulu (TNS) More than 7,000 people missed their court hearings last year in Montgomery County-run courts.That leads to needless time and money wasted.Now, new county Clerk of Courts Mike Foley is looking at using technology to address the problem.One of the items were looking into is text reminders, and I know some other counties around the state have been doing this and have been successful, Foley said.The medical field has been using this same system to remind people of their appointments. For example, Kettering Health Network just completed a yearlong transition to a new reminder system.In Clark Countys Clerk of Court office, Melissa Tuttle said even if theres a 10 percent improvement in missed court appearances it would help.New York City, for example, when they tried it, saw a 26 percent reduction in people missing their court dates.A lot of people come to our courthouse and they know they have an appearance but between our two courthouses dont know where they are supposed to be. If they had a text alert they would know what courthouse, what courtroom and what time, Tuttle said.The same system also could be used to remind people to show up for jury duty.Why havent court systems jumped to adopt text reminders before now?Mostly its about money. Its an upfront expense. But it has potential savings on the back end.Obviously, we want to get people in and out of the court system quicker. That will save court costs and judges and that sort of thing, Foley said. (TNS) The 23rd U.S. Census in 2020 will be the first in history to rely heavily on technology, but a multi-step online application process and fear of the federal government is making it more difficult to find local workers and to get residents motivated to be counted, a Census Bureau regional director said Tuesday."We are fully on board with being able for the first time to do a Census that is heavily dependent and heavily assisted by technology," said Fernando Armstrong, regional director for the Census Bureau office in Philadelphia, which oversees nine states, including West Virginia. "That also brings some challenges."I am encouraged by the way technology is working and the fact that, with some of these things, we have evidence that it can work," he said. "I am concerned with the public reaction and the public's willingness to be on the Census."Armstrong made his comments Tuesday morning from the U.S. Census Bureau 2020 West Virginia headquarters on North Kanawha Street in Beckley, where Mayor Rob Rappold hosted a Census 2020 Kick-Off. The office is the state headquarters, the clearinghouse for Census operations around the state.Armstrong acknowledged that federal officials had considered when establishing the office in Beckley that Internet connectivity could prove a challenge."We wanted to test here... How will this work?" he reported. "If it works here then, maybe, it will work in Tennessee and Kentucky and the west side of the country, where connectivity may not be as [developed] as it should be.""So we took a big risk in opening the office here," he added. "I need to report to you that the results of the test we did out of Beckley [and in Rhode Island and Washington] are very, very promising, very encouraging."West Virginia's technology infrastructure, including broadband, is underdeveloped. Many residents of more rural areas do not have Internet service in their homes.New River Gorge Regional Development Authority Executive Director Joe Brouse explained in March that the state's population is a contributing factor to its underdeveloped broadband and the resulting lack of Internet connectivity for its residents.The U.S. Census Bureau estimated that West Virginia was one of only eight states to lose population in 2016, with 9,951 residents leaving the state between July 2015 and July 2016. The state also suffered a natural population loss of 2,680, meaning that the number of West Virginians being born was not replacing the number dying. During the time period referenced, the state saw 19,799 births and 22,479 deaths.Brouse said private companies will not invest in markets where the customer base is not large enough to offer a return on investment, so West Virginians are waiting on the federal government to provide broadband expansion for adequate education and medical services delivery. They also need technology to entice investors to the Mountain State.Rappold and Armstrong reached out to local leaders in the faith, government, business and media sectors to encourage their fellow West Virginians to be counted in the Census and to apply for Census jobs."You need to help us get the word out," Rappold told the gathering, which included Chase Bank President Nancy Kissenger, Chick-fil-A operator Richard Jarrell, Raleigh County Community Action Association Executive Director Ron Cantley, Beckley Sanitary Board Manager Jeremiah Johnson, City Zoning Officer Bob Cannon and Beckley Common Council members Ann Worley (Ward II), Sherrie Hunter (at-large) and Kevin Price (Ward IV)."It is a civic duty to be part of the Census," Rappold said, pointing out that Beckley and the state will receive federal dollars based largely on the results of the Census.Armstrong added, "We need the people to use the technology, and we need the people to feel comfortable doing the Census. For those two things, we need a lot of help."The U.S. Constitution calls for a Census to be taken once every 10 years, and a population count is a vital step for any state or municipality to claim disbursements of nearly $400 billion in federal funds.Census data also determines how many delegates West Virginia will be given in Congress.The goal is "to count everyone once, only once and in the right place," according to the website.In West Virginia, the Census is facing challenges finding workers and a mistrust of the population count, Armstrong said."There's a lot of fear," he said. "There's some mistrust of government. There is fear about the information and who will have access."We need to work to make sure that we can put at rest that kind of fear."The West Virginia Census headquarters is finding that the online-only application process may be slowing the hiring process in the southern coalfields."We used to bring people to a church or a library and they would complete their (application) forms," Armstrong said. "Now, people have to apply online."That is the only way of doing it. Together, we need to find ways in which we can assist people to apply online."Armstrong and a representative of U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin's office reported Tuesday that Manchin has hosted two job fairs, offering a centralized location for workers to apply for the Census jobs online, and that he is planning a few more.Armstrong said that the online application process, however, involves multiple steps, requiring applicants to stay in an interactive relationship with the Census Bureau online. Many applicants are giving up and not completing the process.On March 11, Connie Mills of the Census Bureau appeared at a Beckley Common Council meeting to ask for help in finding workers to fill temporary jobs that pay $12 to $15 an hour and range from 25 to 40 hours per week.Rappold on Tuesday encouraged local workers to apply for the Census jobs."Go to the library to access a computer, if you don't have one at home," he said.He urged West Virginians not to be afraid to ask for guidance to complete the electronic application process."It's today's world, it's the most effective way to accomplish what we're trying to do," he said.Applicants may start the process by visiting 2020census.gov/en/jobs DENVER Mobility networks, whether they involve air quality sensors spread across Denver County or smart streets technology at Denver International Airport, work better when they address a regional issue.One of the things were really struggling with, as a region, is the amount of growth that were expecting in the next 20 years, said Douglas Rex, executive director of the Denver Regional Council of Governments, during a panel discussion Tuesday at the Smart Cities Connect Conference and Expo. Were expecting 1.2 to 1.3 million people to relocate here to this region in the next 20 years.Weve got some issues, Rex added. And were really, really in search of some ways to mitigate some of these mobility problems that we have today, and certainly, will exponentially grow with this region.Rex was part of a panel on Smart City, Smart Region: Front Range Collaboration. The annual conference brought together more than 500 city participants from 44 states and 14 countries to discuss many issues around mobility, data, and the evolution of cities in an increasingly technological world.This is a long game and we also need to be bold about where we need to go, said Chelsea Collier, editor at large for Smart Cities Connect.Bob Bennett, outgoing chief innovation officer for Kansas City, Mo., who moderated the panel and who playfully called the group the Front Range Rock Stars pushed officials to expand on both the need to work as a region, and what happens when you dont.I think there have been some bad examples where you pigeon hole yourself in to a certain technology, said Bret Waters, deputy chief of staff for the city of Colorado Springs. And I think that regionally, weve talked more. I think were able to discuss whats happening, whats worked well, and then really leverage understanding amongst the region on whats worked well. Across jurisdictions its very important to have those conversations and those discussions to understand what issues a neighboring jurisdiction might be facing, added Darryl Jones, executive vice president and chief real estate officer for the Denver International Airport. So then you can help and bridge the gap.The conversations should not just stop with the folks in corner offices, said Emily Silverman, smart cities program manager for the city and county of Denver.We need to have these crucial conversations with our residents, said Silverman. Not only about what they want to see, but also in terms of the data. The data the city pays for, for the devices, is everybodys data.We need to find safe and secure ways to both be able to share the data and gain the insights, but make sure everybody is protected, she added. Community colleges offer some of the most affordable degrees in the country, Sung Rhee, CEO of SR Education Group, said in a news release. With a growing number of these degrees becoming available online, we wanted to let prospective students know about these great, accessible options near them. The Kane County Clerks Office said there are eight outstanding mail-in ballots that need to be added to the tally. The only way the measure could be approved is if all eight were in favor of the tax hike. The University of Georgia has placed an order for twenty Proterra 40 Catalyst E2 buses with DuoPower drivetrain technology and fourteen 125 kW Proterra PCS chargers. With the deployment of 20 Catalyst buses, the University of Georgia will have one of the largest fleets of electric buses in the US, and will displace more than 2,500,000 gallons of diesel over the vehicles 12-year lifespan and eliminate more than 4,500,000 pounds of carbon emissions annually. The University of Georgia offers free rides for students, faculty and visitors with an average daily ridership of about 40,000. After receiving a $10-million grant from the GO! Transit Capital Program administered by Georgias State Road and Tollway Authority, the University of Georgia evaluated and tested electric bus technology to ensure students, faculty, staff and visitors received the best electric bus possible. The state of Georgia underwent a similar testing and review process and selected Proterra as a statewide vendor for electric buses, which allowed the University of Georgia to procure the 20 buses under a statewide contract. All of the University of Georgias Catalyst E2 buses will be powered by the Proterra DuoPower drivetrain, which delivers twice the horsepower and five times the efficiency of a standard diesel engine. The DuoPower drivetrain features two electric motors that deliver 510 horsepower, accelerating a Catalyst bus from 0-20 mph in about five seconds, while also achieving an industry-leading 24.6 MPGe. In addition, the DuoPower drivetrain can propel a bus up a 26% grade, making it an ideal option for routes with steep hills. By combining the DuoPower drivetrain with Proterras market-leading battery technology and lightweight composite bus body, the Catalyst vehicle provides unparalleled performance. With this order, the University of Georgia joins colleges and universities nationwide that are moving to battery-electric campus buses. Proterra has sold its Catalyst buses to StarMetro/Florida State University, University of Montana, Duke University and Alabama A&M University. (Publishers note: the following article is a teaser for the Stars annual Historical Edition, which is found in this weeks newspaper.) The earliest Green River Star available to anyone is dated Nov. 17, 1905. The archives at the Stars building only go back to 1940, due to a fire destroying the newspapers earliest archive books, but the newspaper can be found online on the Wyoming State Librarys newspaper project, newspapers.wyo.gov. Listed as Vol. XVI - No.14, the newspaper is faded in some parts, while ink smudges occasionally obscure text in others. Only one page exists -- the cover sheet. The newspaper stands out by having Christmas ads for the Morris Mercantile Company and P. O. Christensen prominently displayed on the cover of the publication, just below the newspapers nameplate. Below that Christensen ad, a list of professional cards are printed next to a state news column. Those cards are a whose who of early Sweetwater history, featuring ads for Dr. John Gilligan, as well as Dr. J. W. Hawk, Dr. Charlotte Hawk and Rock Springs attorney T.S. Taliaferro. Calls left at Campbells Drug Store will receive prompt attention, Dr. Gilligans ad reads. Gilligan was a longtime physician in Green River who served as the towns sixth mayor, in a short 1901-1902 term. Dr. J. W. Hawk is one half of the Tomahawk Hotel buildings namesake. News featured in the paper was mostly dedicated to society news, with a short article about vast improvements to the Union Pacific Railroad also featuring near the top of the page. Those improvements focused on double tracking that would be done in three places: two miles of work near a place identified as Haimoss, with a second section of about 25 miles from Lookout to Hanna and a third section ranging 25 miles from Point of Rocks to Rock Springs. Work was scheduled to begin March 1, 1906. Right next to that article, was a piece about an afternoon gathering. Wednesday afternoon Mrs. Karl Spinner entertained most delightfully a number of her lady friends at tea, an article titled Mrs. Spinner Entertains begins. After the hours had glided away in pleasant conversation, the guests repaired to the dining room where they gathered around the table made beautiful with an embroidered centerpiece and red and white carnations. State news on the page consisted of short, one or two sentence paragraphs of occurrences throughout Wyoming. A large white wolf, measuring 7 feet, 2 inches from tip to tip was killed near Pinedale. Residents of Lander were working toward establishing a Catholic school. A report from Rawlins stated that nearly half a million sheep were sold within the previous two months, with prices ranging from 50 cents to $1. Local news wasnt completely left out of the paper. A short paragraph about the Sweetwater Brewing Company suggested the brewery planned an expansion. The Sweetwater Brewing Co. has been making a general cleaning in the yard of the company, and we suppose they intend to do some building to meet the demands of their growing business, the report read. The Sweetwater County Fire Department was given the go ahead to start adding staff to its department. During the Sweetwater County Commissioners meeting Tuesday morning, the Commissioners voted unanimously to approve a request from Sweetwater County Fire Warden Mike Bournazian for an additional seven firefighting personal, which would cost about $239,000. Bournazian requested one additional full-time firefighter/engine boss, two nine-month seasonal firefighters, three sixth-month seasonal firefighters and one three-month firefighter. These additions would allow the department to staff for seven days a week, which is something it hasnt been able to do. Bournazian said he has made efforts in the past to try and address the understaffing in this department. In my opinion, this department has never been staffed appropriately, Bournazian said. We dont have enough people to respond. We had several fires we had no one to send to. Last year, everyone in the department worked for at least 28 days straight without a day off. He said they simply cant continue to do that. Chairman Wally Johnson wanted to know what the firefighters were going to do when they arent fighting fires. Bournazian said the firefighters work closely to entities to implement fire prevention measures. The department often works with the Sweetwater County Parks and Recreation Department at Pioneer Park to remove dead Cottonwoods and other dead trees and brush from that park. It also works with Granger and Superior to build fire breaks in areas where the towns are most at risk. They are also in the process of getting a plan created with Wyoming State Forestry to remove dead trees on the top of Little Mountain. When they arent busy with fire prevention, they are helping out at the Sweetwater County Events Complex or attending trainings. We certainly dont sit around the station, he said. Risk mitigation is huge for us. The Commissioners also asked how this change would impact this years budget. Bournazian said he didnt anticipate it to impact this years budget. He anticipated he could fill about 50 percent of those positions quickly because they still have quality applicants who just applied for an opening on file. However, the other positions may take longer to fill because other firefighting agencies started recruited their firefighters in November. It will be a challenge to fill all of these, he said. Prior to approval, Chairman Johnson made it clear to Bournazian that even though this was approved at this time it doesnt lock the county into a specific budget for next year. The countys local lodging tax is set to increase this month, up to 4 percent as a result of voter approval during the 2018 election. Jenissa Meredith, executive director of the Sweetwater County Joint Travel and Tourism Board, said the board wont see its check from the increased lodging tax until this summer. The lodging tax is charged only at hotels within Sweetwater County and according to Meredith, is primarily used to market the county as a travel destination to outside markets. Tourism is a huge part of our local economy, Meredith told the Green River City Council Tuesday night. During the past year, Meredith said she worked on making Sweetwater County more visible to international travelers and met with tour operators who host tours across the United States in an effort to have their tours include the county. She said she also increased exposure to the National High School Finals Rodeo in Rock Springs last year through a partnership with KUTV in Utah and the stations Road Trippin segments. Meredith, working to recognize the 150th anniversary of womens suffrage in Wyoming, also created the Proud Wyoming Woman retreat last year, which was featured in the New York Times as part of the newspapers 52 places to go in 2018 feature. Meredith said the plans to host the event again this year, adding an additional day to the event. Dennis Lee Watts was born Oct. 6, 1951, to Ernistine and Oran Eugene Watts in Flint, Mich. After a long, hard fought battle with illness, Dennis passed away on March 17, 2019. Dennis was more than a man, he was a legend. Some called him Tiger and some called him Denny, and he simply referred to all of those cherished friends as Brotha'. As for his children, we called him Papa. He was our Papa Bear, sometimes a grizzly when we needed his protection but mostly he was a teddy bear, impossible not to love. When a man's stories are remembered he is immortal and my father's life brought so many tales that he will forever be remembered! Dennis' life was more of an Epic than just a life. He was a roller-skater before he could even walk and competed as a child. He was a Golden Gloves champion who was deadly in the ring. Dennis was a soldier not only defending his country by the ones that he loved. He was a determined man who conquered anything he set his mind to. Dennis was a carpenter, trona miner, a fishing guide, a mountain man, a man who loved Motown, the blues and so much more in his 67 years on this Earth! He was a hopeless romantic who believed love was always worth the risk. A million pages could be written in his honor and it would still fall short in explaining the impact he had on those around him. He believed "when you do something you should burn yourself completely, like a good bonfire, leaving no trace." -Shunryn Suzuki. My father lived his life that way up until his last breath. Dennis is survived by his two sisters, Debra Watts of Flint, Mich., her children Robbie and Traci Polovina, and Lynda Watts and her daughter Lesa Daigneau of Las Vegas, Nev.; his daughter Laura Pavey, son-in-law AJ Pavey and their children Oran Dane, Vincent Ocean and Reese Autumn; his son Timothy Watts, daughter-in-law Graciela Watts and their children Jasper Lee and Zoe Renea, as well as, many great nieces and nephews and his Aunt Glenda Knott of Bellaire, Mich. Dennis was preceded in death by his mother and father, his grandmothers Emma Williamson of Florida and Hilda Knott of Michigan, his adoring uncle Robert Knott of Michigan and loving nephew Curtis Polovina. A celebration of life is scheduled to take place Saturday, April 6, at 3 p.m. at the Fraternal Order of the Eagles, 88 N. 2nd E., Green River. The Pequot Library in Fairfields Southport section is hosting Martha Hall Kelly as part of its Meet the Author series on Sunday, April 14. Click here to reserve and for more information. Kelly will be discussing her just-released book, Lost Roses. The native New Englanders debut novel, the bestseller Lilac Girls, introduced the real-life heroine Caroline Ferriday. Lost Roses, set a generation earlier and also inspired by true events, features Carolines mother, Eliza, and follows three equally indomitable women from St. Petersburg, Russia to Paris, France under the shadow of World War I. From the turbulent streets of St. Petersburg to the avenues of Paris and the society of fallen Russian emigres who live there, the lives of these women will intersect in profound ways, taking readers on a breathtaking ride through a momentous time in history, the library says on its website. There will be a 30- to 40-minute author talk, followed by Q&A, book sales and signing. Light hors doeuvres will be served. Pequot Library, 720 Pequot Ave., Fairfields Southport section. Sunday, April 14, 4-6 p.m. Free. RSVP at 203-259-0346 ext. 115. When Nicholas Manciero wasnt teaching math at Stratford High School on Thursday, he was checking email. April 6, 2019, was the day he was to learn if his proposal for a Fund for Teachers grant had been accepted. Not until the end of the school day when Manciero was called down to the principals office did he learn that he was one of 153 public school teachers from across the state who will spend part of their summers on self-designed learning experiences courtesy of the national program. Awesome. This is amazing, Manciero said, when Stratford High Principal Jack Dellapino broke the news that he will be going to Italy to study how mathematical concepts were used during the construction of cathedrals, towers, aqueducts and monuments during the Roman Empire, Gothic and the Renaissance periods. Jenny Heikkila-Diaz of Fund for Teachers was on hand to present Maciero with a backpack and invitation to an awards dinner. Elsewhere Thursday, grants were handed out to teachers at Bullard Havens Technical High School in Bridgeport and at schools in Fairfield, Greenwich, Hamden, New Haven, North Branford, Norwalk, Redding and Weston. Since 2001, Fund for Teachers has invested $30 million in nearly 8,000 teachers across the country. Fund for Teachers, in Connecticut, has been supported for the past five years by the Dalio Foundation. This year, the foundation provided $875,000 in grants for teachers to improve their instructional practice and, as a result, student success. Since the Dalio Foundation started supporting the program in 2015, some 637 fellowships and $3.6 million have been awarded in the state. Barbara Dalio, co-founder and director of the foundation, calls Fund for Teachers one of her favorite causes. This years Connecticut fellows will learn in 24 states and 35 countries across six continents. The recipients teach in 89 schools across 55 districts. Many serve predominantly low-income students. It is something that teachers love, said Dalio. It expands their world, gets them energized. Gets them inspired. They get to see what other people in other countries are doing. The idea is that teachers take that energy and excitement back with them to the classroom next fall. Melissa Hadsell, a Stamford High teacher, will explore the historical and cultural influences of British authors such as William Shakespeare and Jane Austen on a trip to England and Scotland. Timothy Foster of Fairfield Warde High School will travel to England, France, Denmark and Sweden to learn more about sustainable practices to help in an AP Environmental Science classes. Maria Frederick of Read Middle School in Redding is going to Rwanda to deepen her understanding of the events that led up to that countrys genocide in 1994. Janet Forbes, an English Language teacher at Bullard Havens Technical High School in Bridgeport will study at a Spanish language immersion school in Costa Rica to improve her ability to communicate with students and their families in their first language. Dalio said it is fascinating to hear about the teacher adventures when she attends annual dinners for the grant recipients. More Information Local teachers to receive 2019 Fund for Teachers grants include: Janet Forbes, Bullard Havens Technical High School Bridgeport Timothy Foster of Fairfield Warde High School Nicholas Manciero of Stratford High School See More Collapse When given the resources and space, magic happens, Dalio said of the programs purpose. The winners were selected from among 260 applicants, a record number in the state. In March, a committee of 60 teachers and community leaders reviewed the applications and matched them against program criteria. Manciero was encouraged to apply by Dan Hicks, a vice principal at Stratford High who recieved a Fund for Teachers grant in 2016 to study ruins in the Virgin Islands. It definitely gave me a better perspective in some things I was working on in the classroom, Hicks said. Manciero said he is very excited to do the same. His plans are to travel to Florence, Rome and Pisa, where he will take classes in how to teach algebra in more meaningful way, attend university lectures and explore museums. U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes, D-Conn., a former Waterbury teacher and National Teacher of the Year, said the program is important because it trusts the judgment of teachers to carve out their own professional learning. Both students and teachers thrive when we have some ownership over our professional development choices, Hayes said. Based in Greenwich, the Dalio Foundation was created by Barbara and her husband, Ray, a hedge fund manager and billionaire. The foundation has invested more than $50 million in public school districts in the state and is a big supporter of Donors Choose, a crowdfunding website for teachers, and the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. lclambeck@ctpost.com; twitter/lclambeck HARTFORD It makes little sense to some legislators that theyve spent the past few years passing numerous bills to try and combat the opioid epidemic but have done nothing to increase the penalties for those who traffic fentanyl that contributes more than any other to those who die from drug overdoses. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid, which is more addictive and deadly than opioids or heroin. Members of the Judiciary Committee vowed that they would take on the issue again this year after hearing a pitch from Rep. Themis Klarides, R-Derby, Wednesday. Similar bills have failed in previous years after passing the committee. A bill introduced by Klarides, the House minority leader, would amend the definition of narcotic substance to include fentanyl, which currently is only listed as a synthetic drug, meaning it carries a lesser sentence. Opioid deaths have been doubling every year since 2013, Klarides said during a public hearing on the bill this week. All Im asking for is parody with penalties for other drugs, Klarides told the committee. Klarides said the bill is an important House Republican proposal to amend the definition of narcotic substance to add fentanyl and fentanyl derivatives. There were 1,038 overdose deaths in Connecticut in 2017, according to the Office of Chief Medical Examiner. In nearly two-thirds of those deaths some trace of fentanyl was found in the persons system. Last year, there were 1,017 overdose deaths and 760 of those deaths involved fentanyl, which is up from 677 in 2017, 483 in 2016, and 189 in 2015. Klarides said: Connecticut is in the midst of an opioid epidemic. increasing penalties for the dealing and manufacturing of fentanyl and fentanyl derivatives will not only reduce the use of opioids in Connecticut, but possibly save lives. A substance that is more powerful than heroin should absolutely be included under the definition of a narcotic substance, this is a necessary and common sense way to battle the Similar bills have been tried in the past but have not made it through the General Assembly. Sen. John Kissel, R-Enfield, asked Klarides why the bill hasnt made it through the General Assembly previously, considering the opioid - and fentanyl - crisis the state is knee-deep in. Klarides, the House minority leader, said she didnt know the exact reason why, but thought perhaps budget issues might have taken precedence. Kissel said he would be supporting it this year: Its a crisis. Its not a Republican issue, not a Democratic issue. Its a public health issue. Judiciary Committee members on both sides of the aisle vowed to support the initiative again this year. Rep. Steve Stafstrom, D-Bridgeport, said one reason he strongly supports the legislation is that fentanyl is finding its way into so many other drugs. Rep. Arthur ONeill, R-Southbury said that another reason to increase penalties for selling fentanyl is that perhaps it would help serve as a deterrent to the drug pushers. Fentanyl is far less expensive to produce, ONeill said. Its a great profit center. The discussion at the state Capitol came on the same day as a man was sentenced to 30 months in prison after one of the biggest fentanyl finds in Connecticut history. Derby Police had stopped the 18-wheeler tractor trailer truck Erick Crespo-Escalante was driving on Route 34 in December 2016 for failing to drive in the proper lane on the highways two lane approach to Derby and Route 8. Inside police found 25 brick-like packages inside vacuum-sealed bags each containing a kilogram of what later tested positive for fentanyl. Police estimated the drugs worth to be at least $1.5 million. STAMFORD Speaking to a packed room of Planned Parenthood supporters in Stamford, renowned womens rights activist Gloria Steinem took aim at the White House, and particularly the president, over efforts to limit womens access to abortion and health care. Our ability, men and women, to make decisions over our own bodies is the first step of democracy, she said. There is no democracy without that. Steinem was answering a question about the White Houses proposed Title X gag rule that would make it illegal for health care providers to refer patients for an abortion. The push to limit access to abortions comes at a time when many states are debating whether to implement a fetal heartbeat bill, making it illegal to have an abortion after roughly six weeks of pregnancy, resulting in up to 10 years in prison for women who do. Steinem, speaking at Planned Parenthood of Southern New Englands annual spring luncheon in Stamford, said the move to limit womens access to abortion and health care is angering and wrong, but also expected. The first step in every hierarchy is controlling reproduction of women, she said. Its called patriarchy. Currently, the Title X program provides federal funding for family-planning facilities, especially those that serve low-income patients. The new rules require physical separation between facilities that provide services funded via Title X and those providing abortions. The gag rule would particularly impact Planned Parenthood, since the organization would either have to forgo Title X funding or stop providing abortion-related information and services. Planned Parenthood has filed a lawsuit against the administration because of the proposed plan. Dr. Leana Wen, president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said the group would fight against any legislation that would make it more difficult for women to get health care and have access to abortions. Keeping people unhealthy is a tool of oppression and stigmatizing womens health care is a tool of misogyny, Wen said Wednesday at the Marriott Hotel on Tresser Boulevard. In conversation with Amanda Skinner, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southern New England, Steinem took multiple swipes at President Donald Trump and the current administration. Steinem said she has never called Trump president since he lost the popular vote by 2.8 million votes, and said she supports getting rid of the Electoral College. She also made disparaging comments about Trumps appearance, referring to him as nasty and flaccid. No wonder he has to pay, she said, referring to Trump paying for sex. Steinem, a leader of the feminist movement in the 1960s and 70s, co-founded Ms. magazine and served as a writer and the editor of the publication for 15 years. She has founded numerous organizations including Voters for Choice, a pro-choice political action group that became the Planned Parenthood Action Fund in 2004. In 2013, she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama for her work in the womens liberation movement. During her talk on Wednesday, Steinem touted the work of Planned Parenthood. There is no organization in this country or maybe on earth that is more important than Planned Parenthood because you are addressing the basic equality for which all other equality springs, she said. Male or female, we get to make decisions over our own physical selves. Nothing is more important than that. Skinner said contributions to Planned Parenthood are more critical than ever. Reproductive rights are under attack like never before, Skinner said. President Trump and his allies are hellbent in turning back the clock to a time when women were devalued and dismissed. In this kind of environment, it is more important than ever to stand up for your values and to take action. During the conversation, Steinem, spoke about representation in the United States government, the power of black women in the womens right movement, and the changing demographics of the country. The truth we saw in the last (presidential) election is that black women, especially, have always been the main leadership of the womens movement, she said. Steinem quoted a statistic that 96 percent of black women voted for Hillary Clinton in the previous presidential election, while 52 percent of white women voted for Trump. She called black women the heart and soul of the womens movement. Nonetheless, she said the U.S. Congress still remains very different from the general population in terms of representation. It just doesnt look like a democracy yet. It isnt a democracy yet, she said, adding that gender, race and age of people in Congress do not reflect the diversity of the country, even as the U.S. House of Representatives is now the most diverse and most female in history. Steinem spoke about how the United States will no longer be a majority-white country in the near future. That seems to me kind of great, because were going to have more interesting culture, better relations with other countries, better food, she said. But it doesnt seem great to them because theyre born into a hierarchy that said they had a natural position just because they were white, just because they were male. She said shes had multiple similar interactions with middle-aged white guys in American during her travels. Every once in a while, a middle-aged white guy will say to me, A black woman took my job, she said. And I always say, Who said it was your job? The problem is he feels entitled. All of the speakers on Wednesday gushed over the opportunity to meet and see Steinem. Some shared stories of seeing her for the first time and the impact it had on them. Steinem said she has her own stories of empowerment. I feel the same gratitude to the people I saw, Steinem said, recalling a moment when she first arrived in New York and saw a woman wearing a cowboy hat and boots, without a purse, on 57th Street. I only saw her for a minute and I thought, I want to be just like her, she said. It was the first free woman I ever saw. ignacio.laguarda@stamfordadvocate.com This appeared in Thursday's Washington Post. - - - The Arab Spring appeared to wither away years ago amid coups, civil wars and authoritarian restorations. But the powerful currents that created it - popular unrest with economic stagnation and corruption, and yearning for more open societies - never disappeared. That much is clear from the new upheaval in Algeria, where weeks of mass demonstrations have forced concessions from the ruling elite - including the resignation Tuesday of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. Algeria was largely untouched by the uprisings that in 2011 led to the downfall of dictators in neighboring Tunisia and Libya, as well as Egypt. But when Bouteflika, who has been in power since 1999, put himself forward for a fifth presidential term, tens of thousands of people took to the streets in February, making Algiers look a lot like Cairo eight years ago. Six subsequent weeks of largely leaderless demonstrations have been dominated by young people, who could not abide the prospect of further rule - at least in name - by an 82-year-old man who has not spoken in public since he suffered a stroke six years ago. Algeria's largely opaque ruling clique, dominated by the military, hasn't yet yielded to the demands of the protesters for an end to the current political system and a transition to genuine democracy. Led by the army chief of staff, Ahmed Gaid Salah, it is trying to preserve itself by casting off its most despised elements. In addition to retiring Bouteflika, the regime arrested one of the country's richest men and seized the passports of a dozen other business tycoons who had profited from their connections to what Algerians call "Le Pouvoir," or "The Power." It's too early to tell how much further change will go. The constitution calls for new elections within 90 days, but if the political system is not reformed, the protests appear likely to continue. For now, those with interests in the Middle East ought to take some lessons - starting with the Trump administration. President Donald Trump has bet on the region's latest generation of dictators, including Saudi Arabia's Mohammed bin Salman and Egypt's Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, even as they have pursued the most brutal repression in their nations' modern histories. Yet Egypt and Saudi Arabia are not looking stable: The regimes have failed to offer workable economic solutions, especially for the swelling youth population. An adjustment of U.S. policy is badly needed. Trump, who has invited Sissi to visit the White House next week, ought to press the Egyptian ruler to stop suppressing civil society and jailing peaceful opponents - especially secular liberals who advocate peaceful reforms. Above all, Sissi should be pressed to drop his misguided attempt to change the constitution so that he can serve until 2034 - effectively, for life. Algeria offers another vivid example of what can happen when unaccountable rulers entrench themselves while ignoring their societies' pressing need for change. Richard Yu, CEO of Huaweis Consumer division, has announced the new dual brand strategy for Huawei and Honor devices. This builds on his strategic goals from 2012 that have been executed successfully. Huawei wants to be the largest smartphone maker in the world. The goal for Honor is to follow closely, aiming for fourth largest brand globally and second place in China. Huawei and Honor will work closely to develop innovative technologies in the future and will cooperate in distribution and retail. The consumer division is now the largest inside Huawei. Last year it outperformed the Huawei carrier network business with sales of CNY 348.9 billion ($52 billion), which represents a massive year on year increase of 45.1%. Honor grew even faster, 170% year on year, and is ranked second in online sales by volume globally according to IDC. The brand is set to introduce its first 5G device later this year, which along with Huawei's own Mate X ties in nicely with Huaweis network business. As for the goals that Yu set in front of Huawei back in 2012, they include transitioning away from being an ODM to a proper OEM and dropping the low-margin ultra-low-end phones. Also, incorporating chips from HiSilicon (both Kirin chipsets and Balong modems) and developing EMUI. Check and check. Haiti - FLASH : Jovenel Moise asks the UN to play the role of observer in the inter-Haitian dialogue Having tried in vain for several months, to gather around the same table of dialogue, all the actors of the society, the President Moise now appeals to the UN in the hope of obtaining the necessary support to incite Haitians to dialogue... For this purpose, on Wednesday in New York, Bocchit Edmond, the Haitian Minister of Foreign Affairs asked the UN Security Council, on behalf of President Jovenel Moise, that the United Nations, observer in the inter-Haitian dialogue "[...] I asked, on behalf of the President of the Republic and obtained that the United Nations [...] plays the role of observer in this inter-Haitian dialogue. As a result, a request for technical assistance was made by the National Dialogue Facilitation Committee for the provision of a senior UN expert on the subject." Chancellor Bocchit Edmond recalled that it is because President Moise is very aware that no political party can overcome the challenges facing the country that it continues to reiterate its call for a "constructive and inclusive dialogue between all the actors of national life, convinced that the recovery of the Nation engages the responsibility of all Haitians of good will." SL/ HaitiLibre Ive been known to wander around Jackson Square Mall and its many antique-filled rooms, because it makes me feel like Im at my grandmothers home if my grandmother had sprawling homes with many rooms. Its a cozy space, teeming with items from the past that spark nostalgia, whether its a glass mixing bowl from the height of the 1950s Betty Crocker era, a black retro dial telephone or a pillbox hat complete with netting that reminds me of the hats I used to try on when visiting my aunts and grandparents houses. Haiti - Politic : Without women there is no balance dixit Martine Moise Wednesday, as part of the commemoration of the 33rd National Day of the Haitian Women's Movement, the Ministry for the Status of Women and Women's Rights (MCFDF) in the presence of the First Lady of the Republic, Martine Moise, Rene Sylvestre, President of the Court of Cassation, Parliamentarians, civil society figures, members of the diplomatic corps and representative of the private business sector launched at the Convention Center of the Bank of the Republic of Haiti (BRH) a 2-day high-level national forum on the theme "Women, Peace and Political Participation - Ann Chita Pale". This forum brings together nearly 300 participants, women involved in public and political life from diverse horizons, aims to enlighten, inspire and motivate women by sharing experiences "The celebration of the National Day of the Haitian Women's Movement is of paramount importance for Haitian women with a view to their integration into the political and economic life of Haiti [...] Without women there is no balance," said Martine Moise in her speech, promising her unconditional support to women in their struggle for their full emancipation in society Senator Carl Murat Cantave, Senate Speaker, advocated for an inclusive society while denouncing the prejudices against women, which hinder their full development "Throughout the process that led to the formation and development of the Haitian nation, women have always been important contributors, not to say decisive [...] wives or comrades; they have always been firm and dynamic in taking initiatives and participating in a series of activities aimed at: to advance society in general." "Women are the 'Poto Mitan' of society and the future of the Republic belongs to them," said the President of the Court of Cassation at the opening of this Forum. HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Politic : Minister Charles honors the four best talents of youth 2018 Tuesday at the hotel Visa Lodge hotel, as part of the project "Merit of Youth" Edwing Charles, the Minister of Youth honored at a ceremony the 4 best talents of the youth of the year 2018. 2018 Young Talent List : - Ive Londredid Xavier, Winner of Podium Quarters 2018; - Wilbert Gilles, winner of the CONFEJES international logo competition (among more than 90 competitors from 43 countries); - Milot Milfort, Winner of the First Francophone Prize for Innovation in the Media; - Nathan Laguerre, Laureate of the international eloquence and moot court competition. Each young recipient has received a plaque of honor and deserves from the hands of the Minister who concluded this presentation by reiterating the government's commitment to the youth of Haiti "I express the wish that these plaques symbolize the pledge of our commitment to young people," said the Minister. In his remarks, Nathan Laguerre, laureate of the international competition of eloquence and plaidoierie (former stutterer), explained with emotion, to the young people that motivation and effort are the engines of great personal successes "I would not have never imagined to be crowned with such a prize, I, a former man incapable of easy speech," wishing his story to serve as a catalyst for the success of Haitian youth. While acknowledging that "The choice was not easy because many young people were selected" Minister Charles said "Such juvenile exploits can only attract your attention and in the name of the President of the Republic, Jovenel Moise and the acting Prime Minister Jean Michel Lapin, congratulations," said Minister Charles proud of these young people who embody the passion for excellence who want their success to be the beginning of a series HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Chile : 1,172 Haitians repatriated volunteers back in Haiti As part of the "Orderly Humanitarian Return Plan" of the Chilean Government, the 7th flight of returnees took off Wednesday from Santiago de Chile with 176 Haitian citizens aboard a Boeing 767 of the Chilean Air Force, confirmed Rodrigo Ubilla, Chilean Under-Secretary of the Interior. Note that this 7th flight is the second between Chile and Haiti in one week, the precedent having taken off from Antofagasta a town located 1,364 kilometers north of Santiago, with 177 Haitian citizens on board With this 7th flight, 1,172 Haitians have been voluntarily repatriated to Haiti since the launch of the "Humanitarian Plan for an Orderly Return" of the Chilean Government https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25877-haiti-flash-chile-launches-its-free-voluntary-return-plan-to-haiti.html and the first flight of returnees in November 2018 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26085-haiti-social-return-from-chile-difficult-for-176-compatriots.html Of those registered in the Voluntary Humanitarian Return Plan, 2,550 are Haitians, 58 Colombians, 14 Venezuelans, 9 Dominicans, 8 Ecuadorians and Cubans, as well as Paraguayans, Peruvians, Brazilians and Indonesians. Rodrigo Ubilla indicated that return requests were being reduced, indicating that only an average of 100 people were now registered per week, far from the large volumes at the launch of the Return Plan. He said that most Haitians registered in the voluntary return plan in Haiti, were between 18 and 44 years old and that more than 70% of them were regularly in Chile with a valid visa and resided in the country in the metropolitan area of Santiago, Valparaiso and O'Higgins. However, according to testimonies of the Haitians enrolled in the return plan, they decided to return to Haiti, because of the lack of job opportunities in Chile and integration difficulties mainly because of language. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26807-haiti-humanitarian-already-847-haitians-repatriated-to-haiti-by-chile.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26729-haiti-social-already-677-haitians-repatriated-by-chile.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26430-haiti-migration-3-major-host-countries-for-haitians-rejected-the-un-global-compact.html https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-26420-icihaiti-social-3rd-voluntary-return-flight-from-chile-expected-in-haiti.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26212-haiti-social-2nd-voluntary-return-flight-from-chile-170-haitians-expected.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26085-haiti-social-return-from-chile-difficult-for-176-compatriots.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25877-haiti-flash-chile-launches-its-free-voluntary-return-plan-to-haiti.html S/ HaitiLibre Ted Brown takes his glasses off while listening to someone speak during a brief Hill County Conservation District meeting Wednesday at the USDA building in Havre. The HCCD meeting followed a 2-hour long Hill County Local Working Group meeting in the same room. A conservation local working group focused on two main issues during a meeting in Havre Wednesday, dealing with saline seep in Hill County and declining acreage in the Conservation Reserve Program. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resource Conservation Service and the Hill County Conservation District held the working group meeting in the USDA Service Center on Second Street West. NRCS Biologist Josh Schrecengost spoke to local producers and officials during the meeting about conservation plans for Hill County. Hill County Conservation District Board Chair Ted Brown said the key is in planning. "We want to establish the baseline data for completing a long-range plan for NRCS in Hill County," Brown said. "The emphasis is identifying resource concerns that (can) be addressed with focused conservation efforts." The working group agreed that saline seep was an easy place to start identifying immediate concerns which could be resolved. The group members said it is easy to target seepage with perennial forage as well as improving soil health through diversifying crop rotations. The issue ties back to the effects of the crop systems. They agreed that soil health and targeting seepage could apply in numerous parts of the county and they were sure it would not be hard to get willing participants. After discussion, the working group determined that the two major priorities they wanted to focus on were soil health including saline seep and future of the Conservation Reserve Program in Hill County. Farm Service Agency Hill County Executive Director Russell Snedigar said that FSA is expecting a 20,000- to 30,000-acre reduction of CRP land this fall, almost half of the total CRP in Hill County. Because of the reduction in CRP the agency has seen a reduction of wildlife preservation within Hill County. He added that they have no current plans to hold a general signup. The working group said that the reintroduction of cropping on land previously in CRP could cause many issues with soil health, soil erosion, weeds, water quality and wildlife. Crop systems were identified to be the overarching issue, affecting all the resources in the county by the method producers are planting and harvesting their crops in addition to how they manage their land. They added that with the majority of cropland in the county, what happens on the land affects everything else within the county. NRCS Soil Conservationist Laurie Massar said that Hill County is primarily made up of cropland, approximately 1,214,398 acres or 65%. In addition to the cropland, about 30% is categorized as ranges and pastures, which includes various types of rangeland such as mixed grass prairie, inhabitable grasslands, riparian areas and floodplains. Of the remaining 5%, 3% is forests and 1.7% is developed land. Schrecengost asked if the working group could compile their concerns, grouping them into categories. The working group returned with concerns for neighbor's uncontrolled weeds, noxious weeds, herbicide-resistant weeds, soil erosion and soil health in the area. They said the concern about soil erosion rises from erosion caused by wind and water, tillage, loss of CRP land and of introduction of crop systems back on those acres and land damaged by herbicide-resistant weeds. The discussion of soil health included the pH of soil, organic mineral deficiency, the depletion of organic matter and saline seep. The working group also expressed concern for the United States Bureau of Reclamation project involving Fresno Dam because the construction could possibly affect irrigators. Schrecengost said that he was happy with the turnout for the meeting and would like to have another in a month or two, after NRCS and the HCCD had time to think about the issues more. He said that the long-range plan will be for the next five years and include targeted implementation plans. The targeted implementation plan will be based on what county residents feel are the greatest concerns for the area. Elements of the long-range plan can be solved or changed within the five years but need to include willing participants. The projects determined in the plan will also receive Environmental Quality Incentives Program funding. The NRCS website said that financial assistance is available through general EQIP and several other initiatives. These initiatives address priority natural resource concerns on the most vulnerable lands, target conservation assistance in high priority watersheds or help stimulate the development and adoption of innovation and technology. Schrecengost said that the meeting is part of the Montana Focus Conservation program through the NRCS, which is holding meetings across the state. Montana Focus Conservation program is approaching conservation issues differently. Rather than EQIP applications having to be ranked and awarded to specific landowners, EQIP funding will be more locally driven by conservation local working groups selecting specific projects which require funding. The long-range and targeted implementation plans are driven by willing landowners and the issues with natural resources they determine are primary concerns, he said. He added that everyone will have a different idea of what are the greatest concerns for the county. Through these meeting, NRCS is hoping through discussion with the working groups everyone can agree on main priorities for the area. Schrecengost asked the Hill County working group about some of the previous or ongoing conservation projects in the county. The working group compiled a list, including a car removal project on the Milk River, erosion prevention at Beaver Creek Park, range monitoring at Beaver Creek Park, Conservation Stewardship Program health precision farming and the Conservation Reserve Program. Brown said he was very impressed with the community turnout, with Schrecengost and with how productive the meeting was. "We had a great turn out," he said. "... (Schrecengost) was very good." Havre Police Department Wednesday at 11:58 a.m. someone at the Havre Police Department reported a vehicle accident. -- A caller from Northern Montana Hospital reported a cat bite Wednesday at 12:15 p.m. -- Marie Yvette Boe of Harlem, 55, was arrested on two Justice or City court warrants Wednesday at 12:32 p.m. after a vehicle stop on First Street. -- A First Avenue caller reported Wednesday at 12:44 p.m. that a window had been broken out of a vehicle. -- Wednesday at 1:02 p.m. a U.S. Highway 2 Northwest caller reported a male and female were shoplifting. -- Gabriel Roy Cheatam of Havre, 47, was arrested on a State District Court warrant and detained on a pick up and hold order after a warrant was served on Second Street Wednesday at 3:35 p.m. -- Colton Lee Ray of Havre, 25, was arrested on a charge of driving with a suspended or revoked driver's license, during a vehicle stop on First Street West Wednesday at 5:15 p.m. -- An arrest was made Wednesday at 6:29 p.m. after a Pine Drive caller reported her husband had punched her in the ear. -- Brianna Rose Kirkaldie of Dodson, 21, was arrested on a charge of partner or family member assault after a caller reported a male and female fighting at First Street and Seventh Avenue Wednesday at 8 p.m. Hill County Sheriff's Office Sheriff's office dispatch log listed no arrests or investigations since Wednesday morning. Havre Fire Department Havre Fire Department had no fire calls or emergency calls since Wednesday morning. Havre Animal Shelter The Havre shelter this morning held three medium-hair cats, one long-hair 8-month-old kitten and a medium-hair 7-month-old kitten all of unknown gender, one medium-hair male cat, one short-hair female cat and one medium-hair female cat. Another 26 cats were being held in the shelter and at a foster as part of the trap-spay/neuter-release program. -- The Havre shelter also held this morning three female mixed-breed dogs, female shepherd-Labrador retriever dog, a male mixed-breed 18-week-old puppy, a male pit bull terrier dog and a female Australian cattle dog-blue heeler-border collie dog. Time flies and the older I get, the faster it fugits. As I contemplate yet another birthday, that mean ol tempus is fugiting at the speed of light. To add injury to insult, this weekend we will set the clocks ahead in Mexico. I know, you up north are already over the shock of change. In a few days I will struggle to remember what time it really is, whatever that means, since time is but an arbitrary measure. Before I wax too philosophical, let me change directions and note that my snowbird friends are flying north at jet speed. Crin left for Victoria last Sunday. Julie flew back to Minneapolis yesterday. Jim leaves for Missouri next Sunday. John and Carol are heading out in another two weeks. Pat and Nancie have been gone for three weeks. Kathy and Richard leave again the end of April. Like kiwi birds or emus, Lani and I will be left, summer-time flightless birds. Oops, Lani plans to sprout wings in May and fly north for an extended period of time. Woe is me, alone and abandoned. Try as I might, I am unable to squeeze out even a crocodile tear since Saturday four of us are sneaking off to Cancun for a week of fun in the eastern sun. At last, I will get to see the Caribbean, unexplored territory. Happy birthday to me. When my friends go north, they leave a hole in my soul and a hole in my daily life. We dont do all things as a group but our paths crisscross with frequency. Just this week I had lunch with two different friends. Plus, one afternoon six of us women drove up the mountain to Restaurante Don Luis for a three hour meal that was more laughter than food. Judging by stories I am told, the original folks who built these homes we now inhabit, had common ground. They were travelers with campers and RVs, were retired military, and liked to party hearty. Oh, we here are so different! The other night, sitting on my patio, Julie and I agreed, our present conglomeration of residents, whom I have come to love so quickly, have absolutely nothing in common. We come from quirkily diverse backgrounds. At times we act on one another like sandpaper. Whatever our roughness, we smooth it out. We share food, borrow ladders and trade plants. We are all mature enough to know to look inside our own guts first when we have a problem with another person. Time. Time is a great helper, a revealer, more often than not, replacing petty snarls and sniffs with understanding and respect. Sandpaper or time, we interact with varying and shifting degrees of tolerance, acceptance and downright liking. Perhaps it is no accident we were each drawn to be here at this time in life; perhaps there is a strange, unknowable, purpose in grinding our rough edges. Or not. One by one, we arrived to fill the empty houses. I came to visit my cousin. Others came to visit me. Some were in the adjacent campground and ended up staying to restore a trashed house. None of our stories connect through common ground. So sometimes we grind against one another. Some sandpaper is fine; other paper is coarse. We seem to smooth out any bumps. Ill miss my friends when they are all gone. But I am easy with my solitude. Before Im alone again, I will move forward the hands on the face of my clock. I will fly with friends to Cancun in yet another time zone and be totally confused. What time is it? Time to celebrate my birthday with chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream. Skip the candles, please. When I return home, I shall remember that time has a very special grit of sandpaper for we who live alone. Meanwhile, tempus fugit. Sondra Ashton grew up in Harlem but spent most of her adult life out of state. She returned to see the Hi-Line with a perspective of delight. After several years back in Harlem, Ashton is seeking new experiences in Etzatlan, Mexico. Once a Montanan, always. Read Ashtons essays and other work at montanatumbleweed.blogspot.com. Email [email protected] A MOTHER from Whitchurch Hill has launched her own clothes range after working in corporate IT for more than a decade. Kirrily Morris is the co-founder of The Numbers, which sells organic cotton T-shirts and sweatshirts celebrating the wearers age and is aimed at both children and adults. The company, which began trading in September, currently has a small number of customised designs for three- to 10-year-olds and for adults marking their 30th, 40th and 50th birthdays. It also plans to expand the range to include 60- and 70-year-olds. The tops are made and printed in Britain because Mrs Morris and her business partner Louise van Haarst, from Cookham, were concerned about the environmental impact of producing them overseas. The pair have already sold most of the first batch of 1,000. Mrs Morris, 42, was born in Australia and moved to Britain after finishing a degree in business IT then worked for IBM and Deutsche Bank. She met her husband Johnny, who grew up in the Henley area, through mutual friends in 2008. She befriended 40-year-old Mrs van Haarst in 2012 at an antenatal class in Marlow before her eldest daughter Eliza, seven, was born. The women came up with the idea for the tops while chatting last summer. Mrs Morris said she had struggled to find a suitable T-shirt to celebrate Elizas sixth birthday. Mrs van Haarst, who has three children, joked that she would like a T-shirt to mark her 40th birthday and they realised this could be a business idea. Mrs Morris said: Id been doing some part-time work but we were struggling with the idea of getting back into work without the cost of childcare and the stress of farming our children out to strangers. I had wanted a nice top to do a photoshoot with Eliza but couldnt find anything that wasnt cheesy. Meanwhile, Lou really wanted to own turning 40 instead of just making a joke out of it so it really came out of those two things. The women carried out research and found that most childrens tops were cheaply made and disposable and the adult ones were cluttered with slogans making fun out of getting older. Mrs Morris said: A lot of people were searching for numbered tops on Google but there certainly wasnt anything out there to make adults feel proud of their age. The pair decided to make T-shirts that people would want to keep for a long time or hand down to others. They drew their own simple designs using software and then found a manufacturer. The tops are available in pink, green, grey and navy blue for children and grey or dark pink for adults. Mrs Morris, who now also has a son Lucien, five, said: Theyre designed to fit either sex rather than being specifically for boys or girls, which is very topical at the moment. Im pleased to say that the most popular childrens colour is green rather than pink. I didnt want to offer pink at all but my husband said Id be mad not to! We were aware of how some clothing is made so we wanted something that was completely plastic-free and designed to be passed on rather than thrown away. If youre selling a T-shirt for 5, it clearly hasnt been happily made and is also meant to be thrown away, which we wanted to avoid. When you have children, youre very aware of the volume of stuff coming into the house and we wanted something more sustainable. We ultimately wanted to make the kind of clothing wed be proud to be seen wearing or would want to buy for our own or other peoples children. Initially, the women sold through word of mouth but now have a website and also sell through online outlets such as Amazon and Not On The High Street. Mrs Morris handles most of the technical side of the business while Mrs van Haarst, a former communications manager in the charity sector, deals mostly with the marketing and creative aspects. The pair have attended workshops organised by the Creative Duck, which runs events for people working in the creative industries in the Henley area. Mrs Morris said: Neither of us has a fashion background so we have faced quite a steep learning curve but fortunately there are a lot of talented and experienced people in the area who can help. It has been difficult at times but weve had such a positive response that were feeling very encouraged. The next step is to make ourselves more well-known and get to the point where weve got a warehouse. It has been brilliant working for myself and I reckon Ive become completely unemployable now Ive had a taste of being my own boss. Its also great having a business partner because it could be quite isolating working from home at a computer. Killian Roche and Emily MacKeogh had just moved to Dubai to start a new life before he died suddenly on Saturday Model and former Fade Street star Emily MacKeogh has paid an emotional tribute to her fiance following his sudden death in Dubai at the weekend. Killian Roche is thought to have fallen ill and collapsed in a hotel lobby in the Gulf city on Saturday. He later died. Emily (32) took to Instagram yesterday to share a series of happy images of her with her fiance, alongside the tribute. "You made me the happiest I've ever been, every second of every day," she wrote. "You were the better half of my whole, my best friend, my rock, the most intelligent, handsome, funny and loving person I have ever met! I'm never going to stop loving you and I want everyone to know just how amazing you were." Killian proposed to Emily just two months ago while they were enjoying a city break together in Zurich. He tragically died just days after the couple had moved to the United Arab Emirates to start a new life together. Answers "We kept it quiet but we moved to Dubai to start our new life together over the weekend and you were taken just a few hours after landing. We are still trying to get you home and get answers," Emily added in her message. "Our immediate families have flown from all over the world to be here, thank you for all your messages of support. "Killian was about to start his new role on Monday as head of digital for Wavemaker for the Middle East and North Africa. Proud doesn't even begin to describe how we felt. "He was so loved by all of us and always will be." The tragic Instagram post is the first shared by Emily since her engagement announcement in which the happy couple posed together to show off her ring. "My best friend asked me to marry him tonight and I said yes," she wrote in the post in February. Killian had announced the news on his Facebook page with a photo of the couple kissing, saying: "Today Emily MacKeogh made me the happiest I've ever been. "Thank you so much and I'm so happy that you said yes." Emily shot to fame when she was added to the cast of RTE reality show Fade Street in its second season alongside Roz Purcell. She continued to model after the show wrapped and went on to set up her own jewellery businesses, Roxluna and Crystal and Co. German Chancellor Angela Merkel will be given a lesson in Irish history as part of the Taoiseach's bid to get her on side ahead of a potentially disastrous Brexit outcome. Leo Varadkar will lean heavily on stories of the Border region, while trying to convince Ms Merkel a hard Border cannot exist under any circumstances. Central to her first visit to Dublin in five years will be a round-table discussion with 15 business and community representatives from both sides of the Border. Sources said the aim was to help her understand Ireland's refusal to plan for Border checks in the event that the UK crashes out of the EU. Impasse Ms Merkel was quoted as saying she will fight until the very end for an orderly Brexit and use her Irish trip to consider the Border situation and solutions that could prevent a hard Brexit. She is also expected to give a public indication of whether Germany will back the UK's application for a short Brexit extension. British Prime Minister Theresa May met with Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn yesterday to start work on a possible compromise that could break the impasse in Westminster. But Mr Varadkar said it was unclear whether Mr Corbyn "will rise to the occasion" and help end the deadlock. There are now conflicting messages from Dublin and Brussels on the likelihood of a UK crash-out on April 12. Tanaiste Simon Coveney said a disorderly Brexit next week was "very unlikely" but European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said it was "now a very likely scenario". Mr Juncker told MEPs that April 12 was the "ultimate deadline" for the House of Commons to approve the withdrawal agreement, including the Irish backstop. "If it has not done so by then, no further short extension will be possible," he said. "After April 12, we risk jeopardising the European Parliament elections, and so threaten the functioning of the European Union." Amid growing frustration that Brexit is dominating the EU agenda, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said he saw "absolutely no reason" for another extension. The downbeat mood makes Mr Varadkar's meeting with the influential German leader all the more significant. He said an extension could not "be merely a licence for further indecision". "We need a clear plan," the Taoiseach said. "An extension in this context is one thing, but a rolling extension that just leads to further indecision, further majorities against things but for nothing, is not a solution for anyone." After a broadly successful meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday, Mr Varadkar will be hoping Ms Merkel will send a message to EU colleagues by playing down the possibility of checks at the Irish Border in a no-deal scenario. Disorderly She has previously urged EU officials to expedite work on how to secure the EU's single market if a disorderly Brexit occurs. Irish Government sources insisted her decision to travel to Dublin was a "very positive" development. "Chancellor Merkel has a particular interest in the Border. She is keen to learn the history," one source said. While the chancellor will not visit the Border area, it is understood people with direct experience will explain how the removal of checkpoints has changed their lives over recent years. Mr Varadkar said European leaders were asking "reasonable questions" about what happens in a no-deal scenario but denied there was "a big stick or Ireland being put under undue pressure". "If there is a no-deal Brexit, whatever issues arise will be seen as shared problems,"he added. Mary Lowry's son has described murder accused Pat Quirke as "in control most of the time, grumpy some of the time" and said he went around his mother's farm "as if he kind of owned the place". Giving evidence at the Central Criminal Court, 19-year-old Jack Lowry spoke about his mother's relationship with Bobby Ryan and his memories of the accused. Mr Quirke (50), of Breanshamore, Co Tipperary, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mr Ryan, a part-time DJ known as 'Mr Moonlight'. Mr Ryan went missing on June 3, 2011, after leaving girlfriend Ms Lowry's home at about 6.30am. His body was found in an underground run-off tank on the farm owned by Ms Lowry and leased by the accused at Fawnagowan, Co Tipperary, in April 2013. The prosecution has claimed Mr Quirke murdered Mr Ryan so he could rekindle an affair with Ms Lowry (52). Mr Lowry told prosecution counsel David Humphries BL he lived with his brothers and mother in Fawnagowan until April 2013. His father had passed away in 2007. Following his father's death he remembered Mr Quirke leasing the family farm from his mother. He knew all of Pat's children and got on well with Alan, who died in a tragic farm accident in 2012. When he was younger he got on with Mr Quirke, he said, adding: "I have nothing against him." He later said Mr Quirke was "in control most of the time, grumpy some of the time. He went around the farm as if he kind of owned the place". He recalled going with his mother and brothers to Portugal and Spain with the Quirkes. They rented a villa with a private pool and all got on, he said. When his mother started seeing Bobby Ryan the witness "felt weird about it" at first and used to "slag him off about being bald". He said he thought Mr Ryan was taking over his father's role. carnival He also remembered Mr Ryan taking him and his brothers to Tramore, Co Waterford, where he took them on carnival rides and into the arcades. His mother and Mr Ryan seemed happy together, he said. "My mother was happy when he was around," he added. The day Mr Ryan went missing the witness remembered coming home from school and seeing his uncle Eddie, which was strange. He found out Bobby was missing but doesn't remember who told him. He didn't know of the tank where Mr Ryan's body was found but had previously noticed the concrete slabs that covered the top. Under cross-examination he told Lorcan Staines SC, for the defence, he could not remember what happened when he spoke to gardai in 2011. He said he spoke to gardai again in February this year after a garda approached him to make a statement. He has no memory of Mr Ryan calling to the house on June 2, the day before he went missing. He said he also has no recollection of ever going to his grandmother and complaining his mother was not home. In re-examination Mr Humphries asked the witness if he remembered ever being left unminded at home and he replied that his grandmother, Rita Lowry, was always there. The jury was told that the prosecution evidence is likely to finish today and the case will formally close tomorrow. He said his takeaway from Tuesdays results is that the Waukegan electorate is torn over whether it wants a casino, and those who agree with him about moving on need to do a better job communicating to residents what would need to happen to make a casino a possibility and how likely that possibility is. In addition, some retailers have experienced increased losses because of shoppers not self-scanning every item. Most stores have personnel stationed at the self-checkouts for assistance and to assure that all items are scanned. When you combine the new norm of recyclable shopping bags that consumers themselves provide and the ability to eliminate waiting in line to checkout, theres a lot to like, despite gray areas, such as produce, alcohol, etc. "ALICE is committed to keeping students, teachers, and everyone working in schools safe, in addition to all of the other individuals we support in our training nationally," the ALICE Training Institute said in a statement released in response to the Meadowlawn incident. "The purpose of ALICE training is to empower individuals to participate in their own survival in the face of violence." Women and Power. Those two words together speak volumes to me in terms of what we dont have and what we could have. This notion is what Ive wanted to embody my entire career, she said. Women traditionally ARE in a position of power, but we do not know it and we do not take advantage of it. We often let people put us in a position of dependence, be it at home, at the workplace, in the hospitals, in academia. Is it time to change the definition of 'fully vaccinated'? coronavirus When the sheriff put out the bids, Repay voted against the request saying he thought it was overly narrow. Repay said, in February, the bid specs, which asked for Dodge Chargers, precluded other manufacturers from making proposals, including Ford, which has an assembly plant in Chicago. What are the most heart-warming Christmas songs of all time? music With all the addiction problems plaguing Northwest Indiana, and the lack of residential treatment facilities here, I was surprised to find out that this rehab center currently houses only 28 men, significantly down from previous years when more than 70 to 80 clients stayed here. At any given time, there are roughly 50 beds and spots in the program available to men ages 21 to 65. Is the President clipping his toenails right, or cleaning his backside with American made toilet paper? Will the first lady be running the country when they put the president in a mental hospital for a evaluation? Is his tie too long? Is that hair really real? Are his hands to small for his body, or is he overweight? Does he eat to many hamburgers? Does he wear that MAGA hat to cover up a bald spot? Did he really get bad grades in school? Was his dad really born in New York? Does he really have as much money as he claims? We better fact check this stuff, or we could be in grave danger because all this technology never lies. The village of River Forest appreciates the courts time and attention given to this case, but the village disagrees with the courts decision, the statement says. It is unlikely the past village board would have entered into this agreement with Keystone Montessori had it known that they would have retracted on their promise to the residents of River Forest. Keystone Montessori operates on a valuable piece of property in our commercial corridor that would otherwise be taxable and provide property tax relief to our residents. Nacogdoches, TX (75965) Today Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 77F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low near 65F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. This site uses cookies from Google to deliver its services, to personalize ads and to analyze traffic. Information about your use of this site is shared with Google. By using this site, you agree to its use of cookies. Learn more here Grand Prize Winner: Donna Rickey Blog Winners: A Song for her Enemies by Sherri Stewart: Mary Ann Hake Spies & Sweethearts by Linda Shenton Matchett: Connie Ruggles Sword of Trust by DebbieLynn Costello: Brenda Walters Justice for Julia by Donna Schlachter: Natalya Lakhno Party Prize winners: Sherri Stewarts Winners A Song for her Enemies: Angie Pool Bottle of Dutch Syrup: Carol Koch Alscheff Corrie ten Boom book: Deb Gramie Burgess Linda Shenton Matchetts winners: $5.00 gift card to online retailer or choice (Kobo, B&N, AppleBooks, Amazon): Karen Hadley A Bride for Seamus: Carol Osterhouse Wotring DebbieLynn Costellos winners: Sword of the Matchmaker: Melissa Planas Sword of Forgiveness: Paty Hinojosa Gomez Shattered Memories: Charlene Zall Capodice Sword of the Perfect Bride: Licha Haney Donna Schlachters winner: Leather Journal: Lisa Turley GIVEAWAY RULES Winners must leave their email address and will be notified by email and the winners name will be announced in the days comments. No one under 18 can enter our giveaways. No purchase is necessary. All winners have one week to claim their prize. USA shipping only. Offer void where prohibited. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants. Jia Yuran, a third-grade pupil from China's southernmost school on Yongxing Island, enjoys her painting classes most because the internet has enabled her to take the course with her urban peers some 400 km away. Jia is one of the four primary school students in Sansha, a city in China's southernmost island province of Hainan. Thanks to an online program, they now have access to the same quality classes including painting, music, math and traditional Chinese culture as peers in Hainan's capital city of Haikou. "The internet helps alleviate, to some extent, the shortfall of teachers and enables us to offer a wider range of classes other than main subjects in spite of the small number of students we have," said Zhang Li, a teacher at Jia's Yongxing School. As China goes digital in education, quality educational resources that were once unique to developed urban regions are rapidly extending to classrooms in frontier and rural areas. Like Jia, close to 100 million rural Chinese students in primary and middle schools are covered by a national satellite broadband transmission network for online education. Since late 2012, the proportion of primary and high schools that have access to the internet have grown from 25 percent to 96 percent, according to Wednesday's People's Daily. The internet infrastructure allows ongoing enrichment of digital educational resources and improvement of teachers' knowledge. A national online public platform for educational resources was put into operation in late 2012. By May 2017, all primary and high schools had been able to retrieve for free some 19 million items of learning materials covering all 12 grades, figures from the newspaper show. The internet infrastructure connects not only students with quality education, but also rural teachers with top education specialists. South China Normal University has launched an online training program, gathering experienced teachers to form workshops, each of which allows 300 teachers to take classes. In addition, the university set up a remote diagnosis center, in which education specialists watch rural teachers prepare classes via live streaming on mobile devices or review their recorded classes to spot problems and offer tailor-made advice for them to improve. In April last year, the Ministry of Education released an action plan to step up efforts in applying information technology to education, pledging to bring internet access to all primary and middle schools across the country. "The key lies in introducing information technologies to the whole process of learning and teaching activities as a way to advance balanced urban and rural education," said Yang Zongkai, president of Xi'an-based Xidian University. "I expect systemic reform in education as the sector further goes digital," Yang noted. Poila Baisakh, or Noboborsho, is the Hindu New Year in West Bengal and Bangladesh is celebrated in the month of Vaishakh or Baisakh (April May). Poila Baisakh 2022 date is April 15. The Bengali New Year is popularly referred as Naba Barsha in Bengal and Pohela or Poila Baisakh in Bangladesh and is the first day in the Bengali Calendar. Bengali Year 1429 begins on the day. On Poila Baisakh, Goddess Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth, and Lord Ganesha are worshipped. Traders perform the halkhata ceremony that marks the advent of the Bengali New Year. All shops are decorated with flowers and one will notice stringed fresh lemons and chillies hanging in front of shops. This is used to ward off the evil eye. Shopkeepers, businessmen and traders close the old accounts and open a new one. People visit their favorite shop during the day to wish them luck for the year ahead. Traders welcome customers on this day with sweets. In Bengali houses, Noboborsho is noted for the special elaborate alpanas (rangolis or kolams). A kalash is placed in the center of the alpana design and it symbolizes prosperity. Houses are elaborately decorated with flowers as there is no shortage of flowers during this season. Another important event is the Prabhat Pheris or early morning processions. Women make it a point to buy a new sari or saree for Poila Baisakh, especially a white sari with red border. Traders popularly call the sale of new clothes during Naba Barsha as Chaitra Sales. No Hindu festival is complete without the mouth watering cuisines. And Bengalis prepare both Vegetarian and non-Vegetarian dishes for Poila Baisakh. Last week, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the United Nations weather agency, released its annual report, State of the Global Climate in 2018. It is alarming. The earth, the report said, is nearly 1 degree Celsius warmer than it was when the industrial age started, and extreme weather events hit 62 million people worldwide and forced two million to relocate as the climate crisis worsened in 2018. The media reportage on the WMO study has been extensive. Yet, there is one aspect that needs more intensive coverage. That is the clear link, as the study puts it, that is now emerging between climate change and social instability. A broad range of work has established the link between climate change and migration. For instance, Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabads faculty member Chinmay Tumbes new book, India Moving: A History of Migration, has a great deal to say on how environmental degradation/climate change-induced migration (due to its impact on agriculture, weather events, groundwater sources or rising sea level) could lead to more Bangladeshis migrating to India. But the research on climate-induced conflict and migration is still a work in progress. There are two recent studies that throw light on the climate-social instability-migration challenge. One is a study by the School of International Development, University of East Anglia, UK, Climate, Conflict and Forced Migration. According to the researchers, this is one of the first studies that has now conclusively established a link between severe droughts (made more likely by global warming) and conflict in Arab Spring countries early this decade, forcing people to flee. The study, published in Global Environmental Change in January, used data from asylum applications in 157 countries from 2006-2015, together with an index that measures droughts, as well as figures tracking battle-related deaths, to establish a particular correlation between climate stresses and conflict in parts of West Asia and North Africa from 20102012, when many countries were undergoing a political transformation during the Arab Spring uprisings. Those countries included Tunisia, Libya, Yemen, and Syria. Take the instance of Syria. The UK study found that long-running droughts and water shortages caused by climate change resulted in repeated crop failures, forcing rural families to move to urban areas. This, in turn, led to overcrowding, unemployment and political unrest, and then the civil war. They also established a climatic link with conflicts that triggered migration in sub-Saharan Africa over the same three years, but not during other time periods. [This is because] climate change will not cause conflict and subsequent asylum-seeking flows everywhere. But in a context of poor governance and a medium level of democracy, severe climate conditions can create conflict over scarce resources, co-author, Jesus Crespo Cuaresma, of the Vienna University of Economics and Business told Thomson Reuters Foundation. The second report is a 2018 study, Climate Change and Violent Conflict: Sparse Evidence from South Asia and Southeast Asia, by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). The study said that as the effects of climate change on livelihoods become more pronounced, especially for people involved in agriculture and fishing in South and South-East Asia, support for rebel groups, and the Maoist movement in India, is likely to shoot up. Their findings from India show that rebel groups and government forces both find recruitment easier when drought is around the corner. The authors of the report, Pernilla Nordqvist and Florian Krampe, found that Maoists could use climate-related events to gain power in an ongoing conflict, and rebel groups more generally could increase their use of violence against civilians to ensure their groups food security. It also adds that as climate change pushes up migration, it introduces the possibility of riots in urban areas over resources. To date, there is probably not much scientific evidence on the issue for national governments to put this at the top of their policy priorities list. But with climate change becoming more and more pronounced, there is an urgent need to invest in research on climate-related violence because the challenge could be much graver than we think. @kumkumdasgupta The organizers of upcoming 9th annual Beijing International Film Festival announced the jury members and the 15 finalist films in the competition section for the Tiantan Awards at a press conference in Beijing on Wednesday. The jury president of the international panel is Rob Minkoff, the director of "The Lion King," announced Xing Bo, deputy secretary general of the organizing committee of the Festival. He named the six remaining jurors as Chilean director Silvio Gayoqi, Chinese director Cao Baoping, Russian director Sergei De Wattsvoy, Chinese actress Carina Lau, Iranian director Majid Makidi and British director Simon West. Founded in 2013, the Tiantan Awards' central tenet is "Beauty in Variety, Harmony in Diversity." Each year the jury works to find the best films on a global scale to promote film exchange around the world and promote the development of the art form. In inviting jurors, the organizing committee takes a global approach and considers the professional and artistic achievements of film celebrities both at home and abroad, Xing said. "The seven members are considered veteran filmmakers in the world's film industry. They are not only highly acclaimed and respected for their outstanding works, but each of them has also won many international film festival awards and achieved great success," Xing added. "I believe that under the leadership of jury president Rob Minkoff, the jury will continue to uphold the principle of 'fairness and justice' and select the ten best works for the Tiantan Award from the 15 outstanding film finalists." Wang Jue, another deputy secretary general of the organizing committee, later announced the list of competing films. "We solicited feature films from across the world that were produced after Jan. 1, 2018. The Tiantan Awards have attracted 775 films from 85 countries and regions, including 107 domestic films and 668 overseas films from diverse categories and styles," Wang explained. "After a series of screenings, a total of 15 films from 20 countries and regions were shortlisted for the final Tiantan Awards competition. The finalists include 12 overseas films and 3 domestic ones." The shortlisted foreign titles include: Bille August's "A Fortunate Man" (Denmark), Junji Sakamoto's "Another World" (Japan), Peter Hedges' "Ben is Back" (USA), Jayaraj's "Fear" (India), Tiina Lymi's "Happier Times, Grump" (Finland), Seyed Hadi Mohaghegh's "Here" (Iran), Laszlo Nemes' "Sunset" (Hungary/France), Ali Jaberansari's "Tehran: City of Love" (UK/Iran/Netherlands), Xirzat Yahup's "The Composer" (China/Kazakhstan), Marcus H. Rosen Mueller's "The Keeper" (Germany/UK), Eliran Malka's "The Unorthodox" (Israel), Steve Krikris' "The Waiter" (Greece), and Nuri Bilge Ceylan's "The Wild Pear Tree" (Turkey/France/Germany/Bulgaria/Macedonia/Bosnia/Sweden). Two Chinese productions included are Chen Jianbin's "The Eleventh Chapter" and Frant Gwo's sci-fi blockbuster "The Wandering Earth." The 15 films will vie for 10 award categories: Best Feature Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Music and Best Visual Effects. The China-Kazakhstan co-production "The Composer" will also serve as the opening film for the festival, telling the legend of Chinese musician Xian Xinghai who came to Almaty during the Great Patriotic War of the former Soviet Union. As a stranger in the land suffering from poverty and illness, he was rescued and supported by the famous Kazakh musician Bakhitzhan Baikadamov and his family. To the end of Xian's life, he never forgot his original passion despite hardship. He inspired Chinese and Kazakhstan people to fight against fascism with his music, according to a brief introduction of the film. The closing film of the festival is ascertained to be "Zero," an Indian Hindi-language romantic drama directed by Aanand L. Rai and starring Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Anushka Sharma. In this year's film festival, Indian films are a highlight, with 8 films from the country to be screened during the festival in the Beyond Bollywood section under the Beijing Film Panorama segment of the festival. With 500 domestic and foreign films screened across 30 theaters, 58 screens and 15 days, the Beijing Film Panorama will once again feature many films that are rarely seen or imported into China on the big screen, from restored versions of old classics like "2001: A Space Odyssey," "Gone With the Wind," "Singin' in the Rain" "Schindler's List" and "Red Sorghum," to the more recent "Hotel Mumbai." This year's Panorama is divided into 16 main segments. In order to salute to New China, the organizers planned a special titled "Celebrating The 70th Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China," which consists of the two sub-segments "Flourishing Times" and "China Through the Lens." There are also "Belt and Road," "Animation," "Japanese Film Week," "Indonesian Cinema Today" segments and more, as well as "Tribute" will screen Akira Kurosawa's classic films and several adaptations from legendary Chinese wuxia novelist Louis Cha. The tickets went on sale April 1 and most of the screenings were sold out in seconds. The Festival will be held in Beijing from April 11 to 20, 2019. The Narendra Modi governments decision to conduct a live anti-satellite (A-SAT) test was bold and timely. Bold because the political leadership overcame past hesitations and authorised the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to conduct it. While the decision was not in defiance of an established discriminatory international regime that circumscribed India strategically as was the decision in 1998 to go nuclear, taking a step that could feed into international concerns about militarisation of outer space required careful consideration. One such consideration would have been the adverse international reaction to Chinas A-SAT test in 2007 conducted at a height of 865 kilometres that produced substantial space debris, which interferes with existing and future space activities and therefore raises international concerns. We have acted more responsibly by conducting our test at a height of 300 kilometres to ensure that the debris generated will fall earthwards within weeks. Most significantly, international reaction to our test (barring Pakistans) has not been adverse including US political reaction. More than NASAs debris-related technical concerns as a space organisation which have been credibly refuted by our space scientists, it is the American governments reaction that matters. We rightly preferred a kinetic kill instead of fly-by tests and jamming to prove the precision of our capability and exclude any ambiguity. Our test was timely. Unlike our nuclear tests, the international environment for us to take strategic steps to protect our security is more favourable, particularly because of increased strategic understandings with the US. While we have rightly said that our test was not directed against any country, in reality just as we developed nuclear weapon capability to principally deter China, the A-SAT capability also redresses the India-China strategic balance. Chinas strategic antagonism towards us is demonstrated by its cover to Pakistan on our core issue of terrorism by preventing Masood Azhars designation as a terrorist by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) 1267 Committee. China is disdainful of Indias reaction to this and to its opposition to Indias Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) membership. It remains unwilling to treat India as a political equal. China is also highly active diplomatically to thwart Indias moves to finally initiate text-based negotiations in the United Nations General Assembly on Security Council expansion. Chinas bullying tactics against weaker countries as well as global concerns about its threatening cyber capabilities require the development of counters by India. China is bristling at the US move to raise the Masood Azhar issue in the UNSC as its duplicitous position will be publicly exposed. Chinas apologists in India, who make the bizarre argument that on this, as well as that of line of actual control (LAC) clarification and NSG membership, India should not have made a public push because these issues are not intrinsically important enough to turn them into a litmus test of our ties with China may have reason to be unhappy because India has not prevailed upon the US, France and the UK to desist from a move that would make us lose Chinas goodwill unnecessarily. If China takes an adverse position on Pakistani sponsored terrorism against India (it did not even condemn the 2008 Mumbai attacks), veto our NSG membership on specious grounds, reverse its position on LAC clarification after agreement in 1996, what should be the litmus test then? The Special Representatives mechanism has produced no result despite the confidentiality of discussions. The Chinese lobby in India, always ready to assume guilt towards China, goes as far as to argue that the US-India nuclear deal provoked a natural rebalancing by China towards Pakistan. How the 2013 Belt and Road Initiative and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor are a consequence of the India-US nuclear deal and have nothing to do with Chinas grand geopolitical Silk Road strategies spanning the globe as apart of its declared ambition to be at the centre of international governance by 2049 is difficult to comprehend. According to the tributary thinking of this lobby, India should defer to Chinese sensitivities and pursue its interests only to the point that China is not upset. Finally, the A-SAT test was timely because negotiations on Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space (PAROS), a treaty to prevent an arms race in outer space, though stalled because of differences between the US, Russia and China, could eventually get concluded. A-SAT technology is also closely linked to Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) technology, which makes PAROS negotiations more complex in security terms. India has work ahead to do in developing non-kinetic ASAT technologies that China too is pursuing, as well as ABM technologies. By conducting the A-SAT test, India has avoided repeating the folly of not conducting a nuclear weapon test in time to ensure that its nuclear weapon status was recognised under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). It will now be a key player in drafting any international law on preventing an arms race in outer space. As against this larger canvas, the fact that the A-SAT test came when general elections are due, and could possibly give some advantage to the ruling party, should be of secondary importance. Kanwal Sibal is former foreign secretary The views expressed are personal The Bhatt family came out in full strength for the screening of Soni Razdan-starrer No Fathers In Kashmir on Wednesday evening with Alia Bhatt, Pooja Bhatt and Mahesh Bhatt watching the film and then posing for family photos. Soni Razdan poses with husband Mahesh Bhatt and daughters Pooja and Alia. (Photo: Varinder Chawla) Alia Bhatt looks stunning as she dons traditional look for the special screening of her moms film, No Fathers in Kashmir. (Photo: Varinder Chawla) Directed by Ashvin Kumar who also features in the film, No Fathers In Kashmir is a love story set in the backdrop of Kashmir where two 16-year-olds are in search of their missing fathers and stumble upon a dark secret in the process. Soni essays the role of a Kashmiri mother whose only son is picked up by the armed forces and disappears thereafter. Actors Kalki Koechlin, Jim Sarbh and Swara Bhaskar were also spotted at the special screening. Check out the pictures here: Kalki Koechlin and Jim Sarbh hug each other as they arrive for the screening. (Photo: Varinder Chawla) Explaining what drew her to the film, Soni had earlier said, When Ashvin first sent me the script, I was immediately drawn to the compelling story he had. And its so refreshing to see a filmmaker whos writing a story about Kashmir that isnt just a love story or some kind of action drama. This is a film which speaks the truth and shows the reality. Being half Kashmiri, its always special for me to shoot in The Valley and to be there with the locals. Theyre all very warm people who are very hospitable and genteel, and always welcome everyone with an open heart. Also read: Akshay vs John vs Ajay: Whos Bollywoods king of patriotic cinema? No Fathers in Kashmir stars Zara Webb, Shivam Raina, Ashvin Kumar, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Maya Sarao, Soni Razdan and Anshuman Jha. After a long battle with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), the movie finally hits theatres on Friday, April 5. Follow @htshowbiz for more It was a busy day for Bollywood on Thursday as actors went about promoting some films and preparing for others. Actors Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt were spotted during the promotions of Kalank. Alia looked stunning in a traditional red ensemble while Varun was in a sporty mood in casuals. Their co-star Aditya Roy Kapur also joined them for the film interviews. They had attended the Kalank trailer launch a day before along with their other co-stars Sonakshi Sinha, Sanjay Dutt, Madhuri Dixit and Kunal Kemmu. The trailer was received well by the viewers and also inspired several memes on social media in no time. Varun Dhawan, Alia Bhatt promote Kalank. (Varinder Chawla) Varun Dhawan, Alia Bhatt and Aditya Roy Kapur during the promotions of Kalank. (Varinder Chawla) Aditya Roy Kapur, Varun Dhawan, Madhuri Dixit and Alia Bhatt during the promotions of Kalank. Actor John Abraham, too, has been promoting his film Romeo Akbar Walter and hosted his friends at the screening of the film on Wednesday. The film is set to release this Friday. John Abraham at the screening of Romeo Akbar Walter. (Varinder Chawla) Malaika Arora is back from her short vacation in Maldives with rumoured boyfriend Arjun Kapoor and was seen outside her yoga centre. She was accompanied by her sister Amrita Arora. Meanwhile, actor Janhvi Kapoor was seen visiting a gym in pink vest and shorts. She is currently working on her next film, the Gunjan Saxena biopic. She was spotted on a dinner outing with friends a day before. Her Dhadak co-star Ishaan Khatter was spotted at a restaurant. Super Dancer Chapter 3 judge Shilpa Shetty was also seen visiting the same restaurant and posed for the paparazzi with a smile. Amrita Arora and Malaika Arora at the yoga centre and Ishaan Khattar spotted in the city. (Varinder Chawla) Janhvi Kapoor with her friends on Wednesday and at a gym on Thursday. (Varinder Chawla) Janhvi Kapoor during an outing with her friends. (Varinder Chawla) Simmba actor Sara Ali Khan and mother Amrita Singh were seen on their way to designers Abu Jani-Sandeep Khoslas house party. The mother-daughter duo was dressed in ethnic ensembles for the do. Sussanne Khan and producer Rhea Kapoor also attended the bash. Also read: Kalank trailer: From Kriti Sanons dance number to Madhuri Dixits mujra, here are 5 scenes you might have missed Sara Ali Khan at Abu Jani-Sandeep Khoslas house party. (Varinder Chawla) Rhea Kapoor at Abu Jani-Sandeep Khoslas house party. (Varinder Chawla) Sussanne Khan at Abu Jani-Sandeep Khoslas house party. (Varinder Chawla) Actor Sunny Deol attended the trailer launch of the film, Blank. The film marks the Bollywood debut of actor Dimple Kapadias nephew Karan Kapadia and also stars Sunny and Ishita Dutta. The film has been directed by Behzad Khambata. Sunny Deol with Karan Kapadia and Ishita Dutta at the Blank trailer launch. (Varinder Chawla) Follow @htshowbiz for more Actor Ranbir Kapoor is with his parents, Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Kapoor, in the US and it seems his visit has brought much-needed cheer to them. Rishi is undergoing treatment for an undisclosed illness in New York where he has been stationed with his wife since September last year. Sharing two photos with her son and husband, Neetu wrote, That amazing feeling in your lows when there is positivity! Happiness, love and that wink! Among those who lined to send her love to the family were Ranbirs girlfriend Alia Bhatt and her mother, Soni Razdan. Riddhima Kapoor Sahni, Ranbirs sister, also commented with heart emojis. Ranbir had earlier visited his parents with Alia as well. Ranbir opened up about his father at the Zee Cine Awards. Honoured with the best actor award for Sanju, Ranbir said, I would like to dedicate this award to very special people in my life, starting with my father. He is going through a little bit of a rough patch in his life and I have often heard that whenever you come at crossroads in your life, you can really tell who you are as a person. Whenever I speak to him, he only talks about movies. He only talks about how is this film?, how is this film doing?, how is this performance?, what are you doing in this scene? And more so, he speaks to me about his insecurities that when he gets back, will he get to work in movies? Whether people will offer him films? Will he be able to act in movies? Earlier, Ranbir had revealed Rishi may soon return too India. Hes (Rishi) doing very well, and he will be back very soon. He is missing the movies and working in films. I really hope that with all your wishes and prayers he comes back very soon. On Mothers Day, late Bollywood superstar Sridevis last movie Mom will release in China on May 10. The movie was earlier scheduled to release in China on March 22. We wanted to pick the perfect date for the release of such a special film like Mom in China, which is a huge market and has great potential for the film to do well. As a tribute to all mothers, we have chosen May 10 to release this riveting film in China, said Vibha Chopra, Head of Zee Studios International (Film Marketing, Distribution and Acquisition). Directed by Ravi Udyawar, Sridevi played a mother who sets out to ensure justice for her step-daughter, essayed by Pakistani actor Sajal Ali, who was gang raped. The veteran actor won the National Film Award for Best Actress posthumously for her role. Zee Studios International has previously released Mom in 40 regions including Poland, Russia, the UK, the US, Singapore and Czech Republic. Five years after her film English Vinglish, Sridevi gave a power-packed performance in Mom in 2017. She was seen in a cameo in Zero last year. Also read: Ranbir Kapoors US visit brings cheer to parents Rishi, Neetu as they battle lows, Alia Bhatt sends her love The actress died on February 24, 2018. Her daughter and actor Janhvi Kapoor told in an interview to Filmfare, I think, I was still in that state of shock, to be very honest. I think I am still in shock. None of it has been processed. Like, I have no memory of three or four months. Talking about coming close to step-brother Arjun Kapoor, Janhvi said, You know at the end of the day, we have the same blood in us. I dont remember anything of those four months but I do remember that one day when we were sitting in Harsh (Harshvardhan Kapoor, Anil Kapoors son and Janvhis cousin) bhaiyas room and Arjun bhaiya and Anshula didi came in, I think that was the one day when I felt like, Ok maybe we might be okay. (With IANS inputs) Follow @htshowbiz for more India has offered a conciliatory package to defuse trade tensions with Washington sparked by a decision by President Donald Trump last month to deny India preferential market access to the US, minister of commerce and industry Suresh Prabhu said on Wednesday. India has also significantly narrowed its trade deficit with China by reducing Chinese imports by about $13 billion, and is set to post robust growth in overseas shipments, which are set to reach $540 billion, Prabhu said in an interview with Hindustan Times. According to Prabhu, the Indian offer of a conciliatory trade package is currently being examined by the Trump administration. In March, Washington announced that it will end preferential trade treatment for thousands of Indian products guaranteed under the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP), which promote trades with developing countries by giving duty-free entry for their exports.The US action, in retaliation for the high tariffs that Trump says India levies on its imports, triggered a 60-day countdown before the move takes effect. Notwithstanding about $170-180 million net impact of the US Trade Representatives (USTR) action, India is keen to address the concerns of the US. We have given a package to [the] US, which will actually address many of the issues in proper manner, Prabhu said in the interview. Prabhu said the major US trade concerns pertained to its exports of medical devices, dairy products, mobile phones and agricultural items such as almonds, but didnt spell out exactly what India had offered the US in the conciliatory trade package. For instance, Prabhu said the Modi government had, in line with its commitment to providing affordable medical treatment, capped the prices of some medical devices, including stents. As a result of that, medical devices companies in the US -- they went to the commerce department and USTR, saying that this is an unfair trade practice in India, the minister said. Another concern on the trade front has been the ballooning Indian deficit in trade with China. Thanks to conscious policy decisions taken by India to reduce imports from the neighbouring Asian giant, the deficit is likely to have declined to around $50 billion in the financial year that ended on March 31, according to Prabhu. The significant development is expected to be captured in official trade data, which is expected to be released soon. After becoming the commerce minister in March last year, Prabhu said that New Delhi would chalk out a strategy to balance trade with China. As a result, India is now exporting several items including, rice, rapeseed, soybean, sugar and pharmaceuticals to China. In 2018-19, India exported rice to China for the first time in 20 years,Prabhu said. According to an official statement released on March 26, 2018, Prabhu, when he met Chinese minister of commerce Zhong Shan in New Delhi, had sought greater market access for agricultural products like rapeseed, soyabean, basmati and non-basmati rice, fruits, vegetables, sugar and pharmaceutical products. The Chinese minister had welcomed Indian investment in China and promised to address the trade deficit between the two countries, said the statement. Prabhu said Indias overall exports are expected to be robust at around $540 billion, which will include both merchandise and services. Indias overall exports in April-February 2018-19 were estimated at $483.98 billion last month, an increase of 8.73% over the same period last year. Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India secretary general Uday Kumar Varma is upbeat that Indias trade growth will improve despite a global downturn. Commerce minister is steering the trade policy well. He is protecting Indian industries interests while negotiating with both China and US. As he says, India will post better trade growth this year, he said. We are in the midst of that season in north India, when air quality debates die down, and parents send their children out to play. After all, the air quality index suggests moderate and poor air days, with hardly a very poor or severe. Of course, at moderate levels, the level of PM2.5 is still 2.5-3.5 times the World Health Organization (WHO) safe levels, and poor is 3.5-5 times higher. But given what Delhi feels like in the winter months, February and March seem positively inviting. After all, one cannot worry about air quality all year round, right? Unfortunately, wrong. We may have no option but to send our children out to play, but we should also be simultaneously working hard on long-term solutions. During the apocalyptic winter months, justifiable cries of alarm translate to reactive measures: an (ineffectual) firecracker ban, throwing money at Happy Seeders to stop crop burning, and periodic bans on truck traffic. Some short-term response measures are needed for emergencies. But to make a real dent in the air problem requires measures to address the deep-rooted causes and not simply react to the symptoms. This is best done when we are not in panic mode. The recent National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) is a missed opportunity to establish a long-term strategy. It sets a target without a realistic road map, proposes a city-based approach that downplays regional effects, and adopts a something-for-everyone approach rather than prioritising action. In the midst of election season, formulating a serious approach to air quality plan remains a missed political opportunity. So, what are elements of a long-term plan that truly starts the long, slow business of addressing root causes? First, a truly effective strategy will place the challenge of ensuring compliance and enabling enforcement at the heart of pollution regulation. Too often, actions are written as if enforcement is a secondary challenge when it is actually primary. For example, to limit industrial pollution, will a combination of monitoring technology, strengthened laws, and enhanced capabilities of pollution control authorities work? Or is the enforcement challenge so great that we should simply force industries to switch to cleaner, if costlier, fuels, which may be easier to monitor? The answer is not entirely clear, but this is the question that should inform strategic policymaking. Second, many pollution sources need multifaceted responses. For example, waste burning may best be addressed by upstream shifts in consumer behaviour, to limit waste at source. Transport emissions need a mix of public transport investments, behavioural change in transport patterns, and new transport technologies such as electric vehicles. Reactive solutions, such as banning waste burning or certain forms of transport, are but band aids. Third, many solutions require negotiated solutions to political and economic challenges. Crop burning is unlikely to be solved by a technical solution if not burning crops costs more. The resolution lies in political negotiations around cropping pattern shifts, agricultural support policies and water use policies. Political negotiations take time and need to start now, before pressure for quick fixes sets in. Fourth, a city-by-city approach is invariably limited. Much pollution occurs outside cities by industry, brick kilns, power plants and crop burning. City boundary based regulation only encourages emissions leakage such as relocation of industries to the outskirts. India has to develop regulatory institutions that operate at the level of the regional airshed. Fifth, we need to pick a short list of big wins to demonstrate progress and rally the public. But equally, these need to be carefully selected and maximally supported rather than the current scattershot approach. The Ujjwala scheme to provide clean cooking gas, introducing Bharat Stage VI fuels, improved power plant regulations and investment in public transport are three winning medium-term solutions. A strategic and limited set of such solutions need aggressive action. Let us not fool ourselves. North Indias air pollution will not improve substantially for at least a few years. The scale is too large, the pollution patterns too entrenched, and the enforcement challenges too deep. But this time frame of years will stretch to decades if we do not lay the groundwork now. Reactive, limited and short-term action taken in the panic of the winter smog wont even put us on the path to a medium-term solution. We have to keep our eye on the ball, even when the air appears clear, and invest in the necessary long-term technological, institutional and political changes. Navroz K Dubash is professor, Centre for Policy Research The views expressed are personal This April Fools Day, a team of Delhi Police from Dwarka made a fool of a Mewati ATM thief wanted in a series of cases in Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Delhi. On Monday, the police team members dressed up as villagers some in lungi-kurta and a few in loose pyjamas to appear as members of another Mewati gang. When the suspect arrived to steal cash from an ATM in Uttam Nagar, on the pretext of sharing the booty, the police team locked him in the ATM kiosk and later arrested him. The police have identified the man as 45-year-old Mohammad Aslam, a resident of Ram Park in Loni, Ghaziabad. Deputy commissioner of police (Dwarka) Anto Alphonse said his team received information that Aslam, who is wanted in a series of ATM thefts, will reach Uttam Nagar area to recee an ATM kiosk. We knew that Aslam is a Mewati criminal. In order to trap him, our men got dressed up in lungi-kurta. They also donned a bandana like Mewatis usually do. Around 9pm, the police team spotted Aslam at the ATM. When Aslam saw the disguised policemen, he believed them to be Mewati criminals and agreed to share the cash stolen from the ATM, Deputy commissioner of police (Dwarka) Anto Alphonse said. Police said all of them headed to the ATM, and the policemen tricked him and locked him inside the ATM kiosk. He was then overpowered and arrested. DCP Alphonse said, Mohammad Aslam admitted that he hails from village Karanda in Mewat. He said he was involved in multiple cases of ATM thefts in Kanpur, UP and also in Karnataka. He said he used different names every time the police caught him to hide his criminal past. Police said, in 2012, Aslam along with his associates tried to steal cash from an ATM in Maurya Enclave but the security guard opened fired at them in which one of his associates was killed. Later, Aslam was also arrested but he absconded from police custody during trial. The court had declared him a proclaimed offender, police said. Rishabh, 22, a resident of Harijan Basti, a Dalit-dominated slum cluster in West Delhis Vikaspuri area, prefers not to write his surname. But, it does feel awkward when I have to write my address in a college form, he said, expressing his discomfort with the name of the place where he lives. Harijan Basti is a generic term that thousands of Dalit-dominated localities across India still use though many Dalits now condemn the word, made popular by Mahatma Gandhi, that was termed abusive by the Supreme Court in 2017. However, in Delhi, this may soon change. Dalit-dominated localities in the city that go by the generic name Harijan Basti are likely to be renamed soon with the word Harijan removed. On March 6, the office of the minister of social welfare in Delhi sent a proposal on this to the Delhi urban development department. Once the proposal is cleared, the renaming of Harijan bastis can be done through an executive order of the government, Delhis social welfare minister Rajendra Pal Gautam said. The change is likely to happen through an executive order after the general elections so that the model code of conduct is not violated, officials in both Delhis social justice and urban development departments said. They further said that before the renaming happens, residents in each colony will be given a chance to choose the new name and it did not necessarily have to be a Dalit icons name. While the office of the social welfare minister in Delhi does not have documented records of the total number of so-called Harijan Bastis in the city,they roughly estimate it to be anything between 500 and 600. Whats in a name Renaming Harijan Bastis hardly change the lives of the residents, said Umesh Kumar, 64, a resident of South Delhis Ambedkar Nagar area that has several Dalit- dominated clusters. Kumar has three sons, all of them school dropouts. One of them is unemployed and the other two work at factories in an industrial area in West Delhi. Many such bastis are a cluster of slums comprising a maze of lanes that get getting progressively narrower as one navigates inside. Open drains, dilapidated shanties and buildings with their bricks exposed are a common feature. Rishabhs slum in Vikaspuri is one of them. While Rishabh (who goes only by his first name), is a student of humanities in the School of Open Learning where one does not have to physically attend classes under the University of Delhi, most of his friends are either school drop outs or jobless. Several Harijan Bastis are located in and around unauthorised colonies.The Harijan Basti in east Delhis Kondli constituency is one of them.Everyone knows this area as Harijan Basti. Renaming it can lead to people getting confused, said a resident of the basti who did not wish to be identified. While the Harijan basti in East Delhis Kondli is considered to be the biggest in terms of size, the one in South Delhis Deoli constituency is believed to be the oldest. It is visibly more developed than the Harijan Bastis located in and around slums and unauthorised colonies both in terms of demography and infrastructure. The roads are concrete, the drains covered, the buildings are plastered, there are schools and healthcare facilities visible, more children attend schools and people heve better jobs. Gaurav, 19; Ankit, 18; and Shivam, 17, are local residents and appearing for the ongoing Class 12 board exams. Students of humanities, they want to attend regular colleges after school, unlike Rishabhs choice of distant learning. Gauravs father is electrician who works with corporate offices in Gurgaon; Ankits father has an enterprise of his own that makes wallpapers and Shivams father works as a driver for a multinational company. But there is one similarity with Rishabh they too do not write surnames in their official documents. Over the years, some of the Harijan Bastis have seen migration from other castes too. For instance, there is a significant number of residents at the Harijan Basti in Deoli who belong to Other Backward Classes (OBC). At a Harijan Basti slum in Lodhi Road, currently stuck in a legal dispute for alleged encroachment, half the residents, including the person they call their pradhaan (chief) are Muslims, said residents of the area. The Harijan Basti in Vikaspuri, however, have witnessed retalively less inter-caste or inter-religious mingling. Why renaming is needed According to Vivek Kumar, a professor of sociology in Delhis Jawaharlal Nehru University, the word Harijan was coined by Narsi Mehta, a 15th century poet-saint from Gujarat. He used that word for the children of the Devdasis, a commonly used Sanskrit term for temple sex workers, but not a lot of people were aware of the usage. In 1931, Mahatma Gandhi popularised the word, which translates to Children of God and used it for Dalits, then commonly referred to as untouchables. In India, there was always a concept of naming colonies on the basis of the caste of majority of its residents, Kumar said. For instance, Brahman-dominated areas would be named Bamnouti, for Thakur Kshatriyas it would be Thakuriya and Chamrouki for areas dominated by the Chamar sub-caste of Dalits, he said. He further said: But such nomenclature was largely confined to rural areas. As people migrated to urban centres, the concept of Harijan Bastis came into existence. It was a popular term by the time India got its independence. Indias first law minister, BR Ambedkar, was always against the usage of the word. He maintained that Harijan was superficial and did not represent the true characteristic of the community, Kumar said. Kumar further said, But the usage of the term plunged into controversy as more people became aware of its actual usage children of the Devdasis, which literally translates to children whose fathers identities are not known. The awareness was further spread during the Jatav movement in the early-40s and other Dalit movements during the 1960s. The controversy is one reason why, Kumar said, many Dalit colonies that emerged during the 1950s and early-60s in Delhi did not use the term Harijan.That is why, he said, Delhi also has areas such as Jatav Mohalla in the southwestern part of the city, named specifically after the Jatav sub-community of Dalits, and Raigarpura in central Delhi, named after the Raigar subcommunity. People, who at some point, were part of caste movements, started to prefer being identified by specific castes than the umbrella term Harijan. This also reflected in the names of the area they lived in. That is one reason why, despite having the highest intensity of Dalit population as residents, Central Delhis Karol Bagh area does not have many colonies named Harijan Basti, Kumar said. According to Ashok Kumar Tongadia, president of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe welfare committee in south Delhis Mehrauli assembly constituency, it was in 1982 that a Parliamentary Committee had prohibited the word Harijan from being used in any government document. But that did not change things in Delhi or elsewhere as far as the Harijan Basti nomenclature was concerned. Name change not new In Delhi, this is not the first time renaming of an area named Harijan Basti is going to happen, said activist Ashok Bharti who leads a Dalit umbrella group named All India Ambedkar Mahasabha. He further said, the Ambedkar Nagar area in south Delhi, which later became an assembly constituency reserved for Dalits around 15 years ago, was popular as the Khanpur Harijan Basti. It even existed in government documents. It was because of the presence of a large number of Dalit-dominated slum clusters in the area. The renaming of Khanpur Harijan Basti had happened ahead of the general elections in 1989, said Bharti. Tongadia said, over the past three decades, renaming of Harijan bastis happened in several states that include Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Bihar among others. But, according to Bharti, there is a problem with that most of them have either been named after Dalit icons, which indirectly give away the caste identity of the residents of the area and, hence, fail to do away with the stigma. A 21-year-old man was crushed to death while working at a machine in a factory in south Delhis Maidan Garhi during the early hours on Wednesday. The victim was identified as Madhu Ram, a resident of Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh. The factory he was working in processed plastic waste. The factory owner was later arrested. Police said that they received a distress call at the Maidan Garhi police station at around 1.15 am. Deputy commissioner of police (South) Vijay Kumar said when police reached the spot, a 19-year-old labourer Himanshu Prasad, who was working with Ram at the machine, told them what had happened. He said that as Ram leaned into the machine to settle the crushed bottles, the shaft of the machine came down and crushed him from shoulder to the chest. He died on the spot. His body was taken to Safdarjung hospital where an autopsy was conducted and his family was informed, the DCP said. Kumar said, initial probe revealed that the property, which is at Banshee Road in Asola, was rented out to a man named Manish Kumar Gupta. Gupta had set up the crushing machine to crush plastic bottles and had employed some labourers to run the factory. Labourers told police that the machine also required to be handled manually. A case of causing death due to negligence has been registered and Gupta was arrested, the DCP said. Police said Ram lived in Delhi with his brother who also works at a factory nearby. Ram is unmarried and his parents live at their native village in UP. Dhruv Kumar, who works as an electrician near the factory, and witnessed the accident, said that the machine has three doors. The person who is operating the machine has to close these doors to start the machine. Ram had closed two doors but something stuck the third door. As Ram climbed up to check, the shaft collapsed, Kumar said. DCP Kumar said police are also probing if there is any foul play. China's leading electric vehicle maker BYD has rolled out the 300th bus at its Lancaster manufacturing plant in the U.S. state of California, the company said on Wednesday. The 300th bus, a 35-foot BYD K9S model transit bus, is one of three built for the Capital Area Transit System of Baton Rouge, capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana, the company said in a release. "We are very proud of this 300th American bus milestone. We are passionate about our mission to create a cleaner environment here in North America and across the globe," BYD President Stella Li told Xinhua. In a celebration with its customer Antelope Valley Transit Authority (AVTA) on Wednesday, BYD said that AVTA is expected to realize 1 million miles of zero emission bus operations in May. AVTA has ordered 85 electric buses from BYD, and 25 buses have been delivered up to now, according to the company. Li called AVTA a model for transit agencies seeking affordable green technology -- especially those in California needing to comply with state regulations requiring zero-emission fleets by 2040. Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris termed the 300th bus as "the tip of the iceberg." He said BYD has created hundreds of well-paying American jobs with more on the horizon as the company expands its product lines of battery electric buses, trucks and forklifts. Since delivery of its first U.S. battery electric bus in 2014, BYD has provided buses for customers in 13 U.S. states and four Canadian provinces. "As the first Chinese vehicle company setting up a manufacturing facility in the United States, BYD has not only achieved impressive business success, but also made significant contributions to local employment growth and social and economic development," said Shi Yuanqiang, deputy Chinese consul general in Los Angeles. "BYD is a perfect combination of technology, engineering and innovation of China and the United States, which yields mutual benefits and win-win results," Shi said. When BYD opened its Lancaster manufacturing plant in 2013, it had a handful of employees working on 10 buses in a 106,000-square-foot (9848-square-meter) building that once housed a motorhome manufacturing facility, according to the release. In just six years, BYD has grown to become the largest battery electric bus manufacturer in North America, with more than 750 employees. According to BYD, it has spent 70 million U.S. dollars in 2018 on components and services from American vendors, many from southern California. In all, BYD has invested more than 250 million dollars in North America. The United States has asserted it will use all available resources to ensure the designation of Masood Azhar, the Pakistan-based chief of the Jaish-e-Mohammed, as a global terrorist following Chinas blocking of an effort to blacklist him at the United Nations Islamic State and al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee. Policymakers in India believe the US position is a reflection of the closer counterterror cooperation between the two sides as well as the growing disappointment and frustration among members of the United Nations Security Council over Chinas repeated use of a hold to stymie efforts to sanction Azhar, whose groups have planned and carried out attacks against India ever since he was freed from prison in 1999 in exchange for the passengers of a hijacked Indian airliner. As part of its efforts to corner China over the issue of Azhar, the US has circulated a draft resolution on blacklisting the JeM chief among members of the Security Council, though Beijing has described this move as something that will complicate matters and undermine the UN Sanctions Committee. It remains to be seen whether the draft resolution will be passed by the Security Council, especially in view of Chinas veto power in the forum. If China decides to use this power, all the US and its allies such as Britain and France will be able to do is force a public debate on why China has been standing up, on behalf of its iron brother ally Pakistan, for a man who is universally acknowledged to be a terrorist with links to al-Qaeda and the Afghan Taliban. Such a debate is unlikely to influence the positions of China and Pakistan, who do not seem too bothered about the embarrassment brought on by public knowledge of their efforts to protect the JeM chief. It also remains to be seen how much of the posturing by the US is linked to the current problems in its relationship with China and its efforts to pressure Pakistan to help in the negotiations with the Afghan Taliban. At the end of the day, India can draw comfort from the wider acceptance of its efforts to show that Pakistan is the fount of crossborder terrorism in the region, with several groups based on Pakistani soil being accused of carrying out attacks against Afghanistan, India and Iran. Irrespective of whether the US resolution is backed by the United Nations Security Council, India should focus on forums such as the Financial Action Task Force that have clearly been able to do more to increase the costs for Pakistans use of terrorism as an instrument of State policy. Two officers of the Indian Air Force were killed and two others injured in a road accident in South Kashmirs Pulwama district. Officials said that among the dead was a squadron leader of the IAF. Officials said the accident took place between 3 and 4 am on Thursday morning when the Scorpio, in which the air force personnel were travelling in, met with an accident at the Malangpora village. The police got to know of the accident when the air force personnel informed them. The injured personnel are being treated at Armys base hospital. A senior police officer confirmed the accident and said that two personnel had been killed and two others were injured. Its not clear yet why the air force personnel were travelling in the wee hours. The place where the accident took place is located near the air force station. Very sorry to hear about the loss of lives in this accident. Condolences to the families of Sq Ldr Pandey & Corp Kumar, may their souls rest in peace. Prayers for the injured, hope they make a complete & speedy recovery, tweeted former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah. Officials said that an inquiry has been ordered into the incident. Two GJM workers were taken away by police from the Bagdogra airport near Siliguri in West Bengal after they landed from Delhi on Thursday, on a day party leader Bimal Gurung and his associates were supposed to come back to the state after spending about a year and a half in hiding. Rohan Rai and Yogendra Pradhan were taken away in police vehicles as soon as they landed at the airport. Rohan Rai and Yogendra Pradhan are our supporters. They were carrying documents that were to be submitted to the Jalpaiguri circuit bench of Calcutta High Court. We are trying to find out what are the steps police are planning against them, said GJM (Bimal Gurung faction) spokesperson BP Bajgain in Siliguri. Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leader Bimal Gurung and his associates were supposed to land on Thursday after the Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed him, the partys former general secretary Roshan Giri and others four days to approach the high court to seek anticipatory bail in connection with various criminal cases registered against them. The top court also said that its interim order from December 10, 2018, which said no coercive action shall be taken against the GJM leaders will continue until further orders. Gurung was keen to come today. But seeing the situation here, we advised him against it, Bajgain said. A larger number of people had gathered at the airport earlier in the day to greet the GJM leaders. Some GJM supporters alleged that police had blocked their way on National Highway 31 and prevented them from reaching the airport. However, many managed to reach the spot. Bimal Gurung fooled the people again, said Binay Tamang, the leader of the other GJM faction. According to GJM leaders, Gurung and his associates had bought tickets on two flights from Delhi. While one of the flights landed around 12:30pm, the other was scheduled to land at 2pm. However, they did not arrive by either of the flights. The stakes of Gurung and his associates are very high this time. Since they were booked under sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and had to leave the hills in August-September 2017, the GJM, the most influential political party in the Darjeeling hills, split. His former associate Binay Tamang and Anit Thapa are leading one faction and moving close to the ruling Trinamool Congress party in the state. Last month, both GJM and GNLF held a press conference in Delhi and announced that they will support the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate. The BJP candidate had won from Darjeeling constituency in 2009 and 2014, thanks to the support of the GJM that was led by Bimal Gurung. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee installed Tamang at the helm of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, the semi-autonomous body that runs the affairs of the hills. She also nominated GJMs sitting Darjeeling MLA Amar Singh Rai, as the TMC candidate from Darjeeling Lok Sabha constituency, highlighting him as the partys son-of-the-soil representative from the hills and emphasising that there is no division between the people from the hills and those from the plains. The chief ministers decision has brought together Gurungs faction of the GJM close to Gorkha National Liberation Front, the second most popular party in the hills, that led the first phase of the armed struggle for a separate state of Gorkhaland between 1986 and 1988, in which about 1,200 lives were lost. Between July and September 2017, the Darjeeling hills suffered a 104-day record general shutdown that was called by Gurung demanding for a separate Gorkhaland. During this period, 13 persons were killed including two policemen. Gurung is facing as many as 121 cases including murder and sections of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Giri 111 cases. The names of both of them have been struck off from the voters list in Darjeeling. Gurung, Giri and several senior GJM leaders were on the run for more than a year and a half. Vijay Mallya, the ex-billionaire known as the king of good times in India, may have to prepare for a bout of relative austerity as he fights multiple lawsuits against creditors. Mallyas lawyers told State Bank of India, which is among lenders owed 1.142 billion pounds ($1.5 billion) by his defunct Kingfisher Airlines, that their client is willing to cut his spending to 29,500 pounds a month, SBIs lawyers told a London court Wednesday. He is currently spending about 18,300 pounds a week. The banks are seeking to seize about 258,000 pounds held in Mallyas ICICI Bank UK Plc account. They have accused Mallya of willfully defaulting on debts of Kingfisher Airlines, which was founded in 2005 and folded in 2012. The UK resident is fighting his extradition to India to face criminal fraud charges. Mallya, who added a portfolio of real estate, yachts, Scotch whisky and Formula 1 racing to his United Breweries Ltd. business over the last two decades, continues to live a lavish lifestyle, according to a written application from SBIs lawyers. Mallya is suffering no real hardship as would be understood by the man on the street, the lawyers said. He has other sources of income including a 7,500-pound monthly payment from Kingfisher Beer Europe Ltd. and his familys wealth, much of which is tied up in trusts, SBIs lawyers said. Banks Battle Ex-Billionaire Over Superyachts, Cars, Artwork Dr. Mallya continues to do all he can to support a court process in India which should see creditors paid off in full, Jonathan Isaacs, his lawyer, said in an emailed statement. No one creditor should be allowed to break rank and grab assets at the expense of all other creditors. Dr. Mallya meanwhile lives well within the court-ordered limits and looks forward to its conclusion in the coming months. In Madhya Pradesh, the opposition BJP on Thursday launched an attack on Bollywood actor Salman Khan and the Congress government accusing them of hurting religious sentiments and sought registration of a case against the actor. The Congress said the BJP had no real issues to raise, whereas Khan threatened to shift the shooting of his movie out of Madhya Pradesh, if such harassment continued. Salman Khan is shooting for Dabangg 3 at Maheshwar in Madhya Pradesh. During the shooting, members of the film crew kept a wooden plank on a shivling and some of them were seen standing on it. As the picture of the crew members standing on the wooden plank went viral on social media, some local residents protested against the shooting, Maheshwar police said. Meanwhile, the Bollywood actor told reporters at Maheshwar that there was no intention to hurt religious feelings. BJP vice-president and legislator Rameshwar Sharma claimed that since the Congress had formed the government in the state the religious sentiments of Hindus was being deliberately hurt. He also demanded that chief minister Kamal Nath should instruct the police to lodge a case against Salman Khan. State Congress spokesperson Pankaj Chaturvedi said, The BJP has no real issue to contest the Lok Sabha election. The then BJP government in the state hardly did any development work. That is why they are desperately looking for such issues, which creates a divide between Hindus and Muslims. But they will not succeed in their design. Khan said the shivling was covered with a wooden plank to ensure that there was no disrespect to the deity by anyone. The wooden plank was later removed. There was no intention to hurt anyones sentiments, Khan said, adding that he may shift the shooting to Uttar Pradesh if the harassment continued. Ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) led political ad spending on Google and its video sharing app YouTube, accounting for almost a third of the total spending on the two platforms, according to the first political ad transparency report for India released by Google on Thursday. The BJP spent 1.21 crore of the 3.76 crore expended by political parties on ads published on Google and YouTube between 19 February and 4 April, said the report. Andhra Pradeshs ruling Telugu Desam Party and the main opposition YSR Congress Party and entities from neighbouring Telangana spent 2.48 crore on search giant Google and its other partner properties. The Congress spent 54,100, placing 14 ads. Googles report included information about Lok Sabha election ads that feature or are run by a political party, a political candidate, or a current member of the Lok Sabha. Last year, Google had released a similar ad transparency report for its home market, the United States. This report reflects the amount of preparation and digital sophistication that now goes into elections. It is important to exploit the potential of digital penetration in India to reach a large section of potential voters. BJP has continued its digital dominance since the previous Lok Sabha elections. Regional parties now have given a digital push. I expect the ad spend to pick up just before each voting phase, said BG Mahesh, who worked on digital political ad campaigns in 2014 and is now a digital ad expert. The YSR Congress Party was the second highest spender on political ads at 1 crore. Political research firm Pramanya Strategy Consulting, based in Hyderabad, spent 85 lakh to promote ads about the TDP. Digitant Consulting spent 63 lakh on ads about the TDP. In terms of geography as well, spending was concentrated on Andhra Pradesh (1.7 crore and Telangana (72.7 lakh). UP (18.47 lakh), Maharashtra (17.19 lakh) and Bihar ( 10.53 lakh) followed. Online political ads on Facebook accounted for 10.32 crore in the period between February and March, according to the Facebook ad archive report. The BJP and its affiliates have spent an estimated 5 crore on Facebook so far, added the same report. Twitter at present shows only five activeTwitter handles using the microblogging platform to promote political tweets three belong to the BJP and one to Congress MP Milind Deora. Twitter said the enforcement of its political campaigning policy in India began on March 11, and the certification process required the advertiser to take several steps before placing ads on the platform. As soon as the certification process is completed, advertisers who start promoting political campaigning ads on Twitter will appear in the Ads Transparency Centre and in the list of certified political campaigning advertisers, a Twitter spokesperson said in an emailed response. The Supreme Court on Thursday said it was not averse to transparency but revealing information on judges appointment cannot be at the cost of judicial independence and somewhere a line needs to be drawn on how much information can be divulged. Nobody is for a system of opaqueness; nobody wants to live in darkness. But the question is where do we draw a line? In the name of transparency we cant destroy the institution, a five-judge constitution bench led by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi said. Look at the system of appointment today. Do you know, now we are interacting with each candidate (for high court judge)... Do you know from how many sources we get information? the CJI told advocate Prashant Bhushan. The lawyer was arguing in support of Delhi High Court verdict that held the CJIs office is amenable to Right to Information Act (RTI) and bound to disclose information as sought under the law by an applicant. The SC registry is in appeal before the top court. Attorney General KK Venugopal opposed the HC verdict and said making information on judicial appointments public would compromise judicial independence. Bhushan appeared for RTI activist SC Agrawal on whose plea the high court delivered its verdict. In response to the benchs remarks, Bhushan said judges doing their best did not mean that the process of appointment should not be made public. He referred to the 38-year-old apex court decision in the SP Gupta case and said the need to have transparency in appointments was mooted decades ago. The judgment, he said, was binding as it was by a seven-judge bench, although one of them had ruled against the proposition. The CJI, however, insisted to know where to draw the line and cited the example of how a district judge (DJ) was found unfit for HC judgeship and was, therefore, even denied the additional tenure of two years which every DJ is entitled to. He was made to retire at 58 itself while his colleagues continued to serve. So where to draw a line, asked the CJI. Justice Gogoi stopped Bhushan from assuming that an HC judge might have had animosity towards the DJ. Lets not assume a judge has animosity against anybody because if we assume that then this institution will be demolished, the CJI said. Bhushan cited an instance of how a lawyer from Allahabad was twice recommended by the SC collegium for high court judgeship despite the government returning his file. However, the third time the collegium recalled the advocates name. Isnt the public entitled to know the reason why he was denied appointment, said Bhushan. CJI Gogoi termed the instance as an extreme case and agreed that in such a case information may be revealed but wondered how much of it can be revealed. Besides CJI Gogoi, the bench comprised justices N V Ramana, DY Chandrachud, Hemant Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna. To Justice DY Chandrachuds query whether he suggested disclosure of the entire information regarding judicial appointment, Bhushan said whatever is in public interest should be made public. If a gay persons name is not cleared for judgeship then this should be disclosed under RTI. It would all depend on case-to-case basis, he argued. This argument left the judges ask Bhushan what if the person rejected does not want the reasons for his rejection be told under RTI. Can such information be disclosed if the candidate says it should not be, Justice Gupta asked. At this, the CJI said: The best thing would be to ask the person if he or she wants the reasons to be disclosed. India on Thursday said Pakistan has not addressed the concerns it raised with the country over Kartarpur corridor. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said India has sought clarification from Pakistan on certain issues but Islamabad is yet to satisfy New Delhi on the matter. Its important to remember we remain committed to realise aspirations of people. Aspirations which flow out of pending demand of Indian pilgrims to visit Kartarpur Sahib using the corridor, Kumar was quoted as saying by news agency ANI in response to a query if there has been any communication from Pakistan side over Kartarpur corridor. Kumar said, At the same time, there are certain things which came to our notice, we had sought clarifications from Pakistan on a number of issues. They remain unaddressed by Pakistan. We had also shared our concerns on reports that controversial elements have been appointed by Pakistan to a committee which was to be associated with Kartarpur corridor. We are yet to receive a response from Pakistan. Thats why we decided to postpone meeting, said Kumar, according to ANI. A meeting between India and Pakistan scheduled for April 2 to discuss the Kartarpur Corridor details could not take place over the concerns raised by New Delhi. India has objected to Pakistans decision to appoint a pro-Khalistani leader to a committee to help Indian pilgrims to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur. Reports from Pakistan suggested that minister for information Chaudhry Fawad Hussain had in March announced a ten-member committee with pro-Khalistani leader Gopal Singh Chawla onboard. Chawla is a Pakistan-backed separatist leader who is demanding a separate homeland for the Sikhs. He is reported to be the general secretary of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. His name had cropped up during investigations into the grenade attack on the Nirankari Bhawan in Amritsar last year. Three people were killed in the incident. Chawla is said to have prevented Indian diplomats from visiting a gurdwara in Lahore. The officials from India and Pakistan held first round of meeting to discuss the proposed corridor to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur in March. The 4 km-corridor will facilitate pilgrimage from Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur on the Indian side to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur in Pakistan. Farmers in Punjab are continuing to commit suicide despite the debt-waiver scheme launched by chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh. Data from the district agriculture department reveals that 119 farmers committed suicide in Sangrur between April 2017 and March 2018. From April 2013 to date, 665 farmer suicides have been reported. Of these 665 farmers who committed suicide, 195 had received financial support from the government. The Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU-Ugrahan), however, put the farm suicides cases to 179 in the district since Amarinder Singhs government came to power in the state in March 2017. BKU activist Sukhpal Singh Manak claimed that 50 debt-ridden farmers committed suicide across the state in March this year and 1,030 farmers ended their lives in Punjab during the present Congress regime. The Congress government in Punjab came to power on the promise of waiving farmers debts within four months of being sworn in. The scheme was formally launched on January 9, 2018, when the CM handed over the farm loan waiver certificates to 10 farmers from five districts at a function in Mansa. The Congress government has done nothing during the past two years. Farmer suicides and unemployment still exist in Punjab, said Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab chief Bhagwant Mann. Congresss Dhuri MLA Dalvir Singh Goldy said the Amarinder government had initiated debt-waiver scheme which is being implemented in a phased manner. On Tuesday, when Congress president Rahul Gandhi was releasing the party manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls promising a separate kisan budget if voted to power, a 55-year-old farmer, Pritam Singh, from Takipur village of the district, committed suicide in his fields by consuming some poisonous substances. He was under a debt of 8 lakh. Villagers said bank officials used to call him to repay the loan, but he had no money to pay the instalment. We have not spent money on luxury. We needed money for our livelihood and medical expenses. My husband could not pay the 6,000 loan instalment before March 31, said Pritams wife Rajwinder Kaur. Pritam is survived by his wife, two married daughters and two sons. The family owns 4.5 acres of land. Under the state governments debt-waiver scheme, the family received a meagre relief as 30,000. Another farmer of the same village Joginder Singh, 56, hanged himself on Monday as he was under a debt of 25 lakh. The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday filed a supplementary chargesheet in Delhis Patiala House court against Christian Michel, the alleged middleman in the in the Agusta Westland case . David Syms, the partner of Christian Michel, has also been named as an accused. Some new individuals and firms have been named as accused in the chargesheet. Michel was extradited by Dubai and arrested in December last year. His statement records were also submitted and mentioned in the supplementary chargesheet. The court will consider the matter on April 6. It is alleged that bribes were paid to middlemen, perhaps even politicians, when India agreed to buy 12 AgustaWestland helicopters built by Italian defence manufacturing giant Finmeccanica (now known as the Leonardo group) at an estimated cost of 3,600 crore. Michel is among the three alleged middlemen being probed in the case by the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The others are Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa. The ED, which is probing this case along with the CBI, had filed a charge sheet against Michel in 2016 and had alleged that he received 30 million euros (about 225 crore) from AgustaWestland which was nothing but kickbacks to execute the 12-helicopter deal in favour of the firm in guise of of genuine transactions for performing multiple work contracts in the country. Under the now-scrapped deal with AugustaWestland, a subsidiary of Italian defence group Leonardo, formerly Finmeccanica, India agreed to buy 12 helicopters for ferrying VVIPs. The chopper deal was inked in February 2010 and scrapped four years later over allegations that bribes had exchanged hands. The CBI has alleged there was an estimated loss of about 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. China's COSCO Shipping has confirmed on Wednesday it will call at the port of Liverpool after a successful trial last October to offer its clients more efficient services between Britain and Canada. COSCO Shipping is to ship via the port of Liverpool, taking slots on an existing Canadian service via Montreal with Hong Kong-based shipping and logistics company OOCL. Alan Newell, Marketing and Sales General Manager of COSCO Shipping Lines (UK) Limited, said:"Our trial at the Port of Liverpool last year was very successful. On the strength of that we are looking to market slots to our customers with a view to growing traffic on the route." "It's clear that Liverpool has a lot of potential as a gateway for many cargo owners in the north of the UK and we are confident that we are capitalizing on this growing demand at the right time," Newell said. Mark Whitworth, CEO of Peel Ports, operator of Liverpool port, said: "Hundreds of cargo owners have already given their backing to the port as their natural trade gateway, and now more shipping lines are coming on board too." "In these uncertain times, one thing that is sure is Liverpool's prime location for serving the heart of the UK marketplace. We're confident that this is just the start with COSCO Shipping, especially with the recent success of our new MSC service," Whitworth said. India is a country where religious harmony has existed for centuries and a few incidents of violence cannot become symbolic of the entire nation, Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama said on Thursday. Asked about an alleged attack on a Muslim family in Gurugram recently, he said at a press conference in Delhi that he would like to take a wider view. He said a few mischievous people were present in all communities, including the Buddhists. There are always a few mischievous people, but that does not mean it is a symbol of that nation, he said. For thousands of years, religious harmony has existed in India, and the small Parsi community has been living in peace in a big city like Mumbai, he said. So, that is an example of what India is.... Also, I have never heard, among Indian Muslim community, problems among Shia and Sunni sects. But, in the next country, in the very name of Shia and Sunni, people are killing each other. He added, India should make some efforts to reduce conflict in the name of religion the world over. The Dalai Lama was in New Delhi for the launch of a SEE learning programme, a comprehensive framework for cultivation of social, emotional and ethical competencies, in association with Emory University. The government is likely to give tax exemption on ration money and risk and hardship allowances to the jawans of central paramilitary forces Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Central Industrial Sescurity Force (CISF), Border Security Force (BSF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Sahastra Seema Bal (SSB) ministry of home affairs officials familiar with the matter said. The move, when implemented, is expected to benefit about nine lakh personnel of the paramilitary forces, officials cited above said. They added that the finance ministry has given an assurance to the home ministry that it would consider the demand to exempt ration money allowance and risk and hardship allowance granted to paramilitary personnel from the purview of income tax. In a recent letter to the home ministry, the finance ministry conveyed that the longstanding demand of forces would be examined during the ensuring budgetary exercise. This was in response to a communication from the home ministry which raised the issue of tax exemption on ration money allowance given to paramilitary personnel on the basis of parity with other uniformed forces and Pay Commission recommendations. Personnel of defence forces, Assam Rifles and NSG are given free ration while personnel of CRPF, BSF, CISF, ITBP and SSB are granted Ration Money Allowance . Personnel of paramilitary forces up to non-gazetted ranks such as constable, head constable, assistant sub inspector, sub inspector and inspector are entitled to an RMA of Rs 3,000 per month. The 7th Pay Commission in its report has recommended that looking into the unique service conditions of paramilitary personnel and since RMA is granted in lieu of free ration, it should be exempt from tax. An HIV-positive woman allegedly hanged herself to death on Wednesday in Madhya Pradeshs Indore to avoid her yet-to-be-born child from being affected by the disease, police said on Thursday. The doctors in the district hospital got the delivery of the child done but the infant had died in the womb, the hospital officials said. Annapurna police station in-charge Ali said, The womans husband, who is also an HIV patient, told police that she was under depression due to her disease. He was sleeping when the woman took this extreme step. The husband said she was feeling bad as she had a miscarriage last year. She thought that it had happened due to her illness, he said. The woman has a five-year-old daughter from her first marriage. Ali also said that the woman lodged a complaint with police a few weeks ago accusing her uncle of sexually harassing her five-year-old daughter. The family members were exerting pressure on her to withdraw the case. Police are trying to find out the exact reason behind her death as she didnt leave behind any suicide note, Ali said. To understand why Madhya Pradesh (MP) was considered a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fortress, one has to visit Vidisha. An important seat of the Magadha empire in the 6th century, the town of 340,000 is today a centre of commerce in eastern MP where crumbing forts and cramped houses jostle for space. Save for the 1980 and 1984 elections, the BJP has held the Lok Sabha seat continuously since 1967. In the town, every second home has a member of working with the BJP, or its ideological fount, the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS). In 1967, when the Vidisha seat was formed, RSS leader S Sharma won on a Bharatiya Jan Sangh (BJS) ticket even though the Congress swept unified Madhya Pradesh. Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee won in 1991 and external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj has been the MP for last 10 years. In 1967, the RSS made its footprint visible in Vidisha and Neemuch (on the Rajasthan-MP border) as leader such as Kushabhau Thackarey and Vijayaraje Scindia worked extensively there. The RSS started working in Muslim-dominated areas, which we called Vidisha model, and then spread to other areas, said former MP chief minister Babulal Gaur, who joined the RSS in 1951 . Even when the Congress was in power between 1993 and 2003, the BJP never lost control of the area. And, during the 13 years of Shivraj Singh Chouhans administration, the party sunk its roots even deeper in the region. But in the December 2018 elections, the citadel was breached, with the Congress winning two of the eight assembly segments on its way to a surprise victory. The Congress won 114 seats in the 230-member assembly while the BJP won 109. The Congress did particularly well in the Gwalior-Chambal region, winning 26 out of 34 seats in an area where Congress general secretary Jyotiraditya Scindia holds sway. It also did reasonably well, winning 24 of 38 seats in chief minister Kamal Naths area of influence in Mahakaushal. The Congress gave the BJP taste of its own medicine in Madhya Pradesh mixing religion with development, said RSS old-timer and former state minister Sartaj Singh, who joined the Congress from the BJP before the assembly polls. And, with Lok Sabha polls round the corner, the Congress believes it can win a majority of the 29 seats in the state -- despite getting nearly routed in 2014. THE CONTEST In the run up to the assembly polls, the Congress campaign worked on a mix of religion and development. The party promised a pilgrimage circuit in Chitrakoot, more cow shelters while pledging higher crop prices, waiving farm loans and better business infrastructure. Congress chief Rahul Gandhi also made a highly publicised tour of the Mahakal Temple in Ujjain. The party believes this formula will work again in the 2019, and help it tide over a vote-share deficit with the BJP. Despite winning five more seats, the Congress was 0.13 percentage points behind the saffron party . If the Congress manages to retain anywhere close to this vote share, it will be a huge improvement from the 2014 election, when it got 35.35% votes as compared to 54.76% for the BJP. In the last 12 (Lok Sabha and assembly) elections since 1993, the Congress vote share has been higher than that of the BJPs only twice -- in the 1993 and 1998 state polls. In six Lok Sabha contests in this period, the BJPs vote share was three to 19 percentage points higher than that of the Congress. We got just 22 lakh less votes then the BJP (in 2018 assembly polls) and it was on account of large number of bogus voters in the list, said former chief minister and Congress candidate from Bhopal, Digvijaya Singh. More than that, he said, the people have not lost aspirations during the 70 days of Kamal Nath government, which has delivered on 83 promises. FARM DISTRESS On June 6, 2017, hundreds of farmers had gathered for a protest in Mandsaur, 350km from Bhopal, demanding higher crop prices, when the state police opened fire and killed five people. The angry demonstrators went on a rampage, pushing the farm crisis under the spotlight. A year later at the polls, the Congress campaign doubled down on the firings and the results, where the opposition party led in predominantly rural seats, showed farm distress was a big factor for the ouster of the Chouhan administration. Within days of coming to power, the Congress announced a farm-loan waiver for five million farmers, increased the social security pension from R300 to R1,000, announced and employment allowance of R4,000 per month with skill development for urban areas and incentive of R10,000 for industry for three years for employing a local. On top of it, we have Rahul Gandhis minimum income guarantee scheme which will be a game-changer, Singh said. But Chouhan thinks the Congress performance has made people realise their mistake (of voting out the BJP). In name of farm loan waiver, the Congress has lied. Announced farm loan waiver for all, kept aside R5,000 crore in the budget and gave only R1,300 crore. Even before the [Lok Sabha] elections were announced, people received messages saying their farm loan will be waived only after Lok Sabha polls because of model code, he said. Chouhan, who was CM for 13 years, also accused the Congress government of making transfer of officials a business in the state. Congress spokesperson Pankaj Chaturvedi refuted the claim and said necessary transfers were done in a transparent manner. In four districts -- Bhopal, Raisen, Vidisha and Sehore -- there appears to be some discontent over implementation of the schemes. In Sehore districts Khushamada village, Bhagmal Meena, a farmer, said he has got only 12,000 of his outstanding farm loan of 2.60 lakh has been waived. But there were many others who backed the Congress government. The government needs more time to implement their promises and I am hopeful that the promises will be delivered, said Pritiviraj Meena in Mirzapur village on the outskirts of Vidisha. SHIVRAJ FACTOR In his 13 years as chief minister, Chouhan created a following for himself and was often considered more popular than the party. Mama [as Shivraj is popularly called] gave us so much. He transferred money directly into our bank accounts, said Dharmendra Kirar, a farmer at Vidisha agriculture market. The Congress realises that targeting his image is key for electoral success and is, therefore, working on two fronts. According to a Congress strategist, the first is publically recalling his failures as the chief minister including draining of the state finances and the second is alleging that the BJP sidelined him after the loss. Those close to Shivraj are now opening fighting with those who opposed him. We will gain from this as the rebel faction will ensure that the BJP candidates lose, the Congress strategist said. Chouhan does not figure in many BJP posters but party leaders claim he is still the biggest vote catcher. How can we ignore him? asked BJP vice-president Vijesh Lunawat, who has been part of partys campaign team since 2003. The anger, if any, against him is over. Now people we see his work as against that of Kamal Nath. And that is a plus point for us. Political expert Girija Shankar said the BJP needs Chouhan if they have to beat the upbeat Congress, which was ahead in 12 of the 29 Lok Sabha seats in the state, if the assembly results are extrapolated. He (Chouhan) is the only BJP leader who can stem infighting in the party and boost morale of party workers before the polls. he said. CONGRESS STRATEGY The Congress is banking on the weaker sections to beat its previous best record of 12 seats in 2009 . The Congress government issued an ordinance on March 8 to increase the reservation for OBCs, who constitute about 45% , from the existing 14% to 27%. The decision was, however, stayed by the Madhya Pradesh high court but leaders said it will benefit the party. The government decided to give land rights to tribals, who constitute about 21.1% of the population, under the Forest Rights Act. As the BSP is not a big factor in MP, the Congress believes the scheduled castes, who are about 15%, will vote for the party. People now know we are for welfare of the backwards, said minority affairs minister Arif Akeel. The BJP believes the loss in assembly will prove to be an advantage as the baggage of 15 years in power is gone. The party has replaced its sitting MPs in seven of the 18 Lok Sabha seats for which candidates have been announced. Lunawat said now the Congress will be facing anti-incumbency because of poor governance by the Kamal Nath government and there will be pro-incumbency for Modi government. Our campaign will revolve around prime minister Narendra Modi. We will take up the issue of farm loan waiver not being provided and state government becoming defunct under Kamal Nath, he said. Madras High Court on Thursday dismissed the petition of Apollo Hospitals challenging setting up of the Commission of Inquiry to probe the circumstances leading to the death of J Jayalalithaa, then Tamil Nadu Chief Minister. The high court observed that the panel is empowered to look into the appropriateness and adequacy of the treatment provided by the hospital to Jayalalithaa, who died on December 5, 2016 after 75-days of treatment at Apollo hospital in Chennai. The Tamil Nadu government constituted the one member-panel, headed by Justice (Retired) Arumugha Swamy in September 2017 to inquire into the circumstances leading to her death. Halfway through the proceedings, Apollo demanded that a 21-member expert medical board be constituted to assist the panel on the correctness of medical procedures and protocols of the treatment. It approached the high court, seeking a stay on the panels proceedings till such a board was set up. Apollo also sought to quash the government order for setting up the panel. A division bench of the high court comprising Justices R Subbiah and Krishnan Ramasamy refused to stay the proceedings of the panel and quash the government order. The bench drew attention to the fact that Apollo Hospitals had not challenged the constitution of the inquiry commission at the initial state. The Judges rejected the argument that a retired judge was not competent to deal with complex and intricate medical treatment provided to Jayalalithaa and a body of professionals from the relevant field should be roped in. The bench, however, said that it is for the government to decide on the composition of the commission. In the same breath, the Bench rapped the panel for the innocuous and strange procedures adopted by it, like filing of an application/counter before the panel by its own counsel. The averments made by or on behalf of the commission are disturbing, the Judges said making it clear that they were unwarranted. The high court stated that the commission could have avoided adopting such a procedure and instead passed a suo motu order to either implead a particular person rather than filing an application before itself by its own counsel. With over 90 per cent of the work is over, the commission is expected to submit its report shortly. When the Dean of Madras Medical College had deputed a team of doctors, which is likely to submit a report to the commission, we decline the prayer, the bench said in its order. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee sharpened her attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday and claimed that he will do everything to defy Constitution if BJP is re-lected. The Trinamool Congress chief said that Modi has failed to keep his promises. Chaiwallah, who failed to fulfil promises, has now turned into a chowkidar to fool masses, news agency PTI quoted Mamata as saying at a rally in Bengals Coochbehar. On the National Register of Citizens (NRC), Mamata said Bengal will oppose it tooth and nail. We will never allow NRC in Bengal. Modi is no one to decide who will stay and who will leave, she said. The National Register of Citizens has been a contentious issue with over 4 million of the 32.9 million people in Assam left out of the NRC draft, released on July 30 last year. Also read: You are dragging issue: Supreme Court slams Assam govt at citizen register hearing Mamata had lashed out at Centre over the NRC draft and claimed it was a conspiracy to evict Bengalis and Biharis from Assam. We are worried because people are being made refugees in their own country. Its a plan to throw out Bengali speaking people and Biharis. Consequences will be felt in our state also, she had said after the release of the list last year. The Centre and the Assam government insisted that register is still a draft and that there is adequate recourse available to those not included. The NRC, which was first prepared for Assam in 1951, is being updated at the insistence of the Supreme Court, although it has been a longstanding demand of most political organisations in the state. The register is aimed at distinguishing the states citizens from illegal immigrants, mostly from Bangladesh. The first draft of the updated NRC, released on December 3, 2017 listed 19 million people. Also read | OPINION: The NRC has landed us in a mess In a speech that was peppered with multiple references to Pakistan, terror camps and strong India, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said it was necessary for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to return to power for a strong Bharat. Addressing a rally of around 10,000 people organised at Jhajhar village in Bulandshahr located amid three assembly segments Jewar, Sikandrabad and Khurja Singh said, Since we acted against terror on Pakistans soil, America also praised Bharat (India). It was because India is now one of the strongest countries in the world. The BJP has fielded sitting MP and Union Minister Dr Mahesh Sharma from Gautam Budh Nagar Lok Sabha constituency. Pakistans bad days have come due to its actions. When the Central Reserve Police Forces 42 soldiers were martyred, the Prime Minister called an immediate meeting. And then you saw how we destroyed terror camps on Pakistans soil. The important point is that since we believe in respecting our neighbours, we made sure Pakistans citizens were not hurt and also we did not attack Pakistans army. We only attacked terror camps, Singh said during his 40-minute speech. Taking a dig at the Congress over loan defaulters living in the country, he said, During the Congress rule, economic defaulters did not flee as they were sheltered. But now Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi, Vijay Mallya have fled because there is a chokkana (awakened) chowkidar ruling the country... We will drag them into court soon. There are more than four lakh Rajput voters in the Lok Sabha constituency and three members of the legislative assembly from Noida, Jewar and Sikandrabad are Rajputs. From Noida, Rajnaths son Pankaj Singh is an MLA, Jewar is represented by Thakur Dhirendra Singh while Vimla Solanki is an MLA from Sikandrabad. Sources said Rajputs were not happy with Sharma, so with the help of Rajnath Singh, the BJP is trying to influence Rajput voters. The home minister assured people that he will come back again to thank them for voting for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I bow my head and welcome you all here at this rally. In 2014, when India was having Lok Sabha elections, I was the president of the BJP. Then, I had appealed to vote for Dr Mahesh Sharma and you voted for Sharma. Therefore, once again, I bow my head and seek votes for Dr Sharma here. We dont have to explain how our government is functioning. People can debate what we did and what we did not, but nobody in the world can say that the Modi government was involved in corruption, Singh said. The Congress ruled this country for the longest period and there were allegations of corruption against every government of the Congress, he alleged. People cannot forget six years of the Vajpayee government. Nobody can say there was a spot of corruption. Similarly, in UP, be it Kalyan Singh regime or the time when I was CM, our government was never involved in corrupt practices unlike the Samajwadi Party, the Bahujan Samaj Party or the Congress, Singh claimed. Under Manmohan Singhs regime, they constructed only 25 lakh houses for the poor. Under Modi, we have built 1.3 crore houses for the poor in last 4.5 years... As per the International Monetary Fund (IMF), we will be at fifth place by the next financial year. I assure you, by 2028, our Bharat will leave behind Russia, America and China in economic prosperity, Singh vowed. India and Pakistan are not expected to hold any more meetings on the Kartarpur corridor before the countrys general elections as Islamabad is yet to respond to issues raised by New Delhi, people familiar with developments said on Thursday. On March 29, India called off the second meeting with Pakistan to discuss modalities for the corridor, which was scheduled for April 2, over the inclusion of pro-Khalistan activists such as Gopal Chawla and Bisan Singh in a Pakistani committee to facilitate Sikh pilgrims. Pakistan is yet to respond to concerns formally raised by India about the inclusion of pro-Khalistan activists in the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (PSGPC) and requests for clarifications on other issues, such as the number of pilgrims who will be allowed to use the corridor every day and visa-free visits to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistans Kartarpur, the people cited above said. It is unlikely any more meetings will be held before the elections, an official, who didnt want to be named, said. India is, however, hopeful a meeting of technical experts it has proposed to resolve outstanding issues at the zero point could go ahead. The experts can meet along the border and discuss these issues, the official added. Asked about the Kartarpur corridor at a regular news briefing, external affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said: We remain committed to realise the wishes and aspirations of the people, which flow out of the pending demand of Indian pilgrims to visit the Kartarpur gurdwara using the corridor in a safe, secure, smooth and easy manner. Though New Delhi had sought clarifications from Islamabad on several issues, the matter remains unaddressed by Pakistan, Kumar said. We had also shared our concerns on reports that controversial elements have been appointed by Pakistan to a committee which was to be associated with Kartarpur corridor. We are yet to receive a response from Pakistan, he added. The corridor will connect the gurdwara in Kartarpur the final resting place of Sikhisms founder Guru Nanak with Dera Baba Nanak in Indias Gurdaspur district. India and Pakistan have said they plan to open the corridor for Guru Nanaks 550th birth anniversary in November. As a political slugfest over a proposed review of the Armed Forces Special Forces Act (Afspa) rages between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress, former Northern Army Commander Lieutenant General D S Hooda said his recommendations to the Congress were broad, strategic in nature on a range of issues including internal security. General Hooda, who led the September 2016 cross-border strikes in Pakistan following the attack on the Uri Brigade headquarters, had presented a 42-page national security document to Congress president Rahul Gandhi. The document is not public yet. In its election manifesto released on Tuesday, the Congress had said that, if voted to power, it would review the Afspa and the Disturbed Areas Act 1976 enabling legislation for the implementation of AFSPA. The party said it would make suitable changes to balance the requirements of security and the protection of human rights. Afspa is a special law that protects forces against unnecessary litigation and investigation when they are deployed in an internal security role. The manifesto also said the party would review the deployment of armed forces in the Kashmir valley moving more troops to the border to check infiltration while reducing the presence of the Army and Central Armed Police Forces in the valley. Let us not take one issue like Afspa and swing everything around it. A broader strategy to deal with Kashmir has several facets, he said. He added that Afspa did not figure in the recommendations made by him, although he had looked at internal conflicts and the Jammu and Kashmir situation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had hit out at the Congress at a rally in Kolkata on Wednesday. The Congress in its manifesto, which is full of lies, has promised to remove the law that protects our forces in terror-affected areas. Removing this will help Pakistan, he had said. Later, defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman attacked the Congress, saying the move to amend AFSPA would demoralize the military. The Congress was trying to help separatists, directly and indirectly, she told reporters on Wednesday. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Pakistani authorities forced a SpiceJet cargo plane on its way from Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates to Afghanistans Kabul to turn back after it entered Pakistans airspace on Wednesday, two officials familiar with the matter said. Islamabad opened its airspace in phases in March after closing it following the Indian airstrike on a terror camp in Pakistan on February 26. Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) officials said the Pakistani airspace is closed for flights originating from India. The pilot must have thought that the flight can enter the Pakistani airspace as it was neither destined to nor coming from India, they added. It was a Boeing 737 cargo plane with registration number VT- SFB. SpiceJet launched cargo flights from January and it has been going to Afghanistan and Hong Kong regularly. The pilot has submitted the information to the DGCA and once he returns, we might ask for more details, a DGCA official said on condition of anonymity. India carried out the airstrike in Balakot after Pakistan-based Jasih-e-Mohammad claimed responsibility for the February 14 attack on a paramilitary convoy that left 40 security personnel dead in Jammu and Kashmirs Pulwama district. Pakistan retaliated on February 27, downed a fighter jet and captured Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot Abhinandan Varthaman before releasing him two days later. Air India, for instance, has been spending about 15 lakh extra per flight to the US and Europe due to extra flying time because of the Pakistan airspace closure, as the tensions have continued between New Delhi and Islamabad with frequent cross-border firing since the air strike. Repeated text messages and calls to DGCA chief BS Bhullar and SpiceJet about Pakistans refusal to let the cargo plane use its airspace remained unanswered. Another DGCA official said the SpiceJet plane was sent back as it was an Indian registered aircraft. Pakistan has never specified that it has closed airspace for Indian registered aircraft no matter from where they are coming. If this is official, we will issue an advisory for Indian carriers. Flightradar24, a Swedish internet-based service that shows real-time commercial aircraft flight information on a map, showed active flight movements on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. It also showed the SpiceJet aircraft on its way to Kabul from Sharjah and later returning midway. Not allowing flight into the airspace is not a violation of any international rule as Pakistan might be doing this due to safety reason, said Mohan Ranganathan, an aviation safety expert. The closure of the Pakistani airspace has also led to a sharp increase in fares by 40-50% for same-day and, in some cases, up to 200% for last-minute fares, according to travel website executives. Imports and exports have also become costlier as cargo planes, too, have to take detours. SpiceJet announced dedicated freighter services between Guwahati and Hong Kong on January 18 this year under the brand name of SpiceXpress. The first flight took off on January 19 from Guwahati carrying a consignment of fresh fruits and vegetables. The company has deployed Boeing 737 freighters on the route with an approximate carrying capacity of 18 tonnes. The World Trade Organization (WTO) has recently examined and approved the China's Hong Kong-Macao Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) to ensure that the agreement is in lines with the WTO rules, the government of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) said in a press release on Wednesday. At the WTO meeting held on Monday, both the representatives from the Macao SAR government and the Hong Kong SAR government presented the objectives and contents of the Hong Kong-Macao CEPA, which was signed in October 2017 to strengthen trade relations and exchanges of technical cooperation between Macao and Hong Kong. The Hong Kong-Macao CEPA is a free-trade agreement with the characteristics of the principle of "one country, two systems", which also complies with the WTO rules, the representatives said at the meeting, according to the press release. The Hong Kong-Macao CEPA mainly covers expansion of trade in goods and services, simplification of customs procedures, collaboration in matters relating to intellectual property, and establishment of a work program on economic and technical cooperation. Under the arrangement, Hong Kong is to make available to Macao service suppliers a further 105 service sectors in Hong Kong, while Macao is to make available an additional 72 service sectors in Macao to Hong Kong service suppliers. The release of the biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi which was slated to hit the theatres tomorrow has been postponed. Sandip Singh, the producer of the film tweeted, This is to confirm, our film PM Narendra Modi is not releasing on 5th April. Will update soon. The decision to delay the release of the film came hours after the Supreme Court agreed to hear a writ petition against its release. The director of the film Omung Kumar told ANI that the film will be released soon. We dont want to tell you the date now. Opposition had come forward, tried things. Its late but we know what date to release it on, he said. The film starring Vivek Oberoi follows Modis life from his humble beginning to his rise first as the Gujarat chief minister and then as the Prime Minister. Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who represented a party leader who filed the case, said that the release of the film produced by people connected to ruling party would affect free and fair elections. A Supreme Court bench headed by Justice SA Bobde will hear the plea on Monday. The matter reached the Supreme Court after three high courts refused to interfere with the release of the movie. The high courts of Madhya Pradesh, Bombay and Delhi have disposed off similar pleas over past few days. The Congress and the Left complained to the Election Commission of India against the release of the film saying it violates the Model Code of Conduct. The United Arab Emirates announced on Thursday it will award its highest civilian honour to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his pivotal role in boosting the strategic relationship between the two countries. UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan made the announcement about the Zayed Medal, the highest decoration awarded to kings, presidents and heads of states, being given to Modi. We have historical and comprehensive strategic ties with India, reinforced by the pivotal role of my dear friend, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who gave these relations a big boost. In appreciation of his efforts, the UAE President grants him the Zayed Medal, Crown Prince Mohamed Bin Zayed tweeted. Tweeting his response to the Crown Prince, Modi said he accepted the honour with utmost humility. He added, Under your visionary leadership, our strategic ties have reached new heights. This friendship is contributing to the peace and prosperity of our people and planet. Modi is likely to make a brief visit to the UAE on April 20 to receive the award and join the foundation stone laying ceremony of BAPS Hindu Mandir, the first temple in the West Asian country, people familiar with developments said. The trip, if it goes through, will be PM Modis last foreign visit in the current term and is expected to be hours-long, they added. There was no official word on the visit. Asked about the matter at a regular news briefing, external affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said: As and when the next visit is planned, we will share the details with you as per the established norms. India, he said, has a strategic partnership with the UAE that has been strengthened in recent years. Exchange of high-level visits between India and the UAE is an important component of this strategic partnership, he added. In 2017, the Crown Prince had gifted nearly 14 acres at Abu Mureikheh, midway between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, for building the temple. The Crown Prince, also deputy supreme commander of the UAEs armed forces, said granting the Zayed Medal to Modi reflects the countrys appreciation for his role and efforts in developing friendly relations and extending bridges of cooperation. The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a writ petition against the release of a biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The top court will hear the plea on Monday. The film follows PM Modis life from his humble beginning to his rise first as the Gujarat chief minister and then electoral victory in 2014, catapulting him as the prime minister. The Congress and the Left complained to the Election Commission of India against the release of the film, saying it violates the Model Code of Conduct. Arguing on the behalf of petitioner senior advocate and Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi contended in the Supreme Court that while the poll code is in place, release of the film, produced by people connected to ruling party, would affect free and fair polls. Congress spokesperson Aman Panwar has filed a petition in the top court seeking stay on the release of the film on PM Modi. A bench headed by Justice SA Bobde will hear the plea on Monday. The matter has reached the Supreme Court after three high courts refused to interfere with the release of the movie starring Vivek Oberoi, who plays the character of PM Modi. The high courts of Madhya Pradesh, Bombay and Delhi have disposed off similar pleas over past few days. The high courts have stated that the Election Commission should take a call on deferring the release of the film. Desperately short of fighters, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is moving the government to buy an additional 21 Russian-made MiG -29 ground attack and air-defence aircraft, a senior official with knowledge of the development said. IAF needs a minimum of 42 squadrons [each comprising 16 -18 fighters], but has only 30. More squadrons will be decommissioned in the coming months. India is expected to get first Rafale fighter jets the French-made medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) in September 2019. The Indian Air Force already has three squadrons of MiG-29. All three are positioned along the western borders. The Indian Navy too uses the naval version of the MiG-29 fighters. They are positioned on the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya. Earlier, in February 2019, a team of senior Indian Air Force officials rushed to Russia to examine the fleet of the MiG 29 fighters. The airframes are ready and Russia has promised to deliver all 21 fighters within 18 months, the senior IAF official who asked not to be named said. The air-frames are ready and available in Russia. The 21 MiG -29 are upgraded with a more effective radar system, controls, and avionics systems, dorsal and wing tanks, and air-to-air refueling making the aircraft 4.5 generation fighters the ones that first appeared on the scene between 1990 and 2000. It costs 285-300 crore per fighter. The price is extremely competitive, another senior defence ministry official said. The endurance of the aircraft is now nearly 5 hours with the additional fuel tanks. The Indian Air Force is also flagging its MiG-29 repair and maintenance facility, based in Ozar, Nashik, to the government as one of the positives. We do not need to set up a fresh facility to maintain the fighters. In addition, the Ozar facility has ensured that at least 75% of the fleet is always available for operational deployment, the second official said. Importantly, the IAF already has crew and maintenance staff trained. Induction of the fighters will not require a fresh effort, the official added. Twenty-eight hours after an eight-year-old girl, Seema, fell into a 60-feet deep borewell in Farrukhabad, rescue operations continued late on Thursday evening with the army and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams facing obstacles in their efforts in the form of loose soil. According to rescue officials, operations had to be stopped for a few hours on Thursday, as loose soil and sand did not allow the team to dig a parallel borewell near the first one for more than 30 feet. Two army personnel who got trapped after the soil caved in while digging were rescued with the help of a rope. Farrukhabad SP Anil Mishra said a team of 40 army personnel from Agra and a 15-member team of NDRF from Lucknow arrived to join the operation. An Allahabad high court registrars note has directed the court staff to pay the highest respect to the judges and stop whenever they see them walking past in the court gallery. The notice on Wednesday warned the staff that any deviation in this regard will be viewed seriously. It has often been noticed that while Honble judges pass through [sic] the galleries for sittings in the court and also retiring to their lordships chambers, the officials/officers passing in the way [sic] do not stop to wait for the Honble judges to cross them [sic], which is clearly an act of disrespect, the registrar said. It is therefore directed that the officials/officers while passing through [sic] the galleries meant for the movement of the Honble judges shall stop whenever they see that the Honble judges are passing through [sic] the galleries and pay the highest respect to their Lordships. As per the tradition, everyone would stop as a mark of respect to judges whenever they walked past for court sittings or retiring to their chambers, the registrar noted. However, of late it has been noticed by the high court administration that this graceful tradition is being ignored, read the order. It called this a clear case of disrespect to judges. Lawyer Sujan Singh Chauhan said, Officers of high court must give due respect to judges and there is nothing wrong in passing such a direction. The Supreme Court has remarked that judges should be addressed in courts in a respectful and dignified manner. Businessman Ratul Puri is being questioned by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case, a government official said on Thursday. Puri was summoned by the ED in a money laundering case as part of the AgustaWestland probe. Puri has, however, denied any wrongdoing on his part related to the AgustaWestland chopper case. I am cooperating with the investigation. I have no connection with AgustaWestland or defence. I run an independent business. I have no business dealings with any relative of mine, Puri was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. The ED summoned Puri as follow up of the leads emerging from the questioning of Sushen Mohan Gupta, a middleman arrested in the AgustaWestland case. His custody was extended by three more days by a Delhi court. The special public prosecutors DP Singh and NK Matta told Special Judge Arvind Kumar that Guptas extended custody was required to confront him with others, including Puri in the scrapped 3,600 crore chopper deal. According to ED officials familiar with the matter, Puris name cropped up in a statement recorded by Dubai-based businessman Rajeev Saxena, who turned approver in the case after being deported from the United Arab Emirates. Puri, the chairman of Hindustan Powerprojects Pvt Ltd, is the nephew of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath. Hindustan Powerprojects Pvt Ltd issued a statement saying, Ratul Puri issues a categorical denial of having any connection or involvement of any kind in defence or AgustaWestland case. He would be fully cooperating with the ED investigation and provide any clarification or information as may be required, the company said. The AgustaWestland deal, cleared by the previous UPA government in 2010, was done for the purchase of choppers for the transport of VVIPs. Three years later, the UPA government scrapped the deal over allegations of corruption and kick backs being paid in the deal. The ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) are probing the case. The two central agencies have already filed multiple charge-sheets in the case. Ahead of the first phase of polling in Jammu and Kashmir, the authorities have shut seven educational institutions for eight days in north Kashmirs Baramulla district. Officials said the educational institutions were closed to accommodate security forces who would be performing election duties on the day of polling. Additional district magistrate of Sopore issued an order for closing down seven educational institutions from April 5 to April 12. The educational institutions which will remain shut are - Wadoora Complex of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST), Degree College Hadipora, Boys Higher Secondary School Sopore, Girls Higher Secondary School Dangiwacha, Degree College Sopore, Higher Secondary School Dangiwacha and Higher Secondary School Edipora. In the first phase of elections to be held on April 11, the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat will go for polls. The officials said that more than 100 additional companies of security forces were deployed in different parts of the Valley for peaceful elections. Most of the additional forces are currently deployed in three districts, Baramulla, Bandipore and Kupwara which are part of the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat and the forces will be deployed in these educational institutions and other government buildings. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on Thursday conferred with United Arab Emiratess highest civilian decoration, the Order of Zayed, awarded to those who contribute to international leadership in strengthening relations with the country. We have historical and comprehensive strategic ties with India, reinforced by the pivotal role of my dear friend, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who gave these relations a big boost. In appreciation of his efforts, the UAE President grants him the Zayed Medal, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, announced on Twitter. As an International statesman, he (PM Modi) has given a new direction to this (ties with the UAE) relation and today Indias relations with whole Islamic world is at its best, a statement said. WATCH: PM Modi conferred with UAEs highest civilian honour Among the past recipients of this award are Russian president Vladimir Putin, former US president George W Bush, French leader Nicolas Sarkozy and German politician Angela Merkel. Lauding Modis role as the prime minister , the statement added: In India, he has given a government which is for all and includes everyone in such a diverse country having people with different religion, different language and different culture. Just a few days back, the UAE had deported Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist Nisar Tantray accused of being a key conspirator in the 2017 attack on the Pulwama Lethpora CRPF camp. Tantrays deportation was seen as another example of deepening security cooperation with West Asia countries over the last few years, particularly Saudi Arabia and UAE. External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj welcomed the announcement and tweeted saying this was in recognition of Prime Ministers stellar role in ushering in a new era of strategic partnership between the two countries. I am extremely happy to welcome the announcement of Order of Zayed for a great son of India Prime Minister @narendramodi by His Highness. This is in recognition of Prime Ministers stellar role in ushering in a new era of strategic partnership with UAE and the best ever relations with the Islamic world. On behalf of the people of India, I express our deep sense of gratitude to His Highness the President, His Highness the Crown Prince of UAE for this great honour. With this, you have honoured India and the people of India, she tweeted in a three-part series of tweets. Union minister of state for external affairs General (Retired) VK Singh triggered a controversy on Thursday after he purportedly told a television channel that anyone who called the Indian Army the army of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not only wrong, but also a traitor a statement he later denied. Talking to BBC Hindi, Singh allegedly said, If someone says that the Indian Army is Modis army, then he is not only wrong but also a traitor to the country. Indias Army belongs to the country, it does not belong to a political party. Singhs statement comes in the wake of the Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanaths remark during a rally on April 1. The Congress government used to serve biryani to terrorists and Modi jis army sends bullets and bombs their way, Adityanath had said. The Election Commission of India on Wednesday issued a notice to Adityanath for this remark. Later, Singh slammed the BBC, invoking, once again, the presstitute word. BBC has done the same thing for which I had used the presstitute word. I have a record of what I said. Either the reporter was sleeping or he deliberately cut and pasted things to make a wrong statement, he tweeted, asking how much money was given for this distortion of his comment. Activity in China's service sector, measured by a private purchasing managers index for the service sector, rose to a 14-month high in March, indicating that government stimulus policies are gradually taking effect. Analysts said emerging signs of Chinese economic stabilization mean the world's second-largest economy is expected to play an important role in helping anchor the world economy, which, as IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde cautioned, is at a "delicate moment". The Caixin/Markit services PMI, released on Wednesday, rose to 54.4, the highest since January 2018. It was 51.1 in February, the lowest in four months. A reading above 50 indicates expansion while below it indicates contraction. The private survey results are in line with the official PMI reading for the service sector in March, which was 54.8, up from 54.3 in February, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. The official manufacturing PMI also rose to 50.5 in March from 49.2 the previous month. As manufacturing and service activities picked up, analysts generally pointed to a recovering economy thanks to a series of supportive policies from the government since last year. "We believe sentiment has improved and Beijing's stimulus has been gradually kicking in," said a research note by Nomura, a global securities firm. "China's economic fundamentals recovered in March, with domestic and external demand as well as manufacturing employment improving," said Zhong Zhengsheng, director of macroeconomic analysis at CEBM Group, a subsidiary of Beijing-based media group Caixin. The Asian Development Bank said in a report released on Wednesday that China's economic growth is expected to be stable at 6.3 percent this year, unchanged from the previous forecast. Given signs of slowing global economic growth, much attention has been paid to the development of China's economy, which generally contributes about 30 percent to global growth annually. "China has been an important engine for global growth in recent years," said Liang Haiming, dean of Hainan University Belt and Road Research Institute. "Given the Chinese economy's weight in global growth, if it stabilizes, it will play a very positive role in boosting global trade and growth," said Liang, who is also chairman of the China Silk Road iValley Research Institute. In a speech on Tuesday, Lagarde expressed her concerns over uncertainties facing the global economy. She said a rebound later this year could happen but it is "precarious", vulnerable to downside risks. "So indeed, this is a delicate moment that requires us to handle with care," she said. "This means that we must not only avoid policy missteps, but also be sure to take the right policy steps." The IMF chief said not everyone has benefited from trade integration, and there are "distortions" in the trade system that need to be addressed. "We also know that trade barriers are not the answer," she said, adding that it is very important to avoid missteps in that sphere. The Lok Sabha election results in 2014 were the Congresss worst in Maharashtra. The party managed to win just two seats Nanded and Hingoli both from Central Maharashtra or Marathwada. The one common factor for both seats: Ashok Chavan. The former chief minister who was still recovering from a setback after his unceremonious exit as CM owing to the Adarsh housing society controversy, not only won in his Nanded constituency, but also helped colleague Rajiv Satav win from neighbouring Hingoli (some part of Hingoli is under Chavans influence). His contribution gave Congress a little respite in the state it was born. Chavan was soon rewarded with the post of state Congress chief and with the expectation that he would revive the fortunes of the party in a state, once considered a Congress bastion. This elections are now an acid test of Chavans skills. With rebellions, infighting and ego tussles among senior leaders in the party, the Congress is not exactly doing well in the state. There are, however, expectations that the party would improve its tally in the region that gave it two seats even at the height of the Modi wave. The ground reality, however, is not very encouraging for the party. Nanded battle: Chavan has a clear edge Chavan was not keen on contesting Lok Sabha elections from Nanded as he wanted to contest the state Assembly elections to be held later this year. He had requested that the party should give the ticket to his legislator wife Ameeta. However, the party leadership asked him to contest the election. Reluctantly, Chavan has joined the fray and has already started campaigning. The Chavan family has a stronghold in Nanded, thanks to the infrastructure and development projects implemented by late Shankarrao Chavan and Ashok, his son during their tenure as chief ministers of Maharashtra (This is the only case of a father and son becoming chief minister of Maharashtra). During senior Chavans tenure, Vishnupuri dam was constructed ensuring there is no dearth of water even after scarce rainfall. Lots of infrastructure development was undertaken during Ashok Chavans tenures as well. We also have a state-of-the-art medical college, a special economic zone and airport with night-landing facility. A total of 84 trains pass through the city daily. Chavans have played a key role in this development, said a Nanded-based Congress leader who is close to Chavan. Congress has three sitting MLAs in the district, including Ameeta Chavan. The party expects the vote margin to increase this time as the BJP has fielded Pratap Chikhlikar, a Sena MLA from the adjoining Latur district, who is now being described as an imported candidate by Chavan supporters. While BJP managed to win civic bodies in the region, the Congress retained its hold over Nanded Municipal Corporation even though CM Devendra Fadnavis was involved. Significantly, the person who was handling the civic election for BJP then was Chikhlikar, who is now Chavans opponent. Party not sure about performance in Marathawada Chavans challenge is to retain two seats and also winning more from Marathwada region. Bickering within the party, division of votes by the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), a front floated by Prakash Ambedkar and Asaduddin Owaisi, and polarisation owing to communal riots has made the task difficult. Of the eight constituencies in Marathwada, five (Nanded, Hingoli, Aurangabad, Latur and Jalna) are with Congress and the rest are being fought by the NCP. Districts like Aurangabad, Parbhani still witness communal tensions on various occasions leading to the polarisation of votes. Two communal riots in Aurangabad last year, protest rallies by Maratha, Dhangar, Lingayat communities for reservation-related issues in the region of late, will have an impact in the Lok Sabha election. As of now, his Nanded seat is believed to be in Congresss favour as Chavan family has maintained its citadel even when the saffron aggression was taking over in local bodies and other electoral politics. But the same is the not case with the adjoining Hingoli constituency, perceived to be won because of Chavans election management last time. However the differences between Chavan and Satav, developed later the elections, has jeopardised prospects of Hingoli, said senior Congress leader from Marathwada. Satav opted out of the fray. According to Congress insiders, the partys Hingoli candidate, Subhash Wankhede, was Satavs choice against the will of Chavan. The local Congress unit is unhappy for imposing a candidate who had contested the 2014 election against Satav on a Shiv Sena ticket. The division within the Congress ranks make the fate of its candidate uncertain. In Aurgangabad, Chavan could not stop party MLA Abdul Sattars rebellion against partys official candidate Subhash Zambad. On Wednesday, Sattar filed his nomination as an independent candidate. This will damage the prospect of the party candidate. The VBA has fielded sitting MLA Imtiyaaz Jalil as its candidate. Both Sattar and Jalil are expected to eat into Congresss votes. It makes the position of Sena candidate, sitting MP Chandrakant Khairem strong. Our development works in infrastructure, sanitation and water supply will win us votes. It is true that Jalil and Sattar will get Muslim votes, making my victory easier, said Sena candidate and sitting MP Chandrakant Khaire, who is banking majorly on Hindu votes. According to the Congress leaders in Jalna and Latur constituencies are more favourable to the BJP. BJPs state president Raosaheb Danve is contesting from Jalna and he is a strong contender. In Latur, though both the candidates are new, BJP has power in local body and have more sitting MLAs making it favourable to the ruling party,said a Congress leader. Chavan says that it was too early to predict anything about the Marathwada seats. The picture will be clear in next few days but our endeavour will be to win maximum seats from Marathwada. It is true that there was rebellion in Aurangabad, but we are trying to convince Sattar to support party candidate. I do not have any differences with Rajiv Satav and we will win the Hingoli seat too,he said. He is also confident that the VBA would not be able to damage the prospects of the Congress-NCP candidates. Though Prakash Ambedkar did not join us, we have other smaller parties helping us to avoid division of votes, he insisted. For the past few weeks, 23-year-old Rajool Patil, a first-year law student at Ruparel college, has been shadowing her father, Sanjay Dina Patil, who is the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) candidate from Mumbai North East. She has been part of his campaign at housing societies, involved in gatherings with party workers and also an active member of meetings held at his Bhandup office. The response we have been getting is amazing. People really want a change, says Rajool, who wishes to follow her fathers footsteps someday. I am actively involved in social work. Politics is a helping hand to further it. So why not? she quips. Even her grandfather, Dina Bama Patil, was an MLA and her mother, Pallavi Patil is actively involved with the party. A former MP and MLA Sanjay Patil says, She is doing all the ground work of organising meetings and responding to people if I am not available. As the campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections heats up, young turks like Rajool are also making their plunge into politics. Amol Kirtikar is also actively involved in this election. Kirtikar is the son of Gajanan Kirtikar, sitting MP and Shiv Sena candidate from Mumbai North West. Amol says, I have been supporting my dad since he was contesting the Assembly elections in 1995. I have held the post of general secretary of the Yuva Sena (Senas youth wing) since it started seven years back. However, I have been doing social work even before that and politics is the best way to do it. He further adds: In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, I had conducted street plays to reach out to all six Assembly constituencies of North West Mumbai. This time, we are in constant touch with youngsters or first-time voters to make them aware of exercising their voting rights. I am also conducting meetings with several religious communities. Amol says that he is aspiring to contest the Assembly elections this year. He has formed a core team directed to interact with the youth in the constituency. Dynasty politics is not uncommon in a state like Maharashtra where entire families are involved in the race for power. The term has been viewed negatively in the past few years but the next generation says that it is their next natural step. I have grown up in this set-up. I dont think my day will end unless I have met people from the constituency, says Rajool. Amol holds a similar view. He says, Just because I have an influential surname does not mean that I do not have to prove my worth in this field. Politics has been a major influence in my life because of which I chose to be a part of it, whereas my siblings are far away from politics. However, I am well aware that this dynasty politics will always be associated with me no matter how well I am doing in my career. Some members of gen-next have also tasted electoral success. Varsha, who is the daughter of Eknath Gaikwad, a former MP and Congress candidate from Mumbai South Central, is a three-time MLA from Dharavi. Neil Somaiya, son of sitting MP from Mumbai North East, Kirit Somaiya, won the civic elections from Mulund in 2017. Chinmay Sawant, 31, has also been campaigning for his father, Arvind Sawant, sitting MP from Mumbai South constituency and the Senas candidate for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls from the same constituency. An associate from Sawants team said, Chinmay is seen accompanying his father for many campaigns in his constituency. He has not started any independent campaigns on behalf of his father, but accompanies the team whenever it is possible. (With inputs from Sagar Pillai and Eeshanpriya MS) Amit Shah, the Bharatiya Janata Party president, has said the doors of the National Democratic Alliance are forever shut for N Chandrababu Naidus Telugu Desam Party. The NDA led by Narendra Modi is going to come back to power at the Centre. One wont be surprised if the TDP makes an attempt to get back into the NDA fold once again. But, Mr Chandrababu Naidu, I want to make one thing clear. There is no question of allowing you back into the NDA. The doors are shut for you permanently, Shah said on Thursday at an election rally in Andhra Pradeshs Guntur district. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu was a key member of the NDA, national alliance that the BJP leads till he parted ways in March 2018 over the demand for special category status for the state. Addressing the public rally at Narsaraopet in Guntur district, Shah targeted naidu saying there was no bigger opportunist than the Andhra Pradesh chief minister. Naidu would change colours as and when it suited him, the BJP president charged. The BJP president said that the NDA government had extended massive financial assistance to Andhra Pradesh in the last five years and implemented majority of the promises made in AP Reorganisation Act. What has Naidu done during this period, except promoting his son as his heir apparent? Could he implement even a single project without Modis support, Shah said. He alleged that the construction of capital Amaravati and major irrigation project Polavaram could not be completed despite liberal assistance by the Centre. Naidu indulged in huge corruption in these projects. They can be completed only if the TDP is thrown out of power in the state, he said. Shah also referred to political developments of 1983, when Naidu quit the Congress and joined the TDP founded by NT Rama Rao. In 1995, he back-stabbed his own father-in-law and usurped the party. In 1999, he joined hands with the NDA government headed by Atal Behari Vajpayee and when the NDA lost power in 2004, the TDP chief deserted it, said Shah. Naidu came back to the NDA in 2014 ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Shah claimed that Naidus TDP came to power in Andhra Pradesh on the back of the Modi wave for in 2014. Last year, sensing that he was facing a strong anti-incumbency, Naidu once again enacted a new drama and came out of the NDA, to fool the people, he alleged. In the recent elections in Telangana, Naidus TDP allied with the Congress. Shah said when the TDP lost the assembly elections in Telangana polling less than three per cent votes, Naidu snapped ties with the Congress and refused to have an alliance with the grand-old-party in Andhra Pradesh elections. Naidu has been at the forefront in the Opposition camp attempting to present a united front against the BJP-led ruling coalition in the national election. He was instrumental in two mega rallies of the Opposition leaders, first in Kolkata and then in New Delhi before the Election Commission announced the Lok Sabha poll schedule. In his comeback, Shah said, The opposition alliance has no leader, no principles, no philosophy, no identity and no values. Andhra Pradesh will vote for all 25 Lok Sabha and 175 assembly seats in the first phase of the parliamentary elections on April 11. Questioning a statement years back by then prime minister Manmohan Singh, chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday said if Muslims have the first right over the countrys resources what happens to the Scheduled Castes, Jats and Gujjars. Adityanath recalled Singhs 2006 statement at a rally in Baghpat in western Uttar Pradesh, a region where, some estimates say, about 25% of the voters are Gujjars and Jats. Former prime minister Manmohan Singh had said that the first right over the resources of the country is of Muslims. If Muslims have the first right, where will the Scheduled Castes, Jats, Gujjars and other people go? Adityanath said. Manmohan Singh had made the remark while addressing a meeting of the National Development Council. We will have to devise innovative plans to ensure that minorities, particularly the Muslim minority, are empowered to share equitably the fruits of development. These must have the first claim on resources, Singh had said. At another election rally at Garhi Kataiyya village in Loni, Ghaziabad, Adityanath said, We never said that the first right over the countrys resources is of any person or a community. We said that the first right is of villages, the poor, the youth, the women and all classes of the society. In his speech, Adityanath slammed the Congresss 2019 election manifesto by calling it the manifesto of some enemy country. When the whole country is holding its head high after the bravery of our soldiers, they (Congress) are speaking the language of Pakistan. They say if they come to power, they will take special powers of the forces from Jammu & Kashmir and NorthEastern states. And this will flare up terrorism, naxalism and separatism once again, Adityanath said. This act by the countrys political party is a breach of national security. There can be nothing more shameful as the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party are also supporting them, he said. The Congress manifesto is a bunch of lies and they are planning to play with the countrys security. It will undermine the national security. So the Congress needs to be rejected, he maintained. Adityanath lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modis leadership and said India is establishing its own place in the world. India has established itself as a world power and it is also becoming an economic as well as strategic power. India has taught a lesson to its enemies. You must have seen it through the surgical strike and the airstrikes that how the back of Pakistan was broken and how terrorism is dying its death. This was possible under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, he said. President Ram Nath Kovind has forwarded to the Centre a complaint by the Election Commission against Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh, news agency ANI reported. The Election Commission had written a letter to the President stating that the Governor violated the model code of conduct by praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a meeting with some BJP workers. At a meeting with the BJP workers, Kalyan Singh had reportedly referred to himself as a BJP worker. On Monday, the election commission had concluded that Singhs remarks in favour of Narendra Modis return as the prime minister had violated the model code of conduct. The Election Commission had to write to the President of India since Singh holds a constitutional post, which requires him to be apolitical. Singh, while addressing BJP workers at Aligarh had reportedly said that it was necessary for Modi to become the prime minister again. All of us are BJP workers and we want the party to win. We want Modiji to become the prime minister. It is necessary that Modiji becomes the prime minister again, Singh is reported to have told the gathering. The last time the Election Commission had taken exception to a sitting Governors remarks was in the 1990s when the Himachal Pradesh Governor Gulsher Ahmed reportedly campaigned for his son. Ahmed had to resign from his position as Governor after the Election Commission indicted him. Among the three Hindi belt states that went to the polls Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh the Congress was expected to have the best prospects in Rajasthan in the 2018 assembly elections. The state has a history of alternating between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) since 1993. While Congress did win the polls, its performance according to many commentators was lacklustre since it only got a 0.5 percentage point lead over BJP in terms of vote share and stopped one short of the halfway mark in the assembly. If the 2018 results were to be extrapolated at the Parliamentary Constituency level, BJP would have got 13 seats, while Congress would have got 12. This lent credibility to the belief that Rajasthan could swing back towards the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections, as the state government and not the central government was the reason for anti-incumbency. Two sets of statistics, however, suggest that a BJP bounceback is less likely in the state. One, 12 out of the 13 independent MLAs elected in the assembly have joined the Congress after it formed the government in Rajasthan. The 12 MLAs are from the following constituencies: Sri Ganganagar, Khandela, Shahpura, Dudu, Bassi, Behror, Thanagazi, Gangapur, Kishangarh, Marwar Junction, Sirohi, and Kushalgarh. If their votes were to be added to the Congress, its lead vis-a-vis the BJP widens significantly (2.8 percentage points compared to 0.5 without the independents). Once the inductions in the Congress are factored in, the extrapolated PC results also look very different, with the Congress winning 16 of the 25 seats. See Chart 1: Vote share and extrapolated PC-wise seat share of Congress BJP before and after induction Also, electoral trends since 1998 suggest that Rajasthan is unlikely to swing radically between the assembly and subsequent Lok Sabha elections. In fact, since 1998, the state has bucked the assembly trend in the next Lok Sabha only once in 1999. The anatomy of that result was extremely interesting. While the Congress retained its assembly vote share of 45%, the BJP was able to consolidate almost the entire Opposition vote share. See Chart 2: Assembly and Lok Sabha trends Also watch | Appeasement politics: Modis charge at Congress over AFSPA promise Congress president Rahul Gandhi will file his nomination papers from the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat in Kerala, the second constituency he is contesting apart from his traditional stronghold of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh, on Thursday morning. Accompanied by his sister and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi, the Congress president got a rousing reception at the Kozhikode international airport on Wednesday night. Police and special protection group personnel had a tough time keeping the crowd under check. Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi finally left the airport through a special gate. The Congress chief will embark on a two-hour road show before filing the nomination papers at 11am, state opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said. Congress general secretaries KC Venugopal and Mukul Wasnik are camping in the district to oversee arrangements. Party leaders said Rahul Gandhi will visit Wayanad again once or twice for campaigning after filing his nomination papers, adding Priyanka will canvass in the constituency for a couple of days. They said since Rahul Gandhi is busy campaigning in other parts of the country, leaders have advised him to not spend too much time in a relatively safer constituency. According to party leaders, the Congress presidents entry has electrified the poll scene in the state. Political pundits say Rahul Gandhis selection of Wayanad constituency, a strategically important trijunction in Kerala which shares borders with Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, will help the Congress to consolidate its position in the south and pip the BJPs possible advantage in north India. In Wayanad, Gandhi is taking on Communist Party of Indias (CPIs) PP Suneer and National Democratic Alliances (NDAs) Thushar Vellapally. Vellappally is the Bharat Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS) president and his party has an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Kerala. The BJP is planning to rope in many national leaders for its campaign in the constituency. Top among them is Union minister Smriti Irani, Gandhis main rival in Amethi. Irani is likely to campaign for NDAs Wayanad candidate Vellapally for two days, party leaders said. Rahul Gandhis decision to contest the Lok Sabha election 2019 from Wayanad in Kerala has angered the Communist Party of India(Marxist), which is on a sticky wicket ever since his arrival in the state. Not impressed by Rahul Gandhis choice, Left parties are planning to rake up the Gadgil and Kasturirangan expert committee reports on the Western Ghats to allegedly embarrass the Congress. The Union environment ministry had set up an expert team under famous conservationist Madhav Gadgil in 2010, following an uproar that the Western Ghats, a UNESCO world heritage that plays an important role in breaking rain clouds over the subcontinent, was shrinking due to human incursions. When he submitted the report all six states falling under the Ghat region - Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra and Gujarat - opposed it and another committee was constituted under former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief Kasturirangan. Many areas of Wayanad and Idukki, two mountainous districts of the state, had witnessed widespread protests in 2013 and 2015 over these reports. Kasturirangan had made some changes in the zonal classification and reduced ecologically sensitive areas (ESAs) to 37% from 64%. Most of the states opposed the report this time as well, saying people living near forests will be thrown out if these recommendations were implemented. Addressing party workers in Kozhikode, Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the Congress was first to introduce neoliberal policies in the country and tried to implement the Gadgil and Kasturirangan reports, which would have evicted a large number of people living in fringe areas of forests. These panels were appointed during the Congress-led UPA regime, he said. The CPI(M) has taken a consistent position from the beginning opposing these reports vehemently. Party leaders said since a major portion of the constituency falls under the Ghat region they will take up the issue in a big way. We will take these reports to people, said Wayanad district secretary PP Gagarin. The Left Democratic Front (LDF) is also planning a high voltage campaign in the district to contain a possible Rahul wave, party leaders said. Kerala is going to the poll in the third stage of the seven-phase Lok Sabha election on April 23 and the last date for filing nominations is April 4. The votes will be counted on May 23. Disappointed at not bagging the Congress ticket from Chandigarh, the Sidhus -Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu and his wife Navjot Kaur - have decided not to accept partys offer to contest from the state. Navjot Singh Sidhu has a sprawling bungalow in Chandigarh. His wife Navjot Kaur would have been pitted against former minister Pawan Kumar Bansal who lost to Kirron Kher of the BJP. But the Congress has once again reposed trust in its old warhorse, Bansal. Asked what would be the next move of the power couple, pat came Navjot Kaurs reply: Powerless couple. She says there was a vacuum as Congress has not fielded a woman from Chandigarh. I applied to fill that vacuum. I went to its villages and held public meetings. Many in villages are crying now. I would have loved it if they (Congress) had respected a lady trying to showcase her individual work. I had a vision for Chandigarh, she says as women Congress workers led by former Chandigarh mayor Poonam Sharma, who endorsed her candidature, flock Sidhus office in Chandigarh. Watch: Will work for Pawan Bansals victory from Chandigarh: Navjot Kaur Sidhu In bites to news channels and media persons, Mrs Sidhu does not forget to mention that she left her profession as a gynaecologist to devote herself to politics. Will she seek nomination from Punjab? She does not wait to answer. Why would I? The party called us and offered us the Amritsar seat on Monday. The MLAs from Amritsar also met us. But contesting a parliamentary seat like Chandigarh is different from contesting one with nine assembly segments. Sidhu can either be campaigning across India or for me. No one else from our family is in politics. A woman cannot handle 9 assembly segments. There is money and other issues to be taken care of. When he was contesting the state elections, I held fort on his seat as he was holding rallies in other parts of the state. Which is why I refused to contest the Amritsar bypoll. If I do that for him, I would expect him to do the same in return. Chandigarh would have been different. It is a small seat with educated people. I could have managed it on my own, she said. Sidhu, who had gone incommunicado after not being allowed to speak at the Moga rally of Congress president Rahul Gandhi, chipped in. I did not go to anyone to seek a ticket for my wife. People have fought our elections (including Kaurs from Amritsar East seat in 2012 as BJP candidate) . And guess how much have we spent on five elections? Only Rs 45 lakh! The BJP had asked me to leave Amritsar and contest from Kurukshetra. Would I not have won? But it is not about winning. One has to later visit the constituency, buy a house, do justice with its people, he said. Sidhu was reportedly promised a Lok Sabha seat for his wife when he embraced the Congress in the run-up to state polls. With a section of Amritsar leaders opposing the renomination of sitting MP Gurjit Aujla, who won the seat in the bypoll after Amarinder Singh resigned over the SYL issue and later became CM, the Congress had offered the Sidhus the choice of Amritsar as well as Ferozepur and Bathinda, wherever Akali Dal president Sukhbir Badals wife and Union minister Harsimrat Badal decides to contest. Her eyes widening in disbelief, Kaur questions why should she go to fight against Harsimrat. Have I ever been to these areas? Why not wives of others in the party. Sidhu cautions her from taking any names, hands folded. Then adds, Why cant Harsimrat come and fight from seats Congress dares her to? We refused Amritsar as I still remember how I felt after being dislodged from there as the sitting MP. Saying they are loyal soldiers of the party, the Sidhus said they respect the partys decision and will abide by it. Asked if she has congratulated Bansal and would support him, Kaur says she is looking for his contact number! I dont think he will need me. But we will support him. I can go even uninvited to campaign for him. Every seat matters as we have to make Rahul the PM. Which is why Sidhu needs to campaign across India, not just for me, she says. Sidhu said he was not sulking after the Moga rally but was down due to health reasons. Now I am fit as a fiddle and raring to go. The BJP is scared that I will campaign against them all over the country. Balakot made me a hero. Now, the whole country is saying the same thing. No one is buying BJPs brand of nationalism other than some commando comic news channels, he said. Sidhus have had more than couple of disappointments. But Kaur says they know how to overcome them. We only read good news in the morning. If it is bad, we shove it under the table. Finally, people judge partys choice of a candidate. That sums it up. A transgender person Naresh Jayshwal has decided to contest Lok Sabha elections as an independent candidate in Gujarat and filed her nomination papers on Wednesday. The 28-year-old transgender person will contest from Ahmedabad East, where the Congress candidate is Gita Patel, a close aide of Patidar leader Hardik Patel. The Bharatiya Janata Party has not announced its candidate from this constituency, which is currently represented by actor Paresh Rawal. Jayshwal , a resident of Rakhiyal in the walled city area, is not fazed by her opponents. I am still contesting to send across the message that it is now high time we bring about a change. The first and foremost criterion for electing a candidate should be the individual and not the party. I do not understand the buzz around the BJP and the Congress. Both parties are hardly concerned about the problems of people, she added. Sitting MP, Rawal, a popular Bollywood actor, has expressed his unwillingness to contest this time. The BJP, which in recent elections have fielded a Brahmin candidate from this urban seat, has been weighing its options after the Congress fielded a Patidar candidate. This will be the second electoral battle for Naresh. She had contested in 2015 Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation elections and lost. With each election, I am pushing the envelope, she said. Last month, Aam Admi Party fielded Bhawani Ma, a transwoman associated with the recently-formed Kinnar Akhara, to contest from Prayagraj. Tamanna Simhadri, another transwoman, will contest as an independent candidate from Manglagiri, Andhra Pradesh, against state legislator Nara Lokesh. This is the first general elections since the Supreme Court passed the Nalsa versus Union of India judgement, which granted equal rights to transgender persons. That caste is an important determinant of a persons class in India is well known. Statistics from the fourth National Family and Health Survey (NFHS) show that the relative share of upper-caste people among the richest 20% is far greater than that of any other social group Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Other Backward Classes (OBC) in India. The reverse holds for their share among the poorest 20% in the country. Simply speaking, this means that upper-caste people in India are over-represented among the rich and under-represented among the poor. This trend holds even if one looks at their relative shares at the state level. The upper-caste people are over-represented among the rich and under-represented among the poor in all 22 big states. This analysis excludes small states and union territories other than Delhi. (See chart 1) These statistics raise an interesting question. If upper castes are largely richer and the non-upper castes largely poorer, then what explains the presence of caste politics but the absence of class politics in India? There is no dearth of political parties with non-upper caste leadership and supporters, especially among OBCs in various states. However, most of these parties do not try to create a rich versus poor polarisation beyond the usual rhetoric. An HT analysis of NFHS data can help address this. A higher relative share of upper-caste people among the rich does not mean rich upper-caste voters outnumber the non-upper caste rich in most parts of India. According to the NFHS, the population share of upper castes, OBCs, SCs and STs in India is 24%, 45%, 21% and 9%, respectively. To be sure, the NFHS estimates are significantly different from that of the 2011 Census. However the Census does not give caste-wise data except for SC-ST population. An earlier analysis published on March 27 (Why caste numbers can mislead poll predictions) pointed out that there is a significant regional divergence in the population share of various social groups in India. This also has an important bearing on the interplay between caste and class in India. For example, the share of OBCs in the richest 20% households is more than that of upper castes in 12 out of the 22 big states in India. While part of the reason for this is the higher share of OBCs in total population for example, 71% of Tamil Nadus population is OBC, compared to just 1% upper castes it is also a function of regional divergence in well-being levels across caste groups in the country. Similar differences can be seen in the share of caste groups among the poorest 20% across states as well. (See Chart 2A and 2B, 3) This divergence has important political ramifications. If the absolute number of the richest OBCs exceeds that of the richest upper castes in a state, then a party catering to OBC groups has strong incentives to cater to the rich from within its social ranks too. In other words, any bias in favour of the poorer OBC or non-upper caste population might trigger a class conflict not just with upper castes but also the rich within the non-upper castes. In an era where elections are becoming increasingly expensive and parties rely on candidates to spend a lot of money 82% winners of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls were crorepatis, according to a report by the Association for Democratic Reforms political parties are often looking for a perfect mix of identity (in terms of caste) and money while looking for candidates. Visitors show interest in traditional costumes from South Korea during a textile expo in Dalian, Liaoning province. [Photo by Wang Xizeng / For China Daily] China used the negative list system for the first time to conduct negotiations on service trade and investment during the second phase of China-South Korea Free Trade Agreement talks, the Ministry of Commerce said in a statement. The ministry said that the two sides will continue to create a freer and convenient environment for service trade and investment for companies. The meeting was held in Beijing on March 29. Even though the China-South Korea FTA already has many "advanced articles" in highlighting services and investment, introducing negative list in the FTA negotiation indicates that China is keen to further connect this mechanism with global markets, said Bai Ming, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation. A negative list rules which economic activities are prohibited, while all others are considered to be allowed. If the negotiations with South Korea are successful, it means that China's negative list system can not only promote the future talks of bilateral and multilateral free trade agreements with other partners, but also push the country to further optimize this system to support various economic activities, not only available in its pilot free trade zones, he said. China currently is South Korea's largest trading partner, export market and largest source of imports by volume, and South Korea is China's third-largest trading partner. Since the bilateral FTA became effective in December 2015, the two sides have cut tariffs four times and about 50 percent of goods they trade in now enjoy zero tariffs, data from the Ministry of Commerce show. Upgraded trade and investment policies of China-South Korea FTA will also build a better platform to accelerate China-Japan-South Korea Free Trade Zone negotiations and strive to reach a comprehensive, high-level, mutually beneficial and valuable free trade agreement in the future, said Huo Jianguo, vice-chairman of the China Society for WTO Studies. His comments came after the chief negotiator conference of the 14th round of China-Japan-South Korea Free Trade Zone negotiations was completed in Beijing in December last year, and China and Japan held the vice-ministerial meeting of the 13th China-Japan Economic Partnership Negotiation in Beijing on Wednesday. The two sides exchanged views on regional and multilateral cooperation issues such as trade, investment, third-party market development, innovation, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, the China-Japan-South Korea Free Trade Zone and the WTO reforms, during the vice-ministerial meeting. Zhang Shaogang, director-general of the Department of International Trade and Economic Affairs at the Ministry of Commerce, said China looks forward to working with Japan and South Korea to accelerate the progress of negotiation, in order to facilitate regional economic integration, free trade and investment this year. They are planning to have three meetings in 2019. The 14th China-Norway FTA negotiation also took place in Beijing between March 25-28. The two sides gained positive progress on issues such as trade in goods, service trade and investment, rule of origin, customs procedures and trade facilitation, technical trade barriers, trade remedy, environment and legal issues, according to the Ministry of Commerce. Sister Priyanka Gandhi by his side, Congress president Rahul Gandhi filed his nomination from Keralas Wayanad Lok Sabha seat on Thursday. Gandhi, who held a road show soon after, later explained his decision to contest from two seats instead of sticking to just home turf Amethi, underlining that the move was designed to send a message of unity. Gandhi agreed to fight the Lok Sabha elections from the Kerala district that also borders Karnataka and Tamil Nadu following a series of requests from state leaders and an assessment in the Congress that it would help the party not just in Kerala, but other southern states too. As he reached Wayanad earlier in the day, Gandhi received a rousing welcome by party workers. But Keralas ruling Left has been fuming over Rahul Gandhis choice. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had reacted to the decision to imply that the Congress does not consider the BJP as its real enemy. Rahul Gandhi attempted to reach out to him and other Left leaders who were riled by his choice. For one, Gandhi insisted that he wouldnt say a word against the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government during his campaign. Also Read | Why Rahul Gandhi chose Keralas Wayanad as second seat I understand that the CPI (M) has to fight me. But I am not going to say a word against the CPI (M). I am here to send a message of unity, Gandhi told reporters shortly after filing his nomination papers. Gandhi already has to counter a concerted effort by the BJP to project his choice of a second seat as a sign of weakness in Amethi where he is pitted against Union Minister Smriti Irani. WATCH: Rahul vs Smriti: Amethi adversaries face off over Gandhis Wayanad move Smriti Irani had lost the Amethi election in 2014 but had considerably narrowed the margin. Over the last five years, she has also nurtured the constituency and headed to the Uttar Pradesh district around the same time that Gandhi was in Wayanad, his second seat. She accused the three-time Congress MP of betraying Amethi and dumping it for Wayanad after using the seat to enjoy power for 15 years. Also Read | My truest friend take care of him: Priyankas emotional message on Rahul Gandhi Amethi wont tolerate this deceit, insult and injustice, Smriti Irani declared and advised people in Kerala Wayanads to look at the lack of development in Amethi. A party bastion 450 km north of state capital Thiruvananthapuram, Wayanad shares the borders with two states - Karnataka and Tamil Nadu - and Congress leaders here feel that Gandhis presence will lift Congresss prospects in the two neighboring states also. A relatively new seat, it was carved out from Malappuram and Kozhikode during the delimitation exercise of 2008. In the 2009 and 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Congress candidate late MI Shanavas had emerged victorious from here. In 2009, his victory margin was 1,53, 439 but in 2014 it came down to just 20,870. The seat is vacant now after Shanavas died six months ago. A favourite getaway, it is also famous for its spices, especially black pepper. The constituency has seven assembly seats and has a sizeable number of SC/ST and minority community voters. Soon after Congress President Rahul Gandhi filed his nomination papers from Keralas Wayanad constituency, his sister and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra posted an emotional message while tweeting his picture on Thursday calling Gandhi her truest friend. My brother, my truest friend, and by far the most courageous man I know. Take care of him Wayanad, he wont let you down, Priyanka, who is two years younger to the Congress president, said. Earlier, the Congress president, who is also contesting from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh, filed his nomination papers from Wayanad and followed it up with a roadshow amid huge crowds thronging the streets. Priyanka Gandhi, who accompanied her brother, figured prominently in posters and hoardings that greeted them. The Congress president has also in the past spoken about his relation with his sister and how they shared a strong bond. Recounting the assassinations and political upheavals in the family, the Congress president had said at a function in Odisha that the killings of his grandmother Indira Gandhi and father Rajiv Gandhi and political ups and downs had brought the siblings closer. We have been through hell together. Everybody thinks all is easy for us but we have seen some very hard situations. That has brought us together. Putting in perspective his equation with his sister, Rahul Gandhi, who is one year older to her, said: If we are sitting in different rooms and you ask us the same question, 80% of the time you will get the same answer. Rahul Gandhi has become the third member of the Gandhi family to select a second seat from south India. His grandmother and former prime minister Indira Gandhi had contested from Chikmagalur in Karnataka in 1978 and his mother and United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi fought from Bellary in the same state in 1998. Union minister Smriti Irani reached Amethi hours before Congress president Rahul Gandhi filed his nomination papers from Wayanad in Kerala, the second constituency he is contesting in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Gandhi has been a three-time sitting Lok Sabha MP from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh. Irani accused the Congress chief of betraying Amethi during her visit to the Lok Sabha constituency, where she arrived by road after paying visits to the BJP and RSS offices in Lucknow. Watch: Amethi abandoned: Smritis charge as Rahul Gandhi files nomination from Wayanad It was her first visit to Amethi since she was nominated by the BJP as its candidate against Gandhi for the second consecutive time. She had lost to Gandhi in 2014 elections. The Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party have decided against putting up a candidate in both Amethi and Rae Bareli. But BJP is exuding confidence saying that Irani has a better chance of winning Amethi seat. The party says that despite having lost the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, Irani has stood with the people of this constituency visiting here more than 20 times since 2014. Follow Live Updates here My party leadership has sent me to empower Amethi whose MP ruined it completely. After using Amethi to enjoy power for 15 years, the MP is now leaving it for another LS constituency. Amethi wont tolerate this deceit, insult and injustice, Smriti said. Top BJP leaders including Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath have been engaging in posturing, claiming that the BJP would add Amethi and Azamgarh to its 2014 tally of seats from UP this time. Irani appealed to the people of Wayanad to visit Amethi to have a look at the lack of development in Amethi, which she claimed, was the reason for Congress chief to feel uncertain in Amethi. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi had during an election rally in Wardha, Maharashtra on Monday, took potshots at Gandhis candidature from Wayanad. PM Modi said some Opposition leaders had decided to flee to a minority dominated seat to escape the wrath of Hindu community. Also Read | Rahul Gandhi files nomination papers from Keralas Wayanad seat He has also held a rally in Amethi and party leaders say the BJP could again get its top campaigner to visit this Congress bastion before it votes in the fifth phase of elections on May 6. The BJP has consistently targeted Gandhi for opting to contest from a second seat outside Uttar Pradesh, where the Congress is busy galvanising its cadre through newly appointed general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who accompanied the party president in Wayanad. Priyanka Gandhi had visited Amethi last week. Priyanka Gandhi has accused PM Modi and the BJP leaders of spreading lies but Irani said the poor development of Amethi is proof of how the constituency that sent leaders from Nehru-Gandhi family to the Lok Sabha remained neglected. UP minister Mohsin Raza, who accompanied Irani on her Amethi visit, alleged that by deciding to contest from Wayanad, Gandhi has shunned his old constituency. Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, who hails from Uttar Pradeshs Rampur in Amethis neighbourhood, too targeted Gandhi saying the Congress presidents Wayanad nomination is an attempt to communally polarise the electorates. Vijay Kishore Tiwari, who had contested 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls from Amethis Gauriganj seat as a Bahujan Samaj Party candidate joined the BJP in Iranis presence on Thursday. The BSP, the Samajwadi Party and the Rashtriya Lok Dal are contesting the Lok Sabha polls together as part of the grand-alliance in the state. The grand-alliance has decided not to field candidates from Amethi and Rae Bareli constituencies, represented by Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi respectively. Prime Minister Narendra Modi promptly responded to a blog by LK Advani which had underlined how the BJP patriarch always put the country and party ahead of his personal interests. Advani Ji perfectly sums up the true essence of BJP, most notably the guiding Mantra of Nation First, Party Next, Self Last. Proud to be a BJP Karyakarta and proud that greats like LK Advani Ji have strengthened it, said PM Modi in a tweet. He also shared a link to the former Deputy Prime Ministers blog post. Advani, who exited the race to return to Lok Sabha, had on Thursday picked up the pen after a gap of five years to share his thoughts on the nature of political discourse. The 91-year-old leader had stressed that the essence of Indian democracy was respect for diversity and freedom of expression. Right from its inception, the BJP has never regarded those who disagree with us politically as our enemies, but only as our adversaries, Advani wrote ahead of the BJPs foundation day on April 6. Similarly, in our conception of Indian nationalism, we have never regarded those who disagree with us politically as anti-national, Advani wrote. The comment assumes significance against the backdrop of a raging debate over the issue of nationalism, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government saying the Opposition leaders who raise questions over the Balakot air strike are working against the countrys interests. Advanis blog was immediately lauded by politicians such as Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who had once been part of the NDA. As the senior-most politician, former Dy PM and founding father of BJP, the views Advaniji has expressed about extending democratic courtesies, is significant. Of course, all Opposition leaders who raise their voices are not anti-national. We welcome his statement & convey our humble regards, Banerjee wrote on her Twitter handle. Advani, who had been part of a defunct Margdarshak Mandal set up by PM Modi to accommodate the partys three most-senior leaders, has had to bow out of the electoral race after a decision by the BJP not to field party veterans older than 75. BJP president Amit Shah is contesting from Gandhinagar, the seat that Advani recalled in his blog, had sent him to Lok Sabha six times. I take this opportunity to convey my most sincere gratitude to the people of Gandhinagar, who have elected me to the Lok Sabha six times since 1991. Their love and support has always overwhelmed me, Advani wrote in the blog post, the first time that he was commenting on the BJPs decision. Also read | In 1st message after poll race exit, LK Advani says nation first, party next The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a writ petition against the release of a biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The top court will hear the plea on Monday. The film follows PM Modis life from his humble beginning to his rise first as the Gujarat chief minister and then electoral victory in 2014 catapulting him as the prime minister. The Congress and the Left complained to the Election Commission of India against the release of the film saying it violates the Model Code of Conduct. Arguing on the behalf of petitioner senior advocate and Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi contended in the Supreme Court that while the poll code is in place, release of the film, produced by people connected to ruling party, would affect free and fair polls. Congress spokesperson Aman Panwar has filed a petition in the top court seeking stay on the release of the film on PM Modi. A bench headed by Justice SA Bobde will hear the plea on Monday. The matter has reached the Supreme Court after three high courts refused to interfere with the release of the movie starring Vivek Oberoi, who plays the character of PM Modi. The high courts of Madhya Pradesh, Bombay and Delhi have disposed off similar pleas over past few days. The high courts have stated that the Election Commission should take a call on deferring the release of the film, a directed by Omung Kumar, who made national award winning biopic on boxer Mary Kom and also on Sarabjit Singh, the Indian prisoner languishing in a Pakistani jail. The Election Commission is yet to announce its decision on the Modi biopic. The poll body had earlier sent a notice to the makers of the film. In the Supreme Court, Singhvi cited media reports to say that the films release, slated for April 5, has been deferred by a few days. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath is confident that the BJP will win the Gandhi stronghold of Amethi in the upcoming elections but is silent on Rae Bareli from where Congress chairperson Sonia Gandhi will be in the fray for the fifth time. After entering active politics, she was first elected from her family stronghold of Amethi in 1999. She moved to Rae Bareli in 2004. Why is BJP silent and staying away from this constituency? Is it because the BJP, which has made dynastic politics a major tool to embarrass the Gandhis and the Yadavs of the North, is only targeting Congress president Rahul Gandhi or have they given up claim on the seat before even putting up a good fight? The prime constituency in the country, though synonymous with the Gandhis, had created history of sorts by defeating Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and electing socialist leader Raj Narain. The seriousness with which the BJP has taken their fight to Amethi is clear from the fact that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already addressed a rally in Rahuls constituency. Unlike in Amethi where the BJP had fielded a strong candidate against Rahul in 2014, the party had chosen a dummy, Ajay Agarwal, who had fought a lonely battle in Rae Bareli after his tireless struggle for the ticket. His claim to fame is the persistence with which he has been pursuing the Bofors case in the Supreme Court. Is it political courtesy? Perhaps not, as there is no love lost between the BJP high command and the Gandhis, engaged in #Chowkidar campaign by the former and Chowkidar chor hai by the latter. The fact is that the confidence with which the BJP claims it will win Amethi somehow disappears when it comes to Rae Bareli, only a few kilometres away. Even chief minister Yogi Adityanath is silent on winning Rae Bareli while claiming to wrest away Amethi and Azamgarh from the Congress and the Samajwadi Party. Ajay Agarwal, who had polled barely 1,73,721 votes against 5,26,436 votes polled in Sonias favour had again staked his claim on the seat. In a letter written to party president Amit Shah, he had even warned loss of Vaish votes if he was denied a ticket. Interestingly, he had started campaigning in the area though the party had not announced his name. Eventually, his claim was turned down and Dinesh Pratap Singh, a Congress MLC who joined the BJP in 2018, was fielded though his rivals had been raising his shady past to scuttle the ticket. Singh is hardly a match to Sonia Gandhi as people rise above caste and communal lines to vote for her. BJPs seriousness to defeat her will be further known by the star campaigners who will be sent here to campaign. Will the Prime Minister hold a rally here? Rae Bareli perhaps is the only constituency in the country that has elected a galaxy of high profile MPs Jawaharlal Nehru, his son-in-law Feroze Gandhi, Indira Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. Though people complain about poor development of the area since non-Congress governments were formed in the state, professor of sociology Dr Uday Bhan Singh says, Local issues figure in state assembly elections only. However, Sonia Gandhi will win hands down in the Lok Sabha polls irrespective of the brouhaha created by the BJP or the candidate fielded by them. Since 2007 assembly polls, the Congress has been losing elections in the assembly segments of Rae Bareli. In 2012 assembly polls, despite Priyankas extensive campaign in her mothers Lok Sabha constituency, Congress had lost in all the five assembly segments. People were miffed with the high-browed MLAs, who they felt served the Gandhis and not the voters. In fact, Priyanka herself had admitted the political embarrassment caused by the defeat of Congress candidates as it also sent a wrong message to the entire country. There are countless stories about VIP treatment given to them in Delhi darbar since the days of Indira Gandhi. People recall how they used to rub shoulders with Congress chief ministers like ND Tiwari, Vir Bahadur Singh and VP Singh during Indiras days as they frequently visited Rae Bareli, so much so that a cabinet meeting was also held here once. Sonia carried on the legacy but did not accede personal favours. By the time she became a member of parliament, the first time from Rae Bareli in 2004, a hostile government was in office in the state. Obviously, the chief ministers did not respond to personal requests with the same alacrity with which the directives of Indira Gandhis local manager Yashpal Kapoor were carried out in a Congress government. But as people here say with confidence that in the Lok Sabha election with Sonia in the fray, the opposition will contest here to simply save the deposit. Sitting on a platform in the shadow of a tree, octogenarian Banshidhar Singh, a retired armyman, engages in political discussion with other residents of Gahmar village of Ghazipur district in east UP. It being the poll season, just 50 metres away, an LED screen mounted on a vehicle is beaming messages to make people aware of their voting rights. Locals gather around the vehicle as a song Loktantra ka sabse bada parv hai aaya is played out. The air strike on terror camps in Balakot (Pakistan) on February 26 is one of the most discussed topics among the locals in election season. Caste lines have blurred and locals are polarised in their views on patriotism in a village that has given thousands of soldiers to the armed forces. Gahmar, known for sending a large number of youths to the armed forces, is just four kilometres off the Bihar border and has a population of over 1 lakh. The population comprises of Thakurs (40%), Brahmin (10%), OBC (20%), Dalit (20%) and minorities (10%). Villagers claim every house has a person who has either served or is presently serving in the armed forces. As the discussion progresses, Banshidhar praises Prime Minister Narendra Modi and credits him with taking strong decision to give a befitting reply to Pakistan through air strike on terror camps at Balakot in Pakistan. The free hand given to the army and paramilitary forces to ensure stringent action against terrorists has boosted the morale of armed forces, he says. No other PM in the past could do what Modi has done. He took tough decisions, taught a lesson to Pakistan and increased the pension of ex-armymen. He promptly acted on the issue of one rank, one pension, Banshidhar says. Supporting Banshidhar, Rambharat Bind (an OBC), says: I am a farmer. My two sons are in the army. I am proud of our PM as he has ensured development in the country and made the country proud. Till 2014, Rambharat was a Samajwadi Party loyalist but supported the BJP after getting influenced by Modi. Jawans are happy and the PM is making efforts to increase the income of the youths, he adds. There may not be a Modi wave this time but Modi factor is still very much at play. Visit the villages and speak to people to verify if my statement has some basis or not, he says. He says air strike on terror camps in Pakistan won the hearts of the people. Modi enjoys support of all the communities. In the last Lok Sabha elections, caste lines didnt have place. In this election too, caste factor will not work, he claims. The families of the jawans are happy that the government has taken revenge of the Pulwama terror attack in which 41 CRPF jawans were killed, Bind says. Before he could complete the sentence, another villager Akshayvar Singh asks him, Why are you chanting Modi, Modi? There are other leaders too. Why dont you talk about them? Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav is a good leader. As a chief minister, he tried his best to ensure development in UP. Countering Akshayvar, a local farmer Kailash Upadhyaya says, Even if his party (SP) wins, he is not going to be the PM after this election at least. This is a general election. Even a child knows it. We have to elect a prime minister and we should choose the best leader. Others like Purushottam Singh and Ramlakshan Singh have their own logics for their support to PM Modi. Ramlakshan compares Modi to former PM late Lal Bahadur Shastri. After Shastri ji, Modi ji is the first PM to keep the interests of jawan (soldiers) and kisan (farmers) above everything else. He implemented one rank, one pension scheme, gave a free hand to the armed forces in dealing with Pakistan, and announced an amount of 6,000 to farmers having less than five hectare land. The first installment of 2,000 has already come into the accounts of many farmers, he says. Why did the previous government not take such steps? he asks. Another local Veerendra Chaudhary observes that the party which thinks of development and implements schemes for the welfare of the poor should come to power. Modi launched Swachh Bharat Scheme and ensured construction of toilets in every house. He introduced schemes like Ayushman Bharat and Ujjawala Yojana under which the poor were given free LPG connections, he says, adding that irrespective of caste and creed, Modi worked for every section of the society. Modassir Hussain, a shop owner in Revatipur village of Ghazipur, is not happy with the present government. No one is happy with the Modi government. This government failed in creating job opportunities, and introduced the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and demonetisation. GST created a lot of problem for the people like me who are running small business, he says. Krishna Kumar Kharwar, a teacher at a school, says the government focused on development and paid attention to every community. The road passing through my village was broken. But it has now been constructed, he says. Another local Veerendra Chaudhary says Modi is good for the post of PM. There are many villages like Shayar, Bhatauia and Karaiya from where many people are in the army where nationalism and patriotism dominates over issues like development and unemployment. Army aspirants hail PM for air strike Youngsters from Gahmar village, who aspire to join the armed forces in future, are all praise for the BJP government at the Centre. Air strike across the Line of Control (LoC), safe return of Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman from Pakistan and Indias strong ties with Israel are the hot topics of discussion among the youths. Pramod Kumar Singh, who wants to join the army, says: Modi extensively toured foreign countries and strengthened Indias position globally. Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is among his best friends. Everyone knows the strength of Israel. Because of his efforts, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman returned safely from Pakistan, he says. Varthamans MiG-21 aircraft was shot down by Pakistan and he was captured by Pakistani armed forces. He was later released by Pakistan. Another aspirant Shakti Singh says, Even the jawans who are deployed on the borders are happy because of the policies of PM Modi. Attacking opposition parties for cornering Modi government over unemployment, Shakti says: Earlier, there was group D recruitment examination, then SSC. RPF recruitment is also in the pipeline and I am preparing for it. Recruitment in UP Police was also conducted. Candidates who have talent got jobs. In this government, jugaad (using unfair means) didnt work, he says. While diamond merchant Nirav Modi undergoes extradition proceedings in the United Kingdom (UK), sources in the Enforcement Directorate (ED) said that if Nirav is charged with violating the stringent Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act in an American bankruptcy court, this could pave the way for speedier extradition to India. Nirav is presently in Wandsworth Jail in the UK. The US may also try to extradite Nirav Modi and hence his troubles have increased, said a source privy to the investigation. In February 2018, three companies linked to Nirav Firestar Diamond International, A Jaffe and Fantasy Inc filed for bankruptcy protection in the United States of America (USA). A court-appointed trustee probed the companies and filed a complaint against Mihir Bhansali, CEO of Firestar Diamond and Fantasy; Ajay Gandhi, a senior executive in all three companies; and Nirav. The trio was accused of breaching fiduciary duty, aiding and abetting breach of fiduciary duty, corporate waste, and violations of the RICO Act. The case in the US is also linked with his [Niravs] scam in the country, said a source in the ED. Nirav is the prime accused of fraud and money laundering amounting to USD 2 billion in India. Under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the maximum punishment Modi would face in India is seven years imprisonment. A conviction under the RICO Act could see Nirav, Bhansali and Gandhi facing up to 20 years in prison. Sources in the ED believe that if Nirav is faced with this possibility, he may not contest Indias extradition request as aggressively as he is now. Officers familiar with the case revealed that when the Westminster magistrates court denied Nirav bail a second time last week, the diamond merchant was visibly shattered. The court denied him bail after the prosecution raised the prospect of him fleeing the UK, influencing witnesses and destroying evidence in the high-profile case. As evidence of Nirav being a flight risk, his attempt at acquiring citizenship of Vanuatu, which allows citizenship by investment, was cited in court. Vanuatu had rejected Niravs request in December 2017. Vanuatu found out that Indian agencies such as Directorate of Revenue Intelligence and Income Tax had conducted searches on premises linked to him, said the officer. He said Nirav had applied for Vanuatus citizenship since India does not have an extradition treaty with them. The next hearing of Niravs case in the UK is on April 26. The IT (information technology) sub-committee of the Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (MCCIA) has prepared a 10-year strategic plan to take Punes IT sector from the current $8 billion to $15 billion annual turnover. This move will assist the IT industry in the city to break new grounds and embrace cutting-edge technologies. The proposed strategic plan is for the period from 2018-28 and the sub-committee has set a goal of achieving it in the next seven years. The sub-committee headed by Commodore Anand Khandekar (retd), is also keen to build Punes capabilities in the areas of cyber security, for which a lot of groundwork has already been done with government agencies and expert groups from within and outside the country, notably Israel. Along with IT expert Sanjay Kanvinde, Khandekar has drawn a draft Pune IT 2.0 blueprint, which envisages Punes pole-vault to the next level in IT and close collaborations with five countries, namely Vietnam, Estonia, Poland, Hungary and Israel. These nations have strengths in areas like mathematics and startups, and Khandekar is keen on strong academic and industry collaborations and faculty augmentation at the top engineering colleges in Pune to raise the capabilities of Punes engineering graduates. About the international collaborations, Khandekar and Kanvinde explained that these five nations were chosen specifically because, Vietnam, Poland and Hungary are outstanding in maths and many Vietnamese are in the electronic chip industry in the US. In the case of Estonia, it was the first country to go digital. These IT experts said, Estonia is a progressive, cultured nation with good command over English language and expertise in cyber issues. Likewise with nations like Poland, Hungary and Israel which not only has strengths in cybersecurity, but also has a strong startup culture. Khandekar played a pioneering role in Punes growth as an IT city, after a rewarding career of 25 years in the Indian Navy. A top ranking graduate in electrical engineering from the College of Engineering, Pune, (COEP), he worked with top IT multinationals and also helped draft Maharashtras IT policy. While Kanvinde has 23 years experience in the field of the energy industry. He has worked on a number of international assignments in the areas of research and development (R&D), knowledge management, corporate IT management and business development You are here: China Surgeons in the southern Chinese city of Gaozhou successfully conducted cardiac endoscopic surgery with help from experts 400 km away via a 5G wireless network on Wednesday. The surgery was performed on a 41-year-old female patient suffering from congenital heart disease and lasted nearly four hours. The entire process was transmitted via live feed to an expert team in Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, located in Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong Province. The 5G wireless network, which offered a transmission speed 10 times faster than a 4G service, was stable throughout the surgery, according to technicians. Guo Huiming, head of the expert team, monitored the whole process on a large screen, which also showed the patient's vital signs and a model of her heart generated by virtual reality (VR) technology. At one point, Guo instructed the chief surgeon in Gaozhou to move the cutting point 3 cm upward to avoid harming the nerve. "With 5G technology, doctors who are 400 km apart can cooperate to conduct a surgery," said Yu Xueqing, president of Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital. "It saves a lot of time and enables doctors to treat more patients." The grand premiere of Game of Thrones season 8 brought the entire cast of the show together, including the actors whose characters have already been killed on the show. Everyone including Jack Gleeson, who played King Joffrey and died of poisoning, to Natalie Dormer, who played Margaery Tyrell but was killed in the explosion at the Sept of Baelor, made it to the premiere. Sophie Turner, who plays Sansa Stark on the show, attended the event with fiance Joe Jonas. While Sansa wore a black dress to the event, Joe complemented her in a grey and black suit. Joe later shared a candid picture of her bonding with Jack and captioned it, WTF I thought this dude was dead... #KingJoffrey. This got interested reactions from her friends and fans one of whom reacted, Back from the dead like a White Walker.... Joe had also shared a video of Sophie before entering the venue. Sophie was also seen bonding with her onscreen sister Maisie Williams and the two shared a warm hug on the red carpet. Maisie Williams and Sophie Turner arrive for the premiere of the final season of Game of Thrones. (REUTERS) British actress Maisie Williams (R) and British actress Sophie Turner (L) arrive for the Game of Thrones eighth and final season premiere. (AFP) Also read: Game of Thrones 8 premiere: Kit Harington, Emilia Clarke, Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas set the red carpet on fire Actor Emilia Clarke, who plays Daenerys Targaryen on the show, turned up in a sheer grey gown and was seen bonding with Rose Leslie, whose character Ygritte died in the fourth season. She is married to Kit Harington, better known as Jon Snow in real life. Pictures of other stars such as Kit bonding with Maisie and Jason Momoa were also shared online. Maisie plays Arya Stark in Game of Thrones whereas Jason was seen as Khal Drogo before his character died several years ago on the show. Here are some more pictures from the premiere. Natalie Dormer arrives for the premiere of the final season of Game of Thrones at Radio City Music Hall in New York. (REUTERS) Scottish actress Rose Leslie and husband British actor Kit Harington arrive for the Game of Thrones eighth and final season premiere. (AFP) Lisa Bonet, left, and Jason Momoa attend HBO's Game of Thrones final season premiere. (Evan Agostini/Invision/AP) Irish actor Jack Gleeson arrives for the Game of Thrones eighth and final season premiere. (AFP) Follow @htshowbiz for more The Case Against Adnan Syed Director - Amy Berg Rating - 2.5/5 Youll have to slog over three hours of revision before the Case Against Adnan Syed introduces any new information - and even that cant help but feel anticlimactic. This is tragic, considering just how intense the interest around Syeds case has been, and how instrumental it has been in ushering in a Golden Age of true crime non-fiction. His story deserves a better telling, and to our good fortune, a superior version of this story already exists. The Serial podcast is often invoked in HBOs four-part documentary series, which has been billed as a follow-up, but struggles to justify its existence beyond a point. Watch the Case Against Adnan trailer here Its momentarily gratifying to finally see the people whose voices weve heard in the podcast, but this soon wears off. Its difficult to imagine someone who isnt at least tangentially aware of Adnans story checking out the series, without having already familiarised themselves with Serial first. But even if one were to ignore the podcasts groundbreaking investigation into the case, and host Sarah Koenigs mastery over her craft, the Case Against Adnan Syed is a rather superficial look at the story that gripped the entire world in 2014. In 1999, the 17-year-old Pakistani American Adnan Syed - a top student, popular among his peers and with no criminal record whatsoever - was arrested for the murder of his ex-girlfriend, Hae Min Lee. Adnan has spent almost 20 years in prison, serving a life sentence, but has maintained his innocence. In those 20 years, several attempts have been made to exonerate Adnan, to no avail. Serial injected fresh attention to the case, which attracted passionate lawyers on both sides to litigate the matter. I will resist discussing the most recent developments in the case here, because then there would be no reason to watch the series at all, but details are easily available online in case youre in the mood to read about it. The Case Against Adnan Syed is directed by the acclaimed documentary filmmaker Amy Berg, who has helmed several emotionally stirring films in the past. She has often tackled stories where a great injustice has been committed against common people - The Academy Award nominated Deliver Us From Evil explored child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church, while the unreleased An Open Secret investigated similar crimes in Hollywood, years before the #MeToo movement. But the one film from Bergs oeuvre with which the Case Against Adnan Syed has the most in common has to be West of Memphis. Like the Case Against Adnan Syed, that film was essentially a condensed retelling of a particularly excruciating story of injustice - once again a wrongful conviction - that had already received a seminal telling. These films are almost like those YouTube cram videos, which assure the viewer that they neednt sit through days of Game of Thrones, and would be much better off watching their 10-minute recaps instead. There is a heavy human toll cases such as this leave behind. The always eloquent Adnan at one point likens getting a retrial to being told a cancer patient has been approved for chemotherapy - But chemotherapy ravages the body. He says that the fight was strong in him in the early years. You could sense it in his voice even in Serial. But now, he says - he never speaks on camera, mind - he just wants to get out of jail, even if it means pleading guilty and taking a plea deal. The West Memphis Three - subjects of Bergs West of Memphis - and Michael Peterson, whose trial for allegedly murdering of his wife was shown in Netflixs The Staircase, all took Alford pleas - which is essentially an admission of guilt (on paper), but allows the defendant to maintain their innocence as well. The thing about both those stories is that theyve arrived at a conclusion. Adnans story, unfortunately, doesnt appear to have an end in sight. All of them, however, are united by an unabashed bias in the narrative. I wonder if it is possible to do without it. Making a Murderer is certainly the most subtle of the lot, with meticulous reliance on hard facts, but the Case Against Adnan is undone by the complete absence of any voice from the other side - no one from the prosecution is involved, important witnesses who testified against Adnan were interviewed off camera, and there is a shocking ignorance of the victims family, who, by the way, are still convinced of Adnans guilt. But all of this rests on the assumption that youre on board with his innocence. While Koenig made the journalistically admirable choice to avoid passing opinion in Serial, Berg is very obviously on his side. Id assume shell make a follow-up to the follow-up as and when there are further developments, because Adnans beard may be thick, but so is his resolve. Follow @htshowbiz for more The author tweets @RohanNaahar One of Chinas top film festivals has clubbed five Indian films, including Satyajit Rays 1955 landmark, Pather Panchali, under the category of movies from countries that are seemingly aligned with the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the multi-billion dollar Chinese connectivity project that New Delhi has consistently declined to join as it violates Indias territorial sovereignty. The high-profile Beijing International Film Festival (BIFF) that is scheduled to be held between April 13 and April 20 is organised by the Beijing municipality government. The five Indian movies included in the Belt and Road category are the three Ray movies comprising the famous Apu Trilogy (Pather Panchali, Aparajito and Apur Sansar), the romantic comedy Love per Square Foot, the thriller Ittefaq, and the Mumbai-based movie, Sir, which explores the ties between a domestic help and her young and wealthy employer. Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khans Zero is the designated closing movie at the festival. Ray and his Apu Trilogy occupy a place of pride in Indias rich cinematic history, and the decision to co-opt them into the Belt and Road category in the festival will be irksome to many in India. There are 21 movies in the category from countries like Italy - which recently became the first G7 country to join the BRI - Iran, Philippines, Peru, Colombia, and Syria. The Indian movies were chosen following discussions between the festival organisers and film producers and distributors. It wasnt clear whether the decision was an oversight or deliberate; the festival has multiple categories under which more than 250 films will be screened. The Beijing governments information office didnt respond to a query on the rationale behind adding Indian movies under the BRI category. India has consistently distanced itself from President Xi Jinping-launched BRI as its flagship project, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), passes through Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir (PoK). New Delhi is very likely to keep away from the second high-profile Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation to be held in Beijing later this month. In February, Indian envoy to China, Vikram Misri had told the state media in an interview about why India has kept away from the BRI. Above all, connectivity initiatives must be pursued in a manner that respects the sovereignty, equality and territorial integrity of nations. No country can participate in an initiative that ignores its core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity, he said. For movie lovers in China, however, watching the Apu Trilogy and Sir would give them a taste of movies beyond the usual Bollywood fare. It is possibly the first time in decades that Rays Apu Trilogy will be screened in China. Beginning Saturday, the three movies will be shown at various theatres in Beijing in the run-up to the BIFF; all four shows for Pather Panchali or the Song of the Little Road are already sold out. Prime Minister Theresa May has turned to the opposition Labour to help pass the crucial EU withdrawal package, but the party is also riven by differing views on Brexit, with many party MPs opposed to another referendum. Talks between Prime Minister Theresa Mays team and senior Labour leaders continued on Thursday, without any progress, but as many as 25 party MPs wrote to leader Jeremy Corbyn that another referendum should not be part of any compromises deal. A Downing Street spokesman said: Today both sets of negotiating teams met for four and a half hours of detailed and productive technical talks in the Cabinet Office, supported by the civil service. The Government and the Opposition hope to meet again tomorrow for further work to find a way forward to deliver on the referendum, mindful of the need to make progress ahead of the forthcoming European Council. Another referendum called a confirmatory referendum is Labour policy decided at the last party conference. But MPs representing constituencies that overwhelmingly voted to leave the EU are in an uneasy position. The 25 MPs wrote to Corbyn: Delaying for many months in the hope of a second referendum will simply divide the country further and add uncertainty for business. A second referendum would be exploited by the far right, damage the trust of many core Labour voters and reduce our chances of winning a general election. The opposition within Labour to another referendum came at a time when the idea is gaining momentum in Westminster. Chancellor Philip Hammond described holding another referendum to confirm the withdrawal agreement as a perfectly credible proposition. The May government suffered another reverse in the House of Commons on Wednesday night when a cross-bench bill to prevent the UK leaving the EU without an agreement scraped through by 313 to 312 votes. It was being debated in the House of Lords on Thursday. Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay said he hoped the Lords would scrutinise this bill passed in haste with its constitutional flaws. In Brussels, the European Parliament approved a law allowing Britons visa-free travel to the 27-nation group in the event of the UK leaving the EU without an agreement, despite outrage in some quarters over the status of Gibraltar. The law will allow British visitors 90-day trips to the Schengen passport-free zone, but its implementation will depend on Britain according EU citizens reciprocal rights. London has said it will offer similar rights, if the no-deal scenario occurs. The bill triggered a bitter row after member states -- at Spains urging -- referred in a footnote of the draft to Gibraltar as a colony of the British crown. The United Arab Emirates announced on Thursday it will award its highest civilian honour to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his pivotal role in boosting the strategic relationship between the two countries. The UAE President, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, made the announcement about the Zayed Medal, the highest decoration awarded to kings, presidents and heads of states, being given to Modi. We have historical and comprehensive strategic ties with India, reinforced by the pivotal role of my dear friend, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who gave these relations a big boost. In appreciation of his efforts, the UAE President grants him the Zayed Medal, Crown Prince Mohamed Bin Zayed tweeted. Tweeting his response to the Crown Prince, Modi said he accepted the honour with utmost humility. He added, Under your visionary leadership, our strategic ties have reached new heights. This friendship is contributing to the peace and prosperity of our people and planet. Modi is likely to make a brief visit to the UAE on April 20 to receive the award and join the foundation stone laying ceremony of BAPS Hindu Mandir, the first temple in the West Asian country, people familiar with developments said. The trip, if it goes through, will be Modis last foreign visit during his term as prime minister and is expected to be hours-long, they added. There was no official word on the visit. Asked about the matter at a regular news briefing, external affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said: As and when the next visit is planned, we will share the details with you as per the established norms. India, he said, has a strategic partnership with the UAE that has been strengthened in recent years. Exchange of high-level visits between India and the UAE is an important component of this strategic partnership, he added. In 2017, the Crown Prince had gifted nearly 14 acres at Abu Mureikheh, midway between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, for building the temple. During his second visit to the UAE as prime minister in February 2018, Modi participated in a Vedic Shila Pujan ceremony for the temple. The Crown Prince, also deputy supreme commander of the UAEs armed forces, said granting the Zayed Medal to Modi reflects the countrys appreciation for his role and efforts in developing friendly relations and extending bridges of cooperation. External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted the award recognised Modis stellar role in ushering in a new era of strategic partnership with the UAE and the best ever relations with the Islamic world. Modi, who first visited the UAE in 2015, assiduously worked to strengthen cooperation with the Emirates in a wide range of areas, including investment, energy, defence and security. The Crown Prince, who was chief guest at the Republic Day parade in 2017, played a key role in inviting India as a guest of honour at a meeting of foreign ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Abu Dhabi last month. During the India-Pakistan stand-off after the Pulwama terror attack in February, the Crown Prince had telephoned Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan as part of efforts to de-escalate tensions. Federal authority gathered steam in constitutional battle over centralization SCOTUS 101: Gibbons v. Ogden 22 U.S. 1 (1824) At 1 p.m. on August 17, 1807, a 150-foot vessels crew cast off from a dock near Greenwich Village on Manhattan Island, changing the course of American history. Two 15-foot steam-driven side wheels powered the ship to and from Albany on the Hudson River. The steamships introduction made feasible rapid, reliable transport of raw materials and finished goods, ushering in the industrial revolution. States saw in the North River Steamboat of Clermont and its maiden voyage a path to prosperity if they could offer steamship routes on waters within their borders. Some states were encouraging private road building by granting exclusive franchises empowering holders to charge regulated tolls. Doing so for shipping, states promised investors exclusive access to rivers between given portsuntil conflicts between franchise-holders led to a revolution in jurisprudence shifting significant economic regulatory power from the states to the federal government, thanks to an 1824 U.S. Supreme Court case, Gibbons v. Ogden. Engineer and inventor Robert Fulton designed the Clermont, run by a company he organized in partnership with his wifes uncle, Robert Livingston. In 1798, with steam power still theoretical, Livingston got an exclusive to sail steamships on rivers across New York. Livingston and the state extended that license in 1803coincidentally, the year that Livingston, as President Thomas Jeffersons emissary to France, negotiated the Louisiana Purchase. New York renewed his license in 1808, when company ships met a state demand to achieve at least five miles per hour under power. The shipping company grew. Within five years Fulton and Livingston had ships working six major rivers and Chesapeake Bay. Rivals were locking up franchises elsewhere. In 1815, under its New York license, the Livingston-Fulton company subcontracted with Aaron Ogden. A former governor of New Jersey, Ogden had partnered with Georgia planter Thomas Gibbons on a shipping company. That scheme collapsed when, on his own, Gibbons began running between Elizabethtown, New Jersey, and New York City a competing steamship, Bellona. Gibbons had registered Bellona under the federal Coasting Act of 1793, which required licenses of all commercial vessels plying the countrys coasts. Ogden, citing his license under the monopoly awarded the Livingston-Fulton company, asked New York State courts to shut down Gibbons and Bellona. Both the Court of Chancery and the appeals court, then called the Court of Errors, agreed with Ogden that his sublicense gave him exclusive rights to call at New York ports, and that Gibbons had to stop sailing to those ports from New Jersey. That precipitated a U.S. Supreme Court confrontation anyone who followed politics saw reaching well beyond shipping. With the American frontier pushing west and commerce between settlements there and the East becoming a national priority, an infrastructural frenzy had begun. Developers were digging canals. The federal government was paying to construct a 150-mile National Road between Cumberland, Maryland, and Wheeling, West Virginia. The ruling in the argument between Gibbons and Ogden would define the future not only of steamboat routes but interstate roads, canals, and technologies still gestating. As early as 1808 Jonathan Grout unsuccessfully asked Congress to give him a contract to establish a telegraph system; in 1815, Livingstons brother-in-law, John Stevens, had gotten a license from New Jersey to run a railroad there, though it was 10 years before he had a line operating. Technology aside, Gibbons v. Ogden was integral to the struggle, dating to the republics infancy, to define the extent to which states, in ratifying the Constitution, had yielded autonomy they had had under the Articles of Confederation. That debates nature was evident in the petitioners legal teams. Ogden had hired former New York State Attorneys General Thomas Emmet and Thomas Oakley. Gibbons was represented by Daniel Webster, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, and sitting U.S. Attorney General William Wirt. Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution authorizes Congress to regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with Indian Tribes. But until the high court took on the Gibbons/Ogden dispute, the justices never had been asked to define that authority. In three days of oral argument, Ogdens lawyers insisted that, as the New York courts had found, commerce meant little more than trade, and that the Constitution merely empowered Congress to set some rules about sale of goods by parties in one state to parties in another, with the proviso that the states had concurrent power with Washington. Webster and Wirt insisted the commerce clause meant much more, applying, by their lights, to all business contacts between parties in different states and, moreover, that only the federal government had the power to regulate such contacts. The Webster-Wirt argument on behalf of Gibbons carried the day with flying colors. Commerce, undoubtedly, is traffic, but it is something more: it is intercourse, Chief Justice John Marshall wrote. It describes the commercial intercourse between nations, and parts of nations, in all its branches, and is regulated by prescribing rules for carrying on that intercourse. No single state could regulate a steamship plying between two states. Four of the five other Justices signed on to Marshalls opinion. William Johnson did not, but he did agree with colleagues that New York could not stop Gibbons from running his steamboat from New Jersey to New York. Marshalls opinion went far further than handing Gibbons a win. Five years before, in McCulloch v. Maryland, Marshall had established that the federal government was meant to be very powerful (Banking on Centralization, August 2018), ruling that it had powers beyond those outlined in the Constitution if it needed those other powers to do its job. Now Marshall gave Washington something like a blank check to regulate broadly in the name of controlling interstate commerce. Congress could regulate not only commerce between states, he wrote, but also activities within a state connected with interstate commerce. Moreover, the chief justice decreed, that power may be exercised to its utmost extent, and acknowledges no limitations, other than are prescribed in the Constitution. Congress listened. Gibbons v. Ogden paved the way for federal regulation of navigation and transportation and, in 1890, for the Sherman Act, written to bust trusts that dominating American industries ranging from oil to whiskey. In 1905 the justices upheld a federal attack on price fixing among Chicago meatpackers, reasoning that though the activity was all local, participants were links in an interstate chain connecting cattle farmers to the dinner table. The principle of federal power over interstate commerce eventually allowed Congress to ban child labor, to set minimum wages and other working conditions, and, in the Civil Rights Act of 1964, to outlaw race-based bias against customers even by small local businesses, on the rationale that they sold goods made out of state. Gibbons v. Ogden resonated nearly everywhere except in the litigants lives. By the time the court took the case in 1824, trencherman Gibbons was bedridden with the diabetes and obesity that killed him in 1826, and by 1829 business reversals had driven Ogden into debtors prison, languishing until the New Jersey legislature passed a law freeing him. The P-51 Mustang was fast. Historian Ray Wagner called its last iteration, the 490-mph P-51H, probably the fastest prop-driven plane actually used in wartime. The cautious probably and actually used are significant; like the Focke-Wulf Ta-152, a high-altitude variant of the Fw-190, the H model Mustang arrived very late in World War II and played scarcely any part in the fighting. The most common P-51 variant was the bubble-canopy D model, for which a speed of 437 mph is usually reported. Partisans of other fighter types may argue that one or another was faster, but the differences among the very fastest types were tactically insignificant. For that matter, it was never the case that every airplane of a given type performed identically. Paint, wear, engine tuning and pilot technique were among many variables that influenced reported speeds, to say nothing of an impulse to exaggeration shared by manufacturers, pilots and governments alike. Whether all Mustangs were faster than all P-47 Thunderbolts or Fw-190s is not only undecidable but also unimportant. The more interesting question today is not whether the Mustang was fast, but why. The P-51 was conceived early in 1939, when Britain, anticipating war and having ordered more P-40 Warhawks from Curtiss than the company could rapidly produce, approached North American Aviation, from whom they had been buying the AT-6 trainers they called Harvards, with a proposal that NAA set up a second P-40 production line. NAA offered a counterproposal: They would create a new, superior fighter of their own. Normally the ordering of any new type was a complicated and protracted process involving competitive bidding and haggling over price, characteristics and performance. In this case, something quite different apparently happened. In a Manhattan hotel room the British Purchasing Commission bought a pig in a poke, trusting the say-so of a few executives from North American. That small group consisted of North Americans president, James Dutch Kindelberger; his assistant general manager and right-hand man for technical affairs, J. Leland Atwood; and chief engineer Raymond Rice and preliminary design specialist Edgar Schmued. The British knew and respected Kindelberger and Atwood, and believed them when they said that they could improve upon the P-40. Why? For one thing, the P-40 was based on a 1936 design; it was not hard to believe that something had been learned since then about how to make airplanes perform better. But some interpersonal theater was likely involved as well. Dutch Kindelbergers name is seldom mentioned without the word charismatic nearby. Tall, slim Lee Atwood was patrician and good-looking, with Robert Youngs candid smile and Leslie Howards imposing forehead, and he had a strong grasp of technical detail. The German-born Schmueds Teutonic accent ballasted his utterances with a specious profundity. The British, desperate for help, wanted to be persuaded, and the men from North American were just the ones to do it. The purchasing committee asked the Americans to obtain from Curtiss copies of blueprints and other technical documentation on the P-40 and the subsequent but abortive XP-46. Curtiss cannot have been pleased by North Americans end run, but they turned over a box of materials quite graciously, Atwood later said, considering the competitive aspects. North American paid Curtiss $56,000 for the papersnot a small sum in 1939and after giving them a quick once-over put them into storage. According to NAAs chief aerodynamicist Edward Horkey, they were obsolete and very amateurish and of no help. One of the famous facts about the Mustang is that the prototype was designed and built in 102 days. (The finished airframe had to wait 18 days for an engine, and so the time to first flight was a little longer.) Though four months now seems a very short time in which to create an entirely new airplane, aerodynamicist Irving Ashkenas later recalled the pace as unhurried. NAA designers had naturally been thinking about how they would build a fighter if a contract for one ever materialized. Schmued carried in his head the characteristics of an ideal cockpit. The engine type was preordained: the same mediocre 1,140-hp Allison V-12 that powered the P-40. Semi-monocoque aluminum structures were common at the time, and any experienced shop could make short work of their stress analysis and detail design. The XP-51 prototype incorporated aerodynamic advances unknown when the Curtiss P-40 was conceived. (U.S. Air Force) The XP-51 prototype incorporated aerodynamic advances unknown when the Curtiss P-40 was conceived. (U.S. Air Force) The Mustangs outer dimensions were nearly identical to those of the P-40. The similarity may have been the result of convergent evolution, or perhaps addressed the more practical consideration that the two types might be sharing hangar space and repair bays. Still, the P-51 differed from the P-40 in several important respects. One was its squared-off wingtips. This now seems a trivial difference, because hardly any airplanes today have rounded tips and we no longer attach any importance to them. But during the 1930s roundedor rather modified-ellipticaltips were prevalent, and their aerodynamic superiority was an article of faith. That belief had a scientific foundation of sorts in the fact that the lowest induced dragthe drag due to the production of lift, which is greatest at low speedis achieved when the distribution of lift across the span of a wing is elliptical. Rounded tips also drew a bit of support from the animal kingdom: Birds and bugs have them. But reality did not comport well with theory. Because the difference between pressures below and above the wingwhat we call liftcauses leakage around the tip, reducing the lift there, the actual lift distribution does not match the shape of the wing. A squared-off tip on a slightly tapered wing may actually approach an elliptical lift distribution more closely than a rounded one does. It is also easier to manufacture. North American had the squared-off tips tested in the University of Washingtons wind tunnel, where a lot of Mustang development work was done; their drag proved to be slightly lower than that of rounded ones. An XP-51B Mustang in the 16-foot wind tunnel at the NACA Ames Aeronautical Laboratory is readied for full-scale studies of duct rumble in March 1943. (NASA) An XP-51B Mustang in the 16-foot wind tunnel at the NACA Ames Aeronautical Laboratory is readied for full-scale studies of duct rumble in March 1943. (NASA) Another difference in the Mustang was the placement of its radiator. Liquid-cooled engines allowed designers to create shapely noses, more aerodynamic and elegant in appearance than the blunt ones of radials, but it was still necessary to get rid of engine heat, and this required a large radiator. The question was, where to put this bulky object without excessively disrupting the aircrafts aerodynamics? The P-40s radiator was slung directly below the engine, where it enjoyed direct blowing from the propeller while on the ground. Spitfires and Me-109s had theirs in the undersides of their wings. P-38s placed them in the tail booms. Mustang designers chose another location, in the fuselage behind the pilot. Bitter controversy would arise about that decision long after the P-51 had retired from active service. Related to the radiators placement was the position of the airscoop that fed it, several feet ahead of the radiator itself. Previous designs had not used such a long entrance duct, nor had they moved the inlet away from the airframe surface, separated by a boundary layer gutter whose purpose was to ensure that all the air entering the cooling system was high-energy free stream air, uncontaminated by the thin layer of sluggish air that clung to the airplanes skin. Two other differences were noticeable only to a trained eye. One was the shape of the wing airfoil. Typical airfoils of the time had a relatively blunt, thick leading edge and noticeably more of a bulge on the upper surface than on the lower. The Mustangs was different. Its leading edge was sharper, and the thickest point was situated almost halfway from the leading to the trailing edge. Behind the thickest point, the surfaces first converged, then subtly changed from convex to concavean S-shape that came to be called cusped. The lines of the Mustangs fuselage were more graceful and harmonious than those of most of its contemporaries. The lines were second-degree conics, originally laid out using a graphical method attributed to 17th-century French mathematician and philosopher Blaise Pascal. Schmued said of conics that this is the kind of shape that air likes to touch, although he must have known that if that were really the case (even allowing that his language was merely figurative), then the wing profiles should have been developed with conics as well, rather than with the incredibly complex and time-consuming back calculations from desired pressure distributions that NACA computersat that time a computer was a young woman of mathematical bent armed with a Friden electromechanical calculatorin fact used. Perhaps even more important than the putative benefit of conics was another novelty: extremely careful attention to surface smoothness. The surface quality of the entirely flush-riveted Mustang, demanded by Schmued, was noticeably better than that of previous airplanes. All these innovations would have remained footnotes in the vast saga of a centurys aeronautical progress but for an article Lee Atwood wrote in 1993. A civil engineer by education, Atwood had been working for Douglas Aircraft in Los Angeles when he met Kindelberger, who subsequently left Douglas for North American, then located in Maryland, and hired Atwood away from Douglas as well. As Kindelbergers right-hand man, Atwood provided a bridge between top management and the engineering staff. According to Atwood, during those fateful meetings with the British in 1939 he had argued persuasively that cooling drag, a significant portion of the total drag of any piston-engine airplane, could be practically eliminated by astute design of the radiator and its surrounding ducting. Atwood adduced theoretical support from a 1936 paper by F.W. Meredith, a British researcher at the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough. Merediths proposition was essentially that heat energy added to the cooling air by the radiator could be used at high flight speeds to drive the air out through a nozzle-shaped exit at high velocity, producing thrust. In effect, the cooling system would behave like a sort of low-temperature, low-compression jet engine. While Meredith did not claim that a net thrust could be generated, he did assert that at high speeds (considerable ram pressure was needed for the system to work) cooling drag could be greatly reduced, if not altogether eliminated, provided that ducts were correctly designed to minimize losses due to internal friction and turbulence. Atwood referred to this phenomenon as the Meredith effect. Putting it into practice required a rather long duct. The only place you could put such a duct, and even then it would not be ideal, was inside the fuselage. In his article, Atwood in effect claimed credit for the design features most characteristic of the Mustang: the under-fuselage airscoop and the aft location of the radiator. Atwoods claim brought a rebuttal from Ed Horkey, who had been chief of the aerodynamic section during the Mustangs development, in the form of a 1996 article in AAHS Journal titled The P-51: The Real Story. The NAA aerodynamicists, Horkey said, knew nothing of the Meredith paper; besides, the thermodynamic principle it described was obvious to anyone versed in the art. The radiator was placed in the aft fuselage because that was the best, and in fact the only, place to put it. In any case, Horkey said, the Mustangs performance was not due solely to its superior cooling arrangements but at least equally to its laminar-flow wing, smooth surfaces and clean overall shape. At high speeds, the behavior of the P-51 Mustangs cooling duct (A) is analogous to that of a turbojet engine (B). Air enters the inlet below the fuselage, slows and is compressed by ram pressure. After passing through the radiator, the heated air emerges at high velocity through an adjustable outlet. The resulting thrust helps offset the resistance of the duct and radiator, reducing the cooling drag to approximately 3 percent of total drag versus the 6 to 10 percent normally expected. In a turbojet, intake air is compressed and then heated in the combustion chamber before being expelled under pressure through the exhaust nozzlein this case, because the temperatures and pressures are much higher, creating a net thrust. At high speeds, the behavior of the P-51 Mustangs cooling duct (A) is analogous to that of a turbojet engine (B). Air enters the inlet below the fuselage, slows and is compressed by ram pressure. After passing through the radiator, the heated air emerges at high velocity through an adjustable outlet. The resulting thrust helps offset the resistance of the duct and radiator, reducing the cooling drag to approximately 3 percent of total drag versus the 6 to 10 percent normally expected. In a turbojet, intake air is compressed and then heated in the combustion chamber before being expelled under pressure through the exhaust nozzlein this case, because the temperatures and pressures are much higher, creating a net thrust. Illustrations by Steve Karp Illustrations by Steve Karp Some sources now give Atwood ultimate credit for the Mustang. Horkey thought otherwise. He believed that Atwood was belatedly trying to burnish his reputation by claiming credit for something that he really had nothing to do with. In a rebuttal to Horkeys rebuttal, Atwood insisted that The proposal wasbased on the Meredith principle and the cooling system in the fuselage back of the pilot.My instructions to the preliminary design group on this were followed in the very first layout drawing and mockup. Atwood later conceded, however, in a 1996 letter to George Larson, then editor of Air & Space magazine, that Horkey may not even have seen [Merediths analysis] before the Mustang design work was done. Over the years, various myths concerning the Mustang have arisen. One is that Edgar Schmued had previously worked in Germany for Messerschmitt; he had not. Another is that the P-51 cooling system actually did produce a net thrust, a claim that even Schmued himself seems to have made. Neither Atwood nor Horkey went farther than to claim a reduction in cooling drag to only 3 percent of the total drag as opposed to the expected 6 to 10 percent. A 1991 retrospective computational study by David Lednicer and Ian Gilchrist of Analytical Methods Inc. arrived at a similar number, but found that reliable data about the Mustangs total drag, as well as about its shape and precise dimensions, was extremely hard to come by. As for the laminar-flow wing, it probably never achieved in practice the very low draghalf that of conventional airfoils of the timethat wind tunnel tests promised. It was simply impossible for a practical-construction metal wing with seams, access panels, gun ports and a factory paint job to be smooth enough to maintain the large areas of laminar flow that appeared on polished wind tunnel models. As air passes around a wing, the airflow in the thin boundary layer clinging to the surface transitions from laminar (smooth) flow to turbulent flow, where drag is greater. On a traditional airfoil (above), the laminar flow extends just 5 to 20 percent aft from the leading edge. On the P-51 Mustangs laminar-flow wing (top), the smooth flow can theoretically continue more than halfway back along the airfoil before transitioning to turbulent flow, creating far less drag. (Illustrations by Steve Karp) As air passes around a wing, the airflow in the thin boundary layer clinging to the surface transitions from laminar (smooth) flow to turbulent flow, where drag is greater. On a traditional airfoil (above), the laminar flow extends just 5 to 20 percent aft from the leading edge. On the P-51 Mustangs laminar-flow wing (top), the smooth flow can theoretically continue more than halfway back along the airfoil before transitioning to turbulent flow, creating far less drag. (Illustrations by Steve Karp) It is, in fact, all but impossible to arbitrate competing claims about drag reduction, because its so difficult to measure drag precisely in the first place. Even after careful measurements are made there is no way to know exactly how much of the drag is due to which part of the airplane, since they cannot be isolated from one another. The Mustang exceeded performance expectations from the outset, and it was only human nature for different contributors to the design to suppose that their part was responsible. Different people commonly give different accounts of events that take place within large organizations. Atwoods and Horkeys versions of the Mustangs origins are not strictly incompatible, but the dueling articles and letters generated by their disagreements, decades after the facts in question, hint at more than mere differences of viewpoint. It appears likely that Horkey, Irv Ashkenas and Edgar Schmued liked one another and liked Kindelberger, but were perhaps not so fond of Ray Rice and even less fond of Atwood. Atwood himself spoke of Schmued, who is now generally called the designer of the Mustang, with undisguised condescension. On the other hand, Horkeys Real Story article named a great many people who made significant contributions to the P-51many of them former students, as Horkey and Ashkenas were, of the great aerodynamicist Theodore von Karman at Caltechbut conspicuously omitted Atwood, who, Ashkenas recalled, was off selling things with Kindelberger while the P-51 prototype was being built. In fact, speaking of the aerodynamically hideous 75-gallon underwing tanks that were later added by Wright Field and someone at NAA to extend the Mustangs range, Horkey reported that he, Schmued and Rice fought their use but were overruled by someone higher at NAA. That antagonistic and anonymous someone can only have been Atwood. After the death of Dutch Kindelberger in 1962, Lee Atwood became head of North American. In contrast to the amiable Kindelberger, Atwood was perceived as stiff and distant, and by some even less kindly. His position, to be sure, was difficult; he was enough of an engineer himself, and an intelligent one, to be torn between his technical instincts and his murkier obligations as a salesman and the head of a major aerospace and defense contractor. He presided over North American at the time when its reputation was sullied by the dreadful Apollo 1 fire that incinerated three astronauts during a routine ground test in January 1967. A year later, Rockwell acquired NAA, and Atwood became CEO of the merged firm. He relinquished that post in 1970, becoming chairman of the board until his retirement in 1978. Atwood died in 1999 at the age of 94. Horkey, Ashkenas, Schmued and all the long list of contributors to the Mustangthey are gone now as well. The airplane, on the other hand, seems immortal. Practically given away at the end of the war, surviving P-51s now trade for millions of dollars among museums, wealthy sporting pilots and air racers. With souped-up engines and stripped-down airframes, they achieve low-altitude speeds exceeding 500 mph at the annual Reno Air Races. The mystique of the Mustang is due to many things: its performance, its classically elegant shape, its starring role in the war. For Lee Atwood, there was something else about it that appealed to his instincts as an engineer-turned-businessman. Though Atwood led North American through the jet age and into the space age, he wrote nostalgically at the end of his life about what sounds more like a golden age: I doubt I shall ever see again such a degree of product improvement, employee participation, relative product value, economic production, and generally superior results as I experienced in Dutch Kindelbergers airplane production complex during the period 1939 to 1945. The Mustang came into being before the individual engineer or craftsman, as a recognizable, nameable human being, was supplanted by the anonymous myrmidons of the giant defense contractors. It is understandable, in the context of Atwoods nostalgia for that time, that he and others fought 50 years later to be remembered among the Mustangs creators. Peter Garrison, a lifelong aviation writer and amateur designer and builder, loves the P-51 and the Jaguar XK120 roadster equally, but has never been able to possess either. Further reading: Mustang Designer: Edgar Schmued and the Development of the P-51, by Ray Wagner; The Real Stuff: The Story Behind the P-51 Mustang, by Edward J. Horkey; and Building the P-51 Mustang, by Michael OLeary. This feature originally appeared in the September 2015 issue of Aviation History. Subscribe here! You are here: China China's health and education authorities Wednesday pledged to work together to control child myopia. Health departments will help schools and parents to conduct targeted intervention, said Ma Xiaowei, head of the National Health Commission, at a meeting between the commission and Ministry of Education. Ma said priority would be given to young students, and health departments would assist schools in measures such as increasing outdoor activities, as well as reducing electronic device use and homework. Health departments will also carry out a special monitoring program on the eyesight of school-age children and allocate more resources to the eyesight examinations, and counselling services, he said. Education departments will supervise schools to take concrete measures and evaluate their performance, Minister of Education Chen Baosheng said at the meeting. 1. Cake International on Tour April 4-6 at ExCeL London, Royal Victoria Dock, 1 Western Gateway, Royal Docks, E16. Enquiries: 01425 272711. Tickets: 01425 277988 (cakeinternational.co.uk). Find everything for cake decoration on more than 100 stalls, goggle at a sugarcraft life-size bride and groom and see 500 global cake contest entries Freddie Mercury, above, looks too good to eat. Book ahead for classes, or drop in at a demo. On the same ticket, The Creative Craft Show has papercraft, dressmaking, knitting, stitching and jewellery-making. 2. Monochrome Interpretations in Clay April 17-28 (closed Easter Sunday and Monday) at One Paved Court gallery, Richmond, Surrey (londonpotters.com). Artist Bridget Macklin takes local mud and clay, in this case from the foreshores of the Thames at Chiswick, Richmond and Battersea, and adds it to a porcelain body to make subtly marbled vessels, above. In this deliberately low-key show are also marbled slip-cast wall-hung 3D pieces by Camilla Webb Carter, and wall sculptures by Desa Philippi, inspired by graffiti along Regents Canal. 3. The Decorative Antiques and Textiles Fair April 9-14 at Battersea Evolution, Battersea Park, SW8. Register online for a free ticket or its 10, cash only, on the door (decorativefair.com). Interior decorators love this fair for special pieces, restored, vetted and mostly at reasonable prices. Meet 150 leading dealers offering decorative antiques and design from the 1700s to the 1970s, plus prints and photography. This desk and curved-back chair by Gerald Summers, finished in original white/cream shellac, is dated 1935. Free shuttle from Sloane Square. 4. Plants, flowers and LEGO Flowers, now until April 18. Lego, from April 8-June 30. All at Paddington Central, W2. Nik Southern of east London florists Grace & Thorn (graceandthorn.com) has filled a pop-up potting shed with plants and blooms at One Sheldon Square, Paddington Central, above. Get planting advice or join workshops and for 10, make a terrarium or hand-tied posy to take away. Also see suspended garlands and planted boxes under Bishops Bridge. From April 8, Mini Engineers Inspiration Lab hosts LEGO activities (mini-engineers.com). 5. Virtual Playground an interactive family exhibition April 8-27 (closed Good Friday and Easter Sunday) at Anise Gallery, 13a Shad Thames, SE1. Admission free (020 3754 2374). You are here: China Thirteen new professions have been identified by the national human resources authority this week, according to a news release issued on Wednesday. The list was jointly issued by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, State Administration for Market Regulation and National Bureau of Statistics. The 13 new professions are mainly in areas of high technology, including artificial intelligence, internet of things and big data, and drone navigation and e-sports, which require more knowledge and superior skills. According to the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, the emergence of these new professions owes to rapid development of high-tech industries, which actually grow into new engines for the nations economic development. Industry restructuring also helps generate these new jobs where automatic production is required rather than manual operation, the ministry said. For example, drone technology allows workers to finish difficult or dangerous missions, such as high voltage line supervision and mapping. A Shenzhen-Hong Kong cooperation conference was held in Shenzhen on April 2. Speaking at the meeting, Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, chief secretary for Administration of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, said that last year the two cities made remarkable progress in their cooperation in financial services, cross-border infrastructure construction, education, innovative industries, environmental protection, social livelihood, culture and medical care. Cheung addedthat the two sides will continue to work together in other fields. Shenzhen Mayor Chen Rugui said that the two cities will further improve their cooperation mechanisms, co-plan some cooperation projects and make it more convenient for Hong Kong residents to work and live in Shenzhen. They will play up Qianhai's role as a platform to promote interconnectivity between ports, and will work together to construct a first-class international bay area and a world-class city cluster, Chen added. Cheung and Chen exchanged ideas on future cooperation between the two cities and signed a series of cooperation agreements at the conference. According to Cheung, the Liantang Port is expected to be finished by the end of this year. Chen said that Shenzhen has engaged itself in 'seven big actions', including building itself into an international science and technology innovation center, and promoting infrastructure interconnectivity. The city started 31 projects related to the building of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area this year, which required a total investment of about 75 billion yuan ($11.18 billion). According to Chen, the city government has accelerated its work on the planning and its approvals of several traffic, industrial park and port construction projects, and they are exploring new cooperation mechanisms with Hong Kong to remove obstacles for the free flow of talent, capital, goods and technologies between the two cities. Cheung also said Hong Kong has world-class science and technology research capacity, four world-class universities, highly developed institutions for the protection of judicial and intellectual property rights, and an internationalized business environment. And Shenzhen, as an innovative city, has strong ability to industrialize the developments from science and technology research and advanced manufacturing. Cheung concluded that the two cities can pool the innovative resources of the Greater Bay Area and far beyond, and provide all kinds of future services in researchand development, IPR, trade, financing and legal mediation for the region and the world. The Japanese government has unveiled the name of its new era, "Reiwa," which literally means "pursuing harmony." This comes just before its soon-to-be Emperor Naruhito succeeds the Chrysanthemum throne on May 1. His father, the current Emperor Akihito, is abdicating, with his era of "Heisei" coming to an end the day before. Chinese netizens debate the intellectual sources of "Reiwa" Although the selection of the name was top secret, the Japanese public and its neighboring countries were eager to guess what it was before it was officially announced. When the decision came after a series of highly guarded closed meetings and intense media speculation, Japanese at home and abroad had different perceptions of it and debated its significance. The two characters "Reiwa" in Chinese, namely "ling" (, order, command) and "he" (, peace, harmony), were both commonly used by Chinese emperors in ancient times. Looking back in Chinese history, many Chinese rulers had chosen "ling" or "he" as the name of their reign or era. In modern Chinese language, these terms are also commonly and frequently used in people's daily lives, signifying best wishes for peace and harmony. What might "shock" Chinese netizens, or even "irritate" some who have a stronger sense of nationalism, is not the name itself, but the Japanese official interpretation on how and why they chose those two characters. Officials emphasized that the two characters were special and totally different from their counterparts in the past because they came from "original Japanese classics" "The Poem of Manyoshu." This is an anthology of poems that enjoys the same privilege and fame as "The Book of Songs" (the oldest existing collection of Chinese poetry). I am neither an expert of ancient Japanese literature nor a scholar of the history of Chinese literature. Therefore, judging whether "ling he" (Reiwa) really comes from a "pure, original and ancient Japanese classic" or rather, from its Chinese sources through a strict Foucaultian "archaeology of knowledge," is beyond my knowledge and research abilities. However, assuming the validity of both Japan's official statement and Chinese netizen's "textual criticism," we may solve this cognitive bias and consequent cultural-nationalist accusation through a new perspective the "Asian values" and the "Asian civilization dialogue." Reviewing "Reiwa" using the "Asian civilization dialogue" approach A conference for dialogue among Asian civilizations is scheduled in Beijing in May, which is a good opportunity for Asian nations to get together to discuss how to better promote exchanges and mutual learning among Asian civilizations. In China's view, the differences between civilizations or nations are not excuses for disputes, conflicts or war, but instead a reason and opportunity for further dialogues. Culture and civilizations themselves are organic entities, ever fluid, and constantly changing and melding. In view of this, there are very few (if any) civilizations that can be called "pure" or "totally original," rather, they are all a mixture of different cultures in history. In other words, "civilization" itself is the product of dialogue and interaction among various groups of people in history. Let's review the current case of China and Japan, especially the heated online debate about the intellectual sources of "Reiwa," under this cultural lens. Perhaps it is still too early to say that China and Japan have already entered into a "community with a shared future," but most would agree that these two great nations belong to the same great cultural circle the East Asian Confucian Civilization. However, as time went by, China and Japan gradually developed their own unique cultures, which while different, still shared the similar intellectual source and moral doctrines. From this perspective, Japan's choice of "Reiwa" demonstrates the long history of friendly exchanges and profound cultural communications between China and Japan. If we take a much broader view, the online debate of the term "Reiwa" may serve as the best example of China's insight that "different cultures and civilizations should not be arrogant and disdain each other, but rather learn from each other." Thousands of years ago, the ancestors of the Chinese and Japanese enjoyed a highly developed level of people-to-people exchanges and cultural communication, and hence built a splendid civilization in East Asia. Japan has more recently been trapped by its own militarism and expansionist ambitions in the past century. Now, China is looking forward to embracing a peace-loving Japan, but one which also recognizes and reflects on its history of bitter aggression. As "Reiwa" suggests, now is the time for the two great Asian nations to join hands to build a "community with a shared future" in a booming East Asia through an open and sincere dialogue. Wang Peng is an associate research fellow at the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies, Renmin University of China, and a researcher at the Charhar Institute. Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors only, 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. Supplier News 4 April 2019 FRANKLIN, TENN.- For the first time, Quore, America's fastest-growing provider of workforce communication and engineering/housekeeping management technologies, will bring its award-winning solutions to HITEC Europe 2019. Known to more than 3,600 hotels and 560 management companies in 29 countries as the "friendlier solution" and named a "2019 Top Rated Operations Product" for two consecutive years by HotelTechReport, European hoteliers will finally experience this cloud-based service optimization platform that is improving communications between guests and staff. HITEC Europe will be held April 9 to 11 at the Palau de Congressos Palma in Mallorca, Spain. Produced by Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP), HITEC Europe is part of the world's largest hospitality technology conference brand, delivering superior education and an exhibition. Here industry professionals will discover the latest trends specific to the European and international hospitality technology industry. "We are thrilled to be introducing the Quore application at HITEC Europe and showcasing more than 30 tools designed for housekeepers, engineers, front-office staff and management teams," said Scott Schaedle, Quore founder and CEO. "Our technology makes life easier for everyone who works in a hotel, which means guests get their needs met faster too. The people coming to HITEC Europe care about their hotels - and we do too. With smarter teams and happier guests, everybody wins." With Quore, European hoteliers and management groups can: Increase guest satisfaction and track daily tasks and information. Streamline asset tracking and preventive maintenance. Drive real results and communicate more efficiently. Simplify cleaning and manage rooms with ease. Track and manage business decisions. To preschedule a meeting at HITEC EUROPE 2019 with Quore, email [email protected] To learn more about Quore or to request an online demo, visit www.quore.com. About Quore: Quore is an award-winning provider of workforce communication and engineering/housekeeping management technologies that enable hotels to efficiently run their day-to-day operations and improve the guest experience. With software used by more than half of the top 100 highest-earning hotel management companies in the U.S., Quore is the first solution ever to combine state-of-the-art technology and intuitive design to allow hotels of any size to manage all aspects of the guest experience. Quore supports some of the industry's largest brands, including IHG, Marriott, Holiday Inn, and Best Western, to track work orders, execute preventive maintenance, manage guest requests, improve complaint responsiveness, and create world-class proficiencies in housekeeping. Founded in 2013 by Scott Schaedle, Quore Systems is privately owned and located in Franklin, Tennessee. Industry Update Opinion Article 4 April 2019 Hotel Yearbook: The community hotel: a sustainable hotel scenario by means of social integration into the neighborhood environment By Vanessa Borkmann , Researcher at Fraunhofer-IAO in Stuttgart, Germany share this article 1 min An important future task of hotels is to enrich and conceptually integrate their surroundings in order to become a new form of a social hub for the people living in the district. Approaches to improve the sustainability of hotels thus include social interaction in addition to the structural, procedural and behavioral components. Here, Vanessa Borkmann describes the sustainable scenario of a social, community-oriented hotel concept, an approach reflecting current research findings from the FutureHotel Innovation Network of the Fraunhofer IAO in Stuttgart. Click here to view the full The HOTEL Yearbook Special Edition - Sustainable Hospitality 2020. Performance 4 April 2019 It's been tough sledding for hotels in the Middle East & North Africa. February marked the sixth consecutive month of year-over-year profit decline, in spite of a slight rise in RevPAR, according to the latest data tracking full-service hotels from HotStats. Advertisements GOPPAR for the month declined 4.3-percent YOY and two months into 2019, profit levels in the region are already 9.6 percent behind the same period in 2018. The decline in profit was led by a 1.6-percent decrease in non-rooms revenue, which fell to $89.33, equivalent to 42.2 percent of total revenue. However, it was not a blanket decline in ancillary revenues, as YOY growth of 1.1 percent was recorded in the food & beverage department, on a per-available-room basis. And while RevPAR for the month was up 0.5 percent (growing to $122.39, 8.0-percent higher than the average for the rolling 12 months to February 2019), TRevPAR suffered a 0.4-percent decline. Growth in rooms revenue was driven by a 2.6-percentage-point increase in occupancy to 73.9 percent, which was one of the highest room occupancies recorded in the region in the last 12 months. Average room rate was down 3.1 percent YOY. Rising costs evaporated the marginal revenue growth. These were led by a 0.6-percent jump in total hotel labour costs and a 2.1-percent increase in total overheads, on a per-available-room basis. Profit & Loss Key Performance Indicators - Middle East & North Africa (in USD) February 2019 v. February 2018 RevPAR: +0.5% to $122.39 TRevPAR: -0.4% to $211.72 Payroll % of Total Revenue: +0.3 pts. to 28.1% GOPPAR: -4.3% to $79.45 Profit margin in the region was 37.5 percent of total revenue, marking the sixth consecutive month of profit conversion erosion. "MENA hotels are unfortunately part of a broader trend where flagging revenue is being gobbled up by rising costs, leading to profit decay," said Michael Grove, Director of Intelligence and Customer Solutions, EMEA, at HotStats. "In a slowing economic climate, hoteliers will need to figure out canny ways to cut down on expense in order to deliver on the bottom line." One bright spot in MENA: Sharm El Sheikh. Following the October 31, 2015, downing of a Russian passenger plane carrying 224 passengers from Sharm El Sheikh International Airport, a number of European countries and Russia suspended direct flights to the Egyptian resort town. More than three years later, a ban on flights from the UK still remains, but Russia has now lifted its own ban and tourism throughout the region is getting healthier. A report by the Arabian Travel Market noted that the yearly number of visitors to Egypt is expected to increase by 50 percent over the next three years. Sharm El Sheikh hotels are slowly benefitting. A profit increase in February marks the sixth consecutive month of growth in this measure and, over the last 28 months, YOY GOPPAR has fallen only twice. Profit & Loss Key Performance Indicators - Sharm El Sheikh (in USD) February 2019 v. February 2018 RevPAR: +144.8% to $28.05 TRevPAR: +121.0% to $43.86 Payroll % of Total Revenue: -18.0 pts. to 28.6% GOPPAR: +472.3% to $9.83 Performance of hotels in Kuwait City was more reflective of the challenges across MENA, with profit per room falling by 41.3 percent YOY to $92.70, as the city continues to be hit by declining revenue levels and rising costs. As a result of falling room occupancy (down 9.1 percentage points), achieved average room rate (down 14.6 percent) and non-rooms revenues (down 23.9 percent), TRevPAR decreased by more than $75 YOY to $229.27. On the cost side, while hotel labour costs on a per-available-room basis were down 8.4 percent YOY, as a percentage of total revenue, they were up 5.4 percentage points, illustrating revenue corrosion. Profit conversion was at 40.4 percent of total revenue, down 11.2 percentage points over the same time prior. Profit & Loss Key Performance Indicators - Kuwait City (in USD) JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. You should upgrade or use an You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.You should upgrade or use an alternative browser Top-rated luxury resort partners with Go Moment to retain 'the human touch' of guest engagement while still automating and streamlining processes Go Moment, the worlds leading provider of real-time artificial intelligence guest communication solutions for the hospitality industry, today announced the continuation of its relationship with Jackson Hole, Wyoming-based The Rustic Inn Creekside Resort & Spa. The resort, which sought to deliver guest engagement through a simple and intuitive automated solution, chose Go Moments smartconcierge Ivy to complement their high-touch service, optimize guest satisfaction, as well as promote and upsell amenities. The Rustic Inn Creekside Resort & Spa at Jackson Hole prides itself on its exclusive amenities, its rustically-refined environs, and a knowledgeable concierge team focused on capturing the wild beauty of a Teton and Yellowstone National Parks guest experience. The resort, located less than a half-mile from historic Jackson Town Square, sits on a 12-acre property that includes a full-service spa, outdoor pool, hot tub, sauna and a seven-acre nature preserve, complete with seasonal fire-pits, a wetlands walk, and on-site fishing. Accommodations at this palatial resort range from rooms and cabins to five different styles of spa suites. Ivy, which works in harmony with a hotels existing human staff, provides near-immediate guest resolution to common questions so that staff can handle more complex ones. Ivy has been utilized by The Rustic Inn to seamlessly handle nearly 2,500 guest inquiries, meeting the Inns goal of providing human touch via automated guest communications. Ivy now triages more than 53% of initial messages, and its implementation has led to a 4.77 out of 5 guest sentiment score. We couldnt be more pleased with the results of using Go Moments smartconcierge, Ivy, expressed The Rustic Inn Creekside Resort & Spas Assistant General Manager, Winston Scofield. We are thrilled at our continued partnership and celebrate our mutual success. Powered by advancing artificial intelligence, Ivy leverages 10s of millions of total interactions, using exclusive data to understand guest behavior and deliver a superior guest experience. Ivys text and voice messaging solution ensures guest communications are natural and intuitive, and Ivys automation addresses guest requests near-instantly, freeing up hotel staff to focus on higher-value interactions. Were very proud of our success with The Rustic Inn Creekside Resort & Spa, said Raj Singh, founder and CEO at Go Moment. The beauty of Ivys technology is that shes just as compatible with the guest service objectives of an exclusive boutique resort like The Rustic Inn as she is with a large Las Vegas casino resort. Thats the power of AI-driven interactions that feel human and authentic, delivering improved issue resolution, guest satisfaction, and employee effectiveness. To learn more about Ivy and Go Moment, visit GoMoment.com. About Go Moment Ivy, powered by Go Moment, is the world's first smartconcierge for hotels. Ivy brings together human expertise and machine intelligence in a seamless experience for the guest. Via messaging, Ivy answers routine guest questions like Whats the Wi-Fi password? in less than one second, reducing calls and disruptions to the hotel staff. Ivy provides conveniences like fulfilling guest requests, booking restaurant reservations, and accessing offers that enhance the guest experience from anywhere, at any time. Ivy has served tens of millions of guests, and shes often recognized in TripAdvisor reviews for providing exceptional service. About Rustic Inn Creekside Resort and Spa Situated in Jackson, Rustic Inn Creekside is a short walk from Jackson Hole American Legion Post No 43 and provides a sauna and a heated pool. It is ideally positioned for those wanting to discover the area's attractions. This 4-star resort offers massage services, a concierge and a beauty center. In sunny weather, an outdoor terrace provides a nice place to relax. Every luxury room at Rustic Inn Creekside provides a spa bath and all the necessities for a comfortable stay. They each offer a kitchenette, a mini bar and a refrigerator. On-site dining options include a restaurant, which is a convenient place to enjoy a meal. In the evening, guests can relax in the comfortable lounge bar. A wide selection of dining options are also found in the surrounding area. Rustic Inn Creekside is within walking distance of Van Vleck House. It is also a short drive from Teton Village and Wilson. All product names, logos, and brands are property of their respective owners. All company, product and service names used in this press release are for identification purposes only. Use of these names and brands does not imply endorsement. Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe 2021 Hotel News Resource Richard Branson once said, 'Clients do not come first. Employees come first. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of the clients.' Richard Branson once said, Clients do not come first. Employees come first. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of the clients. This shift in management mindset is becoming a significant trend across industries, as brand leaders aptly realize the importance of cultivating a happy, healthy and supportive workplace for their staff. Its a rather simple concept; If you get along with your coworkers, if you feel that the people you work for (and with) care about you and your well-being and that you are appreciated and supported by your company, you are more likely to enjoy your work and (as a by-product) do a better job in that role. In fact, reports show that if you boost someones happiness, you raise their productivity 12-25% or more. Happy workplaces see less turnover, enhanced efficiency, fewer health care costs and a decrease in mistakes and accidents. Studies also indicate that happy employees are also rated by others as more trustworthy and likable. Further, in a survey conducted by the Anxiety and Depression Association of American (ADAA), 56% of respondents said anxiety and stress affect their work performance, and 50% said it affects their quality of work. This comes as no surprise, as we look to popular literature such as Thinking, Fast and Slow by Nobel Prize winner Daniel Kahneman, which describes two, opposite modes of thinking. System 1 is based on instinct, enabling us to make fast, emotion-driven decisions (under pressure, for example, in fight or flight mode). System 2 describes our logical, careful thought processes. Unsurprisingly, System 1 is responsible for most of our bad decisions and unfortunately, that system is constantly at work within workplace environments that dont advocate against the daily perpetuation of employee frustration, sadness, stress, and anxiety. This sentiment proves especially true when we look to the hospitality realm an industry which relies almost entirely on its employees ability to take care of guests. After all, hospitality staff is expected to consistently curate a hyper-responsive, personalized and attentive experience for each guest, at every touch-point. This expectation would, understandably, be difficult to uphold if the workplace environment was lacking, and employees were continually working through feelings of stress, fear and/or frustration while on the job. And yet, this is, unfortunately, a familiar scenario for hospitality workers, as the industry is admittedly notorious for high-stress environments, staff safety concerns, and subsequently, high turnover rates. According to the American Hotel and Motel Association (AHMA), the U.S. lodging industry brings in $134 billion and employs nearly 1.8 million people, including more than 400,000 hotel room cleaners. From cleaning guest rooms to maintaining hotel grounds, serving meals and daily manual labor, hotel staff is frequently subject to potential physical (or personal) risk. Beyond the concern of slips, falls or labor-related injuries from repetitive physical tasks and long hours, housekeepers and hotel staff also face an alarming incidence rate of physical or verbal harassment from guests so much so, that its become something of a quiet epidemic across the industry. In fact, service workers across the board may be at higher risk for sexual harassment: In a new survey of 688 restaurant workers, for instance, 78% of women and 55% of men reported sexual harassment by customers; 30% of the women said inappropriate touching was a common occurrence. Considering a recent white paper revealed that employee turnover in the UAEs hospitality industry is approximately 25-30% per annum, this should be a topic of major concern for modern hoteliers. What is lacking in the workplace of hotels? How can hoteliers better support and protect their staff to instill long-term loyalty? How should hospitality leaders invest in the safety of their employees? 1. The 5 Star Promise It was this on-going (but often publicly understated) realization that inspired the AHLAs 5 Star Promise; a pledge to provide hotel employees across the U.S. with employee safety devices (ESDs) and commit to enhanced policies, trainings and resources that together are aimed at enhancing hotel safety, including preventing and responding to sexual harassment and assault. This pledge issued in partnership with various major hotel brands is in place to encourage the health and safety of a hotels employees and, in that same breath, heighten morale and decrease the occurrence of potentially dangerous situations. This promise calls for the implementation of employee safety devices, which empower hotel staff to immediately (and discreetly) signal for help using a small, hand-held device that utilizes Bluetooth technology. Using these modern hotel panic buttons, hoteliers can pinpoint the location of a distress call down to the specific floor and room number. If the staff member in distress moves throughout the property, the safety platform will track them as they move, providing updated room information in real time. A far cry from legacy noise-makers, these new-age flexible safety platforms allow for customized configuration to a hotels existing technology, ensuring easy and seamless integration. In many cases, a fast response can be the key differentiator in an employees well-being, and utilizing modern employee safety devices will allow hoteliers to locate an employee anywhere in the facility within seconds of a distress call. 2. Employee Wellness Programs Housekeepers are especially vulnerable to physical injuries resulting from repetitive motions and manual labor, as they turn rooms over and lug heavy carts from floor to floor. Further, any front of house hospitality staff member likely finds themselves standing for long periods of time, which can be physically taxing on joints. Kitchen staff, as well, are subject to potential burns, cuts or slips while on the job. Pulled backs, strained shoulders, sore feet, and compromised posture are common ailments affecting staff within the hospitality sector. With this in mind, corporate wellness programs are becoming increasingly popular. Something as simple as providing staff with a wellness room where they are encouraged to stretch, unwind and/or mobilize before or after a shift, can make a big difference. If the hotel property offers sprawling, updated amenities and extensive wellness programs for guests but fails to provide any quiet, relaxing space or dedicated programs for their staff, what message does that send? How can employees feel connected to the property and their role within it? Just last year, Hilton Hotels upgraded staff spaces to make employees work environment more inviting. These upgrades ranged from new lighting and fresh paint to more extensive renovations, including renovated cafeterias and locker rooms. Taking this a step further, many hotels are investing in dedicated wellness programs for their staff (access to fitness studios or stipends for gym memberships, improved benefits, complimentary corporate classes or workshops, etc.). 3. Make Training an Ongoing Priority In the past, employee training was often viewed as a costly, time-consuming burden. Perhaps due in large part to legacy technology and antiquated protocols, training staff on new platforms and updated safety measures was difficult and rife with resistance, especially within an industry that is known for long hours and high demands. However, as technology improves and hoteliers invest in the tools required to simplify and streamline previously taxing procedures, frequent training becomes paramount and finally accessible. Modern platforms no longer require the presence of support staff for on-property demonstrations but can offer online, user-friendly training modules that are always available to staff. This paves the way for frequent training sessions, rather than one-off events, and curates an environment of educated employees who understand the value of the training they receive. Even further, with the implementation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Virtual Reality (VR) hoteliers are approaching a time in which safety demonstrations could become entirely immersive, and therefore far more engaging and effective. Ultimately, world-class guest service starts with the provision of a safe environment for your staff. Investing in the technology, programs, and procedures required to enhance staff safety is equally important to those investments you make in guest-facing solutions and will create an enhanced environment for staff and guests alike. So, as a hotelier, you must ask yourself what measures does your hotel have in place to support and protect your employees? Is it enough, or is it time for an upgrade? About the Author Robb Monkman is the founder and CEO, of React Mobile, Inc. With experience launching multiple products, from idea to exit, Robb previously headed up the sales and marketing of advanced communications solutions to the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Several years ago, Robb was the victim of an armed robbery and hostage situation that left a lasting impression on him. He soon learned that thousands of people every day were in situations where they desperately need help but couldnt make a call. He made it his mission to solve this problem, founding React Mobile to create a simple yet powerful personal safety platform that today is transforming the way people call for help in emergencies. React Mobile is making tomorrow a safer place and already helping people all over the world. About React Mobile Founded in 2013, React Mobile is a global leader in providing panic button solutions for hotels. Their best in class hospitality safety platform helps hotels keep their employees safe. The React Mobile system allows management to deploy response resources to the exact location of an emergency within seconds of an alert, getting help to where they need it fast. In an emergency quick response times are essential. Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe 2021 Hotel News Resource This expansion into Ubud marks the second W Hotel in Indonesia, following the opening of W Bali Seminyak in 2010. W Hotels Worldwide today announced the signing of W Bali - Ubud, the brand's newest W Escape. Developed in partnership with Indonesia's Ruang Teknik Group, W Bali - Ubud is set to bring W's bold design, signature Whatever/Whenever service and innovative programming to the cultural heart of Bali. Perched on a hilltop, oriented toward the morning sun rising in the east, and southwards over stunning, unobstructed views of the Tanggayuda Valley, W Bali Ubud will reinvent the dreamy Ubud experience with eclectic, surprising art and design set amongst a versatile vibe that is at once laid back and social. No matter what guests crave from sunrise meditation on a mountaintop to late night dancing under the jungle stars, every holiday spent at W Bali Ubud will be filled with unforgettable magic. This expansion into Ubud marks the second W Hotel in Indonesia, following the opening of W Bali Seminyak in 2010. "Ubud is a hidden destination like no other, where legends and nature intertwine with everyday life to create a magical sense of adventure," said Anthony Ingham, Global Brand Leader, W Hotels Worldwide. "W Bali Ubud is an exciting next step for us. We are applying a unique, vibrant sensibility to this hotel, one that has not been seen before on the island. W Bali Ubud will combine the brand's boundary-breaking approach to design with the rich cultural, spiritual and artistic influences of Ubud to show off the best of this incredible locale and all we've learned in the decade since W debuted in Indonesia." W Bali Ubud will redefine modern luxury in the destination, taking inspiration from social, historical and physical insights and embedding elements of each into the rooms and public spaces. Upon entering the hotel, guests will be immersed in modern interpretations of traditional Balinese art styles with works from local artists, that lead to breath-taking lounges perfect for soaking in spectacular jungle sunsets as sounds of cool beats drift through the air. The hotel will offer 100 inspired guestrooms, including 10 villas with private swimming pools and an EWOW suite (the brand's take on the traditional Presidential Suite). Guests will be able to soak up the sun at two pools a WET Deck (pool deck) featuring terraced pools inspired by the rice paddles historically used in the region, and another a designated quiet pool for peaceful relaxation and downtime. The poolside Sunset Bar will serve up of the most breath-taking views on the island set beside reinterpreted . At W Bali Ubud, the signature AWAY Spa by W Hotels with a large open social deck will allow guests to hit pause, treat themselves and recharge with a selection of locally-infused treatments. As the brand's newest W Escape, W Bali Ubud will bring a bold new take on international cuisine with a Balinese twist to multiple on-site bars and restaurants. Traditional Asian flavors intertwine with international influences at the stylish all-day dining restaurant Morinda, which will tempt guests with an in-house bakery, fresh-pressed juices, a strong vegan focus and a third-wave approach to coffee culture. Synn, a specialty restaurant featuring the finest of Balinese and world cuisines will be an underground sensation, literally. This new restaurant is partially underground, opening towards a jungle cliff and featuring cuisine as innovative as the locale including a progressive cocktail lab and digital artwork on display. Encouraging guests to detox and retox in true W style, the FIT (gym) bar will feature a pressed juice lab by day and a high-energy bar by night complete with UV-responsive, painted displays. Guests can indulge their wanderlust at Wanderbar, the hotel's panoramic cocktail bar nestled on one of the hotel's highest hills, offering 360-degree views from sunrise to sunset and inspired concoctions to match. W Bali Ubud will take meetings, weddings and other events to the next level with a 176-square-meter (577-square-foot) meeting room featuring bright natural lighting and outdoor lawn spaces. Both the outdoor and indoor event spaces utilize bamboo, shaping the landscape with live planting and indoor material used to accent the spaces with a natural touch. Bali's Denpasar International Airport is only an hour's drive away from the new hotel, providing easy access for jetsetters. Nearby activities and attractions like Bali Swing Adventure Park, white water rafting along mountain rivers, the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary, Bali's famed rice terraces and temples, as well a thriving bohemian cafe culture and restaurants on par with the best of Asia are all within walking distance of W Bali Ubud, offering guests endless possibilities for adrenaline-fueled play. W Bali Ubud is slated to join the brand's robust portfolio of more than 50 hotels around the globe, including the recently opened W Dubai The Palm (February 2019), as well as the soon-to-open W Aspen, W Ibiza and W Abu Dhabi Yas Island. Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe 2021 Hotel News Resource There have been so many different colorways and reworkings of the Air Jordan 1 over the years that it's almost impossible to keep track. Jordan Brand loves to try and innovate so its no surprise that they would continue to experiment with their silhouettes, even if it means getting some sideways glances from the purist sneakerheads out there. Over the last few weeks, one of the newer models of the Air Jordan 1 that the brand has shown off is the "Cargo" version. This sneaker has a military aesthetic thanks to the midfoot being hidden by cargo netting. While few colorways of the shoe have been revealed, Nike is looking to change that as a model has made its way to the internet. This time, the shoe is white all over, except the Nike swoosh hiding underneath the cargo netting is black. The shoe comes with a hangtag along the side with the wings logo. On the inside of the said tag, there are some orange and silver highlights to add a bit of color. Image via Sneaker News There is no official release date for this sneaker just yet, although Sneaker News is reporting that it will come out sometime this month for $130 USD. It has been quite the offseason for Cincinnati Bengals second-year running back Mark Walton. According to the Miami Herald, the former Miami Hurricanes star surrendered to police on Thursday to face felony charges of carrying a concealed weapon, marijuana possession and reckless driving, all stemming from a high-speed car chase that happened on the night of March 12 in North Miami-Dade. It marks the third time that Walton was arrested this offseason. https://twitter.com/_/status/1113825464970293249 Per the Miami Herald: "According to court documents, Miami-Dade police officers tried to pull over Waltons rented BMW because it was speeding and weaving in and out of traffic. The car abruptly pulled over in the front yard of a home in the 2300 block of Northwest 86th Street." "One officer saw Walton getting out of the car and ordered him to the ground. The speedy running back fell to the ground, the warrant said, but then sprang to his feet and ran off." During the foot chase, Walton was shot in the back with a taser, but he pulled out the prongs and ran off into the night. According to the Miami Herald, officers found 14 grams of marijuana, a 9mm carbine rifle and several fully loaded clips in his abandoned vehicle. Walton, who was drafted in the fourth round by the Bengals in 2018, was also arrested on February 16 and charged with misdemeanor battery for taking a neighbor's phone during an argument in a parking garage. He was previously arrested in January on a misdemeanor marijuana possession. https://twitter.com/_/status/1113833779880132608 Flash Visiting Chairman of China Soong Ching Ling Foundation (CSCLF) Wang Jiarui met with Ho Chi Minh City's Communist Party Chief Nguyen Thien Nhan, and General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee Hoang Binh Quan in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), Vietnam on April 1, 2019. Nguyen Thien Nhan warmly welcomed Wang Jiarui and introduced the economic and social development in HCMC in recent years. He said that Comrade Ho Chi Minh had spent 30 years in China, and added that HCMC always had a special affection with China. "Vietnam sent a group of students to study in China in 1950s. I also studied in China in the 1960s. We will always remember the concern and support of the CPC and the Chinese government for Vietnamese students in China and will maintain a special relationship with China at all times," said Nguyen. Nguyen Thien Nhan thanked Wang Jiarui for his contributions in promoting Vietnam-China friendship over the years, and expressed willingness to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with the CSCLF. "As a leading city in Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City has the responsibility to make greater contributions to the future of Vietnam-China relations," Nguyen said. "We are willing to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with the CSCLF so that the young people of the two countries can enhance mutual understanding and continue to pass on their friendship over the generations." Wang Jiarui said that in recent years Ho Chi Minh City, with its rapid development, had played a leading role in Vietnam. He said that China and Vietnam are close to each other, and the high-level exchanges between the two countries are the cornerstone of bilateral relations. "China and Vietnam must not only strengthen cooperation at the economic and trade levels. The two sides must promote exchanges at the social level and strengthen people-to-people exchanges, so as to implement the consensus of the leaders and jointly consolidate the public opinion base of bilateral relations." Said Wang. Wang further pointed out that youth is the future of the two countries. He stressed that both sides must inherit the traditional friendship forged and nurtured by the older generation of leaders of both countries, and pass it on to the next generation. Wang added that the CSCLF is dedicated to youth development and has engaged in international exchanges for young people. He said the Foundation is willing to strengthen cooperation with Ho Chi Minh City, promote friendly exchanges between China and Vietnam, and make new contributions to promote Sino-Vietnamese friendship. Later in the evening, Wang Jiarui also met with the General Secretary of the CPV Central Committee Hoang Binh Quan. The two sides expressed their common will to promote people-to-people exchanges between the two countries and promote Chinese-Vietnamese friendship. Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam, Xiong Bo; Vice Chairman of the CSCLF, Yu Qun and Consul General of the Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in Ho Chi Minh City, Wu Jun also attended the above-mentioned activities respectively. There reportedly has been an increase of knifings in London as numerous people have been attacked in brutal stabbings, some even dying from their injuries. There have been few celebrities who have taken the cause of raising awareness about the assaults, one of whom is Idris Elba. For the actor, reports that child knife killers have risen 77 percent is unsettling, so he's taken to social media to speak out against violent crime on his home turf. He shared a video on his Instagram page, airing out his frustration with the trend that seems to be catching on more than dissipating. "This is NOT NEW but it IS STILL A PROBLEM," Elba writes. "There will ALWAYS be Gangs, Rivals, Struggles In communities, we cant control that BUT we can make noise about the STABBINGS!! We need to make noise to protect these kids. So many Mothers/Fathers have had to bury their CHILDREN and FAMILY due to stabbings. This is happening to black young kids/men doing it to ourselves." https://www.instagram.com/p/BuwERFzht1i "We wear the same skin but yet we act like we hate that skin, our identity," he continues. "Its dumb. Its getting worse. We OURSELVES need to step up for these kids. Waiting for the Police to do something isnt a REAL solution, WE cannot WAIT for that. WE NEED TO MAKE NOISE IN PROTEST ABOUT THE DUMB STABBINGS, OUT OF RESPECT FOR THE DEAD AND TO PROTECT THE LIVING. If you are someone that cares about this, make a video and tell them to throw the knives away, not just ENTERTAINERS, EVERYBODY, Ring the alarm and make noise about this. Lets own this and encourage these gangs to put down the Knifes. ENTERTAINERS IF YOU GIVE A F**K, MAKE A VIDEO TODAY PLEASE." In the video clip, the actor also says, "You become a murderer, you go to prison, you aint got s**t. For what? For some beef that lives within your community. You need to see past that." Elba has created the "Don't stab your future" campaign where he's printed the phrase on shirts. The YBF reports that the proceeds of the sales of the shirts will go to Faron Alex Paul, a knifing victim who was stabbed 18 times who is now an advocate against gun and knife violence. https://www.instagram.com/p/Bvi3y7wh0IJ https://www.instagram.com/p/BvsDfb4BxqR When all of the sixteen felony charges were dropped against Jussie Smollett last month, most of the people that had been following the story were extremely shocked. Many of us had anticipated seeing the Empire star spend some time behind bars but alas, his political connections appear to have paid off for him. If you haven't been following the case closely, Smollett filed a false police report saying that he was the victim of a hate crime. The entire incident had been staged with his alleged motive being self-promotion and a higher salary for his acting gigs. All charges were formally dropped and today is the final day that Smollett has to pay over $130K in investigation charges. Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images As reported by CNN, a bill for $130,106.15 was sent to the actor from the city of Chicago. On March 28, Smollett was given seven days to pay the fees. If he fails to come up with the money, he's been warned that he could be at risk of prosecution using Chicago's municipal code. A spokesman for the city, Bill McCaffrey, said regarding the investigation fee: "The city feels this is a reasonable and legally justifiable amount to collect to help offset the costs of the investigation." Do you think the charges should have been dropped? As more information is released, we will keep you updated. Cindy Ord/Getty Images Kodak Black will be required to submit DNA samples in his upcoming rape case in South Carolina, Bossip reports. Judge Michael Nettles signed off on solicitor E.L. Clements IIIs motion to have Kodak Black turn over blood and saliva samples immediately in his sexual assault case in South Carolina. Clements wants to compare Kodak's submitted samples to the evidence law enforcement agents recovered from the alleged victim. The prosecutor on the case said that Clements is well within his rights to obtain the samples, claiming that it wouldn't violate Kodak's constitutional rights. The prosecutor added that it's considered normal practice in these circumstances. Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images Kodak Black was charged with criminal sexual assault in the first degree after a high school student alleged the rapper raped her three years ago. The rapper faces 30 years in prison if he's convicted. The alleged victim claimed the assault occurred after a Kodak Black concert at the rapper's hotel in Columbia. She filed a report after she left his concert to a high school resource officer. The investigators found a DNA profile from the girl's neck area which matched Kodak's profile. The rapper's profile was on file from another case in Florida. Kodak and his legal team haven't responded to the order for the DNA samples, but if he doesn't comply with the judge's request, he could be sent to jail for being in contempt of court. Hip hop producer Mally Mall is denying reports that he was arrested yesterday following a raid on his home. It was previously reported by TMZ that the Love & Hip Hop star was taken into custody after the Los Angeles Police Department and agents from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife searched his San Fernando home. They further reported that Mall was cuffed up on charges of human trafficking, but Malls attorney Steve Sadow tells The Blast, Any claim by LAPD that this case has to do with human trafficking is simply a lie. https://www.instagram.com/p/BVAVZP3jF31 Captain Patrick Foy of the California DFW stated that there were exotic animals seized in the search and the investigation into Mall begun about eight months ago. Mall has been in their eyesight for a while, especially after he brought one of his animals into a strip club and gifted Justin Bieber with another. However, he's never been shy about posting about his pets on social media. Contrary to what's been reported, The Blast says they spoke directly with Mall and he vehemently denies these claims. The publication states that Mall wants the public to know that the accusations against him have absolutely nothing to do with human trafficking. He says an allegation such as that is damaging to his character. A spokesperson for the LAPD previously made a statement mentioning human trafficking, but Mall was clear that that just isn't true because the search warrant only makes mention of exotic pets. However, TMZ reports that there were allegations of "multiple rapes and human sex trafficking, as well as firearms on the premises" and that their sources state LAPD SWAT also believed "he was illegally importing exotic species into California for people working in the entertainment industry." TMZ continues to report that a Texas woman claims that after Mall saw her fitness videos online, they made an agreement for him to fly her to Califonia to visit. According to their report, she was drugged, raped, and locked in a room. She allegedly stayed a second day and had sex with him again because she felt the need to be "submissive." The following day she developed a rash and sought medical attention. After a nurse allegedly saw that she was suffering from vaginal trauma, the police were notified. TMZ claims that three other women have also stepped forward to share their similar allegations of rape. https://www.instagram.com/p/Bf-0UUujcH5 The reality star also says that he's being accused of trafficking exotic animals, but he asserts he has all the proper licensing for his pets. If things escalate and he's cited or taken to court, Mall plans on fighting the charges and says his animals are well taken care of. His Serval cat was seized by authorities while they also visited rapper Swae Lee's home and took his spider monkey. https://www.instagram.com/p/BgCGlXJDi_o Are Nicki Minaj's fans making it hard to love the rapper? According to Jason Lee, the CEO of Hollywood Unlocked, the answer is "yes." Lee and the Barbz haven't had the easiest relationship, and during his recent interview with The Breakfast Club, Lee cleared up the rumors that he's anti-Minaj. Charlamagne opened up the discussion by asking the former Love & Hip Hop Hollywood star what his thought are about the rapper. "Let me say this, because I don't hate Nicki Minaj," Lee said. "I don't like her now...I don't hate her." DJ Envy pops in and says, "That's not what the Barbz say." Lee responds, "Let me say this...I love Nicki Minaj up to...even with the whole fighting Cardi and all that. That had nothing to do with me. I didn't care about that. What I had an issue with was when it became personal. My phone number getting leaked...I'll say this. Her fans make you not like her. That's the crazy part." "Buy the records!" Lee continued. "Buy the tickets to the show. Buy her merch. Fund her career. Figure out how to get her trucks loaded up in London or wherever the f**k those shows getting canceled. Get her shows on. Don't worry about my Instagram." Envy said the Barbz are going to come for him after these statements air, and Lee smiled and said, "That's a terrorist group." Last August, Lee "diagnosed" Minaj with having "jealousy, fear, and desperation and following her public fight with Cardi B, Lee shared, and deleted, a series of Instagram posts slamming the rapper. He also stated that Cardi and Nicki's beef stemmed from an argument about a collaboration with Future. The Barbz go hard for their queen and soon Lee's personal information was leaked online. There have been numerous reports on what went down in the moments leading up to the fatal shooting of 33-year-old rapper Nipsey Hussle. There are some who state that Nipsey and his suspected killer, Eric Holder, knew each other from around the neighborhood. However, there are others, including a man named Herman "Cowboy" Douglas who claims to be a close associate of Nipsey's, who says that shooter approached Nipsey by introducing himself as a rapper. The L.A. Times was in the neighborhood where Nipsey was murdered and spoke to Douglas in an on-camera interview. Douglas explained his history with Nipsey, a friendship that he says has spanned 16 years. He also says that he was with the rapper just seconds before the gunman pulled out a firearm and shot Nipsey, along with two others. "Sad situation. The homie got killed through the jealousy. It wasn't nothing but jealousy and envy. It was a senseless murder. Nipsey was doing positive things in the community trying to save lives, and for one of the people that he was trying to save, to come back and kill him? It was nothing but jealousy and envy. It's a sad situation. The world is gon' miss Nipsey. Not just this neighborhood, but all around the world." David McNew/Getty Images "I've known him since about 2003 since he was a youngster...since he was about 18, 19-years-old. I came home from prison, he was out here selling his CDs, so we sold CDs together. We had dreams of doing it big. He did it big and he left his niche on earth," he said. "We used to use the parking lot as our office before we even had an office in the building. So every day we would show up like we was at the office." "Me and Nipsey was talking, and the dude that shot him, he came and shook our hands. Said he was a rapper and this old bulls**t. Shook our hands. The dude went and got his burger. He left. When he left, I went and took my food in. As soon as I took my food inside the building, the dude came back around the building bussin'. So, I might have left Nipsey's side maybe, three seconds. I left him maybe, approximately three seconds that I had left Nipsey and the dude came and shot him." https://www.instagram.com/p/BvzkcqZAKrC "We know who he is. It's no mystery," he continued. "It's all hate and envy...Nipsey didn't deserve to die like that. What seems to be a less talented rapper had envy and hate in his eyes. It was no motive. It was no beef." While this interview seems to have been conducted before Eric Holder was arrested, the L.A. Times reports that Holder was, in fact, a rapper by the name of Fly Mac, however, both he and Nipsey were allegedly already affiliated through the Rollin' 60s Crips. Holder is reportedly being held in solitary confinement as he awaits his day in court. Many are still reeling in the loss of Nipsey Hussle. The rapper's death truly revealed how many lives he impacted, both in the rap game to his own neighborhood in South Central Los Angeles. Many rappers have come forward to pay their respects. Dave East held a candlelit vigil in NYC and Trae Tha Truth held his own his Houston to honor the late rapper. It goes to show the reach that Nip had. Now, Atlanta's Shad Da God has come through with a tribute to Nip called, "Naybahood Nip." Shad Da God pays his respects for Neighborhood Nip on his latest track. The rapper tributes Nipsey Hussle while cleverly referencing the late rapper's affiliation with Rollin' 60 Crips on the hook. He previewed the song earlier this week on Instagram, saying, "We doin' this shit for our boy Neighborhood Nip, man. And all the fallen soldiers." Peep his new joint below. Quotable Lyrics I was just at the Grammy party with Naybahood HOV in the same buildin', n***a, we smokin' good Me and Duke pulled up in that Benz like Robin Hood Some millionaires out the fuckin' trap, that's some hardwood Swae Lee just lost his pet monkey after Los Angeles law enforcement raided his home, The Blast reports. This comes a few hours after Mally Mall's home was raided due to possession and trafficking of exotic animals. The California Fish and Wildlife officials told the publication that they've been investigating into trafficking and possession of exotic animals within the Cali area which resulted in several raids. Law enforcement said that the police went to his home in Chatsworth, which he purchased earlier this year, and seized his pet spider monkey from the property. The Rae Sremmurd member didn't receive any citations by the Fish and Wildlife Agents. No word on if Swae was actually at the home when the raid went down. The raid doesn't come as that much of a shock considering Mally Mall's home was raided for similar reasons. The reports said that police said they received tips about Mally Mall's Instagram posts which included his pet monkey. In January 2018, he shared a photo of himself with his pet monkey while kicking it with Swae Lee. Officials seized his Cotton-top Tamarin monkey as well as his Serval cat. Both Swae Lee and Mally Mall didn't hide their affection for their exotic animals on Instagram. In fact, their social media feeds were filled with pictures of their pet monkeys. When Taraji P. Henson established the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation, it was made apparent that it would function as a charity and as a tribute to her late father. Boris Lawrence Henson was a Vietnam War who struggled with mental health issues upon returning from service, dying in 2005 while his daughter was segueing into Television for a brief period. Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images One year removed from its inception, Taraji is revealing the additional motivations behind the project, by coming forward with her own mental health struggles. The Empire actress gave Variety a candid look into her depression, within the limited scope imposed by language. "I suffer from depression," Henson said quite frankly, My anxiety is kicking up even more every day, and Ive never really dealt with anxiety like that. Its something new." https://www.instagram.com/p/BvzbNg7lusI Taraji's sitdown interview wasn't only conceived as a promotional plug for her foundation but as a piecemeal attempt at reversing the stigmatization of mental health issues, especially as it pertains to the workplace. Evidence of such lies in Taraji's association with an Empire cast, complelely divided by Jussie Smollett's botched delivery. You can read the remainder of her interview segment straight from the source. According to a report published by Complex, another defendant in the trial encompassing Tekashi 6ix9ine and his Tr3yway constituents has pled guilty, running the count to a whopping 5 "gangbusters" who have copped deals: 6ix9ine, his ex-manager Kifano "Shotti" Jordan, Jensel "Ish" Butler, Jones, and now Faheem "Crippy" Walter. Johnny Nunez/WireImage/Getty Images Faheem "Crippy" Walter's plead guilty in unison with Jamel "Mel Murda" Jones, hours apart from each other's edict, although their charges are slightly differentiated. Walter's guilty plea calls for him to accept two separate counts, one for a violent crime in the aid of racketeering, and a second for a lesser firearms offense. Both charges loop back to the same incident: a robbery in Midtown Manhattan that left Scum Lord D!zzy short a couple of stacks and his bejeweled Jansport. Last I checked, D!zzy was leading the Scum Gang set Tekashi used to claim before hitting pay dirt with Tr3yway. While the retention of Tr3yway's hierarchy isn't mandatory and shouldn't be, keeping track of the gang's internal components is actually a fun little exercise. You can trace Faheem "Crippy" Walter's name back to the botched dinner-turned-fight that erupted between Tekashi and Elliott Grainge out in LA. The hearing for Walter's sentencing is scheduled to take place on July 10th. No big surprises here. Flash The Central Asian Climate Change Conference, one of the largest events in the region to address issues of environmental protection, started in Uzbekistan's capital here on Wednesday. Nearly 400 representatives of government agencies, international and regional partners, multilateral development banks and civil society organizations, as well as academicians working on climate change, gathered at the two-day conference. Central Asia, with a population of over 70 million, has been confronting fallouts of climate change. Fragile ecosystems, natural disasters, unstable water and energy supply, disproportions in economic development are only a few factors of the region's vulnerability, experts said during the conference. "According to climate monitoring data, over the past decade, more and more negative phenomena associated with climate change occurred, which is leading to an increase in water shortages, more frequent droughts, mudflows, heat waves, dust storms and other natural disasters," Bahriddin Nishonov, first deputy director of Uzbekistan's Center of Hydrometeorological Service, said in his opening speech. Experts stressed the high vulnerability of Central Asia's water resources to climate change. If global temperature rises by 4 degrees Celsius, the demand for irrigation water will increase by about 30 percent. The region's glaciers have already decreased by one third of its volume in comparison with the beginning of the 20th century. Central Asia has already faced one of the worst human-made environmental disasters of the century -- the drying up of the Aral Sea, once the fourth-largest lake in the world. NUEVO LAREDO, Mexico - U.S. President Donald Trump hasnt followed through on his threat to shut the border with Mexico, but one crossing here that connects this Mexican city with Laredo, Texas provided a glimpse of the chaos and economic disruptions that it would likely ensue. Lines of 18-wheeled semi-trucks carrying auto parts, produce and other goods for U.S. consumers and businesses stretched more than six miles into Mexico Wednesday after the Trump administration shifted Customs and Border Protection agents from Laredo and other Texas border crossings to El Paso and the Rio Grande Valley to deal with the flood of asylum seekers from Central America. Waits to cross the World Trade Bridge, which normally run 30 minutes, reached more than three hours. The impact of the delays was being felt on both sides of the Rio Grande, with those who depend on U.S.-Mexico trade barely able to consider what would happen if the Trump closed the border. Ernesto Gaytan, president of the Laredo company Super Transport International, which has 200 trucks on the American side of the border and 300 more on the Mexican side, said he couldnt put a number on it, but knew the delays were costing him money. A complete border shutdown, he estimated, would cost his company $200,000 a day. On the other side of the border, Roberto Hernandez was idling at the back of the line with hundreds of 18-wheelers ahead of him. Hernandez doesnt get paid by the hour, but rather by the number of loads he delivers. Usually, he makes four cross-border runs a day, earning the equivalent of about $15 per load. But he was only able to make two trips on Tuesday and his is daily pay fell to $30 from $60. Who knows how long it will take to cross today? Hernandez said. Trumps border threat is the latest development to roil a region and economy that rely on the free flow of goods between Mexico and the United States. Over the past two years, the region and its businesses have contended with the uncertainty over the future of the North American Free Trade Agreement and the controversy over building a border wall. Now, it is dealing with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection temporarily reassigning 750 customs officers from normal duties at international bridges in Laredo, Eagle Pass and other locations to El Paso and the Rio Grande Valley. About one-third of the northbound lanes across the World Trade Bridge have been closed, with waits during peak hours expected to extend as long as four hours. 14,000 trucks per day Laredo is the nations busiest land port, handling an estimated 40 percent of all trade with Mexico, according to the Laredo Economic Development Corp. About 30 percent of the border citys labor force is involved in cross-border commerce. Jeff Moseley, president of the Texas Association of Business, said an estimated 14,000 trucks a day cross in both directions between Nuevo Laredo and Laredo while an untold number of people live on one side of the border and commute to the other for work. Its causing uncertainty, Moseley said about the lane closures. Goods arent getting to the marketplace and people arent able to jobs. The Texas economy really depends on the ability to get workers and goods to market. Roberto Cardenas, a managing director with the Tamaulipas state trusteeship that collects tolls on the Mexican side of the bridge, said more than 167,000 trucks headed north in March. But traffic, he said, began to dramatically slow down over the weekend. We began to see longer and longer lines and the trucks werent advancing anymore, Cardenas said. Facing hours-long waits, truckers did what they could to pass the time. During slow periods, some hopped out of their cabs to stretch their legs. Others bought tacos, snacks and drinks from vendors along the roadway. Most of the drivers pass the time on their cell phones and tablets -- logging on to Facebook or even watching movies on Netflix. With no public restrooms, some urinated along the sides of the road and in between the trailers. Laredo Mayor Pete Saenz said the impact of the delays wont be limited to border communities. Ultimately, the higher costs will mean higher consumer prices. Saenz met Trump in 2015, when the New York billionaire was campaigning to win the Republican nomination. Saenz gave Trump a personal tour of the World Trade Bridge and first-hand look at the economic activity it enables. Hes holding true to his perspective, Saenz said of Trumps border threat, and were hold true to our perspective. The border should not be shut down. With trade between Mexico and Texas reaching more than $200 billion last year, according to the Commerce Department, Saenz has plenty of allies in the business community. This week, Dennis Nixon, CEO of IBC Bank of Laredo, and other executives traveled to Washington to meet with administration officials in the White House and lawmakers at the Capitol to advocate for keeping international bridges opened and fully staffed. Uncertainty reigns Although Nixon made a donation to a pro-Trump political action committee during the 2016 campaign, the Laredo businessman has disagreed with the administration on the North American Free Trade Agreement, the border wall, and now, the threat to shut down the border in response to the wave of asylum seekers. The banks executive vice president, Gerry Schwebel, said the uncertainty generated by Trump administration policies has businesses looking at alternatives to shipping goods by truck, such as rail and air cargo. This is unprecedented, Schwebel said. Were not used to working with threats to our livelihood but its there and we have to deal with it. WASHINGTON - A refrigerator purchased today requires only about a quarter of the electricity of a model purchased in the mid-1970s. Similar statistics can be cited for washing machines, air conditioners and thousands of other appliances. The sea change follows the creation more than three decades ago of a federal standard on how much electricity appliances, equipment and other machinery consume - familiar nowadays through the Energy Star program, which denotes products that exceed minimum efficiency specifications. But now Energy Secretary Rick Perry is leading a campaign for a radical change to the Appliance and Equipment Standards Program that critics say would slow decades worth of efficiency gains. That has prompted a debate in Washington whether appliances can get all that much more efficient and whether standard-setting needs to be scaled back. Energy officials are proposing that efficiency specifications only be changed if they result in a savings of half a quad of energy over 30 years - the equivalent of about 4 percent of U.S. electricity demand in a given year. How low can they go? Efficiency standards have dramatically reduced the amount of energy hat household appliances consume. Here's a look at how efficiency improvements have cut energy consumption of common appliances, denoted as a share, or percentage, of what they consumed in 1980. Refrigerators 1990: 72 percent 2000: 55 percent 2010: 36 percent 2013: 35 percent Central AC and heat pump 1990: 81 percent 2000: 68 percent 2010: 52 percent 2013: 53 percent Gas furnace 1990: 93 percent 2000: 85 percent 2010: 81 percent 2013: 83 percent Washing Machine 1990: 103 percent 2000: 85 percent 2010: 25 percent 2013: 27 percent Source: American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy See More Collapse The Energy Department declined to make officials available to discuss the proposal, but at a hearing in the House Energy and Commerce Hearing earlier this month Daniel Simmons, assistant secretary of energy efficiency and renewable energy, defended the move as necessary to reduce burden on government and industry for what is an expensive and time-consuming process. On HoustonChronicle.com: Experimental power plant aims to make electricity cheaper, cleaner These improvements, he testified, will help reduce the burden of the process by which standards are developed, which can be costly and time consuming for stakeholders, and ensure that consumers interest in avoiding significant increases in upfront cost and a loss of product choice are protected. Such a move upends decades of practice by Democratic and Republican administrations that consistently increased energy efficiency standards and would effectively make impossible numerous energy savings initiatives. Oil embargo roots Environmental and energy efficiency lobbyists have come out in force to oppose it, maintaining that it is part of a larger strategy to roll back efficiency standards at the behest of manufacturing executives who argue appliances are about as energy efficient as theyre going to get. Earlier this year, the Energy Department said it would scale back a new standard for more energy efficient light bulbs set to go into effect next year, reducing the number of bulbs that would need to comply by about half, according to analysis by the Natural Resources Defense Council. By our calculation, appliance standard is the second largest energy savings program after the vehicle fuel economy standard, said Steve Nadel, executive director of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. You have an administration that really doesnt believe in regulation, so they are proposing to change the process to issue a lot less regulations. The Appliance and Equipment Standards Program dates back to the mid-1970s, when, in the wake of the Arab oil embargo that sent energy costs skyrocketing, Congress passed a sweeping law to reduce U.S. energy demand while increasing domestic supplies of coal, oil and natural gas. Nowadays, more than 60 different products used in homes, businesses and factories are regulated under the efficiency standard. With climate change forecasts getting more dire and more attention in Washington, members of both parties are looking for avenues to try and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. And more efficient machinery means less electricity demand, which ultimately amounts to less pollution. But not all energy efficiency gains are created equal. The Department of Energy has set 57 appliance and equipment standards since the mid 1980s, resulting in an energy savings of 113 quads the equivalent of eight years worth of U.S. power demand according to the administrations analysis. But more than 95 percent of those savings come from just 34 standards, each of which met or exceeded the threshold Perry now wants to set.. The remaining 23 standards combined accounted for just 4 percent of the energy savings. From the point of view of appliance and equipment manufacturers, achieving those remaining marginal savings is not worth the costs involved. Sometimes, they say, the standards are even counterproductive. Turning heads Three years ago, under former president Barack Obama, the Energy Department proposed a new tougher standard on dishwashers. While reducing energy and water consumption, the dishwashers were not all that good at washing, leading consumers to rewash their dishes and use more energy and water, said Joe McGuire, president of the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, an industry trade group. It all comes down to whether the standard is going to save a significant amount of energy or not, he said. People want refrigerators that are going to keep the food preserved and washing machines that clean their clothes. For many of these products, were at the point of diminishing returns. After years of largely bipartisan agreement on efficiency standards, Perrys proposal has turned heads. Democrats have come out forcefully against it, noting the administration has refused to finalize new efficiency standards on products including refrigerators and air conditioners, as required by Congress. Sadly, the progress on this important program came to a grinding halt when President Trump was inaugurated, Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said at the hearing this month. Today, all of us who care about the issue of climate change have a chance to condemn (the Energy Departments) delays. National energy efficiency standards for appliances are one of the most cost-effective ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Related: Perry grilled over clean energy budget cuts House Republicans, meanwhile, are defending the Energy Department's proposal as a necessary fix to delays in standard setting that have dogged Republican and Democratic administrations alike. Under the law the Energy Department must reassess efficiency standards to determine if improved technology allows them to be raised. The department then must either raise them or explain why its not. Theres not a lot of flexibility, which too often has led to unnecessary deadlines and rushed federal regulations, said Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., the top Republican on the House energy committee. The Department of Energy, which is reviewing public comments on Perrys proposal, expects to finalize the change in standards later this year. See you in court That is likely to set off more legal scrutiny on a Trump administration that has seen its efforts to roll back federal regulations repeatedly challenged in court by environmental and other advocates. In 1985, the D.C. Circuit of Appeals ruled that under the 1970s-era energy law the Energy Department could only decide against increasing efficiency standards if the energy savings proved genuinely trivial. The Trump administrations own analysis found that standards not meeting the proposed threshold added up to energy savings equivalent to one-third of annual U.S. electricity demand. Depending on what they do, aspects of this could well be challenged in court, Nadel said. james.osborne@chron.com Twitter: @osborneja The black baffle that has hung like a dark weight below the Rothko Chapels troublesome skylight for many years is gone removed last Monday by a Linbeck crew. On Tuesday, Rothko director David Leslie and Linbeck project engineer Marshall McBurnett stood close to the ceiling on a scaffolded construction platform that will consume the entire chapel floor all year, during a major renovation that will bring a new skylight, better night lighting, a redesigned entry, and mechanical and acoustical upgrades. Mark Rothkos 14 monumental paintings the masterpieces around which the chapel was designed are stored for the duration. Although the glass in the skylights mosaic-like grid looked slightly mottled maybe treated, or maybe just that dirty the platform was awash in an even, gray light. You can see how much brighter it is, Leslie said. Yes, but still calm, with what Id call a sacred glow. The artist, who was fanatical about how his work was hung and lit, made the paintings in a huge New York studio he had fashioned for the task, building a life-size mock-up with temporary walls and hanging a parachute to create diffused illumination from his 19th century buildings skylight. Rothko did not live to see the chapel finished, and recreating the effect in Houston without damaging his light-sensitive canvases or making the space too dark proved elusive from the start. The skylight has been adjusted with baffles and such multiple times, dogging several generations of architects and lighting designers. Texas Light: The Art and Architecture of the Rothko Chapel When: 6 p.m. Monday Where: Univ. of Houston Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design, 4200 Elgin Details: Free; rothkochapel.org See More Collapse The latest solution, the result of a three-year design process, looks to be the most promising yet and is part of a $30 million plan to improve the organizations four-acre campus. New buildings across the street will absorb the concerts, seminars and such that have interrupted the chapels quietude for decades. A new grove of trees and darker courtyard pavers will modulate the perception of light as people enter a redesigned vestibule designed to help busy visitors focus. But all eyes will likely be on the effects of a new skylight with thin louvers and a semi-transparent fabric film. Lighting designer George Sexton and architect Stephen Cassell of the New York firm Architecture Research Office will explain the project during a free, public talk on Monday with Christopher Rothko, the artists son, and UH art history professor Sandra Zalman. Last week, the progress looked swift. Linbecks crews tore out much of the popcorn-like ceiling, exposing ductwork near the roof; and they took a laser scan of the existing skylights steel frame, so that the company fabricating the new one will have exact measurements. Its hard to remember what used to be, even though the baffle was here yesterday, Leslie said. molly.glentzer@chron.com Celine Dion is leaving Las Vegas. And coming to Houston. She returns to the road as part of her Courage World Tour, which includes a Feb. 1 date at Toyota Center. (That's next year, folks.) Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. April 12. Dion announced the tour and a new album during a Facebook Live Wednesday from Los Angeles. She answered audience questions and performed "I'm Alive," "My Heart Will Go On" and "Ashes." Now Playing: Celine Dion announces Caution World Tour and new album. Video: Joey Guerra, AEG Live This is Dion's first tour in ten years and will visit more than 50 cities. She was last here in 2009 at Toyota Center. ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: Guitarist working to rediscover Houstons Chicano music past The "Courage" album is also due this year. It's her first English-language effort since 2013's "Loved Me Back to Life." Dion has sold almost 250 million albums across more than three decades. STAY IN THE KNOW: Get caught up on what's going on around Houston. From sports to news and entertainment, check out the newsletters we're offering. New York Times best-selling author Brene Brown has inspired millions to embrace their imperfections and live a braver life. Her TED Talk on vulnerability has been viewed nearly 40 million times. She even has an hourlong Netflix special, "Brene Brown: The Call to Courage," coming April 19. Now the noted University of Houston research professor and BFF of Oprah Winfrey is guiding us to be braver leaders with her latest book, "Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts" (Random House, $28). On Tuesday, Brown captivated a sold-out audience for The Jung Center's "Dare to Show Up" spring benefit, "An Evening with Brene Brown" at the River Oaks Country Club. The event, which was chaired by Lourdes Hernandez and Randall Hulet, and Dorothy and Malcolm Peterson, honored Terry Huffington, who helped establish The Jung Center's Mind Body Spirit Institute with a $1 million grant. READ THIS: Cruising with Oprah and Gayle Brown said she was inspired to explore the concept of leadership after her daughter, Ellen, then in middle school, started a duct-tape business with two of her school mates. After Ellen declared to her friends she was basically the boss, she soon came home in tears with a note from one of her friends: "You're bossy. We quit." "We don't use the word bossy in our house because if you're a guy that would be just great leadership," Brown said, with a laugh. She said she then explained to her daughter that leadership is "not having all the answers but having all the right questions. It's about supporting people who have ideas and helping them build ideas." To get a perspective on what makes a brave leader, Brown and her team spent seven years interviewing executives at companies around the globe, from Disney to the CIA, accumulating some 400,000 pieces of data. "Every single person said the same thing: 'We need braver leaders. We need more courage.' We have a complete lack of courageous leadership at every level everywhere. It has nothing to do with title or salaries." One reason for the lack of courage, Brown said, is that few leaders are having honest, tough conversations, particularly regarding race and gender. "We are opting out of tough conversations because somehow we believe we are entitled to comfort. We believe we are supposed to be comfortable, but we want to be brave. It doesn't work," she said. "To choose not to talk about hard things because it might make you uncomfortable and you might do it imperfectly is the absolute definition of privilege. That is privilege. ... The reason why daring leadership is so rare is because people choose their own comfort over being courageous." joy.sewing@chron.com It's April 6, 1969, and as NASA prepares for a May 17 launch of the Apollo 10 spacecraft, KHCN-AM 4747 has decided to take a step back in time to explain more about how we got here. That's right, we're talking about the Mercury Project. The goals of the Mercury Project were threefold: Orbit a manned spacecraft around Earth, investigate a man's ability to function in space and recover both man and spacecraft safely. So in the late 1950s, NASA began looking for talented men -- the best of the best -- to conduct these tests. Applicants had to have an engineering background, be younger than 40, be a graduate of one of the test pilot schools ... and be 5'11 or less. Women need not apply. They picked the seven best men for the job in 1959: John Glenn, Scott Carpenter, Gordon Cooper, Gus Grissom, Wally Schirra, Alan Shepard, and Deke Slayton. Over the next four years, NASA would launch six crewed missions into space, starting with Shepard in 1961. Shepard became the first American in space, spending a little more than 15 minutes before splashing back down to Earth. A year later in 1962, Glenn rocketed out of Earth's atmosphere and became the first American to orbit Earth. He circled the blue and white marble three times over the course of nearly five hours. The last flight of the Mercury Project took place in 1963, when Gordon Cooper orbited Earth 22 times over the course of 34 hours. That doesn't seem like a long flight when you compare it to the 10 days Apollo astronauts spent in space but back then, phew, that was a long time for those Mercury guys! 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. Published April 4, 2019 One in an occasional series About this series Nearly 50 years have passed since Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to walk on the moon. The July 20, 1969, moon landing changed the world and forever changed Houston. Our "Mission Moon" project will explore how the country came together to fulfill President John F. Kennedy's goal of reaching the lunar surface by 1970, NASA's bold missions and crippling tragedies since that historic day, the future of space exploration and the fate of Houston as America's "Space City." Read our entire series here. Like a white flag raised above bloody and battered troops, the 1975 handshake between the Soviet Unions Alexey Leonov and the U.S.s Thomas Stafford 135 miles above Earth brought the space race to a close, signifying friendship and a thawing of Cold War tensions. But that peaceful greeting part of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project also sparked decades of outer space collaboration between the two countries, underscoring the importance of partnering internationally to explore the new frontier. Nearly 50 years later, its hard to imagine a space endeavor that does not involve the best minds across the globe. Back then it was about us against the Soviet Union and it was largely an us-only kind of mission, according to NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine. Now, NASA is international, cooperative, and were able to do more for a whole lot less than ever before. Today, NASA works with more than 120 nations on billions of dollars in projects large and small most notably the International Space Station, a scientific collaboration among nearly 20 countries with Russia as Americas primary partner. Hubble Space Telescope credited with altering humankinds understanding of the solar system and how it formed during its almost three decades orbiting Earth was built with the help of the European Space Agency, which provided the telescopes solar panels. The Europeans also have been instrumental in the construction of Orion, the spacecraft that will take humans back to the moon for the first time in 50 years. And as NASA gears up for a return to the moon, working with international partners is more important than ever. Critics, however, say each partnership needs close scrutiny before deals are inked to ensure the U.S. space program will benefit. Deciding on international strategy for any project has got to be a cold-blooded calculation, said James Oberg, a space historian and former mission controller at Houstons Johnson Space Center. We have to count the drawbacks and count the benefits. An arm of diplomacy NASAs beginnings were rooted in a nationalist battle for space against the Soviet Union after Sputnik was launched in 1957. But the intention to partner with other nations in Americas quest for the cosmos was, literally, written into the space agencys Congressional authorization. The National Aeronautics and Space Act signed into law in July 1958 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower stipulates that the agencys objectives include ensuring the role of the U.S. as a leader in aeronautical and space science and technology and in the application thereof to the conduct of peaceful activities within and outside the atmosphere. The act also called on the U.S. to cooperate with other nations. NASA was to be an arm of American diplomacy, according to NASA in the World: Fifty Years of International Collaboration in Space. The Space Act thus gave NASA considerable latitude to engage in international collaboration as its officers saw fit. These kinds of partnerships began well before the Apollo-Soyuz project in 1975. MISSION MOON: Read our entire series here During the early years of the Mercury program in the late 1950s and early 1960s, NASA created manned network stations, stretching from London to Hawaii and Australia to Africa so it could track its spacecraft in orbit, according to former mission control flight director Gene Kranz. To hurl a man into space and bring him back alive, we needed to wire the world, Kranz wrote in his book, Failure is Not an Option. This meant stringing communications across three continents and oceans, building tracking stations, installing the most powerful computers we could lay our hands on, and learning the business of real-time spaceflight with our teams. In 1962, Canada launched the Alouette-1 satellite with the help of the U.S. And even the July 1969 Apollo 11 lunar landing involved international partners, though they have gotten little credit over the years. One of the experiments astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin took to the moon the Solar Wind Composition Experiment, which helped scientists understand solar wind and the beginnings of the solar system was paid for by the Swiss National Science Foundation. By 1970, NASA already had collaborated with researchers in 70 different countries and established 225 agreements with 35 of them. U.S. officials began working with the Soviet Union on the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1972, ending with the 1975 handshake in space and the experiments during that trip the first successful docking of two spacecrafts in orbit. The Russians we brought on to save money, which it didnt, or make use of their experience, which we didnt, Oberg said. It was a Nixon policy for the relaxation of tensions It was a graphic demonstration of existing trends. By 1981, NASAs partnership numbers had increased to more than 1,000 agreements with 100 countries, resulting in more than $2 billion for the U.S. A laboratory in the stars NASA could not have built the International Space Station without the help of global collaboration. Construction began in 1998 for the orbiting laboratory in the stars, and it has expanded over the years. Now the size of a five-bedroom house, the space station brings together up to six astronauts at a time from Russia, the U.S., Canada and other nations to research ways to improve life on Earth. READ MORE: NASAs recent woes took root with loss of space shuttle program I often refer to the International Space Station as a zero gravity United Nations and when I say that, I like to follow it up with the fact that it works a heck of a lot better than the one in New York City, Milt Heflin, who worked in mission control during the Apollo era and retired from NASA in 2013, recently told the Houston Chronicle. Its better to work on things together than it is not to. The United States biggest partner is Russia, once its biggest competitor in space. The Russians have spent the last eight years ferrying American astronauts to the orbiting laboratory after the Space Shuttle program was shuttered in 2011. It now costs $82 million per seat, per trip. There are numerous other examples of international collaboration outside Earths atmosphere. NASA now has more than 700 international agreements to further the understanding of the universe with nations that include Japan, France, Germany, Canada and the United Kingdom, NASA spokesman Grey Hautaluoma said. In February, Canada announced it would partner with NASA on the planned mini-space station to orbit the moon. Hubble, built with assistance from the Europeans, has generated data shared with scientists across the globe for nearly three decades. The Europeans are building the module that will provide power, water, electricity and air to the Orion spacecraft, and they are also contributing to the James Webb Space Telescope, being built to succeed Hubble. Work done by the Mars Curiosity Rover launched in 2011 to determine if Mars was ever able to support life wouldnt have been possible without the help of Russia, Canada and Spain, according to NASA. Canada also is working on James Webb. But both the launch of Orion and James Webb have been plagued with burgeoning costs and repeated delays. Perhaps the hardest part of space flight is not the scientific and technological challenges of operating in an exceptionally foreign and hostile environment but in the down-to-earth environment of rough-and-tumble international and domestic politics, NASA officials wrote in a 2008 post on the agencys website. But even so, cooperative space endeavors have been richly rewarding and overwhelmingly useful, from all manner of scientific, technical, social, and political perspectives. Working together Space exploration is no longer a battle to prove which country is the best, and Americans can expect even more international involvement as NASA prepares to return to the moon on its way to Mars. Thats a promise evident in President Donald Trumps plans for space exploration, which is steeped in international partnerships. His fiscal year 2019 budget provides funds to develop the foundation for the Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway, which would give the U.S. "a strategic presence in the lunar vicinity that will drive our activity with commercial and international partners and help us further explore the moon and its resources and translate that experience toward human missions to Mars." Working with others is how NASA will succeed, Bridenstine said at the Wilson Center last fall. Were going to take advantage of our international partners and build a sustainable architecture at the moon so we can get back and forth when we need to, he said. We have, sometimes, countries that are not necessarily always on the best of terms yet when it comes to space, exploration, science and discovery, we can all collaborate in ways that are meaningful to all of humanity. NASA also has partnered on an Israeli probe to the moon, expected to land on the surface next week to study the moons magnetic fields. Both countries have signed an agreement stating they will cooperatively utilize the probe that was built by Israeli nonprofit SpaceIL. Late last year, NASA announced it would work on the X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, conducting research on galaxy evolution and the formation of the universe. The agency is working with the United Arab Emirates Space Agency to train UAE astronauts and use the space station. And in January, officials with NASA and Chinas space agency set aside their differences to share data on the communist countrys historic landing on the far side of the moon. It was the first time the two countries had collaborated in space since 2011, when longtime Chinese government critic U.S. Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Va., spearheaded a move prohibiting NASA and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy from collaborating with China on any scientific activities. During a February media roundtable in Washington, D.C., Bridenstine said that true partnership with China cannot not happen until the Wolf amendment, as it was later named, is changed by Congress. Im not going to close that door, but its not a door that Im going to open wide up, he told reporters. Cold-blooded assessment But as NASA moves forward with international cooperation in space, Oberg cautions the agency should not leap hastily into any agreements. He believes the U.S. rushed into a partnership with Russia for the space station. The agreement has worked out, he said, but that largely can be attributed to luck. We cant really count on being lucky all the time, he said. We have to really get a much more cold-blooded assessment of the values and the drawbacks of partnerships. Russias space program has been on the decline for several decades, he said, evident in the most recent set of mishaps that occurred late last year. First, astronauts aboard the space station discovered a hole that was allowing air to escape from the Russian Soyuz spacecraft attached to the space station in August. Astronauts aboard the orbiting laboratory at the time, including NASAs Serena Aunon-Chancellor, were able to quickly patch the hole and there was no danger to the crew. Russia has not released an investigation report, though officials have said it was caused by an errant drill either on Earth or in space a sabotage accusation that did not sit well with NASA personnel and astronauts. SPACE JUNK: Sign up for our newsletter for space news and Mission Moon special features Then in October, a different Soyuz carrying American astronaut Nick Hague to the orbiting laboratory was forced to abort its launch because of a rocket booster failure the first time such an event had occurred in 35 years. Hague and his crewmate were not injured, and in March they safely and successfully made it the space station to live and work. Their program over the past 30 years has shriveled and thats a kind way of saying it in terms of funding, staffing, aging facilities and aging workforce, Oberg said. Their ability to innovate beyond paper plans just doesnt show itself. You can count the number of successful planetary and lunar probes theyve made over past 30 years on the fingers of no hands. There have been zero. Now, the country wants to be involved in U.S. plans to build a mini-space station orbiting the moon. And Oberg considers that a very serious problem. They want a role as equals for their own self-image and international prestige, he said. But we cant make believe anymore. Alex Stuckey joined the Chronicle as the NASA, science and environment reporter in 2017. She is a 2017 Pulitzer Prize winner for her work at the Salt Lake Tribune on how Utah colleges handle reports of sexual assault. She is an Investigative Reporters and Editors award winner and a Livingston Award Finalist. She has won a Sigma Delta Chi Award for Excellence in Public Service Journalism and a Frank A. Blethen Award for Local Accountability Reporting. She also has won a Society of Professional Journalists Don Baker Investigative Reporting Award. Contact her at alex.stuckey@chron.com. Follow her on Twitter at @alexdstuckey. Design by Jordan Rubio and Jasmine Goldband *** You are here: World Flash An American tourist and her Ugandan driver were on Tuesday evening kidnapped by unknown gunmen in the western district of Kanungu, a government spokesperson said here on Wednesday. Ofwono Opondo, Uganda government spokesperson said that four armed assailants ambushed and kidnapped the duo near Katoke Gate at Queen Elizabeth National Park. The police has identified the victims as 35 year old female American, Kimbley Sue Endecott and driver, Jean Paul. He said a joint operation by police, Uganda People's Defense Forces and Uganda Wildlife Authority Game wardens is under way to rescue the duo. Polly Namaye, Uganda deputy police spokesperson said the kidnappers using the victim's phone have demanded 500,000 U.S. dollars. "We strongly believe this ransom is the reason behind the kidnap," Namaye told reporters. WASHINGTON Some of Robert Muellers investigators have told associates that Attorney General William Barr failed to adequately portray the findings of their inquiry and that they were more troubling for President Donald Trump than Barr indicated, according to government officials and others familiar with their simmering frustrations. At stake in the dispute the first evidence of tension between Barr and the special counsels office is who shapes the publics initial understanding of one of the most consequential government investigations in American history. Some members of Muellers team are concerned that, because Barr created the first narrative of the special counsels findings, Americans views will have hardened before the investigations conclusions become public. Barr has said he would move quickly to release the nearly 400-page report but needed time to scrub out confidential information. The special counsels investigators had already written multiple summaries of the report, and some team members believe that Barr should have included more of their material in the four-page letter he wrote on March 24 laying out their main conclusions, according to government officials familiar with the investigation. Barr only briefly cited the special counsels work in his letter. However, the special counsels office never asked Barr to release the summaries soon after he received the report, a person familiar with the investigation said. And the Justice Department quickly determined that the summaries contain sensitive information, like classified material, secret grand-jury testimony and information related to current federal investigations that must remain confidential, according to two government officials. ALSO Kushner identified as White House official denied security clearance Barr was also wary of departing from Justice Department practice not to disclose derogatory details in closing an investigation, according to two government officials familiar with Barrs thinking. They pointed to the decision by James B. Comey, the former FBI director, to harshly criticize Hillary Clinton in 2016 while announcing that he was recommending no charges in the inquiry into her email practices. The officials and others interviewed declined to flesh out why some of the special counsels investigators viewed their findings as potentially more damaging for the president than Barr explained, although the report is believed to examine Trumps efforts to thwart the investigation. It was unclear how much discussion Mueller and his investigators had with senior Justice Department officials about how their findings would be made public. It was also unclear how widespread the vexation is among the special counsel team, which included 19 lawyers, about 40 FBI agents and other personnel. At the same time, Barr and his advisers have expressed their own frustrations about Mueller and his team. Barr and other Justice Department officials believe the special counsels investigators fell short of their task by declining to decide whether Trump illegally obstructed the inquiry, according to the two government officials. After Mueller made no judgment on the obstruction matter, Barr stepped in to declare that he had cleared Trump of wrongdoing. Representatives for the Justice Department and the special counsel declined to comment on Wednesday on views inside both Muellers office and the Justice Department. They pointed to departmental regulations requiring Mueller to file a confidential report to the attorney general detailing prosecution decisions and to Barrs separate vow to send a redacted version of that report to Congress. Under the regulations, Barr can publicly release as much of the document as he deems appropriate. A debate over how the special counsels conclusions are represented has played out in public as well in recent weeks, with Democrats in Congress accusing Barr of intervening to color the outcome of the investigation in the presidents favor. In his letter to Congress outlining the reports chief conclusions, Barr said that Mueller found no conspiracy between Trumps campaign and Russias 2016 election interference. While Mueller made no decision on his other main question, whether the president illegally obstructed the inquiry, he explicitly stopped short of exonerating Trump. Muellers decision to skip a prosecutorial judgment leaves it to the attorney general to determine whether the conduct described in the report constitutes a crime, Barr wrote. He and his deputy, Rod J. Rosenstein, decided that the evidence was insufficient to conclude that Trump had committed an obstruction offense. Barr has come under criticism for sharing so little. But according to officials familiar with the attorney generals thinking, he and his aides limited the details they revealed because they were worried about wading into political territory. Barr and his advisers expressed concern that if they included derogatory information about Trump while clearing him, they would face a storm of criticism like what Comey endured in the Clinton investigation. Legal experts attacked Comey at the time for violating Justice Department practice to keep confidential any negative information about anyone uncovered during investigations. The practice exists to keep from unfairly sullying peoples reputations without giving them a chance to respond in court. Rosenstein cited the handling of the Clinton case in a memo the White House used to rationalize Trumps firing of Comey. Though it was not clear what findings the special counsels investigators viewed as troubling for Trump, Barr has suggested that Mueller may have found evidence of malfeasance in investigating possible obstruction of justice. The report sets out evidence on both sides of the question, Barr wrote in his March 24 letter. Mueller examined Trumps attempts to maintain control over the investigation, including his firing of Comey and his attempt to oust Mueller and Attorney General Jeff Sessions to install a loyalist to oversee the inquiry. The fallout from Barrs letter outlining the Russia investigations main findings overshadowed his intent to make public as much of the entire report as possible, a goal he has stressed since his confirmation hearing in January. He reiterated to lawmakers on Friday that he wanted both Congress and the public to read the report and said that the department would by mid-April furnish a version with sensitive material blacked out. He offered to testify on Capitol Hill soon after turning over the report. Barr, who took office in February, has shown flashes of frustration over how the unveiling of the investigations findings have unfolded. In his follow-up letter to lawmakers on Friday, he chafed at how the news media and some lawmakers had characterized his March 24 letter. Barr and Mueller have been friends for 30 years, and Barr said during his confirmation hearing in January that he trusted Mueller to conduct an impartial investigation. He said he told Trump that Mueller was a straight shooter who should be dealt with as such. Mueller served as the head of the Justice Departments criminal division when Barr was attorney general under George H.W. Bush, and their families are friends. Barrs promises of transparency have done little to appease Democrats who control the House. The House Judiciary Committee voted on Wednesday to let its chairman use a subpoena to try to compel Barr to hand over a full copy of the Mueller report and its underlying evidence to Congress. The chairman, Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., has not said when he will use the subpoena, but made clear on Wednesday that he did not trust Barrs characterization of what Muellers team found. The Constitution charges Congress with holding the president accountable for alleged official misconduct, Nadler said. That job requires us to evaluate the evidence for ourselves not the attorney generals summary, not a substantially redacted synopsis, but the full report and the underlying evidence. Republicans, who have embraced Barrs letter clearing Trump, have accused the Democrats of trying to prolong the cloud over his presidency and urged them to move on. Trump has fully embraced Barrs version of events. For days, he has pronounced the outcome of the investigation a complete and total exoneration and called for the Justice Department and his allies on Capitol Hill to investigate and hold accountable those responsible for opening the inquiry. This article originally appeared in The New York Times You are here: World Flash Foreign Minister of Venezuela Jorge Arreaza slammed on Wednesday the interference of the United States in his country. "The only interference we have had for the past 20 years ... is from the United States," Arreaza said following his meeting with Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil on Wednesday. Arreaza said that, contrary to the relation with the United States, Venezuela's relations with Russia are cooperative. "We have had military and technical cooperation with Russia for almost 17 years and it is developing as it should," he said. Venezuela's foreign minister said that all countries must respect the international law. Arreaza also met with Lebanese President Michel Aoun the same day, and the two discussed bilateral ties and the situation of the Venezuelan people of Lebanese origin and their role in Venezuela, reported by the National News Agency. Arreaza arrived in Lebanon on Wednesday morning for a two-day visit. A Harris County civil court judges ambition for higher office unexpectedly forced him to resign after fewer than three months on the bench, thanks to an obscure provision in the state constitution. The Harris County attorneys office was notified in March that Judge Bill McLeod, a Democrat presiding over Harris County Court at Law No. 4, had filed a transfer of campaign treasurer appointment with the Texas Ethics Commission stating he was seeking the office of chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court. Unbeknownst to McLeod, this filing triggered Article 16, Section 65 of the Texas Constitution which considers such an announcement by anyone holding a county judicial post an automatic resignation. This is insane, McLeod said Wednesday. All of the judges are going, You did what? How? We didnt even know (the constitutional provision) existed. McLeod, who was elected in November, hopes that a different provision of the constitution will help rectify his mistake. Article 16, Section 17 states that a county Commissioners Court is not required to appoint a successor after a county officer resigns, and may allow the officeholder who resignedto remain in office as a holdover. If this happens, McLeod would have to run again in 2020 even though he was elected to a four-year term. IN COURT: Bond companies sue Harris County judges, sheriff over new bail rules Despite having been elected by a 10-point margin with over 640,000 votes, McLeod said he would accept a shortened term Its kind of, like, my punishment, he said if it allowed him to ultimately keep his seat on the bench. McLeod said he had made no secret of his intention to eventually run for higher office after he accomplished his goals in Harris County. Already, McLeod eagerly touts his accomplishments in his first 90 days of office, which include clearing a backlogged docket of 1,400 cases. Its about potentially wanting to reach out to the rest of the state of Texas because if I could clean this (court) up within two years, that was my intention, McLeod said. In the meantime, according to the Harris County attorneys office, McLeod may sit on the bench and issue rulings until commissioners decide to grant him holdover status or appoint a a successor. All actions he has taken during that time period and up until Commissioners Court chooses to appoint a successor are valid; theres no doubt about that, said Robert Soard, the first assistant Harris County attorney. McLeod is not the first judicial officer to fall victim to this provision. In 2013, Irene Rios, then a Bexar County (San Antonio) court-at-law judge, told county commissioners she intended to run for chief justice of the 4th Court of Appeals, triggering her automatic resignation. Rios remained in her seat for four weeks after her announcement before tendering her letter of resignation, and she continued to make legal rulings during that time. A 1999 amendment to the Texas Supreme Court judicial code of conduct further affirms that judges can continue to hold judicial office while being a candidate for another judicial office. And while McLeod supporters acknowledge that the judicial code of conduct does not override the state constitution, they dont believe its grounds to overturn the will of the hundreds of thousands of Harris County residents who voted him into office. Every judicial position on the Harris County ballot in 2018 was won by a Democrat. We need judges like him who really want to make a difference and who take their job seriously, said Karen Taylor, an attorney and McLeod supporter. These are not the judges we need to be getting rid of because they ran afoul of some gotcha statute that no one really understands. The decision on McLeods fate will be made by a Harris County Commissioners Court that has a Democratic majority for the first time in decades. RACIAL TONE: Chambers County commissioner apologizes for "speak English" criticism Rodney Ellis, a Democratic commissioner, was noncommittal on McLeods future, stating: I firmly believe that any action taken by Commissioners Court on this matter must uphold the Texas Constitution above all else and that principle is what will ultimately guide my decision on Tuesday. Commissioner Adrian Garcia and a spokeswoman for County Judge Lina Hidalgo, the two other Democrats on the court, did not respond to requests for comment. Republican Commissioner Steve Radack said he would not be receptive to appointing a holdover for a judicial post. If hes resigned then how can you justify having him as a holdover? Radack said. Thats certainly not the spirit of the law. McLeod said he has not spoken with any of the commissioners about his predicament. Thats not the will of the people, thats the will of three people on the county commissioners court, McLeod said. And they are my friends in the sense that theyre colleagues and Democrats, but that doesnt mean theyre gonna vote for me. nick.powell@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. The chemical explosion that killed one worker and injured two at the KMCO plant in Crosby this week has strained the resources of the Harris County Fire Marshals Office, as questions remain over whether the firm properly notified emergency responders prior to the fire of the hazardous compounds stored on site. KMCO identified the employee killed in the blast as James Earl Bubba Mangum, a Daisetta native who earned a degree in business from Sam Houston State University in 2014. The company said the two injured workers airlifted from the plant, whom the company declined to identify, remained in critical condition Wednesday. The entire KMCO team continues to mourn the loss of our friend and colleague, James Earl Mangum, or Bubba as he was fondly known at the plant, KMCO CEO John Foley said in a company statement. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, as well as his two coworkers who remain in intensive care at area hospitals. ONE FATALITY: KMCO identifies worker killed in Crosby plant explosion Out of respect for the families and their privacy, the company will not release further information on their status beyond confirming that both men remain in critical condition and the company is in close contact with their loved ones to provide care and support at this difficult time, the statement continued. The company is also providing medical check-ups and grief support services for other coworkers who were otherwise impacted. The Environmental Protection Agency, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and Harris County Pollution Control Services continue to monitor air quality near the plant but have yet to detect any dangerous concentrations of chemicals, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said in a statement. KMCO reported that its air monitors took air samples in surrounding communities and would share the results with regulators. Emergency responders said KMCO was quick to inform them at the scene which compounds were burning. However, the agencies with which the company must file chemical inventories, called Tier II reports, did not respond to requests Wednesday to confirm the company has done so. Under federal law, companies that store a certain volume of hazardous chemicals must file inventories with state and local authorities, including how much of a hazardous compound a facility has, on average; the maximum on-site capacity; how a compound is stored; and where it is located. The reports help first responders prepare a playbook for incidents, which can pose dangers to plant workers and the public. KMCO 's Crosby facility is in the boundaries of the North Channel County Local Emergency Planning Committee. SAFETY CONCERNS: KMCO Crosby plant has long history of violations Neither the state, the North Channel LEPC or the Crosby Volunteer Fire Department responded to questions on whether the KMCO had filed its 2019 chemical inventory. Two of the best-trained agencies that responded to the scene, the Harris County Fire Marshals Office and the Houston Fire Department, knew little about the chemicals on site before responding to the KMCO fire. Though the fire marshal is the principal fire investigator in the county, and HFD frequently is called to assist with fires outside city limits, neither agency is within KMCOs emergency planning committee. Neither possessed Tier II report from the company before the fire. We didnt know anything prior to our arrival, said HFD District Chief Terry Colburn, who leads the departments hazardous materials response team, which is stationed in east Houston, near the ship channel. Colburn credited KMCO for quickly establishing a command post and devising a firefighting strategy, and said plant managers were able to explain to responders what chemicals had ignited. In an ideal scenario, Colburn said, his firefighters would review a plants Tier II report en route to an incident, but said a companys preparedness for a fire is equally important. They were coordinating their attacks, Colburn said. It was well-run by the Crosby team and the fire marshals office, and they were on top of their game. Rachel Moreno, spokeswoman for the Harris County Fire Marshals Office, said the countys hazmat crew had no need to review KMCOs Tier II because the company provided real-time information to firefighters during the incident. KMCO did not respond to questions about its Tier II filing. Before the blaze, KMCO officials had planned to meet with the Crosby fire department on Friday for a tabletop exercise on emergency planning, according to David Wade, industrial liaison for the Harris County Fire Marshal's Office and administrator for the Greater Harris County Local Emergency Planning Committee. An explosion rocked the plant around 10:45 a.m. Tuesday, which KMCO said was caused when leaking isobutylene, a flammable gas, ignited. The fire also burned ethanol and ethlyl acrylate at the plant and burned for more than five hours before being extinguished. KMCO manufactures coolant and brake fluid for automakers and chemicals for the oil field industry. Firefighters continued to pour water and flame-retardant foam on hot spots to prevent re-ignition of the fire, the company said Wednesday. All plant operations have been suspended indefinitely. The company said it had responded to complaints of nuisance odors from still-smoldering parts of the plant, and applied additional foam to block the release of odors. KMCO will remain vigilant in our air monitoring and rapid response until the site is completely stabilized, said Keith Terhune, KMCOs VP of Operations. We apologize to our neighbors for any discomfort or concerns they may have felt as a result of this incident. The KMCO blast forced the Harris County fire marshal to open its second major investigation in less than three weeks, after a massive conflagration damaged a tank farm at Intercontinental Terminals Co. in Deer Park on March 17. The fire marshals office, which has 12 full-time and 5 part-time investigators, must balance those probes with everyday fires in Harris County. On Wednesday, for example, investigators responded to a blaze at a north Houston fireworks warehouse. Were stretched thin, Moreno said. Weve got the tools we need right now but we do have staff spread across the county working different incidents. The ITC and KMCO burn sites remained too unsafe for investigators to visit Wednesday, though Moreno said four personnel have been assigned to Deer Park and two to Crosby. While investigators wait for the KMCO site to cool, they have taken exterior photographs of the plant and conducted more than 50 interviews, she said. Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia, who represents east Harris County, said Commissioners Court must evaluate whether departments, including the fire marshals office and Pollution Control, have enough resources to regulate the areas large petrochemical industry. Its not just a matter of throwing more resources, Garcia said. Its going to be ensuring we have a strategic plan for how the fire marshals office will be utilized in the aspect of prevention. Also Wednesday, Democratic Houston Reps. Lizzie Fletcher, Al Green and Sylvia Garcia wrote a letter to the TQEQ asking whether air monitoring during and after the ITC fire was sufficient. It is of the utmost importance that state agencies continue to supply the most accurate data so that the public can have full confidence in recommendations provided by local and state authorities, the trio wrote. Staff writers Matt Dempsey and Nguyen Le contributed reporting. zach.despart@chron.com www.twitter.com/zachdespart 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. This story was originally published on Sept. 17, 2016. Flaming liquid poured out of the warehouse as Houston firefighters arrived. A black plume big enough to show up on weather radar touched the sky that Thursday morning in May. Explosions echoed through Spring Branch. Students fled a nearby school. A substance like tar coated cars in the neighborhood. Blood-red fluids spilled into a creek, choking fish and turtles. More than 400 firefighters responded over two days, and when they were done, piles of torched barrels and melted plastic tanks lay in a snow-white blanket of fire-fighting foam. Days later, they still didn't know what they'd been fighting. No city inspector had been inside the place for years, and the owner's records burned up in the blaze. The firefighters didn't even know there was a chemical facility in the neighborhood, one surrounded by houses and apartments, a nursing home and a gun shop full of ammunition. About the series In November 2014, four workers died at a DuPont plant in La Porte after being exposed to a toxic gas. Responding emergency workers werent sure what was in the air. The surrounding community wasnt, either. This Houston Chronicle investigation explores how another fatal mistake could have the largest consequences and probes the regulatory failures that put us in jeopardy. Click here to read the series. The problems encountered at Spring Branch weren't unique. The fire department in the nation's fourth-largest city has no idea where most hazardous chemicals are, forgetting lessons learned in a near-disaster 21 years ago, a Houston Chronicle investigation has found. Less than a quarter of hazardous materials facilities with permits have been inspected. Little effort is made to find the ones skirting the rules or to help businesses that don't know what the rules are. City officials say the Custom Packaging & Filling warehouse in Spring Branch was operating illegally and that's why it wasn't on their radar. But city records show owner Traci Willis paid for and received annual permits at least seven times since the last inspection in 2008. Two inspectors visited the site that year, Willis said. The first noted in his report that the facility may have too many hazardous materials for its permit, and may have to reduce its chemical inventory. Willis said the second told her the permit was fine, and left, despite stacks of chemical containers in the yard. "I don't believe he went outside and looked at anything," she said. There was no follow-up, according to city records. Firefighters once routinely visited buildings in their districts to plan for emergencies including ferreting out hazmat sites but those visits stopped in April 2014. The department had started entering old plans into a new, sophisticated database and didn't want to create a backlog. Only some supervisors have been trained on how to add information to that system, so most records remain on paper. Fire inspectors, who conduct separate visits to check for fire code compliance, including hazmat rules, aren't entering any information into that database. The result: Most hazardous materials facilities in Houston operate illegally, said retired firefighter and fire inspector Chris Cato. "That's the thing that keeps me up at night," Cato said. "I know these guys are going in on a warehouse fire. That product is going to outrace the sprinkler system. It's going to weaken the members of that steel rack. And because that steel rack was never reviewed to meet structural requirements, it's going to fail, and it's going to hurt those guys." Mayor Sylvester Turner refused an interview, with his spokeswoman saying these issues were not a priority compared to flooding or pension reform. Interim Fire Chief Rodney West and Interim Fire Marshal Jerry Ford also declined interviews. The department would not make Hazmat Coordinator Troy Lilley available even for general discussions about records and procedures, saying the information could aid terrorists. It has dodged multiple requests by the Chronicle for records, in some cases citing security concerns and in others not providing documents for at least two months, far beyond the 10-day deadline under the state open records law. Turner, since the Spring Branch fire, has said several times that the city needs to conduct more inspections, especially because Houston's lack of zoning allows for hazardous materials next to homes. But Turner and the City Council have said no changes will happen until next spring, at the earliest, because they want to study the problems further. These issues should have been resolved 21 years ago. In 1995, a warehouse east of downtown caught fire and quickly raged out of control. So many fire companies raced in from across the city that Bill Sheffield could barely keep track of all the notes he'd scrawled on a fistful of papers, listing the trucks responding to Market Street. He stood in knee-deep water, emerald green from whatever chemical was seeping out of the inferno. The fire grew so big that it started generating its own weather. An enormous draft swooped over Sheffield and sucked every piece of paper into a coal-black sky. "We're screwed," he yelled to his chief against the wind. "I got no clue who anybody is anymore." Explosions ripped through the air. On the radio, firefighters screamed for backup. The chief yelled at dispatchers for more companies. 06/24/1995 - About two-thirds of the city's on-duty firefighters were sent to battle a seven-alarm fire which broke out just before 9 a.m. at the Houston Distribution Inc. warehouse at 8500 Market. Thick, black smoke poured thousands of feet into the sky as the warehouse fire gutted the complex and forced voluntary evacuations in the Pleasantville area but spared firefighters and residents serious injury. less 06/24/1995 - About two-thirds of the city's on-duty firefighters were sent to battle a seven-alarm fire which broke out just before 9 a.m. at the Houston Distribution Inc. warehouse at 8500 Market. Thick, black ... more Photo: Howard Castleberry, Houston Chronicle Photo: Howard Castleberry, Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 6 Caption Close Houston Fire Dept. doesn't know where dangerous chemicals are 1 / 6 Back to Gallery A representative for Houston Distribution Inc. arrived with chemical data sheets, but didn't know exactly what chemicals were burning, couldn't say what might be in the water or in the acrid fumes. But he told the firefighters to turn their attention to the next building, because it was full of organic peroxides. "Well, boys," the chief said. "It's no longer a question of if. It's a question of when. We're fixing to have a hell of an explosion." The Market Street fire triggered months of investigations, policy debates, multimillion-dollar lawsuits from neighbors exposed to fumes, and promises from city leaders that they would never be that unprepared again. Consider where things stand now: The part of the fire department responsible for inspections the Fire Prevention and Life Safety Bureau, which reports to Ford is unable to provide a clear picture of what its 125 inspectors do all year. No one can say how many inspections are required annually, how many have been completed, how many businesses failed them or how many citations were issued. That's according to a city-commissioned study by Facets Consulting, which recently found major failings in every aspect of the bureau. There isn't even a standard inspection form inspectors come up with their own processes. Bureau staff didn't know how many high-rises or apartment complexes are in the city, and the estimate for hazmat facilities more than 3,000 is based only on those that have applied for permits. Life Safety staff estimated fewer than 20 percent of all businesses are inspected regularly, according to the Facets study. Other cities have done more with less. The Charlotte Fire Department in North Carolina inspected 41,000 buildings last year including every hazmat location with 36 inspectors, Deputy Fire Marshal Jonathan Leonard said. Under North Carolina state law, hazmat buildings must be inspected yearly by local authorities. The longest any commercial building can go without inspection is three years. Texas has no such mandate. "If you don't have community leaders saying, 'We want you in our buildings in a timely fashion,' If they don't have city government supporting that, it ties the fire department's hands," Leonard said. *** When Charlotte firefighters are on their way to an emergency, information about the property including chemical locations and inspection history pops up on a computer screen on the fire truck. It's been that way since 2003. In Houston, firefighters still dig through binders, if any record is available at all. A system that has cost the city at least $1.3 million so far could change that, but after four years, it's still struggling to gain traction in the fire department. In 2011, Houston began investing in Digital Sandbox, a security analytics program. It uses data across the metro area to help police size up threats. In 2012, fire officials realized they could use it to replace the binders on fire trucks with tablet computers. The problem? Only 2,847 buildings are in the system so far, a pace of about two per day. And most of it is not new information it's data the city already had. That represents less than 4 percent of about 72,000 commercial buildings in Houston. The goal is for firefighters to enter plans directly into SandBox, according to a demonstration of the system by Assistant Fire Chief Jeff Cook for Chronicle reporters. But data entry slowed while the department turned its attention to fire survival training, Cook said. That training took on new urgency after four firefighters died at a hotel fire in 2013 and another at a house fire in 2014. Even when the department finishes entering old data and starts on new items, a big bureaucratic and cultural wall will stand in the way. *** Firefighting falls under the department's operations division, while inspections are under the fire marshal's office. They both report to assistant chiefs, who in turn report to Chief West. The two divisions operate in silos, according to interviews with current and former fire officials. Inspectors don't even have radios to communicate to dispatch during emergencies, said Alvin White, president of Houston Professional Firefighters Union Local 341. Some inspectors talk to firefighters, according to the Facets study, but "this is not a uniform practice." So whatever inspectors saw at hazmat facilities was never shown to the people who might have to fight a fire there. "There's a ton of animosity between the divisions," said Cato, the retired inspector. Cato said when he moved from fighting fires to fire inspections, fellow crew members asked if he was going to do puppet shows a jab at the role the inspection department has educating schoolchildren on fire safety. Contrast that with Charlotte, where Leonard said his department overcame those divides. "We have a chief that is 100 percent behind the fire prevention bureau and what we do," he said. "And we have inspectors that engage (firefighters) on a routine basis." When a fire broke out in July at a Charlotte warehouse, arriving firefighters were met by an inspector who had recently evaluated the building. "They had firsthand knowledge of what the chemicals were, where they were burning and how best to treat it," Leonard said. That's critical because putting water on the wrong kind of fire could cause explosions or toxic releases. It's not clear how the Houston fire marshal's office intends to implement Sandbox, which would provide an instant avenue for inspectors to share information with firefighters in the field. For at least the last decade, completed inspections were stored in the city's building department database, inaccessible to the rest of the fire department. Those inspections are viewed as strictly for code enforcement purposes. Firefighters rely on their own emergency planning visits the ones that stopped more than two years ago. Both kinds of visits log building layouts, where hazardous materials are stored, and whether tools like sprinklers are installed. Communication between departments would allow the city to cover more ground. Firefighters are supposed to do plans annually for every vulnerable building, including schools, nursing homes, apartment complexes, high rises, and hazmat facilities. Department guidelines say each shift at each station should conduct one plan every two months. That means the department, with 93 stations, should theoretically complete about 2,200 plans a year. But because they're stored on paper at the stations, the department can't say how many it has or how old they are. In the aftermath of Spring Branch, fire department inspectors called the Chronicle for its map of potentially harmful hazmat facilities. The newspaper created it earlier in collaboration with the Texas A&M Mary Kay O'Connor Process Safety Center. More than 170 firefighters helped contain a fire at Custom Packaging and Filling Company near Spring Branch. No injuries were reported. More than 170 firefighters helped contain a fire at Custom Packaging and Filling Company near Spring Branch. No injuries were reported. Photo: Brett Coomer, Staff Photo: Brett Coomer, Staff Image 1 of / 16 Caption Close Chemical Breakdown - custom packaging 1 / 16 Back to Gallery The initial Spring Branch alarm called firefighters to a home whose garage was burning. The garage was so close to the warehouse that they nearly touched, but hazmat units weren't called for 20 minutes, and didn't arrive for another 24, according to dispatch logs. Chemical barrels and tanks ruptured, and pesticides and petroleum additives spilled into the creek, killing hundreds of animals. Union officials, who believe firefighter cancers are connected to Market Street, now worry about long-term health impacts from Spring Branch. It took two months before the city released to the public a complete list of chemicals found at the warehouse. Since there were no records available, the city relied on tests of the spilled materials. The union said the city promised to pay for blood tests for all the firefighters who responded to the blaze. The city backed away from that promise and told the firefighters to pay for their own tests, White said. Houston fire responds to about 1,000 hazmat calls a year. Its two hazmat units operate out of Station 22, in the heart of the Ship Channel. The assumption is most responses will be in that heavily industrial area. But at least 35 percent of the calls occur more than 10 miles away. Eight facilities in the A&M list with the highest potential for harm are at least that far from the station. The Facets study recommends Houston add another hazmat station on the city's west side. Los Angeles, another heavily industrial port with a smaller land area, has four hazmat units in different parts of the city. That a city the size of Houston, with so many chemical sites, could have such a loose grasp on what's inside them is surprising perhaps most of all because of what unfolded at Market Street in 1995 and how the city responded. After a chief warned of an impending explosion, Sheffield ordered an evacuation of the nearby Pleasantville neighborhood. Then began an extraordinary retreat from the warehouse. Hose after hose, all charged with water, blocked the only path out for dozens of trucks. There was no time to drain them. Firefighters grabbed their axes. They hacked apart hoses one by one, and the engines backed out foot by foot. They got every firefighter out and every truck, except for one. Ladder 19's cab caught on fire as the last man fled. No one got seriously hurt. A railroad track acted as a fire break, and all available resources were diverted to protecting the peroxides. Sheffield has no doubt he and dozens of other firefighters nearly died, and possibly residents of Pleasantville, too. The remainder of the warehouse complex reignited several times in the following weeks, incinerating another building. Politics flared, too. Mayor Bob Lanier's administration studied the regulation of hazardous materials storage for six months. The City Council created a Committee on Environmental Standards. It enacted requirements that businesses post signs warning of potential danger. The council gave $25,000 for emergency planning and education. The city launched its first database for hazmat permits, and the fire department said it would increase inspections of thousands of warehouses to twice a year. The City Council passed a measure restricting construction of new hazmat facilities within 1,000 feet of homes and schools. At the same time, Lanier ordered that warehouses must publicly disclose their contents. Twenty years later, the Committee on Environmental Standards no longer exists. The city can't point to any businesses that were fined for not posting danger warnings. The city stopped funding the local emergency planning committee. It rescinded the order on warehouse disclosures in 2011. Sheffield remembers the promise of technology as personal computers emerged in the 1970s. It wouldn't be long, they were told, and every truck would have all the information it needs on a single screen. "We're still centuries behind technology that's out in the real world," he said, "and it's all because of money and bureaucracy." *** Read part 7: Hazardous routes to a disaster: Chemicals still roll through populated areas of Houston *** Mark Collette finds the information the government and corporations don't want you to see. Contact him at mark.collette@chron.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ChronMC. Matt Dempsey is the data editor for the Houston Chronicle. He joined the Chronicle in 2014 and has worked on several major projects, including the investigation on the dangers of chemical plants. Matt previously worked for the Arizona Republic and Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Contact him at matt.dempsey@chron.com. Follow him on Twitter at @mizzousundevil. Rebecca Elliott and Mike Morris contributed to this story Subscribe The Houston Chronicle is dedicated to serving the public interest with fact-based journalism. That mission has never been more important. Show your support for our journalism at HoustonChronicle.com/subscribe. Democrat Beto ORourke left no doubt that he would support legislation to create a commission to explore the possibility of reparations for slavery in the United States. Absolutely, I would sign that into law, ORourke said when asked by the Rev. Al Sharpton on Wednesday at the annual National Action Networks conference in New York City. Sharpton had asked ORourke if he were elected president, would he would sign into law a bill by U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Houston, that would create a commission to explore the economic implications of slavery and segregation. That commission could ultimately propose reparations being paid to descendants of slaves. ORourke is far from the only candidate talking about backing that potential commission. Sharpton later credited another Democrat vying for the presidential nomination, former San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro, with driving the issue to the forefront in the presidential race with comments hes made in past weeks. For subscribers: Reparations for descendants of slaves emerges as key issue in 2020 Democratic field Castro, who spoke more than an hour after ORourke at the same National Action Network event, has been outspoken about the need to address the legacy of slavery. The National Action Network is a civil rights group founded by Sharpton in 1991. I have said many times during the last several weeks that I have long believed that our country will never truly heal until we address the original sin of slavery, Castro said. Sharpton has not endorsed any candidates yet but started the conference on Wednesday with effusive praise for ORourke, whom he said emerged like a rock star in 2018. He said ORourke caught his attention last year for his comments supporting black athletes kneeling during the National Anthem and about white privilege. I had never seen a major white candidate for president talk about white privilege, Sharpton said. And so it is no accident that he is the first of the presidential candidates to come and speak to us this morning. ORourke drew big applause from the audience and from Sharpton when he highlighted his position on criminal justice reforms. ORourke has frequently talked about ending the prohibition on marijuana and expunging the records of people arrested for small amounts of it. We must also end the cash bail system and we must also end prisons for profit and we must conclude a war on drugs that has become a war on people, ORourke said as Sharpton nodded. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton took the rare step of speaking before state senators Thursday in support of a bill that would give his office greater power to prosecute human trafficking cases. Senate Bill 1257, authored by Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, would allow the Attorney Generals Office to prosecute human trafficking cases that occur across county lines. Many Texas district attorneys oppose the bill, saying it encroaches on their ability to prosecute cases within their own jurisdictions, potentially setting up a power struggle between them and the attorney general. Lacking a quorum to call a vote Thursday morning, senators left the bill pending in committee. Under the measure, in cases within one jurisdiction, the local district attorney would have the first say in whether to take a case. If they do not take the case, they would then be required to notify the attorney general within 14 days. As of now, district attorneys have jurisdiction and may ask the attorney general for assistance if they choose. Paxton, who said his appearance Thursday marked the first time hed spoken on the Senate floor since he was a senator, said his goal is to increase the amount of resources available to prosecute these cases and bring an end to human trafficking statewide. Paxton was in the Senate from 2013 to 2015. Theres so much more that could be done to end this horrific crime. And look, we dont want to get in the way of the DAs, Paxton said. We feel like we can add to what theyre doing. Paxton opened a human trafficking unit within his office in 2016 that employs investigators, lawyers and a victim advocate dedicated to the cases. Several district attorneys, including those from Harris, Bexar and El Paso counties, spoke out against the bill Thursday, expressing concerns that it would unnecessarily interfere with their ongoing efforts to prosecute the cases and would cause a duplication of efforts. Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales said he worries that the bill creates a conflict between the district attorneys and Attorney Generals Office. Gonzales said over the past four years, his office has prosecuted over 300 human trafficking cases, and of those, the attorney general has been involved in less than 10 percent. We enjoy the relationship we have (with the attorney general), but weve done an outstanding job in Bexar County, he said. Hypothetically, if we keep every one of those cases, then the AGs office may, in effect, resent the fact that we dont think theyre qualified to handle any of those cases. Montgomery County District Attorney Brett Ligon, a Republican nodding to Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg, a Democrat, who also came to testify noted that the opposition to the bill is bipartisan. Ligon said a better solution would be to increase grant funding to local jurisdictions for prosecution of these cases. Paxton and Huffman pointed to statistics from the Office of Court Administration that showed that just 18 of 254 counties in Texas are prosecuting human trafficking crimes. With all due respect, I just disagree with the way yall are looking at this, Huffman said. Were not trying to take any power away from you. Were not trying to tell you how to deal with your employees or your DAs or your law enforcement. This is just trying to help bring soldiers to the battle. Some district attorneys shed doubt on the accuracy of the numbers, however, saying they dont take into account that some cases that may involve human trafficking are prosecuted under a different charge, such as sexual assault. Ogg, whose jurisdiction includes Houston, which has one of the highest rates of human trafficking in the state, said her office has filed 39 human trafficking cases last year compared to three in 2016 and 70 in the last nine months. Johna Stallings, chief of the countys human trafficking division, said most of those cases are multi-jurisdictional, the type affected by this law. When we need the AG, we are happy to ask for his assistance, but we think it would create confusion among law enforcement and among the general public who have elected their district attorney to make those decisions in Harris County, not the attorney general, Ogg said. Arthur Davis, a retired, battle-worn first sergeant in the Marines, often says a veterans diversion court saved his life. Thats only partially true. While veterans court gave him a second chance after he wound up in jail during a bout with mental illness, something else helped him relieve his crippling anxiety and break free of the powerful prescription drugs that seemed to exacerbate it. It was marijuana, Davis, a 51-year-old Houston native, told the editorial board. I have my life back. I am not stuck inside with terrible anxiety. I dont have the nightmares that used to keep me from wanting to ever go to sleep. When he does smoke pot, hes breaking the law and thats something the veteran of four combat tours, including in Afghanistan and Iraq, wishes he didnt have to do. Now that Texas lawmakers are working overtime in Austin to change the way we think about marijuana, Davis feels someone is finally listening. Listening should lead to action. Lawmakers are not aiming to make pot legal, exactly, but they want to make it difficult to be arrested for having an ounce of pot. That helps people like Davis who use the drug regularly, and also occasional users. And its consistent with policies in big cities such as Houston and Dallas, where law enforcement has largely stopped jailing people for a little pot. Extending such reforms statewide is only fair. Why should a few joints upend a career or threaten ones freedom in Galveston or Laredo, when theyll only get you a fine in Houston? State Rep. Joe Moody, D-El Paso, has authored a bill that would turn possession of smaller amounts of pot into a civil offense with no criminal record or secondary penalties that can accompany misdemeanor drug conviction, including temporary loss of driver license, ineligibility for student aid, employment hassles or deportation for immigrants. With revisions made in committee, Moodys bill would allow prosecutors to seek a Class C misdemeanor criminal charge only when someone is cited a third time for possession. Thats still a cudgel too heavy for simple pot possession. Still, the bill would be a wise next step for Texas, which has garnered a smart-on-crime reputation of late. Moodys bill is more than smart its brave, given how strong the predictable backlash has been among mostly rural sheriffs and small-town police chiefs. Talk of lightening up on drug offenders makes some in law enforcement nervous often for good reason, given the devastation caused by the opioid epidemic and other drug abuse. Some drugs are too dangerous to be legal. Marijuana isnt one of them. Some 24 million Americans said in 2018 that they used marijuana in the past month twice the number who abuse prescriptions and 12 times the number who use cocaine. Of the 70,000 fatal overdoses in America in 2017, nearly 50,000 were tied to opioids, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Deaths tied to pot are so rare the National Center for Health Statistics doesnt track them. Its absurd that the federal government considers pot a Schedule 1 narcotic a regressive stance that damages thousands of lives and squanders millions in law enforcement dollars. While prospects for federal reform are dismal, its legal to buy, hold and smoke pot in more than a dozen states. In all but four, legal exceptions allow some medical use. Moodys bill is the best chance in years for Texas to catch up. It wont be easy. His chief of staff, Ellic Sahualla, says the bill has an excellent chance of passing the House. Opposition by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick makes it dicier in the Senate. Gov. Greg Abbott says he supports easing penalties for pot possession, but wants it to be more than a civil violation. That could make things worse, because defendants charged with Class C misdemeanors arent entitled to lawyers and may think less serious charges arent worth contesting. In fact, theyd carry a criminal drug conviction and with it, life-altering consequences. There are few downsides to modernizing Texas pot possession laws. For some folks, the benefits are profound. Davis, who moved to Montgomery County after Hurricane Harvey swamped his Houston home, wants lawmakers to remember him and other veterans when they cast their votes: This country was founded by men and women like myself who decided it was worth fighting for. If people like that, veterans, are telling you that this is what they need, then maybe take a chance and give them an option for something they know works. Regarding Crosby plant blast kills worker, injures 2 others (Front page, Wednesday): My heart goes out to the loved ones of the injured and dead from the KMCO chemical fire. What will it take for our state representatives to adequately fund the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to do the job right? With three chemical fires in 17 days, are we expected to endure on a weekly basis this cycle of fear and anger at our elected officials for failing to protect us? A little girl should not have to cover her mouth and nose with her t-shirt to pick up a relative at the neighborhood day care. We could at least have cell phone alerts of chemical fires like the relatively innocuous ozone warning sent out by TCEQ the day of the fire. Anne Profilet, Houston Internet sales tax Regarding Lets take advantage of internet sales tax rule (Outlook, Wednesday): The author, Calvin H. Johnson, may be correct in how easy it could be for out-of-state vendors to comply with the rules to collect the sales tax, but he is obviously not an economist if he truly believes the out-of-state vendors will pay the sales tax as he stated. In fact, Johnson notes the burdensome taxes imposed by Texas should be expanded to the out-of-state purchases so the taxpayers within Texas can fork over more of their hard-earned wages to Texas rather than benefiting from a more economically priced good or service. Johnson, seemingly like almost all politicians, seem to think the states budget crisis is one of revenue rather than spending. B. Dee Davis, Jr., Houston Just stunning Regarding Senate OKs disputed religious liberty bill (City/State, Wednesday): So now the Republicans in Texas want to make it legal to refuse service to anybody the provider disapproves of. Funny, I don't remember my teachers in medical school saying we could refuse to help prostitutes, thieves, tax evaders or any other type of criminals. And the Bible makes it clear that Christians should accept everybody. So, who in the heck is supporting this bill? Certainly not followers of Jesus Christ, nor anybody who takes the Hippocratic oath seriously. Stella Fitzgibbons, The Woodlands Another whopper Regarding Trump defers push for new health care plan (Nation/World, Wednesday): I must say I had to laugh out loud when President Trump announced that if the GOP wins in 2020 and has control of everything, like they did in 2017-2018, theyll give us great health care, the best ever. Thanks to President Trump for offering some comic relief. Maybe there is hope that we can laugh our way through the next few months, and then laugh that we survived our nations brush with dimwittedness. Mike Collier, Kingwood Kudos to BP America for company chairman and president Susan Dios bold call on these pages for the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate methane, a highly potent greenhouse gas, emitted by both new and existing oil and gas operations. Double kudos to BP for walking the talk by setting methane emissions reduction targets and taking active steps to reach them in its own operations. BPs actions, in fact, deliver a double bonus: they cut methane emissions, and they demonstrate what kinds of pollution-cutting technologies and strategies are effective and affordable. This provides lessons for other companies, and if and when the EPA heeds BPs call and regulates methane, the agency will look carefully at BPs experiences and successes in reducing emissions. Unfortunately, BPs leadership so far just means that the company is having a great spring training, but the regular season is not a lock. While the companys call for regulation and its investment in cleaning up its emissions are truly valuable, none of its statements or initiatives counts in the standings. They are almost sure to do nothing to prompt EPA to regulate methane. To notch a W that counts, BP needs to take the one step that could actually make a difference, a step that 14 states and two cities have already taken: sue the EPA to compel the agency to regulate. The Trump EPA deeply opposes what BP is calling for it to do. In March 2016, President Obama committed the United States to regulating methane emissions from existing oil and gas sources. Then, in June 2016, by finalizing methane emissions standards for new and modified oil and gas facilities the EPA triggered the legal obligation to regulate existing sources. The EPA then began collecting information from oil and gas operators and facilities critical to setting regulations for existing methane-emitting operations. Two years ago, however, then-EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt took the decisive step of ordering a halt to this information-collection activity, shutting the door on regulation of methane emissions from existing operations. This move followed President Trumps order, a mere two months after taking office, to conduct a sweeping review of a wide range of environmental regulations affecting fossil fuel industries. Beyond halting the progression toward regulating methane emissions of existing operations, the EPA has also proposed loosening Obama-era standards on methane emissions from new sources. (For more detail on the EPAs actions on methane regulation during the Obama and Trump administrations, visit the Harvard Law School Environmental and Energy Law Programs Rollback Tracker page on the subject.) BP and other companies that have likewise made recent statements in support of methane regulation are not helpless, and they can do something far more consequential than issuing statements and taking voluntary actions (as great as those things are). Now that the EPA has set standards for methane emitted by new oil and gas sources, the Clean Air Act does not just obligate the EPA to regulate methane emissions from existing sources. It also empowers individuals, states and companies to go to court to ensure the EPA fulfills this obligation. Last spring, 14 states , the District of Columbia, and the city of Chicago did just that, asking the District Court for the District of Columbia to compel the EPA to carry out its Clean Air Act mandate to regulate methane emissions from existing oil and gas sources. If BP and other companies supportive of uniform, national regulation of methane emissions in oil and gas operations want to play in the big leagues of methane regulation, they have the perfect opportunity to do so by asking to join in support of the states and cities legal action to compel the EPA to fulfill its regulatory duties. Engaging in this lawsuit as a party is the single most effective action BP can take to achieve regulation of methane emissions from existing oil and gas operations. Goffman is executive director of Harvard Law Schools environmental and energy law program and former associated assistant administrator for air and radiation at EPA. Vizcarra is a staff attorney for Harvard Law Schools environmental & energy law program and a native Houstonian. Flash Chinese peacekeepers at the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) received UN medal Wednesday for their contribution to keeping peace in southern Lebanon. A medal ceremony was held at the Chinese troop's camp in Hanniyah village in southern Lebanon, with the attendance of head of Mission and Force Commander of the UNIFIL Stefano Del Col, Chinese Ambassador to Lebanon Wang Kejian, representatives of the Lebanese armed forces and fellow peacekeepers. Awarding the medal, Major General Del Col said that "the medal you will receive today is a sign of appreciation for your important contribution to the UNIFIL Mission, a precious memory that will stay with you as a reminder of your work in Lebanon." Del Col praised the Chinese peacekeepers for their hard work, bravery and determination, saying "I want to thank all of you for the job you carry out with professionality, commitment and dedication, promoting a culture of peace and proactiveness that well contributes to the implementation of our mandate within the framework of Security Council Resolution 1701." A total of 410 peacekeepers of the 17th Chinese peacekeeping force, which includes a multi-functional engineer detachment, a construction engineer detachment and a medical detachment, have been serving the UN Mission since May 2018. During the past 11 months, the Chinese peacekeepers have swept over 6,690 square meters of minefield and cleared over 1400 AP mines, completed 68 high standard engineering projects, provided physiotherapy and rehabilitation and clinical services to over 8,600 peacekeepers and humanitarian medical assistance to over 3,500 local villagers. The UN Security Council established the UNIFIL on March 19, 1978 to monitor the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon. Its mandate was expanded following the 2006 Lebanon War. Since 2006, China has maintained a peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon as a part of the UNIFIL, tasked with missions such as mine-sweeping, project construction, medical rescue and humanitarian assistance. As a freshman at Texas Womans University, Im working toward my dream of becoming a nurse. I hope to give compassionate care to Texans and also help address the states nursing shortage because of a growing demand for nurses and lack of supply. But now two bills in the Texas Legislature would significantly raise education costs for undocumented immigrants like myself. If implemented, the legislation could kill my nursing career before it even starts. Ive lived in Texas since I was 7, when my parents brought my brothers and me here to escape gang violence and poverty in our native Mexico. Since I was 10, Ive dreamed of becoming a nurse. The Texas Dream Act, which then-Gov. Rick Perry signed in 2001, made it possible for me to pursue this goal, because it stipulates that undocumented high-school graduates in Texas who meet other residency requirements pay the same in-state tuition rates for state colleges and universities as our U.S.-born classmates. But this year, two members of the Texas Legislature, Sen. Pat Fallon, R-Prosper, and Rep. Kyle Biedermann, R- Fredericksburg, have proposed bills intended to repeal the Dream Act, the most recent of many attempts in the Legislature. If these bills become law, the annual tuition cost for my studies would jump from about $6,450 to about $18,600. While Im currently fortunate to receive a scholarship, I have no guarantee of support for my final two years especially at that higher price tag. A change in the residency requirements could force me to drop out. In an interview with KXAN in Austin about his bill, Biedermann said: Were educating them with K-12 right now. And they can be educated in college. Why should we give them a deduction or a subsidy at taxpayer expense when other Texans could use the funds also to get educated? This makes no sense. Young immigrants like me play a critical role in addressing the nations looming shortage of health care workers. Research finds that registered nurse is the second-most-popular career choice for Dreamers, undocumented young people who were brought to this country as children. And immigrants in general enter the health care profession at significantly higher rates than our U.S.-born peers. Our contributions are particularly needed in the Houston metropolitan area, where more than five health care jobs are currently advertised for every unemployed health care worker. As the population ages and the needs of Baby Boomers become more acute, the demand for qualified health care workers will only grow. Changing residency requirements would also hurt the states economy, since people like me would see significantly lower salaries an estimated 66 percent less annually without a bachelors degree, says a new report by New American Economy, which finds that overturning the Texas Dream Act could result in nearly $400 million in lost economic activity in Texas each year. My interest in nursing began when I saw firsthand the difference that caring hospital staff can make. I was 10 when I accompanied my aunt to the hospital during her first miscarriage. I went with her because I spoke English and because, as the youngest in the family, I was the only one who didnt have to work. After that first procedure, my aunt was devastated, but the staff took excellent care of her. While she was in the recovery room, they talked with her about her feelings and even brought her teddy bears. Unfortunately, my aunt had two more miscarriages and went to other hospitals where she received completely different treatment. She simply got the procedure and was sent home. No one took the time to talk to her afterward or even acknowledge the trauma she was going through. I was a child, but I knew this wasnt right. I decided that I would become a nurse, and I would treat every patient I met with the same care and compassion Id give to a family member regardless of where I worked. I want every patient I encounter to know that someone is looking out for them; I want them to know that they matter. I hope the Texas Legislature gives me a chance. Jacqueline Gaona is a freshman at Texas Womans University. Texans, especially those of us who live and work on the border, support President Donald Trump's efforts on border security. But here along the Texas border, where the Rio Grande River separates Mexico and Texas, a wall is unnecessary. Even worse, the recent threat to seal the border would have disastrous economic consequences on both sides. Closing the border with Mexico, America's third-largest trading partner, would disrupt supply chains, trigger price increases and lead to immediate layoffs while having an imperceptible effect on illegal immigration. According to a statement from Neil Bradley, chief policy officer at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, U.S. trade with Mexico exceeds $1.7 billion daily, and nearly a half million people legally cross the southern border every day as workers, students, shoppers, and tourists. In Laredo, we'd rather see common-sense security solutions that deter illegal immigration and smuggling without such a detrimental impact to our economy. Yes, we need better security along the U.S.-Mexico border. We need it at our legal ports of entry, where drug smuggling and human smuggling occurs. And we need an unobstructed river with visibility in areas where Border Patrol and local law enforcement can stand between our Texas communities and violent cartels. But what is most needed is reform of our legal immigration system. The surge in migrants arriving at the southern border can be addressed in sensible ways without a complete closure of our border. We can set up tent cities on our military bases to provide shelter temporarily while also providing the personnel to quickly process asylum claims. Congress can modify the asylum laws to narrow legitimate claims and expedite the process. With the recent spike in people crossing the border in search of asylum, border personnel resources have been diverted from the various ports of entry. This action has reduced staff at the ports and massively affected the ability of people and commerce to legally cross the border. Crossing times have jumped 200 to 300 percent in each port affected. The inability to move through our legal ports of entry quickly and efficiently has already cost the U.S. economy billions of dollars. We cannot continue to be successful if we continue to impede cross-border trade. Given that trade crossing the border every day supports millions of U.S. jobs, we simply cannot afford to close the border. Immigration reform is also critical in the long term when it comes to providing the human capital required to keep our growth rate at or above 3% a year. The U.S., like every other industrialized nation, is facing a demographic winter, a threat explained with mathematical precision by Jonathan V. Last in his book, "What to Expect When No One's Expecting." When the total fertility rate or birth rate of a country falls below 2.1 children per female, that country's population will shrink, as it has in large parts of Europe, Asia and elsewhere. Without a rising number of workers to prime the economic pump, robust economic growth simply cannot be sustained. No people, no economy. Here in Texas, leaders in the food service, hospitality and agricultural industries say we already face a severe labor shortage that is starting to inhibit our growth potential. We want President Trump to keep the wrong people out of Texas and the rest of the country. But we also want to keep our border open to the commerce and legal immigrants who have always contributed to making Texas and the United States an increasingly prosperous place. Dennis E. Nixon is CEO of International Bank of Commerce in Laredo, and chairman of the board of International Bancshares Corporation. He was a state finance chair for President Trump's campaign. Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print. Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition. If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create. As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content. When you click get started below it will walk you through creating an online account to attach your print subscription number to. After your account is created it will ask you to either add a subscription for online access or click on the print subscriber button. Click the print subscriber button header and it will open a dropdown, now click on get started. The page will reload and you will be prompted to enter an account number and a zip code. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE THE NUMBER OFF OF THE MOST RECENT ISSUE OR ANYTHING AFTER JANUARY 28, 2019 TO GAIN ACCESS! OLD ACCOUNT NUMBERS WILL NOT WORK The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those. Radio Nowhere Is Anybody Alive Out There? Radio giant iHeartMedia has filed for a $100 million IPO, even as it just emerges from bankruptcy. William Paterson University Music Business Professor David Philp takes a look at the state of terrestrial radio, its less than graceful handling of the internet's rise, and why it needs to adapt, as radio's core audience ages out while simultaneously switching to other forms of audio entertainment. ______________________________ Guest post by Prof. David Philp of Music Biz 101 Ive told this story before. When I worked in commercial, terrestrial (the free, over the air kind) radio for 3+ years, there was concern about a potential bill in Congress that would force broadcast/terrestrial radio stations (or their big parent companies, like iHeart Media and Entercom) to pay a sound recording royalty to labels and recording artists. Call your congressman, my sales manager said. Tell him you dont want this. Why not? Because this royalty would be an additional cost to radio stations. This royalty would hurt local radio. Costs would skyrocket. Jobs would be lost. Quality would suffer. Dogs and cats would mate. It was going to be hell, a living hell. Hell didnt take place because nothing happened. Radios leaders pressed Congress hard to keep the status quo in place (just like whats going on right now). Thus, the airwaves stayed free for listeners and free of this new sound recording royalty for the royals in the big towers of billion dollar companies. Meanwhile, on a thing called THE INTERNET, a royalty for sound recordings had been established. SiriusXM had to pay up. Pandora had to pay up. Labels and recording artists had a new revenue stream. As Kiss Business Manager Aaron Van Duyne said last week to a class at William Paterson (here comes a paraphrase because I was looking over his shoulder at a super moon and only paying 94% attention to this brilliant man), I have artists earning hundreds of thousands of dollars a year just from SoundExchange. Lets take a quick step back. Radio has been paying a public performance royalty to performance rights organizations (PROs) since the 1920s. Thats almost 100 years to you and me. This royalty is paid equally to music publishers and songwriters. In 2017, ASCAP, the oldest of the four main PROs, distributed over $1 billion to their members for the first time. This is fair. Songwriters write songs. Publishers generally own the copyrights. This is a use of intellectual property that deserves a payment. Otherwise, a huge incentive for humans to create goes away. Thats a purpose of copyright, to give protections to creators so that people can keep creating. Fun Fact : Radio has paid out billions of dollars over the years to songwriters and publishers. Awesome! Un-Fun Fact : Radio has paid nothing to labels and recording artists. Zero. No royalty is paid by broadcast/terrestrial radio to the people on the recordings that theyre playing over the air. Evil Fact : The U.S. is one of a small handful of Axis of Evil countries not to pay this; others include China, Iran and North Korea. Clarifying Fact : When broadcast radio streams their content over that INTERNET thing, they DO pay a royalty to labels and recording artists, and that royalty is collected by SoundExchange. Through the 3rd quarter of 2018, SoundExchange had distributed over $600 million in royalties to its members. The argument, of course, by labels and recording artists is that broadcast radio should pay the same type of royalty that internet and satellite radio stations pay. Why not? Radio sells billions of dollars of commercials each year. Without music, radio wouldnt exist. Radios argument is that theyre giving so much exposure to these artists. The value is immense. Were breaking you into the mainstream, says well dressed radio person. Without us, your career wouldnt exist. But radio is facing a major problem. Their core listeners are getting older. Read THIS from last weeks Rolling Stone. The youngins are teaching the oldsters how to stream. And since they arent streaming from radios iHeart app, where do you think the parents are learning from where to stream? Theyre streaming Spotify or Apple Music. Maybe event Amazon Musics service, which, if YOU READ HERE , will be the streaming service with the most growth in 2019. Radio likes to drink its own Kool Aid. If you read their trade publications, the headlines post weekly about how strong radio is, how deep into households its penetration is, how radio is the place for advertisers to put their dollars (GEICO and Home Depot use radio religiously on a national basis; there has to be some validity to this advertising claim). But I believe radio should be afraid. Very afraid. I believe the boardrooms should be full of people looking beyond Nielsen ratings (FYI Nielsen bought Arbitron in 2013) and staring right into the eyes of high school and college students. Because those kids are the future of radio. And guess what those kids arent listening to radio. I used to work for Universal Music Enterprises, a catalog division of the Universal Music Group whose mission was, and still is, to exploit the vast UMG trove of songs and license them to 3rd parties or manufacture custom CDs that could be sold or given away by clients like Razor & Tie, Time Life, Starbucks, and Readers Digest. Readers Digest was a magazine that also published a series of music CDs. They had been a big client for UMe at one point. By the early-2000s, business was dropping precipitously (thats a fancy word for really fast, man). This account was becoming one with kind of an also-ran status, one that we in sales would have really wanted in the past but no longer cared for. The workload was the same for smaller orders and less money. Why? Their audience, at the time, was literally dying. It had a very old subscriber base. At this time in their life as a company, they hadnt regrouped, hadnt changed with the times. It was heading for a cliff. Ironically, this was at the same time that the recorded music industry was jumping in the car with Thelma & Louise and driving fast into its own abyss. The majors held hands, closed their eyes, stepped on the gas and screamed that everything would be fine. Just charge more per disc, sue the people doing the illegal file sharing (these were the customers of music its never a good thing to sue your customers, who ultimately have the most power in a relationship), stifle the ability of start-ups to come up with solutions, and ignore, ignore, ignore. Radio is doing the same thing. Technology is quickly outpacing traditional broadcast media. Sure, Rush Limbaugh and Howard Stern still have huge audiences. Nash FM? A centrally-programmed country format without local flavor? In New York, its Nash FM affiliate officially changed its name last week to New Yorks Country 94-7. It wouldnt change its name unless it had to. Going local is still a major reason for people to listen to radio. Sports, weather and traffic together still matter to people in the car, only not as much as past, however, if you have the WAZE app or Google Maps, which can navigate you around that traffic tie up in real-time vs. having to wait another 7 minutes for the dude in the helicopter to possibly talk about your jam on the highway lit up by red taillights. Recently, I heard a high ranking major label maestro state that Alexa in the car will be a big deal. A really big deal. Once Alexa is installed and used, traditional radio will really have a problem. Radio ownership and smart speaker ownership are heading in different directions, if you read THIS. Heres a little taste of information from the link you probably didnt click upon: Its probably inevitable that younger people will eventually spring for smart speakersbut what they ask those smart speakers to play is far from inevitable. Remember those high school and college kids that I wrote radio should focus upon? I can tell you this: The kids arent listening to AM. Theyre not listening to traffic and weather together because they know their apps and aux combo (sounds like something wed order at a restaurant) is more effective. And the weather is what they see out the window. If its raining, they dont need Craig to tell them. Because they dont give a hoot (pardon my Francais) about the jet stream or the dew point. Old people do. I do. But Im not the future of radio consumption. (Im really not that old, either.) Young people want what they want and they want it now. The days when somebody sits by the radio waiting for the new Phil Collins single (I distinctly remember December, 1989 waiting to hear Another Day In Paradise on WNSR today its Power 105.1 because I loved the song and didnt have the money for the CD.) to spin are gone. You want to hear the new Ariana song over and over and YUH! and over again? Just do it. Spotify premium is cheaper for students than a CD or an album download. Listen to whatever you want whenever you want. Listen to a playlist and fall in love with that style of music. The history of recorded music is there, at your fingertips. Cant type? Alexa, play Dancando by Zach Matari. And the song comes on. But will we hear these precise directions? Alexa, play Z-100, wait, forget it because of the commercials. Alexa, listen to me now play Dawes Something Along The Way on Pandora. Thanks. Love you. Radio has to wake up and get out of its own way. If it doesnt, it will be desperately looking for a solution sooner than they care to admit. Professor David Philp is Assistant Professor Music & Entertainment Industries and Popular Music Studies at William Paterson University. He is the co-host of the only FREE advice college radio-based music & entertainment industry talk show in America, Music Biz 101 & More, which airs live most Wednesday nights and is available as a podcast HERE every night (days too). Your favorite professor is also co-author (with Dr. Steve Marcone) of Managing Your Band 6th Edition. Reach him at PhilpD@wpunj.edu or find him on LinkedIn HERE. The WPU Music & Entertainment Industries program is ranked one of the best by Billboard Magazine. Dont believe us? Click HERE for truth! Share on: Translation: Le trafic de passagers ralentit en fevrier (pdf) Demanda de pasajeros moderada en febrero (pdf) Demanda de passageiros tem aumento moderado em fevereiro (pdf) (pdf) 2 (pdf) Geneva - The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced global passenger traffic results for February 2019 showing total revenue passenger kilometers (RPKs) rose 5.3%, compared to February 2018. This was the slowest rate of growth in more than a year but still in line with long-term demand trends. Monthly capacity (available seat kilometers or ASKs) increased by 5.4%, and load factor slipped 0.1 percentage point to 80.6%, which is still high by historic standards. After Januarys strong performance, we settled down a bit in February, in line with concerns about the broader economic outlook. Continuing trade tensions between the US and China, and unresolved uncertainty over Brexit are also weighing on the outlook for travel, said Alexandre de Juniac, IATAs Director General and CEO. february 2019 (% year-on-year) World share1 RPK ASK PLF (%-pt)2 PLF (level)3 Total Market 100.0% 5.3% 5.4% -0.1% 80.6% Africa 2.1% 2.8% 1.1% 1.1% 70.4% Asia Pacific 34.5% 6.3% 5.8% 0.4% 82.6% Europe 26.7% 7.3% 7.7% -0.3% 81.5% Latin America 5.1% 5.0% 5.5% -0.4% 81.3% Middle East 9.2% -0.9% 2.7% -2.6% 72.6% North America 22.4% 4.2% 3.9% 0.3% 80.8% 1 - % of industry RPKs in 2018 2 - Year-on-year change in load factor 3 - Load factor level International Passenger Markets February international passenger demand rose 4.6% compared to February 2018, which was a slowdown from 5.9% growth in January. Capacity climbed 5.1%, and load factor dropped 0.4 percentage point to 79.5%. Airlines in all regions but the Middle East showed traffic growth versus the year-ago period. European carriers showed the strongest performance for a fifth consecutive month in February. Passenger demand increased by 7.6%, compared to a year ago, unchanged from January. Europes continuing strong performance provides a paradox given Brexit concerns and signs of a softer economic outlook. Capacity rose 8.0% and load factor slid 0.3 percentage point to 82.3%, which still was the highest among regions. Asia-Pacific airlines February traffic rose 4.2% compared to the year-ago period, a substantial slowdown from the 7.2% increase recorded in January. The timing of the Lunar New Year holiday in the first week of February this year may have shifted some traffic to January. Capacity increased 4.7% and load factor dipped 0.3 percentage point to 81.0%. Middle East carriers recorded a 0.8% traffic decline in February compared to a year ago, the only region to report a drop year-over-year. Capacity rose 2.9% and load factor fell 2.7 percentage points to 72.6%. Broadly speaking, passenger volumes of the regions airlines have been moving sideways for the past 12 15 months. North American airlines traffic climbed 4.2% in February, a decline from 5.4% growth in January. Capacity rose 2.9% and load factor was up 1.0 percentage point to 79.0%. Signs of softening economic activity at the end of 2018, in conjunction with the effects of ongoing tensions between the US and several of its trading partners, may be mitigated by the regions low unemployment and generally sound economic backdrop. Latin American airlines saw traffic rise 4.3% compared to February 2018, a slippage from 5.4% annual growth in January. Capacity increased by 5.6%, and load factor dropped 1.0 percentage point to 81.4%. Renewed economic and political uncertainties in a number of key countries may weigh upon air transport demand in coming months. African airlines experienced a 2.5% rise in traffic for the month compared to the year-ago period, down from 5.1% growth in January. Concerns over conditions in the largest economies are contributing to the slowdown. Capacity rose 0.3%, and load factor climbed 1.5 percentage points to 69.7%. february 2019 (% year-on-year) World share1 RPK ASK PLF (%-pt)2 PLF (level)3 Domestic 36.1% 6.4% 5.8% 0.5% 82.4% Dom. Australia 0.9% -1.7% -1.6% -0.1% 78.0% Domestic Brazil 1.1% 5.8% 3.1% 2.1% 82.5% Dom. China P.R. 9.5% 11.4% 8.9% 1.9% 86.9% Domestic India 1.6% 10.0% 12.3% -1.9% 89.1% Domestic Japan 1.0% 2.5% 2.9% -0.2% 70.9% Dom. Russian Fed. 1.4% 10.1% 11.8% -1.1% 76.9% Domestic US 14.1% 4.5% 4.8% -0.2% 81.7% 1 - % of industry RPKs in 2018 2 - Year-on-year change in load factor 3 - Load factor level Domestic Passenger Markets Domestic travel demand rose 6.4% in February compared to February 2018, down from 7.4% annual growth in January. All markets except Australia reported increases in traffic, with India recording its 54th consecutive month of double-digit percentage growth. Domestic capacity climbed 5.8%, and load factor edged up 0.5 percentage point to 82.4%. China topped the growth chart for a second month in a row, with RPKs up a strong 11.4% year-on-year, although this was down from 14.5% growth in January compared to a year ago. Brazils domestic traffic increased 5.8% in February, compared to a year ago, the fastest pace in more than six months and more than double the 2.6% year-over-year rise for January. Brazil was the only domestic market tracked by IATA to show an increase in the year-on-year growth rate compared to January 2019. The Bottom Line While overall economic confidence appears to be softening, aviation continues to deliver solid results, helping to sustain global commerce and the movement of people. The Brexit deadline has come and gone with no separation agreement, but with vital air connectivity between the UK and the Continent maintained for the present. Temporary measures, however, are no substitute for a comprehensive Brexit package that will ensure that the Business of Freedom is able to play its vital role in contributing to the well-being of the regionand the world, said de Juniac. Read the full February Passenger Traffic Analysis (pdf) For more information, please contact: Corporate Communications Tel: +41 22 770 2967 Email: corpcomms@iata.org Notes for Editors: Page Content Montreal and Abu Dhabi, 3 April 2019 Joining a high-level audience of government and air transport officials for the inaugural ICAO-UAE Blockchain Summit and Exhibition in Dubai today, ICAO Council President Dr. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu appreciated the foundational rather than disruptive characteristics of distributed ledger or 'blockchain' approaches, while recognizing the clear areas where they could bring benefit to civil aviation customers and operators. "With traffic growing at its exponential rate, one of the new challenges and risks is the growing number of logistical, administrative and oversight activities which will result from projected traffic growth," Dr. Aliu noted in his opening remarks. "Blockchain technologies could be of tremendous benefit to reduce the pressure on current human resources, while at the same time sustaining increasing demand and quality levels." Global air traffic volumes are anticipated to double within the next fifteen years. Increases in the number of aircraft and flights translate to increased ground, passenger, ticketing, and cargo handling activities, and a parallel expansion of the associated tracking, documentation, approval, and certification requirements. "Blockchain has the potential to virtually exclude loss, distortion, or forgery of vital log data in all aviation sectors where certificates are issued and controlled," Dr. Aliu said. "It can ensure the integrity of the ever growing certification-based system which is integral to aviation, with the potential to increase efficiency while reducing errors, and therefore enhancing both safety and security." The application of blockchain technology can be envisioned for almost all areas of the aviation system where complex and safety critical records are managed and updated, such as personnel licensing, aircraft maintenance, operational approvals, or cargo manifests. Another promising application of blockchain for aviation and governments concerns the methods we use to establish traveller identity. While offering many benefits, the integration of the technology would nonetheless present many challenges, and could cause fundamental changes in the structure of today's aviation systems. "The aviation system today relies mostly on human agents or intermediaries to assume validation activities, and so we can foresee that the integration of blockchain processes in support of a State's aviation safety oversight system, for example, would likely require substantial adjustments to related regulations, procedures, and responsibilities," Dr. Aliu explained. Along with this potential there will be risks, to be sure, mainly as relying on a set of servers and smart contracts to validate documents and issue certificates poses clear cyber risks," he said. "It is therefore important to recall one of the outcomes from the 2017 ICAO Cyber Summit, also hosted here in the UAE, that collaboration and exchange between States and stakeholders is key to an effective and coordinated global cybersecurity posture for civil aviation. This becomes even more valid if we rely on blockchain to manage critical safety and security processes." The organization of the ICAO-UAE Blockchain Summit, which will conclude on 4 April 2019, represents a very important step in aviation's consideration of the technology, with the invited specialists expected to explore both its merits and its risks. It most certainly responded to the expectations of the ICAO Council and Air Navigation Commission, which have shown growing interest in blockchain potential. "I am looking forward to some provocative ideas and insights from our key presenters as we seek to ensure a suitably robust and resilient blockchain preparedness in the civil aviation sector," Dr. Aliu concluded. "The hosting of this summit, and creating a forum with a collaborative platform, is of high importance to the UAE and the entire international aviation industry. Staying ahead of evolving threats is a shared responsibility, involving governments, airlines, airports, and manufacturers," explained H.E. Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director General of the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority. Accompanied by several Representatives on the ICAO Council, the Director of ICAO's Air Navigation Bureau, Mr. Stephen Creamer and by the ICAO Regional Director for the Middle East Office in Cairo, Mr. Mohamed Rahma, the President held a series of bilateral meetings with senior government officials from States in attendance. Resources for Editors About ICAO A specialized agency of the United Nations, ICAO was created in 1944 to promote the safe and orderly development of international civil aviation throughout the world. It sets standards and regulations necessary for aviation safety, security, efficiency, capacity and environmental protection, amongst many other priorities. The Organization serves as the forum for cooperation in all fields of civil aviation among its 192 Member States. ICAO Blockchain Aviation Summit and Exhibition ICAO and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Contacts Anthony Philbin Chief, Communications aphilbin@icao.int +1 514-954-8220 +1 438-402-8886 (mobile) Twitter: @ICAO William Raillant-Clark Communications Officer wraillantclark@icao.int +1 514-954-6705 +1 514-409-0705 (mobile) Twitter: @wraillantclark LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/raillantclark/ Page Content The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) expresses its deep condolences upon the loss of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends of the victims of this tragic accident, remarked the UN agencys Council President, Dr. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu. Any accident or incident resulting in loss of life is always of great concern to ICAO and the entire air transport community," added ICAO Secretary General Dr. Fang Liu. ICAO looks forward to learning about the cause of this accident and to reviewing the findings and recommendations and responding as needed to ensure that air transport continues to be the safest form of transportation, to the benefit of future passengers and crew. ICAO does not normally participate in aircraft accident investigations, except when the State or States with related authority under Annex 13 Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation to the Chicago Convention request the organizations assistance. In those exceptional circumstances, ICAOs assistance would normally see it acting as an official observer and/or clarifying various Annex 13 technical requirements when requested. Annex 13 Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation Final Reports are encouraged to be submitted by the State or States in charge within 12 months of the event, and ultimately provide as much official information as possible on an accidents contributing causes and factors, as well as official recommendations on how applicable aviation safety frameworks may need to be amended. iciHaiti - France : Call for projects PISCCA 2019-2021 The Embassy of France launches its call for "Innovative Projects of the Civil Society and Coalitions of Actors" (PISCCA) aimed at strengthening organizations from the Haitian Civil Society. This call for projects is intended to finance the initiatives of the Haitian Civil Society in the following domains : Education and strengthening of the French language and the Francophonie Human Rights, Citizenship and Child Protection Environment and sustainable development Digital technologies and innovative solutions The sport To find out more, the terms of reference of the call for projects can be downloaded below, along with the grant application form that must be submitted to the Cooperation and Cultural Action Department of the French Embassy before the date limit and accompanied by the supporting documents indicated in the submission procedures. Download the call for projects (PDF) : https://www.haitilibre.com/docs/aap_piscca_2019.pdf Download the grant application form (DOC) : https://www.haitilibre.com/docs/piscca_form.docx Deadline for the call for projects May 12, 2019 IH/ iciHaiti Bipartisan push for young fishermen's development Act in new US Congress February 15,2019 | Source: FCC News A bipartisan House and Senate coalition has introduced the Young Fishermen's Development Act (H.R.1240, S.496), legislation that would establish the first national program to support young men and women entering the commercial fishing industry. The strong show of bipartisan support early in the 116th Congress indicates positive momentum for the Fishing Communities Coalitions (FCC) initiative. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Susan Collins (R-ME), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) introduced the Senate bill; Representatives Don Young (R-AK), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Seth Moulton (D-MA), Jared Golden (D-ME), and Amata Radewagen (R-American Samoa) co-authored the House bill. Young Mainers need opportunities for good-paying jobs that stay here in Maine, said Rep. Jared Golden (ME-2). Preparing them to enter our fishing industry is just common sense. Our bill provides training and resources to Maines next generation of commercial fishermen, helping them get their sea legs and support our coastal economies. Im focused on supporting Maines heritage industries and bringing good-paying jobs to communities across our state. The next generation of commercial fishermen is essential to the future of Maines fishing communities and others like them across the country, said Ben Martens, Executive Director of the Maine Coast Fishermens Association, a member of the FCC. This legislation will help ensure our future fishermen have the training and tools necessary to succeed in an increasingly complicated and rapidly changing fishing industry. We are proud and grateful that Maines entire congressional delegation is taking a strong leadership role on this vital issue. First introduced in 2017, the Young Fishermens Development Act (YFDA) is modeled after the USDAs successful Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program, which is credited with preparing hundreds of young farmers and ranchers for rewarding careers. Young fishermen representing FCC members from every U.S. coast have traveled to Washington, D.C., to urge legislators to support the initiative. Ensuring new generations of Alaskans fill the ranks is vitally important to our fishing economy, which employs more in our state than any other industry, said Sen. Dan Sullivan (AK). Im excited to again sponsor legislation that will help lower the high barriers to entry with training opportunities, new grants, and an apprenticeship program that will connect seasoned fishermen with determined newcomers. Young commercial fishermen are facing bigger challenges than ever before new barriers to entry, limited training opportunities, and a lack of support, said Rep. Don Young (AK-At Large). Fishing is important not only to Alaskan culture but is central to our rich history. Our legislation is about supporting the livelihoods of fishing communities across the nation by making the next generation aware of the opportunities available in the commercial fishing industry. Im proud to stand with our young fishermen by introducing this important piece of legislation. Young fishermen face enormous challenges, yet there is currently no federal program to support education and training for the next generation of commercial fishermen, said Linda Behnken, Executive Director of the Alaska Longline Fishermens Association, a member of the FCC. To excel, the next generation of commercial fishermen must develop a broad range of skills. They must be proficient in navigation, business management, hydraulics, diesel mechanics, fisheries management - and, of course, they need to know how to catch fish! Alaskas fishing communities are grateful to Congressman Young for introducing and shepherding this important legislation through the House and to Senators Sullivan and Murkowski for their leadership in the Senate. "Fishing is one of the oldest jobs there is, but the industry is changing rapidly with the evolution of our economy, Rep. Seth Moulton (MA-6) said. Congress needs to step up so a new generation of Americans in Gloucester and in communities across the country can access the skills and technology they need to succeed as commercial fishermen. Im grateful to Representatives Young and Golden for their collaboration on this bill and in broader efforts to support the sustainable commercial fishing industry and the communities where fishing isn't just a job, but a way of life." Fishermen today are entrepreneurs in a complicated industry, so they need to know a lot more than how to find the fish, said John Pappalardo, CEO of The Cape Cod Commercial Fishermens Alliance. We appreciate Congressman Moultons leadership, with strong bipartisan support, to equip the next generation of fishermen with the training they need to continue providing sustainable seafood to the American public. FISHING COMMUNITIES COALITION Theme(s): Communities and Organisations. Philippines proposes scheme to cap fisheries subsidies by Janina C. Lim April 02,2019 | Source: BW The Philippines has proposed to the World Trade Organization (WTO) a scheme to cap monetary subsidies for fisheries which offers more flexibility for developing and least-developed member groups. The Philippines, along with other five other members, introduced a total of four proposals debated at the March 27-29 meeting of the WTO Negotiating Group on Rules on Fisheries Subsidies. The Philippines informal proposal does not represent an official position, and includes a formula that will determine the acceptable levels of monetary support. It differs from a United States-Australia joint proposal for individual, negotiated amounts. The Philippine proposal classifies members into four types, each with a different subsidy cap: a developed or developing country belonging to the top 10 marine capture producers, a developing countries member that is part of the top 10 but whose large-scale commercial fishing is minimal, other remaining developing countries, and least-developed countries (LDCs). Linking state-backed monetary support for fishing to illegal unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in disputed waters, the Philippines earlier proposed that WTO members eliminate subsidies to fishing in waters where there are conflicting territorial claims or otherwise broker some sort of cooperation between or among themselves. During the last meeting, the Philippines said it was working on a comprehensive proposal where the capping approach makes up only a portion. The WTO has agreed to adopt at this years Ministerial Conference a comprehensive fisheries subsidies deal, negotiations for which started in 2001. The target to clinch a deal by years end is in fulfillment of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 14.6, which calls for the prohibition and elimination, by 2020, of fisheries subsidies that contribute to IUU fishing and to overcapacity and overfishing, with appropriate special and differential treatment accorded to developing countries and LDCs. 2018 BusinessWorld Publishing Theme(s): Post Harvest Technology and Trade. Will Chinas plans for Pakistan's Gwadar destroy fishermens livelihood? by Mariyam Suleman April 03,2019 | Source: The Diplomat Fishing is all I know, says Asif Baloch, who has been earning his living through fishing for the last 25 years. His two young sons accompany him while he takes his boat into the Arabian Sea off the eastern coast of Gwadar. For hundreds of years, Gwadar has been a natural sea port and fishing has been a vital source of food and income for the local residents. Now faced with an uncertain future, the fishing communities fear losing their livelihood and the possibility of being relocated out of Gwadar city. In Pakistan, Gwadar is the heart of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) a flagship project of Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). But Gwadar has been in the headlines long before it was part of CPEC. In early 2000s after a deep-sea port was first constructed here, this natural port town got huge international attention. During the first phase of port development, some old fishing neighborhoods that gave way to the port construction were relocated to a new neighborhood in the outskirts of the city. Today, however, it is not only the fishermens homes but also their livelihood that is in jeopardy. Since last October, following the beginning of construction work on the East Bay Expressway, local fishermen have protested for their right to their livelihood. The recent wave of protests and sit-in strikes by the local fishermen are very telling of how the fantasies of Gwadars development are already threatening the indigenous population. This is not the first time these communities have been affected and therefore they are more skeptical this time than ever before. The ambitious 19-kilometer six lane expressway will provide a direct link for cargo traffic to and from Gwadar port, connecting it to the Makran Coastal Highway. But it will block up to 4.3 kilometers of the coastline, affecting all the fishing communities living in this part of the city without any prior consultation. Since the expressway will limit access to the sea for fishing boats, it will also threaten their centuries-old livelihood without any alternate plan. Beginning in October of 2018, the fishermen of Gwadar held several press conferences and strikes to protest the construction of the new highway. But as an activist in Gwadar said, A project involving massive investment and interest by both the Pakistani and the Chinese governments [is] unlikely to collapse for the sake of some fishermen that barely fit in the big picture of a Developed Mega Port City. During Prime Minister Imran Khans recent visit to Gwadar on March 29, in a massive ceremony for the groundbreaking of the new Gwadar International Airport under CPEC, the fishermens hopes were raised. Khan assured inclusive development, where no harm will be caused to the livelihood of the fishermen. 2019 The Diplomat Theme(s): Communities and Organisations. 4 Palestinian fishermen arrested by Egypt off Gaza coast April 03,2019 | Source: MEMO The Egyptian navy yesterday entered Palestinian waters off the Gaza coast and arrested four Palestinian fishermen south of the Gaza Strip, Safa news agency reported. The news site said that the Egyptian navy crossed the maritime borders, entering 250 metres into Gaza and arrested the fishermen Munit Abu-Silmiyeh and the three brothers Musab, Rafat and Khalil Gannan and led them to an unknown location. In November 2018, the Egyptian navy opened fire at Palestinian fisherman Mustafa Abu-Odeh, 30, and killed him while he was fishing near the border. The Egyptian navy has repeatedly opened fire at Palestinian fishermen after accusing them of entering Egyptian waters. The latest attack came in the wake of Israels expansion of the Gaza fishing zone to between 12 and 20 nautical miles. Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth said that this is the first time that Israel has expanded the fishing zone to such distance since 2000. Since 2007, Israel has imposed a strict sea, air and ground siege on the Gaza Strip, limiting Palestinians movement and crippling the economy. As a result, unemployment rates have soared. The Middle East Monitor 2009-2019 Theme(s): Communities and Organisations. Kenya fishermen appeal for revival of processing factory by Robert Omollo April 04,2019 | Source: The Star Fishermen in Homa Bay,Kenya, want the collapsed Capitol Fish Factory revived. They say that the factory's revival would provide them with a ready market. Currently, the fishermen from 130 beaches in Homa Bay sell fish locally and at times to Ugandan traders . On Tuesday, several of them led by the county BMU (beach management unit) chairman Edward Oremo said they lagged behind economically due to lack of a processing factory. Oremo said a lot of fish goes to waste during high seasons due to lack of a processing factory and coolers. The county government has not honoured a promise it made in 2015 that it would buy more fish coolers after delivering 30 of them. Oremo lamented that the price of a kilogramme of fish has reduced from Sh300 to Sh160. Most fishermen sell the commodity to Ugandan traders at a throwaway price because they lack preservatives. In fact the Ugandans use the situation to exploit them. Capitol Fish Factory collapsed in 2011 when the owners - Israelis - left. We appeal to Governor Cyprian Awiti to restore the factory as he had promised (during his 2017 campaigns), Oremo said. Fishing is the major economic activity in Lake Victoria region. Fishermen Semekiah Mamra and William Onditi appealed to both the county and national governments to come to their rescue. The Star 2019 Theme(s): Others. Bangkok The International Energy Agency and Thailands Ministry of Energy co-hosted the third Energy Efficiency in Emerging Economies Training Week for Southeast Asia this week, with more than 170 energy efficiency professionals attended from government institutions, industry, academia and supporting organisations across the region. The four-day event supported Thailands chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) this year, which set energy efficiency in the region as one of its priorities. Thailands Minister of Energy, H.E. Dr. Siri Jirapongphan, commended the IEA for co-organising the training week as being significant in enhancing the capacity of ASEAN member countries to excel in their energy efficiency collaboration in accordance with the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC). The effectiveness of this collaborative effort is evidenced by the fact that, with the achievement of a 21% reduction in energy intensity in 2018, the ASEAN region has already surpassed the reduction target of 20% set for 2025. This training week will equip the ASEAN community with the capability to attain a more ambitious goal. Participants immersed themselves in one of five parallel courses focused on buildings, industry, appliances and equipment, urban planning, and indicators or evaluation. Experts from the IEA led participants through an interactive agenda, with lectures, discussions, practical exercises, and group activities. In all, the IEA provided 160 hours of training to participants. Energy efficiency is one of the most affordable ways for countries to meet their energy needs, said Mr. Keisuke Sadamori, the IEAs Director for Energy Markets and Security. These events are so important, because they support building a community of well-trained energy efficiency practitioners that can implement real change in their own countries. Plenary talks and events throughout the week provided a chance for all participants to learn and problem-solve together. For example, an event featuring the technology start-up incubator, TechGrind, brought together start-ups and energy efficiency policy makers to inspire creative ways to stimulate energy efficiency through innovation. Melanie Slade, the Senior Programme Manager for the IEAs Energy Efficiency in Emerging Economies Programme, emphasised that the falling costs of digital technologies are an opportunity and a challenge for policymakers. They introduce new ways to save and track energy, while suggesting the need for some policies to evolve. The event in Thailand was one of three energy efficiency training weeks planned for this year, as part of the IEAs international capacity-building activities. Through a dynamic and interactive agenda, the training weeks foster education and development of a professional community of energy efficiency experts around the globe. On April the 3rd Buzzfeed News Unions journalists were supposed to have a crucial meeting with the media executives to move forward in its official recognition. Five minutes before the meeting was scheduled to begin, they were told that the managers would not show up. This behaviour is indicative of management's reluctance to recognise the union. Buzzfeed News Union was formed more than seven weeks ago. Despite the fact that, in average, the process for recognition takes about 21 days, the management has not done it, leading journalists to denounce weeks of frustratingly slow communication and union busting. The biggest sticking point is the companys opposition to accepting an editorial unit, which would mean recognising the newsroom as a whole and not as individuals. However, employees say this would endanger media workers status by allowing Buzzfeed to easily exclude people by adding new titles or changing them. This is particularly worrying since Buzzfeed has recently made over 200 employees redundant. NewsGuild of New York, who is backing the Buzzfeed union, said in a statement: Contrary to the approach taken by their industry peers, Buzzfeed has responded to its employees request for recognition of their union by engaging in evasive tactics intended to delay and obstruct. Buzzfeed has a choice to make here: they can treat employees with respect by voluntarily recognizing the union, or they can define themselves as an outlier in an industry where union busting is not tolerated. The IFJ said: We stand in solidarity with our colleagues from the Buzzfeed News Union and urge managers to respect journalists fundamental right to unionise. Strong unions that defend workers rights and decent working conditions in digital media are more needed than ever. Union busting is unacceptable. Fiji Prime Minister, Frank Bainimarama, ordered the release of three New Zealand journalists after they were arrested and detained overnight in Suva on April 3. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate E tu condemned the arrest and detention of the journalists. According to reports, Newsroom co-editor Mark Jennings, investigations editor Melanie Reid and freelance cameraman Hayden Aull were arrested and detained over night at Suva central police station. They were arrested after they tried to interview a Chinese resort developer accused of environmental desecration of an island in the Mamanucas. The developer, Freesoul Real Estate accused them of criminal trespass and held overnight. Early on April 4, Fijis Prime Minister Bainimarama ordered the immediate release of the trio. He then met with the journalists following their release and made a formal apology to them. Prime minister Baininarama said: I wanted to speak to you personally to thank you for being very understanding about what transpired last night, but also to apologise on behalf of the government and the people of Fiji. The press in this instant has been an ally of ours E tus senior national industrial officer Paul Tolich said: The union welcomes the release of the journalists but says they should never have been arrested in the first place. The journalists were simply engaged in journalistic inquiries about the impact of development on Malolo Island and the actions of the police are another example of Fijis intolerance towards a free and independent press. Despite the apology from Fijis Prime Minister, this will have a chilling effect on journalism in the Pacific. Journalists need to be able to challenge the powerful and hold them to account. This is the hallmark of a free and democratic society. The IFJ said: We reiterate the statements made by E tu, while we welcome the swift action to release the three journalists and the apology from the Prime Minister; the actions of the police raise serious questions about press freedom in Fiji. The freedom of the press in Fiji has come under attack in recent years and this is the latest example of the challenging environment that the media operate within. Pakistan journalist with Daily Jang newspaper is missing after he was abducted from his home in Karachi in the early hours of March 30, 2019. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has raised serious concerns about the disappearance of Matloon Husain Mosavi and demand an investigation. Matloob Husain Mosavi who was abducted from his home on March 30, 2019. Credit: Dawn According to reports, Matloob Husain Mosavi, a reporter with Daily Jang newspaper, was abducted by two dozen people from his home in Karachi on March 30. Masked men climbed walls to gain access to the home and locked the rest of Matloobs family in a room and then abducted Matloob. The men arrived in several vehicles, including 3 police vehicles. Matloobs family has reported his abduction to police. The Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ) have demanded that the government take immediate notice of this incident and take action to ensure Hussains immediate safe return. The IFJ said: Threats of violence against journalists continue to rise in Pakistan. These incidents show that the authorities have failed with their efforts to protect and guarantee the safety of journalists, including Matloob Husain. The IFJ demands urgent action from the Pakistan authorities to find and return Matloob Husain safely to his family. USS Decatur Returns Home From Deployment San Diego, California - The guided-missile destroyer USS Decatur (DDG 73) returned to San Diego April 1, following a deployment to the U.S. 7th Fleet and 5th Fleet areas of operation. "This deployment highlighted every capability that dynamic force employment provides," said Cmdr. Bob Bowen, Decatur's commanding officer. "We were successful on deployment, providing the fleet commanders with a well-trained and equipped surface combatant capable of executing any mission assigned." Decatur participated in multiple exercises and operations while deployed, including conducting maritime security operations, and rendering assistance to seven distressed mariners in the waters south of Sri Lanka. After a fishing vessel suffered a mechanical failure rendering the vessel inoperable, Decatur provided food, water and towing assistance to the fisherman while waiting for Sri Lankan authorities to respond to the mariner's distress calls. "We answered the call, whether it be to assist fellow mariners at sea or conduct maritime security operations in both fleets," said Bowen. "I am extremely proud of my crew for their hard work and dedication, and we are excited to be home." U.S. 3rd Fleet leads naval forces in the Indo-Pacific and provides the realistic, relevant training necessary for an effective global Navy. U.S. 3rd Fleet works constantly with U.S. 7th Fleet to complement one another and provide commanders capable, ready assets across the spectrum of military operations in the Pacific. President Donald J. Trump Announces Judicial Nominees and United States Marshal Nominee Washington, DC - Tuesday, President Donald J. Trump announced his intent to nominate: Steven D. Grimberg of Georgia, to serve as a District Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. Steven Grimberg is a Managing Director and General Counsel of Nardello & Co., where he heads the global investigation firms Atlanta, Georgia, office. Before joining the firm in 2018, Mr. Grimberg prosecuted white collar crimes as an Assistant United States Attorney and Deputy Chief of the Economic Crimes Section in the United States Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Georgia and as a Trial Attorney in the Department of Justices Tax Division. Mr. Grimberg also serves as an Adjunct Professor at Emory University School of Law, teaching courses on criminal procedure, criminal law, and trial advocacy. He received his J.D., with distinction, from Emory University School of Law and B.A., with honors, from the University of Florida. Frank W. Volk of West Virginia, to serve as a District Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia. Frank Volk is the Chief Judge of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, where he has served since his selection in 2015. Prior to his appointment to the bench, Judge Volk served as a career law clerk on the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, working for both Judges John Copenhaver, Jr., and Charles H. Haden. During that time, Judge Volk was an Adjunct Professor at the West Virginia University College of Law, where he taught courses on federal civil rights law and bankruptcy for more than a decade. In addition to his tenure as a career clerk, Judge Volk served as a term law clerk to Judge M. Blane Michael of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and to Judge Haden upon graduating from law school. Judge Volk received his J.D. from the West Virginia University College of Law and B.A. from West Virginia University. Randall P. Huff of Wyoming, to serve as United States Marshal for the District of Wyoming. Randall Huff currently serves as IT Services Field Manager for the State of Wyomings Department of Enterprise Technology, where he provides technical support to law enforcement agencies throughout the State. Before joining the Department of Enterprise Technology in 2012, Mr. Huff worked for TLO, LLC, working with law enforcement agencies throughout the United States and 40 other countries to provide expertise on cyber-criminal investigations involving child exploitation. Mr. Huff has also served as a Special Agent with the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigations and as a member of the Torrington Police Department. Mr. Huff received his B.S. from the University of Wyoming and served in the United States Marine Corps. Navy Develops and Tests Rapid Pressure Fluctuation Chamber to Study Physiological Events Panama City, Florida - A Navy team is developing a solution for detecting symptoms associated with rapid pressure fluctuations in military jets, a phenomenon associated with physiological events (PE) in the E/A-18G and F/A-18 weapon systems. Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Divisions (NSWC PCD) Fluctuating Altitude Simulation Technology (FAST) team recently delivered an aircraft cabin simulator system to the Navy Experimental Diving Unit (NEDU) for their use conducting human subject research. NSWC PCD engineers designed and fabricated the FAST system to replicate the rapid cockpit pressure fluctuations observed in the Navys jet aircraft. The purpose of the FAST system is to characterize the symptoms associated with rapid pressure fluctuation, and determine what symptoms may be most closely associated with PE, said Navy Research Psychologist Lt. Jenna Jewell. This information allows us to conduct future research that can be more targeted, including focusing on specific symptoms and adding in factors present in the cockpit. Aircrews experience PEs when there is both a known or suspected aircraft or aircrew systems malfunction and a loss in performance related to insufficient oxygen delivery, alterations in breathing dynamics, unexpected pressure phenomenon, or other human factors. Research flights were conducted at NEDU from November 2018 to January 2019 to simulate the rapid cabin pressure fluctuations aviators experience during flights in a controlled environment. This allowed medical researchers to investigate whether there are physiological or neurocognitive impacts due solely to the pressure fluctuations The team began with a commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) Double Occupancy Altitude Chamber (DOAC) to simulate the cockpit environment and modified the features to meet operational objectives, according to Brian Toole, NSWC PCD FAST project manager. The NSWC PCD FAST team designed and assembled the FAST system in-house, said Toole. NSWC PCD brought the concept to reality by starting with the COTS DOAC and installing our own control system, developing algorithms, and programming the NSWC PCD designed chamber software to meet mission requirements. According to NEDU Research Physiologist Lt. Travis Doggett, the FAST study is moving the Navy one step closer to solving critical safety concerns. This study is the first-of-its-kind human subject research investigating PEs plaguing Naval Aviators by replicating the cabin pressure fluctuations observed in the Fleet. It is also the first-ever study to investigate and identify the physiological responses and symptomology associated with rapid cabin pressure fluctuations at altitude, said Doggett. The FAST system, coupled with the manned testing, will provide Navy leadership vital information needed to help solve the Chief of Naval Operations number one aviation safety concern impacting the Navys ability to operate safely in the airspace of its choosing, without physiological hindrance, Doggett added. How it works Before simulated flight, participants undergo an initial general medical evaluation to determine inner ear function, retinal tracking, and a neurocognitive exam. Upon completion, participants enter the FAST chamber and fly one of three predetermined flight patterns. During the flight, participants vital statistics are tracked constantly and a Doppler ultrasound test is conducted at four different occasions to determine if venous gas bubbles are present in each participants heart. In addition, retinal function is tested mid-flight. Upon completion of the flight, participants undergo the same pre-flight testing to determine if there are any changes in physiological or neurocognitive performance as a result of the rapid pressure fluctuations experienced during simulated flight. NSWC PCDs FAST team used their life support expertise to meet this urgent need, rapidly developing the technology by pursuing parallel paths and efficient use of existing assets. The FAST team went from refining conceptual requirements in November 2017 to delivering a fully functional system to NEDU in May 2018. Our team at NEDU knew what we wanted to accomplish at the end. We had an idea of the question we wanted to answer, but did not have anything in terms of how to actually make it happen, said Jewell. The partnership between NEDU and NSWC PCD is how we got to a solution. For all of this to come to fruition within 14 months of beginning, and now we have a new system that NAVAIR is going to continue relying on to use in the future, is huge for us. The FAST cabin is one key step in identifying, mitigating and eliminating environmental factors causing PEs during military aircraft flights. This study is only the first of multiple steps. The next phases include adding additional factors to determine how pressure fluctuations can affect aircrew. Secretary Pompeo's Meeting With Romanian Foreign Minister Melescanu Washington, DC - Secretary Michael R. Pompeo met Monday in Washington, DC, with Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu. They discussed our close security cooperation with Romania, a stalwart NATO Ally meeting its defense burden-sharing commitments, and the challenges facing NATO on its eastern flank. They specifically spoke about Russian aggression in the Black Sea and Romanias role in contributing to the security and stability of the Black Sea region. They also discussed the importance of Romanias efforts to counter corruption that undermines its democratic institutions and promotes adversaries malign influence. My wife got me a Patagonia vest last year. I wore it quite a bit for a while. Doesn't look half bad on me, if I do say so myself. It was also a bit of a joke, because these vests had become the "unofficial uniform" of Manhattan "finance bros" and other Wall Street types--especially co-branded versions of the vests with investment bank or tech company logos. There's even an Instagram account: @MidtownUniform. It's quite amusing. But, you know who apparently doesn't think it's so funny? Patagonia itself. The company confirmed Tuesday that it will now focus its co-branded corporate "merch" partnerships with "mission-driven companies that prioritize the planet," a spokesperson told Bloomberg. I can imagine a lot of people in these finance and tech circles are quite upset to hear this, but current finance bros need not fret. Patagonia said it will honor existing contracts. Still, it's also quite ironic that these vests became such a trend in the first place: Last summer, Esquire described the "uniform as including the vest, along with, "the crisp oxford shirt: almost always white or blue, though sometimes pink ... [and] slacks. [I]nvariably navy or khaki." The story quoted one analyst who said he first saw the uniform in 2014, and another who started the vests to copy his boss. Another theory: The guy behind @MidtownUniform credits the Showtime series, Billions (debut: 2016), since the "Dollar Bill Stearn" character is partial to them. I think they really took off after Jeff Bezos was spotted wearing one at a conference in Sun Valley, Idaho in July 2017. With his bare arms exposed, he looked like he'd spent the last few years in the gym. Anyway, fashion is fickle, and we're probably due for a change anyway. As it happens, I forgot my vest at my parents' house in New England, but it feels like we've gone well past cliche on these things, so I'll just get it next time we're up. Besides, now that Goldman Sachs announced its employees can dress down a bit, wouldn't it be hilarious if fashion trended back, and we all started wearing suits? Maybe that's an idea we can all get behind. It's not often that you get to sit across from an icon and listen to the tale of how they scaled one of the largest premium brands in the world. Jackson Family Wines chairman and proprietor Barbara Banke, has broken through many glass ceilings--or wine bottles, in this case. In 2013, she become the first woman to ever be awarded Wine Enthusiast's Wine Person of the Year. If you are anything like me, you've almost certainly sipped one of her company's 40 brands of wine at some point (or many points) in your life. It wouldn't be a stretch to call Banke a world-class leader--in fact, that's a phrase she uses often. Banke says she aspires to be "world class" in every aspect of her life, whether it's having the most elegant vineyards in California, the top Pinot Noir in the world, or the best racing horses in America. This week, Jackson Family Wine announced that it will host the 2019 Circular Summit in Sonoma County for top global entrepreneurs. That announcement gave me the opportunity to sit with Banke and discuss her growth over the years. With a thoughtful pause, she opened with a self-deprecating statement that she is "quite boring." I can assure you, she is anything but boring--and every entrepreneur should learn from her journey. How to make the jump into entrepreneurship In 1982, Banke and her late husband Jess Jackson started Jackson Family Wines. Both were litigators in San Francisco, with Banke focusing on land use and constitutional law, something that would serve her well in acquiring vineyards. In the late 1980s, Banke described their winery as an "artistic success," a term she says she uses to describe unprofitable ventures. She kept her job as a lawyer to ensure the family had enough capital for the vineyards and their familial financial needs. Like many entrepreneurs, they had to keep capital flowing for their family as they grew their startup. The San Francisco earthquake of 1989 caused devastation everywhere, and Banke lost much of the paperwork from her active cases. In some cases, she couldn't even find her clients in the aftermath. She took that as a sign, she says, to fully focus on the family business. How to turn a worthless asset into a world-class product In the early 1990s, the California wine industry was growing and viable vineyards were pricey. Banke had the idea to acquire vineyards that had phylloxera, a disease that rendered vineyards basically worthless. She and Jackson put little-to-no money into them, instead re-planting them and turning them from disease-ridden to prestigious producers. It's a good lesson: Sometimes, you don't have the money to buy a perfect asset. If you're creative and able to burn some money without running out, you can turn those assets into viable options. Notably, Jackson Family Wines has never taken outside capital. It still retains 100 percent ownership. A vineyard can take 10 years to be profitable, which for many traditional investors is too long a cycle to be attractive. Besides, Banke says, she wants to pass the business down to the family's children. As Banke and Jackson worked to scale the company, they decided to hire an outside CEO and leadership team. It took them several tries with CEOs to find the right fit. At first, she says, they didn't give the CEO enough decision-making power or authority. It took Banke time to learn that the company was best served when she stayed at the proverbial 30,000 feet, allowing the CEO to be at the three-foot level. It allowed her to focus on vision-oriented work--a classic delegation story. It also facilitated discipline across the company. To that end, she jokes, you never ask a wine maker how much to price their wine--that's the CEO's job. Making the move built trust across the company, she says, making it easier for employees to buy into the internal motto of being the "best damn wine company in the world." At the end of our conversation, I asked if being world-class was a hard thing to aspire to. She quickly said no--and that world-class can really depend on your definition: "You can be the best at a $12 bottle of wine or at a $120 bottle. We are thrilled that the La Crema Monterey Rose is the top wine in the $15 category. As a family, we're dedicated to making the highest quality wines - from Cambria to Stonestreet to Cardinale - each winery is making the best wines." You can hear more from Banke at the 2019 Circular Summit in Sonoma County, where she will be sharing some of her favorite wines and additional words of wisdom to 400 women founders. Boring? No way. Ten years ago, at a bar in Brooklyn, Jason Feinberg's brother's friend's wife came to him with a suggestion: a baby pacifier with a plastic mustache attached to it. Feinberg's company, Fctry, made various novelty products and offered a percentage of revenue to people for their ideas. He agreed it had potential. The result, the Mustachifier, became the top-selling pacifier on Amazon in 2014, generating millions in sales for Fctry and hundreds of thousands in royalties for the brother's friend's wife. Then, says Feinberg, "the funkiness started to happen." Sometime that year, Feinberg started getting emails from Amazon buyers complaining that their Mustachifiers were defective. A verified buyer posted a review showing a pacifier whose bulb had completely separated from the shield. A mother named Doreen wrote Feinberg to say she'd given her son a Mustachifier and set him in his play pen while she prepared food. "All of a sudden, he started coughing," she wrote. "When I arrived it turns out his pacifier broke in two pieces and he had almost swallowed the rubber nipple. I was able to take it out of his mouth [in] time!" The thought that one of his products might have caused a child's choking death was "literally the worst thing you can imagine, as a business owner," Feinberg says. He scoured his supply chain trying to figure out where the defects were coming in. But then Feinberg examined one photo, and noticed something odd. "The way the nipple had become dislodged was physically impossible given our design," he says. It was a fake. Like so many other companies with hit products, Fctry had come to the attention of counterfeiters, who were making ripoff versions in China and selling them to U.S. consumers via Amazon's third-party marketplace. Feinberg promptly reported the issue to Amazon's marketplace team. "I figured this was going to be fairly straightforward: 'These are Chinese counterfeits and they're pacifiers that could kill babies. You guys want to solve this, right?'" What followed was anything but straightforward. The responses Feinberg got from Amazon representatives advised him that he could request action only against sellers that were infringing on Fctry's copyrights or trademarks. But proving a product is counterfeit can take months, and puts the burden of enforcement on the IP owner -- and Feinberg was worried about what harm could come while he waited. For a brief time, a sympathetic contact on the Quality Team helped him get problematic listings taken down, but after that contact was transferred to a different team, he was on his own again. Meanwhile, the complaints about shoddy fake Mustachifiers continued to trickle in, and lookalike products proliferated. But since he ran a U.S. company, Feinberg was bound by the 2008 Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, which imposes stringent safety-testing and labeling requirements on makers of products for children under age 12. Feinberg knew the lookalikes could be sold without undergoing any such testing. Increasingly alarmed, Feinberg attempted, without success, to contact Senator Amy Klobuchar, who had worked on the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (Cpsia). In January 2016, having failed to convince anyone at Amazon to treat it as anything other than an intellectual property issue, he sent an email directly to Jeff Bezos, forwarding Doreen's note and adding his own beseeching message. (The Amazon CEO is known to monitor his inbox and forward urgent issues to underlings, often appending a single question mark.) "Sooner or later a baby is going to choke on one of these if they continue to be distributed, which is why I'm stepping forward to try to resolve this, even if doing so may be detrimental to my own business," Feinberg wrote. He never heard back. The loophole in the law Amazon's marketplace for third-party sellers has spawned a vast ecosystem of counterfeiters, scammers, and knockoffs, an ecosystem that poses an existential threat to businesses that lack the financial resources or manpower to do full-time IP enforcement. But it poses an even more direct threat to the health and safety of children and babies who, by law, are supposed to enjoy special protection from dangerous or unhealthy products--products that are now being mainlined into American homes via Amazon's third-party selling platform. Companies that sell to Amazon as wholesalers must comply with the Cpsia?, testing all of their children's products every year and marking them with tracking labels that can be used to establish liability claims or identify recalled products. To get a vendor account, they must provide proof of Cpsia? certification, the same certificate required by brick-and-mortar retailers like Target and Buy Buy Baby. Compliance is not cheap. Lindsey Laurain, whose company, Ezpz, makes silicone plates and cups for toddlers, says she spent about $80,000 in 2018 on testing to certify, among other things, that her products don't contain chemicals like phthalates that could leach into children's food. But, outside of a handful of categories like car seats, sellers who opt to use Amazon's third-party platform, called Seller Central or the Marketplace, aren't required to provide any such certification. Instead, Amazon merely says, "Sellers are responsible for tracking and complying with any regulations issued by the CPSC," or Consumer Product Safety Commission. Given the fly-by-night nature of the Chinese factories that manufacture thousands of knockoff products and retail them through interchangeable storefronts on Amazon, opening new accounts as needed to replace any that get shut down for violations, it's questionable how many of them are doing testing of the sort that would satisfy the CPSC. In China, consumers are known to avoid domestic brands of products like baby formula because the risk of tainted goods is so high. In 2017, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency (CBP) attempted to create consumer awareness of the health and safety risks posed by counterfeit products with its "Fake Goods, Real Dangers" campaign. The CPSC, which works closely with CPB to stop the flow of dangerous counterfeits, advises buying certain items like bicycle helmets directly from the manufacturer, or from a big-box stores or other brick-and-mortar retailers. CPSC spokesperson Karla Crosswhite says the agency "is challenged to be able to monitor all e-commerce shipments." The availability of products that falsify their branding or safety claims "is always going to be an issue," Crosswhite says. "Unfortunately, that's one of the downsides of the internet." "I would say any counterfeit is a safety issue because they're not doing the safety testing to ensure it's not," says Laurain, whose company has struggled to stem the flow of competing products that steal her company's designs, brand imagery, and product claims. For a while, she tried buying the knockoff items and sending them to laboratories in hopes of proving the knockoffs exceeded permitted limits for chemicals like phthalates or lead, but the testing was expensive and she quickly stopped. Prohibited, but still for sale So far, worst-case scenarios like the one that haunted Jason Feinberg have been mostly hypothetical. But only mostly. In December, a 4-year-old boy in Wisconsin had to have parts of his colon and intestines removed after he'd swallowed 13 tiny magnets from a toy that broke open. Initial news reports identified the toy as a magnetic construction set called Magformers. In fact, it was a copycat item made by a Chinese company called Imden. The similarity that caused the toy to be mistaken for Magformers' product had also prompted Magformers, which is based in Michigan, to file an IP infringement report with Amazon. Magformers CEO Chris Tidwell says Imden's product listing was removed at least twice previously; Magformers' claim was still awaiting a response at the time of the incident in Wisconsin. Imden's magnetic construction toy has since been removed from the company's Amazon store, although it's not clear whether units already sold have been recalled. Like so many other American companies, Magformers has battled with China-based entities misusing its assets in all sorts of ways, from its trademark to its designs to its product photography, which features Tidwell's neighbors' children. "The bottom line is it's very hard for us to get IP-infringing product and unsafe product off Amazon," says Merle Saddick, Magformers' senior sales and operations manager for North America. While similar tactics abound on eBay and Walmart.com, Saddick calls Amazon's third-party platform "the main marketplace where really bad and unsafe products can be listed very easily and dispersed to our consumers." A 2017 Consumer Reports story highlighted the risks of toys containing powerful magnets to small children. Those risks led the CPSC to impose a federal safety standard for the category, but it was subsequently lifted after a court challenge. In a statement, an Amazon spokesperson said the company has "proactive measures in place to prevent suspicious or non-compliant products from being listed, and we monitor the products in our stores for safety concerns. When appropriate, we remove a product from the store, reach out to sellers, manufacturers, and government agencies for additional information, or take other actions." The spokesperson also added that "for certain products and categories, Amazon requires additional information, such as compliance and provenance documentation." But even in instances where Amazon has taken action, it's easy to question the seriousness of those efforts. Until 2014, Tiffany Chiu used Amazon to sell the Otteroo, a pool float for infants that fastens around the neck. That year, Amazon summarily informed her it was closing down the product category over unspecified safety concerns. No one is more mindful than Chiu of the frightening implications of a defective flotation device for babies: In 2015, she recalled 3,000 units after reports of leaky seams. Rather than try to get back on Amazon, she has focused her efforts on working with pediatricians to demonstrate her product's benefits for babies with developmental problems, and trying to keep unsafe knockoffs off the market by urging low-price retailers like Walmart and Wish to drop the category as well. "We'd rather not have anyone play in this field than have to compete with three- or four-dollar products," she says. She often gets emails or social media alerts from people complaining about defective products who don't realize the item they bought was not, in fact, an Otteroo -- in part because, in an echo of what Tidwell and many others have experienced, many of the knockoffs use language or images lifted from her website. So Chiu is perfectly comfortable with Amazon's decision to put inflatable children's neck floats on its list of hazardous and dangerous items that can't be featured in a listing. Yet, as of April 1, an Amazon search for neck floats turned up at least half a dozen such products. One was priced at a mere $6.45; another used photos obviously stolen from a rival listing. After Inc. inquired about why supposedly prohibited products were available for sale, all the listings disappeared within a day. Saddick from Magformers says Amazon has been more responsive since the Wisconsin child's hospitalization, giving her company direct access to its incident team and working with them more closely to identify infringing listings. She also cites the retailer's ongoing efforts to use artificial intelligence to flag bad actors. But where children's safety is at stake, it's nowhere near enough. When you compare today's employees with those of decades past, they are very different. The days of clocking in and out and getting a paycheck for doing repetitive work handed down from the Ivory Tower are practically over. So what do today's employees really want? And why do so many leave their managers? You can narrow it down to one short sentence: They seek a meaningful experience at work and a supportive, collaborative environment that appeals to their sense of purpose and human emotions. When they don't get that at your organization, they'll look for it elsewhere. There's something wonderfully intrinsic about the human design that demands more than most companies are willing to offer--the need for more work-life balance, more personal well-being, and more human development. Clearly, in a tight labor market like the one we are in now, employers can't mess around with losing their best people. In Gallup's latest State of the American Workplace report, "63 percent of employees believe it is 'very likely' or 'somewhat likely' that they could find a job as good as the one they have." Adding fuel to the fire, "51 percent of currently employed workers say they are actively looking for a new job or watching for openings," according to Gallup's report. Think of employees more like customers. We have moved into an era where forward-thinking companies--many of them startups--value the employee ahead of the customer. Leaders who serve their employees' needs first realize the enormous business impact that comes with having employees showing up every day enthusiastic and involved in their work. To maximize the employee experience, Gallup has extensively studied and found that there are five core needs at the heart of every employee. 1. The manager-employee relationship. Managers are the most critical pieces of the puzzle to affect how employees are engaged and developed. Why is that the case? Gallup found that the manager alone accounts for 70 percent of the variance in team engagement. Therefore, managers are in a great position to continually help the employee see their current value and future in the organization. This is why identifying and developing great people-managers should be a top priority. 2. The employee's role. In workplaces everywhere, employees don't fully understand what is expected of them in their work roles. In fact, only 41 percent of employees "strongly agree" that their job description aligns well with the work they are asked to do. To fix this, employees must be absolutely clear about their job responsibilities from the get-go, typically defined during role orientation, and redefined consistently through goal setting, and frequent feedback and performance reviews. 3. The team. Gallup has found that the value of "respect" is crucial in developing team trust, which then leads to team members feeling valued and performing at a high level. Since only 12 percent of employees "strongly agree" that their organization does a great job of onboarding, it is especially critical that employees "feel valued" at the onboarding stage of the employee lifecycle. This is when new employees begin to identify trusted partners that will bring out the best in them throughout their tenure. 4. The workspace. The physical environment matters more than ever as a "psychological necessity for getting work done." And a well-designed and supportive workspace tailored to meet individual needs--whether an open collaborative area or private rooms or both--gives employees the freedom to work in the ways they feel is best. Gallup adds that "light, temperature, ergonomics, noise, and distractions are other factors in the employee experience." 5. The employee's well-being. When the VC Starter Kit first went online, the effect was swift, vast, and hilarious. The spoof website launched on March 21 and claims to offer the unofficial uniform of Silicon Valley's elite, down to the comfy sneakers and leisure reading material. Almost instantly, it was all over social media and the press. There were stories on Axios, Recode, and Business Insider, and the traffic to the site ballooned overnight. In March, it had 93,800 unique visitors, with many more return guests, according to traffic analytics tool SEMrush. ? The site is testament to the unhip fashion trends of the area's investors, so it's something of a backhanded compliment to be included as part of the offering. Even so, for the most part, the parody doesn't seem to have inspired any ill will. "I can't decide if I'm honored or horrified to see Stratechery included," tweeted Ben Thompson, the founder and author of the newsletter, which is based in Taiwan and delivers tech and media commentary to inboxes globally. VC Starter Kit's creator, Sumukh Sridhara, a product engineer at AngelList, tells Inc. he was inspired by a 2017 tongue-in-cheek commentary on the unofficial and "swaggerless" dress code of Silicon Valley VCs, written by New York City-based tech and culture journalist Ashwin Rodrigues for Fortune.com. After constantly seeing the bland outfit around his hometown of San Francisco, Sridhara decided to create the spoof. The prices for different packages of the VC Starter Kit--which include a Patagonia fleece vest, black Allbirds sneakers, a copy of Peter Thiel's Zero to One, and other items--range from the $499 Partner Kit to "if you have to ask, you can't afford it." The Partner Kit includes subscriptions to Stratechery and other Silicon Valley staples like Wine Spectator, a luxury lifestyle magazine. The latter package contains a farm in New Zealand, where you can wait out the apocalypse, and blood transfusions from young people, a dig at Peter Thiel, who is reportedly "really interested" in the regenerative properties of parabiosis--that is, the process of infusing a younger subject's blood into an older body. To date, Sridhara says the site has made no sales. The proceeds, if there are any, will go to All Raise, a San Francisco nonprofit that's working to increase the number of women founders and venture partners in Silicon Valley. An All Raise spokeswoman tells Inc. that the organization was unaware of the site before its launch. Rahul Vohra, the founder and CEO of Superhuman, was also unaware of the mention--though he isn't 100 percent surprised. The email app promises to significantly speed up the email experience and redesign Gmail for efficiency, so it is used extensively in the tech world, Vohra tells Inc. He adds that that may explain why it was included in the Fund II Kit, which carries a price tag of $699. "VCs [and others] do their email twice as fast in Superhuman, and many see 'inbox zero' for the first time in years," adds Vohra. Ultimately, he expressed amusement by the parody. On Tuesday, the Ventura, California-based company announced that it recently began vetting companies for their social and environmental performance before permitting them to purchase vests through its corporate sales program. "We recently shifted the focus of this program to increase the number of Certified B Corporations, 1% for the Planet members, and other mission-driven companies that prioritize the planet," noted the company in a statement. The shift, it added, will not affect current corporate sales customers. Atoms sneakers, also part of the Fund II Kit, are described as the essential footwear for managing directors. "We thought it was playful and a good parody," says Andrew Ettinger, who handles the company's marketing efforts. "Of course, not all VCs dress alike, but that narrative is funny." Also based in San Francisco, Atoms have become popular in the tech world for their neutral colors, comfort, and fit. The company offers quarter sizes, and can deliver three trial pairs to your door for your home fitting-room convenience. Atoms' co-founders had previously received funding through Y Combinator, so they built early roots in the tech community, Ettinger says. To keep up the momentum on his VC Starter Kit site, Sridhara has been retweeting the funny responses it has received from those in the startup world. "It's a three-piece Patagucci kind of day," tweeted an Australian fintech company founder, Alan Tsen, on March 30. A photo of Tsen donning three layers of Patagonia clothing accompanied the message. It's a three piece Patagucci kind of day pic.twitter.com/Drq5tsPElX -; Alan Tsen (@alantsen) March 30, 2019 Others resisted the suggestion of the uniform. "I'll stick to my combat boots, 80s shirts and loud pants/clothes, thank you," tweeted Cyan Banister, an angel investor in San Francisco. Sridhara says just under 12,000 curious clickers have hit the purchase button to test its functionality. If a visitor were to go through with the purchase, he says he'd fulfill the order. Still, it's already generated awareness for All Raise, and some onlookers have told him they've donated directly to the organization. Rodrigues, the writer whose story sparked the idea for Sridhara, had his own take on the website: "Perhaps this, too, is a commentary on how corporate social responsibility is often little more than an empty gesture wrapped in PR," he tells Inc. "In which case, that's pretty funny." It is no surprise that age discrimination negatively affects people's mental health but, according to new research, it could be having an impact on physical health too. University College London analysed data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, which surveyed more than 7,500 people over the age of 50 and followed their progress for six years. Participants were asked to respond to statements such as you are treated with less respect or courtesy, you receive poorer service than other people in restaurants and stores, and you receive poorer service or treatment than other people from doctors or hospitals. They were also questioned about their experiences of being thought of as not clever, being threatened and harassed. According to the findings, a quarter of over 50s taking part in the survey claimed they had been unfairly treated because of their age. Ageing Japan: Robots' role in future of elderly care Show all 15 1 /15 Ageing Japan: Robots' role in future of elderly care Ageing Japan: Robots' role in future of elderly care Residents follow moves made by humanoid robot 'Pepper' during an afternoon exercise routine at Shin-tomi nursing home in Tokyo. Reuters Ageing Japan: Robots' role in future of elderly care Funabashi Hiroshi from A Fun, repairs broken'AIBO's, pet dog robots, at his office in Kasama. Reuters Ageing Japan: Robots' role in future of elderly care A caretaker wearing a 'HAL for care support' robot suit pushes a wheelchair at Shin-tomi nursing home in Tokyo. Reuters Ageing Japan: Robots' role in future of elderly care Residents follow moves made by humanoid robot 'Pepper' during an afternoon exercise routine at Shin-tomi nursing home in Tokyo. Reuters Ageing Japan: Robots' role in future of elderly care Yoichi Suzuki spends time with 'AIBO', a pet dog robot, which his father used for his rehabilitation at his house in Takahag.i Reuters Ageing Japan: Robots' role in future of elderly care A resident approaches humanoid robot 'Pepper' to pat its head during an afternoon exercise routine at Shin-tomi nursing home in Tokyo. Reuters Ageing Japan: Robots' role in future of elderly care A caretaker, wearing walking rehabilitation equipment 'Tree', helps a resident with his walking training at Shin-tomi nursing home in Tokyo. Reuters Ageing Japan: Robots' role in future of elderly care Yoichi Suzuki shows 'AIBO', a pet dog robot, to his bed-ridden mother at his house. Reuters Ageing Japan: Robots' role in future of elderly care A broken'AIBO', a pet dog robot, waits for repair in A Fun's office in Kasama, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. Reuters Ageing Japan: Robots' role in future of elderly care A resident touches 'AIBO', a pet dog robot, at Shin-tomi nursing home in Tokyo. Reuters Ageing Japan: Robots' role in future of elderly care A resident touches robot seal 'PARO' at Shin-tomi nursing home in Tokyo. Reuters Ageing Japan: Robots' role in future of elderly care Yoichi Suzuki and his wife take care of his bed-ridden mother as 'AIBO', a pet dog robot walks around at his house in Takahagi. Reuters Ageing Japan: Robots' role in future of elderly care A caretaker wearing a motion assist equipment 'Muscle Suit' carries a resident from a bed to a wheelchair at Shin-tomi nursing home in Tokyo. Reuters Ageing Japan: Robots' role in future of elderly care 'AIBO', a pet dog robot, which Yoichi Suzuki's father used for his rehabilitation, is seen at Suzuki's house in Takahagi. Reuters Ageing Japan: Robots' role in future of elderly care A resident claps to call 'AIBO', a pet dog robot at Shin-tomi nursing home in Tokyo. Reuters Whats more, these reported victims of ageism were also more likely to suffer health problems, or develop them over time, suggesting there is a link between age discrimination and ill health. Members of this group were more likely to rate their health as fair or poor than those who had not encountered ageism, the research states. They were also more likely to suffer from depressive symptoms or debilitating long-term illnesses, and go on to develop serious conditions. Recommended NHS secretary becomes oldest person ever to win ageism case at 88 Among those who said they had not recently experienced age discrimination, 13 per cent reported having coronary heart disease, 38 per cent reported arthritis, 33 per cent said they had a long-standing condition and 12 per cent said they had depressive symptoms. By contrast, among participants who said they had recently faced ageism, the figures rose to 17 per cent for coronary heart disease, 44 per cent for arthritis, 39 per cent for a long-standing condition and 19 per cent for depressive symptoms. The studys lead author Dr Sarah Jackson, from University College London, says: As a society, we need to increase public awareness of what constitutes ageism and how it can affect health and well-being so we can build collective movements, like those that brought about legislative and social change for other forms of discrimination. On a clinical level, raising the issue of age discrimination with older patients could help to identify those at risk of future health problems. The results also suggest that the more situations in which people experience age discrimination, the greater their chance of reporting bad health. When the researchers looked at data from 5,595 of the participants, collected six years after the first survey, they found that participants who had previously reported ageism were more likely to report a deterioration in health. However, the team did say the findings could also work the other way, suggesting that those in poorer health might experience more age-related discrimination. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Commenting on the findings in The Lancet Public Health journal, Professor Martin Gulliford, from King's College London, writes: The public health community has been slow to acknowledge the central role of discrimination in health inequality. Although the inter-relationships between age, socioeconomic status, health status and experienced discrimination are complex, these findings suggest that not only does age discrimination cause short-term psychological distress to older people, but could also have an important effect on their long-term mental and physical health. Louise Ansari, from the Centre for Ageing Better, insists that no-one in later life should be made to feel like a second-class citizen. It is completely unacceptable that age discrimination should play a role in our society, but sadly it's still all too common. And ageist attitudes and age discrimination don't just affect your health. As the possibility of a United States-Mexico border shutdown remains, avocado prices are skyrocketing. Over the last week, the price of avocados has increased nearly 50 per cent in response to President Trumps continued threats to close the border. The increase has been spurred on by consumers and wholesalers who are unsure of the impact a border closure would have on international trade. Currently, roughly 80 per cent of the avocados consumed by Americans come from Mexico. While a price increase was expected as Americans stock up on the beloved fruit for fear of a shortage, the upcoming Cinco de Mayo celebration is also likely playing a part in the price spike, according to analysts. Over the last week, prices have risen 44 per cent. Avocado acres - In pictures Show all 17 1 /17 Avocado acres - In pictures Avocado acres - In pictures Darren Bradley/Surfside projects Avocado acres - In pictures Darren Bradley/Surfside projects Avocado acres - In pictures Darren Bradley/Surfside projects Avocado acres - In pictures Darren Bradley/Surfside projects Avocado acres - In pictures Darren Bradley/Surfside projects Avocado acres - In pictures Darren Bradley/Surfside projects Avocado acres - In pictures Darren Bradley/Surfside projects Avocado acres - In pictures Darren Bradley/Surfside projects Avocado acres - In pictures Darren Bradley/Surfside projects Avocado acres - In pictures Darren Bradley/Surfside projects Avocado acres - In pictures Darren Bradley/Surfside projects Avocado acres - In pictures Darren Bradley/Surfside projects Avocado acres - In pictures Pics by Surfside Projects Avocado acres - In pictures Darren Bradley/Surfside projects Avocado acres - In pictures Darren Bradley/Surfside projects Avocado acres - In pictures Darren Bradley/Surfside projects Avocado acres - In pictures Darren Bradley/Surfside projects Of the increase, Stefan Oliva, a research analyst at Gro Intelligence, which collects and analyses agricultural data, said: Even those very, very vague threats are enough to scare wholesalers and processors that are relying on consumers. New product could make avocados last up to two times longer If there is a border shutdown, they will have to circumvent the border and pay an extreme premium. And the price for the fruit is only expected to increase if the president follows through on his threats, according to David Magana, a senior analyst at Rabobank, who said: If the border closes, this would be unchartered territory. The prices could rise considerably. Last year, the United States imported nearly two billion lbs of avocados from Mexico, according to the Hass Avocado Board roughly worth $2.1bn. On Tuesday, President Trump pulled back on his threats to close the border in a bid to halt illegal immigration, citing Mexicos cooperation. Lets see if they keep it done, he said. Now, if they dont, or if we dont make a deal with Congress, the borders going to be closed, 100 per cent. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events According to Republican Sen Mitch McConnell, a full border closure could have a potentially catastrophic economic impact. Heinz has unveiled its latest saucy concoction Kranch . The combination, a mix of ketchup and ranch, is not the first hybrid product from the American company. Last year, a mayonnaise-ketchup condiment called Mayochup was released to very mixed reviews. Even more controversially, in March this year Heinz debuted Mayocue a mayonnaise and barbecue sauce blend and the unappealingly named Mayomust a mayonnaise and mustard sauce. The company teased their latest announcement, posting a blurred out picture of the new sauce in a bid to hype up the public. As you may expect, the announcement has been met with both disgust and delight. 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. Dalia Adler, Associate Director of Marketing for Heinz, said in a statement: When we launched Mayochup, Mayomust, and Mayocue, our fans speculated on social media what they thought the next condiment mash-up should be--the tweets were pouring in! Inspired by our fans ideas, our new Kranch sauce is a blend of ketchup and ranch that will completely change your condiment game this summer. The reaction on social media has been far from supportive, however. Kranch? Absolutely not, one person wrote on Twitter. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Another said: Hope it doesnt taste like Krap. Kranch will be in US stores later this month, but if you cant wait until then just mix ketchup with ranch dressing at home. India has refused to comment on Nasa claims that astronauts have been endangered by its decision to blow up a satellite in space. The space agency said that people on board the International Space Station were now living with the risk of being hit by the debris that has been distributed above the Earth and could collide with the floating lab. India's defence ministry spokesman Colonel Aman Anand said there was no official response to Nasa administrator Jim Bridenstine's statement at a town hall event in Washington on Monday. Mr Bridenstine said, in shooting down one of its own satellites with a rocket last week, India had left debris high enough in orbit to pose a risk to the International Space Station. India's external affairs ministry in a statement after the March 27 test said that whatever debris generated would decay and fall back to Earth within weeks as the test was in the lower atmosphere. Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Show all 30 1 /30 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Solar Flare An image from Nasa's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) shows a 200,000 mile long solar filament ripping through the Sun's corona in September 2013 Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Nasa Celebrates 50 Years of Spacewalking For 50 years, NASA has been "suiting up" for spacewalking. In this 1984 photograph of the first untethered spacewalk, NASA astronaut Bruce McCandless is in the midst of the first "field" tryout of a nitrogen-propelled backpack device called the Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU) Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space A Hubble Cosmic Couple The spectacular cosmic pairing of the star Hen 2-427 more commonly known as WR 124 and the nebula M1-67 which surrounds it ESA/Hubble & NASA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Veil Nebula Supernova Remnant Nasa's Hubble Space Telescope has unveiled in stunning detail a small section of the Veil Nebula - expanding remains of a massive star that exploded about 8,000 years ago Nasa's most stunning pictures of space The Soyuz TMA-15M rocket launch The Soyuz TMA-15M rocket launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Monday, Nov. 24, 2014, carrying three new astronauts to the International Space Station. It also took caviar, ready for the satellite's inhabitants to celebrate the holidays Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Earth from the ISS From the International Space Station, Expedition 42 Flight Engineer Terry W. Virts took this photograph of the Gulf of Mexico and U.S. Gulf Coast at sunset Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Black Hole Friday Nasa celebrated Black Friday by looking into space instead sharing pictures of black holes Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space NuSTAR X-rays stream off the sun in this image showing observations from by NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, overlaid on a picture taken by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Cassiopeia A c A false colour image of Cassiopeia A comprised with data from the Spitzer and Hubble Space Telescopes and the Chandra X-Ray observatory Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Orion Capsule splashes down The Orion capsule jetted off into space before heading back a few hours later having proved that it can be used, one day, to carry humans to Mars Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Earth Observations From Gemini IV in 1965 This photograph of the Florida Straits and Grand Bahama Bank was taken during the Gemini IV mission during orbit no. 19 in 1965. The Gemini IV crew conducted scientific experiments, including photography of Earth's weather and terrain, for the remainder of their four-day mission following Ed White's historic spacewalk on June 3 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Frosty slopes of Mars This image of an area on the surface of Mars, approximately 1.5 by 3 kilometers in size, shows frosted gullies on a south-facing slope within a crater. The image was taken by Nasa's HiRISE camera, which is mounted on its Mars Reconaissance Orbiter Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Yellowstone from space NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman shared this image of Yellowstone via his twitter account Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Saturn This near-infrared color image shows a specular reflection, or sunglint, off of a hydrocarbon lake named Kivu Lacus on Saturn's moon Titan Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Worlds Apart Although Mimas and Pandora, shown here, both orbit Saturn, they are very different moons. Pandora, "small" by moon standards (50 miles or 81 kilometers across) is elongated and irregular in shape. Mimas (246 miles or 396 kilometers across), a "medium-sized" moon, formed into a sphere due to self-gravity imposed by its higher mass Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Solar Flare An X1.6 class solar flare flashes in the middle of the sun in this image taken 10 September, captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy An image of the Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy seen in infrared light by the Herschel Space Observatory. Regions of space such as this are where new stars are born from a mixture of elements and cosmic dust Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Mars Rover Spirit Nasa's Mars Rover Spirit took the first picture from Spirit since problems with communications began a week earlier. The image shows the robotic arm extended to the rock called Adirondack Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Morning Aurora From the Space Station Nasa astronaut Scott Kelly captured this photograph of the green lights of the aurora from the International Space Station Nasa/Scott Kelly Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Launch of History - Making STS-41G Mission in 1984 The Space Shuttle Challenger launches from Florida at dawn. On this mission, Kathryn Sullivan became the first U.S. woman to perform a spacewalk and Marc Garneau became the first Canadian in space. The crew of seven was the largest to fly on a spacecraft at that time, and STS-41G was the first flight to include two female astronauts Nasa's most stunning pictures of space A Fresh Perspective on an Extraordinary Cluster of Galaxies Galaxy clusters are often described by superlatives. After all, they are huge conglomerations of galaxies, hot gas, and dark matter and represent the largest structures in the Universe held together by gravity Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Hubble Sees a Galactic Sunflower The arrangement of the spiral arms in the galaxy Messier 63, seen here in an image from the Nasa Hubble Space Telescope, recall the pattern at the center of a sunflower ESA/Hubble & NASA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Pluto image Four images from New Horizons Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) were combined with colour data from the Ralph instrument to create this enhanced colour global view of Pluto Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Fresh Crater Near Sirenum Fossae Region of Mars The HiRISE camera aboard Nasa's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter acquired this closeup image of a "fresh" (on a geological scale, though quite old on a human scale) impact crater in the Sirenum Fossae region of Mars. This impact crater appears relatively recent as it has a sharp rim and well-preserved ejecta Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Hubble Peers into the Most Crowded Place in the Milky Way This Nasa Hubble Space Telescope image presents the Arches Cluster, the densest known star cluster in the Milky Way NASA & ESA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space An Astronaut's View from Space Nasa astronaut Reid Wiseman tweeted this photo from the International Space Station on 2 September 2014 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Giant Landform on Mars On Mars, we can observe four classes of sandy landforms formed by the wind, or aeolian bedforms: ripples, transverse aeolian ridges, dunes, and what are called draa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Expedition 39 Landing A sokol suit helmet can be seen against the window of the Soyuz TMA-11M capsule shortly after the spacecraft landed with Expedition 39 Commander Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin of Roscosmos, and Flight Engineer Rick Mastracchio of NASA near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan (NASA/Bill Ingalls) Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Jupiter's Great Red Spot Viewed by Voyager I Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system and perhaps the most majestic. Vibrant bands of clouds carried by winds that can exceed 400 mph continuously circle the planet's atmosphere Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Chandra Observatory Sees a Heart in the Darkness This Chandra X-Ray Observatory image of the young star cluster NGC 346 highlights a heart-shaped cloud of 8 million-degree Celsius gas in the central region The International Space Station serves as a research laboratory and has hosted astronauts from various countries since it was launched into orbit in 1998. Mr Bridenstine said Nasa had identified 400 pieces of the debris and tracked 60 of them. Recommended Nasa says astronauts are endangered after India blows up a satellite "We know that 24 of these are going above the apogee of International Space Station. That's a terrible, terrible thing to create," he said. India's prime minister Narendra Modi announced the test last week and said the destruction of the satellite demonstrated India's capacity as a "space power" alongside the United States, Russia and China. Pallava Bagla, a science writer at the New Delhi Television Channel, said Indian officials have clearly indicated that the debris will decay in three weeks. "The amount of debris which the United States itself has created in space is gigantic as compared to a few pieces of debris from the Indian test. "In orbit, we have 2,000 functional satellites. "Eight hundred of them belong to the United States. India has only 48 functional satellites in the orbit," he said. In Washington, the vice commander of US Air Force Space Command, Lieutenant General David Thompson, told a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing last week that the Air Force detected about 270 objects in the debris field created when India destroyed the satellite and the number was likely to increase. He said the Air Force will inform satellite operators if any of those objects become a threat to satellites in orbit. Additional reporting by Associated Press The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination scheme has led to a significant reduction in the risk of developing cervical cancer later in life in Scotland, new research claims. HPV is the name given to a group of common viruses that are sexually-transmitted, some of which are linked to cervical cancer. Nearly all cervical cancers are caused by an infection with a high-risk type of HPV, the NHS states. Since 2009, girls aged between 12 and 13 have been offered a vaccination to protect them from HPV in UK schools. Its free from the NHS and they can get it up until their 18th birthday. Researchers at the University of Edinburgh examined the impact that HPV vaccinations had on 138,692 women born between 1988 and 1996 who each had a cervical cancer screening test result recorded at the age of 20. The team looked at the levels of abnormal cells, known as cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), as revealed by their screenings. These range from CIN 1, which have a low risk of becoming cancerous, to CIN 3, which have a high chance, the NHS states. NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary Show all 18 1 /18 NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary AFP/Getty Images NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary Labour Party leader, Jeremy Corbyn, addresses demonstrators following the march AFP/Getty NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary AFP/Getty Images NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary EPA NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary AFP/Getty Images NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary Reuters NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary REUTERS NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary EPA NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary REUTERS NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary PA NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary REUTERS NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary AFP/Getty Images NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary REUTERS NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary PA NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary AFP/Getty Images NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary AFP/Getty Images NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary AFP/Getty Images NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary AFP/Getty Images The researchers found that compared to unvaccinated women born in 1988, vaccinated women whod been born in 1995 and 1996 benefited from an 89 per cent reduction in CIN 3 cells. The results also showed an 88 per cent reduction in CIN 2 (which have a moderate risk of becoming cancerous) and a 79 per cent reduction in CIN 1. The study, which was led by Tim Palmer and published in the British Medical Journal, concludes: Routine vaccination of girls aged 12-13 years with the bivalent HPV vaccine in Scotland has led to a dramatic reduction in pre-invasive cervical disease. The bivalent vaccine is confirmed as being highly effective vaccine and should greatly reduce the incidence of cervical cancer. Dr Kevin Pollock, senior research fellow at Glasgow Caledonian University and study co-author, added that the study shows the HPV vaccine has exceeded expectations. Recommended Blogger live streams her own smear test to show how easy it is "It is associated with near elimination of both low and high grade cervical disease in young Scottish women eight years after the vaccine programme started, Pollock said. "The figures are impressive and show a reduction of up to 90 per cent of cervical disease abnormalities - pre-cancerous cells. Robert Music, chief executive of the charity Jos Cervical Cancer Trust, added: The findings of this research are highly exciting and clearly demonstrate the impact of the HPV vaccine in protecting the cervical health of future generations. "We are lucky to have such an effective prevention programme which means the elimination of cervical cancer is firmly on the horizon. Focusing on communities and areas where take up is below the national average should be a priority. People suffering from dementia should be given music or dance therapy, according to the Health Secretary. Speaking following a reception hosted by the Prince of Wales at Clarence House, Matt Hancock MP said that despite local areas being advised to consider music or dance for those suffering from dementia, such therapies have not been widely implemented across England. "Dementia can devastate the lives of people affected by it and although there is not yet a cure I believe we can do more to improve the lives of people with the condition," he said. In particular, I want to combat over-medicalisation and dishing out pills when its not in the best interests of the patient. There is increasing evidence suggesting music can bring calm to people with dementia by reducing agitation and supporting those affected to cope better with symptoms. Portraits of people living with dementia around the world Show all 8 1 /8 Portraits of people living with dementia around the world Portraits of people living with dementia around the world South Africa Heidedel Community Centre - A community centre dedicated to taking care of people displaced by mental illnesses and disabilities. It mostly houses people living with dementia. Many traditional healers tell family members that if they have dementia or other disorders they are cursed. These people do not have family to care for them, and this centre is one of the first centres that is privately funded in a township with limited government support Leah Beach Portraits of people living with dementia around the world Guatemala This is a family from Antigua in Guatemala. After undergoing surgery the father lost his ability to walk and also had amnesia, which developed into dementia. His wife who is a full time teacher had to make sacrifices to care for him. The daughter also left her job to care for him full time, while the mother works. They all adore him and would do anything and sacrifice anything for him Leah Beach Portraits of people living with dementia around the world South Africa Heidedel Community Centre - A community centre dedicated to taking care of people displaced by mental illnesses and disabilities. It mostly houses people living with dementia. Many traditional healers tell family members that if they have dementia or other disorders they are cursed. These people do not have family to care for them, and this centre is one of the first centres that is privately funded in a township with limited government support Leah Beach Portraits of people living with dementia around the world Guatemala ERMITA is an adult day-care centre located in the heart of Guatemala City. It is a privately funded organization that allows families to not only drop off loved ones for physical therapy and alternative therapeutic treatment methods, but also offers medications at a huge discount, and training classes for care partners. They have even established a dementia carers programme at the local university, as well as providing outreach in local homes Leah Beach Portraits of people living with dementia around the world South Africa Heidedel Community Centre - A community centre dedicated to taking care of people displaced by mental illnesses and disabilities. It mostly houses people living with dementia. Many traditional healers tell family members that if they have dementia or other disorders they are cursed. These people do not have family to care for them, and this centre is one of the first centres that is privately funded in a township with limited government support Leah Beach Portraits of people living with dementia around the world South Africa This woman is cared for by her son. The photograph captures the moment he brought out a pot that she had left on the stove which caught fire. As you can see in the photos shes so embarrassed. He says he worries to leave her on her own and is so sad to see her lose her independence Leah Beach Portraits of people living with dementia around the world India This woman is a member of the Parsi community, a cultural group in India which has Persian ties. People with Persian heritage are considered to be a race in India and there are often separate hospitals and community centres. This woman, who asked to remain anonymous, is an inhouse patient in the Parsi ward of a public hospital. She is living with dementia and her family hardly ever come to visit her. Most patients living in this ward are abandoned by their family, or have no family to look after them Leah Beach Portraits of people living with dementia around the world India Mrs Roop Chungani, 72 years old. Mrs Roop was a hairstylist in her youth and was known to be one of the most famous hairstylists in Mumbai, working with celebrities and high-profile stars of Bollywood. She worked in one of Bombays most famous beauty parlours. After her dementia diagnosis, she says that her husband was very hard on her because of the change in her behaviour Leah Beach This is the kind of personalised care that I fully endorse as a key part of our NHS long term plan. Dementia is a syndrome associated with an ongoing decline of brain functioning. The condition affects around 850,000 people in the UK, with one in 14 aged over 65 estimated to develop the medical issue, according to the Alzheimer's Society. Earlier this year, NHS England announced its plan to expand the use of music for dementia patients to expand social prescribing - a means of enabling GPs, nurses and other primary care professionals to refer people to a range of local, non-clinical services. According to the plan, there will be over 1,000 trained social prescribing link workers by April 2021 and more in place by April 2024, with the aim to see 900,000 people being referred to social prescribing schemes a year. The plans coincided with the launch of Music for Dementia 2020 a national campaign to make music available for everyone living with the condition by 2020. Led by the private family charitable trust the Utley Foundation, the campaigns website provides information about a wide range of musical activities, ranging from creating playlists to music therapy, and has a searchable database of suitable music activities for dementia patients. Last year, research published by the International Longevity Centre UK (ILC) and the Utley Foundation found that music has significant physical and mental health benefits for those with dementia and help to increase social interaction and decreasing stress hormones Analysis showed that music helps to significantly minimise some of the symptoms of dementia, such as agitation, and can help to tackle anxiety and depression, says Sally Greengross, chief executive of the ILC. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events In September 2018, the BBC announced its new website BBC Music Memories which aims to help connect dementia patients with songs from the past. The website allows users to browse more than 1,800 songs, classical works and TV theme tunes from the last 100 years, and create creating a playlist of music. A social media user is accusing Instagram of taking his handle so that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex could launch their own account Kensington Palace announced this week that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had launched their own Instagram account @sussexroyal. Just one day after launching, the account gained over one million followers, breaking Instagram records. However, driving instructor Kevin Keiley, whose username used to be @sussexroyal, claims the social media platform changed his handle without his permission, to enable the royal couple to launch theirs. "I got a jokey text from my son which said 'Ha ha, I see your handle has gone then'," Keiley told to Radio 1 Newsbeat about the moment he became aware of the change of username. "I thought, 'What's that all about?' He said 'Look on Instagram' so I looked on Instagram and suddenly my handle wasn't @sussexroyal anymore it was @_sussexroyal_ Royal couples with their newborns Show all 9 1 /9 Royal couples with their newborns Royal couples with their newborns On 11 July 2013, Prince William and Kate Middleton welcomed their first-born child, Prince George Alexander Louis, weighing 8lbs 6oz. Just like Charles and Diana, the couple introduced the baby to the world outside the Lindo Wing the next day. Prince George was swaddled in a white G.H. Hurt & Son soft wool baby shawl, continuing the royal family's 70-year tradition. For her first photo as a new mother, Katie wore a blue polka dot dress by Jenny Packham with a pair of nude wedges. Getty Images Royal couples with their newborns The world gained a new Princess after the Duchess of Cambridge gave birth to her second child, Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana, on 2 May 2015 at the Lindo Wing, weighing 8lbs 3oz. The baby royal made her public debut just 10 hours after her birth in the same shawl that was worn by Prince George. The newborn also wore a knitted a cap designed by Spanish brand Irulea. For her second appearance at the Lindo Wing after giving birth, Kate chose a pastel yellow and white floral print dress by British designer Jenny Packham, who also created her first post-pregnancy dress for her appearance following Prince Georges birth two years prior. Getty Images Royal couples with their newborns On 23 April 2018, Prince William and Kate Middleton welcomed royal baby number three, Prince Louis Arthur Charles. The newborn weighed 8lbs oz making him the heaviest Cambridge baby. As the weather in London was cold and windy the next day, the new prince was introduced to the world wearing a knit cap by Spanish brand Irulea like his sister, Charlotte, and the same G.H. Hurt & Son baby shawl. Kate opted for another Jenny Packham dress, this time in red and white - a look many speculated was a tribute to Diana's ensemble in 1984 following the birth of Prince Harry. Earlier that day, Prince George and Princess Charlotte met their new sibling for the first time. George was still wearing his Thomass Battersea school uniform, while Princess Charlotte wore a blue dress, cardigan, and black Mary Janes. Getty Images Royal couples with their newborns On 8 August 1988, Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew welcomed their new baby daughter Princess Beatrice Elizabeth Mary at the Portland Hospital. The Duchess of York, who wore a navy floral print midi dress for the family's first outing, swaddled the baby in a white blanket. Rex Features Royal couples with their newborns Two years later, Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew had another child, Princess Eugenie Victoria Helena. Born on 23 March 1990, Eugenie was introduced to the world covered by a cosy white blanket to shield her from the frosty temperatures. Sarah opted for a baby-pink, black and white pencil skirt suit with oversized buttons. Rex Features Royal couples with their newborns On 21 June 1982, Princess Diana and Prince Charles welcomed their first-born son, William Arthur Philip Louis Windsor. Diana gave birth at the Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital, London at 9:03pm. The next day, Diana and Charles introduced William, who was swaddled in a white lace shawl designed by from G. H. Hurt & Son, to the world. Diana wore a polka dot green midi dress that featured a bow neckline detail and sensible red flats. Rex Features Royal couples with their newborns Prince Harry - Henry Charles Albert David - was also born at the Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital on 15 September 1984. The newborn was presented to the world in a blanket designed by the same company, G. H. Hurt & Son, the following day. Princess Diana wore a red and white ensemble, including a dress with a long scarlet jacket by Jan van Velden and contrasting collar. The newborn was visited by his older brother, William, who wore red shorts and white embroidered shirt. PA Royal couples with their newborns Princess Anne was the first member of the royal family to give birth at the Lindo Wing of St Mary's hospital, with the birth of her son Peter Phillips in 1977, weighing 7lbs 9oz. The child made his appearance to the world in the arms of a nurse, who emerged from the wing with a group of her colleagues behind the princess before the royals were driven home. Rex Features Royal couples with their newborns In 1982, Princess Anne gave birth to her second child, Zara Phillips, at the Lindo Wing, weighing 8lbs 1oz. This time, the royal carried the newborn baby to the car herself. Rex Features "It had been taken." Keiley says he used the handle to reflect his devotion to Reading FC and his home county of Sussex. While he didnt post often on the account, Keiley did use it to like and follow other peoples posts. However, the social media user claims no one from the royal family or Instagram contacted him to acquire permission to make the username change. Instagram has since released a statement, claiming that Keiley's username was swapped to avoid digital squatting the creation of accounts with the aim of preventing others from using them or for the purpose of selling them on. Keiley told the radio programme he hasn't been on Instagram since learning of the username change and that he is "annoyed" that a representative from the social media platform didn't contact him. "I'm a bit loath to use Instagram until I have a chat with them personally, he adds. Keiley also has the username @sussexroyal on Twitter. "I can tell you that Twitter's gone mental. I used to have four followers and in 24 hours I've gone up to about 198," he states. "What I'm trying to do is keep tweeting therefore they can't take it if it's active. I don't know what the royals are planning down the line." Keiley also says people have started to troll him on Twitter since news of the username clash came to light. "I didn't ask for this. I've had the account for years - it's not very pleasant," he said. "We just put up with it don't we? I'm sure famous people put up with it millions of times a day." Prince Harry and Meghan Markles Instagram follower count currently stands at 3.4 million. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events On Wednesday, the account posted a photograph of Prince Harry visiting the YMCA in South Ealing, London. The Independent has contacted Instagram for comment. An unhappy story from Saga, which this morning reported a thumping loss and tore up its previous strategy. Its an open question as to who should feel more annoyed at whats emerged: customers or investors. The latter have grounds for feeling deeply unhappy. Saga sells travel and insurance to the over 50s, which ought to put it in a sweet spot given this countrys ageing population. But the shares have been left languishing at less than half the price they floated at four years ago, and at barely a third of their peak. Its surely in need of a hip replacement. The insurance business requires more drastic surgery still. Which brings us to those customers. Saga has a powerful brand among its core demographic. The way it has operated the business suggests its undeserved. The company has sought to draw customers in by offering low prices before pumping them up in the second and third years and hoping they won't notice. Its a shabby practice, one that was called out by Citizens Advice in a super complaint to the Competition & Markets Authority concerning the loyalty penalty imposed on bill payers who stick with the suppliers of a range of services rather than switching. Its true, as was pointed out to me this morning, that it isnt just Saga thats at fault here. Much of the industry does the same thing. However, thats no excuse, particularly for a business that trumpets one of the most recognised and trusted brands in the UK. This is supposed to be the company that will look after your grandparents because it understands them. The fact that it hasn't been doing that makes the kicking it has been getting richly deserved. Saga plans to address the issue with the launch of home and motor insurance products with a three year fixed price offer, just so long as its customers dont claim within that period. The significance of this change should not be under estimated in todays insurance market, said CEO Lance Batchelor who described the change to his previous (failed) strategy as bold and fundamental. Sagas 2.1m customers would really be best off saying something like, tell you what, Im only going to sign up after using a price comparison website to see if theres anything better around, and Im going to keep on using one from now on. Heres hoping some of the silver surfers do that. Saga doesnt deserve their loyalty. Business news: In pictures Show all 13 1 /13 Business news: In pictures Business news: In pictures Flybe collapses Airline Flybe has collapsed. All future flights on the Exeter-based airline have been cancelled leaving more than 2,300 staff facing an uncertain future, and wrecking the travel plans of hundreds of thousands of passengers. The chief executive, Mark Anderson, said: Europes largest independent regional airline has been unable to overcome significant funding challenges to its business. AFP via Getty Business news: In pictures Future product placement will be 'tailored to individual viewers' Marketing executives say that product placement in films and televison shows on streaming services such as Netflix may be tailored to individuals in future. For instance, if data shows that a viewer is a fan of pepsi, a billboard in the background of a shot would host an advert for pepsi, while for a viewer known to have different tastes it could be for Coca-Cola Paramount Business news: In pictures Corbyn wishes Amazon a happy birthday In a card sent to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on the company's 25th birthday, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn writes: "You owe the British people millions in taxes that pay for the public services that we all rely on. Please pay your fair share" Business news: In pictures No deal, no tariffs The government has announced that it would slash almost all tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Notable exceptions include cars and meat, which will see tariffs in place to protect British farmers Getty Business news: In pictures Fingerprint payment NatWest is trialling a new bank card that will allow people to touch their hand to the card when paying rather than typing in a PIN number. The card will work by recognising the user's fingerprint NatWest/PA Wire Business news: In pictures Mahabis bust High-end slipper retailer Mahabis has gone into administration. 2 Jan 2019 Mahabis Business news: In pictures Costa Cola Coca-Cola has paid 3.9bn for Costa Coffee. A cafe chain is a new venture for the global soft drinks giant PA Business news: In pictures RIP Payday Loans A funeral procession for payday loans was held in London on September 2. The future of pay day lenders is in doubt after Wonga, Britain's biggest, went into administration on August 30 PA Business news: In pictures Musk irks investors and directors Elon Musk has concluded that Tesla will remain public. Investors and company directors were angry at Musk for tweeting unexpectedly that he was considering taking Tesla private and share prices had taken a tumble in the following weeks Getty Business news: In pictures Jaguar warning Iconic British car maker Jaguar Land Rover warned on July 5, 2018 that a "bad" Brexit deal could jeopardise planned investment of more than $100 billion, upping corporate pressure as the government heads into crucial talks AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures Spotif-IPO Spotify traded publically for the first time on the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday. However, the company isn't issuing shares, but rather, shares held by Spotify's private investors will be sold AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures French blue passports The deadline to award a contract to make blue British passports after Brexit has been extended by two weeks following a request by bidder De La Rue. The move comes after anger at the announcement British passports would be produced by Franco-Dutch firm Gemalto when De La Rues contract ends in July. The British firm said Gemalto was chosen only because it undercut the competition, but the UK company also admitted that it was not the cheapest choice in the tendering process. Business news: In pictures Beast from the east economic impact The Beast from the East wiped 4m off of Flybes revenues due to flight cancellations, airport closures and delays, according to the budget airlines estimates. Flybe said it cancelled 994 flights in the three months to 31 March, compared to 372 in the same period last year. In the meantime, its written down the value of its insurance business by 300m, a decision that sent its full year results plunging into the red, and slashed its dividend. Hey! Maybe this does mean a better deal for its customers after all. If investors are unhappy at being told they're going to get less from now on, well they know who to blame. A new strategy is clearly what this business needs. But theres an equally strong argument that it needs a new CEO too. Nissan's former chairman Carlos Ghosn has been taken in for questioning by Japanese prosecutors, less a month after he was released on bail ahead of his trial on financial misconduct charges. He may face what will be his fourth arrest, having been first arrested in November on charges of under-reporting his compensation and re-arrested twice in December, including on breach of trust charges Japanese TV footage showed officials entering Mr Ghosn's apartment in Tokyo, and a car later going to the prosecutors' office. The latest charge appears to be related to the investigation by Nissan Motor Company's French alliance partner Renault about payments in Oman to a major dealership, some of which is suspected of having been channelled for Mr Ghosn's personal use. Mr Ghosn has denied any wrongdoing on all counts. In statement he called it an "outrageous and arbitary arrest". 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 He added: "I'm innocent of the groundless charges against me". His arrest came hours after Renault accused him of "questionable and concealed practices" and accused him of "violations of the group's ethical principles" - the first time Renault has publicly criticised its former executive. The French car giant said it would stop Mr Ghosn's pension, thought to be worth 650,000. On the Oman allegations, Mr Ghosn's representatives said: "The payments made by Renault to the distributor in Oman have not been diverted from their commercial objectives and under no circumstances has all or part of such payments benefited Carlos Ghosn or his family." Mr Ghosn has said the compensation at Nissan, allegedly promised for the future, was never decided or paid; Nissan never suffered losses for his personal investments; and the allegedly dubious payments were for legitimate services. He had tweeted he would hold a news conference on 11 April, where he would tell "the truth" on what was unfolding. A condition for his release on bail included not using the internet. It is unclear if the authorities are considering the tweet a technical violation. Recommended The Japanese criminal justice system is in the dock with Carlos Ghosn Mr Ghosn was a star in the auto industry, having steered Nissan for two decades from the brink of bankruptcy to one of the largest groups in the industry, allied with Renault and smaller Japanese partner Mitsubishi Motors Corp. His case has drawn international attention. His release from the Tokyo Detention Center, although coming after nearly four months, was unusually quick for this nation, where long detentions without convictions are routine. The detentions have been criticised as "hostage justice" in getting confessions. One in four UK adults believe the era of ownership is coming to an end, a study suggests. A poll of 2,000 people found more than 40 per cent believe they will never own their own home perhaps unsurprising given the countrys well-documented housing crisis. However, the poll also suggested that currently less than half the nation own cars outright. The results of the study display the current trend for renting almost anything, instead of shelling out on permanent purchases, which could imply a shift in attitude towards ownership as a general concept. As the sharing economy continues to gain popularity, one in ten adults believe sharing feels more modern. Nanotechnology: The search for micro miracles Show all 5 1 /5 Nanotechnology: The search for micro miracles Nanotechnology: The search for micro miracles Doctors inside your body Wearable fitness technology means we can monitor our health by strapping gadgets to ourselves. There are even prototype electronic tattoos that can sense our vital signs. But by scaling down this technology, we could go further by implanting or injecting tiny sensors inside our bodies. This would capture much more detailed information with less hassle to the patient, enabling doctors to personalise their treatment. The possibilities are endless, ranging from monitoring inflammation and post-surgery recovery to more exotic applications whereby electronic devices actually interfere with our body's signals for controlling organ function. Although these technologies might sound like a thing of the far future, multi-billion healthcare firms such as GlaxoSmithKline are already working on ways to develop so-called "electroceuticals". Alamy Nanotechnology: The search for micro miracles Sensors, sensors, everywhere These sensors rely on newly-invented nanomaterials and manufacturing techniques to make them smaller, more complex and more energy efficient. For example, sensors with very fine features can now be printed in large quantities on flexible rolls of plastic at low cost. This opens up the possibility of placing sensors at lots of points over critical infrastructure to constantly check that everything is running correctly. Bridges, aircraft and even nuclear power plants could benefit. Alamy Nanotechnology: The search for micro miracles Self-healing structures If cracks do appear then nanotechnology could play a further role. Changing the structure of materials at the nanoscale can give them some amazing properties by giving them a texture that repels water, for example. In the future, nanotechnology coatings or additives will even have the potential to allow materials to "heal" when damaged or worn. For example, dispersing nanoparticles throughout a material means that they can migrate to fill in any cracks that appear. This could produce self-healing materials for everything from aircraft cockpits to microelectronics, preventing small fractures from turning into large, more problematic cracks. Alamy Nanotechnology: The search for micro miracles Making big data possible All these sensors will produce more information than we've ever had to deal with before so we'll need the technology to process it and spot the patterns that will alert us to problems. The same will be true if we want to use the "big data" from traffic sensors to help manage congestion and prevent accidents, or prevent crime by using statistics to more effectively allocate police resources. Here, nanotechnology is helping to create ultra-dense memory that will allow us to store this wealth of data. But it's also providing the inspiration for ultra-efficient algorithms for processing, encrypting and communicating data without compromising its reliability. Nature has several examples of big-data processes efficiently being performed in real-time by tiny structures, such as the parts of the eye and ear that turn external signals into information for the brain. Alamy Nanotechnology: The search for micro miracles Tackling climate change The fight against climate change means we need new ways to generate and use electricity, and nanotechnology is already playing a role. It has helped create batteries that can store more energy for electric cars and has enabled solar panels to convert more sunlight into electricity. The common trick in both applications is to use nanotexturing or nanomaterials (for example nanowires or carbon nanotubes) that turn a flat surface into a three-dimensional one with a much greater surface area. This means that there is more space for the reactions that enable energy storage or generation to take place, so the devices operate more efficiently. In the future, nanotechnology could also enable objects to harvest energy from their environment. New nano-materials and concepts are currently being developed that show potential for producing energy from movement, light, variations in temperature, glucose and other sources with high conversion efficiency. Alamy Around one in four enjoy the flexibility in pricing that it offers over paying a lump sum when purchasing an item. And one fifth believe there is less pressure and responsibility when renting, though 36 per cent of adults think they would miss the sense of ownership they feel when buying items. The study also found eight in ten drivers believe the need to own a car has fallen in the last five years. However, one in three Brits still said they felt pressure to own their home outright. Xavier Collins, director of Turo UK, which commissioned the research, said: Were living in a post-ownership society. From the homes we stay in to the cars we drive, the sharing economy is dominating more and more corners of our lives. Brits are feeling empowered to own less, and those who do own assets are becoming more entrepreneurial with them, accelerating the UKs sharing culture. SWNS Celebrated in Britain as a playful visionary, with films such as 1995s La Pointe Courte and 1962s Cleo From 5 to 7, French filmmaker Agnes Varda became known as the grandmother of the French New Wave when she was barely 30 years old. Her storytelling style which she called cinecriture broke with Hollywood and conventional European narrative structures, pacing and acting, paving the way for directors such as Jean-Luc Godard and Alain Resnais. Following a career spanning more than 60 years, in 2017 Varda, who has died aged 90, became the first woman to win a lifetime achievement award at the Oscars. That year she made road trip documentary Faces Places, with the French photographer JR. The film was nominated for an Oscar last year. Though she worked in the shadow of New Wave directors such as Godard, Resnais and Francois Truffaut, she was credited with inspiring many of the hallmarks of the movement: nonlinear narrative, an emphasis on mood over storyline and jump-cuts. Varda was, by any definition, an outsider when she began making films in 1954: as a woman but also as a photographer, without professional training in cinema. A former art and philosophy student, she spent her early career in Paris as the official photographer of the Theatre National Populaire. Resnais, a friend who was making well-received documentary films, urged her to try filmmaking. Varda became the first woman to win the Academy Honorary Award in 2017 (Getty) The French film production unions were hostile to amateurs, so Varda and a small crew working on a minuscule budget left Paris for the Mediterranean fishing village of Sete, where she lived as a child, to make La Pointe Courte. Varda was determined to let the films narrative meander, without using dialogue as a vehicle for exposition. Though not a commercial success, critics noted its daring style. Varda spent the next eight years making documentaries, several commissioned by the French tourism office. Her next feature was Cleo From 5 to 7, which she wrote and directed the story of a female pop star suffering cancer. A year later she made Salut les Cubains, a 1963 short documentary on daily life during the Cuban revolution told through thousands of still photographs. In 1967, she collaborated with directors including Godard and Resnais to make anti-war film Far From Vietnam. Two years later, Varda made her American feature debut, Lions Love ( and Lies). The quirky and mostly improvised film starred the Warhol superstar Viva (Hoffman) and the authors of the rock musical Hair. Arlette Varda was born in Brussels in 1928, to a Greek father and a French mother. Her family fled to Sete during the Second World War and she changed her first name to Agnes aged 18. In 1962, she married director Jacques Demy, with whom she had a son. Earlier, she had a daughter with actor Antoine Bourseiller, and Demy adopted her. Survivors include her children, Mathieu Demy and Rosalie Varda. Vardas interest in the feminist movement deepened in the 1970s. She made a short documentary about women, Reponse de Femmes (1975), and followed with several feminist-themed feature films. She won great acclaim as a feminist director with Vagabond, a 1985 drama about a drifter (Sandrine Bonnaire) whose body is found frozen in a ditch. Her story is revealed in flashbacks and semi-documentary-style interviews. The movie won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival. In 1990, Demy died of complications from Aids. His death and her grappling with mortality became the subject of her 1991 documentary Jacquot de Nantes, which featured recreations of his early life and raw footage of him dying. Varda made a second documentary about her husband, The World of Jacques Demy (1995), and one about herself, The Beaches of Agnes (2008). In 2015, she received an honorary Palme dOr at the Cannes Film Festival, the first woman to achieve that award. Her critically acclaimed 2000 documentary The Gleaners and I was a subjective documentary about French scavengers, but it became an extended exploration of Vardas fascination with discarded or lost things. I am the queen of the margins, she told The New York Times in 2009, reflecting on her lack of fame. But the films are loved. The films are remembered. And this is my aim to be loved as a filmmaker because I want to share emotions, to share the pleasure of being a filmmaker. Agnes Varda, filmmaker, born 30 May 1928, died 29 March 2019 Washington Post The vast majority of cannabis sold on the streets of Madrid contains dangerous levels of faecal matter and is unfit for human consumption, according to a new study. Manuel Perez Moreno, a pharmacologist at the Universidad Complutense in Madrid, obtained 90 samples of cannabis resin from different drug dealers in the Spanish capital and found E Coli bacteria and Aspergillus fungus in a high proportion of the samples. E Coli was present in 75 per cent of the samples he analysed an indicator of faecal contamination. And 10 per cent were contaminated with Aspergillus a dangerous fungus which can cause lung infections, particularly in people with underlying health conditions. The average amount of faecal bacteria in each gram of resin was 500 times higher than the maximum limit set by the US legislation for marijuana or by the European regulation for fruit and tea, the study revealed. Mr Perez said the methods of trafficking the drugs are the chief reason for the high levels of contamination. Where cannabis is and isn't legal Show all 10 1 /10 Where cannabis is and isn't legal Where cannabis is and isn't legal UK Having been reclassified in 2009 from a Class C to a Class B drug, cannabis is now the most used illegal drug within the United Kingdom. The UK is also, however, the only country where Sativex a prescribed drug that helps to combat muscle spasms in multiple sclerosis and contains some ingredients that are also found in cannabis - is licensed as a treatment Getty Where cannabis is and isn't legal North Korea Although many people believe the consumption of cannabis in North Korea to be legal, the official law regarding the drug has never been made entirely clear whilst under Kim Jong Uns regime. However, it is said that the North Korean leader himself has openly said that he does not consider cannabis to be a drug and his regime doesnt take any issue with the consumption or sale of the drug MARCEL VAN HOORN/AFP/Getty Images Where cannabis is and isn't legal Netherlands In the Netherlands smoking cannabis is legal, given that it is smoked within the designated smoking areas and you dont possess more than 5 grams for personal use. It is also legal to sell the substance, but only in specified coffee shops Getty Where cannabis is and isn't legal USA Although in some states of America cannabis has now been legalised, prior to the legalisation, police in the U.S. could make a marijuana-related arrest every 42 seconds, according to US News and World Report. The country also used to spend around $3.6 billion a year enforcing marijuana law, the American Civil Liberties Union notes AP Photo/Ted S. Warren Where cannabis is and isn't legal Spain Despite cannabis being officially illegal in Spain, the European hotspot has recently started to be branded, the new Amsterdam. This is because across Spain there are over 700 Cannabis Clubs these are considered legal venues to consume cannabis in because the consumption of the drug is in private, and not in public. These figures have risen dramatically in the last three years in 2010 there were just 40 Cannabis Clubs in the whole of Spain. Recent figures also show that in Catalonia alone there are 165,000 registered members of cannabis clubs this amounts to over 5 million euros (4 million) in revenue each month Getty Where cannabis is and isn't legal Uruguay In December 2013, the House of Representatives and Senate passed a bill legalizing and regulating the production and sale of the drug. But the president has since postponed the legalization of cannabis until to 2015 and when it is made legal, it will be the authorities who will grow the cannabis that can be sold legally. Buyers must be 18 or older, residents of Uruguay, and must register with the authorities Getty Where cannabis is and isn't legal Pakistan Despite the fact that laws prohibiting the sale and misuse of cannabis exist and is considered a habit only entertained by lower-income groups, it is very rarely enforced. The occasional use of cannabis in community gatherings is broadly tolerated as a centuries old custom. The open use of cannabis by Sufis and Hindus as a means to induce euphoria has never been challenged by the state. Further, large tracts of cannabis grow unchecked in the wild Getty Where cannabis is and isn't legal Portugal In 2001, Portugal became the first country in the world to decriminalize the use of all drugs, and started treating drug users as sick people, instead of criminals. However, you can still be arrested or assigned mandatory rehab if you are caught several times in possession of drugs Getty Where cannabis is and isn't legal Puerto Rico Although the use of cannabis is currently illegal, it is said that Puerto Rico are in the process of decriminalising it RAUL ARBOLEDA/AFP/Getty Images Where cannabis is and isn't legal China Cannabis is grown in the wild and has been used to treat conditions such as gout and malaria. But, officially the substance is illegal to consume, possess and sell Getty According to Spanish newspaper El Pais, he said traffickers wrap the cannabis resin in transparent film so they are the size of acorns, and ingest them, ball after ball, after having eaten yoghurt to neutralise stomach acids. When they arrive in Spain, they take laxatives and emit the acorns. And that goes on sale, the pharmacist said. He reported 93 per cent of the cannabis in these acorns contained E coli, and said 40 per cent of the acorns he bought smelled of faeces. Most of the hashish sold in Madrid is not suitable for human consumption, mainly due to microbiological criteria, and represents a danger to health, he concludes in his study, published in the journal Forensic Science International. Of all the samples obtained, 83.3 per cent were deemed unsafe for human consumption. The studys authors warned the dangers can affect vulnerable patients buying cannabis illegally to manage pain. They said in recent years the number of people with cancer who smoke cannabis has increased as they attempt to reduce the side effects of chemotherapy. These patients have weakened immune systems, so an infection caused by the consumption of contaminated or adulterated hashish could be fatal, the study says. Combustion does not reduce all the risks, Mr Perez explained. The filters of the joints are hollow. Not only do you suck the smoke, you also suck particles, he said. Biologist Immaculada Santos, co-author of the study and also a professor at the university told El Pais: The amounts of bacteria we have observed are outrageous. The problem is not just inhalation. Hashish is being manipulated with his hands constantly. It is clear that it is a public health problem. Injecting marshmallow bunnies with fungi, for science Its science time in Candy Land. On Twitter last week, a scientist at West Virginia University in the US shared his latest experiment: sugar-coated marshmallow bunnies inoculated with a dozen kinds of fungi. Thousands of people are eager to see the results. Welcome to the weird world in which mycologist Matthew Kasson is studying whether common fungi can survive or even thrive under extreme conditions such as on the chemically preserved, water-deprived marshmallows sold in the US under the brand Peeps. He hopes to show how a simple, silly experiment can illuminate the basics of studying fungal biology and ecology. Given its the holiday season of which Peeps are a part of I thought it would be interesting to see if fungi could colonise these things that have a long shelf life, Kasson said. Peeps are a good substance for fungal research because they contain sugar and corn syrup, which some fungi love. But they also contain potassium sorbate, a preservative that prolongs shelf life and prohibits the growth of many moulds and yeasts. So Kasson bought two packages of yellow and pink peeps (with personal funds) and brought them to his lab. He selected fungi from a stock of cultures he was growing for his daily work investigating their roles in forest pathology. The dozen candidates included fungi common in forests that love sugar, degrade wood, cause diseases in trees or are related to penicillin, which seems to tolerate potassium sorbate. With a sterile scalpel, he sliced a vertical incision in each bunnys belly and inserted fungal samples. He repeated this for all 12 fungi in pink and yellow Peeps. Twenty-four hours later, he added a drop of sterile water directly into the incision wounds of a random set of peeps to assist colonisation. After two weeks, Kasson will bisect the subjects to search for signs of growth, such as mycelium or spores. When the experiment ends, he will isolate anything that took root, or try regrowing the fungal bits he put into the Peeps to demonstrate that the sweets didnt kill it. We will then autoclave them with the rest of the hazardous material, Kasson said. There will be no consumption. Mosquitos have to smell body odour and exhaled CO2 before they feed (Getty Images/iStockphoto) Love at first bite: how mosquitoes sniff your sweat Its actually very difficult to attract mosquitoes. It may not feel that way on a warm and sticky summer night. But every time a mosquito sneaks up to an animal thousands of times its size to feed, it is trying to pull off something extremely dangerous, said Matthew DeGennaro, a mosquito geneticist and professor at Florida International University. The right cues a whiff of exhaled carbon dioxide, warmth, a bit of body odour, and other mysterious elements of animal smell have to be there, or mosquitoes wont take the risk. To design traps that could lure mosquitoes, scientists would love to know how they are picking up these cues. In a paper published in Current Biology, DeGennaro and colleagues report that they have unravelled part of the mystery. They identified a receptor in the mosquitos antennae that allows the insects to detect lactic acid, a substance from human sweat that the bugs find very attractive. The work began years ago when DeGennaro, then working in the lab of Leslie Vosshall at Rockefeller University, identified another odour receptor that mosquitoes used to home in on prey. However, even with that receptor destroyed, mosquitoes could still find humans as long as carbon dioxide was floating around. That suggested that other receptors, presumably ones that detect carbon dioxide, were compensating for the loss. Science news in pictures Show all 20 1 /20 Science news in pictures Science news in pictures Pluto has 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen Pluto has a 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen that is doing strange things to its surface, Nasa has found. The mysterious core seems to be the cause of features on its surface that have fascinated scientists since they were spotted by Nasa's New Horizons mission. "Before New Horizons, everyone thought Pluto was going to be a netball - completely flat, almost no diversity," said Tanguy Bertrand, an astrophysicist and planetary scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center and the lead author on the new study. "But it's completely different. It has a lot of different landscapes and we are trying to understand what's going on there." Getty Science news in pictures Over 400 species discovered this year by Natural History Museum The ancient invertabrate worm-like species rhenopyrgus viviani (pictured) is one of over 400 species previously unknown to science that were discovered by experts at the Natural History Museum this year PA Science news in pictures Jackdaws can identify 'dangerous' humans Jackdaws can identify dangerous humans from listening to each others warning calls, scientists say. The highly social birds will also remember that person if they come near their nests again, according to researchers from the University of Exeter. In the study, a person unknown to the wild jackdaws approached their nest. At the same time scientists played a recording of a warning call (threatening) or contact calls (non-threatening). The next time jackdaws saw this same person, the birds that had previously heard the warning call were defensive and returned to their nests more than twice as quickly on average. Getty Science news in pictures Turtle embryos influence sex by shaking The sex of the turtle is determined by the temperatures at which they are incubated. Warm temperatures favour females. But by wiggling around the egg, embryos can find the Goldilocks Zone which means they are able to shield themselves against extreme thermal conditions and produce a balanced sex ratio, according to the new study published in Current Biology journal Ye et al/Current Biology Science news in pictures Elephant poaching rates drop in Africa African elephant poaching rates have dropped by 60 per cent in six years, an international study has found. It is thought the decline could be associated with the ivory trade ban introduced in China in 2017. Reuters Science news in pictures Ancient four-legged whale discovered in Peru Scientists have identified a four-legged creature with webbed feet to be an ancestor of the whale. Fossils unearthed in Peru have led scientists to conclude that the enormous creatures that traverse the planets oceans today are descended from small hoofed ancestors that lived in south Asia 50 million years ago A. Gennari Science news in pictures Animal with transient anus discovered A scientist has stumbled upon a creature with a transient anus that appears only when it is needed, before vanishing completely. Dr Sidney Tamm of the Marine Biological Laboratory could not initially find any trace of an anus on the species. However, as the animal gets full, a pore opens up to dispose of waste Steven G Johnson Science news in pictures Giant bee spotted Feared extinct, the Wallace's Giant bee has been spotted for the first time in nearly 40 years. An international team of conservationists spotted the bee, that is four times the size of a typical honeybee, on an expedition to a group of Indonesian Islands Clay Bolt Science news in pictures New mammal species found inside crocodile Fossilised bones digested by crocodiles have revealed the existence of three new mammal species that roamed the Cayman Islands 300 years ago. The bones belonged to two large rodent species and a small shrew-like animal New Mexico Museum of Natural History Science news in pictures Fabric that changes according to temperature created Scientists at the University of Maryland have created a fabric that adapts to heat, expanding to allow more heat to escape the body when warm and compacting to retain more heat when cold Faye Levine, University of Maryland Science news in pictures Baby mice tears could be used in pest control A study from the University of Tokyo has found that the tears of baby mice cause female mice to be less interested in the sexual advances of males Getty Science news in pictures Final warning to limit "climate catastrophe" The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has issued a report which projects the impact of a rise in global temperatures of 1.5 degrees Celsius and warns against a higher increase Getty Science news in pictures Nobel prize for evolution chemists The nobel prize for chemistry has been awarded to three chemists working with evolution. Frances Smith is being awarded the prize for her work on directing the evolution of enzymes, while Gregory Winter and George Smith take the prize for their work on phage display of peptides and antibodies Getty/AFP Science news in pictures Nobel prize for laser physicists The nobel prize for physics has been awarded to three physicists working with lasers. Arthur Ashkin (L) was awarded for his "optical tweezers" which use lasers to grab particles, atoms, viruses and other living cells. Donna Strickland and Gerard Mourou were jointly awarded the prize for developing chirped-pulse amplification of lasers Reuters/AP Science news in pictures Discovery of a new species of dinosaur The Ledumahadi Mafube roamed around 200 million years ago in what is now South Africa. Recently discovered by a team of international scientists, it was the largest land animal of its time, weighing 12 tons and standing at 13 feet. In Sesotho, the South African language of the region in which the dinosaur was discovered, its name means "a giant thunderclap at dawn" Viktor Radermacher / SWNS Science news in pictures Birth of a planet Scientists have witnessed the birth of a planet for the first time ever. This spectacular image from the SPHERE instrument on ESO's Very Large Telescope is the first clear image of a planet caught in the very act of formation around the dwarf star PDS 70. The planet stands clearly out, visible as a bright point to the right of the center of the image, which is blacked out by the coronagraph mask used to block the blinding light of the central star. ESO/A. Muller et al Science news in pictures New human organ discovered that was previously missed by scientists Layers long thought to be dense, connective tissue are actually a series of fluid-filled compartments researchers have termed the interstitium. These compartments are found beneath the skin, as well as lining the gut, lungs, blood vessels and muscles, and join together to form a network supported by a mesh of strong, flexible proteins Getty Science news in pictures Previously unknown society lived in Amazon rainforest before Europeans arrived, say archaeologists Working in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, a team led by archaeologists at the University of Exeter unearthed hundreds of villages hidden in the depths of the rainforest. These excavations included evidence of fortifications and mysterious earthworks called geoglyphs Jose Iriarte Science news in pictures One in 10 people have traces of cocaine or heroin on fingerprints, study finds More than one in 10 people were found to have traces of class A drugs on their fingers by scientists developing a new fingerprint-based drug test. Using sensitive analysis of the chemical composition of sweat, researchers were able to tell the difference between those who had been directly exposed to heroin and cocaine, and those who had encountered it indirectly. Getty Science news in pictures Nasa releases stunning images of Jupiter's great red spot The storm bigger than the Earth, has been swhirling for 350 years. The image's colours have been enhanced after it was sent back to Earth. Pictures by: Tom Momary DeGennaro and his colleagues went in search of these other players. The researchers put mosquitoes that had been engineered to lack a receptor called Ir8a into chambers where they were exposed to combinations of carbon dioxide, lactic acid, warm temperatures and the arms of human volunteers. We just did a simple behavioural test to whether they could respond to lactic acid, said DeGennaro. And they couldnt. The knowledge could eventually lead to repellents that hamper the normal functioning of Ir8a, or help construct effective traps, Gennaro said. New, effective strategies for mosquito control that can be used in combination with each other are crucial, DeGennaro said. The use of an insecticide alone, for instance, encourages the development of insects that are resistant. But if traps, chemicals to kill larvae and other tools are used all at once, its possible to have more success. A quartet of Saturns moons surround and are embedded in the planets rings. Titan is the big moon in the background (NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science I) Saturns rings are sculpted by mini-moons Saturn has more than 60 moons but a handful of them do more than spangle the planets skies. Snuggled close to Saturn, these innermost moons are small Epimetheus, one of the largest, stretches just 72 miles across. But they are hefty enough to help sculpt Saturns rings. Orbiting at the edges of some of the planets main rings, or in gaps between them, these shepherd moons wield enough gravity to herd icy ring particles into place. Some, like Atlas, tend the bangles by pruning and neatening their edges. Others, like Pan and Daphnis, mow lanes between the rings. These moons kind of sweep out cavities within the rings, said Bonnie Buratti of Nasa, who described the mini-moons in a study published in Science. But the rings sculpt the moons, too, coating them with colourful mounds of ice and crafting some unusual shapes. Theyre quite different than the rest of the moons, said co-author Carly Howett of the Southwest Research Institute in Texas. Some of them look absolutely crazy. After more than a decade in orbit around Saturn, Nasas Cassini spacecraft plunged through the planets atmosphere in September 2017. Before it vaporised, the probe completed a series of ring-grazing loops that included five close fly-bys of Atlas, Daphnis, Epimetheus, Pan and Pandora. Now, using Cassinis observations of shape, colour and composition, scientists can guess at the moons origins and are working on figuring out why some of them look so utterly different from the space potato-shape of most small bodies. Cracked and cratered, 17-mile-wide Pan is wearing a narrow, knife-edge fringe around its equator, while 30-mile-wide Atlas is smooth and swaddled in a skirt thats so voluminous it mostly hides the moons bulbous core. Based on Cassinis observations, the team determined that these skirts are made from ring particles that collide with and stick to the moons, rather than from shifting terrain. Neither of these moons is actually orbiting in a cloud of ring material right now, so it wasnt necessarily obvious that the equatorial ridges come from accreted ring material, said Matthew Tiscareno of the SETI Institute, who was not involved in the study. He said more work was needed to explain the differences between the two moons. Volcanic lightning can be caused by radioactive gas (AFP/Getty Images) Why lightning erupts in volcanoes As plumes of ash rise from a volcano, volcanic lightning sometimes erupts in its clouds. Generally, its assumed that jostling ash particles build up huge electrical imbalances that can only be neutralised by supercharged bolts. But something else may contribute to the electrification of volcanic plumes. By sending balloon-raised electricity-detecting instruments over Sicilys hyperactive Stromboli volcano, scientists discovered that even volcanic clouds that lack ash contain substantial amounts of charge. The source of this phantom electrification could be the decay of volcanic radon, an odourless and colourless radioactive compound. A similar process may occur above radon-emitting volcanoes around the world, said Karen Aplin, a physicist at the University of Bristol and a co-author of the study published in Geophysical Research Letters. If radon-driven electrification influences the behaviour and lifetime of volcanic ash plumes the very same that can down planes, bury cities and suffocate farms then understanding the gass role could help us be better prepared. Stromboli which has spectacular lava fountains matched only by its extremely gassy outbursts was the perfect place for the experiment. Its well-established that as radon decays, it releases charged particles that collide with compounds in the air, ionising them. This, the researchers suspect, was electrifying the ash-free plume. We cant be sure that it is radon which is generating the charge in such plumes without many further measurements, said lead author Keri Nicoll, an atmospheric scientist at the universities of Reading and Bath. But she added that its very likely that there are no other known charge generation mechanisms that can explain our observations. While it contributes, radon is probably not the sole arbiter of volcanic lightning. It certainly generates charge, but as Aplin explained, its unlikely that the radon mechanism alone could ever be strong enough to generate volcanic lightning without the help of ash. Cassandra Smith, an expert on volcanic lightning at the University of South Florida who was not involved in the study, agrees. She pointed out that no lightning was generated by that radon-rich, ash-free plume over Stromboli. She has also seen lightning appear during eruptions at the Sakurajima volcano that feature extremely small amounts of ash. Architects and builders in Zimbabwe found inspiration for air conditioning from termites (Getty Images/iStockphoto) What termites can teach us about cooling our buildings In the capital of Zimbabwe, a building called Eastgate Centre holds nearly 350,000 sq ft of office space and shops. It uses 90 per cent less energy than a similar-sized building next door. Whats the secret? Termites. In the 1990s, Mick Pearce, the buildings architect, took his inspiration from mounds built by fungus-farming termites he saw on a nature show. The insects created their own air conditioning systems that circulated hot and cool air between the mound and the outside. As architects and builders seek new and improved ways to cool buildings without using more energy in a warming world, a study of another type of termite mound suggests that Pearce wont be the last human to take design tips from these cockroach cousins. We think humans are the best designers, but this is not really true, said study author Kamaljit Singh, an engineer at Imperial College London. We can learn from small animals. Singh and his colleagues used high-resolution scanning technology and computer and physical simulations to examine the microscopic structure of the external walls of African termite nests. In slabs that look solid to the naked eye, the team found a network of tiny, interconnected pores. Through principles of basic physics, these pores regulate ventilation, humidity and possibly temperature, within the mound and nest. These natural structures may offer inspiration for engineers and builders, emphasising how comfort can be achieved through structure alone. Scott Turner, a physiologist who was not involved in the study, said Singhs research revealed how these pores help manage gas flow and drainage. If you look at the physics of gas exchange in the lung, its very much the same way as the termite mound is organised, Turner said. Singh and his colleagues, whose study was published in Science Advances, hope future studies of nests from other termite species will reveal general design principles that can be scaled up for humans. And as Eastgate Centre shows, buildings inspired by termites dont have to look like termites built them. There is a danger to see beautiful forms and shapes in nature and simply copy them, said Pearce. Were not copying forms. Were copying the process that made the form. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events New York Times A four-legged creature that had a tail and webbed feet similar to those found on otters, has been identified as an ancestor of the whale. Fossils unearthed in Peru have led scientists to conclude that the enormous creatures that traverse the planets oceans today are descended from small hoofed ancestors that lived in south Asia 50 million years ago. These small small hooves at the tips of its fingers and toes suggest it was able to walk on land as well as swim. An international research team came across the 4 metre-long specimen while digging for bones in the coastal desert of the South American country. They named it Peregocetus pacificus, meaning the travelling whale that reached the Pacific. Science news in pictures Show all 20 1 /20 Science news in pictures Science news in pictures Pluto has 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen Pluto has a 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen that is doing strange things to its surface, Nasa has found. The mysterious core seems to be the cause of features on its surface that have fascinated scientists since they were spotted by Nasa's New Horizons mission. "Before New Horizons, everyone thought Pluto was going to be a netball - completely flat, almost no diversity," said Tanguy Bertrand, an astrophysicist and planetary scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center and the lead author on the new study. "But it's completely different. It has a lot of different landscapes and we are trying to understand what's going on there." Getty Science news in pictures Over 400 species discovered this year by Natural History Museum The ancient invertabrate worm-like species rhenopyrgus viviani (pictured) is one of over 400 species previously unknown to science that were discovered by experts at the Natural History Museum this year PA Science news in pictures Jackdaws can identify 'dangerous' humans Jackdaws can identify dangerous humans from listening to each others warning calls, scientists say. The highly social birds will also remember that person if they come near their nests again, according to researchers from the University of Exeter. In the study, a person unknown to the wild jackdaws approached their nest. At the same time scientists played a recording of a warning call (threatening) or contact calls (non-threatening). The next time jackdaws saw this same person, the birds that had previously heard the warning call were defensive and returned to their nests more than twice as quickly on average. Getty Science news in pictures Turtle embryos influence sex by shaking The sex of the turtle is determined by the temperatures at which they are incubated. Warm temperatures favour females. But by wiggling around the egg, embryos can find the Goldilocks Zone which means they are able to shield themselves against extreme thermal conditions and produce a balanced sex ratio, according to the new study published in Current Biology journal Ye et al/Current Biology Science news in pictures Elephant poaching rates drop in Africa African elephant poaching rates have dropped by 60 per cent in six years, an international study has found. It is thought the decline could be associated with the ivory trade ban introduced in China in 2017. Reuters Science news in pictures Ancient four-legged whale discovered in Peru Scientists have identified a four-legged creature with webbed feet to be an ancestor of the whale. Fossils unearthed in Peru have led scientists to conclude that the enormous creatures that traverse the planets oceans today are descended from small hoofed ancestors that lived in south Asia 50 million years ago A. Gennari Science news in pictures Animal with transient anus discovered A scientist has stumbled upon a creature with a transient anus that appears only when it is needed, before vanishing completely. Dr Sidney Tamm of the Marine Biological Laboratory could not initially find any trace of an anus on the species. However, as the animal gets full, a pore opens up to dispose of waste Steven G Johnson Science news in pictures Giant bee spotted Feared extinct, the Wallace's Giant bee has been spotted for the first time in nearly 40 years. An international team of conservationists spotted the bee, that is four times the size of a typical honeybee, on an expedition to a group of Indonesian Islands Clay Bolt Science news in pictures New mammal species found inside crocodile Fossilised bones digested by crocodiles have revealed the existence of three new mammal species that roamed the Cayman Islands 300 years ago. The bones belonged to two large rodent species and a small shrew-like animal New Mexico Museum of Natural History Science news in pictures Fabric that changes according to temperature created Scientists at the University of Maryland have created a fabric that adapts to heat, expanding to allow more heat to escape the body when warm and compacting to retain more heat when cold Faye Levine, University of Maryland Science news in pictures Baby mice tears could be used in pest control A study from the University of Tokyo has found that the tears of baby mice cause female mice to be less interested in the sexual advances of males Getty Science news in pictures Final warning to limit "climate catastrophe" The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has issued a report which projects the impact of a rise in global temperatures of 1.5 degrees Celsius and warns against a higher increase Getty Science news in pictures Nobel prize for evolution chemists The nobel prize for chemistry has been awarded to three chemists working with evolution. Frances Smith is being awarded the prize for her work on directing the evolution of enzymes, while Gregory Winter and George Smith take the prize for their work on phage display of peptides and antibodies Getty/AFP Science news in pictures Nobel prize for laser physicists The nobel prize for physics has been awarded to three physicists working with lasers. Arthur Ashkin (L) was awarded for his "optical tweezers" which use lasers to grab particles, atoms, viruses and other living cells. Donna Strickland and Gerard Mourou were jointly awarded the prize for developing chirped-pulse amplification of lasers Reuters/AP Science news in pictures Discovery of a new species of dinosaur The Ledumahadi Mafube roamed around 200 million years ago in what is now South Africa. Recently discovered by a team of international scientists, it was the largest land animal of its time, weighing 12 tons and standing at 13 feet. In Sesotho, the South African language of the region in which the dinosaur was discovered, its name means "a giant thunderclap at dawn" Viktor Radermacher / SWNS Science news in pictures Birth of a planet Scientists have witnessed the birth of a planet for the first time ever. This spectacular image from the SPHERE instrument on ESO's Very Large Telescope is the first clear image of a planet caught in the very act of formation around the dwarf star PDS 70. The planet stands clearly out, visible as a bright point to the right of the center of the image, which is blacked out by the coronagraph mask used to block the blinding light of the central star. ESO/A. Muller et al Science news in pictures New human organ discovered that was previously missed by scientists Layers long thought to be dense, connective tissue are actually a series of fluid-filled compartments researchers have termed the interstitium. These compartments are found beneath the skin, as well as lining the gut, lungs, blood vessels and muscles, and join together to form a network supported by a mesh of strong, flexible proteins Getty Science news in pictures Previously unknown society lived in Amazon rainforest before Europeans arrived, say archaeologists Working in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, a team led by archaeologists at the University of Exeter unearthed hundreds of villages hidden in the depths of the rainforest. These excavations included evidence of fortifications and mysterious earthworks called geoglyphs Jose Iriarte Science news in pictures One in 10 people have traces of cocaine or heroin on fingerprints, study finds More than one in 10 people were found to have traces of class A drugs on their fingers by scientists developing a new fingerprint-based drug test. Using sensitive analysis of the chemical composition of sweat, researchers were able to tell the difference between those who had been directly exposed to heroin and cocaine, and those who had encountered it indirectly. Getty Science news in pictures Nasa releases stunning images of Jupiter's great red spot The storm bigger than the Earth, has been swhirling for 350 years. The image's colours have been enhanced after it was sent back to Earth. Pictures by: Tom Momary While the fossils are not the oldest whales ever found, they are significant because they show these ancient creatures spread across the world from their initial populations in Asia. The evolution of whales is perhaps the best-documented example of macroevolution that we have, with the group going from small, dog-sized, hoofed mammals to the giants of the ocean we know and love today, said Dr Travis Park from the Natural History Museum. However, despite having a good fossil record of the different stages involved, there are still questions remaining as to the routes that early whales took when they first spread around the world. The new find is helping the scientists answer that question. This is the first indisputable record of a quadrupedal whale skeleton for the whole Pacific Ocean, probably the oldest for the Americas, and the most complete outside India and Pakistan, said Dr Olivier Lambert of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, who led the research. Recommended Fossil barnacles reveal ancient migration routes of whales The scientists think these early whales reached the New World across the South Atlantic, swimming from the western coast of Africa to South America. They would have been aided by strong westward currents, and the fact that the continents were far closer together than they are today. The results were published in the journal Current Biology. Donald Trump fumed who the f*** are you? at a Republican congressman who questioned the size of his inauguration crowd, a new book has claimed. Details of the feisty exchange between the US president and Rep. Bill Posey feature in The Hill to Die On, a new book by Politico reporters Jake Sherman and Anna Palmer. Mr Posey reportedly asked Mr Trump to stop the tweets and whining about crowd size, according to the account, causing the president to fire back with the f-word and repeat his claim to have had the biggest inauguration in history. Extracts of the book, published in the US on Tuesday, have appeared in The Washington Post. The authors conducted a new interview with Mr Trump, in which he claimed to be unconcerned about the Democrats gaining control of the House of Representatives last year. Now, I just say, Hey, folks, lets go. Give me legislation. Let me see. And if we like it, well work on it, he told Mr Sherman and Ms Palmer. Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Show all 30 1 /30 Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Threatening to shut down Twitter after being fact-checked After the president tweeted that voting by post would be "substantially fraudulent", Twitter attached a warning label to his tweet and referred readers to a site which explained how the claim was "unsubstantiated". Trump then said Twitter was "stifling free speech" and that he may have to shut it down, something which he would not have the power to do AFP/Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Flippantly dismissing a serious allegation of sexual assault When author E Jean Carroll accused Trump of raping her, the president responded: Number one, shes not my type. Number two, it never happened. It never happened, OK?" AFP/Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Insulting the Mayor of London as he landed in London Just before touching down at Stansted Airport for his state visit, Trump took time out to @ the London mayor Sadiq Khan on twitter. He said that Khan has done a "terrible job"as mayor and that he is a "stone cold loser" Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Taking plenty of "Executive Time" The president's official schedule sets aside the hours from 8 to 11am daily for "Executive Time". Further intermittent periods of "Executive Time" are scheduled throughout any given day, ranging from 15 minutes to 3 hours. His duties in these hours have not been officially disclosed, though Axios reports that he spends them watching TV, reading the newspapers and tweeting Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Shutdown the government for over a month in an effort to secure funding for his wall With Mexico declining to pay for the wall, the president has faced difficulty in raising the required $5bn at home. Due to his demand that the money for the wall be included in the budget, and Congress's refusal, the government partially shut down on 22 December 2018. It remained shut for over a month, the longest period in history Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Joking about the Nazi occupation of France to President Macron In this tweet from 13 November 2018, the president mocks Emmanuel Macron's suggestion of a "true, European army" by invoking the conflict between France and Germany in the world wars Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Railing against the Mueller investigation The president has repeatedly claimed that the Mueller investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, is a "rigged witch hunt" Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Contradicting a US intelligence report on Russian meddling in the presence of Vladimir Putin In the press conference that followed his landmark meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin, Trump stated that he saw no reason why Russia would have meddled in the 2016 US election. This contradicted a 2017 report by the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence that found evidence of Russian interference in favour of Trump Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Contradicting his contradiction of a US intelligence report on Russian meddling Following furious backlash in the US, the president claimed that he meant to say that he saw no reason why it would not have been Russia who meddled in the 2016 US election. As to why he would have intended to use such bizarre phrasing, he did not comment Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Colouring in the US flag wrong The president coloured in the US flag wrongly during a visit to a children's hospital in Columbus, Ohio. He added a blue stripe where in tradition, and statute, there have been only white and red stripes AFP/Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Firing a Secretary of State over Twitter The president announced on Twitter that he was appointing Mike Pompeo as Secretary of State, much to the surprise of then Secretary of State Rex Tillerson Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Quoting a catchphrase from a reality TV show when discussing police brutality While addressing the issue of black athletes not standing for the national anthem in protest of police brutality, the president made reference to his catchphrase from reality TV show "The Apprentice": you're fired! Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Calling African nations "S***hole Countries" Ever one for diplomacy, the president reportedly referred to African nations as "s***hole countries". Asked to confirm this when meeting with Nigeria's President Buhari, Trump stated that there are "some countries that are in very bad shape". Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Defending Russian President Vladimir Putin Trump appeared to equate US foreign actions to those of Russian president Vladimir Putin, saying: There are a lot of killers. You think our countrys so innocent? Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Asking for people to 'pray' for Arnold Schwarzenegger At the National Prayer Breakfast, Trump couldnt help but to ask for prayers for the ratings on Arnold Schwarzeneggers show to be good. Schwarzenegger took over as host of The Apprentice which buoyed Trumps celebrity status years ago Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Hanging up on Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull Early in his presidency, Trump reportedly hung up the phone on Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull after the foreign leader angered him over refugee plans. Mr Trump later said that it was the worst call he had had so far Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... The 'Muslim ban' Perhaps one of his most controversial policies while acting as president, Trumps travel ban targeting predominantly Muslim countries has bought him a lot of criticism. The bans were immediately protested, and judges initially blocked their implementation. The Supreme Court later sided with the administrations argument that the ban was developed out of concern for US security Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Praising crowd size while touring Hurricane Harvey damage After Hurricane Harvey ravaged southeastern Texas, Trump paid the area a visit. While his response to the disaster in Houston was generally applauded, the president picked up some flack when he gave a speech outside Houston (he reportedly did not visit disaster zones), and praised the size of the crowds there AP Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... 'Little Rocket Man' During his first-ever speech to the United Nations General Assembly, Trump tried out a new nickname for North Korea leader Kim Jong-un: Rocket Man. He later tweaked it to be little Rocket Man as the two feuded, and threatened each other with nuclear war. During that speech, he also threatened to totally annihilate North Korea Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Attacking Sadiq Khan following London Bridge terror attack After the attack on the London Bridge, Trump lashed out at London Mayor Sadiq Khan, criticising Khan for saying there was no reason to be alarmed after the attack. Trump was taking the comments out of context, as Khan was simply saying that the police had everything under control Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Claiming presenter Mika Brezinkski was 'bleeding from the face' Never one not to mock his enemies, Trump mocked MSNBCs Morning Joe co-host Mika Brzezinski, saying that she and co-host Joe Scarborough had approached him before his inauguration asking to join him. He noted that she was bleeding badly from a face-lift at the time, and that he said no MSNBC Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Claiming the blame for Charlottesville was on 'both sides' Trump refused to condemn far-right extremists involved in violence at 'the march for the right' protests in Charlottesville, even after the murder of counter protester Heather Heyer AP Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Retweeting cartoon of CNN being hit by a 'Trump train' Trump retweeted a cartoon showing a Trump-branded train running over a person whose body and head were replaced by a CNN avatar. He later deleted the retweet Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Tweeting about 'slamming' CNN Trump caught some flack when he tweeted a video showing him wrestling down an individual whose head had been replaced by a CNN avatar. Trump has singled CNN out in particular with his chants of fake news Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Firing head of the FBI, James Comey Trumps firing of former FBI Director James Comey landed him with a federal investigation into Russias meddling in the 2016 election that has caused many a headache for the White House. The White House initially said that the decision was made after consultation from the Justice Department. Then Mr Trump himself said that he had decided to fire him in part because he wanted the Russia investigation Mr Comey was conducting to stop Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Not realising being president would be 'hard' Just three months into his presidency, Trump admitted that being president is harder than he thought it would be. Though Trump insisted on the 2016 campaign trail that doing the job would be easy for him, he admitted in an interview that living in the White House is harder than running a business empire Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Accusing Obama of wiretapping him Trump accused former president Barack Obama of wire tapping him on twitter. The Justice Department later clarified: Obama had not, in fact, done so Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Claiming there had been 3 million 'illegal votes' Trump was never very happy about losing the popular vote to Hillary Clinton by 2.8 million ballots. So, he and White House voter-fraud commissioner Kris Kobach have claimed that anywhere between three and five million people voted illegally during the 2016 election. Conveniently, he says that all of those illegal votes went to Clinton. (There is no evidence to support that level of widespread voter fraud.) Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Leaving Jews out of the Holocaust memorial statement Just days after taking office, Trumps White House issued a statement on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, but didnt mention jews or even the word jewish in the written statement Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Anger over Inauguration crowd size Trumps inauguration crowd was visibly, and noticeably, smaller than that of his predecessor, Barack Obama. But, he really wanted to have had the largest crowd on record. So, he praised it as the biggest crowd ever. Relatedly, Trump also claimed that it stopped raining in Washington at the moment he was inaugurated. It didnt, the day was very dreary Reuters According to the authors, Mr Trump was spotted working out attack lines against Steve Bannon during a briefing on infrastructure. Seen taking notes in the meeting, he was reportedly found to have scrawled the term Sloppy Steve referring to his former strategist, fired several months earlier. Recommended Mueller team say report more damaging to Trump than he realises The book takes a close look at the role of the presidents son-in-law Jared Kushner as it tries to explore the awkward relationship between the Trump administration and Congress. The authors said the senior advisor to the president appeared as if he wanted toand believed he couldsingle-handedly rewrite Congresss 200-year-old rules. Jared Kushners role under scrutiny in new book (Getty) According a review in The Guardian, Mr Kushner told the late senator John McCain were going to change the way the entire government works. Mr McCain reportedly responded: Good luck, son. The Washington Posts Ashley Parker said the book contained at least one or two nuggets in every chapter. The authors claimed some of their sources allowed them to listen in to telephone conversations or conference calls, and also shared meeting notes and transcripts. A "drunk and obnoxious" woman who drank three bottles of wine on a long-haul flight before calling the cabin crew Indian money-grabbing c***s, has been jailed. Simone Burns began her tirade after she was denied a fourth bottle of red wine on an Air India flight from Mumbai to London last November, Isleworth Crown Court heard. Told she could not have anything more to drink, she spat in the face of one flight attendant and yelled: Im a f*****g international lawyer. Then she retreated to the toilets to smoke. A member of the cabin staff described her conduct as unlike anything he had seen during his 34-year aviation career. Top 10 world travel destinations Show all 10 1 /10 Top 10 world travel destinations Top 10 world travel destinations 10. Dubai, UAE Results from the TripAdvisor Traveller's Choice awards 2019 Getty Top 10 world travel destinations 9. Marrakech, Morocco Getty Top 10 world travel destinations 8. Istanbul, Turkey Getty Top 10 world travel destinations 7. Barcelona, Spain Getty Top 10 world travel destinations 6. Phuket, Thailand Getty Top 10 world travel destinations 5. Bali, Indonesia Getty Top 10 world travel destinations 4. Crete, Greece Getty Top 10 world travel destinations 3. Rome, Italy Getty Top 10 world travel destinations 2. Paris, France Getty Top 10 world travel destinations 1. London, England Getty Sentencing her to six months in prison for being drunk on an aircraft and two months for assault, judge Nicholas Wood, told her: The experience of a drunk and irrational person in the confines of an aircraft is frightening, not least on a long-haul flight and poses a potential risk to safety. You were drunk and obnoxious almost from the beginning to the end. You were abusive, contemptuous and confrontational and used appalling language. Although the aircraft was not endangered Burns behaviour, the judge added that for the luckless and unfortunate passengers and crew there is no escape at 30,000ft. He said that spitting straight into a crew members face at close range is a particularly insulting and upsetting act. Burns, from Hove, sat quietly in the dock as she was sentenced. She had pleaded guilty and her sentences will be served concurrently. She was also ordered to pay 300 compensation to the person she assaulted. The 50-year-old is also known as Simone OBroin. Mark Kimsey, defending, suggested that her actions were due to a mixture of altitude, the consumption of drink and anxiety at the fact that she was likely to miss the funeral of an uncle. He said she was totally ashamed of her behaviour, adding: This is not a lady who has a drink problem. This is not a woman who has a drug problem. This is totally out of character. Burns was diagnosed with facial skin cancer in 2000 and has had multiple biopsies and surgeries to what is an active problem, Mr Kimsey told the court. He added she was waiting to receive a prosthetic nose. The lawyer, who has worked with refugees around the world, received death threats after details of her conduct emerged, he said. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events After breakfast was served she was asking for alcohol and being very obnoxious, the court heard. She was given three 250ml bottles of red wine an hour into the flight and had also complained that her TV was not positioned correctly. Later, Burns had gone to the galley to demand more alcohol when she stood back and spat into the crew members face, before grabbing the report the attendant was writing and continuing with her abusive behaviour, the court heard. The hearing was told that the flight attendant involved later said: In the 34 years I have worked for Air India this is the first time I have been treated like this by a woman. I felt abused. Burns was given multiple warnings during the flight, and then arrested when it landed. Additional reporting by PA More than 10,000 riot police officers are being readied to tackle disorder on the streets of Britain sparked by Brexit. They have prepared for potential riots, looting and disorder if there are long queues at ports or shortages to food, petrol and medicine. Police had originally prepared for the UK to leave the European Union (EU) on 29 March, but now face the prospect of a no-deal Brexit in just over a weeks time. Senior officers at the National Police Coordination Centre said the delay created fresh complexity in their operations, as well as an increasing risk of angry protests. While there is no specific intelligence of potential violence, police leaders said they were prepared for worst-case scenarios. Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Show all 30 1 /30 Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Pro-Brexit leave the European Union supporters attend a rally in Parliament Square after the final leg of the "March to Leave" in London AP Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit The protest march which started on March 16 in Sunderland, north east England, finished on what was the original date for Brexit to happen before the recent extension Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit AP Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit PA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit EPA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter sips a can of Stella in protests outside of the Houses of Parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Dedicated anti-Brexit campaigner Steve Bray and likewise pro-Brexit campaigner Joseph Afrane go head to head near the Houses of Parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A pro-Brexit marching band in Parliament Square Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Remain supporters wave EU flags from a bus in Parliament Square PA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter shouts slogans outside parliament EPA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter protests outside parliament Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter protests outside of the Houses of Parliament Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters protest outside of the Houses of Parliament REUTERS Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A pro-Brexit flag is waved in Parliament Square AP Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit The March to Leave nears the Houses of Parliament Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit protester holds a sign outside parliament EPA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters carry the coffin of democracy AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters march outside parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters take part in the March to Leave protest in London PA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters protest outside parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter holds a sign outside the Houses of Parliament Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A man holds satirical paintings of politicians Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit An pro-Brexit float on the March to Leave march in London Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Far-right activist Tommy Robinson addresses protesters outside the Houses of Parliament Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter outside the Houses of Parliament Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Tommy Robinson supporter arrives at the Houses of Parliament Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A jogger gestures rudely at a Brexit supporter outside of the Houses of Parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter outside the Houses of Parliament PA More than 10,000 officers trained in public order are available to be rolled out in a 24-hour period needed more than the total used in the 2011 riots with the first wave of 1,000 able to mobilise in an hour. The new National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) chair, Metropolitan Police assistant commissioner Martin Hewitt, said the situation would depend on the way prominent people with a platform conduct themselves. He added: Were in an incredibly febrile atmosphere as a result of the whole EU exit scenario. All groups of people need to think carefully we are in a febrile atmosphere and if youre in a position where you know youre going to be listened to, you need to be very careful about the language you are using so it doesnt end up with consequences that werent intended. Mr Hewitt said his warning applied to both politicians and activists, in the wake of rhetoric accusing MPs of betraying Brexit and protests that saw Brexiteers drag effigies of politicians through the streets. MPs have been called traitors by groups of yellow vest protesters stationed for months outside parliament, and police have been contacting politicians to ensure they have appropriate, proportionate and effective security advice and security arrangements in place. Commander Adrian Usher, who leads on MP security at the Metropolitan Police, said more MPs had been requesting security packages over safety fears. We have seen a greater level of abuse reported, he added. As weve moved towards key dates in the Brexit calendar there have been spikes ... elected representatives must be able to express themselves and go about their business without facing abuse or harassment. Brexit deadlock: Speaker blocks more indicative votes on alternative Brexit options In the past two weeks, police have recorded 37 crimes directly related to Brexit across England and Wales, including malicious communications, verbal abuse, harassment and offences committed at protests. Officers also predict another rise in hate crime, following a large spike in the wake of the 2016 EU referendum. Chief Constable Charlie Hall, the NPCC lead for operations, said: We know there are strong and competing views and a really loud debate but underneath that, there remains absolutely no excuse for hate crime and EU exit should not be used as one. He said police were facing high demand from violent crime and other issues, and had asked ports, border authorities and companies involved in food, petrol and medicine supplies to make their own contingency plans for no deal. Policing support should only be called on if absolutely necessary, he added. We have met with the Ministry of Defence to discuss the potential roles it could play to provide support for policing. At least 15 regional forces put restrictions on leave in preparation for Brexit, and others may have to extend shifts, and stop training and peripheral policing work if their officers need to be deployed elsewhere. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Two forces have officially asked for mutual aid Kent, which covers the Port of Dover, and Hampshire, which covers Portsmouth and Southampton. Mr Hall told The Independent preparations had so far had little effect on day-to-day crimefighting, but if national mobilisation plans are activated the impacts could be more significant. Around 1,000 officers have been trained in tactics only used in Northern Ireland, including the use of armoured vehicles and water cannons, in case officials in Belfast request extra support from England and Wales. The extra cost is expected to run into the millions of pounds, but the total will not be known until police chiefs bill the Home Office. As stalemate continues in Westminster, Mr Hewitt said police still do not know what that exit will look like and still face losing access to EU databases and law enforcement tools overnight. Mr Hall said officers were watching the politics closely after their plans for what was originally to be Brexit day were stood down. We stood down some resourcing and continue to review what forces need, he added. Our plans are sufficiently flexible to adjust to whatever dates are thrown at us," he added. A fox which got its head stuck inside a plastic container of protein powder was rescued after knocking on a front door for help. It is believed the hungry female got her head wedged inside the large white container while looking for food in Mexborough, South Yorkshire. Luckily, a member of the public heard the animal knocking on her front door and alerted the RSPCA. Staff had to use bolt cutters, scissors and a knife but eventually managed to release the tub from the foxs head and she was soon back safely in the wild. RSPCA inspector Sandra Dransfield, who was part of the team that came to the animals aid, said: The plastic container looked like the tubs you can buy supplement powder or protein powder in. RSPCAs most unusual animal rescues Show all 14 1 /14 RSPCAs most unusual animal rescues RSPCAs most unusual animal rescues A goat who got her head stuck between the bars of a metal fence in Norton, Stockton-on-Tees PA RSPCAs most unusual animal rescues A fox cub who got his head stuck in the hole of an abandoned car wheel in Leyton, London PA RSPCAs most unusual animal rescues A muntjac deer trapped upside down between two walls in Bedworth, Warwickshire PA RSPCAs most unusual animal rescues The dog with his head stuck in the TV cabinet PA RSPCAs most unusual animal rescues RSPCA inspector Anthony Joynes with a dog after it got his stuck in a TV cabinet in Birkenhead, Merseyside PA RSPCAs most unusual animal rescues A snake on a diswasher in Sheffield, Yorkshire PA RSPCAs most unusual animal rescues A squirrel stuck in a toilet in a house in Southwark, London PA RSPCAs most unusual animal rescues A cat who got wedged inside a tumble dryer air vent at her home in Kidderminster PA RSPCAs most unusual animal rescues A cat after falling onto metal railings in London PA RSPCAs most unusual animal rescues A badger wedged between branches in Harefield, London PA RSPCAs most unusual animal rescues A fox was found wedged in a front car grille more than 12 hours after being hit in an accident PA RSPCAs most unusual animal rescues A cat stuck in a gap between two electric doors at the Premier Inn in Luton PA RSPCAs most unusual animal rescues A tiny handcrafted ladder made to get a hamster out of a pipe in Bridgwater in Somerset PA RSPCAs most unusual animal rescues A hamster who got wedged in the tiny pipe for almost a week PA We used bolt cutters, scissors and a knife to very carefully cut the opening of the container and prise it off the foxs head. "Thankfully, the fox wasnt at all injured and was otherwise in really good condition so we released her there and then so she could head back to her den. Angry Labour MPs have attacked Jeremy Corbyn after his party chairman offered to quit for defying an order to back a fresh Brexit referendum but was told to stay on. The Labour leader stepped in to rescue Ian Lavery, a key ally, after he suggested he follow other frontbenchers by resigning for breaking the whip. The show of support came as Mr Corbyn sparked a shadow cabinet battle by refusing to make a Final Say public vote a red line in his talks with Theresa May to strike a compromise over her defeated deal. Ben Bradshaw, a pro-EU former minister, said allowing shadow cabinet members to renege on the pledge of a new referendum was a surefire way to destroy the Labour Party. And Owen Smith, who was sacked last year for backing a new referendum, told The Independent: Some might say Jeremy Corbyn has double standards about who he chooses to sack for expressing a view contrary to party policy and who he protects, even when they break the whip. It was the second time that Mr Lavery had broken ranks to abstain on a motion calling for any Brexit deal passed by MPs to be put to the public in another referendum. 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 Two weeks ago, five Labour frontbenchers Ruth Smeeth, Justin Madders, Yvonne Fovargue, Stephanie Peacock and Emma Lewell-Buck did quit after breaking the whip over a second public vote. On that occasion, Mr Corbyns political secretary is believed to have texted the rebels asking them to resign, which they subsequently did. Mr Lavery, the MP for Ashington, in Northumbria, has not denied his offer to resign, telling Newcastle newspaper The Chronicle: I never comment on private issues between myself and the leader of the party. The situation also triggered clashes at this weeks meeting of the shadow cabinet, where Diane Abbott, the shadow home secretary, and Angela Rayner, the shadow education secretary, spoke out. A second Corbyn loyalist, Jon Trickett, the cabinet office minister, also defied the order to back the motion, which lost narrowly on Monday night. It is not known if he also offered to quit. Neil Coyle, another pro-EU Labour backbencher, told the Politics Home website: MPs from across the party, with divergent views on Europe, have resigned for not agreeing with the whip. Those who occupy places at the top do so with certain responsibilities. To ignore them is beyond disrespectful, but sets a precedent. Tom Watson, the deputy leader, said he was disappointed that Mr Lavery and Mr Trickett had failed to understand what is expected of them. However, he added: These are extraordinary times and we are a very forgiving bunch in the Labour Party. The shadow cabinet is split down the middle over whether the public should have a veto over any Brexit deal or simply to block a no-deal Brexit, or a damaging Tory Brexit, as Mr Corbyn wants. Close Brexit: MPs pass emergency law forcing Theresa May to seek further delay to avert no deal by one vote A plan to prevent a no-deal Brexit and delay the date of the UKs exit from EU is being debated by the Lords this evening, after squeaking through the Commons. It came as Chancellor Philip Hammond said a second referendum was a perfectly credible proposition and indicated the government would be prepared to compromise on a customs union. Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn's teams also met again after 11 Labour MPs, including four frontbenchers, urging their leader to insist on a second referendum in an open letter to The Independent. Please allow a moment for the liveblog to load: MPs have narrowly passed an emergency bill to avert a no-deal Brexit by forcing Theresa May to seek a further delay to Britains departure from the EU. The legislation, proposed by Labour MP Yvette Cooper, instructs ministers to hold a House of Commons vote on a proposal to ask the EU for another extension to the Article 50 period. It was approved by MPs by just one vote. The bill is designed to ensure that Britain does not crash out of the EU on 12 April the date it is currently due to leave. However, it will now need to be passed by the House of Lords, and any extension would have to be approved by the EU next week. Ms Coopers European Union Withdrawal Bill (No 5) passed the Commons by 313 votes to 312 after being rushed through in the space of one day, with MPs sitting until almost midnight to complete a process that would usually take place over several months. Fourteen Conservative MPs broke ranks to vote for it. It means that, providing the bill is passed by the Lords, Ms May will be forced to give MPs a vote - probably early next week on the proposed length of the extension she will seek from the EU. The prime minister will then travel to Brussels for an emergency meeting of the European Council, where EU leaders will decide whether or not to accept the governments request. Ms Cooper told the Commons it was really important for people to come together adding: The challenges that we face from the threat of no deal are very significant. She said: Three years on from the referendum the biggest problem for all of us is that so little has been done to heal the national Brexit divide or to bring people together and this is major constitutional change and if there isnt that effort made to bring people together, then to be honest whatever we conclude either today, tomorrow, next week, it wont last because there wont have been that work to build the consensus. We all know that there is no consensus on the best way forward at the moment we hope we can reach it, but at the moment there is no agreement but let us at least sustain our agreement on ruling out the worst way forward. The front pages on what would have been Brexit Day Show all 12 1 /12 The front pages on what would have been Brexit Day The front pages on what would have been Brexit Day March 29 2019 - The original date for Britain's departure from the EU, what do the newspapers have to say about it? The front pages on what would have been Brexit Day Daily Express The Daily Express focuses on the fact that today was the original day for Britain's departure from the EU The front pages on what would have been Brexit Day Daily Mail The Daily Mail warns MPs that they have "one last chance" to back the Prime Minister's Brexit deal The front pages on what would have been Brexit Day The Independent The Independent Daily Edition reports that the Prime Minister is gambling as she holds a vote today on the withdrawal agreement The front pages on what would have been Brexit Day The Sun The Sun reports that the Prime Minister last night sought to convince DUP leader Arlene Foster to back her deal The front pages on what would have been Brexit Day The Guardian The Guardian reports that some ministers want the Prime Minister to step down now, while Michael Gove becomes the favourite at the bookies to replace her The front pages on what would have been Brexit Day The i The i reports that Boris Johnson is preparing his leadership bid for when the Prime Minister resigns The front pages on what would have been Brexit Day The Times The Times reports that Brexit may be delayed for a further year The front pages on what would have been Brexit Day The Daily Telegraph The Daily Telegraph reports that the Prime Minister is making a "desperate final plea" to pass her Brexit deal through the house of commons The front pages on what would have been Brexit Day Financial Times The Financial Times reports on the Brexit Betrayal march that will reach London today after setting off from Sunderland with the intention of reaching London on Brexit day The front pages on what would have been Brexit Day Daily Mirror The Daily Mirror reports on the Prime Minister's difficulty passing her deal through the commons The front pages on what would have been Brexit Day Daily Star The Daily Star calls on its readers to shut up about Brexit Ms Coopers bill was given emergency time in the Commons after MPs approved a timetable for it by just one vote, dividing by 312 votes to 311 in favour. The government had ordered Conservative MPs to vote against it. It came as Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn held talks in a bid to forge a cross-party consensus on a new Brexit deal. Both sides described the discussions as constructive, with a No10 spokesperson saying: Todays talks were constructive, with both sides showing flexibility and a commitment to bring the current Brexit uncertainty to a close. We have agreed a programme of work to ensure we deliver for the British people, protecting jobs and security. A Labour spokesperson said: We have had constructive exploratory discussions about how to break the Brexit deadlock. We have agreed a programme of work between our teams to explore the scope for agreement. However, Mr Corbyn later said: There hasnt been as much change as I expected but we will have further discussions tomorrow to explore technical issues. Cabinet ministers have openly clashed over the prospect of a new Brexit referendum after chancellor Philip Hammond suggested a fresh vote was a perfectly credible proposal. Health secretary Matt Hancock set himself against his cabinet colleague, saying he was very, very strongly against a Final Say vote to break the Brexit deadlock. Mr Hammond risked Brexiteer fury when he said there was a perfectly credible case for a new referendum and signalled support for a move towards a softer Brexit. Earlier this week, Theresa May appealed to Jeremy Corbyn for last-ditch talks to break the Brexit deadlock, which the Labour leader described as useful but inconclusive. Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Show all 30 1 /30 Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Pro-Brexit leave the European Union supporters attend a rally in Parliament Square after the final leg of the "March to Leave" in London AP Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit The protest march which started on March 16 in Sunderland, north east England, finished on what was the original date for Brexit to happen before the recent extension Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit AP Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit PA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit EPA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter sips a can of Stella in protests outside of the Houses of Parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Dedicated anti-Brexit campaigner Steve Bray and likewise pro-Brexit campaigner Joseph Afrane go head to head near the Houses of Parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A pro-Brexit marching band in Parliament Square Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Remain supporters wave EU flags from a bus in Parliament Square PA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter shouts slogans outside parliament EPA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter protests outside parliament Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter protests outside of the Houses of Parliament Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters protest outside of the Houses of Parliament REUTERS Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A pro-Brexit flag is waved in Parliament Square AP Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit The March to Leave nears the Houses of Parliament Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit protester holds a sign outside parliament EPA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters carry the coffin of democracy AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters march outside parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters take part in the March to Leave protest in London PA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters protest outside parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter holds a sign outside the Houses of Parliament Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A man holds satirical paintings of politicians Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit An pro-Brexit float on the March to Leave march in London Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Far-right activist Tommy Robinson addresses protesters outside the Houses of Parliament Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter outside the Houses of Parliament Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Tommy Robinson supporter arrives at the Houses of Parliament Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A jogger gestures rudely at a Brexit supporter outside of the Houses of Parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter outside the Houses of Parliament PA Meanwhile, a backbench bill to avert the risk of a no-deal exit cleared its Commons hurdles by only one vote in a knife-edge parliamentary clash on Wednesday night. Mr Hancock, who has been tipped as a possible candidate to replace Ms May, said the chances of the UK crashing out were now very unlikely, as he suggested he could accept a customs union compromise. But he dismissed the chancellors comments, telling BBC Radio 4s Today programme: I have argued many, many times that it would be divisive. It wouldnt be decisive. It doesnt help us leave the European Union before the European elections. So I am very, very strongly against it. Asked if he would rule it out, the cabinet minister said: I am against it and my personal view is it is wrong and it doesnt help us to deliver Brexit. The point here is to respect the result of a referendum, not to challenge the result of the referendum with another referendum. As the government geared up for another day of Brexit talks with Labour, Mr Hancock said while he profoundly disagreed with Mr Corbyn on economic and security matters, the only way to achieve Brexit was by seeking Labour votes. He signalled he could compromise on a customs union, adding: I would much prefer the prime ministers deal to a customs union, to be frank. I want to deliver Brexit, I have spoken about the problems of a customs union and I dont think its as good for the country. But I also want to deliver Brexit. Mr Hammond had stoked Brexiteer fears that the government was preparing for a softer exit from the EU. Asked whether a customs union was a price worth paying for a deal with Labour, he told ITVs Peston: If thats what we have to do then lets look at that. On a fresh referendum, he said: Its a perfectly credible proposition, some ideas have been put forward that are not deliverable, theyre not negotiable. But the confirmatory referendum idea, a lot of people will disagree with it, Im not sure theres a majority in parliament for it, but its a perfectly credible proposition and it deserves to be tested in parliament. European Research Group deputy chair Steve Baker said the Tory leadership was out of step with members and, I think, the country, while most Tory MPs would not accept a softer Brexit. If we find a majority of Conservative MPs voting against the policy, its not us who will be moving on, he warned. Meanwhile, legislation to prevent a no-deal Brexit next week will now be fast-tracked through the House of Lords, after MPs approved the plan by just one vote. The government has faced calls to suspend Brunei from the Commonwealth over the introduction of new sharia laws, which include punishing gay sex with stoning to death. Labour said it was time to draw a line in the sand over LGBT+ rights abuses in Commonwealth countries and called for ministers to intervene over the sultanates decision to apply the death penalty to people engaging in same-sex relationships. Strict new Islamist laws came into effect in Brunei on Wednesday, triggering an international outcry, which include punishments of amputation or death for offences including adultery, sodomy, robbery and rape. The small oil-rich nation has been a member of the Commonwealth a group of 58 states, nearly all of which were formerly part of the British empire since the 1980s. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Pressed on the new legal code during an urgent commons statement, foreign office minister Mark Field said the UK government considers it appalling that such laws have been introduced in the 21st Century, adding: We consider it illegal under international human rights law. Shadow minister Khalid Mahmood said: For [Brunei] to take such a backwards step, a step back into the darkness with these horrific proposals for people to be stoned and whipped to death just because of their sexuality, is truly heartbreaking. LGBT+ rights around the globe Show all 9 1 /9 LGBT+ rights around the globe LGBT+ rights around the globe Russia Russias antipathy towards homosexuality has been well established following the efforts of human rights campaigners. However, while it is legal to be homosexual, LGBT couples are offered no protections from discrimination. They are also actively discriminated against by a 2013 law criminalising LGBT propaganda allowing the arrest of numerous Russian LGBT activists. AFP/Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Brunei Brunei recently introduced a law to make sodomy punishable by stoning to death. It was already illegal and punishable by up to 10 years in prison AFP/Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Mauritania Men who are found having sex with other men face stoning, while lesbians can be imprisoned, under Sharia law. However, the state has reportedly not executed anyone for this crime since 1987 Alamy LGBT+ rights around the globe Sudan Both male and female same-sex sexual activity is illegal under Sudanese law. Men can be executed on their third offence, women on their fourth Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Saudi Arabia Homosexuality and gender realignment is illegal and punishable by death, imprisonment, whipping and chemical castration Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Yemen The official position within the country is that there are no gays. LGBT inviduals, if discovered by the government, are likely to face intense pressure. Punishments range from flogging to the death penalty Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Nigeria Both male and female same-sex sexual activity is illegal and in some northern states punishable with death by stoning. This is not a policy enacted across the entire country, although there is a prevalent anti-LGBT agenda pushed by the government. In 2007 a Pew survey established that 97% of the population felt that homosexuality should not be accepted. It is punishable by 14 years in prison Reuters LGBT+ rights around the globe Somalia Homosexuality was established as a crime in 1888 and under new Somali Penal Code established in 1973 homosexual sex can be punishable by three years in prison. A person can be put to death for being a homosexual Reuters LGBT+ rights around the globe Iraq Although same-sex relationships have been decriminalised, much of the population still suffer from intense discrimination. Additionally, in some of the country over-run by the extremist organisation Isis, LGBT individuals can face death by stoning Getty But it is also a clear breach of Bruneis obligations under the Commonwealth charter in respect of human rights and there surely must be immediate consequences for Brunei if they press ahead of these proposals in terms of membership of the Commonwealth. He said the Commonwealth has fought against democratic abuses but it has turned a blind eye towards abuses of LGBT+ people in countries in Asia, Africa and the Caribbean. Mr Mahmood thanked the minister for his words and urged him to call for an immediate meeting of the Commonwealth ministerial action group and agreeing if Brunei does not drop its proposal, it will, as a matter of urgency, be suspended from the Commonwealth. Recommended Brunei adverts removed from TfL network SNP MP Martin Docherty-Hughes also raised concern at enthusiasm for Commonwealth 2.0 by some MPs, pointing out there are 35 states in the group that criminalise LGBT+ people. He urged the government to consider appealing to the Commonwealth to suspend Brunei, in line with Zimbabwe, which was kicked out in 2002, before withdrawing the following year. Mr Field said the Commonwealth charter states that members are opposed to all forms of discrimination and the prime minister made clear to the annual meeting of states last year that no one should face discrimination or persecution. He said: The UK stands ready to support any Commonwealth member wanting to reform outdated legislation that makes such discrimination possible. Official travel guidance to Brunei has been updated to reflect the changes to the law, Mr Field said. Homosexuality was already illegal in Brunei, punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Three quarters of Jeremy Corbyns own constituents back a Final Say referendum on Brexit, new polling has revealed, as the Labour leader faces pressure from within his parliamentary party to back a second vote. A nationwide survey of 9,500 people conducted by campaign group Right to Vote found 58.1 per cent who expressed a view, now want another public vote on the UKs withdrawal from the European Union. Polling found high levels of support for the idea in London, including in Mr Corbyns Islington North seat, where 75 per cent of those polled backed a Final Say. In Theresa Mays Maidenhead constituency, 59 per cent of voters also supported the idea. The same percentage of voters in leading Brexiteer Boris Johnsons Uxbridge and Ruislip South constituency were also behind the idea of a public vote. Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Show all 30 1 /30 Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Pro-Brexit leave the European Union supporters attend a rally in Parliament Square after the final leg of the "March to Leave" in London AP Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit The protest march which started on March 16 in Sunderland, north east England, finished on what was the original date for Brexit to happen before the recent extension Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit AP Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit PA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit EPA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter sips a can of Stella in protests outside of the Houses of Parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Dedicated anti-Brexit campaigner Steve Bray and likewise pro-Brexit campaigner Joseph Afrane go head to head near the Houses of Parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A pro-Brexit marching band in Parliament Square Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Remain supporters wave EU flags from a bus in Parliament Square PA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter shouts slogans outside parliament EPA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter protests outside parliament Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter protests outside of the Houses of Parliament Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters protest outside of the Houses of Parliament REUTERS Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A pro-Brexit flag is waved in Parliament Square AP Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit The March to Leave nears the Houses of Parliament Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit protester holds a sign outside parliament EPA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters carry the coffin of democracy AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters march outside parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters take part in the March to Leave protest in London PA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters protest outside parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter holds a sign outside the Houses of Parliament Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A man holds satirical paintings of politicians Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit An pro-Brexit float on the March to Leave march in London Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Far-right activist Tommy Robinson addresses protesters outside the Houses of Parliament Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter outside the Houses of Parliament Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Tommy Robinson supporter arrives at the Houses of Parliament Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A jogger gestures rudely at a Brexit supporter outside of the Houses of Parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter outside the Houses of Parliament PA Conservative MP Dr Phillip Lee, chair of Right to Vote, revealed the findings at Prime Ministers Questions on Wednesday a day after Ms May announced she would be seeking another extension to Article 50. The group was formed by several MPs in January in response to what it describes as the governments failure to navigate Brexit. Members include former Tory ministers Dominic Grieve, Justine Greening and Sam Gyimah, as well as Independent Group MPs Heidi Allen, Anna Soubry and Dr Sarah Wollaston, who quit the party in February. Asking for more time and opposition help to salvage a deal nobody wants is yet again merely delaying the moment of truth, Mr Grieve said. We need a meaningful delay to agree a practical and credible proposal which can be put to the people for a final say. What started with the people should end with the people. The new polling data comes as senior figures within Labour demand Mr Corbyn seeks to secure a second referendum as part of any cross-party Brexit deal struck with Ms May. A string of Labour MPs, including frontbenchers such as shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry, have written an open letter to Mr Corbyn in The Independent, insisting it would be untenable for Labour not to insist on taking the decision back to the public. Mr Corbyn is holding talks with the prime minister in a bid to break the impasse in parliament and find a Brexit deal that can win enough support to get through the Commons. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The views of members are clear. Labours democratically established policy, passed at party conference in September 2018, is to oppose a Brexit deal which does not meet Labours six tests and put any deal that does to a public vote, the group of Labour MPs wrote in their open letter. It would be untenable for Labour not to insist on a public vote on a deal which did not meet these tests. We your supporters urge you to make a confirmatory public vote your bottom line in negotiations with Theresa May and to fight to bring this government down. Source note: Data was collected by FocalData from multiple researchers, including Opinium, between 1 March and 1 April 2019. A sample of 9,500 adults were interviewed from 632 constituencies across Britain. Opinium are members of the British Polling Council and abide by their rules. The Ministry of Defence has launched a programme for the British military to focus on protecting civilians from sexual violence and others forms of human rights abuse in conflict zones. The UK becomes, with the move, the first country to officially place human security in the core of defence policy, says the government, and work has begun with allies to extend the scheme in peacekeeping missions with training provided for troops in Kenya, Malawi and Nigeria. Selected service personnel will attend a Centre of Excellence for Human Security before deployment abroad on a range of issues including countering sexual abuse, use of child soldiers, human trafficking, understanding of different cultures and saving sites of heritage. Female personnel in the armed forces have played a leading role in the drive to introduce the programme, drawing on their experiences from serving in conflict zones where atrocities against civilians, especially sexual assaults, has been particularly prevalent. Announcing the opening of the centre for excellence on Thursday, Gavin Williamson, the defence secretary, said: In modern warfare there is no front line and the sad reality is that innocent bystanders are in harms way in conflicts around the world. Protecting civilians from human rights violations is as much a military task as defeating the enemy. Army recruitment posters target millenials Show all 6 1 /6 Army recruitment posters target millenials Army recruitment posters target millenials Me Me Me Millennials MoD / Crown Copyright / PA Wire Army recruitment posters target millenials Selfie Addicts PA Army recruitment posters target millenials Binge Gamers PA Army recruitment posters target millenials Snowflakes PA Army recruitment posters target millenials Class Clowns PA Army recruitment posters target millenials Phone Zombies PA This new centre of excellence will build on the amazing work already being done by the UK, from our human security courses to the training we provide peacekeepers on preventing and responding to sexual violence in conflict. Mr Williamson recently visited South Sudan where sexual assaults have been virulent and endemic in a brutal civil war. He raised the issue with the countrys president, Salva Kiir Mayardit, and stressed that tackling the problem would be one of the main aims of a British military mission which has been sent there. The Independent spoke extensively during the visit to women who have suffered abuse. Alain Noudeohou, the UN secretary generals deputy special representative to South Sudan, who is from Gabon, observed: I have served in a number of counties and heard about the issue with sexual violence even before I came here. Why is this the case? I think that is a very important question and needs to be looked at. A British military unit, part of the UN Mission to Sudan (Unmiss) built a road for the World Food Programme to deliver supplies to remote villages as part of the efforts to stop sexual assaults. The area had become notorious for attacks on women who had been forced to travel 60km (37 miles) to collect aid from a depot. In one period of 10 days 125 girls and women, aged between eight and 80, were beaten, robbed and raped on a road near the town of Bentiu. In modern warfare there is no front line and the sad reality is that innocent bystanders are in harms way in conflicts around the world. Protecting civilians from human rights violations is as much a military task as defeating the enemy Gavin Williamson, defence secretary The commanding officer, 37-year-old Major Alanda Scott, of the Royal Engineers, said: What happened was appalling, it was terrible. These women had been forced to walk the road to get food, they have been watched by the men who then carried out the attack. Unfortunately it is the case that gender-based sexual violence has been used, as we know, in Sudan as a weapon of war. On this occasion we could do something to help and we were very glad to do so. A new campaign has been launched to give everyone living in the UK the right to vote in elections and referendums, with MPs saying current voting laws should "shame us as a society". The major change would see all UK residents, plus British citizens living abroad, allowed to vote in general elections regardless of their citizenship. Commonwealth and Irish nationals are currently the only non-Britons allowed to vote in general elections and referendums, while EU citizens can vote in local and European elections. UK citizens who have lived abroad for more than 15 years are also not allowed to vote. Campaigners said current laws mean 10 million UK residents and Britons overseas are disqualified from voting. The "Let Us Vote" campaign, which has the backing of more than a dozen MPs and peers, is seeking new legislation to extend the voting franchise, which has not changed significantly since the voting age was lowered from 21 to 18 in 1969. Cliffs of Dover lit up in Brexit protest Show all 5 1 /5 Cliffs of Dover lit up in Brexit protest Cliffs of Dover lit up in Brexit protest Campaign group Led By Donkeys projected this statement by Nigel Farage on the Cliffs of Dover on the evening of April 4 @ByDonkeys / Twitter Cliffs of Dover lit up in Brexit protest Campaign group Led By Donkeys projected this statement by former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab on the Cliffs of Dover on the evening of April 4 @ByDonkeys / Twitter Cliffs of Dover lit up in Brexit protest Campaign group Led By Donkeys projected this message to the EU on the Cliffs of Dover on the evening of April 4 @ByDonkeys / Twitter Cliffs of Dover lit up in Brexit protest Campaign group Led By Donkeys projected this message on the Cliffs of Dover on the evening of April 4 @ByDonkeys / Twitter Cliffs of Dover lit up in Brexit protest Campaign group Led By Donkeys projected this message on the Cliffs of Dover on the evening of April 4 @ByDonkeys / Twitter It has been launched by campaign groups the3million, representing EU nationals in the UK, British in Europe, which represents UK citizens in the EU, and anti-Brexit group Another Europe is Possible. The campaign says it is strictly neutral on Brexit and party politics. In an open letter published in The Independent, supporters including MPs, peers, and NGO leaders wrote: The outcome of the next few weeks in politics could determine the course of our lives for decades to come. "But many of the people who are most affected by the current situation - migrants living in the UK, and UK citizens living abroad - have never been offered the chance to have a stake in our democracy. Whatever our views on Brexit and party politics, we are united in the belief that it is fundamentally wrong that so many millions of people whose lives will be deeply affected by developments at Westminster are currently denied a vote. The letter was signed by Labour MPs Lloyd Russell-Moyle, Clive Lewis, David Lammy and Stephen Doughty, plus Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran. Recommended Angela Merkel likens Brexit Irish border question to Iron Curtain Film director Mike Leigh, scientist Martin Rees and nine members of the House of Lords are also backing the campaign. Mr Russell-Moyle, MP for Brighton Kemptown, said: The fact that millions of people who live in this country and have made lives here are denied a vote in how they are governed ought to shame us as a society. The past few years have taught us that not just public services, but fundamental rights and the right to live in the place you call home, can be threatened and undermined by politicians who claim to speak for all of us. "This period has also taught us how inadequate Britains democratic institutions are. MPs have a responsibility to fight for the rights of those who have been silenced, and that is what I intend to do. Writing for The Independent, Alex Fernandes, a Portuguese national living in London and a supporter of the Another Europe is Possible group, said: "We are tired of being spoken about in parliament without ever being heard within it. "For as long as migrants like me cannot vote, we will always be reliant on the good will of a political class who are fundamentally unaccountable to us. If the last few years tell us anything, its that good will is simply not enough. It is time for the UK electorate to expand to cover the people affected by its governments policies. Let us vote." Brexit: Jean-Claude Juncker says UK would have to agree withdrawal agreement issues even in no-deal In another article, Jane Golding, co-chair of the British in Europe group that represents UK nationals living in EU countries, said: "Historically the UK has prided itself on being ahead of the curve on democratic progress, but it is actually going against the progressive trend. 22 of our EU neighbours give their citizens the unconditional right to vote, some even have their own constituencies, with MPs dedicated to legislation that affects overseas citizens. Many countries around the world give their citizens votes for life, including the US. "In our global, interconnected world, what happens in one country has direct repercussions on its citizens wherever they live. But rather than giving everyone affected by decisions at Westminster the vote, our current system is a patchwork of voting rights, with only Commonwealth and Irish citizens living in Britain having a say in UK general elections, along with only a minority of British people living abroad. "If our voting system is not changed, we will see vast numbers of British citizens, who left the UK to work or study, continuing to be completely disenfranchised from national elections and shut out of the democratic process. And many millions of people living in the UK, who have built lives in Britain, will continue to be shut out of the democratic process." A former Conservative MP has launched a scathing attack on Theresa Mays head of communications. Nick Boles, who dramatically quit the party after series of votes on Brexit earlier this week, accused Robbie Gibb of being a hard Brexiter who wants to destroy the PMs new search for a cross party compromise. I am no longer a member of the Conservative Party. So I can be blunt where previously I might have been discreet, he tweeted, before making the accusation. Downing Street would not comment on his claims. Mr Boles resigned from his partys whip on the floor of the House of Commons, seconds after MPs rejected alternatives to Theresa Mays EU withdrawal deal on Monday. My party refuses to compromise, he said. I regret therefore that I can no longer sit for this party. He later tweeted that he would sit as an Independent Progressive Conservative. The following day the Grantham and Stamford MP told the BBC: There are some fine people in the cabinet, genuinely, people who would have been in a cabinet in any age, but this is the worst cabinet collectively not only in my lifetime but I think probably in recorded history. He added that Ms Mays successor as prime minister should not be anyone who is or has been in the cabinet since 2017. 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 None of them in my view has earned the right to lead the country after Brexit they are all compromised by their collective failure to lead, to unite, to get behind one plan, to sell that plan, to communicate, he said. Explaining is decision to resign from the party, he said: I found myself there, looking around the House of Commons, seeing that the party that was least willing to compromise... was my own. I guess that was when it snapped. The highly-critical remarks came after Mr Boles Norway-style Brexit proposal was rejected. The British government has put trade with China above vital issues of national security and human rights in a policy which reflects an unwillingness to face the reality that Beijing is an active challenger to the UK in many areas, according to the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee. A report by the MPs states that the UK needs to recalibrate its policy towards China. A declaration by Theresa Mays government of a golden era in relations between the UK and China may have been misconceived and much greater scrutiny needs to be given, it says, to claims of interference in British domestic affairs by Beijing, and intelligence risks such as those allegedly posed by the involvement of telecommunications giant Huawei in this countrys 5G infrastructure. The conclusions from the influential committee is the latest in a series of warnings of the dangers Britain faces in its craving to for commerce with China amid post-Brexit uncertainties. A recent report by RUSI (Royal United Services Institute) charted a supposed concerted strategy by Beijing of infiltration of targeted countries, including the UK, ranging from surreptitiously spreading technology reach through firms like Huawei to the elite capture of people in important positions and opinion formers by placing of advisers. The Foreign Affairs Committee urges the government to develop a cross-department strategy on dealing with China by the end of next year and make the document public. The report recommends that the government is cautious about the involvement of Chinese companies in any aspect of UK critical national infrastructure, including telecommunications. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty It should also assess whether the Chinese government, or individuals or entities acting on behalf of the Chinese government, have improperly interfered, or attempted to interfere, in the UKs political institutions and processes, the rule of law, UK media or UK academia, and set out what it is doing to counter such interference, or the prospect of it. The report China and the rules-based international system maintains that China is a force for order, but not liberal order and Beijings main aim is the consolidation of power in the hands of the Chinese Communist Party under President Xi Jinping. The main focus of the countrys foreign policy is the need to serve the interests of the Chinese Communist Party, says the report, and this makes China a viable partner for the UK on some issues, but an active challenger in others. The MPs express deep concern that the UKs current approach to China risks prioritising economic considerations over other interests, values and national security and they urge the government to be cautious about Chinas highly controversial Belt and Road programme. Most western European states have resisted Beijings enticements to join Chinas scheme which has been used, say critics, to spread economic and political hegemony in parts of Asia and Africa. Recommended How Belt and Road became a huge geopolitical controversy The UK however is a participant with David Cameron leading a $1bn private fund supported by the British government. The chancellor, Philip Hammond, on a visit to Beijing, declared: I was privileged earlier this year to represent the UK at the first Belt and Road forum and one of the things we will discuss is the opportunity for closer collaboration in delivering the ambitions of the Belt and Road programme. The committee calls on the government to take a strictly case-by-case approach to project under Chinas Belt and Road Initiative and not sign a Memorandum of Understanding in support of the Belt and Road Initiative. The fear of losing post-Brexit trade deals, critics say, is interfering with independence of foreign policy. An announcement by defence secretary Gavin Williamson that he intended to send the new aircraft carrier Queen Elizabeth to the Pacific to enforce the right of navigation in disputed waters was reportedly attacked by Treasury officials because it had irritated China. Beijing holds it has territorial sovereignty over the waters despite its claim being rejected by an international tribunal. A number of states have carried out freedom of navigation voyages in the area and the Foreign Affairs Committee held that Britain must not permit core principles, such as freedom of navigation and the rights of countries to form alliances, to become a matter for negotiation in economic dialogue with China, and it must continue to exercise freedom of navigation in the South China Sea while clarifying the legal basis for the presence of ships. The government, say the MPs, should also address the issue of human rights, such as its imprisoning of Uighur Muslims, and the necessity to do so is not just on the grounds of morality and ethics. The impact of the treatment of the Uighur Muslim population and the minorities in Chinas Xinjiang province could have in stirring up resentment could affect other countries, including us here in the UK said committee chair Tom Tugdenhat. He continued: ...a constructive, pragmatic and often positive UK relationship with China is possible, indeed essential, but achieving this will require strategy, rigour and unity in place of hope and muddling through. We must recognise that there are hard limits to what cooperation can achieve; that the values and interests of the Chinese Communist Party, and therefore the Chinese state, are often very different from those of the United Kingdom; and that the divergence of values and interests fundamentally shapes Chinas worldview. Payouts to those caught up in the Windrush scandal will be "surprisingly low", campaigners warned after the home secretary announced they would finally be given compensation. Sajid Javid said the scheme would begin to turn the page on the crisis by seeking to reimburse thousands of Commonwealth citizens for the losses they suffered after being wrongly classified as illegal immigrants. He said there would be no cap on the overall amount of compensation awarded, but that the baseline estimate was 200m. Payouts would be awarded to anyone who has been in the UK since 1988 and was wrongly targeted by immigration enforcement, he added. However, lawyers warned that the absence of an overall cap was a false dawn, as the schemes rules set out fixed sums on how much compensation can be awarded for different losses. The guidelines state that victims will receive a fixed tariff of 500 if they were blocked from attending university, 500 if they were denied NHS healthcare and just 200 if they were unable to access banking services as a result of the scandal. Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Show all 15 1 /15 Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK The ex-troopship 'Empire Windrush' arriving at Tilbury Docks from Jamaica, with 482 Jamaicans on board, emigrating to Britain. Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Jamaican immigrants being welcomed by RAF officials from the Colonial Office after the ex-troopship 'Empire Windrush' landed them at Tilbury. PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Alford Gardner who arrived in Britain in 1948 on the first Windrush ship to dock in Tilbury, Essex, speaking at his home in Leeds PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Alford Gardner in Leeds shortly after he arrived in Britain in 1948 on the first Windrush ship to dock in Tilbury, Essex PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Gardner was 22 years old when he boarded the ship in Kingston, Jamaica, with his brother Gladstone before they and hundreds of Caribbean migrants called on to rebuild post-war Britain disembarked the ship in Tilbury Docks PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Alford Gardner (right), during his RAF service in 1947 PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK The son of Ruth Williams, a Windrush-generation immigrant, wants to the leave the country after threats of deportation. According to his mother, Mr Haynes applied for British citizenship in 2016 but was rejected, despite Ms Williams having lived in the UK almost permanently since arriving from St Vincent and the Grenadines in 1959. Ruth Williams, 75, said she felt "betrayed" by Britain after the Home Office twice turned down applications for her 35-year-old son, Mozi Haynes, to remain in the country. Ms Williams is understood to have cancer and said she relies heavily on her son for support. PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK The British liner 'Empire Windrush' at port in 1954. Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Ruth Williams, 75, with her British passport. "I feel betrayed and a second class citizen in my own country," she said. "This makes me so sad and the Home Office must show some compassion. "I am unwell and almost 75, I live on my own and I need my son to stay here. I need my family around me and I cant face being alone. He has applied to the Home Office and been refused twice." PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK From the top, hopeful Jamaican boxers Charles Smith, Ten Ansel, Essi Reid, John Hazel, Boy Solas and manager Mortimer Martin arrive at Tilbury on the Empire Windrush in the hope of finding work in Britain. Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Jamaicans reading a newspaper whilst on board the ex-troopship 'Empire Windrush' bound for Tilbury docks in Essex. Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK After half a century in Britain, Anthony Bryan decided it was time to go abroad. But the decision set off a nightmare that saw him lose his job, detained twice and almost deported to Jamaica. AFP/Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Jamaica-born Anthony Bryan poses outside his home in Edmonton, north London. Now 60 and a grandfather, Bryan thought the issue could be resolved swiftly, as he legally moved to Britain with his family as part of the Windrush generation of Caribbean migrants after World War II. In 1948, the ship Windrush brought the first group of migrants from the West Indies to help rebuild post-war Britain, and many others followed from around the Commonwealth. A 1971 law gave them indefinite leave to remain, but many never formalised their status, often because they were children who came over on their parents' passports and then never applied for their own. AFP/Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Three Jamaican immigrants (left to right) John Hazel, a 21-year-old boxer, Harold Wilmot, 32, and John Richards, a 22-year-old carpenter, arriving at Tilbury on board the ex-troopship 'Empire Windrush', smartly dressed in zoot suits and trilby hats. Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Newly arrived Jamaican immigrants on board the 'Empire Windrush' at Tilbury in 1948. Getty Jamie Beagent, a human rights lawyer at the Leigh Day law firm, is currently investigating potential legal action for more than 30 Windrush victims. He said: The fact that theres no overall cap was a big positive, but then when you look at the detail behind it its a bit of a false dawn. A lot of people are not going to recover their losses because of the very strict way the loss categories are defined in the appendices to the rules. Some of the tariffs are put surprisingly low in comparison to what individuals might receive in a successful court case. Lots of the categories are surprisingly low, when you think about what people would have suffered as a result of, for example, not accessing that private education. Campaigners also said the onerous evidence victims were required to provide would make it difficult for some to make claims, particularly given that Mr Javid made no mention of legal aid. Concerns were also raised that the guidelines state the Home Office may reduce or decline payouts for people who did not attempt to regularise their status after being targeted by immigration officials which lawyers branded grossly unfair. Writing exclusively for The Independent after he announced the scheme, Mr Javid said: I recognise that it wont reverse the damage that was caused, but I believe it will go some way to atone for the wrongs that people experienced. The scheme is now open to claims, so we can compensate those who struggled to prove their status and faced hardship as a result. Labour MP David Lammy welcomed the introduction of the scheme, but said: The onerous evidence requirements for victims will make it very difficult for some to make claims, especially given there has been no mention of legal aid. Recommended The Windrush compensation scheme is now open for applications Many victims claims go back years and they are in this situation in the first place because of the high thresholds for the evidence required to prove their citizenship ... The injustices in the scheme should be fixed immediately. Satbir Singh, chief executive of Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, said Mr Javids announcement was short on detail and would fail to reassure Windrush victims that they would be adequately financially compensated for their losses. Todays statement provides scant reassurance that mental trauma will be adequately recompensed, he said. The only way to truly ensure that something like Windrush never happens again, and to recognise the harm caused to Windrush victims, is for the government to scrap the hostile environment with immediate effect. Introducing the scheme in the Commons, Mr Javid said guidance was being provided to help people understand what compensation they might be entitled to and how to submit a claim. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events He said the Home Office was launching an extensive programme of events with key stakeholders, community groups and faith organisations so that people across the country and overseas know about the compensation that they can apply for. The announcement comes after the Home Office came under fire for failing to invite scores of Windrush victims to the compensation scheme launch event on Wednesday night, as well as prominent immigration lawyers and the press. MPs warned last month that victims of the Windrush scandal were still homeless and being betrayed by the Home Office almost a year on, and accused ministers of a shameful failure to provide the help promised to those affected. The Home Office was also criticised after admitting only two people had been helped by a hardship scheme set up for those affected, despite 48 people having requested support. Five had been declined. A 70-year-old German national in Uganda who was the target of a police hunt has appeared before a local court facing 28 counts connected to aggravated defilement and child trafficking. Mr Glaser had been running an organisation called Ssese Humanitarian Services out of his home in Kalanga for over 10 years, under the guise of providing shelter to child survivors of sexual violence and trafficking. He is believed to have signed up 30 girls aged between three and 20 years old during this time. He has, however, since been twice arrested on charges relating to sex abuse. In the first case 1 December 2013, he was arresting on suspicion of sexually abusing 19 minors under his care in Kalanga, but was later acquitted by the court. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty In February, the authorities raided Mr Glasers home, but he was out at the time. His wife Ingrid Hehns was arrested for questioning. The authorities rescued at least 11 children and Mr Glaser was arrested later when he reported to police. According to Ugandan English language newspaper New Vision, the Masaka Chief Magistrate read the charges and immediately committing Mr Glaser to the High Court for trial on Tuesday. This followed the prosecution telling the court enquiries into the case were complete. Anita Nyanjong, of Equality Now, a non-government organisation which aims to promote the rights of women and girls, said: We call on the Ugandan government to protect the girls in this case, some of whom are likely to testify as victims and witnesses. "Survivors of sexual exploitation and trafficking have experienced serious trauma and need specialist psychosocial support, including assistance with longer-term physical, legal, and socio-economic security. The onus is on the Ugandan government to ensure that girls are protected from all forms of violence in any space they are in. All shelters that purport to protect children need to be subjected to regular checks on security by government authorities, with the ultimate goal of ensuring the safeguarding of every girl and boy. Ms Nyanjong, a programme officer in the group's End Sex Trafficking programme, noted the sexual exploitation of vulnerable children by foreign nationals is not a problem that is unique to Uganda. She said sex tourism is a global issue which necessitates an international response that involves governments cooperating across borders. In this case, we need to look beyond Uganda to see how Germany will deal with a German citizen travelling abroad to capitalise on weaknesses in local child protection so that he could systematically exploit vulnerable girls, she said. She said they urged Uganda to work with INTERPOL and authorities in Germany to support investigations into not just Mr Glaser, but also "the other men who travelled to sexual abuse these girls". Sex tourists need to be brought to justice so it sends a clear message to others that this type of behaviour is never acceptable and will be punished, she added. An American woman touring one of Ugandas most popular safari destinations has been kidnapped with her local guide and is being held for ransom for $500,000 (380,000), authorities said. Ugandan security forces said they were searching Queen Elizabeth National Park, the site of Tuesday's abduction, for the two victims and their kidnappers. The park, home to more than 600 bird species and some 2,500 elephants, is generally regarded as safe for tourists. The kidnapping occurred between 6pm and 7pm, while the 35-year-old and her guide, accompanied by two other tourists, were on a game drive in the park, police said. A group of gunmen stopped their vehicle and seized the woman and the guide. 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 gunmen left behind the two other tourists, who were described by Ugandan police as an elderly couple. The kidnappers later used the Americans cellphone to demand the $500,000 ransom, police said. The park is in southwestern Uganda near the Democratic Republic of Congo. In their statement, police said that security forces within the park had cut off all exit areas along the border with Congo. In 1999, eight tourists, including a US couple and four Ugandan park employees were killed in a national park to the south of where Tuesdays kidnapping occurred. The perpetrators were rebels believed to be linked to ethnic Hutu militias involved in the 1994 Rwandan genocide. New York Times Alabama is proposing a law that would make carrying out an abortion at any stage of the pregnancy punishable by 10 to 99 years in jail. The strict abortion ban, which has been branded a death sentence for women, would even criminalise performing abortions in cases of rape and incest. The legislation, which Alabama politicians introduced on Tuesday, would only allow abortions in instances where there is a serious health risk to the unborn childs mother. The bill also equates legalised abortion to some of historys gravest atrocities likening having your pregnancy terminated to the Nazi campaign of extermination that led to the mass murders of Jews and others during the Holocaust. The legislation says: More than 50 million babies have been aborted in the United States since the Roe decision in 1973, more than three times the number who were killed in German death camps, Chinese purges, Stalins gulags, Cambodian killing fields, and the Rwandan genocide combined. Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Show all 20 1 /20 Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Women in Dublin celebrate the result of yesterday's referendum on abortion law Reuters Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum A woman in Dublin celebrates the result of yesterday's referendum Reuters Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Activists react at the count centre as votes are tallied folowing yesterday's referendum Reuters Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Co-Director of Together For Yes Ailbhe Smyth speaking to the media at the count in Dublin PA Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Yes voters react, as the results of the votes begin to come in PA Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Long time campaigner Annette Forde, from Drumcondra, at the count centre in Dublin's RDS as votes are counted PA Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Minister for Health Simon Harris (centre) with Fine Gael's Kate O'Connell and Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy (left) speaks to the media on arrival at the count centre PA Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Yes voters celebrate at the count centre in Dublin as official results for constituencies are announced PA Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Yes campaigners celebrate at the count in Dublin PA Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum A woman writes a message on a mural to Savita Halappanava, a woman who died of pregnancy complications AFP/Getty Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Activists react at the count centre as votes are tallied folowing yesterday's referendum Reuters Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald reacts with a member of the Yes campaign PA Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Yes campaigners celebrate at the count in Dublin PA Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Yes campaigners react, as the results of the votes begin to come in Reuters Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Senator David Norris at the count centre in Dublin as votes are counted PA Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum A woman sits in front of the Dublin mural of Savita Halappanavar, a woman who died of pregnancy complications PA Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Repeal supporters at Dublin's RDS await the start of the count last night PA Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Minister for Health Simon Harris is greeted by retired Supreme Court judge Catherine McGuinness at the count in Dublin PA Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum Yes campaigners react, as the results of the votes begin to come in AP Ireland celebrates historic Yes vote on abortion referendum A Yes voter poses with a badge as votes are counted AFP/Getty The bill, which has more than 60 co-sponsors in the 105-member Alabama house of representatives, means a doctor would be hit with a Class A felony if they were to perform an abortion. It would ban all abortions, even those using prescription drugs, as soon as a woman is known to be pregnant. It simply criminalises abortion, Terri Collins, a Republican representative who is the bills sponsor. Hopefully, it takes it all the way to the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v Wade. Pressed about pushing a measure that obviously conflicts with Supreme Court decisions, Ms Collins said the whole point is to get the courts to relook at this issue. She said: I think people are seeing a possibility that the Supreme Court might have a more conservative-leaning balance. Alarm bells have been raised that Roe v Wade the landmark Supreme Court decision that legalised abortion nationwide in 1973 could be overturned or radically undermined with new conservative justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh. Staci Fox, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Southeast, called it a death sentence for women across this state. She said: These bans are blatantly unconstitutional and lawmakers know it they just dont care. Alabamians are just pawns in this political game to challenge access to safe, legal abortion nationally. Alabama is the latest Republican-leaning state to try to pass a strict abortion ban as conservatives take aim at Roe v Wade. Abortion opponents in other states have been emboldened to attempt to provoke new legal battles that could spark Supreme Court justices to revisit the key case. The Alabama bill comes after Kentucky and Mississippi approved bans on abortion once a foetal heartbeat is detected, which happens as soon as the sixth week of pregnancy. At six weeks, many women do not yet know they are pregnant. Other states, including Georgia and South Carolina, could pass similar bans. Georgias governor is contemplating whether to sign a law banning abortion once a foetal heartbeat is detected. More than 50 Hollywood actors, including Alyssa Milano, Alec Baldwin and Amy Schumer, sent a letter threatening to pull business out of Georgia, a focal point for TV and film production, if the ban is enacted. A South Carolina House subcommittee passed a similar heartbeat bill on Tuesday. Critics argue the Republicans are unnecessarily launching legal battles that will prove to be expensive and futile with taxpayers potentially footing the bill. Rights organisations have accused the Trump administration of attacking womens reproductive rights by reinstating the global gag rule, which blocks federal funding for non-governmental organisations that provide abortion counselling or referrals. Campaigners have also criticised the government for appointing anti-abortion rights activists to key posts in federal departments that handle womens health, and striving to cut Title X funding to health providers that carry out abortions or make abortion referrals. A man faces animal cruelty charges after he allegedly abandoned his pet fish. Michael Ray Hinson, 53, was arrested in North Carolina on Wednesday and charged with three counts of misdemeanour cruelty to animals and one count of abandonment of an animal, WECT reported. The New Hanover County Sheriffs Office said Mr Hinson failed to provide fresh water and food to his Oscar fish after he was evicted from his home last month. Officers found the fish in a tank that was left behind after he moved out. They said it was in poor health and swimming in dirty water. Oscar fish can grow up to 18in in length and can be trained to do tricks. Where not to visit if you love animals Show all 9 1 /9 Where not to visit if you love animals Where not to visit if you love animals Monkey shows Chimpanzees are forced to perform demeaning tricks on leashes and are often subject to cruel training techniques. Animals who are confined to small, barren enclosures and forced to perform unsurprisingly show symptoms of stress and depression. Chimpanzees have been documented rocking back and forth, sucking their lips, salivating and swaying against enclosure perimeters in distress. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Marine parks Some parks confine orcas to concrete tanks and force them to perform meaningless tricks for food - many die in captivity. Orcas are highly intelligent and social mammals who may suffer immensely, both physically and mentally, when they're held in captivity. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Tiger shows Tigers are forced to live in an unnatural and barren environment and have to endure interactions with a constant stream of tourists. Since tigers never lose their wild instincts, across the world they are reportedly drugged, mutilated and restrained in order to make them safe for the public. However, every year, incidents of tiger maulings are reported at this type of tourist attraction. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Donkey rides Sunning on the beach is great for humans we can take a quick dip or catch a bite to eat when we get too hot or hungry. But it's pure hell for donkeys who are confined to the beach and forced to cart children around on the hot sand. Some donkey-ride operators at beach resorts in the UK even keep the animals chained together at all times. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Swimming with dolphins Some marine parks use bottlenose dolphins in performances and offer visitors the opportunity to swim with dolphins. Unfortunately, people are often unaware that these animals are captured in the wild and torn from their families or traded between different parks around the world. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Canned hunting Lions are confined to fenced areas so that they can easily be cornered, with no chance of escape. Most of them will have been bred in captivity and then taken from their mothers to be hand-reared by the cub-petting industry. When they get too big, they may be drugged before they are released into a "hunting" enclosure. Because these animals are usually kept in fenced enclosures (ranging in size from just a few square yards to thousands of acres), they never stand a chance of surviving. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Running of the Bulls Every year, tourists travel to Pamplona for the Running of the Bulls. The bulls who are forced to slip and slide down the town's narrow cobblestone streets are chased straight into the bullring. They are then taunted, stabbed repeatedly and finally killed by the matador in front of a jeering crowd. The majority of Spaniards reject bullfighting, but tourists are keeping the cruel industry on its last legs. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Horse-drawn carriages City streets are no place for horses. The animals toil in all weather extremes, suffering from respiratory distress from breathing in exhaust fumes as well as numerous hoof, leg and back problems from walking on pavement all day long. As easily spooked prey animals, horses subjected to the loud noises and unexpected sounds of city streets are likely to be involved in accidents, even deadly ones. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Zoos The zoo community regards the animals it keeps as commodities, and animals are regularly bought, sold, borrowed and traded without any regard for established relationships. Zoos breed animals because the presence of babies draws visitors and boosts revenue, yet often, there's nowhere to put the offspring as they grow, and they are killed, as we saw with Marius the giraffe in Denmark. Some zoos have introduced evening events with loud music and alcohol which disrupt the incarcerated animals even further. EPA When Mr Hinsons fish was seized, it appeared to be malnourished and suffering from hole in the head disease. The disease is caused by poor water quality and a lack of food. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Mr Hinson was released from jail on a $4,000 (3,000) unsecured bond. A Virginia university temporarily removed yearbooks that include images of blackface from its digital archives, a decision officials said was necessary to limit the pain caused by racist images but that others have criticised for preventing access to historical records. Hollins University President Pareena Lawrence decided to pull editions of the university's yearbook, the Spinster, from its website until the university posts information that contextualises the racist history of blackface in the next few weeks. "Regardless of the year and time, the intent, or the context, these materials are hurtful and disturbing, and they do not embody the values of our community," Ms Lawrence said Tuesday in a message to the university. "In an effort to limit the damage and pain those depictions might cause in our community, I have decided that for the time being, we will not exhibit the entire collection of The Spinster digitally." Hard copies of yearbooks will remain available on the Roanoke campus of the private liberal arts school, but each edition will carry a message "acknowledging these racist portrayals of African Americans", Ms Lawrence said. Blackface controversy in popular culture Show all 6 1 /6 Blackface controversy in popular culture Blackface controversy in popular culture Justin Trudeau Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau apologised after three images of him in blackface emerged, just weeks before the 2019 federal election AP Blackface controversy in popular culture Alitalia Obama Ad Italian airline Alitalia apologised after releasing a video featuring a white actor in blackface playing Barack Obama to promote their non-stop flight from Rome to Washington Blackface controversy in popular culture Katy Perry shoes The Katy Perry Collection pulled this design after it was noted that they resembled blackface. Perry said "I was saddened when it was brought to my attention that it was being compared to painful images reminiscent of blackface. Our intention was never to inflict any pain." Dillard's Blackface controversy in popular culture Prada collection In December, lawyer Chinyere Ezie spotted figurines in the Prada shop window in Soho, New York that bore a resemblance to racist depictions of black people, with dark skin and large, red lips and voiced her disgust over social media. Prada has since apologised. Chinyere Ezie / Facebook Blackface controversy in popular culture Gucci jumper This "balaclava jumper" was removed from sale after it was noted to resemble blackface. In a letter to Gucci employees, designer Alessandro Michele expressed the pain he felt that one of his creative projects was seen as an intolerable insult. Blackface controversy in popular culture Moncler Penguin French brand Moncler claims the golliwog-style face is really the face of collaborator Friends With You's character "Malfi the Penguin" University librarians and members of a group working to address the legacies of slavery and racial inequality raised strong objections in a joint statement. "While we support President Lawrence's goals of sharing educational information about the history and practice of blackface, learning from this history, and evolving as an institution and society, we cannot and do not support any erasure of institutional history, even if only temporarily," the statement read. Deborah Caldwell-Stone, interim director of the American Library Association's intellectual freedom office, said restricting access prevents scholars and the public from learning from the yearbooks. "Archival materials, records, they represent a record of our history, and when you remove materials, you censor them," she said. "Erasing history solves no problems and simply hides the past from us, so that we can't learn from it...so that we can't remedy any harms from the past." People who handle culturally sensitive material should treat the items with respect and consult communities that are affected, Ms Caldwell-Stone said. Rather than temporarily removing the yearbooks from the digital archives, she said the university should keep them online with "appropriate accompanied language". The presence of materials in an archive, she said, doesn't necessarily mean an institution endorses or approves the content, she added. "They've created a barrier of access that is problematic," she said. The Society of American Archivists urged the university to restore online access to all of the yearbooks. In a statement, the group pointed to its ethics code, which states archivists must not "willfully alter, manipulate, or destroy data or records to conceal facts or distort evidence". "Removing offensive material that was produced and distributed by the University is, de facto, an alteration of the archival record," the statement said. University spokesman Jeffrey Hodges said Hollins is not trying to hide history of racism. "We believe it is not enough to simply state that specific images or other material are racist," he said. "Helping to increase understanding of why blackface and other practices are racist must go hand in hand with acknowledging racism itself." Colleges and universities have re-examined their yearbooks in the two months since a racist photo that appeared in the 1984 medical yearbook page of Democratic Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam stoked widespread calls for his resignation. The governor instead vowed to remain in office and to devote himself to racial reconciliation. Decades-old photographs of students in blackface and other racist images have resurfaced in yearbook pages in Virginia and across the country. A review of the Hollins yearbooks unearthed racially insensitive cartoons and images of former students in blackface, Ms Lawrence said. She acknowledged criticism from the community, noting that some may find the decision excessive, and described efforts by the university to address and discuss history, race and diversity. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events "Small acts of injustice engender greater acts of injustice, just as small acts of compassion are the seeds of great ones," Lawrence said. "With that spirit in mind, I ask for your understanding and your support." Four editions - 1915, 1950, 1969 and 1985 - were pulled from the university's website. Webpages for those editions carry a message saying the books were temporarily removed at the university president's request. The Spinster stopped publishing in 2013, according to the university. The Washington Post Boeing has revealed its troubled 737 MAX jets are suffering from an additional software problem that regulators say must be fixed before the planes can be cleared to fly again. As investigators in Ethiopia said a preliminary examination suggested the Boeing jet that crashed last month with the deaths of 157 passengers and crew was struck by excessive speed and was forced downwards by a wrongly-triggered automation system, new problems emerged for the airline back home in Seattle. The Washington Post said a review by Boeing of the stall prevention system suspected of being behind the Ethiopian Airlines and a crash last year in Indonesia, had detected an additional software problem. It said the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had ordered the problem be addressed before the plane would be cleared for flying. It said the company termed the problem relatively minor and was not related to the anti-stall system. However, it is another headache for company, struggling to respond to the global grounding of the jet with which it intended to compete with rival, Airbus. Boeing 737 MAX grounding: Ethiopia Airlines Flight 302 in pictures Show all 9 1 /9 Boeing 737 MAX grounding: Ethiopia Airlines Flight 302 in pictures Boeing 737 MAX grounding: Ethiopia Airlines Flight 302 in pictures This picture taken on March 11, 2019, shows debris of the crashed airplane of Ethiopia Airlines, near Bishoftu, a town some 60 kilometres southeast of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. - An Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 crashed on March 10 morning en route from Addis Ababa to Nairobi with 149 passengers and eight crew believed to be on board, Ethiopian Airlines said. (Photo by Michael TEWELDE / AFP)MICHAEL TEWELDE/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Boeing 737 MAX grounding: Ethiopia Airlines Flight 302 in pictures Family members mourn the victims at the crash site of the Ethiopian Airlines operated Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, at Hama Quntushele village in the Oromia region, on March 13, 2019. - A Nairobi-bound Ethiopian Airlines Boeing crashed minutes after takeoff from Addis Ababa on March 10, 2019, killing all eight crew and 149 passengers on board, including tourists, business travellers, and "at least a dozen" UN staff. Families of the victims were taken to the remote site on March 13, 2019, where the plane smashed into a field with 157 passengers and crew from 35 countries, leaving a deep black crater and tiny scraps of debris. (Photo by TONY KARUMBA / AFP)TONY KARUMBA/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Boeing 737 MAX grounding: Ethiopia Airlines Flight 302 in pictures A page of a Boeing flight crew operations manual is seen at the scene of the Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302 plane crash, near the town of Bishoftu, near Addis Ababa, Ethiopia March 12, 2019. REUTERS/Baz Ratner REUTERS Boeing 737 MAX grounding: Ethiopia Airlines Flight 302 in pictures epa07434278 Rescue workers search the site for pieces of the wreckage of an Ethiopia Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft near Bishoftu, Ethiopia, 13 March 2019. Ethiopian Airlines flight ET 302 carrying 149 passengers and 8 crew was en route to Nairobi, Kenya, when it crashed on 10 March 2019 by yet undetermined reason. All passengers and crew aboard died in the crash. The Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft has come under scrutiny after similar deadly crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia within a few months. Several countries have banned the plane type from their airspace and many airlines have grounded their 737 Max 8 planes for safety concerns after the Ethiopian Airlines plane crashed minutes after take-off on 10 March. EPA/STRINGER EPA Boeing 737 MAX grounding: Ethiopia Airlines Flight 302 in pictures A grounded Boeing 737 MAX 8 passenger plane of the Norwegian low-cost airline Norwegian is parked at the tarmac at Vantaa airport in Vantaa near Helsinki, Finland on March 13, 2019. - A number of countries have banned Boeing's 737 MAX 8 medium-haul workhorse jet from their airspace in response to the Ethiopian Airlines crash that killed all 157 people on board. (Photo by Heikki Saukkomaa / Lehtikuva / AFP) / Finland OUTHEIKKI SAUKKOMAA/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Boeing 737 MAX grounding: Ethiopia Airlines Flight 302 in pictures Rescue workers search the site for pieces of the wreckage of an Ethiopia Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft near Bishoftu, Ethiopia, 13 March 2019. Ethiopian Airlines flight ET 302 carrying 149 passengers and 8 crew was en route to Nairobi, Kenya, when it crashed on 10 March 2019 by yet undetermined reason. All passengers and crew aboard died in the crash. The Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft has come under scrutiny after similar deadly crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia within a few months. Several countries have banned the plane type from their airspace and many airlines have grounded their 737 Max 8 planes for safety concerns after the Ethiopian Airlines plane crashed minutes after take-off on 10 March. EPA/STRINGER EPA Boeing 737 MAX grounding: Ethiopia Airlines Flight 302 in pictures A heap of debris from the wreckage of an Ethiopia Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft are piled at the crash site near Bishoftu, Ethiopia, 13 March 2019. Ethiopian Airlines flight ET 302 carrying 149 passengers and 8 crew was en route to Nairobi, Kenya, when it crashed on 10 March 2019 by yet undetermined reason. All passengers and crew aboard died in the crash. The Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft has come under scrutiny after similar deadly crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia within a few months. Several countries have banned the plane type from their airspace and many airlines have grounded their 737 Max 8 planes for safety concerns after the Ethiopian Airlines plane crashed minutes after take-off on 10 March. EPA/STR EPA Boeing 737 MAX grounding: Ethiopia Airlines Flight 302 in pictures A crew working with an investigative team to clear the site after the Sunday crash of the Ethiopian Airlines operated Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, carry debris at Hama Quntushele village in the Oromia region, on March 13, 2019. - A Nairobi-bound Ethiopian Airlines Boeing crashed minutes after takeoff from Addis Ababa on March 10, killing all eight crew and 149 passengers on board, including tourists, business travellers, and "at least a dozen" UN staff. Families of the victims were taken to the remote site on March 13, 2019, where the plane smashed into a field with 157 passengers and crew from 35 countries, leaving a deep black crater and tiny scraps of debris. (Photo by TONY KARUMBA / AFP)TONY KARUMBA/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Boeing 737 MAX grounding: Ethiopia Airlines Flight 302 in pictures FILE PHOTO: An American Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8, on a flight from Miami to New York City, comes in for landing at LaGuardia Airport in New York, U.S., March 12, 2019. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton/File Photo REUTERS Boeings CEO has apologised for the deaths and vowed to get to the bottom of what caused the incidents. We at Boeing are sorry for the lives lost in the recent 737 MAX accidents. I cannot remember a more heart-wrenching time in my career with this great company. chief executive Dennis Muilenburg wrote. He also released a video. He said the release of the preliminary report in Ethiopia showed it was apparent that in both the crash in Africa, and Indonesia, the maneuvering characteristics augmentation system, known as MCAS, activated in response to erroneous angle of attack information. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The history of our industry shows most accidents are caused by a chain of events. This again is the case here, and we know we can break one of those chain links in these two accidents, he wrote. As pilots have told us, erroneous activation of the MCAS function can add to what is already a high workload environment. Its our responsibility to eliminate this risk. We own it and we know how to do it. Asked about the report of a new software problem, Boeing said: Were making progress on the software update that will prevent future accidents. Boeing has worked diligently, advancing and testing the software, in close collaboration with global regulators and customers as well as a non advocate review board. As part of this process, we have identified an aspect of the software, unrelated to MCAS, that will also be addressed as part of this software update. We are taking steps to thoroughly address this relatively minor issue and already have the solution in work to do that. In a statement, the FAA told The Independent: The FAA expects to receive Boeings final package of its software enhancement over the coming weeks for FAA approval. Time is needed for additional work by Boeing as the result of an ongoing review of the 737 MAX Flight Control System to ensure that Boeing has identified and appropriately addressed all pertinent issues. It added: Upon receipt, the FAA will subject Boeings completed submission to a rigorous safety review. The FAA will not approve the software for installation until the agency is satisfied with the submission. The probe in Ethiopia found that pilot Yared Getachew, cried pull up three times before the plane crashed into a field six minutes after takeoff from Addis Ababa on March 10. The crew performed all the procedures repeatedly provided by the manufacturer but was not able to control the aircraft, transport minister Dagmawit Moges told a news conference, according to Reuters. The preliminary report into the crash of a Lion Air 737 MAX in Indonesia suggested pilots also lost control after grappling with the MCAS software. A total of 189 passengers and crew lost their lives in that crash last October. Brazils far-right president has claimed there is no doubt Nazism was a leftist movement, hours after visiting a Holocaust memorial in Israel. Jair Bolsonaros remarks directly contradicted information on the Yad Vashem remembrance centres website, which explains how Germanys Nazi movement emerged from radical right-wing groups responding to the rise of communism. In televised comments, the Brazilian president echoed previous remarks by his countrys foreign minister, Ernesto Araujo, who had also claimed the Nazis were leftists. Asked by reporters if he agreed, Mr Bolsonaro replied: There is no doubt, right? He went on to suggest the fact Adolf Hitlers party was named the National Socialist Party illustrated its left-wing origins. Remembering the Holocaust Show all 16 1 /16 Remembering the Holocaust Remembering the Holocaust 119165.bin Hannah Bills Remembering the Holocaust 119169.bin Hannah Bills Remembering the Holocaust 119229.bin Hannah Bills Remembering the Holocaust 119167.bin Hannah Bills Remembering the Holocaust 119162.bin Hannah Bills Remembering the Holocaust 119166.bin Hannah Bills Remembering the Holocaust 119163.bin Hannah Bills Remembering the Holocaust 119224.bin Hannah Bills Remembering the Holocaust 119168.bin Hannah Bills Remembering the Holocaust 119228.bin Hannah Bills Remembering the Holocaust 119152.bin Hannah Bills Remembering the Holocaust 119226.bin Hannah Bills Remembering the Holocaust 119150.bin Hannah Bills Remembering the Holocaust 119151.bin Hannah Bills Remembering the Holocaust 119147.bin Hannah Bills Remembering the Holocaust 119231.bin Hannah Bills Despite their name, the Nazis espoused a fascist and explicitly anti-communist ideology. They are widely accepted to have been on the far right of the political spectrum. Yad Vashems website states that Germanys defeat in the First World War created fertile soil for the growth of radical right-wing groups in Germany, spawning entities such as the Nazi Party. The centre in Jerusalem documents the Holocaust and is a memorial to the six million Jews murdered by Nazi Germany during the Second World War. Mr Bolsonaro visisted Yad Vashem on Tuesday during a four-day trip to Israel. Israels prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has embraced Mr Bolsonaro despite his Brazilian counterpart repeatedly airing racist, homophobic and misogynist views. Mr Bolsonaros visit had initially been seen as a potential boost to Mr Netanyahus prospects in elections next week, but the trip fell short of fulfilling the Israeli prime ministers expressed hope that Brazil would move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The Brazilian leader had suggested soon after his inauguration in January that he would move the embassy, but his government later backtracked. Brazilian officials instead announced during his Israel visit that the country would open a trade office in Jerusalem. Mr Netanyahu has said he hopes the trade office is a step towards moving the embassy relocating to Jerusalem. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events US president Donald Trump, who Mr Bolsonaro regards as an ally and kindred spirit, recognised Jerusalem as Israels capital in 2017 and ordered the American embassy to be moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in the face of international outcry. Israelis and Arabs dispute the status of Jerusalem, which is holy to Jews, Christians and Muslims. Israel regards the city as its eternal and indivisible capital but that is not recognised internationally, and Palestinians want East Jerusalem to be the capital of an eventual Palestinian state. Brazils education minister has said school textbooks will be rewritten "to deny" the countrys 1964 coup and 21-year military dictatorship. Ricardo Velez said the military ousting of democratically-elected president Joao Goulart was not a coup and the following two decades of military rule were in fact a democratic regime of force. His comments came just days after far-right president Jair Bolsonaro reversed an eight-year ban on commemorating the anniversary of the start of military rule, allowing celebrations to go ahead on Sunday. Mr Velez told business newspaper Valor Economico there would be progressive changes to textbooks to give children a true, real idea of what happened. Brazilian history shows that 31 March 1964 was a sovereign decision of Brazilian society, he said. Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's far-right leader inauguration Show all 20 1 /20 Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's far-right leader inauguration Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's far-right leader inauguration Brazil's new President Jair Bolsonaro waves as he drives past before his swear-in ceremony Reuters Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's far-right leader inauguration Supporters wait in front of the Planalto Palace, where he will take office EPA Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's far-right leader inauguration Jair Bolsonaro gestures at the Congress before he is sworn AFP/Getty Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's far-right leader inauguration Supporters take pictures as Brazil's new President Jair Bolsonaro drives past Reuters Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's far-right leader inauguration Flanked by first lady Michelle Bolsonaro, Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro waves to the crowd, as he rides in an open car after his swearing-in ceremony AP Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's far-right leader inauguration Jair Bolsonaro reacts as he drives past Reuters Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's far-right leader inauguration Reuters Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's far-right leader inauguration The National Congress before Brazil's President-elect Jair Bolsonaro is sworn in AFP/Getty Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's far-right leader inauguration Jair Bolsonaro gestures at the Congress AFP/Getty Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's far-right leader inauguration Reuters Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's far-right leader inauguration AP Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's far-right leader inauguration AFP/Getty Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's far-right leader inauguration EPA Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's far-right leader inauguration AFP/Getty Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's far-right leader inauguration AFP/Getty Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's far-right leader inauguration Reuters Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's far-right leader inauguration Reuters Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's far-right leader inauguration AFP/Getty Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's far-right leader inauguration AFP/Getty Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's far-right leader inauguration AFP/Getty He has since been accused of historical revisionism. The president of the Brazilian Association of Textbooks, Candido Grangeiro, was critical of the plans, saying the organisation was opposed to any type of revisionism based on opinions. A 2014 report by the countrys truth commission found that at least 434 people were killed or disappeared during the military regime. None of the military officials in power at the time have been prosecuted. Some, including Mr Bolsonaro, believe the military intervention saved the country from communism. However thousands of demonstrators took to the streets in several major Brazilian cities on Sunday to protest the 55th anniversary of the coup. In the nations capital Brasilia, protesters marched chanting dictatorship never again. MacKenzie Bezos is set to become the third-richest woman in the world after finalising her divorce from Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos. The couple released individual statements regarding the terms of their divorce on Twitter, with Ms Bezos announcing in her first-ever tweet that she would be giving her ex-husband 75 per cent of the companys stock. Expressing her gratitude for the amicable split and for those who sent well-wishes, Ms Bezos said that she was looking forward to the next phase as co-parents and friends. Ms Bezos also announced that she would be giving up all of her interests in the Washington Post and Blue Origin, as well as voting control over her shares of Amazon to the Amazon CEO to support his continued contributions with the teams of these incredible companies. In a filing on Thursday, Amazon said MacKenzie Bezos is expected to hold 4 per cent of the companys stock, worth roughly $35bn, which would make her the third-richest woman in the world, according to Forbes list. Inside the Amazon Fulfilment Centres Show all 15 1 /15 Inside the Amazon Fulfilment Centres Inside the Amazon Fulfilment Centres One of Britain's largest centres in Dunfermline, Fife PA Inside the Amazon Fulfilment Centres The centre in Peterborough AFP/Getty Inside the Amazon Fulfilment Centres The centre in Hemel Hempstead PA Inside the Amazon Fulfilment Centres The centre in Robbinsville, New Jersey Getty Inside the Amazon Fulfilment Centres The centre in Tracy, California Reuters Inside the Amazon Fulfilment Centres The centre in Robbinsville, New Jersey Getty Inside the Amazon Fulfilment Centres The centre in Boves, France AFP/Getty Inside the Amazon Fulfilment Centres The centre in Swansea PA Inside the Amazon Fulfilment Centres The centre in Madrid Getty Inside the Amazon Fulfilment Centres The centre in Robbinsville, New Jersey Getty Inside the Amazon Fulfilment Centres The centre in Swansea PA Inside the Amazon Fulfilment Centres The centre in Hemel Hempstead Getty Inside the Amazon Fulfilment Centres The centre in Hemel Hempstead Getty Inside the Amazon Fulfilment Centres 'Amazon Jobs Day', a job fair, at the centre in Robbinsville, New Jersey Getty Inside the Amazon Fulfilment Centres The centre in Boves, France Reuters The wealthiest woman in the world is Francoise Bettencourt Meyers, the granddaughter of LOreals founder, who has a net worth of $49.3bn. In second place is Walmart heir Alice Walton, who is worth $44.4bn. The Queen of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, in comparison, is worth just $500m. In his own statement, the Amazon CEO reiterated the sentiment of looking forward to the future and praised his former partner. In all our work together, MacKenzies abilities have been on full display, he said. She has been an extraordinary partner, ally, and mother. She is resourceful and brilliant and loving, and as our futures unroll, I know Ill always be learning from her. The pair, who have four children, announced they would be separating in January after 25 years of marriage. Shortly after they revealed their separation, a story in the National Enquirer claimed Mr Bezos, 55, had been involved in an extramarital affair. The tech entrepreneur responded with a blog post in which he accused the tabloid of attempting to extort him prompting an investigation by federal prosecutors. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The Amazon CEOs current net worth is $150bn, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Ben, make sure you play Take My Hand, Precious Lord. Play it real pretty, are said to be the last words of Reverend Martin Luther King Jr, just before he stepped out onto a balcony in Memphis, Tennessee where a gunman shot him a single time, ending his life half a century ago. That gunshot 53 years ago put an end to the life of a man who is one of the most revered figures in American history not to mention one of the most quotable individuals with a persistent relevance to the condition of the country and its people. Before King made that plea for the sounds of beauty to Ben Branch, a musician scheduled to play at a planned event that evening in Memphis, he was known for using his words to inspire a generation to peaceful action in the fight for civil rights. Here is the late reverend, in his own words. I have decided to stick with love. hate is too great a burden to bear Free at last, free at last. Thank God almighty we are free at last. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. In pictures: Martin Luther King Jr's campaign for civil rights Show all 10 1 /10 In pictures: Martin Luther King Jr's campaign for civil rights In pictures: Martin Luther King Jr's campaign for civil rights 4510050.jpg AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Martin Luther King Jr's campaign for civil rights 4608656-low_res-martin-luther-king-and-the-march-on-washington.jpg BBC In pictures: Martin Luther King Jr's campaign for civil rights martin-luther-king-6.jpg Getty Images In pictures: Martin Luther King Jr's campaign for civil rights martin-luther-king-7.jpg Getty Images In pictures: Martin Luther King Jr's campaign for civil rights georgiamlk.jpg In pictures: Martin Luther King Jr's campaign for civil rights malcom-x-and-martin-luther-king.jpg Library of Congress/ Wiki Commons In pictures: Martin Luther King Jr's campaign for civil rights martin-luther-king-8.jpg Getty Images In pictures: Martin Luther King Jr's campaign for civil rights 359983.bin AP In pictures: Martin Luther King Jr's campaign for civil rights 4260367.jpg AP In pictures: Martin Luther King Jr's campaign for civil rights MLKAFP.jpg AFP/Getty Images If you cant fly then run, if you cant run then walk, if you cant walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter. The time is always right to do what is right. In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends. The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. Lifes most persistent and urgent question is, What are you doing for others? Martin Luther King Jr's iconic I Have A Dream speech Faith is taking the first step even when you dont see the whole staircase. Nonviolence is a powerful and just weapon. Indeed, it is a weapon unique in history, which cuts without wounding and ennobles the man who wields it. I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant. Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity. Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men. Almost always, the creative dedicated minority has made the world better. Every man must decided whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness. When you are right you cannot be too radical; when you are wrong, you cannot be too conservative. March For Our Lives: Martin Luther King's grandaughter Yolanda's speech in Washington DC There is nothing more tragic than to find an individual bogged down in the length of life, devoid of breath. Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression, and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love. It may be true that the law cannot make a man love me, but it can keep him from lynching me, and I think thats pretty important. All labour that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence. "It is incontestable and deplorable that Negroes have committed crimes; but they are derivative crimes. They are born of the greater crimes of white society. We must build dikes of courage to hold back the flood of fear. The first question which the priest and the Levite asked was: If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me? But the good Samaritan reversed the question: If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him? If I wish to compose or write or pray or perch well, I must be angry. Then all the blood in my veins is stirred, and my understanding is sharpened. A right delayed is a right denied. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has repealed controversial rules that made gay marriage a sin eligible for expulsion and banned baptisms for children of gay parents. The move reflects a major shift in the Church's attitude toward LGBTQ+ issues, though it still claims same-sex relationships are a serious transgression. With the change, children of gay parents can now be baptised as long as their parents approve the baptisms and acknowledge that the children will be taught church doctrine, the church said in a statement from its highest leadership group called the First Presidency. The 2015 rules that were approved by global church leaders had prohibited baptisms for children living with gay parents until the children turned 18 and disavowed same-sex relationships. In a statement, the Christian sect widely known as the Mormon church said it would not be changing its doctrinal opposition to gay marriage. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty But people in same-sex relationships will no longer be considered apostates who can be kicked out of the religion, the statement said. That label given to same-sex couples in the 2015 policy was widely condemned by LGBTQ+ members and allies as being demeaning and hurtful to people who already struggle to find acceptance in the faith. The very positive policies announced this morning should help affected families, church leaders said in the statement. In addition, our members efforts to show more understanding, compassion and love should increase respect and understanding among all people of goodwill. We want to reduce the hate and contention so common today. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which counts 16 million members worldwide, did not apologise for putting the previous policy in place. The announcement came two days before Saturdays twice-yearly church conference in Salt Lake City. It was unknown if church leaders will speak more about the changes during the two-day conference, where church leaders give speeches about spirituality and sometimes unveil new church initiatives. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Faith leaders had previously stated that the 2015 rules were designed to protect children by not putting them in a potential tug-of-war between the beliefs of same-sex couples raising them and teachings and activities at church. The Associated Press contributed to this report The prime suspect in the killing of rapper Nipsey Hussle has been charged with his murder. Eric Holder is also facing two counts of attempted murder, after two other men were shot at the scene. The 29-year-old, who is set to appear in court, on Thursday, is yet to enter a plea. Los Angeles County prosecutors allege that Holder and Hussle, who knew each other, had several conversations on Sunday outside the rappers clothing store. They claim he then returned with a handgun and shot Hussle, who was later declared dead at a hospital, and wounded the two other men. If convicted, Holder faces life in prison. 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 Hussle, 33, was engaged to actress Lauren London, with whom he had a two-year-old son. He had another daughter from a previous relationship. The rapper had success in hip-hops inner circles for 10 years through his mixtapes, then released his first album with a major label last year. Victory Lap was nominated for Best Rap Album at the Grammys in February. The California State Senate adjourned in Hussles honour on Thursday. He was a manifestation, from my perspective, of the American dream, even the California dream, said Senator Holly Mitchell, a Democrat from Los Angeles. He represents a new generation of entertainer turned activist turned entrepreneur, she added, before noting the rappers activism on police brutality and gun violence. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Congresswoman Karen Bass said she planned to honour Hussle on the floor of the US House of Representatives. I will be heading to the House Floor next week to formally enter Nipsey Hussle's contributions to South Los Angeles into the Congressional Record where it will be a part of United States history forever, Ms Bass tweeted. Additional reporting by agencies Brian Michael Rini told authorities he had fled from a Red Roof Inn and crossed a bridge into Newport, Kentucky, where he told local police he had just escaped from two kidnappers. The Louisville FBI then said a DNA analysis confirmed he was not who he had claimed to be. Authorities said the man was in fact a former convict who was recently released from an Ohio prison after serving time for burglary and vandalism. Hopes were briefly raised that he was Timmothy, who was last seen after his mother pulled him out of school in Aurora, a far-west suburb of Chicago, and then killed herself 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 local investigation continues into this persons true identity, Louisville FBI Agent Tim Beam said in a statement after the discovery. Law enforcement has not and will not forget Timmothy, and we hope to one day reunite him with his family, the statement added. Unfortunately, that day will not be today. Recommended Teenager tells police he is Illinois child missing for eight years Timmothy Pitzen went missing in May 2011 at the age of six, after his mother, Amy Fry-Pitzen, pulled him out of school and took him on a trip to a zoo and a water park. She killed herself soon afterwards in a motel room, leaving a note that local media said made the boys whereabouts a mystery. Tim is somewhere safe with people who love him and will care for him, she wrote in the note, according to reports by ABC7 Chicago. You will never find him. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events On Wednesday a person who said his name was Timmothy told police in Newport, Kentucky, that he had been held captive for seven years by two white men he described as body-builder types until he escaped and ran across a bridge from Ohio into Kentucky. Additional reporting by Reuters Police in Kentucky are trying to determine the identity of a teenager who says he is a child who went missing more than seven years ago, and who told officers he fled kidnappers who held him as prisoner all that time. In 2011, Timmothy Pitzen, 6, was picked up at school by his mother in Illinois, taken to a zoo and a water park, before she killed herself at a hotel, leaving a note in which she said her son was fine but that no one would ever find him. On Wednesday, a 14-year-old came forward to tell police he was Timmothy. He reportedly told officers he had fled across a bridge in Cincinnati over the Ohio River into Kentucky. Weve probably had thousands of tips of him popping up in different areas, Aurora police officer Bill Rowley told the Associated Press. We have no idea what we're driving down there for. It could be Pitzen. It could be a hoax. Timmothy Pitzens grandmother, Alana Anderson, told WISN-TV on Wednesday that authorities had told the family very little. 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 We just know a 14-year-old boy was found and went to the police, Ms Anderson said. We don't want to get our hopes up and our family's hopes up until we know something. We just don't want to get our hopes up. Weve had false reports and false hopes before. Police in the Cincinnati suburb of Sharonville wrote in a short incident report that the boy said he had just escaped from two kidnappers. He described them as white men with body builder-type physiques. They were in a Ford SUV with Wisconsin license plates and had been staying at a Red Roof Inn. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events CBS News said it spoke to the person who dialled the emergency services. He said he had escaped, said the woman who called 911. He said he was missing from Illinois. Thats what he said. The channel said that in May 2011, the boys mother picked him up from school in Aurora. Amy Fry-Pitzen then took him on a two-day trip to the Brookfield Zoo, a water park in Gurnee, and final the Wisconsin Dells, where the last known sighting of Timothy was caught on tape. Two days later, Ms Fry-Pitzen was found dead in a Rockford hotel along with a note saying that her son was safe, but no one would find him. A group devoted to helping the US tackle climate change has released its first report since being officially disbanded by Donald Trump two years ago. The Federal Advisory Committee for the Sustained National Climate Assessment was set up as a panel of experts to prepare the nation for a future of rising sea levels and wildfires. It was first appointed by former president Barack Obama to assist communities who wanted to adapt to the changing climate. But Mr Trump who has repeatedly expressed doubts about the existence of climate change dismissed the panel after taking power in 2017. Last year, with support from Columbia University, New York State and the American Meteorological Society, the committee reconvened, but swapped the word federal in its title to independent. "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 Announcing the move, the states governor Andrew Cuomo said: In New York, we dont believe denying climate change is a successful survival strategy and the work of this committee has never been more urgent. Now, the group is calling for action to update infrastructure, reduce wildfire risk and manage flooding, in a world in which global temperatures continue to soar. Their newly compiled report also calls for a new network to guide state, local and Native American tribal governments on how to use climate science to change their communities for the better and cut emissions. Were trying to produce something that adds value for those on the front lines of preparing their communities for climate change, said Dr Richard Moss, chairman of the committee. Their recommendations are largely based on the official National Climate Assessment, a report released by Mr Trumps own administration last year that the president publicly announced he doesnt believe. In the past, Mr Trump has dismissed global warming as a hoax and more recently described the science underpinning it, which the vast majority of researchers agree with, as fake. Reports in February suggested the administration was planning to set up another panel to reconsider the US governments official position on climate change, including prominent sceptics who have questioned the scientific consensus. The move by Dr Moss and his colleagues is the latest effort by local leaders to take action on global warming in defiance of their climate sceptic president. California governor Jerry Brown has been a vocal critic of the presidents stance, calling him a liar, criminal and fool when it came to climate change, and pledging 100 per cent clean energy for his state by 2045. The proposed Science to Climate Action Network would be independent of the federal government and would comprise experts from civil society and state, local, and tribal settings. We live in an era of climate change and yet many of our systems, codes and standards have not caught up, said Daniel Zarrilli, New York Citys chief climate policy advisor. Integrating climate science into everyday decisions is not just smart planning, its an urgent necessity. Donald Trump, the subject of allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct by around two-dozen women, has mocked former vice president Joe Biden over claims of inappropriate physical conduct. In a speech at a fundraising event organised by the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), the president poked fun at the 76-year-old Democrat, who has been accused of misconduct by a series of women. Mr Trump told the crowd in Washington DC about a conversation he claimed to have once had with a general. I said, General, give me a kiss. I felt like Joe Biden. But I meant it, said the president. Later, he said he believed Mr Biden, who would likely be among the Democratic frontrunners if he decides to run in 2020, was being taken care of pretty well by the socialists an apparent reference to suggestions that recent allegations against Barack Obamas vice president for two terms, were being pushed by rivals in his own party. Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Show all 23 1 /23 Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Joe Biden The former vice president - poised to be a frontrunner - has announced his run. He recently faced scrutiny for inappropriate touching of women, but was thought to deal with the criticism well AFP/Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Bernie Sanders The 2016 runner-up has announced that he will be running again in 2020 Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Hillary Clinton The 2016 Democratic presidential candidate and former Secretary of State says she is still considering whether she will run again. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Pete Buttigieg The Indiana mayor and war veteran will be running for president. If elected, he would be the first openly LGBT+ president in American history. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? 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 I was going to call him and say, Welcome to the world, Joe. You having a good time, Joe, he said. During the 2016 presidential election campaign, Mr Trump was accused by at least 23 women women of sexual harassment or worse. He denied all the allegations. Video also emerged of him boasting about grabbing womens genitals. Mr Biden, who in political circles in Washington DC is known by some as Creepy Joe, has long been accused of inappropriate or awkward physical interactions with women. Last week, a Democratic activist and elected politician from Nevada, Lucy Flores, said Mr Biden had put his his hands on her shoulders, smelled her hair and kissed the back of her head during a campaign event five years ago. Earlier this week, Amy Lappos, a former aide to congressman Jim Himes, said Mr Biden had ten years ago touched her face and rubbed noses with her. Two other women who have accused the man who served in the Senate for almost four decades, of inappropriate behaviour in The New York Times. Nancy Pelosi defends former Vice President Joe Biden saying claims are not 'disqualifying' for a potential 2020 presidential bid Caitlyn Caruso, 22, told the newspaper Mr Biden put his hand on her thigh and hugged her just a little bit too long at an event about sexual harassment at the University of Nevada Las Vegas three years ago. It doesnt even really cross your mind that such a person would dare perpetuate harm like that, she said. These are supposed to be people you can trust. DJ Hill, a 59-year-old writer, claimed Mr Biden put his hands on her shoulders and began dropping them down her back at even in Minneapolis. Only he knows his intent, she said. Mr Biden has said he has 95 per cent decided he is going to enter the 2020 race. He currently tops polls of potential Democratic candidates. Yet, as the accusations from the four women underscore, Mr Biden would face fresh, intense scrutiny if he enters the race and launches what would be his third bid for the White House. Commentators say he will already face questions over his record on race relations because of his support of the 1994 Crime Bill that discriminated against minority communities, and his questioning of witness Anita Hill during the 1991 confirmation hearings for Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas. So far, senior Democrats such as speaker Nancy Pelosi, have said the allegations as they stand are not disqualifying. That could change if more women come forward or Mr Biden fails to end the controversy. After Ms Flores came forward last week, Mr Biden said he had never once acted inappropriately, but also admitted his memory may be different to that of others. In a statement, he added: We have arrived at an important time when women feel they can and should relate their experiences, and men should pay attention. And I will. The man trying to bring down Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and her staff for allegedly breaking campaign finance laws during the 2018 midterm elections, is a devout partisan and proud Donald Trump supporter, known for his distaste for the very campaign finance regulations he is using to try and stir up controversy. Dan Backer, a Virginia attorney, filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) on Wednesday, alleging that Ms Ocasio-Cortez and her chief of staff Seikat Chakrabarti engaged in a scheme to undercut normal market value for campaign services for her and several other progressive candidates. It is a complaint that Mr Backer says shows Ms Ocasio-Cortezs hypocrisy as an advocate for campaign finance reform, even if he does not personally agree with the underlying law. And, it is Mr Backers own duality on these issues that campaign finance experts say illustrates how easy it is for partisan complaints to be filed with the FEC and make news with little in-depth scrutiny. I think much of what they set out to do SHOULD be legal, and the provisions restricting people from engaging in robust political activity in this way are likely unconstitutional, but its still the law, Mr Backer told The Independent in an email. He continued: And its self-aggrandising reformers like [Ms Ocasio-Cortez] who seek to make the laws even more burdensome. I would be thrilled if the adjudication here resulted in overturning some of these restrictions, but until then its still the law and a self-professed reformer ought to follow the laws. A request sent to Ms Ocasio-Cortezs office seeking comment on Mr Backers allegations received no reply. She has previously claimed the campaign finance allegations against her originated from a conspiracy machine. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez greets fellow lawmakers ahead of the State of the Union address Getty Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez participates in an event with Democratic members of Congress EPA Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures The Democrat senator speaks during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol January 30, 2019 Getty Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and fellow Democrat Rashida Tlaib AP Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at the Senate chamber to watch two votes on January 24, 2019 Getty Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez arrives with Chellie Pingree at a House Democratic Caucus meeting Getty Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Ocasio-Cortez during Donald Trump's State of the Union address Reuters Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures New York State Assembly member Catalina Cruz with Ocasio-Cortez AFP/Getty Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Nydia Velazquez talks with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Reuters Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Ocasio-Cortez casts her vote for Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House EPA Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez poses with a campaign worker during a whistle stop in the Queens borough of New York Reuters Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Ocasio-Cortez outside the US Capitol AFP/Getty Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Ocasio-Cortez after casting her ballot in the 2018 midterm general election at a polling site in New York EPA Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez looks on during a march organised by the Women's March Alliance in Manhattan Reuters Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Ocasio Cortez looks on at the Capitol in Washington, DC, on January 16, 2019 AFP/Getty In the newest complaint, Mr Backer charges that Ms Ocasio-Cortez and Mr Chakrabarti controlled three overlapping entities the Justice Democrats PAC, the Brand New Congress PAC and Brand New Congress LLC with a goal to subsidise cheap assistance for Ocasio-Cortez and other candidates at rates far below market value. The complaint details a string of allegations, with multiple different ways that Mr Backer says Ms Ocasio-Cortez may have violated campaign finance laws. Dan Backer is a longtime actor in this space who has scored some notable victories. He has won, but he also has a reputation for taking a kind of kitchen sink approach, said Daniel Weiner, the senior counsel for the Brennan Centre for Justice. He sues the FEC constantly and loses much more often than he wins, though he has won, Mr Weiner continued. Hes also, frankly, hes a very, very committed partisan. Not unlike many people in this bar. Hes also a committed one might even say ferocious opponent of campaign finance regulation generally. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Mr Backers complaint was filed on Wednesday on behalf of the Coolidge Reagan Foundation, a conservative activist group that has challenged Ms Ocasio-Cortez for campaign finance violations on at least one other occasion. The foundation is run by Mr Backer and by Shaun McCutcheon, a Republican donor and delegate for Mr Trump who once challenged and won with Mr Backers help the FEC over limits on aggregate campaign donations to federal candidates during a two year period. In addition to his complaints against Ms Ocasio-Cortez, Mr Backer has been active in Republican politics organising against former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. Recommended AOC delivers devastating speech after Republicans block Green New Deal Mr Backer helped to establish the Stop Hillary PAC, for instance, which was highly critical of her handling of the 2012 attacks on US government facilities in Benghazi, Libya, where a US ambassador was killed. The PAC was later renamed following Mr Trumps election as the Committee to Defend the President. Mr Backer was also involved in a complaint accusing the Clinton campaign in 2016 of campaign violations related to payments to Fusion GPS the company that helped produce the dossier compiled by ex-British spy Christopher Steele. With Mr Backers signature behind it, the Committee to Defend the President and a separate pro-Trump PAC called Great America PAC have already begun spending big to support the presidents re-election bid. By mid-February, for instance, those two groups had already spent $441,038 and $821,280, respectively, according to the Centre for Responsive Politics. Steve Bannon has been caught claiming an activist-led advertising boycott of Breitbart decimated the companys revenues. In footage reportedly shot in London last summer during a dinner with far-right European nationalists, Mr Bannon said Breitbart was in tough financial shape after seeing advertising revenues plummet "90 per cent". He credited the slump to work done by campaign group Sleeping Giants, which pressures companies into cutting ties with media it deems to be racist or sexist. This group called Sleeping Giants, a group of tech executives, they literally stripped out, they went and took 35 exchanges that sell the ads 31 went away. So the ad revenues dropped like 90 per cent, said Mr Bannon, who resigned as executive chairman of Breitbart six months before the footage was allegedly taken. Breitbart has been contacted for comment. Kent Ekeroth, a senior member of the far-right Swedish Democrats, is heard saying Sleeping Giants attacked us too presumably in reference to his political party and claimed that due to pressure from the group, Google banned us" from its ad network. Asked how Breitbart was generating revenues, Mr Bannon said it was all generated by advertising. Im saying its in touch financial shape, he added. Sleeping Giants, which first shared the footage on Twitter, said the clip showed it was having a massive effect" on Breitbart. 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 This is absolutely something we never would have expected. Big thanks to Steve-O for the info! the group tweeted, adding: Pretty cool that he got 100% of his information about us completely wrong. What a news guy! It comes after Sleeping Giants in 2017 claimed its campaign had prompted more than 2,500 firms to stop advertising on Breitbart. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has arrested nearly 300 people at a Texas tech company in one of the federal agencys largest raids in a decade. The mass arrest reflects a push by Donald Trumps administration to target companies employing people who federal authorities say are not allowed to be in the United States. About 200 law enforcement officials descended Wednesday on CVE Technology Group in Allen, a city about 15 miles northeast of Dallas. The technology repair company was employing people working in the US illegally, according to federal authorities, who did not release details on the approximately 280 people who were taken away on buses. Each will face deportation proceedings. In a statement, ICE said that it began auditing CVE employment documents after receiving tips that the business was knowingly hiring people not authorised to work in the country. 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 Homeland Security Investigations, a division of ICE, began an audit in January of CVE records that confirmed hiring irregularities, according to the statement. Businesses that knowingly hire illegal aliens create an unfair advantage over their competing businesses, ICE agent Katrina Berger said. In addition, they take jobs away from U.S. citizens and legal residents, and they create an atmosphere poised for exploiting their illegal workforce. But family members of CVE workers who were arrested say the raid was a heavy-handed tactic against people simply working to provide for their families. Valerie Trevino told the Dallas Morning News that her mother, Graciela Velazquez, moved from Mexico 25 years ago and has worked for the company for years. Ms Trevino said her mom does not have a criminal record. Its insane to just get people who are working to make a living, she said. Theyve done nothing wrong besides work. My moms worked her entire life here. So other than that, I mean what really is her crime? The Texas raid was the latest in a series of high-profile busts of businesses around the country as part of an immigration crackdown under Mr Trump. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Critics say the raids break up hard-working families and make it even harder for businesses to find employees in a tight labour market. ICE frequently touts the raids as major operations to break up criminal enterprises, but rarely releases names of the immigrants arrested, making it difficult to see what comes of their cases. The Associated Press contributed to this report Chinese diplomats have been informed of the arrest of a Chinese woman at President Donald Trumps Mar-a-Lago club over the weekend and are providing her with consular services, the Foreign Ministry said on Thursday. Spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters that the Chinese Consulate General in Houston had been notified of the 30 March arrest, had gotten in touch with the person involved and was providing her with consular assistance. Mr Geng gave no details. Yujing Zhang is being held on charges of lying to agents and illegal entering. Court documents allege 32-year-old Zhang told a Secret Service agent on Saturday she was a Mar-a-Lago member there to use the pool. Agents were later summoned and they say Ms Zhang began arguing during an interview. Inside Mar-a-Lago - Trump's holiday home Show all 20 1 /20 Inside Mar-a-Lago - Trump's holiday home Inside Mar-a-Lago - Trump's holiday home Donald Trump sits in the living room at Mar-a-Lago in 1993. The following pictures show the interior of the Mar-a-Lago estate. Many of them are from before Trump bought the property in 1985 but, as the newer pictures show, he hasn't done much with the place Rex Inside Mar-a-Lago - Trump's holiday home The dining room at Mar-a-Lago under Trump. The following pictures show the interior of the Mar-a-Lago estate. Many of them are from before Trump bought the property in 1985 but, as the newer pictures show, he hasn't done much with the place Rex Inside Mar-a-Lago - Trump's holiday home The dining room at Mar-a-Lago in 1967. The following pictures show the interior of the Mar-a-Lago estate. Many of them are from before Trump bought the property in 1985 but, as the newer pictures show, he hasn't done much with the place US National Park Service Inside Mar-a-Lago - Trump's holiday home The dining room at Mar-a-Lago under Trump in 2015 The Washington Post/Getty Inside Mar-a-Lago - Trump's holiday home Function room at Mar-a-Lago in 1967 US National Park Service Inside Mar-a-Lago - Trump's holiday home Donald Trump sits in the living room at Mar-a-Lago in 1993. Rex Inside Mar-a-Lago - Trump's holiday home The living room in Mar-a-Lago in 1967 US National Park Service Inside Mar-a-Lago - Trump's holiday home Master bedroom at Mar-a-Lago in 1967 US National Park Service Inside Mar-a-Lago - Trump's holiday home Library at Mar-a-Lago in 1967 US National Park Service Inside Mar-a-Lago - Trump's holiday home Cloister at Mar-a-Lago in 1967 US National Park Service Inside Mar-a-Lago - Trump's holiday home Entrance hall at Mar-a-Lago in 1967 US National Park Service Inside Mar-a-Lago - Trump's holiday home Spiral staircase at Mar-a-Lago in 1967 US National Park Service Inside Mar-a-Lago - Trump's holiday home The dining room at Mar-a-Lago in 1967 US National Park Service Inside Mar-a-Lago - Trump's holiday home Patio at Mar-a-Lago in 1928 US National Park Service Inside Mar-a-Lago - Trump's holiday home Cloister at Mar-a-Lago in 1967 US National Park Service Inside Mar-a-Lago - Trump's holiday home Mar-a-Lago in 2018 Getty Inside Mar-a-Lago - Trump's holiday home Mar-a-Lago in 2018 Getty Inside Mar-a-Lago - Trump's holiday home Mar-a-Lago in 2018 Getty Inside Mar-a-Lago - Trump's holiday home Mar-a-Lago in 2018 Getty Inside Mar-a-Lago - Trump's holiday home Mar-a-Lago in 2018 AFP/Getty Agent Samuel Ivanovich wrote in court documents that Ms Zhang told him that she was there for a Chinese American event and had come early to familiarise herself with the club and take photos, contradicting what she had said at the checkpoint. He said Ms Zhang said she had travelled from Shanghai to attend the nonexistent Mar-a-Lago event on the invitation of an acquaintance named Charles, whom she only knew through a Chinese social media app. Ivanovich said Zhang carried four cellphones, a laptop computer, an external hard drive and a USB drive containing computer malware. She did not have a swimsuit. There is no indication Ms Zhang was ever near the president or that she is connected to Li Yang, a Chinese native, Republican donor and former Florida massage parlour owner who made news recently after it was learned she was promising Chinese business leaders that her consulting firm could get them access to Mar-a-Lago, where they could mingle with the president. There is also no indication Zhang was connected to Chinese intelligence, although her arrest has reignited concerns especially among Democrats that Trumps use of the club constitutes a security risk as long as members and guests are allowed to come in and out while he is there. Associated Press Members of Robert Muellers team who worked on his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 US election have reportedly expressed frustration over how the probes findings have been presented, particularly regarding whether Donald Trump sought to obstruct justice. According to reports in the New York Times and Washington Post, some of Mr Muellers investigative team have objected to the way in which Attorney General William Barr characterised the reports key findings, saying they inadequately portray evidence which could potentially trouble Mr Trump. Investigators who worked on the 400-page report have complained in private the evidence they gathered on obstruction was alarming and significant, according to the Washington Post. When Mr Barr first announced the findings of the probe, in a four-page letter to Congress, he said investigators had not found evidence indicating a conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia, and added Mr Mueller did not conclude one way or the other as to whether Mr Trumps conduct in office constituted obstruction of justice. Mr Barr said his conclusion from reading the report was that the evidence was not sufficient to charge the president with obstruction. 'WITCH HUNT!' Trump cashes in on Mueller report with merchandise range Show all 6 1 /6 'WITCH HUNT!' Trump cashes in on Mueller report with merchandise range 'WITCH HUNT!' Trump cashes in on Mueller report with merchandise range The mug 'WITCH HUNT!' Trump cashes in on Mueller report with merchandise range The tee 'WITCH HUNT!' Trump cashes in on Mueller report with merchandise range The tee 'WITCH HUNT!' Trump cashes in on Mueller report with merchandise range The can cooler 'WITCH HUNT!' Trump cashes in on Mueller report with merchandise range The tee 'WITCH HUNT!' Trump cashes in on Mueller report with merchandise range The can cooler Mr Trump, who had described the two-year-long process as a witch hunt throughout its course, said after the findings were announced the report exonerated him. There was no collusion with Russia, Mr Trump said. There was no obstruction. He said the report was a complete and total exoneration. The sources speaking to the Washington Post and New York Times did not expand on why the probes findings could potentially be more damaging to the president than Mr Barr initially explained, but it is believed one focus was on Mr Trumps efforts to halt or thwart the investigation itself. It was much more acute than Barr suggested, one person, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told the Washington Post. In particular, investigators are reportedly disappointed Mr Barr did not release the summary information the special counsel team had prepared. Summaries for various sections of the report were apparently written with a view they could quickly and easily be made public. There was immediate displeasure from the team when they saw how the attorney general had characterised their work instead, the Washington Post said one US official briefed on the matter had said. The official said the report had been prepared so that the front matter from each section could have been released immediately or very quickly. It was done in a way that minimum redactions, if any, would have been necessary, and the work would have spoken for itself. The scale of the operation means the complaints and frustrations which have surfaced may not reflect all the views of those who worked on the probe the special counsel team included 19 lawyers and about 40 FBI agents and other personnel. Mr Barr has said he will act to quickly release as much of the report as possible, but needs time to redact confidential and legally sensitive information. The Attorney General has also reportedly voiced his frustration with Mr Muellers finished report, with those familiar with the situation saying he believed the team fell short on the task by declining to decide whether the president had illegally obstructed the investigation. Donald Trump has reacted angrily to reports members of Robert Mueller's investigative team are frustrated that damaging evidence about the president that they uncovered has not been revealed. US newspapers including the New York Times and Washington Post had carried stories suggesting that those involved in the special counsel's probe were unhappy attorney general William Bar had chosen not to release sections of the full report they believe could implicate Mr Trump over obstruction of justice allegations. But the president appeared to dismiss the reports, even making the apparently baseless suggestion that the New York Times had "no legitimate sources". "The New York Times had no legitimate sources, which would be totally illegal, concerning the Mueller Report," he wrote on Twitter. He continued: "In fact, they probably had no sources at all! They are a Fake News paper who have already been forced to apologise for their incorrect and very bad reporting on me!" President Trump's most shocking attacks on the media Show all 16 1 /16 President Trump's most shocking attacks on the media President Trump's most shocking attacks on the media "You are fake news!" Then President-elect Trump directed this insult to CNN's Jim Acosta while refusing him a question at a press conference on January 11 2017. The President-elect's anger was due to the publishing by Buzzfeed of unverified memos that implicated Michael Cohen in Russian collusion. CNN had reported on a briefing of Obama and Trump on the memos by US intelligence chiefs, but knowing the content to be unverified had not revealed it AFP/Getty President Trump's most shocking attacks on the media "They are among the most dishonest human beings on earth" President Trump said this of journalists during a visit to the CIA on the the day following his inauguration. His claim of having the largest crowd of any inauguration ceremony in history had been debunked and he clearly wasn't happy Reuters President Trump's most shocking attacks on the media "Failing New York Times" President Trump commonly addresses the New York Times in this way, contrary to its increasing profit margins and expanding global readership. He is pictured here in the midtown Manhattan office of the paper Getty President Trump's most shocking attacks on the media "Enemy of the American People" President Trump has since repeated the claim that such news outlets are the enemy of the people, often after they break negative stories about him President Trump's most shocking attacks on the media "They have no sources" Speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference on February 24 2017, President Trump suggested that a Washington Post article with 9 sources was "made up". The article in question exposed how then National Security Advisor Michael Flynn had misled Vice President Mike Pence over a phone call to a Russian ambassador. That the article was "made up", while highly doubtful at the time, seems even less likely since Michael Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about the same phone call Reuters President Trump's most shocking attacks on the media Access denied for major publications Protesters gathered outside of the New York Times office after Trump's White House barred a number of publications from attending a press briefing on February 24 2017. Just hours after the President had again denounced the media, then Press Secretary Sean Spicer denied access to news outlets such as CNN and the New York Times, while permitting Breitbart News, CBS, Fox and others AFP/Getty President Trump's most shocking attacks on the media "#FNN" On July 2 2017, President Trump tweeted an edited clip from his Wrestlemania XXIII appearance in which the CNN logo had been imposed onto the face of his wrestling opponent Vince McMahon. CNN is a common target for President Trump and here he suggests that he is getting the better of the network through his repeated attacks President Trump's most shocking attacks on the media "The most powerful TV show in America" On July 27 2017, President Trump quoted a New York Times article about Fox & Friends. The President is known to watch Fox & Friends every morning, often tweeting about matters discussed on the show, leading to speculation over its influence on his outlook and policies Getty President Trump's most shocking attacks on the media "It's frankly disgusting the way the press is able to write whatever they want to write" In a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on October 11 2017, President Trump suggested that the press ought not to be allowed their constitutionally secured freedom. He added "people should look into it", suggesting that he also doesn't respect the protection of sources. At the time, he was angry at an NBC report claiming that the President had expressed a desire to return the size of the US' nuclear arsenal to its 1960s height, a claim that he and others in his administration dismissed as fake news AFP/Getty President Trump's most shocking attacks on the media "negative (Fake)" In a tweet on 9 May 2018, President Trump conflated negative reporting about him with fake news President Trump's most shocking attacks on the media "I didn't criticise the Prime Minister" In a press conference with the Prime Minister on his visit to Britain, President Trump disputed claims published in the Sun that he had criticised Mrs May's Brexit strategy Reuters President Trump's most shocking attacks on the media "Horrible, horrendous people" At a Republican rally in Pennsylvania on August 3 2018, President Trump deemed all journalists in attendance "horrible, horrendous people". He later denounced the "fake, fake, disgusting news" for falsely reporting that he was late to his meeting with the Queen when visiting Britain AFP/Getty President Trump's most shocking attacks on the media Trump's rhetoric "very close to inciting violence" In an interview with the Guardian on 13 August 2018, the outgoing UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein suggested that President Trump's attacks on the press are "very close to inciting violence". Zeid singles out the President's repeated claim that the fake news (negative coverage) media is the "enemy of the people" as dangerous Reuters President Trump's most shocking attacks on the media "anonymous source" = fiction President Trump claimed that any report citing anonymous sources is fiction. The protection of sources is a vital matter of press freedom, without it a potential source's fear of repercussions could lead them to withhold important information President Trump's most shocking attacks on the media "You are a rude, terrible person" At a press conference in the wake of the midterms, President Trump clashed with CNN's Jim Acosta when he asked about the President's use of language during the campaign Reuters President Trump's most shocking attacks on the media "I would never kill Journalists" For any journalists frightened by President Trump's attacks on the press, perhaps you can take solace in his words from a campaign rally in Grand Rapids on December 21 2015. Responding to remarks over Vladimir Putin's handling of journalists, Trump stated: "I hate some of these people, but I'd never kill them... I'll be honest - I would never kill them. Uhhh lets see.. no, I never would" Getty It is not clear what laws Mr Trump believes the New York Times could have violated in their reporting, or if he has any idea who the sources from the Mueller investigation were. It is also unclear how he would know that the reporters "had no sources at all" in reference to the story. Mr Barr submitted a short letter to Congress last month just days after he received the full Mueller report, writing then that the investigation had concluded there was no collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian efforts to influence the 2016 presidential election The attorney general then took things one step further, and announced that he had decided that the investigation did not warrant obstruction charges against the president even though Mr Mueller explicitly noted that the evidence did not exonerate Mr Trump on the matter. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The letter was met with fierce criticism on Capitol Hill, where Democrats voted on Wednesday to give House Judiciary chairman Jerry Nadler the authority to subpoena Mr Mueller's full report. In that vote, Mr Nadler was also given the power to subpoena five former Trump administration officials who could provide valuable insight into how the president dealt with the special counsel investigation over the nearly two years it was active. For his part, Mr Barr has promised to release a redacted version of the report to Congress sometime later this month, and Mr Nadler has said he will give the attorney general a chance to do so before using the subpoena power he has now been afforded. The New York Times and Washington Post reports that had Mr Trump fuming on Thursday included interviews with investigators who said they believe that the evidence they uncovered was more damaging to the president than Mr Barr let on in his letter, but declined to remark on specifics related to the report and what may have been damaging. It is widely believed that the report has further details on Mr Trump's alleged efforts to thwart investigator efforts. Mr Barr's office is currently combing through the report, reportedly in order to redact sensitive and classified information including grand-jury information, and information related to ongoing investigations. Close Michael Cohen has 'more information' on Trump, lawyer says Investigators working for FBI special counsel Robert Mueller say attorney general William Barr has misrepresented just how damaging their report really is to Donald Trump, according to reports. Mr Barrs four-page letter to Congress summarising its contents last month stated Mr Mueller had reached a no collusion conclusion regarding the presidents relationship with Russia, but stopped short of exonerating him on obstruction of justice charges. In response to that limitd discllosure, the House Judiciary Committee voted to subpoena the full, unredacted 400-page report from Mr Barr on Wednesday after he missed their deadline for it to be handed over, while the House Ways and Means Committee has formally demanded that the Treasury Department release Mr Trump's income tax returns. The report is currently being combed over by Justice Department officials, who are determining how much of the documented or classified. Some reports have indicated that there is classified material like grand jury information, or information related to ongoing investigations on most if not all of the pages. Those would need to be redacted for security reasons. 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 The report has already sparked protests across the US, with demonstrations planned for Thursday night in Washington outside of the White House and in New York. Please allow a moment for our liveblog to load Donald Trump has claimed he suffers the highest level of presidential harassment in American history, despite four of his predecessors having been assassinated. There is nothing we can ever give to the Democrats that will make them happy, he wrote on Twitter. This is the highest level of Presidential Harassment in the history of our Country! Mr Trumps claim came despite the fact that four previous presidents have been killed, and two more were shot but survived. Almost all recent presidents have undergone the same kind of legal challenges and investigations that Mr Trump is objecting to. The president and his aides have repeatedly attempted to claim that he is being subjected to presidential harassment. For months, Republicans have been suggesting that it is wrong to ask questions of the president and, Mr Trump claimed that asking questions of the president really does hurt our country. The new tweet came amid his continuing objection to Democrats who are asking to see the full Mueller report, in an attempt to understand any wrongdoing that it may have uncovered. It was posted very soon after another post in which he said that few people seem to care about alleged collusion with Russians and that his opponents should turn their attention elsewhere. 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 According to polling, few people seem to care about the Russian Collusion Hoax, but some Democrats are fighting hard to keep the Witch Hunt alive, he wrote in that earlier tweet. They should focus on legislation or, even better, an investigation of how the ridiculous Collusion Delusion got started so illegal! In a similar post to the one in which he suggested he is being harassed more than presidents who died in office, sent two days earlier, he had made the same suggestion that nothing would satisfy Democrats on that Russia probe. In 1998, Rep.Jerry Nadler strongly opposed the release of the Starr Report on Bill Clinton, he wrote in that tweet. No information whatsoever would or could be legally released. But with the NO COLLUSION Mueller Report, which the Dems hate, he wants it all. NOTHING WILL EVER SATISFY THEM! The presidents run of posts came amid a busy morning on Twitter, in which he posted about the economy as well as an apparently unconnected post about his own party. THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS THE PARTY OF THE AMERICAN DREAM! he wrote in his first tweet of the morning. The House has voted to reauthorise the Violence Against Women Act, bucking a concerted effort by the National Rifle Association to stop the bill over a provision that would keep guns out of the hands of convicted domestic abusers. The move comes nearly two months after the 1994 law that protects victims of domestic and sexual violence was allowed to expire, overlooked amid a scramble in Washington to approve a budget after Donald Trump buckled on his demands for billions to build a wall on the US-Mexico border. The newest version of the VAWA includes an expansion on transgender rights, and the gun provision that would lower the threshold to keep romantic partners from buying guns. The new law would bar individuals from buying guns if they have been convicted on misdemeanour domestic abuse or stalking charge the current law only applies to felonies. As the House began to consider the newest reauthorisation, those two Democrat-introduced provisions illustrated a rift in Washington, and prompted a major lobbying effort by the NRA to stop the bill from going forward. Describing the bill as Democrats intentionally politicising the Violence Against Women Act as a smokescreen to push their gun control agenda, the NRA urged members of Congress to vote no on the reauthorisation, and notified politicians that the pro-gun group would be scoring how they vote in the issue for future endorsements and ratings in elections. The NRA did not respond to a request for comment, but has previously said that it supports other provisions in the VAWA reauthorisation outside of the gun control measures. 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 When the House voted on Thursday, 33 Republicans joined 230 Democrats to approve the legislation. Just one Republican member had co-sponsored the bill before the vote, Representative Brian Fitzpatrick. I think we need to speak to everyone, including women, and talk about the issues they care about and take reasonable, pragmatic positions, and this is one of them, Mr Fitzpatrick told NPR before the vote. Just before the vote, Democratic representative Debbie Dingell said: This is landmark legislation that responds to our nations crisis of domestic violence. We must fund programmes that provide compassionate care and support for women, families, and yes men too. This will save lives. The move means the bill will now go before the Senate for approval, where senators Joni Ernst and Dianne Feinstein are working on their own version of the VAWA. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Former representative Gabby Giffords who was shot in the head during a campaign event in Tucson, Arizona in 2011 cheered the passage of the VAWA reauthorisation. Ms Giffords, who started the Giffords Law Centre after leaving Congress, painted the issue in stark terms, noting that a woman is shot to death by an intimate partner every 16 hours in the US. As a nation, we must do everything in our power to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous domestic abusers and convicted stalkers. For the millions of women and families affected by domestic violence, abusers with guns pose a terrifying threat that far too often ends in tragedy, she said. She continued: In fact, the presence of a gun in a domestic violence situation makes it five times more likely that a woman will die. The new majority in Congress understands this horrifying reality needs to change and is once again leading with action. Todays victory in the House is a significant step towards protecting women and their families and saving lives from gun violence. Other provisions objected to by Republicans included opposition to a part of the bill that allows US citizens to be tried in tribal courts for domestic abuse crimes, and for violence committed on native lands. Republicans also attempted to strip the bill of a provision that would allow transgender women to gain access to shelters, and to force them to serve in prisons aligning with the sex they were assigned at birth even if that is not the sex they identify with now. Those efforts to strip those protections were denied along party lines. As a battle wages on between Congress and the Department of Justice over Robert Muellers report, investigators for the special counsel appear to be taking a stand. But what will it take in order for politicians and the public to see their findings? A new report describes simmering frustrations at the special counsels office after attorney general William Barr released a four-page summary of its findings, effectively concluding Donald Trump was cleared of any criminal misconduct. Those investigators have told associates Mr Barrs summary is far from comprehensive and that it undermined the damaging material against the president included in their report, according to the New York Times. It is one of the first reported times the special counsels investigators have spoken out about the handling of the investigation in its aftermath. As the House Judiciary Committee threatens to subpoena the full report from the Justice Department, it seems clear at least some factions of the Democratic Party will not be satisfied with a heavily-redacted report that lacks substantive detail about Mr Muellers investigation. The Independent spoke with several constitutional law experts to better understand what might come next in this potentially lengthy legal fight. Heres what they had to say: 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 Does Congress have legal authority to subpoena the full Mueller report? As part of its oversight authority, Congress certainly has the right to request, and even subpoena, the entire report, said Steven Schwinn, an associate professor of law at the John Marshall Law School. That said, Justice has authority to determine that some portions of it should not be turned over, or should be turned over with protections. If Congress and Justice disagree, Congress can sue to enforce a subpoena, and the courts can work it out. Theres just one problem with that, however: courts dont typically like to get involved in these sort of disputes between the legislative and executive branches. Generally courts have expected Congress and the president to solve this the old-fashioned way, and I believe thats what will happen here, said Peter Margulies, a law professor at Roger Williams School of Law. Based on what the courts have previously done, they have generally allowed the inter-branch process to take its course, so Id be surprised if the courts were inclined to second guess what the executive has provided as long as there is some good-faith attempts to provide Congress what they want. So how much of the Mueller report can or should be redacted? That question really depends on who you ask. Legally speaking, there are some caveats as to what the public cannot access from the special counsels findings. There are the two obvious restrictions that would certainly be an open invitation for a redactor's magic marker: grand jury information which ordinarily is under seal then theres information classified due to sources and methods used by the intelligence community, which may reveal how counterintelligence operations are being conducted, said Ross Baker, a professor of political science at Rutgers University. The White House has also suggested components of the report may be subject to executive privilege, meaning they discuss private details of the presidencys internal processes and therefore could be withheld from the public potentially setting up a legal challenge. Say the courts are forced to get involved. What happens then? The courts can order Justice to turn over the redacted portions, or deny Congresss request for the redacted portions, or maintain some redactions but order release of others, Mr Schwinn said. The way the courts get involved, and how they make decisions about the material, will depend on the reasons why Justice is redacting. For example, the courts will judge an assertion of executive privilege differently than theyll judge an assertion of grand jury secrecy just because those are two different things, he added. Still, legal experts say its more likely than not that a resolution will be made between the branches. Id hope attorney general Barr would be forthcoming in providing the vast bulk of the report Im still inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt, Mr Margulies said. It wouldnt surprise me if at least some people arent happy, but I hope Barr will release enough so it makes clear what Muellers thinking was and answers some questions raised from his summary, particularly the obstruction of justice issue. How do the House subpoenas play into all of this? Put simply, the subpoenas may be more of a scare tactic in order to get officials to comply with congressional demands. I would like to know the last person who was sent to jail for being held in contempt of Congress, Mr Baker quipped. The president can just invoke executive privilege a lot of these subpoenas will likely be contested based on executive privilege. Still, issuing subpoenas sets the legal framework for Congress to uphold its oversight responsibilities under unusual circumstances. Congress and the administration usually come to some kind of agreement before a court has to rule, Mr Schwinn said, describing an example in which the Justice Department makes a single copy of the report available in a secure room where lawmakers can read it one at a time without staff. But if it comes to negotiating something like this, expect the negotiations to be quite tough, he noted, adding: Democrats in Congress will want to be able to point to actual and publicly available text to support their public statements about the content of the report. Justice and Republicans, on the other hand, will want just the opposite, so that they can say that Democrats are making it up. Of course, nobody in Congress yet knows whats precisely in the report. So theyll be negotiating in the dark. Which I guess just make this all the more interesting! Is there a chance the Mueller report could be leaked? In spite of Mr Muellers team being extraordinarily silent throughout their investigation, it appears more likely now than ever that investigators will speak out if they believe the reports true findings are not outlined in what the Justice Department eventually provides Congress. It looks like somebody is leaking some information that cuts against attorney general Barrs summary of the Muller report, apparently because they think the summary doesnt do justice to the entire report, Mr Schwinn said. I suspect wed see more leaks like this and perhaps the entire report if AG Barr or someone else at Justice is either seriously misrepresenting the report, or redacting it in a disingenuous way. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Mr Baker echoed those comments, saying he could see a leak happening very easily if what Mr Barr releases is a complete over distillation of the findings and in no sense reflects the complexity of the investigation. There are a lot of people on Muellers team who are extremely agitated by Barrs mini-rendition of the Mueller report, he said. Those would be the people with the strongest motive to release portions of it. Venezuelas health system is in utter collapse, according to a report, including the exponential spread of vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles and diphtheria and dramatic surges in infectious diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis. The report, to be released Thursday by Human Rights Watch and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, is among the few that has sought to quantify Venezuelas misery, as the country has ceased releasing health and nutrition data and retaliated against those who did. Based on interviews with doctors and other health personnel in Venezuela, conducted by telephone and online; refugees in Colombia and Brazil, including health care professionals; and representatives of humanitarian and international organisations, the report concludes that the United Nations should take the lead providing aid. It calls on UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to spearhead efforts to declare a complex humanitarian emergency, an official designation that would trigger a major, comprehensive effort under UN auspices and unlock the mobilisation of international resources. Humanitarian aid to Venezuela has been slow, compared with the need, because of the intransigence of President Nicolas Maduro who has blamed deprivations on US sanctions and refused to allow anything beyond a trickle of assistance to enter the country and the reluctance of some donors to allow assistance to be distributed by the Maduro government. Venezuela aid protests: Civilians demand food and medicine Show all 5 1 /5 Venezuela aid protests: Civilians demand food and medicine Venezuela aid protests: Civilians demand food and medicine Demonstrators push a bus that was torched during clashes with the Bolivarian National Guard AP Venezuela aid protests: Civilians demand food and medicine Demonstrators are seen through the cracked windshield of a torched bus AP Venezuela aid protests: Civilians demand food and medicine A woman moves away from the flames of a burning bus AP Venezuela aid protests: Civilians demand food and medicine A bus that was torched during clashes with the Bolivarian National Guard AP Venezuela aid protests: Civilians demand food and medicine Demonstrators push away a bus that was torched during clashes AP A UN declaration, the reports authors say, would put Guterres in a position to press Maduro to allow UN agencies to lead and implement a large-scale humanitarian response aid. Guterres has said the United Nations should not join any of the groups of nations promoting various political solutions to the Venezuelan crisis. They include the Lima Group of 14 Latin American nations, which along with the United States and some European countries, has demanded that Maduro leave office in favour of Juan Guaido, the head of Venezuelas Legislative Assembly, whom they recognised as the countrys interim president in January. The Trump administration has imposed harsh economic and diplomatic sanctions against the Maduro government, even as it has stockpiled hundreds of tons of food and medical supplies along the Venezuelan border in neighbouring Colombia that Maduro has not allowed to enter. A contact group of the European Union and eight EU member states, along with four Latin American countries most of them among the 54 countries that have recognised Guaido has called for new elections. Separately, Mexico and Uruguay say they have adopted a neutral stance, still recognising Maduro and calling for a political dialogue. The differences among the groups has left the United Nations in something of a dilemma on how to approach the situation while avoiding a stand on what the political outcome should be. Other major UN members, including Russia, a Maduro ally, have criticised US interference. Asked whether the United States would support a UN takeover of the aid situation, Elliott Abrams, the administrations special envoy on Venezuela, said the report is consistent with US government reports and contradicts the Maduro regimes efforts to minimise the trauma it has imposed on the Venezuelan people. The United States continues to seek ways to provide humanitarian assistance for the Venezuelan people, Mr Abrams said. The regime should get out of the way, and stop blocking most assistance and politicising the amounts that have been available. The administration has charged that Russian and Cuban support has been keeping Maduro in power. Following the arrival of about 100 Russian military personnel in Venezuela, President Donald Trump said last week that Russia has to get out. Journalists allegedly detained by Venezuelan president Nicholas Maduro after showing him a video of people eating rubbish In a radio interview Wednesday with Hugh Hewitt, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he cant talk about all the options that are being considered but that Russias refusal to leave meant that we will turn to other tools of American power. So far, the administration and its partners have been unsuccessful in persuading the powerful Venezuelan military to split from Maduro, even as millions have either fled the country or taken to the streets in protest. The new report paints an extremely grim picture of life in Venezuela, whose once-prosperous economy has imploded because of mismanagement and corruption under Maduro, who has been president since the 2013 death of revolutionary leader Hugo Chavez. Oil exports have fallen by more than half. In addition to widespread malnutrition and sharply increased levels of maternal and infant mortality, more than 9,300 cases of measles have been reported since June 2017, compared to a single case recorded between 2008 and 2015. Venezuela did not experience a single case of diphtheria between 2006 and 2015, the report says, but more than 2,500 suspected cases have been reported since July 2016. Electricity and water are in increasingly short supply, as is food and medicine. The report quoted a 2018 Pan-American Health Organisation report estimating that nearly 9 out of 10 Venezuelans living with HIV were not receiving treatment. Noting that the deprivation long predates recently imposed US sanctions, it said that Venezuelan authorities under Maduro have concealed the official health information. They have harassed and retaliated against those who collect data or speak out about food and medicine shortages. The Washington Post New Zealands prime minister Jacinda Ardern has seen her reputation enhanced even further after she paid for a mothers shopping at a supermarket when the woman forgot her purse. Ms Ardern, whose compassionate response to the Christchurch mosque shootings last month has been praised around the world, said she paid for the womans shopping because she was a mum. Helen Burness, the womans friend, took to Twitter to reveal the politicians good deed. Like we didnt love her enough, Jacinda Ardern paid for my friends shopping in the supermarket the other day when she had forgotten her purse and had two screaming kids in tow, she said. Ms Ardern confirmed the story during a media appearance on Thursday morning, when a reporter asked her if the account was true. 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 Just when you think Jacinda Ardern couldnt get any more lovely, low key and authentic... she goes and pays for your groceries at the supermarket, because youve got your shopping, have two kids with you and are about to put it all back as you forgot your wallet, the unnamed mother said, according to The New Zealand Herald. Ms Ardern, she added, is a leader unlike any other. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events She went on to say that she tried to tell her children who Ms Ardern was but they cared more about her forgetting the purse. Matteo Salvini, Italys far-right interior minister has refused to offer safe harbour to 64 refugees rescued off the coast of Libya. The people brought to safety by the German humanitarian group Sea Eye were saved from a rubber dinghy off the coast of Zuwarah, west of the Libyan capital of Tripoli. They included 20 women, five children and a newborn baby, the group said. Sea Eye tweeted to say its rescue ship, the Alan Kurdi, picked them up after Libyan authorities couldnt be reached. The group asked Italy or Malta to open a port to the ship. Refugee crisis - in pictures Show all 27 1 /27 Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugee crisis - in pictures A child looks through the fence at the Moria detention camp for migrants and refugees at the island of Lesbos on May 24, 2016. AFP/Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Ahmad Zarour, 32, from Syria, reacts after his rescue by MOAS (Migrant Offshore Aid Station) while attempting to reach the Greek island of Agathonisi, Dodecanese, southeastern Agean Sea Refugee crisis - in pictures Syrian migrants holding life vests gather onto a pebble beach in the Yesil liman district of Canakkale, northwestern Turkey, after being stopped by Turkish police in their attempt to reach the Greek island of Lesbos on 29 January 2016. Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees flash the 'V for victory' sign during a demonstration as they block the Greek-Macedonian border Refugee crisis - in pictures Migrants have been braving sub zero temperatures as they cross the border from Macedonia into Serbia. Refugee crisis - in pictures A sinking boat is seen behind a Turkish gendarme off the coast of Canakkale's Bademli district on January 30, 2016. At least 33 migrants drowned on January 30 when their boat sank in the Aegean Sea while trying to cross from Turkey to Greece. Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures A general view of a shelter for migrants inside a hangar of the former Tempelhof airport in Berlin, Germany Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees protest behind a fence against restrictions limiting passage at the Greek-Macedonian border, near Gevgelija. Since last week, Macedonia has restricted passage to northern Europe to only Syrians, Iraqis and Afghans who are considered war refugees. All other nationalities are deemed economic migrants and told to turn back. Macedonia has finished building a fence on its frontier with Greece becoming the latest country in Europe to build a border barrier aimed at checking the flow of refugees Refugee crisis - in pictures A father and his child wait after being caught by Turkish gendarme on 27 January 2016 at Canakkale's Kucukkuyu district Refugee crisis - in pictures Migrants make hand signals as they arrive into the southern Spanish port of Malaga on 27 January, 2016 after an inflatable boat carrying 55 Africans, seven of them women and six chidren, was rescued by the Spanish coast guard off the Spanish coast. Refugee crisis - in pictures A refugee holds two children as dozens arrive on an overcrowded boat on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugee crisis - in pictures A child, covered by emergency blankets, reacts as she arrives, with other refugees and migrants, on the Greek island of Lesbos, At least five migrants including three children, died after four boats sank between Turkey and Greece, as rescue workers searched the sea for dozens more, the Greek coastguard said Refugee crisis - in pictures Migrants wait under outside the Moria registration camp on the Lesbos. Over 400,000 people have landed on Greek islands from neighbouring Turkey since the beginning of the year Refugee crisis - in pictures The bodies of Christian refugees are buried separately from Muslim refugees at the Agios Panteleimonas cemetery in Mytilene, Lesbos Refugee crisis - in pictures Macedonian police officers control a crowd of refugees as they prepare to enter a camp after crossing the Greek border into Macedonia near Gevgelija Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures A refugee tries to force the entry to a camp as Macedonian police officers control a crowd after crossing the Greek border into Macedonia near Gevgelija Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees are seen aboard a Turkish fishing boat as they arrive on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing a part of the Aegean Sea from the Turkish coast to Lesbos Reuters Refugee crisis - in pictures An elderly woman sings a lullaby to baby on a beach after arriving with other refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing the Aegean sea from Turkey Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures A man collapses as refugees make land from an overloaded rubber dinghy after crossing the Aegean see from Turkey, at the island of Lesbos EPA Refugee crisis - in pictures A girl reacts as refugees arrive by boat on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing the Aegean sea from Turkey Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees make a show of hands as they queue after crossing the Greek border into Macedonia near Gevgelija Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures People help a wheelchair user board a train with others, heading towards Serbia, at the transit camp for refugees near the southern Macedonian town of Gevgelija AP Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees board a train, after crossing the Greek-Macedonian border, near Gevgelija. Macedonia is a key transit country in the Balkans migration route into the EU, with thousands of asylum seekers - many of them from Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia - entering the country every day Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures An aerial picture shows the "New Jungle" refugee camp where some 3,500 people live while they attempt to enter Britain, near the port of Calais, northern France Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures A Syrian girl reacts as she helped by a volunteer upon her arrival from Turkey on the Greek island of Lesbos, after having crossed the Aegean Sea EPA Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees arrive by boat on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing the Aegean sea from Turkey Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Beds ready for use for migrants and refugees are prepared at a processing center on January 27, 2016 in Passau, Germany. The flow of migrants arriving in Passau has dropped to between 500 and 1,000 per day, down significantly from last November, when in the same region up to 6,000 migrants were arriving daily. But Mr Salvini, Italys anti-migration deputy prime minister, said the Alan Kurdi, like other private rescue ships, would not be welcome in Italy. A ship with a German flag, German NGO, German ship owner, captain from Hamburg. It responded in Libyan waters and asks for a safe port. Good, go to Hamburg, Mr Salvini said. Both Italy and Malta have refused to accept ships that humanitarian groups have patrolling the Mediterranean Sea, leading to numerous delays in getting rescued refugees to land while European countries haggle over which will take them in. Sea Eye said another 50 refugees it has been searching for since Monday remain missing. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events It comes after another aid organisation, Medecins Sans Frontieres, was forced to end its refugee rescue missions in the Mediterranean Sea. The group and its partner, SOS Mediterranee, said the rescue ship Aquarius would no longer be used to save refugees travelling one of the deadliest migration routes in the world from north Africa to Italy. So far this year, at least 598 people have died in the Mediterranean, according to the International Organisation for Migration. Police in Poland are hunting for four English-speaking tourists spotted wearing only mankinis in Krakow. The group were caught on CCTV last Friday as they walked around the Renaissance Market Square. They then got into a horse drawn carriage. They were wearing only lime-green mankinis, as made famous by Borat, the fictional Kazakh character created by comedian Sacha Baron Cohen. Police spokesperson Sebastian Glen said officers were investigating the groups indecent antics. They could face up to 30 days in custody if convicted or a fine of 5,000 zlotys (1,000) each. Sacha Baron Cohen: The men in his life Show all 9 1 /9 Sacha Baron Cohen: The men in his life Sacha Baron Cohen: The men in his life 168175.bin Reuters Sacha Baron Cohen: The men in his life 168176.bin Reuters Sacha Baron Cohen: The men in his life 168181.bin Sacha Baron Cohen: The men in his life 168353.bin Sacha Baron Cohen: The men in his life 168354.bin Eric Ford/Rex Features Sacha Baron Cohen: The men in his life 168173.bin Sacha Baron Cohen: The men in his life 168170.bin Sacha Baron Cohen: The men in his life 168171.bin Sacha Baron Cohen: The men in his life 168172.bin AFP Mr Glen said foreign tourists, notably those from Britain, who come for stag parties sometimes cause disturbance in the historic city. Those who had been drinking alcohol were especially disruptive, he added. In 2017, Baron Cohen, whose other characters include Ali G and Bruno, offered to pay the fines for six tourists arrested in Kazakhstan for wearing mankinis. The Czech tourists had posed for photos in the countrys capital of Astana and were each given 22,500 tenge (45) fines. To my Czech mates who were arrested. Send me your details and proof that it was you, and Ill pay your fine, Baron Cohen wrote on Facebook. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events In 2012, the Cornish resort of Newquay banned mankinis in what came to be considered a successful attempt to reduce the crime rate. Additional reporting by Associated Press Serbias foreign minister has suggested that citizens should not travel to the UK because of the danger posed by major political chaos, according to local media reports. Ivica Dacics remarks, which he described as cynical, were made in response to cautionary travel advice about travelling in northern Kosovo, issued by the British embassy in Pristina. The embassy said on its Facebook page on 2 April that it has advised against all but essential travel to the northern municipalities [of Kosovo] for several years, due to a number of recent violent incidents linked to organised crime. Kosovo neighbours Serbia and unilaterally declared independence in 2008. Serbia does not recognise its former province as a state. Mr Dacic responded to the advice with mocking remarks made on Thursday, in which he suggested that protests in the UK should trigger a similar warning. Birth of a nation: But will Kosovo spark another Balkan crisis? Show all 15 1 /15 Birth of a nation: But will Kosovo spark another Balkan crisis? Birth of a nation: But will Kosovo spark another Balkan crisis? 11425.bin 2007 Getty Images Birth of a nation: But will Kosovo spark another Balkan crisis? 11389.bin Dura Jaksic Birth of a nation: But will Kosovo spark another Balkan crisis? 11390.bin Reuters Birth of a nation: But will Kosovo spark another Balkan crisis? 11392.bin Reuters/Str Old Birth of a nation: But will Kosovo spark another Balkan crisis? 11419.bin Reuters/Yannis Behrakis Birth of a nation: But will Kosovo spark another Balkan crisis? 11393.bin Reuters/Yannis Behrakis Birth of a nation: But will Kosovo spark another Balkan crisis? 11396.bin Yugoslav Army/RL/Getty Images Birth of a nation: But will Kosovo spark another Balkan crisis? 11397.bin Reuters/Hazir Reka Birth of a nation: But will Kosovo spark another Balkan crisis? 11399.bin Nikola Besevica/AFP/Getty Images Birth of a nation: But will Kosovo spark another Balkan crisis? 11400.bin Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP/Getty Images Birth of a nation: But will Kosovo spark another Balkan crisis? 11401.bin Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP/Getty Images Birth of a nation: But will Kosovo spark another Balkan crisis? 16357.bin Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP/Getty Images) Birth of a nation: But will Kosovo spark another Balkan crisis? 16530.bin Daniel Mihailescu/AFP/Getty Images Birth of a nation: But will Kosovo spark another Balkan crisis? 16532.bin Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP/Getty Images Birth of a nation: But will Kosovo spark another Balkan crisis? 16533.bin STR/AFP/Getty Images If [citizens] have some other destinations to go to, I recommend that they dont go [to the UK], so as not to put themselves in danger due to the daily demonstrations, he said, according to Serbian news website b92. Im being deliberately cynical, because when somebody with the terrorists, cutthroats and criminals in Pristina says that crime is in northern Kosovo its a lie. Theres certainly crime there, but not more than there is in Pristina. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Mr Dacic has previously served as Serbias acting leader and was a spokesperson for notorious strongman Slobodan Milosevic. The UK, US and most countries in the EU recognise Kosovo as a sovereign nation. America has warned Turkey not to buy a Russian air defence system and threatened it could risk its Nato membership if it goes ahead with its plans. "Turkey must choose," US vice president Mike Pence said. "Does it want to remain a critical partner in the most successful military alliance in history, or does it want to risk the security of that partnership by making such reckless decisions that undermine our alliance?" His remarks came after Turkey insisted on Wednesday the Russian deal was already done. Washington fears the Russian S-400 missile system would compromise the security of its F-35 fighter jets. Speaking at a Nato 70th anniversary event, Mr Pence added: "We've also made it clear that we will not stand idly by while Nato allies purchase weapons from our adversaries that threaten the cohesion of our alliance." 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 Turkey retaliated promptly, with its vice president Fuat Oktay tweeting: "The United States must choose. Does it want to remain Turkey's ally or risk our friendship by joining forces with terrorists to undermine its Nato ally's defence against its enemies?" The US' support to the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighting against Islamic State in Syria has infuriated Turkey, which views the SDF as a terrorist organisation. Washington has however warned proceeding with the deal could result in US sanctions and the expulsion of Turkey from the F-35 fighter jet programme. On Monday, the Pentagon stopped the delivery of F-35 parts and manuals to Turkey. The US has offered to sell Turkey the American-made Patriot missile defence system, but Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said it could not be delivered on time. "We couldn't get it for 10 years," Mr Cavusoglu said at the Atlantic Council on Wednesday morning. "That's why we had to buy from Russia. And we tried to buy from other allies as well. It didn't work. So it is an urgent need of Turkey. I mean, we need air defence systems urgently in Turkey." Ankara says it needs the missile system to defend itself, as Turkey faces threats from Kurdish and Islamist militants at home and also from conflicts in neighbouring Syria and Iraq. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The US and other Nato allies have repeatedly complained about the purchase of the S-400 system, saying it is not compatible with other allied systems and would represent a threat to the F-35. Officials have said Turkey's acquisition of both US and Russian systems could give Moscow access to sophisticated American technology and allow it to find ways to counter the stealth fighter jet. Additional reporting by agencies Saudi Arabia is about a year away from completing the building of its first nuclear reactor, according to Google satellite images identified by a nuclear expert who said Thursday the construction so far appears to be very small in size and intended for research and training purposes. Still, Robert Kelley said before the kingdom can insert nuclear fuel into the reactor, it would have to abide by an agreement that requires inspections by the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Kelley, a veteran of the US Department of Energy and a former director of nuclear inspections at the IAEA who is now based in Vienna, was first to identify the images of the reactor site in Riyadh at the King Abdulaziz City of Science and Technology (KACST). The Associated Press could not immediately reach spokespeople at the Energy Ministry or KACST for comment. Kelley said its been surprising to him how non-transparent the kingdom has been in the process of building the reactor and how they seem very cavalier about modifying their arrangements with the IAEA. Saudi Arabia's hidden archaeological treasures Show all 12 1 /12 Saudi Arabia's hidden archaeological treasures Saudi Arabia's hidden archaeological treasures Tombs in Mada'in Saleh were decorated by Alexandrian masons in the first century with Greek, Roman and Persian symbols Nicholas Shakespeare Saudi Arabia's hidden archaeological treasures The ancient Biblical city of Dedan is situated on the lip of an oasis Nicholas Shakespeare Saudi Arabia's hidden archaeological treasures Cliffs formed out of red and black sandstone have eroded into crazy, hallucinatory shapes such as elephants, mushrooms, and seals Nicholas Shakespeare Saudi Arabia's hidden archaeological treasures Ancient Dedan inscriptions. Holes in the rock floor denote a sacrificial spot from the time of the Dedanites Nicholas Shakespeare Saudi Arabia's hidden archaeological treasures A street in the old town of Al-Ula Nicholas Shakespeare Saudi Arabia's hidden archaeological treasures Mada'in Saleh, the archaeological site with the Nabatean tomb from the first century Nicholas Shakespeare Saudi Arabia's hidden archaeological treasures Ahmed comes from a long line of imams descended from a grand tribal judge who arrived c1400 in Al Ulas 'old town' Nicholas Shakespeare Saudi Arabia's hidden archaeological treasures The cliffs in the distance: out of the flat desert, one after another, the ornate facades rise into sight, 111 of them, carved into perpendicular cliffs up to four storeys high Nicholas Shakespeare Saudi Arabia's hidden archaeological treasures The temples of Mada'in Saleh near Al-Ula have survived for 2,000 years Nicholas Shakespeare Saudi Arabia's hidden archaeological treasures 'Charles' is scratched on the oat-coloured mud wall not by Charles Doughty but by Prince Charles (in 2015, with his key) Nicholas Shakespeare Saudi Arabia's hidden archaeological treasures Al Gharamil Saudi Arabia's hidden archaeological treasures Mada'in Saleh tombs Kelley was referring to agreements the kingdom has signed. The kingdom agreed to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty three decades ago. In 2005, it signed an agreement with the IAEA known as the small quantities protocol that allows countries with negligible nuclear programmes to be exempt from regular inspections or nuclear monitoring. However, once nuclear fuel is brought into the country to operate this small reactor, inspections by the IAEA would be required, Kelley said. Its simply that theyre crossing a threshold in terms of their requirements, Kelley said, explaining the significance of the construction of the reactor, which is much smaller than the ones the kingdom has said it wants to build for energy purposes. The type of reactor being built now, according to the satellite images Kelley identified, is used by technicians for learning and training purposes. The reactors at the bottom of an open tank filled with water 10 metres high. Its very, very small, Kelley said, adding that the core of the reactor is about the size of a gallon-sized paint can. He said the Saudi reactor is being built by the Argentinian government-owned company INVAP. Before Argentina brings nuclear fuel to Saudi Arabia for the reactor, the IAEA agreement in place that exempts Saudi Arabia from inspections would need to be rescinded, Kelley said. I think its a 100 percent certainty that Argentina is not going to supply uranium fuel to a country that doesnt have a safeguards agreement in force, he added. Meanwhile, the Trump administration last week said it approved seven applications for US companies to sell nuclear power technology and assistance to Saudi Arabia. Republican and Democratic lawmakers, however, have expressed concerns that Saudi Arabia could develop nuclear weapons if the US technology is transferred without proper safeguards. Saudi Arabias Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has also not ruled out developing a nuclear weapon. He told CBS last year: Saudi Arabia does not want to acquire any nuclear bomb, but without a doubt if Iran developed a nuclear bomb, we will follow suit as soon as possible. Associated Press Saudi Arabia reopened a consulate in Baghdad for the first time in nearly 30 years on Friday, a sign of improving ties between the two neighbours whose relations have been uneasy for years. The consulate, which will issue visas to Iraqis, was opened at a ceremony in Baghdads heavily fortified Green Zone, during which Iraqs Foreign Minister Mohamed Alhakim raised a green Saudi flag over the building. Iraqi Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmad Sahhaf said the move was expected to benefit both countries. This will reflect positively on pilgrims and investors, he told The Associated Press. He said work was also underway to reopen border crossings between Iraq and its southern neighbour. Iraq lies on the fault line between Shiite Iran and the mostly Sunni Arab world, and its relations with the Sunni kingdom have long been troubled. 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Show all 10 1 /10 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses In October 2014, three lawyers, Dr Abdulrahman al-Subaihi, Bander al-Nogaithan and Abdulrahman al-Rumaih , were sentenced to up to eight years in prison for using Twitter to criticize the Ministry of Justice. AFP/Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses In March 2015, Yemens Sunni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi was forced into exile after a Shia-led insurgency. A Saudi Arabia-led coalition has responded with air strikes in order to reinstate Mr Hadi. It has since been accused of committing war crimes in the country. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Women who supported the Women2Drive campaign, launched in 2011 to challenge the ban on women driving vehicles, faced harassment and intimidation by the authorities. The government warned that women drivers would face arrest. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Members of the Kingdoms Shia minority, most of whom live in the oil-rich Eastern Province, continue to face discrimination that limits their access to government services and employment. Activists have received death sentences or long prison terms for their alleged participation in protests in 2011 and 2012. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses All public gatherings are prohibited under an order issued by the Interior Ministry in 2011. Those defy the ban face arrest, prosecution and imprisonment on charges such as inciting people against the authorities. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses In March 2014, the Interior Ministry stated that authorities had deported over 370,000 foreign migrants and that 18,000 others were in detention. Thousands of workers were returned to Somalia and other states where they were at risk of human rights abuses, with large numbers also returned to Yemen, in order to open more jobs to Saudi Arabians. Many migrants reported that prior to their deportation they had been packed into overcrowded makeshift detention facilities where they received little food and water and were abused by guards. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses The Saudi Arabian authorities continue to deny access to independent human rights organisations like Amnesty International, and they have been known to take punitive action, including through the courts, against activists and family members of victims who contact Amnesty. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Raif Badawi was sentenced to 1000 lashes and 10 years in prison for using his liberal blog to criticise Saudi Arabias clerics. He has already received 50 lashes, which have reportedly left him in poor health. Carsten Koall/Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Dawood al-Marhoon was arrested aged 17 for participating in an anti-government protest. After refusing to spy on his fellow protestors, he was tortured and forced to sign a blank document that would later contain his confession. At Dawoods trial, the prosecution requested death by crucifixion while refusing him a lawyer. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Ali Mohammed al-Nimr was arrested in 2012 aged either 16 or 17 for participating in protests during the Arab spring. His sentence includes beheading and crucifixion. The international community has spoken out against the punishment and has called on Saudi Arabia to stop. He is the nephew of a prominent government dissident. Getty Saudi Arabia cut ties with Iraq when it invaded Kuwait in 1990. Diplomatic relations were resumed in 2015 when Riyadh sent an ambassador to Baghdad, and improved with the then-Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeirs visit in 2017, the first by a Saudi foreign minister since 1990. But consulate services were not resumed and Iraqis applying for visas had to go through the Saudi embassy in Jordan. Recommended Trump nominees for Saudi and Iraq ambassadors face grilling Riyadh is now seeking closer ties to Iraq to counter Irans growing regional influence, while Baghdad seeks to attract Saudi investments to spur economic growth. Thursdays consulate ceremony came on the second day of a two-day visit by a delegation headed by the Saudi minister of commerce and investment, Majid bin Abdullah al-Qasabi. The delegation met with Iraqs prime minister, Adel Abdul-Mahdi, and held talks with Iraqi businessmen and senior Iraqi officials meant to boost relations between the two countries. Al-Qasabi said three more consulates were expected to open in Iraqi cities. Iraqs Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi is visiting Iran on Saturday and plans to visit Saudi Arabia later this month during which a number of trade agreements are expected to be signed. Associated Press The pilots of Ethiopian Airlines flight 302, which crashed with the loss of 157 passengers and crew, did everything right as they battled to save the aircraft, the carrier has said. The airline said that the preliminary report clearly showed that the pilots followed the Boeing recommended and FAA approved emergency procedures to handle the most difficult emergency situation created on the airplane. In a statement ahead of the release of the accident investigators interim findings, Ethiopian Airlines said: Despite their hard work and full compliance with the emergency procedures, it was very unfortunate that they could not recover the airplane from the persistence of nose diving. The plane plunged into the ground shortly after take-off from Addis Ababa airport on 10 March. It was the second fatal crash in five months of a Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft. In October 2018, a Lion Air aircraft was lost in similar circumstances soon after it left Jakarta airport in Indonesia. Boeing 737 MAX grounding: Ethiopia Airlines Flight 302 in pictures Show all 9 1 /9 Boeing 737 MAX grounding: Ethiopia Airlines Flight 302 in pictures Boeing 737 MAX grounding: Ethiopia Airlines Flight 302 in pictures This picture taken on March 11, 2019, shows debris of the crashed airplane of Ethiopia Airlines, near Bishoftu, a town some 60 kilometres southeast of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. - An Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 crashed on March 10 morning en route from Addis Ababa to Nairobi with 149 passengers and eight crew believed to be on board, Ethiopian Airlines said. (Photo by Michael TEWELDE / AFP)MICHAEL TEWELDE/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Boeing 737 MAX grounding: Ethiopia Airlines Flight 302 in pictures Family members mourn the victims at the crash site of the Ethiopian Airlines operated Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, at Hama Quntushele village in the Oromia region, on March 13, 2019. - A Nairobi-bound Ethiopian Airlines Boeing crashed minutes after takeoff from Addis Ababa on March 10, 2019, killing all eight crew and 149 passengers on board, including tourists, business travellers, and "at least a dozen" UN staff. Families of the victims were taken to the remote site on March 13, 2019, where the plane smashed into a field with 157 passengers and crew from 35 countries, leaving a deep black crater and tiny scraps of debris. (Photo by TONY KARUMBA / AFP)TONY KARUMBA/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Boeing 737 MAX grounding: Ethiopia Airlines Flight 302 in pictures A page of a Boeing flight crew operations manual is seen at the scene of the Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302 plane crash, near the town of Bishoftu, near Addis Ababa, Ethiopia March 12, 2019. REUTERS/Baz Ratner REUTERS Boeing 737 MAX grounding: Ethiopia Airlines Flight 302 in pictures epa07434278 Rescue workers search the site for pieces of the wreckage of an Ethiopia Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft near Bishoftu, Ethiopia, 13 March 2019. Ethiopian Airlines flight ET 302 carrying 149 passengers and 8 crew was en route to Nairobi, Kenya, when it crashed on 10 March 2019 by yet undetermined reason. All passengers and crew aboard died in the crash. The Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft has come under scrutiny after similar deadly crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia within a few months. Several countries have banned the plane type from their airspace and many airlines have grounded their 737 Max 8 planes for safety concerns after the Ethiopian Airlines plane crashed minutes after take-off on 10 March. EPA/STRINGER EPA Boeing 737 MAX grounding: Ethiopia Airlines Flight 302 in pictures A grounded Boeing 737 MAX 8 passenger plane of the Norwegian low-cost airline Norwegian is parked at the tarmac at Vantaa airport in Vantaa near Helsinki, Finland on March 13, 2019. - A number of countries have banned Boeing's 737 MAX 8 medium-haul workhorse jet from their airspace in response to the Ethiopian Airlines crash that killed all 157 people on board. (Photo by Heikki Saukkomaa / Lehtikuva / AFP) / Finland OUTHEIKKI SAUKKOMAA/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Boeing 737 MAX grounding: Ethiopia Airlines Flight 302 in pictures Rescue workers search the site for pieces of the wreckage of an Ethiopia Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft near Bishoftu, Ethiopia, 13 March 2019. Ethiopian Airlines flight ET 302 carrying 149 passengers and 8 crew was en route to Nairobi, Kenya, when it crashed on 10 March 2019 by yet undetermined reason. All passengers and crew aboard died in the crash. The Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft has come under scrutiny after similar deadly crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia within a few months. Several countries have banned the plane type from their airspace and many airlines have grounded their 737 Max 8 planes for safety concerns after the Ethiopian Airlines plane crashed minutes after take-off on 10 March. EPA/STRINGER EPA Boeing 737 MAX grounding: Ethiopia Airlines Flight 302 in pictures A heap of debris from the wreckage of an Ethiopia Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft are piled at the crash site near Bishoftu, Ethiopia, 13 March 2019. Ethiopian Airlines flight ET 302 carrying 149 passengers and 8 crew was en route to Nairobi, Kenya, when it crashed on 10 March 2019 by yet undetermined reason. All passengers and crew aboard died in the crash. The Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft has come under scrutiny after similar deadly crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia within a few months. Several countries have banned the plane type from their airspace and many airlines have grounded their 737 Max 8 planes for safety concerns after the Ethiopian Airlines plane crashed minutes after take-off on 10 March. EPA/STR EPA Boeing 737 MAX grounding: Ethiopia Airlines Flight 302 in pictures A crew working with an investigative team to clear the site after the Sunday crash of the Ethiopian Airlines operated Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, carry debris at Hama Quntushele village in the Oromia region, on March 13, 2019. - A Nairobi-bound Ethiopian Airlines Boeing crashed minutes after takeoff from Addis Ababa on March 10, killing all eight crew and 149 passengers on board, including tourists, business travellers, and "at least a dozen" UN staff. Families of the victims were taken to the remote site on March 13, 2019, where the plane smashed into a field with 157 passengers and crew from 35 countries, leaving a deep black crater and tiny scraps of debris. (Photo by TONY KARUMBA / AFP)TONY KARUMBA/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Boeing 737 MAX grounding: Ethiopia Airlines Flight 302 in pictures FILE PHOTO: An American Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8, on a flight from Miami to New York City, comes in for landing at LaGuardia Airport in New York, U.S., March 12, 2019. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton/File Photo REUTERS The evidence from the interim report into the Ethiopian Airlines tragedy points firmly to a malfunction involving the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS). The Max variant of the popular 737 aircraft has its engines mounted higher and further forward on the wing, which affects the balance and aerodynamic properties. The design increases the possibility of a high-speed stall, and so MCAS software was installed on all Boeing 737 Max aircraft to counteract the risk. The software monitors the angle of attack between the airflow and the wing. If it becomes too steep, an elevator in the tail automatically lifts to nudge the nose of the plane down, restoring the aircraft to an appropriate trim. But this safety system was devised to respond to a single measure of the angle of attack even though the sensor that provided the reading could be faulty. It is believed that the sensor was damaged during take-off by either a bird strike or a foreign object on the runway. This provided an inaccurate reading that triggered the MCAS, forcing the nose down. The pilots followed the correct procedure to attempt to override MCAS, but appear to have been unsuccessful in correcting the nose-down attitude. Boeing has developed new software that aims to address the concerns about MCAS and is awaiting approval from the FAA before installing it on the 371 grounded aircraft. The FAA has been heavily criticised for insisting that the aircraft was safe despite many aviation authorities, including the CAA, grounding the jet. Two days after the crash, the FAAs acting administrator Daniel Elwell, said: Thus far, our review shows no systemic performance issues and provides no basis to order grounding the aircraft. The following day, the FAA grounded the Boeing 737 Max. The last decade of politics has been shot through with examples of the shortcomings in Britains democratic process. In 2010, the hung parliament which resulted in the Tory-Lib Dem coalition led to the poorly planned and ultimately unsuccessful referendum on the Alternative Vote system, which would have finally meant a real if limited break from First Past The Post. In 2014, the Scottish referendum on independence set a six-month residency requirement to be allowed to vote, regardless of nationality, which disenfranchised thousands of Scots elsewhere in the UK and abroad for whom the result would have had a real impact. In 2016, the EU referendum followed a seemingly arbitrary set of franchise rules. Neither residency or nationality but Commonwealth status was the defining factor, meaning that while approximately 3 million EU migrants were denied a voice (unless they happened to be from Malta, Ireland or Cyprus), Australians and Canadians who were resident here could vote on the Brexit question. The only change from the rules that apply to General Elections was that the franchise was extended to members of the House of Lords and Gibraltarians. The regulations even prevented a Member of the Scottish Parliament, French national Christian Allard, from being able to vote. An immigrant's tale: Leaving Britain to escape Brexit hostility Show all 20 1 /20 An immigrant's tale: Leaving Britain to escape Brexit hostility An immigrant's tale: Leaving Britain to escape Brexit hostility Maria, 31, holds her daughters, Elena, two, and baby Ioana, weeks old, in her London home A few months after Britain voted to leave the European Union, Maria was told her to go back to her native Romania whilst in hospital by an elderly English woman. You are a foreigner, your place is not here recalls Maria, who was stunned Reuters An immigrant's tale: Leaving Britain to escape Brexit hostility Maria and her husband Adi, 37, take their daughters for a walk in Hampstead Heath near their home The couple are preparing to leave Britain later this year with their two children, fed up with what Maria says is xenophobia and the rising cost of living in London Reuters An immigrant's tale: Leaving Britain to escape Brexit hostility Elena holds up British passports belonging to her and her sister. Both children have dual citizenship, but their parents do not want to apply for this despite having permanent residency in Britain Reuters An immigrant's tale: Leaving Britain to escape Brexit hostility Maria holds daughter Ioana, who is less than a week old, while Elena wipes a table Maria had never faced direct abuse over her nationality in her 10 years in the country until that moment at the hospital Reuters An immigrant's tale: Leaving Britain to escape Brexit hostility Adi spends time with his daughters Reuters An immigrant's tale: Leaving Britain to escape Brexit hostility Adi plays hide and seek with his daughter Elena Reuters An immigrant's tale: Leaving Britain to escape Brexit hostility Food is served Reuters An immigrant's tale: Leaving Britain to escape Brexit hostility Adi takes his daughter, Elena, to nursery Reuters An immigrant's tale: Leaving Britain to escape Brexit hostility Adi's sister, Nicoleta, 34, carries her niece Elena in a restaurant after a trip out Reuters An immigrant's tale: Leaving Britain to escape Brexit hostility Adi and Maria cook together at their home Reuters An immigrant's tale: Leaving Britain to escape Brexit hostility Adi holds his baby daughter, Ioana Reuters An immigrant's tale: Leaving Britain to escape Brexit hostility Adi and wife Maria take their daughters for a walk in Hampstead Heath Reuters An immigrant's tale: Leaving Britain to escape Brexit hostility Berwyn, a neighbour of the couple, who moved to the UK in the 1980s from Australia, says goodbye to Maria after a visit at her home. Berwyn has dual citizenship - Australian and Irish as she lived in Ireland for a few years before moving to Britain. She calls the family her 'dearest Christian Romanian friends' Reuters An immigrant's tale: Leaving Britain to escape Brexit hostility Religious pictures including a portrait of Arsenie Boca, a Romanian Orthodox monk, theologian and artist (top), hang on the wall at the home of Adi and Maria Reuters An immigrant's tale: Leaving Britain to escape Brexit hostility Maria dries Elena after giving her a bath after nursery Reuters An immigrant's tale: Leaving Britain to escape Brexit hostility Maria holds her baby daughter Ioana Reuters An immigrant's tale: Leaving Britain to escape Brexit hostility Adi works with his colleague Alexandru, who is also from Romania, for a removal company Reuters An immigrant's tale: Leaving Britain to escape Brexit hostility Maria holds her daughter Elena Reuters An immigrant's tale: Leaving Britain to escape Brexit hostility Neighbour, Berwyn, holds baby Ioana Reuters An immigrant's tale: Leaving Britain to escape Brexit hostility Adi and Maria, along with their daughters, leave St Andrews church in Kingsbury after attending a service Reuters If the series of hung parliaments and political turmoil of the last decade are an indictment of the inadequacies of the voting system, the Brexit vote has been a catalyst for conversations about representation, and what the electorate is and should be. For many migrants like myself, theres a contradiction between our status as residents and workers in the places weve chosen to live on the one hand, and our ability to enact political change and be truly represented here on the other. Britain is our home. We have started families here, and we are affected just as much as anyone else by funding cuts to childrens centres and booming school class sizes. We work here, and despite what might be written in the press about us driving down wages, we join trade unions and organise our workplaces, fighting for better pay and working conditions for everyone in the workforce. Like everyone else we experience the housing crisis, austerity, political problems with political solutions. We pay our taxes here, our money goes into public services roads, libraries, parks and the NHS and our lives are affected by their funding and quality. Many of us participate in the political process in whatever way we can, becoming members of political parties (including holding elected positions within those parties), and campaigning in elections. Despite this, when the time comes to make big political decisions which impact on us as much as they do any other resident, we are denied a vote. Instead, migrants are treated in a far more sinister way: as a silent monolith, referred to but seldom heard, used as a scapegoat and a target. We are one of the few sections of society that can be demonised without the political establishment taking a direct hit at the ballot box. In the long arc of history, the demands of progressive movements have always been for more democracy, not less. The demands of the Let Us Vote campaign, a campaign which launches today with the support of of Another Europe Is Possible, the3million, and the British in Europe, are simple. We are demanding that the franchise be extended to everyone resident in the UK, regardless of their nationality or citizenship, and to allow every British person abroad to participate in the electoral process at home, should they choose to. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events We are tired of being spoken about in parliament without ever being heard within it. For as long as migrants like me cannot vote, we will always be reliant on the good will of a political class who are fundamentally unaccountable to us. If the last few years tell us anything, its that good will is simply not enough. It is time for the UK electorate to expand to cover the people affected by its governments policies. Let us vote. Alex Fernandes is a Portuguese migrant living in south London. He is a member of the Labour Party and a supporter of Another Europe is Possible. This latest move to join forces with the Labour leader suggests the Conservatives are slightly unsure what to do about Brexit. Because for three years they told us Corbyns a threat to our existence, if he gets in hell make you give your furniture to Hamas; hell introduce women-only gravity so men will be forced to float; Diane Abbott will live in your house and taser you if you sing the national anthem; schools will be handed to the IRA and your kids will have to wear a balaclava and fire rockets at the PE teacher or theyll get detention. Hes a spy, an antisemite; your gran will be forced to become a lesbian and the next day forced to become an Islamic extremist and arrest herself under sharia law. And now theyve adjusted this slightly, to decide his input is essential to sort out Britains most important issue in 75 years. If these talks break down, theyll be even more desperate, and Theresa May will stand in front of her podium to tell us: This is why I am to hold discussions with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, to see if they can think of anything. Also, because Im determined to respect the verdict of the British people, Ive asked the leaders of Hezbollah and the Womens Institute if they can help out, maybe with an agreement in which we supply rocket-propelled grenades made of homemade chutney, in return for leaving the EU in an orderly fashion on 22 May. Top politicians' Brexit tweets haven't aged well Show all 18 1 /18 Top politicians' Brexit tweets haven't aged well Top politicians' Brexit tweets haven't aged well These billboards were plastered by campaign group Led By Donkeys @ByDonkeys / Twitter Top politicians' Brexit tweets haven't aged well @ByDonkeys / Twitter Top politicians' Brexit tweets haven't aged well @ByDonkeys / Twitter Top politicians' Brexit tweets haven't aged well @ByDonkeys / Twitter Top politicians' Brexit tweets haven't aged well @ByDonkeys / Twitter Top politicians' Brexit tweets haven't aged well @ByDonkeys / Twitter Top politicians' Brexit tweets haven't aged well PA Top politicians' Brexit tweets haven't aged well @ByDonkeys / Twitter Top politicians' Brexit tweets haven't aged well @ByDonkeys / Twitter Top politicians' Brexit tweets haven't aged well @ByDonkeys / Twitter Top politicians' Brexit tweets haven't aged well @ByDonkeys / Twitter Top politicians' Brexit tweets haven't aged well @ByDonkeys / Twitter Top politicians' Brexit tweets haven't aged well @ByDonkeys / Twitter Top politicians' Brexit tweets haven't aged well @ByDonkeys / Twitter Top politicians' Brexit tweets haven't aged well @ByDonkeys / Twitter Top politicians' Brexit tweets haven't aged well @ByDonkeys / Twitter Top politicians' Brexit tweets haven't aged well @ByDonkeys / Twitter Top politicians' Brexit tweets haven't aged well @ByDonkeys / Twitter Its perplexing how this can have happened, because the leaders of the Leave campaign assured us the European Union would back down, as it needs us more than we need it. Many Brexiteers are sticking with this and have insisted that if we hold our nerve, the EU will retreat at the last minute as it always leaves it late. In a few years, well be crawling through the woods, attacking each other with twigs to see who gets to eat a caterpillar, and the ERG will broadcast from a transmitter made of dandelions: The important thing is to hold our nerve, theyll back down any day soon because they need us more than we need them. Its a mark of our eccentric charm that these people have been allowed to run the place. The groups deputy-chair is Mark Francois, who clearly isnt human, as hes like the robot that gets stabbed at the end of The Stepford Wives and shouts random phrases. So twice a day he appears on television, is asked for a comment and growls: A customs union would make all our chickens explode. I could take on Portugal on my own, because when I was in the territorial army I marched three miles round Dorking one Saturday. Denmark is more horrible than an ostrich in your toilet. The only single market Id vote for is one that sold fruit and veg and every morning shoved a grapefruit up Jean-Claude Junckers arse and made him dance the polka. This is the attitude that got us here. Many Leavers insist anything other than crashing out without a deal would betray what 17.4 million people voted for. But its possible that if you look carefully, leaving without a deal isnt quite what the Leave campaign said before the referendum. For example, Liam Fox said it would be the easiest deal in history. To be fair this is true, as long as the only one you measure it against is Custers deal with the Sioux after he was captured at Little Bighorn. The entire campaign insisted a deal would be simple, so its not entirely certain that everyone who voted Leave wanted no deal. But I suppose these are just different ways of calculating. Maybe Brexiteers should add in all the people who voted in the Ukrainian election as well, and all the people who voted for Stacey Dooley in Strictly Come Dancing, and say to stay in a customs union would be a betrayal of 53 million people. Then everyone can interpret the referendum result in whatever way they fancy. Teenage arsonists should tell the magistrate: 17.4 million people voted for me to burn down the nextdoor neighbours shed, and theyd walk free. Many of the Leave politicians not only underestimated the problems of leaving, they didnt even notice them. David Davis was asked around the time of the referendum, how we could deal with the problems it could create in Ireland, and said: Were Britain, we know how to sort out Ireland. It wasn't reported at the time, but very occasionally it pays to have friends who are close to a Belgian MEP whos been chatting to the former Brexit secretary. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The first point here is the accuracy, as a scholar of British history hes spotted that over a period of 800 years, Britain hardly heard a peep out of Ireland. But also, perhaps this explains the current predicament. A section of the country believes we can overcome any problem, by being Britain. To mention the details is treachery. So it would work to leave on WTO rules, even though no one appears to have the slightest clue what they are, any more than anyone understood the problems of leaving the EU. Because then we can spend the next 50 years moaning about the WTO, and complaining its holding us back and we should leave it NOW because were BRITAIN. Then we can have a referendum on leaving the laws of physics, because for too long theyve been holding Britain back, demanding fire warms things up and when its dark its harder to see things. Let us send particles in the direction WE want to send them and not where Isaac Newton says they should go, and at last our nation will be free. Five days after the UK was meant to leave the European Union, and with exactly one week to find a way out of the Brexit mess that has been entirely beyond her for the last three years, Theresa May has had a meeting with Jeremy Corbyn. It went on for two hours, this meeting. And what did the two of them resolve? They resolved to have another meeting. Indeed they resolved to have several more meetings. And thats it. Its a laugh, all this, isnt it? Barely twenty four hours before, you might recall the heinous sound of David Davis on the BBCs Today programme, still resolutely unbothered about having been wrong about absolutely everything for three full years. Davis is now best understood less as a human being and more a chuckling cartoon PEZ candy dispenser thats accidentally been filled with miniature bricks of actual bulls**t. Neck inclines. Gob opens. Excrement comes out, his face locked all the while in a perma-grin more gormless than anything Walt Disney ever dared to draw. Still, here he was again, absolutely sure that everythings going to be fine because the EU always leaves everything to the last minute. That the last minute was last week, and we had to ask for an extension and are about to ask for another one because we havent got a clue what to do, is just one of the many realities with which he remains entirely unconcerned. So what happened at this meeting? Well we dont know, but the chances are the two of them sat there in total silence. Theyre supposed to be about finding a cross-party solution to Brexit some sort of customs union, perhaps. Recommended Labour row looms as top figures demand Corbyn secure Brexit referendum But if they actually thought they were going to find one, they wouldnt both be getting ready for a general election, and if they werent both getting ready for a general election, they wouldnt have spent Prime Ministers Questions an hour earlier, ignoring Brexit altogether and arguing about the provision of free television licenses for the elderly. (You only get power in this country by handing out free stuff to old people. Thats why were so helplessly b*ggered. But that is a matter for another time.) The mere fact of the meeting taking place, and the reaction to it among the more deranged wing of the Tory Party, is the best way to understand why it happened. Large numbers of Tories are furious that Theresa May is bringing in Jeremy Corbyn and Labour to help her find a way to deliver Brexit. But there are no options with which they are not furious. They dont actually want an election because the polls look terrifying. They know they cant have the no deal they crave because the parliamentary votes for it just arent there. They wont revoke Article 50 because that would be heresy, and the one deal that does exist Theresa Mays deal, they consistently vote down. So there is no way out. The prime minister knows all this all too well. The corner into which she has painted herself is truly a work of art. Only an election will break the deadlock. But she is now in a position whereby her party is likely to be electorally crucified both if it does deliver Brexit, or if it doesnt. So all she can do is try and force Jeremy Corbyn into joining her in this tiny corner, knowing that if he refuses to do so, he paints himself into a corner of his own. And so they sit there, resolving to have a meeting, and another meeting, but determined not to come to any actual resolution at all. And as these pointless meetings will roll on, pesky Labour MPs will continue to remind Jeremy Corbyn of the partys actual Brexit policy, which is that any kind of deal that he and Theresa May might come to in these meetings, has to be put back to the people in a referendum. Which he wont do. While the two of them sat there, the House of Commons went through yet more mad scenes. They have now had two separate sessions of indicative votes, allowing them to indicate what form of Brexit they might be in favour of the single market, the customs union, no deal, and so on and so on. On two separate occasions theyve rejected every single option. On Wednesday afternoon, they voted on whether or not to have a third session of indicative voting, and they couldnt even reach an agreement on that. The vote was tied. 310 to 310. And when the vote was tied, even then no one knew what would happen. By precedent, on such occasions, the Speaker casts the deciding vote, and he votes with the government. But this was a vote on whether or not to take control of the House of Commons away from the government. So no one knew who the government was. (He voted with the actual government in the end. So the indicative votes wont happen. Except that the government is now thinking about bringing them themselves. Dont ask me, I just type this stuff out.) They voted again, long into the night, yet again, to try and legally mandate the government not to be able to leave the EU without a deal. But even as they did so, leaks in Brussels revealed that the EU wont grant the UK another extension next week unless the House of Commons passes the withdrawal deal. Thats the deal that contains the dreaded backstop. Its refused to pass it three times. Theyll never pass it. It will carry on refusing to do so. The only way it might ever pass it is through a general election, and the return of a House of Commons that is less in thrall to the ERG and the DUP, and who might therefore pass it. But the only way theyll be a general election is if Theresa Mays own MPs vote to end the government. And itll only be the hard Brexiteers that do that. And if they do, theyll lose the party whip, and they wont get to stand at the next election anyway. So the way ahead is clear. Do nothing and hope for the best. Something will come up. The EU always leave it to the last minute anyway. Watching the Brexit vaudeville show from far away, I cant but remember my days as Belfast correspondent of The Times. The early 1970s were among the nastiest, violent and most dangerous of years in Northern Ireland. But what struck me most was not so much the battles between the British army and the IRA, and all the innocents that both killed, but the dark, brown-shirted presence of the Protestant paramilitaries. It wasnt the uniforms of the so-called Ulster Defence Association that worried me so much not even the sadistic massacres of Catholics, with or without the assistance of the so-called British security forces. No, it was the creepy, outrageous way in which the educated, constitutional unionist politicians of Northern Ireland co-existed with these thugs, supporting them with talk of sectarian warfare, disowning their violence with pious horror yet all the while relying upon the fear they created to maintain their own support among the Protestant community. Im not making immediate parallels with the present-day Democratic Unionist Party, although their current sectarianism and greed might make comparisons all too relevant. It is, rather, to point up the way in which elected Northern Ireland politicians were prepared, almost half a century ago, to piggyback on racist bigotry; and of how today, at Westminster, our legally elected and often profoundly well-educated pro-Brexit MPs ride the waves of the racist, anti-immigrant elements of the hard right. The Protestants of the north of Ireland perfected their stagecraft rather well in the 1970s. Some demanded an independent Ulster (a kind of Ulsterexit even more preposterous than the UK version we are now supposed to endure) and they flaunted the union flag, demanded to be called loyalists and threatened the British government with violence if it did not sever all links with the Irish republic. I recall sometimes admiring this very tiny minority of UK citizens who were prepared to hoot their derision at the almighty and largely English-public-school Westminster government which imposed a colonial direct rule upon them in 1972. Remembering The Troubles in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Remembering The Troubles in pictures Remembering The Troubles in pictures A British soldier attacks a protester in Derry on Bloody Sunday Getty Remembering The Troubles in pictures The Northern Ireland Civil Rights movement marches in London in 1968 to demand the same voting rights afforded to the rest of Britain Getty Remembering The Troubles in pictures The Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association marching on the streets of Derry in 1968 BBC Remembering The Troubles in pictures The Battle of the Bogside in Derry in August 1969 was among the first violent episodes of the Troubles The Battle of the Bogside in Derry in August 1969 was among the first violent episodes of the Troubles Getty Remembering The Troubles in pictures British soldiers take cover behind their armoured cars as they use CS gas to disperse rioters in Derry on Bloody Sunday PA Remembering The Troubles in pictures Hugh Gilmore (third left) clutches his stomach after being shot by a British soldier on Bloody Sunday. Gilmore was one of 14 to be shot dead on 30 January 1972 PA Remembering The Troubles in pictures A man receives attention after being shot on Bloody Sunday in Derry PA Remembering The Troubles in pictures A young man is led away by paramedics after being injured on Bloody Sunday PA Remembering The Troubles in pictures The British Embassy at Merrion Square in Dublin is bombed following a march to protest three days after the Bloody Sunday shootings Getty Remembering The Troubles in pictures Independent MO for Mid-Ulster Bernadette Devlin talks to the press after she hit Home Secretary Reginald Maudling for lying about the Bloody Sunday shootings in his statement to the House of Commons the day after the incident. Devlin had been in Derry at the time of the shootings and was moved to strike the Home Secretary after he claimed that British soldiers had only fired at protesters in defence Getty Remembering The Troubles in pictures Members of a Catholic community in Newry stage a protest against the Bloody Sunday shootings AFP/Getty Remembering The Troubles in pictures Relatives mourn over the coffin of a victim of Bloody Sunday on 1 April 1972 Getty Remembering The Troubles in pictures Thousands attend the annual Bloody Sunday memorial march in Derry on 30 January 1995 PA Remembering The Troubles in pictures UK prime minister Tony Blair and the Irish taoiseach Bertie Ahern sign the Good Friday Agreement in 1998 PA Remembering The Troubles in pictures A view over residential Derry in 2019 shows a mural on Rossville Street, where soldiers opened fire on Bloody Sunday Getty But such admiration was a luxury. What actually happened was extremely frightening. There were, in effect, three levels of political life within Ulster Protestantism in the early 1970s. First, there were the official unionist politicians and MPs of the Northern Ireland parliament later the assembly who declared their loyalty to the Crown, adored the motherland which had supported their Protestant and anti-Catholic statelet, and who would condemn IRA terrorist violence while deploring Protestant paramilitary murders. Folk such as Brian Faulkner, a unionist prime minister who kept reminding us that Belfast was as British as Manchester or Bristol this is actually untrue, since Northern Ireland is a province of the UK and has constitutionally never been part of Britain (Theresa, please note) and that his people (mostly Protestant, of course) had the right to remain British citizens. These politicians formed what we might call the moderate leadership. Crippled they may have been by third-rate and sectarian ministers, the Faulknerites could pass as tough, right-wing but comparatively sensible politicians when they visited London. Some, after all, held seats in Westminster. Their fears of forcible union with the Irish republic were irrational, but were constantly reinforced by talk of Catholic (or Papal) hegemony and rumours of secret British talks with the IRA to railroad Protestants out of the UK. Their privileges and wealth would be taken from them once they lived under the grey skies of the government in Dublin. Again comparisons should not be taken too literally, but if they were alive today the Faulknerites might faintly parallel the Jacob Rees-Moggs or the Boris Johnsons or the Michael Goves perhaps even the Theresa Mays. The official unionists relied on the old Protestant maxim of No Surrender just as the Brexiteer Tories will repeat Brexit means Brexit or Leave Means Leave. The Protestant politicians of the 1970s and the Tory Brexiteers of today had another common denominator: their fear of betrayal and their constant assurance that they were speaking on behalf of the people of Northern Ireland or the people of Britain. In fact, an extremely noisy unionist member of the later Northern Ireland assembly, a woman called Jean Coulter, confronted by some legislative sop to the Catholics, was moved to shout out in the chamber one day: Mr Speaker, Mr Speaker, theres more of the majority than there is of the minority. The cry of any future Brexiteer on the referendum result. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Below the Faulknerites, unionism or Protestantism had some darker supporters: Ian Paisley was one; William Craig, a former minister of home affairs in Belfast, another. Craig raised the Vanguard party in opposition to Faulkner, whom he regarded as a traitor for selling up to British direct rule and for accepting the dissolution of the local Protestant-dominated Stormont parliament in Belfast. He was a rabble-rouser. He cursed his opponents; he abused the more constitutional politicians; he wanted to be seen as a friend of the ordinary Protestant, although he himself came from a middle-class background. He warned what might happen if the people were pushed too far. He talked obliquely of civil war. He was not unlike the equally middle-class Nigel Farage, whose former leadership of Ukip had almost as fearful an effect on the Tories as Craigs Vanguard and Ian Paisleys Democratic Unionist Party had on Faulkners official unionists in the 1970s. Now, however, any parallels fall apart. At least for the time being. Because Paisley was an anti-Catholic sectarian bully who encouraged Protestant militants, while Craig turned into the sinister political leader of those tens of thousands of brown-uniformed UDA men some of whose members later proved to be responsible for the most horrific sectarian murders in Northern Ireland. Farage has no militia, and nor do the less restrained Brexit men such as Tommy Robinson. I did, however, watch the footage of the Brexit supporters screaming abuse at MPs outside parliament and the union-flag-waving toughs pushing and shoving journalists in Whitehall last week. No, they were not fascist thugs but they were very unhappy. Northern Ireland ghosts abound; the description of the Brexiteers protest march as like Cromwells army, for example, and the very name English Defence League, which is not that different from Ulster Defence Association. The anonymous death-threat letters which the UDA would send to politicians in Belfast have a lot in common with the modern social-media death threats now targeted at non-Brexit MPs at Westminster. Northern Irelands roughnecks even had their dodgy financial sponsors, the provenance of whose money we could never quite establish. But its not the nature of the violence I am remembering. The IRA as well as the UDA killed political leaders; indeed it was the IRA who killed MP Ian Gow in 1990. They murdered Airey Neave. Jo Cox though I tend to see her own assassination as a deliberate right-wing political killing rather than the work merely of a mentally deranged man has so far been the only prominent assassination victim of the (pre-referendum) Brexit campaign. Historical repetition does not fit neatly together. But what I notice is the way in which the layers of Brexit Toryism are beginning to take on the patina of Northern Irelands old Protestant ascendancy: the well-heeled little Englanders at the top, the dodgy and inflammatory Brexit middle-men down the pecking order whom they fear and prefer not to upset, and the anti-immigrant toughs whom we saw in London last week who are condemned by not a single one of their political masters. After all, none of the Brexiteers in the first two layers want the hardline Brexiteers to become angry. Just warning of how very, very upset and betrayed these people aka the British people will feel in the event of a soft Brexit or a Final Say referendum should keep MPs worried enough in the next few days. And then there are all the newspaper stories about how the security services are ready for the outbreak of post-Brexit violence. Or post-non-Brexit violence. They are almost exactly the same as the Belfast reports we read in 1974. Heaven spare me, back then I may have written some of them myself. We used to live like this in Belfast 45 years ago, even when we could forget the IRA. The constitutional politicians rode the back of the tiger until it ate them. For the heart of unionist Protestant Ulster was more important than Britain, just as the heart of the Tory Party is and has been for decades more important than Britain. And now the descendants of those Protestant Ulster men and women those Ulster super-loyalists whom Theresa May has tried to bribe, as unrepresentative of Northern Irelands people in the 1970s as they are today are biting our poor prime minister, along with their dubious Brexiteer friends. What irony! What lessons from the past! When Nicky was in her early 20s, she left her home town of Broxbourne to look for work. It was 1990s recession-hit Britain and jobs were hard to come by. She eventually found one, moved around a bit more and eventually settled down when she got married. Her long-term plan was that she and her husband would one day return to be near her ageing parents who she would then take care of. So far, so normal. But in 2016, the UKs decision to vote to leave the EU overturned those carefully thought out plans. 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 Nicky lives in the Netherlands, which means she is one of the 1.3 million British citizens who now live in an EU country other than Britain. Losing her EU citizenship means she wont be able to bring her Dutch husband back to the UK with her as an automatic right. The British Governments decision to impose tough minimum income requirements on returning Brits with foreign spouses also narrows their chances of coming back to the UK together. Nickys husband has multiple sclerosis and shes his main carer so will struggle to prove income that is high or stable enough to meet the UK rules. Her parents wont be able to get health insurance to move to the Netherlands, so theyre all stuck. To make matters worse Nicky didnt even get a say in any of this. Due to the 15 year rule, which means that British citizens lose their vote after 15 years outside the country, shes been disenfranchised. She also cant vote in any Dutch elections, apart from local ones, as the country doesnt yet allow dual citizenship for non-citizens. There are moves in Holland to change this, which would mean giving up her British citizenship; a big decision. Nicky is not alone. Roughly 60% of all Brits who live outside the UK couldnt vote in the EU referendum. For those in EU countries, this is despite the fact that it will have a direct impact on their own future on the first day of Brexit. The last three big votes the referendum in 2016 and two general elections in 2015 and 2017 have exploded the myth that UK government decisions have no impact on UK citizens abroad. What happens in the UK directly affects us, and we had no voice when other people voted and the government took decisions over our lives. People are losing businesses, being separated from families like Nicky, and running the risk of losing access to pensions and healthcare, particularly in the event that the UK crashes out of the EU without a deal. For those thinking Nickys story is unfortunate but anomalous, it isnt. UK citizens abroad are not what many people think. The vast majority 80 per cent are working age or younger. In recent years almost 90 per cent of those who left the UK did so to look for work. The largest group of emigrants are consistently between 25 and 44. And were not all accountants, lawyers and consultants. Many are self-employed caterers and musicians who are highly mobile, resourceful and need to move around for work. Not all are highly skilled professionals: as many as 40 per cent emigrating are in manual or administrative work in any given year. Thousands have EU or other non-British spouses or partners. Historically the UK has prided itself on being ahead of the curve on democratic progress, but it is actually going against the progressive trend. 22 of our EU neighbours give their citizens the unconditional right to vote, some even have their own constituencies, with MPs dedicated to legislation that affects overseas citizens. Many countries around the world give their citizens votes for life, including the US. In our global, interconnected world, what happens in one country has direct repercussions on its citizens wherever they live. But rather than giving everyone affected by decisions at Westminster the vote, our current system is a patchwork of voting rights, with only Commonwealth and Irish citizens living in Britain having a say in UK general elections, along with only a minority of British people living abroad. If our voting system is not changed, we will see vast numbers of British citizens, who left the UK to work or study, continuing to be completely disenfranchised from national elections and shut out of the democratic process. And many millions of people living in the UK, who have built lives in Britain, will continue to be shut out of the democratic process. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The UK is undergoing a radical rethink of what it means to be a democracy, and we have an opportunity to campaign for an expanded franchise. We cannot allow citizens whether they be UK citizens living abroad or non-British citizens living in the UK to be divided in that campaign. Its time to correct the UKs outdated voting system and ensure that everyone affected by our politics has a say in them whether they be British people abroad, or non-British residents of the UK. Jane Golding is the co-chair of the British in Europe. The House of Commons being a washout literally, via a mysterious leak from (rather than to) the press gallery attention has turned once again to the Irish border issue, the most intractable of the many obstacles to Brexit. Angela Merkel arrived in Dublin to ask what the Irish prime minister, Leo Varadkar, described as reasonable questions about what might happen under a no-deal Brexit. The chancellor of Germany has pledged prevent no deal to the very last hour but she is still curious, in a prudent, practical sort of way, about the European Unions new external border with a non-member state (Britain) in the event of a hard Brexit. Indeed, her reasonable questions could also be posed about the border between Northern Ireland (the UK) and Ireland (the EU) after the transition period, that is if a withdrawal agreement is ever ratified. When the transition period runs out, and if there are no other technological solutions to the problem, then the UK and EU will have to share a customs union indefinitely something that one or other or both sides might find intolerable eventually. If so, then the question of the border will arise once again. 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 Ms Merkel, for example, is entitled to enquire about the notorious American chlorinated chicken. What will the safeguards be, for example, if a future British government wishes to import these celebrated delicacies from the US under a new free trade deal? How would the integrity of the EUs external border and its single market be protected from such an incursion? What will be done by the Irish government to safeguard Europes border and stop these birds, which violate European standards, being transported across the notoriously porous UK-Irish frontier? The British claim that they would never import such food, but who knows what regulatory divergence might happen over the years? How can the EU be expected to leave its back door open and hope for the best? If the Irish show reluctance to put up new barriers to freedom of movement of people or poultry because of their history, that is entirely understandable. No one wishes them to. There would be bloodshed. Chancellor Merkel listened intently to the stories of people from the north and around the old border bandit country who had suffered in the Troubles. Her own experience growing up in East Germany heightens her sense of the potency of walls and barriers. Yet what is the reasonable answer to the reasonable questions that Irelands EU partners are asking about future border arrangements? They cannot be avoided entirely: they exist, by comparison, between Sweden (EU) and Norway (non-EU), and Bulgaria (EU) and Turkey (non-EU). If, say, the Irish simply refuse to put up any border controls, either at the border itself or away from it, then what is the EU supposed to do? It is difficult to imagine a multinational EU border force patrolling the lanes and fields of Ulster with a view to interrogating people going about their lawful (or not) business, and the UK and Ireland are supposed to have a free travel area in any case, something that has existed since Irish independence a century or so ago. The expectation is that workers, tourists, students, vehicles, livestock and goods of all kinds will be able to pass without let or hindrance. In reality, then, the EU must be edging towards the condition that they cannot have a hard border in Ireland, and therefore, though it may irk them, they can never set the British a deadline for Brexit if it means no deal. A settlement has to be found, even if it may take a long time. The Irish border is as tricky a problem for the French and Germans as it is for the Irish and the British a conundrum with no known answer. So a hard border, and therefore a no-deal Brexit, is in reality unthinkable. In every centre of power Westminster, Stormont, Dublin, Paris, Berlin and Brussels the thought is slowly crystallising that a no-deal Brexit is at best a purely theoretical possibility. The British have virtually outlawed it; and the Europeans cannot override Irelands objections or the legal and moral force of the Good Friday Agreement. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Without the possibility of a no-deal Brexit, that only leaves two possibilities, amounting to the same thing: Brexit is over. The first is that the EU grants the UK a never-ending series of extensions to Article 50 until the reality that leaving the bloc is a practical impossibility becomes apparent to even the most truculent Brexiteer. Rather like the way in which Turkey was promised the right to enter the EU back in 1961 but all concerned have never quite got around to organising it, so too with Brexit a permanent question mark over Britains membership of the EU, from which neither side can disentangle itself. The second option is that the UK simply revokes Article 50, recognising at long last that the Brexit project is collapsing under the weight of its own logical contradictions. We should have seen it coming. On Wednesday, the start of Theresa Mays meeting with Jeremy Corbyn was marked by an epochal thunderclap over the House of Commons and a sudden shower of a very rare form of ice-encrusted snow, known as graupel. It was, quite literally, the day hail freezes over. And then, 24 hours later, came the floods. Yes, with seven working days in which to avoid no-deal Brexit, the House of Commons actually flooded. They were in the middle of a debate on when and when not to physically restrain children when a great torrent of water began gushing through the ceiling, flooding the green benches of the press gallery, directly above the speakers chair. Seventy-two hours earlier, it was from here that the best view was to be had of the 11 naked protestors who superglued their bare backsides to the security glass at the front of the public gallery opposite. Now, it was underwater. If it was a comedy farce, youd throw the script away. Too stupid, too far-fetched. The former education secretary Justine Greening was addressing the house when all eyes in the chamber turned skyward again, for the second time this week. Where Mondays denuded conflagration took its time to announce itself under the cover of silence behind soundproof glass, this time it was the instant noise that got their attention. Recommended Angela Merkel likens Brexit Irish border question to Iron Curtain And it was the noise of a full-on deluge smacking into leather, a sound that at least some of the Tory MPs present looked like they had never heard before. The deputy speaker Lindsay Hoyle did not take his time to suspend the sitting, the MPs scurrying out just as the journalists scurried in for a close-up look at yet more credulity-defying scenes. They never came back. That was them done for the day. The adjacent canteen was underwater too. It has a certain cross-Channel ferry feel to it at the best of times, the water streaming in through the lights in the plasterboard roof were like something straight out of a low budget disaster movie. If anything it was a welcome distraction from Brexit, that being the highest budget disaster movie ever made, 600m a week, and still lacking an ending or any discernible plot. According to Nikki da Costa, Theresa Mays former director of legislative affairs, and all-round parliamentary procedure expert, the premature closure of the house may mean there will now not be time for any more indicative votes to take place before next weeks European Council summit the one to which Theresa May is meant to be bringing either a passed withdrawal deal or a proper, approved plan for what Britain wants to do next to avoid no deal. She may yet find herself unable to do so. She may have to tell 27 heads of state that the House of Commons was unable to come to a decision on Brexit, because it flooded. How these words have just exited my fingertips I will never fully know. On the plus side, the press gallery was uncharacteristically empty when the heavens opened into what has begun to feel rather a lot like hell. Thursdays action was all in the House of Lords. Peers had just one day to approve legislation that would prevent a no-deal Brexit, which naturally, meant they had just one day to engage in pitched battle between those determined to waste the day away and kill off the legislation, and those determined to stop them wasting time. The procedures are so arcane, and so absurd, it is a disservice to us all even to attempt to type them out. Most of the afternoon was taken up with votes on whether votes should be held, and votes on whether votes on whether votes should be held, and then some votes on that. Were the whole thing to be likened to ordering a meal, they spent the first five hours debating whether or not to even go out for dinner, a further four choosing the restaurant, with the arrival of anything like a menu not due to happen until well into the night. Special mention goes to Viscount Ridley, staunch Brexiteer, defender of democracy, taker back of control, genuflecter at the feet of parliamentary sovereignty. He told the house how his title was given to him by Queen Victoria. Yes, hes a hereditary peer, of course. Here he was, telling the country what to do, warning of the dangers to democracy of meddling with the referendum result, his presence handed to him by birthright. Theres nothing anyone can do to get rid of him. That he just so happened to be chairman of Northern Rock during the only run on a British bank in a hundred years is also no reason his great expertise should not be heeded by a grateful nation. There was Lord Lilley too, former trade minister under Margaret Thatcher, making the highly perspicacious point that the House of Lords should be scrutinising this legislation over several days not a solitary afternoon. The legislation is to avoid no deal. If the house spent several days scrutinising it, no deal would happen by default. This point was put to him, he happily agreed with it. Then he was asked to sit down. The most recent updates say theyre scheduled to be finished at 6.30am. If they go any later than that they do so at their own risk. After the floods come the locusts. We can but hope. The rise of the far-right has divided politics across the world though for every force, there is an opposite reaction. The 2016 election of President Trump, for instance, prompted people from all walks of life to become involved in politics. Youth turnout surged in November 2018s midterm elections and the results were sprinkled with monumental firsts. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez became the youngest congresswoman ever, Deb Haaland and Sharice Davids became the first Native American women elected to congress and, for the first time, over 100 women sit in the House of Representatives. Despite this, LGBT+ people are still underrepresented in American politics. In 2018, bisexual senator Kyrsten Sinema joined lesbian Tammy Baldwin as Americas openly LGBT+ senators. Lori Lightfoot became Chicagos first black, openly lesbian mayor on 2 April, though change is extremely slow. In 2019, just 0.1 per cent of US elected officials identify as openly LGBT+. With this in mind, the idea of a gay president, particularly during the Trumpian era, seems like a pipe dream. But a mayor from South Bend, a city in the north of Indiana the conservative state previously governed by Mike Pence is changing that. Democrat Pete Buttigieg started off as an unknown candidate, though a string of impressive media appearances have seen his poll numbers skyrocket. A recent poll put Buttigieg in third place, above Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren and Californias Kamala Harris. The latest round of fundraising figures reveal Buttigiegs campaign has raised over $7m. Democrat activist Sarah McBride, who in 2016 became the first trans person to speak at a National Convention, tweeted last month: Ive lost count of the number of texts and comments Ive received the last few days saying some variation of I love Pete Buttigieg. Theyre across all identities and age. Its pretty stunning. Dont know that Ive seen anything like it. So what is behind the unexpected popularity of Mayor Pete? After all, as a former army veteran who is open about his Christian beliefs and how they influence his politics, Buttigieg seems to fit a conventional political mould that was roundly rejected when almost 70 million Americans decided a billionaire reality star with a penchant for openly lusting after women should be their president. Buttigieg leans into each facet of his life that makes him out of the ordinary, casting it as a positive before his opponents get a chance to cast it as a negative. Referencing his Christianity, for example, he talks about helping the poor, or siding with the silently oppressed, rather than controlling what women can do with their bodies or who should be allowed to marry. The Views Joy Behar recently described Buttigieg as the exact opposite of Trump but that doesnt necessarily mean hes not what Americans want. What Americans want, it seems, is something new, something beyond the usual conservative expectations and Buttigieg offers that in a much more morally upright way than the current president. Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Show all 23 1 /23 Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Joe Biden The former vice president - poised to be a frontrunner - has announced his run. He recently faced scrutiny for inappropriate touching of women, but was thought to deal with the criticism well AFP/Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Bernie Sanders The 2016 runner-up has announced that he will be running again in 2020 Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Hillary Clinton The 2016 Democratic presidential candidate and former Secretary of State says she is still considering whether she will run again. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Pete Buttigieg The Indiana mayor and war veteran will be running for president. If elected, he would be the first openly LGBT+ president in American history. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? 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 While Trump pays off porn stars that hes had affairs with and treats his wife like a trophy, Buttigieg and his husband are openly affectionate and, quite frankly, adorable. Politico even observed that Buttigiegs husband Chasten is winning the 2020 Spouse Primary. Rather than hiding their relationship, the Buttigiegs flaunt their love. As a gay man watching powerlessly as Trump tries to ban trans people from the military and roll back LGBT+ discrimination protections, seeing a gay candidate talk candidly about life with his husband is indescribably powerful to me. Its something I never thought Id see. But is America ready for an openly gay president? A new poll revealed that 68 per cent of Americans are enthusiastic or comfortable about a gay candidate. Primary elections are not the same as general elections. But if an extremely religious country like Ireland can elect a gay head of state, theres no saying the US cant. When Barack Obama ran for president, there were plenty of voices saying that the possible was impossible. Ultimately, whether Mayor Pete wins or not is irrelevant. His campaign, which has already created such buzz, is bigger than that. Its about people accepting and ultimately looking beyond his sexuality. In politics and public life, who gets to be likeable is strictly policed. We see this with female candidates like Hillary Clinton being held to different social standards of likeability to her male opponents. While Clintons unsuccessful candidacy was a blow for women, it ultimately it inspired others, such as gubernatorial candidate Cynthia Nixon, to run for office. Whether Buttigieg wins or not, his legacy will likely be a queer wave of LGBT+ candidates who no longer fear that their sexual orientation or gender identity are a barrier to their dreams. He might seem like a conventional white guy, but his campaign will open a door that others in the queer community can walk through. Victory in 2020 remains unlikely, but thanks to LGBT+ candidates like him, victory in the bigger fight over the normal of tomorrow will be ours. The 'Big Four' accounting firms should be forced to legally separate "cash cow" consulting work from their auditing businesses, a UK Parliament committee has said. PricewaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte, EY and KPMG - which between them control more than 90pc of UK audits for large companies - should make a "full legal separation" of their auditing and consultancy work, according to a 100-page report from the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee. Lawmakers had dozens of recommendations, including an absolute cap on the market share of the Big Four, and making senior company management liable for mistakes in their financial reports. "We are not confident in relying solely on the integrity of auditors to do the right thing in the face of conflicting interest," the report said. "For the big firms, audits seem too often to be the route to milking the cash cow of consultancy business." Parliament, while preoccupied with negotiating the country's exit from the European Union, was jolted into action last year by high-profile corporate collapses such as building contractor Carillion and bakery chain Patisserie Valerie. Accusations that auditors missed red flags and questions over how the industry is regulated led to plans for the abolishment of the Financial Reporting Council. It will be replaced with a watchdog that can issue stronger punishments for failure. The report goes further than the initial recommendations proposed by the UK antitrust regulator, which has the power to force through the changes. The Competition and Markets Authority said in December a split should only take place at an operational level, holding off on calls for a full structural breakup or a cap on an auditor's market share. "The benefits of a separation are large, and in our judgment, worth incurring significant costs," the report said. A UK business lobby group said the proposals to force a breakup were 'heavy handed.' "The UK's position as a stable, evidence-based country is already under threat,' said Josh Hardie, the deputy director of the Confederation of British Industry. "So rushing to simplistic measures rather than following a clear, considered long-term approach will damage our reputation further." The committee also suggested the largest firms should have joint reviews - a proposal that has been strongly resisted by the Big Four. Two auditors should sign off accounts, with at least one being from a smaller firm MPs said. Separately, the FRC said it had started a review of KPMG's governance, controls and culture within the company's audit practice. The regulator has been reviewing KPMG over potential failures with the Carillion audit. Bloomberg Crucial: Angela Merkel will make her first visit to Dublin in five years. Photo: REUTERS/Ralph Orlowski German Chancellor Angela Merkel is to be given a lesson in Irish history as part of the Taoiseach's bid to get her on side ahead of a potentially disastrous Brexit outcome. Leo Varadkar is to lean heavily on stories of the Border region, while trying to convince Ms Merkel that a hard Border cannot be erected under any circumstances. Central to her first visit to Dublin in five years will be a round-table discussion with 15 business and community representatives from both sides of the Border. Sources said the aim is to help her understand Ireland's refusal to plan for Border checks in the event that the UK crashes out of the EU. Ms Merkel was quoted as saying she will fight until the very end for an orderly Brexit and use her Irish trip to consider the Border situation and solutions that could prevent a hard Brexit. She is also expected to give a public indication of whether Germany will back the UK's application for a short Brexit extension. British Prime Minister Theresa May met with Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn yesterday to start work on a possible compromise that could break the impasse in Westminster. Expand Close All smiles: British Prime Minister Theresa May and her front bench enjoy a lighter moment during Prime Ministers Questions in the House of Commons yesterday. Photo: UK Parliament/Mark Duffy/PA Wire / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp All smiles: British Prime Minister Theresa May and her front bench enjoy a lighter moment during Prime Ministers Questions in the House of Commons yesterday. Photo: UK Parliament/Mark Duffy/PA Wire But Mr Varadkar said it is unclear whether Mr Corbyn "will rise to the occasion" and help end the deadlock. There are now conflicting messages from Dublin and Brussels on the likelihood of a UK crash-out on April 12. Tanaiste Simon Coveney said a disorderly Brexit next week is "very unlikely" but European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said it is "now a very likely scenario". Mr Juncker told MEPs that April 12 is the "ultimate deadline" for the House of Commons to approve the Withdrawal Agreement, including the Irish backstop. "If it has not done so by then, no further short extension will be possible. After 12 April, we risk jeopardising the European parliament elections, and so threaten the functioning of the European Union," he said. Amid growing frustration that Brexit is dominating the EU agenda, Austria's Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said he sees "absolutely no reason" for another extension. The downbeat mood makes Mr Varadkar's meeting with the influential German leader all the more significant. He said that an extension could not "be merely a licence for further indecision". "We need a clear plan. An extension in this context is one thing, but a rolling extension that just leads to further indecision, further majorities against things but for nothing, is not a solution for anyone." After a broadly successful meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday, the Taoiseach will be hoping Ms Merkel will send a message to EU colleagues by playing down the possibility of checks at the Irish Border in a no-deal scenario. She has previously urged EU officials to expedite work on how to secure the EU's single market if a disorderly Brexit occurs. Irish Government sources insisted her decision to travel to Dublin is a "very positive" development. "Chancellor Merkel has a particular interest in the Border. She is keen to learn the history," the source said. While the Chancellor will not visit the Border area, it is understood people with direct experience will explain how the removal of checkpoints has changed their lives. Mr Varadkar said European leaders are asking "reasonable questions" about what happens in a no-deal scenario but denied there is "a big stick or Ireland being put under undue pressure". "If there is a no-deal Brexit, whatever issues arise will be seen as shared problems." The Taoiseach said the Government understands checks on livestock will have to take place in order to protect the single market. "It is our view that those checks should take place at ports and that the island of Ireland should be treated as a whole when it comes to sanitary and phytosanitary standards, SPS." A leading European Union official has said he cannot rule out the prospect of customs points being built on the Irish border with Northern Ireland in the event that the UK crashes out of the bloc in eight days without a deal. Top members of the EU's executive commission have repeatedly warned that a "no-deal" scenario is likely given doubts over whether the UK parliament will endorse the Brexit agreement by April 12. Commission vice-president Jyrki Katainen said "a hard Brexit is increasingly possible". Asked whether border posts would be needed between the Republic and Northern Ireland, he said the aim is to ensure that checks are done "away from the border, if at all possible". Currently there is no infrastructure, and goods, livestock and people move freely across the border. More to follow... Proposals to further delay the date of Brexit have moved closer to becoming law after they squeaked through the Commons by one vote. MPs last night supported the European Union (Withdrawal) (No 5) Bill at third reading by 313 votes to 312. The draft legislation, tabled by Labour former minister Yvette Cooper, requires Prime Minister Theresa May to table a motion seeking MPs' approval for an extension to the Article 50 process beyond April 12 to a date of her choosing. It is part of a parliamentary bid to prevent a no-deal departure from the EU. Tory Brexiteers strongly opposed the measures and, shortly before the final vote, they expressed their frustration at the Bill clearing all stages in the Commons in a matter of hours. But there were cheers in the chamber when the result was revealed at almost 11.30pm, after the legislation passed through all stages in the Commons in a single day. Speaking after the result Ms Cooper said it has been a "very considered and thoughtful debate throughout", and that MPs had "voted again to make clear the real concerns that there would be about a chaotic and damaging no deal". But leading Brexiteer Tory MP Mark Francois reacted to the Bill's passing with anger, calling it a "constitutional outrage". The leading Brexiteer said it had been "rammed through in four hours", and then quoting from the bible, added: "The public won't be impressed by this. Forgive them father they know not what they do." The Bill could now go for final approvalin the House of Lords as early as today. Meanwhile, talks on a possible compromise Brexit deal are to continue today after a meeting between Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn which the Labour leader described as "useful but inconclusive". The British Labour leader reiterated his view that another referendum should be held to prevent either a no-deal Brexit or a bad deal but he said no "red lines in the future" on any potential agreement he might reach with the prime minister were discussed. The meeting sparked fury among some Conservatives, with two ministers quitting Mrs May's government and a string of backbenchers voicing their anger in the House of Commons. Wales minister Nigel Adams denounced the decision to meet Mr Corbyn as a "grave error" as he announced his resignation from the government. And Chris Heaton-Harris quit the Department for Exiting the EU, with a warning that Mrs May was being badly advised over the risks of no-deal. Following lengthy talks with Mrs May, Mr Corbyn said: "I want the government to understand that the House does not support the deal that she has agreed." Mobile operators in Ireland say there will be no return to roaming charges for people travelling to the UK after Brexit. The commitment will come as a relief to travellers between the two jurisdictions, as well as to thousands of people living in Border areas whose phones sometimes automatically switch between Irish and UK networks. Three's chief executive Robert Finnegan said the network had made a "commitment" both in Ireland and the UK not to return to higher EU roaming rates. "The roaming experience that [Irish Three customers] have in the UK today will continue after Brexit, whatever shape that takes," he said. This will be regardless of which network a Three customer roams on in the UK, a spokesman added. Representatives for Vodafone Ireland and Eir also said there would be "no changes" to the current roaming arrangement for their customers. "We will continue to implement a full 'take your home tariff abroad' policy for mobile customers," said a Vodafone spokeswoman. The move comes after British mobile operators indicated they do not intend to reintroduce mobile roaming charges after Brexit even if there is no deal. When the UK leaves the European Union, Irish operators will be legally free to reintroduce roaming charges for customers travelling to the North or to Great Britain. Similarly, British telecoms operators will be free to leave the EU's roaming regulation requirements altogether. However, doing so would require a re-opening of tariff negotiations between European operators. It would also leave operators open to being commercially undercut by their domestic rivals who stick to the status quo. Since EU roaming charges were abolished in 2017, mobile bills for travellers have plunged. Construction workers, career guidance teachers and high performance sports coaches from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) are to be given easier access to Ireland. Changes in economic demands have led Business Minister Heather Humphreys to select a string of occupations for preferential treatment when it comes to job permits. The move has been made on foot of "labour market conditions and submissions from sectors and other stakeholders, together with contextual factors such as Brexit". Civil engineers, construction project managers and quantity surveyors are now seen as critical skills. Other tradespeople, including sheet metal workers, welders, pipefitters, scaffolders and crane drivers, will now qualify for a General Employment Permit. Ms Humphreys said the policy of accommodating non-EEA nationals was necessary "to fill capacity gaps in the domestic economy in the short to medium term". "I am aware that the [construction] sector is actively seeking to encourage many of these workers back to take up jobs in Ireland," she said. TAOISEACH Leo Varadkar will hold Brexit talks with German leader Angela Merkel in Dublin today. Mr Varadkar will host Ms Merkel at Farmleigh House in the capital where their discussions are set to focus on the latest developments ahead of the special European Council meeting next week. Prior to their formal sit-down the leaders will take part in round-table discussions with people from Northern Ireland and the border area about their views on the UK's withdrawal from the EU. It comes as efforts intensify to find a way through the Brexit impasse. Last night, proposals to further delay the date of Brexit moved closer to becoming law after they squeaked through the Commons by one vote. MPs supported the European Union Bill at third reading by 313 votes to 312. The draft legislation tabled by Labour former minister Yvette Cooper requires Prime Minister Theresa May to table a motion seeking MPs' approval for an extension to the Article 50 process beyond 12 April. On Thursday, Mrs May held talks with Jeremy Corbyn which the Labour leader described as useful but inconclusive. The meeting sparked fury among some Conservatives, with two ministers quitting Mrs Mays Government and a string of backbenchers voicing their anger during Prime Ministers Questions in the House of Commons. It followed Mrs Mays dramatic announcement that she was willing to reach out across the political divide to find a deal allowing her to obtain a short delay to Brexit at an emergency EU summit on April 10. Mr Corbyn said the meeting in the PMs Commons office was useful but inconclusive, adding: There has not been as much change as I expected. But in formal statements, both sides described the talks as constructive. A Labour spokesman said: We have had constructive exploratory discussions about how to break the Brexit deadlock. And Downing Street said: The talks were constructive, with both sides showing flexibility and a commitment to bring the current Brexit uncertainty to a close. Mrs May has said she hopes to find a solution which both leaders can support, or failing that, a system of indicative votes which both will recognise as binding. Finance minister Philip Hammond said that Britain will ask the European Union for a Brexit delay that gives the option to leave as soon as a divorce deal is approved by parliament. "The important thing now is that in any extension that we get from the EU, we have an absolute clarity that as soon as we've done the deal, we are able to bring that extension to an end," Hammond told ITV. "So it's less about the nominal length of time of the extension and more about the mechanism for bringing it to an end once the deal is done," he said. "That would be our expectation." Meanwhile, Senior DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson appeared to hold out the prospect of the party supporting Britain's membership of a post-Brexit customs union. "We would have preferred a form of Brexit that enables the UK to negotiate new trade agreements with other countries," Jeffrey Donaldson, a Democratic Unionist Party lawmaker, was quoted as saying by BBC Northern Ireland Political Correspondent Enda McClafferty. "That is part of the reason for Brexit and maybe a customs union might be a temporary staging post towards that objective," Donaldson was quoted as saying. Expansion: An artists impression of Facebooks new Ballsbridge offices. The company also let 16,000 sq m (172,000 sq ft) at Nova Atria South in the first quarter of 2019 Dublin's office market set another new record in the first quarter of this year with occupiers taking 1.4m sq ft (130,000 sq m) which was almost double (85pc) ahead of the corresponding period of 2018. Knight Frank points out that the first quarter of last year had itself set a new record for Q1 activity. Their competitors BNP Paribas Real Estate (BNPPRE) point out that when other quarters of the year are taken into account, Q1 2019 was "the third strongest quarter on record". BNPPRE counted 133,306 sq m (1,434,894 sq ft) across 57 deals as a number of large lettings drove a bumper start to the year. BNPPRE says rapid expansion of multinational tech companies saw the TMT sector account for more than 75,000 sq m (807,000 sq ft) in Q1 representing 57pc of take-up. The largest letting of the quarter involved Salesforce agreeing to pre-let more than 43,000 sq m (463,000 sq ft) at Spencer Place. In addition Facebook took almost 16,000 sq m (172,000 sq ft) at Nova Atria South, Sandyford and DocuSign took 9,163 sq m (98,630 sq ft) at 5 Hanover Quay. Knight Frank says the state sector was the second most active and accounted for 32pc of the market. The second largest deal saw the Irish Central Bank purchase 4 and 5 Dublin Landings which together extend to 18,674 sq m (201,000 sq ft) in North Docklands. Located directly to the rear of the Central Bank's headquarters, the acquisition allows its consolidation to one location. Declan O'Reilly, director, Knight Frank, said: "With the NTMA having previously leased No.1 Dublin Landings, the area will represent the heart of the State's financial sector." The State also secured the third largest deal with OPW pre-letting 16,900 sq m (181,910 sq ft) at The Distillers Building in Smithfield, with completion due in 2021. The OPW also took space at Bishops Square, where they have leased 4,366 sq m (47,000 sq ft). Other deals included Zurich's taking of 1,719 sq m (18,503 sq ft) at Friends First's Trident House in Blackrock. Kate Ryan, head of research at BNPPRE says Brexit is also having an impact with more than 70 companies announcing plans to move to or expand within Dublin since the 2016 vote. "We estimate that more than 28,500 sq m (306,771 sq ft) has been leased to these firms including JP Morgan, Aptiv, Coinbase and Bank of America," she adds. In Q1 2019 US bond ratings agency Kroll opened its first Irish office and new EU headquarters at 6-8 College Green with plans to create 100 jobs in Dublin. Other recent new entrants include Berkshire Hathaway and US law firm Tully Rinckey. The current tech boom in Dublin is expected to be in some way linked to Brexit with US multinationals expanding in Ireland rather than in the UK with a view to retaining access to European markets. Keith O'Neill, head of office agency at BNPPRE, says a number of other Brexit movers including Chaucer, DLA Piper, Baillie Gifford and Hermes Investment Management are currently operating out of serviced offices across the city. Stationery and book seller Eason has launched sale and leaseback deals for three stores which it owns in Limerick City, Tralee, Co Kerry and Clonmel, Co Tipperary. The launch provides an opportunity to compare the returns which regional high streets can offer to investors. For instance with these three properties the net initial yields will range between 7.5pc and 11.5pc. The Limerick building is a mid-terraced property extending to 12,573 sq ft of which 9,461 sq ft is devoted to retail. Agents Bannon are guiding 2.2m for the property and offering a 25 year lease at an annual rent of 180,000. This equates to a net initial yield of 7.5pc. Set on a 0.1 acre site, the Limerick building ranges in height from a four storey over basement on O'Connell Street to ground and first floor on Cruises St. The basement extends under adjoining properties at 10 O'Connell Street and 1, 2 and 3 William Street. Eason's Tralee store at 25 The Mall, is on a prime stretch directly adjacent to Penney's. Joint agents Bannon and Walsh O'Sullivan are seeking 1.23m and with an annual market rent of 120,000, they say this equates to an immediate return of 9pc after standard acquisition costs are deducted. The four-storey building extends to a net internal area of 6,483 sq ft incorporating a large retail area of 3,948 sq ft. The Clonmel store is located at 19/20 Gladstone Street, in the main commercial area of the town centre. Joint agents Bannon and Moynihan Curran are asking 560,000 and with an annual rent of 70,000 this equates to a net initial yield of 11.5pc. Most of the lease terms are similar for all three stores with new leases for 25 years, five yearly open market rent reviews and a break option at the end of year 10. These sales are part of Eason's plan to sell 13 properties in the Republic which could generate 60m of which about 20 million would be invested in its retail business. The rest of the proceeds will be divided among its 220 shareholders. It has already sold a retail outlet in Carlow town which it had let to another retailer and in January Eason agreed a deal to sell its 184,886 sq ft warehouse on 8.4 acres at St Margaret's in north Dublin to Irish property fund Iput for 19m. Sale and lease back deals are also among the options being considered for its flagship store on O'Connell Street in Dublin as well as its store on Patrick St in Cork city centre but the future timing and details of those have not yet been decided. Last month Bannon launched a sale and lease back on Eason's 11,200 sq ft store at 33 Shop St, Galway City with an 8m guide price. Its annual rent of 525,000 would equate to a net 6pc initial yield. Backs to the wall: Many large financial, Wall Street listed companies from have been buying up housing stock putting the American Dream of home ownership beyond many President George W. Bush pledged to make the US an "ownership society" and tried to promote homeownership via tax credits, assistance with down payments and a variety of other programs. In 2004, this probably looked like a good bet - the US homeownership rate had risen to about 69 pc, from 64 pc in the mid-1990s. But Bush failed. Just a few years later, a deflating housing bubble followed by a financial crisis and recession sent homeownership into a nosedive: During the crisis, President Barack Obama did too little to protect the ownership gains that Americans had enjoyed in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Hamstrung by a recalcitrant Congress and an internal distaste for bailing out citizens who made bad real estate decisions, Obama enacted only a modest program to reduce foreclosures. The result was that homeownership fell to levels not seen since the mid-1960s. Now it's recovering, but if another recession hits, all bets are off. So when people lost all those houses, what happened them? Some houses were snapped up by more financially secure homeowners looking for a second or third house to own or rent. Some were taken over by banks or traditional property-management companies. But during the crisis, a new type of landlord rose to prominence: Wall Street. Buying up stock During the crisis, financial companies - private-equity firms, hedge funds, asset managers and real estate investment trusts - bought up large numbers of foreclosed homes and rented them out to tenants. Some of the big names include Blackstone Group LP, Cerberus Capital Management and Tricon Capital Group Inc. Some of this buying activity was intended to buy cheap houses and then sell them for a profit. But some companies realised they could make more money from holding onto the houses and renting them out. A 2015 paper by economists James Mills, Raven Molloy and Rebecca Zarutskie explored the emergence of what they call the large-scale buy-to-rent business model. Mills et al. defined the strategy narrowly - they estimated that only 0.14 percent of the U.S. housing stock was owned by these investors in 2014. But they found that 6 percent was owned by corporate investors overall, which is a much more sizable chunk of the market. Nor was this new business model a temporary feature of an economy in crisis - on the contrary, buy-to-rent seems to be turning into a permanent and growing feature of the housing market. Bloomberg News's Patrick Clark reported that after falling since 2012, home buying by Wall Street players increased in 2017. Amherst Capital Management LLC, itself a player in the space, reported that much of the increase came in Sun Belt cities such as Atlanta and Charlotte, North Carolina. Amherst also found that the industry is consolidating as a few big players gobble up smaller ones. What's more, Amherst reports that securitisation of the income from single-family rentals is an increasingly common practice. Wall Street's move into single-family rentals has a number of potential downsides. First of all, although the practice still represents just a small slice of the market, the report that its impact in a few locations was considerable. In the cities and neighborhoods where Wall Street investors own large pieces of the market, these big companies could use their power to raise rents in whole neighborhoods. That in turn could contribute to the rent crisis now afflicting many of the nation's big cities. Wall Street landlords may also compromise quality. Their local dominance may afford them the luxury of simply ignoring tenants' needs. Losing housing wealth But the most troubling impact could be on the American Dream of homeownership. Increasingly, young Americans looking to buy houses will be competing with big corporate landlords. There are a number of reasons that competition will not favour the aspiring homeowner. Big landlords have cheap financing at their disposal - securitised bonds, REIT share sales - while individuals have to rely on mortgages. Big landlords may also value a house more, due to the high rents that their local market power lets them to squeeze out of tenants. Most Americans tend to have the bulk of their wealth in their houses. If fewer young Americans are able to buy homes, they'll miss out on house price appreciation, and the gains will go to corporate shareholders, who tend to be rich people. Thus, the rise of the Wall Street landlord model may put a damper on U.S. middle-class wealth accumulation. That would be a very unwelcome prospect at a time when the middle and lower classes have seen a big drop in their wealth: The US government should think hard about whether it wants to allow the dream of homeownership to be shortchanged by big corporate players. The situation may call for a tax on corporate landlords, or on landlords who own a high percent of the housing in a particular area, as well as measures to help Americans of modest means buy homes. In other words, it might be time to give Bush's ownership society a second shot. (Bloomberg Opinion) Reports of bonanza earnings by the partners in Knight Frank UK, set me thinking about the globalisation of the estate agency business, and the implications for people involved in the industry. And it's clear that, whilst size matters, it's far from everything: For the year ending March 2018, Knight Frank's 70 equity partners in the UK enjoyed an average payout of 2.4m (2.8m) each. That represents a margin before tax of 32pc, on turnover of 167m (195.5m). This result dwarfs the payouts to equity partners in the "Big Four" accountancy firms (below 1m (1.2m) each) and all of the UK law firms, bar one. Some commentators are attributing this to Knight Frank's leading position in the top-end of the London residential market. However, whilst Knight Frank say that their UK residential business "performed robustly", it was their commercial businesses which had a record year, and that's an interesting outcome in the shadow of Brexit. There are a few lessons from this result: the first is the importance of being in diverse sectors of the market. So, whilst Knight Frank enjoyed a bonanza through a booming residential market, when that weakened, the commercial departments produced the goods. Another strength the global players have is that when particular markets are in a downturn, markets somewhere else can replace missing turnover. It's also interesting that Knight Frank can produce such profits, given their size relative to the other big global players. CBRE are dominant with world revenue last year of $21.3bn (18,9bn), and on a European scale Knight Frank are ranked fourth by turnover, with about half the revenue of Savills, and a third of JLL's. The estate-agency business has been transformed over the last 15 years, with the largest handful of firms growing fast by acquiring independent businesses around the world. There are three main factors driving this: a) globalisation by clients, means that clients have property needs in different territories and the firms compete for mandates to handle all that business; b) there are synergies in that firms in one territory can refer clients and enquirers into other countries and earn a share of fees; c) the acquiring companies are leveraging-off the strength of their brand. The deal makes both them, and the local firm, stronger. There may also be economies of scale. This overseas ownership of firms has brought great change to the local business models. Traditionally, the career path was to earn your income via a blend of basic salary plus a commission for each job you handled. The best performers would then likely be promoted to a position as an associate director, or a "non-equity" director. Promotion to "director" was prestigious, and usually meant an increased basic salary, management responsibilities and a commission based on a departmental profit. One downside was that the very top fee-earners could actually suffer a decrease in earnings, as their efforts became "pooled". But this was accepted as a step on the path to the ultimate goal, which was to be awarded "equity" or the opportunity to build a shareholding in your firm. The acquisition of the "equity" by an overseas player, sees that goal disappear, so the acquiring companies have to find the correct blend of remuneration, to attract and retain staff. They will pay strong directors salaries and may leave a third to a half of the profits of the local firm, to be divided up through bonus schemes. If the parent company is a public one, local staff may be part-rewarded by being awarded shares in the parent company, but which can only be sold at some stage in the future - and if you remain an employee, thus serving to bind-in staff. Knight Frank has a very strong Irish operation and will be delighted to be part of this story. One thing clients and staff love, is being associated with success. And another lesson is that, whilst size matters, margin is even more important. The future of the former sugar factory site in Mallow has once again come under the spotlight after local TD Sean Sherlock said Coca-Cola could use it for a dairy processing plant. The US soft drinks giant has held meetings with Irish dairy industry officials about the possibility of establishing its own Irish milk processing operation in Cork, according to the Corkman. Five years ago the company launched 'Fairlife', a premium milk brand in the US, part of a strategy to move away from sugary drinks in an attempt to cash in on the growing demand from consumers for healthier drinks. The drink, which retails at twice the price of normal milk, is produced using a special filtration process that can significantly reduce sugar content by 30pc and double its nutrient content. Speculation is rife that the company, which recently built a multi-million dollar production plant in Canada, is seeking to bring its Fairlife brand to Europe and buy milk directly from Irish farmers. It's understood that senior Coca-Cola officials had visited Ireland to learn about our dairy industry, with a particular emphasis on research and development as well as Teagasc's Moorepark research facility in Fermoy and the dairy processing technology centre at the University of Limerick during their fact finding mission. In a statement the company poured cold water on the issue saying that media reports regarding future investments in Ireland "are purely speculative." "As a long-standing and significant investor in Ireland, Coca-Cola has regular discussions with State agencies and partners to discuss different areas of our business, including our ongoing evolution to become a total beverage company," read the statement. Another location to be mentioned in speculations is the former Kilcorney creamery. However, Deputy Sherlock said that should there be some substance behind the speculation the sugar factory site, which has laid idle since its controversial closure in 2006, would be an ideal location for a milk processing plant. "It makes sense given Mallow's dairy dominance traditionally and with all the investment that has taken place at Dairygold coupled with the M20 project, it would be a perfect fit," said Deputy Sherlock. "I will be in contact with the IDA to put Mallow on the map with the executives from the US that will have to travel to Cork to look at sites," he added. The European Union will immediately introduce customs checks and import duties in the event of a no deal Brexit, erecting barriers to British exports ranging from cars to farm produce and preventing consumers bringing in British cheese or meats. Pierre Moscovici, the EUs economic affairs and tax commissioner, told a news conference on Wednesday that all the remaining 27 EU members agreed that customs controls would have to be put in place for incoming goods as soon as Britain left. The cliff-edge scenario, which is again not the one we foresee or wish, would create major disruptions, he said. We should expect that there would be queues at the tunnel exit and at the ports. Moscovici said more than 11,000 goods vehicles per day took ferries between Dover and Calais or used the Channel Tunnel, although he acknowledged that not all would be checked. He said EU companies trading with the UK had to be ready for additional costs and bureaucracy as customs checks increased, while travellers would also be subject to more checks. Individual travellers arriving in the EU from Britain would be limited to no more than 430 euros ($480) worth of goods, and would not be able to bring in British animal products such as cheese or sausages. Producers would still be able to export them if Britain, as expected, passed laws to comply with EU sanitary rules. However, goods would be subject to import duties; in the case of cars, this would be 10 percent. Ireland On the most sensitive issue, that of the Irish border, Moscovici avoided giving a clear answer. Since Britain has said it wants to leave the EUs customs union as it leaves the EU, the bloc says controls on animals and goods will need to take place on the land border between EU member Ireland and the British province of Northern Ireland. But both London and the EU want to avoid deploying border infrastructure, fearing it could become the target of violence and undermine peace in the province, which saw three decades of sectarian violence at the end of the last century. Moscovici said both the EU and Britain would need to make checks to protect their markets: We are working closely and intensively with Ireland to organise these checks in the least disruptive way possible, and as much as possible away from the border. He added that the EU could give Ireland more money and other assistance to meet the challenge. He said the EU expected Britain to live up to its obligations of guaranteeing an open Irish border under the Good Friday Agreement peace deal. EU sources told Reuters in February that Dublin would soon have to come up with a plan to ensure the integrity of the EUs single market or face the prospect of checks on its own goods coming into the rest of the bloc - something Ireland has said it will not countenance. With echoes of the Laurel and Hardy film, Another Fine Mess, it appears that all we can now do is to sit back and watch our near neighbours take their final few steps along the treacherous edge of the Brexit precipice. Hopefully they won't topple over but if they do, the EU will need to put something very special in place to make sure we don't all go down with them. Meanwhile, farming life goes on. I have just finished spreading fertiliser for first-cut silage and with the arrival of spring, the time has also arrived for letting off cattle. Because of the wet weather around St Patrick's Day, my cattle got an extra week or so in the shed, but the recent fine spell has meant that more than half the herd are now out on grass. While they may have put on some condition over the winter, I find that my cattle always look pretty miserable for their first week or two outside. On the bright side it's great to see stock out on the land and with grass growth so good this spring, I'm hopeful for a good early thrive. Friesian cattle such as mine appear to be getting a particularly bad press these days. Yet while they may 'only' be a by-product of our dairy sector, this actually gives them one major advantage over their more glamorous beef-bred counterparts. As the greenhouse gas emissions of Friesian cattle dams are shared by the beef and dairy sector, I would argue they are therefore more efficient in this department than beef-breed cattle who have to carry the full burden of responsibility for their dams' greenhouse gas emissions. In relation to greenhouse gas emissions, what mystifies me is that there is little recognition of the fact that up to 90pc of the beef and dairy produced in an non 'factory-farming' manner on Irish farms is actually exported across the globe. In doing so, it earns billions for the Irish economy. We also have to factor in the amazing ability of the grassland on which these cattle feed to absorb and store carbon. Conversely, countries which produce little or no food themselves and who consume all this food, get off scot-free as far as shouldering the blame for greenhouse gas emissions is concerned. To me this appears very wrong. Imagine the uproar which would ensue if the UN's climate watchdogs insisted that oil producing countries who produce the fossil fuels - which are by far the main contributor to greenhouse gas emissions - should carry the blame and financial burden. It is regrettable that important issues such as these were not examined to any great extent in the recent Citizens' Assembly's report on climate change. Speaking of food production and specifically low-margin beef farming, isn't it about time that our policymakers woke up and admitted that their current high input, one-size-fits-all approach has been a total disaster. Recent media reports suggest that these high-cost policies have forced many young cattle farmers to rely on off-farm income to simply put food on the table. Empirical evidence also suggests that off-farm income is now required to pay off borrowings on many of these farms. This is a very high price which many young entrants to cattle farming now have to pay for their youthful drive and enthusiasm. There has to be a better way. We are blessed with having the best land and climate in the world for producing quality food and we also have some of the best agricultural research facilities in the world. As farmers, we know that every farm, indeed every field, is different - each having its own strengths and ability to produce various crop types or support various livestock production systems. Using this local knowledge, farmers both full and part-time - in conjunction with some of the more experienced people in our advisory services - could draw up plans specifically aimed at the most efficient low-cost/low-input production systems based not on output but on efficiency and ability to generate income. It certainly couldn't be any worse than what's happening at the moment. Finally, I recently called in to the initial meeting of our newest farming organisation, Talamh Beo, held in Kilrickle, Co Galway. In a hall packed with mostly young people, how refreshing it was to hear the passion in the voices when they spoke about their farms and the manner in which they produce food in harmony with nature. I thought to myself how great it would be if these young enthusiastic voices could be heard when future Irish farming policies are being decided. Hopefully this will happen sooner rather than later. However, cognisant of what they are up against, I won't be holding my breath. John Heney farms in Kilfeackle, Co Tipperary email: heney.john@gmail.com The Minister for Agriculture, Michael Creed has said that his Department is fully aware of how important chlorothalonil has been for the cereal producing sector in Ireland The comments come following the recent decision not to renew chlorothalonil was based on a change in the classification for carcinogenicity proposed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), following technical peer review, and a number of other critical areas of concern identified by EFSA and Member State scientific experts. Creed said the Department is acutely aware how important chlorothalonil has been for the cereal producing sector in Ireland, not only as a primary disease control tool, but also as a resistance management tool, protecting other chemical families from the development of pathogen resistance. However, said the ability of growers to use pesticide products safely, without endangering themselves, consumers or the environment, and in compliance with regulatory approval criteria, must always be the primary concern in the approval process of all active substances. He also said that the timeline for implementing the decision will include a grace period of up to a year for distribution and use of existing stocks. Regarding alternatives, he stated that some new fungicide active substances have recently been approved at EU level, which could offer new disease control options for tillage farmers in the future. The EU decision to ban chlorothalonil, the active ingredient in key fungicide Bravo, will compound the income crisis in the Irish tillage sector, tillage experts have warned. A majority of Member States - including Ireland - voted in favour of the EU Commission ban. Farm leaders are seeking a package of support measures for tillage farmers facing substantially reduced yields when a ban on the fungicide chlorothalonil takes effect. Teagasc warned last year that a ban could reduce net margins for wheat and barley growers by 50-65pc. Michael Hennessy, Teagasc head of crops knowledge transfer, said: "It is a bad news story for the production of tillage farming (but) if a product is unsafe to use from a groundwater or health point of view, then farmers do not want to be using products that are not safe." IFA grain chair Mark Browne said the loss of the product would compound the income crisis in the sector. He called on Agriculture Minister Michael Creed to put supports in place to mitigate potential losses to cereal growers. Challenge: Niall Gibbons says it will be tough task to hit a target of increasing revenue by 6pc. Picture: Caroline Quinn Ireland's post crash tourism boom has passed its peak, according to Tourism Ireland boss Niall Gibbons. With Brexit depressing the value of sterling and upward pressure on costs ranging from labour shortages to the recent Vat hike, the industry is going to struggle to maintain the soaring growth rates of recent years. A challenge of a not dissimilar scale - though one that's less talked about - is a substantial boost in air capacity on continental Europe, which gives travellers more options, potentially at Ireland's expense. The net effect of all that is that it may prove difficult for Gibbons to meet Tourism Ireland's target of 6pc revenue growth from Irish tourism this year. The targets are set by Tourism Ireland's board, made up of representatives from both sides of the Border. Gibbons' job as head of the north-south body is to market the island of Ireland abroad. The current flagship campaign encourages travellers to "Fill your heart with Ireland". "It's appealing to consumers who are living in a hyperconnected world, telling them that Ireland is a place where you can switch off - that's what the advertising really speaks to," Gibbons says. "A lot of our strategy this year is about sustainability. It's about actually trying to grow the business in quarter one and quarter four when you've got good value around, you've got good air access, and you've still got capacity around at very good value. "So that's where a lot of the marketing effort has gone, because the summer season is tending to look after itself. We don't take it for granted by the way, but we've got off to a positive start this year so far. The numbers are up 7pc in the first two months, but there's still a lot to play for." The positive visitor numbers perhaps belie the narrative that the Vat hike by Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe's would cause the industry problems. But beneath the headline numbers every business is different. "I think the industry were surprised by it," says Gibbons. "There are people who are more worried than others. The people who are most worried are those who are in rural areas, people who are in the food sector particularly who would have extremely tight margins. There's a sense I suppose of hurt within the industry, that's the feedback that we're getting. "And what's going to happen now that we're into March is the Vat really takes hold, because now they're actually paying the Vat over." He says the increase will have been passed on wherever humanly possible. Though it's early in the year and not much data is available, Gibbons reckons hoteliers will struggle on average to pass the rate hike in full. Demand won't increase at the same pace as previous years, he says. One way to try and mitigate the problem though is to try and find new customers, who spend more money per head. Those travellers are likely to come from further afield, staying for longer. China and the Middle East are often touted as potential sources of growth - though tapping into those markets is easier said than done. Failte Ireland - a separate organisation which focuses on supports for tourism businesses (as opposed to Tourism Ireland's marketing role) - has launched a 'China Ready' programme to help businesses try and tap into the market. Catering to Chinese tourists means you have to take account of their different cultural and gastronomic preferences, as well as their financial ones. The latter is an area that's changing fast. "What you're finding is they have now moved to a cashless society," Gibbons says. "Five years ago I would have been talking about making sure you had Union Pay credit cards if you're really serious about the Chinese market. "And places like Brown Thomas and Kildare Village have all that, but now you have to be on WeChat Pay and Alipay." Research is critical if you're going to try and attract Chinese visitors, Gibbons says, but there are rewards to be gained. The numbers coming here have grown rapidly - off an admittedly low base - but there is scope to continue to win more business. "About five million will come to Europe [this year], and we've got a very small proportion of it. There is capacity to grow, and they will come off season as well." Part of Gibbons' effort to boost those numbers involves lobbying Government departments to make the visa regime more flexible, removing a barrier to travel. They had success last year when the Department of Justice announced that Emiratis could travel here visa-free. A similar effort is under way regarding Chinese visas - "we're pushing open doors in the sense that people want to make this happen", Gibbons says. Though travellers from Europe or North America will have a well-defined picture of Ireland in their heads - this country is less well-known in Asia and the Middle East. That gives Gibbons a bit of flexibility when it comes to marketing, as he can paint on a blank canvas. Ireland's friendly and warm people, its picturesque landscape and its culture are the three areas he focuses on in this regard. An accountant by background, Gibbons (53) began his working life at was then called Coopers & Lybrand and what is now called PwC. The Dubliner then moved to the public sector, searching for a job with more money having just gotten married. He ended up working in marine research for about seven years, before a job as director of corporate services came up at the newly-created Tourism Ireland, a cross-Border tourism agency born out of the Good Friday Agreement. The role saw Gibbons carry out a lot of the background work in integrating the legacy tourism agencies on each side of the Border. Then, in 2010, the role of Tourism Ireland CEO came free and he got the gig. Since then he's overseen Irish tourism marketing through good times and bad. In 2011, the agency's marketing plans were launched the day after the IMF bailout was announced. It's a job that involves lots of travel - which might sound nice in theory, but is probably not so nice in practice. Building relationships is important - with foreign tour operators who can bring groups of travellers here, with foreign publishers who can provide a platform for ads, and with film studios who can bring big-budget productions here. 'Game of Thrones' has been an obvious success in this regard, and though it will finish this year plans are afoot for a permanent Harry Potter World-type attraction which aims to capitalise on the series for years to come. A successful relationship has been forged with the series makers HBO - who have provided plot lines to Tourism Ireland in advance to help the Irish agency capitalise immediately when episode goes to air. More good relationships like that will help counteract the slowdown that Gibbons believes is coming. CSO figures released last week showed a big fall in the number of British tourists who came here in February, compared to the same month last year. But the numbers coming here from the UK were up year-on-year in the first two months of 2019, and the mood music from British colleagues is that travel to Ireland should be steady this year. It's still early days but despite the headwinds, the Vat increase that has caused so much wailing and gnashing of teeth, the Brexit uncertainty, and the growth in European air capacity, Gibbons does think the industry will continue to grow. But the boom years look to be finished alas. "North America should have a good year, Asia should have a good year, Britain is looking steady although we're keeping a daily watch on it, and mainland Europe may be a bit choppy because there's just other factors outside of our control. "The target is to grow revenue by 6pc. That's going to be very tough now, there's no question about that. We will see growth alright but it's going to be a much more mixed batch of growth, we'll struggle to grow all our markets - that's the early indications that we have. We just have to be really competitive." The boom period of Irish tourism looks to be over, with revenue growth set to slow substantially this year. Tourism Ireland boss Niall Gibbons said hoteliers will find it hard to pass on the Vat hike brought in in January in full because of weaker demand growth. "Demand won't be increasing at the same rates as previous years - double digits, those days are gone," Mr Gibbons said. In recent times the industry has been posting record year after record year. After bouncing back from the post-crash 'zombie hotel' industry. In 2018, revenue from visitors grew 10pc, with 11.2 million people. Mr Gibbons said his target for this year is to grow revenue by 6pc, but that achieving this would be "very tough". He said Brexit's downward pressure on sterling, and a boost in air capacity giving European travellers more access to sunny destinations, will crimp visitor numbers here. "We will see growth alright, but it's going to be a much more mixed batch of growth, we'll struggle to grow all our markets - that's the early indications that we have," Mr Gibbons said. "The target is to grow revenue by 6pc. That's going to be very tough now, there's no question about that. We just have to be really competitive." Mr Gibbons said the industry needs to be conscious of the need to provide value for money, saying that this was an area where Ireland underperforms tourists' expectations. His organisation's role is to market the island of Ireland as a destination for tourists. It's a cross-Border body with representatives from Northern Ireland and the Republic on its board. "A lot of our strategy this year is about sustainability. It's about actually trying to grow the business in quarter one and quarter four when you've got good value around, you've got good air access, and you've still got capacity around at very good value," Mr Gibbons said. He said there was a "sense of hurt" and surprise within the industry after Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe restored the Vat rate on the sector back to 13.5pc, from 9pc. "There are people who are more worried than others. The people who are most worried are those who are in rural areas, people who are in the food sector particularly who would have extremely tight margins. There's a sense, I suppose, of hurt within the industry. That's the feedback that we're getting. "And what's going to happen now that we're into March is the Vat really takes hold, because now they're actually paying the Vat over." The body has been successful in recent years in forging good relationships with TV and film producers who have been shooting productions here. Northern Ireland is a key filming destination for the HBO series 'Game of Thrones', and HBO has in the past provided advance plot lines to Tourism Ireland to help it capitalise as soon as episodes air. The series will finish this year but plans are afoot for a permanent Harry Potter World-type attraction which aims to capitalise on the series for years to come. Mr Gibbons said there is potential to increase the number of Chinese tourists coming here but said operators have to research customer preferences, for example in areas like payments. Businessman Peter Conlon dramatically claimed his conviction for embezzling 3.8m from charities including Red Cross and Trocaire was the result of a forced confession. The Co Leitrim native claimed he confessed only after being held in 23-hour lock-up for nearly a year. As a result of claimed "prosecutorial misconduct" by the Swiss, he says a report is being prepared for submission to the Irish Government and the European Commissioner for Human Rights. Yesterday's court hearing was part of the process to liquidate and recover assets from Conlon's company, Pembroke Dynamic Internet Services. In November last year, Conlon pleaded guilty in Zurich to the misappropriation of 3.8m by his company Ammado, which had a system to allow people to donate to charities. Conlon was sentenced to three years in prison, with two conditionally deferred. He was jailed for four years, with three suspended and, as he had already spent a year in prison before the trial, he was released on December 22. Conlon said in an affidavit emailed to court that had been advised to undertake counselling for PTSD "as soon as possible". He added: "I am currently in receipt of no income at present." Conlon is practising "transformative meditation", Kriya yoga and doing 25,000 steps a day, the High Court heard. Up to 800 charities were left out of pocket following the collapse of Ammado. After the High Court appointed liquidator Myles Kirby to related company Pembroke Dynamic Internet Services, he uncovered evidence of alleged misappropriation of up to 3.8m. Last year, the High Court granted Mr Kirby an injunction to freeze Conlon's assets below the 3.8m value. This order remains in place. Mr Kirby has repeatedly been in the High Court seeking to get Conlon to co-operate. Gerard Meehan BL, for Mr Kirby, said his client did not accept Conlon's request for a further adjournment. Mr Meehan argued if he was well enough to make a case to the EU Commissioner about human rights, he could swear a more substantial affidavit. The liquidator was now prepared to set up a "drop box" where Conlon could pick up court papers, counsel said. Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds said if that was done, he could have no further complaint about not receiving papers. She adjourned for nine weeks. One of Hong Kong's biggest property development firms, CK Asset Holdings, is interested in acquiring a stake in Dublin-based aircraft lessor Avolon if a majority holding owned indirectly by Chinese conglomerate HNA is put up for sale. But it's not clear that HNA, which has been selling assets to cut debt, has any immediate plans to sell more of the Ireland-based lessor via its Bohai subsidiary. Last year, HNA sold a 30pc stake in Avolon to Japanese financial services group Orix for $2.2bn (1.9bn). Orix has its own aviation leasing business, which is also based in Dublin. But Avolon CEO Domhnal Slattery said last August that HNA is committed to being a long-term shareholder in Avolon and that no further stake sales of the leasing firm were planned. "HNA said repeatedly that they deem Avolon to be a long-term strategic hold, and unequivocally, will not sell a controlling interest," he said at the time. The remainder of Avolon is owned by Bohai Leasing, which is a subsidiary of HNA. Avolon is the world's third-largest aircraft lessor, with a fleet of 971 owned, managed and on-order jets. Gerald Ma, general manager of CK Asset corporate business development department, said yesterday that the group is interested in bulking up its aircraft leasing business, which accounts for 5pc of its total revenue, by buying HNA's majority stake in Avolon. HNA and Avolon declined to comment. CK Asset's effort to transform into an integrated enterprise that deals in multiple businesses come as housing prices in Hong Kong have surged by a whopping 200pc over the past decade, making it one of the world's least affordable property markets. If HNA sells its stake in Avolon, CK Asset "will bid for it like others do", said Mr Ma. "We have a lot of room for spending," he added, referring to CK Asset's low debt-to-equity ratio of around 3pc. "It can be higher ... we need to look harder at how to spend that money," he added. The outlook for the aircraft leasing market is promising due to growing demand from budget airlines and the fact that 2,000 to 4,000 planes will need to retire globally by 2024, said Mr Ma. The International Air Transport Association expects the number of air passengers to hit 8.2 billion a year by 2037. It said that over the next two decades, the forecast anticipates a 3.5pc compound annual growth rate, which will result in a doubling of annual passenger numbers by then. Also by 2037, aircraft maker Boeing expects that 42,730 new jets will be needed, with the total global fleet of aircraft doubling in size to 48,540 by that year. Among CK Asset's recent offshore investments are Australian electricity and gas distributor Duet, Canadian heating and cooling systems provider Reliance Home Comfort, and German metering and energy management group Ista. CK Asset, valued at around $33bn (29.3bn), this week reported a better-than-expected 33.2pc rise in 2018 profit to HK$40.12bn (4.5bn). Additional reporting: Reuters Crisis: Linda Murray with her children Elle (4) and Savannah (3) at her play centre in Navan, Co Meath Photo: Steve Humphreys AN emotional appeal was made to politicians to save jobs and businesses sinking due to the insurance crisis. Soaring insurance premiums and the reluctance of some insurers to even quote businesses for cover because of false and exaggerated claims is having a devastating impact. Play centre owner Linda Murrays business is facing closure in days, she told the Oireachtas Finance Committee. Breaking down in tears, Ms Murray begged the TDs and senators on the committee: Save our livelihoods, save the livelihoods of our staff, and give our children somewhere to play. Her address to the committee had to be paused while she collected herself. Ms Murray said her play centre in Navan, Co Meath, may shut with the loss of 12 jobs. Insurers are quoting a premium for the next year of 16,500, a 1,000pc rise in the past five years. She also heads up a group of 60 play centres, called the Play Activity and Leisure Ireland (PALI). The members had collectively paid 5m in premiums in the past five years. Some 1m had to be put aside for claims, with just 200,000 paid out. So, 4.8m is sitting there. I cant get insurance and our group is facing increases of 300pc with others unable to get quotes. The businesswoman said there was no transparency around how insurance premiums were calculated. She said her play centre was now the only one in Navan, a town with a population of 40,000. This is due to the fact that another facility closed in the last six weeks. Other play centres are closing. Ours is closing. It is horrific, but we are not unusual. Our members are told they are lucky to get insurance, she told committee chairman John McGuinness. Ms Murray revealed that her business is now considering self-insurance, where it puts money aside to pay claims out of its own resources. This is probably the only way she can stay in business, she revealed. Former chairman of business lobby group Isme James Coghlan claimed insurers were engaged in price gouging. Chief executive of Isme Neil McDonnell said the cost of insurance issue is now hollowing out Irish society. It is restricting the conduct of sport, play and charitable activity, it is attracting criminal activity, it is encouraging the advancement of manufactured grievances. It is reducing the physical and moral health of citizens. We are getting to the point where suing someone for the most minor of inconveniences is socially acceptable across all educational and class strata. Businesses are now closing on a weekly basis due to the insurance crisis, the Alliance for Insurance Reform said. Alliance director Peter Boland said there was no justification for the premium hikes seen, and there was little transparency on what is going on. It added that vested interests in the insurance and legal sectors are stalling much-needed reform. Isme said there was a need for a reduction in the quantum of awards in courts and those paid by the Personal Injuries Assessment Board to be reduced. It said there is a need for the legal profession to engage honestly with a reform process. And there must be meaningful action on the detection and punishment of fraudulent claims. The judiciary has been accused of being too soft on people making false and exaggerated injuries claims in courts. Judges were also told by business lobby group Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association (Isme) they should consider jailing lawyers acting for dishonest claimants. Business lobby group Isme is to tell the Oireachtas Finance Committee the legal system and the judiciary "are unjustly pro-plaintiff" in personal injury court cases and there is an urgent need for reform. Isme's presentation says: "A substantial minority of our judiciary is excessively, unfairly and unjustly pro-plaintiff." It claims what it calls the extravagant size of awards in minor injuries cases, coupled with non-existence investigation of fraudulent claims, present a massive incentive for fraudulent actions. Isme chief executive Neil McDonnell says in his presentation: "Both must be tackled now." TDs and senators on the committee will be told people are losing their jobs and businesses closing due to the insurance crisis hitting firms. Isme says: "There is also a demonstrable tolerance on the Irish bench of significant departure from the factual by plaintiffs in civil actions, either on their own direct behalf, or via their lawyers. "While we acknowledge the fact that there is no statutory offence of perjury, some recent episodes of legal conduct before our courts suggest that Irish judges should be more willing to consider custodial sentences for errant solicitors." Isme claims a minority of our judges discharge their courtroom duties in a manner below that deserved by the citizens of Ireland: "In the conduct of personal injuries cases, it undermines confidence in the impartiality of the justice system in general, and the constitutional property rights in particular." Mr McDonnell's presentation says there is a need for the minimal oversight and sanctions regime proposed in the Judicial Council Bill 2017 to be enacted as soon as possible. "And we need judges to commit to meaningful continuous professional development, as other professionals are required to do," he says. Insurance reform should be put in the hands of Justice and Equality Minister Charlie Flanagan, Isme added. Mr McDonnell said Isme was not calling for the head of Junior Minister Michael D'Arcy, who has responsibility for insurance reform, as such a call would achieve nothing. Isme said insurers were increasing business insurance premiums and making increased profits. "We are concerned about possible collusive or cartel-like behaviour among some of our insurance companies," he says in his presentation. And the Alliance for Insurance Reform is set to tell the committee lawyers and insurance companies will do anything to stop real reform. It accuses the Central Bank of engaging in "data vandalism" by dropping the publication of a number of statistical publications on insurance. The Alliance, which represents 36,000 organisations, said businesses were closing on a weekly basis due to "savage" hikes in premiums, with others unable to get cover. "It is clear to us that the dead hand of vested interests and a lack of political will are grinding the response to the crisis to a halt," director Peter Boland said. There was an urgent need for a Garda fraud investigation unit, and a recalibration of awards. Mr Boland said his group was bewildered at how long it was taking to set up a fraud unit. Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe TD speaking to media on the report of the review of the Local Property Tax at Government Buildings, Dublin. Photo: Gareth Chaney, Collins Households who bought the most affordable homes will suffer the largest increase in property tax under the system of reform favoured by the Government. About 25,000 householders who own a property currently valued at between 180,000 and 270,000 would see their bill jump by 135. The majority of those to be hit with the steep rise are living in rural Ireland, rather than Dublin where property prices have recovered most since the recession. Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe has insisted he is not yet wedded to any figures and instead wants a cross-party consensus on the changes. After more than a year of work an interdepartmental group has provided the minister with five options for changing how the Local Property Tax (LPT) is calculated. Households currently pay the charge based on the value of their home in 2013, even though prices nationally have risen by about 80pc in the interim. The report urges the minister to implement a re-evaluation of properties on November 1 as a delay "may present risks to the long-term stability of the tax". But Mr Donohoe said he was not prepared to make changes until late 2020, meaning tax increases won't take effect until 2021. This pushes the debate beyond the likely date of the next general election. Fianna Fail's finance spokesman Michael McGrath said the delay was "undoubtedly a decision taken for political reasons in advance of the upcoming local and European elections". "The Government has decided on the easy option of kicking the can down the road rather than bringing in the reforms that are needed," he said. The minister said he would use the next six months to try to get "consensus" rather than a plan that could be amended by Opposition parties as it went through the Dail. He also cited the local elections as a "particular challenge" because new councils would need clarity when they began setting their budgets over the summer. The stalling means an "inequity" that sees almost 50,000 homeowners escape the LPT will continue. The Review Group states that exemptions should be "kept to a minimum" and recommends ending a number of 'special cases'. These include first-time buyers who purchased their home in 2013. They will not now pay LPT until 2021 at the earliest. All five scenarios presented to the minister involve raising 500m for local authorities. Officials said every approach involved "winners and losers". The option favoured by Mr Donohoe would see the existing valuation bands widened by 80pc to reflect market changes. The tax rate would then be lowered from 0.18pc to 0.1pc in order to leave the liability in each band unchanged. This would ensure no properties gained from a decrease in the charge while 82pc would see no increase. Three-quarters of those escaping an LPT hike would be outside Dublin. Some 16pc of properties, primarily in the capital, would see an increase of up to 100. But another 2pc whose homes are among the cheapest in the country would see an increase of 135. Well over half of these are outside Dublin. Asked about his preference for this scenario, Mr Donohoe insisted he was not committing himself to any band or thresholds laid out in the interdepartmental report. "I'm saying there is a model there that could be made work," he said. This week, Mark Zuckerberg came calling to Dublin. He met politicians, missed the main privacy regulator and found time to take a pop at Apple. What did he achieve? What are Facebook's main political issues in Ireland and Europe? And is this a sign of things to come? Zuckerberg is on a policy roadshow at the moment, trying get in front of important future regulation. "Lawmakers often tell me we have too much power over speech and, frankly, I agree," he wrote in the 'Sunday Independent' and 'Washington Post' last week. "I've come to believe that we shouldn't make so many important decisions about speech on our own." He doesn't need to remind us of the case studies. From Cambridge Analytica to Russian interference in elections and algorithms that sometimes exacerbate tensions between factions or ethnic groups, Facebook has proven to be an accelerator for some of the darker impulses we have. One of the more interesting elements about Zuckerberg's engagement in Dublin was to listen to him explaining his side of these issues. He did this mainly through dialogue with a number of TDs, who spent an hour talking through some of the issues. He admitted to TDs, for example, that some of what Facebook had done didn't look good, even while continuing to defend it. The most acute example was an administrative stroke that Facebook pulled to reclassify some 1.5 billion users away from Ireland's regulatory responsibility. It did so on the eve of GDPR's introduction. Critics of the company say that this was a cynical exercise, a deliberate attempt to avoid the higher data protection standards that GDPR brings. Zuckerberg admitted in Dublin that the optics of this weren't good, even more so because part of his roadshow at present is to argue for GDPR-like standards in the rest of the world. But he didn't resile from it. The company, he said, executed this move for technical reasons as much as for business ones. Similarly, on the Cambridge Analytica data scandal, Zuckerberg said that he doesn't think Facebook was to blame for much. So when asked, he said that he wouldn't be dropping the company's appeal to the British privacy regulator's 500,000 (584,000) fine on the matter. From a business and regulatory perspective, one of the most interesting viewpoints he holds is on competition and antitrust issues. Zuckerberg appears not to see any real threat coming from regulators, either in Europe or the US, around ownership of the three biggest online communication platforms (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp) outside email. This means that he doesn't, for example, see significant regulatory hurdles in bringing the three closer for messaging purposes. Instead, he simply says that the issue is confined to making the apps better and more useful. Is he right? Most regulatory sources I've spoken to are sceptical. It may turn out that the approach he took on this in Dublin is more reminiscent of the narrow product-focus mentality that has repeatedly misinformed Facebook on public and political reaction in the past. (This is one reason why Facebook hired Nick Clegg, the former Liberal Democrat party leader, who accompanied him to Dublin.) Zuckerberg was meeting parliamentary TDs Eamon Ryan, James Lawless and Hildegarde Naughton in Dublin as part of an outreach exercise with an international 'Grand Committee', made up of politicians from the UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia and Argentina. The Facebook boss also toured the company's facilities in Dublin, which currently employs over 4,000 people and is set to add another 1,000 this year. Zuckerberg also met journalists. but restricted his answers to pre-prepared remarks. However, he was willing to put to bed one accusation frequently levelled at him. Asked whether Facebook or Instagram records voice conversations through smartphones to inform targeted ads, he said: "Absolutely not". However, he again warned about Apple's "competing vision" for the internet, making a thinly-veiled reference to the iPhone company when referring to data "stored" in countries like China. "GDPR is as important for what it doesn't do, which is require companies to localise data and store systems data in a given country," he said, referring to Apple's compromise with Chinese authorities, where it stores data in servers located in that country. Facebook and Google are not allowed to operate in China. "We can take this for granted in a country like Ireland or in the US where there's a strong rule of law and respect for human rights. But in a lot of the places around the world, those aren't a given. What we see is that there are some competing visions for how the internet goes and what the future of that will be. We see a lot of pressure in a number of countries localising data in a way that could put people's data more accessible to governments and in harm's way." This isn't new - Facebook and Apple have been sparring publicly at CEO level for at least two years. But it was notable that Zuckerberg chose these remarks for public consumption to a media audience in Ireland, with its longstanding links to Apple. Some commentators have already drawn cynical conclusions as to Zuckerberg's intent. Partly because of the GDPR and its increased staffing levels around moderation and detection of harmful content (a controversial activity in itself), it now has a well-equipped regulatory team. Thus, the cynics say, it will be much more able to deal with new legal requirements where smaller teams will not. It's an exercise in pulling up the drawbridge and entrenching its advantage, the sceptics conclude. Whatever the truth of that theory, there is no doubt that this is about getting in front of regulation. He will be well aware of high-profile voices such as Democratic Party US presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren who is calling for the breakup of companies like Facebook and Google and Amazon because of their size and increasingly undeniable utility (Facebook is now the place you go to look someone's contact details up, rather than a phone book or Google). Zuckerberg's new proposal is for the countries of the world to pass stronger, more comprehensive laws. He also wants the creation of "third-party bodies" to decide exactly what 'harmful content' is and then to apply those standards across the big online platforms. Will Ireland's Digital Safety Commissioner meet this standard? Not quite. That role is designed as a sort of ombudsman for people who can't get satisfaction from their dealings with the big social networks, say in the instance of a photo or a post that they find offensive, harassing or that is private. While it will have the power to fine social networks, this may not be very much. Loosely compared to the Australian eSafety Commissioner (by Minister Richard Bruton, who is introducing the legislation for the position), it is likely to have just a very small staff and the power to level a maximum fine in the millions of euro. By contrast, Data Protection Commissioner Helen Dixon now has a staff of 130 and can fine Facebook (or Google, which runs YouTube) billions. The problem for Ireland - and most other governments, including supra-national bodies such as the European Commission - is that we struggle ourselves with desiring where the boundaries should be between free speech, privacy and safety. In truth, there is only one major country in the world that truly dictates terms to the online platforms: China, with its bans on Facebook and Google and restriction on Apple. Even the most ardent critic of Facebook in Ireland or Europe would probably shrink from such an extreme method of control. Stepping back, it's possible to see the fine balance that Zuckerberg is trying to strike. It's unrealistic to expect a chief executive - especially a co-founder - to act against the interests of his own company, either in financial or functionality terms. At the same time, Zuckerberg now knows that the company he runs is getting closer to becoming a utility with every year that passes. (In Ireland alone, three million people use Facebook, with about the same using either Instagram or WhatsApp or both.) Whether he calls it a platform or a publisher, Facebook now has more power than Rupert Murdoch's media empire. How it uses that power is a matter of public interest and concern. Zuckerberg doesn't want to be perceived as a bad guy. He obviously desires his products to be enablers. And while few ever openly say it, it's fair to remind ourselves that Facebook (and Instagram and WhatsApp) are all very popular services. Indeed, it's not an exaggeration to say that they're loved services, even if some rue their existence. As much trouble as they're attributed to have caused, a great number of people believe that the apps have substantially added to their lives. There's no question of Zuckerberg's apps being assembled by committee. Zuckerberg is still calling the shots on what his services do now and will do in the future. But he knows that people like Helen Dixon, Margrethe Vestager and Christina Warren are all now important figures in what his company may or may not be able to do in future. This probably isn't the last we'll see of Mark Zuckerberg in Ireland this year. According to all involved, it's now very possible that he'll return for a full appearance before TDs - and possibly other members of the cross-parliamentary 'Grand Committee' - in Dublin in November. We can certainly expect to see more from Zuckerberg in Ireland and Europe in future. More than 11,200 lawsuits in the US are linking Roundup to cancer. Photo: Bloomberg Bayer's top executives have mounted a campaign to reassure its staff and shareholders that the company can contain fallout over its newly acquired weedkiller Roundup, as a public reckoning before investors looms at the end of the month. CEO Werner Baumann held a conference call with employees around the world on Monday, assuring them that the 155-year-old German company will weather the challenge despite its second loss in US courts, according to sources. They added that pharmaceuticals chief Stefan Oelrich held a similar meeting on Tuesday focusing on strategic priorities. Other divisional managers also conducted briefings. The internal damage-control initiative comes as Baumann prepares to face questions at Bayer's annual shareholders' meeting on April 26 from investors angry at how the company's fortunes have faltered since it completed the $63bn (56bn) acquisition of Roundup owner Monsanto last June. The shares have dropped about 40pc since then, wiping out more than 35bn in market value. A Bayer representative declined to comment on internal communication. The company has repeatedly said it will defend Roundup vigorously and that scientific studies have shown its key ingredient, a chemical called glyphosate, to be safe. More than 11,200 lawsuits in the US are linking the herbicide to cancer. German shareholder gatherings are popular and occasionally fractious affairs: thousands of investors plunder the buffet, and CEOs are grilled on minute details of the company's performance for the better part of a day. In one sign of shareholder protest at Bayer, corporate governance expert Christian Strenger, a former CEO of DWS Investments, has filed a motion proposing that management board members not be discharged of responsibility for their actions last year. Should it pass, it would have few practical ramifications but would be a harsh rebuke for Baumann and other managers. Bayer's supervisory board has backed the CEO, writing in a response on Monday that he and other top managers "discussed the opportunities and risks of the acquisition very extensively and in numerous meetings and carefully weighed them against each other" before agreeing to buy Monsanto in September 2016. At that time, there were about 120 pending lawsuits over glyphosate, Roundup's main ingredient, Bayer said. That number has multiplied, and the company last month lost its second lawsuit over claims the weedkiller causes cancer. In that case, a jury in San Francisco federal court awarded compensatory damages of $5.3m and punitive damages of $75m to a 70-year-old man who became ill after spraying the herbicide on his property for decades. The verdict followed a similar decision by a state court jury last summer. Japanese prosecutors arrested ousted Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn again on Thursday on suspicion of trying to enrich himself at the automaker's expense, in a stunning twist for an executive who has called on the French government for help. The arrest, which outside legal experts described as a highly unusual in Japan for someone who has already been released on bail, marks yet another dramatic turn in the once-feted executive's fall from grace. Tokyo prosecutors said Ghosn had caused Nissan $5m (4.4m) in losses over a 2-1/2-year period to July 2018, in breach of his legal duties to the company and with the goal of personal gain. The Kyodo news agency reported that the losses involved the shifting of funds through a dealer in Oman to the account of a company Ghosn effectively owned. The agency did not cite any sources. "I am innocent. It's hard, I have to admit it, and I call on the French government to defend me, and to defend my rights as a citizen," Ghosn, who holds French, Lebanese and Brazilian citizenship, said in an interview aired on Thursday with French TV stations TF1 and LCI. It was not clear where the interview was recorded. In a statement from a US-based spokesman, Ghosn said the arrest was an "outrageous and arbitrary" attempt to silence him by unidentified people at Nissan. "Why arrest me except to try to break me? I will not be broken," he said in the statement. Ghosn's legal team said prosecutors had confiscated Ghosn's wife's passport and mobile phone, as well as documents needed to prepare for his trial. No one was immediately available for comment at the Tokyo prosecutor's office. Officials there were due to hold a regular briefing on Thursday. More than a dozen officials from the prosecutor's office visited Ghosn's residence early on Thursday and asked him to submit to questioning, broadcaster NHK said. By late morning, Japanese media said he had been taken back to the detention centre where he spent 108 days after being first arrested in November. Nissan said it could not comment on judicial decisions. 'TELL THE TRUTH' The arrest comes a day after Ghosn pledged on Twitter to hold a news conference on April 11 to "tell the truth" about the allegations against him. "After being wrongly imprisoned for 108 days, my biggest hope and wish today is for a fair trial," Ghosn added in the emailed statement. "I was scheduled to present my story in a press conference next week; by arresting me again, the prosecutors have denied me that opportunity, for now, but I am determined that the truth will come out. I am confident that if tried fairly, I will be vindicated." Ghosn faces charges of financial misconduct and aggravated breach of trust over allegedly failing to report around $82m in salary and temporarily transferring personal financial losses onto Nissan's books during the financial crisis. Released on $9m bail on March 6, the executive says he is the victim of a boardroom coup. Ghosn's lead lawyer, Junichiro Hironaka, said the latest arrest was meant to silence Ghosn and that he would release a video statement Ghosn had planned to deliver at the April 11 news conference. Under Japanese law, prosecutors will be able to hold him for up to 22 days without charge. The fresh arrest opens up the possibility that he will be interrogated again without his lawyer present, as is the norm in Japan. Such procedures have focused much attention in the West on Japan's judicial system, - which critics sometimes refer to as "hostage justice", for its more than 99pc conviction rate. "It's uncommon for someone to be re-arrested a month after being granted bail. In most cases, re-arrest would occur immediately following bail," said Nobuo Gohara, a lawyer who heads Gohara Compliance and Law Office, which is not involved in the Ghosn case. "Multiple arrests suggest that the prosecutor may be concerned about their chances of winning a guilty verdict." INTERNAL INVESTIGATION Nissan late last year expanded its internal investigation into possible financial misconduct related to its business in the Middle East, India and elsewhere. Sources told Reuters this week that French automaker and Nissan partner Renault had alerted French prosecutors after uncovering suspect payments to a Renault-Nissan business partner in Oman while Ghosn was chief executive. Ghosn's spokesman has previously said payments of $32m made over nine years were rewards for the Oman firm being a top Nissan dealer. Such dealer incentives were not directed by Ghosn and the funds were not used to pay any personal debt, the spokesman said. Nissan had previously established its own regional subsidiary made questionable payments of more than $30m to the Oman distributor, Suhail Bahwan Automobiles (SBA). Evidence sent to French prosecutors showed that much of the cash was subsequently channelled to a Lebanese company controlled by Ghosn associates, the sources said. Reuters has not been able to reach SBA for comment on the matter. The board of Renault moved to scrap Ghosn's pension worth about 770,000 annually, three sources with knowledge of the matter said on Wednesday. Directors also recommended that shareholders block a further 224,000 in Ghosn's variable pay for 2018, two sources told Reuters, following a meeting that also approved governance changes reducing the size of the board to 18 members from 20. German taxpayers would lose billions of euro if the state sold its stake in Commerzbank ahead of a possible merger with Deutsche Bank, a government document showed, highlighting the risks of government involvement in the sector. Berlin owns 15.6pc in Commerzbank after a bailout a decade ago, and lawmakers have called on Finance Minister Olaf Scholz to get rid of the stake to avoid future risks for the budget if Commerzbank should merge with its larger rival. Deutsche and Commerzbank said last month that they were in talks to merge. In an answer to a parliamentary request seen by Reuters, the Finance Ministry said that the Commerzbank share price, or the price offered in any takeover deal, would have to be some 26 to avoid a loss for the state. The Commerzbank shares are currently worth some 7. Lisa Paus, budget lawmaker of the opposition Greens, said the Finance Ministry's answers showed that the government's loss currently stands at 3.7bn, though it is unrealised. "The bailout of banks has cost German taxpayers enormous sums of money in the past. "Whoever believes that this is over now, is horribly mistaken," Ms Paus said. "If the next big crisis hits, Deutsche Bank could turn into the next billion-euros grave for German taxpayers' money," Ms Paus said, adding that she was against the merger. Asked if the government had any plans to sell its Commerzbank stake in case of a merger, Finance Ministry official Bettina Hagedorn said that the government would not participate in any speculation regarding the outcome of the still ongoing merger talks between both banks, according to the document. Mr Scholz and his deputy Joerg Kukies are widely seen as having pushed behind the scenes for a merger between Deutsche and Commerzbank. But since both banks announced their merger talks, Mr Scholz has repeatedly played down the government's role. The German government has been worried about Deutsche Bank, Germany's largest lender, which has struggled to generate sustainable profits since the 2008 financial crisis. Deutsche is trying to turn itself around under new leadership, but has faced hurdles such as allegations of money laundering and failed stress tests. Two Irish authors have been shortlisted for the 2019 International Dublin Literary Award - the world's most lucrative literary prize for a single novel published in English. Sally Rooney's Conversations with Friends and Bernard MacLaverty's Midwinter Break have made the 10-strong shortlist for the 100,000euro prize, which is now in its 24th year. The shortlist, which was nominated by libraries around the world, also includes novels from France, Pakistan, the UK and the US. Mayo author Rooney's 2017 Conversations with Friends was the 28-year-old's debut novel. She followed it up last year with the Man Booker longlisted Normal People, which won a slew of awards including the Costa Award Novel Award. Midwinter Break, meanwhile, is Belfast-born and Glasgow-based MacLaverty's fifth novel, and was his first in 16 years. It won the Novel of the Year award at the 2017 Irish Book awards. The 74-year-old is also the author of Cal and Lamb, both of which he adapted for the big screen. Dublins Lord Mayor, Niall Ring, patron of the Award, said last night: "The beauty of this award is that it reaches out to readers and authors worldwide, while also celebrating excellence in contemporary Irish literature represented on the 2019 shortlist by Sally Rooney and Bernard MacLaverty. Last year, Mayo writer Mike McCormack won the prize for his novel Solar Bones. The winner of the 2019 International Dublin Literary Award, which is entirely funded by Dublin City Council, will be announced on June 12. Beach boy: Moe Dunford will pick up a major award at the Newport Beach Film Festival, California later this month. Photo: David Conachy Moe Dunford has said he is hugely honoured that he will receive an award as a breakthrough artist at a Californian film festival later this month. The Waterford actor (31) was named yesterday for the prestigious gong at the Newport Beach Film Festival. The 20th year of the movie extravaganza will focus on the achievements of Irish film during its eight-day run from April 25 to May 2, playing 31 Irish-made films in total over the festival. These will include three films starring Moe: Rosie, The Dig and Metal Heart. The festival marks Rosies US premiere, which was directed by Paddy Breathnach and written by Dublin author Roddy Doyle, and gives a raw take on the homelessness crisis in Ireland. Rising star Moe will receive his Breakthrough Artist Award at a reception co-hosted by Variety Magazine at the Balboa Bay Resort on April 28. Im hugely honoured to be chosen for the Breakthrough Artist Award by the prestigious Newport Beach Film Festival in California, Moe told the Herald. And Im delighted Ill have a chance to attend the festival to help present three great Irish films that I was privileged to be a part of, The Dig - which opens in Ireland on April 26 - Rosie and Metal Heart which will all be screening there as part of a great celebration of Irish film. Moe has certainly proven his big screen credentials in some hard-hitting films since bursting onto the scene in Patricks Day, a 2014 film in which he played a schizophrenic young man called Patrick who goes missing during the national holiday festivities in Dublin. He has gone on to work with industry heavy weight, Lord of the Rings Hugo Weaving in Lance Dalys famine film Black 47 and will next be seen by Irish audiences in The Dig which is directed by Northern Irish twins Ryan and Andy Tohill their first feature length film. Video of the Day And while winning awards is nice, it was seeing Ryans reaction to the film selling out in Rome the other night that was a highlight for Moe to date. Seeing one of our directors of The Dig, Ryan, ring his twin brother from Rome after a sell-out screening of the film there the other night [was a highlight]. Andy couldnt be there as he was back home with the kids. All Ryan could say was: They loved it mate, they f***ing loved it when talking about the audience response. These two brothers were ecstatic from one side of the world to the other after a screening of their very first feature. This is what its all about for me, those kinds of moments, after you work hard on a shoot that was only three weeks long. On a freezing bog in Antrim, and you see how hard everyone on the crew works - it was a similar experience to my first movie Patricks Day where everybody dived in, every single day, and our directors and producer Brian gave us everything we needed to be collaborative in such a short time frame. The pay-off was seeing that the other night, these two brothers who when they were kids dreamt of making a solid feature and showing it to audiences around the world. Its a good feeling when the audience really get the stories you make. The new trailer for Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile is much darker and more unsettling than the first. Viewers were divided over the lively tone of the first trailer for the film which stars Zac Efron as notorious serial killer Ted Bundy. While there were flashes of violence as Bundy attacks one woman with a crow bar, and punches another, the trailer had a pounding soundtrack punctuated by electric guitar riffs, which some people felt was at odds with the subject matter. The film is directed by Joe Berlinger, who also helmed Netflix's new docuseries 'Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes', which makes for extremely disturbing viewing as it reveals real conversations Bundy had with a journalist while on death row. The feature film, however, tells the story of Bundy - who confessed to the murders of at least 30 women - largely from the perspective of his girlfriend Elizabeth Kloepfer (Lily Collins), who was, like many, beguiled by Bundy's charm. Bundy was a law student who was considered handsome and charismatic by his peers, traits he used to snare his victims. He met Kloepfer in 1969 in Washington. He was executed by electric chair in Florida in 1989. The new trailer is a much darker and unsettling affair than the first, focusing less on Bundy's charm and more on the devastating impact he had on the lives of women, including the long-suffering Elizabeth. The film premiered at Sundance in January and reviews singled out Efron's performance for praise in a cast including John Malkovich, Jim Parsons and Kaya Scodelario. Video of the Day With this role Efron, 31, puts the final nail in the coffin of his teen heartthrob persona which has followed him ever since he starred in Disney's 2006 TV movie High School Musical. Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil And Vile will start streaming on Netflix on May 3. Here's the first trailer: The Divine Comedy have announced Irish tour dates for October 2019. Neil Hannon and the band will play the Bord Gais Energy Theatre in Dublin on Sunday October 6, followed by the Ulster Hall in Belfast on the 7th and Cork Opera House on the 8th before heading to the UK. The tour will come on the back of the new 16-track album, Office Politics, which releases on June 7. The lead track, Queuejumper, is out now. The album was written, produced and arranged by Neil Hannon and recorded in Ireland and London, and additional guest vocals come courtesy of Chris Difford, Cathy Davey and Pete Ruotolo. It has synthesizers. And songs about synthesizers, Neil says. But dont panic. It also has guitars, orchestras, accordions, and songs about love and greed. He adds, I do try to make normal records. But it always seems to wander off into odd territories. The album is the follow up to the top ten 2016 album Foreverland. Tickets for The Divine Comedy tour dates are on sale from 9am, Friday, April 12. Ticket links are at www.thedivinecomedy.com Office Politics Tracklisting: 1. Queuejumper Video of the Day 2. Office Politics 3. Norman And Norma 4. Absolutely Obsolete 5. Infernal Machines 6. You'll Never Work In This Town Again 7. Psychological Evaluation 8. The Synthesiser Service Centre Super Summer Sale 9. The Life and Soul Of The Party 10. A Feather In Your Cap 11. I'm A Stranger Here 12. Dark Days Are Here Again 13. Philip And Steve's Furniture Removal Company 14. 'Opportunity' Knox 15. After The Lord Mayor's Show 16. When The Working Day Is Done Mick Jagger says hell be back onstage as soon as he can despite having heart surgery. Photo: AFP/Getty Images Is it time for Jumping Jack Flash to sit down and put his feet up? News that Mick Jagger is to undergo surgery to replace a heart valve will have come as a surprise to anyone who has seen the Rolling Stones on stage in recent years, where their hyperactive frontman still incessantly jiggles and jerks about as if his bandmates filled his underpants with itching powder for a joke. Jagger may be 75 and sporting a face the texture of a leather suitcase rescued from a skip, but he cavorts with more energy than most performers half his age. Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood fire up the riffs, but it is Jagger who personifies the physical vitality of the greatest rock 'n' roll band in the world, still moving with the limber grace of a dancer and the intensity of an athlete. The energy of his performances are testament to the immortal spirit that first fired up the 60s rock revolution. When the septuagenarian Jagger hollers, "I can't get no satisfaction, no, no, no", you know he's not just complaining that his local chemist ran out of Viagra. But it turns out a Rolling Stone can gather moss, or at least furred arteries. The Stones have had to postpone the North American leg of their No Filter Tour, which would have seen them play to a million fans over six weeks. Note that the operative word there is postpone, not cancel. Jagger's statement said: "I will be working very hard to get back onstage as soon as I can." Reports from Miami, where the band had gathered to rehearse, suggest that Jagger has told friends he feels great and is already bored of taking it easy. He has been photographed on the beach with his ballerina girlfriend, Melanie Hamrick (31), and their two-year-old son Deveraux, Jagger's eighth child. Somehow, I really don't think he is ready to slow down. Plenty of Jagger's contemporaries have announced retirements over the past year, including Neil Diamond (through ill health), Paul Simon and Elton John, although he's dragging it out for at least three years. Ozzy Osbourne had to postpone his own farewell tour due to ill health. Black Sabbath have already packed it in, and Rush, Kiss, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Blue Oyster Cult have all been taking final, extended bows. But there is another option, for the star who still wants to perform, but finds the rigours of the road increasingly testing: the unplugged show. Bruce Springsteen performed a solo acoustic residency in a Broadway Theatre for over a year, grossing over $113m from 236 shows and still making it home to spend every night in his own bed. Those kind of numbers might appeal to Jagger, who is notoriously focussed on the bottom line. But can you really see him sitting on a stool while Keith strums his way through 'Tumbling Dice', 'Brown Sugar' or 'Honky Tonk Women'? I have watched Jagger sing emotive ballads like 'Wild Horses' without being able to stay still. In the explosive early years of the Stones, Jagger was the sexiest frontman in rock 'n' roll, with an act pitched somewhere between the swagger of James Brown and affected mincing of a drag act, exuding a femininity that made his masculinity more assured. Almost every frontman ever since has been influenced by Jagger, either pushing his flamboyance further in the style of Jim Morrison, David Bowie, Freddie Mercury and Steven Tyler, or finding tough masculine alternatives, from the physical exuberance of Bruce Springsteen and Bono to the threatening stillness of Liam Gallagher. Video of the Day As Jagger's youthful beauty waned, he compensated with even more physically energetic movement. The first time time I saw the Rolling Stones at an open air show in 1982, he was wearing bicycle shorts and racing from one end of the vast stage to the other. It has been estimated that he was covering up to 10 miles a show during that tour. When I asked Keith Richards about his songwriting partner's health last year, he didn't mention his heart but did say he worried "about his joints from all that jogging". But as Richards has repeatedly said, the Rolling Stones will go on until one of them keels over. Jagger will return, and when he does, don't expect him to slow down. You can't sing Start Me Up from an easy chair. Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021] Former INLA member Dessie O'Hare, who was known as the 'Border Fox', told gardai he was employed by businessman Jim Mansfield Junior to evict an employee and his family from their home, the Special Criminal Court has heard. The three-judge court was also told during O'Hare's sentence hearing yesterday that the employee pleaded with him to be given a few days to leave his property voluntarily but the defendant refused, saying: "Get out right now." Mr Justice Tony Hunt said that despite O'Hare's counsel having made "a thought-provoking" plea in mitigation on his behalf, a non-custodial sentence was an "unlikely outcome". O'Hare (62), of Slate Rock Road, Newtownhamilton, Co Armagh, admitted last January to assaulting John Roche, causing him harm, at The Towers, Garter Lane, Saggart, Co Dublin, on June 9, 2015. He also pleaded guilty to falsely imprisoning Martin Byrne at Rathcoole and Saggart on the same date. The non-jury court was asked to take two counts of falsely imprisoning Mr Byrne's wife and son into consideration. Expand Close James Mansfield Jr. Photo: Collins Courts / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp James Mansfield Jr. Photo: Collins Courts At yesterday's hearing, Detective Superintendent Colm O'Malley summarised the facts of the case. He told prosecuting counsel Shane Costelloe SC that Martin Byrne was employed by James Mansfield Senior for almost 20 years. Mr Mansfield Sr had run a number of prominent businesses before his death and Mr Byrne had provided a security-type arrangement for him and his extended family. A number of Mr Mansfield Sr's properties were in the process of or had been brought into Nama by the time of his death, the court heard. Expand Close John O'Grady / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp John O'Grady James Mansfield Jr had taken over the running of his father's business at this time and the portfolio of properties included a block of apartments called The Towers, close to Citywest. Mr Mansfield Jr was having particular difficulty reacquiring control of the apartments at The Towers, which was not under the control of Nama and was the subject of a dispute between him and other people. The court heard that Mr Mansfield Jr asked Mr Byrne to accompany him to a business meeting in May 2015 with a view to seeing if his interest in the tower block could be reacquired. Mr Byrne felt "uncomfortable" with the nature of the proposed meeting but Mr Mansfield Jr insisted he go with him to a business park, where they were met by O'Hare and Declan Duffy. Mr Byrne told the men at this meeting that he could not partake "in the conversation" as Mr Mansfield Jr had his own interest in the proposed subject matter. Mr Byrne was perceived as the person who had called off the meeting and he left with his employer, Mr Mansfield Jr. Expand Close Locked up: Dessie OHare being led from the Special Criminal Court to begin his sentence for the kidnap of dentist John OGrady. Photo: RollingNews.ie / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Locked up: Dessie OHare being led from the Special Criminal Court to begin his sentence for the kidnap of dentist John OGrady. Photo: RollingNews.ie There was a deterioration in the two men's relationship after the aborted meeting, which resulted in very little contact between them at this time, said Mr Costelloe. The court heard that during this time Mr Byrne and his family lived in two units at The Towers, which was owned by Mr Mansfield Jr. Mr Mansfield Jr contacted Mr Byrne to have a further meeting and they went to the same business park on June 9, where again O'Hare and Duffy were waiting in a room. At this point, Mr Mansfield Jr left the room and five other men came in and Mr Byrne was "blocked off" from leaving. Mr Byrne was told in "no uncertain terms" that he and his family had to vacate The Towers, before he was brought to the courtyard of the building and placed into a car by the men. Mr Byrne pleaded with O'Hare to give him a couple of days to leave his home but the defendant refused and said: "Get out now", before he was placed in a car. Three cars drove in convoy back to The Towers and Mr Byrne was assaulted by the men in the car until they arrived at the gates of The Towers. O'Hare was in a different car at the time. Following this, John Roche came to the gate and was asked to open it but he refused to do so and ran into the complex. Mr Byrne explained to the men that if they drove slowly at the gates they would open automatically. Meanwhile, some of the other men went to look for Mr Roche and found him in a nearby house. Five men including the defendant dragged Mr Roche from his house and assaulted him on the ground by kicking and punching him. CCTV footage of the assault was shown to court. O'Hare was seen kicking Mr Roche four times while the other men punched and kicked him. Men can be seen bringing Mr Byrne's wife and his son past the scene of the assault and towards the complex gates. Mr Roche and Mr Byrne were then brought to the same apartment but a resident at The Towers saw what was happening and made a 999 call to gardai who soon arrived, said Mr Costelloe. O'Hare and the other six men fled the scene at this point, the court heard. According to Det Insp O'Malley, an investigation commenced and arrest warrants were issued. O'Hare had returned to Northern Ireland at the time but he ultimately came back to the jurisdiction of his own volition and presented himself at Clondalkin garda station with his solicitor in January 2018. The defendant had prepared a statement for gardai. The three members of the Byrne family have since been placed in the Witness Protection Programme, the court heard. O'Hare has four previous convictions which include possession of a firearm, for which he received a five-year suspended sentence at the Special Criminal Court in 1977. He also received a six-month sentence for assaulting a garda in 1979 and began serving a nine-year sentence the same year for possession of a firearm. In 1988, O'Hare was sentenced to 40 years' imprisonment for two offences; false imprisonment and assault causing grievous bodily harm. As a result of the Good Friday Agreement, he was released from that sentence in October 2008. O'Hare was remanded in custody until April 11 when he will be sentenced. A Dublin man has received 240 hours community service in lieu of three years in jail for a one-punch assault which left an acquaintance with a fractured skull and reduced hearing. Keith Curran (40) of Weaver Street, The Coombe, Dublin pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting the 32-year-old male causing him harm outside The Clock pub, Thomas Street, Dublin, on June 18, 2017. Curran has no previous convictions. Judge Melanie Greally noted that the punch came about after a verbal disagreement, which had been fuelled by a large amount of alcohol. The injured party fell and hit his head off the ground, fracturing his skull. The judge said that though the man has been left with hearing and sensory difficulties and changes to his quality of life, he didn't wish to see Curran incarcerated. The court heard the man had known Curran's family. Judge Greally deemed the offence at the upper end of the scale for assaults of its kind, but gave the father-of-four credit for his guilty plea, co-operation and genuine remorse. Earlier, Detective Garda Garvan Ware told Anne Rowland SC, prosecuting, that the injured man had been refused entry to The Clock because the bouncer had deemed him too drunk. Curran crossed the road from another pub, encountered the injured party and gave him a cigarette as they talked. He later told gardai that the injured party had asked him to hold his drink and at some point threatened to knock him out. He also admitted he had punched the man. Det Gda Ware said witnesses saw the injured man on the ground after hearing a bump. Garda Peter Tuffy, a trained emergency first responder, happened to be passing by and treated the man. He was unresponsive, bleeding from his left ear and a CT scan later revealed he had suffered complex skull fracture. The court heard the man was placed in an induced coma and discharged from hospital two weeks later. In a victim impact statement, which was read out by Ms Rowland, the man said he has permanent loss of smell and taste and 40 percent hearing loss. He said he sleeps a lot, has impaired memory and constant headaches and feels he will never be the same again. Det Gda Ware agreed with Anne-Marie Lawlor SC, defending, that this incident was totally out-of-character and that her client gave an account consistent with witness and CCTV evidence. The detective accepted that Curran was not a man of any means. Ms Lawlor submitted to Judge Greally that the consequences of a one-punch assault fit within the spectrum of virtually none to fatal. She said these were people drinking on a summer evening and that their exchange had been coloured by intoxication. She submitted her client was very remorseful and never imagined he would have inflicted such an injury. Judge Greally noted that Curran is on social welfare payments arising from an accident at work but that he continues to engage with employment services. She further noted that there had been no compensation raised, but that the injured party wanted the case finalised. She ordered that Curran complete his community service within 12 months. Pat Quirke was "in control most of the time, grumpy some of the time", Mary Lowry's middle son has told the Tipperary murder trial. Jack Lowry claimed the farmer who leased his mother's land "went around the farm as if he sort of owned the place". However he also told the jury he had got on with Mr Quirke when he was younger and he had "nothing against him". He knew all three of his children and got on well with them, he said. Jack, now 19, was 11 when his mother's partner Bobby Ryan went missing in June 2011. Patrick Quirke (50), of Breanshamore, Co Tipperary, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mr Ryan (52), a part-time DJ known as Mr Moonlight, on a date between June 3, 2011, and April 2013. Expand Close Patrick Quirke has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Bobby Ryan. Photo: Collins Courts / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Patrick Quirke has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Bobby Ryan. Photo: Collins Courts Mr Quirke would be on the farm most days and Jack would spend time with Pat and his son, Alan, who died in a tragic farm accident in 2012. Jack recalled holidays abroad together, when their two families had travelled to Portugal and to Spain, staying in two villas with a private pool. Asked how he had found Mr Quirke, he said: "I found him to be in control most of the time, grumpy some of the time." He recalled Mr Quirke spreading fertiliser on the land but couldn't remember him spreading slurry. Asked what age he was when his mother met Bobby Ryan, he said he was around 11. He had felt "weird" about the relationship at first, he said. "I used to slag Bobby about being bald. I thought he was taking over my father's role, really," he told the court. Bobby had taken the family to Tramore for a day out, bringing them to the carnival rides and arcades. His mother and Bobby seemed "very happy", he said. Asked how was his mother, in particular, when Bobby was around, Jack again replied: "Happy." He was asked how an old Toyota Corolla came to be on the farm, and he said Bobby and his mother had bought the car "for Tommy, my older brother, to practise driving". Asked whether he was ever in the car, he said only when Tommy was driving it and he didn't drive it himself until he was 14 or 15. Tommy would disconnect the battery so the car wouldn't go dead, he said. Asked about the day Mr Ryan went missing, Jack said he came home from school on the bus with his eight-year-old brother and they went into their grandmother Rita's house for dinner. Strange Their uncle, Eddie, was there "which was strange", he said, adding: "We didn't have a clue what was going on." Under cross-questioning by Lorcan Staines SC for the defence, he was asked why he told the gardai the car was for "us". "I meant to say 'us' when I was older," said Mr Lowry, adding: "I could barely reach the pedals. "I didn't even know how to start a car at that age, to be honest." Mr Staines put it to him that his brother, Tommy, gave evidence suggesting both of them were driving the car. Asked whether he was at the court previously, Jack said he came to support his brother Tommy but he wasn't called that day so did not hear him speak. Asked whether he was in court for any of the days, he said he was not. Questioned whether he had met his brother after he had given evidence, he replied: "No, I was in college so I didn't get to meet him until the Friday I was home." His brother had not wanted to talk about it when he came back from court, he said. Asked whether they had discussed his being called to give evidence, he said: "We just discussed how to come up here and be strong." Mr Staines asked him whether he could recall going to his grandmother expressing concern because his mother was not there and in the course of this conversation, his mother had driven into the yard. Mr Lowry said he had no recollection of that. Later asked by David Humphries BL, for the prosecution, whether he had ever remembered being on his own in the house "when he should have been minded", he said: "Rita was always in the house." A deposition for Rita Lowry was read into the record, taken at Nenagh District Court on September 28 last. She told how she had spent more than 60 years at Fawnagowan, having lived happily there with her husband, John, a dairy farmer. When her son Martin married Mary, they built on an extension to the house. Asked how Mary was when Martin passed away, she said: "She was upset, really upset, she was grieving." She said Pat had helped out on the farm and she later added that he and Mary were "always great friends". After Mary met Bobby Ryan, Rita was happy she had met someone because she had been very upset. The night before Mr Ryan went missing she was out playing cards and arrived home about 11.30pm. Crying It was a normal night and she went to bed and slept soundly. The following morning was also normal. Mary Lowry dropped her into town to meet her daughter as she did every Friday. She got home about 3pm and saw Mary crying and "very, very upset". Under cross-examination, she recalled telling gardai that Jack, her grandson, came to her one morning to say his mother wasn't home. A short time later Mary drove in. Michael Bowman, SC for the prosecution, told the jury the prosecution evidence is likely to finish today, with the case formally closing on Friday. Hunt: A garda searches near the scene of the shooting in Dublin on Tuesday A criminal claiming he was the intended target of a shooting outside a west Dublin school was apparently lured there so rivals could attack him. It is believed he was lured to Riversdale Community College after a rival gang spread information that it intended to murder his innocent student brother. A 22-year-old told a District Court hearing yesterday he was the intended target. He made a failed attempt to vary his bail conditions, as he claimed a curfew made his movements too predictable. The suspect told the hearing he had previously been run over and fired at. He also expressed concern for the safety of a sibling, saying he had an older brother who was the "spitting image" of him. In his evidence to the court, the 22-year-old said "shots were fired at his car". He said the curfew meant it was known where he was and that he was "going to be shot dead". Feuding Sergeant Michael Ryan objected to any change, saying the curfew was being "stringently monitored" by gardai "in view of the ongoing serious feuding acts and behaviour in the Corduff area". Sgt Ryan said there had never been a report to gardai of any attack on the man's home. In refusing the application, Judge Paula Murphy told him he should contact gardai if he is concerned about a threat to his life. As the gangland target walked out of Blanchardstown District Court, he said "people are going to get hurt" and he urged those in the body of the court to "stay safe". Armed gardai continued to closely monitor the situation in Corduff last night. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar confirmed he plans to visit the college and said it was a "blessing" nobody was hurt in the incident and the gunman did not succeed in entering the school grounds. He said the incident related to a "turf war involving drug dealers in the area" but added gardai had made "significant inroads" into tackling it. Before the school shooting, the Corduff feud had already seen a remarkable daylight shoot-out in February as well as a number of other shootings and savage assaults . Opposition TDs ramped up pressure on the Government over Garda resources. Labour leader Brendan Howlin pressed the Taoiseach on how the Government plans to respond to an escalation in violent crime. Separately, former Tanaiste Joan Burton said the drugs problem in parts of Dublin is like nothing that has been seen in Ireland since the 1980s. And Fianna Fail hit out at the fact that the number of Garda vehicles in the DMR West region - which takes in the area where the shooting took place - has dropped by 30 vehicles. Last night, the man who is suspected of the shooting was arrested for separate firearms charges and was in custody in Blanchardstown garda station. The chief suspect is a 24-year-old drug dealer who is on bail after being caught with a large amount of cocaine in October last year. Education Minister Joe McHugh warned schools not to be "setting a bad example" with groundless claims such as Christmas being 'cancelled', if they switch ethos. The minister has stepped into the row raging in North County Dublin over the possible divestment of one of eight Catholic schools. It is taking place in the Malahide-Portmarnock-Kinsealy area in the interests of providing greater choice for parents. His intervention came after some schools issued letters to parents warning that change would spell an end to their celebration of a range of festivals and traditions that have their roots in religion, including St Patrick's Day and Shrove Tuesday, as well as Christmas. In one school, parents raised a concern that grandparent assemblies would no longer be a feature of school life. Amid rising confusion, Mr McHugh tweeted a message directed at parents, grandparents and school communities and said he was "appealing directly to schools, management bodies and boards of management not to issue claims that have no basis in fact. "It is a bad example to be setting, particularly from those of us who are working to educate our young people." He said a considerable amount of inaccurate information was being shared about what would happen if a school changed patron. "These assertions have not been helpful. They are also creating fear and uncertainty. School authorities have a duty to share accurate and appropriate information." "Just to be clear - Christmas will not be cancelled. Neither will any other typical school holiday like Easter or St Patrick's Day. Pancake Tuesday won't be banned. Nor will holidays or celebrations associated with the ancient Celtic/pagan festival of Halloween," the minister added. He said assessing areas for potential new patrons was not about forcing change, and also confirmed that no decision on divestment would be required by September. The flood of claims has also triggered strong reaction from patron bodies that are in the mix to take over schools that may divest from a Catholic ethos. Nessa White, general secretary of Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI), the umbrella body for community national schools, said many of the claims being made about multi-denominational education "are simply inaccurate". She also took issue with suggestions that a change in patronage could have negative consequences on the terms and conditions of teachers' employment. "To be clear, if the school was to change to a community national school, the teachers' and SNAs' terms and conditions remain the same as before. The employer would change from the current Board of Management to the ETB," she said. The non-denominational patron body, Educate Together, said it was disappointed at the "grossly misleading and categorically untrue" claims that were being made. Parents in at least one school have started sending letters to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and other public representatives. The wintry start to April has led to a surge in many frail and elderly patients attending hospital A&E departments in recent days, fuelling the trolley crisis. Doctors ran out of beds for 594 patients across the country yesterday morning. University Hospital Limerick endured its worst day of overcrowding on record with 81 people spread across the hospital on trolleys. A spokesman for the Limerick hospital said A&Es nationwide have seen a surge in patients in recent days, many who are elderly with complex medical conditions. Pressure escalated in the 24 hours up to midnight on Monday as 239 patients poured into its A&E, followed by 236 on Tuesday. The congestion was complicated by the need to keep 13 patients in isolation for infection control in the A&E due to a shortage of these facilities in the hospital. The spokesman rejected claims by nurses that the closure of a 17-bed medical short-stay ward was making the bottleneck worse and insisted 22 beds have opened elsewhere in the hospital. But he added it has just over 450 inpatient beds. "This is recognised as not being sufficient for the needs of the midwest region," he said. Some 2m is being spent on a new 69-bed block. But Mary Fogarty, of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, warned the overcrowding was "intolerable" and she called on Health Minister Simon Harris to intervene. "This is the worst-ever figure we've recorded in an Irish hospital," she said. Meanwhile, Mr Harris was warned in a blunt phone call to Cork health chiefs about hospital overcrowding that Ireland's second city needs to be "given a break" and desperately needs extra hospital capacity. A sudden flood of admissions at Cork University Hospital (CUH) emergency department on Tuesday put enormous pressure on the hospital with the situation so serious it was raised in the Dail. A 'Status Black' condition was declared - acknowledging that the backlog was threatening to have an impact beyond the emergency department. It had 70 patients on trolleys. That had dropped to 50 patients yesterday. Mr Harris contacted Cork health chiefs on Tuesday to determine the cause of the sudden overcrowding problem - and was left in no doubt about what was needed. "We need to redesign and put capacity back into the system," CUH clinical medical director Mike O'Connor said. "We took a call yesterday from the minister who clearly was asking 'What the hell was going on in the hospital? What are you doing?' We were very clear about what we were doing. We were very clear back - crystal clear - that we need to be given a break. "The people of Cork need to be given a break - give us some capacity back." The HSE said while the winter period initiatives are coming to an end, acute hospitals are continuing to see growth in attendances that are not flu related. "Many of the patients presenting require longer periods of hospitalisation due to underlying conditions and frailty. "Therefore hospitals are focussing on ensuring patient discharges are being planned in advance, early access to diagnostics is available and that senior clinical decision-makers are seeing patients as early as possible to enable patients who do not need to be admitted to leave. "So far 43 of 75 promised extra beds are open with the remaining subject to the completion of staff recruitment." Nurses will move on to a higher pay scale in less than two years - but face curbs on double-jobbing - under a new contract offered to end a strike threat. The Labour Court has rejected a HSE proposal that nurses work for two years before qualifying to move on to wages that are up to 7pc higher. Instead, they would move onto a new enhanced pay scale after a year and 16 weeks. In a new recommendation, the court also ruled out the possibility of split shifts where a nurse might be required to go home for a number of hours before returning to work. But the proposal, part of a pay offer worth more than 35m, specifies legal limits on double-jobbing will be upheld. Nurses won't be able to take on any other employment that would push them over the maximum weekly working hours as set out in legislation. The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation last night said it was recommending its members accept the proposals and balloting will begin on April 8. General secretary Phil Ni Sheaghdha said: "There is no longer anything to fear in this new contract." The HSE will welcome the recommendation that would give it considerable flexibility in rostering nurses. The recommendation says: Nurses may be required to provide more services outside hospitals including community-based clinics "on a regular or intermittent basis". Rosters "may provide for a variety of shifts". It also mentions "measures" to ensure an "equitable distribution" of premium pay. Health Minister Simon Harris said the recommendation was sensible. GERMAN Chancellor Angela Merkel has said the EU will simply have to find a way of preventing a border on this island in the event of a hard Brexit. The Chancellor said she still believes there can be a Brexit deal with the UK saying "where there's a will, there's a way". Following her meeting with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in Dublin, Ms Merkel offered reassures that she will work until the very last hour to prevent a no-deal scenario. But she said it will require a new proposal for a way forward from British Prime Minister Theresa May next week if a further Brexit extension is to be granted. Ms Merkel met with representatives of the farmers, businesspeople and community activists at Farmleigh House today for what she described a "very moving" discussion on the impact of the border. She said she lived "behind the Iron Curtain" and knows what it means when a wall falls. Asked afterwards if it is possible for Ireland to protect the EUs single market and not have a border, Ms Merkel said: "We will simply have to be able to do this. We will have to be successful. "I think you also have this phrase 'where there's a will, there's a way. And were working on this." She said her visit to Dublin was a very important one because Germany wanted to show its solidarity with Ireland at a difficult time. "We will walk together. Today was a very important experience for me," the Chancellor said. Mr Varadkar said he hopes to protect the Good Friday Agreement as well as upholding the integrity of the EU Single Market. Expand Close Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and German chancellor Angela Merkel pictured as she arrived in Farmeleigh for Brexit talks with the Taoiseach. Picture; Gerry Mooney / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and German chancellor Angela Merkel pictured as she arrived in Farmeleigh for Brexit talks with the Taoiseach. Picture; Gerry Mooney Taoiseach Leo Varadkar also said that German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been a very strong ally of Ireland during the Brexit process. He said that he still wants the Brexit deal ratified but there is very little time left and "we have to prepare ourselves for all outcomes." Expand Close Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and German chancellor Angela Merkel pictured as she arrived in Farmeleigh for Brexit talks with the Taoiseach. Picture; Gerry Mooney / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and German chancellor Angela Merkel pictured as she arrived in Farmeleigh for Brexit talks with the Taoiseach. Picture; Gerry Mooney He said he and Mrs Merkel discussed planning for a no-deal Brexit: "including how we will work together to meet our twin objectives of protecting the Good Friday Agreement on which peace in Ireland is based and also protecting the integrity of the European Single Market and Customs Union on which our economic model is founded." He added: "I welcome the Chancellor's continued understanding and support for the challenges that we face and if it arises it will be a shared challenge for Ireland and the European Union." Mr Varadkar said patience is needed with Westminster where the Brexit debate continues to play out. He said any extension to the UK's departure requires a credible and realistic way forward and he added that the Withdrawal Agreement is not up for renegotiation. The Taoiseach also said that the government does not want "Ireland to become the back door to the single market in the event of hard Brexit". "What we want to achieve of course is free movement of people north and south, no customs, no tariffs, no customs and no checks," he said. There are three ways that can be achieved he said: the UK staying in the bloc, a Norway-plus arrangement or the Withdrawal Agreement with the backstop. Expand Close Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and German chancellor Angela Merkel pictured as she arrived in Farmeleigh for Brexit talks with the Taoiseach. Picture; Gerry Mooney / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and German chancellor Angela Merkel pictured as she arrived in Farmeleigh for Brexit talks with the Taoiseach. Picture; Gerry Mooney "There are three ways that we know to achieve that but if all three are rejected that obviously puts us in a difficult position," he said. "There are some things we know that can be done remotely like the levying of customs and tariffs but things like animal checks have to be done physically somewhere," he said. Discussions are underway with the European Commission on this but solutions would require the cooperation also of the UK, he said. Mr Varadkar said EU unity was maintained throughout negotiations and that he expected this to continue. "In the unlikely event that we end up in a no-deal scenario whatever challenges we face, whether it's protecting the Good Friday Agreement or maintaining the integrity of the Common Market we'll approach those as shared challenges. "There won't be anyone trying to enforce anything on anyone else. It's going to be very much a shared challenge and a European challenge and one that we're up to." Mrs Merkel was asked if she believes there's an awareness on all sides, including in Britain of the threat to peace. She said she could only speak for the German government and that she's aware of "what is at stake and what has to be solved", particularly in relation to Ireland. The 15 people from north and south the the border region who met Ms Merkel included a peace worker from Belfast who lost close family members in a bomb attack and a woman from Derry who also lost her husband during the Troubles. Some of the group spoke to the media during a rain-soaked press conference outside Farmleigh. Peter Sheridan, the chief executive of Co-Operation Ireland, who is a former PSNI assistant chief constable said they shared their "personal lived experiences" of the border with Mrs Merkel. He said the idea is those messages would be taken back into the technical meetings about Brexit and that "human beings would be planted in the middle of all that". He said everyone who was there was impressed by how much the Chancellor knew. Ms Merkel grew up behind the Cold War 'Iron Curtain' in East Germany. Mr Sheridan said: "I think her own background living on one side of a wall, she understood the very personal stories we shared with her." He said: "She mentioned her own background and what it was like to be on one side of that border. She had that personal experience herself." Patricia MacBride, a magistrate from Derry, said: "It's very clear she understands, given her own experience, of Germany prior to reunification, that she understands the challenges that a hard border would bring to this island." She said she believes Ms Merkel will take their messages to the crunch European Summit next week. Former INM group business editor Dearbhail McDonald was also among the group. She said Ms Merkel was told about the significance of the Customs Union and the Single Market and the dismantling of the physical border across the island of Ireland. Businesswoman Deborah Loughran said one point she wanted to put across to Ms Merkel was there are businesses in Northern Ireland that rely on being part of the EU and have a lot of trade with member states. She said: "For Northern Ireland - it's not just about cross-border, it's about our relationship with the rest of Europe and that's important too." A former soldier who stole a cash bag from a bookies in a moment of madness to repay a drug debt has been given a suspended sentence A former soldier who stole a cash bag from a bookies in a moment of madness to repay a drug debt has been given a suspended sentence. Paul Fields (29) was known to staff in the bookies who initially thought it was a joke and that he would bring the money back. Fields, who had served a tour of duty in Chad, later told gardai he was under pressure to repay a drug debt and had been told he would be killed. Fields, of Moatview Drive, Priorswood, Coolock, Dublin pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to stealing 3,840 at Ladbrokes, Priorswood Shopping Centre, on March 9, 2018. Garda Fergal Duffy told Noel Devitt BL, prosecuting, that the manager of the Ladbrokes store was leaving to bring coins and notes to the value of 3,840 to the bank in a cash bag. As she left the store Fields, whom she recognised as a customer, held the door for her. Fields then snatched the bag and ran out of the shop to a car which drove off towards Priorswood Road. The manager initially thought Fields was messing and would bring the money back. She said she did not feel Fields was a threat to her and she was not in fear during the theft. Gardai attended at the scene and viewed CCTV. Fields was arrested and had 300 on him when searched by gardai. The remainder of the money was not recovered. Fields told gardai he had been using cocaine and was under pressure to repay a drug debt. He said he had no choice and had been told he would be killed. He would not say to whom he gave the money. Fields has nine previous convictions, one for a public order offence and the rest for road traffic offences. Gda Duffy agreed with Marc Thompson Grolimund BL, defending, that Fields had expressed remorse and regret. Counsel said Fields had pulled the door open for the manager before snatching the bag in a moment of madness. Mr Thompson Grolimund said Fields had been an upstanding member of the community prior to this offence. Fields had been in the army and served abroad in Chad. He also worked as a labourer. Counsel said after Fields returned from Chad he had been stationed in Athlone and felt isolated from his family. He said Fields returned to Dublin, used cocaine and ran up a drug debt. He said Fields was now using his time constructively volunteering with local community groups. Judge Martin Nolan noted Fields personal circumstances, that he had co-operated with gardai and did not have a serious record of conviction. He also took into account the contents of a probation report handed into court. Judge Nolan imposed a two and a half year sentence which he suspended in full on strict conditions. A 15-month-old toddler has died in a freak accident after apparently tumbling down stairs while playing at his home. Gardai confirmed the incident, which happened at lunchtime on Tuesday, and said it was being treated as a tragic accident. The toddler, named locally as Se Joyce, had been playing at his Castleboro home in Clonroche, Co Wexford, when the freak accident occurred. Emergency services rushed the infant to Wexford General Hospital. However, despite the best efforts of paramedics to resuscitate the little boy, he was pronounced dead a short time later. Se, described as "the joy of the family", was the youngest child of Padraig Joyce and Brenda Quirke. He is also survived by his three older siblings, aged three, 10 and 15. The parents have been left devastated by the tragic death of their youngest child and last night were being comforted by family and loved ones at their home. Dozens of people arrived throughout the day to express their sympathies with the family, who are well known and well respected within the area. It is understood Se sustained serious head and neck injuries in the accidental fall as he was playing in his home. He was found by a shocked adult in an unresponsive condition at the foot of the stairs. Gardai are investigating the toddler's death and will prepare a file for the local coroner. "Gardai in Wexford are investigating the sudden death of an infant male who was pronounced dead at Wexford General Hospital [on Tuesday] afternoon after being brought from Clonroche," a Garda spokesperson said. "Gardai are preparing a file for the coroner. It is not believed to be suspicious." The community of Clonroche has been left in deep shock following what has been described as a "freak accident", with parish priest Fr Bernard Cushen saying that local people will be supporting the family over the coming days. "It is an awful tragedy and a freak accident, from what I can gather. Baby Se was only 15-months-old, he was born last year in January, and his christening was last April. It was a lovely day. "He was the joy of the family, and they're a very close-knit family. They are absolutely devastated, they're really in a bad way. "The community are excellent, the way they gel and will support the family," he said. "Today there has been people at the home the whole time, there's that many people coming and going to give them support and if anything needs to be done. It's devastating," he added. Clonroche locals admitted they have been left heartbroken by the tragedy. "Everyone is stunned - no one could believe the news," one local said. Councillor John Fleming said everyone in the tight-knit area was doing their best to support the family. "It is absolutely heartbreaking to see a family lose a child in such a freak accident like this. "Clonroche is a very tight-knit community and everyone will now be doing their best to support and comfort the family at this very difficult time. The whole community is under a cloud since this happened." A free online breastfeeding support service, which will help GPs advise mothers who are having problems breastfeeding, is being unveiled this week. LactaMap has been developed by researchers at The University of Western Australia and is being presented in the UK for the first time at the 14th International Breastfeeding and Lactation Symposium. It is a result of over 10 years of research by a team of researchers and health professionals including doctors, paediatricians, midwives, lactation consultants, and pharmacists. It contains more than 100 clinical practice guidelines together with related patient information documents, supporting information documents, and articles describing normal function, all supported by more than 1000 references. Unlike other medical guidelines, LactaMap is an online lactation care support system for doctors to use at the point of care, to support mothers and infants experiencing difficulty with breastfeeding, said Melinda Boss, Senior Research Fellow. Conflicting advice is one of the most common factors that impact a mothers confidence in her ability to initiate and sustain breastfeeding. Once the GP has this information base, they can then work through the platform to develop a personal care plan for the patient, she said. The platform contains 112 clinical practice guidelines as well as the LactaPedia glossary and 21 information sheets that can be printed out during the consultation or emailed to patients. Ten of the worlds leading breastfeeding researchers will present their latest findings at the Symposium, which is being held at London Hilton Park Lane, 4th and 5th April. Other research being presented includes clues why breastfed babies are less likely to become obese in later life. Professor Donna Geddes, director of the human lactation research group at the University of Western Australia will discuss the presence of appetite-controlling hormones in breastmilk known as leptin and adiponectin. Dr Maria Carmen Collado of the Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology-Spanish National Research Council, Spain, will also confirm her recent discovery that yeast is present in breastmilk. She said: "Our research demonstrates the presence of yeasts and other fungi in breast milk in healthy mothers, supporting the hypothesis that breast milk is an important source of microorganisms to the growing infant." Dozens of flights were affected by the disruption (Flybe/PA) Flybe has cancelled dozens of flights and announced it will stop flying jets from four airports. The regional airline said a shortage of pilots was one of a combination of factors causing disruption on Wednesday, but insisted the cancellations were not linked to a decision to reduce its aircraft fleet. Passengers travelling to and from Aberdeen, Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, London Southend and Southampton were among those whose travel plans were thrown into disarray. The Exeter-based carrier said in a statement: Flybe sincerely apologises to all our customers and partners affected by the current flight cancellations. Whilst 95pc of Flybe flights are operating as per normal, we do recognise the impact of todays cancellations. We are doing our best to mitigate the impact of the current situation that has arisen due to a combination of factors including seasonality, pilots end of leave year, Easter holidays, base restructuring and the shortage of pilots across the industry that Flybe has highlighted over recent months. Flybe also announced changes to its bases from October, as it returns all its 118-seater Embraer 195 jet aircraft to their owners. It will continue flying 78-seater Bombardier Q400 turboprops. The end of jet flights means its bases at Cardiff and Doncaster Sheffield will be closed, and its operations at Exeter and Norwich will be reduced. Unite union regional officer Peter Coulson said: Unite is seeking to minimise the potential job losses and secure assurances about Flybes long-term future. Our members are justifiably concerned about their jobs and future employment, as a result of the company cancelling a number of flights for operational reasons and having launched a redundancy programme. It is essential that Flybe is fully transparent with its workforce about the exact situation facing the company. The current uncertainty is incredibly unsettling and is in danger of severely damaging morale at the company. Flybe chief executive Christine Ourmieres-Widener said: Our fleet reduction has always been core to improving our profitability. We are committed to assisting all our affected employees across the impacted Flybe bases. We remain fully committed to Exeter, Cardiff and Doncaster airports and will continue to offer a comprehensive choice of regional and European destinations operated by our 78-seat Bombardier Q400 aircraft. Editor of Which? Travel magazine, Rory Boland, said: Thousands of people will understandably be frustrated to have their travel plans thrown into chaos by these last-minute cancellations. The lack of clear information provided by Flybe was completely unacceptable. All passengers affected by these cancellations are entitled to a full refund or to be rerouted on to another flight to their intended destination and to over 200 compensation under European air travel rules. Flybe flies 8.5 million passengers each year to 170 European destinations. In February the airline was bought by a consortium led by Virgin Atlantic following poor financial results. Connect Airways, which consists of Virgin Atlantic, Stobart Group and Cyrus Capital, paid 2.8 million for Flybes assets and operations. Angela Merkel visits Dublin today. The German chancellor's trip was announced only days ago. The most powerful leader in democratic Europe does not take time out of her schedule to visit small countries on a whim. She will discuss Brexit and Border issues with the Taoiseach. The Taoiseach talked about these same issues with Europe's second most powerful leader two days ago. Leo Varadkar went to Paris on Tuesday to meet his French counterpart. Emmanuel Macron said France would never abandon Ireland. Both leaders have backed the Taoiseach to the hilt on Brexit and the Border backstop. Neither France nor Germany, publicly or privately, has ever seriously pondered throwing Ireland under the bus on the issue that has broken British politics. But all relationships involve give as well as take. Ms Merkel is here to make clear that she expects Ireland to fulfil its obligations to Germany and the rest of the EU in the event of a no-deal Brexit. With extensive direct shipping routes between Ireland and France, and French farmers hyper-alert to the risks of cheap food leaking into the EU market via Northern Ireland, Mr Macron has an even greater interest in Ireland meeting those obligations. It has always been clear, as this column has repeatedly set out, that if the UK leaves the EU without agreed terms, Ireland will be obliged to collect import taxes on goods coming from Northern Ireland and to ensure that those same goods meet EU laws and standards. The European Commission in Brussels polices EU rules. At this 11th hour in the Brexit fiasco, the Government and Brussels are in intensive talks about how Ireland would fulfil these obligations. This week Michel Barnier, the man whom EU leaders tasked with negotiating Brexit, said such checks were needed "in order to avoid any kind of controls inside the single market". This was a not-so-subtle highlighting by the Frenchman of the choice Ireland would face in the event of a no deal: fulfil its EU obligations on goods coming into the Republic from Northern Ireland or face barriers to goods going from this island to continental Europe. Read More The Government continues to be less than clear on how it is facing up to this choice. Brussels has been upping the ante over the past week by talking of an ever greater risk of a no-deal Brexit. Thankfully, and despite Brussels's public assessment of the likelihood of a no-deal Brexit, the risk of the worst happening has declined again over the past week, even if it is still worryingly high. For the first time since January 2017, when the British prime minister declared she was seeking a hard Brexit, Theresa May has made a substantive change to her position. On Tuesday evening, after spending a full working day locked in a meeting with her cabinet, she effectively dissolved her hard Brexit red lines. Instead of trying to achieve what she had sought for so long with her own party, she announced that she would attempt to reach a cross-party consensus and then take direction from the House of Commons (she had previously refused to be bound by parliament's mere 'indicative' votes). This is a major shift. But it by no means eliminates the risk of a no-deal exit. There remain a dizzying number of issues to be resolved before that happens. The biggest questions now are for Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of the opposition Labour Party and a life-long hard leftist. He has always believed the EU to be a capitalists' club. Its free market mechanisms - the customs union and the single market - have never held any appeal to him. According to the Corbynista worldview, free markets generate bad things for the least well-off, including insecurity and inequality. EU rules limiting governments' freedom to control the commanding heights of the economy are another reason to seek to be free of its constraints. Ideology is one reason Corbyn's Labour Party is less than enthusiastic about the EU and all its works. Expediency and opportunity are others. Why should a party that has been sidelined on even this most crucial of matters help save Mrs May's floundering government? Why would a party that has been out of office for a decade risk sharing the blame for the Brexit fiasco? Could Mr Corbyn resist bringing the government down and precipitating an election he could well win if the opportunity arose in the coming days? Read More It has become cliched to say that there are more twists and turns to come in the tortured saga of Brexit. That remains as true as ever, even at this very late hour. Let's conclude with the positive news on the economy in recent days, and how limited the fallout from Brexit has been for people's lives and livelihoods. Usually, a cocktail of economic and political uncertainty gives consumers the jitters. That makes them salt more cash away and splash out less. Less spending and more saving cause economies to slow in the short run. Uncertainty of the kind currently being experienced tends to spook businesses even more than individuals. When companies see potentially big changes to their trading environment just over the horizon, they invest less in new capacity and hire fewer workers. Both these effects have been evident in Ireland for some time. But the good news is that weaker consumer and business confidence has come nowhere close to halting the economy's overall momentum. Even better news is that despite Brexit dominating more and more public and private conversations, the effects on behaviour (as opposed to sentiment) have been limited. Late last week new figures showed that spending by consumers grew in February. Last Tuesday's figures on the Government's finances showed no sign of a slowdown in the rate at which revenues are flowing into Exchequer coffers in the first three months of the year. Earlier the same day, the State's statisticians estimated that unemployment in March had fallen to its lowest level in 11 years. If Brexit risks can be avoided, things look quite rosy for the Irish economy. Astonishingly, you'll be invited to vote first - and face your property tax hikes later. We know there are two imminent calls to the polls, with local council and European Parliament elections both slated for Friday, May 24, a bare seven weeks from now. These contests have a lot riding on them for the morale and future fortunes of many parties and Independents. We are less likely also to see 2019 go by without a call to a general election. If we could see some kind of resolution to the tangled mess of Brexit at Westminster, we could know more about that one. But there is another political reality at play - we are likely to see up to three TDs elected to the European Parliament on May 24. And spoilsports have done away with the ability of the governing parties to postpone Dail by-elections for anything beyond six months. The majority view at Leinster House is that we are far more likely to see a general election before we will see three by-elections later this year. So, no surprise it's going to be as you were for the Local Property Tax (LPT) - very probably until 2021 and beyond the election zone. Expected changes to LPT rates have been hanging around like a dark shadow for many months. We have seen solo runs by prominent politicians, especially from the leafier suburbs of south Dublin. Independent Transport Minister Shane Ross has urged a pensioners' exemption to take account of retired people on low incomes living in houses with a high nominal value. His Cabinet and constituency rival - er, we mean colleague - Culture Minister Josepha Madigan caused a stir by advocating a special rate for Dublin in any new regime. Since the LPT came to us in 2013, property valuations have soared in many places, with hikes of up to 80pc. The valuations were only supposed to hold until November this year. Amid all the frenzy, the Government took the time-honoured route and commissioned an expert report. Ripples about this earlier in the week emanating from Government were that the experts advocated leaving well enough alone, perhaps for a year, with changes happening in 2021. But no, the report actually says go for changes this autumn. However, the Government has opted to delay until late 2020 with changes happening in 2021. The reality is that the LPT, currently generating a very precious half-a-billion euro per year for the Government, is here to stay. The history of taxes is that the only way is up for the rates meeting demands for more revenue. The report cites a total of five options - and the Government has yet to pick one. Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe has indicated he would like to see only minimal increases. The issue moves to a TDs' budgetary oversight committee where cross-party agreement will be sought. With elections looming, you would get long odds on that. In their Leinster House offices, TDs have live feeds of what is going on in the Dail chamber. It's normal for 'channel one' to run on a constant loop in the background as they go about their business, take phone calls and host meetings. But in recent weeks many have found it more important to monitor Sky News and the BBC. There's no doubt that events in the House of Commons are defining the political pace in Dublin. During his visit to France earlier this week, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar repeated a version of a line that he first tested during the Fine Gael national conference. "The United Kingdom is very much consumed by Brexit, but Ireland and France and the EU shouldn't be consumed by Brexit," he said. The Taoiseach has put forward the theory that "we are in control of our destiny" - but the reality is very different. The Dail is effectively paralysed as Opposition parties search for answers and the Government does its utmost to avoid any slips of the tongue. There is now a routine where Fianna Fail's Micheal Martin stands up to inform the Taoiseach of the latest media leaks or statements emerging from Europe. Quite rightly he demands to know why the public aren't being told about the nature of discussions on the future of the Border. Then Sinn Fein's Mary Lou McDonald seeks almost daily reassurance that the Irish Government hasn't done a complete U-turn and submitted planning applications for Border posts. Mr Varadkar replies that he isn't involved in any 'talks' about the Border and in any event he doesn't engage in 'what if' questions. "It can be dangerous to look into the crystal ball or answer hypothetical questions," he said yesterday. The Taoiseach goes on to provide an almost rolling commentary on the view from Europe. This week's effort was extra enthusiastic given that he's had a tete-a-tete with Emmanuel Macron and will be meeting with Angela Merkel today. He was "heartened by the enormous support France continues to demonstrate towards Ireland". On the subject of another Brexit extension, Mr Varadkar admitted he hasn't "had a chance to speak to everyone yet". However, he warned there is "growing frustration" among a majority of EU countries that Brexit is taking them away from "other important matters". The same could be said of our domestic politics. Major decisions on issues such as carbon and property taxes are being kicked down the road with all the might that a minority government can muster. Ministers are immune from motions of no confidence. Officials in all the main departments spend their days planning for something they hope will never happen. And all the while we're watching Westminster. 'The Roman Catholic (male) hierarchy, is as obstinate as ever in its misogynistic clericalism' (stock photo) Here we are in the 21st century, a time when much information is available to the world in an instant. Sadly, Roman Catholic Church hierarchy has become so obsessed with earthly power and Roman Empire trappings, spirituality takes a low place on their agenda, if at all, locking them in a different age. The Roman Catholic (male) hierarchy, is as obstinate as ever in its misogynistic clericalism. The old furphy that Jesus chose only men as his apostles is wheeled out yet again to totally exclude spiritual women from the priesthood. After all, wasnt it the women followers of Jesus who discovered the risen Christ on Easter Sunday? WB Yeats, in Ireland and the Arts (1901), wrote: We who care deeply about the arts find ourselves the priesthood of an almost forgotten faith and we must, I think, if we would win the people again, take upon ourselves the method and fervour of a priesthood. We must be humble and half-proud... We must baptise as well as preach. Change arts for spirituality, a gift given to male and female without distinction by God, but deliberately rebuffed by misogynous males who (tragically) imagine women have little or no role in the Church. What a shock these guys will get on their death bed, when they meet a male/female God and the female God says: Without a (female) mother you would not have been born. Why then did you fear spiritual females? Declan Foley Berwick, Australia Sinn Fein correctly sticking to its republican principles I disagree with Tommy Roddy (Irish Independent, Letters, April 3). Sinn Fein has stuck to its principals of not pledging an oath of allegiance to an unelected English monarch. I am republican, English, nominally Protestant and not offended by Mary Lou McDonald marching behind an England out of Ireland banner. Yes, SF could have secured Kenneth Clarkes motion but why should SF MPs (or any MP) swear allegiance to an unelected head of state to achieve this? A reunited Ireland is the only long-term solution for Ireland. Sinn Fein is highly relevant today and in the future for Ireland. A referendum on the UK monarchy is also relevant and long overdue. At least in the Republic of Ireland any child can aspire to the supreme office of state. Dominic Shelmerdine London, UK Varadkar an unlikely but skilful saviour for Ireland As I wrote in my published letter in the latter part of 2018, Brexit is an emotional issue, not a strictly rational one. It is about sovereignty for the British; taking back control of their own destiny. Nothing I have seen since then has disproved my hypothesis. Likewise it is an emotional issue for us in Ireland. And our concerns are directly at odds at this stage with those of Britain. As the late great Peter Sutherland consistently reiterated, our accession to the EU put us on an equal footing with Britain, when for hundreds of years we were the mere whipping boy of the British Empire. Leo Varadker understands this. Facts, figures and statistics cannot compete with visceral and overwhelming emotional political imperatives. He has kept his cool in the face of unhelpful sniping from Micheal Martin. He understands Sinn Feins and the Northern Nationalists position and he has not buckled in the face of the DUPs disastrous flirting with arch Brexiteers. We cannot return to a hard border nor the possibility of a return to the appalling misery and sectarian murder and mayhem experienced in the North for 30 years. The backstop or a form of it is essential. Leo has found himself in the middle of this Scylla and Charybdis maelstrom and acquitting himself as skilfully as our last great practitioner of the art of realpolitik Bertie Ahern one of the principal architects of the Good Friday Agreement. Let us stand behind Leo, an unlikely saviour for Ireland but an accomplished one. Cometh the hour cometh the man. Maurice OCallaghan Stillorgan, Co Dublin Englands tolerant society vanishes in Brexit divide The veneer of a tolerant, civic, pluralistic, progressive England is gone watching the dysfunctional pantomime in the House of Commons and abusive rhetoric spewing outside Westminster is deeply shocking. Complex issues requiring careful debate, specialist knowledge and expertise are reduced to simplistic, semi-literate, populist, aggressive sound bites with no attention to detail. The febrile atmosphere all reminds me of the tribal rhetoric of the Troubles. England now has its own two tribes, Remainers and Leavers with an irrational hate of each other the tribal tags of a diminished society. Bernard Guinan Claremorris, Co Mayo Algerian demonstrators have vowed to continue protests against the government, saying the resignation of the president is not enough and they want the regime to fall. Crowds celebrated in the streets of Algiers yesterday at the news that Abdelaziz Bouteflika, the ailing 82-year-old president, had resigned after 20 years in office, handing power to a caretaker government. Protesters said the fall of Mr Bouteflika would not satisfy their demands for complete democratic reform in the north African country. "I'm not happy because we still have the same political system. I'm going to keep going out until there's a second republic," said Saadia, a 30-year-old French-Algerian who joined a crowd near the University of Algiers. The demonstrations began six weeks ago when it was announced Mr Bouteflika planned to stand for a fifth term as president. Algerian authorities were taken aback at the scale of dissent and on March 11 the government said that Mr Bouteflika, rarely seen in public since suffering a stroke in 2013, had withdrawn his candidacy. But the marches continued and last week Lt Gen Ahmed Gaed Salah, head of the national army, called for Mr Bouteflika to step aside, making the president's position untenable. He resigned on Tuesday night "out of respect for the hearts and minds of my compatriots and to enable them to plan together for a better future for Algeria", a statement read. The resignation was hailed in rebel-held areas of Syria and by protesters in Sudan as a sign that the aims of the Arab Spring were not yet completely crushed. The sultan of Brunei has said he wants to see "stronger" Islamic teachings in the country as it introduced harsh new Sharia laws yesterday that include punishing gay sex with death by stoning. Amid international outcry, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah told an audience at a convention centre that Brunei was a "fair and happy" place. The small oil-rich nation had said it would complete the roll-out of Sharia laws to include those crimes that are deemed punishable by amputation or death. Under the Sharia Criminal Code, offences including rape, sodomy, adultery, robbery and insulting the Prophet Muhammad could result in a death sentence. Many countries have condemned the changes, while celebrities have called for a boycott of Brunei-linked hotels. Natos secretary general Jen Stoltenberg, centre, looks on as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo makes opening remarks (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP) Nato foreign ministers are meeting in Washington to celebrate the alliances 70th anniversary amid rifts between members over security and trade issues. US secretary of state Mike Pompeo opened the meeting with an appeal for unity to confront great power challenges from Russia, China and Iran. He said the alliance was well positioned to move forward. Twelve Allies founded #NATO in 1949. Today we are 29. Join us in celebrating the 70th Anniversary of our Alliance.#WeAreNATO pic.twitter.com/Kta46HfIRK NATO (@NATO) April 1, 2019 But a deepening dispute with Turkey over its planned purchase of a Russian air defence system and US demands for allies, particularly Germany, to boost their defence spending threatened to overshadow the proceedings. Mr Pompeo said every Nato member had an obligation to explain to its citizens the need to increase their defence budgets. 70 years ago, #NATOs founding treaty was signed here in this room. It has stood the test of time: we remain united around our core commitment to protect & defend one another. One for all & all for one. pic.twitter.com/HccYD15GCl Jens Stoltenberg (@jensstoltenberg) April 4, 2019 He rejected what he called tired arguments about public opposition to such spending. Each nation has the duty to make the case to our people about why these resources are important to keep not only our own countries, but our alliance, strong, Mr Pompeo said. Expand Close Nato secretary general Jen Stoltenberg, right, makes opening remarks (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Nato secretary general Jen Stoltenberg, right, makes opening remarks (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP) In an address to Congress on Wednesday, Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg acknowledged serious divisions within the alliance and called for bigger defence budgets to cope with global challenges such as Russian assertiveness, the core reason Nato was created in Washington 70 years ago this week. President Donald Trump has questioned the value of the alliance and suggested that some members are freeloaders. The Trump administration is threatening to stop delivery to Turkey of the newest US fighter jet, the F-35, if the Turks go through with their plan to buy Russias advanced S-400 system instead of the American Patriot system. The Dalai Lama has praised New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern for her compassionate handling of a recent attack on two mosques by a gunman that left 50 Muslim worshippers dead in Christchurch. The Tibetan spiritual leader said others could learn from her. I really admire the New Zealand prime minister. She is wonderful, he told reporters in the Indian capital, New Delhi, where he addressed a conference of educators and students. She (Jacinda Ardern) really tried to tackle this problem through nonviolence, through compassion and through mutual respectDalai Lama He said the killing of worshippers in New Zealand was an example of what hatred can do to people. She really tried to tackle this problem through nonviolence, through compassion and through mutual respect. I really admire her. I think thats one living example. The Dalai Lama also answered question related to Tibets future with China. He reiterated that he is not seeking independence for Tibet, but would prefer a reunion with China under mutually acceptable terms. I prefer Tibet remain within the zone of China. Some kind of reunion, he said. Expand Close New Zealands PM Jacinda Ardern embraces a member of the Muslim community following the national remembrance service for the victims of the March 15 mosques terrorist attack (Mark Tantrum/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp New Zealands PM Jacinda Ardern embraces a member of the Muslim community following the national remembrance service for the victims of the March 15 mosques terrorist attack (Mark Tantrum/AP) He added that Chinese and Tibetans could live side-by-side, with China helping Tibetans economically and gaining from their knowledge. The 83-year-old Dalai Lama has been living in exile in India since a failed 1959 uprising in Tibet. China claims Tibet has been part of its territory for more than seven centuries. Many Tibetans insist they were essentially independent for most of that time and have protested against what they regard as Chinas heavy-handed rule imposed after the Peoples Liberation Armys battled its way into the Himalayan region in 1950. The Dalai Lama said he developed direct contact with the Chinese leadership in 1979, but little progress has been made since because China still thinks he is seeking independence for the region. Jeremy Corbyn said he was "shocked" that British paratroopers in Afghanistan used an image of his face for target practice. The British Ministry of Defence has launched an investigation into the conduct of the personnel from Third Battalion, Parachute Regiment, who were filmed in Kabul shooting at a picture of the Labour leader. "I'm shocked, obviously, that this sort of thing has happened," Mr Corbyn said. "I hope the Ministry of Defence will conduct an inquiry into it and find out what was going on and who did that." Brigadier Nick Perry, commander of 16 Air Assault Brigade, said: "This is a serious error of judgment. Let me be clear - the army is, and always will be, an apolitical organisation. "We have 400 soldiers from the brigade conducting force protection in Afghanistan, and working closely with both Nato and Afghan partners. These soldiers are doing an outstanding job out there," he added. UK Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said the video was "completely unacceptable", adding: "I am pleased by the leadership shown by the army in acting quickly to launch an investigation into this. "This behaviour is far from the high standards we usually see and expect of the army at any time and it is right that they conduct a thorough investigation into the incident." The video shows a number of soldiers taking aim down the range and firing their weapons - the camera then focuses on the target and zooms in on an image of Mr Corbyn. It is understood it was a non-lethal hardened wax substance fired at the image, not metal bullets. The jury in the trial of Hillsborough match commander David Duckenfield failed to reach a verdict over whether he was responsible for the deaths of 95 victims. A judge had given jurors a majority direction, meaning they did not have to unanimously agree a verdict, but they were discharged yesterday. Mr Duckenfield was on trial alongside Sheffield Wednesday's former club secretary Graham Mackrell, who was found guilty of failing to discharge his duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act. Both men had denied the offences, almost 30 years after the disaster on April 15, 1989. The jury deliberated for eight days, following a trial lasting 10 weeks at Preston Crown Court in northern England. The court told reporters it would consider a retrial date on June 24. Mr Duckenfield, now 74, did not give evidence but attended the full case. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has indicated that it will seek a retrial. Expand Close David Duckenfield. Photo: PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp David Duckenfield. Photo: PA The judge, Peter Openshaw, had told jurors to be "dispassionate" and "objective" when considering their verdicts. The victims were Liverpool fans who were in overcrowded pens at Hillsborough Stadium during an FA Cup semi-final. The law did not allow prosecution over the death of the 96th victim, Tony Bland, as he died more than a year and a day after his injuries were caused. Families of the 96 victims have campaigned for justice for 30 years. Margaret Aspinall, chair of the Hillsborough Family Support Group, said: "We just have to wait and see what happens [with Mr Duckenfield's second trial]. I'd like to thank the jury for the weeks they've taken for their deliberations and I'd like to thank everyone for all the support we have had over the last 30 years. Hopefully that support continues. "We were all hoping we would have some sort of closure today and we haven't. We have still got a long journey." About 60 relatives who gathered at the Cunard Building in Liverpool gasped as the jury foreman told the court they could not reach a verdict for Mr Duckenfield. But there were cheers as the guilty verdict for Mackrell was announced. The 69-year-old, who was safety officer for Sheffield Wednesday at the time, was accused of failing to take reasonable care and ensuring there were enough turnstiles to prevent crowds building up while trying to get into the stadium. There were just seven turnstiles for the 10,100 Liverpool fans with standing tickets. Mackrell did not give evidence but defence lawyer Jason Beer QC argued the build-up outside was caused by other factors, including a lack of police cordons and an unusual arrival pattern of fans. The court heard that Mackrell was a former accountant with no health and safety training. He will be sentenced in May. Prosecutors alleged that Mr Duckenfield, a former South Yorkshire Police chief superintendent, had "ultimate responsibility" at the ground on the day of the disaster. The court heard he ordered the opening of exit gates at the Leppings Lane end of the ground at 2.52pm, eight minutes before kick-off, at the request of other officers amid dangerous overcrowding outside the entry turnstiles. More than 2,000 fans entered through exit gate C once it was opened and many headed into a tunnel directly ahead, which led to the central pens where the crush happened. Richard Matthews QC, prosecuting, told the court in his closing speech that Mr Duckenfield, who was promoted to the role less than three weeks before the match, should have had the knowledge to make "key life-saving decisions" on the day. But a defence lawyer argued that Mr Duckenfield had been "unfairly singled out" and that the case should not be considered with the benefit of hindsight. Benjamin Myers QC told the jury the case was "breathtakingly unfair" and said Mr Duckenfield had "tried to do the right thing". Sue Hemming, legal director of the CPS, said the trial had been "incredibly complex". "We have discussed the matter carefully with counsel and I can confirm the CPS will seek a retrial against Mr Duckenfield for manslaughter by gross negligence of 95 men, women and children," she added. "I recognise that these developments will be difficult for the families affected by the Hillsborough disaster." A Liverpool FC statement said they "empathised with the frustration shared by everyone affected by the Hillsborough tragedy that the outcome was not definitive". "Our thoughts are with all those who continue to be affected by the Hillsborough tragedy and the 96 Liverpool supporters who went to watch their team and never came home." Nordic nations have "disturbingly high" levels of rape despite being gender equality trailblazers, according to a new report which also suggested they were failing victims. Flawed legislation, prevalent harmful myths and gender stereotypes have given rise to endemic impunity for rapists across the region, Amnesty International found. Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden - four countries which are among the top-ranking countries in the world for gender equality - were all found to have high levels of rape and survivors of sexual violence left feeling let down by the authorities. In Finland, around 50,000 women each year experience sexual violence but there were only 209 convictions for rape in 2017. In the same year, 24,000 women were victims of rape or attempted rape in Denmark, but only 94 people were convicted. Despite changes in law in Sweden, one in 10 people believes gender-based violence against women is provoked by the victim herself, the report found. Kumi Naidoo, Amnesty International's secretary general, said: "It is a paradox that Nordic countries, which have strong records of upholding gender equality, suffer shockingly high levels of rape." Social stigma and a lack of trust in the justice system often mean that women and girls fail to report attacks, and those that do, are frequently failed by callous and prejudiced justice systems or outdated laws, he said. "One survivor told us she would never have reported her rape if she had known how she would have been be treated, and her story is typical in justice systems which are stacked against rape survivors," he added. Mr Naidoo said that amending rape laws across the Nordic countries was a critical step towards changing attitudes and achieving justice, but much more was needed to effect institutional and social change. He called on authorities to take steps to challenge rape myths and gender stereotypes at all levels of society. Professionals working with rape survivors need to get adequate ongoing training, he said, adding that broader sex education and awareness-raising programmes were needed from a young age. Amnesty International noted that although the situation facing survivors of rape is not uniform across the four Nordic countries, there were "disturbing parallels". The report entitled 'Time for change: Justice for rape survivors in the Nordic countries', found gender stereotypes and rape myths underpin attitudes of many people in the justice system in Norway. ( Independent News Service) Simone Burns outside Isleworth Crown Court in London where she is appearing for sentencing following an incident in which she spat at a plane crew in a racist rant on a flight from India to London. Ms Burns, 50, has plead guilty to being drunk on an aircraft and assault by beating An Irish lawyer who spat at a flight attendant during a racist foul-mouthed tirade after she was refused alcohol on a nine-hour business class flight has been jailed for six months. Judge Nicholas Wood, sentencing at Isleworth Crown Court, told Simone Burns: "The experience of a drunk and irrational person in the confines of an aircraft is frightening, not least on a long-haul flight and poses a potential risk to safety." The judge noted that "such offences are often committed by people of impeccable character". Although the aircraft was not at risk by Burns's behaviour, the judge said "for the luckless and unfortunate passengers and crew there is no escape at 30,000ft". He added that "spitting straight into a crew member's face at close range is a particularly insulting and upsetting act". Burns, of First Avenue, Hove, sat quietly in the dock as she was sentenced to six months for being drunk on an aircraft and two months for assault. The sentences are to be served concurrently after she previously pleaded guilty to the charges. Burns, 50, who is known as Simone O'Broin, was initially served three bottles of red wine but declared "I'm a f****** international lawyer" when she was denied more on an Air India flight from Mumbai to London on November 11 2018. She also called staff "Indian money-grabbing c****" and smoked a cigarette in the toilets during the tirade which was condemned by a member of the cabin staff as unlike anything he had seen during his 30-year aviation career. The lawyer, who is originally from Belfast and has worked with refugees around the world, unleashed a barrage of abuse in a prolonged rant which also saw her spit and grab the arm of the steward, the court heard. Expand Close Simone Burns outside Isleworth Crown Court in London where she is appearing for sentencing following an incident in which she spat at a plane crew in a racist rant on a flight from India to London. Ms Burns, 50, has plead guilty to being drunk on an aircraft and assault by beating / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Simone Burns outside Isleworth Crown Court in London where she is appearing for sentencing following an incident in which she spat at a plane crew in a racist rant on a flight from India to London. Ms Burns, 50, has plead guilty to being drunk on an aircraft and assault by beating Burns was also ordered to pay 300 compensation to the crew member who was assaulted. The nine-hour flight took off at 4.10am as Burns sat in business class with 17 other passengers. After breakfast was served Burns was asking for alcohol and being "very obnoxious", the court heard. She was served with three 25cl bottles of red wine an hour into the flight. She had also complained that her TV was not positioned correctly. She had gone to the galley and demanded drinks when she stood back and spat into the crew member's face. Burns also grabbed the report the crew member was writing and continued with her abusive behaviour, the court heard. The court was told that this crew member later said: "In the 34 years I have worked for Air India this is the first time I have been treated like this by a woman. I felt abused." The judge said he was satisfied the offence was racially aggravated and that the Air India passengers must have been "extremely upset" by Burns's behaviour and the language she used. The judge told Burns: "The fact remains that you were drunk and obnoxious almost from the beginning to the end. You were abusive, contemptuous and confrontational and used appalling language." He added: "You are a woman, not just of good character but a positive and impeccable character - a righter of wrongs. What this has done, thanks to social media, (has meant) you have had death threats and been a hermit in your home. "You are a person who has done good work throughout your life." Prosecutor Caroline Paul told the court that one of the crew members who dealt with Burns later described her as being "continually abusive in the nine-hour flight and in his 30 years as a flight pursor he had never witnessed such behaviour. " The court heard that Burns was swearing and shouting. She was shouting that she was a 'f****** international lawyer' and telling them to 'f*** off'." She also shouted: "You f****** arses, you f****** Indian money-grabbing c****." Burns also tried to smoke a cigarette in the toilets at least three times. She was successful at least once because she later stank of cigarettes, the court heard. She was given a verbal warning and was then arrested after the flight touched down. Burns was also given a written warning on the flight but it made no difference to her abusive behaviour, the court heard. Mark Kimsey, defending, suggested that her actions were due to a "mixture of altitude, the consumption of drink and anxiety" at the fact that she was likely to miss the funeral of an uncle. He said she is "totally ashamed of her behaviour", adding: "This is not a lady who has a drink problem. This is not a woman who has a drug problem. This is totally out of character." Burns was diagnosed with facial skin cancer in 2000 and has had multiple biopsies and surgeries to what is "an active problem", according to Mr Kimsey. He added she is waiting to get a prosthetic nose. Talks on a possible compromise Brexit deal are to continue on Thursday after a meeting between Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn which the Labour leader described as useful but inconclusive. The meeting sparked fury among some Conservatives, with two ministers quitting Mrs Mays Government and a string of backbenchers voicing their anger during Prime Ministers Questions in the House of Commons. It followed Mrs Mays dramatic announcement that she was willing to reach out across the political divide to find a deal allowing her to obtain a short delay to Brexit at an emergency EU summit on April 10. Mr Corbyn said the meeting in the PMs Commons office was useful but inconclusive, adding: There has not been as much change as I expected. But in formal statements, both sides described the talks as constructive. A Labour spokesman said: We have had constructive exploratory discussions about how to break the Brexit deadlock. And Downing Street said: Todays talks were constructive, with both sides showing flexibility and a commitment to bring the current Brexit uncertainty to a close. It is understood that a planning meeting was taking place in Parliament on Wednesday evening ahead of intensive technical discussions by negotiating teams on Thursday. Mrs May has said she hopes to find a solution which both leaders can support, or failing that, a system of indicative votes which both will recognise as binding. Finance minister Philip Hammond said this evening that Britain will ask the European Union for a Brexit delay that gives the option to leave as soon as a divorce deal is approved by parliament. "The important thing now is that in any extension that we get from the EU, we have an absolute clarity that as soon as we've done the deal, we are able to bring that extension to an end," Hammond told ITV. "So it's less about the nominal length of time of the extension and more about the mechanism for bringing it to an end once the deal is done," he said. "That would be our expectation." Meanwhile, Senior DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson appeared to hold out the prospect of the party supporting Britain's membership of a post-Brexit customs union. "We would have preferred a form of Brexit that enables the UK to negotiate new trade agreements with other countries," Jeffrey Donaldson, a Democratic Unionist Party lawmaker, was quoted as saying by BBC Northern Ireland Political Correspondent Enda McClafferty. "That is part of the reason for Brexit and maybe a customs union might be a temporary staging post towards that objective," Donaldson was quoted as saying. In a boost to the Prime Minister, MPs failed in a bid to take over the Commons timetable on Monday for a third round of indicative votes on Brexit alternatives, with Speaker John Bercow wielding his casting vote after MPs split 310-310. MPs voted by a majority of one to allow a cross-party bid to pass legislation to block a no-deal Brexit in a single day on Wednesday, with a majority of five then agreeing to a second reading. Wales minister Nigel Adams denounced the decision to meet Mr Corbyn as a grave error as he announced his resignation from the Government. The Selby and Ainsty MP a close ally of Boris Johnson who took part in planning for his abortive push for the leadership in 2016 told Mrs May in a letter: It now seems that you and your Cabinet have decided that a deal cooked up with a Marxist who has never once in his political life put British interests first is better than no deal. I profoundly disagree with this approach. And Chris Heaton-Harris quit the Department for Exiting the EU with a warning that the PM was being badly advised over the risks of no-deal. The Daventry MP, whose responsibilities included overseeing no-deal preparations, said the UK would swiftly overcome any difficulties caused by quitting the EU without an agreement. Mrs Mays evident determination to avoid no deal had made his job irrelevant, he said. In a letter of resignation to the PM, he said civil servants had moved mountains to ensure a no-deal Brexit could go ahead smoothly, adding: I do not believe the briefings you have received on these matters recently have reflected all they have achieved. Disgruntled Tory MPs were expected to voice their anger at a meeting of the backbench 1922 Committee in Westminster on Wednesday evening. Leading Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg accused Mrs May of planning to collaborate with a known Marxist. And normally loyal Caroline Johnson was among a clutch of Tory backbenchers at PMQs who spoke out against what she called the risk of letting down the country and ushering in a Marxist, anti-Semite led government. Mrs May told MPs that the purpose of her meeting with Mr Corbyn was to look at those areas we agree on. I think we both want to deliver leaving the EU with a deal, she said. I think we both want to protect jobs. I think we both want to ensure that we end free movement. I think we both recognise the importance of the Withdrawal Agreement. What we want to do now is find a way forward that can command the support of this House and deliver on Brexit, deliver on the result of the referendum and ensure that people can continue to have trust in their politicians doing what they ask us to do. She also met Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford. Following yesterdays cabinet, this morning Ive been to Downing Street & resigned my position as UK Govt Minister for Wales & Govt Whip. Im grateful to the PM for the opportunity to serve as a Minister since 2017 & will continue to serve my constituents from the backbenches. pic.twitter.com/W15xS4cOBP Nige Says #GetBoostedNow (@nadams) April 3, 2019 Following the meeting, Mr Corbyn said he put forward Labours view that we want to achieve a customs union with the European Union, we want to have access to the market and, in particular, we discussed the dynamic regulatory alignment that is guaranteeing European regulations as a minimum on the environment as well as consumer and employment rights. To the fury of some Tories who virulently oppose any involvement in a customs union, Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay said a softer Brexit was the remorseless logic of the numbers of the House of Commons. Mr Barclay told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: If the Prime Ministers deal wont go through and no deal in law is taken off the table, then the consequence of that is either a soft Brexit or no Brexit at all. He blamed hardliners in Tory ranks for the situation, saying: Its regrettable that what we have been saying for several months now is coming to pass, but that is the remorseless logic of not backing the Prime Ministers deal. But Attorney General Geoffrey Cox suggested that it would remain possible for the UK to quit any customs union arrangement after successfully completing Brexit. Mr Cox told BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg: If we decided, in some considerable years time, that we wanted to review our membership of any such customs union if we signed it and Im not saying we will thats a matter for negotiation and discussion. Theres nothing to stop us removing ourselves from that arrangement, so we cant look at these things as permanent straitjackets upon this country. European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said the EU would accept an extension to May 22 if the UK had approved Mrs Mays Withdrawal Agreement by a viable majority before April 12. But speaking in Brussels, he said a no-deal Brexit at the end of next week was becoming more and more likely, adding: April 12 is the final date for possible approval. If the House of Commons does not adopt a stance before that date no short-term extension will be possible. The man accused of carrying out the Christchurch mosque attacks will face 50 murder charges and 39 attempted murder charges when he makes his second court appearance, New Zealand police said. Police had earlier filed a single, representative murder charge against 28-year-old Australian Brenton Harrison Tarrant. He is due to appear via video link during a brief hearing on Friday, and will not be required to enter a plea. Fifty people died in the attacks on two mosques on March 15, while another 50 were injured. Police said in a brief statement that they were considering filing more charges against Tarrant but could not comment further as the case was before the court. Tarrant's first court appearance was on the day after the attacks in the Christchurch District Court. His case has now been moved to the High Court due to the seriousness of the charges. Tarrant has reportedly been moved to a high-security prison in Auckland, which is why he will appear via video link. Expand Close Mosque shooting survivor Farid Ahmed (Mark Tantrum/New Zealand Government via AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mosque shooting survivor Farid Ahmed (Mark Tantrum/New Zealand Government via AP) During the scheduled court hearing, media photographs will not be allowed and reporting on the proceedings will be severely restricted under New Zealand law. The intent of the law is to avoid the possibility the reporting and images would taint the views of potential jurors before they hear evidence in court. Judge Cameron Mander said in a note that the brief hearing would mainly be about the accused gunman's legal representation. Tarrant earlier dismissed lawyer Richard Peters, who was assigned to represent him during his district court appearance. Mr Peters said Tarrant told him that he wanted to represent himself. The judge said he had received applications from 25 media organisations to take film, photographs or audio recordings of Friday's hearing but had denied all of them. He said reporters could remain throughout and take notes, although would be restricted in what they could report. He said media could still use pixelated images of Tarrant which the district court judge had allowed. Mothercare has revealed that UK sales tumbled 8.8% in the three months to March 30 (Andrew Matthews/PA) Retailer Mothercare has revealed UK sales tumbled 8.8% in its fourth quarter and warned that trading conditions are set to remain challenging. The babycare chain said the like-for-like sales fall in the three months to March 30 marked an improvement on the previous two quarters, but the result was boosted by clearance promotions from shop closures. It added that the clearance sales had significantly hit online sales. Shares fell 7% after the figures. Mothercare also revealed total UK sales tumbled 14.5% in the quarter after Mothercare swung the axe on 40 stores over the past three months. The group said it had now completed its store closure programme ahead of schedule, leaving it with 80 shops, down from 137 a year ago a 30% reduction. Mothercare chief executive Mark Newton-Jones said: Whilst this has been a difficult but necessary process, to right-size the UK, it has meant that we have had to say goodbye to many loyal and longstanding colleagues. He insisted the disruption we have seen from both the organisational changes and the UK store closures is now largely behind us. He added: Looking ahead, we expect market conditions in the UK and in some international markets to remain challenging. The group is also bracing for a continued impact from the large amount of cut-price clearance stock being sold in recent months. But Mr Newton-Jones said: We enter the new financial year in a more robust position as a restructured business fit for the future. Expand Close Mothercare chief executive Mark Newton-Jones (Mothercare/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mothercare chief executive Mark Newton-Jones (Mothercare/PA) The update showed that international sales fell 4.9% in constant currencies. Group-wide sales were 8.8% lower overall in the quarter, leaving worldwide sales 9.6% down for the full year. The figures come after Mothercare recently agreed a 13.5 million sale of its Early Learning Centre business to toy chain The Entertainer in a move to help slash its debt pile. Retail expert Clive Black, at Shore Capital, said that, despite ongoing sales falls, he believed Mothercare management had brought the chain back from the brink. Mothercare is out of the surgical ward and heading for the calmer medical ward, he said. To fulfil the change programmes potential though, it needs to sustainably trade better and markets remain challenging. For his four-year, $1.8m (1.6m) real estate scam, Sapp (38) was sentenced last week to nine years in prison (stock photo) As the best man at a classmate's wedding, Brian Sapp gave a toast to the importance of friendship. He went on to steal half-a-million dollars from the groom and the life savings of several people present. Among his victims were the father of a severely disabled child, the parents of his godchildren and a man dying of pancreatic cancer - whose widow Sapp asked for $75,000 (66,700) days after the funeral. For his four-year, $1.8m (1.6m) real estate scam, Sapp (38) was sentenced last week to nine years in prison. "I am not a criminal mastermind who manipulates people with no remorse," Sapp told Judge Anthony Trenga in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia. "I was too weak, too desperate, too proud." Sapp told the judge he has been reading self-help books and engaging in "self affirmations". He had claimed to his friends and their families he had contacts who could help him find distressed properties at great prices in the Washington area. In reality, after quitting his job as a construction manager in 2012, he never flipped a single house. The only money his business made was a "finder's fee" for scouting a few properties. He went on to steal the name of the Alexandria home builder he had worked with, signing it on fake docuemnts. Some victims even paid taxes on their illusory profits, which Sapp often convinced them to reinvest in his next venture. The Independent The Democratic-led US House of Representatives Judiciary Committee voted yesterday to authorise subpoenas for Special Counsel Robert Mueller's full, unredacted report and underlying evidence from his investigation into Russia's role in the 2016 election. The 24-17 vote along party lines - with Democrats in favour and President Donald Trump's fellow Republicans opposed - authorised the panel's chairman, Jerrold Nadler, to subpoena Mr Mueller's material. The measure also authorised Mr Nadler, a Democrat, to subpoena documents and testimony from five former Trump aides, including former political adviser Steve Bannon and former White House Counsel Donald McGahn. The committee vote escalated congressional pressure on Attorney General William Barr to hand over all that Mr Mueller documented during his 22-month probe, including grand jury evidence. The committee's focus shifted to subpoenas when it became clear that Mr Barr would ignore a Democratic demand for him to turn over the full report by April 2. Mr Barr has pledged to release the nearly 400-page report by mid-April, but with certain portions blacked out for reasons such as protecting secret grand jury information and intelligence-gathering sources and methods. Democrats have expressed concern Mr Barr, a Trump appointee, could use redactions to suppress evidence of potential misconduct by the president and his campaign. "The Trump administration has an idea. They want to redact the Mueller report before they provide it to Congress," Mr Nadler said at a committee meeting before the vote. "This committee has a job to do. That job requires us to evaluate the evidence for ourselves." Representative Doug Collins, the committee's top Republican, said Mr Nadler took the action because Democrats are "desperate for dirt on this president". "This is reckless. It's irresponsible. And it's disingenuous," Mr Collins said. "It's also confusing since the attorney general is doing exactly what he said he would be doing: making as much of the report public as possible under federal law and departmental policy." Mr Barr's March 24 letter to lawmakers explaining Mr Mueller's "principal conclusions" said the special counsel did not establish that the Trump campaign conspired with Russia during the election but also did not exonerate Mr Trump on obstruction of justice. Mr Barr himself subsequently concluded that Mr Mueller's inquiry had not found sufficient evidence to warrant criminal obstruction charges against Mr Trump. Mr Trump has denied collusion with Russia and obstruction of justice. Moscow denied election interference. Mr Mueller and US intelligence agencies concluded Russia used a campaign of hacking and propaganda to harm Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and boost Mr Trump. In addition to Mr McGahn and Mr Bannon, the committee authorised subpoenas for former White House communications director Hope Hicks, former chief of staff Reince Priebus and former White House deputy counsel Ann Donaldson. Mr Priebus declined to comment. William Burck, a lawyer for Mr Priebus, Mr Bannon and Mr McGahn, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Issuing subpoenas would open a new legal front against the Trump administration by Democrats, who won control of the House in last year's congressional elections. The potential battle between the executive branch and the legislative branch over the subpoenas could end up being waged in the federal government's third branch - the judiciary. The Justice Department declined to comment. It was not clear how likely the department would be to hand over the documents. It could ignore a subpoena, running the risk of being held in contempt of Congress, and prepare for a potentially lengthy court battle. Democrats have pledged to fight all the way to the US Supreme Court to enforce a subpoena. "If the department still refuses, then it should be up to a judge to decide whether it is appropriate for the committee to review the complete record," Mr Nadler said. Accusations: Former vice president Joe Biden, pictured with his wife Jill, has not declared yet whether hell run in 2020. Photo: Getty Images US President Donald Trump has ridiculed former vice president Joe Biden over accusations that he has touched women inappropriately, in a preview of the attacks Mr Biden might face if he pursues a 2020 presidential bid. During a freewheeling speech at a fundraiser for the National Republican Congressional Committee, Mr Trump at one point told a story about a conversation he had with a general. "I said, 'General, give me a kiss.' I felt like Joe Biden. But I meant it," Mr Trump said, prompting laughter from the crowd. At another point in his remarks, Mr Trump mentioned the 2020 White House race and said that the only Democratic candidate who was not a socialist was "being taken care of pretty well by the socialists" - a nod to unproven claims by some Biden supporters that the recent accusations against him are being pushed by his political rivals. "I was going to say, 'Welcome to the world, Joe. You having a good time, Joe?'," Mr Trump said. More than a dozen women have accused Mr Trump of sexual misconduct. The most recent accusation came last month, when Alva Johnson, a former staffer on Mr Trump's presidential campaign, said Mr Trump kissed her against her will in 2016. Mr Trump has denied all of the allegations against him. Mr Trump himself spoke graphically about forcibly kissing and groping women during a 2005 conversation that was caught on tape and surfaced during the 2016 campaign. Mr Biden yesterday acknowledged that his tendency toward physical displays of affection and encouragement has made some women uncomfortable, and he promised to be "much more mindful" of respecting personal space. "Social norms have begun to change. They've shifted," the 76-year-old Biden said in a cellphone video posted to Twitter . "And the boundaries of protecting personal space have been reset. And I get it. I get it. I hear what they are saying. I understand." Wearing a suit and open-collared shirt, Biden also teased an announcement of his political plans, promising to "be talking to you about a whole lot of issues." Late last week, Lucy Flores, a former Nevada state legislator, penned an essay in which she said that Mr Biden approached her from behind during a 2014 campaign rally, placed his hands on her shoulders and planted a "big slow kiss" on the back of her head. On Monday, Amy Lappos, a former congressional aide to Congressman Jim Himes, said Mr Biden put his hand around her neck and rubbed noses with her at a 2009 fundraiser. Two more women, Caitlyn Caruso and DJ Hill, have also accused Mr Biden of touching them inappropriately, the 'New York Times' reported. Mr Biden on Sunday said in a statement that he had offered "countless handshakes, hugs, expressions of affection, support and comfort" during his years in public life," and not once - never - did I believe I acted inappropriately." During his nearly 90-minute speech on Tuesday, Mr Trump took a number of swipes at Democrats - and also made some remarks that likely raised the eyebrows of members of his own party. Washington Post Britain's Labour Party's Shadow Secretary of State for Departing the European Union Keir Starmer and Labour Party's Shadow Business Secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey leave the Cabinet Office, as Brexit wrangles continue, in London Talks between Theresa May's negotiating team and the Labour Party were "productive" and will continue tomorrow, Downing Street said. The Prime Minister's negotiating team will meet the opposition party for further talks on Friday to try to find a way out of the Brexit stalemate. A spokesman for May's office said both sets of negotiating teams met for four and a half hours of "detailed and productive technical talks". May is looking to find a solution that the Labour Party can support ahead of a European Council summit on April 10. "The government and the opposition hope to meet again tomorrow for further work to find a way forward to deliver on the referendum, mindful of the need to make progress ahead of the forthcoming European Council," the Downing Street spokesman said. There are no further plans to hold indicative Brexit votes next week. Theresa May's spokesman said that the British government has not taken the required steps to hold votes on different Brexit options in parliament on Monday. The spokesman added that Britain needed to set out a plan for the way it wishes to proceed on Brexit in a letter to European Council President Donald Tusk at least a day before the April 10 summit. Meanwhile, James Cleverly, the deputy chairman of the ruling Conservative Party, has been appointed as a junior minister in the Brexit department, replacing an MP who quit in protest at the government's strategy. Cleverly will replace Chris Heaton-Harris who quit on Wednesday because he did not agree with the government's decision to ask for an extension to Britain's departure date from the European Union. Cleverly has been appointed as the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Exiting the European Union. By Scott Reeves, China Daily | Apr. 04, 2019 Pilots of the Ethiopian Airlines flight that crashed last month initially followed emergency procedures established by Boeing to manually disable the aircraft's automated anti-stall system, according to news reports on Wednesday, but the plane slammed into the ground about five minutes after takeoff killing all on board. The flight crew turned off the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) but they were unable to regain control of the MAX 8 jet and gain altitude, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing unnamed people it said had knowledge of the investigation. After turning off the automated system but not controlling the plane, the flight crew re-engaged MCAS, according to the Journal. It's not clear why the pilots returned to the anti-stall system rather than continuing to follow Boeing's emergency checklist, the newspaper said. Using nonstandard procedures may have made the situation worse, aviation analysts who asked not to be identified by name told China Daily. The action taken prior to the crash is still being evaluated by investigators attempting to determine the cause of the crash. Information contained in the plane's "black box" flight data recorder has not yet been officially released, but Reuters, without citing its source, reported on Wednesday that the MCAS system was engaged at least three times. Action by the pilots in the minutes prior to the crash may call into question statements by Boeing and the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that simply turning off the automated anti-stall system could have prevented the crash. "We urge caution against speculating and drawing conclusions on the findings prior to the release of the flight data and the preliminary report," Paul Bergman, a spokesman for Boeing in Seattle, said in a statement. James Hall, managing partner of Hall & Associates in Washington and former chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, offered a similar view. "Until the investigation is completed, it's too early to draw conclusions," Hall told China Daily USA. "We can't draw any conclusions from the flight crew's action." John Cochran Jr, president and CEO of Eaglemark, an aviation consulting firm and professor emeritus of aerospace engineering at Auburn University, said the Ethiopian Airlines pilots may have lacked sufficient training in emergency procedures. "There will be differences in training among different airlines," Cochran told China Daily. "You have to question the training if the pilots were looking at the manual to determine what to do. But it's still too early in the investigation to draw any definitive conclusions." The Ethiopian Airlines flight crashed March 10, killing all 157 passengers and crew. Lion Air crashed in Indonesia Oct 29, 2018, killing all 187 people on board. Both planes maneuvered erratically shortly after takeoff. After the second crash, 42 nations worldwide, including China, grounded the aircraft. The US was the last major country to order the planes grounded. Those nations had flown the 737 MAX, introduced in 2017, without incident. The crashes raised questions about the automated anti-stall system. Boeing is cooperating with the investigation and is eager to determine the cause of the crash and resolve the issue, assuming the planes did not crash due to pilot error. The Ethiopian Airlines flight crew did not train on a simulator before flying the MAX jet, The New York Times reported. Use of a simulator is generally considered essential training before piloting a new type of aircraft, including the 737 MAX, an updated version of prior Boeing aircraft. Some analysts fault Boeing for not issuing explicit instructions on how to turn off the anti-stall device. Pilots said they first learned of potential difficulties with the new system after the Lion Air crash. The FAA then ordered 737 MAX manuals to be updated and Boeing issued instructions telling pilots how to override the system. But pilots said Boeing failed to issue the instructions in a timely fashion and therefore independently compiled a 13-page guide for the 737 MAX. There also may be a problem with the software that drives the anti-stall device, according to initial assessments of the crash. The software updates follow preliminary results from the Lion Air crash that suggested bad data from a single sensor may have caused the anti-stall system to malfunction and send the plane into the fatal dive. Congressman Tim Ryan has become the latest Democrat to announce he is running for president. The 45-year-old from Ohio announced his 2020 Democratic primary bid on Thursday on ABCs The View. He plans an official kick-off rally in Youngstown on Saturday, where a big turnout by trade unions is expected. Mr Ryan, a political moderate from Niles, made an unsuccessful bid to replace Nancy Pelosi as House Democratic leader in 2016. Since Day 1, the Trump Administration has been taking deliberate action to sabotage our health care system. House Democrats are fighting back #ForThePeople to ensure every American has access to affordable and quality health care. #ProtectOurCare Congressman Tim Ryan (@RepTimRyan) April 2, 2019 Mr Ryan represents the district formerly held by the late Democratic Representative Jim Traficant, for whom he worked. The blue-collar area swung strongly for Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton in 2016. He has served in Congress since 2003 and, before that, spent two years in the Ohio Senate. He joins an already crowded field of Democratic White House candidates. Send to Email Address Your Name Your Email Address Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Email check failed, please try again Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. In a major blow to the Trump administrations energy plans, U.S. District Court Judge Sharon Gleason stated in a ruling made public on Friday, March 29, 2109 that Trump had exceeded his presidential authority when issuing an April 28, 2017 executive order ending the Obama administrations ban on new offshore oil and gas drilling in the Arctic and Atlantic oceans. The ruling restored permanent protections put in place by the administration of President Barack Obama that covers over 120 million acres of Arctic waters. Obama issued the ban under the authority of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA), created in 1953. Plaintiffs in the current lawsuit, led by Earthjustice on behalf of additional environmental groups; including Alaska Wilderness League, League of Conservation Voters, Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club, Defenders of Wildlife, Northern Alaska Environmental Center, REDOIL (Resisting Environmental Destruction on Indigenous Lands), Center for Biological Diversity, Greenpeace and The Wilderness Society, represented by attorneys at Earthjustice and Natural Resources Defense Council, argued that while OCSLA allows presidents to withdraw from offshore oil leasing and development, it does not give future presidents the authority to reinstate that development. Congress would have to write legislation to allow a president to do that, the judge said. Obama issued the ban during his second term, and it became a key component of his administrations environmental legacy. In two separate opinions, Judge Gleason first voided a land exchange deal that would have led to a road through Izembek National Wildlife Refuge, an internationally recognized habitat for migrating waterfowl. Trump, however, had attempted to reopen the Beaufort and Chukchi seas to offshore drilling, as Alaska Public Media reported. Currently, there is no offshore oil and gas drilling in the American Arctic Ocean, Earthjustice noted. These waters provide crucial habitat for seals, walruses, bowhead whales, and polar bears. A government analysis cited by the environmental group noted that a 75% chance exists that an oil spill would occur if just one of those leases were developed. The regions remoteness makes cleanup of a potential spill nearly impossible. In the Atlantic, Obamas ban also protects 31 biologically important deep-water canyons. The Trump administration had planned to issue a five-year leasing plan this summer, and to sell six offshore leases in the Arctic possibly this year according to The Washington Post. President Trumps lawlessness is catching up with him, Earthjustice attorney Erik Grafe said in response to Fridays decision. The judges ruling today re-affirms that we are a nation of laws and shows that the president cannot just trample on the constitution at the expense of our oceans, wildlife, and climate. The Trump administration is expected to appeal. As the Post pointed out, Judge Gleasons ruling was the third legal setback handed to the Trump administration this week regarding its pro-industry energy policies. The same judge blocked an effort by the Interior Department to facilitate a road through the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. Another judge ruled that the same department illegally approved two gas drilling projects in Colorado. And earlier this month, the Interior Department was called out by a watchdog group for allegedly hiding nearly 20 documents outlining the impacts of drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), as our sister site Earther reported. The Trump administration is trying to open up the ANWRs 1.6 million-acre coastal plain to drilling, which would have devastating consequences for local habitat, for climate change, and for members of the Gwichin First Nation, which is fighting the plans, calling them a human rights violation. According to Earther, the Trump administration hopes to begin seismic testing in the refuge later this year. The House Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States took testimony on tribal homelands and tribal consultation legislation at a hearing on Wednesday afternoon. Two of the bills focused on the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Carcieri v. Salazar . The ruling has created great uncertainty for recently recognized tribes that are seeking restore their homelands through the land-into-trust process "We don't create tribes out of whole cloth in this country," said Kevin Washburn, a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation who serves as dean of the University of Iowa College of Law 'Those tribes have always existed," added Washburn, who oversaw the Bureau of Indian Affairs during the later years of the Obama administration. "They deserve to have land if they existed." Both H.R.375 , which clarifies that any federally recognized Indian tribe" can follow the land-into-trust process, and H.R.312 , which protects the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe from losing its homelands in Massachusetts as a result of Carcieri, saw bipartisan support at the hearing. The only objection came from an official from the state of Rhode Island who admitted that the opposition was based solely on the prospect of a tribally-operated casino across the border. The third item on the agenda was the Requirements, Expectations, and Standard Procedures for Executive Consultation with Tribes Act, also known as the RESPECT Act. The bill requires federal agencies to develop "meaningful" tribal consultation policies and creates a legal right for tribes when those policies aren't followed. The hearing lasted about 1 hour and 45 minutes. Audio can be found on the Indianz.Com SoundCloud House Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States Notice Join the Conversation Related Stories A long road: Opioid-addicted rural residents travel hundreds of miles to reach methadone clinics Cronkite News MORENCI Its just before sunrise as Maggie Phillips wakes her three children in the darkness. The oldest, Jaxon, a second-grader, is headed to school. For the two youngest, Phillips packs clothes, snacks and toys for the hourlong trip to the methadone clinic. Jesse, 3, runs around the small room he shares with his brother, Jayson, 4, looking for his favorite Spider-Man jacket. All three are dressed and ready by 7:30 a.m., when the school bus arrives for Jaxon. Phillips, Jayson and Jesse say goodbye as he climbs aboard. Phillips straps her younger sons into their car seats and pulls out of the driveway for their once-a-month trip to Safford. The round trip is long for kids, but its half as long as it once was Phillips used to travel all the way to Tucson, every day, for months, until Community Medical Services opened a year ago. She has to get there before the clinic closes at 11:30 a.m. If she misses her appointment, she has to make the same trip the next day, or suffer drug withdrawals and miss another chance to beat her addiction. I have kids. I want to be sober for them, said Phillips, 29, a homemaker whose husband stays behind to work. The treatment helps me stay sober. Its helped me be where Im at today. Cronkite News Video by Bryce Newberry: Opioid crisis is personal for mayor Fighting opioid addiction always is tough, but its even tougher for rural residents who live miles from treatment clinics. Most clinics in the U.S., built in response to the heroin epidemic of the 1970s, are in big cities. These days, drug abuse has expanded to the suburbs and rural areas but the facilities to treat it have lagged because of funding shortages and the stigma around drug-treatment facilities. In Arizona, 12 clinics treat addiction with methadone a synthetic opioid used for decades to stabilize users and minimize withdrawal symptoms but most are in the Phoenix area. Tucson and Safford each has one clinic to serve the rest of Arizona outside metro Phoenix, meaning that many rural residents seeking medication for opioid addiction must travel hundreds of miles. Advocates and opponents wrangle over whether methadone is the gold standard for treatment, if it merely substitutes one drug for another, or whether other treatments, including therapy and medication, are better. For Phillips, who was once reluctant to take methadone, its a necessary step on an exhausting journey to recovery. She said not taking methadone plunges her into darkness. Thats the worst place Ive ever been in my life, she said. Id rather give birth every day for the rest of my life than ever feel withdrawals or feel sick again its awful. In 2016, the opioid crisis in the U.S. cost more than $56 billion in law-enforcement costs, emergency-room visits, lost productivity and premature deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Even as deaths have quadrupled over the past decade, the CDC says the number of people in methadone treatment has ticked up by less than 25 percent. Arizona health officials have recorded nearly 20,000 overdoses and nearly 2,800 deaths since 2017. Phillips has struggled with opioid abuse since she was 15, starting with prescription pills before moving on to heroin. Her life to sobriety began when she was 20 and discovered she was pregnant with her first child, Jaxon, and decided to get sober. Phillips said she stayed away from drugs for a couple of years but relapsed after she was given medication to treat an injury. Phillips started her methadone treatments when she was 25 and pregnant with her second child. She was reluctant at first, believing she would just be replacing one drug for another. I was like, I really dont want to do the methadone, and there was this awesome nurse that explained everything to me. Map by Cronkite News: Methadone treatment centers in Arizona Methadone imitates how opiates act within the brain, changing how the brain and nervous system respond to pain. It lessens the symptoms of opiate withdrawal and blocks the euphoric effects of such opiates as heroin, morphine and codeine. The right dose of methadone can eliminate withdrawal symptoms without causing the patient to feel high. I never wake up and go, I cant wait to take my methadone. Its just part of the day, like drinking a cup of coffee, Phillips said. Clinics like the one in Safford usually are open for six hours a day, closing by noon or, at the latest, early afternoon. But at least Phillips has her 2014 Chevrolet Impala to drive to the clinic once a month. We encounter a large majority of our patients having transportation issues, and living here in a rural area like Safford, Arizona, you dont know where theyre coming from, said Keith Jeffery, clinic manager for Community Medical Services. When patients first start treatment, they must visit the clinic every day a travel time of one to four hours. Several months later, the trips may decrease to twice a month, later falling to once a month. Patients spend nearly $50 per week just on travel costs, and they often have to drive backroads. The lack of transportation leads to patients missing treatments, which results in more relapses. They can be coming from any of those small towns, so the travel can be treacherous at times, Jeffery said. Maggie Phillipss oldest child, Jaxon (center), leaves for school the same time his mother and two brothers leave for the clinic, which is an hour away. Phillips makes the trip her two younger boys each month to receive methadone treatment, which she began at age 20 when she discovered she was pregnant with Jaxon. Photo by Meg Potter / Cronkite News Then there are the hidden costs, such as Phillips gathering up her boys and hauling them for a journey that takes most of the day. Once at the clinic, Phillips goes to the front desk to tell them her number, then takes a urine test and consults with a counselor in the dosage area. Jesse and Jayson play in the waiting room while their mom receives her 90-minute methadone treatment. Clinic employees know the boys and play with them until Phillips is finished. Clinic advocates say the struggle to get medicine-assisted centers opened in rural areas rests on misconceptions they are crime magnets, with opponents showing not-in-my-backyard mentality associated with these clinics. Graham County Sheriff P.J. Allred said he prefers not to have the clinic, but he acknowledges the need. I am not a big fan of that, but at the same time, the folks who are doing these things, theyre not here to hurt or harm folks, theyre here to help them, Allred said. We live in a pretty beautiful spot in Arizona, but we still have the same types of things (drug abuse) taking place in our part of the state. Opponents argue that outpatient drug treatment centers bring violent crime into the neighborhoods where they are placed. Along with medical treatments, Community Medical Services also provides one-on-one therapy for their patients. Maggie Phillips sees her behavioral-health specialist when she comes in for a methadone treatment once a month. Photo by Meg Potter / Cronkite News Keith Jeffery manages the northwest Tucson clinic and Safford medical unit for Community Medical Services. His company operates 12 methadone treatment centers in the state. Photo by Meg Potter / Cronkite News New research from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health suggests there may actually be less serious crime near clinics than other community businesses. The study found that there was 25 percent more violent crime around liquor stores and corner stores compared with drug treatment centers. Government and private funding for such clinics also is lacking. Only a handful of commercial insurance plans have recently begun paying for such treatment. About a dozen states, mostly in the Midwest and Southeast,have prohibited their Medicaid programs from covering methadone-based therapy, according to the Pew Research Center. The World Health Organization states that detox alone which basically means medical supervision while a recovering drug user goes through withdrawal commonly leads to relapse and rarely is enough to help someone recover from opioid dependence. Methadone is considered the gold standard of care for those seeking to recover from opiate addiction, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse . Health professionals state methadone treatment is most effective when combined with substance-abuse counseling and other supportive services. The proper dose for methadone treatment is different for each patient. The patient and doctor achieve the correct dose when the patient no longer feels withdrawal or a high. A patient must be supervised during daily dosing in a state-licensed opioid treatment program for the first month or more. Maggie Phillips history with opioid addiction began when, as a teenager, she tried prescription pills at a party. She eventually turned to heroin. When she found out she was pregnant with her first child, Jaxon, she began her journey to sobriety. She helps get her two youngest children ready for the trip to a methadone clinic. (Photo by Meg Potter/Cronkite News) At that point, many patients are allowed to take a months worth of medication home with them, but federal regulations still require that they pick up their doses at the clinic and check in regularly. Most people spend more than two years on methadone, and some continue taking it for decades. The regimen is similar to diabetics who are dependent on insulin, with those on methadone no longer experiencing the compulsive thoughts and behaviors that define drug abuse. This dependence has lead opponents to believe that such treatments merely replace one drug for another. When recovering drug users have methadone to stabilize themselves, they trade dependence on a dangerous opiate for dependence on a medically supervised and safe opioid thats regularly prescribed to treat moderate to severe pain. When were talking about a dependency, Phillips said, thats different from an addiction. And yes, I did replace one dependency for another, but thats to get past the addiction part it. Now that Im past the addiction part, Ive been on it for about four years. Now Im cutting my doses down. Methadone and medicine-assisted treatments not only require a regular dose, but also a behavioral health component. Counseling and behavioral therapies are required to provide a whole-patient approach to the treatment of substance use disorders. Here, I havent really done much with the behavioral health component in this clinic with me personally, Phillips said of the Safford clinic. But in the past with other clinics, its everything. It all works together, so its very vital to maintaining sobriety. Philips said the treatment was the better route for her and the Tucson clinic offered her support when she felt ashamed during her second pregnancy. It was really hard in the beginning. Its nice to have those people that you know are thinking that you are doing the right thing, she said.Because even when you go to the hospital to have the baby, I felt necessary to explain my story to everyone who I came in contact with. Heroin addiction controls the life of the person and ends his or her ability to make healthy choices or good decisions. But once someone enters a methadone maintenance treatment, the person is back in the drivers seat, advocates say. We have patients come in everyday and we see the transformation, from day one to day 30, theyre not even the same person anymore. Jeffery said. After Phillips is done, the boys run around outside and play with the clinic staff before heading for home. The trip, she said, is always worth it. I feel healthier and happier now than I ever have in my life, Phillips said. I really contribute that to the methadone. 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 Join the Conversation WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Debate opened on a bill to renew the Violence Against Women Act amid doubts about its future in a Congress divided along party lines. Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives have more than enough votes to pass H.R.1585 , the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act. The bill expands on the landmark tribal jurisdiction provisions of the 2013 version of the law and even more favorable Indian Country provisions to address issues like the #MMIW crisis were adopted by the chamber on Wednesday. "My state of New Mexico ranked number one for the highest number of missing and murdered indigenous women cases," Rep. Deb Haaland (D-New Mexico), who is first two Native women in Congress , said as one of her amendments was approved by a voice vote. But Republicans have already raised numerous objections to the effort, which they say is moving forward largely without their input. They tried to remove the tribal jurisdiction provisions from existing law last month and said H.R.1585 won't get anywhere in the U.S. Senate , which is controlled by their party. "The fact that we have rushed to consider this flawed bill is particularly disappointing when you consider the fact that this bill will not become law," Rep. Ben Cline (R-Virginia) said on Monday evening as the bill was being prepared for debate on the floor BREAKING: The two #VAWA amendments I introduced aimed at preventing cases of #MMIW passed & will be included in the final passage vote tomorrow! Learn more: https://t.co/RWeGcYmt76 Rep. Deb Haaland (@RepDebHaaland) April 3, 2019 Even some tribal advocates have voiced doubts due to divisions on Capitol Hill. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky), the Republican majority leader of the Senate, frequently declines to take up legislation that lacks support from his party. "The Majority Leader in the Senate decides what gets put on the floor," attorney Edward Ayoob told leaders of the United South and Eastern Tribes as they met in Washington, D.C., last month to discuss VAWA. "It's a harder argument for us to present to Leader McConnell to put it on the floor if its not bipartisan." Against the partisan backdrop, the House on Wednesday approved amendments to strengthen the Indian Country provisions of H.R.1585. Some of them were even drafted by Republicans. "Alaska Native comprise about 19 percent of the state population yet are 47 percent of the reported rape survivors," Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) said as one of his amendments was included in the measure. "Yet Native villages currently lack any efficient tools to criminally prosecute the offenders." With the close of the first day of debate, the following provisions of interest were added to H.R.1585. All were approved by voice votes, an indication of their non-controversial as well as bipartisan nature: Submitted by Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) : Changes the definition of land eligible for a tribes jurisdiction to include all land within any Alaska Native village, for the Alaska tribal jurisdiction pilot project. Submitted by Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Arizona) : Expands the definition of domestic violence in the Indian Civil Rights Act of 1968, as amended by the bill, to include violence against or witnessed by a child under the age of 18, or an elder (as defined by tribal law). Submitted by Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Arizona) : Alleviates the costs tribes incur due to the expansion of criminal jurisdiction. Further this amendment provides language allowing the Attorney General to award grants to tribes to improve law enforcement, tribal court personnel and criminal codes. Submitted by Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Arizona) : Directs the GAO to submit a report on the response of law enforcement agencies to reports of missing or murdered Indians, including recommendations for legislative solutions. Submitted by Rep. Anthony Brown (D-Maryland) : Creates a grant program for States, local governments, Indian tribes, and domestic violence victim service providers and coalitions for technical assistance and training in the operation or establishment of a lethality assessment program (LAP). Submitted by Rep. Deb Haaland (D-New Mexico) : Provides for the inclusion of victim advocates/resources in state courts for urban American Indians/Alaskan Natives (AI/ANs) where 71 percent of the Native American population resides due to federal relocation and termination policies. This will be offered as an amendment to the DOJ STOP Formula Grant Program for states (authorized by 34 U.S.C 10441) to address the lack of victim resources for Native American women in urban areas (who experience disproportional rates of sexual/domestic violence) since this group falls outside of the eligibility for the DOJ Victim of Crimes Act Tribal Set-Aside funding, which is only available for tribal programs within reservation boundaries. Submitted by Rep. Deb Haaland (D-New Mexico) : Clarifies that federal criminal information database sharing extends to entities designated by a tribe as maintaining public safety within a tribes territorial jurisdiction that have no federal or state arrest authority. Debate will resume on H.R.1585 on Thursday before the House takes a final vote on the measure. Join the Conversation Related Stories By Huaxia, Xinhua | Apr. 03, 2019 Ethiopia's national air carrier, Ethiopian Airlines (ET) plans to add three more Chinese flight destinations, an Ethiopian official said on Tuesday. Speaking to Xinhua, Tewolde Gebremariam, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines Group, said Ethiopian Airlines is waiting flight permits from Chinese authorities to fly to the Chinese destinations of Chongqing, Shenzhen and Zhengzhou. "In addition to planning three new Chinese destinations, ET is also planning to increase its flight frequencies to the Chinese cities of Guangzhou and Shanghai," said Gebremariam. "Ethiopia's cargo and passenger flight frequencies and destinations need to increase to keep up with the fast rising ties between African countries and China," he further said. ET currently operates daily passenger flights from Addis Ababa to Guangzhou and Beijing, and three-times-a-week passenger flights to Chengdu, as well as daily passenger and cargo flights to Hong Kong and Shanghai. ET was the first African airline to start flight services to China, back in 1973. Gebremariam also recently said Ethiopian Airlines has started facilitating visa hub service for Chinese travelling to 35 African countries. "Most African countries' embassies are located in Beijing, but China is a big country and some Chinese may not be able to come to Beijing to apply for visas in countries like Zimbabwe, Zambia or Nigeria," Gebremariam said. "The visa scheme will facilitate easier air travel for Chinese experts and business people and reduces their financial cost. We believe the visa scheme will significantly boost China-Africa trade ties and we are very excited about it," he further said. He further said the carrier has the largest air network for an African airlines in China, currently travelling to five Chinese destinations, helping Chinese and foreign nationals living in various corners of China to directly travel to Ethiopia and beyond without the need to transit through the Chinese capital city Beijing. Holding on tight as Trump boosts KXL Pipeline Native Sun News Today Health & Environment Editor MISSION - As the Rosebud Sioux Tribe celebrated the fifth anniversary March 29 of founding its spirit camp to protect nature from the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline, U.S. President Donald Trump advanced the Canadian tar-sands crude-oil slurry project by revoking its stalled State Department permit and issuing a fast-track executive proclamation. Today we celebrate the day now recognized as a Rosebud Sioux Tribe Official Holiday and we continue the original prayer as we remain steadfast, Shielding the People - Oyate Wahancanka Woecun, the Rosebud Spirit Camp announced, inviting the public here to a feast and dance to give thanks for the continued success of the original prayer. Just hours later, Trump signed a memorandum declaring : By virtue of the authority vested in me as President of the United States of America, I hereby grant permission to TransCanada Keystone Pipeline, L.P. to construct, connect, operate, and maintain pipeline facilities at the international border of the United States and Canada at Phillips County, Montana, for the import of oil from Canada to the United States. If unopposed, the order would allow construction to go forward despite a federal court suspension of the State Department Presidential Permit, requiring further study before approval. President Trump is attempting to circumvent the judiciary by approving the Keystone XL Pipeline without a full environmental review of concerns raised by Indian Country. #NoKXL statement from the Indigenous Environmental Network: indianz.com (@indianz) March 29, 2019 The Indigenous Environmental Network responded by calling the order an attempt by the President to bypass federal environmental laws. In defense of the sacred and the protection of indigenous peoples, we will continue to fight this pipeline, even if that means further legal action against the office of the President of the United States, the Bemidji-based non-profit alliance said in a written statement. Trumps document professes to be an instrument that supersedes the State Departments Presidential Permit issued March 23, 2017. However, the earlier permit applied to the full length of the segment of the pipeline that remains to be built through unceded 1868 Ft. Laramie Treaty territory in Montana, South Dakota, and Nebraska. If completed, the Keystone XL Pipeline would carry diluted bitumen, or dilbit, from the tar-sands mines of the Athabascan homelands in Alberta to the Texas Gulf Coast refineries and export terminals. The memorandum only covers construction at border facilities, consisting of a 36-inch diameter pipeline extending from Canada to and including the first mainline shut-off valve in the United States, located approximately 1.2 miles from the international boundary. March 29, 2014 the Rosebud Sioux Tribe along with Oyate Wahacanka Woecun, Shielding the People created the Rosebud Spirit Camp. Under the leadership of President William Kindle, the RST Council designated the day, March 29 as a legal RST holiday. Today we celebrate and honor our allies, friends, supports and those who kept the faith and held the prayers in opposition to the Keystone KXL pipeline. Thank you! Your commitment will forever be remembered by our tribe! The fight for Unci Maka continues, and we will for remain with you and in solidarity, Shielding the People one heart one mind one thought one prayer #NOkxl ##NOdapl #WeAreProtectors Posted by Oyate Wahacanka Woecun on Wednesday, March 29, 2017 The announcement came as tribal governments and ranchers along the route were struggling to survive monumental spring storm runoff that is creating mud plains and stranding residents for weeks. In the face of historic flooding in Nebraska and South Dakota, the Trump Administration issues another proclamation attempting to shove a risky tar-sands pipeline down the throats of farmers and ranchers currently facing devastation, said Jane Kleeb, Bold Nebraska founder. The past Administration had denied the Presidential Permit to build into the United States and Trump overturned that with the flourish of a pen during his first week in office, as promised on the campaign trail. Instead of helping the heartland, Trump is driving a stake through the hearts of family farmers and ranchers and tribal nations who are trying to protect the land and water from a foreign oil pipeline, she said in a written statement. The White House action followed the announcement one day earlier of a lawsuit against the state of South Dakota for Gov. Kristi Noems recently approved Riot Busting Act, so-called after she coined the phrase riot busting in drafting the measure she said was aimed at avoiding costs to the government for conflicts the Keystone XL project is anticipated to engender. The act says that anyone that contributes to a protest, whether through monetary donations, donations of supplies, or even through organizing a page on social media, can be held liable, and have civil and criminal penalties for supporting a protest that the state deems violent, plaintiffs claimed. Individuals or organizations that support a protest dont even need to be on the ground or physically present at the protest to be held liable, plaintiffs added. Also under the law, TransCanada Corp. could use money obtained from protesters and organizations to promote pipeline construction, they alleged. Gov. Kristi Noem's legislation is yet another way to promote Big Oil interests and prevent dissent by making protesters subject to legal action, said Kim Pate, vice-president of NDN Collective . Cherokee and Choctaw, Pate is an attorney with 25 years of experience in civil rights litigation. Protests and other forms of dissent are protected speech under the First Amendment of the Constitution. If we don't fight this now, what's next? Silencing all speech to placate and enable corporate interests at all costs? she asked. Not on our watch. Joining her organization in the lawsuit prepared by the ACLU are the Indigenous Environmental Network, the Sierra Club, and Dakota Rural Action, as well as Oglala Lakotas Dallas Goldtooth of the Indigenous Environmental Network, and Nick Tilsen, president and CEO of the NDN Collective. Contact Talli Nauman at talli.nauman@gmail.com Copyright permission Native Sun News Today Join the Conversation Tribes in Maine will finally be able to exercise jurisdiction over non-Indians once a bill to renew the Violence Against Women Act becomes law. The Penobscot Nation , the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Pleasant Point and the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Indian Township were excluded from the 2013 version of VAWA due to restrictive language in their land claim settlement act. H.R.1585 , the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act, rectifies the situation by explicitly making the provisions of the law applicable to Indian Country in Maine. Were seeing months to years they have to wait in district court, and these cases are very sensitive because it gets tricky enforcing abuse orders with all the different jurisdictions, Maulian Dana, who serves as Ambassador for the Penobscot Nation, told The Portland Press Herald. Some walk away from the process. If we were able to handle these cases in a more efficient manner in the tribal court, we could make a really big difference. By a vote of 263-158, the House on Thursday passed H.R.1585 to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act. The act strengthens tribal jurisdiction over non-Indians and addresses issues facing urban Indians, as well as the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women. #MMIW indianz.com (@indianz) April 4, 2019 The Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act of 1980 authorizes the state to exercise criminal and civil jurisdiction in Indian Country. Additionally, under Section 1725 , any federal Indian law that "affects or preempts the civil, criminal, or regulatory jurisdiction of the state of Maine" shall not apply in Maine unless Congress specifically mentions Maine. The "Safety for Indian Women" title of H.R.1585 amends the 2013 version VAWA by confirming that "any participating tribes in the State of Maine" can exercise jurisdiction over non-Indians so long as their justice systems comply with the requirements of the law. Without such language, Maine has refused to recognize the validity of VAWA in the state. Additionally, the state claims that the Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010 has no force there. The determinations about VAWA and TLOA were made by Janet Mills , a Democrat, when she served as the state's attorney general. She is now governor of Maine The House passed the bill by a vote of 263 to 158 on Thursday. The two members of Maine's delegation, both Democrats, voted in favor. The next stop is the Republican-controlled Senate, where prospects are uncertain. Victims in Indian Country cannot wait. We will not accept a bill that leaves Native victims behind," Juana Majel-Dixon, the Secretary of the National Congress of American Indians , said in a statement on Thursday . "They are counting on us. Read More on the Story Join the Conversation Related Stories The Madras High Court has asked the central government to ban TikTok, the popular video sharing app from China that's been insanely popular across India recently. The HC believes it "encourages pornography" and wants it to be taken down post haste. TikTok is like Vine was back in 2016 and 2017. The idea is to create short viral videos that you can share and which then appear on everyone's feed. In the short time since its launch, it's gained over 54 million monthly active users across India Now, it's important to note that the Madras High Court isn't clamouring for a ban out of nowhere. The court has lately been hearing a petition against the app, which claimed children using it were vulnerable to sexual predators. It was filed by Madurai-based senior lawyer and social activist Muthu Kumar. As such, he's asked for the Court to initiate a ban, which is why the order to central government. The judges in the case, Justices N Kirubakaran and SS Sundar, have directed the central government to respond by April 16. Failing that, the HC intends to enact regulations to protect children online on the app. TikTok for its part has said it's committed to providing a safe environment for users of the app. However, they don't seem to actually be taking any measures to prevent the fears of the Madras HC from being realized. And some of those fears at least are not unfounded. In the US and other European countries, TikTok is largely populated by teenagers and pre-teens. The app's medium, which lets you record video to an existing song, was what made it popular in the first place, allowing kids to dance and lip-sync to their favourite songs. In India however, aside from all the young users, what people generally worry about is the surprisingly large population of older men on the platform as well. In their logic, it could simply be how older people took to Facebook as much as youngsters back in the day. But not all of them necessarily have the best intentions. In fact, a Times of India survey from November last year showed how apps like TikTok are a perfect safe haven for pedophiles. One app at the time, Kwai (also Chinese), exhibited examples like a handle called 'Gaon ki Bachchiya'. That handle frequently posted clips of girls 12 years old or younger dancing to songs, or puzzlingly even doing chores around the house. The problem was, most of the comments on these videos were sexual in nature. Child safety activists warn that apps like TikTok, though meant for a different purpose entirely, can easily be abused to sexually exploit children. "Short video apps are the new ground to groom underage girls for child pornography," one activist said at the time, and it still holds true. It's a lot easier to acclimate a child to being on camera when it's a fun game they can participate in, after which they can be coerced and pushed into child pornography. The problem is, while a ban against TikTok makes sense in that case, it's not really effective. TikTok itself was a copy of a different app, and it has raised copycats of its own in the time it's enjoyed such massive popularity. If you ban one app, three more will take its place. What might be more effective is imposing heavy fines on the developers of TikTok for every incident of pornography or child abuse that comes to light. That way, they're incentivised to strictly moderate the platform. The key to getting rid of harassers, extremists, and abusers online isn't to block the platform they're on, it's to de-platform them from where they enjoy exposure. So, a ban from the centre will mean absolutely nothing. Those dedicated to TikTok will likely resort to a simple VPN service to get around the ban. Others might leave and flock to similar platforms. What you have then is the same existing problem scattered all over the place, instead of under one roof where you can take measures to deal with it. Finding loved ones on social media is becoming increasingly popular and numerous families across the world have been reunited in incredible ways. This time again, a mother found her son, who had reportedly gone missing eight years ago, on Facebook. ANI According to an ANI report, in 2011, a woman named Susanna had lodged a missing complaint about her eight-year-old son Dinesh Jena in Khushaiguda police station. "At that time a missing case was registered and police tried to trace the boy, but all efforts had gone in vain," Mahesh Bhagwat, Police Commissioner, Rachakonda, told ANI over the phone on Wednesday. However, Susanna was surprised to saw a profile of her son on Facebook. "The complainant came across a profile on Facebook by the name Dinesh Jena Lima and she lodged a fresh complaint with Rachakonda Cyber Crime Police Station." thehansindia. "The officials immediately took up the investigation and collected IP address and traced the location of the missing boy to Ranakala village, Amritsar district, Punjab," Bhagwat said. A police team left for Punjab, traced the boy and brought him back to Hyderabad and handed him over to his parents. According to a Deccan Chronicle report, Dinesh was found living with one Sukhraj Singh of Rankala village who took him in, to work as a labourer. Sukhrajs family treated him as their own son and provided him with all facilities, states the report. After he was found by his family, Sukhraj did his best to get in touch Dinesh since he had become a part of their family, but to no avail. Dinesh allegedly had plans to move to Dubai after doing a spoken Eglish course. He also bought a bike worth Rs 1 lakh with the money he earned by selling milk from a buffalo which Mr Sukhraj had given him. Reportedly, Dinesh, a resident of Navodayanagar in Moula Ali under Kushaiguda police station, left home after a petty quarrel with his elder brother Deepak. He took Rs 2,000 with him and left home. "The parents and relatives of the boy have expressed their happiness," the senior police official added. ANI Inputs Have you ever seen prisoners that dont want to leave jail? But that's exactly the case with the inmates of Islas Marias Federal Prison also known as Paradise Prison by its residents. Situated on Maria Islands, it takes 8 hours by boat from the mainland to reach these islands. Known as Islas Marias in Spanish, they stayed even when the powerful Hurricane Willa swept over them in October 2018. But in February new leftist President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador decided to close the prison because he said the islands were known for their beauty and biodiversity and should not be a testament to punishment, torture and repression. AFP Maria Islands is the largest island in the archipelago and has held around 64,000 inmates throughout its history. Last month, the last 584 of them were sent back to the mainland. The jail will now become the Jose Revueltas Cultural Center and will be named after a Mexican writer and political activist who was imprisoned here twice in the 1930s. AFP Low-risk inmates who were close to finishing their sentences were freed. The rest were sent to another prison. "It's a drastic change for some of them. Here, they were used to living in semi-captivity. They were calmly serving their time, living happily with their families. The change took them by surprise, and they were definitely sad to leave," prison guard Jose Becerra told AFP. AFP The change was not at all welcomed by the jail inmates, but alas, there was very little they could do about it. The police often dress up in plain clothes to nab repeat offenders, and this time they pulled off an epic April Fool's prank. An ATM thief was arrested by Delhi police on April Fools Day after accused mistook the identity of police personnel as gang members and disclosed his name and identity to them. PTI/Picture For Representation The ATM thief named Aslam was charged with dismounting ATMs and stealing money from them using gas cutters along with other associates. According to a PTI report, Aslam was arrested from the Uttam Nagar area where he had gone at about 9.00 pm to recce an ATM. A Delhi cop was dressed in a 'lungi-kurta' looked like a new gang member to Aslam, who ended up revealing his grand plan. After cross-checking Aslam's identity, the policemen handcuffed him, saying "April Fool banaya" (made you an April Fool), he said. In 2012, Aslam along with associates tried to loot an ATM in Mourya Enclave in Delhi, but the guard fired at them, killing one of his associates. Aslam was later arrested, the DCP said. Aslam stopped attending court in 2017, following which he was declared a proclaimed offender. He used to give different names whenever he was caught to escape with a light punishment, claiming it was his first offence, officials said. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 Auditors Ernst & Young warned in a note on Lynas quarterly results on February 28 that conditions issued by the Malaysian government "cast significant doubt about the consolidated entitys ability to continue as a going concern." In December 2018, Malaysias Atomic Energy Licensing Board set new pre-conditions for Lynas licence renewal at its processing plant in Kuantan, which is due on September 2, 2019. One of these conditions include the requirement that Lynas export all stockpiles of radioactive residue before the licence is renewed, a condition that Lynas say is "unachievable." "The company is engaged in ongoing discussions with the government to resolve the remaining issues related to [the radioactive waste]." Lynas plant in Malaysia is one of the few rare earth facilities operating outside of China. Rare earths are viewed as a key strategic mineral due to their use in a number of technology applications. In particular, rare earth demand has been boosted by its inclusion in the magnets used in electric vehicle (EV) motors and wind turbines. Although, Lynas reported that prices for neodymium (Nd) and praseodymium (Pr), the main magnet minerals, have decreased year on year. The average market rate of the China NdPr domestic (VAT excluded) price in 2018 was at $39-41 per kg and remained low over the six months to the end of 2018, compared with an average price of $51 per kg for the half-year ended on December 31, 2017, Lynas posted in their results report. Lynas production was also hit in the second half of the year because the company was unable to extend its production quotas. But despite this, production of NdPr increased to 2,802 tonnes in the second half of 2018, up from 2,664 tonnes in the first half of 2018, despite the one-month shutdown of production due to the quota cap. Lynas reported a 62% fall in profit before tax in the last six months of 2018, to A$19.1 million ($13.5 million). Orkla to expand Greece presence with acquisition Through its wholly-owned subsidiary Orkla Food Ingredients, Orkla has entered into an agreement to purchase the majority of the shares in the Greek company Kanakis Kanakis sells and distributes confectionery, bakery and ice cream ingredients in Greece. Kanakis is listed on the Athens stock exchange, and the founder and his family own approximately 86% of the shares. Orkla has entered into an agreement to acquire approx. 65.8% from Stelios and Maria Kanakis at a purchase price per share of 4.35. In connection with this agreement, Orkla has made a voluntary tender offer to all Kanakis shareholders at an offer price of 4.36 per share. Completion of the share purchase agreement and the tender offer are subject to Orkla acquiring 4.18% of the shares in Kanakis from minority shareholders following announcement of the tender offer. If Orkla attains an ownership interest of over 90% in Kanakis, a squeeze-out process will be implemented and the company will be delisted. At the same time, 20% of the shares will be sold back to the Kanakis family at the same price as in the voluntary tender offer, with the result that the family will own 20% and Orkla 80% of the company. Kanakis has a leading position in our core categories, in addition to a broad-based network of customers and suppliers who are well-known to Orkla Food Ingredients. The company is well-positioned in a region that is seeing good growth, said Johan Clarin, Orkla Executive Vice President and CEO of Orkla Food Ingredients. The business was established in 1985 by Stelios Kanakis, who is managing director of the company and will continue to serve in that position. The company has 73 employees and had a turnover of 20.2 million (approx. NOK 197 million) in 2018, and EBIT of 3.0 million. Orkla is very impressed by the company that Stelios and his family has built over the years and we are very much looking forward to working with the family and to continue building the company together in the future, said Clarin. The company is expected to be consolidated into Orklas financial statements in the second quarter of 2019. Markets Take a Dive Market Tea Leaves - 18 minutes ago Yesterday every instrument we use traded Higher, today we're seeing the exact opposite. How will this affect the markets? Supply chain disruptions cloud German machinery outlook AP - 1 hour ago BERLIN (AP) A group representing Germany's machinery industry said Tuesday it expects a weaker rebound in production this year than previously forecast because of persistent supply chain bottlenecks.... $SPX : 4,668.97 (-0.91%) $DOWI : 35,650.95 (-0.89%) $IUXX : 16,082.55 (-1.53%) German DAX Elliott Wave Analysis: Approaching 15900-16k Resistance EW-Forecast.com - Tue Dec 14, 2:46AM CST Stocks came down yesterday, back into last week's trading range after some position adjustments ahead of the highly anticipated FED rate decision tomorrow. DYZ21 : 15,616.0 (+0.04%) California proposes reducing incentives for rooftop solar AP - Mon Dec 13, 6:11PM CST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) California regulators proposed major changes to the states booming residential solar industry Monday, including reducing the discounts homeowners with rooftop solar and storage... $SPX : 4,668.97 (-0.91%) $DOWI : 35,650.95 (-0.89%) $IUXX : 16,082.55 (-1.53%) NY state judge convicted of obstruction in federal probe AP - Mon Dec 13, 5:34PM CST NEW YORK (AP) A New York state judge was convicted Monday of obstructing a federal probe into one of the nation's oldest and largest credit unions for over a half million New York City workers, including... $SPX : 4,668.97 (-0.91%) $DOWI : 35,650.95 (-0.89%) $IUXX : 16,082.55 (-1.53%) Read more: Insurance losses due to weather catastrophes hit $2.2 billion Over the next few days were expecting the system to move west-south-west and slowly develop, Matt Boterhoven, a senior forecaster at the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), told ABC News. By Friday, theres a moderate chance of it developing into a tropical cyclone. Then on Saturday, theres a high chance of it reaching tropical cyclone intensity while being over the waters north of the Kimberley coast, over the Browse Basin area. Boterhoven also told ABC News that another cyclone so soon after Veronica would potentially be disastrous for the Pilbara coast. If this system does develop into a cyclone and does hit the Pilbara coast, the soil is very saturated now because of all the heavy rainfall from Cyclone Veronica, so the flooding will be quite significant, Boterhoven told ABC News. We already saw very significant flooding with Veronica, but it would be a lot quicker to flood this time due to the high soil moisture content. Its early days yet, [but] if it does form the environment is quite good, so theres probably a better-than-an-even chance that it could be a severe tropical cyclone. Officials have said that if the low develops into a cyclone, it will be called Wallace. As we continue to grow globally, we are delighted to have attracted a highly experienced executive officer who is intimately familiar with the local market needs of our clients, irrespective of where they are in the world, said Ian V. Muress, Sedgwick CEO of international operations. Erics experience in African, APAC and European markets makes him the ideal person to bring Sedgwicks industry-leading service philosophy to customers around the world and support our ambition to take the business to the next level. I am delighted to be joining Sedgwick, whose reputation and expertise are unmatched in the claims and risk management arenas, Malterre said. I look forward to working with our teams globally, delivering our exceptional value to our clients and partners and supporting Sedgwicks ambition to be at the forefront of the industry. Prior to his insurance career, Malterre was a captain in the French army. He holds an MBA from Chicago Booth School of Business. I am honored and humbled by the opportunity to serve on and be a part of such a prestigious board that is both rich in history and full of progress and potential, Lowe said in a statement. Before joining S&S, Lowe served as a senior risk management consultant at Robert M. Currey & Associates of Boston, MA for more than seven years. She is a licensed insurance advisor, and is a member of the Commercial Real Estate Development Association and the Massachusetts & Federal Bars. She received her bachelors degree from the University of Delaware and is a cum laude graduate from Suffolk Law School in Boston, MA. Read more: Starkweather & Shepley opens Virginia office Earlier this year, S&S opened a new location in Virginia Beach, VA. The new office is led by senior vice president and national marine practice group leader Christopher Burns. Trump's move enables Democrats to run on healthcare in 2020 elections US President Donald Trump has ceded to Democrats a key issue for the 2020 election, one that helped them win last November's midterm elections and control of the House of Representatives: the Affordable Care Act, or ACA. And to some Republicans, what the Trump administration did last week could threaten not only their own re-election, but control of the Senate and the White House. On March 25, in a filing in a federal appeals court, the Justice Department argued that the law should be thrown out in its entirety, including provisions protecting millions of US citizens with pre-existing health conditions and allowing young adults to stay on their parents' healthcare plans. If the court overturns the law, known as Obamacare, around 20 million US citizens could lose their health insurance coverage, according to an analysis by the Urban Institute, an economic and social policy think tank. The legal move could help Trump rally his conservative base. But after suffering a beating over healthcare in the midterm elections for the House, many Republican congressional leaders had said that they planned to move away from their long-standing efforts to repeal Obamacare. Now Trump wants his party to take on the issue for 2020. "Let me tell you exactly what my message is: The Republican Party will soon be known as the party of healthcare," he told reporters on March 26. "You watch." The Justice department's move and Trump's comments surprised and even stunned many Republicans. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley from Iowa, whose panel has jurisdiction over healthcare, said he received no heads-up from Trump or the White House that the president would call for the GOP to become "the party of healthcare". Trump's message received backing from one of his main supporters: "If there's a message to be learned from 2018 on policy, it's healthcare," Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina told reporters. "Let's become the party of healthcare." But in the 2018 midterm elections, healthcare became the top issue and voters who considered it the most important issue voted Democratic by a three-to-one margin. A Quinnipiac University poll, released on March 26, found that 55 percent of US citizens supporting the improvement and not the replacement of Obamacare. Other Republicans gave differing responses to the administration's new court filing and Trump's comments. Maine Senator Susan Collins, a moderate Republican who has voted against multiple bills dismantling the ACA and will be up for re-election, said she was "very disappointed" in the Justice Department's legal position. "There's some very important, good provisions of the ACA that have helped to expand health insurance for low-income Americans" and also "provide important consumer protections to virtually all of us, and I would not want to see those abandoned", she said. Senate Majority Whip John Thune from South Dakota warned that healthcare reform hasn't worked for Republicans in the past: "It's historically probably not been a great issue for Republicans." Thune did say the GOP could turn it around "if we're providing solutions that create lower premiums and copays and deductibles for people". Neither the White House nor Republicans in Congress have a plan to replace the Obama-era law. The White House said it would produce one in coming months. Abolishing Obamacare was a promise Trump made in his presidential campaign and he has long decried Republican failures to do so. He recently attacked the late Republican Senator John McCain for his pivotal role in quashing the most recent Republican effort. Obamacare was passed nearly a decade ago and the number of people enrolled has continued to increase since Trump was elected. Though the US Supreme Court has twice upheld major parts of the plan, if the White House is successful on the legal front, the fate of Obamacare could again rest in the high court, which has installed two conservative justices since it voted to uphold the landmark healthcare law in 2012. Democrats immediately seized on the administration's court filing, calling it the latest attempt by Republicans to strip health insurance from US citizens. The next day, they unveiled plans in the House for further strengthening of the act. aiheping@chinadaily.com.cn (China Daily 04/01/2019 page12) However, a new bill introduced by California Assembly Insurance Committee chairman Tom Daly could render the Privacy Act null when it comes to the insurance industry, critics claim. According to advocacy group Consumer Watchdog, Dalys Assembly Bill 981 meant to amend a portion of the Insurance Code would do away with the privacy protections specific to the insurance and finance industries. At a time when consumers want more control over their private information, Assembly member Daly is letting insurance companies and big banks off the hook, Consumer Watchdog spokesperson Adam Scow said in a statement. The group sent a letter to Dalys office on March 25, San Gabriel Valley Tribune reported. The letter said AB 981 was simply a get out of jail free card for the insurance and financial services industries. Consumer Watchdog has additionally alleged that Daly had received $183,000 in campaign contributions from insurers such as Anthem, Allstate and Prudential. The group also claimed that members of the Assembly Insurance Committee have received over $1.1 million from insurers. Dalys office has yet to comment on the allegations, but has indicated that his bill would not do away with privacy, but instead reduce redundancies in overlapping privacy rules that will occur once the California Consumer Privacy Act is enforced. In an insurance coverage action, Mondelez reported that it was seeking relief for Zurich's breaches of its contractual obligations under an all-risk property insurance policy, as well as Zurich's failure to honor promises and bad faith conduct. Read more: Chubb highlights new ransomware and malware strains While the policy at issue is a property policy, the reason why this case is getting so much attention by the cyber insurance community is because the insurance company has denied coverage based on the war exclusion, said James Carter (pictured), Of Counsel in Blank Romes policyholder-only insurance recovery practice, adding that a war exclusion appears in virtually every cyber insurance policy. We dont know specifically from the complaint the insurers rationale for raising the exclusion, but the NotPetya attack reportedly originated with Russia in its effort to destabilize the Ukraine. Because the virus had its origin in the activities of a sovereign state, that appears to be the reason why the insurance company is invoking the exclusion. The war exclusion is one of the more complicated ones for an insurance company to prove, particularly because its difficult to establish to the satisfaction of the court that in fact, a state or a state-linked actor was behind an anonymous cyberattack. If the exclusion applies in this case, it could potentially create a massive hole in cyber policies that are being marketed to address precisely this type of risk, explained Carter. From my perspective as an attorney who represents policyholders, the war exclusion in the Mondelez case reflects a broader concern about cyber insurance policies. The cyber policies are not standardized and while there are similarities from one policy to the next, theres a great variety of wording on the market, he told Insurance Business. If youre comparing policies, you often find differences that make you scratch your head they contain broadly worded provisions, exclusions, and limitations, or complicated provisions that could lay the groundwork for coverage disputes. In light of the action, and todays complex cyber risk landscape, insurance professionals need to be that much more diligent about the cyber policies that theyre selling to clients. Read more: Cyber and executive risks are hard to divorce in todays threat landscape Its really important for insurance advisors to understand their clients risks, and then go to the market and find the best available coverage for them. Its always a good idea to come back with several examples of policies so that the policyholder can compare [them] and work with their advisor to select the best policy for them, recommended Carter. Beyond that, its also helpful for advisors to make sure that the policyholder understands how these policies work. Theyre incredibly complex and policyholders sometimes think that they provide catch-all coverage, so to speak, when in fact their cyber policies are really collections of a variety of coverages, sometimes with their own terms, conditions, and limitations, so its important for advisors to help their policyholders understand cyber insurance and how it works. A Massachusetts woman has pleaded guilty to defrauding a Rhode Island technology company out of more than $550,000 in reimbursements for business expenses. Jill Martinho entered her plea to wire fraud and willfully making a false tax return. Federal prosecutors say the 43-year-old Swansea woman was authorized by the Providence-based company to buy supplies with personal credit cards and seek reimbursement for those expenses. Court records show Martinho falsified credit card statements and received about $1 million from the company between 2015 and 2018, instead of the approximately $459,000 she was entitled to. Prosecutors say Martinho did not report the fraudulent income to the IRS. She faces up to 20 years in prison and fines during her sentencing in July. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics InsurTech Tech Australia will fine social media and web hosting companies up to 10 percent of their annual global turnover and imprison executives for up to three years if violent content is not removed expeditiously under a new law. The new law passed by parliament on Thursday is in response to a lone gunman attack on two mosques in Christchurch on March 15 which killed 50 people as they attended Friday prayers. The gunman broadcasted his attack live on Facebook and it was widely shared for over an hour before being removed, a timeframe Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison described as unacceptable. Australian Brenton Tarrant, 28, a suspected white supremacist, was charged with one murder following the attack and was remanded without a plea. New Zealand police said on Thursday that Tarrant will face a total of 50 murder charges and 39 attempted murder charges when he appears in court on Friday. Under the new laws, it is now an offense in Australia for companies, such as Facebook Inc and Alphabets Google, which owns YouTube, not to remove any videos or photographs that show murder, torture or rape without delay. Companies must also inform Australian police within a reasonable timeframe. It is important that we make a very clear statement to social media companies that we expect their behavior to change, Australian Minister for Communications and the Arts Mitch Fifield told reporters in Canberra. Australian Attorney-General Christian Porter described the laws as a world first in terms of legislating the conduct of social media and online platforms. Juries will decide whether companies have complied with the timetable, heightening the risk of high-profile convictions. Whenever there are juries involved, they can get it wrong but when you add into the mix technology which is complex the risk is heightened, Jason Bosland, professor of media law, University of Melbourne told Reuters. Technology firms said they are already working on the issue. We have zero tolerance for terrorist content on our platforms, said a spokesperson for Google in an emailed statement. We are committed to leading the way in developing new technologies and standards for identifying and removing terrorist content. A spokeswoman for Facebook was not immediately available for comment. Facebook said last week it was exploring restrictions on who can access their live video-streaming service, depending on factors such as previous violations of the sites community standards. Digital Industry Group Inc (DIGI) of which Facebook, Apple, Google, Amazon and Twitter are members said the laws fail to understand the complexity of removing violent content. With the vast volumes of content uploaded to the internet every second, this is a highly complex problem, said Sunita Bose, Managing Director of DIGI. Australias opposition Labor party backed the legislation, but said it will consult with the technology industry over possible amendments if it wins power at an election due in May. (Reporting by Colin Packham; editing by Michael Perry) Topics Legislation InsurTech Tech Australia AXA XL has promoted Jennifer Minors to senior vice president product line leader in its Bermuda Professional Lines Insurance business. Minors is responsible for managing directors and officers (D&O), professional liability, employment practices liability (EPL), wage & hour (W&H), transactional liability (TL) and cyber liability underwriting activities. Minors reports to Matthew Irvine, AXA XLs Bermuda Professional Lines chief underwriting officer. With 17 years of experience in the insurance industry, Minors has been an underwriter in professional liability coverage since 2002 and currently focuses on errors & omissions (E&O), TL, Cyber, D&O, EPL and W&H liability coverage for Fortune 1000 companies and AMLAW 200 law firms, which are the 200 highest-grossing law firms in the United States. Minors joined AXA XLs Bermuda Professional Lines team in January 2015 as vice president. She subsequently held the role of underwriting manager, E&O product leader, further developing the E&O portfolio. In addition to this, Minors was seconded to AXA XLs London and New York offices on two separate occasions to expand her knowledge and refine her skills in cyber insurance liability and TL insurance liability underwriting. Within the last 18 months, she has focused on building the Bermuda Professional Lines teams TL book of business, taking the lead in establishing a Bermuda solution to clients needs within the TL market. Prior to working in the insurance industry, Minors worked as an engineer in the Oil and Gas industry and holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biochemical Engineering and Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology from the University of Western Ontario. She also holds a Registered Professional Liability Underwriter designation. Given the accelerated rate of change and innovation that is impacting our industry, it is important to acknowledge Jennifers contributions in creating new and enhanced solutions to address evolving risk so that we remain relevant and can capitalize on the opportunities that come from change, commented Patrick Tannock, managing director at AXA XL and insurance chief executive officer of XL Bermuda Ltd. Jennifer has been instrumental in building our Bermuda platforms capabilities and complementing the companys overall global transactional liability strategy, said Irvine. She plays a critical role in building our Bermuda broker relationships and strengthening our connections with U.S. broker networks and their clients. Source: AXA XL Topics Underwriting Leadership AXA XL Professional Liability Chicago-based global insurance broker, Hub International Limited (Hub), has acquired the assets of Premiere Risk Management (PRM). Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Located in the Chicagoland area, PRM is a full-service commercial insurance broker providing all lines of property/casualty coverage to the transportation industry. Its focus on the transportation industry supports Hubs Specialty practices by complementing and strengthening Hubs existing capabilities to help clients across industries with their transportation-related risks. Jim Brdicka, business owner of PRM, and his team will join Hub Transportation and will remain in their current location. Brdicka will report to Dain Dockter, Hub Transportation Midwest territory leader. Hub International Limited is a full-service global insurance broker providing property and casualty, life and health, employee benefits, investment and risk management products and services. Source: Hub International Limited Topics Mergers Illinois Risk Management A woman has been accused of setting fire to a bar she was buying in the central Nebraska town of Arnold. Custer County Court records say 54-year-old Jane Chestnutt is charged with three felonies: arson, criminal mischief and burning to defraud an insurer. Her attorney, P. Stephen Potter, said she plans to plead not guilty and will challenge the charges at a preliminary hearing. The March 27 blaze last year heavily damaged Jims Bar. The bar owner says he was selling it to Chestnutt and her husband and that she had said she was having trouble making the payments. Court records say she told an investigator that she accidentally knocked over and broke a whiskey bottle and then set a flame to the spilled whiskey to see whether it would burn. She said it ignited and that she fled the bar when she was unable to put out the fire. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Fraud Nebraska The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Wednesday it was dropping a 2012 proposal to harmonize U.S. vehicle window safety standards with international rules. Under the Obama administration, the auto safety agency known as NHTSA proposed adopting international rules on glazing materials agreed to by a world forum in 2004. But NHTSA said it was now withdrawing the proposal because it could not conclude that harmonizing the rules would increase safety. The agency cited crash data that suggests current glazing materials are performing acceptably. The rules were previously adopted by the European Union. The United States already has performance requirements in place for car windows to reduce injuries resulting from impact, ensure transparency for driver visibility, and to minimize the possibility of occupants being thrown through windows in collisions. NHTSA said safety issues around glazing had been substantially reduced since the 1960s, adding that it still planned to conduct additional glazing research. In 2012, NHTSA said adopting the international rules would modernize U.S. testing to account for tempered glass, laminated glass, and glass-plastic glazing used in front and rear windshields and side windows and would better reflect real world conditions and eliminate redundant and unnecessary testing. The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, a trade group that represents major automakers including General Motors Co., Ford Motor Co., Toyota Motor Corp. and Volkswagen AG, said in August 2012 it supported NHTSAs efforts to harmonize regulations. Differences, even small ones, in functionally equivalent regulations cause redundancy that adds cost to the product without benefit for the consumer, the group wrote. (Reporting by David Shepardson Editing by Tom Brown) Topics Auto USA The frequency and severity of insurance claims in the U.S. renewable energy market have significantly increased over the last five years, meaning insurers and asset owners must reset their benchmark for renewable energy risks, according to an insurer that specializes in the renewable energy market. According to California-based GCube Insurance, the claims burst can be attributed to component vulnerability, defective designs and changing original equipment manufacturer (OEM) warranties, along with extreme weather damage. GCube said that at its recent Advisory Council meeting, asset owners and risk managers in the U.S. renewable energy market raised concerns about the impact of cost pressures, both on the integrity of assets and on sustainable insurance pricing. In particular, accelerated build times have caused an unusual amount of material damage during construction. As construction firms have come under pressure to build projects more efficiently and in shorter timeframes, less experienced personnel are being used to handle increasingly complex equipment, resulting in a higher frequency and severity of claims, attendees were told. At the same time, component failure has meant higher costs. The increased complexity of components makes them harder to replace in isolation. In wind energy, with newer blades, any component damage may mean replacing the entire blade, which raises operation and maintenance costs, according to the insurer. Also, design issues in some uncertified models are resulting in equipment failure. While this issue may be resolved over time, both wind and solar projects remain vulnerable to mechanical and electrical breakdown in this period of continued technical innovation in the sector, the insurer said. A recent focus on cost-cutting and efficiency has also led to diminished OEM warranty strength. Due to increased losses and financial pressure, the quality of OEM guarantees has been reduced, GCube said, meaning that asset owners may end up without sufficient OEM support when equipment fails. These challenges have been further exacerbated by extreme weather risk, with wildfires, hurricanes and tornadoes now occurring out of season and accounting for 15 percent of all claims in 2018. For 2019 GCube expects continued high levels of extreme weather losses, including continued wildfire claims in California, tornado damage in the Southeast and hurricanes. At the meeting, Jatin Sharma, president of GCube, discussed how the renewable energy industry has changed. The renewables market has started to outgrow subsidies and with that comes a whole new level of competition. This pressure often has unforeseen results: apart from anything, increased M&A activity means you might end up with a project with a loss history that isnt factored into calculations, he said. He stressed the value of dialogue between insurers and insureds as a way to tackle these issues collectively. We cannot overstate the benefits of open discussion between insurers, asset owners and investors. There are concerns within renewables that as the industry has matured, the insurance market has not kept up. Frankly, if we want to protect our future renewables growth, we collectively need to accept that its not the same industry as it was five years ago, Sharma said. Increased price competition and a rush to acquire developer pipelines mean that some areas of the industry pose a much higher risk than before and some aspects are more routine. Its time to adjust our expectation of normal risk, he said. GCube offers marine, property, liability and political risk insurance for renewable energy risks. Related: Topics Trends Claims Energy A long running investigation into illegal campaign donations to the North Carolina Insurance Commissioner has resulted in federal charges being filed against the head of the North Carolina Republican Party and a North Carolina insurance company founder. Four people in total were indicted for their alleged participation in a bribery scheme involving independent expenditure accounts and improper campaign contributions, the DOJ said. Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey is credited by the DOJ with reporting the scheme to the FBI and is not under indictment. According a statement from the DOJ, a federal criminal indictment was unsealed April 2 in the Western District of North Carolina that charges Greg E. Lindberg, founder and chairman of Eli Global LLC and the owner of Global Bankers Insurance Group (GBIG); John D. Gray, a consultant for Lindberg; North Carolina Republican Party Chairman Robert Cannon Hayes; and chairman of a Chatham County political party and an Eli Global executive John V. Palermo, with conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, and bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds and aiding and abetting. Hayes is also charged with three counts of making false statements to the FBI. The indictment unsealed today outlines a brazen bribery scheme in which Greg Lindberg and his co-conspirators allegedly offered hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions in exchange for official action that would benefit Lindbergs business interests, said Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski. The criminal indictment alleges that in January 2018, the elected Commissioner of Insurance of the North Carolina Department of Insurance (NCDOI) Mike Causey reported concerns to federal law enforcement about political contributions and other requests made by Lindberg and Gray, and agreed to cooperate with the federal investigation that was initiated, DOJ said. The allegations in the indictment claim from April 2017 to August 2018, Lindberg, Gray, Palermo and Hayes attempted to bribe the Causey through a scheme involving independent expenditure accounts and improper campaign contributions. DOJ claims the purpose of the scheme was to sway Causey to take official action favorable to Lindbergs company, GBIG. As the indictment alleges, the defendants gave, offered, and promised the commissioner millions of dollars in campaign contributions and other things of value in exchange for the removal of NCDOIs Senior Deputy Commissioner, who was responsible for overseeing regulation and the periodic examination of GBIG. DOJ said during the time frame relevant to the indictment, Lindberg, Gray, Palermo and Causey held numerous in-person meetings at different locations, including in Statesville, N.C., and had telephonic and other communications with each other, and with Hayes, to discuss Lindbergs request for the personnel change in exchange for millions of dollars, and to devise a plan on how to funnel campaign contributions to the Commissioner anonymously. In order to conceal the bribery scheme, DOJ stated, Palermo allegedly set up, at the direction of Lindberg, two corporate entities to form an independent expenditure committee with the purpose of supporting the Causeys re-election campaign and funded the entities with $1.5 million as promised to the commissioner. Also, at Lindberg and Grays direction, Hayes allegedly caused the transfer of $250,000 from monies Lindberg had previously contributed to the North Carolina Republican Party to Causeys re-election campaign. On or about Aug. 28, 2018, the DOJ said FBI agents interviewed Hayes about his involvement with and knowledge of the alleged improper campaign contributions. During the interview, Hayes allegedly lied to FBI agents about directing funds, at Lindbergs request, from Lindbergs campaign contribution to the North Carolina Republican Party to Causeys re-election campaign. He is also accused of lying about having any discussions with the commissioner about Lindberg or Gray, and about discussing with Causey personnel issues related to the commissioners office. In October, Causey told a local news station he had handed over a donation for $240,000 he received in July from the state Republican Party. The NCDOI was subpoenaed earlier that month for information going back to 2014 on Lindberg and at least seven companies he was associated with. An additional subpoena was issued in February. The FBI is in charge of the investigation, which is ongoing. The North Carolina Department of Insurance said in a statement to Insurance Journal that it is aware of the indictments from the United States District Court for the Western District Court of North Carolina that were recently unsealed. The Department continues to cooperate with the federal authorities on this investigation, as we have been doing since the onset. But, because this remains an ongoing investigation, we cannot offer any further comment at this time. The Associated Press reported Causey as saying, Everything I did was in cooperation and with direction of the federal investigators. Trial Attorney James C. Mann of the Criminal Divisions Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Stetzer and Dana Washington of the U.S. Attorneys Office in Charlotte are prosecuting the case. The defendants made their initial appearances Tuesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge David C. Keesler in federal court in Charlotte. Thanks to the voluntary reporting of the North Carolina Commissioner of Insurance, we have uncovered an alleged scheme to violate our federal public corruption laws, said U.S. Attorney Andrew Murray. Improper campaign contributions erode the publics trust in our political institutions. We will work with our law enforcement partners to investigate allegations of public corruption, safeguard the integrity of the democratic process, and prosecute those who compromise it. Related: Topics USA Abuse Molestation North Carolina Floridas Office of Drug Control will be re-established in the governors office and a state task force on drug abuse will be set up to provide a unified vision for battling the states opioid epidemic, Gov. Ron DeSantis said Monday. The governor appointed Attorney General Ashley Moody to chair the statewide task force, which will develop a strategy and make recommendations. The Office of Drug Control will support the task forces efforts. Moody said Florida loses 17 people a day to the drug crisis, including one on Monday in Seminole County, where the announcement took place. These efforts will help the people who are fighting in the trenches on a daily basis have the tools and resources they need not only to prevent people from becoming addicted but to go after the drug organizations that seeks to poison our children and citizens, Moody said. The drug control office will coordinate with state and federal officials in leveraging resources to reduce opioid abuse. Various state agencies already have substance-abuse programs but the Office of Drug Control will centralize those efforts so Florida can act with a unified vision, the governor said. The opioid epidemic has devastated families and communities throughout our state, DeSantis said during a news conference at the Sanford Fire Department. These are issues that require serious, comprehensive action. Former Gov. Jeb Bush established the Office of Drug Control in the late 1990s as one of his first acts as governor. Bushs daughter, Noelle Bush, battled addiction and had a stint in Floridas drug court program. Former Gov. Rick Scott dismantled the office as one of his first acts as governor more than a decade later. Despite calls to re-establish the office as the opioid epidemic grew worse this decade, Scott never did, and it became a priority for Moody as she campaigned for office last year. This office was discontinued several years ago but the importance of restoring its functions couldnt be more obvious given the circumstances before us, DeSantis said. DeSantis also said Florida has secured an additional $26 million in federal funding for the states opioid response project. At the news conference, the governor also announced Dr. Richard Rivkees as the next Florida Surgeon General. Dr. Gary Goodman, an emergency medicine physician in Seminole County, said he sees more than a half-dozen overdoses each day and most of them require critical-care attention, like a ventilator. If they can give us an opportunity to take care of patients in Florida a lot better, its going to make our days a lot easier and patient survival a lot better and a lot higher, said Goodman after the news conference. Im thrilled. ___ AP writer Brendan Farrington in Tallahassee contributed to this story. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Florida Drugs Officials have finally pulled the plug to allow an unusual flood trapped inside a levee system in Mississippi to drain, but it could be weeks before waters fully recede. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers opened a floodgate Monday that keeps the Mississippi River from inundating thousands of square miles of the Mississippi Delta region. However, when the Steele Bayou structure is closed, water draining south through the Delta has nowhere to go, rising inside a system of levees. The gate had been closed since Feb. 15, causing the worst flooding since 1973, even as it protected against an even worse flood. When the Yazoo Backwater Levee was built, a pumping system was planned, but plans were dropped after opposition from environmentalists who said it would dry out wetlands in the backwater. This flood has renewed calls for the pumps to be built. Mississippi Levee Board Chief Engineer Peter Nimrod says 512,000 acres (207,000 hectares) have flooded, including 208,000 acres (84,000 hectares) of farmland. Farmers warn they will plant crops late or not at all. Residents evacuated hundreds of homes flooded or isolated by the rising water. Warren County Emergency Management Director John Elfer said Corps of Engineers officials actually opened the gate twice Monday. The first time, they concluded water from the Mississippi River was still higher than inside the area protected by the backwater levee. But the second time, they concluded water was slowly flowing out of the flooded backwater toward the big river and ultimately the Gulf of Mexico. For now, the decrease in flooding may be slow. I think this high water is going to be with us for another week or two, Elfer said. Its not going to be an immediate relief thing. National Weather Service forecasts show the Mississippi could fall to flood stage at Vicksburg by late next week, which would accelerate the draining of the backwater area. The fall on the lower Mississippi comes despite heavy rains in the Missouri River valley that sparked warnings of flooding downstream. Water may rise again later. We have experienced below average rainfall during these last few weeks in March and are relieved that stages on the Mississippi River are gradually falling. Col. Michael Derosier, commander of the Vicksburg District of the Corps of Engineers, said in a statement. We remain vigilant as we enter the spring rainy season with an already high Mississippi River and interior Yazoo backwater area. Elfer said hes worried about damage to submerged roads as well as to homes. He said more than 90 homes in Warren County have been affected. This whole area has been severely impacted, he said by phone Monday while visiting a flooded rural area in the northern part of the county. A residential area around Eagle Lake is only accessible by traveling atop a levee, and residents there sandbagged a road trying to keep it open. The small town of Holly Bluff is also mostly isolated. The Corps and local levee boards say they continue to monitor levees in the region but have seen no significant problems. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Flood Mississippi Officials at the nations tallest dam unleashed water down a rebuilt spillway Tuesday for the first time since it crumbled two years ago and drove hundreds of thousands of California residents from their homes over fears of catastrophic flooding. Water flowed down the spillway and into the Feather River as storms this week and melting snowpack are expected to swell the lake behind Oroville Dam in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, said Molly White, principal engineer with the California Department of Water Resources. The spring storms follow a very wet winter that coated the mountains with thick snowpack, which state experts coincidentally measured Tuesday to determine the outlook for Californias water supplies. It was 162 percent of average after heavy winter rain and snow left the state drought-free for the first time since December 2011. The measurement on a snowy day at Phillips Station near Lake Tahoe found a snow depth of 106.5 inches and a snow water equivalent of 51 inches, which is the depth of water that theoretically would result if the entire snowpack melted instantaneously. Phillips Station is where then-Gov. Jerry Brown attended a snowpack survey in April 2015 that found a field barren of any measureable snow amid a historic drought. Were going from flood to drought and drought to flood with very little normal in between, said Kris Tjernell, deputy director of the water resources department. With the increased rain and a snowpack not seen in years, water managers statewide are beginning to discuss how best to manage and operate reservoirs, said John Paasch, chief of the departments hydrology and flood office. Its been a great winter, but its not all fun and games, he said. That includes reducing water in the reservoir behind Oroville Dam as storms approach. The main spillway was designed and constructed using 21st century engineering practices and under the oversight and guidance from state and federal regulators and independent experts, Joel Ledesma, deputy director of the departments State Water Project, said in a statement. The original spillway on the 770-foot-high dam, which is 150 miles northeast of San Francisco, was built in the 1960s. In early 2017, storms drenched the state and the massive spillway broke apart as it carried heavy flows. Dam operators reduced the flow and allowed water to run down an emergency spillway essentially a low area on the reservoirs rim but the flow began eroding the earthen embankment that had never been used. Authorities suddenly had to order an evacuation of nearly 200,000 people living in communities downstream. The threat of a dam collapse that would unleash a torrent of water did not happen, however, and people were allowed to go home days later. In January 2018, an independent panel of dam safety experts released a nearly 600-page report that blamed the crisis on long-term and systemic failures by California dam managers and regulators to recognize inherent construction and design flaws in the dam. Repairs have cost $1.1 billion. California requested about $639 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for the fixes, but the federal government has rejected $306 million of those reimbursements. U.S. officials say the dams upper gated spillway was damaged prior to the heavy rain two years ago. Local water agencies are already paying some of the repair costs, and they would cover anything not paid by the federal government. Related: Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics California Flood Shares in Independent News & Media (INM) climbed 30% as the publisher revealed it received a potential takeover approach from an unnamed company, putting it into play at a valuation of almost 132m. Speculation has swirled for weeks that a continental European publisher may be interested in acquiring the publisher of the Irish Independent, Sunday Independent, The Herald, and Belfast Telegraph and other regional newspaper and magazine titles. But market attention has now focussed on the possibility that a private bidder with knowledge of the publishing industry could also be involved, as one European publisher linked to a possible bid is understood not to be interested. Trading activity has been exceptional after millions of shares changed hands over recent days. Industry watchers said any approach would unlikely have been made if the unnamed company believed it would be blocked by INMs major shareholders, Denis OBrien and Dermot Desmond. The potential offer has put the company in play and raised the possibility that the British publisher may also be tempted to bid, despite the pressures also facing UK publishers. However, a Norwegian publisher, as well as Germanys Axel Springer have been mentioned as potential bidders in recent weeks. But Axel Springer is understood not to be behind the approach and is not interested in acquiring INM. The German publishing giant has been expanding abroad but its interest appears focused on growth in the US. A spokesman for Axel Springer told the Irish Examiner that it doesn't comment on market speculation. Like the whole industry, INM has been hit by competition for readers from online news and a decline in advertising sales but also faces considerable issues of its own. INM failed to stop the appointment of inspectors by the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement, or ODCE, following rows over corporate governance and major email breaches of its staff. The Data Protection Commission is also investigating the company. A long-time industry observer said the ODCE process could drag on for years and that an offer may help the process be completed more quickly. Its 2018 results published last week showed INM incurred 3.5m in legal costs linked to the ODCE and Data Commission probes. Pre-tax profits fell to 24.1m, down 15.4% from 2017, but it held 81.7m in cash at year-end. The surge in its shares has helped the stock to a gain of 5% in the past year, valuing the company at almost 132m. Chairman Murdoch MacLennan said last week that the results beat market expectations. The company was determined to build a sustainable business for the future and to create shareholder value, he said, The board of INM notes the recent press speculation and confirms that it has received an approach in relation to a possible offer for the company. Discussions are at a preliminary stage and there is no certainty that any offer will be made, or as to the terms of any such offer, INM said in Thursdays stock market announcement. Shareholders will be kept informed of any relevant developments and, in the meantime, are advised by the board not to take any action. A further announcement will be made in due course, it said. Three major carmakers are forming a consortium to help draw up safety standards for self-driving cars that could eventually help create regulations in the US. General Motors, Ford, and Toyota said they are joining forces with automotive engineering group SAE International to establish autonomous vehicle safety guiding principles to help inform standards development. The group will also work to safely advance testing, pre-competitive development and deployment, they said. Regulators in the US have been grappling with how to regulate self-driving cars, with other countries watching closely to see how implementation of the emerging technology pans out. Last year, US politicians, unable to agree on a way forward, abandoned a bid to pass sweeping legislation to speed the introduction of vehicles without steering wheels and human controls onto roads, but may resurrect the effort later this year. The new group, dubbed the Automated Vehicle Safety Consortium, will begin by deciding priorities, with a focus on data sharing, vehicle interaction with other road users, and safe testing guidelines. Randy Visintainer, chief technology officer at Fords autonomous vehicles unit, said the goal is to work with companies and government to expedite development of standards that can lead to rule making. A fatal 2018 accident involving a self-driving vehicle operated by Uber and two deadly plane crashes involving highly automated Boeing 737-Max airliners have put a spotlight on the ability of regulators to assess the safety of advanced systems that substitute machine intelligence for human judgment. The new consortium cited as a successful model a standards group that helped create a collection of some 4,500 aerospace standards covering airframe, engine, and other aircraft parts. Reuters A number of trees on the grounds of the former St Patrick's Hospital on Wellington Road were removed last summer. The land has since been cleared. The land, now the property of Griffith College Cork, has been earmarked for use as 'a recreation space' for students attending Griffith College Cork and Cork Educate Together School. However, residents are furious about the removal of the trees. Pictures posted on Twitter this week by the Green Party representative, Oliver Moran, have been widely shared, with many condemning the removal of the trees and criticising the lack of green space in Cork city centre. The site, formerly St Patrick's Hospital, was purchased by Griffith College Cork in 2016. It is not clear whether some of the trees were removed before that point but the College has confirmed that more were removed last summer. A statement issued by Griffith College Cork said that the trees were removed amid complaints of anti-social behaviour and health safety concerns: Griffith College Cork is committed to providing a welcoming environment for its students and the locality. It is sensitively restoring one of Cork's landmark buildings dating back to the 1820s. "Last summer, the College cleaned up an area of land at the back of the former St Patricks Hospital and Hospice. This involved removing up to a decade of overgrowth and up to six small trees. "Jim Daly, the Head of Campus, consulted closely with local residents at the time; a number of residents visited the campus to view the buildings and this area as part of this process. The College was also responding to concerns from local residents of anti-social behaviour, waste dumping and the overgrown nature of the area. "This was deemed to be a health and safety concern. The College plans to grass this area and use it as a recreation space for its students and the pupils of Cork Educate Together School." Residents say they met with the college to outline their opposition to the removal of the trees. It is understood that they plan to write to the college about the matter. The before image shows the trees on the grounds of the former St Patrick's Hospital. Picture: Oliver Moran on Twitter. In the Cork City Development Plan 2015-2021, the site is given the status of Landscape Preservation Zone due to its tree canopy meaning that development 'will be considered only where it safeguards to the value and sensitivity of the particular landscape and achieves the respective site-specific objectives.' A spokesperson for Cork City Council said, "The land in question is in private ownership and is not a designated landscape conservation area within the meaning of section 204 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, and would therefore not benefit from the associated protections. Works to trees on this land would therefore not be unauthorised development and no enforcement could be carried out by Cork City Council." Green Party representative, Oliver Moran, described the destruction of the trees as 'utterly shameful.' "The reaction from people who've heard about it should make it clear to them this isn't acceptable, regardless of the law," he said. "The right thing for them to do now is to make amends by replanting the trees and encouraging the ecology to return. That will be a costly commitment over years, but it's their responsibility to put it right. People are despairing at the loss of trees in the city." Mr Moran criticised the lack of enforcement when it comes to the removal of trees: Unfortunately, the City Council's position appears to be the legal situation given the level of protection they give to areas like this in the city. "There's a distinction between an area being designated a 'Landscape Preservation Zone', which carries only a minimal level of protection against planning being granted, and a 'Landscape Conservation Area', which means that permission would be needed before felling trees." Mr Moran called for the development of a specific tree policy for Cork city. Similar calls have been made by several members of Cork City Council in the last two years. In July 2016, Dublin City Council adopted a tree strategy which 'sets out a vision for the management of public trees according to a long-term plan' and 'aims to identify opportunities for new tree planting to ensure a sustainable and balanced urban tree canopy.' It appears Cork County Council will have to brush up on their cupla focal after being called out for using Google Translate on its official website. An investigation by the States official languages commissioner has criticised the council for insulting Irish speakers by providing substandard translations. Coimisineir Teanga Ronan O Domhnaill found the council guilty of using the machine translation system to produce the Irish- language version of static content on its website. Mr O Domhnaill said Googles online tool can often produce Irish translations that are ineffective and impossible to understand and the meaning of the original text can be completely changed. The text in Irish which is produced by a machine translation is not comparable with the standard of the original English text, Mr O Domhnaill said in his 2018 annual report, due to be published today. In fact it could be insulting to some language communities to be expected to accept translations of poor standard, as was to be seen on the councils website. Responding, the council told the commissioner that the translation was a temporary measure and it felt that neither the time nor the resources were available within the county council to translate the content, and that the cost involved in sending the content to a private company for translation would be excessive. The report states: It was not known at that time what change or changes would be imposed on Cork County Council and Cork City Council, including the possibility of an amalgamation of the two councils. The council was loath, therefore, to expend large sums of money to a private company to translate pages of the website when it was not known how long they would be in effect before they would have to be changed from scratch once more. The commissioner is also highly critical of RTE in his annual report, after he found that less than 1% of shows are classified as Irish- languages programmes which, he said, is seriously deficient and in breach of the language provisions of the Broadcasting Act 2009. Mr O Domhnaill said: The results of the investigation reveal that only 0.7% of programmes broadcast on RTE television are classified as Irish-language programmes. German chancellor Angela Merkel says she will try "until the last hour" to prevent a no-deal Brexit and to ensure Britain does not crash out of the EU. Speaking to the media following her meeting with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in Farmleigh, Dublin, she also pledged that Germany will stand with Ireland every step of the way. With just days to go until the Brexit deadline and still with no deal agreed in Westminster, the two leaders discussed the implications of a no-deal. German Chancellor Angela Merkel meeting with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar at Farmleigh House Dublin. Credit: Maxwell Photography/PA Wire. Mr Varadkar said he appreciates Germany's solidarity and that the best deal still is the Withdrawal Agreement. But time is running out, he warned. Asked about the difficulty of ensuring there is no hard border in Ireland in the event of a no-deal and the need to protect the EU's trading borders, Ms Merkel said this is something the EU will have to be able to do if Britain does crash out. She pledged to work to prevent a no deal until the last hour. Earlier, she met citizens, workers and businesses from the North and the border region who shared their situations and their own fears about the impact of a no deal. The Dublin meeting came as attempts to resolve the Brexit impasse in Westminster continue. British prime minister Theresa May is in talks with UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to try and find an agreement on how the Withdrawal Agreement can ensure the support of both parties. German Chancellor Angela Merkel: "We will do everything in order to prevent a no-deal Brexit... but we have to do this together with Britain..." pic.twitter.com/7ePN5Dqjaa BrexitCentral (@BrexitCentral) April 4, 2019 It is thought that the option of a soft Brexit is being considered, where Britain would be aligned to the EU's customs union - an arrangement that would possibly not require any fresh border in Ireland. Earlier, Tanaiste Simon Coveney reiterated that Ireland will not be pushed out of the custom's union by Britain if it crashes out of the EU. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar at the press conference in Farmleigh House Dublin. Picture: Maxwell Photgraphy. The Government maintains that - in the event of a no-deal - there can be no return to borders here and that the customs union must also be protected. Ms Merkel also met with a special panel of citizens, workers and businesses who have experience of the border and The Troubles. Hospitals in the south of the country, which are hard-pressed to recruit radiographers, have committed to offering contracts to students who complete a new Masters in Diagnostic Radiography at University College Cork (UCC). The South South West Hospital Group (SSWHG), which includes 10 hospitals, has also committed to sponsoring 15 radiography students for each of the two years of the new clinical MSc programme. The initiative is in the context of a national shortage of radiographers. Last November, Fianna Fail health spokesman, Stephen Donnelly, said the shortage was rapidly becoming a dangerous situation which the government needs to act urgently on. His comments came in the wake of revelations that Naas General Hospital had suspended its Dexa service to GPs due to a shortage of radiographers. Dexa scans measure bone density and are used to diagnose bone diseases such as osteoporosis. The UCC course, officially launched this week, commenced last September within the College of Medicine and Healths School of Clinical Therapies. The school head, Professor Jeanna Jackson said it is "an extremely exciting time for the development of radiography in the southern region and an opportunity for University College Cork to become a centre of excellence for radiography education. Work is underway to have the programme accredited by CORU, the multi-profession health regulator. The new Masters is an accelerated pre-registration programme for students with a primary degree in science or clinical health-related discipline. UCC has invested in the capital fit-out of a radiography suite, teaching space and offices in what was known as Aras Watson, after the American geneticist and Nobel Prize winner Dr James D Watson. The building is in the process of being renamed as Dr Watson recently re-iterated racist comments, claiming there is a direct correlation between intelligence and race. A naming committee is due to decide on a new name in June. Students who sign up to the new course will receive more than 1,000 hours of clinical placement in various hospitals across the SSWHG as well as some private centres. Radiographers use x-rays, magnetic imaging resonance and ultrasound to evaluate patients and help assess and diagnose injuries and illnesses. They typically work in hospitals, clinics or doctor's offices. An investigation has been launched after a shop in Kildare was broken into just hours after its first day of trading. JYSK in Naas was broken into some time between 1am and 5am on Wednesday morning, after customers queued for hours awaiting the opening of the homeware store in Newhall Retail Park on Tuesday. A lawyer who spat at a flight attendant during a racist foul-mouthed tirade after she was refused alcohol on a nine-hour business class flight has been jailed for six months. Judge Nicholas Wood, sentencing at Isleworth Crown Court, told Simone Burns: The experience of a drunk and irrational person in the confines of an aircraft is frightening, not least on a long-haul flight and poses a potential risk to safety. The judge noted that "such offences are often committed by people of impeccable character. Although the aircraft was not at risk by Burns's behaviour, the judge said "for the luckless and unfortunate passengers and crew there is no escape at 30,000ft". He added that "spitting straight into a crew member's face at close range is a particularly insulting and upsetting act". Burns, of First Avenue, Hove, sat quietly in the dock as she was sentenced to six months for being drunk on an aircraft and two months for assault. The sentences are to be served concurrently after she previously pleaded guilty to the charges. Burns, 50, who is known as Simone O'Broin, was initially served three bottles of red wine but declared "I'm a f****** international lawyer" when she was denied more on an Air India flight from Mumbai to London on November 11 2018. She also called staff "Indian money-grabbing c****" and smoked a cigarette in the toilets during the tirade which was condemned by a member of the cabin staff as unlike anything he had seen during his 30-year aviation career. The lawyer, who is Irish and has worked with refugees around the world, unleashed a barrage of abuse in a prolonged rant which also saw her spit and grab the arm of the steward, the court heard. Burns was also ordered to pay 300 compensation to the crew member who was assaulted. The nine-hour flight took off at 4.10am as Burns sat in business class with 17 other passengers. Simone Burns outside Isleworth Crown Court in London where she is appearing for sentencing following an incident in which she spat at a plane crew in a racist rant on a flight from India to London. Credit: Yui Mok/PA Wire After breakfast was served Burns was asking for alcohol and being "very obnoxious", the court heard. She was served with three 25cl bottles of red wine an hour into the flight. She had also complained that her TV was not positioned correctly. She had gone to the galley and demanded drinks when she stood back and spat into the crew member's face. Burns also grabbed the report the crew member was writing and continued with her abusive behaviour, the court heard. The court was told that this crew member later said: "In the 34 years I have worked for Air India this is the first time I have been treated like this by a woman. I felt abused." The judge said he was satisfied the offence was racially aggravated and that the Air India passengers must have been "extremely upset" by Burns's behaviour and the language she used. The judge told Burns: The fact remains that you were drunk and obnoxious almost from the beginning to the end. You were abusive, contemptuous and confrontational and used appalling language. He added: "You are a woman, not just of good character but a positive and impeccable character - a righter of wrongs. What this has done, thanks to social media, (has meant) you have had death threats and been a hermit in your home. "You are a person who has done good work throughout your life." Prosecutor Caroline Paul told the court that one of the crew members who dealt with Burns later described her as being "continually abusive in the nine-hour flight and in his 30 years as a flight pursor he had never witnessed such behaviour. " The court heard that Burns was swearing and shouting. She was shouting that she was a 'f****** international lawyer' and telling them to 'f*** off'." She also shouted: "You f****** arses, you f****** Indian money-grabbing c****." Burns also tried to smoke a cigarette in the toilets at least three times. She was successful at least once because she later stank of cigarettes, the court heard. She was given a verbal warning and was then arrested after the flight touched down. -Press Association A memoir about cancer awareness advocate Vicky Phelans life is to published in September. The 45-year-old mother of two rose to national prominence when she lifted the lid on how hundreds of smear tests had been misread. Despite having a terminal diagnosis, Ms Phelan has campaigned on behalf of the women and families affected by the scandal, which resulted in an independent report into CervicalCheck and ill women are able to access the potentially life-saving drug Pembrolizumab. Property tax increases will be delayed until 2021 and will be modest after a decision by the government to defer decisions on the levy. The Governments preference is that there be no increases for four in five owners if property tax bands are widened for a majority of homeowners. However, the decision to put off reforms to the tax, with local and European elections looming, has been deemed an election stunt by opposition parties. Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe was forced to defend deferring changes, releasing a report which outlined several scenarios if rates or bands are changed and how that impacts on the yield. Rates were frozen in 2013 and a further decision was taken in 2016 to keep them at the same levels until November this year. The Cabinet this week agreed to further postpone any decision until next year. Mr Donohoes departments review recommends exemptions from the tax be kept to a minimum and deferrals for low-income households continue. It recommends ending equalisation contributions from local authorities, which forces them to put 20% of the tax collected into a central fund. Furthermore, local authorities should be allowed to raise rates by a maximum 15%, the review said. Paschal Donohoe. Scenario five in the report, Mr Donohoes preferred option, suggests that 82% of properties have no increases while the rest would see rises of between 51 and 200. Most properties subject to increases would move up one band. Under this scenario, over 360,000 owners out of 2 million would see tax rises. But Mr Donohoe said he wanted to consult with the Oireachtas budget oversight committee. The new valuation date for homes will now be deferred from November 1, 2019 to November 1, 2020. Under the preferred option, the annual exchequer intake from the tax would rise from 482m to 547m. This would include an extra 27m from previously exempt properties and 22m from homes moving valuation bands. The review concluded that, while properties prices have risen by 80% since a low in 2013, four in five properties would see no increases with wider band changes. Mr Donohoe said the property tax was here to stay: I want to ensure that the LPT plays a large role in our tax policy in the future. "By doing this, I want to achieve the following priorities. I want to protect the yield, I want people to know where they stand on this in the future, I want to integrate new properties into the LPT base, I want to maintain this base, being broad with a small number of exemptions and I want to uphold the progressivity of the tax. Critics said it was a decision taken for political reasons in advance of Mays elections. Furthermore, deferred potential income threshold changes would result in thousands of low-income families still having to pay the tax, argued Fianna Fails Michael McGrath. Mr Donohoe said if the revaluation of rates had gone ahead this year, two thirds of households would have seen increases of more than 200. Any increases now, he added, should be modest and affordable and of course fair. Valuation date this year postponed now until from November 1, 2019, until November 1 2020. Homeowners wont see any changes in their LPT bill until 2021. Property prices are 82% higher in Dublin than in 2013 and 76% higher outside the capital. No deferral of changes would have resulted in rises of over 200 for two thirds of owners. Main points of the tax review Staff at University Hospital Limerick fear the crisis could escalate even further this weekend after experiencing a record number of patients on trolleys for a hospital yesterday. The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation has said conditions at the hospital have deteriorated to such an extent that it fears an exodus of members. Asked if there are fears of burnout among staff, INMO industrial relations officer Mary Fogarty said: They are not staying here. They might not leave the country, but they dont want to stay in UHL. Hospital management disputed the nursing unions claim there were 92 patients waiting in the hospital by midday and said there is no crisis at the hospital. Paul Burke, chief clinical director of the UL Hospital Group, said: It is not a crisis, it is something we deal with all the time and we have to deal with. However, Ms Fogarty said that staff at the hospital are worried about the coming days. She said that the situation has become incrementally worse since the closure of a 17-bed ward last week. Hospital management say that the closure has been offset by the addition of other beds elsewhere. It seems to have escalated since Friday, since the closure of the ward, and nurses simply cannot believe that decision was taken, she said. They cannot believe that in the most overcrowded hospital in the country, that decision was made. She said her members were now worried that it has reached a level and it isnt going to go back. Meanwhile, Siptu has confirmed it will write to the management of Cork University Hospital after the black escalation that took place at the hospital earlier this week. Seventy patients were on trolleys and ambulance drivers said they were left for hours waiting to drop off patients. Sharon Cregan, from Siptu, said that the scenes at CUH were unprecedented. Staff were working 20 hours by the time they were able to finish. They are entitled to a rest period between shifts and by working longer, it meant that taking this rest period has a knock-on effect for the rest of the week. We will be writing to hospital management for clarification on contingency plans for if this happens again. Separately, the INMO has recommended that its members vote to accept proposals from the Labour Court at resolving their recent strike action. Meanwhile, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Health Minister Simon Harris have denied CervicalCheck officials warned them that offering free smear test re-checks would damage the service. At the Oireachtas health committee, ex-CervicalCheck clinical director Dr Grainne Flannelly, who was forced to step down over the original tests scandal, said she told the department that GPs would not be able to be paid, labs used by CervicalCheck would not have the capacity to cope with demand and that the free tests plan would fundamentally undermine the service. Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin said the evidence showed the system was damaged by the decision to offer free tests. However, Mr Varadkar said: The damage to the programme wasnt done by the minister, but by the non-disclosure scandal. The case can be made that Queens of the Stone Age in their pomp were among the last great monsters of rock. In their mid 2000s prime the California mega-group could call on an all-star roster of players Dave Grohl on drums, latter day bluesman Mark Lanegan on vocals. Yet its arguable that nobody was more essential to their primordial stomp and the take-no-prisoners face they presented than bassist Nick Oliveri. With his Satanic beard and wild stare he looked as if hed beamed in straight from occultist Aleister Crowleys dungeon making him the perfect fire-and brimstone wingman to QOTSA leader Josh Homme. But the story did not have a happy ending. In 2004, at the peak of the bands popularity, Homme and Oliveri had a falling out. The sundering of the bromance led to the latters departure from QOTSA whilst they were still surfing the wave of mainstream acclaim flowing from their 2002 masterpiece Songs for the Deaf. Fifteen years later, Oliveri, now 47, is philosophical as he looks ahead to an acoustic Irish tour that will include a Cork date at Cyprus Avenue next Tuesday. Im super proud of all that stuff, he says of his QOTSA days. Some of that time was a blur. I wish I was more together for a lot of it The whole band was a little blurry we were all a little out of focus. But we were having a great time being out of focus. He has particularly warm memories of recording Songs for the Deaf, with Grohl on drums and Lanegan in the studio as auxiliary vocalist to Homme. I knew we were going to trip people out. And we did. It was undeniably brilliant. Grohl on drums, Mark coming in to sing. I was super-excited to be part of that. I would be part of a band like that right now if I could. Oliveri cut an intense figure during Queens of the Stone Age one rumoured reason for his eventual falling-out with the no-less highly strung Homme. But, now living in the blissful high desert community of Joshua Tree, California, he feels he has chilled out to a conspicuous degree. Its all mellow, he laughs. Ive certainly mellowed. I still enjoy a good hardcore show. Im not old. Im 47. As a musician I havent mellowed. But in my personal life yeah quite a bit. But were still the loudest people up here. I can play music really loudly and nobody complains. Its fantastic. He says he cant wait to visit Ireland and is particularly looking forward to getting out of Dublin (the Irish-born clerk at his local music store recommended he visit the Aran Islands when hes in Galway). The new tour will see Oliveri performing QOTSA material, as well as songs from his time with cult punk outfit Dwarves, QOTSAs predecessors Kyuss, the punk metal crossover act Mondo Generator and his own solo compositions. Its harder to play acoustically than with a band. If youre acoustic and youre not singing halfway decent, people can tell. Also, with a band, once youre done you can leave. When its just you, if someone requests a song and you know it, then you really have to play it. More than a decade since QOTSA does he look back on that time nostalgically? I go through different emotions, he says. Often I laugh. Sometimes it might bum me out a little. Thats all good music is supposed to do that to you. Your past should definitely make you feel things. Because when youre feeling stuff, I can come out in your own playing. Plus when youre performing acoustically you cant go through the motions. When its just you up on the stage theres no hiding. Nick Oliveri plays Cyprus Avenue Cork, Tuesday, April 9; Dolans, Limerick Weds, April 10; Roisin Dubh, Galway, Friday April 12; Button Factory, Dublin, Saturday, April 13; Crown Live, Wexford, Sunday, April 14 LITERARY FEASTS: The county of Cork will provide an intersection for the worlds of music and literature during the summer at several events. Among them is the West Cork Literary Festival (July 12-19), which will include the visit of Tracey Thorn from Everything But The Girl. Lismore Castle has also unveiled the line-up for its childrens book event, Towers and Tales (Saturday, May 4), with Mortal Engines creator Philip Reeve topping the bill. GIG WISE: All Together Now in Co Waterford on the August weekend is already sold out, so the new additions to the line-up will only up the FOMO factor for those who arent going. Recent visitor John Grant will return for the event at Curraghmore, while house music legend Moodymann will add some top-class grooves. Bombay Bicycle Club may be excited to hear of the Greenway nearby, and the London indie-rockers have also announced a gig for Cork Opera House on August 3. Also in Cork, St Lukes will tempt The Blades beyond their Dublin comfort zone on June 14. Paul Cleary and co should know the area well, having played the nearby Country Club on several occasions back in the 1980s. Saint Sister will also play the converted church on June 15 as part of the roster for Cork Midsummer Festival. Further west, the Open Ear festival may tempt people to the beautiful environs of Sherkin Island (May 30 to June 2) for the likes of Radie Peat and Garies; while the Ballydehob Jazz Festival (May 3-5) has been formally launched, with the Paul Dunlea Little Big Band and others playing in the town. Brian Deady has been a busy boy recently, going back to the gospel sound he loves on catchy new track Lil Bit of Sin, and also releasing a new EP recorded in one weekend. He plays the Sugar Club in Dublin on April 18, and Dolans of Limerick the following night. FILM TIPS: Cinema can provide fertile ground for nostalgia, and a new project in Cork hopes to gather tales from the film-going public. Movie Memories takes place as part of the Lifelong Learning Festival, on Tuesday in the Nano Nagle centre, which will show a documentary about the project as well as launching a memory booth for people to add to the archive. Childhood memories of classic westerns? Still traumatised by Jaws? Confessions from the jumbo seats? Nows your chance to tell all. For those interested in making new memories, The Sisters Brothers is one of the better options in a slow week for releases. A decent cast includes John C Reilly and Joaquin Phoenix in a western set in 1850s Oregon. At Triskel in Cork, the roster includes Foxtrot, an Israeli film that stirred controversy by suggesting that the nations army might not always be a paragon of virtue. Culture minister Miri Regev said it was outrageous that Israeli artists contribute to the incitement of the young generation against the most moral army in the world. ON THE TELLY: The Graham Norton Show returns to BBC One tonight, with a guest-list that includes Sally Field. Another Irish man featuring on the Beeb over the weekend is Sean Scully, billed as one of Britains richest artists. The Unstoppable documentary follows the 73-year-old over the course of a year, with the Dublin-born painter offering frank opinions on his own rise, and the art world in general. Fleabag finishes on Monday, but lovers of Phoebe Waller-Bridge will be heartened to hear the second season of her Killing Eve show debuts on RTE2 on Wednesday. Brexit is a crisis but not because politicians cant come to a compromise. Clive Crook says the real problem is that no workable compromise exists The root of the Brexit crisis is not, as you might think, the failure of the hard-Brexit Tories to compromise. Rather, its that no good compromise exists. For three years, Britains politicians have refused to face this, arguing endlessly and pointlessly about how to split the difference between Remain and Leave, imagining they can find a palatable soft Brexit. The underlying problem is that theres simply no such thing. In the end, with or without a further extension of the Brexit deadline, MPs might end up splitting the difference after all. Its still possible theyll vote for Theresa Mays muddled and three-times-rejected withdrawal agreement (involving a financial settlement, transitional arrangements, and steps to avoid reintroducing a hard border). On Tuesday, Ms May said shed seek the Labour Partys help in adjusting the nonbinding political declaration that goes with the deal, in an effort to get parliaments backing. If MPs do finally go along, theyll soon find that their compromise doesnt work, and that Britain hates its new relationship with the European Union even more than the old one. Deep down, most of Britains politicians understand this, I suspect, but cant bring themselves to confront the implications. Their preference for denial explains why, after years of agonising, and just nine days away from a chaotic unplanned exit, the House of Commons has not only rejected Ms Mays deal over and over, but has also just said no to 12 other motions positing a way out of the mess. Its telling that the compromises that came closest to passing in two rounds of so-called indicative votes such as the idea of attaching a permanent customs union to Ms Mays plan are disliked even by the people sponsoring them. The British parliament is divided between committed Leavers and Remainers, each side convinced that the other is wholly wrong. Most of the people calling for compromise are Remainers, but their goal is not to move Britain to an arrangement the country would like better than the one it has; its to lessen the damage they think will be done when Britain stupidly quits. The instinct to compromise is certainly valuable. In a democracy where people disagree about big questions such as whether to remain part of an emerging United States of Europe its right to look for a middle way that most can live with. The mistake is to assume that a workable compromise is always there to be found. Once in a while, a hard choice cannot be finessed: It just has to be made, and the consequences lived with. This is such a case. Consider what many see as an appealingly soft Brexit: so-called Norway-plus, or Common Market 2.0. The idea is to preserve the economic benefits of EU membership by remaining a member of Europes single market and customs union, while retrieving some political sovereignty by stepping away from EU integration in areas such as justice and home affairs. Nick Boles, one of the plans authors, stepped down as a Conservative MP on Monday when the Commons again rejected this approach. He said: I have given everything to an attempt to find a compromise that can take this country out of the European Union while maintaining our economic strength and our political cohesion. I have failed chiefly because my party refuses to compromise. The Boles plan could have been a workable temporary arrangement. It might have been a good long-term plan, as well, if Europe would allow single-market members that arent part of the EU a full say in developing the markets rules. But Europe wont countenance that. (For some reason, advocates of Norway-plus dont seem to mind.) The proposed arrangement would therefore leave the UK as a powerless rule-taker across a wide and ever-widening span of trade and economic policy. Recall that support for Brexit comes chiefly from resentment at Britains lack of control over the policies that affect it. Norway-plus would make that problem vastly worse. Norway has a looser form of association than the one proposed in the Boles plan (it isnt a member of the EUs customs union), yet much of the countrys politics is devoted to butting heads with the EU over successive policy innovations over which it has no say. The idea that a Boles-style compromise, in concert with an unreformed EU, could be the long-term basis of a satisfactory Brexit is ridiculous. Ive seen no serious attempt to defend the claim. All one can say for the plan is that it would avoid the short-term disruption that Brexit would otherwise cause at the cost of building a new wave of anti-EU sentiment and, in due course, demands for Brexit 2.0. One day Europe might be willing to contemplate a more flexible structure for its project of political integration. Until then, Britain has two workable choices. It can stay and make the best of it, while continuing to press for reform from within. Or it can leave, meaning all the way out, and negotiate a comprehensive free-trade agreement of the kind that Canada has with the US one that treats both parties as sovereign nations, and does not condemn the economy to formally entrenched second-class status. Nothing in-between will stick. Ms Mays divided government committed itself to Leave without really believing in it, then failed to plan for that second course an unforgivable mistake. The British parliaments Remainers failed the country too, and are still failing, by supporting broken compromises that they know will sooner or later collapse, instead of saying what they think and championing the outcome they believe is best for the country. The result could hardly be worse. Three years in, Britains politicians are flailing helplessly. A lasting resolution is nowhere in sight. In fact, the Brexit trauma may be only just getting started. Clive Crook is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. He was chief Washington commentator for the Financial Times, a correspondent and editor for the Economist and a senior editor at the Atlantic. The culture of our maternity services has not changed, three years into the national strategy, writes Victoria White A heavy silence of sadness hangs over the deaths of lovely young mother Marie Downey and her precious four-day-old baby Darragh in Cork University Maternity Hospital last week. In the rare moments we allow ourselves to think about it, many of us probably travel back to the first days of our own babies lives. We remember the flowers, the cuddles, the phone calls, all indications of the love a new baby brings into the world and which surrounds new parents. We remember the miracle of a tiny human being, so dependent on us for everything and yet so much an individual. To lose a mother and her baby like that Stop. It quite literally doesnt bear thinking about. Yet we must. We do not yet know how this tragedy happened. Two investigations are under way and eventually Maries husband Kieran Downey and his two sons, James and Sean, will, we hope, know the full facts. All we know so far is that Marie fell out of bed and died with baby Darragh under her. We wonder if it was best practice to give a new mother with epilepsy a room on her own. We dont know if the staffing allocation at Cork University Hospital the morning Marie died contributed to either of these tragic deaths but it is likely it wasnt optimal: The optimal midwifery staffing rate in such a hospital is 29.5 to one birth. Marie Downey. Irish maternity hospitals have been found in recent surveys to have a 40:1 ratio, on average. The same survey found Northern Irish maternity hospitals to have a 24:1 ratio. Krysia Lynch, of the Association for Improvements in Maternity Services, makes the point that when there is a staffing shortage, high-risk and first-time mothers tend to be prioritised, leaving lower risk women having subsequent babies still more deprived of care. The hearts of all decent human beings should go out to the staff who discovered and dealt with the aftermath of Marie Downeys death and her sons fatal injuries. However, that shouldnt stop us demanding proof that optimal staffing levels and allocation were in place for them. Didnt she and Darragh deserve that? Dont all birthing mothers? Yet in the same week as these tragedies happened, we learned from Paul Cullen in The Irish Times that no new money has been allocated this year to implement the National Maternity Strategy 2016-26 which I heralded in this newspaper as the plan which would revolutionise maternity care in Ireland. The 4.1m allocated to implementing the strategy this year will only fund posts approved in previous years. There is no new development funding for the many elements of the plan which were meant to be put in place this year. Krysia Lynch, who sat on the strategys steering committee, says she has long since stopped ticking the elements which have not been implemented on time because there are so many. Examples of developments which were meant to be in place by the end of last year include: By now, half of Irish mothers should have access to non-medicalised, midwife-led care if that is what they choose and what is appropriate to their cases. Its not happening. There have been some small changes for the better. There are more midwife-led antenatal classes and more early discharges with home visits by midwives. The University Maternity Hospital in Limerick has a pool in its Danu birthing suite. A revolution? Hardly. This year, there is at least 3.8m missing from the required funding for the strategy, despite the commitment made by then-health minister Leo Varadkar in 2016 that funding for the plan would be ring-fenced. There sure are some big gaps in that fence. There are differing views as to where the money has gone. Roisin Molloy, a patient representative and National Maternity Strategy steering group member, has said the money which should be going to the strategy has been used to fund abortion services since January. Krysia Lynch says the money has gone to fire-fighting in the wake of the CervicalCheck scandal. She says this reactive response is symptomatic of how we cope with womens health care; instead of putting proper systems in place and resourcing them we wait for tragedies to happen and then attempt to react. The new strategy was an opportunity, she said, to put in place a plan which would ensure safety for mothers and their babies and offer them choice as to how they gave birth no matter where they lived. Instead of grasping it with both hands, she said, its back to same old, same old. Thats the issue, really. Its not a question of which area of womens health is funded as opposed to any other. Why should the provision of abortion services or the attempt to rectify the mistakes made by CervicalCheck be blamed for this shameful failure to fund the National Maternity Strategy? The question is why issues which are in the political spotlight are funded as opposed to those which represent the kind of long-term, strategic vision which would not only avoid many future scandals but would also make women and their babies happier and healthier. The truth is that the culture of our maternity services has not changed, three years into the term of the national strategy. Energy still goes towards blocking anyone who asks questions. Independent midwife Philomena Canning, who died just days before the Downey tragedy, had her indemnity summarily taken away in 2014 after she applied to set up two home-birth centres in Dublin. By the time she was cleared of the false allegations against her, her practice was effectively gone. The HSE is understood to have finally made her a settlement shortly before she died so hopefully she got her last wish, which was to go to her grave in peace. Late last year, the National Maternity Hospital won its case against the State conducting an inquiry into the death during surgery for an ectopic pregnancy of beautiful young Malak Thawley in 2016. The judge ruled that issues identified at the hospital were also issues in hospitals all over the country. Thats how badly we need systems change. It should be a considered a major scandal that the National Maternity Strategy is unfunded and unimplemented but there shouldnt have to be a scandal before there is political action. Perhaps your editorial (April 1), on Natos 70th anniversary was intended as an April Fool joke, but one should not play such games when so many peoples lives are at stake. You describe the UN, EU, and Nato as three great alliances. Humanity needed an effective UN to create international peace, but it has failed to achieve this vital objective because it has not been allowed to by its five controlling veto wielding powers, three of whom, US, UK and France are also Nato powers. The EU began as a great project. It did play an important role in maintaining peace in Western Europe. However, since then, the EU is evolving into a militarised super state, intent on using its military power to promote European interests and exploit the resources of weaker states. Asia Pad Women The All-Female Business Easing Period Poverty in Sri Lanka Village women and girls carry water on the outskirts of Ahmedabad in India, on January 27, 2018. / Reuters COLOMBO, Sri LankaEvery month, Fathima Rifka used to suffer the embarrassment of rinsing out the rags she used during her period at a public tap the only source of running water available in the poor Sri Lankan neighborhood she grew up in. You have to stand in line, and then you also have to wash our utensils from the previous day. There is only one source of water and everyone is there, said the 24-year-old. We hide it and dry it. But sometimes it doesnt dry properly and the cloth is stiff. All that changed a year ago when Rifka got her first job making low-cost, organic sanitary towels something she now teaches other women in her Colombo neighborhood of Kithulwatte to do. The business was inspired by Arunachalam Muruganantham, an Indian inventor who developed a way of making cheap pads after watching his wife struggle with rags during her period the subject of the 2018 Bollywood hit Pad Man. At 60 Sri Lankan rupees (260 kyats) for a packet, demand for the product, which goes by the name Sinidu meaning soft, is growing. Commercially produced towels typically sell for between 100 and 140 rupees, putting them out of reach of most Sri Lankan women. Imported brands can cost up to 500 rupees. The women behind Sinidu first started manufacturing in Sri Lanka in January 2018 the day of the Pad Man premiere and set up their first full-fledged factory a year later in Kithulwatte. They import the wood pulp that Muruganantham developed to make the pads from India, using his design for the simple machines they manufacture on. Rifka and her colleagues can take what they need and sell the rest, pocketing 15 rupees per packet. The operation a social enterprise, or business with a social as well as a commercial aim was started by the SAARC Chamber Women Entrepreneurs Council (SCWEC), which works to help women in South Asia access business opportunities. They have just introduced the machines in a prison, where female inmates will be able to make their own pads, and plan to expand the operation to other communities in Sri Lanka, and eventually to Nepal and Bangladesh. Stigma Period poverty has hit global headlines in recent years, with statistics showing that even in a wealthy Western country like Britain, one in 10 girls have been unable to afford sanitary products. This year Meghan Markle became the first British royal to speak out on the once taboo issue, saying girls were missing school because no one wants to talk about it or has what they need. In Sri Lanka, the problem is particularly acute because sanitary products are so heavily taxed until last September, the levy on imported pads was more than 100 percent. It has since been reduced to about 63 percent and Sri Lankas finance minister, Mangala Samaraweera, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation he was looking into how taxes on sanitary products could be reduced further. Access to affordable female hygiene products is certainly expected to have an important positive impact on girls school attendance and thus educational outcomes, he said. It will also facilitate fuller participation of women in the economy. But Anuki Premachandra, head of research communication at The Advocata Institute, an independent policy think tank, said the issue still wasnt being given the importance it deserved. People are enraged about the cost of carrots, but when it comes to taxes on sanitary napkins, they dismiss it as a womens issue, she said. Last year New Delhi abolished the sales tax on sanitary products although other South Asian countries still tax them. But for women in the region, the problems go beyond cost. In parts of India and Nepal, cultural taboos mean menstruating women and girls are banished from their homes at night, putting them at risk. Several have died in Nepal in recent years. One in three girls in South Asia miss school during their periods and in Sri Lanka, the figure is even higher. A 2015 survey of adolescent Sri Lankan girls conducted by the United Nations childrens agency UNICEF and the government found more than half had to miss school when they had their period. Another U.N. study found 60 percent of teachers in Sri Lanka thought menstrual blood was impure. Women complain about rashes when using the normal pads. Some have other illnesses related to periods, but there is a lot of stigma. So its a challenge and we dont speak about it, said Rifka, who sold 100 packets this month. I have already started selling these pads and there is a lot of demand. Many women come back to me and tell me how good it was. They all want to buy more. Burma AA Says Construction Company Employees it Abducted Were Military Spies A map shows the place where construction workers were abudected by the AA in Chin State on Saturday. / Ministry of Information YANGON The Arakan Army (AA) says eight construction company employees it abducted in southern Chin State are former members of the Myanmar militarys intelligence unit and were still working for the armed forces. Most of them worked for military intelligence for a long time. Some were in charge at the township level. Some are [former] corporals. And some transferred from military intelligence to the engineering battalion. They were also working for the military [at the time of arrest], AA spokesman Khaing Thukha told The Irrawaddy. On Saturday, the AA abducted 13 employees 11 men and two women of the Hsu Htoo San Construction Co., which is building a section of the Paletwa-Mizoram road in Paletwa Township. It later released the two women and three men. Khaing Thukha accused the rest of collecting intelligence on the AA under cover to the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transportation Project, which aims to link western Myanmar and eastern India via multiple routes including the road. They were doing military things under cover of the Kaladan Project. We dont harm real construction workers, he told The Irrawaddy. The company could not be reached for comment. Retired Maj. Win Maung Maung, the former head of military intelligence in Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine State, said he had never heard of the names of the alleged spies. I dont think so. I dont think the area needs undercover operations. The area has always been white, he said. White is the governments color code for areas under its control, while brown refers to contested area and black denotes areas under the control of rebel groups. Civilians can travel in the area anytime. So, [spying] is quite unlikely, the former major said. Brig. Gen. Zaw Min Tun, of the militarys True News Information Team, denied that the eight detainees had ties to the military, known as the Tatmadaw in Burmese. They are employees of the construction company. They are not even family members or relatives of the Tatmadaw. They are not even from [the Construction Ministrys Department of] Public Works. They work for a building contractor, he told The Irrawaddy. In a statement about the AAs abductions, the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of Defense Services said that, when completed, the section of road the company is building will improve transportation between Myanmar and India and help develop the border area. I think they are trying to hamper the project, Brig. Gen. Zaw Min Tun said. Khaing Thukha denied the claim. In a separate incident on March 16, the AA opened fire on a vessel carrying steel trusses to be used to build a bridge in Paletwa. The group burned down the vessel after taking the crew to shore. According to the Khumi Affairs Coordination Council, building materials including trusses, paint and high-tension bolts worth $300,000 were destroyed in the attack. The AA said it attacked the vessel because it was not informed of the shipment. Khaing Thukha said companies must send lists of workers and materials to be transported into its areas of operation in advance. If they say they dont inform us because they dont know where to inform us, we take that to mean they dont care about their safety. If they want to be safe, they have to inform the AA, said Khaing Thukha. In a statement on Tuesday, the Khumi Affairs Coordination Council said the AAs activities were hindering stability and development in Paletwas least developed areas and urged the group not to target development projects. Hsu Htoo San Co. is based in Yangons Botatung Township and has won contracts to establish the Kanyinchaung economic zone, urbanize Sittwe, dredge the Kaladan River and carry out other projects in Sittwe. Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko. Business Australian Firm Seeks to Reassure Locals on Gas Drilling off Rakhine An offshore gas rig in Myanmars territorial waters in 2017 / MOI YANGONAustralian energy giant Woodside is stepping into war-torn Rakhine State with a plan to begin drilling in two oil-and-gas blocks in the Bay of Bengal. This week the company sought to reassure residents in southern Rakhine States Kyaukphyu that there was a need for the projects, citing the potential economic benefits and pledging to minimize the environmental impacts on the site, located about 52 miles offshore. Kyaukphyu resident and Arakan League for Democracy (ALD) member U Tun Lwin told The Irrawaddy that Woodside held a meeting with local residents at the Hotel Kyaukphyu on Wednesday. He said Woodside and a Chinese company will jointly drill the two offshore projects, each holding a 50-percent stake. Woodside is expected to begin drilling in two oil-and-gas blocks, AD 1 and AD 8, soon. The initial process will likely take at least 45 days. U Tun Lwin explained that company officials promised to carry out the drilling in such a way as to have the least harmful environmental impact possible on the ocean environment. It also vowed not to disrupt local fishing. Woodside has already determined that gas exists in AD 1 and AD 8, but needs to drill to assess whether extraction would be commercially viable. It was unclear whether the shareholding agreement covers only the capital investment in drilling activity or extends to profit sharing. Upper House lawmaker U Kyaw Than, who represents Kyaukphyu constituency for the Arakan National Party (ANP), attended the meeting. He said the company elaborated on the results of its Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)/Social Impact Assessment (SIA) report. Locals requested copies of the EIA/SIA report from Woodside but company staff did not hand any out, saying it was only available in English. U Kyaw Than said locals would not be opposed if the project brings tangible positive results. Although some local activists questioned the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and Memorandum of Agreements (MOA) signed between the Myanmar government and Woodside, company staff avoided answering questions on this. U Kyaw Than said Kyaukphyu residents had previously had a negative experience with the China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC)s pipeline project, also known as the SHWE gas project, which cuts 480 miles across Myanmar and connects Kyaukphyus Maday Island to Chinas Yunnan Province. During the pipelines construction, thousands of plots of farmland were confiscated from locals, among other rights abuses. The project has earned billions of dollars for the Union government but locals have seen little benefit in terms of regional development, critics say. All income from the SHWE gas project goes into the Union governments coffers, a source of irritation for regional ministers who say Rakhine State has not received a fair share of the annual budget allocation under the National League for Democracy (NLD)-led government in recent years. We urge them to implement the project transparently. As a major Australian firm, they should act with dignity and not seek to take advantage of loopholes, U Kyaw Than said. Company representatives failure to provide precise information to meeting participants led some locals to criticize what they saw as a lack of transparency and to say they didnt trust the company. Some social activists expressed their dismay on Facebook, saying that once again a huge financial windfall from Rakhine States resources will go the to the Union government, which will allocate a large amount of money to fund the Myanmar militarys ongoing campaign against Arakan Army (AA) rebels in the north of Rakhine. The Irrawaddy contacted a Woodside employee who traveled to Kyaukphyu along with a group of international experts, but he declined to comment as he is unauthorized to speak with the media. He referred questions to the companys Australian headquarters. According to leaflets distributed by Woodside representatives at the Kyaukphyu meeting, the company entered Myanmars oil-and-gas sector in 2015 and has implemented nine projects. Its latest project, Shwe Ye Tun, is situated in Irrawaddy Divisions territorial waters. The company has been drilling for gas there since last year. It is still assessing whether gas is present in commercially viable quantities. According to U Tun Lwin, some meeting attendees raised questions about the stake to be held by the Union government as well as the investors, but the Woodside employees did not provide shareholding information. Nearly a dozen government officials from different departments in Kyaukphyu district, an ANP lawmaker and some civil society groups joined the meeting. Burma Myanmar Media Outlets Threatened over Rakhine Coverage The Irrawaddys office in Yangon. The Irrawaddy is one of several local independent media outlets that have received anonymous threats in recent days over their coverage of the armed conflict between the AA and the Tatmadaw. / Aung Kyaw Htet YANGONThe Irrawaddy and several other independent media outlets in Myanmar have received anonymous threats since late last week over their coverage of the ongoing fighting between the Arakan Army (AA) and government troops. Clashes between the AA, which seeks autonomy for Arakanese people in Rakhine State, and the Myanmar Army (or Tatmadaw) intensified early this year following the rebels attacks on police outposts in northern Rakhine State on Jan. 4. The government announcedlast week that there had been 103 incidents of fighting between the Tatmadaw and the AA since January, resulting in the deaths of 12 civilians. The Myanmar Army admitted there had been casualties on both sides. Since mid-March, the two sides have accused each other of opening fire on civilians. The Tatmadaw claims such incidents occur because AA troops try to mingle with local residents. The civilian causalities have dominated the headlines of local publications. Early this week, prominent local media including The Irrawaddy, Eleven, 7 Day, the Voice, Mizzima and others received threats, either verbally by phone or digitally via fake email accounts, over their coverage of the fighting in Rakhine. On Tuesday, Yangon-based Eleven Media reported it had received more than one email on Monday threatening employees safety regarding their coverage of the AA. An email sent to Eleven reads: AA is not a terrorist organization but fighting for the Rakhine fatherland. Media outlets have to stop [spreading] wrong information that could lead to misunderstandings between the AA and Rakhine, and other ethnic people. If it does not, news outlets will face damage. We cant guarantee the safety of media houses and their reporters. If there [appears] anything bad about AA despite our warnings, we will blast your organization. Shortly before other media outlets received the threats, security staff at the The Irrawaddy office received a threat from an anonymous phone caller on Saturday night. According to the threat report submitted to the editorial team on Wednesday, a male voice on the other end of the line said sternly: You guys have to watch out. We will send you bullets very soon. Wait and see. Then the line went dead. The Irrawaddy has reported extensively on fighting between the AA and government troops since the outbreak of clashes in January, presenting views from both sides, as well as follow-ups on local people displaced by the fighting. None of the threats claim to have originated with the AA, but their contents are clearly related to the organization. In December, the AA sent warning letters, each accompanied by a bullet and the official AA stamp, warning the recipientsincluding a police station head, village administrator and a businessmanagainst disturbing those who are implementing the Way of Rakhita a concept with self-determination at its core. Last month, the head of Taung Nyo Police Station in Mrauk U Township was shot dead by an unknown gunman. The victim and another police officer at the same station were sent warning letters accompanied by a bullet from the Arakan Army (AA) on Jan. 6. U Ye Ni, The Irrawaddy Burmese Editions senior editor, said the threats were aimed not only at journalists, but at anyone seeking the truth. We wont be deterred by the threats. We will inform the Myanmar Press Council, Ministry of Information and Presidents Office as well as international journalists associations about it, he said. Apart from national publications, the Rakhine-based Development Media Group has also received threats from an organization identifying itself as the Pro-Army Group or Patriotic Army Group, calling on the media outlet to stand with the Myanmar Army, otherwise the safety of its journalists couldnt be guaranteed. Both the AA and Myanmar Army have denied making threats. The threats were made shortly after the AA invited members of the media on a tour of the conflict areas on Friday. Shawn Crispin, the Committee to Protect Journalists Southeast Asia representative, told The Irrawaddy on Thursday that CPJ calls on both the Myanmar government and Arakan Army to respect the right of journalists to cover the news without fear of reprisal. We are alarmed to hear of reports that anonymous actors have threatened news groups over their news reporting on the conflict. We call on these threats to stop immediately and unconditionally. Burma Six Rohingya Workers Killed in Army Helicopter Attack Rohingya villagers from Buthidaung in Rakhine State attend the funeral of victims of an Army helicopter attack on April 4. / Abu Marwan YANGONAt least six Rohingya casual laborers in northern Rakhine States Buthidaung Township were killed and more than 10 were wounded in an attack by Army helicopters on Wednesday afternoon, according to a military spokesman and witnesses. Ahmad Ramahi (name changed for his safety) from Kin Taung Rohingya village said three neighbors from Tha Pyu Chaung were shot to death and one wounded; two from Hpon Nyo Leik were killed and three wounded; one from his village was killed and three injured; while four from Hteik Tu Pauk village were wounded by in the helicopter attack. Others from different villages were also injured, he said. He said most of Rohingya villagers rely on bamboo harvesting in the summer season as the main traditional small business in Maungdaw and Buthidaung townships. They normally store the extra bamboo cuttings near the Saidin waterfall in order to make bamboo rafts, which are the only way to transport the bamboo to markets and urban areas. As usual, the Saidin Waterfall area was crowded with several hundred Rohingya casual laborers on Wednesday, and the region was peaceful until noon. At about 2 p.m, a helicopter fired machine gun rounds and hellfire missiles into the crowds twice, witnesses said. Ahmad Ramahi said, There was no armed engagement with the Arakan Army [AA] before the Army attack helicopter flew over the Saidin River. Another Kin Taung villager, Abu Sayyaf, corroborated that there was no fighting between the AA and Army troops in the region. He claimed that several hundred Rohingya villagers were making a bamboo raft for floating down the river and some were carrying bamboo from the forest to the foot of waterfall, when the workers were abruptly fired upon by a helicopter for no apparent reason. The rest of the workers are Muslim, Abu Sayyaf said. A worker who was wounded by shrapnel and received medical treatment at Buthidaung Hospital said, The helicopter shot at us for about half an hour. A village administrator from Hpon Nyo Leik told The Irrawaddy over the phone from downtown Buthidaung that a total of five bodies were transported to Buthidaung General Hospital on Thursday morning. An Arakanese from Kyar Nyo Pyin village said that a helicopter flew from the direction of Myo Ma Chaung to the Saidin waterfall. Since last week, as several villages were attacked by military convoys, most of the villagers from that region fled to urban areas. Regarding the deaths of civilians in Sai Din valley, Brigadier-General Zaw Min Tun, a spokesman for the Office of the Commander-in-Chief, said that about 150 members of the AA reached the region on Wednesday and clashed with the Myanmar Army at noon. And then at about 7 p.m. the AA members attacked a military base situated near Hpon Nyo Leik. When asked whether the rest of the dead civilians and patients in hospital were Rohingya Muslims, he said, As Bengalis were together with the AA there, about six were killed and nine wounded. At the moment, we are providing them medical treatment at a Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] hospital. The term Bengali is widely used in Myanmar to refer to Rohingya. In 2017, Myanmar military clearance operations in Rakhine State following a series of deadly attacks on security forces by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army caused about 700,000 Rohingya to flee to neighboring Bangladesh. On This Day A Call for a Coup A portrait of U Ba Bay, one of the politicians tried for attempting to instigate a military coup. YANGONSixty-five years ago today, the Yangon government tried a number of politicians for high treason for requesting that the military stage a coup. During the civil war in late 1949, colonial-period minister and seasoned politician U Ba Bay along with some other politicians paid a visit to the military chief General Ne Win and attempted to persuade him to topple the government of U Nus Anti-Fascist Peoples Freedom League by staging a coup. He also promised to provide the funds and weapons for the coup. Gen. Ne Win, however, did not accept U Ba Bays proposal and instead he informed Prime Minister U Nu of the scheme. U Nus government did not take action against U Ba Bay immediately. The decision was, however, brought up at a press conference given by U Nu in 1954, when a reporter named U Maung Maung Khin of the Myanma Alinn newspaper asked about the governments failure to take action against them on that occasion. A few months later, on April 4, 1954, U Ba Bay, along with politicians Tharyarwady Maung Maung and U Lun, was tried for high treason and each given prison sentences. Regarding the case, Myanmars historians, have remarked that paving the way for the military to intervene in the conflicts of politicians amounts to a hanging of democracy. The military did later seize power from the government in 1958, 1962, and 1988, and until today it is still deeply involved in the countrys politics. Hosted by a different member each year, the meeting of the Global Standards Collaboration, GSC-22, was jointly organized by ISO and the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission). The two-day event attracted participants from around the world, with notable representation from those countries where information communication technology (ICT) is set to play an increasingly strong role in the economy. The first day was dedicated to innovative presentations and lively panel discussions on the theme of smart sustainable cities. GSC members shared their views on standards relevant to cities that face substantial challenges in choosing suitable standards for their requirements. Recognizing the fast pace of technological evolution combined with rapidly growing populations, members encouraged continued discussion, particularly on the development of guidelines and standards to enable seamless data exchange and interoperability. The second day focused on the rapid growth of AI, which is set to influence everything from the way we manufacture and distribute products, to healthcare, to the move from smart to intelligent phones. One of the inherent advantages of GSC is its global diversity. Participants provided the variety of perspectives needed to adequately consider the needs of countries at different levels of development. The sessions on artificial intelligence were coordinated by Wael William Diab, a business and technology strategist from Californias Silicon Valley who also serves as the Chair of the group dedicated to AI within ISO and IECs joint technical group on information technology (ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 42). Presentations and participative panel discussions from major industry players and standards development organizations brought to life the enormous possibilities for AI as well as giving specific consideration to potential issues related to security, privacy, trustworthiness, ethics, societal concerns and regulation. Standardization is essential to artificial intelligence its future and its wide adoption across the world. Wael William Diab, Chair of ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 42 The event shows that ICT is a priority for both of the host organizations. With an increasing number of areas underpinned by increasingly sophisticated technology, and new areas emerging all the time, the need for clarity through International Standards has never been greater. The enormous scope of ISO and IECs work through their joint technical committee can sometimes seem overwhelming even to specialists in the field. Fortunately, a newly published brochure, IEC, ISO and information communication technology, brings much needed clarity. Speaking at the event, ISO Secretary-General Sergio Mujica said: GSC-22 is about getting together to share ideas, challenges and opportunities. Standards are key to furthering economic development and improving peoples lives especially when it comes to innovative technologies like AI and Smart Sustainable Cities. Thursday, April 4th, 2019 (8:11 am) - Score 1,083 A new report from the House of Lords has claimed that digital connectivity in coastal areas is largely insufficient, while investment in mobile and broadband ISP infrastructure lagged considerably behind urban areas. As a result they want support for ultra-fast broadband to be the Governments highest priority. The Regenerating Seaside Towns Committee report sadly doesnt include much statistical data to support its assumptions, although many of the local authorities that submitted evidence to the committee did remark upon concerns about the provision of high-quality broadband and mobile connectivity in coastal locations. One example of this was the North Norfolk District Council, where ultrafast broadband is almost non-existent and superfast broadband (24Mbps+) hasnt even reached the original Broadband Delivery UK target of 90%, although it is getting close. As the North Norfolk Council said, many visitors to the area expect such infrastructure to be available and are frustrated by poor coverage and capacity across much of the District. This is increasingly placing our economy, but particularly tourism businesses and accommodation providers, at a commercial disadvantage, which could have long-term implications for the area. On the flip side the report notes that various coastal communities, such as Brighton & Hove, Bournemouth, West Sussex and many parts of Cornwall were either already well served by digital connectivity or are in the process of a major upgrade programme. Most of these have benefited from public investment schemes from the UK and / or EU, as well as work by commercial network operators (e.g. BT in Cornwall). Lord Bassam of Brighton, Chairman of the Committee, said: For too long, seaside towns have been neglected. They suffer from issues rooted in the decline of their core industries, most notably domestic tourism, but also in fishing, shipbuilding and port activity, and from their location at the end of the line. The potential impact of Brexit on these towns, particularly the hospitality sector, also remains an open question. A single solution to their economic and social challenges doesnt exist. What is needed is a package of strategic initiatives and interventions where national and local government work together to address issues such as transport, housing, post-school education and high-speed broadband. Places like Brighton and Bournemouth have shown that the seaside can successfully reinvent itself. The Committee is confident that if our recommendations are pursued seaside towns can once again become prosperous and desirable places to live in and visit. The report concludes by saying that improving digital connectivity presents a significant opportunity to overcome the challenges of peripherality in coastal areas, not least by helping existing businesses, encouraging new businesses and enabling people to work more flexibly from home without the need to commute. Admittedly you could say this about many inland rural areas too. Overall it concludes that effective infrastructure investment and assistance in delivering ultra-fast broadband in seaside towns should be the highest priority if the regeneration of these areas is to be achieved. As such it calls on the Government to promote initiatives to support digital connectivity in coastal communities specifically, and undertake a full programme of engagement with local authorities, LEPs and businesses. One possible catch here is that the full report doesnt specifically define what it means by terms like high-speed broadband or ultra-fast broadband, although we tend to assume that the latter is 100Mbps+ but Ofcom does separately use the rather awkward (and not widely accepted) definition of 300Mbps+. Some others also equate ultra-fast to Gigabit (1Gbps+) class connections. The Government would no doubt say that theyre already providing some degree of support through their 1.6bn+ Broadband Delivery UK programme, which is on-going and should have covered around 97% or more UK premises with superfast broadband networks by March 2020. Not to mention the business rates relief on new fibre, a Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme and the Local Full Fibre Networks (LFFN) programme. On top of that various changes were proposed as part of last years Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review (FTIR), which aim to stimulate investment toward supporting the roll-out of future full fibre (FTTP) and 5G mobile broadband networks across the UK. However it will almost certainly take a much bigger injection of public funding in order to truly tackle many of the disadvantaged coastal areas, particularly around the smaller and less commercially viable ones. Meanwhile the problem of improving mobile connectivity may be helped by new coverage obligations but there are other complex challenges to overcome here too (details). Thursday, April 4th, 2019 (9:00 am) - Score 7,565 Mobile operator VOXI, which is a Vodafone UK sub-brand that was launched in 2017 and initially targeted at people aged 25 and under (e.g. students), has informed ISPreview.co.uk that it will today remove age-gating from its platform so that anyone can purchase a voxi contract. Back in 2017 the Head of VOXI, Dan Lambrou, said the operator aimed to sell mobile plans that were specifically tailored for younger users and their social media habits: Why should young people make do with the same mobile plans as everyone else, when they use their phones differently and often cant access the best deals?, said Dan. The result was an operator that allowed subscribers to cancel at anytime (monthly contracts), supported unlimited usage of social media apps and offered unlimited calls, texts and picture messages with every plan. The catch was that only those people aged 25 and under could join (this was later softened to the under 30s). This morning VOXIs website continues to say that theyre tailored to under 30s so you can only join if youre in this age group. If youre age 30 or above and looking for SIM only deals, check out Vodafones range. Nevertheless Vodafone has informed us that this age-gating restriction is due to be lifted sometime today, although it hasnt yet explained why. UPDATE 5th April 2019 A spokesperson for Vodafone told ISPreview.co.uk: [Weve] removed the under 30 age restriction for buying plans and phones. With endless data for social media at the centre of its offering and no contract, VOXI is designed to meet the needs of a younger audience who use their mobile mainly for social media and who dont want to be tied into a contract. As VOXI has become more popular, weve seen our offering appeal to a wider audience and therefore weve made it easier for anyone who likes our proposition to join us. Image courtesy of Guylaine Tremblay Interview: Guylaine Tremblay Luca Curci talks with Guylaine Tremblay during THE BODY LANGUAGE 2019 at Palazzo Ca Zanardi. Guylaine Tremblay is a self-taught Quebec painter: she favours an intuitive and emotional creation technique through an impassioned abandonment. Through the thrusts of her impulses, vibrant works are born at the steady pace of her brushes. She has successfully explored different techniques such as acrylic, ink, oils, lacquers, spatulas and brushes. She more particularly utilizes an acrylic paint layering technique in a contemporary style which works are signed under her artist pseudonym: Fay. Image courtesy of Guylaine Tremblay Luca Curci What are you currently working on? Guylaine Tremblay I am presently working on abstract paintings for my next exhibition to be held in New York in April 2019. LC What is art for you? GT I describe Art as being the heart of felt emotions and its intuition, each creating leading to the depths of a dialogue between the soul, the gestures while allowing imagination. LC Do visitors suggestions enrich yourself and your art? GT Absolutely, visitors suggestions really stimulate me, I enjoy seeing through their eyes the perception of my creation. LC What is the most challenging part about creating your artworks? GT The fear of being in front of a canvas and nothing happening. To be standing there with a blank space with no inspiration. This has rarely happened to me but on those occasions, I just put everything aside and came back the next day. LC Do you agree with our vision of art and what do you think about the theme of the festival? GT I literally fell in love with the title of the festival, it really resonated with me The body language because I dont only paint with my soul but with my whole body. LC We were attracted by your last artistic production, has the artwork presented been created for the festival or as a part of preexisting works? GT My painting was created in January 2019, it is the first of my new collection. LC What do you think about ITSLIQUID Platform? GT It is a beautiful innovative platform in the flavor of the day which highlights the artists . LC What do you think about the organization of our event? GT The team is amazing, really professional and cordial, attuned to the artists. Queensland-based Bigmate is applying its experience in telematics to additional areas of technology and business. Bigmate started 17 years ago in telematics, with a focus on "cutting down the cost of ownership", said Bigmate general manager Brett Orr. It became a market leader in Australia, but realised that the prospects for organic growth were limited. So Bigmate looked at its core skills sensors, communications, storage, analytics and presentation and realised that they could be applied to IoT more generally. The company also noticed the increased attention given to workplace accidents as a result of changes to directors' legal responsibilities. The fact that 60% of such accidents resulted from "unwanted interactions" between people and vehicles led to the development of Warny, a product for creating a safer work environment, which uses video analytics to predict such interactions with 90% accuracy. Bigmate selected Tibco as a partner because its software could handle legacy and current systems, as well as providing flexibility for future developments. The Tibco Jaspersoft BI product is claimed to make it easy, quick and cheap to make changes, reducing Bigmate's costs and increasing its competitiveness. Tibco's software allowed Bigmate to break through a technological ceiling it had encountered, allowing it to deliver the scale and flexibility required by customers. Thanks to Jaspersoft, Bigmate was able to achieve 200% growth while only increasing staff numbers by 60%, Bigmate chief technology officer Peter Girgis told iTWire. Developers could move easily between the company's three product streams (telematics, Internet of Assets and Internet of Things), and much of the work can be done by less highly-paid staff. Tibco's user groups are another asset, he said. The exchange of ideas and advice between peers meant Bigmate never had to resort to using consultants. Bigmate runs its systems on AWS, and Tibco and AWS worked very well together, said Orr, with none of the finger-pointing that vendors sometimes engage in. The flexibility provided by AWS made it possible to spin systems up and down as required, even for short term projects, and to accurately estimate the cost of projects. Tibco's flexibility was also an important part of delivering what customers need, he added. Orr pointed out that Bigmate's customers faced similar issues, whether it was improving their bottom line, or delivering a better customer experience. Organisations could gain insights from sensors, even when they are embedded in something as mundane as a rubbish bin. Initially, Bigmate just detected whether a bin was full or empty. But measuring the height of the rubbish meant one could arrange just-in-time bin emptying, without cost of travelling to a bin that doesn't need emptying. That also avoided other problems associated with full bins, including overflowing, gulls and other scavengers, and user annoyance. The company also added temperature sensors. It takes around 30 minutes for a discarded cigarette end to set the contents of a bin on fire, but during the first five minutes the temperature rises by 7C. Detecting that initial spike provides enough time to get someone to douse the bin, thus avoiding the need to call out the fire brigade. In one case, these bin sensors revealed that the temperatures in a particular precinct were about 7C below those prevailing in the general area. Investigation revealed that the cause was a 'wind tunnel' effect, plus the general use of light coloured paints that reflected heat. Adding plants to act as windbreaks and introducing darker colours increased the temperatures by 5C, resulting in increased business for the cafes and restaurants in the precinct. Other local government applications include monitoring park barbecues to allow pre-emptive maintenance, and detecting the theft of newly planted trees, said Girgis. While air quality isn't as big an issue in Australia as it is in some countries, some councils including the City of Brimbank in Melbourne's north-west are starting to look at it. Around 30 factors can be measured, but "no one really knows how to visualise that", Orr told iTWire. Fortunately, Jaspersoft allows the creation of an initial analysis and visualisation, and then "we sit down with [the customer] and start tweaking and changing" to get something that is actionable. This process is "really easy" with Jaspersoft, he said. The most important aspect of a smart city varies from place to place, Orr observed. For example, commute times and the availability of parking spaces aren't usually issues in regional towns. But Bigmate offers a platform that lets authorities address the aspects of particular concern, without engaging (expensive) analysts. By basing successive projects on the platform, they can all talk to each other, and the eventual result is a smart city without needing a large upfront investment in a custom architecture, and even the first project can deliver value. That's partly because Tibco's software helps avoid silos, and getting all the data in one place allows much greater insight, said Orr. Thus Bigmate's software can ingest data from anywhere, which means customers have no need to place bets on particular sources (ServiceNow, Oracle database, etc) or communications technologies (Zigbee, NB-IoT, etc). Data from all sources can be pulled together and then analysed and visualised in one place, he explained. Jaspersoft is augmented with a lot of custom modules developed by Bigmate, predominantly in Java. They include mapping and geolocation software, as well as integration with Bigmate's Web services. The performance of these modules is a high priority, and a lot of effort has gone into optimising them because some applications involve millions of rows of data. "We do a lot of analytics," said Girgis. The company previously used a variety of analytics modules, including Tableau. But now some 99% of the work is done within Jaspersoft. Support for Tibco's Spotfire and other realtime data sources is planned for mid-2019, but data flows are still being analysed in order to get the architecture right, he said. Another project is the addition of live video streams along with their metrics to dashboards. For example, a feed from a warehouse could reveal detected objects (eg, forklifts and people), and report the utilisation of forklifts and the number of moving and stationary people. "We try to extract as many metrics as we can," said Girgis. The idea is to treat a camera like any other sensor. "We believe video will become an invaluable source of data over the next few years." Falling prices make this viable, especially as one camera can potentially replace multiple sensors of other types, for example to detect how many people and vehicles there are in an area, and how fast they are moving. In one case, a customer found that forklift drivers were complying with the speed limit, but they were almost always driving at the limit regardless of the number of people in the area. It only took about half an hour to build a dashboard that showed this behaviour, and then strategies could be developed to deal with it. Another example involved the use of heat maps of pedestrian traffic to determine whether the "walk between the lines" areas were big enough or even in the right places. The thing about using video data is that users can see what's actually happening. Unlike other types of sensor data, "it's real," said Orr. Integrity, resilience and security are very important. "We're pretty bulletproof... that's what a lot of our customers are demanding", especially in the public sector, Girgis said. Containerisation is used in part to isolate different customers' data and processing. Furthermore, Bigmate doesn't store video data, Orr explained. The live streams and detected events are displayed on the dashboard, leaving the customer to correlate events with footage stored in their own video management system. Pictures can be taken out of context, said Girgis, so "data interpretation starts to be extremely critical". There can be many reasons why a person and a forklift come into closer proximity than a company's rules allow (eg, a warehouse employee might approach a stationary forklift to give instructions to the driver, or it could be the result of a fall), so "getting interpreted, accurate answers is critical". Disclosure:The writer attended Tibco Now 2019 as a guest of the company New Zealand energy provider Unison says it is embracing "all-new mobile-enabled technology" to transform its organisation after inking a multi-million-dollar 10-year deal with enterprise software provider, TechnologyOne. The deal will see Unison replace its current solutions with TechnologyOnes fully integrated enterprise solution, OneEnergy, which is used by other New Zealand energy networks including MainPower, Alpine Energy and Network Waitaki. Unison chief information officer Mike McGarvey said TechnologyOnes solution offered the full breadth of functionality it required and would transform its mobile workforce into a connected team. When reviewing the systems used for asset information and works management, it became clear that an integrated suite of functions would result in a far more transformative project, he said. The benefits of a single, modern platform with powerful mobile capabilities will allow us to capture, input and access our enterprise data on any device at any time whether that be in the office or out in the field. Not only will this result in greater efficiencies, it will enhance data integrity and ensure we have access to real-time information for informed decision-making. TechnologyOne chief operating officer Stuart MacDonald said the company was thrilled to partner with Unison over the next 10 years. Our OneEnergy solution does just what it says on the label it will provide Unison with one solution and one streamlined experience," he said. Were seeing more and more organisations opt for a fully integrated ERP solution, as it simplifies operations and removes the complexity of dealing with multiple best-of-breed vendors. Unison Group chief executive Ken Sutherland said Unisons search for an integrated enterprise solution was part of a wider strategy focused on future proofing its organisation, and a strong digital core is central to that. Our focus is firmly on the future. Strengthening our core capability through a smart network and implementing an integrated business operations platform will improve overall efficiency across our Group, Sutherland said. Verizon has become the first mobile provider in the US to offer users 5G-enabled smartphones on a 5G network, the company said in a statement on Wednesday. The network was rolled out in Chicago and Minneapolis, but customers will need the US$240 moto z3 the first 5G-enabled smartphone in the US market to access the network. A US$200 5G moto mod attachment, which looks like a battery pack, enables the phone to connect to the network. While both Verizon and AT&T have launched 5G networks in a number of American cities, Chicago and Minneapolis are the first where the networks can be accessed with a 5G-enabled phone. The company said customers using its 5G Ultra Wideband network in either city could experience speeds of up to 1Gbps. But it added that early customers should expect typical download speeds of 450 Mbps, with peak speeds of nearly 1Gbps, and latency of less than 30 milliseconds. Verizon customers will be the first in the world to have the power of 5G in their hands," said Hans Vestberg, Verizons chairman and chief executive. This is the latest in our string of 5G firsts. Verizon launched the first commercial broadband 5G service last October, Verizon 5G Home, and now were lighting up our 5G Ultra Wideband network in Chicago and Minneapolis, providing the worlds first commercial 5G mobile service with a 5G-enabled smartphone. The company said when customers moved outside the 5G Ultra Wideband coverage area, the 5G moto mod handed off the signal to its own 4G LTE network. Verizon has said it plans to launch the the 5G Ultra Wideband service in more than 30 cities this year. South Korea's SK Telecom says it will launch 5G services on Friday, with competitors KT and LG Uplus expected to also get on-board the same day. SK Telecom chief executive Park Jung-ho told the media on Wednesday that the company had secured the widest 5G coverage and, as of 2 April, it had a total of 34,000 base stations. Its network was rolled out in areas where there was a high consumption of data, including the main areas of 85 cities across the nation, including Seoul. SK Telecom said it was expanding in-building coverage around 120 department stores, shopping centres and airports. The company claimed that with using its self-developed "Total In-building Solution", it could provide in-building data rates that were four times faster than its competitors by utilising the four antennas of a smartphone. SK Telecom said it uses 4G-5G dual connectivity technology to support data transmission rates up to 2.7Gbps, making it ideal for streaming and downloading ultra-large volume VR and UHD content. It said while it took more than a minute to download 12GB of VR content on a 5G network alone, it took only 36 seconds to download the same content on its 4G-5G aggregated network. The AR, VR and cloud games unveiled today only mark the beginning of the age of Hyper-Innovation brought by 5G, said Park. SK Telecom will continue to introduce 5G-based innovative services to lead all areas of new ICT. Germany-based open source company SUSE has announced the release of the first enterprise Linux image for SAP Hana large instances on Microsoft Azure. The company made the announcement on Wednesday at its annual conference, SUSECON, which taking place in Nashville, Tennessee, this week. It said the SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications image on Azure offered consistent build and management capabilities on Azure. SAP HANA Large Instances on Azure are purpose-built hardware configurations for SAP HANA workloads that require memory sizes larger than 0.5 terabyte. {loadpositionn sam08}SUSE said it was collaborating with Microsoft to support mission-critical workloads for SAP HANA environments up to 60TB in size with the stability and reliability of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications. This is a customer-driven solution jointly developed with Microsoft to provide the advanced high availability and storage security for SAP HANA Large Instances that customers need, said Daniel Nelson, vice-president of Products and Solutions for SUSE. Were delivering a SAP-certified platform for Azure that is pre-configured and able to make customers productive faster. SUSE enables enterprises with open source solutions like this to implement best-of-breed digital transformation and realise the hybrid and multi-cloud workload management they require to power continuous innovation, competitiveness and growth. K.Y. Srinivasan, general manager, OSS at Microsoft, said, Our joint customers are using SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications as the underlying operating system to ensure a reliable platform that is validated on Azure Large Instances. It represents the innovation that marks our long relationship as we continue to work together to provide solutions that meet demanding enterprise customer requirements. SUSE also announced support for 2nd Generation Intel Xeon Scalable processors, formerly codenamed Cascade Lake. Earlier this year, it it became the first enterprise Linux optimised for Intel Optane DC persistent memory with SAP HANA workloads. Organisations today face increasing pressure to become more agile and economically efficient in order to grow, compete and survive, said Thomas Di Giacomo, SUSE president of Engineering, Product and Innovation. Were helping them harness todays explosive innovation as they embrace hybrid and multi-cloud as well as on-premises environments to fuel and enable their digital transformation. Intels persistent memory technology will spark new applications for data access and storage, with in-memory database solutions being just one application. "It is customer needs that drive our joint innovation with Intel, and we continue to partner to serve customers worldwide who are looking to fuel growth by transforming their IT infrastructure. Alper Ilkbahar, vice-president and general manager of Datacentre Memory and Storage Solutions at Intel, said, Intel is focused on data-centric transformation by disrupting the memory and storage hierarchy and helping our customers address the massive increase in data they face daily. "By collaborating with software leaders like SUSE, we are able to help customers more quickly and confidently deploy Intel Optane DC persistent memory, and reap the rewards of this transformational technology. Motorola Solutions has joined Fortem Australia, a new community-based organisation focussed on the health and wellbeing of Australias 300,000-plus first responders. Through Fortem, Australia's 300,000-plus police, security and emergency services personnel will be supported with a range of new mental health initiatives, with the Federal Government providing almost $6 million to develop mental health services and support services in Australia. "Having worked closely with Australia's emergency services over the past 50 years, Motorola Solutions understands the significant pressure that first responders face in protecting our communities every day, said Steve Crutchfield, vice president and managing director Australia and New Zealand, Motorola Solutions. "We are delighted to join Fortem Australia in supporting the mental health and wellbeing of first responders who do all they can to keep us safe, even when that means dealing with traumatic events that most of us never have to face." The Police Federation of Australia will receive $2.5 million from the Department of Health to establish a 'Blue Hub' a national centre of excellence to develop a national framework for mental health care for emergency service first responders. And a further $3.3 million will be drawn from confiscated 'proceeds of crime' for several initiatives to boost services and educate and support emergency service workers around mental health issues. The Minister for Home Affairs Peter Dutton, who launched Fortem Australia on Wednesday, said it was fitting to reinvest 'proceeds of crime' back into supporting first responders to emergency situations. Initiatives proposed to be funded from 'proceeds of crime' are: $1.88 million over two years to Fortem Australia to improve health and wellbeing of emergency service workers and meet the needs of individuals and families from early intervention to crisis support. $750,000 over one year to the National Police Memorial Co to educate and build resilience in all law enforcement agencies in the areas of social, emotional and psychological health. $648,996 over two years to the Australian Federal Police for development of new mental health policies and health standards. "Police, fire and ambulance officers, paramedics and volunteers in organisations like the SES that have to deal firsthand with the accidents, crime and crisis incidents on a daily basis. It can take a toll," Minister Dutton said. "They are there 24/7 working to help and keep us as individuals and a community safe. We rely on them. "We must do all we can to help them in their jobs, and importantly, to lead happy and healthy lives." Register with JOC.com and receive 5 free pieces of content for the first thirty days. After thirty days, you will receive 3 pieces of content and after sixty days you will receive 1 piece of content. To receive full access, Subscribe Today . You can also subscribe to our daily newsletter. Register For a better experience on our website and avoid any trouble, we strongly recommand to activate Javascript ( click here ). Hello and welcome to Journal des Palaces You are a communication or the PR manager? Click here You are an applicant? Check out our questions and answers here ! Core Gold has identified disclosure and misinformation issues by its former CEO to the TSX Venture Exchange and the British Columbia Securities Commission, including his recent press release on April 1, 2019 which constitutes unlawful disclosure of confidential corporate information Disgruntled former CEO's alarming self-interested actions include: Repeatedly breaching his duty of confidence Acting without Board authority to negotiate two non-binding letters of intent which would breach Core Gold's contractual agreement with Titan Minerals Limited Unilateral and unlawful disclosure of Core Gold's confidential information Misappropriation of corporate funds Former CEO's conduct appears to be driven solely by a desire to regain and entrench his position as CEO and to prevent the Titan transaction at any cost which would conveniently leave him as Core Gold's CEO while leaving Core Gold shareholders to receive no value Former CEO is simply lying about a so-called competing proposal, which was highly conditional and non-binding, and at no time was actionable by Core Gold, or superior, or even comparable, to the Titan transaction; no subscription agreement was ever executed The Core Gold Board continues to support the Titan transaction as the best value-creator for Core Gold shareholders and believes that the former CEO's press releases are self-serving, distractive and potentially harmful to Core Gold and its shareholders VANCOUVER, April 3, 2019 /CNW/ - Core Gold Inc. ("Core Gold" or the "Company") (TSXV: CGLD, OTCQX: CGLDF) is issuing this press release to correct self-serving, false, misleading, defamatory and inaccurate disclosures made by its terminated former CEO, Mr. Keith Piggott, in a press release issued on April 1, 2019. Mr. Piggott was terminated for cause by Core Gold in March, 2019. Mr. Piggott remains a director of Core Gold. Mr. Piggott's press release misrepresents and omits many significant and important facts and was issued for entirely self-serving purposes. Rather than identify some nefarious action by the Core Gold board of directors (the "Board"), his press release only serves to show that Core Gold and its Board have acted with the best interests of its shareholders in mind, while at all times being mindful of its contractual obligations and its obligations under securities and other laws, all of which Mr. Piggott continues to misunderstand, ignore and breach. Mr. Piggott, through his press release, continues to provide the corroborating evidence that justifies his termination for cause by Core Gold. Core Gold therefore wishes to correct the misleading statements and also to provide additional information which Mr. Piggott has selectively omitted from his press release. 1. Mr. Piggott's Press Release is a Clear Breach of his Duty of Confidence as a Director of Core Gold and a Misuse of Corporate Information solely for his own Personal Interest Mr. Piggott does not understand even the basic legal requirements of being a director of a corporation, and most certainly does not understand that his press release is a breach of his duties as a director under Section 142 of the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia). As a director, he owes Core Gold a duty of confidence and he must protect Core Gold's corporate information, which he is not to use for his own personal interest and gain. His press release of April 1, 2019 is completely at odds with this requirement as he is now divulging confidential corporate information about a possible transaction and discussions that are not his to divulge unilaterally. This is consistent with his prior actions as CEO where it is known that he "tipped" numerous Core Gold shareholders to internal Core Gold discussions, which is contrary to securities laws and which has been notified to the British Columbia Securities Commission. Mr. Piggott seems to believe that he does not have to abide by any corporate or securities law, or any duty owed at law or otherwise. 2. Mr. Piggott's Purported Transaction with a Chinese Mining Company would Deliver no Value direct to Core Gold Shareholders but would have Preserved Mr. Piggott as CEO Core Gold did authorize a $4 million private placement at C$0.45 per share from a Chinese mining company. However, the Chinese structure would have kept Mr. Piggott as CEO (which the Titan transaction does not), and so clearly Mr. Piggott's own personal interest is skewing his perception of a transaction which was non-binding, highly conditional, subject to lengthy and uncertain due diligence, required much further negotiation, and would not deliver value direct to Core Gold shareholders. Leaving aside the non-binding and highly conditional nature of the Chinese mining company's letters of intent, that purported transaction would not have delivered value directly to Core Gold's shareholders as does the agreement with Titan Minerals Limited ("Titan"). Rather, it would have provided new cash into Core Gold (which the Titan transaction also does) but would not provide a value uplift associated with the exchange of shares for shares in a larger consolidated Titan and Core Gold merged group. 3. The Core Gold Board has Authorized an Additional Private Placement but there is No Signed Subscription Agreement nor Funds Received from the Chinese Mining Company Under the terms of the Titan Arrangement Agreement, up to a US$8 million private placement into Core Gold is permitted under an exemption and as such, a C$4 million investment was authorized by the Core Gold Board to proceed. However, the Chinese mining company has neither provided the subscription funds to the account notified to them nor have they delivered an executed subscription agreement, which was also provided to them. Mr. Piggott's assertion that there is a "subscription" is therefore false, misleading and inaccurate. If the Chinese mining company executed the provided subscription agreement, the Core Gold Board would consider accepting this subscription, but to date, and contrary to Mr. Piggott's assertions, there is no subscription to accept. Mr. Piggott has also asserted that the Chinese mining company "commit[ted]" to invest in excess of US$100 million. This is a patently false and misleading statement. There is, and was, no commitment for even C$4 million let alone any higher amount. There were only extremely brief non-binding letters of intent, which had subscription amounts (if ever actually agreed in definitive documentation), would have barely exceeded US$12 million (approximately C$16 million). 4. Mr. Piggott's Purported Transaction with a Chinese Mining Company was Non-Binding, Highly Conditional, Subject to Due Diligence, only an Option, Required Significant Further Negotiation on Key Commercial Terms, and could not have been considered "Superior" to the Titan Transaction Under the Arrangement Agreement with Titan, Core Gold had the ability to consider a private placement equivalent to US$14 million to be a "superior proposal" that would permit Core Gold to terminate that agreement. However, the purported transaction brought forth by the Chinese mining company fell short in size of placement and could not therefore be considered "superior" leaving all of the many other factors concerning the non-binding letters of intent aside. As such, Core Gold could not pursue this transaction without breaching the Arrangement Agreement with Titan. This was explained to Mr. Piggott by Core Gold's legal counsel at the Board meeting of March 9, 2019 and documented in an email to the directors, including Mr. Piggott. Mr. Piggott either did not understand the contractual arrangements that Core Gold had entered into (and that he voted in favour of), or chose to simply ignore them. As well, the non-binding letters of intent were subject to 45 days of due diligence, were structured as an "option" for the Chinese mining company to increase its interest (meaning it was their choice whether to proceed and they would not have been obliged to further subscribe), required negotiation of the significant terms (including a full joint venture, rights of board representation, project cooperation including in management, design, construction, and finance, and a pre-emptive right and standstill obligations) and would only have led to a further non-binding letter of intent. The Titan transaction is a legally agreed and binding agreement, which had no due diligence condition, and already in progress. The fact is the proposed investment from the Chinese mining company was only a non-binding and highly conditional expression of interest that could not have been actioned by Core Gold without absorbing vastly more risk of non-completion than the Titan transaction provides. 5. Mr. Piggott Negotiated Non-Binding Letters of Intent without Board Authority Mr. Piggott, acting without Board authority, negotiated two non-binding letters of intent with the previously mentioned Chinese mining company. These were negotiated with only limited notification to the Board and without any oversight from the Board or its special committee of independent directors, and were only ever seen by the Board in executed form. Mr. Piggott gave the Board and its special committee no opportunity to review what he was negotiating. The resulting non-binding letters of intent paid no regard to Core Gold's contractual agreement with Titan, which Mr. Piggott had originally approved and pre-dated these negotiations. As well, Mr. Piggott determined to negotiate these non-binding letters of intent without the benefit of any legal advice, or financial analysis, or assistance from Core Gold's management or its special committee of independent directors and its advisors. It was a Keith Piggott one-man effort with no regard for proper Board governance, process, legal requirements, financial analysis or the best interest of any other stakeholder, other than Mr. Piggott. 6. Mr. Piggott Negotiated the Purported Transaction with the Chinese Mining Company with No Regard for Core Gold's Contractual Arrangements The due diligence proposed to be undertaken (including drilling activities) was not permitted under the Arrangement Agreement with Titan, and was not even notified to the Board of Core Gold. It should be noted that the Chinese mining company had the opportunity to conduct due diligence on Core Gold's Dynasty Goldfields project in the autumn of 2018, and to review all the data at that time. What Mr. Piggott purportedly authorized was a 30 person, 3 drill rig exploration program, which was far from a due diligence twin hole confirmation, which no company would authorize as part of a due diligence investigation even if it was able to do so. Furthermore, Mr. Piggott went to China to negotiate the letters of intent and invited no director or member of management of Core Gold to these negotiations; only a shareholder that was not an elected director; not an officer; not an employee and not even a consultant. Unfortunately, the Chinese mining company was also the innocent recipient of another misrepresentation by Mr. Piggott as he clearly misrepresented the due diligence that Core Gold was permitted to grant, likely as a result of both his misunderstanding of the terms of the agreement with Titan that he had voted in favour of, and simply ignoring those requirements. Accordingly, Core Gold did not, at its March 9, 2019 Board meeting, permit the due diligence to proceed because it was not permitted under the Arrangement Agreement with Titan. Core Gold honored its contractual commitments, something Mr. Piggott seems incapable of doing. This is another example of Mr. Piggott being of the view that he has the unilateral ability to do what he pleases without regard for his statutory duties as a director, the limits of his authority as CEO (who reports to the Board), securities laws, and Core Gold's contractual relations. Accordingly, Mr. Piggott, in order to serve his own personal interest in trying to remain as CEO, took actions that exposed the corporation to potential contractual breaches, "tipped" persons contrary to securities laws, and were undertaken without any approval from the Core Gold Board or its special committee of independent directors. 7. Mr. Piggott's Termination for Cause was Unrelated to the Chinese Mining Company's Purported Non-Binding, Highly Conditional Letters of Intent Core Gold's news release of March 19, 2019 clarified the circumstances of Mr. Piggott's termination for cause. Mr. Piggott's press release of April 1, 2019 continues to establish that Core Gold was justified in its action and provides further ample evidence that Mr. Piggott breached his fiduciary duties, acted outside of his legal authority, exposed Core Gold to contractual breaches, misled third parties, took no legal or financial advice, breached securities laws, and acted in a manner contrary to Core Gold's contractual arrangements. 8. Mr. Piggott was not Threatened in any Manner by Core Gold, its Directors, its Management or its Advisors Mr. Piggott's press release states: "At the board meeting held March 9, 2019 directors and advisors of Core Gold explicitly threatened to terminate me for cause unless I voted for the Titan amended proposal and agreed to vote all my shares in favour of the Titan merger. I refused," said Mr. Piggott. This statement is false, defamatory and fanciful to a degree that it hardly merits a response, but it does. At the Board meeting on March 9, 2019, Mr. Piggott was notified that he was being terminated for cause and that the Core Gold Board was prepared to deliver that notice immediately. Mr. Piggott was advised by Core Gold's remaining directors and legal counsel that the Board had already made this decision and that he was now merely being notified of that unilateral determination taken by the other Core Gold directors following his being put on notice in November, 2018. However, given the lengthy relationship between Mr. Piggott and Core Gold and his prior approval of the Titan transaction, Mr. Piggott was also presented with a mutual termination process whereby he would step down as CEO and a director, and not be terminated for cause, and as a condition, he would also enter into a voting support agreement (as each other director and member of senior management had agreed to do). Mr. Piggott was not required to agree to this but he was provided with the option. He was also given the opportunity to have his personal legal counsel review the terms of the mutual termination, but as he did not respond with the timeframe provided, the Core Gold Board provided notice of termination for cause under his consulting agreement. Mr. Piggott was not, in any way, terminated because he did not support the Titan transaction. He was terminated for the numerous, and now well documented, breaches, circumstances and events stated earlier and described in Core Gold's news release of March 19, 2019. The causal link that Mr. Piggott suggests simply does not exist. Had he agreed to the mutual termination process, and agreed to sign a voting support agreement, he would still not be CEO of Core Gold today. About Core Gold Inc. The Company is a Canadian based mining company involved in the mining, exploration and development of mineral properties in Ecuador. The Company is currently focused on gold production at its wholly-owned Dynasty Goldfield project. Mineral is treated at the Company's wholly-owned Portovelo treatment plant. The Company also owns other significant gold exploration projects including the Linderos and Copper Duke area in southern Ecuador all of which are on the main Peruvian Andean gold-copper belt extending into Ecuador. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. TORONTO, April 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- VVC Exploration Corporation (VVC or the Company) (TSX-V:VVC) is today releasing additional data specific to the Concha Zone which forms part of the updated Resource Estimate (Resource Estimate) contained in the News Release of March 21, 2019. La Concha Zone The Concha Zone of VVCs Samalayuca Copper Project is shown expanded from Figure 1 below with the associated Resource Estimate data displayed in Table 1 below. The Resource Estimate for La Concha is 21.03 million pounds indicated and 31.05 million pounds of copper inferred. This compares with no pounds indicated and 41.8 million pounds inferred in the earlier estimate for the entire Samalayuca Project. A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available by clicking on the image or link below: Figure 1 - Area of Samalayuca Project covered by the Resource Estimate announced in the March 21, 2019 News Release. The diagram includes three-dimensional rendering of the areas included in the Resource Estimate, including La Concha (in the upper left) Drilling at La Concha in the 2017/18 drilling campaign was limited and the zone appears to be open to the north west, southwest and at depth with further drilling / exploration a priority to define additional copper resources. VVC President Jim Culver commented, This updated Resource Estimate is just the beginning. More exploration is required, however the Resource Estimate gives us (i) data leading us toward considering the possibility of a Pilot Mine should the economic viability and technical feasibility be established, (ii) a roadmap for further exploration, and (iii) an idea of the overall prospects of the Samalayuca Project. The Base Case of the Resource Estimate, at a cut off of 0.15% copper, gives: indicated - 21.03 million pounds of copper; inferred - 36.15 million pounds of copper, with La Concha representing 35% of the Indicated Resource and 40% of the inferred Resource, as reported in our Press Release of March 21, 2019. As La Concha represented only 10% of the drill holes (6 of 60), the area requires further exploration to better define the resource especially since the Zone is open to the West, East, South and at depth, thereby greatly increasing the potential for a significant increase in mineralization. A sensitivity analysis of the mineral resource was completed at various cut-off grades from 0% to 0.30% Cu with the Base Case determined to be at 0.15% cut-off grade. Base Case Copper results for La Concha are shown in Table 1 below. Indicated Inferred Indicated Inferred (Mt) Cu (%) Cu (Kt) (Mt) Cu (%) Cu (Kt) Cu (M Lbs) Cu (M Lbs) 3.162 0.302 9.538 6.151 0.267 16.397 21.03 36.15 Table 1: Copper Resource Estimate for La Concha Zone Summary of Resource Estimate The 2019 Resource Estimate was submitted via a draft NI 43-101 technical report received on March 20, 2019. The final report (the Report) will be delivered and filed on SEDAR on or before May 4, 2019. The Resource Estimate includes data gathered from the 2017/2018 drilling (see news release of January 30th, 2019) and was prepared by Jacques Marchand P. Eng. Geology, a qualified, and independent person as defined under National Instrument (NI) 43-101. A previous Resource Estimate was prepared by Michel Boily, Ph.D., P., Geo. in 2013 and was included in a NI 43-101 technical report dated April 20, 2013. Technical Oversight The technical and scientific content of this press release has been reviewed and approved by Jacques Marchand P. Eng. Geology, as the independent qualified person responsible for the resource calculations and associated National Instrument (NI) 43-101 report, and Peter M. Dimmell, BSc., P.Geo. (NL, ON), VVC Director and Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. The 2019 mineral resource estimate was prepared using MapInfo and Discover software. Discover was used for 3D modelling of the eight mineralized zones, for grade estimation and for block modelling. Statistical studies were done using Microsoft Excel software. The estimate was performed using 3D block modelling with the Inverse distance weighting interpolation method. About VVC Exploration Corporation VVC is a Canadian exploration and mining company focused on the exploration and development of copper and gold deposits in Northern Mexico, mainly the Samalayuca copper property in northern Chihuahua State. VVC has other projects in Mexico and Canada, including gold / silver prospects, Cumeral and La Tuna, in Sonora and Sinaloa States, Mexico and a grassroots gold/VMS prospect in the Timmins area of northern Ontario. On behalf of the Board of Directors Michel J. Lafrance, Secretary-Treasurer For further information, please contact: Patrick Fernet - (514) 631-2727 E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Eugene Braigen - (646) 245-3409 E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Or visit our website at: http://vvcexpl.com. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. 2369 Kingston Road, PO Box 28059 Terry Town, Scarborough, ON M1N 4E7 Tel: 416-619-5304 Sydney, Australia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 3, 2019) - Austral Gold Limited (ASX: AGD) (TSXV: AGLD) (the "Company" or "Austral") advises that it has completed its comprehensive review of operations for its 70% owned Casposo mine in Argentina, and as the mine operator, has decided to temporarily place the mine on care and maintenance during April 2019. The decision was based on lower than budgeted silver prices and less than expected production in 2018 and 2019. These factors resulted in the mine currently operating at a loss and markedly reducing the inventory of mineral reserves of the project. During 2019, the Casposo underground mine continued to be affected by lower head grades and lower tonnage of ore extraction, although this was partially offset by the new Julieta open pit operation which commenced in January 2019. Total production for the March 2019 quarter was 3,207 gold equivalent ounces, a 90% decrease from production of 6,101 gold equivalent ounces during the previous quarter ended 31 December 2018. Costs to place the mine on care and maintenance are estimated to be approximately US$3 million plus repayment of US$2 million of borrowings and is expected to affect 200 employees and 50 contractors. The Company is currently evaluating financing alternatives to fund these costs. In the near-term, Austral plans to increase exploration activities at Casposo with a focus on certain advanced targets. The Company is also exploring opportunities to process ore from third parties that have deposits surrounding the mine to position Casposo as a central processing hub and toll treater for local exploration and development companies. The Company believes these activities will contribute towards its goal of recommencing processing operations in the future. Austral will retain a core team of employees to oversee the site, meet environmental monitoring and legal obligations, and continue with exploration activities during the care and maintenance phase. About Casposo The Casposo mine is located in the department of Calingasta, San Juan Province, Argentina, approximately 150km from the city of San Juan, and covers an area of 100.21km2. Casposo is a low sulfidation epithermal deposit of gold and silver located in the eastern border of the Cordillera Frontal geological province. In 2016, Austral recommenced operations of Casposo after acquiring 51% of the economic interests of the mine from former operator Troy Resources Limited ("Troy") and completing an updated Mineral Resource and Ore Reserve Estimate reviewed by independent consultants Roscoe Postle Associates ("RPA"). As disclosed in the Company's press release dated September 27, 2016, the updated estimates for Casposo were summarized in a National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101") and JORC 2012 compliant Technical Report on the Casposo Gold-Silver Mine, Department of Calingasta, San Juan Province, Argentina (the "Casposo Technical Report" or "Technical Report"). The new designed mine plan included in the Technical Report extended the life of Casposo for a further four years until 2019. Austral has operated the mine for approximately three years since it was recommissioned in 2016. As the mine operator, the Company (i) spent approximately US$25 million on capital expenditures (Capex) towards mine development, acquisition of mining equipment, improvements at the processing plant, amongst others, (ii) increased the number of employees to a peak of 300 employees when operations were recommenced from the previous care and maintenance phase implemented by Troy, and (iii) produced more than 90,000 gold equivalent ounces since 2016. Austral currently holds a 70% interest in Casposo. For further information about the Casposo acquisition and the remaining options that Austral holds to acquire the remaining interest of the project please consult the Company's website www.australgold.com. About Austral Gold Austral Gold Limited is a growing precious metals mining, development and exploration company building a portfolio of quality assets in Chile and Argentina. The Company's flagship Guanaco/Amancaya project in Chile is a gold and silver producing mine with further exploration upside. The Company is also operator of the underground silver-gold Casposo mine in San Juan, Argentina. With an experienced local technical team and highly regarded major shareholder, Austral's goal is to continue to strengthen its asset base through acquisition and discovery. Austral Gold Limited is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV: AGLD), and the Australian Securities Exchange. (ASX: AGD). 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. On behalf of Austral Gold Limited: Stabro Kasaneva Chief Executive Officer For further information, please contact: Jose Bordogna Chief Financial Officer Austral Gold Limited This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. +54 (11) 4323 7558 Andrew Bursill Company Secretary Austral Gold Limited This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. +61 (2) 9698 5414 Forward Looking Statements Statements in this news release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical and consist primarily of projections - statements regarding future plans, expectations and developments. Words such as "expects", "intends", "plans", "may", "could", "potential", "should", "anticipates", "likely", "believes" and words of similar import tend to identify forward looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include costs to place the mine on care and maintenance are estimated to be approximately US$3 million plus repayment of US$2 million of borrowings and is expected to affect 200 employees and 50 contractors, most of the care and maintenance costs are expected to be internally funded from Austral's cash generating Guanaco/Amancaya mines and the Company's plans to increase exploration activities at Casposo with a focus on certain advanced targets. All of these forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those expressed or implied, including, without limitation, business integration risks; uncertainty of production, development plans and cost estimates, commodity price fluctuations; political or economic instability and regulatory changes; currency fluctuations, the state of the capital markets, uncertainty in the measurement of mineral reserves and resource estimates, Austral's ability to attract and retain qualified personnel and management, potential labour unrest, reclamation and closure requirements for mineral properties; unpredictable risks and hazards related to the development and operation of a mine or mineral property that are beyond the Company's control, the availability of capital to fund all of the Company's projects and other risks and uncertainties identified under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's continuous disclosure documents filed on SEDAR. You are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive of all factors and assumptions which may have been used. Austral cannot assure you that actual events, performance or results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements, and management's assumptions may prove to be incorrect. Austral's forward-looking statements reflect current expectations regarding future events and operating performance and speak only as of the date hereof and Austral does not assume any obligation to update forward looking statements if circumstances or management's beliefs, expectations or opinions should change other than as required by applicable law. For the reasons set forth above, you should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 03, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pretium Resources Inc. (TSX/NYSE:PVG) (Pretivm or the Company) reports that its planned ramp-up to 3,800 tonnes per day production rate at its Brucejack Mine, and its underground exploration drilling program, are both progressing on schedule. The company also re-affirms its 2019 production guidance. "Our goal is to provide long-term cash generation and profitability at Brucejack, said Joseph Ovsenek, President & CEO of Pretivm. Brucejack has proven itself as a low cost, highly profitable mine. Now with reserve expansion drilling underway, we are focused on demonstrating the potential for Brucejack to be a top-tier gold producer well into the future. 2019 Production Guidance Maintained The Company expects to achieve its 2019 gold production guidance of 390,000 ounces to 420,000 ounces and the planned production ramp-up from 2,700 tonnes per day to 3,800 tonnes per day over the course of the year. During the first quarter, mining operations have prioritized increasing the development rate to 1,000 meters per month and opening up the deposit to allow access to a greater number of stopes to support a 3,800 tonnes per day mining rate by year end. As the mine continues to sequence through a lower grade area of the Valley of the Kings, all stopes above cut-off grade of approximately 5.0 grams per tonne gold are being mined as they become available for production. Accordingly, gold grade is expected to average approximately 10.4 grams per tonne over the course of 2019; both grade and tonnes are expected to be higher in the second half of the year. Brucejack Ramp-up on Schedule The modifications and upgrades required to sustainably process ore at the upgraded production rate of 3,800 tonnes per day are on schedule and will continue during regularly scheduled shut-downs. The most significant upgrade is the shift from concentrate bagging to a bulk loading system. The bulk loading system is currently installed in a temporary location within the mill, and is commissioned and operational. It is expected to be installed in its permanent location and completely integrated in the middle of the second quarter. Final modifications to the flotation circuit will be scheduled upon delivery of final components. Underground development has been successfully accelerating from 700 to 1,000 meters per month throughout the quarter. Development is approaching 1,000 meters per month and is expected to maintain that rate throughout the year to ensure development remains ahead of production requirements to ensure steady mining rates of 3,800 tpd for the future. 2019 Reserve Definition and Expansion Drilling Ongoing The 70,000-meter 2019 underground drill program commenced early in the first quarter. More than 24,000 meters of drilling in 183 drill holes have been completed to date. The program is expected to improve reserve definition ahead of mining and expand on the current Mineral Reserves at the Valley of the Kings. Opportunities for expansion are located at depth, to the west, to the east, and to the north-east of the currently defined Mineral Reserve. Exploration in the early part of the program focused westward towards the Brucejack fault and at depth below the 1200-meter level of the current development. Drilling will continue through the year and is expected to include zones prospective for additional reserve expansion to the north-east of and at depth below the currently defined Mineral Reserves where previous drill programs have indicated the continuation of high-grade gold mineralization. A re-interpretation of previous drill results from the north-east indicates the presence of a repetition of the key stratigraphy that hosts high-grade gold mineralization in the Valley of the Kings. Exploration drilling in 2015 intersected high-grade gold 1,000 meters to the east of the Valley of Kings below the Flow Dome Zone (see news release dated Oct 8, 2015). Resource expansion drilling to the east towards the Flow Dome Zone is planned for later in the year depending on development and permitting. Results will be released in due course. For a section view of the drill holes and the targeted zones please see the following link: Underground Exploration Drilling for Porphyry Source In 2018, two 1,500-meter holes drilled east from the Valley of the Kings intersected Brucejack-style mineralization throughout demonstrating mineralization continuity between the Valley of the Kings and the Flow Dome Zone, an area approximately 1,000 meters east of the Brucejack Mine (see news release dated June 18, 2018). In addition, the drilling intersected anomalous mineralization to suggest proximity to porphyry-style mineralization at depth. Based on the previous drill results and follow-up geophysical program and mineral chemistry evaluation, two deep holes were targeted to further test the porphyry potential below the Valley of the Kings and the Flow Dome Zone. The first of the two holes, VU-1785, drilled towards the south-east, was recently completed at 2,000 meters downhole. Multiple Valley of the Kings-style carbonate stockworks were visible in parts of the drill core. An update on intersections will be provided following the receipt of assay results and further evaluation. Drilling will commence on the second hole in early April. Warwick Board, Ph.D., P.Geo, Pr.Sci.Nat., Vice President, Geology and Chief Geologist, Pretium Resources Inc. is the Qualified Person (QP) responsible for the Brucejack Mine reserve definition and exploration drilling, and has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information contained in this news release relating thereto. Lyle Morgenthaler, B.A.Sc., P.Eng., Chief Mine Engineer, Pretium Resources Inc. is the QP responsible for Brucejack Mine development, and has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information contained in this news release relating thereto. Reserve and Resource Estimate Update Webcast and Conference Call Updated Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve estimates for the Valley of the Kings and an updated life of mine plan for the Brucejack Mine will be provided before market open on April 4, 2019. A webcast investors day session to coincide with the release of these updates will also provide an overview of grade reconciliation, updated geological interpretation and mining initiatives, among other things. Webcast and conference call details: Thursday, April 4, 2019 at 8:00 am EDT (5:00 am PDT) Webcast www.pretivm.com Toll Free (North America) 1-800-319-4610 International and Vancouver 604-638-5340 First Quarter 2019 Operational and Financial Results Webcast and Conference Call The first quarter 2019 operational results and all production results going forward will be released with our quarterly financial statements. Pretivm plans to release its first quarter 2019 operational and financial results after market close on Thursday, May 2nd, 2019. The webcast and conference call to discuss these results will take place Friday, May 3rd, 2019 at 8:00 am PT (11:00 am ET). Webcast and conference call details: Friday, May 3, 2019 at 8:00 am PT (11:00 am ET) Webcast www.pretivm.com Toll Free (North America) 1-800-319-4610 International and Vancouver 604-638-5340 About Pretivm Pretivm is a low-cost intermediate gold producer with the high-grade underground Brucejack Mine in northern British Columbia. For further information contact: Joseph Ovsenek Troy Shultz President& CEO Manager, Investor Relations & Corporate Communications Pretium Resources Inc. Suite 2300, Four Bentall Centre, 1055 Dunsmuir Street PO Box 49334 Vancouver, BC V7X 1L4 (604)558-1784 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (SEDAR filings: Pretium Resources Inc.) Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking information, forward looking statements, future oriented financial information and/or financial outlooks within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation (collectively herein referred to as forward-looking statements or forward-looking information). The purpose of disclosing future oriented financial information and financial outlooks is to provide a general overview of managements expectations regarding the anticipated results of operations and costs thereof and readers are cautioned that future oriented financial information and financial outlook may not be appropriate for other purposes. Wherever possible, words such as plans, expects, guidance, projects, assumes, budget, strategy, scheduled, estimates, forecasts, anticipates, believes, intends, modeled", targets and similar expressions or statements that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative forms of any of these terms and similar expressions, have been used to identify forward-looking statements and information. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information may include, but is not limited to, information with respect to: production and cost guidance; the expected grade of gold produced; the ramp-up of the Brucejack Mine to 3,800 tonnes per day production rate, including capital modifications and upgrades, underground development, and estimated expenditures and timelines in connection therewith; our planned mining, exploration and development activities and the costs and timing thereof; our operational grade control program, including plans with respect to our infill drill program and our local grade control model; grade reconciliation, updated geological interpretation and mining initiatives with respect to the Brucejack Mine; our operational strategy; capital and operating cost estimates and timing thereof; production and processing estimates; our future operational and financial results and the timing thereof; the future price of gold and silver; our liquidity and the adequacy of our financial resources; our intentions with respect to our capital resources; our financing activities, including plans for the use of proceeds thereof; the estimation of Mineral Reserves and Resources including the 2016 Valley of the Kings Mineral Resource Estimate Update and the 2016 Brucejack Mineral Reserve Estimate; the updates to our Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources Estimates and our life of mine plan and the anticipated timing thereof; realization of Mineral Reserve and Resource Estimates; timing of further development of our Brucejack Mine; results of future exploration and drilling; timelines and similar statements relating to the economic viability of the Brucejack Mine, including mine life, total tonnes mined and processed and mining operations; timing, receipt, and anticipated effects of, and anticipated capital costs in connection with approvals, consents and permits under applicable legislation; our executive compensation approach and practice; our relationship with community stakeholders; litigation matters; environmental matters; our effective tax rate and the recognition of our previously unrecognized income tax attributes; new accounting standards applicable to the Company, including methods of adoption and the effects of adoption of such standards; and statements regarding USD cash flows, currency fluctuations and the recurrence of foreign currency translation adjustments. Statements concerning Mineral Resource estimates may also be deemed to constitute forward-looking statements to the extent that they involve estimates of the mineralization that will be encountered if the property is developed. Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to materially differ from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, those related to: the accuracy of our Mineral Resource and reserve estimates (including with respect to size, grade and recoverability) and the geological, operational and price assumptions on which they are based; uncertainties relating to Inferred Mineral Resources being converted into Measured or Indicated Mineral Resources; commodity price fluctuations, including gold price volatility; general economic conditions; the inherent risk in the mining industry; significant governmental regulations; currency fluctuations, and such other risks as are identified in Pretivms Annual Information Form dated March 28, 2019, Form 40-F dated March 28, 2019, MD&A and other disclosure documents as filed in Canada on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and in the United States through EDGAR at the SECs website at www.sec.gov (collectively, the Pretivm Disclosure Documents). Our forward-looking statements are based on the assumptions, beliefs, expectations and opinions of management on the date the statements are made, many of which may be difficult to predict and beyond our control. In connection with the forward-looking statements contained in this news release, we have made certain assumptions about our business, including about our exploration, development and production activities, and the results, costs and timing thereof; timing and receipt of approvals, consents and permits under applicable legislation; the geopolitical, economic, permitting and legal climate that we operate in; the price of gold and other commodities; exchange rates; market competition; the adequacy of our financial resources, and such other material assumptions as are identified in the other Pretivm Disclosure Documents. We have also assumed that no significant events will occur outside of our normal course of business. Although we believe that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable as of the date of this news release, forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and, accordingly, undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein. We do not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by applicable law. For the reasons set forth above, prospective investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Neither the TSX nor the NYSE has approved or disapproved of the information contained herein. PERTH, Western Australia, April 05, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Perseus Mining Limited (Perseus or the Company) (TSX & ASX: PRU) is pleased to report that in the three-month period to March 31, 2019 the group has again produced gold in line with expectations from its two West African mines, Edikan and Sissingue. Highlights Reconciled March 2019 Quarter gold production of 67,144 ounces was 5% more than in the corresponding quarter in 2018; Perseuss quarterly gold production includes 44,680 ounces from the Edikan gold mine in Ghana and 22,464 ounces of gold from the Sissingue gold mine in Cote dIvoire; A total of 69,139 ounces of gold was poured during the quarter; Financial Year to date gold production of 207,691 ounces; On track to achieve June 2019 Half and 2019 Financial Year guidance of 130,000 to 150,000 ounces of gold and 271,000 to 291,000 ounces of gold respectively; Perseus plans to publish its full March 2019 Quarter Report including all-in site costs and operating cashflow and quarter end cash and bullion balances on April 16, 2019. Perseuss Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Mr Jeff Quartermaine said: This is the ninth consecutive quarter that Perseus has reported strong operating performances from its West African gold mines and over this time, the company has established a credible record of delivering on promises by consistently achieving market production and cost guidance. Given the material improvement in our operating performance in recent times, as demonstrated by the strong performances at Edikan and Sissingue, achievement of the Companys objective of producing 500,000 ounces of gold per year from 2022 appears well within our operating capacity once the Yaoure Gold Mine is developed and we are looking forward to delivering this outcome in due course. To discuss any aspect of this announcement, please contact: Managing Director: Jeff Quartermaine at telephone +61 8 6144 1700 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ; General Manager BD & IR: Andrew Grove at telephone +61 8 6144 1700 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Media Relations: Nathan Ryan at telephone +61 4 20 582 887 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (Melbourne) Competent Person Statement: All production targets for Edikan and Sissingue referred to in this report are underpinned by estimated Ore Reserves which have been prepared by competent persons in accordance with the requirements of the JORC Code. The information in this report that relates to the Mineral Resource and Ore Reserve estimates for the EGM deposits was first reported by the Company in compliance with the JORC Code 2012 and NI43-101 in a market announcement released on 29 August 2018. The Company confirms that it is not aware of any new information or data that materially affect the information in that market release and that all material assumptions underpinning those estimates and the production targets, or the forecast financial information derived therefrom, continue to apply and have not materially changed. The Company further confirms that material assumptions underpinning the estimates of Ore Reserves described in Technical Report Central Ashanti Gold Project, Ghana dated 30 May 2011 continue to apply. The information in this report that relates to Mineral Resources for Sissingue was first reported by the Company in compliance with the JORC Code 2012 and NI43-101 in a market announcement released on 15 December 2016 and includes an update for depletion as at 30 June 2018 as well as an adjustment of the model constrained to a US$1,800/oz pit shell which were reported in a market announcement on 29 August 2018. The information in this report that relates to Mineral Resources for Fimbiasso was first reported by the Company in compliance with the JORC Code 2012 and NI43-101 in a market announcement released on 20 February 2017 and includes an adjustment of the model constrained to a US$1,800/oz pit shell which was reported in a market announcement on 29 August 2018. The information in this report that relates to Ore Reserves for Sissingue and Fimbiasso was first reported by the Company in compliance with the JORC Code 2012 and NI43-101 in a market announcement released on 31 March 2017 and includes an update for depletion as at 30 June 2018 which was reported in a market announcement on 29 August 2018. The Company confirms that it is not aware of any new information or data that materially affect the information in these market releases and that all material assumptions underpinning those estimates and the production targets, or the forecast financial information derived therefrom, continue to apply and have not materially changed. The Company further confirms that material assumptions underpinning the estimates of Ore Reserves described in Technical Report Sissingue Gold Project, Cote dIvoire dated 29 May 2015 continue to apply. Caution Regarding Forward Looking Information: This report contains forward-looking information which is based on the assumptions, estimates, analysis and opinions of management made in light of its experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that management of the Company believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date that such statements are made, but which may prove to be incorrect. Assumptions have been made by the Company regarding, among other things: the price of gold, continuing commercial production at the Edikan Gold Mine and the Sissingue Gold Mine without any major disruption, development of a mine at Yaoure, the receipt of required governmental approvals, the accuracy of capital and operating cost estimates, the ability of the Company to operate in a safe, efficient and effective manner and the ability of the Company to obtain financing as and when required and on reasonable terms. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive of all factors and assumptions which may have been used by the Company. Although management believes that the assumptions made by the Company and the expectations represented by such information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking information will prove to be accurate. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any anticipated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such factors include, among others, the actual market price of gold, the actual results of current exploration, the actual results of future exploration, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be evaluated, as well as those factors disclosed in the Company's publicly filed documents. The Company believes that the assumptions and expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things, the Companys ability to carry on its exploration and development activities, the timely receipt of required approvals, the price of gold, the ability of the Company to operate in a safe, efficient and effective manner and the ability of the Company to obtain financing as and when required and on reasonable terms. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Perseus does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. TORONTO, April 4, 2019 /CNW/ - Anaconda Mining Inc. ("Anaconda" or the "Company") (TSX: ANX) (OTCQX: ANXGF) is pleased to announce results from four diamond drill holes drilled as part of a metallurgical test program (the "Metallurgical Drill Program") to support the ongoing Feasibility Study for the Goldboro Gold Project in Nova Scotia ("Goldboro"). The Metallurgical Drill Program focused on an area of the East Goldbrook Gold System ("EG Gold System") over a strike-length of approximately 80 metres where numerous shallow, high-grade mineralized zones were previously intersected (Exhibit A). The Metallurgical Drill Program consisted of four HQ diameter diamond drill holes (BR-18-68 to -71) totaling 545 metres, which successfully intersected previously modelled mineralized zones, encountered five occurrences of visible gold, and confirmed the continuity of several high-grade zones up to 40 metres (Exhibit B). Selected composited highlights from the Metallurgical Drill Program include: 42.85 grams per tonne ("g/t") gold over 3.8 metres (66.6 to 70.4 metres), including 316.76 g/t gold over 0.5 metres in hole BR-18-70; (66.6 to 70.4 metres), in hole BR-18-70; 9.83 g/t gold over 3.5 metres (81.1 to 84.6 metres) including 58.31 g/t gold over 0.5 metres in hole BR-18-69; (81.1 to 84.6 metres) in hole BR-18-69; 7.48 g/t gold over 4.1 metres (125.0 to 129.1 metres) including 35.45 g/t gold over 0.8 metres in hole BR-18-68; (125.0 to 129.1 metres) in hole BR-18-68; 7.69 g/t gold over 2.9 metres (34.0 to 36.9 metres) including 43.87 g/t gold over 0.5 metres in hole BR-18-69; and (34.0 to 36.9 metres) in hole BR-18-69; and 16.54 g/t gold over 1.3 metres (105.0 to 106.3 metres) including 26.53 g/t gold over 0.8 metres in hole BR-18-69. A table of selected composited assays from both recent and previously reported drilling are shown in the table below. "These drill results are important as they provide confidence in the existing resource and geological models of the EG Gold System, confirm the continuity of grade for several of the high-grade zones encountered in previous drilling, and provide the samples necessary to advance metallurgical testing to support a Feasibility Study at Goldboro. The results are consistent with those we have encountered in other areas of the EG Gold System and will be incorporated into an updated mineral resource estimate, which will include 10,000 metres of drilling conducted since July of 2018 and is expected to be released by the third quarter of 2019. In the meantime, we continue to work on an additional 5,000-metre drill program to better outline high-grade zones in the EG Gold System, expand the deposit, and infill specific portions of the EG and Boston-Richardson Gold Systems." ~Kevin Bullock, CEO, Anaconda Mining Inc. Selected composited highlights from previously reported drill results (see Anaconda press release of May 21, 2018 and Orex Exploration press releases of January 30 and March 24, 2009) in the immediate area of the Metallurgical Drill Program include: 151.42 g/t gold over 2.6 metres (33.1 to 35.7 metres) including 779.97 g/t gold over 0.5 metres in hole BR-17-04; (33.1 to 35.7 metres) in hole BR-17-04; 81.71 g/t gold over 2.5 metres (85.5 to 88.0 metres) including 800.00 g/t gold over 0.25 metres in hole BR08-22; (85.5 to 88.0 metres) in hole BR08-22; 66.89 g/t gold over 3.0 metres (83.5 to 86.5 metres) including 709.00 g/t gold over 0.25 metres in hole BR08-23; (83.5 to 86.5 metres) in hole BR08-23; 21.66 g/t gold over 3.25 metres (156.75 to 160.0 metres) including 262.00 g/t gold over 0.25 metres in hole BR08-25; and (156.75 to 160.0 metres) in hole BR08-25; and 9.54 g/t gold over 3.5 metres (50.0 to 53.5 metres) including 27.60 g/t gold over 0.5 metres in hole BR08-22. Metallurgical Sample Mineralized intervals from the Metallurgical Drill Program assaying greater than 0.5 g/t gold were composited and sent for analysis to BASE Metallurgical Laboratories Ltd. of Kamloops, British Columbia. A separate sample collected from the Boston-Richardson Gold System during the recent underground bulk sampling program was also composited as part of a larger metallurgical sample (the "Metallurgical Sample"). The Metallurgical Sample is being used in a suite of tests designed to better characterize the recovery and milling properties of mineralization and to optimize the process flow sheet as part of the ongoing Feasibility Study. Table of selected composited assays from drill holes reported in this press release: Hole ID From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Gold (g/t) System VG Section BR-18-68 45.1 49.6 4.5 0.53 EG VG 9375E Current and 58.6 60.8 2.2 1.61 EG VG and 90.7 92.2 1.5 1.67 EG and 125.0 129.1 4.1 7.48 EG VG Including 128.3 129.1 0.8 35.45 EG VG BR-18-69 34.0 36.9 2.9 7.96 EG 9350E Including 34.0 34.5 0.5 43.87 EG and 59.8 61.2 1.4 3.50 EG and 81.1 84.6 3.5 9.83 EG VG Including 81.1 81.6 0.5 58.31 EG VG and 105.0 106.3 1.3 16.54 EG Including 105.5 106.3 0.8 26.53 EG and 118.8 120.4 1.6 1.60 EG and 161.7 162.7 1.0 2.89 EG BR-18-70 66.6 70.4 3.8 42.85 EG VG 9300E Including 68.6 69.1 0.5 316.76 EG VG BR-18-71 28.0 28.5 0.5 26.99 EG 9325E and 62.3 65.3 3.0 0.99 EG and 74.1 75.4 1.3 3.10 EG and 76.7 78.0 1.3 8.35 EG Including 76.7 77.4 0.7 14.96 EG and 99.5 101.4 1.9 5.14 EG Including 99.5 100.3 0.8 9.97 EG and 129.5 131.0 1.5 0.68 EG VG BR-17-04 33.1 35.7 2.6 151.42 EG VG 9337.5E Previous Including 33.1 33.6 0.5 779.97 EG VG and 67.4 69.2 1.8 1.61 EG and 79.4 82.4 3.0 3.14 EG Including 79.4 80.9 1.5 5.75 EG and 110.0 111.0 1.0 26.89 EG VG and 132.4 133.0 0.6 0.15 EG VG BR08-22 39.5 42.0 2.5 1.07 EG 9337.5E Previous and 50.0 53.5 3.5 9.54 EG VG Including 51.5 52.0 0.5 27.60 EG and 53.25 53.50 0.25 63.30 EG VG and 74.5 77.0 2.5 0.65 EG and 85.5 88.0 2.5 81.71 EG VG Including 86.0 86.25 0.25 800.00 EG VG and 103.0 115.0 12.0 4.58 EG VG Including 113.25 113.50 0.25 76.00 EG VG and 114.0 114.5 0.5 61.50 EG VG and 121.75 124.0 2.25 9.36 EG VG and 121.75 122.0 0.25 74.90 EG VG and 129.0 140.5 11.5 1.59 EG and 133.5 134.0 0.5 22.00 EG and 150.5 151.0 0.5 6.47 EG and 181.0 183.5 2.5 1.53 EG Including 181.0 181.5 0.5 5.72 EG and 193.0 204.5 11.5 0.53 EG and 228.25 228.50 0.25 1.26 EG VG BR08-23 62.0 63.25 1.25 12.99 EG VG Including 63.0 63.25 0.25 63.30 EG VG and 83.5 86.5 3.0 66.89 EG VG Including 83.5 84.0 0.5 8.09 EG VG and 84.0 84.25 0.25 709.00 EG VG and 86.0 86.5 0.5 36.70 EG and 133.0 135.5 2.5 0.72 EG and 138.5 146.0 7.5 1.01 EG and 154.75 155.00 0.25 158.50 EG VG and 191.5 195.5 4.0 0.67 EG Including 193.75 194.00 0.25 5.27 EG VG BR08-24 87.0 94.0 7.0 0.65 EG 9350E and 114.0 116.5 2.5 1.30 EG and 178.0 178.5 0.5 7.38 EG and 197.5 200.5 3.0 6.68 EG VG Including 198.25 198.50 0.25 68.40 EG VG BR08-25 114.0 129.0 15.0 1.55 EG Including 118.0 118.5 0.5 5.58 EG and 127.5 128.0 0.5 30.60 EG and 137.5 141.0 3.5 1.80 EG and 156.75 160.00 3.25 21.66 EG VG Including 156.75 157.00 0.25 18.50 EG VG and 159.75 160.00 0.25 262.00 EG VG and 178.5 179.0 0.5 5.85 EG and 181.0 182.0 1.0 3.45 EG and 196.0 197.0 1.0 11.43 EG VG Exhibit A. A map showing the location of drill holes completed as part of the Metallurgical Drill Program and drilled along an 80-metre strike between cross sections 9300E and 9400E. Exhibit B. A vertical long section through the area of the EG Gold System drilled as part of the Metallurgical Drill Program between cross sections 9300E and 9400E, showing selected highlights of recent and previous drilling. This news release has been reviewed and approved by Paul McNeill, P. Geo., VP Exploration with Anaconda Mining Inc., a "Qualified Person", under National Instrument 43-101 Standard for Disclosure for Mineral Projects. All samples and the resultant composites referred to in this release are collected using QA/QC protocols including the regular insertion of standards and blanks within the sample batch for analysis and check assays of select samples. All samples quoted in this release were analyzed at Eastern Analytical Ltd. in Springdale, NL, for Au by fire assay (30 g) with an AA finish. Samples analyzing greater than 0.5 g/t Au via 30 g fire assay were re-analyzed at Eastern via total pulp metallic. For the total pulp metallic analysis, the entire sample is crushed to -10mesh and pulverized to 95% -150mesh. The total sample is then weighed and screened to 150mesh. The +150mesh fraction is fire assayed for Au, and a 30 g subsample of the -150mesh fraction analyzed via fire assay. A weighted average gold grade is calculated for the final reportable gold grade. Anaconda considers total pulp metallic analysis to be more representative than 30 g fire assay in coarse gold systems such as the Goldboro Deposit. Reported mineralized intervals are measured from core lengths. Intervals are estimated to be approximately 80-100% of true widths. A version of this press release will be available in French on Anaconda's website (www.anacondamining.com) in two to three business days. ABOUT ANACONDA Anaconda Mining is a TSX and OTCQX-listed gold mining, development, and exploration company, focused in the prospective Atlantic Canadian jurisdictions of Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. The Company operates the Point Rousse Project located in the Baie Verte Mining District in Newfoundland, comprised of the Stog'er Tight Mine, the Pine Cove open pit mine, the Argyle Mineral Resource, the fully-permitted Pine Cove Mill and tailings facility, deep water port, and approximately 9,150 hectares of prospective gold-bearing property. Anaconda is also developing the Goldboro Gold Project in Nova Scotia, a high-grade Mineral Resource, subject to a 2018 a preliminary economic assessment which demonstrates strong project economics. The Company also has a wholly owned exploration company that is solely focused on early stage exploration in Newfoundland and New Brunswick. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "does not anticipate", or "believes" or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", or "will be taken", "occur", or "be achieved". Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the information is made, and is based on a number of assumptions and is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Anaconda to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including risks associated with the exploration, development and mining such as economic factors as they effect exploration, future commodity prices, changes in foreign exchange and interest rates, actual results of current production, development and exploration activities, government regulation, political or economic developments, environmental risks, permitting timelines, capital expenditures, operating or technical difficulties in connection with development activities, employee relations, the speculative nature of gold exploration and development, including the risks of diminishing quantities of grades of resources, contests over title to properties, and changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined as well as those risk factors discussed in Anaconda's annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2018, available on www.sedar.com. Although Anaconda has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Anaconda does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Guyana Goldfields' share price falls below $1 mark; hits new 5-year low as shareholders sell off shares Analyst downgrades company, notes "Inadequate Financing in Place and Execution Hurdles Too High" Shareholders are right to wonder how much worse will things get? TORONTO, April 4, 2019 /CNW/ - Guyana Goldfields Inc. (TSX: GUY) ("Guyana Goldfields" or the "Company") shareholders (the "Concerned Shareholders"), together owning not less than 5% of the issued and outstanding shares of the Company, are alerting fellow shareholders to the damning market reaction to the Company's release of its new life of mine plan and technical report. Both the new life of mine plan and technical report (which provides disclosure on the Company's updated mineral resource and mineral reserve estimates) have been met with market cynicism, and have triggered longtime shareholders to abandon the Company and caused a massive drop in share price. From March 26the day the Company announced its Q4, 2018 and 2018 full-year results and its new life of mine planto March 28, share price dropped 14.4%. On March 29, upon the Company's release of its technical report, share price dropped another 10.2%. In other words, another $60 million in shareholder value was destroyed in just a few days. On April 3, 2019, the Company's shares closed at below the $1.00 mark for the first time in five years. Based on public filings, significant institutional shareholders of the Company have recently sold over 20 million shares (representing approximately 12% of the outstanding shares). "The market has clearly lost confidence in the board and management of Guyana Goldfields and shareholders are voting with their feet. The Company is in a tailspin and no one there has shown an inclination or ability to pull back on the throttle and put the Company back on track," said Patrick Sheridan, one of the largest shareholders and founder, former Executive Chairman and former director of the Company. "None of the actions the board has taken in the past yearincluding adding new directors and management, adding or commencing new developmenthas halted the value destruction. How bad does this need to get? Immediate change is needed." A review of the recent actions of the current board and management to 'fix' the problems they have created, clearly demonstrate their 'corrective' actions are only serving to compound the problem and destroy more shareholder value. GUYANA GOLDFIELDS' PATH TO VALUE DESTRUCTION Date: Announcement: Market Reaction: July 16, 2018 Guyana Goldfields Releases Second Quarter Production Results -22% October 30, 2018 Guyana Goldfields Inc. Reports Third Quarter 2018 Operational and Financial Results -47% March 26, 2019 Guyana Goldfields Inc. Updates Resource Model & Life of Mine Plan -14.4% March 29, 2019 Guyana Goldfields Inc. Files Technical Report -10.2% On Tuesday, a Scotiabank analyst downgraded the stock suggesting that the Company's debt repayment schedule$40 million repayable at a rate of $5 million per quarteris too much for the Company to handle given that the new mine plan accelerates the schedule for the underground development which shortens the cash flow generation from the open pits due to the loss of reserves. "We are downgrading Guyana Goldfields given we feel the company has insufficient capital to execute its own mine plan without extending its current debt repayment schedule," notes the report. "CEO Scott Caldwell said twice on the March 27 conference call that at today's spot prices the company can generate enough cash through the life of mine plan, the transition to the underground, all the activities they have including corporate G&A, servicing the debt and exploration...We do not see how this is possible without a departure from the new technical report that would see underground development deferred and open pit mine life extended." The Concerned Shareholders, in a March 20, 2019 news release, indicated that they were concerned that the Company might manipulate data to justify poor results. For that reason, the Concerned Shareholders engaged a respected independent international consulting practice specializing in the resource sector to provide a third-party review and analysis of the Company's resource model and new life of mine plan. The third-party review is expected be completed in advance of the upcoming annual and special meeting of shareholders. Change is Needed. The Concerned Shareholders have a plan to halt the value destruction at Guyana Goldfields by rebuilding trust with stakeholders, optimizing operations, and pursuing a value maximizing transaction. Shareholders are encouraged to visit FixGuyGold.com to learn more about the Concerned Shareholders and their nominees. Patrick Sheridan, on behalf of the Concerned Shareholders, welcomes the opportunity to engage with fellow shareholders. Mr. Sheridan can be reached at 416-628-5904 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Advisors Kingsdale Advisors is acting as strategic shareholder, communications and proxy advisor and Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP and Lenczner Slaght Royce Smith Griffin LLP are acting as legal advisors to the Concerned Shareholders of Guyana Goldfields Inc. Additional Information Information in Support of Public Broadcast Solicitation The information contained in this press release does not and is not meant to constitute a solicitation of a proxy within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Although the Concerned Shareholders have delivered the requisition, shareholders are not being asked at this time to execute a proxy in favour of the Concerned Shareholders' nominees (the "Nominees") or any other resolution set forth in the requisition. In connection with the meeting, the Concerned Shareholders may file a dissident information circular in due course in compliance with applicable securities laws. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Concerned Shareholders are voluntarily providing the disclosure required under section 9.2(4) of National Instrument 51-102 Continuous Disclosure Obligations ("NI 51-102") and section 150(1.2) of the Canada Business Corporations Act in accordance with Canadian corporate and securities laws applicable to public broadcast solicitations. In connection therewith, certain information regarding, among other things, the Nominees has been provided by the Concerned Shareholders in its press release dated January 10, 2019, (the "Nominee Announcement") under the section entitled "Information Concerning the Nominees". The Nominee Announcement has been filed by the Concerned Shareholders and is available for review on the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. Since the Nominee Announcement, Nominees James White and Carmen Diges have each advised the Concerned Shareholders that each now beneficially own, control or direct (directly or indirectly) 72,500 and 80,000 common shares of Guyana Goldfields, respectively. The information contained herein and any solicitation made by the Concerned Shareholders in advance of the meeting is, or will be, as applicable, made by the Concerned Shareholders and not by or on behalf of the management of Guyana Goldfields. All costs incurred for any solicitation will be borne by the Concerned Shareholders, provided that, subject to applicable law, the Concerned Shareholders may seek reimbursement from Guyana Goldfields of the Concerned Shareholders' out-of-pocket expenses, including proxy solicitation expenses and legal fees, incurred in connection with a successful reconstitution of Guyana Goldfields' board. The Concerned Shareholders are not soliciting proxies in connection with the meeting at this time. The Concerned Shareholders may engage the services of one or more agents and authorize other persons to assist in soliciting proxies on behalf of the Concerned Shareholders. The Concerned Shareholders have retained Kingsdale Advisors ("Kingsdale") as its strategic shareholder, communications and proxy advisor. Kingsdale's responsibilities will principally include soliciting shareholders should the Concerned Shareholders commence a formal solicitation of proxies, providing strategic advice and advising the Concerned Shareholders with respect to the meeting and proxy protocol. Any proxies solicited by or on behalf of the Concerned Shareholders, including by Kingsdale or any other agent, may be solicited pursuant to a dissident information circular or by way of public broadcast, including through press releases, speeches or publications and by any other manner permitted under Canadian corporate and securities laws. Any such proxies may be revoked by instrument in writing executed by a shareholder or by his or her attorney authorized in writing or, if the shareholder is a body corporate, by an officer or attorney thereof duly authorized or by any other manner permitted by law. The registered address of Guyana Goldfields is located at 141 Adelaide Street West, Suite 1608, Toronto, Ontario, M5H 3L5. A copy of this press release may be obtained on the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. SALEM, Ore. A little more than a year ago, Ashland Police Officer Malcus Williams died in the line of duty after suffering a major medical event. Now his name has joined those of other fallen law enforcement officers on the wall of the Fallen Law Enforcement Memorial at the Oregon Public Safety Academy in Salem. "The memorial honors all of the state's fallen city, county, state, tribal and federal officers. During this year's ceremony the names of four of Oregon's fallen will be added to a memorial that already has too many," said Erik Gabliks, Director of the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST). Alongside Officer Malcus Williams, the agency is set to honor Bend Police Sgt. John Lawrence, as well as Deputy Irving Burkett and Deputy Robert Ray Bobby Anderson two Multnomah County deputies who were seriously injured in the line of duty and retired as a result of their injuries. They join 183 other law enforcement officers to have died in the line of duty since the 1880s. On Wednesday, the City of Bend Police Department Honor Guard stood watch as the names of all four officers were engraved onto the memorial. The Memorial ceremony is set for Tuesday, May 7 at 1 p.m. at the academy in Salem. "The State's memorial, and the annual ceremony, allows us to honor the fallen and the families and co-workers left behind," said Gabliks. On the evening of March 2, 2018, Officer Malcus Williams suffered a "major medical event" while on duty and on the scene of a call. Other officers on the scene tried to keep him stable while paramedics responded. Officer Williams was rushed to Providence Hospital where the emergency department staff continued to work on him however, he passed away later that night. Officer Williams is survived by his wife, Ona, and three daughters, Savannah, Georgia and Brooklyn, as well as his sisters Cindy and Amy. Amy is also a member of the Ashland Police Department (APD). Officer Williams started his career with APD on December 9, 1996. Williams was posthumously awarded the Medal of Ultimate Sacrifice, presented to his family during a celebration of his life in Ashland last year. See below for information on the other officers to be honored this year, as related by DPSST: On Thursday, December 4, 2014, Sergeant John Lawrence of the City of Bend Police Department suffered a fatal heart attack following his shift in which he responded to a bank holdup alarm. He returned home after completing his shift but collapsed three hours later. He was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. Sergeant Lawrence had served with the Bend Police Department for 10 years and had previously served with the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office for 4-1/2 years. The Public Safety Officers Benefits Office, under the United States Department of Justice, determined that Sgt. Lawrences death was in the line of duty under the PSOB Act 42 United States Code 3796 as the heart attack occurred 24 hours after engaging in an on-duty situation. On March 5, 1969, Deputy Robert Ray Bobby Anderson of the Multnomah County Sheriffs Office was shot by a suspect in his custody. Deputy Anderson and his partner were transporting a person in crisis to the hospital when the person lunged over the seat in the patrol car and took control of Andersons partners service weapon. The suspect shot both deputies and a civilian who was also in the vehicle accompanying the deputies. Both deputies were hospitalized in critical condition. Deputy Anderson was paralyzed as a result of the shooting and his health deteriorated until his death on December 1, 1994. Deputy Anderson was 49 years of age and served with the Multnomah County Sheriffs Office for six years. On July 25, 1982, Deputy Sheriff Irving Burkett of the Multnomah County Sheriffs Office was shot during a jailbreak attempt from the Rocky Butte Jail. Deputy Burkett was shot by an inmate with a .22 sing-action handgun in the right side of his head. Inmates began the break out at approximately 10:15 pm. The inmates had a gun inside the jail and through a series of hostages made their way to the control center section of the jail. Deputy Burkett heroically attempted to alert the rest of the jail that there was an escape in progress and was shot. Six individuals were sentenced to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty to four felonies. Deputy Burkett was severely and permanently debilitated as a direct result of injuries sustained in the shooting. Deputy Burkett died from his injuries on August 22, 2003. At the time of the incident Deputy Burkett was 63 years of age and had served with the Multnomah County Sheriffs Office for 14 years. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April ) Fans won't be able to witness Liza Soberano don the red and gold "Darna" costume as the actress' management confirmed her withdrawal from the highly-anticipated movie project. In a statement Thursday, ABS-CBN and Star Cinema announced that Soberano decided to step down from the superheroine role due to medical reasons. The management said the 21-year-old actress suffered a finger bone fracture while doing a fight scene on the set of her "Bagani" teleserye in 2018. "She is still undergoing and recovering from the trauma. Unfortunately, after consultation with her doctors, it was deemed best for Liza not to pursue the project as the injury shall hamper her from effectively doing the movie stunts required," the statement read. ABS-CBN and Star Magic said they respect Soberano's decision, but reiterated that preparations for the movie will still continue. Management, however, has yet to announce a replacement for the role. Fellow ABS-CBN talent Angel Locsin first took on the character when she was in GMA in 2005. The superheroine was last portrayed by GMA star Marian Rivera for the small screen in 2009. MEDFORD, Ore. The former co-owner of a daycare in Medford pleaded "no contest" to sex abuse charges on Wednesday, prompting an immediate conviction. 32-year-old Andrew Conaway and his wife owned and operated "Family Friendly Daycare" on Tahitian Avenue in Medford prior to his arrest in February of 2018. Others familiar with the Conaway "daycare" have said that the operation was unlicensed, and reports from the time indicated that it was not listed with the Oregon Secretary of State's business registry. NewsWatch 12 is working to confirm this information. At the time of Conaway's arrest, law enforcement alleged that he had perpetrated an array of sex abuse crimes against two children under his care both under the age of six. Conaway faced eight sex crime charges in total, but six of those charges were dismissed when he pleaded no contest to two charges of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree. According to the Jackson County District Attorney's Office, Conaway's no contest plea meant that he was sentenced on the spot. Conaway will serve 12 and a half years in prison, followed by 10 years of post-prison supervision. GRANTS PASS, Ore. The Grants Pass Fire Rescue and Rural Metro Fire Department responded to a call of smoke coming from the roof of the Vogue Cleaners in Grants Pass late last night. Once crews arrived, they were able to put out the fire inside a commercial dryer. The fire was contained to the dryer and the building was not damaged. Crews from Grants Pass Police and American Medical Response also assisted with the call. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Manila (CNN Philippines Life) This weekend, attend a bars fourth anniversary with a lineup of local indie acts; join a performance literature festival featuring spoken word performances, workshops, a fair, and more; attend the launch of an artist activist collectives fifth zine; catch the opening of an exhibit on memory and time; watch performances by rappers and activists Calix and BLKD; and party your Saturday away at XX XXs Circus. Mows 4th Birthday Join Mows Bar as they celebrate their fourth birthday with a gig featuring local acts such as Wilderness, Shes Only Sixteen, Ozzga, The Ridleys, Moonmask, Ourselves the Elves, Kjwan, and more. Entrance is free. Mows merchandise will be available at the event. Mows is located at Kowloon House Basement, 20 Matalino St., Quezon City. For more information, visit the Facebook event page. Performatura Festival 2019 This weekend, head to the Cultural Center of the Philippines for a performance literature festival. Dubbed Performatura an amalgam of performance and orature this three-day festival features slam poetry performances, discussions on comic books, workshops, film talks, exhibits, and an all-day fair. Performatura happens this Friday, April 5 to Sunday, April 7, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at various venues in the CCP complex. The festival is free and open to the public, but attendees are encouraged to donate a book upon entry. The CCP is located at Roxas Blvd., Pasay City. For the full schedule and other information, visit the Facebook event page. Caution: Volume 5 Zine Launch RESBAK (Respond and Break the Silence Against the Killings), an interdisciplinary alliance of cultural workers, artists, and media practitioners working together to raise awareness on killings connected to the war on drugs, is launching its fifth zine this Friday at Cubao Expo. The zine launch will also serve as a fundraiser for the groups campaigns and families affected by the drug war. Guests can expect performances by Dicta License, Calix, BLKD, Sandata, Sa Digma ng Halimaw, Cosmic Love, Watak, and Hernandez Brothers. Works by various artists will also be up for sale at the event. Gates open at 7 p.m. Entrance fee is 200. Cubao Expo is located at Gen. Romulo Ave., Cubao, Quezon City. For more information, visit the Facebook event page. Beyond The Reach of Memory On Saturday, visit Limbo at Poblacion for an exhibit that centers on memory and time. For the show, five artists Adrian Alfonso, Gabe Naguiat, Bud Omeng, Art Tavera, and Marija Vicente were tasked to paint a picture of deja vu, with the hope that we might find in their art the suddenness of deja vu. The show opens on Saturday at 6 p.m. Limbo is located at 5374 Gen. Luna St., Brgy. Poblacion, Makati. For more information, visit the Facebook event page. Salampak: Tambay, Tugtog, at Talinghaga Catch rappers Calix and BLKD perform once more this Sunday, April 7. Happening from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Kanto in Makati, the event is part of Sandatas project and fundraiser. Sandata is a group of Filipino artists and activists comprised of rappers BLKD and Calix, playwright and screenwriter Mixkaela Villalon, and development workers and researchers Tanya Quijano, Abbey Pangilinan, and Ica Fernandez, who share stories and data about victims of the war on drugs. On April 20, the group is set to speak at universities in the U.S. Entrance is free. Kanto is located at Makati Square, Chino Roces Ave., Legazpi Village., Makati City. For more information, visit the Facebook event page. Circus 2020 Enjoy another night at the circus at XX XXs Saturday music and arts fest. From 7 p.m. onwards, enjoy sets by La Crema, Loner, Lourd de Veyra, Diego Castillo, Shane Cosgrove, The Long Islands, Mersi, Major Chie, Rasputin, Abdel Aziz, Ed Croix, Saint Guel, Nomoclassiq, M.Y.Son, Sensei Shaun, Han Rollins, and Don P. There will also be live art and food pop ups. XX XX is located at 20b La Fuerza Plaza, Don Chino Roces Ave., Makati City. For more information, visit the Facebook event page. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 4) The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) called as illegal the Chinese vessels swarming around Philippine-occupied Pag-asa Island in the West Philippine Sea. In a statement on Thursday, the DFA said Pag-asa, seat of the Kalayaan municipal government under the province of Palawan, "is an integral part of the Philippines over which it has sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction." "Accordingly, the presence of Chinese vessels near and around Pag-asa and other maritime features in the KIG (Kalayaan Island Group) is illegal," the DFA said. It added that the Chinese government is considered adopting these actions if it does not renounce them. Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua said Beijing is verifying reports that its vessels have been surrounding Pag-asa. He said the ships may be manned by "unarmed" Chinese fishermen, but Malacanang said reports from the military suggest militiamen have been deployed there. "The presence of Chinese vessels within the KIG, whether military, fishing or other vessels, will thus continue to be the subject of appropriate action by the Philippines," the DFA said. Locsin orders filing of protest Earlier on Thursday, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro "Teddy Boy" Locsin, Jr. ordered the DFA to study the presence of Chinese vessels and file a diplomatic protest, as called by Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio. "Okay guys at DFA, let's look into this and file ASAP if not too late. Let us see if we can undo the fuck-ups of previous administrations that sold us," Locsin's tweet read. Malacanang's previous statements varied, as Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo on different occasions said it was already filed, "on the way" or "most likely" filed. Up to 275 ships have swarmed the vicinity of Pag-asa in January to March, Captain Jason Ramon, Western Command chief of public affairs , told CNN Philippines Monday. Authorities said the exact figure may differ day-by-day as ships in the area come and go. The Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, a United States-based think tank, earlier reported that China deployed up to 95 ships, including government vessels, near Pag-asa as the Philippines conducted repairs there. LOOK: Photos show China deployment of 'militia' as PH builds on Pag-asa Island think tank Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the recent developments will not stop the Philippines from repairing and improving structures on the island. "Oh they (China) have been watching us for a long time but our projects are proceeding and will continue until completed. They are not interfering," Lorenzana told reporters when asked if the country's projects on Pag-asa Island would continue amid the presence of hundreds of Chinese ships. Lorenzana earlier revealed that China tried to stop the government from repairing structures on Pag-asa Island. This includes a runway which the government expects to be completely repaired by the end of 2019. DFA to China: Exercise restraint The DFA said the government has been consistently protesting Chinese activities on disputed areas whenever necessary, but refused to disclose details of those already filed. It said "objections or concerns over illegal, tension-raising or coercive activities, through diplomatic actions," were also raised during meetings with China, including the recently concluded Bilateral Consultation Mechanism. It also reminded China to exercise self-restraint and avoid activities that would escalate tension in the South China Sea as agreed upon by both Manila and Beijing during Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to the Philippines in November 2018. "We call on the Chinese government to adhere to this consensus reached at the highest levels, down to its agencies and its military," the DFA said. Pag-asa is one of the biggest islands in the disputed Spratlys in the South China Sea. Philippine troops and a community of fishermen live on the island. Other claimants in the Spratlys are China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei. CNN Philippines' Tristan Nodalo contributed to this report. EUGENE, Ore. -- You see them everywhere -- dramatic doorbell video from all over the country capturing thieves in the act, and there are a lot of thieves to catch. According to the National Council for Home Safety and Security, a burglar strikes somewhere in the United States every 13 seconds. It happened to Jennifer Westing of Eugene and her family. She said the crooks stole everything they could get their hands on. "Obviously, they took stuff, but emotionally they took something from us. They were in our home," Westing said. Since the break-in, the Westings have beefed up security at their home, adding six security cameras including a Ring video doorbell. Ryan Anderson, chief technology officer for local company Security Monster, said these video doorbells have become a hot item. "If you don't have a video doorbell you should get one," Anderson said. They allow you to monitor your home from your smartphone and speak to people through an intercom system. Some models let you lock your door using an app. "Video doorbells are probably one of the least expensive opportunities to introduce video into your home," Anderson said. Jeff Blonde, a crime prevention specialist with the Eugene Police Department, said video doorbells can make bandits think twice before breaking in. "It can be very helpful. Some of these have very high-quality, high image resolutions that are very helpful for investigations," Blonde said. But Anderson said not all of the cameras are created equal, and Blonde urges people to do their research before they buy one. From Ring to Nest and SkyBell there are a lot of different companies out on the market. Anderson raises concerns about some products from overseas manufacturers, and the federal government recently banned them from being used in federal buildings. Anderson said a lack of software updates have made them easy to hack, allowing hi-tech heisters to hijack them. He stands by the video doorbell products they use at Security Monster. "We're definitely not driving consumer-level equipment. We are driving professional level equipment," Anderson said. Blonde said the Eugene Police Department can't recommend one product over another. "The technology is great but we don't want it to work against us or work in favor of the criminals," Blonde said. "Read multiple reviews to see the pros and cons and what the feedback from actual customers has been." Meanwhile, Jennifer Westing said she's happy with her Ring doorbell and hasn't had a break-in since. For more information on how to keep home your home safe, click here. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 4) President Rodrigo Duterte said he will not release the names of celebrities allegedly involved in illegal drugs. "Yung listahan ng mga drug users or mga addict or mga traffickers, yung mga artista, yung ibang tao di ko bitawan yan. Alam niyo kung bakit? Di naman sila seeking public office," Duterte said in a speech delivered to public prosecutors in Palawan on Thursday. [Translation: The list of drug users or addicts or traffickers, the ones involving actors and other people, I will not release it. Why? Because they're not running for public office.] READ: Celebrities running in the May 13 elections The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on March 26 said that at least 31 celebrities are on its watchlist. PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino added that those celebrities commonly use cocaine, marijuana, shabu and party drugs. "May ilan na pusher karamihan user Parang tatlo lang yata ang matatanda, most of them are young," he said, but refused to give names since the list has yet to be fully validated. [Translation: "A number of them are pushers but most are users. I think three are old people, most of them are young."] Duterte continued to back his release of the list of politicians that are allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade. "I am morally, legally bound to tell the people eto yung mga kandidato ninyo. So bahala kayo. If they still vote for you fine, this is a democracy. But the people ought to know and that is my solemn duty to inform the public," the President said. [Translation:I am morally, legally bound to tell the people that these are your candidates. It's up to them.] President Rodrigo Duterte said he will not release the names of celebrities allegedly involved in illegal drugs. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 4) Former Senator Jinggoy Estrada has asked the Sandiganbayan to dismiss his pork barrel plunder case over the prosecution's supposed failure to prove he masterminded the alleged crime. In his demurrer to evidence received by the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division on March 29, Estrada cited the main plunderer doctrine that acquitted former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo of plunder in 2016. "In this case, considering that four persons have been accused of amassing, acquiring and/or accumulating ill-gotten wealth, it would be improbable that the crime charged was plunder if none of them was alleged to be the main plunderer," Estrada's 115-page motion read. Estrada was charged with plunder and graft in 2014 for allegedly pocketing some P183 million by diverting his pork barrel or Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) to bogus nongovernment organizations (NGOs) controlled by businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles. The Supreme Court declared PDAF unconstitutional in November 2013. The senatorial candidate said the alleged pork barrel scam was carried out without his participation. Napoles' former employees Benhur Luy and Marina Sula, who turned state witnesses, testified that Estrada was part of the fraud. However, Estrada said the state witnesses themselves were at the center of the conspiracy. He said the prosecution failed to establish he actually received money. Part of the evidence offered by prosecutors is a ledger supposedly summarizing rebates received by lawmakers involved in the alleged scam. Luy testified to the entries detailing those received by Estrada, but the former senator said Luy's testimony should be treated with suspicion or disregarded altogether. "Mr. Luy admitted in open court that he has no personal knowledge whether any of these supposed 'rebates' actually were delivered to or received by Senator Estrada," Estrada's motion read. Ruby Tuason as 'bagman' Ruby Tuason, another state witness, testified she was the middleman who delivered Estrada's kickbacks in a duffel bag on several occasions to his Senate office. Estrada said Tuason's testimony should not be given weight unless corroborated since she herself testified that she was a co-conspirator. He added the security camera footage does not show Tuason in the Senate premises on the days she allegedly delivered the bag containing money. "That Ms. Tuason's account of delivery at the Senate is pure fiction is further proved by the fact that not once is Ms. Tuason shown to be in possession of any such duffel bag during the times she visited the Senate," Estrada said. Endorsement letters and AMLC report Estrada also questioned the weight of letters from his office supposedly endorsing Napoles NGOs for projects. He said the letters themselves do not show any violation of law. As for a report by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), Estrada said the council did not find any real basis to support allegation against him. The AMLC report supported the prosecution's allegations against Estrada. It said dummy accounts under Francis Yenko and Juan Ng were used for the receipt of kickbacks. But Estrada said AMLC only looked into his accounts after having presumed wrongdoing or after media reports on the alleged pork scam. "AMLC merely relied on the entries in Mr. Luy's summary of rebates, did not verify the same, and could not determine the underlying transaction for the financial activities tagged," Estrada said. Estrada was among three senators charged in 2014 over the alleged pork barrel scam. Both Estrada and former Senator Juan Ponce Enrile are out on bail, while former senator Bong Revilla has been acquitted. All three are running for senator in the May 13 polls. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 1) A ranking official of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has been suspended for 90 days over corruption allegations, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said Thursday. The agency said in a statement that Executive Director Samuel Jardin is facing charges of grave misconduct, for "receiving for personal use a valuable thing in the course of official duties wherein such gift was given in the expectation of receiving favorable treatment," and for conduct "prejudicial to the best interest of service." Jardin allegedly solicited 4.8 million in exchange for the grant of a Certificate of Public Convenience, or the permit to operate. "Secretary (Arthur) Tugade strongly reiterates that any corrupt deed, or the perception thereof, in the ranks of the DOTr offices and attached agencies will not be tolerated," the department said in a statement. Tugade on Wednesday said two high-ranking officials would be meted out with suspension orders over corruption allegations. The DOTr statement did not name the other official. "The DOTr resounds its stern warning that disciplinary action shall come swift and unrelenting to any official or employee, no matter the rank, for the slightest hint of corruption," the agency said. "The Transportation department wholly supports the campaign of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte against graft and corruption, and shall not hesitate to exercise its full power and authority to rid its ranks of errant officials and employees," it added. In a separate statement, the LTFRB said it will comply with the ongoing investigation. "We leave it to DOTr to resolve the matter quickly, objectively and fairly," the agency said in a statement. "Kung may sala, kasuhan at tanggalin sa serbisyo, kung wala naman (if he was at fault, charge him and dismiss him from service. If he's not guilty), dismiss the case on the merits and restore his dignity." "Our unyielding campaign against corruption would come to naught if we are to relax our firm resolve to address corruption in the agency." Duterte appointed Jardin as LTFRB executive director in March 2018. As new research on identity theft continues to roll in, it paints an unsettling picture of how good crooks are getting at their craft. Although the number of U.S. breaches fell in 2018, the number of records exposed containing sensitive, personally identifiable information (such as Social Security and financial-account numbers) spiked by 126% from the year before, according to a report from the Identity Theft Resource Center. That tells us thieves arent committing less crimetheyre just getting better at it, says Eva Velasquez, president and CEO of the ITRC. One of the largest breaches disclosed last year was at Marriott International, which admitted in November that its Starwood guest reservation database had been hacked starting in 2014. That exposed up to 383 million guest records (though the number of guests affected is likely smaller because of multiple records). Many records contained data such as passport numbers, addresses, dates of birth and, in some cases, customers payment-card information. Quora, an online question-and-answer platform, also discovered a breach of account information including names, e-mail addresses and passwords of up to 100 million users. Hackers may try to enter stolen usernames and passwords into other sitessay, those of banks or retailersin hopes that some customers reuse their log-in details across several accounts. The chances that some of those credentials will work on one or more other websites are exceptionally high, says Velasquez. Fortunately, none of those 2018 breaches involved Social Security numbersa key piece of information a thief can use to run away with someone elses identity. But the 2017 Equifax data breach exposed the names, Social Security numbers, birth dates and other sensitive data of more than 145 million Americans. Those bits of info are permanent pieces of your identity, and they may sit idle for years before a criminal puts them to work. The overall number of fraud victims fell significantly last year from 2017, thanks largely to a decline in fraud against existing credit and debit cards, according to a Javelin Strategy & Research report. But in both 2017 and 2018, the number of victims who faced some liability for fraud more than doubled from 2016, and so did the victims out-of-pocket costs. Incidents of fraud in which criminals open new financial accounts in a victims name or take over existing non-card accounts, such as brokerage or retirement accounts, were well above historical levels in 2017 and 2018 and are much more difficult, and frequently expensive, for victims to resolve, says Javelin. Sophisticated schemes. Imposter scams, in which crooks claim to be representatives of the IRS, Social Security Administration or other entities in attempts to glean personal information or money from their targets, topped the list of consumer complaints submitted to the Federal Trade Commission in 2018the first time such scams have reached the number-one spot. Scammers are taking aim at both consumers and businesses with increasingly realistic phishing e-mails, persuading individuals to click on links or attachments that could infect their computers with malware or prompt them to send sensitive information. In early 2017, Pooja Raval found out that a staff member of the community health center where she worked as a physician had been tricked into e-mailing the employees W-2 tax formswhich contain a treasure trove of personal info, including Social Security numbers, addresses and income informationto a crook. Thieves can use such valuable pieces of data to impersonate victims in several waysand since the breach, Raval, of Cambridge, Mass., has encountered a few of them. A criminal attempted to file a tax return and collect a refund in her name; the IRS noticed that something was amiss and sent Raval a letter before issuing the refund. She was instructed to bring the letter and various identifying documents to an IRS center so that she could get an Identity Protection PIN to file with her tax return. (Before she could make it to the center, the IRS sent her the PIN.) Someone has repeatedly tried to use Ravals information to get health insurance. And a credit card was fraudulently opened in her namedespite freezes she placed on her credit reports, says Raval. Rather than being able to take steps to prevent identity theft, she says she has had to wait and fix it retroactively. Raval says she lacked support from her employer in repairing the damage, and she left the company early last year. Stronger protections. If theres a bright spot among the bad news, its that policymakers are paying attention. The Equifax data breach has created a lot of interest in legislation both at the state and federal level to provide consumers with greater protection from identity theft, says Paul Stephens, director of policy and advocacy for the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse. Last September, a federal law that made credit freezes free for everyone went into effect. The same law also requires the Social Security Administration to offer financial institutions a more streamlined system to ensure that the Social Security number a customer provides matches up with the name and birth date associated with that SSN. The measure is designed to cut down on synthetic identity fraud, in which criminals piece together real SSNsoften of childrenwith fake names and other bits of personal info to create new identities. More federal data-privacy laws may be on the way, too. The Senate Banking Committee recently sought input on the collection, use and protection of sensitive personal information by financial regulators and companies. Private companies and the government have a big responsibility in taking better care of your personal data. But you can take steps to safeguard your identity, too. Tax ID theft More than your refund is at risk. The problem: Your tax return could be attractive to an identity thief even if you are not owed a refund. Filing for a refund using a stolen identity is still the most prevalent form of tax ID theft, although new security protocols have made it more difficult. In the past, a criminal needed only your name, date of birth and Social Security Number (SSN) to file a tax return in your name, because he or she could make up the other details, including W-2 information, to claim an outsize refund. Now a thief may need more information to beat the system. Although stolen identity refund fraud remains a threat, employment-related identity theftin which a crook earns wages under your SSNis on the rise, says Lisa Weintraub Schifferle, the Federal Trade Commissions identity theft program manager. Another type of tax fraud involves someone claiming your children as his or her dependents. You probably wont know that you are a victim of tax fraud until the Internal Revenue Service tells you, or your electronic filing is rejected because a return has already been submitted using your SSN. How to avoid it: Filing your return as early as you caneven if you owe moneyis the only way to beat a thief to the punch. If you are filing electronically, stick with a secure internet connection. Dont use unfamiliar tax software or a new tax preparer without screening for complaints and checking for scams. Victims of tax fraud will be assigned an Identity Protection (IP) PIN. Residents of California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, Rhode Island and the District of Columbia may request a PIN on their own for federal filing. However, if youre approved, you must use the PIN for all future filings. The IRS will never call or e-mail you and threaten to arrest or deport you if you dont pay up. Normally, the IRS initiates contact by mail. But more recently, the agency started contracting with private debt collectors who may contact you on its behalf. We used to be able to say that the IRS will never call you to collect a debt, but now you may be called if you owe back taxes, says Schifferle. However, you will be notified by letter first, and legitimate debt collectors will not argue if you want to call the IRS to verify their identity. What to do if youre a victim: The IRS is getting better at catching suspicious returns and verifying with the real people behind those SSNs, says Velasquez. And although the agency will help you sort out the fraud and return the refund youre entitled to, the process could take months. You will need to file all future taxes with an IP PIN, and you may experience other hiccups, such as an inability to use the tool that automatically transfers your tax return data into a FAFSA (the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form) for tax transcripts affected by fraud. If you receive a letter from the IRS noting suspicious activity, call the phone number provided in your letter to learn your next steps. Keep meticulous records of your conversations. Or, if your e-filing was rejected, report the incident to the IRS by filling out and sending in an IRS Identity Theft Affidavit, or Form 14039, by mail; if you report your identity theft at IdentityTheft.gov, you can submit the affidavit electronically. You will still need to file your taxes by the April 15 deadline (or request an extension), even if it means paper filing. The IRS estimates that it will take 120 days to get your refund if one is due, or more than 180 days for complex cases. But Velasquez says that callers to the Identity Theft Resource Center have reported resolutions anywhere from around a month to a year later. You will receive a new IP PIN each year to include on your tax return. Call your state department of revenue (find the link at taxadmin.org/state-tax-agencies) to put it on notice that your federal tax return was compromised, even if youre not sure whether someone is trying to defraud you at the state level, says Velasquez. A thief can only use your data to file one fraudulent federal return, she says, but can file across multiple states. They've got your (mobile) number The Social Security number has been the most important unique identifier for decades, but a new kind of ID has emerged in the last decade or so as an alternative: your mobile phone number. When a company wants to verify your identity when you log in to an account from a new device, for example, itll often ask you to verify a code it texts to the mobile number they have on file. But thats not a piece of information thats designed to be kept secret, says Jake Williams, security principal of Rendition Infosec and a former NSA hacker. We give it out, put it in our e-mail signatures. Over the past few years, some hackers have taken advantage of this vulnerability by executing a SIM swap hack, typically by calling a telecom company, saying theyve lost their phone and need their numberyour numberto be swapped to a new SIM card they bought from the store. If they can convince a customer support agent theyre you with a few bits of personal information, theyll have access to any account youve secured with your phone number by resetting your password. Most people arent prominent enough to be subject to this kind of attack, Williams says. People in the public eye or in high-risk positions are more likely to be targeted. For protection, its possible to port your phone number to a VOIPan internet-based calling servicewhich is much more difficult to SIM swap. Medical ID theft Avoid health care hijackers. The problem: Medical identity theftwhen a criminal uses your health information to receive medical care or prescription drugs or file insurance claims in your nameis rare, but its hard to shake and likely on the rise. In the fall of 2017, Tyler P. of Austin, Texas, received a call from the billing department of a local hospital for an emergency-room visit the month before, saying that he owed $7,000 for back surgery. Tyler had been on a plane to Memphis the day the hospital said he had checked in for the procedure. After losing his wallet a few months earlier, Tyler had frozen his credit and was scrutinizing all his bills for any sign of fraud. But with just his drivers license and an insurance card, a thief had all he needed to ask for a back operation and a week-long stay in recovery. It was nuts, Tyler says. Tyler made a flurry of phone calls, first to his insurance company, then to the police, then to the hospital to begin disputing the charges. But the real challenge was untangling the criminals medical records from Tylers. There were a lot of people [at the hospital] who didnt know what to do with me, he says. Eventually, Tyler connected with an administrator in the billing department who agreed to work with him. Beyond the bill, having incorrect information in a medical record can have deadly consequences years after the crime; for example, you could be denied a certain treatment due to an allergy or condition on records left behind by an identity thief. How to avoid it: Your health providers are likely to ask for your Social Security number, but your health insurance information is usually enough to receive and manage care, especially if youve used the provider in the past. Thankfully, the Social Security Administration stopped printing Medicare cards with SSNs on them in 2018. Review statements you receive from your medical or insurance providers. If you recently received treatment but the explanation of benefits seems to differ even a little, dont write it off as a mistake. And if you receive mail from providers you havent used, dont toss it; thieves may have used your identity to get care. What to do if youre a victim: File a police report, then contact your medical providers and ask to see a copy of your records. Some institutions may balk at handing them over if you say theyve been compromised with someone elses medical data, but the right to request your records overrules an identity thiefs right to privacy, says the Federal Trade Commission. Ask your provider for an accounting of disclosures to have a paper trail of every institution to which theyve sent a copy of your medical records. As you contact providers, send time-stamped letters explaining your situation along with a copy of your police report. If you catch the fraud early, you may be able to contact the billing department of your provider and ask to cancel the debt. But if the debt is passed on to an outside collector, youll need to use the protections offered by the Fair Credit Reporting Act and Fair Debt Collection Practices Actsuch as the right to an investigationto clear things up, according to Pam Dixon, founder of the World Privacy Forum. Credit and debit card fraud Safeguard your plastic and your account information. The problem: The U.S. transition to credit and debit cards equipped with microchipsand payment terminals that accept chip transactionsis reducing fraud on existing card accounts. If ID thieves try to intercept chip transactions, they cant get enough usable data to create counterfeit cards. Losses from fraud on existing card accounts fell from $8.1 billion in 2017 to $6.5 billion in 2018, according to a recent report from Javelin Strategy & Research. But payment terminals at gas pumps, in particular, are vulnerable to skimming of customer card data by crooks because gas stations dont yet face liability for counterfeit-card transactions at the pump. Starting in October 2020, gas stations that havent upgraded to chip terminals at the pump may incur liability for such transactions. Fraudsters are also going online to steal payment credentials. Through a method called formjacking, they embed malicious code on retail websites to grab customers payment information. Such fraud affected more than 4,800 websites per month last year, on average, according to a recent report from Symantec. Small and midsize retailers are often targets, although well-known companies such as British Airways and Ticketmaster have been hit, too. How to avoid it: Dont store your card information on retail sites or apps. I never save my payment information. It takes 10 seconds to type it in, says Carl Carpenter, CEO of security firm Arrakis Consulting. Certain issuersincluding Bank of America, Capital One and Citioffer virtual numbers for most of their credit cards. Rather than enter your cards real number when shopping online, you use a different number thats linked to your card account. Gas-pump skimmers are hard to spot because theyre typically installed inside the machine. Steer clear of pumps at the edges of the station. Crooks are more likely to place skimmers there, where they can insert the devices unnoticed. At the ATM, shield your hand as you enter your PIN in case a thief has put a camera on the machine to capture your PIN (along with a skimmer to record your card data). Its not a bad idea to get notifications from your financial institutionswhether by e-mail, text message or through a mobile appeach time a transaction goes through on your credit or debit card. Sometimes thieves make small purchases to test a card, which you may not notice if you receive alerts only for large transactions. Some people say they dont want to be bothered. The truth is, you do want to be bothered, says Adam Levin, founder of identity-protection service CyberScout. Consider paring the number of payment accounts you use so that you have fewer to track, suggests Velasquez. If possible, use a credit card for most purchases. Legally, your liability for fraudulent purchases with a credit card is capped at $50and youll owe nothing if your card number (but not the card itself) is used fraudulently. Plus, the major card networks have zero-liability policies for fraudulent account use, and credit cards come with stronger liability protections than debit cards. And with debit and prepaid cards, you may owe late penalties and overdraft fees. What to do if youre a victim: Immediately call your bank or credit card issuer if you see unauthorized transactions. Or your bank may notice first that something is amiss. Youll receive a card with a new number. If a criminal used your financial accounts online log-in information to steal funds, change your username and your password. Liability for funds taken with a stolen debit card varies depending on how quickly you report the issue; youre off the hook if your card number (but not the physical card) is stolen and you tell the bank within 60 days of it sending your statement. If you promptly notify your financial institution, youll likely get the money backbut you may have to wait until the bank processes your claim. Protect your kids' data The federal law that mandates free credit freezes includes provisions for freezing the credit records of children younger than 16. If youre a guardian or conservator or have a power of attorney for someonesay, an elderly parentyou can freeze his or her files, too. If your child doesnt have a credit report, the agency must create one and freeze it upon a parent or guardians request. Youll have to send the request by snail mail with copies of supporting documents, such as your childs birth certificate and your drivers license. (Freezing a childs Equifax file, however, has been difficult and confusing for some customers, so you may want to wait until the agency works out the kinks.) Children are attractive targets for ID thieves because it may be years before anyone notices that a child's identity has been snatched. Take care to keep track of a childs PINs because several years may pass before the child needs to lift the freeze, says Velasquez. She advises telling a trusted family member or friend where to find your childrens PINs as backup. Unusual mail in a childs namesuch as preapproved credit card offers or debt-collection noticesis an indication that his or her identity may have been stolen. Tell your children not to hand over their personal information online (or anywhere else) without your permission. The power of putting your credit on ice The case for placing a security freeze on your credit reports is stronger than ever, even if you havent yet suffered identity theft. Thanks to a federal law that went into effect last year, both placing and lifting a freeze is free for everyone. And when you ask to remove a freeze online or by phone, the credit agenciesEquifax, Experian and TransUnionmust lift it within an hour of receiving your request. A freeze is designed to stop a criminal in his tracks if he attempts to open a credit line in your name. (It does not, however, block criminals from accessing accounts you already have.) A lender cannot view your credit reporta collection of data about your credit activityin response to a new credit application when a freeze is in place. You must contact each credit agency separately to place and remove freezes. For good measure, you could also freeze your report with Innovis, a fourth credit agency, at innovis.com or by calling 800-540-2505. If you run into roadblocks while dealing with the credit agencies, you can enlist a pro to help. Representatives of the Identity Theft Resource Centers free services (call 888-400-5530) will walk you through the steps. Or, if you subscribe to an identity-theft monitoring service, its reps may assist you. If youre getting nowhere after repeated attempts to work with a credit agency, try submitting a complaint to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. It will forward your complaint to the agency and aim to get you a response within 15 days. Managing your freeze. When you place a freeze, each agency will give you a PIN, which you may later need to provide to unfreeze the reports. Equifax and TransUnion now allow customers to thaw their reports through password-protected online accounts (no PIN required), but youll still need the PIN to lift a freeze over the phone. Keep your PINs and passwords in a safe place. Be aware that new creditors arent the only entities that may want access to your credit report. Some banks, for example, ping a potential new customers credit report for identity verification when he or she applies to open a checking or savings account. If you want to use a third-party service that offers free credit scores, access to your credit reports or monitoring of your reports for significant changes, you may have to lift the freeze when you enrollor, in some cases, the service wont work at all. Ask a service which credit agencys report it accessesyou may have to lift the freeze at only one agency. To create a My Social Security account online, for example, youll have to remove a freeze temporarily only on your Equifax report; you can re-freeze the report after youve enrolled (you wont have to lift the freeze if you go to a Social Security office to open the account). Whether or not retirement is near, its smart to create an account now to prevent a thief from opening one in your name and using it to collect benefits. Stay vigilant. Even if youve frozen your credit reports, keep tabs on them. Every 12 months, you can get a free copy of your report from each agency at annualcreditreport.com. Make sure that you recognize each account listed. A credit-monitoring service, which regularly scans your credit report and sends you alerts of significant changes, may be useful even if your reports are frozen. For example, a change in address may indicate that someone has taken over one of your existing accounts and redirected your mail. You can get free monitoring of all three reports through CreditKarma.com (for Equifax and TransUnion monitoring) and FreeCreditScore.com (Experian). Some paid identity-theft monitoring services cover all three credit reports and offer other features, such as scanning of the dark web for your personal information and remediation services if you do become an identity-theft victim (see Early Alert Systems for Identity Theft). If a suspicious account shows up on your credit report, contact the lenders fraud department. If someone has stolen your identity, file a police report and fill out an Identity Theft Report at the Federal Trade Commissions IdentityTheft.gov website, then send those documents to the lender and the credit agencies. The agencies must remove fraudulent information from your reports if you send them the FTC form. Phishing Dont get hooked by fake messages. The problem: Phishing can come in the form of e-mails, texts, social media messages or phone calls that try to extract personal information from you or infect your device with malware. These devious messages may address you by name, appear to come from a person or company you recognize, and mimic the look and tone of communications from your bank, social media accounts or employer. If you fall for a phishers e-mail or other message and click on a nefarious link, or open a malicious attachment, your computer or phone gets owned by the bad guys, says Stu Sjouwerman, CEO of KnowBe4, a company that provides security-awareness training. Criminals can monitor your activity, steal your log-in credentials to sensitive websites, spy on you by turning on your camera or microphone remotely, hold your data for ransom, and more. How to avoid it: KnowBe4s top-clicked phishing subject lines in the last three months of 2018 included Password Check Required Immediately, as well as the timely Your Order with Amazon.com, and Happy holidays! Have a drink on us. Kelvin Coleman, executive director of the National Cyber Security Alliance, says phishing campaigns often materialize in relation to big health scares, natural disasters, tax season and elections. Scan e-mails for visual cues that something is off, such as grammatical errors, misspelled words or distorted company logos, says Brian Lapidus, head of identity theft and breach notification at security firm Kroll. Examine the from e-mail address to see if the user name and domain are recognizable, or if they contain subtle typos, such as @amazom.com. Hover over hyperlinks with your cursor to see if the link that pops up matches the web address in the message. Instead of clicking on links from e-mails sent by, say, your bank or brokerage, type the web address into a separate tab. A fishy link may lead to a realistic mockup of the institutions website, complete with the padlock symbol and httpswidely seen as signs of authenticityin the URL, says Stacy Shelley, vice president of marketing at PhishLabs, a cybersecurity firm. Rather than opening attachments you dont recognize, use the preview function if your e-mail has one to view them safely. Better yet, contact the sender in a separate e-mail or text to ask if he or she e-mailed you an attachment. Be extra careful when viewing e-mail on a mobile device, where you cant hover over a link or easily see a full URL after clicking on a link. Equip your devices with anti-malware software and regularly install security patches and updates. (For more tips, see lockdownyourlogin.org.) Set up two-factor authentication where possible, and back up files once a month to the cloud, an external hard drive or memory stick in case your device needs to be wiped clean or a criminal holds your data for ransom. What to do if youre a victim: Change the passwords to your financial accounts and other important websites as soon as possible, preferably from another computer in case a keylogger is recording these new passwords on your compromised device. Run a malware detection tool, such as Malwarebytes, to see if your computer was infected. If your device has been locked with ransomware, try searching the internet for unique words in your ransomware note to see if you can find a free decoder. Or find a pro to help. Best Buys Geek Squad charges $100 for remote virus and spyware removal, or $150 for in-store or at-home help. Staples charges $100 for remote service, $160 for an in-store fix, and $300 for a technician to visit your home. McAfee Virus Removal Service ($90) and Norton Spyware & Virus Removal ($100) will help you remotely as well. How to secure your devices Ask any security expert how consumers most often shoot themselves in the foot, and the response will almost certainly be passwords. The most common password in the world is 123456, followed by password. We are bad at passwords. The best solution is a password manager. LastPass offers a free version of its software that will generate, store and save randomized passwords across all your devices, all locked behind a single master password. Many browsers function like password managers, offering to save your log-in information. Some, including Google Chrome, will even generate a random password for you. But the password requirements for your Google account arent very strict, with no uppercase letter, number or symbols needed. If your master password is easy to crack, all the accounts saved inside could be at risk. Another crucial practice for securing your devices is two-factor authentication, or 2FA. Youve experienced 2FA if a service has sent you an e-mail or text to confirm your identity before signing in. If an account gives you the option to require 2FA whenever you log in, its generally a good idea to use it. The extra step prevents a thief with your bank password from accessing funds remotely. Not all 2FA systems are equal, however. If an account only offers authentication via basic text messaging, you may be vulnerable to a SIM swap. For now, this is still rare, and having 2FA is better than not having it, no question, says Jake Williams, principal of Rendition InfoSec and former NSA hacker. The website turnon2fa.com offers step-by-step instructions for activating the feature across dozens of websites, from Facebook to Fidelity. Where to get help Tap these resources to protect yourself from ID theft, to get assistance if you do become a victim and to receive alerts about new scams. As the mother of a money-smart daughter (and two sons) and the author of Raising Money Smart Kids, I second Annes observations, which match what Ive learned from my own experience and that of hundreds of parents Ive spoken with over the years. Small lessons have a big impact, and parentsand grandparentsplay a key role in teaching those lessons. Adults often feel awkward talking about money with kids. But the earlier you start, and the more you can make money matters a natural part of everyday discussions, the easier the conversation. Now a brand manager for Diageo, Sydney has the perfect financial plan, says her mother. She saves money automatically every month, maximizes her retirement plans at work and is fully invested in the stock market. Says Anne, The key with kids is keeping it short, not getting into too much detail, and repeating. When Sydney was about 3 years old, Anne says she began dropping little hints about money into her conversations with her daughter. For example, she would ask Sydney to think about where her money came from and what she did with it. As Sydney grew, Anne encouraged her to write thank-you notes for cash gifts, earn money by doing small jobs and save money from her allowance. By the time Sydney was 10 or 12, she and her mom were talking about stocks. In my March Money Smart Women column, Retirement Tips for a Long Lifetime , I promised that I would weigh in on how to raise money-smart girls. That prompted an e-mail from Anne Chernish, a certified financial planner in Ithaca, N.Y., who volunteered her daughter Sydney, 32, as an example. The gender gap. Unfortunately, even when parents do talk to their children about money, theres evidence that they often speak differently to their sons and daughters. A survey by Charles Schwab, for example, found that parents emphasize saving and budgeting with their daughters but are more likely to discuss investing with their sons. So its not surprising that women are less likely than men to feel comfortable about investing. That presents a golden opportunity for Kiplingers readers, such as Tony Hausner, who is also past president of the Washington, D.C., metro chapter of the American Association of Individual Investors. Hausner once asked me if it made sense to buy his 6-year-old granddaughters shares in a stock such as Disney to introduce them to the stock market. My response: Go for it! Research shows that women dont lack financial competence, but they express less confidence than men when it comes to money matters. It doesnt help that theyre less likely than men to talk about money with their friends, which puts them at another disadvantage (see Getting Women to Talk About Money). So getting an early start is as much about boosting girls confidence as increasing their financial knowledge. As a hands-on way of learning to manage money, nothing beats an allowance that comes with certain spending and saving responsibilities. Resist the temptation to shield your daughters from those responsibilities; they need to feel comfortable handling their own money so they arent tempted to cede that job to someone else when they get older. When it comes time for your daughter to get her first summer job, help her prepare a resume that showcases her talents and interests. And rehearse with her so she knows how to speak up during a job interview. Never underestimate the importance of role models, whether thats you or someone else. I once attended an investing boot camp for teenage girls conducted by female financial advisers. Besides asking questions about the markets, the girls were curious about how the advisers got their jobs. When they discovered that one had once been a ballet dancer and another had been in retail sales, it was as inspirational for the teens as anything they learned about stocks and bonds. OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland on Thursday cautioned against the idea of reopening a new continental trade pact with the United States and Mexico, saying it could be a Pandoras box. U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told Politico this week that changes needed to be made to the text of the United States-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) trade deal to ensure its labor provisions could be enforced. When it comes to the issue of actually opening up the agreement, thats where Canadas view is, weve done our deal, Freeland told reporters on the sidelines of a NATO meeting in Washington when asked about Pelosis comments. This was a very intense negotiation. A lot of time, a lot of effort went into it, compromises were made on all sides, and we believe that people need to be very careful around opening up what could really be a Pandoras box, she added. One part of the deal - which was signed last November after 15 months of sometimes rancorous negotiations - was a chapter designed to boost labor standards and wages in Mexico. Democratic lawmakers say the pact must ensure workers in Mexico have the right to organize, a step that would require new Mexican labor laws. Canada has done its share, we have done our work, and now its up to each country to work on ratification, said Freeland. Editor's Note: Get caught up in minutes with our speedy summary of today's must-read news stories and expert opinions that moved the precious metals and financial markets. Sign up here! (Kitco News) - Gold and silver prices are modestly lower in midday trading Thursday, but have moved up from their daily lows that pushed both markets to more-than-three-month lows early on. An upbeat U.S. economic report released this morning bolstered the keener trader and investor risk appetite that is keeping safe-haven gold and silver markets under pressure. A higher U.S. dollar index today is also a bearish element for the precious metals markets. June gold futures were last down $3.20 an ounce at $1,292.10. May Comex silver was last down $0.042 at $15.06 an ounce. Todays weekly U.S. jobless claims report showed claims falling by 10,000, which now puts claims at the lowest level in 50 years. Gold and silver prices hit their daily lows following the report. The U.S. dollar index moved to its daily high on the news. Traders and investors worldwide are still generally upbeat, due in part to optimism the U.S. and China will soon reach a trade deal. Reports said President Trump will today meet with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He in Washington. He is part of the Chinese trade delegation in town. Reports say the U.S. and China are very close to a trade deal. The marketplace is wondering if Trump will today mention a summit meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping to seal the trade deal. A European report out today said Italian economic growth for 2019 has been reduced from 1.0% to 0.1%. This could impact the European markets more significantly, given Italys already fragile financial system. If Italys financial/economic condition worsens it could prompt some safe-haven demand for gold. Market watchers are looking ahead to the U.S. Labor Departments employment report for March, which is due out Friday morning. Its arguably the most important economic data point of the month. The key non-farm payrolls number in the report is forecast to be up 175,000 in March, with the unemployment rate expected to remain at 3.8%. Wednesdays precursor report, the ADP national employment report for March, showed a gain of 129,000 jobs, which was a significant downside miss. The payrolls number was forecast to be up 173,000. This suggests Fridays more important jobs report could also be a miss to the downside. The key outside markets today see the U.S. dollar index slightly higher. Meantime, Nymex crude oil prices are near steady and trading around $62.50 a barrel. U.S. economic reports due for release Thursday include the weekly jobless claims report and the Challenger job-cuts report. There are also several Federal Reserve officials scheduled to give speeches today. Technically, the gold bulls still have the overall near-term technical advantage but have faded recently and need to show fresh power soon. Bulls next upside price objective is to produce a close in June futures above solid resistance at the March high of $1,330.80. Bears' next near-term downside price breakout objective is pushing prices below solid technical support at the March low of $1,287.50. First resistance is seen at todays high of $1,297.90 and then at this weeks high of $1,301.70. First support is seen at $1,280.00 and then at $1,275.00. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 6.0 May silver futures bears have the slight overall near-term technical advantage. Silver bulls' next upside price breakout objective is closing prices above solid technical resistance at the March high of $15.65 an ounce. The next downside price breakout objective for the bears is closing prices below solid support at $14.50. First resistance is seen at this weeks high of $15.19 and then at 15.315. Next support is seen at the overnight low of $14.86 and then at $14.75. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 4.5. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives approved a resolution on Thursday to end U.S. support for the Saudi Arabia-led coalition in the war in Yemen, rebuffing President Donald Trumps policy of continued support for the kingdom. As the resolution had already passed the Senate, the vote in the Democratic-led House sends the measure to the White House, which said last month Trump would issue a veto. It would be the second of his presidency. The vote in the House was 247-175, as 16 Republicans joined the majority Democrats in backing the rare use of the War Powers Act, which limits the presidents ability to send troops into action. The president will have to face the reality that Congress is no longer going to ignore its constitutional obligations when it comes to foreign policy, Representative Eliot Engel, the Democratic chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said before the vote. Still, neither the House tally nor the 54-46 bipartisan vote in the Senate, where Republicans have a slim majority, would be enough to override a veto. The four-year-long civil war in Yemen, which pits the Saudi-led coalition against Houthi rebels backed by Iran, has killed tens of thousands of people and spawned what the United Nations calls the worlds most dire humanitarian crisis, with the country on the brink of famine. Backers of the resolution argued that U.S. involvement in Yemen violated the constitutional requirement that Congress, not the president, should determine when the country goes to war. Resolution opponents argued that support for the Saudi-led coalition was not an appropriate use of the War Powers Act, which limits the presidents ability to send troops into action. Getting the measure passed took months, despite outrage in Congress over the civilian toll in the Yemen conflict, Saudi Arabias human rights record and calls for a tougher line on the government in Riyadh after the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a U.S. resident, at a Saudi consulate in Turkey in October. House Republicans, who had derailed the resolution earlier this year by tying it to a measure condemning anti-Semitism, tried to stop it again on Thursday by adding a provision opposing the Boycott, Divest, Sanction (BDS) movement seeking to punish Israel for its treatment of Palestinians. That effort failed in the House and was condemned by the House Democratic majority leader as a cynical, political ploy. Overcoming Trumps veto would require two-third majorities in both the Senate and the House. By Ayai Tomisawa TOKYO, April 4 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei edged up to a one-month high on Thursday as investors bought carmakers and other cyclical shares on growing hopes that a trade deal can be reached between Washington and Beijing. The Nikkei share average ended 0.05 percent higher at 21,724.95 points, its highest closing level since March 5. Carmakers, which have been undermined by worries about global slowdown and threats from U.S. President Donald Trump to impose tariffs on imported cars, rose 0.9 percent. They have risen 4.8 percent over the past five sessions. Honda Motor rose 0.9 percent while Toyota Motor gained 0.7 percent. Nissan, whose former chairman Carlos Ghosn was re-arrested on Thursday on suspicion of trying to enrich himself at the automaker's expense, rose 0.6 percent. Chip equipment makers and silicon products makers also sprinted higher following a surge in their U.S. peers, although some of them lost momentum in late afternoon. Keyence gained 3.3 percent to a record high while Advantest Corp rose 2.1 percent to 11-year highs. On Wednesday, the Philadelphia Semiconductor index surged 2.3 percent to record highs. "Investors took heart from strong American shares, but this is also part of a spring rally as the new fiscal year began and new funding is allocated," said Katsuhiko Nakamura, a director and senior technical analyst at Mizuho Securities. Nakamura said that foreign investors have been net buyers of Japanese cash stocks in the month of April for the past 18 years, citing data from the Tokyo Stock Exchange. "Foreigners have been net sellers of Japanese stocks so far this year, but investors are focused on whether there is a turnaround this month," he said. Optimism about Sino-U.S. trade talks has supported investor risk appetite this week, especially in export-reliant Asian economies which have suffered collateral damage from the escalating dispute. On Wednesday, White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said trade talks between the United States and China made "good headway" last week in Beijing. Investors rotated out of defensive shares which they had bought earlier this year. East Japan Railway fell 2.0 percent to 1 1/2-month lows while Central Japan Railway dropped 1.6 percent. Takeda Pharmaceutical shed 1.2 percent. With many other sectors including banks and food companies posting losses, the broader Topix ended 0.1 percent down at 1,620.05, failing to maintain earlier gains. (Additional reporting by Hideyuki Sano Editing by Sam Holmes & Kim Coghill) By Mitra Taj and Marco Aquino LIMA, April 3 (Reuters) - A Peruvian judge on Wednesday ordered three years of jail time for three lawyers representing indigenous villagers who have blockaded shipments from a massive copper mine operated by Chinese miner MMG Ltd. The ruling, which a lead prosecutor confirmed on television news channels, promises to further polarize a dispute between MMG and the Quechua-speaking village of Fuerabamba, in Peru's southern copper belt. Villagers have demanded that their lawyers be freed before talking with the government about lifting their blockades of two roads that have cut off access to the Las Bambas mine, halting its exports. "I hope that the community understands we're not against them. We're against crime," prosecutor Jorge Chavez Cotrina said in comments broadcast on local TV channel RPP. "They can ask for whatever they want. But we have to act according to the law." The prosecution argued the lawyers - the brothers Jorge and Frank Chavez, and Carlos Vargas - had manipulated Fuerabamba villagers into blocking a road used by Las Bambas to extort MMG, and must be held in jail because they are a flight risk. Kevin Pena, the attorney for the three men, denied the accusations and said their due process was being violated. Fuerabamba villagers have repeatedly denied that they were manipulated by the lawyers, saying they fairly represented them in their claim for compensation from MMG for transporting its copper concentrates on a road that passes through the community's farmland. At the end of a three-day hearing in the regional capital of Cusco, Judge Patricia Valencia granted the prosecution's request to order the lawyers to 36 months in pre-trial detention while prosecutors prepare charges against them. Fuerabamba villager Edison Vargas said the community would continue the blockades while they remained in jail. "We'll keep up the struggle 36 months. The mine will be shuttered 36 months," Vargas said in a phone message. Fuerabamba's president, Gregorio Rojas, could not immediately be reached for comment. MMG has said it is open to dialogue. Las Bambas, MMG's flagship mine, is one of Peru's biggest copper producers, churning out about 400,000 tonnes in copper per year, or about 2 percent of global supply. Only some 900 workers out of 1,900 remained at the mine on Wednesday, and more will be evacuated by helicopter in coming days, a company source told Reuters. Production at Las Bambas "continues at progressively reduced rates," the company said in an emailed statement from its headquarters in Australia. "The situation at the site remains unchanged, inbound and outbound logistics are suspended." MMG is controlled by state-owned China Minmetals. (Reporting By Mitra Taj and Marco Aquino) (Spokesman corrects timing of incident in first paragraph to Wednesday, not Tuesday) JAKARTA, April 4 (Reuters) - * An incident at Freeport-McMoran's Grasberg mine in Indonesia injured two workers on Wednesday while two other missing, a company spokesman said on Thursday * The injured workers have been hospitalised while rescue team continues to search for the missing. Mining operation is running normally despite the incident, spokesman Riza Pratama said * According to Bambang Gatot Ariyono, Indonesia's director general of coal and minerals at mining ministry, the incident occurred after an area inside the mine was hit by a mudflow * Mine inspectors are investigating the cause of the incident, Pratama said (Reporting by Wilda Asmarini Writing by Fransiska Nangoy; Editing by Gopakumar Warrier) Reuters Messaging: fransiska.nangoy.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)) Reuters Messaging: fransiska.nangoy.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)) Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication. (Adds detail, background) By Michelle Martin and Paul Carrel BERLIN, April 4 (Reuters) - Germany's leading economic institutes slashed their forecasts for 2019 growth by more than half on Thursday and warned that the economy - Europe's largest - could slow much more if Britain quits the European Union without an agreement. Industrial orders in Germany fell by the biggest margin in more than two years in February, slumping 4.2 percent, highlighting the extent of the slowdown amid global trade disputes and the risk of a no-deal Brexit, which could happen at the end of next week. The institutes cut their overall growth forecast for this year to 0.8 percent from a previous 1.9 percent and said risks had increased since the autumn. They pointed to Britain's expected departure from the EU and trade conflict between the United States and China, triggered by U.S. President Donald Trump's 'America First' stance. Germany is in its 10th year of economic expansion, but with growth slowing, Oliver Holtemoeller, one of the economists involved in the institutes' report, warned: "The long-term upswing of the German economy has come to an end." Long the euro zone's economic powerhouse, Germany narrowly skirted a recession at the end of last year and posted its weakest growth in five years in 2018 as its export-orientated economy is slowed by the trade and Brexit headwinds. Chancellor Angela Merkel has repeatedly said she will "fight until the last minute" for an orderly Brexit. She is using a trip to Ireland on Thursday to consider how to prevent a no-deal "hard Brexit". TIGHTER FINANCES Germany's slower-than-previously-expected growth means Finance Minister Olaf Scholz's fiscal room for manoeuvre is getting tighter as tax revenues are likely to come in lower than expected this year. Last month, the cabinet passed a draft budget for 2020 that calls for a 1.7 percent spending increase and relies on ministries to cut costs to avoid incurring new debt in light of the slowdown. The tighter public finances - after years of budget surpluses routinely exceeding expectations - are starting to raise tensions over spending priorities in Merkel's awkward grand coalition, senior party officials say. Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen said last month the ministry would have to fight next year to ensure that defence spending continues to expand as a share of the overall economy to move towards the NATO target of 2 percent of economic output. The institutes' forecasts were completed by March 29, the date Britain was originally due to leave the EU, when the institutes assumed it would not quit without an agreement on the terms. The deadline has since been extended to April 12. Their estimates feed into the government's own growth projections, which will be updated later this month. In January, the government forecast growth of 1.0 percent for this year. Economy Minister Peter Altmaier said the slowdown in Germany seen in the second half of 2018 would be overcome during the course of this year and replaced by an economic upswing. Officials are hopeful that once global trade disputes and Brexit are resolved, growth can pick up next year. The drop in orders in February was marked by a slump in foreign demand, data from the Economy Ministry showed. "Awful new-order data suggests that German industry is still suffering from Brexit woes and global uncertainties," said ING economist Carsten Brzeski. (Additional reporting by Madeline Chambers; Editing by Hugh Lawson) Stuff reports: The prime ministers of Greece and North Macedonia have broken the ice and engaged in selfie diplomacy during the first ever official visit by a Greek leader to the neighbouring country following decades of strained relations over a name dispute. North Macedonia Prime Minister Zoran Zaev held up a cellphone while standing beside Greek counterpart Alexis Tspiras, snapping the historic selfies outside the main government building in the capital, Skopje. The former Yugoslav republic officially changed its name earlier this year from Macedonia to North Macedonia, settling a dispute over its name with Greece that lasted nearly three decades. An elegant solution to a problem which caused huge tensions. Leaders and ministers from the two countries signed multiple friendship agreements to establish embassies in both capitals, ease trade barriers and for the Greek military to police North Macedonias airspace. Tsipras travelled to Skopje with 10 Greek Cabinet ministers and more than 100 business representatives. Speaking at a forum on economic cooperation between the two countries, Zaev said Greece was North Macedonias second-biggest trade partner in 2018 behind Germany. Trade is better than conflict. North Macedonia is due to become the next member of NATO after Greece dropped its objections. Excellent. NATO started with just 12 countries in 1949. Before the cold war ended it stood at 16 with Turkey, Greece, Germany and Spain joining. Since the USSR dissolved 13 more countries have joined and North Macedonia will be the 30th country to join. Share this: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Reddit WhatsApp More Pinterest Print Tumblr Scientists shed light on preservation mystery of Terracotta Army weapons The chrome plating on the Terracotta Army bronze weapons - once thought to be the earliest form of anti-rust technology - derives from a decorative varnish rather than a preservation technique, finds a new study co-led by UCL and Terracotta Army Museum researchers. The study, published today in Scientific Reports, reveals that the chemical composition and characteristics of the surrounding soil, rather than chromium, may be responsible for the weapons' famous preservation power. Lead author Professor Marcos Martinon-Torres (University of Cambridge and formerly of UCL Institute of Archaeology), commented: "The terracotta warriors and most organic materials of the mausoleum were coated with protective layers of lacquer before being painted with pigments - but interestingly, not the bronze weapons." "We found a substantial chromium content in the lacquer, but only a trace of chromium in the nearby pigments and soil - possibly contamination. The highest traces of chromium found on bronzes are always on weapon parts directly associated to now-decayed organic elements, such as lance shafts and sword grips made of wood and bamboo, which would also have had a lacquer coating. Clearly, the lacquer is the unintended source of the chromium on the bronzes - and not an ancient anti-rust treatment." The world-famous Terracotta Army of Xi'an consists of thousands of life-sized ceramic figures representing warriors, stationed in three large pits within the mausoleum of Qin Shihuang (259-210 BC), the first emperor of a unified China. These warriors were armed with fully functional bronze weapons; dozens of spears, lances, hooks, swords, crossbow triggers and as many as 40,000 arrow heads have all been recovered. Although the original organic components of the weapons such as the wooden shafts, quivers and scabbards have mostly decayed over the past 2,000 years, the bronze components remain in remarkably good condition. Since the first excavations of the Terracotta Army in the 1970s, researchers have suggested that the impeccable state of preservation seen on the bronze weapons must be as a result of the Qin weapon makers developing a unique method of preventing metal corrosion. Traces of chromium detected on the surface of the bronze weapons gave rise to the belief that Qin craftspeople invented a precedent to the chromate conversion coating technology, a technique only patented in the early 20th century and still in use today. The story has been cited in some books and media. Now an international team of researchers show that the chromium found on the bronze surfaces is simply contamination from lacquer present in adjacent objects, and not the result of an ancient technology. The researchers also suggest that the excellent preservation of the bronze weapons may have been helped by the moderately alkaline pH, small particle size and low organic content of the surrounding soil. Dr Xiuzhen Li (UCL Institute of Archaeology and Terracotta Army Museum), co-author of the study, said: "Some of the bronze weapons, particular swords, lances and halberds, display shiny almost pristine surfaces and sharp blades after 2,000 years buried with the Terracotta Army. One hypothesis for this was that Qin weapon-makers could have utilised some kind of anti-rust technology due to chromium detected on the surface of the weapons. However, the preservation of the weapons has continued to perplex scientists for more than forty years. "The high-tin composition of the bronze, quenching technique, and the particular nature of the local soil go some way to explain their remarkable preservation but it is still possible that the Qin Dynasty developed a mysterious technological process and this deserves further investigation." By analysing hundreds of artefacts, researchers also found that many of the best preserved bronze weapons did not have any surface chromium. To investigate the reasons for their still-excellent preservation, they simulated the weathering of replica bronzes in an environmental chamber. Bronzes buried in Xi'an soil remained almost pristine after four months of extreme temperature and humidity, in contrast to the severe corrosion of the bronzes buried for comparison in British soil. "It is striking how many important, detailed insights can be recovered via the evidence of both the natural materials and complex artificial recipes found across the mausoleum complex --bronze, clay, wood, lacquer and pigments to name but a few. These materials provide complementary storylines in a bigger tale of craft production strategies at the dawn of China's first empire," said co-author, Professor Andrew Bevan (UCL Institute of Archaeology). Professor Thilo Rehren (The Cyprus Institute and UCL Institute of Archaeology), stressed the importance of long-term collaboration. "We started this research more than 10 years ago between UCL and the museum. Only through the persistence, trusting cooperation and out-of-the-box thinking of colleagues in China and Britain were we able to solve this decade-old mystery." ### Notes to Editors For more information or to speak to the researchers involved, please contact: Natasha Downes, UCL Media Relations. T: +44 (0)20 3108 3844, E: n.downes@ucl.ac.uk Surface chromium on Terracotta Army bronze weapons is neither an ancient anti-rust treatment nor the reason for their good preservation is published in Scientific Reports. 'The Terracotta Army Museum-UCL Cooperative Project: The Making of the Terracotta Army' is a British Academy Research Project part of the collaboration between the UCL Institute of Archaeology and the Emperor Qin Shihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum. Some of the team members have since moved to the University of Cambridge and the Cyprus Institute, but continue to discuss the further cooperation. The research was funded by the British Academy and The Institute for Archaeo-Metallurgical Studies. Additional material Images are available via the link below. Please ensure images are credited appropriately as per the file. https:/ / www. dropbox. com/ sh/ hqmbopow8ql0rpu/ AAAaT7tpMpNLBa4xdGKU3-sHa?dl= 0 About UCL (University College London) UCL was founded in 1826. We were the first English university established after Oxford and Cambridge, the first to open up university education to those previously excluded from it, and the first to provide systematic teaching of law, architecture and medicine. We are among the world's top universities, as reflected by performance in a range of international rankings and tables. UCL currently has over 41,500 students from 150 countries and over 12,500 staff. http://www. ucl. ac. uk | Follow us on Twitter @uclnews | Watch our YouTube channel YouTube.com/UCLTV About the University of Cambridge The mission of the University of Cambridge is to contribute to society through the pursuit of education, learning and research at the highest international levels of excellence. To date, 98 affiliates of the University have won the Nobel Prize. Founded in 1209, the University comprises 31 autonomous Colleges, which admit undergraduate and postgraduate students and provide small-group tuition, and 150 departments, faculties and institutions. Cambridge is a global university. Its 19,000-student body includes 3,700 international students from 120 countries. Cambridge researchers collaborate with colleagues worldwide, and the University has established larger-scale partnerships in Asia, Africa and America. The University sits at the heart of one of the world's largest technology clusters. The 'Cambridge Phenomenon' has created 1,500 hi-tech companies, 14 of them valued at over US$1 billion and two at over US$10 billion. Cambridge promotes the interface between academia and business, and has a global reputation for innovation. https:/ / www. cam. ac. uk/ The Cyprus Institute The Cyprus Institute (CyI) is a world-class, non-profit research and educational institution with a strong scientific and technological orientation. It is a regional Center of Excellence, comprised of three specialized multidisciplinary research centers developed in partnership with leading international institutions in their respective thematic areas, in order to address issues of regional interest but of global significance, with an emphasis on cross-disciplinary research and international collaborations." This story has been published on: 2019-04-04. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 4) The Office of the Ombudsman has dismissed the graft charges filed against former Environment Secretary Gina Lopez and Ecoglobal Inc. CEO Jean-Philippe Henry over a possible influence peddling issue. In its resolution, the Ombudsman said the case filed by former Ecoglobal Business Development Officer Viena Tanada lacks probable cause. Lopez and Henry were charged with two counts of graft each. In her complaint, Tanada said Lopez received an invitation in July 2016 to visit Paris to see the wastewater projects in the European country. The invitation was from public French company Syndicat Interdepartmental pour l'Assainissement de l'Agglomeration Parissienne (SIAAP). In September of the same year, Henry sent the same invitation to Lopez, Tanada added. She said the hotel accommodation, flight bookings, as well as travel allowances and insurances for the trip, which all amounted to P2.05 million, were shouldered by the renewable energy firm. Tanada said Lopez "had directly or indirectly received a gift or material benefit" from Ecoglobal, which then had a pending application for a renewable energy service contract from the Energy Department. The project, she said, would be expanded to a solar farm that would require a permit from then Lopez's agency. The Ombudsman, however, said the trip could not qualify as "receiving any gift" as defined under the Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-graft and Corrupt Practices Act. It said SIAAP was "primarily liable for the expenses paid for the trip." The Ombudsman said the amount Tanada provided in her complaint could have covered as well the seven others who were with Lopez during the trip. "This deprives the office of any basis to rule on whether the trip is manifestly excessive or not," it said. The Ombudsman added that the trip would also not qualify as a criminal violation as it was approved by the Office of the President. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 4) President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday threatened to suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus and have his critics arrested over a senator's comment on his order to review state contracts. "I have enough problems with criminality, drugs, rebellion and all.. Pero pag ako ang pinaabot ninyo nang sagad [But if you push me to limit., I will declare the suspension of writ of habeas corpus and I will arrest all of you. Kasama kayo sa mga rebelde, mga kriminal, pati mga durugista [You are part of the rebels, the criminals and the drug addicts]," Duterte said in a speech in Palawan on Thursday. Known for issuing exaggerated statements, the President also threatened to declare a "revolutionary war" if push comes to shove on his policies. "Then pahirapan mo ako [if you make it difficult for me], I will declare a revolutionary war until the end of my term. Then pasesnsyahan tayo [you'll have to excuse me]," he said. In a chance interview after his speech, Duterte issued his warning again. "That was just really a threat that you do not push me to the extreme because it would be dangerous for everybody. It might not really end the way you would like it to be," he said. The Constitution states under Article III, Section 15 (Bill of Rights) that "the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended except in cases of invasion or rebellion when the public safety requires it." The writ is a constitutional right whereby an individual cannot be imprisoned or detained unless the person has first been brought to court, which decides whether or not the detention is legal. Duterte responded to Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon's statement Wednesday where he urged the government to exercise caution in the review of government contracts and loan agreements as ordered by the President. "But I must caution that existing and binding contracts cannot simply be classified as onerous and cancelled," Drilon had warned. "The government must avail of the procedure outlined in the contract." Drilon said the administration should respect the sanctity of government contracts. The President did not take Drilon's statement well. "P****** how dare you say that to me Mr. Drilon. Sa inyo 'yan eh [It's in your court]," he said. "Ayusin ninyo 'yan [Fix it]. I will not honor 'yung bullshit ninyo. Eh ano kung magkagulo tayo? [So what if we go to war?]" Cebu City (CNN Philippines, April 4) The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said it has found stains of blood belonging to Cebuana teenager Christine Silawan on one of the clothes owned by the main suspect in her killing. The NBI-Central Visayas said DNA testing on the blood stain found on a piece of clothing matched that of Silawan. Authorities seized the clothing from the suspect on his arrest last March 16. NBI-Central Visayas Director Tomas Enrile said this firmed up their suspicion that the boy, who just turned 18 yesterday, was involved in the killing of his ex-girlfriend. Medicolegal officers of the police and the NBI will present the DNA findings and other tests to the NBI national headquarters in Manila. The boy is facing a murder case at the city prosecutor's office. He is in the custody of a home-care facility of Lapu-Lapu City's social welfare and development office. Meanwhile, Enrile shrugged off the contradicting autopsy findings of the Public Attorney's Office (PAO). "We will focus on the results of the PNP (Philippine National Police) crime lab," Enrile told reporters in a briefing this morning. PLt. Col. Benjamin Lara of the PNP Crime Lab in Central Visayas had previously said there were no indications that Silawan was raped. But Dr. Erwin Erfe, PAO forensic laboratory director, said the girl was raped before she was killed because of abrasions and signs of bleeding on her genitals. Enrile also dismissed allegations that NBI agents in Central Visayas forced the teenage suspect to admit to the crime by torturing and threatening him. Silawan was found dead in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu with her face skinned and some body parts removed. By Donald Kirk The raid on the North Korean embassy in Madrid by a band named Jayu Joseon, "Free Joseon," portends disquieting possibilities. Does any movement stand a chance of challenging the regime of Kim Jong-un? Were these people a unique bunch of crazies acting on their own or do they have mysterious powerful backing? And will they wind up being imprisoned for barging into the embassy, beating and tying up everyone there and then stealing the embassy's computers and hard drives? Above all, we need to know what's happening to Adrian Hong, the mastermind and no doubt author of a series of incendiary messages on the group's website. The word Joseon, the historic name for Korea, by which North Korea is informally known in the North, conjures images of dynastic glory. Who is this guy, what was he thinking, and how did he get nine others to go along with him? Hong is not an unknown zealot who sprang from nowhere, then jumped into the limelight as a revolutionary figure. He's a graduate of Yale University, an elite Ivy League institution that claims four recent American presidents as alumni. George W. Bush and his father, George H.W. Bush, both received bachelor's degrees from Yale. John Kerry, who ran for president against George W. Bush in 2004 and served as secretary of state under Bush's successor, Barack Obama, also is a Yale graduate. Gerald Ford and Bill Clinton have degrees from Yale Law School, as indeed does Hillary Clinton. The odds of getting into Yale are about one in twenty for those who apply a minority among many more who give up on applying after realizing they have no chance of acceptance. Hong not only beat those odds but began as a student to crusade on behalf of victims of human rights abuses. The Yale Daily News reported in 2003 that he had the great idea of setting up a "wall of dreams" at which students from the campus in New Haven could "share their thoughts" on how to achieve Martin Luther King's "vision for a harmonious future" and workshops for students at a local high school. "No matter how much rhetoric goes on in the ivory tower," Hong was quoted as saying, "it all means nothing until we do something and educate people." Hong before he graduated began to focus specifically on North Korea, founding LINK, Liberty in North Korea, dedicated to rescuing victims of human rights abuses in the North. In 2006, one year after graduating from Yale, he led about 50 black-shirted people in a demonstration in central Seoul in which they alternated between lying down and standing up, shouting slogans and showing graphic images of abuses in the North. He achieved still greater notoriety before Christmas 2006 when he and two other LINK members were arrested in Beijing attempting to get six North Korean refugees out of the country. Hong and his LINK cohorts were deported, and those six, unlike many others whom China routinely "repatriates" to North Korea, also eventually got out. About a decade ago, say LINK's current leaders, they lost touch with Hong. "I have met him years ago, but I don't know him well at all," said Park Sokeel, LINK's country director in Seoul, in an email response to my question about him. Over the years since then Hong escalated from statements and demonstrations to action on a whole different level. Jayu Joseon, formerly known as Cheollima Civil Defense, scored its first big success more than two years ago when it spirited Kim Han-sol, son of Kong Jong-nam, Kim Jong-un's older half-brother, out of Macao after his father's murder by a VX agent smeared over his face at Malaysia's Kuala Lumpur International Airport by two women hired by a North Korean assassination team. Then, in the early hours before one of the women was released and sent home to Indonesia last month, "Jayu Joseon" slogans were mysteriously smeared on a fence surrounding the North Korean embassy in Kuala Lumpur. It's tempting for ardent foes of the North Korean regime to applaud Hong's determination to put words into action. Still, his evolution as an activist is more than a little alarming. Luckily no one was seriously injured in the raid on the North Korean embassy, but where will Hong and his people strike next? Last we heard, the Jayu Joseon website was warning of more to come, saying now is merely "the calm before the storm." Really, there's no telling what Hong has in mind, whether he's in cahoots with the FBI or CIA or some other organization, or who's financing him. Whatever the answers, Hong would be advised to go back to aiding refugees and abandon fantasies of overthrowing the regime up north. There's enough potential for violence in the Korean confrontation without a gang of trouble-makers concocting cockamamie schemes guaranteed to go nowhere while endangering innocent people. Donald Kirk (www.donaldkirk.com) has been covering the confrontation on the Korean peninsula for decades. April 4, 2019 Lockheed Martin's April Fools' Day joke passed the smell test. The aerospace company on Monday (April 1) kicked off its prank by announcing a launch, but rather than it being of a rocket or a spacecraft, it was Vector, "the first ever fragrance to capture the aroma of space." And no sooner did the liftoff occur, than thousands of people came to Lockheed Martin's website to request a sample. One might expect that to be the gag, but the company went a step further, not only creating a spot-on ad for the bottled essence of space, but also producing the scent for real, as in actual vials of the unisex (if not also universal) eau de (zero-g) toilette. "We started thinking about the rollout of this campaign," said Alex Walker, the marketing lead for Lockheed Martin's space division, "and how much more engaging it would be to have an actual, physical fragrance sample to offer, right?" The Challenge (Box) You would think that the company responsible for the InSight lander on Mars, the Hubble Space Telescope, the Titan family of boosters and the Orion crew capsule, among many other spacecraft and rockets over the past six decades, would have looked to space to inspire its first April Fools' joke. But no, Vector's start came in the form of a large black cube. "At Lockheed Martin Space, we have a recruiting asset called the 'Lockheed Martin Challenge Box' and it is a gigantic, 14-foot [4-meter] tall, black cube that we bring around to college campuses. So I'm staring at this thing on the campus of Virginia Tech last Fall, and I thought to myself, 'wow, that looks like a giant cologne bottle,'" explained Walker in an interview with collectSPACE. To Walker, the 12,000-pound (5,400-kilogram) box, with Lockheed Martin's Vector Star logo etched onto its side, reminded him of Drakkar Noir. "We started joking about the smell of space and, over the last several months, it evolved into an April Fools' prank," he said. Outer space odor (ST. JOSEPH, Mo.) When you think of STEM, the first thing that comes to mind is all the careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. But did you know that the U.S. Army relies heavily on it. That was the mission for these soldiers Wednesday at Central High School. "It's been known for inventions from things as simple as super glue to GPS, cell phone technology and radios," said Sgt. Christopher Irvin of the United States Army. "All that stuff started with the United States Army so we want to put that information out there." The Army has its very own stem trailer where they show the public a few of their hands on stem projects. When the Central JROTC Program was approached about the visit. They jumped on the opportunity. "There are a lot of opportunities, especially in the military about STEM from robotics to communication to logistics," said Central JROTC Instructor Lt Col. Brett Hall. "In this trailer, they see what the army has added to the civilian market. That is our future. As we progress as a society, that's where the jobs are going to be and the growth is going to be." Students are not just not seeing how fun STEM can be in the Army. They are also learning how much fun it can be in the real world as well. "It was awesome to see how technology today is working and transforming into the technology of tomorrow," said Central Senior and JROTC Student Bradley Pirkel. "I'm going into communications in the National Guard so seeing how technology can advance and progress in the future will help me with my job and help others to do their job." "I need the most preparation I can get, even when it's from the Army. It's great," said Central Senior and STEM Student Evelyn Alexander. "I love STEM so it was entertaining." For everyone, it's definitely been an experience they will never forget. "The sky is the limit. You look at all the equipment that you see around you, there are always individuals that are trying to push the envelope and make it better," Sgt. Irvin said. "I hope they were interested and have fun. That's the primary thing. If they can find it fun, they'll engage and pursue it," Lt Col. Hall said. The U.S. Army STEM trailer travels to many schools across the U.S. For more information on how the army applies stem subjects, just head on over to goarmy.com. Amazon said it was justified in ending its relationship with award-winning director Woody Allen after several Hollywood stars declared they would no longer work with him due to past allegations that Allen sexually abused his daughter. The comments, filed in the Southern District of New York on Wednesday, was in response to a federal lawsuit brought by Allen, who has accused Amazon of wrongfully ending production and distribution deals for his films. Allen is seeking more than $68 million in damages and says he did not molest his daughter. The allegations stem back to 1992, when Dylan Farrow, his adopted daughter with Mia Farrow, accused him of sexually molesting her as a child, which he has denied. At the time, Allen and Farrow were in the midst of a bitter breakup and custody battle. Prosecutors in Connecticut eventually declined to press charges, citing a lack of evidence. But Dylan Farrow, now grown, has renewed the allegations in recent years by publicly denouncing her father in the press and social media. Allens lawsuit notes that Amazon was aware of the past allegations before entering into an agreement with him. Under the deal, Amazon had agreed to support and distribute films theatrically on at least 500 screens in top U.S. markets, Allens lawsuit said. One of those films, A Rainy Day in New York has yet to air. Advertisement There simply was no legitimate ground for Amazon to renege on its promises, Allens lawsuit said. But Amazon said in its legal response that Allen himself hurt the promotion for one of the movies, Wonder Wheel, with his response to the #MeToo movement, which has provided a platform for people who have suffered sexual abuse to speak out about their experiences. Understood in the broader context, Allens actions and their cascading consequences ensured that Amazon could never possibly receive the benefit of its four-picture agreement (despite already having paid Allen a $10-million advance upon signing), Amazon said in court documents. Jennifer Salke, Amazon Studios head, declined to comment on whether she thought the cancellation of the contract could have been handled differently, when asked during a Q&A at the Television Critics Assn.s winter press tour in Pasadena in February. It pre-dated me. Now that its in litigation, I cant make any comments on it at all, Salke said at the time. Amazon is seeking to dismiss four of the eight claims in Allens original lawsuit. An attorney representing Allen did not immediately respond to a request for comment. wendy.lee@latimes.com Twitter: @thewendylee CBS News has confirmed that Bianna Golodryga has left her role as co-host at CBS This Morning, the first of an expected wave of on-air changes under new division President Susan Zirinsky. Zirinsky also named Diana Miller executive producer of the morning program. Miller was senior broadcast producer and has been running the program since the departure of Ryan Kadro in December. Golodryga was added as a fourth co-host on the program in November. CBS This Morning is now back to three co-hosts: Gayle King, John Dickerson and Norah ODonnell. Zirinsky, who officially took the reins of the division in March, is attempting to revitalize the ratings of its morning program and evening newscast, which have lagged behind NBC and ABC. Advertisement Golodryga has not been seen on CBS This Morning since last week. Her absence was not explained to viewers until the end of the Thursday broadcast, when King mentioned that she had left the network and wished her well. According to people familiar with the situation who were not authorized to comment publicly, Zirinsky wanted Golodryga to remain with the network in another role, but Golodryga chose to leave. Ive enjoyed my time @CBSNews, Golodryga said on Twitter, but it is now the right moment for me to move on. Im grateful for the friends and colleagues Ive worked with @CBSThisMorning and wish everyone the best. On to the next chapter! Golodryga, who had been a contributor at CBS News, was added as a host to the morning program in October by former division President David Rhodes. The programs ratings tumbled last year after host Charlie Rose was fired over sexual harassment allegations in November 2017. Zirinsky is said to favor the programs original format of three co-hosts. Other changes are expected for the program after it completes a deal on a new contract with King, who has emerged as the breakout star of CBS News thanks to recent high-profile interviews with R&B star R. Kelly and Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam. There have been discussions inside the news division about having ODonnell replace Jeff Glor as the anchor of the CBS Evening News. But there have been no formal negotiations with her about the move. Miller joined CBS This Morning in 2014 and became senior broadcast producer in 2016, overseeing the programs editorial content. She began her career on CNN, where she worked on Anderson Cooper 360. stephen.battaglio@latimes.com Twitter: @SteveBattaglio The drama surrounding fallen auto executive Carlos Ghosn has erupted again, with Japanese officials arresting him on fresh allegations that he used Nissan Motor Co. funds for his own purposes. Authorities detained Ghosn early Thursday on suspicion of aggravated breach of trust, using company money funneled through an intermediary for personal purposes, prosecutors said in a statement. Theyre the most serious charges against Ghosn to date. Prosecutors showed up at Ghosns Tokyo apartment shortly before 6 a.m., and a car with covered windows left about an hour later. My arrest this morning is outrageous and arbitrary, Ghosn said in a statement. It is part of another attempt by some individuals at Nissan to silence me by misleading the prosecutors. Why arrest me except to try to break me? I will not be broken. The former chairman of Nissan, Renault and Mitsubishi Motors Corp. had been free on bail for less than a month. Renault and Nissan uncovered payments made under Ghosn that allegedly went toward corporate jets, a yacht and his sons start-up, leading the French automaker to alert authorities about potential wrongdoing, people familiar with the matter have said. Advertisement Ghosn was arrested because of the risk of flight and destruction of evidence, Shin Kukimoto, deputy chief prosecutor at the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office, said at a briefing. Concealed practices On Wednesday, Renault said Ghosn had made questionable payments to a distributor in the Middle East and an outside lawyer. Some expenses involve questionable and concealed practices and violations of the groups ethical principles, the French carmaker said. Another lengthy stay in prison could make it harder for Ghosn to prepare for his trial on charges of financial misconduct, and refocus international attention on Japans criminal justice system. Ghosn, who was arrested Nov. 19 and jailed for more than 100 days, has denied accusations of transferring personal trading losses to the automaker and underreporting his income. He was arrested just as he was preparing to tell his side of the story. The former auto executive had tweeted Wednesday that he planned to hold a news conference April 11 to tell the truth about accusations against him. The way the prosecutors took him to question and rearrest was a bit rough, said Koji Endo, an analyst at SBI Securities Co. The rearrest seems like they wanted to block the news conference. Middle East payments Investigations revealed transactions that amounted to millions of euros to companies in Oman and Lebanon that may have then been used for the personal benefit of Ghosn and his family, said the people with knowledge, who asked not to be identified because the details werent public. Japanese prosecutors accused Ghosn of taking $15 million in three incidents beginning in 2015. Investigations into the dealings started after Ghosns arrest in November in Tokyo. The payments in Oman were to Suhail Bahwan Automobiles, which is Nissans exclusive distributor in the sultanate, people with knowledge of the matter have said. The automaker first flagged the payments to Renault along with discounts on vehicles to Oman dealerships that the Japanese company suspected as being inflated, according to one of the people. Other expenses of several million euros by RNBV, the Amsterdam company overseeing a partnership with Nissan, also raise concerns, Renault said. The latest findings may lead to legal action in France, after earlier transactions were brought to authorities, the company added. A spokeswoman in Paris for the Ghosn family denied any wrongdoing by Ghosn and said reports of Oman payments, use of the airplanes and the start-up are part of a smear campaign to make the former executive look greedy. Extremely inappropriate The November arrest of the car titan destabilized a three-way alliance among Nissan, Renault and Mitsubishi. Last month, the automakers announced a new governance structure designed for smoother and more equitable decision-making. Another rearrest is unlikely to affect the manufacturers, but it could put Nissan and Renault under closer scrutiny because of their involvement in the payments. Nissan declined to comment on the arrest, issuing its usual response regarding Ghosn. Nissans internal investigation has uncovered substantial evidence of blatantly unethical conduct, Nicholas Maxfield, a spokesman for the Yokohama automaker, said in an emailed statement. Further discoveries related to Ghosns misconduct continue to emerge. Junichiro Hironaka, Ghosns lawyer, told reporters that the Thursday rearrest was extremely inappropriate. He said he hasnt discussed the reported Oman payments with his client. Under the Japanese legal process, prosecutors have 48 hours to detain suspects, after which they can make a 10-day detention request. That can be extended another 10 days by filing a second request to the court. Those procedures, along with additional arrests, can keep suspects in detention for months. I am determined that the truth will come out, Ghosn said in his statement. I am confident that if tried fairly, I will be vindicated. The Los Angeles city attorney has alleged an unlicensed contractor used a government-established loan program to defraud low-income consumers by misleading them into taking on unaffordable financing and abandoning incomplete jobs after it was paid. In a lawsuit filed last week in Los Angeles County Superior Court, City Atty. Mike Feuer alleged Montebello-based Eco Solar Home Improvement and affiliated companies defrauded homeowners of at least $1.4 million, mostly by using the Property Assessed Clean Energy program thats reserved for environmentally friendly projects, or safety improvements such as earthquake retrofitting. Homeowners, the lawsuit says, are now stuck with incomplete work and steep loan payments, putting them in severe financial distress and in danger of losing their homes. This is outrageous, Feuer said at a news conference Thursday. If the facts as we allege prove true, this is among the most devastating scams that I can recall in my career. Advertisement So-called PACE loan programs are funded through private lenders but must be set up by local authorities, because payments are made through property taxes. Local governments establish the unique financing mechanism to reduce greenhouse gases, though authorities and their private lender partners have drawn sharp criticism in recent years because lenders rely on home improvement contractors to sign up consumers. Consumer advocates allege those contractors often misled homeowners over how the loans work. Eco Solar, which has declared bankruptcy, was included in a recent Los Angeles Times article that examined the misuse of PACE loans. The lawsuit marks the first time the city has filed a lawsuit alleging a company misused the PACE financing mechanism, though the city attorneys office said it has other PACE related matters under review. Defendants in the lawsuit include Eco Solar, Chief Executive Jose Nelson Solis and several associates and related entities. Solis could not be reached for comment. Messages left on a Google Voice number listed for the company online were not returned. Solis bankruptcy attorney did not respond to emails seeking comment from his client. Five homeowners previously told The Times a separate company not named in the lawsuit signed them up for PACE loans to fund questionable projects. Those included ineligible work on granny flat accessory dwelling units. The homeowners said the company pressured or coaxed them into providing lenders with false information so the loans could go through. Another homeowner told The Times that Eco Solar did the same. An advocacy group, Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment, said at least 70 people who hired the two companies for accessory dwelling units had PACE loans and projects that never started or were abandoned. According to Feuers lawsuit, Eco Solar targeted Spanish speakers through advertisements that promised to convert their garage into the best home to rent. Unlicensed salespeople then used high-pressure in-home sales tactics, misrepresentations and false promises to sign consumers up for PACE, the lawsuit says. At times Eco Solar falsely said a government program would cover all costs or that rental income would help cover loan payments, even though it had no intention to fully perform work it promised, the lawsuit alleged. Some jobs were never started, while others were abandoned midway, the lawsuit alleged, leaving homeowners stuck with open trenches and nothing but tarps left to protect large portions of their homes. When it came to financing, authorities said, consumers in many ways were left in the dark. In signing up homeowners, the lawsuit alleged, Eco Solar often failed to make required disclosures and misrepresented or concealed entirely from their victims critical information about PACE loan applications. That included the cost and the fact that loans are secured by a house and, if unpaid, can lead to foreclosure. Eco Solar workers used their laptops and cellphones to access online applications and flashed only limited snippets of information at their victims from their screens, the lawsuit alleged. In some cases, the complaint alleges workers electronically signed for homeowners without their knowledge and homeowners werent aware they had actually taken out a PACE loan. Eco Solar suggested to some homeowners that lenders knew loans would fund items other than energy-efficiency upgrades, the complaint alleges, but the company usually did not tell consumers that the PACE loan applications Eco Solar submitted did not accurately describe the large-scale construction projects these homeowners had agreed to, but instead referenced only authorized energy-efficiency improvements. Under PACE, construction companies arent supposed to receive money until the consumer tells the lender the work is finished. However, the lawsuit alleges Eco Solar pressured homeowners to tell lenders on phone calls that unfinished work was done, describing it as a necessary technicality to start construction on their garages. In some cases, Defendants even wholly falsified these telephone verifications to PACE lenders, the lawsuit reads. In an interview Thursday, Mariela Reyes said she hired Eco Solar to build a two-bedroom addition to her South Los Angeles home. But she didnt understand she was signing up for PACE and the company stopped work midway. The 59-year-old clothing factory worker said shes had to start selling cosmetic products to afford her PACE payments, which caused her mortgage payment to jump. I am desperate, she said in Spanish during a news conference. I want justice, please. Since Eco Solar declared bankruptcy in August, Solis and other defendants havent stopped, authorities say. The lawsuit alleges theyve concealed assets, told homeowners the company was still operating and made secret plans to continue their fraud. Solis has also tried to dissuade clients from making claims in bankruptcy court, the lawsuit alleges. That included an instance when he threatened a homeowner whose house Eco Solar partially destroyed, the complaint says. Solis, according to the complaint, told the homeowner that if she filed a claim, he would tell authorities her home was uninhabitable and, as a result, she would lose her children. The city attorneys lawsuit asks the court for civil penalties and restitution for homeowners, including that PACE loans obtained through unfair, unlawful or fraudulent practices be canceled. At the news conference Thursday, Feuer urged consumers who believe any company defrauded them through PACE to contact his office. We are prepared to stand up for people if they have been victimized, Feuer said Thursday. There could be hundreds or more out in our community who right now are being victimized. andrew.khouri@latimes.com Follow me @khouriandrew on Twitter PG&E Corp. announced an overhaul of its leadership late Wednesday: The troubled California utility chose Bill Johnson as president and chief executive and named 10 new directors to its board. Johnson who is wrapping up his time as head of the Tennessee Valley Authority, the nations biggest publicly owned utility and the new board will have the job of shepherding the San Francisco company through its Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The 10 new board members include former U.S. ambassadors and members of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. PG&Es board refreshment comes as the company faces intense scrutiny for its equipments role in sparking deadly California wildfires and for its overall approach to safety. It filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in January, saying it couldnt afford potentially tens of billions of dollars in wildfire liability costs. Advertisement We have heard the calls for change and have taken action today to ensure that PG&E has the right leadership to bring about real and dynamic change that reinforces our commitment to safety, continuous improvement and operational excellence, the board said in a statement Wednesday. A meeting will be held as soon as possible to seat the new board, and then all members will be up for election at an annual shareholders meeting in May, PG&E said. Seven members of the preexisting board are out, and three remain, bringing the boards total size to 13. Gov. Gavin Newsom publicly criticized the utility last week, saying its leaders planned to put hedge fund financiers and people with little to no California experience on its new board. His spokesman, Nathan Click, said some changes had been made in the slate announced Wednesday. But the governor still has concerns particularly about the large representation of Wall Street interests and most board nominees lack of relevant California experience, Click said in an emailed statement. California plans to hold the utility to the highest standards, he said. The board members include several people with energy and utility expertise as well as people with jobs in investment management and expertise in bankruptcy. PG&E is in critical need of leadership that will put safety first and build public trust, Sen. Bill Dodd (D-Napa) said in a statement, adding that the new leaders will have to prove themselves with actions and results, not words or symbolic gestures. The companys previous CEO, Geisha Williams, resigned in January shortly before PG&E filed for bankruptcy. The United States doesnt have a market-based economy for prescription drugs. It has a shame-based economy. The latest example of this scarlet letter approach to drug pricing came this week as insurance giant Cigna and its Express Scripts subsidiary announced that consumers with drug benefits managed by the company could see their out-of-pocket costs for insulin limited to $25 a month. For people with diabetes, insulin can be as essential as air, Steve Miller, Cignas chief clinical officer, said in a statement. We need to ensure these individuals feel secure in their ability to afford every fill so they dont miss one dose, which can be dangerous for their health. Advertisement He added: Together, Cigna and Express Scripts are now able to give people who rely on insulin greater affordability and cost predictability so they can focus on what matters most: their well-being. The companies said they are partnering with insulin manufacturers to pull this off. Gosh, thanks, Big Pharma! Just wondering, though: Considering that insulin has been around for about a century, and that costs have skyrocketed for no good reason except that the worldwide market is controlled by just three pharmaceutical companies, why has it taken until now to suddenly worry about the welfare of people with diabetes? Miller didnt address that in his statement. But its not hard to guess. The public and, more importantly, lawmakers have grown increasingly fed up with indefensibly high drug costs, and theres a feeling among some policymakers that price controls should be on the table. Insulin has emerged as a lifesaving drug thats particularly vulnerable to an official crackdown because of the obesity epidemic and the fact that millions of Americans rely on the drug to manage Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. The idea of a shame-based economy isnt too far off, said Andrew Friedson, a healthcare economist at the University of Colorado Denver. Consumers have little power to engage in direct bargaining to get a better deal. That means, he told me, that the only way drug prices will be reduced is through a price war with a competitor (unlikely), or by attracting the attention of lawmakers and regulators through public outrage and corporate shaming. On Tuesday, the House Energy and Commerce Committees Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee heard from doctors, researchers and patients about the challenge of treating diabetes amid frequent insulin price hikes. Our insulin supply chain is broken, unfair and dangerous, said Dr. Alvin Powers, a representative of the Endocrine Society and director of the Vanderbilt Diabetes Center in Nashville. Our patients deserve better. A recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Assn. found that a quarter of people with diabetes are rationing their insulin because of cost. This can lead to a variety of serious complications, including blindness, amputations and death. Full disclosure: I have Type 1 diabetes thats the autoimmune kind, not the obesity kind and rely on multiple daily insulin doses. Committee members and witnesses at Tuesdays hearing observed that its clear why insulin prices keep going up. Higher prices are great for drug makers, pharmacy benefit managers, distributors and drugstores, each of which cuts itself in for a piece of the action. The only ones who dont benefit, they noted, are patients. Cigna and Express Scripts said that under drug plans they manage which include those of other insurers the average insulin user now pays $41.50 for a months supply. So limiting out-of-pocket costs to $25 a month represents a significant savings. But James Robinson, director of UC Berkeleys Center for Health Technology, told me that whats more likely here is that the companies are merely shifting their revenue sources. In recent years, he said, insurers and pharmacy benefit managers have favored cost-sharing by individual patients through rising copays and coinsurance, thus keeping premiums down for the broader population. Its been a revolt of the healthy against the sick, Robinson said. Not only is that unethical, its ineffective because people stop taking their medicine and get even sicker, which we all have to pay for. He said its a near-certainty that as copays and coinsurance are reduced for people with diabetes, which is basically what Cigna and Express Scripts are doing, the losses for insurers will be offset by higher premiums for everyone. And thats not a bad thing, Robinson said. In that sense, you can call this a good move. But why limit it to insulin? Do it as well for cancer drugs, for rheumatoid arthritis drugs, for all other drugs. Also, this does nothing to address problems faced by the uninsured, who can be stuck paying hundreds of dollars for insulin because theyre dealing with list prices that in no way reflect actual costs. When drug maker Eli Lilly introduced its Humalog insulin in 1996, it cost $21 a vial, which is about a months supply. Everyone involved made a handsome profit. A vial of Humalog now costs almost $300, and everyone involved is making exponentially more money off the chronically ill. Jennifer Luddy, an Express Scripts spokeswoman, told me that helping people with diabetes is important to her company and Cigna, which acquired Express Scripts last year for $54 billion. Thats why theyre limiting peoples out-of-pocket insulin expenses. We recognize the critical need for individuals who rely on insulin to feel secure in their ability to afford every fill so they dont miss one dose, which can be dangerous for their health, Luddy said, repeating almost word for word what Miller said in his statement. We are taking this action and working with drug makers so we can make a meaningful difference for people who use insulin, she said. Theyre taking this action because they dont want officials taking more stringent actions, such as requiring drug companies to disclose how much (or little) they actually spend on research and development, and how much profit they really pocket with their drugs. Its the shame economy in action, just as a similar shaming resulted in lower costs for lifesaving EpiPens. Ill give them credit for doing the right thing, said Robinson at UC Berkeley. But not a lot of credit. If they were really serious, theyd do the same for all classes of drugs. Luddy said that were certainly looking at it for other drugs. But Im not holding my breath. There are only so many scarlet letters to go around. David Lazarus column runs Tuesdays and Fridays. He also can be seen daily on KTLA-TV Channel 5 and followed on Twitter @Davidlaz. Send your tips or feedback to david.lazarus@latimes.com. The best part of working as a photojournalist is the diversity of experience and the unusual characters we meet along the way. My most recent encounter with such a person was with James Zyla of Kingman, Ariz. a guy most folks in town call Santa James. When you see him you understand why. Santa James has a long white beard and dresses like Santa Claus, or at least in the red hat, all year long. He lived on the streets for years, and writer John M. Glionna and I went to Kingman to report on how the town has embraced this eccentric character. Photographing a man who dresses like Santa sounds like an easy task a simple study in contrasts. But to get to the core of an individual, a photographer has to spend time looking for the revealing moments and the life they define. I first focused my attention on the community that rushed to embrace this odd and charming man in red who went from one friendly encounter to another. The warm handshakes and hugs came as consistently as his banter. Instead of sharing the cliche Ho, ho, ho, Santa James regaled his subjects with a story of his time as a Hollywood extra, recite a clever poem or explain why Keith Emerson was such a musical giant. Hes a talented musician and never goes anywhere without his keyboard. Advertisement MORE: A homeless man wandered in one day, and this Arizona town adopted him I kept looking into the corners of his life, seeking to capture his true essence and the textures of his daily routine, making impromptu portraits of James during his afternoon conversations, as he stood alone under a lamppost at dusk, or as he sat on his hotel room bed caressed by red light, the only color that settles easily on dulled eyes. I was still searching for that one image that would go beyond the outfit we associate with Christmas when a strange thing happened. It was my third day accompanying him as he wandered the streets of Old Town Kingman. All of a sudden I realized I was so caught up in our conversation that I had forgotten how odd the situation was. It was the passing stare of a stranger that reminded me I was walking with a guy dressed as Santa. The question in the back of my mind returned, Have I made the image that defines this man? My answer came as we arrived back at his hotel. The sun was about to set and spears of amber light were slicing the desert landscape. I asked Santa James whether he would be up for one last portrait. He nodded his approval. I lowered myself to capitalize on the deep blue sky as he stepped out of the shadows into a single shaft of light. There was no mistaking this Santa for the one who resides in a polar landscape. He stood like a finished sculpture formidable, proud and stoic. This was the definitive Santa James on the eastern edge of the Mojave Desert. As clouds hung overhead, he looked toward the fading sun and the hope of clear horizons. Gary Hayashi thought that if he could just get close enough to God, he would be cured. Hayashi was not like other men he knew at church, and he certainly wasnt like his older brother, whom he considered the embodiment of testosterone. As a child, Hayashi was artistic, he cried easily and he gravitated toward shiny, pretty things. That made his parents nervous, so when he was 6 and they discovered his singing voice, they were relieved. They guided him toward the church choir, and there he stayed, cultivating a life led in service of God. In graduate school at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, Hayashi met a man who had started a Christian ministry that specialized in reparative therapy. The goal? To set gay people straight. Hayashi joined the staff and traveled the world as a speaker for the cause. Seven years later, when he still secretly yearned for relationships with men, he made the painful decision to leave the ministry and come out. He was 42. Alone, adrift and shunned by his former friends, Hayashi found his way to the Gay Mens Chorus of Los Angeles, the oldest LGBTQ arts organization in the city. The first concert he performed in was titled Songs of Pride and Joy. Advertisement For the first time, I was in a group of people where I didnt have to pretend to be somebody else, Hayashi recalled during a recent GMCLA rehearsal at First Congregational Church of Los Angeles. I could sing my truth, I could live out loud. For 40 years GMCLA has been that safe space for hundreds of gay men. It has also been a place of welcome for their allies, friends and families, as well as a champion of social justice for the LGBTQ community. But now, as the chorus prepares for its 40th anniversary spring show Saturday and Sunday at the Alex Theatre in Glendale, it faces a budget deficit so severe, board chairman Steve Holzer said the group is in real danger of going bankrupt. Fiscal mismanagement, as well as recent sexual misconduct allegations leveled at former board chairman and former West Hollywood Mayor John Duran (accusations that Duran denies), have left the chorus on life support, Holzer said. Leaders would not speculate on the ramifications of insolvency, but some members fear it could lead to the dissolution of the chorus. For the first time, I was in a group of people where I didnt have to pretend to be somebody else. Gary Hayashi Tenor Gary Hayashi rehearses with the Gay Mens Chorus of Los Angeles at the First Congregational Church of Los Angeles. Hayashi was 42 when he came out, and the group provided a sense of belonging. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) A safe space shaken to its core The trouble became public in February when the allegations of inappropriate touching and comments by Duran were reported in The Times and elsewhere. Some chorus members protested the handling of the complaints and accused leadership of suppressing allegations for months, if not years. By the end of February, executive director Jonathan Weedmans contract had not been renewed, Duran had stepped aside as board chairman and several high-profile board members resigned, including prominent LGBTQ activist and philanthropist Ariadne Getty. The bad press accelerated the troubled finances of the group, which had expanded staff and increased its annual budget to about $2 million. Tax filings, however, show total revenue of about $1.36 million in 2017, a 21% decrease from the previous year. Expenses for 2017 were about $1.59 million, sending the chorus into the red. The groups deficit, Holzer said, has grown to about $400,000. We are in a world of hurt, and we are struggling to stay alive, Holzer said. We had a couple of concerts that didnt sell well, we lost some subscribers and we made some bad financial decisions. Pretty soon we found ourselves unable to dig out of the mountain of debt that we are in. The chorus has reduced its paid staff, dramatically cut production costs and promised to settle debts to vendors as quickly as possible, but the misconduct allegations have presented other challenges. They forced the chorus to look inward, examining what kinds of words and behaviors are appropriate among close to 250 members, all volunteers, ranging in age from 21 to 75, representing a rainbow of ethnicities and races and touching every rung on the socio-economic ladder. We are in a world of hurt, and we are struggling to stay alive. Steve Holzer, board chairman Duran, 59, asserted that he was part of a generation of gay men who defined itself through a hard-fought sense of freedom as well as a camaraderie in which bawdy, sexual humor was not only accepted, it was celebrated. Some younger members, however, did not feel the same and expected a code of conduct similar to what you might find at other nonprofit organizations. Whereas the first GMCLA members united against homophobia in the outside world, current members found themselves divided within their own ranks. The wounds are still fresh, and triage is ongoing, Holzer said. GMCLA has recruited an attorney who has conducted sexual harassment training for the Los Angeles LGBT Center to do the same for the chorus, and a member task force is working on solidifying policies and procedures to prevent future upset. The group also secured an interim executive director, who is working free of charge: Tony-nominated producer Lou Spisto, a former GMCLA board member who was executive director of the Pacific Symphony in Orange County and, as executive producer at the Old Globe in San Diego, oversaw an operating budget that grew to $20 million from $14 million. Spisto raised $75,000 for GMCLA in his first week on the job. In the meantime, the chorus has a newly awakened sense of purpose: survival. This is a group of men accustomed to singing for their lives. Brandon Singleton, second from right, and Shawn Ingram, third from right, share a lighter moment during rehearsal for the Gay Mens Chorus of Los Angeles. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) There were funeral homes that would not even process the remains GMCLA was founded in 1979. A flier went out, and 99 men showed up that first night. During the height of AIDS in the 1980s, GMCLA lost a member a week to the virus. In total, 150 brothers would die. During their final days, the chorus was often the only place they could turn for love and support. At one point, because we were singing at so many memorials, we unfortunately got the nickname of the AIDS chorus, remembered Kevin Jones, 64, a retired city planner who joined in 1986. There were funeral homes that would not even process the remains because of fear and lack of knowledge. Men would show up at rehearsal with IV stands and oxygen tanks. When they became too weak to practice, chorus members would sing bedside in the hospital and later at the funeral. We are here, and we are part of you. We are your sons, your daughters, your grandparents. Kevin Jones Since then, GMCLA has provided crucial visibility for gay men, Jones said. It taps into the universal joy of music to show the world that members of the LGBTQ community are just like everyone else and not an other to be feared, hated or victimized. Performing sends a message of unity: We are here, and we are part of you, Jones said. We are your sons, your daughters, your grandparents. Were your friends, were your bosses, were your employees. In the 32 years that Jones has been with the chorus, he has seen much change. In the 80s and early 90s, Jones remembered, some men stepped out of group photos for fear they might be fired from their jobs. He came of age in a world where it was unthinkable that he might one day marry his partner, and yet he is married. The day the Supreme Court made gay marriage the law of the land, GMCLA was onstage leading the celebration in West Hollywood Park. When 49 people were killed at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, GMCLA sang with Lady Gaga on the steps of City Hall. The chorus has lent its voice to the two Womens Marches in downtown L.A., and it sang at the first Lakers pride night last October. Its greatest, most meaningful contribution, though, just might be in the classroom. Baritone Kevin Jones, center, remembers a time when religious groups would protest outside chorus performances at certain churches. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) It gets better Sean Cruz had just graduated from college and was living in Orange County when he came across a YouTube video that had more than a million views. It was GMCLA singing True Colors by Cyndi Lauper. When the five-minute video was over, Cruz was bawling. When I saw that video, it was like seeing family members I had never met before, said Cruz, 31, who joined GMCLA in 2013. But I could see in their eyes, and hear in their voices, that they are just like me. Cruz is a first-generation Filipino who attended Catholic school from kindergarten through 12th grade. He is grateful for the good education but called the experience of being gay and Catholic tumultuous. I felt depressed and isolated, like I couldnt talk to anybody, the gregarious computer tech and actor said. I could see in their eyes, and hear in their voices, that they are just like me. Sean Cruz He talks to as many teens as he can through a GMCLA initiative called the Alive Music Project. In its 10th year, the project sends chorus members to L.A.-area high schools and middle schools to sing and share stories about their personal journeys. Kids are invited to anonymously write questions that members of the chorus answer. I go to those Alive Music Project events to be the role model I didnt have, Cruz said. To be the face for those kids who dont have anybody else to talk to, so they can see someone like me and know that it gets better. Or as Holzer, 52, is fond of saying: I cant tell you what my life would have been like if 40 gay men had come to my high school in Yuma, Arizona, when I was 16 years old. But my life would have been very different. The program has reached more than 50,000 young people, and Holzer said when the chorus gets back on its feet financially, he would like to see the program expanded across the state and to other choruses around the country. Zach Johnson, a recent graduate from Crescenta Valley High School in La Crescenta who is a freshman at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston, was a senior in high school when chorus members visited his school. The work they do is so important because it really gives young people the opportunity to see what its like to be out and proud, said Johnson, who came out as a sophomore in high school. If I had seen the Alive Music Project during my freshman year, it would have made me so much more comfortable in my own skin. Sean Cruz, a featured dancer and second tenor, during rehearal. Hes part of a GMCLA program that visits schools. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) Your true colors are beautiful, like a rainbow During the second-to-last rehearsal before the upcoming spring concert, Turn Back Time, 180 chorus members run through a 20-song program loaded with hits including a Madonna mash-up of Vogue and Express Yourself. It wouldnt be the Gay Mens Chorus without a Madonna medley, Holzer joked as members passed by, patting him on the back and dipping in for the occasional hug. The mood is light, upbeat and convivial as artistic director Gavin Thrasher enthusiastically leads the men through the set list, stopping to adjust their pitch here and there, to moderate their timing, to have them pay attention to the delivery of certain words. Thrasher is a straight man raised by lesbian mothers. He too has found community with the chorus. We are a chorus because that unites us, Thrasher said. But its a community first and foremost; and there is a different level of communication, care and love that can happen in that room through music. Toward the end of rehearsal, Thrasher conducts the chorus as it sings the song that touched Cruz as a young man yearning to live his truth. The Gay Mens Chorus of Los Angeles rehearses at First Congregational Church of Los Angeles. Its 40th anniversary spring show is this weekend. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) One-hundred-and-eighty voices rise. The sound is sweet and solemn, informed in equal parts by pain, loss, love and joy. And the words, sung by these men, on this night, take on new life and new meaning: I see your true colors/ And thats why I love you/ So dont be afraid to let them show/ Your true colors/ True colors are beautiful/ Like a rainbow. As the men sing, Cruz sits at the edge of the stage, leaning his head on a friends shoulder; his friend loops his arm around Cruz in return. The gesture is easy. It is kind. Life has not always been that way. Turn Back Time: The Best of GMCLA Where: Alex Theatre, 216 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale When: 8 p.m. Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday Tickets: $20-$90 Info: gmcla.org Support our coverage of local artists and the local arts scene by becoming a digital subscriber. See all of our latest arts news and reviews at latimes.com/arts. I have mixed feelings about Lisa Solomons exhibition reflecting on the World War II internment of Japanese Americans, now on view at Walter Maciel Gallery. As a child of survivors of the camps, I am moved to see something of their experience on the walls of an art gallery. We dont generally see our history, let alone such a pivotal moment, come to life. That said, I wish the show made stronger connections between then and now. Solomon is of Japanese and Jewish descent. Her Japanese mother did not arrive in the U.S. until the 1970s, but even without a familial connection to the internment camps, several of her works are loving memorials. Chawan With Chataku, 25 Camps / 25 Tea Bowls consists of a row of tiny, white, handmade, Japanese-style teacups, each different, each inscribed in delicate gold lettering with the name, active dates and population count of one of the 25 internment camps or temporary assembly centers. The wobbly, uneven quality of these vessels evokes the ways in which Japanese Americans were able to preserve some of their cultural traditions even under the isolation and harsh, dehumanizing circumstances of camp life. Chawan With Chataku, 25 Camps / 25 Tea Bowls, 2019, by Lisa Solomon (Lisa Solomon / Walter Maciel Gallery) Advertisement Detail from Chawan With Chataku, 25 Camps / 25 Tea Bowls, 2019, by Lisa Solomon (Lisa Solomon / Walter Maciel Gallery) REVIEW: Jeffrey Deitchs People Less successful are small paintings and cut paper works that depict more specific moments: children wearing Santa Claus suits, or dancers dressed in yukata (light summertime kimonos) for Obon (a commemoration of ancestors) juxtaposed with schematic renderings of barracks. Such works attempt to celebrate the resilience of the internees and their desire to maintain some sense of normalcy, but their execution feels timid and simplistic. More powerful are a series of paintings Solomon made of photographs of racist, anti-Japanese signage from the period. She created watercolor versions of black and white photos and cut out the letters of the hateful words. Each painting is suspended on pins atop a piece of red, patterned Japanese paper. The pattern shows through the letter holes, making them vibrate with color (like a moire pattern) and anger. The cutout paper letters are piled on a tiny adjacent shelf between two tiny lanterns like an offering waiting to be burned. Down With the Japs You Rats, 2019, by Lisa Solomon (Lisa Solomon / Walter Maciel Gallery) LACMA, the Incredible Shrinking Museum: A critics lament I wish Solomon had burned them. Although the work pays homage to the Japanese value of gaman, the ability to endure the unbearable with patience and dignity, the show is too decorous. The colorful kimonos and cultural celebrations in the camps were accompanied by mental illness, malnutrition and needless death, and also acts of protest and resistance. These days, the danger of this history repeating itself in other communities of color is all too real. Solomons focus on gaman is a missed opportunity to draw an empowering connection between the past and the present. Walter Maciel Gallery, 2642 S. La Cienega Blvd., L.A. Tuesdays-Saturdays, through April 20. (310) 839-1840, www.waltermacielgallery.com Support our coverage of local artists and the local arts scene by becoming a digital subscriber. See all of our latest arts news and reviews at latimes.com/arts. A grieving father descends into the depths of a hellish opiate addiction hand-in-hand with his sister in Josh Stewarts second feature film, Back Fork. West Virginia native Stewart writes, directs and stars as Waylon, mourning the death of his daughter, his sorrow eating away at his marriage to Nida (A.J. Cook). The pills he scores from his elderly father help keep his demons at bay until the pills beckon the demons to trample his life. His sister Rayleen (Agnes Bruckner) is right along for the ride into the darkest depths of humanity and addiction. This quiet, personal drama meanders through the experiences of Waylon and Rayleen, and the narrative is so laser-focused on their experiences that the rest of the collateral family damage falls to the wayside. The trio of performances at the center of the film are solid, if muted, and Back Fork lacks the kind of viscera and grit that one might expect from a film like this. In fact, this is one of the more aesthetically pleasing films about shooting heroin and crumbling families. Filmed on location in West Virginia, the movie is beautifully shot, capturing the settings natural beauty. An insistent stringed score nags and needles at the characters like a constant itch. Advertisement The darkest moments are depicted in rapid-fire montage, and as audience members, we never get a sense of the characters true anguish and pain. But this family drug drama isnt typical, instead crafting an experience that is hushed, poetic and intimate. ------------ Back Fork Not rated Running time: 1 hour, 33 minutes Playing: Laemmle Music Hall, Beverly Hills calendar@latimes.com @LATimesMovies Call it The Pelican Grief. A tenderly retold tale about the healing bond between a lonely Australian boy and the orphaned pelicans he rescues and nurtures to adulthood, Shawn Seets Storm Boy a new version of the classic 1976 film capably weathers the decades, buoyed by a graceful Geoffrey Rush performance. Building in a multigenerational theme not found in the original production or the 1964 Colin Thiele novella, the updated story (penned by Justin Monjo) is seen through the eyes of Rushs Michael Kingley, a retired executive increasingly haunted by images of his childhood, raised by his reclusive father (Jai Courtney) along the remote Coorong National Park coastline. There, the young Michael (played by an equally impressive Finn Little), whose mom and sister died in a car accident, is taught some valuable life lessons through his particular connection to the pelican he names Mr. Percival, one of three whose own mother was shot by hunters. Advertisement Steeped in local lore provided by Trevor Jamiesons Fingerbone Bill, an indigenous Ngarrindjeri with whom Michael also forms a connection, while also tapping several environmental and culturally relevant issues, director Seets gorgeously filmed production proves to resonate as much today as it did 40-plus years ago. At once uplifting and melancholic, its the right Storm Boy for our turbulent times. ------------ Storm Boy Rating: Rated PG for some thematic elements, mild peril and brief language Running time: 1 hour, 38 minutes Playing: Opens April 5, AMC Citywalk 19, Universal City; Laemmle Monica Film Centre, Santa Monica calendar@latimes.com Twitter: @LATimesMovies Sometimes dead is better. The most memorable line in Stephen Kings 1983 novel Pet Sematary is a warning offered far too late. Tragedy has already befallen Louis Creed and his family, who live near an especially permeable boundary between the living and the dead not just the dangerous road running alongside their house, where enormous trucks race past at terrifying speeds, but also the ancient Mikmaq burial ground in their backyard. If things look grim now, a neighbor reminds Louis, they can always get worse, and it might be best for him to leave bad enough alone. The new Pet Sematary movie proudly refutes this common sense, even as it follows a familiar chain of Hollywood logic. Thirty years have passed since Mary Lamberts 1989 hit movie adaptation, during which there have been countless film and television adaptations of Kings work; several of them (including It and The Dark Tower) have arrived in the past year or two, suggesting a resurgence of interest. It was likely only a matter of time before Paramount Pictures exhumed this particularly venerable old property and checked for signs of life. And up to a point, it finds them. As adapted by Jeff Buhler (with a story credit for Matt Greenberg) and directed by Kevin Kolsch and Dennis Widmyer, this Pet Sematary is a swift and efficient delivery system for mechanized jolts and pummeling thrills. It features fine performances from a cast that includes Jason Clarke, Amy Seimetz, John Lithgow and, crucially, the eight Maine coon cats playing the Creeds ill-fated feline. The actors are better and subtler than their earlier counterparts; the gore effects, too. Moviegoers looking for an excuse to grab their companions arms for two hours could certainly do worse. Advertisement They could also do better, though, by going back to the novel, which famously so repelled its author that he almost didnt submit it for publication. Not as good as the book is both a tiresome assessment of an adaptations quality and, unfortunately, an often accurate one. I lift up Kings doorstop of a book not to bludgeon this movie, but rather to draw a crucial distinction in form, approach and effect. Kings story was an intimately detailed portrait of a happy, complicated family rocked by a series of unimaginable, exponentially compounded traumas. It achieved the full weight of not just horror but tragedy, sidestepping gratuitous shocks and unleashing a devastating rush of emotion. Kolsch and Widmyer, who previously directed the indie thriller Starry Eyes, do not have the benefit of the novels measured pace and lengthy duration, but they have attempted, with some success, to turn that narrative economy into a virtue. Like the novel, Pet Sematary begins with Louis Creed (Clarke) and his wife, Rachel (Seimetz), arriving at their new home in Ludlow, Maine, where Louis has landed a job as a doctor at the nearby university. They arrive with their young daughter, Ellie (Jete Laurence), and their toddler son, Gage (Hugo and Lucas Lavoie), as well as Ellies cat, Church. Jete Laurence and one of the eight Maine coon cats that played the family pet in Pet Sematary. (Kerry Hayes/Paramount Pictures) Within a few minutes one of those big trucks has whipped noisily past, providing some violent foreshadowing. Within a few more minutes the Creeds have met their neighbor, an aging widower named Jud Crandall (Lithgow), in a nearby animal graveyard marked by a sign that reads Pet Sematary. The cutesy misspelling offers a subliminal clue that something is wrong here, but just in case you werent sure, there are some creepy kids in animal masks, walking to the cemetery in mock-menagerie procession. Juds friendly-crotchety demeanor hints at the very bad things hes seen, both in the past and on the horizon. An accident involving a student (Obssa Ahmed) casts a bloody pall over Louis operating table his first day on the job. It gives nothing away to state that Church isnt long for this world, or to point out that the animal will make a singularly unpleasant return. Some unnervingly realistic hellcat hissing and scratching ensues, nicely counterbalanced by the steady emotional conviction of Clarke and Seimetz, both playing decent, likable characters who dont realize theyre on a fast-moving conveyer belt to every familys worst nightmare. Buhlers adaptation sleekly updates that nightmare, making one major plot detour that introduces some ghoulishly inspired comedy, and amping up the nasty childhood flashbacks that have filled Rachel with a deep fear of death and a raging sense of guilt. And Kolsch and Widmyer tackle their hair-raising assignment with lean, no-nonsense proficiency. Shooting in muted gray tones (the cinematography is by Laurie Rose), the directors clearly know their way around dank basements and doorways that lead to nowhere, and they handle the genre mechanics the large-scale set pieces, the come-from-behind slasher attacks, the near-constant child imperilment with swift, breathless aplomb. Their command of the grammar of the mainstream horror movie is more than solid. The problem is that said grammar ultimately feels crude and disproportionate to the story theyre trying to tell. Kings language was subtle and patient enough to evoke something deeper and essentially unrepresentable: Lets call it the replacement of one unthinkable nightmare with an even more unthinkable nightmare, all in the name of love. He also managed to implicate his Everyman hero in every one of his bad decisions, making it clear that Louis was ultimately inviting the worst upon himself. The ruthless glee with which this Pet Sematary races toward its climax achieves the opposite effect. The fallout feels less tragic than sadistic, and leaves you feeling more wrung out than disturbed. ------------ Pet Sematary Rating: R, for horror violence, bloody images and some language Running time: 1 hour, 40 minutes Playing: In general release justin.chang@latimes.com | Twitter: @JustinCChang Peterloo is a paradox. Historical and contemporary, epic and intimate, political and personal, it is both unlike anything writer-director Mike Leigh has done before and the grand culmination of his career. Edging into David Lean territory in terms of its ambition and its two hour and 33-minute running time, Peterloo is equal parts rewarding and demanding, and the gradual way it unfolds allows its cumulative heartbreaking power to take us by surprise. As his seven Oscar nominations (five for writing, two for directing) for films like Secrets and Lies and Vera Drake attest, the uncompromising Leigh is the odds-on candidate for top British filmmaker of his generation. Advertisement READ MORE: Director Mike Leigh breaks his own mold for the ambitious and expensive Peterloo In 1819, British forces charge on a peaceful pro-democracy rally at St Peters Field in Manchester, England, which results in the Peterloo Massacre. But though Leighs reputation comes from his unique, organic way of working with actors, a system resulting in works that redefined the possibilities for realistic emotion on screen, even the most personal of his narratives has had a political subtext. And though Peterloo, based as it is on an infamous bloody event in British history, may be his most overtly political film, it wouldnt have the wrenching effect it does if Leigh had not paid close attention to the personal and had not used his particular gifts to create historical characters who come to unmistakable life under his touch. Though its 200th anniversary is coming up in a few months, what is known to history as the Peterloo Massacre is almost unknown in this country and apparently not as much as it might be in Britain. In effect a 19th-century police riot in a place called St. Peters Field in Manchester, it saw a huge throng of 60,000100,000 peaceful demonstrators attacked by a volunteer mounted militia as well as regular troops, all with sabers drawn. The result an estimated 18 killed and more than 600 wounded has been called the worst violence ever to occur at a political meeting in Britain. Leighs films have been historical before, but theyve mostly involved venturesome artistic types like Gilbert and Sullivan (Topsy-Turvy) and the painter J.M.W. Turner (Mr. Turner). And none has started with anything as dramatic as a moment from the Battle of Waterloo, an epochal event of the type you wouldve sworn the intimacy-focused Leigh would never get anywhere near. Given that its focus is on showing all sides of a moment in history, Peterloo doesnt follow a single protagonist or use actors weve seen a lot of before. Rather Leigh working with frequent collaborators including cinematographer Dick Pope, editor Jon Gregory, production designer Suzie Davies and costume designer Jacqueline Durran introduces us to members of intersecting groups, allowing us to eavesdrop on real and vivid moments. In the fog of war at Waterloo, we meet the British bugler Joseph (David Moorst), a dazed and confused victim of PTSD before it had a name. Joseph painstakingly makes his way on foot to his home in Manchester in the north of England, where most of his family works at the huge, deafening cotton mills that are changing the face of society in a way that Karl Marxs collaborator Friedrich Engels would detail a few years later. In a contrast that plays more subtly on screen than in print, we see Josephs mother Nellie (Maxine Peake) labor intensively on pies she sells for a penny each just a few scenes after weve heard the British Parliament pass without debate a motion giving Waterloos victor, the Duke of Wellington, a staggering thank-you gift of 750,000 pounds. Life in early 19th-century Britain is weighted heavily in favor of the haves, but, with the class violence of the French Revolution a vivid and recent memory, the establishment is worried enough to put Waterloo veteran Gen. Sir John Byng (Alastair Mackenzie) in charge of keeping things in the north under control. By any reasonable standard Britains poor, especially in the north, had a lot to complain about, including as we see examples of an arbitrary judicial system that had people deported to Australia or even executed for minor offenses against property. And then there was the matter of legislative reform. Universal suffrage was little more than a dream and, large as it was, the relative newness of Manchester as a city meant that it had not a single seat in Parliament. Though there were radicals in the north, including the pumped-up Samuel Bamford (Neil Bell), one of the points Peterloo makes is that class and other distinctions existed between radicals and incrementalists like Henry Orator Hunt (Rory Kinnear), a landowner who is not impressed by the lower classes. While the protesters one man, one vote demands sound quite modest, one of the implied points of Peterloo is just how difficult the fight was to achieve a right that large chunks of the population dont take advantage of today. It is the incrementalists who are in charge in Manchester, and they invite Hunt to speak at a massive rally at St. Peters Fields outside of town where attendees are instructed to bring no other weapon but that of a self-approving conscience. The huge crowds who show up in their proverbial Sunday best are terribly moving in their earnest, soon to be shattered hopefulness. They deserve so much better than they got, and we watch in shock as events unfold. Difficult to experience though its finale may be, Peterloo very much gives off the sense that watching is essential. This fight for democracy is our story too, and the end has yet to be written. ---------- Peterloo Rated: PG-13 for a sequence of violence and chaos Running time: 2 hours, 33 minutes Playing: Laemmles Royal, West Los Angeles kenneth.turan@latimes.com @KennethTuran Ramen Shop is a hard film to pin down. Quirky, personal, political and, as its title indicates, culinary, its a slow food movement kind of effort, a meandering movie determined to take its own time. Yet, like a quiet dish with an unexpected spicy kick, Ramen Shops emotions creep up on you unawares. In fact, the film almost seems to stumble on its emotional content as if it didnt quite know it was there. Directed by Eric Khoo, Singapores most prominent filmmaker, Ramen Shop owes its idiosyncratic qualities partly to the unusual way it was conceptualized, as a film made to commemorate half a century of diplomatic relations between that country and Japan. I felt that food would be a perfect vehicle as both countries are crazy about food, Khoo explains in a directors note, and because there are so many stories about food that have moved me. Advertisement And certainly, as appetizingly photographed by Brian Gothong Tan, food has pride of place in the story, with so many delicious-looking dishes flashing by on screen you wish each had an identifier reminding us what they were. Under the opening credits, for instance, we watch the preparation of a knockout bowl of ramen, the noodle and soup dish that, with some 24,000 ramen shops in business, is a mainstay of Japanese eating. This particular ramen establishment, in the midsize city of Takasaki (home to an enormous statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy, that figures in the plot) is popular enough to have a line of eager eaters outside. But though the food is tasty, the working atmosphere is not. Top chef Kazuo (Tsuyoshi Ihara) knows his business, but he is mute and non-communicative where his son and culinary collaborator Masato (Takumi Saitoh) is concerned. If I was a bowl of ramen, the son says to his fathers brother, maybe hed show more interest in me. Masato, for his part, is fascinated by the cuisine of Singapore, the homeland of his late mother Mei Lian (Jeanette Aw.) So interested in fact that he keeps up a digital correspondence with Miki (Seiko Matsuda), a foodie and proprietor of Mikis Culinary Journey, a blog devoted to the Singapore food scene. Ramen Shop has barely begun when Kazuo dies and Masato impulsively heads off to Singapore, where he lived until he was 10, determined to both connect with his mothers culture and to learn some great new dishes. Hes encouraged in his quest by documents found among his fathers belongings, including a photo album and journal kept by his mother in her native Mandarin. First stop, not surprisingly, is a visit with the charming Miki, who takes him to dinner and regales him with Singapore culinary lore, filling him in, for instance, on the accomplishments of the Four Heavenly Kings, the chefs who dominated the local food scene in the 1960s and 70s. Masato is especially interested in bak kut the, a legendary pork rib soup he remembers from his childhood, and which Miki obligingly tells him originated with poor laborers who couldnt afford actual meat and boiled the bones instead. In addition to all this foodie material, Ramen Shop also functions as a kind of soft-boiled detective story, as Masato attempts to track down Wee (Mark Lee), his chef uncle, and the elusive grandmother (Beatrice Chien) who had some mysterious rift with Masatos mother that never got resolved. Given its various parts, the tone of Ramen Shop varies widely. Childhood flashbacks of Masato and his mother, verge on being too sweet, as do those showing how his father and mother met and the courtship between them (hint: It involved food). Yet Ramen Shop also has that historical element, detailing what happened in the city when the Japanese occupied Singapore during the Second World War, and tone is very different there. Helping these various parts fit together is that unexpected emotion. Sentimental and proud of it, Ramen Shop believes food is a way of keeping memories alive, and we see it happen before our eyes. Ramen Shop No MPAA rating. Running time: 1 hour, 30 minutes. Playing Landmark Nuart, West Los Angeles. (L-R from center) - Tetsuya Bessho, Tsuyoshi Ihara and Takumi Saitoh in a scene from Ramen Shop. (Isabelle Lim / Strand Releasing) kenneth.turan@latimes.com @KennethTuran The Chaperone doesnt need one. Well-behaved and genteel from the get-go, it has its pleasures, but being wild and crazy is not one of them. This is more than a little ironic, because one of the films protagonists is the real-life Louise Brooks (played here by Haley Lu Richardson), an actress best known for 1929s provocative Pandoras Box and someone whose incendiary screen presence and free-spirited life gave decorum-seekers fits. The guiding spirit here, however, is not that G.W. Pabst silent classic but the blockbuster television series Downton Abbey, which supplied Chaperone with both its writer (Julian Fellowes) and director (Michael Engler) as well as the person who got it going. That would be producer and star Elizabeth McGovern, who came across the 2012 Laura Moriarty novel that the film is adapted from when she was hired as its audio book reader and recognized it as something she could both act in and help create. Advertisement Given her long association with Downton, it was likely second nature to McGovern to enlist the help of stalwarts Fellowes and Engler, both currently working on the forthcoming Downton feature, which partisans of the series (no names) are keenly awaiting. But while everyone, including costars Campbell Scott, Geza Rohrig, Miranda Otto and Blythe Danner, works very hard here, there is something in the original concept that resists the kind of energy and psychological interest that made Downton so snappy. For though Louise Brooks is a key participant, the films earnest focus, as the title indicates, is on the emotional trajectory of another, not necessarily fascinating woman, the fictional Norma Carlisle (McGovern). While the real Brooks did spend five weeks in New York studying dance when she was 15 and did go accompanied by a chaperone, nothing is known of that woman, which gave novelist Moriarty the opportunity to make one up, to not necessarily scintillating effect. We meet Norma in Wichita, Kan., in 1922, where she and her well-to-do husband Alan (Scott) are attending an evening of dance to benefit that citys Childrens Home. The star of that event is young Louise, gamboling around the stage in neo-Isadora Duncan white robes so effectively that Norma finds herself charmed by her effervescent energy. When she hears from Louises mother, Myra (Victoria Hill), that Louise needs a chaperone to accompany her to classes given in New York by the biggest names in modern dance, Ruth St. Denis (Otto) and Ted Shawn (Robert Fairchild), she impulsively volunteers for the job. We immediately are aware, for reasons eventually revealed, that Normas marriage is not in an ideal state. But she has another reason for the trip: She originally came to Kansas on an orphan train from Manhattan, and she hopes to gain more information about her past. Young Louise, by contrast, is interested only in the future and her dream of being the best dancer in the world. A willful spirit who does not believe in rules, not one little bit, she isnt keen on this chaperone idea but knows as a teenager she has no choice. Even on the train ride to New York, it soon becomes obvious that Louise is catnip to men of all ages, skilled at getting them to do her bidding and indifferent to the appearance of impropriety. When the prim Norma sternly advises her that men dont like candy thats been unwrapped, Louise looks at her like she just fell off the moon. Once the pair get to New York, each woman follows her own agenda, which for Louise means impressing the hell out of Ted Shawn (the girls a star) and getting a gimlet-eyed once-over from St. Denis, who believes art is not tinsel, art is gold. As for Norma, she tracks down the New York Home for Friendless Girls (a great name for an organization if ever there was one), but the tough nuns who run the place tell her no good can come of her search for her birth mother. Fortunately, she runs into German American handyman Joseph (Rohrig, a long way from the Auschwitz of Son of Saul), a kind soul with an enigmatic smile who proves helpful in a variety of ways. It is the conceit of The Chaperone that Norma and Louise, different though they are, have an influence on each others lives. There are small surprises along the way (references to the constricting nature of corsets not among them) but everything plays out pretty much as expected. Self-actualization may be essential for people, but it doesnt always make for the best of drama. ---- The Chaperone Not rated Running time: 1 hour, 48 minutes. Playing: Laemmle Royal, West Los Angeles, Playhouse 7, Pasadena, Town Center 5, Encino kenneth.turan@latimes.com @KennethTuran Anticipation is high for FXs new limited series Fosse/Verdon, exploring the extraordinarily creative but troubled personal and professional relationship between the influential choreographer and stage and film director Bob Fosse (Sam Rockwell) and the brilliant dancer and musical comedy star Gwen Verdon (Michelle Willliams). The eight-part series, which begins April 9, is co-executive produced by the couples daughter, Nicole Fosse; Lin-Manuel Miranda of Hamilton is an executive producer. For the record: An earlier version of this article said that Bob Fosses 1979 film All That Jazz was from 1989. It also called a musical number from that film Come Fly With Us. The correct title is Take Off With Us. Fosse, who died in 1987 at 60, and Verdon, who died at 75 in 2000, first collaborated in the popular 1955 musical Damn Yankees. She won the Tony for lead actress; he took home the Tony for choreographer. And for the next three decades, they had a legendary theater collaboration. Gwen Verdon and Eddie Phillips in Damn Yankees. (Warner Bros/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock) Advertisement And they continued to collaborate when he moved to movies with 1969s Sweet Charity, based on their hit 1966 musical. Fosse went on to direct five movies, winning the Oscar for the 1972 musical Cabaret. The last time he directed Verdon in a musical was the Broadway production of Chicago in 1975. Though they separated in 1971, the couple never divorced. Performers and others who knew and worked with Fosse and Verdon recently talked to the L.A. Times about the couple who continue to razzle and dazzle us. CHITA RIVERA The multi-Tony Award-winner was in the chorus of the 1953 Cole Porter musical Can-Can, when she first worked with Verdon, who earned her first Tony for the show. Rivera worked with Fosse in his first film, Sweet Charity, and then worked with both of them in the original production of Chicago. Gwen is definitely one of the many phenomenal blessings that Ive had in my life. I learned a lot from just standing in the wings and watching. I used to do that with her in Can-Can. Gwen was a gypsy at heart but she was still on one of those star [dressing] rooms, so we thought of her as that. They were auditioning for her understudy and she came in that day and called me into her dressing room and said, You know, you have your own identity. I really think you should look for and explore your own gifts, your own talents. She is the first one who gave me a little bit of courage to go out and find out who Chita was and what I could do. Entertainer Chita Rivera. (Laura Marie Duncan) Bobby was warm. That cigarette dangling [from his mouth] was sort of keeping him focused. He would change [the routine] when he wanted to. He wasnt like Jerry Robbins, who would give you seven versions and then switch the versions. You always want to please your choreographer, director. Dancers are just that way. It was hard, but there was a reason for it. When you get it and [Fosse] said Yes, you could go without dinner, youd be so happy. Thats what we worked for, thats what dancers do. He was a dancer. He had great technique. He did jazz dancing. He was a hoofer. Gwen stood up for herself. She was by no means rude or belligerent. In all that time, Bobby was having his affair with Annie [Reinking]. You would never have known it. She was very private that way. JOHN RUBINSTEIN The actor played the lead role in Fosses 1972 landmark production of the musical Pippin. He remembers going to Fosses apartment to discuss the musical before rehearsals. To be very, very honest, I had read the script and felt it was sort of fussy. It was not sharp. It was very whimsical but didnt have a lot of punch to it. He sits me down and says, OK, now its up to you and me to save this piece of garbage. Now, he was joking. He didnt think it was a piece of garbage because he wouldnt have done it. He was too big and famous and important and knowledgeable. He saw in it what it had as a possibility. He was brilliant. He wasnt brilliant in the way that Peter Brook was brilliant, as sort of a groundbreaking visionary of the theater. He wasnt like that. He was just as smart and perceptive and intelligent as a showbiz person can be. He knew audiences. He knew critics. He knew what a show had to be. He saw in the music and the book, the possibilities. Now people love Pippin and love that show. I didnt see it. He knew that it wasnt there on the page. He knew that it had to be saved, which was the word he used. Gwen and Bob had a thing. I dont know what word to use. They had a thing that you would call love or a trust or a connection that went beyond the traditional. CAROL BURNETT Comedian Carol Burnett. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) The Emmy Award-winning comedian first met Verdon and Fosse when they guest-starred on The Garry Moore Show. She then worked with Verdon and Julie Andrews on a musical number for the series. In the late 1960s, Verdon guest-starred on The Carol Burnett Show performing a very hip Feelin Groovy. She had a great sense of humor. She was a hard worker because she started out as a [chorus dancer]. That work ethic was there. I believe the first time I ever remember seeing her was in a Danny Kaye movie where she was a dancer. She stood out. It was called On the Riviera. And I saw her on Broadway in Damn Yankees and Sweet Charity. When I did my show, I always wanted to incorporate the musical guests or the dancers in our sketches. Gwen was in one I remember I played the town naughty lady in As the Stomach Turns. She was funny and then I had her come out during questions and answers. She improvised being a lighthouse where she would turn around and then shed turn around and her mouth would open! MARIEL HEMINGWAY Actress and author Mariel Hemingway. (Dan Hallman/Dan Hallman/Invision/AP) She starred as slain Playboy Playmate and actress Dorothy Stratten in Fosses last film, 1983s Star 80. He was nice, but he was obsessive. His focus was pointed and without wavering. He was extraordinary that way and was so admirable in my opinion. He didnt want me for Star 80 for the longest time. We shared the same agent. Sam Cohn, who kept saying Mariel is obsessed with this role. She really wants to read for her. Hes like, Shes too tomboyish. She this. Shes that. Then I went in and read for him and he was like, Oh you get it. I probably learned more from Bob than anybody I ever worked with about process, about creating a character based on really diving deep and of becoming without being a method actor the character in the moments that youre doing it. He was a challenging person. He was really kind, but he would get frustrated and he would get angry. Not at you, but you could tell he was angry inside and he didnt know what to do with it. So there were moments where you were cautious because he was grappling with something. We became very close friends during the process of making the film, which I think you can only do with somebody youre working intimately with. He was one of the great artists. TOM SELLECK Actor Tom Selleck. (Andrew H. Walker / Getty Images) Verdon played the mother of Tom Sellecks Magnum., P.I. character in five episodes from 1985 to 1988. She was somebody you felt you knew after five minutes, but more than that, she was just terrific. I know my mom was proud when Gwen was playing my mom on the show. She was the perfect choice for the part. They were wonderful experiences. She was hilarious to sit around and talk about everything under the sun. I just didnt ask her about stories about the good old days. She was always lovely to me. But I have a hunch Gwen Verdon was not someone you wanted mad at you. Here is what I think it was. She had something where you should never mistake kindness for weakness. It was always a great source of pride and still is that she was part of this ensemble. ARTHUR ALLAN SEIDELMAN He directed Verdon in her penultimate movie, 1999s Walking Across Egypt, in which she played the good friend of the protagonist played by Ellen Burstyn. Gwen was totally honest. Always a thorough pro. She would not dream of arriving on the set not fully prepared, not knowing every word. Not only her words but the other people in the scene. There was a wonderful innocence about her. If there was a line with a slight double entendre, she would play it so innocently that it was beautify funny. The primary thing I remember about Gwen away from the performance conversation is how much she loved dancers. She was magical on stage. She had an incandescent light bulb inside her. STEVE GUTTENBERG He was a young actor when he auditioned for Fosse for Star 80 and co-starred with Verdon in 1985s Cocoon and 1988s Cocoon: The Return. From left: Jessica Tandy, Verdon, Maureen Stapleton in 1988s Cocoon - The Return. (20th Century Fox / Kobal / REX / Shutterstock) He was extraordinarily, surprisingly sweet. I had about four or five auditions with him. He would spend 20 minutes just talking with me about things that had nothing to do with show business, really making me feel at ease. And then working with me, it was just me and him in a room. We would go back and forth and back and forth. It was the most creative audition process Ive ever had. I told Gwen the story of meeting Bob. I remember this specifically because we had dinner several times, just me and her. She said to me Bob is a very different artist. He believes that were all connected to a band of creativity and that his connection to the band of creativity is no different than Beethovens connection to the band of creativity. He never thought he was better than anyone else. He just though he put more time into those specific moments. I had a big crush on her. We talked about acting a great deal. She said if youre lucky enough to be born with a great instrument, thats not enough. She said you can be born with a Steinway, but if you dont practice it, youll only be able to play Chopsticks. She was a craftsman. SANDAHL BERGMAN Bergman was a Broadway dancer in two of Fosses Broadway musicals Pippin and Dancin, and also made a notable appearance in the Take Off With Us number in Fosses 1979 Oscar-winner All That Jazz. He was a charmer. Good-looking, not that great-looking because he was a little guy. But he charmed everybody. He got people to do what he wanted them to do. He had the ability to get the best out of out of you because he worked harder than you could work. He put in 150% and made me put in 100%. My last audience with Bob Fosse was for Dancin. The last interview was a one-on-one. I was doing A Chorus Line. He said to me in the interview, Sandahl, you have a great job. Chorus Line is going to run forever. I have no idea what I am doing but we would love to bring you in. Thats when I said Im in. MITZI GAYNOR The actress/singer/dancer first worked with Verdon as a teenager in the L.A. Civic Light Opera production of The Song of Norway and then in the 1953 film musical The I Dont Care Girl, in which Verdon was the assistant to choreographer Jack Cole. Verdon also appears in the innovative jazz number with Gaynor in Beale Street Blues. Im the star of the picture but [Cole] did that number for her [Verdon]. She was built like a train. Her step was so singular. She was really a beautiful dancer. She was a sweetheart. She was very nice, but you didnt mess with her. She didnt put up with anybody. She was a redhead too! Sam Rockwell as Bob Fosse and Michelle Williams as Gwen Verdon in FXs Fosse/Verdon. (Craig Blankenhorn / FX) Fosse/Verdon Where: FX When: 10 p.m. Tuesday Rating: TV-MA-LS (may be unsuitable for children under the age of 17 with advisories for coarse language and sexual content) calendar@latimes.com Celine Dion is leaving Las Vegas to take on the world. The entertainer will embark on her first tour in more than a decade, once she closes out her Las Vegas residency in June. Her Courage World Tour kicks off in her native Quebec, Canada. The first show is slated for Quebec City on Sept. 18, 2019, and, as of now, the tour concludes in Winnipeg on April 27, 2020. Dion will travel across the U.S. and Canada in between and arrives in Los Angeles at Staples Center on April 2, 2020. Dion announced the news in a Facebook Live session on Wednesday, then added details of her road trip in a teaser video. Advertisement The teaser showed her commandeering a truck out of the Las Vegas Strip with her glam squad as well as a few feathered and bedazzled entertainers in tow. But when the truck breaks down, she hitchhikes out of town with the divas of Frank Marinos iconic drag show, who also announced their departure from the desert playground last summer. The five-time Grammy winner has been performing in Las Vegas since 2003 in a residency at Caesars Palaces Colosseum, a 4,300-seat arena built specifically to host her concerts. The superstar announced in September that her final show there will be June 8. Tickets for her North American dates go on sale April 12, and members of Team Celine can grab tickets April 8. All online ticket orders come with a CD copy of Dions upcoming album, also scheduled for release this fall. For the first time in over a decade, Celine Dion will tour North America. Tickets go on sale Friday, April 12. Team Celine presale starts Monday, April 8. For more info including all tour dates go to https://t.co/PbVwUvFssV - Team Celine https://t.co/spxgqjVxUZ pic.twitter.com/qo4lu7xK22 Celine Dion (@celinedion) April 3, 2019 Follow me: @NardineSaad An army of the dead marched on Radio City Music Hall on Wednesday night for the New York premiere of the eighth and final season of Game of Thrones. Hundreds of fans gathered in Rockefeller Plaza to greet Charles Dance, Jack Gleeson, Jason Momoa, Sean Bean and other actors who played some of the many, many characters whove been killed off in spectacular fashion on the famously brutal HBO fantasy series. Among the dead, there appeared to be no hard feelings: Pedro Pascal, the actor who portrayed Oberyn Martell, hammed it up on the red carpet with Hafor Julius Bjornsson, whose brutish character the Mountain crushed Oberyns skull in Season 4. After taking a selfie in front of a Game of Thrones poster on the venues balcony level, Anthony Carrigan, who plays a Chechen crime boss on the HBO series Barry, drew parallels between the shows: You root for the bad guy, the characters are very complex and there are moments of humor. Advertisement He also recalled the shock he felt after the death of Oberyn Martell, saying, That one left me in a really dark place for a few days. A giant Iron Throne on display ahead of the Game of Thrones premiere on Wednesday. (Angela Weiss / AFP/Getty Images) To commemorate the final season, HBO erected a 35-foot replica of the Iron Throne in the middle of Rockefeller Center, a totem symbolizing the enormous global popularity of the series, which follows warring clans in the fictional land of Westeros. It would be hard for me to overstate how meaningful this show has been for HBO and I think TV in general, said Casey Bloys, president of programming at the premium cable network, in remarks onstage before the screening. He recalled the internal skepticism at HBO when executive producer Carolyn Strauss first pitched a series based on the popular novels by George R.R. Martin a dozen years ago: So the brother and sister are in love and they have sex and theres dragons? Bloys credited his former boss, Richard Plepler, who stepped down from his post in late February, with having the vision to understand the show was not about incest or dragons it was about family and power and who sits on the throne. Thrones author George R. R. Martin at Wednesdays premiere. (Evan Agostini / Invision/Associated Press) Co-creators and show runners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss also praised Plepler for having the vision to stick with the show, even after they turned in a a famously bad pilot, and Martin for creating the colorful characters and richly detailed world of the show (even if theyve long since moved beyond what he has written). Tyrion, Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen were born in a single, ruthless mind, said Weiss. Thank you for letting us take your children into our care. Sorry we didnt treat them better. Details about the final season are more closely guarded than the contents of the Mueller report, although apparently star Emilia Clarkes mother knows how it ends. Otherwise, little can be said about the episode before its broadcast on April 14, except that it features people wearing capes and riding horses. But the audience of 6,000 or so on Wednesday night clearly enjoyed it, applauding in unison when various members of the sprawling ensemble cast made their entrance on screen. Kit Harington, who plays Jon Snow on Game of Thrones, at Wednesdays premiere. (Angela Weiss / AFP/Getty Images) As the crowd spilled out of the venue afterward, a group of police officers speculated about who they thought would claim the Iron Throne and ultimately rule the Seven Kingdoms. It would be nice to see a woman in charge, said one officer, referring to the dragon-riding Queen Daenerys Targaryen (played by Clarke). His partner shrugged, professing ignorance: I dont really know much about the show. After a pause, he added, But it could be Jon Snow. Hes got Targaryen blood. The afterparty at the Ziegfeld Ballroom a few blocks away celebrated the shows fiery side, with blazing red portraits of the (still-living) characters hanging from the walls and animated flames flickering on a screen behind a molten red version of the Iron Throne. As a DJ spun a playlist of incongruous wedding-reception favorites apparently Uptown Funk is also ubiquitous in Westeros Jerome Flynn, better known as charming mercenary Bronn, absconded from the bar with a jar of wasabi peas. RELATED: Game of Thrones will end, but respect for fantasy should not Silicon Valley star and Game of Thrones megafan Thomas Middleditch adjusted his bolo tie while deep in conversation with Martin. And Bloys huddled with Bob Greenblatt, who now oversees HBO as chairman of the newly formed Warner Media. Wearing a pastel pink dress and a voluminous blond hairpiece reminiscent of Dolly Parton, a draq queen named Vanna Deux gushed over the episode especially one element. Im so excited about Daenerys wig, she said. They were joined by cast members whose characters have been dramatically reborn, including Kit Harington, whose Jon Snow was resurrected from the dead, and Clarke, whose Daenerys Targaryen emerged from the flames of her husbands funeral pyre carrying freshly hatched dragons. meredith.blake@latimes.com Twitter: @MeredithBlake Welcome to Food Bowl. The Los Angeles Times this week announced the program lineup for its sprawling, monthlong food festival. Food Bowl is built to reflect the diversity of Los Angeles. It is a mash-up of tastes, cultures and experiences stretched over the entire month of May. There is something to appeal to almost any eater who calls this city home: large-scale happenings, collaborations planned by The Times and dozens of events put together by L.A.s restaurant community itself. You can explore and book tickets to all the happenings at lafoodbowl.com. It all kicks off on April 30 with Mesamerica L.A.: the first incarnation of famed chef Enrique Olveras celebrated symposium to be held outside of Mexico. Olvera and Times Food Editor Peter Meehan have created a program that examines the culinary and cultural interconnectedness of Mexico City and Los Angeles. Advertisement Events follow each night throughout May including the L.A. Times Food Bowl Night Market, a five-night outdoor celebration from May 8-12. This event, which is free to enter, will include dozens of food vendors, one-of-a-kind pop-up experiences, chef collaborations, music, art and more. Some of the incredible chefs participating in this years festival, as well as other Food Bowl highlights, are listed below, and you can find more information at lafoodbowl.com. You can also keep an eye out for a program guide to be distributed with the April 14 edition of the Los Angeles Times. The festival also continues to give back and will once again raise funds to fight food insecurity and hunger as well as promote waste reduction and sustainability through charity partners and participating events. Los Angeles Times Food Bowl charity partners include L.A. Regional Food Bank, Food Forward and Midnight Mission. Chefs scheduled to participate: Local chefs including: Carlos Salgado (Taco Maria), Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis (Bavel), Niki Nakayama (n/naka), Adam Perry Lang (APL), Michael Cimarusti (Providence), Nicole Rucker (Fiona), Wes Avila (Guerrilla Tacos), Jordan Kahn (Vespertine), Suzanne Goin (A.O.C.), Charles Olalia (Maam Sir), Dave Beran (Dialogue), Sang Yoon (Lukshon), Wolfgang Puck (Spago), Jessica Koslow (Sqirl), Nancy Silverton (Mozzaplex), Ludo Lefebvre (Trois Mec), Tim Hollingsworth (Otium), Jeremy Fox (Rustic Canyon) and Kris Yenbamroong (Night + Market) and many more. And from elsewhere: Enrique Olvera (Pujol, Mexico), Daniela Soto-Innes (Cosme, New York), Norma Listman and Saqib Keval (Masala y Maiz, Mexico), Gaggan Anand (Gaggan, Thailand), Virgilio Martinez (Central, Peru), Koji Kimura (Sushi Kimura, Japan), Angela Dimayuga (The Standard International, U.S.), Rodolfo Guzman (Borago, Chile), Musa Dagdeviren (Ciya, Turkey), Andrew McConnell (Cutler & Co., Australia), Dominique Crenn (Atelier Crenn, California), Yu Bo (Yus Family Kitchen, China), JP Anglo (Sarsa, Philippines), Tom Cunanan (Bad Saint, Washington, D.C.), Aaron Franklin (Franklin Barbecue, Texas), Pat Martin (Martins Bar-B-Que, Tennessee), Billy Durney (Hometown Bar-B-Que, New York), Sam Jones (Sam Jones BBQ, North Carolina) and Charles Michel (Oxford University Research Laboratory, Britain) Program highlights: Our 101 Restaurants We Love list for 2018 is out. The list incorporates restaurants and trucks from across Los Angeles and Orange County, in alphabetical order (no rankings this time). Plus theres a bonus list of 10 classic restaurants. Check us out on Instagram at @latimesfood. And dont forget the thousands of recipes in our California Cookbook recipe database. Feedback? Wed love to hear from you. Email us at food@latimes.com. Jessie Nicelys Instagram handle and former blogging moniker is @youngpoorhungry. Today, its an ethos for how Nicely is carving out her niche in Los Angeles food community. The 29-year-old half-Burmese chef hosts traveling pop-ups called Burmese, Please (often alongside Yarrow Cafe and Pique Nique LA) in Far East Plaza in Chinatown, where she offers riffs on traditional Burmese dishes for $10 or less. Nicely is also the co-founder of the food art zine Compound Butter, which covers topics ranging from animal feet meat to childrens tables at restaurants, and employs funky fonts and illustrations by her cousin and collaborator, Jaya Nicely. How did you start Compound Butter? After college, I worked in educational HR. After a few years of feeling unsatisfied by it, I kind of made a rushed decision and went to culinary school at a community college. Advertisement I was working as a pitmaster and sous chef at a restaurant in the Bay Area as a woman and a woman of color, I had to compensate to feel I was on the same level as my peers... which isnt the most original story, but it was true. I wanted to feel in control and not taken for granted. Eventually I moved down to Los Angeles and got closer with my cousin Jaya, who had grown up there. She was in school studying art and illustration, and we started discussing ways we could combine our interests. How does one launch a food-art magazine? The first issue we ever did was for Jayas class project, where she had a prompt to work on the same printed material for a year. At first, we wrote it all ourselves, and then it was a lot of just texting friends, asking them if theyd be a part of it. Food magazine is a loose description; we have a lot of pieces that are personal narratives or memoirs through food: one about going to White Castle or eating at all the places Anthony Bourdain ventured to before his passing. A thing that was really important to us was to be accessible to people who wouldnt describe themselves as foodies. Humor seems to play a big role in it too. Compound Butter magazine. (Jessie Nicely) Jaya and I both grew up watching Wallace and Gromit and Miyazaki films, always really obsessed with the way that food was depicted in cartoons. With the arrival of Lucky Peach, there was this bubbling open of food and design, that for the first time put all of these food and art things into something manageable and packaged. Theres so much of it now. I love Lazy Moms photography. Im so happy that food is now prevalent and people are excited by it. And Chicken Run, oh my God, is it bad that that movie made me want chicken? You traveled to Burma before starting your pop up series. How did actually going to Burma influence the way you saw yourself in the food world? Its funny, all my white friends were like, Lets go to Burma on vacation! And I was like, Ugh. But eventually, I went to Burma kind of hoping to find some part of myself I thought was missing. Im pretty ambiguous-looking. Growing up, many people in the Bay Area assumed I was Latina. Later, I went to Burma with my mom to see our family we hadnt ever met. I wanted to feel like, These are my people. But I didnt get that. I was taller and fatter than a lot of people there. Coming down to Los Angeles, there was a story of the cuisine that definitely hadnt be told. Theres this whole wave of second-generation kids that didnt necessarily think about the food they grew up with until they got older. Im excited to be apart of that, even in a small way. Do you see a crossover in your desire to explore Burmese food in your pop-ups and the stories that fascinate you for the magazine? Ive written a couple times about my own racial struggles Im half-white and half-Burmese. Growing up, I just identified as white because I didnt know or see any other Burmese people. My mom [who is Burmese] has seven brothers and sisters, and everyone specialized in different dishes. I discovered how to make mohinga from a Burmese neighbor. Its a catfish chowder, which is the Burmese national dish, with boiled egg and fried garlic. Working on my pop-ups, its been half reacquainting myself with these recipes, while doing some riffs. Mohinga at Burmese, Please! (Jessie Nicely) Theres sort of this mystique around these creative, flexible spaces in food, that makes it seem like everyones profitable or supporting themselves just off of that. Is this the case for Compound Butter? We definitely dont make any money from it. These days, I work as a full-time database programmer, and Jaya works as an art director for a publishing house. But theres certainly an audience looking for this content. Well get people calling us to intern, and were like, its just two of us. We try to keep it reasonable for what to expect for our contributors, though Instagram does give a certain facade of success. In the aftermath of several controversial police shootings in California, activists and victims families have hoped their anguish would lead to action. They have protested, pleaded and lobbied for a law that would clear long-standing hurdles to criminal prosecution in some cases. But the focus of their hopes a bill facing its first public hearing next week may come up short. Experts on both sides of the debate say the proposal wont be what community groups want or what law enforcement fears. I dont think its going to end proactive policing, and I dont think its going to cause more officers to be locked up, said John Burris, a civil rights attorney who specializes in police shootings. I think its more of a scare tactic than not. Advertisement In fervent rhetoric at the Capitol, police reform activists have said Assembly Bill 392 will make it easier to criminally charge officers who use guns too recklessly, especially against people of color. And, many believe, it could provide what they see as elusive justice for cases like that of Stephon Clark, who was shot by Sacramento officers after they mistook his cellphone for a weapon sparking the legislation. Law enforcement advocates argue that, if enacted, the bill could prompt police to hesitate, putting blue lives and the public in danger in critical moments, and would criminalize officers as they react to risky and fast-moving situations. But there is quiet consensus from some police, lawyers and academics even those who support or oppose the measure on other grounds that it will do little if any of that. There are many reasons why police kill so many people and there are many reasons why they are not held accountable, and this bill only really addresses [some] of those, said Lizzie Buchen, legislative advocate of the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California, one of the main backers of the measure. This is just one step, and we will need to see a lot of other changes to make a real impact. Her tempered expectations are echoed by some opponents. I feel bad for that segment of the public that really thinks this is going to be the savior of murder by police. Its not, said Ed Obayashi, a Plumas County sheriffs deputy and legal advisor who opposes the bill. You are going to have a significant constituency out there that demands justice based on 392, and its not going to happen. The undercurrent of acknowledgment about the bills limitations exposes uncomfortable truths as California tries to push law enforcement into a new way of doing business: Preventing police shootings is difficult to legislate, and a circumscribed standard for when lethal force can be used is neither an easy legal fix nor practical without broader shifts in policing to back it. Unless you change the hiring, training and accountability, were not going to change the outcomes by legislation, said Rick Braziel, a former police chief and current member of the states Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training. Forcing broader reforms is at the heart of AB 392, though it is seldom framed in those terms. The bill tackles, in a roundabout way, a national controversy over whether police should be guardians or warriors trained more for peaceful intervention or always expecting worst-case scenarios. The distinction is divisive even among law enforcement, and discussion of it angers some who say police are always guardians and trained to respect the sanctity of life. But departments now are largely free to cultivate their own cultures and their own rules of conduct. AB 392 would put those choices under a microscope when fatalities occur. In reality, the legislation does little more than codify into California criminal code standards that already exist in civil law and in the policies of some progressive departments. Under a ruling delivered by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1989, police are justified in using deadly force if another officer in the same situation would reasonably do the same. The standard is narrow, judging only the moments immediately before the use of deadly force to determine whether officers felt they or another person were in imminent danger. States have the right to build upon the protections given to citizens under federal law. The California Supreme Court opened the door for a broadened standard for use of force in a 2013 ruling about a police shooting in San Diego that involved a suicidal man, Shane Hayes. The Hayes ruling allowed civil negligence claims against law enforcement to include more than the moments just before the use of lethal force, stretching to cover officers tactics and decisions in the lead-up to the fatal encounter. Hayes had been staying with an ex-girlfriend, Geri Neill, in 2006 when he tried to kill himself. Neill said in a recent interview that Hayes had previously been placed in a psychiatric hold by police and that on the night he died, he threatened to kill himself by breathing car exhaust, drowning himself in a pool or hanging himself. Neill tried to tell police about Hayes mental history, but they wouldnt listen, she said. They also failed to check his history with police. Two officers entered the house and shot Hayes after encountering him in the kitchen holding a knife. Hayes family filed a federal civil suit, resulting in the ruling. Chelsey Hayes, right, was 12 when her father, Shane Hayes, was killed by police in San Diego. (Courtesy of Chelsey Hayes) AB 392 would take the idea of negligence leading to the use of deadly force and put it in the states penal code, though largely without any enhanced ability to charge officers unless their conduct is so out of normal standards that existing laws would enable prosecution anyway, Obayashi said. Braziel said many departments already incorporate the Hayes decision into their policies and training to avoid lawsuits and improve outcomes. Some agencies that have focused on de-escalation and less-lethal force have seen a decline in shootings. Smart agencies are already applying the tactic standard in their discipline and review of encounters, Braziel said. By bringing pre-shooting conduct into criminal code, AB 392 would obligate district attorneys to incorporate tactics into their investigations of police shootings, and thereby compel recalcitrant departments to embrace the idea or face scrutiny if not hard consequences effectively putting them on the hook to explain why force wasnt only reasonable in the moment, but necessary in the big picture. It would also give more weight to public criticism of those tactics by making them part of the official discussion. But because AB 392 introduces the notion of criminal negligence with no definition, it will probably leave a determination of what that means to the courts. Law enforcement is especially critical of this aspect of the bill, arguing that it allows laypeople to second-guess police. Its going to take years and cost millions to define what is negligent tactics, and more specifically what are criminally negligent tactics, said Bruce Praet, a lawyer who represents law enforcement agencies. In the meantime, who becomes the guinea pig? Which officers get sacrificed to test the new law? Which D.A. is going to be motivated by the pressures of protesters outside his offices? Buchen said that criminal negligence is defined by case law and that the bill would allow prosecution only in a limited number of circumstances. She said getting district attorneys to prosecute remains a huge barrier even if the bill passes. Eugene ODonnell, a former NYPD cop and expert on policing with the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, said the reluctance to prosecute goes beyond district attorneys. I dont think convicting on-duty police officers for shootings is going to happen no matter how the law is changed. I dont think there is an appetite to do it, ODonnell said. Grand juries dont want to indict, juries dont want to convict, judges dont want to sentence. Praet pointed out that in the Hayes decision, the [California] Supreme Court didnt say there were particular tactics officers have to use it just said the tactics have to be reasonable. His interpretation matters because he is a founder of Lexipol, a for-profit company that sells policy manuals to law enforcement departments. Lexipol polices are used by 93% of California police and sheriffs departments, according to a study by UCLA, which called the company a force to be reckoned with in American policing. Despite AB 392 not being as robust as some believe, supporters including the Rev. Al Sharpton, who spoke on the Capitol steps in favor of the measure, said it is still worthwhile because it raises the bar. And though it probably wont lead to many criminal prosecutions of police, the opposition of law enforcement is driven partly by an aversion to forced change, steered by those who dont wear a uniform. The system isnt broken, Praet said. For Chelsey Hayes, Shane Hayes daughter, there is no doubt that California officers should be held responsible for more than the moment of deadly force. She said she is grateful the Hayes standard could become law, because she has never felt closure for her loss and is angry with how her dad was portrayed. She was 12 when her father was shot and remembers him as her best friend, a funny guy who hung out at the beach with her the summer before his death and took her to Sea World. People do need to look at how [police] handle situations, and I think they do need to be questioned with how they went about it, said Hayes, now 25. I want people to know how good my dad was and how wrong it was of those officers to take his life. My dad, yeah, he struggled with depression and he didnt handle it the best, but he just needed help, and I wish that our law enforcement, we could trust them to come and help. Overwhelmed by an influx of migrant families, the federal governments largest holding facility for people caught crossing the border illegally has run out of space and exhausted its budget. The Central Processing Center, located in McAllen, Texas, is known to migrants as la perrera, or the kennel. Designed for 1,500 people, it now houses 2,400, according to Border Patrol officials, who gave journalists a rare tour on Wednesday. Men slept shoulder to shoulder on concrete floors under a sea of mylar blankets. Children wailed as they waited behind chain-link barriers to use portable bathrooms and showers. Single adults had to wait to be driven to showers in another building. Sick parents and children rested on mats behind a partition. The Border Patrol has already spent its $12.5-million operating budget for the facility for the fiscal year that started in October. Officials have requested an additional $12.5 million to cover staffing, food and other supplies for the rest of the year. Advertisement The agency showed off the crowded facility before President Trump visits the California border town of Calexico on Friday, hoping to convince the public that the country is facing a national emergency that requires stepped-up enforcement, including a border wall that Congress has refused to authorize. Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen visited El Paso Border Patrol facilities Wednesday and was due to visit those in Yuma, Ariz., on Thursday. Both areas have seen sharp increases in migrant families arriving this year. El Pasos holding facilities were 280% over capacity this week, with more than 3,400 people in custody, some held under a bridge and in tents. Central American migrants arrive last month at a Catholic Charities respite center in McAllen, Texas. (Loren Elliott / For The Times) In the Rio Grande Valley, the busiest stretch of border for illicit crossings, agents have caught about 1,000 migrants a day for roughly the last two weeks. The number traveling in families has climbed 200% compared with this time last year, said Carmen Qualia, an assistant chief patrol agent who runs the facility. Theyre crossing with very little items because they know this facility exists, Qualia said as she led reporters past cells packed with migrant parents and children. They know if they come as a family they will have a clear path through. This is a policy crisis. Smaller holding areas at Border Patrol stations throughout the Rio Grande Valley were also packed. Officials said 6,000 migrants including 527 unaccompanied children were crammed into stations built for a total of 3,363. In recent weeks, the Border Patrol has attempted to ease the overcrowding by releasing thousands of migrant families from the McAllen center and other holding areas with notices to appear in immigration court, rather than transferring them to Immigration and Customs Enforcement family detention centers, which are also full. U.S. border authorities hold migrant families in a pen under an El Paso bridge Critics of illegal migration have condemned the practice as a return to the catch and release policies Trump had vowed to stop. Migrant advocates have scrambled to house, feed and transport the hundreds of family members released daily in the Rio Grande Valley and El Paso, which has also seen an influx of families arriving on the border this year. A total of 750 customs officers have been reassigned from entry ports in El Paso, Tucson, San Diego and Laredo, Texas, to assist Border Patrol with processing migrants; more than half of those were sent to help the McAllen facilitys staff of 120. A few National Guard troops from Texas were also assisting here. Federal Emergency Management Agency officials toured the center Wednesday and are expected to help the Border Patrol erect tents or other temporary holding areas at stations across the Rio Grande Valley, Qualia said. During Wednesdays tour, reporters were not allowed to interview, photograph or record migrants or Central American consular officials meeting with them. Qualia and other Border Patrol agents answered questions as they led the group through an outdoor sally port where migrants waited in line with children to be processed. Inside, agents could be seen questioning migrant men and capturing their fingerprints using an electronic device. Men in neighboring cells shouted that they were hungry. Agents said the migrants received hot meals, snacks, clothes, laundry service and medical care at an on-site clinic. They stay an average 50 to 60 hours, Qualia said. The Border Patrol recently added more portable bathrooms and intends to expand the number of showers from the current total of 36, which can only accommodate 500 to 600 people a day. About three dozen small children huddled together in one of the chain-link cells below a television screen showing the movie Smallfoot. In a cell nearby, men huddled with babies in their arms. About half of children arriving with a parent here come with a father, a dramatic increase from years past, Qualia said. About half are what she called fraudulent family units a child traveling with a relative posing as a parent. As part of processing, agents check documents such as birth certificates, some of which have proved to be fake. Trump administration moves to close offices for international asylum and refugee cases Some children even reappear at the facility with different adults, recycled by smugglers, although the Border Patrol has a policy of not checking biometrics of children under age 14, so its difficult to track how many, Qualia said. She said migrants who arrive seeking asylum have already heard about the center in their home countries and expect to be released to local shelters. U.S. court decisions have limited the federal governments ability to detain families to 20 days. Theyre here because they know we cannot hold them, she said. The center, which was built in 2014 to house large groups of unaccompanied minors, has long drawn criticism from migrant advocates and lawmakers, who consider its chain-link fenced cells inhumane and unhealthy, even when theyre not packed. But its a model the Border Patrol is expanding: The agency is expected to open a similar, $192-million processing center in El Paso this summer. San Diego Countys Republican-dominated board of supervisors filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday against the Trump administration, claiming that policy changes in the way the federal government treats asylum seekers have strained the citys finances and health services. The Trump administration ended the so-called Safe Release program in October, which gave asylum seekers who had crossed the border assistance in reaching final destinations with family members and friends, the lawsuit noted. Now, large numbers of asylum seekers and accompanying family members are forced to remain in the County, without sufficient means to support themselves, because Defendants abruptly stopped providing asylum seekers with assistance in reaching their final destination, it reads. In response to Defendants sudden and unlawful change in policy ... the County has been forced to expend substantial funds and other resources to provide medical screening and care to the asylum seekers. The lawsuit, filed in District Court in Southern California, amounts to one more rebuke of the Trump administrations harsh immigration policies and rhetoric by a border city. Advertisement Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen was named in the suit along with leadership at agencies such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection and the Border Patrol. The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to a request for comment. The county board voted in February to sue the Trump administration over the programs end. The vote was 4 to 1, with three of the boards four Republicans joining one newly elected Democrat in supporting it. In Nogales, Arizona, officials formally condemned the installation of six rows of razor wire the military installed on the U.S. side of existing border fence in the city, saying they feared it made residents less safe. In El Paso, Texas, county officials passed a resolution saying they were disillusioned by President Donald Trumps claims about the supposed lawlessness and dangers of the border. In San Diego, the end of the Safe Release program meant the county had to find a place to shelter the 20 to 30 family units (60 to 80 parents and children) that have been released into the county each day since October 2018, according to the complaint. Since December, county health workers have been screening asylum seekers, many of whom have been staying at a shelter the county created out of an old courthouse it leased to a nonprofit. About 75 screenings are conducted by 14 county employees assigned to the shelter each day, according to the lawsuit. We have an obligation to take care of these families who have gone through so much - we cant let them become victims of human trafficking or become homeless, said Supervisor Nathan Fletcher, a newly elected Democrat whose district includes the shelter. This is the federal governments responsibility. This crisis is being created entirely by Donald Trumps inhumane immigration policies. Fletcher said 11,000 legal asylum seekers have come through shelters in San Diego since November, with an average stay of 72 hours. Before the Safe Release policy ended, ICE would transport the traveling asylum seekers directly to the departure points for their prearranged mode of transportation, such bus stations, train stations, and airports, facilitating an orderly release process. ICE would also provide a minimal amount of food to asylum seekers for their journeys to their final destinations, the lawsuit states. Other supervisors did not return requests for comment. The county has spent more than $1.3 million operating the downtown shelter, Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Dianne Jacob wrote on Twitter. The federal governments negligent approach to those seeking asylum is taking a huge toll on San Diego County taxpayers, she said. Eli Rosenberg writes for the Washington Post. It was just after noon Tuesday when authorities got their big break in the slaying of rapper Nipsey Hussle. About 14 hours earlier, the Los Angeles Police Department released a photo of Eric Holder, 29, saying he was the suspect in the Sunday afternoon attack. That image pinged across social media and television, with police warning that anyone who was harboring Holder would face arrest as well. Then, the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department received a tip from a caller who said that a man matching Holders description was on Artesia Boulevard in Bellflower, outside a mental facility. Deputies arrived and took Holder into custody. Officials said the L.A. County district attorneys office is reviewing the case against Holder. He is being held in solitary confinement on $7.04-million bail. Advertisement Eric Holder, middle, the suspect in the killing of rapper Nipsey Hussle is seen with his attorney, Christopher Darden, left, in Los Angeles County Superior Court. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) But despite the arrest, loose ends linger. One involves the woman authorities described as the gunmans getaway driver. Police say Holder got into a dispute with Hussle on Sunday at the rappers shop on Slauson Avenue. Holder allegedly returned and opened fire. Hussle was fatally wounded, and two others were also shot. The gunman then ran to a waiting car and got away. The woman who drove the getaway car turned herself in to authorities Monday and is continuing to cooperate with detectives. She has not been arrested, said Josh Rubenstein, LAPDs director of communications. According to two sources familiar with the investigation, the woman has insisted to detectives that she never knew Holder intended to harm Hussle and was aware of the shooting only in the aftermath. Sources said the role of the woman remains an issue of debate in the Hyde Park community where the shooting occurred. Some members of a gang with ties to both Hussle and Holder have distributed her name and image on social media, according to multiple sources. What Holder told the woman while in the car could strengthen the prosecutors potential case. Another unanswered question is the motive for the attack. Police have said Holder had a personal dispute with Hussle but have not provided further information. Its also unclear how well Holder and Hussle knew each other. Holder was an aspiring rapper who went by the moniker Fly Mac. His Instagram handle was ima_god_in_da_streetz. He sang of body bags, 38 gun blasts and bloody homicides. He was convicted in 2012 of carrying a loaded firearm and was sentenced to 180 days in jail and three years of probation, court records show. Eric Holder was arrested Tuesday in connection with Nipsey Hussles slaying. (LAPD) Meanwhile, fans continued to mourn Hussles death. At his store, police on Tuesday imposed a system for mourners to visit after a memorial Monday turned violent. Various memorials are being planned. On Tuesday night, resident Trevor Kemp watched as people gathered by a black armored truck covered with bouquets. Every Christmas, [Hussle] would fill up that truck and drop off gifts, Kemp said. Theyd fill it up with sneakers and also drive around handing them out. Kemp said he once talked to Hussle and remembered him saying he wanted to invest in the local parks. He could have made money and left, but he intended to stay, Kemp said. He wanted to bring change. Diana White, 60, who lives a few blocks from where the shooting occurred, waited in line in an alley with dozens of other mourners for her turn to see the teddy bears, artwork, cards and candles that had been arranged in a circle and along the walls of the store for Hussle. It was beautiful, she said. White had never met the hip-hop star, but she said she couldnt stop thinking about him after watching interviews of him on television. His death brought her to tears. His mannerisms reminded me of my son, she said. Maybe that was it. I didnt know him, I dont know why I felt like this, but maybe that was it he had the same mannerisms like my son, the way he spoke. Full coverage: Nipsey Hussle gunned down in South L.A. There are growing questions about the woman who drove the getaway car that the suspect in the shooting of Nipsey Hussle used to flee the scene of the attack. Police say Eric Holder, 29, got into a dispute with Hussle on Sunday at the rappers shop on Slauson Avenue. Holder allegedly returned and opened fire. Hussle was fatally wounded, and two others were also shot. The gunman ran to a waiting car and got away. The woman who drove the getaway car turned herself in to authorities Monday and is continuing to cooperate with detectives. She has not been arrested, said Josh Rubenstein, LAPDs director of communications. Advertisement According to two sources familiar with the investigation, the woman has insisted to detectives that she never knew Holder intended to harm Hussle and was aware of the shooting only in the aftermath. The role of the driver remains an issue of debate in the Hyde Park community where the shooting occurred. Community activist Najee Ali is calling for the immediate arrest of the driver. Holders female accomplice waited two days to turn herself in to police. That was two days too many, he said. Ali is also demanding more details from police. Authorities have not identified the woman, who turned herself in hours after police named Holder as the suspect and distributed his photo. Police had warned that anyone who was harboring Holder would face arrest as well. Some members of a gang with ties to both Hussle and Holder have distributed what they claim is the drivers name and image on social media, according to multiple sources. Holder was an aspiring rapper who went by the moniker Fly Mac. His Instagram handle was ima_god_in_da_streetz. He sang of body bags, 38 gun blasts and bloody homicides. He was convicted in 2012 of carrying a loaded firearm and was sentenced to 180 days in jail and three years of probation, court records show. Its unclear what the relationship was between Holder and the driver. What Holder told the driver while in the car could strengthen the prosecutors potential case. Holder was charged with one count of murder, two counts of attempted murder and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon, during a court appearance Thursday afternoon. In June 2017, former Los Angeles County Sheriff Jim McDonnell went before the Board of Supervisors to ask for help. Short on time, he leapfrogged other county agencies to make a case for his proposed $3-billion budget, noting the ballooning costs of paying deputies overtime and of managing mental health services inside the departments jails. I ask you to join me in moving forward, collaboratively, to address the challenges that we face, McDonnell said. And, for the most part, the supervisors agreed. Its tough to imagine such a scene today. Advertisement In the months since voters elected Alex Villanueva to replace McDonnell, the relationship between the supervisors and the sheriff has turned antagonistic. The catalyst was Villanuevas decision during his first weeks on the job to reinstate Caren Carl Mandoyan, a deputy who was fired after being accused of domestic violence and lying to internal investigators. And Villanueva may have put still more strain on the political relationship. He confirmed Wednesday that in his first few months in office, he reinstated yet another deputy, Michael Courtial, who was fired for using unreasonable force against a suspect. Even as a court fight has ensued over Mandoyan, Villanueva has remained defiant in the face of criticism. I am actually assuming the proper role of the sheriff, which is to run the Sheriffs Department, Villanueva said in an interview Thursday. I dont tell the board how to do their jobs, and I dont think they have either the legal authority or right to dictate how I, as an elected official and the sheriff, run the Sheriffs Department. Thats why the voters elected me. Villanuevas position on reinstating fired deputies has perplexed the Board of Supervisors, a low-profile but powerful governing body that controls a $30-billion budget to operate courts and public services, and maintain infrastructure in Los Angeles County. The dispute could complicate the willingness of the board and the sheriff to work together on pressing issues involving the department, including the future of the countys sprawling jail system and the powers granted to its civilian monitors. And with the next budget cycle rapidly approaching the first for Villanueva the sheriffs ability to command respect from the elected officials and county staffers who control his funding is on increasingly shaky ground, according to interviews with county officials. It really does sadden me that the relationship that the Board of Supervisors has with the sheriff is such that there is no trust, said Supervisor Kathryn Barger, typically a law enforcement ally whose husband is a retired deputy sheriff. I dont know what its going to take to break that barrier with him. On this issue, I just dont know what his thinking is. Because sheriffs in California are elected, not appointed, the annual budgeting process is when county supervisors can exert the most leverage and authority over sheriffs and their departments. Villanueva, like other top county law enforcement officials, has an autonomy over spending, management and policy, none of which is typically afforded by law to the heads of most other county agencies. Barger, who worked as a county staffer for decades before running for elected office, has seen the board interact with many sheriffs over the years, many of them controversial. She said shes perplexed by how relations soured so quickly a common sentiment among the members of the board and their staffs. First and foremost at issue is Villanuevas insistence on reinstating Mandoyan, who was fired under McDonnell in 2016 over allegations that he assaulted and tried to break into the house of a fellow deputy then his girlfriend and lied about it. Villanueva maintains that Mandoyan, who was a volunteer on the sheriffs campaign last year, was unfairly terminated, in an example of a disciplinary system that both men perceive as having turned against rank-and-file deputies. The decision to reinstate Mandoyan led the majority-female Board of Supervisors to authorize the countys controller to stop paying Mandoyan in March and order him to return his badge. The supervisors also authorized county lawyers to seek an emergency injunction. A judge ruled March 6 that the case didnt warrant such an intervention and instead scheduled a hearing for late June about the same time the supervisors will be finishing their deliberations on the countys multibillion-dollar budget. There is still deep political support on the board to maintain spending levels on law enforcement, but the tense situation with the sheriff could make discussions about specific funding priorities more complicated and any differences more evident. During a hearing before the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in January, Sheriff Alex Villanueva defends his decision to reinstate a campaign aide who had been fired. (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times) The relationship has never been easy. Four of the five supervisors endorsed McDonnells reelection bid last year a fact that perhaps affected Villanuevas posture with the board from the start. Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, a strong voice for criminal justice reform and womens rights, asked to meet with the sheriff soon after his upset victory, even though she had backed his opponent. He was guarded, she recalled. He assumed we would have some hostility. I didnt. He won fair and square, and I said, Lets roll up our sleeves and work together. Then came the sheriffs decision to create a truth and reconciliation panel to examine disciplinary cases settled against deputies under McDonnell, who had a by-the-book reputation. Before Villanueva even took office, he sought to return Mandoyan to service, despite a county Civil Service Commission decision to uphold his termination. In a report, commission hearing officer Joseph Scully said that video evidence showed Mandoyan stalked his former girlfriend and tried to break into her home multiple times. Mandoyans reinstatement sparked criticism and consternation from the board. Supervisors also have questioned the legality of the sheriffs truth and reconciliation panel, which the Sheriffs Department says was not involved in the reinstatement of Courtial, who was fired last June after he threatened to shoot a man before yanking him from his truck and punching him several times. Investigators concluded Courtial used unreasonable force and failed to properly use de-escalation the 2016 encounter in Lancaster. On Thursday, Villanueva remained confident and defiant, casting the supervisors criticism as political because they didnt support his campaign. He said hes only fulfilling a promise to restore deputies confidence that they will receive due process in disciplinary cases. Theyve made it pretty antagonistic, the sheriff said of the supervisors, and Im going to be the better man and hold my head high and keep doing my job, working with the community. Our support within the community is very, very strong, and this misguided effort from the board to play politics is counterproductive. It doesnt improve the public safety, and it doesnt further the public interest. It only serves a very narrow political interest of payback. Zev Yaroslavsky, who spent years as both a county supervisor and a L.A. City Council member, said he has never seen anything like what Villanueva is doing. He is thumbing his nose at the board, said Yaroslavsky, whose four-decade career included run-ins with controversial leaders in law enforcement, including former Los Angeles Police Chief Daryl Gates and the late Sheriff Sherman Block. But Villanuevas maverick approach to leadership is new and has sparked concern. Although Villanueva had no prior experience leading an agency the size of the L.A. County Sheriffs Department, he has embarked on destabilizing personnel moves, such as replacing the entire executive team after taking office in December and announcing that he would reassess the qualifications of hundreds of senior managers. At the same time, the sheriffs passion for protecting rank-and-file deputies has inspired many of them to continue their support, despite early signs of a troubled relationship with county leadership. Ive talked to numerous deputies, and what theyve said they feel is that they can go to work again feeling like, at the end of the day, this sheriff is going to give them due process, said Det. Ron Hernandez, president of the Assn. for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs, a union of rank-and-file peace officers. Villanueva earned the groups endorsement during the campaign and it spent more than $1 million on his behalf, with its leaders believing Villanueva could connect with fellow deputies in a way that McDonnell, a onetime Long Beach police chief, could not. Hernandez acknowledged that the optics of the Mandoyan case and Villanuevas early interactions with the Board of Supervisors havent been ideal. Theres always room for improvement, he said. Give the guy a chance. I think his heart is in the right place, both for the department and the community. The supervisors havent bought into that message yet. Youre a duly elected official in the county of Los Angeles, as we are, Supervisor Janice Hahn said to the sheriff during a contentious public meeting last month. You know, you have no other source of revenue independent from the county of Los Angeles. Were tied together. And we believe we have a right to weigh in on decisions that you make. That policing power entrusted to the sheriff, whose department provides patrol services in numerous municipalities under county contracts, still binds the supervisors to his office, and could one day align the supervisors and Villanueva, as Hahn noted. For now, though, it could be difficult for Villanueva to navigate the politics at the Hall of Administration, where past sheriffs have met privately with supervisors and their top deputies to smooth the way for their policies. But hope remains that the board and sheriff can ultimately work together. Im hoping that hes still getting acclimated to the position, and as time rolls on he will recognize the need to work together, Barger said. Dont mistake my kindness for weakness. Im not going to let him roll over me. But, at the same time, Im not going to condemn him based on his first three months in office. Its important that we work together. Times staff writer Maya Lau contributed to this story. The family of an Illinois boy missing since 2011 says they are heartbroken after police determined that a person claiming to be Timmothy Pitzen apparently carried out a hoax. Authorities say the person who claimed to be a long-missing Illinois boy is actually a 23-year-old Ohio man. Newport, Ky., Police Chief Tom Collins told ABC News that the person is Brian Rini of Medina in northeast Ohio. Records show a man by that name was released from a state prison on March 7, after serving time for burglary and vandalism charges. Advertisement Kara Jacobs told reporters Thursday that learning her nephew had not been found is like reliving the day he disappeared over again. Timmothy disappeared around the time his mother killed herself after leaving a note that her 6-year-old son was fine but that no one would ever find him. Police and the boys family say there have been other false sightings over the years. The body of Amy Fry-Pitzen, 43, was found May 15, 2011. Her wrists were slit. Police believe she killed herself at a hotel in Rockford, Ill., adding that she took steps that suggest she might have dropped off her son with a friend. At the time, police searched for Timmothy in Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa. An autopsy report confirmed that an 8-year-old Guatemalan boy who died while in custody of the U.S. Border Patrol on Christmas Eve succumbed to a flu infection one of two deaths of Central American children in December that raised concerns about the governments ability to care for minors at the southern border. The New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator released its autopsy findings for Felipe Gomez Alonzo on Wednesday, two days after Guatemalan authorities said they had received a copy of the report disclosing the boy had a rapid, progressive infection that led to organ failure. An autopsy released last week for 7-year-old Jakelin Caal Maquin, the other Guatemalan child who died, showed she too had a bacterial infection that quickly led to sepsis and organ failure. Their deaths, just over two weeks apart, came amid a rise in the number of families arriving at the United States southern border. Advertisement Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen has taken to social media in recent days saying that Congress must confront what she called an emergency by giving border and immigration authorities the tools and resources needed to fulfill our humanitarian and security mission. She visited El Paso on Wednesday, marking her first stop on a border tour aimed at assessing the surge of migrants and the departments response. Our system and facilities were never structured to withstand the current influx of immigrants, she said. Felipe and his father, Agustin Gomez, were apprehended by the Border Patrol in mid-December after the family said the two left Guatemala because of the extreme poverty and lack of opportunity they were facing. Gomez said others from his community had been able to cross the U.S. border with children, and he figured he and his son would have the same luck. Felipe was chosen to go with his father because he was the oldest son. Once in Border Patrols custody, Felipe and his father were taken to several facilities including the processing center at the Paso del Norte Port of Entry, then the El Paso Border Patrol station. The day before Felipe died, he and his father arrived about 1 a.m. at the Border Patrol station in Alamogordo, N.M., about 90 miles north of the border, according to the agency. Officials said the two were moved there because of capacity levels in El Paso. The day Felipe died, a border agent noticed the boy was coughing and had glossy eyes, and sent him to the hospital, Border Patrol said. He was found to have a 103-degree fever, officials have said. New Mexico medical examiners said in their report that the boy complained of a sore throat, congestion and fever before being taken to the hospital, where he tested positive for flu. He was held for observation for 90 minutes, federal authorities said, before being released with prescriptions for amoxicillin and ibuprofen. But the boy fell sick hours later and was readmitted to the hospital, where he later died. The boy reportedly had become unresponsive on the way to the back to the hospital, medical examiners said. Our thoughts are with his family during this difficult time, Dr. Kurt Nolte, the states chief medical investigator, said in a statement. New Mexico authorities previously said the boy tested positive for the flu. His autopsy showed he suffered a staph infection in his lungs before the bacteria entered his bloodstream and sepsis set in. A toxicology report released by the medical examiner shows he had Benadryl in his system. Jakelin died Dec. 8 in El Paso, just over a day after she was apprehended by Border Patrol agents with her father after entering the U.S. Rejecting a plank of President Trumps foreign policy, the House on Thursday invoked never-before-used powers to demand that his administration withdraw support from the Saudi-led war in Yemen. The Senate passed the same resolution in March with bipartisan support. Trump is expected to issue a veto of the measure, his second as president, and Congress does not have the votes to override him. But the action was nonetheless a milestone for lawmakers, who have shown a renewed willingness to assert their war-making powers after letting them atrophy for decades under presidents from both parties. The president will have to face the reality that Congress is no longer going to ignore its constitutional obligations when it comes to foreign policy, said Democratic Rep. Eliot L. Engel of New York, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Yemen was plunged into a civil war in September 2014, when rebels known as Houthis swept into the capital, Sana, and overthrew the countrys internationally recognized government. The Saudi-led coalition began fighting the rebels months later in a campaign that Saudi Arabia said was aimed at curbing Iranian influence. At the time, the Houthis were allied with forces backed by Iran; in the years that followed, Irans role in the conflict has grown. Advertisement The conflict has been a bloody stalemate for years. Thousands of Yemenis have been killed in Saudi airstrikes on civilian infrastructure, and millions are on the brink of starvation. The war has devastated the economy of Yemen, the Arab worlds poorest country. The vast majority of the population cannot afford food. Two lawmakers who have led the charge for the war powers resolution, Sens. Christopher S. Murphy (D-Conn.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), have displayed photos of emaciated Yemeni children when they have given speeches on the Senate floor. This is a moral stain on this nation, every day that we continue to take part in this war, Murphy said after Thursdays vote. Utah Sen. Mike Lee, a Republican who championed the measure, said it is long past time that we end U.S. involvement in this unauthorized, unjustified, and immoral war that has caused immense human suffering. While the U.S. has trained Saudi soldiers and sold the kingdom arms for decades, direct support to the Saudi coalition began in 2015, during the Obama administration, with intelligence sharing, logistical support and in-flight refueling. The Pentagon ordered an end to in-flight refueling last November. Support for the coalition carried over into the Trump administration, which has made Saudi Arabia a central ally in efforts to disengage from the Middle East and take a hard line on Iran. On his first international trip as president, Trump visited the Saudi capital, Riyadh, where he emphasized business ties between the two countries. Home to key U.S. military bases, Saudi Arabia remains one of the top buyers of American arms and Trump has made it a priority to loosen weapons export controls. As it has done in the past, his administration on Thursday defended the alliance with Saudi Arabia as a foreign policy imperative. Navy Cmdr. Rebecca Rebarich, a Pentagon spokeswoman, warned that curtailing U.S. military support could make the countrys problems worse. New restrictions on the limited U.S. military support could still increase civilian casualties, jeopardize cooperation with our partners on counter-terrorism, undercut U.N.-led peace negotiations at a critical point, and embolden Iran to increase its support to the Houthis, which raises the risk for regional conflict, Rebarich said. We need to continue to work with our partners to minimize civilian casualties and expand urgent humanitarian efforts throughout Yemen. The White House statement threatening a veto said the bill raises serious constitutional concerns. It also argued that U.S. support for the Saudi coalition does not constitute engaging in hostilities, meaning the War Powers Act doesnt apply. Those arguments were echoed by House Republicans. Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said the measure does nothing to address the humanitarian crisis in Yemen and argued that lawmakers were abusing the authority under the War Powers Resolution, which was enacted in 1973. This radical interpretation has implications far beyond Saudi Arabia, McCaul said. He warned that the measure could disrupt U.S. security cooperation agreements with more than 100 countries. Debate over U.S. support to the military campaign flared late last year after the killing of U.S.-based Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi by agents of the Saudi government. Lawmakers from both parties said Trump had not condemned Saudi Arabia strongly enough, citing the presidents apparent dismissal of assessments from U.S. intelligence agencies that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the killing. A resolution to withdraw U.S. support from the war passed the Senate in December, and was revived this year after Democrats took the House majority. Final passage Thursday came despite a procedural maneuver from House Republicans related to support for Israel, an issue that has been a point of tension for Democrats in recent months. GOP leaders proposed adding language condemning the international boycott movement against Israel and efforts to delegitimize the country. Democrats called the amendment a ploy to kill the Yemen resolution and rallied against it. This is about politics, this is about trying to drive a wedge into this caucus where it does not belong, said Rep. Ted Deutch of Florida, to applause from fellow Democrats. As the resolution headed to the White House, supporters in both parties made a final plea for Trump to sign it. A letter signed by Lee, Sanders, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and members of the House cited Trumps desire to avoid costly and never-ending conflicts across the globe. By signing the resolution, the lawmakers wrote, the president could set a new precedent and take on entrenched opposition to foreign-policy restraint. Asked about the resolution late Thursday, Trump was noncommittal. Ill take a look at it, he told reporters at the White House. Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. Its Thursday, April 4, and heres whats happening across California: TOP STORIES As many modern police agencies move away from high-speed chases, placing tight restrictions on when their officers can pursue suspects, the Border Patrol allows its agents wide latitude to use them to catch people trying to enter the country illegally, a practice that often ends in gruesome injuries and, sometimes, death, a ProPublica and Los Angeles Times investigation has found. At speeds deemed by experts to be wildly unsafe, agents box in moving vehicles, puncture tires and employ tactics intended to spin cars off the road. Los Angeles Times The Nielsen paradox Advertisement Fifteen months into her tenure as head of the governments third-largest department, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen embodies a paradox: She has succeeded in holding onto her job, defying numerous reports that President Trump had decided to fire her, but has done so by becoming the public face of controversial policies that havent worked as planned and in some cases have backfired. Despite being publicly berated and rejected by Trump, the 46-year-old Nielsen, soon to be one of only four female Cabinet members, is one of its longest-serving members. And one of its most embattled. Los Angeles Times New alert systems proposed In Mendocino County, emergency staffers waited for a supervisor to show up before they warned residents of a growing fire siege in 2017. In Santa Barbara County, officials hesitated to issue blanket evacuation orders before mudslides ripped through Montecito in 2018 because they worried they might trigger a panic. And in Butte County in November, whole neighborhoods in Paradise were never told to evacuate as the Camp fire swept toward town. In each case, local emergency preparedness agencies failed to adequately warn communities that death was approaching. Now, for the first time, the Governors Office of Emergency Services has proposed a standard set of emergency alert protocols for counties throughout the state. Los Angeles Times Get the Essential California newsletter L.A. STORIES Another fired deputy returns: L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva has reinstated a second deputy fired for misconduct. The Sheriffs Department had fired the deputy, Michael Courtial, last June, concluding he used unreasonable force and failed to use de-escalation techniques in the 2016 incident in Lancaster. Now, Courtial has been newly granted a badge and gun. Los Angeles Times Looking at the loose ends: Unanswered questions remain in the killing of Nipsey Hussle. Los Angeles Times Plus: This interactive explores how Hussle saw Slauson Avenue. Los Angeles Times Live from Boston: The popping flashbulbs, scrum of reporters and gawking onlookers that greeted actresses Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin on Wednesday had the makings of a red carpet appearance. But the path that police and Homeland Security agents cleared for the women led not to an awards show, but the federal courthouse in Boston, where they and other parents charged in the college admissions scandal appeared before a judge. Los Angeles Times Actress Felicity Huffman arrives at federal court in Boston on Wednesday to face charges in a nationwide college admissions bribery scandal. (Charles Krupa / AP) Ouch: Whats life like as a student at USC? Depends on the size of the bank account. New York Times A call to action: USC has investigated its recent scandals. Now it should release the results, our Editorial Board says. Los Angeles Times IMMIGRATION AND THE BORDER A crash on the other side of the border: Seven young men and women from a Guatemalan village were among the dead as a smuggling vehicle packed with U.S.-bound migrants crashed in southern Mexico. Los Angeles Times Rumblings from D.C.: Even as President Donald Trump threatens to shut down the southern border, his administration is quietly working on a plan to expand some forms of legal immigration into the U.S. Politico POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT Beyond the tampon tax: How far will California go to end menstrual inequity? CalMatters Getting organized: Staff scientists at the University of California set to form a first-of-its-kind union exclusively for academic researchers who are not faculty, postdocs, or graduate students. STAT News CRIME AND COURTS Scary: The Seattle man accused of trying to run over two Jewish men outside a Los Angeles synagogue last year in what prosecutors allege was a hate-fueled attack had previously researched a New York City terror act in which a vehicle was used to kill pedestrians, a detective testified in court Wednesday. Los Angeles Times Charged: The father of a missing 8-year-old Corona boy who has been charged with murder in the childs death purchased bolt cutters, four gallons of muriatic acid, a 32-gallon trash can and several bottles of drain opener around the time his son was last seen in early March. Los Angeles Times Ghost Ship trial begins: More than two years after a fire roared through an East Oakland warehouse, killing 36 people, the trial for two men blamed for their deaths began Tuesday, with attorneys arguing over motions, including not allowing the defense to use words such as scapegoat or cover-up, and excluding Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf from testifying. East Bay Times Free fallin: Management of Tom Pettys estate is getting ugly as his widow and the late rockers daughters slug it out in probate court over who will be in charge of key decisions. Los Angeles Times CALIFORNIA CULTURE Hollywood brawl: Writers and agents give their brutally honest take on the fight over fees and conflicts. Los Angeles Times Plus: As Hollywood writers declare war, who will blink first? The Hollywood Reporter Noise filter: Fox News Chief Executive Suzanne Scott keeps her focus on winning. Los Angeles Times Plus: Go deep on Rupert Murdochs empire. New York Times Magazine Moving west: HBO will relocate its West Coast home to Culver Citys Ivy Station development. Los Angeles Times RIP: Architect Francois Perrin has died at 50. The imaginative curator defied architectural boundaries and united L.A.s design community. Curbed LA Whos watching? YouTube executives ignored warnings, letting toxic videos run rampant. Bloomberg CALIFORNIA ALMANAC Los Angeles area: Partly cloudy, 67, Thursday and Friday. San Diego: Showers, 65, Thursday. Partly cloudy, 66, Friday. San Francisco area: Cloudy, 60, Thursday. Rain, 60, Friday. San Jose: Cloudy, 62, Thursday. Showers, 62, Friday. Sacramento: Rainy, 61, Thursday. Showers, 59, Friday. More weather is here. AND FINALLY Todays California memory comes from Margot Smith: Every Easter, my mom and I would travel from L.A. to Kerman (just north of Fresno) to enjoy dinner with family. We would travel over the Tehachapis on the narrow, winding Grapevine road in our 1934 Plymouth, to arrive at the glorious scene of the San Joaquin Valley in full bloom. Golden poppies and purple lupine as far as the eyes could see. A breathtaking sight. Never to be forgotten. If you have a memory or story about the Golden State, share it with us. Send us an email to let us know what you love or fondly remember about our state. (Please keep your story to 100 words.) Please let us know what we can do to make this newsletter more useful to you. Send comments, complaints and ideas to Benjamin Oreskes and Shelby Grad. Also follow them on Twitter @boreskes and @shelbygrad. Saying she wanted to break the logjam in Parliament over Brexit, British Prime Minister Theresa May this week reached out to the opposition Labor Party and its leader, Jeremy Corbyn. It was a bold move that could mitigate the effect of the blunder British voters made in 2016 when they chose to take the United Kingdom out of the European Union. Ideally, it could even lead to undoing that disastrous decision. Mays stated goal, as she reiterated in a statement Tuesday, is to deliver the Brexit the British people voted for but in a form that cushions the blow to the British economy and prevents the reestablishment of a hard border between British-ruled Northern Ireland and the independent Republic of Ireland. The danger that Brexit would re-divide the island and reignite sectarian tensions in Northern Ireland received scant attention during the original Brexit debate, but has loomed large since. The problem for May is that the House of Commons has refused three times to approve the deal she negotiated with the EU for a gradual and managed Brexit. Confoundingly, most members also seem to be opposed to a no-deal Brexit a rupture that could occur if Parliament doesnt approve the agreement by the current deadline of April 12. In announcing her overture to the Labor Party, May also said that she would ask the EU to extend the deadline. A do-over would be the simplest way to deal with the problems created by the previous referendum. Advertisement The almost comic inability of Parliament to execute the electorates wishes in a responsible way is strong evidence that leaving the EU was an ill-conceived idea from the start. The problem is what to do now. By opening a channel of communication to the Labor Party, May hopes to secure Parliament approval of the deal she negotiated with the EU along with a new formula to govern relations with Europe in the future. After meeting with May on Wednesday, Corbyn said the talks were useful, but inconclusive, adding that they would continue. Mays willingness to engage Corbyn is encouraging, because it suggests that the Conservative prime minister will no longer have to rely on hard-line members of her own party who oppose or have qualms about the deal she negotiated with the EU. If May and Corbyn can find a basis for cooperation, it might even lead to closer trade ties between Europe and the U.K. than the agreement contemplates, such as a customs union between the U.K. and the EU, an idea popular with the Labor Party. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute The problem is that the Labor Party is also divided on Brexit. Corbyn has sent mixed signals about his own position including whether he would support holding a second referendum on whether Britain should leave the EU. Such a do-over would be the simplest way to deal with the problems created by the previous referendum. Having witnessed the difficulty of disentangling the British economy from that of Europe, many voters who supported the simple concept of Brexit in 2016 may now realize that things arent that simple and change course. After their meeting, Corbyn said he raised with May the option of a public vote to prevent no deal or leaving on a bad deal. But if the voters are to be polled, why not also ask them if they support Brexit in any form? That possibility was suggested by Nicola Sturgeon, the first minister of Scotlands government, though many these days think such a repeat of the 2016 vote is still unlikely. Individuals who make mistakes sometimes change their minds; so do nations. A second referendum on whether to leave the EU would give sadder but wiser voters in the U.K. that opportunity. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook In an editorial this week, the Los Angeles Times wrote, Releasing ones tax returns has been a tradition of modern presidential candidates, and President Trumps stubborn refusal to share his during the 2016 presidential race rightly prompted an outcry from those who believe voters deserve a full picture of a candidates finances before the election. To which I would add that its equally outrageous that Trump hasnt followed the example of his recent predecessors and released his tax returns during his time in office. But you can believe both of these things and still raise an eyebrow at the attempt by Democrats on the House Ways and Means Committee to gain access to six years of Trumps personal returns along with those of various Trump business entities. In a letter to Internal Revenue Service Commissioner Charles P. Rettig, committee Chairman Richard E. Neal (D-Mass.) invoked a provision of the Internal Revenue Code that empowers congressional committees to obtain tax returns. Advertisement But that provision says that the Ways and Means Committee shall obtain returns that can identify a taxpayer only when sitting in closed executive session unless such taxpayer otherwise consents in writing to such disclosure. (Trump, its safe to say, would be unlikely to consent.) Neil says that the point of this exercise is that the American people must be assured that their government is operating properly, as laws intend. Yet how can the people be sure of that if congressional inspection of the tax returns is done in secret? (Dont mention leaks.) The real problem with the committees request is the thinness of its rationale for obtaining Trumps returns. In his letter to Rettig, Neal said that the committee needs the returns to help it in considering possible legislation dealing with the IRS auditing of presidential tax returns. And you probably thought the Democrats purpose was to sift through the returns in search of skullduggery! Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute Now that they control the House, Democrats are understandably eager to investigate Trump and his administration. But, as I suggested here, they need to be strategic and selective. For example, on Wednesday the House Judiciary Committee moved (too quickly in my view) to authorize subpoenas to obtain the complete report by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III even though Atty. Gen. William Barr promised a redacted version by the middle of the month. Still, the case for congressional access to the Mueller report is much stronger than the case for access to Trumps tax returns. (And Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler shrewdly is holding off serving Barr with a subpoena while he tries to negotiate with him.) Trump is going to view any inquiry by congressional Democrats into his actions as presidential harassment. But that claim will have more credibility with the public if Democrats overreach in their investigations. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook Shortly before the February U.S.-North Korea summit collapsed, President Trump handed Kim Jong Un a piece of paper. It contained, national security advisor John Bolton pointed out on the Sunday talk shows a few days later, the outline of the big deal on denuclearization. Thanks to a March 29 Reuters report, we now know more precisely what the president delivered on that paper in Hanoi. It was, in part, a rehash of a Libya model Boltons flawed recipe for total, quick surrender by a nuclear state. Among other things, the plan insists on access by U.S. inspectors to the Norths nuclear-related facilities; a halt to all construction or activities related to chemical, biological and nuclear weapons; and transfer of all nuclear material to the United States (which for technical reasons is totally zany if it means physically transporting nuclear weapons). The issue during the Hanoi summit was not to confront the North with our preferred final outcomes, but to get the process moving in that direction. Advertisement By and large, this is how the U.S. will want things to be at the end of negotiations, and the North Koreans already know it. The issue during the Hanoi summit, however, was not to confront the North with our preferred final outcomes, but to get the process moving in that direction. At the historic June 2018 Trump-Kim summit in Singapore, the president had pragmatically laid aside Boltons all-or-nothing Libya model in favor of a more feasible approach. Hed have been better off to continue that approach in Hanoi. Yet, suddenly the Libya model was back. The Libya model so called because it reflects Boltons perception that Moammar Kadafi gave up Libyas nascent nuclear program in one fell swoop suffers from circular logic. It assumes a country has made a final, strategic decision to abandon its nuclear program and thus is prepared to dismantle everything and ship it out. If the country will not do those things, then it must not have made such a decision and, most likely, never will. For the North Koreans, it isnt really diplomacy; it is simply a call for their surrender. And when they saw it reappear in Hanoi, they began to worry that it meant a repeat of October 2002, when Bolton led the charge to scrap the 1994 U.S.-DPRK Agreed Framework. We already know this tactic doesnt work with Pyongyang, which is cautious in the extreme and, not surprisingly, may still be weighing how far to go in giving up nuclear weapons. And yet the president was advised to forgo North Koreas offer to take a first step dismantling Yongbyon, the center of its nuclear weapons program and instead go for the big deal. This was the same sort of bad advice that Bolton and others gave to President George W. Bush. That approach led North Korea to restart its plutonium program, which had been frozen for eight years, and build the bomb. Abandoning diplomacy again under the tattered flag of the big deal or nothing will have only one result: a North Korea armed with even more nuclear weapons. Undoubtedly, the initial North Korean offer in Hanoi to trade Yongbyon for sanctions relief was vague and unacceptable to the United States. There was a need for probing, discovery, refinement and counterproposal, if not in the limited time available in Hanoi, then later. The paper Bolton has touted, however, was not a counterproposal. Nor a good chess move. It was, to paraphrase Bolton circa 2002, a hammer to smash a negotiating process he did not like. Worse, now as then, there is no practical Plan B for when it fails, just a near-religious belief in the efficacy of pressure. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion Are we prepared for what happens if the North restarts weapons and missile tests at its 2017 pace, allowing it to achieve the ability to strike the U.S. with missiles capped with nuclear warheads? Next week, when President Moon Jae-in of South Korea arrives in Washington, theres a chance to regain traction on negotiations with North Korea if he and Trump can harness each others pragmatic experience in dealing with Kim and drop the all or nothing approaches. President Trump was on the right track in Singapore last year; he appeared to be on the right track in going to Hanoi in February. His instincts on engaging the North Koreans have proven to be sound. Following them, we began digging ourselves out from under 17 years of delusion about how to deal with North Korea until the reappearance of Boltons Libya model put us back in the hole. Robert Carlin, a visiting fellow at Stanfords Center for International Security and Cooperation, worked for the State Department on North Korea until 2004. He is co-author of The Two Koreas. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook For a couple decades, I have advocated for the expansion of the Supreme Court to 19 members. So youd think Id be delighted that Democrats, who have long opposed an expansion, suddenly seem eager to pursue it. The problem is, the Democrats are seeking change for the wrong reason and in the wrong way. Democratic presidential candidates Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Kamala Harris of California, former Rep. Beto ORourke of Texas and South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg have all embraced the idea of a larger court. They decry the five conservative votes on the current court as a partisan lock on crucial decisions, but they fail to acknowledge that there are four liberal justices who show a similar pattern of bloc voting. These newly minted court reformers all sound a bit like Harvard constitutional law professor Lawrence Tribe, who sees the situation this way: The time is overdue for a seriously considered plan of action by those of us who believe that McConnell Republicans, abetted by and abetting the Trump Movement, have prioritized the expansion of their own power over the safeguarding of American democracy and the protection of the most vulnerable among us. Democrats are seeking change for the wrong reason and in the wrong way. Advertisement That sounds like court-packing in the name of fighting court-packing. Former Atty. Gen. Eric H. Holder Jr. was more honest about whats afoot. He declared outright that if the Democrats win the White House and the Senate in 2020, they must add two justices, just enough to achieve a new liberal majority. The Democrats are returning to President Franklin D. Roosevelts failed scheme. At least Roosevelt pretended to base his plan on the age of the justices (he wanted to add a new justice for every sitting justice over 70). In 1937 Roosevelt was saddled with four conservative justices known as the Four Horsemen who opposed his New Deal. Three other justices, the Three Musketeers, were predictably liberal and voted together. However, the Four Horsemen and the somewhat less predictable Justice Owen Roberts carried the day most of the time. FDR got a bill introduced to allow him to appoint up to six additional justices. It died when Roberts voted to support a critical New Deal case and Horseman Willis Van Devanter retired: The switch in time that saved nine. And yet nine is one of the worst numbers we could have come up with for a Supreme Court. The Constitution does not specify the size of the court. The first Supreme Court had six members, and, when it convened in 1790 at the Royal Exchange Building in New York, only two of those justices showed up. As of 1869, the court happened to have nine members because there were nine circuits, or federal court districts. And it has stayed that way ever since. Our Supreme Court is the smallest of any major nation, and the result is that for periods of time we have a court of one, especially on hard cases a single swing vote decides which way a 5-to-4 decision will tilt. It used to be that Justice Sandra Day OConnor was the decider, then Justice Anthony M. Kennedy. Now it may be Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. Expanding the court my way would end that concentration of power. The court might split, but the deciding vote probably wouldnt be the same justice again and again. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute My proposal also avoids giving any president an advantage in nominating new justices. The increase in size would happen slowly: No president would be allowed to appoint more than two additional justices in a term. When the court was fully staffed at 19, natural turnover would start to regulate its makeup, with no one president likely to be able to push it in one direction or another, and yet with most presidents getting a chance to nominate newcomers to the court. So why 19? Because that is roughly the size of our federal appellate courts, and such courts function well when sitting together, or en banc. I would add a rule that, each year, two of the high court justices would be dispatched to sit on lower courts, so they dont lose touch with judging in the litigation brawl that precedes a case that rises to the Supreme Court. That would leave an active court of 17 justices. (If Congress did not want to circulate judges in the lower courts, it would expand the high court to 17 members, still big enough to spread the power and presidential prerogatives around.) Democrats, with their call for court packing, do not have a lock on bad ideas for the high court. Rep. Mark Green (R-Tenn.) announced on Twitter that he would attempt to cement the courts nine-justice tradition through a constitutional amendment. That would take an arbitrary number arrived at without rational debate and cement it into our Constitution for perpetuity. We would still be left with an undersized court and long periods with a court of one. A famous quote from a Vietnam War battlefield It became necessary to destroy the town to save it applies to partisan schemes to change or set in stone the current size of the Supreme Court. Before we destroy the court to save it, we should decide on who or what is the real enemy of justice and democracy. The court is demonstrably too small, but it must be unpacked, not packed. Jonathan Turley is a constitutional law professor at George Washington University. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook To the editor: While I applaud George Clooney and his honorable intention in calling for a boycott of luxury hotels in Southern California owned by the homicidally anti-gay sultan of Brunei, I think a boycott is a little old fashioned and ineffectual. This is 2019, and the best way to fix the problem is through love and social media. Gay people should head to the Beverly Hills Hotel en masse, booking every available room and turning the restaurants and bars into the hottest gay destinations in town. Post photos on Twitter and Instagram of women kissing women, men kissing men and same- sex couples generally enjoying themselves at the hotel. When the people of Brunei see that these images of out and proud gay people loving each other in their rulers hotel are being beamed all over the planet, the sultan may be forced to sell the place because he has no way to stop the party in this free country. Advertisement Michael Hynes, Northridge .. To the editor: Clooneys effort to bring attention to the sultan of Bruneis strict enforcement of sharia against homosexuals and adulterers in his country is a thoughtful attempt to make others aware that their monies are going to support such actions given that the sultan owns the Beverley Hills Hotel and other establishments around the world. That Clooney is a celebrity only allows his influence, appreciated or not, to convey this issue to the masses. Bill Maher criticized the boycott by saying that because Saudi Arabia is also a country that uses cruel laws against its people, Clooneys activism is merely tokenism. It would be better, Maher said, to stop driving and using their oil. This is a poor analogy. Cars are for transportation, and everyone needs to get from Point A to Point B. Not driving isnt the same as deciding where to sleep when traveling. Chris White, Reseda Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook A glimpse at the guest list for the Rev. Al Sharptons confab here this week would surely astonish any New Yorker arriving in a time machine from the 1980s. Every major Democrat who has launched a White House bid has cleared their schedule to get in front of the Reverend. Few things once seemed more improbable, save perhaps for the White House being occupied by Donald Trump, who once competed with Sharpton for screaming tabloid headlines and airtime on what was then a nascent medium known as trash TV. But today, Sharptons approval is sought by political candidates far and near. The crusades he launched decades ago against police abuse and racist enforcement of drug laws back when his issues were widely denigrated as fringe and his look ran to velour tracksuits, giant gold medallions and a pompadour the size of Queens are now central to the speeches of almost every Democratic 2020 hopeful. The lifelong preacher and political bomb thrower, the man New York mayors once did not want in their city, much less near their offices, says it is not he who has changed, but the nations politics. Advertisement I dont think I am a different type of leader, I think these are different times, he said in a phone interview days before the candidates arrived in New York. It is more the evolution of Sharpton than the changing of Sharpton. However described, the shift has worked for him and his group, the National Action Network. In addition to its status as a must-stop for presidential hopefuls, the annual conference has become a whos who of black political and thought leaders. No one wants to be on the negative end of his organization, said Christina Greer, who teaches black ethnic politics at Fordham University in New York. A lot of marginalized communities fundamentally see him as their voice, Greer said. When poor people cant get an elected official to respond or call them back, they know Sharpton will. Not only will he call back, he will bring cameras. Sharpton has deftly straddled the space between insider and outsider since elevating himself to the status of major player in Washington during the Obama years, when his street cred gained him regular West Wing access. Candidates now publicly genuflect before him, as Beto ORourke did when the former Texas congressman took the stage soon after the conference got underway Wednesday. National Action Network showed me through your work here in New York City that although all Americans use marijuana at the same rate, regardless of their race, only some Americans likely to be of color will be stopped and frisked to be found for possession, go behind bars and endure the consequences other Americans do not, ORourke said. Whos running for president and whos not The candidate personally promised Sharpton that an ORourke White House would sign a measure to pursue slavery reparations for African Americans. He also committed to bring back robust civil rights oversight of local police departments in the form of consent decrees, an enforcement mechanism largely abandoned by the Trump administration. Sharpton was pleased. But he made clear the Sharpton primary is just getting underway. What are you talking about, you like him? he said into the mic only half joking to a fellow activist. You didnt hear the rest of the candidates yet. Caution was not a trait associated with Sharpton in the past, but in his role as political kingmaker he strategically bides his time. He leaves open the possibility that even the most unlikely candidate could get his blessing. Every Democrat is trying. After Sen. Kamala Harris of California launched her presidential bid, one of her first trips was to see Sharpton. She burnished her bona fides with black activists by dining with the reverend before a horde of cameras at Harlems power restaurant, Sylvias. New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand never forgets to call Sharpton on his birthday. During the Obama presidency, Sharpton was welcomed in the White House more than 100 times. You saw him in the visitors log so often because he never gave up, said Valerie Jarrett, Obamas longtime friend and White House aide. She was at Sharptons conference Wednesday promoting her new book about her tenure in the White House. His counsel was invaluable, Jarrett said. One key role he played, she added, was pushing back on people he thought were not constructive and unfairly criticizing President Obama. Sharpton ran for the 2004 nomination himself. When Obama burst onto the scene, Sharpton was eager for access to push his agenda and feeling the limits of what could be accomplished with a bullhorn alone. His embrace of the administration inoculated Obama from the harsh criticism of other black activists who argued the president was too cautious, too unwilling to push their agenda forward. His activist roots lent him an air of credibility, said Andra Gillespie, an African American politics scholar at Emory University in Atlanta. There were some concerns that Obama would be symbolically important but would not advocate for substantive change to help the African American community. The fact that Rev. Sharpton, who clearly came from an activist background and put race at the forefront and was unafraid to speak out on behalf of African Americans explicitly, put him in a position to lend an air of credibility to the Obama administration. He was able to carve out a distinct path because he was on the whole supportive of Obama in a way other black intellectuals were not, Gillespie said. That stand drew fire from some erstwhile allies. Cornel West, the writer and activist who sharply criticized Obama, called Sharpton the administrations house negro. The latest look at the Trump administration and the rest of Washington Yet the reverend kept one foot firmly planted on the outside. When families of people shot and killed by police demanded justice in Sacramento; Ferguson, Mo.; and Florida, they still called Sharpton. I wanted access and I was given that access, Sharpton said. And at the same time, when the White House called me about Trayvon [Martin], I was leading the march that night. At the same time, I led the fight in Ferguson. I led the fight for Eric Garner, who died at the hands of a police officer in Staten Island, N.Y. So if they are saying, He stopped doing those things, not only did I keep doing them, a lot of these issues that became national concerns under Obama, I was the one leading. If people did their research, they could say I am more a continuation of those that mentored me than I am a new Al Sharpton, he said. He points to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. irking activists when he worked with President Lyndon Johnson on the Civil Rights Act and the Rev. Jesse Jackson irritating some in the movement by teaming with President Clinton. I kind of reoriented myself knowing what they did, he said. Sharpton rebuts accusations that his group is compromised by the corporate money it rakes in Walmart and PepsiCo are among its many big donors by arguing that King and Jackson enthusiastically partnered with such companies through Operation Breadbasket, an economic arm of the civil rights movement that Sharpton served as youth director. The enthusiasm with which candidates seek Sharptons seal of approval is a favorite topic in right-wing media, which remind their audiences of his past stoking of racial tensions in cases such as that of Tawana Brawley, a teenager in Upstate New York who falsely claimed in 1987 that she was raped by four white men. Opponents also point to incendiary comments Sharpton made amid riots in Brooklyns Crown Heights neighborhood in the early 1990s, when some saw his words as fomenting anti-Semitic violence against Hasidic Jews. Sharpton has some regrets, but not many. Some things I might have done differently, but most of it is fabrication or embellishment, he said of news accounts that captured him in moments that have not aged well. Those long-ago remarks where he talked about Crown Heights diamond merchants? He argues that he was making a point not about Jews, but apartheid, targeting only area jewelers selling diamonds distributed by a wealthy South African family. Sharpton said he crusaded for Brawley because he had every reason to believe she had been victimized. He brought the same passion, he said, to defending a group of five black and Latino teens jailed for between six and 13 years on false charges of assaulting and raping a white jogger in Central Park. People demonized me for that, he said. The Central Park jogger case was one of several in which Sharpton and Trump dueled in New Yorks headlines. Trump bought full-page ads in New York newspapers calling for the return of the death penalty after the teens were arrested. He refused to back down even after their exoneration years later. Sharpton doesnt see any of his past as baggage, even if others do. Just pieces that he has been able to stow away along with his tracksuits. People get style and substance confused, he said. Yeah, I wore tracksuits in the 80s. That was the style. If you look at Run-DMC and all of them, thats how we dressed, he said, referring to the rap artists. I would look stupid walking around in bell-bottom pants and platform shoes now. Its out of style. More stories from Evan Halper President Trump backed away from his threat to shut down the countrys southern border, but vowed to impose additional tariffs on automobiles in a year if Mexico doesnt do more to stop the flow of drugs and immigrants. Were going to give them a one-year warning, and if the drugs dont stop or largely stop, were going to put tariffs on Mexico and products, particularly cars, Trump said Thursday. The whole ballgame is cars. If that didnt work, he could still move to close the border, he added. The new threat of auto tariffs, which leading Republicans quickly suggested was a nonstarter, came on the eve of Trumps visit to the California border. It capped a series of retreats over the last several days by the president, whose blustery brand of policymaking has prompted surprisingly strong resistance recently from Republicans on Capitol Hill. Last week, Trump told Republican senators he wanted them to try again to pass legislation repealing the Affordable Care Act. After Republicans privately and publicly rebuked him for that politically perilous idea, he pivoted Tuesday to a face-saving claim that his party would make repealing and replacing the healthcare law its first order of business in 2021. Advertisement Although Republicans are publicly praising Trump for being prudent thats a good sign, he listens to us, said Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) their back-to-back rebukes have forced the White House to confront the risk of policy declarations delivered in tweets, a practice Trump has often indulged in with little review in advance by his aides. The presidents rhetoric is increasingly colliding with a brick wall of reality, said Michael Steel, who served as an aide to former Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio). A tactical retreat shielded by a barrage of bluster is an improvement over pushing ahead when youre just beating your head against the wall. Trumps retreats this week come against a backdrop of increasing pressure from Capitol Hill, where Republicans have felt more free to separate from him on some issues and Democrats have stepped up their investigative pressure. In recent days, House Democrats demanded the IRS turn over Trumps tax returns, prepared subpoenas to obtain the full text of Robert S. Mueller IIIs report on his Russia investigation, and launched efforts to delve into the administrations practice of issuing security clearances to some aides, including Jared Kushner, the presidents son-in-law, over the objection of career officials. House Democrats on Thursday also started the process of filing suit against the Trump administration for spending money on the border wall that Congress didnt authorize. And the House gave final approval to a resolution previously passed by the Senate that would end U.S. involvement in the Saudi-led war in Yemen. Trump is expected to veto the measure, which amounts to a bipartisan rebuke of the administrations foreign policy. The president will have to face the reality that Congress is no longer going to ignore its constitutional obligations when it comes to foreign policy, said House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot L. Engel, a New York Democrat. Roughly a week after his first threats to close the damn border, Trump will travel Friday to visit the border at Calexico, intent on showing off recently upgraded segments of border fencing and focusing the publics attention on an influx of migrants. Congressional Republicans, who have largely supported the president on immigration matters, almost universally panned the idea of closing the border. Texas Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, both Republicans who seldom split with the president, called the idea a mistake, warning that it would cause economic harm to border regions and to trade more broadly. Closing the border to legal commerce would be devastating to Texas, Cruz said in a statement. Millions of jobs, in Texas and across the country, depend upon trade with Mexico, and the federal government shouldnt do anything to jeopardize those jobs. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky used the word catastrophic to describe the proposal. Other Republicans who typically support the president, such as Sens. John Kennedy of Louisiana and Kevin Cramer of North Dakota, went public with their opposition, too. Trump began softening his threat on Tuesday while attempting to appear as though he was not backtracking. He told reporters in the Oval Office that security is more important to me than trade, but praised Mexico for now apprehending more people. Mexican Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard appeared to contradict Trump at a news conference later that day in Mexico City, saying that the countrys immigration policy hasnt changed since December, when President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador took office. By Thursday, after Republicans cautioned the president in several phone conversations about the economic and political costs of a border closure, Trump fully retreated, but said the new threat of auto tariffs was real. I will do it, he said. You know I will do it. I dont play games. I will do it. In fact, thats unlikely, too. Cornyn warned that any move toward new auto tariffs could stall Trumps biggest legislative priority: an update of the North American Free Trade Agreement with Mexico and Canada, which Trump calls USMCA. Were not going to get the USMCA approved as long as the tariffs are still in play with Mexico or Canada, Cornyn said. The latest from Washington During the comments to reporters inside the Cabinet room, Trump acknowledged the new NAFTA but glossed over the fact that the deal, if ratified by lawmakers in all three countries, would essentially exempt Mexico as well as Canada from future auto tariffs. Trumps sharp rhetoric Thursday seemed intended to obscure what was his second walk-back in recent days. McConnell and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) both spoke by phone with Trump after he suggested that Republicans should try again to repeal Obamacare and replace it with their own plan no GOP plan currently exists. I made it clear to him we were not going to be doing that in the Senate, McConnell told reporters Tuesday. He accepted that and [he said] that he would be developing a plan that hed be taking to the American people during the 2020 campaign. At a fundraising dinner for congressional Republicans on Tuesday night, Trump implored lawmakers to come up with a new healthcare proposal and to run on it, speaking in blunt terms about how the issue is currently a political winner for Democrats. They have healthcare right now, he said. We have to take that away from them. We have to protect and cannot run away from a thing called preexisting conditions. The presidents comments on healthcare drew a lukewarm response in a room filled with Republican House leaders, members, staffers and lobbyists all well aware of their political liability on healthcare and uneasy about Trumps determination to highlight it. They know what kind of damage the issue caused in the last election, said Ken Spain, a former staff member at the Republican congressional campaign committee who is now a GOP lobbyist in Washington. Healthcare represents the biggest political vulnerability for Republicans going into 2020. Theres plenty for Republicans to run on with a strong economy. Theres no need to re-litigate the healthcare debate. Overall, however, Republicans believe theyve made progress in getting Trump to at least listen to their concerns. Congressional Republicans have gotten increasingly confident about their relationships with the president and knowing when brush-back works and how to do it without setting off a counterproductive reaction, said Steel, the former Boehner aide. Its been a little messy, but weve avoided disastrous ideas like unilaterally sealing off the southern border or scrapping the Affordable Care Act without a replacement that covers preexisting conditions. So those are good results. More stories from Jennifer Haberkorn President Trump is showing surprising deference to his top political adversary, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, as he feels pressure to fulfill a signature election promise approval of a revised trade deal with Mexico and Canada. In many ways, Trump has no choice, as the president and his allies scramble to notch a policy victory before the 2020 election. Only Pelosi (D-San Francisco) can decide whether the pact to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement comes up for a vote in the Democratic-controlled House. Advocates hope that will happen before the House goes on recess in August and the 2020 campaign kicks into high gear, all but destroying chances to pass the deal in Congress for the rest of Trumps term. So far, Trump and Pelosi have not met to discuss the pacts future. But Trumps top negotiators have been unusually conciliatory taking pains to avoid confrontation, praising Pelosi for her openness, considering her suggestions and thanking her for letting them make direct pitches to moderate and freshman Democratic lawmakers whose support is critical. Advertisement Speaker Pelosi has been very cooperative with [U.S. Trade Representative] Bob Lighthizer, very helpful in allowing him access to her conference, Larry Kudlow, Trumps top economic advisor, told reporters. He spoke to the whole Democratic conference, which is very cool. Trump, always the biggest unknown and at times the greatest threat to his own administrations strategy, has refrained from attacking Pelosi personally thus far, making her a rare exception for a powerful opponent. Its uncertain whether he can continue that restraint. On other issues that Democrats have blocked, such as the border wall and an Obamacare repeal, Trump has not held back his attacks. Some in the White House are arguing to put more pressure on Pelosi from the outside, believing she will not hand Trump a victory on a top political issue unless forced to by moderate Democrats representing closely divided House districts. Others argue that Pelosi could be enticed by offering her a legislative accomplishment, such as lifting caps on certain domestic spending programs, which the White House opposes. Pelosi on Thursday said she wouldnt use the trade deal as a bargaining chip. It will stand on its own, she said. The outcome holds major consequences for the U.S. economy. Trump has threatened to pull out of NAFTA if Congress fails to approve the updated version, dubbed the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Trump could be bluffing, as he has on other legislative threats, and there are legal questions about whether he has the power to do so. But complete withdrawal could have devastating consequences for a variety of businesses led by agriculture and manufacturing that it is feared could plunge the rest of the economy into free fall. Trade among the three countries surpassed $1.2 trillion last year, thanks to zero tariffs for almost all goods crossing one anothers borders and deeply integrated supply chains formed since NAFTA took effect in 1994. I know the Democrats have trouble with labor, environment and enforcement. Whatever we can do short of reopening negotiations, I want to help, said Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa), chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. But with every move, he said, he sees one person as the key: Youve got to think, Whats Pelosi think of all of this? Pelosi has been intentionally vague, hoping to maintain leverage and deferring to her rank and file, many of whom want a deal but are demanding policy changes. There are significant risks for her and her members, particularly the freshmen: They dont want to come off as obstructionists or get blamed for torpedoing a trade deal. Pelosi on Tuesday said at a Politico panel that she was inclined to see if we cant improve on NAFTA but warned that Democrats concerns about the enforcement of labor rules for all three countries is key. Enforcement has to be in the treaty, not in the implementing legislation, Pelosi said, seemingly calling for the deal to be renegotiated, but leaving some wiggle room. Reopening negotiations on the pact entirely could destroy it, since it took more than a year to complete, and Canada and Mexico would need to approve the same document in their respective legislative bodies. But modifications to the text or side agreements can be hatched to address deficiencies Pelosi and other Democrats have voiced, especially over enforcement of labor standards. Mexico is also under pressure to enact changes to its own labor laws that could alleviate concerns of unions and other groups that blame NAFTA for shifting many American jobs to low-wage Mexico. With enforceable labor, we will help pass it, said Richard Trumka, president of the AFL-CIO, although he viewed it as unlikely that it would happen by the end of summer. Opposition from labor groups who have so far remained neutral but like key parts of the deal would likely kill widespread Democratic support in the House. So far, Pelosi has signaled to the White House that they can make their case directly to her members. She allowed Lighthizer to meet with rank-and-file members late last month and he huddled with freshman Democrats this week. But shell also allow in labor and environmental advocates, along with opponents of the pharmaceutical industry, all of whom have voiced suspicions about the deal, according to an aide. Lighthizer, a trade negotiator for President Reagan and one-time Senate staffer, is well known on Capitol Hill and considered a pivotal figure in winning Democratic support. Rep. Richard E. Neal, a Massachusetts Democrat who leads the Ways and Means Committee, said Lighthizer has shown flexibility, and he suggested the deal would be approved. He struck me as being very, very open to discussion, Neal said. I think if you can do some tweaking here to get [the deal] done where you can get broad Democratic support. Eric Miller, a trade consultant and global fellow at the think tank Wilson Center, attributes the administrations conciliatory tone to one lesson learned from the recent partial government shutdown, in which Trump eventually backed down after a standoff with Pelosi and the Democratic leadership. The experience of the 35-day shutdown is: Pelosi wont get rolled, Miller said. They realize that confrontation is not going to win the day. Theyre going to have to make nice. The administration is very much aware that if it becomes a partisan issue, passage is fairly remote. Democrats representing moderate districts particularly those with manufacturing or agricultural bases may decide they need to work with Trump, or at least avoid appearing obstructionist. While many newer Democrats won because of Trumps low popularity, some also promised to rise above partisanship. With the House controlled by Democrats and the Senate controlled by Republicans, they are unlikely to have many legislative accomplishments to run on besides possibly the trade deal. Democrats are going to have to show that they can do more than just oversight, said David Tamasi, a lobbyist and Trump ally. Whats more, analysts say many of the Democratic newcomers appear to be more accepting of increasing trade than senior members of the party, who had become more skeptical of trade agreements after the initial NAFTA deal. Some outside groups supporting the trade pact are hoping to appeal to the partys freshmen and moderates. Trade Works for America, a political organization made up of industries that support the trade agreement, estimates it will spend $15 million to $20 million on ads and advocacy efforts targeting 50 lawmakers, most of them Democrats. There are a lot of freshman Democrats in competitive or Republican-leaning districts who I think are going to be supportive of the policy, but are going to want to know that back home this is good politics, said Phil Cox, the Trade Works for America national co-chair. Some in the White House want to put an even sharper edge on that effort by sending administration officials to those districts, according to one official who declined to be named. Barry Bennett, a lobbyist and former political advisor to Trump, said Republicans were trying to figure out whether Pelosi has good-faith demands that can be met, or will never be satisfied as long as Trump is president. One you can overcome, he said. The other one, you just have to politically make her pay for that. So far, officials have been wary of doing anything that would annoy Pelosi. But they cant control the president. And if Trump becomes personally involved in pressuring or attacking Democrats, it could backfire, given his low standing among many Democrats and swing voters. The more the president gets involved, said Daniel Ujczo, a trade expert at the law firm Dickinson Wright, thats worse for USMCA. Interdistrict permits for students living outside Burbank Unified but attending local public schools ticked up for a third straight year, according to a school district report released last week. The 15,171-student district accepted an additional 23 nonresident students through its permit program offered to those working in Burbank this school year. The districts tally now stands at 1,328 interdistrict students, which represents about 9% of the pupil population. We only accept enough permits to keep enrollment flat, Burbank Unified Supt. Matt Hill said. We arent overcrowding our schools with permits. If we had more resident students here, we would reduce the number of permits. The majority of the permits are at the secondary level, with 526 at high schools, 367 at middle schools and 435 at the elementary schools. The number of permitted elementary students dropped by 21, while the number of middle school students rose by 23 and high school students increased by 21. There was a slight decrease in our elementary permit acceptance; partly, that was because our schools are pretty full, said Stacy Cashman, the districts director of student services, during a board meeting on Dec. 20. In 2017, the district enrolled 1,305 permitted students, which was more than the 1,191 total from 2016. The increase in permits has helped keep the districts enrollment and funding steady, school officials said. According to a Dec. 14 budget review from School Services of California a business, financial and management advocacy educational resource group Burbank Unified receives some of the lowest funding per student, per average daily attendance in Los Angeles County. The local district was compensated $8,737.38 per student during the 2016-17 school year, which was lower than nearby districts La Canada ($10,320.12), Pasadena ($10,199.71), Glendale ($9,224.80) and South Pasadena ($8,988). Using School Services figures, the 1,328 interdistrict students in Burbank Unified roughly translated into a little more than $11.5 million this year for the district from the state. Although the district lost 10 Burbank resident students, its numbers increased by 13 overall to 15,171 because of permitted students. While Burbank attracted several outside students, it lost relatively few. Only 46 students went to other districts, with 33 heading to Glendale Unified. In all, Burbank Unified lost 68 fewer students to transfers this school year than it did in 2017-18. Those interested in obtaining a permit must work or own a business in Burbank, obtain child care for students from kindergarten to fifth grade within district boundaries or fall into the opportunity category. Opportunity petitions are granted to students with special curriculum needs, students who have moved away from the district but wish to continue their education in Burbank Unified, sibling attendance and prior attendance. These are the sons and daughters of our firefighters, our teachers, our business owners, Hill said of permitted students. These are individuals whose parents work in Burbank; they just cant find housing here. Theyre great kids and great parents, and they help us have a great district. andrew.campa@latimes.com Twitter @campadresports A man suspected of robbing several businesses in Burbank and North Hollywood earlier this week was arrested Thursday, according to authorities. Michael Clouse, a 37-year-old from Georgia, was arrested on suspicion of armed robbery by officers from the Burbank and Los Angeles police departments. The arrest stems from a pair of robberies in Burbank early Monday when a man robbed a Subway restaurant and a 7-Eleven at gunpoint. According to Sgt. Derek Green, a spokesman for the Burbank Police Department, a man entered a 24-hour Subway at 531 N. Hollywood Way sometime after midnight. The man had a gun tucked into his waistband and demanded money from two employees. Seeing the gun and fearing for their lives, the employees handed the man cash. A 37-year-old man from Georgia is suspected of demanding money at a Burbank Subway. (Courtesy of the Burbank Police Department ) Green said the same man then walked across the street to a 7-Eleven at 600 N. Hollywood Way. There, the man tapped the barrel of a handgun on the stores counter and demanded money from a clerk. The clerk complied, and the man then fled. Only minutes elapsed between the two robberies, Green said. Eventually, Burbank detectives discovered the man was possibly linked to the robberies of two 7-Eleven locations in North Hollywood. One of those robberies occurred on Sunday around 11:35 p.m. in the 12450 block of Burbank Boulevard, less than 30 minutes before the Subway incident. Basically three robberies in a row, all in a matter of 40 minutes based on our timeline, Green said. Clouse was then identified as a suspect through a joint effort with the Los Angeles Police Department. After leaving Subway, police say the man went across the street to a 7-Eleven. (Courtesy of the Burbank Police Department ) He was subsequently contacted outside of a North Hollywood hotel where police found clothing in his possession that matched clothing worn by the suspect reportedly involved in the robberies in Burbank. However, Green said no money or weapon was recovered from the hotel room. Burbank and Los Angeles police also believe Clouse is connected to the so-called Penny-Pincher Bandit who robbed a gas station in Canoga Park late Saturday evening. A suspect in that incident was shot and killed by police Thursday after a chase in North Hollywood. We believe that Clouse is linked beyond that, we dont know what the exact connection is, Green said. Clouse is being detained in lieu of $200,000 bail and is scheduled to appear in court on Monday. andy.nguyen@latimes.com Twitter: @Andy_Truc UPDATES: 10:27 a.m.: This article was updated with additional comments from Burbank Sgt. Derek Green about the arrest. This article was originally published at 9:40 a.m. Cousins Maine Lobster has arrived. The lobster roll chain now has its very own Orange County-roving food truck, operated by O.C. natives Roshan Patel and Yatrik Bhatt. Judging by the line at the trucks grand opening March 29 at the Bruery Terreux in Anaheim, theyre going to be busy. Cousins Maine Lobster specializes in food accompanied by authentic Maine lobster, a commonplace food in New England but relatively rare in Southern California. There are very few establishments where you can get this quality of lobster in a semi-quick-serve fashion, Bhatt said. Its something that people love to eat on a regular basis, but its made with a delicacy. Advertisement O.C.s truck has a specialized menu featuring the most popular items, including lobster rolls, tacos and bisque. All the lobster is indeed from Maine. Its a wild-caught, sustainably-harvested product from wharfs along the Pine Tree State coastline with names like Casco Bay, Boothbay Harbor, Port Clyde and Vinalhaven. The O.C. truck sells two kinds of rolls. Maine style is chilled lobster with mayo on a New England roll. Connecticut is warm lobster with butter and lemon, also on a New England roll. There are also lobster tots, which are a mix of tater tots topped with lobster, cilantro lime sauce and pico de gallo. You can also try their shrimp tacos, lobster quesadillas, Maine Root brand sodas and whoopie pies (chocolate cookie sandwiches with filling). Cousins Maine Lobster started in 2012 with a single food truck in Los Angeles. Founders Jim Tselikis and Sabin Lomac wanted to re-create the magic of eating steaming hot lobster in Maine, as they did as children with their families. Fortunately for them, producers of the hit ABC show Shark Tank visited their truck during its initial run and encouraged them to go on their program, which places budding entrepreneurs in front of shark investors with the goal of convincing the sharks to invest in a business. In 2012, Tselikis and Lomac appeared on the show and struck a deal with shark Barbara Corcoran, who invested $55,000 and provided mentorship. Now, Cousins Maine Lobster has 22 food trucks and nine brick-and-mortar restaurants. Patel and Bhatt have known each other since high school. Patel went to Cal State Fullerton and Bhatt attended Fullerton College. Though not food industry veterans Patel is a former business development manager for Charter Communications and Bhatt was the general manager of a 24 Hour Fitness they liked the idea of starting a unique O.C. business. Theyre the youngest franchisees in the Cousins Maine Lobster chain. Theres a huge sense of satisfaction of doing something for our community where we know were going to make people happy, Patel said. Were here to stay, Bhatt added. Thats the most exciting part for Orange County. IF YOU GO What: Cousins Maine Lobster Where: For the most up-to-date location of their O.C. truck, visit cousinsmainelobster.com/truck/orange-county-ca Contact: (714) 602-1123; orangecounty@cousinsmainelobster.com Bradley Zint writes about food for TimesOC. Follow him on Twitter at @bradleyzint, and follow @timesocofficial for more news and features about Orange County. After months of research, Costa Mesa High School environmental science students returned to the Newport Beach Back Bay Science Center Tuesday to gather final data in their examinations of biodiversity in and along the estuary. The Advanced Placement students formed teams of three to five and in October began researching water quality, mud invertebrates, avian migration and other subjects. Though teachers provided a list of potential topics, students were given the opportunity to [find] their way toward something that interests them, said Cristen Rasmussen, an AP environmental science teacher at the high school. Juniors Amberly Guevara, Xitlali Perez and Meera Nguyen studied how replanted trimmings can assist in the propagation of native plants. Their group took 50 plant cuttings and transplanted half of them in the science centers nursery and the other half in nearby Big Canyon to see which would flourish. The hypothesis, Meera said, was that the cuttings maintained in the nursery would grow better and could be transplanted outdoors to help with habitat restoration. The hardest part is that all the cuttings we put out in the wild are not really growing, so its not giving us a bunch of data to work from, Xitlali added. Final results from the studies will be presented before a panel of environmentalists June 6 at the Mesa Water District. The experts will provide students feedback on their work. Costa Mesa High School AP environmental science student Rachael Kricorian sorts through the mud in search of biodiversity collected along the dock at the Back Bay Science Center in Newport Beach on Tuesday. (Kevin Chang / Staff Photographer) The projects are part of a field research program involving Costa Mesa High School. The program is being presented in collaboration with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and local environmental groups Project Grow, Orange County Coastkeeper and the Institute for Conservation Research and Education. Huntington Beach High School and Estancia are involved in a field research program run independently by ICRE. Hands-on experience, I think, is the best way to learn, said Robin Madrid, education program coordinator for Fish and Wildlife. [Students] are getting everything firsthand. Theyre learning the concepts, not just in a classroom, but out in the field. Its all encompassing, really, Madrid added. It just brings that added value, I think, where hopefully [students] can turn around and really understand the concepts and be able to apply it to their daily lives where they understand how they impact the watershed and the estuary. Dyana Pena, educational director for Costa Mesa-based Coastkeeper, said the idea for the partnership came out of panel presentations done last year for the Institute of Conservation Research and Educations field research program. Matt Yurko, right, Project Grow program manager, speaks to Costa Mesa High School students Diego Reyes and George Williamson, from left, and teacher Cristen Rasmussen as they conduct biodiversity research at the Back Bay Science Center in Newport Beach. (Kevin Chang / Staff Photographer) Mesa High seniors Riley Roman, Rachael Kricorian and Haley Wolf were studying the water quality based on the organisms found in the mud. They said they felt lucky to participate in the program, but called finding trash, such as cigarette butts and consumer products, in the mud grabs frustrating. Thinking about that we probably contribute to a lot of the pollution in the water is really hard for me to think about, Haley said. There was a water bottle cap and straws. Like, I use that stuff every day. Its hard to grasp that, Oh gosh, Im also hurting the environment. Like, Oh gosh, this is where it can lead. Rachael added. Weve seen the damage that it causes and its so sad. Four months after the 2016 presidential election, Cottie Petrie-Norris then a grassroots organizer for Women for American Values and Ethics, or WAVE looked out over hundreds of people gathered on a Sunday afternoon for political activism training at the Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort in Newport Beach. Gazing out across that crowd and just the commitment of people in that room, that just made me go Oh my gosh, we are actually going to be able to change some of these things that were not happy about, Petrie-Norris said. A little over a year and a half later, the Democrat from Laguna Beach won her first campaign for public office: the 74th District seat in the California Assembly over two-term incumbent Matthew Harper (R-Huntington Beach). It was a special kind of moment when you go from ... being just sort of scared and freaked out to going All right, Im going to do something about it, to then believing, like, were building the momentum that could change it, she said. Before President Trumps win in 2016, Petrie-Norris political participation consisted mainly of knocking on doors for Hillary Clinton with the Laguna Beach Democratic Club. Instead of seeing the election of the countrys first female president, as she expected, Petrie-Norris got a wake-up call, she said. At first I was a participant, said the native of La Mesa in San Diego County. Then I turned into an organizer. Within a few months, she joined the boards of the Laguna Beach Democratic Club and Orange Countys chapter of WAVE, which formed in the wake of the 2016 election. She coordinated the 48th District Action Council, a coalition of small progressive groups in the congressional district, and served as an Assembly district delegate for the state Democratic Party during Harpers second term. Post-2016 election, people were devastated, said Petrie-Norris, 43. But we didnt just get mad or sad or just kind of wallow. We got incredibly busy, I think, shaping an alternative vision of our future. As she made calls, led meetings and organized fundraisers for fellow Laguna Beach Democrat Harley Roudas campaign for the 48th Congressional District seat (which he won in November by defeating longtime Republican incumbent Dana Rohrabacher), Petrie-Norris kept an eye on other upcoming elections. Harpers stance on womens issues upset her he was one of two Assembly members who voted against the Fair Pay Act in 2015. A year after the presidential election, Petrie-Norris decided to run for office herself. Since winning 52.7% of the vote in last months Assembly election, Petrie-Norris set to work almost right away. She took a brief vacation in Sedona, Ariz., to rest from the incredibly intense campaign and then began scheduling meetings with local government officials and community leaders in the 74th District, which includes parts of Irvine, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Laguna Beach and Laguna Woods. Even just since shes been elected and sworn into office shes done more outreach to each of the cities than our last three representatives, said Costa Mesa Mayor Katrina Foley. Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris, her husband, Colin, and sons Dylan and Hayden attend a community swearing-in ceremony for her on Dec. 16 in Newport Beach. (Photo by Spencer Grant) Petrie-Norris said she wants to understand the districts issues and priorities as she shapes her package of bills for the legislative session. On her first official day as an assemblywoman, she introduced AB 65, a bill that would prioritize coastal conservancy projects that use natural elements to adapt to climate change. She said it would bring funding back to communities facing the threat of sea level rise. Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount), whom Petrie-Norris supported in his bid this month to remain speaker, announced Thursday that he had appointed her chairwoman of the Accountability and Administrative Review Committee and a member of the appropriations, judiciary, veterans affairs and revenue and taxation committees. Shes like a stick of dynamite, man. Shes a firecracker, said Sue Kempf, who won a seat on the Laguna Beach City Council in November. She didnt waste any time. Petrie-Norris hopes to put environmentalism and public safety at the forefront of her two-year term. She said she wants to build more supportive housing for homeless and low-income people and reform sober-living facilities with stronger oversight. She is not about party politics, she said. I see her working as needed [on] both sides of the aisle and see her really caring about her cities as well as the state as a whole, said former Newport Beach mayor Evelyn Hart, a Republican. Sometimes you have to go across the aisle when you know that somebody else can do a better job for you. Kempf said Petrie-Norris is a smart person who will go right to work on issues that matter. Just one indication of how good Cottie will be on the Assembly is how hard she worked on her campaign, because she was virtually an unknown person, Kempf said. Petrie-Norris credits her victory to her supporters and a changing political climate in Orange County and nationwide. Her supporters point to her personality and organizational skills nurtured by her nearly two-decade business career. As far as her campaign goes, it was like a machine, said Gary LeFebvre, president of the Laguna Beach Democratic Club. It was amazing how well she adapted to being a candidate. Petrie-Norris is a graduate of Yale University, where she studied economics and English. She spent most of her professional career in marketing. Her first 13 years out of college took her to Washington, D.C., London and Johannesburg, South Africa, working for Capital One, American Express and two start-ups. In 2012, she and her husband, Colin Petrie-Norris, a native of Johannesburg, decided to return from London to her home state, where she would begin her own consulting business. The couple settled on Laguna Beach after stopping for lunch one gloomy June day on a road trip from Los Angeles to San Diego. Really and truly, as we sat down, the skies parted and the sun came out and the [Rolling] Stones You Cant Always Get What You Want was playing, she remembered with a laugh. Our kids were frolicking in the sand as we were having lunch, and we just looked at each other and thought If this really is an option, we have to try. After a couple of months, we were like Nope, were never leaving. faith.pinho@latimes.com Twitter: @faithepinho It was a hot June afternoon last year when Gabriella Knox, then a sophomore in the midst of finals at Corona del Mar High School, began drafting the prologue to what would become her book, In the Arena: A Story about Teenage Mental Health. If one lesson can be learned from this book, learn that the opinions of those who are not fighting the same battle or in the same arena are not valid, she wrote in her journal last year. Life can kick you down, and sometimes you will get dirtied by fear or fall down to the ground, but the most powerful moment is when you take off your armor and use your vulnerability to fuel your fight. Less than a year later, the 100-page novella is for sale for $15.58 on Amazon. But, Gabriella said, how well her book sells is less important than the message she wants to get out to her peers and others in the community that theyre not alone. Gabriella, who was diagnosed with depression and anxiety when she was younger, said she felt the need to write the novella after Patrick Turner, a sophomore at Corona del Mar High, died by suicide in January 2018. Theres a cumulative pressure that everyone feels they need to be the best. They have to go to the best school and get the best GPA, Gabriella said. But thats not all we should stand for, and I think thats a social climate we need to change. I think everybody needs to do their part to change it. Students not judging, teachers reaching out more and administrators being open to change. The coming-of-age book focuses on the fictional life of Kenza Cremisi, a young teen who finds herself in the affluent town of Bordeaux, Argentina, after her father is found guilty of fraud. Feeling guilt by association, Kenza grapples with mounting fear and anxiety that her friends will find out the truth as she struggles with depression that stems from the worst of her childhood traumas. All proceeds from the book will go to Patricks Purpose, a nonprofit founded by Kim Turner, Patricks mother, that is geared toward mental health education. The organization recently held a parent forum at the Newport Beach Civic Center about understanding the teenage mind. Gabriella Knox, center, stands with friends during her book launch party for In the Arena: A Story about Teenage Mental Health with the nonprofit Patricks Purpose on Tuesday. (Don Leach / Daily Pilot) Were really humbled by [Gabriellas donations], Turner said. Just that shes supporting the work that were trying to do in the community and she sees the need for it. Were very appreciative. Turner added that she thinks the Newport-Mesa Unified School District is making changes academically that she believes are helpful to maybe lessen the pressure on the students. But, she said, there is still a lot of work to do in breaking the stigma of talking about [mental health] and that families need more resources if they know their children are struggling. Newport-Mesa officials declined to comment about the book but said the district remains on track for the installation of suicide awareness signs by mid-month. The signs are part of a districtwide initiative to promote mental health and wellness. They include information and phone numbers that students can call or text for assistance if they feel anxious, depressed or are considering self-harm. The district says it has increased its focus on mental health in recent years, spurred by data indicating an increasing number of students were engaging in self-harming behavior. Training in identifying risk factors and warning signs of suicide is required for all teachers in kindergarten through 12th grade and is provided to seventh- and ninth-graders, the district says. It also has increased its number of social workers from two to five. Additionally, district spokeswoman Annette Franco said, the student services team is preparing a tool kit for schools to promote Mental Health Awareness Month in May. The kit will include resources such as Know the Signs and Direct the Change, which are statewide initiatives intended to educate students about suicide prevention and other critical health issues. Alexa Wood, a childhood friend of Gabriellas and a fellow junior at CdM High, said: For our community, [Patricks death] ... made a big impact and everything changed. Our community came together and everyone took a step back to realize something big is happening. I think part of the good thing is that like with Patricks Purpose and the continuation of meeting as a unit to communicate, it kind of brings back that memory and centers people back to the focus of why we made [suicide] such a big deal the first time it happened and why were trying to get back together as a community to prevent something like that from happening again. A Laguna Beach artist work/live project embroiled in legal battles for years took a step closer to fruition at a Planning Commission meeting Wednesday night. The commission unanimously determined that the municipal code allows a city permit to go into effect on the date a coastal development permit is approved which in artist-developer Louis Longis case, was three years after his city permit was issued in 2014. The code allows two years after a city permits effective date to begin construction on a project. The Planning Commission can approve a two-year extension and then a one-year extension after that, for a total of five years before the permit runs out. The five-year period on Longis permit ended Monday. His lawyer Jeffrey Harlan argued and the Planning Commission ultimately agreed that the permit should have been effective once the California Coastal Commission approved a coastal development permit on Aug. 9, 2017. A developer cant begin the building process without all permits in hand, so the city and coastal development permits should have the same effective date, Harlan said. If that were the case for Longi, the city permit would still be within its initial two-year period. Longi first received the City Councils approval for a work/live space on Laguna Canyon Road almost exactly five years ago. The project would include two two-story buildings with 28 housing units, six art studios and gallery space. The group Friends of the Canyon appealed the councils decision to the Coastal Commission, where the case was tied up for the next several years with two Coastal Commission hearings and multiple lawsuits before the commission approved Longis coastal development permit. Its disingenuous for the project opponents to argue that the permits have expired, because the only reason for delay of this project is the project opponents appeals and subsequent litigation, Harlan said. If anything, this only highlights the inequity that results when a project opponent tries to run out the clock on a permit. Commissioner Ken Sadler agreed that the Planning Commission could set a bad precedent if it decided the effective dates of the city permit and coastal development permit did not align. There really isnt a project until that coastal development permit is issued, and it just doesnt seem fair, the way that certain things get opposed and litigated these days , that it could be possible that somebody could litigate something beyond the five-year maximum of the initial Planning Commission or Coastal Commission approval, Sadler said. And then what happens, it just dies because somebody litigates it for over five years? That doesnt seem right. Other commissioners said they understood the projects controversial history but that they were tasked with sticking to a code interpretation. This is a code that we need to just apply and thats it, Chairman Roger McErlane said. The Planning Commissions decision is final unless appealed to the City Council within 14 days. Friends of the Canyon lawyer Julie Hamilton pinned the delays of the past five years on Longi and his legal team, saying they failed to follow proper procedures on time. Theres a reason for time limits. Theyre not some random thought that we throw into municipal codes to make it hard on the applicant, Hamilton said. They are a thought that we throw into municipal codes to make it so that projects arent processed forever. Hamilton argued that the time limit for a city permit is necessary because changes can occur over five years that affect the essence of a project. She and others said Longis project has changed substantially enough in the past five years partly because of conditions in the Coastal Commissions decision that the original city permit should not apply. Laguna Beach Planning Manager Scott Drapkin said in an interview after the meeting Wednesday that he has reviewed the Coastal Commissions decision and determined that the changes were not substantial enough to warrant a rehearing of the project at the City Council. Before the item went to the floor Wednesday, Hamilton requested that Commissioner Jorg Dubin recuse himself from the discussion since he has spoken in support of Longis project in the past. Dubin, who began his first term on the Planning Commission this year, read a statement outlining his connection to Longi, whom he called a longtime friend. He concluded that he would not recuse himself and would vote on the code interpretation as a fair and impartial member of the commission. The Laguna Beach City Council appropriated nearly $1.3 million Tuesday night to roll out a smart parking guidance system that enables residents and visitors to find parking spaces using a phone application. New Zealand-based Frogparking will install sensors at every city-owned parking space on the street and in lots and structures to provide real-time information on available parking for anyone with the mobile app. Laguna aims to install 75% of the system by summertime. Drivers will be able to search the app for available parking around the restaurant, shop, business or area of town they want to visit and pay for that spot in advance. In parking structures, green and red lights will be installed that identify available spots. Say, for instance, after dinner you want to go to one of our really great coffee establishments here in town, said Paula Faust, the citys deputy director of public works. You kind of panic a little bit because you cant remember if you still have time left on the meter or if youve actually gone past your time. The app will send you a notification that you have 10 to 15 minutes left so its time to wrap things up and get back to your car. The app can update with information from the sensors every eight seconds, she said. Those without the app will still be able to use existing parking meters to pay as usual. Frogparking will also push data directly to the citys ticketing app, so parking enforcement officers can more easily identify violations. City staff are excited about the app, Faust said, because it will allow Laguna to collect more data about parking occupancy rates throughout the year, as opposed to the usual annual study. Ocean Avenue to become entirely one-way In other business, the council approved making Ocean Avenue entirely one-way from Forest Avenue to the water. Right now, Ocean Avenue is only one-way from Forest to Beach Street. The change will add 10 angled parking spaces along Ocean. The city expects to lose eight spaces as a result of intersection improvements on Coast Highway in front of Main Beach Park, so the conversion would net two spaces. Public Works Director Shohreh Dupuis said the goal is to implement all improvements along Coast Highway between Broadway and Legion streets by summer 2020. The change will also allow for two turning lanes onto Coast Highway. Kent Russell, who manages the properties at 224-226 Ocean Ave., said some business owners are concerned that a one-way street may mean fewer customers. That two-way traffic is a lot more eyes, and it also provides access to businesses that people may not go over and shop to, Russell said. The measure passed on a 4-0 vote; Councilwoman Toni Iseman was absent. A petition circulated at Marina High School in Huntington Beach asking students of color for permission to use the N-word prompted school officials to discipline two students involved in the incident, a member of the school board said Wednesday. Duane Dishno, president of the Huntington Beach Union High School District, described the petition as a bad joke gone wrong on April Fools Day. Kids made a mistake, Dishno added. Its been dealt with. Everyone is OK. A student offended by the hand-written petition addressed to Brown People took a picture of it, shared it on social media and notified the principal after school, Dishno said. The student who shared photos of the petition online said described it in a social media post as deeply offensive and hurtful. The parents of the two students who created the petition were contacted and their children were disciplined the following day, Dishno said, adding that that those students were remorseful. The student who shared photos of the petition online didnt see the attempt at humor. The fact that this boy has the audacity to ask me and my melanin girly to sign an n word pass is appalling and a perfect representation of marina high school, the student wrote over images of a boy holding the petition. If youre from my school please give me this boys @. Please this is disgusting. Yall can think its a joke all you want. This is GROSS and wrong and for you to say the n word isnt used like that anymore how ... A second picture shows the handwritten petition with the title Brown People. The petitions text is largely illegible in the photos but about 15 signatures were collected at the time the image was taken. Slander a whole race????? Who the says that without genuinely meaning it? wrote the person who posted that photo. This allows me to slander a whole race. The district did not release the names or ages of the students involved in the apparent prank or exactly what kind of discipline they received. Dishno said school officials told him the offended student posted on her Facebook page that her school has taken this situation very seriously, and the boys are dealing with consequences for their actions. Thank you again for the support. It means the world to me. The Daily Pilot did not gain access to or review the Facebook post Dishno described. Marina High Principal Jessie Marion did not respond to a request for comment. Natalie Frey, a mother of a Marina student not involved in the incident, said that she found out about the petition when her daughter called her attention to it on social media. Frey said the school sends e-mails all the time, but that she did not receive any official notice from the school about the petition. This is more than a silly joke, she said. I think the way [the administration] dealt with it is extremely unfortunate. It was an opportunity to educate students on culture and on hate crimes, racism and bullying. Theres so many deaths of kids that are killing themselves because theyre being bullied. As a parent if we dont have the opportunity to talk to our children, or even know whats going on, how does that help us bridge the gap or protect our children? Frey called it appalling that the school did not disclose the event to parents. We have to have these important conversations with our kids for all kids of color, she said. What kind of message does that send to kids of color? That their feelings dont matter? That its not a big deal? PCF-816 isnt like the other boats in Newport Harbor. No cushioned seating atop teak decks, no punny name emblazoned on its stern. But the vessel has presence and friends. PCF-816 is a Vietnam-era U.S. Navy swift boat compact, fast, lightweight and agile visiting Newport Beach from its usual port in San Diego through the weekend to greet veterans at American Legion Post 291. Bob Brown spent 1967 on a swift boat patrolling the South China Sea outside Qui Nhon. He was a 25-year-old lieutenant junior grade and in charge of a six-man crew, most of them younger than himself. He remembers how, for levity, he pulled up on much better-equipped destroyers in search of ice cream. We had about 3,500 kids that served on swift boats in Vietnam, he said. He kept all of his men alive, but noted that not every sailor returned. He said the boat cruises in their honor. The Navy introduced the aluminum, 50-foot-long PCF, or Patrol Craft Fast to Vietnam to interdict supplies bound for the Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese Army. Their use expanded to the rivers and canals for gunfire support, raids and troop insertion and evacuation. This particular vessel was a training boat stateside before the U.S. donated it to Malta in 1971 for the newly formed republics navy. It never patrolled Vietnams coast or labyrinthine Mekong Delta. But when Malta, a Mediterranean island nation, retired the boat in 2011, American men who knew its sister craft well, eagerly welcomed the aging boat home to restore it and put it into renewed service, giving naval history tours of San Diego Bay to civilians through the Maritime Museum of San Diego. Crew member David Bailey, left, and veteran Bob Brown, right, post the Swift Boat Sailors Assn. flag on the Vietnam-era PCF-816 swift boat upon arrival at the American Legion Post 291 dock in Newport Harbor on Tuesday. (Don Leach / Staff Photographer) Occasionally, it makes longer hauls like the one this week. Skipper Fred Smallwood spent all of 1968 on a swift boat. As one of the few skippers with the current Coast Guard certification to take the craft into open water, he came to California from his home in Picayune, Miss., for Tuesdays six-hour transit to the Legions guest dock. He reported good seas and clear skies. David Bradley was an enlisted man, the navigator and second-in-command of his swift boat in 1967 and 68. He was one of about 25 retirees from the Swift Boat Sailors Assn. to restore PCF-816, sanding and painting until it sang. These days, he narrates the tours. Its three .50-caliber machine guns one on the aft deck, two in the tub above the pilothouse are silent dummies now. Its gunmetal grey is lighter than the tactical off-black Brown recalls of his boat, PCF-87. It still has the horsepower to rip into high-speed runs not likely something visitors will see while its in Newport, but the public is invited to see it up close in its slip from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday through Sunday. American Legion Post 291 is at 215 15th St. A Costa Mesa woman on vacation in Uganda was one of two people kidnapped by a group of armed men who have demanded a $500,000 ransom for their release. Kimberly Sue Endicott was on an evening game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park on Tuesday when she and the senior guide who was behind the wheel of the vehicle were abducted at gunpoint, according to a Ugandan police news release. An older couple made it out of the vehicle safely and were rescued after contacting a camp manager to tell them about the harrowing ordeal. The kidnappers have demanded $500,000 ransom, which police believe was the reason for the abduction, the released stated. They used a victims cellphone to call for the demand. The armed gang has made frequent demands for the ransom, which police said Thursday will not be paid. [The abductors] continue to use cellphones of the victims to call the lodge they were staying at asking for $500,000 ransom, which we will not offer, said Uganda deputy police spokeswoman Polly Namaye. Namaye said police and other security agencies were working with the American embassy in Kampala, Ugandas capital, to try to free the hostages, who police believe are still in the country. The U.S. Embassy is aware of reports that an American citizen was kidnapped in the Ishasha area of Queen Elizabeth National Park in southwestern Uganda on April 2, 2019, according to a statement on the embassys website. Government of Uganda security forces are responding to the area. A security alert has been issued for U.S. citizens, who are urged to avoid the Ishasha area. All exit areas along the border of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo have been cut off amid the search for the missing victims as well as the assailants, according to the release. Amid the intense search efforts, a concerned friend told KTLA on Thursday that it was Endicotts lifelong dream to go on safari in Africa to see the gorillas. I know she was planning this trip for a while, because its something that shes always wanted to do, Pam Lopez said. This was always a big trip she wanted to take. Lopez said she hasnt seen Endicott, whom she knows through Endicotts work as an aesthetician, since the third week of March. But she was aware that Endicott was away and had been monitoring the trip on Instagram. She had been posting pictures of her trip up until, it looks like two days ago, which brings it to Tuesday, which I believe is the day she got kidnapped, Lopez said. She noted that Endicott was committed to her work and did not travel frequently. Endicott, in her mid-50s, has a daughter and granddaughter in Southern California, according to Lopez. She wasnt sure whether they knew she was being held hostage. Honestly, I dont know what to think, Lopez said. Im still trying to process it. She added that Endicott had posted a photo on Instagram of four armed soldiers who were guarding the group. Im sure she felt like she was safe, Lopez said. I just cant even imagine whats happening right now to her. Uganda recorded a spike in domestic kidnapping cases last year, prompting street protests by activists who said security agencies werent doing enough to protect residents. News of this kidnapping could affect Ugandas tourism sector, one of its most significant sources of foreign income. The country earned $1.37 billion in 2016 from tourism, according to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics. In an effort to reduce homeless deaths, Orange Countys health organization for the poor will devote $100 million to specialized medical programs over the next three years. The CalOptima board of directors voted Thursday to approve $75 million for a homeless response team and coordination with hospitals for homeless patients as well as new, undefined initiatives. The board had previously approved $25 million for recuperative care services, mobile treatment teams and the Be Well Orange County Regional Mental Health and Wellness Campus set to open next year in Orange. The vote followed a Tuesday court hearing, when CalOptima leadership appeared before U.S. District Judge David O. Carter, who is overseeing a landmark homeless case that continues to shape the way the county deals with spiraling homelessness. CalOptima is not named in the lawsuit. At that hearing, Carter adamantly requested that CalOptima reserve $140 million for new homeless initiatives. Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do, who sits on the CalOptima board, moved to adopt Carters suggestion, but the motion failed without a second from another board member. The board stuck with the recommendation of its ad hoc committee, which had previously decided on $100 million, with $60 million going toward new initiatives. The board did decide, however, to use Carters deadline, three years, for providing the services. Carter stressed the need to get health programs up and running to limit homeless deaths. Orange County trust to begin funding affordable housing projects There were more than 250 homeless deaths in 2018, a significant increase from the 181 reported in 2015. Carter issued a court filing on Feb. 19 describing the number of homeless deaths in Orange County as a crisis. The CalOptima meeting turned emotional as speakers shared how they had been impacted by homelessness. Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva (D-Fullerton) spoke through tears about her brother Raymond William Jaso, who was homeless last year when he was struck by a car and died. What continues to sadden me is these homeless deaths in Orange County one of those being my brother, she said. Resident Angel VanStark spoke about the need for medical care for the homeless. VanStark said he administered AIDS testing at a homeless encampment at the Santa Ana Civic Center before it was cleared out last year. Its not just that they are dying, but they are dying from curable diseases, VanStark said. After the meeting, Do described the $100 million authorization from the CalOptima board as inadequate when compared with Carters recommendation, calling the undecided new initiatives puzzling. Do has previously been critical of the organization, saying its moving too slowly in rolling out its mobile clinical teams. CalOptima plans to launch mobile medical program for the homeless in April, but Do calls pace too slow Michael Schrader, chief executive of CalOptima, said the mobile medical program will start Wednesday. The organization will partner with five federally-qualified health centers that provide care to anyone, regardless of their health insurance status. So far, the group has partnered with four: Serve the People, Korean Community Services, Hurtt Family Health Clinic and Central City Community Health Center. AltaMed was originally expected to sign a contract, but had to back out. Schrader said the organization is searching for a fifth health center. He said the first center will begin administering treatment Wednesday, though he didnt specify which one. Schrader said he expects the other health centers to be up and running in the streets by the end of April. A tremendous undertaking: New 50-bed Costa Mesa homeless shelter officially opens Friday Homeless lawsuit update In a related matter on Tuesday, public officials from throughout Orange County packed into a federal courtroom in Santa Ana for the latest hearing in an ongoing lawsuit that continues to shape the way the county deals with spiraling homelessness. The hearing had originally been scheduled to address homeless advocates recently-filed lawsuit against the South County cities of Aliso Viejo, Dana Point, Irvine, San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano. But because the lawyers who filed the complaint in late February have yet to formally serve those cities, Carter was unable to move forward with the discussion. Carol Sobel, an attorney representing the homeless advocates, declined to provide a date when Carter asked when she planned to serve the cities. If we are going to litigate, lets get this going, Carter said. The hearing served primarily as a means for representatives from cities to provide updates on progress made since a settlement was signed by Anaheim, Orange and Tustin in November. It was made in response to a lawsuit filed last year by homeless advocates who attempted to stop the removal of a homeless encampment along the Santa Ana River Trail in Anaheim. City officials discussed a 200-bed homeless shelter in Santa Ana, two Anaheim shelters totaling 325 beds and two 50-bed shelters in Tustin and Costa Mesa. Buena Park and Placentias commitment to build shelters was also highlighted. Huntington Beach Mayor Erik Peterson updated Carter on his citys recent decision to pull plans for a 50-bed homeless shelter amid public outcry over the proposed location. Peterson said the city is looking for a new site. Also at the hearing, Carter focused on a proposed shelter on Yale Street in Santa Ana that could serve up to 600 people. The county plans to relocate about 400 people from the Courtyard shelter in Santa Ana to the new shelter. The Yale Street shelter has become more crucial after a report released last month by the American Civil Liberties Union railed against what it termed poor conditions at Courtyard. Carter stressed the urgency of getting the new shelter up and running in September before winter weather sets in. I am afraid of more people dying, Carter said. Prompted by Carter, Do, whose district includes Santa Ana, said the county could possibly reach the September deadline with a commitment from the city, but Santa Ana Mayor Pro Tem Juan Villegas didnt reciprocate. Hopefully we will get this done by September, Carter said. Turning his attention to the mentally ill homeless population, Carter once again stressed his continued hopes to use the Fairview Developmental Center a 114-acre property in Costa Mesa to house and treat the most at-risk homeless. The potential plan has been met by opposition from Costa Mesa residents since it was first proposed. The center currently serves about 80 patients, who are expected to be moved out by next year. Much of the facility isnt being used. Quirk-Silva, who was at the hearing, has introduced a bill to use the site as a mental health facility. Carter also questioned the county on what he perceived as failing to go after federal and state funds to help combat homelessness. He gave the example of O.C. only receiving $13 million from the state-run No Place Like Home program while San Diego County accepted $125 million in help from the same agency. The board is going after every funding opportunity available, said Lisa Bartlett, who chairs the Board of Supervisors. Carter warned against bureaucratic divides among cities, the county and CalOptima. Stop this bickering, Carter said. People are losing lives because of it. For more news and features about Orange County, visit TimesOC.com or follow us on Twitter @timesocofficial. Four women accused of operating an illegal escort agency that operated in Orange County and other locations were arrested this week after a yearlong investigation, local law enforcement officials announced Wednesday. Jodi Hoskins, 43, of Las Vegas and Torri Wilkinson, 37, of Salt Lake City were charged with four counts of pimping and pandering and four counts of conspiring to commit pimping and pandering. They are accused of running Companions Escorts, which operated call centers in Newport Beach and Santa Ana, according to the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force. Andrea Tizzano, 30, and Aisha Kaluhiokalani, 39, both of Palm Springs, were also charged with four counts of pimping and pandering. They allegedly ran call centers in Santa Ana and Palm Springs. Hoskins and Wilkinson each face maximum sentences of 12 years and eight months in state prison. Tizzano and Kaluhiokalani face maximum sentences of 10 years in state prison. Other call centers operated in Las Vegas and Salt Lake City, according to the task force. Andrea Tizzano, left, and Torri Wilkinson were arrested on Tuesday and charged with pimping and pandering. (Courtesy of Anaheim Police Department) All of the women were arrested on Tuesday. Tizzano, Wilkinson and Kaluhiokalani are in custody in Orange County and are each being held in lieu of a $1 million bond. Hoskins is in custody in Las Vegas, where she awaits extradition. Wilkinson was arrested in Irvine. Whats so interesting about this case is that what we typically see is male pimps who prostitute females and others for exploitation and money, Orange County District Atty. Todd Spitzer said. In this case we have women exploiting women for gain. Although the case spans multiple jurisdictions, Spitzers office will handle prosecution. Law enforcement officials walked through the details of the case at a Wednesday press conference at the Anaheim Police Department headquarters. Hoskins and Wilkinson allegedly started Companion Escorts in 2014 and developed a primary company website and another labeled Newport Escorts, according to court documents. The organization was allegedly made to look legitimate but derived money from up to 50 prostitutes at any given time. Aisha Kaluhiokalani, left, and Jodi Hoskins were arrested Tuesday and charged with pimping and pandering. (Courtesy of Anaheim Police Department) Anaheim police Chief Jorge Cisneros said the accused operators were taking in tens of thousands of dollars a month. Although the human trafficking task force handled the investigation, none of the women are being charged with human trafficking. They were charged with pimping and not human trafficking because of the lack of force we could show, Anaheim police Sgt. Juan Reveles said. As Orange County officials evacuate the encampments near Angel Stadium, one would have to be extremely callous not to feel compassion for those whose situation is so dire that they have resorted to living in a flimsy tent on a riverbed. Im convinced that there is a better approach to homelessness right within our grasp. If you want to get a glimpse of one solution, then I have some advice for you. Take a trip to San Antonio, Texas. Thats what I did in January along with a contingent of 41 Orange County officials, including city council members (from 11 cities), nonprofit providers, healthcare and business leaders and state Sen. John Moorlach (R-Costa Mesa) to visit Haven for Hope. That facility is a sprawling and bustling campus that offers housing and transformational, life-saving services for homeless men, women and children in Bexar County, Texas. Our group of diverse-thinking individuals who visited this remarkable place came to a consensus that is pragmatic and cuts across political lines. That is, homelessness can best be solved in Orange County with a thoughtful, integrated regional effort. Regional and integrated are the key words here. Anaheim, Santa Ana, Fullerton, Tustin or any city, including my own Costa Mesa, should not have to go it alone. There is strength in numbers, and we need to integrate the efforts of city, county and state with nonprofits and the private sector. Lets not forget the faith-based community, which brings the power of the Gospel and a spirit of compassion to the mission. Now more than ever, we need champions from the private sector with deep pockets and the will to get things done, as well as high-profile, courageous elected officials. Which brings me back to the story of Haven for Hope. City officials in San Antonio realized that homelessness was more than just a social blight, it was also damaging the local economy. They decided it was high time to fix it. Luckily, that word reached a well-connected philanthropist Bill Greehey, Valero Energys CEO, who committed himself to solving the problem. Greehey put up $10.5 million of his own money and Haven for Hope was born in 2010. Haven for Hope epitomizes the effectiveness of integration. Nearly every nonprofit in San Antonio that serves the homeless is present on the campus. That adds up to 142 partners providing over 300 services. The results have been fantastic. In January 2010, the point-in-time count found 738 homeless on the streets of downtown San Antonio. By January 2017, that dropped 80% to 148. More than 3,835 people have moved from the transformational campus to permanent housing, with 90% of those not returning to homelessness. In its first year, there were 3,300 fewer jail bookings in San Antonio. More than 50,000 people have received services since the campus opened. Remarkably, city and county jails and emergency rooms avoided about $97 million in costs because of Haven for Hope. Each year, about 40,000 medical, dental and vision care services are administered to homeless men, women and children who would otherwise go without. So, you may ask, whos paying for all this? As part of his commitment to Haven for Hope, Greehey searched for private donors outside of San Antonio to finance the project, and 61% percent of the $100.5 million it cost to build the campus came from the private sector. Thats right, the private sector. Corporations invested in a project that is producing amazing dividends in human capital that you cant measure on any financial statement. Whether we work together or not, we pay. The Orange County United Way and UC Irvines recent cost study on homelessness shows that we spend $299 million annually addressing homelessness. Costa Mesa alone allocates about $1 million annually. Other Orange County cities and nonprofits are doing great work. But we lack the integrated effort seen in Bexar County. Those efforts have substantially reduced the public cost of homelessness, and the OC United Way/UCI study estimates that Orange County would likewise save $42 million per year by housing our chronic homeless. Haven for Hope is a true public-private partnership. San Antonio contributes $4 million to its $20 million annual operating budget, which in comparison is a much smaller proportion of San Antonios budget than Costa Mesa spends on its Network for Homeless Solutions. The balance of Haven for Hopes budget comes from private contributions ($4 million), state government ($5.3 million) with nonprofits like the United Way and other funders contributing the remainder. So back to our champions. Who is going to step up to fund and, just as importantly, advocate to solve the homelessness crisis that is currently damaging our communities and economy? Orange County is a tremendously blessed and wealthy community. We have some of the worlds best beaches, parks, businesses and residential communities. There must be champions in our midst who will see this as an opportunity to create a better future not just for the homeless, but for all of us. JOHN STEPHENS is a Costa Mesa City Council member and the chair of the Association of California Cities-Orange Countys Homeless Task Force. Leon Prochnik was 6 years old and living a privileged existence in Poland his family were owners of a famed Krakow chocolate factory in 1939 when Hitlers invasion of the nation sent Jewish people everywhere fleeing for their lives. His family escaped to Lithuania, staying until they could secure a transit visa to Japan. Traveling Russias vast countryside by train, they eventually sought refuge in Canada and then New York City. Trudie Strobel was born in a Soviet collective farm in Ukraine in 1938 to a woman whose husband had been exiled to Siberia during a wave of anti-Semitism sweeping across Europe. They were taken to Polands Lodz Ghetto and then to labor camps, where her mother toiled as a seamstress for years before their liberation by American soldiers. In a special assembly for seventh-graders at La Canada High School 7/8 on Thursday, the two Holocaust survivors shared their harrowing experiences and entreated students to make sure the hatred and bigotry they witnessed never takes hold of humanity again. School parent Gal Kessler Rohs, director of Temple Beth David Religious School, helped arrange the visit in advance of the seventh-graders upcoming lesson on Anne Frank. Six candles are lit for the six million who died during the Holocaust, during a March 28 talk at La Canada High School 7/8. (James Carbone / La Canada Valley Sun) She asked the two speakers, LCHS 7/8 Principal Jarrett Gold and three Jewish students to illuminate six candles on stage, each representing 1 million Jewish adults and children who perished during the genocide. Anything that was not pure German blood had to be exterminated, Kessler Rohs said, listing individuals with disabilities, homosexuals and those of the Roma culture among Hitlers victims. In his turn at the mike, Prochnik shared how his idyllic life came to an end when the Nazis invaded Poland. Forced to leave his familys Suchara chocolate factory, he bid farewell to a particularly beloved tub of chocolate hed named Milka, after the companys best-selling chocolate bar. She was my best friend, he tearfully recalled. Prochnik often prayed to Milka and asked for protection during his long journey. It was a comfort on cold nights, he said, to dream of swimming in the tub or pouring its contents on Hitlers head, drowning the dictator in melted chocolate. After his talk, the 86-year-old urged his young listeners to act. If youre going to speak up for good causes if youre going to care for your neighbor and not just act like they dont belong on this planet, do something good now, he implored. Trudie Strobel, a survivor of Lodz Ghetto, tells her story of how she survived the Holocaust during a March 28 talk, Beyond Fear, Resilience, Resistance and Bravery: Stories of Trauma and Tragedies through the Holocaust, at La Canada High School. (James Carbone / La Canada Valley Sun) Strobel shared how she and her mother were transported to the Lodz Ghetto when she was just 4 years old. She remembered a doll one her father had bought for her before she was born and he was exiled to Siberia being ripped from her arms by soldiers. Already cruelties had started on this journey, she said, recounting her horror of delousing showers and a barracks-like existence dominated by shrill cries and insults from German soldiers. You felt like they would crush you any second, she said. Strobel accompanied her mother during long work days. It seemed interminable until the war ended, and American trucks arrived to move camp victims to displacement centers. When a Red Cross worker gave her some shiny beads, she sewed a tapestry she still has today at 81. Please remember never to forget the Holocaust, she asked students. We must be watchful not to have this happen again in our country. Afterward, LCHS seventh-graders Henry Dearborn and Leah Stewart said they were impressed at the hardships Strobel and Prochnik faced as children. It makes me really grateful we live in a society thats a lot more forgiving, Stewart said. We just accept people more. Could something of the magnitude of the Holocaust happen today? Hopefully, if we get enough awareness, we can help prevent it from ever happening, Dearborn said. sara.cardine@latimes.com Twitter: @SaraCardine County school officials may soon decide the fate of a territory transfer of homes in westernmost La Canada Flintridge, out of Glendale and into La Canadas public school system, possibly voting on the matter in May. La Canada Unified School District Supt. Wendy Sinnette told officials during a March 28 meeting of the Joint Use Committee which considers properties and holdings shared by the city and school district the Los Angeles County Committee on School District Organization will likely hear the matter at its May 1 meeting. The committee has yet to rule on a California Environmental Quality Act study submitted in October. Sinnette said both that and the transfer itself could come to a vote at the meeting. In that case, school district leaders would have 20 minutes to argue in favor of a transfer of up to 350 students into the districts boundaries. Residents in the so-called Sagebrush area live in La Canada but attend Glendale Unified schools, and such a transfer has been discussed and disputed for decades. GUSD would also be given 20 minutes to plead its case, as would a group of Sagebrush residents who petitioned the county for the transfer in 2016 under the name Unite LCF. My ask of the city is if we could have a mayor or council member with us to present, Sinnette said, adding the presentation would focus on the community benefits of a transfer. The county committee has been asked to review, among other considerations, the impact a transfer would have on LCUSD in terms of student accommodation and housing. Sinnette estimated the district has already absorbed about half of the students living in the western territory through individual transfer requests. Last year, the city earmarked $100,000 in undesignated reserve funds to help bolster La Canada Unifieds claim it could support the transfer of remaining families. Since then, school officials have promised to honor the wishes of Sagebrush families who elect to stay enrolled in GUSD schools. Both districts have a strong interest in maintaining a positive relationship, Sinnette said. The Los Angeles County Committee on School District Organization meets May 1 at 9:30 a.m. in the Education Center Board Room, 9300 Imperial Highway, Downey. sara.cardine@latimes.com Twitter: @SaraCardine Eight individuals, including a high school senior, a husband and wife duo and a business owner and local band known for their philanthropic pairing of tacos and tunes will be honored April 15 as Les Tupper Community Service Award recipients. The ceremony takes place April 15 at 7 p.m. in von Karman Auditorium at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and is presented by the La Canada Flintridge Coordinating Council. Annmarie Eldering, Deputy Project Scientist for the Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2), will be the evenings keynote speaker. Named for a former president of both the Coordinating Council and the La Canada school board, the late Leslie C. Tupper, the awards recognize La Canada residents who demonstrate an ongoing and broad volunteer service to the local community outside of their regular job duties. This years recipients include: Barbie Eland, Coordinating Council member and Realtor for Dilbeck Real Estate; longtime community volunteer Lynne Thompson; LCF Trails Council board member Jennifer Seastrom and her husband, Public Safety Commission Chairman Wes Seastrom; Valley Sun columnist Joe Puglia; Tom Reynolds, founder of the band Misplaced Priorities with Los Gringos Locos owner Bent Hansen; and Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy senior Kelly Carney. Eland moved to La Canada with husband Dennis 32 years ago for the schools and now sells the towns many attributes to interested clients. I feel blessed to be here wonderful people, great organizations its just a great place to be, said the mother of three. I love to get my buyers who come to town involved, too. A member of the La Canada La Crescenta Kiwanis Club A.M. for 10 years, Eland delivers groceries to the Salvation Army every Sunday and weeds vegetation along the Foothill (210) Freeway ramps at Angeles Crest Highway once a month. She is publicity chairman for the Coordinating Council and the La Canada Flintridge Tournament of Roses Assn. and serves as membership, publicity and fundraising chair for the Assistance League of Flintridges Canada Auxiliary of Professionals. A former teacher for L.A. Unified School District, Lynne Thompson has volunteered in La Canada since moving to town with husband, Joe, in 1975. Shes been involved with the Flintridge Orthopaedic Guild, La Canada Valley Beautiful and plays Mrs. Claus at the LCF Chamber of Commerces annual Festival in Lights. Outside her years of teaching, Thompson has been a deacon, Sunday school teacher and Voyager board member at La Canada Presbyterian Church and is actively involved in the Daughters of the American Revolution Don Jose Chapter and the Assistance League of Flintridge, where shes worn many hats (including president) since 1994. This community lends itself to wonderful opportunities for service and friendships through organizations, she said of her volunteerism. I meet fantastic people, and we have fun. Jennifer and Wes Seastrom both grew up in La Canada and returned in 1977 to raise their two sons. Since then, theyve volunteered with the Spartan Boosters Club and the LCF Chamber of Commerce, where Wes founded the groups Business Support and Development Committee and Jennifer served as co-chairman of the chambers centennial and redesigned its Memorial Weekend Fiesta Days banners. The two have hiked the citys trail system, mapping routes for posterity. A former La Canadan of the Year, Wes served on the Community Prevention Council and Foothill Boulevard Master Steering Plan Committee and was a board member of YMCA of the Foothills and LCF Chamber of Commerce. Its easy to give back to the community you grew up in, raised your family in and live in, he said. I want to do something that makes a difference, agreed Jennifer. Its fun to give back when people appreciate what you do and you know it helps. Known for this Valley Sun column, Thoughts From Dr. Joe, former Glendale Community College Professor Puglia is being honored with a Special Service Community award for his chairmanship of the citys annual Memorial Day Service in Memorial Park. For the past decade, Puglia has called upon hundreds of local Scouts to help carry off the tribute to veterans of all wars. A Girl Scout leader of Californias Troop 889 for 16 years, Puglia said he hopes to instill in Scout volunteers a reverence for the sacrifices made by those who died serving their country. I dont look at it as giving my time or volunteering, he said of his long involvement in the civic tradition. I do it because its a mission, because its important. Misplaced Priorities co-founder Tom Reynolds, second from right, will receive a Les Tupper Special Community Service Award alongside Los Gringos Locos co-owner Bent Hansen for their Tacos and Tunes fundraising partnership. (File photo) Few La Canadans have not had a taco or listened to a tune (or both) for a good cause courtesy of Los Gringos Locos and local band Misplaced Priorities. Since 2002, Tacos and Tunes has offered a fundraising partnership to numerous local organizations thats raised $950,000. Co-founded by resident Tom Reynolds, Misplaced Priorities thrills audiences at civic functions, including Fiesta Days, Music in the Park and Festival in Lights, with musical genres ranging from classic rock to country. Los Gringos Locos opened in 1996 and was so successful it had to move into a larger location. Co-owner Bent Hansen sends out as many as 10 donations each week to local charities and schools and is glad to lend a hand. La Canada is a special place I think everybody who moves here feels that and wants to give back, Hansen said. Its fun to be a part of the community, and its what were good at, so thats why we give. Winning this years Student Community Service award is Kelly Carney, who maintains a 4.0 grade point average at FSHA and plays varsity volleyball and is captain of the schools track and field team. A member of the National Honor Society who regularly tutors elementary school students, Carney works in the Assistance League of Flintridges Assisteens program, where shes assembled treat bags for homeless children, helped set up the Pasadena Bad Weather Shelter and made baby blankets for mothers in need. She is currently a member of the Flintridge Sacred Heart Campus Ministry Leadership Team and is renovating the counseling office at Pasadenas Door of Hope for her Girl Scout Gold Award. Ive grown up watching my parents and older brother volunteer. I think thats inspired me to do the same, she said. Plus I just love people. The von Karman Auditorium of NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory is located at 4800 Oak Grove Drive, La Canada. Admission is free. For more, visit lcfcc.info. sara.cardine@latimes.com Twitter: @SaraCardine Hello, my name is John Cherwa and welcome back to our horse racing newsletter as we monitor whats going on at Santa Anita. Of course, the biggest story of the weekand probably of the year in horse racing--remains the horse breakdowns at Santa Anita. It depends on how you want to look at it. There have been 23 since Dec. 26, or one in the last 20 days. Now that is a somewhat deceptive stat in that you could spin the 1-in-20 to being 1-in-3 if you just look at racing dates. And thats what everyone is looking at. Training, which is approaching 3,000 timed workouts since the last breakdown, is going well. The one thing everyone agrees on, however, is that one is too many Ive been pretty bad about those of you who have emailed me about answering. Ive been hit with a crush of notes from people who want to offer suggestions of what went wrong. Its gone from the predictable medication and track conditions, to unsavory people and earthquakes. I respond if I think I have anything to add to your thoughts and I have time. If you havent figured it out, those of you who hurl personal insults, call me stupid, or are just plain mean, are likely to never get a response. Although, I do feel bad for people so filled with hate. Back to whats important. The big story so far this week is Sen. Dianne Feinstein sending a letter to Chuck Winner, chairman of the California Horse Racing Board, looking for answers on the breakdowns. She also called for Santa Anita to be shut down until there are answers. Its not likely shell get any because, well, there are no definitive ones. Heres what I think will happen, and it is my opinion only. I havent been told anything. Im real certain that racing will continue through Saturday. The day is too important to the industry unless things go horrifically bad on Thursday and Friday. After that, I wouldnt be surprised that with the next breakdown, and there will be one some time in the future, that Santa Anita takes another break from racing. For how long, I dont know. The CHRB will meet next Friday to determine options of how they would handle this situation, which could include moving the dates elsewhere. However, if Santa Anita can get by this weekend, and beyond, and beyond, and beyond, they may not have to close this meeting. Thats a tall order. The only thing that can quiet this firestorm is time. So, thats why a break is not out of the question. The only sure way to keep breakdowns from happening is to not race. It would come at great expense to The Stronach Group. But, I think, it is much more focused on its long-term survival than any short-time loss. Of course, that doesnt help all the employees would temporarily be out of jobs. My guess, again a guess, is that we wont see a lot of June racing during this meet. After Saturday, the next big milestone is Kentucky Derby weekend. It would be quite remarkable if the track could go until then without some kind of accident. We can only hope, for the horses sake. Santa Anita preview Its an eight-race card starting at 1 p.m. There are four turf races, two down the hill. Half the races are for maidens and three races are restricted to Cal-breds. Were not going to name a feature race. It would be either the sixth, a one-mile turf allowance/optional claimer for 3-year-olds. Or the eighth, an allowance Cal-bred fillies race down the hill at 6 furlongs. Clearly, the most important stat on Thursday and Friday and . is just getting everyone home safe. Here are the field sizes, in order: 10 (4 also eligible), 9, 7, 8, 8, 9,10, 10 (1 ae). Bob Ikes SA pick of the day SIXTH RACE: Exacta Box 4-5 I like a couple of horses here in this first-level allowance/optional claimer for 3-year-olds going one mile on turf (rails at 30 feet). I'll take one speed horse in My Mandate (4-1) and one closer in Order and Law (5-1) to try to hit the exacta. Mandate is improving and the fastest horse in the race, so if he handles the distance without too much pace pressure he may be hard to run down. Law invades from the East and broke his maiden in a turf stakes. He can fire late and will be a threat if he gets some pace at which to run. Sundays result: Blitzkrieg ($4.40) was bet like he couldn't lose and didn't, easily winning his third straight on turf. Bob Ike is a Partner/VP of Horsebills.com (here's a video) and the proprietor of BobIkePicks.com (full-card picks, 3 Best Plays and betting strategy). Golden Gate weekend preview Were back with our weekly look at the best racing at Golden Gate Fields. As with the last couple meetings, were delighted to have race caller and all-around good guy Matt Dinerman as our host for previews and other musings. So, take it away, Matt. Live racing resumes at Golden Gate Fields with cards through Sunday. I have handicapped the races here for three years and I can honestly say our product has gotten better each year. In most of our races, handicappers can make a case for the majority of the horses. That wasnt always the case, but things have changed. Our payouts are strong. The handicapping puzzles are typically challenging and thought-provoking. The races are fun and exciting to watch. These are the types of races and sequences that horseplayers want to dive into. Weve seen plenty of horses come in at prices. Im confident this gradual improvement will continue. On Friday, Leg D of the Stronach 5 wager goes as race five. A field of nine 3-year-olds go 5 furlongs. Its also the first leg of the late pick 4. The horse to beat is No. 3 Drill Time, who drops in class after a number of decent efforts against allowance company. No. 8 Sizzling Jamie is an interesting horse to consider. The Cliff DeLima trainee hasnt been seen since the summer time, when he broke his maiden by more than five lengths in a maiden special weight over the dirt on the California fair circuit. Also getting support will likely be Doug ONeill trained Three Ay Em and recent maiden winners Johnny Runner and One Salty Dog. Turf racing resumes next Friday, April 12, the first of two-straight three-day weeks. According to management, our turf track is in great shape and the track crew is finishing up the final touches so we can race over the course next week. Multiple jockey agents have confirmed that many horsemen are eager to run horses on the turf again and are hopeful for good field sizes. Sounds good to me. In other news, top Bay Area turf sprinter Bay Muzik is scheduled to run in the Grade 2 $200,000 Shakertown at Keeneland on Saturday. Trained by up-and-coming young conditioner Ari Herbertson, the son of City Zip has won six-of-12 lifetime races and hasnt raced since a sharp-looking allowance win in early January. Its a very tough spot and hell go off at a price. Hes very quick so expect him to go to the lead. El Camino Real Derby winner and Sunland Derby runner up Anothertwistafate remains at Sunland Park, according to trainer Blaine Wright. Wrights main goal is to run the horse in the Kentucky Derby, and would prefer to train him up to the race. That said, Anothertwistafate is on the bubble to draw into the Derby, and Wright may have to run Anothortwistafate in the Arkansas Derby or Lexington to earn more points so he can secure a spot. The son of Scat Daddy has earned 30 points so far. Wright will monitor the points after the Bluegrass, Wood Memorial and Santa Anita Derby are run this week, and will then make a decision. Final thought Always looking to jump the circulation of this newsletter. Cant beat the price. If you like it, tell someone. If you dont like it, then youre probably not reading this. Either way, send to a friend and just have them click here and sign up. Remember, its free, and all we need is your email, nothing more. If you have any thoughts, you can reach me at johnacherwa@gmail.com. You can also feed my ego by following me on Twitter @jcherwa And now the star of the show, Thursdays entries. If youre looking for a new seashore to explore, Rosewood Miramar Beach may have the answer. The upscale new hotel, which will hold a formal opening ceremony April 10, has been receiving guests for a month at its Mirarmar Beach site, warming up for spring break. One of the Beach House suites at the Rosewood Miramar Beach in Montecito. (Rosewood Miramar Beach) The coastal retreat, a few miles south of Santa Barbara, is spread across 16 acres of beachfront real estate in Montecito. Some of its rooms are directly on the sand, a rarity in Southern California; of the hotels 161 rooms which include 37 suites 26 have direct beach access. The lobby of the Rosewood Miramar Beach resort that sits on 16 acres in Montecito. (Rosewood Miramar Beach) Advertisement Rates start at $800 per night midweek, $1,025 weekends, with a two-night minimum sometimes required. A fireplace inside one of the Beach House suites at Rosewood Miramar Beach. (Rosewood Miramar Beach) The Miramar, L.A. developer Rick Carusos first hotel property, has seven culinary and bar outlets. Among them are: The Manor Pool at Rosewood Miramar Beach, a redo of an old resort in Montecito. (Rosewood Miramar Beach) Carusos, the main oceanfront restaurant, featuring the cuisine of southern Italy; Malibu Farm at Miramar, with all-day dining; and Rosewood Miramar Beach has 161 rooms, some of them with beach-front access. (Rosewood Miramar Beach) Four lounges Miramar Beach Bar, the Manor Bar, Cabana Bar and the Living Room, which overlooks the expansive Great Lawn. The resort is located on a stretch of beach not far from Santa Barbara. (Rosewood Miramar Beach) Rosewood Miramar reclaimed the site of the former Miramar by the Sea, a hotel that closed nearly 20 years ago. While everything else has changed on the site, one thing remains the same: an active rail line still runs through the heart of the resort. A room inside a Manor House suite at Rosewood Miramar Beach. (Rosewood Miramar Beach) Carusos bar and restaurant is named for L.A. developer Rick Caruso. (Rosewood Miramar Beach) Info: Rosewood Miramar Beach, (805) 900 8388 travel@latimes.com @latimestravel The Deauville Beach Club was founded in 1927. The building featured a gymnasium, pools, dining, lockers, and guest rooms. Before World War II, the building was a playground for Hollywood stars. But by the 1960s, it sat empty. A front-page story in the April 6, 1964, Los Angeles Times reported: The Deauville Beach Club, famed Santa Monica oceanfront landmark, was destroyed Sunday afternoon in a spectacular, wind-whipped fire touched off by an unidentified arsonist. Acting Santa Monica Fire Chief William C. McDade said blazes were burning in five separate spots in the three-story, fortress-like building when firemen arrived. And Santa Monica police reported they chased three juveniles from the unoccupied structure Sunday morning. The youths may have been part of a group of 20 boys and girls that was seen entering the building less than three hours before the blaze erupted, police said. For more than two hours, flames roared uncontrolled through the building on Pacific Coast Highway at the foot of Olympic Boulevard standing aloft a thick column of smoke that was visible for miles. The smoke acted as a magnet to draw thousands of spectators to the scene. About 30 Santa Monica policemen and some reserve officers struggled to keep the street clear of onlookers. A telephone call to the Santa Monica Fire Department at 3:20 p.m. brought the first fire units two pumpers, a ladder truck and a rescue unit to the scene. Later, other equipment from Los Angeles and Culver City was dispatched. In all, about 65 men fought the flames that left only the reinforced concrete walls of the building standing. The aerial photo by retired staff photographer George Fry was taken from a KMPC helicopter piloted by Max Schumacher. It was published on page one of the April 6, 1964, Los Angeles Times. The April 7, 1964, Los Angeles Times reported that two runaway juveniles were questioned about the fire. I was not able to locate any information about whether anyone was ever charged or convicted in the blaze. The building remains were demolished in 1966. The city of Santa Monica purchased the land in 1970. This post was originally published on Feb. 28, 2014. 1951 photo of the Deauville Club in Santa Monica. Los Angeles Times See more from the Los Angeles Times archives here The Israeli army on Wednesday said it had recovered the body of a soldier who went missing in a bloody 1982 battle with Syrian forces in southern Lebanon, closing a famous case that has dogged Israel for nearly four decades. Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, an Israeli military spokesman, told reporters that the remains of Zachary Baumel had been returned to Israel and identified after years of significant intelligence operations. Conricus declined to elaborate on how the return was arranged or where the remains were found, saying only that an opportunity arose to locate the body through an unnamed country. Baumel, a U.S. citizen from New York, went missing in action along with five other soldiers near the Lebanese village of Sultan Yacoub. Advertisement In 1982, during the First Lebanon War, Sgt. 1st Class Zachary Baumel went missing in action. Now, his body has been returned to Israel. May his memory be a blessing. pic.twitter.com/GXfaBHROXP Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) April 3, 2019 Two of the missing soldiers were returned alive to Israel a few years later. The body of a third was also returned, according to Israeli media. But the fate of the other three had remained unknown. In a nationally televised speech, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Baumels remains, along with his clothing and tzitzit, the knotted ritual fringes worn by observant Jews, had been returned to his family in Jerusalem. Netanyahu said that Baumel was full of Zionist zeal that led him to Israel and to the battle where he disappeared. He recalled the pain of his late father, who traveled the world to track down any piece of information about his missing son. Osnat Haberman, Baumels sister, told Netanyahu: I told my mother years ago that it was not enough to want and to search. There needs to be someone with the winning card and now you have brought it. Cases of missing soldiers have a powerful emotional and political resonance in Israel, where military service is compulsory for most Jewish men. In his remarks, Netanyahu lauded the repatriation of Baumels remains as an expression of mutual responsibility and feeling of unity that epitomizes Israel. He described the homecoming as a moral obligation to fallen soldiers and their families. Anwar Raja, a Syria-based official with the Palestinian militant group Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine -General Command, said that insurgents excavated graves in Damascus, the Syrian capital, last year in search of the remains of the three missing soldiers. He said that their remains had been transferred to Syria after the 1982 battle. Lebanese politician Walid Joumblatt, a harsh critic of the Syrian government, hinted in a tweet Wednesday that Syrian authorities were responsible for the return of the soldier. Handing over the remains of the Israeli soldier through unknown mediators is a free and valuable gift to Netanyahu in his elections, Joumblatt tweeted. Israel holds its general election next week, largely seen as a referendum on Netanyahus rule. Joumblatt poked fun at the Syrian government, adding sarcastically: Greetings to the Syrian regime that is spearheading Arab, regional and international rejectionism. The disastrous battle, which occurred soon after the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, resulted in the deaths of 20 Israeli soldiers. The military confirmed it was still working to secure the return of the other two missing soldiers. Libyan army commander Khalifa Haftar on Thursday ordered his forces to march on Tripoli, the capital of the U.N.-backed government, sparking fears of a major showdown with rival militias. The order to his Libyan National Army posted in an audio recording online came as U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres visited the North African country and issued a very strong appeal ... for all military movements to stop. Haftar also put at risk upcoming peace talks between Libyan rivals brokered by the U.N. aimed at drawing a road map for new elections. The U.N. Security Council scheduled an emergency closed-door meeting Friday afternoon at Britains request to discuss the unfolding developments. Advertisement The 2011 NATO-supported uprising that toppled and later killed longtime dictator Moammar Kadafi led to chaos in Libya. The country has been split between rival governments in the east and west and an array of militias fighting over power and oil fields. Haftar is allied with the east-based administration at odds with the U.N.-backed government based in Tripoli. Alongside the two rival administrations, mostly Islamic militias wield considerable influence and control large swathes of territory in the vast North African nation. Haftar described his forces move as a victorious march to shake the lands under the feet of the unjust bunch. We are coming Tripoli, we are coming, he said. Haftar urged his forces to enter the city peacefully and raise their weapons only in the face of those who seek injustice and prefer confrontation and fighting. He also urged his forces not to open fire on any civilians or those who are unarmed. Those who lay down their weapons are safe, and those who raise the white banner are safe, he said. Guterres not only urged a halt to military movements but also appealed for containment, calm and military and political and verbal de-escalation and the recognition that ... there is no military solution for the problems in Libya. He said at a news conference in Tripoli shortly after Haftar announced the Tripoli offensive that a resumption of dialogue is essential, emphasizing that the solution must be political. Haftars message, which was posted on the Facebook page of the armys media office, comes a day after his forces edged closer to Tripoli and took over the town of Gharyan, 31 miles from Tripoli, without much fighting. I am sipping coffee now in Gharyan, Haftars top aide Abdel-Salam Hassi told the Associated Press over the phone. God willing, we will enter the rest of the cities without clashes. Skirmishes were reported overnight in the mountain district of Al Asaba, near Gharyan, in which two people a resident and a militiaman were killed, according to the media office of Haftars forces. The announcement of Haftars intention to march on Tripoli comes days before the April 14-16 U.N.-brokered conference aimed at bridging the gap among Libyas factions, coming up with a plan for new elections and ending the countrys split. Guterres is scheduled to meet Haftar in Benghazi on Friday and said his message will include that everyone in Libya must recognize the need for a political solution. And it is clear for me that we absolutely need to avoid the drama of what would be a major confrontation namely a major confrontation in Tripoli, he said. This year, in a federal prison in Manhattan, Joaquin El Chapo Guzman quietly signed a contract to help launch his familys latest business venture. The new company had nothing to do with drugs, violence or other illicit activities associated with Guzman, the former leader of the Sinaloa drug cartel who in February was found guilty in U.S. federal court of drug trafficking, money laundering and conspiracy to murder. No, it turns out the worlds most notorious drug kingpin is lending his name to fashion. Guzmans wife, a former beauty queen named Emma Coronel, is launching a clothing line she says is inspired by her and her husbands style. Advertisement The brand will be called El Chapo Guzman. I am very excited and hope I can create things that everyone likes, Coronel wrote in a post on Instagram this week, in which she solicited designers to come work for the new company. The contract Guzman signed from prison in February grants the rights to his name and signature to a limited liability company headed by Coronel, said Michael Lambert, an attorney who represented Guzman during his recent trial. Lambert said that none of the profits from the business will go to Guzman, and that the the new company will not do business with his client. Additionally, none of the start-up money or any future funding will be connected to him in any way. Earnings will go to Coronel, who is raising the couples twin daughters; her husband is expected to spend the rest of his life in prison. His sentencing is scheduled for June, but his attorneys have asked for a new trial, alleging juror misconduct. Although the familys entree into fashion may be unexpected, it may make good business sense. Guzmans image square jaw, beady eyes, black mustache is ubiquitous in Mexico, where it is emblazoned on posters, ball caps and T-shirts. None of those products are trademarked to use his identity, and his family sees none of the profits. In parts of the country, Guzman is considered as a celebrity, and he and his wife have long been viewed as style icons. Emma Coronel heading to the trial of her husband, Mexican drug kingpin Joaquin El Chapo Guzman, in New York. (Kevin Hagen / EPA/Shutterstock) During the former kingpins three-month trial, his wife showed up at court each morning looking ready for a fashion show, often in tight pants and towering heels. Photos of her highlighting, say, a whimsical shirt with bows or her signature sleek haircut were frequently run by news organizations in Mexico and the United States that seemed to have a limitless appetite for trial-related content. In January, she and her husband made headlines when they showed up in matching velvet blazers. Many believed it was meant to signal their unity during a week in which one of Guzmans former mistresses testified against him. The drug kingpin is a trendsetter in his own right. In 2015, while on the lam from Mexican authorities after his second daring prison break, he invited actors Sean Penn and Kate del Castillo to meet him at a mountain hide-out in northern Mexico. For the occasion, Guzman donned a flashy blue shirt that looked like a cowboys take on Versace. After photos of the encounter were published far and wide, the Los Angeles-based company that made the shirt reported skyrocketing sales and so many visits to its website that it crashed. The meeting helped fuel Guzmans standing as a fashionable folk hero but may have ultimately led to his downfall. Mexican authorities arrested the drug lord several months later and said the secret reunion had been an essential element in helping locate him. He was extradited to the U.S. the following year. Taiwans president replaced her Cabinet head Friday to atone for losses in local midterm elections seen as a mandate for the government to take stronger action on wages, economic stimulus and a sticky relationship with angry old foe China. President Tsai Ing-wen dismissed Premier William Lai after he had served about 15 months and replaced him with former Premier Su Tseng-chang. Scholars expect the new premier to deliver visible results at least on economic issues to help the ruling party in its presidential campaign over the coming year. Its loss would probably put Taiwans China-leaning main opposition party back in power. Taiwan needs someone with the experience, will and ability to carry out follow-up reforms, the president said at a Friday news conference. Voters last year overturned the ruling partys majority in Taiwan mayor and county magistrate seats, with some saying the government had done too little on core issues such as wages, economic stimulus and managing pressure from an increasingly antsy China. Advertisement In many aspects, we reached a certain level of achievement, but on Nov. 24 last year the Democratic Progressive Party encountered an unprecedented setback, Lai said at the news conference, referring to the ruling party. As the nations highest appointed official, its hard to be saved from taking political responsibility. The Democratic party took a majority of local seats in 2014, and Tsai won the presidency two years later. But last year the main opposition Nationalist Party won 15 of the 22 local seats in the election, putting Tsais party in a weak position ahead of the 2020 presidential race. Tsai resigned as party chair to take blame for the poor showing. Voters indicated in November they wanted Tsai to stand up more to Beijing, where leaders insist that the democratic, self-governed island belongs under Chinese rule, or conversely allow talks with China as the Nationalist presidents government did from 2008 to 2016. The Nationalists still embrace dialogue with Beijing. Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Jan. 2 that China had not ruled out using force against Taiwan if needed to unify the two sides. Tsai reacted by saying that she rejects Xis condition for dialogue that each side view itself as part of one China and his idea for Hong Kong-style unification, meaning a Taiwan ruled by Beijing but with a degree of local autonomy. China and Taiwan have been ruled separately since the Chinese civil war of the 1940s, when Chiang Kai-sheks Nationalists lost and based their government in Taiwan. Chinese president warns Taiwan that independence would be a disaster Voters further hope the government will raise wages, which average $1,510 per month, and help revitalize the economy at a time when Taiwans richest companies do much of their work overseas. Some expect useful infrastructure projects such as commuter rail lines and sporting arenas. Lais Cabinet added money to Taiwans foreign currency reserves and saw exports grow, crucial for the manufacturing-reliant economy, said Michael Tsai, chairman of the Institute for Taiwan Defense and Strategic Studies, but many people didnt notice. The average citizen couldnt feel any dividend, like the profit wasnt being shared, he said. The new premier, a 71-year-old former lawyer, has a reputation for effectively running governments, scholars in Taiwan say. He has headed two counties and was premier in 2006 and 2007 under a different president. He is a co-founder of the ruling party and is seen as one of its four most powerful members. Hes someone who does what he sets out to do and does what he says, Michael Tsai said, forecasting that Su will work on raising income levels as the president doubles down on China policy. The public will have high expectations for him. I expect he will be more proactive and make more of a difference. Su is known as charismatic in public, speaking with an unusually gravelly voice, but he failed in several election campaigns. Hes also known as a tough boss. He has already started to reshuffle his staff following a mass resignation this week. Without a doubt, hes the No. 1 administrator, said Liu Yih-jiun, professor of public affairs at Fo Guang University in Taiwan. People working under him find it difficult because hes quite demanding. Jennings is a special correspondent. Nollywood actress Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde has taken to her Instagram page to narrate a very emotional story of how her first daughter cheated death and overcame brain damage. The heartfelt narration of the screen diva has won her the admiration of many. Omotola's first daughter, Princess, recently celebrated her 22nd birthday. A lot of fanfare was accorded to her in this regard. In fact, she was gifted a car by her father. In the spirit of this celebration, Omotola has taken to crowning her daughter as her woman crush. The actress then went on to state the reason why her daughter was so special in this regard. For one, she said that Princess had braced all odds to survive a brain damage. The very fact that she had cheated death was worth celebrating indeed. READ ALSO: Actress mocks baby daddy and his wife for giving birth to conjoined twins See her post below: "She was barely a year, she started running a temperature, cant remember how many hours anymore... she is our first child and we had not much experience. Gave her some... didnt seem to get better... suddenly, she slipped into what seemed to be a coma. "I panicked,we all did... neighbors everyone screaming and suggesting all sorts.... she was clenching her teeth fiercely, an Old woman we knew in the neighborhood suggested to put a spoon and pour salt into her mouth (totally wrong move) pls cold shower... READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda "We rushed her to the hospital and at first, the doctors were a bit reluctant ( I guess they thought it was a lost case) however, almost without much hurry she was worked on and miraculously, she came back! She had prior turned cold and was not responsive... hmm "We were told , it was high fever it had affected her brain and she could probably not develop normally or be able to catch up with her peers. Short of saying a vegetable.... As people of faith, we called on God, used proper ... and most importantly, applied extra lessons and treated her Normal as others. PAY ATTENTION: Get your daily relationship tips and advice on Africa Love Aid group "At first it was challenging, as she grew, she struggled, mostly with her sight. She couldnt see things right in front of her! Even in school , she would be put in front and still not see. A few changed schools, glasses, extra lessons ...we kept pushing. "At every level Princess worked extremely hard, harder than others. Always trying to prove everyone wrong and pass. Every time we feared or doubted, she passed with flying colors and moved to the next phase! Miracles before our eyes... Today she not only finished well from Uni, she insists on going for her Masters and is conquering all her fears. PAY ATTENTION: Read best news on Nigeria's #1 news app "Yesterday, she drove with her dad without instructions back and forth in traffic all around V.I You might not really understand this but anyone whos been told they cant achieve or do something especially for health reasons will understand. "This is the first time I am saying this in public and Many will be shocked,some might go,oh... now I understand... Princess, youve been an inspiration to Me without even knowing. May you inspire others too." Recently, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde listed her achievements last year which has shown just how much of a success she is. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We keep evolving to serve our readers better. Uche Jombo interview at Star Chat: Nollywood Should Be Taxed Less | Legit TV Source: Legit.ng - Nollywood star actress Funke Akindele is all smiles and laughter as she celebrates her hubby on his special day - The sweet mother of twin babies wished her husband JJC Skillz well as he clocked a new age - The couple also shared a dancing video in which they showed off their Zanku skills Love and laughter definitely abounds in the home of Funke Akindele Bello and her man Abdul Rasheed Bello popularly known as JJC Skillz. Not only do they constantly dish couple goals on social media, they are blessed with twin babies. Their joy is full and they make sure to reflect it on social media, leaving many fans inspired. Just recently, JJC clocked a year older and his sweet wifey, Funke showered him with sweet words on social media. The stunning mother of two called him her king and prayed that their love will last forever. The adorable couple also released a lovely dance video as they showed off their Zanku (leg work) moves and many fans are thrilled about the kind of love they share. READ ALSO: Victoria Kimani diss Tiwa Savage, Ycee in viral music challenge, Nigerians react See photos below: READ ALSO: 15 Signs That Show Your Love Will Withstand Anything It has been an incredible journey for the lovers who tied the knot in a secret wedding ceremony in London in 2016. Not only has their love blossomed and grown, they have remain best friends and partners in everything. Love is hard to come by but Funke and JJC Skillz make it look so easy. Happy birthday JJC Skillz! PAY ATTENTION: Get your daily relationship tips and advice on Africa Love Aid group Meanwhile, Funke Akindele recently showed off mom's duties as hubby praised her in celebration of Mother's Day. Did you know? NAIJ.com (naija.ng) is now-> Legit.ng We have updated to serve you better. PAY ATTENTION: Read best news on Nigeria's #1 news app EXCLUSIVE: 17 Years After Their Marriage. Ramsey Nouah Has This to Say About His Wife on Legit TV: Source: Legit Some popular figures in the Nigerian media space have shared their reservations concerning the submission of a police spokesperson who claimed that dreadlocks and tattoo are strange to the Nigerian culture. The past days on social media has been buzzing with the news of the unfortunate death of a young Nigerian man identified as Kolade Johnson, who lost his life after he was reportedly shot by an officer of the anti-cultism police unit in Gbagada, while they were on a raid to pick up youths who were rocking dreadlocks and hairstyles. Kolade death became worrisome for many Nigerians, which led many to beg the question as to why the officers were after people for the choice of what they were putting on or the type of hairstyle they had on in the first place. According to reports by BBC News, a spokesperson for the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) identified as DSP Bala Elkana, in responding to the questions by a reporter, said that dreadlocks and tattoos are strange to the countrys culture. READ ALSO: Femi Kuti calls for peaceful protest against police brutality Reacting to the policeman's position, Cool FM OAP Daddy Freeze, shared a counter opinion on his Instagram page in which he noted that the statement reeked of "prejudice and stereotyping". See his post below: Also reacting, Laura Ikeji begged the question if she was safe from the officers of the law because she also had tattoos. See her post below: PAY ATTENTION: Read best news on Nigeria's #1 news app PAY ATTENTION: Get your daily relationship tips and advice on Africa Love Aid group Renowned Nigerian journalist, Kadaria Ahmed, while reacting noted that the statement was incorrect and disclosed that her grandmother had tattoos. See her tweet below: READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda In other news, Legit.ng reported that popular Nigerian actor Sean Jimoh shared a video on IG in which he seriously berated corrupt officials of the police force. He rained a barrage of curses on anyone of them that was guilty of taking innocent souls. Kolade Johnson: My son came home from S/Africa because of issues there - Foster father | Legit TV Source: Legit.ng Popular American exotic dancer and model, Amber Rose, has announced that she is expecting a baby boy with her boyfriend, Alexander Edwards, popularly known as AE. Rose who is already a mother of a 6-year-old boy named, Sebastian Taylor Thomaz, began her relationship with AE in September 2018. The 35-year-old model and her boyfriend, who is the vice president of Def Jams A&R, announced the good news on Wednesday, April 3. They both announced their baby news on Instagram with a photo of Rose getting an ultra sound. On her post, Rose stated that she and AE are expecting a child together. She added that her son Sebastian is excited to become a big brother. READ ALSO: 50-year-old rapper Birdman wants his face tattoos removed, says he is getting older She wrote: @ae4president and I are SUPER excited to announce that we have a sweet little baby boy on the way! she wrote on Instagram, alongside a photo of her getting an ultrasound. P.S Sebastian is soooooo Happy to be a big brother! PAY ATTENTION: Read best news on Nigeria's #1 news app AE also shared the same photo on his Instagram page with a caption, thanking Rose for giving him the greatest gift. He said: Even when its dark.. my son will shine. Thank u baby 4 my greatest gift. s wild! I love you. I cant wait to thug it out w my baby boy. & baby boy, I promise I wont get mad if ur first words r where the b @?. READ ALSO: The Meghan Effect: 10 Brands Whose Sales Skyrocketed In Recent Years Because Of Meghan Markle The baby boy, when born would be the couple's first child together. Rose's first child is the son of her ex-husband Wiz Khalifa. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda Meanwhile, Legit.ng had earlier reported that American rapper, Cardi B, who was an exotic dancer like Rose, came under criticism after a video she filmed in the past surfaced online. The rapper had boasted about how she steals money from men after spiking their drinks. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have upgraded to serve you better Slimcase at Star Chat - Expect my Collaboration with Cardi B - on Legit TV Source: Legit A Nigerian lady has left an impression in the hearts of many Nigerians after she comes out to reveal her one big secret on Twitter. The beautiful woman identified as Tee Nsofor on the mini-blogging platform has disclosed that she has a dual identity both biologically and otherwise. Many have reacted to this. Tee Nsofor, a very beautiful lady whose melanin skin glows brilliantly revealed that, though she looks female-like, her biological identity is way more complex. According to her, she discovered this one night, and since then, she has been extremely terrified to talk about her truth. Tee gave an ample details about what the 'complicated' parts of her body system are. Upon discovering that she was different from the norm, the lady said she cried a lot. However, she said that she was not going to entertain fear anymore as she no longer minded coming out to reveal her well-kept secret. READ ALSO: Man gives wife his car after hers got damaged, side chic complains See her post below: "I remember the night I found out I was an intersex person. Chromosomal, gonadal, and hormonal, I was neither female nor male even though my physical genitalia were female-passing. I cried and cried because I wanted to be normal so much. Well, this is me coming out." READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda PAY ATTENTION: Get your daily relationship tips and advice on Africa Love Aid group Many Nigerians have reacted to this story of biological deviation in several ways. See some of the reactions below: PAY ATTENTION: Read best news on Nigeria's #1 news app Recently, social media users came for a lady who expressed an opinion that women should feed their men all the time regardless of the circumstances. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We keep evolving to serve our readers better. Can a man show his love to a woman without having money? | Legit TV Source: Legit An Allentown man working as a caretaker is accused of repeatedly abusing three of his clients that have mental health issues and physical disabilities, in what prosecutors are calling horrifying allegations. Charges were filed Monday against 33-year-old Antonio Montoya, but prosecutors allege the abuse occurred from January 2018 through January of this year. Montoya, of the 900 block of North 12th Street in Allentown, was taken into custody Thursday morning. He was sent to Northampton County Prison in lieu of $100,000 bail. During the period of alleged abuse, Montoya worked for Resources for Human Development, a Philadelphia-based human services nonprofit that includes day services and residential services for issues ranging from addiction and homelessness, to mental health issues and physical disabilities. In addition to staffing the group homes, Resources for Human Developments programs include Hope House and Cafe the Lodge restaurant, both in Bethlehem; and the Lehigh Valley Assertive Community Treatment Team. Police said Montoya worked for Resources for Human Development at two businesses -- a home at 118 Somerset St. in Freemansburg owned by the Lehigh County Housing Authority, and a home in the 5000 block of Preakness Place in Bethlehem Township. The residents are individuals with mental health and physical disabilities, and some are non-verbal and/or autistic, police said. Resources for Human Development employees provide daily care, including feeding and changing the residents. Bethlehem Township police said they were called Jan. 24 for a report of ongoing abuse at two facilities, and learned Montoya was mentally and physically abusing three residents, who are not named in court paperwork. Under state law, home health care employees and administrators are mandated reporters for abuse or neglect. A resident at the Freemansburg home reported one incident where Montoya allegedly placed him in a chokehold and held the victim until his face turned blue. A photo was taken of the attack, police said, and a witness identified Montoya as the person choking the victim. In a separate incident, Montoya allegedly slammed the same victims head into a wall, leaving the victim with cuts on his forehead. Two residents of the Bethlehem Township home reported that over a three-month period, from October 2018 through this past January, that Montoya would hit them in the head and face with a foam bat, and would smack or punch them in the head and face, police said. Officers said there are several people who witnessed the abuse. Around Halloween, the pair allege Montoya drove to a strip club, left the two residents in the vehicle with the doors locked, and then went into the strip club for a couple of hours, according to police. In the Northampton County incidents, he is charged with strangulation, neglect of care, endangering the welfare of a care-dependent person and simple assault. The allegations are horrifying, said Assistant District Attorney Patricia Mulqueen, who is prosecuting the case. Montoya is reportedly aware of numerous other allegations against him at various locations. Mulqueen said prosecutors are investigating, and anyone who believes they were victimized by Montoya should contact Bethlehem Township police Detective Tony Stevens at 610-814-6473. Antonio Montoya (Courtesy photo | For lehighvalleylive.com) Contacted about the allegations, Resources for Human Development said in a prepared statement they are cooperating with prosecutors and that Montoya was fired after the allegations came to light. We are shocked and outraged at the alleged actions of one of our former employees. Upon learning of these unconscionable allegations, RHD immediately contacted the authorities, moved to ensure care for program participants who were affected, and launched an internal investigation that has resulted in the termination of that employee, the statement said. RHD is cooperating fully with the police investigation. We are deeply committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the people we are privileged to serve, as we have been for nearly 50 years. As the investigation into this incident is ongoing, RHD cannot comment further at this time. In 2005, Montoya was charged with reckless endangerment, simple assault, making terroristic threats, and harassment in Allentown. He eventually pleaded guilty to the harassment charge, and the remaining charges were withdrawn or dismissed, records show. The following year, Montoya pleaded guilty in Lehigh County Court to four counts of possession with intent to deliver controlled substances in three cases. He was sentenced to 3 years to 10 years in state prison, records show, and was paroled in 2010. Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Bethlehem police are seeking the publics help in identifying a male who they say on Thursday morning robbed a Bethlehem Wawa. The robber had what appeared to be a black handgun as he demanded money from one of the cashiers about 4:30 a.m. at 2525 Easton Ave., police said. He left with an undisclosed amount of cash before police arrived, according to a news release. No one was injured, police said. If anyone believes they saw him or someone dressed in a similar fashion, they are asked not to make contact with him but to call city police at 610-865-7187 or to dial 9-1-1, the news release said. If anyone knows the robber, they are asked to call the city Criminal Investigations Division at 610-865-7162 or the department tip line at 610-691-6660, police said. Callers may remain anonymous. Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. A Montgomery County inmate is facing attempted murder and related charges after a brutal attack on his cellmate that left the victim fighting for his life, the district attorneys office said. The attack on Stephen Klampfer, 50, occurred Saturday in the infirmary of the Montgomery County Correctional Facility, prosecutors said. Klampfer is in a medically induced coma on life support. Prosecutors said Joseph Hodum attacked Klampfer, including stomping on the victims head more than 20 times. The 38-year-old Hodum, of Philadelphia, was arraigned Thursday on charges including attempted murder, aggravated assault, and assault by a prisoner. His bail was set at $1 million. Detectives said on Saturday morning, Hodum was standing at the locked cell door and yelling, while Klampfer was lying face up on the bunk. Hodum is accused of repeatedly punching the victim in the head, even after Klampfer went to the floor. Hodum was seen raising his knee and then stomping on Klampfers head more than 20 times, and continued to stomp after Klampfer lost consciousness, prosecutors said. Hodum did not stop until correctional officers intervened, the district attorneys office added. Klampfer was airlifted by helicopter to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center in Philadelphia, where he is listed in critical condition, prosecutors said. He suffered severe brain injuries, including hemorrhaging on the brain and brain stem, and is in a medically induced coma on life support. Hodum was being held in the facility while awaiting a violation hearing in a conspiracy to commit theft case. Records show Klampfer was convicted in 2016 of simple assault and making terroristic threats, and was currently serving a sentence for a probation violation in that case. Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. A multi-vehicle crash Thursday morning on William Penn Highway near Hope Road in Bethlehem Township injured three people and shut the busy thoroughfare, authorities report. Jaspreet Kaur, 19, of Easton, was facing west and stopped for a red light about 10:20 a.m. in a 2006 Nissan Altima, police said. Angela Bock, 57, of Easton, was stopped just behind in a 2017 Ford Edge, township police said. Marie McCarthy, 61, of Easton, then failed to stop a 2017 Kia Sorrento and struck the rear of Bocks vehicle, police said. The impact caused Bocks vehicle to hit Kaurs vehicle, police said. The drivers suffered minor injuries and the vehicles were towed, police said. The road was closed for about 30 minutes, police said. McCarthy was cited with careless driving, police said. Ed Rollin didnt witness the crash in front of his home of 13 years but saw the aftermath -- a familiar sight, he said. (Courtesy photo | For lehighvalleylive.com)Courtesy photo | For lehighvalleylive.com The speed limit in that stretch is 45 mph, but Rollin, after seeing many crashes over the years, said it should be 30 mph. Hes asked the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to reduce the speed limit, but it hasnt happened, he said. Vehicles are often barreling along the two-lane highway, he said. Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. An eighth Lackawanna County Prison employee faces criminal charges, for helping to perpetuate "a culture of sexual abuse within the prison," Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced Wednesday. Samantha Heinrich, 36, is accused of abusing her authority as a counselor in the prison, propositioning inmates and engaging in sexual acts with them. She was charged Wednesday with two counts of institutional sexual assault, based on a recommendation from a Statewide Investigating Grand Jury. My office is continuing to hold employees of the Lackawanna County Prison accountable for using their positions of authority in the prison to abuse inmates, Shapiro said in a news release. These charges today show that this investigation is still ongoing and that there may be other victims or witnesses. "Im asking anyone with information about abuse at the prison to call our Special Hotline at 570-846-4074. We want to hear from you. Heinrich began working as a counselor at the Scranton prison in 2012. As a liaison between inmates and outside agencies and individuals, she had daily contact with inmates. She is accused of engaging in sexual contact with two male inmates and distributing an inappropriate photo of herself to an inmate, according to the release. JUST IN: A counselor at the Lackawanna County Prison has been arraigned on two counts of institutional sexual assault. https://t.co/0K7YNtNlzf WNEP (@WNEP) April 3, 2019 The attorney general's office gave the following account of the allegations against Heinrich: "Heinrich was assigned as the counselor for one of the victims while he was an inmate at the prison. She reportedly began making sexual comments to him as soon as they met and they began exchanging sexually explicit notes. The defendant would often make excuses for the two to be alone nearly every day, at which time they would engage in sexual contact. The defendant later began a sexual relationship with another inmate to whom she was not assigned. The inmate reported feeling like she was stalking him because she always appeared wherever he was, despite not being assigned to his block. Heinrich reportedly showed the inmate photos of herself in various stages of undress and gave him one photo to keep. The two engaged in sexual contact on multiple occasions. Heinrich would reportedly bring the inmate food and, on one occasion, alcohol. After being notified of Heinrichs conduct, the prison opened an investigation and received an anonymous letter alleging Heinrich was engaging in inappropriate conduct, Shapiro said. A photograph was attached, according to the AGs office, and a search of Heinrichs office computer revealed inappropriate photos of her in various stages of undress. She was released on $25,000 unsecured bail, according to Shapiro's office. Court records did not immediately list an attorney for her, and no phone number could be found to call her for comment. In February 2018, Shapiro announced charges against seven Lackawanna County prison guards after a year-long investigation into institutional sexual assaults at the prison, making Heinrich the eighth person charged in relation to this investigation. Earlier this year, former prison guards Jeffrey Staff and George Efthimious pleaded guilty to official oppression for their roles. A woman described as a key witness in the grand jury probe was killed in a car crash last year allegedly caused by her boyfriend cutting her brake lines to make a crack pipe. John W. Jenkins, 40, remains in Luzerne County Prison awaiting trial on a homicide charge in the death of 38-year-old Tammy A. Fox, a mother of five young children. Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. A Lehigh County man who admitted to neglecting and abusing more than 100 animals was sent to state prison Wednesday. Derbe Skip Eckhart was sentenced to three to 10 years in state prison by Lehigh County Judge James Anthony, according to Pennsylvania SPCA spokeswoman Gillian Kocher. Eckhart, 51, of New Tripoli, failed to properly care for animals at a property he rented in the 6500 block of Central Road in Heidelberg Township and at the Almost Heaven Kennel in Upper Milford Township. Kocher previously said 108 animals were rescued from his property after warrants were served between May 2017 and June 2018. Eckhart pleaded guilty to a combined three counts of aggravated animal cruelty, 73 counts of animal cruelty, 24 counts of neglecting to provide veterinary care for animals and other related charges. Kocher said Eckhart was ordered to surrender all animals currently in the care of the Pennsylvania SPCA and ordered to pay $190,000 to the SPCA to provide care for those animals. He is prohibited from owning animals for 10 years, Kocher said. Eckhart has a history of convictions related to hoarding and abusing animals. The Pennsylvania SPCA has been working for decades to end the neglect and cruelty caused to animals at the hands of Derbe Eckhart, Pennsylvania SPCA Director of Humane Law Enforcement Nicole Wilson said after Eckharts plea hearing in January. Kocher said Eckharts attorney, Alfred Stirba, indicated he will appeal the sentence. Stirba was unavailable to comment Thursday. Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook. Easton Area School District officials say they became aware Wednesday night of a threat to be carried out Thursday at Easton Area Middle School. Working through the night with district, local, county and state authorities, an arrest was made and the threat resolved. A student in the grades six-through-eight school in Forks Township was turned over to Northampton County juvenile authorities and faces serious charges, Superintendent John Reinhart said. It should be noted the individual was apprehended at home prior to the arrival of students at the campus, an alert from the district says. No weapons were recovered and Reinhart said he has no proof the student had the ability to carry out the attack. Since the case is still in the investigative phase, it wont be decided for a few more days if the student will be allowed back in school, Reinhart said. Until that determination is made, the student wont be in school, Reinhart added. The juvenile court process for the most part is closed to the public so the students current status isnt clear. Even the terminology is different from adult court, with authorities petitioning the court due to the offenses alleged, county First Deputy District Attorney Terry Houck said. The court would quickly make a determination in any such case, looking out for the interests of the juvenile, Houck said. The goal is to find the best way to help (the juvenile) so (the juvenile) doesnt visit us again." The most extreme outcome would be for a juvenile to be adjudicated delinquent, Houck said, although there are lesser results that play out in many cases. Houck -- due to the nature of the court process -- wouldnt outline the offenses or say if the student remained in custody or had been released to parents. Reinhart wouldnt say how the district became aware of the written threat of violence. No credible threat remains, the alert said. Township police assisted district police in the initial effort but district police are in charge of the investigation, Forks Chief Greg Dorney said. The successful resolution was due to "great work on everyones part, Reinhart said. Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Walmart, for the first time, is getting ready to sell beer and wine in Pennsylvania. Is the Lehigh Valley next? Jason Klipa, Walmarts director public affairs and government relations in Pennsylvania, was mum Wednesday, saying theres no new information to share at this time on more potential stores soon to be carrying alcohol beyond the location in Fayette County, in the southwestern corner of the state. But Klipa did say the chain wants to be a stop for patrons to buy affordable beer and wine. We want Walmart customers in Fayette County to save money so they can live better, Klipa said. "We are excited to take this first step toward giving them a convenient and affordable way to buy beer and wine. The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board last month announced the results of an auction -- its eighth since 2016 -- for 25 liquor licenses, and named Walmart as the winning bidder of a license in Redstone Township, Fayette County. The companys winning bid was $65,000 and this is the first time Walmart has acquired a license to sell alcohol in Pennsylvania, reports pennlive.com, a sister site of lehighvalleylive.com. Walmart does not have a set timeframe for making the first sale, but when the chain does, it will be located in Walmarts Uniontown store, a chain spokesman said. Walmart will be limited in how much beer it can sell to a customer. Holders of Pennsylvania restaurant liquor licenses like the one Walmart won can sell up to 192 ounces to go, equal to a 12-pack of 16-ounce containers. Other convenience stores also are obtaining licenses. Wawas winning bid for $186,357 will allow the chain to be granted a liquor license in Philadelphia County, Phillyvoice reports. In order to be awarded the license, top bidders have 14 days from the date of each Notice of Selection to remit full bid payment to the PLCB. Each auction winner then has six months to file a license application with the PLCB. If there are plans by Wawa to expand the licenses into the Lehigh Valley, its unknown. Also unclear is what the chain plans to do with its liquor license in Philadelphia. A Wawa spokesperson did not return repeated requests for information this week. More than 100 Wawa locations in other states, such as Virginia and Florida, already sell alcohol. Stores in Philadelphia, in West Philly at 38th Street and Spruce Street, used to sell alcohol but ended the practice in 2001, according to Phillyvoice. The sole Pennsylvania Wawa currently permitted to sell alcohol is the Chadds Ford Wawa in Delaware County, which sells beer. Sheetz in July began debuting beer caves with one at 3201 Schoenersville Road, Bethlehem. The caves, the chain says, offer a variety of domestic, import and craft beers. Sheetz currently sells beer in 80 locations across Pennsylvania as well as in the five other states located in the companys footprint. Sheetz is trying to gain permission to sell beer and malt liquor at its location at 5001 MacArthur Road, Whitehall Township. A liquor license transfer request is on the agenda for the township board of commissioners regular meeting on Monday. Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. A fast-moving brush fire in rural Washington Township was brought under control Wednesday before it could spread to a residential neighborhood. The fire consumed either a shed or a barn and a wooded expanse near 350 Franklin Hill Road, according to Todd Weaver, who serves as the Northampton County director of Emergency Management Services and the township fire chief. Firefighters were dispatched around 3 p.m. By 4:30 p.m., as firefighters contained the blaze, it wasnt clear whether the fire started in the brush and spread to the structure or started at the structure and spread to the brush, Weaver said. High winds helped the fire move up a wooded slope toward Thoroughbred Court. Eastern Pennsylvania and northwestern New Jersey were under a red flag warning Wednesday, meaning the low humidity and wind gusts fueled the rapid spread of wildfires. The fire was a couple feet from Vern Koppenhavers utility shed at 56 Thoroughbred Court. He said he went out to get the mail around 2:30 p.m. when he noticed smoke. When I came out I could smell the leaves burning, he said. Way down in the woods you could see the black smoke. Koppenhaver dialed 911. By the time the firefighters came the brush adjacent to his backyard was ablaze. The fire had come all the way up, really up to the grassline, he said. He said firefighters arrived en masse. Weaver estimated at least 50 firefighters responded to the top end from Thoroughbred Court. He was unsure, as the firefighting effort continued, how many responded below on Franklin Hill Road. Several departments responded with tanker trucks for the effort. When they came, they came full force, Koppenhaver said. Koppenhaver said he didnt feel too threatened because the fire was confined to the brush had hadnt spread to the trees when firefighters arrived. By 4:30 p.m. the woods were smoky and filled with firefighters dousing hot spots. They got here as quickly as they could and they went to work immediately, Koppenhaver said. Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter@RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook. There were 14 Lehigh Valley schools last school year with kindergarten measles-vaccine rates below the 95% threshold health experts say is needed to prevent an outbreak of the highly-contagious disease. Thats according to school-level data for the 2017 school year provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Health. To protect student privacy, the department did not release data for schools with fewer than 20 students. Many of the 14 schools have small kindergarten classes with some students provisionally enrolled or parents citing Pennsylvanias religious or philosophical exemption to not vaccinate their kids. But measles is so contagious that 95% of people need to get the shot, so just a few parents refusing to vaccinate their kids can have wide-reaching consequences. In a non-immunized population, one person with the measles can infect 12 to 18 people. At 71.4%, Sacred Heart of Jesus School in Allentown has the lowest measles vaccine rate with 28.6% of students provisionally enrolled -- this means they were not up-to-date but now are or are working towards it. At the Swain School, the MMR rate is 82.1% with 14.3% of parents citing a religious exemption. You can look up your school in the table below. If you are having trouble seeing this table click here. Before there was routine measles vaccination, the disease killed 400 to 500 people in the U.S. annually. Measles starts out like a cold but carries serious side effects like brain damage, deafness, pneumonia, miscarriages in pregnant women and, in rare cases, death. With the help of widespread vaccination campaigns, the United State declared in 2000 that it had eliminated measles. Now, nearly two decades later, 387 measles cases have popped up in 15 states already in the first three months of 2019, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Thats the second highest numbers of cases reported in the U.S. since measles was declared eliminated in 2000; there were 667 people infected in 2014. The virus typically has spread in the U.S. when an unvaccinated traveler visits another country, contracts the measles and brings it back to the U.S. That person then infects other unvaccinated people or it spreads rampantly in under-vaccinated close-knit communities, like the Amish in Ohio in 2014. Ninety percent of unvaccinated people who come in contact with someone with measles will get infected, according to the New Jersey health department. Depending on the illness, vaccination rates of 90 to 95% -- a threshold known as herd immunity-- are needed to prevent the spread of a disease through the population easily, Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Rachel Levine said. Last year, Pennsylvania had two cases of the measles, but no full-blown outbreak. That is why it is so important to have herd immunity, Levine said. We are concerned (about potential outbreaks). We are vigilant in term of monitoring that but thats why we keep working to improve our immunization rates. No cases have been detected in Pennsylvania, but they have been in neighboring states. The CDC is tracking six outbreaks (defined as three or more confirmed cases) in Lakewood, N.J.; two areas of California; New York City; New York state and Washington state. In Rockland County, N.Y, officials have taken the unusual step of declaring a state of emergency and barring kids under 18, who dont have the measles vaccine, from public places for 30 days. Across the U.S., vaccine rates are falling due to some parents who question the safety of vaccines. Many of the concerns surrounding vaccinations can be traced back to a widely circulated research paper that falsely linked the MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella, and autism. That article has been proven to be completely false, Levine said, adding that doesnt stop it from being spread on social media and championed by some influential celebrities. The data was fraudulent and forged. Health authorities consider this settled science and emphasize the importance of vaccinating yourself to protect those who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons, like children with cancer. The most important message is that vaccinations are safe," Levine said. They are effective and they really are a very, very important tool to protect public health. ... There has been significant misinformation that has gone through communities and made worse with social media and led to parents making the mistake of withholding vaccines." All school-age children are required to receive the MMR vaccine. The CDC recommends two doses: the first at 12 to 15 months and the second at 4 to 6 years old. But Pennsylvania is among 17 states that allow parents to declare a philosophical exemption to excuse a child from being vaccinated for any reason. So does Washington state where theres currently an outbreak of 74 confirmed cases in the Pacific Northwest. State Sen. Daylin Leach, D-Montgomery/Delaware, just announced he plans to introduce a bill to close Pennsylvanias philosophical and religious exemption loophole. The law requires us all to get vaccinated to attend school because thats the only way we can protect the health of students who are medically unable to get a vaccination, Leach said. Vaccines are safe. The recent outbreak of mumps and measles reminds us that vaccines are absolutely essential to public health. When Levine took office in 2014, she took a different tactic once she discovered that Pennsylvanias immunization rate was below 95%. An analysis revealed the biggest culprit was a state regulation that allowed students who werent up-to-date on their vaccines to be provisionally enrolled for up to eight months. Thats almost the whole school year, Levine said. Two years ago, Pennsylvania officially shortened the window to only five days, which means children must be current on their vaccines or have a plan with their pediatrician to do so or risk being excluded from school until they comply. Because of this change the Pennsylvania Health Department said year-over-year comparisons should not be made with its vaccine rate data. Now, Pennsylvanias statewide measles immunization rate is almost 97%, Levine said. Levine acknowledges there are parts of the state with much lower rates, particularly in Amish and Mennonite communities. We work with those communities, Levine said. While Pennsylvanias MMR vaccine rate has improved since 2015 when Leach first introduced a bill to eliminate the philosophical exemption, he says, the data show an increase at the rate which students refuse vaccinations, citing the statutory moral or religious exemption. All of the science says that vaccines save many lives and stop the spread of easily preventable but deadly diseases, Leach said in a news release. "It would be legislative malpractice not to do all we can to ensure that our children are protected. A recent outbreak of more than 100 cares of the mumps at Temple University in Philadelphia highlights how vaccine protection can decline over time. The majority of the infected Temple students were actually vaccinated. It seems that the mumps immunity in young people has waned, which makes some people susceptible, Levine said, noting the Philadelphia Health Department is the lead agency on that outbreak. Because of this the CDC recommends MMR boosters during outbreaks and Temple offered free vaccine clinics last week. The school announced it will now require incoming students to have the MMR vaccine. Current Pennsylvania law requires immunization for diphtheria, tetanus, poliomyelitis, rubeola, rubella, mumps, hepatitis B, chickenpox, whooping cough and meningococcal disease. It is just so important as a pediatrician to protect childrens health and one of the safest most effective way we do that is through childhood vaccinations, Levine, who is a pediatrician, said. Sara K. Satullo may be reached at ssatullo@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @sarasatullo and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Brian Boru ended the Scandinavian Viking grip on Ireland, but a thousand years on their descendants were 'really happy' to be welcomed by Irish shoppers this week. There was a big queue at the opening of the first JYSK store in Ireland in Naas this week. The first customers had waited outside the branch from the early hours of Tuesday morning, April 2. JYSK is a Denmark-based homewares chain similar to the other Scandinavian company IKEA from Sweden. JYSK plans to open 15 JYSK stores in Ireland over the next couple of years. A Portlaoise branch is due to open this summer at the Laois Shopping Centre. Founder and owner of JYSK, Lars Larsen, opened his first store in Aarhus in 1979. He spoke to some of his new Irish customers in Naas. MORE BELOW PICTURE I am really happy that we have been so well received, and that so many people want to be part of the opening. I know that some of you in the front of the line has been here since 2 am, and I know that my colleagues in the store will make sure that you get what you came for, said Lars Larsen and continued. I know that right now only few people in Ireland know JYSK, but we will make sure to change that, he said. Mr Larsen was joined by the Danish Ambassador in Ireland, Niels Christen Pultz. Mr Pultz expressed his joy of being part of welcoming JYSK to Ireland, as JYSK in his opinion stands for some of the best qualities of Danish business culture. WATCH: JYSK QUEUE IN NAAS JYSK has over 2,700 stores and 23,000 employees in 52 countries. The opening of the first Irish shop coincided with the company's 40th anniversary. I couldnt imagine a better way to celebrate JYSKs 40th anniversary than to add another country to the JYSK world map," said Mr Larson before he arriving in Naas. "Expansion has been part of the DNA of JYSK since the first store opened 40 years ago, and I am happy to be able to mark that by opening our first store in Ireland. This is the last big country in Europe, where people until now has not had the opportunity to go to a local JYSK store, he said Larsen. The company wants to open 15 Irish outlets creating 200 jobs. The owner believes his chain has something to offer Irish shoppers. We are excited to welcome the Irish customers and present them to our assortment and the Scandinavian culture, which has been an important part of making JYSK a success in all the other countries, where we have opened. When we look at the market, we have very high hopes that JYSK will have great opportunities to expand in Ireland, says Lars Larsen. The latest financial year resulted in a new record for Lars Larsen Group with earnings before tax of more than 300 million. Apart from JYSK Mr Larsen also has investments in restaurants and leisure sectors. Laois TD Minister for Justice and Equality, Charlie Flanagan TD has launched the 2019 An Garda Siochana recruitment campaign. Successful candidates are required to undergo a two-year training programme leading to a BA in Applied Policing. The two year programme comprises three phases. Phase one is made up of a 34-week block of tuition at the Garda College in Templemore after which they attest as members of An Garda Siochana. The second phase is a 34-week block of on-the-job experiential learning. The third phase consists of autonomous training. Trainees receive an allowance of 184 per week during the first part training with accommodation and food provided by the Garda College. Following attestation as a full member of An Garda Siochana, a recruit moves onto the first point of the Garda incremental pay scale of 30,296. The incremental scale rises to 48,754 per annum after 8 years with two further increments after 13 and 19 years' service when a member reaches the maximum point of the pay scale which is currently 52,482. Other allowances may also be payable including for unsocial hours and overtime. Welcoming the campaign, Minister Flanagan urged people to apply. The mission of An Garda Siochana is to protect and serve, and I encourage all those interested in supporting that mission, to consider applying. A career as a Garda is hugely rewarding. Its one of public service where, every day, members make a vital contribution to the safety and well-being of their communities all across the country. "An Garda Siochana is an integral part of those communities, where they forge connections which have helped maintain public respect for our policing service. Minister Flanagan encouraged members of new and minority communities to consider a career in the force. I very much welcome the Commissioners decision to facilitate alterations to the Garda uniform on request to accommodate religious and ethnic diversity. An Garda Siochana is there to serve all members of our society so it is important for it to reflect the welcome and increasing diversity of Irish life. "I would urge members of our minority and new communities to consider applying as Ireland needs increased workforce diversity in all our public services. Being a Garda is a coveted job among young able ambitious people. It traditionally attracts large numbers of applicants and every successful candidate will get a warm welcome and a chance to use and develop all their skills, he said. The Laois TD said the Government fully supports this transformation as evidenced by its continuing support for accelerated recruitment which has resulted in 2,600 new recruits attesting as Gardai since September 2014. Through continuing recruitment, Garda numbers will reach 15,000 in 2021. This ambitious target can only be achieved with a continuous pipeline of suitable candidates. This is a very exciting time for policing in Ireland. We have started to implement the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland recommendations which will transform and modernise how policing is delivered over the coming years. There is a huge opportunity for people who are interested in joining An Garda Siochana to use their many talents to shape this transformation, to contribute to building a modern police service, and to ensure that An Garda Siochana continues to be held in the high esteem that its proud tradition deserves, he said. The Minister said there are a variety of roles available. Community policing remains at the heart of policing in Ireland and modern policing is a dynamic and evolving area. During their careers, Gardai have the opportunity to specialise in areas such as cybercrime; child protection; counter-terrorism; anti-fraud; international policing and much more and above all have the opportunity to serve their communities in this vital public service. Applications must be made through www.publicjobs.ie The closing date for applications is Wednesday 24 April 2019. A file on possible wrongdoing by prison service employees is to be sent to the Garda Commissioner, the Department of Justice and the Data Protection Office. The claims were contained in documentation raised with the Department of Justice Secretary General in the Dail by Fianna Fail TD Marc MacSharry. The TD said the documentation contains details of surveillance of prison staff by prison authorities outside jails. He read a statement into the record at the Public Accounts Committee public meeting with Justice officials which was chaired by Laois TD Sean Fleming. The Sligo TD said had sought legal on advice the claims contained in the documents before deciding to raise it at the committee. "The contents of this documentation are a matter of huge concern to me...They appear to be a list of profiles of people who may have been and may still be serving prison officers and contractors. It includes what I would describe as personal details and alleged wrongdoing. "It gives detailed accounts of the movements of a person or persons in areas outside the prison environment with dates times addresses and vehicle registration numbers. "The providence of this information if genuine, would implicate the operational support group of the prison service in surveillance and intelligence gathering outside the prison environment. "Because of the nature and contents of these documents, I will today forward a copy to the Garda Commissioner, the Data Protection Commissioner and the relevant authorities and naturally this is a matter of huge concern to me," he said. Dep McSharry also asked the Department officials about their awareness of the actions of a member of prison service staff. "Can I ask if the Department is aware of an instance of a prison employee with the responsibility of stores in any of our prisons was selling stores items on the internet? "Can you confirm whether this person was simply allowed to resign as opposed to being subjected to the appropriate Garda investigation, prosecution penalties and loss or recovery to the state? "And, if the Department is not aware can you make all necessary enquiries?" concluded the TD. He also asked questions about what happens with products made and sold in prisons. He also asked if prison materials has been used to make improvements to the homes or holiday homes of staff. Dep MacSharry also raised questions over possible nine incidents of sexual harassment between staff or by a prisoner against a prison nurse. He asked if the Department would carry out a confidential of female prison staff. The TD also asked for answers on allegations on the use of up to 25,000 from the tuck shop of a Dublin prison to fund a trip by prison staff to a sporting event in the United States. He also called for a GSOC style body to be set up to investigate issues involving prison staff. He said prisons were operating as islands and the Irish Prison Service HQ in Longford are "only as good as the information provided to them". Laois TD Sean Fleming said that he has a duty to send a transcript of what is being said to the Garda Commissioner. "Given that there is a suggestion of criminality here I have a duty to send this to the Garda Siochana," he said. An international athlete who represents Nigeria in weightlifting has been given a suspended sentence and put off the road for four years having been convicted of twice driving without proper documentation. At last weeks sitting of Portlaoise District Court, Olusola Friday, 28, with an address at 53 Thornberry, Abbeyleix, was charged with driving with no licence or insurance, at Ballydavis, Portlaoise, on December 4, 2018; and the same offence at Thornberry, Abbeyleix, on March 7 this year. The court heard the accused had previously received two driving disqualifications and had been disqualified at the time of the offence. Defence, Mr Philip Meagher said the accused, a Nigerian national with one child, was a general operative in a dog food factory and had been desperate to get work as his partner was not working. He got the gift of a vehicle from a man who was returning home and took a chance to drive it to get to work. Mr Meagher said his client had another prosecution to come before the court in May next. Judge Catherine Staines remarked that the accused had a total disregard for court orders, to which Mr Meagher said the accused was very ashamed of himself. He said the accused knew that court orders must have an effect and there is now a car pool he can enter into to get to work. Mr Meagher said the accused is an international athlete who represents his country in weightlifting. Judge Staines said the accused had been disqualified for drink driving previously, an offence which puts lives at risk, and he had since driven twice on separate occasions while disqualified. On one account of no insurance, the accused was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for one year, and disqualified from driving for two years. The second no insurance charge was taken into consideration and he was disqualified for four years. The charge of no licence was taken into consideration. The accused was warned that if he come before the court again he could go to prison. Met Eireann has forecast a sharp drop in temperatures tonight as the cold snap is set to plummet below zero to -3C in some parts of Ireland. Wrap up warm on Thursday night as this evening and early tonight persistent rain in the east will spread northwestwards and turn to sleet on higher ground. There is an ongoing risk of hail and thunder. Later in the night, the rain will turn more showery. There will be good clear spells over Munster and later over Leinster and lowest temperatures fall to around -3 to -1 degrees with a widespread sharp frost and icy stretches. Winds fall light with mist and fog patches developing there. However, over Connacht and Ulster lowest temperatures will be zero to +3 degrees with grass frost in moderate to fresh easterly breezes. On Friday frost will clear the southwest in the morning. There will be scattered outbreaks of rain over the northern half of country at first but a band of rain will soon push into the east and spread northwestwards across the country with the southwest staying mostly dry. Top temperatures will be 7 to 11 degrees in freshening easterly winds. SEE THE FULL MET EIREANN IRISH WEATHER FORECAST FOR THE WEEKEND HERE. WATCH New Met Eireann weather warning video The landmark Portlaoise Convent site was one of those considered for a new secondary school in Portlaoise but the Department of Education has now advanced talks to build the school somewhere else after ruling out several other sites. Negotiations for a site to build a new school for Dunamase College, Portlaoise is at a 'very advanced stage' according to the Education Minister, Joe McHugh. The Minister said in a Dail reply to Brian Stanley TD that negotiations are progressing for a site to build a new school for the rapidly growing Dunamase College, which is currently located at Railway Street, in interim accommodation in Portlaoise town centre. Minister McHugh told Deputy Stanley that a number of potential sites were identified but deemed unsuitable and the Department's focus has now shifted to one site in particular. "A number of potential sites were identified and comprehensively assessed. Unfortunately, all of the sites initially identified presented challenges. "A further site option was subsequently identified and was found to present a viable solution for the delivery of accommodation. Negotiations with the landowner in respect of the proposed acquisition of this site are at a very advanced stage. I can assure the Deputy that my Department officials are working to advance the acquisition of this site as expeditiously as possible," Minister McHugh said. It was referenced at a Laois County Council meeting on Wednesday that there is a 'strong possibility' that a new school could be built beside The Holy Family School campus at Aughnaharna, Portlaoise. Deputy Stanley raised the issue of locating a site for the building of the new Dunamase College, Portlaoise with the Minister in the Dail this week. This school was established in 2017 and it currently has 78 pupils on an interim basis in what was the old technical school in Railway Street, Portlaoise. "This building has some shortcomings, for example, there is very little space around it to use as a play area without room for expansion. Great credit is due to Laois/Offaly ETB, the staff of the college, in particularly An Priomhoide Aoife Elster, who has done fantastic work, and An Foras Patrunachta, which is joint patron with Laois/Offaly ETB. "Colaiste Dhun Masc Portlaoise has grown beyond all expectation and already has 112 pupils registered for this September. "This is a bilingual school with an Irish and English stream which is very successful, with pupils from throughout County Laois in attendance. A new site has to be located in Portlaoise to accommodate all these pupils," Deputy Stanley said. There are concerns over the capacity of the school if it remains in the current location. Acquiring the site for the new building would be the first step in a long process to get the new school built. It is expected that the site will be secured within the next two months. Chief Executive of the LOETB, Joe Cunningham, said a number of 'preferred sites' were identified. "No permanent site has been acquired as yet for Dunamase College. A number of preferred sites have been identified and the Department of Education and Skills are currently in negotiations with vendors at present. "It is hoped that the negotiations will be concluded in the next few weeks and LOETB will gladly confirm the permanent site for Dunamase College at that time," he said. Brian Boru ended the Scandinavian Viking grip on Ireland, but a thousand years on their descendants were 'really happy' to be welcomed by Irish shoppers this week. There was a big queue at the opening of the first JYSK store in Ireland in Naas this week. The first customers had waited outside the branch from the early hours of Tuesday morning, April 2. JYSK is a Denmark-based homewares chain similar to the other Scandinavian company IKEA from Sweden. Read also: Hundreds queue for grand opening of JYSK store in Naas JYSK plans to open 15 JYSK stores in Ireland over the next couple of years. A Portlaoise branch is due to open this summer at the Laois Shopping Centre. Founder and owner of JYSK, Lars Larsen, opened his first store in Aarhus in 1979. He spoke to some of his new Irish customers in Naas. MORE BELOW PICTURE I am really happy that we have been so well received, and that so many people want to be part of the opening. I know that some of you in the front of the line has been here since 2 am, and I know that my colleagues in the store will make sure that you get what you came for, said Lars Larsen and continued. I know that right now only few people in Ireland know JYSK, but we will make sure to change that, he said. Mr Larsen was joined by the Danish Ambassador in Ireland, Niels Christen Pultz. Mr Pultz expressed his joy of being part of welcoming JYSK to Ireland, as JYSK in his opinion stands for some of the best qualities of Danish business culture. JYSK has over 2,700 stores and 23,000 employees in 52 countries. The opening of the first Irish shop coincided with the company's 40th anniversary. I couldnt imagine a better way to celebrate JYSKs 40th anniversary than to add another country to the JYSK world map," said Mr Larson before he arriving in Naas. "Expansion has been part of the DNA of JYSK since the first store opened 40 years ago, and I am happy to be able to mark that by opening our first store in Ireland. This is the last big country in Europe, where people until now have not had the opportunity to go to a local JYSK store, he said Larsen. The company wants to open 15 Irish outlets creating 200 jobs. The owner believes his chain has something to offer Irish shoppers. We are excited to welcome the Irish customers and present them to our assortment and the Scandinavian culture, which has been an important part of making JYSK a success in all the other countries, where we have opened. When we look at the market, we have very high hopes that JYSK will have great opportunities to expand in Ireland, says Lars Larsen. The latest financial year resulted in a new record for Lars Larsen Group with earnings before tax of more than 300 million. Apart from JYSK Mr Larsen also has investments in restaurants and leisure sectors. A campaign to get a monument built in memory of Newbridges fallen soldiers has gained new momentum. Read also: Irish Rail appeal for owner of dog who traveled on a train from Kildare to Dublin Mick OCarroll, from the St Conleths branch of the Organisation of Ex Service personnel (ONE) recalled how the possibility of a memorial was first mooted back in 2007 when members of ONE met with council officials. On foot of those discussions a plaque was unveiled at the Town Hall in memory of the soldiers of Newbridge who died in all wars and in the service of peace with the UN. However, Mr Carroll said it was always the intention to move the plaque to an official monument. Cllr Murty Aspell raised the matter at a recent Kildare Newbridge Municipal District meeting. He said he understood there may have been plans to remove the railing in front of the town hall to make space for a semi-circular open space area. He said that could be the perfect spot for the monument. Town's history Newbridge is a garrison town and it would never have existed if it wasnt for the army. I think this is something that is hugely important, said Cllr Aspell. Mr OCarroll pointed out the huge committment the soldiers had made. They fought and died so that everyone else could sleep safe and sound in their beds. There should be some sort of way of commemorating that committment. Its important for the town, he said. Cllr Aspell said he had been given a process by which the group could apply for funding for the monument. The Newbridge councillor said he was following this process to ensure the memorial would be built. He was advised by the council that proposals must be submitted to the corporate services section of the local authority. Then the Civic Memorial Technical Committee will consider all applications deemed to be valid under the terms of the councils policy. Recommendations will then be brought to the Corporate Policy Group (CPG) for consideration. The CPG will consider the recommendations and determine whether the application should be brought before full council or the municipal district for a final approval. The council said that, to date, two applications have been approved. Fianna Fail general election candidate for Sligo-Leitrim Shane Ellis has expressed his concern that Sligo Airport may not be able to continue to provide a base to Rescue 118, the search and rescue helicopter assigned to Sligo and the wider region. Following meetings with airport officials Shane Ellis explained, I am in frequent dialogue with Albert Higgins, Chairperson of Sligo Airport Board, who has concerns as the airport is struggling to meet the costs required for a 24-hour tower which is critical to operations of Rescue 118. I understand the cost of the tower is approx. 50k per year yet since the public service obligation funding ceased for the airport there is little to no income at the airport. Compared with Waterford Airport, who are of a similar level yet receive much funding yearly, we in the west are being left behind. Along the western sea board, we know all too well the dedication and commitment of our search and rescue teams. It is imperative they have a base in Sligo and that funding is guaranteed for the tower to facilitate operations out of Sligo. Successive Fine Gael Ministers for Transport have been lobbied on this over the years but ignored the north west. I am calling on our current Minister for Transport to ensure that full time tower operations are supported to back the lifesaving efforts of Rescue 118, concluded Shane Ellis. Criminals tried to stay connected behind bars at Midlands and Portlaoise prisons in Laois, as almost 150 mobile phones were seized last year. As well as 149 mobile phones seized from the Portlaoise and Midlands prison campuses there were 23 litres of home-brewed alcohol known as hooch seized and 127 drug seizures. Some of Ireland's most dangerous criminals are in the maximum security Portlaoise Prison, where 22 mobile phones were seized. This accounts for one phone for every ten high-security prisoners, according to the Portlaoise Prison population of 241 on Monday, April 1, 2019. Figures obtained originally by the Leinster Express from the Irish Prison Service under a Freedom of Information request reveal that a total of 149 phones were seized between the Portlaoise and Midlands prison campuses in 2018. The Midlands Prison is Irelands largest prison with a population of 838 on April 1. Some 127 mobile phones were seized at the Midlands Prison campus last year, meaning one in every six prisoners tried to stay connected to life outside of the medium security prison. As well as mobile phones, alcohol, drugs, weapons and other items were seized on both prison campuses which exist side by side at the Dublin Road, Portlaoise. Just one litre of alcohol, referred to as hooch by the prison service was seized from Midlands Prison, while 22 litres were seized from Portlaoise Prison. Drugs were seized 97 times in the Midlands Prison and 30 times in Portlaoise Prison in 2018. The Irish Prison Service said it loosely classifies materials seized as drugs like tablets or powder but it is not in a position to state if any of these items are illegal drugs as no testing is conducted on substances found within the prison. Weapons were seized 92 times from the Midlands prison last year and eight times from Portlaoise Prison. Common prison weapons may include a shiv which is a handmade knife using a filed down toothbrush with something sharp like a razor embedded in it. A total of 160 other items were seized between both prisons with 127 from Midlands and 33 from Portlaoise. The number of seizures reported does not include statistics exclusively for items confiscated from prisoners alone. These statistics represent all seizures made across the prison estate from prisoners and other sources like security nets and visitors. The total population of Midlands and Portlaoise prisons on April 1 was 1,079. Thousands of people from the border areas came out to protest against the negative impact that a hard Brexit will have on the region last Saturday , March 30. A number of protests were held in locations along the border including Blacklion/Belcoo and Croke Park (prior to the division 4 league final). In a statement issued following the protest, Border Communities Against Brexit (BCAB) noted: The staggering mess that hard Brexit supporting politicians have managed to deliver in the past week with the failure of the Tory government supported by the DUP, means we have more uncertainty. Europe look on bewildered at the lack of cross-party consensus and the continual political infighting with horror. We in Border Communities Against Brexit have a clear message, (Northern Ireland) voted to remain and we support the withdrawal agreement. It is far from perfect, it is not close to being a good a deal as remaining in the EU, but it does give us all certainty for the future. BCAB said that their representatives hailed from all backgrounds and all sectors of the community and all had the same message, we will not accept a hard border, we demand that our rights be respected, and most importantly the Irish government cannot leave those in border communities and in the North behind. The group concluded by stating that no dilution of the Backstop would be accepted. A YOUNG man who was caught carrying a large quantity of power tools minutes after they were stolen from a parked vehicle has been warned he risks going to jail if he reoffends. Shane ODonoghue, 20, of Lenihan Avenue, Prospect pleaded guilty to a charge of handling stolen property at South Circular Road, Limerick in the early hours of May 22, 2018. Limerick Circuit Court was told the defendant was stopped by gardai on routine patrol after they observed him walking while carrying a bag in suspicious circumstances. An assortment of owner tools, worth thousands of euro were recovered after the bag was searched. The tools included a welder, drills and a grinder while a pair of designer sunglasses and a distinctive jacket were also recovered by gardai. John OSullivan BL, prosecuting, said the property which was taken from a Landcruiser which was parked outside a private home was recovered before the owner realised it had been taken. The owner later told gardai, he had parked his vehicle at around 8pm and only realised there had been a break-in a number of hours after Mr ODonoghue had been intercepted. During a sentencing hearing, Pat Whyms BL said his client left school at an early age and that this has had a significant impact on him and is a factor in his offending. However, he said he has been engaging positively with various services, including Limerick Youth Service, in recent months and now has a structured routine in his daily life. He is now occupied during working hours, said Mr Whyms. While a probation report prepared for the court found Mr ODonoghue is at high risk of re-offending, Mr Whyms submitted this assessment was largely based on his past history and offending. He has engaged fully, he is now suitably motivated. He is at a crossroads in his life and the signposts are pointing in the right direction, he said. Judge Tom ODonnell was asked to note the defendants admissions and early guilty plea and the fact that all of the stolen property was recovered by gardai. The judge said the theft of the tools had the potential to affect the owners livelihood. He said the defendants previous convictions were an aggravating factor as was the value of the tools he was carrying when stopped by gardai. He noted Mr ODonoghue was in custody for a number of months following his arrest and that he appears to have learned a salutary lesson. Noting the contents of a probation report, Judge ODonnell accepted the defendant is engaging with Limerick Youth Service with purpose and is doing very well. He imposed an 18 month prison sentence, suspending it for 18 months subject to Mr ODonoghue staying out of trouble. The defendant was also ordered to engage with the Probation Service for the duration of the suspended sentence. Management and staff at Litho Circuits have taken great pride in accepting a commendation for its latest innovation at the SEAI Energy Show 2019 in the RDS, Dublin. The company, based in Raheen Business Park, was commended for its Shannon Lantern which offers a cost effective, energy saving lighting solution. The gear tray, supplied by Litho-Circuits has been used to retrofit public lights throughout Ireland Since 2017 recognition for Litho Circuits ambition to create a sustainable lighting solution for the future has been acknowledged at the SEAI Energy Shows. In 2017 the company won in the Lighting Category with the MicroPlus Street Light and last year was awarded for the SOX20-28-32W LED Bulb. There was also a commendation for Driver on-board Warehouse Light in 2018, which has been followed up with this years commendation for The Shannon Lantern. Colm Egan, technical development manager, said, Its a fantastic achievement for Litho Circuits to win again this year. A lot of thought goes into the development of our products and its great for all the team to receive this acknowledgment. Were looking forward to a busy second half to the year with lots of exciting street lighting projects in the pipeline. Visit http://www.litho-circuits.com/ for more details or call 061 491800 A CRUCIAL out-of-hours psychiatry service at University Hospital Limerick for children with serious mental health needs is currently not operating as its under a feasibility review by the HSE. A source informed this newspaper that the 8pm to 8am Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) had been put on-hold between late February and the first week of March. The HSE confirmed on Tuesday that, at present, the out-of-hours service was not operating and under review. Some out-of-hours emergency cases are being dealt with, the spokesperson confirmed. The HSE has moved to reassure the public over the announcement, saying that while a 24-hour service is not operating paediatric patients will still be assessed at the hospital. In the event that a paediatric psychiatric consultant is not available after 8pm, patients will be seen to appropriately by another consultant in the emergency department, the Leader understands. A spokesperson said that the HSE Mid-West is currently looking with its CAMHS consultants as to the best means for response to unplanned appointments. The HSE said that it will continue to respond to emergencies by day and some parts of the out of hours service. We hope to be able to produce our final plans shortly as the matter is still under review. Limerick TD Tom Neville raised the issue in Dail Eireann this Wednesday afternoon with Minister of State Jim Daly, asking him to clarify on the HSE review. The Fine Gael asked Minister Daly why the services were not in full practice, adding that he believed the services should be operating 24 hours. He requested an answer on the matter and get to the bottom of this as soon as possible. In response, Minister Daly said that just 14 patients used the out-of-hours service in 2018. I am aware of the issue and I am aware of the review that is happening there. The issue underpinning this, Leas Ceann Comhairle, is that the number of people who sought this service in the out-of-hours last year was 14 in the entire year. So we have to look at our available resources and see if that is the best use of them, and that is something we are engaging with the consultants and, indeed, with patients and families and the HSE, to see that we are deploying our resources in the most appropriate manner when the demand is clearly not there when it was 14, Minister Daly told Dail Eireann this week. Sinn Fein TD Maurice Quinlivan has expressed concern over the service being reduced, stating that the Government has shown zero commitment to addressing problems with mental health services. A TOP hotelier left fighting for his life after a fall in Spain is to take part in a charity abseil from the top of a nine-storey building. Former Limerick GAA sponsor, Athea man Tom Moran, who owns the Red Cow Hotel, is bidding to raise 200,000 to help St James' Hospital in Dublin, which helped him recover from a near-fatal brain injury. The father-of-seven will abseil from the new nine-storey extension to his hotel on Sunday, June 2, almost three years to the day since he was placed in an induced coma following his fall in Malaga. Writing for the first time about his 2016 accident through his online fundraising page, the popular businessman has revealed he spent six weeks in hospital in Spain, before he was airlifted back to Ireland under the care of the neurologist Dr Colin Doherty. "The outlook in Spain from the outset was very bleak and I was not expected to survive. Back in Dublin, the prognosis was no more positive. My family were told that if I survived, that there was every possibility I would need care for the rest of my life. The damage caused to my head was likely to result in me being brain damaged, blind and paralysed." Despite all this, Tom has defied all the odds making an incredible recovery, and being dubbed the Miracle Man. Now, he says he is determined to give back to the hospital that got him back on his feet and help others with brain related conditions. Raising 200,000 will help the hospital pay to build a dedicated brain disease research and resource centre. "St James's Hospital treat a large number of patients with a range of brain diseases, including epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, motor neurone and other complex brain diseases," he explained. It's not the first time the businessman has taken part in charity challenges. Back in 2012, he walked from Limerick to Dublin on a 'Tomathon' charity walk to raise money for suicide prevention charity Pieta House. Mr Moran previously owned many hotels in Britain, including the landmark Cricklewood Crown Moran Hotel in North-West London. However, he sold the bulk of his group - which comprised Bewley's Hotels - to Dalata in a 455m deal. He kept hold of his first hotel though, the Red Cow after paying 8m. Tom is asking people to join him on the abseil. For more information or to donate, contact the Red Cow Moran Hotel at 01-4593650. Alternatively, visit his fundraising page. A PENSIONER suffering from Parkinsons Disease and a heart condition was left waiting on a trolley for four nights amid high levels of overcrowding at University Hospital Limerick, the Limerick Leader has learned. Kilmallock man Denis Mulcahy, 79, attended the emergency department on Friday night after presenting with a concussion, his son Joe told the Leader. Joe, who likened the overcrowded conditions to a cattle mart, said he was angry over the issue at the Dooradoyle hospital. He cant sleep with the bright lights shining down on him. With his condition, the last thing he needs is this kind of stress. His health has deteriorated a lot since he has gone in there, said Joe, who confirmed that his father was admitted to a bed in a ward at 4am on Tuesday. Im very angry about it. My father has worked hard all of his life, paid his taxes, and this is how he is being treated. It keeps happening, and its my father today but tomorrow it could be someone elses mother or father. The problem is going on for years and years now. Enough is enough, people are fed up. I would like to see the Minister answer for this, he added. Joe said he has had to be accompanied by a staff nurse the entire time, and that his mobility and speech is poor. Joe said the problem is not down to the nurses and doctors and that they are all so overworked. Its mayhem. Denis was admitted to the emergency department on the same day UHL closed its 17-bed Ward 1A, which has sparked widespread public outrage. A spokesperson for the UL Hospitals Group said that it notes the commentary on the closed ward and again points out that 22 beds have opened elsewhere in the hospital in recent weeks. A spokesperson for the UL Hospitals Group said that five bed spaces in the vacated acute medical assessment unit opened this Monday. The 15-bed medical ward 4C will be fully staffed at weekends. The UL Hospitals Group has previously explained that Ward 1A is to close to facilitate the completion of works on a new fracture unit. The spokesperson added that the plan to close the unit is offset by recently-opened 12-bed surgical short stay unit; three extra cardiology beds opened last week; five bed spaces are being looked at the vacated former acute medical assessment unit. Responding to Mr Mulcahys lengthy trolley wait, the spokesperson said: It regrets especially when elderly patients face long waits. For reasons of patient confidentiality, UL Hospitals Group cannot discuss individual cases. The spokesperson said there have been high volumes of over-75s presenting to the ED in recent days. At 7am on March 31, there were 18 over-75s in the ED, 14 of whom were admitted patients awaiting a bed. However, the UL Hospitals Group is working on a number of initiatives for patients aged 75 and older, in order to prioritise the group for treatment in the emergency department. He said colour-coded documentation is in use to highlight this vulnerable group of patients, and that multidisciplinary teams of health professionals are identifying elderly patients for early intervention in order to avoid hospital admission. UHL set the new national record for most patients on trolleys this Wednesday, with 81 patients on trolleys. THE HILLS of south Limerick will be alive to many sounds from this Thursday. The fourth HearSay International Audio Arts Festival runs until Sunday. Founder and director, Diarmuid McIntyre says their mission is a simple one, To create a home that celebrates and inspires creative audio all around the world. There are over 100 events celebrating the crafted sound disciplines of radio documentary, film sound, audio fiction, sound art, audio features, narrative. The model of the event is the worlds finest audio makers take over an Irish mountain village for four days of inspiration with 100 events performance, workshops, talks, screenings, encounters, installations - in unconventional locations throughout the village and a strong focus on creative collaboration, said Diarmuid. Artists /contributors will travel from 18 countries and include winners of BAFTAs, Emmys and Golden Globes. Its also a festival that brings together two communities - the international creative audio community and the Ballyhoura community. In doing so we foster collaboration and imagination, compelling insights, creative challenges and unique experiences, said Diarmuid. Since it's first edition in 2014, HearSay has grown into an event with a global reputation. Multiple day passes to HearSay 19 were capped at 405 including artists, crew, and regular attendees - and booked out in January. Registrations currently come from 31 countries. The profile of HearSay 19 is reflected by the delegates, including from the UK alone - the head of BBC Sound, head of The Guardian Audio, and the head of Audible. But locals certainly havent been forgotten about. All people within five miles are provided with a pass to access events free of charge. The engagement with the south Limerick community, which do not generally have access to arts, is a key driver of the festival. One things that gives us motivation is to provide local people with access to exciting new art forms of a world-class standard on their doorstep. There are workshops with schools, compositions weaving sounds and voices for local people, collaborations with local drama groups, events aimed squarely at local people and events which work for both local people and visitors. Events take place on the street, in community spaces, in buildings that are derelict in working shops, said Diarmuid. It all adds up to a massive economic boost for south Limerick. There will be just under 2,000 additional bednights as a result of HearSay19. Nearly 20% of those will be in homestays - private houses with spare rooms that spreads the economic impact throughout the community. Its first iteration was only possible due to the massive generosity of local business, the Ballyhoura Mountain Lodges gave all their rooms for free for artists as did the Deebert House Hotel. However, if local businesses do not benefit from HearSay then it undermines the local economy when it could be strengthening it. As HearSay runs intensely from early morning til late at night, once visitors arrive in Kilfinane for the day - bussed in a special HearSay bus from surrounding towns / villages, they stay and spend their money locally, said Diarmuid. Some men suspected to be armed robbers have allegedly killed the bursar of the Akure Diocese of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Gabriel Kola Abiodun. It was gathered that the deceased was shot dead at the diocesan office at Alagbaka, Akure, the Ondo State capital this morning shortly after returning from bank with N500,000 meant for the church. His remains has been evacuated and taken to the mortuary by some policemen. The Public Relations Officer of Ondo State Police Command, Femi Joseph confirmed the incident, saying the police has swung into action to apprehend the killers. Tyson Fury has been named on the shortlist for the BBC's Sports Per ... Police in Kirinyaga County Kenya has launched manhunt for a 40-year-old man who allegedly killed his friend on claims that the friend started a relationship with his ex-wife, Josephine Wawira.(pictured) The suspect identified as Simon Gitari allegedly stabbed to death Simon Muriithi,45, after he spotted Muriithi entering Josephine Wawiras house at Kamucege Village in Mwea on Tuesday night. According to Wawira, 37, the suspect stormed her house shortly after Muriithis arrival, and demanded to know why she allowed Muriithi access to her house that late in the night. An argument ensued. The suspect reached for a kitchen knife and stabbed Muriithi to death. Wawira raised the alarm, but Gitari escaped before neighbours arrived at the scene. Mwea East Deputy County Commissioner, Edwin Chabari, confirmed the incident, saying police are looking for the suspect. Wawira is separated with the father of her two children, Gitari, seven years ago. The Presidency has reacted to reports in sections of the media about the status of Nigeria SEZ Investment Company Limited (NSEZCO), also known as Nigeria Special Economic Zones Company Limited. 'We wish to confirm that NZESCO was incorporated as a special purpose vehicle to deliver Project MINE (Made in Nigeria for Exports), which is a Presidential initiative' the presidency said. The Federal Governments Economic Recovery & Growth Plan (ERGP) identified the development of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) as a major strategic tool to accelerate the implementation of the Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP). Project MINE was envisioned by the Federal Ministry of Industry Trade and Investment (MITI) to develop SEZs to world-class standards and position Nigeria as the pre-eminent manufacturing hub in sub-Saharan Africa and a major exporter of made in Nigeria goods and services regionally and globally. Indeed, Project MINE was necessitated by the following factors: Lack of operating competitiveness that limits the growth of the zones, despite the presence of generous fiscal and regulatory incentives. For government-owned SEZs, there were limited Federal budget allocations to make the required investments in infrastructure, operations and management services; The need to develop the skills and experience to operate and manage the zones to world-class standards of efficiency; The absence of a deliberate strategy to attract investors, create clusters or encourage the development of local value chains using SEZs, and therefore the lack of appropriate link between the industrialization strategy of government and the Free Trade Zones. Project Mine therefore seeks to achieve the following specific objectives: Support structural transformation of the Nigerian economy by increasing the manufacturing sectors contribution to GDP to 20% by 2029; Contribute to sustainable inclusive growth by creating 1.5 million new direct manufacturing jobs in the initial phase of Project MINE; Increase and diversify foreign exchange earnings to at least US$30bn annually by 2029, by increasing manufacturing sector exports; Create local models of global best practice in the provision of world class infrastructure at competitive costs connecting SEZs to international and regional markets with transport links, uninterrupted power, ICT, water, sewage and other services to ensure smooth and efficient operation of SEZ businesses; Promote the cluster effect to be gained by locating similar export-oriented manufacturing businesses within the same locality; Attract world class investors with strong positions in global supply chains and investors with potential to increase the scale of operations rapidly to set up operations in SEZs; and Create an enabling environment for SEZ businesses by instituting best in class legal and regulatory frameworks, using technology and streamlined processes to facilitate movement of people, goods and capital and easy access to government services, approvals and permits. In June, 2018, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved NSEZCO, with the endorsement of the Economic Management Team, as the holding entity for FGN investments and proprietary interests in existing and future SEZs. The FEC approval also provides that all current and future capital appropriations for Project MINE should be transferred to NSEZCOs account, as soon as opening formalities are completed. With the formalities completed, NSEZCO became the platform through which Federal Governments capital budget appropriations for SEZs are converted into long term value creating investments. NSEZCO is a public private partnership (PPP) company to operate world-class standards of governance and management, to facilitate mobilization of capital and other resources from PPP partners, in order to overcome budgetary constraints to the provision of critical infrastructure for SEZs. By aggregating and harnessing FGs investment in a strong corporate special purpose vehicle, NSEZCO will facilitate the mobilization of additional capital from development finance institutions (DFIs) and private investors. Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI) is the shareholder, holding the FGs interest of 25% in NSEZCO. The balance of 75% is currently held in trust on behalf of other prospective shareholders, pending completion of investors diligence and documentation and approval procedures. On 8 February 2019, NSEZCO signed investment agreements with three Development Finance Institutions: Afreximbank, Bank of Industry, the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) and Ministry of Finance Incorporated for their investment in NSEZCO at a ceremony presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa. Africa Finance Corporation and African Development Bank which are still in the preliminary stages of their internal approval processes were also in attendance as observers. President Buhari said at the signing ceremony that: When we committed to the implementation of the Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan and launched our Economic Recovery and Growth Plan to fast track implementation, we had a vision of Nigeria as the pre-eminent manufacturing hub in Sub-Saharan Africa and a major exporter to our immediate West African sub-region, the rest of Africa and indeed the World. Already, NSEZCO is mobilizing capital from the Federal Government and the development finance institution shareholders, for the development of Special Economic Zones across Nigeria. Pilot projects in the first phase are Enyimba Economic City, Abia State, Lekki Model Industrial Park, Lagos State and Funtua Cotton Cluster, Katsina State. In addition, pre-development studies are on-going in Benue, Kwara and Sokoto States whilst studies will soon commence in Ebonyi, Edo and Gombe States amongst others. New reports claim Queen Elizabeth is not so pleased with some of Meghan Markle's behaviour and she wants her to know her place in the family. The Queen is said to like Meghan as a person but wants her to know her place within the family because she is keen to maintain the hierarchy in the royal family. The monarch has reportedly banned the Duchess of Sussex from wearing some of the jewellery in the Royal Collection, which has caused more friction between Prince Harry and his brother Prince William. Her majesty gladly loaned iconic jewels to Princess Diana and the Kate Middleton. But she wouldn't loan them to Meghan yet. This is her way of maintaining the hierarchy. A source said: This is a surprising situation that has been going on behind the scenes over the past few months and has caused tension and upset, especially for Harry. It is at the discretion of the Queen and trusted advisers which items in the Royal Collection she chooses to loan out and to whom. Aspects of Meghans behaviour, including before the Royal Wedding, caused resentment with forces within Buckingham Palace. To be perfectly honest, the Queen herself was not impressed with some of Meghans demands, especially as a new member of the family. As a result, Buckingham Palace has decided that not all items from the Queens Royal Collection will be opened up to Meghan. The Queen made Prince William aware of her decision to ban Meghan from wearing the jewels made famous by his mother. That is said to have sparked further tension between Prince William and his brother Prince Harry. The Queen is said to like Meghan personally but is keen to show that William and Kate are the more senior royals. The decision may be revisited at a later date when Meghan is more established. The source added that the Queen is keen to show that there is a correct order within the family. "Even if Meghan is the most popular woman in the world, she is of a lower rank than Kate," they added. There were tensions in the run-up to the royal wedding last May when Meghan wanted to wear an emerald tiara. Harry was said to have declared that "what Meghan wants, Meghan gets" but the Queen stepped in and she wore a 1932 Queen Mary diamond tiara instead. Meghan had wanted to wear a tiara during the royal tour around the Commonwealth last year. But Prince Charles stepped in and told her that showing off the family wealth in Fiji would be seen as "extravagant." Stunning new video footage shows great white sharks hunting seals all from the huge predator's perspective. The sharks were fitted with video cameras that recorded some surprising behaviors. The footage revealed that some great white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) spent part of their days swimming through kelp forests, where cape fur seals (Arctocephalus pusillus) hung out. This finding, scientists say, is unexpected on two fronts. For starters, previous studies showed that great whites usually hunt along the edges of kelp forests at dusk and dawn, when the sun isn't too bright, so the predators can ambush seals arriving and leaving the refuge. So, it's unusual that these sharks hunted in the kelp forest during daylight hours, the researchers said. And second, it was previously assumed that kelp forests were inaccessible to these large predators, the researchers wrote in the study. [In Photos: Great White Sharks Attack] The scientists did the experiment near a cape fur seal colony on Geyser Rock in the Dyer Island Marine Reserve off the coast of South Africa in May 2014. They lured the eight great whites with fish chum and then attached video cameras to the sharks' backs. After recording an average of 28 hours of daytime footage per shark, the cameras detached from the animals, allowing the researchers to collect and review the recordings. None of the footage showed the sharks successfully killing a seal (which was disappointing to the researchers, and likely the sharks too). But footage from one shark showed 10 interactions with seals. These furry mammals swam around in groups of one to three individuals and "responded to the presence of the shark by blowing bubbles, swimming deeper into kelp or hunkering to the seafloor," the researchers wrote in the study. Still frames taken from a 10-minute recording show a great white shark swimming through a kelp forest. The shark was hunting cape fur seals, which are partly visible in Figures A through F (see red arrows). The seal responded by hunkering down on the seafloor and blowing bubbles (Figure C). Below, notice the shark's path through the kelp forest (Figure G) and the shark's turning angle and depth (Figure H). (Image credit: Biology Letters; Murdoch University) Even though the sharks didn't catch any seals, kelp forests may still be useful hunting grounds for sharks, the researchers said. Much more footage is needed before scientists can say either way. Moreover, the scientists said they were impressed with the sharks' agility in the kelp forests. One of the great white sharks in the experiment saw another great white shark, and the video camera captured the encounter. (Image credit: Biology Letters; Murdoch University) The study is the first of its kind to show that great white sharks regularly swim through kelp forests in search of prey. It was published online yesterday (April 3) in the journal Biology Letters. Originally published on Live Science. The nearly 43 million-year-old whale probably looked something like a mix between a rhino and a sea otter, and it swam just as well as it could walk. Picture an animal that looks like a mix between a rhino and a sea otter: It has a narrow head; a long, muscular tail; and four stocky legs with hoofed toes and webbed feet. A new study suggests that's more or less what the walking, swimming ancestors of modern-day whales looked like about 43 million years ago. Researchers unearthed the well-preserved bones of an ancient four-legged whale on the coast of Peru, and they detailed their findings in a paper published today (April 4) in the journal Current Biology. "It's one of those discoveries that shows how little you know," said Jonathan Geisler, an evolutionary biologist and anatomist at the New York Institute of Technology, who wasn't involved with the study. "So that, I think, is very exciting." [Image Gallery: 25 Amazing Ancient Beasts] For more than a decade, paleontologists have been digging around the barren coastal regions of Peru and pulling up fossils of ancient marine mammals. Lambert said he didn't expect there to be much left to discover, until his team found a jawbone with very large teeth. Encouraged, they kept digging. "Seeing the first hind-limb elements, the femur, the ankle bones was an extraordinary moment," Lambert told Live Science in an email. "We were all very excited." Although the bones are several million years old and broken into many pieces, they were nicely preserved and easy to spot in the sediment surrounding them, Lambert said. "This made the excavation very pleasant, with bones appearing one after the other and us moving from one surprise to the other." The researchers found that the whale's fingers and toes were tipped with small hooves. When the skeleton was assembled, the hip and limb structure made it look like a land-dwelling animal. But its long appendages and large tail bones were similar to those of an otter, suggesting it must have been a proficient swimmer, too. "We now know that they were still capable [of moving] on land, and in the same time, started to use their tail more predominantly for swimming," Lambert said. The traveling whale The team named the swimming and walking whale species Perefocetus pacificus, which means "the traveling whale that reached the Pacific." "Because this is the first record of a quadrupedal whale for the whole Pacific and the Southern Hemisphere, this find significantly increases the distribution of these early cetaceans," Lambert said. Until now, scientists thought ancient whales left Africa and went to North America before migrating to South America and the rest of the world. But Lambert and his co-authors concluded that the age and location of this new specimen suggest that amphibious whales swam across the South Atlantic Ocean over to South America first, before making it to North America and everywhere else. That makes sense, Geisler said, but it would be interesting to look for evidence of these ancient whales across the Pacific Rim. Maybe they actually migrated across the Pacific Ocean. "We really have no idea how capable these whales were [at] moving in the water," he said. No matter what direction they went, said Geisler, it's impressive that these ancient four-legged whales were able to disperse around the globe with their primitive anatomy. "This is a really cool fossil that tells an interesting story," he said. Originally published on Live Science. A pair of mummified feet were found among the piled bodies in the Tomb of the Warriors in Deir el Bahari, Egypt. More than 4,000 years ago in Egypt, dozens of men who died of terrible wounds were mummified and entombed together in the cliffs near Luxor. Mass burials were exceptionally rare in ancient Egypt so why did all these mummies end up in the same place? Recently, archaeologists visited the mysterious Tomb of the Warriors in Deir el Bahari, Egypt; the tomb had been sealed after its discovery in 1923. After analyzing evidence from the tomb and other sites in Egypt, they pieced together the story of a desperate and bloody chapter in Egypt's history at the close of the Old Kingdom, around 2150 B.C. Their findings, presented in the PBS documentary "Secrets of the Dead: Egypt's Darkest Hour," paint a grim picture of civil unrest that sparked bloody battles between regional governors about 4,200 years ago. One of those skirmishes may have ended the lives of 60 men whose bodies were mummified in the mass burial, PBS representatives said in a statement. [Photos: Mummies Discovered in Tombs in Ancient Egyptian City] Archaeologist Salima Ikram, a professor of Egyptology at the American University in Cairo, investigated the mummies with a camera crew in late September 2018, with the cooperation of the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities and the assistance of local experts, Davina Bristow, documentary producer and director, told Live Science. From the tomb's entrance, a maze of tunnels branched out about 200 feet (61 meters) into the cliff; chambers were filled with mummified body parts and piles of bandages that had once been wrapped around the corpses but had come unraveled, Ikram discovered. The bodies all seemed to belong to men, and many showed signs of severe trauma. Skulls were broken or pierced probably the result of projectiles or weapons and arrows were embedded in many of the bodies, suggesting the men were soldiers who died in battle. One of the mummies was even wearing a protective gauntlet on its arm, such as those worn by archers, according to Ikram. Archaeologist Salima Ikram examines an image of a skull from the mass burial. (Image credit: Patrick Acum) "These people have died bloody, fearsome deaths," Ikram said. And evidence from elsewhere in Egypt suggests that they died during a period of extreme social upheaval. [25 Grisly Archaeological Discoveries] A kingdom's collapse Some of those clues lay in the tomb of the pharaoh Pepi II, whose 90-year reign had just ended, Philippe Collombert, an Egyptologist at the University of Geneva in Switzerland, told Live Science in an email. Pepi II's burial tomb in Saqqara, Egypt, was ornate and spectacular; it was built during his youth, which suggests that the kingdom at that time was secure with no signs of civil collapse, Collombert said. However, Pepi II's tomb was looted soon after he was buried. Such a profoundly sacrilegious act could only have taken place if Egyptians had already begun to reject the godlike stature of the pharaoh, and if the central government was no longer in control, Collombert explained. Hieroglyphs in Pepi II's pyramid in Saqarra, Egypt contain ritual text for the pharaoh's rebirth in the afterlife. (Image credit: Patrick Acum) As Pepi II's influence waned toward the end of his rule and local governors became more and more powerful, their burial chambers became bigger and more lavish. One governor's tomb, built in the Qubbet el Hawa necropolis after Pepi II's death, contained inscriptions that hinted at the conflict emerging between political factions, describing social disruption, civil war and lack of control by a single administration, Antonio Morales, an Egyptologist at the University of Alcala in Madrid, Spain, said in the documentary. And famine caused by drought may have accelerated this social collapse, according to Morales. Another inscription in the governor's tomb noted that "the southern country is dying of hunger so every man was eating his own children" and "the whole country has become like a starving locust," Morales said. Together, starvation and unrest could have laid the groundwork for a frenzied battle that left 60 men dead on the ground and then mummified in the same tomb, Ikram said. "Secrets of the Dead: Egypt's Darkest Hour" aired last night (April 3) on PBS and is now available to stream on the PBS website and on PBS apps. Originally published on Live Science. Trust Exercise By Susan Choi Henry Holt. 272 pp. $27 --- One lurks in every high school: a charismatic teacher who cultivates a clique of acolytes. Miss Jean Brodie aside, this teacher is typically a man in his prime, parceling out the precious gift of his intimacy to a select group. No matter how many years have passed, you can probably still recall his name at your own school: the droll iconoclast who always seemed at odds with the administration, the cool teacher who made thrillingly inappropriate asides. Amid rumors of some past glory, he radiated an air of long-suffering superiority, as though his willingness to teach mere high school students were another example of his largesse. In fact, as you realize later, he could thrive nowhere else but in that moist terrarium of adolescent desire. He was a vampire thirsty for the fervor of teenage boys and girls. That immortal figure rises up at the center of Susan Choi's "Trust Exercise," the latest of her startling novels about academic life. Mr. Kingsley is a theater teacher at Citywide Academy for the Performing Arts, an elite institution "intended to cream off the most talented" students and prepare them for "their exceptional lives." Mr. Kingsley is exotic by the standards of this unnamed Southern town in the early 1980s. He once lived in New York! He refers to Broadway star Joel Grey as (BEGIN ITAL)Joel(END ITAL)! He owns a "bizarre human-size doll that was supposed to be called a 'soft sculpture.'" To the theater students desperate for his attention, "Mr. Kingsley was impossibly witty and sometimes impossibly cutting; the prospect of talking with him was terrifying and galvanizing; one longed to live up to his brilliance and equally feared that it couldn't be done." This is the most precise skewering of a magnetic teacher since Muriel Spark's 1961 classic. Choi's voice blends an adolescent's awe with an adult's irony. It's a letter-perfect satire of the special strain of egotism and obsession that can fester in academic settings. Choi is particularly attentive to Mr. Kingsley's inane maxims, which his adoring students polish into sacred incantations. "The foundation we require for Ego Reconstruction is Ego (BEGIN ITAL)De(END ITAL)construction," he tells his disciples. "They fill their notebooks with such singular declarations, each of which, as they're writing it down, seems to offer the key, or perhaps the keystone, that will make the whole structure cohere." This reminds me so clearly of my own slavish scribblings during senior year that I can't help but laugh and cringe, as though Choi were spying on me in high school. As you'll learn, she's a master of emotional pacing: the sudden revelation, the unexpected attack. She's equally astute at portraying the exaggerated passions of teenage life and the way that youthful energy warps the fabric of reality. "Remember the impossible eventfulness of time," Choi tells us, "transformation and emotion packed like gunpowder into the barrel. Remember the dilation and diffusion, the years within days. Theirs were endless; lives flowered and died between waking and noon." That's exactly the explosive fecundity that "Trust Exercise" captures. The student at the center of this story is 15-year-old Sarah, one of those sophisticated young women trapped in "the excruciating in-betweenness of no longer being children, yet lacking those powers enjoyed by adults." She's swept up in a steamy relationship with another sophomore, an insatiable young man named David whose sexual prowess sets the school ablaze with gossip. "They were as noticeable as lighthouses," Choi writes. "Even when they both stared straight ahead, the wire ran between them, and their peers changed their paths to avoid tripping on it." How cunningly this novel considers the way teenage sexuality is experienced, manipulated and remembered. And no one writes about erotic misadventures with more vicious humor than Choi. She notes that one student's crotch "trails an olfactory banner like some sort of sticky night flower to inflame jungle bats." Inside an aggressor's underpants "a single clammy mushroom thrived." (In 2013, she was a finalist for the Literary Review's Bad Sex Award, which wasn't entirely fair: Bad writing about sex isn't the same as good writing about bad sex.) When Mr. Kingsley gets wind of Sarah and David's tumultuous relationship, he sweeps in with a series of classroom activities - "trust exercises" - supposedly designed to elicit authentic emotions. But the enterprise feels both exploitative and humiliating, a kind of emotional pornography designed for his benefit. At the end of class when Mr. Kingsley says, "Sarah, come by and see me tomorrow at lunch," her peers know she's not in trouble. "Sarah has become the kind of Problem they would all like to be," Choi writes. "How proud she feels, to command his attention." Don't fancy you know where this is going; Choi will outsmart you at every step. Halfway through the novel, she suddenly recasts the entire story - several years in the future and from a different point of view. It's a vertiginous maneuver that remains unsettling as Choi's new narrator shifts erratically between first and third person, trying to unpack what's "sealed in the amber of a childhood crush." Who gave consent and who can give consent become questions complicated by a conspiracy of shame and shamelessness, the competing desires of young frenemies and unscrupulous adults. The result is a dramatic exploration of the distorting forces of memory, envy and art. Sex and adolescence are confusing enough, but especially so for a group of needy teens "taught that a moment of intimacy had no meaning unless it was part of a show." But perhaps these theater geeks aren't so special - or unusual. "All the world's a stage," Shakespeare observed, "and all the men and women merely players." How those former theater students remember and misremember their school days might throw your own memories into doubt. And Choi's brief final section, which "ends this strange eventful history," will confound you yet again. Committing time and attention to a novel is always a trust exercise. This author never takes you where you thought you were going, but have faith: You won't be disappointed. Whataburger and Dr Pepper joined forces for a drink to complete the "ultimate Texan meal." The beloved burger chain confirmed a Dr Pepper Shake is on the menu for a limited time, as many fans reported on social media. RELATED: Whataburger adds PEZ candy dispenser to its list of collectibles "Both Whataburger and Dr Pepper are Texas icons, and there's no better way to show your Texas pride than by having the ultimate Texan meal," the restaurant said in a news release. "Made with pure Dr Pepper syrup, this shake has that classic Dr Pepper flavor with a small-town diner feel. It's only here for a limited time in parts of Texas, Arkansas and Oklahoma, so put on your cowboy boots and grab one today!" The soda-flavored drink is joined by The Buffalo Ranch Chicken Strip Sandwich, which is returning as an "All-Time Favorite" on the menu. Madalyn Mendoza is a breaking news reporter and general assignment writer. Read her on our breaking news site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com | mmendoza@mysa.com | @MaddySkye Welcome to Texas: one of the best states for road tripping, where the highways stretch for miles and the summer heat is sweltering. While Texas is home to some of the biggest cities in the U.S., there are some hidden gems along the backroads that you won't want to miss. For the second consecutive year a Capital Region BOCES culinary team has won the state ProStart culinary competition. Career and Technical Education seniors Alexia Torres and Katelyn Manchester of Cobleskill-Richmondville and Logan Stephens of Middleburgh earned the state's top honors during the March 22-23 competition at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park. This year's squad advances to the nationals in Washington, DC where they will compete against the top youth chefs from across the country May 8-10. The students, enrolled in Chef Nancy Iannacone's culinary program on the Schoharie campus, bested nine other teams from across the state and Vermont. The students won scholarships to pursue further culinary education in college, as well as a $5,000 scholarship to pay their way to the national competition. Mohonasen school district's Draper Middle School students attended a career day at the University at Albany's School of Business last month. About 175 students heard from 20 area professionals on career opportunities in a range of fields. The students took turns hearing the guest speakers talk about what they do in a typical work day and find out what kind of educational path they took to their current jobs. At each session, the eighth graders took notes and asked questions of the presenters, according to the school district. (Mohonasen Communications Office) Prosecutors and defense attorney rested their cases Wednesday in the trial of a man accused of sexually assaulting a then-15-year-old girl. Edgar Mario Moreno, 30, faces three counts of indecency with a child and one count of sexually assaulting a child. The girl, Maria, is now 18 years old. If convicted, Moreno faces up to 20 years in prison. Sarah Keymer, a sexual assault nurse examiner, told the court that she examined the health and safety of Maria. She stated that Maria had an acute trauma to her private area, but she could not determine what caused it. Prosecutors rested their case after Keymer's testimony. READ MORE: Jurors hear premise in trial of Laredo man accused of sexually assaulting child Moreno then took the stand. He said he lived in Rosenberg, located southwest of Houston, with Maria and her family because of work. He said he had been working at a construction company as a safety assistant, making sure the work site was safe for the crew. He testified that he would give the family's kids gifts, not just Maria, and he said that it wasn't true that he got upset when Maria got a boyfriend. He told the court that during his time living in Rosenberg with Maria and her family, there was constant fighting, and the atmosphere was chaotic. He said he witnessed Christina Carreon, Maria's mother, hit her with her hand on multiple occasions. Moreno told the court that he had came to Laredo from Rosenberg with Maria and her family to a nephew's confirmation celebration. He testified that there was alcohol there, but he didn't have any because he doesn't drink. On the night of the alleged sexual assault, Moreno testified that he went to bed before everyone else. He said that nothing of what Maria accused him of happened. He said he didn't touch her and he didn't make her touch him. Moreno told the jury that there was no forced struggle with Maria. He said he slept the entire night without waking up. The following morning, Moreno planned to return to Rosenberg with Maria and her family, he said. The Monday that Maria told her mom that Moreno had sexually assaulted her, he was at work when he received a call from his mother and learned that there were allegations that he molested Maria. He then said he called Carreon to ask what was going on. After he got out of work, he went to Carreon's house, and when he arrived, Moreno said that he saw Carreon and her husband, Maria's father, leaning on the hood of their truck. When he stepped inside, Moreno said his mother, brother and sister were waiting for him. After the family gathered and talked, Moreno said he returned to Laredo with his mother, sister and brother. During cross-examination, Moreno told the court that he found out Maria was sleeping next to him after the allegations were made against him. Moreno stated that Maria lied about everything and repeated that he was asleep the whole night. RELATED: LPD: Man accused of drugging woman's coffee, sexually assaulting her Jose Luis Moreno, Moreno's brother, then took the stand and testified that he also lived in Rosenberg while he was working with a construction company. He said that while he lived with Maria and her family, he witnessed discipline, hitting and screaming. He said Carreon is very physical. Moreno said Carreon and her family would argue about everything and that was one of the reasons why he wouldn't stay in Rosenberg for long. He testified that living in the house was unbearable. During cross examination, Moreno told prosecutors that it would be completely out of his brother's character to do something like what he is being accused of. Defense attorneys rested their case. Closing arguments are set to begin this morning in the 111th District Court. Maria Salas may be reached at msalas@lmtonline.com The Laredo Police Department is asking the public's help in locating a number of wanted individuals. Authorities recently released information and photos of four individuals wanted on suspicion of theft or debit card abuse. Photos of two more suspects were also released, but details regarding their case were not available. On Monday, LPD released several photos of two male suspects. Authorities said they need the community's assistance in identifying the individuals. Scroll through the gallery above for more information on each suspect. Also this week, authorities said two individuals are wanted in question for theft of a cell phone in unrelated cases. The first theft occurred on March 25 and the second theft occurred March 28, police said. On Thursday, police released surveillance photos allegedly showing a man stealing a TV in the 4400 block of U.S. 83. Authorities said the theft occurred on March 22. READ ALSO: Authorities seeking information in fatal shooting of 28-year-old man in west central Laredo LPD also shared photos Thursday of an individual wanted in a debit card abuse case that was reported March 9 in the 400 block of East Saunders Street. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of the individuals is asked to call Laredo Crime Stoppers at 727-TIPS (8477) or LPD at 956-795-2800. Information leading to an arrest may be eligible for a cash reward. JeriLynn Thorpe is a digital reporter for the Laredo Morning Times. Read more of her stories on LMTonline.com | jerilynn.thorpe@lmtonline.com Judge William McLeod thought he'd had a pretty good first two months on the bench at Harris County Civil Court. So good, he figured, he was ready to take a run at the Texas Supreme Court. So, he did what aspiring justices do in that state: filed paperwork with the Texas Ethics Commission declaring his intentions and, for good measure, changed the heading on his website to reflect those new ambitions. "I want to make a difference across the State of Texas," he wrote. But instead of preparing a bid for another, higher office, McLeod is now scrambling to hang onto the one he already has - his judgeship threatened by a clause in the state constitution. McLeod had accidentally resigned. "I messed up," McLeod said in an interview with The Washington Post Wednesday. He said he hadn't combed through the Texas constitution before announcing he'd run for the Supreme Court. "The mistake was, it was an archaic, 180-page document that I did not know contained this particular provision. I guess I did not scour everything that could possibly disrupt a run." Shortly after he declared, in early March, roughly 60 days after taking office, a friend and fellow judge warned him that he may have inadvertently invoked Article 16, Section 65 of the constitution, which considers any declaration of candidacy for another office an automatic abdication of that official's current position. McLeod, realizing his error, removed from his website the references to his Supreme Court run and retracted his announcement, saying he'd rather finish his four-year term as county judge. But the Harris County Attorney's Office informed McLeod that there was no going back. "It's our opinion that the facts as we understand them constitute an announcement of candidacy for another office," Robert Soard, the first assistant county attorney, told The Post. "And that triggers the constitutional provision." The law is supposed to discourage officeholders from using their current positions as platforms to run for other offices, furthering their careers on the taxpayers' dime, Soard said. He couldn't remember another case of an official accidentally running afoul the provision. Soard's office gives legal advice to the Harris County Commissioners Court, the legislative body that will now decide whether it will replace McLeod or allow him to stay in office. Under the constitution's holdover provision, McLeod said, the commission could leave him be. But if he's able to remain, McLeod may have to run for his seat again, in a 2020 special election. "That's kind of my punishment," he said. "Like, 'O.K. McLeod, you kind of screwed up' . . . But that's fine, bring it on. The people are going to vote me in." The commission will discuss McLeod's fate at an April 9 meeting. Three of the five members are Democrats, so, if the vote breaks along party lines, McLeod - a self-described liberal - should be safe. A spokesman for commissioner Jack Cagle, a Republican, said in an interview that Cagle would decide how to vote during the meeting, but added that he didn't know of "any opposition that Commissioner Cagle has to Judge McLeod." But McLeod is still nervous - "anything could happen," he said - and he plans to argue at the meeting that he should be allowed to stay on and run in the 2020 special election. And, he said, he won't be alone. When he learned he'd have to fight to stay in office, McLeod began rallying the support of the voters who put him there in the first place, helping him win election in 2018 with nearly 55 percent of ballots cast. His backers organized phone drives, did pro bono research to bolster his constitutional case and flooded social media with the hashtag "#ISTANDWITHMCLEOD." Some said cutting his tenure short would be like usurping the will of the people who elected him. "I can think of 647,502 reasons why Judge Bill McLeod needs to stay in that seat," wrote Monica Roberts, author of the blog TransGriot, on Facebook. "That was the number of Harris County voters (including me) who wanted him on that bench for his full term of office." McLeod contends that the commissioner should regard his diverse constituency as an asset no potential replacement could match, a reason he should remain on the bench. "I definitely have the community behind me," he said, adding by way of example that Texans from all walks of life attended his swearing in. "There wasn't a single community that wasn't at my investiture. I even had Amish people at my investiture." However, some commenters were less willing to give McLeod a second chance. Responding to Roberts' post, one said, "The good judge should know that ignorance of the law is never a defense especially one written into the state constitution." Another asked, "Why is he above the law?" McLeod says he understands that argument - he's a law man himself - but he said he's making a legal case that he should be allowed to stay. "I'm not asking for anything special, I'm just asking for the whole law to be considered," he said, referring to the holdover provision. The experience, McLeod said, has humbled him. County judge is the first elected position he's held, and if he can hang onto it beyond next week, he doesn't plan on running for something else anytime soon - not the Supreme Court, not in the next election, or the one after that. "Oh, no sir," he said. "I think we've already been down that road." HARBOR BEACH Thanks to grant money from the Michigan Land Bank Fast Track Authority, a condemned building in downtown Harbor Beach will be demolished in the near future. The Michigan Land Bank announced this week that it will award nine communities a total of $350,000 to help eliminate blight. "Giving smaller communities the opportunity and resources to grow and thrive is a great way to ensure they can take part in the revitalization happening across our state," stated Josh Burgett, Michigan Land Bank director, in a press release. "I'm proud to award funding to these nine communities for projects that will serve as a vehicle for positive change." Harbor Beach along with Ontonagon, Bessemer, Ironwood, West Branch, Newaygo, Ontonagon Township, the Houghton County Land Bank and the Manistee County Land Bank will be recipients of the grant money. According to City Director Ron Wruble, Harbor Beach will be using the grant money to demolish the former Video Dock building, which is located at 256 State St. "The building has become in disrepair," Wruble said. "It is currently condemned, is a safety issue, and will soon be an eyesore to the downtown." The Michigan Rural Community demolition grant was made available to county land banks and local units of government to help communities remove vacant and abandoned structures from their neighborhoods, allowing them to prepare for future developments that spark business investment and provide job opportunities for residents, according to the press release. "If it wasn't for the grant funding, we wouldn't be looking at this project at this point," Wruble said. "It will be a big help to the downtown of Harbor Beach to keep things neat and tidy." Wruble noted that once the building is demolished, it will be a vacant lot, and the city will entertain ideas or projects plans to rebuild on the property. "This investment will help these growing rural communities eliminate blighted structures and replace them with new developments," said state Sen. Jim Stamas, a Midland Republican who spearheaded the funding in the budget last year. "I look forward to seeing the positive impact this funding will have in bringing new job opportunities to these communities and improving the lives of area families and workers." Proposals were evaluated based on their anticipated impact in promoting public safety, enhancing economic development, public and private investment in the project and alignment with the community vision or other placemaking efforts. WASHINGTON - In 1934, the Senate subpoenaed a witness by the name of William MacCracken, who refused to testify or produce files demanded of him in connection with an investigation of contracts entered into by the postmaster General. He was promptly held in contempt by the Senate and taken into custody by the sergeant at arms, although rumor has it that he was held at the Willard Hotel. The Supreme Court, in an opinion by Justice Louis Brandeis, ultimately upheld Congress' inherent power to do just what it had done. Those were the glory days of Congress' subpoena power. Lock 'em up. And while no one is proposing a revival of this method, one couldn't blame some members from looking wistfully at the past. Congress' power to enforce subpoenas by exercising its contempt power is now "really toothless," said Randall Eliason, a former federal prosecutor who teaches at George Washington University's law school. The House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday authorized subpoenas to obtain the report of special counsel Robert Mueller on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. But it did not actually subpoena the report, in hope that Attorney General William Barr will "reveal to us the entire Mueller report," after negotiations on the matter, as committee Chairman Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., said. But if he doesn't, and the House seeks to enforce its will in court, it could take months or even years of litigation to reach a resolution, if indeed the courts choose to consider the matter. The reason, in part, is that Congress relies on the very Justice Department it is pursuing to prosecute the contempt citation. And the Justice Department has, in the past, simply declined to do so. That leaves Congress only one route: a possibly interminable civil litigation. In 2012, for example, then-Attorney General Eric Holder didn't comply with a House Oversight and Reform Committee subpoena seeking documents relating to a botched ATF investigation of firearms known as "Fast and Furious." The Justice Department declined to prosecute, and a U.S. District Court didn't rule until 2016, after Holder had left his job. The parties reached a negotiated settlement, which is in limbo even today. Similarly, in 2007, Congress held then-former White House counsel Harriet Miers in contempt after President George W. Bush claimed executive privilege to prevent her testimony in an investigation of the mass firings of U.S. attorneys. The Justice Department refused to prosecute her, forcing Congress into a civil suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The case took two years, with Congress prevailing in the lower court. But the appeals court dragged its heels, and while the case was awaiting a decision, the 110th Congress went out of business on Jan. 3, 2009. Contempt citations expire when a Congress expires. There was a time, in the 1970s and 1980s, when contempt proceedings were unnecessary. The subpoena itself and mere threat of contempt was generally sufficient to obtain compliance from even Cabinet-level officials. Public opinion played a role in compliance, said Mark Rozell, an expert on executive power and dean of the George Mason University's Schar School of Policy and Government. It was just bad form to resist. Congress was often able "to force the hand of the executive branch by creating significant political complications for the president. Before the era of hyperpartisan politics, he said, "the norm was to negotiate settlements and not take these battles as far as they seem to go now." "The loss of public support for Congress" over the years, "has had a profound impact" on that norm, Rozell said. Meanwhile, as Congress' ability to enforce subpoenas weakened, the executive branch was busy carving out lofty reasons it need not comply with demands for documents - or tapes - from Congress or the courts. The most infamous example was President Richard Nixon's claim of executive privilege in response to a judicial subpoena during the Watergate inquiries of the 1970s. The Supreme Court, in the 1974 ruling in U.S. v. Nixon, ruled against the president in the case involving the Watergate tapes. But in that same decision it also acknowledged that there was such a thing as executive privilege, an imprimatur that encouraged its invocation by Nixon's successors. As a result, Congress' authority receded further as presidents became more emboldened. Although administrations in recent years have tried to avoid the actual phrase "executive privilege" because of its association with Nixon, Rozell said, presidents routinely invoke the principle to avoid cooperation with congressional oversight, as the Obama administration did in "Fast and Furious" and Bush did in the U.S. attorneys controversy. Congress, dependent largely on moral force to get respect for its subpoenas, no longer has much. "People just don't see this as an institutional battle that concerns the system of separation of powers and Congress' legitimate" powers, Rozell said. The accreditation system designed to compel colleges and universities to live up to high standards would be weakened under regulations advanced Wednesday by a U.S. Education Department committee. The panel, consisting largely of accrediting agencies and schools, agreed to rules that could extend federal student aid dollars to a wider variety of higher-education institutions. Wednesday's action provoked sharply differing responses, with Education Department officials and the accrediting industry hailing it as an important advance for students, while some advocates panned it as an invitation to abuse. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos praised the agreement as a critical step toward spurring innovation in a sector that needs to be more responsive to a changing workforce. "These changes will allow students to work at their own pace to earn a college degree, obtain credit for proving what they already know and earn a credential aligned with employers' job requirements," DeVos said in a statement Wednesday. The secretary has criticized what counts as a college course worthy of federal loans and grants. She has also challenged the accreditation system that stands between schools and billions of dollars in financial aid, questioning whether the Education Department's rules work to the detriment of students. But some higher education experts expressed concern that the Trump administration proposals could set the stage for more waste, fraud and abuse. "While some of the Department's initial proposals were scaled back through negotiation, many agreed upon today will still serve a similar purpose: allow federal dollars to flow to unproven and untested programs under the guise of innovation," said Michael Itzkowitz, a senior fellow at the center-left think tank Third Way. Itzkowitz, who served in the Education Department under President Barack Obama, said the draft regulations remove "guardrails that help protect students and the taxpayers who subsidize their educational pursuits." Still, he said he suspects many of the negotiators on the committee believed it was better to come to an agreement rather than let the department do whatever it wants behind close doors. Wednesday's consensus arrives after months of negotiations on proposals the Education Department issued in January. Consensus means the department will have to include most of the language agreed upon by the committee, whose draft regulations will be published for public comment. Those comments could lead to revisions of the rules. Under Wednesday's agreement, accreditors would no longer be required to take action against colleges that fail to live up to accrediting standards, nor would those agencies have to inform students there is a problem. The Education Department would also take a more hands-off approach in regulating accreditors. In some instances, accreditors at risk of having their powers stripped would no longer have their case reviewed by multiple arms of the department. Advocacy groups say that could result in the education secretary making a unilateral decision in favor of the accrediting agency, much like DeVos did in the case of the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools, known by the acronym ACICS. DeVos reinstated the controversial accrediting agency, which the Obama administration kicked out of the federal aid program because of lax oversight of for-profit colleges, despite an education staff report citing lingering problems with the council. "Given the Department's stamp of approval of ACICS, there is virtually no expectation that an accreditor that falls down on the job would be held accountable," said Antoinette Flores, a higher education policy analyst at the liberal think tank Center for American Progress. "This is what is to be expected when the higher education lobby is allowed to write its own rules." The Education Department backed off some of its earlier proposals. Online programs must still seek approval from all the states where they enroll students, and all programs must disclose information about whether they meet state licensing requirements. The panel also kept intact rules that defined a credit as one hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out-of-class student work each week. The Trump administration initially proposed eliminating a cap on schools outsourcing academic programs to providers that are not accredited, which would have paved the way for institutions to have outside parties run academic programs. But the committee kept the cap. "We believe the final provisions lay the foundation for improvements that will benefit students, protect taxpayers and encourage additional flexibility for institutions," Barbara Gellman-Danley, chair of the Council of Regional Accrediting Commissions and a member of the committee, said in a statement. Advocacy groups said they worry some of the final provisions could prop up failing schools and prolong harm done to students and taxpayers. One provision would allow for-profit colleges to acquire campuses in financial distress without accepting more than a year's worth of liability. Federal aviation regulators have ordered Boeing to fix a second problem with the flight-control system of its grounded 737 Max, the company acknowledged Thursday, as new details emerged that pilots of two planes could not counteract a malfunction of the system using the company's recommended procedures. The pilots of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 performed all the procedures recommended by Boeing to save their 737 Max 8 aircraft but could not pull it out of a flight-system-induced dive, a preliminary report into the crash concluded Thursday. In a brief summary of the much-anticipated preliminary report on the March 10 crash, Ethiopian Transport Minister Dagmawit Moges told reporters that the "aircraft flight-control system" contributed to the plane's difficulty in gaining altitude after it left Addis Ababa airport. It crashed six minutes later, killing all 157 on board. She said the crew "performed all the procedures, repeatedly, provided by the manufacturer but was not able to control the aircraft." As in the aftermath of a Boeing 737 Max 8 crash in Indonesia in October, attention in the Ethiopian Airlines crash has zeroed in on a flight-control system known as the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, or MCAS, which pushes the nose of the aircraft down to avoid a stall. But later Thursday, Boeing confirmed to The Washington Post that it had found a second software problem that the Federal Aviation Administration has ordered fixed - separate from the anti-stall system under investigation in the two crashes, and that had led to the aircraft's worldwide grounding. That additional problem pertains to software affecting flaps and other flight stabilization hardware and is therefore classified as critical to flight safety, said two officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing probe. The realization of a second software problem explains why the timeline that Boeing projected publicly last week for getting hundreds of the aircraft airborne again has slipped, the officials said. Boeing initially said it planned to submit fixes for its stall-prevention system to the FAA for review last week. On Monday, an FAA spokesman said the agency instead expected to receive the final package of software "over the coming weeks." "Obviously, we ended up at a situation that in hindsight was not supposed to happen," one of the officials familiar with the investigation told The Washington Post. "Now, you don't want to be in a situation where there was one contributing factor to an accident, and then three weeks later you, find another one. In a statement, Boeing called the additional problem "relatively minor," but did not offer details of how the second issue affects the plane's flight-control system. "We are taking steps to thoroughly address this relatively minor issue and already have the solution in work to do that." While Moges never mentioned MCAS by name during Thursday's news conference despite repeated questions from journalists, her comments suggested that the system was activated during the flight and that the pilots were not able to use Boeing's recommended methods to disable it. Boeing later acknowledged that the system had malfunctioned and apologized. "We at Boeing are sorry for the lives lost in the recent 737 MAX accidents," Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg said. "These tragedies continue to weigh heavily on our hearts and minds, and we extend our sympathies to the loved ones of the passengers and crew on board Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302. All of us feel the immense gravity of these events across our company and recognize the devastation of the families and friends of the loved ones who perished. "The full details of what happened in the two accidents will be issued by the government authorities in the final reports, but, with the release of the preliminary report of the Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 accident investigation, it's apparent that in both flights the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, known as MCAS, activated in response to erroneous angle of attack information." The preliminary report, which stops short of determining the cause of the crash, chronicles the chaotic last moments aboard the flight before it crashed. It details how a minute after takeoff from Bole International Airport, one of the angle of attack sensors sent bad information to the aircraft's system, activating the stick shaker on the pilot's column - a vibration that warns the pilot of an impending stall. Reacting to the faulty data, the MCAS system kicked in to force the plane's nose down. The MCAS activated at least four separate times, and each time the pilots fought unsuccessfully to regain control of the plane. Investigators believe the MCAS also contributed to the Oct. 29 crash of the Lion Air flight, where they say erroneous data from an "angle of attack" sensor caused the system to force the nose of that plane down over and over again. Pilots were unable to regain control, and the Lion Air plane eventually plunged into the Java Sea, killing 189 people. After the Indonesia crash, Boeing issued a bulletin outlining how to shut down the MCAS in case of malfunction, and Thursday's preliminary report indicated that the Ethiopian pilots followed that procedure. According to black-box data released by Ethiopian investigators the pilots struggled to regain control of the plane from the system, which repeatedly tilted the plane downward. The pilots tried to use a backup manual trim system, in an attempt to raise the plane's nose. The trim system is also used to stabilize a plane. The captain called out "pull up" three times to tell the first officer to raise the nose, and in the last seconds of the flight both pilots tried together to arrest the plane's dive, but still could not regain control of the aircraft, according to the report. Experts say the airplane was traveling too fast and the manual trim wheel would have been physically impossible to operate. "At higher speed, manual trim may not be available due (to) airload on the stabilizer," said John Cox, a former pilot and an airline-safety consultant who has been privately briefed on the evidence by people familiar with the investigation. "Not enough force can be generated manually to move the trim." In the final struggle, the report describes the aircraft pitching downward, eventually reaching a 40-degree nose dive as it crashed to ground at 575 mph. Amid reports that a foreign object might have damaged one of the Ethiopian plane's sensors on takeoff, Amdeye Ayalew, the head of the investigation, said information from the recovered data recorders gave no such indication. "We did not find any information regarding the foreign object damage on the aircraft," he said. "Is there a structural design problem? No, we cannot verify that now." Officials said a full report would be completed within a year of the crash. Ethiopian Airlines said the report absolves the pilots, who "followed the Boeing recommended and FAA-approved emergency procedures." "Despite their hard work and full compliance with the emergency procedures, it was very unfortunate that they could not recover the airplane from the persistence of nose diving," the airline stated. The new revelations about the ill-fated jetliner come after Boeing, grappling with fallout from the two deadly crashes, outlined upgrades to the aircraft's software and increased training for 737 Max pilots. Following the Lion Air crash, Boeing proposed a software fix in November that would have prevented the MCAS from engaging in situations like those that developed during the Ethiopian Airlines flight, according to a document obtained by The Post. The FAA reviewed the proposal and negotiated the terms for the fix with Boeing into January, according to the document. One of the final steps in certifying the software fix as sufficient was a series of test flights by FAA pilots, which, for weeks ahead of time, had been scheduled to take place the second week of March. That turned out to be the week of the Ethiopian Airlines crash. Internally at Boeing, a board of engineers empaneled to review the 737 Max soon discovered the second software problem, according to the company. The flaw was shared with the FAA, which decided it should also be addressed through a software update. Boeing said it would take about an hour for technicians to load the MCAS software update for the planes. The software fixes will change the way the MCAS receives information, requiring feeds from both outside "angle of attack" sensors, rather than one, before it is triggered. It's unclear how the additional problem will impact the update time. The updated MCAS will also have more limits on how often it will engage, and Boeing will make changes that prevent the anti-stall feature from angling the plane's nose too far downward in its attempts to correct for a possible stall. On Wednesday, Boeing announced that Muilenburg had joined pilots aboard a flight to test the updated MCAS software as part of the certification requirements and that "it worked as designed." Boeing introduced the MCAS, an unprecedented computerized device designed to push the plane's nose down to combat that added lift provided by the new engines, and to prevent a "stall" that could cause the plane to crash. There have been 17 generations of the 737 since it began flying, and Boeing wanted the Max to perform exactly as its predecessor, the 737 NG, had. The Max 8 single-aisle aircraft is the most recent iteration of the 737 line - the world's most popular commercial airliner that first flew in 1967. The Max is the fastest-selling plane in Boeing's history, with nearly 4,700 planes sold or on order. The Justice Department's criminal division is looking into the Max jets, while the Transportation Department's inspector general is investigating the way they were certified. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao has formed an "expert special committee" to review the procedures for the planes. The FAA said late Wednesday it is creating a technical review team that will be headed by a former top U.S. transportation safety official and will include representatives from NASA and foreign civil aviation authorities. According to the preliminary report, the aircraft's data recorder was recovered Mar. 11 and had data from 73 hours of operation, covering 16 flights, including the fatal flight. The voice recorder, which was recovered the same day had just over two hours of information, which included the previous flight in addition to Flight 302. The plane crashed in a farm field and indicated evidence of a "high energy impact." There was no indication of fire. The impact of the crash created a crater roughly 33 feet deep, 92 feet wide and 131 feet long. Most of the plane's wreckage was buried in the ground, but small fragments were found scattered around an area roughly 656 feet wide and 984 feet long. - - - Schemm reported from Ethiopia. The Washington Post's Ashley Halsey III and Lori Aratani in Washington contributed to this report. Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar on Thursday ordered his forces to advance on the capital, Tripoli, to clear it of militias, threatening a major escalation in violence that would likely shatter plans for a negotiated settlement to the nation's conflict. "We hear your call, Tripoli," the commander told his self-styled Libyan National Army, according to recording of a speech he gave to troops. "It is now the time for the great victory. March forward." Haftar, whose stronghold is in Libya's east, urged fighters to show restraint and not fire at anyone who doesn't raise a weapon at them. Gen. Abdelsalam al-Hassi, who heads the LNA's operations in the west, where Tripoli is located, confirmed in a phone call that Haftar had ordered the offensive. Underscoring the seriousness of the escalation, the internationally recognized Tripoli government of Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj had earlier ordered forces mobilized and approved the use of airstrikes if necessary to counter any offensives. "It's been clear for a long time that Haftar's ambition is to be leader of Libya," said Crispin Hawes, founder of the Idrisi Advisors consultancy in London. "He needs the institutions that control the money," namely the National Oil Corp. and the central bank. The campaign marks the boldest advance yet by Haftar's LNA, the country's most organized military force. International powers have appealed to the sides to avert an armed showdown that could rattle global oil markets and sow further chaos in a divided country struggling to defeat Islamic State and stem the flow of migrants toward Europe. Haftar's forces claimed they had taken control of Gharyan, a city about 60 miles (100 kilometers) south of Tripoli. That assertion could not be independently verified, but his push toward Tripoli has been going on for weeks. The buildup suggested that Haftar would either make a concerted drive to seize the capital or at least strengthen his bargaining position ahead of an April 14 conference aimed at laying the foundations for unifying the country. The LNA said he had moved to its control center for western operations. The developments cast a somber backdrop for the arrival of United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres in Tripoli. He appealed for calm, writing on his Twitter account that he was "deeply concerned by the military movement taking place in Libya and the risk of confrontation." Since a NATO-backed war ended Moammar Gadhafi's 42-year rule in 2011, OPEC member Libya has been carved up among militias, with rival administrations eventually emerging in the east and Tripoli. Though it sits on Africa's largest proven reserves of crude, infighting has repeatedly interrupted oil shipments and production, hitting the economy and roiling global oil markets. Haftar has steadily expanded his hold to most of the country, including southern oil fields, in what he says is a mission to combat "terrorism." A military drive toward the northwest -- home to most of Libya's population -- would be much harder. While better organized than rivals, Haftar's forces are a disparate collection of moderately-trained troops and guns-for-hire. They could face more determined opposition around Tripoli as well as Misrata and Sirte, where local militias jealously guard their hard-won autonomy. The militia from the port city of Misrata said it would back Sarraj's forces. The latest move reflects one of two possibilities, Hawes said. Either Haftar is serious in taking Tripoli militarily, or he is trying to sufficiently intimidate Sarraj's "to force it to compromise and essentially allow him to be installed as the effective government of Libya." The move toward the capital defied understandings Haftar and Sarraj reached during their meeting in Abu Dhabi recently, which paved the way to the conference and potentially, to elections later on. - - - Bloomberg's Saleh Sarrar contributed. Special Counsel Robert Mueller's team produced summaries of core investigative findings but didn't submit the documents to the Justice Department's leadership in a way that could allow for their quick release to Congress and the public, according to people familiar with the matter. The summaries were included as part of an overall confidential report that Mueller submitted to Attorney General William Barr last month, ending his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential campaign and whether President Donald Trump or any of his associates conspired in the election meddling effort. News reports have raised questions about whether Barr could have easily released the summaries, rather than issue his own short, four-page description of Mueller's principal conclusions on March 24. Two people familiar with the matter said the summaries in Mueller's report had markings indicating that some parts had to be reviewed and withheld, potentially including information related to grand jury proceedings. According to Barr, the Mueller report didn't establish that Trump or his campaign conspired with Russia but was less decisive on obstruction -- citing "difficult issues" of fact and law. Mueller's report "does not exonerate" the president on that point, Barr wrote. In his letter, Barr went beyond Mueller's findings, saying that he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein reached their own conclusion that the evidence didn't back a finding of obstruction. That generated accusations that Barr is helping shield Trump from the harshest conclusions of the Mueller probe. House Democrats voted Wednesday to authorize a subpoena demanding that Barr turn over the full report and all the evidence behind it, potentially touching off a legal clash that could reach the U.S. Supreme Court. The Justice Department on Thursday defended its handling of the report. "Given the extraordinary public interest in the matter, the attorney general decided to release the report's bottom-line findings and his conclusions immediately -- without attempting to summarize the report -- with the understanding that the report itself would be released after the redaction process," Justice Department spokeswoman Kerri Kupec said. Barr is working with Mueller and others to issue a redacted version of Mueller's report, which is nearly 400 pages, as early as next week. "The department continues to work with the special counsel on appropriate redactions to the report so that it can be released to Congress and the public," Kupec said. One person with knowledge of the investigation said some officials were also taken aback by Barr's short description of Mueller's findings. There's now concern about how much of Mueller's investigative work Barr will release and allow to speak for itself, including material damaging to Trump, the person said. The New York Times reported on Wednesday about concerns some members of Mueller's team have with the way Barr has handled the report and the summaries. Mueller was never given a directive to create a report that could be made public, and there's no such requirement under the guidelines creating his position as a special counsel, according to the U.S. official. Trump on Thursday attacked Democrats for continuing to investigate him. "According to polling, few people seem to care about the Russian Collusion Hoax, but some Democrats are fighting hard to keep the Witch Hunt alive," Trump tweeted. "They should focus on legislation or, even better, an investigation of how the ridiculous Collusion Delusion got started - so illegal!" The LGBT community has seen public opinion shift in recent years on a range of issues, including same-sex marriage and equal rights. A recent poll shows one more issue illustrative of this trend: Voters have become much more accepting of gay Americans seeking the highest office in the land. There was a time when South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg's sexuality - he is gay - would have made him unelectable in many parts of the country. As recently as 2006, when the millennial mayor was 24, most Americans said they would be "very uncomfortable" or have "reservations" about a gay person running for president. That has changed dramatically. According to a recent NBC-Wall Street Journal poll, nearly 70 percent of Americans said they would be either enthusiastic or comfortable with a candidate who is gay or lesbian. To put that in perspective, less than half - 45 percent - of Americans hope that the United States would elect a female president in their lifetime, according to a 2018 Pew Research Center survey. Elliot Imse, spokesman for the LGBTQ Victory Fund, a group that helps elect gay people to office, said that Americans' views on LGBTQ people in politics have changed with other cultural shifts. "It's extremely exciting to see Americans become more supportive of LGBTQ candidates in the same way they're becoming more supportive of LGBTQ rights generally," Imse said. "I think the two are very much trending in line with each other. As acceptance of LGBTQ people has grown, LGBTQ candidates can be open and honest about their lives from the beginning, allowing them to control the narrative and focus on the issues they want to talk about." Millennials are the largest voting bloc in the country, and it's easy to attribute the attitudinal change primarily to these younger voters, who generally have more liberal positions on social issues. But that doesn't totally explain the pivot. According to NBC, "While seniors are more likely to voice reservations about gay candidates, a majority (56 percent) now say they have no objections. That's up from just 31 percent in 2006." To those who have fought for equal rights for the LGBT community for decades - this year is the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots, largely viewed as the beginning of the gay rights movement - this change in the public's support is considered progress. But others argue that it should not be interpreted as a place of arrival. Drew Goins, an opinion writer for The Washington Post, wrote that gay candidates seeking high offices still face very real challenges: "The idea that it's not hard to be gay in America is ludicrous. The United States is still new to marriage equality. A majority of states have no LGBTQ anti-discrimination laws. There's been only one openly gay man elected governor and no such senators (Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin is the chamber's lone lesbian, and Arizona's Kyrsten Sinema is bisexual), let alone president. The gains have been hard-won, and they're still tenuous. Support for LGBTQ rights is dropping among Republicans - and the Supreme Court is being reshaped in ways that could make future victories harder to come by and past progress harder to maintain." Buttigieg is showing that a gay man can make a serious run for the presidency. In the first quarter of the year, he raised at least $7 million in support of his quest to be president of the United States. And he has seen a recent uptick in the polls. While his sexuality will surely turn off some voters, some of the hurdles have been knocked down, allowing him to focus on the issues that matter most - and not his sexuality - to those he hopes to lead. WASHINGTON - The Nuclear Regulatory Commission said Wednesday that commission staff members from its international division were consulted over Energy Department authorizations for companies sharing nuclear energy information with Saudi Arabia, even though NRC commissioners had no knowledge of that during a Senate hearing on Tuesday. Energy Department spokesman Shaylyn Hynes also said that the "NRC staff was consulted, and had no objections to the recommendations, before these authorizations were granted." Neither agency would say when or to what companies the authorizations were granted. The agencies were pushing back after a hearing of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, where Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., asked whether the commission had been consulted and whether it had raised concerns given tensions in U.S.-Saudi relations. NRC Chairman Kristine Svinicki said she did not know. Neither did her four colleagues on the commission. At the center of the matter are seven authorizations issued by the Energy Department for companies to share nonclassified but sensitive information about civilian nuclear power plants with Saudi Arabia, which has said it wants to build two reactors. Those authorizations are called Part 810s, and the Energy Department is required to get concurrence from the State Department and to consult with the Commerce Department, the Pentagon and the NRC. "This case was no exception," Hynes said. Companies from four other nations are vying for the Saudi nuclear energy contract. But the United States has continued to insist on stringent terms for what is known as a 123 agreement, needed before any nuclear-related equipment sales can take place. Saudi Arabia has refused to give up the ability to enrich uranium or reprocess spent fuel, both of which the United States worries could contribute to weapons proliferation. The killing of Washington Post contributing columnist Jamal Khashoggi has added to tensions between the two countries. In the past, the Energy Department has disclosed the identity of companies and descriptions of the information being shared with foreign nations. But the Energy Department has refused to share any of that even in a confidential setting despite the oversight role of Congress. Cameron Hilliard was walking with some friends after school March 28 when someone nearby blurted out an expletive about the police. The anti-law enforcement sentiment caught the attention of a Richmond police officer parked outside Albert Hill Middle School. In search of whoever made the snide remark, the officer circled toward Cameron and her friends, instructing them to "man up" and admit who said it, according to Cameron. Her friends asserted their group didn't make the remark. As the students and the officer went back and forth, Cameron instinctively began filming. "Even if we did say it, that's our choice of words," one of her friends is heard telling the officer. Moments later, he appears to respond with profane language of his own. "Wait till your a--es turn 18; then you're mine," he says. The eighth-graders scream in disbelief as the officer speeds off. The parent of another child in the group uploaded the 30-second clip to Facebook, where it has been viewed nearly 50,000 times. Cameron, who is 13, wonders how the situation would have played out if she and her friends - who are all black - were actually 18. "I felt threatened. We were shocked," Cameron said, speaking to a Washington Post reporter along with her mother, Keisha Curry. She said she thought: " 'Can he say that? Why would he say that to us, when we're not the ones who said it?' " Curry said she initially brushed off the incident until she saw how much it affected her daughter. Cameron has alopecia, a medical condition that causes baldness, and works with local schools to raise awareness about bullying. The two uploaded a video to YouTube reflecting on the Thursday exchange, where Curry explained Cameron had recently worked with local law enforcement as part of her various advocacy efforts. "It may have gave her a reality check that all officers aren't good," Curry said. "She knows there are good officers out there, but there are bad officers as well." Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, D, addressed the viral video Friday, writing in a statement that the officer's remark "will not be tolerated by any employee of the city." "This behavior is unacceptable. It reinforces stereotypes of our communities that are hurtful and damages the relationship between our police department and the citizens they are charged to serve," Stoney wrote. He added that the Richmond Police Department would "conduct a quick and thorough investigation and respond accordingly." Richmond police confirmed Wednesday an internal investigation was underway and said in a statement that the department "takes these concerns very seriously." Police reported to other media outlets that the officer was a white man but declined to give his name or additional information. Curry said police haven't been transparent with her family, providing her few details about the status of the investigation. She called the situation "disheartening." "We don't know anything; we don't even know the officer's name," Curry said. "If the roles were reversed, we'd know everything." But the mother isn't pushing for the officer to be fired, she said. Instead, she'd like to sit down with him to understand the reason he addressed a group of children the way he did, regardless of context. "I don't think he should be patrolling the streets," she said. "I do think he needs some training . . . some more encounters with youth, just to see he can't stereotype kids like that." Her sentiments were echoed by Richmond NAACP President James Minor, who told The Post the officer should be ordered to take cultural sensitivity classes and do community service within the public school system. Minor said he took issue with the officer's disrespectful tone, especially his use of profanity. "I don't care if you're black or white, you shouldn't be using profane language with children," he said. "Just because you're authority, that doesn't give you the right to speak to children any kind of way." Curry said Cameron knew to start filming because of an encounter her older sister had with police about two weeks prior. An officer was apparently being rude, Curry said, but "straightened his act up" once Cameron pulled out her phone and recorded the exchange. This case, the mother said, was "unacceptable." "Our kids deserve better," she said. Read more: A black woman was beaten by a white man with a gun. Police charged her with damaging his truck. These former agents say the CIA and NSA are censoring them. Now they're suing. A black man helped his drunk neighbor get home - and got arrested TUSCOLA COUNTY State officials continue to release limited information not only on the plans for a new state hospital, but on several hundred acres connected to the Caro Center that is available for development. Last fall, state officials discussed giving Tuscola County several hundred of acres of land that included part of the Caro Center's hospital acreage as well as former prison sites. In order for the state to do that, officials wanted the county to develop a land bank. Although state officials didn't guarantee they would do that, it was "strongly" suggested the county create a land bank in order to get the land, Tuscola County Commissioner Kim Vaughan explained when the issue was previously discussed. It was a good economic opportunity for the county, so commissioners immediately began taking the necessary steps to form a county land bank. As the county was in the mist of doing that, the state gave all of the land to the Michigan Land Bank Fast Track Authority. The state posted a notice it was seeking proposals to develop on 226 acres of land, which included the former prison camp and part of the psychiatric hospital property. The state is offering the land in three parcels. The first area has about 113 acres that is part of the Caro Center. It is bordered by M-81, Chambers Road to the west and the Cass River to the east and south. The second area has about 40 acres and is part of the former Camp Tuscola. It is bordered by the Cass River on the west and Chambers Road on the east, north and south. The third area has about 73 acres that is part of the former prison. It is bordered by the Cass River on the north and west, and privately-owned land on the south and Chambers Road on the east. All of the land is in Indianfields Township. "The Michigan Land Bank received four proposals for acquisition/development of the Tuscola Caro property," said Gabby Abel, communications manager for the talent and Economic development department of the state land bank. "Last week, members from the Michigan Land Bank met with the local advisory committee and had applicants present their proposals. The Land Bank is currently reviewing the proposals." According to Abel, two proposals were received for area one; one proposal was received for area three; and one proposal was received for all three areas. There were no proposals received for just area two. Tuscola County State Surplus Property Redevelopment Advisory Committee includes: Tuscola County Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Steve Erickson; Indianfields Township Supervisor Ray Rendon; Caro City Mayor Joe Greene; Tuscola County Commissioner Kim Vaughan; former Tuscola County Commissioner Matt Bierlein; former State Sen. Mike Green; former State Rep. Edward J. Canfield; Michigan Land Bank Fast Track Authority Development Director Jim Tischler; and Michigan Land Bank Fast Track Authority Director Josh Burgett. "Priority will be given to projects that create taxable value and create jobs for Tuscola County," said Michigan Land Bank Director Josh Burgett. The mission of the Michigan Land Bank is to promote economic growth through the acquisition, assemble and dispose of public property, including tax reverted property, in a coordinated manner to foster the development of that property, and to promote and support land bank operations at the county and local levels, according to the state's website. In the meantime, county officials are worried the state will also change its mind about building a $115 million, 225,000-square foot psychiatric hospital outside of Caro. Construction of the new hospital was supposed to start this month, but state officials halted the project to hire a consultant to reevaluate the hospital's necessity and viability of building the hospital in Tuscola County. A federal court this week sided with an inmate who sued the Texas prison system to get a cotton blanket after repeatedly telling officials he was allergic to the standard-issue bedding, which he alleged is made of "recycled waste" that caused him to have open sores. For 10 years, Calvin Weaver has been asking prison staff for a cotton blanket. But officials refused, so last year the Harris County man took them to court, representing himself from inside the Terrell Unit in Rosharon. The prison system responded with a motion to dismiss, but on Friday, moU.S. District Judge Kenneth Hoyt ruled that the suit can continue. Even though Weaver won't be entitled to money from the defendants in their official capacities, Hoyt wrote, he could get injunctive relief: a new blanket. ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: Texas prison system bans spiritual advisers from death chamber "These defendants' argument that replacing Weaver's blanket is beyond their power because they are not Medical Doctors is disingenuous," Hoyt wrote. "It appears from the complaint that each of these defendants is in a position of authority and could, presumably, order that Weaver receive another blanket, or that he receive a medical evaluation." The problem that sparked the legal wrangling dates back to 2001, when prison medical staff diagnosed Weaver with a wool allergy, according to court papers. At the time, they gave him a medical pass that allowed him to get a cotton blanket. But then in 2009, the pass wasn't renewed when all the blankets systemwide - both the standard-issue wool ones and the cotton alternative for allergy sufferers - were replaced with non-wool blankets made from what Weaver described as a "blend of recycled waste." Prison officials on Thursday clarified that there is no waste in the blankets, which are made by inmates and contain 60 percent recycled natural fibers and 40 percent cotton blend. But the non-wool blend allegedly made Weaver itch, break out into open sores and lose sleep. For nine years, Weaver asked for another blanket, complaining repeatedly to officials all the way up to the agency executive director. He filed grievances, noting that he knew of at least 10 to 15 other prisoners at his unit who'd gotten cotton blankets. Officials and medical staff "ignored his complaints," the federal judge wrote in his recent ruling. ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: Dallas death row prisoner files appeal over trial attorneys racist ideology So in 2018, Weaver sued, demanding that the prison system give him a new blanket, do a toxicology study on the blended fiber blanket, and give him money for pain and suffering. The Texas prison system argued that they shouldn't be the target of the suit because the complaint was medical, so they couldn't provide the requested relief. The judge took a dim view of that claim. Though the court removed two of the defendants a warden and a doctor from the case, the judge decided he could continue his suit against the agency executive director and two employees who allegedly ignored his requests. He's not eligible for compensation from the defendants in their official capacities, but could get money damages from them in their individual capacities. Weaver, who has since been moved to the Pack Unit, does not have an attorney, and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice did not offer comment on the case. Update: This story has been edited to clarify that Weaver could be entitled to compensation for damages from the defendants in their individual capacities. A suspect who goes by the name "Iconic Facce" was arrested in Houston over the weekend in connection with a robbery charge out of Mississippi, according to police. Facce, a 37-year-old Alabama resident, is accused of robbing the BancorpSouth Bank in Gulfport, Mississippi, on March 22, according to police there. Facce was was booked into the Harris County Jail on Saturday, but it's unclear whether she's been extradited to Mississippi since then. A man who may have been dead for months before his body was found in a Southeast Side apartment closet earlier this month had been shot several times, according to the Bexar County Medical Examiner's Office. The body of Thomas Lyons, 43, was discovered on March 21 at about 9 a.m. on the 11th floor of the Fair Avenue Apartments, 1215 Fair Ave, authorities said. The medical examiners office ruled his death a homicide. The beginning of the school year when you got to show off your new duds, new cars, new looks! Sports! Playing, cheering, watching high school athletics. The arts: Dramatic arts, musical groups and shows, graphic arts groups, debate, etc. The prom! No dancing the night away or punch bowl antics. The daily interactions. Just being with the group, hanging with friends and classmates. Access to college recruiters and advisors its harder to line up higher education. Walking onstage to get a diploma while all the family is watching with everyone elses family. Vote View Results The Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Regina Doherty, T.D., attended the Intreo Careers Fair in Dublin Castle last Thursday, March 28, where hundreds of exciting job vacancies were on offer across a range of sectors. There were over 50 Exhibitors showcased at the event and it is estimated that over 2600 jobseekers attended. CenterParcs Longford Forest were exhibiting at the event, with positions available across a range of activities within the new Forest centre. The Careers fair is part of National Jobs Week, organised by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, and took place throughout the week from March 25 to 29 March, with hundreds of employers and training providers involved and with job opportunities showcasing at over 80 events around the country. Also read: Roving Leader: Fr Michael Campbell, the driving force behind Abbeylara Speaking at the event, Minister Doherty said: This years Intreo Careers Fair is our fourth such event and builds on the success of previous years by bringing employers and jobseekers together and matching them together for the benefit of both. This year, once more, we have employers who are offering job opportunities for a wide range of skills and qualification levels from multiple sectors. Whether someone has an interest in construction, food, tourism, healthcare, education, retail, finance, IT or the creative industries there is an opportunity to be found during JobsWeek 2019. The events always generate great energy and enthusiasm among everyone who attends but more importantly they highlight the scale of opportunities available within our growing economy. The event included CV workshops as well as informative JobsIreland seminars which were live streamed for those who could not attend. There were presentations and discussions on How to Excel at Interviews, Using Social Media to get a Job, re-Entering the Jobs Market, Start your own Business and many others. These seminars and presentations were also streamed online, so that jobseekers anywhere can virtually attend from their PC, laptop or mobile and listen in on these talks from an excellent line up of Industry professionals. The national launch of Organ Donor Awareness Week 2019, by the Minister for Health, Simon Harris, TD, was held at the Mansion House Dublin 2 on Tuesday, March 26. The annual campaign, which takes place from March 30 until April 6, is organised by the Irish Kidney Association (IKA) and supported by the Organ Donation Transplant Ireland (ODTI). Present at the launch were Conor and Grainne Wyse, Lanesboro natives who lost their brother, Ruairi, to an aneurysm in 2015. Ruairi had made his organ donation wishes clear prior to his tragic death and his family received great comfort in knowing his organs saved the lives of five different people. They have urged others to do the same and follow suit, as difficult as the decision may be. Read more: It is just a fantastic thing for people to do, says sister of Longford donor Grainne Wyse told the Leader: It is a hard decision and it is understandable if people say no. But, in four or five months, you will be happy you made the decision. It just makes you feel so good to be able to help someone. It is just a fantastic thing for people to do. The focus of Organ Donor Awareness Week is to remind individuals to talk to their families about their organ donation wishes and keep the reminders of their decision available by carrying the organ donor card permitting Code 115 to be included on their drivers licence, as well as having the digital organ donor card APP on their smartphone. The week also serves as the key annual fundraiser for the IKA as volunteers sell their forget-me-not flower emblem and other merchandise with proceeds going to supporting services to kidney patients and their families. Ray DArcy has taken up the voluntary role of Ambassador for Organ Donor Awareness 2019 and also attended the National Launch. He will feature on posters and in a radio advertising campaign encouraging the public to let their loved ones know their wishes. In support of the Organ Donor Awareness Week, An Post has also just launched a stamp featuring a symbolic hourglass timer carrying the message Organ Donation Saves Lives. The stamps are available nationwide in 950 post offices, along with stocks of organ donor cards with information factfiles are also available nationwide from pharmacies and GP surgeries. Grainne said, When the hospital rang and said five people would be saved, my mother said it was like winning the lotto. To us, it was brilliant to know that he didnt die in vain and his wishes of donating his organs were respected. Organ Donor Cards can also be obtained by phoning the IKA on 01 6205306 or Free text the word DONOR to 50050. You can also visit the www.ika.ie/get-a-donor-card. Applications are now open to apply for some of the 3million fund made available under the Anti-Dumping initiative by Minister for Communications, Climate Action and the Environment, Richard Bruton T.D. Minister Bruton T.D. announced the 3million fund on Monday, April 1, in a bid to tackle the growing problem of illegal dumping. Making the announcement at Darndale Community Centre, North Dublin, the Minister said the problem of illegal dumping can only be rectified if we stick together. "Illegal dumpers are poking their finger in the eye of communities all over the country. We can only stamp it out if we work together. This money will step up the chances of catching the offenders and will provide help to those who want to do the right thing. Innovation, surveillance using drones, special collections for awkward items like mattresses, spreading awareness among young people and recognizing the work of volunteers can all play a role. he said. Minister Bruton T.D. confirmed the initiative will be putting a special emphasis on targeting litter black spots. "Since 2017, the ADI programme has removed some 5,000 tonnes of illegal waste from some of the country's most notorious fly tipping black-spots. In the vast majority of cases, once a community takes action in a particular area, re-offending becomes highly unlikely. Nearly half of the funding being announced today will go towards tackling black-spots." Bruton T.D. added. Also read: Snow/Ice warning issued for Longford Funding for the programme has increased to 3million this year, a 50% increase on last year. This is in addition to the 7.4m annual enforcement grant, which supports the recruitment and retention of 150 local authority waste enforcement personnel across the country. Funding is available for physical infrastructure such as fencing and signage Community preservation projects (up to 90) and Bulky waste collection events (up to 50). There is also funding available for anti-litter awareness campaigns and educational programmes for primary schools. Funding can also be availed of for monitoring or surveillance purposes, the roll out of test purchases project to all 31 Local Authorities and for the development of a dumping database. Applications are open from today, Monday April 1, and will close on April 30. You can get further information at www.dccae.gov.ie. Independent MEP Marian Harkin has confirmed that she will not contest the upcoming European Parliament elections. MEP Harkin said it was her privilege to serve the people of the Midlands and North & West constituency for three terms. I have had the privilege of serving the people of the Midlands, North & West constituency for three terms and I believe I have made my contribution in the most positive way I could, she said. MEP Harkin says one of her main objectives as an MEP was to act as a bridge between Irish citizens and the EU. I still have a huge interest in politics and in helping people and aim, in some way, in the future to make a further contribution, Marian Harkin said. Harkins efforts were praised by Fine Gael Senator Frank Feighan and Sinn Fein MEP Matt Carthy. As a politician, Marian was always on top of local, national and international issues and I want to wish her very well into the future, Senator Feighan noted. Matt Carthy: I want to send my sincere best wishes to Marian Harkin for the future and to thank her for her goodwill and cooperation as a colleague . Former St Mels student Kelan Murphy has been selected to join this years class of the prestigious Washington Ireland Programme (WIP). For more than two decades, WIP has brought together emerging leaders from diverse backgrounds for a transformative programme of public service and leadership development. Kelan, a student of Economics, Politics, and Law at Dublin City University, was one of 31 students selected from 16 different universities and institutions across Ireland and Northern Ireland. WIP supports students to develop their full potential through two core principles - leadership and service. Each student will undertake prestigious work placement at some of the most illustrious and influential levels of professional life in Washington DC and New York, including congressional offices, international corporations, law firms and media organisations. Students are hosted by American host families who generously open their homes and allow participants to experience an authentic slice of American life. The class will also have the opportunity to learn from each other and from leaders at the highest levels of American political, business and cultural life. WIP participants complete a challenging leadership curriculum designed to equip them with the skills and knowledge required to meaningfully contribute to society. The skills it cultivates respect, dedication, perseverance, confidence, teamwork, critical thinking, among many others benefit participants well beyond their time on the program. Were thrilled to welcome Kelan to this years Washington Ireland Program class. WIP seeks students who demonstrate leadership potential and have a substantial track record of service. Kelan exceeds these requirements and Im sure he will take full advantage of the busy program of training and development WIP provides, said Bryan Patten, executive director of the Washington Ireland Program. When Kelan has successfully completed the program, he will join WIPs distinguished alumni. This diverse, all island network share a commitment to shaping the future of Ireland and Northern Ireland. More than 600 alumni, including An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar TD, have graduated from the program and are now excelling in roles across the political, business, legal, entrepreneurial, advocacy and cultural sectors on the island. For many, their contribution to social and political progress on the island represents a continuation of what they learned on the programme. Local News, Crime, Press Releases By Long Island News & PR Published: April 04 2019 Cops: The credit cards had previously been stolen from a vehicle which was parked at a residence in North Bellmore. Nassau County, NY - April 5, 2019 - Crime Stoppers and the Nassau County Police Department are seeking the publics help in identifying the pictured subjects. The subjects are wanted in connection with Criminal Possession of Stolen Property incidents that occurred in Seaford and Merrick, NY. On March 14, 2019, between 2:30 A.M. and 3:00A.M., the subjects used stolen credit cards to make multiple transactions at two separate CVS locations in Seaford and Merrick, as well as at a BP gas station located in Seaford. The credit cards had previously been stolen from a vehicle which was parked at a residence in North Bellmore. One of the subjects was observed operating the pictured vehicle. For decades, a 75-year-old article in Lebanons Penal Code has been used to criminalize homosexuality. But in recent years, there have been signs of progress with fewer and fewer people have faced charges of homosexuality in courts. On Saturday, March 30, Military Tribunal judge Peter Germanos acquitted four soldiers who were accused of homosexuality. Germanos dismissed the charges of committing sexual acts against nature that were filed against the soldiers and decided not to issue arrest warrants. This landmark decision is a first in the Lebanese military court system and follows a trend of decriminalizing same-sex relations that began in Lebanons civil courts in 2009. On July 12 last year, a court of second instance, the Penal Appeal Court in Mount Lebanon, chaired by judge Randa Kfoury, upheld a decision by criminal court judge Rabih Maalouf not to penalize homosexuality, stating that it does not constitute a crime when it is practiced in private. For his part, Judge Germanos based his decision on the legal argument that, while the Penal Code criminalizes sexual relations that are contrary to nature, it does not specify the kind of relations included in this classification. A judicial source close to the case told LOrient-Le Jour (OLJ) that Article 534 of the Penal Code, which says sexual acts against nature can be punished with imprisonment for up to one year, is not applicable to homosexuality. The article does not address sexual orientation and does not distinguish between men and women, according to the source, who noted that a man may have a sexual relationship with a woman in a way that is contrary to nature and explained that this is the offence against public decency that article 534 refers to. Article 534 falls under the Penal Code section titled Offenses Against Public Decency and Morality and can only be applied when criteria laid out in other articles are met. Specifically, for an act to be against public decency it must be committed in public, and Article 209 of the Penal Code states that a public act or gesture must take place in a space that is open and visible to the public or where a third party can see the act taking place (this includes by indirect means, such as films). Consistent with evolving morals Judge Peter Germanos interpreted the text of the law literally, rendering a technical decision without explicitly invoking human rights, the source stressed. [Germanos] used the well-known principle of strict interpretation of the criminal law to courageously make an ideological decision consistent with evolving morals, attorney Akram Azoury told OLJ. Lebanese military courts have joined civilian courts in affirming that homosexual acts are not a crime, said Lama Fakih, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. To reinforce this positive development, parliament should move to abolish Penal Code Article 534 entirely to avoid inconsistent judicial rulings, and the Minister of Justice should publicly affirm not only that same-sex behavior is not a crime, but that sexual diversity cannot be grounds for discrimination. As governments around the world have decriminalized same-sex relations and legalized marriage equality, HRW considers Article 534 to be a relic of the colonial past. Bertho Makso, founder and director of Proud Lebanon, an LGBT rights group, told OLJ that the military courts decision is a victory for the LGBT community in military and security institutions, and added that military courts rulings also apply to cadets and officers charged with the same accusations in other security institutions, such as General Security. But just because Germanos decided not to criminalize homosexuality doesnt mean that the four soldiers will not face punishments. The judicial decision differs from disciplinary measures since the four people brought to justice can be dismissed from their posts by their superiors, Makso said. At a minimum, the soldiers involved should be able to resign rather than be fired, he continued, saying that it would be a shame if soldiers were dismissed because they would lose their end-of-service benefits. The private life of a soldier concerns him alone The private life of a soldier concerns him alone, Makso said. Accountability should be based on loyalty to the army and on love and commitment to the country rather than on intimate relationships [Hopefully] the decision of the military court will finally open a new page in the army. Things are moving toward normalization, Nizar Saghiye, executive director of Legal Agenda, told OLJ. Although judges could continue to convict, many others are increasingly convinced that progress is needed It is through jurisprudence that a law is emptied of its meaning and its effects and the development of a new law begins. It remains unclear, however, whether religious authorities would allow for the adoption of a new law. But Saghiye believes they would end up adapting. Many Islamist movements in the world, mainly the Tunisian Nahda party, are in favor of decriminalizing homosexuality, he said. (This article was originally published in French in L'Orient-le Jour the 2nd of April) French is no longer the predominant language in Lebanese universities. More and more students are opting for English-medium universities and even courses taught in English at French-medium institutions. Does the growing enthusiasm for English, confirmed by higher education experts, reflect a divide between how French is taught in schools and how it is used in universities? Today, 55 percent of the French baccalaureate students, and those of the French educational sector, choose to go to English-speaking universities, whether in the country or abroad, Father Salim Daccache, Rector of Universite Saint-Joseph, said. Daccache links this fact to what he called the overly academic approach of French universities, the attraction of young people to English and the Englishs importance in the professional world. This allure has gradually changed the face of education in Lebanon. While 20 years ago 70 percent of students were enrolled in the French schooling network, today only half of them are still enrolled in this system, Veronique Aulagnon, cooperation and action counselor at the French Embassy and director of the French Institute of Lebanon, said. Significant progress for the English school system Annual statistics published by the Center for Educational and Developmental Research (CRDP) show a significant year-to-year decline in enrolment in French-medium schools. Out of 1,069,627 students who were enrolled in school in 2017-2018, 549,633 attended French-medium schools while 519,994 attended English-medium institutions. This school year, the number of enrolled students climbed to 1,076,616 (according to preliminary figures), but the number of students in the French system dropped to 543,401 while pupils in the English-language system increased to 533,215. Considering this new trend, French-medium universities have had to adapt. Some of them have begun offering courses in English while others, like the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, have switched to an English-language based curriculum or advertised themselves as multilingual. Even Universite Saint-Joseph, which has 12,650 students and is known as the preeminent French-language university in Lebanon, now offers 15 percent of its classes in English, according to Daccache. We have also created degree programs exclusively in English within the faculties of management, banking, hospitality [and] speech therapy and we will continue in this dynamic path, he said. The decision isnt threatening the francophone identity of the university, which prides its trilingualism in French, English and Arabic, Daccache added. But the problem is more pronounced among students from less privileged backgrounds who have not studied at elite French-medium schools. Classes that are taught in French are deserted and empty while classes in English are full, Karim el-Mufti, researcher and law professor at Universite Saint-Joseph, said. [But] most of the time, the decline in French is happening at the benefit of Arabic, he added. Teachers have to be flexible so they do not end up penalizing students who do not speak French well. We allow students to sit for some exams in Arabic or in English when they have real difficulties expressing themselves in French, said el-Mufti. We realize then that the majority of the exams are written in Arabic. The same goes for the transcription of internship reports, which are systematically written much more in Arabic than in English. When written exams have to be done in French the copy is rigged with mistakes and contains Arabic words, el-Mufti continued. Often, students even present a blank copy, hoping to make it up during the oral test where they have the right to communicate in arabic, he concluded with disappointment. 1,700 new Lebanese students in France per year Representatives of Francophonie in Lebanon refuse to be alarmist or pessimistic about the situation. Instead, they prefer to be pragmatic and point out that France remains the most popular destination for Lebanese students. Around 1,700 new students travel to the country each yearmost of them are enrolled in masters and doctorate programsand there are around 5,000 Lebanese students in France overall. The increase in the number of students who study in the French system opting for English-language higher education is a result of parents making a rational calculation about what they think is best for their children, according to Aulagnon from the French Institute. They enroll them in French schools and then favor another system, in this case English universities, she said. One of their goals is to give their children the chance to emigrate by making sure they provide them with both French and Anglo-Saxon educational background, Aulagnon continued, pointing to Lebanons weak job market. French educated students can easily adapt to the Anglo-Saxon system, but the opposite isnt true Only francophones are multi-linguists, she concluded, expressing regrets over the fact the Lebanese curriculum in the English school system is much easier than in the French. The Francophonies reliance on Africa Herve Sabourin, director of the Middle East office of the University Agency for the Francophonie (AUF), acknowledges the dominance of English at universities. But he also puts the situation into perspective. Its not so bad, and its definitely not a scandal. It is part of todays world, he said. At the university level, language becomes more of a tool of know-how rather than the development of the person There isnt a real fracture between school and university, but a shift towards other issues. Francophonie cannot only be equated with the use and the mastery of French as a communication tool, according to Sabourin. It is much more than that. he said, pointing to what the francophone universe brings to the world, and especially the Middle East, in terms of know-how, diversity, multilingualism and support for human rights. The French language will not disappear, Sabourin added reassuringly. On the contrary, with Africas population growing and the continents potential to become a hub for global investment, French is poised to be an important language of dialogue and economic development. I am certain that the next evolutions in the world will attest to the determination, the tenacity and the work of the Francophonie, Sabourin concluded. (This article was originally published in French in L'Orient-Le Jour on the 3rd of April) French beauty industry giants Sephora are coming to Kiwi shores, with a new three-storey Auckland location set to be built. The Queen St location is touted to begin construction in the next couple weeks, with a hefty $5 million dollar assigned to the build and kit out. The store will be located in a heritage building, mimicing their various other flagship stores across the globe. Sources say the new store will have an elevator, interesting lighting fixtures and elaborate signage. "It will definitely stick out," the source told the Herald. Despite the extravagant and lavish plans, the store is expected to be open in time for the inevitable Christmas rush. Retail analyst Chris Wilkinson said he expected the store to follow the traditional model of providing a "journey-like experience" for consumers. "In many cases, they will have the tills located on the upper floor so it makes people trample through the store. People spend a long time in Sephora stores, typically longer than they would in a Mecca Maxima," Wilkinson said. "It's almost like theatre of retail." The store will draw people from all parts of Auckland and will "become a destination for people from outside of Auckland as well", he said. Following his sold-out debut New Zealand show earlier this year Mai FM is super pumped to present multi-platinum selling artist Post Malone when he returns to in May 2019. Due to overwhelming demand, the history-making, multi-platinum megastar Post Malone has announced a second and final show in Auckland at Spark Arena on Sunday, May 12. In readiness for the history-making, multi-platinum selling superstars arrival, Posty has confirmed that JADEN SMITH and TYLA YAWEH will join him across all Australian and New Zealand tour dates taking the excitement level to the next level. Jaden Smith has managed to carve out his own musical legacy in recent years with tracks like "Icon", "Plastic" and his latest single "Watch Me" (below). An initial probe into the crash of the Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 found that the pilots followed emergency procedures. Investigators went on to recommend that the MAX fleet stay grounded until authorities validate changes that Boeing has made to the aircraft. WSJs Robert Wall explains. Photos: Getty Images Police in Methuen are investigating a shooting that resulted in the death of a German Shepherd, according to Chief Joseph Solomons twitter account. The incident occurred Thursday afternoon on Lowell Boulevard, Solomon said on Twitter. No information is available as to who the dog belongs to. Solomon tweeted police are waiting for the MSPCA and Massachusetts State Police to arrive on scene to further investigate the death. Police provided no further information at this time. #UPDATE @MethuenPolice off Getchell and K9 buddy searching for evidence at scene where German Shepherd Moose was shot and killed. pic.twitter.com/gAWVxbMNxB Joseph E. Solomon (@ChiefSolomon) April 4, 2019 @MethuenPolice working a scene where a dog has been shot on Lowell Blvd and is deceased. More to come. Joseph E. Solomon (@ChiefSolomon) April 4, 2019 Louis D. Coleman III, the Rhode Island man accused of kidnapping Jassy Correia after she left a Boston nightclub in February, has been indicted in federal court. A grand jury on Thursday morning indicted Coleman on one charge of kidnapping resulting in death, a federal charge that could carry the death penalty. Correia, 23, was abducted after celebrating her birthday at the Boston nightclub Venu on Feb. 24. She remained missing for several days, until Coleman was pulled over in Delaware and authorities found Correias body in the trunk of his car. Coleman, 32, remains in federal custody. Authorities believe Coleman kidnapped Correia in the early morning hours on Feb. 24. Surveillance images captured Coleman and Correia in Boston at the time of the kidnapping. Hours later, footage from Colemans Providence apartment showed him carrying Correias limp body into his residence, officials said. Correia died from strangulation and blunt force trauma. Authorities said Coleman bought bleach, three Tyvek suits, duct tape, surgical gloves and other supplies after the alleged kidnapping, and could be seen on surveillance footage carrying Walmart bags into his apartment two days after the kidnapping. On Feb. 28, when police in Delaware pulled Coleman over he allegedly told authorities, Shes in the trunk." Troopers found Correia wrapped up with a sofa cushion, stuffed inside of a large suitcase in the trunk of the car, officials said. Last month, authorities released surveillance images of four people investigators want to talk with, as they were in the area of Tremont and Stuart streets in Boston around the time Correia was allegedly abducted. The four people are not suspected of any wrongdoing, authorities said. A New Hampshire teacher investigated for inappropriate contact with female students has been arrested on a sexual assault charge stemming from an incident that occurred in Massachusetts four years ago, police said. Primo Howie Leung, a 36-year-old Concord, New Hampshire, resident and teacher in the citys school district, was arrested Wednesday as a fugitive from justice in connection with an alleged sexual relationship with a minor, Concord, New Hampshire, police wrote in a statement. Police began to investigate Leung last month after receiving notification from the New Hampshire Department of Education that Leung was accused of having inappropriate contact with female students. That led to evidence indicating Leung had a sexual relationship with a minor he knew, police said. Leung engaged in the sexual relationship in 2015 and 2016 in Concord, New Hampshire, and in Newton, Massachusetts, according to police. Those incidents occurred while the minor was living in Concord and while Leung was working at a summer camp at the Fessenden School in Newton, police said. The Newton Police Department and Middlesex District Attorneys office joined the investigation. A warrant for two counts of aggravated rape of a child, indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 and indecent assault and battery on a child older than 14 was issued out of the Newton District Court, police said. Leung is currently being held without bail at the Merrimack County House of Corrections on a New Hampshire charge of fugitive from justice. He is slated to appear in Concord District Court for arraignment Thursday morning, where the process of extradition will be discussed. Concord police have executed search warrants at Concord High School and at Leungs residence. The investigation is ongoing and Concord police are working with Massachusetts authorities to determine if any additional charges should be issued in New Hampshire. Anyone with information about Leung is asked to call Concord police Lt. Sean Ford at 603-230-3728 or the Newton Police Department Community Service Bureau at 617-796-2103. Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Newton Police at 617-796-2121 or the Concord Regional Crimeline at 603-226-3100. Even after a bombshell article in the Wall Street Journal exposed sexual misconduct allegations against Wynn Resorts founder Steve Wynn, Matt Maddox said he couldnt believe it. In his testimony before the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, the Wynn Resorts CEO said that state of denial clouded his judgment when he heard a news article first revealing the allegations was part of Elaine Wynns litigation strategy in her drawn-out legal battle with her ex-husband. Massachusetts commissioners and chief enforcement counsel Loretta Lillos, however, grilled Maddox about how he missed the warning signs before the article came out, including the settlements he eventually learned about and the complaint that Wynn requested a sensual massage from spa employees. You firmly believe that they all lied, and thats what you stated to the IEB, that they all lied. Im just having trouble understanding that, commissioner Gayle Cameron told Maddox Wednesday afternoon at Wynn Resorts suitability hearing. I would be, too, Maddox said, but when crisis hits ... almost everybodys immediate reaction, unless you have the cold hard facts, is to deny all. Cameron pressed the matter further, asking do you believe that all of these women lied because litigation? I understand how ridiculous that looks, Maddox said. Maddox, who is considered Steve Wynns protege, spent two hours answering questions in the second day of the Wynn Resorts suitability hearing. The commission is reviewing whether the company should keep its gaming license it won to build and operate Encore Boston Harbor, following sexual misconduct allegations against Steve Wynn and an internal investigation suggesting the company tried to hide the complaints from Massachusetts and Nevada regulators. Encore is scheduled to open in Everett on June 23. Wynn, who left the company amid the allegations, said in a statement that he has had multiple consensual relationships and denies any misconduct. Maddox and other board members painted a picture of a company that had been caught up in the vitriol, animosity and hostility of litigation with Elaine Wynn, and co-founder Kazuo Okada. Throughout the day, board members said they followed the advice of general counsel, who described the allegations as part of Elaine Wynns litigation strategy in her years-long court battle with her ex-husband. When pressed by state investigators and commissioners, Maddox and other board members who testified Wednesday said that looking back they regret not questioning that advice. But Maddox insisted that the board had transformed Wynn Resorts from a company centered on one man to one that instead celebrated its 25,000 employees. Maddox reviewed the changes over the past year, including firing executives who knew about the allegations and failed to report or investigate them, adding women to the board, launching diversity and anti-harassment trainings, implementing a paid leave program for new parents and other projects. But Lillios, the chief enforcement counsel, drew him back to the events leading up to those changes. As the leader of the company now, there are still some questions that need to be fleshed out," Lillios said. Among those questions was about a $700,000 settlement in 2008. Maddox said he was told the payment was made because Steve and Elaine Wynn wanted to help an employee who had fallen on hard times. Lillios also asked Maddox how he learned about the $7.5 million settlement from 2005. He said initially, he heard the matter was an extortion attempt following a consensual relationship and that Elaine Wynn was using the dispute in her years-long legal battle against her ex-husband. When it came to the sensual massage complaint in 2014 and 2015, Lillios said, Maddox was told from the start that employees were uncomfortable with Steve Wynn and his wife, Andrea, requesting a sensual massage. He told another executive, Maurice Wooden, to tell Steve Wynn to knock it off, and later heard it was a miscommunication, but Lillios asked why he didnt question the situation. Maddox said he simply couldnt fathom it. The idea that there would be anything that would be inappropriate being requested from Steve and his wife never crossed my mind, Maddox told Lillios. It would have never crossed my mind. Massachusetts investigators later learned that one employee, Emma, said Steve Wynn exposed his genitals during a massage session and pressured her to touch his inner thigh. The employee said that Steve Wynn mentioned wanting a relaxing, sensual massage during one of the first sessions. Maddox wasnt aware of the allegations that Steve Wynn had exposed his genitals or other details at the time, according to the report. Lillios: Now that youre CEO, have you met with members of the salon staff to listen to them and reassure them? Maddox: I have not had full group meetings with spa and salon staff. Steph Solis (@stephmsolis) April 3, 2019 Lillios noted that Maddox didnt reach out to spa and salon employees at the time or refer the complaint to the employee relations board to investigate. Nor did he meet with those employees after becoming CEO, following Steve Wynns resignation. Why havent you met with spa employees who felt uncomfortable and could feel ignored? Lillios asked. Its a very good question, Maddox said. He explained that Wooden was having those meetings with the staff after Steve Wynn resigned, but that Wooden later stepped down after failing to report sexual misconduct allegations he had heard. In a statement emailed Wednesday afternoon, Wynn Resorts wrote, we are grateful for the opportunity we had today to provide more details about the extensive changes we have made in the Company in the last 14 months. We also hope we were able to provide the context around the situations in which we acknowledge we fell short. One area commissioners suggested Maddox fell short on was that he had heard bits and pieces of allegations, but said he was not aware of key details that could have shed light on the nature of those complaints, despite being president of the company at the time. Maddox said he wasnt aware of how big the 2005 settlement was or that the allegations involved claims of rape or pregnancy. What do you think that says about your leadership that they think its OK that all of these things could be happening, but yet youre never notified? Cameron asked Maddox, noting he was president of the company well before the Wall Street Journal article came out. There were a lot of different people that were trying to protect Steve Wynn, and the last thing that they would want to do is tell me, Maddox said. When asked why, Maddox said people know him as a very straight arrow." One they can go right around, Cameron quipped. The commissioner argued that Maddox had a responsibility as president of the company. What it came down to, Maddox said, was that Steve Wynn was in charge. I think our reporting lines could have been clearer, but Mr. Wynn was the boss, Maddox said. He was the boss. A homeowner in Methuen found her dog in her yard lying atop another when she returned home from running errands Thursday afternoon. Police said as she approached her two dogs, she realized one, Moose, a German Shepherd, was dead and had been shot. Police believe the dog was intentionally shot and killed. However, they said the homeowners three other dogs werent seriously injured. One of the dogs appeared to have a graze wound on its leg, but police couldnt say when it occurred. There wasnt an attempt to break into the home, police said, and nothing was stolen. The dogs, police said, are normally outside when the homeowner is away. They have a dog access area in the yard. The Massachusetts State Police and MSPCA are investigating the incident. Methuen Police received the call at around 1 p.m Thursday. Massachusetts regulators pressed Wynn Resorts CEO Matt Maddox about why he approved an undercover investigation on a source in the bombshell Wall Street Journal reporting on sexual misconduct allegations against founder Steve Wynn. There were multiple open investigations looking to the allegations surrounding Wynn and what the company knew when the company authorized an investigation of former employee Jorgen Nielsen, said Loretta Lillios, deputy director and chief enforcement counsel of the Massachusetts Gaming Commissions Investigations and Enforcement Bureau. IEB investigators became concerned about the surveillance happening while the company was in the middle of its own internal special committee investigation, according to the investigatory report. Once IEB investigators expressed those concerns to Wynn Resorts, the company stopped the operation. Those concerns were front and center during Thursdays hearing as regulators determine how Wynn Resorts responded to allegations of sexual misconduct and what was kept from the gaming commission. The casino giants board members have to prove that they, as well as the company overall, is still suitable to keep its license to run a casino in eastern Massachusetts. All this comes to a head just two months before the scheduled opening of the companys Everett casino, Encore Boston Harbor. Lillios reiterated on Thursday that the companys actions after Wynns resignation could have affected open investigations. You understand now the reason for that request was that so any potential witnesses wouldnt feel intimidated and would cooperate with these investigations, Lillios told Maddox Thursday morning. According to the report, the company launched the undercover investigation on March 31, 2018, against Nielsen to find out whether he gave any statements about sexual misconduct allegations against Wynn or whether those statements were tied in any way to the co-founders ex-wife, Elaine Wynn. James Stern, the companys head of security, told IEB investigators that he suspected Nielsen had stolen a list of contact information of employees and may have provided it to Elaine Wynn, who was in the middle of a bitter legal battle with her ex-husband. Circling back to the commissioners' questions to Maddox about an undercover operation surveilling former employee Jorgen Nielsen. Steve Wynn had already left the company at this point, and Maddox was CEO. Here's what the report says. pic.twitter.com/aXxUnbKcbX Steph Solis (@stephmsolis) April 4, 2019 Maddox told Lillios and commissioners that he was concerned about potentially stolen company information negative statements being made against Wynn Resorts. He didnt elaborate on what evidence suggested there was stolen information. Commissioner Gayle Cameron said she found it disturbing that Maddox authorized an undercover operation on the basis of rumors. She and Lillios mentioned that other employees were surveilled, to which Maddox replied, thats news to me. Commissioner Cathy Judy-Stein asked if authorizing such an operation is commonplace. Maddox said nothing about what was going on around that time was commonplace. Again, commissioners expressed concerns about how much Maddox didnt know about his company even after Steve Wynn resigned. I guess Im struggling with the pattern of information that comes forward that youre just not aware of, Cameron said. Wynn Resorts general counsel, Ellen Whittemore, testified after Maddox at Thursdays hearing. Before the commission decided to break for lunch, Judd-Stein asked Maddox if he wanted to add anything that would be relevant to his individual suitability. I just hope this commission recognizes the leadership thats occurred in 2018, the rapid change that happened, the solving of years and years of litigation, the focus on the future and that the company has transformed in a very rapid way, and that didnt happen by accident," Maddox said, thanking the commission and IEB for their investigation. WESTFIELD Westfield Fire Commission member Patrick Olearcek called it quits during Mondays meeting, saying potentially serious matters need to be addressed. Among those matters is the possible forced retirement of a fire captain at the center of ongoing strife within the ranks of the Westfield Fire Department. Olearcek has been a member of the commission for 14 years. His departure follows the January resignation of Carlo Bonavita, who was replaced in February by C. Lee Bennett. Mayor Brian Sullivan this week nominated attorney Jeffrey M. Siegel to replace Olearcek. The City Council will decide whether to approve the Siegel appointment. Meanwhile, recently unsealed court documents shed new light on discord within the Fire Department that started in 2016 with unsubstantiated sexual assault allegations against the man who is now serving as chief. Dawn McDonald, an outside attorney the city paid $46,000 to conduct an investigation, cleared then-Deputy Chief Patrick Egloff of wrongdoing but recommended against promoting him for other reasons. The Fire Commission named Egloff temporary chief in January. McDonald also concluded three firefighters conspired to accuse Egloff. The citys Law Department instructed the Fire Commission to terminate them last August, but the firefighters won a court order preserving their jobs. One of those firefighters, Capt. Rebecca Boutin, is now on disability leave, citing a hostile work environment. It is the responsibility of the city to stop the retaliation and the harassment, she said at Mondays Fire Commission meeting. One of the citys attorneys, Jeffrey Krok, urged commissioners to proceed with a plan to involuntarily retire Boutin, saying city policy allows the commission to do so if work conditions do not show signs of improving. Bennett said the commission has time to review the idea, with the possibility of the harassment issues being addressed and Boutin returning to work. The commission voted 2-0, with Olearcek abstaining, to wait for additional tests and information before we take any action on the retirement idea. Report unsealed McDonald submitted her report to the city in June, but it was not made public until last month, when Hampden Superior Court Judge Constance Sweeney fined the Fire Commission $1,000 for an Open Meeting Law violation and ordered its release. The ruling came in a lawsuit filed by Boutin and firefighters David Kennedy and Kyle Miltimore, who successfully argued the move to terminate them was invalid because it came during an Aug. 6 meeting at which they were not present. The McDonald report says Egloff grabbed an adult woman by the vagina while intoxicated, apologizing profusely afterward. That happened while Egloff was in full uniform as he and other members of the Fire Department took part in St. Patricks Parade festivities in Holyoke in 2016, the report said. McDonald concluded rape allegations purportedly made by a second woman were fabricated. The lawyer representing the plaintiffs, Maurice Cahillane, wrote in court papers that McDonalds investigation actually found that the assault alleged by the first victim did in fact occur (indeed was admitted to), and that the second alleged victim had in fact told the Plaintiffs she had also been assaulted. Cahillane wrote that the second alleged victim did not cooperate with McDonalds investigation and that McDonald decided not to believe her. The plaintiffs claimed they were retaliated against for speaking to investigators from Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gullunis office. No charges were filed against Egloff. Gullunis office, in a previous statement to The Republican, declined to acknowledge whether there had been any investigation. Minutes from the Fire Commissions Aug. 6 executive session state: It has been confirmed through Westfield Police Department and through district attorney, there is no victim to the alleged charges. McDonald said the sexual assault allegations had nothing to do with her recommendation against promoting Egloff, instead saying that he and other department brass, including retired Chief Mary Regan, were poor managers. McDonald said Egloff should be sent for immediate training on topics including sexual harassment, personnel management and anger management. Boutin, Kennedy and Miltimore conspired to accuse Egloff of rape so he would not become chief, McDonald said, arguing they should be fired for trying to ruin Egloffs life. The analogy that best applies to the situation that has developed in the department is that what started as a small scratch that effective management and leadership could have treated with a band aid, has now festered and developed into gangrene that requires amputation, McDonald wrote. If U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, a Springfield Democrat who chairs the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, is successful in obtaining President Donald Trumps tax returns, will the public ever see them? The answer is not clear. Thats a good question, Neal said in an interview with The Republican/MassLive.com. If we were to receive the documents, an individual taxpayers information is confidentially protected. Neal said issues that arise down the road regarding if and how the tax returns could be made public would require transparency and votes. The House Ways and Means Committee could vote to make the returns public. The idea they would be turned over and arbitrarily released without review and consideration wouldnt happen, Neal said. Neal said leaking someones tax documents to the public without a vote would violate federal law. I can tell you right now, those tax documents would not be leaked under my tutelage as Ways and Means chairman, Neal said. Every U.S. president since Gerald Ford in the 1970s has voluntarily made his tax returns public. Trump, a Republican and wealthy businessman, did not do so. During his presidential campaign, Trump said he would release his tax returns once an IRS audit was completed, but he reneged on that promise and has never released them. The IRS has said there is no reason tax returns that are under audit cannot be publicly released. On Wednesday, Neal wrote a letter to the commissioner of the IRS requesting six years of Trumps tax returns, from 2013 to 2018. A 1924 law authorizes the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee to request the tax returns of any citizen, although that provision has rarely been used. Trump is almost certain to challenge the request in court. Trump said Wednesday that he would not be inclined to provide his tax returns until he is no longer under audit. Neals request to the IRS asks for Trumps individual and business tax returns, any related affidavits and worksheets, and any information about audits of those returns. The request asks for the information to be provided by April 10. Neal said he asked for six years of returns because that is the length of time the IRS recommends taxpayers keep their returns. Neals letter justifies the request by saying the Ways and Means Committee is considering legislative proposals and conducting oversight related to the extent that the IRS audits and enforces federal tax law against a president. Under the IRS manual, the agency gives the presidents tax returns a mandatory examination, but that is IRS policy, not federal law. Neal said the committee wants to determine the scope of that examination and see whether the agency reviews underlying business activities that appear on a presidents individual tax returns. Neal said the legal strategy was devised by House counsel and the Ways and Means Committees tax staff. Democrats leading the House Financial Services and Intelligence committees are pursuing other probes related to Trumps finances and business activities. Neal said the Ways and Means Committee was very careful to be agnostic on questions of Trumps compliance with tax laws. Neal said he could not provide a time frame for how the litigation will play out. For now, it is up to the IRS to respond. Its a great test case that will make its way through the federal courts, Neal said. Its an arcane law from 1924. Whether or not in the end it will work will be determined I think by the courts. Hedge fund manager Tom Steyer, who is leading a campaign to impeach Trump, has been pressuring Neal to request the presidents tax returns. Neal noted that it has only been three months since Democrats took control of the House. He said he wanted to take the time to prepare a complex tax case that is thoughtful and judicious and will stand up to a legal challenge. This was not about a TV press release, Neal said. We thought the request had to stand up under the magnifying glass. Neal said the timing of his request had nothing to do with the completion of independent counsel Robert Muellers investigation into whether Trump colluded with Russia during the 2016 election. This is about policy. This is not about politics, Neal said. This has nothing to do with the Mueller report. This story was clarified to make clear that the Ways and Means Committee could vote to make the returns public. DUXBURY - A 43-year-old Marshfield man was killed when his car struck a guardrail Tuesday afternoon. Marcos Dossantos died at the scene of the crash, which occurred at about 4:40 p.m., on Route 3, Massachusetts State Police said. Dossantos was driving a Nissan Altima when he struck the guardrail near the 21.2-mile marker. No one else was involved in the crash, police said. The cause of the crash remains under investigation by the State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section and Crime Scene Services Section. SOUTH HADLEY On Tuesday, the Selectboard hired the law firm of Mead, Talerman and Costa, of Newburyport, to represent the town in legal matters. Selectmen Ira Brezinsky, Sarah Etelman and Bruce Forcier voted for Mead, Talerman and Costa, while Jeff Cyr and Andrea Miles supported KP Law LLC, of Boston, which also contended for the services. Attorneys Lisa Mead, Jason Talerman and Katherine Feodoroff represented the winning law firm. Mead, the firms founding partner, said the practice began in 2004 to provide different town counsel services to municipalities. She is the former mayor of Newburyport, a North Shore community. The firm staffs 10 attorneys at offices in Newburyport and Millis. She said the locations allow the attorneys to serve a wider geographic area including Pittsfield and Deerfield. I found that having someone at the other end of the phone, who I never saw, wasnt responsive to the needs of my department heads or my needs as mayor of a city, Mead said. She instituted regular office hours with Newburyports city solicitor, a way to track the legal comings and goings. My office heads werent worried about picking up the phone and calling and resolving problems before they became costly litigation, she said. Mead said she adopted a similar operating philosophy to her firm, which took on town counsel work in 2007. The practice represents 17 municipalities in Massachusetts. Mead, Talerman and Costa operates with two-person legal teams: a primary and a backup. Mead added that her practice believes in open communication among their attorneys. Feodoroff, who manages Meads employment and labor matters, said she worked previously as senior assistant city solicitor in Brockton. She handled the bulk of Brocktons employment and labor matters, which included civil service appeals, grievances, arbitration and collective bargaining. She said Meads teamwork approach attracted her to the firm. Before the vote, Etelman said she was impressed with both firms but found that Meads interpersonal approach appealed to her. I felt it was a better presentation in skills and understanding that you're talking to a board of mostly volunteers who dont know those acronyms, Etelman said. The Selectboard also approved a motion that lets Town Administrator Michael Sullivan engage Meads services. Sullivan recommended the town retain the law firms already working or nearing completion on legal issues, a way to maintain case continuity and save money. He added $48,000 remains in the fiscal 2019 budget for legal expenditures. SPRINGFIELD -- When he was a young police officer, Jaime Bruno said some of the best advice he received was to treat everyone fairly and help one another. Fast forward 24 years: Wednesday Bruno was promoted to sergeant and he said he now hopes to offer that same advice - to be fair and work as a team - to the young officers he will supervise. For the past 19 years Bruno, a U.S. Marine veteran, has worked in the narcotics unit. He said serving as a supervisor for the uniform division will be a new experience that he is looking forward to. He was one of five patrolmen officially promoted to sergeant in a short ceremony that ended with children, wives and other relatives pinning new badges on the new supervisors uniforms. As kids we walked around and talked about what we were going to be when we grew up and he always talked about being a police officer, said Carlos Feliciano, who pinned a badge on his brother, the newly-promoted Sgt. Pablo Feliciano. The two grew up in the Forest Park neighborhood and Feliciano said he is proud that his brother is now working in the city where they were raised and where he still makes his home. Feliciano, who served with the Army National Guard, has 22 years of experience in the department, most recently as a forensic specialist with Major Crimes. He previously worked on the Quebec team at schools and with Youth Aid. The remaining officers promoted were: Derek Cook, a 26-year veteran who has been praised for mentoring thousands of children; Edward Kalish, a 21-year-veteran who has been a detective for the past decade and Rafael Vega, a 21-year veteran who has been on the ordinance squad for the past 11 years. Three will work as supervisors on the 4 p.m. to midnight shift and two will serve on the overnight shift, Acting Police Commissioner Cheryl C. Clapprood said. The men collectively have 115 years of experience as police officers, but Clapprood said she is not just throwing them into a new position without training. Probably the biggest jump in anyones career is going from being one of the workers to overseeing the workers. For the past two days all five men have embarked on a training program to help them prepare for the change, she said. Starting Tuesday night and for the next two days they will work on the midnight-to-8 a.m. shift just to get to know some of the newest officers, who are typically assigned the overnight shift. They will then move to their regular positions, she said. Clapprood said the training in part is inspired by her own experience when she was first promoted. She was teamed up with a senior officer she did not know in a car where he smoked a cigar and spit tobacco into a cup. "I didn't learn anything," she said. During the ceremony she talked about courage of the Springfield Police and mentioned Lt. Brian Beliveau who the day before ran into a burning building to evacuate residents and rescue a mother and two children on the third floor in the minutes before the Fire Department arrived. "I don't think there is any doubt about it, the women and men of the Springfield Police Department are courageous," she said. "I'm asking the five new sergeants to also have courage, a different kind of courage, for it takes courage to hold people accountable while still maintaining their respect." Since being promoted to Acting Commissioner, Clapprood has pledged to restore the departments reputation that has been damaged by a series of scandals in recent years. Cook has some skeletons in his career. In 2008 he was arrested after pummeling two supervisors in the station while on duty. Both supervisors, who are now retired, were injured. He pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault, was fined and suspended for 90 days. But later a judge voided his plea deal due to irregularities in the case. The case was refiled by the Hampden District Attorney and under a new plea the case was continued without a finding and the charges were ultimately dismissed, said Ryan Walsh, police spokesman. Mayor Domenic J. Sarno congratulated the men and thanked them for the difficult job they do every day. He also thanked their families for making their own sacrifices, so the officers can serve the city. "Now you are moving to a different level in a very challenging time," Sarno said to the five new sergeants. "You have to make split-second decisions." Clapprood said she is delighted with the diversity of the new sergeants, which also reflects the fact that the department is the most diverse in Massachusetts. But Clapprood, who has made an effort to refer to officers as the women and men of the police department, said she is now hoping to encourage more female patrol officers to take the exam to become supervisors. The Museum Of Bad Art, nestled in the basement of the Somerville Theater, is in need of a new home, one that will get plenty of foot traffic from those excited to celebrate the failures of artists. The museum, which has free admittance with the purchase of a movie ticket at the theater, is looking for a new spot for their main gallery in the Boston area. The Somerville Theater is currently renovating the basement with a restroom expansion and a bar and lounge for customers. We discovered in 1994 there was something we were doing no one else was doing. We were celebrating the artists right to fail, said Executive Director Louise Sacco. Its not a venue to insult the artists, but a space to celebrate the attempts made. If were laughing at anyone its art writers and critics and some of the over-the top language they use sometimes, she said. The collection of art sits at around 800 pieces, but only around 40-50 are displayed at any given time due to limited space. The museum has had exhibits in Tokyo, Taiwan and will soon have one in Los Angeles. The art selection process goes through a curation process just like any other museum, Sacco said. She said the pieces need to be something sincere with actual emotion behind it. Of course, something needs to have gone horribly wrong in the process, she added. Sacco said the new space needs to be free, or as close to it as possible, with access to the MBTA, as well as an area with good foot traffic. She said something like a brewery or an underused space would be ideal. Those who want to host the museums next gala can reach out to the staff at MOBA@MuseumOfBadArt.org. A Springfield woman has been given consecutive life sentences for her role in the 2016 murder of a man in his Pawtucket, R.I. apartment. Trearra Hudgen, 29, will serve life in prison on charges of first-degree murder, discharge of a firearm while committing a crime of violence resulting in death, first-degree robbery, assault with a dangerous weapon, conspiracy to commit assault with a dangerous weapon and carrying a pistol without a license, the Office of Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Neronha said in a statement. Another defendant, 35-year-old Pawtucket resident Julio Cano, pleaded guilty to murder and conspiracy charges in the case in 2018. Gun violence is a continuing epidemic here in Rhode Island and around the country, and todays sentencing makes plain that there are severe consequences for engaging in such conduct, Neronha said in a statement. No matter what issues or disagreements exist between individuals, gun violence is never the answer. It is my hope that Mr. Reverdes family will find some measure of justice from todays sentencing, but of course nothing can bring Mr. Reverdes home to them. Hudgen was convicted of entering Reverdes Pawtucket apartment on Halloween of 2016 to confront him over a personal dispute, the AGs office said. Both Hudgen and Cano were armed with firearms. After a physical confrontation broke out, Hudgen shot Reverdes in the back with a .22 caliber revolver. Reverdes fled to a nearby Dunkin Donuts, where an employee called 911. He was taken to Rhode Island Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Hudgen maintained her innocence at her sentencing hearing Wednesday, WPRI reported. U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, on Thursday reintroduced a bill that would let states set their own marijuana policies. Today, 11 states and Washington, D.C. have fully legalized marijuana. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 34 states have comprehensive medical marijuana programs. In total, 47 states have legalized some form of marijuana or marijuana-infused products. But marijuana still remains federally illegal. The conflict between state and federal law causes difficulties within the industry. For example, many banks will not accept marijuana business, marijuana research can be challenging, and businesses and users face uncertainty about whether the federal government will one day crack down on marijuana use. In 2018, Warren co-sponsored the initial version of her bill, called the Strengthening the Tenth Amendment Through Entrusting States Act, or STATES Act. It did not pass, so she reintroduced it again this year, together with Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colorado. In the House, the bill was introduced by U.S. Reps. Earl Blumenauer, D-Oregon, and David Joyce, D-Ohio. Warren is running for president in 2020. "Our federal marijuana laws are outdated and pose a threat to our public health and safety, Warren said in a statement. Marijuana should be legalized, and we must reverse the harm of these failed policies by wiping clean the records of those unjustly jailed for minor marijuana crimes. Warren added, Congress should take immediate action on these important issues by passing the bipartisan STATES Act and protecting states, territories, and tribal nations as they implement their own marijuana laws without federal interference." The bill would amend the Controlled Substances Act to allow states to craft their own marijuana policies, as long as they abide by certain federal guidelines. The federal restrictions include not selling marijuana to people under age 21, unless it is for medical use; not selling marijuana at rest stops and truck stops; and prohibiting anyone under 18 from working in the marijuana industry. The bill would clarify that marijuana-related banking transactions that comply with state laws are not illegal. The bill would also instruct the Government Accountability Office to conduct a study on the effects of marijuana legalization on traffic safety. News industry leaders are fighting back against the charge by President Donald Trump and his supporters that the administrations summation of special counsel Robert Muellers report proved that journalists were so wrong for so long in their coverage of the Russia investigation. The latest to weigh in was Steve Coll, dean of Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism, who wrote in a New Yorker magazine essay this week that it's wrong to conclude journalism failed because Mueller did not charge Trump with conspiring with Russians to influence the 2016 election. The New York Times and The Washington Post shared a Pulitzer Prize, awarded by Columbia in 2018, for their reporting on the issue, a prize Trump says should be taken away. Complicating the issue is the broad definition of the news media circa 2019, encompassing everything from painstakingly sourced investigative stories to overheated tweets to opinionated pundits. "It's premature to pronounce this coverage as some kind of epic press failure," said Nancy Gibbs, former Time magazine editor and a Harvard University professor of press, politics and public policy. People angered by the press' role in investigating the president will use Mueller's findings as a lever in any way they can, she said. "That doesn't mean that they're right," Gibbs said. The phrase "so wrong for so long" was used by White House Acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney during a CNN appearance on Sunday. He said "we need to figure out" what happened with reporting on the story. Sean Davis, co-founder of the Federalist online magazine, said the same thing in the lead of a Wall Street Journal editorial earlier in the week that argued "America's blue-chip journalists botched the entire story." The president retweeted his story. "I'm not sure what you're saying the media got wrong," replied CNN's Jake Tapper. "The media reported the investigation was ongoing. Other than the people in the media on the left, not on this network, I don't know anybody who got anything wrong. We didn't say there was conspiracy. We said that Mueller was investigating conspiracy." Mulvaney, without offering specifics, said to Tapper that "if that's your recollection of history, that's great. "Face it, the media got this wrong," he said. "It's OK, people get stuff wrong all the time. Just not at this level." There were obviously disputed individual stories along the way. ABC suspended Brian Ross for a story wrongly alleging that Trump had asked former national security adviser Michael Flynn to discuss foreign policy with the Russians before he was elected. Three CNN journalists resigned over a story falsely linking a Trump aide to a Russian investment fund. The special counsel's office denied a Buzzfeed report that it had evidence Trump had directed lawyer Michael Cohen to lie to Congress over a Moscow office project. Yet much of what the public learned over the past two years on the story was the result of relentless digging by reporters. In tweets over the past week, Trump repeated his contention that the mainstream media is the enemy of the people, and said the Times' and Post's Pulitzers should be stripped. The Times, in response, tweeted a picture of its Pulitzer winners and noted that every story cited in their prize-winning entry has been proven correct. Top editors at the Times and Post, Dean Baquet and Marty Baron, and CNN chief Jeff Zucker offered similar statements noting it was their organizations' job to show what people in power are doing, and prosecutors' responsibility to determine what is legal or illegal. "A sitting president's own Justice Department investigated his campaign for collusion with a hostile nation," Zucker said. "That's not enormous because the media says so. That's enormous because it's unprecedented." Not every top news executive was eager to get involved; representatives for news presidents at ABC, CBS and NBC either turned down or didn't reply to interview requests. "We're going to keep doing our job," MSNBC President Phil Griffin said in a statement. "The coverage of the investigation did include embarrassments specious chyrons, tendentious talking heads and retracted scoops, among them," Columbia's Coll wrote. "Yet it does not follow that American journalism failed because the best-resourced newsrooms in the nation chose to report assiduously on the Mueller investigation and its subjects, only to learn that Mueller did not prove that Trump had conspired with Russia." If there's any media soul-searching to be done, it may involve cable news. In the Trump era, Fox News and MSNBC are frequently the most-watched cable networks in general, both appealing to different camps. Fox News Channel's Sean Hannity has been Trump's biggest advocate on cable news, making him a target for the president's opponents. Yet MSNBC's Rachel Maddow was criticized this week by Slate's Willa Paskin, who said turning on her show "was like discovering a Facebook friend is on the verge of a nervous breakdown." She said that while Maddow's audience was not as malignant as Hannity's, "more than one cable news host can disservice their audience at the same time." Harvard's Gibbs recalls watching reporters and pundits sitting side-by-side on cable panels, with roles confused when pundits were asked what they were hearing and reporters questioned about what they thought. Journalists have long believed that readers and viewers understand the difference between reporting and commentary, Coll said. It would be unrealistic to expect them to make such a distinction now, he said. SPRINGFIELD A 38-year-old man who owns an auto body business pleaded guilty Thursday to heroin trafficking. David Gomez had been charged with trafficking over 200 grams of heroin. At the time of his arrest, a police spokesman described the raid as a huge drug seizure." Police searched Gomezs business in Springfield on July 27, 2016. Under a plea agreement, Gomez was allowed to plead to heroin trafficking in the amount of 18 to 36 grams. He also pleaded guilty to distribution of heroin, subsequent offense. Hampden Superior Court Judge William Ritter adopted the recommendation agreed upon by the prosecution and defense and sentenced Gomez to five to six years in state prison. Gomez has been free after posting $25,000 cash bail in October 2016, so he only has 94 days credit on his sentence for days spent in jail awaiting trial. Ritter allowed defense lawyer Nikolas Andreopoulos request to have the sentence stayed for three weeks. Andreopoulos said Gomez has three cars in his shop he wants to finish before he goes to prison. Assistant District Attorney Christopher E. McDonald said he didnt oppose the stay of the sentence. Gomez agreed to forfeit $10,260 dollars seized in the raid on his shop. Andreopoulos said Gomez has two things going for him: a real skill in auto body work and family support. McDonald said in addition to the one prior offense included as a subsequent offense, Gomez had another conviction. That case was dismissed, though, because of the criminal conduct by former Amherst drug lab analyst Sonja Farak. At the time of Gomezs arrest Springfield police narcotics officers found 15,000 bags of heroin in Gomezs SUV. The total amount of heroin seized was estimated at 300 grams, the police report said. Captain America has landed. Chris Evans, an actor and Sudbury native, will be shooting scenes for an upcoming Apple TV+ crime series in several Boston area cities and towns in the next few months, Boston.com reports. One-day filming of a production called Cortex based on the 2012 William Landay novel Defending Jacob, was authorized for Thursday, Erin I. Williams, cultural development officer for Worcester told the Worcester Telegram & Gazette. The book is about a father who grapples with a murder accusation against his teenage son. A Telegram reporter later said crews said Evans would not be filming in the city Thursday. A crew member just came out and announced that we were welcome to stay and watch, but Chris Evans will not be filming on Ingleside Ave. today @telegramdotcom pic.twitter.com/ELDKlJoUj9 Ashley Green (@agreenphotog) April 4, 2019 The Milford Daily News reported film crews in Hudson on Monday - where Evans was shooting an emotional scene in town. The newspaper said Evans was filmed angrily confronting a driver and then punching a mans car as he drives away. Newton Patch reports that the series will shoot in that city at the end of May, as well as in Belmont, Framingham, Natick and Needham. When theres no one else to help, firefighters are the people who answer the call. Waters pouring into your basement, waters pouring out of your ceiling, somethings smoky, somethings on fire, you saw a spark, you dont know what to do, they call us, said firefighter John Callahan. Were not only firefighters. Were professional problem solvers." But who tries to solve the problems that firefighters face? Its a challenge Callahan has taken up in the last few months. Callahan, who has been a Worcester firefighter for seven years, is acutely aware of the heightened risk of cancer faced by those in his field. Last summer, Callahan had a spark of an idea. And it came from standing next to a running firetruck. At the time, I was thinking why are we standing here in a cloud of exhaust," Callahan, 32, said in an interview. "Im thinking to myself, I just got out of that burning building, I was wearing my mask the entire time, and now Im standing next to this truck and its blowing who knows what all over us and Im breathing heavy from working so hard and Im sucking it in even worse. Studies have shown that exposure to contaminants during fires leave firefighters facing higher rates of respiratory, digestive, and urinary cancers. But health risks continue beyond the flames. Firetrucks leave firefighters exposed to diesel exhaust, which has been connected to health risks like respiratory disease and lung cancer. Scientific evidence has suggested a connection between lung cancer and occupational exposure to diesel exhaust emissions, according to the CDC. It led to the creation of a product hes calling the Calavent, a chimney-like structure that connects to a firetrucks exhaust pipe, carrying fumes several feet into the air and away from firefighters. The name is a play on Callahans last name. In Worcester, fire stations are equipped with Plymovent, a system that extracts exhaust from firetrucks, keeping the emissions out of the stations apparatus bays and living quarters. I kind of realized we have these tools in the station, why not build off of that and make it portable, Callahan said. Callahan worked on the Calavent design in the garage of his Worcester home. It only took a few weeks to build, he said. The device in its current form uses a magnet to attach to a firetrucks exhaust pipe. From there, exhaust is carried up a tube several feet into the air, above firefighters helmets. Ultimately, Callahan hopes that Plymovent or another parent company will pick up his product and put it out for mass production. Callahan said he has had conversations with Plymovent. Its scary to think that guys that Ive worked with since I came on in 2012 have died of cancer, Callahan said. I fear hearing those words myself someday. Diesel exhaust is a mixture of various gases and fine particles, typically black in color with a low odor threshold, and contains more than 40 toxic compounds, according to the CDC and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, or NIOSH. OSHA has also studied diesel exhaust, suggesting that miners, construction workers, heavy equipment operators, bridge and tunnel workers, railroad workers, truck drivers and other workers can be exposed to dangers. Workers who are exposed to diesel exhaust can face problems and illnesses ranging from headaches and nausea to respiratory disease and lung cancer, according to OSHA. Callahan is making improvements to his product, which is patent pending. Its all about keeping myself and my coworkers and everybody safe, Callahan said. Callahans product has not been endorsed by the Worcester Fire Department or the city. Im not saying that what I have is the answer but its a tool to help us limit exposure and its strictly to diesel fumes, Callahan said. Callahan has made two so far and fellow firefighters are helping him test the design. And while there are kinks to be worked out -- for example, the Calavent gets too hot when used for long periods of time -- the feedback from fellow firefighters has been positive. Some remarks, Callahan said, include, This will lessen the hazard and the career benefit is really immeasurable, and simply put, Id use it. According to a new report published by Allied Market Research, the global CBCT systems market generated at $536 million in 2016 and is expected to reach $1,041 million by 2023, registering a CAGR of 9.9% from 2019 to 2026. The report states that the dental application segment contributed to more than four-fifths of the total market share in 2017. The expansion of CBCT applications in various medical areas, such as breast imaging, is one of the key drivers of the growth of the CBCT system market. A recently FDA-approved CBCT system for breast imaging can help diagnose breast cancer in early-stage women. Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) system is specialized x-ray equipment used for reconstruction of a 3D image of different parts of patients anatomy including oral, dental, and maxillofacial region. The surge in the aging population, scope of applications of CBCT systems in dental practices, and increase in the number of patients undergoing dental diseases facilitate the market growth. Moreover, the rise in applications of CBCT systems in different medical fields including breast imaging supplement the growth. However, the expensive nature of devices and concerns related to images such as lack of clarity would restrain the market growth. Get Sample Copy of Report @ https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/2274 The dental application segment is estimated to dominate the market during the forecast period, owing to a surge in dental disorders including tooth loss, TMJ disorders, and periodontal disorders. However, another application segment is estimated to register the highest CAGR of 11.8% during the forecast period. Key findings of the report: The breast imaging segment is expected to register a CAGR of 12.2% during the forecast period. The hospitals & clinics segment contributed to more than three-fifths share of the total market in 2015. The flat-panel image detector would grow at the highest growth rate, with a CAGR of 10.0% during the forecast period. France and Germany together constituted for more than one-third of the CBCT systems market in Europe in 2016. Japan is the major stakeholder, contributing to more than one-third of the Asia-Pacific market in 2015. Asia-Pacific is expected to register the highest growth rate, with a CAGR of 10.1% during the forecast period, owing to enhanced healthcare infrastructures and surge in expenditures in emerging countries such as India and China to meet the medical needs. Moreover, technological advancements for the development of cost-effective devices offer new opportunities for market growth. The major companies analyzed in the research include Carestream Health, Planmeca Oy, Danaher, Vatech Co., Ltd., Dentsply Sirona, ASAHI ROENTGEN IND.CO., LTD., Cefla s.c., Curve Beam, J. Morita, and Prexion. They have implemented different strategies including partnerships, joint ventures, collaborations, expansions, mergers & acquisitions, and others to gain a stronghold in the industry and make an international mark. Send Enquiry on this Report @ https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/2274 About us: Allied Market Research, a market research and advisory company of Allied Analytics LLP, provides business insights and market research reports to large as well as small & medium enterprises. The company assists its clients to strategize business policies and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain. Allied Market Research provides a one-stop solution from the beginning of data collection to investment advice. The analysts at Allied Market Research dig out factors that help clients to understand the significance and impact of market dynamics. The company amplies the clients insight on the factors, such as strategies, future estimations, growth or fall forecasting, opportunity analysis, and consumer surveys among others. As follows, the company offers consistent business intelligence support to aid the clients to turn into a prominent business firm. Contact: David Correa 5933 NE Win Sivers Drive #205, Portland, OR 97220 United States Toll Free: +1-800-792-5285 UK: +44-845-528-1300 Hong Kong: +852-301-84916 India (Pune): +91-20-66346060 Fax: +1855550-5975 help@alliedmarketresearch.com Web: www.alliedmarketresearch.com Latest M-Health Device Market Scenario M-health is a most disruptive trend ever occurred in the healthcare sector that has entirely changed the paradigm of medical practices, providing surgical expertise even to the most critical locations such as the battlefields. Considering the potential of the market to expand further during the upcoming years, Market Research Future (MRFR) in its recently published study report asserts that the The global m-Health device market is expanding pervasively, mainly due to the augmenting uptake of these devices through the advanced healthcare facilities. Avail Free Sample Copy at https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/2866 Moreover, the market penetration of smart mobile devices such as phones, computers, tablet or PDAs and wearable devices like smartwatches alongside the proliferation of the Internet escalates the market on the global platform. Key Players: Some of the players leading the market and profiled in the analysis are Apple Inc., GE Healthcare, Allscripts, Cerner, Medtronics, Koninklijke, and Athenahealth among others. M-Health Device Market Segmentations The analysis can be segmented into three key dynamics; By Type : Health & Fitness Devices and Medical Devices, among others. By Application : Treatment & Diagnostics, Monitoring Application, Education & Awareness, Wellness & Prevention, and Healthcare Management, among others. By Regions : Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, and the Rest-of-the-World. Industry/Innovation/ Related News: January 2019 Johnson & Johnson (US), a multinational medical device, pharmaceutical, and consumer packaged goods manufacturing company and Apple Inc. (US), a technology giant announced their partnership for ECG monitoring project involving the Apples new iWatch with a built-in electrocardiogram (ECG) through its paces. Table Of Contents: Chapter 1. Report Prologue Chapter 2. Market Introduction 2.1 Definition 2.2 Scope Of The Study 2.2.1 Research Objective 2.2.2 Assumptions 2.2.3 Limitations Chapter 3. Research Methodology 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Primary Research 3.3 Secondary Research 3.4 Market Size Estimation Chapter 4. Market Dynamics 4.1 Drivers 4.2 Restraints 4.3 Opportunities 4.4 Challenges 4.5 Macroeconomic Indicators 4.6 Technology Trends & Assessment Chapter 5. Market Factor Analysis 5.1 Porters Five Forces Analysis 5.1.1 Bargaining Power Of Suppliers 5.1.2 Bargaining Power Of Buyers continued Brows Complete Premium Research at https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/m-health-device-market-2866 Global M-Health Device Market Geographical Analysis Growing Spread of Advanced Telecommunications Infrastructure Drives M-Health Device Market in North America, Europe The North American region will retain its dominance over the global mHealth market, holding the largest share of the market. Being one of the pioneers of mHealth, North America has been creating a substantial revenue pocket over the last few years. Heading with the favorable government policies and the fastest adoption of m-health devices along with the increased incentives the mHealth device market in the region is estimated to reach USD 16,443.4 MN by 2023. Factors such as the presence of key manufacturers of these devices and well-developed healthcare infrastructure alongside the presence of futuristic infrastructure for the development of technology, positively impact the growth of the market. Simultaneously, high per capita healthcare expenditures and a suitable environment for the development and adoption of these devices substantiate market growth. The US followed by Canada accounts for the largest share in the regional market due to the well-established health care system and technological advancement. The European m-health device market stands the second-largest market, globally. Factors boosting the growth in the regional market are favorable governmental support & initiatives and the resurging economy that is proliferating the healthcare sector, increasing healthcare expenses. Germany, heading with its burgeoning medical devices market leads the m-health devices deployments in the region. Moreover, factors such as the increased digitization along with the increasing focus on data quality management, data integration, and data governance provide impetus to the growth in the European m-health market. The m-Health market in the Asia Pacific region is estimated to register approximately 35.71% CAGR throughout the forecast period. Factors such as the huge development opportunities along with the constantly developing healthcare infrastructure in the region propel the growth of the regional market. Besides, the emergence of high-quality healthcare infrastructure and institutions drives the market growth in the region. Countries such as China, Japan, and India, account for the key contributors to the market growth due to the wide adoption of these m-health devices. Inquire for Discount at https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/check-discount/2866 Global M-Health Device Market Competitive Analysis The highly competitive, M-health device market appears to be fragmented due to the presence of several active players accounting for the substantial share in the market. The key strategies traced from the analysis of recent developments of the key players include agreement & partnership, product launch, acquisition, and expansion. Matured players strive to develop a comprehensive range of safe and reliable solutions portfolio, utilizing breakthrough technologies. About Market Research Future: At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services. In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members. Contact: Market Research Future +1 646 845 9312 Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com Spinal needles are medical devices generally used in administration of drug or diagnostic purposes. Spinal needles are inserted into the spinal cord or canal for the collecting cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for diagnostic testing purposes or drug administration for the treatment of any neurological disease, fractures or vertebroplasty. Spinal anaesthesia is done to temporarily numb the area of pain during spine surgery in which the spinal needles play an important role in the drug administration of anaesthesia. The global spinal needle market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.8% during the forecasted period 2017-2023. Get Free Sample Copy @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1216 Key Players The key players in the global spinal needles market include Argon Medical Devices Inc (Netherland), B. Braun (Germany), BD (USA), Boston Scientific (USA), Cook Medical (USA), Exel International (USA), Halyard Health (USA), Medline Industries (USA), Medtronic (UK), MYCO Medical (USA), Novo Nordisk (Denmark), Sarstedt (UK), Smiths Medical (USA), Stryker Corporation (USA), and Wallach Surgical (USA). Latest Industry News Abacus Finance Group LLC has provided senior debt financing to support Zavation Medical Products LLCs acquisition of Tampa, Florida-based Pan Medical US Corp, a maker of medical products used in minimally invasive procedures. 22 OCT 2018 Two University of Virginia alumni have built a new spine-finding device that is giving the practice of identifying the correct insertion point for epidurals and other forms of spinal anesthesia, a much-needed upgrade. 14 JUNE 2018 Regional analysis The regional segmentation of the global spinal needles market segments the market into continent-based regional markets namely The Americas (North America & South America), Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East & Africa (MEA). The biggest regional market is The Americas. North America alone holds the potential to be the largest market due to its strong economies are known as the United States of America (USA) and Canada. Many key market players are based in the USA. In this region, the availability of advanced medical facilities makes North America a bigger market than South America. Factors supporting the market growth in this region include increasing awareness among the people, an increasing number of spinal surgeries, and the increasing prevalence of different neurological disease. Decent technological advancement, increasing healthcare expenditure, rising prevalence of diseases, and well-developed healthcare sectors are the reasons that have made Europe the second largest regional market after North America. Due to the reasons same as The Americas, Western Europe is a bigger market than Eastern Europe. The significant country-specific markets in this region are France, Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom (UK), and Spain, followed by the rest of Western Europe and then Eastern Europe. According to the report, Asia Pacific region is likely to witness a faster growth for the market during the forecast period. Factors contributing to the faster growth include the presence of huge patient population suffering from different infectious diseases and steadily rising quality of medical services in countries like India and Japan. Apart from these two countries, the other country-specific markets are Australia, South Korea, and China, followed by the rest of the Asia Pacific region. The MEA region shows limited market slow and steady growth. The reasons for the slow market growth in this region are lack of awareness, lack of education, lack of technological development, political instability, poor healthcare facilities, and healthcare not considered a priority by most governments. The primal country-specific markets in this region are Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Saudi Arabia, followed by the rest of the MEA region. Intended Audience Spinal needles manufacturers Spinal needles suppliers Research and Development (R&D) companies Independent research laboratories Market research and consulting service providers Medical research laboratories Academic medical institutes and universities Segmentation Global spinal needle market is segmented on the basis of type, application and end users. On the basis of type, the market is segmented into atraumatic needle tips, directional spinal needles, pencil-point needles and others. On the basis of size, the market is segmented into 24G, 25G, 27G and other. On the basis of application, the market is segmented into diagnostic and therapeutic. And on the basis of end users, they are segmented into hospitals, clinics and other. Browse Complete 80 Pages Premium Research Report Enabled with Respective Tables and Figures @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/spinal-needles-market-1216 Detailed Table of Contents: 1 Introduction 1.1 Definition 1.2 Scope Of Study 1.2.1 Research Objective 1.2.2 Assumptions & Limitations 1.2.2.1 Assumptions 1.2.2.2 Limitations 1.3 Market Structure: 2 Research Methodology 2.1 Research Process: 2.2 Primary Research 2.3 Secondary Research: 3 Market Dynamics 3.1 Drivers 3.2 Restraints 3.3 Opportunities 3.4 Macroeconomic Indicators 4 Market Factor Analysis 4.1 Porters Five Forces Model 4.2 Bargaining Power Of Suppliers 4.3 Bargaining Power Of Buyers 4.4 Threat Of New Entrants 4.5 Threat Of Substitutes 4.6 Intensity Of Rivalry 5. Global Spinal Needles Market, By Type 5.1 Atraumatic Needle Tips 5.2 Directional Spinal Needles 5.3 Pencil-Point Needles 5.4 Others TOC Continued! Send an Enquiry @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/enquiry/1216 About US: Market Research Future (MRFR), enable customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services. Contact Us: Market Research Future Office No. 528, Amanora Chambers Magarpatta Road, Hadapsar, Pune 411028 Maharashtra, India Phone: +1 646 845 9312 Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com An expert on premium research reports, Market Research Future has added a report titledto its offering. The report provides an in-depth analysis of regional data and an accurate projection of the market size and share of the Top Market Players across the Globe. There are tremendous benefits offered by the telehealth solutions. Some of these include improved access to the patients; telehealth can allow us to provide healthcare services to the patients situated in distant locations. It also allows physicians & doctors to expand their reach and services beyond their clinics. Telehealth services have also proved to be cost effective with increased efficiency through better management of chronic diseases. And also it reduces the travel time for the patients which further reduced costs for the patients. All these advantages have attracted healthcare services providers to adopt telehealth technologies and the demand for the same has been on the rise ever since. Get Free Sample Copy @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/900 The Global Telehealth Market is driven by increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, rising geriatric population, and continuous development in the healthcare technology; as per statistics, more than 50% of the total globe population have some or other chronic disease. Moreover, rapid development in the technology, increasing healthcare expenditure, and increasing need for the home based devices have fuelled the market growth. However, lack of awareness and unavailability or less availability of the required infrastructure in many parts of the world including the underdeveloped Asian and African regions may slow the growth of the market. Telehealth or telemedicine is a mode of delivering health care services to patients by using communication technologies to facilitate the diagnosis, treatment, consultation, education care management, and others. Telehealth acts as a bridge to improve the relationship between patient and healthcare providers as well as for improving patient satisfaction & behavioural changes by providing healthcare guidance and treatment. It provides self-management and caregivers support to the patients. Telehealth is used to monitor the chronic diseases as well as to monitor disease from home. The Global Teleheatlh Market is expected to grow at a healthy CAGR of 29.8% during the forecasted period. Key players Some of the major players in the global telehealth market are Koninklijke Philips N.V. (the Netherlands), Medtronic (Ireland), General Electric Company (UK), McKesson Corporation (US), Care Innovations, LLC. (US), Cerner Corporation (US), GlobalMedia Group, LLC (US), Siemens Healthcare Private Limited (US), AMD Global Telemedicine, Inc. (US), InTouch Technologies, Inc. (US). Segmentation The global telehealth market is segmented on the basis of components, types, and end users. On the basis of component, the market is segmented into hardware, software, and others. Hardware is further segmented into monitors, medical devices, and others. Monitors are further segmented into blood glucose monitors, blood pressure monitors, ECG monitors, and others. On the basis of types, the market is segmented into web based, on-premises, and cloud based. On the basis of end users the market is segmented into hospitals & clinics, pharmaceutical companies, and others. Regional Analysis On the regional basis the global telehealth market is dominated by America owing to the presence of huge geriatric population and large number of people suffering from diabetes and other chronic respiratory diseases. Among all the regions in the world, the U.S. has been the first choice for the deployment of telehealth solutions due to established healthcare systems and technology advancement. It has gained a significant position in the global market with the increase in large numbers of telehealth services which target at wellness and fitness. Thus, these telehealth solutions help in cost reduction, saves time by reducing visits to physicians, and provides better healthcare systems. In Addition to this, well developed healthcare sector and high healthcare spending has contributed in the growth of the market. Europe accounts for the second largest market for the global telehealth market which is followed by Asia Pacific. The Germany is dominating the connected healthcare deployments in Europe, with different kinds of solutions being offered and services being delivered through varied means, from simple messages to much more complex apps. Asia pacific has the fastest growth market due to the presence of rapidly developing economies like China and India. However, the Middle East and Africa has the least share in the market. Browse Complete 80 Pages Premium Research Report Enabled with 64 Respective Tables and Figures @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/telehealth-market-900 Industry News October 5, 2018: The U.S. Senate has passed a bipartisan bill with a 98-1 vote to fight against the opioid crisis. Provisions in the law, which President Donald J. Trump is expected to sign, will remove significant barriers to treating opioid addicts via telehealth. About US: Market Research Future (MRFR), enable customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services. Contact Us: Market Research Future Office No. 528, Amanora Chambers Magarpatta Road, Hadapsar, Pune 411028 Maharashtra, India Phone: +1 646 845 9312 Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com by Cory Treffiletti , Featured Contributor, April 3, 2019 Its not easy to build a brand but when you do it, and you do it well, it truly stands the test of time. In that vein, I have to salute the members of The Grateful Dead, as they have created a brand unlike any other in the history of our country not just in the history of music. To build a brand, you need to do two things very well. First, you need to make sure the promise of your brand matches the experience of the brand. When you say what you do and do what you say, expectations are aligned in the eyes of the consumer and you can deliver a perception of value. Second, you have to tap into the emotions of your fans and connect on a level that goes beyond trust to a deeper belief layer, indicating a journey that delivers something intangible to your fans. It can border on love of your brand. The Grateful Dead have achieved all of the above since the 1960s. They are a musical establishment with a deep connection to the culture of America. You may not like the music of the Dead, but you understand the band as an icon of American music. advertisement advertisement The way they established their brand was to perform live, create a deep connection with their audience and present something that was missing at the time. They represented the counterculture of the 60s and have progressed through each decade, finding new fans and influencing thousands of other artists to explore musical landscapes that few others saw fit to look into. They are a brand (and a band) that foresaw the future in a way no one could have anticipated, a future where live music would be the sole tentpole for the music business, where sharing would be the path toward audience development. They created iconic imagery to represent their music, and encouraged its use through much of their fanbase (maybe not all the time, but for the most part). We are now entering into a summer where Dead and Co. will be on tour once again, featuring the majority of the Grateful Dead line-up plus newer members. They have openly stated that Dead and Co. could become something that lives on in perpetuity, outlasting even the lives of the original Grateful Dead members who are involved. Artists like John Mayer, whom nobody could have anticipated in this role just five years ago, have taken up the mantle of promoting this music and ethos to a new generation of fans. The Grateful Dead have created a media empire in a digital-first world, and they are now starting to acknowledge that the brand itself may live on far beyond their years. I find it interesting that the messages of the Grateful Dead resonate with millennials and younger audiences, even if the music does not yet. Those messages are sustainability and a desire to do what aligns with your soul on a deeper level rather than simply making a buck or two although I admit I am radically oversimplifying to make a point. For me, growing of age in the 80s and 90s, The Grateful Dead were a summer staple. Part of me is quite happy to see them back and doing their thing every summer and Im glad that people are excited about good music. Heres to another great summer! by Larissa Faw , April 3, 2019 Ralph Lauren is shrinking the brand's global media agency roster from 12 partners to four following a competitive review. Zenith will serve as global lead agency, responsible for overall strategy and buying across North America, EMEA and APAC. The Publicis-owned agency will work with three local partners for execution: PMG in North America, Forward3D in EMEA, and Dentsu in Japan and South Korea. This consolidation coincides with the brand's five-year "Next Great Chapter" strategy that seeks to reduce unnecessary costs and indirect expenses. "We're driving into every cost challenging every vendor contract looking for scale benefits and consolidation benefits. We see that pays dividends as we move forward," explained Jane Nielsen, CFO, Ralph Lauren during a call with investors. At the same time, the company is hiking marketing spend by 10% year-over-year, all focused on digital channels. "Adds Arnaud Lauga, managing director, Zenith: "With an increased focus on digital, we can leverage our data and powerful insights to reach customers in new ways and build individual journeys at scale that drive efficiencies and transform their business. Wall Street Journal, Wednesday, April 3, 2019 9:56 PM Not everyone can afford a Birkin handbag. OK,people cant afford a Birkin. In lieu of spending five figures or more on a purse, French designer label Hermes is offering up a fanny pack for a mere $6,000. Aiming to appeal to a younger shopper (read: millennial), the company is opening up a store in New Yorks hip Meatpacking District, where it will also sell skateboards. "Like its peers in luxury retailing, who are bringing DJs and tattoo artists into stores, Hermes aims to liven up its boutiques to lure newcomers, according to the Read the whole story at Wall Street Journal Recent evidence suggests that people who multitask by switching frequently between digital devices may be more at risk of developing unhealthful eating habits and obesity. Share on Pinterest Media multitasking may impact obesity risk and eating habits. The more gadgets that become available to us, the more we may feel tempted to explore these new technologies, but their constant claims on our attention could end up harming our health. At home and in the workplace, various technologies compete for our attention: Computers, smartphones, tablets, and smartwatches all urge us to prioritize different tasks and rewards with their push notifications and the appeal of social media. And even when we sit down at the dinner table with our partners or catch up over coffee with a friend, some of us may feel tempted to whip out our phones and check for new likes and messages on our various media accounts, switching from one app to the next. According to a new study from Rice University, in Houston, TX, Dartmouth College, in Hanover, NH, and The Ohio State University, in Columbus people who often switch between forms of digital media are more likely to be overweight or have obesity and to have poorer self-control. Increased exposure to phones, tablets, and other portable devices has been one of the most significant changes to our environments in the past few decades, and this occurred during a period in which obesity rates also climbed in many places, says lead researcher Richard Lopez, Ph.D. So, we wanted to conduct this research to determine whether links exist between obesity and abuse of digital devices as captured by peoples tendency to engage in media multitasking, he explains. The researchers report their findings in a study paper that appears in the journal Brain Imaging and Behavior. BRATISLAVA April 4, 2019 $15 million Slovakia's Slovakia Slovakia David Jelinek Slovakia Bratislava Slovakia Poland Kamil Krauspe Bratislava Chicago , Slovak Republic,/PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- U.S.-based enterprise software company GoHealth, a leading provider of health insurance technology solutions, has completed its acquisition of software development firm Creatix following a successful three-year partnership. To power its growing technology platform, GoHealth plans to invest more thanto expand operations in the region and leveragetech talent.is known as a rising star in the global tech workforce, with the country's software developers ranking first among all European countries in one recent study. GoHealth, which has developed a fully integrated marketplace to connect consumers with affordable health insurance products from major U.S. insurers, has relied on Creatix to augment its engineering team to keep pace with market demand.will be one key to GoHealth's future growth as the company expands its global footprint," CEOsays. "Creatix has invested infrom day one, and we'll continue to do so as part of the GoHealth family."As GoHealth expands its engineering capabilities further, the company plans to create jobs that provide incredible professional growth opportunities. Plans include expanding its office inand opening a new office in Kosice, continuing the successful collaboration between GoHealth and Creatix over the past several years. With more than 85 team members across the U.S.,and, Creatix specializes in building diverse, highly skilled teams that help brands accelerate innovation and realize business value faster. Creatix will begin operating under the GoHealth name, while continuing to support its independent base of clients throughout the transition.For current and future team members, this acquisition is an exceptional opportunity to gain exposure to the most advanced enterprise technologies, tools and processes, while - working alongside some of the industry's brightest minds."Our growth will continue to be rooted in investing in our team. We provide access to excellent benefits for our workers, including competitive compensation, high-visibility projects, mentorship from senior team leaders, flexible work schedules, a collaborative culture, and health and wellness amenities," Jelinek says."As Creatix enters this new phase of growth with GoHealth, our talented team has the opportunity to work at a high level with enterprise platforms and operate them at scale," says CTO, who is based in Creatix'soffice. "We're excited to support GoHealth's innovative vision to deliver access to quality health insurance products, and to build an equally innovative company culture that inspires our team to do their best work."About GoHealth:GoHealth is a-based company that powers GoHealthInsurance.com, a private health insurance marketplace that has helped more than 30 million consumers shop for coverage. With world-class technology and a team of licensed insurance advisors, GoHealth helps individuals and families obtain the right health insurance coverage. Working with 300 health insurance companies, GoHealth enables consumers to easily compare and shop for a variety of brand-name health plans. GoHealth provides plan recommendations and enrollment support by phone and online at no cost to consumers. In 2013, the GoHealth Marketplace became the first private exchange to enroll consumers in subsidized health insurance under the Affordable Care Act. In addition to powering a private marketplace, GoHealth licenses technology solutions and provides business process outsourcing services related to individual health insurance. GoHealth was founded in 2001. For more information visit GoHealthInsurance.com, follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/GoHealthDotCom and like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/gohealthinsuranceAbout Creatix:Since 2004, Creatix has provided the software engineering horsepower companies need to innovate faster and more efficiently. Our talented team members bring a wide range of technical expertise, working alongside high-tech, high-growth organizations to augment existing teams or provide a one-stop solution for development capabilities. Now part of the GoHealth family, a leading provider in the healthtech space, Creatix works alongside GoHealth to power a fully integrated platform that allows millions to access affordable health insurance options. The combined team will continue to expand its capabilities to meet growing market demand, providing the next generation of talent with incredible opportunities for professional growth. Learn more about Creatix and our current job openings at https://www.thinkcreatix.com/careers.SOURCE GoHealth NEW YORK April 4, 2019 May 6-8, 2019 Scottsdale, Arizona Michele Vilaret Davidson , R.Ph., NSC, Senior Manager, Pharmacy Technical Standards, Development & Policy, Walgreen Co., newly elected to the Board of Trustees. , R.Ph., NSC, Senior Manager, Pharmacy Technical Standards, Development & Policy, Walgreen Co., newly elected to the Board of Trustees. Mark Gingrich , M.S., Chief Information Officer, Surescripts, newly elected to the Board of Trustees. , M.S., Chief Information Officer, Surescripts, newly elected to the Board of Trustees. Gregory (Greg) S. Kaupp , J.D., MPA, MLT, Partner, Kaupp Advisors, newly elected to the Board of Trustees. William J. (Bill) Barre Alan K. Gardner Perry Lewis Charles (Chuck) Reed Christian Tadrus Gregory (Greg) Watanabe Richard Klein Brook Laurie Littlecreek Mara N. Mitchel Kay Morgan Scott M. Robertson Linda L. Schock Lee Ann Stember April 26, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- NCPDP has elected its 2019-2020 Board of Trustees. The new Board members will assume their roles at NCPDP's 2019 Annual Technology & Business Conference, Dare to Disrupt, which will be held, at the Westin Kierland Resort & Spa inElection Results Newly Elected Board Members:Board of Trustees members who will continue to serve in 2019-2020 include:, R.Ph. , Executive Vice President, Business Development, Citizens Rx, LLC;, MBA, Senior Vice President, Operations, RxResults, LLC;, Vice President of Industry Relations, CoverMyMeds, LLC;, Group Vice President, Pharmacy Innovation & Solutions, AmerisourceBergen | Elevate Provider Network;, R.Ph., Pharm.D., FASCP, AE-C, NSC, Pharmacist Provider, Independent Pharmacist; and, R.Ph., MBA, President & COO, MedImpact Healthcare Systems, Inc.Outgoing Board members:, Senior Vice President, Sales, Pharmacy Services, eRx Network;, Vice President, Supply Chain Business Product Owner, Express Scripts;, Director, BRG;, Vice President, Drug Information Excellence Standards, Elsevier;, R.Ph., PharmD., Principal Technology Consultant, Kaiser Permanente; and, Sr. Director Pricing, Contracting & Government Programs, Coherus Biosciences."Congratulations to the new Board members who have been elected to the NCPDP Board of Trustees by vote of the membership at an especially important election year," explained, President & CEO of NCPDP. "This election completes the right-sizing of our Board of Trustees from a 12-member to a 9-member, high impact Board that requires strategic and highly engaged members to plan for the future of this organization."Stember also expressed sincere thanks to the outgoing Board members for their contributions and dedicated service and, in particular, to Littlecreek, Mitchel and Morgan, all of whom agreed to extend their terms to support the Board transition.For more information on NCPDP's 2019 Annual Business & Technology Conference, visit http://ncpdp.org/ac/index.aspx. Register online by. For real-time updates before and during the conference, follow us at http://twitter.com/ncpdp or join the discussion using NCPDP's 2019 Annual Technology & Business Conference hashtag: #NCPDP19.About NCPDP Founded in 1977, NCPDP is a not-for-profit, ANSI-accredited, Standards Development Organization with more than 1,600 members representing virtually every sector of the pharmacy services industry. Our diverse membership provides leadership and healthcare business solutions through education and standards, created using the consensus building process. NCPDP has been named in federal legislation, including HIPAA, MMA, and HITECH. NCPDP members have created standards such as the Telecommunication Standard and Batch Standard, the SCRIPT Standard for ePrescribing, the Manufacturers Rebate Standard and more to improve communication within the pharmacy industry. Our data products include dataQ, a robust database of information on more than 80,000 pharmacies, resQ, an industry pharmacy credentialing resource, and HCIdea, an innovative prescriber database that provides continually updated information on more than 2.5 million prescribers. NCPDP's RxReconn is a legislative tracking product for real-time monitoring of pharmacy-related state and national legislative and regulatory activity. For more information about NCPDP Standards, Data Services, Products, Educational Programs and Work Group meetings, go online at http://www.ncpdp.org or call 480.477.1000.SOURCE NCPDP GENEVA, Switzerland April 4, 2019 Paris, France France Vincent Minvielle James Pfitzer France Oxford, UK Cambridge France 4.2 billion euros /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Today, Ipsen and Servier, two global biopharmaceutical companies, joined Access Accelerated, an initiative aimed at advancing access to non-communicable disease (NCD) prevention, treatment and care in low- and middle income countries (LMICs). Together with partners from across the global biopharmaceutical sector, multilateral organizations and non-governmental organizations, Access Accelerated works toward a future where no one dies prematurely from treatable, preventable diseases.NCDs are responsible for 71 percent of global deaths annually and 15 million people who die from an NCD are between the ages of 30 and 69 years. An alarming 85 percent of these premature deaths occur in LMICs (World Health Organization). Health systems in LMICs are often not optimised to address this growing burden and people face multiple barriers to prevention, treatment and care.Now consisting of more than 25 biopharmaceutical companies, Access Accelerated unites industry action and applies member companies' global reach and local expertise to address the NCD burden. By working with partners to co-create scalable and sustainable solutions, the initiative supports inclusive local and country-led engagement and ownership. Both Servier and Ipsen have embraced the Access Accelerated commitment to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly, target 3.4 to reduce premature deaths from NCDs by one-third by 2030.Ipsen, based in, aims to improve lives through innovative medicines in oncology, neuroscience and rare diseases. Ipsen sells more than 20 medicines in 115 countries and has over 5,700 employees worldwide."Knowing that patients don't have time to wait, Ipsen is delighted to team up with Access Accelerated. To benefit patients around the world, we'll leverage our legacy and strong expertise to support better access to treatment and care," said Dominique Laymand, Ipsen's Executive Vice President, Ethics and Social Responsibility Chief Officer.Servier is an international pharmaceutical company headquartered in, committed to providing accessible quality healthcare to patients. Operating in 149 countries, Servier is focused on five major areas: cardiovascular, immune-inflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases, cancer and diabetes."Servier is dedicated to therapeutic progress to serve patient needs. We have a social responsibility to improve access to health for patients. Servier's participation in Access Accelerated will support this everyday commitment," said, Head of Servier Corporate Social Responsibility.Access Accelerated Directorsaid, "Servier and Ipsen bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise in NCD care and we are delighted for both companies to join Access Accelerated. Their contributions will further bolster our efforts to combat the global NCD crisis and end premature deaths from preventable, treatable diseases."About Access Accelerated Access Accelerated is a global partnership of more than 25 biopharmaceutical companies aimed at addressing the growing NCD health challenge. Using a multi-sectoral approach, Access Accelerated develops, measures and replicates sustainable programs in low- and middle income countries to advance access to NCD prevention and care. For more information about Access Accelerated visit: https://accessaccelerated.org/About Ipsen Ipsen is a global specialty-driven biopharmaceutical group focused on innovation and specialty care. The group develops and commercializes innovative medicines in three key therapeutic areas Oncology, Neuroscience and Rare Diseases. Its commitment to Oncology is exemplified through its growing portfolio of key therapies for prostate cancer, neuroendocrine tumors, renal cell carcinoma and pancreatic cancer. Ipsen also has a well-established Consumer Healthcare business. With total sales over 2.2 billion in 2018, Ipsen sells more than 20 drugs in over 115 countries, with a direct commercial presence in more than 30 countries. Ipsen's R&D is focused on its innovative and differentiated technological platforms located in the heart of the leading biotechnological and life sciences hubs (Paris-Saclay,, US). The Group has about 5,700 employees worldwide. For more information on Ipsen, visit: http://www.ipsen.com.About Servier Servier is an international pharmaceutical company governed by a non-profit foundation, with its headquarters in(Suresnes). With a strong international presence in 149 countries and a turnover ofin 2018, Servier employs 22,000 people worldwide. Entirely independent, the Group reinvests 25% of its turnover (excluding generics) in research and development and uses all its profits for development. Corporate growth is driven by Servier's constant search for innovation in five areas of excellence: cardiovascular, cancer and metabolism, immune-inflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases, as well as by its activities in high-quality generic drugs. Servier also offers eHealth solutions beyond drug development. For more information on Servier, visit: https://servier.comSOURCE Access Accelerated CASS CITY A small amount of sanitary discharge was recently released underground at private land at 4105 N. Division St. in Cass City. Repairs are currently underway. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and Department of Public Health have been notified, and no public health concern has been identified. UPPER THUMB The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has confirmed more measles cases, bringing the state total to 34 for this year. The new cases were all in Oakland County, bringing the case count to 33 in Oakland County and one in Wayne County. Infected individuals range in age from 8 months to 63 years old. The measles vaccine is highly effective and very safe. A single dose of measles vaccine protects about 95 percent of children, but after two doses, almost 100 percent are immune. The first of two routine childhood measles vaccine doses is given at 12-15 months of age. A second vaccine dose is given before the start of kindergarten, between ages 4 and 6. MDHHS follows Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance and does not recommend routine measles vaccinations for children less than 12 months of age unless there is a suspected measles exposure; there is thought to be an imminent measles exposure such as being in areas of known measles; or international travel planned. For international travel, infants as young as six months should be vaccinated against measles. Measles vaccine, or other acceptable documentation of immunity to measles, is recommended for all persons traveling internationally. You cannot get measles from the vaccine. It is effective within 72 hours of exposure to prevent illness. In addition, immune globulin (Ig) treatment is effective within six days of exposure for high-risk individuals. Talk to your healthcare provider to determine if immune globulin is right for you and if it is available. High-risk individuals include those who are unvaccinated or unsure about vaccination status, pregnant women and those who are immune-compromised (have a weakened immune system due to illness and diseases like HIV, malnutrition and/or medications). MDHHS is working closely with Oakland and Wayne county health departments to identify possible exposure locations. Known exposure sites in Oakland County are listed at Oakgov.com/health. Additional sites of potential exposures may be identified as more information becomes available. Measles is a highly contagious, vaccine-preventable disease that is spread by direct person-to-person contact and through the air. The virus can live for up to two hours in the air where the infected person was present. Symptoms of measles usually begin 7-14 days after exposure, but can appear up to 21 days after exposure and may include: High fever (may spike to over 104F); cough; runny nose; and red, watery eyes (conjunctivitis). Tiny white spots on the inner cheeks, gums and roof of the mouth (Koplik Spots) occur two to three days after symptoms begin. A rash that is red, raised, blotchy, and usually starts on face, spreads to trunk, arms and legs, occurs three to five days after symptoms begin. If symptoms develop, residents are urged to not visit their doctor or emergency room unless they have called ahead so they can take precautions to prevent exposure to other individuals. So far this year, there have been 387 cases of measles confirmed in 15 states. In 2018, Michigan had 19 cases of measles. The last time the state had this many measles cases was in 1991, when 65 cases were reported. For more information about measles, visit CDC.gov/measles. For more information about Michigans current measles outbreak, visit Michigan.gov/MeaslesOutbreak. In an effort to help parents protect their children from serious vaccine-preventable diseases, MDHHS is participating in the I Vaccinate campaign. For more information about immunizations and the I Vaccinate campaign, visit IVaccinate.org. HARTFORD The Finance, Revenue, and Bonding Committee filed a handful of bills this week, including one that would eliminate the estate tax and also borrow $200 million for STEM scholarships. The 88-page document would implement the recommendations of the Commission on Fiscal Stability and Economic Growth and is similar to Gov. Ned Lamonts revenue package, which introduces sales taxes on goods and services that were previously exempt. At first glance, the bill seeks to reduce some of the sales tax increases pitched by Lamont, but theres no fiscal note yet so its difficult to tell. Rep. Jason Rojas, D-East Hartford, who chairs the Finance, Revenue, and Bonding Committee, said the bill was requested by Rep. Chris Davis, R-East Windsor, the ranking Republican on the committee. My ranking member was putting it forward on behalf of the fiscal stability commission, Rojas said. Davis said out of respect for the privately funded work of the Commission on Fiscal Stability and Economic Growth he put forward legislation calling for some of the recommendations they made in their report. I am not 100 percent supportive of their recommendations, Davis said. But their ideas should get a hearing. Davis said he could only put forward some of the commissions revenue and bonding recommendations and not their budget cuts or pension reforms because those issues fall under the cognizance of other committees. Republican Party Chairman JR Romano was quick to criticize the bill on Twitter when he thought it was a Democratic proposal. The majority of the taxes @CTDems & @GovNedLamont are proposing this session will hurt the working class the most. At the rate their money is being diverted out of their paychecks, they may never even encounter the estate tax because theyll be left with nothing, Romano tweeted. The biggest difference between the committee bill and Lamonts budget is the estate tax. Lamonts budget maintained the estate tax and delayed reporting to nine months after a death, rather than the current delay of six months. But Davis committee bill would phase out the tax entirely. The move will not be popular among members of the Progressive Caucus, who have already said they have no desire to eliminate the estate tax, especially if the state doesnt increase income taxes on Connecticuts wealthiest residents. Over the past two years, the estate tax has brought in about $218 million to $223 million per year. The tax only applies to estates larger than $3.6 million. If Connecticut gets rid of the estate tax, its going to be a huge transfer of wealth directly to the ultra-wealthy in our state, Rep. Joshua Elliott, D-Hamden, has said. He said its the millionaire with the suitcase myth, and Connecticut lawmakers should not listen to anecdotal evidence from wealthy people who leave Connecticut. Theres also another problem created by the elimination of the estate tax for anyone who died after Jan. 1, 2019 how to pay for the probate court system, which is entirely funded by the estate and gift taxes and fees. And since Lamont also proposed eliminating the gift tax, probate officials are raising the alarm. Probate Court Administrator Paul Knierim told the Finance, Revenue, and Bonding Committee earlier this month that unless it finds other money in the operating budget, the changes that Lamont proposed will cause the Probate Court system to be insolvent and unable to pay its bills in FY20. While most Republicans support eliminating the estate tax, it will be difficult to win their support on any sort of budget package that raises taxes. Before the bipartisan budget compromise of 2017, the last time a Republican voted for a budget was 2007. The committee bill also includes other smaller changes. For example, the bill keeps the hotel tax at 15 percent, instead of increasing it to 17 percent. It also keeps the rate for bed and breakfasts at 11 percent, instead of the 13 percent proposed by Lamont. Both bills transfer 10 percent to the state Tourism Fund. The committee bill also adds a 6.35 percent sales tax to campground reservations just like Lamonts budget proposal, and restores the boat tax to 2.99 percent. Lamonts bill would raise it to 6.35 percent. Kathleen Burns, executive director of the Connecticut Marine Trades Association, told the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee last month that boat sales have increased since the tax was reduced. Burns said marinas have reported a 13-percent increase in slip rentals for the upcoming season. The number of boats registered in Connecticut has been dropping for more than a decade. They were down 15.7 percent from 2007 to 2017, according to state records. The Connecticut Marine Trades Association are hoping to keep taxes low to encourage registration. Neither the committee bill nor Lamonts proposal seeks to increase personal income taxes. The committee has until May 2 to forward bills to the House. Rojas said they are working to come up with a finance package that meets the spending plan put forward by the Appropriations Committee. STEM scholarship program According to the committee bill, the state would borrow $200 million to be used by the Office of Higher Education to develop a STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) Scholarship Program, provided no portion of such proceeds shall be used for administrative expenses. Starting July 1, 2020, the Office of Higher Education would award scholarships of up to $5,000 a year for up to 4,000 Connecticut residents in the first year and up to 4,000 additional state residents in each of the next three years, who are enrolled (1) as full-time or part-time undergraduate students at a public or an independent institution of higher education in the state and are seeking a degree in a field related to science, technology, engineering, mathematics or a health profession, or (2) in a teacher preparation program, as defined in section 10-10a of the general statutes, and whose subject area major is in science, technology, engineering or mathematics. MIDDLETOWN The lead defendant in the Whiting Forensic Hospital abuse case was convicted Thursday of three felonies and five misdemeanors by a Middlesex Superior Court jury. Mark Cusson, a supervisory forensic nurse at Whiting, was charged with eight counts of cruelty to persons, a felony, and eight counts of disorderly conduct in connection with the alleged abuse of a severely mentally ill patient at the facility over a two-week period in March 2017. A jury found him guilty on three counts of cruelty to persons and five counts of disorderly conduct, and he was acquitted on the other eight charges. More than 30 Whiting employees were implicated in the abuse scandal and 10 were criminally charged with a range of offenses. The 16 charges brought against Cusson was the largest number brought against any one individual in this case. A number of the former employees agreed to plea deals, but Cusson decided to fight the charges, pleading not guilty and retaining the law firm of Pattis & Smith to defend him. The trial began March 25 and relied heavily upon surveillance video that was shot in the room of William Bill Shehadi. A former Greenwich resident, Shehadi was accused of murdering his father in 1995. However, he was acquitted due to mental disease or defect and confined to Whiting, which then was a division of Connecticut Valley Hospital. It now is run directly under the state Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services, but the facility still is on the CVH grounds. It was there, in Room 631, that prosecutors said Cusson on one occasion repeatedly threw Shehadis mattress on the floor, restrained him by locking his legs around Shehadi and once mopped Shehadis head with a urine-stained mop. Those events were said to have occurred over a 14-day period in 2017. The jury started deliberating Tuesday and almost immediately asked to review a number of the videos, which were taken from an overhead camera in Shehadis darkened room. Deliberations continued Wednesday, until Superior Court Judge Jose A. Suarez sent the jury home for the day at 4:32 p.m. The jurors were back at it Thursday morning, beginning at 10 a.m. At 10:35 a.m., the six-member jury made up of four men and two women sent the judge a note saying they had reached a verdict. When all had assembled again in the third-floor courtroom, Suarez announced the jury had reached a unanimous verdict and the jury was brought back in. Cusson was told to stand and face the jury foreman in the jury box, and court clerk Evelyn Vargas-Rondon read off each of the 16 charges, asking the foreman to answer guilty or not guilty for each charge. Cusson showed no reaction as the verdicts were read. His wife, who was present dailt at the trial, sat in the spectators galley clutching a tissue. As the total of guilty verdicts grew, she blotted her eyes. After the verdicts were read, defense attorney Kevin Smith asked that the jury members be polled: that each member of the jury be asked to say how they voted on each of the 16 charges. The jury then was excused. As they left the courtroom, Assistant States Attorney Jeffrey Doskos rose to alert the judge that the clerk had inadvertently read the wrong sub-section of the disorderly conduct statute (CGS 53A-182). Cusson had been charged with sub-section two, which defines disorderly conduct as by offensive or disorderly conduct, annoys or interferes with another person. But the clerk had read sub-section one, which reads Engages in fighting or in violent, tumultuous or threatening behavior. Suarez suggested it was a clerical error, but adjourned court while he verified his initial conclusion. Suarez returned a short time later, and said he was convinced the mistake was a clerical error. He proposed bringing the jury back into the courtroom and having the foreman attest to the conviction on each of the disorderly conduct charges. Cussons bail was continued, allowing him to remain free until his scheduled sentencing June 20. He faces up to 20 years in prison: five years for each of the felony convictions and one year each of the misdemeanors. Smith escorted the Cussons into a small conference room just off the courtroom. The couple and Smith later left the court house by the main exit. Smith declined to comment to waiting reporters, as did two longtime friends of Cusson who had attended the trial regularly to show their support for the Southington man. However, he told the Associate Press that his client is disappointed by the verdict and will appeal. The Blue Angels have named their next commander. Cmdr. Brian Kesselring will lead the demonstration squadron for the 2020 and 2021 seasons, the Navy announced Tuesday. Kesselring will officially take command of the squadron from Capt. Eric Doyle at the end of the current air show season in November. His initial training will begin in Pensacola, Florida, in September, officials said; he will eventually perform as the demonstration flight leader in the No. 1 jet. He was previously the commanding officer of Strike Fighter Squadron 81, which flies F/A-18E Super Hornets. He has more than 3,790 flight hours and 812 carrier-arrested landings, the service said in a news release. "It's absolutely humbling, and I'm honored to be here to represent the Navy and Marine Corps team," Kesselring said in the release. "Throughout my career as an F/A-18 pilot, I've always looked to the Blues as a source of inspiration." Related content: Blue Angels candidates must have a minimum of 3,000 flight hours and either currently be in command or previously had command of a tactical jet squadron, the Navy said. As an F/A-18 pilot, Kesselring has deployed in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom, New Dawn, Enduring Freedom and Inherent Resolve. The Blue Angels have 56 shows in 29 locations scheduled for the 2020 season, the Navy said. Over the next few years, the team will receive new, retrofitted Super Hornet fighter aircraft. In August, the Navy awarded manufacturer Boeing Co. a $17 million firm-fixed price contract to configure nine F/A-18E and two F/A-18F aircraft to the standard Blue Angels' aircraft structure. The squadron, which typically maintains 11 aircraft, currently flies the F/A-18C/D models. -- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214. 'Truly Not Alone': Air Force Spouse Trying to Improve Mental Health for Military Families on Okinawa Mental Health Peer Alliance meets at Kadena twice a week for activities like art therapy, exercise for mothers and small... Deliveries of F-35A Joint Strike Fighters for the Turkish pilot training program continue, despite the halt of equipment shipments to Turkey. One Lockheed Martin-made fifth-generation jet was delivered to Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, on Wednesday, and another is scheduled to be delivered Friday, a Defense Department official told Military.com. The base already had two jets belonging to Turkey for the international training program. Earlier this week, the U.S. halted shipments of F-35 equipment to the NATO ally after it refused to back down from its intent to purchase the Russian-made S-400 surface-to-air missile system. The freeze on related equipment remains in place, but officials determined that the delivery of additional jets to Luke's training program "didn't pose risk" to the U.S., the official said. Acting Pentagon spokesman Charlie Summers told reporters during a briefing Thursday that the base's pilot training program for Turkey is ongoing. "No operations have changed at Luke," added 56th Fighter Wing spokeswoman Maj. Rebecca Heyse. Related content: Summers said the Pentagon has no immediate plans to take back the first two Lightning II jets that belong to Turkey. Mevlut Cavusoglu, Turkey's minister of foreign affairs, said Wednesday that his country is "definitely" moving forward with its purchase of the S-400, known as the "F-35 killer" by Moscow. "It's a done deal," Cavusoglu said during the "NATO Engages" event in Washington, D.C., to mark the alliance's 70th anniversary. "This is a done deal." After months of discussions, the Pentagon is still hopeful that Turkey will change course and instead buy the American-made Patriot missile system. "I am very confident in the Patriot proposal that we've delivered to Turkey, its availability, it's pricing, and very importantly, the industrial participation that comes along with the Patriot system," Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said this week. "I've had a number of conversations with Defense Minister Akar, and I really think we'll resolve this situation with our strategic partners," he said. In an effort to keep Turkey from buying 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. Turkey, however, has said the system is insufficient for its needs. Lawmakers are moving forward to ban the transfer of the F-35 to Turkey and bar future sales until the U.S. is satisfied it will not accept any S-400 systems from Russia. The jets that Turkey has already purchased are slated to be transferred overseas by the end of this year, a defense official previously told Military.com. Last week, Sens. James Lankford, R-Oklahoma; Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H.; Chris Van Hollen, D-Maryland.; and Thom Tillis, R-N.C., introduced legislation over concern Turkey's planned S-400 purchase would pose a risk to U.S. national security. "The prospect of Russia having access to U.S. aircraft and technology in a NATO country, Turkey, is a serious national and global security risk," Shaheen said. The group introduced a similar bill last year. -- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214. OFF THE COAST OF NORFOLK, Virginia -- The scenario: Neo-Nazi terrorists with a cache of radioactive material have taken over a three-deck tour boat out of Miami full of frightened tourists. The rescue team: an elite cadre of Coast Guard operators with specialized training in ship boarding. Their uniforms were non-standard -- some even wore high-top sneakers -- but they sported arm patches bearing a common motto: "Nox Noctis est Nostri," The Night Is Ours. These are the Coast Guard's little-known Maritime Security Response Teams, the closest the Department of Homeland Security-owned service gets to military special operations. Their profile in special ops-style ship boardings and close combat has loomed larger as the service as a whole takes on more strategic roles in national security despite budget constraints. In fact, Coast Guard MSRTs, as they're called, are now deployed to the Middle East, playing an increasingly significant role in drug-interdiction and anti-piracy operations around the Persian Gulf. On a recent evening here, Military.com observed how MSRTs train, in elaborate, realistic scenarios, for this specialized work. Aboard the notionally hijacked tour boat were scattered role-playing "terrorists" with automatic weapons and gas masks, and role-player tourists. The mission of the MSRT Advanced Interdiction Team was to subdue the terrorists, free the tourists and secure the radioactive material, while using minimum force. The teams were guarded about their tactics, but what can be said is that, from the first deck of the darkened target ship, the approach in small boats could not be heard. The Coast Guardsmen clambered aboard in silence and crept through the ship using night-vision devices and hand signals. For swift but controlled movement through a target ship, they rely on knowledge gained through training and intelligence of a ship's likely layout. The team members moved deliberately through the target ship, efficiently neutralizing the simulated threat and regaining control in a tight 45 minutes. At one point, blanks were fired to dispatch at least one "terrorist." Others were taken into custody and handcuffed. The role-playing tourists were freed without casualties. The radioactive material, discovered in a metal box, was turned over to the FBI and Department of Energy. All in a night's work for a group that enjoys little name recognition despite its advanced skills and high-end training. The Coast Guards Maritime Security Response Team (MSRT) from Virginia participates in a training evolution in Hyannis, Mass., Thursday, Oct. 22, 2015. (U.S. Coast Guard photo/Ross Ruddell) "There are people who have been in the service don't know who we are," Master Chief Petty Officer Ryan Patterson, an emergency medical technician and 10-year veteran of the teams, told Military.com. Lt. Daniel Evans, assault force commander of MSRT's Direct Action Section 3, said he often hears: "I've never seen Coasties in camo before." They maintain that their lengthy and rigorous training is on par with other special operations elements, and in the process they have developed comparable skills. They have weapons skills in spades. For the last three years, Coast Guard "precision marksmen" have finished respectably in the annual Army International Sniper Competition at Fort Benning, Georgia. Last year, the Coast Guard team finished 9th overall among some 30 teams, just ahead of the Marines from the Scout Sniper Instruction School at Quantico, Virginia. It was the second year in a row that a Coast Guard team finished ahead of the Marine snipers in the competition. All of which is not to say that the Coast Guard's teams are necessarily the equivalent of Navy SEALs, Marine Raiders or other groups in U.S. Special Operations Command. But the security response teams, and the Advanced Interdiction Teams, have found a niche in the spectrum of special operations at which they excel: boarding ships, whether by fast-roping from helicopters or the old-fashioned way, using grappling hooks and climbing hand-over-hand up the side. The teams also have presidential missions. They are on Manhattan's East River when President Donald Trump visits the United Nations, and they patrol when he is at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. "We have a very specific job to do, and we do our thing here in the continental U.S., as well as over in [U.S. Central Command]," Evans said. "I would say that we're unique in the sense [that] my guys are not worried about scuba diving, they're not worried about jumping out of airplanes. All that we worry about is boarding and close-quarters combat." The Coast Guards Maritime Security Response Team (MSRT) from Virginia participates in a training evolution in Hyannis, Mass., Thursday, Oct., 22, 2015. (U.S. Coast Guard photo/Ross Ruddell) Coast Guard Teams in Bahrain In Bahrain, where the MSRTs maintain a presence, they train on what's called a "ship in a box," a warehouse fitted out with ladder wells and hatches that can be configured to simulate most shipboard spaces. The warehouse also has a replica of a 65-foot fishing dhow, much like the ones they would encounter in the Persian Gulf, with hidden compartments they are expected to find in training to search for contraband. For security reasons, Coast Guard officials would not discuss statistics on the number of ship boardings, seizures or engagements with what are euphemistically call "non-compliant crews" carried out by the teams that Vice Adm. Scott A. Buschman, commander of Coast Guard Atlantic Area, called "deployable specialized forces on alert 24/7." In a statement, Buschman said the teams are "capable of handling the full spectrum of maritime interdiction operations, specializing in counter-terrorism," and are ready to deploy with Defense Department and partner agencies worldwide. As always with the Coast Guard, a pivotal issue for the response teams, which are split between the East and West Coasts, has been getting funding and support. But "the equation definitely is being solved," said Maritime Enforcement Specialist 2nd Class Nathan Shelton. Shelton, of MSRT West, told Military.com in early March, "We had some issues getting the right training and support at the higher levels, but I feel like we are supported now. "We are deploying across the U.S., out on ships and even deploy a few members outside the team -- our observation folks," he added. "We go anywhere where there is the potential for a low-probability, high-casualty event against the homeland." Teaming with the Navy For the teams, the main focus of operations is the Middle East and anti-pirate, anti-smuggling missions off the six 110-foot Coast Guard patrol boats stationed in Bahrain, the largest Coast Guard contingent outside the U.S., as part of the Navy's Task Force 55. In the task force, which comes under the Navy's Patrol Forces Southwest and the 5th Fleet operating out of Bahrain, the MSRTs have joined missions with Navy SEALs and other elements of Special Operations Command. The teams have also been in extended deployments aboard Navy warships, including the cruiser Lake Champlain and the destroyer Stockdale, a recognition of the value their specialty brings to maritime missions. In interviews in late March at their East Coast training base in Moyock, North Carolina, Patterson, 37, of Massena, New York, and Evans, 31, of Buffalo, New York, said the MSRTs grew out of the Deployable Operations Groups, or DOG Teams, that were formed after 9/11 by then-Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Thad Allen. The DOG teams were later decommissioned and split up into what are now the West Coast and East Coast sections of the MSRTs. Typically, Coast Guard Advanced Interdiction Teams serve to augment Navy Visit, Board, Search and Seizure teams, providing training and backup. When a Level III VBSS is required, meaning the target ship may offer resistance, the Advanced Interdiction Teams are assigned the task. "We try to emphasize we're filling a gap there, which is that short-notice maritime response capability," Evans said. The Coast Guard literature states that the response teams are intended to provide "rapidly deployable specialized forces to execute mission objectives in support of tactical and operational commanders." The AITs include boat handlers and navigators, precision marksmen, hook and climb masters, fast-rope specialists, and breachers -- all trained for assault whether by helicopter or small boat. Boatswain's Mate 1st Class Marco Panaganiba, 35, of San Diego, said his job is to deliver boarding teams "unannounced and undetected" from a small boat capable of 40-plus knots, but he'd prefer a new craft with more range for missions farther offshore. "It took a few years to get here" with the MSRTs, following the selection and training process, said Maritime Enforcement Specialist 2nd class Dean Alati, 31, of Lapeer, Michigan. In his estimation, the teams are the "subject matter experts" when it comes to boarding ships. The Coast Guards Maritime Security Response Team (MSRT) from Virginia participate in a training evolution in Hyannis, Mass., Thursday, Oct., 22, 2015. (U.S. Coast Guard photo/Ross Ruddell) A Broadening Mission A renewed emphasis on the MSRTs' role is part of a push by Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Karl Schultz to take on more strategic missions in support of the Defense Department and other agencies, despite chronic shortfalls in funding for the service as part of the Department of Homeland Security. At a Center for Strategic and International Studies event last summer, Schultz said the demand for Coast Guard services from DoD combatant commanders around the globe has never been higher, and he made a prediction that came true in the last week of March. "We're in discussion with [Navy] Adm. [Phil] Davidson," commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Schultz said. "There's a request for forces, and I think you will see some Coast Guard presence in that part of the world." On March 24, the Coast Guard cutter Bertholf joined the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer Curtis Wilbur in a Freedom of Navigation Operation, or FONOP, through the Taiwan Strait despite warnings from China. In testimony last week on the Coast Guard's proposed fiscal 2020 budget before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, Schultz described the broadening scope of operations for the 42,000 active-duty Coast Guard personnel, 6,000 reservists and 8,500 civilians, and the strain to improve readiness under funding restraints. "The Coast Guard is a federal law enforcement agency, a regulatory body, a first responder, a member of the U.S. intelligence community, and a military service and a branch of the armed forces of the United States at all times," he said. "We currently have forces assigned to each of the six geographic combatant commanders." Yet next year's Coast Guard budget request includes a $1 billion reduction in discretionary funding, from $10.3 billion in fiscal 2019 to $9.3 billion for fiscal 2020. Schultz warned of the "erosion of readiness experienced in our service over the past decade due to near flat-line funding for operations and support." "We must address our lost purchasing power, the growing backlogs of deferred maintenance on our capital assets, and the degraded habitability of our infrastructure," he said. "We've got a $1.7 billion infrastructure backlog." The need for more assets is particularly acute in the area of drug interdiction, Schultz said. In fiscal 2018, the Coast Guard seized 209 metric tons of cocaine and detained more than 600 suspected smugglers -- more than all other federal agencies combined, he said. Schultz agreed with Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, the ranking member of the subcommittee, that the Coast Guard had intelligence from U.S. Southern Command on about 80 percent of the drug runners, but could only interdict about 20 percent for lack of resources. "I think it is our desire to close that gap," Tester said. -- Richard Sisk can be reached at richard.sisk@military.com. The Defense Department has made progress reasserting its authority over the private companies that manage military housing, according to Pentagon officials and members of Congress during a House Armed Services subcommittee hearing Thursday. But it must ensure that commanders and housing offices remain vigilant to provide safe, quality housing for military families, they added. To address a scandal that erupted last year following media reports of unsanitary and dangerous conditions in privately managed military homes, military leaders have instituted reforms to fix the problems and hold the companies accountable. Since February, Army, Navy and Air Force leaders have inspected thousands of on-base homes; crafted a tenant bill of rights that would, among other things, allow service members to withhold rent from companies if maintenance needs are not met; and plan to hire customer service representatives to advocate for residents. Related content: Robert McMahon, assistant secretary of defense for sustainment, told members of the House Armed Services readiness subcommittee that the DoD has short- and long-term plans to ensure that current and future residents live in high-quality homes. He acknowledged that the DoD had shirked its responsibilities. "The reality is that this is an issue we should not have dropped off," McMahon said. Rep. John Garamendi, D-California, subcommittee chairman, said he has heard from families who continue to face problems, including some whose work orders have been closed too quickly or who have not gotten recourse because they signed non-disclosure agreements. "The services must expeditiously move from assessment mode to implementation" of reforms, he said. Safety and health issues in privately managed military housing were exposed last year in several months-long investigations by Reuters. They included reports of pest infestations, children poisoned by lead in older homes and families falling ill as the result of mold growth in new construction. In the past, the private housing companies and military leaders reported to Congress that the housing programs resulted in tenant satisfaction rates of 85% to 98%. Results of a survey released in February, however, painted a different picture: Of 14,558 qualified respondents, 56 percent said they had a negative or very negative experience living in privatized housing. As a result of the scandal, members of Congress have called on the Defense Department to investigate the companies and renegotiate their 50-year contract deals. McMahon said the military services are adding staff and increasing training and will roll out a final tenant bill of rights soon, although he didn't provide a timeline. Colorado Rep. Doug Lamborn, the ranking Republican on the subcommittee, noted that the services must be aggressive in conducting oversight of the companies. He asked about an employee of Hunt Military Housing, the company that manages Air Force Academy housing, who was recently arrested for financial fraud. John Henderson, assistant secretary of the Air Force for installations, environment and energy, said a routine audit of the company's records in 2017 "revealed anomalies" that, after an investigation, led to the arrest of the employee. "It's a very unfortunate situation," Henderson said. "But I think it also it serves as a good example of what routine oversight looks like, and what it looks like when it's working correctly." Hunt Military Housing has agreed to pay back a $169,000 discrepancy. Lawmakers said they plan to allow the DoD to hire additional staff to work on the issue and promised to continue monitoring the situation. "Heads up, folks. We are going to be back to this issue before the year is over," Garamendi said. -- Patricia Kime can be reached at Patricia.Kime@Military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @patriciakime. Joyce Raezer is executive director of the National Military Family Association; Steve Schwab is CEO of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation; and retired Lt. Gen. Mike Linnington is CEO of the Wounded Warrior Project. Zianni is the middle child in a family of five. Before and after school, she takes care of her younger siblings and helps her mom make dinner. But her most important role is keeping her siblings calm so they don't add more stress to an already fragile environment. Fifteen years in the Army and three tours in Iraq left Zianni's dad with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety attacks and physical injuries. The family dynamic is centered around his care, and Zianni is often lost in the mix. Since September 11, 2001, nearly 7,000 American troops have died in combat zones and nearly 53,000 have sustained injuries in combat that qualified them to receive the Purple Heart medal. More than 380,000 have sustained traumatic brain injuries. While the many challenges facing wounded veterans have been well documented over the past two decades of war, less has been written about the impact of war on the service members' families -- especially their children. There are dramatic changes in family roles and responsibilities post-injury. The spouse often becomes a caregiver and, without anyone even noticing, so does the child. There are thousands of hidden helpers like Zianni, forced to grow up and take on the weight of their wounded parents' care and all that comes along with it. As the leaders of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, the National Military Family Association and Wounded Warrior Project, we are proud to initiate a new national effort to address the needs of the children of injured veterans and military caregivers. In July 2018, we convened support organizations, subject-matter experts and caregivers for an Impact Forum examining the Children of Military Caregivers. On the tails of this event, we have joined forces to create a shared action plan to address the needs and gaps in support of this underserved population. Our recently released report, outlining learnings from the forum, found that children of injured veterans often experience mental and physical health challenges that adversely impact their quality of life. Often, the trauma experienced by the injured veteran is passed onto their children in the forms of uncertainty-related anxiety and fear. Academic experts noted that these children present higher rates of behavioral health challenges, due in part to the increased demands on the adults in the household to provide care for the injured veteran, often impacting the time they have to parent their children. Children of military caregivers also present higher risks of social isolation. A Department of Veterans Affairs Caregiver Program study revealed that 75 percent of caregiver respondents engaged in their communities, on average, only three times (or less) per month. When a parent is also a caregiver, the time demands of caregiving often restrict military children's abilities to engage in school and extracurricular activities. Furthermore, many caregivers report that the public's lack of understanding of caregiving responsibilities on children of wounded warriors often compounds the negative impacts of social isolation and can promote labeling of children of wounded warriors as "problem" children. The families of injured veterans also face increased financial pressures as the unemployment rate for military caregivers overall is approximately 10% -- nearly three times as high as the national average of 3.8 percent -- and the families are met with unreimbursed health care-related expenses. Many caregivers are forced to quit their jobs to meet the needs of their injured veteran. Supporting children of military caregivers, our nation's hidden helpers, is an endeavor that will span decades. Through our partnership, we have identified a few initial recommended action steps we need to take to adequately address the needs of our caregiver children. First, more research is needed to find ways to lessen the impact on children of military caregivers and increase their personal development and opportunities. We're embarking on a large-scale quantitative study, which will assess the impact of caregiving on children's physical and mental health and school performance to provide insight into the challenges they face and inform methods to meet their needs. Second, more needs to be done to increase children's access to affordable and timely mental health care. Non-traditional options such as parenting and preventative programs should be considered to help caregivers and their children deal with normal reactions to extreme and protracted stress, anxiety and overwhelming responsibilities. Third, a national effort is required to help reduce the stigma and social isolation experienced by caregivers' children through increased community engagement and public education, especially within schools. To read the full-length Children of Military Caregivers Impact Forum report, visit https://www.elizabethdolefoundation.org/impact-forum/. And to learn more about how to help, visit www.elizabethdolefoundation.org, www.militaryfamily.org and https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/. -- The opinions expressed in this op-ed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Military.com. If you would like to submit your own commentary, please send your article to opinions@military.com for consideration. 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... Global Medical Camera Market Key Player, Trends, Analysis And Forecast 2019 The report Medical Camera Market by Camera Type (Endoscopy, Surgery, Dermatology, Ophthalmology, Dental), Resolution (HD, SD), Sensor (CMOS, CCD), End-Users (Hospitals, Diagnostic Centers, Specialty Clinics & Ambulatory Surgery Centers) Global Forecast The global medical camera market is expected to reach the US $ 3.69 billion, at a CAGR of 8.7% during the forecast period. Download PDF Brochure (Medical Camera Market): https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=201071746 Medical Camera Market: By Camera Type Endoscopy Cameras Surgical Microscopy Cameras Dermatology Cameras Ophthalmology Cameras Dental Cameras Medical Camera Market: By Sensor Charge Coupled Device (CCD) Complementary Metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) Speak to our Research Analyst (Medical Camera Market): https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/speaktoanalystNew.asp?id=201071746 Geographical in detailed Analysis for Medical Camera Market: The geography segment is categorized into North America, Europe, Asia, and the Rest of the World. North America held the largest share in the medical camera market and will continue to do so in the forecast period. Asia is expected to witness the highest CAGR, with its growth centered on China, Japan, and India. Request Research Sample Pages (Medical Camera Market): https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=201071746 Major Key Players in Medical Camera Market: Prominent players in this market Olympus Corporation (Japan), Stryker Corporation (U.S.), Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. (Japan), Sony Corporation (Japan), and Carestream Health (a subsidiary of Onex Corporation (Canada). Sony Corporation held the second position in the medical cameras market, the company launched the curved image sensor, which mimics the retina of the human eye. The launch of such innovative products helps the company enhance its market position and expand its product portfolio. Well keep track of the latest minor transactions from around the league here Catcher Raffy Lopez cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A Gwinnett by the Braves , per the leagues transactions log at MLB.com. Lopez, 31, was designated for assignment when Atlanta selected Matt Joyce and Josh Tomlin to their Opening Day roster. The journeyman catcher hit .176/.265/.284 in 117 plate appearances with the Padres last season and has never produced much in limited time at the MLB level. He is, however, a career .266/.340/.401 hitter in 1078 Triple-A plate appearances. The Braves acquired him from San Diego in exchange for cash back in early November, but he didnt have a place on the active roster behind Tyler Flowers and Brian McCann . , per the leagues transactions log at MLB.com. Lopez, 31, was designated for assignment when Atlanta selected and to their Opening Day roster. The journeyman catcher hit .176/.265/.284 in 117 plate appearances with the Padres last season and has never produced much in limited time at the MLB level. He is, however, a career .266/.340/.401 hitter in 1078 Triple-A plate appearances. The Braves acquired him from San Diego in exchange for cash back in early November, but he didnt have a place on the active roster behind and . Blue Jays catching prospect Max Pentecost has opted to retire, MassLive.coms Chris Cotillo reports (via Twitter). Sportsnets Shi Davidi reported late in camp that Pentecost was considering retirement as an option. The 26-year-old was the No. 11 pick of the 2014 draft but has undergone three different surgeries on his right shoulder since being selected. He missed the entire 2015 season as a result of those shoulder woes and has played in a total of just 260 minor league games (plus 11 more in the Arizona Fall League) since being drafted nearly five years ago. A healthy Pentecost showed a good bit of promise, particularly in 2016 when he hit .302/.361/.486 across two Class-A levels. catching prospect has opted to retire, MassLive.coms Chris Cotillo reports (via Twitter). Sportsnets Shi Davidi reported late in camp that Pentecost was considering retirement as an option. The 26-year-old was the No. 11 pick of the 2014 draft but has undergone three different surgeries on his right shoulder since being selected. He missed the entire 2015 season as a result of those shoulder woes and has played in a total of just 260 minor league games (plus 11 more in the Arizona Fall League) since being drafted nearly five years ago. A healthy Pentecost showed a good bit of promise, particularly in 2016 when he hit .302/.361/.486 across two Class-A levels. Tigers right-hander Grayson Long announced on Twitter that, due to continuous injury, hes hanging up the spikes and returning to college to finish his degree at Texas A&M. Detroit acquired Long, now 24 years old, in the 2017 trade that sent Justin Upton to the Angels. The 2015 third-round pick didnt pitch in 2018 as he recovered from thoracic outlet surgery a procedure that has become increasingly common among professional pitchers in recent years but comes with a middling success rate, at best. Long showed plenty of potential in his last healthy season, tossing 137 2/3 innings of 3.01 ERA ball with averages of 8.4 K/9, 2.8 BB/9 and 0.6 HR/9 in 137 2/3 innings of Double-A ball. GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. -- A massive and almost miraculous natural phenomenon occurs every spring across the Great Lakes region. But many people dont know its happening at all. A film by Grand Rapids-based production company Fauna Creative seeks to change that. The Fight for Flight is a mini documentary about spring bird migration, which Fauna Creative co-founder Jason Whalen calls the most interesting and under appreciated natural phenomenon in the Great Lakes. The 16-minute film was produced during the 2018 spring migration; it explores issues surrounding this annual event, during which songbirds travel thousands of miles from winter habitat in southern climates to return to their summer homes in Michigan and beyond. The film was a passion project for Whalen and his business partner, Chris Zuker. I grew up knowing every bird in the backyard, but it wasnt until about five years ago that I really understood the size of the annual spring migration -- the diversity of the birds and the amount of birds, Whalen said. Being pretty well connected to it but not really understanding the whole story ... it meant that people who are less connected to birds in general really have no idea this is happening. Whalen and Zuker took a fly-on-the-wall approach to the film, shadowing researchers and citizen scientists and wildlife rehab specialists as they went about their work. Production took the film team across Michigan and into Wisconsin. It is such a major natural event, Whalen said. This is the stuff of National Geographic and the Discovery Channel happening in our own backyards.The mini doc is available for viewing online. It has been shown at a handful of film festivals so far, and will air at the April 2019 Freep Film Festival in Detroit. Those who want updates on future screenings and talks related to the film can find Fauna Creative event information on the companys Facebook and Instagram pages. Whalen said he hopes the film inspires both an awareness and an appreciation of migratory birds and their place in the Great Lakes ecosystem -- and that, by extension, more people might recognize the importance of conservation. We hope that people understand that theres cool natural things happening in the Great Lakes region, Whalen said. We have the opportunity to see wildlife; we want to make sure that future generations have the same opportunity that we do." We easily take that stuff for granted. Police in several states are working to determine if a 14-year-old boy who went to police in Kentucky Wednesday is Timmothy Pitzen, a boy who has been missing since 2011. According to the Associated Press, the 14-year-old came to police in Campbell County, Kentucky and an incident report was filed in the city of Sharonville, Ohio -- a suburb of Cincinnati -- Wednesday morning saying he had just escaped two kidnappers and that he was the missing child. Pitzen went missing in 2011 after his mother took him to the zoo and a water park, and then killed herself at a hotel. She left behind a note saying her son was fine but that no one would ever find him. Police in Pitzens hometown of Aurora, Ill. are now working with the FBI and authorities in Ohio and Kentucky to determine in the boy is who he says he is. Weve probably had thousands of tips of him popping up in different areas, Aurora police Sgt. Bill Rowley said. We have no idea what were driving down there for. It could be Pitzen. It could be a hoax. The boy said he made his escape Wednesday by fleeing across a bridge into Kentucky after he was staying at a Red Roof Inn with two men. The men were described as white males having bodybuilder physiques and driving a Ford SUV with Wisconsin plates. Sharonville police say they have had no contact with the boy and they do not have evidence to suggest the boy was ever in the city. However, the incident report was filed with the department. The boy said he was unable to provide an exact location of the Red Roof Inn he escaped from. Pitzens grandmother, Alana Anderson told a Wisconsin TV station that police have not given the family much information so far. We just know a 14-year-old boy was found and went to the police, Anderson said. We dont want to get our hopes up and our familys hopes up until we know something. We just dont want to get our hopes up. Weve had false reports and false hopes before. WCPO 9 in Cincinnati reports DNA testing will be done on the boy to determine if he is Pitzen. Its been a busy year for Detroits iconic Michigan Central Station after about three decades of nothing but vacancy and decay setting in. Ford Motor Co. bought the once-doomed train station for $90 million with grand plans to spend upwards of $740 million in making it the automakers centerpiece of its Detroit campus. Once the project is complete in about four years, Ford will move about 2,500 employees into the train station by 2022. Related: Ford reshuffles investment plan in Michigan to spend $900M, create 900 jobs Now after sitting vacant since 1988, Bridge Magazine reports that the Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority has commissioned a $30,000 feasibility study on if Amtrak could return services to the iconic station. Kyle Burleson, executive director for the authority, told Bridge that the main goal is to figure out what it would cost then determine where we go from there. This feasibility study comes on the heels of Amtrak starting exploring the idea of reviving Detroit-Toronto service in its annual grant request to Congress. The Detroit to Toronto service was last offered in 1971. In Amtraks request to congress -- which can be viewed here --, the restoration of Detroit-Toronto service is listed under New or Improved Corridors. Thats as deep as that certain information gets as TBD is listed under federal share, total project cost and budgeted amount needed between 2019-2024 estimates, as well as construction start, duration and impacted regions. Burleson said that the timing of this was kind of perfect, and that talks on their side of things have involved Ford officials, Wayne County, the city of Detroit, and regional politicians. A spokesperson with Amtrak told Bridge that they are exploring the idea, and that a Chicago/Western Michigan-Detroit-Toronto corridor is one of the services where we see promise." As for Fords work on the train station itself, the automaker is in the process of redeveloping the space as a magnet for high-tech talent and a regional destination with modern workspaces, retail, restaurants, residential living and more. Related: Ford to move 2,500 employees into train station as it ramps up EV global presence The first of three construction phases started at the Michigan Central Station in late 2018, with crews focusing on drying out the extensive water damage and stabilizing the structure. Ford has said that the structure has sustained damage from a repetitive rain and freeze-thaw effect. This caused existing cracks in the exterior masonry to expand at a quicker rate. The building is very lucky Ford stepped in when it did, Ronald D. Staley, executive director of the construction company working with Ford on the three-phase, four-year project, said in a previous news release. It would have been a lot more difficult, maybe impossible five to 10 years down the road to salvage. The first year is going to be primarily about doing core and shell work, getting the building stabilized, concrete and steel fixed, and the building enclosed. In the second phase of its work, the automaker will have crews replace mechanical and electrical systems, while restoring the exterior masonry. The third and final phase will hone in on finishing and restoring the interior of the 105-year-old Michigan Central Station. Alongside the train station built in 1913, the automaker also purchased the adjacent Detroit Public Schools Book Depository building, a former brass factory, along with two acres of vacant land in Detroits Corktown neighborhood. On top of this look at the work on the train station, Ford also reports that it has tapped the Urban Land Institute to help provide independent views that will help it plan and design in Detroits Corktown neighborhood. Related: Ford, Detroit company turn fallen art at Michigan Central Station into jewelry Were excited to start construction on this transformational project, Mary Culler, development director for the automaker, said in a previous release. The building has been open to the elements for years so the work being done first is mainly internal, weatherizing and making the building stable. Come spring, things will become more visible to the community. And its not just physical construction happening, behind the scenes we are designing and planning an urban ecosystem built around the future of mobility. Ford bought the long-vacant Michigan Central Station for $90 million back in June from the Moroun, who had owned the structure since 1992. In 2015, about 1,000 windows were replaced after the mayors office negotiated a fix as part of a land-transfer deal. The project also aimed to eliminate asbestos and debris, secure it from the public while installing a freight elevator. The FBI says a DNA test conducted on a teenager claiming to be a child who has been missing since 2011 shows the teenager is not who he said he is, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. An FBI official confirmed the teenager is not Timmothy Pitzen despite his claims when he was found Wednesday morning. The teenager claimed he escaped custody of two men and fled across a bridge into Kentucky Wednesday morning before he was found by a woman who helped contact police. The teen said his captors were two white men with bodybuilder physiques, driving a newer model Ford SUV with Wisconsin plates. He also provided Pitzens full name and date of birth. Pitzen has been missing since his mother died by suicide in May 2011 after taking the boy on a trip to the zoo and a waterpark. She let behind a note saying Pitzen was safe but would never be found. He was six years old at the time of his disappearance. Police in Pitzens hometown of Aurora, Ill. will continue the investigation, while the FBI and other law enforcement agencies will only provide assistance when needed. In a rollback unrelated to the defect being investigated by the federal government, Hyundai says it will recall about 20,000 Veloster cars in North America. The Associated Press reports that this recall affects 2013 Hyundai Veloster models equipped with a 1.6-liter engine. This recall is separate from the petition to recall 2.9 Hyundai and Kia vehicles, and federal probe into the 2011 through 2014 Kia Optima and Sorento, Hyundai Sonata and Santa Fe models. Related: Feds to probe fires connected to Hyundai, Kia after petition from safety group A.P. reports that the Veloster recall in the U.S. and Canada stems from the risk that fuel could prematurely ignite in the cylinders around its pistons. If this were to happen, the threat excessive pressure could cause vehicles to stall or catch fire could exist. A spokesperson with the automaker told the news organization that the recall is linked to a software problem that was limited to the 2013 Veloster with 1.6-liter engine. This includes the fact that Kia did not use any engines from the facility responsible for the Veloster engines. In the case of the federal probe, it is believed that there are more than 3,100 consumer complaints and 103 injuries related to vehicle fires. The group behind the petition for Hyundai and Kia is the Center for Auto Safety, and the groups executive director was quick to jump on the news that the automaker was issuing a recall related to engine fires. Jason Levine, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety, said that this recall raises the question of whether we are even beyond the tip of the iceberg with fires connected to Hyundai and Kia. Related: Kia, Hyundai recall more than 500K SUVs due to potential engine issues How many times are we going to hear from either Hyundai or Kia that these circumstances are unique to a particular model and then have another recall or fire situation announced weeks or months later? Levine said. A.P. reports that Hyundai and Kia have recalled about 2.4 million vehicles since 2015 for issues related to engine failure and fires. The evidence is now clear Hyundai and Kia should have acted to recall these vehicles far earlier, Levine said in his statement. We challenge Kia and Hyundai to use this moment to figure out whats causing these fires instead of pretending these engine issues can be addressed with knock sensors and forcing cars into limp home mode. If they wont -- NHTSA must. Related: Hyundai shows off newly-tweaked Veloster, with turbo model To search active recalls, use the NHTSAs website to search your 17-character VIN at this link. VIN numbers are typically located under the drivers side windshield, or along the inside of the doors behind the seat or under the steering wheel. To sign up for NHTSA safety alerts for a specific vehicle, sign up at this link. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine did not mince his words when asked about Indias recent mission to destroy a satellite in low-orbit, calling it a terrible, terrible thing that has put the International Space Station at an increased risk. Bridenstine added that the threat from small pieces of debris and space junk from the destruction of the small satellite to the orbiting laboratory is unacceptable. The NASA chief made the remarks during a Monday, April 1 town hall with employees of the space agency. What we are tracking right now are objects big enough to track at about 10 centimeters or bigger, and about 60 pieces have been tracked, Bridenstine said. "Of those 60, we know that 24 of them are going above the apogee of the International Space Station. That is a terrible, terrible thing to create an event that sends debris in an apogee that goes above the International Space Station. That kind of activity is not compatible with the future of human spaceflight that we need to see happen. The video of the town hall can be seen embedded below, Bridenstine speaks on the threat to the space station and the Indian space agencys mission at about the 8-minute mark: Transcript of the town hall can be found on NASAs website and by clicking here. Bridenstine added that the risk of debris colliding with the space station has increased by 44 percent since the satellite was destroyed in late March. For those in the dark, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that scientists with the country successfully shot down a low-orbit satellite about 186 miles away. Business Insider reports that India joining the U.S., Russia and China as countries that have used anti-satellite weapons or technology. Reuters reports that the U.S. conducted the first anti-satellite mission back in 1959. On the flip side, India has said that the space debris should disappear and burn out in Earths atmosphere within the next 45 days. The chief of the countrys defense research organization told Reuters that the low-orbit satellite was targeting with the goal of reducing debris. Thats why we did it at lower altitude -- it will vanish in no time, G. Satheesh Reddy told the outlet. The debris moving right now. How much debris, we are trying to work out, but our calculations are it that it should be dying down within 45 days. I agree with @DutchSpace: the most likely target of India's #ASAT test was Microsat-r (2019-006A). My analysis shows the test must have happened near 5:40 UT when the sat was moving northwards towards Abdul Kalam:@SSC_NL @nktpnd @planet4589 pic.twitter.com/HPUbQ6yTaU Dr Marco Langbroek (@Marco_Langbroek) March 27, 2019 Reuters reports that the satellite shot down was a military one and that the 1,653-pound device was launched in January with the goal of shooting it down. Bridenstine wasnt the only U.S. official to publicly speak on the execution of the test as U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shannahan was quoted as saying: We all live in space, lets not make it a mess. Space should be a place where we can conduct business. Space is a place where people should have the freedom to operate. There are currently six astronauts living aboard the International Space Station from the U.S., Canada and Russia. Last week India shot down a satellite. The U.S. says the debris created threatens the International Space Station pic.twitter.com/JDVhClWjHb TicToc by Bloomberg (@tictoc) April 3, 2019 It was a small clearing in a cane field, just outside of Thon Ba, a small hamlet in Vietnam. Hattie Ford, a retired Kalamazoo math teacher, stood in the field and looked around. Considered the what-ifs. It was the 50th anniversary of when her life changed forever. Army First Lt. Deane Taylor Jr., Hatties first husband, was shot down from a helicopter and killed right on this very site on Jan. 15, 1969. Hattie met Deane in 1964 when both were freshman at University of Georgia. He dropped out at the end of the school year. "School wasnt for him, Hattie said. Deane had other plans, aspiring to be the best salesman in the familys wholesale home-accessory business in Atlanta. Instead, he got drafted. Hattie and Deane married in June 1967. Trained as an Army helicopter pilot, Deane left for Vietnam in November 1968, two months before he was killed. His death was devastating for Hattie. She became a widow at age 22. And now Hattie was in Vietnam to pay tribute to Deane. By her side was Jim Ford, her husband of 43 years who arranged this trip. Also with Hattie: Two former members of the Viet Cong, including the man responsible for Deanes death. The Fords Vietnamese guide and translator helped find the men by asking around in Thon Ba for people who remembered a helicopter crash in January 1969. It was a small enough village that, fairly quickly, someone who knew someone led them to these men. The men led Hattie and Jim to a small lane off the main road toward the river. The group walked to the clearing. One of the men pointed to the place where the helicopter went down. Through the translator, the man in the blue shirt said low rain clouds that day forced the craft low enough for the Viet Cong to shoot it down. After the helicopter glided into the field, the man said, the three American crew members were shot and killed and the aircraft was burned. He did not say that he did the shooting and I did not ask that, specifically, but I am reasonably sure that he did, Hattie said. No apologies were offered for Deanes death. That was war and it is past. We are friends now, the other man said through the translator. Much has happened in Vietnam and with Hattie over the past half-century. After Deanes death, Hattie said, she felt so incomplete, so unfinished. Deane and I had been married only a year and a half. We had just begun to lay a foundation for a life together, for a home and a family. And not even the foundation was complete. I wanted more time. But she also recognized she was just one of many whose lives were torn apart by war. She picked up the pieces and got her teaching degree at University of Georgia. Found a teaching job in her Georgia hometown, and lived in a mobile home she parked on her familys tobacco farm. Five years after Deane died, she met Jim, a law student at University of Georgia. He was different from Deane. Quieter. More cerebral. A Northerner who grew up near Ann Arbor. Like Deane, Jim was a military pilot in Vietnam. Unlike Deane, Jim fiercely opposed the war and thought Americans had no business being there. They married in 1975, and moved to Kalamazoo after Jim finished law school and took a job for The Upjohn Co. Theyve lived in Kalamazoo ever since. Jim eventually went into private practice. Hattie worked as a math teacher at Loy Norrix High School. They raised three children, and now have seven grandchildren. Its been a very good life. My world has expanded far beyond anything I could ever have dreamed," Hattie said. Last summer, Jim and Hattie began talking about a trip to Vietnam. Hattie wanted to see where Deane died. Jim was curious to return to the place he last saw 46 years ago. Finding out exactly where Deane died took months of research on Jims part, which included tracking down the Army incident report and locating a Vietnam War-era map that showed the Armys geographic coordinates. In many respects, Hattie and Jim say, their January trip was more emotional for Jim than Hattie. For me all these years, Vietnam was frozen in time as a war-torn, dirt-poor country, said Jim, an Air Force pilot in Vietnam from 1970 to 1973. It was pretty emotional for me to see the transformation." During the trip, he asked numerous Vietnamese how the war affected their families. Hearing about one war widows struggles, he burst into sobs. I didnt realize how much baggage I was carrying around as a result of the war, he said. Jim specifically arranged the trip to be in Thon Ba on the 50th anniversary of Deanes death. They hoped to find someone who remembered the crash. What we didnt expect was to find the man who remembered it in detail because he was the one who shot the crew and burned the helicopter," Hattie said. And there I stood with him on the spot where all that took place 50 years ago to the day. It was, both Jim and Hattie said, surreal. Later than night, Hattie wrote down some thoughts. She was feeling "neither grief nor sorrow and certainly not anger, she wrote. What she did feel was gratitude. Grateful for the two Viet Cong soldiers who put the past in the past and helped those who once were the enemy to have a moment of special remembrance, she wrote. Grateful to Jim for arranging the trip, truly a labor of love. Grateful for all the blessings in her life. The trip provided some closure, Hattie said. I was able to be in the place where Deane spent his last hours and pay tribute to him, she said. The Vietnam War was horrible. War is awful. People suffer. Its part of our history. But it also is the past. Julie Mack is a reporter for MLives Public Impact team. She is a 1981 graduate of Michigan State University, a journalist for four decades and has been based in Kalamazoo since 1990. Editors note: The age of the victim was updated based on new information from police. MILAN, MI A 9-year-old girl was killed in a crash on U.S. 23 late Wednesday night. Maka Muya of Columbus, Ohio, was killed in the crash shortly before 11:30 p.m. April 3 in the southbound lanes of U.S. 23 north of Carpenter Road in York Township just north of Milan, said Lt. Darren Green of the Michigan State Police First District. A family of nine was in a Honda Pilot traveling slowly due to a possible mechanical issue and the SUV was rear-ended by another vehicle, Green said. The collision caused the driver, the girls father, to lose control, Green said. The vehicle ran off the road, overcorrected, went into a cable barrier and rolled. The girl was partially ejected and the SUV rolled on top of her, Green said. The only person in the vehicle wearing a seat belt was the driver, he said. The eight other family members in the SUV were transported to C.S. Mott Childrens Hospital and the University of Michigan Emergency Department, according to Matt Rose of Huron Valley Ambulance. All were in stable condition and many were transported as a precaution, he said. The family was currently living in Ohio, but was originally from Kenya, police said. Drugs and alcohol do not appear to be factors in the crash, but the crash remains under investigation, police said. U.S. 23 was closed overnight. Further information is expected to be released later by police later. ANN ARBOR, MI This years Hash Bash will be different now that Michigan voters have legalized recreational marijuana. While thats a milestone sure to be celebrated by thousands of pot enthusiasts at the 48th annual rally on the University of Michigan campus Saturday, April 6, their fight for cannabis reform continues. Were going to refocus our efforts from state to federal, because federal policy needs to change, said Mark Passerini, Hash Bash co-organizer and co-owner of the Om of Medicine marijuana dispensary on Ann Arbors Main Street. We won at the state level, so a lot of this years Hash Bash will be a celebration, as opposed to the big protest that its been for the past 48 years, but we dont want to get anybody too excited. Because cannabis is still classified by the federal government as a Schedule I illegal drug alongside heroin and LSD, the ability to even do scientific research on it is limited. Its really criminal that universities and health care professionals and scientists cannot touch this medication to just do science, just to study it, said Evan Litinas, Om of Medicines chief medical officer. Hash Bash comes this year as cannabis culture in Ann Arbor is at an all-time high, with dozens of marijuana-related businesses laying roots here, including new dispensaries and grow operations, and even cannabis bakeries and a high-tech science lab. Hash Bash, as has been tradition, is still equal parts smoke fest and political rally, so the forecast is cloudy with a chance of politicians. Scheduled to join cannabis activists at Saturdays noon rally on the UM Diag is U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Dearborn. Shes on a long speakers list that includes longtime activists such as John Sinclair and Adam Brook, as well as state Rep. Yousef Rabhi, D-Ann Arbor; state Sen. Jeff Irwin, D-Ann Arbor; Ann Arbor City Council Member Anne Bannister; and former state Sen. David Knezek, now legislative director for state Attorney General Dana Nessel. As usual, Ann Arbor musician Laith Al-Saadi will be performing the national anthem on electric guitar to kick things off. The event on the Diag runs from high noon until 4:19 p.m., after which attendees are encouraged to shift over to the Monroe Street Fair, a big street party taking place about a block south. What attendees do at 4:20 p.m. is up to them, organizers say, but its expected many will be lighting up or continuing to light up. Smoking marijuana in public is still illegal, though, and UM police are typically on hand at Hash Bash and do enforce state law on campus. The rules are more lax on city property. Ann Arbor decriminalized marijuana in the 1970s. Longtime cannabis activist and business owner Dori Edwards offers this public service announcement: Smoke it on Monroe Street. Do not smoke it on the university grounds. I dont want to see anyone arrested, she said. The Monroe Street Fair, featuring live music and street vendors, runs from noon to 6 p.m., overlapping with Hash Bash, and is billed this year as a huge legalization victory party. Right in the middle of it all is the Green Planet medical marijuana dispensary off Tappan and Monroe streets. At Green Planet, our calendar doesnt begin on Jan. 1. It really begins on Hash Bash, because thats one day a year thousands of people come, said dispensary owner Mike McLeod, who first attended Hash Bash as a UM student in the 1970s. The leaders in our movement throughout the state show up, as well as people from outside the area. While this years event will serve as a victory party, legalization activists like McLeod say theyve still got a lot of work to do. Michigan is still working on regulating the fast-growing marijuana industry, and products sold at licensed dispensaries are now required to go through safety-compliance testing at labs like PSI Labs in Ann Arbor. Many dispensaries are still working on getting licensed. Its just kind of been an unfortunate aspect of prohibition that weve all been subjected to unregulated supply chains of cannabis, if you choose to use it medically or otherwise, so this is an important part of changing that to bring it more in line with other consumer goods, said Lev Spivak-Birndorf, chief science officer at PSI Labs. Irwin, who will be speaking as a state senator on Saturday, attended Hash Bash as a UM student in the 1990s. I go to a lot of different political events all over the state for a lot of different causes, and Hash Bash, ever since the 1990s, has been well attended and with a diverse attendance, so its really an interesting event, he said. I think a lot of people think certain things about it that are not aligned with how it really is. I just think people would be surprised at the breadth of people who come out to support cannabis law reform. Youve got people of all ages, youve got people of all races, youve got gender diversity. Hash Bash is a rally to call for change with a lot of passionate speakers and then a couple politicians. You know, whether its Laith Al-Saadi shredding at the beginning or hearing from people who have been hurt by the war on drugs, I think its a compelling event. FLINT, MI -- Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang doesnt believe Flints water system has been fixed. but hes willing to bet the well-being of his own children that he will make it right. In an interview with The Root, Yang, an entrepreneur and Democratic presidential candidate, called Flints water crisis a national tragedy and embarrassment. He also said it should be the subject of a deeper federal investigation, and that racism is at the heart of why all lead service lines in the city havent yet been removed and replaced already. Yang said the federal government should ensure the purity of the drinking water here, and offered to prove his commitment to that as president by drinking from the tap himself and having his two children do the same -- after the work is done. Yang has two kids who are 6 and 3 that will one day drink from the tap, he said in The Root interview. The New York Times describes Yang as a well-connected New York businessman whose run for president is a longer-than-long-shot bid for the White House." His campaign has gained attention in part because of his plan to a program to provide universal basic income of $1,000 per month for every American adult over the age of 18, paid for by a new tax on the companies benefiting most from automation. Flints water has tested within federal guidelines for lead for more than two years, but lead levels spiked during the water crisis in 2014 and 2015 when the citys water source was changed to the Flint River and the water was not treated to make it less corrosive to lead pipes and plumbing. Since that time, using state and federal funds, the city has excavated or removed most damaged lead service lines in Flint -- work thats expected to be completed later this year. FLINT, MI -- A Genesee Circuit Court judge is being asked to disqualify lawyers at the Michigan Attorney Generals Office from representing residents in a lawsuit that seeks damages against companies that advised the city during its water crisis. Attorney Corey M. Stern of New York-based Levy Koingsberg LLP filed the motion, saying Attorney General Dana Nessel created a conflict of interest when she replaced private attorney Noah Hall with prosecutors from her own office, at least some of whom have also defended state employees accused of water crisis crimes and who have previously minimized damages caused by Flint water. The consolidation of these functions created a direct conflict of interest that also materially limits the capacity (of the Attorney Generals Office from representing) fully and zealously either the state and state officers or else the People of the State of Michigan." Stern represents more than 2,500 children from the city exposed to water with elevated levels of lead in 2014 and 2015 -- the time that the citys water source was changed to the Flint River but not treated to make it less corrosive to lead pipes and plumbing in Flint homes. He was also appointed as lead counsel for plaintiffs in all personal injury and property damage cases in Genesee Circuit Court and as liaison counsel for all such cases in U.S. District Court. No hearing on Sterns motion had been scheduled as of Wednesday, April 3, according to Genesee County court records. The civil Flint water cases are being handled by Chief Judge Richard Yuille. A spokesman for Nessel said in an email to MLive-The Flint Journal that Sterns request to the court has been received and is being reviewed. The disqualification request is the latest development in a series of big changes Nessel has taken in representing the state in Flint water litigation -- both civil and criminal. In addition to Halls dismissal, Nessel, who took office just this year, put Solicitor General Fadwa Hammoud in charge of criminal prosecutions and Flint water investigations, replacing special prosecutor Todd Flood. Like Hall, Flood does not work directly for the attorney general and officials for former Attorney General Bill Schuette have said the hirings were aimed at avoiding potential conflicts for the interest. Stern called the decision to involve several lawyers who work in the Attorney Generals Office in the case that was handled by Hall extremely odd and troublesome. In addition to his request for a hearing on his motion to disqualify attorneys in Nessels office from representing water crisis victims, Stern filed an expert declaration from a University of Michigan professor with the court. In the declaration, Robert E. Hirshon wrote that four assistant attorneys general now assigned to the Hall case have for more than three years, provided a defense in federal and state courts against thousands of civil claims brought by Michigan citizens. The same attorneys have emphasized that most plaintiffs were not injured, or if they were injured, they were not injured in a meaningful way previously but are now representing those same people in claims against companies, including Veolia North America, the declaration continues. An ethics officer for the attorney general has said there is no conflict of interest for state attorneys to handle lawsuits against companies that worked on water issues in Flint while also defending the state against other legal claims that it failed to prevent unsafe drinking water. Issued Friday, March 1, the four-page opinion by Ethics Officer Frank Monticello says while it is understandable that the shift in attorneys raises the specter of a conflict of interest ... the rules of professional conduct do not preclude this uncommon arrangement." FLINT, MI A woman who allegedly shot and killed 22-year-old Terrence D. Austin Jr. has been bound over to Genesee Circuit Court. The decision by 67th District Court Judge William H. Crawford came Wednesday afternoon during a preliminary exam for Jasmine J. Dixon, 26, who is facing single counts of open murder and felony firearms. Officers from the Mt. Morris Township Police Department were dispatched to Hurley Medical Center around 7 p.m. Friday, March 8 for a victim who arrived at the hospital in a privately-owned vehicle after suffering a gunshot wound. It was discovered by police that Austin had been shot at his residence in the 6200 block of Stem Lane. He was later pronounced dead at the hospital. Mt. Morris Township Detective Sgt. Michael Veach testified in court that he was called to the home and later to Dixons residence in Flint where she went after dropping off Austin at Hurley Medical Center. Security at Hurley found a key fob to a rental car on the hospital grounds and turned it over to township police. The information was used to determine Dixon was the last person to the rent the car and led them to her home. She said she was afraid, said Veach as the reason Dixon gave for leaving the hospital. I do remember her saying she was afraid of getting in trouble. During an interview with Dixon at the Mt. Morris Township Police Department, Veach said Dixon told investigators she was in a bedroom at the Stem Lane home with Austin, Austins girlfriend, and several children. Briona Harris, Austins girlfriend, testified Dixon and Austin were play fighting in the background which was not unusual for them to do. At one point, Harris testified Dixon pushed Austins head and it tapped a wall in the bedroom. Veach testified thats when Dixon told one of the children in the immediate area to get his gun. Harris testified Austin kept a gun in a safe in the bedroom, but she was unaware if that was the gun in question. She said Mr. Austin got up from the bed and had a gun in his hand, testified Veach, with Austin then pointing the gun at Dixon before handing it over to her. She didnt think it was real, Veach testified, then pulled the trigger and shot Austin in the abdomen. She was in shock. Harris testified she and several others, including neighbors, put Austin in Dixons car. She testified Austin called Dixon his sister. I looked at her like a sister, Harris testified. Harris testified she was on her phone and did not witness the shot being fired but heard the noise. I just looked up and asked her did she shoot him, testified Harris. She said (she) thought the gun was fake. Dixon did not speak during the court hearing. Police found a spent shell casing in the home, but Veach testified investigators have not recovered the gun. When asked by Mark Ross, Dixons attorney, if the incident was considered foul play, Veach said there were no signs. Ross argued there was no premeditation to Dixons actions, calling it a tragic, tragic accident. Denise Hamilton, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, bluntly stated (Dixon) fired the gun and it caused his death) while asking for the case to be bound over to circuit court. Crawford ruled it would be up to a jury to make the determination if Dixons actions were premeditated in nature. Bond was denied for Dixon. She is currently being held in the Genesee County Jail. GRAND RAPIDS, MI The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is hosting an informational open house Monday at DeVos Place Convention Center on an effort to restore the rapids in a stretch of the Grand River in downtown Grand Rapids. The event, which runs from 3:30-7:30 p.m., will give the Corps an opportunity to gather public feedback on the $44 million project, which aims to restore the rapids by removing five dams between Sixth and Pearl streets. Amanda Meyer, a project manager for the Corps Detroit district, said the feedback will be used by her agency to develop an environmental impact statement. It will examine how restoration efforts will impact the rivers fish and wildlife habitat, and how the projects planners expect to block the invasive Sea lamprey from migrating further east once the Sixth Street dam is removed, she said. Other issues, such as how the project will impact flooding and the endangered snuffbox mussel, will also be examined in the statement. Were seeking input from the public on whats important to them about this stretch of river, what they would like to see in this stretch of the river in the future, Meyer said of Mondays event. Her agencys review is focusing on a 1.6 mile stretch of the project, between I-196 and Ann Street NW. The river restoration is being led by Grand Rapids Whitewater, a nonprofit comprised of rowers, paddlers, anglers and business people. The organizations goal is to complete the project by 2025. Currently, its in the process of obtaining state and federal permits needed to make the effort a reality. Some restoration work could begin in the spring of 2020. The project is one piece of a larger effort aimed at strengthening recreational and development opportunities along the river. Matt Chapman, director and project coordinator at Grand Rapids Whitewater, said several of his team members will attend Mondays forum. People can come and ask questions about the project where were at, what weve been doing and talk with some of the experts that weve been working with for over 10 years now, said Chapman, whose organization has raised 74 percent of the projects $44 million price tag. Those dollars come from a mix of public and private sources. The Sixth Street dam has blocked the invasive Sea lamprey, a parasite that kills fish by sucking their blood. But because the river restoration calls for the removing the dam, officials must ensure that any changes continue to block the lamprey from moving further upstream. Chapman said his group plans to do so by placing an adjustable hydraulic structure between Leonard and Ann streets. The Corps will examine whether thats an effective approach to blocking the invasive parasite, he said. We feel really confident in the amount of research that weve done, Chapman said. This type of structure has been used before for lamprey migration. Meyer said it will take about one year for the corps to complete its draft environmental impact statement. The document will then be subject to additional public comment. The environmental impact statement is a requirement under the National Environmental Policy Act, she said. The environmental impact statement is usually only done if you anticipate having a significant environmental impact, Meyer said. In this case, there is a federally endangered mussel species called the snuffbox that is found in this stretch of river, and its anticipated there will be some negative impacts, at least temporarily while construction would be underway. So that is whats driving going this route. Chapman said Grand Rapids Whitewater is working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on its plan to move as many of those mussels as we can before construction starts. Theyre looking at that plan that we put together, he said. Theyll come back and provide any concerns. IONIA COUNTY, MI -- One of Reed & Hoppes Towings three business locations in Ionia County was destroyed Wednesday, April 3, when a fire broke out inside the salvage yard building. As the fire burned, Vice President John Hoppes, his brother and a handful of staff members ran into the building and drove five trucks out before they were damaged. It was all they could salvage before the fire spread and the property was deemed a complete loss. But the move likely saved the company close to $600,000, Hoppes said. No one was injured, thank God, he said. Were all a little upset and distraught but wood and steel can be replaced. And were happy we were able to save those trucks. Right now were trying to get our heads around everything and what well do next. Well obviously rebuild; its just a matter of getting everything squared away. Firefighters from the Berlin-Orange Fire Department, Ionia Department of Public Safety and a handful of other departments were dispatched around 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 3, to the structure fire in the 2600 block of E. Grand River Avenue in Orange Township. Ionia firefighters said they provided aerial operations, water support and manpower. Unfortunately, the building was a total loss, a spokesperson from the Ionia Department of Public Safety via the departments Facebook page said. The salvage yard building was used to dismantle cars, store and sell parts, and park some of the companys trucks and salvage vehicles. It was a main part of our business, for sure, Hoppes said. But were not going anywhere. Well rebuild. Reed & Hoppes Towing & Equipment calls itself as a family-built company" that has served West Michigan since 1947. The company has three locations, two of which werent affected by Wednesday evenings fire. After news of the fire spread around Ionia County, Hoppes said neighbors, friends, family and fellow towers reached out to show support to the company. From myself and my family, we want to thank all of our employees and friends and family who showed up last night, as well as the many fire departments that were here battling the fire, he said. We really do appreciate them. GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Kent County officials say local governments shouldnt shoulder the cost of connecting residents with PFAS-contaminated wells to municipal water. In their recently adopted 2019 state legislative priorities, the Kent County Board of Commissioners advocated for the state or responsible polluter to bear costs associated with extending water mains to those households. Kent County Administrator Wayman Britt said it only makes sense that state and federal agencies step up to pay for the municipal water connections in lieu of the polluter doing so. Local units of government, Britt said, had no regulatory responsibility over the products which caused the contamination, nor does the county have funding or a mandate from the state to provide those water lines. Thats not something that we control, and therefore we think the onus should be with the state of Michigan or the federal government, Britt said. I think people need to know that the county is not the backstop for this. In northern Kent County, there is a 25 square-mile zone with contaminated groundwater caused by Wolverine World Wide dumping its PFAS-laden tannery waste into gravel pits and unlined landfills around Belmont in the late 1950s and into the 1970s. PFAS, which the company used to waterproof shoe leather, seeped into the groundwater and eventually polluted nearby residential water wells. PFAS compounds, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are called forever chemicals because they accumulate in the body and do not breakdown in the environment. Exposure to PFAS has been linked in human studies to some cancers, thyroid disorders, elevated cholesterol and other diseases. The state, as well as townships with affected residents, are currently suing Wolverine in federal district court to compel the company to bear the cost of extending municipal water to homes with polluted wells. Plainfield Township officials estimate it could cost up to $62 million to extend their municipal water mains to every street in that contaminated zone. That would be a tremendous burden on those residents in those areas to have to pay for the entirety of that, Britt said, adding that county officials are in regular contact with affected townships about the issue. Wolverine argues the roughly 1,500 whole house filters installed on homes in 2017 negate an urgent need to extend municipal water service. Talks to bring municipal water to homes this year broke down around Thanksgiving, when Plainfield Township officials say Wolverine did an about-face in settlement negotiations and refused to help cover the cost to get the project moving unless its former chemical supplier, 3M, contributes. Wolverine says it has always indicated other parties should help cover the pollution costs. The PFAS component of Kent Countys legislative priorities additionally calls on the state to provide adequate state revenue to address PFAS contamination and, in lieu of a federal drinking water standard on the contaminants, set one at the state level. The county made note of Gov. Gretchen Whitmers 2020 budget recommendation of $13.9 million to, her proposal states, enhance monitoring of and responsiveness to the human impacts of emerging public health threats, including contaminated drinking water." Kent Countys state legislative priorities are a list of stances given to state legislators to make their positions known and give their perspective as a local unit of government on how theyre impacted by state decisions, Britt said. We want to protect our citizens and the residents of Kent County, Britt said. In a lot of ways (its to) get ahead of things that might be coming down the path that might impact our ability to fund things, manage the unintended consequences. ... We dont think that always they think about the impacts that state and federal legislation has on local communities." Other issues addressed in the list of 10 state legislative priorities include adequate state funding for lead abatement and outreach activities, as well as the regional mental health authority. The countys federal legislative priorities for 2019 is expected to go before the Kent County Board of Commissioners for approval at their May 9 meeting, Britt said. WYOMING MI -- Wyoming police Chief Kim Koster always hoped the missing remains of Charles Oppenneer would be found. It was the final piece to closing out the disturbing 2014 crimes of Brady Oestrike, who became known as the Craiglist killer. Oppenneer and his pregnant girlfriend, 18-year-old Brooke Slocum, were killed days apart by Oestrike. He met them July 13, 2014 at Wyomings Gezon Park to exchange cash for sex through a Craiglist correspondence. Police think he shot Oppenneer at the park and left the mutilated remains in a wooded area there. He then chained Slocum in his Wyoming basement and tortured her for five days. Police found Oppenneers mutilated body July 16, then closed in on Oestrike the following day. He shot himself following a police pursuit and crash and officers found Slocums body in his car trunk. Koster said its unclear how the skull ended up in woods off Kenowa Avenue NW near Six Mile Road, some 18 miles from Gezon Park. A hunter looking for deer antlers found the skull March 24. We cant really speculate, she said. We dont really know the answers. Back in 2014, Wyoming police did an exhaustive search for Oppenneers missing remains but never found them. We knew they probably had to be out there, Koster said. We felt like maybe it was going to be a matter of time. Michigan State University Professor Joseph Hefner, a forensic anthropologist with the universitys Department of Anthropology, helped police identify the skull. He used dental records to match it to Oppenneer. Koster said shes simply thankful the young mans family can have some closure. Our thoughts are with the family. I cant even imagine the range of emotions theyre feeling. Im a mom myself, she said. Koster said the 2014 homicide investigation was disturbing and shocking for both the public and investigators. Home surveillance videos recovered from Oestrikes Taft Avenue SW home showed Slocum handcuffed. I think this case touched so many people in our department, Koster said. Its one of those where there are memories that youll never forget. OTTAWA COUNTY, MI -- Police are investigating a report that a tailgating incident sparked a shooting in Ottawa County. No injuries were reported, according to the Ottawa County Sheriffs Office. Deputies were dispatched shortly after 9 p.m. Wednesday, April 3, to a report of a shooting on 68th Avenue, south of I-96, near Coopersville. The caller told police that a second vehicle, driven by man, was tailgating him while he drove east on I-96. After the two vehicles exited the highway onto southbound 68th Avenue, there was a confrontation just south of the ramp. After the caller started to drive away, he told police he heard two gunshots. Two bullet holes were located in the rear of his vehicle. The alleged shooters vehicle -- a new dark-colored pick-up truck -- left northbound on 68th Avenue following the incident, police said. Police are asking anyone with information about the incident to call Ottawa County Central Dispatch or Silent Observer at 1-877-88-SILENT. KALAMAZOO, MI -- A man was shot and killed by police in the city of Kalamazoo after threatening officers during an attempted arrest Thursday, according to police. Around 10 a.m. Thursday, April 4, several officers were attempting to arrest a suspected parole absconder at 2826 East G Ave., according to a Michigan State Police news release. The man threatened officers, saying he had a weapon, according to police. Preliminary information is that several officers fired shots at the suspect who was struck by gunfire, the release states. The suspect was transported to Ascension Borgess Hospital in Kalamazoo, where he was pronounced dead. The incident occurred in the basement of the home. No officers were injured in the incident, police said. Officers have been looking for the suspect for several days, Inspector Dale Hinz said. Hinz declined to comment on whether the suspect had a gun. He declined to release the mans name, pending notification of his family. An autopsy is planned Friday at Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine, Hinz said. Officers involved were from the Michigan State Police Fifth District Special Investigation Section, Battle Creek Police Department, Michigan Department of Corrections and the U.S. Marshals Service. Hinz said he could not give the precise number of officers who fired their weapons or which agencies they represented. Whether officers involved in the incident are placed on leave during the investigation would be up to each individual agency, he said. As police were investigating the incident Thursday, G Avenue was closed to traffic from Mt. Olivet Road to North Peak Street, just west of Nazareth Road. Police obtained a search warrant for the suspects home around 3 p.m. Thursday, Hinz said. The incident is under investigation by the Michigan State Police Third District Investigative Response Team, according to police. The fatal shooting is the second officer-involved shooting in Kalamazoo this year, coming just weeks after an officer was shot and a suspect shot and killed March 12 at Grifols Biomat plasma donation center in downtown Kalamazoo. The March 12 incident was the first fatal shooting by police in the city of Kalamazoo in more than five years. Prior to that, the most recent officer-involved shooting in the city was on Feb. 7, 2014, when two officers opened fire, killing Brad Mason, 42. Mason, who was a suspect in an abduction and sexual assault case, pointed an Airsoft pistol at officers, refusing to obey their commands to drop the weapon. Kalamazoo County Prosecutor later determined that the officers in that case were left with no option but to use deadly force. - MLive reporter Brad Devereaux contributed to this story. VICKSBURG, MI -- Four Michigan communities, including the village of Vicksburg, will receive funding from the federal government for improvements in water and wastewater infrastructure. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development is awarding $7.7 million to four Michigan communities to rebuild and improve rural water infrastructure, according to a press release from the USDA. Vicksburg, which has a population of about 3,300 people, will receive about $2.8 million in loans to improve both water and storm systems. The loan is part of a larger investment in the communitys infrastructure, Village Manager Jim Mallery said in an interview with MLive. A three-year study was conducted to find the villages most critical needs in infrastructure upgrades and replacements, Mallery said. The list was narrowed to about $13 million of essential needs, he said. The village has applied to USDA for the remainder of the funding needed, Mallery said. Borrowed money will be paid back over a 40-year repayment plan through the funds collected from residents utility bills, he said. It is a significant investment to ensure we can provide the infrastructure services for the village, Mallery said. A portion of funding is being provided through the Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant program, the release said. It can be used for projects improving drinking water, storm water drainage and waste disposal systems in rural communities with 10,000 or fewer residents. The project will replace about 1,300 feet of water main, reconnect an abandoned section of main and replace a portion of the villages lead and galvanized service lines. The project also will improve the capacity, reliability and performance of the water distribution system. The storm sewer project will replace approximately one-half mile of storm sewer and install a hydrodynamic separator to treat the storm water from the new trunk line. USDA Rural Developments loans and grants are intended to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs in rural areas. Increasing investment in rural infrastructure was named a key recommendation by the Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity established by President Donald Trump in April 2017, the release said. The village of Homer in Calhoun County and the city of Fennville in Allegan County are also recipients of funding for infrastructure projects through the program. Fennville will make improvements with about $1 million in loans , and Homer will receive a $826,000 loan for its projects. The fourth grant recipient announced by USDA this week is Portage Township in Houghton County, which is in Michigans Upper Peninsula. SAGINAW, MI An alternative school in Saginaw is set to graduate its first class of students, just months after first opening its doors in November. Covenant Academy, 508 S. Washington, is a school primarily for dropouts ages 16-22. Currently, there are about 60 students enrolled. It opened in the former Evans-Smith funeral home. The state-accredited school offers a traditional curriculum and allows students to learn at their own pace. It also provides special education for students up to age 26. Brad Gates, 20, is one of five students expected to receive his high school diploma from Covenant Academy in June. Gates makes the commute from Clio each day. He says it is the dedication of the staff that motivates him to want to attend class. They really care, Gates said. Sam Joseph is the schools founder and has founded other locations throughout Michigan. He said the students enrolled at his school come from tough environments and need love. I tell my staff that I hire them primarily as parents that can teach, Joseph said. The schools, also located in Muskegon and Kalamazoo, are chartered by Grand Valley State University and receive state funding. The school in Saginaw serves breakfast and lunch, has a food, clothing, hygiene and baby pantry, and allows young parents to bring their children to school with them. Students study core curriculum that is required: English, math, social studies, science and foreign language. We want to break the barriers that prevent the kids from going to school, Joseph said. If motherhood is a barrier, we address it. If we dont help them, they dont have a future. Brenae Johnson said she loves the programs flexibility. She brought her daughter to school to join two others in the play area. For my situation, anyway, she said. I can bring my kid and get my work done. I dont have to stress as much. Heather Thompson, school administrator, said hunger is one of the biggest barriers for some students. If they come to school and they are hungry, they cant learn, Thompson said. Messages of positive reinforcement decorate the walls throughout the hallways of the school. One wall is dedicated to showing each students journey to graduation. The school has computer labs and a library for students. One of our goals is to get them to be able to read at a high school level before they graduate, Thompson said. Gates will be the first in the school, in alphabetical order by last name, to walk across the stage to receive his diploma on June 6. Most just want you there in a chair, but (Covenant Academy) actually want you to eventually get out of here, Gates said. Thompson said at least three students have so far met requirements to graduate, while two more are expected to join the group. There is no recreation or arts offered and students attend year-round with graduations in June and December. If they dont graduate in June, theyll graduate in December, Thompson said. Internet service providers and social media giants like Twitter, Facebook and Google are now facing colossal fines and even jail time for senior executives for failing to remove violent content under a new law passed in Australia. The legislation, which was passed by the Australian parliament on Thursday, compels the internet behemoths to remove violent content or face stiff penalties. The move comes in the wake of the Christchurch mosque attacks in neighboring New Zealand, in which the fatal shooting of some 50 people was broadcast live on Facebook. Hundreds, if not thousands, of copies of the video were disseminated across social media, sending tech giants scrambling to contain the spread of the disturbing footage. Also on rt.com Zuckerberg asks governments for more internet regulation in self-flagellation exercise Executives at the companies face up to three years in jail while the companies may face fines of up to 10 percent of the platforms annual turnover. The law passed despite opposition from several lawmakers and industry lobby groups who warned of knee-jerk legislation with far-reaching, serious unintended consequences, according to the Law Council of Australia. Of course, in the wake of Christchurch, we need to look at how we regulate social media and online content, Sen. Richard Di Natale, leader of the Australian Greens party, said in the Senate on Wednesday. But you dont go about this by introducing legislation that the parliament cant even debate and scrutinize. And its all done with the support of a compliant Labor Party. The tragedy in Christchurch just over two weeks ago brought this issue to a head, Australian Attorney General Christian Porter said in a statement. It was clear from our discussions last week with social media companies, particularly Facebook, that there was no recognition of the need for them to act urgently to protect their own users from the horror of the live streaming of the Christchurch massacre and other violent crimes, and so the [government] has taken action with this legislation. The timing of the legislation is somewhat conspicuous as the Australian federal elections must be held before May 18, and many are concerned about the manner in which the sweeping law was passed. Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! Russias Foreign Ministry criticized NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg for mentioning Joseph Stalin in the same breath as Adolf Hitler and ISIS, as enemies of freedom. In his address to a joint session of the US Congress on Wednesday Stoltenberg made a case for greater defense spending for NATO countries, stressing that in an ideal world, we would not need to spend any money on defense, but we do not live in an ideal world. Hitler could not have been stopped with peaceful protest. Stalin could not have been deterred with words. ISIS could not have been defeated with dialogue. That is what Stoltenberg said, emphasising NATOs importance for Europe and the US. People in Norway are burning with shame from Stoltenbergs words, as the Red Army played a significant part in the countrys liberation from Nazis, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said, pointing out that Stoltenberg himself is Norwegian. The leader of the Russian Communist Party, Gennady Zyuganov, went further calling Stoltenberg provocateur and reminded him that the Norwegian government collaborated with Nazi Germany during the Second World War. Also on rt.com 70 years of NATO charts 70 years of brute force and hard power "Mr Stoltenberg may have forgotten that his country collaborated with Hitler, helping him oppress Europe and the Soviet Union, Zyuganov said. In October 1944, the Red Army freed Finnmark, the northernmost county of Norway, from the German forces. Nearly 2,900 Soviet soldiers died in Norway during the conflict. Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! Tokyo prosecutors have re-arrested ex-Nissan head Carlos Ghosn, who was out on bail pending trial for alleged financial misconduct. Ghosn called the latest arrest outrageous and arbitrary. The ousted Nissan chairman was brought in for questioning after prosecutors entered his residence early on Thursday morning, according to Japanese broadcaster NHK. Officers reportedly confiscated the passport and mobile phone of Ghosns wife, who is not a suspect in the case, but was with him at the time of the arrest. Also on rt.com Renault appoints new leadership as imprisoned Ghosn resigns Prosecutors now claim Ghosn misappropriated Nissan funds for personal use, costing the company $5 million, Japanese media reported. They allege the 65-year-old transferred part of $34 million paid to a Nissan distributor in Oman, which was operated by his acquaintances. Some of the money was allegedly used to buy a luxury yacht, NHK said, citing sources. Ghosn, who denies any wrongdoing, called the arrest outrageous and arbitrary and accused his former colleagues at Nissan of attempting to silence him by misleading the prosecutors. Why arrest me except to try to break me? I will not be broken. I am innocent of the groundless charges and accusations against me, he said in a statement through his representatives, as cited by media. Also on rt.com Japan unexpectedly grants ex-Nissan boss bail after months behind bars Thursdays arrest warrant on Ghosn was the fourth that Japanese prosecutors have served on him. He was previously charged with financial misconduct for underreporting his income. In early March, the ex-chairman was released on bail of one billion yen (nearly $9 million) after 108 days in custody. Japanese media note that it is unusual for a person to be re-arrested while out on bail. The latest arrest comes less than 24 hours after Ghosn wrote on his newly created Twitter account that he was ready to tell the truth about whats happening and announced his plans to hold a press conference on April 11. For more stories on economy & finance visit RT's business section In a renewed effort to strengthen business ties with Riyadh, Goldman Sachs Group CEO David Solomon has arrived in Saudi Arabia on his first trip to the kingdom as chief executive officer. He is the first head of a major US bank known to have traveled to the country since an international scandal erupted last year over the killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. After initial denials, Riyadh admitted that Khashoggi was murdered by "rogue" agents of the Saudi government while visiting the country's consulate in Istanbul last October. Also on rt.com Hedge fund rejects huge Saudi investment over Khashoggi murder An unnamed senior Goldman Sachs banker told Bloomberg that the companys senior executives have indicated Riyadh offers a more promising environment for growing the investment banks business than other parts of the Middle East. He has also confirmed that Solomon was in the region to see longstanding clients of the firm. Goldman Sachs has significant business deals in Saudi Arabia. Despite that fact, it was among the international firms to withdraw from the kingdoms flagship investment event in October following reports on Khashoggis murder. Solomon then said in an interview with CNBC that the incident is unacceptable and clearly they have to answer questions. He added that the Saudi leaders response to the international uproar will have an impact on how we all interact. His remarks on the case were among the strongest to emerge from a senior Wall Street executive. However, the bank took a role of an adviser to the Public Investment Fund in Saudi Aramcos agreement last week to buy a majority stake in local chemical giant Sabic from the Saudi sovereign fund. The Wall Street bank is also advising Riyad Bank on its merger with Saudi Arabias largest lender National Commercial Bank. Solomons firm advised HSBC Holdings Saudi Arabian unit on its $5 billion acquisition of a local rival, part-owned by Royal Bank of Scotland Group. In neighboring Abu Dhabi, the firm has been blacklisted by the emirates main wealth fund amid a legal dispute tied to the banks role in Malaysias 1MDB corruption scandal. A criminal probe on the matter has been also opened against Goldman in the key Asian hub of Singapore. For more stories on economy & finance visit RT's business section NATO turns 70 this year, and there is probably no better gift to that birthday than the Russia scare which is vital for the alliance to justify its existence 30 years since its arch-nemesis, the Soviet Union, ceased to exist. In wake of the Cold War, NATO risked becoming irrelevant as the Warsaw Pact was disbanded and Soviet Union dissolved. Even some NATO scholars floated doubts about NATOs existence. But, if the Cold War is over, why is NATO still there? There is a telling answer, RTs Ilya Petrenko explains. Lets keep in mind, if you will, that Vladimir Putin is the greatest gift to NATO since the end of the Cold War, David Petraeus, a US four-star general and former CIA Director, said this year. And it has provided a new reason for living, if you will, for NATO. READ MORE: Putin is the greatest gift to NATO since end of Cold War ex-CIA head Petraeus A decade ago, portraying Russia as a major global threat wasnt as popular as it is now. Even Barack Obama once lambasted the Republican narrative, saying demonizing Russia was part of a Cold War mentality. But these days are over, and the Russia scare is back. That aside, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization marks its 70th anniversary this month, and it looks to be in good shape, at least financially. Many NATO members caved in to Donald Trumps demand and ramped up their defense expenditures, to Washingtons satisfaction. Also on rt.com US may demand allies pay 150% for privilege of hosting troops The United States tries to drum up the notion that Moscow remains that threat, not only to justify continued existence of NATO, but actually to increase spending towards defense, Michael Maloof, former Pentagon analyst, told RT. Watch the full episode here. A brutal massacre in central Mali which killed 160 people, including children, has raised concerns that US and French anti-terrorism operations in the African nation are inflaming ethnic tensions. Last month, an ethnic militia composed of Dogon hunters is suspected of massacring a village in central Mali, killing 160 men, women and children. The villagers were targeted for being part of the Fulani ethnic group, which has been accused of supporting Al-Qaeda. French President Emmanuel Macron has promised to carry out an uncompromising fight against terrorism in Mali, but many fear that the foreign troops are actually inflaming ethnic strife. Also on rt.com Over 130 dead, village 'devastated' after apparent ethnic attack in Mali Ayo Johnson, a journalist and African affairs expert, told RT that the international community has looked the other way as three million Fulanis the majority of them with no ties to extremists are hunted down. For a large amount of Fulanis, they dont understand this war. Theyre not part of it. Theyre not part of Al-Qaeda and its mission. But many of their women and children, in large numbers, have been killed by government forces, too, he said. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus visit to Moscow was motivated primarily by a desire to show weary voters ahead of Israels upcoming election that he is a respected leader on the world stage, an analyst told RT. The Israeli prime minister met for several hours with President Vladimir Putin in the Russian capital on Thursday, but the timing of his visit, rather than the topics of discussion, seemed to interest analysts the most. Amir Oren, a veteran Israeli journalist and political commentator, said that while Netanyahu likely petitioned Putin on one of his favorite pet issues, Irans military presence in Syria, the meeting was clearly held for domestic consumption back home in Israel. The main point is probably to gain domestic support because [Netanyahu] has consistently tried to portray himself as being, as he said, in a different league than all other political candidates someone with global stature, who can meet with both the American and Russian presidents, and host the Brazilian president and others. Whether the diplomatic stunt will give him a boost in the polls ahead of the April 9 election is another matter, noted Oren. While some might speculate that Putin lent Netanyahu political support by agreeing to the impromptu summit, Oren pointed out that relations between Russia and Israel have almost certainly deteriorated following Washingtons decision to recognize Tel Avivs illegal annexation of Syrias Golan Heights. Also on rt.com Russia helps Israel to recover remains of soldier lost in 1982 Lebanon battle Putin will insist that Russia, in any peace negotiations, will want Syria to get the Golan back, the Israeli journalist mused. Embroiled in a series of corruption scandals, Netanyahu has sought to woo disillusioned voters with his credentials as an international statesman. The prime ministers warm relationship with US President Donald Trump, who signed a resolution in March recognizing the occupied Golan Heights as Israeli territory, has helped him make the case that he can safeguard Israels interests abroad. However, the strategy may not be enough to save the embattled prime minister and his coalition of right-wing parties. Commenting on the upcoming election, Netanyahu recently conceded in an interview that were very close to losing the battle. Like this story? Share it with a friend! Presence of Beijings vessels in disputed S. China Sea waters is illegal Philippines Presence of Beijings vessels in disputed S. China Sea waters is illegal Philippines The presence of hundreds of Chinese boats near an island occupied by Manila in the disputed South China Sea is illegal and a clear violation of Philippine sovereignty, Manila said on Thursday. The vessels in the vicinity of Thitu island for sustained periods raised questions about their intent, the Philippines Foreign Ministry added. Military data shows the Philippines has monitored more than 200 Chinese boats near Thitu, or Pagasa, as it is known locally, from January to March this year, Reuters reports. Besides the Philippines, Brunei, China, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam have competing claims of sovereignty in the busy waterway. It is considered a conduit for goods in excess of $3.4 trillion every year.Source : RT - Daily news Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for helping to find and recover the remains of an IDF soldier who went missing in a 1982 battle with Syrian forces during the First Lebanon War. You personally answered our request and you gave an order to render assistance in this matter, Netanyahu told Putin during his visit to Moscow. He added that the funeral of IDF Sergeant Zachary Baumel will take place later on Thursday in Israel. Netanyahu said that Baumels father, who traveled the world to track down any piece of information about his son, has passed away, and the mother is almost 100 years old. Baumels sister will attend the funeral. She is very grateful to Russian soldiers, who risked their lives to recover Zacharys remains, Israeli PM said. Putin confirmed that the Russian military, along with its Syrian partners "established the burial place of the missing soldier. We are very happy that they will be able to give him the necessary military honors at home, Putin said. What is more important his friends and family will be able to bring flowers to his grave. On Wednesday, an Israeli military spokesman told reporters that the remains of Baumel had been returned to Israel and identified. He said they were brought to Jerusalem by a national El Al plane from a third country, as Israel doesnt have flight connections with either Syria or Lebanon. Also on rt.com Nothing says youre friends like returning old tanks: Russia & Israel in historic swap (VIDEO) At least 20 IDF soldiers were killed, dozens wounded and six including Baumel went missing in the battle near the Lebanese village of Sultan Yacoub in the Beqaa valley. It was one of the largest tank operations in the Middle East. Two of the missing soldiers were returned alive to Israel in prisoner exchanges with Syria. The body of a third man was buried in Syria and later also returned to Israel. But the fate of other three remained unknown until recently. In 2016, at the request of Tel Aviv, Moscow returned a Magach tank to which the three missing soldiers had been assigned. It was captured by Syrian forces in the battle of Sultan Yacoub. The tank was gifted to Russia by Syria, and has been housed in a military hardware museum in Moscow Region for several decades. Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! Are hijab-wearing Westerners in Iran paying respect to local culture or compounding the suffering of local women who dare to protest against compulsory head covering? The newest controversy is hotly debated on RT. Irans womens rights activist Masih Alinejad sparked a heated debate when she slammed female visitors from the West who choose to wear a hijab in the Islamic Republic out of respect for the local culture. The founder of the White Wednesdays movement, who leads a campaign against compulsory head-covering, elaborated that such a stance confuses culture with a discriminative law. She said it is therefore an insult to local women who are left on their own in their fight. The RT debate saw sparks fly as guests discussed the controversial comments. Images of Western women with their heads covered in Iran could nudge local politicians to suppress local women, Sadia Hameed, a spokesperson of the Council of ex-Muslims of Britain, believes. They will start to use it as a stick to beat them, she told RT, adding that Westerners wearing hijabs are taking away [local womens] chances. Women [in Iran are] being thrown into prison, tortured, raped by prison guards for choosing to remove their hijab. Despite being depicted by Western media as a repressive tool, the hijab is something that most women in Iran choose to wear themselves, Maryam Saleh, a journalist and a university lecturer, argued. Very few of them protest against the law, she added. The hijab does not demean women, it actually makes them become human beings. WATCH THE FULL VERSION OF THE DEBATE: Like this story? Share it with a friend! Venezuelas state-run oil major, PDVSA, managed to maintain crude exports at around 1 million barrels per day (bpd) in March despite mounting pressure from US sanctions, according to Reuters. The South American country stabilized shipments after exports fell by about 40 percent in February when Washington slapped Caracas with restrictions targeting its vital energy sector and pledged support for self-proclaimed Venezuelan leader Juan Guaido. However, March figures show that exports reached 980,355 bpd, which is only slightly below Februarys shipments of 990,215 bpd of fuel and crude, the report said, citing Refinitiv Eikon data. Also on rt.com US orders foreign firms to further cut oil trade with Venezuela regardless of sanctions report Deliveries dropped below 650,000 bpd during the recent wave of blackouts, which led to the closure of Venezuelas largest crude terminal, the agency said, citing TankerTrackers data. To overcome the difficulties, PDVSA managed to load larger vessels heading to Asia, where Venezuelas new main buyers are. Some 74 percent of total exports a four percent rise compared to the previous month were sent to India, China and Singapore in March, while shipments to Europe dropped at least five percent from February. Caracas is reportedly planning to continue exports to its Asian customers in April. PDVSA also continued exporting oil to Cuba with shipments totaling 65,520 bpd of crude and fuel. Before sanctions, the US used to be the largest buyer of Venezuelan crude. In January, Washington froze $7 billion in assets belonging to PDVSA and its US subsidiary Citgo and is reportedly demanding foreign companies to cease operations with Venezuela beyond the already imposed sanctions. Last week, National Security Advisor John Bolton also warned that those who continue doing business with Caracas may face sanctions themselves. On Tuesday, US Vice President Mike Pence said Washington is to not going to relieve pressure on Venezuelas oil industry as oil prices are low enough. The price of oil around the world has been quite low for some time, quite competitive for some time, and were just going to continue to stand firm and bring even more pressure on this regime, Pence told reporters. For more stories on economy & finance visit RT's business section As the US waiver on import of Iranian crude oil expires next month, India Thursday said it was engaged with the Trump administration on the issue. In November, the US granted a six-month waiver to India, China, Greece, Italy, Taiwan, Japan, Turkey and South Korea to continue importing oil from Iran. The temporary waiver ends on May 2. "We are engaged with the US....The important thing is that we will continue our engagement with the US on the issue," MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said during a media briefing. India had won the exemption from the US sanctions after it agreed to cut oil imports from Iran. In May last year, the US brought back sanctions on Iran after withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal which was struck in 2015. The US has told India and other countries to cut oil imports from the Gulf nation to "zero" by November 4 or face sanctions. However, the US granted a six-month waiver to India and seven other countries to buy oil from Iran. India, which is the second biggest purchaser of Iranian oil after China, has since then restricted its monthly purchase to 1.25 million tonne or 15 million tonne in a year (300,000 barrels per day), down from 22.6 million tonne (452,000 barrels per day) bought in 2017-18 financial year, sources said. India, the world's third biggest oil consumer, meets more than 80 per cent of its oil needs through imports. Iran is its third largest supplier after Iraq and Saudi Arabia and meets about 10 per cent of total needs. India is expected to increase import of oil from countries such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates if the US does not extend the six-month-long waiver it granted to New Delhi and several other countries to buy oil from Iran. Sounak Mitra Airbnb is investing $200 million in Oyo, a move that is puzzling at first sight. Oyo was founded after taking a cue from Airbnbs business model, although with modifications to make it work in India. Oyo, one of Indias promising unicorns, has lately been spreading its operations beyond India, especially across Asian countries including China. But, it is relatively small and a less recognisable name globally, compared to Airbnb which has a presence across 191 countries, including India. Why did Airbnb choose to invest in Oyo then? The investment gives Airbnb a better hold in India and China -- two markets where Airbnb has had limited luck. And success in both these markets is very important for Airbnbs planned initial public offering (IPO) that has got postponed by a few months. Airbnb co-founder Nathan Blecjarczyk, who is also the chairman of Airbnbs China operations, had in November 2017 said that the worlds largest population will be the largest source of business for Airbnb by 2020. But, the results dont support that statement. According to a report (August 2018) by Wired, China currently accounts for only about 4-5 percent of Airbnbs overall revenue. Besides, it has hit walls of stiff regulations in China where even American tech giants like Google and Uber have failed to survive. The market, however, is growing fast. According to a report by ATKearney, Chinas hospitality industry will be worth $100 billion with 6.3 million rooms (8 rooms per 1000 capita) in 10 years, from $44 billion with 2.5 million rooms (4 rooms per 1000 capita) at present. Thats where its investment in Oyo comes in. In February, Oyo bagged an investment of $100 million from Chinas Didi Chuxing, a ride-hailing firm. Interestingly, Didi invested in Oyo after a couple of years of courtship. Oyo had entered China with a tie-up with Didi that promoted the Indian startup in China with the tagline Ride comfortably with Didi, stay comfortably with Oyo. The arrangement worked. In just more than a year, Oyo is among the top five hotel chains in China with more than 4,000 hotels across 285 cities. The India story for Airbnb is much younger. According to a Skift report, Airbnb that has 40,000 listings in India generated revenue of $7.8 million in year to March 2018 here. In comparison, with around 8,700 hotels and around 170,000 rooms in its bucket, Oyo is Indias largest hotel operator.Airbnb can utilise Oyos local expertise to reach its goal of having 1 billion users in 10 years. What Oyo gets is Airbnbs global platform where Oyo rooms will be featured along with Airbnbs own 6 million listings across 191 countries. Oyo, which has spread wings in Malaysia, Nepal, the UK, UAE, Indonesia, the Philippines and lately Japan where it will offer apartment renting service, besides China and India, can now look at venturing into unknown territories with Airbnbs help. As an investor, Airbnb will have a share of Oyos earnings and partake in its growth. Oyos success in both India and China, in turn, will help Airbnb show its potential investors a stronger story in the run-up to the proposed IPO. And, success in India and China should mean better valuations for Airbnb shares. Representative Image live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More A flurry of meetings is on at the office of Ministry of Civil Aviation, as efforts are being made to rescue distressed airline Jet Airways. SBI Chairman Rajnish Kumar is expected to meet Civil Aviation secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola. Later, Jet Airways CEO Vinay Dube will brief Kharola. The two may brief the media later on April 4. The meetings take place, even as insiders warn that the airline is in its "last hours," and urgently needs fund infusion. While there is talk that the first tranche of the promised Rs 1,500-crore funding from banks has arrived at Jet, neither side has commented on it yet. Executives in the industry added that a second tranche could be transferred on April 5. The meetings also happen a day after former Chairman Naresh Goyal said he has signed on the "dotted lines" to ensure the lenders transfer emergency funds to the company. He said: "In extending my fullest respectful cooperation to the consortium of Indian lenders, I have agreed to each and every term and condition laid down by then in a timely manner." In a sign of its deteriorating condition, the airline deferred March salary payment to its 16,000 employees. Until now, it had delayed payments only to its pilots, engineers and senior management. Pilots have threatened to go on a strike on April 15, if their dues are not cleared. Jet Airways fleet has also reduced considerably, and the airline is now flying just 26 aircraft. Representative image India has allowed poultry producers and starch manufacturers to import up to 100,000 tonnes of corn at a reduced duty of 15 percent, according to a government order on Thursday, to tide over a shortage triggered by pest infestations and dry weather. However, the crop must be free of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), according to the order. India, the world's seventh-biggest corn producer otherwise imposes a 60 percent import tax on the grain. Stung by a sharp rise in local prices, poultry producers and starch manufacturers had asked the government to allow imports of half a million tonnes of corn at a reduced rate. In 2016, India had allowed duty-free corn imports which totalled 181,000 tonnes. Shaktikanta Das At the press conference following the monetary policy decision on April 4, Reserve Bank of India Shaktikanta Das said parties affected by the central bank's decisions were free to go to the court, as ordained by their democratic right. The governor was asked by a reporter about the rising trend of parties suing the Reserve Bank, and whether the trend worried him, as it could dim the 'aura of invincibility' of the central bank. "Everyone is entitled to challenge the decision of any authority in a court of law. The Reserve Bank cannot be an exception to this," Das said. Recently, various parties have taken the central bank to court over several issues. Kotak Mahindra Bank took the RBI to court in December 2018 after the latter barred the promoter from paring their stake through a complex issue. Besides, Essar and various cryptocurrency companies sued the RBI over decisions that affected them. In the most high-profile case, the Supreme Court recently struck down a circular by the RBI on NPAs after power producers challenged the decision. At the press conference, Das said that RBI would float another circular keeping the SC ruling in mind. The central bank chief also said that the RBI had started undertaking a wider stakeholder consultation and taking decisions based on that. Das added that while proposing many policies, a draft circular is placed on the RBI website before a final decision is taken. However, there are certain regulatory aspects that cannot be placed in the public domain and get comments because of its criticality. The RBI takes certain decision based on its wisdom and internal consultations with experts and stakeholders, he said. Representative image Madhya Pradesh has huge potential to double its share in the country's total exports in the next five years, the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) said on Thursday. FIEO President Ganesh Kumar Gupta said the federation offered assistance to the state to increase its share from 1.6 per cent in the country's exports to over 3 per cent in the next five years. Ways to increase exports were discussed during a meeting between Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath and the FIEO president here. "They discussed export potential of the state," the federation said in a statement. Looking into the possibilities of augmenting exports to China and Iran of soyabean and soyameal, non-basmati rice, pharmaceuticals, technical textiles, Gupta urged the chief minister to lead a business delegation to these countries, which have a huge demand for such products. Gupta also emphasised on the need for identification of more products under the geographical indication (GI) tag and marketing of such products though exclusive shops in the departure area of international airports to start with Mumbai and Delhi. Further, the president demanded to provide inland freight subsidy for all export-related products as the cost of carrying cargo from the state to Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust. "The chief minister assured all support to look into the issue of freight subsidy and GI products exclusive show rooms at international airports in India," Gupta said. File image Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das on April 4 said the central bank's GDP projections are based on the official statistics prepared by the Central Statistics Office (CSO). A group of over 100 economists had gone public with their reservations on the GDP and other key data points in March in light of the frequent revisions in the way the numbers are computed. Even Raghuram Rajan, India's former RBI governor had echoed concerns raised by the other economists on the quality of economic data in India, saying the lack of jobs data and the perceived unreliability of the GDP data could pose challenges to policymakers and undermine investor confidence. We need better data and better confidence in data, he said. You cant operate such a large economy on the basis of data, which nobody knows is correct or not, Rajan had said in a recent interview with Moneycontrol. Das, a bureaucrat-turned-central banker, agreed there is a political debate on the issue, but declined any further comment. For the latest news and live updates, follow our LIVE BLOG The central bank is monitoring the fiscal situation and will continue to watch the space closely, Das said. Das said even though some banks have cut rates recently, more needs to be done for effective transmission of rates to the end-borrowers. He also said the RBI has infused liquidity into the system through various instruments and affirmed to use every other instrument available with it in the future as well. At the first bi-monthly policy review for fiscal 2020, the monetary policy committee voted for a 0.25 percent rate cut, its second such action in consecutive policies since Das took over last December. (With PTI inputs) live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More In a repeat of the previous session, the market opened in green and ended in the red, after volatile trading on April 4. The NiftyBank hit a record high just days ahead of the RBI MPC meet outcome that signifies that traders looked to book profits once it was announced. The final tally the S&P BSE Sensex closed 192 points lower at 38,684 while the Nifty50 dropped 45 points to close at 11,598. The repo rate cut of 25 bps was already discounted by markets and thus it failed to trigger any fresh momentum in the market. Most of the rate sensitive sectors such as banks, financials, infra sector closed the day in the red. Both Nifty and Bank Nifty fell for the second consecutive day in a row to close below their crucial support levels. The recent rally in banking stocks was one of the reasons why Nifty scaled record high. The Nifty Bank closed below its crucial psychological level of 30,000 while Nifty50 failed to hold on to 11,600 that signifies that there is a possibility that we might have formed an intermediate top. Unless strength comes back to financials, it will be difficult for Nifty50 to scale new highs, suggest experts. A close above 11,761 on the Nifty and 30,648 on Bank Nifty would negate the negative implication of the bearish candle formed on technical charts. The way Bank Nifty has underperformed in the last 4-5 days suggests that there is some tiredness at higher levels. The index formed a bearish candle and closed below its crucial support at 30,300. So, I think we are due for some short term correction in the index, Vishal Malkan, Founder Malkansview told Moneycontrol. In terms of Nifty, we feel that the index has underperformed the Bank Nifty because it just retested its previous high of 11,760 and formed a bearish pattern. The index is also due for some short term retracement and not a reversal in the next few trading session, he said. Stocks in news: Godrej Properties gained nearly 3 percent as the company is going to develop a new luxury residential project in Mumbai. The share price of SRF rose more than 4 percent after the company informed about the resumption of operations at its Gujarat plant at the earliest. Dish TV India shares were up nearly 2 percent after a media report indicated that the company may be acquired by Bharti Airtel and Singtel. Wipro shares declined 1 percent after a media report indicated that the government is likely to have sold enemy shares in the company. Global Updates: European markets are trading marginally lower amid ongoing US-China trade talks. Asian markets ended mixed with Shanghai Composite gaining 0.94 percent at 3,246.57, while Hang Seng shed 0.5 percent at 29,936.32. Nikkei up marginally at 21,724.95 and Kospi gained 0.15 percent to close at 2,206.5. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Skymet Weather on April 3 predicted that monsoon rains will be below normal this year, but market experts feel that it is still a developing phenomenon and nothing is certain as off now, but if someone wants to play the agri-theme then Coromandel International, UPL, and PI Industries are top bets. Monsoon is considered normal when the LPA (long period average of rainfall) is between 96 percent and 104 percent. This year, it is expected to be 93 percent. The reason behind a deficient monsoon will be the developing El Nino phenomenon, which means a rise in temperature in the equatorial Pacific Ocean. This is the first indication of the kind of rainfall that can be expected during the monsoon season. El Nino brings suppressed rainfalls in India, while its opposite is La Nina, which brings ample showers. Reacting to the news, HSBC in a report said that El Nino is the spoilsport, but a devolving one. The month of June looks to be most affected, followed by improvement, said the report. Lower rain in June could delay sowing, but any significant revival in rainfall from July could lead to recovery as well. HSBC likes UPL and PI Industries which would be least impacted. Globally, demand revival across Latin America (LATAM) bodes well for global players while Europe is facing issues stemming from drought, suggest experts. Growth visibility across different geographies is expected to benefit players with a global presence, they say. In the domestic market, with moderation in crop prices (more prominent in fruit and vegetables), lower paddy sowing and an erratic and untimely monsoon are likely to keep the consumption of agri inputs under pressure. In the near term, we expect government support (direct income transfers, farm loan waivers) to drive farmers income. Our top picks are PI Industries and Coromandel International, Edelweiss Securities said in a report. : The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts on Moneycontrol.com are their own and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Larsen & Toubro shares gained nearly a percent after its hydrocarbon engineering business received contracts across business segments. The stock gained more than 6 percent in last one month. At 09:35 hours IST, it was quoting at Rs 1,387.90, up Rs 8.00, or 0.58 percent on the BSE. "The modular fabrication business of L&T was awarded a contract for Process (PAU) and Piperack (PAR) modules for a process plant, which includes procurement, fabrication, precommissioning and load-out of the modules. The contract shall be executed from L&T's modular fabrication facility (MFF) at Kattupalli near Chennai," the engineering & infrastructure major said. It further said the business also secured orders for equipment fabrication for a refinery in Oman and construction services business secured an order for additional works for a refinery project in India. The Nifty50 is likely to open higher on Thursday tracking Asian market which were trading near 8-month high. The index closed 69 points lower at 11,643 on Wednesday. A positive opening is likely as Nifty Futures on Singaporean Exchange were trading over 28 points higher. The futures traded around 11,740-odd levels. US stocks edged higher on Wednesday, extending a strong start to the quarter as a rally among chipmaker shares provided a boost to the broader market on growing hopes of a trade deal between Washington and Beijing, said a Reuters report. Asian shares paused near an eight-month peak on Thursday as investors awaited developments on trade talks between the United States and China, who appear closer to signing a deal, nudging bond yields higher globally and softening the safe-haven yen, it said. The rupee surged by 33 paise to close at 68.41 against the US dollar Wednesday amid the greenback's weakness against key rivals overseas, even as oil prices firmed up on supply concerns. Stocks in news: Realty firm Godrej Properties Ltd on Wednesday said it has entered into a joint venture (JV) with a developer to construct luxury housing project in Mumbai. Cash-starved Jet Airways on Wednesday deferred the March salary payment to its employees, citing "complexities" involved in the finalisation of the debt-recast plan, under which the SBI-led consortium of lenders has taken over the management control of the airline. Diversified group Raymond on April 3 announced a foray into the real estate sector and launched its first housing project in Mumbai with expected revenue of Rs 3,500 crore. Technical Recommendations: We spoke to Bonanza Portfolio and heres what they have to recommend: Dabur India Ltd: Buy| LTP: Rs.403.45 | Target: Rs 432|Stop Loss: Rs 394|Upside 8% BPCL: Sell| LTP: Rs.363.20 | Target: Rs 340| Stop Loss: Rs 376| Upside 6% HCL Technologies: Buy| LTP: Rs 1120.60| Target: Rs 1177|Stop Loss Rs.1092| Upside 5% Here are stocks that are in the news today: Bank, Realty, Auto stocks in focus: RBI will announce monetary policy committee decision on April 4 Reliance Industries enters into a strategic transaction with Haptik, India's leading Conversational AI Platform Coffee Day Enterprises: Company to invest Rs 26 crore in Coffee Day Consultancy Services. Coastal Corporation: Company settled case with SEBI. Ajanta Pharma: Dr Anil Kumar resigned as Independent Director of the company. Indo Rama Synthetics (India): Company allotted 8.3 crore shares by way of preferential issue on private placement basis, aggregating amount Rs 298.8 crore to Indorama Netherlands BV. GRUH Finance receives observation letters from stock exchanges for amalgamation of the company into and with the Bandhan Bank Ceat approved scheme of amalgamation between company and its subsidiary SKF India: Prasad R Menon has tendered his resignation as a Director. KPI Global Infrastructure: Company received order of 720KW solar power plant under Captive Power Producer (CPP). SRF informed that the Gujarat site should resume operations at the earliest Tata Global Beverages' Russian subsidiary being liquidated consequent to completion of the restructuring Coffee Day approved to enter into business transfer agreement with Coffee Day Econ Godrej Agrovet acquired additional 10.91% of the paid-up equity share capital of Godrej Maxximilk Godrej Properties adds a new luxury residential project in Mumbai Bombay Wire Ropes: Board appointed Dilip S More as Chief Financial Officer. Suven Life Sciences: Company secured product patents in Israel, Japan, New Zealand and Sri Lanka. Jet Airways: Company defers March salaries to all employees - CNBC-TV18 Sources Shriram Transport Finance: Board approves raising up to $2 billion via global MTNs and $750 million via overseas debt. Tata Coffee to consider financial results for the financial year ended March 31, 2019 and recommend dividend - if any, on April 19 Fortis - CARE revised long term rating to CARE BBB- from CARE C Igarashi Motors - CARE assigned rating as CARE A+; outlook Stable for long term bank facilities Disclaimer: Reliance Industries Ltd. is the sole beneficiary of Independent Media Trust which controls Network18 Media & Investments Ltd. Analyst or Board Meet/Briefings Motherson Sumi Systems: Board meeting is scheduled on May 27 to consider Q4 and FY19 results and to recommend dividend, if any. Neuland Laboratories: Board meeting is scheduled on May 16 to consider Q4 and FY19 results. Firstsource Solutions: Board meeting is scheduled on May 6 to consider Q4 and FY19 results. Tata Coffee: Board meeting is scheduled on April 19 to consider Q4 and FY19 results and to recommend dividend, if any. Tata Elxsi: Board meeting is scheduled on April 24 to consider Q4 and FY19 results and to recommend dividend, if any. JSW Steel: Board meeting is scheduled on April 24 to consider Q4 and FY19 results and to recommend dividend. Bal Pharma: Board meeting is scheduled on May 29 to consider Q4 and FY19 results and to recommend dividend, if any. Endurance Technologies: Board meeting is scheduled on May 14 to consider Q4 and FY19 results. Mukand: Board meeting is scheduled on May 20 to consider Q4 and FY19 results. GVK Power: Board meeting is scheduled on May 24 to consider Q4 and FY19 results. : Company's officials will meet Emkay Global Financial Services on April 4. Moneycontrol News Wholesale retailer Metro Cash and Carry will help the government form a plan to bring urban street vendors into the organised sector. The German retailer has already created a team to prepare a proposal, and the plan could take nearly six weeks to execute. A lot of Indias pushcart vendors do not operate with a valid business licence. The proposal has come from the government and they want us to think of the kind of licences that can be given to this sector, said Arvind Mediratta, the managing director of Metro Cash & Carry India. The majority of the 10 million street vendors in India typically operate without licenses. Mediratta met officials from the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) two weeks ago for a preliminary discussion, according to a report by The Economic Times. Our proposal will deliberate recommendations like approving valid applications for weights and measurements licence and Gumasta licence (mandatory licence required for opening a shop) within a stipulated time and increasing their validity from one year to five to 10 years for their ease of business, Mediratta said, as quoted by the paper. The governments initiative will also help the service providers who operate their business informally, such as plumbers, carpenters and beauticians, according to the paper. The wholesaler, which has been in India for about 16 years, sells products through a membership model to kiranas, local stores, hotels and catering companies. Metro Cash & Carry operates 27 distribution centres across India under the METRO Wholesale brand. Tech giant Microsoft on Thursday said Indian Railways will use its 'Kaizala' solution to connect employees across the country with quality healthcare facilities. Microsoft had launched Kaizala - a productivity app - designed for the Indian market to enable large group communications and work management. "Microsoft Kaizala app will enable serving and retired railway employees to avail healthcare services of 125 railway and 133 private recognised hospitals. The Kaizala group, managed by doctors from South Central Railways will be complemented with focused groups of doctors, paramedical staff and nurses," Microsoft said in a statement. Rajiv Kumar, Corporate Vice President (Experiences & Devices Group) at Microsoft, said Kaizala is a perfect fit for Indian Railways. "We are optimistic that our experience of working with large scale customers across private and government sectors will help us serve millions of railway employees effectively," he added. On registering for the healthcare services, Indian Railway employees will be able to search on Kaizala, nearest hospitals and doctors, list of empanelled diagnostic centres and health units. Employees will also be able to book doctor appointments, share diagnostic lab reports directly with their doctors and save digital records in 'Me Chat' option in Kaizala. "As one of the largest employers in India, we are committed towards providing rich experience to our employees. Ensuring quality medical care facilities for our employees is one of key focus areas, integrating it with Microsoft Kaizala will help us take this vision with ease to all our employees, including those situated in remote locations in India," Vinod Kumar Yadav, Chairman Railway Board, Indian Railways, said. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More At an age where digital is the only way forward, there is a need for better synergy between Indian IT majors and the startup ecosystem in the country, said Mohandas Pai, Chairman, Manipal Global Education and former CFO of Infosys. In an increasingly connected world, there is a huge demand for new-age technologies such as automation, artificial intelligence, big data, analytics, cloud computing and machine learning. IT majors are investing heavily in this space to keep up with the changes. However, it is difficult for bigger companies to innovate given their sheer size and complex legacy systems. But smaller players are able to as they are more agile and small. This means that smaller players are getting more opportunities as legacy companies realise the need for digital. At the same time, this does not mean that bigger IT service providers are not needed, he quipped. You need the stability of bigger players, Pai, who is the Chairman of Aarin Capital that has invested in startups like Byju's, ZoomCar and YourStory, said. IT majors are stepping up and are making their transition to digital. In fact, digital now contributes about 30 percent of total revenue. However, they are not fast enough to make use of the opportunity it offers. Also, many of them continue to be constraint by their size and inability to move faster. This is where startups and smaller companies can help bridge the gap. Many of these IT majors such as HCL Technologies are acquiring companies to leverage their digital portfolio and add digital capabilities. But most acquired firms are overseas companies and startups, and not Indian firms, and that should change, Siddarth Pai, son of Mohandas and also an angel investor, said. Siddarth Pai, founding partner of 3one4 Capital, an early stage venture capital firm, said, "There is a need for better focus on Indian startups. Participation from large listed companies in the Indian startup ecosystem is important." 3one4 Capital has invested in startups such as Tripoto, BetterPlace and Tracxn. Bengaluru, termed Silicon Valley of India, is home to more than 7,000 startups with $20 billion in funding, excluding the much-talked about Walmart-Flipkart deal. The US retail giant picked up 77 percent stake in the Indian e-commerce major last year for $16 billion. "Like Walmart we are already seeing foreign investor such as Alibaba and SoftBank picking up stakes in Indian firms and growing them. Indian companies are clearly lagging behind and not because of lack of funds," Siddarth, who is an expert council member at iSpirt, a think tank focussed on startups and the IT industry, said. Indian investment in startups account only for about 5-8 percent. However, large Indians companies are sitting on huge cash reserves in excess of Rs 3 lakh crore and are unwilling to invest. While it could be attributed to risk-averse nature of Indian companies, there is a huge disconnect when it comes to the question of buy versus build. Indian companies would rather build in-house than buy. This attitude needs to change since when you acquire a company you not only buy the product but also its clients. Across the world, companies are looking at diversifying the business through such acquisitions, whereas we are yet to come out of that mind, Siddarth added. Representative image Ali Ahmed Reacting to a campaign remark by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah that Article 35A would be abrogated by 2020, Omar Abdullah called for bringing back the states high officials of the pre-1965 period, namely, a governor and chief minister equivalent called sadar-e-riyasat and wazir-e-azam respectively. At this, Prime Minister Modi sharply questioned in a campaign speech if there could be two prime ministers in one country. The good part of the exchange is that Kashmir has been placed on the national election agenda, where it rightly belongs considering that the issue almost led to a war with Pakistan just a month ago. It is unsurprising that there are two divergent positions on Kashmir. The positions contribute to delineating the two sides the ruling party and its challenger coalition from each other, and call for the voter to make an informed choice. The Congress manifesto adds to the distinction. It promises a change of tack in Kashmir, countenancing a soft-line predicated on dialogue and reviewing the Armed Forces Special Powers Act. The Congress has roped in general DS Hooda on whose watch the post Uri surgical strikes had taken place. So, its security pitch would be hard to dismiss outright. While the BJP manifesto is yet to hit the stands, the party can be expected to be sensitive to its constituency south of the Pir Panjals. With assembly elections due at an indeterminate date after parliamentary polls, the BJP would likely have a placatory menu for supporters. It would also be mindful of the Kashmiri Pandits, who have been overlooked in the Congress manifesto. The last time round, in late 2014, the BJP won assembly seats in southern J&K on the back of the Border Security Force heating up the international border (called working boundary by Pakistan) in fire assaults. An active Line of Control may work in the BJPs favour in the elections. The party pulled out of the coalition with the Valley-based Peoples Democratic Alliance in the middle of last year, allegedly hoping to form a government with a new partner in Sajjad Lones two-member Peoples Conference and break-away assembly members of the PDP. The timeline was cognizant of national elections and the possibility of clubbing of the assembly poll after a spell of governors rule followed by presidents rule. The hiatus had the advantage of enabling the hard line to play out in Kashmir under central oversight. Reportedly, Operation All Out accounted for over 250 militants last year, with some 42 killed this year. Arguably, the hard line created the conditions for the car bomb attack at Pulwama in February, resulting in uncertainty over whether the security situation over the coming summer would permit assembly elections. The BJP would not be averse to this uncertainty since it hopes to gain political dividend nationally by appropriating the mantle of being strong on defence. It has already set the state agenda in outlawing the Jamaat-e-Islami and the J&K Liberation Front; separatists are also on the defensive because of National Investigation Agency lens on them. While in 2014, the BJP manifesto was against the continuation of Article 370 the bridge article linking J&K to the Union - it diluted this as the price for being part of the ruling coalition in Srinagar for the first time. This time round, while the BJP will retain its traditional plank on the constitutional articles 370 and 35A, dating to its avatar as the Jan Sangh, it may not be strong enough to overturn these in a coalition. Article 35A by way of which state subjects are allowed some special privileges is currently under judicial scrutiny. Understandably, the regional parties and the Congress prefer continuance of both Articles 371 and 35A. Leaders of both regional parties, the NC and PDP, have respectively sounded the alarm on any tinkering with the two articles that they aver are foundational to Kashmirs linkage with the Union. A robust defence enables them to remain relevant in Kashmiri public opinion. They have expressed mutual support in defence of autonomy, signified by their last minute bid to form an unlikely coalition in November last year that instead prompted the governor to dissolve the assembly. They also unsurprisingly call for the roll back of the largely military template and a dialogue with separatists to politically address issues. Alongside, they prefer a cooling along the Line of Control, with the new central government talking to Pakistan. In conclusion, the BJP hard line and its threat over Articles 370 and 35A would likely see a continuation of troubles, especially since the isolation of Pakistan would continue. Prime Minister Modi has hinted that the Balakot aerial strikes were a demonstration of readiness to deal with the consequences. On the other hand, the opposition plank has de-escalatory possibilities and potential to reverse the trend since 2016. The strength of the coalition at the center to be known only in end May - would dictate the efficacy of its conflict management and conflict resolution strategies. Ahmed is a freelance national security analyst. He tweets at @aliahd66. Views are personal. Representative Image Oyo on April 4 announced a joint venture with Japan-based Softbank Corp and Softbank Vision Fund to start its hotel operations in Japan. The venture will be called Oyo Hotels Japan G.K. and will be led by Prasun Choudhary as the operating partner "Given our shared vision for a digital future, we are excited to support a Vision Fund portfolio company in deploying cutting edge technologies and services to Japan. Combining Oyo's most advanced business model with SoftBank Corp's knowledge of the Japanese market, we will provide brand-new hotel experience to travelers in Japan," said Ken Miyauchi, president and chief executive officer of SoftBank Corp. The company had recently announced the launch its rental business, Oyo Life in Japan. With the launch of Oyo Hotels Japan, the company aims to empower small and independent asset owners in Japan. Japan is fast emerging as one of the most popular tourist destinations in Asia. We at, Oyo Hotels and Homes, see this as a huge opportunity and are excited to contribute towards the growth of the local economy. by promoting tourism, said Ritesh Agarwal, group CEO and founder, Oyo Hotels and Homes. Oyo was founded by Ritesh Agarwal in 2013. Currently the company has expanded aggressively in the global market. It has its footprint in over 500 cities across 10 countries. Earlier this week, the company announced a strategic investment from global accommodation firm Airbnb. As part of the investment, both parties are likely to collaborate on a range of projects, including making Oyo accommodations available on the Airbnb platform. Oyo recently also raised $1 billion round of funding backed by its existing investor Softbank, Chinese cab-hailing giant Didi Chuxing and Singapore-based ride services provider Grab. Representative image live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Share price of SRF rose nearly 3 percent intraday Thursday after company informed about resumption of operations at its Gujarat plant at the earliest. A revocation order dated April 3 has been issued by Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) and in compliance with the said order, the site should resume operations at the earliest, company said in press release. GPCB had issued directions under Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 to the company to close the operations of its industrial plant at Dahej in the State of Gujarat due to alleged non-compliance with the provisions of the said Act. At 10:40 hrs SRF was quoting at Rs 2,443.95, up Rs 63.20, or 2.65 percent on the BSE. The share touched its 52-week high Rs 2,476.40 and 52-week low Rs 1,531 on 25 March, 2019 and 20 July, 2018, respectively. Currently, it is trading 1.31 percent below its 52-week high and 59.63 percent above its 52-week low. Moneycontrol News The US government may stake claim for diamantaire Nirav Modi's extradition from the UK in connection with a series of bankruptcy cases. Sources said that an American bankruptcy court could charge Modi with violations in the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organisations (RICO) Act. At present, he is in the Wandsworth Jail in the UK. Three companies linked to Modi, Firestar Diamond International, A Jaffe, and Fantasy Inc, filed for bankruptcy in the US in February 2018. The court appointed a trustee to probe the companies, who then filed a complaint against Modi and two other executives of these companies. They were accused of breaching fiduciary duty, aiding and abetting in breaching fiduciary duty and violating the RICO Act. A source in the ED told Hindustan Times that the case in the US was also linked to Modi's alleged scam in India. The RICO Act is a federal law in the US enforced in 1970. It was designed to fight organised crime in the country. It allows prosecution for racketeering activity performed as a part of a criminal enterprise. If a person has committed at least two acts of racketeering activity from a list of 35 crimes within 10 years, he can be fined up to $25,000 and can face a 20-year prison sentence. Modi is the prime accused in the biggest scam in the Indian banking industry, which was uncovered at Punjab National Bank in February 2018. In India, Modi would face seven years of imprisonment under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). However, in the US, the punishment is stiffer, and the sentence is longer. In India, those who are under trial can ask for parole, furlough and other benefits if the court allows it. However, these facilities are not allowed in the US. Sources in the ED are of the opinion that, if given a choice, Modi would rather face the authorities in India than those in the US. They believe that Modi may not oppose the Indian government's extradition request strongly. The Economic Times quoted an ED official as saying that India would have the first right to have Modi extradited since India moved the UK government first. The UK police arrested Modi on March 19, and he has been denied bail twice by the courts on the suspicion that he will try to flee the country again. File image: Vijay Mallya Fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya is insolvent and is living on money borrowed from his partner, his personal assistant, a business acquaintance, and children; a court said on March 3. The billionaires partner Pinky Lalwani earns over 150,000 pounds (about Rs 1.35 crore) a year and Mallya himself has 328 million pounds (Rs 2,956 crore) in personal assets, all of which has been put towards a settlement, a Karnataka court said as quoted in a report by The Times of India. According to Mallyas lawyer John Brisby, the liquor baron is an insolvent. In a response to a petition filed against him by a consortium of 13 banks, Mallya said in September 2018 that his children support him, the paper said. According to the filing by the banks, Mallya received 84,000 pounds (Rs 75.7 lakh) and 128,000 pounds (Rs 1.15 crore) from his personal assistant and business acquaintance respectively for living expenses and money owed to Inland Revenue, the publication said. Mallya owes $1.5 billion (about Rs 10,000 crore) to a consortium of banks led by the State Bank of India over dues owed by now defunct Kingfisher Airlines. He continues to spend 18,000 pounds a week in living expenses while incurring very significant legal costs, TOI quoted Nigel Tozzi QC, the lawyer representing the consortium, as saying. Brisby told a court on April 3 that Mallya was willing to cut his expenses to 18,000 pounds (Rs 16.21 lakh) a week to 29,500 pounds (Rs 26.57 lakh) a month. To fight the consortiums claim, Mallya is also trying to get 260,000 pounds that is locked in his UK account. RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das on April 4 said that Supreme Court's judgement, declaring its circular on bad loan resolution as "ultra vires", has not taken away any powers from the banking regulator. "Basically, Supreme Court has said that the powers of RBI under Section 35AA have to be exercised in a particular manner. The validity of Section 35AA stands and henceforth, we have to comply with the directions of the SC in this regard and act accordingly," said Das. He added that the SC order mandates RBI to exercise its powers under Section 35AA in respect of specific defaults by specific debtors. Das also said that banks, as financial creditors, have the liberty to approach the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) in cases where there is a default. He clarified that all major cases that were referred under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) remain unaffected with the order. On April 2, the SC struck down the central bank's directions on the resolution of bad loans under the IBC, saying it is beyond the banking regulator's authority to issue such a mandate. The RBI circularhad made it mandatory for banks to ensure that a resolution plan is in place within 180 days of a loan default for any account with exposure of Rs 2,000 crore or more. Failing this, such accounts were to be referred for insolvency proceedings under the IBC. The apex court said the reference under IBC has to be on a case-specific basis and with the authorisation of the central government. RBI has clarified that directions which are in respect of debtors generally would be ultra vires of that section. RBI to issue revised circular Das said that the central bank will come up with a revised circular to ensure expeditious and effective resolution of stressed assets. The RBI stands committed to maintain and enhance the momentum of resolution of stressed assets and adherence to credit discipline, Das said, adding that there will not be any undue delay in issuing a revised framework. In its monetary policy report released on April 4, the RBI stated that resolution of stressed assets under the IBC, among other factors, is expected to improve bank credit off-take and support investment and aggregate demand. The government declined to comment on US space agency NASA's assessment that India's anti-satellite weapon test last week led to creation of 400 pieces of space debris that could pose a threat to the International Space Station (ISS). When contacted, the spokesperson of Ministry of Defence declined to comment. On March 27, India achieved a historic feat by shooting down its own low-orbit satellite with a ground-to-space missile, making the country a space power. Only three other countries -- the US, Russia and China -- have ASAT capabilities The NASA on Tuesday termed as a "terrible thing" India's shooting down of one of its satellites that has created about 400 pieces of orbital debris, endangering the ISS. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said about 60 pieces have been tracked so far and out of which 24 are going above the apogee of the ISS. "That is a terrible, terrible thing to create an event that sends debris and an apogee that goes above the international space station. That kind of activity is not compatible with the future of human spaceflight that we need to see have happen," he had said. India is one of the highest taxing nations in the world, US President Donald Trump has alleged as he again slammed the country for imposing 100 per cent tariffs on American products, including the iconic Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Such a high tariff is not fair, Trump said Tuesday during National Republican Congressional Committee Annual Spring Dinner here. Early this year, at a White House event to announce his support for reciprocal tax, Trump had said he was satisfied with the Indian decision to reduce the import tariff on Harley-Davidson motorcycles from 100 per cent to 50 per cent. "Even this is not enough, this is okay," he said at that time. Trump has repeatedly claimed that India is a "tariff king" and imposes "tremendously high" tariffs on American products. "I got a call from Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi of India. They're one of the highest taxing nations in the world. They taxed us 100 per cent," Trump said reiterating his often-heard remarks on Indian tariff structure. "They charge us 100 per cent tariffs on goods. So they send a motorcycle--and they make a lot of them--Indian cycles. They send them to our country, we charge them nothing. We send a Harley Davidson to India and they charge us 100 per cent. Not fair, okay. Not reciprocal. It's not fair," Trump said. During his address to the National Republican Congressional Committee Annual Spring Dinner, Trump explained how his trade policies are successfully addressing the balance of trade issue with other countries. Trade talks with China are going on very well, he said. The world's two largest economies are locked in a trade war since Trump imposed heavy tariffs on imported steel and aluminium items from China in March last year, a move that sparked fears of a global trade war. Trump imposed tariff hikes of up to 25 per cent on USD 250 billion of Chinese goods. In response, China, the world's second largest economy after the US, imposed tit-for-tat tariffs on USD 110 billion of American goods. Top trade officials from America and China are holding talks to negotiate a comprehensive trade deal. "I think we're doing very well. They need the deal more than we do. They need the deal. And they getting hurt badly with they're paying 25 per cent on USD 50 billion worth of technology stuff and they were going to pay 25 per cent on another USD 200 billion," he said. Trump said his administration is fixing broken trade deals to protect the American workers. "We are standing up to China's chronic trading abuses and theft of intellectual properties and so many other things that they've done to us," he said. "I don't know how you people allowed this to happen for so many years. You've been here longer than me. But they really have, they've taken advantage of our country. And you know what? I respect them for it. I say it. We should have been doing that to them, he said. Trump described Chinese President Xi Jinping as a king. "I was in China making a speech," Trump recounted. "President Xi, who is a strong man, I call him 'king.' He said, 'But I am not king, I am president'. I said, 'No, you are president for life, and therefore you are king.' He said, 'Huh. Huh.' He liked that. I call him 'king.' I get along with him great," he said. "So I call him King. I get along with them great. But I was really hitting him hard about how they've hurt our country. And I had 5,000 Chinese people, I'm China, I'm in Beijing doing this, can you believe it? And I'm looking down, he's getting angrier and angrier. And then I saved it. I said, "You know, I don't blame you. I blame the leaders of our country for allowing it to happen." And it's really true. We should never have allowed that to happen, Trump said. Amit Shah also commented on the alleged drug nexus in Bollywood. In the last 18-24 months, several decisions have been taken to curb the problem. I assure you that under Modi jis leadership its going to be very difficult for people who want to spread drugs, said Shah. BJP president Amit Shah has said that it was his party's decision not to give Lok Sabha poll tickets to those above 75 years of age, leading to veteran leaders like LK Advani and Murali Manohar Joshi missing out. Shah also said he wanted "direct mandate" from people to come to Parliament and that is why he decided to contest the general election. He, however, played down speculation that he may join the government if the BJP retains power at the Centre, saying such a claim has no basis as one can become a minister even as a Rajya Sabha member. He made these remarks in an interview to 'The Week'. On the question of party veterans not given tickets, Shah said, "Only the media is pushing this issue. No one above 75 has been given tickets. This is the party's decision." Talking about his own candidature from Gandhinagar, where he replaces Advani, Shah said, "I have been an MLA for 25 years. I am a political worker who stays among the people. When my assembly term ended, there was no Lok Sabha election. So, I went to Rajya Sabha. I wanted a direct mandate from the people to go to Parliament and the party agreed." Underlining that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership and national security are two major issues for the party in these elections, Shah said Modi brought the policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism to the fore. "This policy has been successful. We had the surgical strikes and the air strikes. Through these two interventions, a message has gone to the world that apart from the United States and Israel, if there is any other country which can avenge the murder of members of its armed forces, it is India," he said. On Balakot strikes, the BJP chief said even Pakistan's army and its prime minister accepted that they had suffered losses. They were even preparing for retaliation but even then opposition was asking for proof. "I believe there cannot be a bigger disrespect to our armed forces. The opposition should not stoop so low for their vote-bank politics," he said. When asked about BJP's sitting MPs facing anti-incumbency, Shah said it is Modi who is contesting election from every seat not these MPs. "... Correct this misunderstanding that everyone is contesting parliamentary elections. Even Amit Shah is not contesting elections. From every seat, Narendra Modi is contesting. The country is voting to make Narendra Modi prime minister," he said. When asked about not much movement on party's ideological issues such as Ram temple and Article 370, he said these require a "full majority" in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. "The Ram temple issue is pending in court. We will wait for the judgment. But our stand is that a grand temple should be built at the same spot as early as possible," he added. Congress chief Rahul Gandhi has assets worth over 15.88 crore, according to the affidavit filed by him on Thursday while submitting his nomination papers for Wayanad Lok Sabha seat. In the 2014 elections, he had declared the value of his total assets as Rs 9.4 crore. The affidavit shows that Rahul Gandhi does not own a car and has a total liability of Rs 72 lakh as loans from various banks and other financial institutions. Gandhi has declared movable assets to the tune of Rs 5,80,58,799 and immovable assets worth Rs 10,08,18,284, with his total assets being worth Rs 15,88,77,083. The Congress president, who is also contesting from Amethi seat, has declared in his affidavit that there were five cases pending against him. Two of the cases against him are registered in Maharashtra and one each in Jharkhand, Assam and New Delhi, according to the affidavit. While the Congress chief has Rs 40,000 as cash-in-hand, he has Rs 17.93 lakh as deposits in various banks. Gandhi also has investments worth Rs 5.19 crore in bonds, debentures and shares in various companies in mutual funds. The assets also include 333.3 grams of gold. He continues to own a share in the inherited farm in Sultanpur Village in Delhi. The affidavit also shows that Gandhi owns two office spaces in Gurugram. The affidavit shows that the total income for the year 2017-18 was Rs 1,11,85,570. Gandhi has declared that his source of income was MP's salary, Royalty income, rental income, interest from bonds, dividends and capital gain from mutual funds. The Congress chief has said that his education qualification was M.Phil (Development Studies) from Trinity college, University of Cambridge in 1995. The affidavit shows that Rahul Gandhi does not own a car and as an SPG protectee he is required to travel in an SPG vehicle for security reasons. File image: Vijay Mallya Embattled liquor tycoon Vijay Mallya is willing to curtail his "lavish" lifestyle to satisfy numerous Indian banks trying to recoup some of the nearly 1.145 billion pounds owed to them, a UK court was told. The 63-year-old had been sanctioned an "ordinary living expenses allowance" of a maximum of 18,325.31 pounds a week, which he offered to cut down to around 29,500 pounds a month during a UK High Court hearing this week. However, a consortium of 13 Indian banks led by the State Bank of India (SBI) did not agree to his offer as they seek access to nearly 260,000 pounds in an ICICI Bank current account in his name in London. DWF Law LLP, representing Mallya in his legal fight against the banks, said the former Kingfisher Airlines' boss intends to stay within any court-ordered spending limits. "Dr Mallya continues to do all he can to support a court process in India, which should see creditors paid off in full," Jonathan Isaacs, partner at DWF Law LLP, said in a statement to PTI. "It is unfortunate that he has to fight UK enforcement at the same time but no one creditor should be allowed to break rank and grab assets at the expense of all other creditors. Dr Mallya meanwhile lives well within the court-ordered limits and looks forward to all matters concluding in the coming months," he said. At a hearing before Master David Cook at the Queen's Bench Division of the UK High Court on Wednesday, lawyers representing SBI and 12 other Indian banks had highlighted that Mallya continues to live a "lavish lifestyle" despite owing them millions in debt. The hearing centred around an "interim third-party debt order" obtained by the banks in January relating to funds worth just short of 260,000 pounds in Mallya's current account with ICICI Bank in London, according to TLT LLP, the law firm representing the Indian banks. It forms part of the banks' ongoing efforts to enforce the Indian Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT) judgment against Mallya in the UK. The former Kingfisher Airlines and Force India chief is opposing the application and seeking a discharge of the interim order. A judgment in the case is expected in the coming weeks. If the judge makes the interim order final, the funds held in the ICICI London account will have to be released to the banks. The case is part of wider efforts by SBI and 12 other Indian banks Bank of Baroda, Corporation bank, Federal Bank Ltd, IDBI Bank, Indian Overseas Bank, Jammu & Kashmir Bank, Punjab & Sind Bank, Punjab National Bank, State Bank of Mysore, UCO Bank, United Bank of India and JM Financial Asset Reconstruction Co. Pvt Ltd to recover some of the funds owed to them as a result of unpaid loans by Mallya's now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines. In a ruling in May last year, a UK High Court judge had refused to overturn a worldwide order freezing Mallya's assets and upheld an Indian court's ruling that the Indian banks were entitled to recover funds amounting to nearly 1.145 billion pounds. TLT LLP has been representing the banks in their efforts to recover their dues as part of the worldwide freezing order, including a bankruptcy petition aimed at seizing his assets to recover dues filed at the end of last year. Mallya, meanwhile, remains on bail after his extradition was ordered by Westminster Magistrates' Court in London in December last and signed off by UK home secretary Sajid Javid in February. He has since filed an application in the UK High Court seeking leave to appeal against that order. File image Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday lambasted the opposition RJD for using foul language against him and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and highlighted the poor performance of pati-patni ki sarkaar an allusion to the 15 years of rule by Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi. Addressing rallies at Bhagalpur, Jamui and Aurangabad Lok Sabha constituencies where candidates of his JD(U) and allies LJP and BJP respectively are in the fray Kumar appealed to the people to vote for the NDA and ensure Prime Minister Narendra Modis return to power. When I listen to the oppositions criticisms, I feel appalled by the language they use against me and the Prime Minister. You can criticize anybody on the basis of facts. But in a democracy, one must maintain certain decorum while speaking in the public, the JD(U) national president said in an oblique reference to the family of Lalu Prasads RJD which controls the opposition party. For 15 years, the husband-wife duo enjoyed power in the state. They could not even ensure a basic amenity like good roads. Whatever progress the state has witnessed, it has taken place after we took over in November, 2005, Kumar asserted. Prasad and later his wife served as chief minister of Bihar during RJD rule from 1990 to 2005, when Kumar took the rein of the state. No segment of the society Dalits, OBCs, women has been left out in the development journey that started with our coming to power. All villages in the state have been electrified and connected through roads. Schemes have been launched to ensure employment generation and skill development, Kumar said. In Araria, Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi addressed a rally organized after filing of nomination papers by party candidate Pradeep Singh. Modi sought to dispel the impression that his party was anti-minorities, saying, the 10 per cent quota for economically backward sections is open to all and poor Muslims could benefit from this measure in a big way. The achievements of Congress 55 years in power pale in comparison with Narendra Modis five years. Like our Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, he too is a man who works tirelessly for the people without taking a vacation. Under Narendra Modi's leadership, India has gained respect worldwide and Pakistan-sponsored terrorism is being squarely dealt with, the Deputy CM said. Enforcement Directorate told a Delhi court Thursday that Christian Michel, the alleged middleman arrested in the AgustaWestland VVIP Chopper scam, and other accused received 42 million euros as kickbacks in the deal. The probe agency, in its 3,000-page supplementary charge sheet also named David Syms, Michel's alleged business partner, and two firms owned by them-- Global Trade and Commerce Ltd and Global Services FZE -- as accused. In its first charge sheet, filed against Michel in June 2016, ED had alleged that Michel and others received EUR 30 million (about Rs 225 crore) from AgustaWestland. Special Judge Arvind Kumar said he will decide on whether to take cognisance of the ED's supplementary charge sheet and to summon the accused on April 6. ED's special public prosecutors D P Singh and N K Matta told the court that British nationals Syms and Michel through their firms had received the money without undertaking any work against the receipt of such amount. The money was received by the firms to execute the 12 helicopters deal but no helicopters were bought, ED said. "The money was paid by Westland Group companies to these two firms. The money was then routed to different companies and individuals. This was done through these two firms in which both (Michel and Syms) of them are directors... Syms' bank statement records showed that substantial amount has been credited to it," ED said. The agency said that this money trail completed the missing link in the total EUR 70 million trail of the AgustaWestland deal which was being investigated by it. ED said that EUR 28 million was routed through the other channel by co-accused lawyer Gautam Khaitan, Rajeev Saxena and his wife Shivani and their firms. It had earlier alleged, in the charge sheet, that companies owned by Saxena and his wife -- Interstellar Technologies, Mauritius, UHY Saxena, Dubai, Matrix -- have received proceeds of crime from Global Services FZE. ED had claimed that Michel had entered into 12 contracts through two of his firms with Finmeccanica, AgustaWestland, Westland Helicopters, UK and so on. Michel, extradited from Dubai in December last year, was one of the three middlemen being probed in the case, besides Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa, by the ED and the CBI. On January 1, 2014, India scrapped the contract with Italy-based Finmeccanica's British subsidiary AgustaWestland for supplying 12 AW-101 VVIP choppers to the IAF over alleged breach of contractual obligations and charges of paying kickbacks to the tune of Rs 423 crore by it for securing the deal. The CBI on September 1, 2017, had filed a charge sheet in the case in which Michel was named as one of the accused. Former IAF Chief S P Tyagi was also chargesheeted by the CBI in a Delhi Court along with nine others in connection with a bribery case in the VVIP chopper deal. Tyagi (73) is the first chief of the Indian Air Force to be chargesheeted in a corruption or a criminal case by the CBI and he has denied all charges against him. Besides him, the agency has also chargesheeted retired Air Marshal J S Gujral along with eight others, including five foreign nationals, in the charge sheet filed before the Special CBI Judge. AgustaWestland, is also one of the accused. Others named in the charge sheet are -- Tyagi's cousin Sanjeev alias Julie, advocate Gautam Khaitan, alleged European middlemen Carlo Gerosa, Christian Michel, Guido Haschke, former AgustaWestland CEO Bruno Spagnolini and former Finmeccanica Chairman Giuseppe Orsi. The Congress and the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have resumed talks to discuss the seat sharing formula for the seven Lok Sabha seats in the national capital, sources said on Thursday. The speculation of a tie-up between both the parties got a boost with AAP's Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh meeting All India Congress Committee (AICC) incharge of Delhi PC Chacko on Wednesday evening. The ruling AAP has proposed to give two seats to Congress which has instead demanded three - New Delhi, Chandni Chowk and North East Delhi, sources in both the parties claimed. "The two leaders discussed the seat sharing formula with AAP offering two seats to the Congress," said a source. Chacko will convey the offer from the AAP to Congress president Rahul Gandhi who will take a final call on the issue in next few days, the source said. The rationale behind an alliance between the two parties is that together they polled more votes than the BJP which swept the 2014 Lok Sabha elections winning all the seven seats in Delhi. The AAP has been batting for tie up with Congress citing the need to defeat the BJP and replace the Modi government in the national interest. However, Delhi Congress is a divided house, with its president Sheila Dikshit and her three working presidents along with some other leaders opposing a tie-up with the ruling party. Dikshit met Gandhi over the issue twice and conveyed her message to him. After a meeting with Gandhi last month she claimed there was "unanimity" in the party against an alliance with the AAP. Rajesh Lilothia, working president of Delhi Congress said that alliance will "ruin" the party in Delhi and this stand was clearly stated by Dikshit in her meeting with Rahul Gandhi on April 2. Kerala's Sabarimala Temple. The traditionally bipolar election to the Pathanamthitta Lok Sabha constituency, ground zero of the Sabarimala agitation, has gone triangular this time with the BJP hoping to win over voters who are opposed to implementation of the apex court order on entry of women in the hill shrine. The BJP has fielded its state General Secretary K Surendran, who led the Sabarimala protests against changing temple traditions, while the ruling Left Democratic Front has nominated Veena George, its Aranmula MLA, to take on two-time Congress-led UDF MP Anto Antony. The opposition to the Left government's decision to implement the September 28 Supreme Court order on allowing entry of women of all ages in the shrine of Lord Ayyappa here snowballed into a huge agitation that grabbed national headlines. The protests, one of the most violent religious agitations in the state, was led by a section of devotees, right wing outfits and the BJP-RSS. During the protests, Surendran was arrested and jailed on various charges, including attempt to murder and the use of criminal force to outrage the modesty of a woman. The constituency consists of Assembly seats from Pathanamthitta and Kottayam district. UDF's Antony, who won from the constituency in 2014 and 2009, is leaving no stone unturned to continue his winning streak. He won 41 per cent of votes in the 2014 election and had a winning margin of 56,191 votes. "He is banking on his developmental credentials. He had done so much for the constituency," said a local leader who is assisting Antony in the campaign However, both Veena George and Surendran are also confident of putting up a good fight to wrest the seat from the UDF. Surendran has been busy visiting families and meeting prominent personalities in the constituency. "We need to bring back Modi government. It's only the BJP that can promote Sabarimala as a world famous pilgrim centre. When Sabarimala develops, the Pathanamthitta district and constituency develops," he said. He alleged that no other political party was interested in developing the shrine. LDF candidate and former journalist Veena George expressed satisfaction over the response of the people during the campaign. "LDF would register historic victory in the coming Lok Sabha polls. The number of participants in our poll campaign itself is a proof for the immense acceptance of the party," she said. George said she will take up with the Centre the issues of Erumely airport and rejuvenation of Pamba river. Pathanamthitta is considered one of the best districts in the country with high human development indices matching most of the developed countries. The district boasts of the cleanest air in India as per a World Health Organisation (WHO) report. It is also one of the least poverty affected districts in the country with a literacy rate of 96.55 per cent. Out of the total population, 56.93 per cent belongs to Hindu community where as 38.12 per cent are from Christian community. The church is an influential body and has been a key player in every field of development including infrastructure for schools, colleges and hospitals. The Nair Service Society (NSS), which is a body representing the powerful Nair community and has been in the forefront of the Sabarimala protests, in a circular Tuesday made it clear that it will continue to maintain equi-distance towards all the three fronts. This would be music to the ears of the ruling Left as the NSS had been upset with the government over the handling of the Sabarimala issue, and the UDF and the BJP were hoping to woo Nair voters. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had attacked the Left government over the Sabarimala issue, saying it was trying to disrespect Kerala's culture. The LDF government, which had incurred the wrath of a section of Hindu community by deciding to implement the apex court verdict on Sabarimala, had set apart Rs 739 crore for overall development of the temple town in its budget and another Rs 100 crore to the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), which administers the Ayyappa shrine. Jayalekshmi, an expert in ecology and environment and a staunch supporter of the Left movement in Kerala, said the political parties were exploiting the sentiments of the devotees. "The ruling LDF could have shown some restraint in implementing the Supreme Court verdict. The BJP had used the situation. However, the matter is going to be a decisive one in this election," she said. The Pandalam royal family, associated with the Sabarimala temple and the agitation, had earlier told the media that they will not campaign for the BJP in the polls. As per the 2011 census, Pathanamthitta has a population of 1,197,412, of which male and female strength was 561,716 and 635,696 respectively. It was also a district which showed a negative growth in population, -2.97 per cent, as per 2001 census. Carved out of neighbouring Kollam, Idukki and Alappuzha districts in 1982, the district has two international airports within a distance of 100 km. The BJP on Thursday announced an alliance with the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party headed by MLA and former BJP leader Hanuman Beniwal on one seat in Rajasthan. Beniwal will contest Lok Sabha polls on Nagaur seat as RLP candidate, BJP's poll incharge and union HRD minister Prakash Javadekar said. He said the RLP will be a part of the NDA. Jat leader Beniwal had floated his own party RLP ahead of the 2018 Assembly elections and the party won three seats, including one by Beniwal. Beniwal said his party workers in Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and other parts will support the BJP to ensure saffron party candidates win and Narendra Modi again becomes the prime minister. "My roots have been in the BJP and, therefore, I am more comfortable with the BJP. I took the decision as my workers were in support of this alliance," he added. Rajasthan has 25 Lok Sabha seats and the BJP will contest on 24 and the RLP on one seat. The Congress has fielded former MP Jyoti Mirdha in Nagaur. The Election Commission has sought a clarification from a BJP Lok Sabha candidate from Maharashtra, after his purported remarks in a Hindi TV news channel sting video about poll expenses. Wardha district collector Vivek Bhimanwar, who is also the returning officer, sought the clarification over the TV sting from Ramdas Tadas, who is pitted against Charulata Tokas of Congress, an official said on Wednesday after the sting was aired on the TV channel. The sting was done by the newly-launched Hindi news channel 'TV9 Bharatvarsh' which recorded responses from 18 MPs, of whom 15 MPs, it claimed, allegedly admitted to using poll malpractices. The MPs from different states belonged to the BJP, Congress, AAP, LJP, SP, RJD, Shiromani Akali Dal(SAD) and Jan Adhikar Party(JAP). In Mumbai, Deputy Election Officer Shirish Mohod said the election authorities have taken cognisance of the sting operation and given necessary directives to the Wardha collector. In the sting video, Tadas, a sitting MP, is shown purportedly saying that his poll expenditure this time is around Rs 25 crore, while it was around Rs 10 crore in 2014 polls and how cash can be brought to his house. Former Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan said the Election Commission should investigate and remove Tadas from poll fray. Undercover reporters of the channel, representing themselves as employees of a consultancy company, conducted sting operation, said a statement issued by the channel. Fifteen MPs explicitly talked about use of black money, liquor and other illegal means during election campaign to "woo and buy votes", it alleged. Some of them were also ready to ask questions in Parliament in return for money, the channel claimed. Some of the parties whose MPs figure in the sting said they will seek a report from the politicians concerned. Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on April 4 defended his party's promise to review the AFSPA, saying while the security forces should enjoy full powers to eliminate militancy, it is also necessary to ensure that no human rights violation takes place. Asserting that the Article 370 - guaranteeing special status to Jammu and Kashmir - would stay forever, Azad also suggested that the administration should "re-look' its order of closing Jammu-Srinagar national highway for two days a week to allow smooth movement of convoys between the twin capitals. On revoking of Article 370, Azad said, "It is there for the last 70 years and will remain so for ever". A government notification on April 3 said the Baramulla to Udhampur stretch of the national highway has been put out of bounds for the civilian traffics on Sundays and Wednesdays till May 31. Referring to the criticism of his party's promise to review AFSPA, the Congress leader said there are people who are taking "sadistic pleasure" because they have not seen its impact. "AFSPA and disturbed area act are there in the state for the last 30 years which is very long time. The act remained in force in Punjab for 14 years and also at some other places in the country. "It is good for the country that we will review it. The security forces should enjoy full powers to eliminate militancy but at the same time we have to ensure that no human rights violation takes place," he told reporters. Noting that human rights violations do take place, he said,"As chief minister, I had myself witnessed and ordered digging of three graves. You are blaming only Army but I have caught 13 policemen who picked up three local daily wagers killed them and dubbed them as Pakistanis." "Our Army, our security forces and our policemen are laying down their lives and we salute their sacrifice. The nation will always remain indebted to them. "However, if anyone picks up any civilian and kills him for promotion and rewards, I think he is against the humanity and any government, media and anyone from any religious background should not tolerate it, he said. He said Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of the country and will remain so, but there is a need to address the issue to bring peace to the region. "I think Article 370 is there for the last 70 years and it will stay," he said while releasing the party manifesto here. About the government order banning the movement of civilian vehicles on the Jammu-Srinagar highway, he said "the government should find a better solution". "The safety and security of the security personnel is of paramount importance but traffic is equally important. They should have found a solution like restricting traffic for half a day each for security forces and civilians. "That could have been a better solution, but to stop traffic for two days is a little difficult to manage because there will a lot of hue and cry," he said. On Omar Abdullah reportedly proposing utilizing train services for moving security personnel, he said since train does not go to Kashmir, it is a problem. "That is an alternative from any part of the country to Udhampur. Then Banihal to Kashmir, a small stretch can be opened and closed (Udhampur to Banihal)...it is for the state government to find an option," he said. Advocating dialogue to address the Kashmir problem, he said, "Dialogue is the only way forward to address the aspiration of the people of different regions of the state and ensure honourable solution which will satisfy them." He said if his party comes to power, it will follow a two pronged strategy not compromising with border security and not allowing infiltration and second - winning the hearts of the people of all the three regions with sincere efforts. "When Omar Abdullah led NC-Congress government was ruling the state and the UPA was at the Centre, there was only reports of minimum infiltration. But after five years of this government, infiltration has peaked," he said. He asserted, "Congress will strengthen the security grid at the border to stop infiltration of terrorists and will give more role to the state police in dealing with internal law and order situation." Azad also promised martyr status to security personnel who lay down their lives in the service of the nation if his party comes to power. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is making tall claims but the reality is that the defence ministry's budget has witnessed a decline over the past five years. "We will focus on it and will all ensure all the requirements of the armed forces are fulfilled and every step will be taken for modernization," he said. "We will accept the long-pending demand of CRPF, BSF, ITBP and CISF and accord martyred status to those personnel who are killed fighting terrorism or Pakistan," he said. Reading out from the manifesto, he said the Congress will talk to all stakeholders in the state."There is no doubt that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and it will remain so," he said. He pointed out that when he was the chief minister, he had held round-table conferences under the prime ministership of Manmohan Singh in which 27 parties except Hurriyat Conference attended. Azad said there will be no pre-condition for the talks because when a pre-condition is attached, the talks fail at the outset. He said the Congress will nominate three interlocutors from the civil society and will also study the previous reports which are lying with the centre to find out an everlasting solution to the problem. Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said he will "absorb all the attacks" of the CPI(M), which is miffed over his Wayanad candidature in Kerala, and will not speak against the Left parties during his campaign. Speaking to reporters after filing his nomination papers for the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency, Gandhi also said he is contesting from seats in north and south to "send a message". The 48-year-old Congress chief is contesting from Kerala's Wayanad in addition to his traditional stronghold of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh. "The CPI(M) and the Congress have been locked in a fight in Kerala. This will go on. I understand that the CPI(M) has to fight me. But, I am not going to say a word against the CPI(M). "I am here to send a message of unity that south India is important, and I fully understand that the CPI(M) has to attack me. So, I will absorb all their attacks with happiness, but from me you will not hear a word against them in my campaign," the Congress chief said. There were two main issues faced by the country--"lack of jobs and agrarian crisis", he said. "Farmers are unaware of what the future holds for them. Youngsters are running from state to state searching for jobs and (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi has failed on both the fronts," Gandhi said, while attacking the PM. Gandhi also said, "The country had faith on the prime minister when he said he would be the chowkidar (watchman). But, the chowkidar himself has given Anil Ambani Rs 30,000 crore of air force money." "He (Modi) has stolen money money and has given to Anil Ambani who has no experience (aircraft manufacturing). Anil Ambani is in Rs 45,000 crore debt," Gandhi alleged, once again attacking the NDA government over the Rafale deal. The government has repeatedly denied any corruption in the Rafale deal. On his candidature from Wayanad, Gandhi said he wanted to "send a message that India is one." "I have come to Kerala to send a message that India is one. South, north, east, west, centre... all are one. There is an assault taking place across the country by the RSS and BJP. I just want to send a message and I will stand from south India and north India. My aim was to give a message. "There is a feeling in south India that by the way in which the Narendra Modi government is functioning, their culture, language, history all are being attacked. So I wanted to give a message that I will fight from north and south," Gandhi said. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on April 4 said if Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned to power, he would throw away the Constitution and change the country from a democracy to a totalitarian regime. Modi has three slogans "loot", "riots" and "kill the people", she said at a rally in Cooch Behar. Claiming that it was the TMC government which solved the six decade-old enclave issue with Bangladesh in 2015, Banerjee said the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was an attempt by the BJP to turn legal citizens of the country into refugees. "We (TMC) will never allow NRC (National Register of Citizens) in Bengal. Modi is no one to decide who will stay and leave the country. The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill is another ploy to turn legal citizens of this country into refugees. We should be careful of their (BJP's) sinister plot," she said. Mocking Modi for his 'Main Bhi Chowkidar' campaign, the chief minister said the 'chaiwallah' (tea seller) who failed to fulfil promises made during the 2014 Lok Sabha polls has now turned into a 'chowkidar' (watchman) to fool people. Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal (United) chief Nitish Kumar is leading the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA)s charge in Bihar. The 68-year-old managed to broker a good deal for his party, convincing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to fight 17 out of the states 40 seats, each. The BJP willing to contest 17 seats five less than what it had won in 2014 is being seen by political observes as a climbdown. This, some suggest, showed how important Nitish and his party were for BJPs prospects there. Born in March 1951 in Bihars Bakhtiarpur to ayurvedic practitioner Ram Lakhan Singh and Parmeshwari Devi, Nitish earned a degree in mechanical engineering from Bihar College of Engineering before joining the Bihar State Electricity Board. He married Manju Kumari Sinha in 1973. Soon, he quit his job and joined politics. The political journey Belonging to the socialist class of politicians, Nitish was an active member of the Jayaprakash Narayan movement between 1974 and 1977. During this time, he also became close to Bihar's eventual chief minister Satyendra Narayan Sinha. In 1994, Nitish and George Fernandes came together to form the Samta Party. Their alliance with the BJP in the 1996 and 1998 Lok Sabha elections yielded good results and established Nitish as a leader. In 1998-99, Nitish served as the Union Minister for Railways and Minister for Surface Transport and later as the Minister for Agriculture in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. In 2000, Nitish became the chief minister of Bihar for the first time. However, his government lasted only eight days. His party merged with Janata Dal (United) in 2003, which was also part of the NDA. He returned as the railway minister in 2001, a position he served until the term ended in 2004. Nitish was praised for undertaking major reforms in the Indian Railways such as internet ticketing, introduction of the tatkal scheme and opening a record number of ticketing counters. He became the Bihar chief minister after JD(U) and BJP came to power in the state in 2005. The alliance convincingly won the 2010 election to retain power. Nitish got recognition for the work he did in Bihar and by early 2013, it had become clear that Narendra Modi and Nitish were the two strongest possible candidates for the NDA for the 2014 Lok Sabha election. In fact, he has been described by many as 'vikas purush (development man)'. Flip-flopper Nitish has made several flip-flops in his career as a politician. With a strong anti-incumbency factor looming over the Congress-led alliance at the Centre, Nitish sensed that the 2014 Lok Sabha election would be perhaps the right opportunity for the top job in Delhi. His calculation was simple. If the BJP was unable to get a majority by itself, they would have to rely on JD(U)'s support and look at a more "secular face" for the prime ministerial position, thereby choosing him ahead of Modi. However, when Modi became the de facto prime ministerial candidate of the NDA, Nitish decided to pull-out of the alliance. The NDA got a thumping majority and Nitish's miscalculation was exposed. After winning just two seats (a loss of 18 seats from 2009), he was forced to take moral responsibility for the embarrassing loss and resign as chief minister. He was replaced by Jitan Ram Manjhi. But, less than a year later, he returned as the chief minister, rallying party members in what can be called an ugly in-fight within the JD(U) behind him after Manjhi refused to step aside. Fearing a wipe-out by the BJP, JD (U) tied up with the Congress and rival RJD. In what came as a surprise to many, the 'Grand Alliance' won the election convincingly. But, the relationship between the three alliance members has not been cordial. In April 2016, Lalu Prasad Yadav called Nitish the opposition's prime ministerial candidate for the 2019 Lok Sabha election, starting speculations about a grand alliance. In November 2016, he praised PM Modi for carrying out demonetisation. Again, in June that year, his party backed BJP's Ram Nath Kovind as the presidential candidate. He also refused to participate in a meeting to discuss the opposition's vice-presidential candidate. Finally, on July 26, 2017, Nitish resigned as the chief minister amid rift with the RJD over corruption charges against senior leaders of the party. Often referred to as the Chanakya of Bihar, Nitish readily accepted BJP's support to continue in power a move that took him from being a staunch Modi critic to an ally. To many, his actions come across as political manoeuvres. In the past, like in 2014, such manoeuvring landed Nitish and his party in the dock. But sometimes, like in 2015, they work well for him too. File image Age is just a number for former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) patriarch HD Deve Gowda, who has been in active politics for more than 65 years. Father of Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, Deve Gowda is now pushing 86. The number, however, has not been able to overshadow his political stint as the leader is once again in the fray for the Tumkur Lok Sabha seat in upcoming elections. It is for the first time that the veteran leader is contesting from Tumkur, as he vacated his bastion, Hassan constituency, for grandson Prajwal Revanna this time. The seat has been allotted to JD(S) under the electoral arrangement between the party and its ally Congress. Early life A staunch crusader of socio-economic development, Deve Gowda was born on May 18, 1933 in Haradanahalli village of Holenarasipura taluk, Hassan District in Karnataka, in a Vokkaliga caste family. Also Read | Mallikarjun Kharge: Understated, undefeated and Congress' go-to man A Civil Engineering Diploma holder, he plunged into active politics at the early age of 20 when he joined the Congress in 1953. He remained a member of the Grand Old Party till 1962. Political career Coming from a middle-class agrarian background, he started his political journey from lower strata and ascended gradually. In 1962, at the age of just 28 years, the youthful Gowda contested as an Independent from Holenarasipura constituency and was elected to the Karnataka Legislative Assembly. After that, the leader did not look back. In 1989, his group of the Janata Party fared poorly in Karnataka, winning just 2 of the 222 Assembly seats it contested, and he himself was defeated for the first time in his career, losing both constituencies he contested from. In 1991, he was elected to Parliament from Hassan Lok Sabha constituency. In 1994, he assumed office as the 14th Chief Minister of Karnataka. He then contested as a candidate from Ramanagar Assembly constituency and won by a thumping majority. Also Read | Union minister Ananth Kumar Hegde, 33 candidates file nominations in Karnataka In 1996, he was appointed the 11th Prime Minister of India, heading the united front coalition of 14 parties backed by Congress and the Left from outside. 2019 Lok Sabha battle For the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Deve Gowda will be contesting from Tumkur constituency. His nomination was mired in controversy as rebel Congress leader Muddahanume Gowda too filed his papers from the seat but later withdrew. Tumakuru district comes under the Old Mysore region. A dryland region, the constituency is spread over 6,706 sq km. It had 15,94,703 registered voters, including 7,97,512 males and 7,97,191 females, till January 2019. Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has said views of locals will be taken into account while undertaking development projects in the tribal-dominated Palghar district of Maharashtra. Thackeray toured the Palghar Lok Sabha constituency on April 2 and April 3 during which he held roadshows and interacted with members of various communities, including Sikhs and Christians. The Sena is contesting the Palghar Lok Sabha seat near Mumbai as part of its pre-poll alliance with the BJP. Its nominee from the seat is tribal leader Rajendra Gavit, who had earlier crossed over to the BJP from the Congress and won the Palghar Lok Sabha seat in a bypoll. Gavit joined the Sena last month. During his tour of the constituency on Wednesday, Thackeray met locals and fishermen and held corner meetings with them. "The development projects in the district will be taken up after due consultation with locals," he assured. He said he would visit the proposed Wadhawan port and another jetty project sites to understand people's views. "The feelings and opinions of locals would definitely be considered. If people are opposed to some works, the government would honour their opinion," he said, citing the example of Nanar refinery project in Ratnagiri. After Sena objected to the oil refinery citing local opposition, the BJP-led state government last month made it clear officially that the Rs 3 lakh crore project will not come up at Nanar in the coastal Ratnagiri district. Meanwhile, Thackeray also said that he would look into the issues faced by fishermen in Palghar. He said he was also concerned about the health of tribal children in the region and that efforts would be made to check malnourishment among them. Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is hoping to retain power at the Centre along with its National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners in the Lok Sabha elections. The country will head for voting in seven phases from April 11 to May 19, in what is being termed as the worlds largest election exercise. The counting of votes will happen on May 23. Opinion surveys in the recent months have predicted the possibility of a hung Parliament. If no party and alliance secure a simple majority, some are waiting in the wings to be kingmakers. Heres a look at some of the possible kingmakers in an event of a hung Parliament: YS Jagan Mohan Reddy YSR Congress Party chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has already said he would be willing to support PM Modi-led BJP in an event that they fall short of the half-way mark. However, extending support would entail the BJP meeting one condition. Reddy has said his party would support anyone on the condition that special category status be granted to Andhra Pradesh something that they have been seeking since the states bifurcation in 2014. Multiple opinion polls have shown the YSRCP fighting tooth-and-nail with rival Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on both, the Assembly seats as well as the 25 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh. In fact, an opinion survey by Republic TV-CVoter from January 2019 has predicted that Jagan Mohan Reddys party could secure as many as 19 parliamentary seats in the state. Also read: Know Your Leader | Strong, committed Jagan Mohan Reddy turns nemesis for CM Naidu in Andhra Pradesh Jagan Mohan Reddy also has an ally across the state border. According to reports in January, Reddy has reached an understanding with Telangana Chief Minister and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief K Chandrashekar Rao. He has reportedly said he would be working with KCR to bring special status for AP. K Chandrashekar Rao Rao, popularly called KCR, has been working to build a non-Congress, non-BJP alliance called the Federal Front. However, months after securing a landslide mandate in the Telangana Assembly polls, KCRs front has failed to take off. The Republic TV-CVoter poll also predicts that TRS could win 16 out of the 17 Lok Sabha seats in the state. Mamata Banerjee Months ago, in a bid to build a federal front, KCR had met multiple regional leaders. One of them was West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee. Banerjee had refused to commit to any such alliance. While she has been frequently meeting KCR and YS Jagan Mohan Reddys political rival Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, she has taken a non-Congress, non-BJP stand at the state level. Her main battle is with the BJP in the 42 Lok Sabha seats of West Bengal where the saffron party is trying to make inroads. Most opinion surveys have predicted that Banerjees TMC could win 32-34 seats in the state. Also read BJP's Look East policy | West Bengal: Saffron party all set to take on Mamata Banerjee's TMC head-on For any alliance that falls short of the 272-mark in the Lok Sabha, the 30-odd seats would mean the difference between sitting in the treasury benches and the Opposition. Naveen Patnaik The BJP has been trying to make inroads into Odisha as well. In fact, BJP president Amit Shah has claimed that his party would not only perform well in the general election in Odisha, but also form the next state government. Yet, political observers have suggested that the BJP has not targeted Naveen Patnaik-led Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in its campaign as much as it has targeted the TMC in West Bengal. Despite being in power for 19 years, Patnaik has a very high popularity rating. Experts also point out that BJDs margin of victory in 2014 Assembly polls and Lok Sabha seats was so high that it would require BJP a massive swing to be able to win there. Also read BJP's Look East policy | Odisha: Saffron party stands to gain as CM Naveen Patnaik battles anti-incumbency There are a total of 21 parliamentary seats in Odisha. However, most opinion polls are not showing a one-sided result. Opinion surveys by ABP News-CSDS and ABP News-CVoter have given BJD six to nine seats. These would be helpful for any party to move closer to the majority mark. Also read | Odisha Assembly Polls 2019: CM for 19 years, Naveen Patnaik looks to nip BJP's ambitions in the bud Akhilesh Yadav-Mayawati Arch rivals Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) are contesting the polls together in Uttar Pradesh to ensure that the anti-BJP vote does not split. However, they have not taken Congress on board. Opinion polls suggest that the Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) will be able to heavily dent BJPs prospects in a state that sends 80 Members of Parliament (MPs) to the Lower House. Some surveys predict that the alliance could win as many as 51-58 seats. Other suggest it could bag 30-36 seats. That would prove to be an influential bloc for any alliance falling short of majority. However, it remains to be seen if the two parties would be willing to support the NDA in a post-poll arrangement considering that they will continue to be rivals in Lucknow. The Election Commission (EC) has issued a notice seeking a report from the I&B Ministry on NaMo TV, launched just weeks ahead of the general election, after opposition parties, including the Congress, asked the poll body to direct the ministry to suspend the channel as it was violative of the Model Code of Conduct. Sources said the EC had issued the notice to the Information and Broadcasting Secretary on Tuesday evening, giving time till Friday evening according to the ministry's request, to submit a report on the channel and its launch. The EC will take a call on whether it violated the model code after going through the documents the ministry files, the sources added. Sources in the ministry said they had not come across a file seeking uplinking and downlinking permission for the channel. Hours after the EC issued notice to the I&B Ministry, the Congress accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of mocking and trampling upon democratic norms by "brazenly" running NaMo TV and asked the poll watchdog to put a stop at this "misuse" of media that seeks to disturb the level-playing field during elections. The channel carries the picture of Modi on its logo. It was launched on March 31, nearly two weeks after the Model Code of Conduct came into effect and ahead of the Lok Sabha polls beginning April 11. The channel, available on various DTH and cable TV platforms, broadcast election rallies, speeches of the prime minister and interviews of BJP leaders. Maintaining that "the contents are being broadcast in complete violation of the rules and regulations of cable televisions", the Congress, in its complaint, said the Union ministry's list of permitted private satellite channels in the country did not mention NaMo TV, so either the channel "Content TV" is being broadcast as a "government-sponsored channel" or lacks official clearance from the ministry. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) also complained to the EC, saying the BJP had launched the channel and though a party could have its own channel, it asked the EC if permission could be granted "even after the Model Code of Conduct is enforced". Though the ruling BJP has maintained that it does not own the channel or the platform, its official Twitter handle had urged people to watch it for the prime minister's election campaign. Union minister Piyush Goyal had also tweeted about the channel number while asking viewers to watch the prime minister's events. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi is trampling upon democratic norms in India by running brazenly and blatantly 'NaMo TV'. Isn't the prime minister mocking the Constitution as also every democratic norm?," Congress's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala asked. He said by running 'NaMo TV' as an affront to the rule of law, Modi and the BJP were mocking the powers of superintendence and control of election of the EC under Article 324 of the Constitution. The Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP had recently asked the EC if the BJP had sought an approval for the launch of the channel. "Can permission be granted to a party to have its own TV channel, even after the model code is enforced? If no permission was given by the ECI, then what action has been taken?," the party had asked in its letter to the poll panel. According to government sources, the ministry is likely to take a line that it is an advertisement channel which does not require a prior permission and it is run on certain DTH channels on payment made by the BJP. However, when contacted, there was no immediate reaction from the BJP. The AAP also asked if the BJP had approached the Media Certification Committee, established to certify content and cost of a telecast. The EC has also learnt to have written separately to Doordarshan for telecasting live the "Main bhi chowkidar" programme of Modi on March 31 evening for an hour. The Congress had written to the EC against the BJP's alleged "misuse" of Doordarshan in broadcasting certain speeches by Modi. The "Main Bhi Chowkidar" programme of the prime minister was broadcast live on DD News and its YouTube channel, and was even promoted on the social media handles of DD News, the Congress memorandum said. The NCP hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his "its leaders were unable to sleep" jibe. NCP's national spokesperson Nawab Malik said the prime minister "threatened to put opposition leaders in jail", but the Sharad Pawar-led party was not afraid of "hollow threats". Without naming any NCP leader, Modi said at a poll rally at Gondia in eastern Maharashtra Wednesday evening that they "were unable to sleep" these days. "What's the reason? Because their 'sleep' is inside Delhi's Tihar jail. They are afraid that the one who is inside may reveal something. They are worried. And that day is not far when everything will come out in the open," Modi said, without elaborating. Retorting, Malik said, "The prime minister threatened to put opposition leaders in jail during the rally. This means Modi is sensing the BJP's imminent defeat in Lok Sabha polls. "We are not afraid of such hollow threats," Malik added. Listen to part one of the episode here RBI AUTONOMY: "Congress will respect the autonomy of the RBI in matters reserved to the RBI under the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1939, including the formulation of monetary policy," said the manifesto. Clearly referencing the difficult relationship that the government has had with the central bank - including Urjit Patel's resignation and Viral Acharya's warning that government interference in the RBI's functioning would have catastrophic consequences - the Congress promises to "reverse the unwarranted and illegal interference by the BJP government" into the functioning of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)." The party promised to work closely with the RBI, re-start the process of credit delivery and "ensure sufficient liquidity" and cash in circulation. OVERHAUL GST SCRAP SECTIONS 124A AND 499 OF THE IPC - SEDITION AND DEFAMATION LAWS Slamming ruling NDA government for denying "adequate credit to MSMEs", the Congress said that they created the NPA scare that brought lending to a virtual halt, adding that a one-size-fits-all approach drove companies into insolvency. The manifesto said that MSMEs were badly hit by demonetisation and a flawed GST rollout and that the government had shut out all sources of informal credit to MSMEs."Congress will radically simplify the GST regime with a single moderate rate of tax, zero rating of exports, and exemption for essential goods and services. We also promise panchayats and municipalities a share of GST revenues," said the manifesto. The GST 2.0 regime will be based on a single, moderate, standard rate of tax on all goods and services. The rate will be revenue neutral to the current indirect tax revenues of the Central and State Governments and will take note of the potential of GST 2.0 to boost their tax revenues, states the manifesto. The Congress has also promised devolution of a share of GST revenues to Panchayats and Municipalities. All assistive and adaptive aids, appliances and devices will be zero-rated under the GST 2.0 regime, the manifesto adds. If voted to power, the Congress promises to scrap the British era sedition law, citing misuse and redundancy. Section 124A of the IPC, which the Congress proposes to scrap, states, "Whoever, by words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or otherwise, brings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards the Government established by law shall be punished with imprisonment for life, to which fine may be added." The British Raj had come up with the sedition law to thwart any rebellion against it. It is worth noting that in the past five years, several student activists and human rights activists, journalists and writers have been booked under this law, including Kanhaiya Kumar, Hardik Patel, Umar Khalid, and five academics during the Bhima-Koregaon rally. The Congress has promised that it will omit Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code (that defines the offence of sedition) and has promised to omit Section 499 of the Indian Penal Code and make defamation a civil offence. Two journalists and an activist were arrested in Assam under the sedition law over their protests against the Citizenship Amendment Bill. More recently, it was the same law used to book a number of Kashmiri students in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack for allegedly celebrating the attack. LAW AGAINST HATE CRIMES REVIEW ARMED FORCES (SPECIAL POWERS) ACT 33% RESERVATION FOR WOMEN IN THE LOK SABHA AND STATE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLIES STATEHOOD TO PUDUCHERRY SET UP FISHERIES MINISTRY A NEW PLANNING COMMISSION JUDICIAL REFORMS RIGHTS OF LGBTQIA+ In a related area, the manifesto also promised to amend the Press Council of India Act, to protect freedom of the journalists, uphold editorial independence and guard against government interference, apart from empowering the council to deal with fake and paid news."In relation to the growing incidences of lynchings and mob-killings - be it for possession of beef or rumours of child kidnapping - the Congress manifesto proposes to bring in a new law to punish hate crimes. We will pass a new law in the first session of the 17th Lok Sabha and in the Rajya Sabha to prevent and punish hate crimes such as mob-engineered stripping, burning and lynching. The law will contain provisions to compensate the victims and to hold accountable the police and district administration for proven negligence, states the manifesto.The manifesto also includes review of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act and the Disturbed Areas Act in Jammu and Kashmir in order to strike a balance between the powers of security forces and the human rights of citizens and to remove immunity for enforced disappearance, sexual violence and torture. The courts have clarified that offences of these nature cannot be thought of as being in the course of duty for the armed forces. Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surejwala clarified later, We will not withdraw it without consulting the Army. It will be discussed on case to case basis, but not without consulting the Army. There are some areas, where AFPSA is required, according to a report on India Today.Congress has promised to provide 33 per cent reservation to women in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies. Congress has also promised a comprehensive review of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplaces Act, 2013 and has stated that it will extend the Act to all workplaces. Fiscal incentives to businesses that employ a certain percentage of women have been assured. Congress has also assured that it will set up a separate investigative agency to investigate heinous crimes against women and children.Addressing Centre-State Relations, the Congress has promised full statehood to Puducherry. It also seeks to give Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh and restore Special Category Status to the North Eastern States. Significantly, it also seeks to withdraw the Citizenship Amendment Bill, which caused wide unrest in the North East only recently.In recent times, fishermen from Tamil Nadu have been arrested by Sri Lankan authorities for straying into those waters, while a similar fate was meted out to Gujarati fishermen by the Pakistani authorities. To avoid such repeated skirmishes, the Congress has promised a permanent mechanism with the neighbouring countries.Calling the Niti Aayog a corrupt body doing the bidding of the government, Rahul Gandhi and his party have promised to scrap the NITI Aayog and bring in a lean planning commission consisting of eminent economists and social scientists. Congress promises to constitute a Planning Commission with re-defined responsibilities such as to formulate medium and long-term perspective plans and to function as an independent expert body to perform crucial functions in a federal system, the manifesto states.The Congress wants to amend the Constitution to make the Supreme Court a 'Constitutional Court' that will hear and decide cases involving the interpretation of the Constitution and other cases of legal significance or national importance, much along the lines of the American Supreme Court. It has also promised a Court of Appeal between the High Courts and the Supreme Court, to hear appeals from judgments and orders of High Courts. The Congress has promised that the number of POCSO courts will be increased and trials will be put on a fast track. "Retirement age of judges of Supreme Court and High Court as well as judicial members of tribunals will be fixed at 65 to prevent post retirement assignments for serving judges and allow more opportunities for qualified persons to serve as judges or judicial members," the manifesto states. Promising to ensure the effective implementation of the judgment in the Navtej Singh Johar case (which decriminalised homosexuality), the manifesto also said, "We will immediately withdraw the Transgender Bill, 2018, pending in Parliament. Instead, Congress will introduce a Bill that will be consistent with the judgment in the NALSA case. The new Bill will be drafted in consultation with the LGBTQIA+ community." Addressing the harassment suffered by the LGBTQIA+ individuals, especially at the hands of police forces, and echoing what Justice Nariman said in his judgement in the Navtej Singh Johar case, the manifesto said, "We will direct that gender sensitivity training, especially for the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community, be made mandatory in all government departments and organisations including the Armed Forces and the Police Forces." REACTIONS Finance minister Arun Jaitley called the Congress's promises dangerous and unimplementable and that the agenda seems to be the balkanisation of India. Questioning the credibility of those who drafted the document, Jaitley said that points relating to Jammu and Kashmir have been formulated by the "Congress president's friend in Tukde Tukde gang," referring to separatist leaders and parties. In relation to Kashmir, he also criticised the absence of any agenda for Kashmiri pandits, calling the communitys ethnical cleansing the biggest failure of independent India. As for the Congress wanting to scrap sedition laws, Jaitley accused the Congress of shielding terrorists and being under the influence of Naxals, Maoists and Jihadis. As Firstpost reported, Jaitley also picked up the agenda of civil recovery of farm loans from the Opposition partys manifesto and called it a promise made out of sheer ignorance. If 6% of the GDP is spent on one agenda (education), do the security forces and government employees go unpaid? Jaitley questioned. Several members of the opposition came out to call the Congress's manifesto "anti-national." Congress president Rahul Gandhi, accompanied by his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, is here to file his nomination paper for the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat. Rahul is contesting from the seat in Kerala in addition to his traditional stronghold of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh. He reached Wayanad Thursday morning in a helicopter from Kozhikode, where he was staying at a guest house after arriving in Kerala on Wednesday. The Congress chief and his sister were greeted by a huge crowd here and he is scheduled to hold a roadshow before filing his papers. Rahul will also meet office bearers of the Congress and parties in the UDF later. Tight security is in place in Wayanad district in view of the Gandhi siblings visit. While leaving the guest house in Kozhikode, the Congress chief was greeted by a huge crowd. He stopped his car and stepped out to greet party workers, who were standing there for hours. Three-year-old Zoya, who was among the people waiting to get a glimpse of the Gandhi siblings, was greeted by Rahul. "We were waiting since 8 am. Last night also we waited so long, but couldn't meet him. We are so happy that we could meet him," Zoya's mother told reporters. Rahul also shook hands with some party workers before he moved on. Rahul Gandhi will be contesting the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from two seats -- Wayanad in Kerala, and Amethi in Uttar Pradesh. So is Smriti Irani, the actor-turned-BJP politician. The 2014 general elections proved that despite Amethi being Rahuls stronghold, it was swept by the 'Modi wave', just like the rest of the nation. Though Smriti lost to Rahul by more than one lakh votes last time, there are high chances of the BJP vote share increasing this time. This gives rise to a pertinent question, who loves the constituency more? Smriti or Rahul? While it is difficult to arrive at a conclusive answer, a report by India Today, used the Twitter Advanced Search tool, to identify the number of times each leader mentioned the word 'Amethi' in their tweets. Since Rahul joined Twitter in April 2015 the tweets considered were posted after April 1, 2015. The study results indicate that Smriti may not have lost sight of Amethi even after losing from the constituency at least on Twitter. In the period taken into consideration, as per the report, Smriti posted 202 tweets mentioning 'Amethi', as opposed to a mere 28 by Rahul. Smriti mentioned 'Amethi' most in her tweets in 2017 and 2018, precisely, 57 times each year. And in 2015, she had mentioned it five times, followed by 40 in 2016, and 39 so far, this year. The not-so-Twitter-savvy Rahul mentioned Amethi only 13 times in 2015, and the numbers have only been decreasing over the years. This year he has mentioned it only once so far, on March 4, while accusing the PM of lying about the Amethi ordnance factory. The two ministers have mostly shared similar content about Amethi, typically, details of their trip, including the schedule, people they met, photos, etc. After 2015, Rahuls activities concerning the constituency dwindled, whereas Smritis rose considerably. The BJP MP made sure she thanked everyone who contributed towards the development of Amethi. Rahul, on the other hand, did not post anything raising concerns over the issues plaguing his constituency with any minister at the state or centre level. Notably, Smriti Irani has been on Twitter since 2010 and has posted 28,700 tweets in the past 9 years i.e. almost 3189 tweets per year whereas Rahul Gandhi who joined in April 2015 has posted, in total, 4200 tweets i.e. 1,050 tweets per year. BJP leader Smriti Irani on Thursday attacked Congress president Rahul Gandhi, saying his decision to contest from the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat in Kerala was an "insult" to the people of Amethi. Rahul is contesting from the seat in Kerala in addition to his traditional stronghold of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh. Referring to the Congress chief, Irani said a person who is here in Amethi for the past 15 years has decided to leave his supporters and has chosen to file nominations from another constituency. "He is filing his papers from another Lok Sabha seat. This is an insult to Amethi and a betrayal with its people. The people will not tolerate this," she told reporters here. The Union minister said this is because Congress workers know he does have support in Amethi. RLD Chief Ajit Singh (Image: PTI) Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Ajit Singh, who was in Uttar Pradesh to attend a poll rally, directly attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said that he behaves in a way that it seems all the work ever done was his initiative. Referring to the mythical demon king from Ramayana, he said if Modi had his way, he would have visited Sri Lanka and said he killed Ravana. As per a report by NDTV, he also said: This man is so smart and cunning that if he had gone to Sri Lanka he would have told us that he is the one who has killed Ravana because you see nobody has done anything apart from him. He also mocked the PMs chowkidar campaign and said: "If we need a chowkidar we will get it from Nepal. We need a Prime Minister." He also alleged that the government spends Rs 70,000 crore annually on the PMs clothes. "This man wear caps, which are not the ones you wear. He gets caps from I don't know where and then has the audacity to say 'I am a beggar,' if he is a beggar then I pray to God that I be made a beggar too. They will eat, wear, travel for free and when it comes to taking some responsibility he will say I am a beggar." Questioning Modis pro-women attitude, Singh quipped that though he claims to be the well-wisher of women, he "left his wife" without giving her a divorce. Singh, who has forged an alliance with Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav to take on the saffron party in Uttar Pradesh, claimed that people have already begun raising slogans like hai, hai Modi, bye, bye Modi, after realising that the government's policies are "anti-farmer". Notably, Ajit Singh has been campaigning in the sugar belt of the country, where cane farmers have not received last year's dues from mill owners yet. The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to hear a plea which sought rescheduling of the Lok Sabha polling date of April 18 in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. A Christian body moved the apex court seeking urgent listing of its plea in which it said the scheduled date of polling for Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry falls within the holy period of Good Friday and Easter. The petitioner's counsel told the court that the date of polling in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry be postponed and it be rescheduled. "You can't cast your vote on a holy day," a bench headed by Justice S A Bobde asked the petitioner's counsel. "We don't want to advise you how to pray and how to cast vote, said the bench said while refusing to entertain the petition. Dubbing the Narendra Modi government as 'fascist', leaders of the DMK-led "Secular Progressive Front" in Tamil Nadu said the time has come to oust it to save the nation and the people. Addressing an election rally in this industrial city, they claimed the Goods Services Tax (GST) and demonetisation had broken the backbone of the country's economy and leading to closure of small industries in the state, rendering thousands of workers jobless. Canvassing for the CPIM candidate in Coimbatore Lok Sabha seat, going to polls on April 18, DMK president M K Stalin reiterated his 'facist' charge against the Modi government and described the elections as a tool to oust it. "The time has come for throwing out the facist Modi government and the save the people," Stalin said. He asserted the front had not been formed for any gain but on the basis of ideology of various political parties who fought against the policies of both the Centre and the AIADMK government. "The alliance led by AIADMK is a front of dacoits. The front of dacoits will disappear after the elections, as always happened to the dacoits," he alleged. Referring to BJP's election symbol, Stalin said the Lotus will never bloom in Tamil Nadu as it had "betrayed" the people of the state. Lashing out at Modi, Stalin accused him of failure to fulfil his 2014 election promises and making puppets institutions like judiciary and RBI and said continuance of his rule would be "dangerous" to democracy. Modi was now trying to foment communal passion and started using religion for political advantage, he alleged and said "such people should be called anti-nationals and anti-religion." MDMK leader Vaiko said the Lok Sabha elections will decide the fate of the country's politics and also choose between democracy and fascism. The GST and demonetisation had resulted in the closure of 50,000 small industries, rendering five crore workers jobless, he claimed. CPI state Secretary R Mutharasan said both the Central and the Tamil Nadu governments should be dislodged to safeguard the interest of industries and workers. Manitaneya Makkal Katchi leader, Prof. M H Jawahirulla said the only truth told by Modi was that he was "a chowkidar (watchman) not for the common people, but for the rich corporate and multi-millionaires." Recalling the alliance formed in 2004 under Congress, IUML President Khadar Moideen claimed schemes being implemented by the BJP government were introduced by the previous UPA regime and no new projects had been launched. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Tata Motors, Indias biggest truck and bus manufacturer, on April 4 said delivery timelines have been communicated to buyers of electric buses and therefore, there is no question of being blacklisted by the government. The Mumbai-based company said it has delivered 50 percent of the order by March 2019, another 25 percent will be delivered in April 2019 while the remaining buses will be completed by July 2019. While Tata Motors bagged the maximum orders for supplying fully electric buses to various states the company was accused of not adhering to delivery deadlines. A media report on April 4 stated that the government warned Tata Motors that it could get blacklisted for future contracts if there is any further delay in delivering the buses. The Mumbai-based company won orders from six states for supplying 190 electric buses of two different sizes. Tata Motors will supply to the cities of Jaipur, Indore, Lucknow, Kolkata, Jammu and Guwahati. In a statement on April 4, the company attributed the delay to the shortage of batteries. There have been some delays due to unforeseen issues in the supply of batteries that are imported from other markets and we are addressing them on priority. We have been in constant discussion with all our customers and have kept the authorities apprised of all the challenges, said the company. Timeline of deliveries have been communicated at various levels and deliveries have been planned accordingly. So there is no question of being blacklisted by the Government, added Tata Motors. The company has already supplied buses to Kolkata, Indore and Lucknow. A total of 22 buses have been delivered and an additional 72 buses are in transit to Lucknow, Kolkata, Indore, Guwahati, Jammu. Some of the prestigious orders such as that from Mumbais BEST undertaking went to Olectra-BYD (formerly Goldstone-BYD), an Indo-Chinese joint venture company. BYD emerged as the lowest bidder for three contracts cumulatively supplying 290 electric buses to Bengaluru, Mumbai and Hyderabad. However, following no subsidy release from the central government for 130 buses the company is said to be vying for the supply of only 160 buses instead. The Bombay High Court had to intervene and pull up BEST for arbitrarily quashing the contract for sourcing 40 electric buses from Olectra which had already manufactured 24 such buses by then. Tata Motors also pointed out there has been a lack of infrastructure support for 68 chargers that are used for the charging purpose. The company has also provided support for installing the EV chargers as per the readiness of the infrastructure at each location. As on today, a total of 70 chargers have already been installed. The remaining 68 chargers are pending due to unavailability of the required infrastructure at the customers end, added Tata Motors. Representative image The three Union Territories in India's West Lakshwadeep, Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli will go to polls in April. While Lakshadweep is set to vote on April 11 in the first phase, Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli will vote on April 23, during the third phase. All three regions have one seat each, and have elected a mix of candidates representing both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress over the years. Here's a look at the issues that the regions face, and how they have voted in past elections. Lakshadweep Lakshadweep is the smallest Lok Sabha constituency in terms of the number of voters. Reserved for Scheduled Tribes, the political history of the region was dominated by P M Sayeed of the Congress. Sayeed served 10 terms as a Member of Parliament (MP). Elected for the first time in 1967, Sayeed was dethroned in 2004 by a Janata Dal (United) candidate. While Sayeed died in 2005, his son, Muhammed Hamdulla, won the 2009 election on a Congress ticket. However, he lost the subsequent election to sitting MP Mohammed Faizal PP of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Before 1967, the MP to the Lakshadweep seat was directly elected by the President. Also Read | Lok Sabha Polls: Anti-incumbency, Ayyappan and the Church in Keralas Pathanamthitta In 2017, BJP president Amit Shah toured the archipelago and met the party leadership in the region. The islands have a dominant Muslim population, and the BJP is hoping to make headway in the region. Tourism is one of the major contributors to the island's economy. Issues such as environmental damage, poor condition of healthcare and the need for better infrastructure will dominate the political discourse on the islands. Daman and Diu Daman and Diu came into existence following the implementation of the Goa, Daman and Diu Reorganisation Act, 1987. This seat has swung between Congress and BJP, with the latter's Lalubhai Patel winning the last two elections. During the 2014 elections, Narendra Modi had campaigned in the region and had promised to bring development to the territory. He had said "restrictions are being imposed in the name of environment" and the fishermen in the region were being harassed by Pakistan's Navy, something that he will look into if he became the PM. Also Read | Tejashwi Yadav: From middle-order batsman to the 'chosen one' of Bihar politics "I have been serving the people of Gujarat for the last 13 years. However, I did not get a chance to serve the people here, as it is not possible to do so from Gujarat. For that I have to go to Delhi," the then Gujarat CM had said. In 2018, four years after he went to Delhi, PM Modi announced projects worth Rs 1,000 crore for Daman and Diu. He has also brought the region under the aegis of the government's ambitious UDAAN scheme, connecting it to Ahmedabad. The Prime Minister had also said the Blue Revolution scheme would benefit the fishermen in Daman and Diu. Dadra and Nagar Haveli The Dadra and Nagar Haveli Parliamentary seat is reserved for Scheduled Tribes (STs). BJP's Natubhai Gomanbhai Patel is the sitting MP from the seat. Patel had defeated Congress' candidate Mohan Delkar during the 2014 elections by more than 6,000 votes. That decision might have influenced Congress' decision not to re-nominate Delkar. Delkar, in his turn, resigned as the president of the Congress unit of the region and has now filed nomination as an Independent candidate. On the BJP side, its Mahila Samiti chief Ankita Patel had resigned on March 24. She had stated that despite being an MP for two terms, Patel had not done any work for the region. Dadra and Nagar Haveli is landlocked between northern Maharashtra and southern Gujarat, and has a mix of cultures. It was liberated from the Portuguese rule in 1954. The issues that may dominate here include tribal rights and the rights of factory workers, particularly in Silvassa, the capital city. The city has a number of factories and was chosen as one of the cities for PM Modi's Smart Cities Mission. Atal Bihari Vajpayee: The former Prime Minister and a BJP stalwart passed away in August, 2018. Although he was out of active politics for some time before his death, Vajpayee was still an influential figure. He was a 12-time Parliamentarian. J Jayalalithaa: The former chief minister of Tamil Nadu passed away in 2016. Her party, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), will feel her absence, especially since the party does not have a leader as tall as the Iron Lady of Indian politics. (Image: Reuters) M Karunanidhi: Another stalwart of Tamil Nadu politics, Karunanidhi passed away in August, 2018. This will be the first time that his party, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), will be heading to polls without the patriarch at the helm. (Image: Reuters) LK Advani: Perhaps the senior-most of all Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, LK Advani, sitting MP from Gandhinagar, was denied a ticket this time. The decision reportedly did not go down well with Advani. However, with Advani's clout within the party on the wane, he could not do much about it. (Image: Reuters) Murli Manohar Joshi: Another veteran BJP leader who was denied a ticket this time. An MP from Kanpur, he was reportedly dropped after the party's decision not to contest candidates above the age of 75. (Image: Reuters) Mayawati: The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief announced on March 21 that she would not be contesting the forthcoming polls. The Uttar Pradesh satrap said it was a "sacrifice" for the larger goal of uprooting the BJP government. (Image: Reuters) Sushma Swaraj: The External Affairs Minister announced during a press conference in December that she would not be contesting the Lok Sabha polls, citing health reasons. She had, however, added that she does not intend to retire from politics. Raj Thackeray: The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief declared on March 17 that his party would not be fielding candidates for the general election. Although the party does not have any MP in the Lok Sabha, Thackeray does wield influence in certain parts of Maharashtra. (Image: Reuters) Uma Bharti: The MP from Jhansi announced in December last year that she would not be contesting the forthcoming polls. Instead, Bharti said she would be going on a Ganga Yatra for 1.5 years. Ram Vilas Paswan: The MP from Hajipur will not contest the forthcoming polls, instead taking the Rajya Sabha route to Parliament. The Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief had indicated that he would exit from the poll race for health reasons. (Image: Facebook/ @rvplojapa5) Sharad Pawar: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief on March 12 announced that he would not be contesting the forthcoming polls. The former Union minister said since two of his family members were already contesting, he had decided to pull out. (Image: Reuters) China has unveiled tens of billions of dollars worth of tax and fee cuts as part of a drive to kickstart the stuttering economy, extending pledges worth USD 300 billion announced last month. With growth at a two-decade low and the economy struggling under the weight of the US trade row and a soft global outlook, leaders are looking to grease the cogs by getting the country's vast army of consumers to start spending. The State Council, or cabinet, said late Wednesday it would reduce electricity and internet costs, port and railway charges and a variety of fees for individuals and businesses to cut their annual burdens by about 300 billion yuan (USD 45 billion). For businesses, the government will lower average electricity fees by 10 percent and cut broadband fees for small- and medium-sized businesses by 15 percent, the official Xinhua news agency reported. It will also cut trademark registration fees, the State Council said. For individuals, China will cut a variety of bureaucratic red tape, like fees on postal imports, real estate registration, passport issuance and mobile internet rates. "Tax and fee cuts are our key measures to tackle the downward economic pressure this year," said Premier Li Keqiang, according to Xinhua. The announcement follows promises last month to cut company taxes and employer social insurance contributions by nearly two trillion yuan (USD 298 billion), with the first batch of cuts kicking in April 1. The meeting Wednesday also outlined new draft amendments to beef up the foreign investment law passed last month, with a provision for "non-discrimination" in administrative licensing as well as measures to improve the protection of trademarks. President Donald Trump is set to meet with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He on Thursday, officials said, signalling that a deal to end a tariff battle between the two countries may be close. Trump will meet Liu, who is also China's top trade negotiator, in the afternoon at the White House, according to an official scheduling note from the president's office. US and Chinese negotiators are working to find a binding agreement to address Trump's complaints about years of unfair treatment of US companies by China, which would allow a rollback of the tariffs hitting businesses in both countries. US officials say that China has been using unfair trade practices for years by heavily subsidizing its companies while snatching the technological know-how of American firms. On March 29, Trump said that negotiations to end the bruising tariffs battle with Beijing were going "very well," but reiterated that he will only accept a "great deal." Trump said that US and Chinese negotiators were close to a deal, but US officials however played down expectations of an imminent agreement. Lawyers for Tesla Inc Chief Executive Elon Musk will argue on Thursday that he did not violate a fraud settlement with the US Securities and Exchange Commission and should not be held in contempt, the latest twist in a high-profile battle between the billionaire and the government. Musk's fight with the SEC, to play out in a Manhattan federal court hearing, has raised investor worries that it could lead to restrictions on his activities or even his removal from Tesla, while distracting him at a pivotal point in the electric car maker's expansion. Tesla, which built its reputation on luxury cars, has faced several production challenges with its Model 3 sedan, which it is counting on to reach the mass market, recently offering a version starting at $35,000. The SEC on February 25 accused Musk of violating his October 2018 settlement by posting material information about Tesla on Twitter six days earlier, without first seeking approval from company lawyers. Musk has countered that the information was not material, and did not need to be vetted. The battle concerns a tweet that Musk sent to his more than 24 million Twitter followers: aTesla made 0 cars in 2011, but will make around 500k in 2019," meaning 500,000 vehicles. Four hours later, Musk corrected himself, saying annualized production would probably be around 500,000 by year end, with full-year deliveries totaling 400,000. The SEC said the earlier tweet contrasted with Tesla's Jan. 30 forecast that it would deliver about 400,000 vehicles this year. Musk's lawyers countered that the earlier tweet merely restated a forecast he had given on Jan. 30, when he said Model 3 production could total 350,000 to 500,000 vehicles. They have also said the SEC had conceded during settlement talks that Musk did not need pre-approval for all tweets about his Palo Alto, California-based company. It is rare for the SEC to seek a contempt finding, though some legal experts said the regulator has a strong case over Musk's earlier tweet. "It seems pretty clear that this particular tweet was not run through the scrubbing system that Tesla was supposed to have in place," said Stephen Diamond, who teaches securities law at Santa Clara University School of Law. MUSK SAYS SEC 'BROKEN' A contempt finding by U.S. District Judge Alison Nathan could subject Musk to new sanctions such as a higher fine or removal from Tesla's board or as chief executive, legal experts said. James Cox, a Duke University law professor, said Nathan was unlikely to impose a severe penalty such as giving up control over Tesla. "We have to understand that Tesla is at a very important point in its history, and I don't think any judge would want to be viewed in hindsight as the cause of the demise of Tesla," he said. "She could give him a good tongue-lashing, and tell him this is it, and next time she's not going to be so nice," Cox added. The settlement resolved an SEC lawsuit that accused Musk of violating securities laws by tweeting last Aug. 7 that he had "funding secured" to take Tesla private at $420 per share. That tweet sent Tesla's share price up as much as 13.3 percent. Musk's privatization plan was at best in an early stage, however, and financing was not in place. In settling, Musk agreed to step down as Tesla's chairman, and the company said it would adopt procedures to oversee all of Musk's communications, regardless of format, and pre-approve written communications that could be material to the company. Tesla and Musk also agreed to each pay $20 million civil fines. The legal battle, which began in September, has not stopped Musk from being an outspoken critic of the SEC. He has since labeled the SEC the Shortseller Enrichment Commission," recalling his attacks against hedge funds and other investors who sell Tesla stock short, hoping it will fall. In a December interview with CBS's 60 Minutes, Musk said he did not have respect for the SEC. He also said his tweets had not been reviewed in advance since the settlement. And in the early morning of Feb. 26, after the SEC filed its contempt motion, Musk tweeted: Something is broken with SEC oversight. White House adviser Ivanka Trump is planning a trip to Africa to promote a global women's initiative she's leading. President Donald Trump's daughter will visit Ethiopia and Ivory Coast over four days this month. The White House said on Wednesday that her schedule includes a women's economic empowerment summit in Ivory Coast as well as site visits and meetings with political leaders, executives and female entrepreneurs in both countries. Accompanying her will be Mark Green, administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development. On parts of the trip, they will be joined David Bohigian, acting president of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, as well as Kristalina Georgieva, interim president of the World Bank Group, which is hosting the summit. OPIC provides loans, loan guarantees and political risk insurance, funding projects that stretch across continents and industries. It will be Ivanka Trump's first visit to Africa since the White House undertook the Women's Global Development and Prosperity Initiative in February. In a statement to The Associated Press, she said she was "excited to travel to Africa" to advance the effort. Georgieva said in a statement that economic empowerment "can help unleash the enormous potential of women entrepreneurs for job creation and economic growth, especially in Africa." The initiative involves the State Department, the National Security Council and other U.S. agencies. It aims to coordinate current programs and develop new ones to assist women in job training, financial support, legal or regulatory reforms and other areas. Ivanka Trump says the goal is to economically empower 50 million women in developing countries by 2025. Money for the effort will come through USAID, which initially set up a USD50 million fund using dollars already budgeted. The president's 2020 budget proposal requests USD100 million for the initiative, which will also be supported by programs across the government as well as private investment. The White House spending plan would cut overall funding for diplomacy and development. Ivanka Trump has made women's economic empowerment a centerpiece of her White House portfolio. She has made a number of international trips, with a focus on these issues, including to Japan and India. Her travel to Africa follows a five-day tour that first lady Melania Trump made there last year, with a focus on child welfare. Like the first lady, Ivanka Trump's efforts could be complicated by the president, who was criticised last year after his private comments about "s---hole countries" in Africa and other regions were leaked to journalists. The Madras High Court has asked the Centre to ban the Chinese video mobile application TikTok, saying it "encourages pornography" and is spoiling the future of youths and minds of children. The court said inappropriate content was being provided by the TikTok app, owned by Chinese tech company ByteDance, and the government had a social responsibility to stop it. Hearing a petition filed by an advocate, the Madurai Bench of the High Court on Wednesday also issued an interim order to the Central government banning downloading of the app in India and restricted the media from telecasting videos taken using the app. Earlier, Tamil Nadu's Information Technology Minister M. Manikandan had said that the state would write to the Central government seeking a ban on the app in India. In a statement to IANS, TikTok said it was committed to abiding by local laws and regulations. "We fully comply with the Information Technology (Intermediaries Guidelines) Rules, 2011. We are currently awaiting the official order by the High Court of Madras and once received, we will review and take appropriate action regarding this matter," the company said. "In order to better coordinate with the law enforcement agencies, we have appointed a Chief Nodal Officer based out of India," TikTok added. With a global user base of over one billion users, TikTok has over 50 million users in India. The app is very popular in India, especially among teenagers. In January, 43 per cent of the app's new users were from India, compared to just 9.5 percent in January of 2018, said Sensor Tower founder Oliver Yeh in a recent blog post. In fact, 25 per cent of TikTok's downloads to date have come from India, for an estimated total of 250 million there. The app enables its users to shoot short videos and share it with others. In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February, Swadeshi Jagran Manch co-convener Ashwani Mahajan said that TikTok is known for sharing the details of children and being an open ground for child pornography and possibly anti-national activities. Following the allegations by SJM, ByteDance said that TikTok was committed to maintaining a safe and positive in-app environment for its users in India. "We have robust measures to protect users against misuse, including easy reporting mechanisms that enable users and law enforcement to report content that violates our terms of use and community guidelines," it said. As Jet Airways on Wednesday informed employees that salaries for March will be delayed, the troubles for the beleaguered airline seem to be far from over. "In the light of the current situation, please note that salaries for March 2019 will be deferred. We will provide you an update on the status of the payout by Tuesday, 9 April 2019," said Rahul Taneja, Chief People Officer, Jet Airways, in a communication to employees. Salaries are pending since January. While the airline, hard-pressed for funds, is yet to receive the first tranche of the Rs 1,500 crore, promised by banks as part of the debt resolution plan, its fleet size has depleted to 28, employees and lessors remain adamant on clearance of dues, and legal eagles feel the fate of resolution plan hangs in balance. While industry sources said the first tranche of fund could be expected in a day or two, the situation has become precariously complicated following the Supreme Court's decision on Wednesday to annul a February 12, 2018 Reserve Bank of India (RBI) circular on bad debts. The banks are expected to meet on Thursday to chart out the course of action. Throughout Wednesday, speculations continued on the number of aircraft that the airline operated, after reports in a section of media that it was operating 15 or less aircraft, which would make it ineligible to operate international flights. The speculations also stemmed from the airline's disclosure on Tuesday to the bourses that it had grounded 15 more aircraft due to non-payment to lessors. The disclosure also pulled the company's stocks down over 5 per cent to Rs 251.10 per share. However, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) clarified that the carrier was operating a 28-aircraft fleet. "Jet Airways continues to fly 28 aircraft as on date. The 15 aircraft reported have already been accounted for and this was only informed to the stock exchange by Jet Airways yesterday (Tuesday)," the DGCA said. Last month, Civil Aviation Secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola said nearly 80 per cent (75 aircraft) of Jet's fleet was likely to be back in operation by the end of April as it would re-induct 40 aircraft by then. On March 25, Jet Airways promoter and Chairman Naresh Goyal stepped down from the board of the airline and ceded majority control to the State Bank of India-led consortium. Under the debt resolution plan, the lenders would inject up to Rs 1,500 crore working capital into the airline and convert their debt into equity, to revive the airline and sell it by June. The airline owes over Rs 8,000 crore to lenders, led by the State Bank of India (SBI). Under the lenders'-initiated resolution plan, the airline will leverage the funding to partly clear pending dues towards the lessors, vendors, creditors and employees in a phased manner. The SBI also expects the airline to find a new financial investor within the first quarter (April-June) of FY20. "The management team has been working with lenders and other institutions to finalise a resolution plan, which will help us stabilise operations and build a sustainable future for the airline. However, given the complexities of such processes, it has taken us longer than expected," Taneja said in the communication to employees. "But please be assured that we continue to strive and are in continuous deliberations with lenders and institutions to find a solution," he said. 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. You know what I find interesting? Income tax is still a relatively recent phenomenon. But didnt the Ancient Romans tax their people? While thats true, it wasnt an income tax, per se. It was more of an asset tax. Romans with land, animals and slaves paid taxes on their personal property. Not on their yearly incomes. And even then, taxes might have reached highs of 3%. OK, but what about the monarchs of Britain? Didnt the Crown tax the hell out of the people? Not really. To raise money, most of the Kings and Queens put taxes on goods. King John in 1203 put an export tax on wool. King Edward in 1275 put a tax on wine. Even when London was scorched and charred from the fire of London, Charles II didnt ask the people to cough up. He instead put a tax on coal to raise the funds. In the 1600s, the politicians of England even tried to limit the level of taxes the Crown could create. With the Petition of Right, the Crown was prohibited to create arbitrary taxes without consolation first. Maybe they saw what was coming (income taxes) and tried to stop it These could smash the ASX 200 find out our three favourite small-cap stocks. Download your free report now. Tax cap of 10% The Petition of Right didnt help. Heading into the 1700s, the British people, and their colonies in the US, saw more taxes each year. In the 1760s, one tax policy was the straw that eventually broke the colonies back, leading to the American Revolution. It was only a few years after that Britain was directly dipping their hands into the incomes of the people. Maybe it was understandable, though. Britain was at war with Napoleon. They needed funds for weapons and equipment. So the government imposed a temporary tax of less than 1% for over 60 and 10% for over 200. Fast forward to today, and we all think of income tax as a given. Its OK for the government to dip their hands into our pockets at gun point and take 30%, or sometimes as much as 50%, of what we earn each year. Just take a look at this graph Source: Wikipedia [Click to open new window] It shows American government revenue by segment as a percentage of economic output (GDP). For decades, a limited small American government was content with taxes on exports and goods. Today, they dip their hand into your wages, and the wages of your employers. And this is how its played out all over the world. Here in Oz, some of us are paying $54,097 in taxes, plus 45 cents on each dollar we make over $180,000. To think the government deserves 45% of anything that you, I or anyone else makes, is ludicrous. All it does is encourage people to find loopholes. Maybe they stash their cash offshore somewhere. And it discourages Aussies from doing better. Why bother working harder, producing more for others when 45% of your income is going to the government wholl spend it on some terrible project thats just there to win votes? Maybe youve had time to digest the Aussie budget news Taxes will be lower, ever so slightly. But theyre moving in the right direction, I guess. Politicians see you as a cash cow Back to surplus we go. Thats what the forecasts are saying. As I pointed out yesterday though, almost all financial forecasts end up being terrible guesses of the future. Source: Australian Financial Review [Click to open new window] And of course, the Morrison government is trying like hell to win over voters. Its why they also gave tax breaks of $1,080 a year to low and middle-income earners. The government is also kindly chipping to keep the lights on, handing out a onetime amount of $75 and $125. Its a bit of a slap in the face to be honest. Is $1,205 really going to make Aussies that much better off? Even with this pitiful tax cut, its still Aussies paying the lion share of government revenues. Source: Australian Financial Review [Click to open new window] And with this stolen cash, they redistribute it among the deserving and undeserving. The Aussie government even has a $98.3 billion expense called Other purposes. What is this?! A just in case fund? Is it discretionary spending that politicians feel they can just blow on any old vote-grabbing project? Why not increase spending for education or health? Source: Australian Financial Review [Click to open new window] The Morrison government has failed No, no. The government has to keep redistributing wealth. It wins the votes of the poor. It keeps people spending, although messy sums. But its not a long-term fix for the problems we face. The continuous and exaggerated boom and bust cycles created by lendershelping all Australians build wealth for themselves and their familiesgiving everyone an equal opportunity to succeed rather than trying to make all outcomes equalremoving concentrated corporate influential from political life and legislation These are the things the Morrison government and all others have failed to address. When will we get someone who talks about small government and actually delivers? No. Instead, all the pollies want to do is come up with temporary bonuses to keep the pigeons spending for four more years. After that, its someone elses problem. Your friend, Harje Ronngard, Editor, Money Morning PS: Download your free report and learn our three favourite small-cap stocks right now. April 04, 2019 U.S. - Turkey Spat Intensifies The two tweets below are an update to the recent piece about Turkey's problems and how they will change the dynamics in the Jihadi infested Idleb governorate in Syria. The U.S. threatens to hold back the F-35 fighter planes Turkey ordered, because Turkey also aquired the Russian made S-400 air defense system. We said that the consequence of that would be a further win for Russia: Russia will be happy to supply Turkey with Su-35 fighter planes. They are arguable better than the F-35 and will likely be cheaper. But they will come with a political price. The chances for that to happen grew after yesterday's short exchange between the vice presidents of the United States and Turkey. Vice President Pence spoke at the Atlantic Council about 70 years of NATO and said that Turkey risks its membership in NATO over the S-400 buy. Pence also tweeted: The response did not take long: The Kurdish PKK/YPG forces the U.S. uses as proxy force to occupy northeast Syria are indeed legally terrorists as soon as they cross the border with Turkey. What is the value of NATO when it protects Turkey's enemies? Pence threat is also stupid as there is mechanism to expulse any member from NATO. NATO members can only leave voluntarily. Around the Kremlin one could hear the champagne corks plop. The unprofessional and threatening behavior of Pence and other U.S. administration officials will cost the U.S. As Andrei Martyanov recently wrote: I can totally understand the irritation Washington feels about this whole situation, after all Turkey is a key NATO member with an actual army, and seeing NATO member going for such a weapon systems from Washington's prime time arch enemy--this is a no-no. But then comes this question: so, the United States will stop (will it?) F-35 and associated technology deliveries to Turkey, then what? Do we really want to open this can of worms? Turks are not idiots, by far--they can calculate and while Erdo might still do rapid 180 degrees maneuver, he also can not fail to consider the fact that instead of F-35 Turkey may get her hands on, say, some decent version of SU-35. Possible? Possible! How probable? I don't know. But Obama should have thought twice when unleashing, or pretending that he didn't know, a coup against Erdogan in 2016. Or, for that matter, a bloody overthrow of government in Ukraine in 2014. But current American elites have no concept of own actions having consequences. h/t Syricide Posted by b on April 4, 2019 at 15:50 UTC | Permalink Comments BOUQUETS >> To members of the You Belong group at Keystone Middle School, which is sponsored by the Lorain County Board of Mental Health, for organizing an event in their schools cafeteria where students sat with different peers than usual during lunch to promote inclusion. Kristen Lazard, the groups faculty advisor and counselor at the school, said, The event is No One Eat Alone Day and it is a culmination of what the You Belong students have organized this week to promote inclusion in the school. Something different was done every day. Chelsea Freeman, district social worker for Keystone Local Schools, said the students also practiced skills over the course of the week where they learned how to include others and break the ice. Freeman said, Its one thing to say you will include someone, but it is easier said than done. There are more effective ways of doing it. I feel the students did a great job this week and were really receptive to the program. Alexandria Hood, 13, an eighth-grader at the school, was one of the architects for the week. She said, The goal was to get people together who normally arent. We want to stop people from being alone in school, and this is the beginning of that. Hailey Axford, a 13-year-old eighth-grader, was pleased with how the week went. Hailey said, The students really enjoyed the week overall, and want to do more activities like what we did during the week. We had students going out of their way to include others, and that is what it is all about. We applaud You Belong for coming up with innovative methods to expose students to inclusion with hopes of eliminating bullying. BOUQUETS >> To the city of Lorain and its Treasurer Terri Soto for extending Lorains income tax amnesty program to May 31. Soto announced the extension March 29 as the line stood a dozen people deep waiting to file their various papers at the treasurers office, 605 W. Fourth St. in Lorain. The income tax amnesty period is for taxpayers to file returns and pay their taxes and interest without penalties. The program began Feb. 1 and Soto said, Its just going really, really well. Soto said many from Lorain came in and said that they heeded the message to wipe the slate clean. Owing back taxes became like a cloud hanging over the heads of city residents, Soto said. As of March 29, the Treasurers Office and its collection agency enrolled payment plans worth $55,000. The citys collection agency brought in $48,000 through March 27, while the treasurers office logged $125,000 in taxes. Taxpayers also saved about $57,000 in penalties due to the amnesty program. So far in 2019, the treasurers staff completed about 7,400 city income tax returns for current and delinquent taxpayers. We commend the city for giving people an extension to pay their income taxes, which also generates money for the city. BRICKBATS >> To Brian J. Eady, the 31-year-old Elyria man facing charges after police say he admitted to raping a juvenile. Eady was charged with rape, a first-degree felony. Police said the investigation began when Lorain County Children Services and the Elyria City Schools learned of a sexual assault involving a juvenile. Authorities said Eady is an acquaintance of the victims parents. The assaults occurred over the course of a three-year period from 2016-18 at the victims home. During an interview, Eady admitted to raping the victim three years earlier. Although police said Eady admitted to the crime, under law, he still is innocent unless proven guilty. If Eady is found guilty, he should face an appropriate punishment for this type of crime. BRICKBATS >> To Dylan T. Flanigan, the 46-year-old Lorain man who is facing federal child pornography charges. A news release from the U.S. Department of Justice for the Northern District of Ohio says Flanigan was charged with receiving, distributing and possessing visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The federal indictment said Flanigan knowingly received and distributed numerous computer files which contained visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The crimes allegedly took place in November 2018. The indictment also says that on or about Feb. 22, 2019, Flanigan possessed a computer which contained child pornography. Flanigan is innocent unless prosecutors can prove his guilt. But once again, its mind boggling at how many people are charged with this crime. For those who dont know, its against the law to possess child porn. Nothing else to be said. Its extremely crucial, continued Dhingra. When I started in the mortgage industry, I had realtors as my targets and it was really about understanding them, studying them, and understanding their niches. When you initially get into the industry, you have no reputation or brand; you start from scratch. So Id meet with them to better understand their business so that I could offer exactly what they needed. That goes a long way towards building a relationship. Not much has changed for the three-year-old brokerage, other than its team, which consists of Relationship Manager Chantal Gervais, Marketing Director Vanessa Galley, agent Emily Kiparisas, and Dhingra. We have to make sure were connecting in every opportunity, so we spend a lot of time in our realtor partners offices, going to their team meetings, connecting over coffee and lunch, executing their events, like a first-time buyer event, and doing their open houses, said Gervais. The approach is two-pronged: Kiparisas, in addition to being a Canadian Mortgage Award-nominated agent, spends a great deal of time forging strong affiliations with A lenderswhose funding is scarcer under B-20to ensure doors remain open to Mortgage Savvys AAA clientele. We always have an understanding of what products they offer and what their niches are, and being able to send them business in order to maintain those positive working relationships, she said. It speaks to the quality of business we bring in that we can maintain the relationships. Calgarys office tenants are steadily returning to the citys core, bringing downtown vacancy rates lower to 26.5% during the first quarter of the year, CBRE stated in its latest data release. This level is markedly lower than the areas peak 27.8% vacancy in Q2 2018. Much of the inward movement is impelled by much better rental rates in the cores higher-class buildings. The main point is the free fall into higher vacancies has hopefully stopped, CBRE Alberta regional managing director Greg Kwong told The Star Calgary. This isnt the first time in recent months the company has narrowed its focus. In November, Altisource announced that it would its buy-renovate-sell-lease business. Altisource CEO William B. Shepro said the sale to TSI was part of the same ongoing effort to streamline the company. The anticipated sale of our financial services business furthers this objective and supports the continued deleveraging of Altisources balance sheet, he said. The acquisition of the Altisource Financial Services business broadens TSIs customer base, expands our offerings into customer relationship management, and grows our global operations in India and the Philippines, said Joseph Laughlin, CEO of TSI. This carve-out is a perfect example of our strategy to leverage acquisitions to add new technological capabilities while improving scale in our core businesses. We look forward to partnering with the Altisource management team to affect a smooth transition, and we welcome the Altisource Financial Services customers and employees to the TSI family. The deal is expected to close in the third quarter of this year. Andrew McElroy, who leads the Odessa Fire Rescue Pipe and Drums Corps, said it was a journey for him to learn the bagpipes and lead the band. Before he ever picked up a set of bagpipes, he had to learn all of the finger techniques and musical strikes on a practice chanter, McElroy said. He had been practicing on a chanter for 10 years when he visited Scotland in 2011. "I came close to some ancestral parts of my life," McElroy said. "I came back, and I was living in Alabama at the time. I actually pursued lessons on my chanter." When his grandmother died six years ago, he found a set of bagpipes and started playing. McElroy said he grew up in a musical family and has always played instruments. Next performances Friday Floyd Gwin Park Harmony Home Child Abuse Awareness Event starts at 3 p.m. April 9 Citizen's Fire Academy Odessa Fire Rescue Drill Field Event starts at 7 p.m. See More Collapse "I'd pick up an instrument and I'd play it -- not well but I'd play it," McElroy said. "For some reason, this instrument here is what grabbed onto my soul and made me become a part of it in a sense." He has played with pipe and drum groups in Midland and El Paso. McElroy moved to Odessa in 2015 and was hired by Odessa Fire Rescue. "This department was already looking to start something up," McElroy said. "I had the skills to bring to this department to help develop what we have now." The band consists of two bagpipes, one snare drum, one tenor drum and one base drum. The group has fluctuated with numbers over the years, but McElroy said players stick around after joining. "We don't have people coming in by the droves, but the ones that we do have come in (and) stick around," McElroy said. "Once you immerse yourself in it, it becomes very fun." Kace Garza has been playing snare drums for the band for a little over a year. He had played drums before but had to learn how to hold his drumsticks and play with a traditional grip. Garza said the best part of being in the band has been watching people's reactions. "Most people around here don't know pipes and drums," Garza said. "They see bagpipes and they freak out." Kayla Hogan plays the tenor drum. She had never played a musical instrument before joining the band three years ago. "I've been looking into finding something in the fire department that would be really fun to do," Hogan said. "It was really neat to learn something new and be a part of a group within the fire department." The band recently performed at the funeral of Midland Police Department Officer Nathan Heidelberg. Hogan said that performance meant the most to her. The band met up with other area bands they had never played with before, she said. "In order for us to come together and perform as we did, was really overwhelming," Hogan said. "It was a great honor for him. ... We took him home. We took him to the last place of rest." Kenneth Fletcher is the heartbeat of the band, according to Hogan. He has played the bass drum for the band since 2017. Fletcher, a fire investigator for Odessa Fire and Rescue, said the best part of the band is spending time with the firefighters. "Getting to know these guys personally," Fletcher said. "I'm from a different side. Getting to come out and actually hang out with the firemen, I get to know a little more about them." McElroy's ultimate goal is to bring firefighter and police pipe and drums bands together from all over West Texas. He has been working with Lubbock firefighter Cameron Ball. Ball first reached out to Midland Fire Department to ask for pipes and drums to play during a funeral for a battalion chief in Lubbock. McElroy said he and Ball have been working on bringing the bands together through a Facebook page. "We are trying to structure to where when we need the help for those in need we can all come together as a giant family," McElroy said. He said that he wants the band to make as much of an impact as possible. "That's my goal: to make as much noise as I can," McElroy said. After five years of building what is now the largest privately owned midstream crude operator in the Permian Basin, the investors in Oryx Midstream Services' Oryx Southern Delaware Holdings LLC and Oryx Delaware Holdings LLC, decided it was time for the company to leave the nest. "It's a great company and a great set of assets," Frost Cochran, managing director of Post Oak Energy Capital, one of Oryx's investors, said in a phone interview. "We planned to build out that system to commercial operation; it's taken five years to get here, but we're done and the folks buying out the original capital partners are more cash-flow infrastructure-type investors." Post Oak, along with affiliates of Quantum Energy Partners and Concho Resources and WPX Energy are selling substantially all of Oryx's Delaware assets to funds managed by Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners for approximately $3.6 billion in cash. Time to send Oryx to the next stage was a sentiment echoed by Jack Harper, Concho's president, in a statement announcing the sale. "Our investment in Oryx supported the continued growth of our assets in the Southern Delaware Basin with secured transportation for our production and improved oil price realizations," Harper said in a statement. "This sale represents an excellent return on investment for our shareholders. A strong balance sheet underpins our ability to execute a resilient high-margin growth and returns strategy, and we will use the proceeds of this sale to further strengthen our balance sheet by repaying borrowings on our revolver." Concho owns a 23.75 percent equity interest in Oryx Southern Delaware Holdings LLC, part of Oryx Midstream, and will receive approximately $300 million at closing of the sale following repayment of Oryx's outstanding borrowings. These proceeds, combined with an earlier $157 million distribution related to a recapitalization of Oryx, total approximately $457 million and represent a 10-times multiple on Concho's capital of about $45 million invested since December 2015. "We're more start-up, build things from scratch investors," Cochran said. "Our mandate is done, our team has done their job and created a fantastic asset in the area and the guys that bought it from us are more the long-term cash-flow type owners rather than builders. There's still plenty for them to do, but this was a natural point for us to sell." "You always hope each one will be successful; some take a shorter time, some take longer; this was on the timeline we had set out when we started five years ago," he said. "The Permian Basin has changed so dramatically since we began this project to the better." Following the acquisition, expected later this quarter, Oryx will retain its name, its Midland headquarters and leadership team, led by Brett Wiggs as chief executive officer, and Karl Pfluger, chief financial officer and executive vice president, business development. Oryx owns and operates a crude oil gathering and transportation system underpinned by nearly 1 million acres under long-term dedications from more than 20 customers. The system's 2.1 million barrels of storage and approximately 1,200 miles of in-service and under-construction pipeline span eight counties in Texas and two in New Mexico. Upon completion of the remaining part of the system under construction, Oryx's total Delaware Basin transportation capacity will ultimately exceed 900,000 barrels per day and access multiple takeaway options. Locating Oryx in Midland was by design, said Cochran. That and what he called a "super Midland-based management team was a critical element to the success of that company. So many are Dallas- and Houston-based. We designed Oryx to be Midland-based, and that made all the difference. Oryx is now the largest privately held crude gathering and transport system in the Permian Basin. It only made sense for it be Midland-based." With the Permian Basin expected to continue to grow, Cochran said Oryx is in "really great shape" to continue to build out its infrastructure and services as the rig count remains stable and new wells are drilled. As for Post Oak, he said the company will continue its investments in the Permian Basin. "We have partnerships with Henry Resources in the Midland Basin and two partnerships in the Delaware Basin, one with UpCurve Energy drilling in Reeves County and BC Operating in the northern Delaware Basin, where we have acreage and continue building out our position," he said. "This is our fourth or fifth iteration with BC, and the mineral investment platform Mavros, with investments in both the Midland and Delaware Basins." He said Post Oak is ramping up drilling activity, with the company and Henry operating two rigs "within eyesight of Midland" and one rig drilling continuously in Reeves County. The company is also expanding its chemicals company, RSI, in Midland. He said with so much activity in the region, it made more sense for chemical companies such as RSI to expand their local operations to handle blending, processing, storage and distribution rather than trucking finished product from the Gulf Coast. Post Oak is also heavily involved in investing in the buildout of water infrastructure. "You can rest assured we're investing a lot of capital and buildout in the Permian, both the Midland and Delaware basins. We've always had over half our capital deployed in the Permian, and for the foreseeable future, there's no reason to not continue that deployment." Being good environmental stewards is a rising priority for the energy industry. But sometimes quantifying the industry's impact can be tricky. "There are three pathways to contamination: soil, water and air," said Richard Brantley, senior vice president, operations at University Lands. While soil and water contamination can be easily quantifiable, he said air emissions can be more difficult. Even the rise in using infrared cameras to detect emissions from oilfield equipment still results in images that make addressing them more a judgement call, he said in a phone interview. But regulations covering emissions -- such as the Environmental Protection Agency's Quad O and Quad OA rules covering oil production and processing facilities -- have arrived to offer guidance, and as one of the state's largest land and mineral owners, University Lands is doing its part to help those operating on its acreage. University Lands last summer launched its Environmental Stewardship Incentives Program, which provides cost-share opportunities to those operating on its lands to implement best practices, technology upgrades or research efforts to mitigate or reduce emissions on University Lands acreage. Brantley said his organization does not see this move or parallel action to improve water use on its lands as a rising concern for the environment. Rather, he said, it stems from the organization's mission to be the best possible stewards of the 2 million acres of land and minerals it oversees on behalf of the University of Texas and Texas A&M systems. Since the program was launched last year, he said two grants have been awarded, including one to fund the purchase of an infrared camera. He said companies operating on University Lands acreage are welcome to submit proposals at any time. The proposed projects must involve implementation of related services, technology or research. "They have to implement the project, provide cancelled checks and invoices. We can share the costs and encourage them to take action to mitigate their greenhouse gas footprint," Brantley said, adding that his organization also wants demonstrable proof the project is being implemented and reducing emissions. One focus is to encourage operators to change out pneumatic controllers on their equipment that might not meet today's standards, he said. Brantley sees rising awareness about emissions as similar to what happened with other environmental concerns. He cites as an example the 1990s when Texans realized about 16,000 old gasoline tanks at service stations that had been shuttered had been leaking gasoline not only into the soil but in some cases into the water supply. Within three years, he said the state required inspection and clean-up of those tanks. "That's where we're at with emissions: public conversation, public awareness, public concern," he said. Because air contamination is harder to quantify than soil or water, he said there's a scariness to it for the public. But he said that companies are addressing emissions routinely. "They have LDAR (lead detection and repair) programs -- certainly the majors and mid-size companies do -- and have people looking at this issue daily." University Lands has an infrared camera and monitors facilities on its lands. But Brantley said the goal is not to collect money through fines. "We tell them clean it up and let's get back to doing what we do best," he said. University Lands, he summed up, is trying to be a proponent of emissions reduction and mitigation. "Just because it was acceptable in the past doesn't make it acceptable today," Brantley said. A drummer from the Neon Trees, a Brigham Young University professor and a real estate agent will be playing at the Cactus House at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. The unlikely trio have a long history that started in 2004 when the group started a band called Another Statistic. Bryce Taylor and Elaine Bradley met in Germany in 2003 when they were serving on church missions, Bradley said during a phone interview with her bandmates. Both had been in bands previously, and when they returned to the states, Taylor thought Bradley should move to Utah to start a band. Bradley ended up moving from Chicago to Provo, Utah, and attended Brigham Young University. Bradley and Taylor got together to play guitars but it wasn't really working, Bradley said. "'Well, I have a drum set from when I was little, and I brought it up to school with me, so I can play drums and you can play guitar,'" Bradley said she told Taylor. Need to know Noble Bodies will play Thursday at Cactus House Doors open at 7:30 p.m. Show begins at 8 p.m. Tickets are $12 at the door. See More Collapse After a few weeks of writing music in Bradley's basement, they decided they needed a bassist. A high school friend of Taylor's, Chris Bennett, tried out. Taylor and Bradley thought he would be a perfect fit for the music they were writing. For a couple of years, they performed nationwide tours as Another Statistic. "Then Bryce had a baby and decided to be practical, and I had decided to join the guys in Neon Trees and give it a go," Bradley said. "It kind of landed us on different worlds." During the split, Taylor got his Ph.D. in Germany and became a professor at BYU. Bennett started a successful real estate company with his wife, Sheralyn, and Bradley started playing drums for the Neon Trees. Bradley had the opportunity in 2016 to fill in on drums for a week on Late Night with Seth Myers show. She said she hated practicing alone, but Neon Trees was taking some time off. "I went to the studio to practice and I got so bored within half an hour I called Bryce," Bradley said. "I was like 'Bryce, you need to come and play the guitar for me because I'm dying. I just need to play the drums so I can get back into it.'" Taylor joined her on the guitar and they ended up writing three songs that day. Then they called Bennent and told him "Chris, it's on," Bradley said. While the group still had elements from Another Statistic, they wanted a new name for the band. "Obviously, music always evolves but we are still three musicians writing -- at least we think -- cool indie rock," Taylor said. "We are older, maybe wiser, but it's still the essence of it." Bradley said there are multiple meanings behind the name Noble Bodies. "I think it sounds cool but we are all Christian believers," Bradley said. "To use it kind of means more than just sounding cool. We really believe that this isn't it, that our bodies are meant for something noble and they will be perfect one day." Taylor said that the band's name has a special meaning to him. "My oldest boy can't walk or talk, we change his diapers," Taylor said. "It's a unique way to raise children but even his body I view him as this noble body, too, even though it doesn't act the same way as I do." Bradley said they thought that Another Statistic had too many consonants -- Taylor and Bennett agreed. "We came back together and wanted a new name," Taylor said. Taylor teaches U.S. history, religion and some philosophy. He said it's not the most difficult to juggle being a professor and going on tour. "Luckily, we have the internet and we have the lectures up online...." Taylor said. "My students are genuinely excited that I'm not going to be there." Bradley said they wouldn't call themselves a Christian band, but their music has Christian under- and overtones. "We call ourselves music for your existential crisis because we sing a lot about the spirit, the body, where we are going and where we came from, our relationships with God," Bradley said. "It's not one thing or another for me. It's just the essence of ourselves. Of course, there are going to be some lyrics in there that don't sound Christian....," Taylor said. "This is our response to existence and this is what we have produced." The band lists inspiration from Radiolab, Deathtones and even Father John Misty -- but they don't ever come together as a group and say they want to sound like someone else, Bradley said. "I'm way into classical," Bennett said. "I just went to Lowe and then Beach House." The band has finished recording and is now in the mixing stage for their new album, Bradley said. The band also released a single. "Take Me Down," in 2018. "For me it's basically, I have a lot of questions about love itself," Taylor said. "In a way, being open to going down with the ship, so to speak. It's two people colliding, having this beautiful relationship but also recognizing that it might destroy us both at the same time." In the video, they wanted to address the dangers of modern technology killing people's ability to have real meaningful love and person-to-person contact, Bradley said. She said the new album also has typical Noble Bodies' themes of love, life, loss, God and meaning. Noble Bodies has never visited Odessa before. The band said they were excited about visiting because they love Texas in general. "We don't have any expectations other than hopefully people's bodies to be there and for us to win them over," Bradley said. State Rep. Tom Craddick told the Reporter-Telegram Wednesday that hes requested $55 million in tuition revenue bonds that will allow Texas Tech University Health Science Center to double the size of its Physician Assistant Studies program at Midland College. The program currently has 60 students, according to Craddick. New facilities could accommodate 120 students. Craddick said new facilities would allow labs that could be used for nursing students around the Permian Basin, including those in Odessa and Big Spring. The labs would include an anatomy lab. Currently, PA students must travel to Lubbock for anatomy lab. When you hear "3D-printed home," you may envision a far-fetched, futuristic concept. Thanks to Icon, a construction company that uses 3D printing, and nonprofit New Story, though, the concept is quickly becoming a reality and may be a major advancement in creating affordable homes for underserved communities. According to Icon, the first permitted 3D-printed home is just 350 square feet, and located in Austin, Texas. The tiny home serves as "proof-of-concept for sustainable homebuilding that will allow for safer, more affordable homes for more families, faster than ever," per a press release. A charge of murder was dropped Wednesday against a former Harris County Sheriff's Office deputy for her role in the strangling death of a man outside a Houston area Denny's restaurant. The charge stemming from a grand jury indictment against former deputy Chauna Thompson was dismissed because Harris County District's Attorney's Office prosecutors were unable to "prove beyond a reasonable doubt" that she committed a crime in the 2017 death of John Hernandez for which her husband was convicted, officials said. Thompson was slated to begin her trial on April 26. "Our action today is based on the lack of evidence to convict somebody and our ethical obligation not to go forward," First Assistant Tom Berg said in a statement. "To be clear, Ms. Thompson's former employment as a deputy sheriff played no role in our decision to dismiss, just as it played no role in our original decision to present the case to a grand jury." INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE: Felony assault charge against NFL's Michael Bennett dismissed Thompson was off-duty when her husband, Terry, confronted 24-year-old Hernandez for urinating outside the Sheldon diner along the Crosby Freeway and in front of the couple's teenage daughter and her friends. Hernandez slugged Thompson's railroad worker husband in the eye, prompting him to tackle the victim and place him in a choke-hold. Cell phone footage of the May 28, 2017, incident appeared to show Thompson by her husband's side, helping him restrain Hernandez. She then performed CPR on the unconscious man. The video sparked murder charges against the Thompsons and ignited protests in downtown Houston slamming racial inequality and the handling of the case. Thompson was fired from the sheriff's office in July 2017. Her husband went through two trials the first of which was declared a mistrial. In the second last November, Terry Thompson was convicted in Hernandez's death . He is serving a 25-year prison sentence on a murder charge. "We are pleased that after almost 2 years, the District Attorney was finally able to do the right thing in this case," Greg Cagle, Thompson's lawyer, said in an email. "No new facts have been discovered since the indictment in June 2017 and the dismissal is simply the confirmation that Deputy Thomson should never have been charged with a crime." The prosecutors met with Hernandez's widow and parents before the decision to request the dismissal was made, according to district attorney's office statement. "We hope that sparing the Hernandez family the ordeal of a third trial will help them move on with their lives, though we know this does not bring back their loved one," Berg said. The family of Hernandez, including his parents Ignacio and Maria Hernandez, gathered Wednesday night in the parking lot where he was killed for a press conference in response to the dismissal. "This is such a low blow," said Melissa Hernandez, Hernandez's cousin. "We were really hoping that the justice system was going to be on our side and get us the justice that John deserved." The cousin wished the authorities had continued prosecuting the case. "We feel like they should have continued to try," she said. "Someone like (Thompson) is supposed to protect and serve us should not have helped her husband." The press conference was led by FIEL executive director Cesar Espinosa, who has acted as a spokesman to the family since the 2017 killing. To the supporters of the Hernandez family, he asked that they respect the decision. "Its a hard pill to swallow but I ASK that we center on what the family wants which is to close this dark chapter in their lives," Espinosa wrote. "At the end Justice is subjective. The Hernandez Family will NEVER have true justice because this should have never (happened) to begin with. John should still be here... in the end whether on heaven or earth may there be." And to members of law enforcement, Espinosa and Hernandez's family demanded that Thompson never work as a police officer again. An appeal Thompson filed to get her job back is pending a review by the Civil Service Commission, the Harris County Sheriff's Office said in a statement addressing the dismissal. Cagle offered no insight into whether Thompson would like to return to law enforcement. "She was a good police officer and she had no issues at the sheriff's office," Cagle said. "She was well liked. If she wants to go back (to policing), that's something she should be able to do." nicole.hensley@chron.com The South Jacksonville Village Board is scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. today in the Village Hall board room, 301 Dewey Drive. Items on the agenda include: To the editor: I am writing concerning the Reproductive Health Act bills HB2495 and SB1942, and the Parental Notification Act, HB2467 and SB1594, to inform you of the contents of these bills. These bills are pieces of extreme legislation which will not only expand abortion rights against babies, but also harm women and eliminate rights of conscience. Concerning the threat to the preborn, this first legislation will allow abortion for any reason throughout all 9 months of pregnancy. It will also impose no restrictions on fetal experimentation and bar any action for prenatal injuries or the wrongful death of an unborn child. Fetal deaths by abortion will no longer need to be reported. It will also allow the person performing the abortion to use any method to kill the unborn baby, even if the baby could survive outside the womb. Even worse, it removes the requirement of a second physician to be present to provide immediate medical care for a child born alive, thus leaving it to die, which is infanticide. This legislation is also supposed to benefit women, however, it contains several provisions that in fact remove restrictions that would be harmful to women. These are to allow self-abortions with its potential risks, eliminate where abortions are performed, allow non-physicians, such as nurses to perform abortions, and nullify regulations governing the operations of abortion clinics. It also no longer requires the county coroner to investigate potential negligence in the death of a woman resulting from abortion or require pathology testing to make sure all of the fetus and tissue have been removed. It even allows an abortion to be performed on a woman who is not pregnant. This obviously is not health care. Furthermore, this legislation will eliminate the rights of conscience for those opposed to abortion, such as hospitals, private practices or pregnancy medical clinics, as well as physicians. It also requires health insurance policies to cover abortions with no exemptions for churches or religious organizations. Companion bills, HB2467 and SB1594 would repeal the parental notification act, thus allowing the government not a parent or guardian to assist their minor daughter in making a life and death decision concerning abortion. Again, I am writing this letter that you might be informed of the actual contents and purpose of these bills. This legislation has been offered as a positive good for women and our society, totally disregarding the harm to babies, women, and the rights of conscience. I encourage you to contact your representatives and senators as soon as possible to oppose these bills. We cannot allow them to pass. I pray that not only Christians and pro-lifers will speak out against them, but anyone who sees the harm that will be done if these become law. It is urgent that you make your voice heard now before it is too late. Carolyn Colton Jacksonville When Attorney General William Tong crossed the California-Mexico border into Tijuana, he met a young man waiting on the other side of the steel barrier, hoping to be granted asylum in the U.S. where his family lives. The 18-year-old boy was waiting for a court date and a ruling on his asylum application (a legal means of entering the United States for people who believe their life is in danger elsewhere). Tong said under the Trump administration, asylum seekers are forced to wait in Mexico until their application is approved, which can take months. It was deeply affecting to me and gives real meaning to the work that we do every day on immigration in the attorney generals office, from fighting the unconstitutional national emergency, protecting dreamers, fighting the turn-back policy, to fighting the family separation policy, Tong said. Tong has been in office for less than 80 days he can spout the exact number, maybe even down to the minute, on a moments notice and hes making strides in defining the identity of the office under his leadership. He isnt seeking to take on the cases of individuals like the young man he met in Mexico, but hes eager to fight back in broad terms against President Donald Trumps policies like the turn-back policy for asylum seekers that he views as flagrant violations of civil rights. Hes working to establish a civil rights division within his office, has hired at least one prominent civil rights lawyer, and has introduced legislation that would expand the attorney generals right to not only defend the state against civil rights lawsuits, but initiate civil rights suits on behalf of the state or residents. And on Monday, he hosted an interstate summit on civil rights, inviting representatives from the attorney generals offices in New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts, which all have civil rights units similar to the one Tong is working to create. All of these steps are an indication Tong hopes to move beyond the high profile consumer protection cases that have defined the Connecticut Attorney Generals office for nearly three decades, and continue the work of his predecessor, Attorney General George Jepsen, in fighting back against the policies of the Trump administration. I think Im building on what our office has been doing for a long time, Tong said. I think its really important to remember that Attorney General Jepsen had commenced 40 actions against the Trump administration, including the travel ban, cause of dreamers, cancellation of the policy on DACA. So Im building on the great work that our office has been doing already for the last couple years and before that. But theres no doubt that Ive taken it to another gear and I think its because I was elected to be the firewall and with other state attorneys general, we are the firewall. Building the Firewall As it stands, the Connecticut attorney general isnt explicitly prohibited from bringing civil rights lawsuits against violations of existing constitutional and statutory rights, but its also not formalized under the duties of the office. So, Tong has introduced legislation to clear up any confusion, similar to neighboring states. The law wouldnt authorize the attorney general to represent individuals in civil rights cases. Rather, Tong said, the office would be able to bring cases against organizations and groups plagued by systematic and ongoing civil rights violations. It is important that the state take action in the name of the state to vindicate the civil rights of our residents and enforce civil rights law, Tong said. Once the standing is clarified, well organize our lawyers in a way that enables us best to pursue and enforce civil rights claims. Earlier this year, Tong hired Joshua Perry, who previously worked as an attorney with Connecticut Legal Services and was one of the lawyers who worked on the case involving two immigrant children who ended up in Connecticut after being separated from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border. Perry, one of just a handful of hires Tong has made since taking office, was given the title of Special Counsel for Civil Rights in the Office of the Attorney General and will lead the civil rights division once it is officially created. Tong said he doesnt have plans to hire more lawyers he has 200 on hand but he has been making structural and organizational changes to shift his offices focus to civil rights cases in preparation for the passage of the legislation. I have many lawyers who have already expressed an interest in taking these kinds of cases, Tong said. I think theyve all done it, but I definitely want to make it a focus of my work and I think thats because there is historic insecurity about our civil rights right now. Among religious communities, among racial and ethnic communities, among immigrants, among women, among LGBTQ people. Civil rights, consumer protections and everything in between Even with all that talk of focusing on civil rights, Tong said it doesnt mean his office wont continue to fight the consumer protections cases the state has become known for under previous Attorneys General Jepsen, now-Sen. Richard Blumenthal and even former Sen. Joe Lieberman. In fact, those cases are usually related to or overlap with civil rights violations. I think one of the reasons it is really critical for state AGs to be engaged in civil rights spaces is because civil rights intersects with so many other issues, for vulnerable communities in particular, said Jonathan Miller, head of the Public Protection and Advocacy Unit in the Massachusetts Attorney Generals office. Miller spoke at Tongs interstate summit on civil rights. So when I think about the portfolio of work we do protecting workers, protecting consumers, theres so much intersection on those issues, and sort of having that perspective and to see those connections really can inform and enhance the enforcement choices you make, and, I think, your broader connections to communities, Miller said. Jennifer Levy, a deputy attorney general in New York, cited the rise in hate crimes in recent years and rollbacks of federal protections as reason for state attorneys general to increase their involvement in civil rights cases. Hate crimes stemming from racial and ethnic bias, religion and sexual orientation, as well as incidents relating to disability and gender, all increased in 2017, according to data from the U.S. Department of Justice. Data for 2018 is not yet available, but there were several high profile incidents in Connecticut and across the country last year, particularly related to anti-Semitism. We have been fighting against every practice of the federal administration as it comes down, Levy said. Including rules that would erode employer liability, including rules that would roll back all of our consumer protections so that the federal government is no longer playing a role in protecting our consumers. So in every stage, the state AGs are standing up and fighting back, and its the enforcement of state laws that protect the rights of our citizens. And Tong isnt letting up on consumer protection. Hes currently leading a 49-state coalition in a case against generic drug price-fixing, a case originally brought by Jepsen that has exploded into an investigation of alleged price-fixing involving at least 16 companies and 300 drugs. I see our office as the firewall for Connecticut families, Tong said. Why is health care so expensive and why are prescription drugs so expensive? Im obviously only in my first 60 days, but I do think the generic drug price-fixing case is an example of our priorities and our personality as an office. Which is to push back against powerful forces and be that firewall, and one of those most powerful forces is the prescription drug industry. kkrasselt@hearstmediact.com; 203-842-2563; @kaitlynkrasselt We are ready for December, everything ... Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc addresses the Government's meeting on April 2nd (Photo: VNA) He made the order while concluding the Governments monthly meeting on April 2nd. The Cabinet leader asked the Ministry of Planning and Investment to prepare detailed growth scenarios in order to make proactive management moves. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Industry and Trade is required to keep a close watch on impacts of international issues, including trade tensions, on the domestic economy and propose solutions to capitalise on opportunities created by free trade agreements as well as the domestic market with nearly 100 million people, he noted. At this meeting, PM Phuc pointed out six growth drivers this year, including removing difficulties and facilitating agro-forestry-fishery production and export; making good use of chances created by the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), diversifying markets, promoting export and reducing trade deficit; and promoting processing-manufacturing and closely monitoring businesses activities and big projects so as to tackle hindrances to them in a more timely manner. Another measure to fuel growth is fostering the development of services, especially wholesale, retail, logistics, tourism, IT, financial and banking services. Additionally, it is necessary to speed up the disbursement of public investment capital. The last and also most important driving force is continuing to strongly and substantively improving the investment and business climate, particularly removing institutional obstacles that are hampering development, he added. The PM also asked ministries, sectors and localities to accelerate the building of an e-government and the creation of a legal corridor helping businesses to improve the application of the Fourth Industrial Revolutions achievements, especially crypto assets and currencies which are very new issues in Vietnam./. *** (Updated) Germany OKs Sale of Frigates to Egypt The page you requested is only available to subscribers. 1. If you are a Premium Service subscriber, please log in here to access this story: Log-in : Password : 2. If you are not a subcriber, you can: -- buy access to this page: unlimited access for seven days costs 3.00 EUR + VAT (at 20%) if applicable. Clicking on the "Ok" button below will place the item in your shopping cart and return you to our home page, where you will be able to select additional stories. -- select additional stories and services from our home page and pay for them at the same time. -- see your shopping cart. You can also see the contents of your shopping cart at any time by clicking on the "Order" tab on the navigation bar at the top of any page, or by clicking on the "Your order" light blue link in the top right-hand corner of our home page, immediately under the log-on box. Samuel Little continues to conjure up images of his victims after confessing to killing 90 people across the U.S. dating back to the 1970s. Little, 78, is currently serving three consecutive life sentences in connection with three murders from 1987 to 1989. He was first arrested at a Kentucky homeless shelter in 2012, and a DNA match tied him to those killings, authorities said. San Antonio professionals who made six figures in 2018 ranged from education administrators to company managers to those in the health industry. The 25 occupations in the Alamo City that made the most money have a mean hourly wage between $45.12 to $123.30, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics with the United States Department of Labor. Note: This is an abbreviated version of the full Taste Test review, with a star rating based on multiple visits. See the complete version on our subscriber site ExpressNews.com. What if you took a fishing fleets worth of seafood shrimp, fish, oysters, octopus, scallops and crashed it into a cavernous room off Blanco Road with all the clamorous charm of a deep-blue Dennys? The Tomball City Council approved a juvenile curfew in addition to a policy permitting the city manager to regulate the heavy metals and toxic materials processed by the sewer system on Monday. Previously, Tomball did not allow any heavy metals and toxic materials, such as arsenic, copper, mercury or herbicides, to be processed into its sewer system. The items can now be accepted at a rate deemed permissible by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. The ordinance was approved after the city received a wastewater permit obtained from the TECQ. The permit from TCEQ allows cities to accept these types of materials at those permissible levels. Without the ordinance, we as the city have no vehicle to even accept them and then allow for growth for those businesses that we already have in our community or those that come into our community and work with those permissible levels, said city manager Rob Hauck. The ordinance was necessary as more industrial businesses arrive in Tomball, especially at the Tomball Business and Technology Park, which was created by the Tomball Economic Development Corporation to attract business to the city. Tomballs wastewater treatment plants would still process the materials in its sewer system as it does with raw sewage. Just like sewer starts out toxic, it then is processed through our wastewater treatment plants, and before that effluent water is released, it has been cleaned to a level that is allowable by TCEQbefore its released into the effluent water system, Hauck said. Tomball obtained wastewater permit renewals for both its north and south wastewater treatment plants in August from the TCEQ, according to its website. Hauck said that if water testing showed the level of toxic materials was approaching the permissible amount in the TCEQ permit, the city could prevent those businesses from adding more waste into the sewer system. We have to work within those permit requirements, he said. Companies seeking to discharge toxic materials and heavy metals in the wastewater system would need to fill out a questionnaire to individually evaluate them. Public works director Beth Jones said the questionnaires would help the city determine if the sewer system could receive the amount of hazardous materials from businesses filling them out. Companies that exceed the sewer systems capacity would have to obtain their own permits from the TCEQ and would not be allowed to discharge the waste into the citys sewers, but have to dispose of the heavy metals and toxic materials. Jones said the city is responsible for surveying the wastewater treatment plants to renew TCEQ permits for both locations and if a spike in hazardous materials occurs, it would need to determine which businesses are producing industrial waste. If they wanted to discharge the industrial waste to our system, then they would go through the questionnaire and they would sample it. we have the authority to go through and say, We can treat this and we can still meet our permit or, This is well beyond our capability and they need to do something on site or haul off. We still maintain that authority to say, We can receive it/We cannot receive it, she said. The companies who obtain a TCEQ permit would also need to provide compliance monitoring reports twice a year to Tomball for review. Continuing curfew Meanwhile, the council unanimously approved a curfew that would apply from midnight to 6 a.m. for minors who are 17 years old or younger. The curfew would also apply between 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. during weekdays but would not apply when classes have been officially canceled by schools. The last time the council voted for the curfew ordinance was in 2016 it needs to be renewed every three years, according to the Texas Local Government Code. Preparing for future growth The council postponed a presentation from real estate investment firm Hines on a new public improvement district for a future 105-acre residential development in south Tomball. Council member Lori Klein Quinn requested the presentation and possible action be postponed to a future meeting as members Derek Townsend and Mark Stoll were absent from the meeting. The new development would be located between South Persimmon Road and Hufsmith-Kohrville Road. The public improvement district would fund infrastructure and development at the 105-acre site with drainage, wastewater improvements, constructing sidewalks and streets. mayra.cruz@chron.com ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) An autopsy report confirmed that an 8-year-old Guatemalan boy who died while in custody of the U.S. Border Patrol on Christmas Eve succumbed to a flu infection one of two deaths of Central American children in December that raised concerns about the government's ability to care for minors at the southern border. The New Mexico Office of the Medical Examiner released its autopsy findings for Felipe Gomez Alonzo on Wednesday, two days after Guatemalan authorities said they had received a copy of the report disclosing the boy had a rapid, progressive infection that led to organ failure. HoustonChronicle.com: Border wait times swell amid customs officer shuffle to handle migrant crisis An autopsy released last week for 7-year-old Jakelin Caal Maquin, the other Guatemalan child who died, showed she too had a bacterial infection that quickly led to sepsis and organ failure. Their deaths, just over two weeks apart, came amid a rise in the number of families arriving at the United States' southern border. Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen has taken to social media in recent days, tweeting that Congress must confront what she called an emergency by giving border and immigration authorities the tools and resources needed to "fulfill our humanitarian and security mission." She visited El Paso, Texas, on Wednesday, marking her first stop on a border tour aimed at assessing the surge of migrants and the department's response. "Our system and facilities were never structured to withstand the current influx of immigrants," she said. Gomez Alonzo and his father, Agustin Gomez, were apprehended by the Border Patrol in mid-December after the family said the two left Guatemala because of the extreme poverty and lack of opportunity they were facing. The father said others from his community had been able to cross the U.S. border with children, and he figured he and his son would have the same luck. Felipe was chosen to go with his father because he was the oldest son. Once in Border Patrol's custody, Gomez Alonzo and his father were taken to several facilities including the processing center at the Paso del Norte port of entry, then the El Paso Border Patrol station. The day before Gomez Alonzo died, they arrived at about 1 a.m. at the Border Patrol station in Alamogordo, New Mexico, about 90 miles (or 145 kilometers) north of the border, according to the agency. Officials said the two were moved there "because of capacity levels" in El Paso. The day Felipe died, a border agent noticed the boy was coughing and had "glossy eyes," and sent him to the hospital, Border Patrol said. He was found to have a 103-degree fever (39.4 degrees Celsius), officials have said. New Mexico medical examiners said in their report that the boy complained of a sore throat, congestion and fever before being taken to the hospital, where he tested positive for flu. He was held for observation for 90 minutes, federal authorities said, before being released with prescriptions for amoxicillin and ibuprofen. But the boy fell sick hours later and was readmitted to the hospital, where he later died. The boy reportedly had become unresponsive on the way to the back to the hospital, medical examiners said. "Our thoughts are with his family during this difficult time," Dr. Kurt Nolte, the state's chief medical investigator, said in a statement. New Mexico authorities previously said the boy tested positive for the flu. His autopsy showed he suffered a staph infection in his lungs before the bacteria entered his bloodstream and sepsis set in. A toxicology report released by the medical examiner shows he had Benadryl in his system. Jakelin Caal died Dec. 8 in El Paso, just over a day after she was apprehended by Border Patrol agents with her father after entering the U.S. Who will be held accountable for the deaths of nine people during a biker-club shootout in the middle of a Twin Peaks restaurant parking lot in broad daylight in 2015? No one, the district attorney's office in McLennan County, Texas, announced Tuesday. Barry Johnson said his office would drop all remaining charges against the bikers, bringing the years-long saga to a remarkably anticlimactic end without obtaining a single conviction against any of the notorious brawl's participants. The announcement comes nearly four years after roughly 200 members of rival motorcycle clubs descended on the Waco strip-mall parking lot, allegedly to settle a territorial dispute. It soon devolved into a bloody melee. Terrified diners enjoying a midday lunch took cover in the restaurant as dozens of Bandidos and Cossacks bikers exchanged gunfire and brandished knives. Overwhelmed police added to the gunfire but failed to stop the violence. Nine people died in just minutes, making it the deadliest biker shootout in U.S. history. At least 20 were critically injured. Dozens of guns and knives were abandoned as swarms of tattooed men scattered. Nearly everyone at the scene - 177 people - was arrested. What followed was a prosecutorial fiasco as, one by one, the criminal cases collapsed under a former district attorney's leadership. During the four years of prosecution against dozens of alleged gang members, only a single case went to trial, resulting in a mistrial. The vast majority of the original 177 cases were dismissed. For Johnson, who took office Jan. 1, the mess he inherited was too hopeless to clean up. He suspected further prosecution of the remaining 24 individuals would fail, just like the rest. It was time to let it go, he said. "I do not believe that it is a proper exercise of my judgment ... to proceed with the further prosecution of what I believe to have been an ill-conceived path that this District Attorney's Office was set upon almost four years ago," Johnson wrote in his statement, "and I do not believe that path should continue to be pursued." The Bandidos and the Cossacks both trace their roots in Texas to the 1960s and, for years, the Lone Star State biker gangs remained rivals. The trigger of the May 17, 2015 brawl, however, has largely remained mysterious even as prosecutors interviewed dozens of bikers. Authorities said the shootout was the result of a turf war, arguing that the Bandidos were angry when the much smaller Cossacks club began wearing Texas patches on their jackets. Bikers present at the shooting disputed this, with some saying it began when one biker ran over another's foot. Problems plagued the case from the very beginning. Within hours of the shootout, then-District Attorney Abel Reyna issued 177 blanket arrest warrants for those found at the scene. No matter their suspected degree of involvement, all faced identical felony charges: engaging in organized criminal activity, resulting in murder and aggravated assault. Some, however, were not even connected to the brawl and just happened to be wearing biker-like clothing while dining at Twin Peaks, where the Bandidos were hosting a social event. Multiple erroneous arrests resulted in multimillion-dollar lawsuits that are still pending, the Austin American-Statesman reported. At least 130 of the bikers have filed civil rights lawsuits against the police and DA's office, angry they had been labeled "gang members" and insisting they were innocent of any gang conspiracy. Defense attorneys for the men weren't the only ones who bashed Reyna for the blanket accusations. As former Harris County District Attorney Johnny Holmes told the Houston Chronicle in 2018: "You got to prove who the bad egg is. You can't just say, 'I'm going to put all the chickens in jail.' " Ultimately, 155 motorcycle club members were indicted by a grand jury on the identical charges. Johnson wrote in his letter that he was perplexed why Reyna didn't more closely examine each biker's actions so he could bring more specific charges against each one. Had he done so, Johnson wrote, Reyna could have had a better opportunity to present evidence that would "support a verdict of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt." "In my opinion," Johnson wrote, "had this action been taken in a timely manner, it would have, and should have, resulted in numerous convictions and prison sentences against many of those who participated in the Twin Peaks brawl. Over the next three years the prior District Attorney failed to take that action, for reasons that I do not know to this day." Reyna said in a statement to the Waco Tribune-Herald that he disagreed with Johnson's decision and with some of the "accusations" Johnson made in his statement but said he would "respect the fact that voters of McLennan County chose Mr. Johnson to make these types of decisions." The only person to go to trial was Christopher "Jake" Carrizal, president of the Dallas Bandidos chapter. McClennan County spent $1.3 million preparing for Carrizal's trial and investigating all the Twin Peaks cases, WAFB9 reported. Carrizal was accused by prosecutors of organizing the brawl, based in part on text messages about the Twin Peaks in which he instructed Bandidos members to bring their "tools," which prosecutors say meant guns, and to "leave your women at home." Carrizal, however, maintained on the witness stand that the Cossacks group ambushed them at Twin Peaks, showing up with bulletproof vests and looking for a fight. Speaking to the jury, the thick-bearded biker wiped tears through his black-framed glasses as he recounted being surrounded by Cossacks, "just lying there, waiting to be stabbed or shot," as the Waco Tribune-Herald reported. Carrizal admitted firing his gun but claimed it was in self-defense. "I know you're blaming us for this event, but I don't blame us," he said, according to the news station KWTX. "I don't blame the cops for it." He blamed only the Cossacks, he said. Of the dead, six were Cossacks, one was a Bandido, one belonged to another motorcycle club and another man was not affiliated with any club, according to KVUE. Ballistics evidence later showed that four of the men who died had bullet wounds from the same caliber rifles fired by police, the Associated Press reported. A grand jury declined to indict three of the Waco officers who were involved. In November 2017, the jury in Carrizal's case voted 10-2 for acquittal, causing the mistrial. Johnson told the Tribune-Herald on Tuesday that he didn't want a repeat of that "nightmare." "To open that Pandora's box back up and start down that road again - when we don't feel that, after looking at the facts and the evidence, that we would be able to meet our burden of beyond a reasonable doubt - would be irresponsible, in my opinion," Johnson said. "Therefore, I am making the decision now to end this nightmare that we have been dealing with in this county since May 17, 2015." Before being voted out of office, largely over the handling of this case, Reyna dismissed all but 24 of the cases. He downgraded the charges from engaging in organized criminal activity to rioting, a class B misdemeanor. Johnson could have upgraded those riot charges to felonies based on the violent acts in the parking lot but said he believed the risky legal maneuver might not withstand an appeal. He said he feared wasting more taxpayer money and judicial and law enforcement resources. Defense attorneys for the bikers were thrilled, telling the Tribune-Herald they had known since the start that their clients would prevail. "They destroyed this case a long time ago," Houston attorney Paul Looney told the newspaper. "They were kind of like a chicken that had its neck wrung. They ran around the yard for a bit, but eventually they fall over dead. That is what happened here." HOUSTON (AP) A worker injured in a fire this week at a Houston-area chemical plant is suing the company that owns the plant and is seeking more than $1 million in damages. The lawsuit filed Wednesday is believed to be the first submitted on behalf of a worker injured in Tuesday's fire at the KMCO LLC chemical plant in Crosby. Animal Care Services cruelty investigators are seeking more information concerning two unrelated cases where dog owners sliced off part of the ears of pit bull puppies instead of taking the dogs to a licensed veterinarian for the surgical procedure. A resident called ACS about the first case that took place on March 14 in the backyard of an East Side home. Officers said the dog owner used pruning shears to allegedly cut the ears of his dog Jefe after watching an instructional video online. The second case took place in the living room of a West Side home around March 24. ACS officers were able to verify the second case after pictures of the bloodied puppy Sancho were posted on a Facebook page by the owner. FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox The owners surrendered both puppies to ACS. Jefe has found a home and Sancho is recuperating at the shelter. In both cases, felony charges of torture are pending. All of this needs to stop, said ACS Field Supervisor Manuel Flores. I hope that other people get away from playing doctor and leave animal surgeries to the veterinarians. RELATED: Somebody shot a San Antonio dog in the eye; ACS officers are looking for the perpetrator ACS assistant director Shannon Sims said the practice of cropping ears is not illegal but it is unlawful in Texas for non-licensed veterinarians to perform the operation. If youre not a licensed veterinarian youre basically disfiguring and mutilating an animal, Sims said. ACS investigators are asking anyone with more information to call 311. Vincent T. Davis is a reporter in the Greater San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | vtdavis@express-news.net | Twitter: @vincentdavis A mother was charged with kidnapping her daughter after authorities scoured two counties for more than seven hours before finding the missing child. Kala Sheffield, 35, was arrested Wednesday afternoon on suspicion of kidnapping, Bexar County Jail records showed. On March 28, the 7-year-old girl's father and stepmother called police shortly before 5 p.m. to report the girl missing after she was last seen playing with puppies. FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox The stepmother told police that she was heating up food for the girl and went inside to check on it. When she came back out, the girl was missing and the stepmother saw a white sedan speed away from the street, according to Sheffield's arrest affidavit. Sheffield's relatives informed the couple that the girl was in her mother's custody and that she had intentions of taking the girl to a tribal reservation in Arizona. Police searched for the girl in San Antonio, Leon Valley, New Braunfels and Comal County before they tracked down Sheffield near the 600 block of Lonesome Street in Canyon Lake shortly before midnight. RELATED: Gunman at large after 2 girls shot, S.A. police say Sheffield had contacted the child's father and stepmother before the alleged kidnapping and requested to have a supervised visit with her daughter through their assigned Child Protective Services caseworker, police said. The father denied Sheffield's request, saying he wanted to stick to the court-ordered child custody agreement, according to the affidavit. Police said Sheffield was increasingly agitated after authorities found her, and that she did not want to leave her daughter's side. Sheffield posted her $10,000 bail and was released from jail on Wednesday, jail records showed. 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 San Antonio man was arrested on child sex crime charges after an 8-year-old girl told investigators about "abuse she endured over a long period of time," according to police. David Aranda, 42, was taken into custody early Thursday morning on two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child, according to Bexar County Jail records. Two young girls, aged 11 and 14, were injured in an apparent drive-by shooting on the East Side, according to police. The two victims were sleeping on couches in the front room of a home in the 2100 block of Hays Street at about 4:15 a.m. when the gunfire erupted. FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said both girls were struck in their lower extremities. Their injuries, however, are non-life threatening. Paramedics transported both girls to San Antonio Military Medical Center for treatment. Police were not immediately able to provide a description of the shooters or their vehicle, but McManus vowed to track them down. "We are going after them with all our might starting right now," he said. McManus said the shooting may be tied to another drive-by shooting Wednesday morning at a different house on the East Side. No one was injured in that shooting. READ ALSO: Man killed during argument at basketball game in North Side park identified The chief said Thursdays shooting was "frustrating" not only because it was "unconscionable" but also due to the department's efforts to reduce violent crime on the East Side. "We haven't seen this for quite a while, and I promise that we are going to make sure it doesn't start again," he said. 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 man who was arrested while allegedly robbing a Subway restaurant was charged with another crime after San Antonio police noticed his outfit. Raul Medel, 28, was arrested on suspicion of robbery Wednesday in connection to a robbery on March 19 at the Five Star Cleaners on Fredericksburg Road, police said. On Friday, Lucy Flores, a former Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor of Nevada, accused Joe Biden of touching her inappropriately as they waited to take the stage at a 2014 election rally. He put his hands on her shoulders, she said, then nuzzled her hair and kissed the back of her head. She didnt accuse Biden, who is reportedly close to announcing his presidential candidacy, of sexual harassment or assault, just of making her uncomfortable. Im not suggesting that Biden broke any laws, but the transgressions that society deems minor (or doesnt even see as transgressions) often feel considerable to the person on the receiving end, she wrote. In response, Biden released a statement saying that while hes often been physically affectionate as a politician, not once never did I believe I acted inappropriately. Then, Monday, Amy Lappos, a former aide to Democratic Congressman Jim Himes, told the Hartford Courant that Biden pulled her toward him to rub noses during a 2009 fundraiser. Theres absolutely a line of decency, Lappos said, adding: Crossing that line is not grandfatherly. Its not cultural. Its not affection. Its sexism or misogyny. On Wednesday, Biden said he would be mindful of such boundaries. His campaign hasnt yet begun and already is in crisis. Flores, Lappos and Biden are probably all telling the truth. There are countless photos of Biden behaving in the ways that Flores and Lappos describe: squeezing women, rubbing their shoulders, leaning in too close. All this was open, not furtive, presumably because it never occurred to Biden that he was doing anything untoward. I dont necessarily blame him. In the past few years, women have been calling out daily indignities that previous generations grew up quietly tolerating: lingering hugs from a boss, embarrassing intimate questions, crude office jokes. Individually, these are small acts, and most men probably dont understand how cumulatively draining they can be. I received plenty of unwanted shoulder massages when I was younger, and for a long time I assumed there was something wrong with me when they made me flinch. It was affirming to finally realize that other women also hated routine invasions of their personal space. But if it wasnt always obvious to me that the men were at fault in these awkward encounters, it might not have been obvious to them, either. So I dont think Bidens avuncular pawing is a #MeToo story. But if Biden was more oblivious than predatory, his history still puts him out of step with the mores of an increasingly progressive Democratic Party. Bidens issues with gender, after all, go far beyond chronic handsiness. His waffling on reproductive choice troubles many feminists; as the New York Times reported last week, Bidens back-and-forth over abortion would become a hallmark of his political career. He was the chairman of the hearings on Clarence Thomas Supreme Court nomination, where Anita Hill, who accused Thomas of sexual harassment, was demeaned and dismissed. Though Biden has expressed sorrow for how Hill was treated, hes never directly apologized to her. Beyond gender, on issue after issue, if Biden runs for president he will have to run away from his own record. He and by extension, we will have to relive the debate over the Iraq War, which he voted to authorize. Hell have to explain his vote to repeal the Glass-Steagall Act, which, by lifting regulations on banking, helped create the conditions for the 2008 financial meltdown. (Biden has called that vote one of the biggest regrets of his career.) In 2016, Hillary Clinton was slammed for her previous support of the 1994 Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, which contributed to mass incarceration. Biden helped write the law, which he called, in 2015, the 1994 Biden crime bill. None of this means that Democrats need to disavow Biden. Its not surprising that he leads most polls of 2020 Democrats; he is well known and well loved. Still, the widespread assumption that Biden would pose the strongest challenge to Donald Trump is unwarranted. In recent years, neither party has done well when theyve chosen candidates who were meant to appeal to some elusive cadre of swing voters but lacked a robust grassroots base. On paper, war heroes John Kerry and John McCain looked electable; Barack Obama and Trump did not. No one should judge the whole span of Bidens career by the standards of 2019, but if hes going to run for president, its fair to ask whether hes the right leader for this moment. He is a product of his time, but that time is up. As solutions to the real emergency at the border, the presidents proposals are cut from the same cloth as his signature solution a border wall. Which is to say they are absurd, emotional over-reaction combined with cynical political calculation. The problem: They are substituting for the comprehensive fixes that should occur. His latest proposal is to cut foreign aid to Central American countries whose people are fleeing to the U.S. and, an initial ante, he had threatened to close this countrys border with Mexico altogether. After downgrading it to a threat to close it to foot traffic only, on Thursday he said he would give Mexico a one-year warning before shutting it down. And, yes, he still wants to build that wall from the Gulf to the Pacific. Let us put this as simply as possible. Cutting foreign aid would exacerbate the flood of migrants from the so-called Northern Triangle countries El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. Thats because much of this aid is to combat the social maladies from which these migrants are fleeing. These are problems such as violence, lawlessness and poverty. As bad as conditions are now, eliminate the aid and the dynamics that force the exodus worsen. This is the real emergency at the border, and cutting foreign aid wont solve it. And closing the border even in the future would create an entirely new emergency as commerce on both sides of the border comes to a stop. Jobs would be lost, supply chains cut and profits eliminated as legal crossings for both people and goods are blocked. And closing it to legal foot traffic would stymie the people who work those jobs or otherwise conduct business on either side of the border. Bottom line: money still lost. Mexico is Texas No. 1 trading partner. A complete border closure would devastate the state and its communities along the 1,254-mile Texas-Mexico border. And closing it to foot traffic would similarly suck lifeblood from those communities. The wall was bad enough. The 11 million or so undocumented immigrants already here will stay, and anyone wanting to cross into the U.S. will still find a way. Illegal crossings and apprehensions are at historic lows anyway, so a walls value is dubious in any case. And if it is designed to thwart Central Americans, they are substantively giving themselves up at legal ports of entry to pursue asylum claims. We know; the temptation is to place Trumps latest proposals purely in the bluster category empty threats to compel action from those countries the president views as culprits and enablers of the migration. The president blames those Northern Triangle countries for not doing more to stop the flight and Mexico for allowing the migrants to travel though. But if bluster worked, the presidents insistence that Mexico pay for the wall would mean the wall would already be built or be well on its way to getting there. The danger here, however, is that, as were seeing with the border wall, Trump bluster can become actual policy. Congress approved a resolution to block the national emergency the president cites as authority to redirect already-appropriated funds to build his wall. The House failed to muster the two-thirds vote needed to override the presidents veto. Only 14 Republicans joined House Democrats in that override attempt, even fewer were expected to vote to override in the Senate if that vote had taken place. In failing to override, Congress allowed the president to usurp its constitutionally guaranteed power of the purse. This amounts to legislative cowardice, with much of the Texas delegation leading the way, unfortunately. It doesnt have to be this way. One does not have to be a nativist or white nationalist to see the need for immigration reform. But there are comprehensive solutions, much like the legislation the Senate enacted in 2013. The House, under Speaker John Bohner, failed to act and it simply died. And the current influx of Central Americans touching San Antonio as those released from detention seek aid here has to be addressed in comprehensive fashion as well, with more resources dedicated to expediting asylum claims. Moreover, more aid to attack the root problems that force Central Americans to flee in the first place should also be on the table. But a wall, any border closure and cutting the foreign aid that helps countries keep their people? This is the direct opposite of comprehensive. As solutions, they are counterproductive, which makes them farcical. Beloved architect Frank Lloyd Wright is best known for his groundbreaking home designs, and while many design aficionados would do just about anything to own a piece of his work, his prices aren't exactly intended for the masses. Case in point: A three-bedroom, two-bathroom home he had designed hit the market for a whopping $3.5 million in June. But now, you can score Wright's signature style without ponying up millions, thanks to the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation's new collaboration with Amazon. Partnering with various artists and textile manufacturers, the foundation has created an online-only shop offering products that feature the architects iconic patterns and prints. So which items in this collection are bound to incite a home decorating flurry and fly off shelves? To find out, we asked design-minded experts to pick out the products they think will sell out fast. Consider this a heads-up to snag a little Frank Lloyd Wright of your own for as little as 25 bucks! 1. Printed throw pillow covers These modern pillow covers are available in four designs. amazon.com Wright sought to incorporate natural landscape into his designs, and these throw pillow covers ($29.99, amazon.com) combine outdoor inspirations with a printed pattern to add a touch of modern elegance to your home, says Allen Michael, founder of home improvement site HomeViable.com. "The geometric lines and shapes work wonderfully, especially up against a solid-colored couch," he says. 2. Coonley Playhouse glasses A set of Old-Fashioned glasses featuring the Coonley Playhouse design amazon.com In 1912, Wright constructed the Coonley Playhouse in Riverside, IL, to serve as a small private school, but the building was later converted into a single-family residence. The home's glass windows include an abstract balloon-and-confetti design, and that print has been replicated on these Old-Fashioned glasses ($27.99, amazon.com). Eco-friendly interior designer Charisse Marei can't get enough of the glasses, saying they are "vibrant and full of life." Apparently reviewers feel the same way, with one noting the "excellent quality ... they're beautiful!" 3. Absorbent coasters Our design-minded experts can't get enough of these coasters inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright's stained-glass window designs. amazon.com Whether you're entertaining guests or enjoying an evening nightcap, coasters will save your furniture from spills and water rings. And while coasters aren't usually high-style items, this multicolored coaster set ($24.95, amazon.com) was inspired by Wright's captivating use of stained glass in his home designs. "These coasters perfectly emulate this aspect of Wrights philosophy and will add a modern design flair to almost any table," Michael adds. 4. Typeface 'Welcome' sign This sign is adapted from the lettering style Wright created in 1931. amazon.com Ryan Taylor, a Canadian real estate professional with West Coast Realty, in Langley, British Columbia, predicts that this "Welcome" sign ($79.99, amazon.com) will fly off the shelves due to its design and versatility. "Whether you are placing it up on a large estate or to an entrance of a small apartment building, this art piece has class and style beyond your typical, new-age hipster style," Taylor says. He also notes that the sign's texture and color give it a custom, handmade lookas if Wright had etched it himself! 5. Prism wall clock Put this off-white clock in an office or den. amazon.com While Wright is known for his striking art glass window prints, his unique geometric designs can also add a "wow" factor to your home, Michael notes. And this prism wall clock ($59.57, amazon.com) is no exception. "The understated use of metal surrounding the stylish, stark, white circular clock make it a great addition to a smaller room in your home," Michael says. He recommends hanging it in an office or den. The post Want to Own a Little Frank Lloyd Wright? Here's How for Just $25 appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com. OUTSPOKEN MDC-T national spokesperson Linda Masarira was on April Fools Day expelled from the Thokozani Khupe led party over allegations she was pictured wearing Zanu PF regalia. Masarira was relieved of her duties after a meeting of the partys national standing committee on April 1st, according to a letter signed by secretary general Nixon Nyikadzino. The termination of your membership as well as expulsion from the MDC-T party is a direct consequence of the undisputed fact that, on the 24th of March several photographs of yourself wearing Zanu PF regalia at some location in rural Zimbabwe circulated by yourself on various social media platforms including but not limited to WhatsApp (emerged), said Nyikadzino. Masarira said she will fight to rebuild the country from her little corner. Yes, I expected it because there are some people from the standing committee who feel threatened by me, who had been pushing the agenda for some time now, Masarira told NewZimbabwe Wednesday night. I dont have time for power struggles when Zimbabwe is burning and in need of united development oriented mindsets to fix it. My focus is on my beloved Zimbabwe and I can still help rebuild my country from my little corner without the strain of cheap political squabbles and insults, she said. My conscience does not allow me to associate with such mediocrity of making noise about Zambia yet we have better bread and butter issues to tackle. Masarira became the spokesperson of the Khupe faction of the opposition MDC following an internal power struggle that ensued in the aftermath of the death of founding leader Morgan Tsvangirai last February resulting in the split. She is the founder of Zimbabwe Women in Politics Alliance (ZWPA), founding member of #Tajamuka/Sijikile and Zimbabwe Activists Alliance (ZAA). NewZimbabwe Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News In a scene that seems to be straight from an African movie, a well-known prophet from Kuwadzana 4 was arrested after he was caught with two snakes in his bedroom. The police discovered the snakes, black mamba and a green mamba stashed in pillowcases under the bed of prophet Comrade Chinyanga, after his wife Jane had filed a police report. However, after he was arrested, Chinyanga pulled a shocker when he assaulted the police officer who was escorting him to the police station in order to allow the snakes to escape. He claimed that it was necessary for him to release the snakes because he would have died if they made it to the police station. He said that the snakes would make their way back to Malawi where he had bought them. Chinyanga appeared before Mbare Magistrate Kudzai Zihove-Mutero facing charges of engaging in practices associated with witchcraft as well as assaulting or resisting a peace officer. According to H-Metro, the prosecution told the court that Chinyanga brought a live black mamba home in December and lied to his wife that he had removed it when he was conducting a cleansing ritual. He promised to burn the snake. When the wife enquired about the snake a few days later, Chinyanga claimed that he had bought it from Malawi and threatened his wife with insanity if she said anything to anyone. He also told the wife that the snake needed to have se_xual intercourse with her. Sometime in March, the wife came across a second snake, a green mamba this time, which was in a pillowcase under the bed. Unable to take more of the rituals, the wife filed a police report on March 30, which resulted in the arrest of Chinyanga. While being escorted to the police station, Chinyanga attacked the police officer and managed to tear the pillow case which had the snakes, allowing them to escape. HMetro Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News Yves here. From time to time, weve pointed out how the hysteria over Trump and Russia has created a Democrat-friendly image of a bunkered. ineffective president. Despite Trump wasting a lot of energy on his wall, he has been putting in place quite a few elements of a fiercely pro-corporate agenda, such as further weakening regulations and oversight, as well as packing the Federal courts with young conservative judges. By Julia Conley, a staff writer for Common Dreams. Originally published at Common Dreams As Senate Republicans rammed through a rules change enabling faster approval of President Donald Trumps judicial nominees, two advocacy groups released reports on Wednesday showing the far-reaching and long-lasting damage his confirmed federal judges have already inflicted on the nation. People for the American Way (PFAW) and Alliance for Justice (AFJ) both published studies Wednesday about Trumps success in appointing 92 judges to district courts, federal appeals courts, and the U.S. Supreme Courtwith PFAW writing that the presidents effort to remake the judicial branch in his own image could be disastrous for a number of marginalized groups. In just under two years on the bench, these narrow-minded elitist judges have already harmed workers, consumers, voters, immigrants, reproductive rights, and many more, wrote the group in its report, Confirmed Judges, Confirmed Fears. The report was published shortly before the GOP-controlled Senate triggered the so-called nuclear option by voting 51-48 to allow the approval of most executive nominations with a simple majority vote. Trumps future judicial nominees will be subject to just two hours of debate instead of an additional 30 hours. Trumps two most high-profile appointments so far are those of Supreme Court Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, whose most recent pro-death penalty ruling was called bloodthirsty and atrocious by critics. But the groups also highlighted the 37 judges who now have seats on the District Court of Appeals, which often has final say in federal cases that do not make it to the Supreme Court. Trumps influence has made its way into the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals, where four of his appointees upheld an Ohio law barring funding to Planned Parenthood; and the 7th Circuit, where four judges appointed by Trump went against federal law when they ruled that older workers cannot claim discrimination by their employers. The record number of judges appointed by Trump and confirmed by the Senate to lifetime posts on the Supreme Court and federal courts of appeals is by far the biggest impact thus far of the Trump presidency, PFAW Senior Fellow Elliot Mincberg said in a statement. During his time in office, Trump has rapidly remade the judiciary compared to his predecessor. Due to unprecedented levels of obstruction by the Republicans in the Senatea minority party at the timeformer President Barack Obama was only able to appoint 16 appellate judges to circuit courts two years into his presidency, while Trump and the Republican-controlled Senate have pushed through nearly twice as many. PFAW and AFJ pointed to judges including Amy Coney Barrett, on the 7th Circuit appeals court, as an example of how Trumps judiciary appointmentswhich often go largely unnoticed by the public and the corporate mediawill have far-reaching effects on marginalized communities. As detailed in AFJs reporttitled Trumps Attacks on Our Justice System (pdf)Barrett ruled in 2017 that a corporation should be permitted to racially segregate a workplace, has criticized proposed reforms for sentencing guidelines, and voted to overturn a law banning people convicted of felonies from buying firearms. Why do these appointments matter? Of our three branches of government, two and a half are now squarely in the control of the current conservative Republican party, wrote former U.S. District Court Judge Shira Scheindlin in the GuardianWednesday. This is the party that seeks to roll back a hundred years of progress with respect to womens rights, racial justice, equal opportunity, workers rights, environmental protection and, of course, voting rights. The federal courts will soon be the last place to go to seek justice. We can only hope that our state courts remain up to the task of ensuring justice for all. It is unlikely they will find comfort in the federal courts. AFJ noted that Trumps rapid-fire remaking of the judicial branch of government also has implications for how he is treated by the courts. Trump faces investigations into his charity and business dealings as well as a number of cases regarding his possible violation of the Constitutions Emoluments Clauseand at least one of his Supreme Court appointees has indicated that he believes a sitting president cannot be indicted. President Trump sees two purposes for the federal judiciary, said Nan Aron, President of Alliance for Justice. One is as a tool to accomplish an anti-worker, anti-woman, anti-health care, anti-LGBTQ, anti-racial justice agenda that is too unpopular to pass through the legislative process. The other is to protect himself from legal jeopardy. Both are undemocratic and unjust goals for a branch of our government that is supposed to uphold the rights of all Americans, she added. Thanks for your many kind wishes about my cat Gabriel yesterday. Unfortunately, as I explain at the top of Links, the news yesterday was not good, so todays Brexit post is thin. Hopefully readers will add observations and links. However, Mays and Parliaments desperate moves to obtain a long extension from the EU next week ignore two options the EU said it would accept, a general election and a second referendum. Parliament abandoned its indicative votes process. The vote was 310-310, with Speaker John Bercow, by custom, breaking the tie by opposing the motion. Juncker threw cold water on Mays idea of getting an extension till May 22 to get her Withdrawal Agreement passed or otherwise faff around. .@JunckerEU hardline on May offer: If the United Kingdom is in a position to approve the Withdrawal Agreement with a sustainable majority by 12 April, the European Union should be prepared to accept a delay until 22 May. Tony Connelly (@tconnellyRTE) April 3, 2019 Parliament is trying to change the constitutional order by making itself a part of negotiations with the EU over an extension. The vehicle for this attempt is the Cooper-Letwin bill, which is up to be passed by the House today. However, this effort is so misguided that it is likely to fall apart or otherwise prove irrelevant, likely vitiating the attempted seizure of Government authority. The Cooper-Letwin bill is a unicorn by virtue of trying to both negotiate with the EU over an extension, including changing the shape of the table. Na ga happen. Even at this late hour, it is remarkable to see how few people who ought to know better think the UK has leverage over the EU. The UK is a penitent seeking mercy from the EU, and the EU will dispose of the Brexit extension matter as it sees fit. The bill is poorly drafted, but in vey short form, tells May to go to the EU to get a Brexit extensions, without specifying how long it should be or what her basis for seeking it is (aside from no no deal, which the EU does not deem to be a reason). If the EU makes a counterproposal or a demand, like We said you needed to participate in European Parliament elections. We can say yes only if youve done what you need to do, the Government has to go back to Parliament, get their approval for what to do next, and only then return to Brussels. That is an impossible timetable given that the Council meets April 10 and the drop dead time is April 12. The Daily Mails title and subheads do a decent job of skewering the bill: Brexit minister warns that vote by MPs last night to kill off No Deal has actually INCREASED the risk of it accidentally happening because new timetable does not allow enough time to sign it off MPs backed a bill forcing PM to seek delay if she cannot strike a deal with the Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn It passed by just one vote, 313 to 312, after it was hurried through the Commons in a series of votes last night But as it was debated, the Brexit minister warned the backbench bill could lead to an accidental No Deal Robin Walker said there might not be time to complete the extra paperwork needed for a delay before April 12 Hardline eurosceptic Tory Mark Francois branded bill a constitutional outrage in fiery scenes after it passed A longer-form treatment from Richard North: There is no sense, rhyme or reason in the behaviour of parliament, which has passed Yvette Coopers Bill through its third reading, by 313 votes to 312 Now, this fatuous Bill will go to the Lords, then having to come back to the Commons before Royal Assent. If it survives the parliamentary processes, it is at this point that Mrs May faces a direct challenge to the authority not just of her government but to the authority of this and successive executives, further weakening the power of Crown prerogative. Apart from its challenge to government, this is a Bill which should never have seen the light of day, seeking as it does to instruct the government to seek an extension to the Article 50 period, allowing parliament to decide on the length of the delay in our leaving the EU. Thus, the Bill makes no provision and neither can it for the fact that only the EU-27 can assent to an extension to the Article 50 period, and then by unanimity. Further, as the situation currently stands, there will only be one opportunity for the prime minister to seek an extension, which will be by close of business on 8 April, and then against conditions specified by the European Council. If the conditions are not met, then the European Council could simply refuse to extend the period, ignoring completely any request by the prime minister. But then the Cooper Bill triggers the ultimate in stupidity, requiring the prime minister to table a fresh motion specifying another amendable period and then go back to the European Council with it. At this point, assuming we havent already dropped out of the EU without a deal, there is no requirement for the European Council even to listen to Mrs May again. Once it has made a decision, it need not re-visit it, no matter what might be in Coopers production, in the event that it becomes law. Things are so bad that even Guido Fawkes is making sense: Ultimately it changes little, May was always going to seek a longer extension at next weeks European Council in the circumstances anyway. Conspiracy theories that Mays Corbyn pitch is a trap or trick to run down the clock are operating in a parallel universe. Make no mistake, Number 10 is in total chaos and acting purely out of desperation now. Mays long-term strategy was always to trigger an 11th hour crisis in the hope of bouncing MPs she never for a minute anticipated that it would be so utterly out of her own control. Enough credible commentators thought that Mays overture to Corbyn was a trap (even if by accident) that I wouldnt dismiss it. She also looked remarkably pleased with herself as she gave her speech yesterday, which was enough to raise suspicions. But a default is never to assume malice when incompetence will explain the behavior. As Clive added: To boil it down from the awful sub-Daily Express copy, the current situation is (as a theory) a May-strategy of induce a sense of panic to bounce the House into voting through her Withdrawal Agreement, but shes lost control of events and the supposed, to use an oxymoron, planned panic is now simply unmanageable disorganised chaos. Gawd knows what meaningless chaff shell be posting off to the Council SHERPAs on Tuesday. Gawd knows what theyll make of it, too. The real problem is that the Copper-Letwin bill is displacement activity. As Jolyon Maugham points out in the Guardian (hat tip Richard Smith): But the real problem with this bill is not that it has some gaping holes in it. The real problem is that its a sideshow. Weve taken almost three years to fail to decide what we want how are we going to move forward? If we want a referendum, what is that referendum on a question that the confirmatory public vote motion turns a blind eye to? If parliament wont agree to a withdrawal agreement then the only options left are no deal and revoking article 50. Who gets to make that decision? These are the real questions. The country we once were and the parliamentarians they once were would have faced up to them. But the Cooper-Letwin bill is an awful, awful distraction. I suppose I should find it poignant. But instead, when I think of the consequences for millions of people whose lives will be profoundly damaged by no deal and who are betrayed by the incompetence of those they trusted, it makes me furious. May and Corbyn are having tea and cookies, um, constructive discussions. More displacement activity, per the Financial Times Mrs May and Mr Corbyn met in the House of Commons for two hours on Wednesday afternoon to try and forge a consensus on leaving the EU, or come up with a series of options that would be put to MPs for a binding vote. But the talks are also tearing both parties apart. The pressure on the Tory and Labour Brexit fault lines is finally leading to movement, as in earthquakes. As Pavel said yesterday in comments: I suggest NC readers check out the hashtag #BrexitBetrayal on Twitter to get a sense of the anger and betrayal felt by the Leavers I thought it couldnt get any more outraged and then May came up with the idea of consulting with Satan himself (a/k/a Jeremy Corbyn). And from Avidremainer: Guys, I have just watched PMQs. The folly of Mrs Mays actions were on display. The ERG are obviously spitting blood and asked a series of awful, searing questions which blatantly cut Mrs May to the quick. Not that the feeling isnt mutual. From Labour heading for bust-up as top party figures demand Jeremy Corbyn secure referendum in talks with Theresa May in the Independent: Labour is on the brink of a major bust-up if Jeremy Corbyn fails to demand a second referendum as the price for any Brexit deal struck with Theresa May. A string of senior figures including shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry believe securing a public vote is an absolute must, while 12 MPs, including four frontbenchers, have written an open letter to Mr Corbyn in The Independent saying it would be untenable for Labour not to insist on one. Neither side had been prepared to set out a specific position in advance of the talks in an effort to be constructive, but as news of the meeting sank in on Wednesday, Labour backers of a new referendum were clear that it should be a fixed demand. On top of that, as PlutoniumKun pointed out in comments yesterday: Its hard to exaggerate just how much the DUP hate and fear Corbyn he represents everything that gives them nightmares an English left wing Republican sympathiser. An even greater nightmare for them is that their supporters blame them for helping put him in power. As Richard North summed up: We have the babies in Westminster living in their fantasy world, pretending to legislate a no-deal out of existence, rather than face the reality of ratifying the Withdrawal Agreement, while the president of the European Commission was in Brussels, telling the other parliament that we were facing a no-deal exit on 12 April. Both cant be right, yet you would get no clue of the discrepancies from the media. MPs have banned a no-deal, and the poor dears are mentally and physically exhausted to say nothing of being brain dead. I really wish there could be a happy, or at least not bad ending. But this isnt a Disney movie. Looking forward to lively conversations with readers soon! Hope you can join us if any of the next set of meetups is in your area. Past participants tell us they have enjoyed these sessions for the opportunity to chat with like-minded people. The dates for all meetups are confirmed. Local readers are still working on venue suggestions for Milwaukee and Minneapolis. The existing Minneapolis group is on the case; for Milwaukee, suggestions are welcome. Decent access (car and public transportation) is important, along with ability to reserve of commandeer a section of the venue and decent noise level. Irish pubs have worked well. Food is a plus but not required. The DC, Boston, and Milwaukee meetups will start at 5:00 and run to at least 8:00 PM. Minneapolis may start a bit earlier based on the recommendation of the organizers. Reader Brian M made arrangements at what I am pretty sure is the Marriott at 775 12th Street NW,; Ill issue reminders with maps. Please note if you saw this post before 9:40 AM on April 4, I had an address for a different Marriott. The earlier address was incorrect. The current address is the correct one. Matt Stoller will join us in DC, so I hope you can make it! In Boston, we are meeting at 49 Social, the same spot as in 2017. We have reserved the upstairs, which gave us lots of room and the opportunity to mingle. Details: Time 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM (based on past experience, well almost certainly go later) Thursday April 25, 2019 Location 49 Social 49 Temple Place Boston, MA 02111 617-338-9600 https://www.49social.com/ As you can see below, 49 Social is near stops for the Red, Orange and Green lines. See you soon! By John Siman, who is also the author of Part 1 and Part 2 in this series John Siman: It seems that unless theres a Hammurabi-style divine king or some elected civic regulatory authority, oligarchies will arise and exploit their societies as much as they can, while trying to prevent the victimized economy from defending itself. Michael Hudson: Near Eastern rulers kept credit and land ownership subordinate to the aim of maintaining overall growth and balance. They prevented creditors from turning citizens into indebted clients obliged to work off their debts instead of serving in the military, providing corvee labor and paying crop rents or other fees to the palatial sector. JS: So looking at history going back to 2000 or 3000 BC, once we no longer have the powerful Near Eastern divine kings, there seems not to have been a stable and free economy. Debts kept mounting up to cause political revolts. In Rome, this started with the Secession of the Plebs in 494 BC, a century after Solons debt cancellation resolved a similar Athenian crisis. MH: Near Eastern debt cancellations continued into the Neo-Assyrian and Neo-Babylonian Empires in the first millennium BC, and also into the Persian Empire. Debt amnesties and laws protecting debtors prevented the debt slavery that is found in Greece and Rome. What modern language would call the Near Eastern economic model recognized that economies tended to become unbalanced, largely as a result of buildup of debt and various arrears on payments. Economic survival in fact required an ethic of growth and rights for the citizenry (who manned the army) to be self-supporting without running into debt and losing their economic liberty and personal freedom. Instead of the Wests ultimate drastic solution of banning interest, rulers cancelled the buildup of personal debts to restore an idealized order as it was in the beginning. This ideology has always needed to be sanctified by religion or at least by democratic ideology in order to prevent the predatory privatization of land, credit, and ultimately the government. Greek philosophy warned against monetary greed [,pleonexia] and money-love [, philochrematia] from Spartas mythical lawgiver Lycurgus to Solons poems describing his debt cancellation in 594 and the subsequent philosophy of Plato and Socrates, as well as the plays of Aristophanes. The Delphic Oracle warned that money-love was the only thing that could destroy Sparta [Diodorus Siculus 7.5]. That indeed happened after 404 BC when the war with Athens ended and foreign tribute poured into Spartas almost un-monetized regulated economy. The problem, as famously described inThe Republic and handed down in Stoic philosophy, was how to prevent a wealthy class from becoming wealth-addicted, hubristic and injurious to society. The 7th-century tyrants were followed by Solon in Athens in banning luxuries and public shows of wealth, most notoriously at funerals for ones ancestors. Socrates went barefoot [, anupodetos] to show his contempt for wealth, and hence his freedom from its inherent personality defects. Yet despite this universal ideal of avoiding extremes, oligarchic rule became economically polarizing and destructive, writing laws to make its creditor claims and the loss of land by smallholders irreversible. That was the opposite of Near Eastern Clean Slates and their offshoot, Judaisms Jubilee Year. JS: So despite the ideals of their philosophy, Greek political systems had no function like that of Hammurabi-like kings or philosopher-kings for that matter empowered to hold financial oligarchies in check. This state of affairs led philosophers to develop an economic tradition of lamentation instead. Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, Livy and Plutarch bemoaned the behavior of the money-loving oligarchy. But they did not develop a program to rectify matters. The best they could do was to inspire and educate individuals most of whom were their wealthy students and readers. As you said, they bequeathed a legacy of Stoicism. Seeing that the problem was not going to be solved in their lifetimes, they produced a beautiful body of literature praising philosophical virtue. MH: The University of Chicago, where I was an undergraduate in the 1950s, focused on Greek philosophy. We read Platos Republic, but they skipped over the discussion of wealth-addiction. They talked about philosopher-kings without explaining that Socrates point was that rulers must not own land and other wealth, so as not to have the egotistical tunnel vision that characterized creditors monopolizing control over land and labor. JS: In Book 8 of the Republic, Socrates condemns oligarchies as being characterized by an insatiable greed [,aplestia] for money and specifically criticizes them for allowing polarization between the super-rich [, hyper-ploutoi] and the poor [, penetes], who are made utterly resourceless [, aporoi]. MH: One needs to know the context of Greek economic history in order to understand The Republics main concern. Popular demands for land redistribution and debt cancellation were resisted with increasing violence. Yet few histories of Classical Antiquity focus on this financial dimension of the distribution of land, money and wealth. Socrates said that if you let the wealthiest landowners and creditors become the government, theyre probably going to be wealth-addicted and turn the government into a vehicle to help them exploit the rest of society. There was no idea at Chicago of this central argument made by Socrates about rulers falling subject to wealth-addiction. The word oligarchy never came up in my undergraduate training, and the free market business schools Ayn Rand philosophy of selfishness is as opposite from Greek philosophy as it is from Judeo-Christian religion. JS: The word oligarchy comes up a lot in book 8 of Platos Republic. Here are 3 passages: 1. At Stephanus page 550c And what kind of a regime, said he, do you understand by oligarchy []? That based on a property qualification, said I, wherein the rich [] hold office [550d] and the poor man [, penes] is excluded. 2. at 552a Consider now whether this polity [i.e. oligarchy] is not the first that admits that which is the greatest of all such evils. What? The allowing a man to sell all his possessions, which another is permitted to acquire, and after selling them to go on living in the city, but as no part of it, neither a money-maker, nor a craftsman, nor a knight, nor a foot-soldier, but classified only as a pauper [, penes] and a dependent [, aporos]. [552b] This is the first, he said. There certainly is no prohibition of that sort of thing in oligarchical states. Otherwise some of their citizens would not be excessively rich [, hyper-ploutoi], and others out and out paupers [, penetes]. 3 at 555b: Then, said I, is not the transition from oligarchy to democracy effected in some such way as this by the insatiate greed [, aplestia] for that which oligarchy set before itself as the good, the attainment of the greatest possible wealth? MH: By contrast, look where Antiquity ended up by the 2ndcentury BC. Rome physically devastated Athens, Sparta, Corinth and the rest of Greece. By the Mithridatic Wars (88-63 BC) their temples were looted and their cities driven into unpayably high debt to Roman tax collectors and Italian moneylenders. Subsequent Western civilization developed not from the democracy in Athens but from oligarchies supported by Rome. Democratic states were physically destroyed, blocking civic regulatory power and imposing pro-creditor legal principles making foreclosures and forced land sales irreversible. JS:It seems that Greek and Roman Antiquity could not solve the problem of economic polarization. That makes me want to ask about our own country: To what extent does America resemble Rome under the emperors? MH:Wealthy families have always tried to break free from central political power free to destroy the freedom of people they get into debt and take their land and property. Successful societies maintain balance. That requires public power to check and reverse the excesses of personal wealth seeking, especially debt secured by the debtors labor and land or other means of self-support. Balanced societies need the power to reverse the tendency of debts to grow faster than the ability to be paid. That tendency runs like a red thread through Greek and Roman history. This overgrowth of debt is also destabilizing todays U.S. and other financialized economies. Banking and financial interests have broken free of tax liability since 1980, and are enriching themselves not by helping the overall economy grow and raising living standards, but just the opposite: by getting the bulk of society into debt to themselves. This financial class is also indebting governments and taking payment in the form of privatizing the public domain. (Greece is a conspicuous recent example.) This road to privatization, deregulation and un-taxing of wealth really took off with Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan cheerleading the anti-classical philosophy of Frederick von Hayek and the anti-classical economics of Milton Friedman and the Chicago Boys. Something much like this happened in Rome. Arnold Toynbee described its oligarchic land grab that endowed its ruling aristocracy with unprecedented wealth as Hannibals Revenge. That was the main legacy of Romes Punic Wars with Carthage ending around 200 BC. Romes wealthy families who had contributed their jewelry and money to the war effort, made their power grab and said that what originally appeared to be patriotic contributions should be viewed as having been a loan. The Roman treasury was bare, so the government (controlled by these wealthy families) gave them public land, the ager publicus that otherwise would have been used to settle war veterans and other needy. Once you inherit wealth, you tend to think that its naturally yours, not part of societys patrimony for mutual aid. You see society in terms of yourself, not yourself as part of society. You become selfish and increasingly predatory as the economy shrinks as a result of your indebting it and monopolizing its land and property. You see yourself as exceptional, and justify this by thinking of yourself as what Donald Trump would call a winner, not subject to the rules of losers, that is, the rest of society. Thats a major theme in Greek philosophy from Socrates andPlato and Aristotle through the Stoics. They saw an inherent danger posed by an increasingly wealthy landholding and creditor ruling class atop an indebted population at large. If you let such a class emerge independently of social regulation and checks on personal egotism and hubris, the economic and political system becomes predatory. Yet that has been the history of Western civilization. Lacking a tradition of subordinating debt and land foreclosure from smallholders, the Greek and Italian states that emerged in the 7thcentury BC took a different political course from the Near East. Subsequent Western civilization lacked a regime of oversight to alleviate debt problems and keep the means of self-support broadly distributed. The social democratic movements that flowered from the late 19thcentury until the 1980s sought to re-create such regulatory mechanisms, as in Teddy Roosevelts trust busting, the income tax, Franklin Roosevelts New Deal, postwar British social democracy. But these moves to reverse economic inequality and polarization are now being rolled back, causing austerity, debt deflation and the concentration of wealth at the top of the economic pyramid. As oligarchies take over government, they lorded it over the rest of society much like feudal lords who emerged from the wreckage of the Roman Empire in the West. The tendency is for political power to reflect wealth. Romes constitution weighted voting power in proportion to ones landholdings, minimizing the voting power of the non-wealthy. Todays private funding of political campaigns in the United States is more indirect in shifting political power to the Donor Class, away from the Voting Class. The effect is to turn governments to serve a financial and property-owning class instead of prosperity for the economy at large. We thus are in a position much like that of Rome in 509 BC, when the kings were overthrown by an oligarchy claiming to free their society from any power able to control the wealthy. The call for free markets today is for deregulation of rentier wealth, turning the economy into a free-for-all. Classical Greece and Italy had a fatal flaw: From their inception they had no tradition of a mixed public/private economy such as characterized in the Near East, whose palatial economy and temples produced the main economic surplus and infrastructure. Lacking royal overrides, the West never developed policies to prevent a creditor oligarchy from reducing the indebted population to debt bondage, and foreclosing on the land of smallholders. Advocates of debt amnesties were accused of seeking kingship in Rome, or aspiring to tyranny(in Greece). JS:It seems to me that youre saying this economic failure is Antiquitys original sin as well as fatal flaw. We have inherited a great philosophic and literary tradition from them analyzing and lamenting this failure, but without a viable program to set it right. MH:That insight unfortunately has been stripped out of the curriculum of classical studies, just as the economics discipline sidesteps the phenomenon of wealth addiction. If you take an economics course, the first thing youre taught in price theory is diminishing marginal utility: The more of anything you have, the less you need it or enjoy it. You cant enjoy consuming it beyond a point. But Socrates and Aristophanes emphasized, accumulating money is not like eating bananas, chocolate or any other consumable commodity. Money is different because, as Socrates said, it is addictive, and soon becomes an insatiable desire [, aplestia]. JS:Yes, I understand! Bananas are fundamentally different from money because you can get sick of bananas, but you can never have too much money! In your forthcoming book, The Collapse of Antiquity, you quote what Aristophanes says in his play Plutus (the god of wealth and money). The old man Chremylus his name is based on the Greek word for money, chremata[] Chremylus and his slave perform a duet in praise of Plutus as the prime cause of everything in the world, reciting a long list. The point is that money is a singular special thing: O Money-god, people never get sick of your gifts. They get tired of everything else; they get tired of love and bread, of music and honors, of treats and military advancement, of lentil soup, etc., etc. But they never get tired of money. If a man has thirteen talents of silver 13 million dollars, say he wants sixteen; and if he gets sixteen, he will want forty, and so forth, and he will complain of being short of cash the whole time. MH: Socratess problem was to figure out a way to have government that did not serve the wealthy acting in socially destructive ways. Given that his student Platowas an aristocrat and that Platos students in the Academy werearistocratsas well, how can you have a government run by philosopher-kings? Socratess solution was not practical at that time: Rulers should not have money or property. But all governments were based on the property qualification, so his proposal for philosopher-kings lacking wealth was utopian. And like Plato and other Greek aristocrats, they disapproved of debt cancellations, accusing these of being promoted by populist leaders seeking to become tyrants. JS:Looking over the broad sweep of Roman history, your book describes how, century after century, oligarchs were whacking every energetic popular advocate whose policies threatened their monopoly of political power, and their economic power as creditors and privatizers of the public domain, Romes ager publicus, for themselves. I brought with me on the train Csars Gallic War. What do you think of Csar and how historians have interpreted his role? MH:The late 1stcentury BC was a bloodbath for two generations before Csar was killed by oligarchic senators. I think his career exemplifies what Aristotle said of aristocracies turning into democracies: He sought to take the majority of citizens into their own camp to oppose the aristocratic monopolies of landholding, the courts and political power. Csar sought to ameliorate the oligarchic Senates worst abuses that were stifling Romes economy and even much of the aristocracy. Mommsen is the most famous historian describing how rigidly and unyieldingly the Senate opposed democratic attempts to achieve a role in policy-making for the population at large, or to defend the debtors losing their land to creditors, who were running the government for their own personal benefit. He described how Sulla strengthened the oligarchy against Marius, and Pompey backed the Senate against Caesar. But competition for the consulship and other offices was basically just a personal struggle among rival individuals, not rival concrete political programs. Roman politics was autocratic from the very start of the Republic when the aristocracy overthrew the kings in 509 BC. Roman politics during the entire Republic was a fight by the oligarchy against democracy and the populace as a whole. The patricians used violence to free themselves from any public authority able to check their own monopoly of power, money and land acquisition by expropriating smallholders and grabbing the public domain being captured from neighboring peoples. Roman history from one century to the next is a narrative of killing advocates of redistributing public land to the people instead of letting it be grabbed by the patricians, or who called for a debt cancellation or even just an amelioration of the cruel debts laws. On the one hand, Mommsen idolized Csar as if he were a kind of revolutionary democrat. But given the oligarchys total monopoly on political power and force, Mommsen recognized that under these conditions there could not be any political solution to Romes economic polarization and impoverishment. There could only be anarchy or a dictatorship. So Caesars role was that of a Dictator vastly outnumbered by his opposition. A generation before Caesar, Sulla seized power militarily, bringing his army to conquer Rome and making himself Dictator in 82 BC. He drew up a list of his populist opponents to be murdered and their estates confiscated by their killers. He was followed by Pompey, who could have become a dictator but didnt have much political sense, so Caesar emerged victorious. Unlike Sulla or Pompey, he sought a more reformist policy to check the senatorial corruption and self-dealing. The oligarchic Senates only political program was opposition to kingship or any such power able to check its land grabbing and corruption. The oligarchs assassinated him, as they had killed Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus in 133 and 121, the praetor Asellio who sought to alleviate the populations debt burden in 88 by trying to enforce pro-creditor laws, and of course the populist advocates of debt cancellation such as Catiline and his supporters. Would-be reformers were assassinated from the very start of the Republic after the aristocracy overthrew Romes kings. JS:If Caesar had been successful, what kind of ruler might he have been? MH:In many ways he was like the reformer-tyrants of the 7thand 6thcenturies in Corinth, Megara and other Greek cities. They all were members of the ruling elite. He tried to check the oligarchys worst excesses and land grabs, and like Catiline, Marius and the Gracchi brothers before him, to ameliorate the problems faced by debtors. But by his time the poorer Romans already had lost their land, so the major debts were owed by wealthier landowners. His bankruptcy law only benefited the well-to-do who had bought land on credit and could not pay their moneylenders as Romes long Civil War disrupted the economy. The poor already had been ground down. They supported him mainly for his moves toward democratizing politics at the expense of the Senate. JS: After his assassination we get Caesars heir Octavian, who becomes Augustus. So we have the official end of the Republic and the beginning of a long line of emperors, the Principate. Yet despite the Senates authority being permanently diminished, there is continued widening of economic polarization. Why couldnt the Emperors save Rome? MH:Heres an analogy for you: Just as nineteenth-century industrial reformers thought that capitalisms political role was to reform the economy by stripping away the legacy of feudalism a hereditary landed aristocracy and predatory financial system based mainly on usury what occurred was not an evolution of industrial capitalism into socialism. Instead, industrial capitalism turned into finance capitalism. In Rome you had the end of the senatorial oligarchy followed not by a powerful, debt-forgiving central authority (as Mommsen believed that Caesar was moving toward, and as many Romans hoped that he was moving towards), but to an even more polarized imperial garrison state. JS:Thats indeed what happened. The emperors who ruled in the centuries after Csar insisted on being deified they were officially divine, according to their own propaganda. Didnt any of them have the potential power to reverse the Roman economys ever-widening polarization of the, like the Near Eastern divine kings from the third millennium BC into the Neo-Assyrian, Neo-Babylonian and even the Persian Empire in the first millennium? MH:The inertia of Romes status quo and vested interests among patrician nobility was so strong that emperors didnt have that much power. Most of all, they didnt have a conceptual intellectual framework for changing the economys basic structure as economic life became de-urbanized and shifted to self-sufficient quasi-feudal manor estates. Debt amnesties and protection of small self-sufficient tax-paying landholders as the military base was achieved only in the Eastern Roman Empire, in Byzantium under the 9th and 10th-century emperors (as Ive described in my history of debt cancellations in and forgive them their debts). The Byzantine emperors were able to do what Western Roman emperors could not. They reversed the expropriation of smallholders and annulled their debts in order to keep a free tax-paying citizenry able to serve in the army and provide public labor duties. But by the 11thand 12thcenturies, Byzantiums prosperity enabled its oligarchy to create private armies of their own to fight against centralized authority able to prevent their grabbing of land and labor. It seems that Romes late kings did something like this. That is what attracted immigrants to Rome and fueled its takeoff. But with prosperity came rising power of patrician families, who moved to unseat the kings. Their rule was followed by a depression and walkouts by the bulk of the population to try and force better policy. But that could no be achieved without democratic voting power, so faith was put in personal leader subject to patrician violence to abort any real economic democracy. In Byzantiums case, the tax-avoiding oligarchy weakened the imperial economy to the point where the Crusaders were able to loot and destroy Constantinople. Islamic invaders were then able to pick up the pieces. The most relevant point of studying history today should be how the economic conflict between creditors and debtors affected the distribution of land and money. Indeed, the tendency of a wealthy overclass to pursue self-destructive policies that impoverish society should be what economic theory is all about. Well discuss this in Part 4. end of part 3 NATO Foreign Ministers are meeting on Thursday (4 April 2019) in Washington D.C. to mark the Alliances seventieth anniversary and address key security challenges. Ministers will discuss NATOs relations with Russia, progress in the fight against terrorism, and efforts to ensure fairer burden sharing in the Alliance. They are also expected to approve a new package of measures to enhance security in the Black Sea region, and strengthen NATOs support to partners Georgia and Ukraine. On this day 70 years ago, NATOs founding treaty was signed in this great city and since then NATO has preserved peace and safeguarded freedom, said Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. Read the NATO Secretary General's doorstep statement here NATO Foreign Ministers gathered in Washington D.C.s Mellon Auditorium on Wednesday (3 April 2019), to celebrate 70 years of the transatlantic Alliance. The ceremony, hosted by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, took place in the same room where the Foreign Ministers of the 12 founding Allies met to sign the North Atlantic Treaty on 4 April 1949. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg hailed the Treaty, saying: its reach is vast, and it has stood the test of time because we have united around our core commitment to protect and defend one another. Foreign Ministers gathered in Washington D.C. on Thursday (4 April 2019) to mark 70 years since NATOs founding, and to continue adapting the Alliance. Over seven decades, NATO has stepped up time and again to keep our people safe, and we will continue to stand together to prevent conflict and preserve peace, said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. Addressing security in the Black Sea region, Ministers agreed a new package of measures to enhance NATOs situational awareness and strengthen support for the Alliances partners in the region, Georgia and Ukraine. This support could include training for maritime forces and coast guards, port visits and exercises, and sharing information. Ministers also discussed Russias ongoing violation of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. Allies reiterated their call on Russia to return to full and verifiable compliance with the Treaty, and discussed the way forward should Russia not return to compliance. The Secretary General stressed that any response would be measured and coordinated, and NATO has no intention to deploy ground-launched nuclear missiles in Europe, but added that NATO will continue to maintain credible and effective deterrence and defence. Later on Thursday, Ministers addressed NATOs role in the fight against terrorism, and the efforts of the United States to seek a political settlement in Afghanistan. We went into Afghanistan together, and we agree that we will take any decisions on our future presence together, said the Secretary General. Ministers also discussed progress in the fight against ISIS, and how NATO is adapting to new terrorist threats and tactics, such as the use of small drones. The Secretary General stressed that NATO will continue to work with partners in the region, training local forces in the fight against terrorism. Ministers concluded their meeting with a discussion on fairer burden-sharing in the Alliance. The Secretary General welcomed Allied progress, including four consecutive years of rising investment in defence. Since 2016, European Allies and Canada have added $41 billion dollars to their defence spending; by the end of next year, this will rise to $100 billion, he said. Mr. Stoltenberg noted that Allies are not only spending more, but also investing in new capabilities and deploying more forces for NATO. The NATO Secretary General is wrapping up a three-day visit to the United States, where he also addressed a joint meeting of the United States Congress, met with President Trump, took part in a NATO Engages conference, and participated in a ceremony to mark 70 years since the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty. (Natural News) Heres a very sad story. Those who wish for the collapse of our culture are now celebrating children deciding theyre not the gender they were assigned at birth. A few years ago, the Washington Post front page celebrated a child as TRANSGENDER AT FIVE. Increasingly were finding troubled parents whose children decide with no prior signals to suddenly declare themselves as transgender at 20, 17, 13, or 5? They have discovered they have no power to resist a politically correct course of biological incorrectness unless they are prepared to become social outcasts. Or worse, much worse. (Article by Brent Bozell and Tim Graham republished from NewsBusters.org) Overnight our world has turned upside down. We draw your attention to a recent article in the Witherspoon Institutes journal Public Discourse headlinedIn Their Own Words: Parents of Kids Who Think They Are Trans Speak Out. Its authored by Five Anonymous Moms. Why anonymous? They report that parents who do not support their childs new gender identity risk being reported to Child Protective Services and losing custody of their children. In New Jersey, the Department of Education officially encourages schools to report such parents. One mother, a lifelong Democrat, lamented the media glamorize and celebrate trans-identified children while ignoring stories like mine. I have written to well over 100 journalists, begging them to write about what is happening to kids. I wrote to my representative and senators, but have been ignored by their staff. Another mother of a trans man lamented As a federal employee, I could not find health insurance that does not cover hormones for self-declared gender dysphoria.My daughter is now twenty, has been on testosterone for a year, and has made an appointment for a consult about a double mastectomyall this, even though she cant legally buy an alcoholic drink. Heres a newsworthy story. One mother was opposed by.Planned Parenthood, that organization that tells the world (and Congress) its focus is breast exams.. My daughter spent her childhood happily engaging in what one would call typical, girly activities, with no gender-stereotyping encouragement from us at all. Everything changed after she went to college. The environment of her new city and university celebrated transgender identities. The mother thought since her psychiatrist did not consider her to be transgender, I assumed she would be unable to get a referral for the testosterone she was determined to start. I was wrong. In only one visit, and with just a little bit of blood work, Planned Parenthood will cheerfully enable young women and men to pursue their authentic selves through cross-sex hormones. All thats needed is a few bucks and signing a form that the risks have been disclosed and understood. But this is the most heart-breaking story. One mother talks about her 16-year-old girl who ran away and reported to the Department of Child Services that she felt unsafe living with me because I refused to refer to her using male pronouns or her chosen male name. Although the Department investigated and found she was well cared for, they forced me to meet with a trans-identified person to educate me on these issues. Soon after, without the mothers knowledge, a pediatric endocrinologist taught her 17-year-old daughter to inject herself with testosterone. She ran away to Oregon where state law allowed her at 17, without parental knowledge or consent to change her name and legal gender in court, and to undergo a double mastectomy and a radical hysterectomy. The result? My once beautiful daughter is now nineteen, homeless, bearded, in extreme poverty, sterilized, not receiving mental health services, extremely mentally ill, and planning a surgical procedure that removes part of her arm to construct a fake penis. The horror these mothers feel is a Non-Recognized Emotion. To utter it publicly is Hate Speech. As one concluded, this is a scenario that I never dreamed any parent would have to face, at least not in the United States. But this is our reality nowa reality that the mainstream media wont touch. Where are the state and federal authorities who need to stop this? Where are the parents? Where are the churches? Our society is collapsing and they all think its so wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong, they say. And then do nothing about it. Read more at: NewsBusters.org (Natural News) If you are in the wilderness or any area with biting insects, you can keep the potential disease-bearing insects away from you by painting white stripes on your skin. European researchers explained that this particular pattern of body paint serves as an effective insect repellent that isnt reliant on a potentially unsafe chemical effect. Many indigenous people apply natural ingredients to their skin to form distinct markings. A particularly popular pattern is a series of white stripes like those on a zebra. The traditional practice of body-painting turned out to have a protective effect against infectious diseases spread by biting insects. The majority of these indigenous people live in regions where there are large populations of insects that drink blood. Of particular concern are horseflies, mosquitoes, and tsetse flies. These biting insects are known carriers of disease-causing microorganisms like bacteria and parasites. When these insects bite humans, they can infect their victims with the pathogens, causing serious illnesses. (Related: Make your own all-natural, powerful bug repellents.) Pale-colored stripes keep biting insects away from animals and people Conducted by Swedish researchers from Lund University and their counterparts in Hungary, the new study confirmed painting white stripes on the skin could greatly reduce the chances of getting bitten by a disease-bearing insect. By doing so, the body paint reduced the risk of contracting an infectious disease like malaria or African sleeping sickness. The researchers found that a brown-colored plastic model that was shaped like a human drew 10 times as many horseflies as a dark-colored counterpart which sported white stripes. In addition, a beige plastic model that served as a control ended up attracting twice as many blood-sucking flies as the striped model. Lead researcher and Lund professor Susanne Akesson explained that no one knew the exact beginning of the tradition of body-painting. However, the practice could have appeared on separate continents at more or less the same time. Body-painting began long before humans started to wear clothes, she said. There are archaeological finds that include markings on the walls of caves where Neanderthals lived. Akessons team found that the stripes of a zebra were not limited to protecting the animal against predators. The pattern also offered protection against horseflies. A similar effect was achieved by fur with pale colors, especially when compared to dark fur. Avoid insect bites by painting white stripes on your skin The Lund researchers conducted their experiment in Hungary. They applied different paints on three human-shaped plastic models. One was dark all over, a second was also dark but had white stripes as well, and the third was beige. All models were coated with insect glue. They were exposed to horseflies, and the researchers counted the number of insects captured. The striped models showed the least number of insects, suggesting that the bloodsucking pests were less interested in them than the non-striped figures. In addition to evaluating the attraction of horseflies to color, the researchers also tested the insects response to models that were standing upright or lying prone. They reported that the standing models attracted only females, while both male and female horseflies approached the models that were lying down. These results are in line with previous experiments in which we showed that males gravitate towards water in order to drink and land on surfaces that reflect horizontal, linear polarised light, such as signals from a water surface, Akesson reported. Females that bite and suck blood from host animals respond to the same signals as the males, but also to light signals from in the vertical plane, such as the standing models. Sources include: AlphaGalileo.org RoyalSocietyPublishing.org (Natural News) Can smoking cigarettes before pregnancy cause complications with the baby long after birth? New research out of Duke University in North Carolina suggests yes, pointing to the results of a recent animal trial showing that even before conception, exposure to nicotine and other chemicals in tobacco cigarettes can have a lingering effect in a mothers body, potentially causing developmental problems in her child both in the womb and later on into adulthood. Findings from the study were published in the journal Toxicological Sciences. It has long been hypothesized by some researchers that exposure to tobacco smoke may have some type of lasting generational effect, where damaging chemicals are passed on from mother to child during gestation. This concern hinges upon evidence suggesting that secondhand smoke in particular persists in a persons bloodstream for several days after she smokes and in the case of a woman looking to get pregnant, perhaps even long after she has already quit smoking in preparation for an upcoming birth. These latest tests on pregnant rats appear to affirm this hypothesis, showing that the various chemical components of tobacco smoke directly affect fetal brain development throughout pregnancy. Rats given implanted doses of tobacco smoke extract both before mating and during early and late gestation all showed the same adverse effects, which researchers described as neuro-developmental delays in the brain spanning not only from intra-womb development into early adolescence, but also later on into adulthood. After administering injectable doses of tobacco smoke extract equivalent to what a pregnant mother might encounter from standard cigarettes, the research team observed adverse effects at nearly all stages of brain development even when tobacco chemicals were not being breathed in through the lungs, which has the potential to cause even more damage. Our study clearly shows there is no stage in which tobacco smoke is innocuous to the developing fetus, explains Theodore A. Slotkin, Ph.D., a professor in Dukes Department of Pharmacology & Cancer Biology, about the implications of what his team discovered through their research. We warn women about smoking during pregnancy, and most people are aware that secondhand smoke exposure is also harmful to the fetus, but our study is the first to show that exposure prior to conception is potentially damaging, as well. The public health implications should be obvious. If nicotine is a major part of the problem, then even e-cigarettes may be a hazard Where tobacco smoke seems to cause the most damage is in two primary places of the brain: the cholinergic circuits and the serotonin circuits. The former govern learning and memory, while the latter affect mood and emotional behavior. This suggests that the negative effects of tobacco smoke run the gamut of overall brain function. How it does this is subject matter for future research, but scientists believe that potential causes include the way nicotine and other tobacco chemicals affect a pregnant mothers metabolism and hormonal status. There are even epigenetic implications involving alterations to her eggs, which would suggest that the genes controlling brain function might be expressing themselves differently in mothers who smoke. This finding has important implications for public health, because it reinforces the need to avoid secondhand smoke exposure not only during pregnancy, but also in the period prior to conception, or generally for women of childbearing age, Slotkin adds. The findings build upon earlier ones which affirmed the detrimental effects of nicotine specifically, which implicates not only cigarettes but potentially even e-cigarettes, which many people believe to be safer than standard rolls. All the more reason to avoid tobacco entirely, or to use a high-quality air purifier to keep the air around you clean at all times. Sources include: News-Medical.net ScienceDaily.com (Natural News) Former Vice President Joe Biden has been creeping out Americans with his handsy, innuendo-ridden physical behavior around women and young girls for decades, but only now has his behavior become an issue. As the former veep gears up for a potential 2020 presidential bid of his own, a story broke last week that broke wide open the wide-open secret in D.C. regarding Bidens sexual creepiness, told in first person by Lucy Flores, who ran unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor of Nevada in 2014. Flores claims that right before she was scheduled to take the stage at a campaign event she appeared at with him, the then-VP sidled up behind her real close, leaned in, took a big whiff of her (unwashed) hair and slowly planted a lingering kiss atop her head. All of which made her feel angry, shocked, andcreeped out. Since Flores told her story a second woman has come forward, CNN no doubt begrudgingly reported: Amy Lappos told the Hartford (Connecticut) Courant newspaper (Bidens from Connecticut) that the veep touched her inappropriately as well. If you do an Internet search for Joe Biden creepy videos youre going to find a lot of them. Why its suddenly an issue is already political fodder; maybe someone in the Democratic establishment doesnt want an old white guy to be the face of the party in 2020 (so look for Crazy Bernie to be sandbagged next, if this is true). But there is another reason why Biden cannot and should not be placed at the pinnacle of American power: He may also be corrupt. Youre not getting the billion According to ace investigative reporter John Solomon, writing at The Hill, Bidens perhaps/maybe 2020 presidential campaign may be over before it starts, and not just because his legendary creepiness is coming home to roost. Solomon notes that earlier this year, Biden speaking during a Council on Foreign Relations event couldnt help bragging about how he effectively threatened the Ukrainian president, Petro Poroshenko, in 2016 that he would see to it the U.S. withheld $1 billion in American loan guarantees, which would have bankrupted Kiev, if he didnt fire Prosecutor General Viktor Shokin immediately. I said, Youre not getting the billion. Im going to be leaving here in, I think it was about six hours. I looked at them and said: Im leaving in six hours. If the prosecutor is not fired, youre not getting the money, Biden says he told Poroshenko. Well, son of a bitch, he got fired. And they put in place someone who was solid at the time which is diplomatic speak for someone the Obama administration favored. He even implicated the former president in the exchange. Solomon noted further: Interviews with a half-dozen senior Ukrainian officials confirm Bidens account, though they claim the pressure was applied over several months in late 2015 and early 2016, not just six hours of one dramatic day. Whatever the case, Poroshenko and Ukraines parliament obliged by ending Shokins tenure as prosecutor. Shokin was facing steep criticism in Ukraine, and among some U.S. officials, for not bringing enough corruption prosecutions when he was fired. In subsequent interviews with Ukrainian officials, however, they related something to Solomon they say Biden no doubt knew when he issued his ultimatum: The prosecutor who was fired was leading a far-reaching corruption probe into Burisma Holdings, a natural gas firm that just happened to employ Bidens son, Hunter, as a board member. Solomon noted that, according to banking records, Rosemont Seneca Partners LLC, Hunter Bidens U.S. firm, received regular transfers into one of its accounts usually more than $166,000 a month from Burisma from spring 2014 through fall 2015, during a period when Vice President Biden was the main U.S. official dealing with Ukraine and its tense relations with Russia. The general prosecutors file on the probe shows that officials with the office had already identified Hunter Biden, business partner Devon Archer, and their firm, Rosemont Seneca, as likely recipients of the money. (Related: The complete Hillary-Ukraine connection: Official investigating leak of Manafort financial records to help her win in 2016.) In written answers, Shokin told Solomon that he was widening his investigation to include interrogations of members of Burisma board including Hunter Biden. Creepy Joe needs to answer some hard questions Former VP Biden never mentioned any of this in his braggadocio discussion at the CFR seminar, but Solomon says that U.S. and Ukrainian authorities said Biden and his office certainly knew of the general prosecutors investigation. Why? Because: Hunter Bidens appointment to the board was widely reported in the U.S.; The U.S. Embassy located in Kiev which coordinated Bidens in-country work discussed the prosecutors case against Burisma often and publicly; Great Britain took well-publicized actions against Burisma while VP Biden was involved in the Ukraine-Russia mess; Bidens office was quoted on the record, noting Hunter Bidens appointment to and role on Burismas board, stating that as a private citizen and lawyer, he was free to pursue his own private business deals. The investigation stopped cold after Shokin was fired. But though Shokin was out, his replacement the man VP Biden hailed as solid Yuriy Lutsenko began looking in to the funny money that was changing hands and allegedly streaming into the account of Hunter Biden after rumors began to swirl that his dad was considering a 2020 presidential run. And now, after finding similarities between his own review of the case file and Sokins original findings, Lutsenko told Solomon that hed like to present what he has to POTUS Trumps new attorney general, William Barr. And he would particularly like to highlight the former Veeps intervention. In all, Solomon notes, Ukrainian officials believe some $3 million made it into the accounts of Hunter Biden and Archer, his partner. And while everyone is innocent until proven guilty, Joe Biden needs to answer some hard questions about this if he decides to run. That is, if he even makes it past the creeper part. Read more about the Obama administrations rampant corruption at Corruption.news. Sources include: CNN.com TheHill.com CFR.org NewsTarget.com (Natural News) After facing a barrage of protest from special interest groups, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has decided to stop conducting what some say were inhumane medical experiments on kittens as part of a multi-decade government effort to combat toxoplasmosis, a type of food-borne illness. But where is all the outrage over human children with gender dysphoria who are being harmed by inhumane chemical experimentation, which is taking place in the name of transgender affirmation? According to reports, scientists at the USDA have been deliberately infecting young cats with toxoplasmosis since 1982, only to eventually euthanize them and feed their remains to other cats in a supposed effort to gain a better understanding of the deadly parasite. But because of the morbid nature of such research, some people protested against it, and it was eventually brought to a halt. Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon, for instance, spoke out against the kitten experiments, calling them deeply disturbing. Following the USDAs announcement that the decades-long research efforts were coming to a close, Sen. Merkley pronounced that this was the right decision, adding that he applauds the agency for [its] willingness to change course in favor of our four-legged friends across America. Dr. Chavonda Jacobs-Young, the Administrator of the USDAs Agricultural Research Services (ARS), which conducted this research, offered similar sentiments of support. She told the media that she and her colleagues are excited for the next chapter of work for these scientists and this laboratory, further indicating that the 14 remaining cats at the lab, all of which are healthy, will soon be adopted by USDA employees. Representative Jimmy Panetta, a Democrat from California, even went so far as to draft legislation entitled, Kittens in Traumatic Testing Ends Now Act, which aims to legislate such experimentation out of existence. He openly commended the USDA for ending experimental testing on kittens, stating that this is how our institutions, our government, and our democracy should and must work. Leftists care more about animals than human children Besides getting it wrong in declaring our country to be a democracy were actually a republic Rep. Panetta had nothing to say about the vile nature of the chemical experimentation thats now taking place on children all across the country, and around the world, whove been brainwashed into believing that theyre the opposite sex or gender, and trapped in the wrong body. As we recently reported, children with gender dysphoria are having their lives forever destroyed by taking chemical hormone drugs and undergoing permanent surgical procedures to their sex organs, which the aggressive LGBT lobby is telling them will fix all of their problems. Its orders of magnitude more evil and disturbing, to use Sen. Merkleys words, than anything that was happening to kittens in federal government laboratories. And yet, nobody is speaking out in defense of these human children, whose lives are being sacrificed on the altar of political correctness to the god of transgenderism. Part of the reason why nobody is sticking up for these children is that doing so, at least in some parts of the West, is now against the law, and could result in children being taken away from their parents by the LGBT police state. The standard for dealing with teens who assert they are transgender is affirmative care immediately granting the patients stated identity, says Abigail Shrier about the ease with which children can opt to become members of the Cult of LGBT, even without parental consent. Planned Parenthood furnishes testosterone to young women on an informed consent basis, without requiring any psychological evaluation, she further states. Student health plans at 86 colleges including those of nearly every Ivy League school cover not only cross-sex hormones but surgery as well. For more related news, be sure to check out Gender.news. Sources for this article include: NBCNews.com NaturalNews.com NaturalNews.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that you cant see, smell or taste. An article by The University of Toledo College of Engineering explains that radon is a by-product of the radioactive decay of another element, uranium. Radon exists in most rocks, sediment and soil throughout the earth. Because uranium is in a constant state of decay, radon may be swirling around inside your home and you wouldnt even know it. This is no innocuous invisible gas; more than 20,000 Americans die of radon-related lung cancer every year. Radon gas doesnt discriminate. Your house could be a spiffy new construction, a drafty home, or an older block house with or without a basement. The only way to know if radon is present in your living quarters is to have your home tested. The average charge for radon detection is estimated to be around $1,200. Radon gas could also be seeping into your workplace, school or daycare facility. It quietly churls into buildings through cracks or gaps in flooring or walls, wires and pipes, as well as via your water supply. A high level of radon is lurking in one out of every 15 homes, says the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Radon is measured in picocuries, designated as pCi, which is the measurement of the rate of radioactive decay of radon, as reported by SOSRadon.org. The indoor radon level recommended by the EPA is 4 pCi/L (picocuries per liter). Outside in the fresh air, the typical radon level is much lower at 0.4 pCi/L. Radon exposure has been linked to lung cancer. Although its not discussed as often as smoking, exposure to radon is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths every year, and, of that number, its estimated that 2,900 of those deaths are among people who had never smoked. Studies show that radon can damage the DNA of the respiratory epithelium, the tissue protecting your respiratory tract. The link between smoking and lung cancer is well known, but case studies have confirmed lung cancer may also be the result of long-term, chronic exposure to radon. Researchers are aware of a radon/ lung cancer connection because of studies done on coal miners, particularly those exposed to radon in the mid-1900s. A study published in the European Respiratory Journal examined 800,000 individuals throughout the U.S., and discovered a positive linear trend that linked Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) with radon exposure, especially in people over the age of 65. Radon was the subject of a Surgeon General inspired National Health Advisory in 2005. In that advisory, its effects on indoor air quality were highlighted. Whats notable about the 2005 press release is the mention of a 160 percent increase in asthma in young children since 1990, and the fact that one in five schools in America have indoor air quality problems. We can only surmise that those numbers have increased exponentially in the past 27 years. It is recommended that your home be tested for radon every two years, and perhaps more often if there have been structural changes. As with many construction and mitigation issues, there are professionals that can assist with radon discovery and reduction. Unfortunately, there are no known methods for reducing the toxic effects of radon once you are exposed. But you can get better ventilation systems installed in your home and consider taking three supplements that may help protect your body against the effects of radon. Chlorophyll, found in all green plants, can help reduce oxidative damage in your body. Glutathione, the mother of all anti-oxidants may help reduce damage caused by radioactive stress. Spirulina fights cancer and promotes detoxification. Most importantly, you can always spend a little more time outdoors. Sources include: Eng.UToledo.edu SOSRadon.org WayBack.Archive-It.org BIOMIN Mycotoxin Academy in Nepal creates "strong imprints" The much recognised BIOMIN Mycotoxin Academy was rolled out in Nepal in February this year with the first event held at Chitwan on February 12, BIOMIN recently said. This was closely followed by another event held at Kathmandu the next day. The BIOMIN Mycotoxin Academies, which facilitates knowledge transfer between BIOMIN experts and stakeholders stands testimony to the commitment by the company in creating awareness on mycotoxin risk management and providing innovative and sustainable solutions to help the farmers. Dr. Justin Tan, regional technical and marketing director of BIOMIN Asia-Pacific, took lead in the academies and presented on "Mycotoxin Risk Management in Animal Production." His technical session was interspersed with information like the prevalence of mycotoxins detected in Nepal, and regional and global trends. The session was divided into three sections: Mycotoxin occurrence, effects of mycotoxins and mycotoxin risk management. "Digestive disorders, carcinogenicity, impairment of the reproductive system, neurotoxicity and hepatotoxicity are some of the main effects caused by mycotoxins such as aflatoxin, zearalenone, ergot alkaloids, trichothecenes, fumonisins and Ochratoxin A," he elaborated. Quoting leading research publications, Dr. Tan pointed out that even at low concentrations, mycotoxins cause immune suppression. "And all of these effects will ultimately lead to a decrease in animal performance which will be directly reflected in economic losses for the livestock industry," he said. According to Dr. Tan, the most effective strategy against mycotoxins is to adopt a three-pronged strategy of mycotoxin control, namely biotransformation, adsorption and bioprotection, which is the science behind Mycofix product line from BIOMIN. Mycofix is an unique combination of patented specific enzymes and biological components that deactivates mycotoxins in contaminated feed into non-toxic, environmentally-safe metabolites. Dr. Gangga Widyanugraha, regional technical sales manage (poultry) of BIOMIN Asia-Pacific, delivered his presentation on "Feed Testing and Necropsy- Challenges in Nepal", highlighting the prevalence of mycotoxins in Nepal from the field postmortem analyses he conducted in the country. "The best action plan I would recommend is Mycofix for breeder and layer feed, broiler pre-starter feed as well as broiler grower/finisher feed," he said, adding that this EU authorised product from BIOMIN is at the forefront of mycotoxin risk management. Apart from the technical sessions, Edward Manchester, regional director of BIOMIN Asia-Pacific, explained to the audience about the core values of BIOMIN, which is Pioneers-Partners-Performers. "Mycotoxin Risk Management and Gut Performance Management are our two pillars," he said, adding that R&D is one of the cornerstones of BIOMIN. Earlier, in his welcome speech, Dr. Sujit Kulkarni, managing director of BIOMIN India, explained about how the BIOMIN Mycotoxin Academies benefited hundreds of farmers and industry leaders in India. In addition, Keerthivasan Chandrasekar, digital marketing executive of BIOMIN India, explained about the digital initiatives taken by BIOMIN and how farmers can get benefited by following the company's social media pages and subscribing to newsletters. - BIOMIN (Natural News) Twitter is run by a techno-fascist pig named Jack Dorsey (@Jack). Like all tyrants throughout world history, Jack Dorsey believes that no one has the right to criticize him, and he abuses his administrative power over Twitter to silence whatever voices he doesnt like. This is how the Natural News channel (@HealthRanger) was de-platformed several weeks ago, with no warnings, no strikes and no justification. Now, U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley is demanding a third-party audit of Twitters salacious de-platforming activities that target conservatives, Christians and even natural health platforms like Natural News. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) put Twitter on notice on Wednesday, calling on CEO Jack Dorsey to undergo a third-party audit of its suspension policies, reports PJ Media. Hawley stated, In light of these events, and in view of Twitters history of de-platforming conservative voices, it is time for Twitter to open itself to a third-party audit of how and when the company enforces its suspension policies. Why isnt Jack Dorsey being arrested at gunpoint for lying to Congress? Jack Dorsey lied to Congress when he claimed Twitter doesnt censor conservatives. While hes de-platforming conservative voices behind the scenes, he brazenly testifies before Congress that his company isnt censoring anyone at all. (Why isnt Jack Dorsey being subjected to an armed FBI raid for lying to Congress in the way Roger Stone was raided at gunpoint?) Even more importantly, the fact that Twitter selectively de-platforms pro-America, pro-Trump voices transforms Twitter into a publisher, not an open platform, meaning Twitter should enjoy no protection whatsoever under the CDA Sec. 230 that currently grants tech companies legal immunity on all the content they host but only if they function as open, public platforms. By silencing conservative, pro-America voices, Twitter has abandoned any claim to Sec. 230 protections. This means Twitter can now be sued for all the content that appears on its platform, since Twitter as actually a publisher that engages in aggressive, politically-oriented censorship of whatever content it doesnt like. Its time for Twitter to be sued and for Jack Dorsey to be arrested for racketeering, election meddling, contract fraud and for carrying out repeated violations against the civil rights of Americans. As Sen. Hawley explains: Given this troubling history, the decision to suspend the account for a pro-life movie on opening weekend is too much to be a coincidence. I am rapidly losing confidence that Twitter is committed to the free speech principles that justify immunity under section 230 It is time for Twitter to prove it is truly committed to free speech: conduct a third-party audit and release the results to the public, in full. Natural News is happy to participate in that audit, by the way. We will be forwarding details of Twitters abuse of our free speech to Sen. Hawleys office. Not just Twitter: Natural News is also de-platformed by YouTube, Google, Pinterest and other evil tech giants The evil tech giants are engaged in economic sabotage against independent media. Part of the impetus for this is the radical left-wing political slant of the tech companies, but its also about silencing natural health voices and protecting the profit interests of the evil, corrupt pharmaceutical industry. Google, for example, has become the propaganda ministry for Big Pharmas lies about medications and vaccines. Use Google to search for MMR vaccine, and you get nothing but CDC propaganda, Big Pharma lies and dishonest websites and blogs that rave about the safety and efficacy of MMR vaccines. Google has systematically suppressed all websites that dare talk about vaccine ingredients, vaccine side effects, vaccine propaganda, CDC quack science or corruption and fraud throughout the vaccine industry. All these tech giants hide their fascist de-platforming activities under the dishonest banner of removing hate speech, but their definition of hate speech is deceptive from the start. As PJ Media explains: Facebook and other social media platforms have rules against hate speech, which increasingly has come to mean speech that liberals in Silicon Valley disagree with. If you criticize a woman who brags about her abortion on social media, youre engaging in hate speech. If you insist that there are only two genders or that marriage should be limited to one man and one woman, youre guilty of hate speech, according to our moral betters who run the social media platforms. Hate speech, in other words, is anything lunatic Leftists dont want to hear. Leftists are now even equating their censorship with freedom, claiming that anyone who contradicts their twisted worldview is engaged in taking away their freedom, and thus censoring, banning and de-platforming all political opponents is how they protect freedom. (Seriously, this is how they think.) Its up to YOU to share Natural News content, since we are under constant attack from the deranged, lawless online bullies of the left-wing tech giants The word from various inside sources who have connections to the Trump administration is that a federal crackdown on the tech giants is coming. Under existing U.S. law, Twitter, Google, Facebook, YouTube and other tech giants can be accused of monopolistic practices subject to antitrust statutes. The DOJ could bring criminal charges against the tech giants for racketeering (RICO Act) and election meddling. Tech companies CEOs could be criminally charged with lying to Congress under oath. Tech companies could also be sued by private parties with an aim to challenge the Sec. 230 provisions of the CDA passed by Congress, potentially nullifying the legal immunity that the tech giants enjoy, even as they selectively censor channels and users for political reasons. Sen. Josh Hawleys demand that Twitter subject itself to a third-party audit is another avenue of attack against the fascism and dishonesty of Big Tech, and other vectors for challenging these dangerous speech monopolies are no doubt in the works. Until the day comes that these techno-fascists are forced to respect free speech, Natural News depends on you to share our content across these platforms. When you read an article you like, share it on Twitter or Facebook. Post our videos on YouTube, if you like, or record your own videos that talk about our science lab investigations, breaking news articles or other items you find worthwhile. Until our free speech is restored, you are our voice to the world of social media. Every time you share a Natural News article, you help shatter the censorship and de-platforming attempts by these tech giants and their dishonest, insidious censors who respect no freedoms at all. We are currently working with attorneys and lawmakers to help challenge the speech monopolies of the tech giants. Until the day comes that free speech is restored online, you can help us by sharing our stories and using our alternative information sources that provide better, more accurate and more informative content than even the New York Times and Washington Post (which are both lying fake news organizations who fabricate fake stories based on fictitious anonymous sources). Valuable alternative information sources to use: Censored.news is our alternative to Google News. It aggregates, in real time, news headlines from across the internets most heavily censored websites. Brighteon.com is the alternative to YouTube. This free speech video site hosts 100,000+ videos from thousands of channels, many of which have been banned by YouTube. Brighteon was recently under severe attack by upstream infrastructure providers, but it survived the attack and is being engineered for a Brighteon 2.0 release later this year, which will insulate the service from censorship threats in the future. NewsTarget.com is our politics and culture news website. There, youll find original stories each day that arent always on Natural News. The Natural News email newsletter brings you a daily email summary of that days most important news headlines. Subscribing is free, and our email subscriber list is kept strictly confidential to us. Counterthink.com is a video commentary and analysis website featuring episodes of the Counterthink broadcast. Here, youll find my analysis of current events, civil war, survival strategies and the globalist agenda for human depopulation. If you wish to avoid politics and focus on health, nutrition, medicine, science, technology, space exploration and other similar topics, we have websites dedicated to those topics and much more. Consider these: Science.news All about scientific discoveries, nearly all articles cite science journals. Medicine.news Covers more mainstream medicine, including medical technology and medical studies about prevention and longevity. Space.news All about outer space, including astronomy and space travel. Many stories cover Mars. Health.news Mainstream health news for consumers. Less technical than medicine.news, carries stories with recipes, health tips and more. Physics.news Covers discoveries and breakthroughs about quantum computing, light, nanotechnology, materials science and more. Research.news All about research into nutrition, science, medicine, environment and more. Robots.news Breaking news about robotics, AI systems and automation systems that are increasingly replacing human workers. In addition to those sites, you may also explore Survival.news, Food.news, Environ.news and hundreds more. Share the stories you appreciate and keep checking your favorite sites for more daily news updates. The Natural News editorial team keeps expanding. Despite the efforts of the evil techno-fascists to de-platform us and sabotage our operations, our team is consistently expanding, even as we pump more R&D money into the Brighteon platform for its 2.0 release. We are building the internets best alternatives to the tech giants which have become all but useless. Google, for example, is now pointless as a search engine. It does not return knowledge but rather propaganda as search results. Google should rightly be called a fiction search engine because nearly everything you find on Google (or Wikipedia, for that matter) about vaccines, medicine, geoengineering, politics or culture is pure fiction. Thank you for your ongoing support. Despite the extreme censorship being leveled against Natural News, we are here to stay. Were expanding and attracting new readers every day. In fact, one of the side effects of being de-platformed is that many users who used to rely on Twitter or Facebook feeds to bring them Natural News stories are now just coming directly to NaturalNews.com. In effect, the tech giants are forcing people to bypass their systems and go directly to the news sources that dare to print the truth. This is the best answer for all users: Go directly to your favorite websites by typing their URLs into your browser. Never rely on tech companies to filter your information, because they are all systematically removing content about natural health, American patriotism, biological reality, vaccine truth and much more. When Susannah Lerman talked with fellow researchers and friends about her study of the effects of less frequent lawn mowing to improve habitat for native bees, the response she heard most had nothing to do with bees. "The first thing people said was that letting the grass get longer would invite ticks," said Lerman, a research ecologist with the USDA Forest Service's Northern Research Station. "It was clear that before we could make the case for promoting lawns as bee habitat, we had to understand the tick risk." In a study published today in the journal PLOS ONE, Lerman and her Northern Research Station colleague, Research Entomologist Vince D'Amico, report on their quest to get to the bottom of a common assumption about the urban landscape: ticks like long grass. As part of a study to evaluate whether less frequent lawn mowing in residential lawns in Springfield, Mass., could promote floral resources and hence, serve as viable habitat for native bees, Lerman and her partners surveyed for blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis, also known as deer ticks) as well as bees every three weeks. In 16 suburban Springfield lawns over the course of two summers, Lerman and colleagues documented 111 bee species, which equates to roughly one-quarter of all bees documented in Massachusetts. As for blacklegged ticks? In 144 tick drags in lawns of various lawn mowing frequencies and grass heights, Lerman and her colleagues found not a single one. "There are obvious limitations to this study in terms of establishing the risk of ticks," Lerman said. "We sampled for a single species of tick, and our study was limited to 16 residential lawns in a single city. Still, our study has two significant take-aways: you do not necessarily invite ticks if you mow the lawn every other week instead of every week, and common assumptions about nature are always worth investigating; scientists may be surprised by what we find." Blacklegged ticks are notorious as carriers of Lyme disease, a tick-borne infection with significant human health risks that is prevalent in the Northeast. While blacklegged ticks are no doubt lurking in people's yards, D'Amico said that the grassy part of a property is probably too dry for the tick. "This species needs near 100 percent humidity for at least part of the day," D'Amico said. "Where we have leaf litter, the ticks do very well." In the United States, an estimated 40 million acres of residential lawn managed by homeowners, businesses, government agencies and cemeteries have the potential to become habitat for beleaguered native bee species, if people can put aside a very reasonable fear and loathing of ticks. In this study, Lerman and her team found good reason to do so. It is now known that many animals exhibit unique behaviors around same-species corpses, ranging from removal of the bodies and burial among social insects to quiet attendance and caregiving among elephants and primates. Researchers in Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo have been able to take a close look at the behavioral responses to the deaths of three individuals -- both known and unknown -- in gorillas and have reported their findings in PeerJ - the Journal of Life and Environmental Sciences. Scientists from the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, the University of California Davis, Uppsala University, and the Congolese Institute for the Conservation of Nature observed and filmed the behavior of mountain gorillas around the corpses of a 35-year-old dominant adult male and a 38-year-old dominant adult female from the same social group living in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda. Both individuals had died a few hours earlier of illnesses possibly linked to their advanced age. Researchers also studied the behavior of a group of Grauer's gorillas who found the body of a recently deceased adult male in Kahuzi-Biega National Park, Democratic Republic of Congo. Researchers predicted that more individuals would engage with the corpses of familiar members of their own group compared to the extra-group mature male and that individuals who shared close social relationships with the deceased would be the ones to spend the most time close to body. To the researcher's surprise, the behavioral responses toward the corpses in all three cases were remarkably similar. In all three cases, animals typically sat close to the body and stared at it but they also sniffed, poked, groomed and licked it. In the two mountain gorilla cases, individuals that shared close social relationships with the deceased were the ones who spent the most time in contact with the corpse. For example, a juvenile male who had established a close relationship with Titus, the dominant mountain gorilla silverback male, after his mother left the group, remained close and often in contact with the body for two days, and slept in the same nest with it. The juvenile son of Tuck, the deceased adult female, groomed the corpse and even tried suckling from it despite having already been weaned, a behavior that could indicate his distress near his mother's body. This work is not only of interest regarding how animals perceive and process death, but it also has important conservation implications. Close inspection of corpses can present a serious risk for disease transmission. Contacts between healthy individuals and infected corpses may be a major way through which diseases like Ebola, which have affected and killed thousands of gorillas in Central Africa, spread among gorillas. By KTLA, April. 03, 2019 A packaged-food entrepreneur from California became the first of the 33 parents charged in the college bribery scandal to agree to plead guilty, disclosing the deal Wednesday as Hollywood actresses Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin appeared in court along with some of the other defendants. Peter Jan Sartorio, 53, was accused of paying $15,000 in cash to have someone correct his daughter's answers on the ACT college entrance exam. The exact charges to which he planned to plead were not immediately clear. A Lafayette man pleaded not guilty Thursday to a premeditated attempted murder charge alleging that he tried to kill a female colleague at a Berkeley engineering firm by putting the toxic metal cadmium into her food and water over a lengthy period in 2017 and 2018. Defense lawyer Julia Jayne asked that the bail for David Xu, 34, be set at $200,000 but Alameda County Superior Court Judge Yolanda Northridge set it at $2 million. Alameda County prosecutor Matt Golde said he believes that Xu is a flight risk and asked that he be held without bail or else have his bail set at the high amount of $5 million. Northridge said that if Xu is able to make bail, he must wear an ankle bracelet and stay away from the alleged victim and their workplace, Berkeley Engineering and Research at 808 Gilman St. The judge also said he must surrender his passport. Departamento de Policia de Berkeley The victim told police that Xu added a harmful substance to her food and water on multiple occasions for more than a year when they both worked at the company, Berkeley police Sgt. Jennifer Wilson wrote in a probable cause statement. The woman said she experienced immediate and significant health problems after consuming the food and water and sometimes sought emergency care at a hospital, according to Wilson. Two of the woman's relatives who drank from her water bottle last November and December also got sick, Wilson wrote. Water samples taken from the woman's bottle tested positive for a toxic amount of cadmium, according to Wilson. Investigators also took blood samples from the woman and her relatives and found that all three had elevated levels of cadmium, Wilson wrote. Exposure to cadmium can lead to organ system toxicity. Xu was arrested last week and was charged with one count of premeditated attempted murder for allegedly trying to kill his colleague and two counts of felony poisoning for allegedly harming her relatives. Police haven't said what might have motivated Xu to allegedly poison his colleague. In asking that Xu's bail be set at $200,000, Jayne said he has no criminal history, isn't a danger to the community, owns a home, is married with two small children and is part of "a loving family and community." Xu is scheduled to return to court next month for a pretrial hearing. The man tied to a sword attack outside a popular San Francisco roller skating rink while dressed as a pirate and wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat has been arrested, police said. San Francisco-resident Leor Bergland was taken into police custody Wednesday night. Bergland, 30, was booked into San Francisco County Jail on charges of attempted murder, mayhem, aggravated assault, carrying a concealed dirk or dagger and brandishing a weapon, according to police. The attack was reported Friday night, when Bergland allegedly took out a sword and struck a person on the hand near the Church of 8 Wheels roller rink, officials said. Police said the victim swatted the MAGA hat from Bergland's head. Bergland then used a sword and cut the victim's hand before running from the scene. The victim was taken to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries. A local entrepreneur has become the first of 33 parents charged in a college admissions scam to agree to plead guilty. Peter Jan Sartorio's lawyers said in court documents filed Wednesday that the packaged food entrepreneur from Menlo Park will plead guilty. Sartorio was accused of paying an admissions consultant $15,000 in cash to have someone correct his daughter's answers on a college entrance exam. The exact charges to which he has agreed to plead guilty were not clear. Sartorio and the other parents were charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud. An email was sent to Sartorio's lawyers seeking comment. The announcement came just before Sartorio was scheduled to appear alongside other prominent parents in Boston's federal court. Among those who made their initial appearances Wednesday were actresses Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin, and Loughlin's husband Mossimo Giannulli. Jack Rose Libation House, a popular literary-themed craft cocktail bar that popped up next to Saratoga four years ago, announced its closure Tuesday. Fans despaired on social media after the announcement, asking if the bar would reopen at a different location. One patron said they traveled over a 100 miles from Sacramento to sip their last "Jack Rose" drink, and another mentioned meeting their future partner at the bar. "We wish to thank all our loyal customers for their patronage as well as the incredible team of employees which helped us garner awards such as Best Craft Cocktail bar in Silicon Valley for 4 years in a row," the bar said on its website, where it also announced the closure of bar restaurant Bramble & Beer. "Thanks for the memories!" The upscale, bedroom community of Monte Sereno annexed the 4.5-acre site in June 2018 and approved 36 single-family homes and a hillside preserve at the location, which was occupied by La Hacienda Inn and its restaurant through the 1990s. "Those of us who are in our 50s, probably went to our prom dinner there," city planner Jean Hamilton said. Monte Sereno is entirely zoned for residential use, according to Hamilton, and its only other structures are City Hall, a public elementary school and a church. Monte Sereno has no plans to replace the bar. The county of San Diego is suing the federal government over the abrupt end to the Safe Release program and the resulting strain placed on county resources in caring for thousands of asylum seekers waiting in the county while their cases are processed. The countys claim targets the end of the Safe Release program last October, a policy change made by President Donald Trumps administration that has resulted in a large number of asylum seekers staying within the county while their claims are being processed. According to the claim, asylum seekers previously would only pass through the county on their way to a final destination the residence of a friend, family member, or point of contact in the U.S that could house and support them while their claims are processed in immigration court. That was before the administration stopped providing them with assistance getting to those locations outside of the county. The county says it has been forced to use more resources, and spend more taxpayer money, to provide support for asylum seekers who are now forced to stay in the San Diego area. The county says its also protecting its residents against what it called a public health crisis. The administrations policy change violates the Administrative Procedure Act, according to the claim, and the county is seeking a judicial declaration that would deem the change unlawful. It also wants the federal government to resume providing assistance to asylum seeking families in getting to locations outside the county where they can wait for their cases to be processed. That governmental assistance includes helping asylum seekers get in touch with points of contact in the U.S. and transporting them to the cities across the country where their points of contact reside. The lawsuit names Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Deputy Director Ronald Vitiello, ICE Associate Executive Director Matthew Albence, Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan, and Chief of Border Patrol Carla Provost. In response to the lawsuit, District 4 County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher said, Donald Trumps inhumane immigration policies are wrong. His failure does not remove our obligation to do the right thing to help families legally seeking asylum in the United States. I am proud our County is stepping-up to take on Trump. I hope other jurisdictions will join us in this lawsuit. Supervisor Dianne Jacob, representing District 2, said, The federal governments negligent approach to those seeking asylum is taking a huge toll on San Diego County taxpayers. The county has already spent over $1.3 million to address health and safety issues at the asylum shelter. That figure is ballooning by the day. We are asking the court to require the feds to reinstate the Safe Release program and not leave local governments, non-profits and taxpayers holding the bag. This lawsuit isnt about broad immigration issues or border security. The Department of Homeland Security has not responded to NBC 7's request for comment. Officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations arrested more than 280 people at an Allen business Wednesday, ICE officials say. HSI officials told NBC 5 that a search warrant was executed at the business as part of an ongoing criminal worksite investigation. In a statement released Wednesday afternoon, ICE officials said the employees were unlawfully working in the US and were arrested on immigration violations. "As far as immigration related arrests, this is the largest ICE worksite operation at one site in the last 10 years," said Special Agent in Charge Katrina W. Berger, HSI Dallas. HSI said the investigation began after officials received multiple tips dating back about a year that the company, which repairs and refurbishes electronics used in telecommunications, may have knowingly hired people living in the country illegally and that many of the employees were using fraudulent identification documents. An audit undertaken in January of the company's I-9 forms indicated numerous hiring irregularities, officials said. From Texas Sky Ranger, ICE agents could be seen searching and handcuffing a number of people outside CVE Group on Enterprise Boulevard and placing them onto one of five large buses. "Businesses that knowingly hire illegal aliens create an unfair advantage over their competing businesses," said Berger. "In addition, they take jobs away from U.S. citizens and legal residents, and they create an atmosphere poised for exploiting their illegal workforce." Wednesday night, dozens of families impacted by the raid took advantage of legal advice offered by LULAC at United Methodist Church in Allen. Dora Hernandez said her daughter-in-law has worked at CVE for more than a decade. She was arrested when about 200 federal officers executed a search warrant at the business this morning. "[I'm] very sad because she is like a daughter to me," Hernandez said. "Some of these people have family members that have been working here for 10 and 15 years. So these are not people who have not just arrived. These are people who have been with this company for years, and have been in this country for years. It's sad because I understand that most of the people here are women and they are leaving behind their children," said Hilda Ramirez-Duarte, LULAC representative. "I talked to a young lady who is a teenager and she says, 'My mom is leaving myself, my brother, and two younger babies.' She's the only breadwinner in the household, so what's going to become of this family of four? We have similar situations all across the board." The raid sparked protests in Allen and Dallas, where about a dozen people chanted and held signs outside an ICE field office. "These are hardworking people. These are not criminals, rapists, or anything of that nature. They are hardworking people earning a living," Ramirez-Duarte said. In Garland, Wendy Armas arrived home after spending hours in ICE custody. Armas, a Guatemalan national with two teenaged children, said she's worked at CVE since arriving in the U.S. five years ago. She was arrested, but released Wednesday night after making a promise to appear in court in May. "The hardest thing was when the bus started taking off. It reversed out and then there was a long moment of silence, people crying, people saying, 'I'm going to leave this country and go back to my own,'" Armas said. HSI said all of those arrested and detained Wednesday were interviewed by ICE staff to determine if they remain in custody or considered for humanitarian release. In all cases, HSI said, all people living in the country illegally will be fingerprinted and processed for removal from the United States. Consulates for Mexico, Honduras, and El Salvador, as well as ICE, have set up numbers for people to call if they believe their family member was arrested. A 24-hour toll-free detainee locator hotline is available for family members of those arrested. The hotline is designed to answer questions, in both English and Spanish, about those detained, their location and status. That number is 1-888-351-4024. Mexican Consulate -- 1-855-463-6395 Honduran Consulate -- 214-424-9679 or 214-650-4175 Salvadoran Consulate -- 469-441-3556 NBC 5's Courtney Gilmore contributed to this report. Democratic presidential contender Beto O'Rourke on Friday acknowledged making mistakes as a teen and as a candidate, responding to criticism of his campaign rhetoric toward his wife as well as writings he produced online when he was young. During a taping of the "Political Party Live" podcast in Cedar Rapids, he addressed criticism of his campaign-trail joke that his wife, Amy, has raised their three kids "sometimes with my help." O'Rourke made the comment at multiple campaign stops during his first swing through Iowa, including earlier Friday, eliciting laughs each time, but he also drew criticism as being insensitive to the challenges faced by single parents raising children. O'Rourke said the criticism of his "ham-handed" attempt to highlight his wife's work in their marriage was "right on." "Not only will I not say that again, but I will be much more thoughtful in the ways that I talk about my marriage," he said. O'Rourke, 46, also said he was "mortified" when he reread the violent fiction he wrote as a teen, which received fresh attention Friday after a Reuters report outlined his involvement in a hacker group as a teen. O'Rourke wrote a handful of posts on the group's message board under the name "Psychedelic Warlord," including a fictional piece he penned when he was 15 about children getting run over by a car. "I'm mortified to read it now, incredibly embarrassed, but I have to take ownership of my words," he said. "Whatever my intention was as a teenager doesn't matter, I have to look long and hard at my actions, at the language I have used, and I have to constantly try to do better." O'Rourke had said after an earlier campaign stop that it was "stuff I was part of as a teenager." "It's not anything I'm proud of today, and I mean, that's that's the long and short of it," he said. "All I can do is my best, which is what I'm trying to do. I can't control anything I've done in the past. I can only control what I do going forward and what I plan to do is give this my best." The comments came on the second day of a presidential campaign in which O'Rourke is seeking to establish himself as a unique voice in the race. He avoided what has become something of a tradition among the 2020 contenders by refusing to announce how much money he raised in the 24 hours after announcing his candidacy. He said it would be soon. "I don't have a definite plan," he added. "We're not ready to release them now." The former Texas congressman entered the 2020 presidential race Thursday after months of speculation. He raised an eye-popping $80 million in grassroots donations last year in his failed U.S. Senate race in Texas against Republican Ted Cruz, all while largely avoiding money from political action committees. His early fundraising numbers will be an initial signal of whether his popularity during the Senate campaign will carry over to his White House bid. So far, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders has set the pace for grassroots donations in 2020, pulling in $6 million during his first day as a candidate. Asked if he thought he would top Sanders, O'Rourke said only, "We'll see." O'Rourke's reception during his first Iowa swing was overwhelmingly positive, even as he launched his campaign by hitting a handful of counties that had shifted from supporting Democrat Barack Obama to backing Republican Donald Trump during the 2016 campaign. Most of the towns O'Rourke visited during his first two days in the state were small and rural, manufacturing or farming towns. He kicked off his bid in Keokuk, population 10,300, dropped by a private home in Fairfield, a town about the same size, and jumped atop a coffee shop counter to address the crowd in Mount Pleasant, population 8,500. The strategy set O'Rourke apart from the rest of the field, many of whom have focused their early swings on the state's population centers or on the traditionally blue counties that make up the bulk of the Democratic primary electorate. Norm Sterzenbach, who's advising O'Rourke in Iowa, said the strategy came out of the Texan's desire to do more intimate events in his first swing through Iowa. "He didn't want to do big rallies or big events. He wanted to get into communities and really talk to Iowans, and he wanted to go to smaller towns, smaller communities, and places that had been neglected" by politicians, he said. It was an approach reminiscent of his Texas Senate bid, where O'Rourke hit every one of the state's 254 counties, even the most rural areas, some of which hadn't been visited by Democratic candidates in years. O'Rourke didn't commit to visiting all of Iowa's 99 counties what's locally known as the "Full Grassley," after Iowa's senior Republican senator, Chuck Grassley, who's famous for doing the full swing but he said he planned to visit as much of Iowa as possible. That go-everywhere, speak-to-everyone strategy brought him within 3 points of defeating Cruz in Texas, the nation's largest red state. Chicago mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot cruised to victory in Tuesday's election, sweeping all 50 wards to become the first black female mayor, and first openly-LGBTQ mayor, in the city's history. Even before she finished first out of 14 total candidates in the Feb. 26 election, we asked her seven questions to help inform voters about who she is and where she stands on certain issues the city faces. Her answers give insight into her priorities, plans and promises on important matters like police reform, curbing violence, property taxes, education, the city's pension obligation and more. Below is what she had to say What makes you uniquely qualified to be mayor of Chicago? [[506162372, C]] Should you be elected mayor, what are your immediate priorities for your first year in office? I am running for mayor to to build a city government that listens to and prioritizes the needs of low-income and middle-class families. Weve got to invest in people and neighborhoods. I believe there are many important issues facing Chicago, and I believe that all those problems are part of the same ecosystem that can breed some of the systemic problems that we see. For example, we must guarantee public safety as a basic right by addressing the root causes of violence, implementing a proactive strategy to stop gun violence, building trust between police officers and communities, and dramatically improving the low homicide clearance rate. We must spark economic development citywide by growing small businesses in neighborhoods, raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour, and building pathways to good jobs. We often see a reduction in crime when people have access to a vibrant local economy. We must ensure safe, clean, quality public schools in every neighborhood, and one way to help us get there is with an elected and representative school board. We must reduce taxes and fees that disproportionately harm low-income and middle-class families. And we must truly reform city government and put an end to corruption. A day after her historic win, Chicago Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot thanked supported and answered reporter questions about public safety, her team's transition plan and the message she has for the Chicago City Council. How do you plan to continue implementing reforms to the Chicago Police Department as outlined in the consent decree? Over two years ago, I called for a consent decree to reform the Chicago Police Department and paved the way with the Police Accountability Task Force report. After closely following the years-long processwhich included a lawsuit against the City by former Attorney General Lisa Madigan, hundreds of hours of negotiation between parties, and a lengthy process for public review and commentI am pleased that Judge Robert Dow today announced the approval of the consent decree. The consent decree is an essential foundation for accountability and transparency. The success of the consent decree and the potential for further reform depend on the election of a mayor with the experience and vision to lead the way. I am the only candidate in this race that has a broad depth of experience in dealing with issues related to police excessive force and abuse, accountability and reform. My perspective on these issues stems from my roles as a federal prosecutor and the head of the former Office of Professional Standards, in which I made countless recommendations to terminate police officers who failed to properly perform their duties, including in police-involved shootings. More recently, I led the Police Accountability Task Force (PATF), whose report served as the underpinnings for both the Obama DOJ report and recommendations on the Chicago Police Department (CPD) and the consent decree. There would be no consent decree without the PATF. I also served as the president of Chicago Police Board, where I held officers accountable for misconduct. Before resigning from the police board to run for mayor, I significantly increased the number of officers that were terminated for serious misconduct or received lengthy suspensions. My body of work demonstrates my commitment to ensuring that public safety is available to everyone and in every neighborhood, that officers must be held accountable for misconduct and that taxpayers cannot continue to shoulder the burden of unchecked misconduct manifested in settlements, judgments, and attorneys' fees currently totaling over $500 million in the last seven years. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said he plans to meet with Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot Wednesday afternoon to discuss a "seamless transition so she can hit the ground running on the first day." What is your plan to invest in education across the entire city of Chicago? As discussed in my education policy , I believe every child should be able to get a quality education at their neighborhood public school, no matter their race or zip code. I was a public school kid and remember how my school served as a community anchor and a source of pride for my neighborhood. As mayor, I will work with impacted communities to ensure there are safe, Level 1/1+ elementary and high school in every neighborhood, expand high school apprenticeship programs to create pathways to good jobs, create early childhood education zones and provide each school with basic educational support positions like librarians, nurses and social workers. We must conduct transparent and deep analysis of programs, schools and budgets, making a commitment to data and empirical analysis, and creating a culture of trying solutions and evaluating them to systematically improve outcomes. This will take time, but it is necessary. As mayor, I will follow the lead of other school districts around the country and help create policies and practices that undo the systems and structures that created and perpetuate inequities of opportunity and academic achievement. The first step is to create and adopt an equity policy statement that will act as a north star for CPS staff and students alike. In order to implement the policy, I will convene a district-wide equity council composed of educators who have had equity training and will be charged with ensuring the district complies with the equity policy moving forward. Lori Lightfoot shares her 90-year-old mothers message to her following the election results Tuesday. How do you plan to reduce property taxes? Our regressive property tax system is a serious problem for the City of Chicago and Cook County, and one that our next mayor must work diligently to solve. Many of the progressive revenue sources we need that do not unfairly burden working and middle class families will need approval from Springfield, or require years of work to implement. We must mount an effective lobbying campaign to ensure that we have the tools we need to fund necessary services without taxing working people out of the city. We must fix the broken and rigged property tax assessment system, and the next mayor and city officials must work with Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi to achieve this. As has been widely reported, Joe Berrios, who was endorsed and continues to be embraced by Toni Preckwinkle, oversaw an assessment system that failed to capture increases in the value of commercial and industrial properties. Homeowners, particularly those who are low and middle income, continue to be forced to pay higher property taxes as a result of Berrioss rigged system. Rahm Emanuel was silent on this grievous wrong, and Toni Preckwinkle consistently excused Berrios and blamed others. I have consistently supported Kaegis reform efforts and will continue to press for change as mayor. City leaders cannot ask property owners to pay more until these inequities are fixed. What is your plan to address Chicagos unfunded pension liability? First, we must start from the firm position that pensions are a promise--and that protecting the retirement security of our public employees is imperative to maintaining a stable middle class and, thereby, our local economy. Chicago needs additional revenue to address the pension crisis, but revenues are only part of the solution. In order to build the public case for additional revenue, the city must demonstrate to taxpayers that it takes seriously its obligation as a responsible fiscal steward of the publics hard-earned tax dollars. This must start with making city government run as efficiently as possible. Going forward from there, we must look to progressive revenue sources thought advocacy and lobbying in Springfield. The next mayor must look into structural reforms that can result in meaningful cost-savings without breaking our contractual obligations to workers. This includes placing the citys $100 million per-year workers compensation program in the executive branch, reforming and closely monitoring the Chicago Police Departments overtime policies and procedures, and employing a professional risk manager to reduce the citys annual payments for judgements, settlements and legal fees. Achieving even modest savings of 10% to 15% in each of these areas would save between $35 million and $52 million annually. Additionally, the next mayor should combine the administrative and investment functions of the citys four pension plans, which in 2017 collectively spent over $60 million on administrative costs and investment fees, to create economies of scale and significantly reduce costs so more money stays in the pension funds. Finally, we will have no choice, if we want to act in a fiscally responsible way, but to explore alternatives to a city-funded pension for people hired on or after January 1, 2020. Just as pensions are a promise, we cannot make promises that we have no ability to keep. How do you plan to curb violence in Chicago? While we need to maintain a strong police force, numbers alone are not the answer. My public safety plan includes multiple strategies for making public safety a reality regardless of zip code. It starts with treating the epidemic of violence as the public health crisis that it is. I outline many ways in which we need to focus on the root causes of violence. We also need to have a proactive plan, with our federal partners, to stop guns from coming into the city. We must also improve our woeful homicide clearance rate, like having beat officers build relationships in the communities they serve, improving on-scene evidence collection, getting detectives into communities, providing support for victims and their families, and witnesses, buying a mobile ballistics lab, and strategically deploying police cameras. New legislation looking to lower the age a child can be left home alone was approved by the Illinois House Wednesday. The so-called babysitting bill aiming lower the age a child can be home without supervision to 12 years old passed the House with a 111-1 vote. Currently, a child under the age of 14 who is left without supervision for an unreasonable amount of time is considered neglected. A person who leaves a minor under the age of 13 without supervision by someone over the age of 14 for 24 hours or more can be charged with child abandonment. Proponents of the bill believe it would "protect single and working parents." "Illinois has by far the most restrictive law of its kind in the nation," said state Rep. Joe Sosnowski, who sponsored the bill. "Our bill makes a common-sense adjustment to state law to recognize that working parents who struggle to afford child care should not live under the fear of losing their kids simply for working hard to support their family." Across the country, state laws on the matter range from 6 years old in Kansas to Illinois highest of 14. Only 14 states specify an age on the subject with the most common age being 10, Sosnowski said. The bill now heads to the Senate. What to Know A boy appeared in Newport, Kentucky, on Wednesday, claiming to be missing child Timmothy Pitzen Timmothy's disappearance has remained a mystery since his mother took him out of school and traveled to multiple Midwest water parks in 2011 She was found dead of an apparent suicide in a Rockford motel room and had left a note that the boy was safe but would never be found UPDATE: Law enforcement officials said Thursday afternoon that a DNA test found that the teen who came forward Wednesday is not Timmothy Pitzen. You can follow updates on this developing story here. News that a missing Aurora, Illinois, boy may have been found more than seven years after he disappeared at the age of 6 sent shockwaves throughout the country. Timmothy Pitzen's case has been a mystery since 2011, when police found the boy's mother dead of an apparent suicide along with a note saying her son was safe and in someone's care, but that he would never be found. Many questions still remain as the latest development in the case brought the investigation back into headlines. Here's what we know about the case so far. IS IT HIM? A 14-year-old appeared in the Cincinnati, Ohio, area on Wednesday, claiming to be missing child Timmothy Pitzen, but a DNA test showed the boy in question was not actually the missing child, according to the FBI. "A local investigation continues into this person's true identity," police said in a release. Newport, Kentucky police told an NBC affiliate station in the area that the person claiming to be Pitzen is actually 23-year-old Brian Michael Rini of Medina, Ohio. Further information on him was not immediately available. HOW WAS HE FOUND? A man claiming to be a 14-year-old boy was spotted standing near an intersection in Newport, Kentucky, just across the Ohio River from Cincinnati. He told witnesses that he was the boy missing from Illinois. He said he had slipped away from two kidnappers who had held him for the past seven years, the police report on the incident states. He told investigators he had escaped an unknown Red Roof Inn, according to the police report, and "kept running across a bridge" into Kentucky. "Timothy [sic] described the two kidnappers as two male, whites, body-builder type build," the police report states. "One had black curly hair, Mt. Dew shirt and jeans & has a spider web tattoo on his neck. The other was short in stature and had a snake tattoo on his arms." The kidnappers' vehicle, according to the report, was described by Timmothy to officers as a newer model Ford SUV with unknown Wisconsin plates and a second row. The Ford is white with yellow transfer paint and a dent on the left back bumper, the report states. All surrounding police agencies with Red Roof Inns in their jursidictions were contacted and nothing was found, according to the report. The FBI confirmed he was in safe custody but did not give an update on his condition. WHAT HAPPENED WHEN TIMMOTHY WENT MISSING? Originally from Aurora, Illinois, Timmothy's disappearance has remained a mystery since Amy Fry-Pitzen took her son out of school and traveled to multiple Midwest water parks before she was found dead of an apparent suicide in a Rockford motel room on May 14, 2011. A note left behind in the motel room said that Timmothy was safe and in someone's care, but that he would never be found. May 17, 2011: Timothy J. Pitzens mother, Amy Fry-Pitzen, was found dead inside a Rockford motel room Saturday. The boy is no where to be found. The pair went missing on May 11 when the mother checked her son out of his elementary school. Over the next two days, the pair visited the Brookfield Zoo in Brookfield, the Key Lime Cove Resort in Gurnee, and the Kalahari Resort. The last time the pair were seen together was at the Kalahari Resort in the Wisconsin Dells. The 43-year-old mother's body was found a motel room on May 14. Authorities said she took her own life. New information from authorities indicates that in the hours before her death, Amy Fry-Pitzen visited a Family Dollar store, in Winnebago, Illinois, and purchased a pen, paper and envelopes. When she checked into the Rockford Inn at 11:15 p.m., her son was not with her, authorities said. A note left behind in the hotel room indicated that her son was in someone's care, but it did not identify who that was. A 2004 Ford Expedition SUV Fry-Pitzen was driving the day she took Timmothy out of school was found in a parking lot on May 14. Police said the vehicle was "visibly dirty" and had tall grass or weeds underneath the body. Police evidence technicians found a "concerning amount of blood" in the backseat belonging to Timmothy, but family members told officers it could be from a bloody nose the boy suffered in the past year or so. Also, the knife with which Fry-Pitzen took her life only had her blood on it, according to police. Based on a cellphone call Fry-Pitzen made May 13, police concluded that the last place Timmothy and his mother were together was in the I-88 and I-39 corridors in the Dixon/Rock Falls/Sterling area. The call was made about 5 miles northwest of Sterling, Illinois, near Route 40, police said. Police also discovered via I-Pass records that Fry-Pitzen took two trips to the Dixon/Rock Falls/Sterling area in the winter that family members "cannot explain." One trip was Feb. 18, 2011, the other on March 20. According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Pitzen is the only child missing from west suburban Aurora. Fry-Pitzen's cell phone, I-Pass and the clothing she was seen wearing on other surveillance videos, as well as Timmothys Spider-Man backpack and his toys from the SUV, remained missing years after the boy disappeared, according to police. WHAT DOES THE FAMILY SAY? The family of missing Aurora boy Timmothy Pitzen urged the public to "reserve all judgement and pray" for a man who falsely claimed he was the child who disappeared from the Illinois town more than seven years ago. "Unfortunately this child is not our beloved Timmothy," Kara Jacobs, Timmothy's aunt, said. "We know you are out there somewhere Tim and we will never stop looking for you." The family of missing Aurora boy Timmothy Pitzen spoke out and made a public request after a man falsely claimed he was the child who disappeared from the Illinois town more than seven years ago. Alana Anderson, Pitzens grandmother, said she feels "so sorry for the young man who's obviously had a horrible time and felt the need to say he was someone else." "I was very close to Tim. He spent a lot of time here," Anderson said. "The last morning I had, he crawled in bed with me and told me I was the best grandma in the whole wide world. He's a wonderful boy, and I hope he has the strength and personality to do whatever he needs to do to find us. My prayer has always been that when he was old enough he would find us if we couldn't find him." The last time she saw her grandson he was just over 6 years old. WHAT HAPPENED IN THE CASE BEFORE NOW? The last boost in the case came in 2014, when a woman in the northern Illinois town of Rockton contacted police saying she saw a boy that resembled Timmothy at her garage sale, according to the Chicago Tribune. The tip came after the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children released an age-progression image showing what Timmothy would have looked like at the age of 9. It remained unclear if the boy the woman saw was in fact Timmothy. Woman tells police she saw boy resembling Timmothy Pitzen at her garage sale in Rockton, Ill. NBC 5s Rob Elgas reports. In August of 2011, officials uncovered a secret email account Amy Fry-Pitzen apparently set up. Officers said they retrieved 34 emails from the account, which was separate from a Yahoo email both she and her husband had access to. Police later revealed the account was "mostly spam" but were unable to recover deleted emails because Yahoo did not maintain those records. Aurora police released two home-video clips of Timmothy Pitzen taken in November 2010. The boy has been missing since May. Six months after the child disappeared, detectives released new surveillance video and forensic information from the vehicle they discovered the day Fry-Pitzen was found dead. A series of surveillance video that was released months after his disappearance showed Fry-Pitzen at the Kalahari Resort with Timmothy standing at a checkout counter; another from Key Lime Cove showed the two walking down a hallway, and another showed Fry-Pitzen entering and leaving a convenience store alone. May 25, 2011: The security video from the Kalahari Resort was recorded at around 10:10 a.m. on May 13 and was the last time Timmothy and his mother, Amy Fry-Pitzen, 43, were seen together. New forensic evidence indicated the SUV they were in was parked near "a grassy meadow or field to a spot that is nearly treeless," authorities said, citing tests on plants and dirt taken from her SUV. "There are birch and oak trees in the general area but not directly over or at the spot where the SUV stopped," police said in a statement. "Both Queen Annes lace and black mustard plants grow in a row along the border of the field or the shoulder of the road." "Mayor Pete," as he's known to his growing fan base, is running a surprisingly strong and well-funded campaign for president. Lori Lightfoot has just won a landslide victory to become Chicago's mayor. Together, the ascendance of Lightfoot and Pete Buttigieg the two-term mayor of South Bend, Indiana highlights the remarkable progress made recently by gay and lesbian politicians, to the point where their sexual orientation is either an asset or a nonissue. Both Lightfoot and Buttigieg have talked comfortably about LGBT issues and their own same-sex marriages. "The real news is not that openly gay candidates are successful, but that being openly gay has become irrelevant," said Richard Socarides, a former Clinton White House adviser on gay issues. "Here are two people with fresh ideas and a new vision for the future," Socarides said. "Voters don't care about their sexual orientation. That's a sea change." It was only in 1998 that Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin became the first openly gay person to gain a seat in the House of Representatives. There are now eight LGBT members of the House, and two in the Senate Baldwin and Arizona's Kyrsten Sinema, whose bisexuality never became an issue in her closely contested election campaign last year. Lightfoot's victory Tuesday in the third-largest U.S. city, along with lesbian Satya Rhodes-Conway's victory in Madison, Wisconsin, brings the number of LGBT mayors to 37, according to the LGBTQ Victory Fund, which recruits and supports LGBT candidates. In Colorado, Jared Polis was inaugurated in January as the nation's first openly gay governor. Annise Parker, a lesbian who served three terms as mayor of Houston and is now CEO of the Victory Fund, said LGBT candidates such as Polis and Lightfoot "are achieving positions that cause folks to sit up and take notice." "It's not a fluke or an oddity," she said. "These are dedicated, hardworking public servants who bring a directness and integrity to their service ... They're being open about who they are." Buttigieg at 37, the youngest prominent contender in the Democratic presidential race has received rave reviews for many of his public appearances and reported raising $7 million in the first fundraising period of the campaign. His husband, Chasten, has amassed 176,000 Twitter followers with cheerful and sometimes wry commentary about their relationship and their dogs, and has been invited to headline a gala being held Saturday in Houston by the Human Rights Campaign, a national LGBT rights group. Shannon Minter, legal director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, said Lightfoot's and Buttigieg's appeal is based on "character, leadership and ideas." Yet Minter also suggested that LGBT candidates may have certain distinctive strengths. "They may be more likely to empathize with others who have experienced discrimination or obstacles," he said. "They may also be more likely to cherish the opportunity to run for office and serve, something other politicians may take for granted." One indicator of the shifts in LGBT politics is that Lightfoot, a former prosecutor, and Buttigieg, a Harvard graduate, Rhodes scholar and Afghanistan war veteran, have not been immune to criticism from some activists. "For many members of the LGBTQ community, a candidate's mere identity as gay or lesbian is not enough," said professor Katherine Franke, who teaches gender and sexuality studies at Columbia University. "Neither Lightfoot nor Buttigieg are particularly progressive in their policy positions on a number of issues," Franke said. "Lightfoot has been criticized for being too pro-prosecution and pro-police in a city that has suffered significant police violence, and Buttigieg has been critiqued for his identification with elites." Thus far, the advancement of LGBT politicians has not been a bipartisan phenomenon. Very few of the nation's top-tier LGBT elected officials have been Republicans, and only a handful of Republicans in Congress have signaled support for the Equality Act, a sweeping LGBT-nondiscrimination measure that has near-unanimous Democratic support. "It's exceedingly frustrating," Parker said. "We'd love to support more candidates in the GOP, but the party of Donald Trump has no place for them. It has chosen to attack the rights and livelihoods of LGBT people to solidify political power." Tyler Deaton of the American Unity Fund, which seeks to boost support for LGBT rights among Republicans, acknowledged in an email that LGBT Democrats "are having an amazing year." "It's a lesson to my fellow Republicans about the electability of LGBTQ candidates," he wrote. "The party needs to look more like the voters, which includes recruiting and elevating more candidates who are women, people of color, religious minorities, and LGBTQ people." The flip side is a boon for the Democratic establishment, which courts financial and political support from LGBT activists and donors. Just last week, two Democratic presidential contenders Sens. Kamala Harris of California and Cory Booker of New Jersey spoke at a West Coast gala held by the Human Rights Campaign. For some LGBT activists, the pace of change and the greater public acceptance of LGBT candidates is dramatic. Lawyer Roberta Kaplan reflected that only six years ago she was litigating before the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of Edie Windsor, who faced an enormous tax bill because she was married to a woman instead of a man. Two years later, in 2015, the high court legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. "The traditional Jewish blessing thanks God for keeping us alive, sustaining us, and bringing us to this season," Kaplan said in an email. "That is very much how I feel today when I see news like Lori Lightfoot's victory in Chicago or Pete Buttigieg's candidacy for president." Police are warning residents in the North Center neighborhood to be on alert after a woman reported seeing a man touching himself inappropriately near a school. The incident occurred about 4 p.m. Tuesday at a school in the 3700 block of North Claremont Avenue, according to a community alert from Chicago police. A woman told police she was waiting in her vehicle to pick her children up when she observed a man sitting in his vehicle, watching children come out of the school and touching himself inappropriately. After some time, he drove off going north on Oakley Avenue, police said. Police described the suspect as a man in his late 30s or early 40s. He had a slim build and wore black pants and a black hoodie. He drove a newer-looking black Honda Accord with an Illinois license plate S172376, police said. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Area North detectives at 312-744-8261. Pope Francis on Thursday named Atlanta Archbishop Wilton Gregory, a Chicago native, as the new archbishop of Washington D.C., choosing a moderate, and the first African-American, to lead the archdiocese that has become the epicenter of the clergy sex abuse crisis in the U.S. Gregory, 71, replaces Cardinal Donald Wuerl, who resigned last year after being implicated in covering up abuse by a Pennsylvania grand jury report. Gregory headed the U.S. bishops conference when it adopted a "zero-tolerance" abuse policy in 2002 to respond to the first wave of the scandal. He has run the Atlanta archdiocese since 2005 and is seen as a pastor very much in line with Francis' progressive vision of the church. A native of Chicago, Gregory is a protege of the late Chicago Cardinal Joseph Bernardin, who consecrated him as a bishop in 1983. Gregory was bishop of Belleville, Illinois, from 1994 until his installation in Atlanta in 2005. Gregory grew up on Chicago's South Side and once served as an assistant pastor at Glenviews Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish. He converted to Catholicism as a grammar school student and has many close friends in the Chicago area. The appointment was first reported by Catholic News Agency. It is the third major move by Francis to reshape the U.S. hierarchy, which over the previous two papacies took on a culture war-influenced conservative tilt. Francis began elevating more moderate pastors in 2014, when he named Cardinal Blase Cupich as Chicago archbishop and followed up two years later by moving Joseph Tobin to Newark, New Jersey, and making him a cardinal. While relatively small, the Washington archdiocese has always punched above its weight in influence given its location in the nation's capital. Its archbishops traditionally are made cardinals, meaning Gregory could become the first African-American cardinal. The archdiocese, though, has become embroiled in the abuse crisis since its previous two leaders Wuerl and his predecessor Theodore McCarrick have been implicated in the scandal. Francis in February defrocked McCarrick after a Vatican-backed investigation concluded he sexually abused minors and adults over his long career. It was the first time a cardinal had been dismissed from the priesthood for abuse. Francis reluctantly accepted Wuerl's resignation in October after he lost the trust of his priests and parishioners in the months following the release of the Pennsylvania grand jury report. The report accused Wuerl of helping to protect some child-molesting priests while he was bishop of Pittsburgh from 1988 to 2006. Simultaneously, Wuerl faced widespread skepticism over his insistence that he knew nothing about McCarrick's misconduct, which was an open secret in U.S. and Vatican circles. Gregory, by contrast, is still credited for his leadership of the U.S. church during a moment of crisis, when as president of the U.S. bishops conference he persuaded church leaders to adopt toughened penalties for abusers in 2002. "Gregory has impeccable credentials for dealing with the sex abuse crisis, which is essential for healing the church," the Rev. Thomas Reese, an expert on the American church, said in a column Thursday at Religion News Service. Gregory also won praise from another American Jesuit, the Rev. James Martin, who was invited last year by Gregory to give a talk in Atlanta on how the church should better minister to the LGBT community. The initiative drew criticism from some conservatives who accused Gregory of not upholding church teaching on homosexuality. In a statement, Martin said Gregory was a "superb choice" for Washington given his leadership on the abuse crisis and because he is "someone who knows how to reach out to marginalized populations." Gregory has responded to the latest outbreak of the scandal by expressing his own anger, shame and disillusionment at the failures of the hierarchy. In an August statement to the faithful after McCarrick resigned as a cardinal, he acknowledged his own esteem and respect for McCarrick had been "clearly misplaced." He conceded that, going forward, oversight of bishops by laity "may well provide the only credible assurance that real and decisive actions are being taken. In Atlanta, Gregory was embroiled briefly in a scandal of his own in 2014 after the archdiocese used $2.2 million in donations to buy and renovate a swank new home for the archbishop. The archdiocese later sold the mansion and Gregory apologized following an outcry from parishioners who cited Francis' frugality as a model other church leaders should follow. What to Know A boy appeared in Newport, Kentucky, on Wednesday, claiming to be missing child Timmothy Pitzen Timmothy's disappearance has remained a mystery since his mother took him out of school and traveled to multiple Midwest water parks in 2011 She was found dead of an apparent suicide in a Rockford motel room and had left a note that the boy was safe but would never be found DNA test results showed a person claiming to be missing Aurora boy Timmothy Pitzen is not actually the missing child, according to the FBI. Investigators ran a DNA test on the man who appeared in the Cincinnati, Ohio, area on Wednesday, claiming to be a child who disappeared from Aurora, Illinois, more than seven years ago. Authorities confirmed the results indicated "the person in question is not Timmothy Pitzen." "A local investigation continues into this person's true identity," police said in a release. The family of missing Aurora boy Timmothy Pitzen spoke out and made a public request after a man falsely claimed he was the child who disappeared from the Illinois town more than seven years ago. Newport, Kentucky, police told an NBC affiliate station in the area that the person claiming to be Pitzen is actually 23-year-old Brian Michael Rini of Medina, Ohio. Further information on him was not immediately available. "Although we are disappointed that this turned out to be a hoax, we remain diligent in our search for Timmothy, as our missing person's case remains unsolved," Aurora Sgt. Bill Rowley said in a statement. Timmothy's disappearance has remained a mystery since Amy Fry-Pitzen took her son out of school and traveled to multiple Midwest water parks before she was found dead of an apparent suicide in a Rockford motel room on May 14, 2011. A note left behind in the motel room said that Timmothy was safe and in someone's care, but that he would never be found. "To be clear, law enforcement has not and will not forget Timmothy, and we hope to one day reunite him with his family. Unfortunately, that day will not be today," police said in their release. Pitzen's family urged the public to "reserve all judgement and pray" for the man who falsely claimed he was the child. "Unfortunately this child is not our beloved Timmothy. We know that you are out there somewhere, Tim, and we will never stop looking for you, praying for you and loving you," Kara Jacobs, Pitzen's aunt, said. "We hope that everyone will join us in praying for the young man who claimed to be Timmothy Pitzen." The man claiming to be 14 years old and Timmothy Pitzen was spotted standing near an intersection in Newport, Kentucky, just across the Ohio River from Cincinnati, and told witnesses that he was the child missing from Illinois. He said he had slipped away from two kidnappers who had held him for the past seven years, the police report on the incident states. He told investigators he had escaped an unknown Red Roof Inn, according to the police report, and "kept running across a bridge" into Kentucky. "Timothy [sic] described the two kidnappers as two male, whites, body-builder type build," the police report states. "One had black curly hair, Mt. Dew shirt and jeans & has a spider web tattoo on his neck. The other was short in stature and had a snake tattoo on his arms." The kidnappers' vehicle, according to the report, was described by Timmothy to officers as a newer model Ford SUV with unknown Wisconsin plates and a second row. The Ford is white with yellow transfer paint and a dent on the left back bumper, the report states. All surrounding police agencies with Red Roof Inns in their jursidictions were contacted and nothing was found, according to the report. The FBI confirmed he was in safe custody but did not give an update on his condition. Earlier Wednesday, two Aurora detectives had traveled to the area of Cincinnati for an investigation into a missing child, the Aurora Police Department said, but could not confirm the investigation was related to Timmothy's disappearance. According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Pitzen is the only child missing from west suburban Aurora. The Federal Bureau of Investigation in Louisville tweeted Wednesday afternoon that it was coordinating, alongside the FBI in Cincinnati, with police in Aurora, Cincinnati and Newport, Kentucky, as well as the Hamilton County sheriff's office, on a missing child investigation. The FBI also declined to confirm that the investigation was related to Pitzen's case. Alana Anderson, Pitzens grandmother, said Wednesday she heard that a boy claiming to be her grandson was in a childrens hospital in Kentucky after escaping his captors. We never forgot, never stopped thinking about him everyday, stayed in touch with the police, she said. It just went cold, and I just prayed that when he was old enough that he would remember us and contact us that was kind of the best I could hope for for a long time. The last time she saw her grandson he was just over 6 years old. The last boost in the case came in 2014, when a woman in the northern Illinois town of Rockton contacted police saying she saw a boy that resembled Timmothy at her garage sale, according to the Chicago Tribune. The tip came after the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children released an age-progression image showing what Timmothy would have looked like at the age of 9. It remained unclear if the boy the woman saw was in fact Timmothy. Fry Pitzen's cell phone, I-Pass and the clothing she was seen wearing on other surveillance videos, as well as Timmothys Spider Man backpack and his toys from the SUV, remained missing years after the boy disappeared, according to police. Anyone with information about the case is being asked to call Aurora police at (630) 256-5000 or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at (800) 843-5678. A teen claiming to be an Aurora boy who disappeared in 2011 when he was 6 years old has apparently escaped two kidnappers who have held him for the past seven years, according to an Ohio police report. Now, the missing boy's grandmother hopes the long-lost boy remembers her and they will be reunited. The 14-year-old boy told police in Newport, Kentucky, that his name is Timmothy Pitzen and he had just fled from a Red Roof Inn in Ohio and "kept running across a bridge" into Kentucky. Alana Anderson, Pitzens maternal grandmother, said Wednesday she was told a boy claiming to be her grandson was in a childrens hospital in Kentucky. We never forgot, never stopped thinking about him everyday, stayed in touch with the police, she said. It just went cold and I just prayed that when he was old enough that he would remember us and contact usthat was kind of the best I could hope for, for a long time. However, Anderson said she's cautiously optimistic, telling The Associated Press "there have been so many tips and sightings and what not and you try not to panic or be overly excited." Timmothy's disappearance has remained a mystery since Amy Fry Pitzen picked him up at school, took him to a zoo and water park in the Midwest before she was found dead of an apparent suicide in a Rockford motel room on May 14, 2011. A note left behind in the motel room said that Timmothy was safe and in someone's care, but the boy was never found. This year would mark his 14th birthday. Anderson told the AP that her daughter was having problems with her fourth marriage and had battled depression for years. The last time Anderson saw her grandson he was just over 6 years old. Asked if Pitzen would recognizer her, Anderson responded I hope so. Pitzen's family has had many emotional days over the last several years but nothing like this. His aunt, Kara Jacobs, told NBC 5 all they can do now is pray until a DNA test confirms the boys identity. "Regardless of what anybody said I knew he was alive," she said. That thought has carried Jacobs and her family through seven years of pain and uncertainty. For seven years, a heartbroken family waited for the call from detectives that finally came Wednesday. Weve always felt strongly this day would come," Jacobs said. "When it comes, its hard to realize whats happening when it does come, and we are still waiting to see if it is actually Timothy." Now that the shock is wearing off, the family says the emotions are settling in. Theyve experienced false alarms before, but this lead is the most solid yet. We hope its true," Jacobs said. "What is hard is the story that he escaped from captors and your mind goes in too many directions that you dont want to think about. Hesitant to get their hopes up, the family says it is relying on faith. "I would ask for anyone out there to please pray for Tim," Jacobs added. Earlier Wednesday, two Aurora detectives traveled to the Cincinnati area to investigate the teen's story, the Aurora Police Department said. The department said the FBI was also investigating and they hope confirm the boy's identity Thursday. The last boost in the case came in 2014, when a woman in the northern Illinois town of Rockton contacted police saying she saw a boy that resembled Timmothy at her garage sale, according to the Chicago Tribune. The tip came after the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children released an age-progression image showing what Timmothy would have looked like at the age of 9. It remained unclear if the boy the woman saw was in fact Timmothy. Fry Pitzen's cell phone, I-Pass and the clothing she was seen wearing on other surveillance videos, as well as Timmothys Spider Man backpack and his toys from the SUV, remained missing years after the boy disappeared, according to police. When he went missing, Timmothy stood about 4 feet, 2 inches tall and weighed about 70 pounds, officials said. Anyone with information is asked to call the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or Aurora Police at 630-256-5500. In 2011, 6-year-old Timmothy Pitzen's mother picked him up at school in Aurora, Illinois, took him to the zoo and a water park, and was then found dead of an apparent suicide at a motel. Authorities say she left a note saying her son was fine but that no one would ever find him. On Wednesday, a 14-year-old boy came forward to tell authorities he is Timmothy. The boy claimed he escaped from two kidnappers in the Cincinnati area and then fled across a bridge into Kentucky, according to an Ohio police report. He told police he fled from a Red Roof Inn and that his captors have held him for the past seven years. "Timothy [sic] described the two kidnappers as two male, whites, body-builder type build," the police report states. "One had black curly hair, Mt. Dew shirt and jeans & has a spider web tattoo on his neck. The other was short in stature and had a snake tattoo on his arms." The kidnappers' vehicle, according to the report, was described by Timmothy to officers as a newer model Ford SUV with unknown Wisconsin plates and a second row. The Ford is white with yellow transfer paint and a dent on the left back bumper, the report states. [[508070671, C]] All surrounding police agencies with Red Roof Inns in their jursidictions were contacted and nothing was found, according to the report. Earlier Wednesday, two Aurora detectives traveled to the area of Cincinnati, Ohio, for an investigation into a missing child, the Aurora Police Department said. Aurora police did not confirm that the investigation in Cincinnati was related to Timmothy's disappearance, but according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Pitzen is the only child missing from west suburban Aurora. "We've probably had thousands of tips of him popping up in different areas," Aurora police Sgt. Bill Rowley said. "We have no idea what we're driving down there for. It could be Pitzen. It could be a hoax." The Federal Bureau of Investigation in Louisville tweeted Wednesday afternoon that it was coordinating, alongside the FBI in Cincinnati, with police in Aurora, Cincinnati and Newport, Kentucky, as well as the Hamilton County sheriff's office, on a missing child investigation. The FBI also declined to confirm that the investigation was related to Pitzen's case. May 25, 2011: The security video from the Kalahari Resort was recorded at around 10:10 a.m. on May 13 and was the last time Timmothy and his mother, Amy Fry-Pitzen, 43, were seen together. The boy's disappearance has remained a mystery since 43-year-old Amy Fry-Pitzen took her son out of school and traveled to multiple Midwest water parks before she was found dead in May 2011. This year would mark his 14th birthday. Aurora police released two home-video clips of Timmothy Pitzen taken in November 2010. The boy has been missing since May. Alana Anderson, Pitzens grandmother, said Wednesday she has heard that a boy claiming to be her grandson was in a childrens hospital in Kentucky after escaping his captors. We never forgot, never stopped thinking about him everyday, stayed in touch with the police, she said. It just went cold, and I just prayed that when he was old enough that he would remember us and contact us that was kind of the best I could hope for for a long time. The last time she saw her grandson he was just over 6 years old. Asked if Pitzen would recognize her, Anderson responded, "I hope so." The last boost in the case came in 2014, when a woman in the northern Illinois town of Rockton contacted police saying she saw a boy that resembled Pitzen at her garage sale, according to the Chicago Tribune. The tip came after the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children released an age-progression image showing what Pitzen would have looked like at the age of 9. It remained unclear if the boy the woman saw was in fact Timmothy Pitzen. Fry-Pitzen's cell phone, I-Pass and the clothing she was seen wearing on other surveillance videos, as well as Timmothys Spider Man backpack and his toys from the SUV, remained missing years after the boy disappeared, according to police. When he went missing, 6-year-old Pitzen stood about 4 feet, 2 inches tall and weighed about 70 pounds, officials said. Anyone with information is asked to call the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or Aurora Police at 630-256-5500. What to Know Maura Murray, a 21-year-old UMass Amherst student, went missing after crashing her car in Woodsville, N.H. over 15 years ago. A bus driver stopped to help, but Murray waved him on, saying she had already called AAA. When police arrived, she was gone. The attorney general confirmed police are at a location in North Haverhill on Wednesday as part of an ongoing investigation into the case. After a search of a home in North Haverhill, New Hampshire, the attorney general's office said Wednesday there is no evidence of the body of a woman who went missing more than 15 years ago. Authorities had been at a single-family home not far from where Maura Murray crashed her car back in 2004. State and federal investigators spent the day searching in connection with the disappearance of the UMass Amherst nursing student. Murray's family tells NBC10 Boston they were heartbroken to learn that search turned up nothing. "This one hurts because I thought we finally had it," said Maura's father, Fred. The property that was searched is a stone's throw away from where Murray crashed and vanished without a trace. For almost 15 years, the homeowner denied access to the property. "I tried to get in there so many times, but the guy never came to the door," Fred Murray said. But after the house was sold, the new homeowner opened its doors to Murray. At the end of last year, he brought in two cadaver dogs, both of which noticed something in the same spot in a concrete basement. That's why the Murray family was convinced Wednesday's official search would finally bring them closure. During a late afternoon press conference, Associate Attorney General Jeff Strelzin told reporters that investigators found no evidence that Maura Murray's remains are on that property. "A team of a dozen agents and detectives went into that basement, cut that area, removed the concrete, and then searched several feet down," Strelzin explained. "They located absolutely nothing, other than a small piece of what looks to be pottery, and maybe a piece of old piping." On the night of Feb. 9, 2004, the 21-year-old University of Massachusetts Amherst student crashed her car into a snowbank along a country road in Woodsville, New Hampshire and vanished without a trace. Murray's family has been searching for answers ever since. "I am optimistic that we may have finally found her," Maura Murray's younger brother, Kurtis Murray, said Wednesday. "That's the only thing I can pray for. But it's a waiting game at this point." Fred Murray says he hasn't lost hope and won't stop searching until the day he dies. "What I'd like to do is dig my daughter up, bring her home, give her a proper burial, and put the guy who killed her right in the same hole," Mr. Murray said. The state says it will continue to follow every lead in this case to find out what happened to the missing woman. New Islamic criminal laws that took effect Wednesday in Brunei that punish gay sex and adultery by stoning offenders to death have triggered an outcry from countries, rights groups and celebrities far beyond the tiny Southeast Asian nation's shores. The penalties were provided for under new sections of Brunei's Shariah Penal Code. Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah instituted the code in 2014 to bolster the influence of Islam in the oil-rich monarchy of around 430,000 people, two-thirds of whom are Muslim. Even before 2014, homosexuality was already punishable in Brunei by a jail term of up to 10 years. The first stage of the Shariah Penal Code included fines or jail for offenses such as pregnancy out of wedlock or failing to pray on Fridays. But under the new laws, those found guilty of gay sex can be stoned to death or whipped. Adulterers risk death by stoning too, while thieves face amputation of a right hand on their first offense and a left foot on their second. The laws also apply to children and foreigners, even if they are not Muslim. "Living in Brunei, we already knew that our sexual identity is taboo and should not be expressed. We already felt belittled before the law came to place," said a 23-year-old member of the LGBTQ community who wanted to be identified only as Kun out of fear of reprisal from the authorities. "Now with it, we feel even smaller and the ones who could potentially oppress us have more opportunity to harass us to say and do what they want," he said. Celebrities including George Clooney, Elton John and Ellen DeGeneres have voiced opposition to the new laws, and have rallied a boycott of nine hotels in the U.S. and Europe with ties to Hassanal, who is still sultan. "Are we really going to help fund the murder of innocent citizens?" Clooney wrote Thursday on Deadline Hollywood. Clooney said that while you can't shame "murderous regimes," you can shame "the banks, the financiers and the institutions that do business with them." Customers at two prestigious Paris hotels owned by the sultan expressed their support for a boycott. Outside the Le Meurice hotel, Philippe Menager said he was no longer comfortable going to the spa after being a regular customer for 15 years. "I can't continue to be a frequent visitor of the hotels of this savage to preserve the jobs of the people who work at Le Meurice who are very nice and I like them," he said. A tourist from Norway, Anja Anderson, said she would have stayed at a hotel other than the Plaza Athenee had she heard about the boycott before making her reservation. There has been no vocal opposition to the new penalties in Brunei, where the sultan rules as head of state with full executive authority. Public criticism of his policies is extremely rare in the country. Hassanal, who has reigned since 1967, has previously said the Penal Code should be regarded as a form of "special guidance" from God and would be "part of the great history" of Brunei. The United Nations said Wednesday that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres "stands clearly against any form of cruel punishment" and believes the Brunei legislation clearly violates the principles "that human rights are to be upheld in relations to every person everywhere without any kind of discrimination." "So long as people face criminalization, bias and violence based on their sexual orientation, gender identity or sex characteristics, we must redouble our efforts to end these violations," said Guterres' spokesman, Stephane Dujarric. "Everyone is entitled to live free and equal in dignity and rights." On Tuesday, the United States joined the United Kingdom, Germany and France in urging Brunei to halt its plans. "The United States strongly opposes violence, criminalization and discrimination targeting vulnerable groups, including women at risk of violence, religious and ethnic minorities, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons," State Department deputy spokesman Robert Palladino said in a statement. Brunei's Southeast Asian neighbors, some of whom have laws banning sex between men, were silent. But LGBTQ citizens of other nearby Muslim-majority countries were concerned about the broad penalties. Nearly two-thirds of Malaysia's 32 million people are Muslim. They are governed by Islamic courts in family, marriage and personal issues. Last year, two Malaysian Muslim women were convicted under Islamic laws and caned for attempting to have sex with each other. Michelle Bachelet, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, urged Brunei's government to "stop the entry into force of this Draconian new penal code." "Any religion-based legislation must not violate human rights, including the rights of those belonging to the majority religion as well as of religious minorities and non-believers," she said in a statement on Monday. Phil Robertson, the deputy Asia director for Human Rights Watch, called on the sultan to "immediately suspend amputations, stoning, and all other rights-abusing provisions and punishments." "Brunei's new penal code is barbaric to the core, imposing archaic punishments for acts that shouldn't even be crimes," Robertson said in a statement Wednesday. Rachel Chhoa-Howard, Brunei researcher at Amnesty International, decried the "vicious" laws and asked the international community to condemn them. 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. What to Know A boy appeared in Newport, Kentucky, on Wednesday, claiming to be missing child Timmothy Pitzen Timmothy's disappearance has remained a mystery since his mother took him out of school and traveled to multiple Midwest water parks in 2011 She was found dead of an apparent suicide in a Rockford motel room and had left a note that the boy was safe but would never be found A person claiming to be a 14-year-old boy who went missing from Aurora, Illinois, at the age of 6 was actually a 23-year-old man from Ohio, police said Thursday. Investigators ran a DNA test on the person who appeared in the Cincinnati, Ohio, area on Wednesday, claiming to be the child who disappeared from the Illinois town more than seven years ago. Authorities confirmed Thursday that results indicated "the person in question is not Timmothy Pitzen." "A local investigation continues into this person's true identity," police said in a release. Newport, Kentucky police told an NBC affiliate station in the area that the person claiming to be Pitzen is actually 23-year-old Brian Michael Rini of Medina, Ohio. Further information on him was not immediately available. "Although we are disappointed that this turned out to be a hoax, we remain diligent in our search for Timmothy, as our missing person's case remains unsolved," Aurora Sgt. Bill Rowley said in a statement. Aurora police react after DNA tests showed a man claiming to be a boy missing from the Illinois town was not actually Timmothy Pitzen, the FBI said. In a press conference, Rowley said, despite the fact Pitzen was not found, the department is optimistic that the case is now so prominently back in public discussion. It created a renewed awareness in the case, So I think thats probably good, its good that its got people thinking about the case again, and perhaps has people looking at the case with new eyes. Rowley said he does not believe anyone has ever claimed to be Pitzen before. Over the years weve had, I would say, thousands of tips on where Timmothy may have been, or what may have happened to him and of course we diligently followed up on all of those, he said. Rowley also spoke briefly on the man authorities say claimed to be the missing boy. Folks who do things like this typically dont get away with their actions, he said. Im sure that if we follow this further were gonna see that the person down there is probably going to have some consequences for his actions down therealthough I wouldnt speak to that personally. Timmothy's disappearance has remained a mystery since Amy Fry Pitzen took her son out of school and traveled to multiple Midwest water parks before she was found dead of an apparent suicide in a Rockford motel room on May 14, 2011. A note left behind in the motel room said that Timmothy was safe and in someone's care, but that he would never be found. "To be clear, law enforcement has not and will not forget Timmothy, and we hope to one day reunite him with his family. Unfortunately, that day will not be today," police said in their release. Pitzen's family urged the public to "reserve all judgement and pray" for the man who falsely claimed he was the child. The family of missing Aurora boy Timmothy Pitzen spoke out and made a public request after a man falsely claimed he was the child who disappeared from the Illinois town more than seven years ago. "Unfortunately this child is not our beloved Timmothy. We know that you are out there somewhere, Tim, and we will never stop looking for you, praying for you and loving you," Kara Jacobs, Pitzen's aunt, said. "We hope that everyone will join us in praying for the young man who claimed to be Timmothy Pitzen." The man claiming to be a 14-year-old boy was spotted standing near an intersection in Newport, Kentucky, just across the Ohio River from Cincinnati, and told witnesses that he was the child missing from Illinois. He said he had slipped away from two kidnappers who had held him for the past seven years, the police report on the incident states. He told investigators he had escaped an unknown Red Roof Inn, according to the police report, and "kept running across a bridge" into Kentucky. "Timothy [sic] described the two kidnappers as two male, whites, body-builder type build," the police report states. "One had black curly hair, Mt. Dew shirt and jeans & has a spider web tattoo on his neck. The other was short in stature and had a snake tattoo on his arms." The kidnappers' vehicle, according to the report, was described by Timmothy to officers as a newer model Ford SUV with unknown Wisconsin plates and a second row. The Ford is white with yellow transfer paint and a dent on the left back bumper, the report states. All surrounding police agencies with Red Roof Inns in their jursidictions were contacted and nothing was found, according to the report. The FBI confirmed he was in safe custody but did not give an update on his condition. Earlier Wednesday, two Aurora detectives had traveled to the area of Cincinnati for an investigation into a missing child, the Aurora Police Department said, but could not confirm the investigation was related to Timmothy's disappearance. According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Pitzen is the only child missing from west suburban Aurora. The Federal Bureau of Investigation in Louisville tweeted Wednesday afternoon that it was coordinating, alongside the FBI in Cincinnati, with police in Aurora, Cincinnati and Newport, Kentucky, as well as the Hamilton County sheriff's office, on a missing child investigation. The FBI also declined to confirm that the investigation was related to Pitzen's case. Alana Anderson, Pitzens grandmother, said Wednesday she heard that a boy claiming to be her grandson was in a childrens hospital in Kentucky after escaping his captors. We never forgot, never stopped thinking about him everyday, stayed in touch with the police, she said. It just went cold, and I just prayed that when he was old enough that he would remember us and contact us that was kind of the best I could hope for for a long time. The last time she saw her grandson he was just over 6 years old. The last boost in the case came in 2014, when a woman in the northern Illinois town of Rockton contacted police saying she saw a boy that resembled Timmothy at her garage sale, according to the Chicago Tribune. The tip came after the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children released an age-progression image showing what Timmothy would have looked like at the age of 9. It remained unclear if the boy the woman saw was in fact Timmothy. Fry Pitzen's cell phone, I-Pass and the clothing she was seen wearing on other surveillance videos, as well as Timmothys Spider Man backpack and his toys from the SUV, remained missing years after the boy disappeared, according to police. Anyone with information about the case is being asked to call Aurora police at (630) 256-5000 or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at (800) 843-5678. Abandoning his threat to immediately seal the southern border, President Donald Trump warned instead on Thursday that he'd slap tariffs on cars coming to the U.S. from Mexico unless the Mexicans do more to stop the flow of migrants and drugs to the U.S. In his latest backtrack in recent days, Trump told reporters he would try the "less drastic measure" before resorting to his standing border-closure threat. "Mexico understands that we're going to close the border or I'm going to tariff the cars. I'll do one or the other. And probably start off with the tariffs," Trump said. He added later: "I don't think we'll ever have to close the border because the penalty of tariffs on cars coming into the United States from Mexico, at 25 percent, will be massive." It was the latest, seemingly sudden attempt at new leverage by a president struggling to solve what his administration has called a border "crisis." And it was a dramatic departure for Trump, who last week tweeted that he would close the border or large swaths of it this week unless Mexico immediately halted "ALL illegal immigration coming into the United States" a seemingly impossible task. Trump said at the time that he was "not kidding around," and his acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney said in a television interview Sunday that it would take "something dramatic" for Trump not to close down the crossings. Since then, however, White House advisers, border city leaders and U.S. economists have warned that such a move would have enormous economic consequences on both sides of the border, interrupting supply chains and boosting U.S. consumer prices on everything from avocadoes to autos. Trump in recent days has also backtracked on his push for Republicans to again take on health care and surprised his own education secretary by reversing a plan to ax federal aid for the Special Olympics. Those actions have only added to longstanding concerns about whether Trump's words can be trusted. Trump, who has long said his unpredictability is one of his greatest negotiating assets, has also followed through with some of his most bombastic threats, including forcing the country's longest-ever government shutdown over border funding. Trump had already appeared to be easing off his border threat earlier this week. Though he said Tuesday all options remained on the table, he shifted his goal posts, calling on Congress to pass immigration legislation to avert a closure and praising the Mexican government for doing more to apprehend migrants traveling through the country from Central America though it's unclear anything has changed. Marcelo Ebrard, Mexico's foreign relations secretary, said Tuesday his government had not changed its policies. And on Thursday, Mexico's ambassador to the U.S. Martha Barcena told The Associated Press the country was working to make its own border "more orderly" but "migration will never be stopped." Jesus Seade, the Mexican undersecretary for North America, also brushed off the threat of new tariffs, saying officials were "not concerned" and noting the tariffs are not part of the United States-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement that the countries have agreed to but not yet ratified. On Thursday, Trump also threatened tariffs if Mexico doesn't halt the flow of illegal drugs across the border, saying he'd give the country "a one year warning" to comply. "But if in a year from now drugs continue to pour in we're going to put tariffs on," he said, adding: "I don't play games." As for concerns his actions might interfere with the trade deal he fought for, Trump said the border was "more important to me than the USMCA." Trump has wide-ranging power to impose tariffs on national security grounds, which he has repeatedly used as leverage against other countries. But the USMCA was worded to protect Mexico against auto tariffs based on national security concerns, and trade lawyer Daniel D. Ujczo said those provisions are already in effect under a side letter. "In short, this is the exact scenario that the Mexican negotiating team predicted and secured protections from in the USMCA," he said. "Mexico 'Trump-and-Tweet-proofed' its auto sector," and the White House "would need to get very creative to impose auto tariffs on Mexico." In addition, despite what Trump suggests, Mexico, China and other American trading partners don't pay U.S. tariffs directly. American importers pay the tariffs at the border and then must decide how much of the higher cost they can pass along to U.S. customers. Tariffs do squeeze the manufacturers who export to the U.S. from foreign countries by making their products more expensive in the United States. But there again, that can hit U.S. companies, such as General Motors, which is a major car-maker in Mexico. Trump has been increasingly exasperated at his inability to halt the swelling number of migrants entering the U.S., including thousands who have being released after arriving because border officials have no space for them. Arrests along the southern border have skyrocketed in recent months and border agents were on track to make 100,000 arrests or denials of entry in March, a 12-year high. More than half of those are families with children, who require extra care. The president's "pretty frustrated," said Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, who spoke with Trump this week and offered to work with the administration "to try to come up with some more targeted ideas," including changes for remittances to Mexico. Trump suggested he work with the Treasury secretary on the idea, Cornyn said. Trump has invoked other executive powers, including declaring a national emergency in an effort to secure more money for his long-promised border wall. Congress voted to block the emergency declaration, but Trump vetoed that measure. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday that Democrats would file a lawsuit aimed at preventing Trump from "stealing" billions from federal programs and diverting the money to building barriers along the border. Administration officials had been studying ways to minimize the economic impact of a potential border closure in case Trump went through with his threat, including keeping trucking lanes open or closing only certain ports. But even absent that extraordinary step, delays at border stations have been mounting after some 2,000 border officers were reassigned from checking vehicles to deal with migrant crowds. A jury has found a former forensic nurse at Whiting Forensic Hospital in Middletown guilty on eight of 16 counts after two days of deliberations in a high-profile abuse case. A jury has found Mark Cusson guilty of three counts of cruelty to persons and five counts of disorderly conduct. The sentencing date has not yet been set. NBC Connecticut Investigates broke the story about the patient abuse at Connecticuts maximum-security mental hospital two years ago. Cusson took a calculated risk electing a jury trial in a patient abuse case that already has some of his former co-workers behind bars. A four man, two woman jury concluded Cusson did abuse longtime Whiting patient Bill Shehadi on more than one occasion in March 2017. All the incidents captured on surveillance video in Shehadi's room. The conviction comes after a judge decided to release surveillance footage at the center of the case to the public. If a picture is worth a thousand words, these videos are worth a million. You are able to see the violence and see how Bill Shehadi was treated by Mr. Cusson. All these strung together, show the tormenting behavior that Mr. Shehadi was subjected to by Mr. Cusson, said Assistant States Attorney Jeff Doskos during closing arguments Tuesday. Most of the four hours of surveillance video, which the prosecution says shows Cusson putting a mop on Shehadis head, kicking him off his bed, and throwing a cup of liquid in his face, among other things, is in the dark, other than one very short clip when the lights were turned on in his room. Cusson denied putting a mop of Shehadi's head. Cusson and his legal team had argued in the absence of any direction from hospital management, he adopted effective, yet unorthodox techniques for dealing with an exceptionally dangerous and difficult patient known to injure staff. Cusson attorney Norm Pattis tells NBC Connecticut Investigates that "...an appeal is inevitable." Cusson currently has a maximum potential prison time exposure of 20 years, but would likely get a lot less, according to people familiar with the case. The staff at a Waterbury school are cleaning parts of the building after learning about a suspected bed bug incident. The incident was reported at Waterbury Career Academy High School, according to the superintendent. Some students said they learned about it on social media. Somebody took a picture of it. It went on social media and it kind of became an outrage," ninth-grader Gabriel Gonzalez told NBC Connecticut. "School staff immediately addressed the issue and collaborated with the City Health Department and the School Facilities Division and the Bus Company consistent with established protocols. Cleaning of all potentially impacted areas has been undertaken and follow up inspections and remediation will be undertaken as necessary," the school system said in a statement. The district's Chief Operating Officer Will Clark said schools are generally not great places for bed bugs due to the types of surfaces in them and the cleaning regimen. Any potentially impacted areas within the school building were steamed and cleaned, school officials said. Theres no reason that this is any kind of an extended situation and we have no evidence that its anything other than an isolated situation," Clark said. School officials said virtually all instances of bed bugs in a school environment are the result of the insect being carried in from the outside in isolated circumstances, according to the release. The fire danger is high Thursday and the National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for all of Connecticut. It has been issued until 8 p.m. because of dry conditions and a lot of wind, according to the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. They said fuels will burn easily today and pose control problems until the winds subside tonight. Crews in Colchester are battling a brush fire on Prospect Hill Road around half-a-mile into the woods. On Wednesday, firefighters in at least two towns battled brush fires. South Windsor firefighters trudged through rough terrain to reach a brush fire near Clark Street that scorched about four acres. In Granby, a brush fire burned three acres and a small outbuilding. Fire departments across the state are on alert and are asking residents to take precautions. "Don't light cigarettes outside. Don't do any kind of exterior fires because anything in this weather condition doesn't take long to take off," South Windsor Fire Chief Kevin Cooney said. Three new additions to the New London Police Department promised to serve and protect the community Thursday. The department swore in Officers Gus Salas and Christopher Rood, and Police Trainee Jose Pansini. I want to give back to society and I want to serve the people of New London, Pansini said. Hes proud to wear his Connecticut Police Academy uniform and even prouder to know hell soon don the New London Police one. It always caught my attention because its such a diverse city, interesting place to come, Pansini said of New London, adding ferry rides first attracted him to the city. After meeting the officers at the department, and feeling the confidence they gave him, he knew he wanted to be part of the police force. Pansini was born in Venezuela and has lived in Spain, Puerto Rico and the United States. His ability to speak Spanish and Italian will help him serve a diverse metropolis like New London. Newly sworn in Officer Gus Salas is also fluent in Spanish having even assisted the department with translations in the past. I want to see that little young kid thats like, you know what, I want to be like him because of the uniform, Salas said about the impact he hopes to have on the community. His community. Salas has lived in New London for about 20 years. Born in San Jose, Costa Rica, Salas grew up in Norwalk. He got his bachelors degree from the University of Connecticut and a masters from University of New Haven. Salas served the U.S. Marine Corps as a scout sniper. He also was part of the Manchester Police Department before spending 10 years with the Connecticut State Police as part of the Statewide Narcotics Task Force as a Detective and Narcotics K9 handler to black lab Albert. He was most recently with Mashantucket Tribal Police. Salas has earned 14 awards as an active duty Marine and a State Police officer. With a diverse force you are able to communicate and the community is able to kind of understand they feel that connection with you. We cant do our job unless the community supports us, Salas said. Numbers from New London Police Chief Peter Reichard show 15 percent of New London Police officers speak more than one language including Spanish, Russian, Italian, Cantonese and Arabic. Reichard touts the experience of his officers. Newly sworn in Officer Christopher Rood was born and raised in Winham. Among his experience, he worked for Pratt & Whitney as a tool and die maker. Then he served 21 years with the Willimantic Police Department earning the ranks of corporal and detective. I was a field training officer as well so I figure I could be a mentor to the younger guys coming on, Rood said. In his tenure, Rood was recognized three times by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) for his enforcement of drunk driving laws as well earning police merit awards and a distinguished service award. He spend a year and a half with Mashantucket Tribal Police before taking the job in New London. Salas and Rood started their police careers together at the police academy back in 1996. Mexican restaurants in Connecticut would feel the impact of a U.S.-Mexico border shutdown. Economists are warning of price hikes and product shortages if President Donald Trump follows through on his threat to close the southern border. I think it would hurt you know the Mexican restaurants and everybody who likes Mexican food, Stephany Uriostegui form New Haven said. For lunch Thursday at Mezcal restaurant near East Rock, she ordered a traditional fried tortilla Mexican dish called chilaquiles. It actually doesnt come with avocado, she said, I always choose to add avocado because I just love avocados. Avocado prices have already gone up since the president made the border shutdown threat on Twitter. Avocado and lime are the main products that we import from Mexico and they get to be very expensive sometimes, Mezcals owner Ricardo Trejo told NBC Connecticut. Trejo also serves Mexican tomatoes, jalapenos and chipotle and his bar is stocked with tequila and mescal from his home country. A border shutdown for business, well it will mean that I will have to raise the prices a lot and I dont know if the people are going to be willing to pay for it, Trejo said. I mean people are going to complain. Trejo said the quality of food on his menu could suffer without fresh ingredients. If they close the border we are going to have to buy the dried avocado that we just add water and make guacamole, he said. The president Thursday offered an alternative to a complete border shutdown as he puts pressure on Mexico to stop the flow of drugs. "The only thing, frankly better but less drastic, than closing the borders is to tariff the cars coming in, President Trump said. And I will do it. Just like you know I will do it. I don't play games. I will do it." Trejo said he worries how a shutdown would hurt communities along the U.S.-Mexico Border. And a lot of Mexican Americans, a lot of people who live near the border are into business with Mexico, relatives over there, family members over there, they import/export all the time so they are going to be in more trouble, Trejo said. Authorities have arrested a man suspected of crashing his car into two girls playing in the front yard of a Georgia home, then fleeing the scene, NBC News reported. One of the girls, 9-year-old LaDerihanna Holmes, was seriously injured in the hit-and-run crash Friday evening. Video of the scene showed a black sedan speed through a stop sign, on the the yard and into LaDerihanna and her friend. Gabriel Jabri Fordham, 28, was arrested Tuesday and faces a felony charge of serious injury by vehicle and four misdemeanor charges, the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office said. A family attorney told NBC affiliate WXIA that LaDerihanna's family knows she's lucky to be alive. The car "didn't just hit her, it threw her through a brick wall," he said. Rep. Tim Ryan announced Thursday that he is running for president, adding to the growing 2020 field of Democratic candidates, NBC News reported. The Ohio congressman made the announcement online as he was set to appear on daytime talk show "the View." According to his campaign, he plans a kickoff rally with local union leaders in Youngstown, Ohio, highlighting his longstanding ties with the area's working class community. Ryan is known for having challenged then-House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who is now speaker of the House, for the leadership of the Democrats in Congress after the 2016 election. The attempt was unsuccessful, but he became a fixture on cable news. His message is progressive and worker-friendly, and he's already made several trips to New Hampshire and Iowa. A felony criminal mischief charge filed against a woman allegedly assaulted by a man in a Deep Ellum parking lot March 21 has been dismissed by the Dallas County District Attorney, county officials confirm. A criminal mischief warrant for L'Daijohnique Lee was issued by the Dallas Police Department on Tuesday over damage reportedly done to Austin Shuffield's truck following an alleged assault recorded on video. The damage to the truck was more than $2,500, Dallas police confirmed Tuesday, making it a felony. A felony criminal mischief charge filed against a woman allegedly assaulted by a man in a Deep Ellum parking lot March 21 has been dismissed by the Dallas County District Attorney, county officials confirm. Lee's attorney, Lee Merritt, said Wednesday he expected Dallas County Distirct Attorney John Cruezot to drop the charge. Shortly before 1 p.m., NBC 5 confirmed the warrant was recalled and the charge was dismissed. During a news conference Wednesday afternoon, Lee said she was angry and mad about the charge filed against her and that she felt like the Dallas Police Department was, "basically saying his truck was more valuable than my life." The three charges filed against Shuffield, meanwhile, were all misdemeanors. A felony charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon was referred to the grand jury. Shuffield will have his first court appearance on the misdemeanors on April 12. On Wednesday, Dallas Police Chief Renee Hall defended issuing the warrant. The woman who was assaulted by a man in a Deep Ellum parking lot March 21 has been charged with a felony for breaking the man's truck windows, police say. "We have the responsibility as a police department to file that charge and the district attorney in this case or any other case has the ability to either accept that charge or reject it," Hall said. Lee's attorney first reported the news in an Instagram post Tuesday, writing Lee broke the back windows of Shuffield's truck after the assault "in a moment of desperation." "It is undisputed that this occurred after the unprovoked attack," Merritt's post continued. In video of the early-morning attack captured by a witness, Shuffield can be seen slapping a cell phone out of Lee's hand before punching her in the head multiple times. He also brandishes a gun in the video. The incident allegedly started when Lee stopped her car on Elm Street, blocking Shuffield's truck, to avoid driving the wrong way on a one-way street. Shuffield faces three charges stemming from the attack -- unlawfully carrying a weapon, misdemeanor assault and interfering with an emergency call. Lee said she suffered a concussion in the attack and other injuries including swelling in her jaw, a black eye and an injury to her ear. Merritt said Lee had been to the emergency room three times since the attack, most recently on Sunday, and had received referrals to a facial surgeon and a psychiatrist. A felony charge of aggravated assault with deadly weapon has been referred to a grand jury. NBC 5's Jack Highberger contributed to this report. At the meeting (Photo: mic.gov.vn) Mr. Hung informed that the Vietnamese Government was making efforts to develop an electronic Government, looking toward a digital Government, in order to create a transparent environment serving residents and businesses. In terms of ICT infrastructure, he asserted that Vietnam had developed a fairly good ICT infrastructure system with 60% of people using Internet and nearly 40% of subscribers using 3G and 4G broadband mobile services. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Information and Communications is granting license for 5G testing, and the 5G service is expected to be provided in 2020. Saying that while the Ministry of Information and Communications was developing policies and law regulating documents relating to data management, sharing of data links and protection of personal information, the Deputy Minister added that the Vietnamese Government was also improving the business environment, simplifying procedures, accelerating electronic payment and developing innovation and start-up. Jeffrey Donald, BCIU Senior Vice President, said that his delegation wanted to study Vietnams priorities in start-up and innovation ecosystem, and how cooperation between Vietnamese and US businesses could promote cooperation between the Vietnamese Government and US businesses./. What to Know There is also no indication Zhang was connected to Chinese intelligence, although her arrest has reignited concerns. Chinese diplomats have been informed of the arrest of a Chinese woman at President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago club over the weekend and are providing her with consular services, the Foreign Ministry said Thursday. Spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters that the Chinese Consulate General in Houston had been notified of the March 30 arrest, had gotten in touch with the person involved and was providing her with consular assistance. Geng gave no details. Yujing Zhang is being held on charges of illegally entering and lying to U.S. agents. Court documents allege 32-year-old Zhang told a Secret Service agent Saturday she was a Mar-a-Lago member there to use the pool. Agents were later summoned and they say Zhang began arguing during an interview. Agent Samuel Ivanovich wrote in court documents that Zhang told him that she was there for a Chinese American event and had come early to familiarize herself with the club and take photos, contradicting what she had said at the checkpoint. He said Zhang said she had traveled from Shanghai to attend the nonexistent Mar-a-Lago event on the invitation of an acquaintance named "Charles," whom she only knew through a Chinese social media app. Ivanovich said Zhang carried four cellphones, a laptop computer, an external hard drive and a thumb drive containing computer malware. She did not have a swimsuit. There is no indication Zhang was ever near the president or that she personally knew Cindy Yang, a Chinese native, Republican donor and former Florida massage parlor owner who made news recently after it was learned she was promising Chinese business leaders that her consulting firm could get them access to Mar-a-Lago, where they could mingle with the president. A man named Charles Lee ran the United Nations Chinese Friendship Association and was photographed at least twice with Yang, who also goes by the name Yang Li. Yang previously owned a spa where New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft was charged with soliciting prostitution. Archived images of the United Nations Chinese Friendship Association's website, which has since been taken down, show that the organization advertised itself as a non-profit registered with the U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs. A page of "registration documents" purports to show certificates from the States of Delaware and New York, as well as a screenshot of a listing on the U.N.'s official website. But a search Thursday for the association on the U.N.'s database did not turn up any results. The United Nations Chinese Friendship Association's website also shows Lee in photos with several government officials of various countries, including Trump, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, as well as officials from China, Canada, Turkey and South Korea. It is not clear whether any of the photos have been digitally altered. While no espionage charges have been filed against Zhang, her arrest has reignited concerns, especially among Democrats that Trump's use of the club constitutes a security risk as long as members and guests are allowed to come in and out while he is there. Zhang's arrest attracted comments from Chinese internet users on the popular Weibo microblogging service, many of whom portrayed her as having been tricked by those seeking to exploit her desire for attention and connections. The Communist Party newspaper Global Times, known for its strident nationalism, ran a lengthy report on the Zhang and Yang cases, accusing the U.S. media of hyping them as examples of Chinese "Trojan horses" entering Mar-a-Lago out of an excess of "Cold War thinking." Gale the show dog was reunited with her Dutch owner Tuesday after vanishing at Atlanta's airport over the weekend. Floris van Essen told news outlets his dog went missing while waiting to board a flight to Amsterdam. The American Staffordshire terrier was in a crate and had gone through security with another dog about three hours before their flight was to leave. The dogs had been heading home after being shown in the U.S. About 10 minutes before boarding at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the dog's handlers were told that when workers went to load the dog's crate, they discovered it was empty. Van Essen, who had flown home to the Netherlands before his dog. WGCL-TV reported that KLM Royal Dutch Airlines said in a statement the dog broke out of its cage and went missing Saturday. On Tuesday, the airline tweeted that the dog had been found. An official later said Gale was found in a rock quarry. At the University of North Texas Discovery Park, an engineering team of students is making childhood dreams reality, augmented reality. "So there is a floating beacon over there that's going to show me where to walk to," explained David Woodward, part of the 3-person ARIS, Augmented Reality Interface System team. ARIS is one of 15 finalists in the NASA Suits competition, and one of only two Texas teams. Other finalists come from prestigious schools like MIT and Harvard. As the name implies, teams are working on developing new technology for NASA spacesuits. "So their next generation of spacesuits, they want to implement augmented reality into the visors of the helmet to help astronauts with the navigation, communication, a wide range of things," said Woodward. Because spacesuits aren't all that space age anymore. They were last updated in the early 2000s. "They have to relay what they're seeing to Houston, Houston has to go talk to a team of engineers, then engineers have to get a response and it has to work its way all the way back," said Tim Stern, a team member. "So there's this massive delay in the information chain." The students' project is meant to help put information in front of the astronauts' eyes and at their fingertips. "I want to be an astronaut," said team member Juan Ruiz, who immigrated to North Texas from Mexico. "My parents did not have enough money to buy me a computer, so for me, my fascination was to literally look at the stars and let my mind go free." The team will travel to Johnson Space Center in Houston for the NASA Suits competition finals April 15-19. S Band Radar & Maps | Forecast | Weather Alerts Traffic | Send Us a Photo/Video | Live Cams On April 3, 2012, a tornado outbreak occurred in North Texas, focused largely in or around the DFW metro area. A total of 22 tornadoes occurred during the afternoon and early evening. Seventeen of the tornadoes were considered weak, rated EF0. The strongest was an EF3 that hit Forney with winds of up to 165 miles-per-hour. Your Tornado Photos - April 3, 2012 At one point, there was a tornado occurring in Tarrant County and another tornado occurring in Dallas County. The National Weather Service issued a rarely used Tornado Emergency alert for both storms. NBC 5 Senior Meteorologist David Finfrock later said it was the biggest challenge of his career to cover the twin tornadoes in the two most populated counties in North Texas at the same time. NBC 5 showed live video of one of the tornadoes as it tossed semi-trailers through the air like toys. The latest video forecast from NBC DFW team of Weather Experts will appear in the player above. Keep up with the latest changes to the weather by downloading the NBC DFW smartphone App for iOS and Android! Your Damage Photos - April 3, 2012 The day began with a risk of severe storms with hail and strong winds being the main threats. As the day progressed conditions became more favorable for the potential for tornadoes. The intensity of the storms was actually helped out by a cluster of storms in Oklahoma. The Oklahoma storms created an outflow boundary that moved south into Texas. This acted as a small cold front that enhanced the strength of the storms in North Texas. An apparent tornado tossed around a fleet of parked tractor-trailers at Schneider National. Dozens of the 500 trucks parked at the lot were damaged, and some were thrown hundreds of feet. Photos: Tornadoes Touch Down in North Texas Despite the large number of tornadoes, there were no fatalities, with 29 people injured. Approximately 1,100 homes were damaged, including 349 that were destroyed. The damage was estimated to be about $1 billion. Get the latest forecast information from NBC 5's team of Weather Experts here. The California Horse Racing Board on Friday put Los Alamitos on probation for 10 days while the track develops a plan to address an increase in horse deaths. The board voted 5-1 remotely in an emergency meeting to allow the Orange County track to continue racing during the probation. Commissioner Wendy Mitchell was the lone dissenter. According to the board, 19 horses have died from racing or training at the track in 2020, including eight since May 26. Los Alamitos was the only track in California allowed to continue operating during the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic. It runs night racing Friday through Sunday featuring mostly quarter horses with some thoroughbred racing mixed in. The meet from June 26-July 5, which featured strictly thoroughbreds, did not have any fatalities, the CHRB said. Hall of Famer Bob Baffert is among the trainers who keep a division of horses at Los Alamitos to train or race before sending them to Santa Anita or Del Mar. As a track surface, I consider it the best surface. Los Alamitos is sort of the standard of all track surfaces, Baffert told the racing board during the public comment portion of the two-hour meeting. That is the safest racing surface that I've trained on. Greg Avioli, president and CEO of the Thoroughbred Owners of California, agreed with Baffert's opinion of the surface. The TOC would support the continuation of training and racing at Los Alamitos, Avioli said. Dr. Rick Arthur, the racing board's equine medical director, said, I see no evidence that it's a track surface problem. I do not believe that Los Alamitos is an unsafe track." New CHRB executive director Scott Cheney, who is not part of the six-member board, called for the emergency meeting on Thursday. Last year, the board was authorized by the state Legislature to stop racing at a track if it found it necessary. The expanded powers came after a sharp increase in horse deaths at Santa Anita. Speaking on behalf of Los Alamitos, attorney Drew Couto told the board that the track has steadily decreased the number of racing and training deaths since 2008. We all know sometimes deaths occur in clusters, he said. Before the vote, Mitchell said, I'm disappointed a little that the Los Alamitos folks just had the attorney speak instead of coming up with a plan for addressing these increased deaths. CHRB chairman Gregory Ferraro said he wanted to hear more details from track management on its investigation of the deaths and a plan to deal with them. I think there is a culture there among the practicing veterinarians and trainers that are pushing the envelope of the safety of these horses, he said. In the interest of fairness, I think it would be one step too far to close Los Alamitos altogether. Ferraro proposed the motion to give the track 10 days of probation while management develops a plan to address the injuries and deaths. The board will hear from track officials at the end of the probation and consider whether the track should be suspended. I would rather bend over backwards in an attempt to be fair to Los Alamitos than to seem to be punitive without adequate information, Ferraro said. Several activists urged the board during the public comment period to shut down the track, with several airing their grievances about horse racing. The owner of a solar-power company was accused Thursday of orchestrating a fraud scheme that allegedly bilked Los Angeles homeowners out of more than $1.4 million. City Attorney Mike Feuer office has filed a civil complaint and obtained an asset freeze against Nelson Solis, the owner of Eco Solar Home Improvement, along with several affiliated entities and associates. The lawsuit claims victims were defrauded though cash payments or through loans backed by assessments on homeowners' property taxes, all made in exchange for little or no work, and through misuse of the Property Assessed Clean Energy Program. Solis could not be reached for comment. Feuer said the allegations are "among the most devastating scams that I can recall in my career.'' In addition to the asset freeze, Feuer said he is seeking a permanent injunction, civil penalties and restitution for victims. Solis and his companies, including Aleman Electric/Eco Solar Plus LLC, along with related businesses and individuals, including Edgmont Eco Construction, Max & Son Inc., Henry Solis, Edduy Pena, Max Ramos Hernandez and Raul Amaya, were named in the lawsuit. The PACE program is a government program that helps property owners finance energy efficiency home improvement projects, including the installation of solar panels, through loans backed by property tax assessments. According to the lawsuit, the defendants allegedly targeted Spanish-speaking homeowners while luring them into construction contracts and PACE loans, sometimes taking out PACE loans on behalf of homeowners without their consent. The defendants also allegedly concealed the terms and true costs of the loans, and failed to perform the work as promised. Once the defendants received money from the PACE loans or upfront cash payments, they would abandon the projects without often having done any meaningful work, the lawsuit claims. Feuer said the case involved 35 alleged victims. A man accused of slashing at least nine people while riding a bicycle around Los Angeles County was arrested, authorities said. Lenrey Briones, 19, who is homeless, was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of attempted murder, the LAPD said. Authorities accuse him of being the bicycle slasher who has injured at least nine people in attacks in the South Los Angeles area. Security video released Tuesday showed a bicyclist, three in the south Los Angeles area and one in South Gate. Two of the crimes occurred on Monday, the first about 8:40 a.m. near Florence Avenue and Avalon Boulevard in the south Los Angeles area, the Los Angeles Police Department reported. "The victim was standing on the sidewalk near the bus stop," according to a police statement. "The unknown suspect approached the victim on his bicycle and slashed at the victim as he rode past him with an unknown-type edged weapon, causing severe injury to his face." About 15 minutes later, a woman was slashed in the face near Avalon Boulevard and 59th Place. "The victim reported that a male suspect on a bicycle slashed her face with an unknown object as he rode past her, causing severe injury to the left side of her face and ear," the LAPD reported. On March 20 about 7:30 a.m., a man was slashed in the face by a bicyclist near Avalon Boulevard and 59th Street in south Los Angeles. And on March 27 about 11 a.m., a person was severely injured when slashed in the face in South Gate. The suspect was described as Hispanic, about 18 to 30 years old, 5- foot-6 to 5-foot-8 and weighing about 150 pounds, with short hair. He was riding a mountain bike. Anyone with information on the case was urged to call (323) 318-3610, or Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS. As several thousand people, including firefighters from across the nation, gathered in Maine to honor the life of one of their own, a fire chief in attendance suffered a medical emergency and later died. Maine Gov. Janet Mills says Oxford Fire Chief Gary Sacco died after attending Sunday's funeral for Berwick Fire Capt. Joel Barnes, who was fatally injured shielding a colleague while battling a four-alarm fire on March 1. "Our hearts, already broken by the loss of Captain Joel Barnes, also mourn the loss of Oxford Fire Chief Gary Sacco. In a testament to his own character, Chief Sacco lost his life while honoring that of his fallen brother, fellow firefighter Captain Barnes," Gov. Mills said on Twitter. "I join with people across Maine in offering my thoughts and prayers to Chief Saccos family and friends, the Oxford Fire Department, and all of Maines first responders. The State of Maine has given two of its best to the Heavens." Maine Medical Center spokesman Matt Wickenheiser confirmed that Sacco was stricken at the funeral, rushed to a hospital and pronounced dead in the emergency room. Sacco served in the Oxford Fire Department starting in 2017 after he retired from New Gloucester where he was fire chief for 12 years, affiliate WCSH reports. He also served in the Auburn Fire Department. The staff of the Oxford Fire Department planned to gather Sunday evening to mourn the loss of Chief Sacco. Sacco was among hundreds of firefighters from across New England who attended the public memorial for Barnes at the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland. What to Know Its Thursday, April 4th and NBC 6 has the top six stories you need to know for the day. Its Thursday, April 4th and NBC 6 has the top six stories you need to know for the day. No. 1 South Florida will need to keep those umbrellas handy as showers are in the forecast for most of the day. Keep your NBC 6 app handy for First Alert Doppler 6000 radar and updates throughout the day. No. 2 - Three Miami-Dade firefighters were taken to the hospital after their rescue truck crashed during the early morning hours of Thursday. The crash took place just before 4:30 a.m. in the southbound lanes of the Florida Turnpike near Quail Roost Drive. No. 3 - Authorities are searching for a driver who was caught on camera intentionally running over a pedestrian in an Oakland Park parking lot. The incident happened the evening of Feb. 23 in the Publix parking lot at 950 East Commercial Boulevard. Surveillance footage shows the driver stop his car to allow the pedestrian to walk in front of him, but as the victim finishes crossing the vehicle, the driver accelerates and turns in the direction of the victim. No. 4 - Royal Caribbean has canceled the next three sailings of the Oasis of The Seas after a crane fell on it. There were no passengers on board, but eight people were injured. Affected customers will get a full refund and credit towards a future cruise. No. 5 - The safety of one stroller brand is being called into question after nearly 100 adults and children were allegedly injured while using Britax strollers between 2012 and 2018. Britax was sued by the Consumer Product Safety Commission for refusing the voluntary recall. The Washington Post reports that suit was settled without a recall. No. 6 - A teenager in Kentucky claims he's the boy who disappeared in Illinois nearly 8 years ago after his mother was found dead in a motel room. The 14-year-old is telling investigators he escaped two kidnappers that had been holding him for seven years. The FBI is working with authorities in multiple states to confirm his identity. A man who was allegedly punched by a famous Mexican soap opera star during a reported road rage incident in Miami has died. Pablo Lyle, 32, was arrested Monday on a felony battery charge in the Sunday night incident in the area of Northwest 27th Avenue and Northwest 14th Street, according to an arrest report. On Thursday, it was confirmed that the 63-year-old victim died at Jackson Memorial Hospital. He was identified as Juan Ricardo Hernandez. Miami Police confirmed Thursday it was now a homicide investigation. According to the report, Lyle was involved in the alleged road rage incident with the man and later admitted to punching the man once. The man fell to the ground and fractured his skull, and suffered from internal bleeding, the report said. Lyle fled the scene in a car driven by another person, but a witness was able to get the license plate, the report said. Lyle was later detained at Miami International Airport. Lyle told detectives he was in fear for the safety of his family during the incident, and said he thought the victim was going to strike first, the report said. Police booked Lyle into jail and he was later released on bond. Attorney information wasn't available. Court records showed Lyle was allowed to return to Mexico after posting bond. He told reporters there that he couldn't comment on the incident. Lyle is one of the stars of "La Sombra del Pasado" and made the "50 Most Beautiful" list by People en Espanol in 2015. A man is facing charges after authorities say he threatened to blow up the SunPass headquarters in Doral after he became upset over a billing dispute. Khambrel Dailey, 29, was arrested Wednesday on one count of threatening to place a destructive device, Doral Police officials said. Police said Dailey made several phone calls to the SunPass call center over a dispute concerning toll charges. During the call Dailey made multiple threats to place a bomb and blow up the headquarters, police said. Dailey identified himself by name, the phone number on his account and his address during the calls, police said. Dailey later told detectives he was angry when he made the calls and never had any intentions of blowing up the headquarters or harming anyone, police said. Jail records showed Dailey was being held on $7,500 bond Thursday. Attorney information wasn't available. "No matter how frustrated or or upset you may be at a billing dispute, you cannot go to the extreme where you make a threat that you're going to harm people by setting off an explosive device," Doral Police spokesman Rey Valdes said. "You can't do that. Not in the day and age we are living in." What to Know All three of the rescue crew members were taken to Jackson Hospital South, where they are listed in stable condition. Three Miami-Dade firefighters were taken to the hospital after their rescue truck crashed during the early morning hours Thursday. The crash took place just before 4:30 a.m. in the southbound lanes of the Florida Turnpike near Quail Roost Drive. All three of the rescue crew members were taken to Jackson Hospital South, where two were eventually released and one remains listed in stable condition. Officials said the truck was the only vehicle involved and it may have hit the median due to the wet conditions on the road. The crew had just finished assisting another driver who had spun out in the same area, officials said. Stay tuned to NBC 6 on air and online for updates Pope Francis named Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory as the new archbishop of Washington, D.C., the Vatican announced Thursday. Gregory, who served as archbishop of Atlanta, will be the seventh archbishop of Washington and the first African American to lead the Catholic Church in D.C. I am deeply grateful to Pope Francis for this appointment to serve the Archdiocese of Washington and to work with all of the members of this faith community, Gregory said in a news release. I look forward to encountering and listening to the people of this local Church as we address the issues that face us and continue to grow in the Love of Christ that sustains us. The 71-year-old succeeds Cardinal Donald Wuerl, who served as archbishop of Washington from 2006 to October 2018, when he resigned after a Pennsylvania grand jury report was released alleging the Wuerl who was then bishop of Pittsburgh did little to stop predator priests. Wuerl and many of his supporters vehemently deny that accusation. I have known Archbishop Gregory for many years, Wuerl said in a statement. In working with him on a range of pastoral initiatives and programs, I have come to recognize how generously he shares his talents and his love for the Church. Gregory headed the U.S. bishops conference when it adopted a "zero-tolerance" abuse policy in 2002 to respond to the first wave of the scandal. He has run the Atlanta archdiocese since 2005 and is seen as a pastor very much in line with Francis' progressive vision of the church. It is the third major move by Francis to reshape the U.S. hierarchy, which over the previous two papacies took on a culture war-influenced conservative tilt. Francis began elevating more moderate pastors in 2014, when he named Cardinal Blase Cupich as Chicago archbishop and followed up two years later by moving Joseph Tobin to Newark, New Jersey, and making him a cardinal. Gregorys installation will take place May 17. Pope Saint John Paul II appointed Gregory as the sixth archbishop of Atlanta Dec. 9, 2004. The Auxiliary Bishops of Washington released statements in support of Gregory, saying they receive the news with great joy. "This appointment reflects the Holy Fathers love for our local church, for each one of us, and, especially, for our immigrant families in the Archdiocese," Bishop Mario E. Dorsonville said in a statement. Archbishop Gregory will be able to identify with, and compassionately serve all of the people of this archdiocese, who represent very diverse ethnic, cultural and social backgrounds," Bishop Roy E. Campbell, Jr. said. The archdiocese became embroiled in the abuse crisis since its previous two leaders Wuerl and his predecessor Theodore McCarrick have been implicated in the scandal. Francis in February defrocked McCarrick after a Vatican-backed investigation concluded he sexually abused minors and adults over his long career. It was the first time a cardinal had been dismissed from the priesthood for abuse. Francis reluctantly accepted Wuerls resignation in October after he lost the trust of his priests and parishioners in the months following the release of the Pennsylvania grand jury report. The report accused Wuerl of helping to protect some child-molesting priests while he was bishop of Pittsburgh from 1988 to 2006. Simultaneously, Wuerl faced widespread skepticism over his insistence that he knew nothing about McCarricks misconduct, which was an open secret in U.S. and Vatican circles. Gregory, by contrast, is still credited for his leadership of the U.S. church during a moment of crisis, when as president of the U.S. bishops conference he persuaded church leaders to adopt toughened penalties for abusers in 2002. Gregory has impeccable credentials for dealing with the sex abuse crisis, which is essential for healing the church, the Rev. Thomas Reese, an expert on the American church, said in a column Thursday at Religion News Service. What to Know An attorney says lawsuits filed under New Yorks Child Victims Act could ravage the finances of some Catholic religious orders Seattle-based lawyer Michael Pfau, who targets accused pedophile priests, says there are more than 170 orders operating in New York Pfau is already planning to sue two religious orders -- the Franciscan Friars and the Christian Brothers -- for alleged sex abuse cases An attorney who targets accused pedophile priests says lawsuits filed under New Yorks Child Victims Act could ravage the finances of some Catholic religious orders. According to Michael Pfau, a Seattle-based lawyer who has represented scores of clergy abuse survivors, there are more than 170 religious orders operating in New York. Many have their national or regional headquarters in the state. "I think religious orders, for whatever reason, have flown under the radar. Especially in New York State," said Pfau. According to data compiled at Georgetown University, almost a third of Catholic priests are non-diocesan, meaning they answer to their own superiors in religious orders. Pfau is already planning to sue two religious orders -- the Franciscan Friars and the Christian Brothers -- for alleged sex abuse cases in Albany and the Buffalo areas. In one of those cases, Fr. Luke Rutter, a Franciscan priest who worked at St. Francis High School in Athol Springs, New York, is accused of molesting Scott Heldwein -- a student in the 1980s who lived in the schools freshman and sophomore dormitories. He would take me to dinners at nice restaurants and all that, Heldwein said. The abuse always happened when I dont know if he slipped something in my drink or whatever but it always happened when alcohol and marijuana was involved. Rutter died in 2000. Fr. Michael Heine, a spokesman for the Franciscan Friars, declined to say if there had been other abuse claims against Rutter. Heine said no current official at St. Francis High School was on staff at the time of Heldweins alleged molestation, but once Heldwein brought his accusation forward, the Franciscans provided several years of counseling and treatment for the former student. "The safety and well-being of young people and all vulnerable persons is a paramount goal and responsibility for all friars and collaborators of our Province, Heine said. Our hearts go out to all victims of abuse and we pray for their healing and peace. Another boarding school run by a religious order - Albanys LaSalle School - is the target of another planned lawsuit made possible by the Child Victims Act. In that case, Steven Narbon, a former teenage orphan, says Rev. Joseph Romano repeatedly abused him while volunteering at the school for troubled youth run by the Christian Brothers. Its a struggle for me not to kill myself, Narbon said. You feel worthless. You feel damaged. The Christian Brothers declined to answer specific questions about alleged abuse at LaSalle, but Philip Derita, a spokesman for the religious order, stressed Rev. Romano was not a member of the Christian Brothers but rather a diocesan priest who was assigned to work with troubled youth at the school between 1981 and 1984. He said the first time the religious order became aware of allegations against Romano was when the I-Team sent an email inquiry last week. We are deeply concerned with any misconduct that could involve one of our sponsored ministries no matter the circumstances or how long ago the abuse may have taken place, DeRita said. Mary DeTurris Poust, a spokeswoman for the Albany Diocese, said Rev. Romano was permanently removed from ministry in 2003 by Bishop Howard J. Hubbard, following two credible allegations of sexual abuse received in 2002 and 2003. Both of those allegations stemmed from conduct alleged to have occurred in the 1970s and 1980s - around the same time Narbon attended LaSalle. DeTurris Poust declined to address Narbons abuse accusation, citing his plans to file a lawsuit. She also declined to say where Rev. Romano currently lives - or whether he is still alive. A 2003 press release issued by the Albany Diocese said Romano strongly denied the abuse allegations at the time of the suspension. In 2011, the North American branch of the Christian Brothers filed for bankruptcy protection after a series of multimillion-dollar abuse cases in the Seattle area. Many of those claims were filed by Pfau. He says it is likely that lawsuits filed under New Yorks Child Victims Act could push other orders into bankruptcy, too. Some of the religious orders are small and they may not have the assets to fully fund the settlements, said Pfau. Also, bankruptcy in the Catholic context is often a strategy used by a diocese or religious order to stop bleeding and more importantly to stop the flow of information. But Pfau believes religious order bankruptcies ultimately do little to protect Catholic assets from lawsuits. Thats because religious orders often work in close collaboration with local dioceses, making joint decisions in clergy assignments. That means victims of religious order clergy can generally seek compensation from the diocese as well. Every religious order in New York State falls under the supervision or the purview of one of the Catholic dioceses in New York State, Pfau said. The dioceses are always involved on some level and sometimes very, very involved. What to Know A New York City man was charged in a sexual assault that occurred in New Jersey 14 years ago, authorities announced Thursday Roydell Cameron, 39, was arrested March 29 at JFK Airport as he tried to board a flight to Jamaica, authorities said Cameron, of the Bronx, is accused of raping a woman at gunpoint in Palisades Park in April 2005 A New York City man was charged in a sexual assault that occurred in New Jersey 14 years ago, authorities announced Thursday. Roydell Cameron, 39, was arrested March 29 at JFK Airport as he tried to board a flight to Jamaica, Acting Bergen County Prosecutor Dennis Calo and Attorney General Gurbir Grewal said. Cameron, of the Bronx, is accused of raping a woman at gunpoint in Palisades Park in April 2005. Authorities say an expanded, three-county cold case homicide unit, known as the North Jersey Regional Cold Case Task Force, helped develop DNA evidence in the case, which led to Cameron being identified as a suspect. Cameron faces two counts of sexual assault, as well as a weapons offense and a charge of making terroristic threats. He remains jailed in New York pending extradition to New Jersey. It is not immediately known if he's retained an attorney. Texas prisons will no longer allow clergy in the death chamber after the U.S. Supreme Court blocked the scheduled execution of a man who argued his religious freedom would be violated if his Buddhist spiritual adviser couldn't accompany him. Effective immediately, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice will only permit prison security staff into the death chamber, a spokesman said Wednesday. The policy change comes in response to the high court's ruling staying the execution of Patrick Murphy, a member of the "Texas 7" gang of escaped prisoners. Texas previously allowed state-employed clergy to accompany inmates into the execution chamber, but its prison staff included only Christian and Muslim clerics. In light of this policy, the Supreme Court ruled Thursday that Texas couldn't move forward with Murphy's punishment unless his Buddhist adviser or another Buddhist reverend of the state's choosing accompanying him. "The government may not discriminate against religion generally or against particular religious denominations," the court's newest justice, Brett Kavanaugh, wrote in a concurring opinion. Murphy's attorneys told the high court that executing the 57-year-old without his spiritual adviser in the room would violate his First Amendment right to freedom of religion. He became a Buddhist almost a decade ago while incarcerated. One of those lawyers, David Dow, said the policy change does not address their full argument and mistakes the main thrust of the court's decision. "Their arbitrary and, at least for now, hostile response to all religion reveals a real need for close judicial oversight of the execution protocol," Dow said Kristin Houle, executive director of the Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, called the new policy "cruel and unusual," and urged the department to reconsider. Prison chaplains will still be able observe executions from a witness room and meet with inmates on death row beforehand, said Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokesman Jeremy Desel. He declined to elaborate on the reasoning behind the policy change. What to Know A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit over Pennsylvania Turnpike toll increases that are financing payments to help fund transit agencies. The judge ruled that a truckers' organization didn't adequately argue that the scheme violates the commerce clause of the U.S. Constitution. The payments are driving up the turnpike commission's debt, despite 11 straight annual toll increases. A federal judge is dismissing a lawsuit over Pennsylvania Turnpike toll increases that are financing payments to help fund transit agencies. U.S. District Judge Yvette Kane ruled Thursday that a truckers' organization didn't adequately argue that the scheme violates the commerce clause of the U.S. Constitution or the constitutional right to travel. The lawsuit had also asked the court to bar the turnpike commission from using tolls to pay off debt stemming from payments it is required to make under a 2007 state law. A plaintiffs' lawyer says they'll appeal. Gov. Tom Wolf's transportation secretary, Leslie Richards, told lawmakers in February it would be "catastrophic" to have to repay the $6 billion total transferred by the turnpike commission. The payments are driving up the turnpike commission's debt, despite 11 straight annual toll increases. After decades of persistent poverty rates in Philadelphia, city leaders are initiating a multi-pronged approach aimed at tipping the scales toward a more equitable future. This includes a shared vision with the Chamber of Commerce, which has typically been seen as a "pro-business" community comprising, -- and protecting -- high earners, City Council President Darrell Clarke told NBC10. "Sometimes the stars align," he said. "I think this is a golden opportunity." On Thursday, the Chamber of Commerce of Greater Philadelphia launched the PHL Neighborhood Growth Project, which will "engage with community leaders, voters, and candidates in honest dialogue about the challenges facing the City of Philadelphia and advocate for an inclusive, pro-growth agenda as being key to needed solutions." "We know that while some Philadelphia communities are flourishing, many are not - a fact that our high and growing poverty rate makes all too clear," said Chamber president and CEO Rob Wonderling. "A growing economy is the best way to generate the tax revenues needed to invest in our city and its people." The PHL Neighborhood Growth Project will look at shortening Philadelphia's 10-year tax abatement program and using some of that revenue to establish a Neighborhood Renaissance Fund that would fund loans and grants for neighborhood commercial districts. The Chamber of Commerce will also look at increasing education funding and job training programs, improving public safety through gun violence intervention, creating a permanent Office of the Inspector General to ensure transparency and accountability in City Hall, and reducing taxes and regulatory codes. Much of this agenda mirrors legislation introduced last month by Clarke, Councilwoman Maria Quinones Sanchez and Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell. Their package of six bills is aimed at stabilizing the housing market for low-income residents and makes up part of City Council's overall strategy to narrow the wealth gap by preventing and reducing poverty in a rapidly changing city. "If you don't have a quality, affordable place to live, the likelihood that you're going to stay out of poverty ... is unlikely," Clarke told NBC10 Thursday. "We have to make sure people have an affordable place to be." The anti-poverty bills include: Mandating that developers set aside 33 percent of new units for affordable housing Reducing the city's tax on salaries, wages and businesses Incentivizing landlords to rent to low-income tenants by offering tax credits Creating housing protections for formerly incarcerated people Establishing a low-income defense fund for tenants fighting evictions Requiring landlords to report rental information for each rental unit in the city Quinones Sanchez referred to the series of initiatives as a "toolbox" to help maintain the city's high home ownership while simultaneously leveling the housing market for potential new buyers and renters. Quinones Sanchez represents the Seventh District, which has a 41.6 percent poverty rate, the highest in the city, according to a newly released report commissioned by, but independent of, the City Council. "Philadelphia is still somewhat affordable," Quinones Sanchez said. "There is no reason why you need to leave your house." Currently, more than 50 percent of local residents own their homes despite a 26 percent poverty rate across the city. That dynamic makes Philadelphia unique, the councilwoman added. The report to the Council looked at "strategies to alleviate and prevent poverty in Philadelphia." It found that much of the city has not benefited from recent job growth and an expanded tax base. In fact, between 2000 and 2016, the number of affordable units fell by more than 20 percent. Ninety percent of the city's U.S. Census tracts saw a net loss of these housing options, according the report. The result is that more than half of renters spent more than one-third of their incomes on rent, which topped more expensive and higher earning cities like Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. Despite lower wages, Philadelphia renters spend almost as much of their total income as people in New York City, according to the report. Of course, Philadelphia's high poverty rate is nothing new. The city has struggled to keep up with other cities since the 1970s, Clarke said. But with an increasingly "progressive City Council" and a business community on the same page, the time is right to make meaningful change, he added. What to Know NYC is set to become the first major U.S. metro to employ congestion pricing; the goal is to ease traffic, cut pollution + lift mass transit The plan details still have to be worked out; it would use a network of license plate readers to bill vehicles for using certain roads About 717,000 vehicles a day enter the Manhattan zone (anywhere south of Central Park) considered for the program, a recent city study said New York City is set to become the first American metropolis that seeks to ease traffic congestion, cut pollution and boost mass transit by charging people a hefty toll for the privilege of driving into its most crammed areas. So can it work? If the experience of other cities around the world that have tried it is any indication, the answer appears to be yes. London, Singapore and Stockholm have all reported that "congestion pricing" systems similar to the one now being planned for Manhattan led to initial reductions in traffic and improvements in air quality, while creating a steady stream of revenue to support public transit and other infrastructure. "New York is a prime example of cities where it tends to work, which is very high density, with relatively good public transportation" or at least the skeleton of a good system, said John Rennie Short, professor of public policy at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. But critical questions still to be resolved that could determine what the experiment ultimately looks like and whether it is successful, experts said. New York has to work out details of the plan, which would use a network of license plate readers to bill vehicles for using surface roads anywhere in Manhattan south of Central Park. That includes the cost of the toll, which is likely to be more than $10. Will the tolls raise enough money to make the city's strained mass transit system reliable? Is there enough alternative transportation for commuters who decide to give up their cars? How will the tolling system affect the delivery trucks, taxis and ride-hail vehicles that now comprise a big proportion of Manhattan traffic? And will so many vehicles be made exempt from the tolls that the effect on travel patterns is minimal? Mitchell Moss, director of the Rudin Center for Transportation Policy and Management at New York University, predicted that in the end the city might see only a modest decline in traffic, as people either absorb the cost and keep driving, or switch to services like Uber and Lyft. "We're not going to see people abandon their cars to get into the subway," he said. Primarily, he said, the system is likely to benefit the public transportation system, which now has a new source of revenue for much-needed repairs and upgrades. "This is a terrific victory ... for the mass transit ridership and for New York's capacity to respond to the crisis of its mass transit system," he said. New York state legislators approved a conceptual plan Monday for the tolling system, which would supplement an existing network of bridge and tunnel tolls that charge $9.50 to $15 for vehicles coming into Manhattan via seven of the 20 bridges and tunnels leading onto the island. A panel will now be convened to set the toll prices one recent proposal suggested around $12 for passenger vehicles and create possible exemptions or credits for some drivers. That could include discounts for motorists already paying a toll enter Manhattan. The earliest the tolls could begin is Dec. 31, 2020. One model for the system has existed since 2003 in London, which offers evidence that the system could work and a cautionary note for how it may need to adapt over time. Initially, London charged drivers 5 pounds, or about $6.50, to come into the central part of the city during the workweek. The toll initially had a considerable effect. In its first year, congestion dropped 30%, buses got 6% faster and there was a 12% reduction in emissions. In recent years, however, congestion has dramatically worsened, despite the fee rising to 11.50 pounds, about $15, per day. Officials say that was due in large part to the flood of app-based for-hire vehicles like Uber, which were initially exempt from the tolls. As a result, the city is lifting the exemption starting April 8. In Stockholm, a pilot program that was put in place with less-than-enthusiastic public support in 2006 became much more popular as people saw immediate drops in congestion and air pollution, so much so that residents voted to make it permanent in 2007. Singapore's system has been around since the 1970s. About 717,000 vehicles a day enter the Manhattan zone considered for the program, a recent city study said. One estimate said a congestion pricing plan with an $11.52 toll could reduce traffic by 13 percent and raise gross revenues of $1.1 billion per year, much of which would go to support trains and buses after expenses. "Even a small reduction in traffic can have a substantial impact on the larger traffic network," said Kate Slevin, senior vice president of state programs and advocacy at Regional Plan Association, an advocacy organization that supports the congestion toll. Asked about concerns over whether such a beleaguered transit system could even handle more riders if people decided not to drive into Manhattan, Slevin pointed out that transit officials have almost two years to take steps that will help, like redoing bus routes. "The good news is there's going to be a couple of years before the congestion toll is turned on," she said. When she entered the race in May 2018, Chicago's new Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot was a long shot, even by her own admission - and relatively unknown in comparison to some of her opponents. Now, Lightfoot has a low profile no longer. After a resounding victory in which she swept all 50 wards, Lightfoot will be sworn into office in May as Chicago's first black female mayor and the city's first openly-LGBTQ mayor as well, an historic election by several measures in the country's third-largest city. A native of Massillon, Ohio, Lightfoot will also be the first elected mayor since Anton Cermak, in office in the 1930s, who was not born in Chicago. Lightfoot touched on her upbringing in her victory speech Tuesday night, giving a brief but emotional glimpse into the people and experiences she said made her who she is today. "My parents didn't have it easy," Lightfoot said. "My dad got really sick and slipped into a coma for a year, a whole year, and woke up without the ability to hear anything." "He lived the rest of his life with his disability," she continued. "He worked as a barber and a janitor and put up with the racism in our small, segregated steel town." Lightfoot had previously said that her father's disability and its impact on her family "profoundly shaped" her views on social justice. "My mom worked low-wage jobs in mental hospitals and nursing homes. My parents didn't have much money but they had their dignity and their dreams. Dreams for their children. Dreams for me," Lightfoot said. "They taught me the value of honesty, decency, hard work and education and they gave me faith - the faith that put me where I am today." "My mom is watching this tonight, with more than a little pride in her little girl," she added. After Lightfoot finished first in the Feb. 26 election to make the runoff, she told reporters that her 90-year-old mother had called her the next morning to share her hope that her daughter would open doors for others. "She said, and I agree, I hope that my candidacy demonstrates to young people, particularly young people of color who look like me, maybe growing up in circumstances like me, that with hard work, anything is possible," Lightfoot said the morning after the February election. As for her father, Lightfoot grew emotional Tuesday night. "My dad isn't with us anymore, but Dad," she said, pausing seemingly to collect herself, voice wavering ever so slightly. "Wherever you are, look at your daughter. And look at everyone here. And look at our great city." "Thank you, Dad. Your sacrifices have been born anew. We made it," Lightfoot continued. Lightfoot left Ohio to complete her undergraduate degree at the University of Michigan, then after two years working as a legislative aide in Washington, D.C., earned a full ride to attend law school at the University of Chicago. She's lived in Chicago since 1986, save for a one-year clerkship on the Michigan Supreme Court, and since she moved to the city she's been a federal prosecutor from 1996 to 2002, and held various roles in city government, including as chief of staff for Chicagos Office of Emergency Management and Communications in 2005. Lightfoot is the former president of the Chicago Police Board, a position to which Emanuel appointed her in 2015, and which she resigned before launching her mayoral bid. Emanuel also tapped Lightfoot to chair the Police Accountability Task Force in 2016, in the wake of the fatal shooting of Laquan McDonald that rocked the city and sparked a U.S. Department of Justice investigation in the Chicago Police Department. Most recently, Lightfoot worked as a senior equity partner at Mayer Brown LLP. Celebrating the new chapter in her career and for the city on Tuesday night, Lightfoot credited her wife and 11-year-old daughter - featured prominently in her light-hearted closing television ad - for her victory. "I sure wouldn't have made it without my wife Amy and our daughter Vivian," she said, gazing at her family onstage as the crowd chanted her wife's name. "I want to thank you both for your endless inspiration, your support at the toughest times and your undying love. You are my all, my everything." Former Vice President Joe Biden acknowledged Wednesday that his tendency toward physical displays of affection and encouragement has made some women uncomfortable, and he promised to be "much more mindful" of respecting personal space. "Social norms have begun to change. They've shifted," the 76-year-old Biden said in a cellphone video posted to Twitter. "And the boundaries of protecting personal space have been reset. And I get it. I get it. I hear what they are saying. I understand." Wearing a suit and open-collared shirt, Biden also teased an announcement of his political plans, promising to "be talking to you about a whole lot of issues." Shortly after the video was released, a union announced Biden would speak at their conference in Washington on Friday. The video was Biden's first direct comment on what has tripped up his preparations to enter the 2020 Democratic presidential campaign. He did not directly apologize but seemed to be seeking to ease some people's discomfort, which has raised questions about whether he could wage an effective campaign. On Friday, former Nevada politician Lucy Flores wrote in New York Magazine that Biden approached her from behind, touched her shoulders and kissed the back of her head in 2014. Since then, another woman has said Biden grabbed her face when he was thanking congressional staff at a 2009 event. On Wednesday, The Washington Post reported that three additional women had recounted uncomfortable encounters with Biden. One of them, Vail Kohnert-Yount, said she was a White House intern in the spring of 2013 when she met Biden in the West Wing and, as they chatted, he put his hand on the back of her head and pressed his forehead to hers and called her a "pretty girl." NBC News has not verified the report. Biden, a former longtime U.S. senator from Delaware, first said in a statement that he did not recall the episode that Flores initially described in the magazine piece and then in subsequent weekend interviews. In the video Wednesday, Biden insisted that what he described as the compassion from where the affection comes will not change and again nodded to the steps he's taking toward running. "But I'll always believe governing life, for that matter is about connecting, connecting with people," he said. "That won't change." Biden also said that he would be more careful about his actions in the future. "And I'll be much more mindful. That's my responsibility, my responsibility, and I'll meet it," Biden said. And in so doing, Biden was tacitly acknowledging a nagging concern for some voters: that he cannot adapt. "The idea that I can't adjust to the fact that personal space is important, more important than it's ever been, is just not thinkable," he said in closing. "I will. I will." President Donald Trump, who has been accused by multiple women of sexual misconduct (which he denies), was asked Wednesday whether Biden should apologize for the ways he has interacted with women. The president replied, "No, he's going to make his own decisions. He's very capable of making a decision, I assume." A day earlier, Trump taunted Biden at a National Republican Congressional Committee fundraiser, saying, "Our former vice president, I was going to call him. I don't know him well. I was gonna say, 'Welcome to the world, Joe. You having a good time, Joe?'" A Maryland police department has concluded that one of its officers was justified in fatally shooting a man last year during a confrontation captured on body camera video. Prosecutors already had ruled out any criminal charges against Officer Anand Badgujar before Wednesday's announcement by the Montgomery County Police Department. The department says its administrative investigation of the June 2018 shooting death of Robert White, a 41-year-old black man, found that the officer's use of deadly force was "lawful and justified." In a memo dated March 26, Police Chief J. Thomas Manger says body camera footage shows White escalated the situation by attacking Badgujar and "putting him in grave danger." White didn't brandish a weapon, but police say investigators found a folding knife in his right front pocket. Petland ended its franchise agreement with a Virginia store accused of animal abuse. Crews removed the sign from the Fairfax location Wednesday evening. Police seized documents and bodies of dead animals from the store Monday after an undercover investigation by the Humane Society of the United States revealed the bodies of 14 dead rabbits in the stores freezer. What we found is in the freezer we found 31 rabbits and one dog that was in the freezer, City of Fairfax Police Lt. Ronnie Lewis said. Police say storing dead animals in a freezer until they can be properly disposed of follows protocols. They are investigating to see if any laws were broken and waiting for test results to see what caused the animals deaths. The Humane Society said its concern is that no one contacted a veterinarian to go to the store and find out what the problem was. Petland released a statement from its corporate offices saying it is shocked by the allegations and is launching its own investigation. This information is appalling and in no way reflects the values, policies and procedures demanded of Petland stores, the statement said. Petland said it will relocated the animals in the store. The Fairfax store is owned and operated by a local family, Petland said. News4 tried to get a comment at the store but was told no one was available. Over a period of months, the Humane Society investigated the Petland at 9404 Main St. Suite A, using hidden cameras to document possible animal abuse. Their findings included a freezer full of more than a dozen dead rabbits, which Petland staff claimed got sick and they just let ... die, according to a Humane Society press release. The dead rabbits had accumulated over a period of two months. The Humane Society said it uncovered it is a regular practice of the Petland staff to not administer veterinary care to sick or dying rabbits. The Humane Society also traced the main supplier of the Fairfax Petland locations rabbits to Wagners Farm in Centreville, Maryland. The farms owner told the Humane Society they sell about 60 rabbits per month to the Fairfax Petland location. This would require the farm to obtain a USDA license, which Humane Society could not find any record of the farm holding. Petland is the largest chain of U.S. pet stores that still sells puppies and rabbits, according to HSUS. Humane Society President and CEO Kitty Block issued a statement saying: A woman and her 13-year-old granddaughter died in a fire that destroyed five town houses in Calvert County, Maryland, Wednesday afternoon. Calvert County Fire and Rescue found several town houses on fire when they arrived in the 3800 block of Gordon Stinnett Avenue in Chesapeake Beach. Wendy Welch and her granddaughter Stephani Link couldn't get out in time. "They were together, said Kathleen Link, Welch's daughter and Stephanie's aunt, who was not home at the time. They said that they found both of them together with their arms around each other." Theres a huge fire happening behind the Chesapeake beach water park right now. I hope everyone that lives back there is ok. pic.twitter.com/sBLO373jK5 Ben Peterson (@sunnydiglett) April 3, 2019 Neighbors said they jumped into action when the fire started to spread. "We went door-to-door from the second one, third one, fourth one, this one, that first one over here to get people out," Rebecca Christine Mackall said. "It was traveling underneath the house from the first one, and it was literally moving underneath," Thomas Mackall said. "Then it engulfed the second one and it kept on spreading underneath all the houses, and then they all turned into matchsticks." Four firefighters were injured when part of the structure collapsed. Calvert County Fire Chief Stephen Stanton said medics drove three firefighters to a hospital for burns. There is specific amount of grief that is associated when its one of your firefighter brothers that are injured, he said. The fourth firefighter's injury wasn't specified. Neighbors said the deceased were new to the community. Chopper4 caught the moment another town house that firefighters were dousing with water also collapsed. Firefighters believe the fire was accidental. They said it started outside and quickly spread. While the cause is undetermined, the most probable cause is discarded smoking materials, according to the state fire marshal. "I don't look to believe to have anything suspicious at this time," Deputy State Fire Marshal Gregory Der said. Seven families have been affected by the fire and are getting temporary housing and food through the Red Cross. Donations of water, shelf stable food, personal care items, etc. will be accepted for the next two weeks at Northeast Community Center, 4075 Gordon Stinnett Ave. in Chesapeake Beach from 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 8:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The United Way of Calvert County is accepting donations online. Donations also can be made by texting the message Chesbeachfund to 91999. A reply with a link for donating will appear. Checks with Chesapeake Beach Fire Relief Fund in the memo can be mailed to P.O. Box 560, 530 Main St., Prince Frederick, MD 20678. Gift cards and donations also can be dropped off in person at Chesapeake Beach Town Hall Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. After-hours donations can be dropped off in the secure drop box. Editor's note (11:02 p.m., April 3): This story previously said the deceased were a woman and her daughter. As iPhone sales slip, Apple has been positioning its booming digital-services business as its new profit engine. But there could be a snag in that plan. A brewing backlash against the rich commissions Apple earns from all purchases and subscriptions made via iPhone apps could undercut the app store, which generates about a third of the company's services revenue. Late last year, Netflix rebelled against Apple's fees, which can range from 15 percent to 30 percent. Analysts fear other companies may follow. And attorneys representing consumers in a pending Supreme Court case charge that Apple is an unfair monopolist in the market for iPhone apps. An adverse decision in that case could open a legal door that might eventually force Apple to cut its generous commissions. Apple shares have plunged 25 percent from their peak in early October thanks to concern over iPhone sales. Investors are now hanging onto Apple services as a "life preserver in the choppy seas" just as it's about to float away, Macquarie Securities analyst Benjamin Schachter concluded after the Netflix move. These app-store fees mostly hit app developers themselves, although some pass along the costs to users of their iPhone apps. Spotify, for instance, used to tack $3 onto the cost of its $10-a-month paid service but only for users who signed up via its iPhone or iPad app. Apple has doubled down on digital services as consumers cling to older iPhone models, hurting sales. Apple's iPhone revenue this year is expected to drop by 15 percent from last year $141 billion, according to analysts surveyed by FactSet. Services, by contrast, are expected to generate about $46 billion in revenue this year, according to the same survey. Schachter estimates the app store will account for $16 billion of the services revenue. By those estimates, both services and app store revenue will have doubled in just three years. Apple didn't respond to the AP's inquiries about its app fees. It has previously defended the system as reasonable compensation for reviewing all apps and ensuring its store remains a safe and secure place for e-commerce. Google charges similar fees in its own app store, although its overall business isn't as dependent on them. Besides the app fees, Apple's services division includes revenue from its Apple Music streaming service, iCloud storage, Apple Care, Apple Pay and ad commissions that Google pays to be the iPhone's built-in search engine. Apple is also expected to roll out its own streaming-video service this spring, although few details are available. The potential streaming competition from Apple may have triggered Netflix decision's to stop allowing customers to pay for new video subscriptions through its iPhone app. Instead, it directs users to its website, thus avoiding the extra fees. (Netflix did likewise with Google's app store last year.) Netflix alone won't put a significant dent in Apple's finances, even though it paid Apple more money last year than any other non-gaming app, according to App Annie, a firm that tracks the app market. That sum came to about $110 million, accounting for just 0.3 percent of the services division revenue, based on disclosures made in Apple's earnings calls last year. More than 30,000 third-party apps now accept subscriptions through Apple's store. Netflix declined to discuss its reasons for ending new subscriptions through the app store. But its move drew more attention to an app store tax that other technology companies have already attacked as an abuse of the power that Apple has amassed since opening its app store years ago. Almost three years ago, Spotify also stopped accepting new subscriptions through Apple's app store. Its move followed the debut of Apple Music, which obviously doesn't have to pay any commissions. "They're trying to have their cake and eat ours, too," Spotify spokesman Jonathan Prince told The Associated Press in 2016. "We find it bad for consumers, unfair to consumers and ultimately something that could stifle music streaming subscriptions across the board." Spotify regularly harps on the unfairness of Apple's app-fee system in its securities filings. The company didn't respond to interview requests for this story. Few other apps reach as many customers as Netflix and Spotify, making it unlikely that the rebellion against Apple's app store commissions will greatly swell, said Amir Ghodrati, director of market insights for App Annie. Apple doesn't seem to be worried. In fact, it's reportedly demanding an even higher commission roughly 50 percent for a Netflix-like news service that it is trying to create with a variety of publishers, according to a recent Wall Street Journal report based on unidentified people familiar with the negotiations. That proposal faces resistance from The New York Times, The Washington Post and other publishers who believe Apple is trying to exploit its market power to extract excessive fees. Most app makers, however, are too worried about losing access to the app stores to speak out against the fees. Epic Games, maker of the popular Fortnite video game, has been a notable exception. Epic CEO Tim Sweeney lashed out at app fees as a "parasitic loss " at a video game conference 18 months ago, according to the trade publication GamesIndustry.biz. "We should be angry about this, and we should constantly be on the lookout for other solutions, and new ways to reach gamers," Sweeney said at the time. The North Carolina company didn't respond to interview requests. Since then, Epic has refused to release its Fortnite app in Google's Play store for Android phones, although it continues to offer an iPhone version. But Epic has opened its own app store for all video games built for personal computers, and only takes 12 percent of the revenue a rate that Schachter fears Apple may eventually be pressured into adopting as well. Sweeney broadcast a rallying cry for app maker on his Twitter account in January, not long after the news broke about Netflix abandoning Apple's subscription system. A 30 percent commission "completely breaks the economics of content distribution businesses like Netflix, Spotify, Kindle, and any digital stores that aim to compete," Sweeney tweeted. "This has got to change in 2019!" A Navy SEAL charged in the death of an Iraqi war prisoner was reunited with his family after he was moved from the brig to the barracks at U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Miramar Saturday. Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher was able to see his wife and son during this time, according to a Facebook post by "Free Eddie Gallagher Navy SEAL Chief." The post thanked President Donald Trump, who announced the move 15 hours earlier in a tweet. Gallagher is accused of killing a teenage Islamic State fighter under his care and then holding his reenlistment ceremony with the corpse. Navy prosecutors also accuse Gallagher of shooting two civilians in Iraq and opening fire on crowds. Gallagher has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges. In Trumps tweet, the president said the move was in honor of Gallaghers past service to the country. The tweet came after 18 Republican members of the U.S. House sent a letter to Navy Secretary Richard Spencer raising concerns about the conditions of Gallaghers confinement at the Navy brig in California. Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher was moved from the brig to the barracks at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar after President Trump said he would step in to help. NBC 7's Bridget Naso has more. In their March 18 letter to Spencer, the House members said Gallaghers family and friends reported that he had not had sufficient access to his defense attorneys. They also said they got reports he was not receiving enough food or adequate medical care. Housing prisoners such as Gallagher who are awaiting trial with those who have completed their trials may be to blame for some of those problems, they said, and they called on Spencer to review that practice. Following the transfer, the Facebook post claimed he "was finally moved into conditions that will allow him to receive the medical care he needs and deserves, and also the opportunity to adequately and fully prepare for his trial with his legal team." Chief Special Warfare Operator Edward Gallagher pleaded not guilty to the accusations of premeditated murder for the stabbing death of a teenage ISIS fighter. NBC 7s Alex Presha has more on the unfolding trial. NBC 7 reached out to Gallagher's attorney, Phil Stackhouse, who said his team is also "very thankful" to the president for Gallaghers release from pretrial confinement. Stackhouse also thanked U.S. Reps. Duncan Hunter, Ralph Norman, and Dan Crenshaw in an email to NBC 7. NBC 7's Bridget Naso spoke to the SEAL's attorney about the charges hours after the Navy confirmed the SEAL will face a Court-Martial Now that the President has directed Chief Gallagher's release, we look forward to the Navy expeditiously releasing him to his command, Stackhouse wrote. A military judge last month postponed Gallaghers trial by three months after defense lawyers asked for more time to go over the prosecutions evidence. The trial was reset for May 28. President Trump said a Navy SEAL charged with murder will be moved to less restrictive confinement while he awaits trial. NBC 7's Bridget Naso has more. Police in Methuen, Massachusetts are investigating after a local family's dog was shot and killed on Lowell Boulevard on Thursday afternoon. According to Methuen police, a woman came home from work and found the family's German Shepherd, named Moose, shot in her backyard. Another one of the family's four German Shepherds, named Creek, was laying on top of Moose, possibly to comfort him while he was dying, police said. Police were on scene Thursday afternoon checking other houses in the area along with MSPCA law enforcement and state police crime scene services. The search included a wooded area, as they looked for the track of the person who may have shot the dog. State police said they were assisting Methuen police in the investigation, and that a fire/explosives section was at the scene with a K-9 trained to detect ballistic evidence. "This is a tragic crime and is treated as seriously as any other violent crime," state police said on Twitter. "Law enforcement must have no tolerance for animal cruelty." Neighbor David Lemieux, said none of the dogs at the home posed a threat. "You can walk over there and anybody can walk through that gate and they're not going to bite you," he said. "They may be intimidating, but they're not going to bite you because he doesn't own dogs like that." "I don't know why anybody would do something like this," said Ron Hatem, another neighbor. "What do they do? Stop and shoot the dog when nobody was home?" One of the family's other dogs has a graze wound that was discovered on Thursday afternoon. It's unclear if that wound is related to the shooting. The investigation is ongoing. Flames tore through an auto body shop in Cohasset, Massachusetts on Thursday afternoon destroying the business and an apartment upstairs. If the winds were blowing in the opposite direction, my home definitely would have caught on fire, said Michelle Hartford, who lives next door. I just put a new roof on, so it would have been a disaster. Firefighters say mechanics at Hajj Auto Body Care, located at 147 South St., were working on a car outside when they saw smoke coming from one of the garage bays. The fire spread quickly, and it was especially dangerous, with ammunition and chemicals inside. Oil from the garage spilled into the storm drain system creating a hazmat situation, which led authorities to try and contain the damage, according to Assistant Cohasset Fire Chief John Dockray. Its a mess, said Hartford. Theres oil and water everywhere, my gardens are ruined and theres about five feet of water in my backyard. All I care about is that the firemen are not hurt and not in danger and nobody got hurt inside the building. The fire grew to 4-alarms involving fire departments from the neighboring communities of Scituate, Norwell, Hingham and Hull. The suspect in the killing of a 23-year-old mother from Massachusetts whose body was found dead in the trunk of a vehicle in February has been indicted on federal charges. Louis Coleman III, 32, of Providence, Rhode Island, was indicted on one count of kidnapping resulting in death. He will be arraigned at a later date. Jassy Correia of Lynn was last seen outside of the nightclub Venu in Boston's Theater District on Feb. 24. Her body was found in the trunk of a car in Delaware four days later. Authorities have said it does not appear that Correia knew Coleman. Although Coleman has not been formally charged with murder, U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling has said there is probable cause to believe he killed Correia. The charge of kidnapping resulting in death provides for a sentence of death or life in prison. Correia was last seen alive getting into Coleman's red sedan. Two hours later, surveillance video from Coleman's Providence apartment building showed him carrying a body with long hair and clothing matching Correia's description, according to court documents. Footage then allegedly showed him drop Correia onto the floor and drag her body toward the building's elevator. Prosecutors said more surveillance video from Coleman's apartment building and a nearby Walmart caught him buying multiple items, including a large suitcase. Hours later, video surveillance allegedly caught him wheeling the suitcase to his car, capturing him as he struggled to put the suitcase in his trunk. State police in Delaware caught up with Coleman, who used to work at Waltham-based defense contractor Raytheon, as he was driving on Interstate 95 south in Wilmington. When Coleman was told to get out of his car and was asked if there was anyone else in it, he allegedly told troopers, "She's in the trunk." Correia's body was found wrapped in a sofa cushion cover, which was inside of a black trash bag inside a large suitcase that matched the one Coleman was observed bringing into his apartment three days after Correia's disappearance. Correia was found naked, with significant bruising and a bloodied face. She was bound with gray duct tape and covered in what is believed to be baking soda. Just last week, federal and local authorities asked the public for help identifying four people who they said may have information on the Correia kidnapping case. Authorities said the individuals are not suspected of any wrongdoing, but may have overheard something that could help bring closure to Correia's family. Two people are being charged with robbery after an alleged armed home invasion in Alexandria Thursday morning, according to New Hampshire State Police. Officials say Jessica Evans, 23, and Matthew Gedney, 36, allegedly robbed a home on Lynn Ave while armed and wearing ski masks around 6:15 a.m. The suspects fled the scene and police deployed a K-9 to search for the suspects, according to authorities. Officials say they were led to an unoccupied building nearby. The K-9 was deployed into the building, police say, and found Evans, biting her and forcing her out of the building and into police custody. The State Police SWAT team and K-9 searched the building for Gedney for several hours and took him into custody after locating him in the rafters of the building. Evans and Gedney will be arraigned in Grafton Superior Court. It is unclear whether either has an attorney. Residents in Walpole, Massachusetts, are being asked to remain behind locked doors as police look for a man who allegedly attacked his mother with a meat tenderizer. Police say Ian Crowley is wanted after a domestic incident on Common Street around 7 p.m. Wednesday. While authorities initially said a knife was used in the assault, they later said the tenderizer caused multiple cut wounds to the victim. Crowley fled on foot in a dark Fila jumpsuit, according to police. Because no weapon was found on the scene, police believe Crowley is armed. Authorities used a reverse 911 call to ask residents to stay inside and lock their doors while the manhunt was underway. Crowley has known mental health issues, police said. If you see Crowley, police say not to approach him and to call 911. Massachusetts gambling regulators questioned Wynn Resorts leaders Thursday about what they knew about allegations of sexual misconduct against company founder Steve Wynn. The state's gaming commission resumed its interrogation of new company CEO Matt Maddox, who took over after company founder Steve Wynn resigned last year and has been a close confidant of the billionaire for years. Regulators also questioned Wynn's ex-wife Elaine Wynn, who co-founded the company and remains a major shareholder. Thursday was the third and potentially final day of public hearings as regulators weigh whether the company is still suitable to hold a state casino license. A written decision is expected later and has implications for Encore Boston Harbor, the Boston-area resort the company hopes to open in June. The commission opened the hearings Tuesday after releasing a 200-page report by its investigators that concluded company executives concealed and failed to take action on allegations against Steve Wynn for years. Steve Wynn has denied the sexual misconduct allegations and told investigators his "multiple relationships" with company employees were all consensual. He resigned as CEO last year and sold off his shares in the company after the allegations were detailed by The Wall Street Journal. On Wednesday, the five-member casino panel began questioning Maddox, who has been with the company since its founding and was even best man in one of Steve Wynn's weddings. Under questioning from regulators, Maddox denied knowing about the specifics of private settlements Steve Wynn had reached with former casino employees who had accused him of sexual misconduct until those details became public years later. He said Wednesday that he had been aware of a settlement made with a cocktail server in 2008 while he was serving as the company's chief financial officer. But Maddox maintained he was told the $700,000 payment was to help a financially struggling employee and not the result of a sexual relationship with Steve Wynn. Maddox said he was also made aware of at least one of a number of complaints made by spa workers at Wynn Las Vegas about Steve Wynn's conduct during massages. Maddox, who was company president at the time, said he told the then-president of the casino to tell Steve Wynn to discontinue the behavior. Maddox acknowledged he should have informed regulators about the allegations ultimately revealed by The Wall Street Journal in January 2018 because company officials were aware of the reporting weeks prior to publication. Company board members, meanwhile, acknowledged they failed to investigate after learning in 2016 about a $7.5 million settlement Steve Wynn had paid to a former employee in 2005. Board member Patricia Mulroy testified Wednesday that the settlement first came to the board's attention in 2016 during a lawsuit brought by Elaine Wynn, who by then was in a bitter feud with Steve Wynn and the company board. Mulroy said the company's then-legal counsel assured them the incident was an "outlier" and that Wynn had personally paid the settlement with no liability to the company. She also maintained the company's legal counsel never told board members the allegations involved a former manicurist who claimed she'd become pregnant after Wynn raped her, and that company officials never made the board aware of other settlements. "The word 'rape' was never said," Mulroy said. Opinion column The resurrection - unlikely but true As Mark Fairweather Tall recovers from his familys April Fool pranks, he reflects that while the cross may be foolishness to some, the Easter story is a life-changer to those who believe. On Monday this week I opened the door of the bathroom to discover that my dressing gown belt had been tied across to block me getting out. A little later I went to my work bag only to discover that it was covered in cling film! It was, of course, April 1 and my children do like to embrace the occasion! We dont know exactly how April Fools day started: some link it to a fourteenth century poem by Geoffrey Chaucer where a fox plays a prank on a rooster, thirty-two days syn March began, which would of course be April 1. Another theory suggests that it originated in Europe as April Fish Day. There are lots of fish in French streams and rivers around the beginning of April, so they are easy to catch out of the river. It then soon became a tradition to play tricks on people on this day as well. Whatever the origin, clearly it is a popular tradition today. Newspapers, in particular, are keen to take part. This years April Fool stories reported in the press included the new 50p piece that would supposedly feature a range of different emojis. The article in The Sun was written by Penny Drops. The Times reported on the new Drone Dog Walker that allows owners to talk to their pets from the comfort of their home whilst the drone walks the dog! The Daily Express reported that the UKs continued involvement in Eurovision is in doubt because of Brexit. And so it goes on. Interestingly, there are other articles in the newspapers that sound like they are April Fools stories but actually turn out to be true. For example, the Daily Mail reported the complaint of a Nigerian politician that Nigerians are ordering pizzas from Britain and having them flown 4000 miles on BA flights as status symbols. The Independent reports that the US military is turning to fish and other sea creatures to help them monitor enemy activity - apparently scientists want to employ their sensory abilities to pick up signals that might be missed by conventional technology. These stories were all reported on April 1, and it surprising how many stories sound like they are an April Fools when in fact they arent. Sometimes the truth is surprising. We are moving into that time of year when Christians celebrate that which at first glance might seem so unlikely: A man who did nothing wrong was crucified on a cross, but this wasnt a defeat but victory. What is more, on the third day the dead man rose and so defeated death offering hope to those who believe in him that they too can live, even though they die. Paul writes: For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (1 Corinthians 1:18) Talking of a Saviour who is crucified as a criminal makes no sense from a human perspective. Paul goes on to say: Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, the power of God and the wisdom of God. (1 Corinthians v22-24). Johns gospel tells us that Jesus appeared to the disciples behind locked doors on the evening of Easter Sunday. Thomas wasnt with them and he would not believe unless he could see the nail marks in the hands of Jesus and put his finger where the nails were. It seemed too unlikely a story to believe. Yet a week later he would meet the risen Lord Jesus. Sometimes even the most unlikely stories turn out to be true. May we know Gods blessings over the Easter season as we celebrate the wonderful truth of the foolishness of the cross and the incredible revelation of the resurrected Christ. The above image is courtesy of pixabay.com The quest to find more efficient methods for cooling computers is almost as high on scientists agendas as the desire to discover better battery chemistries. More cooling is crucial for reducing costs. It would also allow for more powerful processing to take place in smaller spaces, where limited processing should be crunching numbers instead of making wasteful heat. It would stop heat-caused breakdowns, thereby creating longevity in components, and it would promote eco-friendly data centers less heat means less impact on the environment. Removing heat from microprocessors is one angle scientists have been exploring, and they think they have come up with a simple, but unusual and counter-intuitive solution. They say that running a variant of a Light Emitting Diode (LED) with its electrodes reversed forces the component to act as if it were at an unusually low temperature. Placing it next to warmer electronics, then, with a nanoscale gap introduced, causes the LED to suck out the heat. Once the LED is reverse biased, it began acting as a very low temperature object, absorbing photons, says Edgar Meyhofer, professor of mechanical engineering at University of Michigan, in a press release announcing the breakthrough. At the same time, the gap prevents heat from traveling back, resulting in a cooling effect. The researchers say the LED and the adjacent electrical device (in this case a calorimeter, usually used for measuring heat energy) have to be extremely close. They say theyve been able to demonstrate cooling of six watts per meter-squared. Thats about the power of sunshine on the earths surface, they explain. Internet of things (IoT) devices and smartphones could be among those electronics that would ultimately benefit from the LED modification. Both kinds of devices require increasing computing power to be squashed into smaller spaces. Removing the heat from the microprocessor is beginning to limit how much power can be squeezed into a given space, the University of Michigan announcement says. Materials Science and cooling computers Ive written before about new forms of computer cooling. Exotic materials, derived from Materials Science, are among ideas being explored. Sodium bismuthide (Na3Bi) could be used in transistor design, the U.S. Department of Energys Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory says. The new substance carries a charge and is importantly tunable; however, it doesnt need to be chilled as superconductors currently do. In fact, thats a problem with superconductors. They unfortunately need more cooling than most electronics electrical resistance with the technology is expelled through extreme cooling. Separately, researchers in Germany at the University of Konstanz say they soon will have superconductor-driven computers without waste heat. They plan to use electron spin a new physical dimension in electrons that could create efficiency gains. The method significantly reduces the energy consumption of computing centers, the university said in a press release last year. Another way to reduce heat could be to replace traditional heatsinks with spirals and mazes embedded on microprocessors. Miniscule channels printed on the chip itself could provide paths for coolant to travel, again separately, scientists from Binghamton University say. The miniaturization of the semiconductor technology is approaching its physical limits, the University of Konstanz says. Heat management is very much on scientists agenda now. Its one of the big challenges in miniaturization." Marcus Franks died from cancer this morning (Thursday) TRIBUTES have been paid to a West Berkshire councillor who died from cancer this morning. Marcus Franks represented Speen ward for the Conservatives and was the councils portfolio holder for community resilience and partnerships until he resigned from the position last year because of his bowel cancer. Mr Franks had served on the executive, the local authoritys body of senior councillors, for nine years, covering health and wellbeing, partnerships, equality and community safety and communities and public protection. Speaking about his friend and colleague the leader of West Berkshire Council, Graham Jones (Con, Lambourn), said: Marcus has been both a great public servant and very good friend for the last 20 years. Ever since his election in 2003 he has been at the forefront of council work and I was very pleased to appoint him onto the executive in 2005. "His integrity, hard work and sheer likeability ensured he had friends across the party political divide and deep into the West Berks community. "He had an enthusiasm and energy that was infectious. His dedication to the community was clear from his work with Newbury Round Table and he was a stalwart for the crafty raft race. Our thoughts are with Nicola and Marcus family. Speaking when he stood down from the executive Mr Franks said that he was proud to have served the residents of West Berkshire in a variety of roles and that his decision to step down had been a difficult one. Leader of the West Berkshire Liberal Democrat group, Lee Dillon (Thatcham north) was close friends with Mr Franks and worked with him at Sovereign Housing Association. Mr Dillon said: In this world we have lots of people who just talk. Marcus was the opposite. He rolled up his sleeves and got stuck in. I will miss him deeply as a friend but also as a councillor. "As a councillor, active member of the Round Table and through his community development work at Sovereign he strived to make communities better and we should be grateful that such as warm humoured and caring individual wanted to give so much back to West Berkshire. "On behalf of all in the Liberal Democrats I send our thoughts to Nicola and his family at this sad time." In a message to residents last year Mr Franks, who was in his mid-40s, stressed the importance of regular bowel checks for under-50s. In December, he told members present at an executive council meeting: Following my diagnosis with bowel cancer at the end of last year, I have been receiving treatment and have continued to work. However, I now cannot give the time and energy that is required to be an executive councillor, hence my stepping down from this role. The instances in bowel cancer in those under-50 is fortunately not common, but it is important to consult your doctor early if you have any related symptoms. Bowel Cancer UK has a really good website which provides a lot of information about symptoms, treatments and the support available. FAIRFIELD Three people were injured in a head-on collision involving an SUV and a large pickup truck on Black Rock Turnpike shortly after 8 p.m. Wednesday. Police said a 2016 black Dodge Ram pickup truck driven by a Stamford man had been traveling north when it crossed over the double-yellow lines and collided head on into the SUV that was traveling south on Black Rock Turnpike. The 41-year-old driver was the only occupant in the Dodge Ram truck. The driver, who was not identified, was transported by AMR Ambulance to Bridgeport Hospital for minor physical injuries. The two female occupants in the SUV were transported to St. Vincents Medical center for minor injuries. Assistant Fire Chief George Gomola said the two people trapped inside the SUV required extrication and the pickup truck was found on its side with the Stamford driver unconscious and unresponsive. Lt. Jay Swindon directed the crew of Ladder 2, firefighters Brian Madia, Matt Striebe and Jeff Denitto, to gain access to the unconscious victim in the pickup truck, Gomola said in a release. Firefighter Madia used a rescue saw to remove the front windshield while Striebe crawled in the back window of crew cab pickup. Together they opened the airway and stabilized the driver. With the help of Denitto and the medic crew from AMR, they quickly and safely removed the driver from the vehicle. Rescue 1 was also at the scene. Swindon directed firefighters Rich Carlo, Frank Zwierlein, and Jordan Charney to utilize hydraulic rescue tools and rescue the occupants of the second vehicle, two women. Rescue 1 was assisted by firefighters from Engine 2 and Engine 5, the assistant fire chief said. Gomola said both victims were assisted by medic crews form AMR and transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Firefighters and police officers using thermal imaging cameras worked together to search the wooded area along Black Rock Turnpike for additional victims that may have been thrown out of the overturned pickup truck, he said. A primary and secondary search was conducted and no additional victims were found. Rescue 1 and Engine 5 remained on scene to assist PD with hazard control and lighting as they conducted their investigation of the accident. Gomola, the incident commander, said firefighters, police officers, and the medics from AMR did an excellent job quickly working together at the accident scene, providing emergency medical treatment, rapid extrication from an overturned vehicle and a heavily damaged SUV, and rapid transport to the hospital. This was a job well done by all first responders, he added. This collision is under investigation by the Fairfield Police Crash Reconstruction Unit. April is the first full month of spring. Its also National Poetry Month. To recognize the month-long celebration, The Spectrum will publish a poem selected by New Milfords Poet Laureate James Scrimgeour each week (see Page S11). In addition, several poetry programs will be offered throughout the community (see Page S11). First introduced in 1996 and organized by the Academy of American Poets, the event celebrates poetrys role in our culture. Over the years, it has become one of the biggest recognitions in schools, libraries and with publishers and booksellers. While I appreciate all forms of literature, theres something special about poetry that tugs at my heart more deeply. I admire the process of writing a poem, and how personal thoughts, ideas, creativity and language are compiled into a piece of literary art. A poems form is equally important. Its fascinating that a poem can be refined and controlled and yet freeing. I value the precise placement of each word, often with a meter that, for me, makes a poem somehow more accessible. And I love the artistic language a writer uses to share his or her ideas ideas that, when expressed authentically with care, can deeply touch the hearts of others and have the power to unite the souls of strangers the poet and the reader via an invisible thread of humanity. Writing poetry goes back to my childhood, when Id pen poems about pets and friends. My writing picked up in middle school when my English teacher, the late Christina Mabbett, at Schaghticoke Middle School introduced poetry curriculum. The class put together a printout of our works we wrote of colors and nature but it was her steady encouragement to me that prompted me to continue to write both poetry and stories throughout my life and led me to take poetry classes in college, as well as workshops with New Milfords own poet laureate, James Scrimgeour. Thankfully, my writing style has become more sophisticated in themes and meter than my works of my childhood. Over the years, poetry has continued to play an integral role in my life. In my role here at The Spectrum, Ive been honored to interview several published writers and poets. My former colleague, the late Susan Tuz, wrote quite a bit and was involved with Voices of Poetry, a group of local poets that in the past presented a series of poetry events in the region. Poetry is celebrated throughout the year in the Greater New Milford area through workshops, readings and special events. In addition, both New Milford and Washington have had a poet laureate for several years Scrimgeour in New Milford, and Davyne Verstandig in Washington. Kent Memorial Library recognizes the art of poetry several times a year the next event is April 6 from 7 to 9 p.m. with its Evening of Poetry and Music, where both poets and musicians are invited to share their works or the works of others. Poetry workshops, such as the one Scrimgeour leads at New Milford library, keep the art of poetry alive. Special events, including Minor Memorial Librarys April 13 program with poets Howie Faerstein and Roger Netzer at Hodge library, are held periodically in the community. Roxbury also recently honored the art of poetry with a program featuring selected poems read by Roxbury luminaries Ellen McCourt, Joe Godfrey, Jenny Schuck and Elizabeth Hubbard. Many schools are celebrating the occasion, too. For example, the faculty of the English Department at The Gunnery, a private school in Washington, will incorporate poetry into the curriculum for all levels this month and hold a special poetry recital event with a cake in honor of William Shakespeare for students and faculty. Poetry is alive and well not just here in the Greater New Milford area, but beyond. Lets celebrate! Contributed photo / St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Kent will present its next Music in the Nave concert, Melodies of Mark Twain, featuring the Rosewood Ensemble April 7 at 4 p.m. The concert at the 1 Main St. church will explore Twains musical life from his early years in the South to his final days in Connecticut. Washington Montessori School at 240 Litchfield Turnpike (Route 202) in New Preston will kick off a new session of its parent-child program for children ages six to 18 months and their caregivers April 5 at 10 a.m. For more information or to RSVP, email lmartin@washingtonmontessori.org or call 860-868-0551, ext. 2161. Healthcare-associated infections -- illnesses that people contract while being treated in a hospital or other healthcare facility -- sicken millions of people each year and cost billions of dollars in additional treatment. While there has been some improvement over the years, on any given day, about three percent of the hospitalized population in the United States has at least one healthcare-associated infection, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Yet, these maladies have been difficult to prevent because hospitals within a given area do not necessarily devote the requisite resources to preventing infections. As a result, patients and healthcare workers -- who can travel freely between facilities -- can spread infections from one hospital to another, even if some of these facilities are more vigilant than others in controlling infections. Princeton University researchers have proposed a plan whereby hospitals receive a government subsidy that matches dollar-to-dollar the amount of money spent on infection control. Published recently in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), the paper calls for targeting subsidies to hospitals within a multi-hospital area that have the lowest infection rates. Co-author Ramanan Laxminarayan, a senior research scholar at the Princeton Environmental Institute (PEI) who studies antibiotic resistance, said that incentivizing infection control would reduce infections within a given region by motivating individual hospitals to strengthen their own preventive measures. Those single measures would coalesce into lower infection rates for the area as a whole. "Coordination is the main barrier when you have more than 6,000 healthcare facilities in the country," Laxminarayan said. "With a subsidy, there is no need to coordinate. We simply offer the subsidy to a set of institutions and we expect that this will automatically change their incentives and behavior." First author Sarah Drohan, a Ph.D. candidate in Princeton's Program in Applied and Computational Mathematics, said that in areas with several hospitals, some facilities may eventually "free ride" by benefitting from the effort and expense others put in. Drohan and Laxminarayan worked with co-authors and PEI associated faculty Simon Levin, Princeton's James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and Bryan Grenfell, Kathryn Briger and Sarah Fenton Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Public Affairs in the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. "The free-riding behavior happens because whatever one hospital does, the benefits are to some extent felt by everyone, not just themselves," Drohan said. "But hospitals that do not commit as many resources to controlling infections are releasing patients back into a common catchment area, basically. Patients are not necessarily readmitted to the same hospital over and over. "Hospitals transmit infections to each other through these shared patient communities," Drohan said. An incentive to control infection also would go a long way in preventing dangerous bacteria from becoming immune to antibiotics, Laxminarayan said. "Antibiotic resistance is primarily a commons problem similar to environmental problems such as overfishing or climate change," Laxminarayan said. "We have seen that individual hospitals in an area shared with other facilities currently do not have an incentive to invest heavily in infection control, which would help avert the need for antibiotics." The current paper stems from a 2005 paper in PNAS that Laxminarayan and Levin co-authored that work found that individual hospitals may not devote as many resources to infection control in areas where they could presumably benefit from the efforts of other facilities. The paper was followed by a number of empirical studies from hospitals that finally led the CDC in 2016 to call for the regional control of infections rather just at the hospital level, Laxminarayan said. In the new paper, the researchers used general data on hospital infection rates to develop a mathematical model to test how prevention at two hospitals would change under different incentive schemes. For example, one scenario imposed an "infection tax" that fined hospitals for each person infected, but incidents of infection did not change. The researchers accounted for hospital size, location, financial endowment and the population served, all of which had only a small influence, Drohan said. Although the researchers expected that cooperators should be given the most money in order to reduce the overall prevalence of infection, the model surprisingly showed that all of the subsidy money should be awarded to free-riders, Drohan said. Because these facilities would have a lower transmission rate due to the efforts of surrounding hospitals, the admission of infected patients has a proportionately larger impact, Drohan said. The model showed that this outsized effect means that free riders have less incentive to invest in infection control without the subsidy. "The indirect effect the model showed is that the work a healthcare facility puts into preventing infections is directly rewarded and other institutions are encouraged to spend more, particularly those that may not have spent as much previously," Drohan said. "We have identified an implementable policy that could save the healthcare system a huge amount of money and prevent hundreds of thousands of people from becoming unnecessarily ill," Laxminarayan said. "This certainly could be a bipartisan issue since no one favors more infections." Drohan hopes that her co-authors' work will lead to the collection of real-world experimental data on how hospital policies toward preventing infections changes based on incentives and the actions of surrounding facilities. Ground-breaking work by university experts in Tennessee, Texas and Swansea is helping develop a better understanding of the growing threat posed by antifungal drug resistance. Invasive aspergillosis is a devastating disease caused by breathing in small airborne spores of the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus and it is a condition where drug resistance has been encountered. In a healthy person these spores are destroyed by the body's immune system but in those with a weakened immune system - such as following organ transplantation or in someone with a lung condition such as asthma or cystic fibrosis - they can trigger a range of problems including infections. Every year aspergillosis leads to more than 200,000 life-threatening infections and increasingly resistance to vital antifungal drug treatments makes those infections harder to treat. National Institutes of Health (USA) funding supported a collaboration between the University of Tennessee, the University of Texas and Swansea University as part of a $2 million, five-year research program. This support enabled investigation of resistance to the triazole class of antifungal drugs used for treating the disease A new paper, published in the prestigious American Microbiology Society journal mBio, reveals how researchers have been able to identify a previously uncharacterized genetic mutation in clinical isolates that leads to resistance. Professor Jarrod Fortwendel, from the University of Tennessee, said: "As with bacteria, antifungal drug resistance is a real challenge facing medicine. "Understanding how the fungus becomes drug resistant is important for designing changes in therapy to overcome aspergillosis." Professor Dave Rogers, also from the University of Tennessee, added: "It is very important that the research continues and we find out more about why it is happening and how we can tackle it for the future." Swansea University's Professor Steve Kelly, whose experience researching the field of antifungal resistance dates back to 1984, described the findings as a real breakthrough. He said: "This paper is the result of a lot of hard work and we are delighted to now be able to publish our findings." Infectious diseases experts and transplant physicians and surgeons at Brigham and Women's Hospital have blocked the transmission of hepatitis C from infected organ donors to recipients in need of hearts or lungs. The DONATE HCV Trial Team reports that hepatitis C-infected thoracic organs can be safely transplanted, detecting no signs of the disease and good outcomes for the transplanted organs in all patients treated with a preemptive, short course of antivirals. In a paper published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the team describes a four-week antiviral treatment regimen started within hours of organ transplantation surgery, preventing establishment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in all patients, and, in so doing, expanding the pool of eligible heart and lung donor organs. "There was a 100 percent success rate in terms of HCV treatment and six-month graft survival," said corresponding author Ann Woolley, MD, MPH, of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Brigham. "Direct acting antivirals have revolutionized the field of hepatitis C treatment and have also created an opportunity to transplant organs from hepatitis C positive donors. While transplants from hepatitis C positive donors have previously been done, the best approach to doing this -- when to initiate treatment and how long to treat patients after transplant -- as well as the outcomes for heart and lung transplant recipients have not previously been systematically studied. This is the largest clinical trial to date for HCV thoracic organ transplantation and provides clear evidence that this shortened regimen, initiated within hours of transplant, can prevent the establishment of hepatitis C in the recipients and lead to excellent outcomes for patients." In their paper, the researchers present data on the 35 patients who had enrolled in the study by February 2018. Each of those 35 patients met the trial's primary endpoints -- all had undetectable hepatitis C viral loads and functioning transplanted organs six months or more after transplant surgery. Given the study's successful outcomes, enrollment continues and the team has now enrolled a total of 69 participants to date. The team found that nearly all of the patients who received organs from HCV viral load positive donors had evidence of HCV virus immediately post-transplantation. However, very early preemptive treatment prevented HCV from establishing infection, despite the fact that patients were taking high-dose, induction immunosuppressive medications as part of the transplant process. All recipients cleared the virus by about two weeks and hepatitis C viral loads remained undetectable thereafter. "It was critically important to us to determine that this treatment not only prevented transmission of hepatitis C but also didn't worsen outcomes for our transplant patients," said co-author Steve Singh, MD, former surgical director of the Heart Transplantation and Mechanical Circulatory Support in the Department of Cardiac Surgery. "Our short-term findings to date suggest that graft survival is just as excellent in patients who were transplanted with thoracic organs from hepatitis C positive donors as it was in those who received thoracic organs from non-hepatitis C positive donors during the same period." Although the number of organ transplants in the U.S. has increased over the last five years, it is estimated that about 1,000 patients die every year waiting for a lung or heart transplant. Drug intoxication deaths have led to a rise in available organs for transplantation, but donor hepatitis C viral infection has been a leading reason that otherwise medically suitable organs are deemed ineligible for transplantation. Direct-acting antivirals, such as sofosbuvir/velpatasvir, are used to treat patients infected with hepatitis C. Standard treatment for people who are chronically infected with hepatitis C is typically 8-to-12 weeks, depending on the treatment regimen used. Other studies have found that it is feasible to treat kidney and liver transplant patients with these drugs early after transplantation, and such treatments are beginning to be used to treat heart and lung transplant recipients. Woolley and colleagues set out to treat a much larger cohort of patients with a shortened course of therapy and collected data on outcomes over a longer period of time. The authors noted the importance of a shorter duration of antiviral treatment leading to successful outcomes for patients. "HCV infection has been a long-standing reason to decline donation of suitable organs," said co-author Lindsey Baden, MD, director of Clinical Research in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Brigham. "What the data show is that transmission does occur, but a short, four-week course of antiviral therapy led to rapid HCV clearance. These data demonstrate how preemptive therapy can stop transmission thus decreasing medication burden, drug interactions, and cost." The team also analyzed safety outcomes, finding that there were no hepatitis C-attributable adverse events. The researchers reported a numerical increase in acute cellular rejection among lung transplant patients, but this trend was not statistically significant. "This study provided a unique opportunity to explore the utilization of thoracic organs from hepatitis C positive donors for transplantation, which to date have been underutilized despite being relatively common in the current donor population," said co-author Hilary Goldberg, MD, MPH, the medical director of the Lung Transplant Program and the former lead for the Solid Organ Transplant Quality Assurance and Process Improvement Program at the Brigham. "I am very encouraged by the results so far, and the potential that this study may allow us to provide transplantation successfully to the many recipients who might otherwise never have access to it." A new study by biomedical engineering researchers at the University of Arkansas could significantly improve methods for detecting and diagnosing congenital heart disease in infants and small children. The researchers, collaborating with cardiologists at Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock, tested a new ultrasound technology called vector flow imaging for the first time on pediatric patients to create detailed images of the internal structure and blood flow of the babies' hearts. The images can be still or moving, and can be taken from any angle. "Vector flow imaging technology is not yet possible in adults, but we have demonstrated that it is feasible in pediatric patients," said Morten Jensen, associate professor of biomedical engineering at the U of A. "Our group demonstrated that this commercially available technology can be used as a bedside imaging method, providing advanced detail of blood flow patterns within cardiac chambers, across valves and in the great arteries." Jensen performed the study with a multidisciplinary team, including Dr. Hanna Jensen, clinical assistant professor of biomedical engineering at the U of A; Dr. Thomas Collins, clinical associate professor of pediatric cardiology at Stanford University School of Medicine; and researchers at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. Their findings were published in Progress in Pediatric Cardiology. Roughly 1 percent of all babies are born with some type of congenital heart defect. Fortunately, the majority of these defects will never have any significant impact as the child grows into adulthood and old age. Pediatric cardiologists detect and diagnose congenital heart disease through multiple processes, including echocardiography. This imaging method is based on ultrasound and assesses the overall health of the heart, including valves and muscle contraction. Although ultrasound provides essential information about cardiac valve function in babies and small children, it has critical limitations. It cannot accurately obtain details of blood flow within the heart. This is due primarily to the inability to align the ultrasound beam with blood-flow direction. Using a BK5000 Ultrasound machine with built-in vector flow imaging, the researchers performed successful tests on two pigs, one with normal cardiac anatomy and one with congenital heart disease due to a narrow pulmonary valve and a hole within the heart. The researchers then compared the vector flow images to direct examination of the pigs' hearts. The researchers subsequently used the imaging system to take cardiac images of two three-month-old babies, one with a healthy, structurally normal heart and one with congenital heart disease because of an abnormally narrow aorta. With both patients, the technology-enabled total transthoracic imaging of tissue and blood flow at a depth of 6.5 centimeters. Abnormal flow and detailed cardiac anomalies were clearly observed in the patient with congenital heart disease. All procedures, both animal and human, were performed at Arkansas Children's Hospital with assistance from Dr. Elijah Bolin, pediatric cardiologist at UAMS. "We are still getting used to having this great, new information readily available, and we're excited about the future in both research and direct clinical advancements," Bolin said. "This technology will increase our ability to provide the best possible bedside diagnosis and greatly enhances our understanding of what is happening in hearts with complex abnormalities," Stanford's Collins said. The researchers will perform additional studies to further quantify images using this recently developed technology. The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine--a nonprofit with more than 175,000 members including doctors, scientists, and laypeople--has launched a new effort today to encourage people to become organ and tissue donors to help scientists save human lives and reduce and replace animal experiments. Human tissue is typically obtained in three ways: post-mortem from people who are organ donors, as surgery remnants, and via blood or other bodily fluids. But accessibility is often cited as one of the main barriers of using human tissues and cells for scientific advancement. The Physicians Committee convened The Human Tissue Roundtable in October 2018 to address the issue. The roundtable speakers--scientists, policy experts, physicians, and leaders from U.S. federal agencies and nongovernmental organizations--covered the full spectrum of human tissue donation, from a transplant surgeon who initiates the cycle of tissue recovery in the operating room to a scientist who uses human cells to study drug development for preclinical trials. The use of human tissues in scientific research has already improved health care by leading to discoveries in disease progression, drug development, and medical procedures. Scientists have used human lung tissue derived from patients affected by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease to discover a method for repairing lung tissue. Researchers have also used human skin cells left over from surgeries to develop a test that more accurately identifies skin irritants than animal tests. There have also been advancements in brain, heart, vision, and other areas of health research. "Organs-on-chips, 3D bioprinting, and other cutting-edge methods that use human tissues produce results that better translate to human health," says Physicians Committee research policy specialist Janine McCarthy, M.P.H., who recently presented her work on increasing the use of human tissue in medical research at the annual American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting in Washington, D.C. Sorry! This content is not available in your region Paris hosts the world's largest event dedicated to musculoskeletal disease prevention Today, medical experts and researchers from around the world will gather at the Palais des Congres in Paris, France, for the opening of the world's leading clinical Congress dedicated to musculoskeletal health and disease prevention. Professor Jean-Yves Reginster, Congress Co-chair and President of the European Society for Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal Disease (ESCEO), stated: "Diseases of the musculoskeletal system such as osteoporosis, osteoarthritis and sarcopenia result in severe disability, loss of mobility and costly physical dependence in the ageing population. It is vitally important that physicians who treat patients with these diseases are aware of the latest research and clinical progress to better fight these debilitating disorders. This Congress, which includes lectures and sessions led by the world's leading experts, is the premier venue to share new research and learn about advances in patient care." The Congress will feature more than 1400 scientific abstracts, 57 oral communications of outstanding abstracts, 10 Plenary Sessions, 19 Non-sponsored Symposia, 14 Meet-the-Expert Sessions, 15 special sessions and symposia and 8 industry-sponsored symposia. The comprehensive programme has been developed by the respective Scientific Chairs of IOF and ESCEO, Professors Cyrus Cooper and Rene Rizzoli, who have brought together the world's best in the field of musculoskeletal health and disease, while taking advantage of the synergies and combined expertise of the two organisations. Participants at the Congress also include representatives of NGOs which work directly with patients at the local level. At a special 'CNS Day', hosted by IOF for its Committee of National Societies (CNS), representatives of 52 patient societies from all regions of the world will participate in a full-day programme of interactive, capacity-building sessions and workshops. Sessions will provide important insights on digital communications; strategies to improve global calcium intake; how to engage policy makers; and how to empower patients to take charge of their bone health. Professor John A. Kanis, Congress Co-Chair and IOF Honorary President, summarized the important mission of the Congress: "We are all meeting in Paris with a common aim - to gather new knowledge, skills and tools in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, the two most disabling conditions in elderly people. An important addition is a focus on sarcopenia because of its intimate relation to bone and joint disease. As well, delegates representing patient societies will be able to gain important insights that will help them advocate for improved patient care at the national level. Overall, it is our hope that this Congress will move the field one step forward on all fronts; from new understanding of bone metabolism and pathology, to new strategies and options in prevention, diagnosis and treatment." WCO-IOF-ESCEO 2019 has been granted 20 European CME credits by the European Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (EACCME). EACCME credits can be converted to AMA credits. Complete meeting information is available at http://www. wco-iof-esceo. org/ ### World Congress on Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis & Musculoskeletal Diseases (WCO-IOF-ESCEO Paris 2019): Held jointly by IOF and ESCEO, the Congress will take place in Paris, France from April 4-7, 2019. WCO-IOF-ESCEO is the world's largest annual forum for the presentation of clinical research and new advances in the prevention and management of bone, muscle and joint disorders, including sarcopenia and frailty. For more information and to view congress abstracts visit http://www. wco-iof-esceo. org #OsteoCongress About IOF: The International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) is the world's largest nongovernmental organization dedicated to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis and related musculoskeletal diseases. IOF members, including committees of scientific researchers as well as more than 240 patient, medical and research societies in 99 locations, work together to make fracture prevention and healthy mobility a worldwide heath care priority. http://www. iofbonehealth. org @iofbonehealth About ESCEO: The European Society for Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis & Musculoskeletal Diseases (ESCEO) is a non-profit organization, dedicated to a close interaction between clinical scientists dealing with rheumatic disorders, pharmaceutical industry developing new compounds in this field, regulators responsible for the registration of such drugs and health policy makers, to integrate the management of osteoporosis and osteoarthritis within the comprehensive perspective of health resources utilization. The objective of ESCEO is to provide practitioners with the latest clinical and economic information, allowing them to organize their daily practice, in an evidence-based medicine perspective, with a cost-conscious perception. http://www. esceo. org This story has been published on: 2019-04-04. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. President Bracke said it is time to sign cooperation agreements in diverse areas, especially in agriculture. He suggested that both countries should work closely together in education, particularly at the tertiary level, adding that creativity is crucial to achieving a win-win cooperation. NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, for her part, said ties between Belgium and Vietnam are growing in a wide range of areas, adding her visit aims to push the development of bilateral ties in a more practical way. She also expressed her hope that both sides would consider a new cooperation agreement in the near future. National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan (L) meets President of the Chamber of Representatives of Belgium (Source: VNA) Informing her host of Vietnams current situations, she said the country grew 7.08 percent last year. The country has integrated more deeply into the world economy with its participation in 12 free trade agreements (FTAs), she noted, adding that Vietnam is about to sign and ratify another four FTAs. said many foreign investors select Vietnam as their investment destination for its favourable business climate, stable socio-economic environment, and good economic growth. The top legislator stressed Vietnam highly values its cooperation with Belgium and considers the country an important partner in Europe. Recently, the two nations have recorded successful cooperation in various areas, with bilateral trade hitting USD2.8 billion last year. Vietnam is striving to intensify collaboration with Belgium in all fields, particularly in renewable energies like solar and wind power, Ngan said. The country also wants to step up bilateral ties in sea port infrastructure, public health, agriculture, and education and training. Currently, Belgium offers 40 scholarships to Vietnam on an annual basis, and supports the country via a host of educational projects and cooperation programmes with Vietnamese universities and research institutes. At the meeting, the leaders also discussed the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement. NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan showed her hope that the Belgian Federal Parliament will raise it voice to foster the European Parliament (EP)s ratification of the agreement, as the ratification will bring about practical benefits to Vietnam, Belgium and the EU. Acknowledging Ngans proposals, Bracke said that both sides realised the importance of the EVFTA in economic development of all parties. He added that involved parties will consider the completion of all procedures to ratify the agreement at the beginning of the next tenure of the EP. The Belgian side will do its utmost to speed up the process, he affirmed./. New Delhi: Lender of debt-laden Jet Airways on Thursday said they would invite bids for selling stake in the airline on April 6 as part of a time-bound resolution plan. Jet Airways, which is grappling with acute financial woes, had a fleet of around 119 planes. On Thursday, Civil Aviation Secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola said that "26 planes are flying currently". The consortium of lenders, led by State Bank of India (SBI), took stock of the current situation at cash-strapped Jet Airways and decided on the timeline for the stake sale. Lenders intend to pursue bank-led resolution plan for sale of stake in the company in a time-bound manner under present legal and regulatory framework and intend to invite expressions of interest. It'll be invited on 6 April and will need to be submitted by 9 April, the lenders said in a statement. The Lenders are cognizant that the outcome of the efforts of the Lenders will depend on the interest shown by the parties on sale of stake in the Company. Whilst all efforts will be made for the stake sale by the Lenders, other options may be considered by the Lenders should these efforts not result in an acceptable outcome, the statement added. For the past few weeks, the airline has been grounding its aircraft in tranches due to non-payment of dues to lessors. On March 25, the airline's board approved a debt-resolution plan under which the lenders would take control of the airline and also make an immediate fund infusion of Rs 1,500 crore. On Wednesday, Naresh Goyal, also former chairman of the airline, said he had agreed to every term and condition laid down by lenders to ensure timely release of funds for the airline. Acute financial crunch has forced the airline to ground aircraft, cancel flights and delay payment of salaries, including to pilots. For all the Latest Business News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: In a grotesque case, abductors allegedly murdered son of a late JDU leader fearing arrest in Bihars Siwan. Body of the 14-year-old student was found from Siwan during late night search on Wednesday. "Abductors killed him fearing arrest after a search and rescue operation was launched," Siwan Superintendent of Police Navin Chandra Jha was quoted as saying by IANS. Giving further details, KK Mishra, ASP, Siwan, said that four people have been arrested, further investigation is underway. The victim has been identified as Rahul Kumar. He was class 7 student of Kendriya Vidayalya. Son of late JDU leader Surendra Patel, Kumar was kidnapped on Wednesday. The abductors had demanded rs 50-lakh ransom from the family. Official crime data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) shows that the reported rate of child abductions has risen at a far sharper pace than the overall crime rate in the country. According to an Indian Express report, child kidnapping has seen a worrisome rise in recent times. In 2016, 54,723 children were kidnapped across India. The home ministrys report said that the 2016 number showed consistent rise vis a vis 2015 and 2014. In 2015, 41,893 children were kidnapped, in 2014 37,854 kids were abducted across the country. The government report also highlighted the fact the conviction rate was mere 22.7% in such cases. More than 20 people have been lynched over the last two months on suspicion of child lifting, the latest being the killing of five men in Maharashtra's Dhule district on July 1. "Even though most of the lynchings in the recent past were fuelled by rumours of child lifting on social media, the statistics show that the fear of child kidnapping among people, especially those in the rural areas, is not completely unfounded," a ministry official said. The MHA report said 1,06,958 cases of crime against children were registered in the country in 2016 compared to 94,172 in 2015, an increase of 13.6 per cent. Crimes were committed against 24 per one lakh children in 2016, according to the report. A major increase in crime against children was noticed (in 2016) under "human trafficking, kidnapping and abduction, Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act and Juvenile Justice Act", the report had said. For all the Latest Crime News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Days after being dropped from his Lok Sabha seat by the BJP, party patriarch L K Advani on Thursday wrote a blog ahead of the BJPs Foundation Day on April 6. Advani said that the guiding principle of his life has been Nation First, Party Second, Self Last. And in all situations, I have tried to adhere to this principle and will continue to do so, he added. Writing about the partys ideology, Advani said that the BJP has never regarded those who disagree with us politically as our enemies, but only as our adversaries. Similarly, in our conception of Indian nationalism, we have never regarded those who disagree with us politically as anti-national, he added. "BJP has always been in the forefront of demanding protection of independence, integrity, fairness and robustness of all our democratic institutions, including the media," the veteran BJP leader wrote in his blog. He said the party has always kept on focus electoral reforms, particularly political funding, to ensure a "corruption-free polity". Advani also thanked the people of Gandhinagar for electing him to the Lok Sabha six times since 1991. Advani, 91, who has served as Union home minister and deputy prime minister, has won from Gandhinagar six times. Credited for orchestrating the BJP's rise to a pre-eminent position in the late 80s and 90s along with Atal Bihari Vajpayee after it won only two Lok Sabha seats in 1984. Advani was moved out of the BJP's highest decision-making body, Parliamentary Board, in 2014 after Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the party to victory and Shah was made its president. He was made a member of Margdarshak Mandal (group of mentors), a body which has never met. He did not make any representation to stake claim for Gandhinagar seat before the BJP observers. The BJP veteran won from Gandhinagar for the first time in 1991, and retained the constituency in 1998, 1999, 2004, 2009 and 2014. In 1996 he did not contest, citing the Babri Masjid demolition case against him. New Delhi: The Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have resumed talks on Thursday to forge an alliance in Delhi ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. According to sources, the yare discussing the seat-sharing formula for the seven seats. The speculation of a tie-up between both the parties got a boost with AAP's Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh meeting All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge of Delhi PC Chacko on Wednesday evening, news agency PTI reported. The Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP has proposed to give two seats to Congress which has instead demanded three - New Delhi, Chandni Chowk and North East Delhi, sources in both the parties claimed. The rationale behind an alliance between the two parties is that together they polled more votes than the BJP which swept the 2014 Lok Sabha elections winning all the seven seats in Delhi. Two days ago it was reported that amid alliance talks, Delhi Congress chief and former chief minister Sheila Dikshit met party president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday. The meeting, which last for around 20 minutes was also attended by AICC in-charge of Delhi PC Chacko. Dikshit, who has been opposing an alliance with the AAP, had said on Sunday that the decision on tie-up for Lok Sabha. The decision from Rahul Gandhi on an alliance is expected "anytime" now, sources said. The Delhi unit of the party has been divided over an alliance with the AAP. Four former Delhi Congress presidents -- Ajay Maken, Subhash Chopra, Tajdar Babar and Arvinder Singh Lovely -- favoured an alliance with Kejriwal's party. On the other hand, Dikshit and three working presidents, Devender Yadav, Rajesh Lilothia, and Haroon Yusuf, maintained their stand against the alliance. Amid the dilly-dallying over forging an alliance, NCP chief Sharad Pawar had also intervened, asking both the parties to join hands to unitedly defeat the BJP. Soon after the meeting on Monday, Arvind Kejriwal had declared that the Congress had rejected an alliance and he was "fed up of trying to convince the party". The AAP has been seeking an alliance with the Congress in Delhi saying that a division of votes will help the BJP in all seven constituencies in the city. The BJP had won all Lok Sabha seats in Delhi in 2014 parliamentary polls. The Lok Sabha elections on the seven seats in Delhi will be held on May 12. The counting of votes will be done on May 23. Lucknow: Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Ajit Singh on Wednesday took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi by saying that he is a acunninga person and believe no one other than him. "This man is so smart and cunning that if he had gone to Sri Lanka he would have told us that he is the one who has killed Ravana because you see nobody has done anything apart from him," Singh said while addressing a rally in Uttar Pradeshas Baghpat. He also claimed that the government spends Rs 70,000 crore on Modi's clothes and despite this, he has the audacity to say 'I am a beggar.' Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Chaudhary Ajit Singh in Baghpat on PM Modi: Ye bhaiya itna hoshiyar aur shatir aadmi hai, agar ye Sri Lanka chala jaata na, laut ke kehta Rawan ko maine hi maara. Kyonki desh mein aur kisi ne to kuch kiya hi nahi. pic.twitter.com/xU73udeJ64 a ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) April 3, 2019 "This man wear caps, which are not the ones you wear. He gets caps from I don't know where and then has the audacity to say 'I am a beggar,' if he is a beggar then I pray to God that I be made a beggar too. They will eat, wear, travel for free and when it comes to taking some responsibility he will say I am a beggar," Singh was quoted as saying by ANI. Taking a jibe at Modias Chowkidar campaign, the RJD chief said that the country needs Prime Minister and not a watchman. "If we need a chowkidar we will get it from Nepal. We need a Prime Minister," he said. Addressing another rally in Ghaziabad, Singh claimed people have begun raising slogans like 'hai, hai Modi, bye, bye Modi' because of the government's aanti-farmera policies. Singh made the claim while addressing a rally in Patla town of Ghaziabad district. Patla falls under the Baghpat Lok Sabha constituency from where his son Jayant Chaudhary is contesting. Baghpat goes to poll in the first phase on April 11 along with 91 Lok Sabha seats across 20 states. New Delhi: The BJP on Thursday forged an alliance with Hanuman Beniwal's Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) in Rajasthan. He will contest from the Nagaur constituency. Beniwal was a former BJP member who had quit the party because of his differences with the then chief minister Vasundhara Raje and had formed the RLP. This development comes as a blow to the Congress in the state, who was in talks with the Jat leader for an alliance. Beniwal sealed the alliance after he arrived at the BJP office in Jaipur on Thursday morning and met the saffron partys Rajasthan election in charge Prakash Javadekar. It was earlier reported that the Congress had tried to get Beniwal to support it in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, but failed to reach an understanding with the Jat leader criticising the Congress, saying it was in a weak position. Beniwal also hit out at chief minister Ashok Gehlots son Vaibhav and former Congress MP Jyoti Mirdha, saying neither would win their seats. According to Beniwal, he enjoys the support of the Jat community and this will have an effect on at least 17 seats in Rajasthan. He is also a sitting legislator from Khinvsar in the Nagaur district and his party is also likely to contest from Barmer. The Congress has fielded Jyoti Mirdha from the seat. Jyoti is the granddaughter of late Nathuram Mirdha, a prominent Congress politician of his time. The Hanuman Beniwal-led RLP had won 3 seats with a vote share of 2.4% in the 2018 Rajasthan Assembly elections. The BJP, which had received the backing of 38.8% voters, could have trounced the Congress with the RLP in the state polls as their combined vote share was 41.2% (BJP: 38.8% plus RLP: 2.4%). The BJP, however, was leading in 13 Lok Sabha seats if we analyse the vote shares of the parties in the 2018 Assembly elections. The Congress was ahead in 12 seats. Rajasthan sends 25 representatives to the lower house of Parliament. Upon forging the alliance, Beniwal said that the Congress has only looted the country while in power. By allying with the BJP, they will work towards saving the country. RLP workers, from today, will work towards making Narendra Modi the prime minister again. Mumbai: With an eye on Gujarati voters of Mumbai North parliamentary constituency, Congress has asked Patidar leader Hardik Patel to address a joint rally with its candidate Urmila Matondkar. According to reoprts, the two will hold a joint rally in Andheri on Sunday. Sources say that while actor-turned-politician Matondkar will attack the Centre over rising instances of intolerance, the Patidar leader will take on the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi over issues like unemployment. 25-year-old Congress leader was planning to contest from Jamnagar in Gujarat. His plans, however were, foiled after the top court refused to accord an urgent hearing to his plea challenging the Gujarat High Court order which rejected his plea to stay his conviction in the 2015 Vispur rioting case. He is now fully focusing on campaigning for the grand old party in the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections. Matondkar recently joined the Congress after meeting party president Rahul Gandhi. After joining the party, the actress had said she felt the need to join the Congress party as the freedom to express was under attack in the country and there are numerous examples in this regard in the last five years. Matondkar, who is pitted against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Gopal Shetty, had said the Congress party has participated in the freedom struggle and it stood for freedom. Gopal Shetty had defeated former Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Mumbai will vote for all Lok Sabha seats in the metropolis on April 29. New Delhi: Even as BJPas political rivals raise concern over newly-launched NaMo TV, major DTH player Tata Sky has stated that the channel is a aHindi news servicea. Addressing a Tata Sky user on Twitter, the DTH player said that, aChannel no 512 is NAMO TV, it is a Hindi news service which provides the latest breaking news on national politics.a The statement comes at a time when the Election Commission of India (ECI) has sought a report from the Information and Broadcasting Ministry on the sudden launch of NaMo TV. The channel was launched after the Model Code of Conduct came into effect. A Channel no 512 is NAMO TV, it is a Hindi news service which provides the latest breaking news on national politics ^Rudra a Tata Sky (@TataSky) March 28, 2019 Some people are claiming that it is owned by the ruling BJP. However, its ownership is still unclear. Earlier on Monday, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) wrote to the poll panel complaining against the 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. "Can permission be granted to a party to have its own TV channel even after the Model Code of Conduct is enforced? If no permission was given by the ECI, then what action has been taken," the AAP said in its letter to the Election Commission. The party also asked if the ruling party had approached the Media Certification Committee, established to certify the contents and cost of a telecast. "If not, why show-cause was not issued for the violation of the MCC," asked the letter sent by the AAP's legal cell. The party also asked if the ruling party had approached the Media Certification Committee, established to certify the contents and cost of a telecast. "If not, why show-cause was not issued for the violation of the MCC," asked the letter sent by the AAP's legal cell.# The Congress in Madhya Pradesh has also lodged a complaint with the Election Commission demanding suspension of NaMo TV channel telecast. State Congress spokesman Neelabh Shukla said 'NaMo' television channel would be telecasting speeches of the PM, his rallies, besides the statements and programmes favouring the BJP. "NaMo is the abbreviation for Narendra Modi. With general elections round the corner, the BJP has started this channel which amounts to violation of the model code of conduct. We demand that the election commission immediately stops broadcasting on the channel," Shukla told reporters. New Delhi : Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who filed his nomination from Kerala's Wayanad, on Thursday assured the CPI-M that he won't speak against the party during his campaign in the constituency. Speaking to reporters after filing his nomination at district headquarters in Wayanad, the Congress chief said, "I understand that my brothers and sisters in CPM will now speak against me and attack me, but I am not going to say a word against the CPM in my entire campaign." CPI-M leaders, including Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, had criticised the Congress chief and questioned his resolve to fight the BJP at the national level after the latter decided to pick Wayanad as the second seat beside traditional stronghold Amethi in Uttar Pradesh. The Kerala CM had said that people of the state won't see his decision to contest from Wayanad as his fight against the BJP. He said the Congress chief should have chosen a BJP-ruled state instead of Left-governed Kerala. Earlier in the day, the Congress chief filed his nomination from Wayanad constituency in presence of his sister and AICC general secretary in-charge of Uttar Pradesh east Priyanka Gandhi. Rahul Gandhi, who has been representing Uttar Pradesh's Amethi since 2004, is fighting the upcoming general elections from two seats. Gandhi said that he decided to contest from the south Indian state as people of the country's southern states feel "hostility from (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi" and he wanted to send a message that he and his party was standing with them. "I have come to Kerala to send a message that India is one, be it North, South, East or West. My aim is to send a message, there is a feeling in South India that the way Centre, Modi ji and RSS are working its like an assault on culture and languages in South," Gandhi said. On Wednesday, not impressed by Rahul Gandhi's decision, Left parties asserted that they will teach him how to "fight elections on the ground", even as the Congress said nothing will affect its chief's prospects in the state. "Rahul Gandhi is like an invisible God. It will be easy for him to win polls in his family bastion Amethi (Uttar Pradesh). But the soil of Wayanad is something different. We will teach him on how to fight elections on the ground," CPI's Wayanad district leader, Vijayan Cherukara, had said on Wednesday. The Left Democratic Front (LDF) -- a coalition of left-wing parties in Kerala -- has fielded CPI's PP Suneer from the Wayanad parliamentary constituency, which has seven assembly segments, three each in Wayanad and Malappuram districts and one in Kozhikode district. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that veteran BJP leader L K Advani, in his blog, has perfectly summed up the "true essence" of the party, particularly the mantra of 'Nation First, Party Second, Self Last'. "Advani Ji perfectly sums up the true essence of BJP, most notably the guiding Mantra of Nation First, Party Next, Self Last. Proud to be a BJP Karyakarta and proud that greats like LK Advani Ji have strengthened it," PM Modi tweeted. The prime minister's remarks came after Advani wrote a blog ahead of the BJP's Founder's Day on April 6, in which he said that the party has never regarded those who disagreed with it politically as "anti-national" or "enemies" but only as adversaries. His views assume significance at a time when the BJP under PM Modi and party president Amit Shah have made the issue of national security a key plank for the general elections and have often accused its political rivals of speaking the language of India's enemies like Pakistan. "The essence of Indian democracy is respect for diversity and freedom of expression. Right from its inception, the BJP has never regarded those who disagree with us politically as our 'enemies', but only as our adversaries," the 91-year-old leader wrote in the blog. In a blog written almost five years after he wrote the last piece on its web page, Advani added,"similarly, in our conception of Indian nationalism, we have never regarded those who disagree with us politically as 'anti-national'. The party has been committed to freedom of choice of every citizen at personal as well as political level." Credited for orchestrating the BJP's rise to a pre-eminent position in the late 80s and 90s along with Atal Bihari Vajpayee after it won only two Lok Sabha seats in 1984. Advani was moved out of the BJP's highest decision-making body, Parliamentary Board, in 2014 after Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the party to victory and Shah was made its president. New Delhi: Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh is likely to face action for his political remarks in which he supported the return of Narendra Modi as prime minister. After the Election Commission concluded that Singh's remarks are violative of the model code, President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday sent the file to the Centre for "necessary action". Noticeably, this is the first time in the history of independent India that a Governor has been found violating the model code of conduct and campaigning for prime minister. Addressing BJP workers at his Aligarh residence on March 23, Singh reportedly said, "All of us are BJP workers and we want the party to win. We want Modiji to become the prime minister. It is necessary that Modiji becomes the prime minister again". Singh made these remarks to placate some agitated BJP members who had gathered outside his house over ticket distribution. In the 1990s, the Election Commission had expressed displeasure over Himachal Pradesh governor Gulsher Ahmed campaigning for his son during the elections. He had later quit. Kalyan Singh is a former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh. Singh quit the BJP in 1999 and returned in 2004. In 2014, soon after the BJP came to power, Kalyan Singh was appointed Governor. On Wednesday, a plea was filed in Rajasthan High Court seeking dismissal of the Governor Kalyan Singh from his post for making statements which allegedly violated the provisions of the Constitution of India. The petitioner demanded that the Governor either be dismissed or the "respondents" be directed to send a recommendation to President of India to remove him. The complainant has also requested Union Cabinet Secretary and the Election Commission of India to be made "respondents" in the case. New Delhi: Poonam Sinha, Shatrughan Sinha's wife, will be contesting Lok Sabha elections against Union Minister Rajnath Singh in Lucknow on Samajwadi Party's ticket, news agency IANS reported. It is further reported that the Congress has decided not to field a candidate from Lucknow and support the candidature of Sinha from the Uttar Pradesh capital. Shatrughan Sinha recently resigned from the BJP and is all set to join the Congress on Saturday. He will be fielded from his current seat Patna Sahib seat, where he will be facing a direct contest with BJP's Ravi Shankar Prasad. Associated with the BJP since the 1990s, Sinha fell out with the party's leadership in the recent past. While criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP government's policies, Shatrughan continued his proximity with the RJD-led grand alliance in the state. Rajnath Singh had won the Lucknow seat in 2014 garnering 55.7 per cent of the total 10,06,483 votes polled. He had won in all the five assembly segments of the constituency. Rita Bahuguna Joshi, then a Congress MLA and former Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee chairperson, had remained runner-up in these elections by securing 2,88,357 of the total votes. New Delhi: With 2019 Lok Sabha Elections just seven days away, political parties have intensified their poll campaigns across India. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi is drumming support for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday addressed a public gathering at West Bengal's Cooch Behar, about 142 km from Siliguri. Earlier, the chief minister tweaked her campaign schedule so she could have the last word in the verbal war against Modi. In a veiled attack at Modi over his "Main Bhi Chowkidar" campaign, the Trinamool Congress president said, "Chaiwallah, who failed to fulfil promises, has now turned into a chowkidar to fool masses and will change the country from a democracy to a totalitarian regime if returned to power in 2019. Claiming that it was the TMC government which solved the six-decade-old enclave issue with Bangladesh in 2015, Banerjee said the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was an attempt by the BJP to turn legal citizens of the country into refugees. Modi has three slogans "loot", "riots" and "kill the people", she reiterated. In an apparent reference to PM Narendra Modi, the biopic, Banerjee asked "Why will people watch your film? If people want to watch films, they will watch films on Gandhi Ji, Ambedkar Ji, why Modi? What contribution he has made to India?" On implementing National Register of Citizens (NRC) in West Bengal, the chief minister said the Trinamool Congress will never allow NRC in the state and Modi is no one to decide who will stay and who will leave the place. The implementation of the NRC in Bengal is a key poll plank for the Saffron party, owing to their political strategy that hinges on the emphasis on illegal border infiltration and post-partition rights, the issues, that the party hopes, will be key in nine seats along the Indo-Bangladesh border. Speaking at a public rally in Siliguri, Modi earlier insisted that the National Register of Citizen (NRC) would not hurt the electorally important Gorkha community in north Bengal.A "I want to assure all Gorkha brothers and sisters from this stage that none of you will be inconvenienced because of the NRC," the prime minister was quoted as saying. Banerjee, however, has been one of the fiercest critics of the NRC, saying that it is an exercise aimed at dividing the communities, which specifically targets Bengalis. Reacting to the BJPas claim that they would conduct an NRC in Bengal if voted to power, the Bengal CM at a rally in Dinhata on Wednesday said that the BJP should first aim at winning a seat in Bengal. In 2014 Lok Sabha Elections, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) swept the state by bagging 34 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats. While the Congress managed to get 4 parliamentary seats, the BJP gave its best-ever performance by reaching to 2 seats, from 1 in 2009. BJP ministers Babul Supriyo and SS Ahluwalia bagged the Asansol and Darjeeling Lok Sabha constituencies with over 4 lakh votes in 2014. GeneralA Elections 2019 in West Bengal will take place in seven phases on April 11, 18, 23, 29, May 6, 12 and 19. The counting of votes for all phases will take place on May 23. New Delhi: Union Minister of State for External Affairs General (retd) V K Singh has said that the Indian Army does not belong to any political party and that if someone calls it Modis army then he is a traitor to the country. If someone says that the Indian Army is Modis army, then he is not only wrong but also a traitor to the country. Indias Army belongs to the country, it does not belong to a political party, Singh was quoted by BBC as saying. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, while addressing a rally in Ghaziabad on Sunday, referred to the Indian Army as Modi ji ki Sena (Prime Minister Narendra Modis Army). Congress ke log aatankvadiyon ko biryani khilate the aur Modi ji ki sena aatankvadiyon ko goli aur gola deti hai (Congress fed terrorists biryani while Modis army feeds them bullets and bombs). Congress people use "ji" for terrorists like Masood Azhar but under the leadership of PM Modi, the BJP government is breaking the backs of terrorists by striking their camps, he had said. Interestingly, Adityanath was campaigning for sitting MP and Union minister V K Singh. On Wednesday, the Election Commission issued a show-cause notice to Adityanath and asked him to reply by April 5. Sources in the poll panel said, prima facie, Adityanath has violated the EC's advisory of keeping armed forces away from political campaign. The Election Commission had on March 19 asked political parties to "desist" from indulging in any propaganda involving actions taken by defence forces during their Lok Sabha poll campaigns. The advisory was issued days after the poll panel asked parties and their candidates against using pictures of defence force personnel in their campaign material. "...Parties/candidates are advised that their campaigners/candidates should desist, as part of their election campaigning, from indulging in any political propaganda involving activities of defence forces," it had said. Former Navy Chief Admiral L Ramdas had Monday said he would approach the Election Commission against Adityanath for his remarks and claimed that many veterans and those in service were upset over it. New Delhi: Will Smith is pushing his boundaries to grow in his personal and professional life and his latest endeavour was to visit India and shake a leg with Bollywood stars in a dance and song sequence. The American actor and rapper have fulfilled his wish and his latest episode of Will Smith's Bucket List he lands in India and witnesses the culture and diversity of the country while riding and auto across the lanes. He then takes up dancing to the popular dance number, Radha from Student of the Year but with the star cast of the new franchisee i.e. Tiger Shroff, Ananya Pandey and Tara Sutaria. The 50 year old star greeted the actor and while shooting the sequence admitted that while he felt nervous, he managed to get aa really good sense of what makes Bollywood tick because itas what makes me tick.a aPeople go to the movies because they want to have fun, they want to feel good,a he said. aBut then by opening themselves to this collective emotional experience, an opportunity is presented where we can actually learn something about life.a Although we don't know if the song will feature in the movie, he has our hearts for that amazing performance. In the first half of the episode, Will Smith meetsA Ranveer Singh and they both talk about how movies and songs are shot in Bollywood movies. Ranveer then informs Will that when songs are shot in Bollywood films, it is more like a carnival and the audience sees a Bollywood hero represents the ideal with all the positive qualities. Post this, Ranveer takes Will to see a video of his song Tattad Tattad from his film Goliyon Ki Rasleela- Ram Leela. On seeing the video of the song, Will feels the energy of Bollywood and does a few steps with Ranveer. The producer of Student of the Year 2, Karan Johar expressing his delight on seeing Will Smith dancing away to Bollywood rhythm tweeted, "My friend WILL SMITH ticks off his BUCKET LIST in BOLLYWOOD! This is the most entertaining and heartening video you will see today! Will Smith is all heart and such a beautiful curious mind! Watch out for @RanveerOfficial and team #soty2" My friend WILL SMITH ticks off his BUCKET LIST in BOLLYWOOD! This is the most entertaining and heartening video you will see today! Will Smith is all heart and such a beautiful curious mind! Watch out for @RanveerOfficial and team #soty2 https://t.co/Jk50iBdIkj a Karan Johar (@karanjohar) April 3, 2019 A Will Smithas Bucket List airs every Wednesday at noon on Facebook Watch For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: In an encounter with Maoists, four Border Security Force (BSF) jawans were killed and two others injured at Kanker in Chhattisgarh on Thursday. Earlier, it was reported that one jawan was killed and three were injured. Later on, the three injured jawans also succumbed to their injuries. Two other personnel were injured in the encounter were taken to the Pakhanjore hospital, which took place in Kanker district, the police said. On March 28, Maoists blew up the house of a BJP leader in Bihars Gaya district on Wednesday night. According to news agency ANI, Anuj Kumar Singhs house was attacked last night. Maoists used dynamite to blow up the house. The ANI says that initial probe suggests that no one was injured in the dastardly attack. Singh is also current Member of Legislative Council. They left with anti-poll posters demanding people to boycott the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections. The police have launched an inquiry into the incident. Last week on March 16, Maoists had damaged a government school building in Gaya district using improvised explosive device (IED). Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rajiv Mishra had said that rooms and genset of the school building were damaged in the blast at Sondaha village. The SSP said security forces were rushed to the spot after getting the information. A special drive has been launched jointly by the police and para-military forces to nab the Maoists, Mishra added. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: At least two personnel of the Indian Air Force lost their lives while two others were injured on Thursday after the vehicle carrying them met with an accident in Jammu and Kashmir's Awantipora district. The deceased personnel have been identified as Squadron Leader Rakesh Pandey and Corporal Ajay Kumar. Two other injuried personnel -- an officer and an airman -- are admitted to a nearby hospital. The accident took place at Malangpora outside air force station in Awantipora. The IAF will conduct an inquiry into the accident, according to news agency ANI. The tragic incident comes nearly two months after a suicide bomber, belonging to Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed, rammed an explosive-ridden vehicle into a CRPF convoy, killing 40 jawans. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Amid intense debates over the number of terrorists killed in Indian Air Forces stunning February 26 air strike, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthamans father has reportedly said that the SPICE bombs used in the pre-dawn attack could have killed around 300 terrorists. According to Times of India report, Air Marshal (Retired) Simhakutty Varthaman made the comments while addressing a meet at IIT-Madras on Wednesday. The decorated officer was speaking to students of defence studies at the prestigious IIT-Madras. The Indian Air Force strike happened when the maximum target were inside the camp. The structural damage might be limited, but the fuse of the bomb is delayed to ensure maximum casualties," Air Marshal (Retired) Varthaman was quoted as saying by the TOI report. The Air Marshal, a resident of Chennai, is a recipient of the Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and Vishisht Seva Medal. Air Marshal (Retired) Varthaman also spoke about the F-16s and AMRAM missiles. "Pakistans F-16s and AMRAAM missiles were the real threat to us. We had to first get F-16s off our back by making sure they were headed to some other direction," the air force veteran said. Last week, Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa on Friday had said that Pakistan was refusing to acknowledge the damage caused by the Air Force fighter jets in Balakot even though the proof existed in the form of bombed-out Jaish-e-Mohammed camp. The IAF chief quoted an iconic Bob Dylan track when asked about Pakistan denying any damage in the February 26 air strike by IAFs Mirage 2000 fighter jets in response to the Pulwama attack in which over 40 CRPF soldiers were killed. "It is there in front of you (Pakistan), but you dont want to see it...I can only recall Dylan, And how many times can a man turn his head, and pretend that he just doesnt see; the answer, my friend, is blowin in the wind..," The Hindustan Times quoted Dhanoa as saying. While the air force has been very professional on the Balakot air strike, political parties have been embroiled in bitter war of words. The Congress has been demanding proof of the casualties in the JeM camp attack, the BJP has been calling such questions as anti-national. Earlier, Sam Pitrodas controversial statement on the Indian Air Forces air strike on Jaish-e-Mohammeds terror camp in Pakistans Balakot sparked a massive political controversy. Pitroda had asked the government to come out with "more facts" on the Balakot air strikes, and said that he was "baffled" by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reaction to his question which he was entitled to ask. Pitroda, chief of Indian Overseas Congress, also said it was good to have a debate, discussion, dialogue and discourse, and it does not amount to questioning anyone. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate has made some sensational revelations in its supplementary chargsesheet filed against Christian Michel James, the alleged middleman in the Rs 3,600 crore AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal case. As per sources, the chargesheet revealed that Michel, during questioning revealed that 'AP' stands for Ahmed Patel and 'Fam' stands for Family. The code names 'AP' and 'FAM' were used in Christian Michel's diary which was seized by the ED. According to reports, Michel also acknowledged knowing 'Mrs Gandhi' and revealed that he was in touch with her and knew her since 1986-87. However, the chargesheet did not elaborate what was the context in which 'Mrs Gandhi' was named and what was her full name. Earlier on December 29, 2018, the ED had told the Patiala House Court that Christian Michel named one 'Mrs Gandhi' during his interrogation. In its chargsheet, the ED also told that according to a letter by Michel, former prime minister Manmohan Singh was under pressure by from some party leaders. The 52-page chargesheet, filed before Special Judge Arvind Kumar who has listed the matter for Saturday, also mentions meetings with 'the Italian lady's son' who 'will be the next Prime Minister' of India.The dispatch published by the ED also talks about 'son's power growing in the party and mother unaware of full facts'. A dispatch dated 1st October 2009, reads: Meeting at the beginning of the week with regards to the Italian ladys son. The gentlemen I met knew about our activity and felt we were well placed. Explained that this was well known but that we could not wait any longer. The gentleman confirmed that the son will be next Prime Minister and his power in the party is growing day by day. Hence, the Finance Ministers extreme anxiety at the sons phenomenal rise. The son will be asked this weekend to raise this matter with his mother as the mother is certainly not aware of all the facts". A dispatch dated 15th March 2008 reads: "As Mrs Gandhi is the driving force behind the V.I.P., she will not fly any more in the MI-8. Mrs Gandhi and her closet advisers are the people the High Commissioner should target. Key Advisers Manmohan Singh Ahmed Patel Pranab Mukherjee M. Veerappa Moily Oscar Fernandes M. K. Narayanan Vinay Singh" According to the chargesheet, Christian Michel and Guido Haschke made payment to defence officials, bureaucrat, political leaders of the ruling party in lieu of their decision influencing the deal of purchase of helicopter in favour of AgustaWestland. The chargesheet said according to the "budget sheet, 30 million euros were paid to Air Force officers, bureaucrats and politicians" to swing the deal in the favour of AgustaWestland for purchasing the choppers to ferry VVIPs across the country. "Christian Michel James has further disclosed various abbreviations used in the budget sheet, which contains the details of the payments made to Air Force officials, bureaucrats and political persons. "The recipients of the kickback include several categories of persons namely Air Force officials, bureaucrats including defence ministry officials and top political leaders of the then ruling party. As per Christian Michel James, 'AP' means Ahmed Patel and 'Fam' means Family," the ED said. At another place in the chargesheet, Michel said, "I cannot say what Haschke was thinking. As a guess, I would think he was talking about Ahmed Patel." Regarding "Fam", he said it "could mean family". While the identity of the said Ahmed Patel is not clear, it is understood that it refers to the senior Congress leader. The veteran leader has not been named in the PMLA FIR of the case. The chargesheet further mentioned about 'kickbacks worth 70 Million Euros' being given to 'defense officials and top political leaders'. "It is an undisputed fact that kickback of at last Euro 70 million was received by two chains of middlemen represented by Christian Michel James and Guido Haschke from AgustaWestland for successful conclusion of deal in their favour," the chargesheet read. The central probe agency, in its 3,000-page supplementary chargesheet with 52 main pages, also named David Syms, Michel's alleged business partner, and two firms owned by them -- Global Trade and Commerce Ltd and Global Services FZE -- as accused. Michel, who was extradited from the UAE in December last year, is currently lodged in Tihar Jail in connection with the CBI and ED cases against him related to the AgustaWestland deal scam. He is among the three alleged middlemen being probed in the case by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The others are Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has mentioned names of several political leaders and three Indian journalists in the Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland chopper deal supplementary chargesheet. The chargesheet mentions that Michel used media personalities as evident from trail of payment made to one Raju Santhanam. It mentioned that "as per Casana sheet, a payment of Euro 205860.40 was made to Ashwin Santhanam, son of Raju Santhanam in addition to booking an air ticket for him and his family for a total amount of Rs 26.50 lakh". Michel has accepted that he had made such payments and admitted to hiring services of Guy Douglas to influence the media and this fact is further corroborated by act of using influence on journalists "Manu Pubby and Shekhar Gupta to tone down the article in Indian Express", said sources. "Michel also deposed that Douglas was in touch with several journalists." (With agency inputs) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Reacting to Enforcement Directorates summon to his nephew Ratul Puri for interrogation in a money laundering case related to the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Thursday said he has nothing to do with the formers business. While Nath said that an investigation should be conducted, he wondered why such issues came up during elections. He's independent, he has nothing to do with politics and I have nothing to do with his business. Whatever there is, it must be investigated but how these issues come up during elections only? he said. The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday told a Delhi court that Puri was summoned for interrogation in a money laundering case related to the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam. Puri has reportedly denied any wrongdoing on his part in the AgustaWestland case. "I am cooperating with the investigation. I have no connection with AgustaWestland or defence. I run an independent business. I have no business dealings with any relative of mine," ANI reported Puri as saying. According to ED sources, Puri's name appeared in the statement recorded by middleman and Dubai-based businessman Rajeev Saxena, who recently turned approver in the case. ED told Special Judge Arvind Kumar that Puri, Chairman of Hindustan Powerprojects Pvt Ltd, was summoned for confronting him with Sushen Mohan Gupta, an arrested middleman in the case, whose custodial interrogation was today extended by three more days by the court. Seeking the extension of Gupta's custody, ED told the court that he was required to be confronted with various people including Puri in the case pertaining to the now scrapped Rs 3,600 crore chopper deal. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The Madras High Court passed an order to prohibit the download and use of the popular mobile video-sharing app, TikTok. The Madurai bench of the high court passed the order after expressing concern that the app hosts inappropriate content, including pornography, which is available for access to children. The bench has also expressed its concern that minors are also exposed to strangers online through TikTok. "Majority of the teens are playing pranks, gaffing around with duet videos sharing with split screen to the strangers. The children who use the said application are vulnerable and may expose them to sexual predators . Without understanding the dangers involved in these kinds of Mobile Apps., it is unfortunate that our children are testing with these Apps." Justices N Kirubakaran and SS Sundar have also directed the central government to respond before the February 16 if it would enact like US' "Children's Online Privacy Protection Act" to prevent children becoming online victims. The order also observed pranks made using the app could violate privacy. The petition was filed by a Madurai-based senior lawyer-cum-social activist Muthu Kumar. Citing pornography, cultural degradation, child abuse, suicides, he had sought a direction to ban TikTok. Tik Tok, which was launched in 2019, is a social video app owned by China's Beijing ByteDance Co. It reached the one billion download mark in February. It is a popular app worldwide and was the fourth most downloaded non-game app in 2018. The matter will be taken up next on April 16. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Hours after being conferred with UAE's highest civilian award 'Zayed Medal', Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday thanked Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the country's Armed Forces, for this honour. Accepting the honour with utmost humility, Modi further said under the visionary leadership of Zayed, the strategic ties between India and UAE have reached new heights and this friendship is contributing to the peace and prosperity of the planet. Modi was awarded the prestigious Zayed Medal for playing a "pivotal role" in consolidating the long-standing friendship and joint strategic cooperation between the two countries. Taking to Twitter, Modi wrote, Thank you, Your Highness Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. I accept this honour with utmost humility. Under your visionary leadership, our strategic ties have reached new heights. This friendship is contributing to the peace and prosperity of our people and planet". Thank you, Your Highness Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. I accept this honour with utmost humility. Under your visionary leadership, our strategic ties have reached new heights. This friendship is contributing to the peace and prosperity of our people and planet. https://t.co/gtAy00uffw a Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 4, 2019 Early in the day, President of the UAE Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan made the announcement to confer Modi with the award, the highest decoration awarded to kings, presidents and heads of states. Extending her best wishes to the prime minister, Union Minister Sushma Swaraj said, "I am extremely happy to welcome the announcement of Order of Zayed for a great son of India Prime Minister Narendra Modi by His Highness Mohamed Bin Zayed". The External Affairs Minister said the prestigious award was bestowed on Modi in recognition of his "stellar role" in ushering in a new era of strategic partnership with the UAE and the "best ever" relations with the Islamic world. "On behalf of the people of India, I express our deep sense of gratitude to His Highness the President, His Highness the Crown Prince of UAE for this great honour. With this, you have honoured India and the people of India," Swaraj wrote in a series of tweets. On behalf of the people of India, I express our deep sense of gratitude to His Highness the President, His Highness the Crown Prince of UAE for this great honour. With this, you have honoured India and the people of India. /3 @MohamedBinZayed @narendramodi a Chowkidar Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) April 4, 2019 Modi visited the UAE for the second time as Prime Minister in February last year and held wide-ranging talks with the Crown Prince. After their talks, the two sides signed five agreements related to the energy sector, railways, manpower and financial services. The Prime Minister's first visit to the UAE took place in August 2015. In February, the Crown Prince telephoned Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan as part of his efforts to de-escalate Indo-Pak tensions in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack claimed by the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed terror group which killed forty CRPF personnel. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Paris: Rising sea temperatures have wrecked the Great Barrier Reef's ability to regrow, researchers said Wednesday, highlighting for the first time a 90 per cent fall in new corals since back-to-back heatwaves bleached the World Heritage site. Following the unprecedented loss of swathes of the reef -- the world's largest living structure -- in successive ocean heatwaves in 2016 and 2017, the number of new corals measured a year later was found by a team of scientists to be 89 per cent lower than historical levels. Coral reefs make up less than one percent of Earth's marine environment, but are home to an estimated 25 per cent of ocean life, acting as nurseries for many species of fish and a habitat for birds, sharks, dolphins and porpoises. The study measured how many adult corals survived along the 2,300-kilometre (1,400-mile) reef, off the northeast coast of Australia, following consecutive summers of unusually warm seas that bleached and killed off numerous coral species. It discovered a "crash" in coral replacement compared to levels measured in years before a mass bleaching event. The population of one species -- Acropora, a branching coral that supports thousands of marine species -- tumbled by 93 per cent. "We never thought we would see disturbance on a scale to affect recruitment to this extent," said Andrew Baird, co-author of the study that appeared in the journal Nature. The team estimated that it would take between five and 10 years for the reef's production of baby corals to fully recover -- but only if there isn't another bleaching event. Atmospheric temperatures have risen by around one degree Celsius (1.8 Fahrenheit) since the middle of last century, and coral is uniquely sensitive to fluctuating heat levels. Last year an expert panel of international climate experts warned that coral structures -- including the Great Barrier Reef -- would most likely not survive a 2C rise. Bleaching occurs when warmer ambient temperatures cause coral to expel tiny photosynthetic algae, draining them of their colour. The Great Barrier Reef has experienced four mass bleaching events in recorded history -- all within the last two decades. "Dead corals don't make babies," said Terry Hughes, director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at Australia's James Cook University. "Fever babies means recovery will be slower, and the shift in species means the reefs will not recover to the same configuration as before," he told AFP. "The question is, will that recovery be interrupted by another mass coral bleaching event due to escalating global warming?" Hughes said there may however be some hope, as evidence suggested that some coral species are more resilient to temperature fluctuations than others. The team found that while bleaching occurred in both 2016 and 2017, it took much greater heat exposure to cause the same level of bleaching the second time around -- meaning the reef was naturally adapting to house more heat-tolerant coral varieties. "So the reef is now moving rapidly to a new configuration, with a greater proportion of the species that are resistant to bleaching, or that are capable of bouncing back the fastest," Hughes said. The number of species, however, would likely be greatly reduced, earlier research has shown. Co-author Morgan Pratchett however warned that there was a limit to the amount of warming the reef could take. "It's highly unlikely that we could escape a fifth or sixth (bleaching) event in the coming decade," she said. "We used to think that the Great Barrier Reef was too big to fail -- until now." For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Cambridge: Facial recognition technology was already seeping into everyday life - from your photos on Facebook to police scans of mugshots - when Joy Buolamwini noticed a serious glitch: Some of the software couldn't detect dark-skinned faces like hers. That revelation sparked the Massachusetts Institute of Technology researcher to launch a project that's having an outsize influence on the debate over how artificial intelligence should be deployed in the real world. Her tests on software created by brand-name tech firms such as Amazon uncovered much higher error rates in classifying the gender of darker-skinned women than for lighter-skinned men. Along the way, Buolamwini has spurred Microsoft and IBM to improve their systems and irked Amazon, which publicly attacked her research methods. On Wednesday, a group of AI scholars, including a winner of computer science's top prize, launched a spirited defense of her work and called on Amazon to stop selling its facial recognition software to police. Her work has also caught the attention of political leaders in statehouses and Congress and led some to seek limits on the use of computer vision tools to analyze human faces. "There needs to be a choice," said Buolamwini, a graduate student and researcher at MIT's Media Lab. "Right now, what's happening is these technologies are being deployed widely without oversight, oftentimes covertly, so that by the time we wake up, it's almost too late." Buolamwini is hardly alone in expressing caution about the fast-moving adoption of facial recognition by police, government agencies and businesses from stores to apartment complexes. Many other researchers have shown how AI systems, which look for patterns in huge troves of data, will mimic the institutional biases embedded in the data they are learning from. For instance, if AI systems are developed using images of mostly white men, the systems will work best in recognising white men. Those disparities can sometimes be a matter of life or death: One recent study of the computer vision systems that enable self-driving cars to "see" the road shows they have a harder time detecting pedestrians with darker skin tones. What's struck a chord about Boulamwini's work is her method of testing the systems created by well-known companies. She applies such systems to a skin-tone scale used by dermatologists, then names and shames those that show racial and gender bias. Buolamwini, who's also founded a coalition of scholars, activists and others called the Algorithmic Justice League, has blended her scholarly investigations with activism. "It adds to a growing body of evidence that facial recognition affects different groups differently," said Shankar Narayan, of the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington state, where the group has sought restrictions on the technology. "Joy's work has been part of building that awareness." Amazon, whose CEO, Jeff Bezos, she emailed directly last summer, has responded by aggressively taking aim at her research methods. A Buolamwini-led study published just over a year ago found disparities in how facial-analysis systems built by IBM, Microsoft and the Chinese company Face Plus Plus classified people by gender. Darker-skinned women were the most misclassified group, with error rates of up to 34.7 per cent. By contrast, the maximum error rate for lighter-skinned males was less than 1 per cent. The study called for "urgent attention" to address the bias. "I responded pretty much right away," said Ruchir Puri, chief scientist of IBM Research, describing an email he received from Buolamwini last year. Since then, he said, "it's been a very fruitful relationship" that informed IBM's unveiling this year of a new 1 million-image database for better analysing the diversity of human faces. Previous systems have been overly reliant on what Buolamwini calls "pale male" image repositories. Microsoft, which had the lowest error rates, declined comment. Messages left with Megvii, which owns Face Plus Plus, weren't immediately returned. Months after her first study, when Buolamwini worked with University of Toronto researcher Inioluwa Deborah Raji on a follow-up test, all three companies showed major improvements. But this time they also added Amazon, which has sold the system it calls Rekognition to law enforcement agencies. The results, published in late January, showed Amazon badly misidentifying darker-hued women. "We were surprised to see that Amazon was where their competitors were a year ago," Buolamwini said. Amazon dismissed what it called Buolamwini's "erroneous claims" and said the study confused facial analysis with facial recognition, improperly measuring the former with techniques for evaluating the latter. "The answer to anxieties over new technology is not to run 'tests' inconsistent with how the service is designed to be used, and to amplify the test's false and misleading conclusions through the news media," Matt Wood, general manager of artificial intelligence for Amazon's cloud-computing division, wrote in a January blog post. Amazon declined requests for an interview. "I didn't know their reaction would be quite so hostile," Buolamwini said recently in an interview at her MIT lab. Coming to her defense Wednesday was a coalition of researchers, including AI pioneer Yoshua Bengio , recent winner of the Turing Award, considered the tech field's version of the Nobel Prize. Washington: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned Wednesday of "devastating" results if Turkey strikes Syria as he met in Washington with Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu. "Secretary Pompeo expressed support for ongoing negotiations regarding northeast Syria, while warning of the potentially devastating consequences of unilateral Turkish military action in the region," the State Department said in a statement after their talks. Turkey has repeatedly threatened to hit the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces, who joined Western forces in battling the Islamic State group but which Ankara links to the separatist PKK movement at home. Fears for the safety of the fighters has led the United States to delay President Donald Trump's decision to remove US troops from Syria. Cavusoglu was visiting Washington as part of 70th-anniversary celebrations for the NATO alliance. "We held a constructive discussion with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on the issues in our bilateral relations & issues in our joint agenda," tweeted Cavusoglu. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. A Thai woman, 24, allegedly attempted to smuggle drugs worth BD30,000 into the Kingdom, the court heard. She was arrested at the Bahrain International Circuit, hiding 162 narcotic pills in baby powder cans and vaseline jars. According to prosecutors, she was nabbed after a customs officer became suspicious of her behavior. He then X-rayed her luggage and found shabu pills hidden among them. The seized pills were weighing 162 grams. The pills were given to me by a fellow national, who heads a vice ring, which I am part of, the 24-year-old woman told prosecutors. His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa yesterday welcomed the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud upon his arrival on a fraternal visit to the Kingdom yesterday. His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, the Prime Minister and His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister, were present. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques held talks with HM the King focusing on the outstanding robust brotherly ties binding the two countries and peoples as well as latest regional. Arab and international developments and issues of shared interest. The visit attains immense significance amid Saudi Arabia and Bahrain seeking Arab solidarity over a number of issues faced by the region. Speaking at the Arab League Summit a few days ago in Tunis, King Salman had said that he absolutely rejects any measures that impact on Syrian sovereignty over the Golan Heights. We reaffirm our absolute rejection of any measures that encroach upon Syrian sovereignty over the Golan, and we stress the importance of reaching a political solution to the Syrian crisis that will guarantee Syrias security, unity, and sovereignty and prevent foreign intervention. He also reiterated Saudi Arabias position supporting the establishment of a Palestinian state in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem as its capital. He said the Palestinian issue was a top priority for Saudi Arabia. In His Majestys speech read out at the summit by His Highness Deputy Prime Minister Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa, Bahrain reiterated support to the Palestinian peoples inalienable right to establish a fully independent and sovereign state with the borders dating back to June 4, 1967 with East Jerusalem as its capital, based on the Arab Peace Initiative. A joint meeting held yesterday comprising members of the fiscal committees of the Representatives and Shura councils and the government to discuss the 20192020 general state budget draft law. The Minister of Finance and National Economy and Minister of Transportation Telecommunications, The Minister of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning and the Minister of Electricity and Water were present. Head of Representatives Financial and Economic Committee, Ali Ishaqi, on the sidelines of the meeting, stated that the Representatives committee called for increasing the non-oil revenues to diversify the sources of revenues, consequently achieving Bahrains financial balance. He said the committee learned about the budget details and revenues of the Bahrain Holding Company, as it is a government investment company supportive to the national economy and it is a significant employer for national labor. Mr. Ishaqi said the committee focused on the operational and logistic plans and projects of the Ministry of Transpiration and Telecommunications, chiefly the Bahrain airport expansion project, the increase in air freight revenues, and the transit services of Bahrain International Airport. Have an opinion on a recent story or event around the University of Cincinnati? Let us know what you think! If you're interested in submitting a Letter to the Editor, click the button below to email David Rees, editor-in-chief. For news tips or story ideas, contact one of our editors. Email the editor Magic and music (think Hendrix) are on tap in Connecticut this weekend, along with a clever and comedic look at Americas highly-charged political climate, courtesy of Emmy winner Ed Asner, who stars in the Connecticut premiere of God Help Us Asner plays a wisecracking God who confronts two political pundits in a lively debate about todays issues, in this Sunday production at The Palace Danbury. Beloved for roles such as news director Lou Grant (The Mary Tyler Moore Show), Asner will be onstage with Danbury actors Anthony DePoto, who plays left-leaning Larry, and Karen Robinson as Randi, a conservative. Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk / Contributed photo The weekend of Saturday and Sunday, April 13 and 14, offers the final chances to join The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk in seeking out some of the seals and birds that spend the colder months just off Connecticuts shores. The 2-hour Seal-Spotting & Birding Cruises seek out some of the harbor seals and gray seals that annually migrate down into Long Island Sound from northern waters, the aquarium said in a news release. Aquarium educators will point out these federally protected marine mammals and talk about their natural histories. BROOKFIELD As the town prepares to build a new Huckleberry Hill Elementary School, local leaders say collaboration will be key. School officials and members of the Municipal Building Committee said they are working closely together on various aspects of the project, including the state grant that is expected to cover part of the $78.1 million cost. Everyone is elated that it was passed in referendum, said Colette Sturm, chair of the education board. I truly think this is Brookfield at its best everyone working collaboratively toward a common goal. This is change from when the town renovated the high school, said Paul Checco, chair of the building committee and a former education board member. The town was forced to scale back that project when it hit its budget and later had to find missing records to avoid repaying the state $900,000 in grants the town had used. These problems were a result of the fragmentation of the roles of the school board, building committee and selectmens office, Checco said. For Huckleberry, everyone is acting like a team, he said. This project from the start has really been a town-wide effort for what we feel is the betterment of the town, Checco said. The application for the state grant that would cover 22.5 percent of eligible costs of the project is due June 30. If the town earns the grant, Brookfield would pay $63.3 million for the new school. School board officials approved Wednesday the so-called education specifications needed for the application. This document details how the district plans to use the spaces in the new school and what the classrooms might look like, down to the types of floors, doors and more. Its unbelievable the level of detail, Superintendent John Barile said. He said the town has a good chance of earning the grant because the district would be going from four to three schools, which the state will like because of the efficiencies. That really gives us an excellent chance, it gives us a higher probability, than we originally would have, Barile said. The legislature votes next spring on whether to give the district the grant. Meanwhile, the Municipal Building Committee is looking for an architect, construction manager and owners representative for the project. Before the referendum was approved, the town used Tecton Architects to develop a 10-year plan for the school buildings and design the concept presented to voters. But the state requires towns to open the opportunity to other firms, Checco said. The architect, who the selectmen will approve, must be hired as part of the state grant application, Checco said. The construction manager and the owners representative, which supports the town throughout the project, can be hired afterward, he said. Construction is expected to begin in late 2020, with students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade moving into the school in fall 2022. The existing Huckleberry will then be demolished, while Center Elementary School will be vacated. The school community is thrilled about the project, Barile said, adding one teacher joked she was thinking about retiring, but now wants to stay on to experience the new building. Its almost like they have new life, he said. Theyre so excited. Its really been an energizing force for us. HARTFORD A bill that would give opioid-addicted inmates access to medication-assisted treatment and counseling received widespread support from medical and law enforcement officials Wednesday. Experts told the Judiciary Committee Wednesday during a public hearing that more than half of the people in Connecticut who die of drug overdoses have spent time in a correctional facility. That same data shows that formerly incarcerated people are about 10 times more likely to overdose immediately after release, officials claim. Most prisoners are taken off treatment when they go into jail or prison. Connecticut has had a small program that treats a small number of prisoners but has not expanded the program since its inception in 2013. There are three reasons to support this bill, Sam Marullo, a Yale Law School student and former policy director for the governor in Rhode Island, told the committee. Rhode Island has similar legislation in place. First, it would save lives, Marullo said, telling the committee that officials in Rhode Island have estimated it could save 50 to 100 lives in Connecticut. Second, there is no need for you to find new money, Marullo said, pointing out that Gov. Ned Lamont has funded the program in his budget. Lastly, Marullo said, there is a litigation risk if Connecticut doesnt move forward. Successful lawsuits seeking treatment for prisoners have been filed in Maine and more recently Massachusetts because such programs werent in place in prison. Back in Connecticut, proposed legislation that would have added $2.7 million in the first year and more than $6 million in the second year never came up for a vote during last years session. Currently, only two states in the country, Rhode Island and Vermont, have medication-assisted treatment programs in all their correctional facilities. Besides Connecticut, there are legislative efforts ongoing in Massachusetts and New York, among others, this year. In written testimony, Rhode Island Correction Department Director Patricia Coyne-Fague strongly urged Connecticut to follow their lead. The MAT program has been very successful thus far in Rhode Island, Coyne-Fague said. The numbers are impressive: a 60 percent reduction in post-incarceration overdose deaths, leading to a 12-percent reduction in total opioid overdose deaths over the first six months of 2017. Rhode Island began the MAT program with a $2 million budget in 2016. Studies have shown that individuals on treatment are up to 20 percent less likely to reoffend, Coyne-Fague said. In Rhode Island as in Connecticut there is pressure on the state budget and spending on corrections. By far the best way to reduce spending is to improve inmate rehabilitation and reduce recidivism. Another law enforcement official who submitted testimony in support of the legislation was Craig Apple, sheriff of Albany County, New York, which recently started a MAT program. Apple conceded that he was at first skeptical about the program but has become a believer, s o much so that he has added additional drugs for treatment that he initially opposed. We see people with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) in and out of our facility, mainly as a result of gaps in treatment both within the criminal justice system and in the community, Apple said. As a result, I became open to learning about how the addition of buprenorphine and methadone to our continuum of MAT services could help reduce overdose deaths, improve engagement and retention in treatment and reduce recidivism even further. Apple added: I can tell you that my staff and medical team are highly encouraged by how the program is operating and have already seen significant signs of effectiveness. I expect that over time we will demonstrate reductions in overdoses and recidivism, improvement in treatment and other psychosocial outcomes, and significant return on financial investments. To those who dont think the cost is worth it, New London Mayor Michael Passero said this, in written testimony: Some of us have seen firsthand the benefits of getting people onto treatment when they are in state custody and then continuing that treatment upon release. The untreated cost of opioid use disorder is $125,000 per year, per individual in medical services, crime, and lost productivity, Passero added. REDDING By the time Boy Scouts of America officially allowed girls to have a troop, about 10 girls in Redding had already earned badges, gone camping and defeated 19 male troops in an outdoor skills challenge. Troop 306 named after the address of the West Redding Fire Department, its charter organization is one of the first female troops in the country. To be one of the first girls to start the troop in Redding and to be one of the first girls to be an Eagle Scout would be so fulfilling, said Emma Cedusky, 17, the senior patrol leader. On Feb. 1, Boy Scouts changed its name to Scouts BSA and opened up to girls between the ages of 11 and 17. Interested girls, though, were told they could start acting like a troop before then. Troop 306 began doing activities last May, holding weekly meetings and going on camping and canoe troops. That allowed us to have a real running start, said Kevin Blackwell, Troop 306s Scoutmaster. Troop 306 was among 12 troops to start on Feb. 1 in the Connecticut Yankee Council, which covers Fairfield and New Haven counties. That number is now at 17 with 121 girls participating. A few more troops are expected to form by the end of the year bringing the total number of girls to about 200, said Jay Lubin, vice president of membership for the council. The councils troops account for 1 percent of all of the countrys female troops and 5 percent of the female troops in the Northeast, Lubin said, adding he hopes to eventually have at least one troop in every town. Thats an enormous number, he said. Its very exciting. Its been a long time coming. The troop will check another thing off its list and host its first fundraiser with a community breakfast from 8 to 11 a.m. on Saturday at the fire station. Adult tickets are $12 and children and seniors tickets are $10. Cedusky knew she wanted to be in Boy Scouts as soon as the announcement was made. Her dad is an Eagle Scout and she had been going to her brothers Scouting events. She and Kevin Blackwells daughter, Clara, expressed their interest and gathered other girls who also wanted to do it. From there it just grew, Kevin Blackwell said. He said girls ask friends who share similar interests, such as being outdoors or even because they are also Girl Scouts. Some of the girls will get their Gold Award and be Eagle Scouts; I have no doubt, Blackwell said. Among them might be Ava Racett, who is a Girl Scout and in Troop 306. Racett, 11, said she decided to join Troop 306 because of the outdoor opportunities and training. She said she plans to stay in both because she is learning a lot of different things in each organization and is able to help others. I thought it would be good to join something to have that balance, she said. She said she first thought Scouts BSA was just camping, but has since learned there are a lot of opportunities available. She has been introduced to new hobbies since joining. I fell in love with it, Racett said. I love my troop and we all work so well together. Her favorite part was the Klondike challenge this winter where they were tested on their outdoor skills in freezing temperatures, competing against 21 other troops all but one of which were male. Cedusky said her favorite component of Scouts so far has been the National Youth Leadership Training because she was able to work with Scouts her age and her patrol excelled in every task. She said it gave her confidence to speak in front of others and the skills needed to lead Troop 306. She said she usually only gets questions about why she joined Boy Scouts from adults and those outside of Scouting. A lot of guys involved with it are very supportive, Cedusky said. Its a great community. Its hard to feel left out when everyones so inviting. Blackwell, who was scoutmaster for Reddings male troop, said the two troops havent done much together but suspects that will change soon. The boys from Troop 15 will help with the breakfast on Saturday and the girls will help with the boys spaghetti dinner in May. Cedusky, who leaves for college next year, said she hopes the troop lasts and other girls join so they too can learn leadership and important skills, such as first aid and survival skills. I want them to be able to be proud of it because its such a great program, she said. NEW HAVEN The 2020 presidential election could turn out to be the year that young voters make the difference. The Yale University chapter of Every Vote Counts, a nationwide nonpartisan student network, is working to make sure more members of their generation register and make their voices heard in the voting booth. And at Yale, theyre in the vanguard of making sure voters preferences are heard, helping to get ranked-choice voting approved for this years elections for officers of the Yale College Council, which represents undergraduates. Nationally in 2018, about 31 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds voted on Nov. 6, according to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement at Tufts University, 10 points higher than in 2014, the last midterm election, and the highest rate of young voter turnout in a quarter century. Those voters from Generation Z, as those born after 1996 have come to be known, chose Democratic candidates for the House of Representatives over Republicans by a 2-1 margin, CIRCLE reported, which almost certainly helped Democrats take over the House, according to its website. Harold Ekeh, who co-founded Yales Every Vote Counts chapter in 2017, is president of the national executive board. His co-founder, Thomas Rosenkranz, a 2016 Yale graduate, is also on the national board. The chapter got 1,100 students to commit to vote in 2018, including 800 first-time voters. On Election Day itself we went into every single entryway on the campus and put up posters, Ekeh said. At City Hall, they didnt anticipate the high amount of interest. New voters who wanted to register on Election Day had to do so at City Hall, and at 4 p.m., individuals were being told to turn away and go home, said Ekeh, a senior and Nigerian immigrant who lives in Elmont, New York. That was active voter disenfranchisement. If youre in line by 8 oclock, they cant tell you to go home, but sometimes they do, said Phil Hinkes, a sophomore from Chicago who is president of Yales chapter. Through our efforts, hundreds of people got to vote on Election Day. The energy behind getting students to vote is high at Yale, which, Hinkes said is the first chapter so we are the most active chapter. The chapter counts 80 members in its ranks. Yales chapter is looking beyond New Haven, however. Were dedicated to increasing voter turnout nationwide and expanding voter access through civic education, legislative advocacy and voter engagement, Ekeh said. The group is advocating for early voting and voter registration at the Department of Motor Vehicles, both of which are on Secretary of the State Denise Merrills agenda. Ekeh got involved in increasing voter participation when he was interning with the Congressional Black Caucus in the summer of 2017 and found that 23 states had passed laws that were meant to suppress voting rights. When he arrived at Yale that fall, Ekeh found that Yale students voted at a lower rate in 2014 than those at Harvard University. Now, through Every Vote Counts efforts, TurboVote, an online app that allows voter registration in two minutes and keeps track of absentee and vote-by-mail rules in every state, was incorporated into Yales Student Information System. The goal is to integrate into the first-year onboarding register for classes, register to vote. Very simple, Ekeh said. Thats important for students in a digital age who have to get absentee ballots if they want to vote in their hometowns. A lot of them dont know how to use stamps and envelopes, he said. You have to Google where the stamp goes, Hinkes said. Every Vote Counts has been putting its efforts especially into ranked-choice voting, a system that allows voters to list candidates in multiple-candidate elections by preference, eliminating the concern that voting for a third-party candidate will take votes away from the Democrat or Republican who may be more likely to win. Also known as instant runoff, the system is used to elect the Australian Parliament, the president of Ireland, mayors of London, San Francisco and Portland, Maine, as well as on 50 college campuses, according to instantrunoff.com and fairvote.org. Its also the system used to nominate and pick winners for the Academy Awards. In traditional elections (though not the vote for president, in which the Electoral College is used), the candidate with the most votes may win with a plurality but less than a majority. The winner is first past the post, Hinkes said. There were 14 candidates in Chicagos Feb. 26 mayoral election, with the highest two vote-getters, Lori Lightfoot and Toni Preckwinkle, moving on to an April 2 runoff. Lightfoot received 17.54 percent of the vote and Preckwinkle won 16.04 percent, according to the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners. Under ranked-choice voting, the candidate with the least number of votes would have been eliminated and his votes distributed to his voters second-choice candidate. The process would continue until one candidate gained a majority. If you dont want to vote for a candidate, you dont have to, said Lucy McCurdy, vice president of Yales chapter of Every Vote Counts. This allows you to vote for third parties without throwing away your vote. It reduces polarization because youre also competing for peoples second-choice vote. Hinkes said the system eliminates strategic voting, in which voters choose the candidate they believe will win rather than the one whose policies they most agree with. It incentivizes instead to look for common ground, he said. Theres typically less negative attack ads, said McCurdy, a sophomore from Washington, D.C., who is registered in Connecticut and voted at the Ives Memorial Library in November. She added that the biggest obstacle to implementing the system is educating voters that it is fair. Hinkes said that in Minnesota, where it is used to elect the mayors and city councils in Minneapolis and St. Paul, more than 95 percent of voters like the system. Those who oppose the system think that youre giving voters more than one vote, which youre not, he said. The ballot isnt necessarily who the voters are voting for, its just giving who their preferences are. In the 2000 presidential election, in which Floridas electoral votes decided the election in favor of George W. Bush, the recount gave Bush 2,912,790 votes, 48.847 percent, to Vice President Al Gores 2,912,253 or 48.838 percent. Many have blamed third-place finisher Ralph Nader, a Winsted native who received 97,488 votes, for taking votes from Gore. There were seven other candidates on the Florida ballot with 40,575 votes total, so if ranked-choice voting had been used, all those candidates votes, split between Bush and Gore, would not have been enough to give either a majority and Naders votes would have come into play. Hinkes said voter apathy and suppression, with voters being removed from the rolls for various reasons, is another big problem. I think if you look at 2016, the total votes between Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin was 78,000 that decided that election, and 120 million people didnt vote or couldnt vote. Thats basically the size of Darien, Connecticut, deciding the leader of the free world, and that is kind of crazy, he said. Voting is the best way to be represented in our government and, no matter what issues you care about, voting is the best way to make your voice heard, McCurdy said. Turnout doesnt match enthusiasm But while young people are some of the most engaged voters their level of enthusiasm is not reflected in their voting level, Hinkes said. How do we get their level of turnout to match their enthusiasm? he asked. Accomplishing that is Every Vote Counts mission. According to Hinkes, the Higher Education Act of 1965, which created Pell grants and other government scholarships, contained a provision that said universities need to make a good-faith effort to register students. He said Northwestern University is like the gold standard for voting. The Evanston, Illinois, school requires students to opt out of registering, so close to 99 percent of students are registered, he said. I think Yale students in general want to vote and will vote when its not unnecessarily difficult, McCurdy said. Theres all these things that get in the way, like missed deadlines and misinformation that Every Vote Counts is well situated to address. One issue is the high number of out-of-state students at Yale and confusion about where to vote and whether registering in Connecticut cancels an out-of-state registration, because states arent good at talking to each other, Hinkes said. The thing that we always say is, Just vote once, McCurdy added. The Yale students understand how important the right to vote is and how it is threatened. Hinkes referred to the Supreme Court case of Shelby County v. Holder, in which an Alabama county succeeded in having a portion of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 struck down as unconstitutional. That was something that people got beaten up and tear-gassed for, Hinkes said of the 1965 law. It was something that a generation of activists fought for to make the Declaration of Independence, that all men are created equal a reality. To just have five justices strike that down 50 years later because it was outdated that was untenable. Getting ranked-choice voting approved for five elected officers of the Yale College Council was Every Vote Counts most recent achievement. Council Vice President Heidi Dong, who oversees elections, met with the group and was persuaded that it would be both fairer and easier than the system used in the past. That system required a candidate who doesnt win a majority to have 40 percent of the vote and at least five percentage points more than the second-leading candidate or, if less than 40 percent, more than 10 percentage points more than the nearest candidate. Otherwise there would be a runoff. We found that it works but its definitely difficult to run, said Dong, a junior from Peoria, Illinois. She and YCC President Saloni Rao presented the plan to the council Senate, which is made up of two members from each of Yales 14 residential colleges. Everyone seemed pretty supportive, Dong said. Im definitely excited to see how it turns out. She said she hopes Yale will start a trend within the Ivy League. One of the challenges was technical. We started out with a simple Excel file with manual counting, said Saul Roselaar, a sophomore from Appleton, Wisconsin, and Every Vote Counts legislative director. Then one night I just sat down and wrote an R algorithm. R is an open-source computer-programming language. He then worked with the council to draft an explanation of ranked-choice voting and the new voting system for candidates to use, he said. Dong said the number of candidates can vary. Some years we have as many as five for a position, some years fewer. The registration deadline for candidates for next years board is April 4 and the election will be held April 11 and 12. Dong and Rao wont be running for re-election. Traditionally, the president and vice president of the YCC are juniors. Rao, a junior from Washington, D.C., said, On a small scale Im just really happy that the Yale College Council was able to be a part of pioneering this change, which she hopes will be a springboard to extend ranked-choice voting to elections in the local, state and federal level. edward.stannard@hearstmediact.com; 203-680-9382. Although Special Counsel Robert Mueller stated that while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him. But whatever the findings, everything Congress needed to know about Donald Trump and Russia was already clear. As writer and onetime Republican operative David Frum wrote recently in The Atlantic, Its not a theory but a matter of historical record that Vladimir Putins Russia hacked American emails and used them to help elect Trump to the presidency Its not a theory but a matter of historical record that Donald Trump publicly welcomed this help: I love WikiLeaks! First and foremost, the William Barr four-page summary of the approximately 400-page Muller report by no means suggests there was no collusion between Trump and the criminals he surrounded himself with and the Russian government to improve his prospects for election. What the report says, according to Barr, is that Trump and his gang could not be proved guilty of conspiracy beyond a reasonable doubt. Mens rea the intention or knowledge of wrongdoing for conspiracy is incredibly difficult to prove in a case like this. But what we do know, is that Russia and WikiLeaks clearly put Trump over the top. By the second week of October, 2016, public interest in the huge trove of hacked Clinton emails surged and not coincidentally, Clintons poll lead over Trump peaked on Oct. 17 and steadily shrank thereafter. There has been no official assessment as to whether Russian interference in the election put Trump over the top but, according to conservative columnist Max Boot, outside experts who have examined the the Kremlin campaign which included stealing and sharing Democratic Party emails, spreading propaganda online and hacking state voter rolls have concluded that it did affect an extremely close election decided by fewer than 80,000 votes in three states. Clint Watts, a former FBI agent, writes in his recent book, Messing with the Enemy, that Russia absolutely influenced the US presidential election, especially in Michigan and Wisconsin, where Trumps winning margin was less than 1 percent in each state. We still dont know the full extent of Russian interference, one of the reasons the public needs to see the complete Muller report, but we know its propaganda reached 26 million people via Facebook alone. A BuzzFeed analysis found that fake news stories on Facebook generated more social engagement in the last three months of the campaign than did legitimate articles: The 20 top-performing fall selection stories from hoax sites and hyper- partisan blogs generated 8,711,000 shares, reactions, and comments on Facebook. Almost always fake news was either started or spread by Russian bots, including claims the pope had endorsed Trump and that Hillary Clinton had sold weapons to the Islamic State. Its important not to lose sight of the reality that although Trump himself might not have broken any criminal law in accepting help from Putin, he likely committed many wrongs. And if approximately 100 contacts between Trump campaign operatives and Russian officials with ties to the Kremlin and Putin and then lying about all of set those contacts does not constitute collusion, I dont know what does. Trumps profound ignorance, venality and childishly impulsive behavior make him and his moneygrubbing family existential threats to the safety of the United States. Democrats appear hesitant to impeach this menace, but for the safety of the United States, they should rethink their caution. Stephan Lesher is a retired journalist and a resident of Southbury. Rochester, N.Y. A Rochester-area man who authorities said was a member of multiple white supremacist Facebook groups has been charged with lying to the FBI about owning a gun. Thomas Alonzo Bolin, 22 of Greece, faces a charge of making a false statement to the FBI, which carries a penalty of up to five years in prison. Bolin was charged Wednesday. The case began as federal authorities were investigating Bolin's cousin for threats made following the March mosque attacks in Christchurch, New Zealand. Fifty people died in the shootings. Bolin's cousin, Austin Witkowski, called for a reenactment of the Christchurch attacks in the U.S. during a Facebook conversation and made threats about a potential attack in Baltimore, investigators said. He was later arrested and FBI agents soon showed up to interview Bolin about his conversations with Witkowski. Bolin admitted sharing video of the Christchurch attacks and a link to the gunman's manifesto, but denied possessing any firearms while in New York when he was asked about it, according to court records. Investigators said they later found a 12-gauge shotgun and ammunition during a search of a bedroom and storage closet Bolin was renting. Agents also said they uncovered a photo of Bolin on Facebook holding the gun. Bolin told agents he didn't hate Muslims, but wants them out of the country because he believes they are contributing to a corruption of his culture. He also said he never suggested hurting anyone, despite Facebook posts depicting violence aimed at Muslims, according to court records. Bolin was a member of at least four different Facebook groups that promoted white supremacy, investigators said. Contact Kevin Tampone anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-282-8598 SEYMOUR A 15-year-old Seymour High School student was charged by police Thursday for bringing a vape pen to school and sharing it with other students, sending several students to the hospital for medical evaluation. A teen girl was charged with risk of injury to a minor, possession of less than half an ounce of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and illegal distribution of marijuana. Deputy Police Chief Roberto Rinaldi said Seymour police got a call from the high school Thursday morning informing police that a student fell ill after vaping while in school. A vape pen is often used to consume marijuana and cannabis products. Medics and police responded, and while en route learned that several other students had become ill from the vape, Rinaldi said. On scene, emergency personnel were able to determine that several students became ill due to the vaping and (they were) sent to the hospital for medical evaluation, Rinaldi said. The liquid in the vape pen was tested and the liquid did test positive for THC. A parent group posted a message from Principal Jim Freund on Facebook after the incident unfolded. Today we went into a Stay Put because of a situation that involved multiple students sharing a vape pen, Freunds message said. One of the students who shared the pen became ill. To ensure the safety of our students, the Seymour Police Department and Emergency Medical Services were called in to help assess the situation. A police dog was brought into the school to search for illegal substances. As you are aware, student safety is our number one priority, Freund wrote. In partnership with Seymour Police Department we share in the mission to provide a safe and secure learning environment for our students at all times. If you would like to discuss this further please contact me. BRANFORD A major, mixed-use development project to put 10 buildings with 205 residential units on the former site of Atlantic Wire is up in the air again, with a new lawsuit the property owner has failed to do required environmental cleanup. The developer of the Atlantic Wharf project, Metro Star Capital LLC, filed the lawsuit in February, claiming damages greater than $15,000 against property owner 1 Church Street LLC. The 7.7-acre property is located along the Branford River, within walking distance to the center of town and the Shore Line East train station. The 10-building, mixed-use complex would feature 205 residential units that would be a mix of studio and one- and two-bedroom apartments, according to its zoning application. The development plan includes an underground parking garage with 195 spaces and a new road to be built through the complex near the side of the train tracks. The property has been under contract for sale since Feb. 26, 2013, and the town approved the development initially in February 2015 and again in January 2017. The developer agreed to buy it for $6 million, according to the lawsuit, first reported by the Branford Seven news site. The agreement expressly obligates defendant to develop a remediation plan ... subject to approval by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and then complete the work ... prior to the closing, the lawsuit says. The remediation plan, or RAP, was due by May 12, 2013, 75 days after the purchase agreement was executed. The lawsuit says 1 Church Street provided an informal Remedial Approach document on June 17, 2013 that did not satisfy its RAP obligations. It alleges that the closing has been held up because defendant is unwilling to expend the money necessary to properly remediate the property, and that 1 Church Street has failed to develop and fair and workable (remedial action plan) and has failed to conduct the required remediation. As a result Metro Star is incurring present and future losses due to defendants wrongful and unfair delay, the lawsuit says. It says the delay is jeopardizing Metro Stars ability to complete the project given that construction is expected to take three years, and the zoning approvals are set to expire in April 2022. In addition, defendant has engaged in unreasonable and imprudent demolition activities that have complicated the remediation issue and damaged the property that is to be conveyed, the lawsuit states. Among them, defendant has caused additional harm by demolishing structures on the property without proper environmental management, the suit says. Metro Star Capital and its CEO Robert Smith Jr. are represented by David Slossberg and Jeffrey Nichols of Hurwitz, Sagarin, Slossberg & Knuff of Milford; 1 Church Street and owner Kevin ONeill are represented by Gerald Giaimo of Halloran & Sage of New Haven. I look forward to disproving the allegations in court, Giaimo said Thursday. There are actually three parcels involved, including 5.19 acres at 1 Church St., 1.19 acres at 256 Meadow St. and 1.27 acres described as Meadow Street Rear. The property previously had been classified under the Transfer Act as an establishment where processes involving hazardous wastes took place, the lawsuit says. DEEP advised 1 Church Street in April 2017 the RAP must include a liner under the underground parking garage that is included in Metro Stars project design to contain contaminated soils benath the site of the old Atlantic Wire Mill, the suit says. But 1 Church Street proposed to install the liner either under the footings of the parking garage or in between the footing and the slab in order to make remediation cheaper for the defendent, it says. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers approved the plan in early 2018. Atlantic Wire manufactured industrial wire for 102 years. The company declared bankruptcy in 2008 and was charged with federal crimes and state violations for polluting the Branford River. After Atlantic Wire officials pleaded guilty to the criminal charges, the owners began an extensive cleanup of the site as part of a deal with the state. A former vice president of Atlantic Wire was sentenced in 2009 to a year of probation for violating clean water regulations by failing to report toxic discharges into the Branford River. Atlantic Wire LLC paid the state $1.5 million to settle allegations it repeatedly dumped toxic waste water into the Branford River between 2005 and early 2008. mark.zaretsky@hearstmediact.com NEW HAVEN U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz is threatening legal action against Yale Law School over an email from Dean Heather Gerken stating that students would not be supported financially if they interned at organizations that discriminate against LGBTQ people. The Washington Examiner reported that Cruz sent a letter Thursday to Gerken saying he will investigate the law schools anti-discrimination policy for its unconstitutional animus and a specific discriminatory intent both to blacklist Christian organizations and to punish Yale students whose values or religious faith lead them to work there. The Examiners article was linked from Cruzs Twitter feed. The New Haven Register has asked Cruzs office for a copy of the letter. Cruz, R-Texas, was quoted as writing, the investigation may include a subpoena or a referral to the Department of Justice for action against the school and called Yale Law Schools policy transparently discriminatory. Gerken responded to Cruzs letter in a post on the law schools website reiterating the point in her email that the school does not support discrimination by employers against people based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. She wrote that its policy will solely concern hiring practices. It will not inquire about political goals, litigation strategies, or policy objectives of the organization. It will also include an accommodation for religious organizations and a ministerial exception, consistent with antidiscrimination principles. Duncan Hosie, a first-year Yale law student, said Cruzs threat boggles my mind. I think its dishonest and its hard to take seriously, he said. Yales policy doesnt prevent people from working at anti-LGBT organizations. It protects free-association rights for students, he said. I find it frustrating that out-of-state politicians try to further their bigoted agenda. Cruz is seeking only to get his name in the paper at the expense of LGBT students, he said. Gerkens March 25 email stated that the schools nondiscrimination policy would extend to law students in its Summer Public Interest Fellowship program, Career Options Assistance Program and post-graduate public interest fellowships. It quoted the schools Public Interest Committee, whose chairman is former law school Dean Harold Koh, which met over spring break and issued a statement saying, Obviously, the Law School cannot prohibit a student from working for an employer who discriminates, but that is not a reason why Yale Law School should bear any obligation to fund that work, particularly if that organization does not give equal employment opportunity to all of our students. The controversy apparently stems from an invitation from the Yale Law School Federalist Society to have a lawyer from Alliance Defending Freedom speak about the 2018 Supreme Court decision in which the court voted 7-2 that Masterpiece Cakeshop of Colorado was not required to bake a wedding cake for a gay couple because of the owners religious beliefs. In a column in the Federalist, Yale law student Aaron Haviland wrote that the Yale Law Schools LGBTQ group, OutLaws, demanded that Yale Law School clarify its admissions policies for students who support ADFs positions and that students who work for religious or conservative public interest organizations should not be supported financially by the school. Haviland, described as a Marine veteran in online stories about his column, wrote that conservative students were outraged at Gerkens email. At first glance, the policy looks like it applies to organizations with disfavored policy positions, he wrote. A student working for ADF, for example, would not receive school funding because ADF advocates for natural marriage. Haviland, who did not respond to a request for comment, continued, When asked specifically about ADF, Yale officials claimed they do not know enough about ADFs hiring practices to make a determination. However, they admitted that if ADF does not certify that it will comply with Yales policy, then students working for ADF will be ineligible for public interest fellowships and the loan forgiveness program. He said that the organization requires applicants to agree a statement of faith that says in part: We believe God immutably creates each person as male or female, which reflect the image and nature of God. Rejecting ones biological sex rejects the created image of God. We believe God designed marriage as a unique conjugal relationship joining one man and one woman in a single, exclusive, life-long union. God intends sexual intimacy to only occur between a man and a woman joined in marriage. Alliance Defending Freedom, a Christian group, advocates for the right of people to freely live out their faith, according to its website. Its mission statement is: To keep the doors open for the Gospel by advocating for religious liberty, the sanctity of life, and marriage and family. However, the Southern Poverty Law Center designates it a hate group founded by right-wing Christians that has supported the recriminalization of homosexuality in the U.S. and criminalization abroad; has defended state-sanctioned sterilization of trans people abroad; has linked homosexuality to pedophilia and claims that a homosexual agenda will destroy Christianity and society. A message was left with ADFs media office seeking comment. In her response to Cruz, Gerken wrote, Our students can and do work for any organization they choose. And the Law School enthusiastically supports the efforts of Jewish, Catholic, Muslim, liberal, and conservative groups to hire our students. However, she added, If an employer refuses to hire students because they are Christian, black, veterans, or gay, we will not fund that position. Editors note: Earlier versions of this story omitted Duncan Hosies name. It was added at his request. Also, the spelling of his name has been corrected edward.stannard@hearstmediact.com; 203-680-9382 NEW HAVEN Police are investigating a shooting on Blake Street in New Haven early Thursday morning. New Haven Police, New Haven Fire and American Medical Response were dispatched to a report of a person shot at 1:32 a.m. on Thursday, police said in a release. Multiple 911 calls reported a person shot in the 400 block of Blake Street between Stone Street and Austin Street in the West Rock neighborhood, police said. When officers arrived, they found a 29-year-old New Haven man in the street with gunshot wounds to his buttocks and both legs, according to police. He was taken via ambulance to Yale New Haven Hospital with nonlife-threatening injuries. Investigators are asking anyone with information about the shooting to call the New Haven Police Department Detective Bureau at 203-946-6304. BRANFORD The morning of Nov. 4, 2018, was like any Sunday morning for Branfords Patricia Trish Criscuolo. She was a little stiff from a boot camp workout the morning before. But a bike ride and some stretching at Planet Fitness would loosen her up. Then shed head over to her volunteer gig at the Community Dining Room. On Saturday, roughly six months after the hit-and-run that turned her world upside down, the Pit Fitness Club will open its doors for a workout and silent auction fundraiser for Criscuolo. The 52-year-old mother of three remembers taking the back roads from her home onto Route 139 and turning left onto East Main Street that Sunday morning. She remembers the slight chill in the air. But she has no recollection of anything else. She learned later of the pickup truck that came flying off Exit 55, she said. He swerved around another driver, hit me, and then sped off. Stephen Irish, 34, of North Haven, was arrested in late December 2018 on charges that included evading responsibility with physical injury and attempting to make payment with a revoked payment card. He was released on bail and is scheduled to appear in Superior Court in New Haven April 12. The impact of the collision snapped Criscuolos neck, broke her back and left arm, shattered 11 ribs, crushed her pelvis and fractured her skull. Over the next four days, she underwent six surgeries at Yale New Haven Hospital. It was touch and go, doctors told her sons. All of that is a blur for Criscuolo. But she does recall the seventh surgery. That was to remove the external fixator holding the bones of her pelvis in proper position with metal screws implanted in her skin and muscle. For seven weeks, all I could do was lay on my back, said the self-described fitness fanatic. I couldnt move. I had to sleep like that. It was such a relief to be able to roll onto my side. By then, the Northford native and former cheerleader at North Branford High School was transferred to Gaylord Hospital in Wallingford, where she spent five weeks in intensive physical rehab, eventually graduating to a walker and then to taking her first tentative steps. It was just sinking in then, how much damage there was, how hard Id have to work to get back to where I was, she said. Not to say she was daunted. Far from it, it seems. The first thing I asked the doctors who pieced me back together was when could I go back to the gym and when could I go back to my boot camp, she said. That kind of fierce determination didnt surprise longtime friend Valerie Petrillo. If anyones going to come back from something like this, its Trish, she said. Since Criscuolos release from Gaylord in early January, her road to recovery has been pitted with challenges. I still have pain and numbness from my neck all the way down to my lower spine, and its pretty constant, she said. Even walking is a trial. Four months after the hit-and-run, I still need a walker, she said. I cant do stairs. Its just too much for me right now. Then theres the mental cost. It plays a crazy game with your head when you start thinking about it, she said. Like, why did this happen and what if I had left five minutes earlier or five minutes later, things like that. Counseling has helped, but that means co-pays that are mounting week after week with no end in sight, as well as follow-up appointments and outstanding medical bills, along with another possible surgery on her spine later this spring. Its consuming, just keeping track of everything, said Criscuolo, whos on disability leave from Knights of Columbus, where she sells life insurance. All of that aside, though, Im here, Im fighting, and Im grateful, she said. The outpouring from friends and family and even strangers really has lifted me. Its truly the best medicine. Early on, there was the GoFundMe page started by her friend, Michelle Castellon Melaccio, to help Criscuolos family with medical bills. It smashed its goal of $2,000, raising $9,000 in the first week. At press time, $11,755 had been raised. More recently, dozens of local businesses, including P.S. Fine Stationers, Possessions and Branford Dental Care, have pitched in with gift certificates for the silent auction at The Pit. Trish was here having breakfast with her workout friends the day before the accident, Breakfast Connections owner Lori Pia Vincent said. We want to let her know were with her and we want to support her in her recovery. For Pit Fitness Club co-owner Alyssa Burlakoff, this fundraiser was a no-brainer. Trish is one of our own. We cant wait to have her back. Nor can Criscuolo, it seems. Thinking about showing up to boot camp, even for just a spin class, it really pushes me, she said. Sure, itll be a long road. Still, just to have that beautiful soreness again, not pain, just soreness from a workout, that will be everything, she said. The workout-silent auction to support Criscuolo will be held at from 8:30-10 a.m. Saturday at The Pit Fitness Club, 85 School Ground Lane. To sign up, email thepitfitnessclub@gmail.com. DERBY Mayor Richard Dziekan really loves being mayor, which made his decision to seek re-election really easy. Dziekan, known to most as Zeke, announced his intentions to seek a second term as Derbys head honcho Wednesday during the monthly meeting of the Republican Town Committee. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve the community we all call home, and now that I have positive momentum, I cant wait to see what can be accomplished in the next two and a half years, Dziekan told the small crowd gathered at Hotchkiss Hose Fire Co. Some of those accomplishments Dziekan touted during his past 16 months in office include establishing a tax incentive ordinance to help attract new businesses and developers to town; a deal with Danbury-based Fuel Cell Energy to build a clean energy power plant on Roosevelt Drive that will add $4 million over the next 20 years to Derbys tax rolls; and helping put some 13 or 14 city parcels back on the tax rolls, which will soon include the former VARCA building, to pump even more funds back into the city coffers. Dziekan has also been working to find ways to further cut costs, and teamed up with neighboring Ansonia to share fuel services for Derbys fleet of police, Public Works, fire and other municipal vehicles to fill up. The move will save Derby more than $200,000 by not replacing the aging gas tanks that have nearly reached their 30-year life span. Dziekan said hes also personally proud of being able to raise more than $30,000 for local causes, charities and organizations through his guest bartending gigs at Derby restaurants and bars. Since taking office in November 2017 after unseating former Democratic Mayor Anita Dugatto, Dziekan said hes proud to see boards and commissions, regardless of the members political affiliations, working across the aisle for the greater good of the city, with a common goal of putting Derby first. Dziekan said he wants to continue progress made on his administrations watch, and hopes to gain the support of the GOP when the nominating caucus rolls around in July for a full endorsement to run on the November ballot. So far, there havent been any official announcements from the Democratic Town Committee on a challenger for Dziekan or any others who may be seeking the top seat. But Aneillo Malerba, Derbys Democratic Town Chairman, said his party will run a full slate of candidates in November. State Sen. George Logan, R-17, was on hand at Wednesdays meeting to show his support for Dziekan. Derby needed to go in a different direction, and Rich has done that, Logan said. He brought fiscal responsibility to the City of Derby. Hes a man of the people and he listens to people. Former Republican Mayor Anthony Staffieri, also on hand Wednesday, said hes glad to hear Dziekan wants to seek re-election. Hes been doing a great job, and I want to see that continue, Staffieri said. Dziekan, 53, a U.S. Air Force veteran and retired Hamden police officer, said hes excited about running for mayor again. The overall tone of my administration has been one of positivity and has been marked by the ability to make sound decisions in the interest of our city as a whole, he said. jean.sos@snet.net @nhrvalley on Twitter Nearly 14 years to the day a woman was sexually assaulted at gunpoint in Bergen County, police made an arrest in the case with the help of state police scientists, prosecutors said Thursday in announcing the formation of a three-county cold case squad. Port Authority police apprehended Roydell Cameron, 39, of New York, at JFK Airport last Friday as he attempted to board a flight to Jamaica, according to Robert Anzilotti, Bergen Countys chief of detectives. He was attempting to flee the country after he realized we were out looking for him, Anzilotti said. Cameron was wanted in an early morning rape that occurred in Palisades Park on Friday, April 15, 2005, Anzilotti said. Hes charged with two counts of first-degree aggravated sexual assault, unlawful possession of a weapon and making terroristic threats. Cameron was being held at the Rikers Island jail in New York City to await extradition to Bergen County. The arrest was made with the help of forensic scientists in the New Jersey State Police laboratory who compared DNA found at the Palisades Park crime scene with DNA in a database, according to New Jersey State Police Col. Patrick J. Callahan. Roydell Cameron, 39, was arrested last week and charged with sexual assault in an attack that occurred in Bergen County 14 years ago. It was the third cold case arrest in Bergen County in less than a year following the prosecutors office forming its own cold case unit. Two of the three crimes were committed in the 1990s, officials said. In Hackensack on Thursday, Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal joined Callahan, Anzilotti and prosecutors from Bergen, Passaic and Essex counties to announce they are forming the North Jersey Regional Cold Case Task Force. The unit will include law enforcement and resources from Bergen, Passaic, Essex counties and the New Jersey State Police. Newark Police Department will also be in the task force, officials said. The task force is dedicated exclusively to unsolved homicides and sexual assault cases, Bergen County Prosecutor Dennis Calo said. Calo said there is one detective from each county assigned to the squad but that number might increase in time. Funding will come from the agencies existing budgets, he added. In Bergen County, more than 100 homicides remain unsolved, some of them dating back to the 1950s, Calo said. Passaic County has about 125 dating back to 1990, according to Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes. Acting Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens said in Essex County there are too many homicides to count. We have more of everything, Stephens said. The number is large compared to the rest of the state. None of the officials would offer a number of unsolved sexual assault cases in their counties, saying the crimes are often complicated by a number of factors including victims who make a complaint and then decline to follow through. Investigating homicides and sexual assaults can be a challenge for local police departments, whose budgets and resources are often stretched too thin to solve cold cases, Grewal said. Victims and survivors deserve answers and they deserve closure, Grewal said. We can bring closure and we can deliver justice. In the recent Palisades Park case, Anzilotti said that after the victim was notified that a suspect had been arrested, her reaction was a mix of apprehension and relief. Apprehension because it was like opening an old wound but relief to know it meant closure, he said. Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. WILDFIRE IN NEW JERSEY WILDFIRE IN NEW JERSEY: Firefighters are battling a brush fire that has burned more than 1,000 acres on the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in Burlington County. https://6abc.cm/2HZh7jP Posted by 6abc Action News on Thursday, April 4, 2019 A 660-acre wildfire that broke out in a wooded area of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst on Wednesday afternoon has been fully contained, officials said. The fire, which ignited at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday near Browns Mills, didnt threaten either the installation or any homes, base officials said in an email Thursday afternoon. In two short updates posted on its Facebook page, the Pemberton Township Volunteer Fire Department said that while the blaze is 100 percent contained, firefighters are battling hot spots. They said people can expect to smell smoke through the day. Officials originally said the fire burned through 1200 acres as of 8 p.m Wednesday, but dialed back the numbers Thursday. During an appearance at Cranford High School, Gov. Phil Murphy added that firefighters have created a perimeter around the fire to stop its forward progress. Firefighters will continue to monitor the situation and make sure that no embers escape the perimeter. He said that officials are 100 percent certain it was man caused." Aerial video from a 6ABC.com helicopter showed ribbons of fire through the brush with smoke amid the pine trees. No evacuations were ordered and the base itself was not damaged, though several roads were closed. Photos shared on social media showed smoke drifting around homes with fire vehicles parked nearby. The National Weather Service National Weather Service warned Wednesday morning that were was an increased risk of wildfires occurring in the state because of a combination of strong winds, low humidity and dry brush in wooded areas. The weather service says winds are expected to be lighter on Thursday, which should aid in firefighting efforts. Forecasters are calling for sunny skies, winds of 5 to 11 mph and a high of about 60 near the base. About 100 firefighters from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst fire services, New Jersey State Forest Service including aerial support and Burlington County Strike Team were all working to contain the flames. The fire started around 2:30 p.m. on a training range near Browns Mills, but the cause was still under investigation, officials said. Pemberton Browns Mills, Juliustown and Pointville roads were expected to be closed through the foreseeable future, the statement from the base read. Base employees who use the Browns Mills Gate or Pemberton gate were asked to use an alternate base entrance on Wednesday. The wildfire at the base comes just two days after a massive blaze burned through 11,638 acres of Penn State Forest in the Pine Barrens. That inferno was one of the larger ones New Jersey has seen in recent years. NJ Advance Media staff writer Matt Arco contributed to this report. 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. Q. Ive been approved by the state for New Jerseys $3,000 veterans exemption. Both H&R Block and TurboTax said the state told them to list the exemption on Line 9 of the return, but this doesnt allow for the full benefit of the exemption. Can you explain? Veteran A. Sure thing. In 2016, the state increased the gas tax, and the bill had a number of other items tacked on to it. One was a new $3,000 tax deduction for all veterans who have an Honorable Discharge from the armed forces, National Guard or Reserves, said Bernie Kiely, a certified financial planner and certified public accountant with Kiely Capital Management in Morristown. Kiely said this deduction is actually an additional personal exemption. New Jersey allows you a personal exemption for being alive, he said. There is an extra exemption for being over the age of 65 and for being blind or disabled. You are also eligible to claim an exemption for each dependent and for dependents under the age of 22 who are attending college, he said. Kiely offered the image below, which is part of a NJ-1040 income tax return showing the Exemption section for a single person under the age of 65 who was honorably discharged from the active duty military, Reserves or National Guard. This person gets a $1,000 exemption for just being, and a $3,000 exemption for being a veteran for a total exemption of $4,000, Kiely said. A look at how the veteran's tax break works. (State of New Jersey) As you can see, if you check the veterans box, you automatically get an additional $3,000 exemption, Kiely said. If you are manually preparing a paper return, you must check the box, write in the number 1 and write in $3,000. Kiely said as you can see from the form, the $3,000 is not limited. The question now is why didnt you get the full benefit from the exemptions? Exemptions are non-refundable, which means you benefit if you have sufficient income to be offset by the exemption, Kiely said. If you do not have sufficient income, you get no benefit. He said a refundable benefit is when the government sends you a check even if you have no taxable income. In previous stories, weve discussed the increasing pension exclusion. For 2018, the pension exclusion is $45,000 for a single person and $60,000 for a married couple. If you were over 65 and had $50,000 in income, the Pension/Other Income Exclusion would eliminate your income, leaving your exemptions unused, Kiely said. I can think of no other way a veteran would not get the $3,000 benefit. Email your questions to Ask@NJMoneyHelp.com. Karin Price Mueller writes the Bamboozled column for NJ Advance Media and is the founder of NJMoneyHelp.com. Follow NJMoneyHelp on Twitter @NJMoneyHelp. Find NJMoneyHelp on Facebook. Sign up for NJMoneyHelp.coms weekly e-newsletter. When the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was introduced late in 2017, the president called it one of the great Christmas gifts for the middle class, and said it was an historic victory for the American people. Six months after the tax package passed, he said, Your paychecks are going way up. Your taxes are going way down. Now that were in the midst of tax season, taxpayers arent so sure. We spoke to five New Jersey tax preparers to see what changed for their clients tax burdens under the new law. Everyone agreed the changes to withholding brought ugly surprises for lots of taxpayers - in case you missed it, we addressed that issue here - but there were some other unexpected results, too. Heres what our CPAs had to say. Owing more this year Gail Rosen is a Martinsville-based certified public accountant. She said many of her clients were in for a jolt when they saw their returns. Our clients owed more this year than ever in the past, Rosen said. That is not necessarily due to a tax increase but because they had lower withholding on their income. She said most of her clients didnt even realize they were getting an increased net paycheck with less federal withholding. The clients who fared the worst were generally high-income clients, she said. Thats because the loss of the full SALT deduction affected them the most. SALT stands for state and local taxes, and includes property taxes. Under the new tax plan, the SALT deduction is limited to $10,000, a big hit for New Jerseyans who have higher property tax bills. (You can deduct SALT worth $15,000 on your New Jersey return.) Rosen shared the story of one married couple with combined wages of $1.7 million. Their property tax for two homes was $57,000 - lower than usual because they prepaid their 2017 property taxes. They owed $100,000 due to loss of the SALT deduction and due to lower withholding and other changes in their taxes, Rosen said. They ended up with the $24,000 standard deduction versus $164,000 itemized last year. So of Rosens clients, who fared the best? Clients who could take the new 20 percent business income deduction, those with children who could take the new $2,000 child credit, and those who were married, because married tax rates decreased more than rates for other taxpayers, she said. Looking ahead, Rosen said, she is telling every negatively affected client to increase withholding to avoid penalties next year. She said shes also looking at techniques to increase tax benefits from charitable giving, such as paying a charity directly from IRA distributions and setting up charitable trusts. Read this story to learn more about whats changed for charitable giving and how you can plan accordingly. Withholding was the key Howard Hook is a certified financial planner and certified public accountant with EKS Associates in Princeton. Withholding was the key, he said. Overall I have seen lower refunds and larger amounts owed, Hook said. He said when the new federal withholding tables kicked in at the beginning of 2018, there were errors. Those tables incorrectly withheld too little tax for many taxpayers with wages or pensions, resulting in higher take-home pay but come tax time, lower refunds or larger amounts owed, he said. He said the underwithholding problem seems to have occurred because the tax tables still took into account the number of withholding allowances someone elected when filling out the W-4 form. How does that work? Withholding allowances equate to the number of dependency and personal exemptions someone has when filing their tax return. However, the 2018 tax law eliminated personal exemptions and replaced the dependency exemptions with a $2,000 per dependent credit for children under age 17 and a $500 credit for other dependents, Hook said. So based on that, those taxpayers whose W-4 withholding allowances were quite high - 4, 5 or even more - were hurt the most based on the way the tables were still being calculated, Hook said. You can learn more about that from a Government Accountability Office (GAO) study on the subject. But are people actually paying more, or just having a smaller or no refund? It is my personal opinion that more people have benefited from the new law than what it appears because people are measuring their refund amount compared to last year - or amount owed - when they should be measuring the tax calculated instead, he said. He said even taxpayers affected by the SALT limitation would have fared better except for the fact that their tax payments through the year were incorrectly underwithheld. Hook shared the story of one couple who lives in New York State. (Like our state, New Yorkers also face higher-than-average property taxes.) The couple had itemized deductions of $83,000 in 2017, but because of the SALT limitation, could only claim the standard deduction of $24,000. Their total income was $920,000 in 2017 and $972,000 in 2018, a 6 percent increase. But their total tax burden? In 2017 it was $280,000 and it was $292,000 in 2018, a 4 percent increase. However, due to the underwithholding of federal tax, they owed $32,000 in 2018 when they only owed $6,000 in 2017, Hook said. The taxpayer used 5 withholding allowances, which resulted in much less taxes withheld than should be under the new law, he said. So what should taxpayers do to prepare in 2019? Check your withholding, Hook said, and then check it again. A mixed bag Gerard Papetti is a certified financial planner and certified public accountant with U.S. Financial Services in Fairfield. My experience is that most W-2 wage earners are ending up paying more or getting less back in large part due to the change in the tax withholding rates, not necessarily due to the new limitations on deductions, Papetti said. He shared a couple of client stories. One divorced woman ended up paying approximately 20 percent more in federal tax, he said, because she lost three personal exemption deductions totaling $12,150 and faced the SALT deduction limitation. That was quite a surprise for her, Papetti said. Then there was a retired taxpayer who benefited from the increase of the standard deduction, even with the loss of personal exemptions. In the end, his effective tax rate was reduced from 13.4 percent to 7.9 percent, Papetti said. And because the exemption for the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) was increased under the new tax law, fewer taxpayers were subject to AMT, Papetti said. Papetti recommends everyone check their withholding, and if needed, increase withholding or estimated tax payments. Also consider converting taxable ordinary investment income to tax-free or qualified dividend income, he suggested. AMT is still around Clare Wherley is a certified financial planner and certified public accountant with Lassus Wherley, a subsidiary of Peapack-Gladstone Bank, in New Providence. She said things were looking good for her AMT clients - at first. I had not one client who fell into AMT this year until finally, it hit, she said. The client had a $1.5 million capital gain and other income that was less than $200,000, and was assessed AMT of nearly $9,000. What happened? Wherley says despite lots of research, she still isnt sure. The old AMT was much easier to explain to a client, particularly a New Jersey client, she said. Under the AMT rules, the state and property taxes deduction and any miscellaneous items were not deductible. Then a different tax rate was applied. But, she said, the new rules are so complicated that its impossible to provide generalizations for who and under what conditions AMT would be assessed. After the crunch of the tax deadline, Wherley said shes going back on the hunt for more concrete answers. Winners and losers Bernie Kiely is a certified financial planner and certified public accountant with Kiely Capital Management in Morristown. Kiely said there are both winners and losers under the new tax law. Winners? Those who used to be subject to AMT. Kiely said the AMT changes were a big deal for his clients, and for himself, personally. Previously about 25 percent of my tax clients paid the AMT, he said. I paid it every year for about the last 20 years. This year no AMT for me. Of the 80 returns hes completed so far this tax season, only one taxpayer was subject to AMT. Other winners included single filers who took the standard deduction because their deduction doubled, he said. Seniors who live on Social Security and pension or IRA withdrawals also fared better, he said, because their tax withholdings were not based on IRS tables. They were based on a specific percentage they instructed the Social Security Administration, their former employers or their IRA custodians to withhold from their checks, he said. This percentage did not change but the new tax rates were reduced. Additionally, he said, a lot of seniors no longer have a mortgage so they tended to take the standard deduction and we know that doubled. The self-employed were winners because of the 20 percent business income deduction, he said. Among the losers, he said, were workers who have taxes withheld from their pay and receive a W-2 statement. Again, the withholding tables were to blame, but were these taxpayers really losers under the new plan? Overall, most people are paying less, Kiely said. People who were used to a certain level of tax refunds saw theirs to be lower. In some cases, much lower. But people dont think about how much they are paying, they only care about the size of their refunds, he said. So again, please check your withholding to make sure youre not in for any nasty surprises with your 2019 tax return. Have you been Bamboozled? Reach Karin Price Mueller at Bamboozled@NJAdvanceMedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @KPMueller. Find Bamboozled on Facebook. Mueller is also the founder of NJMoneyHelp.com. Stay informed and sign up for NJMoneyHelp.coms weekly e-newsletter. Juan Cuevas Sr.s three teenage children were tied up and their heads covered so that they couldnt see. They could only listen helplessly as four masked men slowly beat their father to death in the familys Gloucester County home on the evening of Jan. 20, 2006. It would take nine years before fingerprint and DNA evidence led to an arrest. Prosecutors presented opening arguments Thursday in the trial of John Blocker, 46, of Philadelphia. Blocker is charged with murder, felony murder, robbery, burglary and three counts of kidnapping. Hes the only person charged in the case. Clad in a pink dress shirt and tie, Blocker smiled to members of his family gathered in the courtroom as he arrived and sat down next to his attorney. Assistant Prosecutor Alec Gutierrez walked jurors through the series of events that culminated in the killing and Blockers eventual arrest. Juan Cuevas Sr. was brutally and viciously murdered in his house with his three children present, Gutierrez said. Gloucester County Assistant Prosecutor Alec Gutierrez addresses the jury during opening arguments in the trial of John Blocker on Thursday, April 4, 2019. Blocker is on trial for the 2006 murder of Juan Cuevas, of Washington Township.Joe Warner | For NJ Advance Media Cuevas, the owner of G.I. Junes Auto Parts on Germantown Avenue in Philadelphia, was at work, as was his wife, when the four men arrived at the familys Washington Township home. They accosted the couples 18-year-old son, who had just arrived home from high school. They beat him and questioned him about his father, asking, Wheres the money? When they didnt get what they wanted, they bound his hands and feet, covered his head and placed him in a bathtub. They began ransacking the house. A 19-year-old daughter arrived home next and was confronted at gunpoint and questioned. Then the couples 14-year-old son came home. All were bound and eventually placed together in an upstairs bedroom. His wife was still at work when Cuevas arrived home around 6 p.m. The intruders attacked the 36-year-old, told him they had his kids and demanded, Wheres the money? Gutierrez said. His kids could hear their father, who was taken to another bedroom. His children hear him being beaten. They hear him in pain, the prosecutor said. They hear him screaming. The assailants brought his daughter in to see her battered father. She sees him beaten, purple, his face swollen, Gutierrez said. That was the last time she saw her father alive. She was taken back to her siblings. After hearing the intruders leave at some point later that night, the teens freed themselves and rushed to their father. They used CPR and called 911, but it was too late. Investigators collected evidence, sought the publics help and offered a reward, but the case eventually went cold. DNA and fingerprint evidence finally led to a break nearly a decade after the killing. Defense attorney Michael Schreiber speaks to the jury during opening arguments in John Blocker's murder trial on Thursday, April 4, 2019.Joe Warner | For NJ Advance Media A fingerprint lifted from an orange juice container was the link to Blockers arrest. The print was entered into a database at the time of the crime, but there were no hits for a match until August 2015. That hit was for this defendant, Gutierrez said. With that, prosecutors obtained a DNA sample from Blocker and tested it against a cigarette butt found on the kitchen floor. It was a match, Gutierrez said. More DNA matching Blockers was found on an orange juice cartoon in an upstairs bathroom trash can. We expect and intend to produce to you in this case physical evidence, testimonial evidence that link this defendant to the horrific events that occurred on Jan. 20, 2006, Gutierrez told the jurors. Prosecutors said at the time of the arrest that they believed robbery was the motive and that they didnt think the victim knew his killers. Defense attorney Michael Schreiber urged the jury to keep an open mind as they listened to the evidence and reminded them of their duty. My client comes before you today an innocent person, he said. His innocence and presumption of such remain in place unless and until the state has proved each element of each crime beyond a reasonable doubt. If youre not firmly convinced or you have some reasonable doubt you are required to find him not guilty. Two members of Juan Cuevas Sr.s family wore these pins in honor of the victim during John Blocker's murder trial on Thursday.Joe Warner | For NJ Advance Media Among those expected to testify are investigators and New Jersey State Police forensic scientists who examined evidence. The Cuevas oldest son is also expected to testify. Members of the Blocker and Cuevas families declined to comment as the trial began. When Blockers arrest was announced at a press conference in 2015, two of the victims sisters spoke about how their brothers kids had suffered through the ordeal. Theyre not the same, after all theyve been through, Jessica Delvalle said at the time. Its a scare theyll have to live with for the rest of their lives. 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. A near capacity crowd squeezed into a special meeting of the Washington Township school board Wednesday, many looking for answers for what will be done about toxic mercury vapors detected in eight of the townships 11 schools. The problem isnt one that is likely isolated to this Gloucester County school district, as the New Jersey Education Association recently warned its members that 11 unions have sought help with the issue and that it suspects there are more mercury-laced floors out there. Superintendent Joseph Bollendorf released a letter Tuesday promising to present a plan to the school board to replace and remediate rubber flooring in gym and recreation rooms in the Gloucester County schools that are emitting the vapors. He said the goal is to complete the work before the start of the next school year in the fall. On Tuesday, Bollendorf also ordered classes normally held in the affected areas be moved. But many in the crowd that included parents, teachers, and some students as young as first-graders, wore stoic looks. They openly questioned why the board had not moved sooner and were they getting transparency now. My biggest thing more than anything else is that they are being sincere and honest about how they are approaching it, said Gerry Taraschi, a teacher at Washington Township High School and president of the local township Education Association teachers union. Until I find other wise, Ill support the district and the administration. The board voted unanimously Wednesday to approve a requests for proposals for bids to do the work. Board President Julie Kozempel said after the meeting that bids could go out as early as next week. But some in the crowd feared the action may be too little, too late. Im here to advocate that our floors are replaced as quickly as possible, said Melissa McNally, a gym teacher at Hurffville Elementary school, one of the schools in which vapors were detected. I have kidney cancer and I cant help feel it could be related. McNally said she spends nearly eight hours a day five days a week on the rubberized floors of the gym where she instructs classes. McNally, 42, said she was diagnosed six years ago. She said her cancer is rare and more frequently found in elderly men who have worked in industrial areas. She has been a teacher at the school for the past 14 years. Bollendorf said McNally has not told them her cancer was related to the flooring. We do not have medical documentation that would lead us to that conclusion, Bollendorf said after the meeting. McNally addressed the board during public comment in a recent meeting and said she wasnt sure the flooring was the cause of her cancer. District officials said only one of their schools, Whitman Elementary, tested above allowable standards of .8 micrograms per cubic unit of air for mercury vapors. They said the levels dropped to acceptable after reducing the temperature from 72 to 68 degrees in the room and running the ventilation 24 hours a day. The engineers ran the studies and the level of mercury is far below standard, Bollendorf said before the meeting. We could continue to occupy the gyms in the short and long term but the public has made clear theyre not comfortable in the gym unless there are no mercury vapors in the gyms at all. Jennifer Babilino, a teacher at Hurffville, came to the meeting with her son Cayden, a first-grader at Wedgwood. She said she wanted more information about what was going to be done. Annina Hogan, from the engineering firm Remington & Vernick, laid out the challenges of remediating the mercury and replacing the rubberized flooring. This is not just a Washington Township problem, this is not just a state problem, this is a national problem, she said. The mercury had been used during the installation of rubberized flooring before 2000 and several years thereafter. Deteriorating floors are emitting mercury vapors which can be hazardous. Remediation of the threat could cost as much as $3.2 million, officials said. The board said it would pay for the work by reallocating already approved funds in the districts capital budget. Washington Township has a $150 million school budget for 7,200 students in its K-12 district. Bill Duhart may be reached at bduhart@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@bduhart. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us.nj.com/tips. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. Ask Alexa for New Jersey news JERSEY CITY A judge has ruled that a 75-year-old Bayonne man must await trial in jail after allegedly firing a gun following an argument over a parking space in Jersey City. At the detention hearing for Rolando Galang on Thursday, Hudson County Superior Court Judge Paul Depascale noted that no amount of bail or supervision could ensure the publica safety should Galang be released pending trial on an attempted murder charge. Regarding Sundays incident, the judge noted that Galang did not have a permit to carry the gun and that surveillance video makes abundantly clear that the defendant will not prevail in this matter. Galangs 70-year-old wife, Cresencia Obaldo, was also charged after the Glock handgun with a high capacity magazine was found in her purse, according to police. Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Raquel Rivera said in court that the gun jammed after firing the first round. In justifying his ruling, Depascle noted that the alleged victim, as well as people on the street, could have been killed when the gunshot was fired around 1:10 p.m. in the highly populated area of Duncan and Bergen avenues. It clearly showed he is a danger to the community, the judge said. Rivera said several people dialed 911 after the shot was fired. Galang was stopped by police about eight blocks away at Harrison and Monticello avenues and taken into custody. His wife was in the passenger seat of the vehicle. The victim identified Galang as the shooter. The criminal complaint says the alleged victim was almost struck by the bullet. Defense attorney Deborah Simon argued that Galangs gun had been seized by the state and that he was not a threat. She also noted his age, said he was medicated for several health conditions and had only purchased the gun after being attacked twice. She said in one incident, he was set upon by a mob of juveniles. But Depascale said that when the Hudson County jail in Kearny has inmates that cannot be cared for properly in the medical ward, they are sent to the Jersey City Medical Center. As to Galangs age, the judge said, The law makes no exceptions for a defendants age once he has been charged. Galang is also charged with aggravated assault and several weapons offenses, including possession of a high capacity magazine. He was led from court in handcuffs, to be remanded to the jail. His next court appearance is set for April 25. Attempted murder carries a possible sentence of 10 to 20 years in prison upon conviction. Obaldo was charged with two weapons offenses. She was charged on a summons and was not taken into custody. The couple had family members in court of the hearing but they chose not to comment. Jersey Citys sanctuary city policy is facing scrutiny this week following the revelation that the alleged Lincoln Park killer is an undocumented immigrant who has been deported twice. The policy, enacted via executive order by Mayor Steve Fulop in February 2017 and endorsed unanimously by the City Council, was intended to illustrate that Jersey City is a welcoming city to immigrants, its supporters say. But critics slam it as evidence that Democrats like Fulop arent thinking straight on immigration. Joshua Sotomayor Einstein, a Hoboken man and committee member with the New Jersey Republican Party, said Democrats act like any action taken to curb immigration or deport criminals is immoral, when in fact such actions merely reflect equal application of the law. I think we need to fight against nativist and xenophobia, but definitely having unequal application of the law breeds that, Einstein said. Not only does it end up in these horrible situations ... but it tears at that bedrock principle that we have that everyone is equal under the law." Jorge Rios, also known as Jorge Alberto Rios-Doblado, was arrested on Saturday and charged in the rape and murder of Carolina Cano, a 45-year-old woman whose body was found in Lincoln Park on March 24. Immigration officials confirmed this week that Rios, 33, entered the United States illegally and has been deported twice before. Rios is originally from Honduras. Jersey City Councilman Rich Boggiano, who represents the heavily immigrant Journal Square area, supported the sanctuary city order when it came before the council. But the councilman, a Democrat, said episodes like the Lincoln Park killing are why the United States needs to close the border. "How long are we going to tolerate people's children being murdered?" Boggiano said. "I have nothing against people coming to this country If youre a convicted criminal or deported you should not be able to get back in the country. Fulops spokeswoman declined to comment. A request for comment from Council President Rolando Lavarro was not returned. Democratic Councilman James Solomon, who represents the Downtown area, was not on the council when the sanctuary city policy was approved but he supports it. Solomon called it unfortunate that critics are using Canos killing to amplify their political position on immigration. It is unfortunately a tactic used by xenophobes across the world and across America to take the worst person in a group and use that person to tar the whole group, he said. Sanctuary city policies do nothing to prevent the true workings of our criminal justice system. If you commit a crime, whether you're documented or undocumented, you go to jail. Freeholder Bill ODea, who represents the Lincoln Park area, said he doesnt think Jersey Citys sanctuary city policies do anything to attract immigrants to an area or convince them to stay. I think that historically through the entire history of this nation immigrants documented and undocumented are always drawn to urban areas, said ODea, a Democrat. Thats reality and thats not going to change under any circumstance. Jose Arango, chair of Hudson County's Republican Party, characterized sanctuary city policies as "political grandstanding" and said locals should pressure federal lawmakers to come to an agreement on revamping the nation's immigration system. When the person who commits the crime has been deported more than one time and comes back to a place where they are protected ... that creates this atmosphere that is counterproductive to people who are trying to legalize their status in the United States," Arango said. Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. A GoFundMe page has raised more than $2,000 to help bring a Peruvian family to the United States to make funeral arrangements for the woman who was raped and murdered in Jersey City last week. Carolina Cano, a 45-year-old Peruvian nanny living in Jersey City, was found dead in the Lincoln Park lake on March 24. Authorities say she was raped and killed by Jorge Rios, 33, who was arrested a week later. We have all been distraught about this crime and it seemed the least our community can do, said Megan Carolan, a Highland Avenue resident who set up the online fundraiser to help Canos the family get from Peru to the United States. There has been a lot of community interest in doing something to help the Carolinas family, said Carolan, 31, who also organized a vigil attended by some 60 people in the park Friday. Carolan added that she set up the GoFundMe page with Canos church, the Church of God of Prophecy, on Morton Place, acting as an intermediary with Canos family in Peru. She said she will update the page if the church informs her that more money is needed to cover Canos funeral expenses. Rios, formerly of Belmont Avenue, was charged with charged with kidnapping, raping and strangling Cano on the morning her body was found near the Casino in the Park building. Cano had gone jogging in the park early that morning. Rios, who Immigration and Customs Enforcement identified as Jorge Alberto Rios-Doblado, is in the United States illegally and had already been deported in 2003 and 2004. ICE has placed a detainer on him and he will be deported again, a spokesman for the agency said. If convicted, he will serve his prison sentence first. Law enforcement sources said Cano was unclothed from the waist down when she was pulled from the water. The state has filed a motion to detain Rios through the course of his prosecution. On the night of the vigil, Rios had not yet been arrested. Carolan said sentiments among those attending included fear and anger. I think it helped people, Carolan said of the vigil, which included a silent procession around the lake. We are going to keep embracing our neighborhood. There were people in the crowd who knew Cano, but they chose not to speak at the vigil, said Carolan, adding that elected officials and clergy attended. Carolan was careful to respect Canos familys privacy but said It certainly seems like Carolina lived a life embracing the things she loved. HOBOKEN The Mile Square City is set to become the first in the state to launch an electric scooter ride-sharing program. The City Council unanimously approved an ordinance Wednesday night authorizing a six-month pilot program with two companies Lime and P3GM who will provide 400 electric scooters for rent. "I am thrilled Hoboken is leading the way for the rest of the state to implement an additional mode of green transportation," Mayor Ravi Bhalla said in a release. "Electric scooters will help residents easily travel around our city, reduce congestion on our roadways, and improve access to transit stations and business districts. This is another way Hoboken is leading the way in implementing environmentally responsible transportation initiatives." Two variations of scooters will be accessible: Lime will operate dockless scooters, which can be left anywhere throughout the city, while P3GM will operate scooters that are able to be docked at JerseyBike bike share stations. P3GM operates the city's bike-sharing program. Lime is thrilled that access to e-scooters is rolling forward in Hoboken," said Phil Jones, senior director of east coast government at Lime. "Dock-free e-scooters are a great way for New Jersey residents to enjoy their cities and towns, and to more easily connect with mass transit, shortening commutes. We will continue to work with Mayor Bhalla, Transportation Director Sharp, and the Hoboken City Council to roll out our reliable, affordable transportation options soon. The ordinance passed Wednesday night allows electric scooters with a speed of up to 20 mph to utilize the citys bike lanes. They will not, however, be permitted on city sidewalks. Scooter programs such as these have increased in popularity in recent years, popping up in dozens of cities throughout the country. But the programs rise have coincided with safety concerns. A study published earlier this year examined a one-year period in Los Angeles emergency departments and found that more people were injured while riding standing electric scooters than while riding bicycles or traveling on foot. Out of 249 patients who received treatment for scooter-related injuries, over 40 percent were treated for head injuries, the study found. A number of council members voiced similar concerns, and feared rolling out a pilot program without proper enforcement parameters in place could be risky. "Bringing in 400 scooters does make me very concerned, and doesn't sound like a pilot program to me," Council President Jen Giattino said. "I'm not sure that putting people on electric scooters and just seeing what happens in a dense urban municipality like Hoboken is necessarily a wait-and-see proposition," First Ward Councilman Michael DeFusco said. "I highly doubt that on day one there won't be someone riding on the sidewalks." Hoboken Police Chief Ken Ferrante said a meeting is scheduled Monday with the city's transportation director, Ryan Sharp, to go over local safety parameters. "We are digesting it," Ferrante said, adding that scooter laws in the state are only several weeks old, and no other municipality has a plan in place. "Pedestrian safety is without a doubt a high priority." The chief said one issue that can be improved in conjunction with the roll out is increasing lighting on Washington Street and throughout the city. But he added that the city of roughly 55,000 with thousands more commuters in and out on a daily basis has not had a traffic-related fatality in several years. "There is that concern" for pedestrian safety "but statistics show we haven't had an issue," Ferrante said. Despite safety concerns, the ordinance passed unanimously. I do think having an electric e-bike and e-scooter program this year is essential for people commuting to work from First to 14th streets, DeFusco said. It will reduce the reliance on cars, reliance on the bus system, and having a system that is interconnected with neighboring municipalitys will ultimately give a way for our constituents to get around town quicker. Corey W. McDonald may be reached at cmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @cwmcdonald_. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. JERSEY CITY The Hudson County Prosecutors Office is investigating the death of a woman on Bostwick Avenue. The woman was found Thursday morning at 83 Bostwick Ave., a three-story apartment building near the corner of Martin Luther King Drive. The womans sister-in-law said her brother hadnt heard from her all night and, after checking in this morning, found the woman dead. The Hudson County Prosecutors Office crime scene unit was on the scene Thursday morning, but no official information has been released. A spokesman for the HCPO declined to comment. No information had been posted to the HCPOs Twitter page at the time of this report. The woman, 46, has five children two who live out of state and three who attend the Jersey City Public School system. Corey W. McDonald may be reached at cmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @cwmcdonald_. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. WEST NEW YORK Mayor Felix Roque claimed Wednesday that the towns school district, in cahoots with his electoral opponents, is forcing district employees to campaign for his opposition, and called on the state Attorney General to investigate his claims and dispatch monitors for the May 14 election. At a town hall press conference, Roque said his office has received multiple calls and visits from close to 200 school district teachers and employees over the past three weeks who say the district is pushing them to campaign for his opponents. "I'm deeply troubled by the improper actions of my opponents and the superintendent of the schools," he said, suggesting that, "in an effort to cover up the activity," the district announced schools would be closed on election day. Roque sent a letter to state Attorney General Guber Grewal asking to investigate these unlawful activities. The OAG confirmed it has received his letter, but declined to comment further. Roque, who has been in office for eight years, announced he would be running for a third term earlier this year with a new slate of candidates that include incumbent Commissioner Susan Colacurcio and three newcomers. His ticket is up against the New Beginnings West New York slate, with incumbent Commissioners Cosmo Cirillo and Margarita Guzman and newcomers Victor M. Barrera and Yoleisy Yanez. Commissioner Gabriel Rodriguez is heading the team. Rodriguez called the allegations "the most ridiculous lie I've ever heard." West New York school district Superintendent Clara Brito Herrera, meanwhile in response to the allegations said that we dont run any politics in the schools. Our business is to educate our children. "It's a shame that a public person such as the mayor would try to tarnish the great image the West New York school district has," she added. She pushed back on Roques claim that close to 200 teachers were forced to request personal days on election day to work the polls, which resulted in the Superintendent closing the schools on Election Day saying the board approved that day off via an April 2018 resolution approving calendar dates. Wednesdays drama is another episode in an election season that has quickly turned into a nasty affair involving public meetings-turned shouting matches, ethics complaints and lawsuits. Roque alleges he has been sidelined politically because he supported Union City Mayor Brian Stack over school teacher Amy DeGise in last years contested race for chair of the Hudson County Democratic Organization, while many of the other town commissioners backed DeGise, who ended up winning. Roques opposition welcomed bringing the Attorney General into monitor the election but for reasons other than alleged school district collusion. Rodriguez said were talking about an individual who is associating with a convicted felon, citing an article published by the NJ Globe Tuesday, that said Roque is being consulted by Joseph Ferriero a former Bergen County Democratic chairman who spent a year in prison for his role in a racketeering scheme. With that being said giving him a leadership role in his campaign I absolutely agree and endorse the idea of having the attorney general be here on election day, because theres no telling what he and those individuals will do, he said. Its concerning to me, my slate and the residents of the community. This election season the alleged political tricks, Roque said, are going to be worse than when I ran and beat the machine 8 years ago. They cannot afford to have me win and by the way I am going to win, OK? Corey W. McDonald may be reached at cmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @cwmcdonald_. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. EDITORS NOTE: Entrepreneurs everywhere are eyeing the billion-dollar legal weed industry, an economic opportunity unrivaled in modern N.J. history. NJ Cannabis Insider features exclusive weekly content geared toward those interested in the marijuana industry. View a sample issue. Gov. Phil Murphy announced last week hes giving the state Legislature until May to pass a pair of linked bills one that would legalize recreational marijuana in New Jersey and another that would expand the states medical marijuana program. Otherwise, he said, hell have no choice but to expand medicinal pot on his own to reach more patients. But top state lawmakers are worried Murphys announcement may hurt their chances of finally legalizing weed in the coming weeks, three legislative sources told NJ Advance Media. And if pot isnt legalized by the end of next month, it may not happen until the end of the year, said the sources, who asked for anonymity to speak candidly about a sensitive matter. Its the latest behind-the-scenes hiccup in the more than year-long push by Murphy and other Democratic leaders to make marijuana legal for people 21 and over in the Garden State. Long story short: The Democrats who lead the Legislature hope to legalize recreational pot and expand medical pot at the same time. Sources say the bill expanding the medicinal program has plenty of support to pass. But the measure legalizing recreational weed has fewer backers, and legislative leaders have bundled the two together to drum up support. Last month, though, a planned vote on both bills fell apart when it became clear the recreational measure would not have enough votes to pass in the state Senate. In response, Murphy said he planned to sign an executive order within days expanding medical marijuana to cover up to 200,000 patients in the state. The Democratic governor said they had already waited long enough for the much-needed boost. Murphy shelved those plans after legislative leaders expressed concern the order would give some lawmakers on the fence a reason to avoid voting to legalize recreational marijuana, since they know medical pot will be expanded either way. But Murphy then announced the May deadline. Were not gonna wait around a lot, he said. A report from the state Department of Health this week said New Jersey needs 18 new growers of medical pot and 44 new retailers. Now, Murphy and legislative leaders are working behind the scenes to secure the final few votes needed in the Senate to pass the recreational weed bill. The main sponsor, state Sen. Nicholas Scutari, D-Union, said Wednesday the goal is for the Legislature to vote sometime in May, though it wont happen if they havent locked down enough votes by then. But even though Murphy has delayed his executive order, sources say legislative leaders who sometimes clash with the governor remain in a bind because lawmakers still have an excuse to vote against recreational marijuana if medical pot expansion stays on the horizon. One source said Murphy should have withheld making the announcement. Another said its one reason a vote is more likely to happen in the lame duck period after the November elections, when Assembly members wont have to worry about alienating voters and horse-trading among lawmakers ramps up. State Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester, declined to comment Wednesday. But Sweeney has said that he considers medical marijuana expansion to be a back door to legalizing recreational pot and that hed prefer for Murphy and top lawmakers to stick to our agreement to approve both bills at the same time. A Murphy administration official dismissed lawmakers concerns as anonymous nonsense. Murphy himself said Wednesday hes still optimistic the Legislature will vote to legalize marijuana, though he doesnt know when. He also stressed that expanding medical pot must happen sooner than later. Thats something we cant have unending patience on, the governor said during a Facebook Live interview with 1010 WINS radio in New York City. Were gonna have to make a move on that through executive action if we cant get to that legislatively. Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. Are you interested in the N.J. cannabis industry? Subscribe here for exclusive insider information from NJ Cannabis Insider. EDITORS NOTE: Entrepreneurs everywhere are eyeing the billion-dollar legal weed industry, an economic opportunity unrivaled in modern N.J. history. NJ Cannabis Insider features exclusive weekly content geared toward those interested in the marijuana industry. View a sample issue. WASHINGTON Even as New Jersey and other states move ahead with expanding legal marijuana, there remains one major hurdle to overcome. Its illegal under federal law. Now a bipartisan group of U.S. senators and representatives are trying anew to keep Washington out of states business when it comes to cannabis. The proposed legislation dubbed the Strengthening the Tenth Amendment Through Entrusting States (States) Act would prevent the federal government from enforcing its marijuana laws in states that have legalized the drug. We will actually fix and address one of the biggest conflicts between state and federal law this country has ever seen, said the bills chief Senate sponsor, U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., at a press conference Thursday on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol. Sadly its the federal government that is out of step, said Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., the chief House sponsor of the measure. This is an opportunity for us to finally break the logjam.' Gardner, R-Colo., said he expected that President Donald Trump would sign the measure into law. Trump last year indicated support for the measure. He told me that if the States Act was on his desk, he would sign it, Gardner said. Besides Blumenauer and Gardner, the chief sponsors were Rep. David Joyce, R-Ohio, and U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., providing a Democratic and Republican lawmaker sponsor in each chamber of Congress. This is the way Congress should operate and we should let the states do what they do best, Joyce said. Marijuana proponents have been more optimistic about passing legislation as an increasing number of states have legalized cannabis for medical or personal use. There is some sort of legal cannabis in 47 of the 50 states, and Congress last year voted to remove the federal prohibition against growing marijuanas non-psychoactive cousin, hemp. In New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy and state legislative leaders are scrambling to find enough votes to expand medical marijuana and allow recreational use. Their goal is to have a vote by the end of May. And in a Quinnipiac University poll released last month, 60 percent said they supported legalization, while 33 percent said they did not. An even larger majority, 93 percent, supported medical marijuana if it was prescribed by a doctor, with just 5 percent opposed. We are watching this moment crest politically, Blumenauer said. "The verdict is in with the polls. This has reached the point where the floodgates are breaking." In addition, when Republicans ran the House, their leadership refused to allow votes on the issue, said Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla. This is why people hate Washington, he said. Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. Are you interested in the N.J. cannabis industry? Subscribe here for exclusive insider information from NJ Cannabis Insider. The capital of Hanoi. (Photo: TripAdvisor) The list is published by TripAdvisor based on the reviews and practical experiences of visitors to Asian destinations. The top destinations are also the places that attract many visitors every year. Hanoi ranked fourth on the list. The charming Vietnamese capital has aged well, preserving the Old Quarter, monuments and colonial architecture, while making room for modern developments alongside, said the site. Hoi An ancient town. (Photo: TripAdvisor) Lakes, parks, shady boulevards and more than 600 temples and pagodas add to the appeal of this city, which is easily explored by taxi. Meanwhile, Hoi An ancient town in the central region of Vietnam is described as a well-preserved example of the important Southeast Asian trading port it was from the 15th-19th centuries. Already a common stop for backpackers, it is becoming better known to tourists. Da Nang. (Photo: TripAdvisor) Its sights include the Japanese Covered bridge and the Quan Cong temple. Ho Chi Minh city. (Photo: TripAdvisor) Compared to TripAdvisors announcement last year, Da Nang jumped 7 grades on the list to 17th, while Ho Chi Minh city was placed at 20th./. One day. Thats how long the plan lasted and enthusiasm to go with it - for a company that wanted to buy a historic, dilapidated building in Trenton with plans to move hundreds of jobs to the city and pledge an investment of $4 million to the project. Mayor Reed Gusciora and Princetel CEO Barry Zhang called the press to the building Monday to announce it, and then toured the old brick structure along Hudson Street. The building was once part of the vaunted Roebling company. They said they hoped it would be where Princetel would make their fiber inter-connect products after moving from its facility in New York. The city even had a historian discuss it. Zhang and the mayor hailed it as an important seed that could bring other growth to the area. The citys had no other offers in place for the building and it has been vacant for decades. On Tuesday evening, the City Council killed it, voting 5-2 against a resolution that would move the project forward. The Roebling II building Princetel was interested in buying, left in a NJ.com photo, and right in a rendering of how the company visioned it looking after refurbishment. On Wednesday, an angry mayor and really angry Zhang said the council blew a great opportunity for the city. At-Large Councilman Jerell Blakeley, who voted for it along with East Ward Councilman Joseph Harris, called the vote baffling and bizarre. Zhang also said Wednesday hes got offers to move the production facility and jobs from White Plains, New York to neighboring Hamilton, where Princetel is headquartered. Im greatly disappointed that the City Council turned down this opportunity to bring redevelopment to the Roebling Block II site that has been vacant for 40 years," Gusciora said. While other towns seem to roll out the carpet for bringing business and jobs to the region, this was a missed opportunity. Not only did Council pull the proposal from their agenda on three prior Council sessions, they gave a last minute demand for an additional appraisal and a disclosure document that was not required by this developer. Zhang and the mayor said the plan actually dates to late last year and theyve done a lot of work prepping it. Most disappointing is that there were no alternative proposals put forth and that Princetel had upped their offer to $182,000 ($100,000 more than the appraised value of the property)," Gusciora said. Princetel had originally offered $85,000 for the building. An opportunity to show the world that Trenton was ready to turn the corner to attract industry and development has turned into a debacle that highlights how some of my council colleagues are more interested in obstructionism and regression, Blakeley said. In a city that has hundreds of abandoned buildings and a critical need for jobs, Im just cofounded to rationalize how my colleagues can cavalierly reject this amazing opportunity to attract a job creator." The council issued a statement Wednesday night in response to misinformation being put out to the public by the mayors office. North Ward Councilwoman Marge Caldwell-Wilson authored the statement. The council is the redevelopment authority for the city and they are also the checks and balances for the mayors administration, the statement said. We do not work for the Mayor but have tried many times to work with him. When he first presented this property to be sold to Princetel, he (Gusciora) was advised by Council that any sale of any land or property in a redevelopment area has to come before the City Council...and redevelopment attorney prior to being included on the Councils docket. The Council was advised by their legal Counsel, the actions of the Administration were improper and were further advised of how they (City Council) should proceed." Gusciora and Zhang said the council knew this was coming, and canceled it before. Blakeley, too, said the council was the culprit here. Every time a Trentonian rides by that hulking abandoned building, it should remind you that its that way because of the five who decided to put petty politics above developing a piece of land that has laid dormant since Kennedy was President, Blakeley said. Zhang took major issue with how some council members treated him at what he described as an unnecessarily contentious council meeting. He called out At-large Councilwoman Kathy McBride, who is council president, and West Ward Councilwoman Robin Vaughn for being hostile, disrespectful and unprofessional. "I am absolutely angry. Theres no place for the hostility for someone who wanted to contribute to Trenton, Zhang said. They are perfectly capable of being polite. Zhang said the emotion from McBride, especially, was strange, since she toured Princetel months ago. McBride did not immediately respond to request for comment Wednesday. I am sick and tired of looking at some of the council members faces, Zhang said. Im just really tired. But Im not giving up on Trenton." Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@kevintshea. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. The 22-year-old former community college student who admitted to to killing his marijuana dealer during an attempted robbery was sentenced to 40 years in prison Thursday in Monmouth County Superior Court in Freehold. Joseph Villani pleaded guilty in January to charges stemming from the plot he and his then-girlfriend hatched to rob their marijuana dealer. During his sentencing Thursday afternoon, Villani read a statement. I give my apologies to the Patel family, he said, quietly. It was never my intention to harm anyone ... Im ashamed of my actions, and ashamed Ive ruined the lives of so many involved. In February 2017, Villiani asked 29-year-old Trupal Patel, of Brick, to meet him at his Ocean Township home. Villiani and his then-girlfriend Raquel Garajau, 21, of Tinton Falls, conspired to rob Patel of his marijuana and cash, and then sell the drugs themselves, he admitted when he pleaded guilty to the crimes in January. A fight between the two broke out, and Villani admitted to shooting Patel three times with a gun hed stashed outside his garage. Villani then stole Patels Movado watch, money and an unspecified amount of marijuana, which he and Garajau then sold. Patels body was found by a park ranger who was collecting litter along Gully Road in Shark River Park shortly after 8:30 a.m. on Feb. 22, 2017. Trupal Patel, 29, of Brick. (submitted photo) Villani became a suspect in Patels death after the mother of one of Villanis friends called police to report her son may know something about the disappearance, prosecutors said. Garagjau was tried on felony murder, weapons and robbery charges during a trial in 2018. Prosecutors read text messages she sent Villani after the murder to jurors: You need to clean the bullets." Take your time bleaching everything. The whole entire door and inside. Take that bag of stuff out cause I touched his phone ... We will throw that stuff in the ocean. "Babe you need to move that car it's too important. Like ASAP. People will start noticing he's not answering." While Villani moved the body, prosecutors said, Garajau told him to, "Facetime me please when you are done, and I love you. A jury found Garajau guilty in September 2018. She was sentenced to 33 years in prison earlier this year. In January, Villani pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, armed robbery, disturbing human remains and witness tampering. Prosecutors read a letter sent to them by Patels former girlfriend, describing him as a loving, caring person who was always out to fix problems for others. Actions have consequences, and this is a lose-lose situation, the letter said. Ultimately Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Joseph W. Oxley sided with a sentence aligned to what Monmouth prosecutors requested. There is nothing I can do to change the facts or help Mrs. Patel with her grief or her loss, Oxley said Thursday. I hope this helps with the healing process. Oxley sentenced Villani to 30 years in prison for killing Patel, for which he will not be eligible for parole until hes served 80 percent of his sentence. He will also serve 10 years on the robbery charge at the same time as the 30-year term. Villani was also sentenced to an additional 10 years on the desecrating human remains charge, and five years for tampering with a witness charge, which he will serve concurrently. Paige Gross may be reached at pgross@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter@By_paigegross. 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. A Long Branch police officer agreed to give up his job and pleaded guilty Thursday to offensively touching a woman during a party celebrating the promotions of fellow officers at a bar. Patrick D. Joyce, Jr., 35, entered the guilty plea to harassment, a disorderly persons offense, in Monmouth County Superior Court. An agreement with prosecutors calls for the 12-year police veteran to serve probation and forfeit public employment in New Jersey. Patrick Joyce Jr. The vast majority of law enforcement officers perform their duties with integrity and honor, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni said. However, when a police officer takes advantage of the very citizens they are sworn to protect, it erodes public confidence and violates the publics trust. Such behavior will never be acceptable or tolerated. At a court hearing, Joyce admitted he offensively touched a 21-year-old woman during a private party on Feb. 1 at Jacks Goal Line Stand in the city, according to the prosecutors office. The cop was attending a celebration for fellow officers when the incident occurred. Joyce has been suspended from his $121,232 post as the case progressed. We want to thank the Monmouth County Prosecutors Office for their efforts in this case, and hope the conclusion closes the door on a painful chapter for the victim and the Long Branch Police Department, city Police Chief Jason Roebuck said. We can only hope that the victim and the victims family finds closure in the outcome. There is no place in law enforcement for anyone who commits these offenses, and the Long Branch Police Department will not tolerate inappropriate conduct by any of its members, the chief said. The officer has found himself in the headlines over his career with the citys police department. In 2017, Joyce was the victim of an assault during an altercation in Long Branch. He was charged in 2010 with aggravated assault following an off-duty brawl outside a Neptune Township club, NJ Advance Media previously reported. Joyce was suspended and later pleaded guilty to simple assault and received a year of probation. The officer has also received praised for his work with the department. In 2013, he earned an award for disarming a gun-toting suspect. He was given an honorable service mention by the department in 2017. A defense attorney listed for Joyce did not immediately return a call for comment. Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. 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 Researchers from Georgia Southern University say they have made a startling discovery about the Revolutionary War general for whom the Pulaski Skyway is named. An examination of the skeleton of General Casimir Pulaski, a Polish nobleman who was known as the Father of the American Cavalry, shows that he may have actually been biologically female, according to a release from the university. Georgia Southern Assistant Professor of Anthropology Virginia Hutton Estabrook told the Chicago Tribune that their research showed that Pulaski had an intersex condition known as congenital adrenal hyperplasia. The condition makes women produce large amounts of male steroid hormones that can make their genitals look more masculine, according to Mayo Clinic. "Thats pretty much the only way to explain the combination of features that we see, Estabrook said in the Chicago Tribune report. She added that the remains had a feminine pelvis, facial structure and jaw angle. The full story on their findings will be shown in a Smithsonian Channels documentary, Americas Hidden Stories: The General Was Female? that is scheduled to air on April 8 at 8 p.m. Pulaski was named brigadier general by George Washington after he helped stop a regiment of British soldiers from flanking his troopers during the the Battle of Brandywine in Pennsylvania in 1777, according to a clip from the documentary. He was wounded at the Battle of Savannah, Georgia, in 1779 and died aboard a military ship on Oct. 11, 1779. For 150 years there was a question of whether Pulaski was buried at sea or in an unmarked grave in Savannah. Finally in 1996, when permission was granted to study remains within the Pulaski Monument in downtown Savannah, new evidence stumped scientists at the time, as their findings suggested that the skeleton in the tomb looked biologically female, according to the release from Georgia Southern University. However, no further study was done because of a lack of funding until Estabrook and Georgia Southern University graduate student Lisa Powell continued the research in 2015. Estabrook inherited custody of the remaining Pulaski bone samples from the 1996 investigation and Powell was given boxes of notes and materials by her father, Chuck Powell, a historian who was part of the original research team. Together with the help of some funding from the Smithsonian Channel and other researchers they compared the intersex conditions in search of patterns of skeletal involvement that might be similar to the Pulaski Monument remains and for any comparative known intersex condition skeletons in collections worldwide, according to the release. The Pulaski Skyway (Ashlee Espinal/The Jersey Journal) The team also performed DNA testing of the bones helped back up their claims that they belonged to Pulaski. There was a match between the bones DNA and the remains of Pulaskis grand-niece, and the skeleton also was a similar height of the general and had the same hand injury that he suffered in battle, according to the Tribune article. Its extremely likely that this is Casimir Pulaski, Estabrook said in Tribune report. Powell said she is looking forward to having the world see her findings in the documentary. Were very proud of the documentary, she said. Were also immensely grateful to Smithsonian Channel for their generous efforts in helping us complete this journey that my father and his team began 23 years ago. In addition to the 3.5 miles-long Pulaski Skyway, which was built in 1932 and spans Jersey City to Kearny, there is an elementary school named after Pulaski in Passaic, Casimir Pulaski School No. 8, Pulaski Park, also in Passaic, and another Pulaski Park in Bloomfield. The Pulaski Day Parade is also held annually in Manhattan to commemorate him. Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrisrsheldon 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. Two New Jersey men were arrested Wednesday in Florida on charges they scammed an elderly and disabled Louisiana man out of $16,200 in cash, authorities said. Marcos Alamonte-Mejia, 24, of Belleville, and Anyulia, 28, of Newark, were arrested in Medley, Florida, Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said. They face several counts of organized fraud and attempted fraudulent use of identification. The scam began March 21 when the victim received a call from a man identifying himself as a Coral Gables defense attorney and claiming to represent the victims nephew in a new criminal case, authorities said. The victim wired the duo $10,000, believing it was to release his nephew from jail on bond, authorities said. They made second request for $6,200 from the victim, officials said, noting in situations where the first payment is made easily, scammers will move quickly to obtain more money. After sending the second payment, the man learned his nephew was not in Florida and contacted the Medley Police Department, who arrested Alamonte-Mejia and Recia-Caramona. Far too often, our elderly citizens are targeted in such telephone rip-offs," Rundle said. The Medley Police Department moved quickly to grab these guys and save a well-intentioned victim from such alleged con-men. The men are held on bond in the Miami-Dade Corrections Facility pending a hearing. Rundle reminded people to stay cautious regarding phone calls about a friend or relative who is in supposed danger and there is an immediate request to send cash. Sophie Nieto-Munoz may be reached at snietomunoz@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her at @snietomunoz. 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. An Atlantic County woman was charged with animal cruelty after one of four dogs she left abandoned in outdoor kennels at a Hamilton property was found dead, police said. Kimberlynn Jurkowski, 59, of Northfield, was charged with four counts of animal cruelty and four counts of abandoning a domesticated animal, according to a release from the Hamilton Police. Police were called to investigate an animal cruelty complaint at 1261 Scranton Ave., a property owned by Jurkowski, on March 6 and found the dead dog and the three others in kennels outside the home, officials said. A necropsy performed on the dog by the New Jersey Animal Health Laboratory in Ewing found that it died of congestive heart failure, authorities said. Attempts to contact Jurkowski were made by police, but after they were unsuccessful the three remaining dogs were taken from her property and she was charged with the animal cruelty offenses. Police did not say if Jurkowski or anybody else was living at the home where the dogs were found. The Atlantic County Prosecutors Office and local animal control agencies are also investigating the case. Jurkowski, a former Atlantic City school librarian, was charged in 2012 with defrauding the Hamilton Township School District of nearly $24,000 and had her teaching license suspended for three years by the state Department of Education in 2017. Jurkowski faced charges of theft by deception and fraud for allegedly billing the Hamilton school district for tutoring services for her two children that were never performed. However, she never saw any jail time as she was accepted into a pretrial intervention program for first-time offenders in 2013 for six months and was forced to forfeit her employment in the school district. Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrisrsheldon 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. Some years ago I flew over to London to visit a friend. I left at night and landed at Heathrow in the morning, a bit worse for wear after having spent the night in a small metal tube next to a couple of loud engines. I was thus unprepared for the city traffic. There was an endless stream of cars jostling for space on the narrow streets. I dont know what kept them from crashing except for the fact that they were moving just a bit faster than I could walk. Then in 2004 the English adopted a system of congestion pricing for central London. My daughter who is living there reports that traffic is greatly improved over New York City, where she lived until recently. Statistics bear that out. The average speed of a vehicle in London rose from 8.8 mph to 10 mph. By contrast, the average speed of a cab in Manhattans core district is a mere 4.7 mph. Thats actually slower than a brisk walk. Over the weekend, the New York Legislature passed a bill that would impose a congestion pricing scheme in Manhattan. That proposal offers a lot of advantages for New Jerseyans, especially those using the Holland and Lincoln tunnels. Because the typical tunnel toll of $12.50 would be credited against the projected cost of entering the new congestion-pricing zone, which is about $11.50, the net added cost to most drivers would be zero. And theyd face a lot less traffic. Meanwhile the typical New Yorker crossing the East River into Manhattan would pay $11.50 more, with the money going to fix up the New York subways that so many New Jersey commuters use. Whats not to like? Plenty, according to Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop. On Monday he sent out this Tweet: "If NY does a commuter tax that only funds @MTA + exempts NYC residents from the tax - why should NJ not implement a commuter tax on NYC residents leaving NYC that exempts NJ residents so WE can fund our transit." Huh? For one thing, its Jersey drivers who are exempt under the proposal, not New York drivers. For another, commuter taxes have been ruled unconstitutional. And for yet another, were already collecting a tax to fund our transit system. The tunnel tolls paid to the Port Authority fund the PATH system. When I phoned Fulop to discuss this, he offered what is the sole reasonable objection to this plan: The New Yorkers have not committed to extending that congestion-pricing credit to commuters using the George Washington Bridge. Many would take the tunnels instead, he said. If people shift their traffic routes and go to the Lincoln and Holland tunnels, the tunnel capacity cant handle that, he said. Thats a valid objection, but not an insurmountable one. In the era of E-ZPass it would be simple to give those who paid the bridge toll a credit against the congestion-pricing fee. But then theres the question of those supposedly exempt New York drivers. They dont exist, at least not according to the plan released in January by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New York Mayor Bill de Blasio: Electronic tolling devices would be installed on the perimeter of the Central Business District (CBD) defined as streets south of 61st St. in Manhattan, it states. Enter the zone and you pay the fee. But Fulop said he had read reports in the New York media to the effect that drivers entering from the outer boroughs would be exempted. He didnt have them handy, but I dont doubt they exist. The New York media havent done a great job on this story. That became obvious during the 2017 gubernatorial debate between Democrat Phil Murphy and Republican Kim Guadagno. A New York TV reporter asked what each would do about a congestion-pricing plan that would have New Jersey drivers paying double. The correct answer was that thats not what the plan said. Instead, both replied that they would give Jersey drivers a credit against New Jersey taxes for any fees paid a bizarre approach that would have had New Jersey funding New Yorks subway system. Murphy has gotten a bit more up to speed on the issue of late. But I think all of our politicians are still missing the big picture here. For decades New Jerseyans have been paying outrageous tolls to cross the Hudson River while New Yorkers pay little or nothing to cross the East River. In 2002, then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg proposed tolling those crossings to fund the subways. But that was beaten back by the boroughs objections. However, this pricing scheme would have the same effect for most New Yorkers, leveling the playing field with New Jersey drivers. They havent figured that out yet. Dont tell them I told you. ADD - LOTS OF DEVILS IN THESE DETAILS: The New Yorkers arent about to ask my advice on how to best handle congestion pricing, but Ill give it anyway. Instead of putting scanners on every possible entry to lower Manhattan, they should just install scanners on the bridges and tunnels on the East River. They would generate just as much revenue, but without the complications of collecting it in hundreds of locations. Maybe theyll figure that out once they start the year of planning before this program goes into effect. There used to be three diners in the immediate vicinity of the Brooklawn Circle, which is about as Jersey as Jersey gets. You know, diners and traffic circles: perfect together. One diner vanished last year when the owners of the Metro Diner (which began life as a Ponzios outpost) sold out to make way for a new Wawa store. Jimmy Frangos wants to avoid the diner casualty list from reaching two, but he might not have much choice. Frangos family has owned the Gateway Diner, which is actually in Westville, the town that borders Brooklawn, since 1989. He was shocked to learn about a week ago that the state Department of Transportation wants to buy up his diner as part of a solution to a flooding problem that flares up every time it rains more than a spritz or high tide is really high. Anyone who listens to the radio in the Delaware Valley is familiar with Brooklawn, even though it has fewer than 2,000 people and a land mass that is the 546th smallest among 566 New Jersey municipalities. Thats as in, The Brooklawn Circle is closed due to flooding, a boilerplate line in any traffic reporters lexicon. Although the flooding incidence at or near the Gateway is perceived by some to be a separate problem, the overall issue is all prompted by low-lying land adjacent to Big Timber Creek. The Brooklawn Circle is actually two circles, which connect two vital South Jersey highways, U.S. Route 130 and state Route 47, aka Delsea Drive. Until it rains, this is an alternate route into Camden and Philadelphia when the horrific Route 42/ Interstate 76 merge back up. Route 47 runs southward all the way to Vineland and shore points. The spot also forms the border of Camden and Gloucester counties. The circles were rebuilt expensively several years ago with the expectation that the flooding there would be gone. The flooding on the Westville side of the creek has been attended to less aggressively. The plans the DOT revealed at a Westville informational meeting last week would widen a creek bridge and raise the roadway near it. Frangos doesnt want to lose his 140-seat diner or his customers, but he said the DOT told him it would be cheaper to buy him out than rebuild the diners parking lot and/or raise the building. Frankly, if a solution that aids both drivers and all Westville businesses is at hand, the diner in its current spot might have to be a casualty. Frangos must be assured that any state compensation is adequate for him to relocate on higher ground. The DOT says the road project is in a preliminary design period before an anticipated start in 2021. So, theres some time to negotiate before eminent domain (in its original, justified use for public projects) kicks in. Hopefully, the state can find a way that the Gateway Diner can remain in place. The foolishness of taxpayers repeatedly rebuilding individual waterfront homes that keep washing away is the same with flood-prone businesses. The worst outcome of the flooding project would be if the Gateway were forced to relocate, or was rebuilt expensively in the same spot and the remedy failed. The history of that around the Brooklawn Circle shouldnt repeat itself. Frangos appeared to be speaking half jokingly and half in frustration when he said, They (DOT) have a new plan every five years. Thats water over the bridge, though. The only new plan that counts is the one that works. Are you listening, DOT engineers? Send a letter to the editor of South Jersey Times at sjletters@njadvancemedia.com Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. As it turns out, the bail bonds industry, their lobbyists and all the dark predictions that weve been hearing over the past two years were totally wrong. There was no alarming increase in people not showing up for court or committing violent crimes after New Jersey did away with money bail in 2017, new statistics show. Traditionally, an accused person had to put up money to get out of jail, so poor people were stuck while drug kingpins could pay for their release. Now you get out based on risk, not how much you have in your wallet, so it reverses that equation. Its a much fairer system. Thousands of peoples lives are no longer ruined because theyre stuck in jail and cant afford a bail bond on a minor offense. Bail reform is a profound policy success, not a hug-a-thon for thugs. Well take the statistics, over reality TV star Dog the Bounty Hunter and his bail bondsman wife. The big winners are reform advocates including former Gov. Chris Christie, state Supreme Court Chief Justice Stuart Rabner and voters who approved of this in a referendum. Bail reform is doing exactly what it was intended to, the latest report by the Administrative Office of the Courts affirms. Its probably the best thing Christie did for New Jersey. Consider the results. Our jail population continues to decline, dropping by about 6,000 since 2012, the last time we did a good count. And theres been no significant increase in crime, either minor or serious, committed by those we let out. An outside crime researcher from New York was hired to help evaluate this. Minor crimes committed by those on pretrial release increased by less than 2 percent. For serious crimes, it was 1 percent. Nothing like the malignant effect the bail industry was hyping. And the likelihood of the people we release showing up to court is still very high, close to 90 percent. This should win over the wary cops and a few skeptical mayors who feared wed see many more people committing crimes and fleeing justice when we eliminated cash bail. In fact, dangerous people are more likely to be detained today. A gangbanger flush with cash cant just buy his way out, then shoot a witness, as he could with money bail. Under the risk assessment, such people are forcibly held. This is all incredibly promising, according to Lucy Lang, the executive Director of the Institute for Innovation in Prosecution at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and a former New York City homicide prosecutor. The Jersey results are exciting, she said, because they hopefully will add fuel to that forward motion in states that are resistant to making change, out of fear that it will increase violent crime. There are still troubling disparities in our system and places to fine-tune. We would not expect two years of criminal justice reform to fix everything. While black defendants now spend less time behind bars their average time was reduced by about 10 days, while for whites it was five they remain a disproportionate percentage of our pretrial jail population. Its hard to say why. This could be a reflection of whats happening before they even enter the court system, like the arrests or particular charges they face. To its credit, the AOC has hired a new research group to dig deeper on the race issue. And on domestic violence, it will examine whether men charged with lesser crimes like harassment or stalking are treated as a sufficient threat. But its clear that bail reform is working overall. When a major overhaul of policy goes this well, it deserves real recognition. As more states re-think money bail, New Jersey has the potential to be a national model. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. By Ras J. Baraka Our young people are facing significant challenges every day. Now more than ever, we must be steadfast and resolute to protect the health, well-being and safety of todays youth. Last week, I participated in the Advocates of New Jerseys Kids Count report release that presented data on the current state of our children. What stood out for me, and why I am writing today, is due to the data that indicated that young men experience differences from young women in education, health care access and exposure to violence and the juvenile justice system at an early age. While we have known this, awareness and attention to this issue must be given Since I have taken office, my approach has been to confront these challenges and make them a part of our core mission and vision for the future of Newark and ensure that all residents play a part in the process. Our current public safety strategies have shown early success. The investments we have made have been necessary in order to create a better tomorrow for our youth. For the past two years, Newarks crime rates are at their lowest levels in decades, while college enrollment from Newarkers has increased significantly -- a 70 percent increase from Rutgers-Newark alone. We also have a 25 percent reduction in crime since our Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose and I have implemented programs to confront these challenges in a truly collective manner. While no homicide is acceptable by our city administration, our latest numbers prove there is a significant reduction in crime and many of the policies and outreach programs by myself and director Ambrose are changing or rather saving lives. Our strategic and comprehensive community engagement programs include: My new initiative, the Brick City Peace Collective (BCPC)s primary goal is to reduce violence and conflict. It is a catalyst for organizations on the frontlines of helping people who are experiencing trauma and violence. Organizations work collaboratively to become more effective by creating a network focusing on eliminating conflicts before they become violent. It is also an attempt to divert funding from police agencies to network community-based solutions around trauma and violence. Organizations involved in the BCPC include the Newark Community Street Team, the Newark Anti-Violence Coalition, the West Ward Victims and Anti Violence Coalition and others. The Newark Community Street Team (NCST) was launched in 2015 to put concerned men into mentorship roles with boys and young adults who are at risk to join gangs and engage in violent street crime. The program enlists former gang-members and released inmates, to help these boys and young men steer clear of the trouble that negatively impacted their lives. My Brothers Keeper works to get young men to return to school and to develop high aspirations for education and employment, including workshops on resume writing, interviewing and even dressing for success. Over 1,000 young men are involved. Summer Employment Program. Newarks jobs program has doubled in the past two years and includes educational and employment opportunities. The Citizens Virtual Patrol Program. City streets are currently equipped with 126 cameras that allow citizens to watch the streets of their neighborhoods from the safety of their homes via the Internet and notify police in case of trouble. Crime is down 15 percent within 300 feet of each camera this year. Precinct Community Engagement. Each of the citys seven precinct captains have officers carry out five outreach programs each week. The Public Safety Academy. Members of the clergy, civic leaders and concerned citizens enroll in a two-month program to help the public understand the working and procedures of the police. For this class, there are more than 40 registrants. Stationhouse Adjustment. In 2016, this program of putting youthful minor offenders on the right path with the help of city services was re-energized by director Ambrose. Cops and Kids Workshops. Over 200 officers have participated in a program in which the citys children buddy-up with them in workshops, role-reversal exercises and even theatrical productions. Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) by our officers has reached more than 12,000 Newark school kids. We are doing all of this and much more to ensure and protect the quality of life of Newarks youth. While we are having early preliminary results, much more work must be done. To see improvement, we must invest in the future of our youth. We must change how we look at public safety, and start to shift how we are making investments into communities. We need our state and local police agencies to use some of their operational dollars to fund alternative programs like the ones we are doing in Newark to have systemic and sustainable impact. Ras J. Baraka is the mayor of Newark. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow us on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and on Facebook at NJ.com Opinion. Get the latest news updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. New Jersey businesses could get a $200 million boost next year, thanks to the states strong economy. Low statewide unemployment and a healthy Unemployment Trust Fund may trigger a $200 million reduction in employers contributions to the fund next year, the state Department of Labor and Workforce Development commissioner announced Thursday. Addressing the Senate budget committee, Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo said that with a robust $2.5 billion in the trust fund that pays out unemployment insurance benefits its possible the state will cut unemployment tax rates next fiscal year. He said businesses that are enjoying $263 million in lower contributions this year will see another $200 million in tax relief next year. If this move comes to fruition, employers will save another $200 million, for a combined savings of nearly a half-billion-dollars in two years, he said. Workers will not benefit directly from a rate reduction. A turnaround in the health of unemployment reserves has triggered several tax cuts for employers since the end of the Great Recession, thanks to lower unemployment and a state constitutional amendment barring the state from raiding the fund. From 1992 to 2005, more than $4.6 billion in employer and employee contributions to the unemployment trust fund were diverted by both Democratic and Republican governors. When the Great Recession hit and claims soared, the state was forced to borrow from the federal government and didnt stop running deficits in the trust fund until 2013. By borrowing money from the federal government we were able to pay out the benefits, Assistant Commissioner Ron Marino told reporters Thursday. The rate structure obviously went higher in order to help defray the cost of those (benefits), and now since the recession is gone, were moving back, were moving back, were moving back. This year, employers are paying a tax rate of between 0.4 percent and 5.4 percent. Another rate change next year would put the range between 0.3 percent and 5.4 percent, according to the Labor Department. Rates paid by individual employers within those ranges vary. The 2019 rate reduction saved employers an average of $152.03 per employee, according to the Labor Department. State Sen. Steven Oroho, R-Sussex, said hes hopeful employers will reinvest their tax savings into hiring even more employees. Samantha Marcus may be reached at smarcus@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @samanthamarcus. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. Gov. Phil Murphys standing with New Jerseyans has slipped a bit, with those who dont believe hes doing a good job rising by double digits since the fall, according to a new poll released Thursday. Most people 52 percent approve of the job hes doing, while 43 percent disapprove of his performance, according to the first joint Rutgers Universitys Eagleton Institute of Politics and Fairleigh Dickinson University poll. In a November Rutgers poll, 43 percent approved of the job Murphy was doing, compared to 28 percent who disapproved. An October FDU poll found 49 percent saying he was doing a good job as governor, with 31 percent saying he wasnt. While the poll described Murphys approval numbers as lackluster" and other recent polls showed his popularity dipped as more people formed an opinion about him, theres a silver lining: Murphy is no worse than where his two immediate predecessors were at this point in their terms. These numbers are similar to both of his most recent predecessors, Governors Chris Christie and Jon Corzine at a similar time in their administrations," Krista Jenkins, professor of government at Fairleigh Dickinson University and director of the FDU poll, said. Jenkins added: One (Christie) went on to a second term, while the other (Corzine) was defeated two years later. Its not that mess of a snowstorm that same month that turned New Jerseys roads and highways into parking lots that has people souring on Murphy. (While critics ridiculed Murphy for over-reacting to subsequent snowstorms, people gave him his highest marks for how he handled the winter: 59 percent approve, compared to only 36 percent who disapprove). Its taxes that are dragging him down. Sixty-four percent disapprove of how hes handling taxes compared to 29 percent who approve of his performance in that area, according to the poll On his handling of the states pension fund, half of New Jerseyans disapprove while 30 percent approve, according to the poll. When it comes to how hes handling the states budget, 54 percent disapprove, while only 34 percent approve. But the poll showed a clear majority of the state is with Murphy on his push to bump the tax rate on people who earn more than $1 million a year in the state. Forty-six percent strongly support a millionaires tax and another 26 percent somewhat back it, according to the poll. Only 14 percent either strongly or somewhat oppose the measure. Also on the more positive side, Murphy, who wants to legalize recreational marijuana, has 47 approval on handling New Jerseys drug policy. Forty-one percent disapprove. On education and schools, 49 percent approve and 41 percent disapprove, and on the states criminal justice system 46 percent approve while 40 percent disapprove, according to the survey. The joint poll surveyed 1,203 people March 7- 22, with 621 contacted by live callers on both landlines and cell phones and 582 through an online probability-based panel. It has a combined margin of error of plus or minus 3.7 percentage points. Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewArco or Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. WASHINGTON President Donald Trump broke with four decades of tradition when he refused to release his income tax returns. Now he may have no choice but to give them up. The chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, Richard Neal of Massachusetts, formally requested six years of Trumps personal tax returns and some of his business tax returns on Wednesday, exercising his authority under a 1924 law enacted in response to the Teapot Dome scandal. Neals action followed two years of effort by Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-9th Dist., to get Trump to give up his returns and let Congress exercise its oversight powers. Americans have a right to know is their president is compromised or corrupt, said Pascrell, a member of the committee. For much of his adult life, Trump has used his power to shield himself from scrutiny or accountability. Subjecting his tax records to sunlight can finally hold him to both. Pascrell first requested that the House Ways and Means Committee, then controlled by Republicans, seek Trumps tax returns 793 days ago, on Feb. 1, 2017. He has said that the returns would answer the question of whether the president was financially beholden to Russia, and how he personally would benefit from the Republican tax bill he signed into law. This is to find out the facts, Pascrell said. This is to find out whether Article I means anything. This is to find out whether the tax law means anything. The then-Republican chairman of the committee, Kevin Brady of Texas, rejected Pascrells requests 18 times by the New Jersey Democrats count. On Wednesday, Brady criticized the Democratic action as weaponizing our nations tax code by targeting political foes." Trump said he could not provide his tax returns because they were being audited by the Internal Revenue Service. He said on Wednesday that he would not be inclined to release the returns until such time as Im not under audit. Ive been under audit for many years because the numbers are big, and I guess when you have a name, youre audited, Trump told reporters at the White House. In his letter to IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig, Neal said he was seeking the returns to see how the agency was ensuring that the president and his businesses complied with the tax laws. He also wanted to know whether the returns were being audited, as Trump claimed. Congress, as a co-equal branch of government, has a duty to conduct oversight of departments and officials," Neal said. The Ways and Means Committee in particular has a responsibility to conduct oversight of our voluntary federal tax system and determine how Americans including those elected to our highest office are complying with those laws. Should Trump not comply with the law allowing the committee chairman access to his tax returns, Pascrell said he would favor going to court. The American people have a right to know whether their president is above it all, Pascrell said. If the president is above the law, well have that also." Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. As former Vice President Joe Biden faces allegations that he touched women in a way that made them feel uncomfortable, Gov. Phil Murphy said hes a huge fan of Biden and that he has not personally seen any evidence that his longtime friend has any untoward intentions. Hes been very good to me over the years, Murphy said of his fellow Democrat during a Facebook Live interview with New York City radio station 1010 WINS. He was one of guys who talked to me with great intensity about running for office way back when. Ive never seen one speck, one shred of any evidence he has any untoward intentions, the New Jersey governor added. Period. Full stop. But Murphy also said the times, they are-a-changing. As the times change, I think we all have to change our behavior within those times, he added. I think probably thats the lesson that I take away from this right now. Murphys statements came on the same day Biden released a video in which he said he will be be more mindful and respectful of peoples personal space. Four women have said in recent days that Biden made close contact with them in a way that made them feel uncomfortable. The first to come forward, former Nevada state assemblywoman Lucy Flores, published an essay last Friday in which she said Biden kissed her on the head in 2014, when he was vice president. The allegations have cast a cloud over Biden as he considers whether to enter the race for the 2020 Democratic nomination for president. Some early polls have shown him as the frontrunner. In the clip shared on his Tweeted feed on Wednesday, Biden said: In my career, Ive always tried to make a human connection thats my responsibility I think. I shake hands, I hug people, I grab men and women by the shoulders and say, You can do this. But, he added, social norms have begun to change, theyve shifted, and the boundaries of protecting personal space have been reset and I get it." I get it, Biden said. "I hear what theyre saying. Social norms are changing. I understand that, and Ive heard what these women are saying. Politics to me has always been about making connections, but I will be more mindful about respecting personal space in the future. Thats my responsibility and I will meet it. pic.twitter.com/Ya2mf5ODts Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) April 3, 2019 Murphy and Biden have long been friends. Murphy was a former major national Democratic donor and served as U.S. ambassador to Germany when Biden was vice president under President Barack Obama. Biden visited New Jersey twice in 2017 to campaign for Murphy when he ran for governor. Murphy has endorsed Cory Booker, one of New Jerseys U.S. senators, in the Democratic presidential primary. But I think theres a range of candidates, including Vice President Biden, on our side of the aisle who I think would make great presidents, the governor told WINS. Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. A high school student was arrested and jailed Wednesday after authorities charged her with calling in a fake bomb threat to the school earlier this year. The threat to Franklin High School in Somerset County came around 12:45 p.m. on Jan. 23, Prosecutor Michael Robertson said in a statement Thursday. The school was evacuated and searched by K-9 units from five different agencies. The next month, a 14-year-old student was charged with making a social media threat against the same high school. An investigation by Robertsons office, the Franklin Township police and FBI agents in Newark determined Annissia Gayle, 19, called in the January threat. She was arrested at school Wednesday afternoon and taken to the Somerset County Jail on a charge of creating a false public alarm, a second-degree offense. Gayle is awaiting a detention hearing. Joe Brandt can be reached at jbrandt@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JBrandt_NJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. A Sussex County jury on Wednesday convicted an anesthesiologist in a ski rage attack on a 12-year-old boy on a slope at the Mountain Creek resort. Dr. Samuel Caruthers was found guilty of third-degree child endangerment, simple assault, and fourth-degree unlawful possession of a weapon for the Valentines Day 2016 incident, the New Jersey Herald reported. The 47-year-old was accused of punching the boy and stabbing him with a ski pole after the youth reportedly fell into him and his then-10-year-old son from a snowboard on the bunny slope at the Vernon resort. The jury found Caruthers not guilty of two counts of aggravated assault, including one with a deadly weapon, and not guilty of possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, according to court records. His defense attorney, George Daggett, of Sparta, said he would be filing a motion to set aside the verdict, citing contradictory findings by the jury. I believe when this is finally resolved the only charge remaining will be simple assault, Daggett told NJ Advance Media. The verdict came following about four hours of deliberations over two days, according to the report. Caruthers faces sentencing in May. Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. 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 NEW YORK The Yankees depth may be nearing its breaking point. Buy Yankees tickets: StubHub, SeatGeek, PrimeSport, Ticketmaster If shortstop Troy Tulowitzkis left calf strain puts him on the injured list and requires him to miss a long time, the Yankees dont seem to have many attractive options remaining to replace him. (Tulowitzki left in the fourth inning of Wednesdays game against the Tigers at Yankee Stadium.) Here are four options: Tyler Wade moves into starting lineup? With Tulowitzki out, Gleyber Torres would take over as the everyday shortstop. That would put a hole at second base. Tyler Wade would fill that hole. Wade was called up when third baseman Miguel Andujar was diagnosed Wednesday with a torn right shoulder labrum. Call up Thairo Estrada? Estrada, 23, has no major-league experience and he missed most of last season dealing with various injuries. The most significant was a gunshot wound. He was shot during a robbery attempt in his native Venezuela in January 2018. He didnt have the bullet removed from his right hip until July. MLB Pipeline ranks Estrada as the Yankees No. 19 overall prospect. He was slated to start the year at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Manager Aaron Boone said Estrada opened eyes this spring. Hes a guy we think can absolutely play in the big leagues, Boone said in March. Call up Giovanny Urshela? Urshela, a defensive wizard at third base, isnt on the 40-man roster but the Yankees can make room. Didi Gregorius (Tommy John surgery), Jordan Montgomery (Tommy John surgery) and Jacoby Ellsbury (hip surgery recovery) are all on the IL and the Yankees could reasonable cases that each should be shifted to the 60-day IL, which would open a 40-man spot. Urshela has played 167 big-league games over three seasons. He played 19 games with the Blue Jays last year. Make a trade? The Mets have Adeiny Hechavarria, who impressed defensively last year with the Yankees. The Blue Jays have Freddy Galvis, whom they gave a one-year, $5-million deal in the offseason. The Yankees discussed adding Galvis in the offseason before signing Tulowitzki. Brendan Kuty may be reached at bkuty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BrendanKutyNJ. Find NJ.com Yankees on Facebook. A Marrero man accused of shooting three men in three days -- killing one -- was released from prison last year after a Jefferson Parish judge vacated an illegal life sentence he received under the states old habitual offender laws, according to court records. Coroners office identifies 55-year-old gunned down at Marrero car wash Alonzo Ford, 43, was arrested Monday (April 1) by Jefferson Parish Sheriffs Office detectives and booked with second-degree murder, two counts of attempted second-degree murder, two counts of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and obstruction of justice, said Capt. Jason Rivarde, spokesman for the department. Detectives accused Ford of resorting to gunfire during arguments with victims in two separate Marrero shootings. Lawrence Hensley, 55, succumbed to his injuries one day after he was shot in the head at a carwash in the 6300 block of Acre Road in Marrero on Monday evening (April 1), Rivarde said. Two men, ages 50 and 52, were shot about 2:30 a.m. Saturday following a dispute in the 6200 block of Second Avenue, Rivarde said. The 50-year-old man was shot in the head and still listed in critical condition Wednesday, according to authorities. The other victim suffered minor injuries. Ford had apparently returned to the Marrero area following his release from prison on May 25, according to the Louisiana Department of Corrections. Ford was freed after a Jefferson Parish court ruled in May that his life sentence, handed down in 1997 after a third-strike conviction, was now illegal, court records said Jon Benz, the public defender who represented Ford in the May 17 hearing, did not return a call Wednesday requesting comment. But according to records from the 24th Judicial District court, Ford had racked up enough felony convictions to earn the life sentence under the states old habitual offender laws, which were enacted in the 1990s to curb the rise in crime. Ford was sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty to negligent homicide and illegal possession of stolen things for accidentally shooting and killing his friend, Christian Colar, 21, in 1993. Ford was just 18 when he fired the gun while rapping and singing along to a song, authorities said. He went on to receive a first-offender pardon in the case. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up In 1995, Ford was convicted of two counts of attempted second-degree murder and illegal possession of stolen things for shooting two men at a Lapalco Boulevard carwash in Marrero, according to Sheriffs Office and court records. Then-Judge Ronald Loumiet the same sentencing judge from the negligent homicide case ordered Ford to serve three years in prison, court records said. Fords third strike came February 27, 1997, when a jury convicted him of possession of crack cocaine with the intent to distribute, court records said. The Jefferson Parish district attorneys office charged Ford as a multiple offender based on his convictions for possession of stolen property and attempted murder. He given the mandatory punishment of life in prison without the possibility of probation, parole or suspension of sentence. State legislators eventually made changes to the habitual offender laws in 2001 that would have made Ford ineligible for a life sentence, had he committed the drug crime after the modifications. But courts had ruled the changes werent retroactive. Then, on Jan. 30, 2018, Louisiana Supreme Court justices decided under John Esteen versus the State of Louisiana that old, illegal sentences could and should be corrected by district courts. A month after that ruling, Ford filed his own motion to correct the sentence. The Jefferson Parish district attorneys office agreed that Ford should be resentenced on the drug charge, but argued the range should be between 20 to 60 years in prison, court records said. Judge Adrian Adams vacated Fords life sentence and re-sentenced him to 20 years with credit for time served on May 17, court records said. Ford, who had already spent 21 years in prison, was released about a week later, according to Ken Pastorick, spokesman for the department of corrections. Now back behind bars, Ford was being held Thursday at the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center in Gretna in lieu of a $1.27 million bond. When New Orleans Police officers came to her door on Memorial Day 2015 and told Chantell Edwards her son might have been involved in a double homicide around the corner, Edwards said she had no idea Widner Flow Degruy left an assault rifle and handgun under a pile of clothes on his bed when he came by earlier that day. Degruy stopped by before 6 a.m., and told his mom someone had tried to rob him. She remembered hearing gunshots before he came over, but couldnt recall at her sons trial Wednesday (April 3) how much time had passed between the time she heard gunshots and when Degruy knocked on her door. Edwards spoke tearfully from the witness stand in Criminal District Judge Tracey Flemings-Davilliers courtroom, where her son is on trial this week on two second-degree murder charges connected to a May 25, 2015, shooting that killed brothers Kendred Kirby Bishop, 18, and Kendrick MuddyCupBuddy Bishop, 22. Kendrick Bishop and Degruy, both rappers, had recorded music together, according to testimony. Degruy was signed to Lil Waynes Young Money record label. Assistant District Attorneys Alex Calenda and Irena Zajickova allege Degruy was one of two gunmen who killed the brothers. Jonathan Lil Joe Evans also was indicted and has pleaded guilty to manslaughter. He is expected to testify this week. The Bishop brothers were gunned down inside a black Kia Cadenza in the 4800 block of Bright Drive roughly a quarter mile from Edwards house in the 4900 block of Nottingham Drive in New Orleans East around 5:45 a.m. Dr. Cynthia Gardner of the Orleans Parish Coroners Office said Kendrick Bishop was shot 11 times all over his body and suffered three graze wounds to his arm and face. Kendred Bishop was shot eight times also all over his body, she said. Their wounds were consistent with gunshots from both high- and medium-velocity weapons, Gardner said. Police have said shell casings found at the homicide scene were from a 9mm rifle and a 7.62x39 semi-automatic assault rifle. Prosecutors said the motive for the shooting was retaliation for Degruys belief the brothers stole guns and a significant amount of cash from his vehicle a week earlier. In Widner Flow Degruys murder trial, prosecutors say rapper killed 2 in retaliation for stealing cash, guns After police left her house the morning of May 25, Edwards said she went to DeGruys room where she spotted two guns on the bed. She almost passed out at the sight of a big black gun, she recalled. She was frantically scared, she said, and called her husband. He grabbed the comforter along with everything that was on top of it, threw it on the back of their truck and they left to get rid of the guns, Edwards said. Police came by later in day with search warrants, she said, and didnt ask questions. She didnt tell them she removed two guns from her house hours earlier. Edwards was indicted and has pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact to second-degree murder in the Bishops deaths. According to a plea deal read in court Wednesday, she can withdraw her plea to that felony charge and plead guilty to misdemeanor aiding and abetting if she continues to cooperate and tell the truth. Edwards sobbed as she went over the terms of her deal with Calenda. Have you ever imagined anything like this in your life? Calenda asked. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up No, she said. But you realize this is something you had to do? he asked. Edwards replied, Yes. Yes it is. Edwards continued to cry as she stepped off the witness stand, and looked at Degruy while mouthing, I love you as she walked out of the courtroom. Inconsistent statements Degruy became a suspect in the Bishop brothers murders during an interview with homicide Detective Gregory Johnson the lead detective on the case and Sgt. Robert Barrere at NOPD headquarters the day of the shootings. Degruy agreed to speak to the investigators after he approached one of the responding officers on scene and pointed out his phone was inside the crime scene tape, next to the shot-up Kia the Bishop brothers were killed in. Barrere and Johnson both testified Degruy told inconsistent stories during the interview. Defense attorney Gary Wainwright suggested to Barrere that Degruy might have been tired. Testimony Tuesday showed Degruy attended a Lil Wayne concert with Evans and the Bishop brothers in Mobile, Alabama, the night before they were killed. Barrere said Degruy first told him and Johnson his iPhone was at the shooting scene because he threw it in anger upon seeing his dead friends, and that cracked his screen. Degruy later said in the same interview his phone screen cracked some time ago and he was so frustrated upon seeing his friends dead bodies he couldnt call 911, so he threw it to the ground, Barrere said. The officers performed a gunshot residue test on Degruy during the interview and told him it came back positive. Under cross examination by Wainwright, Barrere said that was a lie a tactic used in police interviews to try to draw information out of people. Degruy said hed fired a gun a couple days earlier, but it jammed. He told the detectives in the interview he hadnt showered in two days when they asked why the residue still would be on his hands. Barrere said he heard what sounded like Degruy wiping his hands and arms with paper towels in the bathroom what he described as excessive wiping and thought he might have been trying to get rid of possible gunshot residue on his body. Wainwright seemed to suggest Barreres take on Degruys time in the bathroom was absurd, at one point asking the veteran detective, Were you taught to wash your hands after using the bathroom? He questioned why Barrere wouldnt try to open the door or even knock if he thought Degruy might be trying to destroy evidence. He was not in custody, Barrere said. He used the bathroom, washed his hands and wiped with the towels. Johnson told Degruy in the interview his story had loopholes, and after asking several additional questions, read Degruy his Miranda rights. Police took a DNA swab from Degruys cheek during the interview. When they asked Degruy if he killed Kendrick Bishop, Degruy told them, Yall be trippin. Testimony is expected to resume Thursday. Archbishop Wilton Gregory of Atlanta has been tapped by Pope Francis to head the embattled Archdiocese of Washington D.C., replacing Cardinal Donald Wuerl, who was accused of mishandling cases of sexual abuse by priests during his time in Pittsburgh, CNN reported. The appointment of Gregory, 71, gives the nations capital its first black archbishop and, if the Vatican follows the pattern of his predecessors, potentially the United States first black cardinal, the news network reported. Gregory has been at the helm of the Archdiocese of Atlanta since 2005. In 2001, he became the first black president of the powerful U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, serving in that post during the outbreak of a damaging clergy abuse crisis that began in Boston and soon spread throughout the country, CNN reported. Wuerl resigned as Archbishop of Washington in October of 2018 under pressure from Catholics miffed over his role in the clergy sexual abuse crisis. New Orleans Archbishop Gregory Aymond had been rumored to be a candidates for the Washington post. Read the entire CNN story here. Firefighters battled a blaze Wednesday (April 3) that burned around 300 acres of forest east of Abita Springs. The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry said the fire is under investigation but that arson is suspected. Fire Chief Gary Whitehead of St. Tammany Fire District No. 7 said the burned area is off Louisiana 36. He said firefighters from his department were dispatched to the area, but notified state forestry firefighters when they determined the fire area was largely inaccessible. Veronica Mosgrove, a Department of Agriculture and Forestry spokeswoman, said the forestry division sent firefighters and heavy equipment such as bulldozers to contain the blaze. Mosgrove said the department would release more information as the investigation continues. Today Cloudy early with peeks of sunshine expected late. Areas of patchy fog. High 74F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Tonight Some clouds. Low near 65F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Tomorrow Considerable clouds early. Some decrease in clouds later in the day. High near 75F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. A male Devils Hole pupfish swims over algae. Approximate size is 30 mm (slightly longer than an inch). NPS photo by Brett Seymour April 3, 2019 Contact: Kevin Wilson (National Park Service), 775-537-0787 x207 Contact: Michael Schwemm (US Fish and Wildlife Service), 702-515-5079 Contact: Brandon Senger (Nevada Department of Wildlife), 702-486-5127 x3300 AMARGOSA VALLEY, NV One of the worlds rarest fish species, the Devils Hole pupfish, has reached a population of 136 observable fish. This high spring season population count follows years of substantially lower spring population counts, which triggered concerns over the chances of survival of this critically endangered fish. In the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, scientists counted about 200 Devils Hole pupfish in the annual spring season surveys. There was a startling decline in fish numbers starting in the late 1990s. Biologists were extremely concerned when less than 40 fish were counted in the spring seasons of 2006, 2007, and 2013. The official result of the recent survey, 136 observable pupfish, is the highest count recorded during the springtime since 2003. This follows a similarly high count from the September 2018 survey of 187 fish. The Devils Hole pupfish population generally declines over the winter due to food limitations, so the decline is not a concern. The fall 2018 count and spring 2019 counts were the highest in about 15 and 16 years, respectively. Both population counts in the past year were remarkable, said Kevin Wilson, Aquatic Ecologist for Death Valley National Park. Were hopeful that these increases are a trend, and not just random variation. The only natural habitat of Devils Hole pupfish (Cyprinodon diabolis) is the upper 80 feet of a deep water-filled cavern and sun-lit shallow pool at the caverns entrance. Devils Hole is located in a detached unit of Death Valley National Park adjacent to Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge in Nye County, Nevada. Devils Hole is an extreme environment characterized by high temperatures, low dissolved oxygen, fluctuating food resources, and occasional catastrophic natural events. Despite these extremes, Devils Hole pupfish continue to display their resiliency that have allowed them to survive for thousands of years, said Brandon Senger, Supervising Fisheries Biologist for the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW). US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), NDOW, and National Park Service staff and volunteers worked together on the official fish count, following methods used since 1972. Some scientists donned scuba gear to count fish in the cavern, starting at 100 feet below the surface. Meanwhile other scientists stayed on the surface to count fish in the shallow pool. The surface and underwater numbers were added together. Researchers conducted multiple counts on March 30 and 31. Scientists were pleased by more than just the high population numbers. Kevin Wilson stated, The fish looked incredibly healthy and were distributed throughout the habitat, including at depths and locations where they have not been seen in previous years. USFWS biologist Michael Schwemm added, Its possible the greater distribution of fish correlate with higher abundance, where high densities of fish distribute themselves throughout the cavern. In recent years, biologists have been feeding the fish with higher quality food in an attempt to halt their slide toward extinction. Agency staff enhanced the habitat on the shallow shelf by adding vertical structures, which provide shelter for smaller fish and a substrate for algae to grow. Its encouraging to see the population respond positively to conservation actions implemented over the last several years, said Senger. Natural fluctuations also likely played a role. Rain events in recent months washed nutrients into Devils Hole and triggered spawning events. Air temperatures have been slightly below average. -www.nps.gov/deva- Death Valley National Park is the homeland of the Timbisha Shoshone and preserves natural resources, cultural resources, exceptional wilderness, scenery, and learning experiences within the nations largest conserved desert landscape and some of the most extreme climate and topographic conditions on the planet. About two-thirds of the park was originally designated as Death Valley National Monument in 1933. Today the park is enjoyed by about 1,600,000 people per year. The park is 3,400,000 acres nearly as large as the state of Connecticut. You are clearly a super-user of NUVO.net. Thats a good thing. It means you depend on independent and local news sources to keep you informed. You are a smart person. Coincidentally, independent and local news sources depend on you too. Youve read 25 articles this month and now, wed like you to be join our mission and become a NUVO Supporter. For as little as $4 a month, you can keep us alive and fighting -- and can have unlimited access to the independent news that cant be found anywhere else. TOKYO Carlos Ghosn, the embattled former chief of the Nissan-Renault-Mitsubishi auto alliance, was arrested for a fourth time on Thursday as he faces accusations of using company funds for his personal ends. Prosecutors took Mr. Ghosn from his apartment in Tokyo early in the morning, according to the state broadcaster NHK, which reported that the arrest was on suspicion of aggravated breach of trust related to payments to a Nissan distributor in Oman. In an arrest document, the prosecutors office described a scheme by which Mr. Ghosn allegedly used a Nissan subsidiary to send millions of dollars of payments to a business partner of the company abroad, which then sent money to a third company Mr. Ghosn controlled. The actions were taken for the purpose of obtaining a personal profit, the document said. The document did not name the business partner. Prosecutors accused Mr. Ghosn of using the method on three occasions from December 2015 to July 2018, resulting in a total of $5 million in losses to Nissan. Amazon Studios returned fire on Woody Allen on Wednesday, saying in a court filing that it was justified in terminating movie deals with the filmmaker and pointing to his public comments about the #MeToo movement as proof. Mr. Allen, 83, sued Amazon in federal court on Feb. 7 for at least $68 million, claiming that the companys Hollywood division had improperly backed out of commitments to make and release four movies. Amazon had severed ties with Mr. Allen in June, citing, among other things, a new focus on allegations that he sexually abused his daughter Dylan Farrow in 1992. He has denied any wrongdoing and has not been charged with a crime. Early Wednesday evening, Amazon electronically filed a motion in Federal District Court in Manhattan that seeks to weaken Mr. Allens lawsuit by having four of its eight claims thrown out. For instance, Amazon lawyers attacked his assertion that the company unjustly enriched itself by publicizing their partnership around 2016, before things turned sour to attract other writers and directors to its stable. Pacific Gas and Electric announced the appointment of a chief executive and 10 new board members on Wednesday to improve the safety culture and operational effectiveness at the embattled California utility. Bill Johnson, a former head of Progress Energy and the Tennessee Valley Authority, will fill the chief executive position held by Geisha Williams, who left in January, just before PG&E filed for its second bankruptcy in the last two decades. PG&E faces tens of billions of dollars in liabilities related to catastrophic wildfires over the last two years. In addition, climate change is making natural disasters more destructive, and shifts to green energy are upending the industry. We have heard the calls for change and have taken action today to ensure that PG&E has the right leadership to bring about real and dynamic change that reinforces our commitment to safety, continuous improvement and operational excellence, the board said in a news release. We believe our new C.E.O. and the newly constituted board will help PG&E address Californias evolving energy challenges and deliver what our customers expect from their energy company. The SEC summed up the criminal activity in the corner offices this way: In many instances, senior management actively thwarted compliance efforts, personally engaging in corruption schemes and directing employees to destroy records of the misconduct. The improper conduct continued for years in Saudi Arabia, Morocco, eight countries in the West African region, Angola, Turkey, Spain, China, Serbia, Bosnia, and Mexico. Last week Germanys Fresenius Medical Care, the worlds biggest provider of dialysis equipment and services, paid the DOJ and SEC $231 million to resolve FCPA violations in at least 17 countries. Senior executives directed the bribery and the global cover up. From Germany they ordered Fresenius employees in field offices to alter and destroy documents and delete files from computers. Lower-level employees were berated if they didnt destroy their laptops or delete emails, the SEC said. The malfeasance even reached Fresenius legal, compliance, and audit groups. Despite multiple red flags of bribery, the SEC said, FMCs legal, compliance, and internal audit functions failed to detect and prevent the bribery. Employees were inadequately trained on the companys anti-corruption policies, and due diligence on third parties was minimal. This was big-time bribery owned by senior management. Here are some examples: Angola. A high-level executive in Germany responsible for business development in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa brought a proposal to the companys management board. It was a plan to give local partners in Angola 35 percent of the Fresenius company there. The board presentation didnt say exactly who the minority shareholders would be. FMC Executive 1, as the DOJ called him or her, knew the local partners would be an Angolan military health officer, an Angolan government doctor, and a company called NefroAngola that was owned entirely by Angolan nephrologists. Saudi Arabia. Top executives in Germany began receiving reports in 2009 that a general manager in Saudi Arabia was submitting phony accounts for marketing and travel expenditures, the SEC said. The general manager wasnt fired until 2013. By then Fresenius had made over $40 million as a result of the corruption schemes in Saudi Arabia, the SEC said. Morroco. A Fresenius corporate officer in Germany and a sales manager there ran a scheme to bribe the chief nephrologist at two state owned military hospitals from 2006 to 2010. To fund the bribes, several senior managers in Germany arranged fake back-dated bonuses for a Fresenius manager in another African company. That manager then traveled to Morocco to hand the bribes to the government nephrologist. Turkey. A senior manager in Germany pushed a scheme to bribe a prominent government doctor with free shares in a joint venture. Fresenius then bought the shares back for $350,000. The management board in Germany gave the final ok after the senior manager wrote: The professor who is our shareholder has very strong relations with all state authorities including the university and other state hospitals. He is in a protector of our interests. China. At the direction of a senior manager, Fresenius paid doctors and nurses who managed government clinics bonuses tied directly to the amount of equipment the clinics purchased from Fresenius. Some payments were made in cash, while others were made by wire transfer, and later by a third party agent, the SEC said. The payments were generally described in the accounting records as center marketing fees after a senior Fresenius China manager cautioned another employee to avoid using the term bonus due to internal legal compliance concerns. Mexico. The general director and CFO signed a retroactive contract with a Mexican distributor who was paid for advice based on how many dialysis treatments government clinics had already bought. The distributor passed the money to government officials in charge of bids Fresenius had won. ____ Why werent the DOJ and SEC harder on Fresenius? Because the company eventually confessed to the feds. And it began the hard process of cleaning up the mess. It fired at least ten employees who were involved in the graft or failed to detect it. It put in place new internal controls. It began anti-corruption training. It got rid of agents and distributors who were part of the bribery schemes. It created enhanced due diligence systems. It also withdrew from potentially tainted business opportunities. After last weeks FCPA settlement, Fresenius CEO Rice Powell said the company has now taken extensive steps to further a culture of ethical business behavior and has strengthened its compliance programs and internal controls. ____ Richard L. Cassin is editor at large of the FCPA Blog. I worked my whole life to empower women, he told the camera so the idea that I cant adjust to the fact that personal space is important, more important than its ever been, is just not thinkable. I will. I will. Two problems here. One is that Biden is acting as though the whole dont-touch business is a brand-new product of the #MeToo movement. That a person in his position could have accidentally missed the message until recently. Lets go back to 2006. At a G-8 summit in Russia, President George W. Bush came up behind German leader Angela Merkel and inflicted a quick back rub. Merkel appeared grossed out. The picture went around the world. Comedians had a field day. Hard to believe a powerful U.S. senator with an expertise in foreign affairs could have missed the story. A few months earlier, New Mexico Lt. Gov. Diane Denish had told a reporter she tried to avoid being around the governor, Bill Richardson, because He pokes me. He pinches my neck. He touches my hip, my thigh, sort of the side of my leg. Like Biden, Richardson was a Democratic presidential hopeful. People were talking about it a lot. Have our leaders gone mad? demanded a Times writer, who traced the new touchy-feely trend to political consultants like Republican Frank Luntz, who were trying to create more human interaction between their clients and the public. Luntz was indeed encouraging his clients to go beyond the traditional handshake when it came to making contact. These days, hes still consulting but hes pretty clear that times have changed. What used to be seen as a demonstration of endearment is now seen as invasion of space, he said in a phone interview. Nevertheless, he loves Joe Biden. (One of the warmest people Ive ever met.) Second problem with Bidens video pitch. He has indeed worked to empower women he was an author of the Violence Against Women Act. But he also has that really nasty history on the Anita Hill matter. Hill had the courage to show up and testify before the world about Clarence Thomass lecherous behavior as a boss. This was in 1991, when no one ever talked about that stuff in public. And Biden, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, did nothing but ask her embarrassing questions. (Were you uncomfortable, were you embarrassed, did it not concern you?) First, to the extent possible, we should try to curb Chinese high-technology firms access to Western markets. These businesses are a security threat, and the Trump administration is right to be concerned. If a company like Huawei is asked to cooperate with Chinese State Security spies, its executives simply cant say no. This doesnt mean that China is evil. American companies sold telecommunications equipment to China beginning in the 1980s that let us intercept officials conversations there, and we have inserted cyber back doors into goods and software sold to China so that we can cause damage in the event of a conflict. China purchased a Boeing 767 in 2000 to be its presidential jet and it arrived riddled with listening devices. China inevitably will try to do to us what we already did to it. Second, we should continue to highlight human rights, especially Chinas internment of perhaps one million Muslims in re-education camps. This is a staggering affront to religious liberty, with Chinese officials reportedly forcing Muslims to violate their faith by eating pork and drinking alcohol. Bravo to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for forthrightly denouncing Chinas awful abuses in detaining hundreds of thousands and possibly millions of Uighurs, as well as its persecution of Christians. The Chinese authorities have even installed monitoring cameras inside Muslims homes, and they have sent many Muslim parents to re-education camps, leaving the children left behind to be brainwashed in boarding schools. Third, we need continued pressure on China over its exports of fentanyl, the synthetic opioid that is killing Americans in huge numbers through overdoses. Two-thirds or more of the fentanyl in the U.S. originates in China, where the authorities have been promising since 2016 to crack down on it. A few days ago, China announced that it would soon ban all variants of fentanyl, a welcome step that may make a difference. But China often promises cooperation that does not materialize , and everything will depend on enforcement over the countrys 160,000 chemical companies. Too many lives hang in the balance to take China at its word. About 20,000 Americans appear to be dying each year from Chinese fentanyl (some of it entering via Mexico). Thats a toll of devastation far greater than that caused by terrorists in the U.S. over multiple decades, and it should arouse far more outrage than Chinese companies pirating videos. According to Trump, former Florida gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum was a Dem who is a thief and who is Mayor of poorly run Tallahassee, said to be one of the most corrupt cities in the Country! There is no evidence of theft by Gillum, and Tallahassee isnt the most corrupt city. According to Trump, legendary Congressman John Lewiss district is in horrible shape and falling apart. It is not. PolitiFact rated Trumps claim mostly false. Even majority-black and majority-brown countries around the globe have been condemned and dismissed by Trump in this way. Haiti, El Salvador and African countries are shithole countries. Mexico has a totally corrupt govt, and it is sending animals and rapists across the border. Yet he has lobbed praise at strongmen mostly in Europe and Asia for being great leaders. Think Russia and North Korea. (Western nations have also piqued his anger when they have not been sufficiently ruthless with their minority populations. He said that Britain was trying hard to disguise their massive Muslim problem, and Germany is going through massive attacks to its people by the migrants allowed to enter the country. But Trump still maintains a great feeling for Germany. That feeling is apparently so great that he keeps lying that his father, Fred Trump, was born there, like he did again this week. Fred Trump was born in New York.) To me, this marking of minorities as incapable of good governance harkens back to the Reconstruction period, when white supremacists promoted racist caricatures of newly elected black legislators acting uncouth as a way to fuel an angry backlash. This shows up in newspaper illustrations and in the film The Birth of a Nation, in which black legislators eating, drinking and some without shoes are shown in a state of chaos. These white supremacists, many wealthy and powerful, used the threat of black domination to scare poorer whites into allegiance, warning them of race-mixing, miscegenation and the rape of white women and girls. They also warned about the crude attempt of black people to be civilized and judicious. WASHINGTON Pope Francis has named Archbishop Wilton Gregory of Atlanta as the new Roman Catholic archbishop of Washington, hoping to end a tumultuous period for a pivotal diocese whose recent leaders have been at the center of the churchs sexual abuse crisis in the United States. Archbishop Gregory, 71, becomes the first African-American bishop to lead the archdiocese, a position that puts him to in line to become the countrys first African-American cardinal. He has led the archdiocese of Atlanta since 2005. The archdiocese of Washington has been without an official leader for nearly six months, and the appointment replaces one of Pope Francis closest allies in the American church. Cardinal Donald Wuerl, who became archbishop of Washington in 2006, resigned in October after he was named in a Pennsylvania grand jury report that accused church officials of covering up sexual abuse. Theodore E. McCarrick, a former cardinal and the archbishop of Washington before Cardinal Wuerl, was defrocked in February after church officials found him guilty of sexually abusing minors and adult seminarians over decades. It was the first time an American cardinal has been removed from the priesthood. More than 60 people have been killed in tit-for-tat clashes between communities in northern Burkina Faso in recent days, the government said on Wednesday, the latest in a bout of inter-communal violence afflicting West Africas Sahel region. Burkina Faso and neighboring Mali have seen a spike in ethnic clashes fueled by Islamist militants as they seek to extend their influence over the Sahel, an arid region between Africas northern Sahara and its southern savannas. Islamist attacks have risen in recent months, and the violence has reignited longstanding tensions between communities as certain groups are blamed for collaborating with the jihadists. New violence arose near the town of Arbinda in Burkinas Soum Province on Sunday night, when a religious leader and six of his family members were killed by unidentified armed men, the ruling Movement of People for Progress party said in a statement on Wednesday. A consortium of the global tech superpowers, including Google, Facebook and Amazon, also argued that it would damage Australias relations with other countries because it would require proactive surveillance of all users worldwide, while criminalizing content reposted by users without the companies knowing about it. This law, which was conceived and passed in five days without any meaningful consultation, does nothing to address hate speech, which was the fundamental motivation for the tragic Christchurch terrorist attacks, said Sunita Bose, the managing director of the Digital Industry Group Inc., an advocacy group representing Facebook, Google and other companies. With the vast volumes of content uploaded to the internet every second, Ms. Bose said, this is a highly complex problem that requires discussion with the technology industry, legal experts, the media and civil society to get the solution right that didnt happen this week. In the Senate Wednesday night, Richard Di Natale, a senator in the Australian Greens party, said the process was being rushed. He blamed both Australias conservative government and the opposition Labor Party, which he characterized as compliant. Weve got some of the most significant changes to social media online regulation that we have ever seen, he said. And yet, with little or no time for public input, he added, its going to be rammed through. Experts warned that the law which is meant to reach beyond traditional social media to sites that have been hotbeds of white supremacy, like 4Chan could lead to legal challenges. Its not clear whether Australia would be able to take action against companies that do not have offices in the country, nor is it clear if it would have a right to impose profit-based penalties on international behemoths like Facebook. Long known for their passionate onstage partnership, the Russian ballerina Natalia Osipova and the American Ballet Theater principal David Hallberg are spending quality time together at City Center this week. Natalia Osipovas Pure Dance With David Hallberg is a suite of solos and duets with these stars at its center, together and alone. Yet Ms. Osipova, a principal at the Royal Ballet in London, also uses the program to cultivate new partnerships: with other dancers and with choreographers she has handpicked to showcase the range of her artistry. In some cases, these rival the strength of the shows most advertised pairing. Ms. Osipova and Mr. Hallberg bookend the program, which opened on Wednesday, appearing first in the main pas de deux from Antony Tudors The Leaves Are Fading, then in a ravishing six-minute ballet by Alexei Ratmansky, created for them last year. (A production of Sadlers Wells, Pure Dance had its world premiere in London last fall.) With its elegiac sweep and opportunities for high drama not squandered by either dancer the Tudor excerpt served as a historical and stylistic anchor, before the evening moved into less traditional territory. (Leaves was made in 1975 for Ballet Theater, where Ms. Osipova has been a principal and frequent guest artist.) Then last spring Ms. Hendry financed her first major solo exhibition in New York City, Monochrome, for which she drew a series of crumpled up Pantone cards and created an interactive space around them at a Brooklyn warehouse. The seven rooms were each themed around one particular color. The pink room, for example, had a carpet, a dresser and a chair in different shades of pink and her drawings of pink cards decorating pink walls. Every corner was as detailed as her drawings, and she paid for all of it: no representative, no gallery, no sponsor n ot even an entrance fee. In September, Ms. Hendry spurred by a possible copyright infringement case for seeking to profit from her sketches of Andy Warhols Polaroids of Jean-Michel Basquiat and other figures decided to give away her work as part of a scavenger hunt. She dropped off bright red boxes, which contained T-shirts that bore prints of her artwork, at random locations around Manhattan, and posted pictures of their locations on her Instagram Stories. Her followers pounced. Now Ms. Hendry is preparing for the Rorschach show, which she views as an attempt to step into the more traditional art world. Shes recreated Rorschach tests by randomly squirting paint onto a page and then drawing those colorful, beautiful blobs. Its a fascinating combination of sinister and playful, she said. People are going to see something different every time. KUROWKO, Poland The Polish artist Daniel Rycharski sat in his childhood home recently and considered the idea of fitting in. In many ways, Poland is a highly polarized country. On one side is the right-wing populist government of the Law and Justice party, with its many rural supporters, which purports to stand for family values and the traditions of the Roman Catholic Church; on the other is a more liberal opposition, which finds most of its backers in the countrys cosmopolitan cities. Im stuck in the middle, Mr. Rycharski said, sounding resigned. I dont have a place, really. Nonetheless, his work is the focus of a major exhibition running through April 22 at the Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw. Maybe the biggest and best art institution in Poland is making an exhibition of me right now, but I dont feel part of the art community, he said. And the conservatives, they dont attack me, but Our guide to new art shows and some that will be closing soon. HILMA AF KLINT: PAINTINGS FOR THE FUTURE at Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (through April 23). This rapturous exhibition upends Modernisms holiest genesis tale that the male trinity of Kandinsky, Malevich and Mondrian invented abstract painting starting in 1913. It demonstrates that a female Swedish artist got there first (1906-7), in great style and a radically bold scale with paintings that feel startlingly contemporary. The mother of all revisionist shows regarding Modernism. (Roberta Smith) 212-423-3500, guggenheim.org SIAH ARMAJANI: FOLLOW THIS LINE at the Met Breuer (through June 2). Born in Iran, Armajani has been living in the United States since 1960. This retrospective ranges from work he did as a teenage activist in Tehran to models of the many public sculptures he has produced across America over the past five decades. It introduces us to a sharp social thinker, a wry (and increasingly melancholic) metaphysician, a plain-style visual poet and, above all, an artist-ethicist. Bridge Over Tree, Armajanis wonderful large-scale sculpture presented by Public Art Fund coincendentally with the Met show at Brooklyn Bridge Park (on the Empire Fulton Ferry Lawn through Sept. 29), is well-timed for our present era of sundering moral confusion and offers ways forward from it. (Holland Cotter) 212-731-1675, metmuseum.org JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT at the Brant Foundation (through May 15). The opening of the Brant Foundation Art Study Center in the East Village, with an exhibition of nearly 70 works by Basquiat created from 1980 to 1987, serves as a fitting temporary shrine for this Brooklyn-born painter, who became a global sensation in the early 1980s and died at 27 of a heroin overdose. Basquiat sprayed poetic, enigmatic graffiti on walls in downtown Manhattan before moving to canvas, dated Madonna before she was famous and made paintings with Andy Warhol. Part of a group of Neo-Expressionist painters who were largely rejected by critics, he was embraced by an influential audience and a surging art market and ended up creating a brand of African-American history painting that still resonates today. Tickets to the exhibition have sold out, but you can add your name to the wait list by sending a request to ticketsnyc@brantfoundation.org. (Martha Schwendener) 212-777-2977, brantfoundation.org THE JIM HENSON EXHIBITION at the Museum of the Moving Image. The rainbow connection has been established in Astoria, Queens, where this museum has opened a new permanent wing devoted to the career of Americas great puppeteer, who was born in Mississippi in 1936 and died, too young, in 1990. Henson began presenting the short TV program Sam and Friends before he was out of his teens; one of its characters, the soft-faced Kermit, was fashioned from his mothers old coat and would not mature into a frog for more than a decade. The influence of early variety television, with its succession of skits and songs, runs through Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, though Henson also spent the late 1960s crafting peace-and-love documentaries and prototyping a psychedelic nightclub. Young visitors will delight in seeing Big Bird, Elmo, Miss Piggy and the Swedish Chef; adults can dig deep into sketches and storyboards and rediscover some old friends. (Jason Farago) 718-784-0077, movingimage.us SAN FRANCISCO The image of a bright-eyed cat with many online lives peers out from a hole in the wall as you enter the new exhibition Snap+Share at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. You might wonder if the museum has designed a show for the sake of Instagram or Facebook likes. The cat-in-hole is a recognizable internet meme, while the shows title is itself a clear play on Snapchat, the messaging and photo-sharing app. And the museum, a short walk from Twitter headquarters, is actively competing with other cultural institutions to reach the local technology community, for both funding and audience. But the exhibition offers more than opportunities for selfies (there are two or three) . Clement Cheroux, the museums senior photography curator (who said he received no financial support from the industry), is exploring how the transmission of images has evolved from analog to digital times. In particular, he makes a compelling argument for the serious art-historical lineage of social media photo sharing. The show questions the common mythology that the internet has radically changed the way we share pictures of ourselves, our pets and our vacations, and created an entirely new kind of dialogue, as the technology reporter Nick Bilton wrote. Instead, it proposes that the roots for this kind of sharing came decades earlier, making for an evolution, not a revolution. WASHINGTON Whatever happened to protest art issue-specific, say-no-to-power-and-say-it-loud art? Here we are, embroiled, as a nation, in what many in the art world regard as a pretty desperate political situation. Yet with the exception for actions by a few collectives Decolonize This Place at the Whitney Museum, and Prescription Addiction Intervention Now, or PAIN, at the Guggenheim and the Metropolitan Museum of Art theres scant visual evidence of pushback. Has the product glut demanded by endless art fairs distracted from the protest impulse? Has the flood of news about turmoil in Washington put out the fires of resistance among artists? Has protest art simply become unfashionable? Such questions came to mind on a visit to Artists Respond: American Art and the Vietnam War, 1965-1975, a big, inspiriting survey at the Smithsonian American Art Museum here. Everything in it dates from a time in the past when the nation was in danger of losing its soul, and American artists some, anyway were trying to save theirs by denouncing what they viewed as a racist war. Of the 60s shows Ive seen in the past few years, this one is the best, evocative of its time, and in sync with the present. Wright intended for readers to see Bigger as a product of the moral horror of Negro life in the United States. The novel opens with Bigger brutally killing a rat that has infested his familys one-room South Side apartment, which is owned by his slumlord employer, Dalton. (In the book, the character is Henry Dalton, not Will.) Later he kisses the inebriated and unconscious Mary, and then smothers her to keep her quiet when her blind mother enters the bedroom. On the run, an unhinged Bigger rapes and kills Bessie before the police eventually catch him, put him on trial and execute him. Several generations of African-Americans artists, particularly those who came of age in the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s, have praised Native Son, with its bold and bloody take on American race relations, as the ultimate protest novel. Others received it differently. In 1949, James Baldwin, a young writer who Wright had championed and mentored, published an essay titled Everybodys Protest Novel, which critiqued Native Son for continuing to perpetuate the racial stereotypes that it was written to destroy. For Baldwin, Biggers true tragedy was not being poor or black or American, but that he has accepted a theology that denies him life, that he admits the possibility of his being subhuman and feels constrained, therefore, to battle for his humanity according to those brutal criteria bequeathed to him at his birth. Rather than avoid Baldwins insights, like the earlier adaptations did, Johnsons movie leans into them. Baldwins criticism is unavoidable, Johnson conceded. I mean, now, Wright and Baldwin are so matched together, that it would be foolish and disingenuous to tell the story without taking into account what we know. In his quest to contend with these two conflicting artistic visions, Johnson believed Parks was the only writer up to the task: Having been a former student of Baldwins and a playwright whose complex depictions of black masculinity in such works as the Pulitzer Prize-winning Topdog/Underdog and, more recently, White Noise, made her the ideal person to update Bigger for a contemporary audience. Welcome to Best of Late Night, a rundown of the previous nights highlights that lets you sleep and lets us get paid to watch comedy. If youre interested in hearing from The Times regularly about great TV, sign up for our Watching newsletter and get recommendations straight to your inbox. An Unlimited Lying Plan When Trevor Noah caught wind that President Trump had lied about his fathers birthplace, he wasnt even angry he was just confused. Speaking to reporters recently alongside Jens Stoltenberg, the secretary general of NATO, Trump said his father was German and born in a very wonderful place in Germany. In truth, the presidents father, Fred Trump, was born in New York City. Noah had a hard time figuring out why Trump would lie about something like this. A comedy-drama about a 20-something thrust into a murder mystery begins on the CW. And Marvels Cloak & Dagger returns to Freeform. Whats on TV IN THE DARK 9 p.m. on the CW. The latest comedy to debut on the CW centers on Murphy, a 20-something with a taste for cigarettes, liquor and sex who is also blind. The first episode introduces Murphy and her roommate, Jess (Brooke Markham), while setting up the pieces for the mystery: the possible murder of Murphys teenage friend, Tyson (Thamela Mpumlwana). While out for a walk, Murphy discovers what she believes to be Tysons body, but the police doubt her story; for one thing, the body is gone by the time the police arrive. So Murphy must take matters mostly into her own hands. The show was created by Corinne Kingsbury, who also created the sitcom Fam, which debuted on CBS this year. BABY BOY (2001) 6 p.m. on BET. After painting complex portraits of South Central Los Angeles in the early 90s with Boyz N the Hood and Poetic Justice, the director John Singleton returned to that area with this coming-of-age drama. Tyrese Gibson stars as Jody, a 20-year-old who lives with his mother, Juanita (A. J. Johnson). He struggles to do good in a society that, the movie shows, gives him little opportunity for growth. Taraji P. Henson plays Yvette, the mother of Jodys son, who has an imprisoned former lover played by Snoop Dogg. The film disarms any facile analysis or easy judgment of its characters, A. O. Scott wrote in his review for The New York Times. In the same review, Scott called the movie a powerful, compassionate and tough-minded critique of contemporary black manhood. Reaching Nablus, in the West Bank, from Jordan takes planning, and patience. There is the circuitous drive to the closest border checkpoint. There are the notoriously long lines and waits to make the crossing. But if youre fortunate, as was the British-Palestinian writer Isabella Hammad, you may have as your guide a force of nature grandmother, who comes prepared with a detailed itinerary and a game plan. When Hammad, 27, first visited Palestine six years ago, it was, in some ways, the culmination of a childhood in which memories and family stories about the region especially coming from her grandmother were always present. During that trip, she spent months in the Middle East conducting research and collecting oral histories. Now she has channeled those stories into her debut novel, The Parisian. The book, a sweeping historical novel that opens in the waning days of the Ottoman Empire, comes out on Tuesday from Grove Press. It follows a Palestinian from Nablus, Midhat Kamal, from roughly 1914 to the mid-1930s, as the region is poised to change hands from Ottoman to British control. To avoid being forced to fight in World War I, Midhat goes to Montpellier to study medicine, moves to Paris and finally returns to Palestine after a few years. The character is based on Hammads great-grandfather, whose nickname in Nablus, al-Barisi, means the Parisian in Arabic. The Parisian has attracted a good deal of advance praise. The novelist Zadie Smith, who taught Hammad in the M.F.A. program at New York University, called it uncommonly poised and truly beautiful. The writer Nathan Englander, in a blurb, called it a beautifully written, expansive powerhouse. Surviving such hell was a mark of distinction in the neighborhood Woodfox then called home. When men returned from Angola, they were accorded genuine respect. I thought it would be an honor to go there, he confesses. From this decisive moment onward, the book becomes a dizzying catalog of horrors, the most harrowing of which is not mere violence stabbings and even gassings were so common as to be almost banal but the omnipresent threat of male rape. Master/slave relations among prisoners were not only condoned but encouraged by the guards. Such tacit acceptance of sexual predation as the simple cost of doing business in the carceral state is one of the most damning moral stains on the American conscience and Woodfox makes this excruciatingly clear. Another, and this is the inescapable lesson of the book, is the terrible reality that the use of long-term solitary confinement is not just an enhanced form of punishment it is torture through and through. In his 20s, Woodfox was in and out of prison for several more years of ever deeper involvement with drugs and crime, culminating, at one point, in a brazen escape from a courthouse elevator full of prisoners and a sheriffs deputy. Recaptured in New York, he was placed in temporary detention in the Manhattan jail known as the Tombs a turn of events, ironically, that proves to be his life-defining break even as it ensures he will spend many more decades behind bars. Before being sent back to Louisiana, he meets members of the Black Panthers who instill his life with purpose, introducing him to the concept of political struggle. Thinking of himself as a political prisoner provides Woodfox with the template both to assume responsibility for and to disavow the criminal he has been while allowing him to develop an analysis of the ways in which his race and class have consistently precluded the possibility of receiving just treatment for his acts. His life becomes meaningful to himself and profoundly so only once he is able to locate it within a larger fight. (He begins to see his mothers problems differently, too.) It was as if a light went on in a room inside me that I hadnt known existed, he writes. This shift in perspective will be what preserves his sanity when he and three other black inmates at Angola are framed for the murder of a 23-year-old white guard. I turned my cell into a university, a hall of debate, a law school, he writes of the years of solitary confinement (and debilitating bouts of claustrophobia) that swiftly followed. In addition, he forges life-defining friendships with two other falsely accused men also being held in solitary. (Woodfoxs description of the lengths these men go to in order to know and care for one another in the near complete absence of physical contact or even face-to-face communication amounts to some of the most touching writing on platonic male friendship I have ever encountered.) Together they begin to organize the other prisoners around them and teach themselves the law. Hunger strike by hunger strike, petition by petition, lawsuit by lawsuit, they attempt and sometimes, though often at tremendous personal cost, are able to force the prison to reform. We must imagine Sisyphus happy, Camus famously wrote, and such a prompt is the ennobling virtue at the core of Solitary. It lifts the book above mere advocacy or even memoir and places it in the realm of stoic philosophy. Crucially, Woodfox is not a bitter man. He refuses to see himself as a victim. Ultimately, this allergy to self-pity allows him to grapple with the consequences and consolations of whatever agency and dignity can exist in even the most abhorrent and restricted circumstances. Before the meeting, Mr. Trump said that talks with China were going very well and that the two countries were headed toward an agreement that might be the biggest deal ever made. But there was no announcement, as had been hinted, of a meeting with President Xi Jinping. U.S. backdrop: President Trump has been trying to push forward on his agenda items, asserting that the special counsels report fully exonerated him. But our reporters have found that some of Robert Muellers investigators see their report as more damaging for Mr. Trump than Attorney General William Barr indicated. Ethiopian officials say pilots followed procedures The crew of the Ethiopian Airlines 737 Max 8 that crashed last month repeatedly followed the emergency procedures recommended by Boeing, the planes manufacturer, Ethiopias transportation minister said. He was explaining investigators initial findings about the accident. The minister, Dagmawit Moges, said the plane had experienced repetitive, uncommanded aircraft nose-down conditions, similar to those involving another Max 8 in a crash in Indonesia last year. 1. President Trump met Chinas special envoy at the White House. Before the meeting, above, Mr. Trump said that the two countries were headed toward an agreement that might be the biggest deal ever made. There had also been hints that a summit meeting would be announced between Mr. Trump and President Xi Jinping of China. None was. The talks are expected to continue for weeks. And separately, a day after a Times report revealed frustrations from some investigators who have said the attorney general failed to adequately portray their findings, the department defended William Barrs handling of the special counsels report, saying that it had to be scrubbed of sensitive information. Prosecutors said on Thursday that they had arrested Mr. Ghosn on suspicion that he used a Nissan subsidiary to send payments to a company business partner, who then sent money to a third company Mr. Ghosn controlled. Prosecutors didnt disclose the name of the business partner. Nissans internal investigation has found that Mr. Ghosn authorized over $30 million in payments over seven years to a business partner in Oman, according to a person familiar with the report, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the findings are not public. Mr. Ghosns legal team has defended the payments as legitimate disbursements. Nobuo Gohara, a Japanese prosecutor turned defense lawyer, said the unusually forceful approach to Mr. Ghosn on Thursday could signal doubt among the authorities. The prosecutors have a real sense theyre in danger, said Mr. Gohara, who is not a member of Mr. Ghosns defense team. If things continue this way, theres a possibility that theyll lose at court. So, theyre doing things without regard to how they look. Mrs. Ghosn, 52, has largely been on the periphery of the allegations against her husband. Her name previously appeared in relation to a wedding party at Versailles that was at the center of an internal investigation by Renault. The company has said it turned over information to French prosecutors regarding the celebration and whether Mr. Ghosn had inappropriately spent company funds on it. He has denied the allegations, but offered to reimburse the money. In her interview, Mrs. Ghosn described a wide and thorough search of their Tokyo home. They checked every paper, she said. I have a business card from my hairdresser, she added. They took it. My Bloomingdales card. They took pictures of all my credit cards. I was treated like a criminal. Mrs. Ghosn said the authorities had demanded that she and her husband turn off a camera that was installed in their home as a condition of Mr. Ghosns bail. Eventually, the men put a piece of paper over the lens so it could not record the search, she said. By: Spring cultural activities held at Jingshan Park in Beijing, capital of China. (photo: Du Jianpo) 3 1 [ Editor: zyq ] Custom Ink, a Fairfax, Virginia-based leader in custom apparel for groups, companies, and communities, entered into a definitive agreement with an investor group led by Great Hill Partners. Investing alongside Great Hill is HarbourVest Partners, a global private markets asset manager. GSO Capital Partners is providing committed debt financing as well as an equity investment in connection with the transaction. In conjunction with the deal, expected to close in May, current shareholders, including Revolution Growth and SWaN & Legend Venture Partners, will exit their investments. The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The deal plans to help the company continue to grow and innovate. Founded in 2000 by Marc Katz, Chairman & CEO, Custom Ink is the leader in custom apparel and accessories for groups, events, and special occasions. The company makes the customization process easy with innovative design tools, caring customer service, creative design inspiration and merchandise. It also offers Custom Ink Fundraising, a platform to raise money and awareness for charities and personal causes through the sale of custom t-shirts. Its influencer-led custom apparel platform, Represent, helps actors, athletes, musicians, thought leaders, and social media icons create and sell limited-run t-shirts and merchandise to their fans. The company has other locations in Charlottesville, Virginia; Reno, Nevada; Dallas, Texas; and Los Angeles, California. FinSMEs 04/04/2019 Last week @POTUS told us he would not sign a good trade deal with #China he would only sign a great one, Senator Marco Rubio, Republican of Florida, said in a Twitter post on Thursday morning. I believe him. But to be a great deal it must allow us to do in China what they can do in US & it must have real enforcement mechanisms. The United States has pressed China to make commitments on purchasing American goods, opening markets to foreign business and increasing protections for foreign intellectual property in a bid to rebalance an economic relationship that Mr. Trump says is unfair for American workers. It remains to be seen how sweeping and significant any agreement will be, and whether it will achieve the lofty promises Mr. Trump has made about resetting the economic relationship with Beijing. But the White House is also facing pressure to resolve the trade war, which has begun to hurt American farming, manufacturing and other sectors, and caused wild swings on Wall Street. Industries including automaking, technology manufacturing and farming have anxiously awaited reduced tariffs and details of a new agreement, which will have huge implications for their businesses. The presidents tariffs have been successful at bringing the Chinese to the negotiating table, and his advisers have insisted they will not squander an opportunity to press China for substantial economic reforms that past administrations were unable to secure. Still, the Chinese have balked at making any reforms that could be viewed as infringing on their sovereignty or undercutting the Communist Partys control of the economy. If you and I are making a deal, and you have to drag me kicking and screaming the whole way, what are the odds the deal is going to hold? asked Derek Scissors, a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. I dont find that the slightest bit convincing. American negotiators have pushed for an enforcement mechanism that would allow tariffs on Chinese goods to snap back if China violated the terms of the deal, and that would forbid China to retaliate. But Chinese negotiators have resisted such an idea, describing it as a potential infringement on their sovereignty. Myron Brilliant, the executive vice president and head of international affairs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said foreign stakeholders would be scrutinizing the deal to see whether it contained a strong enforcement mechanism that would hold the Chinese accountable to their obligations. Want climate news in your inbox? Sign up here for Climate Fwd:, our email newsletter. WASHINGTON A previously undisclosed invoice indicates that David Bernhardt, President Trumps choice to lead the Interior Department, continued to lobby for a major client several months after he filed official papers saying that he had ended his lobbying activities. The bill for Mr. Bernhardts services, dated March 2017 and labeled Federal Lobbying, shows, along with other newly disclosed documents, Mr. Bernhardt working closely with the Westlands Water District as late as April 2017, the month Mr. Trump nominated him to his current job, deputy interior secretary. In November 2016, Mr. Bernhardt had filed legal notice with the federal government formally ending his status as a lobbyist. Westlands, a powerful California agribusiness group, was one of Mr. Bernhardts main lobbying and legal clients between 2011 and 2016. During that time, Westlands paid Mr. Bernhardts firm $1.3 million for lobbying services. A New York Times investigation this year revealed how Mr. Bernhardt made it a priority at the Interior Department to promote policies long sought by Westlands, including a weakening of Endangered Species Act protections for a rare fish. Those changes would have led to the release of vast amounts of water from the delicate ecosystem of the San Francisco Bay Delta for irrigation of commercial farmland. Nearly all the drinks on the new Martini Hour menu at Dante, in Greenwich Village, are mixed, diluted and chilled in advance. So are the Telegraph, a martini-like drink at Death & Co. Denver; the house martini at the Brooklyn restaurant Sauvage; the Diamond Eye, a highball at Lost Hours, a new bar inside the Hotel 32/32 in Midtown Manhattan; and the Cafe Disco, a variation on the old-fashioned at Mister Paradise, a new bar in the East Village. Ludlow Liquors, a Chicago bar, offers several prefabricated cocktails in one, two and three-ounce pours. Fans of this approach say it both saves time and yields a better drink, particularly a martini. I think having a martini very cold does make it better, Mr. Osborne said. Most martinis you get are kind of warm. Dilution and chill are main ingredients. Detractors say the practice robs them of another ingredient they expect for their money: service. When The New York Times reported in 2017 that the bar at the Grill, a restaurant in the former Four Seasons space, would be mixing, diluting and chilling its martinis in advance, a Twitter storm erupted, with cocktail purists decrying the move as depersonalized and anti-patron. From a consumer point of view, ordering a martini essentially a two-ingredient drink and being served from a premade mix feels insulting, said Alyson Sheppard, a beverage and food writer for the Robb Report who joined in the Twitter exchange. In natural winemaking, the debate centers on whether to use a little sulfur dioxide before bottling to help wine withstand the rigors of travel, as well as other potential scourges like brettanomyces, a rogue yeast that can cause funky barnyard aromas, and mousiness, a bacterial taint reminiscent of the smell of a mouse cage. Mousiness is only detectable retronasally, after taking some in the mouth, which allows saliva to activate the mousy compounds in the wine. Some producers choose to use a little sulfur dioxide before bottling to avoid risks, accepting the tapering, narrowing effect on aromas and flavors it might have. Others do not, preferring the increased vibrancy and unmediated aromas and flavors that can come without sulfites. Instead, they seek stability through meticulous hygiene and winemaking, scrupulous attention to detail and keeping the pH of the wine low enough to discourage unwanted microbiological life. Mr. Schulkin, who began his wine studies in Israel before coming to South Australia, chooses not to use sulfur dioxide, but he is easygoing about it. We dont mind life in our bottles, but we dont like activity, so we prefer low pH, he said. Its not about avoiding risks, but about managing them. An important omission on the menu at Taverna Kos in Astoria, Queens, is the enormous plate of feta you may see passing your table en route to a smarter party of people. Heaps of the imported cheese, which the restaurant buys in 28-pound containers, come flecked with dried oregano and slicked with olive oil, and act as a soft, creamy condiment for fried or broiled seafood, or dainty lamb chops. The off-menu cheese course, which anyone can ask for, will remind you that feta can be just as slouchy as any washed-rind French cheese, as long as you buy the right stuff and put it on something hot. You could also just order a plate of feta fries, in which the crumbles melt into the soft, fresh-cut potatoes like a tangy, higher-quality Cheez Whiz. Taverna Kos has been open to members of the Pancoan Society, a private club with which it shares a building, for 11 years; in 2016 the restaurant opened its doors to the public, and last summer began serving on weekends. Theres a lightly celebratory air about the place: String lights abound, tangled into the trees outside and lining the ceiling of the enclosed patio, where televisions play a constant stream of poppy Greek music videos. LONDON Mary Quant was one of the best-known designers of the Swinging Sixties, a creative and commercial trailblazer who put London fashion on the world map. Synonymous with some of the defining styles of the era such as the miniskirt and hot pants, she helped spark a quantum shift in fashion, pushing the boundaries of acceptable streetwear and challenging the dominance of male French couturiers. Yet today, the 89-year-old plays second fiddle to many of those better known industry greats. Now a new exhibition on her life and work, opening April 6 at the Victoria & Albert Museum, aims to rectify that situation. The first international retrospective of her work in almost half a century (the last one was in 1973 at Kensington Palace in London), it focuses on her heyday from 1955 to 1975, with more than 120 garments on display over two floors, along with accessories, cosmetics, sketches and photographs belonging to Ms. Quant, most of which have never been seen before. Mary Quant grew up at a time when women were meant to dress like their mothers and went straight out of [school] uniform into pearls and twin sets, particularly in Britain, Jenny Lister, the co-curator of the exhibition, said. With her higher-than-high hemlines, colorful tights and masculine tailored trousers, she helped wipe out British postwar drabness and create a bold new attitude to dressing. Though The Devil Wears Prada may have been unintentionally documentary, not every viper pit cliche about fashion and its affiliates holds true. The loopy, fragile and gifted individuals who populate that world also often operate as an extended family, albeit a loose-knit and occasionally dysfunctional one. Seldom is this more evident than when trouble befalls one of their own. Such is the case with Pat Cleveland, 68, a superstar model celebrated for her catwalk swirls, her irrepressible spirit and her occasionally dotty New Age pronouncements. Not long after a stellar March appearance in a Tommy Hilfiger show during Paris Fashion Week, Ms. Cleveland returned to France from her home in southern New Jersey she and her husband, the former model Paul Van Ravenstein, raise peacocks there to film a LOreal ad with her daughter, Anna Cleveland, also a model, and was taken ill. A doctor at Le Meurice hotel prescribed pain relievers for what were thought to be ordinary stomach complaints and suggested she check back with him in the morning. By then her condition had worsened, and she was advised to check herself into the American Hospital of Paris immediately. The doctor there said, We just got you in time, Mr. Van Ravenstein said this week in a Skype call from the French capital, where Ms. Cleveland is recovering from emergency surgery for colon cancer. She could have died. Memorial Sloan Kettering really does seem to be taking this seriously and this document, I think, shows it, he said, referring to the hospitals revised policies. Kudos to them. At the staff meeting, Mark P. Goodman, co-chairman of the law firms commercial litigation group, told doctors that the review found a number of instances of serious noncompliance with M.S.K.s conflict-of-interest policies, according to a recording. A spokesman for the hospital, Mike Morey, declined to provide a copy of the Debevoise firms findings. The conflicts and some profit-making deals which were not specified at the meeting did not occur through intentional misconduct, Mr. Goodman said. Rather, the review exposed inadequate oversight and a lack of established protocols for examining whether employees and executives affiliations with corporations could result in biased results that favored a companys products. Mr. Goodman also said the review, involving interviews with 36 current and former employees and board members and an examination of 25,000 documents, did not find that the ethical shortcomings had hurt patients or compromised research. In an email, Mr. Goodman disputed the characterization of the findings as violations of rules and said the report did not conclude that top officials acted in a concerted way. In his presentation, he referred instead to noncompliance with hospital policies and to instances where executives appeared not to have followed existing policies. Scott Stuart, chairman of the cancer centers Boards of Overseers and Managers, said in an emailed statement: We took a deep and honest look at what went wrong at our own institution, examined what was occurring in the wider cancer research community, and are putting in place best practices that will not only allow us to learn from our mistakes, but will contribute to best practices for the wider research community. The cancer center has been reeling from the series of reports by The Times and ProPublica, including that its chief medical officer, Dr. Jose Baselga, had failed to disclose millions of dollars in payments from drug and health care companies in dozens of articles in medical journals. On Wednesday, the former vice president and potential presidential candidate Joe Biden released a video in which he discussed the importance of personal space. Social norms have begun to change, he said. Theyve shifted, and boundaries of protecting personal space have been reset and I get it. Mr. Biden was responding to allegations by two women that he made them uncomfortable by coming too close, and by being too familiar and hands-on. His video was, in part, an acknowledgment that the rules of social engagement can change over time along with perceptions of how much physical contact is appropriate, and where the boundaries of personal space lie. The dynamics of both social space and touching have been well explored by scientists. In the 1960s, American anthropologist Edward Hall laid out the basics of social space, based on field work in Europe, Asia and elsewhere . We each reserve around us a zone of about 18 inches intimate space, he called it for close friends and family. Personal space, from 18 inches to about 4 feet, is open to acquaintances and colleagues. And social space, from 4 feet to 12 feet, is the appropriate orbit for strangers or new colleagues. Schools Find a New Way to Combat Student Absences: Washing Machines A number of schools have introduced laundry rooms to try to help low-income students make it to class. The goal is to take the stigma out of getting help, one principal said. Texas Says Most of Its Students Arent Reading at Grade Level. But Are Its Tests Fair? Many educators in Texas are pushing back against a testing system they say is setting children up to fail. Using Arts Education to Help Other Lessons Stick The arts can be a source of joy in a childs day, and also come in handy for memorizing times tables. Parents Wanted Their Unvaccinated Children in School, but a Judge Said No. Amid a measles outbreak in New York, a federal judge denied a request by 28 parents for an order to let their unvaccinated children return to their private school. You Cant Put It Behind You: School Shootings Leave Long Trail of Trauma Three apparent suicides in Parkland, Fla., and Newtown, Conn., have alarmed people still grappling with the mental trauma created by school shootings. Cyberhawk Innovations Limited, a Livingston, Scotland-based company delivering drone inspections and asset visualisation software for energy infrastructure, has been acquired by funds advised by Magnesium Capital LLP. The transaction facilitates a full exit for the existing institutional investors, Scottish Equity Partners and Scottish Investment Bank, as well as providing additional growth capital to fund further stages of software development and US expansion. Equity finance was provided by funds managed by BMO Global Asset Management and advised by Magnesium; debt finance by Clydesdale Banks Growth Finance Team, the existing lenders to the company. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Led by CEO Chris Fleming, Cyberhawk is recognised internationally as a pioneer in the high-growth unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) inspection market. The company has flown more than 30,000 commercial missions in more than 30 countries around the world. Many of its UAV world firsts have been commercialized and widely adopted across industrial sectors. More recently, the company has developed cloud-based, AI-enabled visual asset management software known as iHawk, which uses high resolution imagery to digitise industrial infrastructure assets. From condition monitoring to 3D visualisation to site construction progress, iHawk is already supporting multiple energy multinationals as they look to embed industry 4.0 in their organisations. Cyberhawk currently employs 60 people, including UAV pilots, inspection engineers, surveyors and software developers. In 2017, the company added to its international bases in Abu Dhabi and Kuala Lumpur with the opening of a Houston office, a significant milestone in its US growth plans. Magnesiums managing partner Ian Jones joined the board of Cyberhawk along with Andrew Carnwath, director in the private equity team of BMO Global Asset Management. FinSMEs 04/04/2019 The following report compiles all significant security incidents confirmed by New York Times reporters throughout Afghanistan from the past seven days. It is necessarily incomplete as many local officials refuse to confirm casualty information. The report includes government claims of insurgent casualty figures, but in most cases these cannot be independently verified by The Times. Similarly, the reports do not include Taliban claims for their attacks on the government unless they can be verified. Both sides routinely inflate casualty totals for their opponents. Nearly 120 security forces and 10 civilians were killed in the past week, The deadliest attack took place in Badghis Province on Thursday, when the Taliban attacked Bala Murghab district center, killing at least 30 soldiers and police officers. At least 21 soldiers were taken prisoners and five security outposts were taken by insurgents. No reinforcements arrived despite many calls for support. In a separate incident, 15 soldiers were killed, seven others were wounded and two soldiers were taken prisoner when dozens of Taliban fighters attacked army outposts in the same district on Monday. In Oruzgan Province, local officials claimed that between 10 and 13 civilians were killed and five others were wounded in an American airstrike on a hotel located along the Oruzgan-Kandahar highway. The provincial governors office and the Kandahar police chief said there were no civilians killed in the airstrike. [Read the Afghan War Casualty Report from previous weeks.] April 4 Jowzjan Province: six police officers killed The Taliban attacked a security outpost in Faizabad District, killing six police officers and wounding another. Local authorities claimed that four Taliban fighters were killed in the clashes. The attack was pushed back by Afghan forces. April 4 Baghlan Province: one civilian killed A doctor was killed and 18 civilians, including two women and two children, were wounded by an explosion inside a health facility in Pul-i-Kumri Citys First Police District. It would be hard to overstate the significance the Marine Corps played in my familys life. My father, Robert Starke, grew up in a small town in Eastern Oregon, enlisted in 1988 when he was 17 years old and went off to training at 18. My mother, Cindy, always says that the man who went to boot camp was not the same one who came back. The corps hardened him and shaped his ideas about raising a family. He and my mother married on Christmas Day that year, during his holiday leave following Marine Combat Training. She was still in high school. After her graduation the following spring, she joined him in Georgia, where he worked as a computer operator on a logistics base. My mother gave birth to a son and then to me both before she could legally buy a drink. My brother, James, and I were raised in my fathers interpretation of the corps intense ethos. We grew up believing that standing at attention, yelling cadence on runs to our activities after school and listening to lectures about honor, courage and commitment were norms in every household. In 1996, my father was medically discharged, after suffering a botched foot surgery while he was a sergeant in Okinawa. His reliance on the corps to define his identity only grew stronger. I would catch him wearing an old Marine Corps cap to his civilian job, or a flashy T-shirt adorned with skulls, crossbones and a pithy quote from an iconic Marine. For years he downplayed his disability and refused to submit a claim with the Department of Veterans Affairs. He worked in law enforcement and as a karate instructor and joined an ironworkers union all while trying to convince the corps to allow him into the reserves. [Sign up for the weekly At War newsletter to receive stories about duty, conflict and consequence.] He finally gave up in 2009, when I told him I had decided to enlist. If he couldnt be back in the corps, at least I was going to be. On that day he declared me the son he never had. His joke fell flat, particularly for my brother, but it was painfully symbolic of his desire to remain connected to the service that had forced him out. I left for boot camp in August 2010 at 18, and returned home three months later on leave to the Marine Corps hymn blasting loudly down our suburban street and a giant banner: Welcome Home Pvt Starke Platoon 4035. My father viewed my enlistment as nothing but a good thing. In time, though, he and I found that my decision to follow him into the service forced us to confront sides of the military neither of us wanted to see. My enlistment became a bond and a wedge between us, and eventually forced us on a journey toward truth. A few months after I graduated from Marine Combat Training, a vengeful ex-boyfriend who had also gone into the corps sent a half-nude photo of me to fellow Marines in Pensacola, Fla., along with a text message that read: This woman cheated on her husband while he was deployed to Afghanistan, make her famous boys. Everything the text said about me was a lie. I had never cheated, he wasnt my husband, and he had not yet even finished training, much less been to Afghanistan. Nonetheless, the text spread like fire, warping fraternal camaraderie into vulgar abuse that masked misogyny as patriotism. This was my awakening: My experience as a Marine would be very different from my fathers. Stephen King is so monumentally productive, even now, five decades into his career, that its hard to nail down the peaks of his bibliography. But critics and fans agree that his 1983 novel Pet Sematary was something special, and especially horrific. The story of an attractive American family finding terror in a new home credibly wedded Edgar Allan Poes twitchy, stiff-necked dread with the fetid, swampy atmospherics of a 1950s EC horror comic. The Creeds, Louis and Rachel and their young children, Ellie and Gage, move to rustic Maine and find out their property includes a creepy burial ground for pets, and behind that, an even creepier burial ground where the loved ones interred come back, as the Creedss avuncular neighbor, Jud, puts it. Louis and Jud try it out on the familys killed-by-a-truck cat. That doesnt work out well. Then other things dont work out well. Kings novel was adapted for the screen in 1989. Directed by Mary Lambert, that Pet Sematary was a squirrelly, wild-eyed movie. This version is more Hollywood smooth. Its very well-acted by Jason Clarke, Amy Seimetz, John Lithgow and especially Jete Laurence as young Ellie. Directors Kevin Kolsch and Dennis Widmyer, showing puzzling distrust of their strong source material, overload the movie with arbitrary jump scares. And they replace Kings despairing, tragic denouement with something altogether more glib. Mike Leighs Peterloo, about a notorious episode of political violence, is for most of its running time a riot of verbal eloquence. One of the characters, Henry Hunt (Rory Kinnear), takes Orator as an honorific, like Reverend or Doctor, but his rhetorical gifts hardly set him apart. High-flown phrases pour from the mouths of activists at meetings, judges on the bench and politicians in the halls of Parliament. Orotund syllables drip from the mouths of government ministers, military officers and property owners in private consultations. Radicals rouse the rabble with vivid images of oppression and fiery exhortations to revolt. Every so often, someone will remark that the time for talk is past, that what is needed now is action. But part of the argument of this brilliant and demanding film is that words are deeds, that language matters. Language is a weapon in the arsenals of power and resistance alike, and if you listen closely to the motley idioms and accents that fill the soundtrack (punctuated and underlined by Gary Yershons musical score), you can hear the currents of history moving. This is not just a matter of accuracy with respect to the look and sound of the past, though Leigh and his crew see to that with characteristic artistry, as they did in Topsy-Turvy and Mr. Turner. The production and costume designers (Suzie Davies and Jacqueline Durran) and the director of photography, Dick Pope, create a plausible, breathing picture of England in 1819, and Leighs script takes pains to capture the texture of the time. Surely this is as close as we can hope to come to experiencing what people saw and how they spoke in various corners of Regency society, from the royal boudoir to the taverns of Manchester. But the past, if it is a foreign country where people do things differently, is also a mirror. We can see our own world in its contours if we look from the right angle. The revived production wasnt completely trouble-free. The Portuguese government investigated accusations that a Unesco World Heritage site, the 12th-century Convent of Christ in Tomar, was damaged during filming, something Mr. Gilliam vigorously denied. A former producer of the film who had fallen out with Gilliam, Paulo Branco, filed suit over rights ownership and tried to block its debut at Cannes. A Paris court ruled that the movie could debut as planned. And with that, an endeavor that has taken up almost half of Gilliams life has been completed. Now, he has a new windmill to tilt at: how the films rollout is being handled. Im not convinced with the way it is being released in many countries, particularly in America, Gilliam said. Im told by other people that if you have a studio picture with millions to spend, this idea of one screening across the country works. I dont know. Well find out. Im in the middle of trying to get these guys to promote it properly. Still, Gilliam described himself as exhausted and for the first time in 30 years, finds himself with nothing on his plate. Whenever he finished a film, he would go into a postnatal depression and there was always something waiting. There was a little Quixote standing back there waving to me. Hey, lets do me again! It was always something to keep me moving forward. And right now, I never felt quite like I do at the moment: Its just I have no idea what to do. [What you need to know to start the day: Get New York Today in your inbox.] An hour or so north of New York City, where the skyline is still visible from mountain peaks, bobcats, black bears, rattlesnakes, and turkeys roam. They all thrive in what ecologists call young forest, an ecosystem halfway between grassland and what comes to mind when thinking of a forest. Unfortunately, their landscape is threatened. And virtually the only way to make room for a young forest is to cut down an old one. This is a tough sell in an eco-conscious world. No one wants to see a single tree cut down, let alone an entire woodlands. Ecologists are frustrated. I blame Dr. Seuss for The Lorax, said Michael Burger, the managing director of Audubon New York. But an interactive project that involves counting animals in the young forest has found a way to get through to a skeptical public. Furthermore, it has enlisted said public to help with the work. But one invitee described the contents of the invitation. The outcome of federal and state elections has a huge impact on what the mayor can accomplish in New York City, the invitation read, according to the person. And this PAC is an opportunity to harness the amazing energy in the Democratic Party and help change the direction of our politics on both a local and national level. The invitation came from John F. Fish, the Suffolk chief executive and a prominent Boston figure who helped spearhead the citys failed attempt to lure the 2024 Olympics. In addition to hosting the event, Mr. Fish in December donated $5,000 the maximum contribution amount to Mr. de Blasios political action committee, records show. Suffolk is proud to be making strides in the New York region by introducing clients to more sophisticated planning and construction technologies and delivery methods, said a company spokesman, Sam Spokony. The company did not respond to questions about the fund-raiser. This wasnt Mr. Fish and his companys first foray into national politics. In 2017, the Federal Election Commission fined Suffolk $34,000 for donating $200,000 to a political action committee supporting Hillary Clinton, Priorities USA, while it was working as a federal contractor in West Point, N.Y. The fine was among the larger penalties meted out in connection with the 2016 presidential election, according to the commission. (Priorities USA returned the contributions in mid-2016.) In the last two years, Mr. Fish has contributed $2.2 million to political campaigns, mostly to elect Democrats to federal office, according to federal filings. At the same time, Suffolk has been seeking to increase its presence in New York. Among its projects, the company recently completed construction of an apartment tower in Brooklyn Bridge Park, a development that included city-subsidized affordable housing. And the companys website featured a panoramic aerial shot of the Brooklyn waterfront and Lower Manhattan on its main page as of Thursday. Mr. Carone, a lawyer at Abrams Fensterman and counsel to the Brooklyn Democratic Party, said that it made sense for him to represent the Podolskys because he had known the family for more than 30 years. Image Frank Carone, a lawyer and influential figure in the Brooklyn Democratic Party. It was only natural for myself and my team to represent the family in its eminent domain negotiations with the city, Mr. Carone said in a statement provided by a representative, George Arzt. Ultimately, all parties came to an agreement on what an amicable settlement would look like. For years, hundreds of the apartments in the Podolskys buildings have been used by the city to house homeless families, as part of what is known as the cluster-site program. Under the deal, the city will pay for the buildings but nonprofit groups will convert them to permanent affordable housing, own and operate them. The deal had already attracted questions because of the Podolskys history. Along with their father, Zenek Podolsky, the brothers were indicted in the 1980s by the Manhattan district attorneys office for allegedly using a terror campaign to drive tenants out of three Upper West Side buildings, which they filled with drug dealers and prostitutes. The Podolskys pleaded guilty but were spared a prison term by agreeing to turn the buildings over to a nonprofit that worked with homeless families. More recently, the buildings they are selling, like others in the cluster-site program, have been plagued by violations and subpar conditions. City officials, however, refused to identify the buildings involved in the sale, citing privacy concerns of the homeless families living there. The Podolskys also operate single-room occupancy hotels used by the city to house homeless people. The city said it began contracting with the Podolsky companies for the cluster sites in 2001; from July 2013 through June 2018, the Department of Homeless Services paid companies controlled by the Podolskys a total of $189 million for use of the cluster-site apartments and the single-room occupancy locations. The building means to set itself apart from the arid glass and steel towers in its proximity. Designed by the firm of Diller Scofidio + Renfro in collaboration with David Rockwell, the Shed is a low-rise structure encased in a quilted retractable shell that slides back and forth on enormous wheels, allowing for the expansion of theatrical space as well as the provision of metaphor a rare sense of mobility and accommodation in an expansive development otherwise defined by the stagnancy and self-isolation of elites. Observing the Shed from the High Line, you see that it emerges from the orifice of a soaring building, filled with offices and condominiums. Two different readings are available to us. From one perspective, the larger building is virtually giving birth to the smaller, coaxing us toward the suggestion that you cannot nurse creativity without capital, that money is the mother of any serious artistic effort. But when the exterior casing of the Shed is pulled back and the structures look like rail cars, another narrative is easily entertained a train pushing its way into a terminal, an invasion. Unlike so much of Hudson Yards, the Shed indeed extends itself to those beyond the payrolls of private equity professions. Tickets to events are well-priced, some as low as $10. A restaurant from Danny Meyer called Cedrics is soon to appear in the lobby with nothing on the menu costing more than $18, including tip. The lobby, for that matter, has an earnestness and utility that other analogous spaces in the city tend to forfeit for grandeur. When you walk through the doors of the Metropolitan Opera, you imagine seeing people familiar to you from stippled drawings of The Wall Street Journal; at the Shed you foresee standing in line behind Scandinavian academics. In its conception and programming, the Shed is ultimately an act of repentance for the sins that surround it an attempt at making amends for all the greed and ostentation embodied in the $23 billion playpen in which it has been sunk. To this end, an aesthetics of resistance has been cultivated. One night next month, for example, the McCourt, a major theatrical space in the multilevel facility, will feature a presentation titled Art and Civil Disobedience with Boots Riley. Boots Riley is the activist rapper and filmmaker who was very involved in the Occupy movement in Oakland, California, someone who joined the Progressive Labor Party at the age of 15. His recent comedy, Sorry to Bother You, follows a young black telemarketer struggling to pay the rent who is courted by the temptations of selling out. My first journalism job was at the Queens Tribune, a local weekly newspaper. My second was at The New York Press, an alt-weekly that competed with The Village Voice. My third was at The New York Sun, a plucky daily broadsheet. The Sun closed in 2008, The Press in 2011 and The Voice in 2018. (The Tribune has not been online since late 2018.) New York City used to be awash in newspapers. At one point, there were at least seven dailies, including The Herald Tribune (closed in 1966) and New York Newsday (closed in 1995). The internet was supposed to help news outlets find audiences, but sustainable business models remain elusive. The websites Gothamist and DNA Info were shuttered in 2017 after their staffs voted to unionize. (Gothamist later resurfaced at WNYC.) The Daily News laid off half its staff last year. It can feel like daunting times for the local news business. DFW Capital Partners, a Teaneck, New Jersey-based private equity firm, closed its sixth fund, at $500m. DFW Capital Partners VI, L.P., is an investment partnership dedicated to making control investments in lowermiddle market service companies. Fund VI saw an increase in participation from existing limited partners, as well as the addition of several new institutional investor relationships. The firms investment professionals and Operating Partners also made a significant commitment to the new fund. Led by Keith W. Pennell, Managing Partner, DFW is actively seeking new platform investments in growing service companies, including healthcare services, general business and industrial outsourcing services and opportunities specific to the specialty pharmaceutical sector. The firm typically invests $20 million to $75 million of its own capital in each opportunity, but can lead significantly larger deals with the support of its institutional co-investors. DFW is based in Teaneck, NJ, and maintains an office in Chevy Chase, MD. FinSMEs 04/04/2019 A New York man who discussed an American re-enactment of the New Zealand mosque massacre with white supremacist friends on Facebook was charged Thursday with lying to F.B.I. agents, law enforcement officials said. According to the criminal complaint, Thomas Alonzo Bolin, 22, was charged on Wednesday with lying to federal agents in an interview last week about whether he owned firearms, the Office of the United States Attorney for the Western District of New York said. He was already in custody on state charges filed Saturday. The office said the F.B.I. had been investigating Mr. Bolin, who lives in the Rochester suburb of Greece, N.Y., for possible violations of federal civil rights and firearms laws. It was not clear on Thursday whether Mr. Bolin had made any specific plans for violence. But in Facebook messages he had praised the March 15 mass killing of 50 people at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, according to the criminal complaint. He also discussed his desire to commit acts of violence in the messages, which were intercepted by law enforcement officials. Ralph Metzner, a psychotherapist who began his career working with Timothy Leary on controversial studies at Harvard involving LSD and other drugs, then spent a lifetime exploring and writing about expanded consciousness in all sorts of cultures and settings, died on March 14 at his home in Sonoma, Calif. He was 82. His wife, Cathy Coleman, said the cause was idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Dr. Metzner, who received a Ph.D. at Harvard in 1962, was a graduate student there when he began working with Dr. Leary and Richard Alpert, who were clinical psychology professors and had begun exploring therapeutic and other uses for LSD, psilocybin and similar hallucinogens. The three later collaborated on The Psychedelic Experience: A Manual Based on the Tibetan Book of the Dead (1964), one of the core texts of the emerging psychedelic movement. Dr. Leary and Dr. Alpert (who later took the name Ram Dass) were both dismissed from Harvard in 1963 amid revelations that they had given hallucinogens to undergraduates as part of their research. Dr. Leary became an especially flamboyant figure in the counterculture, coining the catchphrase Turn on, tune in, drop out. Dr. Metzner took a more low-profile path but continued to work in the field, teaching for decades and writing numerous books, including Maps of Consciousness (1971), The Unfolding Self: Varieties of Transformative Experience (1986) and The Expansion of Consciousness (2008). In the early 1920s, the director of the Bristol Museum in Britain received a package containing two human skulls. The donation came from Alfred Hutchins. He had left England seeking brighter horizons and by the late 1800s was living in Southern California. There he became an amateur archaeologist, excavating Native American graves on the Channel Islands. He offered the museum this collection, apparently in honor of his son, who perished during the First World War. Last week in a ceremony, Bristol Museum officials returned the remains to representatives of the Tiat Society, a maritime organization of the Tongva, whose forebears lived on the four southern Channel Islands and across the Los Angeles basin for thousands of years. In recent years, the Tongva and their allies, including the Fowler Museum at U.C.L.A., have been working to track down the fate of looted Tongva bodies so that they may be reburied. This effort led the tribe across the Atlantic and to its first international repatriation. As Native Americans, we are in a constant state of mourning, Desiree Martinez, a Tongva member and professional archaeologist, said in an article in The Bristol News, knowing that our ancestors graves have been disturbed and their remains and burial goods removed to sit on museum shelves, all over the world. The return of these two Tongva ancestors could easily pass almost unnoticed. However, the repatriation is emblematic of a much larger movement of historical reckoning sweeping across the globe. Museums are reconsidering who is the rightful owner of the objects that fill displays and storerooms. For example, the Netherlands national museums have established guidelines for returning objects obtained without consent. In Germany, 16 states agreed in a joint resolution to repatriate items taken during the countrys colonial era. Scotland said it will soon deliver to Canada the stolen skulls of two Beothuk Indians. Englands Natural History Museum recently sent home 37 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ancestral remains to Australia. And thats just in the first few months of 2019. RAMALLAH, West Bank Israel is holding an election on Tuesday, and Palestinian communities in the occupied territories are not following it with much interest. This is not because whoever is elected will not have a strong impact on our lives. Its because none of the leading candidates has a program for peace. The main contenders are committed to maintaining the illegal Jewish settlements that have been established in the West Bank. They do not seek to end the occupation. Israel has not formally annexed the West Bank or the Gaza Strip, but it lords over these lands like a sovereign power. Or worse. It has seized tax revenues from the Palestinian Authority, which is supposed to administer the West Bank; it keeps Gaza under siege. It dictates that we, Palestinians, can only watch from our homes the results of an election whose outcome will govern our lives and the future on our land. Israeli Jews in the West Bank are citizens, but we are not. They will be able to go into Israel to vote. Not us. During the last Israeli election, in 2015, I wrote that Palestinians here had become less interested in the results of that race than in the prospect of filing various international legal cases. I, for one, had pinned my hopes on the preparation of several claims to be brought before the International Criminal Court in The Hague. One of them would challenge the construction of Jewish settlements in the West Bank. There was no lack of evidence, I thought, and the transfer of civilians by a government into territories it occupies is a grave breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949. Now I think: Never mind the merits of any such cases. With the United States government threatening to refuse granting visas to the courts staff this, in relation to another case, to do with suspected crimes in Afghanistan our chances are slim. To the Editor: Re Revisions Give a Diorama a New Story (Arts pages, March 21): I applaud the way in which the American Museum of Natural History has updated one of its dioramas. A depiction of an imagined 17th-century meeting between Dutch settlers and the Lenape , an indigenous tribe in New Amsterdam, it has been criticized because it depicts not a cultural exchange but cultural hierarchy . But rather than pulling the diorama out of exhibition, the museum has elected to allow it to remain intact, with the add ition of 10 large labels that adorn the glass, summarizing various issues. Absolutely brilliant. Its a strategy that should be applied right now to every single Confederate statue still standing. The solution isnt to destroy them, but to allow them to remain, with signs that identify them as remnants of the failed and murderous ideology of white supremacy. Sara Moulton New York To the Editor: Re A Pragmatic Fix for the Climate Crisis, by Steven Rattner (Op-Ed, March 21): Schemes like Mr. Rattner s are a knife in the heart to saving the earth from climate change. Under the guise of political and economic practicality, they set us up for failure. The indisputable fact is that we must fully meet the goals determined by climate experts if the planet is to be kept from crossing the tipping point where global warming spirals out of control. The Green New Deal goals that Mr. Rattner calls ludicrous are the bare minimum to that end. He says a hefty carbon tax would go a long way toward winning the war against climate change. But a long way means nothing. We must go all the way. Being close doesnt count. Compromise isnt an option here. If it is politically inconvenient to do what needs to be done, then we must change the politics, not cave to them. If the fossil fuel industry and our energy use pattern are driven by economic forces resistant to the required action, then we must change the economics, not skimp on the action. This article is part of David Leonhardts newsletter. You can sign up here to receive it each weekday. By now, you probably have at least a passing familiarity with the signs of economic stagnation in this country. I cite the numbers frequently: disappointing economic growth; even more disappointing growth in middle-class incomes; and wealth that has declined for many families over the past decade. But the signs of stagnation in other areas beyond economics may be just as strong. Consider this list: The number of children growing up without two parents has jumped in recent decades. Some major health problems, like diabetes and obesity, have become more common. So have suicides and accidental drug overdoses . Average life expectancy has actually declined. And The Washington Posts Christopher Ingraham recently pointed out another metric: Americans are having less sex. The framers own damning words seem to cinch the case that the Electoral College was a pro-slavery ploy. Above all, the Virginia slaveholder James Madison the most influential delegate at the convention insisted that while direct popular election of the president was the fittest system, it would hurt the South, whose population included nonvoting slaves. The slaveholding states, he said, could have no influence in the election on the score of the Negroes. Instead, the framers, led by Madison, concocted the Electoral College to give extra power to the slaveholders. If you stop at this point in the record, as I once did, there would be no two ways about it. On further and closer inspection, however, the case against the framers begins to unravel. First, the slaveholders did not need to invent the Electoral College to fend off direct popular election of the president. Direct election did have some influential supporters, including Gouverneur Morris of New York, author of the Constitutions preamble. But the convention, deeply suspicious of what one Virginian in another context called the fury of democracy, crushed the proposal on two separate occasions. How, then, would the president be elected, if not directly by the people at large? Some delegates had proposed that Congress have the privilege, a serious proposal that died out of concern the executive branch would be too subservient to the legislative. Other delegates floated making the state governors the electors. Still others favored the state legislatures. The alternative, and winning, plan, which became known as the Electoral College only some years later, certainly gave the slaveholding states the advantage of the three-fifths clause. But the connection was incidental, and no more of an advantage than if Congress had been named the electors. Most important, once the possibility of direct popular election of the president was defeated, how much did the slaveholding states rush to support the concept of presidential electors? Not at all. In the initial vote over having electors select the president, the only states voting nay were North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia the three most ardently proslavery states in the convention. But it wasnt enough to simply sign on every once in a while or to click on some notifications. To do well on Xuexi Qiangguo requires a serious time commitment; those under peer pressure to use the app are typically expected to score two or three dozen points a day, and sometimes more. Thirty points per day would only put me at the bottom among the members of the party branch I belong to, one user on Weibo , Chinas equivalent of Twitter, told me. My colleagues are so passionate about competing, the user said, that they felt under pressure to earn the daily maximum of 66 points a day to make sure I dont get left behind. (Late last month, after complaints from users who said they had to spend hours each day using the app, the government revised the ranking function so that users could no longer see one anothers scores, and revised down the daily cap to 52 points.) In my first few weeks, Id been getting a few points for just logging in, along with occasional peak-hour login bonuses. Reading articles on it and watching videos brought in another couple of points. But to really score highly, I needed to take the quizzes to answer questions on Mr. Xis speeches and works. That was where the real points were: If I correctly answered all the quiz questions, I could earn 24 points total. And the questions were easy. The first one I encountered: (Blank) is contemporary Chinas Marxism, the 21st centurys Marxism, the guidance for our Party and our people to achieve the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, a proven, practically great, powerful ideological weapon, and must be persisted in and developed consistently over a long term. The answer? Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, of course. What else? Another question looked trickier at first glance: Sticking to the Partys overall leadership and coordination among different sectors, to build up a system with the Partys full leadership role, and guarantee that the Partys leadership is carried out in domains such as (blank), (blank), and (blank). Luckily, it was multiple choice. Among the answers were (A) Reforming, development and maintaining stability; (B) Domestic politics, foreign policy and defense; and (C) Governing the Party, the nation and the military. The answer was all of the above; the party is omnipotent, our leader in all arenas. I gave up after about half an hour, earning a measly nine points. Post your point of view and collect one point, the app prompted. Why not? I thought, and moved into the comment section, only to be greeted with instructions like only valid points of view will be awarded points and good comments will be prioritized for display. Here is a selection of our readers responses, which came from comments across our site and emails to our On Politics newsletter. They have been lightly edited for clarity. Many defended Mr. Biden, saying he was from an older generation when social mores around physical contact were different. I am 68, a bit younger than Joe Biden. But I am from a big Irish family and we are always kissing and hugging people. It was an expression of welcome and warmth. Now I understand in this MeToo movement that there are those who are uncomfortable with such intimate physical expressions. So now that Joe has been called out on it, it is up to him to show his changed behavior if indeed he runs for president, which I hope he does. Sally Ziegenfuss, Pennsylvania Im a 70-year-old woman who has always thought that male attention that might involve non-intimate touching was something to be pleased about, even proud of. This is definitely a generational issue and younger women need to have perspective and understand that what was very acceptable in the past, even a couple of years ago, should not and cannot be judged by todays standards. Ellen Goodman, Massachusetts Back in the 60s this issue didnt exist. It was a different time. When will we stop looking back over our collective shoulders, and move forward? Whitney Devlin, 74, New York [How do you view Joe Bidens past behavior? Share your thoughts in the comments.] But many others said Mr. Bidens age was no excuse for his actions. I am in my 60s. Regardless of age or habitat, Joe Bidens touchy feely actions with women (and men, allegedly) are disgusting and inappropriate. I dont believe they arise out of innocent affection, though he may have himself convinced. They arise out of unconscious male privilege and are demeaning and distressing to those on the receiving end. Joan Weis, California Mineral exploration is an opportunity-based investment venture with a high degree of risk at each stage of activity. But that hasnt stopped entrepreneurs from jumping into the sector. Thats likely because it can be lucrative if you can bring a project to production successfully. Newfoundland entrepreneur Glen McKay co-founded Cornerstone Capital Resources Inc. in 1997, eventually eyeing potential lucrative mining projects in South America, particularly Ecuador and Chile. Cornerstone made several major acquisitions, including the Cascabel project in 2011. Although Cascabel is still in the early stages, it is believed to house one of the worlds largest gold-copper deposits in the world. Not surprisingly, Cascabel has attracted a lot of interest from gold companies around the world. Mining giants BHP Billiton and Newcrest Mining own a minority stake in SolGold, which is the majority owner of Cascabel, in a joint venture with Cornerstone Capital. Recently, SolGold attempted to buy out Cornerstones approximately 23% stake in Cascabel, but Cornerstone has soundly rejected the offer, stating that it undervalues the company. The board is unanimous that SolGolds proposal substantially undervalues Cornerstone, a fact that has clearly been recognized by our shareholders with holders of approximately 59% of the outstanding common shares having now advised Cornerstone that they will not support SolGolds proposed bid, said Greg Chamandy, chair of the Cornerstone board, in a release. For his part, McKay, who is no longer with Cornerstone but is still a significant shareholder, believes another bid for Cornerstone is in the offing, possibly from Newcrest, which has signed two major joint venture agreements with Cornerstone this year, including an agreement on the Cana Brava project in Ecuador and the Miocene property in Chile. McKay sees the deals as an indication that Newcrest is positioning itself for a bid by improving its relationship with Cornerstone. If I had to make a bet, I would say that Newcrest is the front runner and it may be that Newcrest and BHP will do it as a partnership, he says. I think something will happen before the end of 2019. Were hoping that another interested player comes in and starts a bidding war. Bidding battles in the gold sector are not unheard of, even among established firms. Recently, Canadas Barrick Gold made a hostile takeover offer for U.S. firm Newmont Mining. Newmont rejected the offer but countered with an offer to merge the two companies operations in Nevada. Before that, Newmont attempted to take over Goldcorp, in a friendly deal. However, that deal could be in trouble after Paulson & Co said it would not support the bid as the premium offered is unjustified. Paulson holds 14.2 million Newmont shares, giving it 2.7% of the company, and making Paulson one of Newmonts biggest shareholders. Newmonts offer for Goldcorp would be the gold sectors biggest-ever takeover transaction, essentially a bid to create the worlds largest gold producer. So, theres little doubt that there is plenty of entrepreneurial activity in the mining sector, particularly in the early exploration stages. If you can survive that phase and dont mind talk of hostile bids and premium deals, maybe this is the industry for you. But if you like your business to run quietly and with little controversy, you might want to take a pass on mining exploration. Beresheet, a small Israeli spacecraft with the giant ambition of landing on the lunar surface, has completed maneuvers to go into orbit around the moon. Atround 10:18 a.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, the spacecraft fired its engines for six minutes, slowing down enough to be captured by the moons gravity. Although the maneuver appeared to have been executed without problems, itll be half a day before confirmation that the spacecraft has entered its intended orbit . That by itself would be a major achievement, something that has only been accomplished by five nations the United States, the former Soviet Union, China, Japan and India and the European Space Agency. In a shard of galactic archaeology that offers a less-than-inviting hint at our own future, astronomers have discovered a chunk of a former planet orbiting the remains of its former star, now a smoldering cinder known as a white dwarf. The fragment, made mostly of iron, nickel and other metals, lies 410 light-years from Earth in the constellation Virgo. It could be a mile, or hundreds of miles, in diameter, but to be dense enough to have survived the explosive demise and subsequent evolution of its host star, it likely was part of a large planet with a wider more distant orbit. Now it circles the white dwarf so closely that it completes an orbit every 123 minutes. The fact that we have discovered a body orbiting on a two-hour period is clear evidence that a planetary body can survive this destructive process, said Christopher Manser, a physicist at the University of Warwick in England, and the leader of an international team that reported their results in Science on Thursday. [Sign up to get reminders for space and astronomy events on your calendar.] A white dwarf is the end product left behind when a star as large as the sun or slightly bigger runs out of fuel, expires and eventually shrinks into a dense ember about the size of Earth. The universe is littered with these dense, cooling tombstones. Wyatt Cenac was lapping the competition. He was speaking softly in paragraph-long thoughts about his HBO show, Wyatt Cenacs Problem Areas, his love for animation and his relationship with his modest fame. Simultaneously, he was winning an unspoken competition at Buzz-a-Rama, the only place in New York City where a comedian can destroy all takers in a slot car race while seemingly not trying. Mr. Cenacs drowsiness is an illusion. Problem Areas combines elements of a talk show, an animated show and a documentary series, and is perhaps the most structurally ambitious news-comedy hybrid on television. (The second season will have its premiere on April 5.) Among the shows executive producers are John Oliver and Ezra Edelman (an Oscar-winning documentarian), and its writing staff includes Emma Carmichael, the former editor of Jezebel. Mr. Cenac has a knack for choosing talented collaborators. The black sedan glided up to the Las Vegas hotel where Elizabeth Suarez was waiting to take an Uber home after a night of gambling. She recalled asking the driver: Are you waiting for Liz? Yeah, he responded. Get in. She had done it countless times. But that night in July 2018, as the man veered off course toward a deserted parking lot, as he cranked up the radio and ignored her questions, as her real driver called her wondering where she was, Ms. Suarez said she realized with horror: This was not an Uber. Thats when he said, Give me your wallet, give me your phone, give me everything you have, Ms. Suarez, 28, said. On busy streets outside bars or clubs, people often hop into a car without a second thought. But the killing of Samantha Josephson, a 21-year-old college student in South Carolina who was stabbed to death after getting into a car she mistook for her Uber last weekend, has brought national attention to a rash of kidnappings, sexual assaults and robberies carried out largely against young women by assailants posing as ride-share drivers. RALEIGH, N.C. When Republicans took control of virtually every lever of North Carolinas state government for the first time since Reconstruction, they set out to transform the historically moderate Southern state into a more conservative stronghold. That was less than seven years ago. These days, the question is how much Republicans may have set their project back with a recent string of remarkable self-inflicted wounds. Its never a dull moment with the Republicans here, said Morgan Jackson, a Democratic strategist and an ally of Gov. Roy Cooper, the Democrat whose November 2016 election was helped along by the protracted fight over a Republican-backed bill limiting the bathroom choices of transgender people. Every time we think it cant get worse, they figure out a way to dig deeper. This week, federal prosecutors announced that the chairman of the states Republican Party, Robin Hayes, had been indicted on charges of bribery and other crimes related to a scheme they said was designed to aid a major donor, who was also charged. The revelation came almost six weeks after Republicans faced the rare embarrassment of watching their seeming victory in a congressional race unravel after it became clear that their nominee had financed an illicit voter-turnout effort. Good morning. (Heres the sign-up, if you dont already get California Today by email.) My colleague Amy Chozick wrote a blockbuster piece about how the Kardashians have become some of the nations savviest C.E.O.s. It was particularly notable because she talked to, well, a lot of Kardashians and Jenners. Here Amy tells us about how the story came together: I have to admit I had never seen an episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashians when Choire Sicha, The Timess styles editor, asked if I wanted to dive into the topic ahead of the 16th season of the show. As a business reporter, Ive covered media companies as they struggle to adapt to the digital era and retailers as they angle to survive in the Amazon era. It struck me that the Kardashians had cracked the code of monetizing influence in a way that traditional businesses could only hope to do. All this made me fascinated with looking at the women not as the face of a million pouty mirror selfies, but as entrepreneurs redefining what advertising looks like. I said yes to Choires assignment, like, obviously. [Read the full story about keeping up with the Kardashian cash flow.] I had anticipated that the Kardashians would have one of those difficult Hollywood publicists who rejects any interview requests that are not from Ryan Seacrest or the Ellen show. The five daughters and Kris Jenner had never done an interview like this before. Instead, I found their press operation was more like covering a business. WASHINGTON To celebrate the 70th anniversary of NATO, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo gathered ministers from all the nations in the military alliance on Wednesday night in the same hall where Harry S. Truman signed the North Atlantic Treaty Organization pact in 1949. No military alliance in the world can remotely do what we do, Mr. Pompeo said, hailing NATOs success. But the forces pulling that alliance apart were evident everywhere. The bonds among the core nations that signed the original treaty, which was displayed next to Mr. Pompeo, are fracturing. New members that were once Soviet states are turning authoritarian. This week, the Pentagon blocked delivery of equipment for the alliances most modern weapon, the F-35 fighter jet, to Turkey because the NATO nation would not back down on buying Russias most sophisticated antiaircraft system. Vice President Mike Pence declared at the celebration that Germany risked becoming a captive of Russia because of its embrace of a direct energy pipeline to Russia. And missing altogether was President Trump, whom European and American officials alike wanted to keep away from the anniversary for fear he would again raise the idea of pulling out of NATO if other member states did not pay a greater share of the defense burden. WASHINGTON The House on Thursday rebuffed a furious lobbying campaign by the National Rifle Association and approved a revamped Violence Against Women Act that would expand law enforcements ability to restrict gun purchases by convicted domestic abusers. The legislation passed easily, 263 to 158, but the divided vote came on what was once a broadly bipartisan measure first passed in 1994. In recent years, partisan rancor over efforts to expand the protections of the legislation have clouded efforts to renew it, and this year, the divide was over gun control. The provisions would close the so-called boyfriend loophole and bar those under a restraining order or who were convicted of abusing, assaulting or stalking a domestic partner from buying guns. The N.R.A. seized on the new measures and warned Congress that it would track and publish how lawmakers voted, hoping to intimidate Republicans and Democrats in Republican-leaning districts. Do not let the N.R.A. bully you, Representative Debbie Dingell, Democrat of Michigan, urged her colleagues before the vote, noting that her recently deceased husband, former Representative John Dingell Jr., also a Democrat, was a member of the organization. Republicans have also limited the so-called blue-slip privileges of Democrats when it comes to circuit court judges, denying them their previous ability to pocket veto nominees for home-state courts if they did not approve of the administrations choice or were not consulted on the pick. They are still allowed a say over district court judges, but the majority could always revoke that right as well. Angry at the increasing limits on their ability to influence judicial selection, Democrats have been forcing Republicans to run out the clock on all nominees and throwing up whatever barriers they can. So Republicans reset the clock from 30 hours to two. The eventual outcome seems almost inevitable. Democrats are already under pressure from activist groups to abandon the filibuster altogether the 60-vote threshold still applies for most legislation if they get the opportunity after the 2020 election or at some point in the future. The Republican decision to push through another unilateral rules change will only fuel that campaign and make it easier for Democrats or Republicans for that matter to justify it. Harry Reid, the former Democratic leader from Nevada who was the architect of the 2013 change to weaken filibusters against nominees, has predicted for years that the legislative filibuster was on its way out. Events seem to reinforce his view. Senators on both sides of the aisle insist they would never eliminate the procedural weapon that empowers individual senators. But they also used to insist that they would never overhaul the rules in ways that would undermine the sacrosanct Senate rights of the minority. The so-called nuclear option unilaterally changing Senate practices through parliamentary rulings used to be so feared that senators would huddle in their offices for intense talks to avert what lawmakers predicted would be a catastrophe for the Senate. Now the option has become conventional three times in six years and most of the public doesnt see much significance in the reduction to two hours from 30. It is not hard to imagine more sweeping changes in store for the Senate in the not-too-distant future. Both sides aired their decades of nomination grievances during the rules change debate, with Senator Tom Cotton, Republican of Arkansas, calling the Republican action Miguel Estradas revenge a reference to the first appeals court nominee who was blocked in 2003 by a Democratic filibuster. Democrats reminded Republicans of their harsh treatment of Obama nominees and the obstruction of Judge Garland. They said Republicans were changing the rules in their rush to fill the federal courts with conservatives blessed by Mr. Trump and advocacy groups on the right. President Trump, despite his own history of buying a porn stars silence and bragging about sexual misconduct, on Thursday leveled another broadside at Joseph R. Biden Jr., tweeting a meme that mocked the former vice president for putting his hands on womens shoulders. The 15-second meme, accompanied by the text WELCOME BACK JOE!, doctored a video that Mr. Biden released on Wednesday in which the former vice president explained his history of physical contact with women, some of whom say his behavior made them uncomfortable. Mr. Biden has said he tried to comfort people with hugs, kisses and other physical contact when they appeared nervous. In the meme, as Mr. Biden delivers his explanation, a pair of hands appears on his shoulders, and then an image of Mr. Bidens head pops up and appears to sniff the back of the former vice presidents head. The meme appeared to be a reference to an accusation by a former Nevada assemblywoman, who said in an essay published last Friday that Mr. Biden had touched her shoulders, smelled her hair and kissed the back of her head at a campaign event in 2014. [Joe Bidens hugs and kisses were well-known in Washington. Now he faces a generational reckoning.] Mr. Biden is widely expected to join the 2020 presidential race soon, and some Democrats view him as perhaps the most formidable challenger to Mr. Trump. But in the last week, accusations from several women that Mr. Biden touched them in ways that made them uncomfortable have threatened to upend his fledgling campaign, and on Wednesday, he addressed the claims directly for the first time in a video posted to his Twitter feed. GEO Protocol, a Kyiv, Ukraine-based financial technology startup, raised an undisclosed seed funding round. CoinFund made the investment. The company will use the funds to complete the development of the initial components of the technology and bring to life potential use cases that will accelerate the growth of the network. Founded by Max Demyan and Dima Chizhevsky, GEO is an open source overlay protocol that enables the creation and interoperability of value transfer networks in a lightweight and scalable way, merging the worlds of blockchain and traditional finance. The protocol empowers the creation of a universal ecosystem for value transfer, including global payments, B2C commerce, and IoT micropayments. Founded in 2015 based in Brooklyn, New York and backed by the partners at Venrock, CoinFund is a cryptoasset-focused investment and research firm which provides early stage investing, also directly engages with decentralized networks through their Grassfed Network initiative and contributes support to companies designing blockchain protocols and applications. FinSMEs 04/04/2019 WASHINGTON President Trump said on Thursday that he planned to give Mexico a one-year warning before closing the southern border, retreating on a threat he made last week that he would close the border in the coming days if Mexico did not halt all illegal immigration. The only thing, frankly, better and less drastic than closing the border is tariff the cars coming in, and I will do it, Mr. Trump said, speaking to reporters after a meeting with the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council. I dont play games. He added: If the drugs dont stop, or largely stop, were going to put tariffs on Mexico and products, in particular cars the whole ballgame is cars. And if that doesnt stop the drugs, we close the border. [Sign up for Crossing the Border, a limited-run newsletter about life where the United States and Mexico meet.] Mr. White lives in the Milwaukee suburbs, the states most populous Republican region. Mr. Everss gains there last year were a key to his narrow victory. In an interview, Mr. Walker said that should be a lesson to Mr. Trump. To win, hes going to have to improve his numbers in the suburbs, he said. With the passion the opposition is going to have, hes going to have to make some inroads. Last fall, Mr. Walker matched his vote totals from 2014 in the three suburban counties outside Milwaukee. But a surge of Democratic votes in the demographically changing suburbs meant his vote share dropped in 2018 by 12 percentage points in Waukesha County and by 16 points in Ozaukee County. Its the paradox of Trumps strategy of appealing to his base constantly, said Charles Franklin, director of the Marquette Law School Poll of the state. It also helps gin up the feelings of your opposition. I think that its a gift to Democrats that keeps on giving. One of those voters is Tiffany Duncan, a 26-year-old employee of a printing company, who skipped the 2016 election because she didnt like either major party candidate. But she definitely plans to vote in 2020 for whichever Democrat takes on Mr. Trump. I didnt think Trump was this crazy, she said as she walked to Cafe Bavaria in Wauwatosa Village. Still, Mr. Franklin said, the state is so evenly divided, its chances of determining an Electoral College majority for either party puts us at ground zero. In a Marquette poll in January, 49 percent of Wisconsin voters said they would definitely vote for someone other than Mr. Trump. Only 27 percent plan to definitely support the president, meaning his path to a second victory in the state is both uphill and narrow. Many of todays uncertain voters who are Republicans or Republican-leaning independents may come home to the party, especially once there is a Democratic nominee to contrast with the president. WASHINGTON The House on Thursday gave final passage to a bipartisan resolution forcing an end to United States military involvement in Saudi Arabias war in Yemen, sending President Trump a pointed rebuke over his continued defense of the kingdom after the killing of a dissident journalist, Jamal Khashoggi. The 247-to-176 vote, with 16 Republicans joining all House Democrats, invoked the rarely used War Powers Act to curb the presidents executive power to wage war without congressional approval. It most likely sets up the second veto of Mr. Trumps presidency, this time to publicly defend a four-year conflict that the United Nations has deemed the worlds worst humanitarian crisis, with thousands of civilians killed and millions suffering from famine. The Senate passed the resolution in March, 54 to 46. The vote in the Senate and in the House makes it clear that the United States will not continue to follow the despotic, anti-democratic leadership coming out of Saudi Arabia, said Senator Bernie Sanders, independent of Vermont and one of the lead sponsors of the resolution. The United States should not be led into a war by a despotic, undemocratic, murderous regime. Supporters of the Yemen resolution have faced a grueling road in recent months to get the legislation onto the presidents desk. The Senate led by the resolutions authors, Senators Mike Lee, Republican of Utah; Christopher S. Murphy, Democrat of Connecticut; and Mr. Sanders first passed the measure 56 to 41 in December, but Paul D. Ryan, the House speaker at the time, refused to take it up. When federal immigration agents carried out a workplace raid at an electronics repair company in Texas this week, they handed out color-coded bracelets. People whom they deemed authorized to work in the United States received green wristbands. Those suspected of being undocumented wore yellow. It was an emotional scene punctuated by the arrests of more than 280 employees who were detained on immigration violations the biggest single workplace sweep since 2008, officials said, and the largest since President Trump took office with a pledge to crack down on illegal immigration. The operation on Wednesday in Allen, a suburb of Dallas, evoked strong reactions, as families rushed to the site of the raid, protesters gathered outside an Immigrations and Customs Enforcement office in Dallas, and immigrant advocacy groups condemned the operation for throwing families lives into turmoil in a matter of hours. The employees arrested, who were predominantly women, hailed from 15 countries, including El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Nigeria and Venezuela, according to ICE. The agency said more than half of the workers had been released with orders to appear before a federal immigration judge, but 110 people remained in custody as of Thursday. But I see the end of senior year as an opportunity for kids to figure out their inner motivation, post college acceptance. For kids who have been grinding for too long, the second semester can be downtime to recharge. But I also encourage students to use this time with intention, as it will help them enormously to be in touch with what matters to them. They can make themselves their senior project. Here are some suggestions. Pursue Your Passion Go deep into things that matter to you, especially what you didnt have time for or seemed unimportant for college admissions. A senior I know who hopes to study medicine used her second semester to train as an EMT. It was a great way to see firsthand whether medicine appealed at a boots-on-the-ground level and whether she was really suited to the field. It also ended up being a well-paying part-time job. Practice Adulting Learn how to run your own life. Make a list of adult or college skills you dont know how to do, like automobile maintenance or cooking. Ive heard of college kids, clueless as to basic kitchen skills, turning to YouTube videos to learn how to make hot dogs. If you havent yet learned to drive, thats a skill that also belongs on this list. There are real upsides to Uber, but it isnt yet everywhere. And you may face a situation where a friend is unfit to drive and someone needs to step up. Get a Job Try looking for a part-time job on your own. I was visiting a friends business recently when he picked up the phone. It was someone calling to confirm the time of a job interview for a recent college grad named Ben. The caller was Bens mom. My friend said, Well, please tell Ben his interview is canceled and that he should have called himself. Date Someone Like anything that matters, learning how to enter, manage and (when necessary) exit relationships benefits from experience. A 2017 study in Child Development found that young people today are less likely to have dated than young people did during the 90s; perhaps they are more focused on passing classes than passing notes. According to the General Social Survey , more than half of young adults, aged 18 to 34, do not have a steady romantic partner. A 2013 New York Times piece recounted the hookup culture at Ivy League universities, where students shared views like A relationship is like taking a four-credit class, or I could get in a relationship, or I could finish my film. A friend who has been an independent college counselor for decades wistfully observes that Nobody believes me when I tell them, but who you marry will matter much more than where you go to college. If the first seven semesters of high school were college prep, perhaps let the last one be more about relationship prep. On Thursday, his militia said it had taken three towns on the outskirts of Tripoli Gharyan, 60 miles to the south; Surman, 50 miles to the west; and Aziziya, 25 miles to the southwest. News reports indicated that there had been only minor violence, and it was unclear to what extent General Hifter had struck bargains with local authorities to allow his troops to enter, or to what extent he fully controlled those towns. Libya has been plunged into chaos since the ouster of the dictator Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi in 2011, with rival cities and militias competing for power. The bedlam has slashed the countrys oil production, drained much of its sovereign wealth, offered havens to Islamist militants and turned its long Mediterranean coast into a major point of departure for African and Middle Eastern migrants fleeing to Europe. After announcing in 2014 that he intended to unify the country under his rule, General Hifter, a former officer in Colonel Qaddafis army and a onetime client of the C.I.A., struggled for the next three years to wrest the city of Benghazi from the domination of Islamist militias. He received extensive support from Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, who were joined later by France and to a limited extent Russia, and he eventually established his control over much of the eastern region of the country. His surprise thrust on Thursday appeared to be a gamble that he could now seize control. Analysts said his advance amounted to a bet that, in part by creating an aura of inevitability about his emergence as Libyas next strongman, he could strike deals with local armed groups around Tripoli to co-opt them, as he has done successfully in other regions. But so far his advance has had the immediate effect of uniting many previously disparate regional militias around Tripoli against him. ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia Just two minutes after takeoff, the captain of the doomed Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 said the plane was having problems. Pilots then began having trouble controlling the aircraft. In the planes short and fatal flight, pilots initially followed safety procedures recommended by Boeing, performing actions on the emergency checklist, including cutting off electricity to an automatic system that was pushing the nose down. But they were still unable to prevent the jet from crashing, according to an initial report by Ethiopian investigators. About six minutes after takeoff, the plane went into a fatal dive that killed all 157 people on board. The report, released Thursday, laid out a timeline of the flight based on analysis from 18 Ethiopian and international investigators and information from the jets flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder. The investigators initial report was released several hours after a news conference held by Ethiopias minister of transportation. KABUL, Afghanistan A large attack by the Taliban in western Afghanistan on Thursday killed at least 30 soldiers and police officers, Afghan officials said, in a sign of intensifying spring fighting across the country despite American efforts to reach a peace deal. Hundreds of Taliban fighters stormed the center of Bala Murghab District in Badghis Province in the predawn hours, according to Abdul Waris Shirzad, the district governor. The district has come under intense insurgent pressure in recent weeks, with officials warning that it could fall unless reinforcements are sent in. No one is hearing our voice; no reinforcements arrived yet, said Mr. Shirzad, who confirmed that 30 police officers and soldiers had died in the Taliban raid. He said the insurgents had surrounded police forces in the governors office and soldiers on an army base. If the government does not send more forces, there will be a disaster in the district, he added. BANGKOK Thailands military junta is targeting a popular new pro-democracy party, accusing its leader of causing disorder that could lead to rebellion even as the seat allotments from last weeks parliamentary elections are being calculated. The billionaire leader of the Future Forward Party, Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, was ordered on Wednesday to submit to the police for questioning in the case, which initially opened four years ago. He is accused of helping protesters flee arrest at a demonstration and faces up to seven years in prison. Mr. Thanathorn, who has built a large following partly through social media, posted the summons on Facebook and Twitter and wrote: When the dark power wont leave Future Forward alone. Its clear now that the old-school political game wont end after the election, but is only getting more intense, because theyre afraid of Future Forward, he added. The party came in third in the balloting last week. Nauta Capital, a pan-European venture capital firm investing in capital-efficient B2B software companies and lean consumer plays, closed a new 55M fund dedicated to backing its existing later-stage portfolio companies. Led by Carles Ferrer, General Partner, Nauta invests in early-stage technology companies from late Seed and Series A, with its main areas of investment interests including B2B software propositions, digital media companies, and enabling technologies for mobile and the Internet. Backed by current investors from continental Europe, UK and the Americas, including the British Patient Capital, the European Investment Fund, the ICF and the ICO, the new vehicle - dubbed Sidecar Fund - will inject follow-on capital primarily from Series C in its portfolio as they mature for later-stage funding. The firm, which has offices in London, Barcelona and Munich, announced its current early-stage fund in 2017, from which it has invested in technology companies disrupting large industries such as HR, business operations, hospitality as well as enabling tech for online and offline retail. With more than 40+ portfolio companies, some of existing portfolio include Brandwatch, Marfeel, BeMyEye, ForceManager, MishiPay, Talentry, Nextail and zenloop. The closing of the Sidecar fund takes the firms total assets under management to 365M. FinSMEs 04/04/2019 BERLIN Swastikas daubed on a Jewish cemetery in France. An anti-Semitic political campaign by Hungarys far-right government. Labour lawmakers in Britain quitting their party and citing ingrained anti-Semitism. A Belgian carnival float caricaturing Orthodox Jews sitting on bags of money. And that was just the past few months. The accumulated incidents in Europe and the United States have highlighted how an ancient prejudice is surging in the 21st century in both familiar and mutant ways, fusing ideologies that otherwise would have little overlap. The spike is taking place in a context of rising global economic uncertainty, an emphasis on race and national identity, and a deepening polarization between the political left and right in Europe and the United States over the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. Theres an ideological pattern that is common, said Gunther Jikeli, an expert on European anti-Semitism at Indiana University. The world is seen as in a bad shape, and what hinders it becoming a better place are the Jews. BRUSSELS Belgium apologized on Thursday for the kidnapping, segregation, deportation and forced adoption of thousands of children born to mixed-race couples during its colonial rule of Burundi, Congo and Rwanda. The apology is the first time that Belgium has recognized any responsibility for what historians say was the immense harm the country inflicted on the Central African nations, which it colonized for eight decades. Prime Minister Charles Michel offered the apology on Thursday afternoon in front of a plenary session of Parliament, which was attended by dozens of people of mixed race in the visitors gallery. Throughout Belgian colonial Africa, a system of targeted segregation of metis and their families was maintained by the Belgian state and acts were committed that violated the fundamental rights of peoples, he said, using the term for mixed-race people. This is why, in the name of the federal government, I recognize the targeted segregation of which metis people were victims under Belgian colonial rule in Africa, and the ensuing policy of forced kidnapping after independence, he added. LONDON After months of tortured debate over Britains departure from the European Union, a new word has entered the jargon-strewn Brexit lexicon: flextension. It could hold the key to the next phase. Flextension is how insiders are describing the type of delay to Brexit that Prime Minister Theresa May now seems likely to seek from the bloc: a long extension that could be cut short if Parliament finally approves an exit deal. If it sounds dubious, it is nevertheless considered an improvement on an earlier term for the process, terminability. Whatever it is called, analysts are far from sure that Mrs. May will succeed in selling the idea when she meets European Union leaders at a summit in Brussels next Wednesday. And any one of them could veto any extension, leaving Britain facing a disorderly Brexit without an agreement on April 12, a deadline that was already pushed back once. MOSCOW Almost 100 captive whales seized by the Russian government in the countrys Far East before they could be exported to Chinese marine parks will be evaluated as a first step toward freeing them, officials said on Thursday. The mammals have been held in what became known as the whale jail watery pens in Srednyaya Bay near the Russian city of Vladivostok. The whales, which can fetch millions of dollars depending on the species, had been captured off Sakhalin Island last summer and fall by four companies linked to one businessman. Dmitri N. Kobylkin, Russias minister of natural resources, said the sheer number of whales in need of release was unprecedented. In the past couple of decades, captured whales have been released only individually or in small numbers. There has never been such a situation before in the world, Mr. Kobylkin said at a news conference, adding that a summer release would increase the animals chance of survival. PARIS Video footage showing men assaulting a transgender woman during a demonstration in central Paris last weekend has prompted outrage and debate about transphobic attitudes in the country, in what some activists called a shift in Frances attitude toward transgender people. The video, filmed on Sunday during one of the large, weekly demonstrations held by members of the expatriate Algerian community against Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who resigned as president of Algeria this week, shows the woman being taunted by several men and being repeatedly punched by one of them. The footage had been viewed more than two million times on social media by Thursday. Marlene Schiappa, Frances minister for gender equality, called the assault clearly transphobic and unacceptable. She said on Twitter, The perpetrators must be identified and prosecuted. LONDON A week before the country faces a potentially chaotic departure from the European Union, debate in Britains House of Commons was interrupted on Thursday by something even more urgent: a leak that sent a torrent of water into the press gallery. Justine Greening, a Conservative lawmaker, was concluding a speech about an anti-tax-avoidance measure when she was interrupted by the sound of water pouring down inside the chamber. I want to finally finish my comments with a leaky roof in the background, she said on Thursday afternoon, amid laughter from fellow lawmakers. I guess Im watching too much Game of Thrones, he said. Mr. Nafar, 39, began his hip-hop career in the late 1990s, and his lyrics took a strong political turn with the outbreak of the Palestinian uprising known as the Second Intifada, in 2000. The son of Palestinian refugees and a father of two, he was the star of a celebrated autobiographical film, Junction 48, in 2016. The Israeli culture minister, Miri Regev, walked out on his performance at the countrys movie awards ceremony that year and has tried to have his performances canceled. Im not saying that being in the Knesset is the best medicine, but if I want to let go of it I should do that dose by dose, he said, explaining his decision to vote not all at once, with nothing in its place. In the video, Mr. Nafars pro-boycott persona has little use for Arab politicians. Did they deal with poverty? Did they bring us schools and jobs? he asks. We only see them out there during elections. He adds that he voted for the Joint List the last time, but infighting broke it apart. For me, this ship has sunk, he says. Yet Mr. Nafars pro-vote voice says that rather than the Titanic, he sees Arab politicians as the Mavi Marmara the protest ship that tried to defy the Israeli blockade of Gaza in 2010, gaining international attention for the Palestinian cause. It doesnt make sense for me to give up a tool, when I hardly have any tools, so Im going to vote, he says. The alternative, Mr. Nafar said in the interview, would be to allow Israeli leaders to do whatever they wanted to Palestinian citizens even if, as some extremist right-wing politicians would like, that meant transferring Arab citizens out of Israel. Voting, Mr. Nafars alter ego says in the video, was at least one thing he has the power to do to ensure that I can sing to the boycotters, rather than talk to them in the transfer trucks. . 2:0 17- . 0:1 0:3, . "" 6- 56- . ... PomPom, an adorable Pomeranian from Singapore, recently achieved celebrity status on social media thanks to the efforts of a freelance groomer who managed to turn him into a fluffy egg. Back in January Andrea Aubrey Sim (@groomer_andrea), a freelance groomer from Singapore, posted photos and videos of one of her most ingenious projects yet, a cute Pomeranian styled to look like a giant egg. She posted the results of her labor on Instagram, but they only went viral late last month, spawning the now trending Egg Dog meme. In a video shot from just the right angle, Pom Pom can be seen sitting still, with his ears flat behind his head. while the groomer puts the finishing touches on her work of art a living dog shaped like an egg. Photos: @pompom_and_pixel/@groomer_andrea To achieve this incredible look, Andrea gave PomPom a shower and massaged his body to puff up the fur, before using her grooming skills to trim that fur into an almost perfect egg shape. Credit goes to PomPom as well, for sitting like a good boy and even flattening his ears to become Egg Dog. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Colourful Groomer (@groomer_andrea) on Jan 29, 2019 at 12:31am PST Andrea told MustShareNews that she wanted to pass on PomPoms happy awwra in his haircut, but she never expected her work would get so much attention. Ever since her Instagram video went viral, people have been going crazy over this egg-shaped canine, praising his look and even creating some eggceptional artworks of him. A Japanese artist went as far as to create a sculpture of PomPom, and popular figurine manufacturer Funko Pop designed an Egg Dog toy as an April Fools joke. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Colourful Groomer (@groomer_andrea) on Mar 28, 2019 at 6:25am PDT The beloved meme, Eggdog, is coming to the world of Pop! pic.twitter.com/D86xpOf9oj Funko (@OriginalFunko) April 1, 2019 Beetles are generally regarded as harmless to humans. Out of the over 350,000 documented species of beetle, only three are actually known to bite people, and only if they feel threatened. However, there is another species that few sources mention. Onychocerus albitarsis, aka Scorpion Beetle, is the only known insect capable of stinging humans with its antennae and delivering a painful toxin. First described in 1859 by famous English entomologist Francis Polkinghorne Pascoe, the scorpion beetle is considered by many experts a fascinating case of convergent evolution. While all other known insects deliver venom or toxins by biting with fangs or stinging with a structure used exclusively for this purpose, e.g. a bees stinger, the scorpion beetle does it through its two long antennae, which research has shown have evolved to closely resemble a scorpions segmented tail. Photo: Antonio Sforcin Amaral / Personal Archive We here report the first known case of a cerambycid beetle using its antennae to inject a secretion that causes cutaneous and subcutaneous inflammation in humans, a 2008 study on the toxin delivery mechanism of the scorpion beetle states. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that the terminal antennal segment of Onychocerus albitarsis has two pores opening into channels leading to the tip through which the secretion is delivered. The delivery system is almost identical to that found in the stinger of a deadly buthid scorpion. Documented cases of people stung by scorpion beetles are rare, and because of the elusive nature of this insect little is known about the toxin it injects via its antennae. There are currently only three known reports of scorpion beetle stings on humans, one from a rural area in Peru and two from the state of Sao Paolo, Brazil, none of which proved lethal. In the case of a Brazilian woman stung by Onychocerus albitarsis, a very sharp pain, as well as redness and itchiness around the area of the sting were reported for a period of 24 hours, while in the case of a man from Sao Paolo, these symptoms disappeared shortly after the sting occurred. Further research on the composition of the toxin and its effects on human males and females is needed. When it feels threatened, the scorpion beetle directs its antennae in the direction that the threat is coming from. This resembles the behavior of a scorpion and therefore the name: both because of the way it tries to inoculate aggressors and the aspect of its antennae, Brazilian zoologist Antonio Lucas Sforcin Amaral, from the State University of Sao Paulo, told G1. Although the potency of the toxin injected by the scorpion beetle is yet unknown, most experts agree that it is incapable of killing humans, unlike the venom of a buthid scorpion. Still, people are advised to avoid touching scorpion beetles due to the sharp pain their sting causes and the potential of an allergic reaction. So far, scorpion beetles have only been spotted in Peru and Brazil. They are around two centimeters-long and can be recognized by their long antennae and a white, gray, brown and black body. A Brazilian judge ordered a pair of male identical twins to pay child support to a child whose paternity could not be determined after they both refused to assume responsibility and a DNA test proved inconclusive because of their genetic similarity. Valeria, the mother of the child, originally filed a lawsuit for recognition of paternity against just one of the two twins, Fernando, with whom she believes she had a short romantic relationship with. He underwent a DNA test which showed that there was a 99.9% probability that he was the father of the child. However, after seeing the result, Fernando continued to deny that he had fathered the girl, claiming instead that it had been his identical twin brother, Fabricio. The mans twin was also ordered to take the DNA test, which yielded the same result as Fernandos, because the two have virtually the same genetic code. Left with no option, the judge ordered both of them to pay child support to the same child. Photo: JA2 video screengrab This case has been in court since August 2017, but last month, Judge Filipe Luis Peruca, in the Brazilian state of Goias, ruled that because the two men continued to blame each other in a blatant attempt to escape responsibility they would both need to pay 30% of the minimum wage as child support. His decision was also influenced by the fact that evidence presented during the hearings showed that the twins had previously leveraged their uncanny resemblance to impersonate each other and date as many women as possible, as well as defend one another when accused of cheating by their girlfriends. One of the brothers, in bad faith, seeks to conceal the fact that he is the father, the judge said. Such behavior, of course, should not be tolerated by the law, on the contrary, it must be repressed, especially in the case in which the defendants seek to benefit from it, impairing the plaintiffs right to recognition of biological paternity, of a constitutional, inalienable and unavailable right intrinsically linked to the dignity of the human person. According to the Brazils Justice Department, the chances of identifying the father in this case would be higher if the two brothers agreed to undergo more thorough genetic testing, called the Twin Tests, but even that may not prove accurate enough. In order to get conclusive paternity evidence, one of the twins would have to present a mutation that the other one does not. Unfortunately, neither party involved in litigation has the financial means to pay for the Twins Test, which reportedly costs R$ 60,000 ($15,500). Photo: Brazilian Court of Justice In her testimony, Valeria said that she started dating one of the brothers, who she assumed was Fernando, after meeting him at a party. At least the man introduced himself as Fernando, although looking back on the day they met, she remembered he rode a yellow motorcycle he said was Fabricios. After hearing about the twins impersonating each other in the past, theres no way for her to know which one of the brothers she slept with. Its a sad situation, they didnt need to do this, the woman said. They know the truth, but they are taking advantage of their resemblance to escape responsibility. Judge Filipe Luis Peruca ruled that both identical twins must pay child support to Valerias daughter, on March 21, but the brothers lawyers may still file for an appeal. The names of the protagonists in this article have been fictionalized to protect their identities. Roger Lynch Former Pandora Media CEO Roger Lynch will join Conde Nast as its first global CEO and be charged with disrupting the magazine publisher as it works to transform itself into a print, digital, broadband, video and data operation. Jonathan Newhouse, CN chairman, said Lynch is the right person to run the combined US and international unit due to his overseas experience and proven track record building companies at the evolving intersection of media and technology. Lynch helmed the music streaming company until it was sold in January to SiriusXM. Earlier he was founding CEO of Sling TV, chairman/CEO of Video Networks International (London), CEO of Chello Broadband (Amsterdam) and investment banker at Morgan Stanley. With Lynchs appointment, Bob Sauerberg, CNs US CEO, will resign after an 18-year stint at the publisher of Vanity Fair, Glamour, New Yorker, Vogue, Self, Bon Appetit, Wired, Self, W, Brides and GQ. Lynch begins work April 22. Barbara Bates Hotwire has formed an exclusive partnership with The Hoffman Agency to collaborate in Asia. The agreement will see Hotwire work with The Hoffman Agencys wholly owned offices in Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Korea and Indonesia as part of its global network of offices and exclusive partners. By consolidating Hotwires current multi-agency solution in Asia down to one firm, Hotwire Group CEO Barbara Bates says the agency will further strengthen its credentials as an alternative to the established global owned networks. Hotwire operates through 11 wholly owned offices across North America, Europe and Australia and supports this with a network of exclusive partners and affiliates in another 21 cities worldwide, including the locations represented by The Hoffman Agency. Charles Lewington Montreal-based holding and management company Avenir Global has acquired Hanover, an independent U.K. public relations consultancy with offices in London, Brussels, Dublin, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Founded in London in 1998 by CEO Charles Lewington, Hanover advises global companies on building recognition and enhancing reputation. The Hanover Group also includes creative communications agency The Playbook, and Multiple, a brand and culture consultancy. The agencys leadership team will remain in place following the transaction. Together with the November 2018 acquisition of London-based healthcare creative agency, Cherry, the deal bolsters AVENIR GLOBALs EMEA offering. The group was already represented in the region by healthcare communications firm AXON Communications and by its strategic communications consultancy Madano Partnership. Dan Pender PR360, a Dublin-based communications agency, is the newest addition to global partnership PROI Worldwide. Founded in 2011 by managing director Dan Pender, PR360 has corporate, public affairs and brand practices as well as an in-house digital content studio. The agency works with clients in the healthcare, aviation, finance, professional services, and technology sectors in Ireland and internationally. PR360 is an exceptional communications agency which, like our other PROI agencies, has seen significant growth opportunities by offering integrated services, says PROI Worldwide global chairman Clare Parsons, chair of London-based Lansons. Ryan Hallett, Whitney Creighton CEO Ryan Hallett and CSO Whitney Creighton have launched Otto & Friends, a new brand-amplifying agency. Hallett was formerly a vice president at WPPs Grey and Creighton previously served as associate director of content & community Omnicom's Serino Coyne. Claudia Strauss, former CEO of Greys activation and PR practice, is also working with Otto & Friends as a marketing advisor. The new agencys offering will include media relations, social media, digital content, influencer marketing, events, live experiences, partnerships, sponsorships, crisis communications, expert positioning and executive visibility. Their current client roster includes Marriott International, Royal Caribbean Productions, Four Freedoms Park Conservancy, Revactin, Freddie Set Go, Jason Mitchell Kahn and VideoOut. The Missouri Division of Tourism is currently accepting proposals as it searches for a new marketing agency of record. Offaly's two most recent All-Ireland winning teams are set to face off in an epic club fundraiser next weekend. Drumcullen GAA and Camogie Club are hosting the fundraiser at the Rath pitch on Saturday, April 13 at 5pm. As well as having an opportunity to enjoy the match, fans will have the chance to meet and greet multiple generations of Offaly hurling legends. In attendance for autographs and pictures will be Padraig Horan from the 1981 winning team, Pat Fleury from the 1985 team, Martin Hanamy from the 1994 team and Hubert Rigney from the 1998 team. A host of stars from the latter two teams will face off on the pitch in a marvellous blast from the past for supporters. The Liam MacCarthy Cup will be on site for photographs while attendees can also enjoy a barbecue, games and face painting for kids. Tickets are priced at 10 but kids are free. Find out more on the Drumcullen GAA Facebook page. The weather forecast for Ireland from Met Eireann for tonight is for temperatures to drop below freezing under clear skies with icy stretches and fog in places. Later this afternoon and evening, rain in the east will turn persistent with top temperatures of 6 to 9 degrees in fresh north to northeasterly winds. According to the Met Eireann forecast, this evening and early tonight, persistent rain in the east will spread northwestwards and turn to sleet on higher ground. There is the ongoing risk of hail and thunder. Later in the night the rain will turn more showery. There will be good clear spells over Munster and later over Leinster and lowest temperatures fall to around -3 to -1 degrees with a widespread sharp frost and icy stretches. Winds fall light with mist and fog patches developing there. However, over Connacht and Ulster lowest temperatures will be zero to +3 degrees with grass frost in moderate to fresh easterly breezes. According to Met Eireann frost will clear the southwest on Friday morning. There will be scattered outbreaks of rain over the northern half of country at first but a band of rain will soon push into the east and spread northwestwards across the country with the southwest staying mostly dry. Top temperatures will be 7 to 11 degrees in freshening easterly winds. There will be scattered outbreaks of rain, heaviest across the east and southeast on Friday night. Rather cold, with lows of 2 to 6 degrees. Winds will be mostly moderate easterly, but fresher at times along eastern coasts. According to the Met Eireann weather forecast, Saturday will be dry and bright day for many across the country with sunny spells. Any lingering overnight rain will soon clear, however, the southwest of Munster will see a few showers. Maxima of 10 to 13 degrees, with the highest values in the west. Cold overnight with clear spells and some frost. Mist and fog patches too. Lows of 0 to 4 degrees Celsius. Another mostly dry and bright day is on the way on Sunday with sunny spells, but cloudier with the risk of showers near eastern and southern coasts. Maxima of 10 to 13 degrees Celsius, with the highest values once again in the west. Generally dry on Sunday night with occasional mist and fog, but patchy rain and drizzle will affect some eastern and southern coastal counties. Lows of 3 to 6 degrees Celsius. Independent TD for Offaly, Carol Nolan, has called on the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Richard Bruton, to explain "why he delayed writing to the European Commission requesting the inclusion of the midlands region on the Coal Regions in Transition Platform." Deputy Nolan was speaking after she expressed concern that efforts to develop an employment and retraining strategy to combat the impact of Bord na Mona job and productivity losses are not being sufficiently advanced Bord na Mona has made it very clear that its pursuit of a decarbonisation strategy is going ahead and that this will have a direct impact on jobs and industry in the midlands region, specifically in Co Offaly," she said. "This has caused significant concern for those families and workers affected by the rolling closure of our bogs, which, as I understand it, is now up to 21 bogs despite an initial announcement that 17 would close." "Yet despite these consequences being well known for a number of years, it has now emerged that the Minister has only recently written to the European Commission Coal Transition Platform, which regardless of its name is mandated to deal with energy-intensive industries like Bord na Mona." "The people of the Midlands need to know why it has taken this long considering the fact that the Commission launched the Platform in December 2017 in order to help areas like our own midlands region to modernise their economies in line with a clean energy transition that focuses on social fairness, new skills and financing for the real economy." "If this government is serious about supporting reskilling and employment opportunities in Offaly, Laois and across the Midlands region then we need clarity on why this obvious area of support was not pursued sooner, concluded Deputy Nolan. Registrations are now open for Cycle Against Suicides annual cycle, which takes place from April 27 to May 6. It will pass through Tullamore on the April 27/28. Cycle Against Suicide is an initiative to raise awareness of the help and support networks that are available to people across Ireland that are battling depression, self-harm, at risk of suicide or those bereaved by suicide. At the launch with lead sponsor of the cycle, Iarnrod Eireann, the organisation also announced its brand new social media initiative. The #ItsOKNotToFeelOK Challenge will invite people from across the country to show their support for and promote mental health awareness by taking a photo of themselves holding a poster of the Cycle Against Suicide slogan, #ItsOKNotToFeelOK, and posting it on their social media channels, challenging their friends to get involved by tagging them. Building on the foundation of awareness that Cycle Against Suicide cycle has raised through its national and community-based cycles over the years; the #ItsOKNotToFeelOK Challenge is aiming to get at least 800 people involved in the online challenge one person to represent each kilometre of the organisations 800km annual Cycle helping to address the subject of mental health and suicide prevention. Cycle Against Suicide is appealing to the people of Tullamore to get involved and take part in the challenge when the cycle is passing through their area. The official 2019 route schedule and map are now live with the 2019 run mapped out as an 800km route that will pass through many towns and counties, rallying hope and support in localities around the nation. During the cycle, participants will visit 20 schools, colleges and community centres promoting the organisation's key message, Its ok not to feel ok and Its absolutely okay to ask for help and highlighting the critical help available to anyone experiencing mental health issues. Register as a cyclist, volunteer or homestay provider today and together, shoulder to shoulder, lets break the cycle of suicide in Ireland. To register your support or for more information on the Cycle Against Suicide #itsOKNotToFeelOK Challenge, visit www.cycleagainstsuicide.com. Medical worker representatives lay flowers in front of a monument in honour of organ donors during a commemorative event held at a human organ donor memorial park in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province, April 3, 2019. The human organ donation work was officially launched in Yunnan Province in July 2013. By the end of March 2019, 333 organ donation cases have been recorded and the number of registered organ donation volunteers has reached 6,398. (Xinhua/Jiang Wenyao) 5 1 [ Editor: Zhang Zhou ] Kalinga Literary Festival, British Council Come Together For 5 Films for Freedom' In Bhubaneswar Religious institutions in Bhubaneswar to reopen for devotees from this date Odisha govt "not accepting" resignation of BJP candidate Bhubaneswar oi-PTI Bhubaneswar, April 04: A delegation of the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday staged a dharna in front of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's residence demanding early acceptance of the resignation of its candidate Dr Budhan Murmu. Murmu who had resigned under the voluntary retirement scheme was fielded by the BJP as its candidate for the Saraskana assembly segment in Mayurbhanj district. Murmu alleged that though he had submitted his resignation on October 4 last year, it is yet to be accepted by the government. Lok Sabha Polls 2019: BJP drops Paresh Rawal, picks HS Patel from Ahmedabad East Seat The delegation comprising BJP state vice-president Samir Mohanty and others met the Chief Minister's political secretary Gopabandhu Dash who informed them that Dr Murmu's resignation was under process. Odisha Health Minister Pratap Jena also assured the delegation that Murmu's resignation will be accepted soon. Murmu wondered how his resignation was not accepted while other government servants got clearance much earlier. He was a doctor at the Rangamatia Primary Health Centre in Mayurbhanj district. The BJP alleged that the chief minister is delaying the process intentionally in order to ensure that Murmu is not able to contest the polls. On March 26, the ruling BJD had complained to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Surendra Kumar that the BJP has violated the Model Code of Conduct by nominating Murmu as its candidate despite Murmu being a government servant. Murmu is contesting from Saraskana assembly seat which will go to polls during the fourth phase for which filing of nominations will be carried out till April 9. PTI 300 could have died in Balakot strike says wing commander, Abhinandans father India oi-Oneindia Staff By Anuj Cariappa Chennai, Apr 04: The laser guided smart bombs used in the Balakot air strike could have killed 250 to 300 terrorists said, Air Marshal Simhakutty Varthaman (retd), father of wing commander Abhinandan, who was briefly in Pakistan's custody. While addressing students at the IIT-Madras, he said that the Indian Air Force (IAF) strike happened at a time when maximum targets were inside the camp. While the structural damages may have been limited, the fuse of the bomb is delayed to ensure maximum damage, he said. He further added that the F-16s and AMRAAM missiles used by Pakistan were a big threat to India. First, we had to get the F-16s of our back, by ensuring that they were heading towards another direction, while we were going to Balakot, he said. De-briefing over: What next for Abhinandan Varthaman He explained that India launched seven aircraft towards Bahawalpur, which is the headquarters of the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM). This gave Pakistan the impression that we were heading towards the JeM headquarters. While they sent the F-16s to engage with our fighter aircrafts, we simultaneously launched an attack at Balakot, he said. He said that this was his reading of the events while also adding that this may not be absolutely true. He added that Pakistan was in a state of high alert and knew that an attack was imminent. However the country did not expect that we would get into their territory, he further added. State vs national issues: Key lessons for the BJP to learn in Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Haryana Amul cartoon features RaGas entry into Wayanad with utterly taste! India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Apr 04: Amidst the political controversy surrounding Congress chief Rahul Gandhi's decision to also contest the 2019 Lok Sabha polls from Wayanad, dairy giant Amul has a special cartoon for him. Featuring the 48-year-old, the advertisement says, "Wayanad have it with butter? Amethi ka paratha!" Rahul Gandhi is shown in his now signature, crisp white kurta pyjamas. He's shown holding slices of buttered toasts in each hand, to represent the two constituencies. Taking to Twitter, they wrote: "Wayanad have it with butter?" Right below the tag, it used a catchphrase for Congress chief Rahul Gandhi as: "Amethi ka paratha." The picture was captioned as "Amul topical: Congress President to contest from two seats in Lok Sabha 2019." #Amul Topical : Congress President to contest from two seats in Lok Sabha 2019! pic.twitter.com/Qd3TpNLP7J Amul.coop (@Amul_Coop) April 2, 2019 The cartoon came just after veteran CPI(M) leader VS Achuthanandan described Gandhi as an 'Amul baby', to convey that the Congress president was immature and inexperienced. Rahul Gandhi files nomination from Wayanad, sister Priyanka with him Given it's the first time, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi will contest the Lok Sabha elections from two seats this time - Wyanand and Amethi. While Amethi is the Gandhi legacy seat, Wayanad was held by Congressman M I Shanawas, who had won the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat back in 2009 and again in 2014. He passed away in 2018. This is the second post by Amul on Lok Sabha elections 2019, the first being about the 900 million voters taking part in the upcoming general elections. Arun Jaitley framed bill on Art 370 nullification that can withstand legal challenge, says his wife Jaitley statue at Kotla: Angry Bedi asks DDCA to remove his name from stands, quits membership Arun Jaitley slams Congress media promises, Chidambaram hits back India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Apr 04: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday called the promises in Congress Manifesto anachronic, referring to the suggestions on media which are supposed to regulate, restrict free journalism. "Curtailing press freedom has been the tradition of Nehru-Gandhi family. Indiraji's passionate dislike for free media was well-known, she used to refer to India's leading newspapers as the 'monopoly press'. The Congress in 1960s & 70's experimented various misadventures with the press," said Jaitley while attacking the Congress party's media promises. Mamata Banerjee takes a dig at Modi, says 'Chaiwala' has become 'Chowkidar to fool masses' Responding to Jaitley's attacks on the Congress party's manifesto, former finance minister P Chidambaram asked him why hasn't the saffron party answered the questions on withdrawal of AFSPA from Tripura, Meghalaya, and parts of Arunachal Pradesh. "There is no tukhde tukhde gang in the Congress. There is only a flip flop gang in the BJP," he said. In its manifesto released on Tuesday, the Congress party has made the promise for a free and self-regulated media. "In recent times, sections of the media have been abused or surrendered their freedom. Nevertheless, we believe that self-regulation is the best way to correct the abuse of media freedom. Congress promises to amend the Press Council of India Act, 1978 to strengthen the system of self-regulation, protect the freedom of journalists, uphold editorial independence and guard against government interference," the manifesto says. The Press Council Act, 1978 is meant for the purpose of preserving the freedom of the press and of maintaining and improving the standards of newspapers and news agencies in India. CBI court rejects bail plea of Peter Mukerjea in Sheena Bora murder case India oi-Madhuri Adnal Mumbai, Apr 04: A special Central Bureau of Investigation court on Thursday rejected a bail plea of INX Media co-founder Peter Mukerjea in Sheena Bora murder case. Sheena Bora was allegedly strangled in a car on April 24, 2012, following which her body was burnt and dumped in a forest in Raigad, Maharashtra. Indrani Mukerjea was arrested after the case came to light in 2015, and has been in jail since. Peter had recently been operated on, at a private hospital after suffering a heart attack. Sheena Bora Murder case accused Peter Mukerjea hospitalised in Mumbai's JJ hospital While arguing for the bail plea, Peter's lawyer, Shrikant Shivde, alleged that the authorities at Arthur Road Jail, where Peter is currently lodged, were negligent, as they took the accused to the hospital 10 days after he began complaining of chest pain. Shivde further pointed out that when Mukerjea's situation worsened, the authorities called a doctor to the jail instead of rushing him to the hospital and that there was a 45-minute delay to take him to Sir JJ Hospital. Shivde contended that to recuperate from the surgery, Peter needs to be in a peaceful atmosphere and hygienic conditions and that he cannot get such an atmosphere in the jail. The prosecution, however, opposed the bail plea claiming that the contention of the defence lawyer is false. Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) prosecutor Kavita Patil argued that the Arthur Road Jail is well-equipped with facilities and that the accused was provided with timely treatment. The prosecution also suggested that Mukerjea can be taken to Sir JJ Hospital for further treatment. Peter is among the three accused, including Indrani Mukerjea and Sanjeev Khanna, charged for the murder of Sheena Bora. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, April 4, 2019, 17:18 [IST] Chhattisgarh, Punjab govts announce Rs 50 lakh to families of farmers run over in UP Chhattisgarh's horrific accident: Nobody will be spared, justice will be done: CM Baghel Chhattisgarh: 4 BSF jawan martyred in encounter with Maoists in Kanker India oi-Madhuri Adnal Raipur, Apr 04: Four Border Security Force (BSF) jawan have lost their life and two were injured in an encounter with Maoists in Kanker district of Chhattisgarh on Thursday. "One jawan of the 114 battalion of BSF died while two others sustained injuries in an encounter that broke out between the security forces and Naxals," DIGP Anti Naxal Operation P Sundarraj told ANI. The news agency later updated the tweet and said that four BSF jawans had lost their lives in the encounter. On March 28, Maoists blew up the house of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Anuj Kumar Singh in Bihar's Gaya district. According to news agency ANI, Maoists used dynamite to blew up the home. In the attack, no one was injured. The Maoists also left anti-poll posters demanding people to boycott the upcoming elections in the state. Ealier on March 19, a woman naxal was gunned down in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh's Rajnandgaon district, police said. The skirmish took place in the forest of Gatapar police station area bordering Madhya Pradesh, when a joint team of security forces from MP and Chhattisgarh was carrying out an anti-naxal operation, a senior police official told PTI. Jharkhand: Three Maoist killed in encounter, 2 AK-47 recovered Since last few days, police have intensified anti-naxal operations in the forests falls on the tri-junction of Rajnandgaon, Balaghat (Madhya Pradesh) and Gondia (Maharashtra) in view of nexth month Lok Sabha elections. Chhattisgarh will vote in three phases on April 11, April 18 and April 23. Voting in Rajnandgaon, Mahasamund and Kanker seats will be held on April 18. Election expenditure: How much did BJP, Congress, DMK, CPI, TMC, AIADMK receive funds and spent during polls? Opposition front not possible without Congress: Shiv Sena leader Raut after meeting with Rahul Gandhi Mamata Banerjee's TMC gives yet another jolt to Congress in Meghalaya; 11 members switch sides Congress fails to highlight a promise having more potential than NYAY India oi-Hardeep Singh Bedi New Delhi, April 04: The Congress has failed to properly highlight an important promise in its manifesto, which has more potential than its much-hyped Nyuntam Aay Yojna (NYAY) or Minimum Income Guarantee Scheme. Congress president Rahul Gandhi on March 26 announced that 20% of the poorest families in the country would be annually given Rs. 72,000 each under the NYAY, if his party would voted to power. When he released the Congress manifesto on Tuesday then also his main focus was on NYAY. He said, "Narendra Modi said he deposit Rs 15 lakh in every bank account after bringing back black money. We all know that was a lie. We didn't lie but did groundwork and arrived at the figure of Rs 72,000 per year; Rs 3,60,000 in five years. This will go directly to their accounts. And this will help remonetize what Modi had demonetised." Congress manifesto gives fillip to BJP 's nationalism plank His next emphasis was on jobs when he said, "Modi promised 2 crore jobs, but didn't deliver. We will fill 22 lakh government vacancies and provide 10 lakh jobs in panchayats." The NYAY scheme, if implemented in letter and spirit, will benefit 5 crore poor families and 25 crore individuals directly. Analysts say that the Right to Homestead Act has much more potential than the NYAY as its target population is over 10 crore. The Act envisages providing free land to the landless people to build a home. The Congress manifesto says, "We will pass the Right to Homestead Act to provide a homestead for every household that does not own a home or own land on which a house may be built. " According to the Socio Economic and Caste Census 2011, there are 24.3 crore households in India, of which 17.91 crore live in villages. Of these, 10.69 crore households are considered as deprived. If this Act comes into force then landless people living in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Maharashtra, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana would be benefitted. It is notable that the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government had set up a task force to finalise a draft of the National Right to Homestead Bill 2013. Then Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh headed the task force. In 2012, the Jan Satyagraha movement of thousands of landless people had started marching towards Delhi. The march, spearheaded by the Ekta Parishad, had ended in Agra after Ramesh agreed to a charter of their demands, with the Right to Homestead and a National Land Reforms Policy heading the list. Single GST rate not possible, says CAIT It is believed that Ramesh has advised the Congress Manifesto Committee to include Right to Homestead Act in the manifesto for 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Since the manifesto has not elaborated this important promise, now the onus will be on the Congress leaders and workers to highlight The Right to Homestead Act very aggressively to take maximum political benefit out of it. The Homesteads Acts were enacted in the United States of America, Canada, New Zealand, and Britain by which an applicant could acquire ownership of government land or the public domain, typically called a homestead. The first of the acts, the Homestead Act of 1862, opened up millions of acres of land in the United States. Even in the United States, the Homestead Acts were abused. So, the first challenge will be to implement the Act and the second would be to ensure that the rightful persons get the land. Todays events: Opposition to hit the streets and counting for MLC polls to be held PMs photo on vaccine certificate: Why are you ashamed asks Kerala HC PM Modi to address farmers at National Summit on Agro and Food Processing 'Don't mess with me, ' Sharad Pawar's stern warning to BJP India oi-PTI Osmanabad, Apr 04: In a veiled attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, NCP chief Sharad Pawar Thursday said he does not mess with anyone on his own, but "shows the place" to someone who does so. Pawar also accused Modi of seeking political mileage out of the valour shown by security forces post the Pulwama terror attack as the recrimination between the two leaders continued in the amidst of Lok Sabha election campaign marked by bitterness and acrimony. Speaking at a poll rally in Gondia Wednesday, Modi had alleged Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leaders "were unable to sleep" as their "sleep was jailed in Delhi's Tihar". He, however, did not elaborate. Rahul Gandhi and his emotional connection with Wayanad At another public meeting at Wardha Monday, the prime minister had attacked Pawar, saying the veteran leader has lost grip over his party and that a "family feud" had struck it. Speaking at an election rally here in central Maharashtra, an angry Pawar sought to return fire, making uncharacteristically strong remarks apparently targeted at Modi. "We hail from the soil where Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was born. We don't mess with anyone on our own, but show the place if someone does so," Pawar said as he canvassed for NCP candidate Ranajagjitsinh Patil here. Pawar said Modi asks what he had done during his tenure as the Defence Minister. The NCP leader was the Defence Minister between 1991 and 1993 when he was in the Congress. Hitting back, Pawar said he did not allow attacks to take place in country as was the case under the Modi government's watch. The Maratha strongman said Modi keeps saying that no development took place in the country in the past 70 years under previous governments and asked if it also included the dispensations led by BJP stalwart Atal Bihari Vajpayee (1998- 2004). Pawar hailed former Congress Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi for their respective contribution towards nation building. "The present prime minister uses valour shown by security forces for his campaigning. This government has been unable to ensure even the release of Kulbhushan Jadhav. Where has the 56-inch chest gone?" asked Pawar. Ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, Modi had claimed at an election rally in Uttar Pradesh that only a person with a "56-inch chest" (implying a bold approach) could solve problems faced by the country. Jadhav, a retired Navy officer, is in a jail in Pakistan, where he has been sentenced to death by a military court on charges of espionage. Pawar said the Congress-NCP-led grand alliance had deliberately picked young candidates to contest the polls. The Osmanabad constituency goes to the polls in the second phase of voting on April 18. PTI For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, April 4, 2019, 18:42 [IST] 'It's ok to be mediocre': This is what Copter crash lone survivor wrote to school Must give him a smiling sendoff says wife of Brigadier Lidder In just 40 days, Maitri Bridge built over Indus river in Leh, Twitterati hails Indian Army India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Apr 04: Indian Army built the longest suspension bridge over Indus river in Leh in just 40 days, making a record of its own. The bridge has been named 'Maitri Bridge', symbolising the excellent civil-military relations existing in the Leh-Ladakh region. The construction of the bridge was undertaken by the combat engineers of 'Sahas aur Yogyata' regiment of 'Fire and Fury Corps' of the Indian Army. The bridge is built using around 500 tonnes of bridge equipment and construction material. Suspension Bridge constructed over Indus River by Combat Engineers Fire & Fury Corps was inaugurated by local War Veterans of region on 1 April 2019.Built in a record time of 40 days 'Maitri Bridge' is longest Suspension Bridge over River Indus.#NationFirst pic.twitter.com/PDQJgOVxwl ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) April 2, 2019 The 260-feet long bridge is likely to give a major boost to connectivity in remote areas in Ladakh. The cable suspension bridge that has been opened for the public was constructed to help the residents of Choglamsar, Stok and Chuchot villages, which are the largest villages in the Ladakh region. Spare us say veterans over Army being used for political gains The bridge was inaugurated on Monday in the presence of senior war veterans from Ladakh region along with Lt Gen Y K Joshi, AVSM, VrC, SM and General Officer Commanding 'Fire and Fury Corps', reported the daily. Meanwhile, the civilians from the village have thanked the Indian army for their help. People from all over the nation have lauded the army for their wonderful work. Thank you Fire and Fury Corps, yet another achievement in my home town - Leh. I have a video taken by mobile, locals are happy for this convenience. Rigzin Angdu (@RigzinAngdu1) April 2, 2019 Salute and thank you! @namrata (@namratayay) April 2, 2019 Raviji, the same thing just happened to me: Shashi Tharoor to seek explanation from Twitter What is itat e-dwar the new e-filing portal of the IT appellate tribunal Big step towards transparency: Prasad on first compliance report by Google, FB under new IT rules In Patna Saheb it would be Sinhas star power vs Prasads cadre India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Patna, Apr 04: The Patna Saheb constituency is likely to witness a high profile battle between Union Minister, Ravi Shankar Prasad and Shatrughan Sinha, who is set to join the Congress. Sinha, who quit the BJP has represented the seat since 2009. However for Sinha, the battle would not be exactly an easy one. Patna Saheb is considered as one of the safest seats for the BJP. BJP snubs Shatrughan Sinha, fields Ravi Shankar Prasad from Patna Sahib While Sinha would put to use his past performances and star power, the big question is can he win the seat, minus the support of a strong BJP cadre. In the 2014 elections, Sinha won with a vote share of 55.04 against the RJD's Vijay Yadav, who polled 24.93 per cent of the votes. In the 2009 elections, Sinha bagged 57.30 per cent of the votes. The Congress on the other hand fielded actor Shekhar Suman, ended up with 11.10 per cent of the votes. For Prasad, the battle would not be an easy one either. While his image is good, the problem is that the people do not see him as a mass leader. He would rely very heavily on the strength of the BJP cadre to win the elections. The Patna Lok Sabha constituency was split into two following the 2009 delimitation exercise. The urban seat was called as Patna Saheb, while the rural seat was called Pataliputra. Andhra elections: There is no room for anyone other than Family In poll bound Andhra, a copy cat syndrome by politicians plays out India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Amaravati, Apr 04: When it comes to doing politics in Andhra Pradesh, there has always been a copy-cat syndrome. Parties tend to wait for the other to release its manifesto, so that it could either copy the scheme or better it. Parties instead of releasing manifestos early go about their poll campaigns making big promises to woo the voters. For instance after YSR Congress Party chief, Jagan Mohan Reddy announced benefits as part of the Annadata Sukhibhava scheme, the Chief Minister of AP and TDP chief, Chandrababu Naidu announced a loan waiver under the affordable housing scheme. Andhra elections: There is no room for anyone other than 'Family' After Jagan promised to waive home loans taken by the beneficiaries of the government housing scheme, Naidu too announced a similar waiver, but added that the government has already worked out the modalities. It may be recalled that the TDP had even before the election schedule being announced had hiked pensions to Rs 2,000. The YSRCP reacted sharply and said the TDP had stolen the idea from the document that was released at the party's annual meeting. Another instance of outdoing each other was when Jagan announced that if voted to power, his government would construct 25 houses for the poor. Naidu was quick to react and said that in addition to the 30 lakh houses, his government would construction 20 lakh houses more. This syndrome was witnessed in Telangana as well. After the Telangana Rashtra Samithi and Congress released the manifestos, both parties accused each of copying offers they had made. JKSSB SI Recruitment 2021: Last date to apply for 800 Sub Inspector posts, direct link here J&K: LeT militant arrested in Baramulla India pti-PTI Srinagar, Apr 4: A Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant was arrested in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district on Thursday, police said. A cordon and search operation was launched in Zandpal and adjoining areas in Tangmarg area of the north Kashmir district, a police spokesperson said. During the search, a person was spotted moving suspiciously in Zandpal. On being challenged, he tried to flee, the spokesperson said. [JeM terrorist linked to Pulwama attack mastermind arrested in Delhi] However, he was apprehended and a live grenade was recovered from his possession, he added. The apprehended person disclosed his name as Firdous Khan, a resident of Zandpal. He is an active militant of the LeT, the spokesperson said. A case has been registered and investigation is underway, he said. PTI Gen Rawats chopper crashes: Those who were on board IAF chopper crash: Bollywood, south celebrities mourn the untimely death of Bipin Rawat, others Gen Bipin Rawat, others killed in helicopter crash: IAF's Mi17V5 chopper involved in a few incidents in past Tamil Nadu copter crash: Lance Naik from Andhra spoke to wife four hours before mishap Gen Bipin Rawat, wife to be cremated in Delhi on Friday J&K: 2 Air Force personnel killed in road accident in Awantipora India oi-Madhuri Adnal Jammu, Apr 04: Two Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel including an officer were killed in an accident at Awantipora in south Kashmir earlier on Thursday. IAF has an operational base in Awantipora. The two IAF personnel, killed in the accident, have been identified as Squadron Leader Rakesh Pandey and Corporal Ajay Kumar. The accident occurred near Malangpora area close to Air Force station. IAF's MiG 27 aircraft crashes on routine mission from Rajasthan's Jodhpur Two other Air Force personnel have suffered injuries and are being treated at a hospital. The Air Force will conduct an inquiry into the matter.. The two IAF personnel were travelling in a vehicle when the accident took place. Have no regrets on 'Roy should be tied to jeep' tweet: Paresh Rawal Lok Sabha Polls 2019: BJP drops Paresh Rawal, picks HS Patel from Ahmedabad East Seat India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Apr 04: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in a run-up to the general elections 2019 replaced Actor-turned Politician Paresh Rawal from Ahmedabad East Parliamentary Seat in Gujarat. The party has decided to field Hasmukh S Patel who is an MLA of Amraiwadi for Ahmedabad-East Lok Sabha seat. H S Patel is a two-time lawmaker from Amraiwadi Assembly seat. He had won is assembly polls twice in 2012 and 2017. The party has dropped Paresh Rawal after the Actor has shown his willingness not to contest the mega battle of ballots 2019. Reacting to Patel's announcement as the new candidate from his constituency, Rawal tweeted, "Flying out of Chennai to my constituency to congratulate and support our BJP candidate from amdavad east Shri H S Patel. Am sure and certain that he will win with thunderous margin and excel in his duties as Member of Parliament." Smriti Irani says Rahul's nomination from Wayanad is an insult to Amethi Rawal had earlier said that he has told the party that he doesn't want to contest the national elections 2019. He was quoted by news agency ANI as saying, "I had told the party four to five months ago that I do not want to contest the elections. But, ultimately it is the party's decision." The party with the announcement of H S Patel has now declared candidates on 370 Parliamentary Seats with 24 in Gujarat. Meanwhile, Congress has fielded Hardik Patel's colleague in PAAS and the quota agitation's female face Gita Patel from this seat and as such, made it necessary for the BJP to field a Patel leader to keep the largest voters' chunk on their side. Congress has so far declared candidates on 24 seats out of the total 26 seats of the state. State vs national issues: Key lessons for the BJP to learn in Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Haryana Madhya Pradesh: EC denies clearance to 6 Congress ads, party suspects "Centre's pressure" India pti-PTI Bhopal, Apr 4: The Election Commission has refused permission for circulation to six campaign videos submitted by the Congress in Madhya Pradesh, including one about the Rafale row, the party said here on Thursday. The party, while seeking a review of the decision, alleged that the poll body was acting under the Union government's pressure. "Six of our election advertisements were rejected by the EC on different grounds. There was nothing objectionable in these campaign teasers and it looks like there is Centre's pressure on the EC," said Shobha Oza, state Congress media cell chief. [EC raises concern on 'lackadaisical approach' towards enforcing MCC] According to the EC, one of the advertisements did not pass muster as it featured a disabled person. The poll body also took objection to an injection syringe filled with a tri-coloured liquid featured in one of the advertisements. The video on the Rafale fighter jet deal did not get clearance as a case related to the controversy is pending before the Supreme Court. Oza said the advertisement was satirical and it would not have interfered with the matter before the apex court. A Congress delegation called on EC officials later and submitted a memorandum, demanding a review of the decision. PTI Madras High Court directs Centre to ban use of TikTok app India oi-Deepika S Chennai, Apr 04: The Madras High Court has directed the Central government to prohibit the download of Chinese video share mobile application Tik Tok observing inappropriate contents made available in the app. The development comes nearly two months after Tamil Nadu Information Technology minister M Manikandan said the state government will seek Centre's help to ban TikTok. A division bench comprising justice N and justice S S Sundar have also directed media organisations in the interim order to not "telecast the videos made using the Tik Tok mobile app." besides directing the Centre to respond on whether a legislation similar to the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, as in the US, can be brought in India. Social media code of ethics for polls: EC sets stringent norms "Majority of the teens are playing pranks, gaffing around with duet videos sharing with split screen to the strangers. The children who use the said application are vulnerable and may expose them to sexual predators .... Without understanding the dangers involved in these kinds of Mobile Apps., it is unfortunate that our children are testing with these Apps," the bench said. Tik Tok is owned by Chinese internet firm Bytedance. Major border operation on anvil as Arakan Army looks to disrupt polls India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Apr 04: A high alert has been sounded along the Indo-Myanmar border in the wake of action being planned against the Arakan Army. According to Intelligence Bureau officials, the Arakan Army had set up 1,000 member camp at Lawngtalai district in Mizoram. The armies of both India and Myanmar had recently conducted a joint operation to curtail the activities of the group. The focus of the operation was to crack down on the members of the Arakan Army, an insurgent group in Myanmar, the source said. The members of the Arakan Army had also moved close to the international border along Mizoram. The Indo-Myanmar mega operation to protect Kaladan project: How it unfolded During the operation, the Indian Army beefed up the security along the border from Nagaland and Manipur to ensure that the insurgents do not cross over to the Indian side. The Indian Army also helped the Myanmarese Army by providing them intelligence, they said. There were also inputs that some members of the Arakan Army were also planning to sneak into India. This operation was carried out to prevent an attack on the Kaladan multi modal transit transport project. The Assam Rifles has the responsibility to guard the international border with Myanmar. The Kaladan multi-modal transit transport project is being viewed as India's gateway to the Southeast Asia. India entered into a framework agreement with Myanmar in April 2008 to facilitate implementation of the project. On completion, the project will help connect Mizoram with the Sittwe Port in Rakhine State of Myanmar. It may be recalled that on March 2, the Myanmar army took over the headquarters of the NSCN-K at the Taga area. The action was taken after the NSCN-K had refused to follow an order to drive out the non-citizen terrorists and armed rebels from their camps. The operation was carried out by 500 security personnel of the Myanmar army. The rebels were told to return to India, instead of trying to set up fresh camps in Myanmar. The army said that it had not resorted to aggressive military action on the insurgents. The army dismantled the hideouts of the Indian insurgent groups and also took physical control over the headquarters of the outfit. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, April 4, 2019, 17:28 [IST] BSP to fight solo in UP, Uttarakhand, no tie-up with Owaisi's AIMIM, says Mayawati 'Should not be misled': Mayawati reaches out to Brahmins before UP polls Why is Congress high command silent over killing of Dalit man in Rajasthan, asks Mayawati Mayawati charges Rs 15 crore per ticket, claims Maneka Gandhi India oi-PTI Sultanpur, Apr 04: Union minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Maneka Gandhi on Wednesday described BSP chief Mayawati as a "merchant of tickets" and alleged that she does not give her party tickets to anyone without taking money. Maneka Gandhi, who is contesting from Sultanpur parliamentary constituency, also accused the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister of not being loyal to anyone. "Everybody knows that Mayawati sells tickets and even her partymen admits it proudly. She has 77 houses. Mayawati's family also admits proudly that she accepts diamond or money. She takes Rs 15 crore per party ticket," Maneka Gandhi said while addressing a rally in Sultanpur. Will you be the next PM? Mayawati drops this hint "Mayawati is not loyal to anybody (Mayawati kisi ki nahi hai). Her (party's) ticket cannot be obtained without currency notes," she alleged. In 2016, two Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLAs accused the party leadership of demanding "huge sums" for allotting tickets for the 2017 UP Assembly polls, prompting the party to suspend them hours after they levelled the allegation. The lawmakers -- Palia MLA Romi Sahni and Mallawan MLA Brijesh Verma -- later joined the BJP. PTI Modi ji ki Sena' row: Now, minister Naqvi uses the controversial phrase India oi-Vikas SV New Delhi, Apr 4: Amid raging controversy over Yogi Adityanath's 'Modi ji ki Sena' remark, Union minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi was caught on camera making a similar comment, said reports. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath stirred a hornet's nest referring to the Indian Army as 'Modi ji ki sena' at an election rally in Ghaziabad on Sunday. The Chief Minister was campaigning for sitting MP and Union minister V K Singh when he made the controversial remark. At an election rally in Rampur on Wednesday, the footage of which has gone viral on social and electronic media, Naqvi said, "Our missiles, our defence personnel annihilated the terrorists after storming their bastions. This is not an ordinary feat." "'Ab dikkat yeh hui ki Congress party, Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party sab chilaanelage ki bhai yeh jo Modi ji ne ghus ghus kar, Modiji ki sena ne ghus ghus kar keaatankwaadiyo ko tabaah kiyaa uskaa saboot to dikhaa do' (But the problem is that the Congress, SP, BSP started demanding proof of the attack carried out by 'Modiji ki sena')," he added. [Row over 'Modi ji ki sena': VK Singh says anyone who uses such expression is a 'traitor'] The Election Commission on Wednesday issued a notice to Yogi and asked the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister to file a reply by April 5. "Congress ke log aatankwadiyon ko biryani khilate the 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 said at an election rally in Ghaziabad on Sunday. When contacted by PTI on Thursday evening, Naqvi maintained that he had not said it in as many words. "I might have said 'meri sena, aapki sena, har aadmi ki sena' (my Army, your army, everyone's Army)," he told PTI over phone. The Election Commission had on March 19 asked political parties to "desist" from indulging in any propaganda involving actions taken by defence forces during their Lok Sabha poll campaigns. The fresh advisory came days after the poll panel asked parties and their candidates against using pictures of defence force personnel in their campaign material. OneIndia News with PTI inputs MP CM Kamal Nath's nephew Ratul Puri being questioned by ED in VVIP chopper case India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Apr 04: Businessman Ratul Puri, nephew of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, is being questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case, a government official said on Thursday. The directorate had summoned Ratul Puri on the basis of interrogation of Sushen Mohan Gupta, an arrested middleman in the case whose custodial interrogation was extended by three more days yesterday. Puri, is the chairman of Hindustan Powerprojects Pvt Ltd, one of India's leading integrated power players in the energy sector. Digvijaya Singh upset after Kamal Nath govt withdraws security cover from RSS Bhopal office ED's special public prosecutors D P Singh and N K Matta yesterday told Special Judge Arvind Kumar that Gupta's extended custody was required so that he could be confronted with various people, including Puri, in the case pertaining to the scrapped Rs 3,600 crore chopper deal. According to ED officials, Puri's name came up in a statement recorded by Dubai-based businessman Rajeev Saxena, who turned approver in the case after being deported from the United Arab Emirates. Meanwhile, Hindustan Powerprojects Pvt Ltd in a statement categorically denied any connection with the AgustaWestland case. "Ratul Puri issues a categorical denial of having any connection or involvement of any kind in defence or AgustaWestland case," it said. "He would be fully cooperating with the ED investigation and provide any clarification or information as may be required," the company said. India on January 1, 2014 scrapped the deal with Italy-based Finmeccanica's British subsidiary AgustaWestland over an alleged breach of contractual obligations and charges of paying kickbacks to the tune of Rs 423 crore for securing the deal. In December last year, Dubai-based businessman Christian Michel, an alleged middleman in the deal, was extradited to India and lodged in Delhi's Tihar Jail. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has alleged there was an estimated loss of euro 398.21 million (Rs 2,666 crore) to the exchequer in the deal that was signed on February 8, 2010 for the supply of VVIP choppers worth euro 556.262 million. The ED, in its charge sheet filed against Michel in June 2016, alleged that he received euro 30 million (about Rs 225 crore) from AgustaWestland. (with agency inputs) Todays events: Opposition to hit the streets and counting for MLC polls to be held Narendra Modi biopic release date: SC to hear plea to delay Vivek Oberoi film on April 8 India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Apr 04: Troubles for PM Narendra Modi, the biopic on the life of the Indian Prime Minister, don't seem to be ending. The biopic on the life of the Indian Prime Minister, will not hit the theatres this Friday (April 5). ANI reports that on April 8, the Supreme Court has agreed to hear a fresh petition seeking to defer the release of the film. The Vivek Anand Oberoi-starrer is reportedly aiming to be out in cinemas on April 12, which was the original release date. The film ran into controversies for allegedly violating the model code of conduct, that kicked in on March 12, a month before India goes to polls. The first phase of the Lok Sabha elections in India kickstarts on April 11. The Opposition raised objections to the release of PM Narendra Modi on April 5, a week before the elections. No link with PM Modi biopic, but ban on film will curtail freedom of expression: BJP to EC A Special Leave Petition (SLP) was filed in the Supreme Court on Wednesday challenging the Bombay High Court's recent order in the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking stay on the release of the film. The SLP challenges the Bombay HC order of April 1 which had disposed off the PIL filed to stay the film's release. The SLP has sought a stay on the release of the movie owing to the upcoming elections. The petition mentions that high court has not taken all the aspects of the petition into consideration before rejecting the plea. It also states that the film may influence the voters to vote in favour of a certain individual and that is a violation of the model code of conduct. On Monday, the Bombay High Court disposed of the PIL seeking a stay on the film's release. The court noted that the Election Commission (EC) has already issued a notice to the makers of the film PM Narendra Modi over allegations of breach of the Model Code of Conduct in view of the Lok Sabha elections. The EC, however, told the court that it had already sought replies from the makers. The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) told the court, through its lawyer Advait Sethna, that it had already granted requisite certificates for the trailer on March 20. The cradle-to-2014 film, directed by Omung Kumar, traces Modi's evolution through various phases of his life, including his enrollment in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, his long stint as chief minister of Gujarat, and his elevation to a national role in 2014. The trailer suggests a heavily partisan portrait. National Maritime Day: Why is this day significant? India oi-Vikas SV New Delhi, Apr 5: Today India celebrates National Maritime Day which is dedicated to country's glorious maritime history. It was on this day in 1919 when SS Loyalty, the first ship of the Scindia Steam Navigation Company Ltd, set sail for the United Kingdom from Mumbai (then British Bombay). This marks a crucial step for India shipping history as the sea routes then were controlled by the British. The day is being observed since 1964. The theme of the National Maritime Day 2019 celebrations is "Indian Ocean-An Ocean of opportunity". This day is celebrated to illustrate the awareness in supporting intercontinental commerce and the global economy as the most well-organized, safe and sound environmentally responsive approach of transporting goods from one corner to another corner of the world. In 2018, the theme of the occasion is 'Indian Shipping - An Ocean of opportunity'. On this day, awareness in supporting safe and environmentally sound commerce between continents across the world is stressed upon. An award called Varuna is conferred to those who have made an outstanding contribution to the Indian maritime sector on this day. Besides, those who have made distinguished achievements or made contributions to education and training in the sector are also awarded on the day. No link with PM Modi biopic, but ban on film will curtail freedom of expression: BJP to EC India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Apr 04: The release of the much talked about movie, PM Narendra Modi, the biopic on the Indian Prime Minister, has been tentatively postponed by a week, according to the reports. The makers are now planning to come out with the film on April 11, when the first phase of voting for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections will begin. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has told the Election Commission that it has no connection with the release of the biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a ban on it will only curtail the fundamental right. Our film has nothing to do with Modi, BJP says producers of biopic "Independent artists, influenced by the lifestyle of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, created the film but the BJP is in no way involved in it. There is no content related to the election which can be banned under the model code of conduct" the saffron party stated. One of the major criticisms of the film has been that it has whitewashed Modi's life which makes it look like blatant propaganda. Secondly, questions are being raised about the timing of the film's release which is just six days ahead of the first phase of the Lok Sabha election 2019. Several political parties asked to delay the release of the film as they it it violated the model code of conduct. The Congress on Wednesday described the biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi as an "example of absolute desperation" based on a "flop person who proved to be zero". Oberoi, who plays Modi in the film, had told ANI earlier in the day that the Congress is afraid of the "chowkidar's danda" - a reference to Modi. He had said that the makers of the film had only tried to tell an inspirational story. "We are not projecting Modiji as larger than life, he already is larger than life," he said. "Why are such senior and famous lawyers like Abhishek Singhvi ji and Kapil Sibalji wasting time on filing a PIL on such a modest film?" 'PM Narendra Modi' biopic trailer out with Vivek Oberoi dressed as PM Modi The film features Vivek Oberoi as the prime minister through various stages of his life - including his early years with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and his long stint as chief minister of Gujarat - leading up to his party's victory in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Todays events: Opposition to hit the streets and counting for MLC polls to be held PMs photo on vaccine certificate: Why are you ashamed asks Kerala HC PM Modi to address farmers at National Summit on Agro and Food Processing PM Modi conferred with UAEs highest civilian honour India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Apr 04: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday was conferred with United Arab Emirate (UAE)'s highest award, the Zayed Medal for role in strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries. The medal, awarded to kings, presidents and heads of states, was conferred upon Modi for boosting relations between the Emirates and India. Previously, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping have also been conferred with the honour. Naxals will get a big boost if Congress comes to power: Modi Referring to Modi as his "dear friend", Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi said the award is in appreciation of Modi's role in consolidating the long-standing friendship and joint strategic cooperation between the two nations. "We have historical and comprehensive strategic ties with India, reinforced by the pivotal role of my dear friend, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who gave these relations a big boost. In appreciation of his efforts, the UAE President grants him the Zayed Medal," Zayed said on Twitter. .. '' '' .. . (@MohamedBinZayed) April 4, 2019 Prime Minister Narendra Modi has visited the Gulf nation twice in three years. The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi also visited India in 2017. No, L K Advani did not says he regretted handing over country to Modi-Shah PM Modi hails Advani's blog post, says it perfectly sums up true essence of BJP India oi-Vikas SV New Delhi, Apr 4: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday hailed veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Lal Krishna Advani's blog post and said it "perfectly sums up the true essence" of the party. Modi, in a tweet, wrote that greats like L K Advani Ji have strengthened the BJP. L K Advani on Thursday put out a blog post to mark the BJP's foundation day on April 6. In his blog addressing the BJP workers, Advani wrote that the foundation day of the party "is an important occasion for all of us in the BJP to look back, look ahead and look within." "Advani Ji perfectly sums up the true essence of BJP, most notably the guiding Mantra of 'Nation First, Party Next, Self Last.' Proud to be a BJP Karyakarta and proud that greats like L K Advani Ji have strengthened it," PM Modi tweeted. Advani Ji perfectly sums up the true essence of BJP, most notably the guiding Mantra of Nation First, Party Next, Self Last. Proud to be a BJP Karyakarta and proud that greats like LK Advani Ji have strengthened it. https://t.co/xScWuuDuMq Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 4, 2019 The veteran seemed to send a stern message to the current leadership of the saffron party. Advani wrote that BJP has never regarded those who disagree with the party politically as "enemies", but only as adversaries. At a time when the issue of national security has taken a centre stage in Lok Sabha elections campaign, Advani wrote that in BJP's conception of Indian nationalism, the party has never regarded those who disagree with them politically as "anti-national". West Bengal Chief Minister, a staunch critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, tweeted her sincerest regards to veteran leader L K Advani for his blog post ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. "As the senior most politician, former deputy PM and founding father of the BJP, the views Advani Ji has expressed about extending democratic courtesies, is significant. Of course, all of the Opposition who raise their voices are not anti-national. We welcome his statement & convey our humble regards," she said. [Not in BJP's founding principle to regard political opponents as 'anti-national': L K Advani] Sharing his reflections, Advani wrote that serving the Motherland had been his passion and his mission ever since he joined the RSS at the age of 14. He said that the guiding principle of his life has been "Nation First, Party Next, Self last" and that he had tried to adhere to the principle throughout his life. TMC delegation to meet Election Commission in Delhi today; To request for early bypolls in Bengal EC declares bypolls to seven Rajya Sabha seats in six states Bypoll: EC notice to Assam minister for 'give and take' remark Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh's poll violation report sent to Home Ministry India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Apr 04: Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh is likely to face action for "campaigning" for Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of the Lok Sabha elections 2019. The President on Thursday forwarded the report over Kalyan Singh to Home Ministry. The Election Commission had written to the President Ram Nath Kovind against him for the violation of the Model Code of Conduct. Kalyan Singh says 'We want BJP to win, Modi to become PM'; Can Governors make political statements? Kalyan Singh in his response to the recent development told new agency ANI "We are BJP workers and want BJP to emerge victoriously. We want that once again Modi ji should become PM on 23rd May". Addressing BJP workers at his Aligarh residence on March 23, Singh reportedly said, "All of us are BJP workers and we want the party to win. We want Modiji to become the prime minister. It is necessary that Modiji becomes the PM again." The Governor made these remarks to placate some agitated BJP members who gathered outside his house over ticket distribution. In the 1990s, the EC had expressed displeasure to then Himachal Pradesh Governor Gulsher Ahmed for campaigning for his son. He later quit. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, April 4, 2019, 17:32 [IST] VK Singh fumes at his 'traitor' remark being allegedly twisted, uses "Presstitute" again India oi-Vikas SV New Delhi, Apr 4: Union Minister VK Singh took to Twitter to strongly object to his remarks on Yogi Adityanath's 'Modi ji ki sena' statement being allegedly misrepresented. Singh used the word "presstitutes", a derogatory term he used for the media a few years ago, yet again and reminded that he had coined the word for scribes misquoting him. "BBC Hindi did exactly what I meant when I had coined the word presstitute. I have a record of what I had said. It seems that either the reporter was sleeping or he intentionally made a false statement by cutting and pasting my remark," his Twitter post read, asking how much was the journalist paid to do this. Replying to Singh's tweet, BBC has posted the "uncut video" of the interview, said reports. It was earlier reported that Singh said that those saying that the Indian Army is Modi's army "is not only wrong but also a traitor". "If someone says that the Indian Army is Modi's army, then he is not only wrong but also a traitor to the country. India's Army belongs to the country, it does not belong to a political party," Singh, a former Indian Army Chief, was quoted as saying by the BBC. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath stirred a hornet's nest referring to the Indian Army as 'Modi ji ki sena' at an election rally in Ghaziabad on Sunday. Ironically, the chief minister was campaigning for sitting MP and Union minister V K Singh when he made the controversial remark. Former Navy chief Admiral L Ramdas (retired) had on Monday said he will approach the Election Commission against Yogi Adityanath for referring to the Army as "Modi ji ki sena(Modi's army)". Admiral Ramdas said the armed forces do not belong to any individual, and claimed that veterans and those in service were upset with the UP chief minister's comment. The Election Commission on Wednesday issued a notice to Yogi and asked the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister to file a reply by April 5. [Yogi served notice over 'Modi ki sena' remark, EC seeks reply by April 5] "Congress ke log aatankwadiyon ko biryani khilate the 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 said at an election rally in Ghaziabad on Sunday. The Election Commission had on March 19 asked political parties to "desist" from indulging in any propaganda involving actions taken by defence forces during their Lok Sabha poll campaigns. The fresh advisory came days after the poll panel asked parties and their candidates against using pictures of defence force personnel in their campaign material. Could this be one of the reasons why S-400 makes the United States uncomfortable? This day that year: NATO turns 70 India oi-Vikas SV New Delhi, Apr 4: On this day in 1949 (April 4), the North Atlantic Treaty was signed and NATO officially came into existence. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) marks its 70th anniversary today. NATO is an intergovernmental military alliance between 29 North American and European countries. The organization implements the North Atlantic Treaty that was signed on 4 April 1949. NATO is a 70-year-old political and military alliance that joins the US and Canada with allies in Europe. The alliance grew largely out of Cold War fears of Soviet aggression and expansionism. The US, Canada, Belgium, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal and the United Kingdom signed the initial treaty on April 4, 1949. NATO's official website defines its purpose as to guarantee the freedom and security of its members through political and military means. NATO's political objective is to promote democratic values and enables members to consult and cooperate on defence and security-related issues to solve problems, build trust and, in the long run, prevent conflict, as per its website. While its military objective states that NATO is committed to the peaceful resolution of disputes. If diplomatic efforts fail, it has the military power to undertake crisis-management operations. These are carried out under the collective defence clause of NATO's founding treaty - Article 5 of the Washington Treaty or under a United Nations mandate, alone or in cooperation with other countries and international organisations. ['I intend to designate Brazil as a major non-NATO Ally': Donald Trump] Since its foundation, the admission of new member states has increased the alliance from the original 12 countries to 29. The most recent member state to be added to NATO is Montenegro on 5 June 2017. NATO currently recognizes Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, North Macedonia and Ukraine as aspiring members. An additional 21 countries participate in NATO's Partnership for Peace program, with 15 other countries involved in institutionalized dialogue programs. What is AFSPA and why this act became necessary India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Apr 04: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused the Congress of trying to dilute the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA). Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the Congress was trying to remove the shield for the Indian Army, after the Congress said in its manifesto that it would change some of the provisions in the act. AFSPA was introduced to give the armed forces the power to maintain public order in disturbed areas. Under the act, the forces have the power to prohibit a gathering of five or more persons in an area. Further the forces have the power to open fire after giving a due warning, if it felt that a person is not obeying the law. The Army can also arrest a person without a warrant, if reasonable suspicion exists. Congress manifesto gives fillip to BJP 's nationalism plank The powers to carry out a search without warrant and ban possession of firearms are also some of the provisions under the act. AFSPA is imposed in disturbed areas, which is declared by way of a notification under Section 3 of the act. Under this section, the Centre or Governor of a State can declare the entire state or part of it as a disturbed area. The act says that a notification should be made in the Official Gazette and the same can be invoked in areas where the use of armed forces in the aid of civil power is necessary. AFSPA came into force mainly to curb violence in the Northeastern states. The act was passed by both houses of Parliament and approved by the President of India on September 11 1958. The act has been questioned several times by human rights activists. It may be recalled that after ten people who were waiting at a bus stop in Manipur were killed, Irom Sharmila went on a fast from November 200, which went on until August 2016. BSP to fight solo in UP, Uttarakhand, no tie-up with Owaisi's AIMIM, says Mayawati 'Should not be misled': Mayawati reaches out to Brahmins before UP polls Why is Congress high command silent over killing of Dalit man in Rajasthan, asks Mayawati Will you be the next PM? Mayawati drops this hint India oi-Oneindia Staff By Anuj Cariappa New Delhi, Apr 04: Hinting at her prime ministerial ambition, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati said she would use the experience she has gained as UP chief minister to give the "best government" at the Centre "if we get an opportunity". She said she has been Uttar Pradesh chief minister four times. "I have a lot of experience. I will use that experience at the Centre and work for people's welfare," the BSP supremo said at a press conference here. Why did Mayawati remain unmarried? Here's what she wrote "If we get an opportunity at the Centre, we will adopt the UP pattern and give the best government in all aspects. At all levels, a good government," she asserted. Asked if she would like to become the prime minister, Mayawati, however, said things would be clear when results of the general election are declared on May 23. The BSP is contesting Lok Sabha and state assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh in alliance with the Jana Sena, the CPI and the CPI(M). As part of the alliance, the BSP is contesting three Lok Sabha seats out of the 25 in the state and 21 assembly seats of the total 175. Flanked by Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan at the presser, Mayawati said people "want a change" at the national level. "They want a party in power that takes care of their welfare. They want our country safe," she said. She pointed out that her party had garnered the third-largest vote share in the 2014 election, after the BJP and the Congress. Asked if there's a need for a "Third Front", the BSP chief replied it would become clear when the election results come out. "In the 2014 election, BJP promised big things. But it did not fulfil the promises in five years," she said, adding that the ruling party has diverted people's attention from those promises to "other issues". On the Congress, she said people rejected the party that has remained in power for the longest time "because it failed to honour its promises" and the BJP "took advantage of it". "Last time the BJP promised Rs 15-20 lakh for each poor family. Now the Congress is talking on the same lines. It is promising Rs 72,000 per year. "The Congress should remember, when Indira Gandhi was in power she had started the 20-point programme in the name of Garibi Hatao. Kya garibi hati (Was poverty eradicated)?" Mayawati asked. She said the BSP always talked less and believed in delivering more. If BSP gets an opportunity at the Centre, it will work for the poor and the unemployed, irrespective of their caste. "We will give top priority to them. And farmers have multiple problems and we will try to get rid of them," she said. Her government, if elected, would not be biased towards any state. "If Congress is in power at the Centre, it supports some states and does not support others. BJP has its own equations. It will not happen with us," she said. Claiming that the BJP's situation was "very bad", particularly vis-a-vis the BSP-SP-RLD alliance in Uttar Pradesh, the BSP chief said the ruling party was "worried." "Wherever we have alliance, BJP will suffer," she said. Mayawati also promised to grant the special category status to Andhra Pradesh. "AP people are angry that both BJP and Congress did not deliver SCS. If we get a chance at the Centre, we will give SCS," she said. The BSP chief hoped that the JSP-BSP-CPI(M)-CPI alliance would for the government in Andhra Pradesh and Pawan Kalyan would become the CM. "People don't want to fall in the trap of regional parties of either Jagan Mohan Reddy (YSR Congress) or Chandrababu Naidu (Telugu Desam Party). They want a new leadership, young blood who could lead the state well... They should give a chance to Pawan Kalyan..." Why TMC must be wary of the BJP? Infographics oi-Vikas SV New Delhi, Apr 2: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) may have won 34 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal in 2014 General Elections, but what has not gone unnoticed is that the BJP is making inroads in the state. Before the TMC emerged to rule West Bengal, it was the Communist Party, which had ruled the state for 34 long years. Around 2009-2010, when the TMC took over the reins from the Left, the BJP was nowhere in the picture. West Bengal has not been a happy hunting ground for the two big national parties - BJP and Congress. It is dominated by a regional party - the Trinamool Congress led by Mamata Banerjee. Bengal's political landscape is, even today, a two-way fight dominated by Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress and the CPM. But, what the TMC must take note of is that the BJP's vote share has been growing. Factionalism in the once formidable CPI(M)-led Left Front, and the Congress, has helped the BJP to emerge as an aggressive opposition force in Bengal. The part which edged past the Congress and the Left Front in the panchayat elections last year, won 7,000 odd seats in three-tier panchayati raj institutions. In the Lok Sabha polls Trinamool could well retain the bulk of its seats and the BJP could emerge in second place with a reasonable increase in its seats share. BJP forges alliance with RLP on one seat in Rajasthan Jaipur oi-PTI Jaipur, Apr 04: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday announced an alliance with the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) headed by MLA and former BJP leader Hanuman Beniwal on one seat in Rajasthan. Beniwal will contest Lok Sabha polls on Nagaur seat as RLP candidate, BJP's poll incharge and union HRD minister Prakash Javadekar said. He said the RLP will be a part of the NDA. Jat leader Beniwal had floated his own party RLP ahead of the 2018 Assembly elections and the party won three seats, including one by Beniwal. Mayawati charges Rs 15 crore per ticket, claims Maneka Gandhi Beniwal said his party workers in Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and other parts will support the BJP to ensure saffron party candidates win and Narendra Modi again becomes the prime minister. "My roots have been in the BJP and, therefore, I am more comfortable with the BJP. I took the decision as my workers were in support of this alliance," he added. Rajasthan has 25 Lok Sabha seats and the BJP will contest on 24 and the RLP on one seat. The Congress has fielded former MP Jyoti Mirdha in Nagaur. PTI Businessman in Kolkata shot at after his car was stopped by 18 men Gorkhaland demand alive in hills, says GJM leader Bimal Gurung Kolkata oi-PTI Kolkata, Apr 04: Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) leader Bimal Gurung, who is currently in hiding, has asserted that the demand for a separate Gorkhaland state is "still alive" in the Darjeeling Hills and that he continues to be the president of the party. His assertion comes in the face of claims by main political parties in the region - the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) - that the statehood demand is not a political issue in the upcoming Lok Sabha election. The issue this time is development, the spokesmen of the parties had said. Can Congress turncoat dent Sonia Gandhi's tally at Rae Bareli Speaking to PTI from an undisclosed place in Darjeeling, Gurung said on Wednesday, "We see every election as a step towards reaching our goal (of statehood). This election is very important as it will send a resounding message to the rest of the country that the people of Darjeeling, Terai and Dooars areas have not given up their demand for a Gorkhaland state." Gurung, one time close aide of late GNLF chief Subash Ghising, said the coming election is a fight between the West Bengal government's "dictatorship" and the will of the people to stand up against it. "This election is about standing up and saying we are not scared. Winning this election will take us one step closer towards realising our dreams," the GJM leader, who went into hiding after the June 2017 clashes in Darjeeling, said. He rubbished projections that the upcoming election in the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat would be a fight between two factions of the GJM, one led by him which is supporting BJP candidate Raju Bista and the Binay Tamang faction which is supporting TMC candidate Amar Rai. Polling for Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat will be held on April 18. Unlike the Tamang faction, Gurung said though his faction is supporting Bista it has no complaints against the current BJP MP S S Ahluwalia. Darjeeling had witnessed a 104-day-long strike in 2017 for the statehood demand and several people including police personnel were killed, which forced Gurung to flee the Hills. He has been on the run since then. Ahluwalia, he said, had worked honestly and sincerely towards raising the GJM's concerns and issues at the national level. But the people were irked with his "absence" from Darjeeling during the 2017 Gorkhaland agitation and complained about it. "Most people, we spoke to, were not willing to vote for him. So we talked to Ahluwalia and he volunteered to withdraw himself from consideration for the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat," Gurung said. He said, the claims by the West Bengal government of developing the Darjeeling Hill area is "laughable". "We have a saying in Nepali - 'bahira rumaley, bhitra undruk umale'y - those who cannot feed themselves are talking about organising picnic for others," Gurung said to explain his point. Asked to comment on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's repeated claims that the 'Hills were smiling' and peace and development have seen a new dimension in the area, the GJM leader, who once had shared a cordial relationship with the TMC supremo, said the smile was only "mockery and scorn". "Peace in the hills today is akin to the peace of the graveyard. In fact corruption, intimidation, threats, curtailing of democratic and constitutional rights and making a mockery of the judicial system has increased in Darjeeling than in rest of the state. What has developed in Darjeeling is the suppression and oppression of peoples' sentiments," Gurung alleged. It is not only the electorate in Darjeeling, but also of neighbouring Alipurduar, Cooch Behar and Jalpaiguri Lok Sabha constituencies who are against the ruling TMC, he alleged. Exuding confidence that Bista would win from Darjeeling LS seat, Gurung derided the Tamang faction, calling it 'Trinamool Congress Binoy Team' and said it is not GJM. He said Bista with his background in management and experience would be able to generate the national consensus needed for the separate state of Gorkhaland. On joining hands with long-time political rival Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) for the parliamentary elections, Gurung said the alliance "was strongly desired by the people in the region". "We had been receiving requests and suggestions from our cadres and general public that our two parties must join hands and work together. We joined hands as we realised that no one can defeat us if we are united," he said. Exuding confidence that "our candidate will win with a convincing margin," he asserted, "I am still the GJM president." Asked about his plans to campaign from hiding, Gurung said, "I don't need to campaign in person. The people here are emotionally connected with me because I have not sold out. Nor have I given up on our collective aspirations. "Over 70 per cent of the people in the region still support me and what we stand for. This is the West Bengal government's internal report. Our election slogan is simple "Ballot for Bullet". Criticising the state government for its "rampant abuse" of police machinery and other administrative offices, he said the faction headed by him will be asking for votes against "oppression and suppression" of democratic and constitutional rights. The strike in the Darjeeling Hills in 2017 had led to a split in the GJM, with Binay Tamang, his deputy, taking over the reins. Gurung and his loyalists were expelled from the party. Tamang then established himself as the defacto leader of the Hills with the help of the ruling TMC. PTI JKSSB SI Recruitment 2021: Last date to apply for 800 Sub Inspector posts, direct link here CTET December 2021 admit cards to be out shortly: How to download Accidental firing in a Delhi cafe sends people scurrying for cover New Delhi oi-Vikas SV New Delhi, Apr 4: People inside a coffee shop in Central Delhi's Connaught Place were shocked momentarily when a firearm accidentally went off on Thursday. No one was injured in the incident. As the loud bang resonated inside the cafe, many customers gasped and some, who realised it was a bullet being fired, even considered running for cover. What had actually happened was that a 61-year-old businessman was carrying a licensed weapon which accidentally fell and went off, police said. "A call was received regarding an incident of firing inside a coffee house at Connaught Place today. During inquiry it was revealed that a man had come for coffee. He was carrying a licensed weapon which fell down and there was accidental firing. No injuries reported," news agency ANI quoted DCP of New Delhi district as saying. [Girl shoots mother with toy pistol which turns out to be a real one] A case has been registered against a 61-year-old businessman Anil Kumar, under Arms Act and Section 336 of the IPC, the ANI report further said. Connaught Place is one of the largest financial, commercial and business centres in New Delhi. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, April 4, 2019, 20:56 [IST] JKSSB SI Recruitment 2021: Last date to apply for 800 Sub Inspector posts, direct link here CTET December 2021 admit cards to be out shortly: How to download CBSE CTET 2019 admit card date, check here New Delhi oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Apr 04: The CTET 2019 admit card is expected to be released on the 3rd week of June 2019. This year Central Board of Secondary Education will conduct the Central Teachers' Eligibility Test (CTET) on July 07, 2019. The CTET 2019 admit card will be released by NTA on its official website before the date of examination. Candidates will be able to download their admit cards only from the official website of NTA. CTET Answer Key 2018 date and time, website: Check details here As per the official notification, the result of CTET 2019 will be decalred within 06 weeks from the exam date. After the result announcement, the qualified candidates will be awarded the Teacher Eligibility Certificate. The Validity of that certificate will be of 07 years from the date of result declaration. CBSE CTET 2019: Examination schedule All questions in CTET will be Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs), with four alternatives out of which one answer will be most appropriate. Each carrying one mark and there will be no negative marking. There will be two papers of CTET Paper I will be for a person who intends to be a teacher for classes I to V Paper II will be for a person who intends to be a teacher for classes VI to VIII The main question paper shall be Bilingual (Hindi/English) How to download the CTET 2019 admit card Visit the official website ctet.nic.in Click on CTET admit card link Fill in the details including registration number and date of birth/ password Your admit card will be displayed, Download and take a print out. JKSSB SI Recruitment 2021: Last date to apply for 800 Sub Inspector posts, direct link here KCET 2021 round 2 seat allotment result to be declared today: Check timing CTET December 2021 admit cards to be out shortly: How to download IGNOU assignment submission deadline for TEE December 2021 exam extended again NEET UG Counselling for AIQ seats: MCC has an update Audio clip regarding grace marks for accountancy paper fake says CBSE SSC MTS 2019 Recruitment 2019 to be out in April, check details here New Delhi oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Apr 04: The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) will release SSC MTS 2019 Recruitment 2019 for the post of Multi Tasking Staff (MTS) Non-Technical in third week of the April 2019 month on its official website. Earlier, SSC MTS Notification 2019 was expected to be published on November 3, 2018. How and when to check Gujarat SSC result 2019, expected date here Important Dates for SSC MTS 2019: Notification Release Date - 22 April 2019 Last Date of Application - 22 May 2019 SSC MTS Admit Card Download Date - 10 days before the exam SSC MTS Paper I - August 02 to 06, 2019 SSC MTS Paper II - November 17, 2019 Vacancy Details:- 10,000+ posts (Expected) Salary: Pay Band - Rs 5,200- 20,200 + Grade Pay Rs1,800 Eligibility Criteria: Educational Qualification:10th Class Pass Nationality: A candidate should be:- - A citizen of India - Subject of Nepal - Subject of Bhutan - Tibetan Refugee - Person of Indian Origin migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Afganistan, Kenya, Tanzania, Sri Lanka, Uganda, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia and Vietnam. Age: Candidate must be 18 to 25 years of age. Selection Procedure: The selection process consists of Paper 1, Paper 2 and Skill Test. SSC MTS Exam Pattern: SSC MTS Exam Paper I is an objective type online exam while Paper-2 is a descriptive paper in English or any other language to check the candidate's writing skill and speed. Candidates who will qualify in Paper I will be called for Paper II. SSC MTS Exam Paper III is a skill test that needs to be taken as per candidate's convenience. How to Apply for SSC MTS 2019 Recruitment 2019: Visit the official website (https://ssc.nic.in/) Click on the tab "SSC JHT 2019 Notice" and read the pre-instructions carefully Fill the necessary details and complete the registration process Log-in to your account by entering registration number and password Furnish your educational details Upload the scanned copy of photograph and signature Submit the fee by credit/ debit card or e-challan After submitting the fee, a confirmation mail/msg will be sent to the candidates Application Fee: - General and OBC candidates need to pay Rs 100/- - Women /SC/ST/PH/Ex-Servicemen are exempted from paying any fee The SSC MTS 2019 exam fee can also be paid via Online or Offline/SBI Challan Mode. How to Apply for SSC MTS 2019 Eligible candidates can apply in the prescribed format on or before 22 May 2019. Follow thestep by step process for filling up the SSC MTS application form Visit the official SSC website www.ssc.nic.in. Click on the tab "SSC JHT 2019 Notice" and read the pre-instructions carefully. Fill the necessary details and complete the registration process. Now, log-in to your account by entering registration number and password. Provide educational details After providing all the details, now upload the scanned copy of photograph and signature. The last step is fee submission. Submit the fee by credit/ debit card or e-challan. After submitting the fee, a confirmation mail/msg will be sent to the candidates. SSC MTS salary: Pay Band Rs 5200- 20200 + Grade Pay Rs.1800 For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, April 4, 2019, 15:25 [IST] Ouyang Hua, vice president of Shanghai University, delivers a speech during the ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of joint program the Confucius Institute at Bogazici University in Istanbul, Turkey, on April 3, 2019. Bogazici University in Istanbul and Shanghai University of China on Wednesday voiced readiness to cooperate more as they marked the 10th anniversary of joint program the Confucius Institute at Bogazici. (Xinhua/Xu Suhui) ISTANBUL, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Bogazici University in Istanbul and Shanghai University of China on Wednesday voiced readiness to cooperate more as they marked the 10th anniversary of joint program the Confucius Institute at Bogazici. "From now on we want to carry on this long and good friendship between our universities ... we want to take it to the next stage," Mehmed Ozkan, rector of Bogazici University, said at the ceremony. "We want to make it more successful and more comprehensive, covering other topics other than culture and language," he added. Ouyang Hua, vice president of Shanghai University, spoke of the role played by the joint program in teaching Chinese language, facilitating academic cooperation and exchanges between the faculty and students as well as bilateral cultural exchanges. "These efforts have promoted mutual understanding between the Turkish and Chinese people, as well as the friendship between Bogazici University and Shanghai University, between the city of Shanghai and the city of Istanbul," he said. He voiced hope for the next-decade cooperation "to be better in our own ways." The Confucius Institute has been founded now at four universities in Turkey. Cui Wei, the Chinese consul general in Istanbul, mentioned the strategic cooperation between Turkey and China and what has been achieved under the Belt and Road Initiative over the years. "We expect to achieve more in the upcoming ten years between Turkey and China, between Shanghai and Istanbul, and between the two universities," he said. An exhibition featuring Shanghai-style culture in modern China was held on the occasion, plus a recital of passages from works of Orhan Pamuk and Mo Yan, the Turkish and Chinese writers awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, and a singing of Turkish and Chinese songs by Turkish students. 4 1 [ Editor: WPY ] This blog covers software patent news and issues with a particular focus on wireless, mobile devices (smartphones, tablet computers, connected cars) as well as select antitrust matters surrounding those devices. Opalesque Industry Update - Tikehau Capital the alternative asset management and investment group, today announced the appointment of Nithin Johnson as Executive Director of Business Development based in New York. Johnson will support the growth of Tikehau Capital's North American business by developing and strengthening the firm's relationships in the region. Nithin Johnson joins Tikehau Capital from Citigroup, where he had been at the New York headquarters since joining in 2010. From 2013, he served as Head of Americas for International Fund Distribution (IFD), the bank's institutional private markets fund placement business. At IFD, his team was responsible for curating global funds across private equity, private debt, and private real assets for institutional investor clientele in the US, Canada, and Latin America. The role involved interfacing with over 200 managers and 300 allocators and advising a subset of private markets firms on their long-term competitive positioning as well as product and client strategy. "Tikehau Capital has one of the most remarkable stories in the industry over their 15 years of growth and an exceptional team that I am delighted to join," said Johnson. "Its long-term outlook, entrepreneurial and partnership-oriented approach with both LPs and GPs, and the extent of alignment with investors through its strong shareholders' equity and balance sheet supporting the group's investments makes them an exciting story to share and continue in the Americas." Johnson holds an MBA from the University of Oxford. He will continue to serve as a non-executive director at Arcbridge Capital, the investment advisor to the Johnson family office, which principally makes control investments in lower mid-market private and family-run businesses in the U.S. Johnson will report locally to Tim Grell, Head of Tikehau Capital North America, and to Frederic Giovansili, recently appointed Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Tikehau IM. Mr. Giovansili's appointment comes as Tikehau Capital sets two core targets to achieve by 2022: reaching over 35 billion in assets under management, and reporting over 100 million of net operating profit from the asset management activities, over five times the amount recorded in 2018 for this business. Tim Grell, Head of Tikehau Capital North America, commented: "We are delighted to welcome Nithin to Tikehau Capital's growing team in New York. His highly valuable industry experience and market knowledge will be an asset as we continue to introduce Tikehau Capital's differentiated investment expertise to new and potential clients and partners in North America." Mathieu Chabran, co-founder of Tikehau Capital said: "It is an exciting time for Tikehau Capital as the proportion of international clients of our asset management activity more than doubled these past three years and as we continue to grow our presence in the American market. We look forward to providing new investors with the opportunity to invest alongside Tikehau Capital across our global alternatives platform, and to benefit from our alternative thinking." Tikehau Capital opened its eighth office globally in New York in the summer of 2018. As of 31 December 2018, the total contribution to Tikehau Capital's assets under management from investors outside of France was 37 percent. In 2018, for the first time in the firm's history, funds raised from investors outside of France exceeded the contributions from investors based in France. What are the Growth Drivers of Online Food Delivery & Takeaway Market? DELIVERY HERO HOLDING GMBH, FOODPANDA GMBH, JUST EAT HOLDING LTD., TAKEAWAY.COM N.V Online Food Delivery & Takeaway https://www.bigmarketresearch.com/request-sample/2866210/?utm_source=OPR&utm_medium=SBL https://www.bigmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/2866210/?utm_source=OPR&utm_medium=SBL https://www.bigmarketresearch.com/request-for-discount/2866210/?utm_source=OPR&utm_medium=SBL Online Food Delivery & Takeaway Market Anticipated to grow with a healthy growth rate of more than 16.20% over the forecast period 2018-2025. The Online Food Delivery & Takeaway Market is continuously growing across the world over the coming years. The major driving factor of global Online Food Delivery & Takeaway market are access to variety of food at one virtual marketplace & option to pay online and growing demand for hygiene fast foods. Moreover, increasing hectic work schedule, congested metropolitan cities, easy access to internet and increasing smartphone penetration are some other major factor that impelling the market growth in online food delivery & takeaway. The major restraining factor of global online food delivery & takeaway are barrier to entry because of high logistical complexities and tedious development and implementation of systems that accept order online. Online food delivery is the process of food delivery or takeout from a local restaurant or food cooperative through a webpage or app. There are many key benefit of online food delivery & takeaway such as makes the order processing easier, keeping the cost transparent, it reduces the human errors which ca be checked before ordering, you can monitor your expenses incurred in real time, it also establishes low cost marketing and it makes order processing simply using their mobile from their homes or workplace very easily.Request a sample of this report at:The regional analysis of Global Online Food Delivery & Takeaway 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/significant region across the world in terms of market share owing to presence of large numbers of online food service companies and high consumer interest towards fast food. Europe also contributes a satisfactory growth in the global Online Food Delivery & Takeaway market. Asia-Pacific is also anticipated to exhibit higher growth rate / CAGR over the forecast period 2018-2025 due to rising application of E-commerce, growing convenience meal consumption and increasing disposable income.The major market player included in this report are: DELIVERY HERO HOLDING GMBH, FOODPANDA GMBH, JUST EAT HOLDING LTD., TAKEAWAY.COM N.V., GRUBHUB INC., DOMINOS PIZZA INC., SNAPFINGER INC., PIZZA HUT INC., FOODLER INC., MABO SYSTEM INC.Enquire about this report @The objective of the study is to define market sizes of different segments & countries in recent years and to forecast the values to the coming eight years. The report is designed to incorporate both qualitative and quantitative aspects of the industry within each of the regions and countries involved in the study. Furthermore, the report also caters the detailed information about the crucial aspects such as driving factors & challenges which will define the future growth of the market. Additionally, the report shall also incorporate available opportunities in micro markets for stakeholders to invest along with the detailed analysis of competitive landscape and product offerings of key players. The detailed segments and sub-segment of the market are explained below:By Order Type:DeliveryTakeoutRequest a discount of this report at:Table of ContentsChapter 1.Executive SummaryChapter 2.Online Food Delivery & Takeaway Market Definition and ScopeChapter 3.Online Food Delivery & Takeaway Market DynamicsChapter 4.Online Food Delivery & Takeaway Market Industry AnalysisChapter 5.Online Food Delivery & Takeaway Market, by ApplicationChapter 6.Online Food Delivery & Takeaway Market, by Deployment ModeChapter 7.Online Food Delivery & Takeaway Market, by Regional AnalysisChapter 8.Competitive IntelligenceChapter 9.Research ProcessAbout Us:Big Market Research has a range of research reports from various publishers across the world. Our database of reports of various market categories and sub-categories would help to find the exact report you may be looking for.We are instrumental in providing quantitative and qualitative insights on your area of interest by bringing reports from various publishers at one place to save your time and money. A lot of organizations across the world are gaining profits and great benefits from information gained through reports sourced by us.Contact us:5933 NE Win Sivers Drive, #205, Portland,OR 97220 United StatesDirect: +1-971-202-1575Toll Free: +1-800-910-6452E-mail help@bigmarketresearch.com +15% CAGR Achieved by Enterprise Asset Management Market |Prominent Players: IBM Corporation, SAP AG, IFS, ABB Ltd, Invensys Ltd, Fujitsu Ltd https://www.reportconsultant.com/request_sample.php?id=5412 https://www.reportconsultant.com/ask_for_discount.php?id=5412 www.reportconsultant.com The Enterprise Asset Management Market size is expected to grow from USD +6 Billion in 2018 to USD +9 Billion by 2025, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of +15% during the forecast period.The optimal life cycle management solution that manages the assets of an organization is called Enterprise Asset Management. The change to a corporate asset management system helps companies decrease their maintenance costs. In addition, the emergence of Enterprise Asset Management has decreased labor costs, production costs, increased maintenance productivity and decreased equipment breakdowns. Enterprise Asset Management Market allows business owners or businesses with uptime, inventory maintenance and strategic planning.The report provides in-depth insights on Enterprise Asset Management Market. It also provides detailed information about the major factors, such drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges influencing the growth of the market, along with an analysis of micro markets with respect to individual growth trends, growth prospects, and their contribution to the market.Get sample copy of the Report:This report offers deep-dive description on current market trends and technological aggrandizement that impact growth in the Market, and the Market is thriving by Major Vendors are: IBM Corporation SAP AG IFS ABB Ltd Invensys Ltd Fujitsu Ltd CGI Group MicroMain eMaint AssetWorksMarket Segmentation by Regions: United States, EU, Japan, China, India, Southeast AsiaMarket Segmentation by Types: Cloud Based EAM, On-Premises EAMMarket Segmentation by Organizations: Small Enterprise, Large EnterpriseMarket Segmentation by Services: Managed Service, Training and Support Service, Implementation ServiceMarket Segmentation by Applications: Assets MRO, Non Linear Assets, Linear Assets, Field Service ManagementGet up to 40% Discount on this Premium Report:Table of content:Chapter1: Global Enterprise Asset Management Market OverviewChapter2: Market Data AnalysisChapter3: Market Development TrendChapter4: Market Competition by key playersChapter5: Industrial Chain, Sourcing and Downstream buyers.Chapter6: Production, Supply, Sales Demand, Market Status and ForecastChapter7: Market Analysis by Application.Chapter8: Market Size by Type and ApplicationChapter9: Marketing Strategy Enterprise Asset Management Market AnalysisChapter10: Market Development Trend AnalysisChapter11: New Project Investment, Feasibility, AnalysisAbout Us:Report consultant-A global leader in analytics, research and advisory that can helps you to renovate your business and modify your approach with us you will learn to take decision audaciously. We make sense of pitfalls, opportunities, circumstances, estimations and information using our experience skills and verified methodologies.Our research report will give you an exceptional experience of innovative solutions and outcomes. We have effectively steered businesses all over the world with our market research report and are outstandingly position to lead digital transformations. Thus we craft greater value for clients by presenting advance opportunity in the global market.Contact us:Rebecca Parker(Report Consultant)Akasaka Biz Tower,5-3-1, Akasaka Minato-ku,Tokyo, JapanContact no.-+81-368444299sales@reportconsultant.com What's driving the Airport Security Market Size? |Bosch Security Systems, Thales Group, American Science and Engineering, Inc, Westminster Group PLC, Scanna MSC Ltd., Axis Communications https://www.marketstudyreport.com/request-a-sample/467663?utm_source=Openpr.com&utm_medium=SP https://www.marketstudyreport.com/check-for-discount/467663?utm_source=Openpr.com&utm_medium=SP https://www.marketstudyreport.com/securecheckout/paymenta/467663?msfpaycode=sumsf?utm_source=Openpr.com&utm_medium=SP https://www.marketstudyreport.com/reports/global-digital-broadcast-and-cinematography-cameras-market-by-manufacturers-countries-type-and-application-forecast-to-2022/?utm_source=RR-SP https://www.marketstudyreport.com https://www.marketstudyreport.com/blog/ The Airport Security market dynamics, forces, companies and trends have been determined after conducting a detailed study of the industry for this newly released research report now available with Market Study Report LLC.The North America airport security market is anticipated to dominate in terms of revenue in the following years. This is mainly attributed to the high emphasis of the U.S government on security measures such as surveillance cameras and cyber security solutions. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has launched the testing of 3D checkpoint scanning technology at the Phoenix Sky Harbor and the Logan International Airport. The computed tomography screening equipment improves the threat detection capabilities by providing a more through 3D image of the screened cargo.Request a sample of this premium report atHigh penetration of these solutions is due to the demand for advanced security systems such as biometrics in identity and access monitoring, contactless entryway checkpoints, x-ray scanners, and thermal cameras. Conventional security measures employ invasive procedures and protocols such as physical checks and body pat-downs which are highly uncomfortable. To boost passenger convenience, airport security market vendors are investing in R&D activities for the development of technologies such as x-ray scanners. In high-risk settings, preventive measures are required over reactive technologies. In such cases, it is essential to track and forecast security threats in contrast to taking measures to fix the issues after their occurrence. Airport Security Market size is set to exceed USD 16 billion by 2024; according to a new research report.The rising penetration of smart technologies and IoT in airports is fueling the demand for airport security market. These include technologies such as remote check-ins, sensor equipment, e-gates, RFID baggage reconciliation systems, etc. A major portion of the data is collected in real-time and stored in large central databases. The presence of security issues in such cases can leave the data vulnerable to attacks from internal and external parties. Wireless tracking technologies, for instance, can allow a hacker to utilize triangular algorithms or Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI) Information to track the location of the Wi-Fi end-point user and unearth historical data such as the route taken by the users, purchasing data, etc.A major factor contributing to the high growth of the airport security market is the increase in the traveler populations, primarily in the Middle East and Asia Pacific. Large scale globalization and rapid industrialization is driving the movement of goods and people across country borders. Owing to this, airports in urban locations are increasingly experiencing high passenger traffic causing governments of varying economies to undertake massive projects for the upgrade of existing technologies and the development of new airports. In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, the U.S government has increased the stringency of security procedures in and around the aircraft and passenger areas.Request a discount on standard prices of this premium report atThe airport surveillance system market is anticipated to exhibit substantial growth during the forecast time-period. These systems are required to be functional at all times and sense multiple movements occurring at varying ranges. Additionally, these systems are supposed to function effectively in intense environmental conditions such as fog and storms and capture images in reduced visibility settings. The advent of 4K cameras and video units has revolutionized the airport security market owing to their sharper and improved image quality and provide coverage for a wider area.Some of the players operating in the global airport security market include Thales Group, American Science and Engineering, Inc, Westminster Group PLC, Axis Communications, Scanna MSC Ltd., Bosch Security Systems, RedXDefense LLC, Fisher Research Laboratory, Hitachi Ltd, OSI Systems, Inc., and MilliVision Technologies. Companies are increasingly entering into long term partnerships with airports for the testing and deployment of their technologies. For instance, Izmir International Airport has entered into an agreement with Tyco Security Products for the provision of unified security solutions such as access control, location monitoring, and intrusion tracking.Major Points in Table of Contents:Chapter 1. Methodology and Scope1.1. Methodology1.1.1. Initial data exploration1.1.2. Statistical model and forecast1.1.3. Industry insights and validation1.1.4. Definition and forecast parameters1.2. Data Sources1.2.1. Primary1.2.2. SecondaryChapter 2. Executive Summary2.1. Airport Security industry 3600 synopses, 2013 - 20242.1.1. Business trends2.1.2. Regional trends2.1.3. Technology trendsChapter 3. Airport Security Industry Insights3.1. Industry segmentation3.2. Industry landscape, 2013 - 20243.3. Industry ecosystem analysis3.3.1. Vendor matrix3.4. Technology & innovation landscape3.4.1. Screening lanes3.4.2. CT scanners3.4.3. Automated document authentication3.5. Regulatory landscape3.5.1. Liquids Rule3.5.2. Regulation (EU) 2015/19983.6. Industry impact forces3.6.1. Growth drivers3.6.1.1. High risks associated with the terrorist attacks in the U.S3.6.1.2. Advent of new regulations associated with the security needs in Europe3.6.1.3. Airport construction and upgrade activities in Asia PacificPrice of Report: $ 4500 (Single User License) Purchase Complete Report at:Related Reports: -Global Digital Broadcast and Cinematography Cameras Market by Manufacturers, Countries, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022Digital broadcast and cinematography cameras refer to the professional cameras that have special lenses of different focal lengths and high-density sensors to capture high-quality motion pictures. These cameras are operated by trained professionals such as broadcasters and cinematographers.About Us:Marketstudyreport.com allows you to manage and control all corporate research purchases to consolidate billing and vendor management. You can eliminate duplicate purchases and customize your content and license management.Contact Us:Market Study Report LLC4 North Main Street,Selbyville, Delaware 19975USAPhone: 1-302-273-0910US Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150Email:sales@marketstudyreport.comWebsite:Blog: Health IT Security Market | Symantec, Hewlett Packard, AT&T, EMC Corporation, IBM Corporation, Wipro, and Verizon https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=1481 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=1481 Health IT security is needed by organizations to combat cybercrime and ransomware that hospitals and healthcare organizations are susceptible to. The complex infrastructure and the range of devices used by healthcare organizations provide a host of entry and pivot points that cybercriminals can exploit. This requires hospitals and healthcare organizations to be equipped to sustain the evolving threat landscape and comprehend the most common areas of cyber security risk.Amongst all attacks that hospitals and healthcare organizations are susceptible to, ransomware has surfaced as the most feared hacking technique. The technique has the potential to allow hackers to seal access to data until a sum of money is paid to them. As per findings of a recent research, hospitals are the target of 88% of cases of ransomware. The other areas that pose risk of data breach for hospitals and healthcare organizations are inadequately secured IoT devices and human error element. This, along with HIPPAA and other regulatory requirements necessitate health information to be protected. Healthcare organizations have plentiful serious security considerations that must be timely addressed in order to ensure patient safety and privacy.Get Brochure of the Report @Healthcare organizations are implementing a number of processes to maximize the security effort and attain compliance. These are establishing a security plan, prioritize offline storage, secure biomedical devices, educate users, and train patients. This is because information security and patient privacy are key components of a well-operating healthcare environment. Moreover, the privacy and security realms of healthcare information and management systems society (HIMSS) provide resources so as to assist healthcare organizations with their privacy and security goals.Global Health IT Security Market: OverviewIncreasing incidences of highly specialized and extensive data security breaches in the healthcare industry has brought to the fore the pressing need to employ effective security measures across healthcare IT systems. Data breaches continue to cost the healthcare industry hefty sums on an annual basis, with countries having technologically advanced healthcare infrastructures such as the U.S. and several European countries suffering the most. As a result, the tremendous monetary pressure as well as negative publicity that weak cybersecurity can bring to an organization is garnering increased focus and the healthcare industry is ramping up its spending on IT security.This report on the global health IT security market presents a detailed overview of the growth dynamics of the market in present times and includes vast projections regarding the growth prospects of the market over period between 2016 and 2024. The report includes comprehensive qualitative as well as quantitative data pertaining to key market segments and their valuation, expected rate of growth over the mentioned period, and overall attractiveness across regional markets.Global Health IT Security Market: Trends and OpportunitiesThe healthcare industry is coming to terms with the fact that data breaches have been consistently rising in terms of impact, frequency, volume, and cost over the past few years. Also, the fact that data breaches in present times are highly professional in the way they are planned and executed makes it necessary for healthcare organizations to be equally proactive and prepared in the way security of the organization is planned and executed. The need to assess the present state of security readiness and implement a much more effective security model is the key factor driving the global health IT security market.The market is also driven by the increasing penetration of mobile devices in internal networks of a healthcare IT infrastructure, stringent regulations, and rising spending by government bodies on IT security. Evolution of highly effective futuristic IT security solutions for the healthcare industry and the increasing adoption of cloud computing models for accessing IT security solutions at economical and pay-as-use pricing models are also fueling the adoption of health IT security solutions globally.Global Health IT Security Market: SegmentationThe key product varieties offered by the health IT security market include risk and compliance management solutions, disaster recovery, firewalls and unified threat management solutions, antimalware and antivirus, intrusion detection/intrusion prevention systems, and identity and access management solutions. On the basis of services, the health IT security market can be segmented into upgradation, maintenance, implementation, managed services, consulting, and on-going support.The key applications of health IT security solutions are found across areas such as endpoint security, content security and network security. Based on the mode of delivery of health IT security solutions, the market is segmented into on-premise, cloud, and hybrid. The key end users of health IT security solutions are healthcare payers (insurance firms) and healthcare providers.Global Health IT Security Market: Regional and Competitive OutlookFrom a geographical perspective, developed regions such as Europe and North America are the leading contributors to the revenue of the global health IT security market. The digitally and technologically advanced healthcare infrastructures in these regions have been the prime targets of the recent times most costly and sophisticated cyber-attacks. In response to this, these regions are significantly increasing spending on cybersecurity. These regions are expected to remain the leading contributors to the global market in the next few years as well.In the highly competitive and fragmented vendor landscape of the global health IT security market, no major vendor accounts for a dominant share. Some of the leading companies operating in the market are Intel Corporation, SailPoint Technologies, Symantec, Hewlett Packard, AT&T, EMC Corporation, IBM Corporation, Wipro, and Verizon.Get TOC for Detailed Facts and Numbers @Highlights of the report:A detailed analysis of key segments of the marketRecent developments in the markets competitive landscapeDetailed analysis of market segments up to second or third level of segmentationHistorical, current, and projected future valuation of the market in terms of revenue and/or volumeKey business strategies adopted by influential market vendorsOutline of the regulatory framework surrounding and governing numerous aspects of the marketGrowth opportunities in emerging and established marketsRecommendations to market players to stay ahead of the competitionAbout Us:TMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Contact Us:Rohit BhiseyHead Internet MarketingTel: +1-415-520-1050 Global Physiotherapy Devices Market Size, Shares, Growth, Segments, Industry Analysis & Outlook 2018-2024 Physiotherapy Devices Market https://www.infiniumglobalresearch.com/reports/sample-request/3293 https://www.infiniumglobalresearch.com/reports/request-discount/3293 https://www.infiniumglobalresearch.com/healthcare-medical-devices/global-physiotherapy-devices-market www.infiniumglobalresearch.com Our latest research report entitled Physiotherapy Devices Market (by-product (ultrasound, continuous passive motion, hydrotherapy, laser therapy, electrotherapy, cryotherapy, assistive devices), application (cardiovascular, neurology), end-user (rehabilitation center, physiotherapy clinic, hospitals)) provides complete and deep insights into the market dynamics and growth of Physiotherapy Devices. Latest information on market risks, industry chain structure Physiotherapy Devices cost structure and opportunities are offered in this report. The past, present and forecast market information will lead to investment feasibility by studying the essential Physiotherapy Devices growth factors.Ask for Sample Copy of Research Report with Table of Content @The forecast physiotherapy devices market information is based on the present market situation, growth opportunities, development factors, and opinion of the industry experts. An in-depth analysis of the company profiles, Physiotherapy Devices on a global and regional level and applications is conducted. The analysis of downstream buyers, sales channel, raw materials, and industry verticals is offered in this report. The global physiotherapy devices market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.40% over the forecast period of 2018-2024.Physiotherapy Devices Market: Industry InsightsPhysiotherapy is the treatment to maintain and maximize physical growth, motion, and function for those who are underlying physical problems. It is the process that focuses on the science of movement which helps to build up or restore the physical abilities. Devices which are used to improve physical abilities and regain them with some specially designed exercises to get out of pain from injuries are the physiotherapy devices.Physiotherapy Devices Market: Drivers and RestraintsRising health consciousness among the people due to the daily lifestyle which led to obesity and other chronic disorders is the driving factor for the growth of physiotherapy devices market. An innovation of new technologies and equipment in the healthcare industry tend to the growth of the market. An increasing number of the patient suffering from masculine pain due to uneven body health habits and daily lifestyle which drive the growth of physiotherapy devices market. Lack of skilled person or expertise may restrain the growth of physiotherapy market.Request a Discount on Standard Prices of this Premium Report @Physiotherapy Devices Market: SegmentationGlobal Physiotherapy Devices market is segmented on the basis of product, application, and end-user. Product types are further segmented into Ultrasound, Continuous Passive Motion (CPM), Hydrotherapy, Laser Therapy, Electrotherapy, Cryotherapy, Heat Therapy, Assistive Devices and Others in which ultrasound holds the highest market share in the global Physiotherapy Devices market because it reduces swelling on muscles and used for healing as having the ability to speed up process which is the driving factor for the physiotherapy devices market. Application type is bifurcated into Cardiovascular, Neurology, Musculoskeletal, and Others. Musculoskeletal segment holds the highest market share due to increasing geriatric population and rising patient for the back pain due to a day-to-day lifestyle which led to driving physiotherapy devices market. The cardiovascular segment is expected to grow with the highest CAGR as an increase in the patient for chronic diseases such as cancers, strokes and heart attacks due to surging obesity problems. End-user is segmented into Rehabilitation Center, Physiotherapy Clinic, Hospitals, and Others. Hospitals are the largest segment because of expertise physician and proper equipment to process physiotherapy in the physiotherapy devices market.Physiotherapy Devices Market: Regional InsightsGlobal Physiotherapy Devices market is segmented regionally into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of World (RoW). North America is dominant in the Global Physiotherapy Devices Market because of technological advancement in the healthcare industry, road accident due to excessive speeding and an increasing number of geriatric populations. In North America, the U.S. dominates the market followed by Canada and Mexico. Asia-Pacific is expected to grow with the highest CAGR during 2018-2025, as the government taking initiative in healthcare among the society as increasing patient for the cardiovascular and neurological diseases and growing investment in the healthcare industry which are major factors for growing the Asia-Pacific region in the coming years.Browse Detailed TOC, Description, and Companies Mentioned in Report @Physiotherapy Devices Market: Competitive AnalysisThe Global Physiotherapy Devices Market comprise with the major players, DJO Global, Physical Therapy Products, RICHMAR, Zynex Medical, Dynatronics Corporation, Life Care Systems, Performance Health, BTL, EMS Physio Ltd. and Isokinetic Inc. Product innovation and acquisitions & mergers are the key parameters to remain competitive and to gain greater market share.Reasons to Buy this Report: Comprehensive analysis of global as well as regional markets of the Physiotherapy Devices. 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.Infinium Global Research and Consulting Solutions is started with a single motto of being a business partner of the first choice. We at Infinium work on the strengths of our clients to ensure we help them consolidate their market position. We firmly believe in the fact that if you are able to develop newer opportunities then you find there is no dearth of opportunities for you. With our strategic research approaches and deep dive in the market segments, we try to find out new opportunities that our clients can encash with their existing resources. Our experts with over 100 years of cumulative experience in research offer the best in the industry services to our clients to ensure that they achieve their business goals.Infinium Global ResearchOffice No. 04, 06, Ganadhish Empire,Rahatani Corner, Pune, MH 411027Email: info@infiniumglobalresearch.comWebsite: Huge Demand in Defense Telemetry Market 2019 Witness to Remarkable Growth and Opportunities | Curtiss-Wright Corporation, Dassault Aviation, Finmeccanica, Honeywell International Inc. Defense Telemetry Market https://www.orianresearch.com/request-sample/875139 https://www.orianresearch.com/enquiry-before-buying/875139 https://www.orianresearch.com/checkout/875139 www.orianresearch.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/company-beta/13281002/ In this report, the Global Defense Telemetry Market is valued at USD XX million in 2017 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2025, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2018 and 2025. Increasing demand for allocation of telemetry spectrum and rise in asymmetric warfare technologies are main driving factor for the market growth. Increasing budget allocation for military and defense in developing economies turns as main growth opportunity for the market. However, network centric military communications remains challenge.For Sample Copy of this Report @Geographically, this report split global into several key Regions, with sales, revenue (Million USD), market share and growth rate of Defense Telemetry for these regions, from 2014 to 2025 (forecast), covering North America (United States, Canada) Europe (Germany, UK, France, Rest of Europe) Asia Pacific (China, India, Japan, Rest of Asia Pacific) Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, Rest of Latin America) Middle East & Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, South Africa, Rest of Middle East & Africa)Global Defense Telemetry market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Defense Telemetry revenue (Million USD), and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players including BAE Systems Cobham Curtiss-Wright Corporation Dassault Aviation Finmeccanica Honeywell International Inc. L3 Communications Holdings Inc. Kongsberg Gruppen Orbit Technologies Agrium International LimitedInquire more or share questions if any before the purchase on this report @Based on product, this report displays the revenue (Million USD), market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split into Radio SatelliteOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, market share and growth rate of Defense Telemetry for each application, including Aerospace DefenseGet Direct Copy of this Report @Research MethodologyThe market is derived through extensive use of secondary, primary, in-house research followed by expert validation and third party perspective like analyst report of investment banks. The secondary research forms the base of our study where we conducted extensive data mining, referring to verified data sources such as white papers government and regulatory published materials, technical journals, trade magazines, and paid data sources.For forecasting, regional demand & supply factor, investment, market dynamics including technical Growth Scenario, consumer behavior, and end use industry trends and dynamics , capacity Application, spending were taken into consideration.We have assigned weights to these parameters and quantified their market impacts using the weighted average analysis to derive the expected market growth rate.The market estimates and forecasts have been verified through exhaustive primary research with the Key Industry Participants (KIPs) which typically include: Original Equipment Manufacturer, Growth Scenario Supplier, Distributors, Government Body & Associations, and Research InstituteAbout UsOrian Research is one of the most comprehensive collections of market intelligence reports on the World Wide Web. Our reports repository boasts of over 500000+ industry and country research reports from over 100 top publishers. We continuously update our repository so as to provide our clients easy access to the world's most complete and current database of expert insights on global industries, companies, and products. We also specialize in custom research in situations where our syndicate research offerings do not meet the specific requirements of our esteemed clients.Contact Us:Ruwin MendezVice President Global Sales & Partner RelationsOrian Research ConsultantsUS: +1 (415) 830-3727 | UK: +44 020 8144-71-27Email: info@orianresearch.comWebsite:Follow Us on LinkedIn: Dry Mouth Relief Market Investigation Reveals Enhanced Growth during Forecast Period, 2019-2025 (GlaxoSmithKline, Colgate-Palmolive, Chattem, Johnson & Johnson etc.) https://inforgrowth.com/sample-request/1632575/dry-mouth-relief-market https://inforgrowth.com/purchase/1632576/dry-mouth-relief-market-SingleUser https://inforgrowth.com/discount/1632575/dry-mouth-relief-market https://inforgrowth.com/enquiry/1632575/dry-mouth-relief-market The study objectives are to provide the Dry Mouth Relief market trends, future opportunities, SWOT analysis, development, key drivers, top players and their analysis etc. Major regions covered in this report are as United States, Europe, Central & South America, China, Japan, Southeast Asia and India.GET SAMPLE OF THIS REPORT SPREAD ACROSS 124 PAGES AND 17 COMPANIES ATDry mouth, or xerostomia (zeer-o-STOE-me-uh), refers to a condition in which the salivary glands in your mouth don't make enough saliva to keep your mouth wet. Dry mouth is often due to the side effect of certain medications or aging issues or as a result of radiation therapy for cancer. Less often, dry mouth may be caused by a condition that directly affects the salivary glands.North America region is the largest supplier of dry mouth relief, with a revenue market share nearly 38% in 2016. Europe is the second largest supplier of dry mouth relief, enjoying revenue market share nearly 32% in 2016.North America is the largest consumption place, with a consumption market share nearly 37% in 2016. Following North America, Europe is the second largest consumption place with the consumption market share of 25%.Market competition is intense. GlaxoSmithKline, Colgate-Palmolive, Chattem, Johnson & Johnson, Procter & Gamble, etc. are the leaders of the industry, and they hold key technologies and patents, with high-end customers; have been formed in the monopoly position in the industry.PURCHASE THIS PREMIUM REPORT ONLINE ATThe Global Dry Mouth Relief Market focuses on global major leading industry players providing information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and its Competitors. Upstream raw materials and equipment and downstream demand analysis is also carried out.Key Players covered in this report are GlaxoSmithKline, Colgate-Palmolive, Chattem, Johnson & Johnson, Procter & Gamble, Wrigley, Lotte, BioXtra, Nature's Sunshine, Sunstar, Dr. Fresh, 3M, Hager Pharma, Xlear, Prestige, Oral Biotech, TheraBreath.Dry Mouth Relief Market is analyzed by types like Mouthwash, Spray, Lozenges, Gel, Others.Dry Mouth Relief Market is also analyzed by Application like E-commerce, Supermarket, Others.A DISCOUNT CAN BE ASKED UP TO 50% BEFORE ORDER A COPY OF DRY MOUTH RELIEF MARKET REPORT ATThe study objectives of this report are:To study and analyze the global Dry Mouth Relief market size (value & volume) by company, key regions, products and end user, breakdown data from 2014 to 2018, and forecast to 2025.To understand the structure of Dry Mouth Relief market by identifying its various subsegments.To share detailed information about the key factors influencing the growth of the market (growth potential, opportunities, drivers, industry-specific challenges and risks).Focuses on the key global Dry Mouth Relief companies, to define, describe and analyze the sales volume, value, market share, market competition landscape and recent development.To project the value and sales volume of Dry Mouth Relief submarkets, with respect to key regions.Table of Contents:1 Study Coverage2 Executive Summary3 Breakdown Data by Manufacturers4 Breakdown Data by Product5 Breakdown Data by End User6 North America7 Europe8 Asia Pacific9 Central & South America10 Middle East and Africa11 Company Profiles12 Future Forecast13 Market Opportunities, Challenges, Risks and Influences Factors Analysis14 Value Chain and Sales Channels Analysis15 Research Findings and Conclusionand moreFOR YOUR QUERIES, VISITAbout InForGrowth:We are a market-intelligence company formed with the objective of providing clients access to the most relevant and accurate research content for their growth needs. At InForGrowth, we understand Research requirements and help a client in taking informed business critical decisions. Given the complexities and interdependencies of market-intelligence, there is always more than one source to explore and arrive at the right answer. Through our smart search feature and our reliable & trusted publishing partners, we are paving way for a more simplified and relevant research.For all your Research needs, reach out to us at:Address: 6400 Village Pkwy suite # 104, Dublin, CA 94568, USAContact Person: RohanEmail: sales@inforgrowth.comUS: +1-909-329-2808UK: +44 (203) 743 1890 Deep Learning Market to register extensive growth via Various Sectors over 2018 2024 | Major Venders are Baidu, Inc., Enlitic, Google, HP, IBM, NVIDIA, Intel Corporation, General Vision, Clairifai, Microsoft Deep Learning Market https://www.gminsights.com/request-toc/upcoming/2592 https://www.gminsights.com/roc/2592 https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/deep-learning-market www.gminsights.com www.industry-source.org Global Market Insights, Inc. provides a detailed overview of deep learning market with respect to the pivotal drivers influencing the revenue graph of this business sphere. The current trends of market in conjunction with the geographical landscape, demand spectrum, remuneration scale, and growth graph of this vertical have also been included in this report.Deep Learning Market will gain momentum over the next six years with the increasing adoption of the technology across several industries including IT & telecom, retail, and hospitality to improve customer-centric services. The database of the customers is available to various platforms, which are used by the companies to extract valuable information about the customer. This information is used by the companies to study the purchasing habits, power, and pattern of the customers so that the company can offer personalized services to the customers such as special gifts for loyal customers, discounts for elite customers, and others.Request for an in-depth table of contents for this report @The U.S. deep learning market will grow significantly due to the adoption of the technology in the defense sector. The country ranks the highest in the defense expenditure across the world, making it a prominent player in the deep learning industry with analytics being widely used in the defense to optimize the resources. The growing adoption of big data analytics, high economic growth, and penetration of smart devices will help the growth of the U.S. deep learning industry.Top Key Players in Deep Learning Market:1. Micro Devices2. Baidu, Inc.3. Arm Ltd.4. Enlitic5. Google6. HP7. IBM8. NVIDIA9. Intel Corporation10. General Vision11. Clairifai12. Microsoft Corporation13. NVIDIA Corporation14. Qualcomm15. SensoryOne of the factors restraining the deep learning market growth is the access to the personal data of companies. Companies collect a large amount of personal data from systems and use that data for analysis purposes and the data can be misused by the companies. Customers blindly trust companies while providing the data, making it a large concern for the deep learning industry. Furthermore, these data repositories are highly vulnerable to hacking and data breaches, hampering the deep learning industry growth.Request for customization of this report @The deep learning market caters to requirements from several applications of engineering and science such as image classifications, learning methods in language processing, and voice recognition. The valuable information extracted from the big data by using the technology is used in various industry verticals such as national intelligence, fraud detection, cybersecurity, and medical informatics, amongst others. Additionally, the technology is used in big data analytics for decision making and prediction purposes. Siri by Apple is a prime example of usage of the technology in the voice recognition system.Deep Learning Market size is anticipated to grow due to the increasing adoption of the cloud-based technology. Customers are using cloud computing for the technology, which permits large datasets to be easily managed and ingested to train algorithms. Adoption of the cloud allows the companies to enable efficient scaling of the technology at low costs and processing power. This technology on the cloud allows customers to design and develop learning applications faster. Several advantages of cloud services, such as speed, scalability, and flexibility, will drive the deep learning industry.Players in the deep learning market include Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., Baidu, Inc., Arm Ltd., Enlitic, Google, Inc., Hewlett-Packard, IBM Corporation, NVIDIA Corporation, Intel Corporation, General Vision, Inc., Clairifai, Inc., Microsoft Corporation, NVIDIA Corporation, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., Sensory, Inc., and Skymind. In January 2017, Microsoft announced the acquisition of Maluuba, an AI startup. It helped Microsoft to democratize AI and to make it accessible to everyone. Microsoft being a big brand in the technology field makes it easy for the customers to adopt the technologies provided by it.Browse Full Reports:About Global Market InsightsGlobal Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.Contact UsArun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone: 1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.comWeb:Blog: Leukocytapheresis Device Market Expected to Secure Notable Revenue Share during 2018-2028(Based on product type, leukocytopheresis devices market is segmented into: Adacolumn Cellsorba) https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=1113 https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=T&rep_id=1113 https://www.factmr.com/report/1113/leukocytapheresis-device-market https://www.factmr.com/ https://factmrblog.com/ http://theguardiantribune.com Leukocytapheresis device is used in a nonsurgical treatment to reduce the quantity of white blood cells in the bloodstream. It may be indicated in patients with leukostasis which is resulted from microvascular obstruction by the white blood cells and may lead to hemorrhage in various tissues and organs. Leukocytapheresis device is increasingly adopted in the treatment for leukostasis to quickly reduce the white blood cell count. Additionally, the leukocytapheresis device is used to reverse the symptoms of severe inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohns disease caused by the release of inflammatory leukocytes. These key factors have led to the development of leukocytapheresis device market.Adacolumn and Cellsorba are two product types identified in the leukocytapheresis device market. Greater clinical efficacy of these products compared to conventional therapies is likely to increase the demand for leukocytapheresis devices. Growing number of patient pool suffering from Crohns disease is along with high adoption rate of advanced treatments, especially in the developed nations will possibly fuel growth of the leukocytapheresis device market. Various initiatives taken by the government and private companies for the development of advanced medical devices and for the delivery of effective treatment have been envisaged to shape the future of leukocytapheresis device market.Leukocytapheresis device is used in a nonsurgical treatment to reduce the quantity of white blood cells in the bloodstream. It may be indicated in patients with leukostasis which is resulted from microvascular obstruction by the white blood cells and may lead to hemorrhage in various tissues and organs. Leukocytapheresis device is increasingly adopted in the treatment for leukostasis to quickly reduce the white blood cell count. Additionally, the leukocytapheresis device is used to reverse the symptoms of severe inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohns disease caused by the release of inflammatory leukocytes. These key factors have led to the development of leukocytapheresis device market.Request Free Sample Report@Adacolumn and Cellsorba are two product types identified in the leukocytapheresis device market. Greater clinical efficacy of these products compared to conventional therapies is likely to increase the demand for leukocytapheresis devices. Growing number of patient pool suffering from Crohns disease is along with high adoption rate of advanced treatments, especially in the developed nations will possibly fuel growth of the leukocytapheresis device market. Various initiatives taken by the government and private companies for the development of advanced medical devices and for the delivery of effective treatment have been envisaged to shape the future of leukocytapheresis device market.Leukocytapheresis, also known as white blood cells removal is therapy to reduce the number of white blood cells in the bloodstream. White Blood Cells (leukocytes) are the part of immune system. They help the body to fight infections. There are three types of leukocytes which are involved in the inflammation of bowels. They are granulocytes, monocytes, and lymphocytes. It was found that inflammatory bowel disease is caused by the release of various cytokines from white blood cells, resulting in inflammation of the bowel. Ulcerative colitis and Crohns disease are the most chronic inflammatory bowel diseases. Leukocytapheresis is a method helps at ameliorating symptoms in patients with severe inflammatory bowel disease. In leukocytapheresis therapy, the leukocytes involved in inflammation are removed from the blood using extracorporeal treatment unit. During therapy, blood is pumped from the vein of arm or leg through leukocyte removal filter and leukocyte-reduced blood is returned in the body through opposite vein. Leukocytapheresis aims to reduce the number of leukocytes that are involved in inflammation to dampen the inflammatory reaction. According to the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation, 1.6 million Americans are affected yearly with inflammatory bowel disease.Leukocytapheresis Device Market: Drivers & RestraintsConventional therapy to treat inflammatory bowel diseases such as pharmacotherapy involves substantial adverse effects and the chance of recurrence is more. Leukocytapheresis therapy overcomes such problem which drives the market of leukocytapheresis devices. Increasing prevalence of inflammatory bowel diseases is the prominent factor responsible for the growth of leukocytapheresis devices market. Leukocytapheresis therapy mainly involves adult patients therefore growing elderly population responsible for the robust the growth of leukocytapheresis devices market. Leukocytapheresis therapy is more expensive than conventional therapy which degrades the leukocytapheresis devices market growth over forecast period. Furthermore, lack of awareness among patients in the under developing economies may deter the growth of leukocytapheresis devices market.Request/View TOC@Leukocytapheresis Device Market: SegmentationThe global Leukocytapheresis devices market is segmented on the basis of product type, end user and geography.Based on product type, leukocytopheresis devices market is segmented into:AdacolumnCellsorbaBased on end user, Leukocytapheresis devices market is segmented into:HospitalsSpecialty ClinicsAmbulatory Surgical CentersLeukocytapheresis Device Market: OverviewExcellent clinical efficacy of Cellsorba and Adacolumn increases the growth of leukocytapheresis devices market in Japan and other regions. The effectiveness and safety of leukocytapheresis therapy over conventional therapy increases the leukocytapheresis devices market growth in the overall forecast period. Leukocytapheresis therapy has adverse side effects, simple extracorporeal procedure, requires approximately lesser time compared to conventional therapy. The above all factors increases the wide adoption of leukocytapheresis therapy worldwide and hence increases the overall market growth. Favorable reimbursement policies allows the growth of leukocytapheresis devices market in low economic regions.Leukocytapheresis Device Market: Regional outlookGeographically, global leukocytapheresis devices market is classified into regions viz. North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific excluding China and Japan, China, Japan, Middle East and Africa. Currently, Japan is the leading market of leukocytapheresis devices because of leading manufacturers in this region. This is followed by North America due to higher adoption among the patients and technological advancement. Moreover, increase in geriatric population also increase the market growth in this region. Europe held the third position in leukocytapheresis devices market due to increase in healthcare expenditure per capita. Asia Pacific region has been expecting the growth in near future due to increase in the patients pool. Middle East Asia and Africa show the delayed growth due lack of awareness in these region hinders the growth of leukocytapheresis devices market.Leukocytapheresis Device Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players involve in the leukocytapheresis devices market includes: Asahi Kasei Medical Co., Ltd., JIMRO Co. Ltd. are some of the leading manufacturers of leukocytapheresis devices.The report covers exhaustive analysis on:Market SegmentsMarket DynamicsMarket Size AnalysisCurrent Trends/Issues/ChallengesCompetition & Companies involvedValue Chain AnalysisThe regional analysis includes:North America (U.S., Canada)Latin America (Mexico. Brazil)Western Europe (Germany, Italy, France, U.K, Spain, Nordic countries, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg)Eastern Europe (Poland, Russia)Asia-Pacific Excluding China and Japan (India, ASEAN, Australia & New Zealand)ChinaJapanThe Middle East and Africa (GCC, S. Africa, N. Africa)The report is a compilation of first-hand information, qualitative and quantitative assessment by industry analysts, inputs from industry experts and industry participants across the value chain. The report provides in-depth analysis of parent market trends, macroeconomic indicators and governing factors along with market attractiveness as per segments. The report also maps the qualitative impact of various market factors on market segments and geographies.Report Highlights:Detailed overview of parent marketChanging market dynamics in the industryIn-depth market segmentationHistorical, current and projected market size in terms of volume and valueRecent industry trends and developmentsCompetitive landscapeStrategies of key players and products offeredPotential and niche segments, geographical regions exhibiting promising growthA neutral perspective on 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 - Challenges and Growth by Property Investment Market 2019-2025| Leading Players Ally Invest, Edward Jones, RBC Wealth Management, Charles Schwab, Merrill Lynch Property Investment Market https://www.reportconsultant.com/request_sample.php?id=7544 https://www.reportconsultant.com/ask_for_discount.php?id=7544 https://www.reportconsultant.com/enquiry_before_buying.php?id=7544 www.reportconsultant.com Property Investment are real estate purchased to gain return on investment through rental income, resale or both. An investment property may be a short-term investment or a long-term investment, like sale or a cancellation, a purchase, modification or remodeling of a property, or sale of a gain.Leading Players of Property Investment Market: Edward Jones RBC Wealth Management Charles Schwab Ally Invest Merrill Lynch Fidelity InvestmentsRequest for Sample Report@Report Consultant has newly announced a massive data of global Property Investment Market. It has been curated in a clear manner and has been presented with effective info-graphics. The global market report has been accumulated by using research techniques. It comprises analysis of static as well as dynamic aspects of the businesses. Global market future has been presented by analyzing different aspects of the market such as current status, profit margin and demanding structure.Global Property Investment Market research report offers a better perception of global businesses through the following pointers: Global market penetration Competitive assessment of global market The geographical outlook of the global market Detailed insights on market dynamics such as drivers, restraints, and opportunities Investigation of global opportunities Descriptive analysis of market through industry analysis techniques Enlist the financial overview of the market Identification of macro and microeconomic factors that impacts on the global market Identification of global clients and potential customers Different infographics for presenting the factsGeographical Segmentation: North America (USA, Canada, Mexico) Asia Pacific (China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia) Europe (Germany, France, UK, Italy, Russia) Middle East and Africa (MEA)Ask for discount on this Report@The global research report offers an inclusive outline of the global Property Investment Market by giving detailed insights into current statistics as well as historical records of market growth in the past few years. Additionally, the future projections of market growth are mentioned in the report. It offers an understanding of several market pilots and how those pilots are driving the market growth in the forthcoming year.Table of Contents:Chapter 1: Global Property Investment Market OverviewChapter 2: Market Data AnalysisChapter 3: Analysis on Market SegmentsChapter 4: Government Policy and NewsChapter 5: Global Property Investment Market Cost StructureChapter 6: Market Status and ForecastChapter 7: Key Vendors of MarketChapter 8: Up and Down Stream Industry AnalysisChapter 9: Marketing StrategyChapter 10: 2019-2025 Property Investment Market Development Trend AnalysisChapter 11: New Project Investment Feasibility AnalysisEnquiry Before Buying: @If you need anything more than these then let us know and we will prepare the report according to your requirement.About Company:Report Consultant - A worldwide pacesetter in analytics, research and advisory that can assist you to renovate your business and modify your approach. With us, you will learn to take decisions intrepidly by taking calculative risks leading to lucrative businesses in the ever-changing market. We make sense of drawbacks, opportunities, circumstances, estimations and information using our experienced skills and verified methodologies.Our research reports will give you the most realistic and incomparable experience of revolutionary market solutions. We have effectively steered businesses all over the world through our market research reports with our predictive nature and are exceptionally positioned to lead digital transformations. Thus, we craft greater value for clients by presenting progressive opportunities in the global futuristic market.Contact us:Rebecca Parker(Report Consultant)Akasaka biz tower,5-3-1 akasaka minato-ku,Tokyo, JapanContact No- +81-368444299sales@reportconsultant.com Air Conditioner Remote Control Market Projected to Augment at a Notable CAGR during the Forecast Period until 2028 // Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Hitachi, Voltas, Onida, LipiWorld, LG Electronics, Sansui, SKYTECH, LLOYD https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=T&rep_id=1228 https://www.factmr.com/report/1228/air-conditioner-remote-control-market https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=B&rep_id=1228 https://www.factmr.com/ https://factmrblog.com/ https://www.industrynewsanalysis.com/ The construction industry is growing worldwide along with the growing demand for energy-efficient air conditioners, which in turn has increased the need of air conditioner remote controls. In addition to this, rapid urbanization in developing countries is likely to propel the construction activities, specifically in India, China, Brazil, Russia, Mexico and gulf countries, contributing to the growth of the global Air Conditioner Remote Control Market.Request TOC of this Report-Over the last two decades, the technology in the electronic industry has made an impressive progress and consumer preferences toward energy efficient electronic products have undergone a considerable shift. These days consumers demand built-in consumer electronics and home appliances to save floor space. Besides, the air conditioner market has witnessed significant growth in the last couple of years. This growth of the air conditioner market is expected to positively impact the growth of the global air conditioner remote control market in the forthcoming years. Moreover, the construction industry is growing worldwide along with the growing demand for energy-efficient air conditioners, which in turn has increased the need of air conditioner remote controls. In addition to this, rapid urbanization in developing countries is likely to propel the construction activities, specifically in India, China, Brazil, Russia, Mexico and gulf countries, contributing to the growth of the global air conditioner remote control market.An air conditioner remote control is a small hand-held electronic device for controlling any type of air conditioners, such as widow air conditioners, and slit air conditioners, among others. The air conditioner remote control performs various functions such as switching it On/Off, temperature change, mode change (dry/cool/fan), swing, and timer. Presently, most of the OEMs of air conditioner remote control are offering radio frequency-based remote controls for multidirectional and one directional use.Air Conditioner Remote Control Market: Drivers and ChallengesDriversThe major growth drivers of the global air conditioner remote control market include the penetration of air conditioners in countries where temperature goes high in summer. In addition, the growing construction activities in developing economies coupled with rising population and per capita income are also expected to be the strong factors for the growth of the market over the forecast period. Moreover, the proliferation of new air conditioner systems in commercial and industrial premises is increasing the demand for the air conditioner remote controls across the world.ChallengesIn the present scenario, fluctuating requirements in the electrical and utility industries is the challenging factor in the market growth. Furthermore, competition from local players in developing countries is disrupting the growth of the air conditioner remote control market.Browse Full Report with TOC-In 2017, the largest market share was accumulated by the in split air conditioner segment and it is expected to grow with a high CAGR during the forecast period. The high growth of this segment is attributed by the increasing proliferation of slit air conditioners in new real estate spaces, both residential and commercial.The residential segment accounted for major market share of the global air conditioner remote control market in 2017. The growth of residential segment is attributed to the adoption of air conditioners in developing countries such as India, China, Brazil, and Russia. Moreover, the commercial segment is projected to register a CAGR of more than 6.5% during the forecast period.Due to double digit growth of the e-commerce market in developed and developing economies, the e-commerce/online segment is projected to grow with a high CAGR during the forecast period.Air Conditioner Remote Control Market: Competition LandscapeKey PlayersExamples of some of the major players in the global air conditioner remote control market are Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Hitachi, Voltas, Onida, LipiWorld, LG Electronics, Sansui, SKYTECH, LLOYD, Philips, etc.Air Conditioner Remote Control Market: Regional OverviewAsia Pacific is expected to capture a large market share in terms of value and volume, owing to the increasing construction activities and growing per capita income in India and China. North America is expected to exhibit high growth rate in terms of value and volume in the global air conditioner remote control market due to urbanization and technological advancements in the electronic industry, and increasing adaptation in the residential and commercial sites. Europe and Latin America are also expected have potential growth opportunities in the global air conditioner remote control market due to the increasing demand from the construction industry. Moreover, the air conditioner remote control market in the MEA region is expected to grow at a considerably fast rate during the forecast period owning to increasing urbanization in the region.The report is a compilation of first-hand information, qualitative and quantitative assessment by industry analysts, inputs from industry experts and industry participants across the value chain. The report provides in-depth analysis of parent market trends, macro-economic indicators and governing factors along with market attractiveness as per segments. The report also maps the qualitative impact of various market factors on market segments and geographies.Request Brochure of this Report-About FactMRFactMR is a fast-growing market research firm that offers the most comprehensive suite of syndicated and customized market insights reports. We believe transformative intelligence can educate and inspire businesses to make smarter decisions. We know the limitations of the one-size-fits-all approach; that's why we publish multi-industry global, regional, and country-specific research reports.Contact UsFactMR11140 Rockville PikeSuite 400Rockville, MD 20852United StatesEmail: sales@factmr.comWeb:Blog:Read Industry News at - Fiber To The Home (FTTH) Market by Top Manufacturers - China Telecom., China Mobile Ltd., Verizon Communications Inc., AT&T Inc., Vodafone Group plc, Nippon Telegraph Fiber To The Home https://www.bigmarketresearch.com/request-sample/2847399/?utm_source=OPR-SL https://www.bigmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/2847399/?utm_source=OPR-SL https://www.bigmarketresearch.com/global-fiber-to-the-home-ftth-market-research-report-2012-2023-market/?utm_source=OPR&utm_medium=SL https://www.bigmarketresearch.com/global-food-additives-testing-market-research-report-2012-2023-market?utm_source=OPR&utm_medium=SL The global Fiber To The Home (FTTH) market will reach xxx Million USD in 2017 with CAGR xx% 2018-2023. The objective of report is to define, segment, and project the market on the basis of product type, application, and region, and to describe the content about the factors influencing market dynamics, policy, economic, technology and market entry etc.Request a sample this report:On the basis of type, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoLess than 50 Mbps50 to 100 Mbps100 Mbps to 1 Gbps1 Gbps to 10 GbpsOn 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, includingInternet TVVoIPInteractive GamingVPN on BroadbandVirtual Private LAN ServiceRemote EducationSmart Home ApplicationThe Competitive landscape of the Fiber To The Home (FTTH) Market profiles the key players participating in the global China Telecom., China Mobile Ltd., Verizon Communications Inc., AT&T Inc., Vodafone Group plc, Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Corporation, Softbank Group Corp., Deutsche Telekom AG, Telefonica S.A., America Movil. The report also details the market positioning, strategies, and revenue procured by each of these manufacturers.Enquire about this report @Table of Contents :Global Fiber To The Home (FTTH) Market Research Report 20121 Market Overview1.1 Objectives of Research1.1.1 Definition1.1.2 Specifications1.2 Market Segment1.2.1 by Type1.2.1.1 Less than 50 Mbps1.2.1.2 50 to 100 Mbps1.2.1.3 100 Mbps to 1 Gbps1.2.1.4 1 Gbps to 10 Gbps1.2.2 by Application1.2.2.1 Internet TV1.2.2.2 VoIP1.2.2.3 Interactive Gaming1.2.2.4 VPN on Broadband1.2.2.5 Virtual Private LAN Service1.2.2.6 Remote Education1.2.2.7 Smart Home Application1.2.3 by Regions2 Industry Chain2.1 Industry Chain Structure2.2 Upstream2.3 Market2.3.1 SWOT2.3.2 Dynamics3 Environmental Analysis3.1 Policy3.2 Economic3.3 Technology3.4 Market EntryMore report about of this report:Related Reports: -Global Food Additives Testing Market Research Report 2012-2023Summary The global Food Additives Testing market will reach xxx Million USD in 2017 with CAGR xx% 2018-2023. The objective of report is to define, segment, and project the market on the basis of product type, application, and region, and to describe the content about the factors influencing market dynamics, policy, ...About Us:Big Market Research has a range of research reports from various publishers across the world. Our database of reports of various market categories and sub-categories would help to find the exact report you may be looking for.We are instrumental in providing quantitative and qualitative insights on your area of interest by bringing reports from various publishers at one place to save your time and money. A lot of organizations across the world are gaining profits and great benefits from information gained through reports sourced by us.Contact Us:5933 NE Win Sivers Drive, #205, Portland,OR 97220 United Statescall answer Direct:+1-971-202-1575call answer Toll Free:+1-800-910-6452email help@bigmarketresearch.com Blood Pressure Monitoring Devices Market Size, Share & Revenue Analysis 2022 | Worldwide Players A&D Company, Contec Medical, Halma, Masimo Blood Pressure Monitoring Devices Market https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/2166?utm_source=openpr_ss https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/checkout/402736?utm_source=openpr_ss https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/blood-pressure-monitoring-devices-market?utm_source=openpr_ss https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com Blood Pressure Monitoring Devices Market Report, published by Allied Market Research, projects that the global market was valued at $1,981 million in 2015, and is estimated to reach $2,926 million by 2022, registering a CAGR of 5.7% from 2016 to 2022. Digital blood pressure monitoring devices segment held around two-fifths share of the total market in 2015.Blood pressure is considered as one of the main risk factors for chronic heart disease. Advanced blood pressure monitoring devices are used for regular remote monitoring and transmission of the blood pressure data to the physicians. Factors such as increase in geriatric population, rise in inclination towards home monitoring, and upsurge in incidence rate of chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disorders and obesity, are expected to drive the market. Moreover, innovations in blood pressure monitoring devices, (such as introduction of digital blood pressure monitors) and rise in awareness among patients regarding advanced devices are expected to fuel the market growth. However, lack of awareness about these devices in low- and middle-income economies hampers the market growth.Download Sample @Digital blood pressure monitoring devices segment is anticipated to dominate the global blood pressure monitoring devices market owing to the increase in the global incidence of hypertension. However, ambulatory blood pressure monitors segment is projected to be the fastest growing segment, as a result of increase in the outpatient cases and reimbursement support from the government.Digital BP monitors at hospitals & clinics segment is expected to dominate the global blood pressure monitoring devices market, as these devices facilitate easy and early detection of a patients deteriorating health condition, thereby, enabling speedy intervention and diagnosis of diseases. However, the ambulatory BP monitoring devices at ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs) market is projected to be the fastest growing segment, owing to increase in the number of outpatient cases.North America was the highest revenue contributor to the global revenue in 2015, accounting for about two-fifths share, and is expected to maintain this trend. This is attributed to the increase in prevalence of hypertension, growth in awareness among patients about cost-effective blood pressure monitoring devices, and availability of advanced healthcare facilities in North American countries. However, Asia-Pacific is expected to grow at the highest rate, owing to its high population base, incomes, and improvement in patient awareness about advanced blood pressure monitoring devices.Flat 20% Discount on All License Type...* Offer Valid Till 20th April 2019Key Market Players: A&D Company Limited Contec Medical Systems Co. Ltd. General Electric Company Halma plc Hill-Rom Holdings Inc. Koninklijke Philips N.V. Masimo CorporationKey Findings of the Blood Pressure Monitoring Devices Market Study: Based on product type, in 2015, digital blood pressure monitoring devices segment accounted for around two-fifths share of the total market. Home environment segment is expected to grow at a significant CAGR of 6.5%, as these devices can be easily used by a patient and do not require trained professionals for operating the device. LAMEA is projected to be the one of the fastest growing region, owing to the presence of ample growth opportunities in terms of unmet medical needs for the treatment of hypertension, and increased disposable income of the population. In 2015, Japan and China jointly accounted for about two-thirds share of the Asia-Pacific blood pressure monitoring devices market.Browse More Details @About Us:Allied Market Research, a market research and advisory company of Allied Analytics LLP, provides business insights and market research reports to large as well as small & medium enterprises. The company assists its clients to strategize business policies and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain.Allied Market Research provides one stop solution from the beginning of data collection to investment advice. The analysts at Allied Market Research dig out factors that help clients to understand the significance and impact of market dynamics. The company amplies clients insight on the factors, such as strategies, future estimations, growth or fall forecasting, opportunity analysis, and consumer surveys among others. As follows, the company offers consistent business intelligent support to aid the clients to turn into prominent business firm.Contact:David Correa5933 NE Win Sivers Drive#205, Portland, OR 97220United StatesToll Free (USA/Canada):+1-800-792-5285, +1-503-894-6022, +1-503-446-1141UK: +44-845-528-1300Hong Kong: +852-301-84916India (Pune): +91-20-66346060Fax: +1855550-5975help@alliedmarketresearch.comWeb: What's driving the Non-Dairy Ice Cream market trends? Key Company Profiled - General Mills, Trader Joe's, Danone Dairy, NadaMoo!, Booja-Booja, Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream, Tofutti Brands Inc. Non-Dairy Ice Cream Market https://www.gminsights.com/request-toc/upcoming/1786 https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/non-dairy-ice-cream-market https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/1786 https://www.gminsights.com http://algosonline.com/news Non-Dairy Ice Cream Market is estimated to surpass USD 1 billion by 2024; according to a new research report by Global Market Insights, Inc. Growing vegan population along with inclination towards healthy lifestyles are among key factors propelling the non-dairy ice cream market growth. Increasing consumer spending on desserts, confectionery and other functional food items will support the industry demand. Rising awareness regarding lactose intolerance will further fuel the business development.Request Sample Copy of This Report @Company Profiles1. Unilever2. General Mills3. Trader Joe's4. Danone Dairy5. NadaMoo!6. Booja-Booja7. Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream8. Tofutti Brands Inc.9. HAPPY COW DAIRY COMPANY PRIVATE LIMITED10. Bliss Unlimited11. Over The Moon12. Eden Creamery LLC.13. Swedish Glace14. DreamShifting consumer preference towards innovative products and flavors due to changing social trends will drive the non-dairy ice cream market size. Technological advancements in machineries and product innovations using avocado and hemp milk will augment the product adoption. Increasing raw material availability along with convenient production process are among major factors supporting the industry growth.Coconut milk accounted for over 30% of the global non-dairy ice cream market share in 2017. Significant health benefits, ease in production along with texture compatibility are among key factors driving the product demand. Rising count of brands offering coconut-based products has enhanced the industry demand. However, almond milk is expected to witness higher CAGR owing to changing taste preferences and increasing number of product launches.Rising penetration of renowned brands in non-dairy ice cream segment to gain competitive advantage will propel the industry demand. Innovative fruit-based flavor offerings through new product launches to improve consumer base are among key trends among manufacturers. Expanding distribution networks coupled with attractive packaging will boost the product penetration during the forecast timeframe. However, changing raw material costs along with relatively high product prices may hinder the industry growth.Browse key industry insights spread across 300 pages with 373 market data tables & 13 figures & charts from the report, Non-Dairy Ice Cream Market Size By Source (Coconut Milk, Almond Milk, Cashew Milk, Soy Milk), By Flavor (Vanilla, Chocolate, Butter Pecan, Strawberry, Neapolitan, Cookies & Cream, Mint Choco Chip, Caramel), By Product (Impulse, Artisanal, Take Home), By Form (Singles, Blends), By Distribution Channel (Supermarkets, Convenience Stores, Food & Drink Specialists, Restaurants, Online Stores) Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., Canada, Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia, Spain, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Indonesia, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, South Africa, UAE, Saudi Arabia), Growth Potential, Price Trend, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2018 2024 in detail along with the table of contents:Chocolate flavor is projected to witness CAGR at over 14.5% from 2018 to 2024. Extensive product offerings with multiple chocolate flavor variants including dark chocolate and chocolate chips is proliferating the non-dairy ice cream market. However, flavor portfolio largely varies on country level, due to changing taste preferences. For instance, lemon-based flavors are highly prevalent in specific European countries.Artisanal products are expected to witness significant growth rate during the forecast timeframe. Growing disposable incomes coupled with increasing number of artisanal franchisees particularly in emerging economies is fueling the segment growth. Whereas take home segment dominates the non-dairy ice cream market due to shifting preference for off-premise consumption. High product availability through supermarkets particularly in developed regions along with penetration of online stores will support the industry growth.Blended flavors are anticipated to register over 20 million liters demand by 2024. Flavor innovations along with rising consumer spending on premium flavors majorly in North America and Europe will supplement the business revenue. Increasing consumer preference for mint choco chip, cookies & cream, neapolitan, and mocha chocolate has stimulated the non-dairy ice cream demand.Supermarkets will register sales at over USD 400 million by 2024. Changing shopping trends along with inclination towards one stop shopping has stimulated the supermarket counts globally. Rising demand for take home products is significant factor supporting the segment share. Multiple brand availability along with competitive costs are among key factors positively influencing the industry demand.Europe non-dairy ice cream market is expected to witness CAGR at over 14% from 2018 to 2024. Higher vegan products demand owing to rising health consciousness and growing vegan population are primary factors driving the regional industry growth. Large number of products launches among European as well as global brands mainly including Ben & Jerrys, Swedish Glace, and Booja Booja will support the industry demand.Global non-dairy ice cream market share is highly fragmented with presence of both regional and global companies. Notable players include Unilever, General Mills, Trader Joe's, Danone Dairy, NadaMoo!, Booja-Booja, Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream, Tofutti Brands Inc., HAPPY COW DAIRY COMPANY PRIVATE LIMITED, Bliss Unlimited, Over The Moon, Eden Creamery LLC., Swedish Glace, Dream along with product innovations are among key strategies adopted by manufacturers. For instance, in April 2017, Danone completed acquisition of WhiteWave Foods, an American packaged food manufacturer to expand its industry share.Inquiry before buying @About Global Market Insights:Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.Contact Us:Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone: 1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.comWeb:Explore Our Blog @ Pentane Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis 2023 | Global leaders: Royal Dutch Shell, Phillips 66, ExxonMobil, INEOS Pentane Market https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/4606?utm_source=openpr_ss https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/checkout/839547?utm_source=openpr_ss https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/pentane-market?utm_source=openpr_ss https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com According to Allied Market Research the global pentane market size was valued at $97.2 million in 2016, and is expected to reach $128.0 million by 2023, registering a CAGR of 4.1% from 2017 to 2023. North America dominated the global market in 2016, accounting for more than one-third share of the total revenue.Pentane is a highly volatile, colorless, and flammable liquid compound, which is used in petroleum spirits. High volatility of pentane compound causes rapid evaporation, which propels the presence of VOCs in the air, thereby resulting in air pollution. As a result, various governments across the world have implemented stringent regulations on its handling and usage, owing to control its adverse effects on health and environment. It has three key isomeric forms, n-pentane, isopentane, and neopentane.Download Sample @The pentane market is witnessing a steady growth across the world. This is attributed to the fact that the twentieth century witnessed rapid adoption of automobile across, which in turn propelled the consumption of gasoline. Pentane serves as an essential ingredient for gasoline blending. Thus, increase in demand for gasoline propels the consumption of pentane.Furthermore, pentane is widely used as a blowing agent for polyurethane and polystyrene. Increase in disposable income of consumers and change in lifestyle have propelled the growth of the appliance industry, which in turn has boosted the use of polyurethane and polystyrene foam for insulation of cooling appliances. In addition, pentane is used as a refrigerant in the fridge and AC appliances, which is one of the major factors fueling its demand in the appliance industry. Thus, the development of the home appliance industry has significantly increased pentane consumption, and is expected to provide growth opportunities for the global pentane market.Flat 20% Discount on All License Type...* Offer Valid Till 20th April 2019Key Market Players: Royal Dutch Shell PLC Phillips 66 Company ExxonMobil Corporation TOP Solvent Co.Ltd. Haltermann Carless UK Ltd. INEOS AG LG Chem Ltd. SK Innovation Co.Ltd. Yeochun NCC Co.Ltd. Maruzen Petrochemical Co.Ltd.Key Findings of the Pentane Market: In terms of value, the n-pentane segment is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.9% during the forecast period. Blowing agents in the pentane industry generated the maximum revenue in 2016, accounting for almost 38% of the total market share. North America is expected to dominate the pentane market, registering a CAGR of 3.2% and 2.3% in terms of value and volume, respectively. Electronic cleansing is expected to register the fastest CAGR of 4.6% in terms of volume. Asia-Pacific is projected to show exponential growth throughout 2023, registering a CAGR of 6.1%, in terms of value. In the global market, India is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.6%, in terms of value.Browse More Details @About Us:Allied Market Research, a market research and advisory company of Allied Analytics LLP, provides business insights and market research reports to large as well as small & medium enterprises. The company assists its clients to strategize business policies and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain.Allied Market Research provides one stop solution from the beginning of data collection to investment advice. The analysts at Allied Market Research dig out factors that help clients to understand the significance and impact of market dynamics. The company amplies clients insight on the factors, such as strategies, future estimations, growth or fall forecasting, opportunity analysis, and consumer surveys among others. As follows, the company offers consistent business intelligent support to aid the clients to turn into prominent business firm.Contact:David Correa5933 NE Win Sivers Drive#205, Portland, OR 97220United StatesToll Free (USA/Canada):+1-800-792-5285, +1-503-894-6022, +1-503-446-1141UK: +44-845-528-1300Hong Kong: +852-301-84916India (Pune): +91-20-66346060Fax: +1855550-5975help@alliedmarketresearch.comWeb: FISH Probe Market led to an unprecedented rise by 2025 : Oxford Gene Technologies, PerkinElmer Inc., Life Science Technologies, Abnova Corp., Genemed Biotechnologies Inc https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=3572 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=3572 Global FISH Probe Market - OverviewIn recent times, the global market for FISH probe has been reporting a tremendous rise, thanks to the rising incidence of various chronic diseases among people across the world. This market study is an analytical research of the performance of the global market for FISH probe in past and during the period from 2017 to 2025. The research especially emphasize on the driving forces, growth barriers, opportunities, challenges, and the prominent trends in this market in order to determine its future status.Global FISH Probe Market - Drivers and RestraintsThe increasing prevalence of cytogenetic disorders, such as cancer and various genetic abnormalities is driving the global market for FISH probe significantly. The demand for fast and accurate prognosis techniques for the identification of diseases are also propelling this market to a great extent. Going forward, the increase in research and development initiatives by various market players for the development of new, disease specific FISH probes biomarkers is projected to support the growth of this market in the years to come.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global FISH Probe Market - SegmentationThe global FISH probe market can majorly be assessed on the basis of the application and the end user. Based on the application, the global market can be classified into cancer diagnostics and genetic diagnostics. Among the two, cancer diagnostics has surfaced as the key application area of FISH probe across the world. FISH probe finds significant application in the diagnosis of lung cancer and breast cancer among people. Researchers anticipate that the cancer diagnostics segment will continue to be the prime application area of FISH probe over the next few years. Research, clinical, and companion diagnostics have emerged as the main end users of FISH probe, worldwide.Global FISH Probe Market - Regional OutlookThe global market for FISH probe is considered to be spread across North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa. With high prevalence rate of genetic disorders leading to birth abnormalities, developmental disabilities, and various other metabolic syndromes, North America has been leading the global market over the last few years. Analysts at TMR Research expect this regional market to remain on the top in the years to come, thanks to the significantly high pace of childbirth.Other regional markets, such as Asia Pacific and Europe, are also reporting a high rise in their respective markets for FISH probe. Asia Pacific is benefiting significantly from the growth of the cytogenetics and the molecular diagnostic sectors. The presence of untapped opportunities makes Asia pacific highly lucrative regional market for FISH probe.Request TOC of the Report @Global FISH Probe Market - Competitive AnalysisThe business landscape in the global market for FISH probe is highly competitive due to the dominance of a few players. The rivalry between the players is quite high in this market. Oxford Gene Technologies, PerkinElmer Inc., Life Science Technologies, Abnova Corp., Genemed Biotechnologies Inc., Biosearch Technologies Inc., and F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG are some of the leading players in this market across the world. These players are emphasizing on developing and launching new and improved products in a bid to gain maximum traction in this market. They are expected to involve increasingly into mergers and acquisitions and strategic partnerships to expand their regional reach over the next few years.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Contact:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050 Fresh Onions and Shallots Market Prognostications Highpoint Positive Revenue during Forecast Period, 2017-2022| Growth Drivers Avantha Holdings Limited, T&G GLOBAL, Vladam, River Point Farms, Murakami Produce Company LLC https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=293 https://www.factmr.com/report/293/fresh-onions-and-shallots-market https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=AE&rep_id=293 https://www.factmr.com/ The allium family vegetable including fresh onions and shallots are being valued more than ever owing to their potential medicinal properties. Many studies and researches are being conducted around the world to find out more about the cancer-fighting properties associated with fresh onions and shallots. In a recently conducted study, researchers examined Ontario-grown red onions and its ability to kill cancer cells. The red inion variant was found have high amounts of anthocyanin- further enriching the cancer-fighting properties of Quercetin- a plant pigment that acts as an antioxidant, scavenging free radicals. Moreover, when Quercetin extracts from red onion were placed with in close contact with colon cancer cells, it created an unfavorable environment for cell growth, further leading to cell death. Researchers are hopeful of onions being sold in pill form as a natural treatment for cancer.FactMRs report titled Fresh Onions and Shallots Market Forecast, Trend Analysis & Competition Tracking Global Market insights 2017 to 2022 provides a detailed competitive scenario analysis, assaying critical insights on the key market leaders, along with their company profiles, key product developments, key financials, and expansion strategies.To Get Sample Copy of Report, visit:Codex Alimentariuss New Work Proposal Would Ensure Quality Consumption of Fresh Onions and ShallotsOwing to the growing production and trade of fresh onions and shallot, globally, Codex Alimentarius is developing a set of global standards to assure consumers of safe and quality products. The food standards would be applicable to different varieties of onions and shallots, promoting fair trade practices in agreement with different international agreements. The proposal is anticipated to include all producing, exporting, or consuming countries and cover main aspects such as weighting, sizing, and proper labeling of onions and shallots. As per COMTRADE United Nations, throughout 2017, the export and trade value of onions and shallots was marked at US$ 11,287,534 and US$ 44,292, respectively.Fresh Onions and Shallot Producers Exploring Smart Production Option, Newer Product HybridsOwing to the growing global demand for good quality onions and shallot, farm owner and producers are exploring top quality seeds options to produce hybrid shallot variantsin the form of Maserati F1 and Tropix. Specifically made for the South East Asian market, these varieties are anticipated to fuel the production of healthy shallots from high quality seed. Sunions- marketed as Americas first ever tearless, sweet-tasting onion is growth primarily in Washington and Nevada. Developed after years of onion crossbreading, makers of Sunions have started using gas chemotherapy to identify least volatile onions and breed them for further mildness. Innovations like these are projected to drive the production and consumption of fresh onions and shallots, globally.Get complete information about Fresh Onions and Shallots Market Report:Onion by-products used for developing natural food ingredients, Medicinal products Will Expand Innovation OptionsTo derive value-added food formulations from less expensive ingredients having functional properties, food experts are using onion by-products considering its anti-browning and antioxidant properties. Other than food innovations, the healthcare industry too has been following value-addition trend to use onion by-products, pharmaceutically, owing to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antibacterial properties.Competitive Landscape Analysis Global Fresh Onions and Shallots MarketKey market players identified in the report on global fresh onions and shallots market include Avantha Holdings Limited, T&G GLOBAL, Vladam, River Point Farms, Murakami Produce Company LLC, Snake River Produce, Gills Onions, and JC Watson Company. During the forecast, Fact.MR foresees key players focusing on offering variety, expanding the sweet onion category, and targeting the health-conscious consumers with health-based information displayed on packaging. With a merger in 2017, Murakami Produce Company and Baker Packing became one of the largest onion shippers in the United States. Snake River Produce, specializing in Spanish onions, invested in a 30,000-square-foot packing shed featuring automatic palletizers and a larger production base.About the Report Global Fresh Onions and Shallots MarketFactMR, in its report on global fresh onions and shallots market, offers actionable insights for an assessment period of five years, from 2017-2022. The report includes key market dynamics anticipated to drive the market in the coming years. New product development (NPD) with a focus on sweet-tasting onions and facility expansion to cater to the growing demand for fresh onions and shallots will remain a key strategy among market leaders, through 2022. The global fresh onions and shallot market is anticipated to record a robust growth throughout the CAGR.For Further Insights and Segment-Specific Information, Contact a Market Analyst at:About Fact.MRFact.MR is a fast-growing market research firm that offers the most comprehensive suite of syndicated and customized market insights reports. We believe transformative intelligence can educate and inspire businesses to make smarter decisions. We know the limitations of the one-size-fits-all approach; that's why we publish multi-industry global, regional, and country-specific research reports.Contact UsFact.MR11140 Rockville PikeSuite 400Rockville, MD 20852United StatesEmail: sales@factmr.comWeb: Electrosurgery Accessories Market Revenue Opportunies By Key Vendors Medtronic PLC, Olympus Corporation, Conmed Corporation, B. Braun Melsungen AG, Bovie Medical Corporation, Ethicon, Inc Electrosurgery Accessories https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/2540 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-customization/2540 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-pdf/2540 Electrosurgery Accessories are the additional products used in electrosurgical procedures. Electrosurgery is the application of a high-frequency alternating polarity radio wave, this high-frequency waves are used to cut, coagulate, desiccate, or fulgurate biological tissues. The electrosurgery accessories are used in different types of procedures such as gynecological, urological, neurological, and cosmetic surgeries. Pencils, specialty electrodes, return electrodes, suction coagulators, forceps, cords, and adapters are the most commonly used electrosurgery accessories.Get a PDF Sample of Research Report @Market DynamicsThe electrosurgery accessories market revenue is expected to rise, owing to increasing number of new product launches with latest technology. For instance, in 2018, Olympus Corporation launched dualknife J endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), an electrosurgical knife, which integrates submucosal injection to support efficient, safe, and more reliable ESD performance in short procedure time.Furthermore, the electrosurgery accessories market size is also increasing due to rising demand for ambulatory surgeries by patients, as ambulatory surgeries involve electrosurgery associated with less pain, less blood loss, minimum scarring, and reduced hospital stay. According to Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) 2014 report, around 11.4 million outpatient surgeries were performed in the U.S. in 2014.The major restraining factor for electrosurgery accessories market growth is risk of accidents and fire cases due to inadequate knowledge about handling electrosurgery accessories such as specialty electrodes, return electrodes, and suction coagulators. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) 2016 report, around 57% of surgeons lack adequate knowledge and awareness in managing the equipment in Ireland.Request for Customization of Research Report:Market OutlookEurope is expected to hold dominant position in the electrosurgery accessories market over the forecast period, owing to the presence of major competitors with new innovative products such as Medtronic PLC, B. Braun Melsungen AG, KLS Martin GmbH & Co. Kg, and Bowa-Electronic GmbH & Co. Kg.Asia Pacific electrosurgery accessories market size is expected to witness significant growth in future, owing to new product launches in the region for ease of electrosurgical procedures. For instance, in 2018, Integra Lifesciences Holdings Corporation announced the launch of its new CUSA clarity ultrasonic tissue ablation platform in Japan. It is made in combination with ISOCOOL Bipolar Forceps, which as integral part of the product.Download PDF Brochure @Key players operating in the global electrosurgery accessories market include Medtronic PLC, Olympus Corporation, Conmed Corporation, B. Braun Melsungen AG, Bovie Medical Corporation, Ethicon, Inc. (subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson), Erbe Elektromedizin GmbH, Applied Medical Resources Corporation, Integra Lifesciences Holdings Corporation, KLS Martin Group, Megadyne Medical Products, Inc., and Bowa-Electronic GmbH & Co. Kg.About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.1001 4th Ave,, #3200, Seattle, WA 98154 Intracranial Stents Market Key Insights and Opportunities Expected to Grow Till 2026 || Key Player - Penumbra Inc., Medtronic plc, Stryker Corporation, Boston Scientific Corporation, Johnson & Johnson Services Inc. Intracranial Stents Market https://www.mrrse.com/sample/18529 https://www.mrrse.com/intracranial-stents-market https://www.mrrse.com/enquiry/18529 https://www.mrrse.com/ A new report titled Intracranial Stents Market Key Insights and Opportunities Expected to Grow Till 2026 has been included in the enormous research repository of Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) that compiles various facets of the Intracranial Stents Market at a global level portraying a holistic analysis of the marketplace along with intelligence on key participants. The report covers an unbiased analysis on various market aspects, emphasizing major trends giving direction to the market, key opportunities paving new growth avenues, key drivers pushing the markets growth and challenges and restraints hindering the market for Intracranial Stents Market across the globe.Request Free Sample Report @This report on the global intracranial stents market analyzes the current and future prospects of the market. The report comprises a comprehensive executive summary, including a market snapshot that provides overall information of various segments. The research is a combination of primary and secondary research. Primary research formed the bulk of our research efforts along with information collected from telephonic interviews and interactions via e-mails. Secondary research involved study of company websites, annual reports, press releases, stock analysis presentations, and various international and national databases. The report provides market value in terms of US$ Mn for each segment for the period from 2016 to 2026, considering the macro and micro environmental factors. Growth rates for each segment within the global intracranial stents market have been determined after a thorough analysis of past trends, demographics, future trends, technological developments, and regulatory requirements.A detailed qualitative analysis of factors responsible for driving and restraining the market and future opportunities has been provided in the market overview section. The report also provides insights into the key trends of the intracranial stents market. Market value in terms of US$ Mn for the period between 2016 and 2026 along with the compound annual growth rate (CAGR %) from 2018 to 2026 are provided for all the segments, considering 2017 as the base year. The year-on-year growth of the global intracranial stents market for each segment is also reflected. Additionally, market-related factors such as increasing prevalence of chronic disease, rising geriatric population, favorable government policies, developing healthcare infrastructure in emerging countries, and historical year-on-year growth have been taken into consideration while estimating the market size.The global intracranial stents market has been segmented based on product type, disease indication, end-user, and region. In terms of product type, the intracranial stents market has been divided into self-expanding stents, balloon expanding stents and stent-assisted coil embolization. In terms of disease indication, the market has been segregated into intracranial stenosis and brain aneurysm. In terms of end-user, the market has been classified into, hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, and othersIn terms of region, the global intracranial stents market has been categorized into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. Additionally, the regions have been further segmented into major countries in each of the regions. These include the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Germany, France, Italy, Spain, China, Australia & New Zealand, Japan, India, Brazil, GCC, South Africa, and Mexico.Browse Complete Report with TOC @The report also profiles major players in the intracranial stents market based on various attributes such as company overview, financial overview, SWOT analysis, key business strategies, product portfolio, and recent developments. Key companies profiled in the report include Penumbra, Inc., Medtronic plc, Stryker Corporation, Boston Scientific Corporation, Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc., Terumo Corporation, and Cook Medical.The global intracranial stents market has been segmented as follows:Global Intracranial Stents Market, by Product TypeSelf-expanding StentsBalloon Expanding StentsStent-assisted Coil EmbolizationGlobal Intracranial Stents Market, by Disease IndicationIntracranial StenosisBrain AneurysmGlobal Intracranial Stents Market, by End-userHospitalsAmbulatory Surgical CentersOthersGlobal Intracranial Stents Market, by RegionNorth AmericaU.S.CanadaEuropeGermanyU.K.FranceSpainItalyRest of EuropeAsia PacificAustralia & New ZealandJapanChinaIndiaRest of Asia PacificLatin America (LATAM)BrazilMexicoRest of Latin AmericaMiddle East & Africa (MEA)GCCSouth AfricaRest of Middle East & AfricaEnquire about this Report @About Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE)Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of Market Research Reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.Contact UsState Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United States Telephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comWebsite: Taxifolin Market Showcases Positive Demand for Major Product Categories during forecast period | Key Players - Kalenika Group, Cayman Chemical, Ametis JSC, Abcam plc, , Linjiang Jianwei Biotech Co , Adooq Bioscience https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=2801 https://www.factmr.com/report/2801/taxifolin-market https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=AE&rep_id=2801 https://www.factmr.com/ https://factmrblog.com/ https://www.industrynewsanalysis.com/ Fact.MR study on Taxifolin market reveals that the global market revenue is estimated to grow at a CAGR of over 5% between 2019 and 2027. In 2017, the global taxifolin market stood at US$1.4 Bn, where Europe was the largest market. Though the taxifolin market share of APEJ has been growing at a faster pace than other regions owing to the growth in consumption of nutraceuticals and food products containing taxifolin.Request a sample of this premium report @Wide application areas of Taxifolin increases its demandTaxifolin also known as dihydroquercetin is used in several applications including food and beverages, healthcare, cosmetics, and agriculture. Several studies and research papers prove taxifolin as a potent ingredient for several application areas. Taxifolin is used as an additive for food products as it stabilizes shelf life of the products by 12-36 months. Taxifolin being a natural antioxidant with antibacterial, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties, its applications has been further expanding. Even the smallest amount of taxifolin is able to prevent oxidative stress and shields the body from free radicals. The demand of taxifolin in food products is projected to grow at the fastest pace during the forecast period. The application areas of taxifolin in food and beverages industry include dairy products, meat processing, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and confectionary.Taxifolin demand have also been increasing at a significant pace in the field of medicine. Taxifolin has been observed to be a potent inhibitor of ovarian cancer cell growth. Taxifolin derivatives also have anti-proliferative effects on breast cancer cells as well as murine skin fibroblasts. The antioxidative activity of taxifolin is more than that of other common antioxidants such as tocopherols and carotenoids. Besides, taxifolin is also resistant to the impact of oxidation and light. These factors have been augmenting the taxifolin demand in the field of healthcare and cosmetics.The other application areas of taxifolin includes cosmetics, cosmetics and agriculture. As a health supplement, the use of taxifolin based supplements has been observed to surge among the sportspeople. Especially during eth competition period, when the athletes need to perform beyond their regular limits, taxifolin is very useful as it boosts the cardiovascular system to bear the exercise load. In agriculture, taxifolin is used to boost plant growth. Several other health benefits associated with taxifolin includes protection of capillary and liver. The demand for cosmetics has been growing globally due to the up-liftment in consumers lifestyles.Taxifolin of purity level of 95% set to register faster growthTaxifolin are available in several purity levels, which can be categorized into less than 95% and greater than or equal to 95%. Taxifoiln with less than 95% purity is expected to contribute larger share over the one having 95%. Though, taxifolin with 95% purity level is projected to register the faster growth during the forecast period. The growing demand of taxifolin in dairy products and confectionary, where purity levels of 96% is required, is the key reason for the growth of taxifolin with 95% purity level.Access Detailed Report Summary:Europe stands as the largest taxifolin marketEurope, especially Russia have been the largest producer of taxifolin, which is due to availability of conifers including Siberian larch, which is the key raw material for the manufacturing of taxifolin. Russia has one of the largest naturally available volumes of Siberian larch, with an estimated 60 Bn cubic meters. Dahurian larches is another raw material for taxifolin. The global demand of Taxifolin is many time more than its present supply, which has kept the prices significantly elevated. The Taxifolin prices also vary largely among the regions due to several factors including the availability of raw materials, processing companies and regional demand level. Though, the demand supply gasp has been narrowing down with the involvement of more number of companies into this business.New entrants have been specifically been observed to enter in the Chinese market, due to availability of raw material, cheaper labor and high demand. The Taxifolin market in China is also projected to witness the fastest growth during the forecast period. There have been several application among which the Taxifolin demand has been observed to surge significantly in China, including cosmetics. Besides, the surge in investment by public and private sectors in China is encouraging the discovery of drugs with less toxic effect, thus translating into the growth of taxifolin market. Quercetin exists a potent substitute for taxifolin, thus it restraints the market growth to certain extent.Low degree of competition in taxifolin marketThe degree of competition is low in the taxifolin market, with the presence of fair number of players. Due to high demand and lower supply, all of the taxifolin volume that is produced is consumed, therefore each of the competitors have their defined set of customers. The taxifolin providing companies have also been increasing the number of their customers with the increase in production volume. The taxifolin market is moderately capital intensive, where raw material procurement stands as one of the key operating costs. Research and development is another important area of investment in the taxifolin market. Certification is essential for the processing and usage of taxifolin, which makes it tough to enter the taxifolin market. Taxifolin with Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) certification has high importance in the U.S. The procurement process of taxifolin also involves certain patented technologies that some of the companies have gained. The processors of taxifolin also focus on reducing the lead time for manufacturing with the involvement of latest technologies.The key players in the global taxifolin market includes JW Health Products, Kingherbs Ltd, Kalenika Group, Cayman Chemical, Ametis JSC, Abcam plc, and Adooq Bioscience. There are several other taxifolin providers that include, Linjiang Jianwei Biotech Co. Ltd., and Hangzhou J&H Chemical Co., Ltd.For more Details Speak to Our Analyst @About Fact.MRFact.MR is a fast-growing market research firm that offers the most comprehensive suite of syndicated and customized market research reports. We believe transformative intelligence can educate and inspire businesses to make smarter decisions. We know the limitations of the one-size-fits-all approach; that's why we publish multi-industry global, regional, and country-specific research reports.Contact UsFact.MR11140 Rockville PikeSuite 400Rockville, MD 20852United StatesEmail: sales@factmr.comWeb:Blog:Read Industry News at - Vacuum Circuit Breaker Market: Global Consumption Value, Sales and Key Companies Profile 2019- ABB Ltd, GE Grid Solutions, Schneider Electric, Siemens AG etc. Vacuum Circuit Breaker Market https://www.reportsnreports.com/contacts/requestsample.aspx?name=1890553 https://www.reportsnreports.com/contacts/discount.aspx?name=1890553 https://www.reportsnreports.com/purchase.aspx?name=1890553 https://www.reportsnreports.com/contacts/discount.aspx?name=1890553 #Download Sample PDF Pages of Report @Global Vacuum Circuit Breaker Market Report 2019 Report provides information on Products, Services, Trends, Top Companies, Verticals, Countries, Technology, Application, and Consumer Needs globally. This report Focus on all major factors like Key Players, Demand for Products, End User & Applications, Future Growth & Forecast.ReportsnReports.com aims to bring the best research material to its esteemed and scholarly clients looking for a complete and detailed analysis of market reports.Complete report on Vacuum Circuit Breaker market spread across 108 pages, profiling 15 companies and supported with tables and figures is now available @# The key manufacturers in the Vacuum Circuit Breaker market include ABB Ltd, GE Grid Solutions, Schneider Electric, Siemens AG, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Hitachi, Eaton Corporation, Toshiba Corp., Huayi Electric, People Electrical Appliance Group, China XD Group, Shanghai Delixi Group, Shandong Taikai High-Volt Swichgear, Xiamen Huadian Switchgear, Hangzhou ZhijiangSegment by Type- Low Voltage- Medium Voltage- High VoltageSegment by Application- Residential- Non-residentialThis report presents the worldwide Vacuum Circuit Breaker market size (value, production and consumption), splits the breakdown (data status 2014-2019 and forecast to 2025), by manufacturers, region, type and application. This study also analyzes the market status, market share, growth rate, future trends, market drivers, opportunities and challenges, risks and entry barriers, sales channels, distributors and Porters Five Forces Analysis.The report focuses on global major leading industry players of Vacuum Circuit Breaker market providing information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. Upstream raw materials and equipment and downstream demand analysis is also carried out. The Vacuum Circuit Breaker market development trends and marketing channels are analyzed. Finally the feasibility of new investment projects are assessed and overall research conclusions offered.Order a copy of Global Vacuum Circuit Breaker Market Report 2019 @The Vacuum Circuit Breaker market was valued at xx Million US$ in 2018 and is projected to reach xx Million US$ by 2025, at a CAGR of xx% during the forecast period. In this study, 2018 has been considered as the base year and 2019 to 2025 as the forecast period to estimate the market size for Vacuum Circuit Breaker.With tables and figures helping analyze worldwide Vacuum Circuit Breaker market, this research provides key statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.Major Points from Table of ContentsCharpter 1 Vacuum Circuit Breaker Market OverviewCharpter 2 Global Vacuum Circuit Breaker Competition by Players/Suppliers, Type and ApplicationCharpter 3 United States Vacuum Circuit Breaker (Volume, Value and Sales Price)Charpter 4 China Vacuum Circuit Breaker (Volume, Value and Sales Price)Charpter 5- Europe Vacuum Circuit Breaker (Volume, Value and Sales Price)Charpter 6 Japan Vacuum Circuit Breaker (Volume, Value and Sales Price)Charpter 7 Southeast Asia Vacuum Circuit Breaker (Volume, Value and Sales Price)Charpter 8 India Vacuum Circuit Breaker (Volume, Value and Sales Price)Charpter 9 Global Vacuum Circuit Breaker Players/Suppliers Profiles and Sales DataCharpter 10 Vacuum Circuit Breaker Maufacturing Cost AnalysisCharpter 11 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream BuyersCharpter 12 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/TradersCharpter 13 Market Effect Factors AnalysisCharpter 14 Global Vacuum Circuit Breaker Market Forecast (2019-2025)Charpter 15 Research Findings and ConclusionCharpter 16 AppendixA discount can be asked before order a copy of Vacuum Circuit Breaker market report atAbout Us:ReportsnReports.com is your single source for all market research needs. Our database includes 500,000+ market research reports from over 95 leading global publishers & in-depth market research studies of over 5000 micro markets.Tower B5, office 101,Magarpatta SEZ,Hadapsar, Pune-411013, India+ 1 888 391 5441sales@reportsandreports.com Electric Bidet Market 20192025 Industry Size, Share, Growth, Trends, Demand, Analysis: ToTo, Panasonic, Inax, Toshiba, Aisin, Izen, HSPA etc. Electric Bidet Market https://www.reportsnreports.com/contacts/requestsample.aspx?name=1890694 https://www.reportsnreports.com/contacts/discount.aspx?name=1890694 https://www.reportsnreports.com/purchase.aspx?name=1890694 https://www.reportsnreports.com/contacts/discount.aspx?name=1890694 #Download Sample PDF Pages of Report @Global Electric Bidet Market Report 2019 Report provides information on Products, Services, Trends, Top Companies, Verticals, Countries, Technology, Application, and Consumer Needs globally. This report Focus on all major factors like Key Players, Demand for Products, End User & Applications, Future Growth & Forecast.ReportsnReports.com aims to bring the best research material to its esteemed and scholarly clients looking for a complete and detailed analysis of market reports.Complete report on Electric Bidet market spread across 103 pages, profiling 18 companies and supported with tables and figures is now available @# The key manufacturers in the Electric Bidet market include ToTo, Panasonic, Inax, Toshiba, Aisin, Izen, HSPA, Coway, Kohler, American Standard, Brondell, HomeTECH, Villeroy & Boch, Soojee, Dongpeng, JOMOO, Ryoji, Faenza.Segment by Type- Tank Type- Tankless Type- Hybrid TypeSegment by Application- Household- CommercialThis report presents the worldwide Electric Bidet market size (value, production and consumption), splits the breakdown (data status 2014-2019 and forecast to 2025), by manufacturers, region, type and application. This study also analyzes the market status, market share, growth rate, future trends, market drivers, opportunities and challenges, risks and entry barriers, sales channels, distributors and Porters Five Forces Analysis.The report focuses on global major leading industry players of Electric Bidet market providing information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. Upstream raw materials and equipment and downstream demand analysis is also carried out. The Electric Bidet market development trends and marketing channels are analyzed. Finally the feasibility of new investment projects are assessed and overall research conclusions offered.Order a copy of Global Electric Bidet Market Report 2019 @The Electric Bidet market was valued at xx Million US$ in 2018 and is projected to reach xx Million US$ by 2025, at a CAGR of xx% during the forecast period. In this study, 2018 has been considered as the base year and 2019 to 2025 as the forecast period to estimate the market size for Electric Bidet.With tables and figures helping analyze worldwide Electric Bidet market, this research provides key statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.Major Points from Table of ContentsCharpter 1 Electric Bidet Market OverviewCharpter 2 Global Electric Bidet Competition by Players/Suppliers, Type and ApplicationCharpter 3 United States Electric Bidet (Volume, Value and Sales Price)Charpter 4 China Electric Bidet (Volume, Value and Sales Price)Charpter 5- Europe Electric Bidet (Volume, Value and Sales Price)Charpter 6 Japan Electric Bidet (Volume, Value and Sales Price)Charpter 7 Southeast Asia Electric Bidet (Volume, Value and Sales Price)Charpter 8 India Electric Bidet (Volume, Value and Sales Price)Charpter 9 Global Electric Bidet Players/Suppliers Profiles and Sales DataCharpter 10 Electric Bidet Maufacturing Cost AnalysisCharpter 11 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream BuyersCharpter 12 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/TradersCharpter 13 Market Effect Factors AnalysisCharpter 14 Global Electric Bidet Market Forecast (2019-2025)Charpter 15 Research Findings and ConclusionCharpter 16 AppendixA discount can be asked before order a copy of Electric Bidet market report atAbout Us:ReportsnReports.com is your single source for all market research needs. Our database includes 500,000+ market research reports from over 95 leading global publishers & in-depth market research studies of over 5000 micro markets.Tower B5, office 101,Magarpatta SEZ,Hadapsar, Pune-411013, India+ 1 888 391 5441sales@reportsandreports.com In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Market in Russia, Brief Analysis By Top Key players Ava-Peter Clinic, MD Medical Group, and IVF Russia (The International Centre of The Reproductive Medicines) and Many Others In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Market in Russia https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/2389 https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/2389 https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/russia-in-vitro-fertilization-IVF-market www.alliedmarketresearch.com The IVF market size in Russia was valued at $398 million in 2015, and is projected to reach $641 million by 2022, growing at a CAGR of 7.0% from 2016 to 2022. Non-assisted IVF cycles are projected to witness the highest growth rate from 2016 to 2022.Fertility clinics and hospitals collectively contributed about three-fourths of the market revenue in 2014. This is attributed to their crucial role in providing technologically advanced IVF treatment to couples seeking assistance for infertility treatment.Download Report SampleIn vitro fertilization (IVF) is an assisted reproductive technology (ART) that involves extraction of eggs, sample retrieval of sperm cells, followed by manual combination of an egg and sperm in laboratory settings to form an embryo. The embryo(s) is then transferred to the womans uterus for further gestation.The Russia IVF market is driven by increase in incidence of infertility cases, emergent trend of delayed pregnancies among women, technological advancements in IVF procedures, and rise in gamete donation. However, insufficient reimbursement policies related to IVF treatment are anticipated to impede this growth. Moreover, growth in interest of single parents and same-sex couples to experience parenthood through ART, especially IVF, is expected to present various opportunities for market development.The fertility clinics segment accounted for the highest share of the Russia IVF end user market in 2015, owing to the availability of wide range of fertility treatments under a single roof and applicable government reimbursements. The donor egg IVF cycle type segment is anticipated to witness the highest growth rate from 2016 to 2022. However, the fresh cycle (non-donor) is projected to dominate the cycle type market.At present, gonadotropins & gonadotropin-releasing hormones dominate the drug segment of the market, and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.5% during the forecast period. This is attributable to the effectiveness and safety of this drug to stimulate ovulation during an IVF procedure.Key Findings of the Russia In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Market: The fertility clinics end-user segment is anticipated to grow at the highest CAGR from 2016 to 2022 in terms of value as well as volume. The fresh IVF cycle (non-donor) cycle type segment generated the highest revenue in 2015, and is expected to continue its dominance in the near future. ICSI assisted IVF cycles dominated the Russia in vitro fertilizationmarket, and are projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.4%. Donor egg IVF cycle type is expected to witness the highest growth rate in terms of value as well as volume during the forecast period.Get More Information @The major companies profiled in the report include Ava-Peter Clinic, MD Medical Group, and IVF Russia (The International Centre of the Reproductive Medicines).Table Of ContentChapter: 1 RUSSIA IVF MARKET1.1. EUROPE IVF MARKET (REVENUE AND NUMBER OF CYCLES)1.2. RUSSIA IVF MARKET (REVENUE AND NUMBER OF CYCLES)1.2.1. Market size and forecast1.2.2. Russia IVF market, by end user1.2.2.1. Market size and forecast1.2.2.2. Fertility clinics1.2.2.3. Hospitals1.2.2.4. Surgical centers1.2.2.5. Clinical research institutes1.2.3. Russia IVF market, by cycle type1.2.3.1. Market size and forecast1.2.3.2. Fresh IVF cycles (non-donor)1.2.3.3. Thawed IVF cycles (non-donor)1.2.3.4. Donor egg IVF cycles1.2.4. Russia IVF market, by type1.2.4.1. Market size and forecast1.2.4.2. Non-ICSI IVF cycles1.2.4.3. ICSI-assisted IVF cycles1.2.5. Russia IVF market by pharmacological modality1.2.5.1. Overview1.2.5.2. Key trends1.2.5.3. Market size and forecast1.2.5.4. Duration of therapy1.2.5.5. Segmentation of drugs for IVF1.2.5.5.1. Clomiphene citrate1.2.5.5.2. Aromatase inhibitors1.2.5.5.3. Gonadotropins & gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)1.2.5.5.4. Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)1.2.5.5.5. Progesterone1.2.5.5.6. Others1.2.5.6. Mode of administration1.2.5.6.1. Oral1.2.5.6.2. Injectable1.2.5.6.3. Vaginal1.2.6. Market dynamics1.2.6.1. Drivers1.2.6.1.1. Rise in popularity of fertility tourism1.2.6.1.2. Advanced IVF facilities and treatment options1.2.6.2. Restraint1.2.6.2.1. Inadequate reimbursement policies1.2.7. Regulatory issues, legislations, and authorities1.2.8. Insurance reimbursement scenarioChapter: 2 COMPANY PROFILES2.1. AVA-PETER CLINIC2.1.1. Company overview2.1.2. Company snapshot2.1.3. Product portfolio2.2. MD MEDICAL GROUP INVESTMENTS PLC (MD MEDICAL GROUP)2.2.1. Company overview2.2.2. Company snapshot2.2.3. Operating business segments2.2.4. Product portfolio2.2.5. Business performance2.2.6. Key strategic moves and developments2.3. IVF RUSSIA (THE INTERNATIONAL CENTRE OF THE REPRODUCTIVE MEDICINES)2.3.1. Company overview2.3.2. Company snapshot2.3.3. Operating business segmentsAccess Full Summery @About usAllied Market Research, a market research and advisory company of Allied Analytics LLP, provides business insights and market research reports to large as well as small & medium enterprises. The company assists its clients to strategize business policies and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain.Allied Market Research provides one stop solution from the beginning of data collection to investment advice. The analysts at Allied Market Research dig out factors that help clients to understand the significance and impact of market dynamics. The company amplies clients insight on the factors, such as strategies, future estimations, growth or fall forecasting, opportunity analysis, and consumer surveys among others. As follows, the company offers consistent business intelligent support to aid the clients to turn into prominent business firm.ContactDavid Correa5933 NE Win Sivers Drive#205, Portland, OR 97220United StatesToll Free: +1-800-792-5285UK: +44-845-528-1300Hong Kong: +852-301-84916India (Pune): +91-20-66346060Fax: +1855550-5975help@alliedmarketresearch.comWeb: Multi-Touch Marketing Attribution Software Market - Notable Developments 2018 - 2028 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=5052 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=5052 Global Multi-Touch Marketing Attribution Software Market: OverviewMulti-touch marketing attribution software market is in its nascent stages of progress. The market prepares advertisers with a holistic understanding between various touch points and resulting final sales.The two approaches adopted in the multi-touch marketing attribution software market are first-source attribution and last touch attribution. As the name suggests, the first touch attribution devotes all credit to the first source which introduced a certain product to the audience. On the other hand, the last touch attribution is given credit for closing the deal.The last touch attribution is commonly used in various industries and is the default model on Google Analytics. Several other models also reign supreme in the multi-touch marketing attribution software market including linear, position based, and time decay model.Get Brochure of the Report @Due to stiff competition in various industries, collaboration and revenue sharing is often a difficult approach. The multi-touch marketing attribution software market is expected to service various end-industries with an analytical and neutral approach.Global Multi-Touch Marketing Attribution Software Market: Notable DevelopmentsLinkedIn has tied up with Google to enable advertisers to track LinkedIn ad performance. The deal involves integration of Google campaign manager software on LinkedIn platform, which allows advertisers to benefit from LinkedIn ads across platforms. The move by LinkedIn signals a growing necessity of collaboration and underlying consolidation in the market.Major players like Google are benefitting immensely through large data collection and private networks like LinkedIn are expected to grow with these collaboration, which invites more marketers and more revenues to the platform. This is a notable development in the multi-touch marketing attribution software market as LinkedIn owned by Microsoft, is a major platform facilitating B2B marketing.According to a recent study conducted in 2018, over 54% of US companies are using the multi-touch marketing attribution. The study estimates that the attribution systems are likely to increase their penetration in the near future and nearly 88% companies are likely to adopt the model by 2020. Another survey of marketers pointed out that over 80% of marketers surveyed planned on increasing their budget in 2019.Global Multi-Touch Marketing Attribution Software Market: Key TrendsAccording to a research published by Technical University of Kosice, nearly 96% of new website users do not have an intent to buy anything online. On the other hand, multi-touch model helps users through different phases with brand awareness, decision making, and final purchases.Hence, the study also found that multi-touch marketing attribution model can help seal deals in as little as 5 interactions in 40% of the cases. Due to the difficulty of marketing online and increased scope of data analytics and collaboration, the market faces a long and promising road ahead.The growing digital advertising revenues, increasing faith in ROI in digital marketing, and large number of users online are expected to drive significant growth for the multi-touch marketing attribution software market. Additionally, various tech giants are becoming gatekeepers online, whose business model is invested in digital advertising. The consolidation in the market is also expected to drive the emergence of a few advertising platforms to the top, clearing a clear, efficient and productive path for marketers online.Request TOC for Detailed Facts & Numbers @Various governments around the world have also expressed intent to support revenue generating paths in the online world. Positive support by various public entities, cost-effective adoption of smartphone technology, and increasing solidarity among marketers in the multi-touch marketing attribution software market is expected to open several opportunities in the near future.Global Multi-Touch Marketing Attribution Software Market: Regional OutlookThe multi-touch marketing attribution software market is divided into main regions including North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa. The multi-touch marketing attribution software market in North America region is expected to hold the dominant share of the global market. The large technology giants in the region and emergence of innovative software providers is expected to create significant opportunities in the near future. Additionally, the multi-touch marketing attribution software market in Asia Pacific is also witnessing the emergence of lucrative opportunities due to increasing demand for big data analytics and increasing faith in ROI globally.The growing regulations and compliances can limit the growth of the multi-touch marketing attribution software market in the near future as well. However, the multi-touch marketing attribution software market is expected to grow at a remarkable CAGR nonetheless.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Contact:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050 Big Data as a Service Market will grow at 31.52% CAGR by 2024 Top Companies like IBM Corporations, Microsoft Corporations, Oracle Corporations, SAP SE, Hewlett-Packard Company, Cisco System Inc https://www.qurateresearch.com/report/sample/ICT/QBI-BRC-ICT-67333 https://www.qurateresearch.com/report/enquiry/ICT/QBI-BRC-ICT-67333 https://www.qurateresearch.com/report/buy/ICT/QBI-BRC-ICT-67333/ https://www.qurateresearch.com/ Global Big Data as a Service Market valued approximately USD 3.13 billion in 2017 is anticipated to grow with a healthy growth rate of more than 31.52% over the forecast period 2018-2025. The extensive growth of data and growing demand of real time data analytics are the major drivers prevailing in the big data as a service market. Global big data as a service market is primarily driven by the increasing requirement of structured data for analysis which helps the organizations to achieve their goals or targets and grow at a faster pace with then changing environment. The major restraining factor in big data as a service market are lack of skilled professionals and complexity associated with the projects. Increasing demand for the advanced analytics and data warehousing solutions is the opportunity for the big data as a service market.Big Data as a Service Market to reach USD 27.93 billion by 2025.Get Free Sample Copy of This Report@The industry is seeming to be fairly competitive. Some of the leading market players include IBM Corporations, Microsoft Corporations, Oracle Corporations, SAP SE, Hewlett-Packard Company, Cisco System Inc., SAS Institute, Information Builders Inc., Accenture PLC, Thoughtspot Inc., Datastax Inc., Alteryx Ltd., Atscale Inc., Opera Solutions LLC, Guavus Inc.and so on. Acquisitions and effective mergers are some of the strategies adopted by the key manufacturers. New product launches and continuous technological innovations are the key strategies adopted by the major players.Big data as a service is a term typically used to refer to services that offer analysis of large or complex data sets, usually over the Internet, as cloud hosted services. Similar types of services include software as a service or infrastructure as a service, where specific big data as a service options are used to help businesses critical situations. Big data helps the organizations to create new growth opportunities and entirely new categories of companies that can combine and analyze industry data. Big data also understands and optimizes business processes. Retailers can easily optimize their stock based on predictive models generated from the social media data.Make an enquiry before buying this Report @The regional analysis of Big Data as a Service 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/significant region across the world in terms of market share. Whereas, owing to the countries such as China, Japan, and India, Asia Pacific region is anticipated to exhibit higher growth rate / CAGR over the forecast period 2018-2025.The objective of the study is to define market sizes of different segments & countries in recent years and to forecast the values to the coming eight years. The report is designed to incorporate both qualitative and quantitative aspects of the industry within each of the regions and countries involved in the study. Furthermore, the report also caters the detailed information about the crucial aspects such as driving factors & challenges which will define the future growth of the market. Additionally, the report shall also incorporate available opportunities in micro markets for stakeholders to invest along with the detailed analysis of competitive landscape and product offerings of key players. The detailed segments and sub-segment of the market are explained below:By Solution Type: Hadoop as a service Data as a Service Data Analytics as a ServiceBy Deployment Model: Public Cloud Private Cloud Hybrid CloudBuy Complete Report@By End User: Telecom and IT Energy and Power BFSI Healthcare Retail Manufacturing OthersBy Regions: North Americao U.S.o Canada Europeo UKo Germany Asia Pacifico Chinao Indiao Japan Latin Americao Brazilo Mexico Rest of the WorldAbout Us:Qurate Business Intelligence delivers unique market research solutions to its customers and help them to get equipped with refined information and market insights derived from reports. We are committed to providing best business services and easy processes to get the same. Qurate Business Intelligence considers themselves as strategic partners of their customers and always shows the keen level of interest to deliver quality.Contact Us:Nehal ChinoyRunwal Platinum,Ramnagar Colony, Bavdhan,Pune, Maharashtra, India-411021IN +919881074592info@qurateresearch.com Global Scandium Oxide Market Analysis by Industry Share, Types, Region and Overview 2023 Profiling Rusal, Stanford Materials, Metallica Minerals, Platina Resources, Scandium International Mining, DNI Metals Many More InForGrowth.com introduces a research report may focus on Global Scandium Oxide Industry 2019 Market Research Report published through its high quality database. The Global Scandium Oxide Market provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Scandium Oxide market analysis is provided for the international markets including development trends, competitive landscape analysis, and key regions development status. The report provides key statistics on the market status of the Scandium Oxide manufacturers and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the industry. Complete report on Scandium Oxide market spreads across 114 pages profiling 13 companies and supported with 169 tables and figures. Get Sample Copy of Scandium Oxide market 2019-25 at: https://inforgrowth.com/sample-request/70425/global-scandium-oxide-market-insights-forecast-to-2025 Key Companies Analysis: - Rusal, Stanford Materials, Metallica Minerals, Platina Resources, Scandium International Mining, DNI Metals, Great Western Minerals Group, Intermix-Met, CODOS, Hunan Oriental Scandium, Huizhou Top Metal Materials (TOPM), CNMC Pgma (Guangxi), Ganzhou Kemingrui profiles overview. This report includes the estimation of market size for value (million USD) and volume (K Units). Both top-down and bottom-up approaches have been used to estimate and validate the market size of Scandium Oxide market, to estimate the size of various other dependent submarkets in the overall market. Key players in the market have been identified through secondary research, and their market shares have been determined through primary and secondary research. All percentage shares, splits, and breakdowns have been determined using secondary sources and verified primary sources. Development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and cost structures are also analyzed. This report also states import/export consumption, supply and demand Figures, cost, price, revenue and gross margins. The Global Scandium Oxide Industry focuses on global major leading industry players providing information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. Upstream raw materials and equipment and downstream demand analysis is also carried out. The Scandium Oxide industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed. Finally the feasibility of new investment projects are assessed and overall research conclusions offered. With the tables and figures the report provides key statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market. Inquire for Discount Upto 50% on Scandium Oxide market 2019-25 Report at: https://inforgrowth.com/discount/70425/global-scandium-oxide-market-insights-forecast-to-2025 The study objectives are: - To analyze and research the global Scandium Oxide status and future forecast,involving, production, revenue, consumption, historical and forecast. - To present the key Scandium Oxide manufacturers, production, revenue, market share, and recent development. - To split the breakdown data by regions, type, manufacturers and applications. - To analyze the global and key regions market potential and advantage, opportunity and challenge, restraints and risks. - To identify significant trends, drivers, influence factors in global and regions. - To analyze competitive developments such as expansions, agreements, new product launches, and acquisitions in the market. Major Points Covered in Table of Contents: Charpter 1 Scandium Oxide Market Overview Charpter 2 Global Scandium Oxide Competition by Players/Suppliers, Type and Application Charpter 3 United States Scandium Oxide (Volume, Value and Sales Price) Charpter 4 China Scandium Oxide (Volume, Value and Sales Price) Charpter 5- Europe Scandium Oxide (Volume, Value and Sales Price) Charpter 6 Japan Scandium Oxide (Volume, Value and Sales Price) Charpter 7 Southeast Asia Scandium Oxide (Volume, Value and Sales Price) Charpter 8 India Scandium Oxide (Volume, Value and Sales Price) Charpter 9 Global Scandium Oxide Players/Suppliers Profiles and Sales Data Charpter 10 Scandium Oxide Maufacturing Cost Analysis Charpter 11 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers Charpter 12 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders Charpter 13 Market Effect Factors Analysis Charpter 14 Global Scandium Oxide Market Forecast (2019-2022) Charpter 15 Research Findings and Conclusion Charpter 16 Appendix List of Tables and Figures Purchase the copy of this report at: https://inforgrowth.com/purchase/70424/global-scandium-oxide-market-insights-forecast-to-2025-singleuser About InForGrowth: We are a market-intelligence company formed with the objective of providing clients access to the most relevant and accurate research content for their growth needs. At InForGrowth, we understand Research requirements and help a client in taking informed business critical decisions. Given the complexities and interdependencies of market-intelligence, there is always more than one source to explore and arrive at the right answer. Through our smart search feature and our reliable & trusted publishing partners, we are paving way for a more simplified and relevant research. For all your Research needs, reach out to us at: Email: sales@inforgrowth.com Phone: U.S. (Toll Free): +1-909-329-2808 U.K (Toll Free): 44-203-743-1890 This release was published on openPR. Permanent link to this press release: Copy Please set a link in the press area of your homepage to this press release on openPR. openPR disclaims liability for any content contained in this release. Global Enterprise Asset Management Market Size, Share, Intelligence, Company Profiles, Market Trends, Strategy, Analysis, Forecast 2017-2022 Orion Market Research https://www.omrglobal.com/industry-reports/enterprise-asset-management-market/ https://www.omrglobal.com/reports-category/cloud-and-big-data/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/omr-global-research/ www.omrglobal.com According to OMR analysis, the Global Enterprise Asset Management Market is estimated to grow at a significant CAGR during the forecast period (2017-2022). Enterprise asset management is a system that is designed to manage the assets of the organization across various departments, business units, services, and geographies. Enterprise asset management solutions enhance the operational efficiency of the business by effective asset utilization, consolidation and analyzing the critical information of all type of assets and by ensuring better asset reliability. Enterprise asset management performs designing, construction, operation, and maintenance, commissioning, decommissioning and replacement of assets. The major factor that is augmenting the growth of the market is estimated to be the rising need of the increasing lifecycle performance of the asset. Furthermore, various benefits offered by enterprise asset management solutions such as improved return on asset, tracking of asset and reduction in the procurement and maintenance cost are estimated to fuel the growth of the market.A full report of the Global Enterprise Asset Management Market is available atFurthermore, the Global Enterprise Asset Management Market is segmented on the basis of services, software, and verticles. The report provides detailed & insightful chapters which include market overview, key findings, strategic recommendations, market estimations, market determinants, key company analysis, market insights, company profiling, market segmentation, geographical analysis, analyst insights and predictive analysis of the market.Market Segmentation1. Global Enterprise Asset Management Market by Services Training and support services Implementation services Managed services2. Global Enterprise Asset Management Market by Software Linear asset Non-linear asset Field service management Assets maintenance, repair, and other operations3. Global Enterprise Asset Management Market by Verticles BFSI Healthcare Government and utilities Oil and gas Retail Transportation OthersRegion Covered North America (US and Canada) Europe (UK, Germany, France, Spain, and Italy) Asia-Pacific (China, India, South Korea, and Japan) Rest of the World (Middle East & Africa and Latin America)Company Profile ABB Group Assetworks LLC Carl International SA CGI Group Emaint Enterprises Fujitsu Ltd. Genesis Technology Solutions, Inc. IBM Corporation IFS AB Infor Mainsaver, Inc. Mex Pty Ltd. Oracle Corporation Real Asset Management SAP SE Schneider Electric Ultimo Software SolutionsFor related reports please visitFor more update follow LinkedInAbout Orion Market ResearchOrion Market Research (OMR) a research company known for its crisp and concise reports. The company is equipped with an experienced team and young brigade of analysts. The company aims to provide business insights for decision making to the global clients and offers quality syndicated research reports, customized research reports, Company profiling, consulting and other research-based services. OMR provide global and regional market reports of various domains such as healthcare, energy, IT, chemicals, and automobiles. OMR provide a 360-degree view of the market with parametric analysis, key market insights, key findings, statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, extensive segmentation, key trends, strategic recommendations and detailed company profiles.Contact usOrion Market Research Pvt. Ltd.Anurag TiwariEmail: info@omrglobal.comIndia: +91 7803040404Global:+1 6467557667Indore-India-452010Web: Network Security Policy Management Market: Global Product Intelligence, Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast - 2024 Network Security Policy Management Market https://www.infiniumglobalresearch.com/reports/sample-request/4434 https://www.infiniumglobalresearch.com/reports/request-discount/4434 https://www.infiniumglobalresearch.com/ict-semiconductor/global-network-security-policy-management-market www.infiniumglobalresearch.com The latest report has been added to the wide database of Network Security Policy Management Market by Infinium Global Research. This report studies the Network Security Policy Management Market by type (cloud, on-premises), application (transportation, retail, telecom & it, and other) market status and outlook of global and major regions, from manufacturers, and end industries. The objective of the study is to identify market sizes of different segments & countries in recent years and to forecast the values for the next six years. Network Security Policy Management Market provides opportunities in micro markets for stakeholders to invest along with the detailed analysis of competitive landscape, latest trends, and product offerings of the major companies in the Network Security Policy Management Market. According to the report, the global network security policy management market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 9.6% over the forecast period of 2018-2024.Ask for Sample PDF of Global Network Security Policy Management Market Report@Network Security Policy Management: Industry InsightsNetwork security policy management is an automatic solution for provisioning, susceptibility & analyzing risk and examining network security that changes owing to limited prominence and control over large networks connecting on cloud and physical platform. Further, the software offers automatic firewall procedures and updates security change lifecycle across proxies, firewalls, and routers. In organizations and businesses, the network security policies management is necessary to maintain daily functioning.Network Security Policy Management: Drivers and RestraintsGrowing threats of cyber-attacks are driving the growth of the network security policy management market. As per an estimation made by Cyber Incident & Breach Trends Report in 2017, there were 350000 cyber incidents which were not registered. Further, several organizations do not provide required education and training regarding cyber-attacks to their workers as themselves they are not attentive about it. This results in growing numbers of cyber threats. Moreover, this policy management helps in defending data which is available on the network. It also protects the data or information which are being shared between computer and network. These are some advantages provided by network security policy management. Besides, lack of consciousness regarding cyber threats is hampering the market growth. On the other side, accessibility of these policy management solutions on-demand through the SaaS model is expected to create an opportunity for the network security policy management market during the forecast period.Enquire here Get Customization & Check Discount for Report @Network Security Policy Management: SegmentationThe global network security policy management market is divided into type and application. Based on the type the segment is classified into the cloud, and on premises. Further, on the basis of application, the segment is again divided into transportation, retail, telecom & it, and other. Telecom & IT segment is anticipated to grow at the fastest rate. Due to increasing acceptance of cloud-based services, civilizing of IT infrastructure and the rising trend of industrial automation is driving the growth of this segment. This is due to the enlightening of economic conditions and growing foreign investments supports the growth and technological development of IT industries.Network Security Policy Management: Regional InsightsAs per the geographies, North America is anticipated to dominate the growth of the network security policy management market followed by Asia Pacific region. The factors supporting the growth of this market in the North America region are an advancement in technology, infrastructure, and cybersecurity solution. Further, acceptance of new technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and IoT is also driving the growth of the market. Besides, the Asia Pacific region is likely to grow at the fastest rate during the upcoming region due to IT and telecom sectors that boost the network security policy management market in this region.Read Detailed Index of full Research Study atNetwork Security Policy Management: Competitive AnalysisKey players in the global network security policy market are Tufin, Palo Alto Networks, Inc., IBM, Juniper Networks, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP, Forcepoint, FireMon, LLC., Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. and AlgoSec. In March 2019, Palo Alto Networks the global cybersecurity leader has announced that it has acquired Demisto, a leading cybersecurity company.Infinium Global Research and Consulting Solutions is started with a single motto of being a business partner of the first choice. We at Infinium work on the strengths of our clients to ensure we help them consolidate their market position. We firmly believe in the fact that if you are able to develop newer opportunities then you find there is no dearth of opportunities for you. With our strategic research approaches and deep dive in the market segments, we try to find out new opportunities that our clients can encash with their existing resources. Our experts with over 100 years of cumulative experience in research offer the best in the industry services to our clients to ensure that they achieve their business goals.Infinium Global ResearchOffice No. 04, 06, Ganadhish Empire,Rahatani Corner, Pune, MH 411027Email: info@infiniumglobalresearch.comWebsite: Stun Gun Market Headed for Growth and Global Expansion by 2026 Stun Gun Market https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/666 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/talk-to-analyst/666 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-customization/666 Stun guns market refers to the business generated by the non-lethal conducted electrical weapons (CEWs) that are primarily utilized for the self-defense and law enforcement agencies. Ability to incapacitate the potential suspect through the delivery of high voltage electric shocks, with the prime motive of disrupting the muscle functions for small amount of time without causing substantial damage is expected to remain the primary growth driver of the industry over the forecast period.For In depth Information Get Sample Copy of this Report @Increasing concerns and requirement of preparedness to counter the proliferating threats to womens safety and irregular upsurge of civil riots are expected to drive the industry growthNumber of criminal and rape incidents, in most economies is among the primary concern of the government agencies. Some of the major economies that include Australia, U.S., New Zealand, Norway and France are among the developed economies that have the highest reported incidents per 100,000 citizens. According to the Nations Master crime and rape rate statistics, these countries had over 15 rapes per 100,000 inhabitants. Moreover, usage of lethal weapons is substantially discouraged for the personal protection and are significantly difficult to afford. Requirement of preparedness in case of threat to personal safety are expected to drive the overall industry growth through the next few years. Moreover, functionality of some of the products that feature usability in adverse weather conditions, when pepper sprays or other self-defense tactics prove inefficient, are expected to propel the adoption rates.Stun Gun Market TaxonomyOn the basis of product types, the global stun gun market is classified into:Compact, Heavy Duty, Stun Gun Flashlight / Taser Flashlight, Stun Baton, Other forms (wands, batons, electrified brass knuckles, "iPhones", or other concealed objects)On the basis of end users, the global stun gun market is classified into:Civilians, Military and Law enforcementIrregular possibilities of civil unrest and requirement to maintain the law and order without critical damage to the civilians will present considerable growth prospectsFrance, Argentina, Myanmar, Mexico, Bangladesh, and India are among the most civil unrest prone regions, owing to substantial number of news headlines associated with the civil riots. Moreover, some riots in these countries past have witnessed requirements of military interventions to ensure the peace. Recurring surfacing of such incidences are expected to be the most prominent stun gun market growth driver over the forecast period. Additionally these find significant applications for probes against convicts who are under the influence of alcohol and drugs, which reduces their sensitivity to pain.Inquire Here Before Purchase of Research Report @Advent of CEWs that can monitor heart rates rhythms with featuring over 99.75% human life safety are gaining significant tractionIn August 2016, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center researchers successfully developed stun guns that was capable of recording the subject individuals heart rhythm and rates and capability to avoid serious injuries and fatalities. Increasing incidences of the serious incidents owing to pre-medical conditions, when using these devices are doing the rounds in media. Moreover, these serious injuries and deaths often included other risk factors, including drug use. These developments will ensure the human life safety and drive the stun gun market.Law enforcement agencies are anticipated to continue the industry dominance through the forecast periodMajor factors driving the segment growth are the increasing adoption of stun guns by special police forces and law enforcement agencies in major countries such as the US, Australia, and Canada. Moreover, increased awareness in the developing and underdeveloped economies about the benefits of these devices will drive the overall product demands through the forecast period.Request For Customization @About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.com Brazil Elderly Care Market 2019: Analysis Report On Koninklijke Philips N.V., Intel Corporation, Exceptional Living Center, Profilico Group Ltd. and RIGHT AT HOME, LLC Brazil Elderly Care Market https://databridgemarketresearch.com/request-a-sample/?dbmr=brazil-elderly-care-market https://databridgemarketresearch.com/inquire-before-buying/?dbmr=brazil-elderly-care-market https://databridgemarketresearch.com/toc/?dbmr=brazil-elderly-care-market Brazil Elderly Care Market report provides complete data concerning makers, suppliers, distributors, traders, customers, investors and major sorts furthermore as applications. The report on the world Brazil Elderly Care Market is a crucial document for each market enthusiast, policymaker, investor, and player. The Market Reports provides knowledge on patterns and enhancements, and target business sectors and materials, limits and advancements. During this report, a radical SWOT analysis & investment analysis is provided that forecasts close opportunities for the Brazil Elderly Care Market players. This report may be a valuable supply of steerage for firms and people providing business Chain Structure, Business ways and Proposals for brand new Project Investments. The report provides with CAGR worth fluctuation throughout the forecast amount of 2018-2025 for the market.Get Free Sample Copy of this Report @Brazil Elderly Care Market, By Type({Home Care (Health Care, Non Medical Home Care), Adult Day Care, Institutional Care (Nursing Homes, Hospital Based, Assisted Living, Independent Senior Living)}), Product Type (Pharmaceuticals, Housing & Assistive Devices, Technology) Industry Trends and Forecast to 2025Brazil Elderly Care Market is expected to reach USD 93.7 Billion by 2025 from USD 61.5 Billion in 2017, at a CAGR of 5.5% in the forecast period 2018 to 2025.The major factors driving the growth of this market are increase in geriatric population, rising patient pool for chronic illness in ageing population, rising awareness of home care setting devices, increasing healthcare spending public and private in developed economies, government initiatives to provide cost-effective medical treatment for ageing population, and favourable reimbursement policies. On the other hand low penetration rate for elderly care products and high cost of elderly care services and products may hinder the growth of the market are the factors which will boost the Brazil elderly care market.The key market players for Brazil elderly care market are listed below: Koninklijke Philips N.V. Intel Corporation Exceptional Living Center Profilico Group Ltd. RIGHT AT HOME, LLC.Order a copy of Brazil Elderly Care Market Report @TABLE OF CONTENTS BRAZIL ELDERLY CARE MARKET1. INTRODUCTION1.1. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY1.2. MARKET DEFINITION1.3. OVERVIEW OF BRAZIL ELDERLY CARE MARKET1.4. CURRENCY AND PRICING1.5. LIMITATION1.6. MARKETS COVERED2. MARKET SEGMENTATION2.1. MARKETS COVERED2.2. YEARS CONSIDERED FOR THE STUDY2.3. CURRENCY AND PRICING2.4. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY2.5. PRIMARY INTERVIEWS WITH KEY OPINION LEADERS2.6. SECONDARY SOURCES2.7. ASSUMPTIONS3. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY4. PREMIUM INSIGHTS5. BRAZIL ELDERLY CARE MARKET, BY PRODUCT TYPE5.1. OVERVIEW5.2. HOUSING AND ASSISTIVE DEVICES5.3. PHARMACEUTICALS6. BRAZIL ELDERLY CARE MARKET, BY SERVICE6.1. OVERVIEW6.2. INSTITUTIONAL CARE7. BRAZIL ELDERLY CARE MARKET, BY APPLICATION8. BRAZIL ELDERLY CARE MARKET, BY MODE OF REMUNERATION9. BRAZIL ELDERLY CARE MARKET, COMPANY LANDSCAPE9.1. COMPANY SHARE ANALYSIS: BRAZIL10. COMPANY PROFILE10.1. KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.10.2. RIGHT AT HOME, LLC.10.3. PROFILICO GROUP, LTD.10.4. EXCEPTIONAL LIVING CENTER OF BRAZIL, LLC.10.5. INTEL CORPORATIONSegmentation of Brazil Elderly Care MarketThe market is further segmented into: Product Type Service Application RemunerationBased on product type: Pharmaceuticals Housing Assistive DevicesBased on service: Institutional Care Homecare Adult Day CareBased on application: Heart Diseases Cancer Kidney Diseases Diabetes Arthritis Osteoporosis Neurological Respiratory OthersBased on mode of remuneration: Government Insurances Private Insurances Out of Pocket ServicesBased on geography: North America Europe Asia-Pacific South America Middle East and AfricaRequest for Detailed TOC @About Data Bridge Market Research:Data Bridge Market Research set forth itself as an unconventional and neoteric Market research and consulting firm with unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are determined to unearth the best market opportunities and foster efficient information for your business to thrive in the market. Data Bridge endeavors to provide appropriate solutions to the complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process.Contact:Data Bridge Market ResearchTel: +1-888-387-2818Email: sopan.gedam@databridgemarketresearch.com Smart Pills Market Is Expected To Have The Highest Growth Rate During The Forecast Period 2026 With Top Players Boston Scientific Corporation, Olympus Medical Technology, Smart Pill Inc, Medtronic Smart Pills https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-pdf/487 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/487 Smart pills can be used to monitor the drug adherence, temperature and some other parameters in the patients. Smart pills are ingestible medical devices that can be taken orally to examine the gastrointestinal tract (GI).The advanced technology of smart pills helps in monitoring of patients, disease diagnosis, and help to improve the drug delivery. This might help physicians to monitor the patients conditions, and to check the timely routine of patients medication. The smart pills may alert about the expiry date of medicines, drug completion course and prevent from adverse events. These are expected to replace conventional diagnostic techniques such as endoscopy and colonoscopy. The need for convenient, and accurate treatment strategies has generated the interest in the research of smart pills.Download PDF Brochure Of This Business Report @The increasing number of gastro-intestinal diseased population to drive the smart pills marketIncreasing geriatric population creates a large target group for smart pills manufacturers. This demographic group is highly susceptible to Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). The market has wide scope in the monitoring and diagnosis of the diseases. According to World Health organization (WHO) 50% of people forget to take pills or take wrong medication which will be dangerous for their health, the new smart pills technology is helping in monitoring this conditions.According to Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 1 million people suffered from IBD in the U.S. in 2015. The changing lifestyles, low intake of fibers in the food, stress, food intolerance and allergies are causing the increasing number of gastrointestinal diseases. To cure this disease, conventional methods do not provide accurate results. Need for accurate diagnosis and monitoring for this diseases are some of the major factors driving the smart pills market.The development of novel technologies and partnership between companies helping to boost growth in the smart pills marketThe key players operating the smart pills market globally are Boston Scientific Corporation, Olympus Medical Technology, Smart Pill Inc, Medtronic, Philips Healthcare, Given Imaging Ltd and Novartis, Siemens Healthcare, Pentax Medical Company, GE Healthcare, Stryker Corporation.Ask For Sample Copy of This Business Report @The increasing healthcare awareness and early adoption to novel technologies driving the smart pills market in EuropeRegional segmentation of smart pills market by Coherent Market Insights comprises North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa. North America and Europe collectively dominate the market. The adoption of these regions for novel technologies which is essential for the smart pills market, new marketing and commercialization strategies, large patient population are some of the causes driving this market in North America and Europe. The Asia Pacific region is one of the growing market however, increasing healthcare awareness, training in endoscope handling, growing predominance of colon cancer and intestinal infections, and major corporate investments in research and development in Japan and other Asian countries would help boost the smart pills market.About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave, #3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +12067016702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.com Cybersecurity in Healthcare-Thematic Research | Key Players - Abbott, Animas Corporation, Clearwater Compliance, CynergisTek, DataMotion Health, Fortified Health Security, ICU Medical, MedCrypt, Medigate, Medtronic etc Cybersecurity in Healthcare Market http://bit.ly/2CCKMdR http://bit.ly/2TVRYbE http://bit.ly/2HkYbwv Cybersecurity in Healthcare MarketThe global healthcare industry is preparing to ride the digital wave-contextualizing and implementing new technologies such as cloud, mobility, Big Data and analytics, and the Internet of Things (IoT)-to best align with care models. However, technology offers risks as well as rewards. The more healthcare ecosystems embrace digital technology, the more they expose themselves to emerging cyber risks. As healthcare providers progress toward predictive and prescriptive models to support real-time decision-making, their rich data becomes a strategic asset. They need to plan ways to mitigate their vulnerabilities and enhance their security against cyber risks now. Because of this, there is a significant market opportunity, and technology vendors can leverage their ecosystems to offer end-to-end security solutions to exploit state-of-the-art technology such as artificial intelligence (AI) and forensics.Get a Sample Copy of This Report @The Key Players covered in this report:Abbott, Animas Corporation, Clearwater Compliance, CynergisTek, DataMotion Health, Fortified Health Security, ICU Medical, MedCrypt, Medigate, Medtronic, Protenus, VizientForward-thinking healthcare providers are pivoting towards a holistic cybersecurity approach to shore up their current positions. This approach will also ensure strong future-proofing elements by acknowledging ongoing changes that are in line with wider growth strategies. However, achieving a comprehensive cybersecurity approach requires involving people, processes, and technology that are relevant to detection, prediction, prevention, and rapid response in order to safeguard users from the myriad cyber breaches that healthcare players now need to confront. This study report on Global Cybersecurity in Healthcare Market throws light on the crucial trends and dynamics impacting the development of the market.Report Scope:This report provides in-house analyst expertise on the 14 most important cybersecurity technologies and identifies the winners in these high-growth cyber technology cycles. Components of the report include -- Key Players: identify the big players in the cybersecurity industry and where they sit in the value chain.- Trends in the Cybersecurity Industry: key trends driving the cybersecurity industry classified into five key categories-the changing nature of cyber threats, evolution of key cybersecurity technologies, industry growth drivers, healthcare governance trends, and cybersecurity trends in healthcare.- Industry Analysis: analysis of the impact of cybercrime and key regulations around cybersecurity across global regulatory bodies.- Impact of Cybersecurity in Healthcare: identify key cybersecurity models for the healthcare industry including case studies demonstrating how healthcare companies are using cybersecurity for improved outcomes.- Value Chain: identify the 14 key cybersecurity technologies driving growth in the cybersecurity industry, highlighting the leaders in each category.Get Discount for this report:Table of Contents:2 Key Players3 Trends3.1 Changing Nature of Cyber Threats3.2 Evolution of Cybersecurity Technologies3.3 Industry Growth Drivers3.4 Corporate Governance Trends3.5 Cybersecurity Trends in Healthcare4 Industry Analysis4.1 Cyber Risk4.2 Investment Landscape4.3 Todays Cybersecurity Paradigm4.4 Deep Learning as a Cybersecurity Solution4.5 Regulation5 Impact of Cybersecurity on Healthcare6 Value Chain7 Companies Section7.1 Public Companies7.2 Private Companies7.3 Healthcare Companies8 Technology Briefing9 Appendix: Our Thematic research methodologyReasons to Buy This Report:- Develop and design your corporate strategies through an in-house expert analysis of the key cybersecurity technologies impacting the healthcare industry.- Develop business strategies by understanding the key cybersecurity models being used in the healthcare industry.- Stay up to date on the industrys big players in the cybersecurity industry and where they sit in the value chain.- Identify emerging industry trends in cybersecurity technologies to gain a competitive advantage.Buy This Report @About ReportsWeb:ReportsWeb.com is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers. We provide best in class customer service and our customer support team is always available to help you on your research queries.Contact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@reportsweb.com Exclusive Assessment on Compound Semiconductor Market 2019-2023 | Top Key Players - Dow Corning, Shin-Etsu Chemical, DOWA, Freiberger, SCIOCS Compound Semiconductor Market https://www.businessindustryreports.com/sample-request/119060 https://www.businessindustryreports.com/buy-now/119060/single Global Compound Semiconductor Market Report 2019 offers elaborated knowledge on the market parts like size, Key Regions, growth, trends, dominating firms, Major Manufactures. The Compound Semiconductor report introduces market competition situation among the vendors, revenue, product & services, latest developments and business strategies.Global Compound Semiconductor Market Overview:According to market analysts, Global Compound Semiconductor Market is projected to grow at a high CAGR value from 2019 to 2023.Sample Copy of Global Compound Semiconductor Market Report Available @As semiconductor technology begins to advance, new segments are swiftly being integrated into the market, such as Machine Learning. The compound semiconductor formed by linking two or more elements of the different or same group of the periodic table. Compound semiconductor possesses unique properties such as high high-temperature resistance, enhanced frequency, high band gap and faster operation.Increasing adoption of smartphones and penetration of internet will increase the demand for smartphones, which will consequently drive the growth of the compound semiconductor market. Moreover, increasing adoption of LEDs in consumer electronics is expected to boost growth of this market.The Compound Semiconductor Market is segmented based on Type, Product, Application and Regions. On the basis of type, the market is sub-segmented into GaN, GaAs, InP, SiGe, SiC, and GaP. The market for GaN is expected to hold the largest market share for the compound semiconductor market during the forecast period.By product, the market is divided into LED, RF, Optoelectronics, and Power Electronics. Based on application, the telecommunications application is expected to hold the largest market share of the market owing to increased usage of compound semiconductors.Regionally, technological advancement and owing to rise in investment in aerospace & defense and IT & telecommunication industries are expected to boost the growth of the market in North America. Moreover, Asia-Pacific is expected to dominate the compound semiconductor market during the forecast period.Key Regions:1 North America Country (United States, Canada)2 South America3 Asia Country (China, Japan, India, Korea)4 Europe Country (Germany, UK, France, Italy)5 Other Country (Middle East, Africa, GCC)Top global key service provider companies covered in the study include:1 IQE PLC2 Sumitomo Electric Industries3 SCIOCS4 Mitsubishi Chemical5 SanAan Optoelectronics6 Dow Corning7 Shin-Etsu Chemical8 DOWA and More..Purchase this report online along with table of contents @Key Questions Answered in this Report:1 How has the Compound Semiconductor market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years?2 What are the price trends of Compound Semiconductor?3 What is the structure of the Compound Semiconductor industry and who are the key players?4 Who are the key vendors in the global Compound Semiconductor market?5 What are the latest market trends?Table of Content:1 Compound Semiconductor Definition2 Global Compound Semiconductor Market Major Player Share and Market Overview3 Major Player Compound Semiconductor Business Introduction4 Global Compound Semiconductor Market Segmentation (Region Level)5 Global Compound Semiconductor Market Segmentation (Type Level)6 Global Compound Semiconductor Market Segmentation (Industry Level)7 Global Compound Semiconductor Market Segmentation (Channel Level)8 Compound Semiconductor Market Forecast 2019-20239 Compound Semiconductor Segmentation Type10 Compound Semiconductor Segmentation Industry11 Compound Semiconductor Cost Analysis12 ConclusionAbout us:BusinessindustryReports.com is digital database of comprehensive market reports for global industries. As a market research company, we take pride in equipping our clients with insights and data that holds the power to truly make a difference to their business. Our mission is singular and well-defined we want to help our clients envisage their business environment so that they are able to make informed, strategic and therefore successful decisions for themselves.Media ContactBusiness Industry ReportsPune Indiasales@businessindustryreports.com+19376349940 Walnut milk market to make phenomenal gains from nutritious food applications | Elmhurst Milked, LLC, Yili Group, Pan Pan, Mengniu Dairy Group, WhiteWave Foods Walnut milk market https://www.gminsights.com/request-toc/upcoming/1697 https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/1697 https://www.gminsights.com http://global4energy.com/ Walnut Milk Market is driven by rising awareness regarding the health benefits of walnut milk among consumers. Increasing demand for healthy and nutritious food is likely to propel the walnut milk market in future due to its excellent properties which helps in reducing body weight and provide omega 3 fatty acid.Increasing demand in personal care industry is likely to fuel the walnut milk market in upcoming years. As the product is used in wrinkle free creams which is highly demanded in European nations due to the large presence of ageing population in this region. High usage of the product for the prevention of heart disease as it contains the antioxidant and it minimizes the diabetes risk. It also slows down the aging rate among humans and contains melatonin which prevent the insomnia disorder. These all are the significant factors for product market growth.Request for a Table of Contents of Research Report @Upsurge in health concerns among consumers related to obesity, early aging and hair loss issues are some of key reasons spurring the growth of walnut milk market. Owing to it contain vitamin B7 which is used as a supplement in order to prevent the hair loss and helps in minimizing cholesterol level in order to control fatness as it is a lactose free component. Other health benefits include as it improves mental health by providing essential fatty acids (omega 3) and fats, controls high blood pressure and symptoms of arthritis problem. The product contains amino acid tryptophan which helps in development of enteric nervous system which supports to better digestion function are some major factors will uplift the product market demand during forecast period.Currently, cancer disease creates threats to human life, which will also propel the walnut milk market demand owing to it is used for curing breast cancer. Product is widely used for preventing pancreatic disorders and reduces stress, are some driving factors for product market growth in future. Walnut is a seed of drupe fruits and belongs from jugladaceae family and rich source of protein. Walnut milk and oil assistances to fight stress as well, these useful properties of walnut milk will drive the product demand to a greater extent.Rising demand in food & beverage industry is foreseen the significant growth of walnut milk market, owing to the high consumption of the product. Based on flavor, walnut milk market is segmented which includes vanilla, chocolate and unsweetened based product. As per the demand of flavor based product, vanilla one leads the market after original flavor based high protein milk in this segment. The product is supplied and distributed through online stores, hypermarkets and convenience stores, which will support the product market demand. Attractive packaging and allergies from other dairy products has also uplift the walnut milk market due to its lactose free quality.The prominent leaders in walnut milk market includes Elmhurst Milked, Yili Group, Chengde Lulu, Pan pan, Sanyuan Group and Mengniu Dairy Group. Some other key players include WhiteWave Foods, Mengniu, Wahaha Products and Diamond foods. For an instance, In March 2010, Diamond foods closed its acquisition of kettle foods groups as under the agreement the company acquired the all operational units of kettle foods.Make an inquiry before purchasing report @North America holds the largest market share of walnut milk owing to largest consumer of the product and the U.S. is the major exporter of walnut.Asia pacific, led by India and China is expected to drive the product growth as largest production is done in this region owing to availability of raw material like walnuts, cheap labor, craze over healthy plant protein drink and low-cost product. Europe is the major consumer of the product as omega 3 deficiency is pervasive in U.K peoples.About Global Market Insights:Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.Contact Us:Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone: 1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.comWeb:Blog: Brad Ketchs office is a community center that almost became a strip club instead. That narrowly averted future shows the kind of investment Rockwood has drawn in recent years. Desperately needed rental housing and community services? Not so much. But now, much of Rockwood a neighborhood on the fringe of both Portland and Gresham whose commercial core is littered with vacant lots, fast-food restaurants and check-cashing businesses is included in a collection of low-income neighborhoods where the federal government is offering big tax breaks for investors. In Portland, the federal opportunity zone program has made headlines for being applied across much of downtown, the Pearl District and the Central Eastside already crowded with construction cranes. But areas that have historically suffered from a lack of interest from private developers and investors are hoping they, too, can benefit from a program thats ostensibly meant for them. Ketch, founder of the nonprofit Rockwood Community Development Corp., is hoping to raise money for community benefit projects. The first project on the docket is an 84-unit apartment complex for moderate-income earners, with some of the units set for low-income households. We want investors who want to make an impact not only in bottom line, but also in the community, Ketch said. It wont be easy, particularly when projects like the ones Ketch is promoting will have to compete with proposals for downtown office and apartment buildings as close to a sure bet as you can get, if recent construction is any indication. And theres a lingering concern that development resulting from the influx of investment could easily push low-income renters out of the neighborhood, a risk that caused some eligible communities to opt out. MAP: Oregon opportunity zones The opportunity zone program allows an investor to sell something that has increased in value, such as stock or real estate, but delay paying taxes on their profits, known as capital gains, if they immediately reinvest in a building or business in one of the zones. The program passed as part of President Trumps tax overhaul but had its roots in the Obama administration. When those investors sell their stake in the new investment after at least five years, the taxes on their reinvested capital gains are discounted by 10 to 15 percent. But if they keep the new investment for at least 10 years, taxes on any capital gains reaped from the project are completely wiped away. Thats a powerful incentive for investors to do something with their money in the next few months. The program is likely to reinvigorate Portlands construction market, which had been flagging after the recent growth spurt. But Oregon, uniquely among states, designated as an opportunity zone all of Portlands central city, making one the countrys hottest places to invest even more tempting. That strategy was in part an effort to maximize the states benefit from the program. But it was also intended to keep a flood of investment dollars from overwhelming communities and causing mass displacement. Sayer Jones, the director of mission-related investing for Meyer Memorial Trust, recalled first hearing about opportunity zones at an economic conference in early 2018. All anybody could talk about at the conference was opportunity zones, he said. Afterward, he was taking with a colleague in the nonprofit sector: What would it mean if you just allow the private market to roll over your city? Jones said. In her experience and my experience, there wasnt much good that comes from that. It sounds like gentrification. Oregons economic development agency ultimately convened neighborhood groups to ask whether they want in or out. Some, like Rockwood, opted in. Rockwood, just inside Greshams borders, stretches from roughly 162nd to 202nd avenues, along East Burnside Street and the MAX Blue Line. A high percentage of residents live below the poverty line, and many are members of racial or ethnic minorities. Its long suffered under a reputation for high crime, though its crime rate is similar to other neighborhoods considering its population. There are a lot of complex reasons why a neighborhood like Rockwood gets overlooked, but the systems have really failed our neighbors, and getting unstuck has been a really complicated problem, Ketch said. So Rockwood Community Development Corp. formed an affiliate organization Oregon Community Capital Inc. to create funds to invest in opportunity zones statewide, including in its backyard. Housing costs in Rockwood, while low for Multnomah County, have climbed with the rest of the metro area, forcing people who lived and worked in the area to move away. Ketch, as a private developer, is involved in one of few private projects to build relatively affordable apartments in the neighborhood, a 44-unit building going up near his office. Hes getting out of that business to focus on the nonprofit, though, and he hopes it can steer opportunity zone capital toward building housing and community amenities. This community has been so massively underinvested for so long, he said. Businesses are screaming because their employees cant afford to live out here. The area also has a large catalyst site, a former Fred Meyer now owned by Greshams urban renewal agency, thats primed for redevelopment. And Rockwood Community Development Corp.s Sunrise Center headquarters, in an old Mexican restaurant that almost became a strip club before the city bought it, is likely to be redeveloped at some point. Other vacant sites also could be redeveloped without displacing any homes or businesses. The Sunrise Center in the Rockwood neighborhood on the border of Portland and Gresham. The community center serves as the headquarters for Rockwood Community Development Corp. and also houses co-working offices and a commissary kitchen for small businesses.Elliot Njus/Staff Not all neighborhoods are as gung-ho on opportunity zones as Rockwood. Take nearby Rosewood not an officially recognized neighborhood, but rather a community with its epicenter at Southeast Stark Street and 162nd Avenue. Like Rockwood, it has high poverty and a diverse population. It, too, includes land designated as an opportunity zone. The Rosewood Initiative, a nonprofit that operates a community center and other services for the neighborhood, gave an apprehensive yes. We see it as a potential tool for investment, said Jenny Glass, the Rosewood Initiatives executive director. We dont really have a specific plan for how to use it. We just wanted it in our toolbox in case it will be useful. But its not out recruiting investors. The initiative itself doesnt have shovel-ready projects, and private development could well displace the residents it serves. Wee been kind of laying low, Glass said. The whole thing kind of makes us pretty nervous, to be honest. Its a new thing, and theres not a lot of guidance and regulation around it. Closer to Portlands core, however, the Cully neighborhood gave the state a flat no. Cully occupies a corner Northeast Portland thats remained relatively affordable until the last few years, when its become one of the regions hottest housing markets. Thats pushed many of its low-income renters out of the neighborhood. A coalition of community groups asked Gov. Kate Brown not to nominate its three eligible census tracts as opportunity zones in March 2018, saying opportunity zone money would just make Cullys affordability problems worse. The request was made on a tight deadline, before many details about the opportunity zone program were clear. But Cameron Herrington, the anti-displacement coordinator for the neighborhood group Living Cully, said hes glad the community opted out. No limits exist on opportunity zone investment in a given neighborhood, and the tax program has built in little oversight or tracking to track its effects. Even if neighborhoods could direct some opportunity zone dollars to community-oriented projects, they have little or no say in where the private market puts its dollars. The basic structure of the program is based on the premise that neighborhoods where low-income people live, they just need more capital to come to them, Herrington said. Thats the core of the problem were already facing: unaccountable outside capital attracted to a neighborhood because it sees profit potential, all at odds with the interest of low-income people. The Rockwood neighborhood on the border of Portland and Gresham. Elliot Njus/Staff Rockwood is eagerly out courting investors. Its affiliate, Oregon Community Capital, has held opportunity zone seminars throughout the state. One problem: how to get investors to sign on to a housing development with an on-site daycare in a poor part of town when they could instead put their money into a downtown housing development with some of the trendiest retailers and restaurants in its ground floor. Ketch is worried about the effects of gentrification, too. But he thinks the best way to avoid it is for the community to do it themselves. While we have control, we can drive behaviors that we think are pro-social, he said. Were not about trying to create the type of products going into downtown Portland. In fact, the opposite. Communities across Oregon will be competing for a piece of the opportunity zone windfall, but first they have to attract investors attention. Portlands already on developers radar, but other projects that could benefit from opportunity zones like rural municipal broadband internet or solar power projects will be throwing elbows to make their pitch. Few opportunity zones projects have broken ground nationally, but theres a rush underway to unearth eligible projects. Investors have until the end of the year to put their dollars into an opportunity fund to realize the full tax benefit. Jones, of Meyer Memorial Trust, a philanthropic foundation formed from grocer Fred Meyers estate, thinks organizations like his might be able to help by bundling those projects together. One towns broadband network might not grab an eager investors eye, but a multimillion-dollar push in communities across the state or multiple states just might. As an investor, I dont care about a $2 million project in Gilliam County. Even if it did get to me, its too small, Jones said. Twenty rural broadband projects, $40 to $50 million, potentially an investor would be interested in at least taking a look at it. -- Elliot Njus enjus@oregonian.com; 503-294-5034; @enjus Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox. As Oregon and Washington inch toward a coordinated effort to replace the Interstate Bridge spanning the Columbia River, Gov. Kate Brown has an idea: Its time for a new acronym. The ill-fated Columbia River Crossing project turned CRC into short hand for a boondoggle in Oregon and southwest Washington. I have another name for it, in case youre ready for a new acronym, Brown said in comments leading off a conference call with reporters Thursday. Brown is suggesting the states go with IBR Interstate Bridge Replacement instead. Brown and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, both Democrats, have publicly stated their support for reviving serious bridge discussions. The governors have highlighted the drawbridges age, seismic vulnerability, lack of adequate public transit options and unsafe bike and pedestrian access as some of the key reasons to go back to the drawing board. The states have ample incentive to start talking again, too, as they owe a collective $140 million debt to the federal government for CRC planning costs if progress isnt shown toward a new bridge. Inslee, who is running for president, included $17.5 million in his budget to open a new bi-state office to lead the bridge replacement talks. Brown directed her state transportation commission to be ready to proceed with planning and public outreach should Washington pay for the shared office. Neither state has used CRC in talking points in the past year. On the conference call, Brown said shes had multiple conversations with Inslee about the project, and she said its contingent on Washington moving forward with both funding and a commitment to include public transit. IBR is perhaps best known as an acronym for Income Based Repayment, a type of student loan payment plan. According to other definitions, it could also be short hand for Its Been Real. Do you have a good acronym suggestion for the effort to replace the Interstate Bridge? Share it in the comment section. Staff writer Hillary Borrud contributed to this report -- Andrew Theen atheen@oregonian.com 503-294-4026 @andrewtheen Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox. An Oregon State Police veteran and former executive director of the union that represents troopers and sergeants faces multiple accusations of official misconduct and theft for allegedly stealing from the organization over a period of years, according to documents filed in Marion County Circuit Court this week. Darrin S. Phillips, 52, a former senior trooper and 29-year State Police veteran, is accused of multiple counts of first-degree official misconduct, a misdemeanor; aggravated theft; identity theft and first- and second-degree theft. In all, he faces 25 charges, including 14 felonies. According to an information filed Monday by the Marion County District Attorneys Office, Phillips is scheduled to be arraigned Friday. Prosecutors say Phillips stole from the union between 2012 and 2018. He is accused of stealing an estimated $70,000 from union coffers. He is also accused of stealing the personal identity of union president, Mark Banks, as part of the alleged scheme, according to the court record. Banks is a sergeant with the State Police. Chris Mascal, the lawyer representing Phillips, declined to comment on the allegations when reached Wednesday night. Last year, the union asked the state to review Phillips handling of the organizations finances. The Oregon Department of Justice led the investigation. Phillips retired from the State Police in December 2016. He was president of the union at the time of his retirement. He then became executive director of the association, a newly created post. According to the Oregon Public Employees Retirement System, Phillips collects a monthly pension of $3,399. The unions Form 990 from the fiscal year ending June 2017 shows he received $82,699 in compensation from the organization. Union officials told members last year that theyd discovered the organization's procedures for submitting work-related expenses had not been followed. The memo did not detail which procedures werent followed. The memo said Banks became aware of possible misuse of union funds and called an emergency meeting of the organizations executive committee. At some point after that meeting, Phillips turned in union-issued credit cards, according to the memo. The organization also stripped him of the ability to spend union money. Reached Wednesday, Banks declined to comment. The state police union has 815 members, who include troopers, sergeants, dispatchers, evidence technicians, forensic scientists and trade and maintenance employees who work on state police vehicles. The organization has an annual budget of about $900,000. -- Noelle Crombie 503-276-7184 ncrombie@oregonian.com @noellecrombie Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox. WILLITS, California -- An Alaska man camping at the coast awoke to the sound of an engine revving and tires squealing against gravel at the highway turnout where authorities found five bodies near an overturned SUV the next day. The man next heard a loud noise but when he went to survey the cliff in the dark, he saw nothing. Recalling what happened days later to investigators, he said he thought he heard someone call for help but wrote off the noise as coming from a seal, said California Highway Patrol Officer Jay Slates. The account ended three hours of revelatory testimony about the March 2018 crash that killed the eight members of a Southwest Washington family, including five children and their 19-year-old brother. The second day of the coroners inquest into their deaths has provided the most insight yet about how the family of eight spent their final hours hundreds of miles from home. Driver Jennifer Hart, her wife, Sarah Hart, and their children, Markis, 19, Hannah, 16, Devonte, 15, Jeremiah, 14, Abigail, 14, and Sierra, 12, all died in the crash, according to authorities. Devonte's body has never been found. An officer trained to analyze crash scenes said that based on all the evidence his team collected, including readings from the SUVs black box computer, they reached an inevitable conclusion about the cause of the crash: intentional. Computer readings showed the vehicle idled, then accelerated at full throttle over a protective grass berm and off the cliff. Within two seconds, the vehicle landed upside down at the base of the cliff. When youre at a cliff edge with your family inside, how often do you apply 100 percent throttle? asked Officer Timothy Roloff. A jury of eight women and six men could begin deliberating as early as this afternoon to determine the manner accident, suicide, natural causes or death at the hands of another -- in which each family member died. Slates testimony will resume Thursday afternoon. One more investigator remains on the witness list after him. A Garmin GPS recovered weeks after the crash allowed police to piece together an incredibly detailed timeline of the familys journey from their Woodland, Washington home to the Mendocino Coast, Slates said. Stops included a Walmart in Longview, where authorities believe Jennifer Hart bought the generic version of Benadryl, sold by Walmart under the brand name Equate, he said. Police found diphenhydramine-containing Equate medicine in liquid and pill forms in the wreckage. Sarah Hart must have consumed at least 42 doses before the crash, based on toxicology tests, Slates said. The three children whose blood could be tested must have consumed between nine and 19 doses, he said. Police learned Jennifer and Sarah Hart often gave their adolescent children Benadryl on long drives just so they would sleep, Slates said. Jennifer Hart had alcohol in her system, tests showed. Friends and family members told investigators she rarely drank and never consumed a full glass of wine. But at the time of the crash, her blood alcohol level of 0.102, above the legal limit of 0.08, indicated she had drunk the equivalent of at least five beers, Slates said. During four years they lived in Oregon and their subsequent time in Washington, the family often trekked across the country to national parks and music festivals with Jennifer Hart at the wheel of their GMC Yukon. They told friends that they hoped to some day visit the Mendocino Coast but had no immediate plans to do so, Slates said. Data from the Hart SUVs GPS, which stored information from as far back from 2010, show the family drove south from Woodland at 8:30 p.m. on March 23, the same day a child welfare case worker went to their home to investigate reports that the children werent being fed. The case worker accidentally responded to the neighbor's home, and saw a GMC Yukon pull into the Hart family driveway, Clark County Deputy Adam Beck said. But no one answered the door. The Harts drove north on Interstate 5 and at some point turned west toward the coast, Slates said. Before they reached U.S. 101, the coastal highway, they pulled into the Walmart, where Jennifer Hart spent the next 18 minutes and purchased the store-brand Benadryl. The SUV kept driving south toward California, stopping several times, first for almost two hours at Dismal Nitch, a turnout on a southern Washington highway near the mouth of the Columbia River, Slates said. They continued on to a site near Tillamook, where they parked for more than three hours, then drove into Newport. A surveillance video shows Jennifer Hart quickly go into a Fred Meyer and buy something, but police arent sure what, Slates said. Video of the parking lot isnt clear enough to make out anything about the vehicles occupants. The family kept driving south, stopping for short stretches twice more in Oregon and then a few more times in California. Their vehicle then turned toward the coastal highway leading to Fort Bragg, where they passed the scenic lookout that Jennifer Hart would eventually drive off. When they arrived in Fort Bragg at 7:19 p.m. March 24, someone turned the GPS device off, Slates said. Surveillance video and cell phone pings helped police reconstruct the next day, including footage of Jennifer Hart at a local Safeway store that officials released soon after the crash. After Jennifer Hart bought groceries that morning, Sarah Hart went to a nearby Dollar Tree and bought toothbrushes, hairbrushes, a single sleeping mask and other personal items, Slates said. Footage from a gas station also captured the family, once as they drove south out of town and again as they headed back north. A cell phone belonging to the family pinged for a final time at 9 p.m. at Cleone, a small town north of Fort Bragg, Slates said. Two hours later, the man from Alaska heard a vehicle pull into the coastal site where he was camping with his wife, Slates said. The man looked out of his and saw a larger vehicle similar to the Harts SUV, Slates said. The man didnt notice anything amiss and fell asleep. Some time later, he heard the engine revving, Slates said. Roloff, the crime scene investigator, said a computer that tells the air bag when to deploy captured the final seconds of the vehicles movements. Through that data, investigators learned that the vehicle was stopped at the lookout point, then hit speeds up to 20 mph before they believe it launched into the air. Once the vehicle started moving, the brakes were never hit. Seconds may not sound like much, he said, but it only takes seconds for a crash to occur. Our analysis of the data was that this was consistent with this being an intentional act, Roloff said. This is a developing story and will be updated. -- Molly Young myoung@oregonian.com Retrotainment Games and Mega Cat Studios kick off the launch of their newest pixel partnership, 8bit Legit, with the XBox Release of retro platformer Trophy, now available for Pre-Order! A federal judge this week cut short the federal supervision of refuge occupier Wesley Kjar, described as one of Ammon Bundys personal bodyguards and among the first to plead guilty in the case. Kjar, now 35, was sentenced in November 2017 to two years of probation after pleading guilty to conspiracy to impede federal officers in the 2016 takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. During his plea, Kjar said he agreed to occupy the refuge as part of an armed political protest against federal power. The Utah native said he quit his job and drove all night to the refuge, arriving on Jan. 4, 2016, and stayed for five days before it became blaringly apparent that the political, peaceful protest he thought he was attending had turned into something much different. When he left the refuge, he drove to the headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City with three other men, hoping to convince church leaders to step in and encourage a peaceful resolution. He thought the intervention might be the only voice Mr. Bundy would hear, but it didnt happen, his lawyer, James Halley, said at his sentencing. Kjar has been living in Manti, Utah, and working on his familys farm and helping with renovation projects, his federal probation officer wrote to the court. The officer said Kjar has followed the terms of his probation, completed 250 hours of community service and paid his share of restitution, which was $3,000. In his own letter to U.S. District Judge Anna J. Brown, Kjar said he completed community service hours by volunteering at a local food bank and helping an off-road bike club clean up trails and do fundraising to help preserve public lands. He wrote that hes learned his lesson and not associated with agitators. It was a redemption for me working with people who are working with the system in the right way to help out public land and off road use, his letter said. While his federal supervision was supposed to run through November, he asked that it be cut short now to allow him to travel out of state to work on oil fields without having to get his probation officers permission in advance. I would hope I have proven I am rehabilitated by my positive attitude and work ethic, and working with those public land advocates who do things the right way, he wrote to the judge. I hope this would serve as a comfort to those I may have scared or negatively affected with my past actions. The judge granted Kjars request, ending his supervision effective Wednesday. The occupation began Jan 2, 2016. Ammon Bundy said the takeover was a protest over the imprisonment of two local ranchers but it quickly morphed into a campaign to denounce federal government control over public land. Prosecutors originally indicted 26 people. Leader Ammon Bundy, brother Ryan Bundy and five others were acquitted of all charges during a trial. The government dropped a conspiracy case against independent broadcaster Pete Santilli. Eighteen people either pleaded guilty or were convicted by a jury in the 41-day refuge occupation. Of those convicted and sentenced to prison, all are out. The others have completed their sentences and are out on post-prison supervision. -- Maxine Bernstein Email at mbernstein@oregonian.com Follow on Twitter @maxoregonian Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox. Detectives who searched Sarah Harts cell phone after her wife Jennifer Hart drove the family SUV off the California coastal cliff, killing all eight, found chilling searches she conducted after the family fled a child welfare investigation in Clark County, Washington. Among the Google searches conducted on Sarah Harts phone, said California Highway Patrol Officer Jay Slates: Can 500 mgs of Benadryl kill a 120-pound woman? Is death by drowning relatively painless? How long does it take to die from hypothermia while drowning in a car? No-kill shelters for dogs The family often traveled and always took their two dogs with them, Slates said. Since the family fled Washington, no one has found their dogs. Slates said there is no evidence they in fact stopped at an animal shelter. Slates said the searches on Sarah Harts phone began at 12:30 a.m. the morning after the family drove away from their Woodland, Washington, home. Sarah Hart texted co-workers at 3 a.m. that she was sick and would be unable to work that day. Slates said Sarah Hart deleted the searches from her phone but that a forensic search was able to find them anyway. -- Molly Young People who oppose vaccinations have been a hot topic recently in Northwest news, as cases of measles and other diseases have been reported in Washington and Oregon. In Wednesdays Full Frontal With Samantha Bee, which features the former Daily Show correspondent making satirical points about current events, Bee took on the subject of so-called anti-vaxxers." In an extended segment, Bee talked about how tech companies are taking steps to combat misinformation about vaccines. Despite those actions, Bee said, the anti-vax movement has been spreading faster than Legionnaires disease at the Playboy Mansion. Bee stated that scientific consensus has debunked theories about vaccines. Vaccines do not cause autism, she said. Nevertheless, the anti-vax movement is growing, Bee said, despite studies by the CDC and the World Health Organization that support vaccines. Who are you going to believe? Bee said sarcastically. Leading authorities on medical science, or 800 memes on your cousins Facebook page? Bee also spoke with Ethan Lindenberger, an Ohio teen who chose to get vaccinated despite his mothers anti-vaccination beliefs. Lindenberger told Bee that he turned to Reddit for advice on how to get vaccinated. Reddit? Bee said with comically exaggerated disbelief. The USA Today of white supremacy? Playing off the 18-year-old Lindenbergers decision to get vaccinated, the segment ended with a Riverdale spoof, depicting the high schoolers as rebels who wanted to get vaccinations, despite what their misguided parents said. Watch the Full Frontal video here: -- Kristi Turnquist kturnquist@oregonian.com 503-221-8227 @Kristiturnquist Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox. Along with flowering trees and sneeze-inducing pollen in the air, one sure sign that spring is here is the arrival of beautiful bunches of fresh asparagus at Portland-area farmers markets. Granted, you can find decent asparagus most of the year at the grocery store, but the locally grown spears taste so fresh, particularly if you know how to look for signs that the spears have been recently harvested. When you get asparagus home, its easy to fall into a steaming or roasting rut. Fortunately, a trio of new cookbooks offer fresh ideas that take asparagus in delicious new directions. The editors of Cooks Illustrated magazine assembled more than 700 recipes for their massive Vegetables Illustrated ($40; Americas Test Kitchen; 544 pages), and asparagus gets the deluxe treatment. For Parmesan-Crusted Asparagus, spears are dredged through honey-sweetened egg whites, then tossed with panko bread crumbs and grated Parmesan, then baked until the coating is golden brown and the asparagus still has some bite. Even more elegant is their Asparagus-Goat Cheese Tart, which is easy to assemble, thanks to store-bought puff pastry. Goat cheese and Kalamata give the tart a dash of Mediterranean flavor, but asparagus is clearly the star ingredient. This would make a perfect vegetarian option for Easter or Mothers Day. "Love and Lemons Every Day," by Jeanine Donofrio; "Where Cooking Begins," by Carla Lalli Music; and "Vegetables Illustrated," by the editors of Cook's Illustrated magazine. Recipes included with this story: Parmesan-Crusted Asparagus; Asparagus-Goat Cheese Tart; Asparagus, Snap Pea and Chive Blossom Pasta; Grilled Asparagus With Smoky-Spicy Brown-Butter Bread Crumbs. Jeanine Donofrio got peoples attention when she created the Love and Lemons blog, where she showcased the versatility of vegetables. Now shes out with her second cookbook, Love and Lemons Everyday ($35; Avery; 320 pages), which has more than 100 dishes where veggies are a focal point. Her Asparagus, Snap Pea and Chive Blossom Pasta is a prime example of her approach: It may be a pasta dish, but half of the serving platter is an array of vegetables and colorful edible flowers. Bon Appetit magazine food director Carla Lalli Music celebrates easy weeknight meals with Where Cooking Begins ($32.50; Clarkson Potter; 272 pages). She uses the arrival of spring asparagus as an excuse to head outside and fire up the grill, grilling the spears until they are charred in spots, then tossing them in browned bread crumbs that have been toasted in a skillet over the flames. 12 tips for buying, storing and cooking asparagus Here are 12 tips for picking the best asparagus, along with how to store and cook the bright green spears. At the market: Stalks should have tight tips and small leaves. The skin on the spears shouldnt be wrinkled, which is a sign that theyre dried out. Spears that have flowering tips are past their prime. For dishes where asparagus will be eaten raw, or where it will be pureed, look for thinner spears, which are less fibrous and woody tasting than thick stalks. Be aware that thinner spears will cook faster. Take a close look at the cut end of the spears. They should be moist, indicating that they have been freshly cut. If the asparagus appears dry and brown, put it back. Storing: Ideally, use asparagus the day you buy it. But if you need to store it for a few days, make a fresh cut on the bottom of the spears, and place them upright in a glass with about an inch of water, and store in the lower portion of the refrigerator, where temperatures tend to be cooler, tented with a plastic bag (a produce bag works fine). Asparagus can also be stored wrapped tightly in plastic and stored in the vegetable bin. Just dont forget its there! If your asparagus has been stored too long and appears limp and wilted, you may be able to revive it by cutting the bottom of the spears and placing them in a glass with an inch of water for a few hours. Prepping and cooking: Some cooks like to snap the spears by hand, grabbing the bottom end of the spear and bending them to find the natural breaking point. But this is wasteful, with plenty of tasty vegetable going into the trash or the compost bin. An easier, more-frugal way is to use a knife, cutting about an inch off the bottom of the spears, then using a vegetable peeler to trim any woody exterior. To peel or not to peel? Its not necessary, particularly with skinny spears. Peeling thicker spears can make them more-tender and less-fibrous, and many cooks like how peeled asparagus looks. Those stem ends and peels can be used to make vegetable broth. Store in a zippered plastic freezer bag along with other vegetable trimmings in the freezer. When youve got enough, its time to make broth. At the very least, the stem ends can be composted. Steam spears upright in a stockpot with about an inch of boiling water, letting them lean against the side of the pot, if necessary. This helps them cook evenly and keeps the tips from becoming mushy. Depending on their size, the spears will be done in anywhere from 2 to 10 minutes. Asparagus can also be drizzled with a little olive oil and roasted in a 425-degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on spear size. And it can be cut into bite-sized pieces and sauteed in a skillet or wok, to be used in an Asian stir-fry or tossed with pasta. Never cook spears in the microwave, which can make them smell skunky and turn them mushy in seconds. -- Grant Butler gbutler@oregonian.com 503-221-8566; @grantbutler Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox. 'By Lindsey Bever A Southern California womens hospital is accused of placing hidden cameras in operating rooms, where it secretly recorded scores of patients in stirrups during intimate medical procedures, including treatment after miscarriages, a lawsuit alleges. The lawsuit, filed last week, claims the Womens Health Center at Sharp Grossmont Hospital near San Diego invaded about 1,800 patients privacy over an 11-month period starting in summer 2012, filming them in vulnerable positions sometimes unconscious, sometimes only partially robed and sometimes with their faces or genitals exposed. These women were reportedly undergoing procedures such as Caesarean sections, hysterectomies, sterilizations and dilation and curettages (D&Cs) after miscarriages. It was a highly stressful and emotional time for my family and my doctor. No one ever asked me to record one of my most tender, life-changing moments, one of the patients, Melissa Escalera, told NBC San Diego about the secretly recorded moment in September 2012 that her daughter was delivered via an emergency C-section. I would have never agreed to be recorded in that vulnerable moment. Sharp Grossmont Hospitals parent company, Sharp HealthCare, said in a statement that from July 2012 to June 2013, computer monitors with motion-activated cameras were set up to record in three operating rooms in the womens health center as part of an investigation into medications that had gone missing from drug carts. Although the cameras were intended to record only individuals in front of the anesthesia carts removing drugs, others, including patients and medical personnel in the operating rooms, were at times visible to the cameras and recorded, Sharp HealthCare said in the statement. It said it could not comment further on the case because of pending litigation but added: We sincerely regret that our efforts to ensure medication security may have caused any distress to those we serve. More than 80 women claim in the lawsuit that they were filmed without their knowledge or consent at the hospital in La Mesa. But more than that, the women say, the hospital was grossly negligent in how it stored their most personal and private moments on desktop computers that numerous users could access, some without password protection. Its horrifying to think that, especially in todays day and age of the ubiquity of videos on the Internet, if one of those videos were to get in the wrong hands, theres no controlling it. It takes your own medical care outside your own control, Allison Goddard, an attorney for the women, told CNN. She could not immediately be reached by The Washington Post. The lawsuit stated that the cameras had been installed on the drug carts to determine whether an employee was stealing propofol, a powerful sedative. But according to the lawsuit, they were set up to record when any person entered an operating room, to record a wide range of activity in the operating room beyond access to the drug cart, and to continue recording even after motion stopped, meaning about 1,800 patients were recorded during that time. The cameras captured images of patients entering the operating rooms, being moved onto surgery tables and exiting. Because of the angle and placement of the cameras, patients faces were recorded, and the patients were identifiable, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit added that the recordings showed patients conscious and unconscious, partially robed on operating room tables, undergoing medical procedures and communicating with their doctors and medical personnel. Because of the nature of these procedures, the recordings captured women while they were emotionally and physically exposed, and at their most vulnerable. And, according to the lawsuit, at times their most sensitive genital areas were visible to the camera. Art Caplan, a professor of bioethics and head of the division of medical ethics at New York University School of Medicine, acknowledged that drug diversion in hospitals is a huge, huge problem but said investigations that involve patients, their identities and their private information must be handled with care and under the proper authorities. You better have a pretty good rationale for taping anybody, Caplan said, adding that patients in such situations are completely vulnerable, often in pain and unable to look out for their own interests. And, he said, any sensitive material that is obtained, such as video, would need to be tightly secured; otherwise, it would violate HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), which protects patients personal information. Caplan called the Sharp investigation amateurish, saying it was not handled ethically and that it compromised fundamental privacy rights. If youre going to do a serious police investigation, you have to do a serious police investigation, he said. DENVER Colorado officials are warning legal immigrants that working in the states marijuana industry could jeopardize their legal status, after two people said they were denied U.S. citizenship because of their jobs. Although 10 states, including Oregon and Washington, broadly allow marijuana use and sale, federal law still bans it and immigration authorities say they are bound to follow that prohibition when reviewing citizenship applications. Attorneys representing the two legal immigrants from Colorado, and Denver officials, accused the Trump administration of quietly targeting immigrants seeking to work in the expanding field. Immigration advocates said Thursday they have seen others denied citizenship based on past or ongoing work in cannabis-related jobs, but it is not clear how many cases exist. Oswaldo Barrientos, one of those denied citizenship, said he began working in the industry in 2014. He was inspired by the research he had done into medical products after his mother was diagnosed with skin cancer. Barrientos, 30, said he was brought to the U.S. from El Salvador as an infant and was granted a green card when he was 13. He said he didn't anticipate any problems with his citizenship application. He is fluent in English and said he has no criminal history, pays taxes and graduated high school. But during an interview in November, the immigration official focused on Barrientos' job with a state-licensed company that grows marijuana, he said. Weeks later, he received a letter from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services denying him because of his job, his lawyers said. "I was shocked, appalled, sad," Barrientos said. "It was a mixture of emotions. I had no idea I was going to be in this situation." Barrientos attorneys Aaron Elinoff and Bryce Downer, who specialize in immigration law in Colorado, said they also represent a woman whose citizenship application was denied because of a previous job at a marijuana dispensary. She asked not to be named publicly because of a new job in the medical field, they said. "Frankly, these are the people we want to be citizens," Elinoff said. "And the U.S. government is telling them no. We don't know how many people have been denied on the same issue." Kathy Brady, a senior staff attorney with the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, said legal immigrants have reported similar denials in Colorado and Washington state, where marijuana also is legal. Brady said she doesn't know how many people have been denied citizenship for their work in the marijuana industry. She advises people without U.S. citizenship to find work elsewhere unless federal law changes. Even if you have had a green card for 20 years, you had better not work in any aspect of this industry and you better not use marijuana, Brady said. Deborah Cannon, a spokeswoman for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, said the agency does not comment on individual cases. She defended denials based on involvement with marijuana, saying the agency must follow federal law that prevents its use or sale. "Despite state law that may allow medical marijuana use, the Supreme Court has held that Congress' authority under the Commerce Clause empowers it to prohibit drug distribution and possession, even if the prohibited activities are not also illegal under state law," she said. "When adjudicating applicants for citizenship, the agency is required to apply federal law." The use and sale of marijuana for adults is broadly permitted in 10 states. More than 30 states allow a variety of marijuana-based products for medical purposes. Advocates have warned immigrants of the peril that using state-permitted marijuana could do to their legal status for years and are expanding that message to include employment by marijuana businesses. The Immigrant Legal Resource Center began working with California's employment agency to answer workers' questions this year. On Wednesday, the Denver agency that regulates marijuana businesses told companies to warn new employees that their work could block citizenship applications. Denver Mayor Michael Hancock met with Barrientos and others this week before calling on U.S. Attorney General William Barr to issue formal guidance on the issue. "Denver understands the need for federal laws and regulations regarding citizenship and immigration, but we are seeing the heartbreaking effects that those federal laws and regulations are having on our residents," Hancock wrote to Barr. Barrientos said he plans to appeal the denial of his application. His attorneys are also considering his options in federal court. In the meantime, he is following their advice not to leave the country and risk being barred from re-entering. He plans to keep his job and calls the government's denial of his application "downright wrong." Im trying to help people, he said. We want to work hard to live the American dream. Thats all Ive ever wanted. -- The Associated Press A controversial plan to kill sea lions in the hopes of bolstering an endangered run of fish on the Willamette River appears to be working, officials said Wednesday, with winter steelhead showing their best returns in three years. As of Wednesday, more than 2,400 winter steelhead had traversed Willamette Falls to the upper section of the river to spawn, according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Officials predict a total run of around 3,200 fish. Thats up from 1,829 steelhead last year and just 822 in 2017. The uptick, according to Shaun Clement, a senior policy analyst for the agency, is due, at least in part, to the state killing 16 sea lions, which prey on the fish at the horseshoe shaped falls in Oregon City. Were encouraged by the fish numbers and by the success in implementing the sea lion removal program, Clement said in a statement. Weve definitely been able to reduce predation this year and provide some relief to the fish. Winter steelhead were thought to be one of the most imperiled species on the Upper Willamette with wildlife managers estimating that up to 25 percent of the run was being preyed upon by California sea lions. The pinnipeds had been congregating at the falls in growing numbers in recent years, where steelhead are forced into a bottleneck and become easy prey for the voracious marine mammals. The state tried removing the animals, who assemble at the falls by the dozen, but the sea lions often returned to Oregon City within days. Sea lions are safeguarded under the Marine Mammal Protection Act so, in 2017, the state applied for a special permit to kill animals that were seen habitually preying on steelhead and other endangered species of fish. The permit was approved and trapping began in late December. In January, the state began using lethal removal to try to bolster the chances of endangered fish migrating upriver. By March 11, officials said, the state had killed 11 sea lions and the river was free of the pinnipeds for six days, during which steelhead passage increased to triple digits. The respite didnt last, though, and more sea lions were seen at the falls within a week. The theory, according to Sheanna Steingass, marine mammal program lead for the state, is that the animals that are removed wont be able to pass along their problematic behavior to future generations. It will likely take a few years, but wildlife managers hope to break the yearly cycle of sea lions returning to the falls every spring to feast on steelhead and salmon. As a pinniped biologist, its better for the salmon, Steingass said soon after program got underway, but its better for the pinnipeds too because we wont have hundreds of other animals learning this behavior. The permit allows for the removal of up to 93 California sea lions, though Steingass estimated that no more than 40 or 50 animals . To kill the sea lions, wildlife biologists use the same traps that were unsuccessfully used in their relocation efforts. The animals are taken to a location offsite, anesthetized and euthanized using a combination of chemicals. Travis Williams, executive director of Willamette Riverkeeper, doesnt explicitly oppose the sea lion removal program. The winter steelhead run has teetered on the edge of extinction in recent years and he recognizes that something had to be done. What gets lost in the conversation, he said, is all the factors that led to such a small population of fish where predation by sea lions became a breaking point for a whole species. There are big systemic problems, he said noting that many of the Willamettes tributaries have flood control dams with inadequate measures to help fish migrate past them. We address the issue as if sea lions are the only factor. -- Kale Williams kwilliams@oregonian.com 503-294-4048 @sfkale Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox. Updated Friday, April 5 A 2-year-old girl was shot Wednesday night inside her Salem home, police say. She was flown to a Portland hospital with injuries that threatened her life, according to the Salem Police Department. The Associated Press reports the girl was shot in the head, but a police spokesman said he couldnt provide details about the circumstances of the shooting Thursday morning. No arrests had been made as of that evening, when the girl remained in critical condition at Doernbecher Childrens Hospital. Officers found her suffering from a gunshot wound after being called to the 300 block of Bradley Drive Southeast about 7 p.m. on the report of a hurt child, according to police. The shooting is under investigation. -- Jim Ryan; jryan@oregonian.com; 503-221-8005; @Jimryan015 Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox. A dog attack left dozens of sheep dead this week at a Eugene-area farm, spurring an Oregon State Police investigation. Forty-one ewes and newborn lambs were killed in the attack, according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. The Oregon State Police confirmed its investigating the killings. Michelle Dennehy, a fish and wildlife department spokeswoman, said two different-sized dog tracks were found in the pasture where the sheep were killed, meaning at least two dogs were involved in the attack. The dogs responsible had not been found as of Wednesday, according to Capt. Tim Fox, a state police spokesman. State fish and wildlife officials in Lane County hear of domestic dogs or feral domestic dogs attacking livestock once or twice annually, Dennehy said. A mass killing by domestic dogs is uncommon, however. Dennehy didnt know of any other recent reports of dogs attacking livestock in Lane County. KVAL, a Eugene television station, reports the attack was discovered Tuesday and spared 12 sheep, which will be sold this weekend. Leslie Anthone, who owns the sheep with her fiance, told KVAL she wants the dog owners to come forward. Someone on Clear Lake Rd owns dogs that came home this morning covered in mud and blood, she wrote on Facebook. "Everything that my whole family has helped me work for, gone," she told the news station. -- Jim Ryan; jryan@oregonian.com; 503-221-8005; @Jimryan015 Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox. Members of the business community filed two prospective ballot measures Thursday that would aim to rein in the runaway costs of Oregons public pension system by transferring some of that cost to employees. The first potential ballot measure would give new hires the option of a 401(k)-style retirement plan financed by matching contributions of 6% of salary each by employees and their employers. New hires could choose that plan or the pension system -- but not both, as employees get today. And moving forward, all employees participating in the pension plan would contribute 6% of their salary toward the cost of future benefits, starting July 1, 2021. The second initiative would require the Legislature to study a new 401(k) style retirement plan for new hires and submit recommendations to implement it by 2022. Meanwhile it would require existing and new employees to pay one-third the cost of their pension benefits moving forward, which would range between 2.8% and 6% of pay depending on their job classification and membership tier. Former Gov. Ted Kulongoski and Chris Telfer, a former Republican legislator from Bend, are the initiatives chief petitioners. Telfer consistently advocated for pension reform during her tenure and during campaigns for state treasurer. Kulongoski unsuccessfully defended the last PERS reform ballot measure passed by voters in 1994 when he was attorney general, then helped pass the last significant round of changes to the pension system in 2003, when he was governor. This is not a short-term issue, Kulongoski said Thursday. For the next 20 years, this will eat at state government finances unless this issue is dealt with. If nothing else, Im hoping the legislature starts looking at this much more seriously than they have. The policy heft behind the initiatives comes from the Oregon Business Council and its offshoot, PERS Solutions for Public Services. The council has consistently but unsuccessfully lobbied the Legislature for years to include pension reform in the annual discussion over raising corporate taxes, and has produced a policy playbook including various pension changes for the annual Oregon Leadership Summit. For now, the initiatives serve mostly as negotiating leverage in a legislative session where Democrats are eager to pass new corporate taxes to fund schools. But they have yet to detail how they will ensure that money makes it into the classroom, and not simply to pay for the rapidly escalating pension costs hitting schools and other public employers across the state. The handful of PERS reforms bills in the Legislature this session died at the first hearing deadline last week, but the concepts could be resurrected in end of session bargaining over new revenues. Tim Nesbitt, a former labor leader who has consulted for the Oregon Business Council on pension reform for years, said it would require a far broader coalition than the business community to pass a ballot measure with meaningful changes to PERS. But he said filing the initiatives was not simply a feint to push for more action at the Capitol. If the legislature doesnt act this year, it would be on the ballot for the 2020 general election, Nesbitt said. By then, schools and other employers will be staring at another big PERS cost increase. This only gets worse. It intensifies to crisis proportions, whether were there already or will be in the next few years. The groups are shopping two ballot measures but would likely run only one, perhaps with a combination of elements from both, Nesbitt said. To qualify for the November 2020 election ballot, initiatives sponsors would need to collect 112,020 signatures from Oregon voters by July 2, 2020. Neither ballot measure, as proposed, would accelerate the paydown of the $27 billion unfunded liability in the Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund. But they would ease the budget impact of the systems increasing costs for schools and public agencies by transferring more of the bill for future benefits to employees. The backers suggest that for employers, the first measure would cut projected increases in pension costs by one half. They say the second measure would cut future pension cost increases by one-third. Employees, meanwhile, would see a cut in their total compensation and their total retirement benefits as the state replaced its current hybrid system, in which employees get both a pension and 401(k) style plan. Influential Democrats on the Ways and Means Capital Construction subcommittee, which has been holding informational hearings on PERS financing, have already expressed opposition to a 401(k), and skepticism that it would actually lower the states costs. House Speaker Tina Kotek said at a committee meeting last week that one of the themes the Legislature had promoted in the last several years was retirement security. She said moving from a defined benefit plan, where the state absorbs all the risk, to a defined contribution plan, where the risk is transferred to employees, was not consistent with that. While people might think its a good idea, the idea of going away from (the pension) to something that is less secure in terms of retirement is a problem for me, she said. And when I dont see the types of dollars that could solve our bigger problemI worry about it. There is still little analysis so far on the pros and cons of moving to a 401(k). While the contributions are set up front, public employers would still be on the hook for the unfunded liabilities already accrued in the traditional pension plan. And as more new employees moved out of the pension and into the 401(k), the payroll base being taxed to support the pension would shrink, making it more difficult to fund. I dont know if their goal is to cut benefits for people who go to work for the state every day, or if its to solve the problem we have, said Melissa Unger, executive director of the SEIU Local 503, Oregons largest public sector union. Because this doesnt solve the problem our state faces around the unfunded liability. Unger also said the business community is making a lot of assumptions about Oregonians support for cutting public employee compensation. Voters dont see their role as cutting their neighbors retirement benefits, she said. In every poll weve done, every focus group weve done, they believe there may have been big commitments made in the past, but they dont think public employees are overpaid today. A pension ballot measure could be an expensive campaign to wage, one that would run into deep opposition from unions. Unlike a fight over corporate taxation, its not immediately clear what deep-pocketed constituency would emerge to fund it, and what public and private sector organizations might eventually join a coalition. The states largest business group, Oregon Business & Industry, issued a news release Thursday calling the initiatives an important step forward in the statewide conversation on how we should finally address the pressing PERS problem, which has been draining the budgets of school districts, local government and the state for decades. Another new business organization run by former Tualatin Mayor Lou Ogden and former state representative Julie Parrish, Unified Business Oregon, said they also supported the new ballot measures. "Our organization applauds Governor Kulongoski and Senator Telfer for stepping up to lead on PERS reforms," said Ogden. "They too have set aside party differences to come together to do what's right for all Oregonians, and we'll be there to help." Parrish is a co-sponsor of another ballot measure that would create a constitutional provision against any state or government entity from borrowing to pay pension obligations, forcing them to meet their obligations out of current funding rather than kicking the problem down the road. She said either of the two ballot measures filed Thursday would make a good companion to her own petition. Kulongoski said he doesnt think the backing is there yet for a successful campaign, and that would require a significant expansion of the coalition. He says some things havent changed since he was pushing for pension changes in 2003, such as the political risks of legislators sticking their necks out on PERS reform, even when they know something needs to be done. I bet over half the legislators agree with what were doing but dont want to come out and say it, he said. Thats the same dynamic that was in effect in 2003. Whats different, he suggests, is the legal environment. The Oregon Supreme Courts ruling in Moro vs the state of Oregon affirmed employers ability to change pension benefits prospectively, for future service, but said modifying benefits that have already been accrued for past service was an illegal breach of contract. Kulongoski said that if the Moro decision had been in place in 1994, when Oregon voters passed Measure 8, many of the systems reforms would not have been overturned and we wouldnt be in this position today. In the meantime, he says hes still waiting for current lawmakers to act. I thought there was a clear direction the court said we could take with future reform work, he said. Im surprised theres been such a lag time and nothing has gotten done. Here in the United States, we are alarmed by new calls to adopt socialism in our country, President Donald Trump said during his State of the Union address in February. He added: Tonight, we renew our resolve that America will never be a socialist country. Congressional Republicans appear to believe the presidents message is a winning issue for 2020. Rep. Chris Stewart, a Republican from Utah, announced Wednesday that he had received approval from the House for the formation of the Anti-Socialism Caucus. This caucus will defend individual liberty & free markets and highlight the dark history of socialism. Just received approval from the House for the formation of the Anti-Socialism Caucus. This caucus will defend individual liberty & free markets and highlight the dark history of socialism. Rep. Chris Stewart (@RepChrisStewart) April 3, 2019 The new partisan advocacy group within the U.S. House of Representatives is a response to the momentum enjoyed by the Democratic Partys progressive wing, which is proposing ambitious policy plans including a Green New Deal and universal health insurance. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat whos running for president, has called for broadening the estate-tax base, putting company workers on corporate boards and breaking up internet behemoths such as Facebook, Google and Amazon. Her goal, she says, is to save Americas free-enterprise system from corporate hegemony by restoring the balance of power in our democracy [and] to promote competition. Stewart, however, sees in these proposals only more big government, more regulations and more taxes. The Utah Republican wrote on Facebook that the purpose of the Anti-Socialism Caucus is to inform lawmakers and the public on the dangers of socialism and to serve as a bulwark to stop the advancement of socialist policies and legislation. Socialism is a folly, Stewart wrote. Not only is it doomed to fail wherever it rears its head, it leaves a wake of destruction in lives and freedoms lost. So much time has passed from the fall of the Iron Curtain that many have internalized -- or never experienced -- Socialisms ultimate price. If we fail to recall those dangerous times, the primitive appeal of socialism will advance and infect our institutions. The Iron Curtain is a reference to the 30-years-gone Soviet Union and its Eastern European satellite states, whose totalitarian governments nominally followed Marxist principles. Progressives have pushed back on Republicans demonization of their objectives by turning a quote from Harry Truman, the late U.S. president widely respected by Democrats and Republicans alike, into a viral social-media meme. Socialism is a scare word they have hurled at every advance the people have made in the last 20 years, Truman, a Democrat, said in a 1952 speech, referring to the GOP. Socialism is what they called public power. Socialism is what they called Social Security. Socialism is what they called farm price supports. Socialism is what they called bank-deposit insurance. Socialism is what they called the growth of free and independent labor organizations. Socialism is their name for almost anything that helps all the people. -- Douglas Perry @douglasmperry Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox. SALEM A person who has the police called on them for the crime of being a person of color could sue the person who summoned law enforcement, under a bill introduced by three African American state lawmakers. One of the sponsors, Rep. Janelle Bynum, D-Clackamas, experienced such a call when she was canvassing for votes in her suburban Portland district last summer. The summoning of police on a lawmaker campaigning while black drew national attention. I remember thinking Ive done everything that I could possibly do to not have this happen, she said. I was very intentional about the things that I wore, intentional about my behaviors, always going from the house and taking my notes on the street in clear view, doing it the same way every time. Why those actions would stir someones curiosity was beyond me, said Bynum. The Clackamas County deputy who responded immediately realized nothing was wrong, and at Bynums request, arranged for the state representative to speak with her constituent who had regarded her behavior as suspicious. I wonder, though, if things would have been different if I had had my 15-year-old son with me, whos taller than me, darker than me, she said. I dont know what would have happened. Bynum isnt the only African American politician whos been the subject of a 911 call while asking for votes. A state senator named Jesse Hamilton experienced the same thing while talking to potential voters on a New York City sidewalk last August. Several other highly publicized incidents have involved non-politicians. A security guard called the police on an African American man from Kent, Washington who was making a phone call in the lobby of the Double Tree hotel in Portland in December. And a white student at Yale called police on her African American classmate when the young woman was taking a nap in their dorms common area. That incident in particular caught the attention of Erious Johnson, an Oregon civil rights attorney. He and his wife, Nkenge Harmon Johnson, who is the president of the Urban League of Portland, jointly wrote an opinion piece in the Oregonian calling for the creation of a new crime called malicious summoning. Their idea was that someone who calls the police as a way to harass someone who is minding their own business could then be charged themselves with violating the victims constitutional rights. When they have police called on them for no reason, people are hurt, Johnson testified Wednesday to lawmakers on the House Judiciary Committee. Its an element of segregation. The opinion piece served as part of the inspiration for the bill currently before lawmakers. House Bill 3216 does not include the possibility of criminal charges. Instead, it creates a path for people to file a suit in small claims court for damages of up to $250. The House Judiciary Committee could vote as soon as Thursday to advance the measure. An earlier version of the bill would have allowed people to be charged with a Class D violation for unlawfully summoning police, but that provision will likely be dropped if the bill moves forward, according to Bynum. Filing a false police report is already a Class A misdemeanor in Oregon. Bynum said the goal of the legislation is not to harshly punish those who call the police for frivolous reasons. Instead, its about providing people who have been hurt by such calls an opportunity for restoration. Theres a certain amount of your dignity that is stripped when you are stopped by the police for doing nothing but existing, she said. The Oregon Department of Justice said Thursday it will not investigate whether politics played a role in the decision by regulators last year to keep quiet the death of an infant in day care. Rep. Carl Wilson, the Oregon House Republican leader, requested an investigation last month in response to reporting by The Oregonian/OregonLive. The newsroom found that child care regulators chose not to include the death of 9-month-old William Cannon in an annual tally of deaths posted online. William died in August during a contentious gubernatorial campaign and just days after the Democratic incumbent, Kate Brown, fought campaign attack ads that labeled her soft on day care regulation. Brown has said her office did not direct regulators to keep Williams death quiet. State regulators said they did not disclose the death because they lacked clearance from Eugene police, who are investigating the case. The Department of Justice said Thursday it has no authority to conduct a civil or administrative investigation into the matter. But Fred Boss, the deputy attorney general, told Wilson that prosecutors did review it to determine if a criminal investigation would be appropriate. That review did not reveal information that would support a reasonable probability that an investigation would lead to evidence sufficient to warrant criminal charges, Boss wrote, adding that the office would take no further action. Williams death has shined a harsh light on continued dysfunction in Oregon child care regulation. Officials in 2017 pledged sweeping reforms and better coordination following the death of a Portland infant and investigations by The Oregonian/OregonLive that highlighted lax enforcement and safety gaps. Federal rules require the Office of Child Care to disclose annually on its website the aggregate number of day care deaths. But the agency did not include Williams death in its 2018 numbers. Wilson, the Grants Pass Republican, last month asked for an investigation by either the Oregon or U.S. Department of Justice. Federal authorities say they will not comment. Wilson questioned whether the Office of Child Cares actions were gross negligence or a calculated effort by the governors staff to sweep the death under the rug for political reasons. A spokesman for the House Republicans, Greg Stiles, confirmed Wilson received the letter Thursday. Were disappointed they chose not to follow up and look into it, he said. The Oregonian/OregonLive has highlighted more day care problems since revealing Williams death. The states chief medical examiner did not perform a forensic autopsy on William, leaving county and state officials pointing fingers over blame, the newsroom reported. A criminal case into Williams death remains under investigation and Williams mother questions if the lack of a forensic autopsy means official missed any clues. Meanwhile, in response to questions from The Oregonian/OregonLive, regulators have now acknowledged that they previously did not disclose the day care deaths of two other children, from 2011 and 2012, citing inconsistencies in state data. -- Brad Schmidt bschmidt@oregonian.com 503-294-7628 @_brad_schmidt Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox. Gov. Kate Brown and Oregon child welfare leaders want to remove college degree requirements for caseworkers to increase workforce diversity and the candidate pool for openings the agency has struggled to fill. Under Oregon law, employees who investigate reports of child abuse and make decisions about whether to remove children from their families must have at least a bachelors degree. House Bill 2033, which was introduced at the request of Brown and the Department of Human Services, would repeal that mandate and instead give the agency the authority to set minimum academic degree requirements. The outlook for the proposal is unclear, ahead of a Tuesday deadline for lawmakers to vote bills out of most committees. It did not get a vote during a House Human Services and Housing Committee meeting Wednesday but is scheduled for another possible vote on Monday. During testimony before lawmakers in February, child welfare director Marilyn Jones said that eliminating the degree requirement would benefit children and families by opening up a more diverse pool of job candidates. I am not here today because we are desperate in our hiring, Jones said. Rather we want to honor life experience and continue to build a diverse workforce that is inclusive across language, race, class and culture. At the same time, Jones said her agency has struggled during the last year to hire and retain child welfare workers. The state can already hire caseworkers who are on track to earn a bachelors degree if managers have difficulty filling a job. However, Jones told lawmakers that this exception penalizes those workers including an employee she referred to only as Ashley. The single mother is paid less than caseworkers with bachelors degrees and she must attend all required trainings, work full-time plus take care of her little one and get her degree within two years, or she loses the position, Jones told lawmakers. Committee chair Rep. Alissa Keny-Guyer, D-Portland, told Jones at the February hearing that increasing diversity among caseworkers is an important goal. However, Keny-Guyer said she had heard from people who were worried about eliminating the degree requirement. Some people already see a need for state caseworkers to demonstrate more analytical thinking and some states are actually going in the other direction and requiring (bachelors degrees in social work) or a variety of things, Keny-Guyer said. Reviews of Oregons child welfare system have highlighted persistent problems, including inconsistencies in how workers screen reports of abuse going back to at least 2002. Children who were interviewed as part of a 2016 report told a consultant that the child welfare system treats them as 'bad' kids who did something wrong to end up in foster care, and, as a result, doesn't trust them." Brown has testified in support of other child welfare legislation this session but has not weighed in on House Bill 2033. Through her spokeswoman Lisa Morawski, Brown declined to comment on the proposal to remove degree requirements, saying it was an agency bill and questions would be better answered by the Department of Human Services. Hillary Borrud | hborrud@oregonian.com | 503-294-4034 | @hborrud Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox. In a video shared on Twitter Wednesday, the Terminator voiced his support for HB 2020, which would work to reduce Oregons greenhouse gas emissions. Arnold Schwarzenegger isnt just an action star with an instantly recognizable accent. Dont forget, he was governor of California from 2003 to 2011. And it is that experience, not his comfort with a catchphrase, that he brought to Wednesdays video. In the video, posted by Union of Concerned Scientists, Schwarzenegger calls HB 2020 a brilliant idea, comparing it to Californias 13-year-old cap-and-trade law. And of course the other side came to us and said, But this will be terrible for the economy and you will be losing jobs,' Schwarzenegger said. And exactly the opposite has happened. Our economy is booming. Were number one economically in the United States. Public hearings have been held on HB 2020 and the next work session by the Joint Committee On Carbon Reduction on the bill is scheduled for Friday. You can watch the video here: .@Schwarzenegger is in favor or Oregon's #CleanEnergyJobs Act. He knows first hand how clean energy can help boom the economy and combat climate change. Here's what on the line for Oregon. https://t.co/us2kx78Jx6 #ORpol pic.twitter.com/161WTeqFJB Union of Concerned Scientists (@UCSUSA) April 3, 2019 A Beaverton man who police say wrote up an outline on ways to kick-start his drug-selling enterprise was arrested Tuesday after he was found with heroin, methamphetamine, cash and a notebook with all his ideas. Erik Mozejko, 31, labeled two and a half pages in his notebook as his business plan and aimed to obtain around $1,200 to fund it, said Officer Jeremy Shaw, a Beaverton police spokesman. He had it all laid out right there, Shaw said. He felt he needed a certain amount of cash, ways on how to recoup the cash, rules to follow for selling to customers, how to outsmart the police. We see drug dealers who keep records, electronic records of who owes money, for example, but this was next-level stuff. Mozejko identified his No. 1 way to get money for his drug dealing was to sell drugs, Shaw said. No. 2 was to steal items from stores and sell them, and the third was to rob other drug dealers, according to Shaw. Mozejko was the passenger in a black Mercedes-Benz CLK 350 without license plates that was pulled over by police a little before noon Tuesday near Southwest Allen Boulevard and Oregon 217. The driver was detained, and Mozejko took his belongings out of the car and left, Shaw said. Officers allowed Mozejko to leave because they didnt have probable cause at the time to detain him as well, Shaw said. Officers and a police dog searched the car and found meth and heroin under the passengers seat. The driver said he didnt know about the drugs, so other officers found Mozejko several blocks away and took him into custody, according to Shaw. The driver was not arrested. More meth, heroin, cash, a scale, syringes, a replica handgun, a knife and the notebook were found with Mozejko, Shaw said. He was arrested and booked into the Washington County Jail on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance, delivery of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of a controlled substance and felon in possession of a restricted weapon. He has an outstanding warrant in Washington County on accusations of unlawful possession of heroin, driving under the influence of intoxicants and reckless driving stemming from an incident in 2018. -- Everton Bailey Jr. ebailey@oregonian.com | 503-221-8343 |@EvertonBailey Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox. As part of Mid Michigan College's effort to empower, support and transform local communities, the college recently hosted Mt. Pleasant Area Chamber of Commerce's Local Business Resource Panel. The event focused on connecting small and large businesses to the many resource organizations available in the local area. Representatives from the Mid Michigan Region Small Business Development Center, Middle Michigan Development Corp., Central Michigan University Research Corp. and Great Lakes Bay Michigan Works! served on the panel. The layoffs at Community may come in stages, the hospital said, depending upon the need for staff. Students returning to Saint Brigid Catholic School during the fall semester will be returning to a building with $23,837 worth of security upgrades. On March 27, Saint Brigid was among the hundreds of schools throughout Michigan to benefit from more than $25 million in funding for improvements to security and safety systems through the 2019 Competitive School Safety Grant Program, which is administered through the Michigan State Police. Other schools and school districts within Michigan's 36th Senate District that received funding through the grant include the Alpena-Montmorency-Alcona Educational Service District, which received $85,951; Beaverton Rural Schools, which received $88,638; and Tawas Area Schools, which received $52,968. Funds received from the grant will go toward replacing Saint Brigid Catholic School's access-control system for entry into the building, shatter-resistant film and glass for the buildings windows and improvements to the security camera systems, said Principal Laura Wilkowski. The current plan is to implement the security changes in July or August. "Our plan is to (make the changes) over the summer, when students are not here," Wilkowski said. In a press statement released late last week, Sen. Jim Stamas, R-Midland, congratulated the local districts for being awarded the grants. "A safe and secure school environment is critical to our effort to provide all Michigan students with an education that prepares them for success," Stamas said. "While many of our schools have already made the necessary safety improvements, these grants are the next step in ensuring that every school has the enhanced security needed to keep our students and teachers safe." The project is supported by the fiscal year 2019 Competitive School Safety Grant Program, awarded by the state of Michigan and administered by the Michigan State Police. In accordance with MSP policy, Wilkowski stressed that the points of view or opinions stated do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the state of Michigan or the MSP. Paducah, KY (42003) Today A mix of clouds and sun early followed by cloudy skies this afternoon. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 64F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low around 55F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Brazzaville, Congo (PANA) - The Executive Director of the Joint United Nations programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), Michel Sidibe, is in Congo on a three-day working visit during which he will have talks with the country's authorities, the public radio announced on Thursday Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - Libyan Presidential Council of the government of national accord on Wednesday decided to set up a committee to monitor the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement of the African Union, including the definition of Libya's vision on all aspects and procedures associated with this pact Paris, France (PANA) - Reporters Without Borders (RWB) has welcomed a new wave of media and journalists freedom in Ethiopia, where, one year after the inauguration of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the country no longer has a journalist in prison and several hundred media banned under the former government were not restricted Dakar, Senegal (PANA) - Senegalese head of state Macky Sall Thursday renewed his commitment to strengthen and resource the country's defence and security forces, stressing the need to prepare for the rising insecurity and terrorism in Africa Abuja, Nigeria (PANA) The United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) on Thursday said explosive remnants in the war against Boko Haram terrorists in Northeast Nigeria may have killed about 565 persons in 2018 Last week, a video went viral of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) offering up an impassioned rebuke to Senate Republicans for bringing her Green New Deal to a premature vote the day before. This is about our constituents and all of our lives, she fumed. Iowa, Nebraska, broad swathes of the midwest are drowning right now, underwaterfarms, towns that will never recover; will never come back. And were here, and people are more concerned about helping oil companies than helping their own families? I dont think so. I dont think so! Something that got less attention, however, was the vote the environmental champion and the vast majority of her Democratic colleagues cast two days earlier. Ocasio-Cortez had been one of 224 House Democrats to back a bill that, if passed, would allocate roughly $580 million in federal funding over two years to public and private energy development projects in Europe and Eurasia, including natural gas infrastructure. Environmental groups hardly seemed to notice H.R. 1616. The Sierra Club told us it had not even taken an official position on the measure. But if passed into law, activists say the bill could solidify a decades-long transition to a natural gas energy future at a critical time for the environment. H.R. 1616 was introduced by Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-AL) early last month. Disguised as a measure to crack Russias energy dominance in Europe and Eurasia, it passed the House easily on March 25 with a margin of 391-to-24 and no Democratic oppositionthough 10 Democrats did not vote, including six members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. The bills true intention, however, seems to be opening up new energy markets to American fossil fuel companies, enabling the easy export of liquid natural gas. In fact, it practically said so in its statement of policy. It is the sense of Congress that the United States has economic and national security interests in assisting European and Eurasian countries achieve energy security through diversification of their energy sources and supply routes, it read, continuing on to explain that this would be accomplished by encouraging United States public and private sector investment in European and Eurasian energy infrastructure projects and by helping facilitate the export of United States energy technology and expertise to global markets. In service of this aim, the bill resolved to provide diplomatic and political support to the European Commission and such countries, as necessary toA, facilitate international negotiations concerning cross-border infrastructure; B, enhance Europes and Eurasias regulatory environment with respect to energy; and C, develop accessible, transparent, and competitive energy markets supplied by diverse sources, types, and routes of energy. The middle provision is noteworthy in light of how strong the anti-fracking movement is in Europe. Thus far, four countriesFrance, Germany, Bulgaria, and Irelandhave banned the practice while the Netherlands has halted it until at earliest 2020. However, battles are still waging across the continent, which raises the question of what enhancing the regulatory environment means. In addition to U.S. political backing, the bill pledged early-stage project support and late-stage project support for the construction or improvement of energy infrastructure which included natural gas infrastructure, such as interconnectors, storage facilities, liquefied natural gas import facilities, or reverse flow capacity. While it is true that H.R. 1616 could hurt fossil fuel-reliant Russia, activists Paste spoke to about the legislation had grave concerns about what its impact would be in terms of ending reliance on fossil fuels. We are transforming our energy system to natural gas, right now, documentary filmmaker and globetrotting environmental activist Josh Fox told Paste. That transition will last 40 years. That transition has to be halted immediately if were going to stand any chance of staying within reasonable climate goals. Fox, whose critically-acclaimed 2010 documentary Gasland was nominated for the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature, has been fighting this fight for years and sees fossil fuels as inherently linked to tyranny around the world. In 2016, he even helped write the Democratic platform as a surrogate for Bernie Sanders, securing the inclusion of language pledging to disincentivize the development of natural gas power plants. To him, Democratic votes for H.R. 1616 represent a betrayal. If Democrats are supporting bills that say fracked gas and fracked gas infrastructure should be developed in Europe then they are flying in the face of their own climate policy, he explained. It means that theyre encouraging a kind of climate denialism, it means that theyre pushing another kind of fossil fuel, and it means that theyre playing into the hands of these tyrannical forces that are going to commodify energy, whether thats oil, coal, or gas. Fox also pointed out that while natural gas is often billed as a cleaner-burning alternative to other forms of fossil fuels, some studies have found that it is actually worse for the environment overall because of the unintended consequences of the extraction process, frackinglike the leakage of methane, a more potent greenhouse gas than CO2. Texas-based environmental activist Sharon Wilson, who is widely known as Texas Sharon, shares Foxs concerns. She was stunned to learn of the provisions of H.R. 1616. I dont understand what lawmakers dont get about climate crisis and uninhabitable planet, she told Paste, pointing out that need for fossil fuels is quickly dwindling in light of advancements in renewable energy. If youre trying to get back at Russia, help the whole world move forward with renewable energy. Thats what people want. They dont want to stay stuck on oil and gas. Help the world move forward w/ renewable energy. What can Russia do about that? They cant control the sun; they cant control the wind. Wilson, a senior organizer with the group Earthworks, has been documenting fossil fuel pollution with infrared cameras in the industrialized Permian Basin for months in the hopes of forcing regulatory action. She told Paste that she has seen firsthand the rapid, unsafe expansion of natural gas exploration to meet the demand for exports. Theyre putting pipelines all over Texas to export oil and gas that will not benefit Americans; it will not benefit Texans, she explained. It will come at the expense of our water and our air and drilling waste all over [the] land. It all has to be stopped. Today, ending the fossil fuel industry seems a long way off. While its dominance in the energy market may be declining, it has ties in Washington that run deep on both sides of the aisle. In fact, Democrats have for years been receptive to and pushed the dubious claims about natural gas being a cleaner-burning alternative to other forms of fossil fuels. And although the party has been moving left on environmental issues, even the ambitious Green New Deal notably does not contain a prohibition on new natural gas development. But calls for change are growing louder in response to increasingly troubling warnings from the scientific community. In October, the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a shocking report giving the world just 12 years to radically alter its energy consumption if global temperature increase is to be kept to 1.5C relative to pre-industrial levels (it is currently 1C warmer). Past that point, the report explained, the effects of climate change increase sharply in severity. Even a half-degree more could have remarkably profound consequences for all forms of life on earth. The Senate version of H.R. 1616 is currently in committee. It was introduced by Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT), Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO). The word progressive, means something. Its not just the basic definition of moving progress forward, but it is a political ideology that stands opposed to the tenets of the ideology of liberalism. Liberalism approaches politics from the standpoint that the capitalism-based status quo is worth preserving, and policy focus should be on fixing its deficiencies around the edges. Progressivism takes the attitude that the status quo is the problem, and the only solution is to get rid of the system perpetuating the unsustainable status quo. This is important because whether or not it gets covered, the dramatic ideological split on the left will have a massive impact on the 2020 election. In 2016, 43% of the Democratic Party did not vote for the partys hand-picked nominee. Progressives are not some small faction of the party, and in fact, given that millennials prefer socialism to capitalism, you could define our generationthe largest in human historyas largely progressive. I bring this up because Pete Buttigieg is having a moment in the early 2020 Democratic Primary, and the former McKinsey consultant has (falsely) branded himself as a progressive. Right or wrong, this is simply not a progressive position. BUTTIGIEG on free college: Americans who have a college degree earn more than Americans who don't. As a progressive, I have a hard time getting my head around the idea a majority who earn less because they didn't go to college subsidize a minority who earn more because they did Stephanie Murray (@StephMurr_Jour) April 3, 2019 He also claimed not to know that when he said all lives matter in 2015, that was actually a counterpoint to Black Lives Matter, whichwellhe's proven that he's smarter than he suggests he is in this comment. Buttigieg on his prior All Lives Matter response to police conduct: "What I did not understand at that time was that phrase was coming to be used as a sort of counter-slogan to Black Lives Matter Since learning about how that phrase was being used, I have stopped using it." Sabrina Siddiqui (@SabrinaSiddiqui) April 4, 2019 Plus, per CNBC, the all lives matter comment is not the headline out of this scandal overseen by Mayor Pete: Buttigieg was apparently referencing his administrations refusal to hand over tape recordings of South Bend police officers that remain the subject of legal dispute, as well as the city councils request that a local police officer stop selling t-shirts that seemed to make light of the 2014 police killing of unarmed black man Eric Garner in New York. Providing further proof that the former Navy intelligence officer does not espouse progressive politics, Buttigieg said that he was troubled by President Obamas decision to commute Chelsea Mannings 35-year prison sentence. Manning released information about our atrocities in Iraq, including a video (whose authenticity was confirmed by the United States) that shows the United States firing on Iraqi journalists. Mark Taylor, an international law expert, told Al Jazeera that theres a case to be made that a war crime may have been committed. We are undoubtedly better off because Chelsea Manning leaked information about our war crimes in Iraq. Plenty of folks make the case that Mannings disclosures got people killed, but when retired U.S. Army Brigadier General Robert Carrs investigation into the leak tried to paint Manning as a murderer, he could only come up with one example, and later conceded that person had not been named in Mannings leaks. President Obama was fairly center-right when it comes to foreign policy, and one of his most liberal actions has been decried by a self-described progressive. Im sorry, you just cannot call yourself a progressive while making a pro-military argument that even a Brigadier General leading the investigation could not prove. This isnt the only arena where Mayor Pete has recently proven himself to not hold progressive positions. Buttigieg visited Israel last May, and while he was there, he laid the blame for the misery of the Palestinian people at the feet of the Palestinian people, and did not even mention the fact that Gaza is an open-air prison policed by Israel where none of its residents can ever leave. Per Buttigieg: [We got] a more nuanced idea of what is happening on the Palestinian side. So one of the first things that was very clear to us was the extent to which there really is not a unified or single voice for the Palestinian people. Most people arent aware of the difference between whats happening in Gaza run by Hamas in a way that is contributing to a lot of misery there but also totally different than an environment where you would have a negotiating partner across the table is really important. I dont think thats widely understood and I think if it were you would see more Democrats would be asking more questions as we face these kind of 90-second cable news versions of whats going on over there. Now, even though Buttigieg repeated the standard right-wing Likud party line out of Israel, he has expressed some progressive ideas when it comes to this literal apartheid state, as he told Esquire: I just saw more of the complexity there. So, on one hand, really marveling at the achievements that have taken place in Israeli society. And on the other hand, seeing the extent to which no one can explain how you can have a democracy and a Jewish state at the same time unless theres a two-state solution. So far, these two quotes on Israel sum up the Mayor Pete experience pretty well. The Rhodes scholar is clearly incredibly smart and well-educated, as demonstrated by his ability to speak seven languages and play both the guitar and the piano while discussing the intricacies of political philosophy. He can see the natural contradictions in theoretical framework like Israels democracy that passed laws mandating that Arabs are second class citizens, but the moment he gets on the ground, its just standard D.C. policy-talk. Listening to Buttigieg talk about Israel does not convey the new, exciting persona he is trying to cultivate. Its just more of the same. And ultimately, thats the fear with these new candidates. A lot has changed in liberal politics since 2016, and most candidates do not have political histories that match up with our current political moment. Given that seemingly everyone has moved left to some degree post-2016, we should give folks like Buttigieg enough room to change their minds and explain why, but given that Buttigieg has already branded himself a progressive post-announcement while also endorsing decidedly not progressive positions, you cannot help but be skeptical of him. Progressivism is a specific platform that is simply not represented in much of Mayor Petes current or past policies, and like Kamala Harris with progressive prosecutor, calling decidedly non-progressive ideals progressive is a really good way to lose progressive votes. Jacob Weindling is a staff writer for Paste politics. Follow him on Twitter at @Jakeweindling. Rumors and expectations of a Pixel Watch that could take on Apple Watch have been floating around for some time now and confusion reigns. For instance, on January 18, 2019 TechRadar posted a report titled "Why the $40 million Fossil deal doesnt make a Google Pixel Watch more likely." It went from uncertainty to certainty in ten days flat with a second report titled "Google Pixel Watch release date, price, news and leaks." Yesterday the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office published a granted patent for Google that reveals their ongoing work for a clasp mechanism that will allow Android fans to change bands as quickly as it is for Apple Watch users. Google's patent FIG. 3A below depicts an example watch band clasp design; FIGS. 3F/G/H depict several example timepiece lug designs for use with watch band clasp mechanisms. The different mechanisms are outlined in rose for easy identification. In Google's patent FIG. 4C below we're able to see a clasp mechanism that uses a series of magnets; FIG. 5A depicts another example of a clasp mechanism using a quick push-button release mechanism design. Google was granted this patent on Tuesday which was originally filed for in Q2 2017. Oddly none of the inventors listed on the patent had LinkedIn accounts that could have provided us with some idea of the engineering disciplines brought into this project. This is Google's third such patent since late 2016. BRUSSELS, April 3 (Xinhua) -- European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker appeared to close the door on Wednesday before British Prime Minister Theresa May's request for a second short extension of Brexit, saying it would not be possible if the withdrawal agreement was not approved by the British House of Commons by April 12. Shortly after May's appeal, Juncker gave the strongest evidence to date among growing indications that the European Union (EU) was bracing itself for a no-deal Brexit against the deadlock in British politics, despite how costly it would prove to both the bloc and Britain. NO-DEAL BREXIT "VERY LIKELY" "I believe that a 'no deal' at midnight on the 12 April is now a very likely scenario," said Juncker as he addressed Members of European Parliament (MEPs) meeting in Brussels for a part plenary session on Wednesday. "It is not the outcome I want. But it is an outcome for which I have made sure the European Union is ready," Juncker added. Nearing the end of his term before the European elections in May, Juncker said that if Britain will be in a position to approve the Withdrawal Agreement with a sustainable majority by April 12, the EU should be prepared to accept an extension until May 22. April 12 would be the "ultimate deadline," however, for the House of Commons to approve the withdrawal agreement, he said. Absent that approval, "no further short extension will be possible," said Juncker, for whom to extend any further would risk compromising the bloc's elections, and destabilizing the EU. Speaking Tuesday in Brussels, EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier also said a no-deal Brexit was likely. "I do not wish for no-deal, I did not work at any moment for a no-deal, even if we are prepared," he said. During a Tuesday press conference on the occasion of an official visit to Paris by Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, French President Emmanuel Macron placed the responsibility for the no-deal scenario with British leaders, asking for the British government to say what it proposed, and "to say it now." "If the United Kingdom is not capable, nearly three years after the referendum, to propose a solution the brings together a majority, it will itself have chosen, de facto, to leave without an agreement, and we can not avoid failure for them," the French president said and repeated in a tweet. For his part, Varadkar also indicated that the EU needed to avoid a "rolling extension," and that any proposal for more time "must have a clear purpose and a clear plan." Both leaders pledged solidarity, and insisted that the "good functioning" of the EU and the single market needed to be a priority. LOSSES EXPECTED IN EU AND BRITAIN Governments and independent analysts appear to agree that a no-deal Brexit, in which the two parties revert to World Trade Organization rules, would be the costliest scenario with repercussions for both Britain and the EU. According to estimates by the International Monetary Fund, the real output for the remaining 27 EU members would decline by 1.5 percent in the long-run relative to a no-Brexit scenario. In such a case, the Republic of Ireland would be hit hardest with an output loss of 4 percent, followed by the Netherlands, Denmark and Belgium. A report by the Dublin-based Economic &Social Research Institute published on March 26 also said Ireland would be the worst-affected in the EU. In the most undesirable scenario of a disorderly no-deal Brexit, the level of real output in the Irish economy would be 5 percent lower, compared to Britain staying in the EU. While the EU members appear sure to suffer losses, Britain is widely predicted to be biggest loser. In terms of trade, total EU exports would be reduced by just over 2.1 percent in the case of a no-deal Brexit, but total British exports would fall by just over 9.8 percent, according to economists Martina Lawless and Edgar Morgenroth. In a late March report, German think tank Bertelsmann Stiftung estimated EU citizens would bear the brunt of 40 billion euros per year in income losses in the case of a no-deal Brexit, but that British citizens would suffer income losses of 57 billion euros per year, or approximately 900 euros per capita per year. Meanwhile, European businesses and trade associations are preparing for the worst. A report on "Risks and Vulnerabilities in the EU financial system," published Tuesday by the Joint Committee of the European Supervisory Authorities urged EU banking, insurance, pensions and securities sectors to make strong contingency plans for possibilities of strong market volatility following a no-deal Brexit. (1 euro = 1.12 U.S. dollars) [ Editor: Zhang Zhou ] Patna: Riots, hooliganism continued in Patna and elsewhere in Bihar for the third time in last ten days as anti-reservation crowd, a little over a week after pro-reservation forces observed a nationwide bandh in support of their demands leading to acts of violence and tough police reaction throughout the country, took to the streets demanding scrapping of reservation in academics and jobs to make playing field level for all. {gallery}newsimages2018/apr/041018_2{/gallery}In Patna, protestors blocked busy intersections on Ashok Rajpath, Kargil Chowk, Dak Bungalow Crossing, Station Road, and Income Tax Roundabout and forced shop-owners to down their shutters. They also pelted stones at police constables who resorted to mild lathi charge to control the mob. Things got extremely tense when a pro-reservation and an anti-reservation group clashed with each other on Ashok Rajpath forcing the policemen to call in anti-riot vehicle and additional back-up to chase the trouble-makers away. At least three persons were injured in the melee. Reports of violence were also received from other places in Bihar including Ara where protestors blocked the railway tracks and damaged several vehicles in the area. They also clashed with pro-reservation groups that led to injuries to at least a dozen persons. Senior police officials were monitoring the area to ward off any more trouble. As reported here before, riots broke out in Patna and elsewhere on April 2 when the pro-reservation groups backed by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM), and Congress observed Bharat Bandh to protest against a recent Supreme Court decision that they alleged was intended to dilute the existing Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe Act. This was followed by yet another battle between the protestors and the law enforcement officials when students of Patna University on Monday during the swearing-in ceremony of the student union leaders at the Wheeler Senate Hall on Ashok Rajpath. Several students, including a Magadh Mahila College student, were injured in that melee as well. Patna: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Bihar on Tuesday to take part in the 'Satyagraha to Swachhgraha' campaign that was launched by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar last year with the aim to make Bihar an 'Open Defecation Free' state. {gallery}newsimages2018/apr/041018_1{/gallery}Modi arrived by a special aircraft at Patna Airport where he was received by the Chief Minister, Bihar Governor Satya Pal Malik, Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief and Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, other members of the Nitish cabinet and top government officials. From Patna, Modi flew to Motihari on a helicopter. Speaking in Motihari before a crowd of over 10,000 volunteers, Modi congratulated Kumar for taking initiative in making his Swachh Bharat (Clean India) mission a reality in India. "I am very proud that Bihar has shown its leadership in leading Bihar from Mahatma Gandhi's Satyagraha to Swachhgraha," he said during the conclusion of the year-long celebration of Gandhi's Satyagraha Movement in Bihar. The Prime Minister congratulated the Chief Minister for building over 26 lakh indoor toilets in Bihar in the past three and a half years with 8.5 lakh of them built within the last one week alone. On the occasion, Modi while launching a host of new projects to the tune of Rs. 2,500 crore, also flagged off a 12,000 horsepower freight locomotive from the Madhepura Rail Engine Factory made in collaboration with France. This is more than double the power of existing locomotives, and is capable of moving at 120 km/hr. He also flagged off the new 'Hamsafar Express' between Katihar and the nation's capital of New Delhi. Other projects inaugurated by the Prime Minister included beautification of the Moti Jheel in Motihari, a water suppy project in Bettiah, three sewerage networks and one sewerage treatment plant in Patna, a new LPG bottling plant at Sagauli, and the doubling of railway tracks in the Muzaffarpur-Sugauli-Valmikinagar division. Finally, the Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of a six-lane National Highway between Aurangabad and Jharkhand border to be built at a cost of Rs 882 crore. Patna: Following the withdrawal of Dr. Barun Kumar as the Janata Dal U candidate from Sitamarhi, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sunil Kumar Pintu resigned from his party and joined the JD-U that promptly rewarded him as the replacement of Dr. Kumar. As reported, Dr. Kumar, expressing personal reasons and political pressures from many quarters, opted to drop out of the race while also resigning from the party. Pintu, a former Bihar Tourism Minister, had lost the 2015 state Assembly elections to a Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) candidate. At a press conference in Patna, JD-U leaders Lallan Singh and others welcomed Pintu in the party saying his presence would play an important role in the coming election. Pintu later met with Nitish Kumar to seek his blessings. Sitamarhi goes to poll in the fifth phase of the seven-phased election on May 6. All four of the Yuengling sisters, as well as Dick Yuengling Jr. and new Yuengling brand ambassador Aaron Nola, were present at the Pottsville brewery on April 4 to prepare for the coming 190th anniversary celebrations. Following opening remarks from Jennifer Yuengling, Vice President of Operations, and Wendy Yuengling, Chief Administrative Officer, members of the media and other invited guests were taken on a guided tour of the brewery, and invited to include messages in a time capsule being prepared for the occasion. The time capsule that we opened up today, we will be inviting our employees, our friends, people in the community or supporters of the brand to share words of wisdom for future generations, said Wendy Yuengling. The capsule will be sealed on April 18, which the Pottsville brewery will celebrate as their inaugural Americas Oldest Brewery Day. The Yuengling family, staff members with the company, local VIPs and political figures have all been invited to include a message to be sealed into the capsule. Aaron Nola, pitcher with the Philadelphia Phillies and recently named Yuengling brand ambassador, was among the attendees to drop a message into the capsule. Im proud to be here for the 190th anniversary celebration, Nola said. Im proud to be partnering with Yuengling -- great people, not just great beer, but family oriented. Great people all around. The brewery is planning to continue their anniversary celebrations with a concert event in downtown Pottsville on July 13. The event will include Yuengling vendors and coincide with another release from their limited-run Small Batch Series. From left: Dick Yuengling Jr., Jenifer Yuengling, Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola, Debbie Yuengling, Sheryl Yuengling and Wendy Yuengling. The Yuengling family and Nola posed for photos at a press event celebrating the 190th anniversary of the D.G. Yuengling and Son brewery. D.G. Yuengling and Son began in 1829, known at the time as Eagle Brewery, establishing it as Americas oldest brewery. The family-owned business has expanded into 22 states, with a brewery in Tampa, Florida as well as the two in Pottsville. Last year, the brewery released their first year-round beer in 17 years with the Golden Pilsner. Earlier this year, Yuengling was ranked as the largest seller of craft beer in the United States, according to the Brewers Association. On April 4, 1968, civil rights leader the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tenn. King was shot to death around 6 p.m. while standing on the balcony at the Lorraine Hotel by James Earl Ray. The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. stands with other civil rights leaders on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tenn., on April 3, 1968, a day before he was assassinated at approximately the same place. From left are Hosea Williams, Jesse Jackson, King, and Ralph Abernathy. (AP Photo/Charles Kelly)ASSOCIATED PRESS King and the Rev. Ralph Abernathy were staying in Room 306 the same room they stayed in whenever they were in Memphis. Ray was shooting at King from nearby rooming house. King was taken to St. Joseph's Hospital where he was pronounced dead a little more than an hour after the shooting. This aerial photo shows fire-gutted buildings, some still smouldering, along a block on H Street between 12th and 13th streets in the northeast section of Washington, D.C. on April 5, 1968. Rioting broke out after the assassination of civil rights leader the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., in Memphis, Tenn. on April 4. (AP Photo)ASSOCIATED PRESS King, 39, was killed by a single shot to the face. King was in Memphis with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, which he founded, to support a sanitation workers strike. Outrage over his killing resulted in rioting, looting and arson in more than 100 cities in the United States Detroit, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Newark, N.J., Baltimore, Chicago. Coretta Scott King, wearing hat and gloves, and her four children view the body of her husband, slain civil rights activist leader the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., in Atlanta, Ga., on April 7, 1968. The children are, from left, Yolanda, 12, Bernice, 5, Martin III, 11, and Dexter 7. Other members in the photograph are not identified. (AP Photo)AP Kings funeral was held April 9 in Atlanta, his hometown, at Ebenezer Baptist Church. A second service followed at Morehouse College. After the shooting, Ray hid for a month in Toronto, Ontario, and acquired a Canadian passport under the false name of Ramon George Sneyd. FILE - In this Oct. 22, 1974, file photo, James Earl Ray, who was sentenced to life in the slaying of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., leaves the federal court in Memphis, Tenn. The court is hearing evidence in Rays claim that he was pressured into pleading guilty in the case. Ray doubted a jury would believe a defense proposal to blame the assassination of the King on a conspiracy, according to letters he wrote to his lawyer as he tried to win a trial and withdraw his own guilty plea in the 1968 slaying. (AP Photo)AP He was captured on June 8, 1968, at Londons Heathrow Airport. On March 10, 1969, Ray pleaded guilty to killing King. Ray was sentenced to 99 years in prison but later recanted his confession and tried to get a new trial. He escaped from Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary in Petros, Tenn., on June 10, 1977, with seven other inmates. They were recaptured three days later. A year was added to Rays sentence. Ray died in prison on April 23, 1998, at the age of 70. The balcony of the Lorraine Motel, Mulberry Street, Memphis, Tenn., April 6, 1968, just after the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination, April 4, 1968.AP On Aug. 28, 1963, King had delivered his historic I Have a Dream speech at the Lincoln Memorial for the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. The march and rally drew about 260,000 people, according to the NAACP. The event was organized by civil rights leaders aimed at outrage over racial inequities. Marchers wanted passage of the Civil Rights Act that was stalled in Congress. This is how the morning newspapers in London headlined the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., April 5, 1968. (AP Photo)AP Planning for the march was chaired by A. Philip Randolph, president of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, and organized by Bayard Rustin. King said, "I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.' I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood." The crypt of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. who was assassinated April 4, 1968. King is buried in Atlanta, Ga. (AP Photo/Charles Kelly)AP Others also spoke at the event. Musical performers included Marian Anderson, Joan Baez, Bob Dylan and Mahalia Jackson. King received the Nobel Peace Prize on Dec. 10, 1964, for his nonviolent campaign against racism. The ceremony took place in Oslo, Norway. King was 35 at the time and the youngest man to ever receive the prize. He donated the prize money, valued at $54,600, to the civil rights movement, according to history.com. As the criminal case against more than two dozen former Penn State University fraternity brothers worked its way through the court system last year, the most serious charges filed in the death of a pledge after a booze-fueled party were dismissed. The first defendants to plead guilty late last year received probation or were allowed to enter a diversionary program that could eventually clear any crimes from their records. That lowered some peoples expectations for serious penalties in the criminal case stemming from the death of Timothy Piazza, 19, in February 2017 as he sought to join the Beta Theta Pi fraternity. But a Centre County judge on Tuesday surprised many people after a five-hour sentencing hearing by handing down jail time to three former frat brothers. It looked like the magisterial district judge was releasing them with barely a slap on the wrist, Hank Nuwer, an author and nationally-recognized anti-hazing expert said of court proceedings last year. I am surprised by this development. It is very, very rare that hazing cases result in a tough sentence. The sentences were 30 days to six months for Michael Bonatucci, 21, of Woodstock, Georgia; two months to six months for Luke Visser, 21, of Encinitas, California; and three months to nine months for Joshua Kurczewski, 20, of Erie. The jail sentences are set to begin in mid-May. A fourth defendant, Joseph Sala, 21, also of Erie, received house arrest for three to 10 months. All four defendants also were assigned probation, including a three-year term for Visser, and assessed fines and penalties, including repaying Piazzas parents for the cost of his medical bills, funeral and burial. The convictions were for third-degree misdemeanors of hazing, and conspiracy to commit hazing. Dozens of other charges were dropped in exchange for the guilty pleas. This Nov. 9, 2017, file photo shows Pennsylvania State University's shuttered Beta Theta Pi fraternity house in State College, Pa. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)AP The development may not bode well for some former fraternity brothers with pending cases whom prosecutors say had central roles in the planning and overseeing the pledge party that included an alcohol-chugging obstacle course. Prosecutors say Piazza consumed 18 drinks within 82 minutes during the obstacle course and an after-party yet did not fetch a single drink for himself. He later fell down a flight of stairs and no one called for medical help for nearly 12 hours. Alcohol hazing is a game of Russian Roulette, prosecutors from the state Attorneys General office wrote in their sentencing recommendation memo. Every scenario like this one presents the potential for deadly consequences in a number of different ways. This time the consequence was dire, irreparable and tragic beyond words. The death spurred Piazzas parents, Jim and Evelyn, into becoming anti-hazing activists who deliver their message across the nation. They successfully pushed for a change in Pa. law that defined hazing as a felony in cases of serious injury and death. Centre County Judge Brian Marshall on Tuesday had a variety of choices for sentences that included jail time or no jail time for the three defendants who stood before him, but he concluded that jail time was necessary, said Bruce Antkowiak, a St. Vincent College law professor and former federal prosecutor not involved in the case. Obviously the judge weighed all that and sensed the gravity of the situation, Antkowiak said. Is it a lot of jail time? No. But it is jail time, and it conveys a measure of significance. The misdemeanor convictions also will remain on the defendants records for life, barring a pardon. Having a criminal conviction is a substantial burden on anyone seeking a professional career, Antkowiak said. If they sought to achieve a professional license in the future, any licensing board would seriously inquire about these sentences. Thomas Kline, the attorney representing Piazzas parents, called the jail sentences a significant and important development, especially, he said, the fact that they all admitted to a conspiracy to commit hazing. The judge looked at the facts and circumstances and guidelines and made an informed decision, Kline said. He was influenced by the law, guidelines and facts, and not by anything else including histrionics. Kline was referring to statements made by Theodore Simon, the attorney for Luke Visser, who said in court Tuesday that the situation has rocked (Visser) to his core, according to the Centre Daily Times. That has led to depression, atrial fibrillation, moral guilt and education efforts at his former high school, Simon said. The judge noted on Tuesday that he had not seen a former fraternity brother show as much remorse as Visser had, according to the Centre Daily Times. Simon had argued against any incarceration, saying it would be inappropriate for Visser and that he was worried something really tragic might happen. Jim Piazza exited the courtroom immediately after Simons statement, according to the Centre Daily Times. There already has been a real tragedy here, Kline said Wednesday. That tragedy happened to Timothy Piazza. Every individual has to face the consequences and thats what was done yesterday. Reached on Wednesday, Simon said he could not comment because of a gag order on participants in the case. Attorneys representing the other defendants sentenced this week did not return phone calls from PennLive. Kirsten Weisenberger, a Harrisburg-based criminal defense attorney not affiliated with the Beta case, said she was not stunned by the jail sentences announced Tuesday. She said the third-degree misdemeanors come with sentencing guidelines that call for probation for first-time offenders but also include a range for aggravating circumstances that can tack on three months of incarceration. The fact that someone died as a result of the hazing cannot be ignored, she said. This was not your average serving alcohol to a minor case, she said. Weisenberger also noted that each attorney still could file a motion to modify the sentence to house arrest instead of jail. Attorneys can petition for an amended sentence within 10 days, and several sources have indicated that attorneys would be filing motions or already have filed motions. Nuwer, the anti-hazing activist, said he was concerned that the jail sentences might be amended to house arrest, taking away the seriousness of the punishment, but Weisenberger said she considered that scenario unlikely. Attorneys typically file everything they can prior to sentencing, she said, so theyve already thrown any and all possible mitigating circumstances at the court seeking mercy. The judge has typically heard everything already and decided, she said. And because of all the media attention in this case, I dont see that happening here. Weisenberger said the fact that manslaughter and aggravated assault charges were thrown out of the criminal case early on didnt necessarily indicate that the courts were going to look favorably at the case. The sentencing is where the rubber meets the road, legal experts say. Sometimes you have a lot of charges that get cut down, Weisenberger said. But then you can get a more serious sentence for the charges that remain. The facts are that someone died here. FILE - In this May 5, 2017 file photo, Jim and Evelyn Piazza stand by as Centre County District Attorney Stacy Parks Miller, left, announces the results of an investigation into the death of their son Timothy Piazza.AP When the criminal case started, there was no one pushing harder for serious felony charges and jail time than Stacy Parks Miller, the former Centre County District Attorney. Parks Miller originally filed charges of involuntary manslaughter and aggravated assault against any fraternity brother who served Piazza a drink, but those charges were later thrown out by a series of magisterial district judges. She later lost her bid for reelection. On Wednesday, Parks Miller said she was perplexed by the various sentences handed out in the case so far. There is no obvious reason why this group merited jail time when the first round received a stunning amount of leniency, she said of six defendants allowed to enter the countys diversion program and an additional six who received mostly probation. Instead of asking why these guys were sentenced to jail for behavior that led to a brutal death, it is more appropriate to ask the question of why the first round, containing more culpable persons, escaped jail altogether. Parks Miller said two of those earlier defendants manned the shotgun beer station during the alcohol-chugging obstacle course. One person personally served beer to an underaged Piazza during the gauntlet, contributing directly to his high BAC and death, Parks Miller said, yet escaped jail in the first round. Bonatucci also manned the station but did not serve Tim Piazza any alcohol, yet he received a jail sentence in this round, Parks Miller said. This is yet another disappointing and puzzling development in this case. Heres the updated status of the cases against all of the defendants in the Piazza case. Piazzas parents already have filed a civil lawsuit against all of them and a security company, St. Moritz, that was supposed to monitor university parties for hazing and alcohol abuse. Brendan Young arrived at Centre County Court in 2018 for a preliminary hearing. Open/Pending cases: Brendan Young, of Malvern, former fraternity president. "I know you know this," he wrote to the pledge master before the pledge party, according to court records. "If anything goes wrong with the pledges this semester then both of us are (f****d.)" No trial date has been set. Charges faced by Young include: Conspiracy to commit hazing evidence tampering 14 counts of recklessly endangering another person (second-degree misdemeanor) 12 counts of hazing (third-degree misdemeanor) 12 counts of furnishing alcohol to minors (third-degree misdemeanor) 12 counts of unlawful acts relative to liquor. Daniel Casey arrived at Centre County Court in 2018 for a preliminary hearing. Daniel Casey, of Ronkonkoma, N.Y, the former pledge master Casey was the chapter's pledge master, and is alleged to have been the chief planner of the bid acceptance night activities, including the obstacle course known as the gauntlet." Police say Casey kicked off the alcohol-chugging obstacle course by handing each pledge a handle of vodka from which they had to drink fast and then run to a second station in the lobby, where there was a beer-shotgun station. No trial date has been set. He faces charges of: Conspiracy to commit hazing Evidence tampering 14 counts recklessly endangering another person 14 counts hazing 12 counts furnishing alcohol to minors 12 counts unlawful acts relative to liquor. Braxton Becker, of Niskayuna, New York, the former house manager Police say Becker deleted incriminating surveillance video from the basement that showed a booze-fueled party where underage pledges were served copious amounts of alcohol. The video was later recovered by FBI experts, resulting in additional charges against several defendants. Becker faces three charges of second-degree misdemeanors. His trial is set for May 28. Tampering with evidence Obstructing the law Destroying evidence Pleaded guilty with sentencing date set Nick Kubera, of Downingtown, was another participant at the "beer shotgun" station, according to the grand jury report. Police also say he handed Piazza a can of beer in the basement after the alcohol-chugging obstacle course. Kubera pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to commit hazing and three counts hazing. His sentencing is set for April 15. Jonah Neuman Jonah Neuman, of Nashville, Tenn., participated in the drinking gauntlet and was shown on video forcefully overruling another brother's early suggestion that Piazza be taken to the hospital by pushing that brother against a wall, according to court records. Neuman also allegedly handed beer cans to pledges to "shotgun," which allows the beer to be consumed within seconds. He also reportedly "backpacked" Piazza, which entails putting a backpack full of books onto a drunk person in order to prevent them from rolling over and choking on their vomit. Neuman pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit hazing and three counts hazing. His sentencing is set for April 15. Pleaded guilty with no sentencing date set Aidan O'Brien of West Chester, Pennsylvania. Police say two minutes into the basement party, O'Brien gave Piazza a can of beer that Piazza drank from. Six minutes later, O'Brien then allegedly held a winebag up to Piazza for him to chug. OBrien pleaded guilty to two counts of furnishing alcohol to a minor. Gary Dibileo, of Scranton, was accused of running the wine station that was part of the gauntlet. Dibileo also was identified as one of three brothers who had advocated for calling 911 for Piazza earlier. They were overruled. Instead, no help was called for nearly 12 hours. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit hazing and six counts of hazing. Patrick Jackson, of Bethlehem, was added to the case after recovered basement video footage showed him serving alcohol in the basement, police say. He pleaded guilty to two counts of furnishing alcohol to minors. Bohan Song, of Wayne, handed Piazza a bottle of vodka to chug from after Piazza was visibly intoxicated, according to police. He pleaded guilty to two counts of furnishing alcohol. Jonathna Kanzler, of Coopersburg, Pa., served Piazza wine from a wine bag after he was visibly intoxicated, according to court records. He pleaded guilty to two counts of furnishing alcohol. Disposed cases: Bonatucci: pleaded guilty to conspiracy and three counts hazing Kurczewski: pleaded guilty to conspiracy, one count of hazing, and one count of furnishing Sala: pleaded guilty to conspiracy and three counts hazing Visser: pleaded guilty to conspiracy and six counts hazing. Ryan Burke: pleaded guilty to four counts hazing and four unlawful acts relative to liquor: received 60 days house-arrest, 2-years probation, $3,450 fines. Michael Schiavone: pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to furnish alcohol: received 12-months probation, $1,000 fine, 100 hours community service. Joseph Ems: pleaded guilty to one count of hazing and one count of unlawful acts: received 12-months probation, $1,000 fine, 100 hours community service. Brian Gelb: pleaded guilty to one count of hazing and one count unlawful acts: 12-months probation, $1,000 fine, 100 hours community service. Donald Prior: pleaded guilty to one count of hazing and one count unlawful acts: 12-months probation, $1,000 fine, 100 hours community service. Michael Fernandez: pleaded guilty to one count of hazing: 12-months probation, $250 fine, 100 hours community service Accepted in the countys Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition, or ARD diversionary program : Ed Gilmartin, Ryan Foster, Craig Heimer, Reginald Goeke, Parker Yochim and Lars Kenyon. Charges were withdrawn against the Beta Theta Pi Corporation. Charges also were discharged by a magisterial district judge and never refiled after the first preliminary hearing for Ryan McCann, and Lucas Rockwell. A Lancaster County jury found 24-year-old Jordan A. Mayes guilty of six sex-abuse offenses four felonies and two misdemeanors, according to the Lancaster County District Attorneys office. It took the jury 30 minutes to render a guilty verdict. Throughout the three-day trial, the victim testified that she awoke to find Mayes assaulting her. The incident happened two years ago at a home on East High Street. The victim said she ran into a bedroom, locked the door and called 9-1-1. Mayes fled the home, according to the district attorneys office. Lancaster County Judge Merrill Spahn, Jr., who presided over the trial, said he will sentence Mayes following a background investigation. Spahn changed Mayes bail to $500,000 cash. Mayes was taken to Lancaster County Prison, where he was previously out after posting $100,000 bail. Assistant District Attorney Fritz Haverstick presented evidence of the victims case to the jurors. He also asked several police officers, and an expert who discussed Mayes DNA, which was found at the crime scene, to testify. Manheim Borough police Detective Jeffrey Kiesel filed the charges. The jury returned not-guilty verdicts to burglary and criminal trespass, the district attorneys office reported. Next year at this time, students planning to attend one of the 14 state universities in the fall of 2020 will know how much theyll be paying in tuition for the upcoming academic year. Not only that, they also will have a good idea what the rate will be for the following year as well. The State System of Higher Educations governing board on Thursday approved a new tuition policy that requires universities to provide current and prospective students with more predictability by setting tuition rates earlier. It calls for tuition rates for the next academic year to be approved in April, rather than waiting until July as has been its practice. At that time, the universities also will announce tentatively what the cost will be for the following academic year, too. System board Chairwoman Cynthia Shapira called this new policy the first real thing that grows out of the system redesign underway to put the state universities on a more financially sustainable path and make them more student-centered. This policy will allow the universities to better plan, budget and allocate their resources over multiple years, helping to ensure their long-term stability and success, she said. By making tuition more predictable, it will allow students to plan for their educational expenses. Additionally, the new policy allows universities the option of either using the base tuition rate that the board sets or propose a tuition plan of their own that takes into account the regional economic differences, the competition from other higher education institutions in their area, the varying cost of academic programs, and the specific financial needs of students. Millersville University President Daniel Wubah and Indiana University of Pennsylvania President Michael Driscoll signaled that their universities plan to be among the first ones to propose a customized tuition plan that would take effect in the fall of 2020. Shippensburg University President Laurie Carter was non-committal about if and when her university would make that move, saying any decision it makes will be focused on what is thought to be in students best interest. Were certainly going to look at it now that its been approved, Carter said. Everything we do is based on data and thats how we make our decisions. We dont want to run into anything until we know it benefits the students. The idea of differentiating tuition based on campus, major, and class standing (meaning freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior year) is the direction that public universities across the nation are heading. In fact, some of the systems own universities in recent years strayed away from the one-size-fits-all approach that existed for decades. Millersville, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and Mansfield offer tuition plans that charge students by the number of course credits they are taking. East Stroudsburg offers a four-year guaranteed tuition price. Plus the systems vice chancellor for administration and finance Sharon Minnich noted that when building in the cost of room, board and fees, the cost of attending a state university varies significantly from $18,906 at West Chester University to $25,405 at IUP, based on the lowest cost housing and minimum meal plan students take. Part of this policy allows for the universities to more fully engage in tuition discounting. That again is a direction more public universities are heading to minimize the financial barriers that prevent low-income students from going to college. Minnich shared data from the College Board that indicates the percentage of universities using institutional grant aid to lower students net price has grown from 32% in 2004 to 48% in 2014. But this move to encourage broader use of this discounting practice doesnt sit well with the parent of a Millersville University student. My objection to this scheme [also known in the industry as tuition set-asides], is that hard working families who save diligently to be able to pay the price of tuition at one of the state system universities will be charged more and then forced to subsidize other familys kids, said Meretta Marks, who retired from the pharmaceutical industry and has become developed a strong interest in higher education. But system officials argue that providing institutional aid is critical to the state universities ability to reach the low- and middle-income families it was designed to serve. Data recently released for 2017-18 shows a continued decline in the number of Pennsylvania college students from families with incomes between $48,000 to $110,000. System Chancellor Dan Greenstein said in an earlier interview that gives him concern. He understands the argument about it being unfair to make some students pay more in tuition than others but added, its a feature of our life. Its been going on in private higher education forever, Greenstein said. "The challenge that we face, were not able to compete. Its going on in public education as well. Its very rare an institution isnt doing tuition discounting. We are not doing it very much so we are actually not competitively positioned in the market. With a decline in the number of students graduating Pennsylvania high school and a large number of higher education institutions vying for the ones that do, being competitive is essential to the state universities survival which has seen its enrollment drop from 120,000 in 2010 to nearly 99,000 this year. The change in the systems pricing policy grows out of the work of a task force comprising students, faculty, staff and administrators. They released their recommendations last year on how to make the state universities more affordable to attract and retain students. But the system board chose to hold off on implementing those recommendations to allow the system redesign plan to more fully develop. Joar Dahn, a Bloomsburg University student who is a member of the systems board, said he thinks students will welcome this new tuition pricing strategy. It gives our campuses individually more flexibility in how to price their different programs, he said. Another student board member Rodney Kaplan Jr. urged the university presidents that decide to propose a customized tuition plan for their campus to seek student input right from the start. Sometimes the student voice it just comes at the end, he said. But having the student voice involved in the beginning I think will be helpful. Faculty union President Ken Mash is encouraged the system is focused on affordability but also looks forward to hearing more about how it will work in light of the move toward being a sharing system. What does that mean as far as having different tuitions at 14 universities with regard to sharing programs and a students ability to take courses at different universities? I think thats a missing piece of the puzzle, he said. I think there has to be a more sophisticated analysis. Shapira admitted during the meeting the process for rolling out this tuition policy remains a work in progress and tweaks may be needed as it goes along. The State System, also includes Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, Edinboro, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Slippery Rock and West Chester universities. Jan Murphy may be reached at jmurphy@pennlive.com. Follow her on Twitter at @JanMurphy. Paying for college: Have questions about how to pay college tuition without going broke? Financial aid expert Mark Kantrowitz will take your questions in a Reddit Ask Me Anything forum Tuesday, April 9 at 12 p.m. Start your day in the know. Sign up for Good Morning, Pennsylvania. WILLIAMSPORT -- A Snyder County man has admitted fulfilling orders throughout the United States for 137,000 narcotic pain reliever and muscle relaxer tablets over an approximate two-year period beginning in April 2015. Clyde Eugene Snyder, 71, of Mount Pleasant Mills, made the admission Wednesday when he pleaded guilty in U.S. Middle District Court to a charge of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Snyder received through the mail packages containing tramadol and carisoprodol tablets, Assistant U.S. Attorney George J. Rocktashel said. The return address was a post office box in Germany, he said. Snyder repackaged the tablets and, using Priority Mail, filled orders throughout the United States provided him via social media, he said. Recipients used MoneyGram, Western Union and other means to pay others for the drugs with Snyder getting $13 for each mailing, Rocktashel said. Snyder dealt with three men over the course of the operation, the prosecutor said. Rocktashel detailed the investigation by Homeland Security, Postal Service inspectors and state police that led to Snyder being charged. He said postal officials in Alaska became suspicious when packages Snyder mailed to an individual there did not have a return address. Postal inspectors intercepted and confirmed the contents of packages from Germany before observing Snyder picking them up at the Mount Pleasant Mills post office and taking them to his residence, he said. During an April 2017 search of Snyders apartment, investigators found 2,290 tramadol pills, preprinted address labels and tracking documents, he said. Snyder continued to receive and mail tablets after consulting a local pharmacist who advised him it was illegal to ship medicine for which a prescription is needed, Rocktashel said. The maximum term for the crime is five years . Due to his cooperation and lack of a criminal record the prosecutor said Snyder is likely to get a short jail sentence or probation. He is free on personal recognizance. Tramadol is a pain reliever that when used in large amounts can produce effects similar to heroin. It is described as the drug of choice by the Boko Haram terrorist organization in Nigeria. Carisoprodol is a muscle relaxer that often is abused with opioid drugs. A combination of it and hydrocodone is known as a Las Vegas cocktail. Rocktashel said he is unaware of any arrests elsewhere in the case. Im on a first name basis with the rocks in Loyalsock Creek, DCNRs 2018 River of the Year. My family has lived, worked and played along this magnificent navigable waterway since 1933, celebrating the quiet beauty of the land. When I walk out my front door, past the 18th century barn and into the woods, I never fail to marvel at the sights, smells and sounds of nature. But in 2010, the gas industry showed up, and the once-beautiful Pennsylvania forest and game lands that surround my familys 20 acres became known as the Marcellus Sacrifice Zone. Im not the only one who treasures the Pennsylvania Wilds. Lycoming Countys scenic hikes and dense forests are enjoyed by locals and visitors seeking respite from the city. We have thousands of visitors a year and undisturbed nature is our main attraction. The current and proposed oil and gas operations are incompatible with our rural economy. Currently, there are over 1,600 permitted gas wells in Lycoming County and thats just the beginning. For each well pad, an average of 30 acres are clear-cut. Along with the downed trees come access roads, flowback impoundments, pipelines, compressor stations, odorizing facilities, water withdrawals and the thousands upon thousands of trucks that make it all happen. I used to sit on my front deck and marvel at the sounds of woods and water. Now, there are days when having a conversation there with a friend is impossible because of the noise of diesel engines and jake brakes. I am deeply concerned that the air emissions from burgeoning gas operations will degrade our air quality and as a result, our health. Because of the terrain of the area - mountains and creek valleys - inversion traps ground-level ozone and other pollution emitted by these facilities. Ground-level ozone contributes to serious respiratory issues, which is most difficult on developing lungs. Air pollution from oil and gas facilities also contributes to the climate crisis. The dry gas from this north central region of the state contains higher concentrations of methane than the gas extracted from western PA. When dry gas wells leak or tanks intentionally release pollution into the air, an even higher percentage of that pollution is methane. This is a critical problem because methane is 86 times worse for climate than carbon dioxide over a twenty-year period. Unfortunately, that is the same critical period in which we must act to avert irreversible climate change. The problems we face as a result of high volume hydraulic fracturing (aka fracking) and related industrialization are many and serious. Issues of health and safety, erosion and sediment control, forest fragmentation, invasive species, infrastructure degradation, air quality, water quality, social impacts, and the boom-bust cycle of fossil fuel extraction all remain largely unaddressed by those we have elected to protect us. Overarching and exacerbating all of these is the global threat of a warming planet. I am encouraged that new rules proposed by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) in December--and currently undergoing revisions with public input--could require the industry to significantly reduce air emissions. However, the proposed rules do not include methane. Its difficult to fully understand the impact of the normally invisible methane pollution these facilities emit, until you see it for yourself. Earlier this year I was able to see the invisible. In partnership with the environmental advocacy group Earthworks, I looked through an optical gas imaging camera that clearly showed the otherwise invisible pollution. The dark clouds of pollution are a stark testimony to the looming urgency of the problem. We cannot wait to act on climate. To help protect this wonderful wild place, we must call upon Governor Wolf and the DEP to create strong, inclusive standards to reduce methane and other pollution from existing gas facilities. Meanwhile, we need all of our leaders in Washington, DC and Harrisburg, PA to support a clean energy future for Pennsylvania, which cannot include any new drilling or gas infrastructure. For the sake of all who love it here and for those who have yet to experience our states unmatched PA Wilds, lets ensure weve done all we can to protect this natural treasure for present and future generations. Barb Jarmoska resides in rural Lycoming County and has been an officer of the Responsible Drilling Alliance (RDA) - Keep It Wild organization for 8 years. Plans continue for more housing options in Petoskey zoning ordinance Multiple zoning changes intended to encourage housing availability continue to move forward in Petoskey. While writing Clementine: The Life of Mrs. Winston Churchill in 2015, and learning of the role intelligence played during World War II, journalist Sonia Purnell discovered Virginia Halls story and knew she had found her next book project. Purnell was fascinated by what motivated Hall, a disabled American woman who became one of the most dangerous Allied spies, to take insane gambles with her life when her country wasnt even yet in the war. This month, Purnells biography of Hall, A Woman of No Importance, is being published after years of research in three countries. She is doing a talk, answering questions, and signing books at the Union League on April 8. Purnell talked to us about why she feels Halls story is more timely than ever, how Hall faced the same struggles women today face in workplaces, and how she faced the epic task of declassifying U.K. intelligence documents in her research process. In the prologue of the book, you write that we need Virginia Halls story of devotion to preserving peoples freedoms more than ever these days. Can you elaborate on that? Any of us can see that the world is going through a period of turmoil. The idea that you can worship as you please, dress as you please, work as you please all that is under threat. These themes looked different in the 1930s and 1940s, but certainly, erosion was happening in the same way. People were fearful that the freedoms they took for granted were under threat. And they were right. Virginia was there watching democracy come under attack. She saw the rise of fascism and felt powerfully about it. She wanted to do something because she came up in a time when women could vote, work, and do a lot of things for the first time. She realized that all those advances were in peril. Virginia wanted to get involved. You encountered shoddy record-keeping that left gaps in Halls story. How did you bridge those gaps? I was very fortunate to be able to track down the memories, letters, and diaries of various people who fought alongside her. Several of them wrote down personal recollections of her. Virginias niece Lorna was also able to flesh out the stories for me. For example, Virginia had told her that the crossing of the Pyrenees was the worst part of the war for her. I was also very lucky to access official documents in the U.K., France, and the U.S. Some are still classified in the U.K. A former intelligence officer helped me declassify a few of them, but this was basically three years of detective work. It was a huge, epic task. Did you find anything surprising about Hall? Definitely how kind she could be. Life had not been kind to her, but she had a very tender side to her. She was incredibly compassionate. She didnt forget her friends. Considering everything that had happened to her, thats pretty remarkable. Was there a part of her story that affected you emotionally more than others? The end of her career being mismanaged by the OSS was so sad. The CIA realizes now that they didnt employ her properly and that they wasted her talent. I feel low about that. But what makes me happy is that she did have Paul [Goillot, a former agent whom she married in 1950]. She did finally find someone who understood her. He lightened her life because he was fun, engaging, and a bit mischievous. Perhaps because he was around, the CIA thing was something she could bear. So much of what happened to Virginia happens today. Women find themselves to be underrated. When she went out into France, she was in a very junior role. She made that into so much more while not being recognized. She battled with her male co-workers thats really familiar to women today. If you could go back in time and meet Virginia, is there anything you would like to ask her? Id just ask her for advice. Id say, Where did you find it in yourself to be that brave? And what were you saying to yourself when you went back into the field disguised as a peasant woman? Where did you find that resourcefulness and that calm, and can I have a bit of it, please? [Laughs.] Virginia was a Resistance hero. She did things that women werent expected to do and showed how they could be done. And as one of her managers said, she was almost embarrassingly successful. AUTHOR APPEARANCE Sonia Purnell, A Woman of No Importance 6:30 p.m., April 8, Union League of Philadelphia, 140 S. Broad St. Tickets: $30 Union League members, $40 non-members; reception, lecture, and dinner $90 members and non-members. Information: Tickets available at royal-oak.org/events/2019-spring-philadelphia-a-woman-of-no-importance. One of the sinkholes that developed in early March near Exton, prompting the PUC to shut down Mariner East 1 pipeline operations. Read more Sunoco Pipeline LP would pay a $200,000 fine and conduct a remaining life study to determine the forecasted retirement age of its 88-year-old Mariner East 1 pipeline to settle a complaint with state regulators stemming from a 2017 leak of natural gas liquids in Berks County. The company, a subsidiary of Energy Transfer Partners, filed its proposed settlement Wednesday with Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission investigators. The deal requires approval of the PUC. The PUC cited Sunoco last year for the April 2017 incident, in which 840 gallons, or 20 barrels, of gas liquids leaked from the pipeline along Route 10 near New Morgan Borough. The PUC cited Sunoco for inadequate cathodic protection of the pipeline that allowed it to corrode and to leak. The eight-inch-diameter pipeline, built by Atlantic Refining in 1931 to deliver motor fuel and heating oil from its Philadelphia refinery to Western Pennsylvania, was acquired by Sunoco in 1988. Sunoco Pipeline in 2014 patched up and converted the pipeline, now renamed Mariner East, to carry natural gas liquids, such as propane and butane, from western Pennsylvania to Marcus Hook. Sunoco is adding two more adjacent pipelines to the original Mariner East route, and has upgraded its Marcus Hook terminal to vastly increase capacity to transport gas liquids to market. But pipeline construction has disrupted communities, received numerous citations from state regulators, and is now the subject of a criminal investigation by local and state prosecutors. (Bloomberg) Women working in the U.K.s financial-services industry are seeing little improvement in their pay parity with male colleagues, according to the latest batch of disclosures as this years reporting season comes to a close. Businesses have until midnight in London to report their gender pay gap for a second year under a law that makes it mandatory to publish a uniform assessment of the difference between what men and women in their workforce earned on average. Last Aprils disclosures provoked a swell of unease, prompting pledges by some of the countrys best-known companies to take action. Few have made progress, with the banking and finance sector posting some of the largest gaps on average. Female workers in British finance earned an average 26.3 percent less than men in the industry, according to an analysis of the filings available as of early afternoon in London on Thursday. Thats marginally worse than the 25.7 percent reported last year and significantly wider than the 14.2 percent average gap across all sectors, underscoring the challenges facing finance. Its even worse when it comes to bonuses a major component of compensation in banking. Women in finance were paid 48.1 percent less, the data so far show. Just seven of 382 finance and insurance companies that have reported figures didnt give a bonus figure. The numbers are a blunt assessment across the whole workforce, and dont measure the pay of men and women doing the same job, or adjust for other factors, such as experience or location. Companies were also asked to measure their median pay gap, which compares the man in the middle of the male earnings pack with his female equivalent. Pay for female staff at HSBC Holdings Plcs U.K. business fell further behind male colleagues in the last year, with women earning 61 percent less on a mean basis the biggest disparity in the industry and mean bonuses were less than a quarter of the average mans. At Goldman Sachs Group Inc., the difference in the hourly wage gap was 50.6 percent, although thats an improvement on the 56 percent gap the Wall Street firm reported a year ago. Both banks have public action plans aimed at addressing the issue. Barclays Plc reported a 49.3 percent pay gap, Standard Life Investments Ltd. was at 45 percent and Lloyds Banking Group Plc posted a 31.5 percent gap. Nationwide Building Society reported a 28 percent difference. Not one of the financial companies in the FTSE 100 has so far reported that its women earn more than men on average. The City is one of the worst offenders in the pay gap stakes, said Vicky Pryce, chief economic adviser at the Centre for Economics and Business Research. Women represent often the bulk of the workforce, and yet are mostly absent in senior positions in many financial institutions. To keep the talent and the pipeline going and therefore meet any quota requirements, the City needs a massive cultural shift to change the working environment. She suggests changes should include measures to discourage long hours and presenteeism that are incompatible with caring responsibilities, better maternity policies that dont endanger promotion, and easier part-time and job-share arrangements. Such policies are unlikely to yield fast results. Building and retaining a pipeline of talent to reach the top level of any company can take years or decades, meaning that firms efforts were never going to be fairly reflected in just two years of data. Theres also a lag to the data, with businesses presenting a snapshot of their workforce on April 5 of the previous year. For now, theres little financial incentive to speed change. The Equality and Human Rights Commission, which oversees the process, last year said it would focus its efforts on those companies that failed to report at all, and declined to set fines for any underperformance. The government has also rejected lawmakers recommendations that firms should be required to write action plans to tackle gender inequality, something that is merely encouraged in the current rules. Some large banks, such as HSBC and Goldman Sachs, have published details of their disparity anyway, alongside strategies and targets to tackle the issue. Some firms reported limited progress. Blackstone Group LP, one of the only large private-equity groups to submit data, said hiring more women for investment and senior support roles helped reduce its mean U.K. bonus gap albeit to a still eye-watering 67.7 percent, down from 75.4 percent. I wasnt expecting to see huge changes after the first year, says Dominie Moss, who runs The Return Hub, a recruitment agency for those resuming work after a career break. Theres no silver bullet. To contact the reporters on this story: Lucy Meakin in London at lmeakin1@bloomberg.net;David Hellier in London at dhellier@bloomberg.net;Hayley Warren in London at hwarren21@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Fergal OBrien at fobrien@bloomberg.net, Keith Campbell, Ambereen Choudhury 2019 Bloomberg L.P. Sylvester Mobley works with Marlowe Whittenberg , 8, at a Coded by Kids workshop at the Marian Anderson Recreation Center. Read more It all started in a South Philadelphia recreation center, where volunteer Sylvester Mobley saw a chance to close an opportunity gap by teaching coding to kids who might otherwise not have access to technology education. Mobley expected it to be a hobby, the thing I would do when I got off work. Five years later, Coded by Kids is Mobleys full-time job. His nonprofit has provided free tech training to nearly 700 students in grades three through 12 in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. I didnt account for the demand that wed have, he said Thursday with a laugh, just hours after he was announced the winner of the prestigious Philadelphia Award for 2018. Founded in 1921 by Edward W. Bok an editor, philanthropist, community leader, and Pulitzer Prize-winning author the award is presented annually in recognition of a person who acted and served on behalf of the best interests of the community. Through his work with Coded by Kids, Sylvester is not just training kids for tech careers, but hes also training them to be leaders in the field and serving as a role model in the process and thats something sorely needed here in our Philadelphia neighborhoods," David L. Cohen, chair of the board of trustees of the Philadelphia Award, said in a statement. Cohen is senior executive vice president and chief diversity officer of Comcast Corp. I certainly did not expect it, Mobley said in a telephone interview from California, where he is on a business trip to form relationships with funders, companies, and organizations to eventually make Coded by Kids a national organization. The Philadelphia Award presents a really good opportunity" to raise awareness about the racial inequity in tech and the need to correct that for economic and social-justice reasons," Mobley said. While "tech is driving the majority of our growth in the city, he said, black residents are largely left out. Only 2.5 percent of the citys black population work in tech, he said. Were essentially moving down a path where we are effectively shutting out an entire group in the city to an opportunity in the city, Mobley said, citing a need for more involvement in finding solutions. We dont have the level of engagement with the larger Philadelphia community that we really need to really address this issue. Tracey Welson-Rossman, founder of TechGirlz, a Fort Washington nonprofit to promote technology among middle-school girls, called Mobley a warrior with me in this fight to bring minorities and women into the system." She also lauded those who made the decision to recognize him with the Philadelphia Award for really understanding the importance of this grassroots movement to help elevate the question of bringing underrepresented and underserved potential tech talent into the tech pipeline. That, in turn, is ensuring better economic pathways, said Welson-Rossman, whose 10-year-old organization was acquired last month by Creating IT Futures of Illinois to extend TechGirlzs reach. Talent is the currency of innovation. Sylvesters exceptional work ensures that the tech talent pipeline is diverse and that opportunity is available to all, said Kristen Fitch, spokesperson for the University City Science Center, a developer and tenant at 3675 Market St., where Coded by Kids is headquartered. It has been provided rent-free space as part of the social impact cohort at CIC Philadelphia, one of the citys newest co-working sites. Sally Guzik, director of CIC Philadelphia, called Mobley a community leader who recognizes the importance of educating and promoting the next generation of tech entrepreneurs to create equity and opportunity in the innovation economy. A Philadelphia native, Mobley, 39, of Germantown, attended Lankenau High School, a magnet school. After graduation, he enlisted in the Marines, Army, and Air Force. He is a veteran of the Iraq War and a graduate of Temple Universitys Fox School of Business with a bachelors degree in finance. The father of three his children are ages 4, 13, and 16 started Coded by Kids in 2014, holding the first class in the Marian Anderson Rec Center in South Philadelphia. In-school and after-school programs are now being offered in almost 30 locations, said Mobleys wife, Danae, who is the agencys chief marketing officer. The curriculum goes beyond coding to include skills preparation for higher education, joining the workforce, and creating tech start-ups, Mobley said. When I think about how were trying to change the tech space, if were producing the next generation of CEOs and CTOs, they can drive change from the top down, Mobley said. He will be presented the Philadelphia Award on May 2 at the Comcast Technology Center. In this Friday, March 22, 2019 photo, Paige Dellafave-DeRosa, a processing supervisor at Compassionate Care Foundation's medical marijuana dispensary in Egg Harbor Township, N.J., clips leaves off marijuana buds. Read more Thomas Jefferson Universitys big gamble on cannabis may be beginning to pay off despite a recent series of setbacks that have included the departure of a key executive, the implosion of a venture to create the worlds largest medical marijuana patient database, and a stalled academic research program. First, the good news. The Philadelphia health system is using an entrepreneurial model that includes direct investments in cannabis companies. Last week, one of its collaborations generated a small, but impressive, windfall. The university saw its $2.1 million stake in Ecofibre, an obscure Australian hemp company, swell to $3.2 million after the company (ASX: EOF) went public on the Australian Stock Exchange. Ecofibre grows thousands of acres of the plant in Kentucky. It produces a line of CBD nutraceuticals under the Ananda brand, and is seeking to become one of the first producers of high-performance hemp-based textiles under its Hemp Black subsidiary. The gain of $1.1 million may be the first cannabis investment to generate a substantial return for a major U.S. academic research institution. Ecofibres primary owner and chairman is billionaire Barry Lambert, who, with his wife, Joy,donated $3 million three years ago to Jefferson. The Lamberts unrestricted gift helped to create what came to be known as the Lambert Center for the Study of Medicinal Cannabis and Hemp. Jefferson has touted the center as the nations first clearinghouse for academic research on the plant and its products. The centers steering committee boasts many of the nations preeminent cannabis researchers. After funding the Lambert Center, Ecofibre and Barry Lambert also entered into a separate arrangement to partner with a program at Jeffersons East Falls campus. The campus was formerly known as the Philadelphia College of Textile and Sciences. A division of the East Falls campus now serves as the research and development arm of Ecofibres Hemp Black subsidiary. Hemp Black is developing textiles, hemp-based materials, and wearable fabrics that could monitor the heart rates and other vital signs of patients. About 15 Jefferson students participate in the Hemp Black project. In return for the sweat equity produced by the students and faculty members, Ecofibre granted Jefferson an initial $2.1 million stake. Jefferson has the option to purchase additional shares, said spokesman John Brand. Last weeks IPO was focused on Hemp Black, CEO Eric Wang said. Although we have a very strong CBD operation, were accelerating the commercialization of our high performance textiles, Wang said. That will be the biggest business for Ecofibre. Two of Ecofibres senior officers are affiliated with Jefferson. The companys chief science officer, Alex Capano, is a faculty member at the Lambert Center and a senior fellow at Jeffersons Institute of Emerging Health Professions, according to the companys IPO prospectus. Brand said Capano is not a Jefferson employee. Chief innovation officer Mark Sunderland is a professor at Jefferson, where he leads research into hemp textiles. Now the bad news: This week, the Lambert Center was hit by the abrupt resignation of its director, Charles Pollack, a professor of emergency medicine at the university. In an email, Stephen Klasko asked the steering committee to suggest new candidates to lead the center. As the Lambert Center struggles to chart a new direction, Jefferson also is juggling other cannabis-related stumbles. The Lambert Centers partnership to create mmj.org, a national database of 100,000 medical marijuana patients with a Boston company called ioVita, was canceled with no public explanation and Jefferson lost its $150,000 investment in the venture, according to sources with knowledge of the failed deal. In addition, the health systems plan to partner with a marijuana company to conduct lucrative medical research has been on hold for more than a year due to a state health department decision. Jeffersons former chairman of the board, William Landman, is widely credited with creating an unprecedented provision of the Pennsylvania law that allows eight state health systems to enter into exclusive agreements with marijuana growers. For the health systems, the arrangements are designed to generate millions of dollars worth of intellectual property and patents. Before the state reviewed applications, Landmans company, Mainline Investment Partners, trumpeted that it would be Jeffersons collaborator in the research venture. Other marijuana companies filed lawsuits in Commonwealth Court alleging unfair competition. Eventually, the state rejected the applications of all eight marijuana companies, forcing each to reapply by April 11. Cheyney University is one of 14 schools in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. Read more The board of governors of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education approved a policy Thursday giving the 14 state-owned universities the power to set their own tuition based on factors including area household income and cost of living, and individual program expenses. Schools could roll out new tuition rates as early as fall 2020, said Kenn Marshall, media coordinator for the system. Tuition rates will apply for two years at a time, and universities price tags will be due to the board of governors in April for approval. Under the existing system, the board sets base tuition. It will continue to set prices for any schools that decline to propose their own figures. Average in-state tuition in Pennsylvania was $7,934 in 2017-18. This policy will allow the universities to better plan, budget, and allocate their resources over multiple years, helping to ensure their long-term stability and success, board chairwoman Cynthia Shapira said in a statement. By making tuition more predictable, it will allow students to plan for their education expenses. The policy is part of System Redesign, a multiyear plan for a sharing system among the schools to centralize administrative operations like financial aid management and cut operational costs, said system chancellor Daniel Greenstein. Moving forward, the system hopes to offer course-sharing, where students can take online classes through other state-owned institutions, Marshall said. The measures are designed to shore up a struggling system. Enrollment at state-owned schools, currently about 98,000, fell for the eighth year in a row in 2018, and is down from 119,513 in 2010. Mansfield University has experienced a more than 50 percent decline in enrollment since 2010. Cheyney University, the nations oldest historically black college, enrolled just 469 students last fall, down from 1,586 in 2010. Southeastern Pennsylvania is still growing. In western Pennsylvania, enrollment is declining, the number of high school graduates is declining, Marshall said. Thats why across the system were seeing declining enrollment, and one of the factors is changing demographics. Of the 14 schools in the state system, only West Chester and Slippery Rock Universities saw increased enrollment during the same period. Prior to the new policy, some schools piloted their own tuition strategies with board approval. Millersville University has charged students on a per-credit basis for years, and students pay different tuition based on their programs. This makes students more deliberate in selecting their programs, said Janet Kacskos, director of communications at Millersville. When youre paying per class, it helps them hone in on what they want to do, she said. Were hoping it will improve graduation rates. Rather than having kids take five-, six-plus years to graduate, when theyre paying per class theyll be a little bit more thoughtful in their choices. Laurie Carter, president of Shippensburg University, which is concluding a trial per-credit tuition system, plans to combine what the school learned from the initiative with data on the student body to formulate yearly costs. Folks who think that there is one piece of data that you can look at to make these decisions are not really thinking in the best interest of students, she said. Students are diverse, they have diverse needs, and we have to be able to develop a tuition pricing plan that is going to allow students who want access to Shippensburg University and its high-quality education that access. The beauty of the policy," Carter added, "is that each institution with its own distinctive nature, its own culture, its own region, can look at its data, its student body, and be able to come up with a plan that is the best fit for them. Correction: This story was updated to reflect the average in-state tuition for Pennsylvania State System schools was $7,934 in 2017-18. Jordan Peele poses upon arrival for the premiere of "The Twilight Zone" on March 26, 2019 in Hollywood, Calif. (Alexander Seyum/Zuma Press/TNS) Read more Jordan Peele has been on the stump for Us wearing the same outfit Jack Nicholsons character wears in The Shining, and in case you missed the connection, he made it explicit on Twitter, posting the images side by side. He also quoted the all work and no play line from the movie, cuing fans to the fact that there are Shining references in Us. All work and no play might also describe Peeles approach to the tireless and shrewd promotion of his own films. In that regard, hes following in the tradition of the self-branding genre giants he admires including Alfred Hitchcock and Rod Serling guys he name-checks in Us with homages to Psycho and The Twilight Zone (in fact, he developed and narrates a new version of Serlings classic that just premiered on CBS All Access). The references are among the hundreds of so-called Easter eggs hes planted in the movie (nothing is there by accident, he teases) pointed nods to other movies and influences to be discovered, detailed, and analyzed by fans. All of which has led to the consensus that to be fully appreciated, Us must be seen at least twice. Repeat viewing, in fact, is now as much a part of the Peele brand as the catchy buzzwords he encodes in his scripts the Sunken Place from Get Out, the Tethered from Us. Peele is already an Oscar-winner for his Get Out screenplay but in a sense, his most impressive achievement is the way he leverages his acute understanding of geek fandom to build an audience of folks willing nay, eager to pay to see his movies multiple times. That is salesmanship on a level so profound I couldnt help thinking of William Castle, who must be kicking himself (in his grave, of course) for having not thought of it. Castle was the indie horror director/promoter who in the 1950s and 60s made his bones by having a skeleton fly through the theater during The House on Haunted Hill and by issuing Lloyds of London life insurance polices to customers in case they died of fright during any screening of Macabre. In Homicidal, he offered refunds to anyone too scared to continue watching they could exit during a predetermined fright break and get their money back. He was chagrined to discover some fans gamed the gimmick by staying seated for consecutive screenings, then leaving during the second screening and collecting a refund effectively seeing the movie free. Convincing people they should pay to see a movie twice? Castle would have loved it. Certainly he would have admired Peeles keen understanding of his audience, which for Peele comes from experience. He was himself an immersive, obsessive fan, and he understands firsthand how the interplay between movie and millennial moviegoer transcends the theater and extends to internet forums and social media, where fans decipher the cryptology/mythology of their favorite films. The more Easter eggs you plant in a movie, the more fodder for discussion, the more tethered that fan base becomes to the movie and to the filmmaker. Peele, who as an actor, comic, writer, director, producer, has done everything there is to do in Hollywood, knows the business as well as anyone. He knows that commercial power leads to creative flexibility. Thats the position he has engineered for himself with the $250 million that Get Out generated and the $180 million that Us has already racked up. A word of caution, though, is in order. Fans who gorge strictly on Easter eggs can start to get the sense they are consuming empty calories. The repeat viewing that led to such a powerful audience hold on Get Out (it dipped less than 20 percent in its first week, and never more than 36 percent for most of its run), shows signs of eroding in Us, which lost half its audience in just a week. And some fans find that with Us, repeat viewing is more mystifying than edifying. Ive seen the movie twice, says one perplexed fan, and I still have 53 unanswered questions. Indeed, many viewers (me included) think the movie has more clever references than internal logic. Characters are stalked by doppelgangers from a subterranean dimension, leading to a Big Reveal that raises as many issues as it resolves. You cant explore nagging questions without getting into spoilers, but you can find many quibbles online. Whats with the clothes? Do the tethered shop in the same place as Frances McDormands character in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri ? Nothing but rabbits, really? And who feeds the rabbits? Diehard Peele fans decry this nit-picking kind of failure of imagination, the wonky protestations of the literal-minded. The movie isnt intended to make logical sense, they say. Its a horror movie, and it exists to be ineffably creepy. Peele endorses this idea by saying the film is a Rorschach test, that the audience sees what it wants to see, but hes been pretty clear that he wanted to make a movie about class and the connection between the privileged and underprivileged. There is also a connection, he has suggested, between Get Out and Us, and it will be explored and revealed in future movies. To investigate that nexus, of course, youre going to have see those movies again. And again. And again. I see a boxed set in your future, with special commentary by the director. Maybe not in time for Easter, but certainly by Christmas. A new cookbook by local author, blogger, and canning expert Marisa McClellan offers ways to take preserves and pickled vegetables in new directions by incorporating them into dishes for all occasions. The Food in Jars Kitchen: 101 Ways to Cook, Bake, Plate, and Share Your Homemade Pantry, published April 2 by Running Press, helps readers think beyond toast with recipes for things like pork tenderloin with chutney sauce, apple Bundt cake, and a Meyer lemon marmalade martini. The recipes draw from preserved ingredients that can enhance flavors or add a new twist, like a chocolate cake made with a hint of sauerkraut that mimics the texture of shredded coconut. McClellan, known for her Food in Jars blog, is the author of Food in Jars, Preserving by the Pint, and Naturally Sweet Food in Jars. Shes the great-granddaughter of a Philadelphia Orchestra violinist, and her family operated a Russian tea room near the Academy of Music. On April 6, McClellan will celebrate the launch of the book at Fork, 306 Market St., from noon to 3 p.m. with a Russian tea room pop-up party featuring an assortment of dishes from the book. Tickets, which are $55 and include a copy of the book, are available at exploretock.com/fork/experience/54705/russian-tea-with-marisa-mcclellan. The Food in Jars Kitchen, $24 at local bookstores or Amazon. Lemon Curd and Blueberry Tart Makes one 9-inch tart I have always loved a good grocery store fruit tart. Traditionally made from layers of pastry cream, carefully arranged berries, and a perfectly clear glaze, they are among my favorite things to take to a party when Im pressed for time and cant manage something homemade. However, if I have time to make something at home, I go a little less traditional. The bright, smooth lemon curd is many times more interesting than pastry cream, and the blueberries look pretty and rustic (with no fussy arranging required). Recommended preserves: I like this tart when its made with lemon curd and blueberries, but it works equally well with other kinds of curds and varieties of berries. Just know that if you use berries that you have to chop, which will release lots of juice, the tart wont hold as long before serving as one made with intact berries. All-purpose flour, for dusting recipe Sweet Tart Crust, chilled and ready to roll (recipe below) 2 cups lemon curd 12 ounces fresh blueberries 2 to 3 tablespoons lemon or apple jelly, or as needed, for glazing 1. Preheat the oven to 350F 2. Dust your work surface with flour and roll out the crust into a round roughly 12 inches in diameter. Loosely roll the crust around your pin and unfurl it over a 9-inch removable-bottom tart pan. Tuck the crust into the flutes of the pan and trim away any excess crust. Prick the bottom of the dough with a fork to help prevent air bubbles from forming. Crumple up a sheet of parchment paper and spread it out over the molded dough. Fill the parchment with pie weights or dried beans that you save for this purpose. Bake the crust until it is light brown and isnt at all damp looking, 20 to 25 minutes. 3. Remove the crust from the oven and let cool to room temperature. 4. To fill, pour the lemon curd into the shell and spread it evenly, using an offset spatula. 5. Rinse the blueberries and check them carefully for stems and dried-up blossoms. Dry them thoroughly and pour them into a mixing bowl. Warm the jelly just until it is loose enough to pour and drizzle it over the berries. Toss until they are well coated and gently tumble them evenly over the lemon curd. 6. Serve chilled. Reprinted with permission from The Food in Jars Kitchen by Marisa McClellan (Running Press) Sweet Tart Crust Makes enough for two 9-inch tarts For tarts I plan to fill with lemon curd, jam whipped with cream cheese, or for the raspberry fool topped with more fresh raspberries, this is the crust I bake. It is crisp yet tender and always does justice to the filling. Just know that its a little fussy to roll out. Occasionally, I skip the rolling pin, break off small pieces, and just press them into the pan with damp fingers rather than risk the frustration. 2 cups all-purpose flour 3 tablespoons granulated sugar 1 teaspoon fine sea salt 8 ounces cold, unsalted butter 2 large egg yolks, beaten 3 to 4 tablespoons ice-cold water 1. Place the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine. Cut the butter into small pieces and add to the flour mixture. Pulse 5 or 6 times to help break up the butter. Then, with the motor running, add the egg yolks and stream in 3 tablespoons of the water. If the dough doesnt seem to be coming together, add up to the final tablespoon. Stop processing when you see the dough beginning to form blueberry-size clumps. 2. Spread a length of plastic wrap on your counter top and carefully pour the dough into it. Using the edges of the plastic, form the dough into a rough disc. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before using. The dough will keep in the fridge, tightly wrapped, for several days. It can also be frozen for up to 6 months. Reprinted with permission from The Food in Jars Kitchen by Marisa McClellan (Running Press) Christopher Kearse is moving uptown. Kearse, whose Will BYOB on East Passyunk Avenue sits high on the lists of the citys top-rated BYOBs, has inked a deal in Old City to take over the former Capofitto (233 Chestnut St.). Plan is to close Will BYOB on June 2 and to open Forsythia after the Levittown street he grew up on and where he started cooking on Aug. 24. That will be seven years to the day that he opened at 1911 E. Passyunk Ave. He will continue to work with Will general manager Ben Jensen-Rosen. Kearse, 34, was a young buck of 27 when he opened Will. Ive matured, he told me, and Im limited what I can do here. Forsythia, 60-seater (with a full 14-seat bar), will feature modern French cuisine with classic undertones, but with a larger-format menu including canapes, small plates, pastas (stuffed, baked, and extruded), vegetables, larger plates, and maybe an entree or two out of the big-bellied wood-fired oven. Its all designed to be shareable. Kearse cautions that he will not serve pizza. Kearse is known as a chefs chef. Will happens to be his nickname and also a character trait. In 2000, as a teen, he was a passenger in a car that was hit by a drunken driver. Over the years, he endured 37 surgeries, many to reconstruct his jaw. Before opening Will, Kearse worked at some of the best restaurants in America, like Charlie Trotters, Tru, Alinea, and French Laundry, after his 2005 graduation from the Restaurant School. He returned to the Philadelphia area as a sous chef at Lacroix and moved on to Blackfish in Conshohocken, followed by 2 years as the chef de cuisine at Pumpkin. During week seven of the spring 2019 semester, My Daughter's Kitchen students at Sacred Heart got to prepare "Mari's Vegetarian Cheesesteaks" with the inventor of the recipe, Mari Bartram and her daughter, Olivia Bartram. Read more Sacred Heart This week was special since we were doing Maris Vegetarian Cheesesteaks which is a recipe that my mom, Mari Bartram, developed when she was younger. I always used to say I didnt like mushrooms until I ate this cheesesteak. We had a pescatarian in the group, Reyna Barr, who was very excited when she learned about the recipe. Veggie cheesesteaks, thats so awesome! she said. Overall the veggie cheesesteak got mixed reviews, but the girls enjoyed the chopping and sauteing. It was clear how much their skills have improved over the course of seven weeks, and the impact this class has had on these girls. Olivia Bartram and Mari Bartram Lewis Elkin School It was all thumbs up for Week 7s recipes! Despite some initial skepticism about a cheesesteak with no meat, Lewis Elkins students loved the vegetarian version of this Philly classic, (though unfortunately one student felt compelled to remove every mushroom.) It was very challenging for these 9 year olds to cut the sweet potatoes for sweet potato fries but they liked the end product. And of course the blackberry hand pies were a big hit. The students were so proud of their pies and enjoyed every bite. The vote for next week was clear: Well be making veggie cheesesteaks, sweet potatoes, and hand pies for our final meal together. Bette Begleiter Philadelphia Montessori Charter School The girls did not love the vegetarian steak sandwiches. We probably wont select them for the finale, but the class did learn a lot about mushrooms in the process. The blackberry hand pies were also not a favorite. The students thought they were bitter. I would probably use strawberries next time! Bonnie Benson St. Augustine Academy This is too healthy! commented Amaia Randall when she and the other girls read the recipes for this weeks meal. The portobello mushrooms elicited a strong reaction from the students as they began to slice and handle them. They are so rubbery," was the chorus. However, Brianna Arroyo liked the way the flavor of the onions, peppers, and mushrooms came together in the finished vegetarian cheesesteak. Cheryl Pfeiffer, Ann Strohacker, Irene Cabrelli Loesche School I cant believe we only have one week left, cried Laziz Davronov. Lets get started," said Jane Pupis, volunteer. "We have three recipes to make this week before we decide what we will make for our guests. We quickly read the recipes so we could make a plan as to which things had to get done and in what order. We decided to make the pies first, then the sweet potatoes, and finally, the steak sandwiches. Working as one group, everyone got busy rolling out the dough, making the circles, and cutting up the blackberries. It was good that we tasted them first; we found that some were sweet and some were very sour. Folding the pastry circles for the hand pies and then crimping them shut with the fork was not as easy as it looked. The trick is not to fill them too much, said Andrew Ramos. Then it was time to make sweet potato fries and vegetarian mushroom cheesesteaks. After chopping all the veggies, we cooked them in two pans so everyone had a chance to watch over them. Finally it was time to eat. The table looked ready with the cooled hand pies, the sweet potato fries, and the vegetarian cheesesteaks on the plates. Tasting the fries, Sophia commented,Delicious! Next, we tasted the cheesesteaks (with and without ketchup). Most people liked them. CJ described them the best, This doesnt taste like a cheesesteak, but it sure is good! Last, we tasted the blackberry hand pies. The hand pies smelled great and looked perfect, golden brown. I want leak-ee, CJ Williams called. He knew it was his hand pie because it had a slight tear. Most people liked them but Hamza thought there was too much sugar because the berries tasted too sweet! All the students agreed to use the blackberry hand pies as the dessert for our final class, and the salmon packets in foil with the quinoa as the main dish. Susan Munafo Hunter As soon as the students arrived they wanted to know the days menu. They were very excited about the hand pies but mushrooms were somewhat of a hard sell. Genesis immediately stated that she does not like mushrooms. Also, she added, she does not eat peppers or onions. However, she was first to volunteer to cut the onions. Yadiel was much more enthusiastic. As we explored the ingredients he announced, Im so excited right now that I cant even speak! Calvin wasnt quite sure how he felt about the menu, but he was willing to taste. All liked the sweet potato fries and hand pies, but thought the pies should be sweeter. The veggie steak sandwiches were not a hit. Genesis refused to even try. Calvin thought thought it was disgusting, and Yadiel said it was just ok... but ate every last bite! As always, the students were eager to participate in the process of preparing and cooking. p.s. The volunteers thought the sandwiches were delicious! Angela Burke, Cindy DePasquale Bayard Taylor Elementary In our Week 7 class there were a lot of firsts for our Bayard Taylor chefs. It was the first time any of them had tasted or cooked mushrooms; it was the first time they had made fries from fresh potatoes; and it was the first time they had made a dessert from scratch. With all that newness, we knew our young chefs would need to approach this meal as an adventure. Fortunately, this is an adventuresome group. We decided to get the Sweet Potato Fries ready first, so they would be ready to go when all the other prep was finished. Mirelyz Perez quickly got the spices mixed with oil and plunged in to coat the fries. Use your hands this is supposed to be fun! we urged, and her smile confirmed she had bought into the message. Meanwhile, Jayden Murphy and Gabriel Ortiz were thin-slicing the peppers, onions and mushrooms, and showing off how expert their knife skills have become. On the other side of the kitchen, Bryttanye Vasquez was rolling out the pie crust for the Blackberry Hand Pies, soon to be joined by Mirelyz. They loved making the deep purple blackberry sauce, and loved how it tasted even more. Its so sweet! Mirelyz said approvingly. When it came time to cook up the main meal, Jayden and Gabriel took charge at the stove, sauteing the onions and peppers in separate pans before combining them and mixing in the mushrooms. While they kept a close eye on them, Mirelyz popped the potatoes into the kitchens large oven as Bryttanye got the hand pies into the small oven. When it came time to add the cheese to the mushroom mix, everyone wanted a turn before we covered the pans. Somehow, it all came together at the same time, but how would they like it when they got to the table? To help them imagine this dish as a cheesesteak, we suggested they close their eyes to smell the mixture in their rolls, and with their eyes still closed bite into them. Mirelyz thought this was a funny approach, but when she tried it she confessed It smells like a cheesesteak! It did not, unfortunately, taste like a cheesesteak for our young chefs even with ketchup. I just dont like the mushrooms, Zusanna De Jesus said, speaking for all. Yet Jayden put on his chefs cap and thought the recipe could be adapted. We could make this same thing at home, but add steak or chicken, he suggested. The Sweet Potato Fries, fortunately, got better grades, though Zusanna thought they were too sweet, surprisingly. Everyone liked the hand pies and especially the extra sauce, which they used as a topping. Even with mixed results, they liked the way a cooking class is an adventure in making new things each week. Jayden gave the highest compliment possible for the experience. I wish this were an everyday program, he said at the end of class. Nancy Smith, Linda Molloy and Peter Landry Urban Promise The Urban Promise junior chefs were skeptical about the mushrooms from the moment we gathered to go over the recipe. At the sight of the mushrooms Jermaine Brown said, Not my cup of tea. Everyone had the chance to practice knife skills, slicing onions, peppers, and mushrooms and the hard-to-cut sweet potatoes. Jermaine had the idea to sprinkle some cinnamon on the sweet potatoes, so we added it to half of the potatoes before baking. While things cooked, the kids rolled out the dough and began working on the hand pies. "Mine looks more like a cigar," said Adir Harris. Jermaine also thought some cinnamon sugar would be good sprinkled on the pies before baking. When the meal was served, the chefs were still skeptical of the mushrooms. Malaysia Williams took a small bite and shook her head. The mushrooms are throwing it off, she said, removing them from her sandwich. Jermaine agreed. Still not my cup of tea. Maureen Dodson Chester Eastside This week's challenge of making three new dishes in two hours did not deter our chefs. They not only rose to the occasion, but had more fun than ever. I never made three recipes at once before, but it was worth it, because all of the food was delicious, said Nalia Diaz. She continued, "This has been the BEST cooking class ever. I hope that I can come here again. I LOVE cooking class. Lu'Nique Deedon, whose job it was to fix the berries and other ingredients for the Blackberry Handprint Pies, had similar comments. "Thank you for making cooking fun." Rashad Kelly had this to say: We made three recipes at the same time. It was epic today." He added, I made my own berry pie. It was so good that in my mind I wanted more. We had our doubts that the children would warm to the vegetarian cheesesteaks, but were we wrong! All but one childs plate was cleaned in short order. Exclaimed Shemaj Henry of the cheesesteaks, I wish I could take fifty of these home! A comment from another of our chefs, Rashara Kelly, really touched our hearts. "I am very thankful for Miss Sallie and Miss Pat for helping me learn how to cook." The children in our class are not the only ones who are benefiting from cooking healthy meals. The vegetarian cheesesteaks are another dish that Pat and I will be fixing at home for our own families. Sallie Anderson and Pat Kelly McClure Even though there were three recipes on the itinerary this week: vegetarian mushroom cheesesteaks, sweet potato fries, and blackberry hand pies, this week all of the students were really excited about making the hand pies. It was hand pies this, hand pies that. If you asked them what they wanted to make for their final meal, it was hand pies and nothing else. Many of the students had made a connection between shaping the hand pies and making something similar to it at home with a family member. Overall this week the meal was a big success. The students are looking forward to their final meal. They have decided that they are going to make the turkey lettuce wrap with the apple and orange salad. Wendy Vandenburg LaSalle Academy For most, this weeks menu was a home run (shout out to Phillies opening day!) The most difficult part of the prep was cutting the sweet potatoes. Kiany Varela wanted to know why we couldnt buy them already cut. We explained that even though it would be much easier, it would also be more expensive because you have to pay extra for convenience. Plus this gives them another opportunity to work on their cutting skills! Allanah Bumpers, Khaliyl Ali, and Marta Gonzalez loved assembling the hand pies and then sealing them with the fork. Khaliyl summed the meal up perfectly He didnt think it would be all that good, but it was perfect! Home run! Maureen Barrett and Mariann Owens Team Up Philly at Universal Daroff When can we make dessert? is a weekly question with our group. Finally, the answer is TODAY! The blackberry hand pies were as easy to prepare as they were delicious. Elena Levitan Robert B. Pollock Elementary School On our second-to-last week of My Daughters Kitchen, the students worked hard to create our main course, side dish, and dessert. After preparing our vegetarian cheesesteaks, sweet potato fries, and hand-pies, Joseph Alejandro, Grade 6, commented, The [vegetarian] cheesesteaks do still have a meaty texture. Kaylie Cafferty, Grade 6, stated, "The hand-pies were my favorite part! Olivia Bates Comly The Comly Culinary kids were divided on this menu. Everyone loved the sweet potato fries, and drooled over the blackberry hand pies, but a vegetarian cheesesteak. Not so much. Cheyanna Rivas and LiLa Mora both declared, I dont like mushrooms! On the other hand, Erica Gogan, shouted, Oh, but I love them. With five weeks of practice, the students knew just how to work together to get three recipes prepared. Each student started working on chopping, slicing and peeling the vegetables. Jaesha Benjamin has become our official onion chopper. He said, This time, I only cried a little. Maeve Taffe said, We have so many items to prepare. How are we going to do it all? Once everything was prepped, we talked about timing. The class agreed to put the fries in the oven first; prepare the hand pies next; then add the vegetables to the hot pan. Making the hand pies was a new adventure for the kids. How do we roll out the dough, we dont have a roller? asked Jaesha Benjamin. We looked around the counter and found a can. Erica Gogan shouted, I have an idea! They washed the can, floured it, and used it to roll the dough nice and thin. Mrs. Craley was surprised that there were any blackberries left after the students sampled the bowl. When it was time to assemble the cheesesteaks the culinary kids divided up the cooked vegetables and added the cheese. The yums were unanimous. The rolls were sliced and the steak added. Sweet potato fries were added to the plate next. The time had come for those mushroom dislikers. Within minutes, everyone agreed that this recipe was delicious. Maeve Taffee said, The fries are so flavorful and delicious! The sandwich tastes exactly like a actual cheesesteak. Cheyanna Rivas said, I cant even tell there isnt any meat. Then came the hand pies. The table silenced as each child ate the blackberry hand pie. Lila Mora said, These taste just like a Pop-Tart! Jaesha Benjamin added, Or a toaster strudel! But, these are much healthier! exclaimed Erica Gogan. Maybe next week, we can use blueberries. This delicious meal made our decision for our final week very hard. Lorrie Craley McGraw School The cheese steaks went over very well. The students worked as a team this session, prepared all three recipes, and wrote their invite cards for next week. They chose the Breakfast Biscuit Sandwiches and the Blackberry / Blueberry Hand Pies as the menu for the final meal of the semester. Judith Levine Feltonville School of Arts and Sciences Some quotes from this week, when we made vegetarian cheesesteaks, sweet potato fries, and blackberry hand pies: I felt excited about todays meal. It tasted amazing! Rosary Torres The best part was the pie. It was crispy and sweet. Jazzairah Williams The pie was tart. It shouldve had more sugar. The cheesesteak was delicious. Marialis Rodriguez Tijuanda L. Riddick Blessed Trinity Regional Catholic School Such a great class this semester! Students this week made vegetarian cheesesteaks, sweet potato fries, and blackberry hand pies. Keengan Conard said, You cant tell theres no meat." Jim Zaccario Spread Bagelry, the Montreal-style bagel shop, has signed leases for two additional locations its initial opening on the Main Line and a new base of operations at 2401 Walnut St. that is dubbed the Spreadquarters. Founder Larry Rosenblum, who helped open Spread in 2011 at 262 S. 20th St. and in 2016 at 3602 Chestnut St., said the moves were connected to an investment last fall from MVP Capital Partners of Radnor, a private-equity firm. The company is gearing up to open more shops. Both locations are expected to open this summer. The space at 2401 Walnut St., formerly 24 Wood-Fired Grill and chef Jose Garces former corporate office, will open first, said Rosenblum, who currently runs Spread out of a room in his apartment. The 2401 location, midway between the Rittenhouse and University City stores, will be a cafe with outdoor seating along the Schuylkill and will serve as a central kitchen servicing Spread locations and a new online shipping business. Spread also plans to dedicate some of the kitchen space for collaborations with other Philadelphia-based brands. The Main Line location will be at 925 Lancaster Ave. in Bryn Mawr Village shopping center. Montreal-style bagels, baked in wood-fired ovens after taking a bath in honey water, typically are lighter and crunchier than New York bagels. An increase in new cases of HIV in Philadelphia is driven by the ongoing opioid epidemic, city officials said. Read more The opioid epidemic now brings one more worry for public health professionals in the city and at least one suburban county, as the number of new HIV diagnoses which had been declining has substantially increased among those who inject drugs. There is a new epidemic among people who use IV drugs, said Jane Shull, chief executive officer of Philadelphia Fight Community Health Centers, which provides HIV primary care and education for low-income patients. We have seen a lot of people in the health centers with new [HIV] infections. Thomas Farley, commissioner of Philadelphias Department of Public Health, said the increase is something that definitely has us concerned. The overall number of new HIV cases has been on a steady decline since the mid-2000s. Currently, 19,199 Philadelphians are living with HIV. In 2017 there were 419 newly diagnosed HIV infections, according to the health department. But from 2016 to 2018, the number of new diagnoses reported in people who inject drugs has nearly doubled to 59, a number that is sure to rise when all the data are finalized, said James Garrow, spokesperson for the Department of Public Health. Farley said the department has increased testing in areas of the city where people inject drugs and is expanding the availability of clean syringes. HIV is being spread by those who are infected and share needles, he said. The department is also expanding the use of PrEP, a daily pill that lowers the risk of getting the virus, he said. It is not easy, Farley said. They are not a population that tends to access medical care. A safe injection site in the city would have the added benefits of bringing more people into contact with health-care providers and help reduce the spread of HIV, he said. Statewide, there was a 2 percent increase in HIV diagnoses among those who inject drugs from 2016 to 2017, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. The numbers for 2018 are not yet available, officials said. New Jersey is seeing a similar trend. Newly diagnosed cases of HIV in people who inject drugs have nearly doubled, from 31 in 2016 to 61 cases in 2018, according to the state Department of Health. Nationally, the number of new HIV diagnoses has leveled off at about 39,000 annually. But between 2016 and 2017, there was a jump in cases among those who inject drugs. The increases in HIV cases for the second year in a row confirm what some experts already suspected. For the last three years, Sharita Flaherty, HIV program manager for the Bucks County Department of Health, kept a count of new cases of drug users diagnosed with HIV. In 2016, people who injected drugs accounted for 6 percent of new cases. In 2018, drug users accounted for 23 percent, she said. We had eight cases" in 2018, she said. These are not massive numbers, but with respect to Bucks County, they are significant. Flaherty said the county has ramped up educational outreach to drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers and the Bucks County Correctional Facility to encourage testing and the use of PrEP and condoms. Jose Benitez, executive director of Prevention Point, a nonprofit agency in Philadelphia that provides medical care and free syringes, said, Everyone in the country is looking at whether we have a new outbreak. HIV education has been part of the groups educational outreach all along, he said. Benitez noted an explosion of people who moved from taking opioids in pill form to injecting the drugs, sometimes using as many as eight needles a day, he said. The proven way to avoid these kinds of infections is to have a very robust syringe services program, Benitez said. We are underfunded given the scope of what we are seeing. Needle exchanges remain illegal in Pennsylvania. Only Philadelphia and Pittsburgh currently have syringe programs. If history has everything to say about this, we have to start paying attention to it now, said Benitez. We dont want to go back to where we were. The increase in new HIV infections among drug users comes after President Donald Trump called for a plan to halt the spread of HIV in the United States by 2030 in his State of the Union address. The administrations plan would be to focus on 48 counties, including Philadelphia, and seven states: Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma and South Carolina. Local experts are optimistic that with the right resources, the goal is achievable, but share a growing concern that without sufficient funding and the possibility of cuts to the Affordable Care Act and other programs, the rates of infection could increase. We now have the tools that can have a big impact on HIV transmission, said Pablo Tebas, a professor of infectious diseases and director of the AIDS clinical trial unit at Penn Medicine. The key is to provide the resources for drugs that are expensive, he said. For PrEP, also known as Truvada, the cost to each patient can run about $20,000 a year less than half the cost of treating a patient with HIV/AIDS, Tebas said. How can you do that when you are cutting at the same time the resources that pay for that, said Tebas, referring to the Trump administrations recent efforts to undo the Affordable Care Act. A Johns Hopkins survey found that many older people did not want to talk about their life expectancy. In fact, they didn't even want doctors to ask if they'd like to talk about it. Read more Nancy Schoenborn, a geriatrician at Johns Hopkins Universitys School of Medicine, noticed that doctors increasingly are being told by their professional organizations to treat patients in the last decade or so of life differently. Less aggressive control of blood sugar and blood pressure makes sense for people with fewer years to go, the guidelines suggest. Screening tests for certain cancers probably wont be beneficial if a patient is unlikely to live at least an additional 10 years. The emphasis on life span rather than age stems from the recognition that health varies widely in the last chapters of life, and age alone is a poor predictor of how a patient is doing. A sick 65-year-old and a healthy 80-year-old might each have nine years left. These new rules, though, present doctors like Schoenborn with a problem. How exactly is she supposed to explain her treatment decisions to patients? This question led her to start asking older Americans how they want to talk about mortality with their doctors. Her recent survey, published in Annals of Family Medicine, revealed some surprising results. The online survey asked a nationally representative sample of 878 people aged 65 and up to consider whether theyd want to discuss their life span under a variety of scenarios. The first involved a hypothetical patient who was not in imminent danger of dying but was likely to die earlier than peers because of serious health problems and difficulty with typical daily activities. Schoenborn had in mind the kind of patient she often sees, someone who transfers to her from a primary-care physician because of multiple chronic conditions and advanced age. This patient could have serious lung, kidney, heart, and mobility problems, but each condition is reasonably well-managed and seems stable. Unlike a person with, say, advanced cancer, this patient might not be thinking about life span, so the idea of discussing it might seem to come out of left field. Fifty-nine percent of those surveyed, whose age averaged 73, said they would not like to talk with their doctor about their expected life span under those circumstances. Within that group, 60 percent didnt even want the doctor to ask whether it was OK to discuss the topic and 88 percent were opposed to the doctor discussing their life expectancy with their families. Knowing that more than a third of patients dont even want the subject of life span broached can make it even more challenging for doctors, who might not want to discuss it either. From a primary-care provider standpoint, they dont have a lot of time, Schoenborn said. Theyre already stressed out. Willingness to talk about life expectancy increased as the likelihood of death rose. Forty-four percent wanted to talk about death when their doctor estimated they had two years left. That percentage rose to 62 when death was expected within a year. By the last six months, about three-fourths of those surveyed were willing to talk about life expectancy. However, 16.5 percent did not want to talk about their odds even when they had a month left. On the other end of the spectrum, 11 percent were up for the discussion when they were likely to live an additional 20 years. College graduates were twice as likely as high school grads to say theyd want to talk with their doctor about life expectancy. Having experienced a life-threatening illness or having discussed a loved ones life expectancy also increased openness. And, people who thought doctors were good at predicting life span were more willing to talk. People who thought religion is important were considerably less likely to talk about life span. Those who wanted to talk about mortality thought it would be helpful for planning. Those who didnt questioned doctors estimating skill and worried the information might be depressing. Schoenborn said that, in her practice, these conversations typically happen because patients or their family members bring up the topic or theres been a health crisis. When she discusses cancer screening or aggressive treatment near the end of life, she can make the point that time is a factor without explicitly discussing life span with reluctant patients. She talks about how long it takes to see a benefit from treatment or screening as well as the side effects or other consequences. A mammogram, for example, can lead to other testing. It may sap energy and time that could be used to see the kidney doctor or the physical therapist. For older patients, the message from her survey is clear. If you want to know how long youre likely to live, you should probably bring it up yourself. FILE - This Jan. 8, 2019, booking photo provided by the Kent County (Michigan) Sheriff's Office shows Cedric Marks. (Kent County Michigan Sheriff's Office via AP, File) Read more BELTON, Texas (AP) An MMA fighter and his girlfriend were indicted on capital murder charges in Texas in the killings of two people whose bodies were found in a shallow grave in Oklahoma. Bell County District Attorney Henry Garza on Wednesday announced the indictments for Cedric Marks, 44, and Maya Maxwell, 26. The couple was also charged with tampering with evidence in the deaths of Michael Swearingin and Jenna Scott. Swearingin, 32, was strangled and his death was ruled a homicide, according to an autopsy report the Oklahoma's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner released Wednesday. Scott's autopsy has not been completed, but the indictment said the 28-year-old died from "homicidal violence," according to the Austin American-Statesman. Marks prompted a manhunt in February when he escaped from a private prison van that had stopped at a Texas McDonald's while transporting him from Michigan, where we was arrested. He was recaptured nine hours later and taken to the Bell County jail. Marks has denied killing Scott, his ex-girlfriend, and Swearingin. They were found buried in Clearview, about 80 miles east of Oklahoma City, on Jan. 15. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Rep. Eliot Engel D-N.Y., left, speaks with Ranking member Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas during the House Foreign Affairs subcommittee hearing on Venezuela at Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. Read more WASHINGTON - The House voted Thursday to end U.S. participation in Yemen's civil war, denouncing a Saudi-led bombing campaign that has been blamed for worsening an already dire humanitarian crisis and sending the measure to President Donald Trump for an expected veto. The vote was 247-175, with one member simply voting present and fell largely along party lines, reflecting how Democrats and Republicans remain divided over how to address Saudi Arabias efforts to challenge Yemens Houthi rebels, who are backed by Iran. It illustrates, too, how lawmakers are split over addressing Trumps embrace of Saudi leaders after the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a crime for which members of both parties believe Saudi crown price Mohammed bin Salman bears responsibility. The Senate passed this war powers resolution last month, with the support of seven Republicans. U.S. participation in Yemen's civil began under President Barack Obama as an effort to share intelligence and provide logistical support, including aerial refueling, to the Saudi-led coalition. Though Trump halted the refueling mission late last year, his administration has defended other support for Saudi Arabia - including weapons sales - as necessary to check the spread of Iran's influence in the region. Not all Republicans agree with that argument, as evidenced by the fact that several influential GOP lawmakers are exploring proposals that would end weapons transfers to Saudi Arabia. But most congressional Republicans have objected to using a war-powers resolution to change U.S.-Saudi policy. The fundamental premise of this resolution is flawed because U.S. forces are not engaged in hostilities against the Houthis in Yemen, House Foreign Affairs Committee ranking member Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, said on the House floor Thursday. If we want to cut off economic assistance or logistic assistance to Saudi, theres a way to do that. . . . I think were using the wrong vehicle here. McCaul also objected to the fact that the resolution stays silent on the role of Iran, saying such an omission undermines the peace negotiations going on. But for Democrats, the Iran argument is a red herring - and they see the war powers resolution as vital to reasserting Congress' right to dictate when and where the United States engages in military conflict, whether boots are on the ground. No blank checks any more. No blank checks to say that administration can run wars without getting the approval of Congress, House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Rep. Eliot Engel, D-N.Y., said on the House floor Thursday. We cannot just sit back and say, well you know we have difficulties with Iran so were going to look the other way . . . No more war in which were complicit where a wholesale population is starving. Yemen's protracted civil war has left an estimated 20 million people at risk of starvation, and hundreds of thousands exposed to a cholera epidemic, as civilian sites - such as ports necessary to import humanitarian aid - have become targets in the conflict. Previous attempts to curtail support for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen fell short, until Khashoggis death inspired a handful of lawmakers on the fence about measures directly challenging U.S.-Saudi relations to back the war powers resolution. NATO's Secretary General Jen Stoltenberg (center) looks on as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo makes opening remarks at the Meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Foreign Ministers' Session 1 at the US State Department in Washington, Thursday, April 4, 2019. Read more WASHINGTON (AP) NATO foreign ministers approved a series of measures Thursday aimed at countering Russia in the Black Sea region, an agreement that comes amid public rifts between the United States and several of the other 28 members on security and trade issues. In a meeting in Washington to mark the 70th anniversary of NATO, the ministers agreed to provide Georgia and Ukraine with increased maritime cooperation, patrols, and port visits. Both countries have faced Russian aggression and have aspirations to join the alliance. The NATO ministers also renewed demands for Russia to end its annexation of Crimea, release Ukrainian sailors and ships it seized in a confrontation last year in the Sea of Azov, and respect the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. The U.S. announced it will withdraw from the 1987 treaty in August unless Russia returns to compliance. But a deepening dispute between the U.S. and Turkey over the Turks' planned purchase of a Russian air defense system, U.S. demands for allies, particularly Germany, to boost defense spending, and a row with Canada over tariffs hung over the commemoration ceremony at the State Department. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo appealed for the allies to stand together to confront great power challenges from Russia, China, and Iran. He hailed NATOs deterrence of the Soviet Union during the Cold War and said the alliance was well positioned to move forward as it confronts new and evolving challenges. "We have rightly sought peace through strength here at NATO," Pompeo said. "We must continue to do so, especially in this new era of great power competition from Russia, from China, and the Islamic Republic of Iran." Addressing those challenges and others such as terrorism, cybercrime, uncontrolled migration, threats to energy security, and new technologies will require enhanced resources, he said. He also renewed a warning that the U.S. might have to curtail intelligence cooperation with countries that rely on Chinese communications technology. Pompeo said every NATO member had an obligation to explain to its citizens the need to increase their defense budgets and rejected what he called "tired excuses" about public opposition to such spending. "We're very hopeful that they will get it right, that they will understand that it is important for our collective defense," he told reporters later, referring specifically to Germany. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, in an address to Congress on Wednesday and again on Thursday, acknowledged serious divisions within the alliance and called for bigger defense budgets. President Donald Trump has questioned the value of the alliance and criticized some members for not spending enough on defense. Pompeo did not address the spat with Turkey in his remarks, but in a Wednesday meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu he had made clear Washington's displeasure with Ankara for insisting it would go ahead with plans to buy Russia's advanced S-400 system instead of the American Patriot system. In a sign of rising tensions between the two capitals, Turkey's foreign ministry disputed the State Department's account of the meeting, which said Pompeo had warned of "potentially devastating consequences" of unilateral Turkish military action in northern Syria as well as consequences for buying the S-400. The ministry said the account failed to accurately reflect the content of the discussion and added that "our alliance naturally requires that such statements are prepared with greater care." Asked about the Turkish complaint, Pompeo said he had reread the account and it was spot on. ''I stand by every word of it," he said, adding that his meeting with Cavusoglu had been good and long and that the Turks were well aware of the U.S. position. The Trump administration is threatening to stop delivery to Turkey of the newest U.S. fighter jet, the F-35, if the S-400 purchase is completed. Vice President Mike Pence had delivered the same warning, noting that the U.S. and other NATO members had grave concerns about the S-400 as it is not interoperable with alliance systems. "Turkey must choose," Pence said Wednesday. "Does it want to remain a critical partner in the most successful military alliance in the history of the world or does it want to risk the security of that partnership by making reckless decisions that undermine our alliance?" Cavusoglu and other Turkish officials say they are proceeding with the deal because the need is urgent and the Patriots could not be delivered for another decade. They have also said the S-400 is not intended to work with NATO systems and will be a purely stand-alone defensive mechanism. Stoltenberg acknowledged that the matter was a point of severe contention between the U.S. and Turkey and expressed hope that a resolution was possible. "We fully realize that this is now a challenge," he said. Meanwhile, Canada's Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland took the opportunity of the NATO meeting to register Ottawa's displeasure with being labeled a potential national security threat by the U.S. in relation to steel production. She called the designation, which has led to the imposition of tariffs on Canadian steel, "absurd" and pointed to her presence at the NATO meeting as proof that Canada is not a threat to the U.S. We really think this is groundless, she told reporters. FILE - This Aug. 13, 2018, pool file photo shows defendants (from left) Jany Leveille, Lucas Morton, Siraj Ibn Wahhaj, and Subbannah Wahhaj entering district court in Taos, N.M. U.S. prosecutors will not seek the death penalty against the four adults who lived at a New Mexico compound where authorities found the remains of a toddler who was reported missing in Georgia, court documents say. (Roberto E. Rosales / Albuquerque Journal via AP, Pool, File) Read more ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) U.S. prosecutors will not seek the death penalty against four adults who lived at a New Mexico compound where authorities found the remains of a toddler who was reported missing in Georgia, court documents say. The two men and two women are charged with kidnapping the boy, who authorities say suffered from seizures that went untreated because a leader of the group believed medicine suppressed Muslim beliefs. They could have faced the potential of the death penalty if convicted of abducting 3-year-old Abdul-Ghani Wahhaj because authorities say it resulted in his death. But prosecutors said in a filing ahead of a court hearing Wednesday in Albuquerque that they would not seek capital punishment against Jany Leveille, Hujrah Wahhaj, Subhana Wahhaj and Lucas Morton. They are all members of an extended family, and traveled from Georgia to New Mexico in late 2017 with their children, the now-deceased child, and his father, authorities say. A search for the missing boy led authorities in August to raid the groups compound along a remote stretch of desert north of Taos, where they found 11 malnourished children, guns, ammunition, a firing range, and the remains of Abdul-Ghani. The boy's father, Siraj Ibn Wahhaj, who also was arrested at the compound, was not charged in his son's abduction. U.S. law generally does not allow authorities to charge parents with kidnapping their own children, except in international cases. All five suspects also are facing terrorism-related charges amid accusations they conspired to support planned attacks on U.S. law enforcement officers and other government employees. They have pleaded not guilty to all charges and remain in federal custody. The group's attorneys say the five are innocent of the charges. Federal prosecutor George Kraehe said in court Wednesday that prosecutors were still reviewing cell phone records and thousands of emails for any additional evidence. The case is scheduled to go to trial next year. Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, shakes hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during their meeting in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, April 4, 2019. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, Pool) Read more MOSCOW (AP) President Vladimir Putin told Israel's visiting prime minister on Thursday that the Russian military helped locate the remains of an Israeli soldier missing since 1982 with Syrian assistance, while Damascus denied any knowledge of the matter. The recovery of Zachary Baumel's remains closed a famous case that has plagued Israel for nearly four decades, but Israeli officials have declined to elaborate on how the return was arranged or where the remains were found. The Israeli spokesman who announced it on Wednesday only said that "an opportunity arose to locate the body" through an unnamed country. Baumel went missing in a 1982 battle with Syrian forces in southern Lebanon along with five other Israeli soldiers. Several years later, two of the missing soldiers were returned alive to Israel in prisoner exchanges with Syria, but the fate of the other three had remained unknown. A Syria-based official with a Palestinian militant group told The Associated Press on Wednesday that insurgents who were in control of the Palestinian refugee camp of Yarmouk in the capital, Damascus, up until last year excavated graves in search of the remains of the three missing soldiers. Speaking on a visit to Moscow Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked Russia for its assistance in finding the remains, and Putin acknowledged that Russia had worked to retrieve them. Netanyahu is meeting with Putin just days before seeking a fifth term in Israel's parliamentary elections. Tuesday's vote is largely seen as a referendum on Netanyahu, who has campaigned on his foreign policy prowess and relations with world leaders. "Our military together with Syrian partners established the place of his burial," Putin said at the start of the meeting. "We are very pleased that at home they can give him the necessary military honors." Syria, however, released a statement Thursday denying any knowledge of the remains. "We have no information on the entire matter of the remains or whether any such remains exist," the statement published on state-run news agency SANA said. It said Israel's recovery of the remains is new evidence that confirms cooperation between "terrorist" groups in Syria and Israel's Mossad spy agency. Public involvement in the return of the remains to Israel would be embarrassing for the Syrian government, which is technically at war with Israel. Baumel's burial ceremony, held at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem, Israel's national cemetery, drew thousands of Israelis Thursday. Fresh off the plane from Moscow, Netanyahu attended and addressed the crowd. "I felt a shudder when I was told that Zechariah will be with us again," he said. "We will be able to pay our last respects. We waited 37 years for this moment." Cases of missing soldiers have a powerful emotional and political resonance in Israel, where military service is compulsory for most Jewish men. Netanyahu lauded the repatriation of Baumel's remains as an "expression of mutual responsibility and feeling of unity" that he said epitomizes Israel. The trip to Moscow, made at Netanyahu's request, came a week after he traveled to Washington and met with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House. Netanyahu also hosted Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro in Jerusalem earlier this week. Putin's foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov told journalists the two leaders discussed events in Syria but that Netanyahu did not present any concrete plan for regulating the conflict and tensions there. Israel and Russia have a military hotline to coordinate air force operations over Syria, where Russia supports President Bashar Assads forces and Israel frequently strikes targets linked to Iran and the Lebanese Hezbollah. Joseph Michael Hodum, 38, of Philadelphia. He was charged with attempted murder and aggravated assault related to a March 30 attack on his cellmate, Stephen Klampfer, 50. Read more In what appeared to be an unprovoked attack, an inmate at the Montgomery County Correctional Institution beat his cellmate so savagely over the weekend that the victim is now on life support, authorities said Thursday. Joseph Michael Hodum, 38, of Philadelphia, was charged Thursday with attempted murder, aggravated assault, and related offenses. The victim, Stephen Klampfer, 50, of Norristown, was airlifted to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center in Philadelphia, where authorities said he showed extensive brain trauma as a result of the attack and is in a medically induced coma. It is unclear, they said, if he will survive. Around 8:30 a.m. March 30, investigators said, Hodum and Klampfer were in a cell within the medical unit of the correctional facility. Kate Delano, a spokeswoman for the Montgomery County District Attorneys Office, said she could not discuss why they were undergoing medical treatment. Hodum walked to the cell door and began yelling, then turned his attention to Klampfer, who was face-up in his bed, asleep. Christopher Hartnett, a correctional officer in training, and Jeffrey Heckman, a more senior correctional officer who had been assigned to keep watch over the area, told investigators they saw Hodum punch Klampfer in the head more than a dozen times, then stomp on his head more than 20 times, according to an affidavit of probable cause for Hodums arrest. When the assault began, Heckman said, he immediately called for other staff members to help stop the attack, the affidavit said. The correctional officers told investigators Klampfer did not try to defend himself other than rolling onto the floor from his bed. Interviewed by county detectives three hours after the beating, Hodum admitted beating and stomping Klampfer, but said he did so in retaliation for a sexual advance. Hartnett, the correctional officer, contradicted Hodums account, saying Klampfer was asleep when the assault began. Klampfer was convicted of aggravated assault, terroristic threats, and public drunkenness in 2014. It was unclear why he was in jail. Hodum was convicted that same year of theft and receiving stolen property. Delano, of the district attorneys office, said she believed Hodum was back in jail on a probation violation. He faces a preliminary hearing scheduled for May 1 on his most recent charges. He remains in the county prison with bail set at $1 million. Chris and Natasha Ashton founded Newtown Square-based Fetch, which started Petplan veterinary insurance, in 2003, when they were Wharton students dismayed at their cat's vet bills. Read more From their cat Bodis sickness to their son Henrys birth 17 years later, Chris and Natasha Ashton were the cutest couple in corporate Philadelphia. But now the founders are gone from their joint CEO suite at the pet-friendly Newtown Square headquarters of the company they founded to sell Petplan dog and cat insurance in the U.S. The couple are suing parent company Fetch Inc.'s controlling investors banking mogul Vernon W. Hill Jr. and billionaire hedge fund investor Steven A. Cohen for millions the plaintiffs say they are owed since the board took away their co-CEO titles last April, a month after their second sons birth. The Ashtons claims "are without merit and we are confident the matter will be resolved in our favor, the investors said in a statement. We are committed to moving forward in the best interest of Petplan, our employees and our policyholders, under a new CEO, pay-TV veteran Paul Guyardo, who they say has speeded up the companys lagging growth since the Ashtons left. The Ashtons liked to tell their fairy-tale business story: The former British commando and his wife met at Oxford University, and moved to Philadelphia to get twin MBAs at Wharton. In 2001 their blue point Burmese stopped eating. Shocked by the high price of American veterinary care, they were determined to import British-style pet insurance, won a student business-plan competition, and borrowed to acquire U.S. rights to the Petplan brand. They secured millions from a pair of Dutch brothers, and from fellow Wharton grad Hill, founder of the former Commerce Bancorp and Metro Bank Plc (UK), and his friend Cohen, founder of SAC Capital Advisors and Point72 Asset Management. The investors named the couple co-CEOs. By 2017, sales topped $100 million, and the Ashtons were collecting salaries of $375,000 each, plus benefits, according to their Philadelphia Common Pleas Court lawsuit filed last November against Hill, Cohens investment manager Andrew Cohen (no relation), and both mens investment entities. Then, in November 2017, Natasha showed up visibly pregnant for a London luncheon with Chris and their first big investor, Fetch board member Christiaen van Lanschot. Youd better tell Vernon and Andrew youre expecting, he told the couple, or her impending maternity would derail" the companys pending board meeting. (Their older son, now in prep school, was born when the company was getting started.) The Ashtons were concerned with Mr. Hills likely reaction to Natashas pregnancy, they claimed in their lawsuit. They called Hill a man prone to blatantly and insultingly sexist comments. But Natasha did send an email announcing the blessed event. Hill summoned her husband to a post-Christmas meeting without Natasha," where the three director-investors urged Chris to become sole CEO. He resisted. Natasha called, asking for clarification Six weeks later, she had her baby. Six weeks after that, in late April, the board stripped the pair of their co-CEO titles. The Ashtons called that a breach of their contract. When the board didnt budge, they resigned and demanded $2 million each, for firing without cause. No, it was the Ashtons who broke their contract, Hills and Cohens lawyers replied in court filings. They said Hill had complained in 2017 that the Ashtons paid themselves $206,000 in unauthorized bonuses in 2015 and 2016, potentially a fireable offense. And board members had been dissatisfied with the companys slow growth in 2016 and 2017, compared with rivals'. Still, while they lost co-CEO titles, their pay and benefits remained. So when they quit, they materially breached their contract, and shouldnt get severance. Plus, the Ashtons falsely accused Hill of sexism, making an impertinent and scandalous claim. The Ashtons said the bonuses were proper, under a program run by the companys chief financial officer Terry Malloy. And the couple escrowed the money when Hill complained. But Fetch never sought to collect it, preferring to disingenuously concoct false claims, their lawyers argued. The Ashtons in their filings also noted that Hill is not just chairman, hes also a consultant to the pet insurance company, collecting $720,000 last year almost as much as the two Ashtons combined salaries. Judge Lisette Shirdan-Harris has tentatively scheduled the Philadelphia trial for April 2020. A second Ashtons case against the Fetch investors is moving through Delaware Chancery Court, that popular venue for shareholder fights. On March 11, the Ashtons asked Vice Chancellor Kathaleen St. Jude McCormick for an order to stop changes the investors negotiated with insurance underwriter XL Specialty, which they say would cut the pet insurers income and threaten financial disaster. Though they are no longer CEOs, the Ashtons say they, not the investors, have the right to update Petplan contracts. The heavily redacted filings also say they were close to negotiating a sale to new owners when they lost their titles last year. Hill is no stranger to struggles for control. He lost his job running Commerce Bancorp in 2006, after a dispute with federal bank examiners over his familys companies that did business with the bank. In 2017 he settled a years-long legal standoff against Saladworks founder John Scardapane in a deal that forced both men out of the company. Hills British company, Metro Bank Plc, has lost half its share value since admitting that it had understated its loan risk. Hedge fund manager Cohen, who invested millions alongside Hill with Petplan, is a top investor in Hills bank. (Hill is also chairman of Republic First Bancorp, Philadelphia.) The Chancery case, which could give the Ashtons leverage, is scheduled for a trial April 22, and the Philadelphia case, for their severance, could come a year later. Little Henry could be old enough to help walk the Ashtons dogs by the time his parents know whether their departure made them millionaires, or just another immigrant couple, looking for a new start. After repeatedly complaining about a workers compensation judge who ruled against them, lawyers at Pond Lehocky Stern Giordano tried a novel approach: The politically connected firm passed a tip to a member of Gov. Tom Wolfs cabinet last year that the judge, Andrea McCormick, was romantically involved with a local workers comp lawyer. Three months later, Judge McCormick was out of a job. State investigators say they responded to Pond Lehockys complaint by pulling eight years of McCormick emails and determined that she had violated multiple policies: using her work computer to make online purchases and exchange personal photos, and sharing court decisions before they were officially posted online, among other alleged offenses. McCormicks termination, a rare occurrence, has raised concerns within the legal community that law firms with political clout are able to exert undue influence over the court system where they practice, potentially causing a chilling effect among judges. David Stern, a partner at the firm, said that lawyers there had forwarded complaints in the hopes that officials would look into McCormicks conduct as a whole. We never asked for anyone to be terminated, he said in an email this week. McCormick has appealed her firing to the State Civil Service Commission. Hearing transcripts and exhibits reveal how the investigation unfolded, an account that otherwise likely would not have become public. McCormick and her attorney, Elliot Strokoff, declined to comment while the appeal is pending. Emails reveal acrimony An administrative law judge since 2006, McCormick worked out of offices on Eighth Street near Arch. She heard disputes between injured employees who incurred medical expenses and lost wages, and the employers and insurance firms contesting those claims. McCormick had previously worked as an attorney representing both companies and injured workers, and was known as a skilled writer of briefs. As a judge, she exhibited a courtroom demeanor some call mercurial and occasionally made comments that appeared dismissive of workers claims. Pond Lehocky, the largest workers comp firm in Pennsylvania, is known for its top-tier representation and aggressive legislative advocacy on behalf of injured workers, ever-present billboards and TV ads, and its considerable fund-raising prowess for Wolf and other Democrats in the state. For years, Pond Lehocky had believed McCormick was biased against the firm. Behind the scenes, it began pulling the levers of power, according to emails and testimony. Mike, here is another loss in front of McCormick, Sam Pond, the firms managing partner, wrote in June 2017 to Michael Vovakes, deputy secretary of Labor & Industry, in a dictated email sent by a secretary at the firm. Pond speculated to Vovakes that McCormick was siding exclusively with employers and insurance carriers: Im assuming she is denying every finding against injured workers across the board 100 percent. State officials around that time pulled more than 100 Pond Lehocky cases that McCormick had ruled on, and analyzed them to try to determine if she was biased against the firm. The state study did not find bias, according to Joseph Hagan, the former judge manager in McCormicks district. We found a division in favor of the claimant roughly equal to those in favor of the employer about 50/50, he would later testify. Larry Pitt, a personal injury and workers comp lawyer whose law firm previously employed McCormick, said: Her decisions were not predictable. Remember the saying Call em as you see em'? Thats her. In 2017, McCormick sent an email to Pond Lehocky, commending a lawyer there on his fantastic brief, which she said was extremely well-written, right on point and superior to most. But Pond Lehocky was convinced that McCormick was not giving its clients a fair shake. In February 2018, for example, McCormicks denial of a Pond Lehocky request for a subpoena appeared to set the firm off. Jerry Lehocky, a partner at the firm, wrote an email to Pond that said: The Secretary needs to know about this justice being denied. Eight minutes later, Pond forwarded the email thread to Vovakes, the deputy secretary, and wrote: [L]et me know how we can prove our case." Referring apparently to McCormick, he asked Vovakes: Can this finally be addressed[?]. In June 2018, Pond Lehocky planned an event to honor Labor & Industry Secretary W. Gerard Jerry Oleksiak at a statewide workers compensation conference. Oleksiak was not aware of the reception before receiving the invitation and did not attend it, a spokesperson said. Around that time, state officials say, the firm switched tactics. It went straight to Oleksiak, a member of Wolfs cabinet, with a new line of attack: McCormick was in a romantic relationship with a local workers comp defense lawyer who was a strong critic of Pond Lehocky. Robert OBrien, executive deputy secretary of Labor & Industry, said Pond Lehockys complaint to his boss sparked a renewed investigation into the judge. "He said he got it from Pond Lehocky, OBrien would later testify. The allegation was true. McCormick said she had dated Edward Ted Carpenter Jr., of the firm Carpenter, McCadden & Lane, based in Media. But starting in March 2015, she recused herself from any of his cases or those of his firm, she said. State officials, however, cast their net back much farther: They began sifting through about 6,000 of the judges emails starting around 2010, looking for anything that may not have been appropriate, according to an analyst in the state Office of Administration, Rhonda Brown. A couple of days later, Brown said, she was instructed by Matt Stine, a state human resources official, to search for emails involving law firms including one in particular. Pond Lehocky was the name that I was told to be looking for and what I searched for, Brown would later testify. Three months later, the investigation was over. State officials found the judge had emailed uncirculated case decisions and other nonpublic information including some to Carpenter and used her state-issued computer or email account to purchase items online and receive personal photos. OBrien, the executive deputy secretary of Labor & Industry, testified in February at McCormicks appeal hearing that he made the final decision to terminate her. He then informed his boss of the results of the investigation, he testified. Secretary Oleksiak said, Okay. Deputy Secretary Vovakes was very upset. He told me he wanted to put a suit on and drive to Philadelphia and immediately fire Judge McCormick, OBrien said. And I said, No Michael, thats not what were going to do. The judge has civil service rights. We have an HR staff and labor relations staff. Theyre going to handle this. Were going to dot the Is, cross the Ts, do this correctly. Oleksiak declined to comment. A Labor & Industry spokesperson said the McCormick investigation was based on a variety of complaints and concerns, not any sole one." McCormicks termination letter read, Your complete disregard for the Codes and Commonwealth policies violates the trust bestowed upon you by your Employer." Stern, the Pond Lehocky partner, said McCormicks firing caught him off guard. Honestly, I was floored when I found out she was terminated," he said. I did not see it coming. But knowing what I know now Im not surprised. Carpenter, the lawyer who had dated McCormick, declined to comment. Chilling effect on judges? Regardless of whether McCormicks termination was warranted, the way the state handled it has left some workers comp judges questioning whether the lines have been blurred between government officials and the lawyers who appear in their hearing rooms. Theres a feeling that law firms can get judges fired, said a person close to workers comp judges in the area. Theres definitely a feeling this has a chilling effect on other judges. W. Bourne Ruthrauff, cochair of the Philadelphia Bar Associations professional responsibility committee, said that if a law firm complained to senior government officials about a judges rulings without the knowledge of the other partys attorney, that would be an assault on the independence and impartiality of such judges. Such contacts go well beyond the zealous and diligent advocacy to which all clients are entitled, Ruthrauff said, adding they could potentially violate the rules of professional conduct that prohibit Pennsylvania attorneys from engaging in conduct that is prejudicial to the administration of justice. Abraham Reich, a lawyer representing Pond Lehocky who teaches a course on legal ethics at the University of Pennsylvania law school, disagreed with that assessment. He said there was no violation of the rules of professional conduct. To fulfill its professional obligations, my client made a report to the appropriate authority, Reich said. It did so confidentially as would be done in any complaint about a judge so as to minimize harm to the judge should the complaint be dismissed or not pursued. Daniel Bricmont, a Pittsburgh-based attorney and former chair of the Pennsylvania Bar Associations workers comp section, said he couldnt comment on the actions of any particular law firm or judge. Speaking generally, though, Bricmont said he found the episode unusual. He said most lawyers who believe a judge is biased or has a conflict would first contact the judges supervisor or seek his or her recusal not reach out to cabinet-level officials in Harrisburg. It wouldnt dawn on me to do that, Bricmont said. I think it would be using a sledgehammer to kill a mosquito." McCormick testified that she had clashed with Pond Lehocky lawyers over courtroom procedural issues but that the firm had never filed a recusal motion asking her to step aside. Complaint process needed The Judicial Conduct Board, which investigates complaints against state judges in civil and criminal proceedings, doesnt field complaints for administrative judges, such as those in workers comp. Sam Marshall, president of the Insurance Federation of Pennsylvania, said the McCormick case reveals the need for a uniform way to handle such complaints. It may be time to set up a formal process for filing and investigating complaints of workers comp judges, along the lines of what they have for complaints on judges generally, said Marshall, who represents the insurance firms that typically cover costs associated with workers comp cases. Stern agrees. I can assure you that if there were laws or regulations on how to report a [workers comp judge], we would have followed them, he said. Since there is no such vehicle, we did the only thing we could think of: Go to McCormicks superiors. Pond Lehocky, while respected for its legal representation, has also drawn unwanted attention in recent years, for pushing ethical boundaries. In September 2017, an Inquirer investigation found that Sam Pond and other partners at the firm were majority owners of a mail-order pharmacy that was prescribing unproven pain creams sometimes costing more than $4,000 a tube. The firm would send clients to doctors and ask the doctors to send those new patients to the law firms pharmacy. Some of the doctors also owned a piece of the pharmacy. After the Inquirer story ran, the Pond partners sold their interest in the pharmacy. In December 2018, the Pennsylvania Ethics Commission fined the firms lobbying wings for failing to register their activities with the Pennsylvania Department of State while seeking to influence workers compensation legislation in Harrisburg. Pond Lehockys influence now also reaches into the states disciplinary apparatus for attorneys. Last year, Jerry Lehocky, a partner there, was appointed to a three-year term on the Disciplinary Board of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Three of the firms associates were also named as committee members of the board. The board handles reports of attorney misconduct. Police tape is in place at the location of a fatal shooting inside a WAWA, at 151 Sugartown Road, in Radnor, PA, March 29, 2019. Read more Days before killing his ex-wife inside a Wawa store in Radnor, Brian Kennedy legally purchased an AR-15 rifle, Delaware County District Attorney Katayoun M. Copeland said Thursday. Kennedy, 34, of Devon, passed an instant background check at a Pennsylvania gun shop on March 16 and walked out with the semiautomatic rifle, the prosecutor said. Twelve days later, he took the gun to the store on Sugartown Road for what was supposed to be a child-custody exchange. Instead, he shot Stephanie Miller, 37, several times in the head and stomach at point-blank range, authorities said. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Kennedy fled and was found that night in a Glen Mills park, where he overdosed on undisclosed drugs in his car. The couples 6-year-old son, who was not present, was unharmed. Kennedy was arraigned Monday at Crozer-Chester Medical Center on charges of first-degree murder, third-degree murder, and related offenses. After being treated for the overdose, he was released from the hospital on Thursday and taken to the George W. Hill Correctional Facility, Radnor police said. Kennedy had threatened Miller in the past, including an incident three years earlier at the same store. During a child-custody exchange around 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 15, 2016, Kennedy whispered in Millers ear, Get that [expletive] life insurance policy before I kill you," while she waited in the checkout line, court records show. He was found guilty of a summary harassment charge in that case, which became the basis for a protection-from-abuse order that lapsed in September. While the order was active, Kennedy would not have been able to legally own weapons. On court forms, neither he nor Miller indicated that he owned any. After the shooting, authorities did not find any additional weapons in his apartment or his car, Copeland said. The district attorney declined to say at which store he purchased the weapon. In Pennsylvania, those who have been convicted of serious crimes such as aggravated assault, stalking, rape, and other offenses are prohibited from owning a firearm. People who have been involuntarily committed for mental health treatment or who have an active protection order against them also are restricted. Before purchasing the gun, Kennedy was approved through the Pennsylvania Instant Check System (PICS), the states call center that conducts background checks, often in minutes. When the call center was instituted in 1998, it replaced the mandatory five-day waiting period for gun owners. Kennedy awaits a preliminary hearing on April 18. No attorney for him was listed on court documents as of Thursday. Convenience-store giant Wawa is getting into the beer game, in a partnership with 2SP Brewing Co., the award-winning brewery located in Aston, about 15 minutes from its corporate headquarters in Delaware County. Winter Reserve Coffee Stout, created by 2SP head brewer Bob Barrar, combines Wawas limited-edition Winter Blend coffee with 2SPs oatmeal stout. Wawa and 2SP say its flavor profile includes notes of sweet clove, dark chocolate, and graham crackers; a sample was not made available in advance. The beer will be launched at 4 p.m. Dec. 6 at the Wawa store at 721 Naamans Creek Rd. in Chadds Ford, the only Wawa in Pennsylvania that sells beer. At the firkin-tapping event, the first 50 cases will be available to purchase, first come, first serve, with a limit of two four-packs per person. The beer will be available for purchase during the week of Dec. 10 through Origlio Beverage, which distributes to neighborhood bars and bottle shops in Southeastern Pennsylvania. Only 1,000 cases will be available. The idea stemmed from a 2SP meeting in October. The brew team was drinking Wawa coffee -- but each had different roasts, said Michael Contreras, 2SPs director of sales and marketing. Barrar was drinking regular, brewer Andrew Ruby Rubenstein was drinking the Reserve series, and Contreras was drinking Cuban. Next thing you know, we are trying each one, talking about the merits of each coffee, similar to the way we do with beer, Contreras said. It seemed like the only thing we agreed on that day was our taste in coffee. Then it occurred to us; Why dont we hit up our neighbors at Wawa and see if they had any interest in brewing a coffee stout with us? A week or so later, Contreras said, Wawa executives visited the brewery for a tasting and discussion of a possible collaboration. Aside from Bob being a Delco native, like Wawa, what seemed to really click was that he had a similar approach and desire for beer that Michael McLaughlin, Wawas coffee guru, had for his coffee roasts, Contreras said. The two geeked out and we could see that something pretty cool and tasty could come out of getting these two together. Dennis Jordan, right, a Pittsburgh resident, wears a shirt supporting the 2nd Amendment as he waits with others to attend a Pittsburgh City Council meeting regarding proposed gun restriction legislation, Tuesday, April 2, 2019, in Pittsburgh. A universal background checks bill approved by the U.S. House awaits a vote in the Senate. Read more As a bipartisan bill to institute universal background checks awaits its fate in the U.S. Senate, the debate over firearms is forefront in the minds of many. If signed into law, it would require a background check on all gun transfers. Rep. Lou Correa (D., Calif.) explained that universal background checks would absolutely make purchasing a firearm more expensive and the bureaucratic issues involved are going to slow down the process." Supporters frame these costs as helpful in preventing gun use and therefore, gun deaths. Opponents argue that background checks have zero effect on deaths. One issue no ones talking about enough is how the cost of background checks disproportionately impact low-income people. Classism has long permeated the movement for gun control. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, antigun advocates attempted to ban thousands of inexpensive handguns and employed the term Saturday Night Special to refer to these low-caliber pistols. They claimed that mostly criminals owned and used these junk guns" without fully investigating which gun owners this ban would actually impact. READ MORE: My gun serves as an equalizer: Raped as a Temple student, she now fights for gun rights While the debate about Saturday Night Specials isnt nearly as prevalent today, classism still runs rampant in the movement for gun control. In the recent hearing in the House Judiciary Committee on H.R. 8 bill, various representatives expressed support for efforts that increase the cost of owning a firearm. Rep. Cedric Richmond (D., La.), himself a gun owner, recalled the effects of the assault weapons ban, saying that the ban made the cost of a particular firearm go up from $400 to $1,500. He calls this increased financial barrier a good thing because it allowed for a cooling time. This cooling time, he explains, would help prevent someone with violent tendencies from purchasing a firearm quickly and using it to commit an act of violence. While this approach is surely well-intentioned, it strips low-income Americans of their right to defend themselves, when poor Americans are far more likely to be victims of violent crime. Americans earning the lowest incomes (less than $10,000 per household) are 206 percent more likely to be the victim of violent crime compared to Americans earning the highest incomes ($75,000 or more per household), according to a 2017 report. Gun ownership, on the other hand, increases significantly at higher socioeconomic levels. A 2014 study found that 44 percent of American households with an annual income of at least $90,000 owned firearms. Of households earning less than $25,000 a year, however, only 18.2 percent reported owning a firearm. These numbers arent surprising, as gun ownership amounts to a luxury that many cannot afford. READ MORE: We can turn the corner on gun violence | Opinion Among the cheapest newly manufactured guns in the United States is the Cobra Arms Freedom .380 priced at around $130. That cost is before ammunition (hollow-point bullets for self-defense and full-metal jacket bullets for practice), a holster, cleaning supplies, range time, an extra magazine, targets, eye/ear protection, mandatory training, licenses, and fees. While buying discount ammunition and a cheap handgun is an option, being fully proficient with a firearm requires training and practice, making gun ownership a huge financial endeavor for many Americans. Costs already vary widely across state and city lines, creating other inequalities. In Washington D.C., for example, the private transfer of a firearm requires a $125 background check nearly doubling the cost of the cheapest firearms available. In the Philadelphia area, background checks can add between $50 to $100. While the costs of background checks, fees, and permits differ, they have one thing in common: They add an additional financial barrier to legal and responsible gun ownership. Ultimately, we all want to live in a safe, just world, but pricing Americas poorest citizens out of the right to bear arms is not justice. Its discrimination. Savannah Lindquist is the development and communications coordinator with Ladies of Liberty Alliance. @SavannahMaeSays In 1948, some of the brightest minds in the U.S., Canada, and Western Europe got together to create a novel transatlantic defense pact. Their goal was to draft a treaty so simple and clear that even a milkman in Omaha would understand it. The diplomats succeeded. The Washington Treaty, signed on April 4, 1949, required only 14 articles to outline a transatlantic defense community that was entirely different from the short-lived alliances of convenience that had been the curse of European history. The Treaty, which soon turned into a fully fledged organization called NATO, described a community of destiny between two continents a community that would last much longer than its founding fathers ever dared to dream. However, 70 years of successful transatlantic security cooperation say little about NATOs future viability. True, the number of NATO member states has almost tripled since the Alliance was founded. Moreover, NATOs roles have grown far beyond its original task of collective defense, and are now encompassing crisis operations such as in Afghanistan and a training mission in Iraq. Yet in todays globalized environment, the Atlantic Alliance faces completely new challenges. Given an assertive Russia to its east, instability to its south, and the accelerating pace of technological progress, NATOs job of providing security for more than 900 million citizens can no longer be measured by a 1949 yardstick. What is to be done? Three areas will be crucial: First, NATO needs a 360-degree approach to security. The Alliance must maintain a sound balance between collective defense and deterrence vis-a-vis Russia and addressing the security challenges at its southern and southeastern borders. After Russias illegal annexation of Ukraine, NATO successfully stepped up its military presence in Eastern Europe, providing an effective appetite suppressant for Moscows adventurist temptations. However, in todays globalized environment, focusing on deterring Russia is not enough. For NATOs Mediterranean members, massive instability in their southern neighborhood is a more immediate security problem than a resurgent Russia. Hence, NATO must also devise a strategy for the south. Implementing a true 360-degree approach to security also requires spending more on defense. After many years of neglect, the defense budgets of all NATO members are finally pointing upward again. Second, NATO needs to prepare defending against new, unconventional threats. Today, most attacks happen in cyberspace. Through social media campaigns, adversaries seek to destabilize entire societies without a single soldier crossing a single border; and the hybrid combination of military and nonmilitary tools creates ambiguity that makes decision-taking by consensus much harder. Responding to such unconventional threats does not require more tanks or missiles. Instead, it requires closer intelligence cooperation, strengthening national resilience against hybrid warfare, and enhancing cyber defense. Close cooperation with other institutions, notably the European Union, and the private sector, will be crucial. Only through such wider partnerships will allies have all the tools available to protect their critical infrastructure or counter malign influence campaigns. As the saying goes, it takes a network to defeat a network. NATO must be a trusted part of this network. Third, NATO needs to have a better grasp of technological change. Artificial intelligence, big data analysis, or blockchain technologies may offer huge security benefits, yet they can also empower adversaries, enabling them to orchestrate smarter and stealthier attacks. Such technologies also raise legal and moral issues that need to be understood. Fully comprehending these developments will require a far greater effort by allies to generate subject matter expertise and encourage long-term thinking. As technological innovation is invalidating traditional arms control approaches, and given the difficulty of setting new norms of behavior in new virtual domains such as cyberspace, NATO needs to be prepared for a world in which conflicts will be fought in radically different ways. NATO was born at a time when the Omaha milkman delivered his bottles in a small van from door to door. Soon, however, the refrigerator will order the milk autonomously via the internet, and the product may be delivered by a drone. Such a world has little in common with the world of 1949. Neither can its security challenges be met with the means of the past. If all allies understand and embrace this fundamental fact, they will be able to transform their alliance into a true 21st-century security provider. NATOs founding fathers surely would approve of this. Dr. Stefanie Babst heads Strategic Analysis Capability in NATOs Emerging Security Challenges Division.. Michael Ruhle heads the Hybrid Challenges and Energy Security Section in NATOs Emerging Security Challenges Division. They write in a personal capacity. Its hard to become a beloved public figure in Philadelphia. New York may have the reputation, but we are the capital of tough love. Gritty is hot now, but he has not reached the beloved status of the Phanatic. Athletes such as Chase Utley and Joel Embiid are beloved, and radio stars such as Pierre Robert and Sid Mark qualify. However, Philadelphia doesnt show love to politicians very often. Ed Rendell, former mayor and former Pennsylvania governor, is beloved, and he has joined with Sister Mary Scullion, who is both beloved and my candidate for sainthood, to advocate for supervised drug injection sites, where addicts could inject illegal drugs and be rescued by medical personnel if they overdose. As much as I respect both, they are dangerously wrong on this issue. In addition to that, U.S. Attorney William McSwain, appearing on the Tucker Carlson show last week, said they and the activists poised to open so-called safehouses all over the city are arrogant and charged that they dont believe in democracy. I share this view and Im glad that McSwain is giving clear warning that he wont allow these sites to function in Philadelphia. When we discussed on my show last Friday the civil action he has brought to stop the activists, he told me that he is aware that they might try to open a site in Kensington before the judge rules in the case and that he would swiftly act to stop it. On both Carlsons and my shows, McSwain emphasized that he believes proponents of such sites do not have the support of Philadelphia citizens, City Council or any significant local group. They said are getting media attention because they are loud. I think McSwain is mostly right on this point. WHYY reported last week that at a public meeting, Kensington residents were very upset that they had no notice before Rendell revealed at a conference in Washington that a donor would provide a site near the Kensington and Allegheny El stop for a supervised injection site. Shannon Farrell, president of the Harrowgate Civic Association, a local group, summarized the mood best by telling WHYY: We have done what they asked us to do -- supported recovery, supported Narcan. I think that all of us want to save lives. She when on to say, Now were at that point where we cannot support this, because we would literally be choosing the lives of the drug users over our children. And thats what were never going to get around. I think McSwain would say Farrell represents Philadelphias resistance to injection sites, but I think many progressives support the idea, as long as a site isnt placed near them. These are the same people who support the soda tax. I think they have been emboldened by things such as Mayor Jim Kenneys unlawful sanctuary city policy and District Attorney Larry Krasners failure to fully prosecute criminal behavior. I share my colleague Daily News columnist Solomon Jones concerns that these progressives are comfortable telling communities of color that they will have to accept these sites. I dont fully buy his thesis that such positions are triggered by the fact that victims of the opioid epidemic are white, while victims of the crack epidemic went to jail because they were black. Rather, I see this as the incremental logic of progressive thought. Rendell instituted needle exchanges years ago and now wants to provide help with injections, and, logically, some progressive a few years from now will say the government should provide drugs that are less likely to cause overdoses. This battle will play out in the courts for now, but it should also become a big issue in the current mayors race. Kenney, who is seeking re-election, clearly has allowed private entities to begin to make moves to set up injection sites, and it seems very clear that he would keep the police from shutting them down. Do other candidates for mayor support this approach? Remember, news reports indicate that five of these supervised injection sites are being considered for Philadelphia. If you support the idea, I think that you, Rendell, and the activists behind this scheme should welcome one on your block. Science Leadership Academy at Beeber senior Amir Curry, right, works on a speech with help from organizer Saudia Durrant at the Philadelphia Student Union office in West Philadelphia on Tuesday, March 26, 2019. Curry argues that the school board's decision to mandate metal detectors disrespects student and school autonomy. Read more Im a senior at Science Leadership Academy at Beeber. Our school relies on the voices of its students to build community. These values have guided me through my high school career. Growing and learning in a community that encourages students to be actively engaged is how our school thrives, and one of the primary reasons our leadership has exercised discretion in choosing not to implement metal detectors. But the recent school board mandate subverts that individual school autonomy. It will implement an emergency preparedness plan in all district high schools, mandating walk-through metal detectors. Members of the Philadelphia Student Union, to which I belong, were initially notified of the policy in late December. We immediately focused our energy on developing an inclusive campaign to start a conversation on school safety and metal detectors, including student voices. We spent several months studying and critically analyzing the plan, engaging the districts only three high schools Science Leadership Academy, SLA Beeber, and the Workshop School that do not use metal detectors. We concluded that metal detectors, like in-school police, criminalized students instead of protecting them. Students opposed to the new policy provided rigorous testimony to the Board of Education from February to March. Much of my own testimony focused on the hypocrisy of a plan that claims it would protect student safety and health, while at the same time ignoring that many schools across Philadelphia do not have enough counselors to accommodate their size, if they have any at all. Many high schools also lack substantial social and emotional support systems, along with full-time nurses and classroom resources, while they have overcrowded class sizes and crumbling buildings. Yet amid these failures, resources are appropriated to metal detectors and school police. Students should not enter an environment meant for learning that actively employs tools of law enforcement. When young, predominantly black and brown youth are subject to search and seizure, can be detained or arrested at the discretion of school police officer, and are threatened with force instead of given counseling and support, it shows the school-to-prison pipeline in action. In a late February Board of Education meeting, I spoke on the disparities between schools in the city and those in Lower Merion School District. Lower Merion High School is only three miles from my school, SLA Beeber, yet security devices and school police have far less of a presence there. This kind of disparity sends a clear message: White, affluent students are not subject to criminalizing policy, but black and brown, working-class students are, and now their principals do not get a choice in deciding safety procedure. The school board is supposed to represent students, yet the surveillance policy fails to trust our vision. Instead of providing definitive evidence that metal detectors protect students and staff, board members provided hypotheticals to justify their support of the policy. It is irresponsible to implement policy that impacts thousands of students without strong evidence and student voices. Obedience and control have unfortunately become interchangeable with safety. Metal detectors and school police officers primary function is to control and monitor an environment. I implore people on the other side of this issue to think of how we want youth to see themselves outside of their learning environments. Should they be indoctrinated into rigid obedience and put faith in systems of criminalization? Or should they be bold, independent leaders encouraged by vigorous student development? Amir Curry is a West Philadelphia resident and senior at Science Leadership Academy @ Beeber. He currently serves as student organizer with the Philadelphia Student Union. Julien Terrell, executive director of the Philadelphia Student Union, addresses the audience at the Philadelphia school board meeting after he and other activists, some of them students, shut the meeting down over a metal-detector policy. Read more Do you really know how safe your children are when they enter their school? On March 28, the Philadelphia school board voted to mandate that all city high schools use metal detectors to screen students. Currently, there are 49 high schools that use metal detectors and only three that do not. While many students are not in favor of the policy, I think it is a good idea. I am a senior at Strawberry Mansion High School. Ive been at Mansion since the start of my sophomore year and have attended Philadelphia district schools since kindergarten. I have attended schools that use metal detectors, and I believe they make a positive impact. In this day and age, we are faced with many violent incidents that feel as if they take place on a daily basis. We have in particular seen the rise of school shootings and intruders in school buildings. As a student who goes through a metal detector every day as part of our schools safety procedure, Ive grown to understand why it is important. The metal detectors are not there to make us feel as if were being policed but to keep us out of harms way. During my freshman year, I saw that protection work firsthand. I experienced a situation where a student tried to take a weapon into my school. Luckily, under the metal detector policy, our school identified the weapon. The student was later taken to the office and held until police arrived. Some of my classmates believe the school boards decision reflects a lack of trust in students. But really, this is a matter of safety. Being proactive is key nowadays and is the only way to ensure safety. Its imperative to give students the best possible learning environment to make sure they are getting a quality education. Its not so much a distrust of the students, but a distrust of outsiders who could potentially cause harm entering a school. Screenings are not just done to students anyone who wishes to enter the school has to walk through detectors. Thats what makes this policy fair and effective: no exceptions. Everyone must go through the scanners. I know some students think nothing dangerous would ever happen in their school. I thought the same thing until I saw someone get caught with a weapon. There is no definite way to prevent incidents in anyones school, but metal detectors are one step toward that reassurance. Precautions also should not be limited to school they should begin at home. I feel that parents are not always involved enough in their teens personal life and surroundings. Parents have to start asking the necessary questions, like How is your day going? or Is there anything troubling you that I should know?, despite how difficult asking can be. Try to get a little more sense of who your children really are as people and what makes them tick. Investing more of your time in their lives can not only show them that you care but also make them feel more open about asking for advice. I know that as teens, we battle many emotions and can sometimes act on impulse. Both inside and outside our schools, I believe a common ground must be made for this new policy to work. Otherwise students will give their schools a difficult time going through scanners. In time I hope my peers adjust to the new rules set in place and realize the important safety role the metal detectors play. Kevin Davis is a senior at Strawberry Mansion High School and an aspiring journalist. Higher education is going through a complicated period of reconstructing power relations that involve gender, race, social status, and politics. Catholic universities are part of this momentous change. The commitment to fostering a sense of belonging for all students requires wisdom and prudence, whose absence can turn this effort into an ideology aimed at silencing dissent and inhibiting debate. But trying to introduce words like mole hunt into discussions on cultural change does not exactly support constructive dialogue. It is even more surprising when such words come from two faculty members of a Catholic university like Villanova. In an March 29 op-ed published in the Wall Street Journal, two of my colleagues took aim at new course evaluation standards that Villanova will implement. A university-wide process that began with student input led to the addition of three questions to course evaluations after pilot testing between 2017 and the fall semester of 2018. These questions, which consider cultural awareness and a professors sensitivity to student identity, aim to help faculty members better understand their students in order to teach more effectively. Legitimate questions can be raised about how these new questions on diversity and inclusion might affect female faculty or historically underrepresented minority faculty, even though these new questions will not be used to evaluate faculty. But this was never the point raised by my colleagues. In fact, they accused the new evaluation system to be almost perfectly designed to stifle Catholic moral teaching in the classroom. Academic freedom is a complicated issue, and the Catholic Church has a problematic reputation in that regard. Catholic scholars, like myself, have not forgotten how an institutional thought police threatened academic freedom in Churchs history cases including the silencing of American Jesuit theologian John Courtney Murray in 1954 for his work on religious liberty, and the theologians fired from their posts or silenced during the pontificates of John Paul II and Benedict XVI for exploring new frontiers of Catholic thought on issues such as non-Christian religions and human sexuality. No one wants to go back to those times, not even in the name of diversity and inclusion. Catholic higher education today is not about to replace one kind of suppression of academic freedom with another. I believe in this case, my colleagues have fundamentally misunderstood the idea of a Catholic university. They wrote that those who teach courses about Catholic doctrine on marriage and the family may now live in fear that their own university will treat such views, and those who teach about them, as insensitive or worse. Anyone who teaches at a Catholic school has the responsibility to present, accurately and completely, the teachings of the Church. But Villanova University is not a parish nor a seminary for the formation of priests. It is a Catholic research university whose mission is to teach Catholic doctrine (this is what the councils, the popes, the Catechism, and the other official documents say), and at the same time, teach where the intellectual and theological tradition of the Church has landed on specific issues, and how it is evolving thanks to contemporary thinkers. To accurately teach about family and marriage, one has to mention, for example, the material from pope Francis exhortation Amoris Laetitia and the Bishops Synod of 2014-2015 that address issues like homosexuality, divorce, and pre-marital cohabitation. In my undergraduate course on the Catholic sexual abuse crisis, we often address the teaching of the Church on homosexuality, for example, considering where the teaching comes from, where it stands today, how it is being shaped and also politicized by those who suggest a causal connection between homosexuality in the Catholic Church and sexual abuse of children. At a Catholic university, this academic freedom is an integral mission of the university on behalf of the universal Church. Arguments like my colleagues suggest that attempts to promote sensitivity contradict the mission of a Catholic institution, and amount to progressives plan to marginalize conservative Catholics. Yet in reality, a measure like the new course questions is not political pressure. On the contrary, it makes Villanova more Catholic more open to rigorous debate, without separating the Catholic from university. Dr. Massimo Faggioli is professor of Theology and Religious Studies at Villanova University. @MassimoFaggioli A number of Philadelphia-area pain-management doctors, pharmacists, and related entities have been sued for prescribing $4.7 million in allegedly fraudulent pain creams some costing nearly $8,000 per tube. Liberty Mutual Insurance filed the lawsuit Sept. 14 in Philadelphia Common Pleas Court, claiming that 18 doctors have been sending workers' compensation patients to pharmacies in which the doctors have a financial interest. The pharmacies would then bill employers' insurance carriers for "vast quantities" of compounded pain creams at inflated prices, the suit says. The suit alleges the doctors and pharmacists formed "illegal, collusive relationships" that exploited weaknesses in Pennsylvania's workers' comp system. It contends they created and prescribed compounded creams that are not included in the system's fee schedule, leading to "highly inflated" bills of $5,000 to $8,000 per tube of cream. Liberty Mutual also alleges that compounded creams were not tailored to individual patients, but rather "manufactured in batches," in violation of Food and Drug Administration regulations. Many medical experts say there is little evidence that such creams are safe or effective. Dr. Rishin Patel, of Allentown, was the top prescribing physician in the lawsuit, writing $506,163 worth of prescriptions for compounded pain cream that were filled at 700 Pharmacy then billed to Liberty Mutual, according to the complaint. One prescription claim from May 19, 2014, came to $14,447, of which Liberty paid $12,956. Patel owns 12.25 percent of 700 Pharmacy, records show. Liberty Mutual says that it has fought many of the bills but that the state's workers' comp insurance and automobile insurance coverage regulations "limit the ability to refuse coverage of compounded creams." An attorney for Liberty Mutual declined to comment on the lawsuit. The suit names two other doctors who are co-owners of 700 Pharmacy who have sent prescriptions to the pharmacy: Miteswar Purewal ($312,966) and Shailen Jalali ($121, 657). Each of those doctors also owns 12.25 percent of the pharmacy, records show. Of the eight pharmacies named in the suit, 700 Pharmacy's bills account for nearly one-third of the $4.7 million First Mutual is seeking to recover. Patel, Purewal, and Jalali are founders of Insight Medical Partners, a Conshohocken consulting firm that operates area pharmacies. Principals of the company own portions of three of the pharmacies named as defendants: Empire Pharmacy, Omni Pharmacy, and Armour Pharmacy. Insight Medical Partners is not a defendant. Why are some pain creams so expensive? This Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry PowerPoint slide describes a hypothetical price escalation of a compounded medication. In the workers compensation system, payments are typically capped at 110 percent of the Average Wholesale Price (AWP). At least six of the 41 defendants are either part owners, managers, or, in one case, a former employee of Workers First, a pharmacy principally owned by three name partners at Pond Lehocky Stern Giordano, a major workers' comp law firm in the area. Last week, the Inquirer and Daily News reported that Pond Lehocky has been referring clients to doctors, then asking the doctors to send the patients to Workers First, which has charged upward of $4,000 per tube of compounded pain cream. Workers First is not named as a defendant in the Liberty Mutual lawsuit, nor is Pond Lehocky or any of its lawyers. Insight Medical Partners manages and owns a portion of Workers First. Jeff Jubelirer, a spokesman for Insight as well as for Patel, Purewal, and Jalali, said it was premature to comment because attorneys were still reviewing the lawsuit. In addition to Patel, Purewal, and Jalali, the defendants in the lawsuit include pharmacy consultant Phil Shin, pharmacist Stephen Katsarakes, and Dr. Gerald Dworkin. Shin, of Villanova, is listed as the contact person on Workers First's state pharmacy board application. Katsarakes, of Chalfont, is the former pharmacist at Workers First, according to pharmacy board records. Dworkin, chairman of the department of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, has testified in a deposition that he owns 3 percent of the pharmacy. Records show that Dworkin has sent patient scripts to Workers First. Reached Thursday at his Bryn Mawr home, Dworkin said that physician-owned pharmacies are necessary to get medications quickly to his patients. He described the compounded creams as "extremely efficacious." "Liberty Mutual needs to look at their actions in not supplying medically necessary treatment to injured workers," Dworkin said. The defendants have not yet filed a response to the suit in Common Pleas Court. Pond Lehocky declined to comment. Sam Pond, a founding partner of the law firm and co-owner of Workers First, released a statement Tuesday responding to the original Inquirer and Daily News story. "We are proud of the alliance between attorneys and the medical community that works together to protect our clients from a very strong and determined opponent: the insurance industry," Pond wrote. Staff writers Mark Fazlollah and Dylan Purcell contributed to this article. The new owners of Hahnemann University Hospital announced a management shake-up at the facility they bought last month as part of a $170 million deal that included St. Christophers Hospital for Children and related businesses. Read more The new owners of Hahnemann University Hospital on Tuesday announced the departure of several top managers. Leaving the Center City hospital starting this spring are chief executive Michael P. Halter, chief medical officer George Amrom, chief nursing officer Rosemary Dunn, chief business development officer Robert Pavlich, and interim chief human resources officer Richard Dodsworth. The search for replacements is underway. A staff memo from Barry Wolfman, president of American Academic said: Halter will retire April 13; Amrom will retire June 30; Dunn will leave April 1; and Pavlich will depart March 31. "Each of these individuals in their own way has made profound contributions to the well-being of Hahnemann University Hospital, as well as the Philadelphia region. We appreciate and are indebted for their many years of service and their thoughtful leadership," American Academic said in a statement. The move comes six weeks after Tenet Healthcare Corp. sold Hahnemann and St. Christopher's Hospital for Children to American Academic Health System L.L.C., an affiliate of a California investment firm, Paladin Healthcare, for $170 million. No management changes were made at St. Christopher's, a spokesman for American Academic said. In its annual report filed Monday, Tenet said it recorded a $232 million impairment charge related to the sale of the Philadelphia operations. Partners at law firm Pond Lehocky, whose billboards can be seen throughout the Philadelphia area, want to get rid of their mail-order pharmacy. Read more Less than three months ago, the founding law partners at Pond Lehocky Stern Giordano described their mail-order pharmacy as an "obvious" benefit to the injured workers they represent. "We have no problem with this issue being covered in the media," they wrote in a Sept. 26 op-ed column. Now, three of those partners are quietly seeking to relinquish their controlling interest in Workers First Pharmacy. Their names are nowhere to be found on a list of proposed new owners recently submitted to state regulators. Pond Lehocky has declined to discuss the apparent divestiture, which follows an Inquirer and Daily News investigation that found that the workers' compensation law firm had been referring clients to doctors, then asking the doctors in emails to send the patients to Workers First. Legal and medical ethicists say the lawyer-owned pharmacy could lead to conflicts of interest and drive up medical costs. Workers First has billed insurance carriers upward of $4,000 per tube of compounded pain cream, which are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration. "That's worrisome. They're sending clients to a place where they're make money off the clients," ethics attorney Samuel Stretton said Monday. "It smells bad. It doesn't help the legal profession at all." Records show that Pond Lehocky, which describes itself as the largest workers' comp law firm in Pennsylvania, controls 60 percent of Workers First, split among three named partners: Sam Pond, Jerry Lehocky, and David Stern. Bryan Reilly, the law firm's chief financial officer, is a 5 percent owner of the pharmacy and its managing member. But an application filed this month with the state Board of Pharmacy would transfer 72 percent of the pharmacy to four other owners and replace Reilly as managing member. Neither Reilly nor the three Pond Lehocky partners appear as listed owners under the proposed new ownership structure. Pond Lehocky partners replaced with new owners Wanda Murren, a spokeswoman for the Pennsylvania Department of State, said the application is awaiting approval from the Board of Pharmacy. She said the board had received no information about why Workers First was seeking to change owners. Pond did not respond to requests for comment this week. He has previously defended the pharmacy as an add-on service that enables injured workers to quickly get medication while their workers' comp claims are being disputed by their employers' insurance companies. "We are proud of the alliance between attorneys and the medical community that works together to protect our clients from a very strong and determined opponent: the insurance industry," Pond wrote in a September statement. When asked Monday about the change in Workers First ownership, Abraham Reich, the attorney whom Pond Lehocky consulted for an ethics opinion on opening the pharmacy, said only, "It's true." He declined to elaborate. Reich previously said that the pharmacy did not run afoul of professional conduct rules. He described it as similar to a contingency-fee agreement in which a lawyer gets paid if the client does. Workers First, which operates on Lancaster Avenue in Haverford, told the Board of Pharmacy in its initial August 2016 application that no medical practitioners had a financial interest in the pharmacy. The Inquirer and Daily News reported that in fact, several doctors were undisclosed part-owners, and that at least one of them had sent patient scripts there. At the time of the September story, Workers First was managed and partly owned by Insight Medical Partners, a Conshohocken consulting firm that operates area pharmacies. Three of Insight's founders are among dozens of defendants being sued in Philadelphia Common Pleas Court by Liberty Mutual Insurance and other insurance firms for prescribing $3.7 million in allegedly fraudulent pain creams. It is unclear from the new ownership application whether Insight would continue to co-own or manage Workers First. Jeff Jubelirer, a spokesman for the Insight founders, declined to comment Tuesday on the pending ownership change. The application lists the new majority owners of Workers First as Robert M. Scogna Jr., who would serve as managing member; his father, Robert M. Scogna Sr.; Mariana K. Abdallah; and Inna Levinstein. Each would own 18 percent. The Scognas, who work in the medical-supply business, according to their LinkedIn pages, could not be reached for comment. Workers First on Tuesday directed a reporter to the pharmacy's attorney, Ryan Becker, who declined to comment. Abdallah could not be reached for comment. Public records show that she shares a Cherry Hill address with Ray Abdallah, a chiropractor. Levinstein did not respond to a request for comment. A phone number listed under her name led to a voice mail for Gene Levinstein, a pain management doctor who is among the unlisted minority owners of Workers First. They share a Warminster address. Gene Levinstein has publicly opposed state House legislation to create an evidence-based drug formulary that would likely cut off payments for the exorbitantly priced skin creams sold by Workers First. Pond Lehocky has linked to one of his op-eds on its website. Neither disclosed that Levinstein owned part of the pharmacy. The state Senate introduced a similar workers' comp bill in October. Stretton, the attorney who has criticized attorney-owned pharmacies, said he considers Pond Lehocky to be an outstanding firm. But, he said, Workers First was a misstep, fraught with potential legal and ethical pitfalls. "It's very lucrative to get into these businesses, but where are we going to end up?" Stretton asked. "I don't like the model they created, even if it was well-intentioned." The weaknesses of Philadelphias preservation law can be seen in Wills Eye Hospitals treatment of a row of 19th-century houses on Ninth Street. Wills has badly neglected all five houses, including three listed on the historic register. The demolition of the two at the end (which are not designated) seems to be the first step in creating a site for a new building. Read more Of all the sleight-of-hand maneuvers available to modern politicians, nothing requires so little effort, or offers so much in return, as the task force. Convene a group to study an issue, and difficult policy questions will vanish before your constituents' very eyes. So it goes with historic preservation in Philadelphia. Having campaigned as a committed preservationist, Mayor Kenney came into office in 2016 promising to step up protections for the city's stock of old buildings. But it wasn't long before the demolitions started piling up: Mount Sinai Hospital. Society Hill Playhouse. The old Please Touch Museum. Then Toll Bros. announced a plan to erase a chunk of Jewelers Row and insert a generic glass tower into that handsome and intact 19th-century block. Kenney tried at first to publicly shame the developer. When that didn't work, he formed a task force. Ten months into its 18-month assignment, the group appears to be stuck in neutral. Based on interviews with a dozen people who sit on the task force, or who have closely followed its plodding course, the group began to flounder early, after its paid facilitator, Karen Black, clashed with the representative from the Department of Planning and Development. The task force chairman, Harris Steinberg, has often been absent from meetings because of health issues, leaving the group without a strong manager. The lack of leadership has been compounded by the group's unwieldy size 33 members and the ideological differences among its diverse membership. The divide between the ardent preservationists and the pro-development faction is so deep that the members have been unable to agree on the problem that they are supposed to fix, according to several people interviewed. The result of the disarray can be seen in the task force's recent "white paper," the first of three that it plans to issue. It is as weak and colorless as the name suggests. The report barely acknowledges that Philadelphia's traditional redbrick fabric and fine institutional buildings are experiencing an unprecedented wave of destruction, induced by a decadelong building boom. Instead, its 18 pages are devoted to a matter-of-fact recitation of the existing laws and programs related to preservation in Philadelphia. "I could have had two interns compile this in two weeks," complained one pro-preservation task force member. (Like most people I interviewed, he asked not to be identified because task force members are not authorized to speak to the press.) "I'm getting the feeling that the task force was organized to provide political cover, not effective recommendations." At the group's most recent meeting, he noted, each member was asked to state what preservation means to them. That's the kind of team-building exercise that usually occurs on Day One, not 10 months in. The absence of a clear point of view in the white paper is striking. After slogging through its bureaucratic description of the current preservation process, I had a small epiphany: The report never once mentions by name an actual building that has been destroyed, threatened, or saved in the last few years. You never get a sense of what is happening on the ground, in the neighborhoods that struggle daily with the loss of familiar touchstones as the city undergoes what feels like a warp-speed reinvention. The report is also strikingly naive about why preservation is such a mess. The authors repeatedly praise Philadelphia's preservation ordinance as a model, without ever acknowledging that politics and implementation failures are the real cause of the dysfunction. Take the matter of historic districts, which the report notes have long been considered an effective means to protect neighborhoods from random destruction. Philadelphia was once a leader in using such districts to stabilize historic neighborhoods, but for more than a decade, City Council has blocked the creation of districts in Spruce Hill, Washington Square West, and elsewhere. Had the Washington Square district been in place, Toll's proposed condo tower would be subject to full Historical Commission oversight, rather than a nonbinding review by the Civic Design board. The report also blithely asserts that Philadelphia's "affirmative maintenance" program helps prevent "demolition by neglect." Maybe the task force should make a field trip to Ninth and Locust where Wills Eye Hospital run by a city-owned trust has cynically allowed a row of historically certified 19th-century buildings to deteriorate. Wills is demolishing the two noncertified houses at the end of the row, with the aim of creating a large building site. It seems only a matter of time before the hospital cites the preservation law's hardship clause and claims that the three listed buildings are too far gone to salvage. Whether this row deserves to be preserved is a question worth asking, but clearly the Historical Commission has not been effective at staving off willful neglect. It wasn't just the threatened destruction of Jewelers Row that prompted Kenney to form the task force. As a result of several high-profile losses, one of the city's best known preservation activists, Oscar Beisert, nominated the city for the National Trust's annual list of 11 Most Endangered Places. Philadelphia officials responded by inviting the National Trust to be part of the process of rethinking the city's approach to preservation. The trust's representative, Seri Worden, acknowledged that some task force members were disappointed with the white paper, but she said she was confident that the next two reports will have more meat. "I'm hopeful that we will have implementable recommendations and not just 10 bullet points," Worden said. Paul Chrystie, a spokesman for the city, also defended the decision to use the first white paper as a way of laying out the basics for the task force. "In a city as diverse and complex as Philadelphia, bringing all views to the table by definition requires a large group," he wrote in an email. "We are pleased that we are obtaining a diversity of opinions, and we believe that those diverse opinions will strengthen the upcoming review of best practices and ultimately the task force's final recommendations." Several members of the task force both preservationists and development advocates also told me they remain hopeful that the task force will come up with meaningful reforms, such as a tiered system of designation and new financial incentives to encourage preservation. Most seem to agree there needs to be a citywide building survey so the Historical Commission can establish a priority list. Overall, however, the pro-development faction seemed far happier with the white paper than the preservationists. There is no doubt that the task force has a tough job. Philadelphia has more structures built before 1945 than any U.S. city besides New York. Deciding which ones should be saved is highly subjective. No one would dispute that Philadelphia needs to create modern buildings in order to grow and prosper. But maintaining the eclectic rhythms and textures of Philadelphia's neighborhoods is crucial to maintaining our identity as a city. This is especially true now that developer architecture is making so many American cities look alike. Philadelphia, by sheer luck, has managed to retain its authenticity and unique appearance in a homogenizing world. No matter how many new projects go up here, the buildings from Philadelphia's past are the reason it has a future. OTTAWA, April 03, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT) today issued its recommendations to the Minister of Finance on final safeguard measures. The Canadian Steel Producers Association (CSPA) is disappointed in the Tribunals recommendation to impose safeguard measures on only two products. The recommendations are a significant departure from the conclusions reached by the Minister of Finance to establish the provisional measures and the overwhelming evidence put forward to the Tribunal that justified the imposition of final safeguard measures. We are disappointed and concerned with the Tribunals recommendations. Since the temporary safeguards came into force, they have stabilized the Canadian steel market and limited the amount of steel that was being diverted to Canada, said Catherine Cobden, President of the CSPA. Furthermore, the continued surge of low-priced imports and deteriorating market conditions that have persisted following the conclusion of the CITTs hearing were not considered and further supports the imposition of final safeguard measures. The CITTs recommendation is not binding on the Minister of Finance. The CSPA is therefore urging the Minister to exercise his statutory authority and impose final safeguard measures on all 7 steel products as recommended by the industry in order to protect thousands of middle-class jobs and more than $1.1 billion in planned investments. If the Minister of Finance does not put in place final safeguard measures on all 7 products, the steel industry in Canada is threatened with job losses, significant community impacts, market share erosion, and growing investment uncertainty, stated Cobden. Furthermore, we see strong expectations from the US government that Canada will take every action necessary to keep artificially low-priced offshore steel out of North America. Canada is one of the most trade exposed steel markets with the domestic steel industry facing significant pressure from disruptions in global steel markets caused by overcapacity, US trade actions, and safeguard measures initiated by other countries. About the Canadian Steel Producers Association The Canadian Steel Producers Association is the national voice of Canadas primary steel industry, dedicated to ensuring a competitive and sustainable business environment for its members and supply chain stakeholders. Canadian steel producers are integral to Canadas economy and a vital supplier to many segments of North American industry, including the automotive, energy, construction and transportation sectors. Media Contact Catherine Cobden President, Canadian Steel Producers Association 613-884-4856 c.cobden@canadiansteel.ca Attorney General William Barr attends the 2019 Prison Reform Summit and First Step Act Celebration at the White House on April 1, 2019 in Washington, D.C. Read more Members of special counsel Robert Mueller III's team have told associates they are frustrated with the limited information Attorney General William Barr has provided about their nearly two-year investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and whether President Donald Trump sought to obstruct justice, according to people familiar with the matter. The displeasure among some who worked on the closely held inquiry has quietly begun to surface in the days since Barr released a four-page letter to Congress on March 24 describing what he said were the principal conclusions of Mueller's still-confidential, 400-page report. In his letter, Barr said that the special counsel did not establish a conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia. And he said that Mueller did not reach a conclusion "one way or the other" as to whether Trump's conduct in office constituted obstruction of justice. Absent that, Barr told lawmakers that he concluded the evidence was not sufficient to prove that the president obstructed justice. But members of Mueller's team have complained to close associates that the evidence they gathered on obstruction was alarming and significant. "It was much more acute than Barr suggested," said one person, who, like others, spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the subject's sensitivity. The New York Times first reported that some special counsel investigators feel that Barr did not adequately portray their findings. Some members of the office were particularly disappointed that Barr did not release summary information the special counsel team had prepared, according to two people familiar with their reactions. "There was immediate displeasure from the team when they saw how the attorney general had characterized their work instead," according one U.S. official briefed on the matter. Summaries were prepared for different sections of the report, with a view that they could made public, the official said. The report was prepared "so that the front matter from each section could have been released immediately - or very quickly," the official said. "It was done in a way that minimum redactions, if any, would have been necessary, and the work would have spoken for itself." Mueller's team assumed the information was going to be made available to the public, the official said, "and so they prepared their summaries to be shared in their own words - and not in the attorney general's summary of their work, as turned out to be the case." A spokeswoman for the Justice Department declined to comment. A spokesman for the special counsel did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Attorneys for the president did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In the wake of the limited information released by Barr, Trump declared that the Mueller report provided him with "complete and total exoneration." He has repeatedly called for an inquiry into how the investigation began in the first place. "There was no collusion with Russia," Trump said. "There was no obstruction." During nearly two years of work, Mueller's team - which included 19 lawyers and roughly 40 FBI agents, analysts and other professional staff - worked in near silence, speaking only rarely, through public documents filed in court. The fact that some have been confiding in recent days to associates is a sign of the level of their distress. Some members of Mueller's team appear caught off guard by how effectively the president has used Barr's letter to claim total victory, as the limited information about their work has been weaponized in the country's highly polarized political environment, according to people familiar with their responses. Their frustrations come as polls show many Americans have already drawn conclusions about the special counsel findings - even though only a handful of words from the report have so far been released. On Wednesday night, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, questioned why Barr did not release the special counsel's summary material. "It's been my assumption that a 400-page report has an executive summary already, and so of course it begged the question, 'Why did Barr feel the need to release his own summary?' " he said on MSNBC. "Why didn't he release a summary produced by Bob Mueller itself instead of trying to shape it through his own words?" It is not yet clear if Mueller's full investigative findings will be released publicly. Barr told Congress in a letter last week that the principal conclusions he described were not meant to be a summary of Mueller's investigation. He said he is aiming to submit a redacted version of the report to Congress by mid-April after removing classified and grand jury material, as well damaging information about peripheral players who were not charged with crimes. "Everyone will soon be able to read it on their own," Barr wrote. The House Judiciary Committee voted on Wednesday to authorize a subpoena for the entire report, as well as investigative materials, though Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., said he will wait to issue the demand until he sees what Barr makes public. Some Democrats have also indicated they wish to see Mueller testify to Congress, which would allow lawmakers to question him about Barr's letter. Barr said the special counsel's report is divided into two parts. The first pertains to the Russian effort to influence the 2016 election and documents crimes committed by Russians in that regard. The second addresses a number of actions by the president as potentially raising concerns about obstruction of justice, Barr said. He said that the special counsel's decision not to reach a legal conclusion on obstruction left it to him to determine whether Trump's conduct as described constituted a crime. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein "and I have concluded that the evidence developed . . . is not sufficient to establish" that the president committed obstruction of justice, he wrote in his letter to Congress. Democrats have questioned Barr's conclusion, noting that he wrote a 2018 memo that criticized Mueller's obstruction inquiry and argued that the president cannot be accused of obstruction for exercising his broad constitutional powers. The Washington Posts Devlin Barrett and Philip Rucker contributed to this report. President Donald Trump speaks during the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House, Thursday, April 4, 2019, in Washington. Read more WASHINGTON (AP) President Donald Trump is well on his way to raising the $1 billion his campaign believes it will take for him to win another term in the White House, building a fund-raising machine that will prove difficult for Democrats to match. Trumps bring-it-on fund-raising approach which will be on display during a stop in Los Angeles on Friday is a far cry from his stance in 2015, when the billionaire reality TV star and developer launched his first bid for president promising to use his own money to finance his campaign. Its also an indication of how he has made his political apparatus more professional for Round 2. For all presidents, incumbency has its advantages. Trump, who formalized his reelection effort the day after he took office, moved especially early to leverage his incumbency for 2020. As Trump brings in millions, his would-be opponents are scrambling to raise enough money to earn themselves a spot on the primary debate stages. And the Democratic National Committee remains in debt from previous campaigns. "Whoever the Democratic nominee is, they'll be depleted, and they'll have to start from zero well under zero, the DNC has a debt," said Michael Glassner, the Trump campaign's chief operating officer. He called Trump's decision to keep the campaign in operation during his first two years in office the "new model" for future presidents. Through the end of 2018, the last date for which figures are publicly available, the Trump campaign had brought in more than $129 million. President Barack Obama, by comparison, didnt even begin his 2012 reelection campaign until 2011. The Trump camp is scheduled to release its first quarter fund-raising results later this month, so far only teasing that the campaigns cash on hand this period will be far beyond the more than $19 million in the bank it reported at the end of 2018. The RNC, for its part, is promising to report a first quarter record for a nonpresidential year. Trump is traveling to Los Angeles on Friday to raise money for his campaign and the Republican National Committee. Dinner tickets run $15,000 or $50,000 for a photo with the president and $150,000 to participate in a roundtable with the president. The RNC says 170 people are expected to attend. Trumps fund-raising is divided between two entities: Trump Victory, the joint account used for high-dollar gifts, and Trump Make America Great Again Committee, the low-dollar digital fund-raising operation known internally as T-Magic. The campaign is set to launch a traditional bundling program which it lacked in 2016 in the coming weeks. Bundlers are mid-tier donors who bring in contributions from their associates. Republicans have trailed Democrats in online fund-raising ever since the medium was invented roughly two decades ago. But Trump has closed the gap, driving small-dollar donors who make recurring donations to the GOP like the party has never seen before. Its a phenomenon the party is moving quickly to try to take advantage of, as it prepares to roll out Patriot Pass, its competitor to the Democratic fund-raising website ActBlue. In 2015, Trump swore off outside funding, declaring in his opening speech: "I'm using my own money. I'm not using the lobbyists'. I'm not using donors'. I don't care. I'm really rich." He quickly reversed course on high-dollar donations after he won the GOP nomination, bowing to the financial pressures of running a general election campaign, and he'd already raised millions online through the sale of merchandise like his signature red Make America Great Again hats. Trump gave or loaned $66 million to his 2016 campaign and often flashed frustration if he felt his money wasnt being put to good use. Trump advisers and allies explained that the president, who largely kept out of the particulars of the campaigns field, data, and advertising efforts, didnt fully appreciate the need to raise heavily for his campaign and the RNC until his victory on election night. That secured his early buy-in for their more expensive 2020 plans, they said. Still, Trump hasn't put any money into the 2020 effort so far, and aides don't expect that to change. Since his inauguration, though, he's participated in 55 high-dollar donor events, according to the RNC. The campaign has benefited from continuous operation since 2015, said RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, giving fund-raisers time to integrate and fine-tune our operations. The timing also has allowed the campaign to continue prospecting for new donors and maintain its existing roster by fund-raising off big events such as the contentious Supreme Court nomination hearings for Brett Kavanaugh and passage of the tax reform bill. McDaniel said there have been more than 1.1 million new donors since Election Day, and 100,000 just in January. She added that there have been at least seven days with seven-figure small-dollar hauls so far this year. "The cohesive and coordinated effort between the campaign and the RNC is something that hasn't happened this seamlessly since at least Bush '04," said RNC senior adviser Katie Walsh, a former deputy chief of staff at the White House. Trump plans to continue his fund-raising push in Texas next week, with stops in San Antonio and Houston. Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale has predicted the campaign will spend $1 billion in 2020, about three times what it spent electing Trump in 2016. Comparing Trumps 2016 and 2020 fund-raising efforts, GOP fund-raiser and Trump donor Dan Eberhart said it was completely different this time. The oil industry executive noted that Trump was on the outside last time, competing with a host of candidates, whereas this time the vast, vast majority of Republican donors are rowing in the same direction. Its understood we either win with him or we wont win, Eberhart said. Nearly everyone is on board. In this April 7, 2017, file photo, U.S. President Donald Trump, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping walk together at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla. Read more WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump is likely to announce this afternoon plans for a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping intended to mark an end to the two nations' year-long trade conflict. "There is indeed a lot of progress being made and indications there could be a summit meeting in the near future," said Myron Brilliant, executive vice president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. "Both sides are working hard to wrap up the talks as soon as possible." Trump is scheduled to meet in the Oval Office at 4:30 p.m. with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, who leads Beijing's negotiating team. Brilliant, who has spoken with officials involved in the talks, said several issues remain unresolved and the president is not expected to announce terms of a final deal Thursday. It remains unclear whether the U.S. will cancel some or all of the tariffs the president imposed last year on more than $250 billion worth of Chinese imports. The president has spoken of keeping at least some tariffs in place as leverage to encourage the Chinese government to comply with an eventual agreement. China is pushing for the tariffs to be removed before it will agree to lift its retaliatory tariffs on U.S. farm products and industrial goods including autos. Also unclear is whether China will agree to the administration's demand for an enforcement mechanism allowing the U.S. to re-impose tariffs if it believes China is not fulfilling its obligations. Though Trump has been pushing for the Chinese leader to travel to the U.S. to sign a trade deal, the Chinese leader is unlikely to do so unless the agreement is 100 percent complete. If the two leaders decide to haggle in person over any final details, a third-country venue is more likely. Mayor Jim Kenney on Thursday unveiled steps that his administration and City Council plan to take to better protect some of Philadelphias oldest and most interesting buildings, nearly two years after convening a task force to study historic preservation. Surrounded by Councilman Mark Squilla, preservation leaders, and task force members, Kenney explained wide-ranging regulatory changes that his administration plans to make to bolster preservation, while Squilla announced that he would introduce legislation to incentivize preservation-minded development. Among the citys most significant plans: establishing a citywide survey to document Philadelphias historic properties, creating an index of non-historically designated buildings that cannot be demolished until there is a review, and introducing a zoning bonus for developers who contribute to a new Historic Preservation Fund. These actions will help preserve what makes Philadelphia unique our historic assets, Kenney said at the news conference. ... Whether you live in Germantown, Frankford, Girard Estates, or in almost any neighborhood in our city, you are surrounded by history from buildings to parks. We need to appreciate and preserve that. The announcement in City Hall comes a few months after Kenneys 33-person historic preservation task force delivered its draft report for public comment. Over the course of nearly two years, the diverse group which included fierce preservationists and pro-development representatives studied and argued about the best preservation practices. Many of the changes that Kenney and officials announced came from the task forces December report, which culminated after 15 meetings, including 11 open to the public. A final version of that report was issued Thursday. The task force was often criticized for moving too slowly and for reported infighting the groups chairman, Harris Steinberg, said Thursday that the task forces views did not always align especially as a number of prominent historic buildings continued to fall. Philadelphia demolitions hit a record high in 2018, PlanPhilly reported, though many were not historic. Still, high-profile examples of demolition of historic buildings abound, including the 19th-century Christ Memorial Reformed Episcopal Church in West Philadelphia, which was recently purchased by Alterra Property Group, cofounded by Leo Addimando, a member of the preservation task force. Representatives from another church, one in South Philadelphia with ties to Frank Furness, recently applied for a demolition permit as well. Thursdays announcement marks a delivery from Kenney on a 2015 campaign talking point just weeks ahead of the May 21 primary, in which Kenney faces two Democratic challengers. Four years ago, Kenney spoke about bolstering the citys historic preservation efforts, including having a better roster of our significant buildings, he told PlanPhilly in 2015. Kenney later increased the Historical Commissions budget by $96,000, allowing it to hire two more staffers. He also has spoken out against developments that he opposed, including Toll Brothers plans to build a condo tower on Jewelers Row, which in 2016 he called deeply disturbing. Still, Toll and other developers have tried to push forward with demolition plans, and Philadelphia lost a number of properties including the Christian Street Baptist Church in Bella Vista, the Society Hill Playhouse, and Mount Sinai Hospital in recent years. According to the final report issued by the task force, just 2.2 percent of Philadelphias buildings are listed on the citys historic register, compared with an average among 50 cities of 4.3 percent. The success of Kenneys preservation initiatives will largely hinge on how quickly his administration and City Council can work and how they can find the funding to do it. At the news conference, officials said the timelines for some initiatives are still being worked out, including the idea to create an index of potentially historic properties that would be automatically flagged for review when a demolition permit is requested. Everyone knows the property in their neighborhood that they think is threatened, said Dominique Hawkins, a preservation architect and vice chair of the task force. So what the intent will be is to assemble this list of properties that merit historic preservation on their face. Squilla said the city chose to focus on priorities that we thought we could get through quickly and easily and less controversially than others that may give us some hiccups and get people against the idea. The last thing we want to do is get an uproar of opposition, Squilla said. And so we thought if we could get some of these early wins in, we could build some momentum to then go after the tougher ones. He added that some of the priorities are still not going to be easy. The task forces report highlights many challenges, from disconnected city agencies to a lack of staffing to outdated databases. According to the reports summary, historic resource information is kept in paper files or in a limited electronic database, meaning there is no current digital inventory management system to collect, track, and maintain historic resource data. That scattered record-keeping has been problematic amid the citys heightened development boom, which has been exacerbated by both Philadelphias resurgence and a 10-year tax abatement on new properties and building improvements. Some observers hoped the city would address the possibility of a tax-abatement program geared toward historic preservation. However, the report does not recommend changing the current abatement. Still, Kenneys plan does include historic preservation incentives for developers, which Squilla will introduce to City Council. In addition to introducing zoning bonus legislation, he plans to introduce a bill that would reduce parking requirements for historic buildings that are redeveloped and preserved. Another bill would increase the ability for developers to redevelop properties by right meaning under their current zoning designation if they are special purpose historic buildings such as churches and schools. According to the task forces report, this would help with the redevelopment of properties including churches and theaters, which tend to be more difficult to adapt. In addition, Squilla, who represents the citys First District, which includes Old City, plans to introduce a bill that would create two new types of historic districts for neighborhoods. The report recommended that one district would be more flexible than current historic districts, with a less rigorous demolition review process. This, according to Paul Steinke, executive director of the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia, could assist "middle neighborhoods, which may want to see properties preserved, including their own homes, without having stricter regulations attached. The task forces report does address incentives for individual property owners, too, though many were not discussed at the Thursday news conference. The report, for example, recommends implementing a property assessment formula that recognizes the impact of historic preservation. Historic designation places restrictions on a property, and the presence or absence of a restriction is a property characteristic in the same way the presence or absence of a garage is a property characteristic, the report stated. Kenneys priorities also include better honoring the citys archaeological artifacts and improving the predictability and transparency in the historic designation process. To do that, officials said, the city hopes to post clearer guidelines so that residents can better understand what is required to nominate a property. I think a lot of people were concerned at the outset that it had a pretty long timeline, but its over, so lets digest the recommendations and get started, Steinke said after the announcement. Would it have been better to get started a year ago? Sure. But to coalesce all these different points of view and to incorporate all their input does take time. Aerial view of Ridgetop Orchards in Schellsburg, Pa. A mysterious disease is killing off apple trees in Pennsylvania, and others areas of the eastern United States. Read more Mark Boyer describes his home in Schellsburg, Pa., as in the middle of nowhere, up in Appalachian country with a commanding view of Chestnut Ridges 1,700-foot crest. But at ground level, he sees something less majestic: Apple trees at his familys Ridgetop Orchards have been dying for several years, and he has no idea whats causing it or how to stop it. "We asked ourselves: Are we going to lose more trees? Whats going on? Is this a by-product of something were doing? Chemical? Cultural? It was just a big mystery, Boyer said. Ridgetops 500 acres are perched on an elevation ranging from 1,300 to 1,700 feet, which the family says is ideal for growing cherries, peaches, and apples. But so far, theyve lost about 17 acres of apple trees at a cost of about $17,000 an acre to the mysterious blight. The disease began attacking apple trees in Pennsylvania and the Northeastern U.S. about six years ago and still baffles those trying to stop it. Pennsylvania produces about 528 million pounds of apples a year, the fourth largest of any state, so any threat to the crop is taken seriously. There is growing concern as a cause remains elusive. No one has a handle on how many trees it has killed or if the blight will end on its own. Kari Peter, an assistant research professor in tree fruit pathology with Pennsylvania State University, was one of the first to sound an alarm after observing in 2013 whats now called Rapid Apple Decline. Peter works out of the universitys fruit research and extension center in Biglerville, Adams County, home of the National Apple Museum. She noticed a three-acre block of apple trees used for research had suddenly started to die without signs of pests or an obvious known disease. The trees were dying left and right and it didnt seem to have any rhyme or reason, Peter said. The trees continued to die the following year too. Nothing worked. She tried a variety of measures to save the trees, including applications of chemicals. Still, they died. So she reached out to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture for help. Everyone has theories, Peter said of the cause. In 2016, Peter attended a regional meeting of scientists where she learned growers in other states were experiencing the same blight. All agreed the blight seemed to be attacking a particular root stock of dwarf trees, which are widely grown because they are more compact and yield fruit more quickly. Commonly, problems with the trees seemed to start at the graft. Most apple trees grown to produce marketable fruit start as two pieces: the rootstock, which defines the size of the tree, and the scion, a variety such as Fuji, Honey Crisp, or Gala that gets grafted on. In Pennsylvania, the issue usually occurs on Malling 9 rootstock, widely known as M.9, Peter said. The problem has been identified on similar rootstock in New York, North Carolina, and New Jersey. The rootstock remains healthy, but the disease attacks the trunk of the tree. Leaves begin to turn yellow, then red. Within weeks, a tree can die and collapse, loaded with fruit. To address the problem, Penn State joined forces with multiple universities that work with fruit growers in the Northeast. Last month, a Cornell-led research team published a paper in the journal PLOS ONE that cited work by Peter and noted the unusual decline and collapse of young established trees known as rapid apple decline has become a major concern for apple growers, particularly in the northeastern United States. The paper dug into speculation about whats causing the die-off, including wild weather swings, soil composition, pathogens, or insects. The authors said more research was needed to reach a conclusion. Among the most embraced hypothesis: a weather anomaly that began in December 2014 as an exceptionally cold winter, followed by heavy rains, then a severe drought in 2016 during the apple growing season. The belief is that the swings impacted the grafts, which made them more susceptible to cold or pests or disease. In March, Science Magazine reported that up to 80 percent of orchards in North Carolina have shown suspicious symptoms. Trees in Canada have been particularly hard hit after mild winters. I dont believe there is a real straightforward answer, Peter said. There could be so many factors: environmental, biological, or a combination of factors that is leading to the decline. Peter, who said more than 20 percent of the universitys trees in Biglerville have died, doesnt rule out climate change as a contributor, but nor does she endorse it as a possibility. Currently, shes focused on a newly described virus as a potential cause. Shannon Powers, a spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, said a virologist has been assigned to work with Peter. Its a priority for us because of its potential threat, Powers said. Its having a significant impact on orchard owners, but weve had a hard time getting our arms around quantifying the loss. Boyer, the grower with Ridgetop Orchards, wonders if the problem stems from farmers trying to keep up with the high demand for Fuji, Gala, Honey Crisp and other apple varieties. Where growers once planted 300 trees to an acre, some are now planting 1,200, he said. So, if one rootstock is diseased, it can have an outsize impact. Boyer also wonders if the M.9 might have developed a weakness. Hes experimenting with a new planting of 30,000 apple trees from a variety of stock and nurseries. Instead of using one type of root series and one type of nursery, Im spreading it all around," Boyer said. If I only lose 5,000 trees, then its a more manageable risk. NEW ORLEANS, April 03, 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: Diplomat Pharmacy, Inc. (NYSE: DPLO) Class Period: 2/26/2018 - 2/21/2019 Lead Plaintiff Motion Deadline: April 25, 2019 SECURITIES FRAUD To learn more, visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-dplo/ . Maiden Holdings, Ltd. (MHLD) Class Period: 3/4/2014 - 11/9/2018 Lead Plaintiff Motion Deadline: April 12, 2019 SECURITIES FRAUD To learn more, visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nasdaqgs-mhld/ . 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/ . 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/ 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: Gracie Keiter knows competition! The Burns Jr./Sr. High School junior, who has participated in 4-H for eight years was recently selected as one of the Laramie County Fair Ambassadors. Keiter has also been a member of the Burns FFA chapter for five years where she have served as the chapter Secretary in 2017-2018, and currently, the Vice President. In school, she is an active member in the Future Business Leaders of America chapter, a huddle leader for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes organization, and is a three-time varsity letter holder on the cross-country team. Keiter is the youngest daughter of Dave and Lisa Keiter. She has been raised on family's ranch by Hillsdale, Wyoming. "Gracie has been on the ranch, involved in all the ranching activities such as branding, feeding and the raising of calves since she could walk." said her dad, Dave Keiter. The Keiters have six children, two boys and four girls. "Gracie is our baby girl and we are so very proud of her, accomplishments and her drive." stated mom, Lisa Keiter. Keiter was inspired by past ambassadors, and what the program has taught them as well as offered them, to apply to the ambassador program. "It was a long process, and many steps were involved to make it." said Keiter. "First you had to do the application, and all applicants will be required to prepare a typed cover letter, resume, 1000 words or less essay, and a letter of recommendation. Each applicant will receive a letter from the Fair Office after applications have been judged. Only chosen applicants will go through an interview process." stated Keiter. "The lessons in leadership and communication is an opportunity I now have through the program." she added. Continuing her activites with FFA and 4H have taught her leadership and communication skills. As an ambassador, Keiter must be in school in the Laramie County, as well as residency, plus planning to show in the 2019 Laramie County Fair, or previously shown. Her duties began on March 4, and will end December 31, 2019. Keiter's goals for after high school, attending a university and later, enroll in a physician's assistant course. "We are so proud of her and the decisions she had made." said mom and dad Keiter. Mrs. Theobald's third grade class jump started Monday's town council meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance. Fresh faced and eager, 17 students sat in rapt attention as the bimonthly meeting took place. As part of the third grade government requirement the class was able to watch the council in action, and ask questions of Mayor Alan Curtis and the other council members one student even inquiring about the minimum age requirement to run for a seat on the council. Maybe the council will see a new face after this terms election. Mrs. Theobald stated that, "While learning about our community government the students set up a mock community in the classroom. Seeing the council in action gives the students an idea of what the government looks like." A moment of levity during the proceedings was given by another student asking, "What does the city attorney actually do?" Students were quiet and attentive, they offered insightful questions, and were a welcome addition to the meeting. After several snags and setbacks April will finally see the move of the municipal offices to their new building. Movers will begin taking furniture items on the ninth of April in what will hopefully be a smooth transition process. Kim Patterson reiterated that there will be no interruption of services during this time, nor will the city offices be closed at any point during the move. Community members will be able to find services open at either one building or the other during the entire process. Spring cleaning is coming to town. Anyone interested in the annual cleanup will need to mark their calendars for the week of April 29th. Townspeople are encouraged to bring their items to the burn pile. If you have large items, or are unable to move your items, please call the municipal building and the volunteer team will be more than happy to come and get those things for you. We would like to encourage everyone to participate in this years clean up. Council members would like to see a marked difference by spring graduation. In accordance with the founding fathers and the great democracy that is America, the special election for two city council seats will be held May seventh. The deadline for applications for those wanting to run for either of these seats was April 2nd at 4:00. So far the list of candidates is short, running for reelection: Michael "Bubba" Ragsdale, and Thomas Mohren. After much thought and consideration community members concerned about the safety of the intersection of 4th and Maple will not need to worry much longer as there will be a new stop sign installed as soon as the weather permits. Mayor Curtis reiterated that while it is never the councils desire to inhibit the movement of the people of Pine Bluffs, the intersection had been proven to be problematic for the community. According to Chief Trout, Pine Bluffs Police Department this is a troubled intersection. "This particular intersection has the most accidents in the city limits. It is the most reoccurring spot in town, not counting out by the interstate and gas stations area." Graduating students who applied for scholarships, your odds just got better as the council voted unanimously to award two $500 scholarships this year rather than the usual one. An excess in the towns funds have allowed the council to be able to offer an extra scholarship opportunity for another lucky student. Applicants that have won scholarships will know by next council meeting, April 15, 2019. For those that plan on attending, the quarterly council meeting it will be held in Albin on April 10, 2019, CHEYENNE, Wyo.- The Cowboy State anointed its new National Guard top commander on Thursday, March 28. The appointment comes at a time when the organization has seen an uptick in deployments since the beginning of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan nearly 20 years ago, while continuing to meet domestic demands. Maj. Gen. Gregory C. Porter succeeded Maj. Gen. K. Luke Reiner as adjutant general during the Wyoming National Guard's change of command ceremony at the Red Lion Inn Hotel, in Cheyenne. This year, the state will deploy several units this spring and summer, including its largest the 2/300th Field Artillery Brigade with more than 200 soldiers in July. Other elements include a fixed wing detachment and infantry. Reiner retired after 36 years of military service, and said of his tenure: "This has been an amazing eight years marked by growth and change, I am proud to have served as Wyoming's adjutant general. I am confident the Wyoming Military Department will continue to make great strides under General Porter's leadership." Reiner served as Wyoming's adjutant general since April 1, 2011, and was picked last month by Gordon to head the state's Department of Transportation as its director. Porter became the 27th adjutant general for the state during the transfer of authority, and most recently served as the director of the joint staff at the Joint Force Headquarters. He assumes responsibility of more than 3,000 Army and Air National Guard members. He will oversee day-to-day operations of several departments, which includes more than 40 units. Gordon presided over the event, which came between ceremonies for Porter's promotion to major general and Reiner's retirement. The 28th Chief of the National Guard Bureau Gen. Joseph Lengyel also spoke as a guest of honor. Gordon said to Porter, "There were a number of dignified, properly trained and talented individuals who were stepping forward to assume this position, and that you were by far the quality of that group, that says a lot because that was an amazing group." Lengyel addressed the new commander, saying "Congratulations to team Porter. You're in good hands, you have big shoes to fill. I want to thank (Maj. Gen. Porter) for the work he's already done." He added, that being a TAG is "like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get," then wished Porter, "a long and boring tenure." After Porter raised his right hand to take the oath of his new office, he shared four primary strategic imperatives for the Wyoming Military Department. "I have a vision for the Wyoming Military Department and it is this," Porter said. "We are the sword and shield for our state and nation. As the sword we are lethal and professional, as the shield we are responsive and add value to our communities. I believe with the great men and women of our department, we will ensure the safety of our residents and sustain the freedoms our forefathers and those who have protected this country before us fought so hard to earn." Born in Riverton, Wyoming, Victoria Belle Smithey nee Osborne made her debut into this world on May 2, 1970. She is the oldest of three girls born to Fred and Vickie Osborne. Smithey graduated from Kelly Walsh High School in Casper, in 1988. She made a couple attempts at college, and finally decided what she needed was the military. She comes from a military background, with her father and grandfather both serving in the United States Army. Upon her decision to enter the military, Smithey found herself looking more towards the United States Navy instead of following in her father and grandfathers boots of the Army. "I was looking for structure, a direction to go in as college was not giving me the discipline and confidence I so needed." Smithey stated. "August of 1992, my life changed." she said. "I found myself doing things I never thought I would do and my goals in life changed." Smithey added. One of the differences in the military branches that hit home for Smithey was the basic training period was shorter and a different type of physical training was geared to her choosing. "I really thought I couldn't have handled the physical demand of the other branches, but later found out I could have done any of them." she admitted. Smithey loves the water, the ocean and the Navy put her close to that love. After basic training, she was assigned to Submarine Squadron 4; Mobile Mine Unit 11; and then Station Closure Squadron. She was assigned to the USS Frank Cable AS40, a support and logistics ship for submarines. During her four years in the Navy, Smithey would see places such as: the Middle East, Jamaica, the Virgin Islands, Halifax, Canada, and the Bahamas. Her rank at the time of her discharge was Petty Officer 2nd Class. "With the discipline and structure I learned in the Navy, enrolling in the University of Southern Illinois at Edwardsville seemed like the best thing I could do for my future." she stated. She would graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education. She was a member of the Phi Eta Sigma Honors Society. Upon graduating in May of 2000, Smithey would accept a teaching job in August in Columbus, Georgia. "My first teaching job was teaching fifth graders language arts, science and reading." she said. After teaching for a year, her husband, who was in the United States Army, was stationed at Watertown, New York. Smithey found a teaching position with the Endeavor Program teaching alternative high school english, music history, creative writing/journalism, social studies and spanish.. It would keep her in New York for four years. Penny Merryfield/Pine Bluffs Post Pine Bluffs Post new reporter - Victoria Smithey. Smithey returned home to Casper,Wyoming where she would teach pre-kindergarten and head start. "Teaching the very young was not my dream and when the position came open in Midwest, Wyoming, I jumped ship and returned to teaching 6, 8, 10 and 11th graders English and RTI (response to intervention) reading." she said. A transfer came and Smithey would find herself far away from home again. This time in Tennessee. She made the move as a substitute teacher, and then full time as a teacher in a prison teaching inmates adult education to obtain their GED. "The drawn to come back home to Wyoming was strong. My husband's mother is in Pine Bluffs and in February we decided to move home permanently to Wyoming." she said. "I served in the military, the education system and now the news." Smithey said with a smile. Welcome to the Pine Bluffs Post and thank you for serving. Many people stopped in to "Welcome Home" local Vietnam Veterans at the Donald Eisenhauer American Legion Post 60 home. The celebration of our Vietnam Veterans was hosted by the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 60 of Pine Bluffs. Courtesy Photos John Culek, Vietnam Veteran is welcomed home by Auxiliary Unit 60 President Diane Wise As each Vietnam Veteran entered the Post, they were greeted with a handshake, a gift and a hug. A long overdue event that touched the hearts of many Vietnam Veterans. The event was open to all Veterans, but was in celebration of the Vietnam Veterans. Many of these Veterans came home without a welcome and while it is years later, we greet and serve the Veterans with refreshments, gifts and a lot of good conversation. Welcome home were Vietnam Veterans, Lewis Laboray, Stephen Peiffer, Howard "Chuck" Chaires, John Culek, Dalton Fuller, Jack Bowman, and Michael Votruba. representing many of the branches of the military. Commander of the Donald Eisenhauer American Legion Post 60, JohnWise presented letters from President Trump and Senator John Barrasso welcoming all home from Vietnam. English German SIKA EXPANDS PRODUCTION CAPACITIES IN EGYPT Sika is developing its mortar plant in Alexandria, Egypt, and investing in additional production lines. This expansion will bring its capacities into line with the rising demand from the booming construction market. Egypt has one of the largest populations of all the countries in the region, with some 100 million inhabitants and a thriving construction industry. Egypt's construction industry is growing at an extremely fast pace. The primary factors driving demand for construction materials are major projects in the emerging megacities, like the new capital city east of Cairo, the new Alamein City west of Alexandria, and many other building projects in the Cairo and Alexandria metropolitan areas. Sika will use its additional production capacities to harness this growth in the market and further reinforce its leadership position in mortar products. Ivo Schadler, Regional Manager EMEA: "We are delivering excellent growth rates in Egypt and have doubled our production capacities for mortars. This is a key competitive advantage in a market, such as Egypt, that is expanding at such a fast pace. We have laid a foundation for growth that outstrips the market, thus positioning ourselves as a strong partner of high-performance products for the construction industry." VAST INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS With its rapidly growing population Egypt has enormous requirements in terms of living space as well as transportation and energy infrastructures. On top of this, a high level of investment is being channeled into the expansion of tourism infrastructure. According to forecasts, the construction industry is expected to grow by just under 11% this year, with an average growth rate of over 10% until 2023. CONTACT Dominik Slappnig Corporate Communications & Investor Relations +41 58 436 68 21 slappnig.dominik@ch.sika.com SIKA CORPORATE PROFILE Sika is a specialty chemicals company with a leading position in the development and production of systems and products for bonding, sealing, damping, reinforcing, and protecting in the building sector and motor vehicle industry. Sika has subsidiaries in 101 countries around the world and manufactures in over 200 factories. Its more than 20,000 employees generated annual sales of CHF 7.09 billion in 2018. The media release can be downloaded from the following link: Attachment Floyd Dean Cox, 70, of Cheyenne, Wyoming passed away Thursday, March 28, 2019 at the VA Medical Center in Cheyenne. Floyd was born November 27, 1948 in Ft. Collins, Colorado, a son of the late Lawrence and Freida (Rennecker) Cox. Floyd served in the United States Army as a Green Beret where he taught paratroopers in Panama during the Vietnam War. Following his honorable discharge, he attended North Eastern Junior College in Sterling, Colorado where he enjoyed bareback and bull riding. It was at college where he met his wife, Jeanne Hockersmith and they married December 16, 1972 in Pine Bluffs. They moved to Wellington where he worked in construction and they later moved back to Pine Bluffs and he worked for Jack Hockersmith. He started his own trucking company and operated the business for nine years and following his wife's death, he moved to Cheyenne and served as a CDL instructor for SAGE. Floyd enjoyed the outdoors, particularly fishing, camping and roping with his sons. He will be remembered as a loving husband, father, grandfather and friend. Floyd is survived by his three sons, Cody (Joeleen) Cox of Billings, MT, Curtis (Kelsey) Cox of Manzanola, CO, and Clayton Cox of Pine Bluffs; two siblings, Larry and Susan; six grandchildren, Cora, Coy, Cameron, Jace, Dylan and Dalton; and his fiancee, Kathy. He is preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Jeanne Cox on September 9, 1999, and sister, Barbara. A visitation will be held on Thursday, April 4, 2019, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Schrader, Aragon and Jacoby Funeral Home. A memory service will be celebrated on Friday, April 5th at 10:00 a.m. at the Historic High School in Pine Bluffs with interment to follow in the Pine Bluffs Cemetery. Condolences may be offered to the family on-line at http://www.schradercares.com. 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For inquiries, you may contact me here . Thank you very much! The first of four days of the Patrik Antonius Poker Challenge Main Event has wrapped up after eight levels of 60 minutes each. A total of 128 players showed up for the only starting day of the 1,500 buy-in tournament and about half the field made it through to Day 2. Leading the way is Dragos Trofimov, who became the only player to spin his 30,000 starting stack up to over 200k. The Moldovan pro bagged 220,700 and distanced himself already from the pack, as nearest challenger Ville Jantunen will be back with 158,000. Kasper Mellanen (152,300), Hassan Sey (142,600), and Joris Ruijs (132,200) rounded out the top 5. Plenty of notables showed up, including Antonius' friends such as David "Chino" Rheem (91,300), Robert Mizrachi (83,200), and Noah Boeken (25,900). Antonius himself was kept occupied by a sick 100/100 PLO cash game with a 200 big blind ante that was live streamed throughout the night. It was one of those rare games that will likely have tons of crazy hands spreading across poker twitter in the upcoming days. As could be expected with a game including catalysts such as Ilari "Ziigmund" Sahamies, Sampo Ryynanen, and Joni Jouhkimanen, action was kicked into high gear soon enough with the alcohol flowing freely. At the moment of writing, Dan "Jungleman" Cates is the big winner with a stack of over 150,000, coming off a 30K starting stack. On Friday, a 100/200 No Limit Hold'em cash game will be live streamed as well from the Olympic Park Casino in Tallinn. While the Main Event kicked off today, it was a sick 100/100/200 PLO Cash game that captured the attention. Pictured: Dan \"Jungleman\" Cates, one of the big winners at the moment of writing. The second day of the Main Event will commence at noon, and players will have one more level of 60 minutes before late registration is closed. The total prize pool and payouts will be announced by then. Friday will also feature a player's party as well as the official launch of the anticipated First Land of Poker (FLOP) app. The seat draw for the second day can be found here. Keep following along with PokerNews for more exciting action out of Tallinn as the Patrik Antonius Poker Challenge rolls on. 6k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Rep. Dan Kildee (D-MI) explained that the Trump administration would have no say over blocking the release of the presidents tax returns because Democrats addressed the letter to the IRS, not the Treasury Department. Rep. Kildee said on MSNBCs All In with Chris Hayes, Its not up to the Treasury Secretary. Its up to the commissioner of the IRS. Thats who the letter was addressed to. When Secretary Mnuchin was before the committee, he said the same thing. The commissioner of the IRS will follow the law. Thats our expectation that he will follow the law of the United States and deliver the returns that had been requested. Video: Rep. Dan Kildee (D-MI) explained that the Trump administration would have no say over blocking the release of the presidents tax returns because Democrats addressed the letter to the IRS, not the Treasury Department. https://t.co/5naoOVY4LY pic.twitter.com/jG4MoU6905 Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) April 4, 2019 By not blanket requesting all of Trumps tax returns, but only seeking returns for the years when Trump claims that he is being audited, Democrats used Trumps own excuse for not turning over the returns against him. Democrats are investigating, not Donald Trump, but whether or not tax law is being appropriately applied to the President Of The United States. It is a clever strategy that is based on public policy but has the practical impact of getting Trumps tax returns into the hands of members of Congress for examination. The White House is in way over its head in dealing with this Democratic House. The Democrats are running circles around the president and turning his entire presidency into a waking oversight nightmare. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook 836 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Investigators who worked on the Mueller investigation are talking and confirming suspicions that William Barr misled on the damaging info for Trump in the Mueller report. The New York Times reported: Some of Robert S. Mueller IIIs investigators have told associates that Attorney General William P. Barr failed to adequately portray the findings of their inquiry and that they were more troubling for President Trump than Mr. Barr indicated, according to government officials and others familiar with their simmering frustrations. . The officials and others interviewed declined to flesh out why some of the special counsels investigators viewed their findings as potentially more damaging for the president than Mr. Barr explained, although the report is believed to examine Mr. Trumps efforts to thwart the investigation. It was unclear how much discussion Mr. Mueller and his investigators had with senior Justice Department officials about how their findings would be made public. It was also unclear how widespread the vexation is among the special counsel team, which included 19 lawyers, about 40 F.B.I. agents and other personnel. What Barr and Trump are hiding from Congress is evidence of obstruction of justice It was only a matter of time before those associated with the Mueller investigation grew so frustrated with the White Houses spin and stall that they began talking. The path to presidential impeachment runs through obstruction of justice, and that is the one part of the Barr memo where the attorney general stepped in and cleared Trump on his own. The White House is trying to prevent Congress from getting evidence in the Mueller report that could lead to Trump impeachment. The Congressional part of this investigation may turn on presidential abuses of power and obstruction of justice. Trump brought all of this on himself by refusing to release the report and then running around screaming total exoneration. The Mueller people are beginning to talk, and what they are saying is all bad news for Trump. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook 1.6k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard The House Ways and Means Committee has requested Donald Trumps tax returns from 2013 through 2018 from the IRS. Here is the letter from Ways and Means Committee chairman Rep. Richard Neal to the IRS: The Department of the Treasury has already stated that they are going to fight any request for Trumps tax returns. It is interesting that the Ways and Means Committee is specifically interested in the years when Trump was considering a run for president, through his presidential campaign, and his presidency. Trumps tax returns are at the heart of questions surrounding his relationships with foreign governments, and if the president has been compromised by a foreign government. There is also the issue of whether Trump is using the presidency for profit, and any conflicts of interest that are impacting US policy. The Treasury will refuse to turn over the returns. The Ways and Means committee will have to issue a subpoena, and this is a matter that will be decided in court. Rep. Neal has smartly focused his request on whether the IRS is conducting the audit appropriately, which means that it likely to survive any legal challenge. None of this would have been possible without Democrats taking back the House. The blue wave and the millions of voters who flipped the House made this moment possible. Democrats are likely to also win in court and get Trumps tax returns. All of Donald Trumps secrets are going to be revealed, and the timing looks like the bombs may drop on Trump during his reelection campaign. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook 1.9k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard The House Ways and Means Committee has given the IRS exactly one week to turn over Trumps personal and business tax returns. Rep. Neal had some great reasoning for requesting the exact returns that he did, Under the Internal Revenue Manual, individual income tax returns of a President are subject to mandatory examination, but this practice is IRS policy and not codified in the Federal tax laws. It is necessary for the committee to determine the scope of any such examination and whether it includes a review of underlying business activities required to be reported on the individual income tax return. Here is the page of Neals letter to the IRS requesting Trumps tax returns in a week: Other members of Ways and Means applauded their chairman. Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) said, Chairman Neal exercised his authority as part of the Ways and Means Committees legitimate legislative and oversight function to carry out federal tax law and see the presidents tax information. The history of dishonesty coming from this administration casts some doubt over the legitimacy of his business activity. His refusal to disclose his returns flies in the face of decades of precedent, and given Trumps extensive network of foreign and domestic business dealings, more financial transparency is needednot less. In the best interest of our democracy, the American people deserve to see the returns. Trumps nightmare has come to life Trump has been hiding his tax returns for years, but that is all coming to an end, as Democrats are launching an oversight assault on this president that is working double time to make up for the oversight that Republicans neglected to do when they were in the House majority. The IRS has one week to produce the returns to the committee. The White House is expected to fight this request, but Rep. Neal does have the legal authority and his reason for requesting the returns is based on solid policy grounds. Everything that Trump has always been afraid of his happening at once. This is a landslide of doom that is poised to bury Trump. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook By Ginger Gibson WASHINGTON (Reuters) U.S. Democratic presidential hopeful Beto ORourke raised $9.4 million in the first 18 days of his bid for the presidency, his campaign announced on Wednesday. ORourke, the former congressman from Texas whose unsuccessful Senate run in 2018 garnered him national attention, collected 218,000 separate contributions, his campaign said in a statement. The average donation was $43, his campaign said. Like most of his Democratic rivals, ORourke is refusing campaign donations from corporate political action groups or lobbyists. Of the money he did raise, 99 percent came from online solicitations, ORourkes campaign said. Candidates are required by law to track and report all campaign donations. Donations collected between Jan. 1 and March 31 must be disclosed by April 15. Candidates are limited to collecting $2,800 from a single donor during the primary process. ORourkes first-quarter haul lags behind some of his other Democratic rivals who announced their candidacies earlier in the year and therefore had more time to raise funds. ORourke launched his campaign on March 14. U.S. Senator Kamala Harris of California, who launched her campaign in late January, raised $12 million in the first quarter. U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who began his campaign in late February, raised $18.2 million. With such a crowded field more than 15 Democrats have announced they are running fundraising abilities have become an early way to prove to donors and potential supporters that a candidate is viable. Additionally, the Democratic National Committee has said a candidate must have raised money from 65,000 different donors in order to qualify for the first debate to be held on June 26 and 27. (Reporting by Ginger Gibson; Editing by Susan Thomas) 2.3k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Thanks to his Attorney General and a complicit media, last week Donald Trump thought he was winning. It appeared that he was getting away with falsely claiming he had been exonerated by Bob Mueller. Then he started seeking revenge against everyone, and vowed to investigate Democrats, the FBI and anyone else he could think of. But that was last week, and this week has told a different story. In fact, yesterday was definitely one of the worst days Donald Trump has ever had. Here is a brief summary of what came down yesterday, all of which may have the cumulative effect of bring down the Trump presidency: Donald Trump is now being attacked from every direction, and it is likely that his presidency will not survive these attacks. It is clear that his attempt to bury the Mueller report has failed, so the report and its underlying evidence will eventually come out. Soon we will find out what hes been so desperately hiding in his tax returns. Well soon discover what caused Trumps top advisers and family members to be rejected for security clearances. Well also find out how he has let spies into Mar-a-Lago, and continually threatened U.S. national security. For Donald Trump, the bad news keeps on coming. The Southern District of New York may soon issue more indictments against him, his family, and his business. The Attorney General of New York may do the same thing, and she even has the power to destroy Trumps entire business. Yesterday was just one awful, horrible, very bad day for Donald Trump. We are sure, however, that there are many more very bad days still to come for the man who is destined to go down in history as the worst ever President of the United States. 1k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard An angry and defensive Judge Andrew Napolitano (Chief Legal Analyst for Fox News) made an appearance on television this morning strongly criticizing Congressional Democrats for requesting President Donald Trumps tax returns. But he also said that Trumps claims that his returns are under audit by the IRS are no defense against complying with the request, made under the authority of a little-used law passed in 1924. Trump Being Under Audit Would Not Be a Defense Against House Tax Return Requesthttps://t.co/XUHCsznQC0 Judge Napolitano (@Judgenap) April 4, 2019 The official request, made by Rep. Richard Neal of Massachusetts, the chairman of the House Means and Ways Committee, gave Trump until April 10 to produce the tax returns requested. Napolitano pointed out that Trump said, when asked about the Democrats request by reporters, that he would not be able to comply because they are being audited by the IRS. Even if that is true (and it may not be) the former judge made perfectly clear that it would NOT give the president a legal excuse for failing to comply with the law. I dont know what the argument can be. I understand the president is under an audit. Thats private. If he is under audit he knows it the public doesnt know it, that would not be a defense, Napolitano said on Fox & Friends, and then added: Im sure this is going to end up in the court because Mnuchin is not going to release it voluntarily. Even though the statute states the Secretary of the Treasury must hand them over. The other argument is he is a human being. He is a taxpayer. He has the same privacy rights as the rest of us. Again, as I said, they did this to Donald Trump, they can do this to any of us. During the interview, Napolitano did not mention the concerns of ethical watchdogs that Trump has violated the emoluments clause of the U.S. Constitution by entering into business transactions for private gain while also serving as president. Chairman Neal sent his letter to the Internal Revenue Service, and gave them just seven days to respond. This puts the IRS in the center of a major dispute between Congress and the Trump administration. Neal explained his actions in public statement last night: Congress, as a coequal branch of government, has a duty to conduct oversight of departments and officials. The Ways and Means Committee in particular has a responsibility to conduct oversight of our voluntary federal tax system and determine how Americans including those elected to our highest office are complying with those laws. The Washington Post reported that Trump has no plans to allow the IRS to turn over his tax returns: Privately, Trump has told White House advisers that he does not plan to hand over his tax returns to Congress and that he would fight the issue to the Supreme Court, hoping to stall it until after the 2020 election, according to two administration officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the conversations. Treasury officials will not comply with the request until they are compelled to do so, the officials said. If Judge Napolitano is correct, Donald Trump will lose in court. He truly has no defense for not turning over his tax returns, and everybody knows it even Fox News. The only questions now are: how long will it take for Trump to lose the legal battle, and how will all of this play out in the court of public opinion? The chances are very good that Donald Trump will lose everything before this high-stakes drama comes to an end. Amsterdam, the Netherlands - 4 April 2019 - Intertrust N.V. ("Intertrust" or "Company") [Euronext: INTER], a leading global provider of expert administrative services to clients operating and investing in the international business environment, has nominated Stewart Bennett to join the Supervisory Board for a term of four years, subject to approval by shareholders at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 16 May 2019. For the last ten years, Stewart Bennett (1971, British and German nationality) was partner and Head of the Financial Institutions Group at Ondra Partners, an independent corporate finance advisory firm, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Before joining Ondra Partners, Mr. Bennett was Managing Director and Head of Financial Institutions Group, Strategic Advisory at Dresdner Kleinwort and Investment Director at Botts & Company. The Supervisory Board also nominated Helene Vletter-van Dort and Anthony Ruys for reappointment to the Supervisory Board by the AGM for another term of four years. Lionel Assant will step down from the Supervisory Board at the end of the AGM as a result of Blackstone's reduced shareholding in the Company. The full details of the above mentioned appointments are included in the AGM convocation materials which will be available as of today at https://www.intertrustgroup.com/investors . For further information Intertrust N.V. marieke.palstra@intertrustgroup.com Marieke Palstra Tel: +31 20 577 1157 Director of Investor Relations and Corporate Communications About Intertrust Intertrust is a global leader in providing expert administrative services to clients operating and investing in the international business environment. The Company has more than 2,500 employees across 41 offices and 29 jurisdictions in Europe, the Americas, Asia Pacific and the Middle-East. Intertrust has leading market positions in selected key financial markets, including the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Jersey and the Americas. Intertrust delivers high-quality, tailored corporate, fund, capital market and private wealth services to its clients, with a view to building long-term relationships. The Company works with global law firms and accountancy firms, multinational corporations, financial institutions, fund managers, high net worth individuals and family offices. 3k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Politico reporter Melanie Zanona reported Thursday that Republican Representative Don Young of Alaska physically shoved her and told her to get out of his way, Damnit as she was interviewing a differing lawmaker outside the House chamber. Rep. @DonYoungAK just physically shoved me and told me to get out of his way damnit as I was trying to interview another lawmaker outside the door of the House chamber. Melanie Zanona (@MZanona) April 4, 2019 Apparently this isnt his first rodeo at shoving female reporters, NBCs Rebecca Shabad noted that he had done this to her as well. He once did this to me, too. https://t.co/ZVww4rTe8j Rebecca Shabad (@RebeccaShabad) April 4, 2019 And Buzzfeeds Paul McLeod says hes seen Young do this multiple times: Ive seen him do stuff like this multiple times, even to people half his size. Paul McLeod (@pdmcleod) April 4, 2019 Josh Jakob reminded everyone that his is a running theme for GOP congressmen: Seems to be a running theme for @gop congressmen. Either threatening abuse like @RealMGrimm or actually bodyslamming reporters like @GregForMontana Josh Jakob AIA (@JJakobDesign) April 4, 2019 RealMGrimm is a MAGA supporter, who describes himself thusly: Marine combat veteran, former FBI Agent and proudly served NY-11 in Congress 2011-2015, #MAGA #AmericaFirst. The Houses wealthiest representative, Republican Greg Gianforte of Montana, got elected after he body-slammed reporter Ben Jacobs of Britains Guardian newspaper, on May 24, 2017. President Trump praised Gianforte for body-slamming the reporter. Any guy that can do a body-slam is my guy, Trump told supporters at the rally, adding that he was concerned at first that the incident would jeopardize Gianfortes campaign. I said: Oh, this is terrible, hes going to lose the election. Then I said: Well, wait a minute, I know Montana pretty well, I think it might help him, and it did, Trump said. There is no video of the incident because taping video isnt allowed in that hall, but Zanona reports that she does have audio. People couldnt help but observe that this kind of violence seems to get ignored while the media focuses on smelling of hair: Thats the kind of personal space violation that should get more attention. catinshoe (@catinshoe) April 4, 2019 Obligtory: But did he try to smell your hair? #IWBIWISI #ReleaseTheReport #FreedomOfThePress (@brett5355) April 4, 2019 Heres a video someone linked to of Youngs best hits: Is he above the law as a 24th term representative? No. In case theres any doubt in anyones mind about this, Donald Edwin Young, 85, of Fort Yukon, AK is just as liable as anyone else to being charged with assault for laying his hands on another person. Hope youre ok, @MZanona. Steven Portnoy (@stevenportnoy) April 4, 2019 Its very odd how our media hyper focuses on non-violent encounters while these very dangerous episodes seem to pass without much fanfare. Its not okay to abuse the press. Its not okay to shove women. Its not okay to push anyone. The press is part of our democracy, it is part of our freedom. All politicians are annoyed by the press, but they dont use or call for violence against the press. This reporter wasnt even questioning Young. She was interviewing someone else. He viewed her as okay to be shoved just for doing her job. This is part of an ongoing escalation against the freedom of the press, led by Republicans and emboldened by the Republican presidents relentless hate speech against the press. Image: Rep. Young yells out Yeah! during President Trump second State of the Union address. 635 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard During a TV appearance when the discussion was all about whether or not Stacey Abrams would run for president in 2020, a former U.S. senator practically begged her to run for a Senate seat in Georgia instead. The former senator, Claire McCaskill of Missouri, made a strong pitch directly to Abrams, saying that if she were to run for senate seat in Georgia she could help end Mitch McConnells tenure as majority leader. Abrams appeared today on MSNBCs Morning Joe to discuss her decision on running for office after her loss in Georgias gubernatorial race last November. She lost narrowly in a contest that was marred by claims of massive voter suppression. She has vowed that if she runs for another statewide office in Georgia, she and other Democrats in the Peach State will not allow themselves to be victimized again by Republican voter suppression efforts. McCaskill, the former Democratic senator who is now an MSNBC TV analyst, asked the charismatic young African American woman from Georgia to help take down McConnell. I think youve got a really hard decision, McCaskill told Abrams. I think youre an amazing leader, and I am so proud of who you are and what youve accomplished -say that first. McCaskill then slammed her former colleague, Georgia senator David Perdue for being a blind supporter of Donald Trump, and indicated that Abrams would be a huge improvement. The difference between leadership in the United States Senate between David Perdue and Stacey Abrams is night and day, McCaskill said. I mean, he is a sycophant for Donald Trump, he is all things Trump. Hes not even thoughtful about it. She pointed out that Democrats could not advance their agenda in the U.S. Congress so long as McConnell stood in the way as Majority Leader. I really do think that it will be very hard for us to what we want to do in this country as long as Mitch McConnell is running the show in the United States Senate, McCaskill said. So I want you to do whatever your ambition and your planning leads you. I use the word ambition because Im proud of your ambition, women need to own their ambition I think thats terrific. She said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer had helped her overcome her own second thoughts about running for Senate in 2006, but she did, and that helped Democrats take control. We took the Senate by three narrow races, in Virginia, Montana and Missouri, and that was in 2006, McCaskill said. I think we could repeat that in 2020, but maybe not without you. Abrams said she also has received feedback and encouragement from Schumer, to help her make her decision. However, she was very clear in saying that she still has not decided what she will do next. Leader Schumer has been nothing but gracious, Abrams said. Hes been very intense and very intentional, and I appreciate that I appreciate the input. My job is to make sure, one, Im the right person for the job, two, that its the right time, three, that this is the right job that I need to hold. But she agreed that someone should replace the junior senator from Georgia. I share your disappointment about David Perdue, Abrams said, laughing. Stacey Abrams Needs to Have a Future in Politics, and the Future is Now For many reasons this is a very unusual time in American politics. Three of the Democratic Partys rising stars all lost elections last November: Beto ORourke and Andrew Gillum, along with Stacey Abrams. But for all of these three talented young leaders there must be made a place not just in the party, but in elected office. ORourke is running for president, and there is a good chance that Abrams will be running for the senate. (Gillums plans for the future arent known, but he is leading a massive voter registration effort in his home state of Florida.) As the tide turns in American politics, people like Stacey Abrams may very likely be swept into power. And the time for that to happen is right now there is no time to lose in the effort to heal America from the wounds inflicted by Donald Trump and the Republican Party. CLICK HERE to watch Stacey Abrams on MSNBC 779 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Yesterday may have been Trumps worst day ever. But before things hit the fan yesterday, he had been flying high. Attorney General Barrs bogus summary of the Mueller report created a false impression among the American electorate that the report had cleared Trump of all wrongdoing. Of course we know that is untrue, but with the public believing it was true, we would have expected Trump to get a significant bump in his approval rating. But the bump never happened, and Trump was still flatlining, even before yesterdays bombardment of bad news. A new report from NBC News shows that in the week after Barr publicized his fake exoneration of the president, Donald Trump has not gotten anywhere near the bounce hed hoped for. He was crowing all last week about complete exoneration but the American people have not been fooled. Analysis: The president's approval rating has been a flatline, which means he may need a rival as unpopular as Hillary Clinton in 2016 to pull off a second term. https://t.co/4iSCdCNbbq NBC News (@NBCNews) April 4, 2019 This is devastating for Trumps reelection chances, because if reports of exoneration didnt improve his poll standing, what would? One week after Mueller turned in his report to the Department of Justice, Trumps average approval rating had climbed just one-tenth of a percentage point, from 43.1 percent to 43.2 percent. Maybe when voters learn more, the numbers will move, in one direction or the other, said NBC News political correspondent Steve Kornacki, before adding: Maybe this is just the latest and loudest example of what weve seen over and over again during this presidency: A gigantic news development, followed by suggestions that a critical turning point in his public standing may be at hand, followed by well, pretty much nothing. Since taking office Trumps approval ratings have remained in a narrow band from the high 30s to the low 40s. These are horrible numbers for a president who wants to win reelection. It appears that most people have made up their minds about Donald Trump, and new information, good or bad, wont change their opinions. Presumably if evidence comes out about serious Trump crimes he may drop a few more points, but he has a core base of voters who will support him no matter what. Trump narrowly won election in 2016 partly because his opponent, Hillary Clinton, ran a bad campaign and had very high negative ratings among voters. There were other factors, such as Russian interference. The lesson from this new poll from NBC News is that unless he runs against an opponent as unpopular as Hillary Clinton Trumps chances of being reelected will only go downhill from here. 720 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Its no surprise that Jared Kushner is the senior White House official described in documents from the House Oversight Committee that details testimony of Tricia Newbold who identified serious lapses in the current White House security clearance process. The son-in-law and top aide to President Donald Trump has come under scrutiny for a long time for failing to pass the initial security clearance review. He was granted a clearance in the end after the president himself overruled all the security experts who had refused to do so. Confirmation that Kushner is Senior White House Official 1 in the committees documents reveals that he was turned down for some very serious reasons. Reporting has identified that Kushner poses a major security risk to the United States for the following reasons: His susceptibility to foreign influence, His private business interests, and His questionable personal conduct. The committees newest leads in the investigation arose after Newbold said she was concerned that many of her determinations that employees were ineligible for security clearances had been overturned outside of the normal process. We dont have all the details about what exactly raised red flags in the personnel security office about Kushner. However, public reporting offers possible explanations, such as: Kushner had extensive foreign contacts that he did not initially report in his application for a security clearance. He was part of the infamous Trump Tower meeting with Donald Trump Jr. and a Russian lawyer promising dirt on Hillary Clinton in June of 2016. He also has a close relationship with the ruthless Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman of Saudi Arabia. He received help from the country of Qatar which appears to have given him a huge amount of money to bail him out one of his troubled real estate ventures. Kushner is known for using his personal phone and personal email account to communicate with his foreign contacts, compromising the national security of the United States. Former FBI agent Clint Watts, a cybersecurity expert, said that Kushners communications were highly vulnerable to hackers and he suggested they had probably been intercepted by foreign intelligence operatives before Trump even took office. Kushner has been discovered making false statements under oath, which could send him to prison. Jared Kushner Should Immediately Be Removed From His Position This is not a small matter. Donald Trump hired a national security threat to be one of his top advisers. And Jared Kushner, through his questionable actions, continues to put the country at risk every day he goes to work in the White House. Jared Kushner should be removed from his senior position in the U.S. government immediately. Speaking from RTs studio in Washington, DC, RT America host Rick Sanchez accused U.S. media of reporting falsehoods and rumors and passing them off as journalism. Sanchez offered his explanation of the real purpose behind the U.S. investigation of Russias interference in 2016 presidential election. Why did Russia become our exclusive bogyman when they are not even a communist country anymore, havent been for decades? Sanchez rhetorically asked. He answered: The demonization of Russia is the engine that drives, if nothing else, our weapons industry. Using a complicit media, the arms industry makes billions and billions of dollars simply convincing us, and other countries all over the world, that they need protection from Russia Whether Russia really poses a threat or not doesnt really matter. Thats the real story here, thats the real takeaway from the Mueller report. While the Sanchez riff was meant as opinion, it was made without evidence. There are facts to cite on the relevance of Russian threats and whether a federal prosecution in the U.S. had demonstrable impact on the global arms industry. Sanchezs question about why Russia was made Americas exclusive bogyman and demonized fits the Kremlins long-standing narrative that Russophobia is the real motivation behind the U.S. -- aka the Wests -- moves in relation to Moscow. Russia has for years used this narrative to deny its own wrongdoing. Here are just a few recent examples of what the Kremlin labels as Russophobia: These are just a few examples showing that rather carrying out a campaign of demonization, the U.S. has joined many other countries in condemning Kremlin actions, which have driven the country to the verge of becoming an international pariah and prompted a series of Western economic and diplomatic sanctions aimed at Russia. The aforementioned points answer Sanchezs assertion that Whether Russia really poses a threat or not doesnt really matter! Notably, a number of EU nations have designated Russia as a threat to their national security, and done so independently, without respect to their relations with the United States. Russia has been implicated in plots to stage a military coup and an assassination against political leaders in the Balkan countries. Russias clandestine military operations have been reported from Africa to Venezuela. Over the years, President Putins address to Parliament included his summary of nuclear weapons under development and implicit or explicit threats aimed at the U.S. In March 2018, as Putin announced a new invincible nuclear ballistic missile, a large screen behind him showed missiles targeting the U.S. State of Florida. In February 2019 during his address to the Federal Assembly, Putin levelled a threat to retaliate against decision-making centers should the U.S. deploy intermediate range nuclear missiles in Europe. As to Sanchezs claim, made without evidence, that the real takeaway from the Mueller report is that the arms industry, using a complicit media, makes billions and billions of dollars simply convincing us, and other countries all over the world, that they need protection from Russia, independent analyses and databases show no correlation between the U.S. investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and global arms sales. "Europe is spending more on its defense. But the spree may be more cyclical than the result of US pressure," leading analysts told Al Jazeera. The U.S. Special Counsel investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election (also known as the Mueller investigation) was launched on May 17, 2017 and ended on March 22, 2019. The 2018 Yearbook of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), which collects and analyses data on arms industry worldwide, concluded: The volume of international transfers of major weapons rose by 10 per cent between 200812 and 201317, to reach its highest level since the end of the Cold War. The increase marks a continuation of the steady upward trend that began in the early 2000s. According to SIPRI, the five largest arms suppliers in 201317 were the United States, Russia, France, Germany and China, which accounted for 74 per cent of the total global volume of exports of major weapons. Since 1950 the USA and Russia (or the Soviet Union before 1992) have consistently been by far the largest suppliers and, together with West European suppliers, have historically dominated the top 10 list of suppliers, the SIPRI 2018 Yearbook stated. It also reported that U.S. accounted for 34 percent of global arms sales. That was only a one per cent increase over the figure cited in the 2016 SIPRI. Consequently, Polygraph.info finds Rick Sanchezs claim that the real impact of the Mueller investigation is boosting the U.S. weapons industry by scaring other countries into buying American arms to defend themselves from Russia is misleading. Get the SC business stories that matter. Our newsletter catches you up with all the business stories that are shaping Charleston and South Carolina every Monday and Thursday at noon. Get ahead with us - it's free. Simon Brooks with British Airways announced new nonstop routes between Charleston and London in October. Earlier this week, he said the company is pleased with the forward bookings on both sides of the Atlantic. File/Grace Beahm Alford/Staff Charleston is seeing the greatest hotel boom in its history, one that's worrying residents and preservationists as they wonder how all this building might change downtown's quality of life. Mayor John Tecklenburg has tried to take steps to limit or guide the growth, but City Council hasn't gone along. He plans to try again later this month. He has said the issue is one of balance on the peninsula, as some fear all these new hotels will take up land that otherwise would be used for housing, offices, retail and other uses. And they feel too many visitors will change the city's vibe to something more akin to tourism towns like Gatlinburg, Tennessee. "When tourism dominates, thats not good for quality of life," Planning Director Jacob Lindsey said. "If we get Gatlinburg, Tennessee, well lose Charleston." Meanwhile, here are some of the prime reasons driving all this hotel development, at least as seen by those in city government, business and the tourism sectors. 1. Charleston keeps getting ranked first. Gushing reports and favorable visitor ratings in widely read publications have raised the citys profile, particularly among high-end vacationers. For the past eight years, for instance, Charleston has been ranked as Conde Nast Traveler's top U.S. tourist destination. The magazine rated the Holy City as No. 1 among cities with fewer than 1 million residents. "The city's roots may be its rich Southern history," it noted, "but Charleston stands fully in the now." The ranking was based on readers' responses about cities' arts and culture, sights and scenery, public transportation, hotels and resorts, restaurants and friendliness. Last year, Charleston received a cumulative score of 90.23, up from 90.15 the year before. Readers of Southern Living picked Charleston as the South's best city this spring, and, in July, Travel + Leisure Magazine named Charleston its No. 1 U.S. city for the sixth year in row. 2. Hotels make a lot of money. Sure, there's far more political support for additional affordable housing, but the very nature of the affordable goal means it's trickier to make the numbers work. And even brick-and-mortar retail has suffered as more people shop online. By contrast, property owners and developers often see the greatest potential for profits in new hotels. That's why several Charleston property owners pushed back at the city's attempt to take 86 properties out of the accommodations zone the only part of the peninsular city where hotels may be built. Tecklenburg, whose professional background is in commercial real estate, said he proposed limiting the number of hotel sites because, "My fear is that every property, in the long run, that is entitled to become a hotel will become a hotel." 3. Family and friends like to visit it's not just strangers coming to town. The Charleston tourism boon isn't fueled solely by strangers. Many who visit the region are looking to soak up its historic sites, fine dining and also to see their brothers, sisters, parents, children and more distant kin. The Charleston-North Charleston metro area grew by 16 percent from 2010 to 2017, to 775,831 residents. And new arrivals from other cities and states accounted for almost all of that increase: 81,055 new residents moved here from somewhere else. And not all of those new residents have extra bedrooms at home when their friends and relatives come to visit. Melinda Patience with the College of Charleston's Office of Tourism Analysis said its survey doesn't specifically ask if visitors are related to someone in the Charleston area, but the office's surveys have found family and friends factor into the tourism equation. 4. Charleston's big events draw big crowds. Charleston hasn't added a lot of new, big events, but the ones it already has have continued to grow. From the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition to the Cooper River Bridge Run to the two-week-long Spoleto Festival USA, there's often something big happening here. There's also the Charleston Wine + Food festival and Fashion Week, and many smaller events. Charleston's most recent tourism management plan, passed in 2015, noted that the city has experienced a proliferation of proposals for special events and a 63 percent increase in the number of events held in the city between 2009 and 2013, with a slight dip in 2014. By 2012, the city had capped the number of events on the peninsula "due to the continued growth of runs, walks, parades, festivals, and other events." 5. Cities around Charleston are also growing. It's not just the Charleston metro area that's growing. Places like Beaufort, Charlotte, Myrtle Beach, Atlanta and Asheville also are growing, and they're an easy driving distance for a weekend getaway. The so-called "drive market" includes states and metro areas within an eight-hour drive, Patience said. And the 2017 survey found that about one-third of Charleston's visitors come from that market. 6. People come for the food. Charleston's historic sites have beckoned visitors for generations and remain a crucial tourist draw, but the city's growing national reputation as an area for fine dining is rather new. Started in 2006, the privately organized Charleston Wine + Food drew 13,780 out-of-town attendees last year. Meanwhile, Charleston chefs and restaurants increasingly are being nominated for James Beard Foundation awards (sort of the Oscars for chefs and restaurants). As Post and Courier food critic Hanna Raskin recently noted, "Dining has displaced the weather as the obligatory follow-up topic when folks from elsewhere learn where you live. Residents no longer have to deal with questions like 'hot enough for you?' but theyre likely to be asked what they think of Husk, whether theyve eaten at Rodney Scotts BBQ and if the citys food really is as good as all of those James Beard Foundation awards suggest." "That last ones easy: Yes." 7. The demand for hotel rooms has been steady. If you build it, they will come. At least that's been the case in recent years. The College of Charleston's Office of Tourism Analysis notes hotel occupancy in Charleston County rose from 71 percent in 2012 to 76 percent in 2016. Despite the growing number of rooms and competition, the number of nights sold was up 2.3 percent for the year. While occupancy rates at Charleston hotels went down in 2018 for the first time in several years, more overnight stays were booked in the area than ever. And local occupancy rates remain significantly higher than state and national averages. Meanwhile, the city's elected leaders have moved to set limits on homeowners' ability to rent out their houses to guests for short-term stays a new regulation that likely puts hotel developers more at ease. 8. Charleston is a place for destination weddings. On any given weekend, more than 100 couples may be tying the knot in the Charleston area. That includes January, February and even July months that would be considered the off-season in other towns. In just a few years, the Charleston area has emerged as a top destination to get hitched or stage a bachelor or bachelorette weekend, creating a lucrative, year-round industry with vast opportunities for small and locally owned businesses. And this is sort of a new and emerging thing. According to tripsavvy.com, 25 percent of marriages are destination weddings, and it's more popular among more affluent couples. The website estimates there are about 340,000 destination weddings each year, and the average household income is $110,000. And while Charleston may rank behind Vegas, anyone walking around downtown on a nice weekend is apt to stumble into a group of young women in matching shirts, with one of them wearing a tiara. 9. There are dozens of historic sites. Charleston's International African American Museum isn't even under construction yet, but there are dozens of historic sites that have expanded their interpretation of slavery and African-American life. These range from McLeod Plantation on James Island to Boone Hall in Mount Pleasant to the city's Old Slave Mart Museum, among others. When the South Carolina Historical Society recently opened a new museum inside the Fireproof Building, it featured the story of Priscilla Ball, a slave, along with the Cassique of Kiawah and Indigo pioneer Eliza Lucas Pinckney. In other words, while Charleston's history has not changed, it's being seen and interpreted in new ways, with new eyes. In 2017, 4.2 percent of Charleston visitors identified their race as African-American, Patience said, up from 2 percent in 2015. 10. The last major natural disaster to hit Charleston was 30 years ago. Charleston has grown in fits and starts, like many cities. In between, its prosperity has been checked by major wars (Revolutionary, Civil), several hurricanes, at least four catastrophic fires and the greatest earthquake on record ever to rattle the east coast of the United States. But and this would be a good time for local readers to knock on wood the city's last widespread disaster occurred some 30 years ago, when Hurricane Hugo hit. Three major storms struck between 2015 and 2017, and they washed out a few weekends (and caused serious problems for a few hundred homeowners), but this city has seen far more destructive times. 11. The airport is seeing more flights than ever. While the roads leading to Charleston haven't changed much, its welcome mat has expanded dramatically for those arriving by air. More carriers and more flights have led to a big jump in air travel. The number of passengers at the Charleston International Airport has more than doubled this decade: from 2.02 million in 2010 to 4.47 million last year. The first two months of this year have shown a 13 percent passenger increase over last year's numbers. Passengers arriving by air tend to stay longer and spend more money, according to Explore Charleston, formerly known as the Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. All that air traffic increase occurred before this month's big milestone: On Thursday, a planeload of transatlantic passengers touched down here for the first time on a nonstop flight, as British Airways began its new service between London and Charleston. 12. There are actually are some upsides to having more hotels downtown. While many worry about the balance of hotels downtown, others have noted there are advantages, too. Simply put, the more tourists stay downtown the more they contribute to city coffers and the less they might contribute to traffic and parking congestion. Overly restricting hotels downtown could only fuel the market to build new ones nearby, such as North Charleston and Mount Pleasant. City Councilman Mike Seekings, whose district covers much of the Old and Historic district, said instead of limiting hotels, the city should formulate a large-scale zoning plan to encourage all the uses the city wants to take root, and it needs to involve transportation solutions. He noted that limiting hotels downtown could drive up their room rates and encourage more visitors to stay on the outskirts and drive in. The issue isnt hotels in and of themselves," he said. "The issue is growth and mobility. And while the city has tried to curb hotel development, its chief planner, Jacob Lindsey, has said its ratio of hotel rooms to residents hasn't tipped too far at least not yet. Lindsey has noted the city's current ratio is about 14 hotel rooms per 100 residents, less than Savannah and New Orleans and about the same as San Francisco. We think thats a great ratio, he said. Warren Wise, Emily Williams and John McDermott contributed to this report. Read more about Charleston-area hotels, growth and development: 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. English Lithuanian Notice is hereby given that on the initiative and by the resolution of the Board of AB Klaipedos Nafta, legal entity code 110648893, with the registered office at Buriu str. 19, Klaipeda (hereinafter - the Company), Annual General Meeting of Shareholders of the Company will be held on 26 April 2019 at 1:00 p.m. The meeting will be held in the Companys office at Buriu str. 19, Klaipeda, in the administrative office of the Company (in the hall of the meeting on the 2nd floor). Agenda of the meeting: On the announcement of the Auditors Report regarding the Financial Statements and Annual Report of the Company for the year 2018 to the shareholders; On the announcement of the Annual Report of the Company for the year 2018 to the shareholders; On the approval of the audited Financial Statements of the Company for the year 2018; On the appropriation of profit (loss) of the Company for the year 2018. The shareholders will be registered from 12:00 a.m. to 12:55 p.m. The persons intending to participate in the meeting shall have a personal ID document (an authorized representative shall have an authorization approved under the established procedure. The natural persons authorization shall be notarized. An authorization issued in a foreign state shall be translated into the Lithuanian language and legalized under the procedure prescribed by the laws). A shareholder or his proxy shall have the right to vote in writing in advance by filling in a general ballot paper. At the request of the shareholder, the Company shall send a general ballot paper to the shareholder by registered mail free of charge at least 10 days before the meeting. The filled-in general ballot paper and the document attesting the voting right shall be submitted to the Company no later than until the meeting, sending by registered mail or providing them at the address of the registered office of the Company indicated in the notice. The shareholders who hold shares carrying at least 1/20 of all the votes may propose additions to the agenda of the general meeting of shareholders by submitting with every proposed additional item of the agenda a draft resolution of the general meeting of shareholders or, when no resolution is required, an explanation. Proposals on addition to the agenda shall be submitted in writing or sent by e-mail. Written proposals shall be submitted to the Company on business days or sent by registered mail at the address of the registered office of the Company indicated in the notice. Proposals submitted by e-mail shall be sent to the following e-mails: info@kn.lt and a.kasparas@kn.lt . The agenda shall be supplemented if the proposal is received no later than 14 days before the Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders. If the agenda of the general meeting of shareholders is supplemented, the Company shall notify on the additions no later than 10 days before the meeting in the same ways as in the case of convocation of the meeting. The shareholders, who hold shares carrying at least 1/20 of all the votes, at any time before the general meeting of shareholders or during the meeting, may propose new draft resolutions on items which are or will be included in the agenda of the meeting. The proposals may be submitted in writing or sent by e-mail. Written proposals shall be submitted to the Company on business days or sent by registered mail at the address of the registered office of the Company indicated in the notice. Proposals submitted by e-mail shall be sent to the following e-mails: info@kn.lt and a.kasparas@kn.lt . The shareholders shall have the right to submit to the Company in advance questions relating to the items on the agenda of the meeting. The shareholders may submit their written questions to the Company on business days or send by registered mail at the address of the registered office of the Company indicated in the notice no later than 3 business days before the meeting. The Company will reply to the questions by e-mail or in writing before the meeting, except the questions which are related to the Companys commercial (industrial) secret, confidential information or which have been submitted later than 3 business days before the meeting. The Company does not provide the possibility of participating and voting at the meeting by means of electronic communications. The shareholder shall have the right to authorize through electronic communications means another person (natural or legal) to participate and vote in the meeting on behalf of the shareholder. No notarization of such authorization is required. The shareholder must confirm the proxy issued through electronic communications means by an electronic signature developed by a secure signature-creation device and approved by a qualified certificate effective in the Republic of Lithuania. The shareholder shall inform the Company on the proxy issued through electronic communications means to the following e-mails: info@kn.lt and a.kasparas@kn.lt no later than until the last business day before the meeting at 1:00 p.m. The proxy and the notice must be issued in writing. The proxy and the notice to the Company shall be signed with the electronic signature but not the letter sent by e-mail. By submitting the notice to the Company, the shareholder shall include the internet address from which it would be possible to download software free of charge to verify the shareholders electronic signature. The record date of the meeting shall be 19 April 2019 (only those persons who will be shareholders of the Company at the close of the record date of the general meeting of shareholders or their authorized persons, or persons with whom an agreement on assignment of the voting right has been executed, may participate and vote at the general meeting of shareholders). The shareholders proprietary rights accounting day is 13 May 2019. The shareholders of the Company may familiarise with the draft resolution of the meeting and the form of the general ballot paper under the procedure prescribed by the laws in the registered office of the Company at Buriu str. 19, Klaipeda (tel.: 8 46 391636), or on the Companys website at http://www.kn.lt/ . The following information and documents shall be provided on the abovementioned internet website of the Company: - The notification on convocation of the meeting; - Total number of the Companys shares and the number of shares with voting rights on the convening day of the meeting. Enclosed: Companys audited Financial Statements, independent Auditors report and Annual report for the year 2018; Draft decisions of the Annual General Meeting of shareholders; Draft appropriation of profit (loss) of AB Klaipedos nafta for the year 2018; Ballot paper. Jonas Lenksas, Chief Financial Officer, +370 694 80594. Attachments Editorials represent the institutional view of the newspaper. They are written and edited by the editorial staff, which operates separately from the news department. Editorial writers are not involved in newsroom operations. Assistant Columbia bureau chief Adcox returned to The Post and Courier in October 2017 after 12 years covering the Statehouse for The Associated Press. She previously covered education for The P&C. She has also worked for The AP in Albany, N.Y., and for The Herald in Rock Hill. Political Reporter Caitlin Byrd is a political reporter at The Post and Courier and author of the Palmetto Politics newsletter. Before moving to Charleston in 2016, her byline appeared in the Asheville Citizen-Times. To date, Byrd has won 17 awards for her work. The manure pile, which was built in the field nearest the barn throughout a snowy winter, was a messy mountain before the ground was supposedly solid enough to handle the weight of the WC and the spreader. The spreader was an old hand that had survived broken aprons and labored with a beater weighed down with a mass of twine strings. The first rushed foray into the field was almost always too early, which meant the tractor ended up stuck in mud. It may have been operator error because wiser hands knew enough to avoid wetter spots. Under a previous owner, the piles location was where dead work horses were buried. Remains of large teeth worked to the surface, which in my youthful enthusiasm were assumed to belong to a dinosaur or wooly mammoth. Mother played along with the assumption because it was harmless and entertaining. Entertainment wasnt hard to find in the spring when it was still too early for field work. A basketball hoop the first one constructed from a wicker basket and then a real one acquired through unknown means was nailed up in the nearly empty hayloft. Fouls were left uncalled, but play stopped when an errant or not so unintentional elbow loosened a tooth or blackened an eye. Reprisals were freely administered, which caused hard feelings that didnt last long. We needed, after all, to get along to get along. A ditch that ran the course of the lawn was filled with flowing water and became an avenue for boat races. Sticks shed by the maples in the yard were ideal vessels. The winner was whoevers "boat" emerged first from the culverts mouth. Wannabe engineers made new drainage ditches in the yard and lost shoes in the mud. The stream in which the water flowed was an unnamed creek filled with bullheads, suckers and what we called crayfish. We caught fish with makeshift lines and seined crayfish with a strainer plucked from a kitchen cabinet without mothers permission. We planned, when summer came, to camp in the pasture; eat mothers strawberry shortcake or when we were flush with cash, Twinkies purchased from the tiny grocery store that served our neighborhood well. Later, when we were older, the drive-in offered quarts of sweet root beer. My older brothers were skilled in fashioning sling shots from discarded inner tubes. The red tubes, it was said, made the strongest material. The sling shots were armed with acorns and corn cobs. Cobs, hitting at close range, stung. Acorns, mother and other adults warned, could take an eye out. Nothing as bad as that happened, but a wounded, crying child often brought the game to an end. One of my brothers who had a beef with me, hit me with a BB gun pellet. His defense, when confronted by our mother, was that he was aiming at my legs and not my head. It is remarkable that no one was seriously maimed. The safer sport involved corn cobs and chicken tail feathers. Three feathers pushed into the soft end of a cob were thrown and twirled a good distance before crashing to the earth. A dark feather mingled with two white ones added a certain elegance to a flight. Discarded cardboard boxes were repurposed into forts, barns and houses that provided hours of entertainment. Todays children seem less interested in made-up entertainment because they have access to and are skilled in computers and video games. It is obvious that they are growing up in a much different world than we did. Time marches on, and the world has changed in many positive ways. However, Im unsure that a computer game can possibly match the excitement of winning a stick race, watching a feathered corn cob take flight, and imaging a cardboard box as a fortress. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. Industrial hemp a product Gov. Kristi Noem recently refused to decriminalize has the potential to become a competitive commodity that boosts the economies of South Dakotas neighboring states, agricultural experts say. Montana, North Dakota and Minnesota have had industrial hemp trial programs since authorization by the 2014 Farm Bill. Wyomings governor recently signed a law approving industrial hemp, and the Iowa and Nebraska Legislatures are discussing similar measures. States with industrial hemp pilot programs see indirect advantages from sales taxes and farmers having more revenue to inject into the economy. Processing industrial hemp can be "a huge benefit for a company" and theres a rising number of companies getting ready to process industrial hemp in the Midwest, according to Anthony Cortilet, supervisor of Minnesotas industrial hemp program. Noem has expressed concern that allowing hemp farming would eventually lead to the legalization of marijuana. The governor said law enforcement worries that industrial hemp production could complicate their work. Under federal law, industrial hemp can only contain 0.3 percent THC, the chemical compound that gives marijuana its high. "Youve got these giant corporations that are making bigger and bigger profits ... and theyre putting the squeeze on family farms and small farms," Warren said at the Heartland Forum, which was focused on rural issues. The U.S. senator from Massachusetts called for breaking up some of the biggest farming corporations "so that they not only do not have that kind of economic power, so that theyre wiping out competition, so theyre taking all the profits for themselves ... but also so that they dont have that kind of political power." While supporting an antitrust approach, Klobuchar, a senator and Minnesota Democrat, also proposed putting a fee on corporate mergers to help investigate noncompetitive practices. "If we stifle competition through monopolies, were not just going to bring up the prices for consumers, were going to stifle entrepreneurship," she said. Targeting monopolies was a key part of the agriculture policy Warren rolled out last week, which included a handful of proposals aimed at helping family farmers compete in a market increasingly saturated by major corporations. Klobuchar and former Maryland Rep. John Delaney, another White House hopeful who attended the forum, also rolled out rural-focused policies. Klobuchar announced a $1 trillion infrastructure plan that would help expand access to rural broadband and strengthen roads and bridges. Delaney offered a comprehensive rural plan that included proposals to strengthen family farmers and rural infrastructure. Other White House contenders at the forum were former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro and Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan, who is considering launching a bid. Targeting rural voters The attention on agricultural communities and issues is the result of a recognition that Democrats need to do more to win over rural voters, especially in places like Iowa. The state has long been a presidential battleground, but Iowa has trended more solidly Republican over the past two election cycles, a troubling sign for Democrats seeking to oust President Donald Trump. "There needs to be a better connection made between politicians and rural Americans," said Aaron Heley Lehman, the president of Iowa Farmers Union, which hosted the forum and bused in members from neighboring states to hear the candidates. In the early days of the 2020 Democratic primary, many candidates are focusing on building that connection. Several contenders, including former Texas Rep. Beto ORourke, have campaigned in parts of rural Iowa that havent seen much Democratic activity in years. Delaney is the only Democratic candidate so far to visit all 99 of Iowas counties. Thats a key part of what Democrats need to do to win back rural America, according to Iowa state Rep. Mary Gaskill simply show up. "There are a lot of people who are hesitant to come out as a Democrat, because they all feel neglected, or abused or shunned by their neighbor," she said. Gaskill is the only Democratic lawmaker in her area, and represents a red county that went for Trump by more than 20 percentage points in 2016, but one that Barack Obama won by nearly 12 points in 2012. Now, at least two candidates Sens. Cory Booker and Kirsten Gillibrand have campaigned there, a development Gaskill welcomes. "We might see our neighbors there, that we didnt know they were Democrats," she said. ORourke didnt attend Saturdays forum. But his first Iowa swing as a presidential candidate included stops in small towns that swung from Democrats to Republicans in 2016. He didnt change much of his message during the swing ORourke still talked about the need for gun control, legal marijuana and a compassionate immigration program. But his top strategist in the state, Norm Sterzenbach, said the key was to bring those policies to people that hadnt heard directly from Democrats before. "Maybe those ideas you like, maybe you dont, but youll never know if were not in there communicating," he said. Gillibrand, a U.S. senator from New York, recently visited the same swath of eastern Iowa, pitching herself to voters as a candidate who could defeat Trump because shes won in red areas of her state. She, too, didnt shy away from embracing progressive policies like gun control, universal health care and the Green New Deal, and she touted her work on the repeal of "dont ask, dont tell," the policy prohibiting gays from serving openly in the military. Neither Gillibrand nor ORourke won everyone over. Tom Courtney, the Des Moines County Democratic Party chairman, hosted an event for both candidates and said he wasnt impressed by their message. "ORourke didnt, and (Gillibrand) didnt make a good case for rural Iowa either nobodys doing that yet. She was talking a lot of issues that liberals always talk about," he said, citing leadership on the global stage, the presidents morals or abortion rights. "Trump got elected by telling people he was gonna fix their lives. Im not hearing that here." What voters say Some of the Heartland Forum attendees were, however, impressed by the candidates depth of understanding of rural issues and the policies theyve proposed to tackle them. Jeri Neal, a retired sustainable agriculture consultant from Ames, said she was impressed at how fluent Klobuchar was on rural issues. She also appreciated the "hope and optimism" that the candidates showed when discussing policy solutions. "What I liked about today was they really were willing to think about whats causing the problem, and how do we change that," she said. "Instead of treating the problem, theyre really willing to say, Why do we have this problem? And treat that." But Matt Russell, a farmer from Lacona, Iowa, said he wanted the candidates to have included farmers as a key player in some of their proposals to solve the problems confronting rural America. "I was a little bit disappointed that there was a lot of description of the problems in rural America, but there wasnt a lot of talk of where farmers could play a really good role in providing solutions," he said. Russell said he feels that Democrats spend too much money on consultants to help them figure out what strategic policies to promote, and not enough time on actually investing in Democratic leadership and organizing at the local level in rural America. And that remains a key question for Democrats: Will the fresh emphasis on rural issues will translate to added support on the ground? Becky Bryant, a retired teacher who grew up in Storm Lake and comes from a farming family, said even a fresh effort by Democrats to take their message to rural America may fall flat in areas where being Republican is in peoples DNA. "I waited to change my affiliation till after my father died, because he wouldve been horrified. I had people attacking me because I changed parties," she said. Asked how Democrats could win over voters like her family, she paused for a long minute. "When they dont understand that the tariffs have caused them problems, when they believe that Trump is here biblically, its a tough row to hoe," she said. According to the latest data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), agro-forestry-fishery exports in March were estimated at US$3.3 billion, bringing the total export value of the sector in the first three months of 2019 to US$8.8 billion, down 2.9% compared to the same period in 2018. In particular, the export value of the main agricultural products was at US$4.2 billion, down 13.4%, the seafood export value estimated at U$$1.8 billion, up 0.5% and the export value of the main forestry products was US$2.4 billion, up 16.5%. Several items witnessed significant increases in export value in the first quarter including tea, with exports estimated at 26,000 tonnes, worth US$45 million, up 2.1% in volume and increasing 15.4% in value compared to the same period last year and rubber at nearly 350,000 tonnes, raking in US$461 million, up 32.8% in volume and 18.5% in value. However, other key agricultural products continued to decline in both quantity and value. For rice, the volume of this key commodity in the first three months of the year was estimated at 1.43 million tonnes, bringing in about US$593 million, down 3.5% in volume and 20.2% in value compared to the same period last year. Thanks to a strong increase in both volume and value, the Philippines is currently ranked first as Vietnam's top rice export market. Although rice exports in Q1 have faced difficulties, the MARD forecasts that there will be new contracts in the second quarter as Vietnam's rice is at competitive prices with other rice exporting countries. Therefore, there are a number of rice export contracts to be granted to Vietnamese businesses. The local fruit market has shown signs of recovery after the first two months of the year due to a decrease in demand from China as the harvest period in the neighbouring country coincides with the harvesting time of several Vietnamese fruits. However, the export value of vegetables and fruits in the first quarter still decreased by 9.3% compared to the same period last year, reaching US$879 million. China is still ranked first among the top Vietnamese fruit and vegetable import markets, accounting for 73% of the market share. The MARD also announced that the value of agro-forestry and fishery imports during Jan-Mar reached US$7.25 billion, up 4.6% over the same period in 2018, adding to the US$1.55 billion surplus for the sector during the three-month period. English Norwegian The Annual General Meeting of Orkla ASA will be held at Ingenirenes Hus, Kronprinsensgate 17, Oslo, on Thursday 25 April 2019 at 3 p.m. Notice of attendance must be received no later than 3 p.m. (Norwegian time) on 23 April 2019. Attached you will find the notice to the General Meeting, including appendices. The Notice is posted electronically or by mail to all shareholders. To order a printed version of the appendices to the Notice, see www.orkla.com. Notice of the Annual General Meeting and other documents relating to items of business, as well as further information concerning the rights of shareholders, may be found at www.orkla.com. The Annual General Meeting will be simultaneously interpreted to English, and both languages will be webcast at www.orkla.com. Registration will open at 1:30 p.m. on the date of the General Meeting, after which a light meal will be served. Orkla ASA Oslo, 4 April 2019 Ref.: Group Director Corporate Communications & Corporate Affairs Hakon Mageli Tel.: +47 928 45 828 Email: hakon.mageli@orkla.no IR & Communications Manager Elise A. Heidenreich Tel: +47 951 41 147 Email: elise.andersen.heidenreich@orkla.no For questions concerning the nomination committee recommendations, please contact: Anders Christian Stray Ryssdal Tel.: + 47 907 84 794 MILWAUKEE Some Wisconsin dairy farmers are crediting creativity and investments in innovation for their success after seeing hundreds of peers leave the industry last year. Laura Daniels, who farms near Dodgeville, said her farm has been working to determine better breeding choices. Daniels farm evaluates butter-fat and protein in the milk to select "the mothers of the next generation of cows" that make the best quality cheese. Luke Lisowe and his parents own about 800 cows at their farm near Malone in Fond du Lac County. Lisowe said the farm is looking to cut costs. Many dairy farmers in the state have suffered years of low milk prices and rising trucking costs. Lisowe said the farm uses a less expensive cow sanitizer before and after milking to keep each cows stall clean. But he said the cost-saving practice takes up time. "If you have a cleaner stall, there should be less of a bacteria or less chance of infection. But it takes more time to bed," he said. "You have a lot of stalls to bed and everything takes time, and thats not the only thing youre doing throughout the day." Fennimore dairy farmer Peter Winch bought four robotic milker units last year for his 240 cows. Each machine can cost tens of thousands of dollars, but Winch said the milkers give his family a break and reduce his reliance on workers. "The cows just do it," Winch said. "Theyre on their own schedule." Some dairy scientists are working to make more data available to farmers on their cows, feed and other factors. University of Wisconsin-Madison professor Victor Cabrera wants to help farmers make better decisions through his project called Dairy Brain, which would collect and integrate data from all parts of the farm operation, then use artificial intelligence to analyze the findings and help farmers make smarter management decisions. His team hopes the online system will be available later this year. Farmers in southern Minnesota were in a battle with Mother Nature seemingly from the start of last years planting season. First, wet weather delayed planting. In July, rain returned and inundated many fields. In September, a storm spawned tornadoes, downing crops, trees and buildings from Faribault to Cannon Falls. In the end, it all took a toll and the states average corn yields were down almost 20 percent. The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service last week released the average yields for corn, soybeans and other crops in 2018 for each county in Minnesota. Corn In all regions of Minnesota except the southeast and west-central, excessive rainfall lead to yields that were considerably lower than other years. The nine counties in southeast Minnesota Dakota, Dodge, Fillmore, Goodhue, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Wabasha and Winona posted the states best yields an average of 195.7 bushels per acre. Thats still down from the previous years 209.2 bushels. West-central counties posted an average yield of 195.3 bushels per acre. Statewide, NASS estimates the 2018 corn yield in Minnesota at 182 bushels per acre, the lowest in the state since 2014. It snaps a streak of record yields that were reached in 2015 (188 bushels), 2016 (193 bushels) and 2017 (194 bushels). The states estimated total corn production last year was about 1.36 billion bushels. That is lower than the harvest in 2017 (1.48 billion bushels), 2016 (1.54 billion bushels) and 2015 (1.43 billion bushels). Soybeans Last years average soybean yield is estimated at 50.5 bushels per acre in Minnesota, which is an increase from last years 47.5 bushels. The state produced 389.3 million bushels of soybeans last year, up from the 384.3 million bushels in 2017. All regions in the state exceeded the average yield except for the northwest (40.3 bushels) and east-central counties (41.1 bushels). Again, southeast Minnesota farmers led in yield, posting an average of 57.1 bushels per acre. Wabasha and Dodge counties yields of 59 bushels per acre were bested only by Waseca Countys yield of 60.9 bushels. Median farm income was $26,055, down 8 percent from 2017, according to the report from the University of Minnesota Extension. To compare, the average American makes about $56,000 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. For the states farmers, it was the worst year in more than three decades. "The previous five years were not much better, so many Minnesota farms have had a string of low-income years and that has both financial and emotional impacts," said Dale Nordquist of the Center for Farm Financial Management at the University of Minnesota Farmers are struggling on several fronts. Dairy farmers are wrestling with overproduction, dropping prices and widespread consolidation. The median income at a dairy farm in Minnesota dropped by nearly two-thirds last year, from $43,000 to less than $15,000. The U of M surveyed about 2,300 farmers, representing 10 percent of Minnesotas commercial farmers. Enough dairies are closing that the number of dairy farms who participated in the U of Ms research dropped by 15 percent. "It has been a real struggle for many of our dairy farms," said Nate Converse, Central Lakes College farm business management instructor. "Dairy farmers work really hard and to see low earnings and, in a lot of cases losses, year after year has worn on them and their families. As a result, many of them have decided they cant wait for things to turn around." The trade war has also taken a toll. Soybean prices fell at the onset of the trade war with China. Minnesota soybean farmers, who mostly grow their crop for export to China, have been hit harder than soybean farmers in other parts of the country. Still, the report could have been a lot worse, said Aaron Brudelie, a Minnesota West Community and Technical College farm business instructor, in a statement. The Market Facilitation Program, direct federal payments to farmers of $1.65 per bushel to help offset the effects of the trade war, "was the main reason soybean producers showed any profits this year," Brudelie said. Pork prices were down 9 percent in 2018, largely because of the trade war, and the average hog finisher a farmer who prepares pigs to send to the slaughterhouse lost $11.50 per pig. The weather worked against farmers too. Corn yields were down 20 percent across southern Minnesota in 2018 thanks to a wet spring and delayed planting, and some farmers worry that the same thing will happen in 2019. Flooding on the southern Mississippi has already squeezed commodity shipping on barges, and driven down regional prices for grain. "Its important to understand that these are small businesses that dont pay themselves a salary, so that net farm income reflects what they made from the farm to feed their families," said Nordquist, who is an Extension ag economist. The news is not all grim, however. The average farms debt-to-asset ratio increased slightly to 36 percent, but thats still a relatively strong financial position supported by farmland that has maintained its value. Until more farmers are mired in deeper debt, fears of widespread bankruptcy may be overblown. The top 20 percent of farms in Minnesota posted income of $184,000. "There are still a lot of farms out there that are successful," said Josh Tjosaas, Northland Community and Technical College farm business management instructor. "And it is not just larger farms that are profiting. We work with profitable farms of all sizes and types. But in this environment, it takes outstanding management in all phases of the operation, good timing and, maybe, a little luck to make that happen." Gary Wertish, president of Minnesota Farmers Union, said the report and situation are disappointing and frustrating. "Family farmers are some of the hardest working people out there," he said, and yet increasingly are unable to make a living doing what they love." WASHINGTON President Donald Trump and House Republicans moved to build congressional support for the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade accord last week with lawmakers selling the plan as offering big benefits for American workers. But prospects remain uncertain as Democrats are in no hurry to secure a political victory for the president. GOP lawmakers emerged from a White House meeting knowing they likely have a narrow window to push it through both chambers of Congress, given that lawmakers tend to avoid tough trade votes during election season. "There are a lot of big wins for American workers in this agreement," said House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La. "Wed like to see it move through Congress as fast as possible and create even more jobs with this growing economy." The White House described the meeting as the first in a series that Trump will have with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle "to build broad support" for the pact. Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., the chairman of the House subcommittee that has jurisdiction over trade, said the pact needs adjustments to be "worthy of support." Some Republican lawmakers also have concerns. Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, the Republican chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, maintains that the president should lift steel and aluminum tariffs on products brought in from Canada and Mexico as a first step to getting the trade agreement through Congress. Trumps top trade negotiator, Robert Lighthizer, told lawmakers during a recent congressional hearing that if they dont pass the trade agreement, the United States will have "no credibility at all" with future trading partners, including China. "There is no trade program in the United States if we dont pass USMCA. There just isnt one," Lighthizer said. The White Houses legislative affairs team has talked to more than 290 members of Congress and staff over the past two months to push the deal. But the administration knows that making changes in the agreement to win over lawmakers could jeopardize support for the pact from Canada and Mexico. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, told reporters recently that many in her states agricultural community are "still with the president, but if we dont get the trade deals done, they could turn quickly." She said, "We need to start wrapping this baby up." Potential changes The trade deal is designed to supplant the North American Free Trade Agreement, which took effect in 1994 and gradually eliminated tariffs on goods produced and traded within North America. U.S. trade with its NAFTA partners has more than tripled since the agreement took effect, and more rapidly than trade with the rest of the world. But Trump has called NAFTA a disaster for the United States. The new pact his administration negotiated is meant to increase manufacturing in the United States. Trump is warning that if lawmakers dont approve the pact, the U.S. may revert to what he has described as "pre-NAFTA." Blumenauer is looking to make changes to the agreement in four areas: enhancing environmental and labor protections, ensuring enforcement of the agreement, and taking on protections for pharmaceutical companies that he believes drive up drug costs for consumers. "I dont think anyone wants to blow it up, but there is interest in strengthening it," Blumenauer said. Rep. Vern Buchanan of Florida, the ranking Republican on the trade subcommittee, said he believes the vast majority of Republicans will end up voting for the agreement. Hes tried to assure Democratic colleagues that Republicans were "open-minded to try and get some things done" to address their concerns. Still, Republicans conceded that Democrats are in charge of the calendar. "Ambassador Lighthizer has said legislation will be sent to the Hill when Speaker Pelosi gives the green light," said Rep. Kevin Brady, the ranking Republican on the House Ways and Means Committee. Brady said Republicans would work with Democrats to address "any fine-turning" theyd like to see, adding "we think its crucial ... that we come together and pass this new agreement and get it to the presidents desk this summer." In Canada, Mexico Canadian officials have been lobbying the U.S. to end Trumps steel and aluminum tariffs and have suggested that approval by Canadas Parliament could be conditioned upon them being lifted. David MacNaughton, Ottawas ambassador to Washington, has said it will be a tough sell to pass if the tariffs are still in place. Dan Ujczo, a trade lawyer and Canada-U.S. specialist in Columbus, Ohio, said the trade deal could pass "relatively quickly" once the tariffs are removed. But Scalise described the tariffs as helping to create more leverage to get a deal done. In Mexico, the administration of then-President Enrique Pena Nieto spearheaded Mexicos negotiations, but representatives of current President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador were deeply involved in the talks to ensure an agreement that both the outgoing and incoming administrations could live with. Allies of Lopez Obrador, who took office Dec. 1, enjoy a large majority in the Mexican Senate, so passage of the agreement would seemingly go smoothly. Kenneth Smith Ramos, who was chief negotiator for Pena Nietos government, said Mexican enthusiasm for the deal could dim though if there are significant new demands on labor, pharmaceuticals, the environment or other issues. "We made some important concessions," he said, adding that if "the U.S. still wants more, then that starts to unbalance the agreement and there may be a growing opposition in Mexico." PORTLAND, Ore. Federal legalization of hemp arrived in the U.S. late last year and expanded an industry already booming because of the skyrocketing popularity of CBDs, a compound in hemp that many see as a health aid. But now, just a few months after Congress placed the marijuana look-alike squarely in safe legal territory, the hemp industry has been unsettled by an unexpected development. Truckers, now free to haul hemp from state to state, have been stopped and sometimes arrested by police who cant tell whether they have intercepted a legal agricultural crop or the biggest marijuana bust of their careers. Thats because the only way to distinguish hemp and marijuana, which look and smell alike, is by measuring their tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, and officers dont have the testing technology to do so on the spot. Marijuana, illegal under federal law , has enough THC to get users high. Hemp has almost none 0.3 percent or less under U.S. government standards yet drug-sniffing dogs will alert on both. Field tests that officers now use can detect THC but arent sophisticated enough to specify whether a shipment is legal hemp or low-grade illegal pot. In a sign of the significance of the problem, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration earlier this month put out a request for information on private companies that might have the technology for field tests sensitive enough to distinguish between hemp and marijuana. "Nobody wants to see someone in jail for a month for the wrong thing," DEA spokeswoman Barbara Carreno said. "To enable us to do our job, we have to have something that can help us distinguish." A trucking problem Its an unanticipated hiccup for the rapidly growing hemp industry, which relies on interstate trucking to transport hemp from farms to processing labs that extract the compound cannabidiol, or CBD, from the raw plant material. The pure CBD powder is then resold for use in everything from makeup to smoothies to pet food. Kentucky and Oregon are big producers of hemp, and much of what they grow is processed in Colorado. Companies that transport the plant often drive through Oklahoma and Idaho, which is where some arrests have occurred. Hemp remains illegal under Idaho law, and lawmakers there are scrambling to pass a legalization bill. Law enforcement agencies are urging them to include guidance on field tests. To further complicate the issue, states that already have their own hemp programs must have them approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which could take months. At least three truckers and two security guards transporting state-certified hemp have been arrested and charged with felony drug trafficking. Thousands of pounds worth more than $2 million combined after processing remain in warehouses in Oklahoma and Idaho as evidence while the cases play out. Frank Robison, a Colorado-based attorney specializing in such cases, said he has about a half-dozen clients in similar situations in other locations. He declined to provide more information, citing his clients desire for privacy. "What local law enforcement is doing is theyre stifling an industry that Congress intended to promote to help American farmers and help the American economy not to make people nervous that theyre going to get tossed in jail over a (THC) discrepancy," said Robison, who represents one of the companies involved in the Oklahoma case. Robison and others hope the USDA will work quickly to create rules for validating hemp shipments that local law enforcement could use instead of relying on THC field tests, such as state agricultural certificates or lab certificates. That way, police could let a suspicious load through without arrests and if the hemp samples come back high in THC from testing done in a lab setting, authorities could pursue the grower or shipper after the fact. Industry turned upside down Andrew Ross, a Marine who served in Afghanistan and Iraq, is facing 18 years to life in Oklahoma if convicted after he was arrested in January while providing security for a load of state-certified hemp from Kentucky. Ross and a colleague were riding in a van behind a semi-truck filled with the plant that ran a red light and was pulled over. Ross said he provided police in Pawhuska, Okla., with the state-issued license for the Kentucky farm that grew the hemp, the license for the Colorado lab that was buying it and chemical analysis paperwork for all 60 sacks of hemp that he said shows it was within federal guidelines for hemp. That wasnt enough for the officers. They tested the shipment and found it contained THC although not how much and arrested Ross, his colleague and the two truck drivers. The charges against the drivers eventually were dropped, but their 18,000-pound cargo with a value of nearly $1 million after processing still is being held. The case and a similar one in Idaho prompted the Oregon Department of Agriculture to issue a formal warning to hemp growers not to ship their crop across state lines. Ross posted bail and continues to run his hemp transport business, Patriot Shield Security, from Denver while awaiting trial in Oklahoma. He said potential customers from places like Nevada, West Virginia and Wyoming say they now are afraid to send their hemp out of state. "The whole industry has been turned upside down. Everyone is terrified," Ross said. "No one wants to transport anything." Abandoned beauty, wonder-filled wastelands, and creative chaos will be at the center of Corrie Strommens upcoming photography showcase. Shes created images of deserted places and forlorn objects from seven different sites, ranging from stone ruins found in Grecian Kefalania to barns lost in the hinterlands of rural Minnesota. The opening reception for her four-day exhibit titled "Abandonment Issues" will be 8-10 p.m. Thursday, April 11. Strommens study of photography came through "trial and error, books, and the patience of several photographer friends," she says. While she started as a hobbyist, her interactions with a community of artists helped her gain the confidence she needed to find photography work and to share her pictures publicly. Though Strommen had a fascination with abandoned spaces and discarded objects since her childhood adventures antiquing and flea market-rummaging with her mother and grandfather to uncover "treasure," her "Abandonment Issues" show uses photos shes created over the past two years. The photos in Strommens exhibit display a "love of disorder" and suggest a "pursuit of beauty within chaos," she says. One captures a sun-soaked, fragile crystal candle holder nestled on a dilapidated piano with uneven keys next to a fragile and fallen lace curtain. Another presents a white porcelain sink speckled with the dingy crumbles of disintegrating plaster. "Theres been a rising desire for art that is gritty and uncomfortable," says Strommen. "Thats something I wanted to bring into the Rochester art scene though this collection." Shes one of several local creatives who feel the Rochester art scene can sometimes privilege "clean-cut" or "sterile" art. Strommen hopes her exhibit will invite viewers to ask questions about abandoned spaces and what they think about chaos as an art form. Capturing forgotten spaces oftentimes requires excursions to those lost realms. Strommens explored abandoned houses so crammed full of discarded items that moving around was difficult. Forays into some sites shes photographed have been hindered by overgrown greenery. "Generally, my rule of thumb is that if any further damage will be done to the space in my effort to achieve access," she says, "I wont attempt it." Strommen acknowledges that "Abandonment Issues," the title of her exhibit, "implies some emotional turmoil." She says this comes from a complicated equation within her photography that links to joyful ,but also more difficult memories from her past. The show resonates with her experiences with "mental and emotional abandonment," as well as her familys frequent moves when she was a child. For the opening reception, Strommen invited musician Levi Henry to perform. "His music, beautiful, simple and melancholic, encompasses I think the sadness of abandoned spaces, the essence of lives once lived and forgotten, of homes beloved and discarded," she explains. Strommen gives credit to local real estate guru Robert "Bucky" Beeman for connecting her with the upstairs exhibit space in the Offices at China Hall. The space had been vacant for some time before its recent renovation. The space mingles a sense of history with a breath of fresh air. Hoping to nourish a growing art scene in Rochester, Strommen urges people to help strengthen it. "Make things happen yourself," she says. We have an art community that needs support on all fronts. Be an artist that shows up for other artists and is willing to put the work into sharing your art with others." Bathed in deep red light, Luna Loca opened his set on Tuesday, the 23rd, weaving between bluesy melodies, brooding riffs, and spoken verse. Played on unaccompanied guitar, the first song of the night, written by Jessie Hester, took care of his musical introduction. "Ill take no survivors, this song is code red," he sang. "So Ill scatter my magic and head for the stage. Ill channel my voice till my throat is enraged." Luna Loca is local musician Ross Roenigks latest project, and the otherwise dark Canvas & Chardonnay was the first venue to hear his new alternative pop songs. Born in St. Paul and raised in Rochester, Roenigk attended Studio Academy, the Med Citys former charter arts high school, before heading up to McNally Smith College of Music to study performance percussion. But the longtime gigging drummer isnt stuck behind the drum kit. The 34-year-old multi-instrumentalist recorded each aspect of his tracks on the record himself. "Its the standard recording process," he said, "its just me doing everything scratch vocals and acoustic guitars, building on rhythm acoustic and drums and bass, then electric lead and licks. "And then Ill do lead vocals after two days of no smoking," he said with a laugh. The resulting album, "Bolero," took three months to record, and is being mastered right now in Minneapolis. The name itself has many meanings for Roenigk. Its not only the title of a favorite composition by Maurice Ravel, but also means a dance in triplicate, and a womans jacket in Spains culture and the Spanish language, respectively. "Its always been a piece that really resonated with me, and then I looked up the meaning of the word itself and what it refers to," he said. With his Spanish moniker, Luna Loca, Roenigk said it all comes together nicely. "One of the great things about a moniker is that it separates it from you, personally," he said. "Its a woman, and I have a strong relationship with the moon, I feel an affinity towards it and am affected by the cycle pretty clearly. And I think everyones crazy." When it comes to his alternative pop style, Roenigks influences and interests are wide, as hell listen to country music by Hank Snow followed by Action Bronsons hip-hop tracks. That variety of style influences could be heard as he melded folk violin lines, moving funk bass lines, and haunting, yet inviting harmonies throughout the March show. Other than a few extra tunings and coordination, it wasnt obvious that the band was playing together for the first time that night, and he hopes to maintain that ensemble-meets-open-music collective setup, bringing in different musicians as theyre available and interested. "I like that, because I want people to be able to do different stuff and not feel like they have to be scared into a commitment," Roenigk said. "I want people to be able to be free. The way I wanted to create it was to make it something I would be into being in." He said forming bands can sometimes feel like dating, what with coordinating schedules, enthusiasm, and drinking patterns. Now as an older musician, he has more responsibilities and less time. Bringing together backing musicians on the fly is the dynamic that fits his career right now. Plus, this open approach will be helpful when he moves back up to Minneapolis in June, where he is looking forward to getting reacquainted with the musical landscape he enjoyed 15 years ago. "Itll be fun to re-explore now that I have my own (stuff)," he said. "Before I was a drummer, so I could book for other musicians I worked with, but now I can just go with an acoustic guitar." Until those shows and the album release, Tuesdays show will be the only peek at whats to come, like two tracks, "Yous More" and "Morning Star," which will be the singles off the new album. Until those are released, Roegigk stuck to the same descriptive, yet vague language that can be heard in his lyrics while describing the new music itself: "Were in the third dimension, and time is linear," he said. "Music is as good as way as any to pass that time. This is a great way to do that, this is great music." Electromagnetic Geoservices ASA (the "Company" or "EMGS") releases information on vessel activity and utilisation 4-5 working days after the close of each quarter. The Company defines vessel utilisation as the percentage of the vessel charter period spent on proprietary or multi-client data acquisition. Downtime (technical or maritime), mobilisation, steaming, and some standby activities are not included in the utilisation rate. Vessel utilisation for the first quarter 2019 was 11% compared with 37% for the first quarter in 2018. In the first quarter of 2019, the Company's vessels were allocated 11% to proprietary work and no time was spent on multi-client projects. In the comparable quarter of 2018, the vessels were allocated 37% to multi-client projects and no time was spent on proprietary work. EMGS had two vessels on charter and recorded 6.0 vessel months in the quarter. In the first quarter 2018, the Company also had two vessels on charter. Vessel activity The Atlantic Guardian began the first quarter acquiring data on a proprietary contract in South America. This proprietary survey was completed on 14 January 2019. After that, the vessel was idle before she transited to Norway in March. As announced on 2 April 2019, the Atlantic Guardian has started mobilisation for a fully pre-funded multi-client acquisition over PL 1031 in the Norwegian Barents Sea. The vessels utilisation for the first quarter was 13%. The BOA Thalassa was idle until she commenced a proprietary survey in South-East Asia on 23 March 2019. The vessels utilisation for the first quarter was 8%. Multi-client revenues in the first quarter The Company expects to record approximately USD 7 million in multi-client revenues for the first quarter 2019. EMGS will publish its first quarter 2019 financial results on Thursday 9 May 2019 at 07:30 (local time, Norway). A presentation will be broadcasted live over the Internet, starting at 10:00 (local time, Norway). To access the presentation, please go to the Company's homepage (www.emgs.com) and follow the link. Contact Hege Veiseth, EMGS Chief Financial Officer, +47 992 16 743 About EMGS EMGS, the marine EM market leader, uses its proprietary electromagnetic (EM) technology to support oil and gas companies in their search for offshore hydrocarbons. EMGS supports each stage in the workflow, from survey design and data acquisition to processing and interpretation. The Company's services enable the integration of EM data with seismic and other geophysical and geological information to give exploration experts a clearer and more complete understanding of the subsurface. This improves exploration efficiency and reduces risks and the finding costs per barrel. EMGS operates on a worldwide basis with offices in Trondheim, Oslo, Houston, Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro and Kuala Lumpur. For more information, visit www.emgs.com This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act Anyone visiting Guam for the first time or who is a recurring visitor should be able to appreciate after leaving the air-conditioned hallway Read more English Lithuanian Siauliu Bankas AB, company code 112025254, address of the head office Tilzes str. 149, Siauliai, Lithuania. Siauliu bankas AB has received the notifications of the person, closely associated with the manager, on transactions in securities issued by the bank (attached). Director of Securities Accounting Department Jolanta Dobiliauskiene is authorized by the Issuer to provide additional information and is available on tel.: +370 41 595669. Attachments The Democrats have become extreme across a broad range of issuessocialism and the economy, immigration, energy and the environment, and abortion, to name a few. The Democrats enthusiasm for abortion has now led the party to embrace infanticide, something that would have been unthinkable not long ago. Republicans are trying to secure a House vote on the Born Alive Survivors Protection Act, which would ban infanticide in the context of a failed abortion. The procedural mechanism is a discharge petition, but Republicans cant get Democratic Congressmen to sign on. Not even Congressmen like Minnesotas Collin Peterson, who is a co-sponsor of the Act. Carly Atchison is a staffer with the National Republican Congressional Committee. She sent emails to editors of a variety of publications in districts represented by Democrats who are declining to come out against infanticide. One such Democrat is Ron Kind of Wisconsin. Atchisons email to a seemingly innocuous publicationCheese Reporterdrew a hateful response that was also a non sequitur: Hey, CarlyHope you dont get raped at a MAGA rally and have to carry that child to term. DONT EVER CONTACT ME AGAIN. I wrote a release advocating for legislation protecting babies surviving a botched abortion. This is how one associate editor chose to respond: pic.twitter.com/ALKbMMldkQ Carly Atchison (@CarlyAtch) April 2, 2019 The email came from Moira Crowley, an assistant editor for Cheese Reporter. The exchange got quite a bit of attention on Twitter, as reported by the Tennessee Star. Cheese Reporter claimed its Twitter feed was hacked: Recently, one of our employees email was hacked and deplorable messages were transmitted. Cheese Reporter and the employee ask for your understanding during this difficult time and in no way does Cheese Reporter or the employee condone or endorse any of these hacked messages. The Washington Examiner inquired: The Washington Examiner reached out to Crowley for comment, and she replied to their request using the same email address that the outlet said was hacked. Our email has been compromised and the message is fake, she said. Cheese Reporter has since deleted its tweet claiming to have been hacked. It has also blocked Carly Atchison on Twitter. Or maybe the hacker did that. While infanticide is anything but funny, this episode does have its humorous aspects. Here are some more serious observations: In normal times, it would seem remarkable that an editor of a seemingly non-political publication like Cheese Reporter, located in a purple state, would lash out in such over-the-top fashion. But these are not normal times, especially in Wisconsin. Wisconsins Democratic Party was radical before radicalism went national: remember the hysteria over Scott Walkers election and subsequent public sector union legislation; the occupation of the states capitol by Democrats; Democratic legislators fleeing the state to prevent a quorum, so that the legislature could not conduct business; the attempt to recall Governor Walker; and the sinister John Doe investigation that targeted Wisconsin conservatives. Congressman Kind, meanwhile, has come out in favor of impeaching President Trump (for what? who knows?) even after the findings of the Mueller report were disclosed, and despite the fact that Trump carried his district. Nowadays, craziness comes from every corner of the Democratic Party. Can radicalism on issues like immigration, the economy, energy, and abortion possibly be a winning formula for the Democrats? Ask me in 19 months, but I doubt it. Scott wrote last week about Byron Yorks revealing podcast with John Dowd, who represented President Trump during a substantial portion of Trumps dealings with special counsel Robert Mueller. Byron has now posted, on Ricochet, the second installment of his interview with Dowd. He writes about it here. An excerpt: In our earlier talk, Dowd stressed that the Trump White House fully cooperated with Muellers investigation, and that on more than one occasion Trump instructed Dowd to inform Mueller that the president respected the prosecutors work. But how could one say Trump fully cooperated when the president was, at the same time, loudly denouncing the probe as a witch hunt and a hoax, and bashing Muellers prosecutors as 17 angry Democrats? The answer lay in Trumps longtime habit of operating on two levels. On the surface, Trump sets off controversies, often using Twitter to say something outrageous that sets the media agenda and leaves some commentators with their hair on fire. At the same time, below the surface, Trump is actually taking steps to get a particular job done. That was true with the Russia probe. For public consumption, Trump was denouncing Mueller and trashing his team. Behind the scenes, Trump was cooperating and making sure his staff did the same. The Trump White House offered everyone (except, of course, the president himself) to be interviewed, and reams and reams of documents that other White Houses might have withheld on the grounds of executive or other privilege. So Trump simultaneously attacked and cooperated. Asked about the attacks, Dowd said Mueller understood that Trump had to mount a political defense on the Russia issue. Bob understood this, it was political, Dowd said. [Trump] had to handle the political side, and that was his way of doing it with his tweets and his comments Bob was a big boy about the political side of it. He understood the president had to address the politics of it. He couldnt just say nothing. People were pounding him about this thing every day, both privately and publicly, and he had to take [Mueller] on. Its an article of faith among white leftists that President Trump is a racist. He stands accused of being anti-Black and anti-Hispanic. But how do the alleged recipients of his animus view him? Poll numbers suggest that around half of Black voters consider Trump a racist. It remains to be seen whether those who dont buy this narrative will enable Trump to make a dent in the pro-Democrat monolith that is the Black vote. As for Hispanic voters, Trump might well make more than a dent. A new poll by McLaughlin & Associates finds that the presidents approval number among Hispanics is 50 percent. McLaughlin & Associates is a conservative-oriented company. That doesnt mean its polls are biased, but its worth looking at other surveys to see whether the McLaughlin result amounts to an outlier. It doesnt. A January Marist/NPR/PBS survey also put Trumps approval rating among Hispanics at 50 percent. A February Morning Consult/Politico poll put it at 45 percent, slightly ahead of Trumps overall approval rating. If these numbers hold up, and if they translate into Trump votes, they should give Trump a nice edge in 2020. A solid showing among Hispanic voters would likely enable Trump to win again in Florida and Arizona, for example, while putting Nevada and Colorado in serious play. What accounts for Trumps relative success with Hispanic voters? Steve Cortes, who helped lead the Trump Hispanic Advisory Council in 2016, cites three factors: (1) the economy, (2) immigration, and (3) social issues. The first and third factors require little explanation. The second immigration seems counter-intuitive. But Cortes explains: Leftist politicians and their media allies wrongly assume that Hispanics espouse softness on immigration illegality. In reality, a 2018 YouGov/Economist poll detailed that only 20% of Hispanics support the practice of catch and release of families crossing our border illegally. Indeed, Hispanic Americans often suffer the worst, most immediate consequences of porous borders. Too often, Hispanic workers must compete against unfair, illegal labor. In addition, dangerous illegal aliens largely terrorize Hispanic citizens. The tragic tales of MS-13 savagery, for example, normally involve Hispanic victims like Carlos Rivas-Majano, one of 27 people killed by the gang on Long Island, N.Y., in just the past three years. While elites like wannabe-Hispanic Robert Francis ORourke pontificate about open borders and tearing down existing border walls, the actual on-the-ground consequences flow to people with names like Hernandez, Cabrera, and Cortes. Hispanic Americans have suffered too many totally preventable losses, such as slain Arizona police Sgt. Brandon Mendoza and young Los Angeles mother Sandra Duran, both murdered by illegal aliens living in America despite multiple prior arrests in the United States. The assumption that Republicans must be soft on immigration to do well among Hispanics voters may prove to be another bit of conventional wisdom that Donald Trump destroys. Fact.MR PR-Inside.com: 2019-04-04 14:40:13 Press Information FactMR 11140 Rockville Pike Suite 400 Rockville, MD 20852 United States Abhishek Budholiya Marketing Manager 353-1-4434-232 email https://www.factmr.com/ # 554 Words 11140 Rockville Pike Suite 400 Rockville, MD 20852 United StatesMarketing Manager353-1-4434-232 The automotive industry is fast embracing sophisticated technologies to ensure uncompromised vehicle security pertaining both occupant as well as pedestrian safety. Biometrics has emerged as one of the most resilient tools to ensure optimum safety standards for commuters. Passenger vehicles space has been witnessing exponential spike to ensure seamless transportation. Guided by the same, adoption of advanced security measures to curb incidences of theft as well as unauthorized access have propelled adoption of advanced technologies. Growing applications of fleet vehicles on the back of surged trade activities, besides passenger inclination towards shared rides are poised to further encourage adoption of biometric driver identification system.Get sample of this report atBesides ensuring driver authenticity advances in biometric technologies also determine health conditions of the drivers to ascertain safe drives. Implementing iris recognition not only authenticates driver identity but also aids in recognizing drowsiness and distraction. Such integrated biometric driver identification system remains pivotal in activating auto mode driving option in autonomous vehicles, thereby ensuring adequate safety. Additionally, such advanced technologies also aid in propelling an extremely personalized driving experience based on chosen driver preferences for in car music system, maps, and call records. Technological leaps as such, coupled with massive advances in automobile ownership are estimated to keep growth impressive in biometric driver identification system market in subsequent times.Despite full-fledged adoption across mature economies such as North America and Europe, developing economies are yet to follow the trend. Leading market participants therefore are diverting ample resources towards sensitization programs to create ample mindfulness about the benefits of biometric driver identification system.Biometric Driver Identification System Market: OverviewThe biometric driver identification system market has been analyzed in detail to offer definitive forecast insights on the market for the period 2017-22. This report is an exhaustive compilation of a detailed overview of biometric driver identification system market and analyzes the market in terms of market dynamics, macro and micro-economic determinants that shape market growth, also shedding light on other relevant factors that direct future prospects of the market trajectory.Read Complete Market Report from HereThe report aims to offer readers with ample competitive advantage and cues on market entry barriers, based on which aspiring market entrants as well as established players can drive profitable investment discretion. To aid readers understanding the report is systematically classified into detailed chapters. In its trailing sections the report also includes a detailed chapter on segmental analysis of biometric driver identification system market to offer veritable insights on segments historical and future growth estimations.Detailed overview of biometric driver identification system market spectrum presented in the report banks upon a robust research methodology comprising primary and secondary researches that divulge relevant and timely market intelligence figures.Biometric driver identification system market: Competition LandscapeThis section of the report offers a detailed section on key contributors in biometric driver identification system market. A dashboard view of each of the mentioned profiles complete with detailed insights on their respective SWOT analysis along with detailed assessment of their product portfolio, market contribution, as well as recent developments have been slated to aid readers understanding about the competition spectrum.Have Any Query?? Ask Our Industry Expert Dublin, April 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Cardiac Assist Devices Market Forecast up to 2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The research report predicts that the global cardiac assist devices market will grow at a CAGR of 11.6% during the forecast period The market has witnessed steady growth in the past few years and the advancement in technology coupled with the introduction of novel products have augmented the acceptance of heart assist devices in the market. The market is fueled by upsurge in the incidence of heart failure, growing elderly population, and shortage of heart donors for transplantation. The market continues to grow and the devices are most widely used for the functioning of heart in case of failure and weakened heart patients. The field is getting revolutionized with the availability of improved technology. The key market players are focusing towards approvals, new product launches, and targeting towards end-users perspective. The market generates the revenue from the key players operating in this field and some of them includes Abbott Laboratories, Berlin Heart GmbH, Maquet GmbH (Getinge AB), SynCardia Systems, LLC, and ReliantHeart, Inc. North America accounted for the largest share of the global cardiac assist devices market in 2018 and is expected to remain the leading region in terms of value during the forecast period. According to American Heart Association, an estimated 92.1 million population in US have at least one type of CVD and by 2030 it is projected that close to 44% of the US adult population to have some form of CVD. Increasing incidence of cardiovascular diseases, promising reimbursement policies, presence of dominant vendors, and accessibility of advanced technologies will increase the demand and adoption of the cardiac assist devices in the region. Europe is the second largest region in terms of cardiac assist devices market. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) causes 3.9 million deaths and over 1.8 million deaths in EU countries. In UK alone, around 60,000 new cases of advanced chronic heart failure are diagnosed every year out of which 40% die within a year. Asia Pacific is expected to grow at mid-double digit CAGR during the forecast period, owing to factors such as growing healthcare expenditure, high prevalence of lifestyle related disorders, and increasing acceptance of advanced technologies in the market. By Product: Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump (IABP) Ventricular Assist Devices (VAD) Left Ventricular Assist Devices (LVAD) Right Ventricular Assist Devices (RVAD) Biventricular Assist Devices (BIVAD) Total Artificial Heart (TAH) In 2018, the ventricular assist devices segment occupied the largest share and is expected to grow at mid-double digit CAGR during the forecast period. The ventricular assist devices market is further segmented into left ventricular assist devices, right ventricular assist devices, and biventricular assist devices. Among these, left ventricular assist devices occupied a major share and is expected to grow at high CAGR during the forecast period. Increasing number of patients suffering from last-stage heart failure, advancements in technology leading to better effectiveness & high survival rate, and decreased risk of the devices makes the segment the most common among other VAD devices. The market is dominated by North America, followed by Europe and Asia Pacific. The US occupied the major share of the North American market due to the presence of key vendors and obtainability of advanced technologies. Cardiac Assist Devices Market Research Competitive Analysis - The global cardiac assist devices market has massive growth opportunities in both developed and developing regions. The upgradation and advancements of devices will increase the competition among the market players. Many companies are concentrating on new approvals, funding, and development of new products related to cardiac assist device because of the increase in implantable procedures. For instance, Teleflex announced FDA approval for intra-aortic balloon pump in 2017. The AC3 Optimus device delivers intra-aortic balloon pump therapy to assist in pumping blood. In October 2018, FDA approved HeartMate 3 left ventricular assist device developed by Abbott, as a destination therapy for patients with advanced heart failure. In January 2018, Canada regulatory body issued a Class IV License with conditions to HeartMate 3 Left Ventricular Assist System (LVAS) developed by Thoratec Corporation. BiVACOR Pty Ltd is developing a rotary Total Artificial Heart (TAH) device and its initiative is funded by OneVentures, a venture capital firm and the Federal Government of Australia. In addition, other leading vendors are focusing in investing huge on research and development activities to develop new products to obtain high share in the market. Key competitive facts The market is highly competitive with all the players competing to gain market share. Intense competition, rapid advancements in technology, frequent changes in government policies, and the prices of devices are some of the key factors that confront the market. The requirement of high initial investment, implementation, and maintenance cost in the market are also limiting the entry of new players. Benefits The report provides complete details about the current and forecast market size of every type of cardiac assist devices and market values by region. Through this report, the key stakeholders in the cardiac assist devices ecosystem can also know about the major trends, drivers, investments, vertical player's initiatives, and government initiatives towards the medical devices segment in the upcoming years along with details of the pureplay companies entering the market. Moreover, the report provides details about the major challenges that are going to impact the market growth. Additionally, the report gives complete details about the key business opportunities to key stakeholders in order to expand their business and capture the revenue in specific verticals and to analyze before investing or expanding the business in this market. Key Takeaways: Understanding the potential market opportunity with precise market size and forecast data Detailed market analysis focusing on the growth of cardiac assist devices industry Factors influencing the growth of cardiac assist devices market In-depth competitive analysis of dominant and pureplay vendors Prediction analysis of cardiac assist devices industry in both developed and developing regions Key insights related to major segments of the cardiac assist devices market Latest market trend analysis impacting the buying behavior of the consumers Key Topics Covered: 1 Industry Outlook 1.1 Industry Overview 1.1.1 Geography 1.1.2 Medical Technologies 1.1.3 Industry Trends 1.2 Total Addressable Market 2 Report Outline 2.1 Report Scope 2.2 Report Summary 2.3 Research Methodology 2.4 Report Assumptions 3 Market Snapshot 3.1 Market Definition 3.2 Device Benefits 3.3 Segmented Addressable Market (SAM) 3.4 Trends of the Cardiac Assist Devices Market 3.5 Related Markets 3.5.1 Interventional Cardiology 3.5.2 Angioplasty 3.5.3 Stents 4 Market Outlook 4.1 Reimbursement Codes 4.2 Regulatory Status 4.3 Clinical Trials 4.4 Market Segmentation 4.5 PEST Analysis 4.6 Porter 5 (Five) Forces 5 Market Characteristics 5.1 DRO - Global Cardiac Assist Devices Market Dynamics 5.1.1 Drivers 5.1.1.1 Increasing incidence of cardiovascular device across the globe 5.1.1.2 Lack of heart donors globally 5.1.1.3 Increasing aged population 5.1.2 Opportunities 5.1.2.1 Increase in healthcare spending and demand for improved treatment in developing economies 5.1.2.2 Robust pipeline of products 5.1.3 Restraints 5.1.3.1 High cost of the cardiac assist device 5.1.3.2 Stringent regulatory policies 5.2 DRO - Impact Analysis 5.3 Key Stakeholders 6 Products: Market Size and Analysis 6.1 Overview 6.2 Intra-Aortic Balloon Pumps 6.3 Ventricular Assist Devices 6.3.1 Left Ventricular Assist Devices 6.3.2 Right Ventricular Assist Devices 6.3.3 Biventricular Assist Device (BIVAD) 6.4 Total Artificial Heart 7 Regions: Market Size and Analysis 7.1 Overview 7.2 North America 7.3 Europe 7.4 Asia Pacific 7.5 Rest of the World 8 Competitive Landscape 8.1 Overview 9 Vendor Profiles 9.1 Abbott Laboratories 9.2 Berlin Heart GmbH 9.3 Maquet GmbH (Getinge AB) 9.4 ReliantHeart, Inc. 9.5 SynCardia Systems, LLC 10 Companies to Watch For 10.1 ABIOMED, Inc. 10.2 Medtronic plc 10.3 BiVACOR, Inc. 10.4 XENIOS AG (Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA) 10.5 Teleflex Incorporated 10.6 Calon Cardio-Technology Ltd. 10.7 Carmat SA 10.8 LivaNova, PLC For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/v9sf27/global_cardiac?w=12 Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. PR-Inside.com: 2019-04-04 04:28:26 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 754 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NAPERVILLE, IL / ACCESSWIRE / April 3, 2019 / With the internet being used as a tool to locate virtually every kind of business or service, it is important, now more so than ever, to have a strong online presence. This holds true even for medical practices. Modern patients will often turn to the internet to find the best medical practice in their immediate area. As the medical practice with the most search engine-friendly website is more likely to appear first, they will therefore draw the most clients.Medical practices that wish to ensure that the highest possible number of people are made aware of their services will often make use of website design and optimization companies like the Chicago Website Design SEO Company (CWDSC). ''A few years ago, yellow pages were used to find products and services,'' says CWDSC. ''Today, we use the internet, with the help of search engines. When you make a search, the results come in pages. There is a website at the top of the results and this is where SEO will take you.'' Medical SEO is one of the best ways of bringing new clients and strengthening ties to old ones. It makes makes medical practices visible to those looking for medical services in the immediate area around them. Patients research practices and doctors online before making an appointment now more than ever. This means that the website of a particular doctor or medical practice now serves as the first point of contact between patient and doctor and, as such, must create a good first impression by being the top rated practice online. This creates a bond of trust before the patient even walks in for their first appointment.Through their medical Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) services, the company works to connect doctors with patients in their area, keep patients informed about new developments and provide relevant health information, help streamline patient-to-physician communication and create higher website conversion. Doctors, their patients, and their practices all benefit from medical SEO services. With these services, websites act as a way for clients and physicians to contact each other, in addition to being a platform that highlights the services offered by a practice. CWDSC offers medical practice SEO, healthcare SEO, medical writing, medical marketing, medical website design, and many other services.''Our company uses proven SEO strategies to put your practice first on Google, Bing, Yahoo, and Yelp,'' says CWDSC. ''As a leader in Search Engine Optimization, we can make your medical practice competitive with other providers in your city. Medical SEO services are able to target patients in your local geographical area with insurance carriers accepted by your practice.'' CWDSC further specializes in marketing chiropractors. The website design company advises chiropractors to, ''Search for chiropractor services in your area. If you do not see your website at the top, you need professional SEO for chiropractors. When combined with marketing for chiropractors, SEO can take your website to the top of search results. At the top, there are endless benefits.'' CWDSC has been providing high quality chiropractic SEO services for many years. With their extensive experience, CWDSC has learned all the important elements to take into consideration when applying SEO techniques to chiropractor marketing.CWDSC considers a number of things in their optimization process. First among these is ensuring that the practice has a well-structured website. Badly designed websites are less likely to show up at the top of any search engine's search results, and are also less likely to keep a client's attention once they land on the page. CWDSC also works with clients to create professional content after careful keyword research. There are a number of local SEO services which are important in any optimization campaign, and the experts at CWDSC are ready and willing to take care of it all. Lastly, the company is able to oversee their clients' online reputation management as well as social media management.Search Engine Optimisation is an important part of any business' path to success, in addition to being crucial for getting information to the people it needs to reach. CWDSC has made it their mission to bridge the online gap between doctor and patient and make finding the right medical service easier. Contact Jack Lombardi of the Chicago Website Design SEO Company for all medical SEO-related services.###For more information about Chicago Website Design SEO Company, contact the company here:Chicago Website Design SEO CompanyJack Lombardi3124488310jack@ bizngine.com 10 S. Riverside Plaza#875Chicago, IL. 60606SOURCE: Chicago Website Design SEO Company PR-Inside.com: 2019-04-04 21:18:02 Supreme Court of Canada Rejects Request to Revive Dismissed Suit Fraudulent Ecuador Judgment is Unenforceable Against Chevrons Canadian Subsidiary Sean Comey - +1 925-842-5509 or James Craig - +1 (925) 842-1319 The Supreme Court of Canada has rejected a request to review a decision of the Court of Appeal for Ontario that a $9.5 billion Ecuadorian judgment against Chevron Corporation cannot be enforced against Chevron Canada Limited, an indirect subsidiary. The Court of Appeal for Ontarios decision, which is now final, dismissed all claims against Chevron Canada Limited, holding that it is a separate entity from Chevron Corporation and that its shares and assets cannot be seized by those seeking to enforce the corrupt Ecuadorian judgment. The Ecuadorian judgment itself has already been found by U.S. courts and an international tribunal in The Hague to have been obtained through fraud, bribery and corruption. "We are pleased that the highest court in Canada has put an end to the plaintiffs lawyers attempts to enforce their corrupt Ecuadorian judgment against Chevrons indirect subsidiary in Canada, said R. Hewitt Pate, vice president and general counsel, Chevron Corporation. Canadian courts have rejected the plaintiffs efforts to circumvent the determination by U.S. courts that the Ecuadorian judgment against Chevron was procured through bribery, fraud and other racketeering activity. Any further efforts by the plaintiffs lawyers to continue this lawsuit in Canada would be an abuse of the countrys legal system and a waste of its judicial resources. Because Chevron Corporation has never had any assets in Ecuador, the plaintiffs, led by adjudicated racketeer and suspended lawyer Steven Donziger, are attempting to enforce the Ecuadorian judgment in other jurisdictions. Donziger and his associates had sought to enforce the judgment against both Chevron Corporation, which has no assets in Canada, and Chevron Canada Limited, which was not a party to the Ecuadorian lawsuit. Today's decision confirms once and for all that the fraudsters cannot pursue Chevron Canada Limited's shares and assets. Last September, an international tribunal administered by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague issued an award in favor of Chevron and its indirect subsidiary, Texaco Petroleum Company, finding that the Republic of Ecuador violated its obligations under international treaties, investment agreements and international law. The tribunal in a unanimous ruling by a panel including an arbitrator chosen by the Republic of Ecuador held that a $9.5 billion judgment rendered against Chevron in Lago Agrio, Ecuador, in 2011 was procured through fraud, bribery and corruption and was based on claims that had been already settled and released by the Republic of Ecuador years earlier. The tribunal concluded that the fraudulent Ecuadorian judgment violates international public policy and should not be recognised or enforced by the courts of other States. As a matter of international law, this award confirms Chevron is not obliged to comply with the Ecuadorian judgment. In 2011, the plaintiffs obtained a $9.5 billion judgment against Chevron in an Ecuadorian court, but in 2014, a U.S. federal court found that the Ecuadorian judgment was the product of fraud and racketeering activity, including extortion, money laundering, wire fraud, witness tampering, judicial bribery, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act violations and obstruction of justice. The court prohibited enforcement of the Ecuadorian judgment in the United States. That decision is now final after having been unanimously affirmed by a U.S. court of appeals and denied review by the U.S. Supreme Court. In 2018, Donziger was suspended from practicing law in New York State and Washington, DC as a result of his unlawful conduct in procuring the Ecuadorian judgment. The plaintiffs other attempts to enforce the judgment in jurisdictions around the globe have also failed: In November 2017, Brazils Superior Court of Justice unanimously rejected an attempt to enforce the Ecuadorian judgment in Brazil. Brazils Deputy Prosecutor General stated the judgment was issued in an irregular manner, especially under deplorable acts of corruption. This followed a ruling by a court in Argentina in October 2017, which also denied recognition of the Ecuadorian judgment. An Argentine appeals court upheld this decision in July 2018, citing a lack of jurisdiction. In December 2015, the Supreme Court of Gibraltar issued a judgment against Amazonia Recovery Ltd., a Gibraltar-based company set up by the plaintiffs attorneys and investors to receive and distribute funds resulting from the Ecuadorian judgment, awarding Chevron $28 million in damages. The Court also issued a permanent injunction against Amazonia prohibiting the company from assisting or supporting the case against Chevron in any way. The court issued a similar ruling in May 2018 against directors of Amazonia, Frente de Defensa de la Amazonia, and Ecuadorian attorney Pablo Fajardo for their role in attempting to enforce the ruling, this time awarding $38 million in damages to Chevron. Chevron Corporation is one of the world's leading integrated energy companies. Through its subsidiaries that conduct business worldwide, the company is involved in virtually every facet of the energy industry. Chevron explores for, produces and transports crude oil and natural gas; refines, markets and distributes transportation fuels and lubricants; manufactures and sells petrochemicals and additives; generates power; and develops and deploys technologies that enhance business value in every aspect of the company's operations. Chevron is based in San Ramon, Calif. More information about Chevron is available at www.chevron.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190404005 Fraudulent Ecuadorian Judgment is Unenforceable Against Chevrons Canadian Subsidiary. Supreme Court of Canada Rejects Request to Revive Dismissed Suit. PR-Inside.com: 2019-04-04 07:06:03 4 April 2019 PRESS RELEASE GAM Holding AG nominates three new members to its Board of Directors GAM Holding AG today announced that it proposes the election of Katia Coudray, Jacqui Irvine and Monika Machon, all with a strong professional background in the asset management industry, as new members of the Board of Directors, subject to customary regulatory approval. Hugh Scott-Barrett is proposed for re-election as Chairman, and Benjamin Meuli, Nancy Mistretta and David J. Jacob as members of the Board of Directors. Katia Coudray was CEO of Syz Asset Management, a position she held from 2015 to 2018. Prior to that, she was Head of Investment and Head of Product Development at Syz Group. Before joining Syz in 2011, Katia was Head of the Multi-Management and Innovation Platform at Union Bancaire Privee for ten years, and worked at other financial institutions in the fund area before that. Katia holds a BA in Economics, Finance and Accounting from the School of Management in Fribourg and is a Certified International Investment Analyst (CIIA). She was born in 1969 and is a Swiss citizen. Jacqui Irvine was Group General Counsel and Company Secretary of Janus Henderson Group until 2018. She held the same role at Henderson Group, which she joined in 1996, from 2011 until the merger with Janus Capital Group in 2017. Jacqui qualified as a solicitor in 2000 and holds a BA in Law and Psychology from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, a postgraduate diploma in Law from the University of the West of England in Bristol as well as a postgraduate diploma in Legal Practice from the College of Law in London. She was born in 1972 and is a UK citizen. Monika Machon was a Senior Vice President and Treasurer at AIG from 2013 to 2016. Prior to that, she held other senior positions within the AIG group, which she joined in 1998, including Chief Investment Officer and Global Head of Asset Management, Head of Fixed Income and CEO of AIG Investments Europe. Before joining AIG, Monika held banking and investment positions at various financial institutions in the US and the UK. Monika holds an MBA in Finance from Indiana University as well as a Juris Doctor from Indiana University School of Law, and is a CFA Charterholder. She was born in 1960 and is a German and UK citizen. The three nominated Board members will replace Diego du Monceau, Ezra S. Field and Monica Machler, who have decided not to stand for re-election at the upcoming AGM scheduled for 8 May 2019. Hugh Scott-Barrett, Benjamin Meuli, Nancy Mistretta and David J. Jacob are standing for re-election as Chairman and members of the Board of Directors, respectively. Hugh Scott-Barrett, Chairman of the Board of Directors, said: We very much look forward to welcoming Katia, Jacqui and Monika, who I am convinced, will be great additions to our Board thanks to their strong industry experience and diverse backgrounds. On behalf of the full Board of Directors I would like to thank Diego for his strong support and commitment over the last nine years as well as Ezra and Monica for their active involvement and personal contributions as board members, particularly in the last 12 months. For further information please contact: Media Relations: Investor Relations: Marc Duckeck Patrick Zuppiger T +41 (0) 58 426 62 41 T +41 (0) 58 426 31 36 Tobias Plangg Jessica Grassi T +41 58 426 31 38 T +41 58 426 31 37 Visit us at: www.gam.com Follow us on: Twitter and LinkedIn About GAM GAM is a leading independent, pure-play asset manager. The company provides active investment solutions and products for institutions, financial intermediaries and private investors. The core investment business is complemented by private labelling services, which include management company and other support services to thirdparty asset managers. GAM employs over 900 people in 14 countries with investment centres in London, Cambridge, Zurich, Hong Kong, New York, Milan and Lugano. The investment managers are supported by an extensive global distribution network. Headquartered in Zurich, GAM is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange and is a component of the Swiss Market Index Mid (SMIM) with the symbol GAM. The Group has AuM of CHF 132.2 billion (USD 134.1 billion) as at 31 December 2018, excluding ARBF-related AuM of CHF 1.5 billion in liquidation. Attachment PR-Inside.com: 2019-04-04 21:25:09 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 403 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 4, 2019 / HemaGenetics Technologies Corp. (the "Company" or "HemaGenetics") announces that it has signed a Share Purchase and Sale Agreement (the "SPSA") to acquire the HemaGenetic Research Group ("HRG") owned and operated by Dr. Haixing Chen. The Company anticipates closing on the SPSA on or before Friday, April 12, 2019.About HRGHRG is a private research group that has developed patented gene technology for the delivery of therapeutic proteins through patients' bone marrow via stem cell in vitro with 100% delivery upon rupture of red blood cells at their end of life cycle (the "IP"). The IP is targeted towards the $150+ billion global therapeutic protein market that is anticipated to reach $217.6 billion by 20231.Acquisition TermsPursuant to the SPSA, the Company is to issue a total 50,000,000 common shares with a fair market value of $25,000,000 (the "Purchase Price") to Dr. Chen and HRG to acquire 100% ownership interest in HRG and the IP subject to completion of due diligence and the following key conditions:The Company must;raise $4,000,000 in working capital on or before May 31, 2019;raise an additional $4,000,000 in working capital on or before September 30, 2019; andcomplete current and planned transactions under the Company's plans of arrangement.The Purchase Price will be held in escrow by the Company until the aforementioned conditions are met to close on the transfer of IP. A 1,000,000 common share finder's fee will also be issued and paid in conjunction with closing of this acquisition.HemaGenetics Technologies Corp.On behalf of the Board of DirectorsRon Ozols, V.P. CommunicationsContact: ronozols@ gmail.com 1Allied Market ResearchForward-Looking Information: This press release may include forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, concerning the business of HEMAGENETICS. Forward-looking information is based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by the management of HEMAGENETICS. Although HEMAGENETICS believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking information is based on are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking information because HEMAGENETICS can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release. HEMAGENETICS disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, other than as required by applicable securities laws.SOURCE: HemaGenetics Technologies Corp. PR-Inside.com: 2019-04-04 09:29:20 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 657 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Inocrowd partners with HeroX platform and strengthens its presence inthe international market With this partnership Inocrowd reaches morethan 1,000,000 Solvers, becoming the largest open innovation platform inEuropeVANCOUVER, CANADA / ACCESSWIRE / April 4, 2019 / With this partnership Inocrowd reaches more than 1,000,000 Solvers, becoming the largest open innovation platform in Europe.Inocrowd, a platform specialized in providing services to generate ideas and solve problems, creating the perfect bridge between seekers (companies) and solvers (solution provider), joins the leading platform in the USA, HeroX, with the aim of reinforcing its presence in the international market, establishing an exchange of challenges and solvers between the two platforms.The main advantage of this association is that Inocrowd will now place at the disposal of companies a community of experts who belong to prestigious universities, students, start-ups and spin-offs worldwide.At this moment, Inocrowd has more than 600,000 solvers from various areas of competence and, with this partnership, will exceed the 1,000,000 solvers as well as it will register an exponential increase of the international challenges of the largest American and European companies, such as NASA, General Electric, Lockheed Martin, Deutche Telecom, Volkswagen Group, Bosch, among others, available through these two platforms.Soraya Gadit, Inocrowd's founder and CEO, explains the importance of this partnership:"The partnership between the two companies consists in an exchange of challenges where both Inocrowd and HeroX can publish each others challenges. This connection to the leading US platform allows Inocrowd to further increase the base of solvers and give Portuguese researchers the opportunity to access challenges from companies such as NASA and Lockheed Martin." To conclude, Soraya Gadit adds:"The aim of Inocrowd is also to help solve problems of access to food and drinking water in underdeveloped countries and find more effective therapies for diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis and breast cancer, goals common with HeroX." The association of the Portuguese platform with HeroX represents an incredible advance in the international market, being now considered the best open innovation platform in Europe.HeroX has solved some NASA challenges for example: to design a new airspace and concept of operations to allow the air vehicles of 2035, including autonomous vehicles, to safely and efficiently participate in traffic space, another successfully challenge solved by Hero X was to source a system that routes and collects human waste away from the body , hands-free, for fully suited astronauts.About HeroX:Herox. was co-founded in 2013 by XPRIZE founder Peter Diamandis, challenge designer Emily Fowler and entrepreneur Christian Cotichini as a means to democratize the innovation model of XPRIZE.The HeroX platform is an open ecosystem of solvers that our clients turn to when tackling any problem. Our platform creates value by matching solvers with consumers to co-create innovative thinking. HeroX exists to enable anyone, anywhere in the world, to create a challenge that addresses any problem or opportunity, build a community around that challenge and activate the circumstances that can lead to breakthrough innovation.Tonie GranataEmail: tonie@ herox.com About Inocrowd:Inocrowd is a Portuguese platform specialized in providing services to generate ideas and solve problems, based on its own interactive open innovation technology platform, which reaches a network of experts from all over the world to accelerate and improve innovation in companies investing in research and development (R&D).334/5000InoCrowd was awarded the first prize for 8 the most innovative company in an initiative promoted by the newspaper Expresso, BCP (bank), Cascais City Hall, Start-Up Chile and Tech Media Europe. It was also named the Best Start-Up Global Award by Hewlett-Packard and in 2016 by NOS (one of the biggest Portuguese telecommunications brands) as one of the 10 most innovative companies in Portugal.For more information please contact:Sandra Sezoes:Phone: +351 21 750 60 40E-mail: sandrasezoes@ taylor365.pt Contact Info:Name: Kal Sahota VP of PossibilitiesEmail: Send EmailOrganization: HeroXAddress: 1991 West 42nd Avenue,, Vancouver, BC V6M 2B2, CanadaWebsite: http://www.herox.com SOURCE: HeroX PR-Inside.com: 2019-04-04 14:35:25 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 671 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 4, 2019 / Margaret Lake Diamonds Inc. ( TSX.V: DIA / FSE: M85) (''Margaret Lake'' or the ''Company'') is pleased to announce the Company has received approval for a Land Use Permit (''LUP'') valid until April 2024 at its Kiyuk Lake Gold Property (''Kiyuk Lake'' or the ''Property''). Additionally, the Company has completed a detailed ground geophysical survey. Interpretation of the data is underway and results will be reported shortly. The survey will be used to identify structures in bedrock that correlate with known zones of gold mineralization revealed in past drilling and also help finalize the planned 5,000 meter diamond drill program, which will focus on expanding high-grade Rusty zone along strike and to depth as well as testing other high priority drill targets.About the Kiyuk Lake Gold PropertyThe Kiyuk Lake land package consists of 70 contiguous mineral claims encompassing over 59,000 hectares and offers year-round accessibility to a 35-person base camp. Significant past exploration, beginning with Newmont Mining in 2008 and most recently Cache Exploration in 2017, has resulted in over 13,000 meters of core drilling and delineation of four mineralized zones and five additional high priority target areas that have yet to be drill tested. Mineralization has been traced across a 13-kilometer strike length and remain open in all directions. The main focus of exploration to date has been on the high-grade Rusty zone. In 2017, drilling within the Rusty zone returned broad intercepts of gold mineralization including:8m of 26.48 g/t gold from 108m, including 2m of 92.76 g/t gold from 110m, in DDH KI17-00138m of 1.16 g/t gold from 58m, including 8m of 3.98 g/t gold from 68m, in DDH KI17-002122m of 1.82 g/t gold from 188m, including 15m of 3.34 g/t gold from 294m, in DDH KI17-004249m of 1.6 g/t gold from 8.2m in DDH KI13-004 (no cut-off)* Drill intercepts are not true width. True widths are not known at this time. See Cache Exploration Inc. press releases dated October 12, 2017 and October 26, 2017 and Prosperity Goldfields press release dated April 9, 2013. While the Company believes the historical work was performed according to best practices and the exploration data is reliable, a Qualified Person has not verified the results independently.Figure 1. Kiyuk Lake Project MapQualified PersonThe technical data in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Buddy Doyle, P.Geo., a Qualified Person under the provisions of National Instrument 43-101.About Margaret Lake Diamonds Inc.Margaret Lake Diamonds Inc. ( TSX.V: DIA) is a Canadian junior mining company focused on mineral exploration in Canada's most prolific mining districts. The Company is earning an 80% interest in the high-grade Kiyuk Lake Gold Property located in southern Nunavut and also holds interests in two diamond exploration properties in the Northwest Territories- the Margaret Lake project located adjacent to Mountain Province Diamond's Kennady North project and close proximity to Gahcho Kue, the newest Canadian diamond mine owned by De Beers and Mountain Province Diamonds. The Company also has a 60/40 joint venture with Arctic Star Exploration Corp. ( TSX.V: ADD) to explore the Diagras property, which is comprised of 23 claims totaling 18,699 hectares located in the prolific Lac de Gras diamond field.ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS''Jared Lazerson''President and Chief Executive OfficerPhone: 1.604.630.2810Web: www.margaretdiamonds.com Forward-Looking StatementsThis news release contains forward-looking information that involves various risks and uncertainties regarding future events. Such forward-looking information can include without limitation statements based on current expectations involving a number of risks and uncertainties and are not guarantees of future performance of the Company. Actual results and future events could differ materially from anticipated in such information. These and all subsequent written and oral forward-looking information are based on estimates and opinions of management on the dates they are made and expressed qualified in their entirety by this notice.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.SOURCE: Margaret Lake Diamonds Inc. PR-Inside.com: 2019-04-04 08:09:49 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 429 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 TORONTO, ONTARIO / ACCESSWIRE / April 4, 2019 / RTDNA Canada is pleased to announce Joanne MacDonald as a 2019 recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award, Central Region. Having distinguished herself through outstanding service and continued excellence during the course of her career in journalism and news management, MacDonald will be presented with her RTDNA Canada Lifetime Achievement Award during the President's Reception in Toronto on May 10, 2019.RTDNA President Fiona Conway said, "Joanne MacDonald and I worked together in the early days of our careers. I have seen her mentor and lead throughout her storied career. I am proud to see her peers and colleagues recognize her important work and dedication to our industry. Joanne is the epitome of leadership in broadcasting." About Joanne MacDonaldWhen colleagues describe Joanne MacDonald, the words they use often include integrity, ethical, hard-working, and committed.MacDonald started in the news business 38 years ago, first in radio, then transitioning to television as a story producer with Canada AM in 1983, then on to field producing for CTV National News in 1989. From there, MacDonald headed to Ottawa, where she became the Bureau Manager then Deputy Ottawa Bureau Chief for CTV News. Later returning to Toronto, MacDonald continued to ascend the ranks, ultimately to the role of Senior Vice-President, CTV News where she oversaw day-to-day operations and strategic vision for CP24 and CTV News Toronto.With an incredible eye for talent and superb editorial guidance, MacDonald has helped shape some of Canada's best journalists. Her leadership, news sense, and commitment to the highest news standards have contributed greatly to cementing CTV News as the powerhouse it is today.MacDonald actively contributes to the professional development of young journalists and is on the Advisory Council for her alma mater at the Ryerson School of Journalism. She has raised the bar of journalism in this country and is most deserving of the RTDNA Canada Lifetime Achievement Award in the Central Region.About RTDNARTDNA Canada is the voice of electronic and digital journalists and news managers in Canada. The members of RTDNA Canada recognize the responsibility of broadcast and digital journalists to promote and to protect the freedom to report independently about matters of public interest and to present a wide range of expressions, opinions and ideas. The RTDNA Canada Journalistic Code of Ethics, adopted by the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council, is used to measure fairness and accuracy in our profession.Become a Member: https://rtdna.wildapricot.org/join-us CONTACT INFORMATIONFiona ConwayPresident, RTDNA Canadapresident@ rtdnacanada.com Leya DuiguRTDNA Canadaadmin@ rtdnacanada.com SOURCE: RTDNA Canada Commercial Banks on Thursday said they were supporting different stages in the value-chains in export businesses in the country with N200 billion. This was disclosed to journalists at a news conference after the Bankers Committee meeting in Lagos. The Managing Director of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Kennedy Udoka said the support, which was a lending facility at a single digit rate up to a maximum of 10 years, would help transform the economy from being a mono-product through different exports. Mr Udoka said the committee in 2018 had set-up a subcommittee to look into those challenges confronting the nation in diversifying its economy from the stand- point of export. According to him, some of the challenges identified by the sub-committee initiatives are logistics, policy implementation among others. Mr Udoka said a lot of policies driving export in the country needed to be changed, adding that some had been broken down into immediate, mid-term and long-term. He acknowledged that some of the challenges were beyond the control of the bank community, as they could not be addressed within a short time. Mr Udoka, however, said that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has different funds supporting export businesses. We look at the existing funding structure to know which can address the current challenges. Also, we look at the viability of the product in terms of helping export, addressing employment issues and creating the necessary economic activities to boost foreign exchange, he added. On the commodities the banks were focusing on, the UBA boss said they included palm oil, cocoa, sesame seeds, sheet and cashew. Also, the Managing Director of Access Bank, Herbert Wigwe, said the committee revisited the agreed facility support for the creative and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector. Mr Wigwe said the four verticals considered in the creative sector were the movie, music, IT and fashion industries. He also said the committee had decided to take the industries to the next level and basically revisit the entire value-chain of each of the verticals. According to him, this will be from the production facilities to the last man in terms of capacity building. Mr Wigwe said whatever was being produced along each of the vertical should be of global standard. He also noted that there would be some advertorials by next week for eligible people to participate in the facility. The Access Bank chief, however, did not disclose the amount to be disbursed for the sector, but added that the specific amount would be determined by each of the strata the beneficiaries fell into. According to him, the loans are for maximum of 10 years and also at single digit rate. They are reflective of the fact that in this specific industry, what is required is long-term financing at single digit funding and for collateral which is flexible. It is a big initiative which will do a couple of things for our country. As a starting point, it will lead to about 300, 000 employment in five years time. It will lead to a significant accumulation of foreign exchange and significant savings. Earlier, Ahmed Abdullahi, Director Banking Supervision of the CBN, said the economy had recorded positive development in spite of the headwinds before the 2019 election period. Mr Abdullahi said lending to the private sector and the economy generally had increased. He said six billion dollars came from foreign investors into the country after the 2019 general elections. The director said the committee decided to consolidate on the gains and continue with those initiatives that brought about the growth. He identified such initiatives as import substitution programme and the anchor borrowers programme among others. (NAN) BFI Group Corporation on Tuesday began contempt proceedings against the Bureau of Public Enterprises and its Director General, Alex Okoh, over their alleged continued defiance of the 2012 Supreme Court order on the ownership of the Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria (ALSCON). The National Council on Privatisation declared the Nigerian-American consortium as the winner of the bid for ALSCON in 2004 but a legal tussle has frustrated its takeover of the plant. On March 27, 2019, counsel to BFIG, Patrick Ikwueto, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), wrote to Mr Okoh to frown at BPEs introduction of strange and unilateral terms to the mutually agreed share purchase agreement (SPA) of June 2004 approved by the Supreme Court in its July 6, 2012 judgment. Mr Ikwueto demanded the immediate and unconditional compliance with the judgment as affirmed in the January 11, 2019 ruling of the Court of Appeal. Failure to meet his demand, Mr Ikwueto threatened to commence contempt proceedings against Mr Okoh and BPE by issuing Forms 48 and 49 from the Federal High Court. Mr Ikwueto accused Mr Okoh and BPE of conspiracy to frustrate the enforcement of the July 6, 2012 order of the Supreme Court on the ownership crisis in ALSCON. When PREMIUM TIMES contacted Mr Okoh for his response, he said he welcomed any action Mr Ikwueto or his client, BFIG will take over the matter. If that is what he is threatening to do, he is at liberty to approach any court of law for whatever relief he seeks, he said. BFIG MAKES GOOD THREAT On Tuesday, Mr Ikwueto told PREMIUM TIMES he indeed served Mr Okoh the notice of the commencement of contempt proceedings, popularly called Form 48, from the Federal High Court, Abuja. Under the Civil Process Act, Cap. 551, Laws of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and the Judgment Enforcement Rules, Form 48 usually contains a copy of the court order served on the respondent for mandatory compliance within 24 hours. Where the respondent fails to comply, the court usually follows with the issuance of Form 49 for committal of the offender to prison for contempt. A copy of the contempt proceedings obtained by PREMIUM TIMES on Thursday detailed the consequences of the continued disobedience of the Supreme Court order. The document showed the court order served on the DG was signed for and received in his office on the same day. Form 48 addressed to the Director-General, BPE of 11 Osun Crescent, Maitama, Abuja, was titled: NOTICE OF CONSEQUENCE OF DISOBEDIENCE TO ORDER OF COURT. It read: TAKE NOTICE that unless you obey the directions contained in this order dated 11/01/2019, you will be guilty of contempt of Court and will be liable to be committed to prison, the notice dated April 2, 2019, read. A similar contempt order dated March 29, 2019, was also attached to the latest order pursuant to the defiance against the Supreme Court order. The BACKSTORY The National Council on Privatisation declared BFIG winner of the bid for ALSCON in 2004. But, the bid was cancelled by BPE in controversial circumstances. BFIG launched a legal battle to reclaim ALSCON from BPE. Eight years later, the Supreme Court on July 6, 2012, ruled in favour of BFIG and ordered BPE to enforce its rightful owner of ALSCON. Despite the order, BFIGs Chief Executive, Rueben Jaja, said BPE not only refused to obey, it continued to frustrate his companys efforts to takeover ALSCON. On January 11, 2019, the Appeal Court delivered judgment in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/901/2013 and Court of Appeal No. CA//637/2014 between BPE and BFIG. In the judgment, Justice Abdu Aboki reaffirmed the sanctity of the Supreme Court judgment and again ordered its full enforcement by BPE. Specifically, the judge directed BPE to provide the mutual agreed Share Purchase Agreement (SPA) (Exhibit BPE1) for execution by the parties. The agreement, Justice Aboki said, would enable BFIG to pay the agreed 10 per cent of $410 million (about $41 million) within 15 working days from the date of the execution of the Share Purchase Agreement by the agreement dated May 20, 2004. The balance of 90 per cent of the bid price, shall be paid within 90 calendar days as ordered by the Supreme Court, he said. BFIG DEMANDS COMPLIANCE Following the judgment, BFIG, on January 14, 2019, wrote to BPE to draw its attention to the consequential orders of the Appeal Court. On January 25, BFIG wrote again to BPE to request for a clean copy of the SPA for execution in compliance with the subsisting judgment/orders of the Supreme Court and reinforced by the Appeal Court. On February 4, Mr Ikwueto told PREMIUM TIMES BPE sent a response to BFIG, accompanied with a reproduced 16-page SPA (not the original approved by the Supreme Court) without any of the 17 annexures, acknowledged by Section 19.1 as key parts of the SPA. The annexures include a financial statement of ALSCON for the year ended December 31, 2004; ALSCON Post-Acquisition Plan; List of Liabilities of ALSCON; List of Facilities of ALSCON; List of land Plots of ALSCON; List of Compensation Scheme of Employees of ALSCON, and List of Employee Benefit of ALSCON. The others include: List of Intellectual Property of ALSCON; List of Material Contracts of ALSCON; List of Banks of ALSCON; List of Government Authorities of ALSCON of ALSCON; Exhibit No. 1: Natural Gas Sales and Purchase Agreement; Exhibit 3: Federal Republic of Nigeria Officials Gazette, and Exhibit 4: Power of Attorney. Mr Okohs letter said: If the Bureau does not receive an executed copy of the mutual agreed Share Purchase Agreement, and payment of the agreed sum of $41 million, representing 10 percent of the bid price within 15 working days, the Bureau will consider itself as being no longer bound by the agreement. He said BPE would equally consider itself not contractually bound to BFIG if the balance of $369million is not paid within 90 calendar days of the payment of $41million. On February 27, 2019, Mr Ikwueto said BFIG executed and delivered to BPE for countersignature the mutually agreed SPA (Exhibit BPE 1) with all annexures as provided by BPE in 2004 and reproduced in 2012 pursuant to Supreme Court judgment on July 6, 2012. On March 4, he said BPE executed the SPA, but removed ALL of the annexures, and returned an incomplete document to BFIG. On March 5, Mr Ikwueto said BFIG again wrote to BPE to demand the execution of the SPA, along with the agreed Annexures in 2004 and reproduced by BPE on October 16, 2012, after the Supreme Court order. NO RESPONSE BPE, OKOH When PREMIUM TIMES contacted Mr Okoh for his reaction to the reported commencement of contempt proceedings against him by BFIG, he did not answer several calls to his telephone. He also did not respond to an email and text message sent to him. Also, BPE spokesperson, Amina Tukur-Othman, said she was not in a position to comment on the story, as she was out of office. She asked the reporter to contact her on Friday when she will be in the office. Three students of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) were on Wednesday found dead in a hostel after allegedly overdosing on mixture of tramadol, codeine and vodka. A fourth student was still alive but unconscious and was rushed to hospital. The bodies were found at the Sunshine Castle Hostel, Umuchima ihiagwa, one of the communities close to the university. Two of them, according to a witness account, died instantly while the only lady amongst them and another male student were found unconscious. They were immediately rushed to the Federal Medical Centre Owerri where they were admitted at the Intensive Care Unit. The male student later died at the hospital, after efforts to revive him by a team of medical personnel failed. Following the incident, students of the hostel have vacated the hostel while the caretaker has been arrested by the police. The spokesperson of the University, Uche Nwaelue, said that the institution cannot yet confirm if the victims were its students. The states police spokesperson, Orlando Ikeokwu, a Superintendent of Police, confirmed the incident. The caretaker reported the matter and our men visited the scene and found the four of them stark naked and unconscious, the spokesman said. He said they were rushed to the hospital where three of them were confirmed dead. Substances suspected to be tramadol and Indian hemp were found with them, he added. TORONTO, April 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kerr Mines Inc. ( TSX: KER , OTC: KERMF, FRA: 7AZ1) (Kerr or the Company) is pleased to announce initial drilling results from its resource expansion program at the Copperstone Mine located in Arizona, USA. Additional drilling results are pending and will be released as they become available. 2019 Resource Expansion Highlights: Drill hole 18-08A-02 returned an interval of 12.2 meters at 11.7 g/t Au, including 3 meters of 38.3 g/t Au , indicating the zone is higher grade and thicker than initially anticipated with an effective mining width of 17.7 meters; , indicating the zone is higher grade and thicker than initially anticipated with an effective mining width of 17.7 meters; Additional intervals include 6.1 meters @ 5.8 g/t Au (18-05A-01); 4.6 meters @ 9.8 g/t Au (18-05A-06) and 4.6 meters @ 18.3 g/t Au (18-08A-03); Established continuity between previously drilled mineralized intercepts in the existing Inferred category while extending mineralization along strike and dip; Drilling is being accomplished entirely from existing underground access and will affect an area of 500 meters of strike length and 200 meters of elevation, representing approximately 33 per cent of the current resource strike length. The program was designed to increase confidence in the mineral reserve, particularly the portion scheduled for the first three years of production in the recently-completed Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS). The objective of the underground resource expansion program is to increase mine life by adding new Inferred resources and converting new and existing Inferred resources into Measured and Indicated resources. Updating the mine plan with the new resources will be the final step towards extending mine life once all drilling results have been received; and, Resource Expansion underground drilling program of up to 10,000 meters is currently focused on the D and C areas of the Copperstone zone. We are extremely pleased with the initial drilling results and performance of the program in its early stages and look forward to communicating results as they become available. These results confirm our understanding of the Copperstone gold deposit and support our confidence in expanding the resources and further extending mine life at the Copperstone Mine, stated Martin Kostuik, President. Hole ID From To Interval Length Gold* True Thickness** Effective Mining Width*** meter meter meter gram/tonne meter meter 18-05A-01 16.8 24.4 7.6 5.15 4.6 8.2 includes 16.8 22.9 6.1 5.77 3.7 6.1 includes 16.8 18.3 1.5 12.85 0.9 1.5 18-05A-06 36.6 44.2 7.6 7.71 4.9 8.2 includes 39.6 44.2 4.6 9.84 2.7 4.9 18-08A-02 12.2 24.4 12.2 11.70 10.1 17.7 includes 18.3 24.4 6.1 20.67 5.2 8.8 includes 21.3 24.4 3.0 38.25 2.4 4.6 18-08A-03 10.7 27.4 16.8 8.25 16.2 28.3 includes 22.9 27.4 4.6 18.25 4.6 7.6 * Grades herein are reported as uncapped values. ** Estimated distance between the foot wall and hanging wall of the mineralized zone measured perpendicularly to the edges. *** Effective Mining Width is defined as the distance between the foot wall and hanging wall of the mineralized zone measured horizontally and matches the planned mining method. The mining method used to calculate reserves will extract ore by drift mining along strike in a defined ore stope. The Effective Mining Width is the width that miners will be working within. 18-05A-01: Azimuth 245, inclination 0, total length 64 meters. This hole demonstrates opportunity to convert Inferred resource in the resource domain to Measured or Indicated resource. The intercepted thickness of the resource domain is wider than had been anticipated by the existing model, having a true thickness of approximately 6 meters. This intercept is 16 meters up-dip from the edge of the nearest engineered mining stope and may allow the stopes to be extended up-dip. 18-05A-06: Azimuth 235, inclination 0, total length 70 meters. This hole demonstrates opportunity to convert Inferred resource in the resource domain to Measured or Indicated resource. The intercept length approximates true thickness and is approximately what had been previously modelled, while the grade of this intercept exceeds what had been predicted in the existing model. Similar to hole 18-05A-01, this intercept is approximately 16 meters up-dip from the upper edge of engineered mining stopes in the resource domain and may allow the stopes to be extended up-dip. 18-08A-02: Azimuth 245, inclination -20, total length 40 meters. This hole demonstrates opportunity to convert Inferred resource in the resource domain to Measured or Indicated resource. The intercept length approximates the true thickness of the domain and shows it to be twice the anticipated thickness at this location and also of higher grade than anticipated. This intercept is 40 meters up-dip from the upper edge of engineered mining stopes of the resource domain and may allow the stopes to be extended up-dip. 18-08A-03: Azimuth 245, inclination -40, total length 43 meters. This hole demonstrates opportunity to convert Inferred resource in the resource domain to Measured or Indicated resource. The intercept approximates the true thickness of the zone and is of approximately the expected thickness and is of higher than anticipated gold grade. This intercept demonstrates opportunity to convert domain resources 30 meters up-dip from the upper edge of engineered mining stopes and may allow the stopes to be extended up-dip. The Copperstone zone is the underground extension of the same orebody that was historically mined as an open pit. The pit mined nearly 150 vertical meters of the Copperstone zone and produced in excess of 500,000 gold ounces historically. The Copperstone orebody currently has a horizontal strike length of over 1,500 meters and extends 110 meters beneath the historical open pit. Within this area there are Measured and Indicated resources of 276,100 gold ounces and Inferred resources of 145,700 gold ounces. Future drilling programs, with the objective of further mine life extension, will target areas beyond the current 2019 Phase II affected area of 500 meters of strike length. The ultimate goal would be the addition of resources along all sections encompassing the entire current resource strike length of over 1,500 meters. The technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with the Canadian regulatory requirements set out in NI 43-101 and reviewed and approved by Michael R. Smith, SME Registered Member (Geology), who is a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101 for this project. About Kerr Mines Inc. Kerr Mines is an Emerging American Gold Producer currently advancing the 100% owned, fully permitted past-producing Copperston e Mine project to production. Copperstone is a high-grade gold project located along a detachment fault mineral belt in mining-friendly Arizona. This gold project in Arizona demonstrates tremendous exploration potential targeting multi-million ounce prospects within a 50 Square kilometers (12,259 acre) land package. Quality Assurance and Quality Control Statement Procedures have been implemented to assure Quality Assurance Quality Control (QAQC) of drill hole assaying being done at ALS Global, which is ISO Accredited. All intervals of drill holes are being assayed and samples are securely stored for shipment to ALS, with chain of custody documentation through delivery. Mineralized commercial reference standards and coarse blank standards are inserted every 30th sample in sequence and results are graphed to assure acceptable results, resulting in high confidence of the drill hole assay results. When laboratory assays are received, the QAQC results are immediately evaluated and graphed to analyze dependability of the drill hole assays. As the Copperstone Project advances, additional QAQC measures will be implemented including selected duplicate check assaying on pulps and coarse rejects at a second accredited assay laboratory. All results will be analyzed for consistency. For further information contact: Claudio Ciavarella Chief Executive Officer cciavarella@kerrmines.com 416-855-9305 Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements, including current expectations on the timing of the commencement of production and the rate of production, if commenced. These forward-looking statements entail various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in these forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on current expectations, are subject to a number of uncertainties and risks, and actual results may differ materially from those contained in such statements. These uncertainties and risks include, but are not limited to, the strength of the Canadian economy; the price of gold ; operational, funding, and liquidity risks; the degree to which mineral resource estimates are reflective of actual mineral resources; and the degree to which factors which would make a mineral deposit commercially viable are present; the risks and hazards associated with underground operations. Risks and uncertainties about Kerr Mines business are more fully discussed in the Company's disclosure materials, including its annual information form and MD&A, filed with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada and available at www.sedar.com and readers are urged to read these materials. Kerr Mines assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from such statements unless required by law. Neither TSX nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release and no stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. Hours after President Muhammadu Buhari accused the National Assembly of inflating debts to be repaid by the federal government to deserving states, the legislative arm has denied any wrongdoing. Mr Buhari on Tuesday said the total amount approved by the National Assembly to Delta and Taraba States was higher than the amount approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC). He also asked the National Assembly to send details relating to the amount approved by the legislative arm to both states. The debt repayment in promissory notes is for projects executed on behalf of the federal government by various state governments. According to him, while the Federal Executive Council approved the total sum of approximately N78 billion as reimbursement to Delta and Taraba state governments, the lawmakers approved N90 billion, which is higher than the amount approved by the Federal Executive Council. Untrue However, in a statement on Wednesday, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Senate President Bukola Saraki, Yusuph Olaniyonu, said the presidents accusations and the media reports were wrong and must have resulted from misinformation to the president by his aides. He said the Senate approved the exact figures for Taraba and Delta States that was submitted to it by the Executive through the Ministry of Finance as stated on page 402 of a document titled, Federal Ministry of Finance Submission of Federal Government of Nigeria Outstanding Liabilities to National Assembly, May, 2018. Part of Mr Olamiyonus statement read, the President had claimed in his letter to the National Assembly dated March 5, 2019 that While the Federal Executive Council approved a total sum of N78, 601, 631, 430.16 as reimbursement to Delta and Taraba State Governments, the National Assembly approved N90, 236,461, 031.36, which is higher than the amount approved by the Federal Executive Council. The Senate would like to clarify that the breakdown which the Executive through the Ministry of Finance submitted to the National Assembly showed that the outstanding liability due to Taraba State is N22, 254,062,330.08 while that of Delta is N67, 982, 398, 701. 28 while the total for the two states is N90, 236, 461, 031. 36. Therefore, the National Assembly approved the figures submitted to it by the Ministry of Finance as approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for projects executed on behalf of the Federal Government. At no time did the executive forwarded the figure of N78,601,631,430,016 to us and we do not know where the President got that figure from. It said the Senate decided to make the clarification in order to set the records straight and disabuse the minds of the general public. We believe the President must have been misinformed and misadvised by his aides while writing the letter he sent on this issue to the National Assembly, he said. The statement however, failed to address another issue raised by the president which is that the National Assembly failed to approve reimbursements to Bauchi and Kogi States after a FEC approval. A lecturer at the University of Lagos, Dayo Ayoade, on Wednesday told an Italian Court in Milan that the award of the controversial Malabu Oil Block (OPL 245) to Shell and ENI was illegal. Mr Ayoade, a consultant hired by Italian prosecutors who also teaches oil law in UNILAG, spoke at the resumption of the long running case involving the two oil giants. According to Barnaby Pace of Global Witness, who was at the court, Mr Ayoade was hired by Milan prosecutors to determine whether the two oil giants met corporate and legal obligations in securing the controversial block. Backstory The Malabu scandal involved the transfer of about $1.1 billion by Shell and ENI through the Nigerian government to accounts controlled by a former Nigerian petroleum minister, Dan Etete. From accounts controlled by Mr Etete, about half the money ($520 million) went to accounts of companies controlled by Aliyu, popularly known in Nigeria as the owner of AA oil. Anti-corruption investigators and activists suspect he fronted for top officials of the Jonathan administration as well of officials of Shell and ENI. The transaction was authorised in 2011 by Mr Jonathan through some of his cabinet ministers and the money was payment for OPL 245, one of Nigerias richest oil blocks. Although Shell and ENI initially claimed they did not know the money would end up with Mr Etete and his cronies, evidence has shown that claim to be false. Shell, Eni, Mr Etete, Mr Aliyu and several officials of the oil firms are being prosecuted in Italy for their roles in the scandal. Faulty award process On Wednesday, Mr Ayoade argued that the award process for OPL245 to Shell and ENI did not follow the procedure established in the Petroleum Act, Petroleum (Drilling and Production) Regulation and DPR Guidance Notes for Prospective Bidders. Shell and Eni photo used to illustrate the story. [Photo credit: THISDAYLIVE] Failure to follow the relevant laws, policies and regulations is fatal to the legality of the OPL 245 award (Zebra Energy Ltd V FGN (2002)), he was quoted to have said by the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), another anti-corruption group monitoring the case. It is my considered view that the licence award on the basis of a FGN Resolution Agreement is anomalous and unprecedented in the Nigerian Oil and Gas Sector. Mr Ayoade explained that under a 2010 Nigerian law, in place before the 2011 deal Nigerian owned companies must be considered first in receiving oil licenses. Eni and Shells subsidiaries NAE and SNEPCO would not be considered Nigerian owned. He added that after the civilian government came to power in 1999, the military rule-era system of discretionary allocations of oil licences was stopped because of its abuses and lack of transparency and a competitive bidding system was put in place. The expert added, however, that discretionary allocations are still allowed in marginal fields but these small fields cannot be compared to OPL 245, which has two oil fields estimated to hold over 500 million barrels of oil, making it one of the biggest in Nigeria. He added that it was an anomaly that the Nigerian Government chose to conduct this settlement in the case when Malabu had failed to pay the $210 million signature bonus to acquire the OPL 245 licence in the first place. He suggested that Nigeria could have revoked the licence, adding that it was strange the Minister of Petroleum was not closely involved but the Attorney General, even where there were provision for tax exemptions. On the role of Department for Petroleum Resources, he made reference to the letter from its most senior civil servant objecting to the deal just before it was signed. The letter called the deal was highly prejudicial to the interests of the Federal Government, he added. Mr Ayoade explained that tax exemptions are built into tax laws or can be given by Executive Orders or directives by the President which have to be recorded in the Federal Gazette. But the deal is not in line with the law, he added, as the FGN cannot give an exemption without an order or law. On the use of escrow accounts, he explained that it is a normal practice with International Oil Companies but the $1.1 billion payment into an escrow account and an account with the Nigerian Government to pay a private company Malabu Oil and Gas was concerning. While the experts of the Nigerian Government are expected to make written and oral presentations on April 4, 2019, the presentation by the ENI experts are expected on April 10. Last month, Mr Aliyu appeared as a witness before the court in Italy. Mr Aliyu allegedly acted as a middleman for top officials of former President Goodluck Jonathans administration in the long-running controversy. Mr Abubakar however told the court his lawyers would need more time look into the allegations. Mr Aliyus trial in Nigeria is being stalled because Nigerias anti-graft agency said he and other principal suspects have been on the run. Others are Mohammed Adoke, a former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, and Mr Etete. They are being prosecuted alongside Shell Nigeria Exploration Production Company, and ENI, as well as Malabu Oil & Gas Ltd, Rocky Top Resource Ltd, Imperial Union Ltd, Novel Properties & Dev. Co. Ltd, Group Construction Ltd, and Megatech Engineering Ltd. EFCC operatives Although Mr Adoke has consistently claimed that he is being persecuted, he has declined to appear in Nigeria to face trial. Last year, the EFCC said it had begun moves to extradite the former official. Strangely, Mr Jonathan, whose government brokered the deal in 2011, is not facing trial over the case. The demand for religious balancing in the election and appointment of the leadership of the 9th National Assembly by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has been criticised by its Muslim counterpart- the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA). The Muslim group in a statement signed by its Deputy Secretary-General, Salisu Shehu, described CANs call as indecorous, ill-advised, ill-motivated and only aimed at polarising the country. It said that it doubted the sincerity of the religious body and suggested that based on its recent interventions in the nations political affairs, CAN should rather metamorphose into a political party. A statement earlier issued by CAN through Adebayo Oladeji, Special Assistant on Media and Communication to the associations President, Olasupo Ayokunle, urged the newly elected members of the 9th National Assembly to avoid domination and marginalisation of any kind in the interest of equity, justice, and fair play, especially in the election and appointment of principal officers including Senate President, Speaker and their deputies. CAN noted in its statement that its suggestion is enshrined in the 1999 Constitution (as amended). Although both the Senate and the House of Representatives have several principal officers, our focus here are the Senate President, the Deputy Senate President, the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker, the Christian body said. As it has been the practice since 1999, whenever the Senate President is a Christian, the Speaker of the House has always been a Muslim and vice- versa. And the same thing happens to their deputies. But responding, NSCIA said it was surprised by CANs reference to Constitutional provisions to back its claim, asking whether the Constitution was not in use when Goodluck Jonathan, David Mark, Ike Ekweremadu and Justice Katsina Alu served in the same administration as President, Senate President, Deputy Senate President and Chief Justice respectively. The statement reads in part; Given the trajectory of the recent activities of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), like other informed groups and people in Nigeria, cannot but wonder whether CAN still remains a religious body or a political party in a religious garb. The Council is persuaded to believe the latter because of the Associations posture as the counterfoil for and opposition to everything Islam and Muslims in this country. We cannot also but wonder whether Islamophobia has indeed not replaced the more important responsibility of giving direction to millions of our compatriots who are law-abiding citizens of the Christian faith. It is really benumbing that CAN appears to be giving credence and relevance to the rhetorical question asked centuries ago: if gold rust, what should iron do? NSCIA further traced the leadership of the nations National Assembly prior to 1999, saying the chronicle has always shown imbalance to the detriment of Muslims. According to the statement, the Muslim group said it welcomed the reference to constitutional provisions by its Christian counterpart, urging the federal government to conduct a census of all ministries, departments and agencies of government including higher institutions and see whether Muslims would constitute up to 30 per cent of principal officers. NSCIA also condemned the composition of the National Peace Committee and the alleged disposition of many of its members against Islam and Muslims. It accused the CAN leadership of preaching hatred against Muslims and advised the religious group to desist from causing confusion and divisions based on what it described as personal and selfish interest. It also accused CAN leadership of mounting pressure on judges on the election petition appeal panels to tilt the scales of judgements in favour of Christian candidates, and advised the judges to be fair and firm in the execution of their tasks. It is hypocritical for CAN and its alter egos to claim to be on the side of justice by forming the National Peace Committee which is not surprisingly dominated by Christian clergymen. The pretense of the Peace Committee had been exposed by the various comments/actions of their prominent members. For instance, a member, prior to the last election, took a partisan posture masquerading as a good doer and incited the people of Southern Kaduna against the government while another member, despite his level of education, could not avail himself of historical facts but rather chose to spit the dummy that the low turnout at the gubernatorial election was a loud protest against the outcome of the 2019 presidential polls. All these are not surprising as it is on record that CAN itself had maliciously referred to President Muhammadu Buhari as a bad product. The NSCIA is also well-informed of the surreptitious pressure CAN is mounting on Christian judges serving in the various election petition tribunals across the country, under a pseudo-Christian organization, to ensure the victory of Christians and/or their sympathizers, the statement added. The full statement is presented below; Ref: ADM/SGHQ/010/3/4/19 Date: 27th Rajab, 1440 3rd April, 2019 ON CANS LETTER TO THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY Given the trajectory of the recent activities of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), like other informed groups and people in Nigeria, cannot but wonder whether CAN still remains a religious body or a political party in a religious garb. The Council is persuaded to believe the latter because of the Associations posture as the counterfoil for and opposition to everything Islam and Muslims in this country. We cannot also but wonder whether Islamophobia has indeed not replaced the more important responsibility of giving direction to millions of our compatriots who are law-abiding citizens of the Christian faith. It is really benumbing that CAN appears to be giving credence and relevance to the rhetorical question asked centuries ago: if gold rust, what should iron do? Specifically, the statement issued by Pastor Adebayo Oladeji (Special Assistant Media and Communication to CAN President) on behalf of CAN is the last straw to break the camels back in the Associations ill-advised and ill-motivated interventions in the polity. The statement of CAN, addressed to the leadership of the National Assembly, partly reads: As you prepare for your inauguration, CAN urges you to balance the appointments of your principal officers across religious divides to avoid domination and marginalisation of any kind in the interest of equity, justice, and fair play as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution (as amended). Although both the Senate and the House of Representatives have several principal officers, our focus here are the Senate President, the Deputy Senate President, the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker. As it has been the practice since 1999, whenever the Senate President is a Christian, the Speaker of the House has always been a Muslim and vice- versa. And the same thing happens to their deputies. Our quest becomes imperative due to the existing order in the two other arms of the government. Today, both the President and the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria are Muslims and our appeal is to let either the Senate President or the Speaker be a Christian to address the religious dichotomy. This will give all Nigerians a sense of belonging irrespective of their religious affiliations. Is CAN suffering from selective amnesia or is it just obsessed with chronic mendacity? Was there no CAN between 2009 and 2011 when Dr. Goodluck Jonathan was the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Justice Aloyious Katsina-Alu was the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Senator David A. B. Mark was President of the Senate and Senator Ike Ekweremadu was Deputy Senate President? Was there religious balance in 2007 when David Mark was elected Senate President and Patricia Etteh was elected Speaker? Was there no 1999 Constitution at that time? Even prior to 1999, the two arms of the National Assembly were headed by Christians. For instance, while between 1979 and 1983, the Senate was headed by Joseph Wayas and the House of Representatives by Ume-Ezeoki, from October to December, 1983, Joseph Wayas and Benjamin Chaha were leading the respective chambers. Furthermore, in the aborted Third Republic, the Senate Presidents were Iyocha Ayu and Ameh Ebute while the Speaker was Hon. Anakwo. Meanwhile, the NSCIA welcomes with pleasure the fact that CAN has finally agreed that the correct interpretation of the Section of the Constitution quoted in its letter to the National Assembly includes religious balancing. It is in this spirit that NSCIA calls on the Federal Government of Nigeria to conduct a holistic census of all Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies, including higher institutions, to determine whether there is anywhere Muslims constitute up to 30% of the staff strength and thereafter ensure compliance with the sections of the Constitution cited by CAN. The chronic intolerance and political partisanship of CAN and its alter egos are becoming alarming as they are ardent at purveying blatant falsehood and fake news. A few examples would suffice: Prior to the 2015 elections, CAN agents, both Samuel Asemota and Pastor Bosun Emmanuel (the latter was a delegate of CAN at the 2014 National Conference) were going round churches preaching hatred against Muslims and Islam. Pastor Bosun said in one of such outings, any Christian who planned to vote for the APC was directly sponsoring the Islamic agenda and contributing to the truncation of Christianity in Nigeria. Pastor David Oyedepos hatred-driven and embarrassing misinterpretation of a satire written by Professor Olatunji Dare which was used as a basis to excite and incite his congregation against President Muhammadu Buhari that the President had indeed died in London and that the present occupant of Aso Rock is a body-double by name Jubril al-Sudaniy from Sudan. Many of those who claim to be men of God like Bishop David Oyedepo, Apostle Johnson Suleiman, Apostle Omotosho Tope, Prophet Muiyideen Kasali, Prophet Emmanuel Chukwudi and Prophet Samuel Akinbodunse proclaimed fake prophesies about President Buhari and the 2019 election with a view to inciting their followers to violence when their purported word of God is not manifested. Their South Africa-based colleague, Pastor Samuel Akinbodunse, even went a notch higher by claiming that God told him President Muhammadu Buhari will not be alive to witness the 2019 elections. Nigerians and all men of goodwill thank God that the President is hale and hearty. These are clearly fake prophesies because the Almighty God cannot be associated with falsehood. CAN also condemned Mallam Nasir El-Rufai for choosing a Muslim as his running mate and claimed that he had committed a political hara-kiri. The same CAN chose to turn a blind eye to Ekiti, Benue, Edo, Ondo and Plateau States where Muslims have a substantial number of indigenes and yet are denied the Deputy Governorship slots. Civilian Governors of Plateau State, for instance, prior to 1999, had Muslims as their deputies but since the advent of the Fourth Republic, Muslims have not been considered for the position of Deputy Governor. Yet, the NSCIA has chosen not to dabble into such political issues but our silence is now being taken as stupidity by CAN. The sheer impudence of CAN leaders and their chronic insincerity led them to release a statement that the leadership of parastatals under the Ministry of Education was dominated by Muslims but were embarrassed when the statistics of the last ten years was presented to them by NSCIA. Let CAN apply to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be registered as a full-fledged political party as politicians in cassock, to quote the CAN President himself, rather than front for politicians who nurse the ambitions of holding political offices. In other climes such as Australia, Germany, New Zealand, etc., there are Christian political parties and CAN should rather be straightforward and apply to be registered as a political party, if the Nigerian Constitution allows that tomfoolery. It is hypocritical for CAN and its alter egos to claim to be on the side of justice by forming the National Peace Committee which is not surprisingly dominated by Christian clergymen. The pretense of the Peace Committee had been exposed by the various comments/actions of their prominent members. For instance, a member, prior to the last election, took a partisan posture masquerading as a good doer and incited the people of Southern Kaduna against the government while another member, despite his level of education, could not avail himself of historical facts but rather chose to spit the dummy that the low turnout at the gubernatorial election was a loud protest against the outcome of the 2019 presidential polls. All these are not surprising as it is on record that CAN itself had maliciously referred to President Muhammadu Buhari as a bad product. The NSCIA is also well-informed of the surreptitious pressure CAN is mounting on Christian judges serving in the various election petition tribunals across the country, under a pseudo-Christian organization, to ensure the victory of Christians and/or their sympathizers. Even the recent release of the so-called National Christian Elders Forum (NCEF) lends credence to this point when it stated thus: It would be recalled that during the elections, Rev. Ayokunle presumptuously deployed a 1,000-man CAN Election Observers team to monitor the elections nationwide. The action was presumptuous since CAN does not have the constitutional responsibility of engaging in politics. Christian leaders deliberately established the Christian Social Movement of Nigeria (CSMN) for this purpose in 2001 as the socio-political arm of the Church. The indecorous and outright partisan statement by CAN which is meant to polarize the country has created doubt in NSCIA and any right-thinking person about the genuineness of the partnership of CAN with NSCIA. What is the essence of conferring with hate-filled religious leaders whose wish is for Muslims to be exterminated from the polity and Nigerian society? All these must stop! CAN should save itself of creating hatred in the minds of well-meaning Nigerians through its divisive and evil-impelled interventions. Lo! You are the ones who love them but they love you not, and you believe in all the Scriptures [i.e. you believe in the Tawraat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel), while they disbelieve in your Book, the Quraan]. And when they meet you, they say: We believe. But when they are alone, they bite the tips of their fingers at you in rage. Say: Perish in your rage. Certainly, Allah knows what is in the breasts (all the secrets). [AlImraan:118-119] Signed Prof. Salisu Shehu, Deputy Secretary-General, NSCIA A consultant who stood as witness before an Italian court in Milan on Thursday faulted the valuation of the controversial Oil Prospecting License 245 by oil giants Eni and Shell. Stephen Rogers appeared before an Italian court Thursday morning as expert witness for Nigeria and presented testimony on the economic cost of the 2011 deal for OPL 245. Mr Rogers is a partner at the oil consultancy group Arthur D Little with over 30 years experience at Hess, BP and TXU/EON. The Malabu scandal involved the transfer of about $1.1 billion by Shell and ENI through the Nigerian government to accounts controlled by a former Nigerian petroleum minister, Dan Etete. From accounts controlled by Mr Etete, about half the money ($520 million) went to accounts of companies controlled by Mr Aliyu, popularly known in Nigeria as the owner of AA oil. Anti-corruption investigators and activists suspect he fronted for top officials of the Jonathan administration as well of officials of Shell and ENI. Earlier on Wednesday, a lecturer at the University of Lagos, Dayo Ayoade, told the Milan court that the award of the controversial oil block to Shell and ENI was illegal. Speaking on Thursday, Mr Rogers raised concerns about the valuation of the oil block by the two oil giants. He explained that he adopted a three prong approach to valuing the OPL 245 license which included an industry standard discounted cash flow analysis, examination of Shell and Enis valuation at the time of the deal and the use of price paid per barrel in comparable deals at the time. He also set out how he worked out all the likely revenues for producing the oil from block 245, determined a price for the oil and gas and worked out the costs for developing and producing the oil and gas. Higher Value According to Barnaby Pace of Global Witness, who was at the Italian court, Mr Rogers economic analysis found that the market value of OPL 245 was $3.511 billion in 2011, with $80 per barrel of oil and on the terms Shell and Eni bought the block. Enis expert had valued the block higher at $4.543 billion. They argued however that despite the valuation, the price paid ($1.3 billion) was reasonable because of various risks. But Mr Rogers in his submission criticised their position, saying Enis experts method is double counting the discounts for risk. Mr Rogers also evaluated the values of gas, which Enis expert didnt include, at $167 million. In the run up to the deal, Shell and Eni valued the block in 2010 and 2011 respectively at $3.268 billion ($80 per barrel) and $3.540 billion ($70 per barrel). But using an average of price paid per barrel in other deals done in West Africa, Mr Rogers calculated the value of OPL 245 as $2.623 billion $3.700 billion but said these are definitely too low as the terms of the 2011 deal are unusually favourable to the companies compared to other deals. PREMIUM TIMES gathered that there were no questions on cross examination from the prosecutor. In a follow-up submission, the President of the Court said that at the next hearing, the defendants will have to finalise their list of witnesses to take the stand. It is expected that the next hearing will have Enis expert witness on valuation, the first of five experts witnesses they intend to call. Last month, a principal suspect in the controversy, Abubakar Aliyu, appeared as a witness before the court in Italy. Mr Aliyu allegedly acted as a middleman for top officials of former President Goodluck Jonathans administration in the long-running controversy. Mr Abubakar however told the court his lawyers would need more time look into the allegations. Mr Aliyus trial in Nigeria is being stalled because Nigerias anti-graft agency said he and other principal suspects have been on the run. Others are Mohammed Adoke, a former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, and Dan Etete, a former Minister of Petroleum. They are being prosecuted alongside Shell Nigeria Exploration Production Company, and ENI, as well as Malabu Oil & Gas Ltd, Rocky Top Resource Ltd, Imperial Union Ltd, Novel Properties & Dev. Co. Ltd, Group Construction Ltd, and Megatech Engineering Ltd. The Nigerian Police have announced the dismissal of Ogunyemi Olalekan, an inspector, who the police said shot and killed a 36-year-old man, Kolade Johnson, in Lagos on Sunday. The Police also discharged and acquitted another officer, Godwin Orji, a sergeant, who was also tried alongside Mr Olalekan, but found not guilty of the offence. A statement by the police spokesperson in Lagos, Bala Elkana, said Mr Olalekan was found guilty of killing Mr Johnson. Police said the officer was guilty of discreditable conduct by acting in a manner prejudicial to discipline and unbecoming of members of the Force by shooting and killing Kolade Johnson; Unlawful and Unnecessary exercise of authority by using unnecessary violence, by using AK 47 rifle on the deceased in total neglect to the provisions of Force Order 237b on the use of Firearms. The statement added that the culprit has been handed over to Police Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, Yaba in Lagos for prosecution in a conventional court of law. Messrs Olalekan and Orji were named suspects in an incident that has reignited public outcry against the conduct of the Nigerian Police. A public protest had also informed a statement issued by President Muhammadu Buhari promising prosecution of whoever is found guilty of the crime. The full statement is posted below UPDATE ON THE TRIAL OF THE POLICE OFFICERS ALLEGED TO BE INVOLVED IN THE SHOOTING OF KOLADE JOHNSONSUSPECT HANDED OVER TO CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION DEPARTMENT, PANTI FOR PROSECUTION The two Police Officers alleged to have been involved in the shooting of Kolade Johnson on 31/03/2019 were apprehended and subjected to internal disciplinary proceedings, known as Orderly Room Trial by the Command. The Orderly Room trial commenced on Monday 01/04/2019 and ended on Thursday 04/04/2019. They were tried on three-count charges: (1) Discreditable Conduct (2) Unlawful and Unnecessary Exercise of Authority and (3) Damage to Clothing or Other Articles contrary to Paragraph E (iii), Q (ii) and D (i) First Schedule, Police Act and Regulations, Cap 370 LFN 1990. The Trial started with the reading of charges and taking of plea. Five witnesses testified. At the conclusion of the trial, the first defaulter, Inspector Ogunyemi Olalekan was found guilty of discreditable conduct by acting in a manner prejudicial to discipline and unbecoming of members of the Force by shooting and killing Kolade Johnson; unlawful and unnecessary exercise of authority by using unnecessary violence by using AK 47 rifle on the deceased in total neglect of the provisions of Force Order 237b on the use of Firearms. The Adjudicating Officer, CSP Indyar Apev, awarded the punishment of dismissal from service and prosecution to the first defaulter. There was no evidence linking the second defaulter, Sergeant Godwin Orji, to the shooting. he was, therefore, found not guilty and discharged and acquitted. The First defaulter, Inspector Ogunyemi Olalekan, is handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, for prosecution in conventional Court. A 26-year-old man, Aminu Inuwa of Unguwar Jakada in Kano, has allegedly killed his wife, Safarau, and buried her remains in their matrimonial home. A neighbour, who reported the incident to community leaders in the area, said the suspect approached him with a series of questions on how to bury a corpse and the Islamic injunction on whoever kills a human being. He said when he entered the house of the accused, he saw blood-stained shovel and digger beside what appeared to be a grave. The suspect, Mr Inuwa, told journalists that he killed his wife because she was not obeying him. The reason is she was not obeying my directive. I really loved my wife as she equally loved me to the extent that I dont want to live without her. The incident was accidental, not intentional, Mr Inuwa said. The police spokesperson in Kano, Abdullahi Haruna, said the suspect is in their custody. A 26-year-old man of Unguwar Jakada in Kano metropolis was reported to have slaughtered his 18-year-old wife, Safarau Aminu, and dug a grave in the house and buried her. The police have excavated the grave and took the corpse to the mortuary at Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital. The suspect is now under police custody. An investigation has since commenced. When completed, he would be prosecuted before a court of competent jurisdiction, Mr Abdullahi said. According to his neighbours, Mr Inuwa married Safarau from Azare town, Bauchi State, about a month ago. The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Maitama, on Thursday, struck out the no-case submission filed by Maryam Sanda who is standing trial for allegedly killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello. Ms Sanda was charged with the murder of Mr Bello, a son of former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairman, Haliru Bello. The accused was charged alongside her mother, Maimuna Aliyu; her brother, Aliyu Sanda; and their house-help, Sadiya Aminu. Mr Bello died in November 2017. They were arraigned on a two-count charge bordering on culpable homicide and conspiracy. During the court session on Thursday, the judge, Yusuf Halilu, in his ruling, held that the prosecution (police) has established a prima facie case against the first defendant which she should answer to. Mr Halilu ordered Mrs Sanda to enter her defence on the next adjourned date. However, the judge upheld the no-case submissions of the second defendant (Mrs Sandas mother), the third defendant (her brother) and the fourth defendant (the housemaid). The three were arraigned alongside Mrs Sanda for allegedly tampering with evidence by cleaning the crime scene. But the judge ruled that the prosecution failed to show evidence proving that the second, third and fourth defendants actually perpetuated that act. Thus, the judge struck out the case against them. The matter was adjourned to May 6 for Mrs Sanda to open her defence. The Federal Ministry of Health on Thursday joined forces with tobacco control groups to urge the National Assembly to approve the draft National Tobacco Control (NTC) Regulations. In the memorandum submitted to the House of Representatives Committee on Delegated Legislation, the minister of state for health, Osagie Ehanire, said it is better and cheaper to prevent tobacco-linked diseases than to cure them. Other tobacco control groups such as the Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) and the Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance also submitted their memoranda seeking the lawmakers approval of the NTC regulations as legal framework for the effective implementation of the NTC Act. The House of Representatives Committee on Delegated Legislation held an interactive session on the NTC Regulation 2018 on Thursday in Abuja. Mr Ehanire said the ministrys memorandum was also in fulfillment of Nigerias obligations to the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control which the country signed as a party on June 28, 2004, and ratified on October 20, 2005. Nigerias tobacco control legislation came into existence in 2015, signed into law by former president Goodluck Jonathan after years of delays. But its implementation has been stalled due to a controversial clause within which says the law requires parliamentary approval of regulations which cover about 70 percent of implementation needs of the Act before enforcement. In 2017, the health minister, Isaac Adewole, outlined nine key provisions of the legislation, which do not need the regulations, for implementation. The provisions included the prohibition of the sale of tobacco products to and by anyone below age 18 as well as a ban tobacco advertising among others. In his submission before the lawmakers on Thursday, Mr Ehanire said the disease-burden resulting from tobacco use in Nigeria is enormous, noting that over 20 billion sticks of cigarettes are consumed in the country annually, while 4.5 million adults currently use tobacco products. Honourable chairman and members of House Committee, in order to mitigate the burden of tobacco-borne ailments, the National Assembly enacted the 2015 NTC Act, which requires the subsidiary regulations, Mr Ehanire said. Section 39(1) of the Act empowers the Minister of Health to bring up NTC regulations for approval by the National Assembly. I am pleased to inform you that the National Tobacco Control Committee (NATOCC) produced the draft NTC regulations as part of their duty in Section 5 of the Act, which was diligently vetted before it was transmitted to the National Assembly through the Federal Executive Council. In their memorandum before the lawmakers, ERA/FoEN said the regulations, when passed, would provide technical and operational guides that ensure effective implementation of the tobacco control act. It will clear all ambiguities and provide details for rules and procedures, the group added. The Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance, in their memorandum, sought for a declaration of all public and work places as 100 per cent smoke free. The Regulations The draft NTC Regulations, 2018, comprises of 35 regulations and five schedules. Regulations 3 6 explain health warnings and packaging (the health minister in Section 20 of the Act prescribes that a combination of text and graphic pictorial health warning messages be printed on 80 per cent of the principal display surfaces of all tobacco product packages. Regulation 7 demands that tobacco product manufacturers, importers or distributors submit a report to the Minister of Health at the end of every calendar year, and not later than at the end of the first quarter of the succeeding calendar year. Regulations 8 15 deals with achieving a smoke-free environment while Regulations 16 17 focuses on prohibition of tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship (TAPS). In sections 18 21, the regulations deal with protection from tobacco industry interferences; 19 21 outline the responsibilities of public authority in prevention of tobacco industry interference; and 22 provides a list of authorised agencies to enforce the Act and their duties. In Regulations 23 27, the document explains the procedure and conditions for issuance of licence for tobacco products businesses (manufacturers, importers, and distributors); Regulation 28 states that property forfeited to the State shall be channelled into Tobacco Control Fund (TCF). Regulations 29 35 deal with public hearing by NATOCC, access to information, public reporting mechanism, and offences and penalties. In conclusion, the Ministry of Health and tobacco control community desire to have strong National Tobacco Control Regulations approved by the National Assembly, that will engender full implementation of the Act, so that the health and well-being of our citizens are protected and promoted, said Mr Ehanire. BFIG Form 48 BFIG Form 48 BFIG Form 48 The Nigerian government has started the resuscitation of the technical teacher training programme (TTTP). The programme aims to produce more teachers for technical and vocational education in basic and post basic schools across the country. The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, who was represented at the inauguration by the Minister of State, Anthony Anwukah, said the scheme would impart technical knowledge and vocational skills to students, thereby contributing to the economic development of Nigeria. He said the Federal Government introduced the initiative in 1970 to promote the acquisition of technical and vocational knowledge and skills based on the introduction of the National Policy on Education. According to him, if Nigeria is to achieve the objective of the Education for Change agenda of the present administration, Nigeria must produce graduates who will compete favourably in the labour market as well as being self-reliant. To actualise the TTTP, the Federal Ministry of Education collaborated with training institutions in the past, both within and outside the country in manpower development and on-the-job training for technically-oriented teachers. To further fast track the implementation of the TTTP, Nigeria signed a bilateral agreement with the government of United States in 1981 to train 500 technical teachers annually for a period of 10 years. He said the agreement was reviewed after running the programme for six years. However, after running the Programme for six years, the agreement was reviewed and the training commenced locally in selected institutions in the country with the Department of Technology and Science Education coordinating. The minister said the programme was later ceded to the National Teachers Institute (NTI) when TSE was scrapped during the reform in the education sector. Following the dire need for more teachers in technical and vocational subjects, it was imperative to resuscitate the TTTP in order to advance as well as reposition Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), he said. He called on the committee members to promote synergy among stakeholders to produce middle-level manpower for Nigeria. The members of the committee include the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Sunny Echono, the Director, Technology and Science Education, Elizabeth Adedigba, the Director-General, National TeachersInstitute, Dahuwa Azare, and Masaudu Kazaure, the Executive Secretary, National Board for Technical Education (NBTE). The Director, Technology and Science Education, Mrs Adedigba, charged members of the committee to take take-up the assignment seriously to salvage TVET in Nigeria. She promised not to let the nation down by working with all sense of responsibility, knowing full well of the paucity of technical teachers in the colleges. The technical teacher training programme (TTTP) is one of the courses in the National Teachers Institute. The National Teachers Institute is dedicated to teacher training across the country. The federal government established it in 1976 primarily because of the pressing needs in the country for trained and qualified teaching staff at all levels of the educational system. Act No. 7 of April 10, 1978, establishing the institute charged it among others with the responsibility of providing courses of instruction leading to the development, upgrading and certification of teachers as specified in the relevant syllabus using distance education techniques. The institutes vision also includes producing teachers trained and oriented to meet the challenges of twenty-first century Nigerian society. Sultan Saad Abubakar, on Thursday, called on Muslims to start looking for the new moon of Shaaban 1440A.H. Mr Abubakar made the call in a statement signed by Sambo Junaidu, the Chairman, Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs, Sultanate Council, Sokoto. Mr Junaidu stated that this is to inform the Muslim Ummah that Friday, April 5, which is equivalent to 29 day of Rajab 1440A.H., shall be the day to look for the new moon of Shaaban 1440A.H. Muslims are, therefore, requested to start looking for the new moon of Shaaban 1440A.H. on Friday and report its sighting to the nearest district or village head for onward communication to the Sultan. The monarch prayed to Allah to help religious leaders and all Muslims in the discharge of their religious duties. News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Shaaban is the eight month of the Islamic calendar that comes before the compulsory fasting month of Ramadan. (NAN) HOUSTON, April 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- W&T Offshore, Inc. (NYSE: WTI) (W&T or the Company) today announced that Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Tracy W. Krohn will present at the 2019 IPAA Oil & Gas Investment Symposium (OGIS) in New York City on Tuesday, April 9, 2019 at 2:05 pm eastern time and will also host one-on-one meetings. The presentation will be web cast live and archived on W&Ts web site, www.wtoffshore.com , in the Investor Relations section of the site, under Presentations. An updated investor deck prepared in conjunction with the conference will also be posted on the web site. About W&T Offshore W&T Offshore, Inc. is an independent oil and natural gas producer with operations offshore in the Gulf of Mexico and has grown through acquisitions, exploration and development. The Company currently has working interests in 48 producing fields in federal and state waters and has under lease approximately 720,000 gross acres in the Gulf of Mexico, including approximately 515,000 gross acres on the conventional shelf and approximately 205,000 gross acres in the deepwater. A majority of the Companys daily production is derived from wells it operates. For more information on W&T, please visit the Companys website at www.wtoffshore.com. CONTACT: Al Petrie Investor Relations Coordinator apetrie@wtoffshore.com 713-297-8024 Janet Yang EVP & CFO investorrelations@wtoffshore.com 713-624-7326 The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh, has advised Nigerian youth to deepen their interest in farming before struggling for political positions. Mr Ogbeh gave this advice in Abuja on Thursday at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between two company, Nigeria Agricultural Mechanisation and Equipment Leasing Company (NAMEL) and MANTRAC Nigeria Limited. Under the MOU, the two companies agreed to open up 500,000 hectares of unused land to boost food production in Nigeria. Speaking at the ceremony through a director in his office, Victor Mayomi, the minister urged the Nigerian youth to cash in on the partnership to secure land, bearing in mind that the onus of feeding the nation is on them. I implore our youth to take advantage of this project. Youth should come into agriculture to take advantage of the project, bearing in mind the responsibility of feeding the nation will increasingly depend on them from now into the nearest future, he said The youth should not only be interested in taking over from politicians, let them go to the field and take it over first. And when they can feed us, we will be encouraged to entrust our destiny to them, the minister said. Mr Ogbeh said through arrangements such as between the two companies, the burden of tractors procurement and management would be taken off the shoulders of government. He said the move will improve mechanised farming to give room for food sufficiency and reduce poverty. NAMEL is into a public-private partnership arrangement with the Nigerian government. Last year, according to a report by the Daily Sun newspaper, the federal government signed a pact with NAMEL/John Deere for the supply of over 10,000 tractors to boost agriculture in the country. Mr Ogbeh said the government paid 35 per cent of the cost of the tractors, while the private sector paid the balance. In his remarks at the event, NAMELs Chief Executive Officer, Ahmed Adekunle, said 13,000 hectares would be acquired in each state and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) from the over 47 million hectares of unused land in the country. The project is to de-stump at least 1, 000,000 hectares of poorly cleared and non-tractable land; to help improve soil fertility for farmers; increase annual food production by at least 2,500, 000 metric tons annual for a period of five years, he said He said the project is structured to complement and optimise government efforts and resources in land development, using a cost split mechanism to support smallholder farmers and youth empowerment programmes. Mr Mayomi said it will be creating a flexible investment window for medium and large scale primary production investor to open more land with a little initial cost. He lamented that efforts to mechanise land are sometimes thwarted by stumps, roots and stones. It costs more than N15, 000 to N600, 000 to properly develop one hectare of land from the Savannah vegetation of the north down to the mangrove and rain forests of the couth, he said. The federal government has condemned the execution of a Nigerian national, Kudirat Afolabi, widow and mother of two, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for drug related offences. The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mustapha Sulaiman, said this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja While Nigeria respects the sovereignty of states, and abhors the violation of domestic laws of any country, the Government, however, does not condone such inhumane treatment being meted on a Nigerian national. It also frowns at the Saudi authorities for not informing the Nigerian missions in Saudi Arabia of the arrest and prosecution of the deceased Nigerian, only to invite the mission to take the last will of the deceased prior to her execution on April 1. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, therefore, wishes to assure Nigerians that it has engaged the Saudi authorities through their Ambassador in Nigeria over issues related to Nigerians, he said. He said this was to ensure that the normal diplomatic practice of informing missions of the arrests of nationals is adhered to, and that fair hearing is given to other Nigerians undergoing judicial processes in Saudi Arabia. (NAN) When Boko Haram terrorists struck one night in 2014 in Baderi, Marte local government area, 83-year-old Hauwa Abu-Nasib was left with four grandchildren, including two suckling babies. Every other member of the household had fled into the bush. The siege on the Borno State community five years ago was one among many as the insurgents attack reached feverish pitch in the state with little resistance from Nigerian soldiers. Usually, during Boko Haram attacks, the young and able-bodied take cover in the bush, leaving behind the kids and the elderly because they are often unharmed by the terrorists. After the terrorists had left, those who fled into the bush return to reunite with their families. But after the attack in Baderi the terrorists chased the fleeing residents into the bush, shooting at them Mrs Abu-Nasib never saw her children or other members of her household again. None of them (her children) could come back for us, Mrs Abu-Nasib said, her voice lowering to a sad tone as the memories flooded back. The shooting went on for throughout the night and people were killed, everyone had to run far away from Baderi and Marte. I was left with an 11-year-old grandson, his three-year-old brother, as well as two suckling babies. Crippled by arthritis and frail of health, the octogenarian decided to seek for safety with her grandchildren. The attack was becoming intense and they were setting houses on fire and we feared they may not spare us, Mrs Abu-Nasib said in a recent interview with PREMIUM TIMES. So I had to ask my grandson to get one of the wheel carts we use to fetch water from the borehole so that we could use it to escape. I managed to pull myself into the cart with the help of my grandson. Then I asked him to help me with the two babies who were all crying and that was how the little boy began to push us out of the village. We ran into some of the Boko Haram gunmen, but they didnt show us any mercy, they ordered us to leave or they get us killed. They did not even worry how such a small boy will manage to push us all the way into the bush at such dark hours of the night. I pitied my grandson, but he is a very brave and strong chap. He kept assuring me that he will manage even when I know his strength had dissipated. Narrating the events of that night with the aid of a translator, as she speaks only her native Shuwa Arab, Mrs Abu-Nasib said they continued to move at snail speed in the bush for several days. With time, the little water with them ran out, followed by their food. They were alone, famished, and exhausted. We were almost lost in the bush and we did not encounter anyone who could even help us. We saw corpses of people in the bush, she said. She said from time to time whenever they got to some swampy areas, she would use her hand to scoop dirty water to feed the starving children with her. We did not eat anything for three days except drinking some unclean water we found in drying ponds. Our first meal after three days was a piece of groundnut which we found near an abandoned hut. And when I broke it open, I gave one seed to my 11-year-old boy and one to the other little child. They ate it happily. I tried everything, including attempting to suckle the two babies with my dry breasts but none helped them. That was how they died in my arms. I was heartbroken seeing those innocent babies lifeless in my hands. With the help of her 11-year-old grandson, Mrs Abu-Nasib said a shallow grave was dug and the babies were buried. I was heartbroken, and on that day I promised never to forgive or forget the torture Boko Haram had subjected my grandchildren and me to. I have heard of tales of hardship suffered by our people in the past, but never was I told of a grandmother watching her grandchildren starve to death and burying them in shallow graves in some unknown bush location. God has blessed my family with longevity that is why I am 83 years old today. I still have a senior brother who is over a hundred and is still alive. On the fourth day, Mrs Abu-Nasib said they made it to Monguno, another Borno town 45 kilometre away from Marte, with the help of some persons who later found them in the bush. The grandmother and her surviving grandchildren now live in Jiddari Polo area of Maiduguri; where she continued to mourn the death of her family members. Many other elderly men and women shared similar experiences with PREMIUM TIMES at a public screening of a film documentary on the Boko Haram insurgency titled Uprooted. The movie, produced by a local NGO called PAGED Initiative, shows victims of the Boko Haram insurgency relate their stories of survival. The film is used as an advocacy tool for giving a voice to the underrepresented people, especially in conflict environments. An Abuja Division of the Federal High Court has dismissed an application filed by Senate President, Bukola Saraki, challenging the decision of the Nigerian Police to invite him and two other senators, following a protest last October. Messrs Saraki, Dino Melaye and Ben Murray-Bruce had asked the court to declare their invitation by the police as illegal and order the police to pay them N500 million. They approached the court after their protest march to the Police Headquarters on October 5 was dispersed by the Police. Police authorities had explained after dispersing the protesters with tear gas that they employed minimum force to prevent an alleged attempt to break into the police headquarters. The three senators had organised the protest on behalf of the Peoples Democratic Party, to demand a declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission that a fellow senator, Ademola Adeleke, be declared the winner of the Osun governorship election. After the protests were dispersed, the police invited their leaders, including Mr Saraki. But Messrs Saraki, Melaye and Murray-Bruce challenged their invitation and accused the police of violating their fundamental rights. In a ruling on Thursday, the court presided over by a judge, Okon Abang, dismissed their application for lacking in merit. The court ruled that their application fell short of the required procedure for the filing of such a fundamental rights suit. According to the judge, the applicants ought to have filed separate applications, in line with the provisions of order 2, rule (4) of the Fundamental Rights procedure rules. The court said the decision of the applicants to file a single application rendered their application invalid. The court also said the applicants negated the provisions of the said rule when they allowed their lawyer to depose to an affidavit on their behalf, despite the fact that they were not detained nor was their movement restrained. According to the provisions of order 2, rule 4 of the Fundamental Rights procedure rules, any person who alleges that any of his fundamental rights has been infringed, or likely to be infringed may apply to the court. The affidavit shall be deposed by the applicant. But where the applicant is in detention or his movement restrained, someone who has personal knowledge of the facts can depose to the affidavit. The judge said the lawyer who filed on behalf of the applicants failed to state whether they were in detention, hospitalised or restrained from movement, as required by the provision. This is where the court ought to have determined the case. The objection of the police ought to have succeeded, Mr Abang ruled. The judge also said the submissions of the applicants that their rights were infringed could not be upheld since they were only invited by the police. Mr Abang said the police have a constitutional duty to invite persons accused of disrupting the law and order or involved in a criminal allegation, as was the case with the senators. Where crime is alleged, the police have a duty to invite. The court cannot restrain the police, so long as they are acting within the ambits of the law. Therefore it is my view that the police invitation on October 6 and 8 remain valid, the judge ruled. The Committee to Protect Journalists today launched the #WhereIsAzory campaign to bring attention to the case of Tanzanian freelance journalist Azory Gwanda, as tomorrow marks 500 days since he was last seen. The campaign intends to raise awareness about Mr Gwanda and will call on Tanzanian authorities to carry out a credible investigation and publicly account for his fate. Supporters can participate by sharing the hashtags #WhereIsAzory and #MrudisheniAzory on social media. Azory Gwanda is a freelance journalist reporting about his community and he must not become just another statistic, said Angela Quintal, CPJs Africa program coordinator. Through this campaign, we want to ensure that Gwandas case becomes a priority for the Tanzanian authorities and that we get much-needed answers about what really happened him. Until that time, Tanzanian journalists will not feel safe. Mr Gwanda was last seen by his family and friends on November 21, 2017, according to CPJ research. Mr Gwanda told his wife, Anna Pinoni, that he was taking an emergency trip, and would return the next day. He has not been seen since. In an interview with Mwananchi newspaper, Ms Pinoni said she thought her husbands disappearance might be linked to his work reporting on a series of mysterious killings in Tanzanias Coast region, a view shared by others with whom CPJ has spoken. In Tanzania, journalists and media outlets are wary of retaliation if they are too vocal about Mr Gwandas case. When two CPJ representatives were detained overnight and interrogated in Tanzania last year, they were specifically asked about their interest in Mr Gwanda. His disappearance comes amid declining press freedom in the country, including government-ordered media shutdowns, fines, restrictive regulations, and arbitrary arrests of journalists. President Muhammadu Buhari departed Abuja Thursday for Amman to participate in the World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa holding at the Dead Sea, Jordan. The president is participating at the event on the invitation the King of Jordan, Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein. Mr Buhari will deliver an address at the opening of the plenary alongside Mr Al-Hussein and the United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres. He will later join world economic leaders in an informal gathering at the King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Centre. According to a statement by Mr Buharis spokespersons, Femi Adesina, on Thursday, the Nigerian leader will also hold bilateral meetings with some world leaders on the sidelines of the Forum. The statement said Mr Buhari would depart Amman on Sunday for Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), to participate in the ninth edition of the Annual Investment Meeting holding April 8-10. The President, according to Mr Adesina, was invited by the UAE Vice-President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, Mohammed Bin Rachid Al Maktoum. He said the Nigerian President as Guest of Honour, will deliver the keynote address under the theme, Mapping the Future of Foreign Direct Investment: Enriching World Economies through Digital Globalization. According to the organisers, the meeting is the largest gathering of corporate leaders, policymakers, businessmen, regional and international investors, entrepreneurs, leading academics and experts showcasing up-to-date information, strategies and knowledge on attracting FDI. The meeting also seeks to explore investment opportunities in more than 140 countries, connect businesses and countries willing to engage in sustainable partnerships with investors. President Buhari will be accompanied on both trips by Governors Abubakar Badaru, Abiola Ajimobi and Yahaya Bello of Jigawa, Oyo and Kogi states respectively. Others on the entourage include the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama; the National Security Adviser, Mohammed Monguno, and other top government officials. The UN-International Organisation on Migration (IOM) says it has been involved in the evacuation of over 12,700 irregular migrants from certain countries back to Nigeria in the last two years. The Public Information Officer of the organisation in Nigeria, Jorge Galindo, disclosed this on Thursday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu. Mr Galindo spoke on the sidelines of a media dialogue with Nigerian editors and heads of media establishments organised by the IOM. He said that out of the lot, the organisation had initiated integration programmes for about 5000. He recalled that the IOMs operations started in the country in 2001. Mr Galindo said that they had since begun to implement a host of different projects in Abuja and Lagos as well as addressing humanitarian issues in North East Nigeria. On the European Union/IOM Joint Initiative on Migration, Mr Galindo said that their aim was to bring back about 13,000 irregular migrants trapped in Libya and other African countries back to Nigeria. He said that the first flight that brought irregular migrants back to Nigeria under the initiative was on April 11, 2017. We assist migrants returning from Libya, Mali and other countries by providing them with assistance, protection and channel them through appropriate integration programmes. There are still more migrants that are trapped in horrible conditions in Libya and we will continue this programme for many more to return voluntarily and safely. We look at the profiles of the returnees and decide with them the best form of support they need, he said. Mr Galindo said that the organisation also had the responsibility of alerting potential migrants in the country on what lay ahead if they chose irregular routes. We use a community-based approach to share information in communities where these migrants come from. This is aimed at showing them the realities of dangerous journeys, he said. He, however, said that the process of reintegration was not without its challenges. We have spoken with a number of the returnees and they complain of stigmatisation by members of their communities. They are seen as people that have failed to fulfil their personal and family dreams. It is very important for us to reach out to these communities to inform them what harrowing experiences these returnees went through. People should be more sympathetic and provide them with the platform to communicate with one another, Mr Galindo said. (NAN) A group of journalists on Saturday ended a weeklong training on fact-checking and investigative journalism with a pledge to commit themselves to factual reportage. The programme was organised by the Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism (PTCIJ) for journalists in the criminal and anti-corruption sector. The exercise began on Monday and ended on Saturday at the Bolton White Hotel in Abuja. Speaking at the event, the Chief Executive Officer of PTCIJ, Dapo Olorunyomi, said the advent of DUBAWA as a national fact-checking platform offers Nigerian journalism the opportunity to give the culture of verification a new momentum and validation. PTCIJ holds training for journalists on criminal and anti-corruption sector The training programme actually started the previous week with a Hackathon during which experienced media practitioners and civil rights groups brainstormed on the challenges of investigating and fact-checking the justice sector. Elementary tools for combating those challenges were also introduced at the event. Mr Olorunyomi said the training will be held in newsrooms across the country that have shown commitment to set up a desk to institutionalise the practice. According to Mr Olorunyomi, fake news poses the biggest threat not only to the media but to democracy globally. The biggest democracies, globally, have come under attack, not from any other factor but fake news, he said. Mr Olorunyomi stressed the need to develop the knowledge capacity of Journalists to tackle the menace. It is bad when citizens can no longer trust the framework upon which policies are developed; we have come into a very difficult place in the whole process of governance. It is easy to assume that fake news, disinformation or misinformation are in politics alone. No! It is even extremely nefarious in economics, statistics, and health, among others. If planning institutions of government cannot rely on true statistics, policy framework will collapse. This is why media integrity and democracy become apt because the weapon against fake news is fact-checking. So, we have to work across framework where we can ensure journalists are trained and policymakers strengthened with regards to fact-checking to ascertain the truth. The publisher urged media workers to always work closely with one another as a mechanism to ensure accuracy in media reports. He decried the situation whereby the innocent public often falls prey to unverified information on social media and relayed them, thereby encouraging the spread of fake news. Mr Olorunyomi said it had become imperative for journalists to be trained to stem fake news from the agenda-setting fronts of the newsroom. He, therefore, called for proper sensitisation on the dangers of fake news to enable people to keep away from unverified information. The best and proper place to start is the newsroom, the second is for the media to link up in partnership. This fight is not for one person, we must work together. Journalism is a practice which changes with time but through capacity building, journalists will be able to do fact-checking, the newest and most important for truthful reportage. He noted that the inability of journalists to embark on fact-checking could pose difficulty for them to be factual and balanced when reporting in an editorial process. Mr Olorunyomi also noted that fact-checking has become critical because of the growing capacity of media organisations and the need to function effectively under democracy. Truth, which is the central foundation in journalism, has come under serious assault, particularly in the past years. Citizens no longer trust journalism and that is a major issue. So, the mechanism for renewing the principle of truth is to strengthen the practice of capacity building for Journalists, to enable them to deliver accurate and balanced information to people. One of the participants, Titilope Fadare from ORDER PAPER, said The programme has been enlightening and I hope journalists will be a part of this change by knowing more on data analysis and visualisation. According to Ms Fadare, The training taught me to be a lot more deliberate with my reports, spot stories from unseen spots and reactivate my creativity with data visualisation. It has been an eye-opener and propelled me to hold the government accountable via investigations and fact-checks. Also speaking, Beni Adams of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) Kaduna, said, The course has actually opened my eyes to so many aspects of Investigative Journalism, more revealing are the very diverse sources of accurate information, story ideas in the Criminal Justice Sector. These have changed my views for the better and will go a long way in ensuring better coverage and treatment of issues, he added. Ben Agande of the Vanguard Newspaper in Abuja, said, The training exposed me to tools and knowledge that I thought never existed. It has broadened my knowledge about investigative journalism and fact-checking as a tool in journalism. I definitely want more of such training and the lesson learnt is that there can be no end to knowledge acquisition. Every journalist that seeks to be relevant in the present dispensation must acquire new skills and knowledge in order to continue to ply his trade, Mr Agande added. Also commenting, Nana Musa of the News Agency Of Nigeria (NAN) said, The training was revealing. It exposed me to several aspects of the job I had limited knowledge on most especially, the data journalism expect. I learned a lot from checking evidence, investigation, budget tracking and monitoring budget. It was also an eye-opener on how to use the Freedom of information act. Sure, what will make every journalist outstanding is training and retraining because with technology, the journalism profession is evolving. The public should be expecting credible stories they can rely on. Also, with this training, I have joined a few Nigerians that will be working in curbing fake news, misinformation and disinformation in the world, Ms Musa added. The Manager/Advocacy of PTCIJ, Mboho Eno, also spoke on the importance of the exercise. Basically, we know there are a lot of things going on in the criminal justice and accountability sector. So it became necessary for us to train journalists in this sector to be able to fact-check the kind of comments, the kind of information that would be coming out and we also want to encourage journalists to carry out investigations into this sector. According to Mr Eno, the criminal justice and accountability sector is one of the least investigated sectors. This is one of the least investigated sectors and this is an arm of government that needs to be constantly kept on their toes for proper accountability and that entirely was what led to the training of journalists across this sector. This training is going to be in five states and we are just starting with Abuja, it is going to come up in Lagos, Kano, Adamawa and Anambra. This training is funded by the European Union (EU), the Rule of Law and Anti-corruption of the British Council, we are the guarantees for this component of the training and that is why we are holding it. Mr Eno said, Abuja is the first state where the training held for the North-central zone, with 20 journalists from different media houses; from print, broadcast and the online practitioners. Asked how to continue with this kind of training, Mr Eno said: Training and retraining is a strategy of sustainability and sustaining the reportage in the sector. This is enough for nonprofit organisations because we do not generate resources, we depend on funding of donor agencies to run this kind of training. He added that the training would continue based on the impact and commitment of journalists to be trained. We would continue, based on the impact and the commitment of the journalists we have in the house. We would be able to write for more grants for this sector and for this training so that more journalists can have this training. According to him, across the nation, we made a call for applications and we had over 550 applications, out of which only about 100 would be trained. So you see that there is a hunger of people who want to learn. The problem is that we are not able to accommodate this wide range of people because of the limited resources we have. The police in Sokoto State have arrested one Ibrahim Alhassan, an alleged gun fabricator, for being in possession of two locally made revolver pistols with 18 improvised rounds of live ammunition. The police spokesperson in the state, Muhammad Sadiq, confirmed the development while briefing journalists on Thursday in Sokoto. Mr Sadiq said, a team of police patrol attached to Sabon Birni Division in Sabon Birni Local Government Area on Tuesday arrested Alhassan of Runbukawa village in Niger Republic. He was in possession of two locally made revolver pistols with 18 improvised live ammunition. He confessed to have sold two at Mailalle village of Sabon Birni LGA, Sokoto State for N10, 000 each. Moreover, Alhassan has confessed that he is the manufacturer of the said revolver pistols, the police spokesperson said. He added that the arrest was made in continuation of the police efforts at riding Sokoto state of criminals and reducing criminality. He said the state commissioner of police, Ibrahim Kaoje, had ensured coordinated search and surveillance aimed at protecting lives and property in the state. In another development, the police have recovered one official Toyota Hilux van belonging to Tabia Muller, Head of Technical Section, Glo office, Sokoto. According to the spokesperson, Mr Muller was trapped at his residence located at Bafarawa estate in the metropolitan by three arm men, who robbed him of the official vehicle. Upon receipt of the information, a team of policemen went on the heels of the hoodlums and as a result of the hot chase, they have no option than to abandon the vehicle and run. The vehicle was recovered and efforts have been intensified to apprehend the hoodlums for possible arrests and subsequent prosecution, he said. Mr Sadiq further enjoined members of the public to always volunteer useful information that could assist the police in apprehending suspected criminals in the state. (NAN) The Governorship, National Assembly, and State House of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal in Kano has received 33 petitions from the just concluded 2019 General Elections in the state. The Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice Nayai Aganaba, disclosed this at the inaugural sitting of the tribunal on Thursday in Kano. He said that the 33 petitions were for State House of Assembly and National Assembly elections, adding that there were no petitions yet on the governorship election. Mr Aganaba appealed to parties in the tribunal to cooperate in order to ensure that the 180 days allotted for the petitions pending before it was judiciously spent. He promised that the tribunal would be free and fair in the dispensation of all election matters. In his welcome address, the Kano State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Ibrahim Mukhtar, assured the judges of adequate security and conducive working environment to enable them to discharge their duties. Speaking earlier, the Nigerian Bar Association(NBA), Kano State Chairman, Lawal Musa, assured the full support of lawyers to make the job of the tribunal easier. Mr Musa called on lawyers in the state to respect time and not delay the process because of the limited time the tribunal had. NAN reports that the tribunal, which commenced sitting on Thursday, has Justice Ashu Augustine and Justice Mustafa Tijjani as members. (NAN) VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Algernon Pharmaceuticals Inc. (CSE: AGN) (FRANKFURT: AGW) (OTCB: BTHCF) (the Company or Algernon) a clinical stage pharmaceutical development company is pleased to announce that Dr. Walter Reinisch, a leading global scientific expert and clinician in the area of Inflammatory bowel disease, (IBD) has joined the Algernon Medical and Scientific Advisory Board. Dr. Reinisch, MD, graduated at the Medical University of Vienna (MUV), where he finished his training in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology. After initial scientific studies in oncology at the MUV and the National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, he decided to focus his research interest on inflammatory Bowel disease (IBD). Dr. Reinisch is a founding member of the European Crohns & Colitis Organization (ECCO) and was assigned as honorary member after having contributed in various positions. He was active in the Scientific and Public Affairs Committee of the United European Gastroenterology (UEG) and headed the Austrian IBD Study Group. Dr. Reinisch is a member of the International Organization For the Study of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IOIBD). Dr. Reinisch is an expert in designing, conducting and interpreting the results of clinical trials in IBD. He envisions a customized management of IBD utilizing the innovations of translational medicine. He advocates the implementation of a "common language of inflammatory bowel disease" to improve the communication with patients and between physicians for better care and more robust research outcomes. Dr. Reinisch has also either written or made contributions to over 250 publications on IBD and remains active in all aspects of IBD research. I am very pleased that Dr. Reinisch has accepted our invitation to join the Algernon Advisory Board, said Christopher J. Moreau, CEO of Algernon pharmaceuticals. His significant clinical background and deep experience in the design and management of human clinical trials for IBD will be very helpful as we move forward with plans for a phase II IBD trial." About Algernon Pharmaceuticals Inc. Algernon Pharmaceuticals is a clinical stage pharmaceutical development company focused on advancing its lead compounds for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), chronic kidney disease (CKD) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). CONTACT INFORMATION Christopher J. Moreau CEO Algernon Pharmaceuticals Inc. 604.398.4175 ext 701 info@algernonpharmaceuticals.com investors@algernonpharmaceuticals.com www.algernonpharmaceuticals.com . The CSE does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. The Canadian Securities Exchange has not in any way passed upon the merits of the proposed transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. CAUTIONARY DISCLAIMER STATEMENT: No Securities Exchange has reviewed nor accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news release. This news release contains forward-looking statements relating to product development, licensing, commercialization and regulatory compliance issues and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as will, may, should, anticipate, expects and similar expressions. All statements other than statements of historical fact, included in this release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Companys expectations include the failure to satisfy the conditions of the relevant securities exchange(s) and other risks detailed from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulations. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company will update or revise publicly any of the included forward-looking statements as expressly required by applicable law. The price of onions has crashed from N30,000 per 100kg to N10,000 in Katsina, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports. A market survey conducted by NAN on Thursday in Katsina showed that two months ago 100kg bag of onions was being sold at N30, 000.00. The survey indicated that the commodity two months ago was being obtained from Borno State where the traders travel to source for it. Contacted, the state Chairman of Vegetable Sellers Association, Ahmed Mohammed, attributed the development to the availability of the commodity in the area. Mr Mohammed disclosed that local farmers in the state had started harvesting their onions in March, which they cultivated in large quantity. He said that there was too much supply of onions which forced the price down. NAN reports that the Katsina tomato market had been flooded with onions because there is no local preservation method to store the commodity.(NAN) The police command in Ebonyi State has confirmed the death of a man and his wife in a fatal road crash which involved Hycinth Ikpor, the state Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB) Chairman. Loveth Odah, the commands spokesperson, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday that the accident occurred on March 15 at Amudo, Ezza South Local Government Area (LGA) of the state. Ms Odah said the UBEB chairmans vehicle hit and killed the man and his wife riding a motorcycle and that the police was investigating the matter. The UBEB Chairmans driver is still in custody while the affected vehicle has been impounded. The matter has however been taken to court and came for mention on Wednesday because the incident claimed human lives, she said. The spokesperson noted that the police was aware that the UBEB chairman had been in dialogue with the family of the victims to settle the issue, but he said the arrangement did not concern the police. Such arrangement is a private concern of the parties involved, but the police have the responsibility of prosecuting cases involving human lives. The matter could have been treated mildly if it involved only injuries and other forms of discomfort but in this case, the law must take its course, she said. Mr Ikpor, the UBEB chairman, told NAN in an interview that the accident occurred while he was on an inspection tour of some schools in the state. My driver, unfortunately, hit and killed the man who was riding a motorcycle with one of his wives. I have been dialoguing with the deceaseds family since then but the problem is that they are demanding for an outrageous sum of money for the burial, he said. Mr Ikpor noted that the family was demanding N3.2million for the burial of the deceased persons while he agreed to offer N2million and contribute to the education of their children. We have adjourned meeting on the issue and I am not surprised that the police took the matter to court. The DPO, Onueke Police Division where the matter is being handled told me that it was taken to court because negotiation between me and the deceased family was being prolonged. The police could not wait for the negotiation to be concluded and I am more pained because the deceased was a member of my party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he said. (NAN) The crisis between the Olubadan of Ibadan land, Saliu Adetunji, and the high chiefs in the ancient city took another dimension on Wednesday when the chiefs criticised the Olubadan again with a promise not to return to the palace. PREMIUM TIMES recalls that the crisis, which has made the Olubadan and the chiefs who are also members of the Olubadan-in-Council operate in a cat and mouse manner started when the outgoing governor of Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi announced the resolve of his government to review the Olubadan chieftaincy declaration. Mr Ajimobi, in August 2017, presented staff of offices and crowns to the high chiefs after he announced that the high chiefs have been promoted to the status of obas (kings). The chiefs, who were promoted as obas without definite domain or territory are still members of the Olubadan-in-Council and are still in the Olubadan succession line. They have been parading themselves as kings since then, though they do not have chiefs. The Olubadan, in his argument, maintained that he is the only recognised monarch in the ancient city, while the chiefs said that they are also kings on their own. This, however, led to existing crisis between the two parties. The chiefs, led by Lekan Balogun, who is also the Otun Olubadan, had on Monday accused the monarch of running a one-man show, though the monarch through his Media Assistant, Adeola Oloko, refuted that he has not committed any offence. Mr Adetunji asked the chiefs to remove their crowns and come back to the palace to perform their roles as members of his council. But, the crisis took another dimension when members of the Olubadan-in-council on Wednesday kicked against the directive of the monarch, which urged them to drop their crowns and return to the palace. They described the directive as hypocritical and an aspersion on the review of the laws governing traditional institution in Oyo State, which approves their installation as beaded crown wearing kings. Mr Balogun, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, faulted the Olubadans claims. He insisted that none of the issues raised in their allegations against the nefarious activities going on in his palace such as non-screening of prospective Mogajis (family heads) and Baales (village head) by the council before installation; the cash and carry manner by which people now get positions of Mogaji and Baale, leading to the appointment of more than one Mogaji from the same compound and relinquishing of the palace authority to Olori (the wife of the monarch) among others, have been answered. He maintained that events had overtaken the court judgement being referred to, noting that aside the fact that theres an appeal pending on the same judgement, the issue of review of the traditional law in the state had since become a state-wide one, encompassing Ibadan and other cities and towns which, till now, has not been disputed. He also averred that the same reform which conferred on them the new titles of Royal Majesties and Highnesses also elevated the Olubadan to His Imperial Majesty from Royal Majesty which the Olubadan proudly adorn, asking so, what makes our own wrong and his own right? He insisted that the reform carried out by Mr Ajimobi was in the best interest of the state in general and Ibadan in particular, which was why, despite their initial opposition to it, they had to embrace it when it became glaring that the reform was not of any benefit to the governor as a person. Mr Balogun said the Olubadan himself was at the meeting with them and the governor where the issue was thrashed out and they all agreed that the reform should be carried out. But, the first class monarch capitulated on getting back to his palace when his wives castigated him, wondering how on earth other Oloris (king wives) would exist alongside them at the same time. He equally described as ludicrous and embarrassing the claim of palace smooth running without them, saying, If the infamy going on in his palace with his Olori assuming the position of the defacto Olubadan and his parading lower ranking chiefs as his council members is his own definition of smooth running of the palace, then, we wonder what and how history would record his reign. Insisting that there is nothing new in having more than a monarch in a town or city, Mr Balogun said Lagos parades over 53 obas, Ile-Ife in Osun State is no more a town with just Ooni of Ife as its monarch owing to a similar reform carried out by the state government. He said, Yet, in all of these places, the paramountcy of the consenting authority is never eroded which is what we have kept on telling our referred baba. Unfortunately, though very matured, peace-loving and understanding, his wife would not allow him to be himself which is why the issue has continued to linger. President Andrzej Duda participated in the international conference 'On the Downfall of Communism. 1989 in Central and Eastern Europe' on Thursday in Warsaw, organised on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Polish Round Table Talks. May be of interest to you Inauguration Address by the President at the opening of the Conference: The Downfall of Communism. 1989 in Central and Eastern Europe The conference, organised on April 4-5, is attended by historians, sociologists and political scientists from several countries. The president, opening the conference, said that a part of the public recently took offence when he said that the Round Table Talks were necessary. "I repeated the words, which were uttered by the Late President Professor Lech Kaczynski, who participated in the talks as a member of the Solidarity trade union and as a lawyer," Duda added. "Once again I'll repeat that yes, in my opinion, they (the Round Table talks - PAP) were of enormous importance," the president said adding that the talks "certainly led to one thing: to a bloodless revolution, to the political changes which led to the 1989 elections." The head of state noted that it is about what happened later. "It is not about whether they (partly-free elections of June 4, 1989) were totally or partly free. It is all about what the Polish people showed at that time. They went and, in a spectacular way, overruled the communist elite and in effect broke the Round Table agreements," President Duda added. He underscored that a consequence of the events of 1989 was Poland's subsequent accession to the EU and NATO and the fact that "we became members of the Western community, not only in a cultural and identity sense, but also in a political one." The head of state noted that the Polish Round Table Talks and their effects have been variously assessed, and that it is easy for people who at the time did not have to make decisions, to evaluate the talks. "I can allow myself to assess these events from a Polish point of view (...) I can say one thing: I felt immense and unlimited joy, great excitement, and had a wonderful feeling that we had moved closer to something which we dreamed of: towards freedom, in which we could live and progress," President Duda added. In his speech, President Duda also expressed gratitude to the people who fought for the freedom, independence and sovereignty of Poland, which Poles enjoy today. The Round Table talks, which started on February 6, 1989, were attended by representatives of the Polish People's Republic government, opposition and church representatives. The most important decisions reached during the talks included the setting up of the second chamber of the Polish parliament - the Senate and the office of the president of Poland. Changes introduced to the existing election law offered semi-democratic elections. They were held on June 4 and 18, 1989. This was a one-off solution, after which successive elections were based on fully democratic rules. (PAP) VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Graphite One Inc. (GPH: TSX-V; GPHOF: OTCQB) (Graphite One or the Corporation) announces that it intends to complete a non-brokered private placement offering (the Offering) to raise gross proceeds of up to CA$2,000,000. The Corporation plans to issue up to 6.67 million units (the Units) at a price of CA$0.30 per Unit. Each Unit consists of one common share and one transferable common share purchase warrant (a Warrant). Each Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one full Common Share at a purchase price of CA$0.30 per Common Share and will expire one year from the date of issuance. The Company may pay finders' fees to arms-length parties in connection with the Offering. The net proceeds of the Offering will be used for exploration and development of the Companys Graphite Creek Project and for general working capital purposes. Closing is expected to occur on or around the end of April 2019, subject to receipt of final applicable regulatory approvals including approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. All securities issued in connection with the Offering will be subject to a restricted period that expires four months following the date of issuance. It is anticipated that Taiga Mining Company, Inc. (Taiga) will participate in the Private Placement and that the issuance of Units to Taiga pursuant to the Private Placement (Insider Participation) will be considered to be a related party transaction within the meaning of TSXV Policy 5.9 and Multilateral Instrument 61-101 (MI 61-101). The Company intends to rely on the exemptions from the valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 contained in Sections 5.5(b) and 5.7(1)(b) of MI 61-101 in respect of the Insider Participation. This media release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the U.S. Securities Act) or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. About Graphite One GRAPHITE ONE INC. (GPH: TSX-V; GPHOF: OTCQB) continues to develop its Graphite One Project (the Project), whereby the Company could potentially become an American producer of high grade Coated Spherical Graphite (CSG) that is integrated with a domestic graphite resource. The Project is proposed as a vertically integrated enterprise to mine, process and manufacture high grade CSG primarily for the lithium-ion electric vehicle battery market. As set forth in the Companys Preliminary Economic Assessment, potential graphite mineralization mined from the Companys Graphite Creek Property, is expected to be processed into concentrate at a graphite processing plant. The proposed processing plant would be located on the Graphite Creek Property situated on the Seward Peninsula about 60 kilometers north of Nome, Alaska. CSG and other value-added graphite products, would likely be manufactured from the concentrate at the Companys proposed graphite product manufacturing facility, the location of which is the subject of further study and analysis. The Company intends to make a production decision on the Project once a feasibility study is completed. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS "Anthony Huston (signed) For more information on Graphite One Inc please visit the Companys website, www.GraphiteOneInc.com or contact: Anthony Huston CEO, President & Director Tel: (604) 889-4251 Email: AHuston@GraphiteOneInc.com Investor Relations Contact 1-604-684-6730 GPH@kincommunications.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. This release includes certain statements that may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts that address timing of closing the Offering, final amount raised under the Offering, the participation of insiders in the Offering, receipt of regulatory approvals, exploration drilling, exploitation activities and events or developments that the Company expects, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company 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. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, continuity of mineralization, uncertainties related to the ability to obtain necessary permits, licenses and title and delays due to third party opposition, changes in government policies regarding mining and natural resource exploration and exploitation, and continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on this forward-looking information, which is given as of the date it is expressed in this press release, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking information, except as required by applicable securities laws. For more information on the Company, investors should review the Company's continuous disclosure filings that are available at www.sedar.com. BELO HORIZONTE, Brazil, April 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Verde AgriTech Plc (TSX: NPK) ("Verde or the Company) is pleased to welcome Daniel Sabbag as Vice President of Sales. Mr. Sabbag is a sales professional with 30 years of experience in the agricultural sector, including major companies such as Fertilizantes Heringer SA (Heringer), Monsanto Company, Bequisa Degesh Group and Cargill. More recently, Mr. Sabbag devoted 14 years to the fertilizer business while working at Heringer, one of Brazils three largest fertilizer companies. Heringer produces, commercializes and distributes fertilizers through multiple branches across the country. As a senior executive at Heringer, Mr. Sabbag was head of the sales department overseeing yearly revenues of USD 250 million. Mr. Sabbag was responsible for trade operations throughout Brazil and led a team of over 30 professionals plus a network of 110 independent sales agents. Among Mr. Sabbags successes was his leadership of the overall expansion of Heringer, when he opened 7 new fertilizer plants. He also oversaw the introduction of new product lines such as premium fertilizers. Mr. Sabbag holds an MBA from FGV Fundacao Getulio Vargas and a bachelors degree in Agronomic Engineering from ESALQ/ USP, Brazil. President and CEO, Cristiano Veloso, commented: We are proud that Mr. Sabbag has chosen to continue his career at Verde, given his many options in the Brazilian fertilizer sector. He will oversee continued sales success in 2019 and, above all, position the company for planned market expansions in 2020 and beyond. About Verde AgriTech Verde promotes sustainable and profitable agriculture through the development of its Cerrado Verde Project. Cerrado Verde, located in the heart of Brazils largest agricultural market, is the source of a potassium-rich deposit from which Verde intends to produce solutions for crop nutrition, crop protection, soil improvement and increased sustainability. For additional information please contact: Cristiano Veloso, President & Chief Executive Officer Tel: +55 (31) 3245 0205; Email: cv@verdeagritech.com www.verdeagritech.com www.supergreensand.com Cautionary Language and Forward Looking Statements Neither the TSX nor its regulation services provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This press release contains certain "forward looking statements", which include but is not limited to, statements with respect to the future financial or operating performance of the Company, its subsidiaries and its projects, and statements regarding use of proceeds. Forward looking statements can generally be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", or "does not expect" or "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", "intends", "forecasts", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates" or variations of such words or phrases or state that certain actions, event, or results "may", "could", "would", "might", or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by said statements. There can be no assurances that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in said statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. 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. TORONTO, April 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aleafia Health Inc. (TSX: ALEF, OTC: ALEAF, FRA: ARAH) (Aleafia Health or the Company) has appointed Loreto Grimaldi as the Lead Independent Director of the Companys Board of Directors. The role will rotate among independent directors every six months, as determined periodically by a majority of the Companys independent directors. The appointment of a Lead Independent Director supports Aleafia Healths goal of good corporate governance practices in accordance with the guidelines set out in National Policy 58-201 Corporate Governance Guidelines. Mr. Grimaldi is an accomplished executive and general counsel to North American public companies across a broad range of sectors including consumer finance, aviation, real estate and technology. He was previously an independent director of Emblem Corp and is licensed to practice law in New York State and Ontario. He also sits on the Companys Governance Committee and Compensation and Human Resources Committee. Loretos leadership experience in capital markets, public company corporate governance and M&A will provide tremendous value to Aleafia Healths Board and the Company as a whole, said Aleafia Health Chairman Julian Fantino. For Investor & Media Relations, please contact: Nicholas Bergamini, VP, Public Affairs 416-860-5665 IR@AleafiaHealth.com About Aleafia Health: Aleafia Health is a leading, vertically integrated cannabis health and wellness company with four primary business units: Cannabis Cultivation & Products, Health & Wellness Clinics, Cannabis Education, and Consumer Experience with ecommerce, retail distribution and provincial supply agreements. Aleafia Health owns three major cannabis product & cultivation facilities where it produces a diverse portfolio of commercially proven, high-margin derivative products including oils, capsules and sprays. The Company operates the largest national network of medical cannabis clinics and education centres staffed by MDs, nurse practitioners and educators. Aleafia Health maintains a medical cannabis dataset with over 10 million data points to inform proprietary illness specific product development and treatment best practices. The Company is committed to creating sustainable shareholder value and has been named the 2019 top performing company of the year by the TSX Venture Exchange. We were honored to be a leading bootcamp accepting the GI Bill in 2015 and now approved to receive reimbursement through the VET TEC program to help Veterans get rewarding careers as computer programmers," said Bruce Batky, Skill Distillery Co-Founder and CEO. "The new VET TEC program is a game changer that will allow us to help many more Veterans advance their careers." "After leaving the military, I took a job as a police officer. I worked nights, weekends, and was frequently on call. Not being able to spend time with my family, missing out on my son's sports, birthdays, holidays, etc. was stressful and took its toll on me. I knew there was a better way. "Even though I had no experience, I started looking at careers that would be in demand in the future. I talked to friends who were programmers and wanted to make a change. I went through Skill Distillery's coding bootcamp and got a job shortly after graduating at HomeAdvisor. "Now, I am really happy with my job. My life is stress free no nights, holidays or weekend work work life balance is real. I enjoy time with my son, and I am more involved with him than ever. It was an amazing transition, and everything I have been looking for," said Tyler Paladini, Skill Distillery Graduate. To meet employer demand, the VA created a new program that pairs Veterans with industry-leading technology training providers to expand career options for Veterans. Skill Distillery's coding bootcamp focuses on teaching both Java and Javascript, the two most in-demand, highest-paying languages in the computer programming industry.[1] By teaching both, we give students more than 2x the number of job opportunities. In addition, Veterans who complete the coding bootcamp are granted access to Skill Distillery's extensive employer network to get hired quickly. Visit SkillDistillery.com for more information. GI Bill is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill Java is a registered trademark of Oracle Corporation. [1] http://www.tiobe.com/index.php/content/paperinfo/tpci/index.html About Skill Distillery Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, Skill Distillery, a Batky-Howell company, literally wrote the book on IT training and has trained over 40,000 IT professionals. In our coding bootcamp we focus on teaching Java and Javascript, the two most in-demand, highest-paying languages in the computer programming industry. This combination gives students more than 2x the number of job opportunities. https://www.skilldistillery.com Press Contact Bruce Batky 303 302-5234 [email protected] SkillDistillery.com SOURCE Skill Distillery Related Links https://skilldistillery.com/ LOS ANGELES, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI) today announced that this year's Cineposium conference will be held September 13-16 in Saint Petersburg, Russia concurrent with the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) General Assembly Meeting. The announcement was made in Los Angeles at the AFCI Week Physical Production Power Brunch. Over the past decade, Cineposium has been held in the United States, France, New Zealand, Spain, and South Korea. This year's conference will mark the first time in the event's 43-year history that it will be held in Russia. The annual Cineposium conference connects AFCI members with production industry partners and policymakers worldwide. It is the only international conference focused on education and professional development with an emphasis on film commissioners. Cineposium is one of AFCI's two hallmark annual events (the other is AFCI Week, which is currently underway in Los Angeles April 2-5). "This year's Cineposium will be a truly global event," said AFCI President Jess Conoplia. "As the cultural capital of Russia, Saint Petersburg is an exciting choice. We look forward to welcoming attendees and speakers from the U.S., Europe and all parts of the world, including Russia's growing production industry." The decision to hold Cineposium in Russia's second largest city followed a rigorous selection process in which prospective host cities were judged based on resources, infrastructure and commitment to hosting a world-class conference. The opportunity to be in Saint Petersburg in concert with the UN World Tourism Organization was also a factor given the public's growing interest in locations that are featured in popular films and TV series. The growth of such "film tourism" presents opportunities for AFCI to work with other organizations to expand Cineposium's global reach and relevance. "This will be AFCI's 43rd Cineposium, and we are proud it will be held in St. Petersburg," said AFCI Board Chair Kevin "KJ" Jennings, who also serves as executive manager of New Zealand's Film Otago Southland film office. "Bringing the conference to Russia demonstrates our ongoing commitment to educating and uniting AFCI's global membership." AFCI is working closely with the Russian Office of Film Commissions and the Committee for Tourism Development of Saint Petersburg to secure Cineposium venues and develop programming. Saint Petersburg will offer attendees a unique, world-class conference experience. The city's nickname among Russians is the "Window to the West," and at Cineposium 2019 it will also become a window into Russia's media production industry. The nation currently boasts 10 major studios, 113 sound stages, and skilled labor rates that are up to 50 percent lower than other production locales. It is also a burgeoning technology center, with at least five Russia-based streaming platforms seeking international partners. "International producers have a limited perception of filmmaking in Russia that usually involves stereotypical images of the Kremlin," said Russian Office of Film Commissions CEO Val Kupeev. "We look forward to welcoming AFCI members and industry leaders from around the world for a stellar conference and an introduction to all that Russia has to offer." Eygeny Pankevich, chairman of the Committee for Tourism Development of Saint Petersburg, added, "Saint Petersburg is the birthplace of Russian cinema, so it is a great honor for our city to host AFCI's first Cineposium in Russia. Hosting the conference here will bring lasting value and new perspectives to everyone involved." Pankevich also noted that St. Petersburg will soon launch its own regional film commission. The Cineposium 2019 schedule includes the core Cineposium conference, the 3rd Business-to-Business Industry Day and a Saint Petersburg cultural and production industry tour. Initial sessions and speakers will be announced soon. Early registration for Cineposium 2019 is now open. More information about is available at https://afci.org/afci-news/events/afci-cineposium-2019/. About The Association of Film Commissioners International Founded in 1975, the Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI) is the professional organization for film commissioners worldwide. It represents more than 300 city, county, state, regional, provincial and national film commission members on six continents. AFCI empowers its members by sharing best practices, providing workforce development training and strengthening ties to policymakers and the production industry. AFCI is based in Los Angeles. For more information, visit AFCI.org. Contact: Erik Deutsch (323) 851-2455 erikd[at]excelpr[dot]com SOURCE Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI) Related Links http://afci.org WASHINGTON, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- American Federation of Government Employees National President J. David Cox Sr. today issued the following statement: The nation's largest union representing federal and D.C. government workers, AFGE, strongly supports legislation to reauthorize and strengthen the Violence Against Women Act. "AFGE thanks Representative Karen Bass of California for her leadership in introducing legislation to reauthorize and strengthen the Violence Against Women Act, HR 1585. Congress first passed this law in 1994 to protect survivors of domestic and sexual abuse, but as a result of the government shutdown the law expired and must be reauthorized. Every day that Congress fails to reauthorize this bill is another day that victims of domestic and sexual abuse go without the help they need. AFGE strongly supports this legislation and urges Congress to pass this bill without delay. "This important legislation establishes a coordinated response to domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and similar crimes that includes victim advocates, law enforcement, the judicial system, and community partners. As reauthorized, this bill would provide additional grant money to strengthen how the health care system responds to these issues, help save lives by restricting gun ownership by domestic violence offenders, and expand existing protections to include transgender victims. "Millions of Americans experience domestic or sexual violence each year. This type of violence and abuse affects victims in the short-term and chronically, and it imposes a significant economic burden on victims and communities. "AFGE represents more than 700,000 federal and D.C. government workers who deserve to live in a world where they do not experience violence at the hands of their partners. This is a women's and civil rights issue that impacts our members and all workers across the country. AFGE stands with all victims of domestic assault and urges Congress to pass HR 1585 and reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act." The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is the largest federal employee union, representing 700,000 workers in the federal government and the government of the District of Columbia. For the latest AFGE news and information, visit the AFGE Media Center. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. SOURCE American Federation of Government Employees Related Links http://www.afge.org ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill., April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. today announced the acquisition of Calgary, Alberta-based Keyser Benefits Corp. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. With roots dating back more than 45 years, Keyser is a full-service benefits brokerage offering life, disability, health and dental, critical illness, retirement and other services to small to mid-sized businesses and individuals across Western Canada. Shane Keyser and his associates will be relocating to Gallagher's existing benefits office in Calgary under the direction of Melanie Jeannotte, National President of Gallagher's Canadian employee benefits consulting and brokerage operations. "Like Gallagher, Keyser Benefits is a client-focused, family-oriented business with a strong commitment to ethics," said J. Patrick Gallagher, Jr., Chairman, President and CEO. "I am excited to welcome Shane and his associates to our growing global team." Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (NYSE:AJG), a global insurance brokerage, risk management and consulting services firm, is headquartered in Rolling Meadows, Illinois. The company has operations in 35 countries and offers client service capabilities in more than 150 countries around the world through a network of correspondent brokers and consultants. Investors: Ray Iardella Media: Linda J. Collins VP Investor Relations VP Corporate Communications 630-285-3661/ [email protected] 630-285-4009/ [email protected] SOURCE Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Related Links http://www.ajg.com LONDON, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The world's largest and fastest growing international health & beauty retailer A.S. Watson Group celebrates an important milestone today as it opens its 15,000th store. Growth Continues at Record Rate For the fourth year in a row, A.S. Watson's new store opening continues to be at an average speed of one store every seven hours across its 25 markets in Asia and Europe. The worldwide 15,000th store opening of A.S. Watson coincides with its 500th store opening of Watsons in Malaysia, one of the fastest growing countries for beauty and wellness products. Watsons is the flagship retail brand of A.S. Watson with over 7,200 stores in 13 markets in Asia and Eastern Europe. The new store is located in Central i-City, a new shopping mall in Malaysia, and it uses technology to enhance customer experience and connect offline and online. The 4,200 square-feet G8 design store is equipped with StyleMe, AR (Augmented Reality) technology, to showcase the latest fashionable product, in a fun and engaging way for customers. Watsons' Hi Mirror skin analysis device is also available for customers to assess their skin conditions at the store. G8 represents the 8th Generation of the Watsons store design incorporating extensive customer and store team feedback, as well as market research of latest trends on shopping experience. It will roll out across the region in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and Turkey later this year. O+O Strategy - Strengthening Customer Connectivity Online and Offline Mr Dominic Lai, Group Managing Director of A.S. Watson Group is very excited at the celebration event of this important milestone, "The continued success of our business is about customer connectivity our ability to connect customers with products, trends and experience they want in beauty, personal care, health and wellness. Our O+O (Online and Offline) strategy focuses on providing an extensive store network, excellent in-store customer service, most relevant health and beauty assortment, combined with seamless digital experience and loyalty schemes that help to put smiles on customers' faces." Globally A.S. Watson has over 135 million loyalty members and has been investing HK$1 billion (approx. US$128 million) in digital since 2012 to enhance customer experience and enable the business to build data-driven approach to stay closer to customers' needs. A Thankful Celebration Mr Lai continues, "We are one of the longest standing companies in the world with 178 years of history. To be able to reach yet another critical milestone, this is only possible with the love from our customers, passion and commitment from our 140,000 colleagues around the world, and the unfailing support from our business partners." From one dispensary in Hong Kong to 15,000 stores worldwide, A.S. Watson has built close relationship with customers and a strong team of 140,000 colleagues. The celebration activities in every market will be about thanking customers and showing appreciation to colleagues. There will be campaigns in every market to celebrate, including member-exclusive benefits and special offers, both offline and online. Download photos: https://goo.gl/nc7TCX About A.S. Watson Group Established in Hong Kong in 1841, A.S. Watson Group is the world's largest international health and beauty retailer operating 15,000 stores under 12 retail brands in 25 markets, with over 140,000 employees worldwide. For the fiscal year 2018, A.S. Watson Group recorded revenue of US$ 21.5 billion. Every year, we have 5.2 billion shoppers in stores and online. A.S. Watson Group is also a member of the world-renowned multinational conglomerate CK Hutchison Holdings Limited, which has five core businesses ports and related services, retail, infrastructure, energy and telecommunications in over 50 countries. Please visit www.aswatson.com for more in-depth information about A.S. Watson Group and its brands. You may also stay in touch with us via our digital presence (eCommerce, social media, mobile app & more); more details are at http://www.aswatson.com/our-customers/digitalasw/. About Watsons Watsons is the flagship health and beauty brand of A.S. Watson Group. As the No.1 Asia drugstore/ pharmacy brand for 10 consecutive years, Watsons provides customers with personalised advice on top of its wide product range, making customers LOOK GOOD, FEEL GREAT every day. Watsons currently operates over 7,200 stores and more than 1,500 pharmacies in 13 Asian and European markets, including Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Turkey, Ukraine and Russia. SOURCE A.S. Watson Group MILAN, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Berlin Packaging, the largest full-service supplier of glass, plastic and metal containers and closures, announced today the acquisition of Verrerie Calvet, a packaging supplier strategically located in Aimargues, France, the heart of Southern France's food region. Verrerie Calvet brings extensive experience in packaging for wine, spirits, olive oil, gourmet seasonings, marinades and sauces. Verrerie Calvet has been an important supplier of packaging for more than 20 years. Last year, the company worked with more than 1,700 companies in France and across Europe. Verrerie Calvet offers glass bottles and jars along with a wide range of metal containers, closures and specialty boxes and bags for transporting and shipping wine and oil. The company also offers glass customization and decoration, including an in-house screen-printing service. See more at VerrerieCalvet.com. Berlin Packaging is a $2.6 billion global supplier of rigid packaging products and services to customers of all types across all sectors. The company has a stronghold in North America, where it has operated since 1898. Berlin Packaging operates in Europe through its Bruni Glass division with headquarters in Milan, Italy, and locations and warehouses through Italy, France and Spain and its Bruni Erben division with locations and warehouses in England, Scotland and South Africa. Verrerie Calvet will be integrated into Berlin's Bruni Glass organization and will be run in partnership with Bruni Glass' team in France, which has offices outside Nice as well as two warehouses. All of the product lines that Verrerie Calvet brings are now available to all customers of Berlin Packaging, Bruni Glass and Bruni Erben. Verrerie Calvet customers also now benefit from the products and services that Berlin and Bruni offer, including an extensive array of glass packaging and innovation centers located on two continents. "We are excited to become part of the Berlin Packaging family and to embrace our new Bruni Glass colleagues," said Stephan Calvet who, along with his brother Eric, owned and operated Verrerie Calvet. "I am proud of what we have built and I know this new partnership will bring much more opportunity for our customers and employees." The Calvet brothers will continue with the company and all Verrerie Calvet employees will also remain with the business. Plans for investment and growth are already underway. "Joining with Verrerie Calvet strengthens our enterprise in France and across Europe," said Paolo Recrosio, managing director of Bruni Glass, a Berlin Packaging company. "The team is talented and the product and service offerings are excellent. Our operations in France have grown at double-digit rates every year and now I expect even better things for our future together." "Berlin Packaging has enjoyed tremendous growth in North America and Europe," added Andrew Berlin, chairman and CEO of Berlin Packaging. "As we move forward, I see so many opportunities to continue our natural growth and also to acquire the best companies in the packaging space. Verrerie Calvet will be another avenue for us to create jobs, as we have done already around the world." Verrerie Calvet marks Berlin's ninth overall acquisition since 2010 and the third in Europe since 2016. The acquisition of Verrerie Calvet is expected to close in the following weeks. Integration planning is already underway. About Berlin Packaging Berlin Packaging is the only Hybrid Packaging Supplier of glass, plastic and metal containers and closures. The company supplies billions of items annually along with package design, financing, consulting, warehousing and logistics services for customers across all industries. Berlin Packaging brings together the best of manufacturing, distribution and income-adding service providers. Its mission is to increase the net income of its customers through packaging products and services. See BerlinPackaging.com for more information. About Bruni Glass, a Berlin Packaging Company Bruni Glass, which is part of Berlin Packaging, has 40-plus years' experience supplying premium and specialty glass packaging to the wine, spirits, food and gourmet markets. Headquartered in Italy and with locations across Europe, Bruni offers thousands of custom-designed products along with popular standard items. The company has a world-class design studio, a network of high-quality manufacturing partners and a team dedicated to thrilling service and is certified by CISQ-IMQ (Italian Institute for the Quality Mark) to ISO 9001 standards. See BruniGlass.com for more information. Media Contacts: Derek Serafin, [email protected], +1-312-565-0044 for North America Annalia Martinelli, [email protected], +39 02 33004 397 for Rest of World Related Images berlin-packaging-logo.png Berlin Packaging Logo SOURCE Berlin Packaging Related Links http://BerlinPackaging.com Solar power development has yet to meet potential In Vietnam, the development of solar power including solar power systems on the roof of houses is considered to have a lot of potential. Specifically, the annual radiation measured in the Southern region and South Central provinces is approximately 1,600 kWh/m2. According to a report on the technical assessment of the potential of rooftop solar energy in Vietnam released by the World Bank in 2017, the potential of solar energy in Ho Chi Minh City is about 6,300 MW. Meanwhile, Hanoi has average monthly sunshine hours of about 1,466.1 hours per year, which is listed in the areas of average solar radiation of 3.3 to 4.1 kWh/m2 per day. According to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the generation of every 1 kWh of solar energy will help to reduce CO2 emissions by 0.6612 kg. If solar energy is promoted, it would be a clean energy resource with rather high output, while helping to minimise the budget invested in electricity generation and transmission facilities. In many countries, solar energy is also a developed industry, creating jobs and income for many people. It is estimated that if only two million rooftops in Vietnam were installed with solar panels with a capacity of 10 kW per roof it would reduce the corresponding amount of 16 million tonnes of coal per year used for coal fired power plants. Prof. Dr. Tran Dinh Long, vice chairman of the Vietnam Electrical Engineering Association, said that the output of solar power systems generated at public facilities in the morning can meet 25 to 30% of power demand of these facilities and up to 60-65% of power demand during noon and sunny hours. Tran Hong Ky, an energy researcher at the World Bank, said that about 30% of the roofs in Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang are capable of installing rooftop solar energy systems effectively. With the goal of reaching solar output of 1 GWp by 2020, the Prime Minister approved Vietnam's renewable energy development strategy by 2030, with a vision to 2050, along with a number of mechanisms to encourage the development of solar power projects. The Ministry of Industry and Trade also issued Circular 16 on solar project development and electricity purchase contracts in a bid to solve problems related to tax, payment methods and others at rooftop solar power projects. Deputy head of EVN Business Division Tran Viet Nguyen said that offices and branches of EVN installed rooftop solar systems at 54 locations with a total capacity of 3.2 MWp in 2018. Approximately 1,800 customers including offices, businesses and households are installing rooftop solar systems with a total capacity of 30.12 MWp. A representative from Ho Chi Minh City Power Corporation (EVN HCMC) said that the implementation of rooftop solar power in Ho Chi Minh City has proved effective. EVN HCMC has installed rooftop solar systems with a total capacity of nearly 1,130 kWp and is continuing to deploy other systems with a capacity of 2,658 kWp. EVN General Director Tran Dinh Nhan said that the above figure is too small compared to the potential of solar power in Vietnam, citing a lack of specific regulations on electricity purchasing when households connect their solar power systems to the national grid. In addition, information about rooftop solar power remains limited. EVN cannot sign power buying contracts with customers because there are no official instructions on how to buy solar electricity from households. Customers still hesitate to invest in solar systems due to the lack of information about product quality, operating methods, equipment warranty, and others. According to experts, the installation of solar power panel systems has become easier thanks to the development of technology. However, the cost of investment at around VND20-VND25 million (US$1,000) per kWp remains high, while there is no support policy for solar power projects, leading to the rejection of households. More efforts needed EVN General Director Tran Dinh Nhan affirmed that the electricity sector will assist households and enterprises in installing solar power systems and help them with procedures for connecting to the national grid, in addition to the signing of power purchase contracts. He noted that the buying of solar electricity connected to the grid will be done immediately when there are guidance circulars issued by the authorities. Furthermore, EVN will bear the full costs of the installation of electricity meters to measure the volume of electricity consumed as well as connected to the grid. EVN also proposes ministries and agencies to promote information on the benefits of rooftop solar power to the public. The Government should encourage agencies, units, organisations and People's Committees of provinces and cities to establish rooftop solar systems through providing them with supporting mechanisms. Dao Minh Hien from Power Engineering Consulting Joint Stock Company 2 (PECC2) said that there are several models to support people to install rooftop solar panels such as power companies fund, rent or lease roofs or rooftop solar power systems. EVN is actively cooperating with international partners to learn and approach policies to encourage investment in the development of solar projects in Vietnam in addition to updating technology and solutions to develop rooftop solar systems for customers. Managing Director, Principal Investments at VinaCapital, Samresh Kumar, said that the mobilisation of international capital is necessary to boost the development of rooftop solar energy, particularly on an industrial scale. International financial institutions will directly give loans to solar energy developers to help them invest in solar projects, or provide loans through domestic financial intermediaries. According to Director of Green Innovation and Development Centre (GreenID) Nguy Thi Khanh, one of the reasons for the rejection of rooftop solar energy in Vietnam is the lack of information on the system including categories, technical regulations, costs, chance to get back your investment, and others. Therefore, an important solution to promote the development of rooftop solar energy is to boost communication to the community, especially informing households of the investment capacity and the practical benefits of this model. Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Hoang Quoc Vuong said that a circular to amend Circular 16 will soon be issued by the ministry, after completing the collection of comments from ministries and sectors. This new document will specify the method of payment for the purchase of solar output through specific contracts, thereby helping the relevant parties to have a reasonable payment mechanism in order to overcome shortcomings of Circular 16. The legal document is also expected to encourage investment in and development of rooftop solar energy in the future, Vuong noted. Dublin, April 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Solar Rooftop Market Outlook in India and Impact Analysis of SRISTI Scheme till 2022" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Examining state wise opportunities for grid-connected solar rooftop applications and market sizing for discoms, OEMs, EPC contractors, project developers into residential, industrial, commercial and government segments The government of India is projected to make an investment by giving subsidies to the amount of USD 3.3 Billion for scaling up the solar rooftop installations in the country under Sustainable Rooftop Implementation for Solar Transfiguration of India (Sristi) Scheme The economics of solar power has improved in India. It's a far more cost-competitive source of electricity generation than it was a decade back or more. The sharp decline witnessed in the module and installation cost of the solar photovoltaic systems in the country and all across the globe has been a significant reason for such a development, and have also pulled up the solar power capacities higher than before. Presently, India boasts a solar power installed capacity of 24 GW, which was not even 1 GW in mid-2000s. Solar's changing economics is already influencing the business consumption and investments and given the push from the Indian government, the sector is progressing towards a multi-faceted growth. Talking about consumption, a new demand segment for solar power is picking up the trend i.e. solar rooftops. A good number of companies especially the PSUs with large physical footprints and high power costs are switching towards installing commercial-scale rooftop solar systems, often at less than the current price of buying power from a discom. Also, for the industrial belts where power requirement is massive and congestion in the transmission lines is also high, rooftop systems can be utilized to get some respite. For instance, as per the latest developments it is to be noted that the premises of Power Grid Corporation in Madhya Pradesh shall be installing solar rooftop systems for its self-consumption and is anticipated to get the electricity at a tariff of INR 1.58/unit, which is way cheaper than what they use to pay erstwhile to the discoms. Similarly, many other government buildings in the state have decided to go ahead with solar rooftop systems with the per unit electricity cost to be INR 1.67. This has been achievable with the deployment of RESCO programme in the state. The RESCO model facilitates the beneficiary consumer to buy solar power with zero upfront investment and at a tariff much below the prevailing DISCOM rates. Likewise, the government has been coming out with various other schemes, policies and incentives for increasing capacity additions from solar rooftop systems in order to achieve the target of 40 GW by 2022. Business Case for Solar Rooftop Segment in India 40 GW of grid-connected solar power capacity in India is targeted to come through rooftop solar power installations by 2022 In a bid to promote production and usage of non-conventional energy in the State, Chhattisgarh government approved the solar power policy in June 2017- under which grid connectivity facility shall be provided up to 10 kilowatt Grid-connected solar rooftop and small solar power plants programme to scale up a budget from INR 600 crores during 12th FYP to INR 5000 crores for implementation over a period of five years up to 2019-20 under National Solar Mission (NSM) 15% government subsidy for non-commercial and non-industrial categories for using domestic solar panels With the constant effort of the Ministry, State Electricity Regulatory Commissions of seventeen states have notified regulatory framework on net-metering /feed-in tariff to encourage rooftop solar plants Government proposes INR 23,450 crores of rooftop solar scheme named SRISTI In many Indian states and market segments, the cost of electricity (LCOE) of rooftop solar is already lower than the existing average grid rates of tariffs Rooftop solar is already achieving grip parity in the residential sectors in states such as Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan In the government sector rooftop solar has become competitive in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh , Karnataka, Haryana and Andhra Pradesh In other states, the gap b/w rooftop solar and conventional sources of electricity are fast decreasing Key Highlights - Top current set of incentives for solar rooftops in India Capital Subsidies - Capital subsidy of 30% is applicable to residential, institutional and social sector rooftop solar power plants for General Category States/UTs and Up to 70% of the benchmark cost for the Special Category States i.e. North Eastern States including Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and Lakshadweep, Andaman & Nicobar Island Tax Benefits - Direct and indirect tax benefits such as sales tax, excise duty exemptions and custom duty exceptions have been given. Project developers were exempted from income tax on all earnings from a project in its first 10 years of operation and accelerated depreciation (AD) for solar energy producers to claim 40% of the costs in the first year itself Net Metering Incentives - The electricity generated could also be used for self-consumption with the net metering approach. A net metering mechanism allows for a two-way flow of electricity wherein the consumer is billed only for the net' electricity supplied by the discoms Assured Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) - The electricity generated from solar PV rooftop could be entirely fed into the grid at regulated feed-in-tariffs (FiT). State utilities guarantee the purchase of solar power through a PPA which offers a high price equal to that of the peaking power on demand for the solar power which is secondary power or negative load and an intermittent energy source on a daily basis Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) - RECs are tradable certificates that provide an incentive to those who generate green power by providing financial incentives for every unit of power they generate. The solar PV rooftop is eligible for issuance of renewable energy certificate (RECs) as specified under Central Electricity Regulatory Commission Report Insights Assessing the rooftop solar market in India till 2022 Examining the current & futuristic market size for inverter suppliers, project developers, EPC contractors in installing solar rooftop systems to 2022 State -attractiveness indexation for determining major demand centres for solar rooftop systems in India till 2022 Impact analysis of SRISTI scheme in uplifting the grid-connected solar rooftop capacities till 2022 Evaluating opportunities in off-grid and decentralized solar rooftop applications to 2022 Examining policy and regulatory track for solar rooftop market in India Examining the current & futuristic market size for players in setting up solar rooftop systems at industrial, commercial, residential, government and social institution buildings A Must Buy For: Central Power Generation Companies State Power Generation Companies Power Distribution Companies Independent Power Producers State Electricity Boards Project Developers EPC Contractors Original Equipment Manufacturers Renewable Power Developers Renewable Developing Agencies Government Agencies Research firms/ Institutes Project Consultants Industry Associations / Technical Consulting Group Key Topics Covered: Contents and Coverage An overview of rooftop market in India Key policies & initiatives for solar rooftop PV systems at the central and state level Business case evaluation for solar rooftop systems in India to 2022 Examining opportunities in off-grid and decentralized solar rooftop applications Impact analysis of SRISTI scheme on the grid integrated solar rooftop segment to 2022 Evaluating gains for industrial consumers to 2022: Examining tariff and operation based D2I model for all major discoms in India for rooftop installations Evaluating gains for large domestic consumers to 2022: Examining tariff and operation based D2I model for all major discoms in India for rooftop installations Evaluating gains for government buildings & institutions to 2022: Examining tariff and operation based D2I model for all major discoms in India for rooftop installations Evaluating gains for power distribution companies to 2022 Region wise market sizing for solar rooftop systems and identifying major demand centres to 2022 Sector-wise market opportunity examination for solar rooftop systems - determining market size for players in industrial, commercial, residential and government sector Policy & regulatory track for solar rooftop market in India Market opportunity sizing for OEMs, EPC contractors, project developers etc. to 2022 Issues and challenges for solar rooftop market in India Best fit filtration of solar rooftop future market potential with likely tariff matrix State wise best consumer fit analysis for rooftop market to 2022 For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/bpf454/india_solar?w=12 About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. CHICAGO, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Boeing issued the following statement regarding the release today of the preliminary investigation report of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 by the Ethiopian Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB). "I'd like to reiterate our deepest sympathies are with the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives in the accident," said Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Kevin McAllister. "We thank Ethiopia's Accident Investigation Bureau for its hard work and continuing efforts. Understanding the circumstances that contributed to this accident is critical to ensuring safe flight. We will carefully review the AIB's preliminary report, and will take any and all additional steps necessary to enhance the safety of our aircraft." Safety is a core value for everyone at Boeing and the safety of our airplanes, our customers' passengers and crews is always our top priority. Boeing's technical experts continue to assist in this investigation and company-wide teams are working to address lessons from the Lion Air Flight 610 accident in October. The preliminary report contains flight data recorder information indicating the airplane had an erroneous angle of attack sensor input that activated the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) function during the flight, as it had during the Lion Air 610 flight. To ensure unintended MCAS activation will not occur again, Boeing has developed and is planning to release a software update to MCAS and an associated comprehensive pilot training and supplementary education program for the 737 MAX. As previously announced, the update adds additional layers of protection and will prevent erroneous data from causing MCAS activation. Flight crews will always have the ability to override MCAS and manually control the airplane. Boeing continues to work with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and other regulatory agencies worldwide on the development and certification of the software update and training program. Boeing also is continuing to work closely with the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) as technical advisors in support of the AIB investigation. As a party providing technical assistance under the direction of investigating authorities, Boeing is prevented by international protocol and NTSB regulations from disclosing any information relating to the investigation. In accordance with international protocol, information about the investigation is provided only by investigating authorities in charge. SOURCE Boeing Related Links http://www.boeing.com PALM BEACH, Florida, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- A recent report from an independent, technology-driven analytics company specializing in the cannabis industry stated that: " the global hemp industry reached $3.7 billion USD in retail sales in 2018, with an annual growth rate of 15% driven by continued strength in Chinese textiles, European industrials, Canadian foods, and the U.S. hemp-derived CBD market. China led all countries with nearly $1.2 billion USD in hemp sales in 2018, followed by the United States ($1.0 billion), Europe ($980 million) and South and Central America ($220 million). The U.S. market is positioned to grow under the 2018 Farm Bill, with an estimated $2.6 billion projected in sales by 2022, with $1.3 billion in sales estimated for hemp-derived CBD products by 2022. "As regulatory barriers diminish in the months and years ahead, businesses will continue to expand the ways in which hemp is utilized, especially across medicinal and industrial applications," said (the author). "This report is the first in-depth, quantitative and fact-based analysis of the global hemp industry since the United States' 2018 Farm Bill and Canada's Cannabis Act passed; two groundbreaking changes in North America that dramatically re-shaped the entire hemp industry." By 2020, (the report data says) estimates the global market will reach $5.7 billion USD across all markets, representing a three-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.5%. Active Companies from around the market with current developments this week include: MYM Nutraceuticals Inc. (CSE: MYM) (OTC: MYMMF), Aphria Inc. (NYSE: APHA) (TSX: APHA), Liberty Health Sciences Inc. (CSE: LHS.CN) (OTCQX: LHSIF), Trulieve Cannabis Corp. (CSE: TRUL) (OTCPK: TCNNF), Emerald Health Therapeutics, Inc. (TSX-V: EMH) (OTCQX: EMHTF). The report concluded: "The U.S. hemp industry is set to boom under the 2018 Farm Bill. American farmers have a new crop, and consumers are seeing an explosion of new and innovative products. Hemp: the ultimate triple bottom line crop for people, planet and profits," However a research report by a relied upon industry source, (The Brightfield Group) has previously projected that the: "Hemp CBD Market to Reach $22 Billion By 2022: Outpacing the Rest of the Cannabis Market Combined", so while the projections may differ they agree that the future revenues will rise substantially in the next few years. MYM Nutraceuticals Inc. (CSE: MYM) (OTCQB: MYMMF) BREAKING NEWS: MYM Nutraceuticals is pleased to announce it has updated its 2019 strategic plan. The updated plan can be found at the Company's website, mym.ca, under the "Investors" tab. Highlights include MYM plans for global cultivation, extraction, distribution, and the creation of unique brands. MYM is positioning itself to become a global leader in cannabis, hemp, and seed cultivation through a variety of global partnerships in agricultural friendly zones around the world. We bring to each partnership our expertise in cultivation (indoor, outdoor & greenhouse), and extraction combined with global distribution and unique brands allowing us to leverage our knowledge worldwide. By creating strategic geographic partnerships around the world, MYM is in a prime position to take advantage of cultivating in low cost regions while distributing in high revenue regions thereby maximizing profits. In addition to information indicated in the plan, we are in the midst of negotiating a number of agreements for cannabis and hemp production and distribution in North America, South America and the South Pacific. The Company anticipates these will be announced shortly. "Key additions to senior management offer an opportunity to focus the Company's efforts on new projects around the globe," said Howard Steinberg, CEO of MYM. "Our updated plan includes a targeted focus on low-cost cannabis and hemp production sites across the globe while distributing into countries with high revenue potential thereby maximizing profits." Read this and more news for MYM Nutraceuticals at: https://www.financialnewsmedia.com/news-mym/ In the industry developments and happenings in the market this week include: Aphria Inc. (NYSE: APHA) (TSX: APHA) recently said that Aphria Deutschland GmbH subsidiary introduced its first CBD-based nutraceutical and cosmetics line in Germany. The newly-launched brand, called CannRelief, is made of CBD derived from hemp. It is being produced in the European Union and will be distributed by Aphria subsidiary CC Pharma, which serves more than 13,000 pharmacies throughout Germany. "We are excited to introduce our first brand of CBD products for the German nutraceutical and cosmetics market," Aphria President Jakob Ripshtein said in prepared remarks. "Supported by our extensive distribution network through CC Pharma, CannRelief provides a natural extension to Aphria's growing business opportunities in the German medical cannabis market. Liberty Health Sciences Inc. (CSE: LHS.CN) (OTCQX: LHSIF) continues to expand rapidly throughout the state. On April 1 st the Company also received approval form the Florida Department of Health (DOH) for an additional use of 80,000 square feet of enclosed greenhouse space at the Liberty 360 Innovation campus in Gainesville . This brings the Company to a total of 228,880 square feet of cultivation space in the Gainesville area. This comes on the heels of the Company receiving approval last week to become one of the first companies to provide pre-roll and whole flower smokable products to patients as a result of Governor Ron DeSantis signing a bill (SB 182) into law revoking a ban on smokable medical marijuana. Trulieve Cannabis Corp. (CSE: TRUL) (OTCPK: TCNNF) Florida's largest medical cannabis licensee, has recently settled their challenge with the Florida Department of Health. Trulieve's 14 dispensaries that were established before the statewide cap was enacted are now excluded from the statutory cap. Trulieve and the Florida Department of Health reached a mutual settlement which specifies that only dispensaries approved after the statewide cap was enacted are counted in the cap calculation for Trulieve. Presently, the law limits the number of dispensaries a medical marijuana treatment center ("MMTC") is allowed to open based on the number of active patients on the medical marijuana registry. These caps are in place until April 2020 . Under this settlement Trulieve will be entitled to 14 dispensaries in addition to the authorized cap amount for as long as the cap remains in place. "This is not a victory for Trulieve it's a victory for Florida's patients. Our suit was first and foremost about patient access; working around the caps meant we had to build up a distribution model based on the statutorily-mandated geographic distribution instead of where patients live, effectively driving up costs and restricting patient access to the relief they need," said Trulieve CEO Kim Rivers . Emerald Health Therapeutics, Inc. (TSX-V: EMH) (OTCQX: EMHTF) recently announced that it has signed a letter of intent to supply cannabis to the Societe Quebecoise du Cannabis (SQDC), Quebec's sole legal distributor of recreational cannabis. Under the agreement, Emerald will supply cannabis to the SQDC from its Quebec-based Saint-Eustache facility, Verdelite, as well as from its 50%-owned joint venture, Pure Sunfarms, in Delta, BC. Emerald will fulfill its first supply order in Q2 2019. "Quebec's population of 8.4 million is a sizable market and we are pleased to be able to offer locally-grown, quality cannabis products to the adult-use consumers throughout the province," said Dr. Avtar Dhillon, President and Executive Chairman of Emerald. "Verdelite is now near completion of the build-out of its 88,000 square foot indoor cultivation facility and has been scaling up production in licensed areas of the operation. We expect to be in full production and to also have nationwide distribution for the recreational market in the months ahead." 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Media Contact email: [email protected] +1(561)325-8757 SOURCE Financialnewsmedia.com FORT WAYNE, Ind., April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- CENTURY 21 Bradley today announced that it is the #1 Office in the U.S. and the World in the CENTURY 21 System based on Units Sold in 2018. Broker/owner James Bradley was honored at the CENTURY 21 One21 Experience held in Las Vegas, NV last month. This is the second year in a row Jim and his team at CENTURY 21 Bradley were recognized with this award. "It's a dream come true to have all our agent's hard work recognized as the best office in the global System, especially since every year we set ambitious goals, and every year we work hard to surpass them," shared Bradley. "As a company, one of our priorities is empowering every agent to be a leader in the industry and produce the best results, and it's an honor to see all our hard work pay off." Bradley has been a broker/owner with Century 21 Real Estate for more than three decades, starting one of the franchise's earliest offices in the 1970s. Over the past 40 years, Bradley has worked relentlessly to foster a strong team and business that helps not only the homebuyers and sellers in their communities, but also his agents. CENTURY 21 Bradley is constantly seeking to deliver innovative technology tools and creative offerings to revolutionize how the industry operates. "Jim and his entire team at CENTURY 21 Bradley exemplify what it means to defy mediocrity and constantly give 121 percent to their work," said Michael Miedler, president and CEO, Century 21 Real Estate LLC. "At Century 21 Real Estate, we're on a mission to deliver extraordinary experiences to every homebuyer, seller and renter that walks through our doors, and to that end, we're thrilled to have such a dedicated team in the System." About CENTURY 21 Bradley CENTURY 21 Bradley is a full-service real estate company, serving the buyers and sellers in Indiana. The office is located at 2928 E Dupont Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46825. CENTURY 21 Bradley is an independently owned and operated franchise affiliate of Century 21 Real Estate, franchisor of the iconic CENTURY 21 brand, comprised of approximately 9,400 independently owned and operated franchised broker offices in 80 countries and territories worldwide with more than 127,000 independent sales professionals. Legal Disclaimer 2019 Century 21 Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. CENTURY 21 and the CENTURY 21 Logo are registered service marks owned by Century 21 Real Estate LLC. Century 21 Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each office is independently owned and operated. Media Contact: Lauren Nickl MullenLowe for CENTURY 21 Bradley 617.226.9766 [email protected] SOURCE CENTURY 21 Bradley Related Links https://www.century21.com DALLAS, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The inaugural Cinderella to CEO Awards tour for nominees, which launched on the Carnival Dream ship in February, continues its search for women who have transformed a community, business or industry for the better. The tour has attracted nominees throughout the country. Final nominations are due by May 5. The Awards Show is scheduled for August 8. Nominations can be submitted on the website: cinderellaceoawards.com -To enter, an Entrant must either 1) submit information, or 2) be nominated by a third party at cinderellaceoawards.com/nominate/. "Inspired by the book From Cinderella to CEO, and the classic fairy tales that we all know, these new breakthrough awards will recognize women with real-life transformational stories who are making their mark and changing the world for the better," said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, a member of the national nominating committee for Cinderella to CEO Awards and founder of Carnival's internal women's program, Aspiring Women. Other members of the Cinderella to CEO Awards nominating committee include Sam Saperstein, head of Chase Bank Women on the Move and Judy Hendrick, CFO & EVP, Aimbridge Hospitality and founder of the company's WLEAD leadership program for women. "Our nominating committee is pleased to announce five prestigious judges for the Cinderella to CEO Awards to be held in New York on August 8th," said Ms. Duffy. Lorraine Hariton , President & CEO, Catalyst, Inc. , President & CEO, Catalyst, Inc. Mia Mends , CEO at Inspirus and Sodexo, Benefits & Rewards Services, USA , CEO at Inspirus and Sodexo, Benefits & Rewards Services, Marilyn Nagel , Chief Learning Officer, SAMI game, a SAAS Company , Chief Learning Officer, SAMI game, a SAAS Company Dr. Sheila Robinson , Founder, Publisher & CEO, Diversity Woman magazine , Founder, Publisher & CEO, Diversity Woman magazine Betty Spence , president, National Association Female Executives The nominating committee of the Cinderella to CEO Awards is encouraging everyone throughout the U.S. to nominate women with real-life, transformational stories who have shown exceptional bravery to achieve a significantly difficult goal, demonstrated outstanding and inspirational leadership, or solved a problem in an innovative way. Tour stops include New Orleans, Dallas, Memphis, Nashville, Chicago and New York. Nine finalists will be announced by the Cinderella to CEO judges in early June. The Awards show is planned for August 8, 2019, in New York City. The Cinderella to CEO Awards are inspired by the book, From Cinderella to CEO, How to Master the 10 Lessons of Fairy Tales to Transform Your Work Life, authored by Cary J. Broussard with co-writer Anita Bell. Media contact: [email protected] 214 - 269 - 4244 SOURCE Cinderella to CEO Awards BEIJING, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- In a release issued under the same headline on April 1, 2019, Bay State College, New School of Architecture & Design, Greensboro College, International Technological University, University of Holy Cross and University of North Alabama were incorrectly referenced as founding members of the Credit Recognition Alliance. The corrected text follows. Ambow Education Holding Ltd. ("Ambow" or the "Company") (NYSE American: AMBO), a leading national provider of educational and career enhancement services in China, today announced the launch of a joint initiative with the Global Career Quality Assurance (GCQA), an institution that facilitates career advancement opportunities and reimagines career education and credentialing, to establish a cross-border Credit Recognition Alliance among U.S. and Chinese colleges and universities. The Credit Recognition Alliance aims to facilitate mutual recognition of academic credits by U.S. and Chinese universities through an internationally-certified academic credits bank that will serve to enhance a student's ability to pursue cross-border higher education. Following the completion of designated learning programs from member colleges and universities in the U.S. or China, the students will receive certification of earned credits from the GCQA. The certified credits do not expire and can be saved in the credits bank as students look to pursue advanced education programs and degrees. Ambow intends to encourage its more than 200 university partners in China to begin recognizing certified academic credits in connection with cross-border education. Additionally, member Chinese universities of the Alliance would be able to establish internship centers in the U.S in the future. To introduce the new Credit Recognition Alliance to Chinese universities, Ambow and GCQA are participating in the 2019 China International Education Exhibition Tour (CIEET) along with a group of U.S. colleges and universities including Bay State College, NewSchool of Architecture & Design, Greensboro College, International Technological University, University of Holy Cross and University of North Alabama. Supported by China's Ministry of Education, the CIEET is an established multi-city event, hosted annually for the last 20 years and dedicated to promoting study-abroad programs to students and parents across major markets in China. The 2019 CIEET was initially held in Beijing from March 23 to 25 and toured in Shanghai, Guangzhou and Wuhan from March 26 to 31. Dr. Jin Huang, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ambow, commented, "We're excited to launch the China-U.S. Credit Recognition Alliance in partnership with GCQA. Ambow is committed to assisting colleges and universities in addressing both the challenges and the opportunities of a world driven by digital transformation and new technologies. The establishment of the cross-border Credit Recognition Alliance Program strengthens our efforts to expand Ambow's college and university partners network, both domestically and internationally. We believe the Alliance will help these educational institutions to better address the desire of career-oriented talents for advanced technology training to prepare them for the new era." "Ambow is dedicated to modernizing curricula to provide students with the skills required for careers in emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, big-data, cloud computing, IoT and IC engineering. We're confident in our ability to empower more colleges and universities to capitalize on opportunities that will increase their competitive edge and influence in education worldwide." About Ambow Education Holding Ltd. Ambow Education Holding Ltd. is a leading national provider of educational and career enhancement services in China, offering high-quality, individualized services and products. With its extensive network of regional service hubs complemented by a dynamic proprietary learning platform and distributors, Ambow provides its services and products to students in 30 out of the 31 provinces and autonomous regions within China. Follow us on Twitter: @Ambow_Education Safe Harbor Statement This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of 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" and similar statements. Among other things, the outlook and quotations from management in this announcement, as well as Ambow's strategic and operational plans, contain forward-looking statements. Ambow may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its reports filed or furnished to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in its annual reports to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements, including but not limited to the following: the Company's goals and strategies, expansion plans, the expected growth of the content and application delivery services market, the Company's expectations regarding keeping and strengthening its relationships with its customers, and the general economic and business conditions in the regions where the Company provides its solutions and services. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company's 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 Ambow undertakes no duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law. For investor and media inquiries please contact: Ambow Education Holding Ltd. Tel: +86 10-6206-8000 The Piacente Group | Investor Relations Tel: +1 212-481-2050 or +86 10-5730-6200 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Ambow Education Holding Ltd. Enterprises globally have the same problems in simplifying compute and data management across on-premises and cloud environments, and many organizations in Europe have proven to be fast adopters of emerging, impactful technologies. Built to support even the most complex hybrid cloud environments, Datrium's software-defined converged infrastructure is an agile and easy-to-manage solution for large enterprise data centers. Datrium's advanced technology delivers high-performance primary storage and compute functionality, backup without separate purchasing and administration, as well as cloud disaster recovery automationall from one solution. Further, Datrium software licenses have total portability across hardware types and deployment environments, whether on premises or in the cloud. "The demand for cloud-enabled converged infrastructure has never been higher among enterprises worldwide. There's multi-billion dollar market potential for Datrium as we build out our overseas operations," said Tim Page, CEO of Datrium. "Datrium's expansion comes at a critical time for our customers in Europe as they need IT systems that can provide the performance, scalability and capacity required by modern applications to keep pace with their changing business needs. We will continue to grow our European team with top-performing executives who possess a deep knowledge of the local markets and how to best address their specific requirements." Sean Mullins, a seasoned sales executive with over twenty years of experience in the technology sector, has been appointed as VP of Sales in Europe. Prior to joining Datrium, Sean served as a UK and Ireland area manager for DELL EMC in its Modern Data Centre Division. He was also a founding member of VCE, where he was responsible for leading some of the company's major partnerships, helping to grow sales from $10 million to over $120 million in just three years. Sean also held various positions at Avaya, Cisco and Siemens. Throughout his career, Sean has focused on disruptive technologies that deliver real business outcomes and enable customers to achieve the objectives most crucial to their company's success. He brings these skills to Datrium, where he will help build a broad customer base across Europe and foster a strong channel program in the region. About Datrium Datrium self-protecting enterprise cloud delivers a radically simple IT and data infrastructure by converging compute with fast, scalable primary storage, invisible backup, fail-proof disaster recovery and end-to-end data security. With Datrium, enterprises can run and protect applications with unprecedented speed and agility on any cloud. For more information, visit www.datrium.com and follow @datrium on Twitter. Media Contact Pam Njissang Bhava Communications for Datrium [email protected] 510-984-1528 SOURCE Datrium Related Links http://www.datrium.com OSLO, Norway, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- DigiPlex, the Nordic leader for innovative, sustainable and secure data centers, has today announced the launch of its Nordic Connect Platform, which links its main data centers in Norway, Sweden and Denmark. With this platform, the most widely recognized Nordic data center brand[1] is offering access to a unique cross-border Nordic data center ecosystem, a perfect entry point for international businesses and hyperscalers seeking the Nordic Edge. "Businesses can no longer afford to house their data in power-hungry, coal-fired data centers that negatively impact profitability, corporate reputation and the climate. The Nordic region has emerged as the next global data hub for access to an unbeatable combination of low-cost renewable energy and world class fiber optic infrastructure" says DigiPlex co-owner and Chairman, Byrne Murphy, based in Washington, D.C. The Nordic Advantage The Nordic data center market is one of the most active and attractive areas for development in the world, estimated to have reached the $7bn mark at the end of 2018[2]. This has been driven in large part by development and build-out by hyperscalers such as Amazon, Google, Microsoft and Facebook[3], The Nordics are seizing market share from the European FLAP-D region (Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam, Paris and Dublin) as hyperscalers look to capitalize on abundant renewable energy, reliable power supply, low energy prices, political stability and the potential for exceptionally fast time-to-market. With hyperscalers leading the way, the Nordic Council of Ministers predicts that investments in Nordic data centers are set to double by 2025, corresponding to an installed annual capacity of 280-580 MW per year. [4] "The Nordics are Europe's premier market: a firm deploying 100 megawatts over 20 years could save approximately $2 billion by placing their data center in Sweden or Norway versus the U.K. Our Nordic Connect Platform was introduced to give international business an ideal access point to realizing these and other advantages across the region." says DigiPlex Chairman, Byrne Murphy Enabling the Nordic Edge The Nordic Connect Platform has been designed to help international businesses quickly and seamlessly enter the Nordic market through a single data center provider. DigiPlex offers a unique mix of possible Edge deployments in several of the region's capitals; Oslo, Stockholm and Copenhagen. This enables customers to meet demands on latency and to comply with data location requirements such as General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) through local Points-of-Presence (PoPs) in each country. DigiPlex has also secured land across the Nordics in readiness for larger Build-to-Suit projects, with processes, permits and procedures already in place. Connecting to the Nordic Ecosystem DigiPlex operates award winning[5] data centers across the Nordic region, with several new facilities in development. As the area's premier Data Centre brand, DigiPlex facilities houses many of the region's best-known, most demanding and interconnected businesses. Through the DigiPlex Nordic Connect Platform, connecting to counterparties across borders is as easy as linking to a neighboring rack in the same facility. DigiPlex also offers access to numerous carriers and internet exchanges expanding the reach to networks/fabrics across the globe. Extending access to the Cloud DigiPlex Nordic Connect Platform also enables efficient routes to the secure, dedicated and private connections essential to businesses operating in the Cloud. DigiPlex offers connectivity to all major Cloud and Network Service Providers including the first Norwegian deployment of AWS Direct Connect through its Ulven Data center in Oslo. "Choosing where to locate your data center is a critical business decision, and environmental, political and technological factors all play a major role. Our Nordic Connect Platform gives international customers an edge on all fronts: the chance to tap into a connected and dynamic ecosystem, expand their operations with Edge deployments and Build-to-Suit projects, benefit from faster routes to the Cloud, and operate responsibly with 100% renewable energy," concludes DigiPlex Chairman Byrne Murphy. Nordic Connect Connect with DigiPlex [1] An IDG Connect survey of 300 senior decision makers across Sweden and Norway revealed DigiPlex as the most recognized brand in one of the world's most active and attractive markets for data center investment and development. DigiPlex / IDG Research, September 2018 [2] Nordic Data Centre Investment Tips Towards $7bn Mark And Forecasts More To Come, Data Economy, November 2018. [3] Data Centres Nordic IV and Baltic States, BroadGroup Research, November 2018. [4] Data Centre Opportunities in the Nordics, Nordic Council of Ministers, November 2018. [5] https://www.digiplex.com/about-us/awards CONTACT: Elisabeth Lennhede Head of Communications +46703322705 [email protected] This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com The following files are available for download: https://mb.cision.com/Main/7526/2780786/1019836.pdf DigiPlex Announces Nordic Connect Platform https://mb.cision.com/Public/7526/2780786/b7f0affa4d64f76c_org.png Byrne Murphy, Chairman DigiPlex SOURCE DigiPlex PHOENIX, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- DocuSol Kids (https://docusolkids.com/) mini-enemas are often used by parents dealing with children who routinely avoid using the bathroom and become constipated. This problem is most likely experienced by younger preschool children, but can affect children of all ages. DocuSol Kids is a simple, non-irritating formula designed for quick and easy use. If constipation is not dealt with early, this issue can last into adulthood. Docusol Kids product image Docusol Kids logo The Oman Medical Journal1 cites a variety of complicated and challenging social and physical issues as the main reasons for bathroom avoidance in children. Called "stool withholding," children refusing to use the restroom is a fairly common issue faced by many parents and can lead to chronic constipation and incontinence, accounting for three percent of referrals to pediatric clinics in teaching hospitals. Stool withholding is usually related to children having once passed a hard or painful stool and then subsequently fearing that same experience each time they go to the bathroom. Doctors believe that chronic constipation and incontinence can lead to larger generalized bathroom anxiety. Stool withholding can also develop into far more serious problems, including dangerous constipation, bedwetting issues, other leakages and even urinary tract infections. It is important to treat constipation in children as soon as possible, before these issues occur. Each DocuSol Kids mini-enema contains a delivered dose of 100mg docusate sodium in a polyethylene glycol base, and is intended for use with children 2-12 years of age (with adult supervision). DocuSol Kids provides fast and predictable results, typically within 2-15 minutes. 2 In addition, DocuSol Kids: Is affordably priced for constipation relief. Provides ease of use for both clinicians and parents. Uses a non-irritating formula. Has an easy, soft flexible tip for rectal use. Is a recommended rectal therapy for those children unwilling or unable to swallow medications. Parents and caregivers can count on DocuSol Kids for an easy and safe rectal therapy. DocuSol Kids products can be found on shelves at local retailers such as Rite Aid, HEB, Meijer's and Albertsons. Additional information is available online at: www.DocuSolKids.com. Disclaimer: The material contained is for reference purposes only and obtained through public domain. Alliance Labs, LLC and Summit Pharmaceuticals do not assume responsibility for patient care or the accuracy of the processes or information presented. Contact a physician prior to use. About DocuSol Kids DocuSol Kids offers the highest quality incontinence products to the federal government, national pharmaceutical wholesalers, retailers and healthcare providers across the country. Alliance Labs is the distributor of both the DocuSol and Enemeez product lines. The staff at Alliance Labs is dedicated to researching and pursuing product lines designed to improve the lives of the patients they serve. Learn more at: www.DocuSolKids.com. Sources: 1. Oman Medical Journal / September 11, 2010 / pgs. 376378 2. Federal Register / Vol. 50, No. 10 / Tuesday, January 15, 1985 / Proposed Rules; pgs. 2124-2158. Contact: Brittney Valentine 602-559-5210 [email protected] SOURCE Alliance Labs NEW YORK, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Employee benefits administration company, Clarity Benefit Solutions, offers tips for customizing benefit offerings. Due to a highly competitive, more diverse labor market, employee benefits are becoming increasingly important to attract and retain talent. Employers are now expected to not only offer traditional benefits to their employees, but a wide variety of perks, as well. This results in happier employees, which will increase employee retention. The following are tips for customizing benefit offerings. First, employers should consider a broader definition of benefits, including options such as health and wellness programs, financial assistance initiatives, and employee assistance programs. Offerings such as these represent opportunities that employers can take advantage of that will separate themselves from their competition. Secondly, employees have come to expect more options to choose from when it comes to their benefit offerings. Employers who offer a customized benefit plan will most likely ensure long-term loyalty from their employees. They will be happier and less likely to look for another job, which will ultimately save employers time and money spent on looking for potential employees. Employees need expert guidance when it comes to making the proper benefit selection, particularly when it comes to privileges such as 401(k)s and similar savings programs. Having a benefits expert available to employees to answer their questions and address concerns will help them choose the most suitable options for their specific situation. Ideally, he or she can provide assistance in both a group setting and one-on-one. A financial advisor can also steer employees in the right direction when it comes to long-term planning. Offering regular updates will also keep benefits top of mind and encourage employees to take advantage of these plans. Make sure that all benefits information is available to employees in a variety of formatsincluding webinars, flyers/brochures, emails, workshops, and meetings. This will allow each generation to absorb this information via the method is best for them. Use social media to appeal to younger workers. It is also a must to provide employees with user-friendly, decision-making software to help their employee select and maintain their benefits. These decision support tools will further help employees streamline their benefits. About Clarity Benefit Solutions: Clarity Benefit Solutions provides technology that makes the health insurance plan selection process fast, easy, and straightforward. For over two decades, we have provided clients with industry-leading technology, compliance, and exceptional customer service. Our offering is designed to save time and lower the costs of managing benefits while also promoting employee self-service and automated ACA compliance. SOURCE Clarity Benefit Solutions Related Links https://claritybenefitsolutions.com/solutions/clarity-benefit-administration Schaumburg, IL, April 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CellTrak, the provider of the industrys leading Care Delivery Management solution used for over 1 million home care visits each week across the US, Canada, and the UK, announced today an expansion of their offerings with CellTrak LearningManager Add-on Services. These services support agencies in achieving learning and development objectives and are comprised of three offerings: CellTrak Content Customization service, CellTrak Content Hosting service, and CellTrak Source File Delivery service. The services are available as of April 4, 2019. With turnover rates reported to be as high as 67%, agencies must make learning and development an ongoing strategic priority. The goals of improved retention and delivering excellent home care begin with effective training in the onboarding process. By providing on-demand training, accessible via any mobile device and integrated with the CellTrak care delivery apps by clicking a link, agencies can train staff when they need it, whether in the office or the field. Increasingly, home care agencies are investing in their caregivers to differentiate their services and retain people in the most challenging labor market in the US. Better learning and development not only equips caregivers and support staff to deliver quality care, it also improves retention of caregivers during the first six months of their tenure, when an agency is most at risk for involuntary turnover, stated Mark Battaglia, CellTraks CEO. With these new service offerings, customers have new options for preparing their staff to deliver outstanding care. The new services help agencies create a best-fit solution with content and their preferred LMS: CellTrak Content Customization service provides content, tailored to an agencys terminology and reflects their workflows, that makes CellTrak training videos and documents more relevant for learners. In addition, the service also encompasses producing new content for specific business goals, like onboarding videos to speed and improve adoption. service provides content, tailored to an agencys terminology and reflects their workflows, that makes CellTrak training videos and documents more relevant for learners. In addition, the service also encompasses producing new content for specific business goals, like onboarding videos to speed and improve adoption. CellTrak Content Hosting service enables customers to use LearningManager as their LMS. This service streamlines the management of their learning and development process by enabling them to create and manage their own library of content. In addition, caregivers and other staff benefit from a single access point for agency policies and procedures as well as CellTrak content. service enables customers to use LearningManager as their LMS. This service streamlines the management of their learning and development process by enabling them to create and manage their own library of content. In addition, caregivers and other staff benefit from a single access point for agency policies and procedures as well as CellTrak content. CellTrak Source File Delivery service provides LearningManager videos and reference materials in editable formats to a customer for posting to their LMS. Customers can fine-tune these materials for their needs. In addition to controlling the use of content, this service enables customers to control the delivery of the content to their learners. About CellTrak People receive exceptional health care in their home or community when their care providers use CellTraks Mobile Health solution. Home care, hospice, and community care agencies in the US, Canada, and the UK deliver higher quality care, communicate more effectively, improve compliance, reduce costs, and increase productivity with CellTrak. CellTraks software-as-a-service solution is integrated with over 24 EMR and EVV aggregators and supports over one million visits per week. For more information visit www.celltrak.com. Postgres Vision is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to connect, collaborate and network with Postgres thought leaders from around the globe bringing together IT professionals, developers and supporters. Expert presentations, user case studies and keynotes will offer best practices for taking 'Postgres Everywhere'on-premises, public and private cloud, and containers. Adoption is growing rapidly among enterprises that are transitioning from traditional commercial databases to Postgres as an alternative that offers the flexibility and benefits of relational databases. "Postgres adoption in enterprise and government is exploding around the world," said Ed Boyajian, president and CEO of EnterpriseDB. "The hype around newer specialty databases has settled and now we see developers, architects and technology executives tackling their toughest enterprise digital initiatives with Postgres. With an extraordinary and independent community, Postgres just keeps getting better. At Postgres Vision, attendees will have the opportunity to look closely at Postgres' technical chops while hearing from companies and execs who are driving their business transformations using this great database management system." Early Bird registration is available until April 30 at $199. After that, the full registration fee is $399. Also, there is a full-day, extensive training session available to a limited number of participants about deploying EDB Postgres Containers, which explains how to manage those using Kubernetes to provide highly-available, resilient and scalable Postgres database clusters. The cost for training plus conference is $449. Also, the call for papers is now open for submissions through April 19 when final selections are made by the event steering committee, which includes Bruce Momjian, co-founder of the PostgreSQL Global Development Group, plus Postgres experts from TD Securities, Isabel Group, Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (U.K.), Microsoft, Carahsoft, OnGres, Palisade Compliance. There are three event tracks: - Vision - The future of Postgres highlighting what is new and what is coming next; - Real-World - User stories of how Postgres is helping enterprises innovate, reduce costs and outmaneuver competitors; - Tech and Tools - Experts sharing the latest information about Postgres technology for greater scalability, security, availability, along with deployment models like containers and cloud. About EnterpriseDB Corporation EnterpriseDB (EDB), the enterprise Postgres company, delivers an open source-based data management platform, optimized for greater scalability, security, and reliability. EDB Postgres makes organizations smarter while reducing risk and complexity with enterprise-proven management tools, security enhancements and Oracle compatibility. Over 4,000 customers worldwide deploy diverse workloads including transaction processing, data warehousing, customer analytics and web-based applications, both on-premises and in the cloud. EnterpriseDB is based in Bedford, Massachusetts. For more information, visit www.EnterpriseDB.com . EnterpriseDB is a registered trademark of EnterpriseDB Corporation. EDB and EDB Postgres are trademarks of EnterpriseDB Corporation. Other trademarks may be trademarks of their respective owners. MEDIA CONTACT: Glenn Rossman 914-623-8354 [email protected] SOURCE EnterpriseDB Related Links http://www.enterprisedb.com NETANYA, Israel, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Exaware, a leading provider of disaggregated routing solutions, announced today the release of ExaNOS, the first high scale best in class disaggregated network operating system (NOS) for telecom service providers. ExaNOS is a full NOS that enables the deployment of disaggregated routing across all parts of the carrier network. The first release of ExaNOS supports peering, access aggregation and provider edge applications and is now available for white-boxes from leading vendors with 800Gbps capacity and 48 1/10GbE and 6 40GbE/100GbE ports based on Broadcom StrataDNX Qumran-MX chipset. ExaNOS is an open carrier-grade, high scale/performance network operating system. Exaware offers a full routing solution that integrates ExaNOS with low cost off the shelf hardware equipment (or "white boxes") supplied from hardware partners. Exaware will demonstrate its integrated solution at MPLS+SDN+NFV World Congress 2019 in Paris during April 9-12, 2019. ExaNOS software is the result of a decade long development by Exaware's industry experts. The development team anticipated the need for disruption in the market, which was dominated by vertically integrated products with low flexibility and high costs. The business model of fixed and mobile operators has been challenged by an ever-increasing pressure on prices. ExaNOS solves this problem by providing massive scale white-box routing suited to the exponential growth in video and data at a fraction of the cost of traditional solutions. "ExaNOS is a breakthrough routing solution that suits the needs of the most demanding networks, without compromising on stability and reliability," said Ronen Hovav, Chief Business Officer at Exaware. "While most alternative solutions today are targeted at data center switching, ExaNOS, with its full feature set and ability to scale massively, expands the white-box model to the edge and core of mobile and fixed telecom provider networks. We believe ExaNOS can be a major disruptor in the $16B telecom routing market." ExaNOS is available on all white-box equipment in the market using Broadcom StrataDNX chipsets, including leading equipment from Delta Networks and Edgecore Networks. As a result, Exaware customers have the flexibility to choose the best solution according to their specific needs. ExaNOS empowers telecom service providers to build a new, affordable and sustainable business model for the benefit of their customers. About Exaware Exaware is a leading provider of carrier-grade network operating systems for mobile and fixed telecom service providers. Founded in 2007 (as Compass Networks) and headquartered in Israel, Exaware has redefined routing software that is engineered specifically for carrier networks. With incredible scale potential and unprecedented rich features, Exaware's open NOS software is ported to low-cost white-box equipment. With extensive experience in real-world applications, the Exaware team of world-class software developers and network engineers have developed best-in-class open NOS software that is set to revolutionize the telecom routing market. For more information, visit www.exaware.com. Media Contact Ronen Hovav CBO, Exaware Email: [email protected] SOURCE Exaware Related Links http://www.exaware.com ST. LOUIS, April 3, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- A class-action lawsuit accuses a Missouri credit union of socking its customers with two or three "insufficient funds" fees on a single transaction, a practice the lawsuit claims is contrary to the credit union's account agreements. According to the lawsuit, First Community charges a $27.50 "NSF" fee when customers have insufficient funds to complete a transaction. In many cases, The Credit Union then attempts to process the same transaction days later, classifying the transaction as a retry payment. By resubmitting an electronic transaction for processing after it has already been rejected for insufficient funds, the complaint argues, First Community can impose multiple fees that overwhelmingly exceed the original amount of the transaction, as is the case of named plaintiff Leassa Kellerman, who was allegedly charged $55 in fees over six days to only be left with the same failed payment of $10.99. The lawsuit was filed on March 25, 2019 in St. Louis District Court against First Community Credit Union by Paul LLP, Kaliel PLLC and co-counsel. First Community Credit Union is the largest credit union in Missouri, with more than $2.5 billion in assets and hundreds of thousands of members throughout the state. The lawsuit seeks to be certified as a class action. The complaint alleges: "First Community Credit Union makes millions of dollars each year through the imposition of NSFs. These fees are by definition often assessed on consumers struggling to make ends meet...and often fall disproportionately on racial and ethnic minorities, the elderly and the young." Paul LLP has secured more than $2.5 billion in compensation for its clients. For more information about this case, please contact Ashlea Schwarz at (816) 984-8100. Paul LLP Contact: Ashlea Schwarz, 816-984-8100 [email protected] SOURCE Kaliel PLLC EAU CLAIRE, Wis., April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Gingras, Cates & Wachs (GCW) Lawyers, known for their ground-breaking personal injury and civil rights work in Wisconsin, announces the addition of attorney Joseph Bauer to the Eau Claire office. Bauer specializes in personal injury litigation and has a strong conviction that the legal system should be available to everyone. "We are extremely excited to have Joseph join the GCW Lawyers team in Eau Claire," said Beverly Wickstrom, Partner at GCW Lawyers. "His dedication to fight for what is right truly embraces our GCW philosophy." During his time at Mitchell Hamline School of Law, Joseph served as a student attorney in Anoka and Ramsey County offices of the Public Defender, where he saw firsthand how intimidating and confusing the legal system can be for people without proper representation. Through this experience, Joseph's conviction for justice and passion for advocacy became his main focus. His interest in law began at a young age. "When I was nine months old, an incident at an at-home daycare center made me a very young plaintiff in my first personal injury suit," said Bauer. "Since then, I have been drawn to the profession through incredible role-models and a passion for the cause of liberty." GCW has represented and served Wisconsin for more than 35 years, with notable casework such as the sexual assault case against Lawrence University and civil rights lawsuit for two Milwaukee pastors who were allegedly racially profiled in Waukesha County. About GCW Lawyers: Gingras, Cates & Wachs brings power, fight and heart to outthink, out-strategize and outwork the competition to right the wrong. The law firm has offices in Eau Claire, Madison, Milwaukee, Waukesha, and serves all of Wisconsin in the areas of personal injury, civil rights, employment, medical malpractice, and family law including LGBTQ families. SOURCE Gingras, Cates & Wachs Related Links https://www.gcwlawyers.com HOUSTON, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Group 1 Automotive, Inc. (NYSE: GPI), an international, Fortune 500 automotive retailer, today announced that it will release financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2019, on Thursday, April 25, 2019, before market open. Earl J. Hesterberg, Group 1's president and chief executive officer, and the company's senior management team will host a conference call to discuss the results later that morning at 10 a.m. ET. The conference call will be simulcast live on the Internet at www.group1auto.com. Click on 'Investor Relations' and then 'Events' or through this link: http://www.group1corp.com/events. A webcast replay will be available for 30 days. The conference call will also be available live by dialing in 15 minutes prior to the start of the call at: Domestic: 1-888-317-6003 International: 1-412-317-6061 Conference ID: 3041785 A telephonic replay will be available following the call through May 2, 2019 by dialing: Domestic: 1-877-344-7529 International: 1-412-317-0088 Replay ID: 10130481 About Group 1 Automotive, Inc. Group 1 owns and operates 182 automotive dealerships, 237 franchises, and 47 collision centers in the United States, the United Kingdom and Brazil that offer 30 brands of automobiles. Through its dealerships, the Company sells new and used cars and light trucks; arranges related vehicle financing; sells service contracts; provides automotive maintenance and repair services; and sells vehicle parts. Investors please visit www.group1corp.com , www.group1auto.com , www.group1collision.com , www.facebook.com/group1auto , and www.twitter.com/group1auto , where Group 1 discloses additional information about the Company, its business, and its results of operations. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which are statements related to future, not past, events and are based on our current expectations and assumptions regarding our business, the economy and other future conditions. In this context, the forward-looking statements often include statements regarding our strategic investments, goals, plans, projections and guidance regarding our financial position, results of operations, business strategy, and often contain words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "should," "foresee," "may" or "will" and similar expressions. While management believes that these forward-looking statements are reasonable as and when made, there can be no assurance that future developments affecting us will be those that we anticipate. Any such forward-looking statements are not assurances of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things, (a) general economic and business conditions, (b) the level of manufacturer incentives, (c) the future regulatory environment, (d) our ability to obtain an inventory of desirable new and used vehicles, (e) our relationship with our automobile manufacturers and the willingness of manufacturers to approve future acquisitions, (f) our cost of financing and the availability of credit for consumers, (g) our ability to complete acquisitions and dispositions and the risks associated therewith, (h) foreign exchange controls and currency fluctuations, and (i) our ability to retain key personnel. For additional information regarding known material factors that could cause our actual results to differ from our projected results, please see our filings with the SEC, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements after the date they are made, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Investor contacts: Sheila Roth Manager, Investor Relations Group 1 Automotive, Inc. 713-647-5741 | [email protected] Media contacts: Pete DeLongchamps Senior V.P. Manufacturer Relations, Financial Services and Public Affairs Group 1 Automotive, Inc. 713-647-5770 | [email protected] or Clint Woods Pierpont Communications, Inc. 713-627-2223 | [email protected] SOURCE Group 1 Automotive, Inc. Related Links https://www.group1auto.com BOULDER, Colo., April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Huck Adventures , an outdoor app startup on a mission to connect outdoor enthusiasts in a way never done before, announced it is currently raising $1 million in seed funding. Huck Adventures Huck Adventures Huck is in the build stage and is currently coding the app with its latest version being tested internally on Testflight. The app is on schedule to launch by June to the Colorado market, with plans to launch to the rest of the United States at the beginning of September. Though still in pre-launch, Huck has already landed partnerships with major non-profit organizations that have a total reach of 18M users worldwide. Huck's Non-Profit Partners include: Paradox Sports, Big City Mountaineers, Clean Trails, Leave No Trace, Adaptive Adventures, and the National Ski Patrol. Ben Nelson, Huck Adventure's Founder and CEO, is a die-hard entrepreneur, and has been leading the boot-strapped company since August of 2019. "I got the idea for Huck after years of traveling and struggling to find people to go on adventures with," Nelson said. "While at home and abroad, I met others who faced the same difficulties, and I wanted to create a solution that would not only help people connect, but allow them to get outside and enjoy the outdoors more often." Once Huck launches for both iOS and Android devices, it will make it easy for outdoor enthusiasts to find one another and connect. Through the app, users will be matched and be able to search for other users with the same interests, skill levels, and GEO location, and be able to schedule and chat directly through the app. Other features of the app will allow users to attend organized events, learn on the education hub, and post gear reviews. Huck's mission is to not only to grow outdoor participation as a whole, but also grow the non-profits that keep the outdoors beautiful and support more people getting outside. The app will match users with Huck's Non-Profit Partners it thinks the users will like, and they can choose to attend events, volunteer, or donate. "It's been a dream of mine to connect people from around the world in their love of the outdoors," Nelson said. "Language is never a barrier when you share a passion for the outdoors and experience it together." Contact: Laura Nelson 6466712424 [email protected] SOURCE Huck Adventures Related Links https://huckadventures.com NEW YORK and TORONTO, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ - iAnthus Capital Holdings, Inc. ("iAnthus" or the "Company") (CSE: IAN,OTCQX: ITHUF), which owns, operates, and partners with best-in-class regulated cannabis operations across the United States, is pleased to announce a licensing agreement entered into between its U.S. subsidiary and Blissiva, a women-owned, Maryland-based company specializing in producing and distributing medical cannabis products specifically formulated for women. As per the licensing agreement, iAnthus will manufacture, market and sell a variety of Blissiva products in its markets, with initial launch in Maryland scheduled for April 20, 2019. Additionally, iAnthus has the exclusive right to launch Blissiva in its ten other existing states and across the United States. Blissiva was founded by obstetrician gynecologist Dr. Leslie Apgar and serial entrepreneur Gina Dubbe who have a mission to make medical cannabis more accessible and desirable to women. Blissiva's first product, the Balance Pen, was formulated specifically to help women combat stress and anxiety. The pen first came to market in October 2018 and sold out in just six weeks of its anticipated 12 week run. Blissiva is developing a line of additional products designed for women's health, wellness and recreation. "We are extremely proud to partner with Blissiva in launching female-focused cannabis products into the market. Women represent one of the largest and fastest growing demographics of consumers in this industry, and there is currently a lack of products specifically designed to address their health and wellness needs. We believe that women should be able to 'have it all,' and I'm excited to be working with Dr. Apgar, a groundbreaking expert in women's health, to fill the gap in the industry," said Beth Stavola, Chief Strategy Officer of iAnthus. iAnthus intends to initially launch the Blissiva Balance Pen in Health for Life dispensaries in Baltimore, Bethesda and White Marsh, Maryland, as well as the Greenhouse Wellness dispensary in Ellicott City, Maryland, where Dr. Apgar is the medical director. Additionally, iAnthus will leverage its distribution network to provide women with access to Blissiva products throughout the state. Currently, this Maryland distribution network consists of 45 dispensaries where iAnthus is currently selling its MPX branded products. "We believe that iAnthus is the perfect partner to realize our goal of reaching female consumers who could benefit from our products across the country. With iAnthus' production capabilities and sizable distribution network in key markets, we are confident that together we will be successful in creating a national brandby women, for women," said Dr. Apgar, Co-Founder and Medical Director of Blissiva. About iAnthus Capital Holdings, Inc. iAnthus Capital Holdings, Inc. owns and operates best-in-class licensed cannabis cultivation, processing and dispensary facilities throughout the United States, providing investors diversified exposure to the U.S. regulated cannabis industry. Founded by entrepreneurs with decades of experience in operations, investment banking, corporate finance, law and health care services, iAnthus provides a unique combination of capital and hands-on operating and management expertise. iAnthus currently has operations in 11 states, and operates 21 dispensaries (AZ-4, MA-1, MD-3, FL-3, NY-2, CO-1, VT-1 and NM-6 where iAnthus has minority ownership). For more information, visit www.iAnthusCapital.com. About Blissiva Blissiva, founded by Gina Dubbe and Dr. Leslie Apgar, is a women-owned, Maryland-based company specializing in producing and distributing medical cannabis products specifically formulated for women. The company's first product, the Balance Pen, was created to help women combatting anxiety find relief in a safe, holistic, and approachable way. Other product lines are set to launch in 2019. The company's tagline "Gyno-Created, Goddess-Approved" is a nod to the company's founders and the medical viability of the product. For more information, visit www.blissiva.com. Forward Looking Statements Statements in this news release that are forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties concerning the specific factors disclosed here and elsewhere in iAnthus' periodic filings with Canadian securities regulators. When used in this news release, words such as "will, could, plan, estimate, expect, intend, may, potential, believe, should, our vision" and similar expressions, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may include, without limitation, statements including product launches, dispensary locations, facility build-outs, and other statements of fact. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this news release are made as of the date of this release. iAnthus disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise such information, except as required by applicable law, and iAnthus does not assume any liability for disclosure relating to any other company mentioned herein. The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed, approved or disapproved the content of this news release. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to sell any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. SOURCE iAnthus Capital Holdings, Inc. Related Links https://www.ianthuscapital.com/ SINGAPORE, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Kenon Holdings Ltd. (NYSE: KEN) (TASE: KEN) ("Kenon") announced today that it will be releasing its full year 2018 results on Monday, April 8, 2019. Kenon will also host a conference call on the same day, starting at 9:00 am Eastern Time. Kenon's and OPC's managements will host the call and will be available to answer questions after presenting the results. To participate, please call one of the following teleconferencing numbers. Please begin placing your calls at least 10 minutes before the conference call commences. If you are unable to connect using the toll-free numbers, try the international dial-in number. Singapore: 3158-3851 US: 1-888-281-1167 Israel: 03-918-0691 UK: 0-800-051-8913 International: +65-3158-3851 At: 9:00 am Eastern Time, 6:00 am Pacific Time, 2:00 pm UK Time, 4:00 pm Israel Time and 9:00 pm Singapore Time. For those unable to participate, the teleconference will be available for replay on Kenon's website at http://www.kenon-holdings.com/ beginning 24 hours after the call. About Kenon Kenon is a holding company that operates dynamic, primarily growth-oriented businesses. The companies it owns, in whole or in part, are at various stages of development, ranging from established, cash-generating businesses to early stage development companies. Kenon's businesses consist of: OPC Energy (76% interest) a leading owner, developer and operator of power generation facilities in the Israeli power market; Qoros (24% interest 1 ) a China -based automotive company; ) a -based automotive company; ZIM (32% interest) an international shipping company; and Primus Green Energy, Inc. (91% interest) an early stage developer of alternative fuel technology. Kenon remains committed to its strategy to realize the value of its businesses for its shareholders. In connection with this strategy, Kenon may provide its shareholders with direct access to its businesses, which may include spin-offs, listings, offerings, distributions or monetization of its businesses. Kenon is actively exploring various ways to materialize this strategy in a rational and expeditious manner. For further information on Kenon's businesses and strategy, see Kenon's publicly available filings, which can be found on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Please also see http://www.kenon-holdings.com for additional information. [1] Kenon has agreed to sell half of its 24% interest to the majority shareholder in Qoros; upon completion of this sale, Kenon will hold a 12% interest in Qoros. Contact Info Kenon Holdings Ltd. Jonathan Fisch Director, Investor Relations [email protected] Tel: +44-20-7659-4186 SOURCE Kenon Holdings Ltd. SAN JOSE, Calif., April 3, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Open Networking Summit North America -- LF Networking (LFN), which facilitates collaboration and operational excellence across networking projects, today announced expansion of its OPNFV Verification Program (OVP) to include Virtual Network Function (VNF) compliance testing. The expanded OVP, created in conjunction with the ONAP testing community, now includes publicly-available VNF compliance test tooling based on requirements developed within ONAP, as well as a Verified Labs Program and the induction of the University of New Hampshire-Interoperability Lab (UNH-IOL) as the first OPNFV Verified Lab. Initially developed to simplify validation testing of commercial NFVI/VIM products based on OPNFV, the expanded program now covers interoperability with ONAP-compliant on-boarding requirements using both Heat and TOSCA package validation. The first of its kind, OVP combines open source-based automated compliance and verification testing for multiple parts of the NFV stack specifications established by ONAP, multiple SDOs such as ETSI and GSMA, and the LF Networking End User Advisory Group (EUAG). Demonstrating the readiness and availability of commercial products based on these requirements improves time-to-market, reduces costs, and improves the overall quality of NFVI and VNF deployments. "Overcoming interoperability challenges has become a top industry priority as NFV and software defined networking (SDN) technologies truly power next-generation networks," said Heather Kirksey, vice president, Community and Ecosystem Development, the Linux Foundation. "OVP was created to address these challenges and ensure commercial NFVI and VNF products are ready for market. I am incredibly proud of the community for achieving this cross-project milestone and adding VNF testing to this community-led effort." OVP has also created a Verified Labs program to augment the current self-testing model, giving users the choice to test their products/services with these Verified labs or performing the testing in-house. Benefits of working with a Verified lab include access to subject matter experts, additional test infrastructure, and they enable ecosystem-wide scaling as the number of VNFs entering the market increases. This program is also overseen by the LFN Compliance and Verification Committee and passing labs receive a badge. UNH-IOL is the first lab to receive the OVP Verified Lab badge, and other labs active in the LFN communities are encouraged to submit an application. "UNH-IOL has been active in the OPNFV community for several years now, including hosting an OPNFV plugfest in our facility and participating in the Dovetail Project and the Compliance and Verification Committee (CVC)," said Lincoln Lavoie, senior engineer, UNH-IOL. "We are thrilled to be the first official OPNFV Verified Lab and to help build an NFV ecosystem of products and services using open source projects like OPNFV and ONAP." In addition to increased choice of interoperable components available to a service provider and greater ecosystem health, OVP provides specific benefits to both CSPs and vendors, including: Accelerated new service deployment for CSPs Improvement in interoperability and software quality for CSPs Reduction of in-house testing effort and costs for CSPs Improved time to revenue for vendors Greater vendor alignment with CSP requirements Demonstrated product quality The program will continue to expand in the future focusing on end-to-end NFV system validation and to deepen the compliance testing of both VNF and NFVI components, based on end user deployment needs. See here for a list of current OVP Verified NFVI products. Join us OVP has the opportunity to create immense value for the NFV/SDN ecosystem; it is the only unified open source-based compliance and verification program for the industry, and the only program to truly create an interoperable disaggregated software stack spanning multi-vendor NFVI/VIM, MANO, and VNFs. As an open source project, however, it will not succeed without leadership and participation of the community and ecosystem itself. We encourage anyone interested in any aspect of the program -- including testing their VNFs -- to get involved. Details on the OPNFV Verified Program and how to get started are available here: https://www.lfnetworking.org/ovp . Please also reference the new white paper, "OVP: OPNFV Verification Program" available here . Supporting quotes AT&T "AT&T knows first-hand how critical VNF requirements are and the value of automation in the certification process," said Chris Rice, chair of LFN Governing Board and senior vice president, AT&T Labs, Network Cloud and Infrastructure, AT&T. "We see tremendous benefits in bringing quality services to market faster because of these efforts. We are excited with the progress of the LFN's efforts to expand their OVP program to support greater VNF compliance with the ONAP platform. Driving further alignment, industry adoption, and increased automation will be a big win for customers, CSPs and VNF providers alike." China Mobile "Establishing VNFs open ecosystem to enable related technology and service innovation is one of the core forces driving operators to explore NFV network reconstruction. As a deep participant and contributing member of LFN, China Mobile is very pleased to welcome the OVP Program. In the latest development, the scope of commercial product certification testing is extended to VNF-oriented scenarios," said Dr. Feng Junlan, chief scientist of China Mobile Research Institute, general manager of Artificial Intelligence and Smart Operation R&D Center, and vice chairman of LFN Board of Directors. "We will also continue working with our Industry partners to invest in relevant open source projects in moving forward together." Orange "No one vendor can manage the cost of interoperability testing upfront in today's ecosystem. That's why it must be a collective effort and that's also why we need to standardise the telco cloud, two results that open source communities, by their inherent principles of openness, are able to bring," said Jehanne Savi, executive leader of the All-IP and On-demand Networks Programs, Orange. Vodafone "Procurement and Introduction of VNFs into our network should be as simple and efficient as it is for Inducting an application in the Cloud, with this we will be able to deliver our services to our customers in a much more agile way and thereby introduce newer services faster. We believe OVP program can provide the much needed standardization for certification of VNFs to this account. This will benefit customers, carriers and VNF providers alike, making it easier also for VNF innovators to bring new solutions to market." Matt Beal, Vodafone Group Technology Director, Strategy & Architecture. About the Linux Foundation Founded in 2000, the Linux Foundation is supported by more than 1,000 members and is the world's leading home for collaboration on open source software, open standards, open data, and open hardware. Linux Foundation's projects are critical to the world's infrastructure including Linux, Kubernetes, Node.js, and more. The Linux Foundation's methodology focuses on leveraging best practices and addressing the needs of contributors, users and solution providers to create sustainable models for open collaboration. For more information please visit us at www.linuxfoundation.org . The Linux Foundation has registered trademarks and uses trademarks. For a list of trademarks of The Linux Foundation, please see our trademark usage page: https://www.linuxfoundation.org/trademark-usage. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds. Media Contact: Jill Lovato The Linux Foundation [email protected] SOURCE LF Networking Related Links http://www.linuxfoundation.org French English MONTREAL, April 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Theratechnologies Inc. (Theratechnologies) (TSX: TH) today announced its financial results for the first quarter ended February 28, 2019. First quarter 2019 financial highlights Record first quarter net sales of $15,096,000 (CAD 20,103,000), up 86% from the same quarter last year EGRIFTA sales up 11% from the same quarter last year Trogarzo sales up 44% from the previous quarter Positive EBITDA of $1,521,000 (CAD 2,026,000) in the first quarter of 2019 compared to a negative EBITDA of $(1,605,000) (CAD (2,056,000)) for the same quarter last year 1 Cash position of $53,873,000 (CAD 70,902,000) at February 28, 2019 We are off to an excellent start in 2019. Revenues are almost double what they were at the same time last year. We are more active than ever in the United States to support our two products. We are also preparing for the potential launch of Trogarzo in Europe which may represent a sizeable future source of revenues, said Luc Tanguay, President and CEO, Theratechnologies Inc. Our company is on very solid footings. The acquisition of a targeted oncology platform announced during our first quarter, the strong NAFLD/NASH data with tesamorelin, the recently approved F4 formulation and other product development initiatives for EGRIFTA and Trogarzo give us several opportunities to bring Theratechnologies to unprecedented levels, added Mr. Tanguay. First quarter 2019 financial results Financial results presented in this press release are taken from the Companys Management's Discussion and Analysis, or MD&A, and unaudited consolidated financial statements for the nine-month period ended February 28, 2019, which have been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards, or IFRS, as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board, or IASB. The MD&A and the unaudited consolidated financial statements can be found at www.sedar.com and www.theratech.com . Unless specified otherwise, all amounts in this press release are in United States dollars and all capitalized terms have the meaning ascribed thereto in our MD&A. As used herein, EGRIFTA refers to tesamorelin for the reduction of excess abdominal fat in HIV-infected patients with lipodystrophy. Trogarzo refers to ibalizumab for the treatment of multidrug resistant HIV-1 patients. Consolidated revenue for the three-month period ended February 28, 2019 was $15,096,000 compared to $8,113,000 for the same period ended February 28, 2018. Revenue generated from net sales increased by 86% in the first quarter of 2019 compared to the comparable period in fiscal 2018, due to the introduction of Trogarzo in the United States and higher unit volumes and prices for EGRIFTA. For the three months ended February 28, 2019, cost of sales was $6,065,000 compared to $1,704,000 in the comparable period of fiscal 2018. Cost of goods sold was $4,810,000 in the first quarter of 2019 compared to $941,000 for the same quarter the previous year. The increase in cost of goods sold is mainly due to the introduction of Trogarzo as gross margins on EGRIFTA remain stable. Cost of sales also include production-related costs which amounted to $34,000 in the first quarter of 2019, compared to $(127,000), which were mainly due to a reversal of inventory write-downs. Prior to the third quarter of 2018, cost of sales included royalties due under the terms of an agreement terminating our collaboration and licensing agreement with EMD Serono Inc. (or EMD Serono). In the first quarter of 2018, royalties paid to EMD Serono amounted to $890,000. In June 2018, we made a full and final payment of US$23,850,000 to EMD Serono which enabled Theratechnologies to realize savings from a reduction of future payment obligations including royalty payments. The payment in connection with the settlement of the future royalty obligation has been accounted as Other asset on the consolidated statement of the financial position. Consequently, during the first quarter of 2019, an amortization of $1,221,000 has been recorded in relation to this transaction. R&D expenses amounted to $2,527,000 in the three-month period ended February 28, 2019 compared to $1,904,000 for the same period in 2018. The increase is largely due to regulatory activities in Europe including the inspection of the Wuxi facilities in China. The increase was partially offset by the decision of the FDA to release Theratechnologies from its last post-approval commitments relating to EGRIFTA. R&D expenses also include medical affairs initiatives aimed at raising awareness among physicians and nurses who interact with patients living with MDR HIV-1 and lipodystrophy, in addition to regulatory affairs activities, such as handling of the European filing of Trogarzo and quality assurance. Selling and market development expenses amounted to $5,448,000 for the first quarter of 2019, which includes the cost related to the US-based sales force. This compares to $5,314,000 for the same three-month period last year. The amortization of the intangible asset value established for the EGRIFTA and Trogarzo commercialization rights is also included in selling and market development expenses. As such, we recorded an expense of $488,000 for the first quarter of Fiscal 2019 compared to $378,000 for the same quarter last year. General and administrative expenses amounted to $1,516,000 in the three months ended February 28, 2019 compared to $1,202,000 after the first quarter of 2018. The increase is mainly associated with business growth and various initiatives related to our preparatory work in Europe. The granting of stock options to members of the Companys board of directors, as part of their annual compensation plan, resulted in a non-cash expense in the first quarter of 2019. In fiscal 2018, the stock option grant was made in the second quarter. Finance income, consisting of interest income, amounted to $335,000 during the first quarter of 2019 compared to $80,000 in the first three months of last year. Higher finance income is related to the interest on our higher liquidity position. Finance costs for the three months ended February 28, 2019 were $1,103,000 compared to $156,000 for the comparable period of 2018. Finance costs mostly represent interest of $812,000 on the senior notes for the first quarter of 2019, compared to nil for the same period of last year. Finance costs also include accretion expense, which was $357,000 for the first quarter of 2019 compared to $224,000 for the same period last year. In the first quarter of 2019, the accretion expense was mainly associated with the Notes issued in June 2018. Previously, accretion expense related to the long-term obligation with EMD Serono, which was settled during the third quarter of 2018. For the reasons noted above, Adjusted EBITDA was $1,521,000 (CAD 2,026,000) for the first quarter of 2019 compared to $(1,605,000) (CAD 2,056,000) for the same period of 2018. See Non-IFRS Financial Measures below. Taking into account the revenue and expense variations described above, we recorded a net loss of $1,228,000 or $0.02 per share in the first three months of fiscal 2019 compared to a net loss of $2,087,000 or $0.03 per share for the same period last year. For the three-month period ended February 28, 2019, cash flow from operating activities was $2,316,000 compared to a use of $288,000 for the first quarter of 2018. The changes in cash flow can be attributed to the launch of Trogarzo. During the first quarter of 2019, we used $1,979,000 towards the acquisition of Katana. As at February 28, 2019, cash, bonds and money market funds amounted to $53,873,000 (CAD 70,902,000). Non-IFRS Financial Measures Reconciliation of net profit or loss to adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (Adjusted EBITDA) Adjusted EBITDA is a non-IFRS financial measure. A reconciliation of the Adjusted EBITDA to net profit (loss) is presented in the table below. We use adjusted financial measures to assess our operating performance. Securities regulations require that companies caution readers that earnings and other measures adjusted to a basis other than IFRS do not have standardized meanings and are unlikely to be comparable to similar measures used by other companies. Accordingly, they should not be considered in isolation. We use Adjusted EBITDA to measure operating performance from one period to the next without the variation caused by certain adjustments that could potentially distort the analysis of trends in our business, and because we believe it provides meaningful information on our financial condition and operating results. We obtain our Adjusted EBITDA measurement by adding to net profit or loss, finance income and costs, depreciation and amortization, and income taxes. We also exclude the effects of certain non-monetary transactions recorded, such as share-based compensation for the stock option plan and write-downs (or related reversals) of inventories, for our Adjusted EBITDA calculation. We believe it is useful to exclude these items as they are either non-cash expenses, items that cannot be influenced by management in the short term, or items that do not impact core operating performance. Excluding these items does not imply they are necessarily nonrecurring. Share-based compensation costs are a component of employee remuneration and can vary significantly with changes in the market price of the Companys shares. In addition, other items that do not impact core operating performance of the Company may vary significantly from one period to another. As such, Adjusted EBITDA provides improved continuity with respect to the comparison of our operating results over a period of time. Our method for calculating Adjusted EBITDA may differ from that used by other companies. Adjusted EBITDA (In thousands of United States dollars) Three-month periods ended February 28, 2019 2018 $ $ Net loss (1,228) (2,087) Add (deduct): Depreciation and amortization 1,714 381 Finance costs 1,103 156 Finance income (335) (80) Share-based compensation for stock option plan 264 155 Write-down (recovery) of inventories 3 (130) Adjusted EBITDA 1,521 (1,605) Conference Call Details A conference call will be held today at 8:30 a.m. (ET) to discuss the results. The conference call will be open to questions from financial analysts. Media and other interested individuals are invited to participate in the call on a listen-only basis. The conference call can be accessed by dialling 1-877-223-4471 (North America) or 1-647-788-4922 (International). The conference call will also be accessible via webcast at http://www.gowebcasting.com/9927. Audio replay of the conference call will be available on the same day starting at 11:30 a.m. (ET) until April 19, 2019, by dialling 1-800-585-8367 (North America) or 1-416-621-4642 (International) and by entering the playback code 3552358. About Theratechnologies Theratechnologies (TSX: TH) is a specialty pharmaceutical company addressing unmet medical needs by bringing to market specialized therapies for people with orphan medical conditions, including those living with HIV. Further information about Theratechnologies is available on the Company's website at www.theratech.com and on SEDAR at www.sedar.com . Forward-Looking Information This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information, or, collectively, forward-looking statements, within the meaning of applicable securities laws, that are based on our managements beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to our management. You can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as "may", "will", "should", "could", would, "outlook", "believe", "plan", "envisage", "anticipate", "expect" and "estimate", or the negatives of these terms, or variations of them. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the growth of our revenues from the sale of our products, the building of a product portfolio and the timing in obtaining a decision from the CHMP. Forward-looking statements are based upon a number of assumptions and include, but are not limited to, the following: sales of EGRIFTA and Trogarzo will continue to grow in the United States, Trogarzo will be approved for commercialization in Europe and will successfully launch it in this territory, no untowards side-effects will be discovered through the long-term use of both EGRIFTA and Trogarzo, and we will succeed in finding products and entering into agreements to acquire in-license products upon terms and conditions satisfactory to us. Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those that are disclosed in or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. These risks and uncertainties include, among others, the risk that sales EGRIFTA and/or Trogarzo decrease or cease to progress, that a recall of any of those products occur, that the EMA does not approve our marketing authorization application or seek additional studies and that we are unable to enter into agreements upon terms satisfactory to us to acquire or in-license additional products. We refer potential investors to the "Risk Factors" section of our annual information form dated February 20, 2019 for additional risks regarding the conduct of our business and Theratechnologies. The reader is cautioned to consider these and other risks and uncertainties carefully and not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements reflect current expectations regarding future events and speak only as of the date of this press release and represent our expectations as of that date. We undertake no obligation to update or revise the information contained in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events or circumstances or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable law. For media inquiries: Denis Boucher Vice President, Communications and Corporate Affairs 514-336-7800 1 See Non-IFRS Financial Measures below NEW YORK, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Local Media Consortium, a strategic alliance of leading local media companies, today announced Christian Hendricks, president, and Tobias Bennett, vice president for revenue and partnerships, will host a panel discussion at the National Association of Broadcasters' NABSHOW Digital Futures Exchange being held at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas on April 7, 2019. The Digital Futures Exchange brings digital executives together for interactive presentations, panels and discussions focused on digital trends and strategies for local markets. At the show, a diverse combination of local media operators and experts will address how future technologies will impact local media, and strategies for successfully leveraging current opportunities. The Local Media Consortium presentation and panel discussion takes place on Sunday, April 7, at 1:30 p.m. and will focus on how the LMC creates revenue and cost savings opportunities for its more than 80 member companies, and how members gain unmatched access to advanced training from and pilot project initiatives with major platforms. Panelists for the LMC session include James Green, vice president for digital at Lee Enterprises; Anthony Katsur, senior vice president for digital strategy and operations at Nexstar; and Tom Sly, vice president, revenue, national media at Scripps. "We look forward to attending and presenting at NAB, one of the nation's premier events for media and technology innovators," said Hendricks. "As the digital landscape continues to evolve for media companies, NAB provides an ideal opportunity to share best practices, understand the latest technologies and forge new relationships. We believe the LMC has an important voice in this landscape and we are enthusiastic to share how our local media members are increasing revenue and audience growth through new technologies and partnerships." About the Local Media Consortium The Local Media Consortium delivers economic value through strategic partnerships on behalf of more than 80 local media companies in top markets across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, and includes more than 2,500 outlets. By harnessing the combined volume and scale of its members, the LMC reduces costs and increases revenue with technology and service providers like Google, Facebook, Monster and others. The aggregated LMC audience footprint spans 160 million unique monthly visitors and its member companies serve more than four billion pageviews to consumers. More information is available at www.localmediaconsortium.com. Media Contacts: Christina Gillham, 646-868-5174 [email protected] Kristin Brocoff, 949-400-4899 [email protected] SOURCE Local Media Consortium Related Links http://www.localmediaconsortium.com BRISTOW, Va., April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- MurLarkey Distilled Spirits is proud to announce Co-founder & CEO Tom Murray was tapped to be a panelist at The 2019 Beverage Forum, the preeminent multi-beverage leadership conference, held Tuesday, April 30 & Wednesday, May 1 in Chicago. The Beverage Forum Murray, named a rising star in the industry, will be featured in The Future Movers and Shakers panel. This panel features visionary entrepreneurs in the beverage market who continue to develop new products that fulfill the ever-expanding consumer needs. Panelists will discuss this evolving market and the challenges facing the industry today. "This is a great honor and an amazing opportunity to share the evolution and vision of MurLarkey --where we came from, where we are going, why we are going there and how it relates to the beverage industry as a whole," said Murray. "The timing couldn't be better in that we are in the process of finalizing our growth strategy and structure which will allow us to further capture, capitalize and expand on many of the business opportunities and trends to be discussed at this forum," Murray continued. "Therefore, I look forward to listening and learning at this premier event as much as I do speaking." About MurLarkey Starting with a meager 23-gallon copper still, second generation Irish-American cousins Tom Murray and Mike Larkin, along with a small team of family and friends, began distilling high-quality, small-batch spirits. Using only the finest, all-natural ingredients, MurLarkey spirits are produced to uncompromising standards. Distilled to perfection, packaged with pride and delivered with cheer, MurLarkey embodies the Founders' heritage, culture and love for life. MurLarkey is an American Distilling Institute (ADI) Certified Craft Distilled Spirit producer. For more information, visit www.murlarkey.com. For more information or tickets to attend The 2019 Beverage Forum, visit www.bevindustry.com/beverage-forum. Follow MurLarkey Distilled Spirits on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. For more information about MurLarkey, please contact Shawn Harlan at [email protected] or 540-907-6097. SOURCE MurLarkey Distilled Spirits LLC HARRISBURG, Pa., April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Comcast Business today announced that Netrepid , a national provider of enterprise technology services for hosted, virtual, and data center powered solutions, relies on Comcast's ethernet network and connectivity services to extend its comprehensive IT infrastructure and support services to customers across the country. Netrepid's co-location, infrastructure and application hosting services support its customers' mission-critical applications and accelerate digital transformations at organizations across a range of industries, including healthcare, financial, education, transportation and government. Comcast Business' Ethernet Network Service (ENS) enables Netrepid to connect dozens of distributed locations across a Continental Area Network (CAN) as if they are on the same Local Area Network (LAN). Based on the success of the implementation, the company anticipates adding another 10 to 20 locations this year. "Comcast Business enables us to connect our clients in California, Maine and everywhere in between to our central network hub in Harrisburg," said Sam Coyl, president of Netrepid. "The reliability of the Comcast network and the way we can use ethernet services to create extensions of our data center give us an edge to reinforce our position as a market and industry leader." Netrepid also utilizes a variety of 10 GB Ethernet Dedicated Internet (EDI) and an Ethernet Private Line (EPL) from Comcast to securely connect and back up its secondary data center in Troy, Mich. "Comcast Business' network services are ideal for companies like Netrepid that need to connect multiple locations with high data traffic demands," said Toni Murphy, vice president of Comcast Business in the Keystone Region. "Our robust infrastructure saves clients the resources of building their own, while giving them peace of mind by providing high levels of availability across all locations." About Netrepid Netrepid was founded in 2013 and specializes in IT Infrastructure and support. Netrepid is a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Company and one of the few operators of a SOC2 Private Data Center in the US. Services include Co-Location, Virtual Private Cloud, Data Security, Desktop as Service (DaaS), Web and Email Hosting, Hosted Exchange, Remote Backup, and Managed IT Services. Netrepid is also a national leader in Wireless Networking design and installation services. Our philosophy is focused on building a team relationship rather than a client/vendor relationship. As part of your team, we help navigate through the marketing fluff and the latest buzzwords to help build the right technology for you. To learn more, please visit us at www.netrepid.com About Comcast Business Comcast Business offers Ethernet, Internet, Wi-Fi, Voice, TV and Managed Enterprise Solutions to help organizations of all sizes transform their business. Powered by an advanced network, and backed by 24/7 customer support, Comcast Business is one of the largest contributors to the growth of Comcast Cable. Comcast Business is the nation's largest cable provider to small and mid-size businesses and has emerged as a force in the Enterprise market; recognized over the last two years by leading industry associations as one of the fastest growing providers of Ethernet services. For more information, call 866-429-3085. Follow on Twitter @ComcastBusiness and on other social media networks at http://business.comcast.com/social. SOURCE Comcast NBCUniversal Over the past year, the number of dog bite claims has decreased by 9 percent (decrease of 338 claims) and the amount paid has decreased by 7 percent (decrease of $9,116,837), according to the Insurance Information Institute (III) and State Farm , the largest writer of homeowners insurance in the United States. However, the news isn't all good. The number of emergency room visits by children age 0-1 doubled from 1,794 visits in 2001 to 3,125 in 2018. Top 10 States for State Farm Dog Bite Claims in 2018 State Number of claims Claims paid 1. California 409 $18.6 million 2. Illinois 288 $10.3 million 3. Ohio 177 $4.8 million 4. Texas 168 $5.8 million 5. Pennsylvania 161 $5.6 million 6. Michigan 155 $5.4 million 7. Georgia 117 $3.8 million 8. Indiana 109 $4.0 million 9. New York 107 $7.9 million 10. Minnesota 107 $3.0 million "Even the gentlest dog can bite if they are in pain, feel threatened, or their signals of stress are misunderstood," said Dr. John de Jong, president of the AVMA. "These miscommunications result in most people being bitten by their own dog or a dog they know. For example, the average child may interpret a dog's yawn as 'sleepy' and licking as 'kissing,' while these are often signs of stress in a dog. Not only is it important to understand how dogs behave, it is important to understand how a dog may interpret our behavior." The host of this year's National Dog Bite Prevention Week press conference, Chicago's Anti-Cruelty Society , is committed to helping pets and educating people through their programs and services. It was the perfect setting for veterinary experts and Victoria Stilwell to demonstrate the importance of active supervision--of both children and dogs--as well as how to interpret what dogs are communicating through their body language. "Dogs don't just bite 'out of the blue.' Most bites are a perfect storm of situation and circumstance, but because dogs' physical and vocal language is frequently misinterpreted or signals are missed, people often put themselves or others at risk and dogs are blamed as a result," says Stilwell. "Education is the only way to reduce dog bite incidents in this country, which is why I am proud to be a part of this coalition whose mission is to raise awareness about this issue." A recent study published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association cited approximately two-thirds of pet owners are missing a small window between two and 14 weeks where socialization is crucial in the behavioral development of dogs. Proper socialization can be the difference between a solid human-animal bond and dogs being returned to shelters or destroyed. American Humane says that dog bites are a double tragedy affecting both people and animals. "A dog bite can have a devastating effect not only on the victim, but also on the dog, who may be euthanized," says Robin Ganzert, PhD, president and CEO of American Humane. The Coalition understands that educating dog owners about responsible ownership will reduce dog-related injuries. Because of the high risk involving dogs, babies, and children, American Humane offers a free online booklet called Pet Meets Baby that provides families with valuable information on introducing a new child to a home with a dog. The AVMA has an education-based toolkit including Jimmy's Dog House video series that teaches preschoolers how a dog might interpret their movements. The Bilingual Dog Bite Prevention activity/coloring book teaches children how to act around dogs. Adults are urged to download this information: What you should know about dog bite prevention (available in Spanish: Prevencion de Mordeduras de Perros); Teaching children about dog bite prevention web page; and the Socialization of dogs and cats web page. State Farm believes that educating dog owners about being responsible will reduce dog-related injuries. State Farm is also one of the few insurance companies in the country that does not have a breed restriction list and does not exclude homeowner or renter insurance coverage because of the breed of dog owned. Under the right circumstances any dog might bite. Dog bites by the numbers: Dog bites and other dog-related injuries accounted for nearly one third of all homeowners' liability claim dollars paid out in 2018, costing $675 million, according to the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.) and State Farm , the largest writer of homeowners' insurance in the United States. An analysis of homeowners' insurance data by the I.I.I. found that the number of dog bite claims nationwide decreased to 17,297 in 2018, compared to 18,522 in 2017 a 6.6 percent decrease. The average cost per claim increased by 5.3 percent. The average cost paid out for dog bite claims was $39,017. in 2018, compared with $37,051 in 2017. In 2018, State Farm paid $123 million for 3,280 dog bite and injury claims. For more information, contact Michael San Filippo, AVMA senior media relations specialist, at 847-285-6687 (office), 847-732-6194 (cell) or [email protected] . The AVMA, founded in 1863, is one of the oldest and largest veterinary medical organizations in the world, with more than 93,000 member veterinarians worldwide engaged in a wide variety of professional activities and dedicated to the art and science of veterinary medicine. FOR MORE INFORMATION Michael San Filippo Senior Media Relations Specialist American Veterinary Medical Association Tel: 847-285-6687 Cell: 847-732-6194 Email: [email protected] #preventbites SOURCE American Veterinary Medical Association Related Links http://www.avma.org MIAMI, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Parabolt, the company that transforms innovative ideas into disruptive products, is proud to unveil its exciting plans for the upcoming eMerge Americas event in Miami, a conference that brings together the best and brightest from the global tech industry. Innovation begins with connection and eMerge Americas is where the changemakers go to meet and engage with their peers. Each year, the event brings together industry leaders for two days of networking, collaboration, knowledge sharing and deep-dive discussions on the transformative impact of digital on businesses, global economies and wider society. Parabolt, the idea incubator powered by gA, will be present at this year's event at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami, FL. on April 29 and 30 and it intends to put disruption center stage. "eMerge Americas is the premier technology event connecting North America and Latin America with Europe and it's the perfect forum for Parabolt," said Alejandra Fehrmann, VP of Global Marketing and Communications at gA & Parabolt. "We believe collaboration is essential to innovation and our beliefs are aligned with the event's focus on linking start-ups, high-impact ideas and leading business thinkers. We intend to show how we can add value to firms, governments and societies across the world." Parabolt's team has a packed schedule at eMerge Americas. On Tuesday, April 30, Parabolt's Chief Disruption Officer, Alessandro Annoscia, will detail his unique and collaborative approach as one of the featured speakers on a key panel discussion at the eMerge Main Stage, titled "How to Scale Your Start-Up to Deliver Enterprise Value." In addition, Parabolt, will serve as one of the judges for the Start-up Showcase, which will feature pitches from 100 start-ups from across the world. Parabolt will also be holding demonstrations at Booth 1122 on the main exhibition floor throughout the event. If you're planning to attend eMerge Americas, make sure to visit our team and discover how Parabolt could revolutionize your business. We love nothing more than meeting new people, exchanging ideas and exploring how we might ignite innovation and transformation within your firm. About Parabolt We are a company that transforms innovative ideas into disruptive and scalable businesses. Via three camps or business portfolios, we incubate our own concepts and those from Latin American entrepreneurs and large corporations, assisting our partners and helping them transform their offerings into disruptive digital products and collaborative platforms. To find out more visit: http://www.parabolt.net About gA We are a global technology company that uses digital platforms and transformation services, to empower large companies in the Americas and Europe to reshape their business models and their organizations, using the power of data, business processes and people. With a staff of 1,300 consultants and developers across 10 offices located in the US, Spain, Mexico, Brazil, Chile and Argentina, we serve our global customers with a dual shore services model. To find out more visit: www.grupoassa.com SOURCE Parabolt Related Links http://www.parabolt.net VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- ParcelPal Technology Inc. ("ParcelPal" or the "Company"), (CSE: PKG) (CSE: PKG.CN) (FSE: PT0) (OTC: PTNYF) is pleased to announce that it will be hosting an investor update conference call on May 17th, 2019 to review the Company's recent progress. The Company would also like to inform shareholders that it will be releasing its quarterly financial statements for Q4 FY2018 (October 1, 2018 - December 31, 2018) by April 30, 2019. Conference Call Information: When: May 17th, 2019, 8:00 am PST / 11:00 am EST Dial in Canada: +1-647-558-0588 Dial in United States: +1-929-205-6099 Meeting ID: 142-555-258 You do not require a participant ID when entering the call. About ParcelPal Technology Inc. ParcelPal is a technology-driven logistics company that connects consumers to the goods they love. Customers can shop at partner businesses and through the ParcelPal technology receive their purchased goods within an hour. The Company offers on-demand delivery of merchandise from leading retailers, restaurants, medical marijuana dispensaries and liquor stores in Vancouver and soon in major cities Canada-wide. ParcelPal Website: www.parcelpal.com The Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE") or any other securities regulatory authority has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release that has been prepared by management. CSE Symbol: PKG FSE Symbol: PT0 OTC Symbol: PTNYF Contact: Peter Hinam, Director-Investor Relations [email protected] Forward Looking Information This news release contains forward looking statements relating to the Proposed Transaction, and the future potential of ParcelPal. Forward looking statements are often identified by terms such as "will", "may", "should", "intents", "anticipates", "expects", "plans" and similar expressions. All statements other than statements of historical fact, included in this release are forward looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, the risk that the Proposed Transaction will not be completed due to, among other things, failure to execute definitive documentation, failure to complete satisfactory due diligence, failure to receive the approval of the CSE and the risk that ParcelPal will not be successful due to, among other things, general risks relating to the mobile application industry, failure of ParcelPal to gain market acceptance and potential challenges to the intellectual property utilized in ParcelPal. There can be no assurance that any forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. The Company cannot guarantee that any forward-looking statement will materialize, and the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company will only update or revise publicly any of the included forward looking statements as expressly required by Canadian securities laws. Conference Call Information: Dial in Canada: +1-647-558-0588 Dial in United States: +1-929-205-6099 www.parcelpal.com Investor Relations [email protected] 604-401-8700 SOURCE ParcelPal Technology Inc. Related Links http://www.parcelpal.com AUSTIN, Texas, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Parsley Energy, Inc. (NYSE: PE) plans to report first quarter 2019 financial results on Wednesday, May 1, 2019 after the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange. The company will host its quarterly conference call at 9:00 AM ET (8:00 AM CT) on Thursday, May 2, 2019. By Phone: Dial 877-709-8150 (United States/Canada) or 201-689-8354 (International) approximately 10 minutes before the scheduled start time and request the Parsley Energy earnings conference call. A telephone replay will be available through Thursday, May 9, 2019 by dialing 877-660-6853 (United States/Canada) or 201-612-7415 (International). Conference ID: 13689547. By Webcast: www.parsleyenergy.com Select "Events & Presentations" under the "Investors" section of the Company's website. Please log on at least 10 minutes in advance to register and download any necessary software. A replay will be available shortly after the call. About Parsley Energy, Inc. Parsley Energy, Inc. is an independent oil and natural gas company focused on the acquisition, development, exploration and production of unconventional oil and natural gas reserves in the Permian Basin in west Texas. For more information, visit our website at www.parsleyenergy.com. SOURCE Parsley Energy, Inc. Related Links http://www.parsleyenergy.com HANOVER, Pa., April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- To accommodate renovations at the Fine Wine & Good Spirits Premium Collection at Hanover Crossing, 431 Eisenhower Dr., Hanover, York County, the store will temporarily close at 7:00 PM Sunday, April 7, and a new location in the same shopping center will open to serve customers until the permanent location reopens. When it reopens, the remodeled Fine Wine & Good Spirits will offer consumers a warmer, more welcoming atmosphere to browse its more extensive collection. Store hours and additional locations can be found at FineWineAndGoodSpirits.com. 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 SOURCE Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board Related Links http://www.lcb.state.pa.us SUNNYVALE, Calif., April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Platform9 ( https://platform9.com/ ), the leader in SaaS-managed hybrid cloud, today announced it will present three sessions on Serverless applications at two upcoming industry events - Serverless Architecture Conference and SATURN 2019. The company will also host two Kubernetes-focused online events: a technical webinar with the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) as well as a DevOps.com webinar featuring a Platform9 user at Juniper Networks. 1) Erwin van Eyk Presents "Going FaaSter: Cost-Performance Optimizations of Serverless on Kubernetes" at Serverless Architecture Conference Serverless Architecture Conference helps developers and software architects master cloud-native architectures, learn more about the Kubernetes ecosystem and how to take advantage of Functions. The conference takes place between April 8-10, 2019 in The Hague, Netherlands. Erin van Eyk , is a software engineer at Platform9 and contributes to Fission.io : an open-source, Kubernetes-native, Serverless platform. Erwin will be presenting different optimizations used in popular FaaS platforms, and recent research findings that aim to optimize the trade-offs between cost and performance. Going FaaSter: Cost-Performance Optimizations of Serverless on Kubernetes Wednesday, April 10 at 11:45 a.m. CEST at Serverless Architecture Conference, The Hague, Netherlands 2) Daniel Lipovetsky Presents "Kubernetes in Production: Operating etcd with etcdadm" on CNCF-hosted Webinar In this webinar, hosted by the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF), Daniel Lipovetsky presents etcdadm , an open source project recently adopted by the Kubernetes Cluster Lifecycle SIG. etcdadm is a command-line tool with a kubeadm-like interface that allows users to easily configure, install and operate secure etcd clusters. Daniel will explain the etcdadm design in depth, and discuss how Platform9's experience running etcd clusters in production informed that design. Daniel will also demonstrate deploying a highly available etcd cluster using etcdadm, recovering the cluster from both partial and complete failures. In the process, Daniel will cover important etcd runtime parameters and caveats of dynamic cluster reconfiguration. Webinar: Kubernetes in Production - Operating etcd with etcdadm Tuesday, April 16 T 10 a.m. Pacific T Pacific Cloud Native Computing Foundation Webinar Series 3) Ravi Ravichandran - VP Cloud Platform Engineering, Cloud Operations & DevOps at Juniper Networks - Discusses "5 Lessons Learned from Large-scale Kubernetes in the Enterprise" on DevOps.com Webinar Platform9 customer Ravi Ravichandran - VP Cloud Platform Engineering, Cloud Operations & DevOps at Juniper Networks - will be joined by Sirish Raghuram, Platform9 CEO, for a lively discussion on how to get a large-scale production Kubernetes cluster up and running in on-premises environments. Ravi and Sirish will discuss how to avoid the pitfalls of running production Kubernetes and ensuring high-availability, scalability, and performance. They will also touch upon the implications of building and operating your own production clusters using your own resources and upstream Kubernetes versus commercial alternatives available in the market. Join the webinar to learn tips, best practices, and architectural approaches for the initial implementation as well as for the on-going day-2 operations. Webinar: 5 Lessons Learned from Large-scale Kubernetes in the Enterprise Tuesday, April 16 at 12 p.m. Pacific at Pacific Devops.com hosted Webinar Series 4) Josh Hurt Presents "Function Composition in a Serverless World" at SATURN 2019 SATURN 2019 brings software architects, developers, technical managers, and researchers together to share ideas and insights about effective architecture-centric practices for developing and maintaining software-intensive systems. The conference takes place between May 6-9, 2019 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Josh Hurt is a senior software engineer at Platform9. Josh will explore four available options for composing functions, along with a deep dive into workflows, using examples and live demos for each approach. Function Composition in a Serverless World Tuesday, May 7 at 3:30 p.m. Eastern at Eastern SATURN 2019 Conference, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 5) Vamsi Chemitiganti Presents "Quick Wins for Modernizing Legacy Applications with Serverless" at SATURN 2019 Vamsi Chemitiganti is the Chief Strategist at Platform9 where he works with Platform9's Client CXOs and Architects to help them realize key business transformation initiatives. Vamsi will discuss key patterns and quick wins for modernizing legacy applications using serverless architectures and functions-as-a-service (FaaS). Quick Wins for Modernizing Legacy Applications with Serverless Thursday, May 9 at 1:45 p.m. Eastern at Eastern SATURN 2019 Conference, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Share This: See @erwinvaneyk present at @serverlesscon for "Going FaaSter: Cost-Performance Optimizations of #Serverless on #Kubernetes https://serverless-architecture.io/docker-kubernetes-co/going-faaster-cost-performance-optimizations-of-serverless-on-kubernetes/ @fissionio #FaaS #K8s @fissionio #FaaS #K8s Watch this CNCF ( @ CloudNativeFdn) Webinar #Kubernetes in Production: Operating #etcd with etcdadm https://zoom.us/webinar/register/6715537961526/WN_NygzWrojRe69zNSDS2cDww CloudNativeFdn) Webinar #Kubernetes in Production: Operating #etcd with etcdadm Hear Ravi Ravichandran at @JuniperNetworks Discuss "5 Lessons Learned from Large-scale #Kubernetes in the Enterprise" on a @devopsdotcom webinar https://webinars.devops.com/five-lessons-learned-from-large-scale-implementation-of-kubernetes-in-the-enterprise @sirishraghuram #ITOps #Cloud at @JuniperNetworks Discuss "5 Lessons Learned from Large-scale #Kubernetes in the Enterprise" on a @devopsdotcom webinar https://webinars.devops.com/five-lessons-learned-from-large-scale-implementation-of-kubernetes-in-the-enterprise @sirishraghuram #ITOps #Cloud Join Josh Hurt at #SATURN19 where he'll be presenting "Function Composition in a #Serverless World" https://saturn2019.sched.com/event/LY4o/function-composition-in-a-serverless-world?iframe=yes&w=100%&sidebar=no&bg=no# @SATURN_News @fissionio #FaaS #kubernetes at #SATURN19 where he'll be presenting "Function Composition in a #Serverless World" @SATURN_News @fissionio #FaaS #kubernetes Join @VamsiTalksTech at #SATURN19 to learn about the "Quick Wins for Modernizing Legacy #Apps with #Serverless" https://saturn2019.sched.com/event/Ff8Q/quick-wins-for-modernizing-legacy-applications-with-serverless?iframe=no&w=100%&sidebar=no&bg=no @SATURN_News #FaaS #cloud #kubernetes About Platform9 Platform9 ( platform9.com ) delivers a SaaS-managed hybrid cloud solution that turns existing infrastructure into a cloud, instantly. We help enterprises drive digital transformation by enabling them to manage VMs, Containers and Serverless Functions on ANY infrastructure on-premises, in public clouds, or at the edge with a self-service, simple and unified experience. Customers such as Cadence, Autodesk, Veritas, Nanometrics, EBSCO, Bitly, LogMeIn, and Aruba see upwards of 300 percent improvement in IT efficiency, 33 percent faster time to market, and 50-80 percent improvement in data center utilization and cost reduction. The company is headquartered in Sunnyvale, CA, and is backed by Redpoint Ventures, Menlo Ventures, Canvas Ventures, and HPE. Media and Analyst Contact Jeremy Douglas Catapult PR-IR 303.581.7760 [email protected] SOURCE Platform9 Related Links http://platform9.com SEATTLE, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Renown Health, northern Nevada's healthcare leader and Reno's only locally owned not-for-profit health system, and Genome Medical, a leading nationwide telegenomics technology and services company, today announced a partnership to bring genetic counseling and educational services to participants of the Healthy Nevada Project. Under the partnership, select participants in the Healthy Nevada Project are receiving counseling and other genetic services from Genome Medical as the next step in their care, following initial genetic testing. This ensures that participants with medically actionable findings are given the best possible means of understanding their results and communicating those results back to their primary care provider, who can guide any necessary changes to their clinical care. Details on the collaboration are to be discussed today during a presentation by Joseph Grzymski, Ph.D., chief scientific officer of Renown Health, Associate Research Professor at Desert Research Institute and principal investigator of the Healthy Nevada Project, at the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) Annual Clinical Genetics Meeting in Seattle. His talk will provide an update on the Healthy Nevada Project, a first-of-its-kind, community-based population health study, and insights on how early results indicate that current guidelines are missing a majority of CDC Tier 1 conditions and the need for strong outreach and education services. "We believe returning results to participants is a critical part of this population health study," said Grzymski. "However, we know that just returning results isn't enough. We are also here to help people understand their risks and take necessary next steps at the clinical level to help them live healthier lives. Genome Medical is the perfect partner to help us achieve this and spread the message that early detection of these CDC Tier 1 conditions will save lives." The Healthy Nevada Project, led by Renown Institute for Health Innovation (Renown IHI) a partnership between Renown Health and Desert Research Institute, was launched in September 2016 as one of the first community-based population health studies in the United States. The study has already enrolled, consented and collected DNA from approximately 35,000 participants, with the aim of one in 40 Nevadans being a part of the study by the end of this year. Under the program, researchers and physicians are using genetics, environmental data and individual health information to empower providers with a targeted approach to personal health care and treatment, in turn improving the overall health and well-being of people in the local communities. The partnership between Genome Medical and Renown Health is a first-of-its-kind approach for assessing genetic testing results and providing patients with counseling services that support and guide them on their genomic health journeys. This is made possible through Genome Medical's virtual telehealth platform in which study participants are connected directly, on-demand, with genetic specialists. "Genome Medical is excited to be part of Renown Health's innovative initiative, which directly aligns with our mission to bring genomic medicine to everyday care," said Lisa Alderson, CEO, Genome Medical. "Together, we are spearheading a new and proactive communications model for returning test results to patients and providing comprehensive patient support. Patients as well as their physicians receive convenient access to Genome Medical genetic specialists to address any concerns and to incorporate this essential information and take appropriate actions in adjusting health care. We hope this will serve as a model for large scale research programs to return genetic information to participants." About Genome Medical Genome Medical is a national telegenomics technology and services company bringing genomic medicine to everyday care. Through our nationwide network of genetic specialists and efficient genomic care delivery platform, we provide expert virtual genetic care for individuals and their families to improve health and well-being. We also help healthcare providers and their patients navigate the rapidly expanding field of genetics and utilize test results to understand the risk for disease, accelerate disease diagnosis, make informed treatment decisions and lower the cost of care. We are shepherding in a new era of genomic medicine by creating easy, efficient access to top genetic experts. Genome Medical is headquartered in South San Francisco and is backed by Canaan Partners, GE Ventures, Illumina Ventures, Kaiser Permanente Ventures and HealthInvest Equity Partners. To learn more, visit www.genomemedical.com and follow @GenomeMed. About Renown Health Renown Health is a locally governed and locally owned, not-for-profit integrated healthcare network serving Nevada, Lake Tahoe and northeast California. Renown is one of the region's largest private employers with a workforce of more than 7,000. It comprises three acute care hospitals, a rehabilitation hospital, the area's most comprehensive medical group and urgent care network, and the region's largest and only locally owned not-for-profit insurance company, Hometown Health. Renown has a long tradition and commitment to continually improve the care and the health of our community. For more information, visit renown.org. SOURCE Genome Medical Related Links https://www.genomemedical.com AMSTERDAM, the Netherlands, April 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Constellium N.V. (NYSE: CSTM) announced today that it has signed a multi-year contract with the American privately-funded aerospace manufacturer and spaceflight services company, Blue Origin, to support their launch vehicle programs. This agreement helps Constellium confirm its position as a trusted partner in the space industry for the supply of advanced aluminium products and solutions. This contract is a new milestone in a successful collaboration between the two companies for the supply of high-performance Airware products. Under this agreement, Constellium is to supply Airware aluminium plates and sheets for Blue Origins massive orbital rocket, New Glenn. We expect this new contract to strengthen our position as a key supplier of innovative aluminium solutions for the space industry, and as an industry leader more generally, said Ingrid Joerg, President of Constelliums Aerospace and Transportation business unit. It helps demonstrate our know-how and expertise to provide tailored products and spurs our ambition to pursue growth in servicing our partners in the space industry. Constellium will supply Blue Origin with Airware plates and sheets from its manufacturing plants at Issoire, France, and Ravenswood, West Virginia, United States. About Constellium Constellium N.V. (NYSE: CSTM) is a global sector leader that develops innovative, value added aluminium products for a broad scope of markets and applications, including automotive, aerospace and packaging. Constellium generated 5.7 billion of revenue in 2018. www.constellium.com Delphine Dahan-Kocher Communications, NA Noemie Fierens Communications, Europe Phone: +1 (443) 420 7860 Phone: +33 (0)1 73 01 41 84 delphine.dahan-kocher@constellium.com noemie.fierens@constellium.com Ryan Wentling Investor Relations Josee Robert Aerospace and Transportation Phone: +1 (443) 988 0600 Phone: +33 (0)1 73 01 46 85 Investor-relations@constellium.com josee.robert@constellium.com Forward-looking statements Certain statements contained in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. This press release may contain forward-looking statements with respect to our business, results of operations and financial condition, and our expectations or beliefs concerning future events and conditions. You can identify forward-looking statements because they contain words such as, but not limited to, believes, expects, may, should, approximately, anticipates, estimates, intends, plans, targets, likely, will, would, could and similar expressions (or the negative of these terminologies or expressions). All forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Many risks and uncertainties are inherent in our industry and markets. Others are more specific to our business and operations. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, economic downturn, the loss of key customers, suppliers or other business relationships; disruption to business operations; the inability to meet customer quality requirements; delayed readiness for the North American Auto Body Sheet market, the capacity and effectiveness of our hedging policy activities, failure to retain key employees, and other risk factors set forth under the heading Risk Factors in our Annual Report on Form 20-F, and as described from time to time in subsequent reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The occurrence of the events described and the achievement of the expected results depend on many events, some or all of which are not predictable or within our control. Consequently, actual results may differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. HONG KONG and MARTINSRIED, Germany and MUNICH, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Sinovant Sciences and Roivant Sciences today announced the launch of Cytovant Sciences, a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing innovative cellular therapeutics in Asia. Cytovant will focus on development programs that have the potential to transform the treatment of diseases that are prevalent in Asian patients. Concurrent with the company's launch, Cytovant has entered into a multi-program license and collaboration agreement with Medigene AG, a clinical stage biotechnology company focusing on the development of T cell immunotherapies. Medigene has granted Cytovant exclusive licenses to develop, manufacture, and commercialize Medigene's research-stage T cell immunotherapy targeting NY-ESO-1 as well as a DC vaccine targeting WT-1 and PRAME, in Greater China, South Korea, and Japan. In addition, Cytovant and Medigene have entered into a strategic collaboration and discovery agreement for T-cell receptor (TCR) immunotherapies for two additional targets. Medigene will be responsible for the generation and delivery of the TCR constructs using its proprietary TCR discovery and isolation platform. Following this research collaboration period, Cytovant will assume sole responsibility for the development and commercialization of these TCR therapies in the relevant countries. The TCRs to be generated by Medigene will be tailored specifically to Asian patients. Under the terms of the transaction agreements, Medigene will receive an overall upfront payment of USD 10 million as well as potential development, regulatory, and commercial milestone payments which in aggregate could total over USD 1 billion for the four products across multiple indications. Furthermore, Medigene will be eligible to receive royalty payments on net sales of the products in a low double-digit percentage in the relevant countries. Additionally, Cytovant will reimburse all R&D costs incurred by Medigene within the collaboration. "T cell receptors are the scouts of the immune system," said Prof. Dolores Schendel, CEO/CSO of Medigene. "They help T cells recognize and destroy cancer cells. We use our sophisticated screening systems to generate tailored TCR therapies for patient populations with specific genetic characteristics. This partnership implements Medigene's strategy to discover TCRs with various HLA specificities in order to address different populations and markets. Cytovant, with its highly experienced management and scientific team was launched by Sinovant and Roivant to achieve excellence in cell therapies and we are proud to be part of this story of delivering various TCR projects as well as our DC vaccine for development in East Asia." "The complexities of end-to-end cell therapy manufacturing, development, and commercialization in Asia require regional focus, specialization, and knowledge," said Benjamin Zimmer, President of Roivant Health. "Roivant and Sinovant have built Cytovant precisely to address these scientific and logistical complexities. We are excited to announce this strategic alliance with Medigene, one of the leading companies in the field of T cell-based therapies, to deliver important new cellular immunotherapies to Asian patients as quickly as possible." Dr. John Xu, a molecular immunologist by training and translational scientist, has joined Cytovant and will serve as the company's President. Prior to joining Cytovant, Dr. Xu was President and Chief Scientific Officer of Mab-Legend Biotech, a Shanghai-based antibody discovery company. Previously, Dr. Xu also served as Chief Scientific Officer of Shanghai Benemae Pharmaceutical Corporation and as Head of the Biologics Group at GSK China. He received his B.S. in cell biology and genetics from Peking University and his Ph.D. in biochemistry and molecular biology from Harvard University. "We are thrilled to welcome John to Cytovant," said Dr. Xinan Chen, Executive Chairman of Sinovant. "John's deep scientific expertise and knowledge of Asia's health priorities make him an ideal leader for the company as we prepare to rapidly scale its research and development activities. The launch of Cytovant represents an important milestone in Sinovant's evolution as a platform for entrepreneurs like John and we look forward to building Cytovant with him." About Cytovant Cytovant is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative cellular therapeutics in Asia. Cytovant's mission is to become Asia's premier cell therapy company by discovering, developing, and commercializing new medicines that are uniquely suited to Asian patients. About Sinovant Sinovant is a Chinese biopharmaceutical company dedicated to conducting globally innovative biomedical R&D in China to meet the needs of patients in Greater China and around the world. Sinovant's mission is to develop and commercialize new medicines that address the most pressing public health challenges in China while simultaneously advancing Chinese biopharmaceutical research abroad. For further information, please visit www.sinovant.com. About Roivant Roivant aims to improve health by rapidly delivering innovative medicines and technologies to patients. We do this by building Vants nimble, entrepreneurial biotech and healthcare technology companies with a unique approach to sourcing talent, aligning incentives, and deploying technology to drive greater efficiency in R&D and commercialization. For more information, please visit www.roivant.com. About Medigene Medigene AG (FSE: MDG1, ISIN DE000A1X3W00, Prime Standard) is a publicly listed biotechnology company headquartered in Martinsried near Munich, Germany. The company is developing highly innovative immunotherapies to target various forms and stages of cancer. Medigene concentrates on the development of personalized T cell-based therapies with the focus on T cell receptor-modified T cells (TCR-Ts) and has projects currently in preclinical and clinical development. For more information, please visit www.medigene.com. Contractual parties to the agreement are Medigene Immunotherapies GmbH, a wholly owned affiliate of Medigene AG, and Roivant Asia Cell Therapy Holdings Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Roivant Sciences Ltd. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements representing the opinion of Medigene as of the date of this release. The actual results achieved by Medigene may differ significantly from the forward-looking statements made herein. Medigene is not bound to update any of these forward-looking statements. Medigene is a registered trademark of Medigene AG. This trademark may be owned or licensed in select locations only. Contacts Sinovant Sciences Qi Gu Email: [email protected] Roivant Sciences Paul Davis Email: [email protected] Medigene AG Julia Hofmann, Dr. Robert Mayer Email: [email protected] SOURCE Roivant Sciences Related Links http://www.roivant.com In SCCE's new book, The Accidental Compliance Professional , former SCCE & HCCA CEO and author Roy J. Snell tells his personal and compliance war stories, and how they can help anyone succeed in the industry. As a pioneer of the compliance and ethics profession, who built a professional association from the ground up, Snell has a wealth of information to share. A future staple of any compliance professional's library, this book covers a range of topics in an entertaining yet practical way, including: How the Health Care Compliance Association and the Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics formed The emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills needed to succeed The tools needed to fully attack and fix a compliance problem Why being delightfully honest and independent are critical to compliance Learn more and order now Praise for The Accidental Compliance Professional: "A thoroughly enjoyable, must-read for every compliance professional. The book is a wonderful combination of all of Roy's best qualities: wisdom, passion, experience, humor, and just the right amount of wisecracker. I've known Roy for almost 20 years and still found I had more to learn from him." - Margaret Hambleton, CHC, CHPC, President, Hambleton Compliance "Roy may have become a compliance professional by accident, but he also became one of the profession's founding fathers. This account provides insight and direction for compliance professionals today." - Jay Jorgensen, former Global Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer, Walmart "Roy Snell's energy, curiosity, sense of adventure, and fun suffuses every paragraph of this book. Via personal anecdotes ranging from college pranks gone wrong to tackling integrity challenges in Sarajevo, makes a compelling case that compliance officers are the heart and conscience of the corporation, and that the mission has never been more important." - Alison Taylor, Managing Director at Business for Social Responsibility About the author Roy J. Snell is a cofounder and former CEO of the Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics & Health Care Compliance Association (SCCE & HCCA). He's worked as an administrator of the Mayo Clinic and a compliance officer for the University of Wisconsin Medical Foundation and Hospital. Snell is a frequent speaker and writer on subjects related to the compliance profession. About SCCE & HCCA Founded in 1996, the Health Care Compliance Association (HCCA) was created to fill a growing need for education and community among healthcare compliance professionals. In 2004, we expanded our scope by forming the Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics (SCCE), which supports compliance and ethics professionals across all industries. Both member-based associations provide resources, publications, certifications, and training to compliance professionals including a combined 100+ conferences annually - and champion ethical practices and compliance standards. SCCE & HCCA, headquartered in Minneapolis, MN, serve a combined 19,700+ members from more than 98 countries and we continue to grow. Visit the SCCE website at www.corporatecompliance.org or call 888.277.4977. Visit HCCA's website at www.hcca-info.org or call 888.580.8373. SOURCE SCCE & HCCA WASHINGTON, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- SCORE, the nation's largest network of volunteer, expert business mentors, congratulates its Portland, Maine chapter on being named SCORE Chapter of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration in honor of the upcoming National Small Business Week. SCORE, the nations largest network of volunteer, expert business mentors, congratulates its Portland, Maine chapter on being named SCORE Chapter of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration in honor of the upcoming National Small Business Week. The Portland chapter was recognized from among 300 SCORE chapters nationwide due to their effectiveness in mentoring and educating current and prospective small business owners in Southern Maine. Over the past six years, SCORE Portland, Maine has more than doubled their total services, serving a record-high 4,000 clients in 2018. "SCORE Portland has grown over the years to become an integral part of Maine's small business community through offering high-quality mentorship, workshops and knowledge of local resources," says Chapter Chair Nancy Strojny. "Our dedicated volunteers guide entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey to success. We're so grateful to have our efforts recognized." SCORE Portland, Maine has maximized their community outreach by partnering with other local organizations and supporting events like the FocusME peer groups for women entrepreneurs. The chapter also recently expanded into the Lewiston-Auburn metro area, and offers video mentoring to accommodate entrepreneurs in the state's undeserved rural counties. The chapter is significantly growing its volunteer base. Last year, SCORE Portland, Maine added 24 new volunteers to their ranks, making for a total of 74 volunteers. "Excellence, consistency, and persistence ultimately describe this year's SCORE Chapter of the Year," says Steve Records, SCORE's vice president of field operations. "Serving a rather small community, [SCORE Portland, Maine] is relevant and intertwined with everything related to small business in Portland. They are a model chapter, not just for a small market, but for SCORE chapters everywhere." Local entrepreneur Maddie Purcell has worked with several SCORE Portland, Maine mentors, including Strojny, to develop crowdfunding campaigns and a marketing strategy for her business, Fyood Kitchen, which runs cooking competitions for the average chef. Named SCORE's 2018 Outstanding Young Entrepreneur, Purcell speaks fondly of Strojny, saying, "Nancy is really a genius she gets to the heart of problems and opportunities very quickly, and helps me see them in a new light. She prepares me to take immediate and decisive action to move my business forward. Nancy also knows everyone in Portland, so she can make connections and suggest conversations I wouldn't yet be able to access on my own." The Portland chapter will be honored during the National Small Business Week kick-off event in Washington, D.C. on May 5. About SCORE Since 1964, SCORE has helped more than 11 million aspiring entrepreneurs. Each year, SCORE's 11,000 volunteer business experts provide free small business mentoring sessions, workshops and educational services to clients in 300 chapters nationwide. In 2018, SCORE volunteers helped to create 32,387 new businesses and 103,300 non-owner jobs. For more information about starting or operating a small business, or on volunteering with SCORE, visit SCORE at www.score.org. Follow @SCOREMentors on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest small business news and updates. Contact Information Betsy Dougert 800-634-0245 [email protected] SOURCE SCORE Related Links http://www.score.org SHENZHEN, China, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- SKYWORTH, the pioneer in big-screen AIoT and a leading global television brand, announced today the launch of the 408 SKYWORTH Global TV Festival. On the 11 consecutive days from 8th April, consumers can enjoy special offers with every purchase of SKYWORTH television sets, as well as televisions from subsidiary brands such as COOCAA and SINOTEC. In a recent event in Beijing titled "Racing to the Future", SKYWORTH announced a bold new strategy to redefine the smart home by offering AIoT products to households. With consumers around the world bringing home more and more internet-connected devices, SKYWORTH has identified televisions as the centerpiece of them all. SKYWORTH has created its proprietary technologies, Swaiot and TrensAI, which will transform televisions into intelligent AIoT hubs. To speed up the "race" to the future, SKYWORTH will make various offers to consumers worldwide, through both physical stores and SKYWORTH's online sales platforms, to help make homes smarter, more convenient, and more interconnected than ever. The promotion period of SKYWORTH 408 Global TV Festival is from 8th April to 18th April. More information on the promotion can be found on: http://www.iskyworth.com, or https://www.facebook.com/SkyworthGlobal/ About SKYWORTH SKYWORTH Digital Holdings Limited (HKG: 0751) is a leading supplier of uniquely advanced and affordable technology solutions. It is valued in excess of USD 19 billion and employs over 40,000 people worldwide (as of 1 March 2019). Headquartered in Shenzhen, China's'Silicon Valley', SKYWORTH offers consumer electronics, display devices, digital set-top boxes, security monitors, network communication, semi-conductors, refrigerators, washing machines, cell phones and LED lighting. Founded in 1988, it is now one of the top five Color TV brands in the world and a top brand in Chinese display industry market. It is also a top three global provider of the Android TV platform. Additional information is available at: http://www.iskyworth.com Media Contact SKYWORTH Amber Chen Phone: +86 186 6682 7284 Email: [email protected] BCW for SKYWORTH Belyndia Wang Phone: +852 2963 6787 Email: [email protected] SOURCE SKYWORTH Related Links http://www.iskyworth.com NEW YORK, April 3, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- BAS market is expected to grow at CAGR of 10.12% from 2019 to 2024 The BAS market is expected to grow from USD 75.0 billion in 2019 to USD 121.5 billion by 2024growing at a CAGR of 10.12%. The growth of this market is mainly driven by the rise in the adoption of automated security systems in buildings, a high focus on designing and establishing energy-efficient and eco-friendly buildings and several benefits of BAS, rapid penetration of IoT in building automation systems, and rapid infrastructure growth in developing nations. Favorable government initiatives and incentives, and advancements of building technologies and automation with data analytics provide lucrative opportunities for players in the BAS market. However, technical difficulties and a dearth of skilled experts restraint the BAS market growth. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05763280/?utm_source=PRN Security and access control systems to hold largest size of BAS market during the forecast period Security and access control systems accounted for the largest share of the BAS market in 2018.Security and access control systems have become an integral part of the safety and security of buildings and their occupants. These systems have revolutionized the building security and removed human intervention.These are installed in buildings to increase the security level, monitor activities, and keep a record of people entering and exiting the building. Several businesses make use of these systems for the protection of assets, staff, and information; monitoring of activities; and controlling the access to the building. Worldwide governments are also investing heavily to develop reliable and robust security systems for safeguarding their citizens from terrorist attacks. Commercial application is expected to hold significantly large share of BAS market by 2024 The commercial application accounted for the largest share of the BAS market in 2018, and a similar trend is likely to continue in the near future.The growing deployment of BAS in large shopping complexes, office buildings, and public transport areas, such as airports and railway stations, drives the growth of the BAS market for commercial applications. HVAC, lighting, and security and access control systems are the major products used in commercial applications. Of these, security and access control systems have become an integral part of commercial buildings because of the rising security concerns in this sector. Market in APAC is likely to grow at highest CAGR during forecast period The BAS market in APAC is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period.APAC is expected to provide ample opportunities to BAS market players during the forecast period due to the influx of global players, along with the emergence of native players in this region. The expected rise is attributed to the high economic growth and surge in the construction and industrial activities witnessed by major countries in this region.The region houses a large proportion of the population in the world, and consumers are actively deploying BAS in residential and commercial areas owing to the improvements in economic conditions in this region. The prime objective of consumers is to achieve energy savings with the implementation of BAS, which directly translates to monetary savings.Countries such as China and India have aggressively started developing smart cities. BAS is acting as a key enabler in achieving these objectives by the respective countries. Breakdown of the profiles of primary participants: By Company Type: Tier 1 - 30%, Tier 2 - 40%, and Tier 3 - 30% By Designation: C-Level Executives - 30%, Directors - 35%, and Others - 35% By Region: North America - 40%, Europe - 20%, APAC - 30%, and RoW - 10% Major players profiled in this report are as follows: Honeywell International (US) Siemens AG (Germany) Johnson Controls International (Ireland) Schneider Electric (France) United Technologies Corp. (US) Robert Bosch (Germany) Legrand (France) Hubbell (US) ABB (Switzerland) Ingersoll-Rand (Ireland) Research Coverage In this report, the BAS market has been segmented on the basis of communication technology, offering, application, and region.Based on communication technology, the market has been segmented into wired technology and wireless technology. The BAS market based on offering has been segmented into facility management systems, security & access control systems, fire protection systems, building energy management software, BAS services, and others.The market for application has been segmented into residential, commercial, and industrial. The study also forecasts the size of the market in 4 main regionsNorth America, Europe, APAC, and RoW. Reasons to Buy the Report The report would help market leaders/new entrants in this market in the following ways: 1. This report segments the BAS market comprehensively and provides the closest approximation of the overall market size and subsegments that include communication technology, offering, application, and region. 2. The report would help stakeholders understand the pulse of the market and provide them with information on key drivers, restraints, challenges, and opportunities pertaining to the BAS market. 3. This report would help stakeholders understand their competitors better and gain more insights to enhance their position in the business. The Competitive Landscape section includes the competitor ecosystem, as well as growth strategies such as product launches, acquisitions, and expansions carried out by major market players. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05763280/?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 Related Links http://www.reportlinker.com VICTOR, N.Y., April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Next week, at the East Africa Property Investment Summit (EAPI), Kenya will unite citizens, government entities, local and foreign investors, and development partners with property interests across East Africa. America-based, EchoStone has been selected to present their affordable housing innovations currently being deployed in West Africa. Currently earmarked to develop more than 200,000 homes in Lagos, Nigeria, EchoStone came to regional attention after delivering a two-bedroom unit in just 14 days. Kenya, specifically, has chosen to address the crisis of global housing through the Big 4 initiative, launched by President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2018. The plan is designed to accelerate the development of affordable housing; along with manufacturing, food security, and universal healthcare - over the next 5 years. EchoStone Affordable Housing Launch Nigeria "Our invitation to present at EAPI, highlights the need for innovation in the market especially with regard to the global housing shortage," says Anders Lindquist, Co-Founder and Chief Business Development Officer of EchoStone. According to World Bank, Kenya has a production target of "200,000 housing units annually for all income levels. However, the production of housing units is currently at less than 50,000 units annually, well below the target number, culminating in a housing deficit of over 2 million units, with nearly 61% of urban households living in slums." EchoStone's focus is to create affordable and sustainable housing for low and middle-income communities in high impact markets like Kenya. EchoStone has created a solution that satisfies this critical need for rapid development by building at an unprecedented rate; through a combination of technology, public-private partnerships, and sustainable development practices - certified by the International Finance Corporation's Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies (IFC EDGE). "We're making history," says Anthony Recchia, EchoStone Co-Founder and CEO. "We constructed the first IFC EDGE certified house in Nigeria, a 64m2 unit, in just 14 days. This project represents Echostone's commitment to helping governments around the world deliver high-quality housing and affordability to their citizens. The growth potential of our system is making the improbable, possible - that's why we're sharing our story at EAPI." The affordable housing "deficit continues to rise due to fundamental constraints on both the demand and supply side and is exacerbated by an urbanization rate of 4.4%, equivalent to 0.5 million new city dwellers every year," cites World Bank. The EchoStone Housing System is the missing link between government, development, financing, off-take, and the industrial scale of building houses. Through their sophisticated approach, EchoStone delivers high-quality construction, rapid development, and streamlined operations that ultimately offer stakeholders a greater long-term value for their investment. "By designing and constructing our communities with international sustainability standards and alignment to the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals, EchoStone significantly reduces the projects' embodied carbon footprint, as well as its lifecycle use of energy and water," says Emmanuel Stefanakis, Chief Sustainability & Development Officer at EchoStone. Therefore, homebuyers can expect lower utility costs and less long-term maintenance than with traditionally constructed houses. During EAPI Lindquist and Stefanakis will share the stage in presenting the EchoStone Housing System and its impact in West Africa. Join them at the "Addressing Affordable Housing with Innovative Technology, Public-Private Partnerships, & Sustainability" presentation to learn more about EchoStone's collaborative framework, proprietary technologies, and achievements in sustainability around the world. EchoStone Opco EchoStone Opco is an international company with the mission of rapidly constructing high-quality housing for low and middle-income communities, at scale. The company was established in 2015, and is headquartered in Victor, New York USA. To find out more about EchoStone and the EchoStone Housing System visit www.echostonehousing.com Contact: Ashley Steinkamp, (585) 598-7320, [email protected] SOURCE EchoStone Opco Related Links http://echostonehousing.com DENVER, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- U.S. Nursing Corporation and Fastaff Travel Nursing, pioneers and industry leaders of job action healthcare staffing replacement and Rapid Response travel nurse staffing, respectively, announce the appointment of Bart Valdez as President and CEO. Also announced is the movement of several key executives to position the company for streamlined services in anticipation of market growth. Bart Valdez, an accomplished leader with over 20 years of experience in human capital management, has been named the new President and CEO of Fastaff and U.S. Nursing, replacing previous President and CEO Allison Beer who has transitioned to a position on the Board of Directors of the two companies. Company owners at Thomas H. Lee Partners in Boston express confidence in the future of the two brands. Board member Josh Nelson stated, "Fastaff and U.S. Nursing hold a unique position in the healthcare staffing space, one which will become even more valuable to our hospital clients as they manage increasing cost pressures." Mr. Nelson continued, "With his experience growing business in the human capital management industry, Bart will accelerate our efficiency and extend our capabilities to a broader market of clients." Mr. Valdez previously held executive leadership roles with Syneos Health, INC, Ceridian, INC and First Advantage, INC, and has a proven track record of driving substantial and sustained growth through acquisition, business development and strategic realignment in large domestic and global companies. "Joining the Fastaff and U.S. Nursing teams is both an honor and exciting challenge," said Mr. Valdez. "I have admired this organization's long-term stability as the premier provider of Rapid Response travel nursing and job action replacement. Finding ways to expand on a currently strong market position and bring this one-of-a-kind guaranteed delivery to new clients nationwide is a tremendous opportunity." An honoree of SIA's Global Power 150 Women in Staffing and Staffing 100 Lists, Ms. Beer will draw on more than 20 years of healthcare staffing experience to provide strategic consultation in her new position as a Board member, benefiting the organization and its hospital clients. Further changes aligning the company for success include the appointment of Betty Wageman to the role of Chief Commercial Officer where she will apply 20 years of nurse staffing experience to ensure that clients continue to receive the highest level of service during anticipated expansion. Dr. Kimberly Windsor has assumed the role of Chief Administrative Officer where she will apply more than 35 years of nursing administration and human resources expertise to ensuring industry leading clinical and compliance practices. Finally, Michelle Savell, a five-year veteran of the organization who has led successful operational teams throughout the Fastaff business, will apply her expertise in Rapid Response deployment of experienced, high-acuity nurses and full operational project management in her new role as Senior Vice President of U.S. Nursing Corporation, the nation's leading provider of job action nurse deployment. Mr. Valdez intends to further invest in the company's infrastructure and technology to maintain excellence in delivery for clients experiencing staffing shortages nationwide, and to improve the nurse experience while providing increased career-growth opportunities for the industry's best healthcare providers. About Fastaff Travel Nursing: Almost 30 years ago, Fastaff pioneered the practice of Rapid Response travel nurse staffing. Since then, the company has grown to become the leading provider of urgent and crucial temporary nurses to help hospitals provide continuous, high-quality patient care, while offering premium pay to nurses. In partnering with many of the nation's largest and most prestigious healthcare facilities as well as small community hospitals, Fastaff provides enriching employment opportunities to nurses while also providing the highest pay in the industry to meet acute staffing needs and provide unparalleled patient care. Fastaff has earned The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval, a place on SIA's 2017 and 2016 Largest U.S. Staffing Firms list, #4 on SIA's 2016 Fastest Growing U.S. Staffing Firms and #8 on Colorado's Top Workplaces. Visit www.fastaff.com for more information and connect with Fastaff on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn. About US Nursing Corporation: Since 1989, U.S. Nursing Corporation has been providing end-to-end staffing solutions during labor disputes nationwide. U.S. Nursing Corporation has staffed or helped avert more than 90 percent of healthcare labor disputes nationwide and is the leading resource for comprehensive services throughout strike preparation and implementation. Visit www.usnursing.com for more information. SOURCE Fastaff Travel Nursing Related Links http://www.fastaff.com NEW YORK, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Author Terry Bookman announces the upcoming release of his new book titled, "Beyond Survival: How Judaism Can Thrive in the 21st Century." The 184-page book is set to hit the shelves in May of 2019 by the publisher Rowman & Littlefield. It will also be available in eBook format as well as a hardcover on Amazon. "Beyond Survival: How Judaism Can Thrive in the 21st Century" Beyond Survival is said to challenge the current agenda, assumptions, mindset, and sacred cows of the Jewish establishment, which has largely accepted and become resigned to its communal decline. The book offers an alternative vision for the Jewish future. This includes the concept of the paradigm shift in which individuals can find an open and accepting community that joyously and creatively celebrates their sacred way of life. The book explains a future in which society can all grow and thrive. In this, his fifth and latest, soon-to-be-released book, Rabbi Terry Bookman takes on the establishment. He writes: "For the past two millennia, the Jewish people have become the world's experts at survival. Virulent anti-Semitism, pogroms, expulsions, exile, even genocide have honed our skills in this regard and made us strong. After all, who would have predicted that against all the odds of history, this tiny people would still be around? Yet here we are, both alive and well." A new challenge, power and acceptance, according to Terry Bookman, calls on society to develop new skills as well as a new agenda, to change from merely surviving to thriving. Meet Terry Bookman: Terry is a nationally known Jewish leader, author, educator, and co-founder of Eitzah: The Center for Personal and Community Transformation. Through his teaching and writing, he has reached thousands of community leaders nationally and internationally. Rabbi Bookman holds a Doctor of Divinity as well as numerous academic degrees and distinctions. He was voted one of the "Top 25 Pulpit Rabbis in America" by Newsweek. Rabbi Terry Bookman terrybookman.com 305-794-0442 Related Images meet-terry-bookman.png Meet Terry Bookman "Beyond Survival: How Judaism Can Thrive in the 21st Century" Related Links Contact Us SOURCE Rabbi Terry Bookman "Small businesses are the bedrock of the U.S. economy," said Michelle Di Gangi, Executive Vice President and Head of Small and Medium Enterprise at Bank of the West. "I come from a family of small business owners and learned early on the critical need for this type of financing coupled with access to business banking experts when you need them. We want to be the financial advocate that helps small businesses grow and thrive in the communities we serve." Small Business Express Lending was built in collaboration with fintech firm, Fundation, to deliver fast, simple applications for small business owners. "Customer expectations when consuming financial services products have and will continue to change," said Sam Graziano, CEO of Fundation Group LLC. "We're excited to collaborate with Bank of the West, a leader in innovation, to offer a market leading borrowing experience for small business owners." The Small Business Express Lending Platform: Uses a simple, online application that can be completed at home or in a Bank of the West branch with the help of a small business banking expert. Provides rapid approval and funding in as little as two business days for up to $100,000 . . Includes Business Lines of Credit, Business Credit Cards, and Non-Real Estate Term Loan products. Saves time through its convenient start-to-finish digital application with closing via electronic signature. About Bank of the West We are driven by our fundamental belief in redefining banking for a better future. At a time when people demand more from companies, we are taking action to ensure our activities help protect the planet, improve people's lives, and strengthen communities. That's why we are focusing on areas where we can have a real impact: supporting energy transition, helping enable women entrepreneurs and financing innovative start-ups. As the bank for a changing world, Bank of the West is committed to sustainable finance along with our parent company BNP Paribas. Through Digital Channels and offices across the U.S., Bank of the West provides financial tools and resources to more than 2 million individuals, families and businesses. About Fundation Fundation Group LLC is a credit solutions provider focused on the small business market nationally. Fundation is a leader in providing technology and application processing services to support more than 25 super regional, regional and community banks. Fundation's solutions enable its financial services clients to develop a digital lending capability, provide a great customer experience, drive cost efficiency into their small business lending program, and maximize the number of customers they can serve. Fundation's services range from simple referral partnerships to customized, integrated private labeled lending programs. The Company also partners with a wide array of organizations that serve the small business market in various capacities to deliver credit products to the business community nationwide. For more information, please visit www.fundation.com. Deposit and loan products offered by Bank of the West, Member FDIC and Equal Housing Lender. 2019 Bank of the West. Doing business in South Dakota as Bank of the West California. Connect with us SOURCE Bank of the West Related Links http://www.bankofthewest.com NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OAKVILLE, Ontario, April 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Giyani Metals Corp. (TSXV:EMM) (FRANKFURT:KT9) (WKN:A2DUU8) (Giyani or the Company) announces that it is undertaking a non-brokered private placement of units to raise up to $1 million in immediate new funding. The Company is offering units at $0.16 per unit to accredited investors and other exempt purchasers, with each unit consisting of one (1) common share and one half (1/2) of one common share purchase warrant. Each warrant will entitle the holder to purchase one common share at an exercise price of $0.275 per share for a period of 18 months from the closing of the private placement. Robin Birchall, CEO of the Company commented: "The proceeds from this financing will be used to fund the planned reclamation and rehabilitation work, to further explore and evaluate the potential of our Kanye Basin, Botswana licenses and for general corporate purposes. The financing will provide Giyani with another cash resource in addition to the Convertible Loan note proceeds to comfortably accelerate our work program in what we believe is an exciting time for battery grade manganese as a commodity. Completion of the private placement remains subject to receiving the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange, and, subject to receiving that approval, the closing on received subscriptions is expected on or about April 15, 2019. About Giyani Giyani Metals Corp. is a Canadian junior exploration company focused on creating shareholder value by accelerating the development of its high-grade manganese project in the Kanye Basin, Botswana, Africa. Additional information and corporate documents may be found on www.sedar.com and on Giyani Metals Corp. website: http://giyanimetals.com/. On behalf of the Board of Directors of Giyani Metals Corp. Robin Birchall, CEO Contact: Giyani Metals Corporation Robin Birchall CEO, Director +447711313019 rbirchall@giyanimetals.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. The securities described herein have not been registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the U.S. Securities Act), or any state securities laws, and accordingly, may not be offered or sold to, or for the account or benefit of, persons in the United States or U.S. persons, as such term is defined in Regulation S promulgated under the U.S. Securities Act (U.S. Persons), except in compliance with the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities requirements or pursuant to exemptions therefrom. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the Companys securities to, or for the account of benefit of, persons in the United States or U.S. Persons. Forward Looking Information This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements in this news release, other than statements of historical fact, that address events or developments that Giyani expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words expects, does not expect, plans, anticipates, does not anticipate, believes, intends, estimates, projects, potential, scheduled, forecast, budget and similar expressions, or that events or conditions will, would, may, could, should or might occur. Specific forward-looking statements and forward-looking information herein includes statements regarding the size of and completion of the private placement and the intended use of the net proceeds from the financing. All such forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of the relevant management as of the date such statements are made and are subject to certain assumptions, important risk factors and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Giyanis ability to control or predict. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based on estimates and assumptions that are inherently subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In the case of Giyani, these facts include their anticipated operations in future periods, planned exploration and development of its properties, financing activities, and plans related to its business and other matters that may occur in the future. This information relates to analyses and other information that is based on expectations of future performance and planned work programs. Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which could cause actual events or results to differ from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking information, including, without limitation: inherent exploration hazards and risks; risks related to exploration and development of natural resource properties; uncertainty in Giyanis ability to obtain funding; commodity price fluctuations; recent market events and conditions; risks related to the uncertainty of mineral resource calculations and the inclusion of inferred mineral resources in economic estimation; risks related to governmental regulations; risks related to obtaining necessary licenses and permits; risks related to their business being subject to environmental laws and regulations; risks related to their mineral properties being subject to prior unregistered agreements, transfers, or claims and other defects in title; risks relating to competition from larger companies with greater financial and technical resources; risks relating to the inability to meet financial obligations under agreements to which they are a party; ability to recruit and retain qualified personnel; and risks related to their directors and officers becoming associated with other natural resource companies which may give rise to conflicts of interests. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect Giyanis forward-looking information. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in the forward-looking information or statements. Giyanis forward-looking information is based on the reasonable beliefs, expectations and opinions of their respective management on the date the statements are made and Giyani does not assume any obligation to update forward looking information if circumstances or managements beliefs, expectations or opinions change, except as required by law. For the reasons set forth above, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. For a complete discussion with respect to Giyani and risks associated with forward-looking information and forward-looking statements, please refer to Giyanis financial statements and related MD&A, all of which are filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. "Three things are fundamental to DEWAR's premium range: Age Statements, Double Aging and the Pursuit of Smoothness," said Stephanie Macleod, Master Blender for DEWAR'S. "Drawing inspiration from the archives of our first Master Blender, A.J. Cameron, we devised a unique four-stage aging process that harnesses these three fundamentals, resulting in an exceptionally smooth range of whiskies where each blend has its own unique flavor profile." A Whisky Unlike Any Other The first DEWAR'S DOUBLE DOUBLE release features three different age statements, including the brand's oldest marque yet, in both 375ml and 500ml bottles, each with unique sherry cask finishes: DEWAR'S DOUBLE DOUBLE 21-Year-Old: Finished in Oloroso sherry casks, this blend delivers subtle notes of cinnamon and ripe vine fruits with a silky smooth finish. DEWAR'S DOUBLE DOUBLE 27-Year-Old: Finished in Palo Cortado sherry cask, this blend delivers heady, aromatic, floral notes with honeyed fruits and sublet spice and the characteristic silky smooth finish DEWAR'S DOUBLE DOUBLE 32-Year-Old: Finished in Pedro Ximenez sherry casks, this brings rich, ripe treacle notes with a hint of smokiness and the silky smooth finish. "While Scotch has sometimes been perceived as traditional and conservative, DEWAR'S is reinvigorating the category with new innovations like DEWAR'S DOUBLE DOUBLE that nods to the pioneering spirit of the brand's founder, Tommy Dewar," said Zeenah Vilcassim, Global Brand Director for DEWAR'S Scotch Whisky. "And with consumers thirsty for deeper storytelling, our short film FOUR, a first for DEWAR'S, not only demonstrates the brand's timelessness within the whisky category, but cleverly captures its more premium side." A Double Double Tale Filled with Suspense and Intrigue To launch the brand's first innovation in five years, DEWAR'S has commissioned a short film. Actress Tuppence Middleton took on the creative project and crafted a short noir film, FOUR, about four lives in four rooms which can also be viewed in four parts. This mirrors the same inspiration Stephanie Macleod took in making DEWAR'S DOUBLE DOUBLE. Filled with suspense and intrigue, FOUR takes place at a timeless hotel featuring a hotel manager, couple, dowager and hitman. The four different plots are all seemingly separate at first, but come together at the end for one surprising and delightful finale. Middleton co-wrote the script with actor John Hopkins and enlisted rising star Jennifer Sheridan to direct FOUR, as well as cast a robust line-up of both established and emerging talent, including Iwan Rheon, Jack Farthing, Juliet Stevenson and Nicholas Pinnock. FOUR will premiere April 4th on DEWAR'S social channels and YouTube, where viewers can watch all four episodes of the film, as well as catch behind-the-scenes content and in-depth character vignettes. The brand will be hosting a launch day Facebook Watch Party at 7 PM EDT, during which fans can not only view the film in its entirety, but get the inside scoop directly from Tuppence Middleton herself on what it was like to create the film from scene to scene. For more information on DEWAR'S DOUBLE DOUBLE and the rest of DEWAR'S whisky products, please visit www.dewars.com or on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. About John Dewar & Sons Ltd. Founded in 1846 by John Dewar, DEWAR'S has grown from a small wine and spirits merchant shop in Scotland, to one of the largest Scotch whisky brands in the world. Best known for its iconic DEWAR'S WHITE LABEL, it has expanded its family to create a portfolio of premium and super premium whiskies including DEWAR'S 12-Year-Old, DEWAR'S 15-Year-Old, DEWAR'S 18-Year-Old and the exclusive DEWAR'S 25. These whiskies are crafted using the DEWAR'S oak marrying ageing process. Pioneered by DEWAR'S at its home, the Aberfeldy distillery, in 1899, it involves returning the hand-crafted blend to vintage oak casks for further maturation. The result is a smoother taste with a long, lingering finish; a taste that wins medals and applause, making DEWAR'S the world's most awarded blended Scotch. The DEWAR'S brand is part of the portfolio of Bacardi Limited, headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda. Bacardi Limited refers to the Bacardi group of companies, including Bacardi International Limited. About Bacardi Limited Bacardi Limited, the largest privately held spirits company in the world, produces and markets internationally recognized spirits and wines. The Bacardi brand portfolio comprises more than 200 brands and labels, including BACARDI rum, GREY GOOSE vodka, PATRON tequila, DEWAR'S Blended Scotch whisky, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE gin, MARTINI vermouth and sparkling wines, CAZADORES 100% blue agave tequila, and other leading and emerging brands including WILLIAM LAWSON'S Scotch whisky, ST-GERMAIN elderflower liqueur, and ERISTOFF vodka. Founded more than 157 years ago, in Santiago de Cuba on February 4, 1862, family-owned Bacardi currently employs nearly 7,000, operates more than 20 production facilities, including bottling, distilling and manufacturing sites in 11 countries, and sells its brands in more than 170 countries. Bacardi Limited refers to the Bacardi group of companies, including Bacardi International Limited. Visit www.bacardilimited.com or follow @BacardiLimited. SOURCE John Dewar & Sons Ltd. Related Links https://www.dewars.com CHICAGO, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the new market research report "Aircraft Electrical Systems Market by System (Power Generation, Conversion, Distribution, Energy Storage), Component, Platform (Commercial Aviation, Military Aviation, Business & General Aviation), End-User, Application & Region - Global Forecast to 2025", published by MarketsandMarkets, the Aircraft Electrical Systems Market is projected to grow from USD 29.9 billion in 2019 to USD 41.7 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 5.67% during the forecast period. Lightweight wiring in aircraft electrical systems and advancements of high-density battery solutions for electric aircraft are expected to be the major factors driving the market. Ask for PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=1106 The power generation segment is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. By system, the aircraft electrical systems market has been segmented into power generation, power distribution, power conversion, and energy storage. Among these, the power generation segment is projected to be the fastest-growing during the forecast period. With the growing aircraft electrical system power levels, the diversity of the power generation types is increasing as well. The main aim of power generation management is to manage the generator as well as the engine and to ensure minimum fuel supply. The distribution devices segment is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. By component, the aircraft electrical systems market has been segmented into generators, conversion devices, distribution devices, battery management systems, and others. Among these, the distribution devices segment is projected to witness the highest growth rate during the forecast period. Distribution devices consist of centralized distribution panels, thermal circuit breakers & electro-mechanical relays, and contactors with built-in current sensing & control electronics. Distribution devices found on modern multi-engine aircraft contain several distribution points and a variety of control and protection components to ensure the reliability of electrical power. Browse in-depth TOC on "Aircraft Electrical Systems Market" 161 Tables 51 Figures 191 Pages North America is expected to lead the market for aircraft electrical systems during the forecast period. North America is estimated to account for the largest share of the aircraft electrical systems market in 2019. Huge investments in research and development of more electric aircraft and increasing demand for fuel-efficient and low-maintenance aircraft are factors driving the growth of the market in this region. Recent advances in technology have allowed Boeing to incorporate a new no-bleed systems architecture in the 787 Dreamliner that eliminates the traditional pneumatic system and bleed manifold, converting the power source of most functions formerly powered by bleed air to electric power, which includes air-conditioning packs and wing anti-ice systems. Request Sample pages of the Report: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=1106 Some of the major vendors in the aircraft electrical systems market include Amphenol Corporation (US), Esterline Technologies (US), AMETEK (US), Honeywell (US), and Astronics Corporation (US). Please Explore Relevant Reports: More Electric Aircraft Market by Technology (Power Electronics, Thermal Management, Energy Storage & Others), Application (Power Generation, Passenger Comfort, Air Pressurization & Others) Platform (Fixed Wing, Rotary Wing), and Region - Global Forecast to 2021 Electric Aircraft Market by Aircraft Type (Ultralight Aircraft, Light Jet), Component (Battery, Electric Motor), Technology (Hybrid and All Electric), Range (Less than 500 Km and More than 500 Km), and Region - Global Forecast to 2023 About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve. MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledge Store" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. Contact: Mr. Shelly Singh MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: [email protected] Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/aircraft-electrical-and-enviornmental-systems-market.asp Visit Our Web Site: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com SOURCE MarketsandMarkets NEW YORK, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- American Jewish Committee (AJC) welcomes Pope Francis's appointment of Archbishop Wilton Gregory to head the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington, D.C. He will be the first African American Archbishop of Washington. "The Catholic Church has long been a key interfaith partner. We look forward to continuing to deepen and advance this relationship with Archbishop Gregory," said Alan Ronkin, Director of AJC Washington Region. Gregory will be installed on May 17. Gregory has served as Archbishop of Atlanta for the past 14 years. He also served as president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops from 20012004. "Archbishop Gregory is a great friend to the Jewish community of Atlanta and a true leader in the wider Atlanta community," said AJC Atlanta Region Director Dov Wilker. "He has been a tremendous partner, working to educate the Catholic community on the importance of interfaith relations, especially with the Jewish community. Together we have spoken out on immigration reform, racism, anti-Semitism and the need to strengthen unity within our community." AJC, the global Jewish advocacy organization, is a pioneer in advancing Catholic-Jewish relations over many decades. A national AJC delegation met with Pope Francis at the Vatican last month. SOURCE American Jewish Committee Related Links http://www.ajc.org ONTARIO, Calif., April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- AllSTEM Connections is excited to announce a grand opening event to celebrate their new business venture located at 4720 Ontario Mills Parkway, Ontario, CA 91764. Members of the media are invited to attend this event on April 12 at 12:30 p.m. to learn more about AllSTEM Connections' mission. Their focus is to create real and meaningful connections for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) professionals and employers. The ActOne Group, parent company to AllSTEM Connections, is a global employment and workforce management solutions company founded by Janice Bryant Howroyd. The company has launched AllSTEM Connections to design talent acquisition and human capital programs that prepare candidates and clients for the talent revolution. AllSTEM talent agents guide the career progression of professionals in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) and facilitate work for clients inclusive of executive search, direct hire, contingent labor, referred talent and placement of gig workers. The grand opening of AllSTEM Connections is a wonderful opportunity for news outlets to showcase the importance of STEM careers and their impact on our local and national economy. The addition of this new, high-tech, progressive workhub will create job opportunities in San Bernardino County for many talented recruiters and is designed to provide sophisticated placement service to companies nation-wide. "We are thrilled to be able to provide such a comfortable, productive, and collaborative work environment for our team," comments Peter Carvalho, President of AllSTEM Connections. "We are equally enthusiastic about the important role we intend to play within the Ontario business community and for the opportunities we will afford to its residents." STEM-Related Facts The US Bureau of Labor statistics projects the growth of STEM jobs at a rate of 18.7 percent by the end of 2020. Approximately 57 percent of the job growth is centered around Computer, Mathematical, and Scientific roles and 23.1 percent is anticipated for Biological, Agricultural, Environmental Life, and Social Scientists. Wages for STEM jobs are estimated to pay an average of 29 percent more than non-STEM positions SOURCE AllSTEM AGOURA HILLS, Calif., April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- American Homes 4 Rent (NYSE: AMH) today announced that the Company will release its first quarter 2019 financial and operating results on Thursday, May 2, 2019, after the market closes. The Company will host a conference call on Friday, May 3, 2019, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time to review first quarter results, discuss recent events and conduct a question-and-answer period. Live conference call Toll free number: (877) 451-6152 (for domestic callers) Direct dial number: (201) 389-0879 (for international callers) Passcode: Not required Simultaneous audio webcast link: www.americanhomes4rent.com under "For Investors" Conference call replay Toll free number: (844) 512-2921 (for domestic callers) Direct dial number: (412) 317-6671 (for international callers) Passcode: 13689541# Webcast link: www.americanhomes4rent.com under "For Investors" Date accessible through: May 17, 2019 About American Homes 4 Rent American Homes 4 Rent (NYSE: AMH) is a leader in the single-family home rental industry and "American Homes 4 Rent" is fast becoming a nationally recognized brand for rental homes, known for high quality, good value and tenant satisfaction. We are an internally managed Maryland real estate investment trust, or REIT, focused on acquiring, renovating, leasing, and operating attractive, single-family homes as rental properties. As of December 31, 2018, we owned 52,783 single-family properties in selected submarkets in 22 states. Additional information about American Homes 4 Rent is available on our website at www.americanhomes4rent.com. Contact: American Homes 4 Rent Investor Relations Phone: (855) 794-2447 Email: [email protected] SOURCE American Homes 4 Rent Related Links https://www.americanhomes4rent.com CAROLLTON, Texas, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD (CFBISD), with 25,600 students and 35 schools, has partnered with Anonymous Alerts to bring a state-of-the-art anti-bullying app to the district, helping the district to further comply with David's Law. The beauty of the Anonymous Alerts app is that it goes further than just anti-bullying. Through two-way communication, the app allows students and parents in the school community to anonymously submit alerts about suspicious activity, safety threats, alcohol or drug use, depression, harassment, family issues, school shooter, campus safety concerns and self-harm issues to school administrators or counselors. School officials then have the opportunity to continue the conversation by using the system's anonymous 2-way communications messaging tool. This will help school officials to better investigate the situation and take appropriate action. Panel image describing Anonymous Alerts launching for all 25,600 students in Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD. "At Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD, we are thrilled to implement the Anonymous Alerts reporting system district-wide as a new safety action for our community. We have always taken student concerns seriously and with Anonymous Alerts, we are providing our students a new outlet to communicate anonymously and privately with trusted adults," said Dr. John E. Chapman, III, Superintendent of Schools. Students, parents, and staff members can download the Anonymous Alerts app for free on Apple and Android and gain access to the service by using a simple activation code that will be provided by the district. On CFBISD's website, there will be an Anonymous Alerts web-button that students, parents, and others can access to send a web-based report. The web form is available in English, Spanish and a dozen other languages. Report submitters can provide enhanced information to school officials by attaching a photo, video, or screenshot with their report. Students will be able to view a "helpful links and resources" section in the mobile app that contains links to informational websites and videos related to cyber-bullying, social and emotional learning, self-harm prevention, and mental health self-help content. The system will be monitored during the school year. "We are excited to get started with CFBISD and expand our footprint in the Dallas Area with such a prestigious school district," said T. Gregory Bender, President & CEO of Anonymous Alerts, LLC. Related Images anonymous-alerts-in-carrollton.png Anonymous Alerts in Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD Panel image describing Anonymous Alerts launching for all 25,600 students in Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD. Related Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiSiokYnVnw SOURCE Anonymous Alerts, LLC Related Links http://anonymousalerts.com SAN ANTONIO, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Ascend Partners, LLC announced April 1, 2019, that it has acquired Lakeside Assisted Living, a San Antonio senior living community, and is reopening it as The Grandview of Westover Hills, Ascend's newest boutique senior living experience. The Grandview of Westover Hills offers 42 assisted living and 18 memory care apartments with premium accommodations, resort-style amenities, and world-class care. Ascend Managing Partner Anand Patel said, "We are excited to reinvest in this community and bring to the people of San Antonio the same level of senior care and hospitality we deliver to all of our residents." The Grandview of Westover Hills provides the finest in senior living care to West San Antonio, featuring an active environment and ease of living conveniences. Amenities and services include: Private residences Resort-quality amenities Concierge-style services Chef-prepared meals 24/7 professional care Library/business center Family room Activity room Theatre Full-service salon Fitness center Texas-based Trilogy Senior Living will provide the management and operations for The Grandview of Westover Hills. "Trilogy's one purpose is to provide the best life possible to senior residents," Patel said. "The company brings a unique hands-on focus in providing care, one that perfectly aligns with the lifestyle we want to build at The Grandview." "Trilogy Senior Living is thrilled to be working with Ascend Partners to manage The Grandview of Westover Hills," said Shawn Corzine, CEO of Trilogy Senior Living. "We had the opportunity to meet with the residents, their family members, and the associates a few weeks ago to introduce ourselves and talk about the transition. Everyone was very excited about the transition and welcomed us with open arms." Corzine also added: "Trilogy is excited to have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of everyone involved at The Grandview of Westover Hills and we are looking forward to partnering in many more communities with Ascend Partners in the future." Ascend Partners is investing heavily in the newly rebranded Grandview of Westover Hills to "bring the property back to life," Patel says. The Grandview of Westover Hills is located at 8627 Lakeside Parkway, San Antonio, Texas 78245. The community can be reached at 210-810-4900. About Ascend Partners Ascend Partners is a real estate development and acquisitions company with a focus on senior housing and hospitality properties. For more information about Ascend Partners, please contact [email protected] or call 469-995-0911. About Trilogy Senior Living Trilogy Senior Living is a Texas-based provider of assisted living and memory care communities. Established in New Braunfels Texas, the founders set out with a mission to provide a person-centered care approach designed to make lifestyles similar to living at home, rather than in a large and impersonal institution. Services and programs are successfully led each day for seniors by our compassionate and well-trained staff. FOR MEDIA INQUIRIES: Michelle Rainer Sodalis Senior Living [email protected] 830-624-1044 281-770-4258 SOURCE Ascend Partners, LLC DUBLIN, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Asia-Pacific Top 10 Mobile Wallet Profiles 2019" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Asia-Pacific is the world leader when it comes to the adoption of mobile payments. In 2019, more than one in two smartphone users in this region are expected to make contactless mobile payments in-store, according to a forecast cited in the report. The number of mobile wallets in China from providers such as Alipay and WeChat Pay surpassed half a billion people in 2017 and is projected to remain on the growth path through 2022. Another fast growing market for mobile wallets in Asia-Pacific is India. The value of mobile wallet transactions is projected to more than double between 2018 and 2021, benefitting the top competitors such as Paytm and PhonePe. Japan has lagged behind the countries such as China, India and South Korea in terms of mobile wallet adoption, but has shown some improvement in the recent years, as reported in this publication. The number of QR-based wallet users in this country is projected to see strong double-digit growth rates through 2021 and companies such as Rakuten, LINE, SoftBank and Yahoo! Japan have already embarked on this emerging opportunity. Furthermore, the ASEAN countries are also gradually adopting digital wallets. The trend is championed by popular ride-hailing services such as GrabTaxi and GO-JEK, which both launched their own mobile wallets. Asia-Pacific tops the world in mobile wallet adoption Asia-Pacific has the world's highest mobile payment user penetration, surpassing 50% of smartphone users in 2019, according to the market data. The largest market in the region, China, has more than half a billion of mobile wallet users and continues to grow. The top competitors in this country include Alipay and WeChat Pay, which combined, processed the lion's share of transaction value in 2018. Another mobile leader, India, is also expected to see strong growth reflected in the doubling of the value of mobile wallet payments by 2021. Local mobile wallet solutions are growing across the region In addition to Alipay and WeChat Pay, other local competitors have emerged to tap into mobile wallets' growth in Asia-Pacific. These include Paytm and PhonePe in India and GrabPay and GO-PAY in Southeast Asia, described in the report. Furthermore, consumers in Japan are also starting to adopt innovative mobile payment methods offered by companies such as Rakuten and LINE. Questions Answered in this Report How is the mobile payment market evolving across Asia-Pacific ? ? Which countries of this region are leading in mobile payment adoption rate? What are the top mobile wallets in the countries of Asia-Pacific ? ? How do Alipay, Kakao Pay, LINE Pay, WeChat Pay and others stack up in different countries? How do they differ in coverage and functionalities? Key Topics Covered: 1. Mobile Wallet Market & Rankings 1.1. Global Proximity Mobile Payment User Penetration, by Region, incl. Asia-Pacific, in % of Smartphone Users, 2017-2022f 1.2. Asia-Pacific Regional Proximity Mobile Payment User Penetration, by Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, and South Korea, in % of Smartphone Users, 2017-2022f 1.3. China Number of Mobile Payment Users, in millions, and Penetration, in % of Mobile Internet Users, 2014 - 2018 Proximity Mobile Payment Users Number, in millions, and Penetration, in % of Smartphone Users, 2017 - 2022f Third-Party Mobile Payment Transaction Value, in CNY trillion, 2015 - 2020f Breakdown of Frequency of Using Mobile Payments, in % of Users, 2018 Payment Methods Used by Chinese Tourists During Overseas Travel, in % of Chinese Tourists Travelling Overseas, 2017 & 2018 Top 5 Third-Party Payment Services, in % of Users, August 2018 Top 3 Third-Party Mobile Payment Providers by Market Share, in %, Q3 2018 1.4. Hong Kong Share of Bank Customers Frequently Using Mobile Payment Services, in %, January 2018 Top 2 Mobile Wallets Used by Retail Banking Customers, in %, December 2018 1.5. Taiwan Mobile Payment User Penetration, in % of Smartphone Users, 2017 & 2018 Mobile Payment Usage Locations, in % of Mobile Payment Users, Q3 2018 Breakdown of Most Used Mobile Payment Services, in % of Mobile Payment Users, Q3 2018 1.6. Japan Proximity Mobile Payment User Penetration, in % of Smartphone Users, 2018e & 2022f Proximity Mobile Payment Transaction Value, in JPY trillion, and Year-on-Year Change, in %, FY 2017 - 2023f Share of Smartphone Owners Who Have Used QR Code Payment, in %, January 2019 Mobile Payment Users, by E-Money and QR-based Smartphone Payments, in millions, FY 2016 - FY 2021f Locations of Using Mobile Payment, in % of Mobile Payment Service Users, by Rural and Urban, May 2018 Share of Smartphone Owners Who Started to Use a New Mobile Payment Service in 2018, in %, and Top 15 Mobile Payment Services that Smartphone Owners Started to Use, in of %, November 2018 Top 10 Mobile Payment Services Used, in % of Mobile Payment Users, June 2018 Top 10 QR-Based Mobile Payment Services, in % of Users, December 2018 1.7. South Korea Proximity Mobile Payment User Penetration, in % of Smartphone Users, 2017-2022f Overview of Four Selected Leading Mobile Payment Services, incl. Provider, Launch Date, Channels, Number of Users and Cumulative Transaction Value, 2018 1.8. Australia Number of Users of Digital Payment Services, in thousands, and Penetration, in % of Population, 12 Months to March 2018 Top Mobile Payment Services Used to Pay In-Store, in % of Respondents, 2017 & 2018 Breakdown of E-Commerce Transactions by Payment Method, in %, April 2018 1.9. India Proximity Mobile Payment Users Number, in millions, and Penetration, in % of Smartphone Users, 2017 - 2022f Mobile Payments, in USD billion, FY 2018e & FY 2023 Mobile Wallets Transaction Value, in INR trillion, and Year-on-Year Growth Rate, in %, 2016 - 2021f Top Mobile Wallets Used, in % of Young Urban Mobile Wallet Users, March 2018 Number of App Downloads of Selected Mobile Wallets, in millions, August 2018 1.10. Indonesia Mobile Payment App User Penetration, in % of Internet Users, 2017 Mobile Payment Transaction Value, in IDR trillion, 2016 - 2020f Number of E-Money Transactions, in millions, and Value, in IDR billion, 2012 - 2018e E-Money Usage Cases, in % of Mobile Users, by Gender, January 2018 Most Used E-Money Services, in % of Mobile Users, January 2018 1.11. Singapore Mobile Payment Transaction Value, in USD billion, 2016 & 2021f 1.12. Malaysia Non-Cash Payment Methods Used, in % of Individuals Using Non-Cash Payment Methods, 2018 Number of E-Money Transactions, in millions, and Value, in MYR billion, 2013 - 2018 Top 5 E-Wallet Services Used, in % of Users, October 2018 1.13. Philippines Digital Wallet Transaction Value, in USD million, 2018f & 2021f 2. Top 10 Mobile Wallet Profiles Profile of Alipay, February 2019 Profile of WeChat Pay, February 2019 Profile of Rakuten Pay, February 2019 Profile of LINE Pay, February 2019 Profile of Samsung Pay, February 2019 Profile of Kakao Pay, February 2019 Profile of Paytm, February 2019 Profile of PhonePe, February 2019 Profile of GrabPay, March 2019 Profile of GO-PAY, March 2019 For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/cfm3x6/asiapacifics?w=5 Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. Media Contact: Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com HATBORO, Pa., April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Azzur Group today announces the appointment of long-time Azzur veterans, Chris Mansur and Ryan Ott, to two new executive leadership roles within the organizationChief Operating Officer and Chief Administrative Officer, respectively. These appointments come after a year of growth in both service offerings and solution diversification among the Group's eight practices throughout the country. According to Michael Khavinson, Azzur Group CEO, 2019 is showing great growth potential for the company. "I am honored to have Chris and Ryan working together with me and all of our partners to support the progress of the companyespecially the execution of our mission," he said. Headquartered outside Philadelphia, Azzur Group is a nationwide network of companies working hand-in-hand with the world's leading life science companies to provide efficient, innovative quality and compliance solutions across the GxP manufacturing continuum. As one of the fastest growing private companies in America, Azzur Group provides clients with the guidance and solutions they need to remain innovative and competitive. Mansur joined Azzur Group in 2013 and since then, he and his business partner Ravi Samavedam have overseen all operations at the Group's Waltham, Mass. office, leading them to steady growth year over year. As COO, Mansur will partner with practice leaders to de-risk national operations and standardize processes and procedures in support of operational scalability. Mansur is also a representative to the Azzur Group Board of Directors. Ott joined Azzur's leadership team following the merger of CimQuest and Validation, Inc., which led to the organization's founding. As CAO, he will ensure the smooth and efficient management and execution of Azzur Group's business support platform, as well as identification and development of new business support capabilities required for continued growth and sustainability. Ott is a representative to the Board of Directors, serving as Secretary. These appointments follow a year of immense growth for Azzur Group, including the opening of a new branch of Azzur Labs in Cary, North Carolina, as well as expanded capabilities, such as facility solutions and on-demand clean rooms, IT advisory services, information technology recruiting solutions, and technical services. For more information about the Azzur Group family of companies, visit Azzur.com. About Azzur Group A nationwide network of companies delivering professional services across the life sciences industry, Azzur Group is dedicated to providing customers with practical and proven solutions from "Discovery to Delivery." Azzur Group has more than 250 industry partners, including 80 percent of the top pharma/biotech manufacturers in the U.S. As one of the fastest growing privately held companies in America, Azzur Group provides customers with the project management, consulting, facility solutions, engineering, validation, IT, calibration/maintenance, learning, and laboratory services. For more information, visit https://www.azzur.com. Follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. Media Contact: Katie Kiley Brown, Azzur Group [email protected] 610.573.3893 Related Images azzur-group-logo.png Azzur Group Logo Azzur Group Logo chris-mansur-chief-operating.png Chris Mansur, Chief Operating Officer, Azzur Group ryan-ott-chief-administrative.png Ryan Ott, Chief Administrative Office, Azzur Group SOURCE Azzur Group Related Links http://Azzur.com CHICAGO, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Bankers Life, a national life and health insurance brand that focuses on the insurance needs of Americans who are near or in retirement, has been named to Training magazine's Training Top 125 for the eighth year in a row. The Training Top 125 list was created to recognize companies' employer-sponsored training and development programs. This accolade celebrates Bankers Life as among the world's best in this category. "We are focused on diligently improving our training and development programs to provide our customers with the most knowledgeable and highly trained expert professionals," said Scott Goldberg, president of Bankers Life. "To receive this honor for eight consecutive years speaks to our commitment of creating a culture built around teamwork, excellence and customer focus." The company was recognized for both its field and home office training programs. Bankers provides multi-faceted lifelong learning tools and events for all levels of its field force consisting of 4,300 career agents across 285 U.S. sales offices. Learning and development opportunities include workshops, live best practice forums, as well as web-based and on-demand training. Now in its 19th year, the Training Top 125 ranking is determined by assessing a range of factors, including financial investment in employee development, the scope of development programs, and how closely such development efforts are linked to business goals and objectives. For more information about Training magazine's Top 125, visit www.trainingmag.com. To learn more about careers at Bankers Life , visit www.bankerslife.com/careers/ About Bankers Life Bankers Life focuses on the insurance needs of middle-income Americans who are near or in retirement. The Bankers Life brand is a part of CNO Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE: CNO), whose companies provide insurance solutions that help protect the health and retirement needs of working Americans and retirees. There are 4,300 career agents across 285 U.S. sales offices. To learn more, visit BankersLife.com. SOURCE Bankers Life TORONTO, April 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Jay Pharma Inc., a company dedicated to developing innovative, evidence-based cannabinoid medicines to address unmet patient needs in cancer care, today announced the appointment of Allan Oberman as Chairman of Jay Pharmas Board of Directors. Mr. Oberman brings to Jay Pharma a wealth of experience in key areas, including international management, business strategy, operations, and capital markets. He has held senior leadership roles at major international pharmaceutical companies, including as CEO of Concordia International, CEO of Sagent Pharmaceuticals, and CEO of various subsidiaries of Teva Pharmaceuticals. I am honored to join Jay Pharma as we strive to advance the quality of care available to patients affected by cancer and requiring cancer treatment, said Mr. Oberman. Jay Pharma is well positioned to positively impact the lives of cancer patients through the development and commercialization of cannabinoid medicines that are supported by a clinical evidence-based approach and practice. I look forward to leading our Board of Directors and Executive Management as we further develop our growth strategy, gathering the support of key physician opinion leaders, in order to better satisfy the nascent demand among cancer patients and oncologists. According to a 2018 survey of 237 medical oncologists (Braun IM, J Clin Oncol, 2018), 80% of oncologists discuss medical cannabis with patients and nearly one-half recommend it clinically. Critically, only 30% of oncologists feel sufficiently informed to make recommendations regarding medical cannabis, suggesting a large unmet opportunity to educate oncologists and provide research that supports the safety of medical cannabis. A 2017 survey of cancer patients in Washington State (Pergam SA, Cancer, 2017) found that most patients had a strong interest in learning about medical cannabis during treatment and 74% wanted information from cancer care providers. Current users consumed cannabis primarily for physical symptoms such as pain and nausea or for psychological reasons such as coping with stress, depression, and sleep difficulty. Oncologists and treatment centers are struggling to provide high-quality information to patients. In addition, given the large variety of cannabis product currently on offer, oncologists struggle to assess the safety of products and the best product fit for various patient needs, said Tzachi Cohen, founder of Tikun Olam Limited, a Jay Pharma partner and the leading Israeli purveyor of medical cannabis. Mr. Oberman is a leader with impeccable credentials and a proven business track record that will serve Jay Pharma well as we enter our next phase of development. His proven ability to build value while communicating a clear and consistent vision will help Jay Pharma capitalize on what we believe are significant unmet market opportunities. About Allan Oberman Mr. Oberman brings more than 18 years of C-suite international pharmaceutical industry experience to Jay Pharma. From 2016 to 2018, Mr. Oberman was CEO of Concordia International Corp. (renamed Advanz Pharmaceutical in December 2018), an international specialty pharmaceutical company which provided a number of pharmaceutical medicines for the treatment of cancer. From 2015 to 2016, Mr. Oberman was Chief Executive Officer of Sagent Pharmaceuticals Inc, a leading hospital and long-term clinic-focused specialty pharmaceutical company. Sagent Pharmaceuticals was sold to Nichi-Iko Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Japan's largest generic drug manufacturer. From 2012 to 2014, Mr. Oberman served as President and CEO of Teva Americas Generics, where he was responsible for a region that included the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. He joined Teva in 2000 and served as President of Teva EMIA (Eastern Europe, Middle East, Israel, and Africa), where he led a diverse group of countries in achieving consistent growth. Mr. Oberman also served as the Chief Operating Officer of Teva International, and President and CEO of Teva Canada, formerly known as Novopharm Limited. Mr. Oberman serves on the Board of Directors of Dr. Reddy's Laboratories (NYSE: RDY). He was Vice Chairman of the Association for Accessible Medicines, Chairman of the Canadian Generic Pharmaceutical Association, served on the Associate Board of the Canadian Association of Chain Drug Stores, and was a member of the Board of Directors of the Baycrest Centre Foundation, the Electronic Commerce Council, and the Food and Consumer Products Association of Canada. Mr. Oberman holds an MBA from the Schulich School of Business, York University, and a BA from the University of Western Ontario. About Jay Pharma Jay Pharma is dedicated to developing innovative, evidence-based cannabinoid medicines and combination therapies to address unmet needs in cancer care. Our mission is to improve the lives of persons suffering from cancer, initially by developing over-the-counter products for persons suffering from the side effects of cancer and cancer treatments, and longer term by advancing a pipeline of novel combination therapies as an adjunct to standard of care cancer treatments. Company Overview: https://jaypharma.co/about/ News and Insights: https://jaypharma.co/news/ News Alerts: https://jaypharma.co/subscribe/ Company Contact Email: info@jaypharma.co Forward-Looking Statement Disclosure This press release contains certain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on managements estimates, assumptions, and projections, and are subject to uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of Jay Pharma. Actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in any forward-looking statement. Factors that may cause such differences include the risks that potential products that appear promising to Jay Pharma cannot be shown to be efficacious or safe in subsequent preclinical or clinical trials, Jay Pharma will be not be able to obtain market adoption of its products, Jay Pharma will not obtain appropriate or necessary governmental approvals to market these or other potential products, Jay Pharma may not be able to obtain anticipated funding for its development projects or other needed funding, and Jay Pharma may not be able to secure or enforce adequate legal protection, including patent protection, for its products. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are made only as of the date of this press release, and Jay Pharma does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or correct any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that subsequently occur or of which we hereafter become aware. CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- WHAT: BioMed Realty, in partnership with the Community Art Center (CAC) and Cambridge Mayor Marc McGovern, welcome the Kendall Square community to celebrate the unveiling of a new student designed public art installation. The new installation, designed by CAC students, will surround a parcel of land at Third Street and Kendall that BioMed Realty acquired last August and is currently exploring various options for incorporating an art or culture component into the project. After the unveiling, BioMed Realty will host a brief reception in celebration of the students' work. WHEN: Thursday, April 4th, 5:30 PM WHERE: 500 Kendall Street, Cambridge, MA 02142 About BioMed Realty Founded in 2004, BioMed Realty owns and operates high quality life science real estate comprising 11 million square feet located in the leading innovation markets throughout the United States and United Kingdom, led by Boston-Cambridge, San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle, New York and Cambridge U.K. In addition, BioMed Realty maintains a premier development pipeline with two million square feet of Class A properties in active construction to meet the growing demand of the life science industry. With over 220 tenant partners, BioMed Realty provides real estate solutions for global enterprises, established biotechnology and innovation companies, leading universities and premier research institutions. Additional information is available at www.biomedrealty.com. Follow us on Twitter: @BioMedCambridge About the Community Art Center Community Art Center's mission is to cultivate an engaged community of youth whose powerful artistic voices transform their lives, their neighborhoods, and their worlds. The Community Art Center achieves their mission through intensive, year-round activities for youth ages 5-19 and through youth-led Community Programming that engages local and national audiences in quality artistic experiences. MEDIA CONTACT: Amanda Diamond: [email protected] or Jennifer Hanley: [email protected] SOURCE BioMed Realty MEMPHIS, Tenn., April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- B&K LLC, a leading plumbing solutions supplier and part of Mueller Industries, recently announced its new brand identity, BK Products. The comprehensive rebrand elevates the company's focus on quality and reliability and includes a new logo, tagline, positioning and website. "Over the past 40 years, we have built a strong reputation for value and consistency, said Nicholas Moss, President of BK Products. "Our research confirmed that developing our name, rather than completely changing it, was the appropriate strategic move for us. We are excited to build upon years of success in the industry and define BK Products as a strong, stand-alone brand in the wholesale market." The new BK Products logo brings a fresh visual identity, characterizing the brand as bold, consistent and effective. The company's new tagline, "Connect with Quality," shows the commitment to its customers and vendors on all levels. This short statement describes not only the company's relationships, but also its products, service and overall commitment to excellence. Website updates align with the company's new brand identity, with a strong focus on consistent quality and reliable products. About BK Products For more than 40 years, BK Products has served the plumbing industry, growing from a small distributor to becoming part of Mueller Industries, a world leader in flow control and industrial products. The company prides itself on delivering consistent quality and reliability to its customers at affordable prices. Thanks to a sourcing, manufacturing and assembly strategy that leverages both foreign and domestic resources, BK Products is able to keep costs down and quality high. For more information, visit: www.bkproducts.com. Contact: Caitlin Berry, inferno [email protected] 901.278.3773 SOURCE BK Products Related Links http://bkproducts.com LONDON, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- BMI Group, the largest manufacturer of flat and pitched roofing and waterproofing solutions throughout Europe, today opens its new Technology Hub in Reading. The Hub marks a multi-million-pound investment in technology and people for BMI and is part of Standard Industries' global mission to transform the industry. Rich Robinson, Chief Technology Officer at Standard Industries, parent company of BMI, commented: "Digital transformation is about empowering the customer by taking the friction out of buying a roofing system. The new BMI Technology Hub is part of our commitment to leverage emerging technologies and lead the way in becoming a truly tech-driven building materials and construction company." BMI is making a major commitment to accelerate the integration of data and digital capabilities into the manufacturing of high-quality roofing and waterproofing solutions. The company is also deploying machine learning to advance and automate its production and services as well as the development of a competitive, integrated solar roof. BMI's significant investments in proprietary technologies continue to enhance the group's industry-leading roofing and waterproofing solutions and services. They enable BMI to offer innovative platforms that will make identifying, selecting, delivering and installing a roofing system a seamless and integrated process for both the customer and contractor. Shreyas Mysore, Chief Information Officer of BMI Group, expressed big ambitions for the centre's growth. "The BMI Technology Hub will grow into a sophisticated centre for technology and IT innovation. We have many exciting opportunities for technologists, and plans to branch into sectors ripe for technological development and disruption." BMI chose Reading as a regional powerhouse of IT, technology and research excellence. Located in the Thames Valley "Silicon Corridor," with excellent transport links to London and deep connections with world-renowned universities, Reading has a first-class tech ecosystem of companies, infrastructure, and talent for BMI to collaborate with. About BMI Group BMI Group, a Standard Industries company, is the largest manufacturer of flat and pitched roofing and waterproofing solutions throughout Europe. With 128 production facilities and operations in Europe, parts of Asia and Africa, the company brings more than 165 years of experience. More than 9,500 employees give established brands like Braas, Monier, Icopal, Bramac, Cobert, Coverland, Everguard, Monarflex, Redland, Sealoflex, Siplast, Vedag, Villas, Wierer, and Wolfin a face to the customer. BMI Group is headquartered in London. Learn more at www.bmigroup.com. About Standard Industries Standard Industries is a global industrial company with 15,000 employees in over 80 countries. Our industry leading businesses include GAF, BMI Group, Schiedel, Siplast, SGI and GAF Energy. Key related investment businesses include strategic investment firm 40 North and Winter Properties, a real estate investment management and development company. Through R&D, innovation, supply chain enhancement and social impact efforts we are leading the transformation of our industries. Learn more at www.standardindustries.com. Contact Charlotte Allan Milltown Partners M +44 7939035484 E [email protected] SOURCE BMI Group WASHINGTON, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Strategic communications veteran and co-founder of The Glover Park Group (GPG) Arik Ben-Zvi today announced the launch of Breakwater Strategy, a new boutique strategic consultancy. The new company will be part of WPP. "When the founders of GPG invited me to be part of establishing the firm in 2001, we were just five individuals with a desire to try new approaches to strategic communications and government affairs. Eighteen years later, that vision has more than proven itself as we've grown to the powerhouse GPG is today. It has been an extraordinary privilege to be part of that journey and I am forever grateful for the opportunity. Now, I am thrilled to return to my boutique firm roots, with the goal of once again experimenting with new ways to be a trusted strategic advisor to companies navigating today's ever more chaotic and complex operating environment." Breakwater Strategy seeks to serve clients looking for world-class strategic counsel and campaign services, including crisis management, corporate reputation building, executive positioning and thought leadership, and public advocacy. Breakwater Strategy launches at a time when strategic advisory services rooted in political savvy, global perspective and business acumen are in growing demand. Rising pressure on corporate decision makers fueled by political polarization, geopolitical tensions and fast-changing communications technology is putting a premium on experienced advisors who can help steer organizations through crises and other threats to corporate reputation. Breakwater Strategy launches with offices in Washington, DC and New York City. The New York office will be led by Senior Vice President Max Gleischman. Like Ben-Zvi, Gleischman is a veteran of GPG, prior to which he served as Communications Director to Ambassador Samantha Power during her tenure as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Commenting on the launch of Breakwater Strategy, GPG co-founder Carter Eskew said, "Arik is one of the industry's most-skilled client advisers and strategic thinkers, a valued colleague and an integral part of GPG's remarkable story. We have been deeply privileged to work and grow our business with him and look forward to Breakwater Strategy's great success." All media inquiries directed to [email protected] | 202-741-1993 SOURCE Breakwater Strategy NEW YORK, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Brooklyn Museum announces a new annual award for an emerging artist living or working in Brooklyn. The UOVO Prize at the Brooklyn Museum is supported by UOVO, a New York City-based fine art storage and services company. The selected artist will receive a solo exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum, a public installation on the facade of UOVO's forthcoming facility in Brooklyn's Bushwick neighborhood, and a cash award of $25,000. The winner will be announced in June 2019, and chosen by a jury of curators from the Brooklyn Museum. The public installation will open in fall 2019, concurrent with the opening of UOVO:BROOKLYN, and the exhibition will follow at the Museum in 2020. "The Brooklyn Museum is excited to join UOVO in this effort to highlight and nurture the vibrant cultural producers of Brooklyn," says Anne Pasternak, Shelby White and Leon Levy Director, Brooklyn Museum. "We're proud to share this borough with countless emerging artists, and are always looking for opportunities to support their work in a multitude of ways. We're grateful to be partnering with UOVO to give yet another artist the opportunity to display their work both in our institution and as part of a public installation, while providing them with the funds to continue working and making Brooklyn an unparalleled artistic hub." The award is for emerging artists, defined for purposes of the Prize as an artist whose career could benefit greatly from a public installation and solo exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum. To qualify for the UOVO Prize at the Brooklyn Museum, the artist must live or maintain a studio in Brooklyn. Brooklyn Museum jury members will nominate local artists in a closed selection process. At the museum's invitation, three candidates will submit proposals for an exhibition as well as a design for the UOVO:BROOKLYN facade. The selected artist's design will be printed at approximately 50 x 50 feet and positioned adjacent to the facility's entrance on Evergreen Avenue. The installation will remain in place for one year. The Brooklyn Museum has long been dedicated to fostering the vibrant arts community in Brooklyn. It has been an early supporter of local artists ranging from Kehinde Wiley and Wangechi Mutu, to Jean-Michel Basquiat, through education initiatives and exhibition surveys. The UOVO Prize is in perfect alignment with the Museum's core values, allowing for the continued financial and institutional support of an emerging artist, while also providing greater public access to art with the public mural adorning UOVO's new Brooklyn facility. "As we prepare to open UOVO:BROOKLYN, we want to celebrate the artists and institutions in this dynamic borough," said Steven Guttman, UOVO chairman and founder. "We hope the opportunity for a solo museum exhibition, combined with a public installation and direct cash award, will have significant impact on the winning artist's career. We are proud to partner with the Brooklyn Museum to identify the borough's most exciting emerging artists, and it is an honor to see the UOVO Prize at the Brooklyn Museum among the museum's excellent curatorial programming. By supporting both a public installation and a museum exhibition, we hope the Prize will engage the community at multiple levels." About the Brooklyn Museum: Founded in 1823 as the Brooklyn Apprentices' Library Association, the Brooklyn Museum contains one of the nation's most comprehensive and wide-ranging collections enhanced by a distinguished record of exhibitions, scholarship, and service to the public. The Museum's vast holdings span 5,000 years of human creativity from cultures in every corner of the globe. Collection highlights include the ancient Egyptian holdings, renowned for objects of the highest world-class quality, and the arts of the Americas collection, which is unrivaled in its diverse range from Native American art and artifacts and Spanish colonial painting, to 19th- and early 20th-century American painting, sculpture, and decorative objects. The Museum is also home to the Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, which is dedicated to the study and exhibition of feminist art and is the only curatorial center of its kind. The Brooklyn Museum is both a leading cultural institution and a community museum dedicated to serving a wide-ranging audience. Located in the heart of Brooklyn, the Museum welcomes and celebrates the diversity of its home borough and city. Few, if any, museums in the country attract an audience as varied with respect to race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, educational background, and age as the audience of the Brooklyn Museum. About UOVO: UOVO is New York's #1 provider of art, fashion and collections storage and services. From climate-controlled storage and private viewing rooms, to transportation, packing, crating, and installation services, UOVO provides an array of storage options and innovative service and management solutions tailored to meet the specialized needs of any collection. Each UOVO facility is purpose-designed and managed by a team of industry-leading experts dedicated to ensuring that works are safeguarded with the highest caliber of security, discretion, professionalism, and care. CONTACT: Anne Maso, 646-747-4306, [email protected] SOURCE UOVO Related Links https://uovo.art JACKSONVILLE, Fla., April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Adecco Group is looking for its 2019 'CEO for One Month' representative in the U.S. In its sixth year, this global internship program is a unique opportunity for candidates to step into the shoes of business leaders in 47 countries across the company's global network. Top applicants will complete a national 'CEO for One Month' internship, shadowing the Adecco Group leaders of their own country. Ultimately, one representative will be chosen as the 'Global CEO for One Month" and will have the opportunity to work alongside the Adecco Group CEO Alain Dehaze. To identify the U.S. representative, finalists from across the nation will gather in Jacksonville, Florida, for a week-long leadership boot camp this May, where they will learn about the world of work and put their skills to the test. The company's U.S. business leaders will serve as mentors and judges for the week's events and will determine who will become the U.S. 'CEO for One Month.' The top candidate will spend one month shadowing the organization's senior executives all while earning a $10,000 salary and will have the chance to continue on as one of ten country 'CEO for One Month' finalists across the Adecco Group's global footprint. "Our 'CEO for One Month' program is a unique opportunity," said Dehaze. "It helps people thrive in their careers and increase their confidence and exposure, by giving them highly effective work-based learning inside a Fortune 500 company. It is a testament to the strength of the program that many candidates join us and our customers in permanent roles after it has finished." The 2018 Global 'CEO for One Month' Lisa Frommhold added, "It was an amazing and unique opportunity, giving me an insight into the world of work that would have otherwise been impossible. I gained exposure to an international business and access to a network of incredible people that I am still in contact with to this day. I had meaningful experiences and made enduring relationships and would recommend the program to any person looking to develop, both personally and professionally." U.S. candidates interested in the opportunity to become the Adecco Group's 2019 'CEO for One Month' should apply here by April 16. For the latest updates, follow @CEOfor1Month and #CEO1Month. About the Adecco Group The Adecco Group is the world's leading HR solutions partner. We provide more than 700,000 people with permanent and flexible employment every day. With more than 34,000 employees in 60 countries, we transform the world of work one job at a time. Our colleagues serve more than 100,000 organizations with the talent, HR services and cutting-edge technology they need to succeed in an ever-changing global economy. As a Fortune Global 500 company, we lead by example, creating shared value that meets social needs while driving business innovation. Our culture of inclusivity, fairness and teamwork empowers individuals and organizations, fuels economies, and builds better societies. These values resonate with our employees, who voted us number 5 on the Great Place to Work - World's Best Workplaces 2018 list. We make the future work for everyone. The Adecco Group is based in Zurich, Switzerland. Adecco Group AG is registered in Switzerland (ISIN: CH0012138605) and listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ADEN). The group is powered by ten global brands: Adecco, Adia, Badenoch & Clark, General Assembly, Lee Hecht Harrison, Modis, Pontoon, Spring Professional, YOSS and Vettery. SOURCE Adecco Group NEW YORK, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Cancer Support Community (CSC) will present Incyte with the Founders Award for Innovation at its signature event slated for Tuesday, April 16 at The Lighthouse on Pier 61, part of the acclaimed Chelsea Piers complex on New York City's Hudson River waterfront. Incyte's significant support of CSC's patient-focused mission includes a myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) awareness campaign, the award-winning Frankly Speaking About Cancer patient education programs, the CancerSupportHelpline staffed by mental health professionals who field thousands of calls each year, and the policy institute which elevates the voices of patients in health-related debates. In 2018, Incyte's support paved the way for CSC to create a new digital platform dedicated to MPN patients, caregivers and influencers through its support of "Unlocking Answers in MPN." "Incyte is an anchor to the Cancer Support Community helping us to provide greater knowledge and understanding of the important resources available to cancer patients from prevention to education, social and emotional support, and patient care and advocacy," said Linda House, president of the Cancer Support Community. "We honor Incyte's innovation as a tribute to the thousands of patients and caregivers who have benefited from the resources they helped us create." "We are grateful to the Cancer Support Community for this recognition and for their partnership to help strengthen patients' overall wellbeing, especially those living with rare cancers like MPNs who may not otherwise have access to a great deal of resources," said Herve Hoppenot, Chief Executive Officer, Incyte. "Incyte believes strongly in the vision of the Cancer Support Community to ensure that people impacted by cancer are empowered by knowledge, strengthened by action, and sustained by community." The Spring Celebration will benefit CSC's growing global nonprofit network of 175 locations, including CSC and Gilda's Club centers, hospital and clinic partnerships, and digital resources that provide more than $50 million in free support services to patients and families. Media Contact: Ted Miller [email protected] SOURCE The Cancer Support Community WALTHAM, Mass., April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Two medical device development firms, Catapult Product Development, Inc. and Smithwise, Inc. announced today they have agreed to a merger in order to offer expanded medical device development capabilities to their clients. "I've long described us as partner organizations," said Eric Sugalski, Founder and President of Smithwise, "we share the same values and mission, we serve the same customers, and we offer complementary strengths to device innovators." Catapult Product Development & Smithwise Though both firms bring mechanical, electrical, and software engineering capabilities to the medtech industry, they specialize in different areasthe Smithwise team skews towards mechanical engineering and industrial design, while the Catapult team has deeper electrical and software expertise in-house. "Together, we'll be able to better serve our clients," said Andy Ziegler, President of Catapult, "instead of regularly bringing the other team in as a subcontractor to supplement existing capabilities, we'll be able to make immediate decisions on project resourcing and expedite our response for clients. Eric and I began discussions last year after realizing that our clients will appreciate being able to directly leverage our combined expertise." The leaders of both organizations were emphatic about their desire to communicate that this is a partnership of equals. "We'd like our customers and strategic partners to understand this merger is a meeting of the minds, not a case of one firm being absorbed by the other," said Sugalski. "We also want them to share our confidence that this relationship is already tried and testedwe've worked closely together for years across many different projects. In many ways, we're acknowledging a reality that's existed for some time and now we're formalizing it. There will be some new questions to resolve in the coming months but, overall, we're simplifying things for ourselves and our customers." Both engineers by background, Sugalski will serve the joint enterprise as CEO, while Ziegler fills the COO and CTO roles. The new firm will combine Boston area offices with no staffing changes anticipated for the Boston or Philadelphia teams. An announcement regarding the joint firm name will be forthcoming. "Stay tuned," said Sugalski. About Catapult Product Development: Founded in 2012, Catapult is a full-service medical device development firm, specializing in console-based diagnostic and therapeutic systems, minimally-invasive surgical and diagnostic tools, and a wide array of portable and handheld medical equipment. We work extensively with startups to enable their core technologies, as well as supporting leading device manufacturers and academic centers as they accelerate critical device development projects towards commercialization. www.CatPD.com About Smithwise: Founded in 2009 as Boston Device Development, Smithwise is a medical device developer that helps innovators struggling with technical, regulatory, or manufacturing challenges with their next new product. Our clients span top-tier academic hospitals, established medical device manufacturers, and venture-backed startups. We specialize in connected medical devices, wearables, and surgical systems. Our client projects range from proof-of-concept prototypes to high-volume production design and manufacturing transfer. www.Smithwise.com Media Contact: Daniel Henrich 610.455.4255 [email protected] SOURCE Catapult Product Development; Smithwise Related Links http://www.CatPD.com PHILADELPHIA, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Three information technology leaders who are innovators, pathfinders and problem-solvers in the industry will receive the 19th Annual Information Technology (IT) Awards from Temple University's Institute for Business and Information Technology at the Fox School of Business. "Across all the corners of the business world, information technology leaders are tasked with growing the market and creating solutions as that market evolves," says Ronald Anderson, interim dean of the Fox School. "We are proud to recognize Angela Heise, John Collier and Himesh Bhise as archetypes of the leaders we hope our students become in the future." The Information Technology awards will be presented during a ceremony on April 4 at Temple University. The Fox Department of Management Information Systems (MIS) and the Institute for Business and Information Technology (IBIT) host the event for the Greater Philadelphia information technology community. "This year's honorees are digital leaders," says Munir Mandviwalla, IBIT's executive director. "The awardees are leading the path for IT to create new ways to monetize business, new ways to secure data, new ways to move information and change our world." IT Leader Award: Angela L. Heise is the president of the Civil Group at Leidos, Inc. Heise leads a team that finds solutions to the IT challenges facing U.S. Cabinet-level civil agencies across the globe. She is the recipient of this year's IT Leader Award, which is given annually to a person who demonstrates leadership in the use and development of IT in business. IT Innovator Award: John K. Collier is the vice president and chief information officer at Wawa, Inc. Collier has established the strategic direction for Wawa's expanding technology and business services. The IT Innovator Award is given in recognition of innovation in the application of IT to create business opportunities. Collier has previously forged new business models in the wireless industry and established property management and monetization strategies at Walmart. IT Award for Distinguished Alumni: Himesh Bhise, who earned his Master's in Economics at Temple in 1990, is the chief executive officer and director at Synacor. The Temple graduate is the recipient of the 2019 IT Award for Distinguished Alumni, given annually to an alumnus of the Fox School in recognition of a distinguished career in IT. Bhise has led Synacor through a turnaround that has seen three years of growth and profitability, putting the firm on track to deliver revenue in excess of $140 million. "This year's outstanding recipients are great role models for our students," says David Schuff, professor and chair of the Department of Management Information Systems. "They serve as examples of how visionary IT leadership can transform business." Recipients of the 2019 IT Awards are nominated and selected by a committee comprised of senior leadership at the Fox School, the Fox IT Advisory Board and previous recipients. For more information on the current Fox IT Awards, visit https://ibit.temple.edu/itawards/ . Contact: Matthew Coughlin, Associate Director of Communications, Fox School of Business; [email protected] ; 215-204-6083 SOURCE Fox School of Business COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS, Utah, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- CENTURY 21 Everest today announced that it is the #1 Office in the U.S. and the World in the CENTURY 21 System based on Sales Production in 2018. CEO/owner George Morris was honored at the CENTURY 21 One21 Experience held in Las Vegas, NV last month. This is the fifth consecutive year CENTURY 21 Everest has been recognized with a top honor. "This recognition is a tribute to all our dedicated and ambitious agents here at CENTURY 21 Everest, all of who relentlessly set out to be the best real estate professionals in Utah," Morris said. "As a company, we're always striving to help all of our agents be their very best by giving everyone the tools, training and mentorship they need to thrive." Morris has been a dedicated leader of CENTURY 21 Everest for 10 years and a real estate professional for almost 25. The franchisee has nearly 1,000 agents across 16 offices throughout Utah and California. Morris and his team are constantly challenging themselves to be better both personally and professionally. CENTURY 21 Everest prides itself on the supportive network and professional mentorship programs in place to help each agent succeed. "George is a stellar leader and role model for every agent in the CENTURY 21 System," said Michael Miedler, president and CEO, Century 21 Real Estate LLC. "The accomplishments of CENTURY 21 Everest are a true testament to the CENTURY 21 mission to defy mediocrity and deliver extraordinary experiences to homebuyers and sellers. We're honored to have such a talented team in the System." About CENTURY 21 Everest CENTURY 21 Everest is a full-service real estate company, serving the buyers and sellers in Utah. The office is located at 6925 S. Union Park Center, Suite 100, Cottonwood Heights, UT 84047. CENTURY 21 Everest an independently owned and operated franchise affiliate of Century 21 Real Estate, franchisor of the iconic CENTURY 21 brand, comprised of approximately 9,400 independently owned and operated franchised broker offices in 80 countries and territories worldwide with more than 127,000 independent sales professionals. Legal Disclaimer 2019 Century 21 Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. CENTURY 21 and the CENTURY 21 Logo are registered service marks owned by Century 21 Real Estate LLC. Century 21 Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each office is independently owned and operated. Media Contact: Lauren Nickl MullenLowe for CENTURY 21 Everest 617.226.9766 [email protected] SOURCE CENTURY 21 Everest Related Links http://century21.com New York, NY and Toronto, ON, April 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE -- NexTech AR Solutions (the Company or NexTech) (OTCQB:NEXCF) (CSE: NTAR) (FSE:N29) is pleased to announce that it has entered into agreement with Block Scientific, a leading clinical laboratory equipment company, to provide 3D product models through its AR eCommerce platform. NexTech is currently completing 2D to 3D conversion of Block Scientifics initial three laboratory products which include Medica Corporation's EasyRA, a fully automated clinical chemistry analyzer; Thermo Scientific Indiko Plus Clinical and Specialty Chemistry System; and Siemens Dimension EXL 200, an integrated clinical chemistry and immunoassay analyzer. Following the conversion, customers will be able to view these three products in full 3D on the Block Scientific website, with 360-degree rotation, and to place the products in their facility to understand size and fit before purchase. Virtual and augmented reality are set to disrupt the medical products industry in a host of ways, including education, surgical visualizations, and 3D product visualizations. NexTech is very excited to be a part of the transformation happening in the healthcare industry by bringing our web-enabled AR Place It technology into the medical products segment of healthcare with an industry leader like Block Scientific, said Evan Gappelberg, CEO of NexTech. Medical lab equipment is expensive, big, and bulky so to be able to have an AR-3D digital twin for our medical sales reps to bring into doctors offices or for trade shows is a big benefit for companies like ours, said Jeremy Lindner, President of Block Scientific. Were also excited to show our lab equipment in AR-3D on our website for new and existing customers to preview. For almost 40 years Block Scientific has been offering a comprehensive array of analyzers, LC-MS solvents, and reagents made by the leading manufacturers of clinical laboratory equipment in the world including; Abbott Diagnostics, Beckman Coulter, Siemens Healthineers, Thermo Scientific and others. Blocks clients include Agilent Technologies, Bristol-Myers-Squibb, GlaxoSmithKline, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Johnson & Johnson and many others. Gartner reports 100 million consumers will shop in augmented reality online and in-store by 2020. NexTech is building out its AR and AI eCommerce offerings, which include using AI to create a guided and knowledgeable curator that can be programed to be used for eCommerce or for education in the medical device market. About NexTech AR Solutions Corp. NexTech is bringing a next generation web enabled augmented reality (AR) platform with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and analytics to the Cannabis industry, eCommerce, education, training, healthcare and video conferencing. Having integrated with Shopify, Magento and Wordpress its technology offers eCommerce sites a universal 3D shopping solution. With just a few lines of embed code, the companys patent-pending platform offers the most technologically advanced 3D-AR, AI technology anywhere. Online retailers can subscribe to NexTechs state of the art, 3D-AR/AI solution for $79/mo. The company has created the AR industrys first end-to-end affordable, intelligent, frictionless, scalable platform. To learn more, please follow us on Twitter , YouTube , Instagram , LinkedIn , and Facebook , or visit our website: https://www.nextechar.com . On behalf of the Board of NexTech AR Solutions Corp. Evan Gappelberg CEO and Director For further information, please contact: Evan Gappelberg Chief Executive Officer info@nextechar.com Media contact: Erin Hadden FischTank Marketing and PR ehadden@fischtankpr.com The CSE has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Certain information contained herein may constitute forward-looking information under Canadian securities legislation. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as, will be, looking forward or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results will occur. Forward-looking statements regarding the Company increasing investors awareness are based on the Companys estimates and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements of NexTech to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, including capital expenditures and other costs. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. NexTech will not update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that are incorporated by reference herein, except as required by applicable securities laws. TREASURE ISLAND, Fla., April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- CENTURY 21 Jim White & Associates today announced that Dania Perry is the #1 World Producer in the CENTURY 21 System based on sales produced in 2018. Perry was honored at the CENTURY 21 One21 Experience held in Las Vegas, NV last month. She has been named the number one sales producer six out of her seven years with CENTURY 21 Jim White & Associates. Perry, who holds a master's in electrical engineering, began her sales career with TECO Energy selling wholesale power contract, and quickly became the top selling producer. She tributes her sister for her career shift into real estate, who Perry says called her every day saying how successful she would be if she entered the industry. While Perry didn't sell a single house for her first three months as a real estate professional, she formed an invaluable relationship with mentor Jim White, who she asserts is the sole reason she stayed in the business after her poor start. "The saying 'love what you do, and you'll never work a day in your life,' couldn't ring truer for me," Perry said. "My sister pushed me to find a career in which I would be extremely passionate and allow me to help people. Real estate has provided me with both and much more. I am honored to receive this accolade and would like to thank my sister, who has been a guiding light and inspiration to me as I continue helping others." Perry is a tenacious and highly competitive realtor. In late 2015, she was nowhere near the number one sales producer spot, but she rose to the challenge and went on to sell $25 Million in real estate in the month of December to claim the coveted award. Since she started in the industry, Perry has been awarded the number one sales producer 8 times in Florida and 7 times in the U.S. "Dania's story is truly a special one," said Michael Miedler, president and CEO, Century 21 Real Estate LLC. "She is an absolute powerhouse and huge asset to the CENTURY 21 business. As one of our most successful agents, she exudes what it means to be relentless and deliver extraordinary experiences. We couldn't be happier to see her receive this well-deserve award." About CENTURY 21 Jim White & Associates CENTURY 21 Jim White & Associates is a full-service real estate company, serving the buyers and sellers in the community of Treasure Island, FL. The office is located at 10645 Gulf Boulevard, Treasure Island, FL 33706. CENTURY 21 Jim White & Associates is an independently owned and operated franchise affiliate of Century 21 Real Estate, franchisor of the iconic CENTURY 21 brand, comprised of approximately 9,400 independently owned and operated franchised broker offices in 80 countries and territories worldwide with more than 127,000 independent sales professionals. Legal Disclaimer 2019 Century 21 Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. CENTURY 21and the CENTURY 21 Logo are registered service marks owned by Century 21 Real Estate LLC. Century 21 Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each office is independently owned and operated. Media Contact: Dana Hershman MullenLowe for CENTURY 21 Jim White & Associates 617.226.9345 [email protected] SOURCE CENTURY 21 Jim White & Associates Related Links https://www.century21.com ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- ChopperExchange , the largest American motorcycle classifieds websites, is excited to unveil a brand new logo and also announce its decision to now include all American motorcycles. Additionally, Canadian dealers and private sellers can now list American motorcycles for sale on ChopperExchange. Previously, sellers could only list American V-twin motorcycles located in the United States. New ChopperExchange Logo Reveal New ChopperExchange Icon The new logo will make its debut this month just in time for the 2019 riding season and also to mark the website's two-year anniversary under the new ownership. It has a significantly more modern look than the previous logo, which was introduced in 2008. It represents continued commitment to innovation and high quality of service, love of all American motorcycles, and enjoyment of the open road. According to Jake Braun, one of the owners, "The new logo is our way of looking toward the future and adapting to meet our customers' needs. The previous logo was 10 years old. It was time to give it a makeover. It's 2019, and we wanted a logo that looks more modern and sleek." Starting this month, American and Canadian motorcycle enthusiasts can buy and sell all American motorcycles on ChopperExchange, regardless of their engine type. This includes both new and pre-owned American motorcycles. The decision to allow Canadian sellers to list American motorcycles was made due to public demand. It's been something that people have been asking about for years. ChopperExchange has been a key player in the American motorcycle classifieds space since 2003. It has a very loyal customer base and social media presence of more than 725,000 followers. It's the go-to place for selling American motorcycles online. It's an American company that prides itself on providing a high quality of service and making it easy to buy and sell American motorcycles online. To learn more about ChopperExchange, please visit www.ChopperExchange.com . About ChopperExchange ChopperExchange is a leading classifieds website for new and pre-owned American motorcycles in the United States. It has been helping dealers and motorcycle enthusiasts buy and sell American motorcycle since 2003. Owned by Kapok Marketing , ChopperExchange is headquartered in St. Petersburg, Florida. It is an American company that prides itself on providing exceptional customer service and a hassle-free way to sell American motorcycles. Stay Connected: ChopperExchange: https://www.chopperexchange.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chopperexchange Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chopperexchange Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ChopperExchange Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChopperExchange #ChopperExchange @ChopperExchange Media Contact: Mirela Setkic (800) 523-7274 [email protected] SOURCE ChopperExchange Related Links https://www.chopperexchange.com Peter Miller, a nationally-renowned, 2 time Emmy nominated television host and expert fisherman traveling through uncharted waters while fulfilling his greatest passions. "Every second counts when it comes to competitive fishing," says Unchartered Waters host Peter Miller. "Being able to rely on my Citizen Satellite Wave GPS, gives me piece of mind, no matter what part of the world I'm traveling to. I'm on time, all of the time." Throughout the collaboration, Peter will be seen sporting Citizen's Satellite Wave GPS on his new show, Uncharted Waters with Peter Miller, set to premiere on April 6th via the Discovery Channel. Throughout the show, audiences will join Peter on extreme fishing trips through Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, Guatemala, Mobile, Alabama, Anguilla and the Bahamas. The new Satellite Wave GPS collection features satellite GPS timekeeping technology with worldwide reception and time adjustment in 40 time zones. The collection is prices at $795, complete with a black ion-plated stainless steel case and bracelet, black dial and brilliant green, blue or red accents. For more information about Citizen's new Satellite Wave GPS collections and the Peter Miller collaboration, visit www.citizenwatch.com. About Citizen Watch Citizen, a pioneer in watchmaking and innovative technology since 1918, promotes excellence and creativity with a deep-rooted respect for craftsmanship. Citizen advocates "Better Starts Now," searching for and accomplishing goals that are cause driven. In this respect, Citizen aligns with organizations and personalities that reflect the values of the brand including the Naismith Awards and Good360. For over 40 years, Citizen's Eco-Drive technology has served as the prime example of how the brand is dedicated to making the world and its environment a better place. A simple yet revolutionary concept, Eco-Drive harnesses the power of light from any natural or artificial light source and converts it into energy, eliminating the need for any battery replacement. SOURCE Citizen Watch Related Links http://www.citizenwatch.com CHICAGO, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Clear Spring Health ("CSH") is pleased to announce an agreement in principle to acquire and re-capitalize Community Care Alliance of Illinois, NFP ("CCAI") out of rehabilitation. Once completed, this proposed agreement will ensure continuing coverage and service to all CCAI policyholders. CSH is committed to a seamless ownership transition, ensuring members will be able to continue seeing their providers and specialists as normal and without disruption. Additionally, there will be no change in medical or prescription drug coverage and members can continue to fill prescriptions at participating pharmacies. The proposed transaction will further CSH's mission to provide superior service through innovative technology and steadfast commitment to its customers. CSH's ultimate parent company, Group1001 has a proven track record of building profitable insurance companies that offer forward-thinking insurance products that are more useful, intuitive, and accessible for everyone. "Bringing CCAI into our family of insurance brands is another milestone in our growth strategy, which looks to bring innovation into the marketplace with intuitive products that empower our customers and our communities. Ensuring continued service with a smooth transition is our priority," said Arthur Carlos, President & CEO of Clear Spring Health. Under the proposed agreement, CCAI will continue to operate out of its current location. The transaction is pending approval with Illinois regulators and the supervising Circuit Court. Under an Agreed Order of Rehabilitation against CCAI, Robert H. Muriel, Acting Director of the Illinois Department of Insurance, was affirmed as statutory and court-affirmed rehabilitator ("Illinois Department of Insurance") of CCAI and its parent Family Health Network. About Clear Spring Health Clear Spring Health is dedicated to helping seniors protect their health and well-being by providing Medicare Advantage plans in select counties of Colorado, Illinois, North Carolina, and Virginia, plus Georgia and South Carolina through our affiliate, Eon Health (redirects to Eon). Clear Spring Health is part of Group1001, a customer-centric insurance group whose mission is to make insurance more useful, intuitive, and accessible so that everyone feels empowered to achieve financial security. About Group1001 Group One Thousand One, LLC ("Group1001") is an insurance holding company in the United States, with current combined assets under management of approximately $36 billion as of September 30, 2018, and a mission to make insurance and retirement products more useful, intuitive, and accessible so everyone can get the most value from their money. For more information about Group1001, please visit Group1001.com . SOURCE Group1001 Related Links https://www.group1001.com/ "We are proud to bring this innovative treatment to Japanese patients through the partnership with GC Pharma," said Yoshikazu Nakamura, Representative Director at Clinigen K.K.. "Hunter Syndrome is a complex disease with unmet medical need. We earnestly hope that this product provides significant benefit to patients in Japan." "We are delighted to further enhance the value of Hunterase through this partnership," said Eun Chul Huh, Ph.D., President at GC Pharma. "Our efforts to make substantial differences in the lives of those with Hunter syndrome in all markets will continue by providing new treatment environments and opportunities. About Hunter syndrome Hunter syndrome (Mucopolysaccharidosis type II) is an inherited lysosomal storage disease that occurs primarily in boys. It causes an enzyme deficiency that interferes with the body's ability to break down certain complex sugars, resulting in serious skeletal, tissue, neurological and multi-organ complications and, ultimately, death. It occurs in approximately 1.3 out of 100,000 male newborns. There is no cure. The standard treatments are enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) or palliative care. About GC Pharma GC Pharma is a biopharmaceutical company that delivers life-saving and life-sustaining protein therapeutics and vaccines. Headquartered in South Korea, GC Pharma is one of the largest protein products manufacturers in the world and has been dedicated to quality healthcare solutions more than half a century. Green Cross Corporation updates its corporate brand as GC Pharma in early 2018. Green Cross Corporation remains the company's registered, legal name. About Clinigen K.K. Clinigen K.K. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Clinigen Group plc, global pharmaceutical and services company with a unique combination of businesses focused on providing ethical access to medicines, based in Burton Upon Trent, UK. Clinigen K.K. focuses on the development and commercialization of medicines for rare diseases. In collaboration with Link Healthcare K.K. (Clinigen Group), Clinigen K.K. provides ethical and timely access to licensed and unlicensed medicines to improve the quality of people's lives in Japan. For more on Clinigen K.K. please visit www.clinigen.co.jp SOURCE GC Pharma The products covered by this recall were distributed for retail sale in the U.S. The specific product information is listed below. Given the product may contain mold, consumers are advised not to use it and to either throw it away or return it to the store where originally purchased. Item Description Case UPC Item UPC Case Batch/Lot Code Item Batch/Lot Code Best By Date HNT PSTE TOM NSA 12/6Z 00-0-27000-38809-9 00-0-27000-38807-5 5291902510 2105902510 OCT 16 2020 No other Hunt's products or Conagra Brands' products are impacted by this recall. Conagra Brands has informed the FDA of this recall and is working with customers to ensure the impacted product is removed from store shelves and is no longer distributed. Consumers with questions should call our Conagra Brands Consumer Care team at 1-800-280-0301, open 9 a.m. through 5 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday or visit https://www.hunts.com. About Conagra Brands Conagra Brands, Inc. (NYSE: CAG), headquartered in Chicago, is one of North America's leading branded food companies. Guided by an entrepreneurial spirit, Conagra Brands combines a rich heritage of making great food with a sharpened focus on innovation. The company's portfolio is evolving to satisfy people's changing food preferences. Conagra's iconic brands, such as Birds Eye, Marie Callender's, Banquet, Healthy Choice, Slim Jim, Reddi-wip, and Vlasic, as well as emerging brands, including Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP, Duke's, Earth Balance, Gardein, and Frontera, offer choices for every occasion. For more information, visit www.conagrabrands.com. For more information, please contact: MEDIA: Dan Hare 312-549-5355 [email protected] SOURCE Conagra Brands, Inc. Related Links http://www.conagrabrands.com SHANGHAI, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- CStone Pharmaceuticals ("CStone"; HKEX:2616) delivered a poster of pre-clinical data of CS1003 at the 2019 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting. CS1003 is a humanized IgG4 PD-1 monoclonal antibody designed to block the interaction of PD-1 with its ligands PD-L1 and PD-L2 for the immunotherapy of multiple tumor types. In contrast with other PD-1 antibodies, CS1003 recognizes both human and murine PD-1, providing a unique competitive advantage during efficacy testing in syngeneic mouse tumor models. According to the pre-clinical result presented for the first time, CS1003 can specifically bind to human, mouse and cynomolgus monkey PD-1 and block the binding of PD-1 to PD-L1 and PD-L2; as a result, CS1003 promotes the proliferation and cytokine release of CD4+ T cells in vitro, and inhibites tumor progression in both CloudmanS91 mouse melanoma syngeneic model and MC38-huPD-L1 colon cancer engrafted in hu-PD-1 knock-in mouse model in vivo. The pharmacokinetic (PK) study in cynomolgus monkeys following single intravenous administration showed the exposure of CS1003 increased proportionally with dose levels and the PK properties were linear over 2-18 mg/kg. CS1003 demonstrated a favorable safety profile with the highest non-severely toxic dose (HNSTD) at 100 mg/kg. CStone is currently conducting a Phase I clinical trial in China and Australia, and received Investigational New Drug (IND) approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ('FDA') for CS1003 in October 2018. "CS1003 is a differentiated anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody which allows us to quickly evaluate efficacy for combination therapies in animal models at the preclinical stage, and better predict the safety and efficacy of clinical trials," CStone Chief Science Officer Dr. Jon Wang noted. "As one of CStone's immune-oncology backbone drug candidates, we will leverage this unique advantage to explore and develop combination therapies with CS1003 for various solid tumors and hematological malignancies, with the aim of providing better treatment options to patients in China and globally. " Clinical Status of CS1003 CStone is currently conducting a Phase I clinical trial in Australia to assess the safety and anti-tumor effects of CS1003 as a monotherapy in patients with advanced solid tumors. CStone received Investigational New Drug (IND) approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for CS1003 in October 2018 and will extend the Phase I study to the United States. CS1003 was approved in June 2018 by the China National Medical Product Administration (NMPA) to start clinical research, and a Phase I bridging clinical study was initiated in November 2018 for patients to start clinical research with advanced solid tumors and lymphomas. 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 CHICAGO, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Nicor Gas' record rate-hike request should be cut by at least $82.5 million, mainly because the company is seeking an excessive profit rate for its shareholders, according to testimony filed by the Citizens Utility Board (CUB). "Nicor's rate-hike request is bloated and unfair, and our expert testimony proves it," CUB Executive Director David Kolata said Thursday. "Everybody wants Nicor to have the resources it needs to maintain quality service, but that doesn't mean the utility deserves a rate hike it doesn't need." CUB asked Nicor customers to visit its website, at CitizensUtilityBoard.org, to sign a petition to the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) against the proposed increase. In November 2018, just months after the ICC granted the company a $93.5 million increase, Nicor filed for an additional $230 million rate hike. The request, which the ICC will rule on in the fall, is the largest by a gas utility CUB has ever seen in 35 years of consumer advocacy. Nicor is the gas utility for most of northern Illinois, outside Chicago. In 2018, its parent, Southern Company, made $2.2 billion in profits. CUB and the group Illinois Industrial Energy Consumers commissioned an expert analysis of Nicor's proposal. The testimony was written by Michael Gorman, of Brubaker & Associates, Inc., a Missouri-based consulting firm that specializes in utility regulation. Gorman uncovered several areas of concern, including: Return on Equity. Nicor is asking for an excessive "Return on Equity" (ROE)or profit rate for shareholdersof 10.6 percent. Gorman instead recommended a more reasonable 9.2 percent ROE, which would reduce the rate hike by $38.1 million. Nicor's proposed profit rate for shareholders is "simply excessive and results in unjust and unreasonable prices to Nicor's retail customers," Gorman wrote. In the rate-setting process, ROE is the most important component of a utility's "rate of return," which is the rate at which the utility recovers the cost of financing physical assets, such as gas meters, pipes, and gas-storage fields. Capital Structure. A utility's "capital structure"basically how it finances infrastructure projectsis another important component of rate of return, and Gorman had concerns there also. He found that Nicor overstated its costs in this area, and he recommended reducing the rate hike by another $12.3 million. Incentive Compensation. Gorman recommended reducing the amount that Nicor wanted to recover for employee bonuses, cutting the proposed increase by about $12.4 million. "Shareholders are the primary beneficiary of incentive compensation for financial performance, and therefore it is reasonable to ask them to recover these costs," he wrote. Other accounting recommendations, related to employment, pension and tax issues, amounted to nearly $20 million, leading consumer advocates to recommend reducing the rate hike by a total of at least $82.5 million. ICC staff and the Illinois Attorney General's office also are reviewing the case, and CUB hopes to support any additional reductions those parties uncover. According to CUB's initial review of the filing, Nicor's request would increase the residential monthly customer charge by about 29 percent, to more than $20 per month, and increase the per therm delivery charge by about 60 percent. If the rate hike is approved, Nicor has said the average residential customer will pay about $5.36 more per month. The hike would increase delivery rates, which take up about a third to a half of gas bills. That's what Nicor charges to cover the costs of delivering gas to customer homes, plus a profit. CUB warned that all customerseven those with an alternative gas supplierwould pay these higher Nicor delivery charges. So customers should beware of any sales representative who says they can avoid the rate hike by going with an unregulated supplier. All customers would pay these higher rates. CUB, Illinois' leading nonprofit utility watchdog, is celebrating its 35th anniversary in 2019. Created by the Illinois Legislature, CUB opened its doors in 1984 to represent the interests of residential and small-business utility customers. Since then, it has saved consumers more than $20 billion by helping to block rate hikes and secure refunds. For more information, call CUB's Consumer Hotline, 1-800-669-5556, or visit its award-winning website, www.CitizensUtilityBoard.org. SOURCE Citizens Utility Board Related Links http://www.citizensutilityboard.org LONDON, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Pushfor, the "British Technology Unicorn," has announced that international law firm, DAC Beachcroft, will use Pushfor's patented content-sharing platform to service its clients. It will first be used by the law firm's award-winning Cyber & Data Risk team to enable clients to communicate and share information securely and confidentially in the wake of a cyber incident. "Following a cyber incident, businesses often face the challenge of relying on the very systems that have been compromised or disrupted to coordinate and communicate their response," explains Hans Allnutt, partner and head of Cyber & Data Risk at DAC Beachcroft. "Using Pushfor's content-sharing platform, we can overcome this challenge by creating a secure virtual crisis room for a client's incident team that sits outside of their compromised infrastructure, removing any further risk of data leakage." KPMG Securetech, a KPMG program dedicated to connecting leading security start-ups with enterprise, provided the meeting ground for Pushfor and DAC Beachcroft. Bernard Brown, vice chair at KPMG UK, commented: "Digital security represents an ever-increasing challenge within the professional services space yet establishing best practice and identifying leaders in this space is no small feat. Our program to identify leading technology firms, coupled with real client needs, allows us to act as a bridge between innovation and industry. "Pushfor's secure sharing technology is a true digital differential, highlighting DAC Beachcroft's position as one of the leading legal innovators in cyber incident response, and its dedication to excellent client service." The key differential for Pushfor's patented service is that no information is actually sent but is projected onto the recipient's device, removing any further risk of documents being leaked or accidentally circulated. Behind the scenes, Pushfor's platform unlocks significant efficiencies by automating and industrializing a number of distribution activities, so reducing costs and unnecessary overheads as well as duplication. DAC Beachcroft's Hans Allnutt added; "Following a cyber breach, a strong well-managed response is critical to ensuring success. The number of ransomware and business email compromises that our Cyber & Data risk team has responded to has spiked in the last 12 months. Pushfor's patented service provides us with a state-of-the-art secure information sharing and communications channel that enhances our incident response capability, protecting our clients against further risk and reputational damage." Commenting on the new venture, John Safa, Pushfor founder, said, "As a legal pioneer in cyber incident response, DAC Beachcroft presented an excellent opportunity to launch a market first digital service. Together we will deliver a trailblazing secure client experience." About Pushfor Pushfor is the only truly secure content sharing platform that's designed specifically for business use. The patented 'push' technology projects content of any type or size onto any device, allowing it to be viewed without receiving the original file. Users have instant and easy access without needing the end authoring software and content can be controlled, tracked and revoked at any time. For more information, please visit: www.pushfor.com About DAC Beachcroft DAC Beachcroft combines one of the most comprehensive UK legal networks with coverage across Europe, Latin America, North America and Asia-Pacific. We are market leaders in health, insurance and real estate. Our lawyers provide a full-service commercial, transactional, claims, risk and advisory capability for clients in a wide range of industry sectors. DAC Beachcroft refers to the DAC Beachcroft Group, which includes a number of differently regulated entities within the UK and internationally. For more information, please visit: www.dacbeachcroft.com About KPMG Securetech KPMG Securetech is a response to the remarkable innovation in the UK tech sector, bridging the gap between start-ups and our corporate, financial service and government clients. Through a structured program of engaging with the start-up community, KPMG Securetech is able to provide intelligence on the latest advances in digital security and bring together leading, innovative solutions with our expert consulting and deal practitioners. Connecting the expertise and proven track record of KPMG with innovative, yet proven, solutions can address the most pressing and challenging issues in digital security by embracing and embedding change at pace. Media Contact: Juliet McCormack Email: [email protected] SOURCE Pushfor Related Links https://pushfor.com English French MONTREAL, April 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HPQ Silicon Resources Inc. ("HPQ") (TSX VENTURE:HPQ) (FRANKFURT:UGE) (OTC PINK:URAGF) is pleased to announce that the anticipated results from the mid 2019 commissioning of the PUREVAP Quartz Reduction Reactor ("QRR") pilot plant motivated the extension of the agreement with Apollon Solar SAS, ("Apollon"). Apollon Solar is a private French company that, over the past 20 years, has become one of the world leaders in the development of the metallurgical purification steps necessary for the transformation of 1 to 2 N silicon metal ("MG-Si") into solar grade silicon metal ("SoG-Si"), the critical material needed for the photovoltaic conversion of the sun energy into electricity. CONTINUING THE VALIDATION OF THE INNOVATIVE SOLAR POTENTIAL OF THE PUREVAPTM QRR Bernard J. Tourillon President and CEO of HPQ Silicon Resources stated: "The December 2017 agreement with Apollon was the final piece of the puzzle in the creation of a world-class technical team. Joining PyroGenesis (PYR-TSXV) and HPQ, Apollon is dedicated to establishing a Low Cost and Green metallurgical approach for the production of solar grade silicon metal (SoG-Si). The extension of the agreement, as we get ready to produce our first 4N+ Purity (99.99+%) PUREVAP Silicon Metal (Si) (PVAP-Si) in 2019, could not be better timing, as the identification of the technological clusters needed for the transformation of PVAP-Si into SoG-Si has already started. The following release will take the form of a question and answer discussion between Mr. Bernard J. Tourillon (MBA, President and CEO of HPQ Silicon) who will ask the questions, and Mr. Jed Kraiem Ph.D, (General Manager at Apollon Solar) who will answer them. Q. Hi Jed, thank you for taking the time for the Q&A session. Can you describe Apollon Solar's expertise in the metallurgical production of Solar Silicon (SoG-Si UMG)? A. Certainly, for almost 20 years Apollon has invested time and money in research and development related to the development of metallurgical routes for the production of solar grade silicon metal (SoG-Si). Over time, Apollon emerged as a world leaders in the definition of impurity specifications for SoG-Si and the development of technological process required (Clusters) to produce solar cells with high photovoltaic conversion efficiency using silicon produced via metallurgical processes ("SoG Si UMG"). Some of our most significant achievements are: We were the first company ever (and the only one) to manufacture entirely monocrystalline Czochralski (Cz) ingots made with 100% SoG Si UMG; Working with the UNSW (University of New South Wales), we have obtained a Voc of 690 mV on standard PHOTOSIL Multi-crystalline Si wafers with a resistivity of 0.5 Ohm.cm; Working with the ANU (Australian National University), we have obtained, and the results were independently validated by a third party Institute, a maximum conversion efficiency of 21.1% on N-type wafers, a world record for a solar cell made from 100% "SoG Si UMG" that is still standing today. Furthermore, without betraying any secret, we can already say that this record should be largely beaten in the coming months. Q. Can you please describe the differences between the chemical production of Polysilicon (Siemens process) and a metallurgical production of Solar grade Silicon (SoG-Si UMG)? A. Polysilicon was originally designed to meet the demands of the electronic industry with purities between 9N to 11N depending on end usage. The Siemens process uses hydrochloric acid to dissolve MG-Si and produce a gas compound, trichlorosilane on a fluidized bed, then that gas compound is purified and finally reduced to solid silicon or Polysilicon. This process requires significant amounts of electrical energy (about 72 kWh per kg produced) and is potentially harmful to the environment because of the usage of chloride and silane in the process. Over the years, the Siemens process was optimized around producing 6N to 9N purity Si used in the solar industry and massive investments in commercial development lead to large plants being built. The main reason the chemical approach became the dominant process until now was the absence of alternatives to polysilicon in the early 2000s, when solar energy experienced its first boom. At that time, solar cells using metallurgically produce Solar Grade Silicon Metal were unable to reach the same levels of performance as those reached with polysilicon. Metallurgically produced Solar Grade Silicon Metal (SoG-Si) has a purity of 5N+ with the main impurities being Boron, Phosphorus, Carbon and Oxygen. Contrary to chemical Solar Grade Si production (Siemens or FBR), the production of SoG-Si via metallurgical routes involves different liquid and solid phase processes, with at least 3 different purification steps (Cluster) needed to obtain solar requirements. Since the final purity of the product is adapted to solar application, CAPEX demands are reduced and after industrial scale optimization, operating costs (OPEX) will be significantly lower. Since 2007, many industrials have refined metallurgical Silicon into Solar Grade Silicon Metal (SoG Si) via metallurgical processes and demonstrated that photovoltaic performances could be similar to performance attained using polysilicon. On that point, Apollon Solar was one of the very first companies to demonstrate the possibility of obtaining very high photovoltaic conversion efficiency using 100% SoG Si UMG. Q. Few industrial manufacturers have demonstrated an interest in metallurgical production of Solar Silicon (SoG-Si UMG), why is Apollon Solar still interested in its potential? A. Developing a metallurgical pathway for the production of solar grade silicon metal requires time and significant investments. During the past 10 years, Apollon Solar has been involved in the development and optimization of the technologies needed to purify silicon metal (Mg-Si). Thanks to our global vision of the value chain and especially our photovoltaic expertise, Apollon Solar has identified the processes that need to be integrated in order to produce metallurgically low cost solar grade silicon metal (SoG-Si) that can reach high photovoltaic efficiency (Technological clusters). Because of our unique expertise in both Silicon metallurgy and photovoltaic cells, Apollon Solar strongly believes in the future of the metallurgical pathway, but that is not the case for other manufacturers who generally only have one of these two core competences Furthermore, three recent facts have reinforced our interest in the metallurgical production of SoG-Si: The production in the near future of 4N purity Si (PVAP-Si) at a cost similar to traditional MG Si; The possibility of using low resistivity wafers (higher concentration of Boron and Phosphorus) to obtain high PV efficiencies thanks to Passivated Emitter & Rear Cell ( PERC ) 1 cell technology; ) cell technology; The growing interest of public administrations and consumers for photovoltaic modules with a low carbon footprint (reduction of approximately 33% of the module's CO 2 emissions through the use of metallurgical solar Si). Q. Can you explain why Apollon thinks that an innovation like PUREVAP RRQ will allow the metallurgical production of Solar Silicon (SoG-Si UMG) to compete with polysilicon production? A. In 2017, Apollon Solar identified the PUREVAP QRR process as a unique metallurgical process, based on an innovative technological approach developed by PyroGenesis Canada Inc ("PCI") for HPQ (patent pending, owned by HPQ). Basically PUREVAP is a technology that is totally different from the traditional processes that transform Quartz into Metallurgical Silicon ("MG-Si") and it is totally different from the well-known conventional physical and chemical processes of metallurgical purification of silicon (plasma, slags, acid leaching, alloys, and others). The successful industrialization of such a simpler process, as well as the production of PUREVAP Silicon metal of 4N + purity (99.99 +% Si) with 1 ppmw of Boron (PVAP-Si) would result in a simplification of the refining steps and an improvement in material yield, resulting in significant cost savings (CAPEX and OPEX). Although still subject to validation, the addition of the technologies required for the transformation of PVAP-Si into Metallurgical Solar Silicon ("SoG-Si UMG") would allow for a cost reduction that could equate to 60% for CAPEX and 30% for the "cash costs" (versus the most recent factories built in China). While there is still some way to go toward industrial validation, this is a true innovation and its potential is there, so this is why we are excited to be continuing our involvement with HPQ! Q. Which types of solar cells is the PUREVAP SoG-Si UMG meant for? A. The first application for a PUREVAP SoG-Si UMG will be Multicrystalline solar cells (p-type Al-BSF and PERC) which will represent about 40% of the market in 2019 (that is about 50 GW or 175,000 MT/year of SoG Si). This is related to the fact that impurities specifications are less restrictive in multicrystalline than monocrystalline cells. The new Mono PERC cell structures enabled higher solar cells efficiencies and lower SoG-Si consumption, monocrystalline (mono-c) cells are presently gaining market shares compared to multicrystalline (multi-c), but this does not mean that the market for multicrystalline solar cells is not without a future. The potential cell efficiency of a Multi PERC cell structure should be about 22.5%. Future multicrystalline market shares will depend on its costs and the speed at which cell performance will increase. Based on historical precedents, major technological advances in solar cells are always implemented first in the mono-c Si market before transferring to the multi-c Si market. When the significant cost reduction emanating from technological advances reaches the multi-c Si, it always gains back the market share lost to mono-Si. Combining the innovations related to the increase conversion efficiency from Mono-c Si to Multi-c to the usage of a PUREVAP SoG-Si UMG will present a new pathway to significantly reducing the costs of the multi-c solar cells, as SoG-Si currently represents about 15% of the costs of a solar module. Q. Can HPQs PUREVAP SoG-Si UMG be used to produce Si for industrial monocrystalline cells? A. In the past, Apollon Solar and their partners have proven that high efficiency monocrystalline cells can be made from SoG Si 100% UMG (todays world record at 21.1%). So this is an opportunity that will be studied as well. Indeed the difference in cell efficiency for solar cells made from SoG Si 100% UMG compared to solar cells made from polysilicon reference wafers could be less than 1.0% absolute. Q. What is Apollon Solar's position on perovskites solar cells? A. Perovskites use in photovoltaic applications is a very recent innovation so this is a less mature technology compared to crystalline SoG-Si. While Perovskites base technology has made enormous progress in terms of photovoltaic efficiency in recent years and it cost and efficiency potential is very appealing, two major problems have emerged: A problem of long-term stability (cells are very sensitive to moisture) and; Lead is a major component of perovskites, making them less environmentally friendly than Silicon while its removal reduces cells performances. Many research efforts on that topic are currently underway and could eventually solve these main problems. However, perovskites are still far from industrialization and before they are able to compete with SoG-Si, a lot of convincing results will be required regarding both performance and reliability over time. This having been said, another interesting point seems to be the potential to use SoG-Si in combination with Perovskites. In this case, the low cost solar Silicon ("SoG-Si UMG") produced by HPQ could probably be adapted to the industrial realization of Silicon/Perovskites tandem cells. Indeed for that type of cells, an optimum between the purity and the cost of silicon presumably exists. This is where a PUREVAP SoG-Si UMG would be at an advantage versus polysilicon with it high fixed costs that do not depend on the purity of the product. Q. Do you see other markets for the PUREVAP RRQ process? A. Whatever process is used to produce Solar grade Silicon ("SoG Si") (metallurgical or chemical), the main raw material needed will always be Metallurgical Grade Silicon Metal ("Si-MG"), a product that costs producers of SoG Si approximately US $ 2.5/kg for a 2 N purity raw material. This reality has not changed even as production costs for industry leaders went from US $ 25 per kg fifteen years ago to less than US $ 9 per kg today, therefore making the relative importance of this raw material going from less than 10% of costs about fifteen years ago, when Polysilicon selling prices were high (> US $ 50 per kg) up to approximately 33% of today's cost, just as Polysilicon spot prices have starting reaching a price range